Base of Operations: Peshawar, KPG Project Office
Reporting line: MIS Specialist
Overview
The USAID funded Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governance Project (KPG) aims to support transitional activities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to promote democratic processes, strengthen the ability of provincial government to be responsive to citizen needs, and create opportunities for gender equality and women’s empowerment thus bringing positive changes in attitude, perceptions and behavior about the quality of governance in the province. The project will promote the success of the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (GoKP) and its reform agenda by engaging directly with the provincial departments, sustaining public engagement and strategic communications, and providing integrated assistance “packages” of activities that support specific GoKP objectives.
KPG Project, which commenced in March 2015 and currently completes February 2019 does not have a database system. As such, we are in urgent need for the immediate development of a simple, user-friendly database management system (DBMS) whereby KPG can appropriately capture within the system performance data on various grant activities and related support provided and subsequently easily search, query, analyze and filter respective information that will significantly aid in reporting general implementation data to the donor, in addition to facilitating the conducting of surveys and other information gathering from beneficiaries, stakeholders, et al. to better understand the potential impact realized from KPG Project interventions. The Database Developer, through their short-term technical assistance (STTA), will develop the front end user interface, backend database and generate reports as per KPG requirements. As part of their responsibilities, s/he will also support the MIS Specialist for implementing data dashboards for all levels of the organization.
Objective
The Database Developer (DD) will design a database in Access or any equivalent software, as agreed in advance by the MIS Specialist, for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governance Project. The DD will need to keep in mind that the database solution is required for use in a quick time period and s/he will need to follow Rapid Application Design (RAD) or a similar model in order to accurately and in a very timely manner create a database with a simple data entry interface. Different reports from the same database will also be required; however, the reporting interface can be developed at a later stage (as referenced below) while data entry is in progress. This is to save time and ensure quick development and deployment of the database.
The DD will develop a simple, user-friendly DBMS that will enable KPG Project to capture KPG Project performance data that can be easily reviewed, analyzed, filtered and queried for running reports, applying of sampling techniques and other basic but standard functions with features generally considered common to such systems as used for governance-type public sector (supply side) and civil society sector (demand side) international development projects.
Period of performance
The DD consultancy covers up to 40 days; the following timeline provides an illustrative guideline (and assumes immediate availability for this consultancy); exact days and duration, not to exceed 40 days, of the DD consultancy to be discussed with the KPG MIS Specialist at the outset of the consultancy and subsequently determined accordingly.
2 Days
- Coordinate and work with the KPG MIS Specialist and M&E staff to discuss and better understand the scope and scale of the consultancy and gather all the information requirements needed to develop the desired Database Management System (DBMS).
- Document and analyze all the requirements, propose appropriate solution(s), given parameters of KPG Project, and finalize with KPG MIS Specialist, in coordination with the M&E and IT staff. The discussion and solution will include all the technical requirements regarding the database, e.g. front-end, reporting and system hosting.
5 Days
- Design and create a user-friendly, efficient and reliable relational database in MS Access or other suitable technology as agreed in advance with the MIS Specialist.
- Design data entry interface as per the requirements.
- Present the system designed to KPG MIS Specialist and colleagues and make necessary modification to the DBMS on the basis of KPG staff’s feedback to improve the overall usability of the system.
2 Days
- Deployment of database in KPG environment and ensure database meets performance and general KPG Project requirements.
- Test the DBMS to demonstrate its functionality by entering similar KPG-type sample data into the system for test purposes; address any issues in a timely manner by modifying the DBMS accordingly.
1 Day
- Provide hands-on training to KPG staff, including data entry assistants, on entering data into the DBMS.
- After testing the DBMS with ‘dummy entries’, ensuring all is working properly, flush the database of all test data and provide to the MIS Specialist.
- Be an on-site resource for coordinating with the KPG MIS Specialist and colleagues to ensure all data entered into the system is properly entered and randomly check data integrity to ensure accuracy.
10 Days
- Discuss reporting requirements with KPG MIS Specialist and M&E colleagues and create a reporting interface.
- Present reporting interface to KPG MIS Specialist and test system to ensure functionality.
- Make necessary changes in the reporting interface, if required, based on testing and subsequent discussions with KPG staff.
- Provide ongoing technical support as and when needed for the data entry process to help data entry assistants better understand the software and use of it.
20 Days
Additional 20 days to be spread over two months’ time period for providing the following support by the DD:
- Support KPG staff in making necessary modifications to the DBMS according to requests from the MIS Specialist, completing changes and troubleshooting issues, e.g. fixing ‘bugs’, in a timely and quality manner to further enhance the DBMS’ performance and stability and to facilitate the work of KPG.
- Based on discussions with KPG staff, develop templates for capturing performance indicator data.
Responsibilities and Deliverables
- Participation in information gathering and learning sessions with KPG staff in Peshawar office to better understand the technical needs of the project per this SOW.
- Development of a Database Management System (DBMS) as per KPG requirements.
- Presentation of the DBMS to KPG staff.
- Tweaking of DBMS, based on KPG staff feedback and rigorous testing of the system using similar type ‘dummy’ information as will be used by KPG, to enhance system performance and overall usefulness.
- Training of KPG staff and data entry assistants in proper use of the DBMS.
- Provision of ongoing timely technical support as and when needed to KPG staff and data entry assistants regarding proper use of DBMS, as well as for issues that occur and for general troubleshooting throughout consultancy.
- Based on inputs of KPG staff, develop DBMS report(s) templates that will be generated from information entered into the system.
- Develop Excel templates in coordination with M&E staff to capture performance data per indicators.
- Other reasonable related tasks as discussed and agreed by the MIS Specialist with the DD in support of this consultancy, but not explicitly referenced in this SOW.
Timeline and Reporting
The Database Developer’s level of effort (LOE) will be required for up to 40 working days in total; exact schedule of work days to be determined by the DD in coordination with the MIS Specialist, to whom the DD will report.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree, at a minimum, or Master’s degree, preferred, in relevant field.
- Minimum of three (3) years of practical experience of database design, development, implementation and troubleshooting to support DBMS usage for an international development project such as KPG.
- Works well under pressure and with tight timelines without sacrificing quality of work.
- Experience of working with an international development organization on USAID-funded governance-type project with significant grant activities component, targeting both the public and civil society sectors, highly preferred.
- Possesses both oral and written good communication skills in English, highly preferred.
- Possesses very good interpersonal skills to facilitate work being accomplished in a timely, quality-oriented, professional and respectful manner, required.
- Working knowledge of Pashto, oral and written, desired.