RFP 486-11-007 LEAD Program.doc

Issuance Date:

January 21, 2011

Closing Date:

March 17, 2011

Closing Time:

4:00 P.M., Bangkok, local time

Subject:

Request for Proposals (RFP) No.486-11-007: Low-Emissions Asian Development (LEAD) Program

To All Prospective Offerors:

The United States Government, represented by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), is seeking proposals from qualified organizations interested in providing the services as described in the attached solicitation.

USAID plans to award a five-year Cost plus Fixed Fee (CPFF) completion type, cost reimbursement contract.

You have received this document through the www.fedbizopps.gov Internet site. Some of the Attachment/Forms/Appendices/Exhibits in Section J have been supplied to you electronically. Other Attachments/Forms/Appendices/Exhibits, which may not be included electronically in this solicitation, may be found at http://www.USAID.GOV/procurement_bus_opp/procurement/forms/ or by contacting the person in block 10 on page 1 of the SF 33.

As the recipient of this solicitation document, you are responsible for ensuring that you have received it from the Internet in its entirety. USAID bears no responsibility for data errors resulting from transmission or conversion processes. Further, please be aware that amendments to solicitations are occasionally issued and will be posted on the same Internet site from which you downloaded the solicitation. Generally, the Contracting Officer will send copies of amendments to all those who have sent in the written confirmation of solicitation receipt. However, USAID does not guarantee that an amendment will be issued to you directly based upon written confirmation that you have downloaded the solicitation from the Internet. You are therefore advised to regularly check the FedBizOps website (http://www.fedbizops.gov/) for amendments.

Please pay careful attention to Section K - Representations, Certifications and Acknowledgements of the accompanying Request for Proposals. Offerors are now expected to comply with FAR clause 52.204-7, Central Contractor Registration, and complete the annual representations and certifications electronically via the Online Representations and Certifications Application website at http://orca.bpn.gov.

Offerors must carefully adhere to Section L - Instructions to Offerors and Section M - Evaluation Factors for Award. Sections B through J of the solicitation will become the basis for the contract. Any blanks in Sections B through J will be completed by the Contracting Officer before award.

You are strongly encouraged to submit any comments or questions concerning this RFP by no later than February 10, 2011. These should be directed to Mr. Craig Riegler, Regional Contracting Officer and attention to Ms. Praveena Virasingh, Senior Acquisition Specialist, USAID/RDMA, Bangkok, Thailand by fax, (662) 257-3099, or e-mail. Mr. Riegler and Ms. Virasingh may be reached at the following e-mail addresses, respectively: criegler@usaid.gov and pvirasingh@usaid.gov.

The Proposal shall be prepared in two separate parts: the Technical Proposal shall address technical aspects only while the Business (Cost) Proposal shall present the costs and address related issues such as responsibility. Offerors shall submit one (1) original and five (5) copies of their Technical Proposal in a sealed envelope which is clearly marked as being in response to this RFP. Offerors shall submit one (1) original and one (1) copy of their Business Proposal separately in a sealed envelope indicating that it is in response to this RFP and contains cost information. One copy each of the technical and business proposals shall also be submitted within the sealed envelopes on electronic medium (disk or CD) with text in WORD and budgets in EXCEL. Proposals must be signed by an official who is authorized to bind the organization.

The required closing date and time for receipt of proposals at the USAID/RDMA office in Bangkok, Thailand is 4:00 P.M. Bangkok local time on March 17, 2011. Point of required receipt is at USAID/RDMA, Bangkok, Thailand and not at USAID in Washington, D.C. or at any other location. Offerors should take account of the expected delivery time required by the proposal transmission method they choose, and are responsible to ensure that proposals are received at USAID/RDMA by the due date and time specified above. Faxed proposals are not acceptable. The normal method of transmission for proposals should be by international courier or by mail; proposals submitted via e-mail will also be accepted (see Section L of the RFP).

Oral explanations or instructions given before the award of the contract will not be binding. Issuance of this solicitation does not obligate USAID to award a contract, nor will USAID pay any costs associated with the preparation or submission of proposals. Furthermore, the Government reserves the right to reject any and all offers, if such action is considered to be in the best interest of the Government. Award of a contract under this RFP is subject to availability of funds and other internal USAID approvals.

Thank you for your interest in USAID programs.

Sincerely, /s/

Thomas M. Stephens

Regional Contracting Officer

USAID/RDMA, Bangkok

Table of Contents

1PART I - THE SCHEDULE

1SECTION B - SUPPLIES OR SERVICES AND PRICE/COSTS

1B.1 PURPOSE (CPFF)

1B.2 CONTRACT TYPE AND SERVICES (CPFF)

1B.3 ESTIMATED COST, FIXED FEE, AND OBLIGATED AMOUNT

1B.4 BUDGET SCHEDULE

2B.5 INDIRECT COSTS (DEC 1997)

2B.6 ADVANCE UNDERSTANDING ON CEILING INDIRECT COST RATES AND FINAL REIMBURSEMENT FOR INDIRECT COSTS

2B.7 COST REIMBURSABLE

2B.8 PAYMENT OF FIXED FEE

3SECTION C - STATEMENT OF WORK

19SECTION D - PACKAGING AND MARKING

19D.1 AIDAR 752.7009 MARKING (JAN 1993)

19D.2 BRANDING POLICY

19D.3 REQUIRED BRANDING STRATEGY AND MARKING PLAN

20SECTION E - INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE

20E.1 NOTICE LISTING CONTRACT CLAUSES INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

