OD Addendum Solicitation Questions and Answers.pdf

OD Activity Solicitation Questions- SOL 72066320BMA00001 Addendum

Question # 1. Can USAID kindly provide recent approaches they have leveraged, or are currently using, to adapt to the Mission’s changing circumstances and achieve desired organizational improvements?

Answer: Please see the “Background” and “Problem Statement” sections of the Addendum.

USAID/Ethiopia’s development context is dynamic, and the Mission has experienced various (and sometimes turbulent) shifting operational and programmatic priorities. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought these challenges to a sharp focus.

The Mission is seeking new and innovative, research-based and evidence-based approaches to OD that (1) renew a common and omnipresent organizational ethos that effectively guides individual and team behaviors to support broad-based Mission goals and objectives; (2) facilitate the planning, implementation, and institutionalization of appropriate Mission technology, systems and structures in relation to Mission challenges and context and (3) improve the identified hard and soft skills that enhance the Mission’s ability to achieve its goals and objectives.

Recent approaches include: Focused attention on (CLA) collaboration, learning, and adaptation

(CLA) across the mission. The development of online training(s), creation of interdisciplinary project teams, establishment of a matrix-management structure to facilitate work across teams, the drafting of roles and responsibilities and documents to support staff transitions. The development of the leadership charter and the use of Insights Discovery as a tool can offer increased self-awareness and strategies for building effective teams in any environment. We seek to maintain key relationships with internal and external partners while also identifying critical points for successful transition, all with minimal disruptions for programmatic and mission success.

Djibouti is a critical partner whose cooperation advances USG interests and USAID/Djibouti plays a key role in helping the country achieve its development needs. Recent changes in Mission circumstances include:

1) The availability of new COVID Funds allows for the development of new programs;

2) With the Agency’s new initiatives such as Private Sector Engagement and New

Partnership Initiative, USAID/Djibouti has the opportunity to advance Djibouti's Journey to Self-Reliance by working with private sector and expanding relationships with new partners;

3) The GoDj has recently been more favorable and open to energy-related initiatives and overall innovative opportunities in that sector. USAID/Djibouti has initiated discussions with Power Africa;

4) Climate change has been the main factor responsible for recent recurring floods in

Djibouti and this had a direct impact on our response to help the GoDj with natural disasters. USAID/Djibouti is exploring more flexible and adaptive approaches for future interventions.

Question # 2. Can USAID kindly describe the Mission’s current IT access/bandwidth given a

COVID-19 affected working environment (i.e. work from home, regular power outages in Addis

Ababa, etc)?

Answer: Given COVID-19, the Mission is on 100% telework status. A limited number of staff come into the office on a case-by-case basis to conduct Mission critical work. In Ethiopia, there is only one internet provider and during times of civil/political unrest, the Government will turn the internet off country wide. There are also regular power outages in Addis. Communications and internet access are a challenge.

Question # 3. Can USAID please provide an illustrative amount of time the Ethiopia Mission leadership is willing and/or able to spend on organizational development on an ongoing basis (e.g.

as a %).

Answer: Mission Leadership fully supports organizational development. An exact time has not been determined.

Question # 4. Is the review also expected to look at how the current organizational context/ levers have affected Programme effectiveness along the USAID’s focus areas in Ethiopia and Djibouti?

Answer: The primary focus is on the current organizational development process. However, it is not limited to organizational effectiveness. This extends to programs, projects, and the need to pivot due to COVID-19.

Question # 5. Will the effectiveness of coordination between the USAID/Ethiopia &

USAID/Djibouti and their implementing partners be covered in the review as an area that could be impacted by organizational contexts? Similarly, will the project cover staff working in the mission in Ethiopia and Programme in Djibouti only or would be extended to programmes/projects being implemented by partners including both from the government and/or private/civil society sector.

