Biosafety Clearing House

Training Workshop
date
place

1
An Introduction to the Memorandum of
Understanding preparation process
Instructor names

2
The Project

“Building Capacity for Effective Participation in the Biosafety

Clearing House (BCH) of the Cartagena Protocol on
Biosafety”

• Treated as an Add-on to the “UNEP-GEF project for

Development of National Biosafety Frameworks”
though a UNEP project in its own rights

• Enabling Activity. Components: Training and Equipment

3
Concept for Implementation

• Project developed an OPERATIONAL HANDBOOK, aimed at

assisting the NEA in its project execution, …as a simplified
user guide and a continuous reference guide for all
involved. Find under www.unep.ch/biosafety/bch.htm
• Project developed a TRAINING PACKAGE, aimed at
providing a uniform training approach and implementation,
linking the countries to the BCH Central Portal, web-based,
continuously up-dated, with hands-on case studies. It
constitutes a global tool for the Regional Advisors (RA).
•

• Project developed a STANDARD MEMORANDUM OF

UNDERSTANDING (MoU), aimed at providing a simplified
format for the agreement between the NEA and UNEP.

4
Standard MoU

Agreement under which you:

• request for the required funding and support,
• find a clear reflection of expected output, and
• reporting requirements

…. while the Operational Handbook will assist you to set-up and

provide the required information

…. and the Regional Advisors can assist you before, during and
after the MoU has been signed
Note: At any time after receipt of endorsement letter, a request for Regional
Advisor can be made to the BCH Team, using Form 9 (OH, p.39)

5
BCH Regional Advisors

• Regional Advisors will:

– Assist countries in making a choice for type and style
of national participation in the BCH;
– Deliver training activities, with national counterparts,
in the use and access of the BCH; and
– Assist in making the BCH participation operational.
Note: Short biographies of BCH Regional Advisors can be found on:

www.unep.ch/biosafety/bch.htm

Up to a maximum of 15 days per country

6
MoU Preparation

Step 1:
• Send endorsement letter from GEF Focal Point and/or letter of political
commitment
Step 2:
• Establish a BCH Task Force and use Form 1 -”Notification of the
Nomination of the BCH Task Force”(OH, p.26)
Step 3:
• Choose 1 of 4 options provided by the CBD Secretariat for
national BCH (use a Regional advisor or your existing
expertise), using Form 2 (OH, p.27)
Step 4:
• Undertake a national assessment and describe the locally
available BCH assets and requirements, using Form 3 (OH,
p.28/29)

7
MoU Preparation

Step 5:
• Prepare a detailed costing for ALL components of the proposed national BCH system,
using Form 4 (OH, p.31-33)
A Equipment to be procured
B Services to be procured (incl. Task Force Meetings, national workshops etc excluding
the Regional Advisor services)
D Equipment to be procured or made available under Government Contribution
E Equipment to be procured or made available under Donor Contribution (like
equipment received during the NBF development project)
F Staff and services to be procured or made available under Government Contribution
Note: where UNDP services are required or audit services are recommended by the BCH Team,
additional costing has to be reflected

Step 6:
• Propose a Training Strategy for your national BCH system, using Form 5 (OH,
pg.34)

8
MoU approval procedure

• Fill the NEA details and amounts calculated into the MoU,
• Reflect financial project requirements in Annex I, and
• Attach all Forms as reflected in the 6 Steps as Annex II plus
a work-plan for the project duration (duration: 12 months)

 Submit for clearance and approval to the BCH Team

 Receive the official UNEP acceptance, reflecting your MoU

reference number

9
MoU signing procedure

 Get the approved MoU and all 6 Steps-Forms signed by

the CEO of your NEA and submit to the BCH Team for UNEP
countersignature

 Receive your countersigned MoU

 Expect your funds within 3-4 weeks upon receipt of the

countersigned MoU

 Send 2 original signed MoUs to the BCH Team and expect in

return a countersigned original in due course

10
Reporting Requirements

Upon completion of the procurement activities:

• Inventory of equipment , confirming insurance contracts, using Form
6 (OH, p.35)
Upon BCH set-up functionality:
• Provide results of a test BCH communication, using Form 7 (OH,
p.37)
Upon completion of the workshop series:
• Detailed report on activities implemented, using Form 8 (OH, p.38)
Upon completion of a Regional Advisor service:
• Detailed report on Regional Advisor performance, using Form 10
(OH, p.40)

11
MoU Funding

 75% advance payment upon signature of the MoU

 25% completion payment upon receipt of:

 Revised BCH strategy document
 Submission and approval of the final financial statement, using
UNEP budget format in Annex I
 Supporting documents: duly filled and signed Form 6, 7 and 8

12
THANK YOU

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