WES II Questions and Answers to Request for Qualifications (RFQ) No 72027825R00001.pdf

Water Engineering Services, Phase II (WES II) Request for Qualifications (RFQ) No. 72027825R00001

Questions and Answers

Request for Qualifications (RFQ) No. 72027825R00001

Date: December 05, 2024

1. Referring to the RFP, top page, it states: "USAID estimates that the implementation of this contract will require up to thirty-three thousand seven hundred (33,700) FullTime

Equivalent person-days of technical and professional personnel effort." The Level of Effort is stated for “Technical and professional personnel”. Please advise on the Level of Effort for

Administrative and non-key staff input. What is the overall Level of Effort?

USAID Response: As described under Section L.5.A.1 on pages 58-59 of the RFQ, the anticipated

33,690 full-time-equivalent person days level of effort covers all technical and professional personnel. USAID’s estimate includes only the position categories that would directly contribute to the completion of work assignments and Key Personnel and management staff. It does not include administrative, human resources, drivers, or other similar operational support staff.

2. On page 13, additional information can be found in the following Performance Indicator

Reference Sheets (PIRS): DO 2: Jordan’s Capacity to Enhance Water Security Strengthened

PIRS and Climate Change Indicators PIRS. We need access for the two links through Google documents.

USAID Response: Attached to this amendment of the Request for Qualifications (RFQ) are the two performance indicator reference sheets (PIRS).

3. P.52: Pre-bid Conference: A pre-bid conference will be held. USAID will inform prospective offerors of the exact date, time, location, and additional details through an amendment to the solicitation. Please inform us if registration is required via the system or by email.

USAID Response: Amendment No. 1 to the RFQ that was published on November 18, 2024 on

Sam.gov included all the information and instructions required for registration.

4. Page 54, Table 1 - Proposal Outline, it is stated that the SF-330 Architect-Engineer

Qualifications Form is limited to a maximum of 6 pages (excluding continuation pages).

Could you please confirm in more detail what the 6 pages are for? Is the following a correct understanding: 1st page: Sections A, B and C. 2nd page: Section D - Organizational structure. 3rd page Section E – first resume. 4th page Section F – first project. 5th page

Section G – Key personnel participation. 6th page– Section H first page. Otherwise, we would appreciate a clarification of what are the 6 pages for.

USAID Response: As required under section L.5 of the Request for Qualifications, Offerors must fully complete the Standard Form (SF) 330. Therefore, the 6 pages stated for the SF 330 under

Table L-1 - Proposal outline relate to the total number of pages of the SF-330 form itself. This includes the following:

Page 1 - SF 330 Part I, Sections A-D

Page 2 - SF 330 Part I, Section E (first resume for key personnel)

Page 3 - SF 330 Part I, Section F (first example project)

Page 4 - SF 330 Part I, Section G

Page 5 - SF 330 Part I, Section H-I (first page of additional information and signature)

Page 6 - SF 330 Part II

Please refer to the most current version of the form, which was referenced in the RFQ, at:

https://www.gsa.gov/system/files/2024-08/SF330-21a.pdf.

5. On page 54 of the RFP, Table 1 - Proposal Outline indicates a 12-page limit for Section H-

Additional information However, the same page also states that "Section H of the SF-330

Part I constitutes the main body of the proposal and is limited to a total of 22 pages." Could you please confirm the correct page limit for Section H? Is it 12 pages or 22 pages?

USAID Response: This is a typo. The maximum number of pages of Annex 7 - Continuation of SF

330 Part 1, Section H – Additional Information is 12 pages. This limit excludes the one page of

Section H of the SF-330 form.

6. P. 54, regarding Section E required. Could you please confirm if Section E of the SF-330 form can be excluded from the 6-page limit and instead included as part of the continuation pages?

USAID Response: No, offerors must fill the SF-330 form. The maximum number of Key Personnel proposed must not exceed five positions, therefore up to five one-page resumes will be provided. This includes one page in the SF 330 form Part I, Section E - Resumes of Key

Personnel Proposed for this Contract, and up to four pages as Annex 2, which is the continuation of Section E. Please also see response to question no. 4 above.

7. P. 61, For SF-330 Part II - General Qualifications: Please follow the SF-330 instructions and indicate the firm’s classification under item 2a. Additionally, provide proof of the firm’s https://www.gsa.gov/system/files/2024-08/SF330-21a.pdf classification as Annex 9. Table L – 1 Proposal outline SF 330 Part II is required but is not included in this table. Please advise if SF330 Part II is required and what is its pages limit.