Answer: The priority is the organizational development including organizational structures and how the structures are operated. This includes programmes/projects being implemented by partners including both from the government and/or private/civil society sector. Effectiveness and coordination between Djibouti and Ethiopia are included.

Question # 6. What kind of MIS / reporting framework or dashboards does the mission currently have for internal and external purposes?

Answer: The Mission recently adopted the Development Information Solution (DIS) web application as a management information solution (MIS), which is integrated with many internal

USAID financial, procurement, and reporting systems. DIS is the Mission’s main application for managing its program data from portfolio management, performance (indicator) tracking, activity/project design and management, and program reporting.

The Mission has access to an internal Tableau server for publishing dashboards that can link to both internal and external data sources.

The Mission’s main programmatic reporting framework is our CDCS Results Framework found at: https://www.usaid.gov/ethiopia/cdcs. In addition, there are reporting frameworks at the project and activities levels that are more output orientated. The Mission has identified two operational learning questions (See: See Attachment 4: SELF-RELIANCE LEARNING AGENDA Evidence to Support the Journey to Self-Reliance) to better understand the role of self-reliance in the scope of work.

1. How can different approaches to design, procurement, and management of projects and activities foster or inhibit (1) multi-sectoral integration and (2) self-reliance, and (3) adaptive management?

2. What promising partner engagement practices emerge from these approaches, and what are the observed benefits?

3. Internally, how does USAID’s organizational structures and staffing, policies, guidance, technical assistance, and capacity building enable USAID/Ethiopia to foster or inhibit (1) multi-sectoral integration, (2) self-reliance, (3) adaptive management?

Question # 7. We are keen to participate in the upcoming bids from the mission in Ethiopia for example in the health space. However, if we do participate in this project, will this in any way create a conflict of interest and disqualify us for participating in other competitive bidding processes?

Answer: We are reluctant to comment definitively about future restrictions.

https://www.usaid.gov/ethiopia/cdcs

In principle (and at this stage/time), there is nothing that would stop the ODA contractor from bidding on any other Mission procurements including upcoming opportunities in our Health portfolio.

The OD contract would likely have the necessary stipulations to ensure that the incumbent would not have any advantage in future Mission procurements. Any preclusions would also be discussed/clarified/negotiated with the offeror/contractor at the appropriate time.

Question # 8. If submitting the Expression of Interest with a partner, and the EOI is deemed to have merit by USAID and pass the criteria/eligibility stated in the EOI, can both the lead and partner be able to participate in the co-creation workshop/session?

Answer: Yes, that’s possible. However, note that the Mission will extend the invitation to the

Prime submitter. It will be up to the Prime to invite which of its already-proposed partners, if any, to invite to the co-creation session(s). We anticipate that the Prime will make the decision whom to invite to the co-creation session(s) based on the feedback it receives from the Mission.

Question # 9. Are progress or final reports available from previous OD interventions and other soft skill training interventions such as the leadership training conducted in 2019 that can be shared?

Answer: On average the Mission has held retreats every 6 months. The main section of the

Executive Summary of the Final Report has been shared to provide a broad overview of topics and take away points. (See Attachment 5: Organizational Development Retreat VI Report, November

2019). A desired outcome is to share/contribute to learning from institutional experience and be positioned as an innovator/early adopter and with the expectation for sharing broadly.

Question # 10. How many CLA champions are currently engaged at USAID/Ethiopia and

USAID/Djibouti?

Answer: There are approximately 20 CLA champions including champions from Djibouti and

Ethiopia. The CLA Advisory Group will serve as the steering committee for all CLA matters in the mission. The CLA Advisory Group is led by the Program Office with representatives from each Development Objective (DO) and Project.

Question # 11. In addition to Insights Discovery, what other types of personality and team assessments have been conducted across the Mission?

