Elements of SAFSA Transition Plan

The plan outlines key activities to be undertaken by each party before December 31, 2012, to ensure a smooth transition of management of the SAFSA program between the VALUE project and AFTEX. The current structure for the management and implementation of SAFSA is illustrated in Figure 1, which shows the VALUE project serving as a "secretariat" of SAFSA, managing the day-to-day operational and management functions. The VALUE project receives guidance from an Advisory Council, which includes high-ranking AFTEX members, and an Executive Committee, which is composed of SAFSA member representatives. Once SAFSA is handed over to AFTEX, the Secretariat function will be carried out directly through AFTEX resources, with the AFTEX Permanent Secretary General providing overall guidance and a SAFSA Manager executing the primary operational functions. The SAFSA Manager will receive administrative support from an outsourced entity, the Malaysian Textile and Apparel association (MTMA), and the location of the SAFSA Secretariat is anticipated to be in Kuala Lumpur. Operating Guidelines for SAFSA do not currently exist, and it is envisioned that the VALUE Project will draft guidelines for AFTEX approval prior to the commencement of the transition. The Guidelines should establish the operations and rights and privileges of membership in SAFSA. Factory membership recruitment is a crucial activity for SAFSA, and the VALUE Project has one full-time dedicated staff member focused on factory recruitment. The VALUE Project will continue to lead recruitment efforts through the 2012 Global Forum, with a possibility of directly or indirectly supporting AFTEX to take on this role afterwards. The VALUE project will also produce SAFSA marketing materials that can be utilized after the program is complete. Customer recruitment is also a costly activity, and the current strategy for recruitment has been threefold: direct marketing to known target customers, privately held seminars in the U.S and Hong Kong, and indirect advertising via media or partner resources. Customer recruitment is anticipated to be led by the VALUE Project up to the 2012 Global Forum, with support including marketing trips to Hong Kong and the U.S. In support of the transition, most of the current promotion activities will continue to be funded by the VALUE project through 2012, including updating the sourceasean.com website, sending press releases to local and regional media, attendance and speaking engagements at regional industry events, and sending a monthly email newsletter. AFTEX envisions hiring a full-time SAFSA Manager to handle most operational and administrative duties related to running SAFSA, with the AFTEX Permanent Secretary General serving in a senior level capacity, providing guidance and representing SAFSA in some cases. The VALUE project will provide support to this effort, including developing a Job Description for the SAFSA Manager, funding the advertisement for the position, participating in the interview process, funding and conducting on-site and virtual training of the SAFSA manager, and considering some level of funding to defray the costs of the position during the transition period. The goal of the transition plan is to fill the position by August 31, 2012, ensuring 4 months of training and participation in key events, including the SAFSA Global Forum envisioned for September 2012. During the transition phase and beyond, SAFSA will be fully funded through membership dues, with the VALUE project and AFTEX jointly undertaking efforts to develop alternative revenue streams.