RFQ No 72052722Q00004 PEA Final.pdf

Issuance Date: 09-15-2022 Questions Date: 9-30-2022

Closing Date: 10-17-2022 Closing Time: 2:00 pm, Lima Local Time

VIA ELECTRONIC MAIL

Reference: Request for Quotations (RFQ) No. 72052722Q00004 Political Economy Analysis (PEA) for palm oil agro-commodity driven deforestation

Dear Sir/Madam:

The U.S. Agency for International Development/Peru (USAID/Peru) requests quotations for the provision of the services described in Attachment 1 – Statement of Work. The solicitation is prepared in accordance with Federal Regulation Acquisition (FAR) Part 13 and supplemented with additional information included in this notice.

This RFQ is restricted to local entities pursuant to AIDAR 706.302-70 (b)(2). The expected purchase order contract shall not exceed 200,000 USD.

When preparing your quotation, please consider the following:

1. The government anticipates making A Firm Fixed Price (FFP) Purchase Order as a result of this RFQ. The submission of your quotation does not constitute automatic selection.

2. The award will be made on a best value basis. “Best value” means the expected outcome of an acquisition that, in the Government’s estimation, provides the greatest overall benefit in response to the requirement, price included.

3. Evaluation of quotes received will be conducted in accordance with the Evaluation

Criteria contained under Attachment 3.

4. All offerors must have an active System for Award’s Management (SAM) registration.

5. USAID/Peru anticipates November 1, 2022, to be the effective contract start date.

Please confirm your willingness to start performing activities around this date.

Responses to this RFQ must be addressed to Andre-Guy Soh at asoh@usaid.gov with a copy to Mrs. Monica Ortega, Acquisition and Assistance (A&A) Assistant, at moortega@usaid.gov, no later than Monday, October 17, 2022, 2:00 PM Local Time in Peru.

mailto:asoh@usaid.gov mailto:moortega@usaid.gov

RFQ No. 72052722Q00004

The United States Government (USG) reserves the right to reject any or all offers received. This letter does not constitute an award commitment on the part of the U. S.

Government, nor does it commit the U.S. Government to pay for costs incurred in the preparation and submission of a quotation.

Please acknowledge receipt of this RFQ.

Thank you for your consideration of this USAID initiative.

Sincerely, Andre-Guy Soh Regional Contracting Officer USAID/Peru

Enclosures: Attachment 1. Statement of Work Attachment 2. Instructions to Offerors Attachment 3. Evaluation Criteria Attachment 4. Solicitation Provisions

ATTACHMENT 1

STATEMENT OF WORK

TITLE: Political Economy Analysis for palm oil driven deforestation in Colombia and Peru

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: The period of performance is up to six (6) months.

BACKGROUND:

The Amazon rainforest is the largest remaining tropical rainforest in the world. However, deforestation driven by unsustainable land use change, especially for agriculture, threatens to turn the region into a net carbon producer. USAID seeks to reduce commodity-driven deforestation (CDD) and associated greenhouse gas emissions from high biodiversity regions that supply agricultural products to international and domestic companies.

New cooperative agreements between USAID and consortiums led by Solidaridad North America and Rainforest Alliance to reduce CDD in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru will engage diverse actors in the livestock, palm oil, timber, cacao, and coffee sectors.

These activities will promote sustainable supply chains by improving monitoring and transparency, developing and supporting landscape action plans, linking producers to finance, and sharing knowledge. While these efforts reflect USAID’s commitment to tackling problems at their source, the agency’s work with economic agents known for contributing to forest conversion (especially land managers, harvesters, traders, and processors) may also bring reputational and programmatic risks to USAID. For example, programmatic risks could include expansion of deforestation by companies outside of the monitored project area, and alliances with firms that do not actually intend to adopt more sustainable practices. Reputational risk to USAID relates to public perception of these partnerships and potential accusations by civil society and the press. For example, ancillary partnerships that support private companies’ efforts to eliminate deforestation from their supply chains may still raise alarm amongst civil society and indigenous groups as these companies are historically connected to deforestation in the Amazon.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this political economy analysis (PEA) is to support programming on agro-CDD in the Amazon Region by providing an understanding of the socio-economic considerations, the key actors and institutions, power dynamics, and potential risks in engaging in these supply chains. The analysis will provide an assessment of the prevailing political, social, and economic considerations that are key to partnering with the private sector on reducing CDD in select Amazon jurisdictions. The analysis will provide a focused applied PEA, as defined and understood by USAID. Findings of this analysis should be immediately useful to the design and management of USAID programs related to reducing CDD and landscape restoration.

