The total budget is CHF 12,195,240 (USD 11,147,386 or EUR 7,767,669). Click here to go directly to the summary budget of the plan.

Transcription

1 Logistics Executive summary The Logistics and Resource Mobilisation department s strategic approach over the next two years will focus on sustainably increasing and then stabilizing, the coverage and accessibility for the provision of all logistics services for National Society (NS) programmes and operations through the zonal structures. Having further reviewed a number of operations and reports where the Logistics and Resource Mobilisation department (LRMD) has provided support, there are 3 key areas where improvements would have a significant impact on NS programmes and operations. The current network lends itself more readily to large disaster responses, and would be improved if logistics services could more easily accessed for small and medium operations. In addition geographical coverage is not aligned with the zonal system, the access to technical expertise easier needs to be improved. Access to services would be more equitable if there was a greater geographical coverage, integrated with the zonal offices. LRMD has significantly improved its initial reaction time in terms of resource availability in the immediate aftermath of a disaster, and ongoing services to support an established operation are generally accepted as good. There is a gap between the initial response and the steady state of operation, generally period between week 8 and week 20 of an operation. In general this is a time gap in the sourcing of resources and inputs required by disaster affected communities in the recovery phase. This particularly acute for shelter interventions. Greater technical resources allocated to each zone that can deploy quickly to operations in the immediate aftermath would go a long way to alleviating this situation. Finally LRMD needs to meet the requirements of the humanitarian community and donors in general regarding coordination of activity, not least of all in our shelter activities. By fully articulating our capacities and service levels to internal and external actors, LRMD will be in a better position to discuss and avoid duplication with other agencies. In addition offering selected logistics services to external organizations will show willing, benefit those affected by disaster and help fund our permanent structures and keep NS services at lowest cost. The total budget is CHF 12,195,240 (USD 11,147,386 or EUR 7,767,669). Click here to go directly to the summary budget of the plan. Context The frequency of natural disasters has increased generally, made up of more small and medium disasters. These are mostly climate related disasters and the trend is expected to continue. The Federation will be expected to be able to respond to an increasing number of smaller, climate related disasters. The current LRMD infrastructure provides good response capability for larger disasters. To support more small to medium localized disasters, this infrastructure needs to be extended. 1

2 Priorities and current work with partners LRMD currently works with a number of partners on various projects: Humanitarian Procurement Centre LRMD s capacity to provide effective procurement services has been recognised through its accreditation by DG ECHO as a Humanitarian Procurement Centre (HPC) in Beyond the traditional support to NS, this accreditation provides opportunities to extend the service offer to third parties. The LRMD is working towards the sustainable development of its services, through the promotion of a cost recovery mechanism, which aims at finding the right balance between its non-profit mandate and the provision of professional procurement services. In this context the Federation through its LRMD is looking to professionalise and expand services to third parties that are already provided to NS, both through its HPC and through its conventional service mechanisms to provide technical assistance or to supply pre-established stocks, purchasing or logistics capacity. LRMD Service Agreements 11 NS have signed formal LRMD Service Agreements (SA) to utilise the logistics services provided by the global LRMD network. A number of these NS have significantly increased the volume of stocks that they hold in RLUs as a result of their increased ability to respond to disasters by using LRMD services, proven in operations such as the response to the Myanmar cyclone. NS Logistics Working Group LRMD works closely with NS to providing support through capacity building and logistics services. This is coordinated through the existing RLU network with close cooperation with zones. To further facilitate the provision of services and capacity building activities, a NS Logistics Working Group has been set up. This is made up of 5 NS that currently use the services of LRMD and their role is to represent all NS that use LRMD service now, or may wish to do so in the future. The LWG attends LRMD Planning Meetings and facilitates better communication between LRMD and NS. The LWG provides feedback on existing services provided and is able to influence future LRMD strategy. This dialogue will support LRMD in continuing to provide the right services to NS. ICRC LRMD has regular meetings with ICRC to share information on current and future activities. Where appropriate both organisations coordinate activities and participate in projects. LRMD and ICRC currently participate in a project to update the Emergency Items Catalogue. This facilitates increased standardisation of relief items and increases the opportunity for further collaboration in the future. Logistics Cluster LRMD attends regular Logistics Cluster meetings and participates in operational meetings during emergency operations. Fleet Forum The Fleet Forum is made up of a large number of humanitarian organisations (Red Cross Red Crescent Movement, UN agencies, NGOs, etc). The aim of the group is to increase the effective use of vehicle fleets through better fleet management, improve road safety and reduce the impact of vehicle fleets on the environment. LRMD attends Fleet Forum management group meetings and the annual conference. Changes in the internal structure of the Fleet Forum are being made that are expected to improve the output of the group, and the benefit to members. These are expected to be confirmed at the forthcoming annual conference (November 2008). If this happens as planned, LRMD will then take up a more active role in 2009 and the future on the Fleet Forum Steering Committee and Management Group. 2

