Answers to Questions on the RFI for AHEI-6-17-20.pdf

June 17, 2020

Reference: Request for Information (RFI) Number RFI-AFG-OED-20200608 Financial and Operational Capacity Building for an Afghan Higher Education

Institution (HEI)

Subject: Amendment #01 to RFI Number RFI-AFG-OED-20200608, Financial and

Operational Capacity Building for an Afghan Higher Education Institution

(HEI), to provide responses to questions on the RFI

Deadline for Responses/Comments: June 22, 2020 at 4:30 p.m. Kabul time

Below are questions received on the subject RFI and USAID responses to the questions:

1. On pg. 3, under Description of Requirements, USAID notes that tasks will be completed no later than 12 months after award. After the 45-day assessment and given the need to demobilize roughly one month before the end of the period of performance, this would leave only 9.5 months for implementation of the capacity building interventions in three different departments of the university that provide services to the entire university.

Would USAID consider expanding the period of performance beyond 12 months?

Response: No; USAID is not considering extending the period of performance of the proposed Activity beyond 12 months.

2. On pg. 4 under Task 1, USAID states that the “assessment will evaluate the current staffing levels, and the technical capacity of each individual.” Please advise how many individual staff work in each of the departments to be assessed, i.e., the Finance, Procurement, and Human Resource departments.

Response: There are approximately 40 staffs in the relevant departments which will be confirmed upon completion of the assessment.

3. Please also advise if staff and faculty in the academic divisions or university

Administration are to be included in this assessment as clients of the Finance, Procurement, and Human Resource departments.

Response: We anticipate Finance, Procurement, Human Resource, and University

Administration staff will be included.

4. On pg. 5, under Task 2, USAID notes the “Contractor may also assist the HEI’s staff in preparing and submitting a report package for Senior Management and/or Board before each quarterly Board meeting.” Can USAID clarify how many quarterly Board meetings the Contractor would support during the period of performance? For example, if a Board meeting were scheduled during the 45-day assessment period, would the Contractor need to take on this preparatory work at that time?

Response: The Contractor may be expected to support up to four Board meetings during the period of performance of the award.

5. On pg. 6, under Deliverables, USAID notes deliverables may include “any addit ional special reports as requested by USAID/Afghanistan.” Can USAID elaborate on what other types of “special reports” the Mission may ask the Contractor to produce?

Response: Special reports may include data calls from USAID/Washington and other non-recurring information requests.

6. Is USAID considering the implementation of a higher education ERP system such as

Ellucian Banner and Workday so the HEI can better manage human capital, business workflow and financials?

Response: No.

7. Will USAID consider extending the period of performance to 18 or 24 months? This would allow for Y2 to include financial system management and monitoring. 24 months would also allow for two years of full year-end financial, accounting and reporting cycle closing.

Response: No. Please see the response to Question #1.

8. If a US-based HEI applies to manage the project as the prime implementer, due to

COVID-19 restrictions, would subcontracting with local financial management and technology firms/companies to implement certain parts of the project be allowed or encouraged?

Response: Yes, subcontracting is allowed.

9. Because of security concerns, will the project allow the applicant to conduct certain trainings in regional third countries such as India or Dubai? Or via distance video training?

Response: Distance training via video or other means is possible. However, training in a third country is not allowed because of cost and other considerations.

10. Will the Afghan HEI be open to the implementation of 2 CFR Part 200 – Uniform

Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit (formerly known as circulars A-

21, A-110, A-133) Requirements for Regulations for USG Federal Awards?

Response: Yes.

/S/

Lealie M. Perry

Contracting Officer

Office of Acquisition and Assistance (OAA)

USAID/Afghanistan

====END OF AMENDMENT #01 TO RFI NUMBER RFI-AFG-OED-20200608===