FSSC_II_7200AA18R00086_Amendment_1.pdf

ISSUE DATE: November 9, 2018

QUESTIONS DUE: November 21, 2018

CLOSING DATE: December 14, 2018, 2018 at 12:00 PM (Washington D.C. time)

AMENDMENT #: 1

AMENDMENT ISSUE

DATE: November 28, 2018

SUBJECT: Request for Proposals (RFP) No. 7200AA18R00086 for

Bureau for Food Security

Dear Sir/Madam:

The United States Government represented by the U.S. Agency for International Development

(USAID), hereby issues solicitation No. 7200AA18R00086 titled Food Security Service Center II

(FSSC II). The applicable NAICS code for this acquisition is 541611, and the small business threshold is $15 Million. This acquisition is set-aside for competition from small businesses only.

Section C of this solicitation sets forth the activities that will be required in the resulting contract.

Section L of the RFP sets forth instructions for the preparation and submission of the proposal and specifies the required contents of the proposal. Please submit your proposal in accordance with the requirements in Sections C and L of this solicitation. Section M states the criteria by which the proposal will be evaluated, and the award will be made. The estimated budget for the activities described in this RFP range between $19 million and $24.5 million total.

All questions regarding this RFP shall be submitted by November 21, 2018. Questions should be submitted by email to sasaad@usaid.gov and pburford@usaid.gov.

Issuance of this solicitation does not constitute an award commitment on the part of the

Government, nor does it commit the Government to pay for any costs incurred in the preparation or submission of a proposal. Furthermore, the Government reserves the right to reject any offer, if such action is considered to be in the best interest of the Government.

Please submit your proposal no later than the indicated closing time and date and above. Please note that an early submission is encouraged and welcomed.

Thank you for your interest in USAID programs.

Sincerely, Paul Burford

Supervisory Contracting Officer

U.S. Agency for International Development mailto:sasaad@usaid.gov mailto:pburford@usaid.gov

PART I – THE SCHEDULE

SECTION B - Supplies or Services/Prices

B.1 PURPOSE

The purpose of this award is to procure services to perform a program titled the Food Security

Service Center II (FSSC II). The FSSC activity will provide a broad range of integrated and knowledge-driven technical services, as described in section C, Statement of Work, to Feed the

Future (FTF) focus and aligned missions, host countries (through capacity building), and the

Bureau for Food Security. This procurement is a small business set-aside.

B.2 CONTRACT TYPE

The U.S. Government contemplates award of a Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee (CPFF), Term contract resulting from this solicitation. For the consideration set forth below, the Contractor shall provide the deliverables or outputs described in Section F in accordance with the performance standards specified in Section E based on the Scope of Work (SOW) found in Section C of this solicitation document.

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

(a) The estimated cost for the performance of the work required hereunder exclusive of fixed fee, if any, is to be completed at time of award. The estimated cost plus fixed fee, if any is to be completed at time of award.

(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 hereunder.

1. The Total Contract Award amount is $ TBD.

2. The estimated cost for 5 years period of performance of the work required hereunder, exclusive of the fee is $________. The fixed fee is $ __________. The estimated cost plus fixed fee is $ ___________.

3. This contract is being incrementally funded and, as such, funds currently available and obligated at the time of contact award is $ TBD.

4. It is estimated that the obligated amount is expected to cover costs incurred by the contractor from ______TBD_____ through ____TBD____.

B.4 BUDGET

a) The following itemized budget sets forth the estimates for individual line items of cost:

COST

CATEGORIES

YEAR 1 YEAR 2 YEAR 3 YEAR 4 YEAR 5

Total Direct Labor

Salary

Fringe Benefits

Consultants & Short

Term Technical

Assistance

Travel &

Transportation

$1,093,060 $1,120,386 $1,148,396 $1,177,106 $1,206,534

Subcontracts

Other Direct Costs

Overhead

G&A

Total Estimated Cost

(TEC)

Fixed Fee

Total Costs plus fee

b) Level of Effort (days) for STTA : Per calendar year, estimated to be 5,000 LOE days. Total for life of project estimated to be 25,000 days.

Consultant Estimated Level of

Effort (Days) per

Contract Year

STTA Pool

All expertise 25,000

c) The inclusion of any costs in the above budget does not obviate the requirement for prior approval by the contracting officer of cost items designated as requiring prior approval by any of the terms and conditions of this contract, including the applicable cost principles (see

FAR § 52.216-07, “Allowable Cost and Payment”); nor does it constitute a determination of allowability by the contracting officer of any item of cost, unless specifically stated elsewhere in this contract. Also, these amounts may not be adjusted without a written modification signed by the contracting officer. The contractor will not bill any amounts against this contract in excess of the amounts specified for each line item.

d) The contractor agrees to furnish data that the contracting officer may request on costs expended or accrued under this contract in support of the budget information provided herein.

