[CCIH-Haiti] FW: USAID NGO Coordination Efforts in Haiti - January 26, 2010

Wed Jan 27 15:38:09 EST 2010

Please note today’s call at 4:00 pm. These calls will be held daily – the call in numbers will be the same but the Conference ID number will change every day. Please join the RebuildHaiti list by sending an email to rebuildhaiti at usaid.gov with “Add Me” in the subject line. 

NGO Conference Call Announcement 

As you know, USAID is leading a whole-of-government response to assist the Government of Haiti in the wake of last week’s devastating earthquake. The US Government is conducting operations in support of the Haitian Government, in coordination with and in support of the United Nations and the international community.  We are leading efforts to provide immediate, lifesaving and life sustaining relief and to build a foundation for a more stable, resilient and prosperous Haiti. 

As discussed in recent conference calls, the contact information for cluster leads in Port-au-Prince, the master meeting schedule for January 25-31, 2010, and the latest (January 26, 2010) USAID Fact Sheet are attached to this email.

Conference Call Details

The USAID team working to coordinate NGO activities in Haiti will be holding a 30-minute conference call tomorrow, Wednesday, January 27, 2010, at 4 pm EST to provide an update on USAID’s NGO coordination efforts.  The daily call will now take place every day at 4 pm EST.  The telephone numbers below will stay the same.  Unfortunately, the conference call ID number will change.  We will send updated information each day.  Due to expected call volume, please call in early to allow time to be connected to the call.

International #: (816) 650-7866

Domestic #: (866) 306-0035

Conference ID: 53585762

This call will be captioned to provide access to all participants, including participants who are deaf or hard of hearing. Please go to:  

http://www.fedrcc.us//Enter.aspx?EventID=XXX <http://www.fedrcc.us/Enter.aspx?EventID=XXX>   The event confirmation number is 1491701.

Information shared on this call will be summarized in an email sent out at a later point for those who were unable to join the call.  Please forward this email to others in your network and have them email RebuildHaiti at usaid.gov with Add Me in the subject line if they would like to receive the updates.  

Notes from the January 25, 2010 Call:

From: RebuildHaiti (USAID) [mailto:RebuildHaiti at usaid.gov] 
Sent: Wednesday, January 27, 2010 9:28 AM
To: RebuildHaiti (USAID)
Subject: USAID NGO Coordination Efforts in Haiti - January 26, 2010

Dear NGO colleagues,

Thank you to those of you who joined our conference calls.  We appreciate your questions, constructive feedback and communication on the challenges you are experiencing.  While we will not be able to answer all the specific questions raised in these regular emails, we will be answering those of general interest in the coming days.  Through the calls and the  <mailto:RebuildHaiti at usaid.gov> RebuildHaiti at usaid.gov email address, we have heard from a range of international, national, and local NGOs.  The notes from the January 25, 2010 call are below.  Notes from yesterday’s call will come out later today.

Please continue to forward this email to your contacts and send feedback, questions, and suggestions to the  <mailto:RebuildHaiti at usaid.gov> RebuildHaiti at usaid.gov email box with one of the subject lines described below (Operations; Feedback; Good News; Strategy; Innovation; Medical; or Add Me).  Your emails will be forwarded to the appropriate offices and staff within the Agency and the Haiti relief efforts for a response.

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Notes from the January 25, 2010 Call:

Response Update

Please see the attached USAID Earthquake Fact Sheet #14 (January 26, 2010) for the latest on developments on the ground, including updates on water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH); emergency food assistance; logistics; health; shelter; and other sectors.   

USAID Web Portal for Needs and Donations

 <http://www.usaid.gov/haiti> www.usaid.gov/haiti  

USAID has established a web-based tool that assists with the matching between donors and recipients.  Found at the above webpage, the tool allows:

*	Potential donors to access the cash donation page (still preferred)
*	Potential donors to access the in-kind portal (web-based matching tool)
*	Recipient NGOs to register with the USAID tool
*	Recipient NGOs with logins to access the USAID tool, view offers, and submit needs

Having needs in the tool allows donors to see the specific type, quantity, style, etc. which tends to yield more useful donations to NGOs.  The alternative is an unsolicited donations system, which is less desirable.

