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The letters OULU in pink in front of Tuira, each decorated in honour of the summer and the year of the Capital of Culture.

news

18.06.2026

On-the-spot verifications support the implementation of the project

Pohjois-Pohjanmaan liiton maksatusasiantuntijat perehtyivät toukokuussa erilaisiin hankkeisiin paikan päällä tehtävissä varmennuksissa. Vasemmalla  Miehonsuon tutkimusympäristö  ja tutkija Maarit Liimatainen (LUKE). Oikealla koulutuskuntayhtymä Brahen tekniikan ja palveluiden yksikön projektipäällikkö Leo Aho sekä maksatusasiantuntija Mari Väänänen Pohjois-Pohjanmaan liitosta.

Pohjois-Pohjanmaan liitto on käynnistänyt vuoden 2026 paikan päällä tehtävät varmennukset. Tänä vuonna maksatusasiantuntijat käyvät maakunnan alueella noin 20:ssa erilaisessa EAKR- tai  JTF -hankekohteessa. Valvonta ulottuu 15 prosenttiin kaikista Pohjois-Pohjanmaan liiton osarahoittamista ohjelmakauden 2021–2027 EAKR- ja JTF -hankkeista. Lisäksi varmennuksia voidaan toteuttaa kansallista rahoitusta saaneille hankkeille. Varmennus toteutetaan maksatusasiantuntijan johdolla ja paikalla on myös hanketta valvova aluekehitysasiantuntija.

Tarkastettavat hankkeet valikoituvat erilaisten kriteerien perusteella. Varmennettavaksi pyritään valikoimaan keskenään erilaisia hankkeita: ryhmähankkeiden pää- tai osatoteuttajia, yksittäisen toimijan hankkeita, eri kokoisia ja tyyppisiä hankkeita. Lisäksi pääsääntöisesti suuret, yli 800 000 euron julkisen tuen hankkeet tarkastetaan aina.

Käynnin keskeisin tavoite on varmistua siitä, että hanketta on toteutettu hankesuunnitelman ja -päätöksen mukaisesti. Varmennuksessa käydään läpi muun muassa hankintojen oikeellisuutta ja syntyneitä kuluja. Esimerkiksi  palkkojen yksikkökustannuksia käyttävissä hankkeissa tarkastetaan tuntihinnan laskentaperusteet.

– Paikan päällä tehtävät käynnit täydentävät maksatushakemuksen yhteydessä tehtävää tarkastusta. Samalla siihen kannattaa suhtautua ohjauskäyntinä, jossa voi esittää kysymyksiä myös meille, vinkkaa maksatusasiantuntija Mari Väänänen.

Vierailulla keskustellaan usein myös hankkeen tuloksista ja viestintään liittyvistä asioista. Viestinnän osalta tärkeimpiä ovat esimerkiksi aineistoista, materiaaleista ja tiloista löytyvät EU-tunnukset sekä Pohjois-Pohjanmaan liiton logo. Ne tuovat näkyville hankkeissa tehtävää toimintaa. Lisäksi varmennuksessa käydään läpi hankesuunnitelmassa määriteltyjä tulosindikaattoreita sekä niiden toteutumista hankkeen aikana. Oleellista indikaattoreiden näkökulmasta on jäljitettävyys, jotta varmistutaan tuloksen tosiasiallisesta syntymisestä. Indikaattoreiden lisäksi, usein hanketoimijan yllätykseksi, käydään läpi myös hankesuunnitelmassa määritellyt horisontaaliset periaatteet. Myös kehittämistoiminnan jatkuvuudesta hankkeen jälkeen keskustellaan.

Käyntiin olisi hyvä valmistautua kasaamalla hankkeen asiakirjat yhteen sekä pohtimalla esimerkiksi hankkeen indikaattoritietoja ja horisontaalisia periaatteita ennakkoon. Lisäksi jouhevan varmennuksen puolesta olisi hyödyllisintä, että paikalle saataisiin henkilöitä, jotka aidosti toteuttavat hanketta ja osaavat vastata esitettyihin kysymyksiin.

–  Tärkeää on myös avulias ja avoin mieli. Varmennus on yhteispeliä ja pyrimme siihen, että myös hanketoimijat saisivat siitä tukea hankkeen toteuttamiseen, päättää Väänänen.

Varmennuskäynnin jälkeen maksatusasiantuntija laatii muistion, jossa havainnot käynniltä vedetään yhteen.

Vinkkilista tarkastukseen valmistautumiseen

  • Kokoa hankkeen aineisto (kirjanpito, kilpailutusaineistot, viestintä, palkkojen laskentaperusteet jne.) yhteen sekä varmista, että oikeat ihmiset ovat paikalla tapaamisessa.
  • Huolehdi, että henkilötietolomakkeet, erityisesti nimikkeet, ovat ajan tasalla.
  • Tarkista, että EU-tunnukset ja Pohjois-Pohjanmaan liiton logo ovat esillä vaaditulla tavalla.
  • Indikaattoritietojen jäljitettävyys on hanketoteuttajan vastuulla – huolehdi, että jäljitysketju on olemassa.
  • Palauta mieleen hankehakemuksessa esitetyt horisontaaliset periaatteet – miten nämä ovat toteutuneet käytännössä? Onko tullut täydennettävää?
  • Valmistaudu kertomaan, miten hankkeen kehittämistyö jatkuu sen päätyttyä – mitä hankkeessa jää jäljelle?
  • Pohdi, onko sinulla itselläsi kysyttävää – varmennus on hyvä hetki myös esittää kysymyksiä esimerkiksi hankehallinnosta.
  • Käyntiä ei tarvitse jännittää!
Viisi ihmistä seisoo sähköpääkeskuksen edessä. Taustalla on sähköpääkeskukseen kiinnitetty kyltti, jossa lukee Kalajoen Marinan aluerakentaminen.
AKKE-erillisrahoitteisen Kalajoen Marinan aluerakentamisen hankkeen varmennuskäynti toukokuussa 2026. Kuvassa vasemmalta kehitysjohtaja Tiina Rajala, aluekehitysasiantuntija Heikki Laukkanen, hanketalousasiantuntija Pia Välimäki, urakoitsija Matti Sirviö Valukon Oy:sta sekä tekninen johtaja Marko Raiman Kalajoen kaupungilta.

 

 

 

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