RFP 72061223R00004 Local Works Evaluation.pdf

Issue Date: September 19, 2023

Questions Deadline: September 28, 2023 - 4:00 PM Malawi Time.

Preproposal Conference: October 18, 2023, to be confirmed.

Closing Date/Time: November 8, 2023 - 4:00 PM Malawi Time.

Subject: Request for Proposals No. 72061223R00004 Local Works Evaluation

Dear Offerors:

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through its Mission in Malawi (USAID/Malawi) intends to award a contract for evaluation of its Performance Evaluation of the Local Works Program in Malawi. The place of performance is Malawi. The requirements for this activity are described in Section C “Statement of Work”. Issuance of this Request for Proposal (RFP) does not constitute a commitment on the part of the Government, nor does it commit the Government to pay for costs incurred in the preparation and submission of a proposal. The resultant contract will be issued on Firm Fixed Price (FFP) terms. Only one contract is anticipated. The NAICS code for this solicitation is 541611- Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services.

USAID is planning to conduct a pre-proposal conference to inform potential Offerors of the solicitation process, submission expectations, and the scope of work. The pre-proposal conference is highly encouraged for Offerors, especially those unfamiliar with the U.S. Government procurement practices, intending to submit a competitive and responsive offer. The date and time of the conference is specified at the top of this letter. Attendance for the pre-proposal conference is not mandatory in order to submit a proposal for this activity, however USAID believes it is of the utmost importance to attend if an organization contemplates submitting a proposal, especially to understand how a Firm Fixed Contract is managed.

Organizations must express interest in this contract by submitting a proposal in accordance with the instructions in Section L – “Instructions to Offerors.” To be considered, an Offeror must submit the required documentation and information by the means indicated not later than the closing date and time indicated above. Proposals must be well-written, easy to read and follow, and contain only the requested information.

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USAID/Malawi will evaluate proposals and award a contract to the responsible Offeror that submits a responsive, reasonable offer which provides the best value to the U.S. Government, price and other factors considered.

Sincerely, Natalie J. Thunberg Contracting Officer

Natalie J.

Thunberg

Digitally signed by Natalie J. Thunberg Date: 2023.09.19 14:10:04 +02'00'

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Important Notice to all Offerors

Aside technical and cost merit, to be considered for award of a contract under a USAID solicitation, a business entity must acquire a mandatory unique entity identifier (UEI) and be registered in System for Award Management (SAM) (https://sam.gov/) before submitting its proposal to USAID. SAM registration takes time, so it is best to begin the process early.

As part of its proposal package (more specifically in the cover letter), each Offeror is required to:

1. Provide a valid unique entity identifier (UEI) number. (https://sam.gov/content/home)

2. If the entity already has a UEI and registered in SAM already – provide a screenshot as proof that the SAM registration is active and current.

The Contracting Officer may opt to eliminate entities that do not meet this mandatory requirement from award consideration.

https://sam.gov/ https://sam.gov/content/home

72061223R00004

SOLICITATION, OFFER AND AWARD

4. TYPE OF SOLICITATION2. CONTRACT NUMBER 3. SOLICITATION NUMBER

CODE 8. ADDRESS OFFER TO (If other than Item 7)

ORDER UNDER DPAS (15 CFR 700)

6. REQUISITION/PURCHASE NUMBER

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

NEGOTIATED (RFP)

SEALED BID (IFB)

5. DATE ISSUED

1. THIS CONTRACT IS A RATED RATING PAGE OF PAGES

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C. E-MAIL ADDRESS

EXT.NUMBERAREA CODE

B. TELEPHONE (NO COLLECT CALLS)A. NAME

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INFORMATION

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CAUTION: LATE Submissions, Modifications, and Withdrawals: See Section L, Provision No. 52.214-7 or 52.215-1. All offers are subject to all terms and conditions contained in this solicitation.

(Date)(Hour) local timeuntildepository located in copies for furnishing the supplies or services in the Schedule will be received at the place specified in Item 8, or if hand carried, in the

SOLICITATION

9. Sealed offers in original and

PART IV - REPRESENTATIONS AND INSTRUCTIONS

OTHER STATEMENTS OF OFFERORS

EVALUATION FACTORS FOR AWARD

INSTRS., CONDS., AND NOTICES TO OFFERORS

REPRESENTATIONS, CERTIFICATIONS AND

LIST OF ATTACHMENTS

CONTRACT CLAUSES

PART III - LIST OF DOCUMENTS, EXHIBITS AND OTHER ATTACH.

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CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION DATA

DELIVERIES OR PERFORMANCE

INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE

PACKAGING AND MARKING

DESCRIPTION/SPECS./WORK STATEMENT

SUPPLIES OR SERVICES AND PRICES/COSTS

SOLICITATION/CONTRACT FORM

PART II - CONTRACT CLAUSESPART I - THE SCHEDULE

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16. NAME AND TITLE OF PERSON AUTHORIZED TO SIGN OFFER15A. NAME

DATEAMENDMENT NO.DATEAMENDMENT NO.

and related documents numbered and dated):

amendments to the SOLICITATION for offerors

(The offeror acknowledges receipt of

14. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF AMENDMENTS

CALENDAR DAYS (%)30 CALENDAR DAYS (%)20 CALENDAR DAYS (%)10 CALENDAR DAYS (%)

(See Section I, Clause No. 52.232.8)

13. DISCOUNT FOR PROMPT PAYMENT

designated point(s), within the time specified in the schedule.

by the offeror) from the date for receipt of offers specified above, to furnish any or all items upon which prices are offered at the price set opposite each item, delivered at the

NOTE: Item 12 does not apply if the solicitation includes the provisions at 52.214-16, Minimum Bid Acceptance Period.

