Amendment_No._1_ASEAN-USAID_PROSPECT_RFP_No._72049718R00007.pdf

RFP. No. 72049718R00007 (ASEAN-USAID PROSPECT) Amendment No. 1

PART 1 – SPECIFIC CHANGES TO RFP No. 72049718R00007

1. In Section B.4 Price Schedule, delete the chart and replace with:

Total Amount

Direct Costs

Indirect Costs

Subcontracts

Grants Under Contract

Total Costs (excluding Fixed Fee)

Fixed Fee

Total Estimated Cost (including Fixed Fee)

2. In Section L.8.8, page 118, add “The technical proposal and cost proposal must utilize page parameters for printing on 8 ½ x 11 (letter) paper size.”

3. In Section L.10, page 121, delete the second paragraph and replace with the following:

“The Technical Proposal is limited to no more than 40 pages excluding those portions that are not included in the page limit (see below). Any pages OVER the page limit in either the proposal or its annexes WILL NOT BE EVALUATED.”

4. In Section L.12.7 - Part 7: Representations, Certifications and Other Statements of

Contractor, add “The Offeror must also submit completed SF LLL - Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (see Attachment 4) and Certificate of Current Cost and Pricing Data (see Attachment 5).”

PART 2 – RESPONSES TO QUESTIONS

1. Question: In the table referenced in B.4 a), would USAID please consider merging the direct costs and indirect costs line items into a single line item of Total Estimated Cost?

This request is in keeping with the nature of cost-reimbursable contracts where an overall not-to-exceed ceiling exclusive of fixed fee is put in place. We cannot predict what our indirect rates will be over the next five years and, as such, the indirect costs line item may increase or decrease based on actual expenditures, which would require the contractor to adjust its direct costs expenditures to remain within the total estimated cost.

USAID Response: For clarity, Section B.4 is revised as follows:

Total Amount

Direct Costs

Indirect Costs

Subcontracts

Grants Under Contract

Total Costs (excluding Fixed Fee)

Fixed Fee

Total Estimated Cost (including Fixed Fee)

2. Question: Section B.5. Level of Effort (page 10) states that the required LOE does not include non-professional support staff. Please confirm that Offerors are allowed to determine which positions are considered non-professional support staff based on their technical approach.

USAID Response: Offerors may determine which positions are considered non-professional support staff in accordance with their personnel policies. It is anticipated that such support positions would include office managers, administrative assistants, and drivers, for example.

3. Question: Section F.2. Period of Performance (page 29) states that the start date of the project is TBD. Could USAID provide an estimated start date for the project?

USAID Response: The start date will be upon award. The estimated date cannot be confirmed at this time but is anticipated to be in late summer 2018.

4. Question: In Section F.6.7 progress reports, the format for the quarterly progress report must include cost share from other partners. Does USAID envision cost share only being generated from the grants under contract aspect of the project or from other elements of the project, too?

USAID Response: For progress reports, the “Cost Share from other partners” refers to any contributions and/or leveraging of other donors/government/partners’ resources to implement an intervention; this is not solely cost share generated from grants under contract. For example, if a conference is held and other donors/governments/partners contribute toward the cost of the conference, the report would provide this “cost share.”

5. Question: Section H.18 states the contractor must award such grants only to non-U.S.

and U.S. non-governmental organizations (NGOs). However, ADS 302.3.4.13 has changed this to allow for solely in-kind grants to government entities. Can USAID confirm that solely in-kind grants may be awarded to government entities if the need arises?

USAID Response: While it is not anticipated that the Grants under Contract for the ASEAN USAID PROSPECT Activity will be issued to partner government entities, the Contractor may execute grants as per ADS 302.3.4.13 and the Contractor’s approved Grants Manual.

6. Question: For ease and efficiency in combining numerous documents into a single submission, will USAID accept a PDF submission for the technical, cost, and past performance volumes?

USAID Response: Please refer to Section L.8.2 Delivery Instructions. A PDF version of each volume may additionally be included for ease and efficiency.

7. Question: Section L.8.4. Offerors’ Obligation (page 117) states that proposals signed by an agent must be accompanied by evidence of that agent’s authority, unless that evidence has been previously furnished to the issuing office. Could USAID clarify this requirement and provide examples of what USAID considers to be evidence of such authority?

USAID Response: Evidence of Authority such as a Company Profile or Articles of Incorporation may be deemed adequate to evidence that the individual is authorized to sign as an agent of the Offeror.

8. Question: Section L.8.7. Offer Acceptability (page 117) suggests that Offerors must submit proposed costs/prices and indirect cost information as required by Section B and L of this RFP. Please confirm that Offerors are not required to complete and submit Section B of the RFP at this stage of the procurement process and that Section B will be completed upon award.

USAID Response: Section B will be completed upon award.

9. Question: Section L.8.8. Format and Presentation (page 118) states that the format for the past performance matrix must be compatible with Excel, with page parameters for printing not to exceed size A3. Should the technical proposal be prepared for size 8 ½ x 11 paper?

USAID Response: The technical proposal and the cost proposal must be compatible with page parameters for printing to 8 ½ x 11 (letter) page size. The past performance matrix may be prepared with page parameters for printing not to exceed size A3.

10. Question: Section L.9.2. Past Performance Matrix (page 119) state that the description of the performance should not exceed 150 words and that it must include the following:

scope of work, primary location of work, term of performance, skills/expertise required, dollar value, and contract type descriptions. Please confirm that the 150-word limit applies only to the description of the scope of work or complexity/diversity of tasks.

USAID Response: As stated in the Section L.9.2, the Description of the Performance includes scope of work, primary location of work, term of performance, skills/expertise required, dollar value, and contract type descriptions. This Description of the Performance must not exceed 150 words.

11. Question: Section L.9.2, page 119, notes that the past performance matrix must include performance information for the contractor teaming arrangements and for each major subcontractor whose proposed costs exceed 20 percent. Could USAID please confirm the difference between contractor teaming arrangements and major subcontractors?

USAID Response: These terms are used to indicate that each Offeror may have a different legal relationship with other entities that will contribute effort implementing the activity. Offerors must provide performance information for any entity whose proposed costs exceed 20 percent of the proposed total cost.

12. Question: Section L.10. Instructions for the Preparation of the Technical Proposal

(page 121) states that the technical proposal is limited to no more than 41 pages. Please confirm the page limit for the technical proposal. The totaled number is listed as 41 pages but the limits in the section break down list equal 40.

USAID Response: See Part 1 of this Amendment above. The Technical Proposal is limited to no more than 40 pages excluding those portions that are not included in the page limit.

13. Question: Section L.11.5.3. Level of Effort Chart (page 124). Please clarify if the Level of Effort Chart by Objective required as part of the Staffing and Organizational Structure Section will feed into the Level of Effort Chart included in Section B.5. Level of Effort on page 10 of the RFP. If so, please confirm that the Level of Effort Chart by Objective required as part of the Staffing and Organizational Structure Section should not include non-professional staff.

USAID Response: The Level of Effort Chart by Objective is a further breakdown of the Level of Effort Chart that will be incorporated into the contract as Section B.5. This confirms that the Level of Effort Chart by Objective required as part of the Staffing and Organizational Structure Section should not include non-professional staff.

14. Question: Section L.11.5.3. Level of Effort Chart (page 125) states that the Overall

Activity Management line item must include level of effort for all Key Personnel. Given that Key Personnel will also be contributing to PROSPECT Components, in addition to the overall activity management, would USAID consider allowing Offerors to distribute Key Personnel level of effort based on their own determination of where labor is needed and based on their technical approach?

USAID Response: USAID recognizes that Key Personnel will contribute to different components of the activity, in addition to activity management, and Offerors will distribute Key Personnel level of effort (LOE) based on Offerors’ own determination of where labor is needed and based on their technical approach.

For purposes of evaluation, however, Offerors must include the Level of Effort (days) of Key Personnel under the “Overall Activity Management” line item on the Level of Effort by Objective Chart (See Section L.11.5.3). Note that as per Section L.11.5.1, Offerors in their Staffing Plan narrative, among other elements, must: 4) Demonstrate how the proposed staffing plan will result in the Offeror effectively and efficiently implementing each of the activity components and Section C requirements. 5) Summarize how the Offeror’s proposed Key Personnel collectively possess or exceed the necessary technical and managerial skills and experience to achieve the implementation the Offeror’s technical approach. 6) Clearly describe how the proposed level of effort is feasible and logical to accomplish the work set forth in Section C.

15. Question: The following statement in Section L.12.2 “Budget Line Item Definitions and Illustrations, Salaries and Wages” can lead the winning implementer to treat CCNs (and by extension, TCNs) in a manner no longer consistent with the definition of CCNs and TCNs as provided in the AIDAR:

Would USAID kindly confirm that the contractor, in interpreting and implementing the clause above, must continue to respect the definition of CCN and TCN as provided in the AIDAR, as follows:

a. Third country national (TCN) means an individual who is neither a cooperating country national nor a U.S. national, but is a citizen or lawful permanent resident (or equivalent immigration status) of any country other than the countries which are prohibited sources.

(See 22 CFR 228.15).

b. Cooperating country national (CCN) means an individual who is a cooperating country citizen or a non-cooperating country citizen lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the cooperating country.

USAID Response: USAID respects the definition of Cooperating Country National (CCN) and Third Country National (TCN) definition as provided in the AIDAR 752.202-1.

Note, however, as set forth in Section H.2 Authorized Geographic Code, the authorized geographic code is 937. For purposes of procurement of goods and services under this award, the geographic code of 937 includes all ASEAN Member states as cooperating countries, except Singapore and Brunei.

16. Question: Section L.12.2. Part 2 – Proposed Costs (page 130) states that it is not expected that fee will be applied to other than direct costs for sub-awards. Could USAID please clarify this requirement and define the term “sub-awards” in this context?

USAID Response: In this context, sub awards mean Grants under Contract.

17. Question: In Section L.12.2 Part 2 - Proposed Costs under Fixed Fee, it is stated that “It is not expected that fee will be applied to other than direct costs for sub-awards.” Does USAID expect that fee will only be charged on sub-awards and no other direct costs?

USAID Response: As set forth therein, it is not expected the fee will be applied to other than the direct costs of sub-awards (e.g., the contractor will not charge a fee of indirect cost against grants under the contract).

18. Question: In Section L.12.6, it states that “the Contractor must submit [a] fully completed and signed USAID Biographical Data Sheet (AID Form 1420-17) for each proposed staff member. Please confirm if this includes short-term technical assistance.

USAID Response: The offeror must include Biographical Data Sheet (AID Form 1420-17) for short-term technical assistance.

19. Question: Section L.12.8. Part 8 – Policies and Procedures (page 131) states that the

Offeror must submit policies and procedures, especially regarding salary and wage scales, fringe benefits, merit increases, promotions, leave, differentials, travel and per diem regulations, procurement, etc. Given that Offerors’ policies and procedures are often lengthy documents, would USAID consider allowing Offerors to submit a copy of this document upon award?

USAID Response: As set forth in Section L.12.8, submission of the policies and procedures are upon request of the Contracting Officer.

20. Question: Attachment 4. SF LLL – Disclosure of Lobbying Activities. Please clarify if

Offerors are required to submit SF LLL – Disclosure of Lobbying Activities as part of their Cost proposals.

USAID Response: See Part 1 of the Amendment above. Offerors must include the SF LLL - Disclosure of Lobbying Activities as part of Part 7 of their Cost proposals.

21. Question: Attachment 5. Certificate of Current Cost and Pricing Data. Please clarify if

Offerors are required to submit the Certificate of Current Cost and Pricing Data attachment as part of their Cost proposals.

USAID Response: See Part 1 of the Amendment above. Offerors must include the Certificate of Current Cost and Pricing Data as part of Part 7 of their Cost proposals.