7200AA21R00041 - WADI II RFP.pdf

Water and Development II RFP 7200AA21R0041

May 20, 2021

Subject: Request for Proposals Number 7200AA21R00041

Water and Development (WADI) II IDIQ

Dear Offerors, The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is seeking innovative proposals to provide services in support of the Water and Development (WADI) II for USAID’s

Center for Water Security, Sanitation and Hygiene in the Bureau for Resilience and Food

Security (USAID/RFS/CW), as described in the attached Request for Proposals (RFP). USAID anticipates awarding Multiple Award Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (“IDIQ”)

Contracts (approximately eight (8) IDIQ contracts, of which up to three (3) may be reserved for small business concerns). USAID reserves the right to award more or less awards than this anticipated number or to make no award.

USAID invites all interested and responsible organizations to submit offers in accordance with the requirements of this solicitation. USAID will conduct this procurement as a full and open competition under which any type of organization may submit a proposal. The procedures set forth in Federal Acquisition Regulation (“FAR”) Part 15 will govern the procurement. The North

American Industry Classification System (“NAICS”) Code is 541990. The Authorized

Geographic Code for procurement of goods and services under any task order issued under this

IDIQ Contract is 937.

USAID anticipates that the maximum aggregate ordering limitation for contracts resulting from this RFP will not exceed $400,000,000 over the five (5)-year ordering period. This ceiling is not being subdivided among the number of awardees nor is it being multiplied by the number of awardees. There is no guarantee on the number of task orders that the successful contractors will receive or the amount of money beyond the minimum order guarantee set forth in the RFP.

The Government intends to conduct the evaluation as Advisory Phased Procurement with two (2) phases. Please refer to Section L for detailed information regarding offeror’s submission of proposals in Phase 1 and Phase 2 based on the Government Advisory Notice.

Action Date Time Submission Location

Questions Due Thursday, May 27, 2021 4:00PM EDT wadi2idiq@usaid.gov

Phase I Proposals

Due

Thursday, June 17, 2021

[See Section L.4 Phase I]

4:00PM EDT

Phase II Proposals

Due

Will be communicated via the advisory notice.

Tentatively 45 days from

4:00PM EDT

mailto:wadi2idiq@usaid.gov

Water and Development II (WADI II) RFP 7200AA21R00041 the receipt of the advisory notice.

[See Section L.6 Phase II]

Prospective offerors must submit questions about this solicitation to wadi2idiq@usaid.gov by the time and date indicated above. Offerors must submit proposals electronically in accordance with the instructions contained in Section L, “Instructions to Offerors.”

Failure to comply with the submission date and time may result in a submission being deemed unacceptable, as such it will not be reviewed or evaluated. Faxed proposals are not acceptable, nor will they be reviewed or evaluated. Section M states the criteria by which proposals will be evaluated.

This RFP in no way obligates USAID to award an IDIQ and associated task orders, nor does it commit USAID to pay any cost incurred in the preparation or submission of a proposal. Because

USAID reserves the right to award an IDIQ without discussions, initial proposals must represent an Offeror’s best proposal.

This RFP can be viewed and downloaded from the Internet at the web address https://beta.sam.gov. USAID bears no responsibility for data errors resulting from transmission or conversion processes. Furthermore, be aware that amendments to solicitations are occasionally issued and will be posted on the same website from which the solicitation was downloaded. Offerors are, therefore, advised to check the above website for amendments.

Sincerely, Rachel Baltes

Contracting Officer

USAID/M/OAA/RFS

https://beta.sam.gov/content/home

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART I – THE SCHEDULE 4

SECTION A – SOLICITATION/CONTRACT FORM 5

SECTION B – SUPPLIES OR SERVICES AND PRICE/COSTS 6

SECTION C – DESCRIPTION/SPECIFICATIONS/STATEMENT OF WORK 15

SECTION D – PACKAGING AND MARKING 34

SECTION E – INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE 36

SECTION F – DELIVERIES OR PERFORMANCE 37

SECTION G – CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION DATA 58

SECTION H – SPECIAL CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS 64

PART II – CONTRACT CLAUSES 88

SECTION I – CONTRACT CLAUSES 88

PART III – LIST OF DOCUMENTS, EXHIBITS AND ATTACHMENTS 123

SECTION J – LIST OF ATTACHMENTS 123

PART IV – REPRESENTATIONS, CERTIFICATIONS AND OTHER

STATEMENTS OF OFFERORS OR RESPONDENTS 124

SECTION L – PHASE I INSTRUCTIONS, CONDITIONS, AND NOTICES TO

OFFERORS 153

SECTION M – PHASE I EVALUATION FACTORS FOR AWARD 158

PART I - THE SCHEDULE

SECTION A – SOLICITATION/CONTRACT FORM

8. ADDRESS OFFER TO (If other than item 7)

NOTE: In sealed bid solicitations "offer" and "offeror" mean "bid" and "bidder".

SOLICITATION

9. Sealed offers in original and copies for furnishings the supplies or services in the Schedule will be received at the place specified in item 8, or if hand carried, in the depository located in via email submission only until 16:00 ET local time 6/17/2021

(Hour) (Date)

CAUTION - LATE Submissions, Modifications, and Withdrawals: See Section L, Provision No. 52.214-7 or 52.215-1. All offers are subject to all terms and conditions contained in this solicitation.

