Codes Management

To describe the basic functioning of codes management once the article is validated.

Why is important to have a code?

The code summarizes the main characteristics of an article. The governance of a code is essential for harmonizing supplies on the field.

MSF provides two types of articles:

• Standard (STD): Articles that are validated by all the OC’s technical referents and consequently have the same code to all MSF sections. These are the codes in the international product’s catalogue.

• Non-standard MSF (NSTD): Articles validated only for a specific OC and not valid for other OC’s, therefore the codes are not available to all OC’s.

As a recall the validation of the products follows international norms from recognized bodies such as WHO (World Health Organization) and FDA (Food and Drug Administration).

MSF Supply ensures that a validated article has the correct codification and available for sourcing by following the rules of SPINCO, who coordinates the product information in all MSF Supply Centers and OC’s.

If you are curious you can get further information here.

Why my code is not available?

In some cases, an approved article can be deleted from the list and the code is not available anymore. The reasons can be split in two types:

• External: end of production from manufacturer, regulatory constraints;

• Internal: decision from MSF referents, product does not answer the needs of the operations or it is no longer applicable, the article is not consumed for the last 3 years, articles are specifically for a context (ej: Modular Hospitals) and only available in the standard list, your code is outdated (ej: old list).

A general solution is a replacement is proposed by MSF Supply or by the OC technical referent.

My code is validated in one MSF section but not in MSF Supply. Why?

The subscription is not automatic. It comes subscribed and available in the Portal once there is an order in MSF Supply. If the OC does not subscribe it will not be available in Unifield.

My code is validated in other OC but not in MSF Supply and I want to place an order. How I should do?

This happens commonly in intersectional missions. The mission should get the approval from the technical referent of OC. If approved, s/he validates the OC in the article required and MSF Supply can follow the order flow.

Attention: some codes that are specific for certain contexts sometimes appears for other projects which are not applicable. If that is your case, please contact the technical referent of the mission or the referent of your cell.

What is the difference between validation and subscription?

The subscription on an article, for an OC or an ESC, indicates that the information of this article will flow to downstream systems, be it the OC's order tool or the ESC's database​. It means “I want the information in my system”. The subscription is the logical and functional consequence of the concept of Validation.

The validation will indicate that an OC has approved the Article for field use in a specific context. This can be narrowed down further than the full OC level, to the level of a project and activity. It means ‘I want to use it’.

Validation for non-standard articles, the mission MSF should require the approval from the technical referent in the respective domain:

• Drugs – the mission OCB contacts the  Drugs Management Pharmacist in OCB;

• Medical Devices – the mission should fill the ‘Non Standard Product Form’ and provide it to the Desk Operator in MSF Supply;

• Logistique and Biomed – in general there are referents for Biomed, IT, Telecom, Transport, Energy, Cold Chain to with whom the mission should require the approval. The categories without an OC referent , the MSF Supply proceeds with the analysis and yes/no validation.

Once the article is validated and the feasibility of sourcing is confirmed, MSF Supply approves and assures the code is available for future orders in the system.

For the external partners: Unless otherwise agreed between MSF Supply and its partner, the catalogue available to partners is limited to the one available in the partner standard list