Guidelines for the Funded Transportation Program

FUNDED TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM GUIDELINES

Step 1 – REVIEWING THE APPLICATION PACKAGE

The application package contains five forms that must = be completed and returned before the Department of Defense can process the application. A sixth form is provided for reporting the results of your activities.

Note: Forms marked with “*” can be filed on-line.

A.&n= bsp; Funded Transportation Program Application *– For providing detailed information about the donor/requester, destination country, consig= nee and beneficiaries, cargo weight and volume, distribution plan, pick up location(s), and in destination country delivery location.

B. Certification of Compliance* &= #8211; For verifying:

Ø The cargo will be used solely for humanitari= an purposes

Ø The cargo will not be distributed to persons engaged in military/paramilitary activities

Ø The cargo is in useable condition and suitab= le for transport

Ø The beneficiaries have a legitimate need for= the cargo and the ability to safely use the cargo

Ø General compliance with guidelines, instruct= ions, and reporting requirements.

C.&n= bsp; Liability Release Form* – For releasing the U.S. Government from any liability in connection with loss of damage of goods transported. =

D. Certification of Destination Count= ry “Duty Free” Approval – For verifying to the U.S. Government that the destination country has agreed to permit “duty free” entry of requested cargo into said country or that the donor has confirmed arrangements for duty payment in connection with arrival of cargo= in said country. The English tra= nslation of this document must be submitted to the Department of Defense. The cover page for duty-free docum= ents can be downloaded from this site. .

E.&n= bsp; Consignee Affidavit – For verification to the U.S. Governm= ent that the designated consignee in the destination country is qualified to receive and distribute the donated cargo, in accordance with guidelines iss= ued by the U.S. Government. This document can be downloaded from this site and = must be notarized.

D. After Action Report * – To report the results of your activities to the Department of Defense.&n= bsp; The After Action Report (AAR) can be downloaded from this site.

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Step 2 ̵= 1; PREPARATIONS PRIOR TO GATHERING CARGO

A.&n= bsp;    Contact the Department of Defense (DoD) Funded Transportation Program Manager to determine whether the proposed activity may be undertaken in the destination country. The DoD Funded Transportation Program Manager contact information is provided at the end of these guidelines.

B.&n= bsp;    Identify an in-country consignee and/or local contact that will:

Ø      Secure host country government WRITTEN approval for the shipment (with English translation)

Ø      Arrange with the destination country’s customs officials for formal duty-free entry or for you to provide tariffs = and fees for entry (with English translation)

Ø      Ensure compliance with any and all additional legal requirements of the destination country

Ø      Receive and take possession of cargo on arri= val

Ø      Distribute the cargo to the beneficiaries.
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Note: Many nations consignees must be recognized and approved by the host country government to be eligible to receive the donated cargo, particularly when duty-free entry is assigned.

Step 3 - REVI= EWING GENERAL PROGRAM GUIDELINES/GATHERING CARGO

A.     Cargo<= /b> -- Requests to transport less than 1,100 cubic feet of cargo (per pick-up loca= tion) cannot be accepted. Id= eally, cargo requested to be transported should be in multiples of 1,100 cubic feet. The total number of pie= ces, the total gross weight (pounds) and total gross volume (cubic feet) of the cargo must be included on the application to permit DoD= to determine transportation requirements. You must also attach a complete itemized inventory of the cargo to be shipped, including a detailed listing= by item of quantity, size (volume), and weight.

You may NOT add new items to the inventory or increase the weight of the cargo to be shipped once the application has been submitted. Both U.S. Government and host country approval for these shipments are based on the information in the application. Shipment of unapproved items or additional quantities of approved items has caused embarrassment in the past and puts = the entire program in jeopardy. However, the Department of Defense or their representatives reserve = the right to remove items from the cargo – if this occurs, you will be notified.

The following items will n= ot be approved for shipment:

Ø      Passengers or livestock (of any sort)

Ø      Vehicles (regardless of type or intended purpose)

Ø      Hazardous cargo (e.g. explosives, fuels, oth= er highly flammable materials, pressurized gas commodities.

Ø      Perishable food commodities

Ø      Medical supplies (e.g. pharmaceuticals) with expiration date less than 12 months from the date of application.

Ø      Any cargo that is not categorized as humanitarian relief supplies or equipment. Political or religious material = is not considered humanitarian cargo.

B.     STORAGE SPACE: Donors must also b= e able to store or pay for commercial storage until transportation becomes available. All cargo listed i= n the inventory on the application must be collected at one warehouse location (if possible) before an inspection will be arranged. Whenever possible, cargo should be stored in a warehouse where standard loading operations may be conducted (i= .e. availability of loading dock and parking area for trucks). You must also be able to arrange f= or sufficient equipment (forklifts, pallet jacks, etc.) and personnel to load = the cargo onto trucks that are contracted by the Department of Defense to pick = up the cargo and have the resources to block and brace cargo loaded in sea van= s.

The Department of Defense will make every reasonable attempt to arrange transportation in a timely manner. The Depart= ment of Defense, however, will not be responsible for picking up cargo by a cert= ain date because of a need to vacate a storage facility. In this regard, please note that transportation schedules are subject to change with little or no notice. The U.S. Government assumes no lia= bility for the consequences of such changes.

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C.     INSPECTION: All cargo will be inspected by an authorized U.S. Government representative, after which the containers shall= be sealed. The Department of Defense will not inspect or otherwise certify car= go for quality or serviceability and will inspect the cargo to the extent necessary to assure transportability and safety. Inspection will be arrange= d by the Department of Defense prior to final approval of the application. You w= ill be notified of the time and date of the inspection.

Note: All cargo must be inspected and pr= epared for shipment prior to pick up.

D.    TRANSPORTATION: The donor should always keep in mi= nd that the funded Transportation Program offers free transportation to them. = The U.S. Government will not commit to covering costs other than those related = to transportation. Applications in which the donor seeks financing for any cost other than transportation, such as storage and/or local transportation costs will not be approved.

Appli= cation approval by the Department of Defense only indicates that the cargo describ= ed in the application is acceptable to the U. S. Government and to the governm= ent of the destination country. It is not a guarantee that transportation will = be provided. The Department of Defense will make every attempt; however, to arrange the most economical transportation for approved cargo to the requir= ed destination as soon as operationally possible. This transportation can typically be accomplished within 45 to 90 days. The Department of Defense cannot assure, though, that a particular shipment date will be met. Cargo approved from multiple donors for the same target country will often be combined into one shipment to minimize transportation costs. For this reaso= n, coordinating a shipment of cargo from multiple donors to a single destinati= on may take additional time. Sim= ilarly, very large shipments may take significantly longer to move.

Transportation will be scheduled, notwithstanding exceptions to policy, based on the following criteria:

Ø      Order of receipt by the Department of Defense of approved applicati= ons

Ø      Availability of funds appropriated and budgeted for transportation<= o:p>

Ø      Efficient use of Department of Defense appropriated funds.

There is limited money= to fund transportation of privately donated cargo. The Funded Transportation Program cannot make any commitments concerning transit of the cargo through designated ports in route to its final destination. To assure the most economical transportation, the program will make no commitment to coordinate the transportation of the approved cargo with any other movement (cargo or personnel). In this regard, i= t must be noted again that Department of Defense transportation schedules are subj= ect to change with little or no notice.

E.     PERSONNEL: The DoD Funded Transportation Prog= ram is limited to movement of only cargo. The transportation of donor personnel and/or livestock is not authorized. Donors should not = list themselves as consignees or as playing a role in the distribution of the ca= rgo at the final destination, with the expectation that the U.S. Government will transport them together with the cargo. Donors who desire to be at the fin= al destination in connection with receipt and/or distribution of the cargo must make alternative transportation arrangements. In this regard, the Departmen= t of Defense will make every effort to provide you with timely information on sc= heduled departure dates from point of origin and arrival dates at the final destina= tion for all approved cargo.

Step 4 ̵= 1; PREPARATION OF CARGO FOR SHIPMENT

A.     OVERALL RESTRICTIONS: All cargo will be transported in 20- or 40-foot= sea vans (containers). Accordingly, the following dimension restrictions apply = to all shipping containers (boxes, crates, etc.) holding general cargo:

Ø      Height: 90"

Ø      Length: 78"

Ø      Width: 98"

Ø      Weight: 10,000 lbs.

Note:&nb= sp; When determining container dimensions, you must include the dimensio= ns of the pallet or other external items used to secure the container. These dimensions are firm and shou= ld not be exceeded. Exceptions may be granted only by prior approval by the Department of Defense on a case-by-ca= se basis.

