72011124R00005 Amendment 0002.pdf

Solicitation No.: 72011124R00005 Amendment No.: 0002 Amendment Issuance Date: September 12, 2024 Proposal Closing Date and Time: October 7, 2024 by 1700 Yerevan local time

Subject: Amendment 0002 to Request for Proposals for the Armenia Resilience Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity Contract and Food Security Task Order 1 Providing Answer to Questions Received and Revised RFP Documents

Dear Prospective Offerors:

USAID/Armenia has received additional questions and was also informed that not all answers in Amendment 0001 accurately reflected the revisions in the RFP. Amendment 0002 is being issued to update the answers to several questions and address a new question.

This amendment includes the following revised documents:

- Amendment 0002 Cover Letter

- Amendment 0002 SF-30

- Amendment 0002 Questions and Answers

The proposal closing date and time remains unchanged. It is the responsibility of the Offeror to ensure that the solicitation and/or any amendments to it have been received in their entirety. USAID bears no responsibility for data errors resulting from transmission or conversion processes. Oral instructions, answers or guidance from any USAID source prior to the award of the contract shall not be binding.

Issuance of this amendment in no way obligates USAID to award a contract nor does it commit USAID to pay any cost incurred in the preparation and submission of a proposal.

Award of a contract under this RFP is subject to availability of funds and other internal USAID approvals.

Sincerely, Alexis McGinness Supervisory Regional Contracting Officer USAID/Caucasus

U.S. Agency for International Development Tel: (374-10) 464-700 1 American Avenue Fax: (374-10) 464-728 375082 Yerevan, Armenia

(x)

72011124R00005 x x copies of the amendment; (b) By acknowledging receipt of this amendment on each copy of the offer submitted ; or (c) By separate letter or electronic communication which includes a reference to the solicitation and amendment numbers. FAILURE OF YOUR ACKNOWLEDGEMENT TO BE

RECEIVED AT THE PLACE DESIGNATED FOR THE RECEIPT OF OFFERS PRIOR TO THE HOUR AND DATE SPECIFIED MAY RESULT IN REJECTION OF YOUR

OFFER. If by virtue of this amendment you desire to change an offer already submitted , such change may be made by letter or electronic communication, provided each letter or electronic communication makes reference to the solicitation and this amendment, and is received prior to the opening hour and date specified.

x

720111

00000 USAID/Armenia

08/26/20240002

13. THIS ITEM ONLY APPLIES TO MODIFICATION OF CONTRACTS/ORDERS. IT MODIFIES THE CONTRACT/ORDER NO. AS DESCRIBED IN ITEM 14.

12. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION DATA (If required) is not extended.is extended, Items 8 and 15, and returning

Offers must acknowledge receipt of this amendment prior to the hour and date specified in the solicitation or as amended , by one of the following methods: (a) By completing

The above numbered solicitation is amended as set forth in Item 14. The hour and date specified for receipt of Offers

11. THIS ITEM ONLY APPLIES TO AMENDMENTS OF SOLICITATIONS

FACILITY CODE CODE

10B. DATED (SEE ITEM 13)

10A. MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT/ORDER NO.

9B. DATED (SEE ITEM 11)

9A. AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION NO.

CODE

8. NAME AND ADDRESS OF CONTRACTOR (No., street, county, State and ZIP Code)

7. ADMINISTERED BY (If other than Item 6)CODE 6. ISSUED BY

PAGE OF PAGES

4. REQUISITION/PURCHASE REQ. NO.3. EFFECTIVE DATE2. AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION NO. 5. PROJECT NO. (If applicable)

1. CONTRACT ID CODE

AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION/MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT

08/26/2024

CHECK ONE A. THIS CHANGE ORDER IS ISSUED PURSUANT TO: (Specify authority) THE CHANGES SET FORTH IN ITEM 14 ARE MADE IN THE CONTRACT

B. THE ABOVE NUMBERED CONTRACT/ORDER IS MODIFIED TO REFLECT THE ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES (such as changes in paying office, C. THIS SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT IS ENTERED INTO PURSUANT TO AUTHORITY OF:

D. OTHER (Specify type of modification and authority) appropriation data, etc.) SET FORTH IN ITEM 14, PURSUANT TO THE AUTHORITY OF FAR 43.103(b).

E. IMPORTANT: Contractor is not is required to sign this document and return __________________ copies to the issuing office.

ORDER NO. IN ITEM 10A.

14. DESCRIPTION OF AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION (Organized by UCF section headings, including solicitation/contract subject matter where feasible.)

The purpose of this amendment to the solicitation document for Armenia Resilience

Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity Contract is to provide additional questions and answers.

---End of Amendment 0002---

Period of Performance: 12/27/2024 to 12/26/2031

15A. NAME AND TITLE OF SIGNER (Type or print)

15C. DATE SIGNED 16B. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 15B. CONTRACTOR/OFFEROR 16C. DATE SIGNED

(Signature of person authorized to sign) (Signature of Contracting Officer)

16A. NAME AND TITLE OF CONTRACTING OFFICER (Type or print)

Alexis McGinness

STANDARD FORM 30 (REV. 11/2016)

Prescribed by GSA FAR (48 CFR) 53.243

Previous edition unusable

Except as provided herein, all terms and conditions of the document referenced in Item 9 A or 10A, as heretofore changed, remains unchanged and in full force and effect .

