Amendment 2 - Attachment 4_Q and A -72061124R00006-ZADS 7.26.2024.pdf

U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Subdivision 694/Stand 100 Ibex Hill Road

PO Box 320373

Lusaka, Zambia – 10101 infozambia@usaid.gov

USAID.gov

ATTACHMENT: AMENDMENT 2, QUESTION AND ANSWERS - RFP Number 72061124R00006, USAID Zambia Agriculture Diversification Support Activity (ZADS)

USAID is pleased to provide responses to questions submitted by various prospective offerors electronically by the questions due date in response to the solicitation.

QUESTIONS SUBMITTED IN RESPONSE TO THE SOLICITATION.

# QUESTION USAID RESPONSE

1 What are the target districts and provinces for this project?

As stated in section C.4 of the RFP, the target provinces and districts:

● Copperbelt: Mpongwe, Masaiti

● Central: Mkushi, Kapiri Mposhi, Kabwe, Chibombo and Luano

● Eastern: Nyimba, Petauke and Sinda

2 How much should each project consider as a ceiling for the five year period?

The build to budget for this activity is $24,400,000.00.

3 Are you going to share the templates for both the concept note and budget or each organization has to use its own templates.

Please refer to section L of the RFP for instructions on the Technical and Cost proposal submissions. The RFP is updated to include the budget template (see Attachment J.3).

4 Collaborations with Other Organizations:

Are there any specific limitations or guidelines regarding collaborations with international organizations, including any restrictions on partnerships, funding sources, or compliance requirements that must be adhered to under the ZADS activity?

This solicitation is restricted to local organizations, as on the cover page of the RFP. This means that a local organization must be the prime contractor but can partner with other organizations (local or international) as subcontractor(s).

5 Eligibility of International Partners:

While the solicitation mentions that only local organizations are eligible for the award, what role, if any, can international organizations play in supporting

International organizations can partner with the prime local organization as subcontractor(s).

mailto:infozambia@usaid.gov

RFP Number 72061124R00006, USAID Zambia Agriculture Diversification Support Activity (ZADS) or partnering with the local entities in the implementation of the ZADS activity?

6 Coordination with Existing USAID Projects:

Could you provide more details on the expected mechanisms for coordinating with other USAID-funded projects and USG programming to ensure synergy and avoid duplication of efforts?

No further detail can be provided Section C.8 of the RFP provides contractual requirements for coordination with existing and future USAID projects.

7 Are sub-partners required to meet the same local registration eligibility criteria as the contractor/offerer, that is:

is legally organized under the laws of Zambia; has its principal place of business or operations in Zambia;

is majority owned by individuals who are citizens or lawful permanent residents of Zambia;

and is managed by a governing body the majority of who are citizens or lawful permanent residents of the country receiving assistance.

Can international organizations or local organizations who don't meet local registration eligibility criteria defined in the Q1 above, apply as sub-partners (this is Q1 asked differently)?

Only the prime is subject to the requirement of local organization stated on the cover page of the RFP.

8 Is USAID going to award one or several contracts?

USAID anticipates awarding one award (contract).

9 Can sub-partners apply with several contractors or they are limited to be in one application?

There is no limitation on the number of primes to partner with.

10 Please clarify on the deadline / due date for proposal

The closing date and time for proposal submissions is September 3, 2024, at 14:00 Lusaka time. The RFP submissions under the RFP?

The RFP contains reference to different submission cut offs ( on page 1, closing date and time for proposals; page 3 solicitation and contract order for commercial items, page 82, section 3a submission of proposal guidelines).

Please confirm that the due date for proposals is September 3, 2024 1700 local time and not August 8, 2024 1400 as stated in Box 8, cover sheet.

has been updated accordingly. All changes are highlighted in yellow.

11 Please clarify on the total number of a) PROVINCES and b) DISTRICTS required to be covered under the ZADS project?

There is slight confusion in the RFA (page 8, section C.4).

Do all proposed PROVINCES and DISTRICTS have to be within the ZOI? Can the Contractor propose to work in additional PROVINCES and DISTRICTS outside USAID FtF ZOI.

All proposed districts and provinces must be within the Zone of Influence (ZOI). Potential Contractors cannot propose work outside of the USAID FtF ZOI.

12 Does USAID have a definition and/or defined criteria for what will determine 'dietary diversity'. See page 8 under delivery milestones / payment schedule - Nutritional Impact and under Outcome 3 -improved dietary quality. Also page 11 Section C.7 Required Minimum Results.

Yes, dietary diversity is defined in the feed the future handbook ( see Attachment J.2).

