Draft Instructions to Offerors and Evaluation Criteria.pdf

DRAFT INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS AND EVALUATION CRITERIA

A. Options and Factor Identification

The technical evaluation will evaluate the offerors using both responses to options and to factors. In terms of options, this is a five-year contract with a base and three quantity/technical options detailed in the following table:

Options Description

Base Period (Years 1-5) Technical assistance for components 1 and 2

Option 1 (Years 2-5) Technical assistance for component 3a

Option 2 (Years 2-5) Technical assistance for component 2 (expansion of target)

Option 3 (Years 2-5) Technical assistance for component 3b

In terms of factors, the government will make an award to the responsible offeror whose offer conforms to the solicitation and is most advantageous to the government. Factor 1 is considered the most important factor. The criteria below reflect the requirements of this particular solicitation. Offerors should know that these criteria: 1) serve as the standard against which all proposals will be evaluated, and 2) serve to identify the significant matters which offerors should address in their proposals.

The technical evaluation will evaluate the offerors using the following factors:

FACTOR FACTOR NAME

Factor 1 Technical Understanding and Approach

Factor 2 Management and Staffing

Factor 3 Past Performance

B. Factor Instructions & Evaluation Criteria

Outlined below are the Instructions to Offerors and Evaluation Criteria for each Factor

FACTOR 1

FACTOR

NAME:

Technical Understanding and

Approach

IMPORTANCE

or WEIGHT:

Most important

FACTOR 1 - Instructions to Offeror:

The offeror must describe its proposed technical methodology and approach for achieving the results and meeting the requirements of the SOW and technical deliverables and objectives. The offeror must include a clear, logical and detailed plan to achieve each of the requirements in the statement of work and demonstrate a causal relationship between proposed activities and required results. The offeror must describe its approach to developing host country counterpart relationships, including the private sector, for the purposes of capacity building and sustainability. The offeror may integrate technology into its approach but should demonstrate its cost-effectiveness, appropriateness for the activity and contribution towards sustainability. The offeror must clearly address:

The logistical and operational challenges inherent to scaling up an activity to reach large numbers of beneficiaries, as well as proposed solutions for addressing these challenges;

How it will address gender, migration and employment challenges and opportunities for youth through its proposed approach;

How it will achieve the $100 million in leverage through a private sector engagement strategy.

The offeror must describe how it would self-monitor and manage its performance against contract terms. The offeror must also describe its monitoring and evaluation (M&E) “system”, automated tools, policies, procedures and expertise to conduct M&E. The Draft Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Plan with proposed indicators and targets and the Draft Year 1 Work Plan must be submitted in the Annex.

The Work Plan will follow the guidelines/samples provided by OAA. Font can be no smaller than 9 points. Not to exceed six (6) pages

FACTOR 1 - Evaluation Criteria:

Offerors will be evaluated on the following sub-factors; each sub-factor will be equally important among the other sub-factors:

(a) The extent to which the offeror demonstrates an understanding of the overall employment context in Honduras including education, skills training, job creation, and job placement, and/or what is planned to discover or improve this understanding.

(b) The extent to which the offeror’s proposal outlines a practical, realistic, contextually appropriate approach to facilitating desired changes in system dynamics in order to achieve project objectives and addressing the specific system issues described in Section C or in the offerors’ knowledge of the employment context.

(c) The extent to which the offeror’s proposal demonstrates integration of the guiding principles and how they will implement the proposed work, and proven track record of successfully implementing interventions and activities in line with these principles.

(d) The extent to which the offeror plans for integration of Positive Youth Development principles and approaches within the activity.

(e) The extent to which the offeror demonstrates private sector engagement that is realistic and will allow the placement of youth into jobs in large numbers to reach 100,000 employed and $100 million leverage.

(f) The extent to which the offeror demonstrates an in-depth understanding of the context of

Honduras, including the migration context and the interplay between migration and development, and the post COVID-19 context, and has reflected this understanding in its strategy and program development

(g) The extent to which the proposed MEL Plan, including proposed indicators, is an effective approach to monitor, evaluate, learn and adapt from implementation. Proposed indicators comply with ADS

203.3.4.2, and provide objective evidence that an intended change is occurring. The MEL Plan will address mitigation measures to respond to changing political conditions, waning political commitment or other potential changes in the context and describe how the Contractor would adapt interventions.

FACTOR 2

FACTOR

NAME:

Management and Staffing

IMPORTANCE

Very Important

FACTOR 2 - Instructions to Offeror:

The offeror must describe its plan for management of the project. This will include a description (as applicable to the proposed approach) of the roles and functions of the home office, field office, any satellite/regional offices, and each proposed subcontractor and briefly explain the rationale. The offeror must also identify organizational structures (e.g., people, systems, policies, procedures) that support its ability to launch and support this project and the offeror's technical approach.

The management plan must include a draft mobilization plan identifying the steps for mobilization and project implementation during the first 90 days of award. The offeror’s planned steps must include, but are not limited to, the following:

Rapid project start-up

Logistic arrangements

Recruitment and on-boarding of both proposed and other necessary personnel

List of key activities to be accomplished and assigned responsible personnel

Timeline for initial proposed academic year project activities adjusted as necessary based upon the timing of award

The staffing plan must describe the offeror’s plan for staffing the project. It must discuss the roles and responsibilities of each position, both key and non-key and long and short term, and briefly explain the rationale. The organizational chart (included in the annex and not counted in the page limit) must list all staff positions, show lines of authority, and indicate where the position sits (i.e. home office, field office, regional office, etc. as applicable). Accompanying narrative for the organizational chart must be included in the staffing plan.

The Offeror must propose personnel that meet the minimum requirements specified in Annex 1 “Key

Personnel” for all key personnel positions listed herein. The offeror must identify in the staffing plan how each proposed key personnel meets or exceeds the requirements identified in Annex 1. Offerors must provide resumes (not counted in the page limit) for each candidate proposed as key personnel.

Resumes must be limited to a maximum of three pages for each individual and use a standardized format. Resumes must clearly demonstrate that the proposed key personnel possess the required skills and knowledge as indicated in Annex 1 to function as proposed on the project team. In addition, for each key personnel proposed, Offerors must provide a minimum of three references (not counted in the page limit), including the relationship between the individual proposed and the reference and the email address and phone number of each reference. Offerors must include as part of their proposal a letter of commitment signed by each person proposed as key personnel confirming their present intention to serve in the stated position upon award and their present availability to serve for the term of the proposed contract. Individuals proposed as Key Personnel may be proposed in more than one Offer.

Offerors must not require exclusivity agreements from Key Personnel.

Additionally, the offeror must describe if/how Home Office counterparts will work and provide needs-based support to Key Personnel and provide other Home Office support to field staff and implementation based.

FACTOR 2 - Evaluation Criteria:

Offerors will be evaluated on the following criteria; each criteria is equally important in relation to the other:

(a) The extent to which the proposed Staffing Plan meets the criteria specified in Annex 1 for Key

Personnel.

(b) The extent to which required expertise is identified, or a viable recruitment plan for identifying expertise, is presented

(c) The extent to which the key personnel, staffing plan and management structure demonstrate the

Offeror's ability to achieve, or exceed, the results included in the SOW.

(d) Extent to which the application demonstrates how the activity management structure will ensure cohesive and coordinated knowledge and information sharing, integrated activity planning, and implementation across roles, organizational boundaries, and geographies, including: consortium partners and structure (if a consortium management model is proposed), geographic office setup, staffing structure, and staff positions proposed by the offeror.

(e) Extent to which the contractor convincingly demonstrates how its management approach and institutional capability will lead to successful implementation of rapid mobilization plan and high-level objectives and results; this includes the strength of the offeror’s quick start-up plan.

FACTOR 3

FACTOR

NAME:

Past Performance

IMPORTANCE

Important

FACTOR 3 - Instructions to Offeror:

(a) The offeror (including all partners of a joint venture) must provide performance information for itself and each major subcontractor (one whose proposed cost exceeds 15% of the total estimated contract cost) in accordance with the following:

1. List in an annex to the technical proposal up to four of the most recent (in the last 3 years) and relevant contracts for efforts similar to the work in the subject proposal for the offeror and up to two for each major subcontractor. The most relevant indicators of performance are contracts of similar scope, size, and geographic context. and/or other performance management activities.

2. For all contracts listed above that are not in CPARS, provide a list of contact names, job titles, mailing addresses, phone numbers, e-mail addresses, explanation of relevance to the proposed acquisition and a description of the performance to include:

Scope of work or complexity/diversity of tasks, Primary location(s) of work, Term of performance, Dollar value, and

Contract type, i.e., fixed-price, cost reimbursement, etc.

(USAID recommends that you alert the contacts that their names have been submitted and that they are authorized to provide performance information concerning the listed contracts if and when USAID requests it.)

(b) If extraordinary problems impacted any of the referenced contracts, provide a short explanation and the corrective action taken (FAR 15.305(a)(2)).

(c) Describe any quality awards or certifications that indicate exceptional capacity to provide the service or product described in the statement of work. This information is not included in the page limitation.

(d) Performance in Using Small Business (SB) Concerns (as defined in FAR 19.001).

(1) This section (d) is not applicable to offers from small business concerns.

(2) As part of the evaluation of performance in Section M.2.under Sub-SectionC.(d)(6) of this solicitation, USAID will evaluate the extent to which you used and promoted the use of small business concerns under current and prior contracts. The evaluation will assess the extent small business concerns participated in these contracts relative to the size/value of the contracts, the complexity and variety of the work small business concerns performed, and compliance with your SB subcontracting plan or other similar small business incentive programs set out in your contract(s).

(3) In order for USAID to fully and fairly evaluate performance in this area, all offerors who are not small business concerns must do the following:

(A) Provide a narrative summary of your organization's use of small business concerns over the past three years. Describe how you actually use small businesses--as subcontractors, as joint venture partners, through other teaming arrangements, etc. Explain the nature of the work small businesses performed--substantive technical professional services, administrative support, logistics support, etc. Describe the extent of your compliance with your SB subcontracting plan(s) or other similar SB incentive programs set out in your contract(s) and explain any mitigating circumstances if goals were not achieved.

(B) To supplement the narrative summary in (A), provide a list of the recent (for the last 12 months) contracts for which you submitted subcontract reports to eSRS (FAR 52.219-

9(d)(10) and a copy of any similarly recent subcontracting reports if they were not submitted to eSRS.

(C) Provide the names and addresses of three SB concerns for us to contact for their assessment of your performance in using SB concerns. Provide a brief summary of the type of work each SB concern provided to your organization, and the name of a contact person, his/her title, phone number, and e-mail address for each.

FACTOR 3 - Evaluation Criteria:

(a) Performance information will be used for both the responsibility determination and best value decision. USAID may use performance information obtained from other than the sources identified by the offeror/subcontractor. USAID will utilize existing databases of contractor performance information and solicit additional information from the references provided in Attachment 3 of this

RFP and from other sources if and when the Contracting Officer finds the existing databases to be insufficient for evaluating an offeror’s performance.

(b) Adverse past performance information to which the offeror previously has not had an opportunity to respond, will be addressed in accordance with the policies and procedures set forth in FAR 15.3.

(c) USAID will initially determine the relevance of similar performance information as a predictor of probable performance under the subject requirement. USAID may give more weight to performance information that is considered more relevant and/or more current.

(d) The contractor performance information determined to be relevant will be evaluated in accordance with the elements below:

(i) Quality of product or service, including consistency in meeting goals and targets,

(ii) Cost control, including forecasting costs as well as accuracy in financial reporting,

(iii) Schedule, including the timeliness against the completion of the contract, task orders, milestones, delivery schedules, and administrative requirements (e.g., efforts that contribute to or affect the schedule variance),

(iv) Business relations, addressing the history of professional behavior and overall business-like concern for the interests of the customer, including the contractor’s history of reasonable and cooperative behavior (to include timely identification of issues in controversy), customer satisfaction, timely award and management of subcontracts, cooperative attitude in remedying problems, and timely completion of all administrative requirements, and

(v) Management of key personnel, including appropriateness of personnel for the job and prompt and satisfactory changes in personnel when problems with clients were identified.

(e) An offeror’s performance will not be evaluated favorably or unfavorably when:

(i) The offeror lacks relevant performance history,

(ii) Information on performance is not available, or

(iii) The offeror is a member of a class of offerors where there is provision not to rate the class against a sub factor. When this occurs, an offeror lacking relevant performance history is assigned a "neutral" rating. An exception to this “neutral” rating provision is when a non-small businesses prime has no history of subcontracting with small business concerns.

Prior to assigning a "neutral" past performance rating, the contracting officer may take into account a broad range of information related to an offeror's performance.”

C. Contract Cost/Price

a. Submission Requirements

PART 1 - STANDARD FORM (SF) 33

PART 2 - PROPOSED COSTS/PRICES

SUMMARY BUDGET BY OPTIONS

DETAILED BUDGET BY OPTIONS

BUDGET NARRATIVE BY OPTIONS

LOE SUMMARY BY OPTIONS

FEE DISTRIBUTION SCHEDULE BY OPTIONS

PART 3 - REPRESENTATIONS, CERTIFICATIONS, AND OTHER STATEMENTS OF OFFERORS

PART 4 - POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

PART 5 - INFORMATION CONCERNING WORK-DAY, WORK-WEEK, AND PAID ABSENCES

PART 6 - SUBCONTRACTING PLAN AND SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS

PART 7 - JOINT VENTURE INFORMATION

PART 8 - EVIDENCE OF RESPONSIBILITY

PART 9 - CONSENT TO SUBCONTRACTORS

PART 10 - LETTERS OF COMMITMENT (MAJOR SUBCONTRACTORS)

PART 11 – LEGISLATIVE REPORTING INFORMATION

b. Evaluation criteria

USAID’s goal is to achieve low administrative costs and focus funds for local engagement and program implementation, hence, will be considered for the evaluation of cost/price. The proposed cost/price will be evaluated for realism and reasonableness. USAID will also consider administrative costs versus funds going towards program implementation costs. Cost will not be assigned a weighting. The Contracting

Officer will conduct a cost analysis and evaluate costs based on the proposal’s realism, reasonableness, and completeness as described below:

(a) The evaluation will be based upon the budget and the supporting narrative provided by the

Offeror.

(b) USAID will conduct a cost evaluation to determine if the proposed costs (i.e., the ceiling daily rates, provisional and ceiling indirect cost rates, and ceiling on fixed fee) are reasonable. This evaluation is conducted with the expectation of adequate cost/price competition and will rely heavily on market forces to determine whether the proposed cost/price is fair and reasonable.

The comparison of proposed cost/price in response to this solicitation is the preferred technique for this evaluation. USAID will also compare the proposed cost/price to historical cost/price paid for the same or similar services and the independent government cost estimate. Other techniques and procedures set forth in FAR 15.404-1(b), if deemed necessary, may be used to ensure proposed cost/price is fair and reasonable.

(c) Cost/price analysis will be performed in accordance with FAR 15.404-1(d) as applicable to determine whether the proposed cost/prices is realistic for the work to be performed, reflects a clear understanding of the requirements, and is consistent with the unique methods of performance set forth in the Offeror’s technical proposal and budget narrative.

ANNEX 1 – KEY PERSONNEL

The Offeror shall propose candidates for the key personnel positions listed herein.

Other Permanent Staff: Offerors may propose as appropriate, including administrative/financial support, communications/public outreach support, specific related technical staff, etc. For permanent staff local

Honduran nationals shall be considered.

Short Term International Technical Specialists: A range of high quality, short-term international technical specialists (U.S. Expatriate and Third Country Nationals) may be used as specified in the proposal and with prior approval by the COR/CO. It is envisioned that STTA will be an important source of technical assistance due to the broad range of technical issues addressed under this proposal. STTA does not include home office support staff, which must be covered under Salaries of Home Office staff.

Furthermore, Home Office personnel can be proposed as technical specialists for key assignments, as applicable. The offeror will explain how local and field staff including key personnel will receive needs-based support from Home Office counterparts. Given the complexities of the project, the offeror will explain how all management and technical skills needed by the activity will be provided based on the offeror’s approach.

Short Term Host Country Technical Specialists: A variety of short-term national technical specialists may be provided to implement as specified in the annual work plan.

USAID encourages innovative mixes and combinations of management area specialties and expertise based on the technical approach. In other words, there is flexibility allowed in proposing staff as long as all required expertise is covered and a key management position is not weakened. Staffing needs may also be met through sub-contracts.

KEY PERSONNEL

The key personnel whom the contractor must furnish for the performance of this contract are:

1. Chief of Party (COP)

2. Deputy Chief of Party (DCOP)

3. Senior Innovations, Entrepreneurship and Youth Employment Officer

4. Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Specialist

5. Senior Finance Specialist

The specified personnel are considered to be essential to the work being performed hereunder. Prior to replacing any of the specified individuals, the contractor must immediately notify both the Contracting

Officer and USAID Contracting Officer's Representative reasonably in advance and must submit written justification (including proposed substitution) in sufficient detail to permit evaluation of the impact on the program. No replacement of key personnel may be made by the contractor without the written consent of the Contracting Officer.

Qualifications of Key Personnel

Chief of Party: The Chief of Party (COP) will provide overall technical and administrative leadership and expertise for this activity and will serve as the primary authority for all decision making related to this activity. He/she will be the liaison with USAID/Honduras on management and technical matters. He/she will be responsible for the overall management and implementation of the activity and report directly to the designated USAID Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR). S/he will supervise activity implementation and ensure the activity meets stated goals and reporting requirements. The COP will take a leadership role in coordination among USAID and key stakeholders, and other implementing partners. The COP position requires political and business savvy, as s/he will interact with numerous private-sector firms and organizations, GOH institutions and senior-level national and county-level government officials. S/he will have demonstrated strong leadership, management, and technical skills as well as the ability to work in complex, politically charged, unstable environments, work across different cultures, and manage diverse teams to deliver impact within agreed timelines.

Education: Requires a master’s degree in Business, Education, development or related field from an accredited university. A PhD, EdD, is preferred.

Skills and Experience: A minimum of 15 years of experience in Workforce Development, education, and youth development or directly related field. Relevant management, supervisory, technical experience working with programs that are of a similar scope to this activity are required (at least 10 years must be in a management/leadership position). Proven track record and experience in project designs, policy dialogue, strategic planning and implementation of workforce development, education and systems improvement. Familiarity with entrepreneurship programming, particularly working with social entrepreneurs, is desired. At least five years of experience in the education or workforce sector in Latin America is highly desirable. S/he must be able to conceptualize how private and public sector education, workforce skills development, job placement and job creation interact, and how to manage diverse experts and deliver cohesive implementation---i.e. be able to build synergies and partnerships across the three components of PYE.

Language: The candidate must be professionally proficient in written and spoken English. Excellent communication skills in English are required. Professionally proficient written and spoken Spanish is also required.

Deputy Chief of Party: The Deputy Chief of Party (DCOP) acts as the Chief of Party (COP) in the absence of the COP. The DCOP will be responsible for management of the technical activities and implementation of the project and must be Honduran.

Education: A master’s degree in a relevant field such as education, management, business, social sciences or development studies is desired. A bachelor’s degree with five years of relevant international development experience in the education/workforce development sector is required.

Skills and Experience: At least 8 years of demonstrated experience in the successful implementation of international development activities (at least 3 years must have been in senior program management including direct supervision of professional and support staff). Preference to experience working in the education or workforce development sector in Latin America, particularly in Honduras. Desired experience includes work in alternative education, monitoring and oversight, partnership formation.

Language: The candidate must be professionally proficient and fluent in written and spoken Spanish.

Proficiency in English is preferred.

Senior Finance Specialist: The Senior Finance Specialist will ensure full financial and contractual compliance of the all activities with USAID regulations. Working with Contractor’s internal auditing system and Financial Comptroller, the Senior Finance Specialist will establish internal control systems as well as accounting and financial reporting protocols for local subcontractors. S/He will supervise activity financial staff and program budget matters, managing accounting and disbursement needs, verifying that procurements comply with USAID and Contractor’s financial guidelines, overseeing the training of staff and partner NGOs in financial systems, ensuring adherence to management policies, and assuring timely financial reporting to USAID. The Senior Finance Specialist reports directly to the COP with support from Home Office counterparts.

Education: Requires a master’s degree in Business, Public Administration, Accounting or Financial

Management, or clearly equivalent academic degree at least at the master’s level.

Skills and Experience: At least 8 years of experience in financial management of development activities with increasing levels of responsibility. Membership in a professional body such as those for Certified Public Accountants preferred. A Honduran or experience working in Honduras is preferred. Needs-based support from Home Office counterparts will be described if needed.

Proficiency in English is preferred.

Senior Innovations, Entrepreneurship, and Youth Employment Officer: provides visionary technical oversight and guidance to the Activity regarding innovations, entrepreneurship, and youth employment, particularly in Objective Three. The Employment Officer is expected to spearhead youth social entrepreneurship and youth enterprises implemented with Positive Youth Development principles. The

Employment Officer will report to the COP but is expected to innovate independently.

Education: Requires MBA or similar or relevant degree.

Skills and Experience: At least 10 years of experience in high-level management in workforce development, jobs creation and/or placement, in a context of innovative, entrepreneurial youth enterprises, with background in Positive Youth Development. The Employment Officer will demonstrate an entrepreneurial flair along with a track record of independent management.

Language: The candidate must be professionally proficient and fluent in written and spoken English.

Proficiency in Spanish is strongly preferred (required).

M&E Specialist: The M&E specialist provides technical oversight and guidance to the project’s research design, monitoring and evaluation efforts. Working with the Home Office M&E counterpart, S/He is responsible for ensuring that the program is able to track and report indicators in the Measurement, Evaluation and Learning plan for the program to ensure both technical and management monitoring of program implementation and achievement of outcome and impact level indicators, with needs-based support from Sr. Home Office counterparts. The M&E Specialist will report to the COP.

Education: Requires a bachelor’s degree in measurement, statistics, demography or other relevant field and at least 7 years of experience in Monitoring and Evaluation.

Skills and Experience: Must have proven experience in implementing and overseeing measurement, evaluation and learning activities the education, workforce development, or similar sector. Must have at least 7 years of experience in monitoring results and indicators of reading improvement related activities. Must have demonstrated experience in program evaluation with and quantitative skills.

Proficiency in English is highly desirable.