10013716 - Development of a National Minerals Database

Recognizing the complexity of implementing the NMDB, the SDMU project is searching for a service provider to implement a phased development of the NMDB using agile methodologies and aligning with GovStack framework.

It is against this background that the SDMU project on behalf of Department of Geological Survey and Mines (DGSM), is seeking to procure consultancy services to develop, test and deploy the NMDB.

This IT implementation is split into 3 phases:

As an initial phase, a pilot of the NMDB shall be implemented to validate and de-risk the implementation of the NMDB. The aim of the pilot phase is to validate key assumptions, gather valuable early feedback from key stakeholders and establish a foundational understanding of the NMDB"s core functionalities.

In the second phase (Option 1), after successful implementation and validation of a Minimum Viable Product, the extension of the pilot and implementation of a full set of capabilities of the NMDB is planned and implemented.

Based on the success of the full-scale implementation the SDMU project is seeking further funding (top-up) to extend the functionality of the full scale solution (Option 2).

The objective of the procurement is to define the target architecture based on the DGSM environment and to develop, deploy, and evaluate a pilot of the NMDB that complies with Uganda"s mining legal and regulatory framework for a Minimum Policy Compliant Product (MPCP). The fully functional pilot of the NMDB will demonstrate the core functionalities of the NMDB, validate user journeys, and facilitate early feedback from a limited set of users.

The specific objectives for the pilot of the NMDB are:

Develop of NMDB pilot: implement the core functionalities of the NMDB, that include mine site inspection and monitoring management and Chain of custody (CoC) modules.

Design and technical architecture: Provide practical insights that will refine and finalise the overall system architecture and technology stack.

Alignment with e-government framework: Ensure that implementation is aligned with MoICT and NITA-U framework for digitalisation of government processes (e.g., hosting, integration, cybersecurity, data protection, information security etc.)

Technical feasibility validation: testing core functionalities of the NMDB pilot in production environment, assessing performance under realistic workloads, identifying integration challenges with existing systems, and evaluating hosting infrastructure options, security, compliance, and data handling requirements in alignment with the development guidelines of the Ugandan Government.

Refine implementation strategy: adjust timelines or resources and define success criteria for full-scale implementation based on pilot learnings.

Early user feedback: Engage end-users to test the usability, functionality, and overall experience of the proposed system.

Stakeholder alignment: Foster shared understanding and buy-in among all relevant stakeholders through tangible demonstrations and discussions around data sharing and ownership, integrations, roles and responsibilities.

Mitigate risks and Identify gaps: Identify and address potential usability or functional issues at an early stage, reducing rework in the full-scale implementation of the NMDB.

In addition to the Uganda NMDB, and contingent on the pilot"s success, an optional rollout of an NMDB in Burundi-building on the pilot solution-is planned (Option 3).