DRAFT AID-EGAT-EG4PR.doc

Date Issued: October 20, 2010

Closing Date: November 22 , 2010 Closing Time: 11:00 A.M. EDT

Subject:

Request for Proposals Number M/OAA/DCHA/DOFDA-09-1723

Economic Growth for Poverty Reduction (EG4PR) The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is seeking proposals to provide a broad, integrated, and knowledge-driven suite of services to USAID Missions and Bureaus to foster sustainable economic growth that translates to poverty reduction as described in the attached Request for Proposals (RFP). The U.S. Government anticipates awarding multiple contracts, including multiple small business set-asides, as a result of this Solicitation. The Agency reserves the right to award more or fewer awards than anticipated above.

Note: The IQCs resulting from this RFP will include a small business threshold requiring that all task orders with a total estimated cost of $1,000,000 or less be set-aside for small businesses unless the Task Order Contracting Officer determines that one of the fair opportunity exceptions applies.

USAID anticipates that the maximum ordering limitation of the contracts resulting from this RFP will be $2,000,000,000 over the 5-year ordering period. The maximum aggregate dollar value of task orders awarded to all contractors cannot exceed this contract ceiling. This ceiling is not being subdivided among the number of awardees nor is it being multiplied by the number of awardees. There is no guarantee on the number of task orders that the successful contractors will receive or the amount of money beyond the minimum order guarantee set forth in the RFP.

This award will replace the prior IQCs in these sectors:

General Business, Trade, and Investment II (GBTI II):

1. Abt Associates Inc (EEM-I-00-07-00004)

2. Deloitte Consulting (EEM-I-00-07-00005)

3. Booz Allen Hamilton (EEM-I-00-07-00007)

4. Carana Corporation (EEM-I-00-07-00006)

5. Chemonics International Inc. (EEM-I-00-07-00008)

6. DAI/Nathan Group, LLC (EEM-I-00-07-00009)

7. Segura IP3 Partners LLC (EEM-I-00-07-00001)

8. Sibley International (EEM-I-00-07-00003)

9. The Mitchell Group (EEM-I-00-07-00002) Accelerated Microenterprise Advancement Project (AMAP) AMAP Microfinance:

1. Development Alternatives, Inc (GEG-I-00-02-00011-00)

2. ABT Associates, Inc. (GEG-I-00-02-00012-00)

3. Chemonics (GEG-I-00-02-00013-00) AMAP Business Development Services:

1. Development Alternatives, Inc. (GEG-I-00-02-00014-00)

2. The Louis Berger Group, Inc. (GEG-I-00-02-00015-00)

3. ACDI-VOCA (GEG-I-00-02-00016-00)

AMAP Support Services:

1. The QED Group (GEG-I-00-02-00014-00)

2. Weidemann Associates (GEG-I-00-02-00025-00) AMAP Enabling Environment:

1. Development Alternatives, Inc. (GEG-I-00-02-00027-00)

2. Management Systems International (MSI) (GEG-I-00-02-00028-00)

3. Center for Institutional Reform and the Informal Sector (IRIS) (GEG-I-00-02-00029-00)

SEGIR Commercial, Legal, and Institutional Reform (CLIR) IQC.

1. ARD Inc. (AFP-I-00-04-00001-00)

2. Booz Allen Hamilton (AFP-I-00-04-00005-00)

3. Chemonics International Inc. (AFP-I-00-04-00002-00)

4. East-West Management Institute Inc. (EWMI) (AFP-I-00-04-0003-00)

5. Financial Markets International, Inc. (FMI) (FFP-I-00-04-00095-00)

6. IRIS Center at University of Maryland (PCE-I-00-97-00042-00) All Questions relating to this Draft RFP must be submitted to Mr. Ryland Marbray at rmarbray@usaid.gov via email no later than November 3, 2010 at 11:00 am. Unless otherwise notified by an amendment to the Draft RFP, no questions will be accepted after this date.

This Draft RFP in no way obligates USAID to award a contract nor does it commit USAID to pay any cost incurred in the preparation and submission of a proposal.

This Draft RFP can be viewed and downloaded from the Internet at www.fedbizopps.gov. USAID bears no responsibility for data errors resulting from transmission or conversion processes. Further, be aware that amendments to solicitations are occasionally issued and will be posted on the same Internet site from which you downloaded the solicitation. You are therefore advised to regularly check the above Internet site for amendments.

Sincerely, Dr. John Griffin Contracting Officer

M/OAA

Table of Contents Page

3SECTION B - SUPPLIES OR SERVICES AND PRICE/COSTS

B.1 PURPOSE

B.2 CONTRACT TYPE AND CONTRACT SERVICES

B.3 MINIMUM OBLIGATED AMOUNT

B.4 MAXIMUM CONTRACT CEILING

B.5 LABOR

B.6 OTHER DIRECT COSTS

B.7 INDIRECT COSTS (APPLICABLE TO ODC)

B.8 TASK ORDER LIMITATIONS

SECTION C - DESCRIPTION/SPECIFICATIONS/STATEMENT OF WORK

C.1

OVERVIEW

C.2

SCOPE

C.3

STATEMENT OF WORK

SECTION D - PACKAGING AND MARKING

D.1 AIDAR 752.7009 MARKING (JAN 1993)

D.2 BRANDING POLICY

SECTION E - INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE

E.1 NOTICE LISTING CONTRACT CLAUSES INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