USAID Response: Part II - General Qualifications is part of the “SF-330 Architect-Engineer

Qualifications Form” under Table L-1 Proposal Outline, and is limited to one page as part of the

6 pages maximum page limit for the SF 330 form. Annex 9 is a copy of the firm’s certification.

8. P.54, Table L-1 – Proposal outline. The distribution of the overall pages requires clarification.

Could you please clarify the page limitations and allocations?

USAID Response: Pages 55-63 in the RFQ following Table L-1, provide clear and detailed instructions of each section of the proposal, therefore, please refer back to these pages for more information.

9. P. 55, “Annex 8 – Draft Work Assignment Plan for Illustrative Activity #2” – 7 pages max P. 62

The Offeror must provide a Draft Work Assignment Plan for Illustrative Activity #2

(Reference Section C.6 and Section C Annex 2 in the RFQ). Annex #2 does not include

Sections C.6 and Section C. Please confirm whether you need the draft assignment plan for:

1. Illustrative work assignment no. 2 of Annex no. 2 which is for “Eng. Studies, design, and tender documents, and pre-contract services for Maan WWTP”pages 28-29. OR 2. The complete Annex no.2 (the 3 illustrative work assignments pages 27-30.

USAID Response: Section C.6 “Work Assignments” can be found as part of the Attachment 2 -

Statement of Work, pages 9-11 of the RFQ, and Attachment 2, Section C Annex 2 “ILLUSTRATIVE

LIST OF POTENTIAL INFRASTRUCTURE WORK ASSIGNMENTS”, pages 27-30 of the RFQ is part of

Attachment 2 - Statement of Work. The Draft Work Assignment Plan must be prepared for only illustrative activity 2, “Engineering Studies, Design and Tender Documents, and Pre-Contract

Services for Ma’an WWTP.”

10. P. 60. ‘C’ “In addition to the information provided in SF 330 - Section F and its accompanying

Annex 6, the Offeror must further describe herein its Organizational Experience and

Capacity to perform work similar to that required for this Statement of Work. The Offeror must include a narrative that demonstrates its experience, capacity and technical competence in providing engineering and construction management services in the water and wastewater sector in Jordan in the areas specified in the instructions for the SF 330 -

Section F. The Offeror must have performed the work as a Prime Contractor or Designer of

Record classified as Class 1A in the field of water and wastewater by the Government

Tenders Department (GTD) of the Ministry of Public Works and Housing (MPWH)” . Could you please confirm if all the projects required for Section F should be in Jordan. Additionally, please confirm that all projects included in Section F could be those where the Offeror acted as the Prime Contractor or a Joint Venture partner with majority input (LoE).

USAID Response: As stated in the RFQ under section F page 57 “Examples of specialized experience must include planning and design experience for water and wastewater systems, knowledge of and experience with local construction practices, techniques, and codes/requirements relevant to the water and wastewater sector.”. USAID assumes that example projects would need to have taken place in Jordan in order to demonstrate knowledge of and experience with local construction practices.

Furthermore, USAID confirms that example projects provided as part of Section F should be those for which the Offeror acted as Prime Contractor or a JV partner with majority input.

11. P.62: Annex 6: Continuation of SF 330 Part 1, Section F, it is mentioned that this Annex should not exceed the four pages. Please confirm our understanding that the Offeror is required to provide 5 projects, with each project limited to a single page. The first project listed in Section F should be included within the 6-page limit of the SF-330

Architect-Engineer Qualifications Form, excluding continuation pages. The remaining 4 projects are on the continuation of 4 pages.

USAID Response: The understanding is correct.

12. P.62: Annex 10: Past Performance Information.

1. Could you please confirm if a study and design project in Jordan is acceptable if either it is: a. 100% complete. b. Draft Completed.

USAID Response: Planning and design would be considered if the Offeror’s work is complete, for example, if the work called for preliminary designs for tendering. Please note that past performance should demonstrate relevance in terms of size, scope, and complexity.

2.If the Design and Tender Documents project is divided into 4 packages and 3 of the packages are completed. Could evidence of the completed project would be the 3 design and tender documents packages.

USAID Response: Correct. Past performance references can be for specific phases of a project.

