World Vision Uganda
LMMS System
Digitization Pilot of
Programmatic Data
Terms of Reference
January, 2025
© World Vision International
1.0 Introduction
World Vision Uganda’s current geographical foot print is in over 40 Districts with
over 44 Area Programmes and projects being implemented across these Districts.
Over the past years, World Vision Uganda has been grappling with a significant
challenge of not having a central digital system to facilitate real-time routine
tracking of participants, monitor and report on Programme/project intervention
reach as well as the layering and integration across the partnership from an end-
end view point.
An intentional tracking and reporting on intervention reach (direct and indirect) is
mandated to improve efficiency and effectiveness of our programmes and projects
to better the lives and wellbeing of the most vulnerable children. The absence of a
centralized system to support programme management function and routine
business processes has resulted into ineffectiveness and inefficiencies in operations
for World Vision Uganda; Specifically, the following have been identified has some
of the top significant challenges;-
1. Insufficient or no beneficiary data on direct and indirect Programme/project
participants.
2. Too much paper work and duplications.
3. Double counting leading to poor data quality.
4. Inadequate access & utilization of real-time monitoring information -
centralized IM space.
5. Integrity/fraud issues as a result of the too much manual processes involving
paperwork and duplication of processes.
6. Limited time for staff to focus on addressing the real programmatic and CWB
needs in the community.
7. High administrative costs on stationary, fuel and other utilities.
8. Several digital systems are in place that are not compatible with one another.
9. Disintegrated data across the different funding streams.
10.Inability to consistently tell our story of change/impact from the beneficiaries.
In an effort to address the above significant and strategic challenge, it was agreed
to identify and run a unified system to provide solutions from an end-end for the
above highlighted challenges. However, World Vision partnership already has some
existing systems namely; Last Mile Mobile Solution (LMMS), eThrive, and
CommCare. It was brought to attention to explore the current existing digital and
information management platforms across the partnership.
1.1 Systems Capability Analysis
The Three (3) Internal WV Uganda data collection and monitoring systems or
platforms were closely cross-examined against the expectations, these systems
included eThrive, LMMS, and CommCare that were accessed by subject matter
technical experts against the eight (8) ITIL framework (System Assessment Report)
and later re-aligned with the existing documented expectations.
Last Mile Mobile Solutions (LMMS) is technology designed to strengthen efficiency,
effectiveness and accountability in humanitarian service delivery. LMMS is noted for
improving remote data collection, management of aid receipts, and enables faster
and fairer distribution and rapid reporting functionality to development workers.
Through the LMMS technology, development facilitators/community, project officers;
have the opportunity to digitally register and enroll project beneficiaries into
specific project interventions, monitor project beneficiaries by tracking attendance,
uptake of desired practices being promoted.
LMMS is WV internal system designed to address a number of the response
requirements in terms of distributions (GIK) and participant attendance tracking –
and now being tailored to respond to the development business needs. LMMs is
costed at USD $21,000 annually.
Commcare provides a leading social impact data collection software and digital
multi-sectoral solutions. It’s evident to empower teams transform their data
collection processes, driving meaningful change and impact. With tailor solution to
M&E needs – optimize your last-mile data collection and reporting for efficient
program monitoring with reliable data. The system provides a robust data collection
Apps to facilitate frontline teams to capture precise data for effective program
monitoring and evaluation, ensuring program teams stays on track and the donors
informed. CommCare’s expanded use provides complex workflows and integration
capabilities managing complex developmental programming needs.
CommCare is an award-winning open-source platform that enables users to build
sophisticated mobile data collection applications. CommCare advanced feature is at
a cost of $1,200/ per month ($12,000 annually) with unlimited storage and forms
submissions.
Relatedly, e-THRIVE system is a digital ecosystem aligned to create interface for
households, APs and stakeholders enabling digital connectivity to undertake their
day-to-day activities or business while providing real-time data of progress. The
system is designed to automates key processes, such as the registration of farmers
and groups, data aggregation, and report generation, which facilitates efficient
decision-making and resource allocation.
eTHRIVE enables the digitization of community interventions, making it easier to
gather, store, and manage data for the scaling of agricultural activities, providing
tools to smallholder farmers, producer groups, aggregation centers, and other
agricultural stakeholders to monitor productivity, tracking market access, and
enhancing communication among stakeholders. It focused on routine household
monitoring, annual monitoring survey, resilience monitoring survey, and monitoring
fidelity of implementation.