While USAID’s work on commodity-driven deforestation covers several agro-commodity supply chains in the Amazon region, this PEA will focus specifically on the palm oil sectors in Colombia and Peru.

https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2496/Applied%20PEA%20Field%20Guide%20and%20Framework%20Working%20Document%20041516.pdf

Though many Amazon-sourced commodities are linked to deforestation, significant information gaps about the palm oil supply chains in these two countries specifically persist. In the Colombian and Peruvian contexts, this sector has had linkages to both land grabbing and deforestation in past decades.

SCOPE

The PEA will be limited to the palm oil agro-commodity supply chains in Peru and Colombia.

It will take into consideration the multiple objectives and actors, the distribution of risks and benefits, relevance of existing and anticipated international standards, and consideration of the inherent power asymmetries that exist between landscape users.

This includes but is not limited to local producers, landscape cooperatives, purchasers, processors, exporters, sub-national governments, local, national, and multinational corporations. The PEA will also look ahead to likely trends, challenges, opportunities, and options for risk reduction.

In doing so, the PEA will consider the risks and benefits for current USAID program activities from a variety of partnership modalities, ranging from direct to co-financing of work, to capacity-building of private sector partners to adopt improved practices, to promotion of use of publicly available tools and metrics. The PEA will also provide recommendations, key considerations for the future and more detailed analyses for USAID consideration.

DELIVERABLES

1. Literature review, media/journalistic review, and initial stakeholder analysis

2. Presentation of work plan (written and presentation to Mission)

3. Monthly progress reports (max. two pages) and monthly check-in meeting with

USAID

4. Preliminary draft report (English)

5. Final draft report (English)

6. Final report and presentations (Mission and external, public audience)

Estimated Timeframe (Month)

Deliverable 1 2 3 4 5 6

1 X

2 X

3 X X X X X X

4 X

5 X

6 X

I. REPORTING AND SUPERVISION

The Contractor will report to the designated USAID/Peru Contracting Officer’s Representative for this Purchase Order, or any other USAID personnel, as designated by the Contracting Officer.

II. PAYMENT MANAGEMENT

The contractor is expected to meet or exceed all the performance standards outlined in the Statement of Work above. Payment shall be made as follows:

Deliverable Payment Amount Rapid analysis, to include Literature review, media/journalistic review, and initial stakeholder analysis

25%

*Payment upon review acceptance of the submission Presentation of work plan (written and presentation to Mission)

*Payment upon review acceptance of the submission

13%

Monthly progress reports (max. two pages) and monthly check-in meeting with USAID (6 total)

2 % each; 12 % total

Preliminary draft report (English)

*Payment upon review acceptance of the submission

15%

Final draft report (English)

*Payment upon review acceptance of the submission

15%

Final report and presentations (Mission and external, public audience)

*Payment upon review acceptance of the submission

20%

Illustrative Quality Standards:

1. Deliverable 1 - Presentation of rapid analysis (written) (English). Deliverable 1 shall be submitted to the COR for approval and must be prepared in either Google Document or Microsoft Word Document format and in accordance with USAID branding and marking standards. Literature review, media/journalistic review, and initial stakeholder analysis must:

● Approximately 10 pages in length.

● Include the following sections (per country): introduction/background;

methodology for review; mapping of key stakeholders, key findings and recommendations; learning questions.

● Be completed within approximately 30 days after award.

2. Deliverable 2 - Presentation of Work Plan (written and presentation to Mission) (English). All work plans shall be submitted to the COR for approval and must be prepared in either Google Document or Microsoft Word Document format and in accordance with USAID branding and marketing standards. Work Plan must, at a minimum:

● Be approximately 12 pages in length.

● Include the following sections: Implementation Strategy and Context

(using the language/ “key factors” defined by USAID’s Applied PEA Framework, Staffing Plan, Description of Approach for PEA, Stakeholder Engagement Plan; Plan to host an applied PEA workshop in country to finalize research agenda and questions.

