Evaluation Criteria-Submission Requirements-DISCOVER 10.06.docx

1. EVALUATION FACTORS

a. Factor Identification – This evaluation will evaluate the Applicants by the applications received in response to the DISCOVER Request for Applications (RFA) using the following factors:

Factor 1 – Technical Approach Sub-factor 1 – Understanding Context and Objectives Sub-factor 2 - Monitoring and Evaluation

Sub-factor 3 - Sustainability

Factor 2 –Management and staffing Plan Sub-factor 1 – Staffing Sub-factor 2 – Key Personnel

Factor 3 –Organizational Capacity

Factor 4 - Past Performance

Order of Importance – The award will be made to the overall best Application (the Application which best addresses the selection criteria. All evaluation factors other than cost or price, when combined, are significantly more important than cost or price. Evaluation Factors are listed in descending order of importance.

1.1 actor 1: Technical Approach

1.1.1 Sub-factor 1: Understanding Context and Objectives

a. Submission Requirements:

Applicants must submit a technical Application of not more than 25 pages that demonstrates an understanding of the Government's objectives under the DISCOVER Activity and describes the approach the applicant will take to produce the desired Activity outcomes. The Application must include the following elements:

· A description of tasks to be accomplished under the DISCOVER Activity

· Interventions and strategies to be implemented in order to increase the coverage and quality of TB, HIV, and reproductive health/family planning (RH/FP) services and health products at district level

· Method of engaging the Government of the Republic of Zambia and other key stakeholders to maximize achievement of results

· Gender issues that are likely to impact the implementation of the DISCOVER Activity and the measures to mitigate the anticipated issues

· Opportunities for maximizing achievement of results and how these opportunities could be leveraged.

· Challenges that could affect achievement of results and how these challenges would be overcome

b. Evaluation Criteria:

The application will be evaluated on the extent to which:

· The Application is clear on the tasks to be undertaken and strategies and interventions to be applied in order to increase the coverage and quality of TB, HIV, and reproductive health/family planning (RH/FP) services and health products at district level

· The Application demonstrates that the interventions are relevant, feasible, and evidence-based

· The proposed management structure of the DISCOVER Activity and the methodology of working with the GRZ and other key stakeholders are sound enough to increase the quality and coverage of HIV, TB, and reproductive health/family planning (RH/FP) services in target districts

· The proposed strategies to maximize benefits from identified contextual opportunities are feasible and useful.

· The proposed strategies to limit the negative impacts of identified challenges are feasible and useful.

· It integrates Gender into the DISCOVER Activity to assure equitable access by females and males to quality-assured health services to be provided by the Activity.

· It addresses/positions relevant gender issues that will likely impact implementation and the feasibility of the proposed strategies to address these differences.

11.2 Sub-factor 2: Monitoring and Evaluation

a. Submission Requirements:

The application must include an activity monitoring and evaluation plan with focus on the following aspects:

· The technical application should clearly outline the broad elements/components of the monitoring and evaluation plan

· The technical application should clearly identify output and outcome indicators, end-of-program targets, and year-to-year milestones with appropriate linkages to the major activities and tasks

· The technical application should clearly describe the anticipated sources of data, methods to be used to collect data, the flow of data and the method to be used for data analysis

· The technical application should clearly explain how information generated through this monitoring plan will be communicated to other stakeholders

b. Evaluation Criteria:

The application will be evaluated on the extent to which:

· The application is clear on how the outlined elements/components of the monitoring and evaluation plan will link with each other to facilitate effective monitoring and evaluation of the DISCOVER Activity

· The proposed output and outcome indicators are relevant to evaluate the performance of the DISCOVER activity

· The proposed year-to-year milestones and end-of-program targets are adequate to assure achievement of the desired outcomes of the DISCOVER

· Clarity on how information generated through the DISCOVER monitoring and evaluation plan will be disseminated to key stakeholders

1.1.3 Sub-factor 3: Sustainability

a. Submission Requirements:

The application must describe sustainability plans for the Activity. The plan should include strategies and interventions targeted at maximizing the potential to sustain gains scored through the DISCOVER Activity such as improved patient outcomes, public-private partnerships, and work with the community long after the DISCOVER Activity. The application should at a minimum propose three activities to assure sustainability.

b. Evaluation Criteria:

The application will be evaluated on the extent to which:

· The proposed sustainability plan is clear, feasible to implement and able to lead to sustainability.

1.2 Factor 2: Management and Staffing Plan

a. Submission Requirements:

1.2.1 Sub-factor 1: Staffing plan

The applicant shall submit a staffing plan not to exceed 10 pages as an annex that includes:

· An organogram with projected positions (key and non-key) and reporting relationships

· Demonstration of how the proposed operational structure will work with the GRZ and other stakeholders to assure successful collaboration

· Division of responsibilities between in-country project staff, home office support (if applicable), and all proposed sub-grantees

· Number of international staff and justification for engaging international staff

· Demonstration of how the proposed staffing plan shall support the proposed technical approach to increase the chances of achieving results

b. Evaluation Criteria:

The Application will be evaluated on the extent to which:

· The overall Staffing Plan is logically organized, realistic and responds to the technical requirements of the program.

· The Plan demonstrates a rational, efficient use of resources and provides for a reporting, implementation, and operational support structure that will facilitate successful achievement of the desired programmatic results

· The Plan maximizes cost-effectiveness, achieves gender equity in staffing on all levels, and relies on local and resources to the maximum extent practicable by employing local staff to carry out important leadership and professional functions

1.2.2 Sub-factor 2: Key Personnel

a. Submission Requirements:

The applicant shall submit Curriculum Vitae not to exceed three pages in length for four proposed key personnel. Three professional references should be included for each proposed key personnel inclusive of telephone and email contact information. CVs should also be submitted for other proposed project staff members that are considered critical to the success of the project

b. Evaluation Criteria:

· The proposed key personnel have the capability, experience, education and other qualifications for the designated work.

· The proposed key personnel should have a least the skill requirements stated in the Key Personnel Section of the Program description.

· The proposed key personnel past performance references strongly support the candidate’s ability to successfully accomplish the requirements of the position.

1.3 Factor 3: Organizational Capacity

a. Submission Requirements:

Applicants shall provide a detailed description of their ability and experience in the development of effective partnerships with governmental entities, donors, organizational sub-partners, and other stakeholders to facilitate the design and implementation of effective interventions to increase coverage of TB, HIV, VMMC, and family planning services and socially-marketed health products. The Applicants should detail their institutional experience in designing, managing, implementing, and evaluating public health programs of similar size, scale, duration, nature, and complexity to improve health outcomes.

b. Evaluation Factor Description:

· The applicant demonstrates substantial institutional ability and experience in the development of effective partnerships with governmental entities, donors, organizational sub-partners, and other stakeholders to facilitate the design and implementation of effective Activity interventions

· The applicant demonstrates substantial institutional experience in designing, managing, implementing, and evaluating public health programs of similar size, scale, duration, nature, and complexity to improve health outcomes.

1.4 Factor 4 Past Performance

Relevant past performance is comprised of experience in: the implementation of public health programs with measurable health outputs, outcomes, and impact (Experience in social marketing will be an added advantage) Relevant programming in public health (Experience in social marketing will be an added advantage) would be in Zambia, Southern Africa, or sub-Saharan Africa with a total program budget of $60.1M+, $50.1M-$40M, or $30M-$20M. Geographically Zambia and Southern Africa are of equivalent significance, and weigh higher than sub-Saharan Africa. Experiences working in the following program areas are listed in decreasing degree of importance: HIV, TB, Family Planning, Maternal and Child Health, Malaria.

Past performance variables listed in decreasing degree of importance

HIV

Family planning Maternal and Child Health

TB

Malaria

a) Submission requirement Applicants shall provide detailed past performance information using the PPI Data Sheet included in the RFP for the ten most relevant current or previous awards performed within the last two years that are similar in size, scope, and objectives to what is described in the Program Description two weeks before the closing date of the full applications. Past performance information must be submitted for all sub-grantees. Each Applicant should submit no more than 10 past performance information data sheets for the entire prime/sub-grantee team. Applicants shall not provide assessments of their performance on any referenced award.

b) Evaluation Criteria The Applicant performance information determined to be relevant will be evaluated in accordance with the elements below:

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

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

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

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

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

1.5 FACTOR 3: COST/PRICE

a) Submission Requirements Applicants must submit

· A summary budget in Microsoft Excel with all formulas included.

· Budget narrative in MS Word (Times New Roman or Arial Font and minimum font size 11)

· A copy of the most recent Negotiated Indirect Cost Agreement for the prime and all proposed sub-grantees (if applicable)

· A copy of personnel and travel policies

· Required certifications, assurances, and other statements

· A detailed/itemized budget in MS Excel with all formulas included. Applicants must include each line item listed below (as applicable to your technical proposal):

· Total Direct Labor

· Salary and Wages

· Fringe Benefits

· Consultants

· Travel, Transportation, and Per Diem

· Equipment

· Supplies

· Branding and Marking Activities

· Monitoring and Evaluation Activities

· Subcontracts

· Sub Awards

· Allowances

· Participant Training

· Other Direct Costs

· Indirect Costs

Salary and Wages: Direct salary and wages should be proposed in accordance with the applicant’s personnel policies and meet the regulatory requirements. Costs of long-term and short-term personnel should be broken down by person years, months, days or hours.

Fringe Benefits: Allowances and services provided by the recipient to its employees as compensation in addition to regular wages and salaries are allowable. If fringe benefits are provided for as part of a firm’s indirect cost rate structure. If not part of an indirect cost rate, a detailed cost breakdown by benefits types should be provided.

Consultants: Services rendered by persons who are members of a particular profession or possess a special skill and who are not officers or employees of the recipient are allowable costs. Costs of consultants should be broken down by person years, months, days or hours.

Travel, Transportation, and Per Diem: Cost principles in OMB circulars provide for costs for transportation, lodging, meals and incidental expenses. Costs should be broken down by the number of trips, domestic and international, cost per trip, per diem and other related travel costs.

Equipment and Supplies: supplies as all property except land or interest in land. Costs should be broken down by types and units.

Branding and Marking Costs: ADS 320.3.6.3 states the costs of branding and marking are eligible for financing in contracts, if the costs are reasonable, allocable, and allowable in accordance with applicable cost principles. Such costs should be included in the total estimated cost or bid/offer price of the implementing partner.

Monitoring and Evaluation Costs: Per ADS 203.3.5, include costs of data collection, analysis, and reporting as a separate line item to ensure that adequate resources are available.

Subcontracts: Cost element breakdowns should include the same budget items as the prime as applicable. All vehicles need to be purchased by the prime contractor.

Sub-awards: a. Sub-award means an award of financial assistance to carry out the purposes of the program in the form of money, or property in lieu of money, made under an award by a recipient to an eligible sub-recipient or by a sub-recipient to a lower tier sub-recipient. The term includes financial assistance when provided by any legal agreement, even if the agreement is called a contract. A sub-award does not include a procurement contract for commodities or services. Include estimated costs of sub-awards in the detailed budget. Cost element breakdowns should include the same budget items as the prime as applicable. All vehicles need to be purchased by the prime recipient.

Allowances: Allowances should be broken down by specific type and by person, and should be in accordance with applicants’ policies and these regulations.

Participant Training: ADS 253 provides for participant training and training in development. Costs should be broken down by types and participants.

Other Direct Costs: Various types of direct costs and many cost elements are allowable.

Costs should be broken down by types and units.

Indirect Costs: remaining costs (indirect) that are to be allocated to intermediate or two or more final cost objectives. The indirect costs and bases as provided for in an applicant’s indirect cost rate agreement with the Government, or if approved rates have not been previously established with the Government, a breakdown of bases, pools, method of determining the rates and description of costs.

b. Evaluation criteria Proposed costs shall be evaluated for cost realism, allowability, and allocability. This analysis is intended to determine the degree to which the costs included in the Application are fair and reasonable. Cost realism analysis will be performed on the most highly rated application.