72027820R00014 - TAP Amendment No. 1.pdf

September 17, 2020

Subject: Request for Proposal (RFP) No. 72027820R00014 Technical Assistance Program (TAP) Amendment #1

The purpose of this Amendment is to:

1. Disseminate responses to questions received from potential Offerors in Attachment 1;

2. Extend the deadline for submitting proposals by one week to October 8, 2020;

3. Amend Section B.9 Level of Effort;

4. Revise Section F - Deliveries or Performance;

5. Revise the language under section H.4 Additional Requirements for Personnel

Compensation;

6. Revise Section J – List of Attachments;

7. Revise Section K - Representations, Certifications and Other Statements of The Offeror;

8. Correct the typo under Section L.2 52.216-1 Type of Contract (APR 1984);

9. Revise Sections L.6 and L.7;

10. Revise the key personnel requirements under Sections L and F; and

11. Revise the Attachments included in the RFP.

Accordingly, the RFP is amended as follows:

Sincerely, Camille Garcia Supervisory Contracting Officer

Request for Proposal (RFP) No. 72027820R00014 Amendment 1

1. RFP cover page, delete “Closing Date/Time for receipt of Technical and Cost Proposals:

October 01, 2020, 4:00 pm (Jordan Time)”, and replace with “Closing Date/Time for receipt of Technical and Cost Proposals: October 08, 2020, 4:00 pm (Jordan Time)”.

2. Under Section B.9 Level of Effort, delete the following sentence preceding the table “The level of effort must be organized by labor categories as Follows:”, and replace with the following: “The level of effort must be organized by labor categories as follows (Offerors may propose additional Labor Categories in accordance with their technical proposal):”

3. Under Section F - Deliveries or Performance:

- F.5 Key Personnel, delete the following from the Chief of Party’s minimum requirements:

“At least 15 years of professional experience, including 10 years in managing and implementing education or youth programs in similar country contexts, with experience working with government institutions on capacity development and systems strengthening.”, and replace with the following:

“At least 12 years of professional experience, including 10 years in managing and implementing education or youth programs in similar country contexts, with experience working with government institutions on capacity development and systems strengthening.”

- F.5 Key Personnel, delete the first and second bullets from the Deputy Chief of Party, Operations’ minimum requirements and replace with the following:

“• A degree from an accredited university, in education, social sciences, management, finance, or another field.

• At least 7 years of relevant experience managing, implementing, or overseeing operational, financial, or administrative aspects of programs in similar country contexts in development, youth or education sectors that are of a similar scope and scale to this program.”

- Add the following:

“F.9 Authorized Workweek

The Contractor is authorized up to a 5-day workweek for long-term staff in the field and 6-day workweek for short-term advisors in the field with no premium pay. This contract does not allow work in excess of 5 days per week without prior written approval by USAID’s Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR).”

4. Section H – Special Contract requirement, item H.4 Additional Requirements for

Personnel Compensation:

- Under (e) Replacement staff, delete the last sentence “The contractor must obtain COR approval of the individual’s technical appropriateness to work on program activities; this extends to technical component leads only, including the Education Policy and Planning Manager and University Partnerships Manager.”, and replace with the following: “The contractor must obtain COR approval of the individual’s technical appropriateness to work on program activities”.

- Delete (g) Annual Salary Increases in its entirety.

5. Section J – List of Attachments:

- Delete the below row from the table:

ATTACHMENT

J.5

WEIGHTED GUIDELINES FORM

- Revise Attachment J.6 to J.5. PGS AGREEMENT PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONS

6. Under Section K - Representations, Certifications and Other Statements of The Offeror, add the following:

“K.11 SIGNATURE

By signature hereon, or on an offer incorporating these Representations, Certifications, and Other Statements of Offerors, the offeror certifies that they are accurate, current, and complete, and that the offeror is aware of the penalty prescribed in 18 U.S.C. 1001 for making false statements in offers.

Solicitation No. _______________________________________ Offer/Proposal No. _____________________________________ Date of Offer __________________________________________ Name of Offeror_________________________________________ Typed Name and Title____________________________________ Signature____________________________ Date___________”

7. Section L.6 Instructions for the Preparation of the Technical Proposal:

- Delete item b) in its entirety and replace with the following: “The technical proposal is limited to no more than 19 pages or 24 pages depending on the number of proposed Key Personnel excluding those portions that are not included in the page limit. Any pages

OVER the page limit in either the proposal or its annexes WILL NOT BE EVALUATED. The text must be written in English and typed on standard 8 1/2"x 11" paper size, single spaced, one inch margins, Times New Roman font, 12-point font (and not less than 10-point font for graphs, tables, text boxes and figures), with each page numbered consecutively. The Technical Proposal must not contain any cost information.

