Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09DHAKA710
2009-07-20 08:37:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Dhaka
Cable title:
Bangladesh: Urgent Engineering/Contracting Needs for
how-toVZCZCXRO1353 PP RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDBU RUEHLH RUEHNEH RUEHPW DE RUEHKA #0710/01 2010837 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 200837Z JUL 09 FM AMEMBASSY DHAKA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9181 INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI RHHJJPI/PACOM IDHS HONOLULU HI
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 DHAKA 000710
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
FOR DEPUTY SECRETARY LEW, ACTING DIRECTOR OF U.S. FOREIGN ASSISTANCE
GREENE, ACTING AID ADMIN FULGHAM FROM AMBASSADOR MORIARTY
DEPT ALSO FOR SCA, SCA/INSB
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID PREL PGOV ECON PTER BG
SUBJECT: Bangladesh: Urgent Engineering/Contracting Needs for
Cyclone Sidr Supplemental Cornerstone Shelter Project
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 DHAKA 000710
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
FOR DEPUTY SECRETARY LEW, ACTING DIRECTOR OF U.S. FOREIGN ASSISTANCE
GREENE, ACTING AID ADMIN FULGHAM FROM AMBASSADOR MORIARTY
DEPT ALSO FOR SCA, SCA/INSB
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID PREL PGOV ECON PTER BG
SUBJECT: Bangladesh: Urgent Engineering/Contracting Needs for
Cyclone Sidr Supplemental Cornerstone Shelter Project
1. (U) This is an action request. Please see paragraphs 2 and 11.
Summary
--------------
2. (SBU) Post needs Washington engagement and support to implement
Mission Dhaka's $34 million cyclone shelter construction project,
the centerpiece of emergency supplemental funds Congress provided
following cyclone Sidr in November 2007. Insufficient engineering
expertise and contracting staff have stymied USAID's effort to
undertake the showcase project, notified to Congress and the
Government of Bangladesh. Our pledge of assistance to the people of
Bangladesh is a test of U.S. commitment and ability to ramp up the
field and Washington mechanisms required to complete this
significant infrastructure project, which will directly advance U.S.
goals in Bangladesh. I request stepped-up Washington interagency
engineering and contracting support for the cyclone shelter project,
which will safeguard more than 60,000 Bangladeshis and provide
schools for 15,000 children in 60 multi-purpose shelters.
U.S. First Response Sets High Benchmark
--------------
3. (SBU) The effective U.S. initial response to Cyclone Sidr in
November 2007 set a high benchmark and generated enormous goodwill.
Sidr's widespread damage and destruction affected 30 of Bangladesh's
64 districts, killing 3,500 and injuring 55,000. Economic damage
totaled as much as $2.5 billion. Mission Dhaka, OFDA, the III
Marine Expeditionary Battalion, and the U.S.S. Keersarge and U.S.S.
Tarawa worked closely with the GOB to provide emergency food,
shelter, and medical care to more than 100,000 cyclone victims.
Within three weeks of the disaster, USAID had provided relief and
early recovery activities totaling $6.2 million in shelter, water,
sanitation, and hygiene programs, and $20 million in Title II
emergency food assistance.
U.S. Long Term Cyclone Sidr Assistance
--------------
4. (SBU) In the months following Cyclone Sidr, Congress provided
$75 million in emergency supplemental funds for long-term relief
projects in the southwestern Bangladesh area hit by the cyclone.
USAID/Bangladesh has launched governance, agriculture, job creation
and environment activities with $41 million. USAID plans to use the
remaining $34 million to construct approximately 60 multi-purpose
cyclone shelters that will also serve as primary schools. Support
for disaster mitigation and prevention is a cornerstone of our
development efforts in Bangladesh.
Challenges Facing the Cyclone Shelter Program
--------------
5. (SBU) To implement the cyclone shelter program, USAID/Bangladesh
began building a management team, design research, and recruiting a
construction contractor. However, up until now, engineering and
contracting capacity constraints have prevented us from launching
the shelter program. USAID/Bangladesh lacks long-term, onsite
engineering to design and implement a large construction project.
