RFI Energy IDIQ III.pdf

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

Subject: Request for Information (RFI)

Issued Date: Friday, March 8, 2024

Responses Due Date: Thursday, March 21, 2024, 5:00 PM EST

Title: USAID Energy Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) III (Energy IDIQ III)

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Bureau for Resilience, Environment, and Food Security (REFS) is issuing this Request for Information (RFI) for interested prime and subcontractors to provide comments, input, and recommendations on the Energy IDIQ III planned requirement. The goals of this RFI are twofold: (i) to receive input from the industry on the draft technical scope of work (SOW); and (ii) to receive insights from industry on barriers and opportunities to diversifying partnerships for this IDIQ at both the IDIQ and subsequent Task Order competition levels. Through this RFI, USAID aims to: broaden and diversify its partner base at the prime and subcontractor levels; increase competition as a result of greater understanding of the technical scope; generate new partners and new ideas for USAID; and drive better technical solutions and innovative approaches.

This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes. Respondents are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this RFI. Responses to the RFI will not be returned. Respondents will not be notified of the result of the review.

All information provided will become the property of USAID, will not be returned, and will not be released publicly. USAID reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for USAID’s own purposes. Proprietary information must not be sent. USAID reserves the right to, or not to incorporate any, some, or none of the comments received from this RFI into any subsequent solicitations or design documents.

RFI Responses

USAID invites interested parties to respond to the below questions and comment on the draft SOW.

Please provide a maximum of three (3) pages, size 12 font, standard one-inch margins. Responses should be structured in the following way:

● Section 1: Responses to the RFI Questions

● Section 2: Comments on the Draft SOW

Please provide one (1) electronic copy of your response in Microsoft Word format as a single email attachment to Rachel Baltes (rbaltes@usaid.gov) and Taylor Boomer (tboomer@usaid.gov).

Please identify “Energy IDIQ III RFI Response” in the subject line. Responses must be received via email by Thursday, March 21, 2024, at 5:00PM EST.

Pre-Bidders Conference

USAID is pleased to announce that it expects to organize a pre-bidders conference around the week of April 8, 2024. USAID will provide more information in a subsequent communication.

Background

In some parts of the developing world, nearly two-thirds of the population does not have access to electricity. Even where there is access, global energy demand is projected to rise by more than 70 percent by 2040, with nearly 90 percent of that growth expected to come from developing countries. USAID aims to address this core development problem through its energy sector programming that assists partner countries to meet and exceed their energy access and climate change mitigation goals.

The Energy IDIQ III would serve as an umbrella-type contracting mechanism that enables USAID OUs (overseas Missions, regional Missions, and Washington-based and overseas regional and technical Bureaus) to procure and deploy energy sector technical assistance services through programs that address the rising demand for and use of modern energy services by fostering sustainable, resilient, climate-friendly, and energy-secure development in USAID partner countries.

RFI Questions

USAID is interested in hearing from potential bidders (potential prime or subcontractors) on a number of questions regarding the draft SOW (Annex 1) as well as a set of questions:

General Questions

1. Is your organization / company interested in priming or being a sub-contractor for Energy

IDIQ III? If so, which role? Please state if your organization is a Small Business.

2. Any feedback on the breakdown of technical services? Are these adequate categories?

Are there any missing elements?

Questions for Interested Prime Bidders

3. What are the anticipated challenges or barriers to priming an IDIQ?

4. How can USAID lessen the challenges or reduce barriers?

Questions for Interested Subcontractors

5. What barriers are there for being included into consortia? Do they differ if you are selected as a major subcontractor (20% of the SOW) or just a member of the consortia team?

6. How can USAID lower the barriers?

Comments on the Draft SOW

USAID is interested in receiving any comments regarding the draft SOW (Annex 1), particularly related to the division of services, the performance technical areas, or recommendations of areas/services that should be included.