Proposals that do not comply with aforementioned requirements may not be considered.”

- Item c) 5. Management Approach and Staffing:

• Delete “(4 pages maximum)” and replace with “(5 pages maximum)”

• Delete the following sentence in the second paragraph “The table must be supported by narrative to justify the proposed level of effort across the eight labor categories, including targeted home office support that prioritizes the in-country staff presence.”, and replace with the following:

“The table must be supported by narrative to justify the proposed level of effort across the eight labor categories and any additional labor categories proposed by the Offeror, including targeted home office support that prioritizes the in-country staff presence.”

- Item c) 6. Key Personnel, delete the following from the Chief of Party’s minimum requirements “At least 15 years of professional experience, including 10 years in managing and implementing education or youth programs in similar country contexts, with experience working with government institutions on capacity development and systems strengthening.”, and replace with the following “At least 12 years of professional experience, including 10 years in managing and implementing education or youth programs in similar country contexts, with experience working with government institutions on capacity development and systems strengthening.”

- Item c) 6. Key Personnel, delete the first and second bullets from the Deputy Chief of Party, Operations’ minimum requirements and replace with the following:

“• A degree from an accredited university, in education, social sciences, management, finance, or another field.

• At least 7 years of relevant experience managing, implementing, or overseeing operational, financial, or administrative aspects of programs in similar country contexts

- Item c) 7. Past Performance, delete “2 pages maximum” and replace with “3 pages maximum”.

8. Under Section L.7 Instructions for the Preparation of the Cost Proposal, item (b)(2), delete “(include Draft Security Plan)”

9. Under Section L.7 Instructions for the Preparation of the Cost Proposal, item (b), Part 2 - Proposed Costs/Prices, Standard Cost Elements:

- (F) Equipment and Supplies, add the following:

“USAID estimates that approximately $1.75 million would be needed over five years for TAP to respond to needs for material support currently outlined, either under IR 3.2 or in other IRs in Section C of the RFP. This estimate is based on the currently outlined interventions, and it will be updated when the needs assessments are completed. Offerors may propose another amount that aligns with their technical approach.”

(G) Training, delete in its entirety and replace with the following: “(G) Training - The specific training programs and number of training sessions must be proposed that will help attain the objectives identified in Section C. Costs must be broken down by types and participants. Training cost per participant must be provided including number of training sessions, length and number of participants. Include training cost per participant and provide a name for each training.”

- (J) Fixed Fee, delete the following “i. Offerors must fill out Fee Form DD1547 attached (Weighted Guidelines Form–Attachment J.5).”

10. Delete Attachment J.5 -WEIGHTED GUIDELINES FORM (DD 1547) from the RFP.

11. Under Attachment J.1 delete “Attachment J.1 Labor Categories Illustrative Examples Offerors may propose a different LoE breakdown that matches their proposed technical Approach”, and replace with the following: to “Attachment J.1 Labor Categories and Illustrative Examples for Positions”

12. Revise the title of “Attachment J.6” to Attachment J.5”.

Attachment No. 1 – USAID/Jordan’s Responses to Questions Received. For easier reference, USAID’s responses are in red.

1. Could USAID kindly provide more details regarding PGS agreements mentioned in the RFP, i.e. how many have been signed and with which GoJ institutions?

There are currently two umbrella PGS awards, one with the Ministry of Education and one with the Ministry of Youth, and both entail multiple interventions targeting the reforms listed under the Priority Areas in section C. The project descriptions for these awards are attached to the RFP. The current amounts of the PGS agreements are $30 million for the Ministry of Education and $750,000 for the Ministry of Youth. Any future investments will be negotiated over the course of the next five years.

2. Can USAID indicate whether the GoJ is providing any of its own funds through co-financing the PGS agreements and would the JTAP contractor be responsible for monitoring activities against the GoJ funding alongside of JTAP contract implementation?

USAID negotiates in-kind contributions by the GoJ directly. As a complementary technical assistance mechanism, TAP will support the priority areas listed in Section C.6 of the RFP, which includes implementation of all aspects of the PGS agreements as well as reforms external to education and youth, but that impact education, youth and other sectors.

3. Can USAID kindly share the Stage II PFMRAF report or portions of it?

PFMRAF reports are not publicly shared and cannot be provided at this stage. They will be shared with the winning offeror after the contract is awarded. Due to the timing of the TAP award, the initial needs identified in the PFMRAF report will have already been addressed by the date of award, but its broader findings will inform the development of TAP needs assessments and annual work plans.

4. Could USAID please clarify if graphics and diagrams could be included outside the 6-page technical approach page limit?

No additional diagrams, graphics or text may be included outside the 6-page technical approach page limit. Any material outside of the 6-page limit will not be reviewed.

5. While JTAP is meant to be a nationwide program, is there a minimum/maximum range of

MoE/MoY governorate and field directorate-level entities with whom the program must/can engage?

It is anticipated that TAP will work in all MoE/MoY governorate and field directorate-level entities nationwide, but the intensity of support will vary based on the results of the needs assessments.

6. On page 21 of Section C, IR 1.6: Integration of best practices supported, the first paragraph suggests that JTAP must help GoJ develop educational/youth programming.

Does this mean that JTAP would be developing quality education activities in addition to what other USAID contractors are implementing?

The TAP award is complementary to the PGS agreements as well as other active, closing or recently closed activities in the USAID Education and Youth portfolio. The TAP contractor will develop programming in the priority areas based on the results of the needs assessments, and must ensure that it is not duplicative of other existing activities.

7. Is an illustrative first year workplan required?

No.

8. Is an illustrative AMELP required?

No. Please note, however, that the inclusion of specific illustrative indicators is required per RFP Section L.6 Instructions for the Preparation of the Technical Proposal on p. 117.

9. Please confirm that the statement under L.2 that the Government contemplates award of a

“Cost Plus-Fixed Fee Completion Task Order” is an error and that the award will be a Cost Plus Fixed Fee Term type contract as stated elsewhere in the RFP.

Confirmed, this is a typo. The award will be a Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee Term type contract.

10. Per H.4 (f), could USAID please provide the current Local Compensation Plan Ceiling.

The maximum salary of the highest FSN position authorized under the Local Compensation Plan is $468.7 which is provided in exceptional circumstances.

11. As offerors are to complete the DD1547 and submit the form as part of their proposal, kindly clarify exactly which boxes should be completed by the offeror. Boxes 1, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 require codes. Can USAID kindly provide those codes or indicate where the offeror may find them?

This requirement is removed from the RFP. Please see Amendment No. 1 to the RFP.

12. Should offerors consider the total estimated LOE (45,000 person-days) as a not-to-exceed ceiling for the five-year contract period?

Please note that as indicated in the RFP, the 45,000 person-days is an estimate only and Offerors are required to propose the appropriate LOE required to achieve the results of this activity.

13. As per L.7 b) (2) Proposed Costs/Prices (include Draft Security Plan), can USAID please confirm that a draft security plan is required as an annex to the Cost Volume.

Please note that the RFP has been amended to remove this language.

14. We note that language authorizing six-day workweeks is missing from Section F. Would USAID authorize six-day workweeks, and under what conditions?

Please note that the RFP has been amended to include the below language on the Authorized Workweek under section F.

“The Contractor is authorized up to a 5 day workweek for long-term staff in the field and 6 day workweek for short-term advisors in the field with no premium pay. This contract does not allow work in excess of 5 days per week without prior written approval by USAID’s Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR).”

15. Section L.2 states that this will be a CPFF-completion task order which differs from the cover letter; sections B.2 and B.3 state the contract will be a CPFF term-type contract.

Could USAID clarify their intended contract type for this award and update section L.2 accordingly?

This is a typo. The award will be a Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee Term type contract.

16. On page 56, under Section H.4(g) Annual Salary Increases, the RFP states “CCN Staff:

Project staff may be granted a one-time annual increase after their completion of twelve months of satisfactory service under the contract. The annual salary increase may not exceed 3% per employee regardless of the annual escalation pool in the budget, if any.”

We respectfully request that the above-mentioned restriction for salary increases of not more than 3 percent be removed from the RFP, as it appears to be inconsistent with AIDAR 752.7007 Personnel Compensation, incorporated in the contract under Section H.3 (page 54), which stipulates that personnel compensation be in accordance with the contractor’s established policies, procedures, and practices, with reimbursement subject only to the USAID Contractor Salary Threshold. The limitation on salary increases may preclude contractors from following their established policies, procedures, and practices, as required by AIDAR 752.700.

The RFP has been amended to remove Section H.4 (g) Annual Salary Increases.

17. Have any recent assessments of computer and hardware needs within the Ministry of

Education and Ministry of Youth been conducted? If so, would USAID make any such assessment available for Offerors? If this is not possible, can USAID offer a plug figure on computer and other IT equipment needs for the youth centers?

TAP is a complementary mechanism to the PGS agreements. USAID anticipates that the majority of equipment and materials required to support interventions in the priority areas would be procured by the Government of Jordan directly under the PGS agreements.

USAID estimates that approximately $1.75 million would be needed over five years for TAP to respond to needs for material support currently outlined, either under IR 3.2 or in other IRs in Section C of the RFP. This estimate is based on the currently outlined interventions, and it will be updated when the needs assessments are completed. Offerors may propose another amount that aligns with their technical approach.

