Dioxin Remediation at Bien Hoa Airbase Area Project Quarterly Report (FY21 JAN. 01 TO MAR. 31, 2021)

The project began in 2018 with funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The A&E Bien Hoa Contractor provided engineering design and construction management services to support the project. The contractor assisted USAID in collecting confirmatory samples and processing them for laboratory analysis, which revealed additional excavation was needed in the Southwest area. The project schedule and financial status were closely monitored during the second quarter of FY21. The Final Masterplan Implementation Work Plan was approved by USAID and Air Defence-Air Force Command (ADAFC) on January 12, 2021. The Masterplan presents a comprehensive 10-year plan to remediate dioxin at the Bien Hoa Airbase area. Phase 1 activities will be implemented under the existing USAID-ADAFC Limited-Scope Grant Agreement. Construction activities were underway during the second quarter, with the IM1 Contractor excavating contaminated sediment to the Low Concentration Storage Area in Pacer Ivy. The A&E Bien Hoa Contractor implemented the IM1 Environmental Mitigation and Monitoring Plan during construction activities. USAID and ADAFC held a ceremony on January 20, 2021, to celebrate several initiatives, including the G2L – Dioxin Remediation at Bien Hoa Airbase Achievement Ceremony. The project performance indicators were closely monitored during the second quarter. The A&E Bien Hoa Contractor prepared a modified excavation design to address residual contamination in the Southwest area. USAID commenced construction in the staging area at PI-02 in February 2021. The A&E Bien Hoa Contractor and the IM1 Contractor discovered 19 graves during vegetation removal, some of which were within the planned stormwater retention basin footprint. The project challenges and health, safety, and environment (HSE) aspects were also addressed during the second quarter. The A&E Bien Hoa Contractor worked with Regiment 935 on the public notification and relocation of the graves in March 2021. USAID awarded the Second Interim Measure (IM2) contract to Vina E&C Investment and Construction JSC (IM2 Contractor) on February 3, 2021, and later issued the notice to proceed to commence work on February 19, 2021. The project schedule and financial status were closely monitored during the second quarter. The project master plan schedule and A&E schedule were updated to reflect the progress made during the quarter. The project financial status was also closely monitored, with the total project cost and expenditure being tracked.