20343121Q00013 English.pdf

June 03, 2021

SUBJECT: INTER-AMERICAN FOUNDATION (IAF) MONITORING, EVALUATION, AND LEARNING

SPECIALISTS (MELS) SUPPORT FOR ECUADOR

Dear Potential Applicant, The Bureau of the Fiscal Service, on behalf of the Inter-American Foundation (IAF), is seeking applications from qualified citizens living in Ecuador to provide services as a Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Specialist (MELS) contractor under a Labor Hour Contract, as described in the following solicitation: “20343121Q00013 MELS Support Services in Ecuador.”

This contract will be awarded for a twelve-month Base Period and up to two (2), twelve-month Option Periods, which will be exercised at the discretion of the IAF. The Performance Work Statement (PWS) describes the job of the MELS Contractor. This document describes how to apply for the position and explains the selection process.

INSTRUCTIONS TO APPLICANTS

A complete application package shall include the following six (6) items:

1. A Cover Letter that demonstrates the applicant’s qualifications to perform each of the required work responsibilities identified in the PWS tasks.

2. A Curriculum Vitae (CV) that demonstrates the applicant has the required qualifications identified in the

PWS.

3. A list of three (3) references, including their title, affiliation, and contact information (telephone number, and if available, email). If there is no relevant past performance the candidate will receive a neutral rating for this factor.

4. A copy of the applicant's educational diploma(s) in social science, international development, rural development, economics, or a related field, mentioned in the CV.

5. A writing sample, in the language of the applicant’s base country, consisting of a response to the following prompt:

IAF grantees are resourceful and creative in their projects to expand economic opportunities and improve governance and peacefulness in their communities. The IAF is committed to helping grantees learn from their experiences so that grantees have greater confidence that their projects deliver their intended results.

Please describe one possible approach that the IAF could use in helping grantees learn from their projects that draws from your experience. Be as specific as possible in your answer, describing the kind of grassroots organization you worked with, the approach you used, and the benefits of this approach for the organization. Limit your answer to one page, single-spaced, using 12 Times New Roman font and one-inch margins.

6. A pricing proposal using “Attachment A - Pricing Sheet” of the solicitation. The Offeror shall propose a fixed daily rate (in U.S. dollars) for MELS services. This proposal should not include reimbursable travel costs, such as meals, lodging, and transportation. The IAF will follow guidance for local compensation based on U.S. Embassy rates, which had a maximum of US$197/day at the time the IAF prepared this solicitation. The government reserves the right to adjust the rate as needed at time of award to be in compliance with the then current maximum local compensation rate. IAF, through the Bureau for Fiscal Services, will assess pricing proposals with respect to this maximum rate and the applicant’s experience and technical rating.

Applicants must submit all of the above items to be considered for the position. Please review your application carefully before submitting to ensure it is complete.

Applications are due by June 24, 2021. They must may be submitted in the dominant language of the applicant’s base country (English, Spanish, Portuguese, or French) follow these instructions:

Write “20343121Q00013 MELS Support Services in Ecuador” on the cover letter, CV, and list of references.

Use Microsoft Office compatible files or Adobe PDF. Other file extensions will not be accepted.

Email your complete application to purchasing@fiscal.treasury.gov, with the subject line “Application for

20343121Q00013 MELS Support Services in Ecuador, Attn: Poore/Holbert.

Only complete applications, submitted to the e-mail address above, by the established due date, will be considered.

You are strongly encouraged to request a secure email to reply to if any of your documents contain PII and cannot be removed effectively.

Please send an email to purchasing@fiscal.treasury.gov referencing “20343121Q00013 MELS Support Services in Ecuador” – Encryption Request Attn: Poore/Holbert - on or before 24 hours before the request closes to request that an encrypted email message be sent to you from our agency. If you submit a request after that time, there is no guarantee that we will respond or that you will be able to go through the process to submit your response on time for the Government to consider. Once you receive the encrypted email, then you will need to open it by creating an account. Once you create an account, then you can respond to our agency’s encrypted email, which will then automatically encrypt your email response and any attachments to it for only the Government to view.

If you have any questions, please contact purchasing@fiscal.treasury.gov, with the subject line “Question for 20343121Q00013 MELS Support Services in Ecuador, Attn: Poore/Holbert.”

FOREIGN PII SPECIAL NOTICE

Please be aware that if you email documents containing personally identifiable information (PII), the information may not be secure, and your email may be intercepted or otherwise viewed against your wishes.

Examples of PII are, but not limited to, education attainment documents that contain the individual’s name and home address, financial transactions, medical history, and criminal or employment history and information; which can be used to distinguish or trace an individual’s identity, such as their name, social security number, national ID number, date and place of birth, mother’s maiden name, biometric records, photograph, physical home and/or email address, phone number, driver’s license, etc., including any other personal information which is linked or linkable to an individual.

Please:

1. DO NOT send by email a copy of an identification card with a photograph such as a driver’s license, national identification card, or passport, etc. with your response.

2. DO NOT include your physical and mailing address, etc. in your Cover Letter, Curriculum Vitae (CV), Resume, body of the email, and supporting Education Diploma or Training Certificates in your response.

Please mark out with permanent black marker your physical or mailing address only in your Education Diploma or Training Certificates.

Your name still needs to be on all of the above documents.

The Government may request a hard copy of one (1) or more of the aforementioned items as proof in a later phase of the Evaluation Process and as part of the security background check after award.

Thank you for your interest in IAF. We look forward to reviewing your application.

David Holbert, Contracting Officer

SELECTION PROCESS

The IAF will evaluate applications in the following phases:

PHASE I – Initial Review The IAF will initially filter applicants to ensure they meet a minimum level of requirements (“go/no go factors”), below.

