Commitments and Agreements

JWC Meeting
San Antonio, Texas
March 1-3, 2004

Binational Planning Seminar
Commitment - Develop a subcommittee to help with agenda items to the binational Planning Seminar.

POE Harmonization Procedures
Agreement - The JWC approved a motion to support DOS and SRE's efforts on Harmonization of procedures and streamlining the processes including financial synchronization. SCT will provide any relevant information or body of work to DOS and SRE.

Commitment - Augment existing BBBXG subcommittee that looks at recommending procedures for different types of projects where coordination needs to occur (budgetary or for other reasons)

BINS
Commitment - JWC will have 30 days (April 2) to review the executive summary report, final report and appendices. At that time, Sylvia will circulate a ballot via electronic mail with the following options:
1) Accept as a tool for future planning purposes and evaluation
2) Accept as a tool for future planning purposes and evaluation with word changes
3) Accept as a tool for future planning purposes and evaluation and distribute
4) Disapprove
5) Recuse your agency

Commitment - The JWC will put together a subcommittee to discuss the viability of a BINS II type of study. If BINS II is agreed upon by the subcommittee will develop a proposed scope of work. The proposed subcommittee members are Amadeo, Dale, Jill, Pedro, Sergio, Oscar Ringenbach, and Rafael.

BBBXG - Identification of Bottlenecks
Commitment - JWC will convene a group with DHS, FMCSA, DOS and FHWA to discuss and encourage participation and high-level support in this activity.

ITS Border Architecture
Commitment - The JWC will put together a subcommittee to discuss an ITS Border architecture for the US- Mexico Border to determine if the JWC will consider getting involved in this effort. The proposed subcommittee members are Adrian, Don, Sylvia Lisa, Crystal, Juan Jose Erazo, Oscar R.,Venacio Perez, Oscar Cruz and Mike Noonchester of the PSL at New Mexico State University.

BGIS
Agreement - The straw man concept for the binational corridor presented to the JWC was agreed upon by the JWC to be applied to the other 4 targeted corridors.

Agreement - The JWC agrees that the proposed training course format developed by a technical committee of SCT/IMT/NMSU/FHWA for technicians and decision makers is acceptable.

Commitment - JWC resolved that the scope of work for GIS II will contain a work element depicting maintenance and further development of the GIS system.

Agreement - JWC agrees that the straw man information as presented today can be distributed to outside entities.

Innovative Financing Mechanisms
Agreement/Commitment - Consistent with the FY 2004 pilot project selection process, the JWC selects the Mexicali Baja California By-pass as the pilot project for FY 2004. Further, the JWC commits to assembling a Technical Assistance Team, comprised of US and Mexican public finance team and financial advisory firms working on a pro bono basis, to assist the Mexican government with the financial plan for the Mexicali By-pass.

Commitment - The JWC will inventory projects in all 10 border states that are:
1. Border related
2. Within 100 km of the border
3. Contains an innovative financing component
4. Past the Project Development Stage

Commitment - The JWC will develop a proposal for technical assistance on financial plans. This proposal will be circulated via electronic mail for the JWC to review and approve in the time frame between this JWC meeting and the next JWC meeting,

Commitment - The JWC commits to conduct at least one innovative finance workshop in FY 2004, in partnership with a T squared center in the US or Mexico, or by means of an alternative linkage(s) identified by the JWC. Further, the JWC commits to developing an agenda for this workshop.

Bottleneck Study
Agreement - The JWC agrees that the Bottleneck report shall be completed and distributed so that the methodology can be considered to the rest of the border.

POE Coordination Study
Agreement - The JWC agrees that although the U.S. side of the study has not yet been initiated, the Mexican findings/solutions from the Mexican part of the completed study can move toward implementation.

GSA/CABIN projects
Commitment - A side meeting will be convened between SRE/DOS/DOT/SCT/GSA & CABIN at upcoming Binational and Bridges and Border Crossing Group Meeting to discuss GSA/Cabin projects.

Next Meeting
Agreement - The next JWC meeting will be held in conjunction with the 10-year Celebration Binational Planning Seminar that will most likely be held in Merida, Yucatan Mexico.