19KG1026Q0008 - Q and A.pdf

SBU - CONTRACTING AND ACQUISITIONS

Questions and Answers

Organization of the Freedom 250 C5+1

U.S. Government Alumni Summit

Solicitation Number: 19KG1026Q0008

Question submission deadline: September 8, 2026

Offer due date: Sep 16, 2025 05:00 pm UTC+06

Q1: Could you confirm whether BishkekGSOProcurement@state.gov is the correct email for submission? Yes.

Additionally, could you clarify should the technical and financial offers be submitted together or separately and are the documents required to be password-protected? In order for a quotation to be considered, you must complete and submit the following:

1. Volume 1 – Pricing

2. Volume 2 - Technical Requirements

*(see page 2 of the solicitation)

Q2: 1. Summit catering headcount — The SOW indicates approximately 100 total attendees, but lunches and coffee breaks are requested for only 85. Should we budget 85 or 100 participants for lunches and coffee breaks on each Summit day? If you confirm 100 conference participants but 85 for catering only, how do you expect to clarify which participants have access to coffee breaks and buffet lunch, and which don't?

Participants are 70 + 15 maybe experts, and Embassy staff from Bishkek and other CA countries.

That is why it is recommended to have lunches and coffee breaks for 85.

2. Experts / accommodation — The accommodation section refers to 4 experts for up to 2 nights, while the programme later requires 5 experts/speakers, one from each Central Asian country. Can you confirm that the fifth expert is expected to be locally based in Bishkek and does not require accommodation or international travel? Also, should we price exactly 2 nights for each of the 4 international experts?

Yes, 5th expert is expected to be locally based in Bishkek. Yes, please price 2 nights for just in case, as some may not have flight options on required day.

3. Transport for the 7 Kyrgyz participants from the regions — Could you please indicate the cities/regions of origin of these 7 participants? This is necessary to price their round-trip transportation to Bishkek accurately.

Primary selected: 2 from Osh, 1 from Batken, 2 from Talas, 1 from Naryn, 1 from Karakol mailto:BishkekGSOProcurement@state.gov

Alternate (if someone from primary list can’t come): 1 from Cholpon-Ata, 2 from Batken

4. Site-visit programme and transportation — Could you please clarify the planned schedule for the National Museum and American company visits, including whether these visits will take place simultaneously or sequentially? The SOW states that the 77 participants may be split into smaller groups visiting different sites. Please confirm whether the contractor should plan transportation for the full group of 77 participants at each location, or for simultaneous smaller groups travelling to different locations.

Right now, we consider having sequentially. In the given draft agenda, it is not identified yet – please plan to have the visits taking place sequentially. Yes, it is fine to divide into smaller groups.

5. Site visits / American company — Has the American franchise/company already been selected, and can you provide its location? Also, should the contractor budget only transportation, or also any entrance fees, reservations or other costs associated with the National Museum/company visits?

Please see the updated preliminary agenda. Company representatives are invited to give master classes for free. Please consider having KFC and Nathans for the coffee break prior master classes of company representatives.

6. Gala dinner date — Could you confirm which evening the gala dinner will take place? We need this to obtain accurate hotel dinner and restaurant quotations. The SOW requires two hotel dinners plus one gala dinner, but does not identify the gala evening.

Please see the preliminary agenda

7. Conference-room setup — Could you confirm the preferred seating arrangement for the 100-person plenary room and 50-person breakout room (theatre, classroom, cabaret/round tables, etc.)? Venue capacity varies considerably depending on the setup.

Please see the preliminary agenda, and you can see when they sit in one room and when they are divided (voluntarily) into two rooms (the main room can be one of two rooms).

8. Visa support for Turkmen participants — Will the Embassy provide the official invitation letter/supporting documentation, or is the contractor expected to arrange the official invitation through a Kyrgyz entity/visa-support provider? Should visa/application fees also be included in our quotation?

It is better if full support comes from your company, but if needed we can provide required information from Embassy.

9. Photo/video delivery timing — The SOW says photos and reels should be provided “as soon as possible” and “daily.” Could you clarify whether the expectation is for edited photographs and the relevant reel to be delivered by the end of each event day, or whether delivery the following morning is acceptable? This affects whether we need a dedicated onsite editor.

By the end of each event day or whether delivery the following morning.

both options are fine

10. Event programme / agenda — The SOW refers to the Embassy’s provided agenda, but we could not identify a detailed programme in the solicitation documents. Could you please share the current draft agenda/programme for the Summit, including the timing of the conference sessions, site visits, gala dinner and any other off-site activities?

Yes

11. Number of project concepts / working groups — Attachment 1 indicates that participants will be divided into 7 groups and will develop 7 project concepts, while the main SOW states that at least 5 project concepts representing the 5 countries should be developed. Could you please confirm the required number of working groups and final project concepts?

7 groups and will develop 7 project concepts

12. Number of Summit participants — The main SOW indicates approximately 100 attendees, while Attachment 1 states that the MC and assistant will lead the two-day Summit for approximately 70 participants. Could you please confirm which headcount should be used for event planning and operational arrangements?

Participants are 70 + 15, maybe experts= 85

13. Number of social media reels — The main SOW requires 3 reels: Day 1, Day 2, and one reel covering the American company visit, while Attachment 1 requires only 2 reels, for Day 1 and Day 2. Could you please confirm whether the contractor should provide 2 or 3 reels?

3 reels

Q3:

1. What is the audience/participants. It says USG alumni, so it will be an announcement for all USG alumni of all government programs in 5 countries, or will it be a targeted group of alumni of a certain program, field, and etc.?

Targeted alumni, already selected by Embassies in CA countries. We will provide the complete list with their contacts.

2. What is the overall duration of the contract/work? It says that the contract will be valid for 12 months. Does this mean there will be a follow up work post-summit? If yes, what other work needs to be considered?

Full period is 12, but the work can be completed earlier.

3. What is the start date? Given that the doc says summit dates are November 20-23, how long will the contractor have to prepare?

If you are selected, you are supposed to start working as soon as you sign the contact agreement

4. Deadline for submission is September 16, 2026. Do we also submit the names of the experts, speakers and MCs by this deadline?

You are welcome to submit names of experts (who may or may not be alumni) and MCs.

We have identified speakers among alumni; we will provide their names once the company is selected.

You are expected to identify experts, but alumni speakers will be suggested by the Embassy. No need to send names of speakers.

In addition, we can recommend experts to the company’s consideration after the company is selected.

5. Where and how do we submit the quotation?

Your quotation must be submitted electronically to BishkekGSOProcurement@state.gov not later than September 16, 2026, 5:00 pm UTC+06.

6. Where can we find the templates for the required submission documents.

Please check page 2 of the solicitation document and submit as per given Pricing and Technical requirements.

Preliminary agenda:

FREEDOM 250

C5+1 USG ALUMNI SUMMIT 2026

Alumni Profile Wall Before the opening, participants post a profile card with a photo, short professional biography, organization, and expertise. The wall becomes a physical ‘LinkedIn’ network that participants can see throughout the summit.

C5+1 USG Alumni Summit — Day 1 Agenda Skeleton

Time Room A (Main Hall) Room B

08:30– 09:00

Registration and Alumni Profile Wall walk

Promos away to participants and experts

09:00– 09:20

Official Opening and Welcome Remarks — Deputy Chief of Mission U.S. Embassy in the Kyrgyz Republic

09:20– 09:30

Introduction to the Summit and Parallel Tracks

STEM and Education

09:30– 10:30

Expert Speaker 1

Alumni Speaker 2

10:30– 11:00

Coffee Break

Entrepreneurship, Business, and Economic Cooperation

11:00– 12:00

12:00– 12:30

Teambuilding

12:30– 13:30

Lunch

Culture, Sports, and Creative Industries

13:30– 14:30

14:30 – 14:40

Break 10 min

AI, Innovation, and Digital Transformation

14:40– 15:40

15:40 – 15:50

Group photo

15:50– 16:20

Coffee Break

16:20– 18:30

Guided Visit to the National Historical Museum in Bishkek

18:30 Back to hotel

End of the first day

Day 2

Time Room A (Main Hall) Room B

09:00–09:30 Morning Team-Building Activity

Regional Security and Stability

09:30–10:30 Expert Speaker 1

10:30–11:00 Coffee Break

11:00–11:45 Alumni Project Concept Development: Stage 1

Trainer will explain the process and divide participants into 7 groups (10 people per group)

11:45–12:30 Group Work

12:30–13:30 Lunch

13:30–14:30 Group Work continues Pitch Preparation of the groups

14:30–16:00 Alumni Projects Pitch Session

16:00–16:30 Coffee Break (KFC/Nathans)

16:30–17:30 KFC brand

Chevrolet

17:30 – 19:45

Free time

19:45–22:00 Networking Gala Dinner

Participants will be invited by countries to present certificates and make country group photos

Group photo

22:00 End of the Day 2

C5+1 USG Alumni Summit — Day 1 Agenda Skeleton