72011424R00007.pdf

Issuance Date: April 26, 2024

Questions Due Date and Time: May 8, 2024 10:00 AM Tbilisi Time

Phase One Submission Deadline: May 29, 2024 10:00 AM Tbilisi Time

Subject: Request for Proposal (RFP) No. 72011424R00007 - USAID Collaborating, Capacity, Learning and Adapting Supporting Services

Dear Prospective Offerors:

The United States Agency for International Development in Georgia (USAID/Georgia) is seeking proposals from qualified U.S. Small Business concerns interested in implementing the above-referenced activity to enable data-driven decision-making and evidence-based collaborating, learning, and adapting within and amongst USAID/Georgia and its partners to improve program management and development impact in Georgia.

Subject to availability of funds, USAID anticipates awarding one (1) stand-alone Cost-Reimbursement-Plus-Fixed Fee (CPFF) term contract with a period of performance of five

(5) years. USAID anticipated that the total level of effort for the CPFF term will be 43,510 days.

This procurement is a total set-aside for U.S. small business concerns. The principal geographic codes for this contract are 937 and 110; the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code is 541611 Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services. The size standard for this NAICS Code is $24.5 million.

USAID intends to utilize a Phased Approach Voluntary Step-Down selection process. Please see Section L for more information. Section L of the RFP sets forth all instructions for the preparation and submission of required proposal content.

If your organization decides to submit a proposal in response to this solicitation, it must be submitted in accordance with Section L of this RFP. Section M states the criteria by which proposals will be evaluated. Proposals must be submitted to USAID/Georgia no later than the closing date and time stated above, to the email addresses designated in Section L for receipt of proposals. If the proposal is received after the closing date and time, or if it is incomplete, it will neither be accepted nor considered unless authorized by the Contracting Officer pursuant to

FAR 15.208.

SOL #72011424R00007

Please note that the award of this contract and its period of performance is based on the Section 889 Modified Foreign Assistance (FA) Waiver USAID received from the Director of National Intelligence (DNI), which expires on September 30, 2028. Therefore, although this is anticipated to be a five- year period of performance, the base period will be for four years and four months (e.g., 52 months) and an option period for an additional eight (8) months. If and when the Contractor submits the representation for FAR 52.204-24 Covered Telecommunications Equipment or Services-Representation, which may be submitted no later than March 31, 2028 that the Contractor represents that it does not use covered equipment and services, or there is a renewed or alternative waiver in place before that date, the Contracting Officer will provide written notice of its intent to exercise the option.

Any questions regarding the RFP requirements must be submitted to A&A Specialist Ms.

Ekaterine Gamezardashvili via e-mail at egamezardashvili@usaid.gov, with courtesy copy to RCOCaucasus@usaid.gov no later than the submission deadline set forth above.

Along with this RFP, any amendments to this solicitation will be issued and posted on the System for Award Management website (www.sam.gov). Offerors are encouraged to check the website periodically. It is the responsibility of the Offeror to ensure that solicitation or any amendments to it has been received from the Internet in its entirety and USAID bears no responsibility for data errors resulting from transmission or conversion processes.

This RFP in no way obligates the USAID to award a contract, nor does it commit USAID to pay any cost incurred in the preparation and submission of your proposal. Thank you for your interest. We look forward to receiving and reviewing your proposals.

Sincerely, Alexis McGinness Supervisory Regional Contracting Officer USAID/Caucasus

-i-mailto:egamezardashvili@usaid.gov mailto:RCOCaucasus@usaid.gov http://www.sam.gov

Contents:

SECTION B - SUPPLIES OR SERVICES/PRICES 1

SECTION C - STATEMENT OF WORK (SOW) 5

SECTION D - PACKAGING AND MARKING 23

SECTION E - INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE 25

SECTION F - DELIVERIES OR PERFORMANCE 26

SECTION G - CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION DATA 47

SECTION H - SPECIAL CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS 52

SECTION I - CONTRACT CLAUSES 78

SECTION J - LIST OF ATTACHMENTS 94

SECTION K - REPRESENTATIONS, CERTIFICATIONS, AND OTHER STATEMENTS OF OFFERORS 95

SECTION L - INSTRUCTIONS, CONDITIONS, AND NOTICES TO OFFERORS 122

SECTION M - EVALUATION FACTORS FOR AWARD 144

-i-

SECTION B - SUPPLIES OR SERVICES/PRICES

B.1 PURPOSE

The purpose of this contract is to provide technical assistance and services described in detail in Section C, Statement of Work, for the implementation of the USAID Data-Driven Collaborating, Learning and Adapting (CCLA) Support Services activity.

B.2 CONTRACT TYPE

This is a Cost-Reimbursement-Plus-Fixed-Fee (CPFF) term type contract. For the consideration set forth in the contract, the Contractor must provide the deliverables or outputs described in Sections C and F, and comply with all contract requirements.

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

(a) The Total Estimated Cost of the base contract for the performance of the work required hereunder, exclusive of fixed fee, is [ TBD ]. The Total Fixed Fee is [ TBD ]. The Total Estimated Cost Plus Fixed Fee, if any, is [ TBD ].

(b) The Total Estimated Cost for the performance of the work under the option period, if exercised, exclusive of fixed fee, is [ TBD ]. The Total Fixed Fee is [ TBD ]. The Total Estimated Cost Plus Fixed Fee, if any, is [ TBD ].

(c) Within the estimated cost reimbursement plus fixed fee specified above, the amount currently obligated and available for reimbursement of allowable costs incurred by the Contractor (and payment of fee) for performance hereunder is [ TBD ] . The Contractor must not exceed the aforesaid obligated amount, unless authorized by the contracting officer pursuant to the clause of this contract entitled “Limitation of Funds (APR

1984)” FAR 52.232-22.

(d) Funds obligated hereunder are anticipated to be sufficient through [ TBD ] .

B.4 BUDGET

(a) The following itemized budget sets forth the estimates for reimbursement of dollar costs for cost categories and the fixed fee.

Section B – Page 1

Base Contract (TBD, 2024 - TBD, 2028)

CLIN Item Total ($)

0001 Technical Assistance

0001a Direct Costs TBD

0001b Indirect Costs TBD

0001c Fixed Fee TBD

Base (CLIN 0001) Total Estimated Cost Plus Fixed Fee

TBD

Option Period (TBD, 2028 - TBD, 2029)

CLIN Item Total ($)

0002 Technical Assistance

0002a Direct Costs TBD

0002b Indirect Costs TBD

0002 Fixed Fee TBD

Option(CLIN 0002) Total Estimated Cost Plus Fixed Fee

TBD

[Note: If the successful offeror represents that the Section 889 FA Waiver is not required, the final award may be altered to have a single CLIN combining the total amounts of the Base Period and Option Period.]

(b) The amounts in the above cost categories may not be adjusted without a written modification signed by the Contracting Officer. The Contractor must not bill any amounts against this contract in excess of the amounts specified for each line item.

B.5 INDIRECT COSTS

The contract clause entitled “Allowable Cost and Payment (JUN 2013)”, FAR 52.216-7, specifies that the indirect cost rates must be established for each of the contractor’s accounting periods

Section B – Page 2 that apply to this contract. Pending establishment of revised provisional or final indirect cost rates, allowable indirect costs shall be reimbursed on the basis of the following negotiated provisional or predetermined rates and the appropriate bases pursuant to the Contractor’s current executed Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA):

Description Rate Base Type Period

TBD TBD% 1/ 1/ 1/

TBD TBD% 2/ 2/ 2/

1/ Base of Application: TBD Type of Rate: TBD Period: TBD

2/ Base of Application: TBD Type of Rate: TBD Period: TBD

B.6 ADVANCE UNDERSTANDING ON CEILING INDIRECT COST RATES AND FINAL

REIMBURSEMENT FOR INDIRECT COSTS

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

(b) Reimbursement for indirect costs must be at the lower of the negotiated final (or predetermined) rates or the following ceiling rates:

Description 2025 2026 2027 2028

TBD % % % %

(c) The Government will not be obligated to pay any additional amount should the final indirect cost rates exceed the negotiated ceiling rates. If the final indirect cost rates are less than the negotiated ceiling rates, the negotiated rates will be reduced to conform to the lower rates.

(d) This advance understanding must not change any monetary ceiling, obligation, or specific cost allowance or disallowance. Any changes in classifying or allocating indirect costs require the prior written approval of the Contracting Officer.

Section B – Page 3

B.7 PAYMENT OF FIXED FEE

USAID will pay a proportion of the Contractor’s fixed fee each month pursuant to FAR 52.216-8, “Fixed Fee,” upon the receipt of an invoice deemed proper by the USAID/Georgia Office of Financial Management. The paying office is USAID/Georgia, Office of Financial Management, as specified in Section G.7.

Payment of fixed fee will be allocated based upon the proportion of the level of effort (LOE) specified in Section F.4 that was provided by the Contractor in the period covered by the invoice. In the event that the Contractor does not provide the total LOE stipulated in Section F.4, the total amount of fixed fee will be reduced in similar proportion.

B.8 COST REIMBURSABLE

The U.S. dollar costs allowable will be limited to reasonable, allocable, and necessary costs determined in accordance with FAR 31 (Contract Cost Principles and Procedures), FAR 52.216-7 Allowable Cost and Payment, FAR 52.216-8 Fixed Fee, FAR 52.232-20 Limitation of Cost, FAR 52.232-22, Limitation of Funds, if applicable, and AIDAR 752.7003 Documentation for Payment.

B.9 KEY CONSIDERATIONS FOR DEVELOPMENT IN A DYNAMIC ENVIRONMENT

Given the fluid nature of the geopolitical environment, USAID/Georgia must be able to adapt to changing circumstances on the ground. Adaptive management will be required from the Contractor in order to maintain, sustain, or expand development gains achieved through activity implementation.

The Contractor must anticipate the need to adapt to changing conditions on the ground either of a positive or negative nature in order to achieve the contract’s objectives. These objectives are defined in Section C. The changes must be within the general scope of this contract.

Implementation of these changes will be governed by FAR 52.243-2 (Alternate I) Changes - Cost Reimbursement.

The purpose of this section is to inform the Contractor of the geopolitical environment and the potential need to adapt to changing circumstances while still achieving the contract’s objectives.

There may be other needs that require the use of the Changes clause.

END OF SECTION B

Section B – Page 4

SECTION C - STATEMENT OF WORK

C.1 Purpose The purpose of the USAID Data-Driven Collaborating, Capacity, Learning, and Adapting (CCLA) Support Services contract is to enable data-driven decision-making; institutional capacity development; and evidence-based collaborating, learning, and adapting within and amongst USAID/Georgia and its implementing and strategic partners to improve program management and development impact in Georgia.

C.2 Background

C.2.1. USAID in Georgia USAID is the world’s premier international development agency and a catalytic actor driving development results. Over 30 years of partnership with Georgia, USAID has supported the country’s transformation into a developing democracy that is increasingly integrated into Western political, security, and economic institutions. USAID programs strengthen Georgia’s resilience to malign influence, consolidate democratic gains through enhanced citizen responsive governance, and enable high-value employment through inclusive economic growth.

Since it began partnering with the Government of Georgia (GOG) in 1992, USAID has provided more than $1.9 billion in assistance. As of 2024, the Mission oversees approximately 40 active development projects, cumulatively valued at approximately $373 million.

C.2.2. Rationale As development programs continue to adapt to the rapidly changing and dynamic operating environment in Georgia, USAID/Georgia requires access to up-to-date/on-demand contextual information, systems, and processes to coordinate timely programmatic responses, and qualitative and quantitative context data to advance the goal and development objectives (DOs) of its 2020-2025 Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS) and follow-on strategic plan. As information sources and data points continue to grow, the Mission also requires comprehensive knowledge capture, retention, transfer, and management practices to enable evidence-based decision-making and efficiently and effectively facilitate CCLA support services within USAID/Georgia and amongst implementing partners, and an approach that fundamentally ensures performance improvement amongst the Mission’s strategic partners and responsiveness to program participant feedback regarding USAID’s assistance.

C.3 Approaches

Problem Driven-Iterative Adaptation USAID/Georgia aims to become an organization skilled at creating, analyzing, and acting upon knowledge to achieve better development results in Georgia. As such, the tasks to be performed under this contract must have a clear connection to improvements in the management and impact of USAID/Georgia’s development programming. This support service is expected to further transform USAID/Georgia into a data-driven learning organization that is

Section C - Page 5 better able to generate lasting development impact in Georgia.

The Contractor must design its efforts using a problem-driven iterative adaptation approach (PDIA), meaning that the Contractor must work with the Mission to identify, understand, and solve the right problems and take an iterative approach to developing effective, scalable solutions in collaboration with the Mission’s staff and partners. In undertaking its work, the Contractor must recognize that its efforts are part of a complex system with interconnected parts. In guiding the Mission through this learning transformation, the Contractor must undertake small interventions and continually prototype, test, and refine its products and services to ensure that the solutions being offered truly meet the needs of the people being supported.

Human-centered Humans generate, organize, share, and apply knowledge to create value or support their decision-making, and humans make sense of knowledge and learn in different ways (and in different environments, including a range of in-person, virtual, and hybrid settings). This human-centered nature of knowledge must provide the basis for learning processes, tools, and systems, so diverse individuals can contribute to, understand, and use the knowledge base to achieve USAID/Georgia’s CDCS goal and DOs.

The contractor must employ human-centered systems and practices that support the work of Mission staff so that interventions are more effective, decrease time and resource burdens, and have a higher likelihood of adoption. Human-centered systems and practices work closely with end users to identify problems, create processes, and design solutions so that products align with expectations and ultimate needs. Because a person rarely creates knowledge alone, the contractor must assist USAID to create a culture where there are opportunities to generate knowledge through collaboration and engagement, including fostering behaviors and actions that facilitate learning across Mission staff, partners, and local counterparts.

Private Sector Engagement (PSE) USAID/Georgia has a rich history of working with the private sector to advance Georgia’s development agenda, reflected in the wide range of engagements and partnerships across its program portfolio. PSE is a cross-cutting approach that supports the implementation of the Mission’s 2020-2025 CDCS. A core premise of USAID/Georgia’s CDCS is that the Georgian private sector is ready for more direct engagement and collaboration. As Georgia’s economy has grown, a wide range of private sector partners have emerged that are able to substantively contribute to “win-win” solutions that make both commercial sense and address development needs. As USAID/Georgia shifts its development approach from a donor-beneficiary relationship towards one grounded in partnership, the private sector, as the engine of growth, has a critical role to play in strengthening and sustaining development outcomes.

The contractor must work with USAID, implementing partners, and other stakeholders to facilitate the learning capacity development activities identified, propose or identify additional

Section C - Page 6 relevant learning activities, and bring in experts from academia, private sector, and civil society to explore promising, workable approaches and strategies for expanding USAID’s development results, especially where they intersect with private sector equities, like innovation or workforce development. The contractor must also build the capacity and provide solutions for measuring the outcomes of partnering with the private sector in maximizing results and generate and share knowledge around selected technical programmatic areas and facilitate interactions that review these results and provide knowledge to inform strategic decision making.

Localization USAID envisions expanding the share of its programs that are locally led, in which a diverse group of local actors define priorities, design projects, drive implementation, measure and evaluate results, and more fully own and sustain efforts to reduce poverty, strengthen democratic governance, reduce corruption, address climate change, and work to prevent conflicts. The contractor must incorporate localization principles to inform engagement beyond USAID projects, including: Mission convenings, the expertise USAID seeks, the Mission’s policy reform dialogues, and all the ways USAID engages in development. (See USAID Localization Vision.) Local capacity building - including working with local sub-awardees, upskilling local contractors, USAID implementing partner and government staff, and other similar local efforts -must be incorporated into every intervention in this contract (within appropriate reason).

USAID/Georgia has a rich history of using the Agency’s human and institutional capacity development (HICD) model to achieve lasting results in the institutional capacity of the Mission’s strategic partners in Georgia. The HICD model is based on a structured and systemic methodology of identifying and addressing gaps in institutional performance. USAID/Georgia will work with the Contractor to identify select Georgian government, nongovernmental, or private sector entities that play a critical role in advancing Georgia’s locally led and long-term development solutions. The Contractor must work with these entities to help them achieve lasting results in their institutional capacity, utilizing a suite of HICD/performance improvement services tailored to the needs of selected institutions.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) USAID is committed to a diverse, equitable, inclusive workplace where everyone has an opportunity to thrive. The Agency’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Strategy commits USAID to improving and enhancing diversity throughout the Agency, enhancing inclusion and equity for everyone in the workplace, and strengthening accountability for promoting and sustaining a diverse workforce and an inclusive Agency culture. Throughout its programming, USAID aims to incorporate the principles of DEIA and the Agency expects this of its implementing partners as well.

C.4 Workload Management Specified tasks to be performed by the Contractor will be determined for every upcoming twelve-month period, updated on a quarterly basis, in collaboration with USAID based on the Mission’s needs in the upcoming period. The format of the work plan will be developed jointly

Section C - Page 7 https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/2022-12/USAIDs_Localization_Vision-508.pdf https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/2022-12/USAIDs_Localization_Vision-508.pdf https://www.usaid.gov/about-us/diversity-equity-inclusion between USAID and the Contractor. In addition, USAID reserves the right to request additional ad hoc tasks outside of the work planning process when unanticipated needs arise.

C.5 Scope of Work The following are the general workstreams that the Contractor must perform:

1. Data: generate, collect, review, curate, analyze, and synthesize key information for decision-making.

2. Learning: regularly hold information and learning-sharing events to support decision-making processes, utilizing data generated and analyzed.

3. Adapting: ensure USAID staff and partners have the skills and resources to effectively respond to shifting priorities and contexts utilizing data generated and learning derived.

4. Collaboration and Capacity: develop and utilize mechanisms/tools for multi-stakeholder collaboration and address partner entities’ human and institutional capacity gaps.

C.5.1. Workstream 1: Data

This workstream involves the supply of key inputs for decision-making through the collection, systematization, curation, synthesis, and analysis of data required to generate information and turn it into actionable knowledge.

The Contractor must conduct research, assessments, and data analysis to support the Mission in making decisions regarding strategy and activity objectives. Using data collected directly by the Contractor through research and assessments, as well as aggregating the data already collected by the Mission’s implementing partners and/or third-party sources, the Contractor must increase the number of usable data sets, identify stakeholder priorities, consolidate existing data (and fill in gaps as appropriate), and develop data visualizations that allow Mission leadership to easily interpret the data for making evidence-based management decisions. Per the Agency’s forthcoming Knowledge Management and Organizational Learning Policy, knowledge needs to be available, organized, searchable, screen readable, translated when possible, intellectually clear and understandable across different learning styles, mindful of equity, and inclusive of diverse knowledge framework systems. Knowledge products must be framed and socialized to help people understand and use them. The management implications of context and performance data are not always self-evident. Insightful data analysis and a compelling visual display of performance and context information can help spur achievement and demonstrate the need for changes in USAID strategies, projects, and activities.

The contractor must seek to undertake this workstream in a manner that systematically builds the capacity of partner entities, most likely the GOG’s economic cadre and university researchers, though potentially other entities and organizations.

Task 1.1. Conduct Data Collection, Polls, and Surveys The Contractor must develop and implement a range of primary data collection tools tailored to fill in gaps in USAID/Georgia’s analytical needs. The Contractor must work with USAID/Georgia to identify the best tools to address an identified knowledge gap, develop the methodology for

Section C - Page 8 the implementation, and then present findings and conclusions in both oral (presentation) and written (report) formats. Tools may include interviews, focus groups, polls, and surveys that collect information not available in secondary sources. Examples of tasks USAID may direct the Contractor to conduct include but are not limited to the following:

a. Engage with the Mission’s decision-makers at multiple levels, including Agreement Officer’s Representatives (AORs), Contracting Officer’s Representatives (CORs), Office Directors, and the Front Office, to identify the existing data gaps and develop a plan for generating and absorbing data insights.

b. Develop statements of work and detailed designs for polls, surveys, social sensing, and other data collection efforts, in close consultation with USAID/Georgia COR, implementing partners (as needed), and/or technical teams.

c. Collect beneficiary feedback through direct engagement with USAID beneficiaries in multiple languages (in addition to beneficiary feedback IPs collect through their program cycles).

d. Design national- and sub-national survey instruments (including listening tours) that collect qualitative and quantitative data.

e. Administer surveys and public opinion polls, collecting, systematizing, analyzing and presenting survey data at the national and subnational level.

f. Conduct third-party monitoring in inaccessible parts of Georgia to collect, analyze, and present performance and other contextual data through sub-contracts or other arrangements.

g. Produce new data through aggregating, systematizing, synthesizing, analyzing and presenting the existing data sets created by USAID contractors and grantees or third party sources using creative cross-tabulations, longitudinal analyses, and regression analysis.

h. Collect, synthesize, analyze and/or present data for select performance indicators included in the Missions Performance Management Plan (PMP).

i. Input CCLA activity-level data into USAID’s Development Information Solutions (DIS), and/or submit the data through any other system or format, as instructed by USAID.

j. Work with the GOG counterparts to systematically build capacity and improve information sharing between USAID and the GOG.

Task 1.2 Conduct Assessments and Analysis of Data Sets The Contractor must design and carry out assessments to examine country or sector contexts, the existing development trends and gaps, and other relevant information to inform USAID/Georgia strategy or project activities. Assessments will help inform Mission policy, strategic direction of programs, and overcome barriers to CDCS implementation. Assessments may include information about USAID projects, programs, or research activities that provide information and knowledge on culture, environment, institutions, politics, economics, and social and geography dimensions. The Mission will draw on this knowledge base to devise new strategic approaches and interventions and adjust current ones. The Contractor may implement on average three assessments annually. Examples of tasks USAID may direct the Contractor to

Section C - Page 9 perform include but are not limited to:

a. Engage with the Mission’s decision-makers at multiple levels, including AOR/CORs, Office

Directors, implementing partners (as needed), and the Front Office, to identify assessment and analytical needs.

b. Develop statements of work and detailed designs for assessments and studies, in close consultation with the USAID/Georgia COR, technical teams, and implementing partners.

c. Develop comprehensive analytical products such as political economic analyses (PEAs), regional case studies, systems mapping, and thematic and sectoral assessments to inform USAID/Georgia strategy, approaches, and/or programming.

d. Conduct the analyses necessary to inform USAID/Georgia’s activity designs, such as stakeholder analysis, gender equality and women’s empowerment analysis, inclusive development analysis, sustainability analysis, conflict analysis, institutional analysis, analysis of local capacities, environmental impact analysis, social soundness analysis, Government-to-Government (G2G) risk assessment, and others.

e. Conduct special studies, academic research, literature review and synthesis, situational analyses, rapid appraisals, feasibility studies, cost-benefit analyses (CBA), cost-efficiency analyses (CEA), due diligence analyses, and others on certain sectors or issues relevant to USAID’s programmatic or strategic areas.

f. Analyze, prepare reports, and present data and findings obtained in the assessments.

g. Conduct additional actions required to enable effective policy.

The Contractor must analyze existing data collected through either USAID/Georgia itself, its implementing partners, or third-party sources so that USAID can take the necessary actions to design, complete, and communicate results. The Mission, through the Agency’s Development Information Solution (DIS) system, annually collects large volumes of IP-generated data, including performance indicator data for both standard F indicators and the Mission’s PMP indicators.

In addition, the Mission currently maintains five geographic operational datasets: activity location, investment location, beneficiary location, local partners, and site visit monitoring. This data is used to create the Mission’s annual geographic analysis.

The Contractor must utilize these existing data sources, along with other third-party sources, such as Geostat, World Bank, etc., to create accessible and easily understood data visualizations that can be used for decision-making at all levels. The Mission uses ArcGIS Desktop and ArcGIS Online for GIS analysis and mapping, as well as Tableau to create dashboards and visualize IP datasets. The Mission has a full-time GIS specialist who maintains these systems.

The Contractor must work in consultation with USAID to identify key learning questions, then review USAID and third-party sources to analyze existing data to be used in the creation of visualizations. Visualizations can take the form of Tableau dashboards, infographics, or other useful formats determined in conversation with USAID.

Section C - Page 10

Task 1.3 Create Repository of Existing Studies Conducted by IPs Without Replicating the DEC While USAID assessments are uploaded to the Development Experience Clearinghouse (DEC), the existing system has limited search functionality, making it difficult to effectively utilize as a source of information.

