SOL_72016718R00017.pdf

Request for Proposals (RFP) No.: SOL# 72016718R00017 Issue Date: August 28, 2018 Questions Due Date: September 8, 2018 at 5pm, Kosovo local time Answers to the questions Due Date: September 21, 2018 at 5pm, Kosovo local time Proposal Due Date: October 5, 2018 at 5pm, Kosovo local time

SUBJECT: Request for Proposal (RFP) SOL#72016718R00017 USAID/Up to Youth Activity

Dear Prospective Offeror:

The United States Government, represented by the U.S Agency for International Development (USAID), through the Regional Contracting Office in Kosovo, is seeking proposals from qualified organizations to implement USAID/Kosovo’s Up to Youth Activity as described in this solicitation. USAID/Kosovo anticipates awarding one Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee Completion-type contract as a result of this solicitation covering an estimated period of five (5) years from the date of contract award. Subject to availability of funds, USAID estimates funding available for the activity up to $9,000,000. The principal geographic code for this contract is 937. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this acquisition is 541990. This requirement is subject to the availability of funds.

This procurement will be conducted under full and open competition, pursuant to Part 15 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) (48 CFR Chapter 1). All types of organizations are eligible to compete;

USAID encourages the participation to the maximum extent possible of local Kosovar organizations, small business concerns, veteran owned small business, service-disabled veteran small business, HUB zone small business, small disadvantaged business, and women-owned small business concerns and small business concerns in this activity as the prime contractor or as subcontractors. USAID discourages the use of exclusive agreements as this limits USAID’s and Kosovo’s ability to receive the best services.

Only electronic proposals will be accepted. Proposals must be submitted via email to Urime Abdyli at:

uabdyli@usaid.gov and Nadeem Shah at: nshah@usaid.gov . If your organization decides to submit a proposal in response to this solicitation, detailed requirements for Offerors’ proposals are outlined in Section L of this solicitation. Proposals must be signed by an official who is authorized to bind the organization and are to be submitted to USAID no later than the closing date and time stated above.

Any questions regarding this solicitation must be submitted in writing via email to Urime Abdyli at:

uabdyli@usaid.gov and Nadeem Shah at: nshah@usaid.gov by the date and time specified above.

USAID reserves the right to amend or rescind this solicitation at any time. This solicitation, amendments to this solicitation, and announcement of contract award will be made available through the government point of entry at https://www.fbo.gov/. It is the Offeror’s responsibility to check this site periodically for official updates to this solicitation. Issuance of this solicitation and the submittal of a proposal do not constitute a commitment on the part of the U.S. Government nor USAID to make an award; neither does it constitute an obligation for any costs incurred in the preparation and submission of a proposal.

mailto:nshah@usaid.gov mailto:nshah@usaid.gov

SOL# 72016718R00017

USAID/Kosovo Up to Youth Activity

Contents

PART I – SCHEDULE

SECTION B – SUPPLIES OR SERVICES AND PRICE/COSTS

B.1 PURPOSE STATEMENT

B.2 CONTRACT TYPE

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

B.4 BUDGET

B.5 INDIRECT COST

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

REIMBURSEMENT FOR INDIRECT COSTS

B.7 COST REIMBURSABLE

B.8 PAYMENT OF FIXED FEE

B.9 MULTI-YEAR CONTRACT AND CANCELLATION CEILING

SECTION C – STATEMENT OF WORK

C.1 TITLE OF ACTIVITY

C.2 GOAL

C.3 DEVELOPMENT CHALLENGE

C.4 THEORY OF CHANGE

C.5 OBJECTIVES

C.6 ACTIVITY IMPLEMENTATION: CONTRACTOR REQUIREMENTS

C.7 GUIDING PRINCIPLES

C.8 MONITORING, EVALUATION, AND LEARNING

C9. COLLABORATING, LEARNING, AND ADAPTING

C.10 COLLABORATION WITH USAID AND OTHER DONOR AGENCIES

C.11 LINKS TO MISSION AND USG STRATEGIES

SECTION D – PACKAGING AND MARKING

D.1 AIDAR 752.7009 MARKING (JAN 1993)

D.2 BRANDING

D.3 BRANDING AND MARKING POLICY

SECTION E – INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE

E.1 NOTICE LISTING CONTRACT CLAUSES INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

E.2 INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE

SECTION F – DELIVERIES AND PERFORMANCE

F.1 NOTICE LISSTING CONTRACT CLAUSES INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

F.2 PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

F.3 PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

F.4 PERFORMANCE STANDARDS

F.5 KEY PERSONNEL

F.6 REPORTS AND DELIVERABLES OR OUTPUTS

F.7 DISTRIBUTION OF PROJECT MATERIALS, PARTICIPATION PARTNER MEETINGS

AND PUBLIC EVENTS

F.8 SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS FOR DEVELOPMENT EXPERIENCE DOCUMENTS

(Sept 2013)

SECTION G – CONTRATC ADMINISTRATION DATA

G.1 ADMINISTRATIVE CONTRACTING OFFICE

G.2 CONTRACTING OFFICER'S AUTHORITY

G.3 CONTRACTING OFFICER'S REPRESENTATIVE (COR)

G.4 TECHNICAL DIRECTIONS/RELATIONSHIP WITH USAID

G.5 PAYMENT AND INVOICES

G.6 ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATED DATA

SECTION H – SPECIAL CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS

H.1 NOTICE LISTING CONTRACT CLAUSES INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

H.2 FOREIGN GOVERNMENT DELEGATIONS TO INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES

H.3 AIDAR 752.225-70 SOURCE AND NATIONALITY REQUIREMENTS (FEB 2012)

H.4 INSURANCE AND SERVICES

H.5 AIDAR 752.228-70 MEDICAL EVACUATION (MEDEVAC) SERVICES (JULY 2007)

H.6 AUTHORIZED GEOGRAPHIC CODE

H.7 LOGISTIC SUPPORT

H.8 EXECUTIVE ORDER ON TERRORISM FINANCING

H.9 PROHIBITION AND ASSISTANCE TO DRUG TRAFFICKING

H.10 752.7007 PERSONNEL COMPENSATION (JUL 2007)

H.11 ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR PERSONNEL COMPENSATION

H.12 LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS

H.13 CONFIDENTIALITY AND OWNERSHIP OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

H.14 CONSENT TO SUBCONTRACTS

H.15 INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL APPROVAL

H.16 GOVERNMENT FURNISHED FACILITIES OR PROPERTY

H.17 ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE AND REQUIREMENTS

H.18 GENDER CONSIDERATION

H.19 USAID IMPLEMENTATION OF SECTION 508 OF THE REHABILITATION ACT OF 1973

AND FEDERAL ACQUISITION CIRCULAR (FAC) 97-27 "ELECTRONIC AND INFORMATION

TECHNOLOGY ACCESSIBILITY

H.20 ADS 302.3.5.9 NONDISCRIMINATION (JUNE 2012)

H.21 USAID DISABILITY POLICY - ACQUISITION (DECEMBER 2004)

H.22 ADS 302.3.5.17 LIMITATION ON SUBCONTRACTING TO NON-LOCAL ENTITIES

(JULY 2014)

H.23 ADS 302.3.5.21 USAID IMPLEMENTING PARTNER NOTICES (IPN) PORTAL FOR

ACQUISITION (JULY 2014)

H.24 ADS 302.3.5.19 USAID-FINANCED THIRD-PARTY WEB SITES (AUG 2013)

H.25 ADS 302.3.5.22 SUBMISSION OF DATASETS TO DEVELOMENT DATA LIBRARY

(OCT 2014)

H.26 ELECTRONIC PAYMENTS SYSTEM

H.27 ADS 302.3.5.5 REPORTING OF FOREIGN TAXES (JULY 2007)

PART II CONTRACT CLAUSES

SECTION I – CONTRACT CLAUSES

I.1 NOTICE LISTING CONTRACT CLAUSES INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

I.2 FAR 52.204-1, APPROVAL OF CONTRACT (DEC 1989)

I.3 FAR 52.217-8 OPTION TO EXTEND SERVICES (NOV 1999)

I.4 FAR 52.229-8 TAXES – FOREIGN COST-REIMBURSEMENT CONTRACTS (MAR 1990)

I.5 FAR 52.247-67, SUBMISSION OF TRANSPORTATION DOCUMENTS FOR AUDIT (FEB

2006) 54

I.6 AIDAR 752.7013 CONTRACTOR-MISSION RELATIONSHIPS (JUNE 2018)

I.7 AIDAR 752.7032, INTERNATIONAL TRAVELAPPROVAL AND NOTIFICATION

REQUIREMENTS (APR 2014)

I.8 AIDAR 752.7037 CHILD SAFEGUARDING STANDARDS (AUG 2016)

I.9 FAR 52.252-2, CLAUSES INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (FEB 1998)

PART III LIST OF DOCUMENTS, EXHIBITS, AND OTHER ATTACHMENTS

SECTION J – LIST OF ATTACHMENTS

PART IV REPRESENTATIONS AND INSTRUCTIONS

SECTION K - REPRESENTATIONS, CERTIFICATIONS AND OTHER STATEMENTS OF

OFFERORS

K.1 NOTICE LISTING SOLICITATION PROVISIONS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

K.2 FAR 52.204-3, TAXPAYER IDENTIFICATION (OCT 1998)

K.3 FAR 52.204-8, ANNUAL REPRESENTATIONS AND CERTIFICATIONS (FEB 2018)

K.4 FAR 52.204-17 OWNERSHIP OR CONTROL OF OFFEROR (JUL 2016)

K.5 FAR 52.209-5, CERTIFICATION REGARDING RESPONSIBILITY MATTERS (OCT 2015)

K.6 FAR 52.209-7, INFORMATION REGARDING RESPONSIBILITY MATTERS (JUL 2013) . 66

K.7 FAR 52.209-11 REPRESENTATION BY CORPORATION REGARDING DELINQUENT

TAX LIABILITY OR A FELONY CONVICTION UNDER ANY FEDRAL LAW (FEB 2016)

K.8 FAR 52.219-1, SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAM REPRESENTATIONS (OCT 2014)

K.9 FAR 52.222-22, PREVIOUS CONTRACTS AND COMPLIANCE REPORTS (FEB 1999)

K.10 FAR 52.222-25, AFFIRMATIVE ACTION COMPLIANCE (APR 1984)

K.11 FAR 52.230-1, COST ACCOUNTING STANDARDS NOTICES AND CERTIFICATION

(OCT 2015)

K.12 FAR 52.230-7, PROPOSAL DISCLOSURE--COST ACCOUNTING PRACTICE CHANGES

(APR 2005)

SECTION L – INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS

L.1 FAR 52.252-1 SOLICITATION PROVISIONS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (FEB

1998) 75

L.2 FAR 52.216-1 TYPE OF CONTRACT (APR 1984)

L.3 FAR 52.233-2 SERVICE OF PROTEST (SEP 2006)

L.4 GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS

L.5 SUBMISSION/DELIVERY INSTRUCTIONS

L.6 INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE PREPARATION OF THE TECHNICAL PROPOSAL

L.7 INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE PREPARATION OF THE COST PROPOSAL

SECTION M – EVALUATION CRITERIA

M.1 GENERAL INFORMATION

M.2 TECHNICAL EVALUATION CRITERIA

M.3 EVALUATION OF PAST PERFORMANCE

M.4 COST PROPOSAL EVALUATION

M.5 DETERMINATION OF COMPETITIVE RANGE

M.6 SOURCE SELECTION

PART I – SCHEDULE

SECTION B – SUPPLIES OR SERVICES AND PRICE/COSTS

B.1 PURPOSE STATEMENT

The purpose of the Up to Youth Activity is to address youth vulnerable to social exclusion by mobilizing and engaging youth in meaningful ways to effect positive change.

B.2 CONTRACT TYPE

The U.S. Government contemplates a Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee (CPFF) completion type contract resulting from this solicitation. For the consideration set forth below, the Contractor shall provide the deliverables or outputs described in Section F and based on the Scope of Work described in Sections C.

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

a. The estimated cost for the performance of the work required hereunder, exclusive of fixed fee, if any, is $TBD. The fixed fee, if any, is $TBD. The estimated cost plus fixed fee, if any, is $TBD.

b. The contractor will not be paid any sum in excess of the total estimated cost.

c. Within the estimated cost plus fixed fee, specified in paragraph (a) above, the amount currently obligated and available for reimbursement of allowable costs incurred by the Contractor (and payment of fee, if any) for performance hereunder is $[To be added upon award]. 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" (FAR 52.232-22).

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

B.4 BUDGET

Line Item Total Direct Cost $[.] Other Direct Cost $[.] Indirect Cost $[.] Fixed Fee $[.] Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee Ceiling Price $[.]

These amounts may not be adjusted without a written modification signed by the Contracting Officer. The contractor will not bill any amounts against this contract in excess of the amounts specified for each line item as illustrated above.

B.5 INDIRECT COST

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:

Description Rate Base Type Period

% 1/ 1/ 1/ % 2/ 2/ 2/ % 3/ 3/ 3/

1/Base of Application:

Type of Rate:

Period:

2/Base of Application:

Type of Rate:

Period:

3/Base of Application:

Type of Rate:

Period:

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

REIMBURSEMENT FOR INDIRECT COSTS

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

Description Rate Base Period

% 1/ 1/ % 2/ 2/ % 3/ 3/

1/ Base of Application:

Period:

2/ Base of Application:

Period:

3/ Base of Application Period

(b) 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.

(b) This understanding shall 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.

B.7 COST REIMBURSABLE

The U.S. dollar costs allowable will be limited to reasonable, allocable, and necessary costs determined in accordance with FAR § 52.216-7, “Allowable Cost and Payment,” FAR § 52.216-8, “Limitation of Cost,” and FAR § 52.232-22, “Limitation of Funds,” if applicable, and AIDAR 752.7003, “Documentation for Payment.”

B.8 PAYMENT OF FIXED FEE

a. 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 Financial Management Office. Payment of fixed fee shall be allocated based upon the proportion to the deliverables accepted.

b. In the event the Contractor does not submit the required deliverables at the conclusion of the period of performance, the Contracting Officer will adjust the fixed fee proportionately to the deliverables accepted.

B.9 MULTI-YEAR CONTRACT AND CANCELLATION CEILING

USAID/Kosovo considers that this contract is non-severable, and is therefore a multi-year contract as defined in FAR 17.103. Therefore, this contract is subject to the requirements of FAR 17.106. However, as a cost-reimbursement contract, USAID/Kosovo will authorize the reimbursement for all allowable costs incurred by the Contractor pursuant to FAR § 52.216-7, “Allowable Costs and Payment.” As a result, the Contractor will not incur any costs that require amortization over the contract’s period of performance in the event that the Contracting Officer cancels the contract pursuant to FAR 52.217-2.

Thus, $0 will serve as the cancellation ceiling for each cancellation date. Accordingly, no requirement to include cancellation dates in the contract exists

[END OF SECTION B]

SECTION C – STATEMENT OF WORK

Acronym List

AWP Annual Work Plan COR Contract Officer’s Representative EU European Union GOK Government of Kosovo MEL Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning TOC Theory of Change UN United Nations UNDP United Nations Development Programme USAID United States Agency for International Development

C.1 TITLE OF ACTIVITY

Up to Youth

C.2 GOAL

The Up to Youth Activity will address youth vulnerable to social exclusion by mobilizing and engaging youth in meaningful ways to effect positive change. Youth resilience to social exclusion and, consequently, violent extremism, will be increased.

C.3 DEVELOPMENT CHALLENGE

Kosovo has the youngest population in Europe with 50 percent under the age of 25. This large population of youth is increasingly feeling left aside. Youth reactions to the real and perceived sense of exclusion are diverse and vary based on the social and family contexts.

Kosovo youth are hindered by limited meaningful economic opportunities1 and unmet or frustrated expectations2; a poor education system and limited productive activities for youth3; corruption and weak democratic institutions that limit the opportunity to have a “voice”4; and isolation linked to factors such as unrealized visa liberalization.5

A USAID/Kosovo study commissioned in 20186 surveyed 452 Kosovar youth on perceived challenges and perspectives. Survey results revealed that 32.4% think that Kosovo is going in the wrong direction and are pessimistic about the future, with 60% citing the lack of job opportunities, 49.3% naming poverty, and 43% blaming nepotism and corruption as the main challenges. Kosovo youth increasingly seek opportunities to either study (if their families can afford the expense) or work abroad, with many ready to leave at the first opportunity offered.

Poor skills development contributes to Kosovo’s high youth unemployment rate, which was 58 percent in 2015, compared to 33 percent for the overall population. According to the World Bank, the “current

1 http://www.ks.undp.org/content/dam/kosovo/docs/PVE/UNDP_KS-Wide%20Assessment_eng_web.pdf; http://www.icsve.org/research-reports/drivers-of-radicalization-and-violent-extremism-in-kosovo-womens-roles-in-supporting-preventing-fighting-violent-extremism/ 2 https://www.usip.org/sites/default/files/SR397-Dynamics-of-Radicalization-and-Violent-Extremism-in-Kosovo.pdf 3 USAID, Kosovo Violent Extremism Risk Assessment, 2015 4 http://www.qkss.org/repository/docs/KCSS_Needs_Assesment_final_42754.pdf 5 https://www.usip.org/sites/default/files/SR397-Dynamics-of-Radicalization-and-Violent-Extremism-in-Kosovo.pdf 6 UNDP Public Pulse Analysis on Youth entitled “Challenges and Perspectives of Youth in Kosovo” (Data to be published September 2018) http://www.ks.undp.org/content/dam/kosovo/docs/PVE/UNDP_KS-Wide%20Assessment_eng_web.pdf http://www.icsve.org/research-reports/drivers-of-radicalization-and-violent-extremism-in-kosovo-womens-roles-in-supporting-preventing-fighting-violent-extremism/ http://www.icsve.org/research-reports/drivers-of-radicalization-and-violent-extremism-in-kosovo-womens-roles-in-supporting-preventing-fighting-violent-extremism/ https://www.usip.org/sites/default/files/SR397-Dynamics-of-Radicalization-and-Violent-Extremism-in-Kosovo.pdf http://www.qkss.org/repository/docs/KCSS_Needs_Assesment_final_42754.pdf https://www.usip.org/sites/default/files/SR397-Dynamics-of-Radicalization-and-Violent-Extremism-in-Kosovo.pdf education system has not yet succeeded in equipping students with the specific skills, including soft skills, necessary to thrive in the changing labor market.”7

The Government of Kosovo (GOK) policies to address youth employment concerns remain underdeveloped. Youth departments of GOK ministries have limited influence, and youth organizations are aware of this. While a large number of youth are dissatisfied with everyday politics, their disengagement stems from an isolation related to apathy, a lack of appropriate skills and a lack of hope that they can effect change.

In most communities (whether at the municipal or national level), there are either few opportunities for youth to engage in meaningful ways to effect positive change or youth have not demonstrated such agency. Youth are relatively inactive due to the lack of proper recreational infrastructure such as educational facilities, parks and playgrounds, theaters and other extracurricular options. 8 There also exists a lack of commitment from the national government to invest in positive outlets for youth, as budget lines for youth programming at the municipal and national levels are woefully inadequate. This lack furthers the feelings of isolation and social exclusion.

Meaningful youth engagement is a direct result of strong resilience partners that welcome, respect and integrate youth contributions, perspectives, skills and strengths. Resilience actors, informal and formal, are critical in empowering youth to build self-efficacy and confidence in the ability to effect positive change amongst themselves and their communities. Although youth are presently marginalized, resilience actors are present and have the potential to empower youth and build youth resilience. These formal and informal partners have yet to be informed, organized, and empowered to do so.

Social Exclusion as Linked to Extremism Youth vulnerable to social exclusion can be particularly vulnerable to radicalization and subsequent violent extremism, whether religiously, ethno-nationalistically or otherwise motivated.

Drivers of violent extremism are societal and institutional push factors which directly or indirectly “push” individuals and “pull” factors or factors at the individual level which directly “pull” susceptible individuals. The combination of factors that contribute to social exclusion are similar to drivers of violent extremism such as inequality, marginalization, and lack of engagement. No one factor causes radicalization and the drivers of violent extremism themselves are interrelated in a complex web.

Over the past two years there have been numerous studies and reports detailing the latest findings regarding the drivers of youth radicalization to violence in Kosovo (refer to Addendum I, “Resources”).

Due to weak critical thinking skills, a lack of opportunity for responsibility and meaning, prolonged isolation, and limited productive activities for youth, youth in Kosovo are at risk to violent extremism.

The consequences of this new social reality are only now becoming apparent to policy-makers and the development community. (Please see Addendum II: Explanation of Push and Pull Factors of Violent Extremism in Kosovo).

7 Republic of Kosovo Systematic Country Diagnostic, World Bank, 2017 8 http://www.iri.org/sites/default/files/2017-9-17_kosovo_vea_report.pdf

C.4 THEORY OF CHANGE

IF youth in Kosovo vulnerable to social exclusion are mobilized and empowered to effect positive change, AND resilient networks are supported to create meaningful engagement for youth, THEN youth resilience to social exclusion and extremism will be increased.

C.5 OBJECTIVES

Over the five-year period, the Activity will work in selected target areas to meet the following Objectives.

These three Objectives are interconnected and are mutually reinforcing Objectives; it is expected that some interventions will address more than one Objective.

Objective 1: Mobilize youth to be forces for positive change.

Objective 2: Develop and demonstrate life/soft skills among youth.

Objective 3: Develop, build and support resilience partners in fostering an environment for youth to engage in a positive and meaningful way.

OBJECTIVE 1: Mobilize youth to be positive forces for change

The focus of this Objective is on identifying, recognizing and bringing together vulnerable youth who have the potential and will for positive change. Youth will be effective change makers when they are able to recognize and seek to change the power structures that prevent them from being considered as forces for positive change.

Results - The Contractor will contribute to the achievement of the following results:

1. Youth have an increased sense of responsibility.

2. Youth lead participatory analyses of problems and their solutions.

3. Youth demonstrate leadership and engagement in democratic processes.

OBJECTIVE 2: Youth develop and demonstrate life/soft skills

This Objective equips youth with the necessary skills to engage in meaningful ways and play active roles in their municipal and/or national economy. Skills building in relevant life/soft skills and economic development will prepare youth to participate in municipal and/or national decision-making and the municipal and/or national economy.

This requires interventions that develop necessary resources, skills and competencies in both life/soft skills and economic empowerment. (Life/soft skills can also be referred as positive youth development9, social and emotional skills, or soft skills.)

9 Positive youth development engages youth along with their families, communities and/or governments so that youth are empowered to reach their full potential. PYD approaches build skills, assets and competencies; foster healthy relationships; strengthen the environment; and transform systems. (http://www.youthpower.org/positive-youth-development)

Results - The Contractor will contribute to the achievement of the following results:

1. Youth create positive social change utilizing targeted life/soft skills gained.

2. Youth penetrate and participate in the municipal and/or national economy using targeted economic skills gained.

OBJECTIVE 3: Develop, build and support resilience partners in fostering an environment for youth to engage in a positive and meaningful way.

This Objective focuses on identifying formal/informal actors who can serve as resilience partners;

developing existing resilience networks and building new networks. Interventions will support formal/informal actors and networks so they can foster an environment in which youth can contribute in meaningful ways.

Results - The Contractor will contribute to the achievement of the following results:

1. Formal and informal actors are engaged as members of resilience networks.

2. Municipal and/or national resilience networks are developed and/or created.

3. Increase in cooperation between youth and resilience networks that result in meaningful youth engagement.

C.6 ACTIVITY IMPLEMENTATION: CONTRACTOR REQUIREMENTS

USAID/Kosovo and the Contractor shall function as an integrated, operational team with shared program vision and equal commitment. The Contractor is responsible for implementation of the Activity (and recommending changes in that strategy as the operating environment evolves) as approved by USAID/Kosovo to achieve the desired impact. The Contractor shall bring to bear its best corporate capacities and strengths, through its field and headquarters staff, and partners, to effectively design and implement cohesive and coherent interventions with impact commensurate to the level of investment.

This Activity will utilize an asset-based approach and lens in assessing, designing, planning, and implementing program activities (an asset-based approach takes the assets of individuals and communities as the starting point, as opposed to their needs, and empowers individuals and communities to be partners in their own development process).

Geographic Focus

Before starting Activity implementation, the Contractor will recommend between 5 to 12 target areas with a significant opportunity for impact and provide an accompanying rationale. A target area can be a community at the municipal or national level. Target areas with greater potential for impact will likely have a population of youth vulnerable to social exclusion and/or existing youth networks and with the potential for and/or existing resilience actors. See Section L, Instructions to Offeror.

USAID/Kosovo recognizes target areas will likely be at varying stages. For this reason, it is possible that Objective One, Two and Three are implemented simultaneously in some target areas. It is also possible that some target areas will not be ready, in the duration of this Activity, to achieve all three Objectives.

The Contractor is expected to tailor the approach to the specific target area. USAID/Kosovo will approve final selection of target areas.

Target areas should be proposed based on the following criteria:

• Presence of youth vulnerable to social exclusion

• Specific-need of the target area

• Potential for and/or existing resilience actors

• Opportunity for the Contractor to build upon prior USAID investment

• Potential for making quick progress in expanding economic opportunities for youth

Interventions will, for each target area:

• Conduct assessments to identify youth leaders, youth capacities and needs;

• Conduct survey(s) to identify existing resilience networks, formal/informal actors who can serve as resilience partners and identify techniques to build new resilience networks;

• Conduct survey(s) to gain understanding of the existing landscape of youth led and youth centered entities;

• Generate action plans based on findings from surveys and assessments. At a minimum, action plans will detail how to enable youth to better engage and how to empower resilience networks to better support youth-led engagement.

• Facilitate dialogue and discussion among youth and formal/informal resilience partners;

• Identify specific sub-skills within life/soft skills and economic empowerment skills, provide training to youth on these sub-skills and means to apply skills;

The Contractor must apply youth-led, positive youth development (four key domains: assets, agency, contribution and enabling environment) approaches in achievement of the Activity’s objectives.

The operating environment can be unpredictable and the Contractor will need to adapt quickly per the needs of the environment in achievement of the stated objectives. Thus, it is essential that the Contractor practice adaptive management in order to seize new opportunities and adjust to challenges as they develop. For additional details, see Section C.6 “Guiding Principles.”

The Activity will employ a flexible approach to monitoring and management that will allow for programmatic adjustments, including expansion or reduction of target areas.