Go/No-Go Factors

Applicants will only be considered for the position if they:

1. Submit an application that is complete and on time.

2. Reside in Mexico and are able to legally work in the country at the time of award.

3. Demonstrate native fluency in the language of their assigned country, as reflected in the language used in the application itself and working experience in-country.

4. Possess at minimum a bachelor’s degree in social science, international development, rural development, economics, statistics, or other related fields.

5. Have at least three (3) years of professional field-based experience monitoring and/or evaluating, international development programs. At least half of this experience must be in-country.

PHASE II - Required Qualifications

Applicants who meet these basic requirements will then be assessed according to the technical factors deemed essential for this position.

1. Minimum of a bachelor’s degree in social science, international development, rural development, economics, or a related field. A master’s degree in those same areas is preferred.

2. Minimum of three years’ experience in monitoring and/or evaluating development projects using a variety of tools, such as surveys, interviews, and participative research methods.

3. Demonstrated understanding of grassroots development in practice, such as the nature of these organizations, what they set out to provide their communities, and how they work.

4. Experience in doing fieldwork in developing countries, ideally at the grassroots level (e.g., community organizations, local associations, farmer cooperatives, etc.)

5. Ability to present an application that is well written, effectively structured (easy to read), consistently formatted, and free of grammatical and typographical errors

6. Strong written English/Spanish/Portuguese/French and Haitian Creole, depending on assigned country.

Writing Sample. Applicants will be asked to submit a writing sample with their application in response to the following prompt:

IAF grantees are resourceful and creative in their projects to expand economic opportunities and improve governance and peacefulness in their communities. The IAF is committed to helping grantees learn from their experiences so that grantees have greater confidence that their projects deliver their intended results.

Please describe one possible approach that the IAF could use in helping grantees learn from their projects that draws from your experience. Be as specific as possible in your answer, describing the kind of grassroots organization you worked with, the approach you used, and the benefits of this approach for the organization. Limit your answer to one page, single-spaced, using 12 Times New Roman font and one-inch margins.

Applicants will be rated on the following factors for the writing sample:

1. Answer is technically sound, reflecting an understanding of at least one possible approach to promoting learning with grassroots organizations.

2. Argument is clearly articulated, including topic sentences and supporting ideas.

3. Structure is clear, allowing the reader to easily follow the argument.

4. Formatting is correct and consistent according to the guidelines provided in the prompt.

All applicants determined to be excellent or acceptable in PHASE II will be moved to PHASE III.

PHASE III – Interview

The Evaluation Panel reserves the right to only interview the most highly qualified candidates from Phase II.

The IAF will interview the remaining applicants through videoconference and a standard set of questions to further assess the candidate’s capabilities to effectively serve as a MELS. Questions will assess the candidates’ understanding of grassroots development, how their skills and experience apply to the needs of the IAF, and how effective they communicate orally.

Interview

Questions asked during the interview will be consistent among applicants and relevant to the requirements as described in the solicitation and listed below.

1. Understanding of grassroots development: Demonstrates a sound understanding of grassroots development in theory (the advantages of locally led and collective action to addressing development challenges) and in practice (reflecting familiarity with grassroots efforts).

2. Relevance of skills and experience: Provides well-supported description of how their skills and experience would contribute to their effectiveness as a MELS, including in working with marginalized groups and with country teams.

3. Oral Communication Skills: Is clear, articulate, and congenial in how they express themselves throughout the interview.

All applicants with favorable interviews will continue to Phase IV.

PHASE IV - Past Performance

The references questions will be consistent for all past performance references and will be relevant to similar work performed in comparison to this requirement. A record of references contacted, questions asked, and responses received will be included with this worksheet as documentation supporting the chosen rating.

IAF will practice diligence to contact all references provided for applicants being considered for Award. However, time will dictate the number of contacts made. If possible, at least 1 direct reference contact should be made for all applicants considered for award.

An applicant must not receive any negative reference responses to receive further consideration for contract award.

Applicants who do not provide relevant references for past performance will receive a neutral rating.

All applicants with favorable past performances will continue to Phase V.

PHASE V – Pricing

The IAF will assess the candidates’ pricing proposals relative to guidance for local compensation based on U.S.

Embassy rates.

Solicitation 20343121Q00013

52.252-2 CLAUSES INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (FEB 1998)

This contract incorporates one or more clauses by reference, with the same force and effect as if they were given in full text. Upon request, the Contracting Officer will make their full text available. Also, the full text of a clause may be accessed electronically at this address: https://www.acquisition.gov/far

52.252-6 AUTHORIZED DEVIATIONS IN CLAUSES (APR 1984)

(a) The use in this solicitation or contract of any Federal Acquisition Regulation (48 CFR Chapter1) clause with an authorized deviation is indicated by the addition of “(DEVIATION)” after the date of the clause.

(b) The use in this solicitation or contract of any _____. [insert regulation name] (48 CFR _____) clause with an authorized deviation is indicated by the addition of “(DEVIATION)” after the name of the regulation.

52.212-4 CONTRACT TERMS AND CONDITIONS -- COMMERCIAL ITEMS (OCT 2018)

1052.212-4 CONTRACT TERMS AND CONDITIONS-COMMERCIAL ITEMS (JULY 2017) (DEVIATION 2017- 00001)

(r) Compliance with laws unique to Government contracts. The Contractor agrees to comply with 31 U.S.C.

1352 relating to limitations on the use of appropriated funds to influence certain Federal contracts; 18 U.S.C.

431 relating to officials not to benefit; 40 U.S.C. chapter 37, Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards; 41 U.S.C. chapter 87, Kickbacks; 10 U.S.C. 2409 relating to whistleblower protections; 49 U.S.C. 40118, Fly American; and 41 U.S.C. chapter 21 relating to procurement integrity.

52.212-4 CONTRACT TERMS AND CONDITIONS -- COMMERCIAL ITEMS (JAN 2017) (Alternate I)

A time and materials or labor-hour contract is contemplated. As such, the following information is being provided.

(a) (4) Insert portion of labor rate attributable to profit.

(e) (1)(iii)(D) Insert any subcontracts for services to be excluded from the hourly rates prescribed in the schedule.

(i) (1)(ii)(D)

(1) Insert each element of other direct costs (e.g., travel, computer usage charges, etc. Insert “None” if no reimbursement for other direct costs will be provided. If this is an indefinite delivery contract, the Contracting Officer may insert “Each order must list separately the elements of other direct charge(s) for that order or, if no reimbursement for other direct costs will be provided, insert ‘None’.”

(2) Insert a fixed amount for the indirect costs and payment schedule. Insert “$0” if no fixed price reimbursement for indirect costs will be provided. (If this is an indefinite delivery contract, the Contracting Officer may insert “Each order must list separately the fixed amount for the indirect costs and payment schedule or, if no reimbursement for indirect costs, insert ‘None’.”

1052.201-70 CONTRACTING OFFICER’S REPRESENTATIVE (COR) APPOINTMENT AND AUTHORITY

(APR 2015)

(a) The COR(s) are named on the award form. Should a change to the COR(s) be necessary in the future, they will be named on the modification SF-30.

(b) Performance of work under this contract is subject to the technical direction of the COR identified above, or a representative designated in writing. The term “technical direction” includes, without limitation, direction to the contractor that directs or redirects the labor effort, shifts the work between work areas or locations, and/or fills in details and otherwise serves to ensure that tasks outlined in the work statement are accomplished satisfactorily.

(c) Technical direction must be within the scope of the contract specification(s)/work statement. The COR does not have authority to issue technical direction that:

(1) Constitutes a change of assignment or additional work outside the contract specification(s)/work statement;

(2) Constitutes a change as defined in the clause entitled “Changes”;

(3) In any manner causes an increase or decrease in the contract price, or the time required for contract performance;

(4) Changes any of the terms, conditions, or specification(s)/work statement of the contract;

(5) Interferes with the contractor's right to perform under the terms and conditions of the contract; or

(6) Directs, supervises or otherwise controls the actions of the contractor's employees.

(d) Technical direction may be oral or in writing. The COR must confirm oral direction in writing within five workdays, with a copy to the Contracting Officer.

(e) The Contractor shall proceed promptly with performance resulting from the technical direction issued by the

COR. If, in the opinion of the contractor, any direction of the COR or the designated representative falls within the limitations of (c) above, the contractor shall immediately notify the Contracting Officer no later than the beginning of the next Government work day.

(f) Failure of the Contractor and the Contracting Officer to agree that technical direction is within the scope of the contract shall be subject to the terms of the clause entitled “Disputes.”

1052.210-70 CONTRACTOR PUBLICITY (APR 2015)

The Contractor, or any entity or representative acting on behalf of the Contractor, shall not refer to the supplies or services furnished pursuant to the provisions of this contract in any news release or commercial advertising, or in connection with any news release or commercial advertising, without first obtaining explicit written consent to do so from the Contracting Officer. Should any reference to such supplies or services appear in any news release or commercial advertising issued by or on behalf of the Contractor without the required consent, the Government shall consider institution of all remedies available under applicable law, including 31 U.S.C. 333, and this contract. Further, any violation of this clause may be considered during the evaluation of past performance.

52.217-8 OPTION TO EXTEND SERVICES (NOV 1999)

The Government may require continued performance of any services within the limits and at the rates specified in the contract. These rates may be adjusted only as a result of revisions to prevailing labor rates provided by the Secretary of Labor. The option provision may be exercised more than once, but the total extension of performance hereunder shall not exceed 6 months. The Contracting Officer may exercise the option by written notice to the Contractor within 30 days of contract expiration.

52.217-9 OPTION TO EXTEND THE TERM OF THE CONTRACT (MAR 2000)

(a) The Government may extend the term of this contract by written notice to the Contractor prior to the expiration of each contract period; provided, that the Government gives the Contractor a preliminary written notice of its intent to extend at least 30 days before the contract expires. The preliminary notice does not commit the Government to an extension.

(b) If the Government exercises this option, the extended contract shall be considered to include this option clause.

(c) The total duration of this contract, including the exercise of any options under this clause, shall not exceed

36 Months.

52.232-18 AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS (APR 1984)

LAPSE FUNDING

In the event of a lapse funding resulting in a government shutdown, the status of Fiscal Year funding and any necessary action required of the Contractor will be made available at the following website:

https://www.fiscal.treasury.gov/doing-business-with-fiscal-service/ . It is the Contractor's responsibility to monitor this website for information regarding Fiscal Year funding.

1052.232-39 UNENFORCEABILITY OF UNAUTHORIZED OBLIGATIONS. (April 2018) (DEVIATION 00002)

(a) Definition. As used in this clause-

"Commercial supplier agreements" means terms and conditions customarily offered to the public by vendors of supplies or services that meet the definition of commercial item set forth in FAR 2.101 and intended to create a binding legal obligation on the end user. Commercial supplier agreements (CSA) are particularly common in information technology acquisitions, including acquisitions of commercial computer software and commercial technical data, but they may apply to any supply or service. The term applies-

(1) Regardless of the format or style of the document. For example, a CSA may be styled as standard terms of sale or lease, Terms of Service (TOS), End User License Agreement (EULA), or another similar legal instrument or agreement, and may be presented as part of an offer or quotation responding to a solicitation;

(2) Regardless of the media or delivery mechanism used. For example, a CSA may be presented as one or more paper documents or may appear on a computer or other electronic device screen during a purchase, software installation, other product delivery, registration for a service, or another transaction.