B.     General Cargo: The Department of Defense contract shipper will arrange with you t= he delivery of the shipping containers to your warehouse address. Your organization will load the containers. Pre-packaging the inventory on wooden pallets and using a forklift or dolly is acceptable, but not required. The items can be loaded by hand. Keep in mind that your consignee will be unloa= ding these containers and may not have the equipment you used when packing them.= You are responsible for ensuring the security of the items your organization pa= cks within the container. As part of the application process, you will release = the U.S. Government of any liability for loss or damage, but it would be unfortunate to have items shipped and be found broken and unusable when delivered. Special care should be taken to brace larger items within the container. The shipping containers are weatherproof, so no pre-wrapping is required. Barring any discrep= ancies when clearing customs, the containers should not be opened until delivered = to your consignee’s warehouse.

Step 5 ̵= 1; SUBMISSION OF APPLICATION

You should submit an application only after the action= s in Steps 1 through 4 have been completed.&nbs= p;

Step 6 ̵= 1; CERTIFICATION AND APPROVAL OF APPLICATION

Once your complete application and all supporting docu= ments are received, the Department of State will determine whether the applicatio= n is consistent with U.S.= foreign policy and the Department of Defense will review the application to determine if the cargo may be transported.= The Department of Defense will arrange an inspection of the cargo pr= ior to final approval of the application. Once these steps have been taken, the application will then be formally approved or disapproved and the Departmen= t of Defense will notify you. Depending upon workload and the responsiveness of = the destination country, this process can take from several days to several mon= ths.

Note: Application app= roval does not obligate the U.S. Government to provide transportation of approved cargo.

Step 7 ̵= 1; FINALIZING TRANSPORTATION ARRANGEMENTS

When final approval has been granted, the Department of Defense will make transportation arrangements. The Department of Defense wi= ll provide you a Transportation Control Number (TCN) number, which is unique to your shipment. This number is assigned to assist with tracking the cargo as= it is transported to its destination.

Container Labeling Requirements: All containers must be stenciled or marked in indelible ink with the following information:

DOD HUMANITARIAN SHIPMENT TO: (City and Country)

FROM: (Donor Name and Organization, if applicable)
REQUESTER TELEPHONE NUMBER:

TO: (Consignee Name and Organization and Telephone Number)

TRANSPORTATI= ON CONTROL NUMBER: ___________

CONTAINER __________ of_______________

The DoD commercial contract= shipper will notify you regarding the date and time of cargo pick-up. Cargo must be ready for transportation at your pick-up location(s) within the timeframe specified by the commercial contract shipper.

STEP 8 ̵= 1; PREPARATIONS FOR ARRIVAL OF CARGO AT FINAL DESTINATION

Prior to cargo arrival in the destination country, the= DoD will inform you of its estimated time of arrival (ETA). You must communicate t= he ETA to the consignee to ensure the consignee is aware of the estimated date and time of arrival so the consignee will attend to the cargo without delay aft= er it has arrived.

STEP 9 ̵= 1; ARRIVAL, CUSTODY TRANSFER, AND DISTRIBUTION

The commercial contract shipper is responsible for delivering the cargo to the consignee’s warehouse address. The consig= nee and the donor must be aware that the Funded Transportation Program has no funding for warehousing in the destination country.

Once the consignee takes possession of the cargo, the consignee is responsible for the timely distribution of the cargo to the targeted beneficiaries in accordance with the distribution plan. Cargoes mu= st be distributed on a non-commercial basis, free of cost to the person or per= sons receiving the goods.

STEP 10 R= 11; REPORTING

You must submit an After Action Report (AAR) to the Department of Defense Funded Transportation Program Manager within 30 days after the cargoes are distributed describing, in detail, how the cargo was distributed, to whom, and how the humanitarian assistance supplies were use= d. The AAR template can be downloaded from = this site. This report will be com= pared with the distribution plan you provide as part of your application for transport assistance.

Note: Failure to submit the report in a = timely manner may result in your disqualification from future participation in the= DoD Funded Transportation Program.

FUNDED TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM

APPLICATION FORMS

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All forms and documents noted in the above steps must accompany each application for transport of humanitarian assistance cargo under the DoD Funded Transportation Program.

NOTE: Incomplete packages w= ill be returned.

Please submit= the application to:

DSCA

201 12^th ST. South, Suite 2= 03

Arlington, VA 22202

ATTN: Phy= llis Marshall

Tel: (703) 601-3854

E-mail: Funded Transportation