18. Section L.7(b)(Part 2)(d)(i) states “Please provide a copy of latest NICRA for prime and proposed subcontractors. If the Offeror or proposed major subcontractors do not have a cognizant Government Audit Agency, the proposal must include: (…).” Can USAID confirm that a copy of the latest NICRA is required for the prime and proposed major subcontractors, if applicable, and not for non-major subcontractors?

This is to confirm that a copy of the latest NICRA is required for the prime and proposed major subcontractors only.

19. Section L.6, pg. 117 notes that an organizational chart and a level of effort table should be included in the Management Approach and Staffing section of the technical volume.

Would USAID allow Offerors to include the organizational chart and level of effort table in an annex—that would not be included in the page limit—to allow for a more robust discussion of the Offeror’s management approach and staffing strategy in the Management Approach and Staffing section of the technical volume?

Please note that under RFP Section L.6 Instructions for the Preparation of the Technical Proposal, the heading of sub-section 5, Management Approach and Staffing has been replaced with the title below to indicate an increase in the page limit:

“5. Management Approach and Staffing (5 pages maximum)”

20. We request the incorporation of the grants under contract authorizing language found in ADS 302.3.4.13, as the increased ability to engage Jordanian education and youth organizations would be beneficial for technical implementation.

No, Grants Under Contract are not envisaged as a part of this award.

21. In Section L.6, page 120, USAID requests that the Past Performance section include, “in the main body of the proposal,” discussion of the following: a) extraordinary problems and corrective measures on projects listed in Annex 2; b) quality awards and certifications; c) a narrative summary of organizational use of small business concerns over the past three years; d) a list of recent subcontract reports submitted to eSRS; and e) the names and addresses of three SB concerns to contact for assessment of Offeror performance in using SB concerns. Since the past performance section of the technical proposal is limited to two pages, would USAID consider allowing Offerors to include the preceding information in an annex?

The past performance section included in the page limit of the technical proposal has been increased to three pages, please see the amended RFP language.

22. In Section L.6, page 121, USAID requests copies of recent subcontracting reports that have not been submitted to eSRS but exempts them from the two-page limit for past performance in the main body of the proposal. Please confirm that Offerors who include such information may leave these pages unpaginated to further clarify that they do not count toward the page limit for past performance.

Yes, confirmed.

23. Section F.6.10, Security Plan (page 43) states “The Contractor shall develop a security plan to safeguard all project operations and to comply with all United States Government regulations. The plan is to be implemented and maintained by all subcontractors (and/or sub-grantees).” Can USAID clarify if subcontractors and sub-grantees will be required to follow the Prime’s security plan, or if they are permitted to following their own security plans (and are thereby responsible for their own security under their subcontract and sub-grant agreements)?

The language under F.6.10, Security Plan has been revised to remove the second sentence “The plan is to be implemented and maintained by all subcontractors (and/or sub-grantees).”

24. In Section L.7, b, page 122 there is a requirement to include “Proposed Costs/Prices (…Draft Security Plan).” Can USAID clarify if the costs of the security plan alone are required in the cost proposal—or if a full draft security plan should be included?

A full draft security plan is not required as part of the cost proposal. The RFP has been amended to remove the “Draft Security Plan” Language from section Section L.7, b, page 122.

25. Section L.3 (2) (page 126) states that the offeror and each proposed subcontractor “must provide a signed and dated Section K.” Section K does not provide a place to sign. Can USAID please provide an amended Section K?

The RFP has been amended to include this section under K.11.

26. Section L.6.c.4, page 117, states that the Technical Approach should be "6 pages maximum." Given the range of substantive and organizational issues stated in Section C on pages 13 - 27, relating to both education and youth and the ministries that serve them, would USAID kindly consider expanding the maximum page limit for the Technical Approach from 6 pages to 10 pages to allow sufficient space to adequately address these issues?

No. The page limit for Technical Approach will remain at 6 pages.

27. Section L.6, Instructions for the Preparation of the Technical Proposal, page 115, states:

“the text must be written in English and typed on 8 ½” x 11” paper size, single spaces, one-inch margins, Times New Roman font, 12-point font.” Would USAID consider allowing Offerors to use a font size smaller than 12, but still legible, for graphs, tables, textboxes and figures?

USAID will allow a font size not less than 10-point for graphs, tables, text boxes, and figures. The RFP has been amended to reflect this change.

28. May offerors add a two-page Executive Summary to the proposal that does not count against the page limit?

No, Offerors may not add a two-page executive summary to the proposal.

29. Due to the complexity of the RFP’s scope of work, would USAID consider extending the proposal deadline by an additional two weeks, to October 16, 2020?

The proposal deadline has been extended to October 8, 2020.

30. Section C.3, Background, page 14, mentions “USAID’s Stage II Public Financial Management Risk Assessment Framework (PFMRAF) of the MoE and a limited risk assessment of the MoY.” Can USAID please share those documents?

Please refer to USAID’s answer to question 3 above.

31. Would USAID please provide a total cost range or budget ceiling for this Solicitation?

Per the regulations, solicitations for a cost-reimbursement term (LOE) contract must not include estimated cost ranges.

32. Section H.4(g), page 54, states: “CCN Staff: Project staff may be granted a one-time annual increase after their completion of twelve months of satisfactory service under the contract. The annual salary increase may not exceed 3% per employee regardless of the annual escalation pool in the budget, if any.” Given that step increases in the Jordan Local Compensation Plan are in the 4%-5% range, we respectfully request that this limitation be increased to 5%, based on labor market expectations in Jordan and the need to provide reasonable incentives for recruiting and retaining qualified local staff.

Please refer to USAID’s answer to Question 16 above.

33. Section L.7, Part 2, Standard Cost Elements, (A) Salaries and Wages, page 123, require that salaries for long-term and short-term CCN and TCN staff be in compliance with AIDAR 722-170, requiring contractor staff be accorded similar compensation and benefits as USAID CCN and TCN employees. To permit offerors to comply with this requirement, would USAID please provide the most recent Local Compensation Plan for USAID/Jordan?

As a Mission Practice, the Local Compensation Plan may not be shared. However, please refer to USAID’s answer to Question 10 above for the maximum salary of the highest FSN position authorized under the Local Compensation Plan.

34. On page 125, L.7 (b) (J) instructs offerors to provide fixed fee justification in accordance with FAR15.404. On the same page, item “i” instructs offerors to fill out Fee Form DD 1547, Weighted Guidelines Form, which also provides a basis for the proposed fixed fee.

We respectfully request that the DD 1547 instruction be removed, as it is repetitive with the FAR 15.404 requirement and therefore presents an undue burden on offerors.

The RFP has been amended to remove the requirement of filling out DD 1547, Weighted Guidelines Form.

35. Section B.9.a, Level of Effort, page 11, requires offerors to propose an estimated level of effort of 45,000 person-days according to the labor categories indicated in the table, which is also provided in Attachment J.1. We have the following questions related to this requirement:

a. Will USAID please confirm that offerors have the flexibility to propose a lower or higher total number of person-days in accordance with their technical proposal?

Yes, USAID’s figure of 45,000 person days is only an estimate and Offerors may propose another number in accordance with their technical proposal.

b. Will USAID please confirm that offerors have the flexibility to organize project positions into labor categories of their choosing, in accordance with their technical proposals, and as indicated in Attachment J.1?

Offerors may organize project positions of their choosing into the labor categories identified in Section B.9 and they may propose additional labor categories in accordance with their technical proposal. Please see the amended language under Section B.9 and L.6 Instructions for the Preparation of the Technical Proposal, Item c) 5. Management Approach and Staffing.

c. As Section C.8.1, page 26, requires the Contractor to “incorporate flexibility and responsiveness into its approach to enable the Activity to respond to changing conditions and opportunities over the life of the Contract,” particularly as it relates to implementation and use of resources, will USAID confirm that the Contractor will have the flexibility to shift LOE within labor categories during actual implementation to accommodate changing priorities of the Activity.

Yes, per section B.9 (b) of the RFP, the Contracting Officer may approve shifting LOE within labor categories.

36. Page 14, Section C.3 cites a number of studies produced by the GOJ, USAID, and other donors. Could USAID please provide copies of these studies?

No. The studies specifically referenced in Section C, other than USAID’s Stage II Public Financial Management Risk Assessment Framework (PFMRAF) of the MoE and a limited risk assessment of the MoY, are publicly available for offerors to search and download, including the Early Grade Reading and Mathematics Initiative (RAMP) and the Enhancing School Management and Planning (ESMP) Project, and evaluations of past USAID and other donor activities.

37. Section C, IR 1.3 refers to supporting dialogue with the teachers’ union. Given that the union has been shut down through 2022, could USAID please clarify if there is still an expectation to conduct dialogue?

The Contractor must provide support for the development of stronger coordination and collaboration of the MoE and MoY with related entities.

38. Some organizations treat full-time equivalent (FTE) in personnel labor as less than 260 days a year, based on organizational policy. Could USAID please clarify if offerors should assume 260 days per FTE per year, or if offerors can apply 45,000 workdays over five years in line with own organizational policy (which may result in different FTEs for each offeror depending on organizational policy)?