Other international donors in Bangladesh have supported cyclone
shelter programs by transferring funds for this purpose to the GOB.
This arrangement is not possible for USAID, which must follow agency
regulations and guidelines and build the shelters to USAID-specified
standards. For similar reasons, USAID/Bangladesh found that it is
not possible to transfer funds to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
to build the shelters. (Note: DOD is building 24 cyclone shelters
in Bangladesh. End note.)
Engineering Oversight Required
--------------
6. (SBU) USAID/Bangladesh has thus far had no success in recruiting
a U.S. personal services contractor (USPSC) engineer to oversee this
project; securing qualified American or local professionals is a
chronic problem for Mission Dhaka. To date, USAID/Bangladesh has
relied exclusively on TDY support from USAID/Washington's
engineering office. The TDY support is insufficient, according to
USAID's Contract Review Board (CRB). The CRB advised that due to
the size of the program, additional engineering input is needed
before the Request for Proposal (RFP) can proceed. USAID also
requires engineering support to review proposals, select a
contractor and oversee construction.
Contracting Oversight Needed
DHAKA 00000710 002 OF 003
--------------
7. (SBU) In addition to the need for a full-time, onsite engineer
to oversee construction of the cyclone shelters, USAID/Bangladesh
also requires another warranted contracting officer. USAID has one
contracting officer who is managing $90 million in 2009 programming
for 23 awards and who will take on 16 new awards shortly. The size
and complexity of the cyclone shelter program demands an additional
contracting officer.
U.S. Assistance and U.S. Interests in Bangladesh
-------------- ---
8. (SBU) Mission Dhaka's cyclone shelter program is central to a
growing U.S. assistance portfolio intended to help Bangladesh remain
a stable and moderate Muslim country friendly to the United States.
Bangladesh struggles with poverty, political polarization, porous
borders, ungoverned spaces, weak rule of law and poor social service
delivery. Transnational terrorists have demonstrated their ability
to use Bangladesh as a safe haven, transit point, and recruiting
base. Bangladesh's strong national identity, the history of its
liberation struggle, and a legacy of moderate Islam limit popular
support for extremism. However, poverty and poor governance have
given the extremists a toe hold, including in the southwestern areas
hit by Sidr.
Disaster Mitigation and Preparedness Key
--------------
9. (SBU) U.S. development assistance has more than doubled since
2007 to over $170 million in 2009 in recognition of these realities
and Bangladesh's growing strategic importance. Improved disaster
preparedness and response capabilities are key U.S. development
objectives in Bangladesh. Due to its large population, a unique
deltaic river system, and changing climate conditions, Bangladesh
faces yearly water-related disasters. Annual monsoon flooding
engulfs about 30 percent of the country, exacerbated by other
natural disasters which strike on average more than once a year.
Each disaster endangers the precarious existence of millions of
poor, with the Government of Bangladesh struggling to respond
effectively and forestall disaster victims from turning to violence
or extremism.
Cyclone Shelters: Cornerstone of U.S. Commitment
-------------- ---
10. (SBU) Mission Dhaka's plan to build another 60 USAID cyclone
shelters is a key component of our disaster mitigation assistance
and overall development program, central to U.S. interests in
Bangladesh. Not only will the shelters save lives during disasters,
but they will serve as schools and government offices on a daily
basis, contributing to human development and government stability.
The shelters would also serve as a material reminder to the people
of southwestern Bangladesh of the U.S. commitment to their country.
Recent events again demonstrated the importance of USG assistance:
Cyclone Aila struck Bangladesh in May 2009 with winds of over 90
kilometers per hour, killing 190 people, injuring 7,000, and
displacing more than 500,000 families.
