RFP 72066822R00006 Conserving Biodiversity Activity.pdf

Issuance Date: March 11, 2022 Questions Due Date and Time: April 5, 2022 at 1500 local Juba time Closing Date and Time for Proposals: April 25, 2022 at 1500 local Juba time

Subject: Request for Proposals (RFP) No. 72066822R00006, USAID Conserving

Biodiversity Activity

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in South Sudan is seeking proposals for the above-referenced activity for the purpose of strengthening conservation of biodiversity that benefits both people and wildlife in the Boma-Bandingilo Landscapes (BBL).

USAID anticipates awarding one (1) stand-alone Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee (CPFF) completion type contract with a period of performance of five (5) years. The maximum amount of available funding is $10,160,000.

USAID invites all interested and responsible organizations to submit offers in accordance with the requirements of this solicitation. USAID will conduct this procurement as a full and open competition under which any type of organization may submit a proposal. The procedures set forth in the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 15 will govern the procurement. The competition will utilize a tradeoff process, which permits the Source Selection Authority to award to an offeror with a higher-priced proposal if the price premium is justified.

The principal geographic code for this contract is 935 and the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code is 541990. All types of organizations are eligible to compete.

If your organization decides to submit a proposal in response to this solicitation, it must be submitted in accordance with Section L of this RFP. Offerors must also carefully review Section M – Evaluation Factors. Proposals must be submitted to USAID/South Sudan no later than the closing date and time stated above, to the email addresses designated in Section L for receipt of proposals. If the proposal is received after the closing date and time, or if it is incomplete, it will neither be accepted nor considered unless authorized by the Contracting Officer pursuant to

FAR 15.208.

This RFP in no way obligates USAID to award a contract, nor does it commit USAID to pay any costs incurred in the preparation and submission of a proposal. Award of a contract under this RFP is subject to availability of funds and other internal USAID approvals. Furthermore, USAID reserves the right to reject any and/or all offers if such action is in the best interest of the Government.

All questions, comments, and/or requests for clarifications must be sent in writing to JubaOAA- EG@usaid.gov, with a copy to jailewis@usaid.gov no later than the date and time indicated as the deadline for questions above.

This RFP can be viewed and downloaded from https://www.sam.gov. USAID bears no responsibility for data errors resulting from transmission or conversion processes. Further, be mailto:JubaOAA-EG@usaid.gov mailto:JubaOAA-EG@usaid.gov mailto:jailewis@usaid.gov https://www.sam.gov/

USAID Conserving Biodiversity Activity RFP No. 72066822R00006 aware that amendments to solicitations are occasionally issued and will be posted on the same website. USAID advises interested parties to check the above website for amendments.

Thank you for your interest. We look forward to your participation.

Sincerely, /s/ Alexis McGinness

Alexis McGinness Supervisory Contracting Officer USAID/South Sudan

SOLICITATION, OFFER AND AWARD 1. THIS CONTRACT IS A RATED ORDER

UNDER DPAS (15 CFR 700)

RATING PAGE OF PAGES

2. CONTRACT NUMBER 3. SOLICITATION NUMBER 4. TYPE OF SOLICITATION 5. DATE ISSUED 6. REQUISITION/PURCHASE NUMBER

CODE7. ISSUED BY 8. ADDRESS OFFER TO (If other than item 7)

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

SOLICITATION

9. Sealed offers in original and copies for furnishings the supplies or services in the Schedule will be received at the place specified in item 8, or if hand carried, in the depository located in until local time

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.

10. FOR

INFORMATION

CALL:

A. NAME B. TELEPHONE (NO COLLECT CALLS)

AREA CODE NUMBER EXTENSION

C. E-MAIL ADDRESS

11. TABLE OF CONTENTS

(X) SEC. DESCRIPTION PAGE(S) (X) SEC. PAGE(S)DESCRIPTION

A B C D E F G H

I

J

K

L

M EVALUATION FACTORS FOR AWARD

INSTRUCTIONS, CONDITIONS, AND NOTICES TO OFFERORS

REPRESENTATIONS, CERTIFICATIONS AND OTHER

STATEMENTS OF OFFERORS

PART IV - REPRESENTATIONS AND INSTRUCTIONS

LIST OF ATTACHMENTS

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

CONTRACT CLAUSESSOLICITATION/CONTRACT FORM

SUPPLIES OR SERVICES AND PRICES/COSTS

DESCRIPTION/SPECS./WORK STATEMENT

PACKAGING AND MARKING

INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE

DELIVERIES OR PERFORMANCE

CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION DATA

SPECIAL CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS

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)

12. In compliance with the above, the undersigned agrees, if this offer is accepted within calendar days (60 calendar days unless a different period is inserted 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 set opposite each item, delivered at the designated point(s), within the time specified in the schedule.

13. DISCOUNT FOR PROMPT PAYMENT

(See Section I, Clause No. 52.232-8)

14. ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF AMENDMENTS

(The offeror acknowledges receipt of amendments to the SOLICITATION for offerors and related documents numbered and dated):

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

DATEAMENDMENT NO.AMENDMENT NO. DATE

15A. NAME AND

ADDRESS

OF OFFEROR

CODE FACILITY 16. NAME AND THE TITLE OF PERSON AUTHORIZED TO SIGN

OFFER(Type or print)

15B. TELEPHONE NUMBER

AREA CODE NUMBER EXTENSION

15C. CHECK IF REMITTANCE ADDRESS IS

DIFFERENT FROM ABOVE - ENTER SUCH

ADDRESS IN SCHEDULE.

