Development of a Commodity Tracking, Distribution and SMS
Aggregation platform in Mogadishu Somalia
Terms of Reference
1.0 Background
The prevailing situation in Somalia makes humanitarian access to conflict
affected communities difficult, and is a critical challenge at times of acute
crisis such as cholera outbreaks. Terms of Reference
1.0 Background
Humanitarian
space’ in which aid in Somalia can safely be delivered is limited due to
insecurity and bureaucratic impediments which restrict the movement of
humanitarian agencies and impact on their capacity to manage and monitor the
delivery and impact of aid.
Oxfam GB is one of the key WASH actors in Somalia and just concluded a successful phase one of a pilot project using mobile phone based platform to undertake public health promotion.
Oxfam GB is one of the key WASH actors in Somalia and just concluded a successful phase one of a pilot project using mobile phone based platform to undertake public health promotion.
The
pilot was implemented in five districts in Mogadishu and covered 10,000 phone
users. An end of project evaluation indicated good uptake and high interest
from communities and actors in Somalia.
One of
the key recommendations from the evaluation was to test the application beyond
messaging. After lengthy consultations with stakeholders it was agreed that the
current mobile phone public health platform be transformed into an mWASH
application able to implement a complete WASH program.
The
mWASH platform should have capacity to undertake NFI distributions as well as
conduct accompanying community education all on phone.
2.0 Purpose of the consultancy
The consultancy involves development and testing of a Commodity Tracking, Distribution and SMS Aggregation (CTDA) platform in Mogadishu Somalia.
2.0 Purpose of the consultancy
The consultancy involves development and testing of a Commodity Tracking, Distribution and SMS Aggregation (CTDA) platform in Mogadishu Somalia.
The
CTDA component should be interoperable with the existing SMS based interactive
community education platform.
The aim
of the CTDA component is to add a function to manage distribution of WASH Non
Food Items (NFIs) and enable a fully fledged integrated mWASH (mobile based
WASH) program in the insecure/hard to reach communities in parts of
Somalia.
The
assignment has software development, hardware upgrade as well as field support
dimensions.
3.0 Methodology
The consultancy shall be executed in the following key steps:
3.0 Methodology
The consultancy shall be executed in the following key steps:
- Planning – shall
involve technical requirement analysis to determine the cope/capabilities
of the software required
- Implementation –
shall involve actual design and programming
- Testing – shall
form an integral part of the development process to ensure that defects
are recognized as soon as possible.
- Documentation –
shall be undertaken throughout the process of development for
the purpose of future maintenance and enhancement
- Deployment –
shall start after the code is appropriately tested, and approved for
release. Involves upgrading of the messaging centre in Mogadishu through
remote support. Ultimately this should result to a universally deployable
software code that can be used to set a messaging centre in other
countries/contexts
- Maintenance – 2
month remote support and maintenance during the pilot phase. This
will involve trouble shooting and responding to software and hardware
performance related queries from the field.
- Service hosting
for 6 months – during the field trial period
4.0 Outputs
Key outputs shall include:
Key outputs shall include:
- A functioning
coded program
- An error free
functioning software - at test run
- An upgrade to
the hardware in Mogadishu to meet functional requirements of the new
software
- A summative
report documenting all the programming process/codes used
- A functioning
application at community level- includes setting up all interoperability
requirements and deployment to the field
- Continuous
remote support – including error rectification for two months
5.0 Management of evaluation
A global Public health advisor based in Nairobi shall be directly responsible for the planning and execution of this consultancy.
760 Contractual Matters
Binding agreements will be drawn in a form of a contract to which this TOR shall serve as an annex or addendum.
A global Public health advisor based in Nairobi shall be directly responsible for the planning and execution of this consultancy.
760 Contractual Matters
Binding agreements will be drawn in a form of a contract to which this TOR shall serve as an annex or addendum.
The
contract will stipulate all the legal and statutory obligations as required by
law and relevant to both Oxfam and the consultant.
8.0. Timing / Work Plan
The estimated duration of the assignment is two months and five weeks divided as follows:
8.0. Timing / Work Plan
The estimated duration of the assignment is two months and five weeks divided as follows:
- 4 weeks (1st Jan
to 30th Jan 2013) for the software development.
- One week (1st –
8th Feb. 2013) for deployment of the software and setting up of
relevant hardware in the field.
- Two months
remote support (Feb 8th 2013 – April 7th 2013 )
9.0. Consultant qualifications & experience
The consultant should have the following competencies and qualifications
The consultant should have the following competencies and qualifications
- University
qualification in IT with specialization in software development
- Demonstrated
experience developing SMS based and other mobile phone based public health
applications – this includes proof of at least one application working in
the field.
- Demonstrated
experience working with SMS gateways APIs (Application Programming
Interfaces)
- Experience in
development of dynamic content driven enterprise web applications.
- Experience in
development of flexible and highly scalable J2EE applications
- A professional
command of English, both oral and written; good report-writing
10.0. Application procedure
Application for the consultancy shall be done as follows:
Application for the consultancy shall be done as follows:
- Read the
enclosed diagrammatic representation of the existing software application
- Read the
enclosed functional requirements document for the new (CTDA) software
application
- After appraising
yourself on what is existing and in consideration of the requirements
stipulated in the functional requirement document and elsewhere in this
TOR, develop a one page concept (mainly diagrammatic) detailing how the
new CTDA would look like – this includes all the interfaces and how it
will interoperate with the existing platform
- Develop a
stepwise work plan of how you would go about the tasks
- Include a budget
– detailing costing for each milestone – including six months hosting and
two months remote maintenance
Additional
documents can be downloaded online via http://www.oxfam.org.uk/what-we-do/about-us/working-at-oxfam
using INT5898
The one page concept, work plan, budget and CV (company profile) should be sent to somalijobs@oxfam.org.uk, not later than close of business on Friday, 21 Dec 2012.
Please include, “Commodity Tracking, Distribution and SMS Aggregation platform in Mogadishu Somalia” in the subject line of your e-mail.
The one page concept, work plan, budget and CV (company profile) should be sent to somalijobs@oxfam.org.uk, not later than close of business on Friday, 21 Dec 2012.
Please include, “Commodity Tracking, Distribution and SMS Aggregation platform in Mogadishu Somalia” in the subject line of your e-mail.
Only
those short-listed will be contacted.