A Community approach to building knowledge and capacity about OpenLMIS
Funding has been provided from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation subsidize OpenLMIS ‘Study Tours’ for Ministries of Health (MoH) staff and other stakeholders who are considering an OpenLMIS implementation or expanding upon an existing implementation. A Study Tour is a trip hosted by an OpenLMIS Trusted Partner to visit an existing OpenLMIS implementation country, to provide participants with valuable information about how the software is operationalized to improve public health supply chains. A Study Tour would provide the participants with an opportunity to observe how the OpenLMIS software is deployed on the ground, and gain unique insights from local supply chain and technology stakeholders regarding implementation challenges, successes, and lessons learned. Participants will also learn from first-hand accounts of user experiences. The ultimate aim of the OpenLMIS Study Tours is to educate potential implementers and give them the information that they need to decide whether OpenLMIS is a good fit for their country context.
OpenLMIS Study Tour Funding- An Overview
- Study Tour funding is available to ‘Interested Parties’ who are considering an OpenLMIS deployment in their country and are interested in a detailed learning experience about OpenLMIS in order to decide if OpenLMIS 3.0 is the right solution for their context. Interested Parties can be members of a Ministry of Health,
- Study Tours to active OpenLMIS v 3.0 deployments will be hosted and guided by OpenLMIS Trusted Partners. These individuals will serve as the primary points of contact during the visit to facilitate conversations, answer questions, schedule relevant meetings, and support with travel/logistics. The Trusted Partner will be responsible for submitting the OpenLMIS Study Tour Application on behalf of the Interested Party.
- The Trusted Partner host and interested party work together to complete and submit their OpenLMIS Study Tour Application
- The Study Tour funding covers airfare, lodging, and other transportation expenses for two individuals from the Interested Party to travel to an existing OpenLMIS 3.0 country. Currently all OpenLMIS implementation exist in Africa
- Hosts will curate each Study Tour based on the key learning areas of the participants, and work with Interested Parties document clear objectives prior to the tour to ensure all objectives are met
- Study tours must visit an active OpenLMIS v3 deployment. The visits will last no more than 3 working days
Application & Evaluation Process
Both the Trusted Partner ‘hosts’ and the Ministry of Health ‘guests’ will be evaluated for their suitability to participate in a Study Tour Visit. The application contains two short sets of questions, some aimed at the Trusted Partner Host, and others focusing on the Interested Parties. Each question will be reviewed and scored by the Review Committee on a scale of 1-5. For each question, the average score from the Application Review Committee will be taken and used as the Final Score. Upon review and discussion of the application, the Application Review Committee will vote on whether to accept or deny the application for funding. A majority vote will be required for the final decision.
Evaluation Criteria for ‘Interested Party’ in Applying Country
- Demonstration of interest in OpenLMIS as a national solution, or upgrading an existing OpenLMIS implementation to an expanded feature set.
- Articulation of the funding source(s) for a potential OpenLMIS implementation
- Willingness to use a small amount of own funds for the Study Tour visit (to cover per diem)
- Clear articulation of Study Tour objectives and intended outcomes
Frequently Asked Questions:
- Are ‘Interested Parties’ generally a country government? Yes, in many cases Interested Parties will be key supply chain decision-makers from a national Ministry of Health. However, applications are also open to potential donors, NGOs or other multinational organizations who are interested learning more about OpenLMIS v3 deployment.
- How is the ‘host’ country selected? The interested party will only have the option of visiting a country implementing OpenLMIS version 3. Other factors such as geographic distance, flight logistics, and language will be considered. The OpenLMIS steward team will encourage country visits to locations that can facilitate meeting the goals and objectives of the trip. The OpenLMIS steward team can support with country communication to coordinate with in-country teams regarding travel dates and hosting.
- Are study tours available for countries that are currently using an older version of OpenLMIS and who are considering an upgrade to OpenLMIS v 3.0? Yes, applications related to upgrading to OpenLMIS v 3.0 are also being accepted.
- Specifically, what costs does the funding cover for ‘Interested Parties’?
- Most travel costs for 2 members of the Interested Party (such as a Ministry of Health) to participate in a study tour to an OpenLMIS v3 implementation (including flight and hotel, and all transportation costs). *Note: the funding does not include per diem. Daily living expenses will need to be covered by the participants
Other questions??