Ans: A standard operating procedure (SOP) is a set of step-by-step instructions compiled by an

organization to help workers carry out complex routine operations. SOPs aim to achieve efficiency,
quality output and uniformity of performance, while reducing miscommunication and failure to
comply with industry regulations.

A clear procedures, roles, and responsibilities for all actors. Standard operating procedures
(SOPs) are recognized as an international best practice during an emergency and humanitarian
actions.

SOPs to be used to improve the performance of Betaland supply chain: -

1. Planning Supply Requirements

Without having a good supply planning, we will loss out track in supply chain management.
Therefore, a correct understanding of supply planning and based on the feedback information of the
past years, we must start out supply process with a sound supply planning.

The major problems in supply planning are the limited use of planning process to define objectives,
activities and needed inputs and weak identification of supply needs in the program, limited
involvements of staff responsible for supplies in program planning is another factor of risk in supply
planning. Lack of awareness of supply procedure, estimated costs and procurement lead times to
realistically budget and specify supply requirements are also hindering the smooth supply planning.

In this regard the following actions should be taken for improvement of planning the supply
requirement ahead.

• Encourage the program staff in SCILaid to consider the uses and relevancy of supply planning.

• Provide the necessary information of the working process and procedure of a supply chain
and reverting the required technical knowledge to the program staff.

• Share up-to-date knowledge and information of supply chains and markets with the program
staff.

• Define supply input requirements in adequate time to allow for procurement and delivery
before implementation of the activity.

• Communicates with program staff to effectively interact during work planning with the
awareness of procurement procedures, lead times, needs for clear specifications and clear
understanding of supply input requirements.

2. Defining Supply Specifications

As it is already mentioned in previous tasks that managing a supply chain involve the flow of
information of goods. In this case, only the correct and well-defined information can bring the
appropriate supplies in a suitable lead time.

Providing detail specifications of required supplies can help a smooth flow in the supply chain.
The flow of information concerning the detail supply specifications is also a crucial aspect of any
supply chain. In this regard, the following actions should be taken for the improvements of the
supply specification.

1. Check: -

• What kind of goods we need to supply for beneficiaries?

• What is the number of total available beneficiaries?

• How much quantity needs to supply?

• When and where these goods should be supplied?

• How these goods should be supplied?

2. Use standard specifications for frequently purchased supplies based on knowledge of the end-
user, standard, needs and maintenance capacities.

3. Utilize reference materials for developing specification and estimation costs

4. Assure Program staff to be aware of the procurement lead-times, importance of clarity of

specifications and authorization limits for local procurement and use this information during supplies
planning.

5. Co-ordinate With program staff effectively on timely and accurate specification development.

6. Select appropriate sources of supplies, mode of shipment and apply proper controls to approve
high prices source and shipment options.

7. Monitor the exact location of supplies in the chain, the status of movement and inventory level
kept in and the amount of supplies to move the transit

8. Estimate the time of departure and arrival of supplies and important instructions in the process of

9. Manage to move the volume of goods to arrive and making calculations of resources needed to
move and unload them must be properly checked.

10. Keep eyes wide open to any problem there are which are affecting the flow of goods down the
supply chain.

Selecting and Contracting the Suppliers

The first and very important thing is to select/ contract suppliers who are capable to supply goods
according to the supply planning and specifications. The objectives are to ensure the selection of the
most appropriate suppliers in terms of quality, cost and delivery time resulting in the issue and
recording of purchase orders. purchase orders.

Basically, procurement is an activity or process that exchanges financial resources into appropriate
goods or services required and a good procurement needs the five ‘Rights ‘as mentioned below:

1. Right Price
2. Right Quality

3. Right Quantity

4. Right Packaging

5. Right Delivery

4. Pre-Delivery Quality Control, Shipment Monitoring and Receipt of goods

After the purchase orders are put into place and the supplier is ready to deliver the ordered goods,
we need to do a Pre- Delivery inspection of goods. So, the main objective of Pre-Delivery quality
control is to ensure that delivered supplies meet the specified quantity, quality, packing, delivery
date and location terms and the final cost as per calculations done by SCILaid.

5. Shipment Monitoring and Port Clearance Process

SCILaid supplies are mainly local market but some of the items it needs to import from overseas
markets. In this regard, managing shipment and customs clearance process become an important
part in the supply chain.

6. Receipt & Warehousing Process

Sometimes, Warehousing is the most neglecting part of a supply chain although it is a very important
for supplies and goods to be safely stored at transit or destination warehouses. To make
warehousing and storage management of SCILaid, the following checklist should be done regularly
and properly.

• Quarterly Inventory report by age and value obtained jointly by program and supply staff.

• Annual physical stock.

• Principles of FEFO (First In- First Out) to be followed ) and expiry date of foods and drugs
closely monitored.

• Emergency supply storage is an issue to be considered and well prepared.

7. Transportation and In-country Distribution Process

After Procurement is done, the next step in the supply chain process is the physical movement of
goods from suppliers or donors to beneficiaries. The transport components of the supply chain are
the major part in providing this movement of goods.

In terms of transporting goods along the chain, different actors may be involved in the whole
process, including commercial suppliers, UN organizations and NGOs. They may all take responsibility
for ensuring the goods are transported along part of the physical supply chain.