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BOLIVIA

PLAN OF OPERATIONS

GIS-BASED DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR TRANSPORTATION

PLANNING AND INFRASTRUCTURE MANAGEMENT

(TC 9801053-BO)

CONTENTS

SUMMARY

I. BACKGROUND

A. MERCOSUR and Regional Transportation

B. Alternative Scenario Studies

C. GIS and the Planning Process

D. VMTCAC and Competence in GIS

II. PROJECT OBJECTIVES

III. PROJECT DESCRIPTION

IV. THE BANK'S STRATEGY IN THE COUNTRY AND THE REGION

V. BENEFITS AND RISKS

A. Benefits and Beneficiaries

B. Risks

C. Environmental and Social Impact Issues

VI. PROJECTED COSTS AND FINANCING

VII. ACTION PLAN

LIST OF ANNEXES

Budget Summary

Terms of Reference for the Consulting Firm

TERMS & ABBREVIATIONS

DEM - Digital Elevation Model

GIS - Geographic Information Systems

LAN - Local Area Network

MERCOSUR - Southern Common Market

SAPyA - Secretary of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food

VMTCAC - Viceministerio de Transporte, Comunicaciones y Aeronáutica Civil

Summary

A. MERCOSUR and Physical Integration

1.1 The Governments of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Peru, through a series of inter-ministerial meetings held in Cuiabá, Brazil (July, 1995), Santiago, Chile (August, 1995), Santa Cruz, Bolivia (November, 1995) and Asuncion, Paraguay (December, 1995) have expressed their political will to work together on projects of physical integration. In a subsequent meeting in Santiago, Chile (March 1996) the representatives of Bolivia, Brazil, and Chile identified the corridor Cuiabá-Santa Cruz-Arica for priority study.

1.2 This decision was confirmed at the discussions held in conjunction with the Bank's 1996 Annual Meeting in Buenos Aires and (with financing from the Japan Special Fund - TC-96-04118 -ATN/JF-5373-CH) a study of this corridor is now being completed by a consulting firm supervised by the Bank and a Technical Coordinating Committee from the three countries, with Chile providing the technical secretariat. The study is primarily of highway improvements, their technical aspects and economic justification, with a substantial proportion of the investments envisaged in the Santa Cruz-San Matias section. Possible financing arrangements will form an important aspect of the study. The productive sectors of Central West Brazil and of Bolivia are expected to benefit from improvements to the corridor, also the services sector of Chile.

1.3 The corridor Arica-Santa Cruz-Cuiabá forms part of a wider system linking Central-West Brazil with the Pacific ocean, with alternative outlets through the ports of Southern Peru (Matarani and Ilo) and Northern Chile (Arica and Iquique). Other outlets to the sea from Central West Brazil and Bolivia also exist through the Atlantic ports of Brazil and via the Hidrovia, through the ports of Argentina and Uruguay.

B. Alternative Scenario Studies

1.4 Following discussions in Santiago between the Bank and the Technical Coordinating Committee and a visit of inspection to Arica, the need for complementary studies was identified, together with the development of a GIS-based system that could support the decision environment and related infrastructure management tasks. The study itself would focus on making a detailed analysis of potential volumes of traffic between the study area (Central West Brazil and Bolivia) and Pacific Basin markets through Pacific coast ports, whereas the GIS would enhance the study by making available further analytical tools, and providing planning and management capabilities.

1.5 Outlets to the Pacific from the land-locked regions of Central South America have always been the subject of a number of studies. By developing a GIS-based Decision Support System, updating such studies will be a less costly and speedier process, easily bringing into the decision environment new infrastructure and technological developments and changes of productive capacity, while also strengthening sub-regional cooperation. It will provide a framework for continuously updating existing export scenarios to the Pacific Basin and contribute to defining the corresponding transport infrastructure needs (ports, rail and highways), supporting planning exercises that effectively define priority alternatives for inter-oceanic corridor development involving the central continental region of South America and providing a continuously updated base of data for planning and management.

C. GIS and the Planning Process

1.6 In such a planning process where funds are limited and decisions have to be made in a timely manner, geomatics technologies can bring into this environment a number of supporting tools for better and speedier decision-making. Futhermore, a GIS-based system can not only support regional analysis of multi-modal transportation solutions and corridor selection but also support decisions, which relate to maintenance and upgrading.

