5C Amendments.pdf

95332420Q0060 | Counter - Trafficking in Persons Consulting Firm

Amendment 95332420Q00600001

Amendment 95332420Q00600001 corrects administrative changes.

Amendment 95332420Q00600002

Amendment 95332420Q00600002 makes the following changes:

Section L.3.4: Changes from ‘The Government does not guarantee that it will answer any question or request for clarification received later than 10AM August 31, 2020’ to 12PM September 10, 2020

Section L.2.2: The submission of quotes deadline changes from 2:00PM Eastern Standard Time 16th September 2020 to 2:00PM Eastern Standard Time 14th September 2020.

Amendment 95332420Q00600003

Amendment 95332420Q00600003 makes the following changes:

Section B.3. Labor and Category Rates:

• Option Year I, Option Year II, and Option Year III level of effort has been corrected

Please see both Questions and Answers received from the solicitation below:

95332420Q0052 | Counter - Trafficking in Persons Consulting Firm

Questions and Answers

1. Is there an incumbent contract that is currently fulfilling these services? If so, would you be able to provide me with the Contract ID number and the vendor name?

a. No, there is no current incumbent for this requirement

2. Would this be considered a new requirement?

a. Yes, this is a new requirement

3. Tables with LOE estimates state totals for every year (base year and each option year) are 1,904 hours; however, only base year LOE adds up to that, all other years add up to different amounts.

Should we assume 1,904 total hours per year or use the sumo of the actual LOE for all labor categories for each year.

a. The tables have been updated to the correct sum per year

4. Would MCC consider granting a waiver for years of experience in lieu of a Masters degree for the Mid-level Social Specialist, Labor and Working Conditions Expert, and Sexual Exploitation and Abuse Expert (non-key positions)?

a. Yes

5. Could MCC please clarify this requirement. Is MCC referring to a law degree above the level of a professional lawyer (a J.D. degree)? Advanced law degrees (LLM and SJD) are post-doctoral degrees and are rare. Must the candidate possess an actual law degree (J.D.)? Many universities offer graduate degrees in legal studies (which could include international law) but these are not properly, law degrees. Do these suffice? Please clarify.

a. Yes, a graduate degree in international law will suffice.

6. Given the Federal Holiday and short turn-around for this RFP, we kindly would like to request an extension to the RFP Due Date. Would the Government consider extending the deadline offer due date by two weeks?

a. Unfortunately, no, due to the end of the Fiscal Year drawing near, we will not extend the deadline of the proposal.

7. The Non-Key Personnel have a master’s degree as one of the minimum qualifications. We would like to know if a master’s degree can be substituted with extensive experience in the subject matter, for example a minimum of 10 years of experience in the subject matter.

8. Can MCC clarify the scope of country and project specific reviews? Is this correct to assume that most of these reviews will be based off the secondary research and only high risk projects will require in-country consultations and involve travel?

a. Country-wide risk assessments will consist of mainly desk review of secondary sources.

In addition, the second part of your question it is the correct assumption.

9. Is it correct to assume that most of these reviews will be based off the secondary research and only high-risk projects will require in-country consultations and involve travel?

a. Similar question to above, correct to assume.

10. For Deliverable 2: Risk Assessments, the RFQ states: “Assist in the development of country-wide and project-specific risk assessments of TIP to be integrated into the Compact's Social and Gender Integration Plan (SGIP) and Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP), as applicable. Advise MCC on country, project/activity risk categorization.” MCC estimates the Consultant will develop 4-6 TIP country-wide assessments and 12-18 project-specific risk assessments per year. There is also a plug number of trips (6 in Y1) to support this and other activities. The LOE and number of trips don't seem commensurate with the scope and number of assessments required under Deliverable #2

a. Country-wide risk assessments will not require in-country travel. Rather, they will be a desk review of a variety of different sources. In-country travel is reserved for projects considered particularly high-risk and complex.

11. Will the LOE and number of trips be adjusted?

a. 6 trips in Y1 is sufficient based off MCC’s current portfolio

12. Would MCC require the TIP advisors to work on Concurrent Compacts for Regional Investments?

a. Once awarded this contract will be made available to MCC Country Teams working across MCC’s portfolio. Services to MCC Country Team will be provided on a demand basis. MCC Country Team working on regional investments will be eligible for these services.

13. Is the MCC C-TIP Policy the baseline against how the TIP Advisor will be evaluated or is it expected that expert advise apply UN/IFC/WB policies where applicable?

a. A subject matter expert who is knowledgeable of UN/IFC/WB policies and procedures as they relate to TIP is desired.

14. Clause MCC 52.204-70, Section G Paragraph E on page 22 requires the contractor to

“periodically, at least annually, review their employees' background and work performance to ensure that nothing has occurred which may negatively impact or jeopardize their employees' eligibility for an MCC Photo ID Badge, favorable fitness determination, and security clearance.”

Is the MCC’s interpretation of this clause that the contractor must conduct annual background checks on the employees supporting this contract?

a. Contractors will be held responsible for making sure all employees working on the contract are to remain suitable to work on this requirement. This will be held true for both security and performance

15. In addition to the key and non-key personnel outlined in Section H.1, would MCC allow the inclusion of an infrastructure expert with experience in MCC project delivery as resource, on an as-needed-basis, to support TIP advisory services?

a. Non-key personnel who will add-value are encouraged in proposals.

16. Can we add labor categories if we keep the total level of effort the same?

17. Total Level of Effort for OY1, OY2 and OY3 is incorrect. The total of the numbers adds up to

1,104 but the RFP states 1,904. Can MCC please clarify

a. The level of effort for all the Option Years have been updated

18. In Section C.4 the RFP states that the contractor will be precluded from bidding on work and services procured by the local MCA accountable entity or using funds advanced under a Compact in the relevant country absent a sufficient OCI mitigation plan.

• Given that the specific countries where reviews will occur have not yet been identified, can the MCC confirm whether its interpretation of this clause would prevent the awardee from taking on new MCC funded work in any countr+D8y where a review could occur?

• Can MCC clarify whether such plan should be submitted as part of an offeror’s proposal or whether submission can wait until the awardee identifies a specific opportunity it may wish to pursue?

• Can MCC confirm that the use of a firewalled subcontractor to conduct a review of the awardee’s work may form the basis of a sufficient mitigation plan, subject to additional safeguards and approval by the MCC?

a. The purpose of the language in section C.4 regarding potential future conflict of interests is just to identify to contractors that there may be a possibility of future conflicts of interest between the work in this requirement and future MCA work.

Contractors should be aware of this at this time if they are interested in bidding on future MCA requirements. A mitigation plan may be required at the time a conflict of interest is identified and would be reviewed by the government at that time.