(b) Except as stated in paragraph (c) of this clause, when any supply or service acquired under this contract is subject to any CSA, that includes any language, provision, or clause requiring the Government to pay any future fees, penalties, interest, legal costs or to indemnify the Contractor or any person or entity for damages, costs, fees, or any other loss or liability that would create an Anti-Deficiency Act violation (31 U.S.C. 1341), the following shall govern:

(1) Any such language, provision, or clause is unenforceable against the Government.

(2) Neither the Government nor any Government authorized end user shall be deemed to have agreed to such clause by virtue of it appearing in the CSA. If the CSA is invoked through an "I agree" click box or other comparable mechanism (e.g., "click-wrap" or "browse-wrap" agreements), execution does not bind the Government or any Government authorized end user to such clause.

(3) Any such language, provision, or clause is deemed to be stricken from the CSA.

(c) Paragraph (b) of this clause does not apply to indemnification or any other payment by the Government that is expressly authorized by statute and specifically authorized under applicable agency regulations and procedures.

PAYMENT AND INVOICE QUESTIONS (FOREIGN BANK ACCOUNT)

For Payment and Invoice questions, contact Accounting Services Division, Pensions, Grants and Loans branch at 304-480-8300 or via email at ForeignMisc@fiscal.treasury.gov. Invoices shall be submitted via email to ForeignMisc@fiscal.treasury.gov.

OVERPAYMENTS

In accordance with 52.212-4 section (i) 5 Overpayments: Accounts Receivable Conversion of Check Payments to electronic funds transfer (EFT): If the Contractor sends the Government a check to remedy duplicate contract financing or an overpayment by the government, it will be converted into an EFT. This means the Government will copy the check and use the account information on it to electronically debit the Contractor's account for the amount of the check. The debit from the Contractor's account will usually occur within 24 hours and will be shown on the regular account statement.

The Contractor will not receive the original check back. The Government shall destroy the Contractor's original check, but will keep a copy of it. If the EFT cannot be processed for technical reasons, the Contractor authorizes the Government to process the copy in place of the original check.

MARKING OF SHIPMENTS

The Contractor shall ensure the contract number is clearly visible on all shipping/service documents, containers, and invoices.

PERFORMANCE EVALUATION

This award is subject to a performance evaluation via the Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS) at www.cpars.gov. Following the end of each 12 month performance period and at completion, a completed Government evaluation shall be forwarded to the Contractor. The Contractor may submit written comments, if any, within the time period specified in the evaluation transmittal. The Contractor’s comments shall be considered in the issuance of the final evaluation document. Any disagreement between the parties regarding the evaluation shall be forwarded to the Contracting Officer. The final evaluation of the Contractor’s performance is the decision of the Contracting Office. The final performance evaluation will be available to the Contractor through the Government’s past performance database at https://www.cpars.gov/.

52.212-5 CONTRACT TERMS AND CONDITIONS REQUIRED TO IMPLEMENT STATUTES OR

EXECUTIVE ORDERS -- COMMERCIAL ITEMS (MAR 2020) (DEVIATION 2017-00001)

(a) The Contractor shall comply with the following Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) clauses, which are incorporated in this contract by reference, to implement provisions of law or Executive orders applicable to acquisitions of commercial items:

(1) 52.203-19 Prohibition on requiring certain internal confidentiality agreements or statements. (Jan 2017) (Section 743 of Division E, Title VII, of the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015 (Pub. L. 113-

235) and its successor provisions in subsequent appropriations acts (and as extended in continuing resolutions)).

(2) 52.204–23 Prohibition on Contracting for Hardware, Software, and Services Developed or Provided by Kaspersky Lab and Other Covered Entities (Jul 2018) (Section 1634 of Pub. L. 115–91)

(3) 52.204-25 Prohibition on Contracting for Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment. (Aug 2020) (Section 889(a)(1)(A) of Pub.

L. 115-232).

(4) 52.209-10 Prohibition on Contracting with Inverted Domestic Corporations (Nov 2015)

(5) 52.233-3 Protest After Award (AUG 1996) (31 U.S.C. 3553).

(6) 52.233-4 Applicable Law for Breach of Contract Claim (OCT 2004)(Public Laws 108-77 and 108-78 (19 U.S.C. 3805 note)).

(b) The Contractor shall comply with the FAR clauses in this paragraph (b) that the Contracting Officer has indicated as being incorporated in this contract by reference to implement provisions of law or Executive orders applicable to acquisitions of commercial items:

(1) 52.203-6 52.203-6, Restrictions on Subcontractor Sales to the Government

(Sept 2006), with Alternate I (Oct 1995) (41 U.S.C. 4704 and 10 U.S.C. 2402).

(2) 52.203-13 Contractor Code of Business Ethics and Conduct (Oct 2015) (41 U.S.C. 3509)).

(3) 52.203-15 Whistleblower Protections under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (June 2010) (Section 1553 of Pub. L. 111- 5). (Applies to contracts funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.)

(4) 52.203-17 Contractor Employee Whistleblower Rights and Requirement To Inform Employees of Whistleblower Rights (April 2014) (41 U.S.C.

4712) relating to whistleblower protections).

(5) 52.204-10 Reporting Executive Compensation and First-Tier Subcontract Awards (Oct 2018) (Pub. L. 109-282) (31 U.S.C. 6101 note).

(6) [Reserved]

(7) 52.204-14 Service Contract Reporting Requirements (Oct 2016) (Pub. L. 111-

117, section 743 of Div. C).

(8) 52.204-15 Service Contract Reporting Requirements for Indefinite-Delivery

Contracts (Oct 2016) (Pub. L. 111-117, section 743 of Div. C).

(9) 52.209-6 Protecting the Government’s Interest When Subcontracting with

Contractors Debarred, Suspended, or Proposed for Debarment. (Oct 2015) (31 U.S.C. 6101 note).