1.7 In developing countries, and even true to a certain extent in more developed countries, fully operational GIS systems that already form a part of the decision-making process are often nonexistent. Even though the private sector has a key role in such areas as real estate development, marketing and forestry, it is the public sector that still carries out and consolidates most planning activities.

1.8 Geographic Information Systems are being successfully implemented more and more due to the ever decreasing costs of computer power, wider availability of digital spatial data and also a refocus of the planning process with the ever growing need to incorporate environmental and social variables. Spatial data is stored in digital format - urban parcels as polygons, highways as lines, hospitals as points, enabling the user to visualize the content of the database by producing an output such as a map. A step further would be to use available spatial analytical tools, such as the shortest path algorithm, which will then find the shortest path from the urban parcel to the hospital through the highway network.

1.9 The main objectives for bringing in a GIS system into a planning process are to provide the means for visualizing the spatial aspects of the problem being tackled and to provide a number of additional analytical tools that transform existing data into valuable information, which in a context can be transformed into knowledge. For example, if there is a need to do infrastructure management the possibility of presenting a visual display of the distribution of past projects provides a further insight into understanding what is being managed. Nowadays it is possible to go a step further by linking images, videos, and designs to objects on the map so that by clicking on that object one can have access to much more than just the location of the object. With Internet capabilities being incorporated into GIS systems the data being accessed can literally be stored on a computer on the other side of the world.

1.10 Furthermore, for example, if one wanted to analyze how much each municipality received in terms of new infrastructure investment over a certain period of time, this would be possible due to the fact that all spatial data is referenced to the same referencing system and all that would need to be done is perform a spatial analytical operation in which all the infrastructure projects that are contained within the boundaries of a municipality are grouped and the investment values added.

1.11 Maps have been produced for thousands of years, and to come up with the amounts of investment per municipality one certainly doesn't need a GIS, but by implementing an automated system the moment information on a new infrastructure is being updated by the field project manager, one can produce somewhere else hundreds of miles away a map or a report that already takes into consideration the field input.

1.12 The main components of a GIS are spatial data, personnel, hardware and software. Spatial data which used to be the bottleneck of any GIS system until the early nineties, is becoming less of an issue with the number of spatial data sets commercially available and the conversion of hard-copy maps to digital formats being done by the national mapping agencies.

1.13 This technical cooperation considers all four components: existing and relevant spatial data will be incorporated, hardware and software will be specified and provided, and above all personnel will receive adequate training through a number of workshops, with the provision of training material and user manuals. A fully functional and operational system will be developed and implemented.

1.14 There are several technologies that deal with geographic information. Geographic Information Systems focuses on the management and use of the spatial data. Remote Sensing focuses on the capture of geographic information. Global Positioning Systems enable the referencing of any point on the earth which in turn enables one to attach attribute information to a know location and use it in a GIS.

1.15 This technical cooperation has also identified the need for remotely sensed images to be included as additional layers of information in the spatial database. Urban extent can be updated by overlaying existing digital information over the image. Highways can also be identified using the images, enabling the updating of existing digital data sets. This technical cooperation also includes GPS as part of the technology transfer process that will enable the final users to capture information and locate it spatially. An inventory of gas stations can be done using a GPS, which can then be seen together with the highway network, which will then help identify areas where a new gas station might be needed.

D. VMTCAC and Competence in GIS

1.16 The Bolivian Vice-Ministry of Transport, Communications and Civil Aviation (VMTCAC) and the National Highway Service (SNC) have no internal competence in GIS and related technologies, and still have insufficient planning capabilities to display, manage and analyze information on existing and planned infrastructure.

2.1 The objectives of the proposed operation are the development and implementation of a GIS-based (Geographic Information System) Decision Support System to support multi-modal Mercosur-level transportation studies, focusing on the inter-oceanic corridors, together with a GIS-based information system to be used for transportation planning and project management, with the final objective being to provide GIS-type capabilities to the Viceministerio de Transporte, Comunicaciones y Aeronáutica Civil (VMTCAC) and the National Highway Service (SNC).

