Questions and Answers Civil Society.pdf

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1. Section B.4. Budget on page 10 of the RFP states that the offeror must set aside a minimum of 20% of the budget for Grants Under Contract while Section L. G. Grants Under Contract states the Grants Under Contract should be a minimum of 25 % of the budget. Please clarify what the set-aside for Grants Under Contract should be.

USAID Offerors must set aside 25%. Section B. updated in the amended solicitation.

2. Section B.4 on page 10 states that the offeror must set aside a minimum of 20% of its total budget to provide Grants Under Contracts (GUC). However, Section L.7, Part 2 (3)(G) on page 125 states that the offeror must set aside a minimum of 25% of its total budget to provide GUC. Could USAID please confirm that 20% is the minimum percentage of the total budget required for GUCs?

USAID See response to question one. The minimum percentage is 25%.

3. Table in B.4. does not match the categories in the J.2. budget template summary tab. Will USAID confirm which summary categories offerors should use? Additionally, when completing the budget template provided in J.2., will USAID please confirm that offerors can add/move cost subcategories according to their policies and practices?

USAID Table B.4 will be the final contract budget. Budget submissions must follow template on J.2 for the breakdown of costs and offerors must not move costs/subcategories as we aim to evaluate all offers using the same budget lines and breakdown.

4. RFP page 10 states that the “Offeror must set aside a minimum of 20% of its total budget to provide Grants Under Contracts (GUCs),” while page 125 states that minimum as 25%. Would USAID please clarify the minimum set aside for GUCs?

USAID See response to question one. The minimum percentage is 25%.

5. Section H.3(a)(1) on page 30 states, ‘If, during contract performance, the contractor proposes salary or wages for a new individual(s) that exceeds 5% ceiling of the individual’s current salary or wage or the highest rate of annual salary or wage received during any full year of the immediately preceding three (3) years, the Cognizant Contracting Officer’s approval is required.” The latest version of the Contractor Biographical Data Sheet – USAID Form 1420-17, as required in Section L.7, Part 2 (3)(A) on page 124, does not require potential employees or consultants to disclose their salary or consultant rate history. Could USAID please confirm that offerors should use market data rather than salary or rate history in determining proposed salaries for this

Attachment I - Questions and Answers 72066921R00008 Civil Society Page 2 activity, including consultant rates, and remove all language related to using salary or rate history to establish proposed salaries and rates from the RFP?

USAID Confirmed. Please note that during contract performance the salaries will be approved by the Contracting Officer in accordance with the percentage ceiling established in Section H.3. Solicitation updated to reflect 5% of the ceiling established for the position.

6. Will USAID remove H.3.(a) as it is inconsistent with the new biodata form?

USAID Updated to reflect new employees as it relates to the positions salaries approved.

7. H.3.(d) “annual salary increases” refers to H.X. Will USAID confirm that this is intended to read “H.2”?

USAID Confirmed and updated in the amended solicitation.

8. Section L.5 instructs offerors to submit Annex B: Matrix summarizing the skills of all proposed staff. Please confirm that offerors are required to propose the titles, skills and roles, of proposed positions, but not the names, as part of their technical proposal submission.

USAID Section L. 6 requires a matrix summarizing the skills of all proposed staff.

a. Please confirm that offerors may provide professional references outside of the three-page limit for key personnel resumes.

USAID : Professional reference should be provided at the end of the resumes for key personnel and should be included in Annex A. Please note the page limitation for each of the key personnel per page 118 of the RFP.

b. For Annex E, Illustrative Roster of Technical Short-Term Technical Assistance

(STTA), please confirm that offerors are to provide a one-page roster of illustrative STTA, including short biographies and skill sets.

USAID Confirmed. See attached amendment.

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9. Section L.6.A on pages 117 and 118. Could USAID confirm the following:

a. May offerors use font size 9 for textboxes as well as tables and charts?

USAID Confirmed. See attached amendment.

b. May offerors include a cover page [in addition to the 1-page cover letter] that does not count toward the 30-page limitation?

USAID Please follow the instructions.

c. May offerors include an acronyms list that does not count toward the 30-page limitation?

USAID Please follow the instructions.

10. Section L.6. A (page 117) of the RFP states that the “technical proposal must be submitted with sections separately ....” Could USAID please confirm that they expect each of the major technical proposal sections to start on a new page?

USAID: Correct. Each new technical proposal section should begin on a new page.

