USDA/FSA DISCUSSIONS WITH WORLD FOOD PROGRAM

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ROME 000081 SIPDIS FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME USDA/FAS FOR U/S PENN, MCHAMBLISS AND RTILSWORTH USDA/FSA FOR SMITEFF, AMERRICK AND NMRANDALL DCHA/D/FFP LANDIS, JON BRAUSE, JDRUMMOND AND JTHOMPSON STATE FOR IO A/S HOLMES, IO/EDA SWINNICK, PRM/JZIMMERMAN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID AORC PREF EAGR EU AORC PREF EAGR EU AORC PREF EAGR EU WFP UN USDAEAID WFP UN USDAEAID WFP UN USDA SUBJECT: USDA/FSA DISCUSSIONS WITH WORLD FOOD PROGRAM UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 ROME 00081 01 OF 03 091541Z RELATED TO LINKAGE TO USDA'S FOOD AID REQUEST ENTRY SYSTEM (FARES) -------------- SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. KEY MEMBERS OF THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE'S FARM SERVICE AGENCY (FSA) KANSAS CITY COMMODITY OFFICE TRAVELED TO ROME, ITALY, NOVEMBER 18-22, 2002, TO BRIEF WORLD FOOD PROGRAM OFFICIALS ON USDA'S NEW FOOD AID REQUEST ENTRY SYSTEM (FARES) AND TRAIN SELECT MEMBERS OF WFP STAFF ON THE SYSTEM. THIS SUCCESSFUL VISIT WILL REQUIRE FOLLOW-UP ON: (A) FINALIZING A "BRIDGE" BETWEEN THE USDA'S FARES AND WFP'S WINGS SYSTEMS; (B) PERFECTING PROPER DATA ENTRY BY WFP STAFF INTO THE FARES SYSTEM; AND (C) BETTER DATA SHARING ON COMMODITY LOSSES BETWEEN USDA AND WFP. USDA'S UPCOMING KANSAS CITY APRIL 2003 CONFERENCE SHOULD PROVIDE BOTH PARTIES AN EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW INITIAL PROGRESS AND PLOT NEXT STEPS. END SUMMARY. -------------- BACKGROUND -------------- ¶2. USDA/FSA KANSAS CITY COMMODITY OFFICE STAFFERS ETHEL BOWERS AND DAVID LEIM OF THE PROCESSED COMMODITIES DIVISION AND NELSON RANDALL OF THE EXPORT OPERATIONS DIVISION TRAVELED TO ROME, ITALY, NOVEMBER 18-22, 2002 - TO BRIEF WORLD FOOD PROGRAM OFFICIALS ON USDA'S NEW FOOD AID REQUEST UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 ROME 00081 01 OF 03 091541Z ENTRY SYSTEM (FARES). ¶3. THE USDA TEAM MET FIRST WITH WFP'S CHIEF OF THE PROCUREMENT AND CONTRACTING BRANCH, VLADMIRO GAROFALO, DURING WHICH THEY DISCUSSED THE METHODOLOGY OF COMMODITY PROCUREMENT. THIS PRIMARILY DEALT WITH NON-U.S. DONATIONS, WHETHER IN-KIND OR CASH DONATIONS. THE MODUS OPERANDI FOR WFP COMMODITY PROCUREMENTS ARE AS FOLLOWS: - EITHER: LOCAL IN-COUNTRY PURCHASES, REGIONAL PURCHASES IN A NEIGHBORING COUNTRY, OR INTERNATIONAL PURCHASES ON THE WORLD MARKET (THESE PRESENTLY EQUATE TO 50 PERCENT OF WFP'S COMMODITY PROCUREMENTS); - LOAD SURVEYS ARE DONE ON ALL CARGOES WITH TALLIES; - SURVEYS ARE CONTRACTED ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS, NOT LONG 