(10) 52.209-9 Updates of Publicly Available Information Regarding Responsibility Matters (Oct 2018) (41 U.S.C. 2313).

(11) [Reserved]

(12) (i) 52.219-3 (i) 52.219-3, Notice of HUBZone Set-Aside or Sole Source Award (Mar

2020) (15 U.S.C. 657a).

(ii) Alternate I (Mar 2020) of 52.219-3

(13) (i) 52.219-4 Notice of Price Evaluation Preference for HUBZone Small Business

Concerns (MAR 2020) (if the offeror elects to waive the preference, it shall so indicate in its offer) (15 U.S.C. 657a).

(ii) Alternate I (Mar 2020) of 52.219-4.

(14) [Reserved]

(15) (i) 52.219-6 Notice of Total Small Business Set-Aside (Mar 2020) (15 U.S.C. 644).

(ii) Alternate I (Mar 2020).

(iii) Alternate II (Nov 2011).

(16) (i) 52.219-7 Notice of Partial Small Business Set-Aside (Mar 2020) (15 U.S.C.

644).

(ii) Alternate I (Mar 2020) of 52.219-7.

(iii) Alternate II (Mar 2020) of 52.219-7

(17) 52.219-8 Utilization of Small Business Concerns (Oct 2018) (15 U.S.C.

637(d)(2) and (3)).

(18) (i) 52.219-9 Small Business Subcontracting Plan (Mar 2020) (15 U.S.C. 637(d)(4))

(DEVIATION 2018-00002).

(ii) Alternate I (Nov 2016) of 52.219-9.

(iii) Alternate II (Nov 2016) of 52.219-9.

(iv) Alternate III (Mar 2020) of 52.219-9.

(v) Alternate IV (Aug 2018) (DEVIATION 2018-00002) of 52.219-9.

(19) 52.219-13 Notice of Set-Aside of Orders (Mar 2020) (15 U.S.C. 644(r)).

(20) 52.219-14 Limitations on Subcontracting (Mar 2020) (15 U.S.C. 637(a)(14)).

(21) 52.219-16 Liquidated Damages—Subcontracting Plan (Jan 1999) (15 U.S.C.

637(d)(4)(F)(i)).

(22) 52.219-27 Notice of Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Set-Aside (Mar 2020) (15 U.S.C. 657 f).

(23) (i) 52.219-28 Post Award Small Business Program Representation (Mar 2020) (15 U.S.C. 632(a)(2)).

(ii) Alternate I (Mar 2020) of 52.219-28

(24) 52.219-29 Notice of Set-Aside for, or Sole Source Award to, Economically

Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small Business (EDWOSB) Concerns (Mar 2020) (15 U.S.C. 637(m)).

(25) 52.219-30 Notice of Set-Aside for, or Sole Source Award to, Women-Owned Small Business Concerns Eligible Under the Women-Owned Small Business Program (Mar 2020) (15 U.S.C. 637(m)).

(26) 52.219-32 Orders Issues Directly Under Small Business Reserves (Mar 2020) (15 U.S.C. 644(r)).

(27) 52.219-33 Nonmanufacturer Rule (Mar 2020) (15 U.S.C. 637 (a)(17)).

(28) 52.222-3 Convict Labor (June 2003) (E.O. 11755).

(29) 52.222-19 Child Labor—Cooperation with Authorities and Remedies (Jan 2020)

(E.O. 13126).

(30) 52.222-21 Prohibition of Segregated Facilities (Apr 2015).

(31) (i) 52.222-26 Equal Opportunity (Sept 2016) (E.O. 11246).

(ii) Alternate I (FEB 1999) of 52.222-26.

(32) (i) 52.222-35 Equal Opportunity for Veterans (Oct 2015)(38 U.S.C. 4212).

(ii) Alternate I (JULY 2014) of 52.222-35.

(33) (i) 52.222-36 Equal Opportunity for Workers with Disabilities (Oct 2015)(29 U.S.C.

793).

(ii) Alternate I (JULY 2014) of 52.222-36.

(34) 52.222-37 Employment Reports on Veterans (FEB 2016) (38 U.S.C. 4212).

(35) 52.222-40 Notification of Employee Rights Under the National Labor Relations

Act (Dec 2010) (E.O. 13496).

(36) (i) 52.222-50 Combating Trafficking in Persons (Jan 2019) (22 U.S.C. chapter 78 and E.O. 13627).

(ii) Alternate I (Mar 2015) of 52.222-50 (22 U.S.C. chapter 78 and E.O. 13627).

(37) 52.222-54 Employment Eligibility Verification (OCT 2015). (Executive Order 12989). (Not applicable to the acquisition of commercially available off-the-shelf items or certain other types of commercial items as prescribed in 22.1803.)

(38) (i) 52.223-9 Estimate of Percentage of Recovered Material Content for EPA– Designated Items (May 2008) (42 U.S.C. 6962(c)(3)(A)(ii)). (Not applicable to the acquisition of commercially available off-the-shelf items.)

(ii) Alternate I (May 2008) of 52.223-9 (42 U.S.C. 6962(i)(2)(C)). (Not applicable to the acquisition of commercially available off-the-shelf items.)

(39) 52.223-11 Ozone-Depleting Substances and High Global Warming Potential Hydrofluorocarbons (Jun 2016) (E.O. 13693).

(40) 52.223-12 Maintenance, Service, Repair, or Disposal of Refrigeration Equipment and Air Conditioners (Jun 2016) (E.O. 13693).

(41) (i) 52.223-14 Acquisition of EPEAT®-Registered Imaging Equipment (JUN 2014) (E.O.s 13423 and 13514).

(ii) Alternate I Alternate I (Oct 2015) of 52.223-13.

