Consultancy for upgrading mobile phone based platform at Oxfam GB somalia programme in Kenya

Job Title: Consultancy for upgrading mobile phone based platform (mLink)

Employer: Oxfam GB somalia programme

Duty Station: Kenya

Application Deadline: 29th Nov 2013


Who we are

Oxfam Great Britain (OGB) has worked in South Central Somalia for over 20 years and is engaged in humanitarian and development programs that focus on water, sanitation & hygiene and livelihood with the main aim of poverty eradication.

The situation in Somalia makes humanitarian access to conflict affected communities difficult, which impacts on capacity to properly monitor the delivery and impact of aid.

As a result Oxfam has completed a successive pilot project using mobile phone based platform(mLink) to undertake public health promotion and distribute Non Food Items (NFIs) using SMS based vouchers (mVouchers) in Somalia.

Recently, Oxfam has received funding to implement a Polio campaign project and NFI distributions using the mLink platform. In order to meet the increased demand Oxfam plans to add and upgrade a number of functionalities on the mLink platform.

Purpose of the consultancy

The consultancy involves development and testing of the following functionalities:

Upgrade of the mVoucher redemption process – currently mVoucher redemption process is undertaken through interactive process that involves exchange of SMSs between
beneficiaries and the vendor.

Oxfam wants to upgrade this functionality into an agency model – where each trader will be assigned a unique agency code.

Beneficiaries shall just require to key in an agency code and send via sms to a specified short code and the platform performs the mVoucher redemption and sends one confirmation SMS to both the trader and the beneficiary.

Add analytical algorithmic functionality that allows users to feed in criteria, perform discrete analysis from the data on the database & execute a forward commands

Overall make improvements on the sequencing/flow of events & commands on the platform to make it more intuitive and friendlier to the user

Support deployment of the above functionalities for at least three months – and correct all bugs and other operation issues that may arise during deployment.

What we are looking for

• A consultant/firm with the following competencies and qualifications:
• University qualification in IT with specialization in software development,
• has demonstrated experience developing SMS based and other mobile phone based public health applications – this includes proof of at least one successful application working in the field,
• demonstrated experience working with SMS gateways APIs (Application Programming Interfaces),
• Experience in development of dynamic content driven enterprise web applications,
• Experience in development of flexible and highly scalable J2EE applications,
• A professional command of English, both oral and written as well as good report-writing.

How to Apply:

If you believe you fit the job and person profile please request for the ToR and additional information on functional requirements on the following email: somaliajobs@oxfam.org.uk.

In the subject of the email indicate “Request for mLink upgrade documents’’.