10. FOR

INFORMATION

CALL:

A. NAME

Leah Leach

B. TELEPHONE (NO COLLECT CALLS) C. E-MAIL ADDRESS

wadi2idiq@usaid.gov

AREA CODE NUMBER EXTENSION

11. TABLE OF CONTENTS

(X) SEC. DESCRIPTION PAGE(S) (X) SEC. DESCRIPTION PAGE(S)

PART I - THE SCHEDULE PART II - CONTRACT CLAUSES

A SOLICITATION/CONTRACT FORM 5

I CONTRACT CLAUSES 88

B SUPPLIES OR SERVICES AND PRICES/COSTS 6 PART III - LIST OF DOCUMENTS, EXHIBITS AND OTHER ATTACH.

C DESCRIPTION/SPECS./WORK STATEMENT 15

J LIST OF ATTACHMENTS 123

D PACKAGING AND MARKING 34 PART IV - REPRESENTATIONS AND INSTRUCTIONS

E INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE 36

K

REPRESENTATIONS, CERTIFICATIONS AND OTHER

STATEMENTS OF OFFERORS

F DELIVERIES OR PERFORMANCE 37

G CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION DATA 58

L INSTRUCTIONS, CONDITIONS, AND NOTICES TO OFFERORS 153

H SPECIAL CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS 64

M EVALUATION FACTORS FOR AWARD 158

OFFER (Must be fully completed by offeror)

NOTE: Item 12 does not apply if the solicitation includes the provisions at 52.214-16, Minimum Bid Acceptance Period.

12. In compliance with the above, the undersigned agrees, if this offer is accepted within calendar days (60 calendar days unless a different period is inserted by the offeror) from the date for receipt of offers specified above, to furnish any or all items upon which prices are offered at the set opposite each item, delivered at the designated point(s), within the time specified in the schedule.

13. DISCOUNT FOR PROMPT PAYMENT

(See Section I, Clause No. 52.232-8)

10 CALENDAR DAYS (%) 20 CALENDAR DAYS (%) 30 CALENDAR DAYS (%) CALENDAR DAYS(%)

14. ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF AMENDMENTS

(The offeror acknowledges receipt of amendments to the SOLICITATION for offerors and related documents numbered and dated):

AMENDMENT NO. DATE AMENDMENT NO. DATE

15A. NAME AND

ADDRESS

OF OFFEROR

CODE FACILITY 16. NAME AND THE TITLE OF PERSON AUTHORIZED TO SIGN

OFFER(Type or print)

15B. TELEPHONE NUMBER

15C. CHECK IF REMITTANCE ADDRESS IS

DIFFERENT FROM ABOVE - ENTER SUCH

ADDRESS IN SCHEDULE.

17. SIGNATURE 18. OFFER DATE

AREA CODE NUMBER EXTENSION

AWARD (To be completed by Government)

19. ACCEPTED AS TO ITEMS NUMBERED 20. AMOUNT 21. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION

22. AUTHORITY FOR USING OTHER THAN FULL OPEN COMPETITION:

10 U.S.C. 2304 (c) 41 U.S.C. 3304(a) ( )

23. SUBMIT INVOICES TO ADDRESS SHOWN IN ITEM

(4 copies unless otherwise specified)

24. ADMINISTERED BY (If other than Item 7) 25. PAYMENT WILL BE MADE BY CODE

26. NAME OF CONTRACTING OFFICER (Type or print)

Rachel Baltes

27. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

(Signature of Contracting Officer)

28. AWARD DATE

IMPORTANT - Award will be made on this Form, or on Standard Form 26, or by other authorized official written notice.

AUTHORIZED FOR LOCAL REPRODUCTION

Previous edition is unusable

STANDARD FORM 33 (REV. 6/2014)

Prescribed by GSA - FAR (48 CFR) 53.214 (c)

USAID

OFFICE OF ACQUISITION AND ASSISTANCE

M/OAA/RFS

SOLICITATION, OFFER AND AWARD

1. THIS CONTRACT IS A RATED ORDER RATING

UNDER DPAS (15 CFR 700)

PAGE OF PAGES

1 160

2. CONTRACT NUMBER 3. SOLICITATION NUMBER

7200AA21R00041

4. TYPE OF SOLICITATION

SEALED BID (IFB)

NEGOTIATED (RFP)

5. DATE ISSUED

5/20/2021

6. REQUISITION/PURCHASE NUMBER

REQ-RFS-21-000024

7. ISSUED BY CODE

SECTION B - SUPPLIES OR SERVICES AND PRICE/COSTS

B.1 PURPOSE

The purpose of this contract is to provide services that fall within the Scope of Work (SOW) specified in Section C for the Water and Development II IDIQ (WADI II). USAID Task Order

Contracting Officers (TOCOs) will request the work through the issuance of task orders during the ordering period, as specified in Section F of the contract.

B.2 CONTRACT TYPE AND SERVICES

This is an Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) type contract. The Government will issue task orders that are either Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee (CPFF) (term or completion), Cost-Plus-

Award-Fee (CPAF), Cost-Plus-Incentive-Fee (CPIF), or Fixed-Priced type or a combination thereof. The Contractor must perform the services set forth in task orders at prices consistent with Section B of the contract.