B.5 INDIRECT COSTS

a) Pending establishment of revised provisional or final indirect cost rates, USAID will reimburse allowable indirect costs on the basis of the following negotiated provisional or predetermined rates and the appropriate bases pursuant to the contractor’s current executed Negotiated

Indirect Cost Rate Agreement:

TYPE

EFFECTIVE PERIOD INDIRECT COST RATES

FROM THROUGH

FRINGE

(a)

OVERHEAD

(b)

Base of Application

(a)

(b)

b) The contractor will make no change in its established method of classifying or allocating indirect costs without the prior written approval of the contracting officer.

B.6 COST REIMBURSABLE

The U.S. dollar costs allowable will be limited to reasonable, allocable, and necessary costs determined in accordance with FAR § 52.216-7, “Allowable Cost and Payment,” FAR § 52.232-

20, “Limitation of Cost,” and FAR § 52.232-22, “Limitation of Funds,” if applicable, and

AIDAR 752.7003, “Documentation for Payment.”

B.7 PAYMENT OF FIXED FEE

USAID will pay a proportion of the contractor’s fixed fee pursuant to FAR § 52.216-8, “Fixed

Fee,” upon the receipt of an invoice deemed proper by Office of Chief Financial Officer

(M/CFO/DC). In the event that the contractor does not provide the total Level of Effort stipulated in the contract budget, the total amount of fixed fee will be reduced in similar proportion.

[END OF SECTION B]

SECTION C - Description/Specifications

Bureau for Food Security Service Center II (FSSC II) Scope of Work

C.1 INTRODUCTION

The Feed the Future Food Security Service Center II (FSSC II) will provide expert services and short-term technical assistance for program design, technical analyses and problem identification, and capacity building for Missions and USAID/Washington operating units (OUs) as detailed in

Section C.4.2. The services provided will support a wide range of agriculture and food system technical areas, centered on the objectives of the Global Food Security Strategy (GFSS), such as on-farm productivity enhancements, research and extension, input supply, value chain development, market development, technology transfer, policy reform, nutrition interventions, access to finance, and institutional capacity building, among others, as required.

Institutional strengthening, as well as sustainability, climate variability, resilience, nutrition, and gender equality are major themes throughout each of the technical areas and should be considered as they relate to the expertise provided.

C.2 BACKGROUND

Over the past seven years, Feed the Future has achieved many successes from which to build.

Just a small sample of FTF achievements include: agricultural research investments have delivered more than 900 innovations that can hold the key to helping farmers increase yields, fight pests and adapt to changing climatic conditions; partnerships with governments, local institutions and other humanitarian and development organizations have led to investments that build resilience in communities and households that are subject to recurring shocks and stresses;

more than 3.2 million women have been applying improved agricultural technologies or practices and the Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index (WEAI) was designed to directly measure women’s empowerment and inclusion levels in the agriculture sector; nearly $830 million in direct private sector capital investment has been leveraged and nearly 6,000 public private partnerships have been created.

Within this context, the U.S. Government’s continued, bipartisan commitment to ending hunger, malnutrition, and poverty around the world was codified in July 2016 with the enactment of the

Global Food Security Act (GFSA), which called for a new interagency strategy to achieve global food security and nutrition. The Global Food Security Strategy (GFSS) presents an integrated whole-of-government strategy to implement the GFSA. The GFSS charts the course for the U.S.

Government to contribute to the achievement of global food security and the UN’s Sustainable

Development Goals (SDGs) together with partners across the globe.

One year into the implementation of the GFSS, strong progress in food security across Feed the

Future’s initial focus countries, and the rapid interagency scale-up of mechanisms and processes

2017 FTFMS Results Data

2017 Feed the Future Progress Snapshot to transition Feed the Future into the broader, even more ambitious approach of the Strategy has been made. Twelve target countries in which to concentrate collective interagency investment through Feed the Future have been selected.

Today, nine million more people are living above the poverty line, 1.7 million more households are not suffering from hunger, and 1.8 million more children are living free from the devastating effects of stunting in the areas where the initiative works.

Since 2011, Feed the Future farmers have earned nearly $2.6 billion in new agricultural sales, and nearly $2.7 billion in agricultural and rural loans have helped smallholder farmers and businesses grow. Feed the Future has partnered with hundreds of local small- and-medium-sized businesses, as well as U.S. and multinational companies, to leverage nearly $830 million in direct private sector capital investment since 2011--a conservative estimate of the initiative's total leverage.

In 2016 alone, FTF activities helped nearly 11 million small-scale food producers gain access to new tools and technologies such as high-yielding seeds, fertilizer application, soil conservation, and water management. In Africa, this helped the producers reached by Feed the Future increase their maize yields 23 percent above national averages. With modern know-how and technologies, these farmers have been able to move from a life of subsistence to one of higher incomes and stability.

