AMENDMENT NUMBER 2 RFP No. 72052724R00005.pdf

(x)

72052724R00005 x x copies of the amendment; (b) By acknowledging receipt of this amendment on each copy of the offer submitted ; or (c) By separate letter or electronic communication which includes a reference to the solicitation and amendment numbers. FAILURE OF YOUR ACKNOWLEDGEMENT TO BE

RECEIVED AT THE PLACE DESIGNATED FOR THE RECEIPT OF OFFERS PRIOR TO THE HOUR AND DATE SPECIFIED MAY RESULT IN REJECTION OF YOUR

OFFER. If by virtue of this amendment you desire to change an offer already submitted , such change may be made by letter or electronic communication, provided each letter or electronic communication makes reference to the solicitation and this amendment, and is received prior to the opening hour and date specified.

x

N/A

Not Applicable

720527

00000 USAID/Peru

72052724R0000508/23/20240002

13. THIS ITEM ONLY APPLIES TO MODIFICATION OF CONTRACTS/ORDERS. IT MODIFIES THE CONTRACT/ORDER NO. AS DESCRIBED IN ITEM 14.

12. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION DATA (If required) is not extended.is extended, Items 8 and 15, and returning

Offers must acknowledge receipt of this amendment prior to the hour and date specified in the solicitation or as amended , by one of the following methods: (a) By completing

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

11. THIS ITEM ONLY APPLIES TO AMENDMENTS OF SOLICITATIONS

FACILITY CODE CODE

10B. DATED (SEE ITEM 13)

10A. MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT/ORDER NO.

9B. DATED (SEE ITEM 11)

9A. AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION NO.

CODE

8. NAME AND ADDRESS OF CONTRACTOR (No., street, county, State and ZIP Code)

7. ADMINISTERED BY (If other than Item 6)CODE 6. ISSUED BY

PAGE OF PAGES

4. REQUISITION/PURCHASE REQ. NO.3. EFFECTIVE DATE2. AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION NO. 5. PROJECT NO. (If applicable)

1. CONTRACT ID CODE

AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION/MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT

10/02/2024

CHECK ONE A. THIS CHANGE ORDER IS ISSUED PURSUANT TO: (Specify authority) THE CHANGES SET FORTH IN ITEM 14 ARE MADE IN THE CONTRACT

B. THE ABOVE NUMBERED CONTRACT/ORDER IS MODIFIED TO REFLECT THE ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES (such as changes in paying office, C. THIS SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT IS ENTERED INTO PURSUANT TO AUTHORITY OF:

D. OTHER (Specify type of modification and authority) appropriation data, etc.) SET FORTH IN ITEM 14, PURSUANT TO THE AUTHORITY OF FAR 43.103(b).

E. IMPORTANT: Contractor is not is required to sign this document and return __________________ copies to the issuing office.

ORDER NO. IN ITEM 10A.

14. DESCRIPTION OF AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION (Organized by UCF section headings, including solicitation/contract subject matter where feasible.)

This amendment therefore (1) shares the final approved answers to questions asked by

September 17, 2024 (Attachment I); (2) clarifies and makes changes to Sections B, F, I, J, K, L, and M; (3) extends the deadline for submitting Phase One; (4) accepts Phase One

Concept Note submissions in both Spanish and English; (5) provides a summary read-out of the post-solicitation conference (Attachment II); and (6) includes a conformed version of the original RFP, with additions highlighted in yellow and deletions marked with strikethroughs for easier review (Attachment III).

16A. NAME AND TITLE OF CONTRACTING OFFICER (Type or print)15A. NAME AND TITLE OF SIGNER (Type or print)

15C. DATE SIGNED 16B. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 15B. CONTRACTOR/OFFEROR 16C. DATE SIGNED

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

STANDARD FORM 30 (REV. 11/2016)

Prescribed by GSA FAR (48 CFR) 53.243

Previous edition unusable

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

Solicitation Amendmentx

AMENDMENT NUMBER TWO TO REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) No. 72052724R00005

Communications Support Platform

USAID hereby modifies RFP No. 72052724R00005 to reflect answers it provided to the business community in the post-solicitation conference held on September 17, 2024.

This amendment therefore (1) shares the final approved answers to questions asked by September 17, 2024 (Attachment I); (2) clarifies and makes changes to Sections B, F, I, J, K, L, and M; (3) extends the deadline for submitting Phase One; (4) accepts Phase One Concept Note submissions in both Spanish and English; (5) provides a summary read-out of the post-solicitation conference (Attachment II); and (6) includes a conformed version of the original RFP, with additions highlighted in yellow and deletions marked with strikethroughs for easier review (Attachment III).

As a result of the above, the following changes are made to the solicitation:

1. COVER LETTER

1.1 Delete and replace USAID logo

1.2 Update Closing Date for Receipt of Phase One to October 22, 2024, 5:00 pm (Local Time)

2. SECTION B – SUPPLIES OF SERVICES AND PRICES

2.1 Item B.2 Delete first paragraph and replace it with the following:

“This is a hybrid contract made up of a Cost-Plus-Fixed Fee (CPFF) contract to cover travel and other cross platform services with Firm-Fixed Price (FPP), consistent with Federal Acquisition Regulations 16.202-2, covering pre-negotiated prices for all categories of services contained in the Statement of Work (SOW). For the consideration set forth in Section B, the Contractor must deliver the items as described in Section C and the Deliverables as described in Section F. The Period of Performance, inclusive of three options years, is 4 years. The Contract must not exceed a total price of US $5,000,000.00.”

