Posted on Tue, 27 Jul 2021, 23:54

Deadline on Fri, 24 Sep 2021, 23:55

The International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) Secretariat is soliciting:

• Nominations for appropriately qualified experts to develop a Manual which will outline specific technical requirements and provide guidance for applying and verifying ISPM 15 fumigation treatments, both methyl bromide (MB) and sulfuryl fluoride (SF).

• Deadline: Nominations are due 24 September 2021 .

1. Description of the Manual for ISPM 15 Fumigation Treatments:

The Manual for ISPM 15 Fumigation Treatments is expected to be a stand-alone supplement to the Guide to support implementation of ISPM 15 (2017-043), which is currently under development .

The Guide to support implementation of ISPM 15 (2017-043) will be a comprehensive guide that aims to improve understanding of ISPM 15 (Regulation of wood packaging material in international trade) and support implementation of this standard. It will provide information on the phytosanitary measures that are used to manage pest risks associated with wood packaging material moving in international trade and will describe the procedures needed to produce compliant wood packaging material. The guide will provide general information on treatment options for wood packaging material and on establishing national ISPM 15 programmes. The guide will also describe import controls, ideas to monitor and control the use of the ISPM 15 Mark and offer guidance on identifying and reporting non-compliances. The Working Group for the guide has suggested that two stand-alone ISPM 15 treatment manuals will also be developed, one for heat treatments and one for fumigation treatments.

The Manual for ISPM 15 Fumigation Treatments will outline specific technical requirements and offer guidance to assist NPPOs with the review and approval of ISPM 15 fumigation facilities and with monitoring and verifying both MB and SF fumigation treatments. The selected experts will be asked to consider Annex 2 of the Explanatory Document as a starting point and to review and update the information to align with ISPM 15 and provide guidance for fumigation with sulfuryl fluoride.

2. Instructions for submitting nominations

Nominations will be accepted from contracting parties, national plant protection organizations (NPPOs) and regional plant protection organizations (RPPOs).

A nomination should only be made if the nominee has agreed to his/her nomination and can allocate appropriate time to the task. A signed Statement of Commitment is required to verify this commitment.

Each nomination must be accompanied by the following documentation:

1. Completed Nominee details and summary of expertise form - All sections should be completed, including contact details, education and professional training. A clear description of the nominee’s expertise is required. MS Word version of the document is preferred. The file should be named as follows: COUNTRY_SURNAME_Firstname_Summary.

2. Completed and signed Statement of Commitment - this should be read carefully by each nominee and discussed between the nominee and their employer. The form should then be signed by the nominee and a senior person in authority from the organization that employs the nominee and submitted with the nomination (as a file such as PDF). The file should be named as follows: COUNTRY_SURNAME_Firstname_commitment.

All the submissions should be sent to the IPPC Secretariat by e-mail ([email protected]) no later than 24 September 2021 and include “ISPM 15 Fumigation Treatment Expert” in the subject line.

3. Working virtually

The Manual for ISPM 15 Fumigation Treatments will be developed virtually and no face-to-face meeting is currently planned. It is therefore critical that experts be willing to meet virtually at a variety of times, have access to reliable internet and appropriate tools for participating in virtual meetings and document reviews.

The experts participating in this sub-group will be tasked with developing this manual, with guidance from the ISPM 15 Guide Working Group (WG) and with support from the IPPC Secretariat. Experts should expect to spend an average of 1-2 days per month for approximately 6-8 months developing and reviewing the content for the manual and attending meetings.

The first virtual meeting is tentatively planned for late October 2021. Additional virtual meetings will be organized as needed. The start time of the meetings will be selected to minimize the impact on participants and may be rotated so the same experts are not inconvenienced every time.

4. Specific Practical Expertise Requested

A sub-group to the ISPM 15 Guide Working Group will be formed to develop the Manual for ISPM 15 Fumigation Treatments, which is expected to be a stand-alone supplement to the Guide to support implementation of ISPM 15 (2017-043).

The following criteria will be used by the working group for selecting experts to participate in this Sub-group:

• Practical expertise and knowledge in developing or implementing a national ISPM 15 programme that includes the use of fumigation treatments
• Practical expertise and knowledge related to applying or monitoring phytosanitary fumigation treatments
• Practical expertise and knowledge related to authorizing fumigation treatment facilities, particularly in relation to implementation of ISPM 15
• Practical expertise and knowledge related to methyl bromide fumigation , particularly its use as a phytosanitary treatment of wood packaging material
• Practical expertise and knowledge related to sulfuryl fluoride fumigation, particularly its use as a phytosanitary treatment of wood packaging material

For further information: Please contact Ms Barbara Peterson ([email protected]).