National Consultancy - Development of web-based data management system

Contract

This is a National Consultant contract. More about National Consultant contracts.

Background

UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security. Placing women’s rights at the centre of all its efforts, UN Women leads and coordinates United Nations system efforts to ensure that commitments on gender equality are translated into action throughout the world. It provides strong and coherent leadership in support of Member States’ priorities and efforts while building effective partnerships with civil society and other relevant actors.

Women’s right to live free from violence is upheld by international agreements such as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), especially through General Recommendations 12 and 19, and the 1993 UN Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women.

UN Women works with countries at the global and national level to advance the international normative framework through support to inter-governmental processes, such as the General Assembly and the Commission on the Status of Women. At the country level, UN Women supports Governments to reform weak laws aligned with international standards and develop dedicated national action plans to prevent and address VAWG, strengthening coordination among diverse actors required for sustained and meaningful action. UN Women also advocates for the integration of violence in key international, regional and national frameworks, such as the post-2015 development agenda.

The National Development Plan (NDPII) (2015/16 – 2019/2020) underpins gender equality as a basis for development and eliminating GBV is a strategic action of the plan. Ending VAWG is key to the realization of women´s rights in Uganda. Under the guidance of the National GBV Policy and Action plan, UN Women contributes to elimination of VAWG in Uganda through;

1. Policy and legislative reform, enhancing enforcement and accountability for ending impunity for pervasive VAWG cases that include infringement of women’s basic sexual and reproductive rights. This includes making private and public spaces safe to women and girls.
2. Changing negative social norms and attitudes to eliminate all harmful practices that hinder women and girls from pursuing their normal socioeconomic development. This includes working with men & boys, as well as traditional and opinion leaders.
3. Supporting government to sustainably make available, quality essential social, psychological, medical, legal, and economic empowerment services including promoting community demand for reproductive health services and awareness on how to access them and ensuring data availability for evidenced based advocacy, policy and programming.

Context

UN Women Uganda in partnership with the Government of Uganda through financial support from the Government of Sweden, the EU Spotlight, Dutch Government and the Austrian Development Initiative, works with CSOs to promote change in negative norms and behavior of men and boys, and advocate for gender equality and women’s rights. UN Women supports expanding access to quality multi-sectoral response services for survivors covering safety, shelter, health, justice and other essential services. Policy guidance helps to step up investments in prevention—the most cost- effective, long-term means to stop violence. To- date UN Women Uganda works with more than 30 CSOs as implementing partners at the National levels but also in more than 24 districts [Abim, Amuria, Kaabong, Kaberamaido, Kiryandongo, Kotido, Napak, Nakapiripirit, Pader, Yumbe, Moroto, Gulu, Bundibugyo, Kampala, Tororo, Kasese, Amudat, Kitgum, Kyegegwa and Arua]; and thus reporting and contributing to more than 40 indicators derived from the monitoring & evaluation (M&E) plan and results framework of the UN Women Strategic Note (SN) and specific donor programs.

It is upon this background that UN Women requires to develop an integrated online (web-based) Data Management System (DMS) for UN Women’s Planning, monitoring, evaluation and Research Unit. The online system will be designed to support UN Women in monitoring and evaluating the implementation status of its various programs; as well as assisting in the gathering of information regarding project outcomes, outputs, activities and indicators relating to the various programmes under UN Women Uganda’s mandate. The online system must allow for quantitative and qualitative data entry in the English language with respective disaggregation’s including district levels, covering all implementing partners with flexibility to include and exclude the partner(s) as the need arises: The system must also facilitate data management, analysis and generation of reports, as well as fact sheets and dashboard data that presents trends on a defined period as per program needs.

UN Women via its various sub regional offices and implementing partners across the 24 districts and beyond in Uganda has vast data and information from multiple activities and services implemented and facilitated. Therefore, systematization and centralization of all gathered and available data is necessary for the continued efficient work of the PMER unit. Hence, the availability of a user-friendly, web-based front-end and back-end interface will facilitate programme monitoring and evaluating on an organizational level; as well, as ensure the availability of an automated recovery plan for data and databases.

Therefore, UN Women’s shift towards an integrated online (web-based) management information system was based on an in-depth analysis of its current operations, data collection, storage, and retrieval practices and mechanisms; as well, as its M&E processes, tracking of project progress. The proposed DMS therefore is intended to assist UN Women teams in making strategic programmatic decisions at various levels; as well, as identifying bottlenecks and foreseeing overall future trends that can assist in programme development. In addition to other strategies, establishment of a robust Monitoring and evaluation system to include robust data management system is one of the core components to ensure management of results and evidence-based programing and thus contributing towards the core principles of results-based management (RBM). UN Women Uganda is therefore launching this call for applicants for an individual consultant to design a web-based data management system (DMS). The design and operationalization on the system covers the period July 2020 to the end of September 2020.

Duties and Responsibilities

The overall purpose of this consultancy is to support the PMER unit in improving its current systems for managing the monitoring, evaluating, and overall performance information of programmatic activities implemented through the design and development of an integrated online (web-based) Management Information System (MIS).

More specifically, the objectives of this consultancy are:

1. To define the requirements for an integrated online (web-based) Data Management System (DMS) accessible to different stakeholders within UN Women including the implementing Partners (IPs) with varying levels of access, to enhance the ability to track project progress and monitor results periodically.
2. To design and develop the system as a standardized tool for reporting and assessing performance, progress and outcome results for each project and to clearly define roles and responsibilities for system users.
3. To build the capacity of the relevant staff to manage the system on a sustainable basis through specific training and help documents.

UN Women Uganda therefore is seeking to hire a qualified consultant to design, plan, and ensure operationalization of a Robust Web-based Data Management System with mobile computing functionalities. The Data Management System (DMS) shall be a tool for monitoring and evaluation and also include other features that facilitate project management and real-time information sharing for multiple users. It shall be a customizable cloud-based platform with mobile and GIS functionality used to plan and monitor field activities, analyze M&E data, and generate reports for project management purposes and donor reporting. The system is designed as a Digital Data hub through which various user groups (Donors, implementing partners, and UN Women staff in various units view and utilize results for evidence-based decision making and programing with pilot of EVAWG program component. The DMS shall have the following specifications and functionalities;

1. The DMS shall rely on data entered which is linked to results and indicators (with top-bottom architecture of our programming) It should have the capability to geographically reference interventions through the system’s GIS functionality, pinpointing the exact location of interventions. These activities can be viewed on a map and the system can create simple graphs, charts, and tables to share with donors and partners as needed.
2. The DMS should have a tiered access system that allows staff to designate full and view-only access levels for staff, Donors, implementing partners and government to preserve data integrity as well as data transparency, and allowing staff to run quality checks on data entered by the implementing partners.
3. The DMS should be designed for use in with poor/no internet connectivity i.e. in situations where internet access is unavailable or inconsistent, data can be captured via downloadable data entry sheets
4. The DMS therefore will serves as a primary repository and secure database for both UN Women and IP submitted data. It can also be used by the IPs to track their own data and performance towards set milestones as per respective approved AWP.
5. The DMS should have specifications that enable the respective M&E staff to either approve or not approve the data sets. The DMS should have specifications that ensure consistent and reliable results with various checks and control functions.
6. The DMS should provide for specifications that allow data to reviewed by the M&E team and allow to be re-entered into the M&E module and reviewed again, should it be found to be invalid or inconsistent,
7. The DMS should also provide for functions that allow the M&E team to protect the data from further editing by the IP once data is validated to assure data quality, validity, and integrity.

