RFI-522-20-00001.pdf

NOTICE TYPE: Special No�ce – REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI)

RFI NUMBER: RFI-522-20-00001

SUBJECT: Monitoring, Evalua�on & Learning and Collabora�ng, Learning & Adap�ng Ac�vity

ISSUANCE DATE: May 26, 20020

CLOSING DATE: June 9, 2020

This is a Request for Informa�on (RFI) pursuant to FAR Part 15.201(c), (d) and (f) and FAR Part 10.002 (b)(2)(iii). The purpose of this RFI is to:

● invite comments regarding acquisi�on strategy (including contract type, terms and condi�ons, and acquisi�on planning schedules); feasibility of the requirement; the availability of reference documents; and any other concerns or ques�ons; and

● improve the understanding of Government requirements and industry capabili�es, thereby allowing poten�al offerors to judge whether or how they can sa�sfy the Government’s requirements, and enhancing USAID/Honduras’ ability to obtain quality services at reasonable prices.

An addi�onal purpose of this RFI is to increase the efficiency in proposal prepara�on and evalua�on, nego�a�on, and contract award in the event USAID/Honduras elects to issue a solicita�on reques�ng proposals. However, this is an RFI, not a Request for Proposals (RFP), and is not to be construed as a commitment by the U.S. Government to issue any solicita�on or ul�mately award a contract on the basis of this RFI, nor to pay for any informa�on submi�ed as a result of this request, nor does it commit the Government to pay for costs incurred in the prepara�on and submission of any comments. Proprietary informa�on should not be sent. USAID may use any informa�on provided without incurring any obliga�on s.

This RFI offers the opportunity for interested organiza�ons and individuals to provide feedback, informa�on, opinions, and recommenda�ons on the prospec�ve ac�vity described herein, and in par�cular to respond to the five (5) ques�ons listed below. Responses should not exceed ten (10) pages and should focus on addressing the requirements and illustra�ve results described. Interested par�es should submit their name, address, contact informa�on, and informa�on on business size and socioeconomic status. Addi�onal informa�on limited to the offerors’ corporate or organiza�onal capability statement to carry out their approach and case studies suppor�ng the strategies in the approach may be included as an annex.

Kindly submit responses to this RFI to Vann D. Rolfson, Contracting Officer, USAID/Honduras at oaahonduras@usaid.gov with the RFI No. RFI-522-20-00001 on the subject line. Comments received prior to June 9, 2020 are more likely to receive considera on during mission planning.

USAID/Honduras will not directly provide responses or feedback to any inquiries submi ed as a result of this

RFI.

Sincerely, Vann D. Rolfson Contrac�ng Officer

MONITORING, EVALUATION & LEARNING AND COLLABORATING, LEARNING & ADAPTING ACTIVITY

SUMMARY

USAID/Honduras is in the early stages of designing a demand-driven flexible Monitoring, Evalua�on, and Learning (MEL) and Collabora�ng, Learning, and Adap�ng (CLA) Ac�vity. It is an�cipated that this ac�vity will provide USAID/Honduras with project and ac�vity evalua�on, performance monitoring, knowledge management, communica�ons, and performance management support services in alignment with the USAID Automated Direc�ves System (ADS) 201, USAID’s Evalua�on Policy, and the Journey to Self-Reliance (J2SR).

Addi�onally, this ac�vity will inform monitoring, evalua�on, and learning throughout all stages of the Program Cycle, suppor�ng USAID´s focus on adap�ve management to increase developmental effec�veness. Furthermore, according to USAID’s Program Cycle guidance (ADS 201.3.5.19), “Strategic collabora�on, con�nuous learning, and adap�ve management link together all components of the Program Cycle.” USAID/Honduras views CLA as a way to ensure that programs are coordinated with others, grounded in a strong evidence base, and itera�vely adapted to remain relevant throughout implementa�on. The Mission has been applying CLA principles. Nevertheless, USAID/Honduras expects that this ac�vity will strengthen USAID/Honduras staff and implemen�ng partner’s systema�c applica�on of CLA approaches. USAID/Honduras seeks to strengthen its posi�on as a model in the region and the Agency as an effec�ve learning organiza�on with robust monitoring and innova�ve MEL systems.

BACKGROUND

At the core of USAID ADS 201, the Program Cycle is USAID´s opera�onal model for planning, delivering, assessing and adap�ng development programming in a given country to advance US foreign policy. The following program cycle principles (ADS 201.3.1.2) provide the analy�c framework to understand the relevance of required performance monitoring, learning, and performance management support services under the prospec�ve ac�vity:

● Apply analy�c rigor in support of evidence-based decision making

● Manage adap�vely through con�nuous learning

● Promote sustainability through local ownership

● U�lize a diverse range of approaches to achieve development results

USAID/Honduras recognizes that it cannot a�ribute impact to its programs unless performance monitoring and evalua�on underpin its learning. Through its Evalua�on Policy and the ADS 201, USAID supports the use of high quality performance and impact evalua�ons, assessments and other research to inform evidence-based decision making. At the same �me, con�nuous learning from both the context and performance of ac�vi�es and projects is a cornerstone of adap�ve management for increased sustainable development results.

Con�nuous learning for adap�ve management is par�cularly relevant for Honduras, where the context is dynamic and is characterized by: high migra�on rates; regular shocks (e.g., violence a�er elec�ons, yearly droughts, varying coffee prices, outbreaks of COVID-19) that test the resilience of the popula�on;

low ins�tu�onal credibility; and increasing ci�zen frustra�on that things will not get be�er. This underscores the importance for the prospec�ve ac�vity to promote the inten�onal use of CLA approaches for adap�ve management, both internally at USAID/Honduras and externally with implemen�ng partners, local organiza�ons, local governments, private sector partners, and academia. In addi�on, a USAID policy priority, the J2SR,- emphasizes sustainable development results through local ownership. Under this policy, USAID will foster capacity and commitment of local partners across all levels—individuals, communi�es, and government ins�tu�ons—to eventually solve development challenges without USAID assistance.

PURPOSE

The purpose of the prospec�ve ac�vity is to:

● Provide demand-driven flexible MEL services for evidence-based decision-making

● Promote the inten�onal use of CLA approaches for adap�ve management in the Mission and among external partners

● Strengthen MEL and CLA capacity among USAID/Honduras staff and implemen�ng partners, local organiza�ons, private sector and government partners, and academia. Efforts should align with the J2SR, enabling local actors to solve country developmental challenges without relying on USAID assistance.

This ac�vity will also build on lessons learned through the current USAID/Honduras MEL pla�orm, MESCLA, and those of other Missions. The ac�vity will also make use of exis�ng MEL, CLA and technical sector toolkits available at the USAID Learning Lab and other external sources. Finally, USAID/Honduras expects that this ac�vity will apply knowledge management (KM) principles throughout its work. For example, USAID expects that this ac�vity ac�vely supports the Mission’s efforts of knowledge dissemina�on in a concise and a�rac�ve form to different audiences, including the U.S. Administra�on, U.S. Congress, and local Honduran government counterparts.

Three no�onal components of the prospec�ve ac�vity may be:

Component 1 - Design, implementa�on and dissemina�on of evalua�ons, assessments, surveys, and monitoring analyses . This component will provide USAID/Honduras with performance and impact evalua�ons, assessments, surveys and ongoing context and performance monitoring analyses to provide analy�c rigor to support evidence based decision-making throughout all stages of the Program Cycle.

Component 2 - Facilita�on and inten�onal CLA use among USAID internal and external stakeholders . It will emphasize USAID/Honduras strategic use of CLA for adap�ve management at the strategy, project and ac�vity levels, through inten�onal pause and reflect moments, CDCS midterm stocktaking and por�olio reviews, and annual performance reviews at the ac�vity level, among others. USAID/Honduras also an�cipates a shi� toward a more systems- based approach to project and ac�vity implementa�on, underpinning the relevance of inten�onal use of CLA.

Component 3 - Technical assistance to measurably increase MEL capacity among USAID staff and implemen�ng partners, local organiza�ons, government counterparts, private sector, and academia. It will align with USAID J2SR policy priority to foster commitment and capacity of local actors to eventually solve developmental challenges on their own. The prospec�ve ac�vity will be instrumental in building sustainable, local MEL capacity within local partners - academia, local organiza�ons, government and private sector - and among implemen�ng partners. Generally, USAID engages in capacity development efforts when the strengthening of key organiza�ons will allow them to help solve key development challenges. As a result of capacity development efforts, assisted groups or individuals should become be�er at certain func�ons they carry out. In simpler terms, their performance should improve. While improvements to organiza�onal procedures are important, it is the change in how organiza�ons perform that really ma�ers. Monitoring performance improvement will be key to Component 3.

INFORMATION REQUESTED

USAID/Honduras is seeking feedback on the following ques�ons:

1. Based on your knowledge working in Honduras or countries with similar context, what are the best approaches to build and/or strengthen sustainable, measurable MEL and CLA organiza�onal capacity in Honduras?

1.1. Which approaches have been found to be most effec�ve and cost effec�ve to build MEL capacity?

1.2. What are some proposals to measure the effec�veness of organiza�onal capacity building among targeted actors?

1.3. What addi�onal informa�on could provide the necessary tools and flexibility to accomplish the purpose of the prospec�ve ac�vity.

2. Taking into account your organiza�on’s experience, what do you think an appropriate organiza�onal structure, management plan, and key personnel composi�on and qualifica�ons would look like?

Consider, for example, assembling a consor�um, ensuring that adequate MEL and CLA capacity is built locally, balancing technical and so� skills in the qualifica�ons of key personnel, etc.

2.1. Past experience has proven that so� skills are necessary to have a strong and open rela�onship between USAID and MEL Contractor Staff. If the Mission would like to evaluate these criteria, what approach for evalua�ng so� skills would you recommend to

USAID/Honduras? For example, should USAID have virtual interviews to approve the Key Personnel?

3. How can evalua�on, monitoring performance, and learning support locally led sustainable development?

4. How can USAID/Honduras structure this ac�vity to maximize the engagement of new and local or locally established partners?

5. Based on the informa�on provided on this RFI, what type of acquisi�on mechanism do you think would be most appropriate? Why?

Response to this RFI is voluntary. Responders are free to address any or all the above items, as well as provide addi�onal informa�on relevant to MEL and CLA capacity-building and the use of MEL and CLA approaches to increase project and ac�vity effec�veness in Honduras or similar contexts. Please note that USAID is not seeking technical or cost proposals at this �me. Do not submit any proposal/applica�on in response to this RFI. Only the informa�on requested above will be considered.