June 7, 2021

Call for Consultancy To Develop a Web-bases Management Information System (MIS)

Term of Reference (ToR)

These terms of reference serve as guidelines to a consultant/consulting firm to develop an integrated web-based MIS for Akina Mama wa Afrika (AMwA). The system will be designed to support Human Resources, Finance, Procurement business processes synced with program Monitoring and Evaluation and Knowledge Management systems in relation to AMWA’s thematic areas of focus which include: Women’s Political Leadership, Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), and Economic Justice and Climate Action. The web-based system must allow for quantitative and qualitative data entry provisions as well as facilitate data analysis and generation of reports as per the needs of the programmes both at national and regional levels. The duration for this contract is 60 days, with about 75% of the consulting days anticipated during June -July 2021 period.

About AMwA
Akina Mama wa Afrika (AMwA) is a feminist Pan-African leadership development organization that was founded in 1985 by a group of visionary African women in the United Kingdom but later relocated to Africa with headquarters in Kampala, Uganda. Our work is rooted in feminist principles and beliefs guided by the Charter of Feminist Principles for African Feminists which define our leadership development program and movement building activities. AMwA provides strategic direction in key Pan-African networks including NGO CSW Africa, Solidarity for African Women’s Rights and the Gender Is My Agenda Campaign. AMwA also has consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council. We envision a world in which African women are politically, economically and socially autonomous and are champions of change in their lives and society. Our thematic areas of focus include: Women’s Political Leadership, Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), and Economic Justice and Climate Action.

Purpose and Objectives of this TOR
The overall purpose of this consultancy is to support AMwA to improve the current system and transition from analogue to web-based processes through the design and development of an integrated web-based Management Information System (MIS). More specifically, the objectives of this consultancy are:

  1. To define requirements for an integrated web-based Management Information System accessible to different stakeholders and with varying levels of access, to enhance the ability of proper reporting and monitoring of results periodically;
  2. Clearly define roles and responsibilities for the system users;
  3. To build the capacity of the relevant staff to manage the system on a sustainable basis through specific training, help documents and tutorials.

Scope of work and expected outputs / deliverables:

Project Implementation Requirements
The system should work both offline and online. More specifically, the MIS should have the following functionality:

  1. Planning – data entry and notifications system;
  2. Monitoring – data entry, export in various formats;
  3. Reporting –reports, graphs and ad-hoc custom reporting capability;
  4. Role-based user dashboards that cumulate data, for easy-to-use data visualization and highlighting projects and tasks that require attentions; and

The system should also:

  1. Have web-based front end data entry tools using appropriate and efficient web technologies as well as web-based querying tools for data retrieval;
  2. Ensure data retrieval/exchange capability with other national and regional structures systems and databases as agreed in the first part of the assignment;
  3. Have relevant import / export capabilities to pre-designed templates or databases;
  4. Display summary pages showing data from all available sources, aggregate statistics and summary visuals which illuminate what is and is not working;
  5. Present summary dashboards showing progress
  6. Allow users to overlay and/or compare data on activities, outputs, and outcomes with data on programme spending and aggregated results against programme indicators data;
  7. Provide administrators with intuitive tools for reconciling discrepancies between different data sources, and a clear indication in the event that any link between systems becomes inoperable or offline;
  8. Provide administrators with tools for defining core headline indicators and defining the relationship between those indicators and higher-level programme objectives;
  9. Provide a database administration module, allowing for advanced user management, with a staggered set of privileges for different users as well as user authorization, tracking/authorizing changes to results hierarchy, database download, online backup and other necessary features; and 10. Integration with a Knowledge Management platform.
  10. Full integration with Google Suite for reminders and back-ups respectively.

Software Architecture and Standards
The following technology alternatives are highly preferred for this project:

  • Django-Python Framework with PostgreSQL or MySQL;
  • Laravel-PHP framework with MySQL;
  • MERN (MongoDB, ExpressJs, ReactJs, NodeJs) stack;
  • Golang (net/http package).

Interface Development
The sought solution should have an intuitive UI with easy navigation.

Service Levels
All factors constant, application response time should be fully optimized to render a seamless user experience. This includes optimizing database response times and server script. Please note that the proposed system will be deployed on AMwA’s on-premise servers but should be accessed remotely but non-the-less, the Consultant should guarantee a system up-time of at least 95%.

Security
The Consultant must propose a security standard for the system. This may include login ID, password, security administration, and security access and security certificates (This is a must to ensure secure connections to the system).

Acceptance Testing
During the development of the software, the Consultant will be required to implement unit testing, acceptance and performance testing so as to ensure that the software developed delivers the proposed value.

Documentation
The Consultant will be required to document the source code, database schemas and user manuals.

User Training
The Consultant will be required to offer staff training on the use of the system.

Maintenance/Software (Solution) Support
The successful consultant will likely be contracted to provide maintenance support for the solution on per case basis. Support requiring the Consultant to add more functionality to the system beyond the functions discussed in the resulting contract will be paid for by AMwA. Maintenance support will thus be contracted as part of the contract resulting from this RFP/TOR.