OFFER (Must be fully completed by offeror)

IMPORTANT - Award will be made on this Form, or on Standard Form 26, or by other authorized official written notice.

28. AWARD DATE

(Signature of Contracting Officer)

27. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

25. PAYMENT WILL BE MADE BY

26. NAME OF CONTRACTING OFFICER (Type or print)

CODE 24. ADMINISTERED BY (If other than Item 7)

ITEM

(4 copies unless otherwise specified)

23. SUBMIT INVOICES TO ADDRESS SHOWN IN

41 U.S.C. 253 (c) ( 10 U.S.C. 2304 (c) (

22. AUTHORITY FOR USING OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION:

21. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION20. AMOUNT19. ACCEPTED AS TO ITEMS NUMBERED

AWARD (To be completed by government)

CODE

REQ-612-23-00008309/05/2023

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7206127. ISSUED BY

USAID/Malawi NICO House P O Box 30455 Lilongwe 3, Malawi

00000

1600 B 10/23/2023

Josephine Kitongo jkitongo@usaid.gov

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Natalie Thunberg

AUTHORIZED FOR LOCAL REPRODUCTION

Previous edition is unusable

STANDARD FORM 33 (Rev. 9-97)

Prescribed by GSA - FAR (48 CFR) 53.214(c)

12. In compliance with the above, the undersigned agrees, if this offer is accepted within _____0_________ calendar days (60 calendar days unless a different period is inserted

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SECTION B - SUPPLIES OR SERVICES/PRICES

B.1. PURPOSE:

The purpose of this contract is for the Contractor to conduct an evaluation of USAID/Malawi Local Works Program (LW) to learn about the performance of the Local Works funded activities and to inform future adaptations of the program as described in detail in Section C.

B.2. CONTRACT TYPE AND SERVICES

This is a Firm Fixed Price (FFP) contract. For the consideration set forth in the contract, the Contractor shall provide the deliverables or outputs described in Section C, F and comply with all contract requirements.

B.3. - TOTAL PRICE AND OBLIGATED AMOUNT

(a) The total price for the performance of the work required for the contract, is: [Will be inserted on award]. USAID will not pay the Contractor any sum in excess of the total price.

(b) Within the total price specified in paragraph (a) above, the amount currently obligated and available for payment of deliverables incurred by the Contractor (and payment of profit, if any) for performance hereunder is [Will be inserted on award]. The contractor shall not exceed the aforementioned obligated amount.

(c) Funds obligated hereunder are anticipated to be sufficient through [Will be inserted on award].

(d) The Contractor must not exceed the aforesaid obligated amount unless authorized by the Contracting Officer.

B.4 INDIRECT COSTS

The Contractor must provide a total price including all indirect costs. USAID will not reimburse any indirect costs separately. The Contractor must include all indirect costs in the total price.

B.5 PAYMENT

The paying office is USAID/Malawi as indicated in section G.4; payment processing shall be in accordance with the payment schedule in section G.5 of contract.

The allowable costs will be limited to reasonable, allocable, and necessary costs determined in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) part 31 (Contract Cost Principles and Procedures), FAR § 52.216-7, “Allowable Cost and Payment,” FAR § 52.216- 8, and AIDAR 752.7003, “Documentation for Payment.”

[END OF SECTION B]

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SECTION C DESCRIPTION/SPECIFICATION/STATEMENT OF WORK

C.1 PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF THE LOCAL WORKS PROGRAM IN MALAWI

C.2. PURPOSE OF THE EVALUATION

The purpose of this evaluation is for the Contractor to conduct an evaluation of USAID/Malawi’s Local Works Program (LW) to learn about the performance of the Local Works funded activities and to inform future adaptations of the program. The evaluation gathers evidence of the extent to which Local Works-supported activities are expanding local leadership in development processes and are on track to achieve sustainable development outcomes. Lastly, the evaluation contributes to a clearer understanding of “what works” in achieving Local Works and the Mission’s goals, in both the short and longer term, and to improve the effectiveness of Local Works investments with a focus on locally led development.

