4. SPARC Amendment 2 Answers to Questions signed Nov 11 (1).pdf

Amendment Issuance Date: November 11, 2023

Subject: Amendment 02 to Request for Proposal (RFP) No. 72012124R00004

Reference: SPARC Activity, USAID/Ukraine

Dear Offerors, The purpose of Amendment 02 is to answer the additional questions received in response to the solicitation, and as a result revise Attachment J.1. All other terms of the RFP remain unchanged.

Thank you for your interest in USAID/Ukraine SPARC RFP, and we appreciate the thoughtful questions submitted. Your engagement is instrumental in ensuring a comprehensive understanding of the requirements.

Sincerely, Craig Riegler, Supervisory Contracting Officer

USAID/Ukraine

5. PROJECT NO.

CODE

7. ADMINISTERED BY

2. AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION NO.

CODE

6. ISSUED BY

8. NAME AND ADDRESS OF CONTRACTOR

4. REQUISITION/PURCHASE REQ. NO. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE

9B. DATED

PAGE OF PAGES

10A. MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT/ORDER NO.

10B. DATED

1. CONTRACT ID CODE

FACILITY CODE CODE

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:

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

E. IMPORTANT:

is extended,

(a) By completing Items 8 and 15, and returning __________ copies of the amendment; (b) By acknowledging receipt of this amendment of each copy of the offer submitted; or (c) By separate letter or telegram which includes a reference to the solicitation and amendment numbers. FAILURE OF YOUR AC- KNOWLEDGMENT TO BE RECEIVED AT THE PLACE DESIGNATED FOR THE RECEIPT OF OFFERS PRIOR TO THE HOUR AND DATE SPECIFIED MAY is not extended.

12. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION DATA

(REV. 10-83)

is required to sign this document and return ___________ copies to the issuing office. is not, A. THIS CHANGE ORDER IS ISSUED PURSUANT TO: (Specify authority) THE CHANGES SET FORTH IN ITEM 14 ARE MADE IN THE CONTRACT ORDER NO. IN ITEM 10A.

15C. DATE SIGNED

B. THE ABOVE NUMBERED CONTRACT/ORDER IS MODIFIED TO REFLECT THE ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES SET FORTH IN ITEM 14, PURSUANT TO THE AUTHORITY OF FAR 43.103(b).

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 telegram or letter, provided each telegram or letter makes reference to the solicitation and this amendment, and is received prior to the opening hour and date specified.

C. THIS SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT IS ENTERED INTO PURSUANT TO AUTHORITY OF:

D. OTHER

Contractor

16C. DATE SIGNED

14. DESCRIPTION OF AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION

16B. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

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

15A. NAME AND TITLE OF SIGNER 16A. NAME AND TITLE OF CONTRACTING OFFICER

15B. CONTRACTOR/OFFEROR

STANDARD FORM 30 STANDARD FORM 30

(Type or print) (Type or print)

(Organized by UCF section headings, including solicitation/contract subject matter where feasible.)

(No., street, county, State and ZIP Code)

(If other than Item 6)

(Specify type of modification and authority)

(such as changes in paying office, appropriation date, etc.)

(If required)

(If applicable)

(SEE ITEM 11)

(SEE ITEM 13)

(X)

(X)

13. THIS ITEM APPLIES ONLY TO MODIFICATIONS OF CONTRACTS/ORDERS,

IT MODIFIES THE CONTRACT/ORDER NO. AS DESCRIBED IN ITEM 14.

11. THIS ITEM ONLY APPLIES TO AMENDMENTS OF SOLICITATIONS

AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION/MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT

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

02 See Block 16 C.

USAID/Ukraine USAID/Kyiv Regional Contract Office Dept. of State 5850 Kyiv Place Washington, D.C. 20521-5850 one

1 1

9A. AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION NO.

72012124R00004 TO ALL OFFERORS x

X

October 30, 2023

The purpose of this Amendment No. 01 is to:

1. Provide answers to the additional questions received in response to Request for Proposal(RFP) No.72012124R00004, SPARC Activity in Ukraine; and

2. Revise Attachment J.1. All other terms of the RFP remain unchanged.

Craig Riegler Supervisory Contracting Officer

BY 11/11/2023

X

/s/

REQ-121-24-0000XX

720121

RFP 72012124R00004, Amendment 2 Answer to Questions

SPARC Activity

November 11, 2023

1. Question: Will USAID please share Energy Secure Project (ESP) annual reports and work plans as they are not on the DEC?

Answer: We are in the process of preparing the relevant reports for sharing, and they will be made available on DEC within the next 1-2 weeks. The reports will serve as supplemental information particularly useful for offerors in Phase 2.

2. RFP Reference: C.5.10, E.2.1

Page Number: 21, 25 Relevant RFP Language: p.21: Notwithstanding this limitation, these services, such as small scale infrastructure related to the energy sector, equipment installation works, or commissioning/maintenance services necessary for procured energy equipment, may be required and added via through a contract modification during implementation in accordance with FAR 52.243-2, depending on the fluid conditions of the war and GOU needs.

p.25: E.2.1 Construction Deliverables [In the event that construction activities are added through a modification to the contract.]

Question: Can USAID kindly confirm that a contractual modification adding construction activities would include a ceiling increase?

Answer: Incidental construction closely tied to achieving contract results are anticipated and included in the USAID internal government cost estimate. Any contract modification during contract performance would be to specify construction activity(ies) approved by USAID.

3. RFP Reference: L.9 Part 3(1)(a)3) Page Number: 90 Relevant RFP Language: “Labor cost for CCNs must not exceed the thresholds in the US Embassy’s local employee compensation plan (LCP) at $86,541/year, unless authorized by USAID.”

Question: Could USAID please provide the full LCP to offerors?

Answer: Offerors should determine salary grades in line with their policies and based on assessed needs to achieve contract results. As identified in Section L.9, Part 3(a), the current LCP threshold for CCNs salaries is $86,541/year. Our market research indicates that a significant majority of the anticipated Sparc activity positions will be at or below this ceiling.

4. RFP Reference: L.8.C; L.9 Part 3(1) Page Number: 88; 89 Relevant RFP Language:(p. 88): “No Key Personnel candidates, resumes, or Biodata Form 1420 are required as they will not be evaluated prior to award. Key Personnel candidates will be approved after award.”

(p. 89): “Biographical Data Sheets must be submitted in PDF format, duly signed by both the employee and the contractor and must be put in alphabetical order.”

Question: Can USAID please confirm that Standard Form (SF) 1420-17 biographical data sheets are not required to be included in the Cost Proposal for any proposed personnel?

Answer: Section L.9, Cost Proposal Instructions, Part 3 – Proposed Costs (1) on page 89 was updated in Amendment 1 to remove the instructions for submitting Biographical Data Sheets.

5. Question: Should Offerors budget for VAT or will USAID be providing a protocol for refunds or exemptions?

Answer: No - USAID will provide guidance on the project registration protocol. After the project is successfully registered in Ukraine, it will qualify for VAT exemption.

6. RFP Reference: L.8 Page Number: 87 Relevant RFP Language: Phase One proposals, including any cover page, summaries, or similar, must adhere to the page limit of 9 (nine) pages total.

Question: Would USAID kindly increase the page limit for Phase One submission to 10 pages not including the Cover Page?

Answer: No, the Cover Page and summaries are included in the body of the technical proposal and counts towards the page limit.

7. RFP Reference: L.8 Page Number: 87 Relevant RFP Language: The Technical Proposal must be written in English and typed on standard 8 1/2” x 11” paper, single spaced, one-sided, Times New Roman point 12 font size, with each page numbered consecutively.

Question: Can USAID confirm that offerors may use 10 point font for graphics, tables, and charts for a more concise presentation of information in the submission of both phases?

Answer: Yes, so long as the text is legible. RFP section L.7, L.8 was revised in Amendment 1 to confirm this.

8. Question: While this is a term type contract, the USAID forecast indicated the funding range would be $500m - $749.99m. Given the magnitude of this range, would USAID kindly provide a funding range for this activity to reduce variability among offerors?

Answer: The Business Forecast for Sparc is accurate. USAID/Ukraine anticipates awarding a cost plus fixed fee (CPFF) term type contract with 123,600 professional technical staff person productive days level of effort (LOE) and a period of performance of five (5) years. Since this is a CPFF term-type contract, the required LOE has been provided.

9. RFP Reference: SF-33 Page Number: 3

Question: Would USAID kindly provide a revised SF33 with box 16 Blank for offeror’s information?

Answer: Yes. See Attachment J.3

10. RFP Reference: L.7 Page Number: 86 Relevant RFP Language: The cover page must not list the names of non-major subcontractors or other resource partners.

