USAID - Trade Facilitation Project Statement of Work I. Introduction ...

3. Reservation systemA key element for an efficient crossing point is a reservation system to facilitate planning byshippers/receivers/carriers and crossing managements. The previous reservation systemimplemented at Gaza’s Karni crossing had serious shortcomings and operated very nontransparently.Some shippers/receivers reported delays of several weeks to secure reservations,and were often delayed several days after scheduled appointments.Reservations systems should be as simple as possible so that they could be readily understood byusers. They should also be transparent and offer easy access to parties interested in shippinggoods across borders/crossings, displaying clear rules and procedures. Implementation ofreservation systems will not occur at the inception of the project, but offerors are encouraged toprovide conceptual designs of how such systems could function at crossings between Israel andWBG.4. Publicized Accounts of Both Progress and Setbacks to Movement and AccessMutually beneficial cooperation between Palestinians and Israelis has the potential to give rise topositive and newsworthy events. Overall, however, both the Palestinian and Israeli communities,as well as the world at large, only hear about the violence and injustice in Israel and WBG.There is a critical need to create a more positive atmosphere through better communication ofgood news. Positive steps taken could contribute to a constructive environment and illustratehow progress is possible.In the course of its other activities, staff of the USAID/PITA project frequently learned aboutpositive, newsworthy, events. For example:The Israeli crossing staff immediately reopened the Jalameh Crossing after the Shavuotholiday and worked into the predawn hours to ensure that Palestinian growers could get theircucumber harvest to buyers in Israel.Israeli officials worked closely with a Palestinian businessman to facilitate the export ofheavy machinery which did not conform with standard requirements for scanning.Israeli officials and private firms are working with a large Palestinian firm to permit preinspectionsin a packing house and exports of full containers into or through Israel.Well-publicized examples like these have the potential to alter public sentiments on both sides,inform Israeli and Palestinian businesspersons and government officials about ongoing activitiesthey could emulate, and encourage them to consider new possibilities.In addition to the positive stories, it is important to acknowledge setbacks in the free movementand access of people and goods. Such information will be readily available from projectnetworks, as well as secondary data sources such as the UN Office for the Coordination ofHumanitarian Assistance (OCHA). It is worthwhile to recognize achievements, particularly ifthey offer opportunities for other shippers to replicate success.13