● Include how the PEA will address gender considerations.

https://usaidlearninglab.org/sites/default/files/resource/files/applied_pea_framework.pdf https://usaidlearninglab.org/sites/default/files/resource/files/applied_pea_framework.pdf https://usaidlearninglab.org/sites/default/files/resource/files/applied_pea_framework.pdf

● Include a draft research agenda and proposed research questions/interview guide.

● Be completed within approximately 60 days after award

3. Deliverable 3 - Monthly progress reports (max. two pages) and monthly check-in meeting with USAID (6 total). All progress reported shall be submitted to the COR for approval and must be prepared in either Google Document or Microsoft Word Document format and in accordance with USAID branding and marking standards. Progress Reports must include, at a minimum:

● A summary of work (in both countries) since last progress report, assessment of progress toward project completion, and high-level goals for upcoming month of work.

4. Deliverable 4 - Preliminary draft report (English). Deliverable shall be submitted to the COR for approval and must be prepared in either Google Document or Microsoft Word Document format and in accordance with USAID branding and marketing standards. The draft report must, at a minimum:

● Be approximately 30 pages.

● Include the following sections: Purpose, Introduction/Context, Methodology, Summary of Desk Research from Deliverable 1, Summary of PEA in-country workshop and field research, Sector-Level Analysis (including foundational factors, rules of the game, current/relevant recent events, stakeholder analysis and relationships, and the dynamics between these key factors), Implications/Recommendations for USAID

● Be completed within approximately 120 days after award.

5. Deliverable 5 - Final draft report (English). Deliverable shall be submitted to the

AOR for approval and must be prepared in either Google Document or Microsoft Word Document format and in accordance with USAID branding and marketing standards. The final draft report must, at a minimum:

● Contain all edits and corrections to Deliverable 4.

● Be approximately 30 pages.

● Include the following sections: Purpose, Introduction/Context, Methodology, Summary of Desk Research from Deliverable 1, Summary of PEA in-country workshop and field research, Sector-Level Analysis (including foundational factors, rules of the game, current/relevant recent events, stakeholder analysis and relationships, and the dynamics between these key factors), Implications/Recommendations for USAID.

● Be completed within approximately 150 days after award.

6. Deliverable 6 - Final report and presentations. Deliverable shall be submitted to the COR for approval and must be prepared in either Google Document or Word Document format and in accordance with USAID branding and marketing standards (English). Presentations must include one presentation (English) to USAID and one external presentation (English and Spanish) to a public audience. The final report and presentations must, at a minimum:

FINAL REPORT

● All edits and corrections to Deliverable 5.

● Be approximately 30 pages.

● Include the following sections: Purpose, Introduction/Context, Methodology, Summary of Desk Research from Deliverable 1, Summary of PEA in-country workshop and field research, Sector-Level Analysis (including foundational factors, rules of the game, current/relevant recent events, stakeholder analysis and relationships, and the dynamics between these key factors), Implications/Recommendations for USAID.

● Be completed within approximately 180 days after award.

PRESENTATIONS

● Approximately 60 mins of presentation of final work and 30 mins of Q&A each.

● Be completed within approximately 180 days after award.

[END OF ATTACHMENT 1]

ATTACHMENT 2

Instructions for Quote Preparation

A. Instructions for the Preparation of the Technical Quote:

Questions must be submitted by the deadline indicated on the cover page to Mrs.

Monica Ortega at moortega@usaid.gov.

All quotes must be submitted by the deadline indicated on the cover page of this solicitation.

This solicitation is restricted to Local Entities per AIDAR 706.302-70(b)(2).

A local entity is defined in the Local Competition Authority Pilot Program included as a reference to the ADS 302, is an individual or organization that:

1. Is legally organized under the laws of a country that is receiving assistance from USAID;

2. Has its principal place of business or operations in a country receiving assistance from USAID;

3. Is majority-owned by individuals who are citizens or lawful permanent residents of a country receiving assistance from USAID; and

4. Is managed by a governing body, the majority of whom are citizens or lawful permanent residents of the country receiving assistance from USAID.

The technical quotes will be evaluated in accordance with evaluation factors outlined in Attachment 3.

The technical quote must not exceed five (5) pages (excluding cover letter and indexes, if any). Quotes must be submitted in English using 12-point font.

Offerors must complete sections 17, 23, 24 and 30 of the SF 1449 (cover page of this document) and submit this form with their quotation.