13. P.53: Acceptable file formats are Adobe Acrobat Portable Document Format (PDF) with

Optical Character Recognition and Word (2003 version or newer). For all narrative portions of the proposal, Offerors must submit both a PDF version and the Microsoft Word documents. For the SF 330, Offerors must submit it as PDF only. Please confirm our understanding as follows: For all required documents in the technical proposal, aside from the SF-330 (including the full Part I and Part II), the Offeror must submit two versions of each section: one in PDF format and one in Microsoft Word format. Additionally, please clarify if the Word and PDF files should be submitted in separate emails.

USAID Response: This is correct. Offerors can submit all attachments in one email as long as they follow the instructions under L.4, page 53 of the RFQ.

14. P.54: Offerors must not alter the SF-330 format. It is noted that Form SF-330 must not be altered. However, we have concerns that certain sections, such as E and F, may not provide sufficient space to include all necessary information, including the names and descriptions of previous projects. Could you please confirm if it is permissible to recreate a Word document that replicates the content, format, and layout of the standard SF-330 for all sections?

USAID Response: No, offerors cannot recreate a Word document of the SF-330, but rather provide all the required information in the standard form as provided. Altering the SF-330 form could result in disqualifying your proposal from competition.

15. In the form SF330 Section E Part I. Please specify the required information of the “Specific

Role” item. Does this mean the ‘position name’ or the specific role of the expert?

USAID Response: As stated in the SF-330 page 2 of instructions, offerors have to provide information in which the person had a significant role that demonstrates the persons’ capabilities relevant to her/his proposed role in this contract. Please refer back to the SF 330 instructions on pages 1 through 8 for more information.

16. With reference to the RFQ, Attachment 4, P.54, section L.5: it is mentioned that "Section H of the SF-330-Part I constitutes the body of the proposal and is limited to a total of 22 pages." and on the same page in Table L-1 it is mentioned that the page limit for Annex 7 -

Continuation of SF 330 Part 1, Section H – Additional Information is 12 pages. Also, Annex 8 -

Draft Work Assignment Plan for Illustrative Activity #2 is 7 pages max.

1. Is the 7 pages of Annex 8 (for the draft work assignment plan for illustrative activity

#2) part of the 22 pages?

USAID Response: No, Annex 8 page limit is 7 pages max and is separate from the page limit of

Annex 7. Also, please see the response to question no. 5 above.

2. We kindly request your reconsideration to increase the maximum page limit for

Section H to 30 pages instead of 12 or 22, considering the detailed and comprehensive information required as outlined in the instructions on pages 58-61 of the RFQ.

USAID Response: Please see the response to question no. 5 above. The page limit for Annex 7

(Section H continuation pages) remains unchanged at 12 pages maximum. Any pages beyond this limitation will not be evaluated as stated under section L.5 of the RFQ.

3. The “continuation” pages of Table L-1 is unclear in the context of the overall number of pages. The way of splitting the pages in Table L-1 may be misunderstood. In order to ensure that no misunderstanding is possible, could you please consider changing the table L1 format to be similar to the format of Table L-1 Page 4-4 of MESC III RFQ or the table format Submission requirements Page 30 of WES I RFQ? i.e. "consolidation of

Section H pages" rather than using "continuation pages of 12 pages and others".

USAID Response: Thank you for your suggestion, however, no changes are anticipated to the instructions for preparation of the proposal under this RFQ. Offerors are encouraged to read the

RFQ thoroughly. Please also see the response provided under question nos. 4, 8, and 42.

17. With reference to attachment 4 of page 62, it is mentioned in Annex 8 "The Offeror must provide a Draft Work Assignment Plan for Illustrative Activity #2 (Reference Section C.6, and

Section C Annex 2 in the RFQ). This plan must include the work assignment scope, time schedule, budget, personnel, and Level of Effort (LOE) estimate to accomplish the illustrative activity." Please confirm that the Work Assignment Plan is only required for the three activities outlined in Annex 2 of the RFQ, and there is no need to include personnel or Level of Effort (LOE), as these details will be provided in Section H.A.1. Regarding the budget, it is explicitly stated that the contractor is not allowed to provide any information related to the budget or cost proposal. Please confirm whether we should provide a budget or otherwise.

USAID Response: The Draft Work Assignment Plan must be prepared for only illustrative activity

2, “Engineering Studies, Design and Tender Documents, and Pre-Contract Services for Ma’an

WWTP.” The Draft Work Assignment Plan must include the “scope, time schedule, budget, personnel, and Level of Effort (LOE) estimate” for that specific illustrative activity, not the entire level of effort. Please also see the response to question no. 9 above, and question no. 63 below.

18. With reference to attachment 4 of page 62, it is mentioned in Annex 8 "For non-key personnel who will serve in team lead or specialist positions for the Illustrative Activity, the

Offeror must include position descriptions (no longer than one page each) detailing their roles within the proposed Illustrative Activity team." Anex 8 -draft work assignment plan for the 3 projects shall be presented in a limited max 7 pages. Presenting position descriptions for the 3 projects on 1 page for each position would require much more pages than the 7 pages limit. Could you please clarify?

USAID Response: The Draft Work Assignment Plan must be prepared for only illustrative activity

2, “Engineering Studies, Design and Tender Documents, and Pre-Contract Services for Ma’an

WWTP.” Non-key personnel such as a team lead or specialist would then only require 1 page as a Position Description as required under Annex 8 on page 62 of the RFQ. Please also see the responses provided to questions no. 9 and 17 above.

19. Will the work assignment payment be a lump sum?

USAID Response: No. The resultant contract will be a cost reimbursement type contract.

Payments will be in accordance with the FAR 52.216-7 Allowable Cost and Payment, FAR

52.216-8 Fixed Fee, AIDAR 752.7003, FAR 52.232-22 Limitation of Funds.

20. With reference to attachment 4 of page 62, Annex 8. Due to the detailed information required in this section, we would appreciate it if the maximum page limit could be reconsidered and increased to 12 pages.

USAID Response: See response to question no. 18 above. The page limit for Annex 8 remains unchanged.

21. Under RFQ, page 57, Section F, “Example Projects Which Best Illustrate Proposed Team's

Qualifications for This Contract,”, it is stated that "The Offeror’s example projects must at a minimum cover each of the following areas:". Please confirm that the interpretation is that the requirements are to be met across multiple projects, rather than requiring each individual project to cover all the areas.

USAID Response: Correct, example projects may cover more than one area listed.

22. With reference to the Cover letter, page no.1: USAID estimates that up to thirty three thousand and six hundred ninety (33,700) Full-Time-Equivalent persons-days level of effort of technical and professional personnel will be required for implementation of this contract.

Offerors should submit proposals they believe are realistic and reasonable for the work described. Kindly consider revising the estimated level of effort for this project, as it is anticipated to involve a broader scope of tasks and activities. As this is a 5-year program, increasing the estimated effort would better support the smooth implementation of the project, ensuring adequate resources are available for all tasks and phases. Additionally, considering the potential for overlapping tasks, the need for specialized personnel, and unplanned contingency work, a revised estimate would help ensure realistic planning and seamless execution.

USAID Response: USAID is not anticipating any revision to the LOE estimates for this RFQ. Please also see the response to question no. 1 above.

23. In reference to page 32 of the RFQ, section F.5: Key personnel: it is mentioned that for the three experts: A Graduate degree or Professional Engineering license is preferred. Our understanding is that "graduate degree" means "post-graduate degree". Additionally, "Professional Engineering License" is given to all registered Jordanian Engineers at the

Jordan Engineering Association. Therefore, it is not an added value. This could be deleted.

USAID Response: Graduate degree refers to Masters or Doctorate level degree. Professional

Engineering license refers to a professional examination-based license from a board. This would not include a membership or registration as a member of the profession, such as professional associations. For example the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying organizes licensing boards, while the American Society of Civil Engineers is a professional organization not a licensing body.

24. Page Limitation: On page 56 of 153, in "Table L-1 - Proposal Outline", the table states that the "SF-330 Architect-Engineer Qualifications Form" has a page limit of "6 pages max

(excluding continuation on pages)"; however on page 56 of 153, the second paragraph states, "Section H of the SF-330-Part I constitutes the body of the proposal and is limited to a total of 22 pages." What is the page limit for the SF-330 Architect-Engineer Qualifications

Form?

USAID Response: The page limit for the SF-330 form is 6 pages max. Please also see the response to question no. 5 above.

25. Page Limitation: On page 56 of 153, the second paragraph states, "Section H of the

SF-330-Part I constitutes the body of the proposal and is limited to a total of 22 pages." On page 56 of 153, in "Table L- 1 - Proposal Outline", the table states that the "Annex 7 -

Continuation of SF 330 Part 1, Section H – Additional Information" has a page limit of "12 pages max." Based on this information should it be assumed that Section H of the SF-330 has a 10-page limit with a continuation page limit of 12 pages for a total of 22 pages?

USAID Response: Please see the response to question no. 5 above.

26. Past Performance: On Page 65 of 153, the RFQ states that "Offerors are to use the Past

Performance Matrix provided to list three (3) of the most recent and relevant contracts for efforts similar to the work in the subject proposal." Should the Offeror and any of their major subcontractors each submit their own Past Performance Matrix(s) with (3) projects each or should only one (1) Past Performance Matrix with only three (3) projects be submitted?

USAID Response: One Past Performance Matrix with the required information is sufficient to be submitted as Annex 10. The Past Performance matrix must include list three (3) of the most recent and relevant contracts for efforts similar to the work in the subject proposal for the prime and each of the major subcontractors, if any are proposed.

27. Past Performance: With reference to point c under Annex 10: Past Performance Matrix, which states, “Describe any quality awards or certifications that indicate exceptional capacity to provide the service or product described in the Statement of Work,” please confirm that these documents are not to be included within the 5-page limit.

USAID Response: All of the elements required for Annex 10 must be included within the 5-page limit.

28. Project’s Total Estimated Cost: The forecast indicated a total estimated cost of $10M to

$24.99M; however, this information is not mentioned in the RFP. Could USAID please confirm the total estimated cost as stated in the forecast? This confirmation will help ensure alignment with the budgeting requirements and other relevant sections of the proposal.

USAID Response: As stated in the cover page of the RFQ “Offerors should submit proposals they believe are realistic and reasonable for the work described.”. The Total Estimated Cost in the

Business Forecast is only a range and should not be used as a reference in preparing your proposal. Pursuant to USAID’s policy, solicitations for cost-reimbursement term type (LOE) contracts must not include estimated cost ranges.

29. Level of Effort (LOE): The RFP specifies an allocation of 33,700 full-time-equivalent person-days LOE for all WES II task assignments over the five-year period. Could USAID confirm that this allocation reflects the total estimated budget of $10M–$24.99M? Given the type of engineering projects expected under this contract (e.g., construction management services), we believe the specified LOE may be insufficient for effective implementation. Could USAID provide additional clarification or reconsider this allocation?

USAID Response: Please see the responses to question nos. 1 and 27 above. Also, please note that USAID estimates up to thirty three thousand and six hundred ninety (33,690) full-time equivalent persons days level of effort (not 33,700). The total LOE number is corrected in the revised RFQ attached to this amendment.

30. Work Week Authorization: Section F.4 states that a 5-day workweek is authorized, with the possibility of a 6-day workweek subject to prior written approval. Considering that most

CMS tasks typically require a 6-day workweek due to their nature and the contractors’ standard practices, could USAID confirm if the LOE, staffing plan, and associated (later-on) budget can consider a 6-day workweek for all CMS staff? This adjustment would ensure a more reasonable approach to staffing, LOE, and (later-on) budgeting.

USAID Response: As stated under F.4 of the RFQ, a 6-day workweek may be authorized with prior written approval by the Contracting Officer Representative (COR). However, the estimated level of effort of up to (33,690) will not increase as a result of this approach.

31. Key Personnel: Would USAID consider any key positions or additional key positions to be provided from the subcontractor rather than the prime contractor?

USAID Response: The Chief of Party must be an employee of the prime contractor. Other proposed key personnel may be employed by a subcontractor. However, roles and reporting requirements must be clearly explained.

32. Extension of Questions Deadline: Would USAID consider extending the deadline for questions to November 24, 2024, to allow for additional clarifications and comprehensive submissions?

USAID Response: Questions deadline was November 21, 2024. USAID has not extended the deadline, however, a questions and answers session was conducted during the Pre-bidding conference that was held on November 25, 2024. All questions and answers either collected via email by the deadline, or conveyed during the conference are posted on Sam.gov via this amendment to the RFQ. Offerors are responsible for monitoring this website for any RFQ amendments.

33. On page 54: Section H of the SF-330-Part I constitutes the body of the proposal and is limited to a total of 22 pages. Any pages beyond this limitation will not be evaluated.

Proposals shall be written in English and typed on standard A4 (21 x 29 cm) paper size, single spaced, one-inch margins, Calibri 12-point font, with each page numbered consecutively. Calibri 10-point font is accepted for graphs, charts, and textboxes only. The narrative of the proposal must not contain any cost information. Proposals that do not comply with the aforementioned requirements will not be considered. Any page in the narrative, which contains a table, chart, or graph not otherwise excluded in the below table

L-1, is subject to the page limitation. On the same page: TABLE L-1 - PROPOSAL OUTLINE, page limit for Section H is set at 12 pages max. On page 58: Section H: Additional

Information Section H of the SF 330 represents the Proposal Body. The continuation of this section must be submitted as Annex 7 of the proposal, which is limited to 12 pages. The

Proposal Body must include the following subsections and address all of the required elements described herein: Could you kindly confirm whether the page limit for Section H is

12 or 22 pages?

