Information Technology

Improving Access to Financial Services in Pakistan

• Providing technical assistance for applications and development of technology for applications for lower cost funds transfers and remittances in Pakistan market;
• Conducting  a   feasibility   study   for  national  mobile   money  transfer,   VSAT applications   and   other   technological   changes   for   improving   outreach   of sustainable financial services to the poor and rural areas;
• Providing recommendations on appropriate options to expand access to financial services country-wide.

GIS:

• Utilizing regional and international experience study and present various options to Government of Sindh for selecting the proper system for the GIS project,
• Preparing a strategy for successful implementation of the selected GIS system,
• Advising   and   assisting   the   Government   of   Sindh   Board   of   Revenue   in procurement, implementation and successful rollout of the selected GIS solution proposed by GIS consultant,
• Facilitating GIS based land mapping and revenue records,
• Preparing maps using satellite images for decision making and field level exercises,
• Designing and developing a GIS based decision support system, preparing and distributing district-specific maps (both thematic and cartographic), report and documents in various formats, and conversion of field level maps in to digital form.

Upgrading the ICT and MIS at the Agriculture Promotion Bank (Laos PDR)

• Upgrade its ICT human resources capacity to manage the ICT systems upgrade;
• Review and confirm that the systems specifications proposed are adequate for APB’s needs;
• Plan and execute the bidding, selection, and contracting processes with the turnkey contractor and the communication infrastructure provider;
• Monitor the turnkey installation and milestone achievement, verify that specifications have been adhered to, review data migration plans, and carry out user acceptance testing;
• Prepare and carry out a training plan;
• Review and evaluate the effectiveness of technical and operational training provided under the turnkey contract; and
• Plan and implement the rollout of systems to the whole APB branch network.

• The software allows the user to create a PC (Planning Commission) document, split the allocations in PC reporting format into yearly work plans and monitor the progress (financial and physical) of the project. The impact analyzer provided in the system provides the unique facility to measure the impact of project interventions through different indicators, such as impact on household income, crop yields and other indicators.
• The software has built-in features of keeping track of releases and withdrawals. It auto-generates the withdrawal statement to be sent to the donors and keeps complete record of the withdrawals and releases from the donors.

Institutional Strengthening of Board of Investment (BOI)

• To restructure Board of Investment (BOI) to attract greater domestic and foreign investment.
• To conduct needs assessment of BOI’s information processing requirements.
• To assess the current institutional capacity of BOI in order to implement a computerized MIS with LAN & WAN.
• To develop and computerize an Investment Management and Tracking System.
• To identify information requirements of investors and to develop supporting software.
• To assess IT and MIS requirements for various divisions / wings of BOI and develop the supporting software.
• To develop software for compilation of data pertaining to FDI in the country and by sector, and then analyzing the data to determine Investment trends.

Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Project, Rawalpindi

• Development of a comprehensive MIS with the automation of all the functions of WASA and the development of effective and an efficient information flow system. Software packages were developed including revenue collection, and billing, asset management, a decision support system, financial management and payroll, engineering, and various others. The software was developed in ORACLE as a back end and Developer as a Front end tool.

MIS for Strategic Planning and Decision-Making Process & Flow-Charting ADP Process in PE&DD.

• FINCON helped develop a Decision Support System to provide actionable information for the decision-makers and help identify the problem areas.
• FINCON was assigned the task of preparing flowcharts. FINCON’s expert prepared flowcharts depicting the detailed process ADP implementation, Planning Commission-1, preparation and ADP monitoring and evaluation.

Credit Management Information System

• Designed a computer based Information System with operational level facilities for the users including data entry and all sorts of reports, analysis and comparisons
• Extensive study of the existing system involving the processes and management of NRSP at all levels, including Community Organization, Field Unit, Regional Office, and Head Office.
• Training of staff at all levels

Institutional Capacity Building of National Transmission & Dispatch Company Limited (NTDC)

• To assist with the implementation of information system enhancements as approved by NTDC during the TA period;
• To review required computer software and hardware configurations at the power generator and distribution company levels, in order to ensure a direct linkage with NTDC’s operational system with the long-term objective of ensuring a fully integrated system.
• To develop required software for NTDC’s functions with particular focus on the power trading software system and educational material.

Capacity Building of SAHIL – Human Rights Based NGO-Pak

• Developed an organizational restructuring plan
• Developed a logical framework Analysis (LFA) and built the organization’s capacity to develop LFAs independently in the future
• Designed, developed and implemented a Project Information and monitoring System (PIMS) to build the planning and monitoring capacity of SAHIL
• Developed criteria for the selection of districts for programme expansion and also designed the criteria for selection of local partners.

Software Development for CDA (Capital Development Authority)

• Estate Management
• Personnel Management
• Payroll System
• Billing System

Description of actual services provided in the assignment:

• System study and analysis
• System designing
• System development in “ORACLE” and implementation
• Networking and hardware procurement
• Documentation and manuals preparation
• Handing over of system and maintenance services

Water & Sanitation Project CDA

• Carried out the institutional review of water resources and water supply system of greater Islamabad area developed an outline water resources policy framework.
• The Management review of water and sanitation directorate was carried out with specific recommendations for the restructuring of the directorate.