Action Request: Engineer, Contracting, Backstopping Needed
-------------- --------------
11. (SBU) I request interagency engagement to secure an engineer,
contracting officer and the Washington backstop support necessary to
implement the $34 million cyclone shelter program. We have set the
task, notified Congress and the Government of Bangladesh, and need
to take next steps necessary to achieve this declared objective. A
possible approach might be to designate these slots as critical
priority positions. We have the financial resources to make a
lasting contribution to Bangladesh's disaster preparedness,
potentially saving the lives of tens of thousands of Bangladeshis
and educating thousands more. Safeguarding lives, educating
children and building a more stable Bangladesh is in the direct
interest of the United States. The cyclone shelters are a
cornerstone of that effort.
Moriarty
DHAKA 00000710 003 OF 003
2
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
FOR DEPUTY SECRETARY LEW, ACTING DIRECTOR OF U.S. FOREIGN ASSISTANCE
GREENE, ACTING AID ADMIN FULGHAM FROM AMBASSADOR MORIARTY
DEPT ALSO FOR SCA, SCA/INSB
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID PREL PGOV ECON PTER BG
SUBJECT: Bangladesh: Urgent Engineering/Contracting Needs for
Cyclone Sidr Supplemental Cornerstone Shelter Project
1. (U) This is an action request. Please see paragraphs 2 and 11.
Summary
--------------
2. (SBU) Post needs Washington engagement and support to implement
Mission Dhaka's $34 million cyclone shelter construction project,
the centerpiece of emergency supplemental funds Congress provided
following cyclone Sidr in November 2007. Insufficient engineering
expertise and contracting staff have stymied USAID's effort to
undertake the showcase project, notified to Congress and the
Government of Bangladesh. Our pledge of assistance to the people of
Bangladesh is a test of U.S. commitment and ability to ramp up the
field and Washington mechanisms required to complete this
significant infrastructure project, which will directly advance U.S.
goals in Bangladesh. I request stepped-up Washington interagency
engineering and contracting support for the cyclone shelter project,
which will safeguard more than 60,000 Bangladeshis and provide
schools for 15,000 children in 60 multi-purpose shelters.
U.S. First Response Sets High Benchmark
--------------
3. (SBU) The effective U.S. initial response to Cyclone Sidr in
November 2007 set a high benchmark and generated enormous goodwill.
Sidr's widespread damage and destruction affected 30 of Bangladesh's
64 districts, killing 3,500 and injuring 55,000. Economic damage
totaled as much as $2.5 billion. Mission Dhaka, OFDA, the III
Marine Expeditionary Battalion, and the U.S.S. Keersarge and U.S.S.
Tarawa worked closely with the GOB to provide emergency food,
shelter, and medical care to more than 100,000 cyclone victims.
Within three weeks of the disaster, USAID had provided relief and
early recovery activities totaling $6.2 million in shelter, water,
sanitation, and hygiene programs, and $20 million in Title II
emergency food assistance.
U.S. Long Term Cyclone Sidr Assistance
--------------
4. (SBU) In the months following Cyclone Sidr, Congress provided
$75 million in emergency supplemental funds for long-term relief
projects in the southwestern Bangladesh area hit by the cyclone.
USAID/Bangladesh has launched governance, agriculture, job creation
and environment activities with $41 million. USAID plans to use the
remaining $34 million to construct approximately 60 multi-purpose
cyclone shelters that will also serve as primary schools. Support
for disaster mitigation and prevention is a cornerstone of our
development efforts in Bangladesh.
Challenges Facing the Cyclone Shelter Program
--------------
5. (SBU) To implement the cyclone shelter program, USAID/Bangladesh
began building a management team, design research, and recruiting a
construction contractor. However, up until now, engineering and
contracting capacity constraints have prevented us from launching
the shelter program. USAID/Bangladesh lacks long-term, onsite
engineering to design and implement a large construction project.
Other international donors in Bangladesh have supported cyclone
shelter programs by transferring funds for this purpose to the GOB.
This arrangement is not possible for USAID, which must follow agency
regulations and guidelines and build the shelters to USAID-specified
standards. For similar reasons, USAID/Bangladesh found that it is
not possible to transfer funds to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
to build the shelters. (Note: DOD is building 24 cyclone shelters
in Bangladesh. End note.)
