Terms of Reference (ToR) for Consultancy on Developing a Pharmaceutical Warehouse Inventory Management System in Nugal

Job Description

Job Description

Terms of Reference (ToR) for Consultancy on Developing a Pharmaceutical Warehouse Inventory Management System in Nugal region Under Damal Caafimaad Project.

Background

PSI has been contracted by the Federal Ministry of Health of Somalia to implement the Damal Caafimaad Project, delivering the essential health services package in the Nugal region of Puntland state of Somalia. The project is guided by the following specific objectives: Reduce maternal and newborn mortality, reduce under-5 mortality and improve child health and nutrition, reduce excess mortality due to communicable and non-communicable diseases, and strengthen the health system to increase the coverage of the package. In the Nugaal region, the project supports a total of 74 healthcare facilities, including 1 regional hospital, 5 district hospitals, 36 health centers, and 32 primary health units.

PSI currently uses manual Excel-based sheets to manage the warehouse inventory records and health facility medical supply consumption data, which pose many challenges. These challenges include the lack of real-time stock information due to the absence of Real-time Inventory Tracking, leading to delays in stock visibility and potential disruptions in the supply chain. Additionally, there is a significant risk of stock wastage because the current system lacks Expiration Date Tracking and Expiration Alerts, making it difficult to monitor and manage soon-to-expire items effectively. The current adapted system also does not support automated Reorder Levels and Order Tracking, resulting in frequent stockouts or overstocking, which can negatively impact the availability of essential medicines. Furthermore, the absence of efficient Stock Adjustment Options during physical counts contributes to inaccuracies in inventory records. The manual system is also limited in terms of Data Integration and Validation, lacking Automated Data Capture, Data Validation, and Error Alerts, which increases the likelihood of human error and makes it challenging to maintain accurate records across the supply chain. Managing multiple facilities is also problematic as the current setup does not support efficient Inter-warehouse Transfers, Facility Profiles, or Facility User Management, leading to coordination difficulties. Lastly, the manual system’s insufficient Reporting and Analytics capabilities hinder effective decision-making and the ability to monitor key supply chain performance indicators (KPIs). These challenges underscore the urgent need for a comprehensive Warehouse Inventory Management System (WIMS) to address these gaps and enhance the efficiency and reliability of the supply chain across various healthcare facilities, including hospitals, health centers, and primary health units in the Nugal region.

The objectives of the Warehouse Inventory Management System (WIMS) are therefore closely aligned with the broader project goals of strengthening the health system by improving the management of pharmaceutical supplies through enhanced data accuracy, timely decision-making, and increased operational efficiency.

PSI intends to develop a warehouse inventory management system to overcome these challenges and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of managing pharmaceutical supplies across various healthcare facilities, including hospitals, health centers, and primary health units in the Nugal region. The system will streamline operations such as stock receipt, dispatch, storage, distribution, and inventory control operations.

Objective

The primary objective of this consultancy is to design, develop, and implement a comprehensive Pharmaceutical Warehouse Inventory Management System. The system should be web-enabled and capable of operating offline for routine workflows using local server or cloud-based hosting option. This warehouse inventory management system (WIMS) will be used to manage the inventory of pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical supplies delivered to Nugal region Health Facilities.

Scope of Work

The consultancy shall undertake the following tasks:

• Develop WIMS system that is a user-friendly and meets the specific requirements of the project. The system should be:

1.             Secure: Employing robust security measures to protect sensitive data.
2.             Scalable: Designed to accommodate future growth and expansion.

iii.            User-friendly: Featuring an intuitive interface and clear navigation.

1.             Reporting functionality: Able to generate comprehensive reports and data visualizations.
2.             Integrate a multi-stage approval workflow for key inventory processes, such as receipt, issuance, and inter-warehouse transfers. This will include:

–          Item Receipt

–          Item Issuance

–          Inter-Warehouse Transfers

–          Customized Approval Levels

–          Notifications: Automated email notification at critical workflow stages

• In-scope functionalities, including:

–          Real-time inventory tracking, batch and lot tracking, order management, stock expiration management, and reporting and analytics.

• Out-of-scope functionalities, including:

–          Advanced integrations, mobile application development, Offline functionality features.

• Integrate an approval workflow within the WIMS to support the receipt and issuance of items, with steps for approving various transactions.
• Incorporate automated email notifications at critical points in the workflow, such as when an item is received, when an approval is required, or when an item is issued.
• Backup: The system should have backup capability to avoid loss of data in case of any disaster on our dedicated server
• Train both PSI and MoH Supply Chain staff on the system functionality and management and transfer of skills to end users.
• Train any other relevant staff such as PSI IT technicians on the WIMS to enable them to support the system.

Key Features of the system

1. Inventory Control
   1. Real-time Inventory Tracking
   2. Batch and Lot Tracking
   3. Stock Categorization
   4. Storage Location Management
   5. Inter-warehouse Transfers
   6. Stock Adjustment Options
2. Order Management
   1. Order Processing and Rationalization
   2. Uploading of Orders via Excel or Direct Online Ordering
   3. Reorder Levels and Order Tracking
3. Item Receipt
   1. Stock Receipt Management
   2. Supplier Management
4. Item Dispatch
   1. Dispatch Planning and Shipment Tracking
5. Health Facility Management
   1. Facility Profiles
   2. Demand Forecasting
   3. Facility User Management
6. Stock Expiration Management
   1. Expiration Date Tracking
   2. Expiration Alerts
   3. FIFO/FEFO Management: ability to dispense or issue on first expiry first out basis or FEFO (for those that don’t have expiry dates)
7. Reporting and Analytics
   1. Standard Reports, Custom Reports, and Dashboards
   2. Calculation of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
   3. Comprehensive Reporting for Supply Chain Management
8. Custom Reports: System allows for a system administrator or users to customize basic reports to meet their specific needs.
9. Quantification and forecasting: ability to quantify and forecast using stock history analysis, including losses and adjustments
10. Inventory accuracy:  ability to facilitate stock counting (e.g. cycle counting and annual stock take)
11. Data Collection and Integration
    1. Automated Data Capture
    2. ERP Integration and API Support
    3. Barcode/RFID Support
12. Data Validation
    1. Auto-correction, Data Validation, and Error Alerts
    2. Data Aggregation by Relevant Categories
13. Data importation and extraction: The system should support the ability of importing and exporting/downloading of datasets to other programs such as Microsoft Excel, PDF or etc. for further analysis and reporting.
14. Attachments: system should able and support to be uploaded and kept attached documents.
15. Customizations and Extensions: The system must have a method for providing customizations and extensions that are developed for the system for additional coding and maintenance.
16. User Access and Security
    1. User Roles and Permissions
    2. Audit Trails and Data Encryption
    3. Multi-user Access
    4. ability to configure the password complexity, password lockout threshold and password resets.
    5. Should have the latest security features

Project work follow procedures

1. Consultative meetings: The Consultancy is required to conduct consultative meetings with PSI and MoH and any other relevant stakeholders to fully understand the system features and requirements.
2. System design and prototyping: the Consultancy is required to design prototype and present to PSI to further seal off on what will be discussed in the consultative meetings.
3. Final system development: The Consultancy will develop the final system based on the feedback after interacting with the prototype. During this stage the Consultancy will still require having more interactions with the users for clarification on specific issues during development and testing of each module and after integrating all modules.
4. Installing, testing and debugging the final system: the contracted Consultancy will carry out the installation of the system and test will be done to ascertain that the system works well.
5. Development of user manuals and user training: the contracted Consultancy will have to develop comprehensive user manuals which will be used during the user training.

Skills and Qualifications

The consultancy firm should have the following qualifications and experience:

ü  Proven experience in developing inventory management systems, preferably within the healthcare or pharmaceutical sector.

ü  Expertise in software development, particularly in designing systems for multi-facility environments.

ü  Demonstrated ability to manage complex projects and deliver within set timelines.

ü  Experience in conducting training and capacity-building for system users.

ü  Strong understanding of supply chain management in the healthcare sector.

ü  Expertise in data migration, particularly from legacy systems to new platforms, ensuring data integrity and continuity.

ü  Experience working in low-resource settings, with a demonstrated ability to develop and implement solutions that are effective in environments with limited infrastructure.

Attachments

WIMS Terms of Reference ToR Final.docx

How to apply

Interested consultants are required to submit the following:

ü  A technical proposal outlining the approach, methodology, and work plan.

ü  A financial proposal detailing the costs associated with the consultancy.

ü  CVs of key personnel involved in the project.

ü  Evidence of previous experience in similar projects.

ü  Company profile (for firms) or individual profile (for independent consultants)

Please submit your technical and financial proposal at somprocurement@psi.org no later than November 10, 2024, at 11:59 PM.

Emailsomprocurement@psi.org

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