20E.2 INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE

21SECTION F - DELIVERIES OR PERFORMANCE

21F.1 NOTICE LISTING CONTRACT CLAUSES INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

21F.2 PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE (CPFF)

21F.3 PERFORMANCE STANDARDS

21F.4 REPORTS AND DELIVERABLES OR OUTPUTS

23F.5 KEY PERSONNEL

25F.6 PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

25F.7 AUTHORIZED WORK DAY / WEEK

26SECTION G - CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION DATA

26G.1 AIDAR 752.7003 DOCUMENTATION FOR PAYMENT (NOV 1998)

27G.2 ADMINISTRATIVE CONTRACTING OFFICE

27G.3 CONTRACTING OFFICER’S TECHNICAL REPRESENTATIVE (COTR)

27G.4 TECHNICAL DIRECTIONS/RELATIONSHIP WITH USAID

28G.5 PAYING OFFICE

28G.6 ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION DATA

29SECTION H - SPECIAL CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS

29H.1 NOTICE LISTING CONTRACT CLAUSES INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

29H.2 AIDAR 752.225-70 SOURCE, ORIGIN AND NATIONALITY REQUIREMENTS (FEB 1997)

29H.3 AIDAR 752.7004 EMERGENCY LOCATOR INFORMATION (JUL 1997)

30H.4 AIDAR 752.7005. SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS FOR DEVELOPMENT EXPERIENCE DOCUMENTS (JAN 2004)

31H.5 INSURANCE AND SERVICES

31H.6 AIDAR 752.228-70 Medical Evacuation (MEDEVAC) Services (April 2006) (Pursuant to class deviation OAA-DEV-2006-1c)

32H.7 AUTHORIZED GEOGRAPHIC CODE

32H.8 NONEXPENDABLE PROPERTY PURCHASES AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY RESOURCES

32H.9 LOGISTIC SUPPORT

32H.10 LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS

32H.11 EXECUTIVE ORDER ON TERRORISM FINANCING

32H.12 FOREIGN GOVERNMENT DELEGATIONS TO INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES (JAN 2002)

32H.13 REPORTING OF FOREIGN TAXES (March 2006)

33H.14 AIDAR 752.7007, PERSONNEL COMPENSATION (JULY 2007)

33H.15 HOMELAND SECURITY PRESIDENTIAL DIRECTIVE-12 (HSPD-12) (SEPTEMBER 2006)

34H.16 SALARY SUPPLEMENTS FOR HOST GOVERNMENT (HG) EMPLOYEES (OCT 1998)

34H.17 USAID DISABILITY POLICY - (Dec 2004)

34H.18 TITLE TO AND CARE OF PROPERTY

35H.19 ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE

35H.20 EMPLOYMENT COSTS OF THIRD COUNTRY NATIONALS AND COOPERATING COUNTRY NATIONALS (AIDAR 722.170)

36H.21 SUBCONTRACTING PLAN AND THE SF 294 – SUBCONTRACTING REPORT FOR INDIVIDUAL CONTRACTS AND SF 295 – SUMMARY CONTRACTING REPORT

36H.22 DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION

36H.23 Exchange Visitors and Training

38PART II - CONTRACT CLAUSES

38SECTION I - CONTRACT CLAUSES

38I.1 NOTICE LISTING CONTRACT CLAUSES INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

40I.2 52.203-13 Contractor Code of Business Ethics and Conduct (DEC 2008)

42I.3 52.204-01 APPROVAL OF CONTRACT (DEC 1989)

42I.4 54.204-7 CENTRAL CONTRACTOR REGISTRATION (Apr 2008)

44I.5 52.204-10 Reporting Executive Compensation and First-Tier Subcontract Awards (JUL 2010)

46I.6 52.216-7 ALLOWABLE COST AND PAYMENT (DEC 2002)

49I.7 52.217-8 OPTION TO EXTEND SERVICES (NOV 1999)

49I.8 52.222-50 COMBATING TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS (2009)

50I.9 52.227-23 RIGHTS TO PROPOSAL DATA (TECHNICAL) (JUN 1987)

50I.10 52.229-8 Taxes—Foreign Cost-Reimbursement Contracts (MAR 1990)

51I.11 52.232-25 PROMPT PAYMENT (OCT 2003)

54I.12 52.247-67 SUBMISSION OF TRANSPORTATION DOCUMENTS FOR AUDIT (FEB 2006)

54I.13 52.252-2 CLAUSES INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (FEB 1998)

54I.14 AIDAR 752.7032 INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL APPROVAL AND NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS (JAN 1990)

55I.15 PUBLICATIONS AND MEDIA RELEASES (JAN 2004)

55I.16 752.7101 VOLUNTARY POPULATION PLANNING ACTIVITIES (June 2008)

57PART III - LIST OF DOCUMENTS, EXHIBITS AND OTHER ATTACHMENTS

57SECTION J - LIST OF ATTACHMENTS

57ATTACHMENT 1

ACRONYMNS

57ATTACHMENT 2

BIBLIOGRAPHY

57ATTACHMENT 3

IDENTIFICATION OF PRINCIPAL GEOGRAPHIC CODE NUMBERS

57ATTACHMENT 4

USAID FORM 1420-17 - CONTRACTOR BIOGRAPHICAL DATA SHEET

57ATTACHMENT 5

SF LLL - DISCLOSURE OF LOBBYING ACTIVITIES

57ATTACHMENT 6

BLANKET PROCUREMENT WAIVER

58PART IV - REPRESENTATIONS AND INSTRUCTIONS

58SECTION K - REPRESENTATIONS, CERTIFICATIONS AND OTHER STATEMENTS OF OFFERORS

58K.1 NOTICE LISTING SOLICITATION PROVISIONS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

58K.2 52.204-3 TAXPAYER IDENTIFICATION (OCT 1998)