Evaluation results will benefit USAID/Malawi, the Local Works Implementing Partners (IPs) and sub-partners, as well as other stakeholders interested in locally led development, in by gaining evidence to support ongoing work and future decision making on advancing locally led development within the portfolio. In addition, this evaluation offers a valuable learning opportunity for USAID, both in terms of its process and outcomes. USAID sees this evaluation as an opportunity to adopt and exemplify best practices for locally led development throughout the evaluation process. This external evaluation will compliment an ongoing internal evaluation of USAID/Malawi’s Local Works program which focuses more on internal processes and learning around Agency systems. These evaluations, in tandem, will support Local Works-Washington and USAID/Malawi staff to improve the effectiveness of designing and implementation of the Local Works activities in Malawi and beyond. Findings from this evaluation will inform the Mission’s Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS) mid-course stocktaking exercise and practice of localization at large. The evaluations will also directly respond to the local partners’ learning priorities by providing an external assessment of progress to date and the sustainability of outcomes.

C.2.1 SUMMARY INFORMATION

The statement of work (SOW) highlights the required team, proposed methods, and deliverables expected by USAID/Malawi as an evidence base for learning and informing current and future programs.

Program Name: USAID/Malawi Local Works Program, including:

● “Moringa Value Chain Enterprise Development”

● ‘’Strengthening Inclusive Agriculture Sector Growth and Sustainable

Natural Resources Governance’’

● “Improve farming practices and productivity”’

● “Limodzi Broad Agency Announcement (BAA): Access to SRH and HIV services, girls”

● “Limodzi BAA: Organizational Capacity Building”

● “Limodzi BAA: Ending Child Marriage”

● “Renewable energy for sustainable development” https://www.usaid.gov/local-faith-and-transformative-partnerships/local-works https://www.usaid.gov/local-faith-and-transformative-partnerships/local-works https://drive.google.com/file/d/1nbzO7osDlDgg_BBnq-NMUp-6bmfA-Kz6/view?usp=sharing https://drive.google.com/file/d/1nbzO7osDlDgg_BBnq-NMUp-6bmfA-Kz6/view?usp=sharing

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● “Limodzi BAA: Peri Urban Land Governance Pilot Activity”

Implementing Partners:

● Green Livelihoods/Moringa Value Chain Enterprise Development

(MOVED)

● Farmer’s Union of Malawi (FUM)

● Malawi Network of AIDS Service Organizations (MANASO)

● Youth Response for Social Change (YRSC)

● Creative Centre for Community Mobilization (CRECCOM)

● Green Impact Technologies/Vitalite (Pay as you go)

● M-Hub.

Life of Activities: ● MOVED: June 8, 2021 - June 7, 2023

● FUM: December 1, 2019 - November 30, 2022

● MANASO: February 4, 2021 - February 3, 2024

● Ending Early Child Marriage Activity-YRSC: September 13, 2021 -

September 12, 2024

● Milimo Capacity Building Activity-CRECCOM: September 24, 2021 -

September 23, 2024

● Pay-As-You-Go, Vitalite- October 24, 2022-October 23, 2024, being implemented in Lilongwe.

● M-Hub: February 14, 2023 -February 13, 2027

Activity Districts: Mangochi, Machinga, Mzimba (Mbelwa), Balaka, Zomba, Mulanje, Phalombe, Blantyre, Nkhotakota, Nsanje, Chikhwawa, Kasungu, Dowa, Salima, Lilongwe, Chitipa and Karonga.

Public or Internal: External

C.3. BACKGROUND

In 2015, USAID/Malawi was selected for the inaugural round of Local Works funding, the Agency’s flagship locally led development program. Local Works provides Missions with programmatic flexibility to advance locally led development in their own contexts while enhancing USAID’s ability to support local actors.

Currently, the Local Works program includes over thirty (30) Missions recruited through six annual “rounds” of program funding. The program has participating Missions in every region, and activities span many technical areas, including civil society strengthening, environmental health, youth employment, and rural economic development.

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USAID/Malawi’s 2020–2025 Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS) aims to work with the government and civil society to build a more self-reliant Malawi that is gender-equitable and democratically accountable. Under USAID/Malawi’s CDCS, USAID is moving investments away from single-sector solutions designed to address specific deprivations to problem-focused solutions with the greatest transformational potential for self-reliance. The Mission designs projects with integrated Development Objective-aligned approaches and applies evidence to inform cross-sectoral interventions. These interventions are expected to vary by degree and level of integration. Further, USAID/Malawi has implemented cross-sectoral Mission management structures to better manage, implement, and measure its integrated strategy.

Since 2015, the Mission is taking advantage of the Local Works opportunity by investing in breaking the cycle of donor dependency and low levels of local engagement in development decision-making by identifying ways to bring local priorities to the forefront and unlocking local resources for this work. The fact that the international donor community, including USAID, provides the bulk of its funding to international NGOs, further limits local NGOs’ leadership and implementation, and exacerbates institutional weaknesses. Without local ownership, programmatic results often end when projects close, and even good ideas can feel imposed or encourage a sense of learned helplessness. Advancing locally owned and led development is therefore vital to ensure that programming responds to local needs in a way that ensures results continue beyond the project end. Over the course of its Local Works program, the Mission made seven awards to local partners to support citizen engagement and participation to foster local ownership, social accountability, and a spirit of self-reliance. This initiative aims to result in better informed, active, and empowered Malawian communities and citizens.

Through the Local Works program, USAID/Malawi is managing six active and one closed activity in the total amount of $7,892,478, all implemented through direct partnerships with Malawian organizations.