A normal work-year, including paid absences (holidays, vacations, and sick leave) is 2,080 hours (260 days x 8 hours per day); however, some organizations may have different work-year policies. Offerors must apply the total proposed LOE over five years in line with the organization’s policy. Section L.7 of the RFP requires Offeros to submit Information Concerning Work-Day, Work-Week, and Paid Absences.

39. Cover page of the RFP and Section B.9, p. 11 note the 45,000 FTE LOE “is an estimate only.” Could USAID provide a ceiling for the LOE?

No, please refer to USAID’s response to Question 12 above.

40. USAID makes several references to the contractor providing material support in various forms throughout the scope of work. Given the wide range of possible material assistance, the scale at which it may need to be provided (as determined by a variety of factors cited by USAID), and the degree of flexibility required from the contractor as a result, could USAID please provide a plug figure for material support to be provided under the contract?

Please see USAID’s response to Question 17 above.

41. Similarly, given the breadth of the scope for possible training support and the emphasis on flexibility required from the contractor to meet changing priorities or needs over the life of the contract, could USAID please provide a plug figure for training and other activities?

No. The offeror must propose an amount that aligns with their technical approach.

42. In the absence of plug figures for material support and for trainings and other activities, could USAID please provide a range, or a ceiling for the contractual amount for this program?

Please see USAID’s answer to Questions 17 and 31 above.

43. Page 112, Section L.2 states “the Government contemplates award of a Cost Plus Fixed

Fee Completion Task Order resulting from this solicitation,” whereas other sections of the RFP refer to CPFF term type contract. Could USAID please confirm the type of contract mechanism resulting from the solicitation?

The award will be a Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee Term type contract.

44. Page 117, Section L.6 item 5 lists a number of requirements for offerors’ management approach and staffing to be included within no more than four (4 pages):

a. Approach to managing and implementing the activity

b. Approach to co-working with relevant USAID activities and stakeholders

c. Approach to capacity building of local partners

d. An organizational chart

e. Narrative accompanying the organizational chart describing roles and responsibilities and addressing the team’s technical expertise

f. LOE table

g. Narrative accompanying the LOE table

Given the number of elements that must be addressed within this section, could USAID please revise the RFP instructions either to allow additional pages for this section within the body of the proposal or to allow, at a minimum, the inclusion of the required organizational chart and LOE table as annexes to the technical proposal?

Please refer to USAID’s answer to Question 19 above.

45. Section M, p. 135 states that “the technical factors are listed in descending order of importance, with Technical Approach being the most highly weighted.” Thus, as Past Performance is listed fourth, it is least highly weighted. In this context, section L allocates six pages of the offerors’ technical proposals for the most highly weighted factor of Technical Approach; only four pages for the second most important factor of Management Approach and Staffing; and as many, or more, pages for the least highly weighted factor of Past Performance (2 pages in the body of the proposal + a minimum of 1 page for Annex 2 + a minimum of 2 pages but likely 4 or more pages for Annex 3).

Could USAID please consider allowing additional pages for the Technical Approach given its relative weight to other evaluation factors and the page count allowed for factors with less weight?

Please refer to USAID’s answer to Question 26 above.

46. Could USAID please confirm that offerors do not need to provide Attachment J.2 as part of Annex 3 for contracts that are in CPARS?

Yes, confirmed.

47. Section L.7, p. 122, the RFP asks that proposed costs and prices include a draft security plan. Could USAID please clarify what topics the security plan should cover for the current Jordanian context?

Please refer to USAID’s response to Question 13 above and Section F.6.10 of the RFP for the topics to be covered in the security plan which is a requirement after award.

48. Section L.7, p. 125, could USAID please confirm that only the offeror and proposed major subcontractors are required to provide NICRA or indirect cost information?

Please refer to USAID’s answer to Question 18 above.

49. We respectfully request that use of the DD1547 form be removed as a requirement, as the structure of that analysis is designed for defense industry manufacturing considerations that do not translate well in the international development context. Could USAID please consider allowing fee justification using the 15.404-4 guidelines instead?

Please refer to USAID’s answer to Question 11 above.

50. Can USAID provide a budget ceiling and floor for this opportunity?

Please refer to USAID’s answer to Question 31 above.

51. Is there an anticipated start date for program implementation?

The anticipated start date for the award is May 2021.

52. On Page 122 outlining the Cost Proposal components required, Item (2) states that the

Proposed Costs/Prices should include a Draft Security Plan. However, details of where to include this/guidance is not included in the breakdown of Part 2. Please confirm where the Draft Security Plan should be included in the Cost Application and whether the guidance for the draft is the same as page 43. Note, also, that page 34 states a Security Plan is due within 30 days of the contract award date.