3 Secretariat programme in Disaster management/logistics Programme purpose To reduce the numbers of deaths, injuries and impact from disasters and health emergencies through the efficient use of global disaster response tools and response surge capacity. The logistics and resource mobilisation budget for is CHF 12,195,240 (USD 11,147,386 or EUR 7,767,669). This plan responds to the following objectives set in the three year DM Operational Strategy, which are: Objective 2 - Strengthen DM technical assistance provided by zones to NS, to increase technical excellence and capacity for DM in National Societies, in line with the new operating model, to better serve beneficiaries. Objective 3 - Focus on DM services prioritised by NS including coordination, information management and analysis. Utilise evidence and analysis to enable innovation, improve effectiveness and ability to adjust to external trends and NS needs to better anticipate risks and serve beneficiaries. Objective 4 - Develop competency based DM staff development and placement systems which increase effectiveness of preparedness, relief and recovery programmes. Improve surge capacity to ensure ability to meet beneficiary needs when affected NS capacity is exceeded. Objective 5 - Strengthen DM management tools and systems, analysis, planning, funding tools, and cross divisional integration practises to ensure most effective stewardship of donations so NS can provide more DM services to more vulnerable people. Programme component 1 Technical assistance Outcome: Increased NS access to logistics specialists and sustainable increased delivery speed and capacity while reducing the cost and impact on the environment by attaching RLUs to zones, placing additional personnel in the other zones and extending stock capacity by creating semi permanent stock locations on a cost recovery basis. Programme component 2 Surge capacity Outcome: Provide consistently improving logistics services form operations and programmes through global and RLU capacities continuing ongoing improvements for better quality, faster delivery and more cost effective solutions. Programme component 3 - Coordination Outcome: Stabilise IFRC network logistics services so they can be both coordinated with other organisations capacities and create tools and processes to ensure that LRMD procurement and delivery services are open top external organisations by the end of 2009, then operated on a cost recovery basis for external actors in Programme component 4 Capacity building Outcome: Develop competency based training, selection and staff development systems for IFRC and NS staff incorporating rotation, mentoring and performance management in cooperation with HR (zone and Geneva). Develop pool of personnel to address gap in surge capacity for international operations management. 3

4 Activities and initiatives: Operational support from the current RLU s will continue, and transition to an increased infrastructure will be achieved whilst maintaining business continuity. Where appropriate the three main logistics offices (RLUs) will each be co-located with a zone office. For those zones or large operational centres without a main office (RLU), sub-office(s) comprising a logistics and procurement specialist will be created, each managed by one of the main logistics offices (RLU). This structure will provide logistics services to NS, some on a cost recovery basis. Overall stock holding value will be increased by up to 150%, with up to 10 sub regional stock locations created, holding standard commodities and an increased amount of shelter items. These will be operated on a cost recovery basis and managed and replenished from the main logistics offices. Technical capacity will be increased and consistent at all levels with the introduction of an integrated training system. This will comprise a basic level, intermediate level and advanced general logistics courses for Delegates, Coordinators and Managers respectively. These will be augmented by technical courses at Coordinator level. LRMD will move to a point where these trainings are pass or fail and are minimum requirement to work in the respective logistics positions. They will be funded by NS participants and cost recovery. Information software and tools will be produced to help logisticians do their work, communicate what we do to internal and external actors for coordination purposes, and allow selected logistics procurement and delivery services to be accessed by other organizations from These tools that will developed in 2009 will focus on local procurement and stock optimization, links from logistics to relief, a website communicating our activities, training tracker software and a web portal that allows external customers to access services. b) Profile of target audience and final beneficiaries The target audience for LRMD are NS (both PNS and ONS), Federation zones and external humanitarian agencies. Through the extended global infrastructure, including sub regional stocks, LRMD will increase its capacity to support NS responding to large and smaller, localised disasters. Final beneficiaries are the victims of disasters where LRMD has supported NS and zones in providing relief. LRMD aims to support NS in a minimum of 50% of response to disasters with the capacity to assist 7.5 million beneficiaries. c) Potential risks and challenges As always there are many assumptions when creating a long term plan. In this case there are 4 critical assumptions that have been considered: Federation s governance allows LRMD to continue supplying external agencies. LRMD services are increasingly being provided on a cost recovery basis. From 2010 onwards LRMD will need to provide services to external agencies if it is to generate enough activity and income to sustain the new extended infrastructure. Additional benefits in providing services to external agencies include lower prices of relief items, through economies of scale on higher volumes, increased stock availability for disaster operations and increased coordination leading to less competition between agencies and lower transport costs. LRMD generates the seed funding required to expand LRMD s plans to expand its infrastructure and stock levels requires considerable seed funding to be provided in time to commence the various projects at the beginning of 2009, if cost recovery is to be attained in If the level of funding available does not match the requirement, a process of project prioritisation will take place. Many of the projects have key interdependencies and a there is a risk that the expanded infrastructure might not be sustainable if all are not implemented. 4