Amendment 0002 Questions and Answers NOFO 72011124R00005

Question Number

Document / Section

Question Answer

52 (rev)

IDIQ / L.7.I

Part 2

Page L-9, Section L.7, Part 2, the RPF states that “Third Country Nationals (TCN) and Cooperating Country Nationals (CCN) may not exceed the prevailing compensation paid to personnel performing comparable work in the cooperating country, without prior approval of the Mission Director.”

Would USAID confirm that offerors may request waivers to propose salary rates for TCNs that are above established salary rates for comparable work of CCNs?

USAID confirms that offerors may request waivers to propose salary rates for TCNs that are above established salary rates for comparable work of CCNs, but approval requests for rates above the approved CCN/TCN CDRs will not be considered.

73 (rev)

IDIQ / L.7.II.

Part 1

Per Section L.7, pages L-14/15 provide a plug number ($4,800,000) for programmatic interventions, however the RFP also requires “Costs must be broken down by types and units,” which will not be possible for the inception phase (C.4.1; page J- 1-5) where co-creation with USAID is required and cannot be pre-determined. Could USAID confirm that such programmatic interventions plug number may include subcontracts, among other illustrative activities?

The plug figure was removed.

74 (rev)

IDIQ / L.7.II.

Part 1

Per Section L.7, pages L-14/15 provide a plug number ($4,800,000) for programmatic interventions. Can USAID please clarify if the programmatic interventions plug figure may include costs directly related to activity implementation, but normally classified as ODCs (i.e., office space, training, events, communications)?

The plug figure was removed.

75 (rev)

IDIQ / L.7.II.

Part 1

Relevant RFP Language: Offerors must budget a plug figure of $4,800,000 for programmatic interventions.

Question a: Could USAID define what types of activities would be included as programmatic interventions?

Question b: In our experience, programmatic interventions (e.g., trainings, workshops) for food security sector projects of similar size and complexity typically have a budget of $700,000-$1,000,000. Could USAID kindly decrease the plug figure for programmatic interventions to $1 million?

a. and b. The plug figure was removed.

Amendment 0002 Questions and Answers NOFO 72011124R00005

76 (rev)

IDIQ / L.7.II.

Part 1

Regarding Section L.7.II, Part 1, Other Direct Costs (ODCs) on pages L-14 and L-15, would USAID please confirm that the $4.8 million plug for programmatic interventions is inclusive of both program activity costs and office operational costs typically budgeted under ODCs, such as office rent, Defense Base Act (DBA) insurance, office supplies, internet services, etc.?

The plug figure was removed.

IDIQ / L.7.II. Part

Per Section L.7, page L-14, the USAID prescription of the recipient, scope, and budget for a subcontract for a single local organization does not permit Offerors to adequately gauge the technical or management capacity of the organization, evaluate their financial and risk management systems, or determine the cost reasonableness of the budget to achieve USAID objectives.

Does USAID intend to issue a directive to Offerors to justify a sole source procurement of this organization’s services? Would USAID consider alternative proposals to the plug figure, including revised estimates of cost and/or an alternative mechanism (e.g. GUC) more adequately suited to USAID’s purpose?

a. Does USAID require a letter of commitment, budget, budget narrative, evidence of responsibilities, and/or request for consent to subcontract for ANAU to be submitted with the proposal?

b. Per the FAR clause 52.244-2 Subcontracts and FAR subpart 44.2, such subcontract would require that the contractor seek consent to subcontract.

The FAR mandates the contractor to make the responsibility determination of the proposed subcontractor, determine the subcontract type and negotiate a fair and reasonable subcontract amount and subcontract terms. Offerors will be unable to accomplish this, including addressing all considerations in FAR.

44.202-2.

c. Alternatively, per page J-1-7, the scope outlined for the ANAU which is detailed in Component 1 of the Food Security Task Order, may lends itself to a grant award or possibly a series of fixed obligation grants with clear deliverables. Based on the nature of the contractual relationship and intended purpose to support the entity, a grant mechanism may be more appropriate.

Would USAID consider a GUC or GUCs for the ANAU?

USAID will direct the successful offeror to issue a subcontract to ANAU. USAID will not consider an alternative mechanism. The plug figure represents USAID's estimate of the work to be done by ANAU. Part of the subcontract amount may be used to build capacity of ANAU, if determined necessary. The successful contractor will be responsible for negotiating the subcontract specifics, including the final amount. It must not exceed the plug figure, but may be slightly lower. USAID will be supportive of the contractor's responsibilities and support the contractor in ensuring it can responsibly execute and manage the subcontract.

a. No letter of commitment, budget, budget narrative, evidence of responsibility, and/or request to subcontract with ANAU need to be submitted with the proposal.

b. It is not clear what will prevent the contractor from requesting consent to subcontract, determining responsibility, determining the subcontract type, and negotiating the final fair and reasonable subcontract amount and terms.

c. The scope does not lend itself to a grant (reimbursement or fixed amount), as ANAU will directly carry out part of the contract's statement of work, which defines a subcontract relationship, not a grant relationship.

99 General

Could USAID please confirm that offerors may propose subcontractors in addition to the Armenian National Agrarian University (ANAU), based on the statement in Q73 that the programmatic interventions plug number may include subcontracts and other illustrative activities?

USAID confirms that offerors may propose subcontractors in addition to the Armenian National Agrarian University (ANAU). The plug figure for programmatic interventions was removed.