B.3 MINIMUM ORDERED GUARANTEE

The basic contract includes an initial obligation of funds in the amount of $25,000.00 to cover the minimum order guarantee. USAID is required to order and the Contractor is required to furnish the minimum order amount of services. The initial obligation is expected to be applied towards the first TO that is issued. Following this initial obligation, individual task orders will obligate funds to cover the work required under that task order.

B.4 MAXIMUM CONTRACT CEILING

This is a multiple award Indefinite Quantity Contract (IDIQ) with an overall ceiling price of

$400,000,000. The maximum aggregate dollar value of task orders awarded to all contractors must not exceed the contract ceiling. This ceiling is not being subdivided among the number of awardees nor is it being multiplied by the number of awardees.

B.5 SMALL BUSINESS SET ASIDE

The dollar value of task orders that fall below $5,000,000 are reserved for Small Business IDIQ contract holders.

B.6 FIXED FEE CEILING (Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee Task Orders Only)

(a) The ceiling on fixed fee does not apply to FFP, CPIF, and CPAF Task Orders. Fees for CPIF or CPAF Task Orders will be negotiated by the Task Order Contracting Officer (TOCO) at the time of task order award.

(b) For each CPFF task order issued under this IDIQ, the TOCO and Contractor agree to negotiate a fixed dollar amount for fee. In negotiating the fixed dollar amount for fee, the TOCO must consider the policies and factors for establishing fee in FAR 15.404-4 as well as any applicable USAID policy on establishing a fixed fee amount. The fixed fee in any individual task order must not exceed [To be determined (TBD) at time of award] of the task order’s total estimated cost, excluding fee. The fixed fee ceiling applies to the prime contract and all cost-reimbursement subcontracts.

(c) The Total Estimated Cost-Plus- Fixed- Fee for each task order must be negotiated in accordance with the terms of this contract.

(d) Fixed Fee Payment. For any task order issued under this IDIQ Contract, at the time of each payment of allowable costs to the contractor, the USAID paying office ordinarily pays the contractor a percentage of fixed fees that directly corresponds to the percentage of allowable costs being paid. One exception to paying fixed fee in this manner applies:

If the TOCO determines that this method results in paying a disproportionately higher ratio of fixed fee than the percentage of work that the contractor has completed, then the

TOCO may suspend further payment of any fixed fee until the contractor has made sufficient progress to justify further payment, up to the agreed percentage.

(e) Fees must not be applied to Grants under Contracts (“GUCs”).

B.7 CONTRACT LINE ITEMS

(CLINs will be established based on requirements in the respective TOs)

B.8 LABOR

(a) Central management costs will be handled through the following method:

(1) The Contracting Officer has determined that a key (full-time) technical manager is not necessary or required to administer the basic IDIQ. Contractors will not be authorized to bill USAID directly for IDIQ management costs under this IDIQ or under task orders.

Contractors must utilize a centralized management structure that allows for recovery of

IDIQ management costs as part of its indirect costs.

(b) The workday and workweek policies and method of accounting for paid absences including holidays for the contractor and major subcontractors is set forth in Attachment

J.X [To be inserted at time of award].

(c) Compensation of personnel under this contract or any resulting subcontract must be in accordance with AIDAR 752.7007 Personnel Compensation (July 2007) (See Section

H.).

B.8.1 Unburdened Ceiling Daily Rates (CDR)

(a) The task order rates must not exceed the ceiling daily rates set forth in the table below.

(b) Each unburdened Ceiling Daily Rates (“CDR”) for personnel listed below is

“unburdened” and must only include salary costs or consulting rates of the individual providing the services. The CDR for employees must not include the following:

i. Payroll costs (e.g., fringe benefits, FICA, allowances, differentials, etc.);

ii. Indirect Costs applicable to labor; and

iii. Profit or fee, if any.

(c) The CDRs set forth below are fixed for the contract period and are for a productive eight (8) hour day. The CDRs apply to all labor (i.e., the prime contractor, subcontractor, Third Country Nationals (“TCNs”), Cooperating Country Nationals

(“CCNs”), and consultant salaries) on cost-type task orders. CCN and TCN labor are also governed by the local compensation plan limitations.

(d) Locally Hired National Personnel or Other Non-U.S. Expatriate Rates

i. All locally hired national personnel and other non-U.S. expatriates must be paid in accordance with AIDAR 722.170.

ii. Salaries for individual locally-hired personnel and other non-U.S. expatriates under any task orders or resulting subcontracts must be in accordance with

AIDAR 752.7007, Personnel Compensation (July 2007), and should be based upon a combination of factors including the prevailing compensation paid to personnel performing comparable work in the cooperating country as determined by USAID and consideration of the individual's education, work experience and recent relevant salary history.

iii. Unless otherwise authorized by USAID, the compensation for CCN and TCN labor must not exceed the prevailing compensation paid to personnel performing comparable work in the cooperating country as determined by

USAID and must be paid in the currency of the cooperating country.

(e) Actual salaries for all personnel will be negotiated under task orders and final approval is provided by the TOCO. The ceiling rates presented below do not constitute approval of final salary rates above the Contractor Salary Threshold (CST)

(see ADS 302).

The single unburdened ceiling daily rate for each labor category/group below represents the mid-level and senior level rate in each category/grouping. One unburdened ceiling daily rate for each labor category/grouping is included in the contract to provide more flexibility under task orders.

If lower-level personnel are required under task orders, they must be proposed at rates below the unburdened ceiling daily rate.

