Office of Regional Procurement Notice No. 15

								March 10, 2003

TO:	All Institutional Contractors

FROM:	William E. Reynolds, Contracting Officer

SUBJECT:	Contingency Plans

As part of USAID/Philippine Missions on-going preparedness planning for natural disasters and civil unrest, the Mission would like to include the contingency plans prepared by our Contractors and Recipients in the USAID-wide plans. This notice requests your activitys participation in this effort.

If you do not have internal procedures for disasters and evacuations in place, you are strongly encouraged to prepare them and forward them to ORP as soon as possible.  We are aware that several of our implementing partners already have such plans in place.  If you have such plans, please submit a copy to ORP.  Although this is a voluntary request, we believe having such plans demonstrates sound management practice on the part of all our partners.

The requested plans should focus on how activity implementation may continue in the event of a contingency that would require evacuation of some or all project staff from either a region within the country, e.g. Mindanao or Mt. Pinatubo, or from the Philippines as a whole.  Contingency Plans should discuss emergency communication systems, safehavens (alternate office locations outside the region or country), evacuation points, and safeguarding activity personnel and property in an emergency. The plans should also discuss how the activity would continue in an emergency, or under what circumstances operations would halt.

While we believe the likelihood of even an Authorized Departure is very low, it is prudent to be prepared for any eventuality.  Our interest in requesting this information is motivated both by concern for the safety of our partners as well as an interest in the continued implementation of our activities under varying situations.

In the event of an Ordered Departure, when the US Ambassador mandates the evacuation of US citizen staff deemed to be non-essential personnel from a region or a country, US Citizen Contractor personnel may be affected.  You will receive technical direction from the Contracting Officer which will vary depending on circumstances and situations.  Payments during evacuations for Contractors are discussed in FAR 752.7028.  

For your information, we have forwarded a copy of a pamphlet that is provided to US Government personnel regarding some ways to insure that one is prepared in the event of an evacuation, for whatever cause.  We think your staff may find it useful even though certain sections may not apply to all.  Also, it is likely that the American Citizen Services Branch of the US Embassy will be in contact with US Citizens through their warden system with additional information as appropriate.  As always, you are reminded to keep abreast of all Department of State Travel Advisories and react accordingly.

We thank you for your cooperation in this effort.

Point of Contact:  For more information concerning this notice, please contact the Office of Regional Procurement, USAID/Philippines at telephone numbers 552-9923 or 552-9924.
      
Office of Regional Procurement Notice No. 15

								March 10, 2003

TO:	All Grantees and Cooperative Agreement Recipients

FROM:	William E. Reynolds, Grant Officer

SUBJECT:	Contingency Plans

As part of USAID/Philippine Missions on-going preparedness planning for natural disasters and civil unrest, the Mission would like to include the contingency plans prepared by our Contractors and Recipients in the USAID-wide plans. This notice requests your activitys participation in this effort.

If you do not have internal procedures for disasters and evacuations in place, you are strongly encouraged to prepare them and forward them to ORP as soon as possible.  We are aware that several of our implementing partners already have such plans in place.  If you have such plans, please submit a copy to ORP.  Although this is a voluntary request, we believe having such plans demonstrates sound management practice on the part of all our partners.

The requested plans should focus on how activity implementation may continue in the event of a contingency that would require evacuation of some or all project staff from either a region within the country, e.g. Mindanao or Mt. Pinatubo, or from the Philippines as a whole.  Contingency Plans should discuss emergency communication systems, safehavens (alternate office locations outside the region or country), evacuation points, and safeguarding activity personnel and property in an emergency. The plans should also discuss how the activity would continue in an emergency, or under what circumstances operations would halt.

While we believe the likelihood of even an Authorized Departure is very low, it is prudent to be prepared for any eventuality.  Our interest in requesting this information is motivated both by concern for the safety of our partners as well as an interest in the continued implementation of our activities under varying situations.

US Citizens working in the Philippines under Grants or Cooperative Agreements may choose to leave under an Authorized Departure (voluntary for US Government personnel) or an Ordered Departure (not voluntary for US Government personnel).  Grants and Cooperative Agreements are cost-reimbursable instruments, which mean the USG reimburses only those costs that are reasonable, allocable and allowable (see OMB Circular A-122).  These organizations are expected to follow their internal policies on evacuations, but they must be reasonable. The Grant/Agreement Officer has the final word on what costs can be charged to a Grant or Cooperative Agreement.

For your information, we have forwarded a copy of a pamphlet that is provided to US Government personnel regarding some ways to insure that one is prepared in the event of an evacuation, for whatever cause.  We think your staff may find it useful even though certain sections may not apply to all.  Also, it is likely that the American Citizen Services Branch of the US Embassy will be in contact with US Citizens through their warden system with additional information as appropriate.  As always, you are reminded to keep abreast of all Department of State Travel Advisories and react accordingly.

We thank you for your cooperation in this effort.

Point of Contact:  For more information concerning this notice, please contact the Office of Regional Procurement, USAID/Philippines at telephone numbers 552-9923 or 552-9924.