International emergency food aid : prepositioning and procurement by the U.S.

121 Pages·2015·1.799 MB·English

by  Jonathan Meyers

GOVERNMENT PROCEDURES AND OPERATIONS

I E
NTERNATIONAL MERGENCY
F A
OOD ID

P
REPOSITIONING AND
P U.S.
ROCUREMENT BY THE

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G P
OVERNMENT ROCEDURES
O
AND PERATIONS

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GOVERNMENT PROCEDURES AND OPERATIONS

I E
NTERNATIONAL MERGENCY
F A
OOD ID

P
REPOSITIONING AND
P U.S.
ROCUREMENT BY THE

JONATHAN MEYERS
EDITOR

New York
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CONTENTS

Preface vii 
Chapter 1 International Food Aid: Prepositioning Speeds
Delivery f Emergency Aid, but Additional Monitoring
of Time Frames and Costs Is Needed 1 
United States Government Accountability 
Chapter 2 Audit of USAID’s Internal Controls Over
Prepositioned Food Assistance for the Horn of Africa 51 
USAID Office of Inspector General 
Chapter 3 International Food Aid: Better Agency Collaboration
Needed to Assess and Improve Emergency Food
Aid Procurement System 77 
United States Government Accountability Office 
Index 107

PREFACE

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) reduces the
average delivery time frame for emergency food aid by prepositioning food
domestically— that is, in warehouses in the United States—and overseas. This
book examines the effects of prepositioning on emergency food aid delivery
time frames; the effects of prepositioning on the costs of the food aid; and the
extent to which the agency monitors prepositioning to maximize time savings
and cost effectiveness.
Chapter 1 – Through Title II of the Food for Peace Act, the United States
provides U.S. agricultural commodities to meet emergency food needs in
foreign countries. In fiscal years 2007 to 2012, USAID delivered $9.2 billion
in emergency food aid to recipient countries through cooperating sponsors. In
2000, Congress authorized USAID to order, transport, and store food for
prepositioning in both overseas and domestic locations. Through
prepositioning, the agency orders food before it is requested and stores it in
warehouses in or near regions with historically high needs.
GAO was asked to examine U.S. international food aid procurement. This
report examines (1) the effects of prepositioning on emergency food aid
delivery time frames, (2) the effects of prepositioning on the costs of the food
aid, and (3) the extent to which the agency monitors prepositioning to
maximize time savings and cost effectiveness. GAO analyzed data on delivery
time frames and costs; reviewed agency documents; and interviewed agency
officials and representatives from WFP, other cooperating sponsors, and ocean
freight contractors.
Chapter 2 – USAID’s Office of Food for Peace (FFP) in the Bureau for
Democracy, Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance administers food aid
programs as described in the Food for Peace Act (Public Law 480). These
viii Jonathan Meyers
programs provide U.S. agricultural commodities for emergency relief and
development and are essential in the Horn of Africa (Djbouti, Somalia,
Ethiopia, and Kenya) where famine and malnourishment are widespread and
difficult to predict largely because of political instability and drought.
Political instability in Somalia is increased by al-Shabaab, a terrorist
group active in southern and central Somalia since 2006. The ongoing
insurgency has forced many Somalis to seek refuge in other parts of the
country and in Kenya and Ethiopia. Compounding this problem, the Horn
had its worst drought in years in 2011. The map below shows the resulting
food shortages.
Chapter 3 – USDA and USAID spent about $9.2 billion to provide
international emergency food aid during fiscal years 2007-2012. USDA
developed WBSCM with USAID’s input to manage domestic and
international food aid procurements. USDA spent about $187 million to
develop and implement the system. GAO was asked to examine the
international emergency food aid procurement process.
This report examines (1) the extent to which agencies agree to use
WBSCM to manage the process, (2) how the agencies’ use of WBSCM and
other systems affects USDA’s ability to have accurate information, and (3) the
extent to which the agencies are collaborating on how to use WBSCM. GAO
reviewed the procurement process and observed WBSCM in use. We analyzed
inventory spreadsheets used to compile USDA’s financial reports. We
compared agencies’ efforts to collaborate against key elements for effective
interagency collaboration.