NGOs can register with the USAID tool by going to the above webpage and finding at the bottom of the screen: “For NGO Registration click here.”  Once the form loads, fill it out and submit.  If your organization meets the reasonable safeguards in place to protect the integrity of the donations management system, your indicated POC will receive a login and password via email.  The POC will also be invited to attend training on the tool.  

The USAID tool is not likely to provide solutions for immediate needs, which should be addressed by attending and participating in the cluster system.  Nor is the USAID tool a guarantee of transportation either within Haiti or to Haiti.  However, the tool does provide visibility on whether offers include transportation and enables NGOs to also coordinate transportation needs with donors.  

NGOs interested in accessing the USAID tool should go to  <http://www.usaid.gov/haiti> www.usaid.gov/haiti and register. 

Communication and Coordination Efforts

Daily Calls – We will be having daily calls with you, reporting back to you any information we have received from the ground or providing recommendation on how you can better plug in.  We have an additional staff person on the ground this week who will be regularly interacting with the clusters and passing back information to us on the needs on the ground.  Today, he confirmed that there is a serious issue of absorptive capacity on the ground both for goods and services.  The USAID Mission Director is taking a look at ways to better establish this absorptive capacity so that the services provided are useful for the country’s future recovery.  

Daily Emails – We will have daily emails that are sent out each evening or the following morning summarizing the content of the calls.  Please provide feedback.  We will provide information for Points of Contact for the cluster system.  However, please note that these individuals receive many emails, and the best way to integrate into the cluster system is to have a staff member attend the daily meetings.

Coordination on the Ground – In addition to the staff that is already in Haiti, USAID is working with InterAction and National VOAD to develop a coordination plan to help NGOs on the ground get a better sense of how to coordinate with each other and the cluster system.  This assistance on the ground will be extended beyond those organizations who are members of InterAction.  

Comments – At the end of each call, we will address some of the common questions that have been raised either on the phone calls or in the emails sent to  <mailto:RebuildHaiti at usaid.gov> RebuildHaiti at usaid.gov.  In addition, we will have a short time for comments from the callers.  We will not have time to address all of them on the call, but will address them in future calls or the evening email.  Note and comments on the call will be taken down and addressed at a later point.

Reminder on Emailing  <mailto:RebuildHaiti at usaid.gov> RebuildHaiti at usaid.gov:

Please choose one of the following seven subject lines in order for us to process your email most efficiently:

*	Operations (logistics and technical)
*	Feedback (eyes and ears on the ground)
*	Good News (share your success stories, metrics, anecdotes)
*	Strategy (ideas for improved NGO coordination)
*	Innovation (ideas for rebuilding Haiti – We are especially interested in innovative and sustainable solutions to build a better Haiti.  From mobile banking to LPG stoves, USAID knows that the long-term development of Haiti will depend upon your creative ideas.)
*	Medical (If you are in need of Creole-speaking health professionals, please email with “Medical” in the subject field and we will share additional information.)
*	Add Me (to be added to the list) 

Key Websites and Links for More Information

 <http://www.oneresponse.info/Disasters/Haiti/Pages/default.aspx> http://www.oneresponse.info/Disasters/Haiti/Pages/default.aspx‪.

Immediately under the box entitled “Highlights/Key Priorities” are two links entitled:  Latest Meeting Schedule and Latest Contact list.  Please check there for the most recent information.  We have attached the latest OCHA Master Meeting schedule that covers January 25-31, 2010 to this email.

It is critical for NGOs on the ground in Haiti to plug into OCHA's coordination mechanism, including sharing information on their activities so that OCHA can create their Who What Where matrix. This matrix will help prevent the duplication of services and ensure that vulnerable populations are being addressed.  Information on how to submit information is on the attached OCHA Logistics Cluster Situation Report.

 <http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/dbc.nsf/doc108?OpenForm&emid=EQ-2010-000009-HTI&rc=2> http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/dbc.nsf/doc108?OpenForm&emid=EQ-2010-000009-HTI&rc=2 

This page provides links to updated situation reports and other information resources on the current situation and needs on the ground.

Thanks for all that you are doing.

Sincerely,

Heather MacLean, Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives

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