TERMS OF REFERENCE
Development of web based Logistics Management Information System (LMIS) by using/adapting CHANNEL software
Services Requested
Development of web based Logistics Management Information System (LMIS) by using/adapting
CHANNEL software
Background
Universal access to reproductive health commodities and services is crucial for developing countries to implement successfully the Plan of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) held in Cairo in 1994. The United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) call for reducing maternal and child mortality, reversing the spread of HIV and improving health for the poor. Achievement of these internationally agreed development goals requires a significant progress towards Reproductive Health Commodities Security (RHCS) at the country level.
RHCS is interlinked with Maternal and Child Health, Family Planning, HIV/AIDS, STD/RTIs services, and supply of essential drugs. Thus, securing the supply of RH commodities contributes to broader efforts to strengthen the overall healthcare systems.
In recent years, improvements in the quality of reproductive health services and shifts in attitudes and cultural norms have contributed to an increase in the uptake of modern methods of contraception in Armenia. Nevertheless, Armenia faces a challenge in meeting the demand for SRH commodities, particularly modern contraceptives and family planning services for the underserved population. According to 2010 DHS, the usage of modern contraceptives is only 27% among general population. The country, however, has set targets to sustain the modern contraceptive prevalence rate of 30% among women of reproductive age by 2010 and 80% for the most vulnerable population.
For this reason, in 2014 the UNFPA in collaboration with USAID Armenia launched new project on “Promoting Contraceptive Security in Armenia” aimed at supporting the Ministry of Health to strengthen coordination mechanisms for improved planning, monitoring and evaluation of reproductive health commodities through introduction of sustainable financing mechanisms involving all sectors stakeholders, such as Total Market Approach (TMA).
The Promoting Contraceptive Security in Armenia is a 27-month activity implemented by United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) that aims to increase the use of modern methods of contraception in Armenia through addressing both the supply and demand sides of Family Planning/Reproductive (FP/RH) service provision.
The activity is expected to increase: availability of modern contraceptives in the public sector; availability of affordable modern contraceptives in the private sector; and consumer demand for modern contraceptives. By improving access to and quality of FP/RH services the activity will contribute to USAID/Armenia’s 2013 – 2017 Country Development Cooperation Strategy Special Objective (SPO) for Health: Quality and Utilization of Selected Healthcare Services Improved in Priority Areas. UNFPA will capitalize on USAID’s and its own experience and achievements in the country to institutionalize best practices to ensure sustainable improvement of FP/RH outcomes.
The overall objective of this activity is to increase the use of modern methods of contraception in Armenia. The activity will address both the supply and demand sides of FP/RH service provision. In particular, it will improve access to and quality of FP/RH services and address underlying causes of poor demand. An integral part of the activity is to ensure contraceptive security, which affects the facilities’ ability to provide services in demand and the health system’s ability to support the population’s control over their own reproductive health.
In the scope of the project modern contraceptives will be procured and distributed to population in need. The supply and distribution of contraceptives will be administered through the software LMIS- multi-faceted Logistics Management Information System (LMIS), which allows for efficient data and product management and provides continuous access to contraceptives in an efficient and integrated manner.
Purpose
The purpose of the development of Logistics Management Information System (LMIS) is to ensure the continuous supply and monitoring of the contraceptives’ usage by introducing web based software which allows tracking the usage of contraceptives through 75 Family Planning Units nationwide in real time, manage the supply of contraceptives in case of stock-out, generate reports on various indicators etc. The system will allow users to obtain, at any time, an accurate and updated picture of existing stocks.
Profile of the software developer/service provider
· Proven experience in the area of software development. Experience in developing health care related software will be an asset;
· Proven experience in database development;
· Proven experience in developing web based software;
· Work experience with international organizations, UN Agencies will be a strong asset;
Work Objectives
The software developer/service provider will work in close consultation with the UNFPA “Promoting contraceptive security in Armenia” project office.
All products developed within the project should be agreed with UNFPA and USAID and will be the property of UNFPA. The software package with sources codes will be provided to UNFPA upon completion of the service contract and cannot be used without the written consent of UNFPA.
The selection of specialists working in the project should be conducted with prior approval by UNFPA.
Specific Requirements
The requirements to the selected sofware developer/service provider include but are not limited to (for more details on the requirements, please, kindly refer to the attachment A “Technical Specifications”):
1. Develop web based Logistics Management Information System (LMIS) by using/adapting CHANNEL software based on the minimum technical requirements/ specifications presented in the Attachment A. The Logistics Management Information System (LMIS) should be user friendly and in Armenian. The system should be built in a way that it is possible to integrate it to unified e-health system being developed by the RA Government/Ministry of Health; ( the domain should be registered)
2. Test and pilot the software during 2 weeks in 3-4 locations (Family Planning Units) in Yerevan and marzes;
3. Revise the developed software based on the comments and recommendations of the users and UNFPA Armenia team or USAID during and after the piloting period, submit the final version of the software;
4. Develop a user manual in Armenian for the Logistics Management Information System (LMIS) where the roles and responsibilities of each user are described in detail as well the system functions, subsystems and mechanisms for generating reports.
5. Conduct TOT for further roll out of training on use of LMIS.
Expected Deliverables (including timing) and Outputs
Overall duration of awarded contract will be set at 3 months. Upon the completion of the contract, the software developer should provide to UNFPA the software user manual, final version of the software (in Armenian) which includes the recommendations provided by UNFPA Armenia and USAID as well as feedback from the pilot users.