In 2016, Feed the Future, in partnership with USAID Global Health and USAID Food for Peace, also trained more than 3.7 million people in child health and nutrition and helped thousands of health facilities address malnutrition so they can help families help themselves, now and for years to come. These are part of the Feed the Future’s efforts that helped reach more than 27 million children under the age of five in 2016 with interventions to improve their nutrition, with particular focus on the critical 1,000-day window of opportunity from pregnancy to a child’s second birthday.

Results like these, achieved during the first phase of Feed the Future, have made a significant impact in the areas where the initiative operates. We are encouraged by the changes observed in

Feed the Future zones of influence. Since the initiative began, based on average annual rates of reduction measured at that time, the data demonstrates that poverty has dropped by an average of

19 percent and childhood stunting by 26 percent across areas in which the initiative has focused efforts.

Significant challenges and opportunities to ending global hunger, undernutrition, and

The 12 Feed the Future Target countries include: Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guatemala, Honduras, Kenya, Mali, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, and Uganda. Ten of these were previous Feed the Future focus countries, with Niger and Nigeria having been aligned countries.

U.S. Government Global Food Security Strategy Implementation Report, 2017, page 2. These results represent aggregate statistics observed in 17 of the original 19 Feed the Future focus countries over a two-to-six year period, depending on country data source. Figures are not yet available for Mali and Guatemala.

Ibid, page 3. People trained include health professionals, primary health care workers, community health workers, volunteers, mothers/caregivers, policy-makers, researchers, and other non-health personnel in child health care and child nutrition training provided through USG-supported programs during the reporting year.

Ibid, page 3. Projections of average total percentage change between 2010 and 2016 are based on population- and time weighted average annual rates of change measured in the baseline and interim population-based surveys in Feed the Future target regions.

extreme poverty remain, including: Food security, instability, and conflict; climate and natural resources challenges; complex demographic challenges and relevance beyond rural areas; continued gender inequalities; opportunities for agricultural-led growth, and;

mobile, digital, and finance opportunities.

The U.S. Government, in partnership with other governments, civil society members, multilateral development institutions, research institutions, universities, and the private sector, will build on experience to date to address these challenges, take advantage of opportunities, and advance food security and improve nutrition by focusing efforts around three interrelated and interdependent objectives:

● Inclusive and sustainable agricultural-led economic growth, as growth in the agriculture sector has been shown in some areas to be more effective than growth in other sectors at helping men and women lift themselves out of extreme poverty and hunger.

Agricultural growth does this by increasing availability of food, generating income from production, creating employment and entrepreneurship opportunities throughout value chains, and spurring growth in rural and urban economies.

● Strengthened resilience among people and systems, as increasingly frequent and intense shocks and stresses threaten the ability of men, women, and families to sustainably emerge from poverty.

● A well-nourished population, especially among women and children, as undernutrition, particularly during the 1,000 days from pregnancy to a child’s second birthday, leads to lower levels of educational attainment, productivity, lifetime earnings, and economic growth rates.

The Food Security Service Center (FSSC) currently provides a broad, integrated, and knowledge-driven suite of expert technical services, complementing existing BFS support to provide USAID

Missions and USAID/Washington Operating Units (OUs) targeted support to move the Feed the

Future agenda forward.

Building on the success of both the FSSC and the Feed the Future Initiative, and bolstering programming under the GFSS, the Feed the Future Food Security Service Center II will enable

BFS to provide short- and longer-term expertise for state-of-the-art food security support services; capacity building; and expert analysis and integration of cross cutting issues that are critical to the achievement of GFSS results.

C.3 PROJECT OBJECTIVES

The implementation of the Global Food Security Strategy is a whole-of-government effort.

USAID leads this effort by collaborating with a diverse group of U.S. Government departments and agencies as well as private sector and civil society partners to ensure that resources are aligned to achieve these objectives. Within USAID, the Bureau for Food Security (BFS), along with regional bureaus, provides resources and technical and organizational leadership to coordinate the implementation of food security programming by country and regional field offices.

The purpose of the Feed the Future FSSC II is to assist BFS (planned to become The Bureau for

Resilience and Food Security - RFS) to provide additional key assistance needed to further its implementation of the GFSS in a more effective, efficient, and sustainable manner globally.

C.4 SCOPE OF WORK

The purpose of the Feed the Future FSSC II is to complement existing BFS support and build on its predecessor contract, the FSSC, to provide USAID Missions and Washington operating units targeted assistance for the implementation of the next phase of Feed the Future.

In response to needs which will arise for technical assistance in USAID’s implementation of the

GFSS, the FSSC II will supply a suite of technical expertise to provide expert advice and services around each of the three core objectives and cross-cutting Intermediate Results (IRs) of the

GFSS

. The broad range of knowledge-driven and integrated technical services will include:

● Objective 1: State-of-the-art expertise for program and project design;

● Objective 2: Expert analyses and problem identification;

● Objective 3 Capacity building for missions and USAID/Washington Operating Units to incorporate core objectives of the GFSS into programming.

It is expected that knowledge management will be crucial to the success of the program.