Engineering Oversight Required
--------------
6. (SBU) USAID/Bangladesh has thus far had no success in recruiting
a U.S. personal services contractor (USPSC) engineer to oversee this
project; securing qualified American or local professionals is a
chronic problem for Mission Dhaka. To date, USAID/Bangladesh has
relied exclusively on TDY support from USAID/Washington's
engineering office. The TDY support is insufficient, according to
USAID's Contract Review Board (CRB). The CRB advised that due to
the size of the program, additional engineering input is needed
before the Request for Proposal (RFP) can proceed. USAID also
requires engineering support to review proposals, select a
contractor and oversee construction.
Contracting Oversight Needed
DHAKA 00000710 002 OF 003
--------------
7. (SBU) In addition to the need for a full-time, onsite engineer
to oversee construction of the cyclone shelters, USAID/Bangladesh
also requires another warranted contracting officer. USAID has one
contracting officer who is managing $90 million in 2009 programming
for 23 awards and who will take on 16 new awards shortly. The size
and complexity of the cyclone shelter program demands an additional
contracting officer.
U.S. Assistance and U.S. Interests in Bangladesh
-------------- ---
8. (SBU) Mission Dhaka's cyclone shelter program is central to a
growing U.S. assistance portfolio intended to help Bangladesh remain
a stable and moderate Muslim country friendly to the United States.
Bangladesh struggles with poverty, political polarization, porous
borders, ungoverned spaces, weak rule of law and poor social service
delivery. Transnational terrorists have demonstrated their ability
to use Bangladesh as a safe haven, transit point, and recruiting
base. Bangladesh's strong national identity, the history of its
liberation struggle, and a legacy of moderate Islam limit popular
support for extremism. However, poverty and poor governance have
given the extremists a toe hold, including in the southwestern areas
hit by Sidr.
Disaster Mitigation and Preparedness Key
--------------
9. (SBU) U.S. development assistance has more than doubled since
2007 to over $170 million in 2009 in recognition of these realities
and Bangladesh's growing strategic importance. Improved disaster
preparedness and response capabilities are key U.S. development
objectives in Bangladesh. Due to its large population, a unique
deltaic river system, and changing climate conditions, Bangladesh
faces yearly water-related disasters. Annual monsoon flooding
engulfs about 30 percent of the country, exacerbated by other
natural disasters which strike on average more than once a year.
Each disaster endangers the precarious existence of millions of
poor, with the Government of Bangladesh struggling to respond
effectively and forestall disaster victims from turning to violence
or extremism.
Cyclone Shelters: Cornerstone of U.S. Commitment
-------------- ---
10. (SBU) Mission Dhaka's plan to build another 60 USAID cyclone
shelters is a key component of our disaster mitigation assistance
and overall development program, central to U.S. interests in
Bangladesh. Not only will the shelters save lives during disasters,
but they will serve as schools and government offices on a daily
basis, contributing to human development and government stability.
The shelters would also serve as a material reminder to the people
of southwestern Bangladesh of the U.S. commitment to their country.
Recent events again demonstrated the importance of USG assistance:
Cyclone Aila struck Bangladesh in May 2009 with winds of over 90
kilometers per hour, killing 190 people, injuring 7,000, and
displacing more than 500,000 families.
Action Request: Engineer, Contracting, Backstopping Needed
-------------- --------------
11. (SBU) I request interagency engagement to secure an engineer,
contracting officer and the Washington backstop support necessary to
implement the $34 million cyclone shelter program. We have set the
task, notified Congress and the Government of Bangladesh, and need
to take next steps necessary to achieve this declared objective. A
possible approach might be to designate these slots as critical
priority positions. We have the financial resources to make a
lasting contribution to Bangladesh's disaster preparedness,
potentially saving the lives of tens of thousands of Bangladeshis
and educating thousands more. Safeguarding lives, educating
children and building a more stable Bangladesh is in the direct
interest of the United States. The cyclone shelters are a
cornerstone of that effort.
Moriarty
DHAKA 00000710 003 OF 003
2