More information about the focus of each activity can be found in Figure 1.

C.3.1 LOCAL WORKS ACTIVITIES (Figure 1) Map showing distribution of Local works activities across the country.

1. Farmer’s Union of Malawi (FUM) with a total estimated amount of $1,992,478. The goal of the activity was to achieve inclusive and sustainable agricultural-led economic growth through agricultural transformation in Malawi.

2. Green Livelihoods/Moringa Value Chain Enterprise Development (MOVED) with a total estimated amount of $500,000. The main objective of this activity is to contribute to an increased investment portfolio for rural economic growth, improved food-income security and ensure reduced vulnerability of small-scale farmers to the effects of climate change in Salima district by 2023.

3. Malawi Network of AIDS Service Organizations (MANASO) with a total estimated amount of $1,900,000. The activity seeks to empower the target population to demand improved access, quality, and accountability of HIV and other health services in institutions of higher learning and surrounding communities. It also aims to build local capacity to strengthen local systems that can demand quality services from service providers.

https://www.usaid.gov/malawi/cdcs

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4. Youth Response for Social Change (YRSC) with a total estimated amount of $300,000. The objective of this activity is to create and energize a movement of young people to end child marriages in Machinga.

5. Creative Centre for Community Mobilization (CRECCOM) with a total estimated amount of $1,700,000. The objective of Milimo Capacity building activity is to strengthen the organizational capacity of local institutions, such as community-based organizations (CBOs) and informal community structures to effectively lead their development agenda in a more sustainable manner and to effectively meet their mandates.

6. Green Impact Technologies/Vitalite (Pay as you go) with a total estimated amount of $500,000.

The objective of the activity is to increase the adoption of clean and modern energy sources for cooking such as LPG as well as increasing access to electricity and combining the two energy sources on one billing system.

7. M-Hub with a total estimated amount of $1,000,000. The activity intends to study land management in select peri-urban areas of Malawi and test innovative interventions that have the potential to improve land administration and management, strengthen accountability, and increase access to information on land administration and management for citizens.

Figure 1

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C.4. GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

According to the USAID Evaluation Policy under the Automated Directives System (ADS) Chapter 201, USAID evaluations have two primary purposes: learning to improve development outcomes and accountability to stakeholders. In addition, evaluations are to be conducted in a manner that ensures credibility, transparency, and the generation of high-quality information and knowledge. To fulfill its responsibilities, USAID bases policy and investment decisions on the best available empirical evidence, and uses the opportunities afforded by project implementation to generate new knowledge for the wider community. USAID commits to measuring and documenting project achievements and shortcomings so that the Agency’s multiple stakeholders gain an understanding of the return on investment in development activities. In this process, and through this contract the USAID/Malawi/Program Office (PRO) provides leadership for the Mission’s efforts to promote learning through evaluation, performance monitoring, knowledge management, and research. Bringing these elements together will advance the following overarching objectives:

● Design the Local Works evaluation with a focus on learning.

● Design the Local Works evaluation within the context of the Agency’s efforts to promote localization and sustainability.

● Inform adaptive management and course corrections.

Overall, the evaluation should:

Be Participatory and Utilization-Focused: The evaluation team must take a highly participatory approach to the design and implementation of the evaluation. The evaluation team must work with USAID/Malawi (COR) to ensure a participatory process that brings relevant voices into evaluation planning, data collection, sensemaking, action planning, and dissemination.

USAID/Malawi sees this as an opportunity to utilize participatory approaches and encourages offerors to leverage their expertise in proposing an appropriate methodology.

Principles of Participatory Evaluation

1. Program implementers can make a critical contribution to the evaluation process based on their experience with the program.

2. The primary focus of program evaluation should not be on identifying problems and inadequacies but rather on formulating lessons learned for use in the future based both on the successes and constraints.

3. The participatory evaluation process can contribute to improved communication between USAID and IP staff at different levels of program implementation.

The Contractor must use data collection methods and approaches that are tailored to stakeholders at the grassroots level (e.g., end-users and community members; local partners; and key stakeholders). Overall, USAID encourages evaluative approaches that fall further to the right of its Locally Led Development

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Spectrum (see Image 1, below). For more information about locally led approaches to evaluation, see USAID’s Guidance Note on Participatory Evaluation - Locally Led Approaches to Evaluation.

IMAGE 1 | Locally Led Development Spectrum for Evaluations

Promote Learning: The evaluation team must seek perspectives from the Local Works IPs and their program participants and other non-Mission, and non-bilateral programs funded by USAID/Washington, such as U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), to capture the perspectives of local actors and local subject-matter experts and interweave their insights into evaluation design, findings, recommendations, and action planning. This collaborative approach is intended to increase local ownership of findings, recommendations, and follow-up action planning. The Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) will assist in facilitating this.

Advance Collaboration: Collaboration is embedded in the Malawi integrated design and will be a key element of this Contract. This evaluation will be conducted in an overlapping timeline with an internal evaluation of the USAID/Malawi Local Works program. USAID requires that the internal evaluator and the selected evaluator for this external evaluation will need to intentionally collaborate to minimize the burden on stakeholders and community members in participation. This will include participating in a joint meeting to identify overlaps in evaluation respondents, jointly finalizing interview tools and question guides, and sharing raw data related to overlapping interviewees. USAID also expects there will be opportunities for sharing and collaboration on tool development and analysis between the two evaluations and encourages offerors to intentionally integrate collaboration into their work planning. The evaluation team must work to ensure that key stakeholders meet and mutually agree on realistic timelines and a clear understanding of roles and responsibilities. The evaluation team is expected to facilitate stakeholder meetings, solicit feedback on evaluation design, dissemination of findings, and collaboration on recommendations.

Strengthen Evaluation Capacities: In line with the participatory approach encouraged in this evaluation, Local Works implementation partner staff or other community stakeholders may be brought into the https://usaidlearninglab.org/resources/participatory-evaluation-guidance-note

Request for Proposals No: 72061223R00004 - Local Works Evaluation Page 11 of 50 evaluation process through data collection, analysis, sensemaking, and dissemination. To support their engagement, the Contractor should identify, and provide evaluation capacity strengthening support for select Local Works implementing partner staff and other community stakeholders. Evaluation capacity building, both individual and partner system level, is an intentional process to increase individual motivation, knowledge, and skills and to enhance a group or local organization’s ability to conduct or use performance monitoring and evaluation. This may include advising or on-the-job coaching on the following: planning for, designing, and implementing assessments; ensuring data quality and data analysis and dissemination of findings; data visualization; assistance on evaluation utilization and dissemination;

and assistance in developing post evaluation action plans. Delivery methods may include, but are not limited to, virtual consultations and on-the-job coaching.

The Contractor must provide oversight and ensure that requested tasks meet appropriate quality standards.

C.5. EVALUATION QUESTIONS

The Mission listed the following evaluation questions as a starting point for evaluation scoping.

USAID/Malawi welcomes the prospective Evaluator’s insights to strengthen, refine, or hone these questions, and encourages a participatory process involving the Mission and IPs to finalize questions as part of the evaluation design process.

a. Local Partner Process and Performance:

1. How effective have Local Works partners been in meeting the objectives of their awards, and to what extent have these achievements been locally led?

2. What challenges (for example, technical, financial, or other) are Local Works partners facing, and what promising practices from across the program might help address them?

b. Community Results:

3. What evidence exists that individuals and organizations involved in the program have increased local leadership, as defined by improvements in confidence, credibility, and mutual trust?

● Confidence: Local implementing partners have the capacity and drive to catalyze development in their communities.

● Credibility: Local implementing partners have respect and recognition for leading change in their communities.

● Mutual trust: Local implementing partners have bonds with each other that encourage future collaboration.

4. What evidence exists that the communities in which the program operates have increased agency, as defined by improvements in collective action, social capital, and inclusiveness?

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● Collective action: Communities have the desire and momentum to work together on shared goals.

● Social capital: Relationships and social structures support action for community development.

● Inclusiveness: Community development is driven by a broad base of community members, including women and marginalized groups.

c. Partnership with USAID

5. To what extent have the Local Works partners established systems and processes to create an enabling environment for sustainability after the conclusion of the awards?

C.6. EVALUATION METHODOLOGY

The evaluation will apply a mixed methods design, including qualitative and quantitative data; and participatory approach, including IPs and sub-partners, communities intended to benefit from USAID Local Works interventions, and key stakeholders including USAID staff as much as possible in the evaluation process. After awarding the contract and before beginning data collection, the evaluation team will propose a detailed evaluation methodology and workplan. The evaluation team will have available for their analysis a variety of program implementation documents, reports, and annual quantitative indicator data.

The Evaluation Team will, at a minimum:

1. Conduct a desk review of relevant documents, including quantitative activity data, quarterly reports, approved work plans, activity monitoring and evaluation plans, award documents/modifications, site visit reports; and project-generated assessments and studies.

2. Conduct interviews, focus group discussions, or other qualitative data collection efforts activity participants, stakeholders, and beneficiaries (constituents) in target areas; Local Works partner organization staff; and USAID staff.

3. Systematically analyze data through a rigorous process to identify key findings and conclusions.

4. Co-create recommendations with USAID and other key stakeholders to inform the final evaluation; and

5. Close the feedback loop with evaluation participants by sharing back findings, especially using reporting formats that are accessible to target audiences.

The Contractor must employ participatory methods throughout the evaluation design and implementation. While all data collection tools can be made more participatory, some tools lend themselves more readily to letting respondents control the conversation. Semi-structured interviews, for example, allow for participants and stakeholders to highlight results that they most value, which may or may not have been anticipated in the activity’s theory of change. The Contractor may consider

Request for Proposals No: 72061223R00004 - Local Works Evaluation Page 13 of 50 participatory evaluation approaches like Most Significant Change, Outcome Harvesting, Ripple Effects Mapping, and stakeholder mapping, which create space for respondent leadership in both identifying and interpreting findings.1

C.6.1. Data Collection and Analysis

USAID/Malawi expects that this participatory evaluation will utilize a mixed methods research design employing both quantitative and qualitative methods to strengthen the validity of the findings and provide room for data triangulation. The overall evaluation design and methods of data collection and analysis are not prescribed; rather, the Mission is open to recommendations based on offerors’ expertise as to which methodologies—emphasizing participatory methods—would best suit the evaluation questions outlined. The final evaluation design and approach to data collection and analysis will be collaboratively agreed upon during implementation.

To ensure the maximum value for learning and use, a description of the proposed evaluation methodology must include the following, at a minimum:

i. Methods of data collection: The Contractor must clearly highlight the different methods and tools that will be utilized to collect both quantitative and qualitative data. These might include structured questionnaires for constituents’ interviews; complexity-aware methods such as Most Significant Change or Outcome Harvesting; review of secondary data/budget information/outputs from performance monitoring systems; focus group interviews with communities, and/or key informant interviews with USAID staff, implementing partners or government staff, community leaders and other stakeholders. The Contractor should develop data collection instruments which should be submitted to USAID for review and approval as part of the evaluation design. The contractor may use an open-source geographic information system (GIS) for all activities under each of the awards within the Local Works Program. The GIS is a tool to store, analyze, display, and disseminate spatial data represented by lines, points, and polygons with associated databases containing information about features at a specific location. One of the major benefits of GIS is that it provides a platform to integrate complex and diverse information into a simple and illustrative format, a map, and facilitates the synthesis of project information (data) into a mapping environment. USAID recognizes that sampling a subset of intervention sites will be necessary given the limited budget and timeline of this evaluation and invites offerors to propose a sampling approach that will most robustly respond to evaluation questions while rigorously capturing a range of project implementation environments. USAID will provide the GIS map containing the Local Works activity locations at three levels down to Admin 3 (T/A level). The Contractor shall work with the USAID/Malawi GIS specialist to collaborate further on the use of GIS data and analysis.

ii. Data analysis: While developing the work plan, the offeror is also expected to provide a detailed sampling and data analysis plan; for example, what quantitative and qualitative analysis techniques will be used, how focus group responses will be reviewed and analyzed, etc. As this evaluation is envisioned to principally gather qualitative data, the Contractor must employ an appropriate analysis tool for qualitative data to categorize, rank and rate the responses of the interviewees and

1 USAID Guidance Note for Participatory Evaluation https://usaidlearninglab.org/sites/default/files/2022-05/participatory_evaluation_for_lld_1.pdf

Request for Proposals No: 72061223R00004 - Local Works Evaluation Page 14 of 50 discussants. Particularly insightful or special description of interviewees and discussants should be quoted as appropriate to highlight findings.

C.6.2. EVALUATION TEAM COMPOSITION

The Evaluation Team shall include evaluation and technical specialists with relevant experience, particularly in working with local organizations and local institutional capacity development. In accordance with USAID Local Works principles, and as a means of fostering local capacity/expertise, USAID/Malawi requires that all of the key personnel be Malawian to provide context and linkages to key stakeholders. The staffing plan should identify the proposed Team Leader and demonstrate the team’s balance between evaluation expertise, subject matter expertise, and research specialization. The staffing plan must also articulate the roles and responsibilities for each key personnel with regards to responding to the evaluation questions. Final selection of the members of the Evaluation Team is subject to agreement by the evaluation’s point of contact, and the Mission’s COR. The team composition and details of individual roles is described under section F.7.

[END OF SECTION C]

https://www.usaid.gov/local-faith-and-transformative-partnerships/local-works

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SECTION D PACKAGING AND MARKING

D.1. 752.7009 MARKING (JAN 1993)

(a) It is USAID policy that USAID-financed commodities and shipping containers, and project construction sites and other project locations be suitably marked with the USAID emblem. Shipping containers are also to be marked with the last five digits of the USAID financing document number. Generally, marking is not required for raw materials shipped in bulk (such as coal, grain, etc.), or for semi-finished products which are not packaged.

(b) Specific guidance on marking requirements must be obtained prior to procurement of commodities to be shipped, and as early as possible for project construction sites and other project locations. This guidance will be provided through the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) indicated on the cover page of this contract, or by the Mission Director in the Cooperating Country to which commodities are being shipped, or in which the project site is located.

(c) Authority to waive marking requirements is vested with the Regional Assistant Administrators, and with Mission Directors.

(d) A copy of any specific marking instructions or waivers from marking requirements is to be sent to the Contracting Officer; the original must be retained by the Contractor.

D.2 BRANDING STRATEGY

In accordance with ADS 320.3.2.1, the Contractor must prepare a Branding Implementation Plan (BIP) and Marking Plan (MP) to address the Branding Strategy. This is to ensure that the successful offeror’s Branding Implementation Plan and Marking Plan under this contract are in compliance with the USAID Graphics Standard Manual available at http://www.usaid.gov/branding and any successor branding policy, as detailed in ADS Chapter 320.

USAID policy is to require exclusive branding and marking in USAID direct acquisitions. “Exclusive Branding” means that the project is positioned as USAID’s, as showcased by the project name (e.g., USAID’s Resilient Waters). “Exclusive marking” means contractors may only mark USAID-funded programs, projects, activities, public communications, and commodities with the USAID Standard Graphic Identity and, where applicable. It is USAID‘s policy that contractors and subcontractors’ corporate identities or logos may not be used on USAID-funded programs and communications materials.

Objective: To provide prospective contractors with areas to be addressed in the development of the Branding Implementation Plan and the Marking Plan to deliver the message that the assistance is from the American People.

Activity Name: “Local Works Evaluation” or until a final name is agreed with the Contractor.

Positioning: The Contractor will have the responsibility to position USAID’s name in each activity to be supported to ensure that people recognize and identify that those activities are developed by the generous contribution of the US Government and the American people.

Level of visibility: The project will ensure a high level of USAID visibility in most of their activities, at both the national and sub-national levels. Due to the nature of policy and institutional reforms which usually

Request for Proposals No: 72061223R00004 - Local Works Evaluation Page 16 of 50 are developed with a high level of political will, in the cases where the themes appear as sensitive, low profile will be used. When a sensitive situation needs to be considered, the Contractor will strictly follow USAID recommendations.

Anticipated elements of the Marking Plan: Deliverables to be marked, includes products, equipment and inputs delivered; places where project activities are carried out; external public communications, studies, reports, publications and informative and promotional products; and workshops, conferences, fairs, media related activities and any such events. Publications authored by contractors or other non-USAID employees must include the following disclaimer on the title page:

Threats and restrictions to the security of the project need to be identified and assessed in order to request any necessary exception from the marking requirement in accordance with ADS 320.3.2.

MARKING

1. Description of public communications and program materials to be produced as part of the activity that will visibly bear the USAID Identity: Standard USAID Identity.

2. “This project was made possible by the United States Agency for International Development and the generous support of the American People.”

3. The final evaluation report should include language reading: “This publication was produced at the request of the United States Agency for International Development. It was prepared independently by [list authors and organizations involved in the preparation of the report].”

D.3. BRANDING AND MARKING POLICY

In accordance with provision D.2 above, and where applicable, the Contractor shall comply with the requirements of the policy directives and required procedures outlined in USAID Automated Directive System (ADS) 320.3.2 “Branding and Marking in USAID Direct Contracting” at https://www.usaid.gov/ads/policy/300/320 ; and USAID “Graphic Standards Manual” available at http://www.usaid.gov/branding/ , or any successor branding policy.

D.4. APPROVAL OF CONTRACTOR BRANDING IMPLEMENTATION AND MARKING PLAN

The contractor’s Branding Implementation and Marking Plan dated (to be finalized after award) is hereby approved by the Contracting Officer for the life of the award, unless otherwise rescinded earlier. The contractor will follow the plan during implementation of this contract and will request and obtain waivers from the contracting officer when required. Guidance on applying for waivers can be found in USAID Automated Directives System Chapter 320, Branding and Marking.

[END OF SECTION D]

https://www.usaid.gov/ads/policy/300/320 http://www.usaid.gov/branding/

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SECTION E INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE

E.1 NOTICE LISTING CONTRACT CLAUSES INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

The following contract clauses pertinent to this section are hereby incorporated by reference (by Citation Number, Title, and Date) in accordance with the clause at FAR “52.232-2 CLAUSES INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE” in Section I of this contract. See the following address (https://www.acquisition.gov/far/) for electronic access to the full text of a FAR clause.

FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATION (48 CFR Chapter 1)

NUMBER TITLE DATE

52.246-2 INSPECTION OF SUPPLIES– FIXED-PRICE AUG 1996

52.246-4 INSPECTION OF SERVICES – FIXED-PRICE AUG 1996

E.2 INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE

a) USAID inspection and acceptance of services, reports, and other required deliverables or outputs will take place virtually.

b) USAID reserves the right to inspect and accept any services, reports, and other required deliverables or outputs where the services are performed and where reports and deliverables or outputs are produced or submitted. The Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) listed in Section G has been delegated the authority by the Contracting Officer (CO), to inspect and accept all services, reports, and required deliverables or outputs.

[END OF SECTION E]

https://www.acquisition.gov/far/

Request for Proposals No: 72061223R00004 - Local Works Evaluation Page 18 of 50

SECTION F DELIVERIES OR PERFORMANCE

F.1. NOTICE LISTING CONTRACT CLAUSES INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

The following contract clauses pertinent to this section are hereby incorporated by reference (by Citation Number, Title, and Date) in accordance with the clause at FAR “52.232-2 CLAUSES INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE” in Section I of this contract. See the following address (https://www.acquisition.gov/far/) for electronic access to the full text of a FAR clause.

FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATION (48 CFR Chapter 1)

NUMBER TITLE DATE

52.242-15 STOP-WORK ORDER AUG 1989

F.2. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

(a) The period of performance for the contract is [to be inserted at the time of award] from the effective date of the contract.

(b) Subject to the Firm Fixed Price of the contract, the contract performance period may be extended, provided that:

(1) The extension is made in through a modification before the original estimated completion date set forth in the contract and clearly states that the extension is at no additional cost to the contract.

(2) Performance period extension must not be beyond 60 calendar days from the original estimated completion date set forth in the contract.

(c) The period of performance adjustment to the original estimated completion date does not result in costs incurred that exceed the total obligated amount of the contract. Under no circumstances shall such adjustments authorize the Contractor to be paid any sum more than the firm fixed contract price.

(d) Adjustments that will cause the elapsed time for completion of the work to exceed the original estimated completion date by more than 60 calendar days may be considered but shall require a very strong justification to warrant consideration.

F.3 PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

The place of performance for this contract is Malawi. The Contractor must conduct site visits to relevant project sites across the three (3) regions of Malawi (Northern, Central, and Southern Regions) to gather evidence of the extent to which Local Works-supported activities are expanding local leadership in development processes and are on track to achieve sustainable development outcomes.

F.4. AUTHORIZED WORK WEEK

A 6-day workweek is authorized with no premium or overtime pay. Premium pay is a one-time payment that an employer pays to employees in addition to their earned wages. Overtime is when you pay an employee who has worked hours that exceed their normally scheduled working hours.

Request for Proposals No: 72061223R00004 - Local Works Evaluation Page 19 of 50

F.5. REPORTS AND DELIVERABLES

In addition to the requirements set forth for submission of reports in Section I and in accordance with AIDAR 752.242-70, “Periodic Progress Reports (OCT 2007),” the Contractor must submit reports, deliverables, or outputs as further described below, to the COR for approval. The Contractor must submit all reports and other deliverables in the English language, unless otherwise specified by the COR.

Unless otherwise specifically noted, all days are expressed as calendar days. The Contractor is explicitly advised that all activities planned and included in the required deliverables listed below must be within the scope and terms of the contract.

Furthermore, the COR’s approval of activities and any corresponding cost estimates included in these deliverables does not supplant the CO’s written approval in cases in which it is required.

The Contractor shall be responsible for the following Deliverables:

(1). In-briefing: The Evaluation Team will have meetings with relevant mission staff involved in the application, award, and management of local organizations, including the Local Works DC MEL team, USAID/Malawi front office, program and management support offices, and technical office directors for introductions.

(2). Evaluation Design and Work Plan: The Evaluation Team will prepare a detailed work plan which will include the approach, methodologies, and data analysis to be used in the evaluation. The initial work plan will include (a) the overall evaluation design, including the proposed methodology, data collection, analysis plan, and data collection instruments; (b) a list of the team members indicating their primary contact details, including the email address and mobile phone numbers; and (c) the team’s proposed schedule for the evaluation. Evaluation methods will be finalized in collaboration with USAID before kicking off fieldwork. The Contractor must describe and document the methodological approach that will be used, which should follow USAID Participatory Evaluation best practices. The plan must include an evaluation framework with the data sources and assessment tools that will correspond to each evaluation question. It must discuss any risks and limitations that may undermine the reliability and validity of the evaluation results. It should also outline any capacity strengthening services envisioned for the evaluation team, and how and when the Evaluator plans to provide this support in a demand-driven manner.

(3). Stakeholder Co-Creation Workshop for Recommendations: The evaluation team is expected to hold a co-creation workshop to present and validate findings and co-create recommendations with USAID staff, IP representatives, and potentially other stakeholders as identified, where participants can collaboratively draft recommendations that are locally relevant and tailored to their context. This workshop will be scheduled in the evaluation work plan. The Contractor shall be responsible for costs, logistics, and managing invitations to this workshop. It should follow field research and allow sufficient time for the evaluation team to conduct data analysis and a synthesis of findings. Please see the co-creation web site here for more information.

It should include a PowerPoint, detailing the high-level evaluation process and key findings, which will be shared during the workshop. USAID expects this workshop would be 2-4 hours in length and held either in one day or across two sessions. The session could be held virtually, in-person, or in a blended format, depending on the evaluator’s recommended format and the IPs’ availability to maximize https://usaidlearninglab.org/sites/default/files/2022-05/participatory_evaluation_for_lld_1.pdf https://usaidlearninglab.org/sites/default/files/2022-05/participatory_evaluation_for_lld_1.pdf https://www.usaid.gov/co-creation-usaid

Request for Proposals No: 72061223R00004 - Local Works Evaluation Page 20 of 50 participation. Results of the co-creation workshop should be distilled into the Findings/Conclusions/ Recommendations table that is included in the final evaluation report.

(4). Preliminary Evaluation Report: The Evaluation Team will submit a rough draft of the report to USAID to facilitate discussion and preparation of the final report. The team will present the major findings of the evaluation to USAID. This presentation will include a discussion of achievements, challenges, and issues.

The team will consider USAID comments and incorporate them as appropriate.

(5). Final Evaluation Report: The team will submit a final report that incorporates the evaluation team’s responses to Mission comments and suggestions within five (5) days after USAID/Malawi provides written comments on the team’s draft evaluation report. The report should not exceed 20 pages (excluding appendices). The report will be submitted in English electronically. The Mission will share reports and data with relevant stakeholders and implementing partners, follow normal USAID branding procedures, and submit the final report to USAID’s Locally Led Development Initiatives team. This final report must also include one-pagers and infographics highlighting key data points, which will be designed for public dissemination.