Fiscal Year 2016 Second Quarter Report

AESP contributes to local national capacity building by mentoring and providing international caliber experience to staff and partners. The program performs activities that complement and reinforce the activities and engineering expertise of USAID OEGI staff in the following sectors: Energy, Transportation, Vertical Structures, Technical Support and oversight, Water, and Water Sanitation. AESP consists of a Kabul-based core of expatriate engineering professionals leading a competent staff of local Afghan engineers and support professionals. Support professionals include home office, or "reachback", support from highly-qualified US-based staff. The local team continues to display adaptability, mobility, and responsiveness to the needs of USAID. AESP has a diverse range of projects, including the Kajaki Dam, Sardar Girls High School Fire Doors Replacements, and the Arghandi-Ghazni Transmission Lines and Substations. During the second quarter of FY 2016, AESP assumed full responsibility for base life support, security, overall site management, and logistics at Kajaki Dam, in the role of Owner's Engineer. Through a transition process, AESP mobilized teams both in Kabul and at the Kajaki Site to assume Quality Assurance (QA) and Construction Management (CMS) Services for the Kajaki Hydropower Project. AESP also continued fulfilling its role as QA monitor for the Power Transmission Expansion and Connectivity (PTEC) Program and providing Construction Management Services (CMS) for PTEC. AESP submitted 279 deliverables during the second quarter of FY 2016, including two revised energy sector Request for Proposals (RFPs) and associated technical documents and engineering cost estimates. Other important deliverables included QA-CMS Biweekly and Monthly Reports, QA Technical Manual, and Final Report of the Afghan Women Internship Program for the academic year 2015. AESP also continued submitting weekly and biweekly photo submissions for ongoing projects. The Kajaki CMS work order had several key deliverables during this quarter, including the Security Assessment Plan, the Comprehensive Life Support Plan, the Helicopter Transport Services Plan, and the Kandahar Operations Support Base Plan. These documents highlight the diversity and breadth of work that AESP has completed this quarter. AESP transitioned into the role of Owner's Engineer at Kajaki Dam and assumed full responsibility of base life support, security, and logistics for the Kajaki Dam construction site. Through a transition process, AESP mobilized a Quality Assurance (QA) team at the Kajaki Site, made up of six QA inspectors and two senior engineers. Tetra Tech became responsible for providing Kajaki camp security on February 1, 2016, and Tetra Tech's Risk Management Consultant (RMC) GardaWorld began mobilizing to the site in January 2016. Additionally, Tetra Tech became responsible for the Afghan Personnel Protection Forces (APPF) at the Kajaki Dam site. The construction contractor for the Kajaki Hydropower Plant (HPP) fully remobilized to the site in February, almost five months after the initial evacuation from the site. As a result of the full remobilization, hydrostatic testing has now been completed, and the installation of the spiral case (including concrete pouring) is underway.