17. SIGNATURE 18. OFFER DATE

AWARD (To be completed by Government)

19. ACCEPTED AS TO ITEMS NUMBERED 20. AMOUNT 21. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION

22. AUTHORITY FOR USING OTHER THAN FULL OPEN COMPETITION:

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

24. ADMINISTERED BY (If other than Item 7)

26. NAME OF CONTRACTING OFFICER (Type or print)

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

AUTHORIZED FOR LOCAL REPRODUCTION

Previous edition is unusable

23. SUBMIT INVOICES TO ADDRESS SHOWN IN

(4 copies unless otherwise specified)

25. PAYMENT WILL BE MADE BY

27. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

(Signature of Contracting Officer)

28. AWARD DATE

CODE

ITEM

STANDARD FORM 33 (REV. 6/2014)

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

SEALED BID (IFB)

NEGOTIATED (RFP)

(Hour) (Date)

PART I - THE SCHEDULE PART II - CONTRACT CLAUSES

3 126

REQ-668-22-000051

720668

USAID/South Sudan, Office of Acquisition and Assistance 4420 Juba Place, Washington, D.C. 20521-4420

72066822R00006

Jaimy Lewis, Senior A&A Specialist jailewis@usaid.gov

49 123

3/11/2022

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART I – THE SCHEDULE 9

SECTION B – SUPPLIES OR SERVICES AND PRICES/COST 9

B.1 PURPOSE 9

B.2 CONTRACT TYPE AND CONTRACT SERVICES 9

B.3 ESTIMATED COST, FIXED FEE, AND OBLIGATED AMOUNT 9

B.4 CONTRACT BUDGET 9

B.5 INDIRECT COSTS 10

B.6 ADVANCE UNDERSTANDING ON CEILING INDIRECT COST RATES AND FINAL

REIMBURSEMENT FOR INDIRECT COSTS 10

B.7 COST REIMBURSABLE 10

B.8 PAYMENT OF FIXED FEE 11

B.9 KEY CONSIDERATIONS FOR DEVELOPMENT IN A DYNAMIC ENVIRONMENT 11

SECTION C – STATEMENT OF WORK 12

C.1 TITLE OF ACTIVITY 12

C.2 PURPOSE, DEVELOPMENT HYPOTHESIS AND EXPECTED OUTCOMES 12

C.3 CONTEXT/BACKGROUND 13

C.4 ACTIVITY COMPONENTS 15

C.5 GENDER, YOUTH AND SOCIAL INCLUSION INTEGRATION 19

C.6 ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT 20

C.7 SUSTAINABILITY 21

C.8 COORDINATION WITH STAKEHOLDERS 22

C.9 CONTRACT MANAGEMENT 22

C.10 GRANTS UNDER CONTRACT 23

SECTION D – BRANDING AND MARKING 24

D.1 AIDAR 752.7009 MARKING (JANUARY 1993) 24

D.2 COMPLIANCE WITH BRANDING STRATEGY AND BRANDING IMPLEMENTATION &

MARKING PLANS 24

D.3 EXCEPTIONS AND WAIVERS TO USAID BRANDING AND MARKING

REQUIREMENTS 26

D.4 BRANDING AND MARKING FOR GRANTS UNDER CONTRACT 26

SECTION E – INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE 27

E.1 NOTICE LISTING CONTRACT CLAUSES INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE 27

E.2 INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE 27

SECTION F – DELIVERIES OR PERFORMANCE 28

F.1 NOTICE LISTING CONTRACT CLAUSES INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE 28

F.2 PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE 28

F.3 PLACE OF PERFORMANCE 28

F.4 PERFORMANCE STANDARDS 28

F.5 REPORTS AND DELIVERABLES 29

F.6 AIDAR 752.7005 SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS FOR DEVELOPMENT

EXPERIENCE DOCUMENTS (September 2013) 41

F.7 KEY PERSONNEL 42

SECTION G – CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION DATA 44

G.1 ADMINISTRATIVE CONTRACTING OFFICE 44

G.2 CONTRACTING OFFICER’S REPRESENTATIVE 44

G.3 CONTRACTOR’S PRIMARY POINT OF CONTACT 44

G.4 TECHNICAL DIRECTIONS/RELATIONSHIP WITH USAID 44

G.5 ACCEPTANCE AND APPROVAL 46

G.6 PAYING OFFICE 46

G.7 INVOICING INSTRUCTIONS 46

G.8 AIDAR 752.7003 DOCUMENTATION FOR PAYMENT (NOV 1998) 46

G.9 ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION DATA 48

SECTION H – SPECIAL CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS 49

H.1 AUTHORIZED GEOGRAPHIC CODE 49

H.2 LOGISTICAL SUPPORT 49

H.3 HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS AND SANCTIONS PROGRAM IN SOUTH SUDAN 49

H.4 SECURITY (FEB 2022) 49

H.5 COMPLIANCE WITH THE TRAFFICKING VICTIMS PROTECTION

REAUTHORIZATION ACT 53

H.6 EXCHANGE VISITORS AND TRAINING 53

H.7 EXECUTIVE ORDER ON TERRORISM FINANCING (FEB 2002) 53

H.8 SEXUAL MISCONDUCT (DECEMBER 2020) 54

H.9 AUTHORIZED WORK WEEK 54

H.10 ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR PERSONNEL COMPENSATION 54

H.11 DEFENSE BASE ACT (DBA) INSURANCE FOR 2015 – 2022 55

H.12 BUSINESS CLASS TRAVEL 56

H.13 FOREIGN GOVERNMENT DELEGATION TO INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES (JAN

2002) 56

H.14 CONSENT TO SUBCONTRACT 57

H.15 GRANTS UNDER CONTRACT (GUC) 57

H.16 NONEXPENDABLE PROPERTY PURCHASES AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