2.2 Item B.3 Add the following to the enumerated list:

● The maximum price for this contract is TBD for the performance of work required hereunder and delivery of the Fixed-Fixed Price deliverable table [$TBD].

● Within the estimated Cost Plus Fixed Fee specified 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 [ TBD ].

2.3 Item B.4 Delete B.4 in its entirety and replace it with the following:

“a) The following itemized budget sets forth the estimates for reimbursement of dollar costs for cost categories and the fixed fee.

b) The amounts in the above cost categories may not be adjusted without a written modification signed by the Contracting Officer. The Contractor must not bill any amounts against this contract in excess of the amounts specified for each line item.

The Contract budget is organized into the following:

2.4 Add the following B.5 in its entirety:

“B.5 INDIRECT COSTS

B.5.1. NEGOTIATED INDIRECT COST RATE (NICRA)

a) 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

TBD % 1/ 1/ 1/

1/Base of Application

Type of Rate:

Services (description) Base

Year

Option 1 Option 2 Option 3 Total

Core Platform Management - Cost Plus Fixed Fee

Pre-negotiated Prices (for Categories of Services presented in C.5) – See pricing table in (Annex 1)

Fixed Fee

Period:

For Major Subcontractor(s):

Pending establishment of revised provisional or final indirect cost rates, allowable indirect costs will be reimbursed based on the following negotiated provisional or predetermined rates and the appropriate bases:

Description Rate Base Type Period

TBD % 1/ 1/ 1/

1/Base of Application:

Type of Rate: Predetermined

Period:

[“Major Subcontractor” is a subcontractor that is performing 20% or more of the contract, or is deemed critical by the offeror in achieving the objectives and tasks in the contract.]

b) The Contractor will make no change in its established method of classifying or allocating indirect costs without the prior written approval of the Contracting Officer.

B.5.2. THE DE MINIMIS RATE

a) Offerors who do not have a negotiated indirect cost rate (NICRA) may elect to use the de minimis rate of 10% of modified total direct cost (MDTC).

b) Modified Total Direct Cost (MTDC) means all direct salaries and wages, applicable fringe benefits, materials and supplies, services, travel, and up to the first $25,000 of each subaward (regardless of the period of performance of the subawards under the award).

B.5.3. OTHER

Offerors may propose indirect cost rates other than the NICRA or the De Minimis, provided they are prepared in accordance with FAR 31.203 or use the direct cost allocation method as prescribed in 2 CFR

200.405 (d).

B.5.4. SUB-RECEPIENTS

Indirect cost rates between the prime and subrecipients must be established in accordance with 2 CFR

200.332(a)(4).

2.5 Item B.6 Add the following in the second paragraph:

“B.6.2.

The Contractor may earn and be paid all or a portion of the total fee based on completed deliverables under this contract. Payment of the Contractor’s fee is tied to the accomplishment of objectives, deliverables, or outputs described in Sections C and F.

Definite goals or targets must be achieved, and end products must be completed, delivered, and accepted by USAID during the period of performance and within the total estimated cost as a condition for payment of the entire fixed fee.

The Offerors must propose a fixed fee schedule tied to the objectives and deliverables or outcome for Government review and acceptance. The fixed fee schedule will become part of the contract upon award. Payment of fixed fee will be in accordance with FAR 52.216-8.

[Illustrative Fee Table to be completed by the Offeror and incorporated into the award in accordance with Section L]:

Performance Objective/Delive rable/Outcome

Achievement Threshold/Delivery Schedule

Percentage of Fee Fixed Fee ($) Amount for Payment

Deliverables for Year 1

TBD by the contractor TBD TBD

Deliverables for Year 1

TBD TBD TBD

Deliverables for Year 1

TBD TBD TBD

Upon successful completion of a performance objective/deliverable/outcome, the Contractor must provide evidence of its achievement to the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) and the Contracting Officer (CO). Upon COR receipt and written acceptance, the Contractor must submit an invoice for the amount of the associated fee including evidence of completion of the deliverables for which fee is claimed. The total amount of fee payable upon completion of all contract requirements will be set at the time of award and does not vary with actual cost.

In the event of discontinuance of the work, both parties must – in accordance with FAR 52.249-6 “Termination (Cost Reimbursement) - redetermine the fixed fee equitably to reflect the reduction in the work actually performed. The amount by which such fee is less than, or exceeds, payments previously made on account of the fee must be paid to, or repaid by the Contractor, as applicable.

B.7 REIMBURSABLE COSTS Costs allowable will be limited to reasonable, allocable, and necessary costs determined in accordance with FAR 31 (Contract Cost Principles and Procedures), FAR 52.216-7 Allowable Cost and Payment, FAR 52.216-8 Fixed Fee, FAR 52.232-20 Limitation of Cost, FAR 52.232- 22, Limitation of Funds, if applicable, and AIDAR 752.7003 Documentation for Payment.

3. SECTION E – INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE

3.1 Item E.1 Add 52.246-5 Inspection of Services – Cost-Reimbursement into the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) table

4. SECTION F – DELIVERIES OF PERFORMANCE

4.1 Item F.3.2 Delete the second and third bullet points and add the following bullets in The minimum qualifications for this position (Project Director) are:

● At least 8 years of experience in both project management and outreach and communications, with a focus on designing and executing effective communications strategies and campaigns.

● A Bachelor’s Degree in a relevant field – such as International Relations, Public Administration, Business Administration, Communications, or Project Management – is required.

4.2 Item F.3.2 Add the following bullets in The qualifications for this position (Finance and Compliance Manager) are:

● A Bachelor’s Degree in a relevant field – such as Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, Project Administration – is required.

● A minimum of 8 years of professional experience in financial management, compliance, and administrative functions is essential.

5. SECTION I – CONTRACT CLAUSES

5.1 Item I.1 Add 52.203-8 Cancellation, Rescission, and Recovery of Funds for Illegal or Improper Activity into the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) table

5.2 Item I.1 Add 52.203-10 Price or Fee Adjustment for Illegal or Improper Activity into the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) table

5.3 Item I.1 Add 52.203-13 Contractor Code of Business Ethics and Conduct into the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) table

5.4 Item I.1 Add 52.203-14 Display of Hotline Poster(s) into the Federal Acquisition

Regulation (FAR) table

5.5 Item I.1 Add 52.203-16 Preventing Personal Conflicts of Interest into the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) table

5.6 Item I.1 Add 52.204-1 Approval of Contract into the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) table

5.7 Item I.1 Add 52.204-14 Service Contract Reporting Requirements into the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) table

5.8 Item I.1 Add 52.204-18 Commercial and Government Entity Code Reporting into the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) table

5.9 Item I.1 Add 52.204-21 Basic Safeguarding of Covered Contractor Information Systems into the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) table

5.10 Item I.1 Delete 52.204-23 Prohibition on Contracting for Hardware, Software, and Services Developed of Provided by Kaspersky Lab Covered Entities from the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) table

5.11 Item I.1 Delete 52.204-27 Prohibition on a ByteDance Covered Application from the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) table

5.12 Item I.1 Add 52.207-5 Option to Purchase Equipment into the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) table

5.13 Item I.1 Add 52.210-1 Market Research into the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) table

5.14 Item I.1 Add 52.209-6 Protecting the Government’s Interest When Subcontracting with Contractors Debarred, Suspended, or Proposed for Debarment into the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) table

5.15 Item I.1 Add 52.209-7 Information Regarding Responsibility Matters into the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) table

5.16 Item I.1 Add 52.215-2 Audit and Records – Negotiation into the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) table

5.17 Item I.1 Delete 52.215-8 Order of Precedence-Uniform Contract Format from the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) table

5.18 Item I.1 Add 52.215-23 Limitations on Pass-Through Charges into the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) table

5.19 Item I.1 Add 52.216-7 Limitations on Pass-Through Charges into the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) table

5.20 Item I.1 Add 52.216-8 Fixed Fee into the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) table

5.21 Item I.1 Add 52.216-25 Contract Definitization into the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) table

5.22 Item I.1 Add 52.222-2 Payment for Overtime Premiums into the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) table

5.23 Item I.1 Add 52.222-26 (Alternate 1) Equal Opportunity into the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) table

5.24 Item I.1 Delete 52.225-14 Inconsistency between English Version and Translation Contract from the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) table

5.25 Item I.1 Delete 52.227-19 Commercial Computer Software License from the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) table

5.26 Item I.1 Add 52.229-8 Taxes-Foreign Cost Reimbursement Contracts into the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) table

5.27 Item I.1 Add 52.232-12 Advanced Payments into the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) table

5.28 Item I.1 Add 52.232-18 Availability of Funds into the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) table

5.29 Item I.1 Add 52.232-33 Payment by Electronic Funds Transfer-System for Award Management into the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) table

5.30 Item I.1 Add 52.232.40 Providing Accelerated Payments to Small Business Subcontractors into the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) table

5.31 Item I.1 Add 52.242-1 Notice of Intent to Disallow Cost into the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) table

5.32 Item I.1 52.242-3 Penalties for Unallowable Costs into the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) table

5.33 Item I.1 52.243-2 Changes-Cost-Reimbursement (Alternate I) into the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) table

5.34 Item I.1 52.249-6 Termination (Cost-Reimbursement) into the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) table

5.35 Item I.1 752.227-14 Rights in Data – General into the USAID Acquisition Regulation (AIDAR) table

5.36 Item I.1 752.228-7 Insurance – Liability to Third Persons into the USAID Acquisition Regulation (AIDAR) table

5.37 Item I.1 752.228-70 Medical Evacuation (MEDEVAC) Services into the USAID https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.222-2

Acquisition Regulation (AIDAR) table

5.38 Item I.1 752.7001 Biographical Data into the USAID Acquisition Regulation (AIDAR) table

5.39 Item I.1 752.7002 Travel and Transportation into the USAID Acquisition Regulation (AIDAR) table

5.40 Item I.1 752.7005 Submission Requirements for Development Experience Documents into the USAID Acquisition Regulation (AIDAR) table

5.41 Item I.1 752.7007 Personnel Compensation into the USAID Acquisition Regulation (AIDAR) table

5.42 Item I.1 752.7008 Use of Government Facilities or Personnel into the USAID Acquisition Regulation (AIDAR) table

5.43 Item I.1 752.7010 Conversion of U.S. Dollars to Local Currency into the USAID Acquisition Regulation (AIDAR) table

5.44 Item I.1 752.7031 Leave and Holidays into the USAID Acquisition Regulation (AIDAR) table

5.45 Item I.5 Add the following:

“752.232-70 LETTER OF CREDIT ADVANCE PAYMENT (MAR 2015)

Link to an amendment published at 89 FR 4209, Jan. 23, 2024.

As required by 732.406-73, insert the following clause in contracts being paid by Letter of Credit.

Letter of Credit Advance Payment (MAR 2015)

(a) Payment under this contract must be by means of a Letter of Credit (LOC) in accordance with the terms and conditions of the LOC and any instructions issued by the USAID, Bureau for Management, Office of the Chief Financial Officer, Cash Management and Payment Division

(M/CFO/CMP).

(b) Immediately upon award, or as soon as the Letter of Credit payment method is approved by the contracting officer, contractors without an established LOC account must submit the following forms with original signatures, to the address specified below:

Forms:

(1) A signed original SF-1199A (Direct Deposit Sign-Up Form); and

(2) “Division of Payment Management Payment Management System Access Form” found at the Department of State and Human Services (DHHS) Web site.

Address:

ATTN: James DuBois, U.S. Agency for International Development, M/CFO/CMP—LOC Unit, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., SA-44, Room 430-J, Washington, DC 20523-7700.

Contractors must also submit the forms specified above electronically to loc@usaid.gov.

(c) As long as the LOC is in effect, the terms and conditions of the LOC and any instructions issued by M/CFO/CMP constitute the payment conditions of this contract, superseding and taking precedence over any other clause of this contract concerning payment.

(d) If the LOC is revoked, payment may be made on a cost-reimbursement basis, in accordance with the other clauses of this contract concerning payment.

(e) Revocation of the LOC is at the discretion of M/CFO/CMP after consultation with the contracting officer. Notification to the contractor of revocation must be in writing and must specify the reasons for such action. The contractor may appeal any such revocation to the contracting officer, in accordance with the Disputes clause of this contract. Pending final decision, payments under the contract will be in accordance with paragraph (d) of this clause.”

6. SECTION J – LIST OF ATTACHMENTS

6.1 Item J.1 Add “for Phase Two” after Standard Form SF-33

6.2 Item J.2 Add “for Phase Two” after Pricing Table of Labor Categories and Pre- Negotiated Rate.

6.3 Item J.3 Delete of Proposal

7. SECTION K - REPRESENTATIONS, CERTIFICATIONS, AND OTHER STATEMENTS OF

OFFERORS

7.1 Item K.1 Add 52.204-8 Annual Representations and Certifications into the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) table

7.2 Item K.1 Add 52.204-17 Ownership or Control of Offeror into the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) table

7.3 Item K.1 Add 52.204-20 Predecessor of Offeror into the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) table

7.4 Item K.1 Add 52.209-2 Prohibition on Contracting with Inverted Domestic Corporations-Representation into the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) table

7.5 Item K.1 Add 52.209-5 Certification Regarding Responsibility Matters into the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) table

7.6 Item K.1 Add 52.209-11 Representation by Corporations Regarding Delinquent Tax Liability or a Felony Conviction under any Federal Law into the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) table

7.7 Item K.1 Add 52.209-13 Violation of Arms Control Treaties or Agreements- Certification into the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) table

7.8 Item K.1 Add 52.237-8 Restriction on Severance Payments to Foreign Nationals into the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) table

8. SECTION L – INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE PREPARATION OF THE TECHNICAL PROPOSALS

8.1 Item L.1 Delete 52.207-1 Notice of Standard Competition from the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) table

8.2 Item L.1 Add 52.211-3 Availability of Specifications Not Listed in the GSA Index of Federal Specifications, Standards and Commercial Item Descriptions into the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) table

8.3 Item L.1 Add 52.215-1 Instructions to Offerors-Competitive Acquisition (Alternate

1) into the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) table

8.4 Item L.1 Add 52.215-22 Limitations on Pass-Through Charges-Identification of Subcontract Effort into the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) table

8.5 Item L.1 Add 52.216-1 Type of Contract into the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) table

8.6 Item L.1 Add 52.222-56 Certification Regarding Trafficking in Persons Compliance Plan into the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) table

8.7 Item L.2 Delete fifth paragraph in its entirety and replace it with the following:

“This solicitation is structured in two (2) phases. Phase One consists of a seven (7) page concept note including a portfolio of demonstrated ability and a PowerPoint Presentation (not to exceed 10 slides) demonstrating how the offeror will approach the situation presented in Annex 2. The concept note may be submitted in English and/or Spanish, but the presentation must be conducted in English. Phase Two will formally invite selected offerors to submit their full proposals in English only.

Voluntary Phased Acquisition (ie, Voluntary Down Select) is currently the preferred industry and Agency method of Phased Acquisition. Under Voluntary, responsibility and risk shifts to the offeror. Once the Government provides the offeror with the Advisory

Notice that they are or are not competitive, it becomes the offeror's business decision to remain in the competition or voluntarily withdraw. The offeror is not entitled to a debriefing based on the Advisory Notice, and does not have the ability to protest the procurement since there is no elimination from the competition.”