Program activities shall be managed through agreed upon Work Plans that set the performance objectives semi-annually, including technical reports, analytical studies, and other programmatic support as requested. The contractor will be expected to include in the annual report a summary of work products which have been shared publicly (posted to the DEC, Agrlinks, and other platforms) organized around the three core objectives of the GFSS.

C.4.1 Key Personnel & Short- Term Consultants

The contractor will provide a staff of two persons to establish and operate the FSSC II who will be considered Key Personnel and will be subject to USAID review. First, the Contractor will provide a full-time Chief of Party who is required to have at least 10 years of combined experience in the management of food security, agricultural and/or nutrition programming, policy analysis, program and development project design, and capacity building of host country institutions. Second, a full-time Deputy Chief of Party – Operations, who is required to have at least 7 years of combined experience in the management of food security or development programming, with emphasis on the operational management of such programs, and in the identification and recruitment of suitable candidates for assistance.

The Contractor will maintain a roster of at least 15 expert consultants per subject matter, with regional experience in Feed the Future countries in each of the following categories: agricultural specialists (including agronomy, plant pathology, soil science, entomology, etc.); agricultural economics; gender; youth; nutrition-sensitive and nutrition-specific interventions; climate smart agriculture; land, marine, and resource tenure; ICT and digital solutions; agribusiness and marketing; agricultural finance; policy analysis and legislation drafting; resilience; and capacity-

See Section C.2 or the Global Food Security Strategy.

https://feedthefuture.gov/sites/default/files/resource/files/USG_Global_Food_Security_Strategy_FY2017-21_0.pdf building. The contractor will update the roster regularly with the cooperation of USAID and through relevant professional and academic associations and internet media. The contractor will systematize a process to coordinate volunteers and consultants and connect them with Missions and/or USAID/Washington OUs that require their subject matter support. The program will provide assistance to both GFSS target and other Missions and OUs in carrying out the key advisory services necessary for program implementation including strategic planning, analysis, and project design. The program will also provide capacity building efforts, through direct assistance to USAID Missions, to ensure that host government institutions are equipped to help realize the high level GFSS goals and objectives and move their GFSS Country Plans forward.

Finally, it will be crucial that effective learning is captured from and through the services the program provides. Knowledge products created through FSSC II assistance provision should be adequately disseminated by the contractor through the USAID Development Experience

Clearinghouse (DEC), and in partnership with Agrilinks and other existing platforms where appropriate . Where appropriate, the contractor is encouraged to make use of webinars and other engaging sessions to facilitate knowledge dissemination.

C.4.2 Specific Description of Services

Optimization and management of a service center and network of experts

Under the predecessor activity, a service center was established that housed key and other personnel, a database (roster) of consultants, and provided logistical and other support for short-term consultants and experts.

The Contractor, building off of the first center, will optimize and manage a database of expert consultants, mobilizing experts, firms and institutions that provide state-of-the-art expertise and capacity building opportunities for Mission and Washington OU needs. The Contractor will be responsible for providing all logistical support to mobilized consultants, including onboarding materials, travel, timesheets and reporting, etc. The Contractor will provide an orientation to each expert and consultant on the Global Food Security Strategy and the relevant USAID policies and guidance needed in order for them to carry out their work effectively.

The Contractor will be provided with the database developed under the predecessor contract, the

FSSC, upon award. This MySQL database is the main tool for identifying consultants, and aids in vetting consultants for best fit assignments. It contains resumes and records of previous assignments under the FSSC. The database can be queried for information, but does not provide analytics in its current state, nor does it have a reporting dashboard. The current user interface of the database is an intuitive design and easily interacted with. As a tool, offerors should propose updates for optimization of the database. All changes and updates are subject to USAID approval.

The contractor will be expected to gather feedback from requesting Missions and OUs on consultant performance and capabilities, and use this feedback to update consultant profiles within the database.

It is possible some products developed through FSSC II TA provision will be procurement-sensitive, in which case they should not be shared publicly via any of the above listed forums.

The database will include information on each subject matter expert, including his or her areas of technical subject matter expertise, education, language competency, recent sectoral and geographic experience, and finally their familiarity with USAID programming procedures. The contractor is strongly encouraged to include local host-country consultants on the roster of experts where appropriate.

The contractor will be required to refine the database throughout the life of the project, removing consultants who are not best-fit and adding new consultants as they are recruited and/or recommended by and to the contractor. The contractor will be required to maintain a minimum of

15 expert consultants per subject matter.

On-demand food security expert support services

BFS, in collaboration with field missions and other USAID/Washington OUs, recognizes the need for a specialized and responsive mechanism to support agricultural development, improved nutrition and resiliency that addresses food security challenges using new technologies and innovative approaches. On demand from USAID, the FSSC II will support core program areas that advance the objectives of the GFSS, to include building USAID Mission, Washington, and other USG capacity to implement the GFSS. The Center will also boost host country counterparts and ownership, development of local organizations and USAID capacity, while also providing critical support and analysis for the integration of GFSS cross-cutting issues. Illustrative tasks include but are not limited to:

● Provide USAID field missions with country-level sector and sub-sector analysis such as policy analysis, value chain analysis, feasibility and cost-benefit analysis, market and food security assessments, nutrition and hygiene assessments, gender analysis, and others, to build capacity in missions, host country counterparts, and local partners.