Answer: The primary assessment for personality was the Insight Discovery and one-on-one discussions with nine members of the Program Office using the CLA Maturity Spectrum to gauge the CLA levels in the Mission. The temperature check using the CLA Maturity Spectrum tool revealed the overall CLA levels as “Expanding” implying that there needs to be a concerted effort of moving the Mission to the aspirational level of “Institutionalizing” CLA. It is based on these

“points” identified by staff that specific recommendations set forth on how the Mission can strengthen the incorporation of CLA approaches in the program cycle and provide for an enabling environment within the organization.

Question # 12. In the document, it states that "USAID/Ethiopia has made significant progress in introducing OD concepts to staff and have helped employees understand the organization’s vision to do their jobs more effectively". Can you kindly elaborate how "significant progress" was determined?

Answer: There was an uptake on process and we were able to engage in the process through objective measures to see the uptake and add value in this direction. The following are only examples of prior efforts:

1. Integrate CLA into projects and activities

2. Completed a mission CLA Maturity Spectrum

3. Increase staff participation/leadership in donor working groups

4. Continue to develop adaptive management processes into the activity design using expertise of staff across offices.

5. Insights profiles and training for all staff

6. Leadership coffee

7. 360 assessments

8. Agile Innovations from OD week III

9. Action items in OD reports

10. Staff presentations on personal strengths at Office-level meetings

11. Full participation in OD retreats

12. Strengthen leadership behaviors, skills and approaches of all staff, to exemplify a desire to develop a “Mission of Leaders”

13. Ethiopia and Djibouti Leadership Charters

14. For Djibouti, OD Concepts allowed staff to identify organizational strengths and weaknesses;

15. Djibouti and Ethiopia introduced matrix management principles to reinforce cross-collaboration among technical offices in the implementation of projects supporting the

USAID Mission’s new strategy

Question # 13. Do the same small business contractual parameters apply to this BAA as to other

BAAs? Specifically, the companies who are eligible to participate in this process must have not received more than $5 million from USAID over the past 5 years.

Answer: This is a full and open competitive Addendum and we are seeking innovative solutions/Expressions of Interest (EOIs) from all qualified organizations. In support of the

USAID’s interest in expanding the number and sustainability of development partners, we encourage EOIs from potential new partners including U.S. small businesses.

Question # 14. On page 1 of the Organizational Development Activity (ODA) Addendum

#0000001 to Broad Mission Announcement for USAID/Ethiopia for Improved Development

Outcomes 72066320BMA00001, it reads “USAID/Ethiopia has approximately 240 staff members, including 40 direct hires, 160 Foreign Service Nationals (FSNs), and 30 contractors. Djibouti has

2 direct hires, and 10 FSNs.” Would USAID provide an organization chart outlining the manner in which the USAID/Ethiopia Mission and Djibouti Country Program are established and operated? This could include a visual depiction of the requisite roles and reporting relationships.

Answer: A more detailed organizational chart outlining roles and responsibilities will be shared with organizations invited to the co-creation sessions(s).

Question #15. On page 1 of the Organizational Development Activity (ODA) Addendum

#0000001 to Broad Mission Announcement for USAID/Ethiopia for Improved Development

Outcomes 72066320BMA00001, it reads “From 2017 to 2019, USAID/Ethiopia and the associated Djibouti Country Program (hereafter “the Mission”) procured management consulting services to support its Organizational Development (OD) and sought support to:

● Enhance organizational culture, orienting new staff to the Mission’s values and behavioral expectations, while encouraging ongoing organizational development;

● Increase staff effectiveness through deeper personal awareness of individual behaviors and shared understanding of interpersonal and team dynamics.

● Strengthen leadership behaviors, skills and approaches of all staff, to exemplify a desire to develop a “Mission of Leaders”.

● Support continuous strategic planning, communication, and operational improvement efforts.

● Boost staff morale and cohesion through informal off-site interaction; and

● Provide support to USAID/Djibouti, a limited presence country program.

Would USAID be willing to share any prior deliverables related to this two-year period (2017-

2019) of assistance?

Answer: See response to Question # 9. Note, the focus for this solicitation is to amplify efforts to further strengthen organizational, operational effectiveness and knowledge management.

