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Legal Aspects of Projects

Course developer

Prior knowledge

PolZ5008, European Union Funds

VadZ5061, Methodology of Project Management

VadZ5073, Project Procurement Procedure

VadZ5084, Practical Project Management

Course abstract

The course provides knowledge of document management at all the phases of the project life cycle. The course deals with law (labour law, administrative law and tax law) and legal provisions for project management, as well as the legal framework for European Union funding. Students learn how to solve problems of a legal nature and apply laws when writing project proposals; the skills learnt allow critically assessing and analysing project legal documents and use the documents.

Learning outcomes and their assessment

Students will be able to demonstrate:
KNOWLEDGE of
1) demonstrate the knowledge of law and legal provisions for project management. Discussions and debates.
2) demonstrate the knowledge of documents and their kinds at all the phases of the project life cycle as well as how to effectively use the documents in project management. Test.
3) demonstrate a broad knowledge of the legal framework for European Union funding (the Public Procurement Law of the Republic of Latvia and the national legal acts pertaining to the EU Funds and project management). Test.
SKILLS
Professional skills to
1) independently use various kinds of documents in project development (contracts, agreements, business correspondence, protocols). Discussions in seminar classes.
2) independently select and apply Cabinet regulations conforming to the agreement terms set by the institutions administering EU funding and apply relevant legal provisions in project management. Discussions in seminar classes.
3) independently apply the guidelines on applicable project cost documents designed by EU administrative institutions. Test.
4) independently assess and reasonably discuss laws and legal provisions applicable in project management. Group work.
Soft skills to
1) present the results of the independent work done. Independent work.
2) engage in discussions and reasonably defend their own opinions. Discussions in seminar classes.
COMPETENCES to
1) comprehend the basic principles of document management and the basic requirements for drawing up a document. Independent work.

2) independently use and apply relevant laws and legal provisions. Seminar.

Course Content(Calendar)

Lectures (12 hours)
1. Document management in institutions and organizations at all the phases of the project life cycle. The concept and types of and need for documents in project management. (1h)
2. Concept and types of contracts and the procedure of concluding a contract. The most common types of contracts in project management. Orders, decisions, complaints, applications, administrative acts, their application, reports on their preparation, application and necessity at the project preparation, evaluation, implementation and post-implementation phases. (1h)
3. Document layout and formatting requirements, requisites providing legal force to the document, requirements set by an EU funding provider regarding the document layout and formatting. (1h)
4. Procedure of accounting for project documents in institutions, organizations, enterprises (1 h)
5. Legal provisions, and their kinds, relevant to project management: labour law, administrative law and tax law. (1h)
6. Concept and sources of labour law. The basic principles of labour law. The establishment of legal employment relationships. The duration of employment. The termination of employment. Working procedures. Working and rest time. Wage. The legal framework for the remuneration of officials and employees of a national and local government institution. (1h)
7. Concept of administrative law. The concept and substance of an administrative procedure. The general description of an administrative procedure in an institution: the initiation of an administrative case. The acquisition of necessary information. The issue of an administrative act. The enforcement of an administrative act. The contestation and appeal of an administrative act (1 h)
8. Tax application process in project management. Rights and obligations, liability for tax violations. (1h)
9. Legal and regulatory frameworks for the use of EU funding. Requirements for the institutions administering EU funding concerning the documents to be submitted for projects of various kinds and scope. The regulatory framework for receiving EU funding, institutional policy documents and the regulatory framework for procurement. (2 h)
10. Regulatory framework governing the scope of projects – the purchase and use of fixed assets. Production, services and social activities. (2h)

Practicals (12 hours)
1. Preparation as well as layout and formatting of project documents (4 h).
2. Test on project documents and their types and application in all the phases of the project life cycle (1 h).
3. Legal and regulatory frameworks for the use of EU funding. Requirements for the institutions administering EU funding concerning project documents (2 h).
4. Test on the regulatory framework for receiving EU funding needed in project management (1 h).
5. Basic principles of document management (2 h).

6. Legal provisions, and their kinds, relevant to project management (2 h).

Requirements for awarding credit points

The student must pass two tests on the theoretical matters of the course and engage in activities during classes related to the application of legal provisions in project management.

Description of the organization and tasks of students’ independent work

The student must independently do compulsory and further reading.

Criteria for Evaluating Learning Outcomes

The student is awarded a final mark based on the tests passed and the engagement in activities during classes.
The final mark consists of the following pieces of assessment: a test on the management of projects in all the phases of the project life cycle as well as the layout and formatting, accounting for and flow of project documents 40%; a test on the legal and regulatory frameworks for the use of EU funding 40%; the student’s engagement in activities during classes related to the application of legal provisions in project management 20%.

Compulsory reading

1. Broka B., Džohansens S. Juridiskā analīze un tekstu rakstīšana. Rīga, 2008., 165.lpp.
2. Forands I. Projekta menedžments. Rīga, 2006. 258 lpp.
3. Jack R. Meredith, Samuel J. Mantel, Jr. Project management: a managerial approach: international student version. John Wiley & Sons, 2010. p.587.

4. Kalve I. Dokumentu pārvaldība. No A līdz Z. Biznesa augstskola Turība, 2013. 316 lpp.

Further reading

1. Eiropas Savienības fondu projekti. Pieejams: https://www.esfondi.lv/projektu-iesniedzejiem
2. Latvijas tiesību sistēma. Biznesa augstskola “Turība”. 2017. 442.lpp.
3. Latvijas Republikas tiesību akti. Pieejams: https://likumi.lv/

4. Uzulāns J. Risku vadība projektu kontekstā. Rīga: Drukātava, 2010. 136.lpp.

Periodicals and other sources

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Notes

Compulsory course for the ESAF professional master programme Project Management.