Pak German Promotion  – Public Health & Engineering Department (PHED), NWFP

• PHED introduced a computerized revenue collection system, but it is recovering only a very low percentage of water supply charges from the consumers. There are significant arrears outstanding. FINCON studied the problem and recommended ways to maximize revenue collection and arrears recovery. FINCON carried out a survey to understand the consumer behavior and to identify incentives, which are necessary for consumers to pay their dues.
• FINCON computerized an inventory of PHED’s schemes in the entire NWFP. The database effectively consolidates social, technical and financial data for all the localities throughout NWFP served by PHED. This database covers the entire NWFP with information from various sources, and it enables rational decision-making and planning.  A significant benefit is that it uses statistical modeling to predict ranges of data for the first stages of community consultations and PHED planning.

Quetta Water Supply and Environmental Improvement Project.

• Ground Water Model of Quetta valley and a complete GIS of the entire Greater Quetta
• Valley Basin. Gathered complete hydro geological and geo physical information

Financial Management Information System for Primary Education Program, NWFP Govt.

• FINCON examined the existing manual (“Financial Management System”) in-depth and determined its limitations.
• FINCON designed the new computerized FMIS. This included the accurate task tracking, withdrawal application processing, and cashbook maintenance, budgeting, accounting and bookkeeping etc.
• Identified hardware requirements and assisted PEP in procurement & installation of hardware.

Strengthening of the PE&D Department  (SMEs Study)

• FINCON reviewed and studied in depth the existing MIS/SMES system of PE&DD.
• The study identified the limitations of the existing MIS system and those areas that required immediate attention for improvement in the system.

Tehsil Municipal Administration Management Information System (TMAMIS)

• Developed an organizational restructuring plan
• Developed a logical framework Analysis (LFA) and built the organization’s capacity to develop LFAs independently in the future
• Designed, developed and implemented a Project Information and mo System (PIMS) to build the planning and monitoring capacity of SAHIL
• Developed criteria for the selection of districts for programme expansion and also designed the criteria for selection of local partners.

Promoting Economic Use of Customary Land in Samoa: TA-4712-SAM

• FINCON’s responsibilities in this multi-disciplinary TA include the design of an integrative LIS for the MNREM and LTC in Samoa, and the capacity building of the relevant departments. FINCON will document the judgments of the Land and Titles Court and make them more widely available by linking GIS and spatial related data to a computerized land registry.
• The LIS will design a strategy to computerize all of the land records and surveys for all of Samoa. FINCON’s Land Information System scans all lands documents, formal surveys, titles, plans, files, and such documents. Decayed and obsolete records can be recovered.
• FINCON’s sustainable data management strategy for customary land-related data builds on existing systems where possible; the strategy will address the needs of both the Land and Titles Court and the Ministry of Natural Resources, Environment and Meteorology (MNREM). It will encourage seamless data management between the two agencies, and will ensure appropriate public access to the data.
• To support the new LIS, FINCON will: (a) review institutional arrangements (b) support the Government reorganization process arising, (c) recommend and deliver a program of targeted training and other capacity development activities to address new functions and roles under the reorganization.

Study on Developing IT Platforms for Tracking and Maintenance System for KW&SB, PAK 2229(SF): Mega City Development Project.

• Description of actual services provided in the assignment:
• Operational Managements System
• Assessment of the information system needs
• Assessment of the existing maintenance procedures.
• Devised comprehensive methodology for critical assets and asset management.
• Devised comprehensive methodology for an appropriate platform, input types, and modules for an asset management.
• Suggested suitable measures like Total Productive Maintenance and Computerized Maintenance Management System.
• Recommended a robust, cost-effective and dependable SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) plan.
• Assessment Management System: The consultant shall identify the critical maintenance parameters that are necessary to structure and track the maintenance of critical water supply and sewerage assets

Strengthening Land Administration Services: TA No. 4969

• The objective of this consulting assignment is to provide technical assistance to strengthen the land administration services in Nepal through implementation of software like GIS and Land Information Systems (LIS).
• The overall impact of the TA is its contribution to improved social justice and poverty reduction through the development of an effective land management system. The TA outcome will be a more reliable, fair, and sustainable land administration and management process made possible by modernizing and improving business processes and developing a road map for a national comprehensive land policy. This outcome is expected to increase the effectiveness of the land administration system and, in the long term, improve social justice and the rights of the poor. The key outputs from the TA will be (i) a revised business process; (ii) a strategy for the future with the use of technology in land administration; (iii) accessible, secure, and upgraded land records; (iv) an action plan and costing to implement the strategy; (v) pilot testing of the strategy in selected areas within districts; and (vi) a road map toward a comprehensive national land policy framework.

Development of Management Information System

• Develop and implement customized Management Information System (MIS) for Micro Finance Institutions (NGO MFIs) according to their need;
• Provide extensive back-up support to MFIs in implementation and post implementation scenarios; and
• Provide on-the-job training of MIS personnel and instant trouble shooting etc.

Development of Management Information System