Question # 16. Would USAID please confirm this solicitation is not restricted to local contractors

(Ethiopian owned and registered)?

Answer: This is a full and open, competitive Addendum and we are seeking innovative solutions/Expressions of Interest (EOIs) from all qualified organizations. In support of the

USAID’s interest in expanding the number and sustainability of development partners, we encourage EOIs from potential new partners including Local Entities and Locally Established

Partners.

Question # 17. Given COVID-19 travel restrictions and the geographically dispersed operating model of the Mission, would USAID consider approaches that are based remotely? Would travel be required to Ethiopia and/or Djibouti? If travel is required, would the Mission be open to that being achieved via Short Term Technical Assistance, or is there a consistent in-country presence required?

Answer: The Mission is open to innovative solutions. Support can be provided remotely and through temporary travel to Ethiopia and Djibouti. If COVID-19 travel restrictions are in place when the award is made, the Contracting Officer will negotiate with the partner to the best course of action as the Mission has done with all of its awards during COVID-19.

Question # 18. The problem statement portion of the announcement references the impact of

Ethiopian political reforms as one of the reasons for recent Mission organizational shifts - does

USAID anticipate that the eventual RFP would require expertise and experience in Ethiopian democracy and governance specifically?

Answer: No, expertise in Ethiopia democracy and governance is not required however, partners that understand Ethiopian working culture would be an asset. The Mission or one of its contractors will provide updated Ethiopian context as needed.

Question # 19. Can USAID provide additional details regarding the management consulting services that were provided to the Mission in 2017-2019? Doing so may provide the ODA applicants with additional insights on the breadth and depth of OD work previously conducted and foundations to build upon.

Answer: See responses to Question #9 and Question #15. The focus for this solicitation is to amplify efforts to further strengthen organizational and operational effectiveness. The three pillars and the activities listed under each pillar are ILLUSTRATIVE only.

Question # 20. In order to gauge the level of effort needed and availability of personnel, can

USAID provide an estimate of how many co-creation sessions/workshops are anticipated during

Stage 1?

Answer: The level of effort of the anticipated Co-Creation will depend, among other things, on the quality of EOIs received and the level of engagement at the initial Co-creation session. It is estimated that there will be between 1-2 workshops, potentially 2 or 3 days. Exact details and format will be provided at a later date. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, it is likely that the Co-

Creation will be done virtually.

Question # 21. Can USAID provide additional information regarding the types of USAID partners that may be part of the composition of the Internal Review Board? For instance, could Board members include organizations that regularly compete with those from which full proposals will be requested for the OD Activity?

Answer: USAID does not share the composition of its Internal Review Boards. The Mission takes great care to ensure that there are no conflicts of interest in its review/evaluation processes.

Question # 22. Can USAID clarify whether all forms of graphics – including figures, tables, charts, and text boxes – are excluded from the 1,000-word limit?

Answer: Yes, we confirm that all forms of graphics (including figures, tables, charts and text boxes) are excluded from the 1,000-word limit.

Question # 23. How many organizations does USAID anticipate inviting to the co-creation workshop? One to Four? Four to Eight? Eight to 12? More than 12? As many as possible?

Answer: USAID remains flexible in this regard. The Mission is looking for innovative solutions/Expressions of Interest (EOIs) from all qualified organizations. The total number of organizations invited to the Co-creation sessions will largely depend on the quality of EOIs received.

Question # 24. Does USAID expect that participants in the co-creation workshop will then form teams to develop concept papers, as has been done in previous co-creation workshops? If so, approximately how many organizational participants does USAID expect each team to include?

One to two? Two to five? More than five?

Answer: USAID remains flexible in this regard as well. Participants in the Co-creation session(s) may potentially form teams, but it is not a requirement. USAID will also not mandate that a team have a certain number of organizations. The Mission is looking to solve the problems articulated in the Addendum in the most efficient way possible.