Past Performance: The Offeror must provide evidence of their expertise and capacity to successfully accomplishing the Statement of Work. For this purpose, offerors are required to submit information on at least two projects of similar size, scope and complexity that they implemented in the last five (5) years. Such information must contain the following:

● Project Name

● Funding Source (Organization)

● Award/Contract No.

● Period of Performance

● Dollar Value of the work performed

● Point of Contact (name, email address, telephone numbers) who can attest to the offeror’s performance on projects.

The Past Performance information is not included in the five-page limit of the technical quote.

mailto:moortega@usaid.gov https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1868/302mbe_0.pdf

B. Instructions for the Preparation of the Price Quote:

This will be a FFP purchase order. Therefore, offerors are instructed to provide a single price quote for all the services outlined in the Statement of Work.

[END OF ATTACHMENT 2]

ATTACHMENT 3

Evaluation Factors

All offers will be evaluated according to the following evaluation factors. They are listed in descending order of importance with “Strategic and Technical Approach'' being equal to “Management Approach”, and “Past Performance” and “Price” being of equal importance. The sub criteria under each of these is of equal importance.

a) Strategic and Technical Approach:

a. The extent to which the Offeror proposes a technical approach that demonstrates the most realism and likelihood of success in achieving the objectives of the SOW.

b. The extent to which the offeror creatively integrates USAID’s guidance on PEAs to its proposed technical approach: USAID Guidance for “Applied PEAs”

b) Management Approach

a. The extent to which the Offeror’s proposed management structure showcases experience, clear decision-making processes, and the ability to navigate potential implementation challenges in each of the target geographies.

b. The extent to which the proposed staffing plan is made up of the right mix of experience, talent, and expertise.

c) Past Performance

Past performance will be evaluated based on the relevance, complexity and successful implementation of past projects presented by the offeror.

d) Price

Price will be evaluated in conjunction with other factors to determine the extent to which they provide the best value to the government.

[END OF ATTACHMENT 3]

https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1866/PEA2018.pdf https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1866/PEA2018.pdf

ATTACHMENT 4 - SOLICITATION PROVISIONS

The following provisions pertinent to this section are hereby incorporated by reference in accordance with the clause at FAR 52.252-2 “Clauses Incorporated by Reference.” See FAR 52.252-2 and the provisions listed below at: http://farsite.hill.af.mil/vffara.htm.

● 52.212-1 Instructions to Offerors -- Commercial Items (Oct 2015)

● 52.212-2 -- Evaluation -- Commercial Items.

● 52.212-3 -- Offeror Representations and Certifications -- Commercial Items.

● 52.212-4 -- Contract Terms and Conditions -- Commercial Items.

● 52.212-5 -- Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders – Commercial Items.

Additionally, the following clauses are hereby incorporated in full text:

52.204-24 - Representation Regarding Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment (Nov 2021)

The Offeror shall not complete the representation at paragraph (d)(1) of this provision if the Offeror has represented that it "does not provide covered telecommunications equipment or services as a part of its offered products or services to the Government in the performance of any contract, subcontract, or other contractual instrument" in paragraph (c)(1) in the provision at 52.204-26, Covered Telecommunications Equipment or Services—Representation, or in paragraph (v)(2)(i) of the provision at 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications-Commercial Products or Commercial Services. The Offeror shall not complete the representation in paragraph (d)(2) of this provision if the Offeror has represented that it "does not use covered telecommunications equipment or services, or any equipment, system, or service that uses covered telecommunications equipment or services" in paragraph (c)(2) of the provision at 52.204-26, or in paragraph (v)(2)(ii) of the provision at 52.212-3.

(a) Definitions. As used in this provision—

Backhaul, covered telecommunications equipment or services, critical technology, interconnection arrangements, reasonable inquiry, roaming, and substantial or essential component have the meanings provided in the clause 52.204-25, Prohibition on Contracting for Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment.

(b) Prohibition. (1) Section 889(a)(1)(A) of the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (Pub. L. 115-232) prohibits the head of an executive agency on or after August 13, 2019, from procuring or obtaining, or extending or renewing a contract to procure or obtain, any equipment, system, or service that uses covered telecommunications equipment or services as a substantial or essential component of any system, or as critical technology as part of any system. Nothing in the prohibition shall be construed to—

(i) Prohibit the head of an executive agency from procuring with an entity to http://farsite.hill.af.mil/vffara.htm provide a service that connects to the facilities of a third-party, such as backhaul, roaming, or interconnection arrangements; or

(ii) Cover telecommunications equipment that cannot route or redirect user data traffic or cannot permit visibility into any user data or packets that such equipment transmits or otherwise handles.