USAID Response: See response to question no. 5 above.

34. On page 57: The offeror must demonstrate the team's capability, qualifications and experience to perform work similar to that required for this contract. The Offeror must provide all information required under this section, for five (5) projects relevant to the water and wastewater sector, each of $5,000,000 minimum construction value, that the firm has accomplished within the last ten (10) years, demonstrating the team’s experience and technical competence to carry out engineering and construction management services relevant to the water and wastewater sector. On page 63: Offerors are to use the Past

Performance Matrix provided to list three (3) of the most recent and relevant contracts for efforts similar to the work in the subject proposal. (These projects can be the same or different from the projects identified in SF 330 Section F). The most relevant indicators of performance are contracts of similar size, scope and complexity. Recent contracts are those performed within the last seven (7) years.

We understand that for the reference projects, we can include those that started or were completed within the past 10 years, and for the Past Performance section, we can include projects that commenced or were completed within the last 7 years. Could you kindly confirm if this is correct?

USAID Response: All referenced projects should be for completed work, or completed phases of work for ongoing projects. For the Section F qualifications, 5 projects in the last 10 years is correct. For past performance, three projects in the last 7 years is correct. Past Performance references must be provided for the prime contractor, joint venture partners (if applicable), and any major subcontractors.

Additionally, are reference projects allowed to include those that are still ongoing and have not yet been completed?

USAID Response: No, all past performance information and/or example or projects required under this RFQ are for accomplished projects. Past performance that only includes a specific phase, such as design or tendering, may be used if that phase is completed but phases that have ongoing work will not satisfy the requirement.

We also understand that the $5.0 million refers to the total project budget, including both construction and consulting fees. Could you please confirm if this is accurate?

USAID Response: The $5 million minimum construction value does not include consulting fees.

35. Regarding Annex 3 and Annex 4: Could you please clarify the distinction between Annex 3

(Key Personnel Position Descriptions) and Annex 4 (Statement of Qualifications)?

USAID Response: The distinction is stated under section L.5, Annex 3 and Annex 4 of the RFQ.

The Position Description must describe the major duties and responsibilities of the position as well as who the position reports to and who will report to them, while Statement of

Qualifications should clearly and explicitly explain how the proposed candidate meets each of the requirements for the position for which they are proposed, and why the individual is suited for the position. Also, the SOQ should demonstrate that the proposed Key Personnel candidate possesses the skills, knowledge and experience to function as proposed within the project team.

For Annex 6: We understand that we can include up to 5 project references. Could you please explain why the page limit is set at 4?

USAID Response: The page limit is 5 pages, however, one page of the 5-page limit is part of the

SF-330 form and four pages are included in the corresponding Annex.

For Annex 8:is Annex 8 considered part of Section H (Annex 7)?

USAID Response: No, Annex 7 is the proposal’s body and it is separate from Annex 8.

For Annex 10:Does this need to be submitted using the “Past Performance Matrix” Excel sheet?

USAID Response: As stated under Section L.5, Annex 10, page 63 of the RFQ, “Offerors are to use the Past Performance Matrix provided to list three (3) of the most recent and relevant contracts for efforts similar to the work in the subject proposal”. Please also see the responses to questions no. 25 and 26 above.

36. Resumes of Key Personnel Proposed for this Contract. Could you please confirm that CVs are not required for any proposed non-key experts?

USAID Response: Confirmed. As stated under Section E of the RFQ, page 56, “The Offeror must provide a Resume for each proposed key personnel candidate”.

37. What are the contract payment terms?

USAID Response: The resultant contract will be a cost reimbursement type contract. Payments will be in accordance with the FAR 52.216-7 Allowable Cost and Payment, FAR 52.216-8 Fixed

Fee, AIDAR 752.7003, FAR 52.232-22 Limitation of Funds.

38. Will the CVs for the other two key personnel be annexed ?

USAID Response: Yes. As required under Section E page 56 of the RFQ, the Offeror must provide a Resume for each proposed key personnel candidate. Resumes for proposed key personnel must be submitted as SF 330 Section E and in Annex 2, and are limited to 1 page per candidate.

Please also see the response provided under questions no. 36 above.