Question # 25. Approximately how many concept paper teams does USAID anticipate will be invited to submit full proposals? One-two? Three to five? More than five?

Answer: USAID remains flexible in this regard. The number of teams invited to proceed to the next stage (post Co-creation session) will be highly dependent on what transpires during the Co-creation session.

Question # 26. On page 3, under the Solutions Sought Section, the Addendum states: “It is important to note that the three pillars and the activities listed under each pillar are

ILLUSTRATIVE only.” Could USAID please clarify if it is that only the activities are illustrative, or are the pillars also illustrative? If the pillars are illustrative, what is the organizational development challenge(s) for which the Mission is seeking a solution, if not the pillars?

Answer: The three pillars and the activities listed under each pillar are ILLUSTRATIVE only.

This applies to Djibouti as well. Please refer to the Addendum’s Problem Statement.

Question # 27. On page 5, under the Submission Instructions Section, the Addendum states that

EOIs will “not exceed 1,000 words…” Introducing new/innovative approaches will require a more in-depth explanation given that these approaches are not being implemented ubiquitously. Offerors presenting unfamiliar or complex approaches will need to use a large portion of the word count in order to give USAID a coherent image of the tangible application(s). Given this, would USAID consider increasing the overall word limit for EOI submissions so offerors can introduce and explain innovative and adaptive approaches, in addition to addressing the other Addendum requirements such as identifying talent and presenting organizational experience?

Answer: USAID is not increasing the overall word limit. It will be critical to stay focused on the substantive information.

Question # 28. In reference to Attachment 3, USAID/Ethiopia Roles and Responsibilities in Low to High Integrated Development Programming, could USAID kindly expand further on how the

Roles and Responsibilities were developed?

Answer: The Roles and Responsibilities document was developed incrementally through multiple

Organization Development Workshops, guidance from the Mission’s Front Office, and feedback from each group represented in the document.

Question # 29. In the last paragraph of the section “Solutions Sought” of the Organizational

Development Activity (ODA)’s Addendum #0000001, USAID/Ethiopia mentions that the co-creation process to achieve the ODA objectives “could potentially result in one or more activities that contribute to innovative approaches to OD interventions at USAID/Ethiopia and

USAID/Djibouti. The Mission has budgeted $2.5 million over two years for this activity.” We have the following questions regarding these parameters:

Could USAID please clarify if offerors should propose/describe just one comprehensive activity, or can offerors propose more than one activity, for example, one activity for USAID/Ethiopia and another one for USAID/Djibouti?

Would USAID please clarify if the $2.5 million budget is a firm ceiling amount, or if the Mission could possibly increase its funding provided the chosen concept paper and subsequent full proposal are costed at more than $2.5 million?

Answer: It is up to the offeror to decide how best to tackle the problems presented and whether it makes sense to propose/describe a comprehensive activity or multiple activities. The Mission does not expect to exceed the $2.5 million ceiling for this activity.

Question # 30. In the Illustrative Activities for Pillar 3, the Addendum includes: “Provide coaching to strategic positions within the Mission to more effectively support the Mission’s goals and objectives.” If an offeror were to propose this type of coaching, could USAID confirm approximately how many of the 252 positions in both Ethiopia and Djibouti Missions are considered strategic?

Answer: Please note that Pillar 3 (like the other two) is simply illustrative. It is expected that the mission as a whole will be engaged in this process.

Question # 31. In order to ensure compliance with AIDAR requirements that contractor’s CCN staff salaries and benefits should not exceed those paid by the USAID Mission to CCN direct hires, could USAID please provide a copy of the Local Employee Compensation Plan?

