Annex 1 - Response to Offerors Questions.pdf

Request for Task Order Proposal (RFTOP) No. 72039120R00008

Financial Management and Capacity Building Services to the Health Services Academy (HSA) and Department of Health Sindh (DOHS)

Annex 1

Questions and Answers

No. QUESTIONS ANSWERS 1 Section B.7 defines major subcontractors as “those subcontractors expected to perform 20% of the technical effort.” Section L.2.E defines a major subcontractor as “one whose proposed cost exceeds 10% of the offeror’s total proposed cost.” Could USAID clarify the definition of a major subcontractor?

With reference to the Indirect Cost in Section B.7, major subcontractors are considered to perform at least 20% of the technical work. Whereas with regards to past performance in Section L.2.E, subcontractor is whose proposed cost exceeds 10% of the total project cost.

2 Sections C.3.1 and C.3.2 refer to Technical and Management Assessment (TMA) and Public Financial Management and Risk Assessment Framework (PFMRAF) Stage II assessments conducted for the Health Services Academy and the Department of Health, Sindh. Could USAID provide these assessments?

As mentioned in Section L.1.H “GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS” the Risk Mitigation Plan (RMP) will be shared with the successful offeror after issuance of the contract.

3 Section L.2.C refers to a “life-of-project implementation plan” as part of the Management Approach as well as a “staffing plan” that is “directly linked to all major activities in the Schedule.” Could USAID clarify whether the life-of-project implementation plan and the schedule refer to the same document? Additionally, should offerors present this in an annex?

Life-of-project-implementation plan and the schedule are the same. The Management Approach is part of the technical proposal and is part of the page limit.

4 Could USAID share the estimated cost range for this Task Order?

The award will be a combination of both Cost-Plus Fixed Fee (CPFF) and Firm Fixed Price type. Therefore, in accordance with ADS 302, the

Financial Management and Capacity Building Services to the Health Services Academy (HSA) and Department of Health

CPFF portion of the RFTOP requirements has an estimated cost range of $900,000 to $1,200,000.

5 For this Task Order does USAID/Pakistan have a specific ceiling on the Day Rates of local STTA?

Yes, the rates determined in the IDIQ awards are the ceiling rates.

However, any rates proposed by the offeror within the ceiling rates must be justified and supported by market research.

6 Would the successful bidder for this Task Order be required to open a Task Order office in Karachi?

It depends on the offerors technical approach. USAID has no specific requirements for opening an office in Karachi.

7 Is it reasonable to assume that HSA and DOHS will provide office space to STTA consultants for onsite capacity building and review activities?

Yes

8 In case fringe benefits are budgeted for LTTA staff members, are there any fringe benefits (e.g., severance pay, 13th month bonus, provident fund) which USAID/Pakistan would disallow based on the Mission's current practice?

The offerors should submit their proposals in line with their NICRA fringe benefits. If an offeror has no Fringe Benefits for LTTA staff negotiated in the NICRA, the offeror may propose Fringe Benefits supported by market research, host country laws and offerors established policies.

9 What is the estimated allocation of effort between HSA and DOHS?

We are expecting this to be proposed by the offeror based on the solicitation requirements.

10 What is(are) the specific location(s) of the USAID/Pakistan-funded activities for HSA and DOHS where capacity development support will be provided under this Task Order?

The primary location of HSA will be Islamabad and the primary locations of DOHS will be Karachi and Hyderabad in Sindh.

Financial Management and Capacity Building Services to the Health Services Academy (HSA) and Department of Health

11 Would USAID/Pakistan be willing to provide the total estimated cost range for this Task Order?

Please see Answer to Question No 4.

12 Approximately how many finance and management trainings does USAID/Pakistan expect the successful bidder to deliver each year?-----C.2a (iii), C.4.2.b (7)

In addition to on-the job training, the formal training sessions are expected to be at least once a year as mentioned in the RFTOP. see section C.2a (iii), C.4.2.b (7) of the RFTOP.

13 When is the last time that Risk Mitigation Plans for HSA and DOHS were updated?-------C.2a (vii)

Risk Mitigation Plan (RMP) was updated on December 31, 2020.

14 For any IT system development (including financial management solutions and system architecture), would the cost of hardware and software be part of the Task Order budget?-----C.2a (viii)

Yes, the offeror is expected to account for all expenses in their Task Order budget required for the successful implementation of the requirements.

15 Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) support and activities are not mentioned in the CPFF and FFP activities of HSA.

Can USAID/Pakistan please confirm whether or not M&E support is expected to be part of activities for HSA under this Task Order?-----C.4.1. a

See Section C.4.1.a.1 in the amended RFTOP attached as Annex B to the Amendment No 01.

16 Could USAID/Pakistan please clarify the status of HSA Act implementation, namely which parts of the HSA Act have already been implemented and which parts have not yet been implemented?-----C.4.2.a (3)

This will be covered under the baseline survey for HSA activity per Section C.4.2.a.1 of the amended RFTOP.

Financial Management and Capacity Building Services to the Health Services Academy (HSA) and Department of Health

17 Does the “support” to PMU Health Information Management Cell (HIMC) in the Development Wing, M&E Unit at DGHSS office Hyderabad, and Provincial Health Development Center (PHDC) in response to identified “gaps in required human resources” which is mentioned imply (i) temporarily filling the gaps over the short- to medium-term (e.g., 6-18 months) by providing consultants or (ii) removing the gaps altogether for the long term (e.g., updating human resource manuals, updating job descriptions, providing training)? ------C.4.2.b (2)

As mentioned in the RFTOP section C.4.2.b (2), this is a onetime exercise at the beginning of the Task Order and requires the offeror to propose a solution to identify the gaps in human resources.

18 Does the Quality Assurance and Quality Control (QA/QC) procedure manual which will be developed and updated it address both infrastructure and programmatic activities?--- --C.4.2.b (5)

Section C.4.2.b.5 of the RFTOP is removed, resulting in the changes in Section B.6 and deletion of F.5.13(24) from Section F “DELIVERIES

OR PERFORMANCE”.

19 Can the offeror contact HSA and DOHS? If the offeror chooses to contact HSA or DOHS, it is expected that the offeror is clear in its communication that the award has not been made yet and they are one of the interested offerors to submit a proposal.