Amendment_001_QUESTIONS_and_ANSWERS__RFQ_PO201611251_DS_SERIES.pdf

Amendment (A001) Questions and Answers Q& A (Bold)

RFQ solicitation released by USTDA for - “Sub-Saharan Africa Regional ICT sector opportunities desk study series” (Solicitation Number: RFQ-PO201611251).

1. Is this RFQ notice open to the public (i.e. to all Small businesses, including the other limitations specified in the RFQ) or is this meant for already down-selected contractors?

Given the short turnaround time for responding to this solicitation, can the past-performance assessments from references be sent to you at a later stage of this solicitation, i.e. post down-selection?

1a. The RFQ is open to all (U.S. Small Businesses) qualified offerors. Per the solicitation, offerors must include past performance references with their proposals.

2. SOW section D.1.2. calls for the Contractor to provide “up to twelve” preliminary proposals and "complete six” analysis and recommendation reports. This implies that regardless of the volume, feasibility, and quality of the preliminary proposals, the contractor is responsible for recommending six of them for further analysis and recommendation. Can you please confirm that the intent is for the contractor to complete up to six analysis and recommendation reports, or otherwise clarify this requirement?

2a) Yes, the intent is for the contractor to complete up to six Business Confidential Analysis and Recommendation reports.

3. Can USTDA provide guidance as to how the price proposal should be structured and formatted?

3a) No structure or format has been provide, Price proposal should be based on requirements in the statement of work separate from your technical proposal.

4. Is the winning DS Contractor obligated to accept all resulting assignments, or may the Contractor decline particular assignments for any plausible reason (to cite one example, the Contractor's professional judgment that a particular proposal relating to, say, SCADA systems or smart cities requires primarily electrical-engineering or transportation-engineering expertise, as opposed to ICT expertise)?

4a) The selected contractor is obligated to accept all resulting assignments.