Answer: Please see below the general salary ranges that the Mission considers reasonable:

Category of Employees Annual Salary Range

Driver/Attendants/runners $ 2,625 - $ 9,117

Reproduction Clerk/Junior Clerk $ 6,820 - $12,268

Junior Assistant $ 8,412 - $21,829

Senior Assistant $14,033 - $25,253

Accountant/Officer Manager $18,740 - $41,263

Professional/Senior Professional $27,642 - $59,999

Question # 32. Has the Ethiopia Mission and/or the Djibouti Country Program conducted a CLA

Self-Assessment?

Answer: The Ethiopia Mission has conducted a CLA Self-Assessment. Djibouti did not conduct the CLA Self-Assessment yet. The following are recommendations that came from

USAID/Ethiopia’s assessment:

● Mission Management and the Program Office could identify the CLA/Knowledge management priorities and communicate these to teams while providing support to opportunities that intentionally and systematically reinforce CLA/KM concepts and practices.

● The Program Office could host a mission-wide learning event to reflect on how teams and activities are integrating CLA in their work, using best practices from technical offices and

IPs. These could be collated and make available the examples shared by staff undertaking the CLA course.

● The CLA solicitation language may need to be revised and made more explicit on collaboration between partners, particularly those with common objectives, are collocated and beneficiaries overlap.

● Support the development of a standard process for onboarding and offboarding staff that captures the programmatic aspects underpinning staff performance and motivation, and organizational health including culture.

● The need to support the development of a system to help the agency and implementing partners learn more quickly and make iterative, timely course corrections with the following internal and implementing partners.

Question # 33. Is there an Ethiopia Mission and/or the Djibouti Country Program-based CLA

Plan?

Answer: Yes, Ethiopia’s Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS) CLA Plan was recently approved in June. The public version is attached [see Attachment # 6: COUNTRY

DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION STRATEGY (CDCS)]. USAID/Djibouti has a CLA Plan that is included in their draft PMP.

Question # 34. Does the Ethiopia Mission and/or the Djibouti Country Program have an Adaptive

Management Plan?

Answer: Not specifically, however the Ethiopia Mission has this in the CDCS CLA Plan:

During the CDCS, USAID/Ethiopia will need to navigate a shifting development context and implement an integrated strategy. Adaptive management--building on evidence to make intentional decisions about programming--will help the Mission to improve its relevance and effectiveness and best support Ethiopia’s self-reliance and development.

As the Mission’s 11 projects serve to operationalize the integrated strategy, the majority of CLA activities within the Mission will occur through projects. Each Project LME Plan outlines how its

Project team members will collaborate, learn, and adapt to best achieve the Project purposes and contribute collectively to the CDCS. To achieve adaptive management, it necessitates that each staff member internalizes CLA concepts as embodied in the Mission of Leaders charter.

Development Objective leads, Project Managers, AORs/CORs, USAID support team members

(especially for learning, monitoring, and evaluation), and adaptive implementing partners.

The Mission strongly believes that much of the adaptive management power is derived from ongoing engagement with partners, activities, and beneficiaries in the field. As such, USAID/Ethiopia will use appropriate learning, monitoring, and evaluation tools, utilization-focused learning agendas, annual portfolio reviews (programmatic and operational) and invest in pause and reflect moments that can surface evidence from the field. Moreover, planning must also be in sync with execution.

To enable this, the Mission will continue to design flexible projects and mechanisms that foster rather than inhibit adaptation. At the activity level, this will include design choices around technical scopes, instrument selection, management and staffing requirements, the SAGE process, continuing use of crisis modifiers, windows of opportunity, inception periods, or scenario planning as appropriate. All USAID/Ethiopia offices will also work to streamline the process of modifying agreements.

At the strategy level, these opportunities will examine questions such as:

● Shifting development landscape, such as changing needs or Government of Ethiopia

(GOE) priorities or partner investments;

● Feedback on and evidence about current programming, with USAID/Ethiopia partners, beneficiaries, and the GOE;

● Good practices (programming or processes) to share within the Mission

● Potential gaps or efficiency gains across programming levels or with other actors; and

● Other support that would be helpful within the Mission to best realize the CDCS and adaptive management.

Throughout the CDCS period the Mission commits to using adaptive management as one way to strengthen partnerships and Ethiopia’s Journey to Self-Reliance. In advancing true partnership, USAID/Ethiopia will endeavor to involve other actors in learning and adaptation, including decision making. Joint learning and decision making, where possible, will best share information, integrate perspectives outside of USAID, and facilitate buy-in and collective adaptation. Such substantive involvement in evidence-based adaptation will better align the Mission’s portfolio with other development partners and GOE and promote Ethiopian leadership.

USAID/Djibouti does not have a specific plan but the Mission does apply adaptive measures during the implementation phase of its programs and mostly relies on critical assumptions identified in the activity PDs.

Question # 35. What CLA/Adaptive Management requirements does the Ethiopia Mission and/or the Djibouti Country Program have for its IPs?

Answer: There is an opportunity to really focus on the ADAPTIVE piece of CLA and put adaptive management into practice. To achieve adaptive management, it necessitates that each staff member internalizes CLA concepts as embodied in the Mission of Leaders charter. Development Objective leads; Project Managers, AORs/CORs, USAID support team members (especially for learning, monitoring, and evaluation), and adaptive implementing partners are all necessary to realize adaptive management with the Mission.

The Mission strongly believes that much of the adaptive management power is derived from ongoing engagement with partners, activities and beneficiaries in the field. Planning must also be in sync with execution. There is a need to develop structures and a system that supports CLA and the adaptive management.

USAID/Djibouti does include CLA/Adaptive Management requirements in their solicitations.

Once selected, the IP’s MEL Plan includes a CLA component that is submitted to the Mission for approval. USAID/Djibouti promotes collaboration with its IPs by organizing bi-weekly joint meetings to discuss lessons learned and enhance experience-sharing. The results from those meetings – in the form of qualitative data – are documented, shared internally, and analyzed to assess achieved results and apply adaptive measures as necessary.

Question # 36. What flexibility/constraints does the missions have (from CIO or elsewhere) related to technology platforms, including but limited to those used for virtual meetings (e.g., Zoom, WebEx) and collaboration (e.g., planning tools, document management tools, etc)?

Answer: Google Meets is the primary point of virtual connection and sharing and collaborating documents via Google shared drive. USAID also utilizes Adobe Connect, has access to Huddle

(although not utilized at the Mission). The Mission also utilizes WebEx. Zoom is restricted --

Mission personnel can only accept invitations (not initiate a meeting) and are not authorized to download Zoom applications.

Question # 37. What was the process (facilitator/support as well as staff participation) to develop the Leadership Charter?

Answer: The Leadership charter was co-created by the Mission with the help of the facilitators.

This was drafted by the Mission Management Team (MMT) during OD retreats. The MMT then presented the draft to the whole Mission staff in one of the OD plenary sessions. The Charter further refined with inputs from the whole Mission staff, and then it was finalized and endorsed again in one of the OD Week plenary sessions. The result is a collectively agreed set of behaviors which should be encouraged, plus some which should be discouraged. It can also act as a yardstick to measure our own behavior, and that of our colleagues, and form a basis for accountability and development.

Question # 38. How wedded to the Insights tool are the Mission and the Country Program?

Answer: The Insights tool is an optional tool.

Question #39. What existing processes/events exist for the Mission and/or the Country Program for staff collaboration and engagement (e.g., retreats, etc.)?

Answer: USAID/ Ethiopia and Djibouti undertake the following activities to ensure effective collaboration and staff engagement. There is an open-door policy, with consistent communication and collaboration.

● Weekly staff meetings;

● All hands-on deck meeting;

● Planning huddles;

● Office retreats;

● MMT meetings;

● Development Objective Team meetings;

● Project team meetings;

● Activity design huddles;

● Project and Activity Design update meetings;

● Field visits;

● Regular meetings with representatives from the Government;

● Support and presence in coordinated meetings with other International development actors;

● Stakeholder consultations during the brainstorming phase in the design of new activities.

