Attachment__1-_Answers_to_Questions.docx

Attachment 1

Answers to Questions from the prospective offerors

1. Per Section C.4a, on page 15, would USAID please clarify whether all entities receiving grants, even if they are primary producers and small cooperatives, must employ an intern?

USAID Response: All entities receiving grants must employ an intern.

2. Per Section C.7 “Key Personnel” (page 19), we respectfully request that USAID consider reducing the required years of experience for the chief of party and the deputy chief of party to 10 years to allow for the consideration of dynamic candidates who have achieved significant results in their leadership positions.

USAID Response: The minimum qualifications for Chief of Party and Deputy Chief of Party remain as specified in Section C.7.

3. In Section H.7 of the RFP, USAID indicates that the geographic code for this procurement is 937 and 110. Given the large amount of anticipated in-kind procurements under this contract, which may be more cost-effective when sourced outside of the authorized 937 and 110 countries, would USAID consider changing the geographic code to 935?

USAID Response: The Authorized Geographic code for procurement of goods and services under this award will be 937 (the United States, the recipient country and developing countries other than advanced developing countries, but excluding any country that is a prohibited source) and 110 (the United States, the independent states of the former Soviet Union, or a developing country, but excluding any country that is a prohibited source).

4. We have been informed that effective September 30, 2016, ADS Chapter 548 was archived and no longer applies, and this was subsequently confirmed by the USAID Ombudsman’s office. We respectfully request that reference to the ADS Chapter 548 in clause H.31 be removed in its entirety.

USAID Response: The reference to ADS Chapter 548 is removed. Please see the revised solicitation document reflecting this change.

5. Would USAID please confirm that technical proposals may be submitted in Adobe PDF?

USAID Response: Technical proposals must be submitted in word format as well as in Adobe PDF.

6. Section L.6 (page 80) states that the technical proposal is limited to 20 pages, but also refers to a 30-page limit (same page). Could USAID please clarify whether the page limit for the technical proposal is 20 or 30 pages?

USAID Response: This is to confirm that technical proposal is limited to 20 pages.

7. Section L.6 states that the technical proposal is supposed to be formatted as one-sided (page 80), but also states that double-sided pages count as two pages (same page). Can USAID please confirm that double-sided pages are acceptable and count as two pages?

USAID Response: Double-sided will be accepted but count as two pages.

8. Per Section L.6 (page 80), we respectfully request that USAID allow offerors to use a font other than Times New Roman for charts, graphics, and tables to improve readability.

USAID Response: Yes, USAID will allow offerors to use a font other than Times New Roman solely for charts, graphics, and tables

9. Per Section L.6, can USAID please confirm that the required annexes to the technical proposal will not be included in the technical proposal page limit?

USAID Response: This is to confirm that the required Annexes will not be counted in page limitations.

10. Per Section L.6 (page 80), could USAID please clarify how many pages are allocated to the Past Performance section in the technical proposal?

USAID Response: There is no page limit for past performance information.

11. Per Section L.6, could the past performance narrative section instead be included in Annex F with the past performance references?

USAID Response: Yes.

12. Per instructions in Section L.6 under “Quality of Contractor Past Performance” (page 81), can USAID please confirm that letters of commitment from proposed subcontractors that confirm that a teaming agreement is in place are sufficient, and that contractor teaming agreements can be removed from the past performance instructions?

USAID Response: If teaming arrangements are available , they must be provided in addition to the letters of commitment.

13. Per instructions in Section L.6 under “Quality of Contractor Past Performance” (page 82), can USAID please confirm that the descriptions of quality awards and certifications and small business utilization may be included in Annex F, Project List and Past Performance References?

USAID Response: Confirmed

14. Section L.6 requests that offerors list in an annex to the technical proposal five of the most recent and relevant contracts for efforts similar to the work in the subject proposal (page 82). Can USAID please confirm that relevant cooperative agreements of similar size and complexity are also acceptable to list as at least one of the contractor’s five projects?

USAID Response: Only five most recent contracts are required to be listed.

15. Instructions for the technical approach on page 81 request that the “technical approach narrative section shall include a results table by program year…” Can USAID please confirm that this refers to the results table referred to as Annex B on page 80, which is exempted from the page limit?

USAID Response: Confirmed.