39. Is the overhead considered as a direct cost?

USAID Response: Instructions related to the preparation of a cost proposal will be provided to the most preferred firm upon selection. Local firms are encouraged to charge indirect costs as direct charges. While indirect costs rates for local organizations may be considered, special care should be taken to ensure that indirect cost rates have been established consistent with applicable U.S. Government regulations, procedures, and best practices. More information is available in the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) and other U.S. Government resources.

40. Will the work assignment payment be a lump sum?

USAID Response: No. Please see the response to question no. 37 above.

41. What is the classification of eligible companies to participate in this bid?

USAID Response: Any qualified Jordanian Architect-Engineer (A-E) consulting firm classified as a

Class 1A by the Government of Jordan is eligible for participating in this solicitation.

42. This is a suggestion rather than a question, can you have SF-330 form without page limitation but specifying sections to be filled (A,B,C,D), except section H?

USAID Response: The SF-330 form is 6-pages in total, however, the offeror may organize their proposal so that Annexes follow the SF 330 form. For example: Offerors may add Annex 2 right after Section E of the SF 330 form in their proposal; Annex 7 and Annex 8 may follow Section H of the SF 330; etc. However, offerors are reminded to keep within the page limit of each proposal section.

43. Annex 7 is 12 pages and Annex 8 is 7 pages. Can we have annex 7 increased to 15 pages?

USAID Response: No, the page limits for each section remain unchanged, and information provided in proposals must not be reiterated between sections. Offerors are reminded to keep within the page limit of each proposal section.

44. Can you combine Annex 7 & 8 together within the same total pages limit to allow more flexibility?

USAID Response: No, also please see response to question no. 43 and 42 above.

45. For the past performance annex, are awards and certifications within 5 page limits?

USAID Response: Yes, as part of Annex 10 and within the 5-page limit, offerors must describe

“any quality awards or certifications that indicate exceptional capacity to provide the service or product described in the Statement of Work.”. However, no specific evidence of awards or certifications is required at this stage. USAID will request more information if it is needed.

Please see response to question no. 27 above as well.

46. Is the Position Description general for the other additional key personnel, and the Statement of Qualifications for all?

USAID Response: Annex 3 Position Descriptions are only required if the Offeror elects to propose additional key personnel beyond the three required positions (Chief of Party, Design

Manager and Construction Manager). A Statement of Qualifications must be provided in Annex

4 for each proposed Key Personnel candidate as described in page 62 of the RFQ. Please also see the response to question no. 35 above.

47. Are Annex 3 and Annex 4 required for all personnel?

USAID Response: Please see response to question no. 46 above.

48. In the projects team qualification section, will subcontractors' past performance count?

USAID Response: Qualifications are not the same as Past Performance. See responses to question nos. 12, 26, 27, 34 and 35 above.

49. In the past performance section, does it count for subcontractors?

USAID Response: See responses to question nos. 12, 26, 27, 34 and 35 above.

50. Annex 7 and 8 , 7 will cover generic understanding , annex 8 will cover Annual work plan for

Work Assignment 2 only. Is that correct?

USAID Response: Annex 7 is the continuation of the SF 330 Section H. Annex 8 is a Draft Work

Assignment Plan for Illustrative Activity 2, “Engineering Studies, Design and Tender Documents, and Pre-Contract Services for Ma’an WWTP.

51. Under the past performance , can we mention projects for the prime and the major subcontractors.

USAID Response: Yes, also please see the response to question nos. 12, 26, 27, 34 and 35 above.

52. How can we define major subcontractors, if we do not know the budget?

USAID Response: This is the responsibility of the Offeror to determine major subcontractors as part of their estimation based on the proposed approaches to delivering the LOE.

53. How can USAID know that major subcontractors are considered or not?

USAID Response: Please see the response to question no. 52 above.

54. In the past performance section, will you consider experience for each firm?

USAID Response: Please see the response to question nos. 12, 26, 27, 34 and 35.

55. Shall we include only completed projects in the past performance?

USAID Response: See responses provided above for questions no. 12, 26, 27, 34, and 35.

56. Past Performance [on projects of] similar size, cost and complexity [may] not necessarily [be] within the same 5 million budget and during the past 7 years. In the other Section F, for past projects, does the required construction value of 5 million in the last 10 years apply?

USAID Response: Under SF 330 Section F, the information required for example projects relevant to water and wastewater sector, each of $5,000,000 minimum construction value, that the firm has accomplished within the last ten (10) years, however, in Annex 10, past performance is for three (3) of the most recent and relevant contracts for efforts similar to the work in the subject proposal within the past seven (7) years. Please also see the response to question nos. 12, 26, 27, 34 and 35.

57. In the past performance section, can we report an activity that was completed within an ongoing project?

USAID Response: Yes, you can report completed phases or activities within an ongoing project.

Please also see the response provided for question 34 above.

58. In the past performance section can we refer to other than Water/Waste Water projects?

USAID Response: It is the responsibility of the offeror to determine the most relevant and recent contracts for similar work. Please see the response to questions nos. 12, 26, 27, 34 35, 57, 56, 55 and 51 above.

59. Does project relevancy in the past performance section emphasize that we need to refer to projects implemented in Jordan only?

USAID Response: Offerors may propose projects as described under Annex 10 if they were outside of Jordan. Offerors must list three (3) of the most recent and relevant contracts for itself (the prime offeror) and any major subcontractors for efforts similar to the work in the subject proposal. (These projects can be the same or different from the projects identified in SF

330 Section F). The most relevant indicators of performance are contracts of similar size, scope and complexity. Recent contracts are those performed within the last seven (7) years. USAID will assess how well recent work, relevant to the services required in the scope of work, was performed.

60. In the past performance section, the evaluation criteria speaks to evaluating for relevance in

Jordan?

USAID Response: Please see the response to question no. 59 above, and RFQ Attachment 5, Section M.2, Criterion 4 which describes how past performance will be evaluated.

61. In one of the sections, Staffing specifically related to the LOE, you want us to specify the anticipated LOE, will this be related to the illustrative Work assignment only ? Shall we assume future projects?

USAID Response: In the SF 330 Section H, under A.1 Staffing, ”The Offeror must provide a table clearly showing the anticipated level of effort broken down by type of proposed personnel (e.g., title, skill category, long-term vs short-term, expatriate vs local, etc.), with detailed rationale for the ratio of short term and long term personnel.” This is for the entire five-year duration. In addition, the Offeror must describe in Annex 8 the estimated LOE needed to accomplish the illustrative work assignment. The anticipated LOE for the accomplishment of a work assignment would be within the total LOE required under the contract.

62. Part 2 section SF 330, is it required to be signed by the prime and the subcontractors?

USAID Response: No, as per the instructions of the SF 330 form, page 4 of instructions, an authorized representative of the firm or branch offices office must sign and date the completed form.

63. Please identify what you mean by budget in the work assignment plan……shall we specify budget?

USAID Response: The Offeror must submit a draft work assignment plan that should reflect the

Offeror’s proposed approach to implementing the illustrative task. The draft work assignment plan will reflect the scope, schedule, budget and anticipated level of effort. The budget will serve to illustrate how the offeror would prepare a budget that fits the work assignment plan, and how it would accomplish the work. It will not be considered as part of the cost evaluation.

Please also see the response to question no. 17 above.

64. Annex 8, it says Feasibility Studies and Design Documents of Ma’an [Wastewater Treatment

Plant]. The concept design was already done…shall we have an updated Feasibility Study when we prepare the Work Assignment Plan for Ma’an?

USAID Response: It is the responsibility of the offeror to describe its Draft Work Assignment

Plan for Illustrative Activity #2 “Engineering Studies, Design and Tender Documents, and

Pre-Contract Services for Ma’an WWTP”.

65. Can you provide access permission for the Ma’an concept study?

USAID Response: Access will be granted upon request. Offerors are required to request access to be granted.

66. Annex 9 specifies one page, for a good standing valid certificate, are they one or two?

USAID Response: Only one valid certificate is required.

67. Is there a weight between evaluating criteria?

USAID Response: As described under section M.2 of Attachment 5 - Selection Criteria, page 66, the criteria listed are presented in descending order of importance.

68. For Section F, where do the 5 projects fit in the evaluating criteria?

USAID Response: Attachment 5 - Selection Criteria, M.2 describes how the proposal will be evaluated. See Criterion 3: Organizational Experience and Capacity.

69. Section K , is it required from the prime and the subcontractors. ?

USAID Response: If you are registered in SAM, this information should have been submitted as part of the SAM registration process, however, offerors are responsible to check each section of

Attachment 8 and comply with the requirements.

70. Is there any possibility to extend the offerors proposal for two weeks ?

USAID Response: The deadline to submit proposals is extended by one week with a new deadline of January 06, 2025. The proposals deadline date on the cover page of the RFQ is changed. The revised RFQ is attached to this amendment.