Throughout September Transaid provided pro bono support to Merlin to help strengthen their existing fleet management system and policy. As well as spending time in Merlin’s UK headquarters, Gary Forster, Transaid’s Head of Programmes, spent time in Merlin’s field office in Juba, South Sudan.
The terms of reference for the assistance mandated that Transaid undertake the following;
• Give specific guidance and recommendations on the South Sudan programme and projects’ Fleet Management.
• Review and give recommendations on the Merlin Fleet Management and Motorcycle Riders Policy
• Develop an effective end-to-end Fleet Monthly Reporting process and tools.
• Develop tools for monitoring vehicle use at field, country and Head Office levels.
• Review and give recommendations on standard Merlin Vehicle Log Books
• Provide analysis with recommendations for vehicle purchasing, ownership and disposal
• Report on any perceived programmatic or financial risks and critical gaps associated with vehicle and fleet management.
• Complete an assessment of 3rd party maintenance facilities in South Sudan.
• Advise on outsourcing of repairs and maintenance for field locations.
• Provide standard vehicle spare parts lists, vehicle service schedules and a recruitment questionnaire for field based mechanics.
A Fleet Management System and Tools were developed in consultation with both field staff and the headquarters logistics team. The system, bespoke for Merlin’s operation, is basic, intuitive and completely customizable. Transaid also provided a comprehensive set of tools and templates to be used by the field based teams in their daily fleet management roles.
About Merlin
Merlin is a medical charity driven by one aim: to provide health care for people at times when they are most in need. Merlin’s medical teams act fast to help people during emergencies. They work in the world’s most difficult and dangerous environments: in countries ravaged by civil war, blighted by drought, devastated by earthquakes and landslides.
Merlin believes that everyone has a right to essential health care. They are helping to achieve this:
• directly through good quality programmes on the ground
• indirectly through influencing the practice and policy of others
