RFP 72061221R00002 SEED Rural Group 1.pdf

Solicitation #72061221R00002 SEED Rural Group 1 Construction Services

Issuance Date:

January 12, 2021

Virtual Pre-Bid Conference:

Use the following link to access the virtual meeting: https://bit.ly/3q7vUeC

January 20, 2021 at 9:00 am – 1:00 pm, Malawi Time

Questions Due: January 25, 2021 at 4:00 pm, Malawi time

Anticipated Date of Response to Questions: January 28, 2021

Proposals Due: February 16, 2021 at 4:00 pm Malawi time

SUBJECT: Request for Proposal (RFP) No. 72061221R00002, Secondary Education Expansion for Development (SEED) Rural Group 1 Construction Services

The United States Government, represented by the U.S Agency for International Development to Malawi (USAID/Malawi), is seeking proposals from qualified U.S. or non-U.S., non-profit or for-profit organizations, to support the Government of Malawi in its commitment to provide increased access to secondary education as detailed in Section C.

Authorized Principal Geographic Code for this solicitation is 935, NAICS Code for this solicitation is 236220 – Commercial and Institutional Building Construction —School Construction.

USAID anticipates awarding up to six (6) Firm Fixed Price (FFP) contracts as a result of this solicitation, covering a total period of performance of twenty-four (22) calendar months, ten (10) months for construction and twelve (12) for the construction warranty period. The activity covers school infrastructure, boreholes, latrines, commissioning of facilities, and a construction warranty period.

In accordance with Section L.7 of this RFP, the Offeror shall indicate in their proposal, if they are bidding on one (1) or two (2) Lots, and identify the numbers of the Lots, as described in Section https://bit.ly/3q7vUeC

C.5, for which their proposals are being submitted for. The Offeror’s proposal, in accordance with Section L.1(d) of this RFP, will remain valid for one hundred and twenty (120) days.

This procurement will be conducted under Full and Open Competition procedures, pursuant to Parts 6 and 15 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR). Please refer to Section L for information regarding proposal requirements. Offerors should take into account the expected delivery time required by the proposal transmission, as they are responsible for ensuring proposals are received at USAID by the due date and time as specified in Section L. Failure to comply with the submission due date and time will result in a submission being deemed as a “late submission”. Late submissions will not be accepted nor evaluated.

Section L of the RFP sets forth all instructions for the preparation and submission of required proposal contents, including critical dates/times for the submission of questions, and the proposal submission closing date and time. All proposals shall be submitted and respond to the contents of this RFP. Any information learned during the pre-solicitation process may have changed, therefore, the Offeror must review and understand the requirements set forth in this RFP. Section M states the criteria by which proposals will be evaluated. Oral presentations or instructions given before award of the contracts will not be binding and will not constitute a formal amendment of the RFP.

USAID expects that Offerors will have equal access to all local organizations needed to implement this contract and strongly discourages exclusivity agreements with local/regional organizations as this limits USAID' s ability to obtain Best Value.

USAID will not award a contract unless the offer has complied with all applicable unique entity identifier (DUNS Number) and System for Award Management (SAM) requirements detailed in Section L.5.2. Further, interested offerors are encouraged to be registered at http://www.sam.gov which is a prerequisite to being awarded a U.S. government contract. This registration takes time, so it is best to begin early. The registration is not required to bid, but it must be in place before an award can be made on the solicitation.

This RFP can be viewed and downloaded from the System for Award Management website (SAM) at https://beta.sam.gov. The full solicitation and all amendments to this RFP will be issued and posted at https://beta.sam.gov.

Offerors are advised to download the solicitation and subsequently to check this website periodically for any amendments. USAID bears no responsibility for data errors resulting from transmission or conversion processes.

http://www.sam.gov/ http://www.sam.gov/ https://beta.sam.gov/ https://beta.sam.gov/

USAID will conduct a Virtual Pre-Bid Conference to inform potential Offerors on the solicitation process, submission expectations, and scope of work. The pre-bid conference is highly encouraged for Offerors intending to submit a competitive and responsive offer. The pre-bid conference will be a virtual meeting conducted using Microsoft Teams. The date and time of the conference is specified at the top of this letter. Access to the meeting is through the following link: https://bit.ly/3q7vUeC Attendance at the Virtual Pre-Bid Conference is not mandatory in order to submit a bid for this activity, however USAID believes it is of the utmost importance to attend if an organization contemplates bidding.

Questions and comments related to this RFP must be submitted electronically to the attention of the Contracting Officer, Dion Glisan no later than the due date/time stated above to OAA-MALAWI- SOLICIT@usaid.gov copying dglisan@usaid.gov, and Manale Jimu, Acquisition and Assistance Specialist, at email mjimu@usaid.gov , with a subject line of RFP No.: 72061221R00002, SEED Rural Group 1 Construction Services, USAID/Malawi. No questions will be accepted after the stated date. USAID may consolidate response(s) to questions/comments and will post all responses as an amendment to this RFP.

Issuance of this RFP does not obligate the United States Government to award a contract, nor does it commit the U.S. Government to pay for any costs incurred in the preparation or submission of proposals. Furthermore, the U.S. Government reserves the right to reject any and all offers, if such action is considered to be in the best interest of the U.S. Government.

Please be reminded that interested offerors (bidders) must be registered with the Malawi National Construction Industry Council (NCIC) in the Unlimited registration category, to be eligible for award.

Sincerely, Dion Glisan Contracting Officer mailto:OAA-MALAWI-SOLICIT@usaid.gov mailto:OAA-MALAWI-SOLICIT@usaid.gov mailto:dglisan@usaid.gov mailto:mjimu@usaid.gov

(See ).

SOLICITATION, OFFER,

AND AWARD

(Construction, Alteration, or Repair) IMPORTANT - The "offer" section on the reverse must be fully completed by offeror.

9. FOR INFORMATION

CALL:

NOTE: In sealed bid solicitations "offer" and "offeror" mean "bid and "bidder".

SOLICITATION

1. SOLICITATION NUMBER

5. REQUISITION/PURCHASE REQUEST NUMBER

CODE

6. PROJECT NUMBER

8. ADDRESS OFFER TO

4. CONTRACT NUMBER

7. ISSUED BY

10. THE GOVERNMENT REQUIRES PERFORMANCE OF THE WORK DESCRIBED IN THESE DOCUMENTS (Title, identifying number, date)

11. The contractor shall begin performance within

12a. THE CONTRACTOR MUST FURNISH ANY REQUIRED PERFORMANCE AND PAYMENT BONDS?

(If "YES", indicate within how many calendar days after award in Item 12b.)

13. ADDITIONAL SOLICITATION REQUIREMENTS:

a. Sealed offers in original and

b. An offer guarantee

c. All offers are subject to the (1) work requirements, and (2) other provisions and clauses incorporated in the solicitation in full text or by reference.

d. Offers providing less than

STANDARD FORM 1442 (REV. 8/2014)

Prescribed by GSA - FAR (48 CFR) 53.236-1(d) calendar days for Government acceptance after the date offers are due will not be considered and will be rejected.

is, is not required.

local time containing offers shall be marked to show the offeror's name and address, the solicitation number, and the date and time offers are due.

(date). If this is a sealed bid solicitation, offers will be publicly opened at that time. Sealed envelopes copies to perform the work required are due at the place specified in Item 8 by (hour) award, YES NO notice to proceed. This performance period is mandatory negotiable.

calendar days and complete it within calendar days after receiving

a. NAME b. TELEPHONE NUMBER (Include area code) (NO COLLECT CALLS)

12b. CALENDAR DAYS

2. TYPE OF SOLICITATION

SEALED BID (IFB)

NEGOTIATED (RFP)

3. DATE ISSUED PAGE OF PAGES

72061221R00002

Office of Acquisition & Assistance USAID/Malawi P O Box 30455 Lilongwe 3 - Malawi

Construction of Community Day Secondary Schools (CDSSs) in 12 Districts across Malawi

OAA-MALAWI-SOLICIT@usaid.gov OAA-MALAWI-SOLICIT@usaid.gov

4 14401/12/2021

21 see F.3 F.6

17. The offeror agrees to perform the work required at the prices specified below in strict accordance with the terms of this solicitation, if this offer is accepted calendar days after the date offers are due. (Insert any number equal to or greater than the minimum requirement by the Government in writing within stated in Item 13d. Failure to insert any number means the offeror accepts the minimum in Item 13d.)

OFFER (Must be fully completed by offeror)

AMOUNTS

18. The offeror agrees to furnish any required performance and payment bonds.

19. ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF AMENDMENTS

(The offeror acknowledges receipt of amendments to the solicitation -- give number and date of each)

AMENDMENT

NUMBER

DATE.

AWARD (To be completed by Government)

CONTRACTING OFFICER WILL COMPLETE ITEM 28 OR 29 AS APPLICABLE

14. NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR (Include ZIP Code)

CODE FACILITY CODE

15. TELEPHONE NUMBER (Include area code)

16. REMITTANCE ADDRESS (Include only if different than Item 14.)

20a. NAME AND TITLE OF PERSON AUTHORIZED TO SIGN OFFER (Type or print)

21. ITEMS ACCEPTED:

22. AMOUNT

26. ADMINISTERED BY

30a. NAME AND TITLE OF CONTRACTOR OR PERSON AUTHORIZED TO SIGN (Type or print)

31c. DATE

STANDARD FORM 1442 (REV. 8/2014) BACK

31b. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

BY

31a. NAME OF CONTRACTING OFFICER (Type or print)

29. AWARD (Contractor is not required to sign this document.) Your offer on this solicitation is hereby accepted as to the items listed. This award consummates the contract, which consists of (a) the Government solicitation and your offer, and (b) this contract award. No further contractual document is necessary.

30b. SIGNATURE 30c. DATE

28. NEGOTIATED AGREEMENT (Contractor is required to sign this document and return and deliver all items or perform all work requirements identified on this form and any continuation sheets for the consideration stated in this contract. The rights and obligations of the parties to this contract shall be governed by (a) this contract award, (b) the solicitation, and (c) the clauses, representations, certifications, and specifications incorporated by reference in or attached to this contract.

copies to issuing office.) Contractor agrees to furnish

24. SUBMIT INVOICES TO ADDRESS SHOWN IN

(4 copies unless otherwise specified)

23. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION DATA

ITEM 25. OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION PURSUANT TO

27. PAYMENT WILL BE MADE BY

10 U.S.C. 2304(c) ( ) 41 U.S.C. 3304(a) ( )

20b. SIGNATURE 20c. OFFER DATE

Dion Glisan, Contracting Officer

*** ACRONYMS LIST ***

A/COR Alternate Contracting Officer’s Representative ABA Architectural Barriers Act ADA Americans with Disabilities Act A-E Architect-Engineer Consultant BOQ Bill of Quantities CA Contract Amendment CDSS Community Day Secondary School CMC Community Management Community CO Contracting Officer COR Contracting Officer’s Representative COS Change Orders CPAR Contractor Performance Assessment Report DBA Defence Base Act DDL Development Data Library DEC Development Experience Clearinghouse DLP Defects Liability Period EAD Environmental Affairs Department EIMU Education Infrastructure Management Unit EMMP Environmental Monitoring and Mitigation Plan ESMP Environmental and Social Mitigation Plan FAR Federal Acquisition Regulation FC Final Completion FCC Final Completion Certificate FCI Final Completion Inspection FFP Firm Fixed Price HS&E Health Safety and Environment HS&EP Health Safety & Environmental Plan IEE Initial Environmental Examination MEO Mission Environmental Officer MoE Ministry of Education MRA Malawi Revenue Authority NCIC National Construction Industry Council NDAA National Defense Authorization Act NTP Notice to Proceed NWRA National Water Resources Authority O&M Operation and Maintenance PEPFAR President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief PM Project Management

PMP Project Management Plan QA Quality Assurance QC Quality Control QCO Quality Control Officer QMP Quality Management Plan RE Resident Engineer RFP Request for Proposal SAM System for Award Management SC Substantial Completion SCC Substantial Completion Certificate SCI Substantial Completion Inspection SD Secondary Directorate SEED Secondary Education Expansion for Development SEED CMC SEED Contract Management Consultant SMC School Management Committee SOW Scope of Work SRG1 SEED Rural Group 1 TBD To Be Determined TS Technical Specifications TW Technical Works

USAID United States Agency for International Development

VAT Value-Added Tax VECP Value Engineering Change Proposal VNRMC Village Nature Resource Management Committee WMS Work Method Statement WP Warranty Period

PART I — THE SCHEDULE

SECTION B SUPPLIES OR SERVICES AND PRICE/COSTS

B.1 PURPOSE

The purpose of this contract is to construct Community Day Secondary Schools (CDSSs) in 12 Districts across Malawi, henceforth ‘the Activity’ as described in Section C. The Contractor has been selected to construct the CDSS identified in Lot TBD.

B.2 CONTRACT TYPE

This is a Firm Fixed-Price (FFP) construction contract. A FFP contract provides for a price that is not subject to any adjustment on the basis of the Contractor’s cost experience in performing the contract. For the consideration set forth below, the Contractor must achieve the deliverables or outputs described in Sections C and F, and otherwise comply with all contract requirements.

B.3 FIXED PRICE CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE

Ref J.4

Offeror shall refer to Section J.4 to complete the detailed Bill of Quantities (BOQ). Offeror shall determine the Lots they choose to submit a bid for and make sure to complete each Schedule for each Lot. The BOQ is divided into three parts: 1) Facility Price 2) Mobilization and Site Work Price and 3) Extra Work Price.

For each Lot the Offeror is submitting a price for, the Offeror must complete Schedule A through E to obtain a Facility Price. Schedule A through E shall be brought forward to the Lot Schedule Summary.

An illustration of the BOQ Summary Table is found below.

One facility price per Lot shall be included in the Lot Schedule Summary. The Offeror shall complete Schedule F for each of the mobilization and site work and bring forward each Schedule F site subtotal to the Lot Schedule Summary.

The Offeror shall complete Schedule G Extra Work and bring forward to the Lot Schedule Summary tab.

For each Lot included in the Offerors submission, the subtotals for Facility Price, Mobilization and Site Work, and Extra Work must be brought forward and included in Section B Bid Table (the above Table).

For consistency, the Bid Item numbers refer to the same description in all Schedules. If a Bid Item Number is missing in the schedule that is due to a quantity of zero (0).

When completing an Excel version of the BOQ, the bidder is responsible to verify all equations are correct and must verify all math extensions and totals brought forward to the Summary tab. Bidders are responsible to verify the quantities in the BOQ and adjust unit price to reflect a total price the bidder proposes to complete the work. The BOQ will form the Lump Sum, fixed price contract. The Schedule totals will be used as a Schedule of Values for purposes of calculating progress payment based on the percent of work complete.

B.4 METHOD OF PAYMENT AND SCHEDULE OF VALUES

Payment will be made in accordance with Section G.5, FAR Clauses 52.232-5, Payments under Fixed Price Construction Contracts (MAY 2014) and FAR 52.232-27, Prompt Payment for Construction Contracts (JAN 2017).

[END OF SECTION B]

SECTION C DESCRIPTION/SPECIFICATIONS/STATEMENT OF

WORK

BACKGROUND

The SEED Rural Group 1 (SRG1) Construction Services shall include procuring, installing, constructing, furnishing, handing over, and warranty phase for up to thirty-eight (38) new rural Community Day Secondary Schools (CDSSs) in twelve (12) Districts in Malawi. The objective is to increase access to secondary education through on-time construction of high quality, resilient, and maintainable secondary schools.

C.1 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

The Construction Contractor (henceforth “Contractor”) will build, commission, and hand over to USAID and the Owner the total number of new secondary schools for Lot No. __TBD__ awarded under this solicitation and as specified in USAID provided drawings and technical specifications.

The Contractor is responsible for a one (1) year warranty period for the Lot No. awarded under this contract.

“Technical Works” is defined as both the Permanent Works proposed in the contract and the Temporary Works, required to complete the Permanent Work. Technical Works (TW) will include procuring materials, fabricating, delivery, installation, testing, drilling and development of boreholes, grading and site work, and construction of vertical structures.

C.2 MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION

The Contractor must have established construction management processes and organization already in place to manage construction projects in multiple locations. The Contractor’s management must be capable of delivering the scope of work, adhering to an accelerated schedule, managing project budget and cash flow, ensuring quality of materials and work, correcting defects and addressing constraints in a rapid manner, allocating resources, providing qualified personnel, and providing accurate and timely reporting.

C.2.1 Personnel and Supervision

The Contractor must assemble and mobilize an experienced team of professionals that include construction managers and supervisors, foremen/women, skilled laborers, and subcontractors (as required by the Contractor’s technical approach), and personnel to support administration, procurement, and logistics for the successful delivery of the Project. See Section H for additional details for key and critical personnel.

C.2.2 Roles & Responsibilities

The Contractor must communicate internal roles and responsibilities to his/her personnel so that each is aware of their authority and expectations on the project. External roles and responsibilities and communication expectations will be established during the kickoff meeting. The Contractor is required to understand key stakeholder roles and responsibilities. The project communication plan will be established during project kickoff. The following are key stakeholder roles and responsibilities.

C.2.2.A USAID

USAID is the funding agency and contracting activity for this requirement. USAID will be represented by the Contracting Officer (CO) who is responsible for all final approvals, overall contract administration, and management of the Technical Works. A Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) will be delegated authority by the CO and will be responsible for advising, monitoring and evaluating all the day to day technical requirements of the project and coordination with project stakeholders.

C.2.2.B Architect-Engineering Consultant

Tetra Tech will serve as USAID’s Architect - Engineer Consultant (A-E) and provide quality assurance and construction oversight. Tetra Tech is contracted by USAID under the Secondary Education Expansion for Development (SEED) Contract Management Consultant (CMC) contract.

Therefore, Tetra Tech is referred to as the A-E for this project. See Section E.4 for details on Tetra Tech’s role on the project.

The USAID COR will coordinate directly with the A-E. The A-E will observe construction works, report progress, and provide clarification to the Contractor. See Section E for more detail on the relationship with A-E.

C.2.2.C Ministry of Education

The Ministry of Education (MoE) are the Owners of the new school infrastructure and the Contractor will hand over the completed schools to MoE or their representative. USAID and the A-E will verify work is completed per contract prior to handover. The Contractor shall not hand over a site unless accepted by USAID. Each site may include a variation of the MoE representation from a District or Division Education Manager to a local primary school headmaster.

Two (2) different departments, within the MoE, will be especially relevant with the construction works: (1) Secondary Directorate (SD) and (2) Education Infrastructure Management Unit (EIMU).

MoE SD’s role is the custodian of Malawi’s Education Sector. MoE EIMU’s role is to provide design review and support on engineering and technical matters. It is expected that SD and/or EIMU will support coordination with Malawi Government agencies if required. Periodic site visits from MoE Secondary Directorate and EIMU should be expected.

C.2.2.D Community Management Committees

At each school site, the community will be represented through a Community Management Committee referred to as the CMC, (not to be confused with SEED CMC project title mentioned above), that will be established through the SEED CMC project. The Contractor shall interface with the CMC on a regular basis and immediately address issues that arise to minimize intensification of conflict. The Contractor shall include the CMC in progress meetings, provide health & safety messages aimed at protecting the community from construction site hazards, communicate construction progress at least monthly to keep the community informed of the status and anticipated activities.

The CMC’s role includes monitoring child safeguarding within the community and communicating issues to the Contractor, A-E, or USAID. The Contractor’s personnel must follow the SEED child safeguarding policy drafted under the SEED CMC Project according to USAID guidelines and provided in Section J, Attachment 7. USAID has a zero-tolerance policy regarding the child safeguarding policy and the Contractor’s failure to comply with the child safeguarding policy may result in termination of contract or request to remove personnel.

C.3 PERMITS

The Contractor is responsible to adhere to local Malawian laws in the delivery of the Project. This includes obtaining necessary registration, certifications, permits, and submissions to the proper authorities. The Contractor will coordinate with the necessary authorities and entities to ensure the Construction site is always compliant with local laws.

NCIC: The Contractor must be registered with the National Construction Industry Council (NCIC) for the duration of the contract. Any subcontractors involved on the project must also be registered with the NCIC and renew their annual registration for the duration of the contract, including during the construction warranty period. The Contractor must submit a list of Subcontractors involved in the project in accordance with Specification Section 013100.

Environmental: The EAD permit is expected to be obtained by USAID through the A-E. The A-E has advanced the permit process to the point where the EAD permit is approved and ready to be issued. The Contractor must ensure the EAD permit is issued for construction and in place prior to the start of construction. The Contractor is required to meet with the EAD to complete the handover of the permit. The Contractor must coordinate with the A-E and EAD to fully transfer ownership of the permit and permit responsibilities to the Contractor. The A-E will pay the statutory fee if such is required to transfer the original EAD permit to the Contractor. The Contractor is responsible for reporting and complying with the terms of the EAD permit for the duration of the project and must coordinate with the EAD and A-E for EAD construction site visits. See Section J, Appendix 6 for the EAD ESMP.

Building permits: The Contractor shall consider that Others have obtained the necessary local building permits prior to the start of construction. If a permit is outstanding, the contractor is required to work with USAID and A-E to obtain the appropriate building and/or construction permits. The cost for building permits will be paid by USAID through the SEED CMC project.

Borehole permit: The Contractor shall consider that Others have obtained the provisional borehole permit from the National Water Resources Authority (NWRA) prior to the start of construction. If a permit is outstanding, the contractor is required to work with USAID and A-E to obtain the appropriate building and/or construction permits.

The Contractor is responsible to support the A-E in completing the borehole permit. Completing a borehole permit for each site under contract requires the Contractor to conduct a yield test and supply as-built borehole drilling and pump installation data. Water quality tests on the new borehole are required to complete the borehole permit. Water quality testing will be coordinated through the A- E and the water testing conducted through a Third Party. Since the Contractor installed the borehole, the Contractor must be present to provide technical support or troubleshooting during the water quality tests. If a water test result indicates poor water quality, the Contractor may be required to participate in troubleshooting the issue if there is reason to believe the borehole well development or pump installation is compromised. The cost to complete the borehole permitting and cost to conduct water quality testing will be paid by USAID through the SEED CMC project.

The Contractor must comply with NWRA regulations and only subcontract borehole construction to a constructor registered and licensed with NWRA. If the Contractor self-performs borehole construction, the Contractor must be registered and licensed with NWRA.

In the event USAID decided to rehabilitate an existing borehole at or near the school construction site under this contract, the Contractor must provide similar support to the water quality testing required once the borehole is rehabilitated.

C.4 DELIVERABLES

The Contractor shall submit project deliverables as specified in SECTION F.10, SCHEDULE OF

DELIVERABLES AND REPORTS.

C.5 SITE LOCATIONS

The SEED Rural Group 1 (SRG1) Program consists of thirty-eight (38) new rural Community Day Secondary Schools (CDSSs) in twelve (12) Districts throughout Malawi. The thirty eight (38) schools are divided into Lots. The Contractor for this Contract shall develop the schools for the sites listed in Lot No. _TBD___. The sites for the schools are divided up as follows:

Lot No. District No. Sites Total No. Sites

Mzimba North 4

Mzimba South 4

Ntchisi 3

LLW Rural E 3

LLW Rural E 2

LLW Rural W 5

Mwanza 2

Blantyre 4

5 Zomba 3

Phalombe 2

Mulanje 2

6 Chiradzulu 2

Thyolo 2

C.5.1 School Site Locations

The following map shows approximate locations of project sites. The map is intended to demonstrate the number of schools in each district and does not represent the precise location of the schools.

The complete list of thirty eight (38) school sites with geo-coordinates is found in Section J, Attachment 1.

Figure 1: Group 1 district map of project sites (approximate locations)

C.6 SCHEDULE AND PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS

The Contractor shall develop a baseline schedule for the completion of the work, including the construction warranty period. The Contractor shall monitor the progress of works and analyze and report on variation between the baseline schedule and the actual date milestones are achieved. The Schedule baseline shall be included in the PM Plan for approval and the schedule analysis included with each Monthly Report for informational purposes. USAID may request an updated or adjusted schedule for review and approval during the period of performance.

The schedule must be developed using appropriate project planning software (MS Project / MS Excel / Google Sheets / equivalent) and consider the early start up activities listed in Table C.6.1 below, including phasing specified in Section C.6.8, and milestones specified in Section C.6.9 and other activities necessary to communicate project plan to USAID and to be used to monitor performance.

The Contractor shall submit a three week look ahead schedule with the weekly report. See Section F.9.1.

The Table C.6.1 illustrates milestones for the early days of the project and submission approvals required to trigger the NTP and Advance Payment.

Table C.6.1: Early Contract Milestones

Milestone Due Date (Working Days)

Contract Award Day 0

Post Award Conference TBD

Submit Early Deliverables: Submit (1) Performance Bond, (2) Bank Guarantee, (3) PM Plan, and (4) Mobilization Plan

Fifteen (15) days following Contract Award.

Cash Flow Analysis and Advance Payment Request (if applicable)

Fifteen (15) days following Contract Award

Notice to Proceed (NTP) Twenty (20) days fFollowing Contract Award (upon approval of

Early Deliverables)

Conduct Project Kick-off Meeting TBD

Conduct Site Specific Kick-off Meetings Prior or during to Mobilization to site(s)

Mobilization Complete Thirty-five (35) days following Contract Award.

Submit Schedule of Values Twenty (20) days prior to first progress payment.

C.6.1 Notice to Proceed

The Notice to Proceed (NTP) will be issued by the Contracting Officer within the specified number of days after contract award. The following early deliverables shall be submitted and approved by USAID prior to issuance of the NTP: (1) Performance Bond, (2) Bank Guarantee for the Advance

Payment, (3) Approved Management Plan, and (4) Approved Mobilization Plan. The period of time between contract award and NTP is provided to complete early deliverables.

C.6.2 Post Award Conference

USAID will conduct a Post Award Conference with all SEED Rural Group 1 Awardees and the A- E to discuss the contract, deliverables, management, and other items necessary at the start of a construction project. The Post-Award Conference will be held in Lilongwe, Malawi. English will be the language used during the meeting, which shall be attended by the Contractor’s General Manager, proposed Project Manager, and up to two (2) other personnel who will be involved in the project.

C.6.3 Project Kick-Off Meeting

The Contractor shall conduct a project kick-off meeting with all relevant parties to acquaint key personnel, local authorities and inspectors with the procedures, roles and responsibilities, lines of authority and the interrelationship with the activities of the Contractor, A-E, USAID and others.

The kick-off meeting will be held in a central location to the project sites under contract for each District. The CO will be present for the kick-off meeting. The Contractor personnel present must include the Key Personnel and General Manager.

C.6.4 Site Specific Kick-Off Meetings

Following the project kick-off meeting, the Contractor is required to conduct site specific kick-off meetings in order to engage with the communities and make introductions prior to or during mobilization. The A-E will support the initial introduction with the communities.

C.6.5 Mobilization

The Contractor must mobilize to, at minimum, two (2) sites concurrently within the timeframe specified in the Section C.6. Mobilization will be considered complete once the Contractor has the necessary personnel, materials and equipment on site work, and has successfully completed general & site work requirements specified in Section C.7. The Mobilization plan must include a Construction Site Plan for each site that shows location of a site trailer/storage, material laydown area, traffic signs, and other information necessary to organize the site and complete the proposed works. The Construction Site Plan shall be completed in accordance with Specification Section 011000.

The Contractor shall submit a Mobilization Plan for approval prior to NTP award.

C.6.6 Monthly Progress Meetings

The Contractor shall participate in monthly progress meetings. The Monthly Progress Meeting will include two parts: (a) Part 1 will cover contractual and management discussion between USAID, Contractor, and A-E; and (b) Part 2 will cover Technical construction matters and may include visits to one or more sites for meetings with key stakeholders. Parts 1 and 2 may be on separate days and may require travel to project sites. USAID shall communicate frequency, location, and agenda templates for both Parts after the award is made. The Contractor shall be prepared for USAID to increase frequency of meetings with additional coordination as required.

C.6.7 Site Specific and Ad-hoc Meetings

The Contractor personnel shall participate in weekly site-specific meetings. It is expected the Clerk of Works or Contractor representative will meet with the A-E representative to coordinate activities and address issues at a site-specific level. The Contractor must start each site meeting with a health and safety tool talk.

The Contractor shall attend ad-hoc meetings with USAID, the A-E, and/or key stakeholders.

Meetings may be required for coordination purposes with other USAID or US Government Implementing Partners. Ad-hoc meetings may include site visits and/or inspection from MoE, EAD, or other government agencies.

C.6.8 Phasing of the Works

The phasing of work must be described in the Contractor’s PM Plan, and specifically shown in the proposed schedule. The Contractor must provide phasing of the work across the multiple sites in the project schedule. The Contractor must have the capacity and ability to manage, supervise, and fund construction activities at multiple school sites concurrently for the duration of the period of performance. Phasing of the work must address both the schedule of works and allocation of personnel, materials, and resources to sites.

C.6.9 Milestones

Milestones refer to critical project dates such as the start date, NTP, mobilization completion, Substantial Completion Inspection Report, Substantial Completion Certificate awarded, Final Completion Inspection and Final Completion Certificate awarded, and end of warranty period.

Milestones must be included in the contractor schedule for each site in the awarded Lot.

Table C.6.9.1: Construction Phase Contract Milestones

Milestone (per site) Ref Due Date

Submit Substantial Completion Inspection Request

(SCIR)

Two (2) calendar weeks prior intended to SCI date

Conduct Substantial Completion Inspection (SCI) with A-E, MoE Representative(s) and USAID

C.6.9, C.6.10

Prior to the end of construction phase period of performance

Submit Substantial Completion (SC) Report Three (3) working days after SCI

Substantial Completion Certificate (per site) C.6.9, C.6.10

Issued by USAID, five (5) working days after receipt of SC report

50% Retention Released (per site) After each site reaches Final Completion (all punch-list items must be completed)

Conduct Final Completion Inspection (per site) C.6.9, C.6.11

Maximum two (2) calendar weeks after issuance of the Substantial Completion Certificate & completion of SCI punch-list/ snag list.

Final Completion Certification (per site) Note: ALL sites must reach final completion before the Warranty Period commences Final Completion of all sites in the Lot marks the end of the construction period of performance.

C.6.9,C.

6.11

Two (2) working days after Final Completion Inspection

Submit Construction Warranty Period Work Plan Twenty (20) days prior to Final Completion

Warranty Period Begins (per Lot) After all sites within the Lot reach Final Completion

C.6.10 Substantial Completion Inspection and Certification

USAID, the A-E, the Contractor, and the MoE representative will conduct a Joint Substantial Completion Inspection at the end of the construction period. A Certificate of Substantial Completion will be granted by USAID upon correct and complete construction of all the Works so that the school is ready for occupancy.

The Contractor must submit a Substantial Completion Inspection Request to USAID and the A-E seven (7) calendar days in advance of the expected Substantial Completion Inspection date, to allow for planning and travel logistics to be made. See Section F for submission due date.

Punch list items after substantial completion may include minor site work and minor repairs that do not affect use of the project for its intended purpose.

Substantial Completion Certificate, with punch-list items, will be issued by USAID within five (5) working days after the date of receipt of the Substantial Completion Inspection Report submitted by the A-E to USAID.

C.6.11 Final Completion Inspection and Certification

The Final Completion Inspection shall take place within fourteen (14) calendar days after the issuance of the Substantial Completion Certificate. The A-E, the Contractor will conduct a joint final completion inspection at this time. Upon confirmation of successful completion of the punch-list USAID will award a Final Completion certificate on a site-by-site basis, within two (2) working days after confirmation.

However, only after all the sites reach Final Completion shall the Warranty Period for all sites begin, unless otherwise agreed with USAID. A Construction Warranty Period Work Plan shall be submitted twenty (20) days prior to Final Completion. Prior to the Contractor submitting the Construction Warranty Period Work Plan, the Contractor will schedule a meeting with the A-E to discuss the expectations of the Plan and outstanding punch-list items.

C.6.12 Working hours

Workdays, hours and holidays: The Contractor’s working days and hours include Monday through Saturday, between 7AM and 6PM, unless otherwise approved in writing by the USAID COR. The Contractor must follow Malawi labor laws. Any work outside of these hours required advance USAID approval. The Contractor is not permitted to work on Malawian holidays unless approved in advance by USAID. The Contractor is not permitted to work after dusk or before dawn, unless a detailed method statement, including proposed lighting, is approved by USAID. The Contractor must plan for Saturday work to include work that does not require oversight. If critical work is required over the weekend, the Contractor must coordinate with USAID and the A-E at least two weeks in advance of weekend work so that the A-E is prepared to provide the necessary QA and oversight.

C.6.13 Weather-Related Work Delay

The Contractor’s baseline schedule shall consider weather delays based on the expected time of year when site access and construction activities will occur. Time extension due to weather-related delays shall only be considered when the Contractor demonstrates loss of more than the following workdays per month due to adverse weather conditions. In addition, time extension will only be granted for delay to work that directly affects the completion date. A written request for weather related delay shall be made within ten (10) days after occurrence.

Table C.6.13.1: Expected Loss of Workdays

Month Expected Loss of Workdays Due to

Weather (6-day Work Week)

January 2

February 4

March 4

April 2

May 0

June 0

July 0

August 0

September 0

October 0

November 1

December 1

C.7 DETAILED CONSTRUCTION & PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS

To fulfill the objectives of this contract, as specified in SECTION C.1 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS above, the Contractor at a minimum must complete, but not limited to, the following site-specific tasks:

C.7.1 General & Site Work required during Mobilization

The following requirements must be satisfied before Mobilization is considered complete:

● Introduce contractor personnel to the community and complete child safeguarding and health and safety training of personnel.

● Confirm the property limits indicated in the drawings with the actual limits at site as boundaries may have shifted.

● Confirm survey benchmarks established on site are in place. If benchmarks are damaged, contractor must notify the A-E immediately.

● Review current site conditions and compare with the existing conditions and contours stated in the contract drawings. The Contractor must notify USAID of any significant deviations observed. Note: In accordance with Section L.4.1, the Contractor is strongly advised to visit each site prior to submitting a bid and therefore should have acquainted him/herself with the site conditions.

● Install an opaque perimeter construction fence around the limits of disturbance at each site and as discussed with the A-E. The perimeter fence must be installed as part of the mobilization and prior to the start of construction. See the BOQ and Technical Specifications for perimeter fence material.

● Install erosion and sediment control measures and other site specific EMMP measures. The Contractor is responsible to fix and maintain EMMP measures throughout the construction period of performance. The erosion and sediment control measures must be installed during mobilization and prior to start of work.

● Install construction worker health and safety measures on site in accordance with the approved Health and Safety Plan. Health and safety measures must be put in place during mobilization and prior to start of work.

C.7.2 General & Site Work required Prior to first Progress Payment

● The following must be completed as a requirement for the first progress payment.

● Install a project sign board with branding in accordance with the contract and approved by

USAID. A sign board template is included in the drawings. The location of the project sign board shall be at the junction of the nearest main road and the new school access road or construction access road. Exact position must be agreed with the A-E.

● Install traffic signage along the main road or pathway to warn vehicles of the construction site. Location must be agreed with the A-E.

● Establish a laydown area as indicated in the drawings or other area discussed with the A-E within the acceptable area of disturbance. The Contractor shall take measures to minimize removal of trees and disturbance of vegetation.

C.7.3 General & Site Work

The following are requirements of the contractor during the contract period of performance.

● The Contractor is responsible to coordinate and pay for any power, water, and other supplies, if available, in the community and used during construction. However, it should be expected that there will be no such power or piped water available at any of the sites.

● Install and maintain safety measures around pit latrine excavation.

● Establish and maintain site specific environmental protection measures previously documented by the Contractor in the site specific EMMP submittals. Site specific environmental measures will be more stringent on sites with steeper slopes to protect against erosion of graded sites and sediment transfer during rainfall events. Site specific EMMPs shall be developed using the EMMP template, reference to drawings and Specifications Section 015713.

● Comply with the measures stipulated in the EAD permit.

● Comply with the measures stipulated in the Local Government permit.

● Complete clearing for facility construction. Contractor shall take measures to minimize cutting of trees and clearing of vegetation. Clearing shall include removal of underground roots to a minimum depth of 0.20 meters.

● Complete mass grading to establish building pad for proposed facilities.

● Maintain positive drainage on the site at all times in order to prevent standing water.

● Complete final grading (after building construction) to ensure the proper drainage away from each building to an offsite location in accordance with the drawings.

● Dispose of all clearing debris, construction waste and trash consistent with the EMMP and the EAD permit.

● Provide separate male and female temporary sanitary facilities, including a hand-wash station.

● Other health, safety and environmental requirements included in the Specifications, drawings, and contract documents.

● Provide security at the site until hand over to the owner.

C.7.4 Facility Construction

The following are requirements of the contractor during the construction of proposed works.

● Set out proposed facilities in accordance with the drawings.

● Excavate of facility foundations. For excavation that encounters poor soil, the Contractor must notify the A-E. Additional depth excavation and approved backfill and compaction may be required for areas with poor soil conditions. Facility foundations are continuous grade beam and floor slab. Excavation shall follow proposed foundation type to minimize excavation depth.

● A separate section of the Bill of Quantities includes “Extra Work”. Extra work will be paid for when unforeseen site conditions during excavation are encountered. This extra work may or may not be required during construction and payment will be based on the actual measured and approved quantities applied to the unit rates in the Contractor’s BOQ. The Contractor must notify USAID when extra work is required and must receive approval in writing from USAID prior to starting the extra work. Extra work conducted without prior USAID approval shall not be paid for. Extra work is included in the BOQ on a Lot basis, rather than site by site. The actual completed quantity of extra work shall be measured and verified in the field, at each individual site, by USAID’s designated representative.

● Construct facility grade beam and floor slab to achieve proposed finished floor elevation.

The contractor must be prepared to complete interior floor finish, concrete control joints, and other requirements specified in the drawings and specifications.

● Construct facility walls that include vertical reinforcement and bond beam as described in the drawings.

● Fabricate and install roof truss system, insulation, ceiling board, and roof sheeting in accordance with the drawings and specifications. Shop drawings are required for truss fabrication.

● Fabricate and install louvers, windows, doors and other elements proposed in the drawings and specifications. Shop drawings are required for approval prior to manufacturing.

● Construct apron and spoon drain along buildings to address drainage.

● Complete latrine pit excavation, safety measures for deep excavation, and pit lining in accordance with the drawings. The Contract includes an allowance for pit latrine trial pits at each site. The trial pit shall be excavated in advance to the full pit excavation in order to assess whether hard rock is present or not. For weathered, fractured, decomposed or similar rock that can be broken with pickaxe, pry bar, jack hammer, or other mechanical means, shall be removed. Hard rock, bedrock, solid rock encountered in the trial pit may require the Contractor shift location of the pit latrine; blasting is not allowed under this Contract. The change in the pit latrine location shall be completed in consultation with USAID and the A- E.

● Complete pit latrine buildings and soak away pits in accordance with the drawings.

● Plant trees and vegetation in accordance with the contract and in locations agreed with the

A-E. See Section C.9.6.

● Submit Substantial Completion Inspection (SCI): Request prior to the expected day for SCI in accordance with the contract.

● Complete and submit to USAID as-builts, punch lists/Snag list, warranty items, and other requirements specified in the contract and in accordance with Specification Section 017700.

C.7.4.A Borehole well development and pump installation

The Contractor shall install a borehole with hand-pump at each site in accordance with the drawings and specifications.

Commissioning of New or Rehabilitated boreholes shall be completed prior to Substantial Completion Inspection (SCI). Ref C.6.10.

Refer C.3 Borehole Permit

Drill borehole The Contractor shall verify proposed borehole location with the A-E prior to drilling.

Location of the borehole may shift from the location shown in the drawings based on actual site layout of buildings and observed site conditions during construction. The Contractor shall mobilize equipment to drill and develop the borehole to the depth specified in the drawings and in accordance with the specifications.

Groundwater pumping and testing The Contractor shall perform a well test to determine the optimum yield of the well in accordance with specification section 332100. If a borehole is dry at the depth specified in the contract, the contractor shall immediately notify the A-E in writing. A dry well is defined by minimum flow of 0.2 L/S during the yield test. The Contractor must notify the A-E in advance of borehole drilling and water yield testing so that the A-E is present during the work.

The A-E will coordinate a Third-Party laboratory to conduct water quality tests at each borehole. The Contractor shall support the Third-Party laboratory during water quality testing and troubleshooting water quality issues as a result of borehole installation. The Contractor is responsible for disinfecting the new well in accordance with the specifications.

Groundwater well development If borehole water yield is sufficient and water quality tests indicate the parameters are within acceptable limits or otherwise approved by USAID, the Contractor shall proceed with development of the groundwater well in accordance with the drawings and specifications.

Refer to the specifications 332100 for required shop drawing submittals.

The Contractor must submit a drilling log and report of finding to USAID in accordance with the specifications and as required for NWRA final permit. A drill log and report is required for dry boreholes as well as productive boreholes.

The Contractor must provide borehole hand pump, O&M tools and spare parts as specified in the specifications. Pump maintenance and repair standard operating procedures (SOPs) must be included in the School O&M manual.

During hand pump installation or immediately after hand pump installation, the Contractor shall provide basic borehole and hand pump operations and maintenance training to the School Management Committee (SMC) and local hand pump mechanic, or equivalent. Tetra Tech will assist identifying the appropriate personnel to be trained.