59K.3 52.204-8 ANNUAL REPRESENTATIONS AND CERTIFICATIONS (JAN 2006)

59K.4 52.227-15 STATEMENT OF LIMITED RIGHTS DATA AND RESTRICTED COMPUTER SOFTWARE (MAY 1999)

60K.5 52.230-1 COST ACCOUNTING STANDARDS NOTICES AND CERTIFICATION (JUNE 2000)

62K.6 52.230-7 PROPOSAL DISCLOSURE--COST ACCOUNTING PRACTICE CHANGES (APR 2005)

62K.7 INSURANCE - IMMUNITY FROM TORT LIABILITY

62K.8 SIGNATURE

63SECTION L - INSTRUCTIONS, CONDITIONS, AND NOTICES TO OFFERORS

63L.1 NOTICE LISTING SOLICITATION PROVISIONS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

64L.2 FAR 52.215-1 INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS – COMPETITIVE ACQUISITION (JAN 2004)

66L.3 52.204-6 DATA UNIVERSAL NUMBERING SYSTEM (DUNS) NUMBER (JUN 1999)

67L.4 52.216-1 TYPE OF CONTRACT (APR 1984)

67L.5 52.233-2 SERVICE OF PROTEST (SEP 2006)

67L.6 52.252-1 SOLICITATION PROVISIONS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (FEB 1998)

67L.7 GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS

67L.7.1 FORMAT, DELIVERY AND GOVERNMENT OBLIGATION

69L.8 INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE PREPARATION OF THE TECHNICAL PROPOSAL

69L.8.1 PROPOSAL FORMAT

69L.8.2 PROPOSAL STRUCTURE AND CONTENT

70L.8.2.1Executive Summary

70L.8.2.2Technical Approach, Draft Work Plan, and Draft Performance Management Plan

70L.8.2.3 Management Approach

71L.8.2.4 Personnel

71L.8.2.5 Corporate Experience and Capability

71L.8.2.6 Past Performance

72L.8.2.7 Instructions for the preparation of the Branding Implementation Plan and Marking Plan

73L.9. INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE PREPARATION OF THE COST PROPOSAL

73L.9.1 Submission Instructions

75L.9.2 General Assumptions and Other Instructions

77SECTION M - EVALUATION FACTORS FOR AWARD

77M.1 GENERAL INFORMATION

77M.1.1Source Selection

77M.1.2Award Without Discussions

77M.1.3Evaluation of Technical Proposals

77M.1.4Evaluation of Cost Proposals

77M.2 TECHNICAL EVALUATION CRITERIA

78M.2.1Technical Approach, Draft Work Plan, and Draft Performance Management

78M.2.2Management Approach

78M.2.3Personnel

78M.2.4Corporate Experience and Capability

78M.2.5Past Performance

79M.3 DETERMINATION OF THE COMPETITIVE RANGE AND CONTRACT AWARD

79M.4 CONTRACTING WITH SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS

79M.5 CONTRACTING WITH U.S SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS IN THE MENTOR-PROTÉGÉ PROGRAM

81ATTACHMENT 1: ACRONYMS

83ATTACHMENT 2: PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT PLAN GUIDANCE

87ATTACHMENT 3: IDENTIFICATION OF PRINCIPAL GEOGRAPHIC CODE NUMBERS

88ATTACHMENT 4: USAID FORM 1420-17 - CONTRACTOR BIOGRAPHICAL DATA SHEET

91ATTACHMENT 5: SF LLL - DISCLOSURE OF LOBBYING ACTIVITIES

95ATTACHMENT 6

BLANKET PROCUREMENT WAIVER

PART I - THE SCHEDULE

SECTION B - SUPPLIES OR SERVICES AND PRICE/COSTS

B.1 PURPOSE (CPFF)

The purpose of this contract is to provide services as described in detail in Section C, Statement of Work.

B.2 CONTRACT TYPE AND SERVICES (CPFF)

This is a cost-plus-fixed fee (CPFF) completion-type, cost reimbursement contract. For the consideration set forth in the contract, the Contractor shall provide the deliverables or outputs described in Section C and comply with all contract requirements.

B.3 ESTIMATED COST, FIXED FEE, AND OBLIGATED AMOUNT

(a) For the five year contract period, the estimated cost for the performance of the work required hereunder, exclusive of fixed fee, is TBD. The fixed fee, if any, for the contract period is TBD.

The estimated cost plus fixed fee, if any, for the contract period is TBD.

(b) Within the estimated cost plus fixed fee (if any) specified in paragraph (a) above, the amount currently obligated and available for reimbursement of allowable costs incurred by the Contractor (and payment of fee, if any) for performance of the contract period hereunder is TBD. The Contractor shall not exceed the aforesaid obligated amount unless authorized by the Contracting Officer pursuant to the clause of this contract entitled “Limitation of Funds” (FAR 52.232-22). See Section I of this contract.

(c) Funds obligated hereunder are available during the performance period of this contract and are expected to be sufficient for program activities through about TBD.

B.4 BUDGET SCHEDULE

B.4 ILLUSTRATIVE CONTRACT LINE ITEM NUMBERS (CLINS)

CLINS are aggregates of costs based on outputs and/or results, and are developed by the contractor in its original proposal and/or final proposal revisions. The contractor's original proposal and/or final proposal revisions may be used to substantiate negotiated agreements between the parties to this contract, but shall not supersede any terms and conditions of this contract.

[Please note that the numbers of rows in the table below, or the illustrative CLINs, are not intended to reflect USAID’s expectations regarding the final identity and/or number of CLINS that may result in the awarded contract but are intended for illustrative purposes only. Detailed costs associated with the activity, output or result such as salaries, indirect costs, travel, equipment, and fee, shall be provided in the proposal for evaluation purposes. ]

The contractor agrees to furnish data that the Contracting Officer may request on funds expended or costs accrued under this contract in support of the budgetary information provided herein.

B.5 INDIRECT COSTS (DEC 1997)

The contract clause entitled “Allowable Cost and Payment (DEC 2002)”, FAR 52.216-7, specifies that the indirect cost rates shall be established for each of the Contractor’s accounting periods that apply to this contract. Pending establishment of revised provisional or final indirect cost rates, allowable indirect costs shall be reimbursed on the basis of the following negotiated provisional or predetermined rates and the appropriate bases:

Description Rate

Base

Type

Period

Overhead

1/

1/

1/

[To be determined] B.6 ADVANCE UNDERSTANDING ON CEILING INDIRECT COST RATES AND FINAL REIMBURSEMENT FOR INDIRECT COSTS

(1) Reimbursement for allowable indirect costs shall be at final negotiated rates but not in excess of the following ceiling rates:

Description Rate

Base

Type

Period

Overhead

1/

1/

1/ [To be determined]

(2) The Contractor shall make no change in its established method of classifying or allocating indirect costs without the prior written approval of the Contracting Officer.

(3) The Government shall not be obligated to pay any additional amount on account of indirect costs above the ceiling rates established in the contract.

(4) This understanding shall not change any monetary ceiling, obligation, cost limitation, or obligation established in the contract.

B.7 COST REIMBURSABLE

The costs allowable shall be limited to reasonable, allocable and necessary costs determined in accordance with FAR 52.216-7, Allowable Cost and Payment, FAR 52.216-8, Fixed Fee, if applicable, and AIDAR 752.7003, Documentation for Payment.

B.8 PAYMENT OF FIXED FEE

Payment of fixed fee, subject to FAR 52.216-8, may be made upon receipt of a proper invoice. Subject to FAR 52-216-8, Fixed Fee, if applicable, payment of fixed fee shall be allocated based upon the proportion of the work performed in the period covered by the invoice. Normally, the contractor will be paid the proportion of the fee specified for the respective period of performance that corresponds to the proportion of labor delivered by the Contractor under the period covered by the submitted invoice.

- End of Section B -

SECTION C - STATEMENT OF WORK

1.

TITLE

The title of the program is “Low Emissions Asian Development (LEAD).”

2.

INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this contract will be to implement the LEAD Program as described in this Statement of Work (SOW). The LEAD Program is intended to address Asia’s contribution to global climate change (GCC) and global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by assisting Asian governments, businesses, and others in establishing the key enabling conditions and tools needed to participate in emerging international GHG management frameworks and meet obligations under the Copenhagen Accord, as reaffirmed during the UN climate conference in Cancun in December 2010. The Program specifically focuses on building capacity for Measurement, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) of GHG emissions, market readiness for increased financing and investment in emissions reduction activities, and development and implementation of Low Emissions Development Strategies (LEDS).

The United States Agency for International Development’s Regional Development Mission for Asia (USAID/RDMA) is based in Bangkok, Thailand and supports activities across the Asia-Pacific region that address regional developmental and environmental priorities. RDMA also provides targeted assistance in selected countries that do not already have a permanent USAID presence. RDMA’s Regional Environment Office (REO) will manage the LEAD Program and direct Program coordination with other relevant USAID operating units and US Government (USG) agencies.

3.

BACKGROUND

Climate change is one of the century’s greatest challenges, and low emissions climate‐resilient development has become a top priority for US Government development assistance and diplomacy. Climate change compounds pre‐existing social and environmental stresses, and threatens to significantly undermine global development goals and diminish the habitability of the planet. Many developing countries are heavily dependent on climate‐sensitive industries such as agriculture, fisheries, forestry, and tourism, and poor communities are often reliant on local food and water systems that are predicted to be heavily impacted by climate change.

To avoid the worst impacts of climate change, global emissions of greenhouse gases must be halved from today’s levels in 40 years, requiring an unprecedented transition to clean energy and dramatic reductions in deforestation rates. The International Energy Agency projects that the majority of the global increase in energy‐related emissions through 2030 will occur outside the developed world. Asia currently comprises about a third of world carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from energy consumption, and it is predicted that the total emissions from Asia’s largest developing countries will increase to 43% of the world’s total by 2030. Over half of the world’s land-based emissions also originate in Asia, and carbon emissions from deforestation dominate the national profiles of many Asian countries. Asia’s three largest developing countries—China, India, and Indonesia—currently rank as the world’s first, third, and sixth largest overall emitters of GHGs. It will be impossible to achieve global reduction goals without significant actions from all major economies, including major developing country emitters.

USAID Administrator Shah indicated in a May 4, 2010 letter to Mission Directors that climate change is one of the century’s greatest challenges, and rising to this challenge is one of the President’s highest diplomatic and development priorities. In the letter, Administrator Shah further requested Missions to help ensure that the Agency’s response to the climate challenge is a hallmark of USAID’s leadership on the global stage and he highlighted, among other things, the need for Mission support for partner countries working to develop low emission development strategies and assistance to develop the monitoring, reporting, verification, and inventory capabilities that will be essential to allow access to emerging carbon markets. The Copenhagen Accord, the key document emerging from the December 2009 UN climate conference, notes that “a low emission development strategy is indispensable to sustainable development.” LEDS are country-led rigorous, analytical, strategic, and policy efforts aimed at advancing robust economic growth over a time horizon of several decades while at the same time significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with that growth.

Addressing Asia’s significant role in global climate change is a top priority for RDMA. While significant challenges remain in Asia to replace conventional fossil energy with clean energy alternatives and to reduce emissions from deforestation and land degradation, several fundamental challenges encompass the enabling environment for effecting broad, lasting, and transformative change. A number of Asia’s major emitting economies have associated with the Copenhagen Accord and some, like India and China, have “inscribed” commitments to reduce GHG emissions and achieve other objectives. However, for the most part, Asian developing countries, like their counterparts in other regions, have only just begun to introduce the kinds of policies and tools needed to promote low emissions development and to cultivate a viable market for GHG emissions reductions.

Generally speaking, MRV capabilities in Asia’s developing countries are minimal to non-existent. Internationally recognized corporate, project, and other MRV protocols and standards are fairly new to Asia’s developing countries. Basic economic data and emission factors are difficult to obtain, unreliable, or missing, and the conditions are lacking for establishing a viable MRV services industry to support the current and future public and private sector MRV needs. Robust MRV systems will ensure that all countries are delivering on their emission reduction goals, policies, and actions and their commitments under the Copenhagen Accord, as well as to provide the foundation for increased developing country participation in possible, but uncertain, expanded international emissions markets, trading regimes, and offset programs in the future.

Similarly, the path to low emissions development—of adopting appropriate and meaningful policies, technologies, and practices that reduce GHG emissions—is fairly nascent. Many of Asia’s developing economies have noted a need for assistance to help them developing national GHG inventories or in conducting sophisticated economy-wide energy and economic modeling for planning near- and long-term GHG emissions reductions strategies and policy measures. Similarly, private sector, non-governmental organizations, and research and academic institutions are currently unable to fully support, contribute to, or benefit from low emissions development activities and have much to gain from international collaboration in implementing LEDS. In some cases, such as in China, national and provincial government agencies have been required to develop new low emissions development plans but without specific guidance on the process for doing so. There is an opportunity to partner with them to help achieve low emissions climate-resilient development. It is essential to help establish the importance of national or sub-national policies intended to advance climate change objectives relative to the overarching priorities of economic growth.

To support meaningful, lasting emissions reductions coupled with robust economic growth to reduce poverty, and plan for climate resilient development, Asia’s developing countries will need to adopt and implement robust MRV, market readiness, and LEDS tools and practices, and strengthen public and private sector capabilities and action to support and sustain these efforts.

4.

STATEMENT OF WORK

4.1 Goal and Objectives

The overall goal of the LEAD Program is to establish the enabling conditions for achieving sustained low emissions development in Asia’s developing countries. The Contractor shall focus on achieving the following specific objectives:

· Strengthening human and institutional capacity to develop and implement MRV, market readiness, and low emissions development policies, plans, and strategies;

· Strengthening tools, policies, and systems for MRV and low emissions decision-making;

· Promoting a viable private sector MRV services industry as well as market-based platforms for facilitating low emissions investments; and

· Enhancing regional learning through sharing of regional and international best practices.

The Contractor shall focus on achieving the following kinds of successes as a result of the combined efforts of the LEAD Program and related activities in the region:

· Capacity to prepare and complete high-quality national GHG inventories every two years achieved in five Asian countries;

· Clean energy and landscapes-focused MRV protocols and tools developed, adopted, and used by hundreds of private and public organizations;

· At least three new operational GHG trading platforms or registries established;

· MRV services industry takes root in five Asian developing countries; and

· Low emissions development strategies (LEDSs)—including policies, plans, models, and tools—adopted and under implementation in five countries by 2015.

4.2 Program Strategy and Approach

The LEAD Program is a regional program and thus primarily focuses on regional objectives that complement bilateral efforts on MRV, market readiness, and LEDS (see “Regional Programming and Coordination” below). The Program will be funded with a combination of clean energy (approximately 65-70%) and sustainable landscapes (approximately 15-20%) GCC Initiative funding, and a China program activities earmark (approximately 15%). USAID and the USG’s global effort to address MRV and LEDS is a key component of the Administration’s comprehensive energy and climate change strategy, and development assistance in these areas is intended to complement domestic climate change initiatives in the United States. Further progress in international negotiations in the coming years will likely underscore the need for strengthening developing country MRV and LEDS capabilities. Indirect benefits of these efforts will include expansion of global markets for clean energy technologies as well as expanded investment markets for GHG emissions credits.

The Contractor shall also further the objectives of “focus, scale, and impact” in line with the development assistance strategy being implemented by USAID Administrator Shah. In line with other USG efforts, the Contractor shall focus on critical challenges relating to GCC enabling conditions, work to scale up and replicate successes, and seek to ensure programmatic impact and objectives are effectively achieved and reported.

Advancing USG Climate Change Priorities. Through this and other GCC Initiative -funded programs, the US Government is pursuing several key priorities:

· Demonstrating continued US leadership and partnership with other nations in forging a global solution to the climate challenge, by making the Copenhagen Accord operational and pursuing a global regime with meaningful emissions reductions from all major emitters, and in a manner that ensures transparency;

· Helping developing countries, focus their climate investments strategically over the coming years through low‐emissions planning that helps advance sustainable development objectives; and

· Assisting developing countries as partners in establishing the means of effectively measuring, reporting, and verifying domestic emissions, in order to inform the design of domestic policies, providing a foundation for a range of domestic instruments to mobilize private capital, and ensuring that countries are on track individually and collectively in delivering on their emission mitigation goals and actions.

USG Coordination and Program Integration. The LEAD Program will be connected to a new “whole of government” effort managed from Washington and named Support Services for Low Emissions Development (SSLED), which primarily aims to develop LEDSs in 20 countries globally by the end of 2013. USAID serves as the lead USG contributor of bilateral assistance on LEDS, MRV, and market readiness, and will leverage its significant technical expertise to provide leadership on the ground. USAID has long‐standing relationships with host country governments that will enable it to work together to develop shared priorities and implementation plans. USAID can also work in key political and governance areas that multilateral agencies cannot.

Engagement with host country governments and other national or local organizations is expected to require significant coordination with USAID bilateral missions and US Embassies. RDMA will work with the contractor to establish protocols for contact with host country officials and organizations.

In supporting technical program activities, USAID/Washington, RDMA, and bilateral missions will be partnering directly with three key USG technical agencies in MRV/LEDS activities. Key agencies include:

· US Department of Energy (USDOE), in particular to engage the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), which will provide lead technical capabilities in LEDS;

· US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA), which will provide a range of MRV capabilities as well as support to LEDS; and

· US Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service (USDA/FS), which will provide MRV capabilities relating to forestry and land use, as well as support to related LEDS issues.

The Contractor shall coordinate closely with each of these USG agencies and allocate resources that can effectively leverage and deliver USDOE, USEPA, and USDA/FS resources and expertise in support of overall program objectives in the Asia region. In this capacity, the contractor will serve as a “Program Integrator.” Such support shall include, for example, preparation of annual program Work Plans and a Performance Management Plan (PMP) that integrate and leverage expertise and plans of USG technical agencies, as well as various communications and reporting. Other “Program Integrator” support shall include facilitating regional and in-country workshops, trainings, technical assistance, and other engagement by the USG technical agencies at the regional and, where appropriate, country level.

Generally, the Contractor shall also ensure coordination with all new and ongoing USAID/RDMA, USAID/Washington, USAID bilateral, and other USG programs addressing climate change enabling conditions, as well as other relevant clean energy and sustainable landscapes programs where appropriate. Both RDMA’s US-China Partnership for Climate Action and ECO-Asia CDCP currently support capacity building activities in MRV, and RDMA plans to launch a new sustainable landscapes and Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) program that includes MRV components.

Coordination with the State Department will be important as State will lead diplomatic efforts and deploys financial resources in support of key multilateral and bilateral priorities. State’s comparative advantage is promoting effective international solutions, advanced technology strategies, and innovative market approaches through international processes and US‐led diplomatic partnerships and initiatives. Other key agencies with which coordination may be important include the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), Export-Import (Ex-Im) Bank, and the US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA).

Regional Programming and Coordination. As a regional program, the Contractor shall implement regional activities involving multiple countries across Asia (see Table 1 below), as well as bilateral activities in countries where there is no USAID mission.

One key advantage of RDMA’s regional mandate is the use of regional programming to amplify development impact at regional, national, and sub-national levels. Working across Asia, RDMA is uniquely positioned to address transnational/regional issues, and seize opportunities for catalytic change across multiple countries, often while complementing and furthering the objectives of bilateral USG-funded programs. Briefly, RDMA’s regional programs and activities:

· strengthen regional (multi-country) cooperation and partnerships—while stimulating innovation and competition—among multiple national and sub-national stakeholders;

· promote replication and scaling up of best practices and innovation and share lessons learned from country to country (e.g., pilot demonstrations);

· strengthen or establish key regional institutional institutions, networks, and platforms (e.g., as a “learning platform”) that can further advance and sustain the above.

To be considered regional, a program simultaneously involves two or more countries in activities such as trainings or exchanges, development of common standards or policies, “twinning” or partnership activities, institutional development for regional platforms or institutions, knowledge-sharing, etc. The regionally focused LEAD program shall operate in and work with multiple countries to promote regional cooperation, identify and replicate best practices, and strengthen regional platforms to promote the development of low emissions climate resilient economies. The Contractor shall also support activities in countries for which there are no other bilaterally planned activities connected with SSLED, and ensure such country-specific activities are linked to regional activities.

RDMA’s regional activities regularly involve country-level engagement (such as country-level workshops or demonstration projects) in countries with existing USAID bilateral missions. RDMA staff and all RDMA program implementing partners are required to maintain regular coordination with bilateral USAID missions, as well as applicable US Embassies and Consulates, in order to ensure appropriate stakeholder and US Government engagement in-country. Therefore, the Contractor shall link all country-level activities to regional program efforts. In countries such as India where there are likely to be substantial bilaterally-funded programs in connection with SSLED, the Contractor shall coordinate with these activities. At a minimum, the Contractor will be required to conduct briefings with USAID or US Embassy staff during each trip to a country, or through the partner’s establishment of country offices (see below).

To further catalyze impact and promote cooperation and long-term sustainability, the Contractor team implementing the Program should include one or more leading regional Asia-based organization(s) involved in one or more of the three main program areas. Partnering with regional organizations can add regional legitimacy and context to the program and can help develop ways to sustain program objectives and activities well beyond the program period.

Donor and Private Sector Coordination. In consultation and coordination with the Contracting Officer’s Technical Representative (COTR), i.e., the RDMA program manager, the Contractor shall be responsible for coordinating program activities with and engaging key multilateral, bilateral donor, and private sector organizations that are supporting similar efforts regionally and in specific program countries. LEAD Program activities shall aim to both complement and leverage ongoing programs by these partner organizations.

Outcome-Oriented Program Impact and Sustainability. To ensure maximum effectiveness, the Contractor shall emphasize outcome/results-oriented (as opposed to process-oriented) activities with tangible, measurable impact and will promote sustainability and long-term impact in all program areas. All program planning and implementation activities will consider program sustainability and work to ensure that critical services or functions provided through the program can be carried forward beyond the program period.

4.3 Geographic Scope

Program activities will involve up to 12 potential countries as provided in Table 1:

Table 1. Proposed LEAD Program Geographic and Thematic Coverage

The Contractor shall confirm specific country focus in consultation with USAID/RDMA based on findings of the Task 1 regional analysis and consultations. LEAD Program support for MRV and market readiness shall focus on energy- and/or landscape-based emissions sources in up to all 12 countries. Support for LEDS shall involve a total of up to seven countries, four of which the USG has identified as priority countries in Asia for engagement on LEDS (including Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, and Vietnam). Activities involving the Philippines and Thailand shall initially be more limited and would scale up after each of these countries associate with the Copenhagen Accord, which is anticipated. Activities involving China shall be conducted in close coordination with other USG agencies to ensure technical assistance, regional cooperation, and experience sharing activities are fully in line with overarching USG priorities in US-China cooperation and related USG agency activities in China.

The Contractor shall coordinate closely with the COTR on any changes to the level or type of expected engagement in program countries. In addition to individual countries, the Program may involve regional organizations, such as the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), in order to achieve expanded economies of scale, program reach, and impact.

Assistance through the LEAD Program shall be provided only for the 12 countries identified in Table 1, except as the RDMA Contracting Officer may otherwise provide in writing.

Assistance for China may be provided only where applicable “notwithstanding” authority is available. For FY 2010 funds, activities will be carried out under the notwithstanding authority provided in section 7071(g)(4) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2010 (Division F, P.L. 111-117) to fund U.S. educational institutions and NGOs to work in environment, governance and the rule of law, or under the notwithstanding authority to support tropical forestry and biodiversity conservation activities, clean energy and climate programs aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and programs to mitigate mercury pollution, pursuant to section 7081(d) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2010 (Division F, P.L. 111-117).

Assistance for Nepal shall comply with restrictions applicable to the Communist Party of Nepal's designation as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) organization, and with the attached OFAC license SDGT-760d 4.4 Period of Performance

The period of performance for this contract will be five years, beginning o/a May 1, 2011 and ending o/a April 30, 2016.

4.5 USAID Program Management

The RDMA COTR will be responsible for all day-to-day management, oversight, and technical direction of the Contractor and overall LEAD Program. The RDMA COTR will facilitate all initial coordination with other managers of USAID/RDMA programs and implementers, as well as USAID bilateral missions, US Embassies, and other USG agencies. In all instances below, the term “COTR” refers to the RDMA COTR. The RDMA Contracting Officer will be responsible for all approvals required for the contract except as explicitly designated to the COTR.

4.6 Major Tasks

The Contractor shall implement seven tasks (grouped into four themes), described below. Given the evolving nature of international engagement on climate change, particularly in the area of LEDS, the LEAD Program will embrace the principles of adaptive management and work to update programmatic management tools, such as the full integrated Work Plan and PMP, at strategic intervals, such as following the initial regional analysis in Task 1. All seven tasks will be closely coordinated across the entire Program, and will align with the technical and thematic focus areas provided in Table 1. Section F.4 of this RFP provides an illustrative table summarizing deliverables and their expected delivery dates for each task.

Summary of Tasks:

1. Initial Regional Analysis and Stakeholder Consultations on Program Priorities and Opportunities

2. Regional Support for National GHG Inventory Capacity Building and Development

3. Regional Support for MRV Protocols and Tools Development, Capacity Building, Pilot Demonstrations, and Replication

4. GHG Market Development

5. Emissions Factor Identification and Development

6. Regional Support for LEDS Development and Implementation

7. Overarching Program Management and Coordination

Theme I: Initial Analysis and Stakeholder Consultations

Task 1 – Initial Regional Analysis and Stakeholder Consultations on Program Priorities and Opportunities

Within 120 days of award, the Contractor shall complete a regional analysis (final draft) of priorities and opportunities for addressing MRV, market readiness, and LEDS regionally and across the applicable focus countries. The regional analysis shall involve desktop research and analysis, as well as regional and in-country consultations with key stakeholders, including host-country governments (national and, where appropriate, sub-national), the private sector, non-governmental organizations, universities and research institutions, US Government and other US-based organizations, and others. The analysis and consultations shall also be coordinated with and build on LEDS-focused scoping activities conducted in Bangladesh and Vietnam during early Fiscal Year (FY) 2011 by USAID and other USG agencies as part of the SSLED program. Most importantly, the analysis and consultations shall confirm the priority countries for specific MRV and LEDS activities. The Contractor shall thoroughly vet visits, analyses, and consultations with the USAID bilateral mission and/or US Embassy for each country. It should be noted that each Embassy and USAID mission has specific requirements for lead time for country clearances for such visits. In addition, USAID missions and US Embassies shall be consulted regarding the appropriate protocols for contacting and meeting with host country officials.