16. Per Section L.6, the instructions for the staffing approach on page 81 state that each resume/CV must be accompanied by a letter of commitment. Can USAID please confirm that this requirement applies only to key personnel?

USAID Response: This requirement is applicable to key personnel and other important technical roles provided in the offeror’s staffing approach.

17. Section L.6 (page 80) lists the Branding Implementation Plan and Marking Plan as Annex H in the technical proposal. The Branding Implementation Plan and Marking Plan is also included in the instructions for preparation of the cost volume, per Section L.7, Part 9 (pages 87-88). Should we include the Branding Implementation Plan and Marking Plan as part of the technical proposal or cost proposal?

USAID Response: The Branding Implementation Plan and Marking Plan should be submitted as an Annex to the Technical Proposal.

18. Section L.6 states that offerors should submit the technical proposal on standard 8 ½” x 11” paper (page 80), and Section L.7 (page 82) states that offerors should submit the cost proposal on A4-size paper. Can USAID please confirm that offerors can submit the cost proposal on 8 ½” x 11” paper with large tables on 11" x 17" paper?

USAID Response: As stated in the subject RFP cost proposal must be written on A4-size paper. A4 sized paper measures 8.3 x 11.7 in.

19. Per section L.7, Part 2, the Standard Cost Elements Table (page 85) only includes columns for Year 1 through Year 4. Should this table also include a column for Year 5?

USAID Response: Please see the revised table in the attached solicitation.

20. We respectfully request that USAID provide its preferred budget template in Excel for the cost elements listed in the Standard Cost Elements Table included in section L.7, Part 2.

USAID Response: The Offerors are required themselves to design and propose budget in Excel based on the information provided in section L.7.

21. Per RFP Attachment #6, we respectfully request that USAID provide the year, mileage, and quality of the two vehicles listed in the attachment, as well as vehicle insurance cost estimates for these two vehicles.

USAID Response: The requested information is provided in attachment 5.

22. We respectfully request that USAID confirm its intent to approve the use of a letter of credit (LOC) for the anticipated $6 million grant fund.

USAID Response: Confirmed.

23. We request that USAID include the grants under contract (GUC) authorizing language, as per ADS 302.3.4.13, into the RFP.

USAID Response: The language is added under Section H. of the revised solicitation. Please see it in attachment 2.

24. We respectfully request that USAID provide the most up-to-date local compensation plan for Georgia as an attachment to the RFP.

USAID Response: Please see a local compensation plan summary attached.

25. May offerors include an acronym list in the technical proposal outside of the page limit?

USAID Response: Yes

26. The USAID Business Forecast lists December 28, 2018 as an award date for the Agriculture Program in Georgia. Can USAID please confirm if this is still the anticipated award date or provide a revised anticipated award date?

USAID Response: The USAID Business Forecast is the mission’s best estimated date of award based on PALT, however some variation may occur as this is an estimate.

27. Page 43. Section H – Special Contract Requirement, sub-section H.11 AID AR 752. 7032 International Travel Approval and Notification Requirements (JAN 1990) states that “Prior written approval by the Contracting Officer is required for all international travel directly and identifiably funded by USAID under this contract.” Could USAID please allow that this authority be delegated to the COR, given that the COR will manage technical aspects of the project and will be more familiar with the implementer's technical schedule/Work Plan?

USAID Response: Yes, the Contracting Officer will delegate limited authority for this function to the COR.

28. Page 52, Section H – Special Contract Requirement, sub-section H.31 Nonexpendable Property Purchases and Information Technology Resources: this clause references Nonexpendable Property, however it does not provide a section for pre-approval of NXP or advise on the approval process required for NXP. Could USAID please incorporate language to that effect in this clause or a separate clause?

USAID Response: AIDAR 752.245-70 and 71 apply to this contract. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is issuing a final rule to amend the USAID Acquisition Regulation (AIDAR) that clarifies accountability for all mobile Information Technology equipment that will be effective April 6, 2018. USAID/Georgia will update the clause to clarify AIDAR 752.245-70.

28. Page 79, Section L.5 Submission/Delivery Instructions states that “The proposal shall be prepared in two separate parts: the Technical Proposal shall address technical aspects, only, while the Business (Cost) Proposal shall present the price and address related issues such as past performance and responsibility.” While page 80, Section L.6 Instructions for Preparation of Technical Proposal states that Past performance is part of the Technical Proposal. Could USAID please clarify what it is expected from an offeror to submit under the Cost Proposal to address related issues such as past performance and responsibility?

USAID Response: Past Performance is part of the Technical Proposal and it must be submitted as an annex to the technical proposal. Please refer to the instructions on page 80-81.

29. Page 80, Section L.6 Instructions for Preparation of Technical Proposal, Point 7. Required Annexes h. lists Branding Implementation Plan and Marking Plan as part of the Technical Proposal. Whereas, page 87, Section L.8 Instructions for the Preparation of Branding and Marking Plans states that “In accordance to the Section D of the solicitation, Offeror(s) should submit a preliminary BIP and MP (not to exceed 2 pages) as a separate annex to the cost proposal.” In addition, Section L.7 Instructions for Preparation and Submission of the Cost/Business Proposal, (i) Part 9 lists Branding and Marking Plan as part of the Cost Proposal. Could USAID please confirm that the Branding Implementation Plan and Marking Plan is part of the Cost Proposal, and revise the Required Annexes for the Technical Proposal on page 80 accordingly?

USAID Response: The Branding Implementation Plan and Marking Plan is part of the Technical Proposal.

30. Could USAID please provide an anticipated project start date for the purposes of submitting the illustrative work plan?

USAID Response: No.

31. Page 55, Section H – Special Contract Requirement: Could USAID please incorporate a clause authorizing Grants under Contracts (GUCs) into this Section H, so that the selected implementer is authorized to implement the requested Grants program under ADS 303?

USAID Response: Under ADS 302, USAID already must ensure that the requirements that apply to USAID-executed grants (including the agency policies regarding construction activities in ADS 303, Grants and Cooperative Agreements to Non-Governmental Organizations, applicable standard provisions in ADS 303 are also applied to grants that a USAID contractor executes. We will modify the solicitation to include GUC language in Section H.

USAID Response: Please see USAID response to question #23.

32. Page 17, Section C. Statement of Work, sub-section C.5 Contract Deliverables, Table 1: Contract Deliverables states the contract total for the new full-time equivalent jobs created by program beneficiaries to be 3,000 at the end of year 5. Could USAID please confirm that the required total number of jobs created by the end of the program includes indirect jobs as well?

USAID Response: Please refer to the “Number of full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs created with USG assistance” indicator definition in the July 2016 “Feed the Future Indicator Handbook Definition Sheets” for further information on this indicator (link: https://www.agrilinks.org/sites/default/files/resource/files/FTF%20Indicator%20Handbook%2010.5.2016%202016D.PDF)

33. Page 26, Section F – Deliveries or Performance, sub-section F.6. Reports and Deliverables or Outputs: table under this Section lists Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Data to be due to USAID 30 days after end of fiscal year, whereas, Page 28, Section F – Deliveries or Performance, sub-section F.6. Reports and Deliverables or Outputs, c). Monitoring and Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Plan and Data states that “The Contractor will collect and submit to USAID/Georgia all applicable MEL indicator data (actual results and updated targets, along with justifications and deviation narratives) once per fiscal year, no later than 30 days before the end of the fiscal year (i.e., September 30).” Could USAID please confirm that the MEL data should be submitted 30 days after the end of the fiscal year, so that all data for the year is considered in the report?

USAID Response: Confirmed. Section F.6 has been updated accordingly.

34. Page 79, Section L.5 Submission/Delivery Instructions states that ”The proposal must be accompanied by a cover letter typed on official organizational letterhead and signed by a person who has signatory authority for the organization.” Furthermore, page 80, Section L.6 Instructions for Preparation of Technical Proposal, Required Order of the Technical Proposal 1. Cover Page and 2. Cover Letter or Executive Summary are listed as parts of the Technical Proposal. Could USAID please confirm that the Cover Letter referenced on page 79 serves the purposes of the Cover Page referenced on page 80?

USAID Response: No. The cover letter referenced in Section L.5 is for the offeror’s proposal in its entirety. The Technical Proposal requires a separate cover page, which is limited to one page and does not count against the Technical Proposal’s page limit.

35. Page 80, Section L.6 Instructions for Preparation of Technical Proposal states that “Technical proposal is limited to 20 pages and be written in English …. Any pages beyond these thirty will not be given to the evaluators and will not be evaluated. Double-sided pages count as 2 pages.” Could USAID please confirm the following:

a. Whether the page limit for the technical proposal is 20 pages?

USAID Response: Confirmed.

b. Whether USAID allows a fold-out pages size 11” x 17” to be counted as two pages?

USAID Response: Confirmed.

36. Page 80, Section L.6 Instructions for Preparation of Technical Proposal states that “Technical proposal is limited to 20 pages and be written in English …. Required Annexes specified below will be counted towards the page limit.” Whereas, under the same Section on the same page Point 7. Required Annexes state that they “will not be counted in page limitations”. Could USAID please confirm that the required annexes will not be counted in 20-page limit?

USAID Response: Confirmed.

37. Page 80, Section L.6 Instructions for Preparation of Technical Proposal lists Past Performance as one of the sub-sections of the Technical Proposal, although there is no page limit allocated to it. Whereas, Technical Approach is limited to 15 pages and Staffing Approach is limited to 5 pages, they both make up the total page limit allowed under the technical proposal. Could USAID please confirm the Past Performance referenced in the main body of the Technical Proposal under the Sub-section 6 is the same as the Required Annex F. Project List and Past Performance References and should be submitted under the Annex F in addition to the Project List?

USAID Response: Confirmed.

38. Page 80, Section L.6 Instructions for Preparation of Technical Proposal, Required Order of the Technical Proposal, 7.f required a Project List to be part of the annex with Past Performance References.

a. Could USAID please confirm the Project List is the same as the Attachment 5. Past Performance Matrix?

USAID Response: No.

b. If not, could USAID please clarify what it is expected from Offerors to submit under the Project List?

USAID Response: The Offeror shall submit a list of five of the most recent and relevant contracts for efforts similar to the work in the subject proposal under the Project List.

39. Page 81, Section L.6 Instructions for Preparation of Technical Proposal, Point 3. Quality of Contractor Past Performance states to “list in an annex to the technical proposal five of the most recent and relevant contracts for efforts similar to the work in the subject proposal.” In addition, page 94, Section M.2. Technical Evaluation Criteria, Point C. Past Performance states that “Performance information will be used for both the responsibility defemination and best value decision. The contractor and major subcontractor(s) past performance will be evaluated.” Could USAID please confirm that:

a. Cooperative Agreements and grants are also acceptable to be submitted as part of the Past Performance?

USAID Response: No, only contracts

b. The Offeror should submit 5 past performance references in total including for itself, the contractor teaming arrangements, if any, and each major subcontractor?

USAID Response: The offeror must provide performance information for itself, the contractor teaming arrangements, if any and each major subcontractor.

c. The most recent past performance reference is a current project, or a project completed within the last 3 years?

USAID Response: The most recent past performance references are for projects completed within the last 3 years.

40. Page 82, Section L.6 Instructions for Preparation of Technical Proposal, Point 3. Quality of Contractor Past Performance states that “For all contracts listed above that are not in the Contractor Past Performance Information Retrieval System (PPIRS), provide a list of contact names, job titles, mailing addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, explanation of relevance to the proposed acquisition and a description of the performance to include…” Could USAID please clarify whether offerors require to provide this input in an additional annex separate from the Past Performance, or it is part of the Project List Annex f.?

USAID Response: It is part of the Project List under Annex F.

41. Page 81, Section L.6 Instructions for Preparation of Technical Proposal, Point 2. Staffing Approach states that “Offerors must describe the composition and organizational structure of the entire project team, including each proposed personnel's role and technical expertise, home office functions and technical expertise, and the approach to transition from expatriate to local COP at the end of contract year two.” Would USAID please confirm that the COP proposed for the first two years is required to have expertise implementing agriculture programs internationally, outside of Georgia?

USAID Response: This is a typo. In the updated SOL, the phrase “and the approach to transition from expatriate to local COP at the end of contract year two” will be omitted. Please see the change in the attachment 2.

42. Page 81, Section L.6 Instructions for Preparation of Technical Proposal, Point 3. Quality of Contractor Past Performance states that “(d) Performance in Using Small Business (SB) Concerns (as defined in FAR 19.001)*. (1) This section (d) is not applicable to offers from small business concerns.” Could USAID please clarify what this section (d) is in reference to?

USAID Response: If the offerors are small business they are not required to provide this information.

43. Page 82, Section L.6 Instructions for Preparation of Technical Proposal, Point 3. Quality of Contractor Past Performance states: “Describe any quality awards or certifications that indicate exceptional capacity to provide the service or product described in the statement of work.” Could USAID please clarify whether offerors require to provide this input in an additional annex or as part of the Past Performance Annex f.?

USAID Response: It shall be provided as the past performance under Annex F.

44. Page 82, Section L.6 Instructions for Preparation of Technical Proposal, Sub-section 2. Staffing Approach states that “In support of the staffing approach narrative section, offerors must provide also a staffing plan and resumes/CV s of key personnel and other important technical roles in an annex.” Whereas, page 81, Section L.6 Instructions for Preparation of Technical Proposal, Required Order of the Technical Proposal point 5.c. lists Staffing Plan under the Staffing Approach within the 5-page limit. In addition, there is no mention of a Staffing Plan as a Required Annex under the same section.

a. Could USAID please clarify if the Staffing Plan is part of the Staffing Approach counted in the 5-page limit, or is part of the Required Annex? If it is part of the later, please revise the Required Annex section accordingly

USAID Response: The Staffing Plan is part of the Staffing Approach.

45. Page 82, Section L.6 Instructions for Preparation of Technical Proposal, Sub-section 2. Staffing Approach states that “Resumes/CV s for key personnel may not exceed 2 pages in length and must …... Resumes/CVs for non-key personnel must not exceed 1 page in length. Each key personnel resume/CV will include at least 3 references within the last 3 years, along with an email address and phone number for each reference. Each resume/CV will be accompanied by a signed letter of commitment from each candidate indicating his/her: (a) availability to serve in the stated position, in terms of months; after award; and (b) intention to serve for a stated term of the service.” Whereas, page 81, Section L.6 Instructions for Preparation of Technical Proposal, Required Order of the Technical Proposal Point 7. Required Annexes only requires Letter of Commitments for Key Personnel. In addition, the same Point 7. Required Annexes list resumes to be limited to 2 page each. Could USAID please confirm that:

a. The Letter of Commitment is only required from a proposed Key Personnel?

USAID Response: The LOC is required for key personnel and other important technical roles as stated in the RFP.

b. The resumes for the Key Personnel are limited to 2 pages, whereas the resumes for non-key personnel are limited to 1 page each?

USAID Response: Confirmed.

c. The Offerors are required to submit at least 3 references from within the last 3 years only for Key Personnel? USAID Response:

USAID Response: Confirmed.

46. Page 90, Section M -Evaluation Factors for Award, M.1 General Information, f). Evaluation System: Could USAID please advise if the Evaluation Criteria will consider factors other than past performance? Currently the third column of the mentioned section only speaks to past performance considerations.

USAID Response: The evaluation system will consider the entire technical proposal, including the technical approach, the staffing approach, and the contractor past performance information.

47. Page 7, Section B – Supplies or Services/Prices, sub-section B.5. Payment of Fixed Fee states that “$TBD is the maximum fixed fee to be paid in accordance with this Section B.4. Subject to FAR 52.216-8 "Fixed Fee" and the following, the Contractor will be paid the proportion of the fixed fee that corresponds to the proportion of allowable direct costs incurred by the Contractor during the period covered by the invoice. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Contractor's fixed fee is in consideration of the accomplishment of the deliverables or outputs described in Sections C, D, and F, as well as complying with all Contract requirements. If the Contracting Officer 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 Contracting Officer may suspend further payment of any fixed fee until the Contractor has made sufficient progress to justify further payment. Subject to the Contracting Officer's discretion, if the Contractor subsequently completes the delayed work such that costs incurred are proportionate to work completed, the Contracting Officer may approve payment of the amount of the fee that was suspended.” Whereas, page 8, Section B – Supplies or Services/Prices, sub-section B.7. Payment of Fixed Fee states that “a) The Government shall pay the Contractor for performing this contract the fixed fee specified in the Schedule. b) In accordance with FAR 52.216-8 "Fixed Fee (JUN 2011)," USAID reserves the right to withhold and reserve not to exceed $100,000. The Contracting Officer shall release 75 percent of all fee withholds under this contract after receipt of an adequate certified final indirect cost rate proposal covering the year of physical completion of this contract, provided the Contractor has satisfied all other contract terms and conditions, including the submission of the final patent and royalty reports, and is not delinquent in submitting final vouchers on prior years' settlements. The Contracting Officer may release up to 90 percent of the fee withholds under this contract based on the Contractor's past performance related to the submission and settlement of final indirect cost rate proposals.” Currently both, Section B.5 and B.7 are titled "Payment of Fixed Fee," and B.7 requests a fixed fee schedule while B.5 states a different method for payment of fee.

a. Could USAID please advise which of the "Payment of Fixed Fee" sections are applicable to this Contract?

USAID Response: Both sections are applicable to this solicitation.

b. Further, could USAID please correct the numbering of this Section B, which should be B.8, and not B.7?

USAID Response: Please see attached the Sections with corrected numbering in attachment 2.

48. Page 82, Section L.7 Instructions for Preparation and Submission of the Cost/Business Proposal states that “Cost/Business proposals must be written in English on A4-size, 216 mm by 297 mm paper and typed using 12-point Times New Roman font size (can be 10-point font in charts, graphs and tables) with each page numbered consecutively, and submitted in Microsoft Word, Adobe PDF, and Microsoft Excel with unlocked cells.”

a. Could USAID please allow to Cost Proposal to be submitted on 8 ½” x 11” paper as it is required for the Technical Proposal?

USAID Response: Please submit the cost proposal on A4-size paper as it is stated in the solicitation.

b. Could USAID please confirm that only the Budget Narrative is required to be submitted in MS Word, and the rest of the Cost Proposal can be submitted in PDF format in addition to the Budget submitted on MS Excel?

USAID Response: In MS Word and PDF format except for the detailed budget in Excel format with unlocked cells.

49. Page 82, Section L.7 Instructions for Preparation and Submission of the Cost/Business Proposal, (i) Part 9 – Branding and Marking Plan states that “Offerors who are determined to be in the competitive range, or the apparent successful Offeror should no competitive range be established, shall submit a branding and marking plan which complies with Section D.1.” In addition, page 88, Section L.8 Instructions for the Preparation of Branding and Marking Plans states that “A Branding Implementation Plan must be developed by the successful Offeror”. Whereas, page 87, Section L.8 Instructions for the Preparation of Branding and Marking Plans states that “In accordance to the Section D of the solicitation, Offeror(s) should submit a preliminary BIP and MP (not to exceed 2 pages) as a separate annex to the cost proposal.” Could USAID please confirm that the Offerors should not submit the Branding and Marking Plan together with this Proposal under the Cost Proposal volume?

USAID Response: Offerors should submit a preliminary BIP and MP (not to exceed two pages) as a separate annex to the technical proposal. This BIP and MP are intended to be illustrative only and full plans will only be required as noted in the RFP.

50. Page 83, Section L.7 Instructions for Preparation and Submission of the Cost/Business Proposal, (b) Part 2 - Proposed Costs/Prices: Could USAID please confirm that the summary budget should align with Section B.4, i.e. Total Direct Costs, Subcontracts, Grants, Total Indirect Cost, and Fixed Fee?

USAID Response: The summary budget must be submitted in accordance with the detailed instructions provided on p.83, section L.7, (b) Part 2.

51. Page 83, Section L.7 Instructions for Preparation and Submission of the Cost/Business Proposal, (b) Part 2 - Proposed Costs/Prices, (C) Consultants states that “Information sufficient to determine the reasonableness of the cost of each specific consultant expected to be hired must be included. Information similar to the information provided for offeror's personnel must also be provided for all consultants.” Could USAID please clarify what "information similar to the information provided for offeror's personnel must also be provided for all consultants" means, and what offerors are expected to provide under this section?

USAID Response: For all proposed consultants must be provided the similar information as to the long-term offeror personnel noted in sub-section (A) Salary and Wages.

52. Page 85, Section L.7 Instructions for Preparation and Submission of the Cost/Business Proposal, (c) Part 3 - Subcontracting Plan: Could USAID please provide a template for the Subcontracting Plan?

USAID Response: The template for Subcontracting Plan is not available and will not be provided.

53. Page 85, Section L.7 Instructions for Preparation and Submission of the Cost/Business Proposal, (d) Part 4 – Joint Venture Information states that “In addition, the teaming arrangements must be identified, company relationships must be fully disclosed and respective responsibilities and method of work must be expressly stipulated. The joint venture or partnership agreement must include a full discussion of the relationship between the organizations, including identification of the organization, which will have responsibility for negotiation of Task Orders under the resultant contract, which organization will have accounting responsibility, how work will be allocated, and profit or fee, if any, shared. In addition, the principles to the joint venture or partnership agreement must agree to be jointly and severally liable for the acts or omissions of the other.” Could USAID please confirm that:

a. The requirement under the (d) Part 4 is only to submit an information concerning a joint venture, if such is created in the purposes of this proposal?

USAID Response: Confirmed.

b. The reference to Task Orders are from another solicitation and is not relevant for the USAID Agriculture Program in Georgia?

USAID Response: This reference is relevant to this program based on the format of the teaming arrangements as applicable.

54. Page 87, Section L.8 Instructions for the Preparation of Branding and Marking Plans, (j) Part 10 – Employee Biographical Data Sheets for Key Personnel states that “Offerors must also include letters of commitment signed by each person proposed as key personnel confirming their present intention to serve in the stated position and their present availability to serve the project.” Whereas, page 82, Section L.6 Instructions for Preparation of Technical Proposal, Sub-section 2. Staffing Approach states that “Each resume/CV will be accompanied by a signed letter of commitment from each candidate indicating his/her: (a) availability to serve in the stated position, in terms of months; after award; and (b) intention to serve for a stated term of the service.”

a. Could USAID please confirm that the Offerors should submit the letters of commitment under the respective annex of the Technical Proposal?

USAID Response: Confirmed.

b. Could USAID please confirm that the Offerors are expected to submit the letters of commitment only for proposed key personnel?

USAID Response: Letters of Commitment are required for key personnel and other important technical roles as stated in the RFP.

55. Re L.6 (p. 80) – Please clarify the overall page limit for the technical proposal. The first paragraph of L.6 stipulates that “technical proposal may not exceed 20 pages,” yet later on it states that “any pages beyond these thirty will not be given to the evaluators.” Furthermore, the third paragraph of L.6 states that the ‘technical proposal must be organized in three sections, but does not specify page limits for each section, as follows: technical approach – 15 pages, staffing approach – 5 pages, and past performance – no pages cited.

USAID Response: The Technical Proposal is limited to 20 pages including 15 pages for Technical Approach and 5 pages for staffing approach; past performance does not account to page limit and must be provided as an annex.

56. Re L.6 (p. 80) – The RFP includes Past Performance as a required section of the technical proposal but allocates no pages for it. Please clarify what information, if any, USAID wishes offerors to include in the Past Performance portion of the technical proposal, or whether all past performance information should be included in Annex F (entitled Project List and Past Performance References).

USAID Response: P.81, section 3. Quality of Contractor Past Performance provides detailed guidance on what type of information shall be included in the past performance and it shall be included under Annex F.

57. Re L.6 (p. 80) – If USAID wishes offerors to include a section on Past Performance in the technical proposal, will USAID add pages to the overall limit to accommodate a summary past performance section?

USAID Response: Past Performance does not count against page limit.

58. Re L.6 (p. 80), L.7(i) (p. 87), and L.8 (p. 87) – Please clarify whether the preliminary Branding Implementation and Marking Plans should be included with the technical proposal or the cost proposal—or whether it should not be submitted at all with this proposal (i.e., only by offerors in the competitive range or the apparently successful offeror).

USAID Response: The preliminary Branding Implementation and Marking Plan shall be included as an Annex to the technical proposal. The successful offeror will submit detailed BIP and MP after the contract start date.

59. Re L.6 (p.80) –Please confirm that annexes will not be counted in page limits set for the technical proposal, as outlined in bullet 7, covering the required order of the technical proposal.

USAID Response: Confirmed.

60. Re L.6 (p. 80) and L.7 (p. 82) – L.6 requires that the technical proposal be presented on 8½ x 11 paper. L.7 requires that the cost proposal be presented on A4 paper. Please confirm that both volumes may be produced on 8½ x 11 paper.

USAID Response: Confirmed.

61. Re L.6 – May the offeror include a list of acronyms and abbreviations that does not count toward the page limit?

USAID Response: Yes.

62. Will USAID provide a copy of the most recent local compensation plan?

USAID Response: Please see attached a summary of the local compensation plan.

63. Re J (p. 64) -- Will USAID please clarify if the Disclosure of Lobbying Activities should be included as an annex to the Cost Proposal?

USAID Response: Yes.