AMENDMENT 00002 -1131PL24RDS31084 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS.pdf

Offers must acknowledge receipt of this amendment prior to the hour and date specified in the solicitation or as amended, by one of the following methods:

(a) By completing items 8 and 15, and returning or (c) By separate letter or electronic communication which includes a reference to the solicitation and amendment numbers. FAILURE OF YOUR ACKNOWLEDGMENT TO BE RECEIVED AT THE PLACE DESIGNATED FOR THE RECEIPT OF OFFERS PRIOR TO THE HOUR AND DATE SPECIFIED MAY RESULT IN REJECTION OF YOUR OFFER. If by virtue of this amendment you desire to change an offer already submitted, such change may be made by letter or electronic communication, provided each letter or electronic communication makes reference to the solicitation and this amendment, and is received prior to the opening hour and date specified.

E. IMPORTANT: Contractor is not is required to sign this document and return copies to the issuing office.

AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION/MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT 1. CONTRACT ID CODE

3. EFFECTIVE DATE 5. PROJECT NUMBER (If applicable)

7. ADMINISTERED BY (If other than Item 6) CODE

STANDARD FORM 30 (REV. 11/2016)

Prescribed by GSA FAR (48 CFR) 53.243

FACILITY CODE

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10A. MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT/ORDER NUMBER

10B. DATED (SEE ITEM 13)

11. THIS ITEM ONLY APPLIES TO AMENDMENTS OF SOLICITATIONS

The above numbered solicitation is amended as set forth in Item 14. The hour and date specified for receipt of Offers is extended. is not extended.

12. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION DATA (If required) copies of the amendment; (b) By acknowledging receipt of this amendment on each copy of the offer submitted;

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IT MODIFIES THE CONTRACT/ORDER NUMBER AS DESCRIBED IN ITEM 14.

CHECK ONE A. THIS CHANGE ORDER IS ISSUED PURSUANT TO: (Specify authority) THE CHANGES SET FORTH IN ITEM 14 ARE MADE IN THE CONTRACT ORDER

NUMBER IN ITEM 10A.

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C. THIS SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT IS ENTERED INTO PURSUANT TO AUTHORITY OF:

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Except as provided herein, all terms and conditions of the document referenced in Item 9A or 10A, as heretofore changed, remains unchanged and in full force and effect.

15C. DATE SIGNED

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PAGE OF PAGES

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8. NAME AND ADDRESS OF CONTRACTOR (Number, street, county, State and ZIP Code) (X)

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16B. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

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Previous edition unusable

2. AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION NUMBER

1131PL24RDS31084-A00002

1131PL

N/A

TYRONE W. JOHNSON, CONTRACTING OFFICER

14. DESCRIPTION OF AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION (Organized by UCF section headings, including solicitation/contract subject matter where feasible.)

The purpose of this Amendment 00002 is in response to Questions and Answers (BOLD) in reference to solicitation number: 1131PL24RDS31084 for the DESK STUDY SERIES FOR GLOBAL AGRIBUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES. All Else Remain Unchanged.

1XQ53

1131PL

Office of Acquisition Management United States Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) 1101 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 1100 Arlington, Virginia 22209

SAME AS BLOCK 6

4. REQUISITION/PURCHASE REQUISITION NUMBER

2024084

1131PL24RDS31084

1 6

See Block 31c.

02/16/2024

SOLICITATION NUMBER: 1131PL24RDS31084

TITLE: Worldwide: Desk Study Series for Global Agribusiness Opportunities Amendment 00002 Questions and Answers (Bold)

Continuation Page from SF 30 Block 14:

Solicitation #1131PL24RDS31084 Amendment 00002 Questions and Answers (BOLD)

1. Can USTDA please advise on the possibility that a Desk Study contractor can avoid a conflict of interest if they are also working with a project sponsor on a feasibility study application? Section D.1.2 states that "USTDA intends to contract with multiple U.S.

companies." Is there a possibility for the selected contractor for this Desk Study to also support a USTDA-funded feasibility study during the period of performance of this contract as long as a different Desk Study contractor evaluates the concept note to avoid a conflict of interest?

Answer: Please read PWS: Section D.1.11. IMPARTIALITY It is essential that the DM be conducted with complete impartiality and objectivity and that the Contractor and its Subcontractors not obtain an unfair competitive advantage in USTDA-funded activities resulting from this Contract. In accordance with the principles of FAR Subpart 9.5 and USTDA policy, the Contractor and its Subcontractors, if any, for this Contract shall be ineligible to compete for, as a prime or subcontractor or otherwise, USTDA-funded activities that result from this Contract, …

2. Can USTDA please confirm that all employees and consultants engaged as part of this contract must be US citizens?

Answer: As stated in the solicitation: Award is limited to U.S. Firms or U.S.

individuals. Contractor and U.S. subcontractor employees used shall be either U.S.

citizens or non-U.S. citizens lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the United States.

3. Many US small businesses have human resource limitations that may require planning to ensure that staff are available for intermittent Desk Study reviews that may arise unexpectedly. Will contractor staff assigned to this project be expected to remain on call and available at all times, and how much lead time will the contractor have to mobilize and schedule staff for a project review/deliverable? Separately, is the contractor required to assume each review that is assigned or is there an option to decline a particular desk study in limited circumstances?

Answer: The contractor will need to respond to requests in a timely manner and would be required to assume each review as requested by USTDA.

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4. Can USTDA provide a price range to level the playing field and ensure that offerors are neither overestimating or underestimating the total budget?

Answer: No. Request that the Offeror provide a price proposal.