Question # 40. What other/related support contracts/mechanisms are currently in place that could/should be leveraged/engaged?

Answer: There are working groups that should be engaged: CLA Advisory Group, Strategic

Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE), Foreign Service National (FSN) Council and the

PIVOT team. The PIVOT training program is focused on helping the Mission improve its ability to perform private sector engagement (PSE). The Mission's PIVOT team (approximately 10 people from seven offices) is expected to champion PSE and lead the Mission's internal change management in terms of improving its way of thinking and ability to interact and partner with the private sector to solve development challenges. The Mission plans to award a CLA Platform mechanism next year to cover programmatic CLA within the Mission and external stakeholders.

For additional details on the latter, see the USAID’s Business Forecast (see:

https://www.usaid.gov/business-forecast).

https://www.usaid.gov/business-forecast

Question # 41. How engaged are the mission and/or the Country Program with PPL and HR staff in Washington?

Answer: There is consistent engagement, collaboration, and communication.

Question # 42. Can USAID/Ethiopia describe how EOIs will be used in the co-creation process

(workshop), i.e., will selected teams build upon submitted EOIs or is USAID looking to see entirely new ideas in the final concept papers?

Answer: Review the Selection Process in the OD Addendum. Co-creation is a design approach that brings people together to collectively produce a mutually valued outcome, using a participatory process that assumes some degree of shared power and decision-making. It is a time-limited process that focuses on generating a specific outcome. Concept papers could be further refinements of EOIs. Final ideas that form the basis of concept papers could be the sum (greater than its parts) of EOIs.

Question # 43. Is an intended outcome of the co-creation process a reconfiguration of selected teams?

Answer: Reconfiguration can be an outcome but it is not an intended or required outcome.

Question # 44. Can USAID/Ethiopia provide a range for the intended number of awards?

Answer: The Mission doesn’t have a set number of awards in mind. It’s possible that the Mission could make one award, multiple awards or no awards at all.

Question # 45. When does the Mission and Country Program expect staff to return?

Answer: At this time, due to COVID-19, it is unclear when all staff will return. There are a number of factors involved including the number of cases of COVID-19 in Ethiopia, Ethiopia's political and civic situation, the Embassy's Emergency Action Committee etc. The Mission is keeping staff updated weekly on changing developments.

Question # 46. Can USAID/Ethiopia list the time zones in which staff currently reside?

Answer: The majority of our staff are located in Ethiopia, Djibouti and the United States.

Question # 47. How might the ongoing unrest in Ethiopia impact this project?

Answer: The Mission’s view is that it is critically important to develop an organizational plan and pathway that recognizes the context and supports mechanisms for a resilient workforce.

Question # 48. Does Evaluation Criteria #2 (see page 6 of the Addendum) refer to USAID’s overall

Agency Mission, to USAID/Ethiopia’ Objectives, USAID/Ethiopia’s Leadership Charter, or a combination? As an example, how important are Agency-wide concepts like the Journey to Self-

Reliance, Private Sector Engagement, Effective Partnership and Procurement Reform, etc.?

Answer: Evaluation Criteria #2 refers both to the USAID (Agency-level) mission and the

Mission’s (USAID/Ethiopia and USAID/Djibouti) objectives.

Question # 49. How long does USAID/Ethiopia anticipate each stage of the Selection Process (see pages 7-8 of the Addendum) lasting?

Answer: We conservatively estimate that each stage of the Selection Process will take a month.

However, this is only an estimate on our part. Our estimate will be highly impacted by a number of factors including but not limited to: the number of EOIs received, the quality of EOIs, the availability of parties and level of engagement during the Co-creation phase, partner’s time requirements for Concept Paper and Full Proposal preparation, etc.

Question # 50. Is it possible you can inform me who is the current contractor for this effort?

Answer: There is no current contractor for this effort.