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RFP NO. 72067419R00022
Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision and Pre- Exposure Prophylaxis Services in Lesotho (Khanya Project)
AMENDMENT NO. 1: QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS:
| 1 |
| Could USAID share how it arrived at the plug figure of $3,381,234.00 (minimum) for Grants Under Contract on page 160 of the RFP? What is the intent and purpose of GUCs and are certain services or activities expected to be covered under this set aside? |
| The plug figure of $3,381,234 (minimum) is an allocated program budget. The Grants under Contract mechanism will allow Contractors to engage local organizations on specific activities in achieving program results. |
| 2 |
| Can an offeror include an identified local partner as a sub-contractor, whereby this local partner can also remain eligible to receive and execute a grant under contract? |
| Yes. |
| 3 |
| Can the offeror provide grants to local governments, such as district health management teams or facilities? |
| Yes, provided they meet the requirements, conditions and approval specified in ADS 302.3.4.13. |
| 4 |
| Page 154 instructs offerors to reference Attachment J.4 to aid in the development or of the QASP – Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan. Can USAID confirm the workplan template provided as a reference is the correct document as intended? |
| On Page 154, the reference to Attachment J.4 is replaced with Attachment J.5. Section L.7 (d) (5) Section 1 Annex B has been revised. See revised RFP. |
| 5 |
| Could USAID provide a correct link for attachment J5 - Optional QASP Template. The link provided (https://www.acq.osd.mil/dpap/ccap/cc/corhb/Files/QASP/ACC%20QASP%20Template.docx) |
| The Sample QASP Template is hereby attached to the Revised RFP as attachment J.5. |
Appears to be broken.
| 6 |
| Could USAID post the small business subcontracting plan template? On page 77, it references the FBO solicitation package, but it is not currently posted online. |
| Attachment J.11 Small Business Subcontracting Plan Template is attached to this Amendment. |
| 7 |
| Could USAID provide the SF 33 template? |
| SF 33 has been incorporated on Page 3 of the Revised RFP. |
| 8 |
| The budget template provided shows four COP periods with no Start and End Dates for the first and last periods respectively. On the other hand, the budget template shown on page 6 of the solicitation shows 3 full years with no dates at all. Should we budget for the first and the last period represented in the budget template and if so, what are the start and end dates? Or should we budget for the 3 full years represented on Page 6? If the latter is true, could you provide the start date? |
| The Offeror should budget for the period (COP reporting period) reflected in Attachment J.3 Budget Template. The budget table in Section B.4 (page 6 of the RFP) has been revised to reflect the total budget for three years. For a uniform evaluation, Offerors must use April 1, 2020 as the start of the period of performance. |
| 9 |
| Are we expected to provide salary history for candidates on biodatas or was this an error? It seems as if offerors are required to use the new biodata form, but in the attachments, the requirement for salary history in addition to the rationale for the proposed salary section has been added |
| USAID will not request for salary history. Section H.6 (a) (1) has been revised and a new biographical data form is attached in Attachment J.6 (SF1420-17) of the Revised RFP. |
| 10 |
| Are biodatas required just for key personnel? |
| Biographical data sheets are required for key personnel and for all long-term, short-term expatriates and for all short-term and long-term cooperating country personnel being proposed. |
| 11 |
| What is the anticipated Period of Performance for Khanya and end date for TSEPO (March 2020 is mentioned on page 153 of the RFP)? |
| The end date of TSEPO is mentioned as March 31, 2020. The anticipated start date of Khanya is April 1, 2020. |
| 12 |
| Kindly clarify the guidance under the Transition Plan (page 154) that states the offeror must “develop an inventory of PEPFAR-funded human resources”? Does this only apply to Khanya-funded staff? Or all PEPFAR-funded human resources in Lesotho? |
| This applies to Khanya funded staff only. |
| 13 |
| On page 80, the RFP states the 5 districts where VMMC and PrEP should be offered and that the contractor should reach 80% coverage of the target populations in these districts. Can USAID confirm if 80% coverage is aligned with the targets highlighted on page 82-83? |
| Achieving these three-year targets will translate to 80% coverage in the supported districts. |
| 14 |
| On page 80, can USAID confirm if the contractor should provide PrEP at both community and facility levels in all 5 districts that are mentioned (Berea, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru, and Mohale’s Hoek)? |
| PrEP will only be provided using the community level platform. |
| 15 |
| On page 81, can USAID confirm if the MOH will provide family planning commodities to the Contractor in order to meet the requirements of the minimum package? |
| FP commodities are supplied by MOH. |
| 16 |
| Objective 1, Activity 1 on page 82 states “set site- and district-level VMMC and PrEP targets for adolescents/adult men, AGYW, FSW, SDC, MSM and PBFW’ and Objective 2 on page 83 states ‘address the demand for high quality, high volume, cost-efficient VMMC services among males 10 to 29 years and PrEP services among males and females 15 to 29 years”. Can USAID please confirm that males 15-29 years of age are now a target population for PrEP? |
| Ages 15-29 is the focus age group for PrEP in both males and females although eligible high-risk clients 30+ years can access services |
| 17 |
| Page 86 of the RFP states that the Contractor should advise the Global Health Supply Chain partner on quantities of VMMC kits to be procured per fiscal year. Can USAID confirm that the Contractor is not responsible for procuring the VMMC kits, lignocaine, HIV self-test kits, etc. and therefore they should not be budgeted? Will the Global Health Supply Chain Partner also procure PrEP commodities, including the point of care creatinine cartridges? |
| VMMC kits will be procured by the GHSC partner. Other commodities are supplied by the MOH. However, Contractors are encouraged to plan for a small buffer stock especially of lignocaine and other ancillary health commodities for VMMC in case of stockout at the government drug store. |
| 18 |
| Kindly confirm the contractor needs to propose 5-year performance indicator targets, per page 18 of the RFP, even though the contract is for 3 years? |
| The Offeror needs to propose a 3-year performance indicator targets. Section F.3 (3) has been revised to reflect a 3-year performance indicator. See attached Revised RFP. |
| 19 |
| Can USAID clarify if the Year 1 targets (and future years) will be aligned to the COP year (October - September) or will it be effective from the anticipated April award date? |
| The current award that ends on 31st March 2020 is responsible for 50% of Year 1 targets. |
In addition, please see answer to Question No. 8.
| 20 |
| On page 86, activity #4, could USAID specify who “their” is referring to? Is the offeror intended budget for procurement of buffer supplies? |
| Yes, this term “their” refers to the Contractor. Contractors must budget for this buffer stock. In addition, See answer to Question No. 17. |
| 21 |
| On Page 30, Clause H.6(a), Additional Requirements for Personnel Compensation, Limitations initially states that salaries may not exceed the Contractor’s established policy and practice and requires that policy shall be certified to by the Contractor. However, the clause continues by requiring Contracting Officer approval for any individual salary which exceeds the current salary or the highest rate of salary during the preceding three years. The reference in Clause H.6(a) to a historical salary conflicts with the USAID/OAA guidance. Please remove the requirement for any salary history and rely on the market value rationale presented on the 1420-17 for the proposed salary. |
| See answer on Question No. 9. |
| 22 |
| Page 30, Clause H.6(d), Additional Requirements for Personnel Compensation, Annual Salary Increases, requires CO approval for any annual increase, including promotions, that exceed five percent (5%), then refers to the Contractor’s established policy and practice. The reference in Clause H.6(d) to a limit on annual increases conflicts with the USAID/OAA guidance and may undermine gender equity. It also conflicts with the cost principles for Personnel Compensation found in FAR 31.205-6(a)(3), “conform to the terms and conditions of the contractor’s established compensation plan”. Please remove the requirement for such salary limitations based on an employee’s salary history and rely on the market value rationale presented on the 1420-17 and/or contractor policy for annual salary increases. |
| Section H.6 (d) is not in conflict with USAID/OAA guidance on the use of the revised biographical data sheet and FAR 31.2015-6(a)(3). If a Contractor's established |
policy and practice provide for an annual salary increase of more than five (5) percent, such an increase may be granted only with the advance written approval of the Contracting Officer.
| 23 |
| Page 92, Attachment J.6: Contractor’s Biographical Data Sheet as amended requires a rationale for the proposed salary in Box 16. The directions require supporting rationale for the market value of the proposed position. |
Question: Please provide guidance for the format and nature of the support data that you will require to establish the market value of a position.
There is no specific format. Offeror should indicate the appropriate market information and data used and include a rationale for its use.
| 24 |
| On Page 159, Clause L.8, Part 2(4)(A) – Proposed Costs/Prices, Budget Narrative, Labor requires a revised Form 1420-17 for “all long-term, short-term expatriates and for all short-term and long-term cooperating country personnel being proposed”. Please revise the requirement in the solicitation for submission of a revised Form 1420-17 to only the individuals prescribed by AIDAR 752.7001. |
| USAID needs to make a determination on the reasonableness of the proposed salaries. The requirement for Revised Form 1420-17 remains for all long-term, short-term expatriates and for all short-term and long-term cooperating country personnel being proposed. |
| 25 |
| On Page 155 / Past Performance – Please clarify if a total of 5 past performance write-ups are required across all substantial partners (5 total), or rather if 5 write-ups are required per partner. |
| It must include (5) of the most recent and relevant contracts and/or assistance awards of five (5) years per major subcontractors. |
| 26 |
| On Page 158 / Cost Proposal Part 2 Instructions – Please clarify if a 3-year budget is required or if it should consist of a 5-year budget as specified herein. |
| See answer on Question 18. |
| 27 |
| On Page 163 / Part 4 - Policies and Procedures – The instructions in this section state “Upon request of the Contracting Officer, the Offeror will submit policies and procedures ..” Please clarify if policies and procedures need to be submitted with the proposal documents, or whether this will be requested at a later stage. |
| The Offeror’s policies and procedures need not be submitted with the proposal documents. The Contracting Officer will request at a later stage. |
| 28 |
| On Page 165 / Branding and Marking Plan. Please clarify if a BIP & MP should be submitted with proposal documentation or whether this will be required at a later stage as it has not been included in the allowable annexes. We also note that USAID has provided a proposed BIP for this project. |
| Branding Implementation Plan and Marking plans will be requested of Offerors in the competitive range. |
| 29 |
| How does USAID envision this program working with USAID’s assigned PrEP provider at facilities within the specified districts? Is the intention that this program focuses on alternative approaches (i.e. beyond facilities) to reach beneficiaries and therefore not overlap with the facility PrEP provider? Or does USAID envision this program acting as a referral agent for the facility PrEP provider? |
| PrEP activities under this contract will only be implemented at the community level. PEPFAR/Lesotho has other partners implementing at the facility levels though synergy will be encouraged. |
| 30 |
| On Page 86 / Objective 4 – We take note that the successful contractor must work with USAID’s Global Health Supply Chain partner in the procurement of commodities for quality implementation of PrEP and VMMC. Can USAID provider further details on how it envisions this working relationship and particularly whether applicants should budget for commodities and supplies, or whether such items will rather be included in the Global Health Supply Chain partner’s budget? |
| See answers to Questions 15 and 17. |