The analysis shall generally focus on answering three questions (to be refined in consultation with the COTR): (1) What is the current state of MRV, market readiness, and LEDS capabilities in Asia’s major emitting economies, and in key regional organizations and institutions, and to what extent are host country governments and other institutions willing and/or committed to participate in LEDS, MRV, and market readiness? (2) What are the immediate priorities and opportunities for RDMA to address in MRV, market readiness, and LEDS capabilities through the LEAD Program and associated USG-funded programs, in coordination with other USAID and USG collaborators and with host country governments and other institutions? and (3) What key multilateral, bilateral, academic, or other institutions which RDMA can leverage resources or partner with to address MRV and LEDS challenges in the region?

Although the Contractor shall begin activities on all other Tasks (Tasks 2-7) the analysis shall include specific suggestions for enhancing all tasks going forward and updating the integrated Work Plan and PMP as appropriate. The Contractor shall include a focused set of key statistics and trends in narrative and graphical forms. The COTR and/or other RDMA staff will accompany Contractor staff during some or all of the consultation visits. The COTR will oversee the overall analysis and consultation process, and will direct the Contractor as to the specific level of emphasis to place on engagement in each focus country and appropriate coordination with countries with existing or ongoing bilateral USAID activities addressing MRV, market readiness, or LEDS.

Task 1 Deliverables:

· Initial coordination discussion with COTR (within 14 days of award);

· Draft list of key stakeholders for consultation visits; consultation schedule; consultation ‘survey’ questions (due 15 days after award);

· Draft and final report outlines (due 15 and 25 days after award, respectively);

· Consultations, including roundtable discussions where appropriate (to be completed within 45 days of award);

· 15-page summary report of initial findings (due 45 days after award);

· Draft, revised, and final reports (MS Word and PDF versions, as well as 50 hard copies of the final report) (due 60, 90, and 120 days after award, respectively);

· Two-page draft cable summarizing findings and recommendations of the report (due 120 days after award);

· Draft and final PowerPoint presentations summarizing findings and recommendations of the report (due 60 and 120 days after award).

Theme II: MRV and Market Readiness Effective MRV systems and carbon market readiness will be vital to mobilize private capital to invest in developing country GHG mitigation actions, ensure that countries are delivering on individual and collective climate emission mitigation goals, and promote confidence and credibility that all countries are standing behind their commitments and actions in international agreements. The Contractor’s MRV activities shall support regional cooperation and sharing in developing and testing MRV tools, and build capacity for project, corporate, and national/sectoral MRV. Results shall help promote more effective and accurate measurement and reporting of emissions, mobilize private capital to finance emissions reductions, support market‐based approaches that enable cost‐effective emissions reductions, and help open up investment opportunities for US firms pursuing carbon offsets. In pursuing MRV capacity building support, the Contractor shall leverage existing expertise and experience from key initiatives and institutions, such as: the GHG Protocol of the World Resources Institute, The Climate Registry, ISO 14064, and protocols and tools developed by US, European, and other GHG registries/trading platforms (and the Contractor may consider engaging such institutions as direct institutional partners in an overall consortium). Public-private partnerships may serve as highly effective means of ensuring MRV protocols and tools are effectively developed, adopted, and disseminated.

Task 2 – Regional Support for National GHG Inventory Capacity Building and Development

National GHG Inventories will play a critical role in country commitments under the Copenhagen Accord, which now requires National Communications to the UNFCCC every two years. However, Government capacity to develop complete and accurate national-level GHG inventories covering energy, industrial, agriculture, forestry, and other sources remains weak in most Asian developing countries for a variety of reasons. The Contractor shall provide regional technical assistance and training to country counterparts to support institutional capacity building, improved understanding of GHG estimation methodologies, data collection and management systems, inventory preparation and reporting processes, and related activities. (“Country counterparts” for inventory development can include a range of key national and subnational government agencies, universities and research institutions, non-governmental organizations, the private sector, and others.) Technical assistance and training will involve introduction and demonstrations of emissions calculation software and methodologies, collection systems for activity data, and data management systems, as well as sharing and replication of successful models. The Contractor shall also work towards increasing the overall information available on governments’ progress in promoting emissions reductions. Activities shall build off of Task 5 and be implemented in coordination with Tasks 6 and 7 The Contractor shall also coordinate closely with and support USEPA, which will also be building GHG inventory capacities on behalf of USAID/RDMA, as well as with USDOE and USDA/FS on overall LEDS support activities across the region. The Contractor shall likewise coordinate closely with USAID’s Economic Growth, Agriculture, and Trade (EGAT) Bureau Climate Change Team and key USAID bilateral missions (e.g., USAID/India and USAID/Indonesia), which are supporting related components of LEDS activities in the region. Where appropriate and in coordination with the COTR, bilateral missions, and USEPA, the Contractor shall also support focused in-country capacity building for inventory development.

For this task, the Contractor shall conduct both regional and country-level training workshops, and support limited participant travel to these workshops (not to exceed one third of all participants, excluding USAID, other donor, and program personnel). The Contractor shall facilitate/coordinate participation of other USG technical agencies as appropriate.

Task 2 Deliverables:

· Technical assistance and training in coordination with USEPA on GHG inventory methodologies, preparation, and reporting (up to two regional and up to 10 country-level trainings per year; ongoing technical…