Introduction
The vaccine Logistics Information System (vLMIS) was introduced in EPI with the technical and financial support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in April 2013. Since then this system has been working to improve performance of the EPI supply chain in Pakistan. Expanded Programme on Immunization intends to rollout vaccine Logistics Management Information System (vLMIS) in all 151 districts.
So far, the vLMIS has been deployed in 90 out of 151 districts throughout Pakistan. To complete the national scale-up, vLMIS will be introduced in 71 remaining districts. In addition, the districts trained on older module will be retrained on new vLMIS module (total of 116 districts) (Table 1).
Objectives
The overall purpose of this consultancy is to rollout a web based Vaccine Logistics Management Information System (vLMIS) throughout Pakistan so that all districts are reporting on vaccine logistics, consumption, wastage and cold chain inventory through vLMIS.
The specific objectives to rollout vLMIS are:
- Provision of Hardware and software in remaining areas and 71 districts
- Conducting basic training to the staff responsible for reporting on use of vLMIS at both the provincial as well as district level where the system will be newly introduced.
- Conducting follow up/hands-on training (in the field) to the staff trained to ensure the capacity to use vLMIS.
- Make vLMIS operational in all districts and provincial/area EPI store after scaling up.
Scope of work
The firm will support Federal EPI for implementation of vLMIS throughout the country (114 Districts) by using the updated modules for training. Currently 24 districts of Sindh and 13 districts of Punjab have received training on the new modules. The focus of activity will remain at the provincial and district level. To bring all the districts at par the trainings will also be conducted in the districts that have received training on old modules. The training will be imparted to 4-5 relevant personnel at the federal and provincial level (36 approx) and three relevant persons at the district level (342 approx) see Table 2 below.
Table 1. Current deployment status of vLMIS in Pakistan
|
Total # of districts/towns |
# of districts/towns vLMIS introduced (old version) |
# of districts/towns vLMIS introduced (upgraded version) |
# of districts/towns vLMIS NOT introduced |
Districts need to be trained on new module |
|
|
Sindh |
24 (including towns of Karachi) |
0 |
24 |
0 |
0 |
|
Punjab |
36 |
13 |
13 |
10 |
23 |
|
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa |
25 |
5 |
0 |
20 |
25 |
|
Balochistan |
32 |
9 |
0 |
23 |
32 |
|
Federally Administered Tribal Area (FATA) |
14 |
14 |
0 |
0 |
14 |
|
Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJ&K) |
10 |
0 |
0 |
10 |
10 |
|
Gilgit & Baltistan (G-B) |
10 |
0 |
0 |
10 |
10 |
|
Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT&CDA) |
2 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
|
Total districts / towns |
153 |
43 |
37 |
71 |
116 |
*Punjab has implemented vLMIS with support of DFID in 13 districts. The other 13 districts are trained on old module
Table 2 Training needs
|
Province |
No. of staff to be trained |
|
|
Province/area level 4 – 5 per province/area |
District level 3 per district |
|
|
Sindh |
0 |
0 |
|
Punjab |
5 |
69 |
|
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa |
5 |
75 |
|
Balochistan |
5 |
90 |
|
Federally Administered Tribal Area (FATA) |
4 |
42 |
|
Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJ&K) |
4 |
30 |
|
Gilgit & Baltistan (G-B) |
4 |
30 |
|
Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT&CDA) |
4 |
6 |
|
Federal Epi |
5 |
0 |
|
Total districts / towns |
36 |
342 |
Task No.1: The necessary hardware will be supplied by Federal EPI with support from WHO. The provider will have to install the vLMIS software in those hardware and train relevant staff on the use of software for vaccine management and reporting on program indicators to make the system operational.
Task No.2: The firm will install the upgraded vLMIS software (as now used in Sindh province) in all provincial EPI offices (Punjab, KP, Baluchistan, AJK, GB and FATA), Federal EPI office, 73 districts where the upgraded vLMIS system will be newly introduced and in 43 districts where the old vLMIS system is in place.
Task No 3: The firm will be responsible to provide training to the respective staff of Provincial EPI offices of Punjab, KP, Baluchistan, AJK, GB, FATA, Federal EPI office and 116 districts (as listed in Annex 1) on use of the upgraded vLMIS system for vaccine and logistics management, periodic reporting, report generation, data analysis, archiving and minor trouble shooting of the system. Initially 3 days training will be conducted at provincial/divisional HQ level in batches (each batch comprising of not more than 20 participants). Internet connectivity at the training venue for conduction of the training will be the responsibility of the firm.
Task No 4: A follow-up hand-on training to be conducted for each health personnel initially trained at province/divisional level at their respective offices after installation of the hardware. Duration of this follow-up training will be 3 days in each province/area and district office. If internet connectivity is not available at the training site, the firm will arrange such connectivity to ensure proper conduction of the hands-on training of the staff.
Task No 5: The firm will be responsible for all historical program data relevant to vLMIS of the past months of the introduction year of the district are entered in the newly introduced vLMIS system. Respective district health management will be responsible for provision of these data.
Task No 6: The firm will be responsible to make the vLMIS functional and operational in the districts in a way that the local staff who were trained by the firm can run the system independently without any external support. The local staff will also be able to do minor trouble shooting of the system when necessary
Deliverables and timelines
The time period to complete the work is by 30 June 2017 so that all districts and provincial/area EPI store across the country may start using the system from 01 July 2017.
Deliverables
1. List of personnel trained with their full name, designation, CNIC number and office (province/area and district)
2. A comprehensive technical report on the activities conducted.
Selection criteria
- Should be registered with appropriate public authority under relevant laws of Pakistan for provision of required services
- Previous experience in introducing computerized automated vaccine and/or logistics management system. Experience in using such system in public health program will be preferred.
- Experience in conducting training on use of vaccine/logistics management software.
- Has the necessary IT expertise in developing, managing, modifying, fixing bugs (if any) in the software
- Have the necessary logistics capacity to conduct training of health personnel on computerized logistics management system using computers with internet connectivity at provincial and divisional levels in all provinces/areas where the training will be conducted.
- Timeline of activities
- Cost of the work
- Orientation of health systems in Pakistan. Familiarity with the provincial and district level EPI setup.
The consultancy firm will be recruited through a competitive process following advertisement for the consultancy and submission of proposals.
Technical and financial proposals to be submitted in separate envelopes titled “proposal for expansion of vLMIS in EPI Pakistan” clearly demarcated whether the content is technical or financial proposal. The financial proposal should include detail budget in Pak rupees with break-up and unit cost for each expenditure head.
Deadline for submission is 5 April 2017. The submitted proposals will be reviewed by a technical selection committee constituted by WHO Pakistan.