RESOURCES 58

H.17 APPROVALS – NONEXPENDABLE PROPERTY PURCHASES 58

H.18 GOVERNMENT FURNISHED FACILITIES OR PROPERTY 58

H.19 ELECTRONIC PAYMENTS SYSTEM 58

H.20 VALUE ADDED TAX AND CUSTOMS DUTIES 59

H.21 ORGANIZATIONAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST 60

H.22 [RESERVED] 60

H.23 DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION 60

H.24 ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE 60

H.25 LIMITING PLASTIC POLLUTION AND MISMANAGED WASTE (MAR 2020) 62

H.26 USAID/SOUTH SUDAN PRIVATE SECTOR ENGAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS (JAN

2022) 62

H.27 COMMUNICATIONS AND OUTREACH APPROVAL REQUIREMENTS (FEB 2020) 62

H.28 PUBLICATIONS, VIDEOS, OR OTHER INFORMATION MEDIA PRODUCTS (FEB

2020) 62

H.29 USAID-FINANCED THIRD-PARTY WEB SITES (NOV 2017) 63

H.30 SUBMISSION OF DATASETS TO THE DEVELOPMENT DATA LIBRARY (DDL)

(OCTOBER 2014) 65

H.31 RESTRICTIONS AGAINST DISCLOSURE (MAY 2016) 66

H.32 [RESERVED] 67

H.33 [RESERVED] 67

H.34 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY APPROVAL (APRIL 2018) – (DEVIATION NO. 67

M/OAA-DEV-FAR-20-3c) 67

H.35 MEDIA AND INFORMATION HANDLING AND PROTECTION (APRIL 2018) 68

H.36 PRIVACY AND SECURITY INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SYSTEM INCIDENT

REPORTING (APRIL 2018) 69

H.37 [RESERVED] 73

H.38 [RESERVED] 73

H.39 CLOUD COMPUTING (APRIL 2018) 73

H.40 NOTICE REGARDING ANY COURT ORDER AFFECTING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF

E.O. 14042 79

PART II – CONTRACT CLAUSES 80

SECTION I – CONTRACT CLAUSES 80

I.1 FAR 52.252-2 CLAUSES INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (FEB 1998) 80

I.2 FAR 52.203-14 DISPLAY OF HOTLINE POSTERS (NOV 2021) 82

I.3 FAR 52.217-8 OPTION TO EXTEND SERVICES (NOV 1999) 83

I.4 FAR 52.243-7 NOTIFICATION OF CHANGES (JAN 2017) 83

I.5 FAR 52.247-67 SUBMISSION OF TRANSPORTATION DOCUMENTS FOR AUDIT

(FEB 2006) 85

I.6 AIDAR 752.252-2 AIDAR CLAUSES INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (MAR 2015)

I.7 AIDAR 752.229-71 REPORTING ON FOREIGN TAXES (JUL 2007) 87

I.8 AIDAR 752.245-70 GOVERNMENT PROPERTY - USAID REPORTING

REQUIREMENTS (OCT 2017) 88

PART III – LIST OF DOCUMENTS, EXHIBITS, AND OTHER ATTACHMENTS 90

SECTION J – LIST OF ATTACHMENTS 90

PART IV – REPRESENTATIONS AND INSTRUCTIONS 91

SECTION K – REPRESENTATIONS, CERTIFICATIONS, AND OTHER STATEMENTS OF

OFFERORS 91

K.1 FAR 52.252-2 SOLICITATION PROVISIONS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (FEB

1998) 91

K.2 FAR 52.204-8 ANNUAL REPRESENTATIONS AND CERTIFICATIONS (JAN 2022) 91

K.3 FAR 52.204-24 REPRESENTATION REGARDING CERTAIN

TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND VIDEO SURVEILLANCE SERVICES OR EQUIPMENT

(NOV 2021) 95

K.4 FAR 52.204-26 COVERED TELECOMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT OR SERVICES -

REPRESENTATION (OCT 2020) 98

K.5 FAR 52.209-7 INFORMATION REGARDING RESPONSIBILITY MATTERS (OCT 2018)

K.6 FAR 52.209-13 VIOLATION OF ARMS CONTROL TREATIES OR AGREEMENTS -

CERTIFICATION (NOV 2021) 100

SECTION L – INSTRUCTIONS, CONDITIONS, AND NOTICES TO OFFEROR 102

L.1 FAR 52.252-1 SOLICITATION PROVISIONS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (FEB

1998) 102

L.2 FAR 52.216-1 TYPE OF CONTRACT (APR 1984) 102

L.3 FAR 52.233-2 SERVICE OF PROTEST (SEP 2006) 102

L.4 QUESTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS 103

L.5 PROPOSAL PREPARATION AND DELIVERY INSTRUCTIONS 103

L.6 INSTRUCTIONS FOR PREPARATION OF CONTRACTOR PERFORMANCE

INFORMATION 105

L.7 INSTRUCTIONS FOR PREPARATION OF TECHNICAL PROPOSAL 107

L.8 INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE PREPARATION OF THE COST/BUSINESS PROPOSAL

L.9 INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE PREPARATION OF THE BRANDING IMPLEMENTATION

AND MARKING PLAN 120

L.10 WAIVERS UNDER FAR PART 4.2101 PROHIBITION ON COVERED

TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND VIDEO SURVEILLANCE SERVICES AND

EQUIPMENT (DEC 2021) 120

SECTION M – EVALUATION FACTORS FOR AWARD 123

M.1 GENERAL INFORMATION 123

M.2 PAST PERFORMANCE EVALUATION 123

M.3 TECHNICAL EVALUATION FACTORS 124

M.4 COST EVALUATION 125

M.5 DETERMINATION OF THE COMPETITIVE RANGE 125

M.6 SOURCE SELECTION 126

M.7 CONTRACTING WITH SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN AND DISADVANTAGED

ENTERPRISES 126

M.8 BRANDING IMPLEMENTATION AND MARKING PLANS 126

PART I – THE SCHEDULE

SECTION B – SUPPLIES OR SERVICES AND PRICES/COST

B.1 PURPOSE

The purpose of this contract is to provide technical assistance and services as described in detail in Section C, Statement of Work, for the implementation of the USAID Conserving Biodiversity Activity.

