Consultancy Title: Microsoft Apps Developer for Travel Request Automation
Location(s) where the Services are to be performed: Remote
Contracting Manager: Director of Supply Chain and Operations
Dates: to start in May 2023, and expected to be developed, tested and live within 3 months
Role Classification: Depending on the nature of services this contract will require the consultant delivering these services to have undertaken Standard or Advanced pre contracting checks
Scope and Nature of Services
Relief International (RI) is a leading nonprofit organization working in 14 countries to relieve poverty, ensure well-being and advance dignity. We specialize in fragile settings, responding to natural disasters, humanitarian crises and chronic poverty.
RI is seeking proposals from Microsoft App developers to develop an automated Travel Request Form (Lot 1) and Expenses Claim Form (Lot 2) within RIs Microsoft environment. The Forms will need to be able to populate relevant budget code data from RIs finance management system (Oracle Netsuite), use RIs single sign on (SSO) and MS Identity Service (EntraID) and preferably be able to work offline (syncโing when the user has internet connectivity). Based on the data collected in the forms RI also requires a dashboard of relevant data to be generated using PowerBI (Lot 3).
Developers should bid for both Lot 1 and Lot 2 separately. The fees for Lot 3 (PowerBI) will be agreed with the successful bidder on completion of the initial scope of work related to Lots 1 and 2 and as such no quote is required for Lot 3 in this submission..
RI is open to revising its requirements based on recommendations from a developer where this can improve the functioning of the forms.
RIs IT department will be part of the developer selection process, and will review and sign off on all deliverables prior to any payment.
Lot 1: Travel Request Automation Requirements
A Travel Request (TR) form is to be created in Microsoft (MS) Apps, with an approval workflow automated using MS Automate, and using MS Lists if needed. It will be run on RIs SharePoint, and accessed the RI Sharepoint MyApps page. It can also preferably be used offline, with the data synchronising when a user has internet access.
Any RI staff can access and create a TR and submit it for approval in the RI MS environment. The fields for the TR are defined in Annex 1. Note that Annex 1 is broadly based on the RI pdf Travel Request form (with some differences), which is available in Annex 5.
Once a TR is submitted for approval it obtains a system generated unique serial number and follows the approval process and subsequent actions as outlined in Annex 2.
Once a TR is approved a traveller receives an approved TR via email, with a link to a form they can save and/or print, which they use to book relevant travel.
Traveller draft and approved TRs will be available for a traveller to access at any time on a dashboard within the RI Microsoft environment that only shows those relevant to the Travellers RI email address.
Lot 2: Expenses Claim Form Automation Requirements
A form is to be created to support Expense Claims and Cash Advance Settlements, called the Expense Report Form (ERF).
The ERF is to be created in Microsoft (MS) Apps, with an approval workflow automated using MS Automate, and using MS Lists if needed. It will be run on RIs SharePoint, and accessed the RI Sharepoint MyApps page. It can also preferably be used offline, with the data synchronising when a user has internet access. Any RI user with access to RI SharePoint can complete and submit this form. Based on the data collected in the forms RI also requires a dashboard of relevant data to be generated using PowerBI (Lot 3)
Any RI staff can access and create an ERF and submit it for approval in the RI MS environment. The fields for the ERF are defined in Annex 3. Note that Annex 3 is broadly based on the RI Expenses Claim Form (with some differences), which is available in Annex 6.
The ERF must be able to link with an approved TR (lot 1) in such a way that once a user has opened a new ERF they can point the ERF to a particular TR which then auto-populates relevant fields into the ERF (see Annex 3)
Once an ERF is submitted for approval it obtains a system generated unique serial number and follows the approval process and resulting actions as outlined in Annex 4.
Once a TR is approved a traveller receives an approved TR via email, with a link to a form they can save and/or print, which they use to book relevant travel.
Consultant Profile and Submission Requirements
RI is seeking a developer who
- Has significant experience with developing such automations within customer Microsoft systems
- Is registered as a consultant and can provide formal invoices against which payment will be made within 30 days of satisfactory sign off of work by RI
Proposals must include
- The developers CV, showing relevant experience with MS Apps, MS Automate, MS Identity Services, MS Identity Service (EntraID), MS Lists and MS PowerBI, as well as experience with integrating data from other systems (e.g. Oracle Netsuite)
- A supporting letter with
- a fixed price cost for Lot 1 and Lot 2 separately, including any VAT
- your hourly or daily rate for any additional work related to Lot 3
- examples of similar work completed in the past 2 years
- a proposed timeline for the work, which must include
- at least 1 detailed scoping session with relevant RI staff to finalise the requirements
- at least 2 review cycles by RI staff to ensure the final product meets RIs needs.
RI Values.
Guided by the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence, as well as โDo No Harm,โ Relief International Values:
We value:
- Integrity
- Adaptability
- Collaboration
- Inclusivity
- Sustainability