● Advisory services for policy, legislative, and regulatory frameworks and cross institutional links to ensure efficient and productive national response to improving business enabling environments, access to finance and uptake of financial services, household nutrition, dissemination and penetration of digital tools, food safety and dietary guidance systems, and overall food security and household resilience.

● Strategic planning and program development assistance that promotes national ownership of investments in competitive and sustainable economic growth contributing to increased food security.

● Evaluations and assessments of programs to improve and build upon foundational work of advancing national ownership of Feed the Future investments contributing to increased food security.

● Thought leadership and strategy design support to Missions and Washington OUs that advances the core components of the Global Food Security Strategy.

Expert analyses and services shall also aim to advance the cross-cutting (CC) intermediate results

(IR) of the GFSS:

a) CC IR 1 Strengthened global commitment to investing in food security: While domestic and international private entities are eager to invest in developing country food and agriculture systems, they often view agriculture and related investments as risky due to weak and uncertain policy environments and inadequate finance. GFSS/FTF efforts facilitate investment at all levels—from production to marketing—to sustainably reduce global hunger, malnutrition, and poverty. To finance increased agriculture sector investment, activities will promote and facilitate adequate, appropriate and accessible financial products, such as guarantees, savings and insurance products, and other debt and equity instruments that are structured to the needs of the agriculture value chain.

b) CC IR 2 Improved climate risk, land, marine, and other natural resource management: The sustainability of food security investments depends on improved climate-risk and resilience as well as environmentally-sound and sustainable management of production systems, whether terrestrial, freshwater, or marine. Solutions require innovative approaches that sustainably manage the natural resource base and, at the same time, sustain income and healthy diets, including through diversification strategies that also help reduce climate risk.

c) CC IR 3 Increased gender equality and female empowerment: Increasing gender equality and empowering women are critical to achieving global food security and nutrition. By helping women throughout the value chain address the barriers they face and engage in higher value-added activities such as processing and trading, women’s participation in and contributions to food and agriculture systems as producers, entrepreneurs, traders, and workers is advanced. Women are also engaged as climate-smart producers and managers of resilient households, communities, and natural resources. Addressing gender is critical in building resilience because shocks and stresses affect men, women, boys and girls differently (even in the same household) and often put additional stress on female members of the household which further impacts resilience capacities at all levels and compromises longer term recovery. Consistent evidence demonstrates that women’s empowerment promotes children’s and women’s nutrition.

Empowering women and engaging men can improve diets, hygiene, and use of nutrition services, contributing to a well-nourished population.

d) CC IR 4 Increased youth employment and livelihoods: Harnessing the energy, potential, and creativity of youth in developing countries is critical for sustainably reducing global hunger, malnutrition, and poverty. Both push and pull factors drive youth away from agriculture and these challenges are exacerbated for young women.

Engaging youth may promote use of good nutrition practices and nutrition services earlier in women’s and children’s lives and may better enable youth to manage risks for themselves, their families, and their communities.

e) CC IR 5 More effective governance, policy, and institutions: Effective governance, policies and institutions can catalyze and accelerate the food and agricultural systems transformation required to reach the goal of sustainably reducing global hunger, malnutrition and poverty. While we prioritize working in countries committed to policy reform and investment in food security and nutrition, we also recognize that some countries, particularly fragile states, may have a different starting place and thus programming will be tailored to ensure that assistance reaches populations most in need, including the extreme poor.

f) CC IR 6 Improved human, organizational, and system performance: The long-term sustainability and success of food security and nutrition interventions is dependent on strong and functional organizations that are able to achieve their missions and contribute to far-reaching social change, together with skilled citizens who effectively apply professional competencies and achieve their full potential. The GFSS/FTF approach to improving human, organizational, and system performance, which is at the core of development, will be rooted in local capacity development (LCD)—a “process of unleashing, strengthening and maintaining the ability of people, organizations, and society as a whole to manage their affairs successfully” — and will take a long-term view, recognizing that success in this area is contingent on building trust and relationships.

The number of requests for consultants will be demand-driven, dependent on USAID Mission and

Washington resources and technical needs, and may shift from year to year. Consultants on assignment will be selected by the contractor from the database of experts or, in some cases may need to be recruited, and approved by USAID.

Knowledge Management and Learning

Learning is central to the vision, strategy, and operations of the successful implementation of the

GFSS. The success of all activities carried out under this contract will lie not only in the quality of their research products, analytics, tools and/or capacity building efforts but also in clear communication of the findings and engagement of the wider USAID, donor and practitioner communities in an interactive learning process.