(42) (i) 52.223-14 Acquisition of EPEAT®-Registered Televisions (JUN 2014) (E.O.s 13423 and 13514).

(ii) Alternate I (Jun 2014) of 52.223-14.

(43) 52.223-15 Energy Efficiency in Energy-Consuming Products (DEC 2007) (42

U.S.C. 8259b).

(44) (i) 52.223-16 Acquisition of EPEAT®-Registered Personal Computer Products (OCT

2015) (E.O.s 13423 and 13514).

(ii) Alternate I (Jun 2014) of 52.223-16.

(45) 52.223-18 Encouraging Contractor Policies to Ban Text Messaging While Driving

(AUG 2011) (E.O. 13513).

(46) 52.223-20 Aerosoles (JUN 2016) (E.O. 13693).

(47) 52.223-21 Foams (JUN 2016) (E.O. 13693).

(48) (i) 52.224-3 Privacy Training (Jan 2017) (5 U.S.C. 552a).

(ii) Alternate I (Jan 2017) of 52.224-3.

(49) 52.225-1 Buy American—Supplies (May 2014) (41 U.S.C. chapter 83).

(50) (i) 52.225-3 Buy American—Free Trade Agreements—Israeli Trade Act (May

2014) (41 U.S.C. chapter 83, 19 U.S.C. 3301 note, 19 U.S.C. 2112 note, 19 U.S.C. 3805 note, 19 U.S.C. 4001 note, Pub. L. 103-182, 108-77, 108-78, 108-286, 108-302, 109-53, 109-169, 109-283, 110- 138, 112-41, 112-42, and 112-43.

(ii) Alternate I (May 2014) of 52.225-3.

(iii) Alternate II (May 2014) of 52.225-3.

(iv) Alternate III (May 2014) of 52.225-3.

(51) 52.225-5 Trade Agreements (Aug 2018) (19 U.S.C. 2501, et seq., 19 U.S.C.

3301 note).

(52) 52.225-13 Restrictions on Certain Foreign Purchases (June 2008) (E.O.’s, proclamations, and statutes administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the Department of the Treasury).

(53) 52.225-26 Contractors Performing Private Security Functions Outside the United States (Oct 2016) (Section 862, as amended, of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008; 10 U.S.C. 2302 Note).

(54) 52.226-4 Notice of Disaster or Emergency Area Set-Aside (Nov 2007) (42 U.S.C. 5150).

(55) 52.226-5 Restrictions on Subcontracting Outside Disaster or Emergency Area (Nov 2007) (42 U.S.C. 5150).

(56) 52.232-29 Terms for Financing of Purchases of Commercial Items (Feb 2002) (41 U.S.C. 4505, 10 U.S.C. 2307(f)).

(57) 52.232-30 Installment Payments for Commercial Items (Jan 2017) (41 U.S.C.

4505, 10 U.S.C. 2307(f)).

(58) 52.232-33 Payment by Electronic Funds Transfer—System for Award Management (Oct 2018) (31 U.S.C. 3332).

(59) 52.232-34 Payment by Electronic Funds Transfer—Other than System for Award Management (Jul 2013) (31 U.S.C. 3332).

(60) 52.232-36 Payment by Third Party (May 2014) (31 U.S.C. 3332).

(61) 52.239-1 Privacy or Security Safeguards (Aug 1996) (5 U.S.C. 552a).

(62) 52.242-5 Payments to Small Business Subcontractors (JAN 2017)(15 U.S.C.

637(d)(13)).

(63) (i) 52.247-64 Preference for Privately Owned U.S.-Flag Commercial Vessels (Feb

2006) (46 U.S.C. Appx. 1241(b) and 10 U.S.C. 2631).

(ii) Alternate I (Apr 2003) of 52.247-64.

(iii) Alternate II (FEB 2006) of 52.247-64.

(c)The Contractor shall comply with the FAR clauses in this paragraph (c), applicable to commercial services, that the Contracting Officer has indicated as being incorporated in this contract by reference to implement provisions of law or Executive orders applicable to acquisitions of commercial items:

(1) 52.222-17 Nondisplacement of Qualified Workers (May 2014)(E.O. 13495).

(2) 52.222-41 Service Contract Labor Standards (Aug 2018) (41 U.S.C. chapter 67).

(3) 52.222-42 Statement of Equivalent Rates for Federal Hires (May 2014) (29 U.S.C.

206 and 41 U.S.C. chapter 67).

(4) 52.222-43 Fair Labor Standards Act and Service Contract Labor Standards-Price

Adjustment (Multiple Year and Option Contracts) (Aug 2018) (29 U.S.C. 206 and 41 U.S.C. chapter 67).

(5) 52.222-44 Fair Labor Standards Act and Service Contract Labor Standards— Price Adjustment (May 2014) (29 U.S.C. 206 and 41 U.S.C. chapter 67).

(6) 52.222-51 Exemption from Application of the Service Contract Labor Standards to Contracts for Maintenance, Calibration, or Repair of Certain Equipment—Requirements (May 2014) (41 U.S.C. chapter 67).

(7) 52.222-53 Exemption from Application of the Service Contract Labor Standards to Contracts for Certain Services—Requirements (May 2014) (41 U.S.C.

chapter 67).

(8) 52.222-55 Minimum Wages Under Executive Order 13658 (Dec 2015).

(9) 52.222-62 Paid Sick Leave Under Executive Order 13706 (JAN 2017) (E.O.

13706).

(10) 52.226-6 52.226-6, Promoting Excess Food Donation to Nonprofit Organizations

(May 2014) (42 U.S.C. 1792).

(d) Comptroller General Examination of Record. The Contractor shall comply with the provisions of this paragraph (d) if this contract was awarded using other than sealed bid, is in excess of the simplified acquisition threshold, and does not contain the clause at 52.215-2, Audit and Records— Negotiation.

