ATT_-_Questions_and_Answers_to_RFP-ATLAS.pdf

Questions and Answers to the RFP Number: SOL-112-13-000006

Azerbaijan Trade Linkages and Agribusiness Strengthening (ATLAS) Activity

Note: The Request for Proposal (RFP) Number: SOL-112-13-000003 is hereby deleted in its entirety and replaced with RFP Number: SOL-112-13-000006. The RFP Number: SOL-112-13-000006 is attached.

In addition, it has been posted on FedBizOpps.

1. Do USAID and the GOAJ have any specific instructions regarding geographic focus of ATLAS activities or does that depend on the Offeror’s strategy and selection of targeted value chains?

Answer: Geographic focus is country-wide in Azerbaijan except for areas of conflict.

2. Section H.6 Environmental Compliance of the RFP instructs that the “Contractor will be required to implement the provisions of the Initial Environmental Examination (IEE) (to be posted on the USAID Georgia website) prepared by USAID/Caucasus Azerbaijan cleared by the USAID Regional Environmental Officer.” Availability of this document could significantly delay implementation of ATLAS activities. When does USAID expect this will be available?

Answer: The approved Initial Environmental Examination (IEE) is attached as Attachment 8 to the attached RFP. Also, please see Amendment 1.

3. Could USAID please provide Offerors with an anticipated award or start date for ATLAS? This would help offerors ensure the availability of Key personnel for their assignments.

Answer: Anticipated start date is on or about September 2013. Also, please see Amendment 1.

4. Regarding instructions stated in Section L.6.4.d, please confirm whether USAID indeed wants

Offerors to submit “all relevant Awards performed with the last three (3) years that are similar in size, scope and objective to what is contained in the proposed Statement of Work,” or only five as is customary, from the prime and any major subcontractors.

Answer: Please see Amendment 1.

5. Section L.6.4.a.i., page 80 of the RFP states that “The Offeror must include a draft Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) as an Attachment to the Technical Proposal, which is not counted within the page limit.” However, a draft M&E Plan is not included on the list of approved

Annexes. Please confirm that an M&E Plan can be included as an Annex to the technical proposal that does not count against the page limit.

Answer: The Draft Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Plan can be included as an Attachment/Annex to the Technical Proposal that will not count against the page limit. Also, please see

Amendment 1 and the attached RFP.

6. The baseline survey is due 90 days after contract award, while the PMP is due 30 days after approval of the Work Plan (also 90 days after contract award). Given the need for final, approved indicators prior to the development of the baseline primary data collection methodology, would USAID consider changing the deadline for the baseline data collection plan to after approval of the final PMP?

Answer: No, USAID will not consider changing the deadline.

7. May Offerors include a List of Acronyms after the Table of Contents that will not count against the page limit?

Answer: Yes, Offerors may include a List of Acronyms that will not count against the page limit.

8. In Section C.4, Development Objective 3 states that the ATLAS project will promote

“increased access to quality health care and targeted social assistance through strengthened practices and systems”. Is this an intended development objective for this project?

Answer: This is an incorrect reading of C.4. It is stated that “USAID envisions that the successful completion of the ATLAS Activity will support its Development Objective (DO) 1.”

The reference to Development Objective 3 is provided to show how DO1 fits into the

Mission’s overall development goal: “This DO will complement two other DOs which will support USAID’s overall development goal of supporting Azerbaijan’s reform process, promoting competition and pluralism in society to lay the foundations for a sustainable market-based democracy.” Offerors are encouraged to read USAID/Azerbaijan’s Country

Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS) to understand the USAID’s strategy in

Azerbaijan over the next few years.

9. Sections L and M refer to “major subcontractors.” Please clarify the criteria that Offerors should use to determine which proposed partners fall under this consideration.

Answer: A subcontractor receiving 10% or more of the work effort in terms of Cost. Also, please see Amendment 1 and the attached RFP.

10. Section L.6 on page 79 states that attachments not listed in bullets will not be considered.

Section L.6.4.a on page 80 instructs Offerors to submit a draft Monitoring and Evaluation

(M&E) for the project as an attachment to the technical proposal. Please confirm that the draft

M&E will be considered and does not count toward the page limit.

Answer: See Answer 5.

11. Section L.6.4.d, instructs Offerors to provide “detailed past performance information, which should include all relevant Awards performed within the last three (3) year.” Given that this list may be extensive, would USAID consider limiting this requirement to a total of 10 or fewer including major subcontractors?

Answer: See Answer 4.

12. Can USAID please confirm that “communications costs” should be presented as a separate cost category per the instructions on p. 90, although they are not included in the budget template on

p. 87?

Answer: The Budget Template presented on Page 87 of the RFP is just a Sample Table showing standard Cost Categories. However, Offerors may include separate Cost Categories as appropriate and applicable. Also, please see Amendment 1 and the attached RFP.

13. On Pg. 80, USAID indicates that, “the Offeror must include a draft Monitoring and Evaluation

(M&E) as an Attachment to the Technical Proposal”; however, on pg. 79, the draft M&E Plan is not listed as an acceptable attachment. Will USAID please confirm that the Offeror should include a draft M&E Plan as an attachment to the Technical Proposal?

Answer: See Answer 5.

14. Please define what constitutes a Major subcontractor.

Answer: See Answer 9.

15. Section L.5. “Instructions for the preparation of the Cost Proposals”, Paragraph e. Equipment and Supplies: Does USAID envision the close-out of any ongoing USAID project prior to the initiation of the contract that would allow for transfer of Non-Expendable Property (NXP) to the project? If so, please provide a list, to allow for proper costing purposes on procurement of

NXP?

Answer: All usable property that is with the current project will be transferred to the new project. A

List of Usable Property is attached as Attachment 7 to the attached RFP. Also, please see

Amendment 1 and the attached RFP.

16. We find that there are no 2013 ACT Progress Reports available on the Development

Experience Clearinghouse. We suggest that USAID makes these important background documents available, either online or as attachments to the Answers to the Questions on the

RFP.

Answer: FY 2013 Progress Report, Quarter 1- Azerbaijan Competitiveness and Trade (ACT) Project, October - December 2012 is attached.