Through the provision of expert analyses and support services, it is anticipated that the contractor will contribute to the knowledge base for agriculture sector development and food security programming. Analytical findings, assessments, evaluations, and information generated through technical assistance assignments have the potential to be extremely useful to the food security community of practice at large. Management of these knowledge products can lead to increased impact of GFSS programming. The contractor will be expected to work closely with USAID to accomplish tasks such as:

● Utilize existing online gateways to manage and disseminate knowledge in support of the

GFSS. This may include, but is not limited to, the USAID Development Experience

Clearinghouse (DEC), AgriLinks, MicroLinks, ClimateLinks and similar platforms.

● Where appropriate, conduct public presentations, including facilitating events such as webinars, related to research, assessments, and other activities carried out through the project.

The Contractor shall establish a plan for coordinating with and contributing to USAID’s knowledge management activities in ways that are practical for the contract and do not deter from core activities of technical assistance provision, but that will ensure maximum impact of knowledge generation is carried out through this contract.

C.5 REPORTS AND DELIVERABLES OR OUTPUTS

Section F.5 outlines specific reports and deliverables and the corresponding due dates. An annual report is requested to cover the lessons learned and impacts achieved within the project.

Specifically, the annual report will include a curated knowledge management section detailing all non-procurement sensitive work completed in the previous 12 month period and culled around the GFSS Results Framework, presented to USAID in an actionable way. The Contractor should denote where the work product has been posted (DEC, Agrilinks, etc.) with hyperlinked reports where possible. The majority of deliverables and outputs will result from the work planning process, as the specifics are unknown at the time of award.

[END OF SECTION C]

SECTION D - Packaging and Marking

D.1 BRANDING STRATEGY, IMPLEMENTATION PLAN AND MARKING PLAN

Branding and Marking under this contract shall comply with FTF branding guidance under direction of USAID unless otherwise directed by the COR.

D.2 752.7009 MARKING. (JAN 1993)

(a) It is USAID policy that USAID-financed commodities and shipping containers, and project construction sites and other project locations be suitably marked with the USAID emblem. Shipping containers are also to be marked with the last five digits of the USAID financing document number. As a general rule, marking is not required for raw materials shipped in bulk (such as coal, grain, etc.), or for semi-finished products which are not packaged.

(b) Specific guidance on marking requirements should be obtained prior to procurement of commodities to be shipped, and as early as possible for project construction sites and other project locations. This guidance will be provided through the cognizant technical office indicated on the cover page of this contract, or by the Mission Director in the

Cooperating Country to which commodities are being shipped, or in which the project site is located.

(c) Authority to waive marking requirements is vested with the Regional Assistant

Administrators, and with Mission Directors.

(d) A copy of any specific marking instructions or waivers from marking requirements is to be sent to the Contracting Officer; the original should be retained by the Contractor.

D.3 BRANDING STRATEGY

The branding web page provides guidance for all USAID funded acquisition awards. It contains the electronic version of the Graphic Standards Manual for USAID. This manual is compulsory for all Agency employees and contractors producing communications and program materials funded by USAID. Print copies of the manual were distributed to Agency bureaus and mission.

Contractors should download a copy form this site by clicking on the link:

http://www.usaid.gov/branding/

The branding strategy will be in accordance with ADS 320. It may also be subject to interim and/or final FTF branding guidance under direction of USAID.

http://www.usaid.gov/branding/

Name of the Project: BUREAU FOR FOOD SECURITY SERVICE CENTER II (FSSC II)

How materials and communications will be positioned: The project will be positioned as being owned, operated and managed by USAID and as being “made possible by the American People.”

Desired level of visibility: The contractor will ensure that the project, as well as the fact that it is made possible by the American people through USAID, receives broad visibility amongst its beneficiaries and their communities, counterparts, and the general public with a focus on host government of each country, community leaders, and students. The contractor may identify additional groups/sub-groups of target audiences for project’s public communications, in consultation with USAID. The contractor will ensure high levels of visibility for the project in each country and will integrate suitable communication and outreach as an intrinsic part of the policy reform.

[END OF SECTION D]

[This section left blank intentionally]

SECTION E - Inspection and Acceptance

E.1 52.252-2 CLAUSES INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (FEB 1998)

The contract incorporates the following Federal Acquisition Regulation (48 CFR Chapter 1) clauses (as indicated by an "X") by reference, with the same force and effect as if they were given in full text. Upon request, the Contracting Officer will make the full text available. Also, the full text of a clause may be accessed electronically at this/these addresses:

FAR: http://acquisition.gov/far/index.html

AIDAR: http://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1868/aidar_0.pdf

NUMBER TITLE DATE

FAR (48 CFR Chapter 1)

52.204-14 Service Contract Reporting Requirements OCT 2016

52.246-3 Inspection of Supplies – Cost-Reimbursement MAY 2001

52.246-5 Inspection of Services – Cost-Reimbursement APR 1984

E.2. INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE

USAID inspection and acceptance of services, reports and other required deliverables shall take place at USAID Washington or at any other location where the services are performed and reports and deliverables are produced or submitted. The COR identified in Section G has been delegated authority to inspect and accept all services, reports, and deliverables or outputs.

