Attachment J.12 Questions and Answers.pdf
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- Solicitation number
- 72062122R00010
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This document contains questions and answers related to a USAID solicitation for the Heshimu Bahari Activity in Tanzania. The activity aims to support biodiversity conservation through interventions that reduce illegal and unsustainable fishing, improve coastal land and seascape governance and management, and strengthen policy development and implementation capacity. Key details include a two-step submission process for past performance and personnel information by April 29th and full proposals by May 13th, with no feedback between steps. The activity will incorporate inception phase planning and integration indicators once developed. Offerors should not include fee schedules or pricing data with proposals. Budgets may include costs for consultants, communications, rent and demobilization in the other direct costs category. Relevant past performance is defined as a $5 million marine biodiversity project in a similar context to Tanzania.
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Attachment. J.12
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
HESHIMU BAHARI ACTIVITY
Sol_72062122R00010
COVER PAGE
QUESTIONS ANSWERS
1. Can USAID confirm that the Past Performance Information and the Key Personnel Annex should be re-submitted with the final Technical Proposal submission on May 13th per the cover letter?
No. No need to re-submit Past Performance Information and the Key Personnel Annex with the final Technical Proposal
2. We note the two-step submission process for application material. Could USAID explain more about the rationale for this application process? How will the April 29th submission of past performance information and key personnel annexes be used?
Should applicants expect a response with an indication of whether or not to proceed with submitting the full proposal? If so, when can this response be expected?
The rationale for the early submission of the PPI and Key Personnel Annex is to allow USAID to start gathering PPI and the Key Personnel references ready for evaluation with the technical proposal.
No responses or feedback will be provided after the submission of the PPI and the Key Personnel Annex. The expectation is the full proposal will be submitted.
SECTION B – SERVICES/PRICES
QUESTIONS ANSWERS
3. Should offerors include a Fee Distribution Schedule as per clause B.6 with the proposal or wait to be asked post-award?
No Fee Distribution schedule is required at the time of proposal submission. The Fee Distribution Schedule will be established at the Work Plan stage.
SECTION C – DESCRIPTION/SPECIFICATIONS/STATEMENT OF WORK
QUESTIONS ANSWERS
4. A) Can USAID share the integration indicators from the Performance Management Plan referenced in Section C.8.3?
B) Can USAID confirm that these indicators should not be included in the offeror’s list of performance indicators in Annex B?
A) Per Section H.16 of the RFP, the integration indicators will apply to the activity once they are developed and approved.
B) Yes. These integration indicators must be included in the MEL plan.
5. May USAID clarify if offerors are expected to include their approach to the inception phase described in section C.8.2 within the five pages of the management approach allocated to MEL?
Technical and Management aspects of the inception Phase must be addressed by offerors in the technical approach and the management approach. Offerers must also include details of the inception phase in Annex A: First Year Work Plan.
6. Note 2 at the bottom of p.17 includes a hyperlink to a biodiversity programming guide that does not
Here is the functional link:
https://biodiversitylinks.org/projects/completed-https://biodiversitylinks.org/projects/completed-projects/measuring-impact/how-to-guides-for-usaid-biodiversity-programming appear to work. Would USAID please provide the correct hyperlink?
projects/measuring-impact/how-to-guides-for-usaid-biodiversity-programming
The RFP is amended to add this functional hyperlink.
SECTION F – DELIVERIES OR PERFORMANCE
QUESTIONS ANSWERS
7. Can USAID confirm that context indicators required by Section F.4, page 34 in the post-award MEL Plan deliverable are not required for inclusion in the technical proposal?
The Performance and Context Indicator Reference Sheets can be submitted with the final MEL plan within 90 days after award.
SECTION I – CONTRACT CLAUSES
QUESTIONS ANSWERS
8. Can USAID confirm that per Clause 52.215-2 Certified Cost and Pricing Data Certificate is not required with the proposal submission given that this is a full open competition and thus exempt?
FAR Clause 52.215-2 is not for Certified Cost and Pricing Data. No clause relating to Certified Cost and Pricing Data is included in the RFP. The Offerors are not required to submit Certified Cost and Pricing Data.
SECTION L – INSTRUCTIONS, CONDITIONS, AND NOTICES TO OFFERORS
QUESTIONS ANSWERS
9. Can USAID confirm that offerors may include additional information in Annex B (Draft Activity MEL Plan) beyond the table containing indicator information described in section L.6.2?
Yes, Offerors may include additional information in Annex B beyond the table containing indicators provided that the stated page limitation is not exceeded.
10. Can USAID confirm that Offerors should not budget all projected VAT costs in Tanzania, and it will not be billable per section L.7.2 a. 2 on page 120?
The Offerors should budget all projected VAT costs in Tanzania, however, the VAT costs may be allowable by the Contracting Officer if the conditions in Attachments J.6, J.7, and J.8 are met.
11. Page 61 (clause 61) says that VAT purchases under $500 are allowable; can USAID clarify if those costs should be budgeted and will be billable?
Yes. VAT amount below $500 should be budgeted and may be allowable as per Attachment J.8.
12. Can USAID confirm that the Technical Proposal Cover page should include UEIs instead of DUNS as listed in Section L.6.1?
Yes. The Offerors must include a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) instead of DUNS.
The RFP is amended to reflect this change.
13. A) Can USAID confirm that an Executive Summary can be included per section L.6.1(b) and will not be part of the technical approach page limit?
B) Can USAID confirm that an Executive Summary can precede the Technical Approach as listed in section L.6.1(b)?
A) Yes. The Executive Summary can be included and will not be counted against the page limit.
Executive Summary will not be evaluated.
B) Yes. The Executive Summary can precede the Technical Approach however it will not be evaluated.
https://biodiversitylinks.org/projects/completed-projects/measuring-impact/how-to-guides-for-usaid-biodiversity-programming https://biodiversitylinks.org/projects/completed-projects/measuring-impact/how-to-guides-for-usaid-biodiversity-programming
14. Can USAID confirm that the Key Personnel references described in section L.6.2(vi) on page 117 are not included in the 2-page limit of the CV?
No. The Key Personnel references are included in the 2-page limit of the CV.
15. Can USAID confirm that Consultants are part of the Contractual line item referenced in summary format for Budget Categories in section L.7.a on page 119?
Yes. Consultants' costs can be included in the Contractual budget line item.
16. Can USAID confirm that Allowances are part of the Other Direct Costs line item referenced in summary format for Budget Categories in section L.7.a on page 119?
No. Allowances are part of the Fringe Benefits Budget Category
RFP is amended to reflect this change.
17. Can USAID confirm that Communications are part of the Other Direct Costs line item referenced in summary format for Budget Categories in section L.7.a on page 119?
Yes. Communication costs can be included in the Other Direct Costs line item.
18. Can USAID confirm that Office Rent are part of the Other Direct Costs line item referenced in summary format for Budget Categories in section L.7.a on page 119?
Yes. Rent costs can be included in the Other Direct Costs line item.
19. Can USAID confirm that Demobilization costs are part of the Other Direct Costs line item referenced in summary format for Budget Categories in section L.7.a on page 119?
Yes. Demobilization costs can be included in the Other Direct Costs line item.
20. On p.115, L.6.1(b) references an executive summary, but one is not included in the proposal outline in L.6.1(e). Does USAID request that offerors include an executive summary in the technical volume?
Yes. USAID allows Offerors to include the Executive Summary, however, the Executive Summary will not be evaluated.
RFP is amended to add the Executive summary in section L.6.1(e).
21. Would USAID consider fonts besides Time New Roman for charts and tables included in annexes?
Fonts other than Times New Roman can be used for Charts and Tables included in the Annexes.
22. Contractors are obliged to comply with local law when paying severance. Would USAID include FAR 52.237-9 under Section K.1 for contractor compliance with local law?
The Mission lacks the authority to include this clause. However, it is still possible to make severance payments as required by Tanzanian law.
23. Page 115 L.6.1 (c) states, “All graphs and charts must be included in the annexes,” but (d) states that “A page in the Technical Proposal that contains a table, chart, graph, etc. not otherwise excluded below is included within the stated page limitation for the Technical Proposal.” Will USAID confirm that graphics are allowed in the technical approach?
Yes, USAID allows Graphs and Charts in the technical proposal and they will be counted toward the page limit.
The text “All graphs and charts must be included in the annexes” is deleted from the
RFP.
24. Would USAID confirm that Annex B (Draft Activity Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Plan) should be presented entirely in a table format?
Yes, Annex B (Draft Activity Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Plan) should be presented entirely in a table format.
25. We noted a discrepancy between the summary budget line-item definitions on p.119 and line items listed beginning on p.120. For example, USAID’s summary budget does not include consultants, subcontracts, and allowance line items, but they are listed under budget line-item definitions. Will USAID confirm that contractors may update the summary budget table so that it matches the budget line items listed in the instructions?
Yes, the Offeror may update the summary budget table so that it matches the budget line items listed in the instructions.
SECTION M - EVALUATION FACTORS FOR AWARD
QUESTIONS ANSWERS
26. On page 130 of the RFP, Relevant Past Performance is defined as an ‘activity with a life of project of value of at least $5 million that includes Marine biodiversity conservation in a context similar to Tanzania.’ Does this financial criteria apply for the relevant past performance of major subcontractors?
No, the Project value of at least $5 Million applies to the Prime Contractor.
******END OF QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS*****
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