The Contractor must work closely with the youth to ensure that any youth identified intervention(s) comply with the Government of Kosovo’s legal framework.

Objective One Implementation Details

Under this Objective the contractor will execute interventions that focus on:

1. Developing existing youth-focused entities

2. Developing new youth-focused entities and

3. Supporting youth in participating in leadership and decision-making.

Inception Phase

Objective One must commence with an inception phase of up to 6 months in which the Contractor must work with youth to:

1. Conduct a rapid assessment to determine the needs and capacities of each target area.

2. Identify established youth entities (if they exist). If entities with sufficient capacity and capability exist, those should be utilized in lieu of creating additional ones.

http://www.youthpower.org/positive-youth-development

3. Create strategies specific to each target area to develop existing youth-focused entities; create new youth-focused entities; and/or facilitate youth-led, youth-owned and youth-managed foundations and systems.

Interventions will vary according to specific needs of each target area. Interventions may include a Youth Advisory Board; preparing youth to carry out a mapping exercise to identify priority needs; training in organizational management, advocacy, leadership, and democratic organizational practices (roll call, elections, bylaws, constitutions, etc.); people-to-people dialogue; training on and strategies, public participation, strategic communication campaigns to broaden awareness and information.

Interventions must engage youth-focused entities and identified youth. The Contractor may mobilize private sector and other resource partners (governments, NGOs, other donors, etc.) to help identify and support any youth enterprise and community development initiatives.

The model proposed by the Contractor must demonstrate how it will incorporate sustainability for all interventions.

In target areas where youth-focused entities do not exist or may not be able to be developed, an entity may be formed around youth needs and interests as identified by the participating youth. In such cases, the purpose of entities may vary widely and may include civic activism, income-generating activities related to agriculture and small businesses, skills development, informal savings clubs, as well as community service and arts.

Objective Two Implementation Details

Under Objective Two, the Contractor will undertake interventions to develop and deliver soft/life skills and economic development skills. The Contractor must link skills building to opportunities where youth can utilize these skills in a tangible manner.

Contractor’s approach must address Agency-level learning that while youth development and empowerment programs often succeed at building skills, agency and vision, they fall short of creating long-term meaningful opportunities. The Contractor will propose approaches and interventions to realize such long-term meaningful opportunities.

Life/Soft Skills Life/soft skills can be identified as: critical thinking, social media literacy, issue advocacy, problem solving, decision-making, leadership, self-motivation, active listening, self-control, positive self-concept, empathy, negotiation, and tolerance10. Specific skills will be identified during the inception phase as they may vary from target area to target area.

Economic Skills Development Economic life skills can be identified as: entrepreneurship, financial literacy, accessing financing, accessing mentorship, etc. Specific skills will be identified during the inception phase as they may vary from target area to target area.

Economic interventions may include: self-employment and entrepreneurship programs, grant-making programs, incentive funds, development of new sectors, the facilitation of public and private alliances, and establishment of linkages private sector funding such as angel investors or venture capital firms.

10 https://www.fhi360.org/sites/default/files/media/documents/resource-soft-skills-report.pdf

Taking into consideration realities of the economic ecosystem, economic-focused interventions should propose built-in sustainability measures to ensure greatest impact.

Objective Three Implementation Details

Understanding relationships and trust take time to advance and long-term sustainability is necessary for a meaningful resilience network. This Objective requires both pragmatic and creative approaches.

This Objective focuses on identifying formal/informal actors who can serve as resilience partners;

developing existing resilience networks and building new networks in each target area. Interventions will support the formal/informal actors and networks so they can foster an environment in which youth can contribute in meaningful ways.

The Contractor will propose interventions that, for each target area, identify and engage formal/informal resilience partners, develop existing resilience networks and, when needed, build new resilience networks.

Resilience actors may include peers, parents, teachers, health officials, school officials, community leaders, local officials, business leaders, religious leaders, Municipal Community Safety Councils, universities, etc.

Interventions may include developing platforms or processes for effective youth participation and community consultation; supporting structured dialogue on developing employment and income generating opportunities for youth; people-to-people dialogue; etc. The Contractor is free to suggest additional interventions.

C.7 GUIDING PRINCIPLES

The Contractor must ensure that the following guiding principles steer the planning and implementation of this Activity:

• Sustainability and self-reliance: The Contractor must provide realistic interventions that can be sustained beyond the life of the project. All interventions under this Activity must be conducted in close cooperation and partnership with local counterparts (whether at the municipal or national level) to ensure their full ownership and transition, future sustainability, and effectiveness of targeted sector. The Contractor must include local stakeholders, including Government of Kosovo (GOK) institutions, into its interventions to seek solutions to its own development challenges.

This includes planning, setting priorities, implementing, financing, and sustaining these solutions.

The Contractor must propose approaches that take into account the future viability of interventions demonstrating local ownership and leadership in its approaches. To strengthen sustainability of interventions beyond the Activity, the Contractor must examine the different types of incentives that influence behaviors and perceptions of relevant challenges, such as corruption or nepotism, and work on alleviating the particular constraints in a way that effectively accounts for incentives. The Contractor’s implementation of interventions should consistently reflect self-reliance as the end goal of assistance in Kosovo.

• Leverage Existing and New Resources: The Contractor must explore opportunities to leverage resources with other key stakeholders as part of its implementation approach. Co-investment and co-design of interventions is not only critical to maximizing the impact of USAID and Kosovo resources already available, but can also serve as a valuable indicator of the alignment of Activity interventions with government, private sector, and international priorities and interests. Examples of this approach could include, but are not limited to, close donor coordination to leverage resources and synergies between programs that have similar objectives, inclusion or matching of GOK resources, or other development partner resources.

• Gender: The Contractor must have an innovative approach to target women and men equally throughout the lifetime of the activity and address each objective with gender-specific initiatives, approaches, and outcomes. The Contractor should understand the impact of policy and programmatic interventions on gender empowerment and must ensure that the representation and capacity building of women, men, and youth at all levels of interventions will be in line with the USAID policies on gender equality, women’s empowerment, and youth development. Moreover, the Contractor should mainstream gender among the personnel chain in accordance with the USAID policies.

C.8 MONITORING, EVALUATION, AND LEARNING

The Activity has been designed to enable adaptive approaches to achieving Objectives, informed by ongoing contextual analysis. The Contractor must continually assess the effectiveness of the interventions, evaluate whether those interventions are succeeding, apply lessons learned, and adapt work appropriately. USAID/Kosovo recognizes that the success of the Activity will depend on the contributions of actors directly and indirectly engaged with the Activity, as well as institutions and processes beyond the manageable interests of the Contractor, and those changes in the local context may have implications for the achievement of results. Nevertheless, significant shifts within the broader country context may require the adaptation of approaches and the revisiting of indicators to address these changes. Once awarded, the Contractor must regularly revisit its progress and whether assumptions continue to hold, keeping abreast of new developments that may create challenges or windows of opportunity. If circumstances arise, the Contractor can and should alter its interventions, as reflected in its Annual Work Plan (AWP) and Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Plan (MELP), with the concurrence of USAID.

The Contractor must take into account best practices when developing the MELP which includes an Adaptive Management approach. The MELP should emphasize the systematic process of collecting and analyzing performance data and other information to track progress toward planned results and must be used to proactively learn and adapt for future interventions.

The MELP should identify how the Contractor will select appropriate indicators of organizational performance change to track and finalize those indicators in conjunction with the benefitting organizations, encompassing both the organization’s performance in achieving targeted results and the organization’s performance in learning, adapting, and sustaining itself over time. Indicators should therefore span both short-term types (efficiency, project management outcomes, quality, effectiveness, etc.) and long-term types (learning, relevance, fundraising, sustainability, etc.) of organizational performance.

Impact Evaluation

There will be an impact evaluation of this activity, tentatively scheduled for the end of year three of the activity. The impact evaluation will be conducted and completed by a third party evaluation contractor.

The Up to Youth Activity Contractor will be required to collaborate closely with the impact evaluator during the life of the activity as may regard indicators, benchmarks and targets, and baseline data against which subsequent performance can be measured.

Given the innovative nature of this proposed project, the project design team recognizes the value of also developing an external impact evaluation to test the fundamental hypotheses and theory of change embedded in the project design, and to determine whether changes in outcome measures are directly attributable to the project. This aligns with the USAID Evaluation Policy, which requires new and innovative or pilot projects to be subject to impact evaluation and thus the counterfactual analysis needed to determine causality. We also recognize the particular importance of being able to show attributable results in USAID democracy and governance programming, and see evaluation of this project as an opportunity to try to prove intervention efficacy. Lastly, an impact evaluation of aspects of the program allows for findings to be applied to improved project design and implementation during the life cycle of this program and beyond. In this way, the impact evaluation will also play an important formative assessment role for democracy and governance portfolio.

The evaluation questions and precise methodology will be developed in collaboration with the project COR, and USAID/Kosovo/M&E Specialist in order to adhere as well as possible to the project theory of change and implementation design.

The evaluation design will be finalized in consultation with the Contractor, and will need to align with the project work plan so as to ensure that the project implementation timing and geographic targeting for the components under evaluation is conducive to rigorous impact evaluation methodology, particularly as needed to ensure validity. This relates in particular to the ability to isolate project inputs for the outcomes being measured, as well as to establishing equivalent control groups. The Contractor shall determine intervention rollout with guidance from and in cooperation with the evaluation contractor. Cooperation on development and application of appropriate assessment/testing instruments and on systematization of the intervention shall also be necessary.

Positive Youth Development

The Contractor must apply youth-led, positive youth development (four key domains: assets, agency, contribution and enabling environment) approaches in achievement of the activity’s objectives. The PYD framework the partner will reference focuses on:

● Assets: Youth have the necessary resources, skills and competencies to achieve desired outcomes.

● Agency: Youth perceive and have the ability to employ their assets and aspirations to make or influence their own decisions about their lives and set their own goals, as well as to act upon those decisions in order to achieve desired outcomes.

● Contribution: Youth are engaged as a source of change for their own and for their communities’ positive development.

● Enabling environment: Youth are surrounded by an environment that develops and supports their assets, agency, access to services, and opportunities, and strengthens their ability to avoid risks and to stay safe, secure, and be protected and live without fear of violence or retribution. An enabling environment encourages and recognizes youth, while promoting their social and emotional competence to thrive.

C9. COLLABORATING, LEARNING, AND ADAPTING

USAID seeks to promote learning across stakeholders involved in the implementation of the Up to Youth activity through Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting (CLA).11 The CLA process is intended to benefit all stakeholders – Kosovo citizens, community representatives, activists, CSOs, GoK municipal governments and central level institutions.