E.3. MONITORING AND EVALUATION PLAN

Monitoring and evaluation programs should be utilized in order to assess the impact of the program and whether or not objectives are being achieved and if they should be adjusted.

[END OF SECTION E]

http://acquisition.gov/far/index.html http://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1868/aidar_0.pdf

SECTION F - Deliveries or Performance

F.1 52.252-2 CLAUSES INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (FEB 1998)

The 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/these address (es):

52.242-15 Stop-Work Order. (AUG 1989)

52.242-15 Alternate I (APR 1984)

F.2 PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

The place of performance of this contract is Washington, D.C. and USAID Missions worldwide.

F.3 PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

All work required hereunder, including preparation, submission, review of any and all reports, shall be completed within five (5) years after the effective date of the resultant Contract. The

Period of Performance of this contract is [dates TBD].

F.4 REPORTS AND DELIVERABLES

F.4.1 Update and maintain database roster of experts

The contractor will develop a plan for optimization of the service center, including updates to the database, within 45 business days of mobilization. USAID considers this database to be a tool and, therefore, within reason, to be constantly undergoing updates and improvements. However, any major updates or structural changes proposed shall be achievable within a maximum of 260 business days of project launch. Offerors will propose updates to the database.

The database roster will contain no less than 15 expert consultants per subject matter as detailed in Section C.4.1 with regional experience in the 12 GFSS Target countries. Additional categories may be included at the discretion the COR in consultation with the Contractor. The database will include information on each subject matter expert, including his or her areas of technical subject matter expertise, language competency, recent sectoral and geographic experience, and finally their familiarity with USAID programming procedures. Where appropriate, the Contractor is encouraged to include local consultants in the database whose subject matter expertise will fulfill identified needs.

F.4.2 Develop orientation training and materials

In order for subject matter experts and consultants to more effectively carry out their work, within

60 days of mobilization, the Contractor will develop orientation materials on the Global Food

Security Strategy and the next phase of Feed the Future, including relevant USAID policies and guidance in consultation with the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR). The orientation materials shall be revisited annually in order to assure they are kept up to date with the latest in

GFSS and USAID guidance. Each expert/consultant must receive either an in-person or virtual orientation prior to deployment.

F.4.3 Work Plans & Quarterly Reporting

Service Center activities will be managed through an agreed upon Work Plan submitted within 45 days after mobilization. The Work Plan will identify activities/consultations to be undertaken in the first year once Feed the Future Target missions have been surveyed by the Contractor for their upcoming support needs. The Contractor will submit quarterly narrative and financial reports, including any proposed changes to work plans, due within 15 days of the end of each fiscal quarter. The Contractor will submit its proposed annual Work Plans for years 2 and beyond to the COR at least 30 days before the expiration of the previous year’s annual work plan.

The COR will coordinate with the relevant missions and/or offices as necessary and will provide comments back to the Contractor within fifteen business days of submission. The Contractor will submit a revised Work Plan fifteen business days of receiving those comments.

USAID and the Contractor will collaborate on revisions to Work Plans that can occur during implementation. As such, the COR may request that Work Plans be updated in response to changed circumstances.

F.4.4 Briefing and Communications Materials, Missions’ and BFS Needs Assessments

(Quarterly)

The Contractor will develop briefing materials on the Center’s available expert services, and service/scope of work request forms and submit them to the COR for approval within 45 days of project mobilization. The Contractor will reach out to all Feed the Future Target country missions on a quarterly basis and invite them to contact the COR with their requests for services at the start of the fiscal quarter. Demand for services is anticipated to fluctuate, at times widely.

The COR will review incoming requests and, when necessary, assign priorities to them in consultation with colleagues and supervisors in BFS and other USAID bureaus, and inform the

Contractor of decisions reached as input to the Work Plan.

F.4.5 Contractor Feedback System

The Contractor shall design a system or process for soliciting feedback from the Point of Contact in each Mission or OU on its services to Missions in the field and in Washington. The system for soliciting feedback will be approved by the COR, and shall be submitted for approval 45 business days after mobilization. The feedback form should be provided to the Mission or Washington office within five business days of completion of the assignment. Follow up, if required, shall be done within 15 business days of completion of the travel or activity.

F.4.6 As-Requested Reports

As a Service Center for Feed the Future, ad hoc reports may be requested as needed on short notice to respond to inquiries from the Administrator and senior leadership. The Contractor will be required to respond to these requests on a fast-track basis as needed.