Question: Can USAID confirm that offerors may list the name of major subcontractors on the Phase One cover page?

Answer: Yes.

11. RFP Reference: L.7.A Page Number: 86 Relevant RFP Language: The Offeror must specifically address its experience (or the experience of a proposed first-tier Subcontractor/Subgrantee) in adaptively advancing energy sector reforms and integrating transition countries into European Union competitive energy markets as well as “end-to-end” procurement of similar goods and equipment.

Question: Please confirm that USAID’s use of first-tier subcontractor/subgrantee follows FAR 52.204-10 and that Offerors may write about all first-tier subs, and not just major subs, in the Phase One proposal.

Yes - in the Phase One proposal, Offerors may write about all first-tier subs, as per FAR 52.204-10, and not just major subs.

12. RFP Reference: Attachment J.1 Budget Template

Question: Four of the tabs in the budget template (“Travel,” “Office Equipment,” “Procurements,” and “LOE Table” appear to be blank.

a) Can USAID please confirm that offerors may create tables in those tabs to show the requested information?

b) If the answer to a) is “yes,” what content would USAID like for offerors to provide in the

“Procurements” tab, given that we are instructed to budget the plug figure provided in Section L.9 Part 3(1)b) Plug Figures on page 90?

Answer: a) Yes, the offerors may use their own standard budget template, provided the major cost items are in the same order as for USAID’s budget template.

b) Attachment J.1 was revised to remove the Procurement tab under J.1.

13. RFP Reference: L.9 Part 3(1)(a)4) and Attachment J.1 Budget Template Page Number: p. 90 Relevant RFP Language:“4) The Offeror must present security costs broken down by cost element.”

Question: Can USAID please confirm that the Security Cost tab in the Attachment J.1 Budget Template is meant to present a breakdown of the Security costs that offerors have included in the Detailed budget tab?

Answer: Correct

14. RFP Reference: F.8 Page Number: 30 Relevant RFP Language:Annual Work Plans…within sixty calendar days (30)

Question: Please confirm the work plan is due 60 calendar days after the Contract start date.

Answer: The RFP has been revised in Amendment 1 to rectify that the Annual Work Plan (AWP) should be submitted within thirty calendar days (30) after the contract start date. This takes into account the inclusion of a draft one-year work plan to be submitted as part of the Phase 2 requirements.

15. RFP Reference: C.4.4 Page Number: 17 Relevant RFP Language:Component 4: Procurement Agent

Question: Can USAID confirm whether FAR subpart 18.2 emergency acquisition flexibilities or other expedited procurement procedures will be available to the contractor to fulfill the procurement component of the statement of work?

Answer: USAID acknowledges that, in emergency situations, U.S. government contracting officers may leverage flexibilities outlined in the FAR.

16. RFP Reference: G.9(b)(7) Page Number: 40 Relevant RFP Language: Obtain necessary security clearance and appropriate identification if access to Government facilities is required.

Question: Can USAID please define “necessary security clearance”?

Answer: USAID follows standard procedures to approve access to Government facilities. This typically entails furnishing necessary information in advance. The Contracting Officer will provide specific instructions on obtaining the required security clearance for access to Government facilities.

17. RFP Reference: L.9, Part 6 Page Number: 93 Relevant RFP Language: (1) For contracts not in the Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS), offerors (including all partners of a joint venture) must use the “Past Performance Information Sheet” (included as Attachment 2) to list past performance information for itself with a cost of at least $50,000,000, with a period of performance falling within the last three years, and involving similar work as achieving the objectives of Section C. All applicable fields in Attachment 2 must be completed. Offerors must not submit past performance information for contracts in CPARS

(2) Provide for each of the contracts the information that is required per Attachment 2 “Past Performance Information Sheet.”

Question:

a) Can USAID provide the format for including past performance information for contracts that are in CPARS?

b) Can USAID confirm that Offerors should provide no more than 5 contracts in past performance?

c) Would USAID please consider reducing the cost threshold to $25m to accommodate the trend in USAID energy procurements over the past 5 years?

Answer: a) If all relevant projects are in the CPAR system, the offeror does not have to include attachment J.2. Past Performance Matrix

b) Offerors may provide more than five contracts at their discretion.

c) No. The Past performance references should reflect activities of similar scale and scope to the SPARC activity.