Please refer to USAID’s answer to Questions 13 and 24 above.

53. Page 123 outlining Standard Cost Elements, it is mentioned that Fully Executed Biographical Data Sheets for relevant personnel should be organized in the Cost Application, however these are not listed in the breakdown of elements included in Part 2 of the Cost Proposal. Please indicate where in the Cost Proposal to insert these.

Please insert the Biographical Data Sheets as part of Part 2- Proposed Costs/Prices of the cost proposal.

54. Could USAID please provide the most recent Local Compensation Plan for Jordan?

Please refer to USAID’s response to Question 33 above.

55. Given the broad scope of the intervention (number of IRs, coordination of multiple unique Ministries, etc) and the current limited space (6 pages) for the technical approach section, would USAID consider increasing the maximum number of pages for the technical approach section?

Please refer to USAID’s answer to Question 26 above.

56. Given the broad scope of the intervention and expectation of large consortia to coordinate their bid, would USAID consider an extension of the due date for the RFP (currently October 1)?

Please refer to USAID’s answer to Question 29 above.

57. On Page 18, there is mention that “the Contractor must utilize the Organizational

Performance Index/Government Performance Index tool as the basis for these assessments”. We request that the existing tool(s) be made public to assess their effectiveness and any potential adjustments/different tools with adequate justification.

The Organizational Performance Index/Government Performance Index tools are publicly available to search and download.

58. Could USAID share the new USAID/Jordan Country Development Cooperation Strategy

2020-2025 referenced in the RFP, as this does not seem to be currently available on the USAID website?

The USAID/Jordan Country Development Cooperation Strategy is not yet available for public distribution, but will be available on the website in the coming weeks.

59. Two questions under L.7 (Instructions for the Preparation of the Cost Proposal), under the description of the Cost Elements, Section (G) Training on p125:

a. USAID refers to trainings “other than participant training”, could USAID specify what kinds of activities this refers to? We want to be clear to distinguish between “Training” and the “Seminars/Conferences” outline under Other Direct Costs cost element on p125.

This language has been amended in the RFP to remove “other than participant training”.

b. USAID specifies that “cost per participant” must be provided, is this stating that USAID would like the Unit Cost in the Detailed Budget to be ‘# of participants’ or could this information be provided in the Budget Narrative?

The cost per participant must be clearly outlined both in the detailed budget as well as the budget narrative.

60. Section C3 states that “USAID plans to increase the support it provides to the GoJ through Partner Government Systems (PGS) over the next five years (p. 13),” and section C6 states that “The reforms targeted by this Activity, and that will guide its implementation, are the Priority Areas outlined in USAID’s planned PGS agreements with GoJ entities, and in the GoJ’s education and youth strategic plans (p.16).” In addition to the priority areas provided in the RFP, can USAID provide any more information on planned PGS awards for each Ministry over the 5 years of JTAP, including estimated number and value of awards?

Please refer to USAID’s response to Question 1 above.

61. Are PGS awards issued for each individual activity, or do they cover multiple activities?

Please refer to USAID’s response to Question 1 above.

62. Can USAID make available the details of any past or current PGS agreements in Jordan?

Please refer to USAID’s answer to Question 1 above.

63. Can USAID share with applicants any relevant and non-sensitive information from the

Stage II Public Financial Management Risk Assessment of the Jordan MOE and the limited assessment of the MOY, referenced on Page 14, that is not already in the RFP?

Please refer to USAID’s answer to Question 3 above.

64. Page 24, Result 3, states “Where GoJ capacity and/or financing is insufficient, the

Contractor must itself develop or procure the necessary materials through this Activity while also designing a transition plan with the GoJ to internally manage future material and financial needs.” Does USAID anticipate that the procurement of supplies, services, or equipment for MOE and MOY functions or initiatives will constitute a large proportion of the JTAP budget? Can USAID provide any further guidance for contractors to estimate this proportion?

Please refer to USAID’s answer to Question 17 above.

65. Page 31 describes the Chief of Party qualifications, which include at least 15 years of professional experience, including 10 years in managing and implementing education or youth programs in similar country contexts, with experience working with government institutions on capacity development and systems strengthening. To allow for a broader and more diverse candidate pool, would USAID accept candidates with a minimum of 12 years of professional experience, including at least 5 years of experience managing and implementing education or youth programs?

Please note that RFP Section F.5 Key Personnel and Section L.6, item c) 6. Key Personnel are amended to replace the 15 years of professional experience required for the Chief of Party position with the following: “At least 12 years of professional experience, including 10 years in managing and implementing education or youth programs in similar country contexts, with experience working with government institutions on capacity development and systems strengthening.”

66. Page 32 describes the role of the DCOP Operations, as providing overall management and operational oversight to the program, including administration, finance, procurement, human resources, and grants administration, if relevant. However, one qualification requires at least 7 years of relevant technical experience managing and implementing programs in similar country contexts in development, youth or education sectors of similar scope and scale to this program, which is much broader than the role entails. If this role is to provide oversight of all operational aspects of the project, would USAID allow modification of this qualification to 7 years of relevant experience managing operational, financial, and administrative aspects of programs in similar country contexts that are similar in scope and scale?

Please note that RFP Section F.5 Key Personnel and Section L.6, item c) 6. Key Personnel are amended to replace the first and second bullets of the DCOP, Operations requirements with the following:

“• A degree from an accredited university, in education, social sciences, management, finance, or another field.

• At least 7 years of relevant experience managing, implementing, or overseeing operational, financial, or administrative aspects of programs in similar country contexts

67. On page 57, in section H.4 (f), it is required that for CCN staff, the ceiling is the maximum salary of the highest senior FSN position authorized under the Local Compensation Plan. Would USAID be able to provide the current LCP that includes an annual salary scale for FSN positions?

Please refer to Answer 33 above.

68. May Offerors use a smaller font size for graphics, tables, text boxes, charts, and figures?

Please refer to USAID’s answer to Question 27 above.

69. Page 121 (Section L.6, 7. Past Performance, (d)(B)) includes the requirement for a list of recent contracts for which the Offeror submitted subcontract reports to eSRS. Would USAID please clarify if the eSRS reports themselves are to be included with the technical proposal? If yes, may Offerors include these in an annex outside of the Past Performance section page limit?

RFP section L.6, item c) 7. Past Performance requires Offerors to provide a list of the recent contracts for which you submitted subcontract reports to eSRS (FAR 52.219- 9(d)(10) (included in the page limit) and a copy of any similarly recent subcontracting reports if they were not submitted to eSRS (copies of similar subcontracting reports do not count towards the page limit for Past Performance, but are limited to 2 reports).

70. On Page 32, Section F.5, Deputy Chief of Party, Operations, the RFP states that the Deputy Chief of Party at a minimum needs to have “a degree from an accredited university, in education, social sciences, management, finance, or another field relevant to education, youth or international development” with “at least 7 years of relevant technical experience managing and implementing programs in similar country contexts in development, youth or education sectors that are of a similar scope and scale to this program.” To ensure the widest pool of local candidates as possible for this position, if a candidate has more than 10 years’ relevant technical experience managing and implementing programs in similar country contexts in development, youth or education sectors that are of a similar scope and scale to this program, can USAID modify the degree requirement to “a degree from an accredited university, in education, social sciences, management, finance, or another field”?

Please refer to USAID’s answer to Question 66 above.

71. On Page 120, Section L.6.7. Past Performance, Section (d), Performance in Using Small

Business Concerns, the RFP asks that offerors “(A) Provide a narrative summary of your organization’s use of small business concerns over the past three years…(B) Provide a list of recent contracts for which you have submitted subcontract reports to eSRS…(C) Provide the names and addresses of three SB concerns for us to contact for their assessment of your performance using SB concerns…” Can USAID please confirm this information can be included as an annex and not count toward any page limitation?

Please refer to USAID’s response to Question 21 above.

72. Page 120, Section L.6.7. Past Performance, Section a) 2. asks that offerors “provide a list of contact names, job titles, mailing addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, explanation of relevance to the proposed acquisition and a description of the performance to include:

• Scope of work or complexity/diversity of tasks,

• Primary location(s) of work,

• Terms of performance,

• Dollar value, and

• Contract type.”

Can USAID please confirm this information should all be included the past performance reference forms in Annex 3?

Yes confirmed.

73. On Page 25, Section C.6 Technical Components and Results, under IR 3.2, the RFP calls for “procuring of training materials, supplies and equipment for youth centers targeted under the PGS agreement with the MOY.” As the size and scale of such procurements is unknown as of this time, would USAID provide a procurement estimate for this items to ensure a uniform budgeting knowledge base among all offerors?

Please refer to USAID’s answer to Question 17 above.

74. On Page 34, Section F.6, Reports and Deliverables or Outputs, item 10 lists Security Plan as a deliverable due 30 calendar days of the contract award date. Additionally, on Page 122, Section L.7.b, item 2 lists “Proposed Costs/Prices (include Draft Security Plan)” as a required component of the cost proposal. Would USAID please confirm the security plan document will be required after award, while the cost proposal requirement refers to security-related costs which need to be accounted for in the budget?

Please refer to USAID’s response to Questions 13 and 24 above.

End of Amendment No. 1