MIS Consultant

Develop MIS capacity for CMP

Background

The Sindh Community Mobilization Program (CMP) is one of the major bilateral initiatives supporting the Government of Sindh’s (GOS’) efforts to increase and sustain students’ enrollment in primary, elementary, and secondary grades. A major component of the Sindh Basic Education Program, CMP was initially a five-year program limited to seven districts in the northern part of Sindh province—namely Dadu, Jacobabad, Kamber-Shahdadkot, Kashmore, Khairpur, Larkana, and Sukkur; and five towns of Karachi—including Bin Qasim, Gadap, Kemari, Lyari, and Organi of Karachi in Sindh province. However, with the initial program’s success, GOS and USAID extended the program’s duration through August 2021 while expanding its geographic reach to all 29 districts of Sindh province and increasing it targets.

The program’s key objectives are to: facilitate coordination among the community and other stakeholders in aspects related to construction, merging, consolidation, and upgrading of SBEP schools and empower communities. The initial scope focused on a total 409 schools: 106 construction schools and 303 non-construction schools (also termed as ‘neighbouring schools’ due to proximity to construction schools). The program aimed to increase students’ (particularly girls’) enrolment, and retention in 409 selected schools through strengthened linkages between communities and District Education Departments and meaningful community involvement in day-to-day school management and local decision-making. However, under the scope of work, CMP an additional 350 GOS-identified priority model schools were added for a total 750 schools. CMP’s inclusive community activities are designed to make these educational improvements sustainable by increasing communities’ support for their local schools and advocacy for better educational provisions.

CMP has customized web based management information system (MIS) that is designed using odoo software. This MIS system is used for data collection, central data processing for the coordination, control, analysis, reporting and visualization of information that help in effective progress tracking and decision-making.  

Scope of Work

Through this STTA, CMP requires a consultant to:

Further Update Requirements:

Update MIS System as per SOW and reporting requirements (approx.  Three months): The consultant will update existing MIS database to incorporate mainly geographic areas of newly added districts, type of schools and fields additions in activities screen and tabs; with features for multiple reporting requirements like Component wise Activities based reports with desegregation of geographic, gender and participant type. The Consultant will also create android based mobile data collection application with features of both offline data saving is require to minimize manual data entry on MIS. The features updating with addition of new geographic areas, sub-components, additional automated reporting desegregation, addition of data quality checks and beneficiaries data export options shall also facilitate cross-analysis of various programme components with in-built mechanisms to filter headcounts and avoid double count of the services beneficiaries with advanced built in checks for data accuracy and efficiency of data management process. The consultant will update existing MIS database with easy and smart dashboard feature to view and analyse multiple data trends on basis of real time data alongside comparative and analytical reports in an automated manner to make effective decisions. Usage of attractive automated tables, pie charts, and info-graphics that are easy to illustrate data trends with multiple layers/features of geography, beneficiary types and time intervals are available to select and may use for efficient reporting.

The consultant will also provide support to incorporate fields’ and new small features addition or any minor changes during program life to incorporate adjustments. The consultant will also impart training/ session on upgraded features to the concerned staff on technical and administrative features of the database in line to the need of training for varying type of user/s (users who upload data, users who may be able to do data enquiry, users who may need to extract reports and user with administrative rights etc.).

The specific objectives of the intended scope of work are as:

• To update and customized reliable and sustainable MIS capacity to cope with SOW within CMP for information management and comparative reporting in automated, efficient and effective manner.
• To update MIS with smart data validation checks to ensure data accuracy and compatible data export options
• To link MIS with compatible mobile data collection application with features of both offline & online forms data saving options.
• To ensure data security and update strong user & group based permissions and authentication technique.
• To incorporate future’s adjustments of field’s additions or any minor changes in data setting during life of program and extend administrative rights to  remove and/or add any additional information or data field/s
• To update reporting system with smart dashboard feature to view and analyse multiple data trends on basis of real time data alongside comparative and analytical reports in an automated manner to make effective decisions.

Key Tasks/ Deliverables

1. Immediate output of updating MIS web & database to incorporate SOW.
2. Create an android based mobile application and Link MIS System to promote automated data collection and entry with features of both offline & online data saving also ensures testing the database compatibility with mobile application, accuracy, efficiency, and it’s all features.
3. Update Reporting system with efficient smart Dashboard.
4. User Acceptance Testing (test the database and fulfil require modifications)
5. Training (The Consultant will train the project staff at the management office on the operation of the upgraded system; user control and system confidentiality measures. He will ensure system safety and safeguard for the post System upgradation usage).

6. Free Support after Updates and bug fixing: (The Consultant will provide ongoing support for small modifications or changes, to fix bugs, defects and issues if needed.)

 Consultancy Duration:

The duration of this STTA assignment is will be three (03) Months starting from October, 2020.

Required Qualifications and Experience:

• University degree in Computer Sciences or related technical field
• Minimum of 5 years work experience in database design, upgrade (programming MIS databases) or database administration, data management and data analysis
• Experience in training project personnel in the use of database management software applications;
• Experience in writing and maintaining database design documentation and operating manuals;
• Maturity and professional ability to handle sensitive information and ability to respect the confidentiality of such information and safeguarding system from potential threats while working with CMP and even after the contract ends.

Core Competencies:

• Systematic and efficient approach to work assignments;
• Good judgment and analytical ability;
• Ability to manipulate large data sets, and excellent attention to detail;
• Employs a proactive approach to foresee road-blocks and resolve them;
• Excellent communication skills