5. Section D.1.5 on page 18 states "...if deemed necessary by the Regional Teams, the DS contractor would travel to the Indo-Pacific region for up to two weeks to evaluate project proposals." Given the guidance in the solicitation and uncertainty relative to the number and destinations of potential international trips, it will be very hard for offerors to effectively estimate travel costs. This may lead to significant discrepancies in offerors' price proposals, which can potentially impact USTDA's proposal evaluation. The uncertainty also introduces risk for the contractor in the case that USTDA requests a number of trips during implementation that exceeds those included in the proposal budget despite an offeror's best efforts to estimate a reasonable number of trips. Can USTDA please provide a plug figure for international travel in the proposal budget to level the playing field and reduce risk for offerors?

Answer: There is only one trip of up to two weeks to the Indo-Pacific. Please provide an estimate for a two-week trip to three locations in South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific Islands.

6. Is there an indication of budget for this assignment?

Answer: See Response to questions 4: Request the Offeror provide a price proposal

7. Do small businesses require SBA certification to submit a bid for this assignment?

Answer: As noted in the solicitation: Small Business must be registered in www.sam.gov .

8. Can the proposed team include non-U.S. Citizens lawfully employed (e.g. with an H1B visa) in the United States?

Answer: See answer to question #2: Also, See Attachment III of the solicitation :

Nationality:

9. Page 15 of the Performance Work Statement mentions feasibility studies for projects in the transportation sector. Does this assignment cover projects in both agribusiness and transportation sectors?

Answer: Just agribusiness.

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10. We would like to know if this is a brand new contract OR if there is (was) an incumbent performing these services. If not brand new, could you please provide the current / previous contract number?

Answer: Brand new contract/no incumbent

11. Answerers to questions are time sensitive, creating proposals are time consuming, if the answers can’t be turned around within a day or two, an extension of the due date is requested early in the process.

Answer: No extension to this solicitation.

12. Looking at the total scope of work, conducting up to 10 initial reviews of feasibility proposals, fully developing funding for up to 7 activities etc., it could be any number of reviews between 1-10, it could be any number of funding activities between 1-7, there’s unknown complexities, unknown lengths of time required to complete tasks, having no point of reference or certain numbers makes budgeting an uneducated guess, is there any guidance the govt can give on typical duration of the tasks or any point of reference that would aid us in pricing?

Answer: No. Government request Offeror provide their own estimate for the duration of the tasks.

13. Does a company with no past performance have a realistic chance of being awarded a contract?

Answer: The award is based on the Technical Evaluation Criteria (Technical, Price and Past Performance). Adjectival Rating for contractor with no past performance states: Offeror will receive an Unknown Confidence (Neutral) - No recent/relevant performance record is available, or the offeror’s performance record is so sparse that no meaningful confidence assessment rating can be reasonably assigned.

14. Are contactors that currently have no employees with the relevant experience allowed to submit potential subcontractors and employees with relevant experience as past performance?

Answer: Offeror must submit most recent employees and subcontractors, not potential employee’s and subcontractors with relevant experience as past performance. Please read: E.5. Instruction for Submission of Offer/Proposals: e.

Past Performance Information:

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15. Over the life of the contract, what is the percentage chance(estimate) the contractor would have to travel overseas?

Answer: Section D.1.5 on page 18 states "...if deemed necessary by the Regional Teams, the DS contractor would travel to the Indo-Pacific region for up to two weeks to evaluate project proposals." This indicates one overseas trip.

16. Over the life of the contract, on how many different occasions(estimate) could a contractor be required to travel overseas?

Answer: Section D.1.5 on page 18 states "...if deemed necessary by the Regional Teams, the DS contractor would travel to the Indo-Pacific region for up to two weeks to evaluate project proposals." This indicates one overseas trip.

17. Over the life of the contract, how many times(estimate) will travel be required to the offices in VA or other locations within the US?

Answer: None.

18. Not mentioned in the PWS, but potentially could travel to Africa be required?

Answer: No.

19. Over the life of the contract, will there be extended periods of time as in week(s) where the contractor will not have an assignment and will not be able to invoice the government?

Answer: Yes.

20. How do we quote for travel if we don’t know if or how many times or where exactly we’re required to travel or what human resource expertise is needed or the duration of the assignment or whatever unforeseeable travel expense that could arise during the life of the contract? As I understand the PWS, the contractor could not be required to travel at all, or could be required to travel to the Indo Pacific any number of times. With all of the mentioned unknowns, would it be better if the government set a fixed travel budget, if the funds aren’t used, they go back to govt, if it’s insufficient funds, more funds are added?

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Answer: There is only one trip of up to two weeks to the Indo-Pacific. Please provide an estimate for a two-week trip to three locations in South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific Islands.

21. Is there a ball park budget range for this solicitation?

Answer: Please see response to question number: 4.

22. Is this a new requirement with no incumbent?

Answer: Yes, it is a new requirement with no incumbent.

23. To be clear, Q. Activity Budget Attach I-11 & Attach IV is not part of the proposal, but is part of accounting after the contract is won?

Answers: All the Attachments of Section D.2. ATTACHMENTS are all part of the solicitation for your proposal.

24. Attach III-line item 0004 LOT is where our travel budget for the entire project goes?

Answer: SF 1449 Under CLIN 0004 is to address payment schedule for travel payment (under Cost Reimbursement). Also in the solicitation, Attachment IV:

Sample pricing excel sheet is also provided for price break-down which includes Cost Reimbursements (Other Direct Cost).

25. If the work isn’t completed within the allotted 24 months, will automatic extensions be given or would the contract be required to recompeted.

Answer: Contracting Officer has the authority exercise the Options to extend up to 6 months as stated in the clauses.