Program Review Board (PRB) Minutes - Sep 7, 2003

Program Review Board (PRB) Minutes - Sep 7, 2003 *David Oliver Chair Attendees: Sherri Kraham Program Review Board USAID *Earl Gast *Amb Neil Mules Australia * Andrew Ockenden UK Rep COL Paul Hough CPA Comptroller CPA - CA HCA COL Tony Bell CJTF-7 C8 *LTC Terry Ross CPA General Counsel LTC Andy Hughes NS&D *Gerald Thompson CPA DIROPSINF *Andy Bearpark CPA - Governance *Suzanne Schaffrath James Carrera CPA- PMLC Ali Khedery AMB Kennedy Rep * Voting member Previous minutes were approved Status of Funds: Oliver: Appropriated and Vested Funds depleted, approximately $24M available in seized, essentially living off DFI. The following Funding Requests were considered by the Board for recommendation to the Administrator: #463 Replenish CERP; #456, Replenish DERP. Oliver: Do not want to bring up CERP or DERP, the President will probably request $20.3B for next year, we asked for $24B, $20.3B will not do it, really makes it tight. He expressed his opinion that it may be time to cut-off the military, start funding regional coordinators and have military go to the regional commanders. Currently spending $SM a week through the military ($1/4 B a year). Program encompasses the Ambassadors purpose of pushing money out, would like to keep the money and put it towards electricity or something; will recommend $1M per week to the regional coordinators. Time to transition to civilians. Ross: CJTF-7 believes that CERP most important program for security/stability of Iraqi people. CERP is getting things done. Bearpark: Not CERP that's creating, its projects funded by CERP, matter of which structure to use. Sit down in a smaller group with the figures and CJTF7 to discuss. Ross: Pushing to another structure will be ineffective. Oliver: Kraham will set up meeting within next 24 - 48 hours. #461, Seaports for Fuel, $14,900,000. Oliver: Minister of Oil has funds available for FY03 and would be unable to spend; wanted to extend over into FY04; will have approximately $78M left that they cannot spend and would have to turn it back in. Take 72 hours get with Oil Ministry to see if you can work this out, are they willing to support. Kjar: Would like approval from PRB then determine what pot funds come from. Capt McGee: Renegotiating contract with Mersck, may be able to work out that way. Oliver: There's money in the Oil Ministries budget to do this, can do without coming back. #479, Governing Council Housing, $710,000. Khedery: First half of project approved earlier in August, for the reconstruction of the first ten villas for the Governing Council. This request is for the same funding level and only the price of the furniture was revised. Cost includes ten bungalows plus the price of furniture. Oliver: Second half of houses for completion. Furniture cost went up from S16K to $18K. Approved, $710,000.