Table 1. Labor Categories and Unburdened Ceiling Daily Rates

No Labor Category Level Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Year 6 Year 7

Director Senior $ $ $ $ $ $ $

Mid $ $ $ $ $ $ $

Financial

Advisor Senior $ $ $ $ $ $ $

Legal Advisor Senior $ $ $ $ $ $ $

Engineering

Scientist Senior $ $ $ $ $ $ $

Procurement

Expert

Economist Senior $ $ $ $ $ $ $

Regulatory

Communications

Specialist

Sustainability

Expert

Cross-Cutting

Specialists

Home Office

Specialist

Positions

Administrative

Support

Table 2. Definition of Labor Categories

Labor Category Illustrative Examples

Director Director, Project Manager, Chief of Party, IDIQ Manager

Financial Advisor General Financial Advisor, Financial Modeler, Finance Arranger, Grants Manager, Transaction Advisor

Legal Advisor General Legal Advisor, Institutional Legal Advisor, Project Legal

Advisor, Local Legal Advisor

Engineering Advisor U.S. licensed or equivalent Civil, Mechanical, Architectural, or

Environmental Engineer; Project Planning Engineer

Scientist Geologist, Hydrologist, Environmental Scientist

Procurement Expert Procurement, Contracting Specialist, Tender Expert for

Construction and/or Architecture & Engineering (A&E) Services

Economist General Rates Specialist, Utility Accountant, Utility Financial

Expert

Regulatory Advisor Regulatory and Legal Framework Advisor, Regulatory Agency

Advisor, Market Expert, Rural Water Advisor, Policy Advisor

Communications Specialist Knowledge Management Advisor, Communications Advisor, Data

Manager, Web Designer

Sustainability Expert

Green Energy Advisor, Climate Change Advisor, Water Resources

Management Advisor, Governance Advisor, Capacity Building

Advisor, Institutional Support Advisor

Cross-Cutting Specialists Gender Specialist, Monitoring & Evaluation Expert, Social/Community Impact Advisor, Conflict Resolution Advisor

Home Office Specialist

Positions

Home Office Project Managers, Technical Support Advisors, Compliance, Grants, Accounting, Security or Procurement

Specialist

Administrative Support

Secretary, Receptionist, Clerk

B.8.2 MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

In order to perform the statement of work set forth in Section C, the Contractor must provide personnel that meet both the minimum education and experience requirements set forth in Table

These minimum qualifications for mid-level and senior personnel correspond to the Unburdened

CDRs set forth in Table 1 above.

Table 3. Minimum Qualifications

Level Education Requirement (highest degree obtained should relate to the services provided)

Minimum Experience Requirement

(experience must relate to the services provided)

Mid-Level Ph.D. 5

MS/MA/MBA/JD 6

BS/BA 7

Less than BS/BA 8

Senior-Level Ph.D. 8

MS/MA/MBA/JD 9

BS/BA 10

Less than BS/BA 11

Language fluency, relevant regional experience, and international development experience requirements will be specified in individual task orders.

B.8.3 Subcontractor Rates

The following provides guidance for various subcontracting arrangements:

(a) When the Prime subcontracts with an approved Subcontractor from the original IDIQ competition, the unburdened CDR’s for the Prime contract apply to the

Subcontractor.

(b) When the Prime contracts with a new Subcontractor that is not yet approved, the unburdened CDR’s for the Prime contract apply to the new Subcontractor.

(c) In the instance where the Prime subcontracts with a new Subcontractor is not yet approved and may or may not have a different cost accounting system that only processes fully burdened rates and when the Subcontractor proposes rates that are

“above” the Prime’s IDIQ rates, the Prime may then include in its TO proposal, (i) the fully burdened rate proposed to the Prime by the Subcontractor, (ii) allocation of the Prime’s indirect costs in accordance with established accounting practices, and

(iii) a reasonable profit. If the rates proposed to USAID, inclusive of the Prime’s allocable indirect costs and a reasonable profit are above the Prime’s unburdened

CDRs, the Prime must disclose the amount of the indirect costs, and the amount of the proposed profit that were added to the Subcontractor’s proposed rates. A reasonable profit will be negotiated by the TOCO for the specific TO. The CDRs of the subcontractor must not exceed the prime’s CDRs in the IDIQ contract.

B.8.4 Unburdened CDR Changes

The unburdened CDRs are fixed for all contract years; however, the Contractor may submit a proposal reducing the labor rates and/or indirect rates at any time during the life of this contract.

The Government will review these proposals and determine if the revised rates are realistic and in the best interest of the Government. If the rates are accepted, the Government will modify the contract by incorporating the new rates into the contract.

B.8.5 Billing Central Management Costs

The Contracting Officer has determined that a key (full time) technical manager is not necessary or required to administer this basic IDIQ Contract. Contractors will not be authorized to bill

USAID directly for IDIQ management costs under this IDIQ Contract or under task orders.

Contractors must propose a centralized management structure that allows for recovery of IDIQ management costs as part of its indirect costs.

B.9 INDIRECT COSTS AND ADVANCED UNDERSTANDING ON CEILINGS

(a) Ceilings are not applicable to Small Business Offerors or local organizations serving as the prime or a subcontractor.

(b) Indirect rates are only applicable to Cost-Reimbursement Task Orders.

(c) 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 to the contractor’s current executed Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (“NICRA”).