2.2 The focus of the Project will be on the development of a spatial database to be used primarily for project planning and infrastructure management and the development of specific GIS-based decision models to support multi-modal transportation planning, and also on the integration of this proposal with the work being developed with Bank support for studying Transport Alternatives for products from Central West Brazil and Bolivia destined for the Pacific Basin market and the Highway Transportation Master Plan for Bolivia.

3.1 The technical cooperation project will include two phases, 'Discovery and Needs Analysis' and 'System Development and Implementation'. These phases will be further divided into eleven tasks, all to be performed by the Consulting Team to be hired for the project. The phases and tasks are further expanded in the attached terms of reference (TOR).

4.1 The Bank has supported several GIS initiatives in the region, promoting the overall awareness of GIS technologies and seeking to strengthen the capabilities of each country's Transport Ministry and highway department. In Bolivia during 1996 a GIS survey and seminars (with transport applications included) were carried out. General GIS surveys and seminars have been carried out during 1995 and 1996 in Argentina and some agricultural applications have been advanced. The Bank has been requested to provide financing for strengthening the GIS capabilities in Transport that will directly support the integration corridors to Chile and the rest of Mercosur. The Bank is preparing a technical cooperation project in Chile for financing the implementation of GIS for infrastructure, strengthening the GIS capabilities of the Ministry of Public Works and the Planning offices of two regions that will include also top priority Andean Highway Passes and support for the inter-oceanic corridor. Similar GIS projects are envisioned for Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay.

4.2 The Bank has four highway projects under preparation in Bolivia and consultants are preparing the corresponding feasibility studies and designs. These studies are employing GIS-related technologies in varying degrees and a GIS planning capability in the VMTCAC and the SNC is a high priority. This study will provide immediate inputs for the preparation of the Ventilla-Tarapaya Highway (BO-0098) and the related improvements in the sector, as well as the Pailón-San José road (BO-0036).

4.3 In Bolivia the Bank will be supporting the study of Alternatives for Marketing for Bolivia and Brazil (TC-9607500-BO), which will provide further data for the GIS-based models to be developed for this proposed project. All data and models developed for this study will be incorporated into this GIS-based decision tool. Other studies being developed with Bank support and that will provide an enormous amount of data and models to be incorporated into the system are the Feasibility Study of the Inter-oceanic Corridor of Arica-Santa Cruz-Cuiabá (TC-9604118-CH) and the Transportation Master Plan for Bolivia.

4.4 This program could certainly have a decisive impact on structuring and supporting a planning process which will optimize the actions needed to plan and manage existing and future transportation infrastructure, the benefits of which would extend to the countries in a region that has already taken essential steps toward integration of its economies through the establishment of MERCOSUR.

4.5 All spatial data compiled will be made available and distributed on a Data CD to interested government and non-government organizations, together with a free GIS software such as ArcExplorer¡, which will allow users to view and analyze the data.

A. Benefits and Beneficiaries

5.1 The project will provide the following major benefits:

a. Provide tools that will contribute to the effectiveness and efficiency of those involved in infrastructure planning and management. Information on existing and planned projects will be made available to those involved in the decision process, and such information will be able to be displayed quickly or used for further analytical needs, such as impact studies.

b. Provide structure with regard to data maintenance and reduce cost in data management resulting from the elimination of redundant data collection and maintenance efforts. By providing structure to the data that should be maintained, roles are distributed to those that are to be responsible for maintaining parts of the data, and by having a distributed database there will be no need to have several versions of the same data, but only one data set being maintained and only one data set being accessed. Also, as the same data set is available to all users needed corrections can be easily identified and quickly updated as there will be an increase in the number of people accessing and using the data for a number of different applications.

c. Provide organizational structure that will permit the collaboration among agencies with regard to exchange of data and information. The beneficiaries by taking the lead in keeping a maintained spatial data set will provide the needed confidence to other organizations to access and use the data for other needs. In turn these organizations will start developing their own spatial data sets which will then be made available to the beneficiaries.

d. Contribute to increasing the flow of information from internal users to the private sector. Today the private sector is kept in the dark because those that are responsible for having the information do not have it in a format that can easily be transferred to the private sector. A future step of this GIS project will be to make this information available over the Internet.

e. Provide the ability to integrate diverse and disparate data. This project will provoke the discussion of data standards, flow of information and organizational responsibilities. Solving these issues will enable the consolidation of one data set that incorporates all the bits and bits and pieces of information that today are characteristic of the planning and management process.

f. Increase technical capacity in the application of GIS. Training is a significant component of this technical cooperation. Also, the consulting firm will be expected to present a technology transfer plan, detailing the various steps it will take to assure the maximum benefits in terms of technology transfer.

