12.partnering with the humantiarian community

PARTNERING WITH THE HUMANITARIAN COMMUNITY

ERICSSON RESPONSE

11-12 April 2013 - Kista, SwedenWGET ICT Humanitarian Forum

Partnership

… an arrangement where parties agree to cooperate to advance their mutual

interests…

What challenges do you face

when partnering with the

humanitarian community?


Challenges

• The humanitarian community is

eager to have new solutions

• Newer solutions often mean more

efficient & effective operations

So what’s the problem?

Reluctance?

Suspicion?

Unease?


Overarching Principle

Cannot mix commercial agreements with humanitarian partnerships

Humanitarian Partnership

Commercial Agreement

≠


Companies just looking for ‘foot in the door’?

• Bad experiences engaging with companies.

• Not have the same capacity to interact with vendors.

• Confusion about what is really being offered.

• Terms of the collaboration must be well defined.

• Must be transparent with what engagement seeks to achieve.

Suspicion


Developed world ≠ Humanitarian context

• If not fully operational in the deep-field, the same solution can cost lives.

• Must be solid & guaranteed to work – every time – in the world’s most hostile & unforgiving environments.

• Need solutions tailored to humanitarian operating requirements & environments.

• Be proactive in approaching aid organizations, become familiar with their needs & assist in training.

Reliability


Preparedness is key

• Emergencies are NOT the time to be tweaking solutions.

• Difficult to receive donations in emergencies – efforts dedicated to response operations.

• Preparedness is the life & blood of emergency response management.

• Between disasters, work together to prepare for the next.

Timing


Time is money

• Cost of collaborating often underestimated – establishing partnerships involves significant investment.

• Recognise that the more time invested, the more successful it may be.

• Difficulties defining & structuring needs.

• Be clear from beginning where the partnership is being taken.

• Help humanitarian organizations to identify, define, interpret needs.

Cost


Restrictive procurement rules

• Strict regulations ensure impartial, transparent procurement of goods & services.

• Culture clash between private & humanitarian sectors.

• Should be no expectation to purchase, no commercial competition between vendors.

• Each has a different modality for business & each needs to understand the other.

Regulations


Procurement Process

Develop scope of work

Send out invitation to tender

Receive proposals

• Tech

nica

l• Fin

ancia

l

Conduct evaluation

• Tech

nica

l• Fin

ancia

l• M

eet w

ith su

pplie

rs

Select Vendor

• Inte

rnal B

udg

et C

ode

• Purch

ase

Requ

est

• Purch

ase

Ord

erEstablish clear rules framing

the agreement to ensure partners stay within the

borders of what they can & cannot do.

ERICSSON RESPONSE

SUCCESSFUL PARTNERSHIPS

COMMERCIAL

+

HUMANITIARIAN

Ericsson Response

• Non-profit activity of Ericsson

• Engages employees in volunteer

work with no commercial objective

• Collaborating with ETC to design &

develop solutions

• Provide expert, professional, quick-

deploy surge capacity


Ericsson Response

• Ericsson works closely with ETC

to develop solutions

Identify requirements

Deploy to steady-state operations

to test

Conduct first implementation

together

• Equipment & services provided

at no cost to the humanitarian

community

GOVERNMENT

+

HUMANITIARIAN

emergency.lu

• Started as a public-private

partnership:

Directorate for Development

Cooperation of Luxembourg Ministry

of Foreign Affairs

Private companies: HITEC

Luxembourg, SES TechCom &

Luxembourg Air Ambulance.

• Partnership with consortium through

single focal point – emergency.lu


emergency.lu

• Coordinated by the Government

Approached private sector within the country

Went together to humanitarian organizations

Identified needs in the field

• Utilising private sector know-how within the country to support humanitarian missions

• Developing solutions tailored to mutually-identified needs

ERICSSON RESPONSE

WAY FORWARD


Partnering involves GIVING not just taking

• Not just looking for new market.

• Develop partnerships with real exchange.

• Partnership is an evolving concept, not just pure financial assistance.

• Genuine desire to support humanitarian operations.

• Technical exchange: if it works in a humanitarian context, it will work anywhere.

• Seek opportunities to train & exercise with responders.

Attitude Shift


Preparedness

Establish clear relationships & responsibilities

+Preposition stock

+Train responders

=Faster humanitarian response


Next Steps

• Expand partner involvement & participation

• Share technology & innovate together

• Enhance solutions & new services

• Collaborate for preparedness & emergency response

The more each partner understands the other,

the stronger the partnership can be.

PARTNERING WITH THE HUMANITARIAN COMMUNITY

Marianne Donven, Direction for Development Cooperation, Government of LuxembourgMarkus Kuchler, Programme Director, Ericsson ResponseMartin Kristensson, IT Emergency Coordinator, United Nations World Food Programme (WFP)

ERICSSON RESPONSE

12.partnering with the humantiarian community

Spiritual

wgetict humanitarian

wget ict humanitarian

humanitarian community

cost time

newer solutions

need solutions

needs assist

structuring needs