5 LRMD is supported financially in the first two years of operation (2009, 2010) During the period of major change (2009 and 2010) the level of procurement activities might not increase at the target rate. If this is the case, it might not be possible to fully recover the costs of the permanent infrastructure in If this is the case temporary financial support may be required from the Federation. There is no significant change in the current path of zonal development The LRMD 2009/2010 strategy is based on expanding the infrastructure in line with the current Federation zone structure. If major changes to the latter were implemented, it would affect LRMD and cause a significant change ion the strategy. Role of the Secretariat LRMD works through a decentralized structure where policy and strategy are defined in Geneva and operational capacity is decentralized to the three RLUs and the Fleet Base. Support is provided to NS and Federation operations through the RLU and FB structure, with support and coordination as required from Geneva. LRMD Geneva develops tools to support operations, defines business processes, implements projects with global implications, develops training tools and material, and is responsible for IT development, global framework agreements, reporting and analysis and funding. The Cost Recovery programme, initiated by LRMD in mid 2007, provides operational services to Red Cross and Red Crescent societies whilst recovering a non-profit-making service fee ensuring long-term self-sufficiency. This in turn provides a stable long-term base from which support can be proffered to implement and support programme detailed in this plan. Promoting gender equity and diversity The rationale for integrating a gender perspective in the activities of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies lies in the Red Cross and Red Crescent humanitarian mandate - to prevent and alleviate human suffering without discrimination. The Federation's focus is on gender, rather than specifically on women. Gender equality ensures that there is no sex-based discrimination in the allocation of resources or benefits, or in access to services. The goal of the Federation is to ensure that all Red Cross and Red Crescent programmes benefit men and women equally, according to their different needs and with the input and equal participation of men and women at all levels within the National Societies and the Federation's Secretariat. Quality, accountability and learning Our actions are guided, at all times, by our fundamental principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity and universality. Our Code of Conduct was developed and agreed upon by eight of the world s largest disaster response agencies in 1994 and represents a huge leap forward in setting standards for disaster response. It is being used by the International Federation to monitor its own standards of relief delivery and to encourage other agencies to set similar standards. The disaster relief standard, Sphere, adopted by the International Federation, is based upon two core beliefs; first that all possible steps should be taken to alleviate human suffering arising out of calamity and second, that those affected by disaster have a right to life with dignity and therefore a right to assistance. This initiative was launched in 1997 by a group of humanitarian NGOs and the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement who framed a Humanitarian Charter and identified Minimum Standards to be attained in disaster assistance, in each of the five key sectors of water supply and sanitation, nutrition, food aid, shelter and health services. The International Federation s Disaster Management Team initiative has four clear, specific objectives by which it measures its success: 5

6 Ability to adopt analysis, integration and prioritization to plan activities Clear definition of services, target levels and responsibilities Ability to deliver services and measure impact National Societies value, use and are prepared to fund activities. The Federation Secretariat is also committed to reviewing and evaluating its performance to ensure that the lessons learnt are fed into human resource capacity development, enabling continuously improved programme quality. How we work The International Federation s activities are aligned with its Global Agenda, which sets out four broad goals to meet the Federation's mission to "improve the lives of vulnerable people by mobilizing the power of humanity". Contact information Global Agenda Goals: Reduce the numbers of deaths, injuries and impact from disasters. Reduce the number of deaths, illnesses and impact from diseases and public health emergencies. Increase local community, civil society and Red Cross Red Crescent capacity to address the most urgent situations of vulnerability. Reduce intolerance, discrimination and social exclusion and promote respect for diversity and human dignity. For further information specifically related to this plan, please contact: In the Federation Secretariat: Philip Jones, Head Logistics & Resource Mobilisation Department; philip.jones@ifrc.org; Tel: ; Fax: