Amendment_01_-_Q As.pdf

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ISSUE DATE: May 27, 2016

REFERENCE: Request for Proposals (RFP) number SOL-165-16-000003 – Activity for

Civic Engagement (ACE)

SUBJECT: Amendment No. 1

Dear Offerors:

The purpose of this Amendment No. 1 to provide answers to questions received by stated deadline on May 20, 2016.

Question 1: Are you able to advise if there is an incumbent contractor for this requirement? If so, could you please provide the incumbent contract number for this opportunity? If not, is this a new requirement?

Answer 1: This is a new requirement.

Question 2: Section C: Description/Specifications/Statement of Work: Will USAID clarify the expectations of the ACE contractor with regard to the Impact Evaluation mentioned on page 12 of the RFP? Should offerors build any cost for the conduct of the Impact Evaluation into Cost Proposals for ACE?

Answer 2: Expectations will be clarified during the negotiation phase. There is no need to build in costs for a possible impact evaluation as USAID will cover the costs.

Question 3: Section C: Description/Specifications/Statement of Work: Section C.8, page 12, states that “Recipients will develop specific indicators, benchmarks and targets, and establish baseline data against which subsequent performance can be measured.” Will USAID please confirm that this activity will be required after award and that the “recipients” mentioned here indicates the successful contractor and not all offerors as part of their proposal?

Answer 3: Correct and confirmed.

Question 4: Section F: Deliveries of Performance: Section F8, page 18 (“Engagement of Local

Staff”), notes that all full time project personnel must be local staff with the exception of Key Personnel at project start, and that all personnel (including Key) should be local by Year 3. Can USAID please clarify whether offerors may propose local staff for the two Key Personnel positions from the start of the contract and not just by the end of Year 3, as specified?

Answer 4: Yes. Offerors may propose local staff for the two Key Personnel positions from the start of the contract if they meet the criteria in the RFP.

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Question 5: Section L: Instructions, Conditions, and Notices to Offerors: Section L.5, page 66, specifies that attachments must be in “MS Word, Adobe PDF, or MS Excel readable formats,” but Section L.6, page 67, states that technical proposals are to be submitted in “Microsoft Word (2004-2010).” Will USAID confirm that the offeror can submit their technical proposals in Adobe PDF file format?

Answer 5: Offerors can submit their proposals in Adobe PDF.

Question 6: Section L: Instructions, Conditions, and Notices to Offerors: Section L.5, page 66, states that the “proposal must be accompanied by a cover letter typed on organizational letterhead…” yet the bulleted listed in Section L.6, page 67, states that offerors should submit “Cover Letter or Executive Summary (Limited to two pages and does not count against page limit).” Could USAID kindly clarify if offerors are expected to submit either a cover letter or an executive summary limited to two pages, and not both?

Answer 6: Offerors are expected to submit either a cover letter or an executive summary limited to two pages, and not both.

Question 7: Section L: Instructions, Conditions, and Notices to Offerors: Section L.6, page 67, states “The technical proposal must be organized according to the evaluation factors in section M (i.e. the proposal must have four main sections) and must address all evaluation factors in section M.” However, Section M.2, page 71, lists only three areas as major categories: Technical Approach/Methodology, Management and Staffing, and Institutional Experience. Will USAID please confirm that there are only three major categories, not four as L.6 states?

Answer 7: There are only three major categories, not four.

Question 8: Cost: Section B.3, page 6 (“Fixed Fee”), mentions that 25% of the Contractor’s total fee is subject to completion of the specific deliverable in Section C.5. While we understand the specifics of the requirement (the local organizations having the systems—accounting, procurement, financial—and capability to compete and be deemed responsible for full USAID cost-reimbursable contracts, including having a negotiated indirect cost rate agreement), would USAID please further clarify how they propose to measure if the requirement has been achieved at the end of the contract?

Answer 8: The Contractor will be required to submit documentation to the CO that supports its belief that the local organization has reached the level to be deemed responsible. The CO will utilize the factors in FAR Subpart 9.104 and may request a pre-award survey be performed on the organization. Given the work and due diligence done in obtaining a NICRA, that will serve as a large factor in the determination.

Question 9: Cost: Section L.7(d) Part 4, page 69, indicates that past performance information should be included as part of the Cost Proposal; however, Section M indicates that Past Performance is evaluated separately from the Cost Proposal. May offerors include Attachment 3 and Quality Awards and Certifications in an annex to the Technical Proposal rather than the Cost Proposal?

Answer 9: No. However, they can submit it under the Cost proposal.

Question 10: Would USAID consider providing the Local Compensation Plan for Macedonia?

Answer 10: Attached is the annual salary scale of the Local Compensation Plan.

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Question 11: Can USAID kindly elaborate on its expected results for each of the ACE program components?

Answer 11: Component One: Strengthen Civil Society Organization (CSO) Alliances

Expected results:

Alliance members work together cooperatively to promote issues and reforms important to citizens.

The capacity of alliances to achieve their objectives is developed. The exact nature of this capacity building will depend on the contractor’s assessment of the alliances’ needs but may include resource mobilization, human resource development, financial and information systems, professional networking, monitoring and evaluation, communications, and the use of evidence-based analysis to promote a reform/advocacy agenda.

Alliances are inclusive and locally-driven.

Alliances have strong connections to other CSOs and alliances in Macedonia and the greater European region.

Component Two: Strengthen CSOs

Expected results:

The capacity of CSOs to pursue their missions is developed. The exact nature of this capacity building will depend on the contractor’s assessment of the CSOs’ needs but may include resource mobilization, human resource development, financial and information systems, professional networking, monitoring and evaluation, communications, and the use of evidence-based analysis to promote a reform/advocacy agenda.

CSOs have strong ties with their constituents.

Citizens have increased trust in CSOs.

CSOs have strong connections to other CSOs in Macedonia and the greater

European region.

CSOs have strong connections with the media, the private sector, and government, if possible.

Component Three: Strengthen Youth Engagement

Expected results:

Youth acquired the leadership and advocacy skills necessary to engage with their communities and government more effectively on issues of public concern.

Youth have stronger connections to other youth, CSOs, and CSO alliances in

Macedonia and the greater European region.

Component Four: Strengthen Youth Activism

Expected results:

Youth actively participated in community and public affairs.

Civic activism activities were inclusive.

Civic activism activities promoted sustained civic engagement by youth.

Question 12: What is USAID’s definition of youth in the context of the ACE program?

Answer 12: While USAID does not have a fixed definition of youth, the term refers to young people approximately aged 18-30.

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Question 13: Does USAID have an estimate on the number of CSOs and individual youth it expects the contractor to support over the life of the project?

Answer 13: No, the number of CSOs and individual youth supported over the life of the project will depend on the proposed interventions.

Question 14: Are bidders required to identify the three CSO alliances under Component One at the proposal stage?

Answer 14: No. Offerors are encouraged to propose possible themes for the CSO alliances and can even propose possible alliances. However, final selection of the CSO alliances and themes will only be made after the contract is awarded and in collaboration with USAID, which will have final approval. Further, please note that, while three CSO alliances is the minimum number of CSO alliances required in the RFP, offerors are encouraged to consider exceeding the minimum requirements.

Question 15: Section C.5 requires that by the end of the project, the contractor will have built its local subcontractor’s capacity to a point where the local subcontractor is able to “compete and be deemed responsible for full USAID cost-reimbursement contracts, including having a NICRA.” We believe that given the significant amount of time it can take to seek and secure a NICRA, often times due to issues outside of the applicant’s control, that this goal may not be feasible. Would USAID consider the contractor’s role in its subcontractor’s successful NICRA submission as having achieved the goal set out in Section C.5.?

Answer 15: USAID believes that 5 years is enough time to meet this requirement.

Question 16: Section L.7.d.1 includes language that implies that the past performance information sheets should only be for contracts. Will USAID allow bidders to also submit information sheets for grants and/or cooperative agreements?

Answer 16: Yes.

Question 17: Will USAID allow additional attachments, including a draft M&E plan and letters of support from potential grantees?

Answer 17: A draft M&E plan is now required as part of the technical proposal and does not count towards the page limitation, but is limited to one page. Other attachments, outside of what is required, count towards the page limitation.

Question 18: On page 11 of the RFP, USAID indicates that the contractor must identify and subcontract with an existing local organization, which then must perform substantial portions of this SOW. Does USAID expect proposals to identify the proposed local subcontractor at the proposal stage, or would USAID prefer that proposals identify several potential local subcontractors and select one of them following contract award in cooperation with USAID?

Answer 18: It must be identified at the proposal stage.

Question 19: On page 18, USAID indicates that “To the maximum extent practical, all full time project personnel must be local staff with the exception of Key Personnel.” For the first two years, does USAID expect both the Chief of Party and the Grants Manager to be international (non-local) personnel?

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Answer 19: See Answer # 4. It is not required that they be international personnel, so long as they meet the requirements.

Question 20: Section L.6 on page 67 indicates that the technical proposal must be organized according to the evaluation factors in Section M (ie the proposal must have four main sections). However, USAID only lists 3 sections in both L.6 and Section M.2 (Technical Approach/Methodology, Management and Staffing, Institutional Experience). Please clarify what the fourth section should be, or whether the technical proposal must only be organized according to three main sections.

Answer 20: See Answer # 7.

Question 21: In section L.6, instructions for the preparation of the technical proposal, USAID indicates that the proposal should be submitted in MS Word. Would USAID also consider accepting proposals in pdf?

Answer 21: See Answer # 5.

Question 22: Section M.3, Evaluation Factors for Award, does not assign a percentage to the evaluation criteria. Could USAID assign a percentage or points to each of the evaluation criteria?

Answer 22: No. They are listed in descending order of importance.

Question 23: Section L.7 Instructions for the Preparation of the Cost Proposal (b) Part 2 - Proposed

Costs (ii) states that "Under Other Direct Costs, international travel should be identified separately and broken down by destination, number of trips, and number of travelers." It is our understanding based on Attachment 5 that international travel should be included under "Travel" and not "Other Direct Costs". Please advise.

Answer 23: International travel must be included under “Travel” in the budget template, not

“Other Direct Costs”.

Question 24: Can USAID please provide the local compensation plan for Macedonia?

Answer 24: See Answer # 10.

Question 25: According to section L.7 (d) of the RFP, offerors are asked to provide past performance information for contracts not in the Past Performance Information Retrieval System (PPIRS) using the “Past Performance Information Sheet” included as Attachment 3. Can you please confirm that USAID does not want offerors to provide past performance information using the Contractor Performance Report Short Form (OMB No: 9000-0142) and would only like to receive Attachment 3 filled in with past performance information for contracts not in PPIRS and that meet the criteria set forth in section L.7 (d)(1)?

Answer 25: No, please use the provided template for those awards not in PPIRS.

Question 26: Section C.5 of the RFP indicates that the offeror “must identify and subcontract with a local organization, which then must perform substantial portions of the SOW.” May offerors propose more than one local organization in order to provide USAID with increased flexibility and options during implementation?

Answer 26: Yes, offerors may propose more than one local organization as a subcontractor.

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Question 27: Page 11 of the RFP indicates that “the contractor must identify individual youth to support.” Would USAID allow offerors to identify individual youth organizations or social groups to support instead of individual youth?

Answer 27: Under component three, Strengthen Youth Engagement, the contractor is expected to support individual youth and should propose a method for identifying those youth.

Question 28: The RFP states that all grants must be fixed amount awards. In our past experience, this will allow offerors limited flexibility during implementation. While we certainly appreciate that fixed amount awards are appropriate in many situations, they may not be appropriate for every grant under this contract. For increased flexibility, would USAID please allow us to implement a grants under contract program that will examine each individual grant to make a determination of the appropriate grant type consistent with the grantee capacity and the program description of each grant?

Answer 28: Yes.

Question 29: H.25 states that, for non U.S. organizations, the ceiling for fixed obligation grants is

$100,000. Should this read “fixed amount awards” per the recently revised ADS 303.3.25? Also, in H.25, per ADS 303.3.25, there is no ceiling on FAAs. Would USAID please consider revising the RFP to be consistent with ADS 303.3.25 which does not put a limit on FAAs.

Answer 29: Yes and yes. Please also see Answer # 28.

Question 30: The RFP states that the offeror must seek approval for GUC in accordance with the procedures listed. Will GUC authority be included in the resulting contract?

Answer 30: Yes.

Question 31: H.25. g states that the grants manual must be approved by the CO within 45 days after contract award which is inconsistent with the 60 days stated twice in F.6. Would USAID please clarify?

Answer 31: Draft manual 30 calendar days of contract award date. Final manual within 60 calendar days of contract award date.

Question 32: Does USAID want a draft M&E plan included in the proposal? If so, what should it contain?

Answer 32: Please see Answer # 17.

Question 33: Is there an incumbent and if so, would you please identify them?

Answer 33: There is no incumbent.

Question 34: Is there currently any existing/similar program operating in Macedonia?

Answer 34: Yes, there is a similar award. It is an assistance award called Civil Society Project.

Question 35: Specific to the requirement for a local organization/partner as defined in Attachment

4…Given the paragraph regarding regional platforms, is there any scenario where an organization located in (Northern) Greece qualify?

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Answer 35: Given the information in the question, an organization which is legally registered in Greece would be excluded due to the geographic code limitations.

Question 36: Specific to the requirement for a local organization/partner as defined in Attachment

4…Given this same discussion, will an organization located in (Northern) Greece, operated by Macedonian citizens qualify?

Answer 36: Given the information in the question, it would not qualify.

Question 37: Specific to the requirement for a local organization/partner as defined in Attachment

4…Must the identified local partner/organization be the eventual beneficiary of the future contract or may a potentially more suitable organization be identified during the time of the contract?

Answer 37: See Answer # 18.

Question 38: Specific to the requirement for a local organization/partner as defined in Attachment

4…Would you identify potential regional organizations (referenced Attachment 4)?

Answer 38: The local organization must meet the requirements of the definition in Attachment 4.

Question 39: Specific to the requirement for a local organization/partner as defined in Attachment

4…Is there a size requirement for the local organization, i.e., can it be a singularly owned/operated company?

Answer 39: There is no size requirement.

Question 40: Specific to the requirement for a local organization/partner as defined in Attachment

4…Does the local organization need to be registered in SAMS and have a DUNS, CAGE Code and other identifying certifications, i.e., NAICS?

Answer 40: No, they do not need to be registered prior to award.

Question 41: Does USAID currently have a list of strong Civil Society Organizations (CSO)

(Component 2)?

Answer 41: No, USAID does not have a list of CSOs for Component 2.

Question 42: Does USAID currently have a list of CSO to avoid or are off limits (Component 2)?

Answer 42: No.

Question 43: In C5 under Transition and local partner capacity building, the statement is that

“…existing local organization, which them must perform substantial portions of this SOW.” Please define “substantial” – is that 51%; 10% or some other TBD metric?

Answer 43: It is a TBD metric based on the capabilities of the local organization. USAID expects the local organization to take on an increasing amount of responsibilities and perform more of the work as the contract goes on.

Question 44: Section F – Key Personnel: Is there any requirement or expectation that either the

Chief of Party or Grants Manager will be from the local organization?

Answer 44: No.

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Question 45: Section F – Key Personnel: In addition to the COP and Grants Manager, does USAID have a predetermined number of personnel in mind (Section F.8)?

Answer 45: No.

Question 46: Section F – Key Personnel: With regard to personnel (Section F.8), is there a requirement to have only fulltime personnel or will highly qualified part time personnel be allowed?

Answer 46: Key Personnel must be full time.

Question 47: Must the Grants Manager be on site 100% of the time, or can this position be divided between Macedonia and some other location, i.e., U.S., Greece or elsewhere?

Answer 47: Grant manager must be on site 100%.

Question 48: Is there a language requirement?

Answer 48: Please see Section H.17.

Question 49: Is there a limitation for an organization to apply as prime in one proposal, and subcontractor (partner) in another proposal?

Answer 49: No, though offerors are reminded about the dangers/illegality of collusion.

Question 50: In the case when an organization is registered under the Macedonian Law for

Associations and Foundations as local organization, but the founder is a foreign legal entity with a mandate to appoint and dismiss governing board members and the executive director – is this organization eligible to apply as prime organization (contractor)? Or could it be a partner organization, i.e. subcontractor?

Answer 50: Given the information in the question, the organization would not be considered

“local” by the definition. The organization would be subject to the restrictions of USAID’s source and nationality codes. Please see 22 C.F.R. 228.

Question 51: If a local organization is a subcontractor and in the same time a leading organization or part of an alliance that applies for a grant under this contract (in Component One) is the position of this organization as subcontractor a limitation for awarding grant to this alliance?

Answer 51: Yes it is a limitation given the conflict of interest.

Question 52: In C5. TRANSITION AND LOCAL PARTNER CAPACITY BUILDING it is stated that ‘the contractor must identify and subcontract with an existing local organization, which then must perform substantial portions of this SOW’. Does this local organization have to be specified as subcontractor in the proposal or it may be identified and subcontracted during the contract implementation?

Answer 52: Please see Answer # 18.

Question 53: If the organization does not have NICRA, could it plan indirect costs within the proposed budget? In that case, are the audited balance sheets and profit and loss statements for the last three complete years and the current year-to-date statement to be included in the proposal?

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Answer 53: Yes, it can plan the indirect costs, but the rates would be determined after lengthy negotiations based off of the audited sheets and other information required to be submitted per the RFP.

Question 54: Does fixed-fee applies to non-profits as well as for-profits organizations or only to for-profit organizations? What is the type of costs that are envisaged to be covered within the fixed-fee and what is the difference between indirect costs and fixed-fee?

Answer 54: Non-profits can apply for fixed-fee under this award. The type of costs covered under fixed-fee is up to the offeror. The definition and additional information on indirect costs can be found in FAR Part 31.

Question 55: On page 67 it is stated that ‘The technical proposal must be organized according to the evaluation factors in Section M (i.e. the proposal must have four main sections) and must address all evaluation factors in Section M’. Which are the four main sections, since the Section M, on page 71, under M2. Technical Evaluation Criteria, states only 3 evaluation criteria (i.e. Technical Approach/ Methodology; Management and Staffing; Institutional Experience)?

Answer 55: See Answer # 7.

Question 56: C.4 OBJECTIVES, Component One: Strengthen Civil Society Organization (CSO)

Alliances: It is stipulated that “The contractor must establish and support a minimum of three CSO alliances which”. Does the requirement refer to three different alliances per year or for the duration of the project?

Answer 56: While three CSO alliances is the minimum number of CSO alliances required in the

RFP, offerors may consider exceeding the minimum requirements. The three or more alliances will be supported for the duration of the project.

Question 57: C.4 OBJECTIVES, Component Three: Strengthen Youth Engagement: Does the support for youth individual allows direct financial support, such as scholarship for studies or training courses, sponsorships for participation in workshops, seminars, conferences and congresses?

Answer 57: Yes, it allows.

Question 58: C.5 Transition and local partner capacity building: Must the lead applicant be non-local organization (“Foreign entity” as defined in the Attachment 4 of the RFP)?

Answer 58: The lead offeror (read prime contractor) need not be a non-local organization. Please also see Answer # 50.

Question 59: C.5 Transition and local partner capacity building: May the applicant (lead or consortium of more CSO) be only local organization (as defined in the Attachment 4 of the RFP)?

Answer 59: Yes, the lead offeror (read prime contractor) may be a local organization.

Question 60: F.8 Engagement of local staff: Must Key Personnel be non-local staff during the first two years of the contract?

Answer 60: See answer # 4.

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Question 61: H.25 GRANTS UNDER CONTRACTs: Does the ceiling of $100.000 refers to maximum amount of grant that one organization/alliances may receive for the duration of the project, or it refers to for example the limit of a grant that the organization/alliance receives for one year?

Answer 61: The ceiling is per grant. Please also see Answer # 28 and # 29.

Question 62: Technical: Section C.4 (page 11) Could USAID please clarify in Component Three, in reference to the statement “The contractor must identify individual youth to support”, if this support is limited to individual youth or whether it could include CSOs working on youth-related issues?

Answer 62: Under component three, Strengthen Youth Engagement, the contractor is expected to support individual youth and should propose a method for identifying those youth.

Question 63: Technical: Section L.6 (page 67) of the RFP references “four main sections” of the technical proposal, specifically Technical Approach/Methodology, Management and Staffing, and Institutional Experience. Could USAID clarify if the fourth section is included therein, or if there is another to be included?

Answer 63: See Answer # 7.

Question 64: Technical: Would USAID be willing to share any reports, such as evaluations, final and/or annual reports, for programs in Macedonia that are not already on the DEC related to current civil society and youth programming?

Answer 64: For further reference, attached is the USAID/Macedonia Strategic Framework and a link to the USAID/Macedonia Civil Society Project webpage that contains various reports: http://civilsociety.mk/en/category/resources/

Question 65: Cost: Per section L.7(d)(1) (page 69): Could USAID kindly confirm that any Past

Performance Information Sheets to be included as attachments should be included as part of the cost proposal and not the technical proposal?

Answer 65: Correct.

Question 66: Cost: Per section L.7(d)(1) (page 69): Could USAID kindly confirm that the expected number of Past Performance Information Sheets, for prime and subcontractors combined, should not exceed five?

Answer 66: No, the offeror must submit information for those awards not in PPIRS and meeting the requirements of Section L.7(d)(1).

Question 67: Cost: Could USAID provide the most recent local compensation plan for the

Macedonia Mission?

Answer 67: See answer # 10.

(END of Amendment 1)