DRAFT Local Construction Works II IDIQ SOW.pdf

Draft

DRAFT STATEMENT OF WORK

C.1 PURPOSE

The purpose of the Local Construction Works (LCW) Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity

(IDIQ) is to provide the construction services described in, Section C.4, Statement of Work. This

IDIQ will provide construction services ranging from quick and short-term response to long-term construction services in support of USAID overall development objectives. This contract will provide cost-effective and timely access to construction services and will be the principal instrument through which USAID/Liberia shall provide infrastructural support to the mission’s overall development objectives in economic growth, health, education, democracy and governance. The range of infrastructure projects supported through this mechanism will include, but not limited to Vertical Structures / Buildings, Water, Sanitation & Hygiene Services (WaSH), Water Distribution System, Irrigations, Energy, Transportation to include roads and drainage structures and Communications-Information Communication Technology (ICT) across the

Mission’s portfolios.

C.2 BACKGROUND

The permanent or seasonal absence of road access and other basic physical infrastructures which support health, education, agriculture, public administration, and rule of law in most parts of

Liberia is a constraining factor in terms of providing communities with essential services such as education, primary health care, water supply, local markets, and economic opportunities. The availability of such services and opportunities are difficult to sustain without a good quality and well-maintained infrastructure.

U.S. Agency for International Development Liberia Mission (USAID/Liberia), through the

Journey to Self-Reliance (J2SR) approach, is reorienting its strategies, partnership models, and program practices to achieve greater development outcomes and work toward a time when foreign assistance is no longer necessary. As a partner on this journey, USAID is working with the

Liberian government and our partners to achieve locally sustained results, helping the government mobilize public and private revenues, strengthen local capacities, and accelerate enterprise-driven development. This approach fosters stable, resilient, and prosperous countries that are more self-reliant and prioritizes enduring partnerships.

USAID/Liberia is supporting various infrastructure projects: including building construction, roads, water, sanitation, and hygiene (WaSH), and energy in Liberia. USAID/Liberia makes direct and/or indirect infrastructure investments in schools, hospitals, public/community buildings, roads and/or culverts/bridges, and public water supply and sanitation systems. The

Mission’s infrastructure projects are an important component of our development programs.

C.3 OBJECTIVES

The objective of this IDIQ contract is to provide on-demand construction services to all

USAID/Liberia technical offices and to ensure effective and timely response to construction needs.

The Local Construction IDIQ will provide construction services to the mission’s overall development objectives in the Economic Growth, Health, Education, Democracy and Governance

Offices to include the following functional infrastructure areas:

https://www.usaid.gov/documents/1870/journey-self-reliance-fact-sheet

1. Vertical Structures / Buildings

2. Water Resources, Water Supply, Wastewater

3. Irrigation

4. Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WaSH)

5. Energy

6. Transportation to include roads and drainage structures.

7. Communications - Information and Communications Technology (ICT)

8. Value Engineering services, Engineering Economics, Value Engineering, and Institutional and Policy Reform

C.4 STATEMENT OF WORK (SOW)

This IDIQ will be utilized to execute a broad range of construction projects for Liberia. Project specific task orders will be issued under the resultant IDIQ contract. Task Orders will be issued as

Firm-Fixed Price (FFP) based on the requirements of the SOW for projects identified via

Request for Task Order Proposal (RFTOP). A RFTOP issued under this contract may be issued to more than one contractor and will include documents defining the submission and project requirements. Each task order will, include specific scope of works, design documents, special conditions, period of performance, and general conditions.

Under the terms and conditions of this IDIQ and resultant task orders, the Contractor will, when directed by USAID, provide all construction services required and/or other services not necessarily of construction nature but which provides a basis for verifying construction designs, choice of construction materials, value engineering etc.

An independent contractor hired by USAID and hereinafter referred to as the Quality Assurance

Contractor (QAC) will provide full time construction oversight and management to the

Construction Contractor. However, Quality Assurance (QA) will be performed by USAID with support from the QAC to verify that the levels of work and quality of materials stipulated in the contract specifications are met. Notwithstanding, Quality Assurance efforts of USAID, the

Contractor remains fully responsible for the quality of work performed under and any resultant

Task Orders.

Task Orders issued under this IDIQ will include the below construction services:

C.4.1 Site Assessments

The Contractor shall develop and submit for USAID approval a Site Assessment Report (SAR).