Table 4. Indirect Costs

Offeror Fringe

Rate %

Overhead

Rate %

G&A

Rate %

PRIME (Insert Name)

Base of Application

Source: (insert)

Period: (insert)

Major Subcontractors

(Insert Name (s))

Base of Application

Source: (insert)

Period: (insert)

Note: The un-shaded columns in the indirect cost table are the current approved indirect cost rates for the prime and major subcontractor(s).

(a) The Contractor must not make any change in its established method of classifying or allocating indirect costs that impacts this contract without the prior written approval of the

IDIQ Contracting Officer.

(b) USAID will reimburse the Contractor for indirect costs at the final negotiated rates, but not in excess of ceiling rates specified in Table 4.

(c) Contractors are allowed to recoup indirect costs (e.g., overhead, G&A, etc.) as other direct costs if it is part of the contractor’s usual accounting procedures, consistent with FAR Part

31 and the contractor's NICRA.

(d) The Government will not be obligated to pay any additional amount associated with indirect costs above the ceiling rates established in the contract. This advance understanding must not change any monetary ceiling, cost limitation, or obligation established in the contract without prior approval from the IDIQ Contracting Officer.

B.8 REIMBURSABLE COSTS

For Cost-Reimbursement task orders, USAID will only reimburse the Contractor for allowable costs in accordance with FAR 52.216-7, “Allowable Cost and Payment”, FAR 52.216-8, “Fixed

Fee”, FAR 52.232-20, “Incentive Fee”, FAR 52.216-10, “Limitation of Cost” and FAR 52.232-

22, “Limitation of Funds”, if applicable, and AIDAR 752.7003, “Documentation for Payment”.

[END OF SECTION B]

SECTION C – DESCRIPTION/SPECIFICATIONS/STATEMENT OF

WORK

C.1 OVERVIEW

Water supply is stressed, undervalued, and not always prioritized. From floods to droughts to overuse to pollution, billions of people struggle on a daily basis because of challenges related to water access and competing demands. Further, over 890 million people globally do not use basic sanitation and practice open defecation—often in gutters, open water bodies, or fields. Open defecation and poor sanitation generally, pose enormous threats to a community’s health and cost the global economy at least $260 billion annually. Climate change will also affect access, quantity and quality of water, and will make sanitation systems vulnerable to shocks, such as increased frequency and severity of floods, compounding potential environmental health risks.

Billions of people lack reliable access to safe water and sanitation, particularly in poor countries where needs are often the greatest. Without access to sustainable services, nations will continue to experience increasingly stalled economic growth, food insecurity, disease, and poverty. Addressing both the persistent and emerging challenges to sustainable access to water, sanitation, hygiene and strengthened water resources management helps nations improve the health of people, along with their prosperity, and security. The World Bank estimates that many countries could see their economic growth decline by as much as 6 percent of GDP by 2050 as a result of water stress, a vicious circle that can increase state fragility and conflict. While progress on improved drinking water has been pronounced in recent years, especially compared to gains in sanitation, critical gaps remain including having consistently available drinking water of appropriate quality with reliable service delivery.

As noted, one of the most persistent challenges in the sector is the slow progress in increasing access to and use of safely managed sanitation. Political prioritization; expense; cultural norms;

and a lack of desirable, available, affordable sanitation products must all be addressed to catalyze more significant progress on sanitation and to realize associated health and environmental benefits. To achieve universal access to safely managed water and sanitation services by 2030, capital expenditures of $114 billion per year will be required, which amounts to three times current global investment levels. However, investments in water and sanitation services have the potential to be highly cost effective, with expected returns of between $2 and $5.50 for every

U.S. dollar invested due to reduced health care costs and increased economic productivity for communities and individuals around the world.

The vision of the U.S. Government's Global Water Strategy (GWS) is a water-secure world, where people have sustainable supplies of water of sufficient quantity and quality to meet human, economic, and ecosystem needs while managing risks from floods and droughts. The

Strategy aims to reduce disease and save lives, eradicate poverty, promote sustainable economic growth, increase food and energy security, and build peace and security by: (i) promoting sustainable access to safe drinking water and sanitation services and the adoption of key hygiene behaviors; (ii) encouraging the sound management and protection of freshwater resources; (iii) reducing conflict by promoting cooperation on shared waters; and (iv) strengthening water sector governance, financing and institutions. A critical part of a country’s path on their journey to prosperity and self-reliance is ensuring access to safe drinking water and sanitation services. The goal of USAID’s Water and Development Plan, appended to the GWS - in furtherance of

Strategy - is to increase the availability and sustainable management of safe water and sanitation for the underserved and most vulnerable, in alignment with U.S. national security and foreign policy objectives. The USAID Water and Development Plan has four development results:

● Strengthening sector governance and financing (cross cutting result across the other development results)

● Increase sustainable access and use of sanitation and the practice of key hygiene behaviors

● Increase sustainable access to safe drinking water

● Improve management of water resources

Five complementary results from other USAID investments also indirectly contribute to increased availability and sustainable management of safe water and sanitation: improved land and resource governance; well-educated populations; healthy freshwater ecosystems; emergency water and sanitation; and efficient agricultural water management for food security.

The Center for Water Security, Sanitation and Hygiene (hereafter referred to as the Water

Center), under the Bureau for Resilience and Food Security, in collaboration with other bureaus

(e.g., Global Health, Regional Geographic Bureaus, Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance, and

Bureau for Conflict Prevention and Stabilization), provides technical leadership to the Agency in the implementation of the GWS and the USAID Water and Development Plan.