The Contractor must identify what relevant assessments are available currently, on the DEC or elsewhere, and compile a searchable database within the Google Suite that contains links to available studies. The Contractor must also ensure that new assessments conducted under the life of the award are uploaded promptly to the DEC and linked to the database where they can be easily accessed by USAID staff for decision-making purposes. This will require working with USAID staff and implementing partners to understand what assessments have already been completed and what assessments are currently underway or planned in order to ensure no relevant or USAID-funded assessments are missed.

Task 1.4 Synthesize Related Assessments In addition to the assessments conducted by USAID/Georgia itself, the Mission’s implementing partners conduct many targeted assessments over the lifetime of their awards. These assessments are often technical and lengthy, requiring an investment of time and resources to both conduct and process.

The Contractor must utilize human-centered design techniques to synthesize and create more digestible knowledge products, allowing for easy dissemination of key points. In collaboration with USAID, the Contractor must develop a consultative process that involves both USAID staff and implementers to ensure the Contractor is aware of upcoming assessments to include in this process, as well as to inventory past assessments which may be relevant to the current context and valuable in informing programmatic approaches. The Contractor and USAID will jointly select assessments for synthesis.

Where possible, the Contractor must involve national institutions, CSOs, business organizations, and other relevant local entities in the analysis/synthesis of selected assessments; thus, advancing USAID's localization agenda.

C.5.2 Workstream 2: Learning

Under Workstream 2, the Contractor must support USAID to effectively utilize and transmit the knowledge gained from Workstream 1 by organizing, supporting, and facilitating learning events at the strategic, sectoral, and office levels. These learning events will become instrumental components of management decision-making processes.

Learning takes place when USAID and stakeholders utilize a variety of sources of information (including data from monitoring, portfolio reviews, findings of research, evaluations, analyses conducted by USAID or third parties, and knowledge gained from experience) and take the time to pause and reflect on what’s working and what needs adapting in the current implementation strategies. This helps USAID draw on evidence and experience from many sources and employ

Section C - Page 11 participatory development methodologies that catalyze learning for ourselves and our stakeholders. Learning helps USAID to adapt to rapidly changing events by incorporating lessons learned and past experiences into decision-making and program planning decisions, such as how to effectively support Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic integration and attain USAID’s CDCS goal and DOs.

The Contractor must assist USAID/Georgia to incorporate learning at key points under the Mission’s current CDCS both by developing the enabling conditions to successfully integrate learning across USAID/Georgia’s strategy and portfolio and by actively supporting learning throughout the Program Cycle.

Task 2.1 Support Mission Development, Implementation, and Closeout of the CDCS Developing a CDCS is a time-intensive process that requires engagement with stakeholders across the Agency and across the partner country. USAID’s CDCS is grounded in development theory, practice, literature, and experience from implementation and supports USAID’s mission to promote and demonstrate democratic values abroad, and advances a free, peaceful, and prosperous world. USAID/Georgia’s CDCS is valid through May 2025 with a possible extension.

During the lifetime of this contract, USAID/Georgia will go through the process of preparing and implementing a new CDCS. The brunt of this work takes place over three phases, which the Contractor must support through coordination, facilitation, and provision of logistical support.

During the official CDCS process, which consists of three phases as set forth in Automated Directives System (ADS) 201, USAID may direct the Contractor to perform the following, but not limited to, tasks in support of the CDCS development.

● Phase One: Initial Consultations and Parameters Setting: During Phase One, Missions initiate a formal dialogue with relevant Washington Bureaus and Independent Offices (B/IOs) and interagency stakeholders to ensure that subsequent drafts of their CDCS reflect a corporate view of Washington’s expectations. In addition, they discuss the relative strengths, weaknesses, challenges, and opportunities in their partner countries based on their assessment of the most relevant Mission- or third-party sourced data and other evidence. This phase culminates in agreement between the Mission and Washington on priorities, sectoral focus, and other parameters for the CDCS. It also results in agreement on the Mission’s plan for developing the CDCS during Phases Two and Three.

The Contractor may be required to facilitate Phase One of the CDCS preparation, including facilitating internal meetings and discussions, preparing materials, etc.

(including as part of Workstream 4). The Contractor may also be required to conduct sectoral assessments to inform this process (as part of Workstream 1).

Section C - Page 12

● Phase Two: Development of a Results Framework: During Phase Two, Missions finalize key analyses, assess evidence and/or other types of information, engage with local stakeholders (GOG, civil society, private sector, other donor organizations) and relevant Washington B/IOs to establish their initial development hypothesis; finalize their budget scenarios; prepare the Summary Paper and Matrices annex associated with their Results Framework; and outline the next steps to prepare the full CDCS. This phase culminates in Agency agreement on the approaches the Mission will use to advance its strategic goal, budget scenarios that reflect strategic priorities, and an organizing framework that will inform the subsequent development of their CDCS, PMP (see ADS section 201.3.2.15), and projects and/or activities (see ADS section 201.3.3 and 201.3.4).

The Contractor may be required to facilitate Phase Two of CDCS preparation, including organizing brainstorming sessions with internal and external stakeholders, preparing initial paperwork, arranging logistics, etc.

● Phase Three: Preparation and Approval of the CDCS: During Phase Three, Missions apply findings from additional analyses and consultations, further refine their strategy, and prepare and submit the full CDCS. This phase culminates in the final approval of the Mission’s CDCS.

The Contractor may be required to facilitate Phase Three of CDCS, including but not limited to support with drafting and finalizing the final strategy, both internal and public copies.

Task 2.2 Support Regular Mission Portfolio Review Processes Portfolio reviews are opportunities for Missions to periodically examine designated aspects of the Mission’s strategy, projects, or activities. Per ADS 201.3.2.18, Missions must conduct at least one portfolio review per year that focuses on progress toward strategy-level results. Missions may conduct additional portfolio reviews, such as semi-annual portfolio or DO-level reviews, and the objectives, content, and format of these additional portfolio reviews may vary depending on the needs of the Mission. Portfolio reviews play an important role in a Mission’s ongoing learning and adapting, serving as a pause and reflect moment for the Mission to generate and apply new learning across a broad range of programmatic and operational approaches, including from changing circumstances or context in the country. Missions may also leverage portfolio reviews to further enhance strategic collaboration and stakeholder engagement, to strengthen knowledge transfer among staff and partners, and to address organizational practices and culture to better enable adaptive management.

While the Mission staff will be in the lead to plan portfolio reviews, the Contractor may be required to plan, prepare, organize, and facilitate, and follow-up on portfolio reviews for the Mission. Thus, the Contractor will support the Mission to ensure a high quality of discussions and deliberations, as well as to manage the process effectively.

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Task 2.3 Facilitate the Development and Implementation of the CLA Agenda and Implementation Plan In collaboration with USAID, the Contractor must develop an annual collaborating, learning, and adapting (CLA) Agenda and Implementation Plan, integrated into the work plan. The Agenda must include a schedule of all learning events planned for the year both internally for USAID and externally among implementing partners and other key stakeholders. The Contractor must implement the activities agreed upon in the CLA agenda, through the provision of planning and logistics, facilitation, and follow up on outstanding action items. The Plan will be updated on a quarterly basis.

Opportunities for knowledge sharing must be built into the CLA Agenda and Implementation Plan.

Illustrative examples of learning events include:

● Implementing Partner (IP) meetings

● Learning workshops

● Pause and reflect sessions

● Donor coordination meetings

● Routine direct beneficiary feedback collection and response at community, municipal, and nationals levels

Task 2.4 Develop and Assist in Key Knowledge Sharing Practices and Facilitate Sectoral and DO-Level Pause and Reflect Sessions or Feedback Loops with USAID, IPs, Program Participants, GOG, and Other Key Stakeholders The Contractor must conduct and support events, learning fairs, workshops, and seminars that promote collaboration and learning among USAID, IPs, GOG, and other stakeholders, including program participants.

Workshops and learning fairs will provide a forum for sharing best practices, summarizing lessons learned from evaluations and analyses, discussing changes to the development context in Georgia related to the critical assumptions outlined in the CDCS, reviewing progress towards the achievement of DOs, determining whether the CDCS and DOs remain relevant in light of the changing development context, discussing sector-level challenges and gaps, and brainstorming solutions.

The Contractor must also facilitate periodic meetings with partners, learning networks, and/or other stakeholders to facilitate learning and knowledge sharing at sector- or sub-sector levels.

The Contractor must organize logistics for the events, covering allowable costs of participants, providing a venue, facilitation and soliciting and organizing content (such as presentations, round table discussions, technical discussions, contests, networking opportunities etc.) from among participating stakeholders. The Contractor must document and make available in useful form analytic results, studies, evaluations, meeting notes, decisions made, and follow up from learning engagements.

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The contractor must also produce a collaboration and learning e-newsletter on a quarterly basis. USAID staff, IPs, and the participants of events, learning fairs, workshops, and seminars will be the primary audience for the e-newsletter. The Contractor must also propose other innovative knowledge sharing products.

C.5.3. Workstream 3: Adapting

The Mission considers adaptation as both an outcome of and input to decision-making. The Contractor must support USAID’s ongoing processes to assist in adapting to decisions made by USAID based on Workstreams 1 and 2. This may include but is not limited to facilitating communities of practice, training events, capacity building courses, etc. at the mission and IP level, as well as providing-short term technical assistance to the Mission in the areas of strategic planning, programmatic design, research, program management, monitoring and evaluation, and other fields specific to the program cycle.

Task 3.1 Support Communities of Practice at the Mission and IP Levels USAID communities of practice are smaller voluntary working groups or learning networks focused on exploring challenges, successes, and opportunities relating to specific cross-cutting topics. Communities of practice give members the opportunity to learn from one another, explore shared challenges, seek effective ways of adapting to changing contextual shifts, and, importantly for USAID’s work, develop working relationships across the Mission’s portfolio that can lead to unexpected opportunities for cross-cutting collaboration. USAID/Georgia currently operates internal communities of practice among its staff on a range of topics. In addition, USAID/Georgia’s staff run two external communities of practice for implementing partners, one focused on private sector engagement and another - on positive youth development, with plans to add additional communities based on the results of surveys and conversations with implementing partners.

The Contractor must support the Mission, including USAID technical advisors, to organize and facilitate community of practice meetings, as well as maintain engagement with the communities of practice in the interim between in-person or virtual meetings. The level of effort for each community of practice will vary depending on the mutually agreed upon scope.

Task 3.2 Develop and Deliver Training Courses (Focused on but not Limited to MEL efforts) for IPs USAID/Georgia occasionally has the need for one-off or ad hoc training courses for implementing partners. This can be in response to changing requirements from Washington or changing priorities within the Mission as it aims to improve the quality of its own processes.

Examples of previous and possible training events include but are not limited to: Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) plan writing using standardized MEL templates, data quality assurance, rollout of new PMP and F indicators, guidance on indicator collection methodologies, capacity building on data quality assurance planning and management, understanding and interpretation of performance indicator reference sheets, best practices in adaptive

Section C - Page 15 management, etc. The Contractor must prepare, organize, and deliver relevant training events as requested. While the focus will be on MEL efforts, the Contractor may be required to organize and deliver additional, need-driven training courses for IPs.

Task 3.3 Deliver Annual Georgia 101 Training Course for New Hires and Incoming Staff USAID/Georgia, as part of its ongoing organizational strengthening efforts, has recently developed a New Employee Orientation Training that leverages existing resources and Mission capacities, although the Contractor will not be required to strictly adhere to the content and duration of the course already in place. The Contractor must develop specific content, duration, and modules of the course in close consultation with the COR.

This training will focus on preparing new staff ahead of and upon their arrival to Georgia. The purpose of this onboarding training is to impart critical contextual knowledge about Georgia to incoming and recently arrived personnel, most of whom will be in leadership positions and have a high degree of engagement with a wide array of stakeholders in Georgia as part of their duties.

The Contractor must deliver the Annual Georgia 101 course at least once per year. While having access to the existing course materials, the Contractor will ensure to update the material in light of all changes that will have occurred since the development of the original content. In delivering this training, the Contractor must bring together qualified and well-regarded lecturers, specialists, researchers, and/or activists with knowledge of Georgia, the Caucasus, and the broader geopolitical context. This group of experts must be diverse, and it must include a mix of Georgian and non-Georgian, as well as minority voices to ensure a balance between a diverse and inclusive range of all perspectives. The proposed teaching team must have a proven track record of delivering fact-based, well-balanced training courses using advanced methods and tools in adult learning and training design and delivery.

Lectures will include essential topics such as understanding Georgia’s political history, transitions, and current status; U.S.-Georgia history and relations, with a focus on USAID programmatic history; geopolitical dynamics, including Georgia’s complicated relationship with Russia; economy; human rights; geography, religions, cultures, and ethnic diversity; society, customs, and attitudes. This intensive examination of the political, historical, economic, social, and cultural features of Georgia will provide a pertinent analytical account of Georgia’s current political and developmental challenges and opportunities. After delivery, the contractor must conduct a feedback survey.

The contractor must continue to refine the curriculum based on participant input, as well as changes to USAID/Georgia’s operating context within the county to ensure that incoming staff in the future are receiving accurate and up-to-date information upon their arrival. In the case of substantive changes to the curriculum, the Contractor must work with international and local experts to ensure a nuanced and high-quality product.

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The Contractor must produce a GEO 101 handbook, compiling all modules, and disseminate it to all course participants. The Contractor must update the Handbook on an annual basis prior to the delivery of every next course.

Task 3.4 Develop and Deliver Core Capacity-Building Sessions for USAID Staff In order to successfully strengthen the organization as a whole, one must strengthen the people who comprise it. USAID/Georgia has a talented staff with many specialized skills. Building core capacities among them will increase the capacity of USAID overall and allow for better collaboration, learning, and adapting.

Examples of skill development areas include but are not limited to:

● Facilitation skills

● Adaptive management

● Public speaking

● Meeting management

● GMAIL, Inbox management

● Google suite

● Generative AI

The contractor must develop and deliver capacity-building sessions on a range of workplace skills that will increase staff effectiveness through a deeper personal awareness of individual behaviors, a shared understanding of interpersonal and team dynamics, and a combination of improved hard and soft skills.

Task 3.5 Provide Short-Term Technical Assistance (STTA) Services to USAID The Contractor must address critical gaps that USAID/Georgia experiences in staffing and subject-matter expertise. USAID/Georgia occasionally requires high-skilled, short-term and medium-term technical advice. The Contractor must ensure that USAID/Georgia receives the support required to accomplish its strategic objectives. The consultants contracted must not perform inherently governmental functions while serving in, or on the behalf of USAID/Georgia.

Areas of needs include strategic planning, adaptive management, programmatic design, research, program management, monitoring and evaluation, and other fields specific to the program cycle. The Contractor must be able to provide consultants in a timely manner and in coordination with USAID needs, timeframes, and preferences.

C.5.4. Workstream 4: Collaboration and Capacity While collaboration and capacity building are cross-cutting elements throughout all interventions, they are listed separately under this workstream to maximize the benefits of targeted, discrete collaboration…