TERM. SURVEYOR MUST BE SPECIALIZED IN THE COMMODITY. AVERAGE COST OF SURVEY: CEREALS USD .30 CENTS/.50 CENTS/METRIC TON; PROCESSED COMMODITIES, USD 3.00 - USD 5.00 METRIC TON; - TENDERS ARE ONLY PUBLISHED TO APPROVED VENDORS; - MOST VEGETABLE OIL IS PURCHASED IN PLASTIC CONTAINERS AND IS THEN SHIPPED CONTAINERIZED; - TYPICALLY, WFP CASH PURCHASES ARE BROKEN DOWN AS FOLLOWS: 70 PERCENT CEREAL PRODUCTS, 20 PERCENT BEANS/PULSES AND 10 PERCENT SOYBEAN/PALM/CANOLA EDIBLE OIL. UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 04 ROME 00081 01 OF 03 091541Z -------------- WFP COMMODITY TRACKING SYSTEM "COMPAS" -------------- ¶4. BOWERS AND LIEM MET WITH ANTONIO DI NUCCI, WFP SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT BRANCH, TO DISCUSS WFP'S COMMODITY TRACKING SYSTEM CALLED COMPAS. THIS SYSTEM IS USED BY WFP TO TRACK ALL WFP COMMODITY MOVEMENTS INCLUDING PROGRAM POST-DELIVERY IN-COUNTRY LOSSES (I.E., FROM THE DESTINATION PORT OF ENTRY ONWARDS). COMPAS IS WRITTEN IN ORACLE AND IS A DISTRIBUTED, THICK CLIENT ENVIRONMENT, PROGRAM. THE DATABASE IS REPLICATED MANY TIMES, FROM THE COUNTRY LEVEL TO THE REGIONAL LEVEL AND FINALLY TO WFP HEADQUARTERS. NOTE: THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 300 WFP OFFICES/SUB-OFFICES RUNNING THE COMPAS PROGRAM AT PRESENT. END NOTE. ¶5. COMPAS TRACKS THE COMMODITY BY CONSIGNMENT, INCLUDING WHERE ONE SHIPPING INSTRUCTION (SI) MAY BE BROKEN DOWN INTO SEVERAL CONSIGNMENTS. IT RECORDS TRUCK DISPATCHES, BY THE INPUT OF WEIGHT BILL INFORMATION, AND SUBSEQUENTLY THE CONDITION OF COMMODITIES RECEIVED AT THE DESTINATION WAREHOUSE(S). IT ALSO TRACKS LANDSIDE TRANSPORT INSTRUCTIONS, AND ALLOWS FOR IMPLEMENTING PARTNER NGO UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED PTQ3088 PAGE 01 ROME 00081 02 OF 03 091542Z ACTION ECA-00 INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AID-00 AMAD-00 CIAE-00 COME-00 CTME-00 INL-00 SRPP-00 EB-00 EUR-00 OIGO-00 E-00 UTED-00 VC-00 TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-00 VCE-00 NSAE-00 NSCE-00 OES-00 OIC-02 OMB-01 IRM-00 STR-00 TEST-00 TRSE-00 USIE-00 EPAE-00 PRM-00 SAS-00 /003W -------------- 228C3A 091542Z /38 P 091518Z JAN 03 FM AMEMBASSY ROME TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7601 USDA FAS WASHDC PRIORITY 2473 INFO EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE USEU BRUSSELS 3051 USMISSION GENEVA USMISSION USUN NEW YORK UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 03 ROME 000081 SIPDIS FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME USDA/FAS FOR U/S PENN, MCHAMBLISS AND RTILSWORTH USDA/FSA FOR SMITEFF, AMERRICK AND NMRANDALL DCHA/D/FFP LANDIS, JON BRAUSE, JDRUMMOND AND JTHOMPSON STATE FOR IO A/S HOLMES, IO/EDA SWINNICK, PRM/JZIMMERMAN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID AORC PREF EAGR EU AORC PREF EAGR EU AORC PREF EAGR EU WFP UN USDAEAID WFP UN USDAEAID WFP UN USDA SUBJECT: USDA/FSA DISCUSSIONS WITH WORLD FOOD PROGRAM UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 ROME 00081 02 OF 03 091542Z RELATED TO LINKAGE TO USDA'S FOOD AID REQUEST ENTRY SYSTEM (FARES) INFORMATION INPUT FROM THE ACTUAL FEEDING PROCESS. ¶6. NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS (NGOS) (BOTH INDIGENOUS AND INTERNATIONAL) ARE WFP'S PARTNERS IN THE ACTUAL FEEDING PROCESS. WFP CONSIGNS THE FOOD AT THE EXTENDED DELIVERY POINT (OR AT THE VILLAGE LEVEL) TO THE NGO, AND THE NGO THEN REPORTS BACK TO WFP ON THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE FED AND THE COMMODITY QUANTITIES ACTUALLY DELIVERED. COMPAS APPEARS TO BE A COMPREHENSIVE SYSTEM FOR TRACKING LOSSES; HOWEVER, THE OBVIOUS DOWNSIDE IS THE "THICK CLIENT ENVIRONMENT," MEANING SOFTWARE MUST RESIDE ON EACH PERSON'S PC, WHICH MAKES SYSTEM UPGRADES/REPLICATION COMPLEX. -------------- -------------- WFP'S INFORMATION NETWORK AND GLOBAL SYSTEM (WINGS) FINANCIAL CONTROL SYSTEM REVIEWED -------------- -------------- ¶7. THE TEAM RECEIVED A WALK-THROUGH OF WFP'S WINGS SYSTEM. WINGS IS A COMMERCIAL, OFF-THE-SHELF (COTS) "SAP" PACKAGE THAT HAS BEEN MODIFIED FOR USE BY WFP. THE TEAM DISCUSSED THE SYSTEM'S ADAPTABILITY AND HOW WFP MIGHT ELECTRONICALLY SHARE INFORMATION WITH U.S. GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS. -------------- -------------- WFP'S WINGS AND USDA'S FOOD AID REQUEST ENTRY SYSTEM (FARES) -------------- -------------- UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 ROME 00081 02 OF 03 091542Z ¶8. THE TEAM MET WITH KEN HERMAN, CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER AND DIRECTOR OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY DIVISION, AND ROBERT BAYNE, CHIEF OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT BRANCH, TO DISCUSS THE TECHNOLOGY OF THE TWO SYSTEMS AND WHAT WOULD BE REQUIRED FOR WINGS TO BE "BRIDGED" TO THE FARES SYSTEM. HERMAN WAS SUPPORTIVE OF THE FARES SYSTEM AND POSITIVE ON DEVELOPING INTERNAL LINKS TO PERMIT THE TWO SYSTEMS TO SHARE INFORMATION. HERMAN AND BAYNE AGREED TO "TRANSLATE" TABLES THAT ARE DIFFERENT IN THE TWO SYSTEMS, SUCH AS COMMODITY AND COUNTRY CODES. THIS TRANSLATION WILL ENABLE BOTH USERS TO READ AND PROCESS APPROPRIATE FILES. THE USDA TEAM GAVE HERMAN AND BAYNE A USDA TEST SHIPPING INSTRUCTION XML FORMAT. WFP AGREED TO DEDICATE THE RESOURCES TO GET THE INFORMATION OUT OF THE WINGS SYSTEM AND TO SEND IT ALONG TO USDA/FSA IN THE PROPOSED FORMAT. ¶9. THE TEAM ALSO MET WITH LYNNE FAIRSERVICE, CHIEF OF THE ENTERPRISE SERVICES BRANCH, AND EDGARDO YU OF THE SYSTEMS SUPPORT BRANCH. THEY DISCUSSED NETWORK AND COMMUNICATIONS ASPECTS OF LINKING FARES AND WINGS. -------------- USDA TEAM "PITCHES" FARES -------------- ¶10. THE TEAM GAVE A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE FARES SYSTEM TO SEVERAL WFP OFFICIALS, INCLUDING ITS INTERNAL AUDIT DIVISION. WFP'S QUESTIONS CENTERED ON THE SYSTEM'S DEPENDABILITY, SECURITY, FLEXIBILITY AND THE DEVELOPMENTAL ASPECTS OF THE SYSTEM. UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 04 ROME 00081 02 OF 03 091542Z ¶11. TEAM MEMBERS ALSO CONDUCTED PRELIMINARY TRAINING FOR WFP PERSONNEL THAT WOULD BE DESIGNATED FOR INPUTTING SHIPPING INSTRUCTION