Vehicle Fuel Management System

This document details the procedures and tools that VMU staff shall follow when carrying out and reporting on the refueling of CRS motorized assets (e.g. vehicle, motorcycles, generators or anything that utilizes fuel).

During the early stage of an emergency, offices often do not generally have a reliable fuel supply and management system in place. Based on the situation in the intervention area, fuel supply may be performed with direct cash purchases.  When possible and appropriate, the system should be costed and approved through a full procurement process and upgraded to a pre- or post-paid supplier contract using Fuel Vouchers or Tom Cards. Once one or more preferred suppliers are identified, and the supply and payment terms negotiated, the Procurement Office will prepare a Supplier Agreement. In general, fuel will be accessed at the supplier premises, or procured in or stored and utilized at CRS compound at a Fuel Store.

First, there are some definitions that will support the guidance:

Direct Purchase: Fuel can be supplied directly at the fueling station with payment in Cash or by Check. Such mechanisms do not require the establishment of a contract, but the vendor selection decision(s) should be fully documented for Audit purposes.

Contracted Purchase: Fuel suppliers on a pre- or post-paid basis using either Vouchers or Tom Cards must be selected through a tender process and be contracted. Often, for Tom Cards the supplier provide its own contract templates.

Pre-Paid Fuel is operated as an Imprest Balance, i.e. a set quantity of liters that can be replenished up to the limits of that approved quantity based on management’s best estimate.

Post-Paid Fuel: is when fuel is supplied to the buyer (CRS) and payment is made based on purchases made and invoiced regularly as per terms defined in the contract.

Fuel Store: is where CRS maintains a significant reserve stock at its compounds to offset the threat of erratic fuel supply situations, price fluctuations due to high demand, and out of security concerns. Normally, best practice is to stock a small supply at the office and/or staff residences for operating the generators, and as an emergency reserve for the rolling assets.  A stock of approximately 40 liters per vehicle and generator, kept in 200 liter drums or another secure storage container, may be considered standard.

Tom Card: Fuel cards that work similarly to a credit card, but can give you reports on consumption when one card is linked to a specific vehicle.

The procedures below offer different options that can be adapted to the operating context:

1. Cash Base – Purchasing Fuel and Administration

This document details the procedures that VMU staff shall follow when carrying out direct purchase of fuel. This should be done on an interim basis, until full procurement process can be undertaken and a contract for fuel vouchers or Tom cards is put in place.

2. Procurement Procedure: Pre-paid/Postpaid – Contracting Suppliers (Voucher System)

This document details the procedures that VMU staff shall follow when purchasing (contracting) pre-paid or postpaid fuel supplier for a voucher system.

3. Voucher Pre-paid/Postpaid Fuel Management and Administration

This document details the procedures that VMU staff shall follow when carrying out and reporting on the refueling of CRS motorized assets using a Voucher system (e.g., vehicles, motorcycles and generators).

This document details the procedures that VMU staff shall follow when carrying out and reporting on the refueling of CRS motorized assets using a Tom Card system (e.g., vehicles, motorcycles and generators).

4. Tom Card Prepaid/Postpaid Fuel Management and Administration

This document details the procedures that VMU staff shall follow when carrying out and reporting on the refueling of CRS motorized assets using a TomCard system (e.g., vehicles, motorcycles and generators).

5. Fuel Store / Stock Management and Administration

This document details the procedures VMU staff shall follow when carrying out and reporting on Fuel stock system (fuel is either kept in stock at the supplier premises or stored and utilized at CRS compound).

NOTE:

a) The procurement process focuses on the pre and postpaid voucher, and Tom Card, systems.

b) The forms and systems presented with this guidance are designed primarily for pre-paid systems. However, they can also be used for post-paid payment mechanisms.

c) Sections 3 to 5 require use of the Fuel Balance Sheet and Liquidation to document procurement, fuel consumption and costs, fuel quantity and financial balances, and replenishment requests. This report contains an instruction section on the first sheet.

d) Sections 3 to 5 have a liquidation and replenishment period of 15 days; 26th to 10th of the month, and 11th to 25th of the month, to allow enough time to process requests, address issues and to be able to meet Finance reporting monthly closure deadlines. Those dates can be changed based on the context.