E.2 INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE

SECTION F - DELIVERIES OR PERFORMANCE

F.1 PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

F.2 PERFORMANCE STANDARDS

F.3 REPORTS AND DELIVERABLES OR OUTPUTS

F.4 TASK ORDERS

F.5 FAIR OPPORTUNITY TO BE CONSIDERED

F.6 KEY PERSONNEL

F.7 CONTENTS OF TASK ORDERS

F.8 AIDAR 752.7005 SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS FOR DEVELOPMENT EXPERIENCE DOCUMENTS (JAN 2004)

SECTION G - CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION DATA

G.1 CONTRACTING OFFICER (CO)

G.2 CONTRACTING OFFICER TECHNICAL REPRESENTATIVE(COTR)

G.3 PAYING OFFICE

G.4 ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION DATA

G.5 PAYMENT

G.6 TECHNICAL DIRECTIONS/RELATIONSHIP WITH USAID

SECTION H - SPECIAL CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS

H.1

AIDAR 752.225-70 SOURCE, ORIGIN AND NATIONALITY REQUIREMENTS (FEB 1997)

H.2 AIDAR 752.7004 EMERGENCY LOCATOR INFORMATION (JUL 1997)

H.3 SECURITY CLEARANCE

H.4 INSURANCE AND SERVICES

H.5 752.228-70 MEDICAL EVACUATION (MEDEVAC) SERVICES (JULY 2007)

H.6 AUTHORIZED GEOGRAPHIC CODE

H.7 LOGISTIC SUPPORT

H.8 LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS

H.9 SUBCONTRACTING PLAN AND THE SF 294 – SUBCONTRACTING REPORT FOR INDIVIDUAL CONTRACTS AND SF 295 – SUMMARY CONTRACTING REPORT H.10 ORGANIZATIONAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST: PRECLUSION FROM FURNISHING CERTAIN SERVICES AND RESTRICTION ON USE OF INFORMATION (EVALUATION) H.11 ORGANIZATIONAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST: PRECLUSION FROM FURNISHING CERTAIN SERVICES AND RESTRICTION ON USE OF INFORMATION (EVALUATION) (Task Order Clause) H.12 ORGANIZATIONAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST: PRECLUSION FROM IMPLEMENTATION CONTRACT (DESIGN/IMPLEMENT) H.13 ORGANIZATIONAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST: PRECLUSION FROM IMPLEMENTATION CONTRACT (DESIGN/IMPLEMENT) (Task Order Clause)

H.14 GRANTS UNDER CONTRACT

H.15 EXECUTIVE ORDER ON TERRORISM FINANCING

H.16 AIDAR 752.7032 INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL APPROVAL AND NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS (JAN 1990)

H.17 USAID DISABILITY POLICY (DECEMBER 2004)

H.18 SUBCONTRACTING CONSENT

H.19 REPRESENTATIONS AND CERTIFICATIONS

H.20 PERSONAL IDENTITY VERIFICATION OF CONTRACTOR PERSONNEL (JULY 2007)

H.21

FOREIGN GOVERNMENT DELEGATIONS TO INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES

(JAN 2002)

H.22

AIDAR 752.7101 VOLUNTARY POPULATION PLANNING ACTIVITIES

(JUN 2008)

PART II - CONTRACT CLAUSES

SECTION I - CONTRACT CLAUSES

I.1 NOTICE LISTING CONTRACT CLAUSES INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

I.2 52.209-8 UPDATES OF INFORMATION REGARDING RESPONSIBILITY MATTERS (APR 2010)

I.3 52.216-19 ORDER LIMITATIONS (OCT 1995)

I.4 REPORTING OF FOREIGN TAXES (JUL 2007)

I.5

COMPLIANCE WITH SECTION 508 OF THE REHABILITATION ACT OF

I.6 52.217-8 OPTION TO EXTEND SERVICES (NOV 1999)

I.7 AIDAR 752.219-70 USAID MENTOR-PROTÉGÉ PROGRAM (JUL 2007)

I.8

AIDAR 752.219-71 MENTOR REQUIREMENTS AND EVALUATION AS

PRESCRIBED IN AIDAR (JUL 2007)

SECTION J – LIST OF ATTACHMENTS

SECTION K - REPRESENTATIONS, CERTIFICATIONS AND OTHER STATEMENTS OF OFFERORS

K.1

52.204-8 ANNUAL REPRESENTATIONS AND CERTIFICATIONS (FEB 2009)

K.2

52.209-7 INFORMATION REGARDING RESPONSIBILITY MATTERS (APR 2010)

K.3

52.230-1 COST ACCOUNTING STANDARDS NOTICES AND CERTIFICATION (OCT 2008)

K.4

52.219-1 SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAM REPRESENTATIONS (MAY 2004)

K.5

52.219-22 SMALL DISADVANTAGED BUSINESS STATUS (OCT 1999)

K.6

AGREEMENT ON, OR EXCEPTIONS TO, TERMS AND CONDITIONS

K.7

DATA UNIVERSAL NUMBERING SYSTEM (DUNS) NUMBER

K.8

52.204-3 TAXPAYER IDENTIFICATION (OCT 1998)

K.9

SECURITY CLEARANCE CERTIFICATION

K.10

AUTHORIZED NEGOTIATORS

K.11

SIGNATURE

SECTION L - INSTRUCTIONS, CONDITIONS, AND NOTICES TO OFFERORS

L.1

52.252-1 SOLICITATION PROVISIONS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (FEB 1998)

L.2 52.216-1 TYPE OF CONTRACT (APR 1984)