The site assessment report will establish existing conditions on work sites and those areas adjacent to the work sites, which can be affected in some manner by the work activities. This report must document the before construction scenario and established the basis of future claims due to differing site conditions, especially in instance when these differing conditions are readily evident before the start of construction.

The site assessment management plan shall include, but not be limited to measurement and recording of the following parameters as may be appropriate to the project: ground and structural elevations; ground water levels; soil conditions; vertical alignment of structures; evaluation of existing natural hazards and other conditions affecting construction.

The Contractor shall participate together with representatives of its subcontractors and USAID in regular monthly examinations of the “base-line” conditions and shall maintain a log of the values recorded and photos taken during these examinations, in such a fashion that comparison with previous values recorded can easily be done and trends readily identified. The Contractor shall regularly review the subject logs and immediately discuss with the pertinent subcontractors and

USAID, any finding determined to require consideration of a change in method of construction or remedial action.

The Contractor shall have all the resources necessary, such as construction superintendence, labor, material, equipment, and all related civil works, whether of a temporary or permanent nature, necessary to mobilize and start construction upon issuance of notice to proceed and complete construction in accordance with the approved construction schedule. All work(s) are to be performed in accordance with the engineering instructions, directives, guides, specifications, drawings, technical manuals, and other instructions specified in each task order. The Contractor shall assure that projects are constructed in full compliance with design(s) and engineered in a manner that the Contractor can complete the contract with the project budget provided in the task order. All work shall be accomplished, whether self-performed or subcontracted, in accordance with the task order requirements and construction industry best practice.

C.4.2 Pre-construction

The Contractor must conduct joint pre-construction inspections/conferences with each project subcontractor, stakeholders (local/international) and USAID to acquaint key personnel, local authorities and inspectors and other involved parties with the procedures, lines of authority and the interrelationship with the monitoring activities of the Contractor, USAID, and others. These conferences will take place during the task order pre-award period and before any construction activity starts.

The pre-construction inspection/conference must at a minimum, achieve the following key results:

• Basic understanding of all stake holders, the scope, and duration of the task order

• The roles and responsibility of each stakeholder

• Identification of liaison between the local people and the project

• Identification of key GOL point of contact

• Identification of potential gender, environmental, cultural, and traditional issues which the contractor must consider.

C.4.3 Construction

Individual Task orders will substantially or predominantly specify requirements for construction services, however, unless specifically indicated in a task order, the following will apply for all construction services required:

• The Contractor must produce construction schedules, programs, cash flow and resource allocation plan and in accordance with approved technical specifications and plans in compliance with applicable codes, policies, rules, and regulations;

• The Contractor must assure that projects constructed are in full compliance with designed and engineered in a manner that the Contractor can complete the contract with the project budget provided in the task order;

• In instances where a partial or incomplete design are provided to the Contractor on some task orders the contractor must complete the designs in accordance with approved base designs, technical specifications and plans in compliance with applicable codes, policies, rules, and regulations. The construction documents will be fully sufficient for contractors or subcontractors to bid and execute the work and for incorporation in contracts or subcontracts as contract;

• All work must be performed in accordance with the engineering instructions, directives, guides, specifications, drawings, technical manuals, and other instructions specified in this IDIQ contract or with each task order;

• As required by task order, the Contractor’s construction management personnel must be actively involved during the design process to effectively integrate the design and construction requirements;

• In addition to the typical construction activities, the Contractor’s involvement will include, but is not limited to actions such as: integrating the design schedule into the master schedule to maximize the effectiveness of fast-tracking construction (within the limits allowed in the task order), executing the material and equipment acquisition programs to meet critical schedules, effectively interfacing the construction quality control (QC) program with the design QC program, and maintaining and providing the design with accurate, up-to-date d as-built documentation;

• The Contractor must provide all construction personnel, management, supervision, tools material, and equipment, whether of a temporary or permanent nature, necessary to execute and complete the task order work and comply with all task order requirements.

The Contractor must mobilize and start construction in accordance with USAID’s Notice to Proceed (NTP) and complete construction in accordance with the approved construction schedule;

• The Contractor must accomplish all construction activities, whether self-performed or subcontracted, in accordance with the task order requirements and construction industry best practice; and

• The Contractor must efficiently and effectively manage and coordinate subcontractors and accomplish all construction in accordance with design documents and specifications.

C.4.4 Management and Supervisory Responsibilities

The Contractor will provide direct management and supervision of the Contractor’s personnel and subcontractors assigned to work on each task order regarding matters pertaining to specific work assignments. The quality of performance of the Contractor personnel and subcontractors is the direct responsibility of the Contractor. The USAID COR and/or any designated technical representative may, on a frequent basis, directly coordinate with or provide technical guidance and direction or other types of information to the Contractor’s personnel and subcontractors concerning the technical or administrative aspects of work being performed.

The Contractor will establish a sufficient managerial and supervisory structure to ensure that work being performed by the Contractor’s personnel and subcontractors is in accordance with the various task order scopes of work and that the quality of work being performed by the

Contractor personnel and subcontractors is representative of the Contractor’s best professional standards and is in accordance with applicable codes and regulations required under this contract.

The Contractor is responsible for establishing procedures, checks and controls during the construction process which will assure that construction quality (as required by task order documents) is maintained. Individual Task orders will specify requirements for construction services that may include the following construction skills/services:

• Professional Engineer: Active/Licensed member of the Engineering Society of Liberia

(ESOL) and/or a team with a licensed engineering firm (with demonstrated local or international accreditation) for engineering;

• Planning: Construction schedules, programs, cash flow and resource allocation plans and in accordance with approved technical specifications and plans in compliance with applicable codes, policies, and regulations;

• Design: Complete designs in accordance with approved base designs, as-built designs, technical specifications and plans in compliance with applicable codes, policies, and regulations;

• Quality Control Plan (QCP): QCPs must be prepared in accordance with those requirements of the relevant task order. The plan must fully define the Contractor’s quality system, procedures, checks and balances and provide for construction quality at sites through an integrated system of Quality Control by the Contractor and Quality

Assurance services provided by USAID. The Contractor will be responsible for constructing the work in accordance with approved plans and specifications and in compliance with applicable codes and regulations;

• Miscellaneous Construction Activities: In additional to the typical construction activities, the Contractor’s involvement may include actions such as: integrating the design schedule into the master schedule to maximize the effectiveness of fast-tracking construction (within the limits allowed in the task order), executing the material and equipment acquisition programs to meet critical schedules, effectively interfacing the construction Quality Control (QC) program with the design QC program, and maintaining and providing the design with accurate, up-to-date as-built documentation.

C.4.5 Safety

The Contractor is responsible for safety and must implement a comprehensive and effective

Safety Program to protect life, property, and environment. The Contractor’s Safety Program must be submitted to the COR prior to the contractor commencing work on a task order. At minimum, the contractor’s safety program/plan shall include:

1. Safety Program and Safety Plan: The contractor must implement safety measures to accomplish the work in the safest manner. The contractor’s safety program must define roles, responsibilities, programs, policies, and procedures to accomplish the goal of achieving superior safety performance during all phases of the Project.

2. General Safe Work Practices: The Contractor must establish standard operating procedures for the project to guide employees in safe work practices. All employees, including managers and supervisors, must have training and instruction on general and job-specific safety and health practices. Workplace safety and health training practices shall include the following:

• Explanation of the Contractor's Accident Prevention Plan, Emergency Action Plan, and

Fire Prevention Plan, and measures for reporting any unsafe conditions, Work practices, and injuries.

• Use of appropriate clothing, including gloves, footwear, and personal protective equipment.

• Information about chemical hazards to which employees could be exposed and other hazard communication program information.

• Availability of toilet, handwashing, and drinking water facilities.

• Provisions for medical services and first aid, including emergency procedures.

In addition, the Contractor must provide specific instructions to each employee regarding hazards unique to the job assignment, to the extent that such information was not already covered in other training. The Contractor must establish written safe work practices covering all phases of the Work. Safety, Quality and all other project programs and requirements that are placed upon the Prime Contractor must all be required of all subcontractors.

C.4.6 Environmental Compliance

The Contractor is responsible for performing all work in such a manner as to minimize the pollution of air, water, or land and to control noise and dust in accordance with all applicable

U.S., and Liberia environmental laws, regulations and programs that relate to the performance of work awarded in individual task orders. All works must be implemented in accordance with specific tasks orders Environmental Monitoring Management Plans (EMMPs) or Initial

Environmental Examination (IEE) of this IDIQ. Separate EMMP must be done for each task order. The following set of environmental conditions must be addressed in accordance with the environmental documentations for this IDIQ.

(i) For planning and design activities, the contractor must consider adverse impacts to the physical, biological, and social environment.

Physical Environment, including:

Biological

Environment, including:

Social Environment, including:

• Agricultural land

• Soil erosion

• Slope stability

• Energy/mineral resources

• Surface water quantity and quality

• Ground water quantity and quality

• Air quality

• Noise

• Aquatic ecosystems

• Wetlands ecosystems

• Terrestrial ecosystems

• Endangered species

• Migratory species

• Invasive and non-native species

• Disease vectors

• Public health

• Resources/land use

• Distribution systems

• At risk populations

• Community stability

• Cultural/religious values

(ii) The contractor must develop EMMP from the approved IEE that will be used in identifying potential negative environmental impacts associated with the relevant project or activity and appropriate measures to mitigate the adverse impact. The

EMMP must describe procedures to be used in the supervision of any construction to ensure best practices on the construction sites that will mitigate short-term construction related impacts.

(iii) The contractor must ensure designs reflect environmentally sound design considerations, and where there is potential for adverse impact, ensure that the project must be designed to avoid or mitigate these impacts and that appropriate mitigation measures are addressed in the plan/design.

For all activities, the contractor must ensure that operations are consistent with local and national environmental laws.

C.4.7 Gender Issues

The contractor is required to incorporate gender as an important consideration in the overall implementation of this contract and to respect the critical role women play in accelerating progress in development and advancing global prosperity and security. The contractor’s support of USAID infrastructure projects should consider the need for adaptations or modifications specifically tailored to reducing gender inequality, reducing gender-based violence, and increasing the capabilities of women. Specifically, when providing support during design, procurement, and construction, attention should be given to the specific needs of women and girls. This includes, but is not limited to, the design, location, and operational simplicity of any infrastructure such as water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH). Privacy and safety for women and girls should be considered at all levels of design and implementation.

C.4.8. Climate Risk Management

Liberia is vulnerable to the impacts of climate variability and change, such as warmer temperatures, increases in annual rainfall, and increases in the frequency of heavy rainfall events.

These climate change impacts present challenges to the country’s socio-economic development.

Liberia’s low adaptive capacity to respond to climate change is partially due to the detrimental effects of the 1989-2003 Civil War. Since the war, the government, along with various international and national institutions and organizations, has been taking actions to better understand and address climate change challenges throughout the country. Remaining needs include data on short and long-term climate change impacts and vulnerabilities within the country, as well as the financial, technological, and human resources to identify adaptation priorities and implement appropriate adaptation plans and strategies.

Short-term climate variability is already affecting Liberia, including temperature increases and rainfall variability. As the GoL notes in their new national climate policy, “the impacts of climate change in Liberia not only undermine development gains but also poses serious risk to food security and adaptive capacity,” requiring urgent and concerted national action. As impacts become more pronounced, climate change may erode the progress that Liberia has made and limit gains in the future, including the government’s ability to address its development challenges.

The Climate Risk management results indicated that increased temperatures, changes in amount and duration of rainfall and sea level rise would be addressed through a range of integrated strategies. Engineering analysis preceding design activities will include consideration of climate change and its potential impacts on the location (siting), functionality and sustainability of resulting infrastructure and infrastructure services. Such analysis will include identification of relevant data sets and gaps, review of local building standards and codes for adequacy; and determination of safety factors or other measures of uncertainty that will be carried through design.

The results of this analysis, including risks identified and how they are addressed, shall be documented.

C.4.9 Sustainable Construction

Sustainable Construction focuses more on the built environment and surrounding ecosystems, during the design phase, construction phase and during the operational life cycle of the infrastructure. The contractor will identify ways in which Sustainable Construction approaches can be used to improve both technical performance and appropriateness of USAID-funded infrastructure.

Technical performance includes interventions to improve energy efficiency, water consumption, and materials consumption. Appropriateness is how the project aligns with community goals and how the project supports responsible development that integrates with existing systems from a social, environmental, cultural, and economic perspective. The development of local ownership is an important part of community engagement.

Conflict sensitivity and do no harm are required: the contractor must ensure that project activities are maximizing positive and constructive dynamics in the context and communities in which they operate, and not exacerbating negative or destructive dynamics. A conflict sensitive approach reflects understanding of the context in which the project will operate, the interaction between the proposed intervention and that context, and innovative thinking to avoid negative impacts and maximize positive ones.