International postdisaster recoveries lessons for Puerto Rico on supply-chain management and recovery governance

As Puerto Rico recovers from Hurricanes Irma and Maria, effective supply-chain management and recovery governance will be vitally important to a successful outcome. The Homeland Security Operational Analysis Center (HSOAC) team conducted field research in Puerto Rico to gain local perspectives regarding the biggest challenges the island is facing, and then assessed recovery challenges that four disaster-affected island countries (Haiti, Japan, New Zealand, and the Philippines) faced over the past decade. The team also drew insights from other relevant cases featured in scholarly disaster management and public policy literature.

Key Findings

Supply-chain dynamics are of paramount importance in managing critical recovery resources

• Weaknesses in supply-chain planning, including projecting demand for materials and labor and prioritizing projects, create delays that hinder recovery and lead to sourcing and delivery bottlenecks.

• Workforce shortages occur at all skill levels, especially in the construction domain. Importing workers can put pressure on housing markets and drive up costs.

• Project managers have limited visibility into supply-chain flows, often focusing on specific sectors rather than cross-sector views.

Recommendations

• Support local leadership of, and involvement in, recovery efforts.
• Empower municipalities to design their own reconstruction plans and implement and disburse funds for projects.
• Enable "owner-driven" reconstruction.
• Broaden systematic private-sector involvement.
• Use micro-loans to businesses to fuel recovery at the local level.
• Establish special economic zones that provide tax and regulatory incentives to attract indigenous and international companies.
• Develop and implement a comprehensive communications strategy.
• Adopt tools for planning, monitoring, and evaluating projects and initiatives.
• Develop specific, measurable, achievable, results-oriented, and time-bound objectives at all levels, supported by good data collection and monitoring practices.
• Expand public-private partnerships and consortia focusing on disaster management.
• Explore establishment of a permanent, dedicated disaster-recovery authority.
• Pursue legislative reforms to fast-track the procurement of goods and pre-position them during recovery.
• Establish material supply hubs and mechanisms for bulk commodity procurement.