11. Section L.6.A provides a bulleted list of technical proposal elements that do not count against the page limit. The list includes “Annex F. Past Performance References” and “Annex F. Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP),” and past performance appears in the final bullet but without an annex label. Could USAID please confirm that offerors are to provide past performance information as an annex to the technical proposal? If so, please indicate whether it should be Annex F or Annex H.

USAID Please include as past performance matrix and report form, the same as you would the other sections outlined in the Request for Proposal. See annex numbering sequence updated in the attached amendment.

12. RFP Section L.6, page 117, instructs offerors not to use type that is smaller than 11 “pitch.” Would USAID confirm that whether it defines “pitch” as the same as “point” size and that offerors should not use a font size smaller than an 11 point?

USAID Confirmed. Updated to “point”.

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13. Section L.6.A. Organization of Technical Proposal on page 118 of the RFP states that Annex G should include any other RFP documents that were requested to be in an annex.

Could USAID clarify which documents, aside from the list of annexes provided on page 118, should be annexed?

USAID Please follow the instructions. See other annexes referenced throughout the solicitation.

14. In RFP Section L.6, page 118, the annex letter for the Past Performance References (referenced in Annex E) appear to be mislabeled as Annex F, which is listed as the quality assurance surveillance plan. It appears that Past Performance, which is currently a bullet point under the list of annexes, should be Annex H. Would USAID please update the lettering for the annexes?

USAID Section L.6 page 118 updated in the attached amendment.

15. Section L.6.B (a) calls for a “Performance Work Statement (PWS)/Technical Approach,” which implies that the two terms are being treated interchangeably. However, Section C states that “USAID will insert the contractor’s Performance Work Statement at award” but doesn’t mention the Technical Approach. Section L.6.B (a) provides instructions for the Technical Approach but not for the PWS. Would USAID please clarify:

a. Whether the terms “PWS” and “Technical Approach” are being used interchangeably or are different? If different, what are the instructions for completing the PWS?

USAID The technical approach will be incorporated as the PWS.

b. If the PWS and Technical Approach are different, whether offerors are expected to use a contract writing style including “contractor must” or “contractor shall” for only the PWS or both?

USAID See a. Please use the style for writing performance work statements.

c. What is included in Section C on award (the PWS only or the combined PWS/Technical Approach)?

USAID The technical approach is the PWS.

16. Section L.6.B (a) (page 118) calls for a “Performance Work Statement (PWS)/Technical Approach,” which implies that the two terms are being treated interchangeably. However, Section C states that “USAID will insert the contractor’s Performance Work Statement at award” but doesn’t mention the Technical Approach. Section L.6.B (a) provides

72066921R00008 Civil Society Page 5 instructions for the Technical Approach but not for the PWS. Would USAID please clarify:

a. Whether the terms “PWS” and “Technical Approach” are being used interchangeably or are different? If different, what are the instructions for completing the PWS?

USAID The technical approach is the PWS. See answer to question 15. a.

b. If the PWS and Technical Approach are different, whether offerors are expected to use a contract writing style including “contractor must” or “contractor shall” for only the PWS or both?

USAID Please use the style for writing performance work statements. See answer to question 15. b.

c. What is included in Section C on award (the PWS only or the combined

PWS/Technical Approach)?

USAID The technical approach is the PWS. See answer to question15. c.

d. Section L.6.B (a) also states: “Offerors must present their technical approach and demonstrate their capabilities and expertise with respect to achieving each of the objectives.” Can USAID please confirm that offerors should elaborate on their capabilities in the Technical Approach section (particularly if the Technical Approach will be included in the contract), where one does not usually mention contractor capabilities?

USAID Please follow the instructions in the Request for Proposal and the different sections corresponding to the proposal as a package.

17. Section L.6.B (a) also states: “Offerors must present their technical approach and demonstrate their capabilities and expertise with respect to achieving each of the objectives.” Can USAID please confirm that offerors should elaborate on their capabilities in the Technical Approach section (particularly if the Technical Approach will be included in the contract), where one does not usually mention contractor capabilities?

USAID Please follow the instructions in the Request for Proposal and the different sections corresponding to the proposal as a package.

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18. Section L.6 B. (b) Content of Technical Proposal, Management and Mobilization Plan on page 119 states that the Offerors must include the proposed number of positions, titles, and brief job descriptions for professional technical staff and consultants should be included as part of the technical proposal, along with names of individuals proposed for positions on the Contractor’ s staff and their institutional affiliation, and an organizational chart. In addition, a matrix of all proposed staff summarizing relevant technical and administrative skills, education, and field experience relevant to the Liberia context, should be included as an annex. It appears to us that we are being asked to include similar information in the management chapter as in the Annex. Would USAID consider revising these instructions to require an overview of the staffing structure with brief descriptions of the positions in the body of the Management Chapter, with more details on titles, job descriptions, names of individuals, relevant technical/administrative skills, and their affiliation presented in Annex B?

USAID

❖ Please note that Key Personnel Resumes and Letters of Commitment are required in Annex A.

❖ Annex B includes a matrix summarizing the skills of all proposed staff.

Please refer to Section L.6.A for what is required for each Annex. Section L.6 B (b) refers to the staffing and recruitment plan and how you plan to start up rapidly. As discussed on page 120 the matrix of all proposed staff should be included in the annex.

19. Section L.6.B(b) includes instructions regarding completion of the small business management table (page 121) for submission with offerors’ technical proposals. Please confirm that offerors may include this table in Annex G of the proposal.

USAID Please use Annex G for other annexes as instructed in the Request for Proposal.

20. Section L.6 B. (d) Past Performance on page 121 states that the offeror must provide performance information for itself, the contractor teaming arrangements, if any, and each major subcontractor (one whose proposed cost exceeds 20% of the offeror’s total proposed cost). Can USAID please confirm the following:

a. That all past performance information can be included in the annexes, and what the lettering of that annex would be.

USAID Confirmed. Please follow “other documents to be included as an annex”

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b. That the offeror must include at least one, but no more than three, past performance information reports for itself; up to three for each contractor teaming arrangement, if any; and up to three for each major subcontractor.

USAID Confirmed.

c. That the offeror is allowed to include past performance information for non- USAID funded projects as long as it meets the requirements in accordance with Section L.6 B. (d) and Section M.2 (d).

USAID Confirmed

21. Section L.7. Instructions for the Preparation of the Cost/Business Proposal, Travel on page 125 states that Offerors must complete the Travel Table worksheet in Attachment J2 – Budget Template but the Travel Table worksheet is not included in the template provided. Could USAID share a revised template that includes this worksheet?

USAID Offerors should use their own format for the travel worksheet.

22. Please confirm that Attachment J.8 Past Performance Information Form should only be completed for projects that are not in CPARS.

23. In RFP Section L.6, page 122, with respect to reports submitted to the eSRS as part of the Past Performance annex, would USAID please define “recent” and total number of reports that offerors should provide?

USAID Last three years. Updated in the solicitation amendment.

24. Section L.7, Part 1 on page 123 states that an original signature is required for the Standard Form (FF) 33. Since proposals will be submitted electronically, would USAID please confirm that a scanned or electronic signature is sufficient?

25. Section L.7, Part 2 (3)(G) on page 125 states that offerors included in the competitive range will be required to submit a small business subcontracting plan. However, Section L.7, Part 6 on page 129 states, “If the offeror is other than a small business, it must

72066921R00008 Civil Society Page 8 submit a subcontracting plan…” Would USAID please confirm that offerors are required to submit a small business subcontracting plan only at the competitive range?

USAID Confirmed. Only at the competitive range stage with the Cost Proposal.

26. Would USAID consider removing subcontracting/small business goal plan from the technical (listed as the first bullet under the “Subcontracting: Small Business Goal Plan” of the “Management and Mobilization” section) allowing offerors to complete the table with goals (included on page 121) and the complete subcontracting plan with the cost proposal per L.7?

USAID Confirmed. Solicitation amended.

27. Would USAID please clarify if the small business subcontracting plan is due at submission per L.6.B or during comp range per L.7.

28. Would USAID clarify the difference between the small business subcontracting plan asked for as part of the tech volume and the one asked for as part of the cost volume?

USAID See answer to question 25. The small business subcontracting plan is to be submitted with the cost proposal.

29. Fixed obligation grants and standard grants no longer exist per ADS 303.3.24.

Would USAID please consider replacing fixed obligation grants and standard grants with fixed amount awards and renewal awards per ADS 303.3.24?

30. Section L.7, Part 2 (3)(G) on page 125 states, “Similar information as submitted by the prime Offerors on the cost proposal must be provided for all Subcontracts.” However, other parts of the cost proposal specify which aspects of the cost proposal are required for the Prime, Major Subcontractors, and/or other subcontractors. As sufficient instructions on different cost requirements are listed elsewhere in Section L.7, would USAID please consider removing this sentence from the solicitation?

USAID Please follow the instructions.

31. RFP Section L.7, Part 10, is titled “Letters of Commitment (Major Subcontractors).” The instructions, however, state that a signed letter must be included for each subcontractor.

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Will USAID please confirm whether letters of commitment should be provided only for major subcontractors or for all subcontractors?

USAID All subcontractors. Solicitation amended.

32. Section M.2. Technical Evaluation Criteria on page 134 states that the PWS/Technical Approach will be evaluated based on sub-factors, but the sub-factors are not provided. Could USAID please clarify what sub-factors will be used to evaluate the proposal?

USAID Subfactors provided in the form of bullets.

33. Attachment J.4 includes a Disclosure of Lobbying Activities, but Section L.7 does not include a requirement to submit this form. Could USAID please clarify whether this form is a required element of the cost proposal and, if yes, for whom it is required—Prime Offeror only or also (major) subcontractors?

USAID Solicitation amended to include the requirement for Attachment J.4 in Section L.7. for primer offeror and major subcontractors.

34. RFP Section J lists attachment J.4 as Disclosure of Lobbying Activities, however, it is not called for in Section L. Will USAID please confirm if they would like us to attach this as an annex to the cost volume? If so, will USAID also confirm if this is required for

USAID See answer to question 22. Solicitation amended to include the requirement for Attachment J.4 in Section L.7. for the prime offeror and major subcontractors.

35. The draft results framework on RFP page 144 is illegible. Would USAID kindly circulate a clear version?

USAID Please find a copy of the draft results framework as an attachment to this Amendment.

36. Section C.3.b Activity Objectives on page 144 of the RFP presents a draft results framework for the project. Can USAID please provide a legible version of this graphic?

USAID See answer to question 35 and attachment.

37. The indicators included on the draft results framework do not appear to align with the illustrative indicators appearing in Section C.3.b, Activity Objectives. Would USAID please clarify which illustrative indicators should be included in offerors’ proposals or whether offerors are free to propose illustrative indicators as appropriate?

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USAID The indicators in Section C are illustrative. Each offeror should propose indicators in the MEL plan in accordance with instructions in section C.5 and L.6.A.

38. Attachment J.1 Statement of Objectives on page 140 references the USAID/Washington Analysis of Feedback Loops that Strengthen Democratic Accountability within Partner Country Systems. Could USAID provide a link to this analysis?

USAID Please find it in Attachment II Analyzing Feedback Loops.

39. Attachment J.1, C.3 Activity Objectives on page 142 states that the awardee will be expected to map CSOs and advocacy priorities in target communities. Can USAID please:

a. Provide a list of the target communities the Activity is expected to support; or

b. Clarify if offerors are expected to propose target communities in their proposals;

or

c. Clarify if offerors are expected to wait until post-award to map CSOs and advocacy priorities nationally, by thematic area, in order to select target communities in coordination with USAID?

USAID Mapping will take place after the contract is awarded.

40. Attachment J.1, C.7 Programmatic Themes on page 146 states that final determinations in priority themes will be made after award. However, Section C.8 GESI Considerations states that successful proposals will propose three tentative thematic areas. Please confirm that the Offerors are expected to propose only the methodology for theme selection, and that the themes will be determined through consultations after award, in line with the PDIA approach.

USAID Please be advised that priority themes will be determined after the contract is awarded. Offerors are expected in their technical proposal to propose illustrative themes in accordance with Section C.8.

41. Will USAID please confirm the NAICS code it would like to use for this solicitation?

USAID 541990

42. Will USAID delete clause FAR 52.237-8 “restriction on severance payments to foreign nationals” (page 79) given that it contradicts FAR 52.237-9 “waiver of limitation on severance payments” (page 61)?

USAID FAR 52.237-9 provides the waiver as applicable.

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43. Would USAID consider deleting certain clauses such as, FAR 52.223-13, 14, 15, 16, given that we won’t be “deliver[ing], furnish[ing] for Government use, or furnish[ing] for contractor use at a Federally controlled facility”?

USAID Clauses will be incorporated into the final contract as applicable.

END OF QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS