Trade Facilitation: Improved Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Handling in Greater Mekong Subregion Trade Project

Unsynchronized consultant recruitment, procurement of goods, and facility upgrades could create inefficiencies and lead to a wastage of time and resources and delayed delivery of project benefits. While overall the project proceeded smoothly, it encountered some challenges that offer valuable lessons to future projects. First, as the timing of consultant inputs and procurement of laboratory facilities and equipment were not synchronized, i.e., consultants would arrive early while facilities were not yet ready, less-than-efficient inputs were obtained. Second, the post-entry quarantine in Prey Veng in Cambodia remained non-operational and the equipment unutilized. Third, the laboratory equipment for the animal health laboratory in Phnom Penh, Cambodia was not fully used because the designated space was replaced by a smaller space that could not adequately accommodate all the laboratory equipment. Toward completion, the project discussed with the executing agency possible courses of actions to optimize utilization of the facilities. These were incorporated into the guidelines and followed up by the agencies concerned.