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 Report - Mercy Corps, Microsoft and NGOs Team Together in Effort to Develop FACTS (MC)

 Report date: 03.06.2002

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




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