Survey of Humanitarian Logistics Software Currently in Use

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Survey of Humanitarian Logistics Software
Currently in Use

• SUMA
• FACTS
• CTS
• PALMAS
• FRITZ

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SUMA Systems (Humanitarian Supply Management
System)

• Developed in 1993 as technical cooperation
  project in Latin America and Caribbean by WHO and
  PAHO
• Still primarily used in those countries to
  transport food other commodities
• Mission focused on creating self-sustaining
  national teams of volunteers from disaster
  inflicted countries

• Strengths
• Donor-Focused tracking system
• High level of transparency in process coverage
• Had supply prioritization capabilities

• Weaknesses
• Poor planning capabilities
• Poor inter-modular workflow
• No financial management

3
Microsoft FACTS(Food and Commodity Tracking
System)

• Developed through Microsoft and Mercy Corps
  partnership designed in collaboration with
  several global NGOs
• Program is designed to cover the last mile of
  the logistics process

• Strengths
• Highly mobile
• Internet-based
• Good process coverage
• User-friendly system
• System uses clear receipts and waybills for
  tracking

• Weaknesses
• Poor logistics management
• Poor workflow integration

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Commodity Tracking System 2000 (CTS)

• Currently in use by Save the Children and World
  Vision
• Designed to be user-friendly with minimal
  training necessary

• Strengths
• Ability to generate numerous reports
• Good process coverage
• Very user-friendly

• Weakness
• Poor logistics management
• Poor workflow integration
• Insufficient procurement assistance

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Purchase Plus PALMAS

• Private industry-focused procurement software
• Used widely in private sector, Oxfam and IRC
• Program designed to

• Strengths
• Creates RFQs and Bid registering
• Strong financial management
• Tracks fixed assets

• Weaknesses
• Poor planning assistance
• Insufficient coverage of logistics process
• No focus on humanitarian organizations

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Log 6.5 (XNEGOS)

• System used by Medicins Sans Frontieres
• Used to track food, medicine and other commodities

• Strengths
• Good report configuration
• Good item categorization and coding capabilities
• Supports local procurement
• Good process coverage

• Weaknesses
• Difficult installation process
• Inadequate planning capabilities
• Poor user help functions

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Other Programs

• SAP
• Large German inter-enterprise software
  development company used by UNICEF
• Ability to track all commodities, catalogue
  relief items, produce purchasing documents
  (Requisitions, RFQs, POs), and track assembly and
  packing stage

• GMIS (Government Management Information Systems)
• Georgia-based NPO composed of IT professionals
  volunteering to help strengthen governmental
  information systems
• Used by CARE International

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Other Programs Cont.

• SBT (Scan Based Trading)
• Used by International Committee of the Red Cross
  (ICRC)
• Uses a retail scanner data to synchronize supply
  with consumer demand at the point of sale,
  resulting in an efficient, market-driven supply
  chain.

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Fritz Humanitarian Logistics Software

• New software designed by the Fritz Institute in
  response to lack of adequate humanitarian
  software
• Currently in use by International Federation of
  the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
• Designed to interface with other systems

Framework Design Mobilization Module Logistics
and Tracking Module Procurement Module Reporting
Module
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Problems Common to all Existing Systems

• Poor Logistics Management
• Inadequate Financial Management
• Poor workflow integration