Project Description

No project description provided.

Project Goals

The customs yard is an essential part of a much larger economic corridor development plan stretching from Ghulam Khan to Gardez in Paktiya Province, then from Gardez to both Ghazni City and Kabul on Highway 1, the Ring Road. Other corridor components include 1) repairing and/or constructing several bridges; 2) straightening, widening and surfacing of roads; 3) building a bypass around Khowst City for thru-traffic; 4) building a roundabout near the border to move traffic from one side of the road to the other; 5) constructing a company headquarters for the Afghan Border Police (ABP), in direct support of the customs yard; and 6) building a forward border control point at the Pakistan border. These projects, funded through the Afghanistan Infrastructure Fund (AIF) and the Afghanistan Security Forces Fund (ASFF), are complemented by roadwork within Pakistan. Besides facilitating local movement, the improved corridor is expected to attract inbound trucks that currently travel from the seaport at Karachi up through Torkham, a change that will shorten the trade route to Kabul significantly and also reduce pressure on the Torkham gate in Nangarhar Province.

Customs generates 55-60% o total GIRoA revenue. Among Afghan ports of entry, Ghulam Khan ranks #8, generating almost $12M in 2011. Improvements at other ports of entry have resulted in 20-30% icreases in revenue for the same traffic, due to increased efficiency, adequate space for secondary inspections, improved coordination with ABP, etc. Similar increases are expected at Ghulam Khan.

The new Ghulam Khan customs yard will be located about 5 km back from the zero line. The new location has adequate space for both the customs yard and the separately-funded ABP company headquarters. Between the selected location and the border, routes commonly used to circumvent the existing customs yard are forced back to the highway by rough terrain; the project is therefore expected to facilitate more thorough customs inspections, resulting in greater revenue and more effective contraband interdiction. As part of the greater corridor development, additional revenues are expected as the port becomes a preferred route, due to all-weather roads, reduced congestion, shorter wait times and improved throughflow.

Results

Results unknown.

Updates

30 JUL 2012: Media files updated. New uploads include preliminary SOW, Project Mgt Plan,security background (SECRET). Draft coordination memo sent to TF 4-25 and BSO.

1 AUG 2012: Prepared for CICMB WG, in response to CERP Working Group review 31 JUL 2012. Updated LOJ. Uploaded ADR as MFR, coordination memo, PR&C, CERP checklist. Sent draft coordination memo to TF 4-25 for BSO signature. Sent draft sustainment memo to BMTF for MOF signature.

6 AUG 2012: Clarification of PR&C with CJTF-1 CERP team. Project will be implemented with funds MIPR'd to USACAE by CJ9, so all progress payments will be processed by a USACE.

12 AUG 2012: PM Hofmann met with Border Management Task Force and then briefed the Deputy Director, Afghan Customs Directorate re project status, timetables and need for sustainment memos. NTM-A and USACE are planning on advertising for base contract (ASFF, with CERP options) in SEP 2012. PM advised that MAIL can quickly facilitate transfer of land to ABP and ACD.

15 Aug 2012: Project was presented to the CICMB. BG Gedney approved the project. BG Gedney had questions about exact duration of project and who would manage project. USACE will manage the project and project duration is expected to be May 2013-December 2014. Div CIM

18 Aug 2012: PM (Mr. Hofmann) uploaded Right of Entry parcel A/B and Assessment Summary. Div CIM

30 AUG 2012: NTM-A / USACE expects to award contract ~6 SEP 2012. Base contract will construct border police compound and part of the customs yard. The rest of the customs yard is included as CERP options within the contract. The PM negotiated the CERP scope with the NTM-A program mgr in JUN-JUL 2012, but this agreement was lost in part when the NTM-A program mgr re-deployed. The PM is preparing a Statement of Requirements for NTM-A / USACE, to ensure the base contract plus CERP options plus any needed contract mod results in a complete and functional customs yard. 

31 Aug 2012: Added MGRS to project Location. CJTF-1/CJ9 DIV CIM

5-6 Sep 2012: Deleted N/A docs and uploaded signed LOJ and ADR.

Currently the CJTF-1 Command is in favor of terminating this project because this is a project that ISAF wants more that the Afghans do. It has taken the CJ-9 and Borders 6 months to get GIRoA to sign the construction license and other agreeement. The project if funded on December 1st 2012 would not be completed until 2015. The US will not have troops in the are to provide security for QA/QC. The decision to continue with this project is with the SCR Karen Decker. LTC Kelly up loaded to signed documents today (Construction license and the interagency agreemnt) and notified IJC that the documents were up-loaded. The IJC CICMB will not take place until the SCR makes a decision