Consolidated Questions from Possible Offerors - E_E activity.pdf

Consolidated Questions from Possible Offerors - The E&E activity

1. Regarding Section L.7(e) - Please confirm that the references to slide page limits on page 69 should apply to Sections L.7.1.2 and L.7.1.3, rather than L.7.1(a) and L.7.1(b).

Confirmed that the references to slide page limits on page 69 should apply to Sections L.7.1.2 and L.7.1.3, rather than L.7.1(a) and L.7.1(b). However, USAID revised the solicitation to correct this reference.

2. Can USAID please clarify the required components (CVs, letters of commitment, etc.) of the proposed key personnel documentation described in Section L.8.1(b), page 71 of the RFP, to be provided as part of the business file?

USAID amended the solicitation to clarify the required components of the proposed key personnel documentation described in Section L.8.1(b), page 71 of the RFP.

3. Would USAID please provide a timeline to expect notifications to offerors following Phase 1 concept note submission?

After receipt of the Concept Paper, USAID/Rwanda will make every effort to notify offerors by December 10.

4. In Section L.5, the RFP states that “as a cover letter to the submission using Attachment J.4 as a template, list no more than 4 of the most recent…and relevant contracts for efforts similar to the work in the subject proposal.” The RFP also states that “offerors must not submit past performance information for contracts in CPARS.” Can USAID clarify what information (apart from completed CPARS reports) should be provided for contracts in the CPARS? Which fields in Attachment J.4 should be completed for these contracts (if any)?

Please refer to Section L.8.5 (b), page 73.

5. On page 3 of Attachment J.3 – Budget Narrative, the “Consolidated Budget by Major Cost Category” chart includes a plug figure of $388,000 per year for Other Direct Costs. Can USAID please confirm that this figure is illustrative?

Confirmed.

6. Would USAID please confirm that offerors may include with the concept note a table of contents and acronyms list that would not count against the page limit?

Confirmed.

7. Would USAID please confirm that concept notes with the main narrative in 11-point Times New Roman and with tables, text boxes, and graphics in 9-point Arial are acceptable?

No.

8. Section B.7 states that USAID will pay a proportion of the Contractor’s fixed fee each month upon receipt of an acceptable invoice. The section also states that payment for fee will be included in the invoice for the month of each Quarterly Progress Report. Would

USAID please confirm that fee will be paid each month based on submitted invoices, with approval of each Quarterly Progress Report serving as validation of the fee earned?

Confirmed.

9. The RFP indicates that GUCs are envisioned; the specific authorizing language, however, is not included in RFP Section H. Would USAID kindly incorporate the GUC authorizing language from ADS 302 into RFP Section H (ADS 302.3.5.6 and ADS 302.3.4.13)?

USAID amended the solicitation to include the specific GUC’s authorizing language under Section H.

10. Section L.8.3(b) states that large business offerors are not to propose ceilings on indirect rates. This appears to contradict the information requested in Section B.5(b). Would USAID please confirm whether large-business offerors should propose ceilings on indirect cost rates?

USAID amended the solicitation to remove the reference to ceiling indirect rates in Section B.5.

11. Section L.8.3(c) mentions “ceiling unburdened daily rates” (CDRs). Because CDRs are not required elsewhere in the RFP, would USAID please revise this request to remove the requirements that salaries do not exceed proposed CDRs?

No.

12. RFP Attachment J.3 (Section III.A.7) requires offerors to provide additional data to support the LCP level of proposed CCN/TCN personnel. Would USAID consider removing this requirement, provided that proposed local labor rates fall within the ranges in Section III.A.7?

No.

13. Would USAID please provide an estimated date for notifying offerors of the evaluation findings/ rankings of the concept note phase?

See the answer to question 3.

14. Would USAID consider changing the oral presentation sub-criteria time limits to suggested guidelines, giving offerors the flexibility to deviate slightly from these, while adhering to the overall time limits for each factor (45 minutes for Implementation Approach and Corporate Experience and 30 minutes for Key Personnel and Staffing Approach)?

No.

15. What are the adjectival ratings USAID plans to use in evaluation and the relative weight (by percentage) for the three evaluation factors? Could an offeror whose concept note is not one of the three highest rated still win the award based on the HTR evaluation method?

USAID need not disclose the adjectival ratings in the solicitation; instead, USAID defines the adjectival ratings in its source selection plan, which governs USAID’s internal evaluation processes.

Although it is theoretically possible that an offeror who submitted a concept note that USAID did not consider one of the three highest rated could win, it is unlikely.

Accordingly, USAID would discourage such an offeror from submitting an offer.

16. Would USAID allow offerors to include videos in the oral presentation PowerPoint?

No. USAID amended the solicitation to expressly prohibit the use of videos in the presentation.

17. Would USAID please confirm that there is no Q&A anticipated as part of the oral presentation?

Following the formal Oral Presentation as described in L.7.1, USAID reserves the right to conduct Q&A based on the written materials and oral presentation.