8.8 Item L.2 Replace and add the following in the eighth paragraph:

“iv. Both the concept notes and PowerPoint Presentations will receive a Pass/Fail evaluation, with the determination of pass or fail based on their technical quality.

v. Offeror who receive a passing evaluation on their concept notes will be invited to deliver in-person PowerPoint Presentations.

vi. USAID expects the presentation to be led by the offeror’s anticipated key personnel, if they have been identified at this stage.

vii. The in-person presentation will be for a total of 60 minutes, consisting of 30 minutes for the presentation and 30 minutes for the Q&A session.

viii. The in-person presentation may be conducted either face-to-face or virtually.

ix. USAID will notify offerors of the date and time of their in-person presentation one week in advance via email.

x. All in-person presentations will be video/audio recorded.”

8.9 Item L.2 Delete the ninth paragraph in its entirety and replace it with the following:

“Following completion of Phase One, each offeror will receive an Advisory Notification. The Advisory Notification will inform the offeror of one of the following:

● USAID found the proposal to be competitive and the offeror is invited to participate in Phase Two, or

● Based on the Information submitted, USAID found that the proposal is unlikely to be a viable competitor. The intent of this notification is to minimize proposal development costs for those offerors with little or no chance of receiving an award.

To receive an Advisory Notification indicating that the proposal is competitive and to be invited to participate in Phase Two, a rating of ‘Pass’ must be achieved for both criteria in Phase One.”

8.10 Item L.3.1 Delete In this section, the offeror must present its key personnel, their experience (i.e. articles, successes organizing events, professional networks etc.)

the role they will play in the structure presented in this section and replace it with “In this section, the offeror is strongly encouraged to present key personnel at this phase, detailing their experience (e.g., articles, successful event organization, professional networks) and the roles they will play in the proposed structure outlined in this section.”

8.11 Item L.3.2 Add the following to the last sentence of the last paragraph:

“provided they have been identified at this stage.”

8.12 Item L.4 Add the following bullet point:

● “Cost Proposal and SF-33”

8.13 Item L.4.1 Add the following to the last bullet point “and SAM registration details.”

8.14 Item L.5 Add the following after the first paragraph:

“Core platform management line of the budget may not exceed 25% of contract cost. The Cost Reimbursement contract type will include reimbursable costs such as travel and other administrative and logistics costs resulting from Government requests that are difficult to estimate or project during proposal preparation. Provide detailed cost estimates for any travel, accommodation, and logistics required for the activity by region. All travel under this contract will be handled as cost reimbursable.”

9. SECTION M – EVALUATION FACTORS FOR AWARD

9.1 Delete SECTION M in its entirety and replace it with the following:

“SECTION M - EVALUATION FACTORS FOR AWARD

M.1 NOTICE LISTING SOLICITATION PROVISIONS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

The following contract clauses pertinent to this section are hereby incorporated by reference (by Citation Number, Title, and Date) in accordance with the clause at FAR 52.252-2 CLAUSES

INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE” in Section I of this contract. Full text of the FAR clauses is available at https://www.acquisition.gov/far/ and full text of the AIDAR clauses is available at http://www.usaid.gov/ads/policy/300/aidar and http://www.usaid.gov/ads/policy/300/300.

FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATION (FAR) (48 CFR CHAPTER 1)

M.2 GENERAL INFORMATION

http://www.acquisition.gov/far/ http://www.usaid.gov/ads/policy/300/aidar http://www.usaid.gov/ads/policy/300/300

1. USAID intends to award a contract without discussions with Offerors in accordance with FAR 52.215-1 but reserves the right to conduct discussions if in the best interest of the Government, and discussions may be conducted at the Contracting Officer’s discretion. Therefore, the Offeror’s initial proposal should contain the Offeror’s best terms from a price and technical standpoint.

2. The Government intends to evaluate proposals in accordance with Section M of this RFP and award to the responsible Offeror using a Highest Technical Rated with Fair and Reasonable Price and Realistic Cost (HTR) process outlined in M.3. below. The submitted technical information will be scored by a technical evaluation committee using the Phase One and Phase Two evaluation criteria listed below and award to the responsible Offerors whose proposals offer the best value for the Government.

3. The submitted technical information will be scored by a technical evaluation committee using the evaluation criteria shown below. The evaluation committee may include industry experts who are not employees of the Federal Government, although only as non-voting members.

When evaluating the competing offers, the Government will consider the written capability information provided by the offerors, and any other information obtained by the Government through its own research.

4. In accordance with FAR 15.304(e), all evaluation factors other than cost or price when combined are more important than cost or price factors. These evaluation factors other than cost or price, when combined, are—

(1) Significantly more important than cost or price;

M.3 AWARD PROCESS

This procurement utilizes an HTR process for award, not a tradeoff process. The detailed procurement process is below:

1. Proposals are reviewed by a technical evaluation committee (TEC). The evaluation methodology will use an adjectival rating system.

2. The TEC, as part of the documentation, will determine a ranking of proposals from highest to lowest technically rated based on the technical evaluation.

3. Concurrently with steps 1 and 2, the USAID/Peru’s Regional Office of Acquisition and Assistance (ROAA) will evaluate past performance as described in M.4. Any adverse past performance that an Offeror has not had an opportunity to address will be dealt with at this stage.

4. If no competitive range is established, ROAA will conduct a price analysis as defined in FAR 15.404-1 to first determine the highest rated Offeror’s (also referred to as the apparently successful Offeror) price as fair and reasonable. The price analysis will at minimum include a comparison of proposed prices, if multiple are received in response to the solicitation. Other acceptable methods for price analysis can be found at FAR 15.404-1(b)(2). Acceptable methods also include the use of standard deviations. If the CO determines after the price analysis that the highest rated Offeror’s price is not fair and reasonable, and a competitive range is still not needed, ROAA will then do the same with the next highest rated Offeror until reaching the highest rated Offeror with a fair and reasonable price. Concurrently, ROAA will perform a targeted cost realism analysis on every technically acceptable Offeror, in accordance with FAR 15.404-1. Adjustments from this analysis will be applied to other costs that are derived from direct labor (e.g. indirect costs). If significant cost realism adjustments are necessary and the CO determines that the price of the highest technically rated Offeror is unrealistic, ROAA will then move to the next technically highest rated Offeror with a fair and reasonable price. This will be repeated until it results in an award to the highest rated Offeror with a fair and reasonable price and realistic cost.

5. If a competitive range is established, ROAA will conduct a price analysis to determine proposed prices as fair and reasonable using the process in #4. If an Offeror’s price is not found fair and reasonable, they will not be included in the competitive range. ROAA will also conduct a cost realism analysis using the process in #4. If significant cost realism adjustments are necessary and the CO determines that the price is unrealistic, the Offeror will not be included in the competitive range. Discussions will then be held with Offerors in the competitive range.

Discussions will not include cost issues other than any probable cost adjustments made during the cost realism analysis and may include price information per FAR 15.306(e)(3). Once revised proposals are received, steps 1 and 3-5 are repeated until there is a highest rated Offeror with a fair and reasonable price and realistic cost. This is the apparently successful Offeror.

M.4 EVALUATION CRITERIA

Phase One will be evaluated using a Pass/Fail rating system, with the determination based on the technical quality of the offerors.

Phase Two will employ adjectival ratings to assess the offerors’ technical approach, management and staff plan, past experience, and cost/price evaluation. This evaluation criterion provides a structured framework for thoroughly assessing proposals, ensuring that all critical aspects related to the activity objectives are considered. The adjectival rating system will follow the table below:

Adjective Review Criterion

Exceptional

An Exceptional application has the following characteristics:

● A comprehensive and thorough application of exceptional merit.

● Application meets and fully exceeds the Government expectations or exceeds RFP objectives and presents very low risk or no overall degree of risk of unsuccessful performance.

● Strengths significantly outweigh any weaknesses that may exist.

Very Good

A Very Good application has the following characteristics:

● An application demonstrating a strong grasp of the objectives.

● Application meets RFP objectives and presents a low overall degree of risk of unsuccessful project performance.

● Strengths significantly outweigh any weaknesses that exist.

Satisfactory

A Satisfactory application has the following characteristics:

● An application demonstrating a reasonably sound response and a good grasp of the objectives.

● Application meets RFP objectives and presents a moderate overall degree of risk of unsuccessful project performance.

● Strengths outweigh weaknesses.

Marginal

A Marginal application has the following characteristics:

● The application shows a limited understanding of the objectives.

● Application meets some or most of the RFP objectives but presents a significant overall degree of risk of unsuccessful project performance.

● Weaknesses equal or outweigh any strength that exists.

Unsatisfactory

An Unsatisfactory application has the following characteristics:

● The Application does not meet the RFP objectives or requires a major rewrite of the application.

● Presents an unacceptable degree of risk of unsuccessful project performance.

● Weaknesses demonstrate a lack of understanding of the Government’s needs.

● Weaknesses significantly outweigh any strength that exists.

The technical approach is of greater importance than the management and staffing plan and past experience information. The management and staffing plan is of greater importance than the past experience information.

M.5 EVALUATION FACTORS

Factor 1: Technical Approach

The extent to which the offeror showcases its understanding of the communications landscape, opportunities and challenges, and convincingly demonstrates how it will help USAID effectively tell its story.

The extent to how comprehensive and innovative the approach to work is and derived from relevant experience and differentiators presented.

The extent to which the Offeror provides a clear and detailed implementation plan, including a breakdown of tasks across service categories, resource allocation, and a timeline with key milestones that align with the project objectives.

The extent to which the Offeror effectively identifies and mitigates risks, implements robust quality assurance processes, and ensures compliance with relevant regulations and USAID standards, including specific requirements in Peru.

Factor 2: Management and Staff Plan

The extent to which the management and staffing demonstrates the ability to effectively manage and execute the tasks outlined in the Statement of Work (SOW).

The extent to which the proposed approach(es) to collaboration, quality assurance and compliance during implementation is/are clear, convincing and demonstrates a solid understanding of challenges one can reasonably expect during implementation.

The extent to which the management approach showcases experienced and capable personnel that can effectively and seamlessly operationalize the proposed technical approach.

The extent to which lines of authorities emphasize effective collaboration, communication, and interaction contributes to achieving the project’s objectives.

The extent to which the proposed key personnel are equipped with the skills and experience required to effectively execute the tasks outlined in the SOW.

Factor 3: Past Experience

The extent to which the offeror showcases sufficient experience and demonstrated success in technical areas described in the SOW and in Section L.4.4 (Past Experience Information), and experience and capacity implementing projects, campaigns and events of similar size and scope.

The Portfolio of Demonstrated Ability will be evaluated as part of past experience.

M.6 COST/PRICE EVALUATION

The proposed cost/price will be evaluated for realism and reasonableness.

Cost realism is an assessment of accuracy with which proposed costs represent the most probable cost of performance. Cost realism evaluation will be performed as part of the evaluation process:

(a) To assess and verify the Offeror’s understandings of the requirements;

(b) To assess the degree to which the cost/price proposal accurately reflects the Offeror’s understanding of the Statement of Work, as well as the risk that the Offeror will provide the supplies or services for the offered prices/cost; and

(c) To assess the degree to which the cost included in the cost/price proposal accurately represents the Offeror’s unique technical approach to implement the Contract.

No specific weight is assigned to the cost proposal evaluation. While the Technical criteria is more important than the cost, cost remains important as part of the Agency’s best value analysis and verification of the Offeror’s understanding of the requirements. In evaluating the cost portion of the proposal, the Government will include a minimum cost/price analysis to establish reasonableness of the Offeror’s price, and a targeted cost realism analysis to determine what the Government should realistically expect to pay for the proposed effort, the Offeror’s understanding of the work, and the Offeror’s ability to perform the Contract. USAID/Peru Regional Office of Acquisition and Assistance (ROAA) will perform a targeted cost realism analysis on every technically acceptable Offeror, in accordance with FAR 15.404-1. As direct labor is the principal cost driver of the contract, cost realism will be done only on an Offeror’s direct labor. Adjustments from this analysis will be applied to other costs that are derived from direct labor (e.g. indirect costs).

[END SECTION M]”

10. Annex 1.

10.1 Item Annex 1. Delete Tasks from the title of the first column and replace it with “Deliverables.”

10.2 Item Annex 1. Add “Deliverables categories included here are illustrative” in the first sentence.

[SEE CONTINUATION PAGES]

ATTACHMENT I

RFP 72052724R00005, Amendment One

Communications Support Platform

Questions and Answers

1. Is the offeror required to provide past work experience of the staff?

2. As a global company with prior experience in the region, do we need to register our Peruvian office with SAM, or can we use our Global Office registration?

A1. Yes, the proposed personnel must demonstrate relevant experience and provide strong references for work performed. For additional information regarding the required experience and skills of key personnel, refer to Section F.3. of the document.

A2. Local entity registration is required to be eligible for this activity. Sub-awards do not require SAM registration during proposal submission, but it will be necessary at the time of award.

3. Do we need to be signed up to SAM when submitting the proposal?

4. Regarding the expertise required, should it be based solely on experiences in Peru, or can we include our regional and local experiences?

5. Is it possible to subcontract the Finance and Compliance Manager, or does it have to be in-house?

6. Does USAID have a preferred size (either in terms of number of personnel made available or contracting capacity, amount of awarded contracts in the past, minimum structure, etc.) of the entity that would ideally be awarded the contract? In other words, is there a minimum size we should be or have executed before being considered an appropriate entity? Or as you have explained, is it really not foreseeable to determine estimates?

All local entities bidding must be registered by Phase 2 of the proposal stage if they are deemed a successful applicant from Phase 1. Thus, we recommend starting the registration process at the time of Phase 1 application.

This solicitation is restricted to local entities, per USAID definition:

“Local entity means an individual, a corporation, a nonprofit organization, or another body of persons that--

(b) For the purposes of this section, local entity means an individual, a corporation, a nonprofit organization, or another body of persons that-- (1) is legally organized under the laws of; (2) has as its principal place of business or operations in; and (3) is

(A) majority owned by individuals who are citizens or lawful permanent residents of;

and (B) managed by a governing body the majority of who are citizens or lawful permanent residents of; a country receiving assistance from funds appropriated under title III of this Act.” Local Competition Authority Pilot Program (https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/2023-09/302mbe_091123.pdf)

A3. You need to be registered with SAM.gov at the time of your Phase Two proposal submission, see previous Q&A above #2. SAM registration process:

https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration.

A4. Previous experience can be either local or global; however, local experience holds particular significance as this activity will be conducted in Peru. This local knowledge is crucial for understanding the specific context and nuances of the region.

A5. If it is not feasible to hire an in-house Finance and Compliance Manager, subcontracting this role may be necessary. However, it is essential that the contractor demonstrates a willingness to learn and develop in-house expertise over time. This strategy will not only fulfill immediate compliance and financial management needs but also contribute to building internal capacity within the organization.

https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration

7. Is it a must to have a full-time Financial and Compliance Manager? Or can its tasks be performed by another member of the team?

8. How much time will we have between Phase One and Phase Two?

9. Can we use Tiktok for our proposal submission?

10. Is consortium submission accepted?

11. In item B.4, the line CLIN 0001 Core Platform Management – Cost Plus Fixed Fee - Is the planning of trips considered at this point?

12. In item C.5 Tasks indicate that each service must be offered in English and Spanish.

Are they referring to the materials, press releases and documents produced, since the activities must be carried out in Spanish or indigenous languages depending on

A6. It depends on whether an organization can demonstrate its ability to execute the required tasks within the activity budget and timeframe. USAID does not have a strict preference regarding the size of the entity in terms of personnel, contracting capacity, or past contract amounts. The key factor is the organization's capacity to effectively manage and deliver the activity's requirements, regardless of size.

A7. The Financial and Compliance Manager is considered key personnel and is required for the activity. However, it does not need to be a full-time position, as long as the designated individual can adequately cover the tasks outlined in the solicitation.

A8. The timeline between Phase One and Phase Two is dependent on the number of Concept Notes and PPP presentations we receive in Phase One. As such, we cannot determine the exact timeframe at this point.

A9. No, you cannot use TikTok for your proposal submission.

A10. The term “consortium” has a specific definition in US Government contracting.

Offerors may enter into implementation alliances with other entities that add value to their approach or proposal. USAID will only enter into an award with a prime entity that will in turn manage any relationship they may have established with other entities for the purposes of this

RFP.

A11. A budget is not required in Phase One of this Solicitation. Budget preparation instructions for Phase Two can be found in section L.5.

the audience to which they are addressed?

13. In item G.2 Contracting Officer ́s (CO) & authority states that it is the only person authorized to make or approve any changes in the requirements of the contract, and the contracting officer ́s representative (COR) is designated by the CO and will assume the technical direction of the contract. Will it be a single person who approves the products or will it be a USAID team depending on the issue being addressed?

14. In item H.4 stated that the contractor agrees to procure Defense Base Act (DBA) insurance pursuant to the terms of the contract between USAID and USAID ́s DBA insurance. Could you explain it in more detail? Is SCTR insurance accepted for consultants involved in the project?

15. Item I.4 mentions payments - Will a disbursement schedule be considered for the activities to be carried out? Will the disbursements be made monthly?

16. In item L.2 General Instructions to offerors, there are two phases. Is there a format for the presentation of the experience of the Project Director, the Finance and Compliance Manager and the key team for the execution of the consultancy?

A12. Offerors must demonstrate the capacity to offer all section C services, report on such services and interact with USAID/Peru in both English and Spanish.

A13. Yes, all expected deliverables must be submitted to the COR for review and acceptance. Only the COR, after consulting and evaluating with the USAID team of experts on the developed topic, will approve deliverables and products as delegated by the Contracting Officer. Please see Section E.2.

A14. DBA insurance or worker compensation is required for all persons employed under contracts and subcontracts financed by USAID. This only applies to employees. The only exception to this requirement occurs when the contractor or subcontractor has secured a waiver of DBA coverage - please see Section H.4.

A15. In accordance with I.4 (a) USAID and the contractor will agree on a payment modality at the time of award signature. Yes, payments or disbursements may be made monthly if the contractor is performing monthly and submits deliverables on time.

A16. In Phase One, offerors are required to present their staffing plan in Section L.3.1(3).

It states: “In this section, the offeror must present its key personnel, their experience (i.e.

articles, successes organizing events, professional networks etc.) the role they will play in the structure presented in this section.”

17. Is this considered a new requirement or a follow-on to an existing contract? If there is an incumbent, would you be able to share the vendor’s name and the contract number so that I may identify it in FPDS?

18. For the proposal presentation, is any administrative document from the consulting firm required?

19. Regarding the consulting firm's experience, is there a minimum or maximum requirement to be included in the proposal?

20. In the Phase One of the proposal, should the key team be presented?

21. In the Phase One of the proposal, should the project's financial proposal be presented?

22. Could you provide more details on the expected frequency and complexity of the public outreach and communications activities that the Contractor will need to support?

A17. No, this is a new requirement.

A18. All requirements are presented in Section L.3.2.

A19. Please review section L.4

A20. In Phase One, offerors are required to present their staffing plan in Section L.3.1(3). It states: “In this section, the offeror must present its key personnel, their experience (i.e.

articles, successes organizing events, professional networks etc.) the role they will play in the structure presented in this section.”

A21. A budget (financial proposal) is not required in Phase One of this Solicitation. Budget preparation instructions for Phase Two can be found in section L.5.

A22. Communication support will be constant throughout the year. We will likely request the development of two 360-degree campaigns, which include offline (traditional) and online (social media) communication channels. Additionally, we will develop social media content for international days that are priorities for USAID, which are around 30 per year.

23. What are the specific metrics and KPIs that USAID will use to measure the success of the Communications Support Platform? How will the Contractor be evaluated and rewarded based on these metrics

24. What mechanisms will be in place to ensure that the Contractor has access to the necessary information and resources to effectively support USAID's communication needs?

25. What are your main projects with the indigenous peoples of Peru? Could you please share some of them? Have you conducted campaigns on this issue? Are there any priority projects or issues that require more attention in the technical proposal?

26. If you don't have the number of events/videos/photographs/content in general per yr: can you share with us the number in previous years as reference and is it possible to exceed the designated budget if it's necessary and well supported and previously approved?

A23. The metrics on social media include: increase in followers, reach, shared posts, engagement/likes, and comments.

A24. The contractor will have briefing meetings with the USAID Peru communications team for the development of any activity/campaign/material that we request to be developed. They will have access to relevant information that is necessary to know in advance to carry out their work. There will be follow-up meetings as needed for the development of proposals and the resolution of questions/doubts that may arise.

A25. Some of the activities we have conducted focusing on indigenous communities can be found at this link on the USAID website. You may also check USAID Peru's social media accounts (Facebook, Instagram, X).

https://www.usaid.gov/es/peru/environment/forests-climate/forest-alliance…