Deliverables / TimelineThe submission of the initial version of the software / By March 30
Piloting of the software / March 30-April 15
Revisions based on the pilot results / By April 30
Submission of the final version of the software / April 30
Submission of the user manual / April 30
UNFPA Payment Provisions
UNFPA’s policy is to pay for the performance of contractual services rendered or to effect payment upon the achievement of specific milestones described in the contract. UNFPA’s policy is not to grant advance payments except in unusual situations where the potential contractor specifies in the financial proposal that there are special circumstances warranting an advance payment. UNFPA will normally require a bank guarantee or other suitable security arrangement.
Any request for an advance payment is to be justified and documented, and must be submitted with the financial proposal. The justification shall explain the need for the advance payment, itemize the amount requested and provide a time schedule for utilization of said amount. Information about your financial status must be submitted, such as audited financial statements at 31 December of the previous year and include this documentation with your financial bid. Further information may be requested by UNFPA at the time of finalizing contract negotiations with the awarded organization.
Attachment A
Technical Specifications
For the development and adaption of the Logistic Management Information System (LMIS)
The Logistic Management Information System (LMIS) is a web based system which allows tracking the usage of contraceptives through 75 Family Planning Units in real time.
The software for the management of contraceptives will allow implementing the following functions:
· Management of inputs and outputs for all contraceptive products from the warehouse of health facility.
· Entering data on consumption by offices, departments etc.
· Generating reports on the management of contraceptives, with the possibility of applying filtering criteria
· Obtaining an accurate and real-time image of existing stocks;
· Carrying out the registration of any element that shall enter the cabinet storage, regardless of its type.
· Enables reducing the contraceptive products from the stock as these are being distributed, automatizing the process
Logging into the system
The user will access the system via web browser, and the system will display the login page.
The user will enter its credentials: username and password. If the logging data is entered correctly, the system will redirect the user to a page customized in accordance with user’s role and responsibilities.
Users, their roles and responsibilities
The system shall work in four levels, which are the central warehouse, sub warehouses, health institutions (Family planning units) and individual level: service providers (physicians). The fourth level (the physicians) does not act as a warehouse; they use the common date of the health institution’s electronic warehouse. However, they are able to enter information into the patients’ database. Each level has its users, and all the users have access to the system through log-in and passwords. Description of each user and their capabilities:
· 1st level - Center/Central warehouse - sees all of the available reports and all information about the available stocks in sub-warehouses and health institutions including alerts on stock out and expiration date, can put and proceed orders regarding sending products to 2nd and 3rd level and within each level;
· 2rd level - Sub-warehouses- sees the information and alerts regarding the institutions it manages, is able to send product requests to the Center and receive product requests from the institutions;
· 3nd level - Health institutions (Family Planning Units) - sees the information and alerts about their unit, their physicians; is able to send requests to sub-warehouse;
· 4th level - Individuals (physicians) - is able to enter information about each patient visit and see the stock availability of their institution
The system will have the following users: global administrator (1st level), sub-administrator (2nd level), stocks management (3rd level), and physician (4th level).
No. / Role name / Description and Capabilities /1 / Global Administrator (Center/Central warehouse) / User with administrative access rights at the level of every institution. Can handle nomenclatures, usernames, passwords, access rights, etc. sees all of the available reports and all information about the available stocks in sub-warehouses and health institutions including alerts on stock out and expiration date, can put and proceed orders regarding sending products to 2nd and 3rd level.
2 / Sub-administrator (sub warehouses) / User sees the information and alerts regarding the institutions it manages; is able to send product requests to the Center and receive product requests from the institutions.
3 / FPU Stocks Manager (health institutions-Family Planning Units) / User responsible for managing the stocks of contraceptives. See the information and alerts about their unit, their physicians, is able to send requests to sub- warehouse/central warehouse.
4 / Physician / The user is able to enter information about each patient visit and see the stock availability of their institution. All the physinas within the health insitituion use one common stock belonging to the instituion.
The system will be built by the above mentioned 4 levels, however in the first phase of its use it will work as a three-level system leaving out the sub-warehouses, so there is a direct link between the center and the health institutions. The interface of the system should be built in a way that it is useable both for three-level and four-level systems.
The system should have the following capabilities:
· The subsystem for stock availability database: Database on the availability of products includes information on quantity, type and expiration date, unitary price, manufacturer, supplier. The Central warehouse and health institutions have their stock availability databases which are connected with each other through the system of ordering. The health institutions’ database is connected to the patient database (patient visit registry) and is automatically updated once changes are made in the patient database.
Adding a contraceptive product can only be performed by the Global Administrator by entering the necessary information about the contraceptive by using the “edit”, “delete”, “save”, “return”, “search” functions. If the contraceptive information already exists, the Global Administrator is able to edit the data. Once the Global administrator enters main data about contraception, it automatically is visible also for the users in other levels, so for them there is no need to enter the contraceptive information again when they receive the product.
Type of Contraceptive / Quantity / Expiration date / Unitary Price / Manufacturer / Supplier· The subsystem of ordering: sending and receiving orders: In case of stock out the Center creates an order (enters information on sending product to a certain sub-warehouse or institution, including the amount of the product and type). The Sub-warehouse and/or the institution have an ability to verify the fact of receiving of the product, by entering data on date, type and quantity of received product, as well as the invoice number (if applicable). All of the information is visible for the center, each sub-warehouse sees all of the information regarding the institutions under its managements, each institution sees the information regarding itself and the sub-warehouse the institution is managed by, each service provider/physician sees the information about the stock of its institution.
The health institutions also have the ability to create requests themselves by “add request” function where they mention the type and quantity of the product and send the request to the center. During this process there are two options for generating a request. The “physician” adds a request and saves it, and the “FPU stocks manager” verifies it and sends the final request. The “FPU stock manager” has the ability to unify all the amounts of requests sent by different doctors at the health institution and send one unified request. The “FPU stock manager” also is able to create a request by himself (without receiving orders from the physicians) and send to the Center or sub warehouse.