18. Section L.6(c)(iii) indicates that “Named personnel are not required at the concept note stage but should be identified for the oral presentations. However, Section L.8.1(b)iii specifies that the business file must include proposed key personnel documentation. The oral presentations occur starting January 24; while the briefing materials are due January

7. Will the Mission kindly clarify if the proposed key personnel are to be identified during oral presentations or in the briefing materials?

Offerors must identify named personnel when they submit their briefing materials.

19. When does USAID intend to notify bidders if their concept note is one of three highest technical-rated submissions?

See the answer to question 3.

a. The RFP indicates that after phase 1 notification, offerors must submit their business volume. However, submissions that are not the highest technical-rated are not necessarily eliminated per L.6.1(c). What are the anticipated timelines for alternates to submit the business volume?

USAID will make every effort to notify all offerors about their concept notes by December 10, 2021. Although highly discouraged, an offeror that submitted a concept note that USAID did not consider as one of the highest rated would nevertheless follow the submission schedule identified in the cover letter to the solicitation.

20. RFP Section C.3: USAID indicated that 38,000 jobs per year are created by the private sector in Rwanda, but does not indicate a breakdown by sector. Given the preference for the E&E Activity to focus on supporting the agri-food system, of the 38,000 created jobs per year, how many (number or percentage) are estimated to be in the agri-food system?

USAID defers to the offeror in developing their job creation strategy based on a contextually-appropriate mix of information sources.

21. Section C.2 indicates that the Activity will work to ameliorate the insufficient employment and limited entrepreneurial challenges within the agri-food system and supporting sectors;

however, it doesn’t provide a clear disaggregation. Out of the targeted 19,000 FTE jobs, is a particular percentage to come from the agri-food systems versus the supporting sectors?

The jobs created should be related directly or indirectly to agri-food systems. During the start-up phase with submission of the M&E plan, USAID and the implementing partner will work together on determining job creation has a relationship with agri-food systems so as to be counted towards fulfilling the indicator.

22. RFP Section H.14(b)i: How does USAID determine and subsequently designate ‘priority activities’ that would need COR technical concurrence of personnel?

USAID and eventual Implementing Partner will jointly identify these with annual work plans.

23. Page 2 of Background and Theory of Change states “1.) Rwandans lack the education and skills (foundational, technical, soft, and entrepreneurial) demanded in the labor market or required for successful entrepreneurship; 2.) Businesses lack the resources or incentives to expand and grow; and 3.) .” Is there meant to be a third theme listed here?

No. USAID amended the solicitation to correct this typo.

24. On pg. 6, C.3 Results and Indicators, under the Table: Minimum Results for Feed the Future E&E Activity, minimum targets of 23,000 and 19,000 beneficiaries are mentioned, can USAID clarify if these are direct or indirect beneficiary targets?

These targets are for direct beneficiaries only.

25. Can USAID confirm that the reference to burdened rates on L.8.3 Budget Spreadsheet, page 71 is a mistake as no unburdened rates have been suggested by USAID and that the rates suggested by the Offeror will not be considered fixed for all Contract years?

USAID amended the solicitation to make it clear that offerors must not apply any other escalators to the proposed unburdened labor rates other than the proposed escalation rate.

26. Could USAID kindly confirm that offerors should follow the instructions listed in L.8 for preparation of their business file rather than L.4, as L.8 contains additional requirements such as key personnel documentation?

Confirmed.

27. Given that the slides may be reviewed after the oral presentation is concluded, could USAID confirm that information provided orally during the oral presentation, but not included in written form on the Power Point slides, will not be evaluated?

Section L.7(e) clearly states that USAID will evaluate slide content (noting the important caveat in that last sentence of paragraph (e).

28. Could USAID kindly confirm that as part of the Overall Staffing Approach presentation during the oral presentation, the presenters should speak to the proposed staffing structure as well as present the qualifications of the 3 additional named Key Personnel, since the COP and second Key Personnel Presenter’s qualifications will be covered in Parts 2 and 3?

Confirmed, per the RFP, in Part 1 Offerors must describe the overall staffing approach and demonstrate how the combination of proposed Key Personnel understanding, expertise, and knowledge of country-context contribute to the objectives/intermediate results outlined in Section C. COP and Second Key Personnel qualifications will be elaborated in Parts 2 and 3.

29. Given there is no Section L6.4.2 or standard labor groupings in the current RFP, can USAID please confirm the labor groups are not relevant to the E&E Activity and remove them from the narrative template?

Please refer to Attachment J.3, Section III.B. Summary of Proposed Labor Rates where the labor categories for the E&E Activity are identified.

30. Given there is no section L.6.4.8(d) in the current RFP, can USAID please confirm that documented analysis of subofferor pricing is not relevant to the E&E Activity and will be removed from the RFP and narrative template?

USAID amended the solicitation to correct Attachment J.3.

31. Can USAID please confirm that the Labor Rate Categories referenced in J.3 Budget Narrative Template are not applicable to the E&E Activity given that none are currently defined in the RFP?

The offeror must follow instructions provided in Attachment J.3, Section III for the Labor Rate Categories.

32. In (ii) Section 2: Corporate Experience Achieving Similar Results, could USAID confirm that offerors may describe corporate experience documenting successful implementation of similar interventions from ALL partners, rather than only offering experience from the prime offeror?

USAID amended the solicitation to allow offerors to discuss the corporate experience of proposed subofferors.

33. As there are discrepancies between the budget template (Attachment J.2) and budget narrative template (Attachment J.3), can USAID please confirm that (1) Medical Exams, DBA Insurance, Medical Examinations, Visas, Make Ready and Residential Guard Services should be included under ODCs, (2) the local fringe should be included under fringe section, and (3) HHE Shipment, HHE Storage, and POV Shipments should be included under Allowances?

Confirmed.

34. Can USAID please provide a timeline for when offerors will be notified of the competitiveness of the concept note?

See the answer to question 3.

35. Will USAID invite all applicants to submit briefing materials and offerors?

Please note that acquisitions involve “offerors” that submit “offers” that are specific terms of art defined in the federal acquisition regulation.

According to Section L.6.1(a), USAID will not “invite”; but, instead, notify the offerors as to whether USAID considers them one of the three highest rated offerors based on USAID’s evaluation of the concept note. The offerors will make their own decision on whether to participate in delivering an oral presentation. Please refer to Section L.7(b). However, it is discouraged.

36. When will applicants be notified of the date of their oral presentation?

Please refer to Section L.7(b).

37. Given the relative weight of this section, will USAID consider additional time for presentation of the Implementation Plan?

No.

38. Can USAID please clarify whether applicants should submit any additional information besides a slide deck for the technical proposal?

Please refer to Section L.7(e).

39. Can USAID please share the envisioned start date of this activity?

The estimated start date is o/a July 7, 2022.

40. Would USAID consider adding a second question period with less stringent page and formatting limitations to allow for more dialogue about the RFP requirements?

No.

41. The Budget Narrative template is complex and extensive in its requirements, which will limit an offeror’s ability to work with local partners. Would USAID consider 1.) revising the budget narrative template to allow more flexibility or 2.) allowing offerors to use their own format?

No.

42. The requirements for price justification of local labor and partner costs are extensive and will require extensive documentation. Would USAID consider simplifying the requirements?

No.

43. Section H.5 (a) and other parts reference IDIQs and Task Orders. Please confirm that the contract resulting from this RFP will not be a Task Order of an IDIQ?

USAID amended the solicitation to correct this Section.

44. Section B.8 has a Cancellation Ceiling of $0. Can USAID please confirm that non-amortized costs after notice of cancellation would still be reimbursed by USAID?

Confirmed.

45. On Page 3 of the Budget Narrative template, there are annual amounts of $388,000 included in Table II.A Consolidated Budget by Major Cost Category in the Other Direct Costs category. Are offerors meant to use these amounts as a plug figure for Other Direct Costs?

This figure is illustrative.

46. Budget Narrative, Section C.3 references a nonexistant supplementary table. Please provide.

USAID amended the solicitation to correct this reference.

47. A post-award consent to subcontract approval process could delay an offeror’s ability to bring subofferors on board quickly for implementation. Would USAID reconsider allowing offerors to request pre-award consent to subcontract?

Please refer to Attachment J.3, Section VIII.D. (page 15).

48. Please confirm that page 2 of the Budget Narrative was intentionally left blank.

Confirmed.

49. Is it necessary for an offeror to individually justify every level of the local salary scale? Is it sufficient to state that an offeror has developed their salary scale informed by USAID’s LCP, additional market analysis, and experience?

Please refer to pages 4-5, Attachment J.3, Budget Narrative.

50. Please confirm that consultants, including local consultants, require a justification paragraph as well as backup documentation (biodata, prior invoices, market data)?

Please refer to pages 9-10, Attachment J.3, Budget Narrative.

51. Budget template – detail tab: The Budget columns are currently arranged by IR (IR 1 – Years 1-5, IR 2 – Years 1-5, etc.). Would USAID find it acceptable for the Offeror to arrange the columns by year (Year 1 would have multiple columns for the 3 IRs, then Year 2, etc.

Yes.

52. Page 16 of the RFP includes CCN Fringe Benefits. Please confirm that these costs should be included in the Fringe Benefits category as noted on page 7.

Confirmed.

53. Section B.5 of the RFP requests ceiling indirect rates, but L.8.3(b) states that Large Business Offerors should not propose ceiling indirect rates. Please confirm that Large Business Offerors should not propose ceiling indirect rates.

See the answer to question 10.

54. Please confirm that subcontractors should be included in the direct costs in the consolidated summary tab of the budget.

Confirmed.