B.2 CONTRACT TYPE AND CONTRACT SERVICES

This is a Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee (CPFF) completion type contract. For the consideration set forth below, the Contractor must achieve the performance objectives and deliverables or outputs described in Section C and otherwise comply with all contract requirements.

B.3 ESTIMATED COST, FIXED FEE, AND OBLIGATED AMOUNT

(a) The estimated cost for the performance of the work required hereunder, exclusive of fixed fee, is $[to be completed at the time of award]. The fixed fee is $[to be completed at the time of award]. The total estimated cost plus fixed fee is $[to be completed at the time of award].

(b) The amount currently obligated and available for reimbursement of allowable costs incurred by the Contractor (including payment of fee, if any) for performance hereunder is $[to be completed by the Government at the time of award]. The Contractor must not exceed the aforesaid obligated amount in accordance with the Limitation of Funds Clause, FAR 52.232-22.

Funds obligated hereunder are anticipated to be sufficient through [to be completed by the Government at the time of award].

B.4 CONTRACT BUDGET

(a) The contract budget found herein is based on the Contractor’s original proposal and/or final proposal revision, which was accepted by USAID through award of this contract.

(b) The following itemized budget sets forth the estimates for individual items of cost.

Description Amount

Total Direct Costs, exclusive of Grants Under Contract (GUCs)

GUCs $400,000

Total Indirect Costs $

Fixed Fee $

Total Estimated Cost plus Fixed Fee $

These amounts may not be adjusted without a written modification signed by the Contracting Officer. The Contractor must not bill any amounts against this contract in excess of the amounts specified for each line item as illustrated above.

B.5 INDIRECT COSTS

Pending establishment of revised provisional or final indirect cost rates, allowable indirect costs must be reimbursed on the basis of the following negotiated provisional or predetermined rates and the appropriate bases:

Description Rate Base Type Period

TBD % 1/ 1/ 1/

1/ Base of Application:

Type of Rate:

Period:

B.6 ADVANCE UNDERSTANDING ON CEILING INDIRECT COST RATES AND FINAL

REIMBURSEMENT FOR INDIRECT COSTS

(a) The Contractor must make no change in its established method of classifying or allocating indirect costs without the prior written consent of the Contracting Officer.

(b) Reimbursement for indirect costs must be at the lower of the negotiated final (or predetermined) rates or the following ceiling rates:

Description 2022 2023 2024 2025

TBD % % % %

(c) The Government will not be obligated to pay any additional amount should the final indirect cost rates exceed the negotiated ceiling rates. If the final indirect cost rates are less than the negotiated ceiling rates, the negotiated rates will be reduced to conform to the lower rates.

(d) This advance understanding must not change any monetary ceiling, obligation, or specific cost allowance or disallowance. Any changes in classifying or allocating indirect costs require the prior written approval of the Contracting Officer.

B.7 COST REIMBURSABLE

The U.S. dollar costs allowable will be limited to reasonable, allocable, and necessary costs determined in accordance with FAR 52.216-7, “Allowable Cost and Payment,” and FAR 52.232- 22, “Limitation of Funds,” and AIDAR 752.7003, “Documentation for Payment.”

B.8 PAYMENT OF FIXED FEE

USAID will pay a proportion of the Contractor’s fixed fee each month pursuant to FAR 52.216-8, “Fixed Fee,” upon the receipt of an invoice deemed proper by the USAID/South Sudan Office of Financial Management. The paying office is USAID/South Sudan, Office of Financial Management, as specified in Section G.6.

B.9 KEY CONSIDERATIONS FOR DEVELOPMENT IN A DYNAMIC ENVIRONMENT

Due to the extremely fluid nature of the South Sudan development context, including recent civil wars, ethnic violence, and now tentative peace, USAID/South Sudan must be able to adapt to changing circumstances on the ground. Adaptive management will be required from the implementer in order to maintain, sustain, or expand development gains achieved through activity implementation.

The Contractor must anticipate the need to adapt to changing conditions on the ground either of a positive or negative nature in order to achieve the contract's objectives. These objectives are defined in Section C.

Implementation of these changes will be governed by FAR 52.243-2 (Alternate I) “Changes- Cost Reimbursement.” The changes must be within the general scope of this contract.

These changes will be made to address changing circumstances in South Sudan. Examples of the circumstances include but are not limited to:

● Data indicates and the Mission Director determines in writing that there is a high probability of a crisis developing in the operating environment, requiring adjustments to ongoing programming.

● Data indicates and the Mission Director determines in writing that there is a high probability that peace will continue, and the operating environment will stabilize, requiring adjustments to ongoing programming.

The purpose of this section is to inform the Contractor of the very fluid nature of development work in South Sudan and the likely need to adapt to changing circumstances while still achieving the contract’s objectives. There may be other needs that require the use of the changes clause but the extreme fluidity of the operating environment in South Sudan warrants this section in order to increase the probability of success in achieving the contract’s objectives.

[END OF SECTION B]

SECTION C – STATEMENT OF WORK

C.1 TITLE OF ACTIVITY

USAID Conserving Biodiversity Activity

C.2 PURPOSE, DEVELOPMENT HYPOTHESIS AND EXPECTED OUTCOMES

The purpose of this activity is to strengthen conservation of biodiversity that benefits both people and wildlife in the Boma-Badingilo Parks/Landscapes (BBL)1.

Overall objectives of the activity are to:

1. Improve conservation in high priority areas of the BBL through reducing threats to wildlife populations and ecosystem function and increasing and stabilizing connectivity between critical wildlife areas.

2. Improve community conservation and natural resource management of BBL Landscape including through improved governance of natural resources, increased wildlife compatible livelihoods, and reduced wildlife-livestock-human conflict.

The Development Hypothesis is: If local communities more sustainably manage their grazing lands, and have increased conservation compatible livelihoods and security, then the conservation of the BBL is enhanced, harmful natural resource degradation is reduced, and flora and fauna will thrive.

The development hypothesis is based on the premise that in order to conserve the BBL, it is vital to engage both the indigenous communities and the South Sudanese Wildlife Authorities or any entity that may be delegated management authority by the Government of South Sudan (GoSS) in the protection of these Landscapes. Efforts should empower communities to manage their traditional lands in partnership with wildlife authorities and other key stakeholders to increase their livelihood security in an environmentally sustainable manner. Conservation will also only be possible with a reduction of conflict, trafficking, and illegal resource exploitation, and strengthening resilience to environmental, climate and economic shocks.

USAID recognizes that given the complexity of the current development landscape, this development hypothesis must be periodically revisited and adjusted in accordance with the region’s operating context.

Overall expected outcomes of the performance of the activity include, but are not limited to:

● Improved conservation of biodiversity, including specific species such as elephants, zebras, giraffes, buffalos, leopards, lions, pangolin, among others and ecosystem connectivity in high priority areas of the BBL.

● Improved engagement, capacity and authority of communities to achieve conservation and livelihood outcomes.

● Strengthened cooperation among stakeholders, including NGOs, communities, any entity that may be assigned management of BBL, and the GoSS on conservation efforts.

● Decreased conflict over natural resources that lead to enhanced security in the BBL.

1 “BBL,” “Landscape, and “Parks” are used interchangeably throughout this section.

● Sustainable economic activities among communities, including diversification of options to better withstand environmental, social and political shocks.

Given the role of South Sudanese women in farming and agriculture, the impact of environmental degradation on them can be devastating. The Contractor must identify and prioritize opportunities for increasing the role of women in managing natural resources and building and enhancing the role of women and youth in effective management and conservation outcomes. Additionally, the Contractor’s efforts must seek to build community resilience, through the strengthening of sustainable livelihood options to reduce dependence on destructive and non-sustainable use of the ecosystem, including reducing poaching and overharvesting of plants/wood. The Contractor must enhance security and mitigate conflicts in the Landscape through coordination with wildlife authorities and other relevant enforcement officials.

C.3 CONTEXT/BACKGROUND

C.3.1 Boma-Badingilo Landscape

The BBL is among the six national parks, in addition to 13 game reserves that are found in South Sudan and covers an estimated area of 37,500 km in South Sudan, making it the largest protected area in Africa. It is also connected to the Sudd-Sahelian flooded grasslands and savannahs, including the East Sudanian savannas, consisting of 200 ecoregions. The total area of contiguous rangeland reaches approximately 95,000 km. The Landscape consists of Boma and Badingilo National Parks on both sides of a large expanse of savannah habitats, and is the home of Africa’s second largest animal migration. To the west lies Badingilo and to the east is Boma. These areas are connected by an unprotected corridor that allows the wildlife to range between the two protected areas. Various White Nile tributaries drain northwards through the Landscape, including the Kinyeti, Lotilla and Kengen - all of which flow into the Pibor River that drains into the Sobat River. The north of Boma National Park contains the Juom swamps, having various permanent pools, and forms an extensive flooded grassland during the wet season.

C.3.2 Challenges and Constraints

The BBL is threatened by a litany of complex issues. These include poorly controlled armed groups, the proliferation of automatic weapons among the general population, civilian incursion of protected areas, poaching, weak natural resource governance and management, political and armed conflict, economic crisis, and climate change. All of these issues add pressure on biodiversity and threaten the resilience of communities that reside in and around these parks.

Access to, and control over, land and natural resources is a significant governance challenge within the BBL and adjacent communities. This is especially true for rural communities and is a major cause of conflict. Therefore activating community collaboration is fundamental to the success of conservation efforts and sustainable development of the BBL Landscape.

Various reports from the South Sudan Government (South Sudan - UNEP Document Repository Home https://wedocs.unep.org › SouthSudan_SoE2018 PDF) and WCS’ recent aerial and ground surveys in 2015, 2016, 2019, 2020 and 2021 indicated that despite several pressures, important numbers of migrating antelopes, as well as elephants, Nubian giraffes, eland, oryx and lions remain in the BBL.

https://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/25528/SouthSudan_SoE2018.pdf https://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/25528/SouthSudan_SoE2018.pdf

There are two main government ministries with jurisdiction in the management of the Landscape: the Ministry of Environment and Forestry and the Ministry of Wildlife Conservation and Tourism. There is also a growing mandate for environmental and wildlife protection in South Sudan through the development of new environmental laws and management plans. The GoSS prioritized wildlife conservation and sustainable natural resource management as a critical component of its development priorities.

A key constraint is that the boundaries of the BBL have never been accurately surveyed and demarcated. Although the boundaries do exist on GPS, they are not well-marked on the ground.

This gives farmers and pastoralists opportunities to encroach inside of the national parks.

Although the government developed a ten-year management plan for the Badingilo National Park, a lack of resources hindered its implementation.

Some of the challenges facing the BBL is the government's inability to support wildlife wardens with fuel, means of transport, or communication equipment to conduct frequent monitoring and enforcement patrols to prevent poachers from accessing areas of the national parks.

C.3.3 USAID Engagement, Strategies and Other Priorities

C.3.3.A USAID Previous Engagement

USAID has a long history of engagement and support for South Sudan’s protection and conservation efforts in BBL, investing over $43 million to protect biodiversity in the BBL.

USAID’s previous support provided critical protection of key wildlife populations from poachers and reduced encroachment into park areas. Additionally, USAID and its partners established conservation security partnerships with communities that reside adjacently to the BBL. USAID also supported aerial and ground reconnaissance of human and wildlife populations and developed a strategic management plan for the broader BBL. As a result of these combined efforts, over 4,050,000 hectares of biologically significant areas were placed under improved natural resource management.

However, the previous biodiversity activity (October 2018 - September 2021) experienced many challenges and USAID/South Sudan is conducting an assessment to provide additional insights to inform this activity’s approach.

C.3.3.B USAID/South Sudan Strategic Framework

The Mission’s Strategic Framework does not specify an individual objective for biodiversity efforts. However, the activity will contribute to the Mission’s following development objectives:

1. DO2: Household Resilience Increased

2. DO3: Increased and inclusive Social Cohesion

3. Special DO 4: GoSS more responsive to its citizens

C.3.3.C USAID Policies on Biodiversity & Restrictions on Use of Funding

The source of funding for this contract is from congressionally directed biodiversity funding. As such, the funds must be used for programs that meet the four criteria of USAID’s Biodiversity

Code, as outlined below and detailed in USAID’s Biodiversity Policy2. The USAID Biodiversity Code criteria that:

● The program must have an explicit biodiversity objective; it is not enough to have biodiversity conservation result as a positive externality from another program;

● Activities must be identified based on an analysis of drivers and threats to biodiversity and a corresponding theory of change;

● Site-based programs must have the intent to positively impact biodiversity in biologically significant areas; and,

● The program must monitor indicators associated with the stated theories of change (TOC) for biodiversity conservation results.

In addition, a minimum total of $500,000 of the biodiversity directive funds per annum3 have been designated for combating wildlife trafficking (CWT) efforts under this contract. These funds must be used for activities that prevent or reduce poaching and/or illegal trade in wildlife, including terrestrial and freshwater species. CWT activities can include efforts that increase cooperation and capacity to conduct patrols; reduce demand for illegal wildlife products;

strengthen law enforcement capacity (detections, arrests, prosecutions, and/or convictions) including policy reform; conduct assessments and studies; monitor and detect movement of illegal wildlife products; and expand commitment, including the implementation of international agreements, such as Convention on International Treaties of Endangered Species (CITES) or securing alliances with the private sector to combat wildlife trafficking. Activities that provide economic, social, or other incentives for local people in a wildlife source area to discontinue poaching or report wildlife crime may count when activities are explicitly intended to reduce wildlife crime.

C.4 ACTIVITY COMPONENTS

This activity will be implemented in and around the Boma and Badingilo National Parks.

A concerted effort to take a “bottom-up” approach, working with existing structures at the community level, will be key. The Contractor must employ a collaborative approach (with USAID, the GoSS, and other key stakeholders) in the design, scale and sequencing of interventions to complete the tasks and achieve the outcomes described below.

C.4.1 Component 1: Inception Phase to Refine Interventions

The Contractor must build on its developed Theory of Change (TOC) to ensure that it will address critical threats to wildlife, and Landscapes and ecosystem function through, but not limited to:

1. Improving community - park authority cooperation and collaboration

2. Improving monitoring of wildlife and key ecosystems functions through government and community scout patrols, data sharing and collaborative development and utilization of Landscape management plans

2 USAID's Biodiversity Policy | U.S. Agency for International Development – www.usaid.gov/biodiversity/policy 3 The minimum total of biodiversity directive funds designated for CWT is subject to the annual appropriations requirements. The COR will inform the Contractor each year of the amount but Contractors should assume at least $500,000 for planning purposes.

https://www.usaid.gov/biodiversity/policy https://www.usaid.gov/biodiversity/policy

3. Supporting existing and developing new wildlife-friendly enterprises to improve local livelihoods

4. Supporting conflict reduction efforts including, but not limited to, addressing human wildlife-livestock conflict, and supporting land and property right disputes.

5. Building the institutional and technical capacity of local community Natural Resource Management (NRM) groups

At the outset of the activity, for approximately four to six months after the contract’s effective start date, the Contractor is expected to fully develop a TOC in order to determine which entry points and actions are needed to achieve the contract’s intended outcomes. This inception period enables the Contractor to manage a participatory, informed and coordinated planning and piloting of interventions to ensure community and government buy-in. This critical phase will enable the Contractor to best analyze and understand system dynamics, the nature of the problem(s) to be addressed and where the Contractor might best intervene to achieve the activity’s overall purpose.

Interventions will be informed by the findings of the inception phase, including studies and pilots that were carried out during this period. At the end of the inception period, the Contractor must have a well-defined and evidence-based TOC that demonstrates a firm command and understanding of the drivers of biodiversity threats as well as defined interventions to respond.

The Contractor must provide a clear evidence base for the appropriateness and expected effectiveness for these selected interventions

C.4.1.A PEA and Other Analyses

Data and surveys to analyze threats to biodiversity conservation in South Sudan are very limited. Therefore, the Contractor’s work plan must demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge of key drivers and threats to biodiversity, including a robust analysis of community conflict dynamics and land tenure issues that impact target areas. Methodology to collect these data may include, but are not limited to:

● Political Economy Analysis (PEA) - a structured approach to examining the power dynamics and economic and social forces that influence key stakeholders and conditions that impact successful implementation of the activity. PEA investigates the root causes of challenges, where locally driven opportunities for change may emerge, and where constraints to such change may exist. Analyses should also take into account the distinct way in which ethnic groups, women and young people are impacted as a result of such dynamics.

● A feasibility study/assessment of existing economic conditions among the beneficiary communities to determine the type and level of interventions necessary to support biodiversity friendly and/or compatible livelihoods.

● A topline gender analysis was conducted by the Mission. However, given the lack of information about gender dynamics in the biodiversity space, a more detailed and more robust gender analysis will be necessary. Assessment of the gaps will enable better gender-responsive conservation programming under the activity’s outlined components.

C.4.1.B Piloting

The Contractor is expected to use the Inception Phase to test design assumptions and pilot initial activities and test new interventions based on the lessons learned from the previous activity.4 The piloting phase is geared towards testing new, innovative, and different approaches during activity implementation. Depending on the outcome of the Inception Phase, activity interventions must be adapted to incorporate lessons learned so that interventions are realistic and better positioned to succeed.

C.4.2 Component 2: Increase the capacity of communities living in and around BBL to change/adapt livelihood practices so as to reduce threats to biodiversity as outlined in the activity’s Theory of Change.

The overall objective of the interventions to be conducted under this component is to enhance the long-term sustainability of natural resource management and conservation of the BBL’s flora and fauna. Therefore, the Contractor must provide technical assistance to increase the capacity of communities to responsibly conserve biodiversity. To achieve this result, the Contractor must undertake tasks that will 1) strengthen community awareness of and response to conservation threats; 2) improve current livelihood practices and options to address threats to BBL biodiversity; and 3) strengthen local governance for integrated biodiversity and natural resource management.

Community engagement is central to achieving these objectives. A community-led approach must be prioritized in the activity’s planning and management. Efforts must include increasing the role, recognition and legitimacy of women in local governance and management structures given their role in and influence on conservation efforts. Other groups including youth, indigenous and displaced persons must also be engaged.

Expected outcomes resulting from the Contractor’s interventions under this component include, but are not limited to:

● Improved community-based natural resource management practices employed by targeted communities, including effectively implementing improved natural resource management plans.

● Increased participation of women and youth in decision making, governance and management of natural resources.

● Community leaders (including traditional and other recognized leaders in the community) in target communities demonstrate improved practices in implementing community based NRM.

● Established modalities for good governance and institutional networking among targeted communities.

4 The link to the Development Experience Clearinghouse documentation for USAID’s previous activity is:

https://dec.usaid.gov/dec/search/FusionSearchResults.aspx?q=WCS%20%20South%20Sudan.

https://dec.usaid.gov/dec/search/FusionSearchResults.aspx?q=WCS%20%20South%20Sudan

The Contractor may be requested to provide the following technical assistance to achieve the expected results:

● Improved ability to monitor wildlife and other biophysical measures (human capacity and equipment), including providing, supporting, and building capacities to operate camera traps in key wildlife locations.

● Improved capacity building for community governance groups.

Additional interventions to achieve Component 2 expected results will be incorporated into the activity work plans.

C.4.3 Component 3: Key stakeholder Coordination to Conserve the Environment Strengthened

The overall objective of this component is for the Contractor, communities and other stakeholders in the BBL to work together to improve the conservation and management of the BBL and reduce threats to biodiversity. To this end, the Contractor will coordinate with local leaders, authorities and communities adjacent to and within the BBL to protect key wildlife and balance access to shared resources. Therefore, the Contractor must provide technical assistance and capacity building to community groups and strengthen the coordination of key governmental and non-governmental stakeholders to conserve the BBL. For example, building a constituency for conservation and compatible livelihoods to reduce threats to biodiversity and the communities of the BBL. The Contractor must also engage and strengthen coordination in improving awareness and advocacy efforts for biodiversity and wildlife issues.

Transparent, accountable, and inclusive community-led resource governance can strengthen community resilience and provide an alternative means of resolving conflicts. Interventions must support and strengthen community representation in natural resource decision making with the view of building confidence and cooperation between communities and enhancing governance of the BBL. The Contractor must coordinate work with communities and government institutions, particularly with the Ministry of Wildlife Conservation and Tourism, by implementing a set of mutually reinforcing interventions that support healthy human, wildlife and ecosystems relationships and decrease resource-based conflicts.

Given the current restrictions of direct USAID funding to the GoSS, the Contractor must formulate a strategy and implement alternative interventions that will support strong coordination and collaborative efforts with local authorities. No direct financial or material assistance to the host authority is permitted but building and effectively maintaining an effective relationship with local authorities is required.

● Improved conservation of biodiversity and protection of wildlife as a result of enhanced coordination and collaboration between the contractor, local communities and local authorities.

● Reduced poaching and trafficking in wildlife and wildlife products due to increased monitoring and patrol activities.

● Reduced human-wildlife conflict as well as conflict among the different communities/ethnic groups over natural resources

Additional and specified interventions to achieve Component 3 expected results will be incorporated into the activity work plans.

C.4.4 Component 4: Community Resilience Improved and Livelihood Opportunities Enhanced The objective of this component is to generate alternative, conservation-friendly and/or compatible livelihoods for local communities within and around the Landscape. The Contractor must provide technical assistance to enhance existing and/or develop new conservation-friendly and/or compatible livelihood opportunities. These activities must relieve pressure on natural systems, replace environmentally harmful activities currently conducted by the communities, and help build conservation constituencies for sustainable natural resource management. In addition, any livelihood activities undertaken must avoid an escalation of human-wildlife conflicts within the BBL. To achieve this result, the Contractor must carefully work through communities to undertake the selected activities.

Interventions must consider existing land uses and impact on human livelihoods and should be integrated effectively, balancing multiple land uses by different groups (i.e., sedentary and migratory pastoralists).

Expanding conservation-friendly and/or compatible, sustainable livelihood options and creating pathways for self-employment or formal employment for the vast number of out-of-school youth (including other identified and related groups) must be integrated into planned interventions.

● Increased diversified economic activities and wildlife-friendly enterprises developed to improve livelihoods among local communities.

● Reduced wildlife poaching and other environmentally harmful activities by replacing them with economic activities as viable alternatives for bushmeat poaching.

● Increased involvement of women in sustainable conservation-friendly and/or compatible activities.

Additional and specified interventions to achieve Component 4 expected results will be incorporated into the activity work plans.

C.5 GENDER, YOUTH AND SOCIAL INCLUSION INTEGRATION

Given the context of South Sudan where women rely on farming and other agricultural activities for their livelihoods, as well as the impact of environmental degradation on them, the Contractor must employ gender responsive approaches to maximize the success of the activity. Moreover, gender-based violence (GBV) is pervasive, and specific approaches, as appropriate, must also focus on mitigating and responding to GBV issues. Interventions must consider ameliorating the constraints to gender equality identified by a gender analysis or similar informed approach.

Where women’s participation and inclusiveness lag or fall short, the activity must conduct research on the causes and develop and implement adaptive approaches to address the issues that are causing gender imbalances.

The Contractor must incorporate concrete and practical approaches that will not only address the challenges that youth face to accomplish the activity results but will also involve and support young people in the decision-making, management, and leadership of this activity, as appropriate, in line with the Agency’s Global Leadership and Education for Advancing Development Initiative (Global LEAD).

C.6 ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT

The Contractor must ensure that the activity remains responsive to new information and contextual changes and recommend appropriate adjustments. This includes consultations with USAID, the GoSS, local government partners, and other stakeholders as well as the effective use of iterative assessments and key data points from monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) and collaboration, learning, and adapting (CLA) efforts.

The Contractor’s approach to adaptive management should also examine how to best take advantage of the flexibility of this mechanism to respond to targeted technical needs or other unanticipated requests as they may arise. MEL will be a key component of the activity’s approach to adaptive management and its CLA agenda. The Contractor must develop a systematic method for collecting and analyzing performance data and other information to track progress toward planned results, ensure effective management and oversight, and enable data-based decision-making and refinements to the activity.

The Contractor must guarantee that sufficient human and financial resources are allocated for MEL and CLA, including the development and launch/release of outreach materials such as videos, to promote activity accomplishments and the replication of success.

Performance indicators (including baselines, targets, outputs, and outcomes) should consider existing government indicators where appropriate or feasible. Methodologies must address data collection, quality, and analysis and follow USAID standards of validity, integrity, precision, reliability, and timeliness.

The activity must report on standard indicators EG 10.2-2, 10.2-3, and 10.2-4 and other standard indicators as appropriate.

● EG 10.2-2: number of hectares of biologically significant areas under improved natural resource management as a result of USG assistance.

● EG. 10.2-3: Number of people with improved economic benefits derived from sustainable natural resources management and /or biodiversity conservation as a result of USG assistance.

● EG. 10.2-4: Number of people trained in sustainable natural resources management and/or biodiversity conservation as a result of USG assistance.

● EG. 10.2-5: Number of laws, policies, or regulations that address biodiversity conservation and/or other environmental themes officially proposed, adapted or implemented as a result of USG assistance.

● EG. 10.2-6: Number of people that apply improved conservation law enforcement practices as a result of USG assistance.

Custom indicators will be used to track key results along with the objectives of the activity.

Indicators may range from input, process/output, outcome and impact level. Indicators that will be developed will take into consideration key aspects of diversity, temporal scales, spatial scales, socio-economic and participation of stakeholders, institutional and legal factors.

Qualitative and quantitative data collection methods will be employed to assess the performance of the identified indicators. The Contractor must also work beyond minimum compliance standards and develop a tailored approach that supports continuous learning and activity adaptations to maximize impact.

A mid-term evaluation for this activity will be conducted independently and the implementing partner is required to cooperate during the evaluation process. Final evaluation of the activity will be conducted at the end of the program.

C.6.1 Scenario Planning

Given South Sudan’s current operating context, all planning under this contract must be conducted with an analysis of three possible scenarios: status quo (fragile peace); relative stability (formation of transitional government, increasing returns); return to war (presence of conflict, lack of access to some places). The scenario plan must be integrated in all planning activities with suggested activities for each scenario. All three scenarios must be modified by a pandemic situation (Ebola, COVID-19). When drafting the annual work plan, the Contractor must work with the COR to determine the scenario used to draft that annual work plan. If conditions change, the scenario assumption could be revisited and the annual work plan modified accordingly. The scenario plan must be integrated in all planning activities with suggested activities in a given scenario.

Furthermore, the Contractor must be agile to take requests from USAID meant to address changing circumstances and unanticipated events that impact the achievement of the objectives of this activity that could enhance its results. This may include disaster preparedness, response and recovery, assistance to key stakeholders, taking advantage of new or changing market opportunities necessary to achieve the objectives in a changing environment.

C.7 SUSTAINABILITY

This activity will be implemented closely with the local communities through the strengthening of the local capacities to support sustainability of activity actions post-activity. The long-term goal is for communities and country authorities to take full responsibility for conserving biodiversity through ecological, social and economic sustainability. Furthermore, when peace is attained it is anticipated that wildlife-based tourism will be developed leading to local employment that will further support economic incentive for communities to conserve and protect biodiversity.

Additionally, the Contractor is advised to make a deliberate attempt to create a sense of ownership by the community and the government of South Sudan to guarantee future sustainability of the activity. This could be done through activities such as a joint field visit, report sharing with the government and communities, and a joint planning of the activities, as well as encouraging communities to make in kind contributions.

C.8 COORDINATION WITH STAKEHOLDERS

C.8.1 Community Beneficiaries

Coordination with community beneficiaries must be through a bottom-up approach where beneficiaries prioritize their needs and suggest ways and means through which those needs can be achieved.