L.3 52.233-2 SERVICE OF PROTEST (SEPT 2006)

L.4

52.215-1 INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS—COMPETITIVE ACQUISITION (JAN 2004)

L.5

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS

L.6

DELIVERY INSTRUCTIONS

L.7

DELIVERIES TO LOADING DOCKS

L.8

INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE PREPARATION OF THE TECHNICAL PROPOSAL

SECTION M - EVALUATION FACTORS FOR AWARD

M.1 GENERAL INFORMATION

M.2 DETERMINATION OF COMPETITIVE RANGE AND CONTRACT AWARD

M.3 TECHNICAL EVALUATION CRITERION

M.4 PRICE/BUSINESS EVALUATION

SECTION J - ATTACHMENTS

ATTACHMENT J.1 SF LLL – DISCLOSURE OF LOBBYING ACTIVITIES

Attachment J.2 LABOR DISTRIBUTION CHART

ATTACHMENT J.3 SMALL BUSINESS SUBCONTRACTING PLAN TEMPLATE

ATTACHMENT J.4 FREIGHT DELIVERY REQUEST FORM AND DIRECTIONS TO MOBILE SCANNING FACILITY

ATTACHMENT J.5 IDENTIFICATION OF PRINCIPAL GEOGRAPHIC CODE NUMBERS

ATTACHMENT J.6 DD-254 CONTRACT SECURITY CLASSIFICATION SPECIFICATION

PART I - THE SCHEDULE

SECTION B - SUPPLIES OR SERVICES AND PRICE/COSTS

B.1 PURPOSE

The purpose of this contract is to provide services that fall within the scope of the work specified in Section C. USAID Task Order Contracting Officers (TOCO's) will request the work through the issuance of task orders during the ordering period as specified in Section F of this contract.

B.2 CONTRACT TYPE AND CONTRACT SERVICES

This is an indefinite quantity contract (IQC) using the following:

Task orders to provide discrete services and obligation of funds within an established ceiling price;

Fixed Daily Rates for U.S. Expatriates;

Reimbursement of actual salaries for locally hired national professionals and other non-U.S. expatriates;

Fixed multipliers applied to salaries for locally-hired national professionals and other non-U.S. expatriates; and modified time-and-material payment provisions.

B.3 MINIMUM OBLIGATED AMOUNT

The basic contract includes an initial obligation of funds in the amount of $25,000 to cover the minimum order guarantee. USAID is required to order and the contractor is required to furnish the minimum order amount of services. Following this initial obligation, individual task orders will obligate funds to cover the work required under that task order.

B.4 MAXIMUM CONTRACT CEILING

This is a multiple-award indefinite delivery indefinite quantity contract for Economic Growth for Poverty Reduction (EG4PR) with a maximum contract ceiling of $2,000,000,000. The maximum aggregate dollar value of all task orders awarded to all contractors cannot exceed the contract ceiling. This ceiling is not being subdivided among the number of awardees nor is it being multiplied by the number of awardees.

[Note: $1,000,000,000 of the maximum contract ceiling is reserved for work in USAID-designated Critical Priority Countries (Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Sudan). USAID reserves the right to amend the list of countries over the life of the contract.]

B.5 LABOR

B.5(a) U.S. Expatriate Professionals - Fixed Daily Rates The task order will cite the applicable fixed daily rates selected from the Table of Fixed Daily Rates in section B.5(a)(1). The fixed daily rates in effect when the task order is executed will remain in effect for the entire task order period. Each fixed daily rate listed below is "loaded" and must only include the following:

- Salary cost or consulting fee of the individual providing the services;

- Payroll costs (fringe benefits, FICA, etc.);

- Indirect costs applicable to labor; and

- Profit or fee, if any.

[Central management costs: The Contracting Officer has determined that a key (full-time) technical or program manager is not necessary or required to administer the basic IQC. Contractors will not be authorized to bill USAID directly for central management costs (e.g., responding to task order proposal requests, central reporting, central meetings with the basic IQC COTR) under this IQC or under task orders. Contractors should propose a centralized management structure that allows for recovery of IQC management costs as part of its indirect costs included in the proposed fixed daily rates.]

When task order assignments are to posts where danger pay allowance, post differential, and other allowances (i.e., housing, education, etc.) are granted, these allowances may be budgeted as direct costs, but are not and must not be included in the fixed daily rate. Fixed daily rates must include consideration of the contractor's established personnel policies and procedures, except what is covered as Other Direct Costs in B.6.

Fixed Daily Rates must not include or be applied to costs covered as other direct costs in Section B.6, such as travel and transportation, local office, etc. USAID anticipates that, for the most part, bilateral agreements with countries receiving technical assistance under any task order will exempt the contractor from paying non-U.S. taxes, duties, and bonding. To the extent that these costs are not exempted, the question of their allowability would be determined on a case-by-case basis as a direct cost. These costs are not to be considered part of the fixed daily rates.

The fixed daily rates set forth below must be fixed for the contract period, and include subcontractors set forth in Section H.18. If a new subcontractor is proposed for a specific task order on other than a fixed-price basis, the fixed daily rates set forth below normally apply, and the new subcontract is subject to consent by the TOCO.

Note: If a task order is written in Year 1 with a period of performance that extends into Year 2, the applicable fixed daily rate for work days performed in Year 1 and 2 must be used in the task order. The same is applicable if occurring in future years. Non-funded extensions that will cause existing task orders to extend into a subsequent rate period would not typically involve a change in the allowable fixed daily rate under that task order; funded extensions that add new work to a task order normally would allow the subsequent year's fixed daily rate to apply. Under these circumstances, all changes in the allowable rates are subject to the cognizant TOCO's discretion.

B.5(a)(1) Labor Categories (US Expatriate Fixed Daily Rates) (Offerors may bid separate rates for each year or group of years, and rates will be included accordingly - whole dollars are preferred but not required.)

Year 1:

Fixed Daily Rates

Level I Level II Level III Agribusiness Specialist/

Enterprise Development Specialist

Sector Specialist/Attorney/

Legal Advisor

Trade Specialist/Financial Advisor/

M&E Specialist Training Specialist/ICT Specialist

Grant/Contract Manager

Administrative Support

Year 2:

Level III Agribusiness Specialist/

Sector Specialist/Attorney/

Legal Advisor

Trade Specialist/Financial Advisor/

Training Specialist/ICT Specialist

Year 3:

Level III Agribusiness Specialist/

Sector Specialist/Attorney/

Legal Advisor

Trade Specialist/Financial Advisor/

Training Specialist/ICT Specialist

Year 4:

Level III Agribusiness Specialist/

Sector Specialist/Attorney/

Legal Advisor

Trade Specialist/Financial Advisor/

Training Specialist/ICT Specialist

Year 5:

Level III Agribusiness Specialist/

Sector Specialist/Attorney/

Legal Advisor

Trade Specialist/Financial Advisor/

Training Specialist/ICT Specialist

[Note: The Year 5 Fixed Daily Rates apply to task orders that continue up to one (1) year beyond the ordering period (See Section F.1.)]

DEFINITION OF LABOR CATEGORIES

1. AGRIBUSINESS SPECIALIST: Provides assistance and expertise implementing programs to improve agricultural productivity and agribusiness development, domestic, regional and/or international trade of agricultural products, improved competitiveness of agriculture-related industries and value chains, and other programs addressing the challenges of agricultural competitiveness and trade in specific sectors and value chains.

2. ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST: Provides assistance and expertise facilitating the competitiveness of the private sector, conducts analyses of end-markets, value chain constraints, business environment constraints, inter-firm constraints and other systemic constraints to improved competitiveness. Identifies and implements private and public sector strategies and interventions to improve competitiveness and promote broad-based growth.

3. SECTOR SPECIALIST: Provides assistance and expertise in specific EG4PR technical areas, including workforce development, industrial engineering, manufacturing, environment, energy, forestry, gender, vulnerable populations, conflict and security, accounting, and business recovery.

4. TRADE SPECIALIST: Provides assistance and expertise in areas such as: trade facilitation, logistics, customs reform, export promotion, trade policy, implementation of international and regional trade agreements, "competition policy," and other, general trade issues.

5. FINANCIAL ADVISOR: Provides assistance and expertise in commercial banking, microfinance, or related financial services provided by non-bank financial institutions, especially for micro- to medium-sized enterprises; capacity-building and certification for professional associations in accounting, auditing and related professions; capital markets and institutional investment; central bank and other regulation, and other financial issues such as developing new payment systems and banking platforms.

6. MONITORING AND EVALUATION SPECIALIST: Provides assistance and expertise in monitoring, impact assessment and evaluation of development projects using a range of credible methodologies that contribute to program and project management, attribute impact to project interventions, assess the effectiveness of project implementation, and illuminate through qualitative research less tangible or quantifiable impacts.

7. TRAINING SPECIALIST: Provides assistance and expertise in the design and/or delivery of effective training – including continuous training - for a variety of learning needs and through flexible, cost-effective approaches, based on a knowledge of best practices and in coordination with technical experts who develop content.

8. ATTORNEY/LEGAL ADVISOR: This category includes legal professionals with JD, LLM or equivalent credentials and legal and overseas experience relevant to EG4PR areas. Provides assistance and expertise on legal topics such as: analyzing/drafting legislation, administrative law, business environment and regulatory reform, business formation and dissolution, small business advisory work, bankruptcy, company law, real estate, company restructuring/mergers/divestitures, small/medium/micro-enterprise legal issues, and legal work with organizations and associations.

9. INFORMATION COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY SPECIALIST: Provides assistance and expertise in designing and implementing ICT solutions in developing country contexts—particularly in support of e-commerce and e-government initiatives; assessing communications needs to improve knowledge sharing networking; identifying appropriate communication activities and programs to promote efficient and effective technologies; developing workshops and relevant training; and other relevant tasks such as supporting IT needs of the Task Order.

10. GRANT/CONTRACT MANAGER: Prepares, negotiates, implements, monitors, and evaluates grants and works with USAID acquisition/assistance staff. This will likely involve working with host country counterparts and institutions. Provides support to Task Orders, such as contract-related finance and budgeting.

11. ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT: Provides secretarial, logistical and operations support to contractor teams, USAID and cooperating country personnel. Conducts research and obtains documents to inform technical assistance, briefings and reports. Coordinates logistics for travel, study tours, training and other events.

B.5(a)(2) Labor Categories - Level of Qualification In order to perform the scope of work set forth in Section C, the Contractor must provide the education and experience levels as indicated below of the specific Functional Labor Categories listed above. The qualifications in the categories must correspond to the applicable fixed daily rates provided in Section B.5(a)(1).

JD/ABD

MS/MA/MBA BS/BA

JD/ABD

MS/MA/MBA BS/BA

Less than Bachelor's

MS/MA/MBA BS/BA

Less than Bachelor's

B.5.(b) Locally-Hired National Personnel or Other Non-U.S. Expatriates All locally hired national personnel and other non-U.S. expatriates must be paid in accordance with AIDAR 722.170(a). Third Country Nationals (TCNs) and Cooperating Country Nationals (CCNs) who are working in the United States or are legal residents of the United States at the time they are hired for a task order, must be extended benefits and subject to restrictions on the same basis as U.S. citizens who work in the United States. The U.S. fixed daily rates will be applied to TCNs and CCNs conforming to this regulatory provision.

Salaries for individual locally-hired personnel and other non-U.S. expatriates under this contract or any resulting subcontract must be in accordance with AIDAR 752.7007, Personnel Compensation (August 2004) and should be based upon a combination of factors including prevailing in-country salaries for the professional category being negotiated and consideration of the individual's education, work experience and recent relevant salary history.

B.5.(b)(1) Multiplier The multiplier listed below should be applied to the negotiated unburdened daily salary of locally hired national personnel or other non-US expatriates only.

The multiplier must include indirect costs applicable to labor, and profit or fee, if any.

Note: The Locally-Hired National Personnel or Other Non-U.S. Expatriate multiplier must not include or be applied to costs covered as other direct costs in B.6 such as travel and transportation, costs of a local office, etc. USAID anticipates that, for the most part, bilateral agreements with countries receiving technical assistance under any task order will exempt the contractor from paying non-U.S. taxes, duties, and bonding. To the extent that these costs are not exempted, the question of their allowability would be determined on a case-by-case basis as a direct cost. These costs are not to be considered part of the multiplier. Fringe benefits and social welfare costs for locally-hired or non-U.S. expatriates will be reimbursed as direct costs if allowable/authorized under task orders. They are not to be considered part of the multiplier.

The fixed multiplier(s) for locally hired national personnel and other non-U.S. expatriates under this contract is as follows:

Contract Year 1: ____________

Contract Year 2: ____________

Contract Year 3: ____________

Contract Year 4: ____________

Contract Year 5: ____________

The multiplier(s) set forth above are fixed for the contract periods and are applied to locally hired personnel and other non-US employees or consultants of the prime contractor or subcontractors set forth in Section H.18. If a new subcontractor as opposed to an individual is being proposed for a specific task order, the Task Order Contracting Officer may elect to negotiate costs/price of the subcontract as Other Direct Costs.

Note: If a task order is written in Year 1 with a period of performance that extends into Year 2, the applicable multiplier for work days performed in Year 1 and 2 must be used (if the contractor has proposed different multipliers for each year)in the task order. The same is applicable for future years. Non-funded extensions that will cause existing task orders to extend into a subsequent multiplier period would not typically involve a change in the allowable multiplier under that task order; funded extensions that add new work to the task order would normally allow the subsequent year's multiplier to apply. Under these circumstances, all changes in the allowable multiplier are subject to the TOCO's discretion.

B.6 OTHER DIRECT COSTS

B.6.(a) Other direct costs necessary for the performance of the work under task orders, such as DBA and Medevac insurance, travel and transportation, lodging and subsistence expenses may be authorized in the task order. Any cost elements included in the fixed daily rates or multipliers must not be charged as other direct costs. Lodging and subsistence costs may be authorized for locally-hired national personnel, if the terms of the task order require travel, in accordance with the clause of this contract entitled "Travel and Transportation (JAN 1990)", AIDAR 752.7002. Costs for U.S. expatriate travel/transportation to perform services overseas may be authorized by the TOCO or designee in accordance with the same "Travel and Transportation" clause.

B.6.(b) The TOCO determines which other direct costs are allowable, allocable, and fair and reasonable in accordance with the applicable federal cost principles (i.e., FAR 31.2 and AIDAR 731.2 for commercial (for profit) organizations or FAR 31.3 and AIDAR 731.3 for educational institutions, or FAR 31.7 and AIDAR 731.7 for other not-for-profit organizations). For those other direct costs the TOCO authorizes, contractors are allowed to recover applicable indirect costs on these costs, if doing so is part of the contractor's usual accounting procedures, consistent with the applicable cost principles, and are included in the contractor's Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement.

B.6.(c) No profit or fee will be applied to other direct costs, in accordance with FAR 16.601.

B.7 INDIRECT COSTS (APPLICABLE TO ODC)

B.7.(a) Pending establishment of revised provisional or final indirect cost rates, allowable indirect costs shall be reimbursed on the basis of the following negotiated provisional or predetermined rates and the appropriate bases:

1/Base of Application:

Type of Rate:

Period:

2/Base of Application:

Type of Rate:

Period:

Note 1: Contractors are allowed to recover applicable indirect costs (i.e., overhead, G&A, etc.) on other direct costs (ODCs), if it is part of the contractor's usual accounting procedures, consistent with FAR Part 31, and Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA).

Note 2: While Subcontractor indirect rates are not incorporated above, subcontractor indirect cost rates as indicated in Note 1 above may be included in task order proposals and are subject to approval of the cognizant TOCO in accordance with FAR 52.244-2, Subcontracts.

B.8 TASK ORDER LIMITATIONS

B.8.(a) Minimum Order. When USAID requires services or reports and other deliverables covered by this contract in a Task Order in the amount of less than $25,000.00 the Contractor is not obligated to accept an order to furnish those services or reports and other deliverables under this contract. However, if the Contractor agrees to furnish services or reports and other deliverables required by USAID in an amount of less than $25,000 and is awarded a Task Order to do so, the Contractor is required to provide said services and reports/deliverables in accordance with the Contract's terms and conditions.

B.8.(b) Maximum Order. When USAID requires services or reports and other deliverables covered by this contract in a Task Order amount of more than $5,000,000.00 the Contractor is not obligated to accept an order to furnish those services or reports and other deliverables under this contract. However, if the Contractor agrees to furnish services or reports and other deliverables required by USAID in excess of $5,000,000 and is awarded a Task Order to do so, the Contractor is required to provide said services and reports/deliverables in accordance with the Contract's terms and conditions.

B.8.(c) Notwithstanding the above, if issuance of a task order to, and acceptance of a task order by, the Contractor would: (1) result in the Contractor (or its personnel or its subcontractors or their personnel) having an organizational conflict of interest for which restrictions would be placed on the Contractor's (or its personnel's or its subcontractors' or their personnel's) future activities ; or (2) violate the provisions of the Procurement Integrity legislation, i.e., Section 27 of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy Act (41 U.S.C. 423), as amended by Section 814 of Pub. L. 101-189, the Contractor, after written notification to the TOCO, is not obligated to furnish those services or reports and other deliverables under this contract, and USAID may acquire the supplies or services from another source.

- END OF SECTION B –

SECTION C - DESCRIPTION/SPECIFICATIONS/STATEMENT OF WORK

C.1

OVERVIEW

In recent years, USAID's Bureau for Economic Growth, Agriculture, and Trade (EGAT) has promoted trade and investment, finance for micro, small and medium enterprises, business environment reform, enterprise and value-chain development, and poverty analysis and social protection, among other work. Projects have often been limited, however, by the artificial division of these disciplines. This approach often helps solve immediate obstacles, but does not always address the inter-relationships between these development challenges and broader economic systems, nor does it leverage broader knowledge and information networks.

As the U.S. Government (USG) moves forward with reform of foreign assistance, USAID/EGAT seeks a new approach which can more effectively provide solutions to some of the world’s most challenging contexts. The issues that dominate these contexts include, but are not limited to: 1) conflict; 2) food insecurity; 3) vulnerable populations such as youth, those affected by HIV/AIDS, and the very poor; 4) gender-based economic inequity; 5) global climate change; and 6) innovation through technology, all of which need to be addressed together with economic growth. Each of these cross-cutting issues has unique features and requires context-sensitive solutions to achieve lasting impact; they also require firms, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), universities and research institutions to work together to capture, share, and translate the knowledge generated through decades of USAID experience into operational practice. A new, integrated business approach is clearly called for to confront these complex challenges, in order to effect sustainable, pro-poor economic growth.

To this end, the objective of the Economic Growth for Poverty Reduction (EG4PR) Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract is to provide a broad, integrated, and knowledge-driven suite of services to USAID Missions and Bureaus to foster sustainable economic growth that translates into poverty reduction. This IDIQ will cover work in four programmatic technical areas (See Section C.2. below), as well as the six cross-cutting issues listed above. As the flagship USAID instrument supporting inclusive private sector development, EG4PR calls for new collaboration arrangements among firms, NGOs, universities and research institutions to step up to these new challenges.

C.2

SCOPE

EG4PR Contractors shall address the following broad technical areas in economic growth and poverty reduction:

C.2(a) Trade and Investment:

C.2(a)(1) Trade and Investment Enabling Environment: Promote the policies, laws, regulations, and administrative practices affecting international trade and investment, and the public and private sector institutions that support sustained, locally driven improvements in the trade environment; and

C.2(a)(2) Trade and Investment Capacity: Facilitate the collection of services, technologies, equipment, and techniques used to enhance private sector response to international and regional trade and investment.

C.2(b) Financial Sector:

C.2(b)(1) Financial Sector Enabling Environment: Support the establishment and broad-based acceptance of expert regulators and professional bodies that consistently improve laws, regulations, standards, and administrative practices necessary to shape and inform a competitive and inclusive financial sector; and

C.2(b)(2) Financial Sector Capacity: Advance the capacity of all public and private service providers to adopt modern management practices, strengthen professionalism, and improve systems and processes involved in providing financial services inclusively.

C.2(c) Private Sector Competitiveness:

C.2(c)(1) Business Enabling Environment: Improve the competitiveness of the private sector through the improvement of policies, laws, regulations, and administrative practices that lead to behavior change of policy and decision makers;

C.2(c)(2) Private Sector Capacity: Improve the competitiveness of key sectors and value chains for growth and poverty reduction by addressing the systemic and firm-level constraints to taking advantage of domestic, regional or international end-market opportunities; and

C.2(c)(3) Workforce Development: Assist youth and adults in acquiring knowledge and skills beyond basic literacy and numeracy, attitudes, behaviors, experience and contacts to secure legitimate jobs, establish viable self-employment, or set up entrepreneurship ventures.

C.2(d) Economic Opportunity:

C.2(d)(1) Inclusive Financial Markets: Support equitable access to essential financial services (credit, savings, insurance, leasing, remittances and payment services) of diverse providers (including banks, credit unions, NGOs, non-bank financial institutions, buyers, and suppliers) to low-income families and female and male-owned micro-scale enterprises/activities;

C.2(d)(2) Policy Environment for Micro and Small Enterprises: Reduce national and local barriers to registering and operating micro and small enterprises by improving the policies, laws, regulations, and institutions affecting these enterprises;

C.2(d)(3) Microenterprise Productivity: Facilitate the improved productivity of low-income microentrepreneurs participating in value chains and their ability to access both business development and financial services; and

C.2(d)(4) Inclusive Economic Law and Property Rights: Ensure that poor people, women, and other disadvantaged groups have equal legal rights and protection in economic matters.

C.2(e) Contractors may be requested to assemble integrated suites of services to meet the complex challenges faced by USAID Missions in the 21st century, including:

C.2(e)(1) Conflict-affected environments where businesses have often been destroyed by conflict and where specialized strategies are often required to help economies rebuild;

C.2(e)(2) Food security, in order to meet the needs of the Feed the Future (FTF) Initiative, including but not limited to issues of trade, improved markets, strengthened value chains, public-private partnerships and policies that support agricultural transformation and improved productivity;

C.2(e)(3) Vulnerable populations, such as youth, those affected by HIV/AIDS, and the very poor, through integrated, market-oriented approaches that improve economic opportunities with poverty reduction;

C.2(e)(4) Gender, by analyzing and implementing strategies to address the complex socio-political environments in which men and women sustain their livelihoods and make economic decisions;

C.2(e)(5) Global climate change, by supporting developing countries in mitigating and adapting to global climate change in tandem with sustainable economic growth; and

C.2(e)(6) Innovation through technology by employing science, technology, and innovation to help solve traditional and persistent development challenges.

Contractor duties are further described below as Core Tasks.

C.3

STATEMENT OF WORK

The Contractor shall perform or manage performance of the following Core Tasks:

C.3(a) Programmatic Interventions: As requested in task orders, EG4PR contractors shall undertake the following types of tasks:

C.3(a)(1) Problem identification, diagnostics and/or analyses of a broad range of economic growth and poverty reduction issues, including but not limited to the following illustrative examples:

Analysis of constraints to and opportunities for value chain and/or enterprise development and employment generation for populations affected by conflict, such as male ex-combatants

Analysis of constraints and opportunities for youth employment

C.3(a)(2) Program/project design and/or recommendations, including the following illustrative examples:

Youth and gender-sensitive employment program design

Program designs to achieve business environment reforms using information communication technology to reduce costs

Safety net program design, such as conditional cash transfer program or food-for-work / cash-for-work initiatives targeting ex-combatants

C.3(a)(3) Program/project implementation, including the following illustrative examples:

Enhancing efficiency of transport logistics to reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with movement of goods.

Implementation of warehouse receipting to support rural and agricultural finance

Competitiveness initiatives that focus on employment opportunities for women and girls

Safety net program design, such as conditional cash transfer program or food-for-work / cash-for-work initiatives targeting ex-combatants

Integrated, innovative economic assistance programs for populations – including men, women and youth - made vulnerable by the convergence of extreme poverty, HIV/AIDS, and food insecurity

Projects to boost employment with targeted approaches for youth, men and women and economic stability in conflict settings, such as community jobs programs, vocational training and property rights reform

C.3(a)(4) Evaluation, including:

C.3(a)(4)(i) Research plan development that includes a conceptual framework, hypotheses to be tested, causal model, evaluation methodologies appropriate to addressing the research questions, domains of analysis, indicators and data collection;

C.3(a)(4)(ii) Causal model development;

C.3(a)(4)(iii) Metrics development based on causal models;

C.3(a)(4)(iv) Performance Monitoring Plans (PMPs)

C.3(a)(4)(v) Performance targeting and monitoring based on causal models;

C.3(a)(4)(vi) Project and/or process evaluation;

C.3(a)(4)(vii) Impact assessment that includes gender-disaggregated data, randomized control trials, quasi-experimental methods, qualitative research, cost-benefit analyses, and other methodologies categorized under “degrees of evidence;”

C.3(a)(4)(viii) Evaluative research that combines evaluation and program expertise;

C.3(a)(4)(ix) Use of pathways to trace outcomes of programmatic interventions;

C.3(a)(4)(x) Data collection methods, including but not limited to gender-disaggregated data collection and analysis;

C.3(a)(4)(xi) Data quality assessments; and

C.3(a)(4)(xii) Poverty measurement, including the development of low-cost methods for measuring the prevalence of poverty among samples of male and female individuals and male- and female-headed households and for estimating changes in the prevalence of poverty resulting from program efforts, changes in policies, and other changes in economic conditions.

C.3(b) Learning and Knowledge Management: Learning and knowledge management (KM) activities are central to EG4PR. As requested in task orders, EG4PR contractors shall work in close collaboration with designated EGAT knowledge management/learning contractors to capture the knowledge they generate and to share their learning with the Agency for evidence-based evaluation and best-practice program design and implementation. All KM activities contracted under EG4PR shall generate and share learning with a broad practitioner community, as well as other USG and developing country stakeholders, in order to extend the influence of their learning as broadly as possible and well beyond those institutions that have a direct funding relationship with USAID. Therefore, collaboration between EG4PR and existing knowledge management instruments managed by EGAT will be essential.

EGAT-funded task orders issued under EG4PR shall channel any technical learning generated into EGAT knowledge management mechanisms, as directed by the Task Order COTR. Contractors under Mission-funded EG4PR task orders funded by USAID missions and other operating units shall disseminate and share any knowledge generated through either EGAT or other USAID knowledge management mechanisms, as indicated in Task Order scopes of work, and will entail identifying key stakeholders and defining and implementing a learning agenda to influence those stakeholders in improving program design, implementation and evaluation.

C.3(c) Implementation and Program management: The contractor shall provide one primary point of contact to support this IQC. The Project Manager shall be the individual bearing primary responsibility for:

(i) Preparing and responding to task order request for proposals

(ii) Ensuring cost and quality control under all task orders and for the overall responsiveness of technical assistance provided under the contract

(iii) Selecting, preparing, placing and supporting technical experts carrying out technical requirements

(iv) Reporting to the USAID COTR and Contracting Officer in accordance with the reporting requirements set forth in this contract and task orders

(v) Monitoring small business subcontracting to ensure the stated goals in the Small Business Subcontracting Plan are met.

The Contractor shall provide contract management necessary to fulfill all the requirements of this contract including support to task orders, including overall supervision, logistical support, collaboration in resolving IQC and task order administrative matters, cost-effective management of contract resources, commodity procurement, close coordination with representatives of other development assistance institutions, government, private sector, non-government, and private voluntary organizations to coordinate programs and policies, and use of local expertise.

[Note: See Section B.5. regarding the recovery of these central management costs.]

C.3(d) Grants Management: Funds may be made available in individual task orders for the award and administration of grants. The contractor shall solicit, negotiate, award and administer grants under task orders. These grants will be secondary or minor to the overall work performed under the task order.

Grants management tasks may include: contractor(s) participation in or responsibility for the drafting and publication of Requests for Applications (RFAs). However, the program direction, focus, type of grantees and final grant approval will remain with the tasking Bureau or Mission. The Contractor will be responsible for working with local groups to develop grant proposals, evaluation of proposals, establishment of grant agreements, delivery of financial and in-kind assistance, monitoring implementation and grant close-out. The Contractor(s)’s responsibilities may also include: screening of potential grantee partners, design of the grant, database entry, and/or monitoring and evaluating the grantee deliverables. The Contractor(s) must review all grant proposals before final approval to assure they are consistent with USAID policies and procedures, grant format and disposition of property. USAID must approve sub-awards unless otherwise stated in the task order.

· END OF SECTION C –

SECTION D - PACKAGING AND MARKING

D.1 AIDAR 752.7009 MARKING (JAN 1993)

D.1(a) It is USAID policy that USAID-financed commodities and shipping containers, and project construction sites and other project locations be suitably marked with the USAID emblem. Shipping containers are also to be marked with the last five digits of the USAID financing document number. As a general rule, marking is not required for raw materials shipped in bulk (such as coal, grain, etc.), or for semi finished products which are not packaged.

D.1(b) Specific guidance on marking requirements should be obtained prior to procurement of commodities to be shipped, and as early as possible for project construction sites and other project locations. This guidance will be provided through the cognizant technical office indicated on the cover page of this contract, or by the Mission Director in the Cooperating Country to which commodities are being shipped, or in which the project site is located.

D.1(c) Authority to waive marking requirements is vested with the Regional Assistant Administrators, and with Mission Directors.

D.1(d) A copy of any specific marking instructions or waivers from marking requirements is to be sent to the Contracting Officer; the original should be retained by the Contractor.

D.2 BRANDING POLICY

Markings under this contract shall comply with the USAID “Graphic Standards Manual” available at www.usaid.gov/branding, or any successor branding policy. Contractors shall comply with TO-specific branding strategies as required in RFTOPs.

- END OF SECTION D -

SECTION E - INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE

E.1 NOTICE LISTING CONTRACT CLAUSES INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

The following contract clauses pertinent to this section are hereby incorporated by reference (by Citation Number, Title, and Date) in accordance with the clause at FAR "52.252-2, CLAUSES INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE" in Section I of this contract. See FAR 52.252-2 for an internet address (if specified) for electronic access to the full text of a clause.

NUMBER

TITLE

DATE

FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATION (48 CFR Chapter 1)

52.246-6

INSPECTION--TIME-AND-MATERIALS AND

MAY 2001

LABOR-HOUR

E.2 INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE

USAID inspection and acceptance of services, reports and other required deliverables or outputs shall take place at USAID Washington or at any other location where the services are performed and reports and deliverables or outputs are produced or submitted. The Contracting Officers Technical Representative (COTR) listed in Section G has been delegated authority to inspect and accept all services, reports and required deliverables or outputs.

COTR's may also be established for specific task orders, if so, the task order COTR may inspect and accept all services, reports and required deliverables or outputs if specified in the task orders.

- END OF SECTION E -

SECTION F - DELIVERIES OR PERFORMANCE

F.1 PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

The ordering period for this contract is five (5) years from the date of award of the contract.

Although task orders may be issued at any time during this ordering period, two constraints apply to the period of performance for task orders. First, the period of performance for a task order may not go beyond one (1) year after the end of the ordering period. Second, a TOCO may not award a task order for a period of performance that goes more than five (5) years into the future at the time the order is either awarded or extended by modification.

F.2 PERFORMANCE STANDARDS

Evaluation of the Contractor's overall performance in accordance with the performance standards set forth in the individual Task Orders will be conducted jointly by the TO Contracting Officers Technical Representative (COTR) and the TO Contracting Officer, and shall form the basis of the Contractor's permanent performance record with regard to this contract.

This section defines the performance requirements to which the Contractor shall be held, establishes the performance levels or standards, and defines how these performance standards will be measured. Specifics will be outlined in each task order. In general:

F.2(a) Technical competence: Performance may be measured by the Contractor's effectiveness on the assignment. Effective technical assistance will produce reports that contain actionable recommendations that can be successfully…