However, eTHRIVE is battling with customization of other functionality including
SMS among others, not opened to non-eTHRIVE projects. The software is costed at a
rate of US $9,000 monthly with an equivalent of $108,000 annual subscription.
1.2 Rationale for LMMS System pilot.
It’s important to note that out of the three internal systems that were evaluated,
two systems CommCare and LMMS emerged above the agreed average pass score
of 70% which is an acceptable percentage for further scrutiny. Of the two systems,
LMMS emerged highest in the scores, despite LMMS System scoring highest from
the technical evaluations, there were no significance variation in the scores. The
system evaluation core team further recommended that in the event LMMS have
gaps, CommCare will be considered as the next option and tested against the
forementioned business requirements in line with GTD capability request process.
2.0 Main Objective
To provide a one-stop solution for WV Uganda digitization data needs by automating
routine processes including participant registration processes, update, and follow-up
case management workflow for improved efficiency, effectiveness, and
accountability in delivering interventions.
2.1 Specific Objectives
a) Accurately monitor participants and minimize double counting.
b) Provide a space for layering of the participants across the interventions and
demonstrate impact.
c) Generation of activity reports, visualization, and linkages to other analytical
platforms.
d) Minimize fraud –through the digital attendance tracking option.
e) Provide a module for case management across all funding streams.
2.2 Scope of Work
The digitization pilot will be conducted in Abim Area Programmes in the Northern
Uganda. The decision was arrived at during the steering group committee meeting
involving the RPM-Northern Region, the Head of IT & Digital, the EARO GTD
Business Partner, and MEAL folks held on 9 th, December 2024. Relatedly, this was
due to the human resources and the technical expertise within the ministry to
leverage on staff that participated in the first pilot of LMMS in 2021.
The scope shall focus to test the system features and functionalities to address the
current data and information need (registration of direct participants, routine
monitoring data, case management environments, data visualization) that the WVU
is grappling with and provide corrective actions and countrywide rollout of the
digital system.
This scope has been an ongoing consultative effort with divisional stakeholders
internally – through both virtual and physical meetings. During the pilot, LMMS
implementation shall focus on the following key functional areas against the current
WVU Information Management challenges;-
1. Participant registration, targeting, ID printing, update
2. Training and tracking attendance.
3. System reporting and analytics.
4. Staff capacity building requirements
5. Continuous monitoring and follow up of LMMS implementation
3.0 Methodology
The core technical team shall be constituted to monitor and guide the system
testing process. The core team shall comprise of technical staff from Programme
Quality (MEAL), GTD, and Operations teams that will be responsible to decision
making at different stages and monitoring of the pilot stages. The data collected will
be checked and tested in line with the data security measures, reuse, and analysis
to support decision making processes.
The digitization exercise shall involve field test of LMMS system capabilities tailored
to the current WVU digitization challenges with physical engagement and
interactions, and remote virtual support on pre-system set up, workflow design,
data analysis and exportation.
3.1 System Design Architecture
The blueprint shall run from the HH cluster – data will be collected through mobile
devices by either staff or enumerators, synced to the central server (managed by
the MEAL team), and data sharing to both internal and external stakeholders. The
pilot will focus on the following key prototype of the logical checks for each of the
parameters in alignment with the expected system key attributes and features to
support the real time programming needs.
- Registration – Register participants details including geo-locations and link
the participants to the intervention groups.
- Database Update – Update the participant details including the HH members,
location, interventions, and exit participants.
- Case Management and Follow-up – The tracking of individuals in alignment to
the layering and/ or participation in the activities and interventions.
- Customization and Assessments – Design programme ad-hoc assessments
such as annual surveys, routine monitoring, baseline, midterm, endline,
researches, and studies data collection tools/questionnaires.
- Activity Implementation Reports – Produce activity reports to inform
programming as well as other support function needs for audit and finance.
- Integration and Data Visualization – Produce up to date dashboards that
addresses the needs of the different management levels and API for linkages
to other analytical platforms for visualization.
- User Accounts and Rights – easy management of application user rights and
set-up and customization.
3.2 Logistical Requirements
The pilot shall involve the use of smart phones devices to support testing of tools
and data collection activities, internet connectivity, laptop computers to manage
the backend API to facilitate data collection and management, and installation of
the LMMS server.
3.3 LMMS Technical Support
World Vision Uganda second LMMS system pilot after the first pilot was arrived to
test the new features has confirmed by the developers in the revised version of the
system tailored to support real time programming business needs.
The technical support in this pilot shall range from already exiting internal capacity
as well as the regional LMMS experts together with the GTD team relating to;
capacity building needs, initial installation and setup of the system to be hosted
within World Vision ICT system and any other technical support requirements.
4.0 Expected Deliverables
Once the pilot is concluded, a pilot test report shall be shared with the wider
internal stakeholders for validation in consultation with the LMMS technical
specialist. There after a full rollout of the whole of the system if it meets the
different requirements and continuous technical support to the implementing
teams. The key products to be delivered in this system pilot are as below;-
1. Automation capability report specifically focused on registration, update, and
follow up digital tracking of participants - case management functionality.
2. Reduction in paper work – attendance tracking and other approvals processes
3. Data visualization
4. Final system testing pilot report.
5.0 Proposed Timelines
The pre-test assignment is expected to run for three months from January 31st, 2025 through to April 30th, 2025 to
conduct an in-depth test of the features of the system business requirements for MEAL expectations, finance and support
functions as well as key operation’s needs.
Detailed Roadmap:
SN Activity/ Milestone Responsible Accountable Consulted/ Expected
Informed Completion
1 Drafting, review, and approval of the ToR IM&DS MEAL Manager GTD, RPM Jan 31st, 2025
2 Sharing communication to the pilot Region and IM&DS/ MEALM PD/PQD ND Feb 3rd, 2025
APs
3 Securing system pilot account and license for the IM&DS CT/GTD EARO ICT/GTD Feb 7th, 2025
pilot
4 Selection of the core pilot team and capacity IM&DS MEAL Manager RPMs/PQD/PD Feb 14th, 2025
building on the system
5 Pre-field system set up and designing IM&DS MEAL Manager ICT/GTD Feb 21st, 2025
forms/setting up workflows, printing cards. Manager
6 Field entry and pace setting meeting RMEAL RPM PQD/PD Feb 24th, 2025
7 Training of the field teams on the system pilot and IMDS/MEALM RPM PQD/PD Mar 3rd, 2025
assigning responsibilities
8 Field Pre-test - Registration of participants and/ or MEALO/ IMDS RPM/PM MEALM/ LMMS Mar 4th. 2025
data importation System Experts Mar 14th,2025
9 Field pre-test Case management - Attendance PM, IM&DS, RPM/ MEAL LMMS System Mar 17th, 2025
tracking, output monitoring, visualization e.t.c RMEAL, MEALO Manager Experts Mar 31st,2025
10 Analysis and synthesis IM&DS, MEALO MEAL Manager GTD/PQD/PD Apr 01st, 2025
Apr 18th, 2025
11 Final pre-test report and presentation IM&DS, MEALO MEAL Manager RPM/PD/ PQD Apr 21st, 2025
Apr 30th, 2025
5.1 Costs and Facilitations
Cost related to the national level initiatives will be charged on the MEAL Cost
budget lines T6 Code; 94.03.07 shared across all active APs. Logistical cost items to
be covered include; travels, procurements of hardware and software, per diems,
and accommodation for all related needs.
Budget Lines:
Code T0 T2 T4 T5 T6 T7 T8 T9 Budge
t
# # 94.03.07 # DPC
Annexes:
1. System prototype design here
2. System data collection tools here
3. System digitization pilot checklist here
4. Minutes from ongoing digitization discussions/meetings Here
5. Follow up discussion notes with the LMMS technical team Here
Prepared By Review Approval
Name: Victor O Hardy Name: Richard Rumsey
Name: Jacob Ladwar
Title: MEAL Manager Title: Program Quality
Title: IM&DS Specialist
Director
Sign:
Sign: Sign:
Date: Date: Date:
