0 . MAJOR CHANGES SINCE PREVIOUS VERSION OF THE HIP
The contract with DAC Aviation, the ECHO Flight operator, which ended on 30 April 2012, has been renewed for one year as foreseen in the tender's terms. A price revision has been requested by DAC Aviation as foreseen in the contract following the fuel price increase during the last contractual year.
The initial budget has allowed renewing the contract and including the price increase. However, the extra-costs envelope had to be reduced to EUR 150,000, leaving little flexibility for urgencies such as medical or security evacuation or special demands from partners outside the regular schedule for staff and cargo transport in order to response to sudden emergencies. In 2011 the extra-costs envelope has been nearly fully used despite the absence of new major crisis. Up to now, 2012 has seen a deterioration of the situation with an aggravation of the security and a deterioration of overland transport possibilities.
To maintain the level of services (frequencies and destinations) provided to our partners and answer to additional demands outside the regular schedule, EUR 700.000 are necessary to increase the budget from 10 MEUR to 10.7 MEUR and the extra-costs envelope from EUR 150,000 to EUR 850,000.