DATA INTO THE FARES SYSTEM. THIS DATA WOULD BE INPUTTED MANUALLY FOR THE FIRST PHASE OF FARES, UNTIL THE ELECTRONIC TRANSFER OF DATA IS COMPLETED. -------------- WFP'S IN-COUNTRY COMMODITY LOSSES -------------- ¶12. THE TEAM MET WITH TONY DOWELL, CHIEF OF INSURANCE AND LEGAL SERVICES TRANSPORTATION AND LOGISTICS DIVISION, AND VINCENT COMBES, SENIOR INSURANCE AND LEGAL OFFICER TRANSPORTATION AND LOGISTICS DIVISION TO DISCUSS LOSSES AND SURVEYS. DOWELL AND COMBES EXPLAINED HOW WFP IS THE WORLD'S LARGEST FOOD AID MOVER. IT WAS DISCUSSED HOW USDA AND WFP CAN BETTER SHARE LOSS DATA SO TO MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS ON CHANGES WHERE APPROPRIATE ON PACKAGING USED FOR FOOD AID PROGRAMS. OF PARTICULAR INTEREST WOULD BE FEEDBACK ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE HIGH PERFORMANCE BAG USED FOR U.S. PROCESSED/FORTIFIED PRODUCTS. DOWELL SAID HE WOULD REQUEST THAT A WFP CONTRACTOR PULL THIS INFORMATION TOGETHER FOR UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED PTQ3089 PAGE 01 ROME 00081 03 OF 03 091542Z ACTION ECA-00 INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AID-00 AMAD-00 CIAE-00 COME-00 CTME-00 SRPP-00 EB-00 EUR-00 E-00 UTED-00 VC-00 TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-00 VCE-00 NSAE-00 NSCE-00 OES-00 OIC-02 OMB-01 IRM-00 STR-00 TEST-00 TRSE-00 USIE-00 PRM-00 SAS-00 /003W -------------- 228C3F 091542Z /38 P 091518Z JAN 03 FM AMEMBASSY ROME TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7602 USDA FAS WASHDC PRIORITY 2474 INFO EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE USEU BRUSSELS 3052 USMISSION GENEVA USMISSION USUN NEW YORK UNCLAS SECTION 03 OF 03 ROME 000081 SIPDIS FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME USDA/FAS FOR U/S PENN, MCHAMBLISS AND RTILSWORTH USDA/FSA FOR SMITEFF, AMERRICK AND NMRANDALL DCHA/D/FFP LANDIS, JON BRAUSE, JDRUMMOND AND JTHOMPSON STATE FOR IO A/S HOLMES, IO/EDA SWINNICK, PRM/JZIMMERMAN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID AORC PREF EAGR EU AORC PREF EAGR EU AORC PREF EAGR EU WFP UN USDAEAID WFP UN USDAEAID WFP UN USDA SUBJECT: USDA/FSA DISCUSSIONS WITH WORLD FOOD PROGRAM UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 ROME 00081 03 OF 03 091542Z RELATED TO LINKAGE TO USDA'S FOOD AID REQUEST ENTRY SYSTEM (FARES) ONWARD TRANSMISSION TO USDA/FSA. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶13. THIS SUCCESSFUL VISIT WILL REQUIRE FOLLOW-UP ON: (A) FINALIZING A "BRIDGE" BETWEEN THE USDA'S FARES AND WFP'S WINGS SYSTEMS; (B) PERFECTING PROPER DATA ENTRY BY WFP STAFF INTO THE FARES SYSTEM; AND (C) BETTER DATA SHARING ON COMMODITY LOSSES BETWEEN USDA AND WFP. USDA'S UPCOMING KANSAS CITY APRIL 2003 CONFERENCE SHOULD PROVIDE BOTH PARTIES AN EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW INITIAL PROGRESS AND PLOT NEXT STEPS. HEILEMAN UNCLASSIFIED > 2003ROME00081 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED