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Pacific Logistics Cluster

Pacific Humanitarian Team Workshop

December 2010

Pacific Humanitarian Team Workshop – December 2010 2

What is the Logistics Cluster?A Group of organisations working together to improve the

logistics response during emergencies

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Since 2007, the Logistics Cluster has had a dedicated Cell, based in the Logistics Division of WFP Rome HQ, consisting in a team of multi-skilled logisticians drawn from: WFP, ACF, CARE International, WVI, MSB, UNICEF and UNHCR

Main activities:

Provides field Clusters with strategy, policy guidance, mobilisation support and / or surge capacity Advocate for and support preparedness / capacity building projects Promote the integration of services, systems and information Facilitate the exploitation of shared assets, aptitudes and competencies

The Global Logistics Cluster Support Cell (GLCSC)

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Important Does not provide services itself but rather coordinates services

provided by participating organisations, private companies…(the Logistics Cluster is not a legal entity!)

Does not attempt to run logistics on behalf of participating organisations, but rather aims at strengthening their own logistics through the provision of services.

Keep in mind that Cluster support services are temporary. So organisations should work on securing their own supply chain from the onset of the emergency

The Logistics Cluster in the field

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1. What was required

4. What Purchasing ordered

2. What engineering suggested 3. What administration approved

5. What was delivered 6. As maintenance installed it

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Some Synthesis and Lessons Learnt form past activations:

Assets and coordination on the ground, scale of emergency, requirements of humanitarian actors set the stage for scale and scope of the cluster’s activities => different emergencies = different set ups

Key conditions for all circumstances: engagement of all actors, professional information flow via meetings, Logistics Cluster website, clear designation of tasks to the various actors

Dedicated Logistics Cluster Officers (including NGO secondments) distinct from staff managing WFP day to day operations

Flexibility and engagement of all actors key to a successful Cluster

Still need for further preparedness & consultation on SOP's

Systems to be revised/enhanced

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Lessons Learnt – Samoa 2009

The logistics meetings provided NDMO with a wider forum for information exchange and planning, which strengthened their overall management and coordination of the disaster response

Issues discussed at the meetings helped to identify gaps in the logistics support structures at a policy level, that will feed into revision of the National Disaster Management Plan

Procedures and guidelines established for the handling of the HMNZS Canterbury assisted NDMO in preparing for the arrival of future aid consignments

The role of the Logistics Cluster was not widely understood within the humanitarian community and the region as a whole. It is not simply to be “a provider of last resort” for additional equipment and services

NDMO’s breadth of responsibility for the operational functions of the disaster response placed strain on their overall management of the emergency relief programme

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Pacific Logistics ClusterSome background

• 2008 : creation of the PHT, recommendation for Logistics Cluster activation and WFP to take on its role as Cluster Lead.

• 2009: First evaluation mission to determine potential role for WFP, Deployment of cluster staff to support the Samoa Tsunami response & participation in 2nd PHT annual workshop – the Pacific Logistics Cluster project is written and proposed to donors

• 2010: missions to initiate Logistics Capacity Assessments, engagement with other regional partners, contingency planning workshop in Tonga, Set-up of Malaysia Regional cell & participation in 3rd PHT annual workshop

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Objectives

• Strengthen the logistics capability of NDMOs and other humanitarian actors throughout the Pacific.

• Focus on Logistics preparedness, readiness and coordination

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Logistics Challenges : feedback from session with NDMOs

• Limited air/sea assets in country• Prioritization in use of assets• Lack of standard contracts• Requisition system in case of emergencies• Disorganized used of assets / lack of SOPs• Private resources are very expensive• Storage: Lack of facilities in forward bases• Items required for response are usually not available in quality

and quantity in country• Customs clearance and Quarantine issues• Few dedicated logistics staff

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Logistics Challenges : feedback from session with NDMOs

• Limited air/sea assets in country• Prioritization in use of assets• Lack of standard contracts• Requisition system in case of emergencies• Disorganized used of assets / lack of SOPs• Private resources are very expensive• Storage: Lack of facilities in forward bases• Items required for response are usually not available in quality

and quantity in country• Customs clearance and Quarantine issues• Few dedicated logistics staff

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• Simplified paperwork requirements for emergencies?• Waivers of duties, tariffs and fees (including storage fees pending clearance)?• Reduction of import, transit, or export restrictions in disaster settings?• Priority clearance for relief goods and equipment? • Pre-clearance procedures for relief goods and equipment or reduction of

inspection requirements?• Clearance outside normal business hours and at outside of customs offices, if

necessary?• Re-exportation of equipment and unused goods?• Does the DM or telecommunications law provide exceptions to

import/export restrictions?• Does it allow for speedy licensing or waiver of license requirements in

disasters?

Does the customs law have any provisions about?

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Logistics Challenges in the Pacific • Special attention to be paid to the hire of daily laborers.• Lack of standing arrangements with private logistics providers.• Liaison / Coordination between national and districts levels could

be improved.• High cost of facilities, transport & services in some countries.• Few suitable maritime assets – dependence on military assets• Limited warehouse capacities outside of main towns• NDMOs have access to limited logistics resources and a lack of

experienced dedicated logistics staff• Limited viable air assets under the control of the host government • Customs procedures can be very time consuming and

bureaucratically heavy.

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Pacific Logistics Cluster2011-12

• Deployment of personnel within the Pacific region to support humanitarian organisations and NDMOs.

• Logistics Capacity Assessments

• Technical logistics trainings to be organized in pilot countries

• In the event of an emergency, based on request in country, surge capacity can be deployed with a primary focus would be on Coordination and Information Management

• Funding to secure for sustained activities

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Countries of focus 2011-12

Phase 1:Papua New Guinea Solomon IslandsVanuatuFiji

Phase 2:SamoaTongaNiue Cook IslandsTokelau

Phase 3:Kiribas / TuvaluNauru / PalauFSM / Marshall Islands

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The Regional Logistics Cluster Cell / Asia + Pacific• Interacts with all of humanitarian actors in the region to ensure close

collaboration in humanitarian logistics. • Ensures that the Logistics Cluster activities are fully integrated with and

complimentary to other on-going initiatives.• Pursues options for joint trainings, secondments and staff exchanges, with

other humanitarian organizations.• Prepare baseline information such as country specific Logistics Capacity

Assessments (LCAs) • Promote the Cluster approach within the humanitarian community in the

region.• Deploy to regional humanitarian emergencies as required.• Based in KL Malaysia.

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Logistics Capacity Assessments (LCA)

• As part of preparedness activities, the Logistics Cluster conducts formal evaluations documenting critical logistics information on port/airport capacities, road networks, storage facilities, handling procedures, labour rates and local transportation resources in countries can be utilized for planning and emergency responses.

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• Supports for Contingency Planning activities; • Preparation of Emergency Response Operational Plans; • Improving resource requirements assessments at planning

stage of an emergency response; • Reducing overall response time in the delivery process of relief

items; • Increase access to all beneficiaries; • Decrease cost of transportation at onset and over the course of

the operation; • Provide detailed briefing material for relief staff unfamiliar to

the region.

Logistics Capacity Assessments (LCA)

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Logistics TrainingIn-house technical expertise on • Port Operations• Contracting• Air operations• Warehouse Management• Tracking of relief goods

• Disaster Response simulations

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Coordination & Information Management

• The Logistics Cluster can facilitate meetings / collaboration in emergencies with NGOs, UN agencies, civil society groups and military actors to improve coordination, share crucial information in support of the NDMOs’ decision-making process.

• During emergencies the Logistics Cluster will as a focal point for the collection, analysis and dissemination of logistics related data through standardized documents including: situation reports, logistics bulletins, meeting minutes, updates, information on customs procedures, maps on infrastructure and specific reports to the entire Humanitarian Community Responders.

Information Management Key Products 1/2Concept of Operations: In order to improve coordination and to make the best use of available logistics assets on the ground, a Concept of Operations help actors to agree on a specific set-up and can outline roles, responsibilities, and procedures.

Standard Operating Procedures: Once the concept has been endorsed by the actors involved, it is built into more detailed documents such as the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). This document attempts to capture on paper the plan to ‘operationalise’ the Logistics support for the humanitarian assistance.

Meeting Minutes: The meeting minutes’ intent is to represent, through bullet points, the major issues touched during the logistic cluster meeting

Situation Reports: The Logistics Cluster Sitreps are the main regular written summary key logistics facts, events and issue. They should be produced on a regular schedule determined by the need on the ground.

Information Management Key Products 2/2

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Primary archive and publication mechanism for all Logistics Cluster information products as well as detailed information on logistics facilities

and activities

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Service Mindset training• Interactive, e-Learning programme designed to improve the communication

and coordination skills of humanitarian logisticians and in turn improve the quality of partnerships between humanitarian organisations and ultimately the delivery of assistance to beneficiaries.

• Based on the results of an in-depth interagency consultation process that combined input from expert logisticians from across the humanitarian community, the SMT was created to provide the soft skills needed in today’s changing humanitarian response environment.

• The training is divided into five core modules that each provides the necessary tools, theory and exercises to guide logisticians through skills in the areas of: meeting management, presentations, team leadership, negotiation and most essentially Service Mindset.

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Service Mindset training

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LOG: Logistics Operational Guide

• Based on information from manuals from over 28 humanitarian organisations, academia and the private sector.

• A single source of best practices

• Intended to be of use for all humanitarian logisticians, regardless of the size of their organisation, or its area of expertise.

• Available in an offline and online version

• A dynamic tool: updated on a regular basis

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LogisticsOperationalGuide

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Thank You