Key Deliverables/Time Frame/Payment percentage

1. Inception Report, including methodology/processes and detailed work plan/schedule, with details of technology stack and procurement requirements (Hardware/Software/Services) and Security. Report should also include proposed benchmark dates of completion – 3 days (10%
2. A Functional Data Management System (DMS) with all specifications i.e. An integrated online (web-based) Data Management System accessible to different stakeholders with varying levels of access, to enhance the ability to track project progress and monitor results periodically. Should meet following criteria;
   • Enable systematization and centralization of all data gathered by all implementing partners;
   • A user-friendly, web-based front-end and back-end interface
   • A web-based platform that’ll include programme specific results frameworks and its logical models
   • The system would work both offline and online;
   • The system must also facilitate data management, analysis and generation of reports and
   • Designed to support all essential monitoring and evaluation tasks that are to be undertaken by the M&E team;– 25 days (30%);
3. Build the capacity of the relevant staff and IPs (as appropriate) to manage the system on a sustainable basis through specific trainings on the shift to the automated and web-based portal; ensuring ease of data entry, collection, monitoring, evaluation and reporting – 10 days (10%);
4. An operational manual for the functionality and use of the DMS and the programming code kit – 2 days (10%);
5. Conduct the pilot before full implementation that will feed into the end of Assignment report that includes, lessons learnt, recommendation and next steps that will ensure full functionality and scale up of the DMS – 5 days (30%);
6. Maintenance period of 1 year (following the end of the contract) to include support and troubleshooting on mutilation of the DMS support to UN Women IPs, UN Women M&E team - At end of 1-year maintenance period (10%).

Assignment specifications

• The consultant recognizes the mandate of the organization, outcomes and results.
• Demonstrates understanding, and incorporates into practice, the various codes of conduct, values, ethics and standards practiced.
• Is open to receive feedback and willing to make additional changes.
• Maintains a professional conduct, including maintaining professional attire, is punctual and follows the set timeline, and being well organized and fully prepared for the training.
• Understands and deals well with participants from different cultural backgrounds during the staff trainings.
• Remains available for meetings & discussions with the management team whenever required and provides positive and constructive inputs.
• Is ready to conduct the pilot before full implementation.

Schedule & Time frame

The individual consultant is expected to commence as soon as possible, for a total of up to 60 working days. The consultant should provide an estimated timeline in their proposals for establishment and support to the functionality of the DMS at all required and specified levels above. The assignment is expected to be implemented between January 2021 – June 2021

Management and Implementation Arrangements

The consultancy will be contracted by UN Women and report to the Planning Monitoring and Evaluation and Research Specialist

Competencies

• Good understanding of development results and Results Based Management Concepts.
• Experience and knowledge of various web programs (PHP, MS SQL, My SQL Server, MS Access, web hosting), visualization and reporting platforms (Power BI, Tableau, Excel).
• Should have capability of installation and maintenance of cloud server system which is prerequisite for establishing web database and mobile based data collection system.
• Thorough knowledge of the Uganda context.

Required Skills and Experience

• At least a Master’s degree in IT, Information management or another related discipline, post-graduate/graduate qualification in relevant fields such as database design, software engineering with a strong expertise in designing web-based data/results management systems.
• Proven experience in designing, developing and maintaining of web-based data set and mobile/table applications for a large number of project beneficiaries and partners in the development sector for its long-term functionality.
• At least 7 to 10 years’ experience in developing IT solutions and providing IT support and maintenance services, including development and deployment of web-based information systems

Application Procedure

Interested applicants experience and competencies are required to apply on-line by sending proposals, which include the following:

• Technical Proposal
  • A brief methodology on the approach,implementation of the assignment and details of technology stack and procurement requirements (Hardware/Software/Services) and Security.
• Consultant qualification and references
  • Personal CVs of key personnel involved in the assignment
  • Highlight experience with similar projects
  • Work references, including contact details (name, title, email, phone)
• Financial Proposal
  • Financial proposal detailing consultant daily rate(s), lump sum fee, or unit price together with any other expenses related to the assignment (e.g., travel costs).

A lump sum fee will be paid against the completion of specific, measurable deliverables as identified in ‘Key Deliverables.’ Section of this Terms of Reference