The Water and Development II IDIQ (WADI II) is the Water Center’s central field support mechanism for missions and other operating units to access critical technical services in support of the GWS and the USAID Water and Development Plan.

The purpose of this IDIQ is to carry out Task Orders that reflect USAID’s strategic direction and focus on water security, sanitation, hygiene and water resources management (WRM) programming. This IDIQ Contract is meant to be a successor (and not a direct follow-on) to the previous Water and Development IDIQ (WADI) and builds on lessons learned over the past years.

C.2 OBJECTIVE

The Water Center provides leadership in the sector by providing technical assistance to USAID

Missions, generating new evidence, strategically partnering with the private sector and other donors, and communicating with key audiences. The Water Center seeks assistance to provide services to USAID Missions and Bureaus to support the implementation of the Water and

Development Plan. Task Orders performed under this IDIQ shall seek to provide services that maximize benefit across the Development Results of the Plan, the GWS and other Agency policies, strategies and priorities.

WADI II consists of a partial small business set-aside. The scope of work is intended to provide the broad range of services and tasks outlined in Section C.3 below with the exception of one technical area, which has been reserved for small businesses. The provision of services and tasks in sections C.3.10 “Performance Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning” have been set aside for small businesses with specific expertise in this technical area as they relate to the implementation of the Water and Development Plan. Small business primes and their consortia, along with unrestricted prime-led consortia teams, must be capable of providing all of the services outlined in Section C.3 and not just the one technical areas discussed above. All large and small primes and consortia must be capable of providing all of the services outlined in Section C.

The contractor shall respond to the Agency’s call to encourage co-creation, partnering, and innovation, particularly in these are areas where our traditional aid dollars are not getting results, technical areas where the sector itself has not yet identified the best interventions to address the development challenge including:

● Market-based sanitation

● Hygienic environments

● Water Resources Management

● WASH Financing

● Professional operations and maintenance (O&M) services for rural water systems that provide sustainable services to surrounding communities

Additionally, the contractor should take into account the wealth of research and evaluation findings, tools and reports created by USAID and other partners. These include findings emerging from USAID's water and development implementation research agenda, the ex-post evaluation series, the water and sanitation technical briefs and other products. The contractor should seek to, where appropriate, collaborate with research activities, incorporate themes from the implementation research agenda into activity learning plans, as well as use results from research activities to design programs and/or adjust programming, including through regular pause-and-reflect meetings throughout implementation.

C.3 CROSS-CUTTING SERVICES

To achieve the goal of the Water and Development Plan, USAID seeks to encourage strategic approaches that build sustainable water and sanitation services supported by strong governance, professional service providers, and access to financing. In addition, the Agency notes that strengthened water resources management (WRM) is critical to sustainable services. WRM requires consideration of equitable allocation of supplies, expanded watershed protection to improve water quality and quantity, and a reduction of vulnerability to water-related risks and stresses.

The WADI II IDIQ will facilitate access to a broad range of services in the water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) and WRM sectors, including: (i) Data Collection and Management; (ii)

Assessment and Analysis; (iii) Strategic Planning and Program Design; (iv) Capacity Building and Institutional Strengthening; (v) Policy, Regulatory and Institutional Support; (vi) Technical and Service Delivery; (vii) Shock Response and Adaptive Management; and (viii) Performance

Monitoring and Evaluation for the implementation of field activities and projects. The cross-cutting technical areas may be applied singly or in combination in order to address any number of the technical areas outlined below in the next section.

https://www.globalwaters.org/resources/assets/usaid-water-world-implementation-research-agenda https://www.globalwaters.org/expostevaluations https://www.globalwaters.org/expostevaluations https://www.globalwaters.org/water-and-development-technical-series

The Agency continues to design activities to specifically reach poor and vulnerable people, measure that achievement, and/or advocate for strategies that address the elimination of inequities.

In addition, the Agency promotes the involvement of marginalized populations - the poor, women, youth, urban populations and people with disabilities - in program design, which is necessary to ensure that investments respond to different needs. USAID seeks the development and mainstreaming of meaningful and impactful participatory programming that promotes gender equality and the empowerment of women, girls, and other marginalized populations by increasing their participation in leadership, consultation, education, and technical skills training.

Contractors must provide services in the technical areas detailed below:

C.3.1: Data Collection and Management

Data collection, management and use are core to the ability to diagnose sector problems, construct remedies, and implement solutions. Access to timely and reliable data, both quantitative and qualitative, informs a baseline understanding of a situation and provides the basis for monitoring progress, which are critical to assessing the effectiveness of sustainable interventions. At the service delivery level, data on the location, specifications, operational status, governance, sustainability and demand for water and sanitation facilities are required.

Service providers’ operational and commercial data are not only valuable to utility staff and management, but also to government, financiers and regulators. Transparency of data in the sector has additional benefits to civil society, creating a framework of public accountability and allowing for more robust governance. However, data should only be collected if there is a clear understanding of how it will be used.

The Contractor must provide services including, but not limited to, the following:

● Supporting the establishment of cost-effective data collection systems and databases through technology transfer, knowledge management attributes of creation, learning and sharing, training, and the provision of technical advisory services. This will include:

support for data collection; storage, monitoring, analysis and processing, including the use of hydrologic and meteorological models; climate models and information; remote sensing; and Geographic Information Systems (GIS).

● Supporting the development of Monitoring Platforms and/or Management Information

Systems (MIS) at a national or sector-wide level which work to integrate available data sources with consideration for standard protocols and systems integration needs, and provide a single point of entry for sector data.

● Designing and implementing innovative approaches to collect, analyze and use sector data in real time, including the use of mobile technologies.

● Supporting the development and adoption of comprehensive, scientifically-sound, data-driven, and feasible systems for monitoring the productivity, viability, and sustainability of water resources and their dependent ecosystems.

● Collecting, managing and sharing with relevant stakeholders, on a user-friendly and widely utilized platform, the data necessary to improve sector performance at a sub-national or service authority level, including the establishment of utility benchmark data, business plans for infrastructure investment, capacity building plans, water point mapping, cost of service data, climate risk management, sustainability plans etc.

C.3.2: Assessment and Analysis

Technical assistance services that relate to assessment and analysis activities inherent to water and sanitation shall be provided by the contractor. Work may be required at all scales ranging from local, site-based assessments to service area, basin-scale, national, or regional analyses.

The Contractor must provide services including, but not limited to, the following:

● Collecting and analyzing data on the broader site-specific political, economic, cultural, and legal contexts to develop options for effective policy and program implementation;

this may include a political economy analysis (PEA).

● Developing and implementing decision-support systems based on sound data, information, and analysis, such as assessing the potential ecological, climate, gender, health, and socioeconomic impacts and risks of activities and projects.

● Identifying potential water related conflicts, including transboundary conflicts.

● Modeling future development scenarios under a variety of water sector options and conditions, and assessing proposed development approaches.

● Modeling extreme events, such as droughts, sea level rise, and flooding, as well as understanding their potential impacts in a basin-scale context, and developing mitigation plans.

● Modeling the linkages across complementary results between WASH, water resources, and food security, with the understanding of the impact of changes in water quality and water quantity to develop sustainable, scalable, and cost-effective mitigation and adaptation strategies.

● Assessing the economic and other values of sanitation, water and related systems, including market and non-market, direct and indirect values.

● Assessing climate change vulnerability or risk, greenhouse gas emissions, or adaptation priorities for water and sanitation services and WRM.

● Conducting formative research studies, including quantitative and qualitative methods, to uncover the barriers and motivations to a variety of WASH and WRM behaviors.

● Conducting research to fill key evidence gaps and complete assessments, literature reviews, and other activities aimed at incorporating emerging science and technology into

WASH and WRM sector programming.

● Conducting market assessments to understand current supply and demand, potential opportunities and constraints.

● Conducting sustainability and scalability analyses of USAID water and sanitation sector projects and activities.

● Tracking and creating sound social and economic data collection necessary to inform project and activity design, including, construction risk assessment, climate risk assessment, acceptability studies and willingness and ability to pay studies.

C.3.3 Strategic Planning and Project Design

USAID Missions and Bureaus, as well as host country partners and counterparts, often require assistance in strategic planning and project/activity design in order to achieve sustainable and scalable outcomes. Support may also be needed in programs undertaken by or with host country institutions for which the development of management plans often serves as a fundamental underpinning for long-term, sustainable, and scalable water and sanitation sector development.

The contractors shall provide technical capability that draws on sound data, information, and analysis at all scales in the areas of strategic planning and project/activity design.

The Contractor shall provide services including, but not limited to, the following:

● Assisting in the development of Development Objectives, Outcomes, Outputs, and

Results Frameworks, and in identifying targets and indicators related to water, sanitation and hygiene projects and activities.

● Providing analysis, input, or recommendations related to WASH for Country

Development Cooperation Strategies (CDCSs) and Project Development Documents

(PDDs).

● Assisting in the design or redesign of WASH and WRM activities and projects, including the development of Concept Notes, Statements of Work, Program Descriptions, etc.

● Engage public and other stakeholder participation in developing WASH and

WRM strategies, programs and action plans, including social and behavioral change

(SBC) strategies and interventions.

● Assisting in problem identification and conflict resolution for WASH and WRM issues at the local, national, and regional scales.

C.3.4 Capacity Building and Institutional Strengthening

Activities to build host country individual and institutional capacity on the Journey to Self-

Reliance will be required in country and region-specific Task Orders for any and all technical sub-sectors of water and sanitation.

● Providing technical assistance to counterpart national or subnational benefiting organizations in defining capacity building needs, or in preparing recommendations for organization staffing and staff development.

● Supporting training of technical personnel within host country institutions, including health care facilities, on topics including: SBC, water and sanitation sector monitoring, assessment and planning, information acquisition and management, regulation, stakeholder participation in governance, conflict resolution, construction and architecture and engineering, asset management of infrastructure, supply chains, innovative financing tools, mobilizing and leveraging financing, and site-based management practices.

● Supporting organizational strengthening and institutional training of service providers and of key governmental institutions.

● Supporting targeted service provider staff development and training in the financial and administrative aspects of water and sanitation projects and utility management.

● Assisting beneficiaries with development of strategies, action plans, and systems for financial tracking, and strengthening their institutional systems and capacity to carry out planning on an ongoing basis and improve governance.

● Organizing training and workshops that are built upon adult learning principles in the design and execution with a strong focus on stakeholder participation.

● Capacity building activities should also leverage credible institutions’ capacity building programs and initiatives to maximize impact and resources.

● Evaluating, designing, and implementing institutional options for sector management and operation that will enhance and improve sector governance and accountability, service delivery and stewardship of resources. These may include re-alignment of roles and responsibilities within the sector, coordination between different ministries, definition of organizational structures, support to decentralization efforts, and delineation of roles and duties within institutions.

● Developing practical guidance related to emerging issues in WASH sector programming based on knowledge of how guidance is best received and internalized by intended users.

● Designing and executing outreach strategies and other methods to promote adoption of best practices and technologies for sustainable management of WASH sector projects and activities, at all scales.

● Developing and implementing participatory, locally-based models that promote sustainable systems for collective action, local capacity and engagement among government agencies, civil society organizations (CSOs), NGOs, community-based organizations, and the private sector.

C.3.5 Policy, Legal, Regulatory and Institutional Support

This IDIQ will enable USAID Missions to implement and manage water and sanitation projects and activities that embrace a broad range of policy, legal, regulatory and institutional reform efforts to increase sustainable management of water and sanitation services and the sustainable management of water resources. These reforms will anchor long-term transformation of the water and sanitation sector, leading to sustainable and scalable service provision and WRM on an equitable basis. Technical support to host country public and private institutions may be required to carry out these activities on a long-term basis.

● Recommending and supporting the development and implementation of enabling policies in order to increase coverage and equitable access, financing and cost-recovery, rationalization and management of demand for water resources, inclusive decision-making, decentralization, accountability, transparency, reduce corruption, and protect natural resources at local, regional, and national levels.

● Examining the effectiveness of laws, policies, and regulations and their application for sustaining water resources and for providing water and sanitation services, recommending options for improving laws and related institutional and regulatory structures, and supporting implementation of desired reforms.

● Assessing regulatory options for improving environmental protection, resource allocation, and service provision. Developing, recommending and implementing regulatory improvements including institutional changes, monitoring and enforcement mechanisms.

● Developing and implementing regulatory instruments including regulations, guidelines, standards, performance agreements, and licenses.

C.3.6 Technical Assistance and Service Delivery

This IDIQ will enable USAID Missions to design, implement and manage water and sanitation programs that incorporate evidence-based and emerging approaches to increase, improve and sustain water and sanitation service delivery. Using current sector knowledge, these approaches will enhance USAID’s ability to have a significant and measurable development impact and will enhance the knowledge base of the sector through the implementation of approaches that are considered to have significant potential for impact at scale.

● Supporting a strategic approach to planning and programming for the Agency and other partners to consult, strategize, align, collaborate, and implement with the private sector for greater scale, sustainability, and effectiveness to enhance and extend service delivery for water and sanitation, as well as the management of the resource base.

● Supporting the analysis of the private sector’s role in terms of addressing the problem on its own, if there is a market-based approach to the problem, roles and interests of the private sector, constraints to addressing the problem and the role of the Agency as well as other stakeholders.

● Supporting service providers or water management authorities enhance the climate resilience and/or lower the greenhouse gas emissions of their operations.

● Engaging with water and sanitation service providers (utilities, kiosk operators, maintenance service providers, pit emptiers, treatment providers, masons, hardware stores, manufacturers, etc.) across the supply chain. A range of activities may be included: from facilitating the hiring and training of private operators to managing infrastructure investments; from business training for entrepreneurs to developing regulatory guidelines and oversight of small and large scale operators; from unlocking investment and financing for providers to establishing joint ventures and formal contractual relationships between public and private partners; from demand creation to introduction of products.

● Engaging service providers and government institutions to support linkages and coordination.

● Designing approaches that help mobilize financing to the sector and support financial sustainability. These might include creative ways to: facilitate and stimulate customer payment for service; broker relationships between financiers and providers; develop new financial flows to sub-national entities in support of decentralization; mobilization of risk-mitigation techniques including access to partial loan guarantee arrangements; and development of new financing mechanisms and watershed protection or resource user fee programs.

● Advancing efficiencies in service provision through the analysis of resource use and allocation, as well as the identification of ways to maximize the value of inputs. This may include new energy technologies, loss reduction programs, refinement of operational approaches, and increased accountability and regulatory incentives for efficiency.

● Developing sustainability plans that focus on ensuring operation and maintenance of services and developed, implemented and transferred to local ownership.

● Providing support in the development and management of partnerships with foundations, other bilateral or multilateral donors, academic institutions, professional associations, NGOs, faith-based organizations, or community institutions to execute collaborative development programs related to water, sanitation, and hygiene service delivery.

C.3.7 Shock Response and Adaptive Management Support

This IDIQ will enable USAID Missions to design and implement activities that can be adapted to reflect a changing development context and improve the ability of people, households, communities, countries and systems to mitigate, adapt to, and recover from shocks and stresses in a manner that reduces chronic vulnerability and facilitates economic growth. Each task order under this IDIQ is expected to include crisis and shock modifiers. By applying this approach, Missions can anticipate and plan for shocks and changes in context and build in a high degree of programmatic and operational flexibility to be able to respond quickly and effectively at the appropriate scale.

● Developing and integrating crisis modifiers into task orders, if appropriate for funding type, that can support early responses to drought and other shocks between Missions and the Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA), ensure an agreed up funding cap per event and per year to provide emergency funds in shock prone environments, and ensure the modifier…