AS III RFP Amendment 01 10 June 2009.pdf

~. The above numbered, solicitation is amended as set forth in item 14. The hour and date specified for receipt of Offers 0 is extended ~ is not extended.

Offers must acknowledge receipt of this amendment prior to the hour and date specified in the solicitation or as amended by one of the following methods:

(a) By completing Items 8 md 15, and returning copies of the amendment; (b) By acknowledging receiptofthis amendment on each copy of the offer submitted; or (c) By separate letter or telegram which includes a reference to the solicitation and amendment numbers, FAILURE OF YOUR ACKNOWLEDGMENT TO BE RECEIVED AT THE PLACE DESIGNATED FOR THE RECEIPT OF OFFERS PRIOR TO THE HOUR AND DATE SPECIFIED MAY

RESULT IN REJECTION OF YOUR OFFER. If by virtue of this amendment you desire to change an offer already subnitted, such change may be made by telegram or . ., the oDening hour and date sDecified

NSN 7540-01-152-8070

Previous Edition Unusable

STANDARD FORM 30 (REV. 10-83)

Prescribed by GSA FAR (48 CFR) 53.243

I. CONTRACT ID CODE

PAGE OF rGES

I 5

AMENDMENT OF SOLICIT ATION/MODIFICA TION OF CONTRACT

2. AMENDMENTIMODIFICATION NO. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE 4. REQUISITJON/PURCHASE REQ. NO

15. PROJECT NO. (If applicable) 01 6/10/2009

6. ISSUED BY CODE 7. ADMINISTERED BY (IF OTHER THAN ITEM 6) CODE I

U.S. Agency for International Development

Office of Acquisition and Assistance, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave NW

Washington, DC 20523-7100

8. NAME AND ADDRESS OF CONTRACTOR (No.. Street. County, State, and Zip Code) [8]

9A. AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION NO.

M-OAA-DCHA-DOFDA-09-567

9B. DATED (SEE ITEM 11) 5/22/2009

lOA. MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT/ORDER NO.

CODE: FACILITY CODE: I 08. DATED (SEE ITEM 11)

II. THIS ITEM ONLY APPLIES TO AMENDMENTS OF SOLICITATIONS

__no_,-.. - - -- - _.-- --.- -.n._... -.- -.-...u.. .- ,u. ----- ,._u .- _u- _oo.u_oo.....,-.- .- ..n.'.- r' .-. W -

12. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION DATA (If Required)

13. THIS ITEM APPLIES ONLY TO MODIFICATIONS OF CONTRACTS/ORDERS,

IT MODIFIES THE CONTRACT/ORDER NO., AS DESCRIBED IN ITEM 14

0 A. THIS CHANGE ORDER IS ISSUED PURSUANT TO: (Specify Authority) THE CHANGES SET FORTH IN ITEM 14 ARE MADE IN THE CONTRACT ORDER NO. IN ITEM lOA.

0 B. THE ABOVE NUMBERED CONTRACT/ORDER IS MODIFIED TO REFLECT THE ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES (such as changes inpaying office.

appropriation date. etc.) SET FORTH IN ITEM 14, PURSUANT TO THE AUTHORITY OF FAR 43,103 (b).

0 C. THIS SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT IS ENTERED INTO PURSUANT TO AUTHORITY OF:

0 D. OTHER (Specify type of modification and authority)

E. IMPORTANT: Contractor is NOT 0 is required to sign this document and return copies to the issuing office.

14. DESCRIPTION OF AMENDMENTIMODIFICA TION (Organized by UCF section headings, including solicitation/contract subject matter where feasible.

The purpose of Amendment 01 to RFP M-OAA-DCHA-DOFDA-09-567 is to provide formal responses to <p.Iestionsreceived from Offerors. All questions and answers are hereby incorporated into this RFP.

Except as provided herein, all terms and conditions of the document referenced in Item 9A or lOA, as heretofore changed, remains unchanged and in full force and effect.

15A. NAME AND TITLE OF SIGNER 16A. NAME AND TITLE OF CONTRACTING OFFICER

Joseph Lentini

15B. CONTRACTOR/OFFEROR 15C. DATE 168. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 16C. DATE

SIGNED SIGNED

(Signature of person authorized to sign) (Signature of Contracting Officer)

RFP M-OAA-DCHA-DOFDA-09-567

Amendment 01

Analytical Services III RFP Questions From Offerors

Q1: The RFP requires (p. 78) that Offerors submit 5 resumes to demonstrate access to technical expertise in each of three Functional Labor categories (in addition to a further 2 CVs for the Senior Technical Advisor and IQC Manager). So our reading of the RFP is that we need to provide full CVs for only seven persons. Is this understanding correct?

AI: Yes. The RFP requires offerors to submit a total of seven resumes (1 Senior Technical Advisor, 1 IQC Manager, 2 Senior Program Development Specialists, 1 Senior Social Scientist, and a total of 2 resumes for Senior Political Scientist/Political Economist Specialists).

Q2: The RFP requires (p. 78) that offerors submit up to five (5) past performance references for itself and each major subcontractor. Does USAID require up to 5 PPRs from each member of a consortium, or up to 5 PPRs in total?

A2: RFP Section L.9.c.4. requires that the up to 5 past performance references only for the prime offeror and each major subcontractor. This was not intended to mean a total of 5 past performance references. RFP Section L.9. defines "major subcontractors" as subcontractors expected to perform at least 20% of the technical effort under the contract under this RFP.

Q3: Are small businesses (but not small disadvantaged businesses) required to submit a subcontracting plan for utilization of small disadvantaged businesses, in response to Section L.e.5 (Subcontracting Plan) and Section M.3.e, SOB Participation Program Targets? If yes, what specific minimum requirements exist (if any) for an SOB Plan, in terms of percentage of total planned subcontracting for SOBs?

A3: RFP Section L.lO.e. requires that all offerors, other than small businesses, submit a Subcontracting Plan, and that the Plans contain small business subcontracting goals "of at least 10% of total planned subcontracting, including non-zero goals (greater than 1%) for each of the following: veteran-owned small business, service-disabled veteran-owned small business, HUBZone small business, small disadvantaged business, and women-owned small business." Small Disadvantaged Businesses are small businesses and are not required to submit a Subcontracting Plan.

The SOB Participation Program Target submission requirement set forth in RFP Section L.9.c.5 is distinct from the Subcontracting Plan requirement. All offerors are required to submit this information.

Q4: Attachment J.3, Labor Distribution Chart, references "key subcontractors". Please clarify this requirement.

A4: Please ignore the "Key Subcontractor" reference in Attachment J.3. This was included in error.

Amendment 01

Q5: For Attachment J.3 (Labor Distribution Chart), are the percentages to be indicated under "Subcontractor's Percentage of Total Labor" calculated against total labor (Prime + all subcontractors), or against all Subcontractors' Labor (excluding the Prime Offeror's Percentage of Labor)?

A5: The percentage for Subcontractor's Percentage of Total Labor shall be calculated against Total Labor, meaning Prime plus all Subcontractors.

Q6: Are the proposed Fixed Daily Rates for U.S. expatriates and local multipliers, as required in B.5, applicable to all identified subcontractors or resource firms, or only those designated as "major subcontractors".

A6: Proposed Fixed Daily Rates for U.S. expatriates and local multipliers will apply to all subcontractors included in the proposal. They will not apply to proposed resource firms.

Q7: What is the expected award date of this contract, in order to estimate the impact of annual salary adjustments on proposed rates?

A7: We are estimating contract award in April 2010. This date is for estimating purposes only and should not be interpreted as an 'award by' date.

Q8: Could you please provide a list of task orders completed under Analytical Services

II?

A8: Yes.

DFD- I-01-04-227 -00, DFD- I-02-04-227 -00, DFD- I-03-04-227 -00, DFD- I-04-04- 227 -00, DFD-I-05-04-227-00, DFD-I-06-04-227-00, DFD-I-07-04-227-00, DFD-I-08-04-227-00, DFD-I-09-04-227-00, DFD-l-1O-04-227-00, DFD-I-II-04-227-00, DFD-I-12-04-227-00, DFD-I-13-04-227-00, DFD-I-14-04-227-00, DFD-I-15-04-227-00, DFD-I-OI-04-228-00, DFD- I-02-04- 228-00, DFD- I-03-04- 228-00, DFD- I-04-04- 228-00, DFD- I-05-04-228-00, DFD-I-06-04-228-00, DFD-I-07-04-228-00, DFD-I-08-04-228-00, DFD-I-09-04-228-00, DFD-I-IO-04-228-00, DFD-I-II-04-228-00, DFD-I-12-04-228-00, DFD-I-13-04-228-00, DFD-I-14-04-228-00, DFD-I-OI-04-229-00, DFD-I-02-04-229-00.

Q9: In Section M.6 of the RFP, USAID encourages maximum participation of small businesses, veteran-owned small businesses, women-owned small businesses, small disadvantaged businesses and HUBZone small businesses. However, Section M.3 (e) indicates that 5% of the scoring is based on the offeror's proposed Small Disadvantaged Business Participation Program Target. Are the points allotted only for the use of small disadvantaged firms or based on the participation of all small businesses included in an offeror's bid? Are SDBs defined as listed in Section M.6 small businesses, veteran-owned small businesses, women-owned small businesses, small disadvantaged businesses and HUBZone small businesses?

A9: Points awarded pursuant to Section L.9.c.5., Small Disadvantaged Business Participation Program Targets, will be based only on the proposed utilization of Small Disadvantaged Businesses. FAR 19.304,Disadvantaged Business Status, states that a contractor must either be certified as a small disadvantaged business (SDB) concern or have a completed SDB application pending at the SBA or a Private Certifier to be considered a SDB for evaluation purposes.

You may refer to 13 CFR 124.1002 for more information regarding Small Disadvantaged Businesses http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr 2003/13CFR124.1002.htm.

Q10: Section M.3.(c)(l) states that the evaluation criterion for key personnel will be the "Demonstrated quality of the proposed Senior Technical Advisor and IQC Manager (primary points of contact), including their experience in supervisory roles and performing the required duties and responsibilities of these positions." Section C of the RFP does not offer a detailed description of the supervisory roles, required duties and responsibilities for these positions. Are Offerors at liberty to determine the qualifications for those positions, and if so, will USAID evaluate those positions based on the qualifications set by Offerors?

AlO: The RFP states only that the Senior Technical Advisor will be the individual bearing primary responsibility for technical aspects of contract performance, and that the IQC Manager will be the individual bearing primary responsibility for procurement, personnel, reporting, and other management related requirements. The information submitted in the proposal should demonstrate the candidate's ability to perform in these positions. The note in RFP Section M.3.c. states that "USAID envisions that each offeror will determinefor itself what is required to bestperform the types of activities and illustrative tasks setforth in the Statement of Work. It is within the discretion of the Technical Evaluation Panel to determine whether an individual canperform within the categoriesproposed."

Q11: If the offeror is a small disadvantaged business is it required to bring on another small disadvantaged business to receive credit under the Small Disadvantaged Business Participation Program Targets evaluation factor?

All: SDB prime offerors will receive credit for their organization's proposed participation under this evaluation factor.

Q12: Does USAID anticipate the need for special grant management services programs?

A12: Grants under Contracts may be required under task orders. Thus, offerors should demonstrate that capacity in their proposals.

Q13: Attachment J.3, Labor Distribution Chart, asks that we breakdown the percentage of labor by Home Office Utilization, Intermittent Staff, and Consultants. Would you please let us know your definition of intermittent?

A13: This is dependent on the personnel policies and accounting procedures of the prime and subcontractors. The Chart is used to capture proposed assumptions regarding labor utilization

Q14: Please confirm whether offerors are required to complete and submit Attachment

1.2 , Cost/Price Evaluation Matrix".

A14: RFP Section L.10.b.1, Proposed CostslPrices, states that offerors must provide a completed Cost/Price Evaluation Matrix in its proposal.

Q15: What is the total quantity of task orders per year on average?

A15:DCHA anticipates an average of 8-10 task orders per year.

Q16: How many of the typical task orders by year require a secret level facility clearance?

A16: The number of task orders requiring security clearance will likely average less than one a year.

Q17: What employee level security clearance levels will be required for access to classified national security information?

A17: Secret level -primarily because USAID may require on-site long-term assistance.

Q18: B.8. What are the most actively relevant languages that may be required based on historical task orders?

A18: Language requirements will correspond to USAID presence countries. French and Spanish are often requirements for teams in LAC and AFR. Portuguese is a much more infrequent requirement. Most other task orders will allow for interpreters. However, it is possible that languages such as Arabic, Chinese, Urdu, Dari/Farsi, and others may be required for discrete tasks.