MECLA RFI 72030624RFI00007.pdf

Request for Information (RFI)

Subject: USAID/Afghanistan New Monitoring, Evaluation, Collaboration, Learning and Adaptation Activity

Reference: RFI No. 72030624RFI00007

Date Issued: June 24, 2024

Due Date & Time: July 09, 2024 5:00 PM Eastern Time

ATTENTION: All Interested Parties

The United States Government, represented by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)/Afghanistan, is seeking input from interested organizations and individuals who may provide information, opinions, and recommendations in response to the questions outlined in this RFI for potential USAID interventions on Monitoring, Evaluation, Collaboration, Learning and Adaptation (MECLA) services

This is not a solicitation. This Request for Information (RFI) notice is solely issued for information and planning purposes only. Responses to this notice are not considered an application and will not be accepted or evaluated by the Government as a result of this RFI. Only responses with the information requested in this RFI will be reviewed. Responses received may be used for planning and design purposes.

All responses regarding this RFI must be submitted electronically as a Microsoft Word document to Amanullah Baheer, Acquisition and Assistance Specialist, at abaheer@usaid.gov with mabenavente@usaid.gov in cc copy, by no later than July 09, 2024 at 5:00 PM U.S. Eastern Time. Please include the title: “72030624RFI00007 USAID/Afghanistan, New MECLA Activity'' in the subject line of your email.

The submitted information must not exceed six pages, including annexes/attachments, if submitted. Submissions will receive an electronic confirmation acknowledging receipt but will not receive individualized feedback or suggestions. USAID will not provide feedback or responses to questions submitted in response to this RFI and no applications or resumes will be accepted or considered. This office will not respond to any telephone or other inquiries regarding this notice. Your responses will not be made public.

Thank you for your interest in this Request for Information.

/S/ Margaret R. Benavente Office of Acquisition and Assistance USAID/Afghanistan mailto:abaheer@usaid.gov mailto:mabenavente@usaid.gov

Request for Information

A. Purpose

USAID is exploring the design of a new Monitoring, Evaluation, Collaboration, Learning and Adaptation (MECLA) activity to provide third party monitoring, evaluation, collaboration, learning, and program support services to strengthen the implementation of USAID/Afghanistan’s Strategic Framework and ensure development programs are on the right track to achieve their intended results..

B. Background

The fall of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in August 2021 halted decades of development gains, and brought economic and political instability. Today, half the population lives in poverty and women and girls, 49.5 percent of the population, face increasing marginalization. Additionally, the humanitarian situation is characterized by multiple overlapping crises, including natural disasters, drought, and most recently, forced returns of Afghans from Pakistan and other countries.

In this environment, USAID’s Afghanistan Mission remains committed to supporting the people of Afghanistan, which involves working creatively with local organizations, the private sector, national and international partners, and other donors to deliver lifesaving aid and build community resilience to repeated shocks. With no direct presence in Afghanistan, USAID is expanding its collaboration with other donors and local organizations to deconflict activities, fill gaps, and develop best practices to monitor activities in Afghanistan in order to achieve objectives.

Performance monitoring of development interventions is crucial in making sure that U.S.

taxpayer resources are reaching the intended beneficiaries and meeting broader U.S. policy objectives, as well as the Mission’s special objectives. The USAID Afghanistan Strategic Framework calls for an active Monitoring, Evaluation, Collaboration, Learning, and Adaptation approach throughout the program cycle. MECLA is critical for planning, managing and documenting progress towards achieving goals and expected results. It is also an opportunity for USAID - together with implementing partners - to learn and adapt activity implementation over time to ensure activities are having the greatest impact and reaching targeted beneficiaries.

C. Questions

Respondents are asked to provide clear and concise responses to the questions below.

Respondents are not required to respond to all of the questions:

1. Please briefly explain your experience performing MECLA activities in Afghanistan or a similar context and explain the key takeaways for similar interventions.

2. What do you see as the main opportunities and barriers to monitoring, data collection and evaluation in Afghanistan? What are your recommendations for addressing the barriers and leveraging the opportunities?

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3. Given the increasing requirements being imposed by the Taliban on local and international organizations that are delivering assistance or monitoring activities in Afghanistan, how would you propose coordinating third party monitoring activities with the Taliban to ensure effective monitoring and evaluation of USAID-funded activities?

4. What approaches would you propose for data collection, verification, and analysis in the field that would enable USAID to adjust activities to achieve goals when barriers (inclusive of edicts) or opportunities present themselves.

5. Given the restrictions on women and girls movements, what approaches do you recommend to monitor goods and service delivery to women beneficiaries.

6. Please suggest effective strategies to engage multiple local organizations in data collection and analysis.

7. The USAID-funded activities in Afghanistan are multisectoral which requires sector specific MECLA knowledge and skills sets. Is your organization willing to co-partner or be part of a consortium for MECLA services? Please describe your position.

Please do not copy information from publicly available reports, but you are free to include citations or references.

How to submit a response

Responses to this RFI will be accepted through July 09, 2024 5:00 PM (Eastern Time).

The submitted response should include the following information:

Reference Number:

Date:

Affiliation/ Organization:

Business Address:

Representative Name / Email:

Up to six pages of responses to the questions in the RFI

Please note USAID is not seeking technical or cost applications at this time. Do not submit any application in response to this RFI. Only the information requested above will be considered.

STANDARD CLAUSE: 52.215-3 REQUEST FOR INFORMATION OR SOLICITATION FOR PLANNING PURPOSES

(OCT 1997)

(a) The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this solicitation or to otherwise pay for the information solicited except as an allowable cost under other contracts as provided in subsection 31.205-18, Bid and proposal costs, of the Federal Acquisition Regulation.

(b) Although "proposal" and "offeror" are used in this Request for Information, your response will be treated as information only. It shall not be used as a proposal.

(c) This solicitation is issued for the purpose of: Request for Information (RFI)

(End of provision)

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(END OF REQUEST FOR INFORMATION)

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