(2) Section 889(a)(1)(B) of the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (Pub. L. 115-232) prohibits the head of an executive agency on or after August 13, 2020, from entering into a contract or extending or renewing a contract with an entity that uses any equipment, system, or service that uses covered telecommunications equipment or services as a substantial or essential component of any system, or as critical technology as part of any system. This prohibition applies to the use of covered telecommunications equipment or services, regardless of whether that use is in performance of work under a Federal contract. Nothing in the prohibition shall be construed to—

(i) Prohibit the head of an executive agency from procuring with an entity to provide a service that connects to the facilities of a third-party, such as backhaul, roaming, or interconnection arrangements; or

(ii) Cover telecommunications equipment that cannot route or redirect user data traffic or cannot permit visibility into any user data or packets that such equipment transmits or otherwise handles.

(c) Procedures. The Offeror shall review the list of excluded parties in the System for Award Management (SAM) ( https://www.sam.gov) for entities excluded from receiving federal awards for "covered telecommunications equipment or services".

(d) Representation. The Offeror represents that—

(1) It □ will, □ will not provide covered telecommunications equipment or services to the Government in the performance of any contract, subcontract or other contractual instrument resulting from this solicitation. The Offeror shall provide the additional disclosure information required at paragraph (e)(1) of this section if the Offeror responds "will" in paragraph (d)(1) of this section; and

(2) After conducting a reasonable inquiry, for purposes of this representation, the Offeror represents that—

It □ does, □ does not use covered telecommunications equipment or services, or use any equipment, system, or service that uses covered telecommunications equipment or services. The Offeror shall provide the additional disclosure information required at paragraph (e)(2) of this section if the Offeror responds "does" in paragraph (d)(2) of this section.

(e) Disclosures. (1) Disclosure for the representation in paragraph (d)(1) of this provision. If the Offeror has responded "will" in the representation in paragraph (d)(1) of this provision, the Offeror shall provide the following information as part of the offer:

(i) For covered equipment—

(A) The entity that produced the covered telecommunications equipment (include entity name, unique entity identifier, CAGE code, and whether the entity was the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) or a distributor, if known);

(B) A description of all covered telecommunications equipment offered (include brand; model number, such as OEM number, manufacturer part number, or wholesaler number; and item description, as applicable); and

(C) Explanation of the proposed use of covered telecommunications equipment and any factors relevant to determining if such use would be permissible under the prohibition in paragraph (b)(1) of this provision.

(ii) For covered services—

(A) If the service is related to item maintenance: A description of all covered telecommunications services offered (include on the item being maintained:

Brand; model number, such as OEM number, manufacturer part number, or wholesaler number; and item description, as applicable); or

(B) If not associated with maintenance, the Product Service Code (PSC) of the service being provided; and explanation of the proposed use of covered telecommunications services and any factors relevant to determining if such use would be permissible under the prohibition in paragraph (b)(1) of this provision.

(2) Disclosure for the representation in paragraph (d)(2) of this provision. If the Offeror has responded "does" in the representation in paragraph (d)(2) of this provision, the Offeror shall provide the following information as part of the offer:

(i) For covered equipment—

(A) The entity that produced the covered telecommunications equipment (include entity name, unique entity identifier, CAGE code, and whether the entity was the OEM or a distributor, if known);

(B) A description of all covered telecommunications equipment offered (include brand; model number, such as OEM number, manufacturer part number, or wholesaler number; and item description, as applicable); and

(C) Explanation of the proposed use of covered telecommunications equipment and any factors relevant to determining if such use would be permissible under the prohibition in paragraph (b)(2) of this provision.

(ii) For covered services—

(A) If the service is related to item maintenance: A description of all covered telecommunications services offered (include on the item being maintained:

Brand; model number, such as OEM number, manufacturer part number, or wholesaler number; and item description, as applicable); or

(B) If not associated with maintenance, the PSC of the service being provided; and explanation of the proposed use of covered telecommunications services and any factors relevant to determining if such use would be permissible under the prohibition in paragraph (b)(2) of this provision.

[End of Attachment No. 04] [END OF RFQ No. 72052722Q00004]