(1) The Comptroller General of the United States, or an authorized representative of the Comptroller

General, shall have access to and right to examine any of the Contractor’s directly pertinent records involving transactions related to this contract.

(2) The Contractor shall make available at its offices at all reasonable times the records, materials, and other evidence for examination, audit, or reproduction, until 3 years after final payment under this contract or for any shorter period specified in FAR subpart 4.7, Contractor Records Retention, of the other clauses of this contract. If this contract is completely or partially terminated, the records relating to the work terminated shall be made available for 3 years after any resulting final termination settlement.

Records relating to appeals under the disputes clause or to litigation or the settlement of claims arising under or relating to this contract shall be made available until such appeals, litigation, or claims are finally resolved.

(3) As used in this clause, records include books, documents, accounting procedures and practices, and other data, regardless of type and regardless of form. This does not require the Contractor to create or maintain any record that the Contractor does not maintain in the ordinary course of business or pursuant to a provision of law.

(e) (1) Notwithstanding the requirements of the clauses in paragraphs (a), (b), (c), and (d) of this clause, the

Contractor is not required to flow down any FAR clause, other than those in this paragraph (e)(1) in a subcontract for commercial items. Unless otherwise indicated below, the extent of the flow down shall be as required by the clause—

(i) 52.203-13, Contractor Code of Business Ethics and Conduct (Oct 2015) (41 U.S.C. 3509).

(ii) 52.203-19, Prohibition on Requiring Certain Internal Confidentiality Agreements or Statements (Jan

2017) (section 743 of Division E, Title VII, of the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015 (Pub. L. 113-235) and its successor provisions in subsequent appropriations acts (and as extended in continuing resolutions)).

(iii) 52.204–23, Prohibition on Contracting for Hardware, Software, and Services Developed or Provided by Kaspersky Lab and Other Covered Entities (Jul 2018) (Section 1634 of Pub. L. 115–91).

(iv) 52.204-25, Prohibition on Contracting for Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment. (Aug 2020) (Section 889(a)(1)(A) of Pub. L. 115-232).

(v) 52.219-8, Utilization of Small Business Concerns (Oct 2018) (15 U.S.C. 637(d)(2) and (3)), in all subcontracts that offer further subcontracting opportunities. If the subcontract (except subcontracts to small business concerns) exceeds $700,000 ($1.5 million for construction of any public facility), the subcontractor must include 52.219-8 in lower tier subcontracts that offer subcontracting opportunities.

(vi) 52.222-17, Nondisplacement of Qualified Workers (May 2014) (E.O. 13495). Flow down required in accordance with paragraph (l) of FAR clause 52.222-17.

(vii) 52.222-21, Prohibition of Segregated Facilities (Apr 2015)

(viii) 52.222-26, Equal Opportunity (Sept 2016) (E.O. 11246).

(ix) 52.222-35, Equal Opportunity for Veterans (Oct 2015) (38 U.S.C. 4212).

(x) 52.222-36, Equal Opportunity for Workers with Disabilities (Jul 2014) (29 U.S.C. 793).

(xi) 52.222-37, Employment Reports on Veterans (Feb 2016) (38 U.S.C. 4212)

(xii) 52.222-40, Notification of Employee Rights Under the National Labor Relations Act (Dec 2010)

(E.O. 13496). Flow down required in accordance with paragraph (f) of FAR clause 52.222-40.

(xiii) 52.222-41, Service Contract Labor Standards (Aug 2018) (41 U.S.C. chapter 67).

(xiv) (A) 52.222-50, Combating Trafficking in Persons (JAN 2019) (22 U.S.C. chapter 78 and E.O

13627).

(B) Alternate I (Mar 2015) of 52.222-50 (22 U.S.C. chapter 78 and E.O 13627).

(xv) 52.222-51, Exemption from Application of the Service Contract Labor Standards to Contracts for Maintenance, Calibration, or Repair of Certain Equipment-Requirements (May 2014) (41 U.S.C.

chapter 67).

(xvi) 52.222-53, Exemption from Application of the Service Contract Labor Standards to Contracts for Certain Services-Requirements (May 2014) (41 U.S.C. chapter 67).

(xvii) 52.222-54, Employment Eligibility Verification (OCT 2015) (E.O. 12989).

(xviii) 52.222-55, Minimum Wages Under Executive Order 13658 (Dec 2015).

(xix) 52.222-62, Paid Sick Leave Under Executive Order 13706 (JAN 2017) (E.O. 13706).

(xx)(A) 52.224-3, Privacy Training (JAN 2017) (5 U.S.C. 552a).

(B) Alternate I (JAN 2017) of 52.224-3.

(xxi) 52.225-26, Contractors Performing Private Security Functions Outside the United States (Oct

2016) (Section 862, as amended, of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008; 10 U.S.C. 2302 Note).

(xxii) 52.226-6, Promoting Excess Food Donation to Nonprofit Organizations (May 2014) (42 U.S.C.

1792). Flow down required in accordance with paragraph (e) of FAR clause 52.226-6.

(xxiii) 52.247-64, Preference for Privately Owned U.S.-Flag Commercial Vessels (Feb 2006) (46 U.S.C.

Appx. 1241(b) and 10 U.S.C. 2631). Flow down required in accordance with paragraph (d) of FAR clause 52.247-64.

(2) While not required, the Contractor may include in its subcontracts for commercial items a minimal number of additional clauses necessary to satisfy its contractual obligations.

CONTRACT DOCUMENTS, EXHIBITS, AND ATTACHMENTS

PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT (PWS)

MONITORING, EVALUATION, AND LEARNING SPECIALISTS (MELS)

A. BACKGROUND

The Inter-American Foundation (IAF) is an independent agency of the United States Government, established by Congress in 1969 to promote sustainable grassroots development throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. The IAF works by providing grants and other technical assistance directly to community-based organizations in the region to implement their own creative ideas for promoting inclusive and sustainable local.

As such, the IAF differs from traditional donor agencies in important ways. It works directly with diverse community-focused organizations. These may be agricultural cooperatives, youth theater groups, or vocational training centers for women; they may also be larger, intermediary organizations that offer grassroots groups credit, technical assistance, training and marketing assistance, for instance. And the IAF invests heavily in organizational strengthening. When the IAF funds projects, it is investing in that particular project, but even more so in that particular organization’s ability to thrive beyond the life of any given project. That means it works with grantees to clarify tangible goals for each project, periodically assessing grantee’s performance and exploring ways forward.

This responsive but high-touch approach relies on a dedicated team of IAF staff and in-country contractors. A key member of this team is the Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Specialists (MELS), in-country contractors responsible for training grantees on using IAF monitoring tools, verifying the results that grantees report, and facilitating practical learning throughout the life of grants. The MELS is also critical in effectively communicating the performance of each grantee to the IAF.

B. SCOPE

The IAF is seeking a qualified MELS for Ecuador to provide monitoring, learning and evaluation services in Ecuador, as described in detail under Tasks (Section C) and Performance Requirements (Section J).

As part of this contract, the MELS will:

Work closely with their IAF country team, consisting of the Foundation Representative(s) (FR) in Washington, D.C., and the Local Liaison Advisory Service (LLAS) and Auditor who are both in-country.

The MELS’s role in the country team is to share performance data, raise any performance-related concerns, and stay abreast of any relevant developments with each grantee.

Have a physical presence in their country of service for the duration of the contract (except in cases where activities are to be performed in another country as requested by the COR).

Cover the entire assigned country portfolio. The IAF has been approving between two and eight new grants per year in Ecuador. IAF usually awards grants for three years, many of which are subsequently extended as the IAF deems appropriate. The MELS engages with each of the grantees, typically for an orientation visit, an implementation visit every six months, and a final visit towards the end of the grant period. These visits generally range from four to six days, including preparing for the visit, travel time, interviews with the grantee partner and its beneficiaries, and writing visit reports. In some special instances, these visits (and all of their associated tasks) can take up to 12 days.

Be willing to undertake field visits that could involve physical exertion and discomfort, and may include the use of local transportation to isolated areas, walking and hiking to areas of difficult access, as well as health-related issues such as non-potable water, lack of access to modern medical facilities and potential exposure to disease. The MELS must be able to travel to and stay in remote areas of the country to conduct fieldwork at the grantee partners’ physical location or where grant activities are taking place.

The MELS’s role is strictly limited to monitoring and analyzing performance and facilitating learning. The MELS shall not counsel or provide technical assistance to the grantee partner on grant interpretation, management, or implementation, referring these issues to the LLAS instead.

C. TASKS

The MELS have four main tasks, presented below in order of level of time and effort, with Task 1 accounting for the majority of the MELS’s time and effort.

Task 1. Supporting Grantee-Level Performance Monitoring and Learning IAF grantees commit to monitoring and documenting the evolution and results of their grant, a process the IAF closely monitors through orientation, verification and learning, and close-out visits. The MELS are instrumental in this process, as described below.

Orientation. The MELS, in coordination with the IAF, participates in an orientation visit for new grantees, which typically happens within 60 days of the grantees receiving the final grant agreement. The MELS’s main responsibility during orientation is to ensure the grantee is well prepared to monitor the performance of their grant. This includes working with the grantee to ensure a shared understanding of what metrics the grantee will measure, when and how; identify and measure reliable baselines; and review the process for learning throughout the grant.

Activities Prepare for the orientation visit by reviewing Project Analysis and Review (PAR), particularly the project description and budget, and any other relevant documents the IAF may provide.

Review with the grantee their proposed activities, what they hope to achieve, and how they will assess whether they are moving in the right direction.

Share with grantees IAF’s required indicators, explaining the logic behind each one.

Facilitate a discussion with grantees to identify any additional metrics that grantees may find useful in assessing their projects.

With the grantee, establish and, if possible, measure a baseline for selected metrics.

Document grantees’ interests for what they want to learn from their projects.

Explain when and how the grantee partner will be expected to report on the selected indicators and other metrics, ensuring a shared understanding of the responsibilities of the grantee and of the MELS with data collection and analysis.

Train the grantees as needed to effectively capture the required data for monitoring and learning.

Deliverable

No later than 30 days after the visit, submit an orientation report, following the template provided by the COR. The orientation reports include a clearly defined theory of change, selected indicators and other metrics, baselines and expected results, and possible learning questions from the grantee and/or the IAF (when the grant may be contributing to a broader country/regional learning agenda).

Implementation. In coordination with COR and FR, the MELS visits each grantee partner once every six months until the end of the grant period to review and analyze the data reported to the IAF, facilitate a reflection on the grant’s performance to date, and address any questions or challenges the grantee may be having with data collection/analysis.

Activities Prepare for the visit by reviewing previous grant documents, from the Orientation Report onwards.

Consult with the COR and the in-country team before each visit to ask whether there are any specific issues the MELS should discuss during the visit.

Review grantee performance data files and documents and conduct interviews and focus group sessions with the grantee staff, any other partner, and participants as needed to verify the results that grantee has reported.

Address challenges with grantees around data collection and reporting.

Review factors affecting grant results as well as learning questions.

Apply and discuss any other evaluation and tracking instruments requested by the COR.

Deliverable

Within 30 days after each verification visit, the MELS submits a progress report, following the template provided by the COR. The progress report includes the verified monitoring data (ensuring it is valid, complete, consistent, accurate, verifiable, and timely), a synthesis of important results attained by the project since the last visit; and reflections that contextualize the metrics (highlighting any trends) and explain any…