5.2 The direct beneficiaries of this program will be the Vice-Ministry of Transport, Communications and Civil Aviation (Vice-Ministerio de Transporte, Comunicaciones y Aeronáutica Civil) and the National Highway Service (Servicio Nacional de Caminos) of Bolivia. Also, the Highway Services of the nine Departments will accrue benefits as the national planning and decision-making process develops; and as the available highway data is consolidated and expanded.

B. Risks

5.3 Recurrent Costs: Benefits from GIS typically accrue in the medium to long-term as policies are developed, inter-agency procedures are established, agency coordination is strengthened, users become more sophisticated and data becomes more available. On the other hand costs for equipments, training and data are immediate. This project is intended to put the necessary foundation in place for a nationwide, multi-agency GIS. However, the full development of such a system is an on-going process which requires continued government support, awareness to and demonstration of the benefits. To be sustainable this project will require periodic updates and maintenance of the geographic databases developed, staff will require continued training to stay abreast of the latest technological advances and equipment will have to be maintained and replaced, all of which will result in future costs.

5.4 These recurrent costs are typical of all operations which involve the introduction of information systems technology and imply a commitment for continued funding from the various agencies involved. To counteract the risk of failing agency support and lack of funds the project includes one major pilot project which have been designed to illustrate the use of GIS in topic areas important for Bolivia and to focus on the delivery of short and medium-term products. Also the program will include seminars to raise managerial awareness to GIS makes and to solidify continued budgetary and human resources support to ensure the sustainability of the project.

5.5 Future Bank loans to Bolivia should include specific institutional strengthening components that will build upon the capabilities developed during this Project.

5.6 Lack of Interagency Coordination: Exchange and integration of diverse geographic data is critical to the successful use of GIS. Without cooperation and collaboration between agencies there is a risk that groups will adopt GIS technology but remain isolated in their use, thereby not gaining the full benefits which result from inter-agency cooperation and sharing of data. The Project hopes to foster more cooperation and the seminars to be given should promote more ongoing user groups throughout the country and at the Mercosur level.

C. Environmental and Social Impact Issues

5.7 The proposed project has positive environmental and social implications and thus requires no further consideration with regard to these issues. It will contribute to the quality of the environmental impact assessments for the highway projects currently being developed with Bank participation, as well as to future projects.

5.8 The execution of the Project will facilitate the viability, usefulness and significant value of geospatial approaches to transportation and infrastructure projects, and will contribute to addressing relationships to the crucial areas of environment and sustainable development. It will exemplify the general goals of other Bank initiatives in the use of GIS for environmental studies and will promote regional integration.

6.1 The total cost of the project will be the equivalent of US$ 800,000, of which the Bank will provide non-reimbursable financing of up to US$ 720,000 from the Japan Special Fund, in accordance with the attached estimated budget summary.

6.2 The Bank's contribution, which amounts to 90.0% of the total project cost, will be used to finance a total of 41 person/months of consulting services and general support including computer equipment and digital data.

7.1 It is envisaged that an international firm in infrastructure planning and management and GIS development, also employing local experts, will carry out the study. The study will cover a period of 12 months and will have an intermediate report consisting of the GIS and Existing Data Inventory, Needs Assessment and Conceptual Design of the System. Approval of this report will be required before initiating and completing remaining tasks.

7.2 Specialized supervisory consultants will also be hired to provide the needed analysis of the reports, evaluation of the products delivered, and support to the Bank's staff in the task of integrating this project with other GIS-related projects being supported by the Bank in the Region.

7.3 In the execution of this Technical Cooperation the Vice-Ministry of Transport, Communications and Civil Aviation (VMTCAC) and the National Highway Service (SNC) will provide logistic support and arrange for the cooperation of its central and regional offices. Both of these local counterparts will be involved in the review of the proposals and the selection of the consulting firm .