Notices for Companies and Delegations

IMPORTANT NOTICE TO SUPPLIERS AND PERMANENT MISSIONS

17 APRIL 2003

FURTHER INFORMATION FOR SUPPLIERS OF GOODS UNDER THE OIL FOR FOOD PROGRAMME

            Further to the advisories to suppliers and permanent missions dated 28 March 2003 and 3 April 2003, the Office of the Iraq Programme, in close cooperation with the United Nations agencies and programmes, continued reviewing possible priority contracts and has undertaken additional steps concerning goods in transit as at 17 March 2003. As a result of these activities, a number of contracts have been removed from the priority list, mainly because the goods could not be shipped or because the UN agencies have re-assessed the priority needs. Also, a number of contracts were added to the transit list as more information from the suppliers became available. We regret to inform that the focus of activity by the Office of Iraq Programme and the United Nations agencies and programmes is currently on priority contracts and contracts with goods in transit. We acknowledge the receipt of a large amount of information on other contracts.  However, any action on these will be subject to extension of provisions of resolution 1472 (2003) beyond 12 May 2003 or other decisions by the UN Security Council.   Please refer to the appropriate category of contacts below for additional information and guidance.  

SUPPLIERS SHOULD NOT MAKE ANY ARRANGEMENTS TO SHIP GOODS UNLESS THEY HAVE REACHED AGREEMENT WITH AND RECEIVED SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE RELEVANT UN AGENCY OR THE OFFICE OF THE IRAQ PROGRAMME  

1.            CATEGORY OF PRIORITY CONTRACTS.  The Office of Iraq Programme and the relevant UN agencies and programmes have prepared a revised list of priority contracts (update of 17 April 2003) based on contacts with some suppliers and information provided by others, as well as based on re-assessment of emergency needs for the initial period of 45 days. The suppliers with contracts in this list have either been contacted by the relevant agencies or the contact will follow shortly unless the new information determines any of the contracts in the list as to be non-priority. Please note that the list will be updated periodically by contracts either being removed or added to the list. The updates will be available at the OIP Website. 

2.            GOODS CURRENTLY IN TRANSIT.      Based on the advice by the suppliers, the Office of the Iraq Programme has created a list of contracts that have been in transit to Iraq as at 17 March 2003, when the United Nations Independent Inspection Agents withdraw from Iraq. The list has been updated periodically and is now divided in two parts: 

            List of priority goods in transit (as of 17 April 2003) -- The contracts in this list have been adopted by the UN agencies and programmes pursuant to paragraph 4 (b) of Security Council resolution 1472 (2003). The adopting agency is indicated in the Note column of the list for each contract in the list. These contracts are also included in the list of priorities in paragraph 1 above. The relevant UN agencies have already contacted suppliers from this list or the contact will follow shortly. The suppliers and the UN agencies will agree on amendment to these applications that will allow for delivery of goods to alternative locations.  

            List of other contracts with goods in transit (as of 17 April 2003) – The Office of Iraq Programme has already contacted the suppliers from this list to initiate arrangements for the best solution for the goods in transit. 

The lists may be periodically updated based on the information obtained or the revised emergency needs by the UN agencies. Suppliers with goods in transit to Iraq as at 17 March 2003 which do not appear on either of the transit lists in this paragraph should inform the Office of the Iraq Programme, in writing, through the Permanent Mission of their respective country, of the Comm. Number, description and quantity of goods in transit, method of shipment and the current location of the goods. Suppliers should also advise the Office of the Iraq Programme of any special features concerning the handling of the aforementioned consignments, such as a requirement for refrigerated storage or the need for delivery to silos in the case of certain food stuffs delivered in bulk. Suppliers should not inform OIP of contracts shipped after the withdrawal of the UN Independent Inspection Agents from Iraq as these goods are not considered ‘in transit’ for the purpose of this exercise.                                               

3.            OTHER GOODS.     The Office of Iraq Programme and the UN agencies and programmes are now focusing on priority contracts and contracts with goods in transit in order to meet emergency needs of the Iraqi people within the limited 45-day period mandated under resolution 1472 (2003). Further action on any other contract not included in the aforementioned categories is subject to decisions of the Security Council.   

The Office of the Iraq Programme regrets that it is not in a position to accept any direct queries from suppliers at this stage. All queries related to implementation of resolution 1472 (2003) should be directed through the relevant permanent mission. The suppliers and permanent missions are also advised to periodically check the Office of the Iraq Programme web-site www.un.org/Depts/oip for further updates.