11 See: https://usaidlearninglab.org/library/collaborating-learning-and-adapting-more-effective-development-programs and https://usaidlearninglab.org/library/ads-series-200-programming 9 during the course of implementation.

https://www.usaid.gov/evaluation http://www.youthpower.org/positive-youth-development http://www.youthpower.org/positive-youth-development-pyd-framework

CLA Objectives:

a) Generate Knowledge. The contractor must generate new knowledge and evidence around learning questions identified together with USAID and other stakeholders, as well as questions that emerge during the course of implementation. In filling these knowledge and evidence gaps, the contractor must provide reporting, data, analysis, and gather partners for inclusive reviews of the activity goals and results.

b) Share Knowledge. The contractor must increase knowledge sharing with stakeholders, including local organizations, central and municipal level GoK, sectoral experts, donors, regional and international organizations, and others to encourage more widespread learning across teams, mechanisms, and sectors.

The contractor must work together within a learning network to share information with implementing partners of other USAID activities, such as local stakeholders and other development partners. The contractor must convene forums to share knowledge and also use existing forums within Kosovo and regionally.

c) Incorporate Agile and Adaptive Processes. The contractor must develop adaptive management and implementation processes and must include an adaptive management plan within the annual work plans to allow course correction to respond to unintended effects, changing/emerging realities, and priorities.

Together with USAID, the contractor’s activity work plan, quarterly reports, and periodic progress review meetings must provide a forum for an adaptive approach to change course based on lessons learned and evolving country context. The contractor must stay abreast with political or cultural shifts and recognize when there are windows of opportunity and moments of political and social change when reform is more likely to take root, for example responding to national dialogues initiated by the government or other initiatives. The contractor must prioritize activities together with the COR during work planning and review the prioritization during the quarterly reporting period. If circumstances arise, the contractor can and should alter activity designs with approval from the COR to accommodate the window of opportunity, as long as the reprogramming does not hold the USG to incurring additional costs unless otherwise directed by the CO.

C.10 COLLABORATION WITH USAID AND OTHER DONOR AGENCIES

The Contractor must closely collaborate and coordinate with other USAID and donor-supported activities in alignment with the contract’s objectives. The collaboration and coordination aims to avoid duplication of efforts, ensure synergies, and maximize impact and investments. The Contractor will incorporate lessons learned from ongoing and concluding USAID projects and activities while building upon and extending the gains which have been achieved. This Activity may be implemented simultaneously with one or more other anti-economic corruption activities, and must be closely coordinated with those activities in working toward shared goals. The Contractor must closely collaborate with other USAID implementing partners and donors, such as the Justice System Strengthening Program (JSSP), the Property Rights Program (PRP), Transparent, Effective and Accountable Municipalities (TEAM) and other USAID Economic Growth programs. The Contractor must coordinate with the European Union’s (EU) development projects and activities in various aspects of this Activity (such as EU Free Legal professions Project, EU Civil Code, etc.), GiZ Legal Reform activities, and any other donor activity interrelated with the objectives of this Activity.

C.11 LINKS TO MISSION AND USG STRATEGIES

This Activity supports the USAID/Kosovo’s Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS) 2014- 2019 Democracy and Governance assistance Objectives “Improved Rule of Law and Governance that Meets Citizens’ Needs,” “Increased Investment and Private Sector Employment,” and “Enhanced Human Capital” and “USAID Youth in Development Policy.”

The activity should be also aligned with the UN agenda on Youth, Peace and Security12 by recognizing the role youth could play in conflict prevention and resolution and facilitate their equal and full participation at decision‑making levels. See Section J for Existing USAID and Other Donor Programs.

[END OF SECTION C]

12 https://www.youth4peace.info/ProgressStudy

SECTION D – PACKAGING AND MARKING

D.1 AIDAR 752.7009 MARKING (JAN 1993)

(a) It is USAID policy that USAID-financed commodities and shipping containers, and project construction sites and other project locations be suitably marked with the USAID emblem. Shipping containers are also to be marked with the last five digits of the USAID financing document number. As a general rule, marking is not required for raw materials shipped in bulk (such as coal, grain, etc.), or for semi-finished products which are not packaged.

(b) Specific guidance on marking requirements should be obtained prior to procurement of commodities to be shipped, and as early as possible for project construction sites and other project locations. This guidance will be provided through the cognizant technical office indicated on the cover page of this contract, or by the Mission Director in the Cooperating Country to which commodities are being shipped, or in which the project site is located.

(c) Authority to waive marking requirements is vested with the Regional Assistant Administrators, and with Mission Directors.

(d) A copy of any specific marking instructions or waivers from marking requirements is to be sent to the Contracting Officer; the original should be retained by the Contractor.

D.2 BRANDING

The Offeror shall comply with the requirements of the USAID branding policies available at:

www.usaid.gov/branding and appropriately mark all deliverables and public communications with the USAID brand.

Note: USAID receives “exclusive branding and marking” for the work conducted under all acquisition awards. This means that the foreign assistance delivered is clearly credited to the American people. It also means that competing logos or identities are excluded unless otherwise indicated in the award (Contract).

Activity name: This Activity will be named the “Up to Youth” Activity in Kosovo. It is anticipated that the Final Report under this Award will be visibly branded as a USAID project utilizing the appropriate USAID/Kosovo templates.

Desired level of visibility: All publications, public materials and documents, public communication, media releases, press conferences and public events should incorporate the USAID identity. Approval by the USAID Mission Development Outreach and Communication Officer to be obtained through COR should be received before using any materials which incorporate the USAID identity.

Limitations: USAID places limitations on the release of sensitive or confidential information in the materials produced in performing the contract.