13 What index does USAID propose using as the definition of 'extreme poverty' (e.g.

according to the World BanK definition or other?) in order to

Please see Attachment J.2 for the definition of extreme poverty.

monitor, evaluate and report on % change. See page 11 Section C.7 Required Minimum Results.

14 The RFP indicates this is a Fixed- Price Contract and section B.4 specifies how to propose the pricing/payment schedule.

However, section I.4 and its indication of wanting to require revelation of the profit element of quarterly invoices, plus the instructions on budget proposal (and revelation of subcontractors’ costs/salary info etc.) seem contradictory to a Fixed-Price Contract. Could you please clarify if this is a fixed-price contract, and if so, is full expense and profit breakdowns required in the first year budget and/or the quarterly, or other reporting?

Yes, the award will be a fixed-price contract with a prospective price redetermination. Payment will be based on deliverables listed in section B.4 of the RFP. A one-year detailed budget is required ( see Section L.2.2.c) for evaluation, to determine price/cost realism in line with the offeror’s proposed technical approach.

15 Can only CVs of key experts be presented in the proposal?

Could short briefs of additional proposed project team members be included in the 'Key Personnel and Management Approach' section, or the additional information section that does not count towards the overall page count?

Please see Section L.2.1 of the RFP, Key Personnel and Management Approach.

CVs & letters of commitment for all key personnel are not required at proposal submission but must be submitted for USAID’s approval post-award by the successful offeror. The RFP is updated accordingly.

16 Can the proposed value chains or districts be changed after the project startup and baseline study?

No. However, changes can be discussed and are subject to prior written approval by the CO. USAID retains the right to review and revise any proposed changes that are within scope as needed.

17 Capital Equipment Procurement: Could you clarify the level of capital equipment procurement that is permissible

Equipment procurement is permissible if needed to achieve the results from Section C of the RFP.

under this project? Specifically, The Offeror is looking to understand the extent to which equipment can be procured to improve processing volumes or introduce new lines for new products.

18 Franchising and Product Diversification: To incentivize and scale product volumes and diversify the range of products that meet project requirements, The offeror is considering franchising chain stores to open more outlets and to diversify the range of brands. Are there any specific guidelines or restrictions regarding this approach within the scope of the project?

There are no restrictions as long as this approach is needed to achieve the results from Section C of the

RFP.

19 Project Activities Timeline: The RFP suggests that the first year may involve pre-project activities. Could you confirm if this is the case? Are we able to begin implementing project activities in the first year, or is it primarily reserved for preparatory work?

Implementation schedule is based on Offeror’s technical approach. USAID expects results as stipulated in the RFP.

20 Scope of Responsibilities for Private Sector SMEs: The RFP mentions incentivizing private sector SMEs to facilitate the development of both upstream (processors/traders) and downstream (producers) components of the selected agricultural value chains. As the offeror is a processor/trader, would USAID allow to focus solely on developing further the offeror’s business and its linkages with consumers, farmers, and potential trading

The offeror is expected to propose their innovative technical approach based on the Section C of the RFP for USAID evaluation.

partners for bringing increased value and revenues back into rural communities?

21 Definition and Role of Agribusiness / Cooperatives:

Can we consider cooperatives as agribusiness entities and strengthen their market ties through synergies with the offeror and other partners?

How does USAID define the role of cooperatives within this project, and what specific activities are expected to align with the objectives of climate-smart agriculture and organic farming practices?

The offeror is expected to propose their innovative technical approach based on the Section C of the RFP for USAID’s evaluation.

22 Clarification on Upstream and Downstream Development: Can USAID provide more specific examples or guidance on what is expected for the development of upstream (processors/traders) and downstream (producers) components? How flexible are these requirements, and can they be tailored to leverage existing (and not new) capacities within our consortium?

The offeror's technical approach must show how they will collaborate with producers and processors/traders for the offeror's chosen value chains based on their assessment of each district as part of the proposal in order to meet the minimum results requirements and expected outcomes specified in the RFP.

23 Milestone-Based Funding and Cash Flow Management: Could you provide more details on how milestone-based funding will be managed?

Offerors must meet the deliverables specified in section B of the solicitation to be paid. In establishing payment amounts, Offerors should consider the costs needed to ensure adequate cash flow for contract activities.

24 Environmental Compliance and Climate Risk Management:

What specific benchmarks and indicators will USAID use to measure progress on environmental compliance and

Please see Section H.7 and H.8 of the RFP for Environmental Compliance Requirements and Climate Risk Management requirements of the Contract.

climate risk management? Are there any mandatory environmental assessments or certifications required at the outset or during the project?

25 Commercial Entity Set-Up by Offeror: Offeror has indicated their willingness to set up a commercial entity in specific districts. Are there any specific legal or operational guidelines from USAID regarding the establishment of such entities?

USAID has no guidelines on setting up of commercial entities. Offerors are expected to propose their innovative technical approach based on the Section C of the RFP for USAID evaluation.

26 Engagement with Households for Dietary Diversity and Nutrition: The RFP states that the contractor must engage directly with households to improve dietary diversity and nutrition. Can you clarify the expected level of engagement and any specific methodologies that USAID wants to see employed?

Offeror should define how they plan to engage with households based on what is feasible.

27 Partnership Agreements and NDAs: Are there any specific templates or guidelines provided by USAID for partnership agreements that need to be adhered to?

No, this is at the discretion of the offeror(s) and their subcontractor(s).

28 Is there a guide as to the expectations of which results will be underpinned by standard indicators and which will be underpinned by custom indicators?

The expected results are outlined in section C.6 of the RFP. Offerors must show how they will achieve the expected results using standard indicators in the feed the future handbook (see attachment J.2) as well as other custom indicators proposed in their technical approach.

29 What is the definition of 'livestock' referenced in the proposal? Does it include poultry?

Yes, Livestock is inclusive of poultry. Please refer to the feed the future handbook (attachment J.2) for the definition.

30 What does 'sustainable and climate-smart agricultural

Offerors must define their sustainable and climate-smart agricultural practices based on their proposed practices' encompass? Is there a specific definition of CSA practices that will apply to the project, e.g. low till, etc?

technical approach inline with Section C of the RFP.

31 Would you please consider allowing the inclusion of a table of acronyms as part of the technical proposal and have it NOT count as part of the 27 page limit? Or May a list of acronyms be included in the Annexures, if not permitted in the technical proposal over and above the current 27 page limit.

The table of contents and acronym list will be counted as part of the maximum number of pages for the technical proposal if included. RFP has been updated and maximum pages are now 29 pages.

32 What is the recommended referencing style and can the list of referenced documents/citations be included in the annexures?

See section L.2.1 of the RFP for instructions, and no, a list of referenced documents/citations must not be included in the annexures.

33 Is there guidance around page limits and content in the Annexure, over and above guidance around inclusion of letters of commitment and CVs (max 2 pages) for key personnel?

Offeror must adhere to the requirements and page limits in section L of the solicitation. There are no annexures required or allowed.

34 The call mentions 3 CVs to be submitted. Is it allowable to provide more CVs?

The naming of key personnel and providing CVs are not required as part of the RFP. Any CVs submitted would count against the page limit.

35 The project seems to have a research as well as a delivery focus: what would be considered the right balance in percentage between research and delivery?

The right balance is the one that will maximize the results found in table C.7.

36 What is the minimum and maximum budget envelope for this call?

The build to budget for this contract is $24,400,000 as stated in the RFP.

37 What is the maximum allowable overhead for prime and consortium partners?

The maximum/minimum overhead should be based on your technical approach and organization practices.

38 Can international organizations participate in this Call as Sub contractors

Yes

39 What was the rationale to go for a fixed price contract especially that the RFP is promoting or targeting local Organizations lead

Fixed-price awards promote achievement of results instead of achievement of regulatory compliance.

40 Is USAID open to negotiate a terms of payment that reduces the financial burden on local organizations?

No. Offerors should consider the costs needed to ensure adequate cash flow for contract activities when pricing deliverables.

42 Please confirm that a table of contents and list of acronyms would be excluded from page limits for the Technical Approach proposal.

See response to question 31 above.

43 Would it be permissible to include an organization chart, timeline/Gantt Chart and other figures as an annex to the technical proposal and excluded from the page limits?

There are no annexes allowed for technical proposal submissions. Any chart, graph, timeline, etc. that is submitted will count against the page limit.

44 C.4-geographic focus, second sentence states “The Contractor must select 5 out of the 10 provinces listed below and implement the ZADS activity in the following provinces and districts:”, only 3 provinces and 10 districts are listed. Should this read 5 out of 10 districts?

Yes, It should read 5 out of 10 districts. The RFP has been updated. All changes are highlighted in yellow.

45 Please confirm that the Section C.7 Table of Required Minimum Results must be filled in and included in the proposal, i.e., that applicants must propose minimum results. Also, will successful applicants have an opportunity to revise these minimum results, upward or downward, after completion of

Yes, the table must be completed and included in your proposed technical approach. Offeror’s proposed minimum results must be feasible.

However, any modifications to the contract are subject to written approval by the contracting officer.

the baseline survey?

46 Does USAID provide a template for budgeting purposes or contractor is to use their own template taking into consideration details to include per RFP?

Yes, USAID has provided a budget template and incorporated to the RFP as attachment J.3.

47 There was nothing about the table of contents and acronyms in the RFP and is that required?

Both are not required. If added then will add towards the Technical Approach page limit.

48 DBA Insurance – if they don’t have it, how do they go about getting it?

Information on DBA Insurance, including price and how to apply, can be found here:

https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/2024- 05/aapd-22-01-revision2.pdf

49 If an offeror doesn’t maximize the budget amount, are they ineligible?

No.

50 Is a subcontractor limited to one prime?

No.

51 Would it be a disadvantage for a contractor who is a subcontractor and a prime?

No.

52 Are the milestones in the RFP the only milestones/deliverables for year 1?

The Year One Deliverables in Section B.4 are the only deliverables on which payment will be based for year one. Other deliverables in F.6.1 are also due in the first year.

53 Is this a competitive process only or only a subaward process for GUCs?

This process will be spelled out in the Grant Under Contract Manual. For reference, the Contractor must submit a Grant Under Contract Manual to USAID for approval that has “internal methodology, policies, and procedures to be followed while issuing Grants under this award.”

54 The RFP highlights cross cutting requirements i.e. Climate Gender and youth but does not include women/social inclusion, women being active

Section C.10 Gender includes women's economic participation, as well as empowering women and women-led businesses for inclusive and sustainable participation.

https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/2024-05/aapd-22-01-revision2.pdf https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/2024-05/aapd-22-01-revision2.pdf participants?

55 Some of the activities may take more than 5 years, how do you make payments if the achievements happen after 5 years?

All activities in response to this RFP must be performed and budgeted within the period of performance stated in section F.1 of the RFP. All payments will be made against results achieved during the five-year period of performance.

56 Earlier reference is made to requirements for subs – performance at 20%. What other requirements are required for the sub? Is there additional information in the RFP regarding the requirements?

Yes, the prime must ensure that special contract requirements and conditions flow down the subcontract as stated in the RFP.

57 1. CVs- in the presentation it was said CVs were used to determine the technical requirements, there is usually a finance person.

Will USAID consider 5 CVs when evaluating the proposals to include at least one technical person?

a. Past performance

– would cooperative agreements be allowed as part of past performance?

b. The budget – no local IP has prior experience with the amount of money for this

RFP.

The two tables – you have sustainable farming practices -

The naming of key personnel and providing CVs are not required as part of the RFP. USAID requires two additional Key Personnel Positions (but not individuals) to be identified in the proposal.

1.a - No. contracts only

1.b - USAID recognized that organizations may not have experience with this amount of funding.

Organizations that don’t have the stated experience will be given a neutral rating and past performance in this case would not be unfavorably evaluated on past performance

This has been changed to figure.

%TBD, where it says percent, must we have a figure?

58 Are sub partners supposed to sign the certifications as well and do they need a UEI?

This is not due at the proposal stage.

Subcontractors should provide signed representations and certifications to the prime regarding responsibility matters as the prime contractor may be requested to provide written evidence of proposed subcontractor responsibility.

Also Subcontractors must provide a UEI to the prime contractor, but it is not required prior to subcontract award, unless an exception per FAR 4.605(c) is applied.

59 Can the deadline/date of submission be extended?

No. It will not be extended.

60 Did not hear anything about the criteria on choosing the 5 districts.

The ten (10) districts have already been determined.

Offerors must select at least five (5) districts from which to operate in the technical approach (please refer to subsection M.3 Factor 1- Technical Approach.

61 Are environmental experts required as part of the proposal?

The contract states that “the Contractor should include an environmental expert as part of their staff.” Nothing specific is required at time of proposal, however.

62 What is the expectation of the submission of a successful offeror pre-financing on the contract?

See response to question 23 above.

63 Past performance – should it be part of the technical proposal, or should it be part of the annex?

Past Performance is part of the business/cost proposal.

64 If we are the prime, do we need to provide a detailed budget/subsection for the sub awardee?

Yes, for major subcontractors. Specifically, offerors must incorporate major subcontractor budgets within their own. There must not be multiple workbooks between the prime and subcontractor(s), if applicable. See attachment J.3 for the budget template.

65 Submission of proposals – can it be a zip file or an attachment?

It must be in an attachment(s) format specified. RFP has been updated see Section L.3.

66 Do we provide the name of the chief of party?

No. See response to question 15 above.