F.4.7 Performance Monitoring Plan

The offeror shall provide a Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Plan that describes how the will track, monitor and report on F indicators. In line with USAID ADS policy 201.3.4.10

(https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1870/201.pdf) activities must have an approved MEL plan in place before major implementation actions begin. The awardee must submit a proposed Activity MEL plan to the COR within 90 days of award. The MEL plan should be developed in close collaboration with the COR and should align with the content and process suggestions outlined in ADS 201.3.4.10 and USAID How-To Note: Activity Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Plan (https://usaidlearninglab.org/library/how-note-activity-monitoring%2C-evaluation%2C-and-learning-plan). As it relates to monitoring requirements, custom indicators should be proposed in addition to any Feed the Future standard indicators that may be applicable. See Feed the Future Indicator Handbook for list and description of Feed the

Future standard indicators (https://www.agrilinks.org/post/feed-future-indicator-handbook).

F.4.8 Annual Reports

Within 45 business days after the completion of each project year the contractor will submit an annual report of activities completed during the prior year to the COR. The report shall include highlights, success stories, areas where expected results were not achieved, and lessons learned from implementation, in particular any noted by consultants. The report shall also include a curated knowledge management section detailing all non-procurement sensitive work completed in the current fiscal year and culled around the GFSS Results Framework, presented to USAID in an actionable way. The Contractor shall denote where the work product has been posted (DEC, Agrilinks, MicroLinks, etc.) with hyperlinked reports where possible and if applicable.

F.4.9 Final Report

The Contractor will submit a Final Report not to exceed 50 pages, not including the Executive

Summary or Annexes, unless otherwise approved by the COR, on the final date of the award.

The Final Report shall include highlights of accomplishments and results, lessons learned including any major lessons learned by consultants under individual assignments, and problems in implementation in the Activity Areas. The Final Report must also include an Executive

Summary not to exceed 10 pages of key results, a financial summary of spending and a separate

Annex with the final PMP results. A cumulative Knowledge Management Section shall be included as an Annex, to display the non-procurement sensitive work products generated over the life of the project, culled around the GFSS Results Framework and presented in an actionable way.

https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1870/201.pdf https://usaidlearninglab.org/library/how-note-activity-monitoring%2C-evaluation%2C-and-learning-plan https://usaidlearninglab.org/library/how-note-activity-monitoring%2C-evaluation%2C-and-learning-plan https://www.agrilinks.org/post/feed-future-indicator-handbook

F.5 DELIVERABLE SCHEDULE

DELIVERABLE DATE DUE

Update Database of Experts DRAFT 45 Days of mobilization

FINAL 60 Days of mobilization

Develop Orientation & Training Materials 60 Days of mobilization

Work Plans YEAR 1 - Due Within 45 Days of mobilization to be revised semi-annually; Final Due Within 14

Days of Feedback from COR

YEARS 2-5 - Draft Due Within 30 days Prior to

Previous Year Work Plan Expiration; Final Due

Within 14 Days of Feedback from COR.

Briefing & Communications Materials 45 Days of mobilization

Contractor Feedback System DRAFT System Due 45 days from mobilization

FINAL Due for COR approval Within 14 Days of

Feedback from COR

Provision to Client 48 Hours & Follow up 15

Days From Completion of Consultancy

Ad-hoc Reports As Requested

Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Plan 90 Days of mobilization

Annual Report Due Within 45 Days of Each Project Year End

Quarterly Financial & Narrative Reports Due Within 15 days of End of Fiscal Quarter

Final Report Final Date of Award

F.6 KEY PERSONNEL & Short Term Technical Assistance (STTA)

(a) The personnel as specified below are considered essential to the work being performed under this contract and may, with the consent of the contracting parties, be changed from time to time during the course of the contract by adding or deleting personnel, as appropriate.

(b) Before removing, replacing, or diverting any of the specified individuals, the Contractor shall notify the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) and Contracting Officer (CO), in writing, before the change becomes effective. The Contractor shall submit information to support the proposed action to enable the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) and Contracting

Officer (CO) to evaluate the potential impact of the change on the contract. The Contractor shall not remove or replace personnel under this contract until the Contracting Officer (CO) approves the change.

All mention of “days” is to be considered business days unless explicitly stated otherwise.

(c) The Food Security Service Center II requires a set of long term and short term personnel to achieve project goals and objectives. The Offeror is required to nominate candidates that meet the requirement listed below for long term Key Personnel as well as for short-term technical assistance. The Offeror is required to provide an initial list of Short Term Technical Assistance

(STTA). USAID will approve the Key Personnel and the initial STTA. After approval of the initial STTA list, USAID will not need to approve any individual consultant added to the roster.

The COR will, instead, approve each consultancy request before a consultant begins work. The

CO will approve rates of consultants as required in Section H.8 of this contract.

The Key Personnel positions under this Contract are:

1. Chief of Party

● Master’s degree, preferred in economics, agriculture economics, agribusiness or social science related to agriculture.

● Minimum 10 years’ experience required in the management of one or combination of the following: food security, agricultural and/or nutrition programming, policy analysis,…