UNJLC maintains a centralised single common shelter and non-food items (NFI) pipeline for the Darfurs utilising a standard shelter/NFI basket. Developing the NFI Common Pipeline involved establishing an efficient and cost-effective supply chain to ensure the smooth inflow, receipt, storage, prioritization, dispatch, and onward transportation of basic shelter materials and other NFIs to the Darfurs.

Benefits:
The NFI Common Pipeline benefits humanitarian agencies by centralising procurement, warehousing and transport of goods.  In addition, the system creates cost savings through economies of scale, minimises duplication of efforts, reduces competition among agencies for available transport and warehousing (thus limiting inflation) and reduces transaction costs for donors and agencies.

Shelter/NFI Assumption and Achievements:
Initial planning assumptions for the NFI Common Pipeline in April 2004 were based on an estimated target population of one million internally displaced persons (IDPs) with an estimated family size of six. In May 2004, the first distribution of Shelter/NFI took place, facilitated by the Common Pipeline, comprised of plastic sheeting, blankets, jerry cans and soap. -> Read more

In 2005, UNJLC as the NFI sub-sector co-ordinator, managed the CP (with programmatic input from the NFI Advisory Panel as required). -> Read more

2006 NFI CP Plans:
In order to gain a greater understanding of needs for NFI, a snap assessment was conducted in Darfur in December 2005, which confirmed that while some IDP families have developed effective coping mechanisms, the majority of IDPs still require NFI support. The assessment also revealed that over the course of 2005, the average household size increased from 4.5 to just over 6 persons. This household size has since been confirmed in other UN surveys.  Taking into consideration IDPs coping mechanisms, current NFI coverage, and need for emergency stocks, UNICEF, UNJLC, and CARE determined that the 2006 NFI Common Pipeline caseload for Darfur shall be 1.68 million IDPs or 280,000 households. 

2006 NFI CP Basket

NFI Advisory Panel
UNJLC, UNICEF, CARE, UNOCHA and UNHCR established the NFI Advisory Panel in order to determine policy for NFI distributions in Darfur in 2006 through the non-food item (NFI) Common Pipeline (CP) and the coordination of information regarding other agencies' NFI pipelines. -> Read more

Funding Appeals 2006

NFI Common Pipeline Appeal
The UN has developed a common system of procuring and distributing Non-Food Items (NFI) and shelter items. In May 2004, a Project Cooperation Agreement was signed between OCHA, UNJLC, UNICEF and CARE stating tasks and responsibilities for each agency.  UNICEF procures items and transports them to the CARE warehouse in El Obeid.  CARE as the Logistics Services Provider is responsible for warehousing and transport to distribution sites in Darfur. From 2006, CARE will also be responsible for monitoring and evaluation of distributions.  UNJLC ensures effective supply chain management and with assistance from OCHA coordinates the NFI pipeline with cooperating partners and communities in the field to guarantee that procurement, transport, storage, and distributions are conducted in a timely and efficient manner.   The cooperating partners - UN Agencies, NGOs, and other organizations - play a key role by conducting NFI needs assessments and distributions. -> Read more


Process for Accessing NFI

Agencies/NGOs seeking to distribute NFI from the CP submit an NFI Request and NFI Assessment Form to UNJLC at State Level. UNJLC reviews the request and processes in accordance with the strategic and operational NFI priorities and targets (when it is not in accordance with NFI priorities, the request can be presented to the relevant NFI committee for resolution). UNJLC issues Action Requests to CARE to dispatch the NFI. The Agency/NGO then provides an NFI Distribution report (attached at Annex D) to UNJLC following the distribution.

   -> Click here to download Distribution Form

Post-Distribution:
In a continued effort to improve humanitarian information management systems, NFI Request, Post Distribution and Needs Assessment Forms were commissioned for field use and are available on the UNJLC website
These forms are available here and at all OCHA/UNJLC offices in Darfur in the three state capitals. All future NFI releases are subject to adequate agency reporting and feedback in order to improve and strengthen existing reporting systems.
 

 Accessing Soap: In the beginning of 2006, Soap was removed from the NFI sector (see UN Work Plan 2006) and handed over to the Wat/San sector.  The Wat/San the distribution procedure has been clarified by WAT/SAN as the following:

• UNICEF adopted similar forms that were used by UNJLC as they are familiar for all implementing agencies.
• UNICEF will get the request from WES sector partners who will distribute soap along with hygiene promotion activities as far as possible and discuss in the WES sector coordination meetings and approve the request.
• NGOs who are willing to distribute Soap, but do not have hygiene education components in their programme can be considered by the committee at the State level and approved in view of the large stock of soap currently available.
• UNICEF will hand over the approved request form to the implementing agency and CARE will hand over Soap to the implementing agency based on the submission of the approved form. The implementing agency will be responsible for the transportation of Soap from the CARE warehouse to distribution locations. When the stocks from CARE warehouses are fully utilized, then it will release from UNICEF/WES/SWC warehouses.
  

-> Click here to download Soap Request Form

NFI Common Pipeline Overview

The NFI Common Pipeline Overview details opening stocks, target and actual distributions, incoming stocks and anticipated pipeline breaks. -> Read more

 Reports:

UNJLC Sudan Monthly Darfur NFI Cp Report  January 060131
UNJLC Sudan Monthly Darfur NFI Cp Report February 060228
UNJLC Sudan Monthly Darfur NFI Cp Report March 060331
UNICEF Sudan Monthly Darfur NFI Cp procurement Report

Monitoring and evaluation

CARE is responsible for monitoring and evaluation for the NFI CP. The monitoring and evaluation project shall include post - distribution monitoring and focus group discussions with NFI beneficiaries. Staffing includes a coordinating officer in Khartoum and two monitoring officers in each state.
 
-> To read more about the "M&E CARE Plan" click here

Questionnaires :
CARE Household Questionnaire
UNJLC/CARE Logistics Assistance Project M & E Unit
UNJLC/CARE Logistics Assistance Project - KHT, 20 April 2006

Other File
Item and Transportation Cost for NFI Common Pipeline (CP)
As procuring agency for the NFI CP, UNICEF procures items both internationally and locally. International procurement prices include cost and freight to El Obeid. Locally procured items include jerry cans, buckets and soap, prices of which include cost and freight to Nyala or El Obeid. -> Read more