Mercy Corps, Microsoft and NGOs Team Together in Effort
to Develop FACTS - A New Solution for Improving Humanitarian Assistance around
the World
New Web-Based Food and Commodity Tracking System Facilitates Efficient and Timely
Distribution of Aid to the Needy
An innovative and comprehensive Food and Commodity Tracking System (FACTS)
is now available to assist humanitarian aid agencies in delivering supplies
to communities in need around the world. FACTS, developed by Mercy Corps and
Microsoft Corporation in partnership with colleague agencies, allows agencies
to track and report on virtually any type of commodity from donation to distribution.
In addition, FACTS represents the first significant step towards creating a
standard framework for improving humanitarian assistance on a global level.
"During crisis, coordinating and distributing the millions of metric tons
of food and other commodities from donors is a challenge to even the most seasoned
relief agencies. People are forced from their homes; transportation corridors
are blocked and supply channels are disrupted," explains Tom Ewert, Mercy
Corps' Director of Food Resources who headed up this effort. "We designed
FACTS in an effort to help address this challenge -- and it has done exactly
what we had hoped. We can wholeheartedly recommend this system to our colleague
agencies and we're grateful to Microsoft for their help on making our dream
a reality."
The FACTS design team, including commodity management professionals from American
Red Cross, Catholic Relief Services, Food Aid Management, Food for the Hungry
International, Mercy Corps, Project Concern International and Save the Children,
designed FACTS to standardize logistics operations and streamline reporting.
This allows material aid program managers to focus on the actual delivery of
needed supplies while maintaining the highest standards of commodity tracking.
The system is Internet-based, utilizing some of Microsoft's most advanced technologies
including XML, ISS, SQL Server, Visual Studio and Visual Basic and includes
provisions for stand-alone operations so the database is accessible from anywhere
in the world. It is also easy to learn, operate and maintain, allowing any computer
with Internet Explorer to be used for tracking commodities.
The application is available to agencies free of charge, and if run over the
internet, can be accessed through an at-cost hosting agreement provided by CRI
Advantage or FORTix, both Microsoft partners.
Pilot programs have been successfully implemented by Mercy Corps in Kyrgyzstan
and Indonesia. Three additional agencies are using FACTS in their Guatemala
and Bolivia operations and one soon plans to extend the solution to Ethiopia.
"As a former field program manager, I see the potential of the FACTS program
as a quantum improvement over our original FoodLog," explains Paul Cunningham,
Management Information Technology Director for Catholic Relief Services. "It
is very well-constructed and with the addition of planning tools and management
reports we will encourage broad adoption."
"When Mercy Corps approached us with this idea, we realized we had an
opportunity to help relieve the suffering of millions of people around the world
through technology based solutions. In fact, the most exciting part of this
is that FACTS illustrates a new level of collaboration among NGOs that not only
has an impact on immediate crises, but is creating a strong systemic framework
for significantly improving humanitarian assistance on a global level,"
said Bruce Brooks, director of community affairs for Microsoft. "Microsoft
is honored to be able to assist with these efforts and we look forward to helping
further support the evolution of this program."
Visit the FACTS web page at www.mercycorps.org/facts/facts.html for more information.
Media contacts:
Laura Guimond 503-799-4672; lguimond@mercycorps.org
Susan Laarman 503-341-3799; slaar@imagina.com Ramil Maharramov (994 12) 97 51
72; ramil@mercycorps.az
|