Any support required due to bugs in the system will be sought at no cost to AMwA. The Consultant is required to maintain the system until it is stable and all defined functions have been implemented. The scope of the maintenance support activities to be provided by the Consultant may range from database support, version up-grades, help desk, enhancements to the Software/Solution, etc.

Project Status Reporting
The contracted developer is required to report to the contracting manager on a weekly basis. The weekly report should outline:

  • Overall summarization of the project progress;
  • Deliverables achieved;
  • Deliverables remaining, progress, and expected delivery on each;
  • Issues and concerns affecting specific deliverables and the project schedule or any other aspect of the project.

AMwA Supplied Resources
The Consultant will be availed an office space within AMwA premises to facilitate collaboration with our team. This is to ease communication of requirements and feedback exchange.

REQUIREMENTS FOR EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS

The Consulting Firm or Individual Consultant is required to have the following core skills:

Experience:

  • A minimum of five (5) years of work experience mostly in planning and / developing organizational MIS systems that support NGO work flows.
  • Knowledge and proficiency in at least one of the following programming languages: Python, PHP, Golang and JavaScript (React.Js and Express.Js) is a must.
  • Prior experience in database development, deployment, maintenance and support.
  • Knowledge and experience in web-server and system administration, authentication and encryption, logging and reporting, security configuration, and redundancy/disaster management planning.
  • Demonstrated experience with hands on ERP platforms across various HR, Financial and/or MEAL modules
  • Demonstrated ability to provide input to business processes re-engineering, elaboration and implementation of new systems.
  • Knowledge and experience in web-server and system administration, authentication and encryption, logging and reporting, security configuration, and redundancy/disaster management planning.
  • Ability to design system and application requirements based on users output requirements.
  • Extensive experience with different types of digital media and content channels (video, images, audio, etc).
  • Ability to multi-task, learn new material, and manage time effectively in a dynamic and fast-paced working environment.
  • Ability to learn new material, multi-task, and manage time effectively in a dynamic and fast-paced working environment.

Corporate Competencies:

  • Demonstrates integrity by modelling the AMwA values and ethical standards;
  • Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of AMwA;
  • Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability and Treats all people fairly without favoritism

Other Skills:

  • Communication skills: The Consultant is required to have desirable communication skills to facilitate feedback interchange with the AMwA correspondent and business process owners. Fluency in written and spoken
  • Indonesian with a working ability in English.
  • Complex Problem Solving Skills: The Consultant should exercise problem solving skills whenever confounded by an intellectual puzzle during the system development process.
  • Creativity and ability to apply innovative thinking and problem solving.
  • Critical Thinking Skills: The Consultant should possess critical thinking skills when troubleshooting issues with the software, hardware, networks and databases.
  • Ability to develop and evaluate alternatives.
  • Willingness and ability to be flexible and to respond to changing priorities and deadlines.

Proposal Content
The requirements described in this document are required to be provided in the Proposal. It is highly desirable that Proposals also respond to “should” requirements. The Proposal response to all mandatory and desirable requirements will be utilized in evaluating each Proposal.

Consultants proposing an alternative to any RFP requirement must clearly substantiate the merit of the alternative. Proposed alternatives must substantially meet the fundamental intent of the requirement. The acceptability of the alternative will be determined by the Evaluation Team.

Proposal Submission
Submission of the Proposal shall be deemed agreement by the Proponent that if awarded the Contract, the Proponent will deliver the solution and/or perform the Services in accordance with this RFP document. If the Consultant wishes to include any other material not specifically requested by this RFP, it may do so by including additional appendices in the Proposal.

Confidentiality
By accepting to take part in the proposal process, you agree to keep in confidence all information imparted to you in relation with the proposal process, not to disclose it to third parties and nor to use it for any other purpose other than for this proposal.

Request for Proposals
Consultants are invited to submit Proposals for the provision of a Management Information System (MIS) with a plugged business rules engine that is able to address AMwA’s needs with in functionality. This RFP will be conducted with the objective of maximizing the benefit to AMwA, while offering Consultants a fair and equitable opportunity to participate. Consultants are advised to pay careful attention to the wording used throughout this RFP. Failure to satisfy any term or condition of this RFP may result in an unacceptable proposal.

The Project’s Steering Committee reserves the right to:

  • Amend the above dates;
  • Reject any and all proposals received if not in line with the RFP requirements.

Proposal Format
To facilitate ease of evaluation by the Evaluation Team, and to ensure each Proposal receives full consideration, Proposals should be organized in the following format using the section titles and sequence listed below:

  • Proposal Submission Letter
  • Table of Contents
  • Consultant Profile and/or Resume, References
  • Project objective
  • Scope
  • Implementation approach (Tools, testing, etc.)
  • Deployment (Security, acceptance testing, back-ups, etc.)
  • Timelines (Gantt chart, etc.)
  • Contract Provisions
  • Appendices

Submit your Proposal in English to [email protected] by 17:00 EAT on 21 June 2021.

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