BEP_Amendment_2_Q&A_FINAL.pdf

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ISSUE DATE: May 25, 2017

REFERENCE: Request for Proposals (RFP) number SOL-165-17-000001 – Business

Ecosystem Project (BEP)

SUBJECT: Amendment No. 2

Dear Offerors, Unfortunately, we missed a set of questions that were submitted on time. Therefore, we’re releasing this second amendment to answer the questions.

Question 1: We respectfully request that USAID consider extending the due date to Monday June 12.

Answer 1: Proposal’s due date is now set to June 13, 2017 at 4pm Skopje time.

Question 2: Not all Quarterly, Annual, and Final reports for past and present related

USAID/Macedonia projects are available on the DEC. Could USAID ensure such documents are uploaded onto the DEC to facilitate fair competition among bidders?

Answer 2: See Question 40 of BEP_Amendment_1_Q&A_FINAL.

Question 3: We understand that a percentage of the Contractor’s total fee (25%) is subject to the achievement of two deliverables. Would USAID consider further specifying that the portion of the fee associated with each of these deliverables be billed and paid out annually, according to the percentage of the target met by the end of each project year?

Answer 3: No.

Question 4: We respectfully request that USAID provide bidders with the current Local

Compensation Plan.

Answer 4: The salary range for the local compensation plan is 9,703 to 40,683 in euros.

Question 5: USAID states on page 79 of the RFP that the “average (annual) revenue growth of micro and small companies in Macedonia is currently less than 3%.” Could USAID please provide the source of this statistic (if not the Central Registry)?

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Answer 5: It’s the Central Registry.

Question 6: Regarding past performance, limiting comparable projects to only those within the narrow range of $4 and $12 million impedes bidders from including otherwise relevant projects in their past performance section and may give a false impression of limited relevant experience. To fully present our most technically relevant projects, would USAID please consider allowing the inclusion of past performance information for projects between $4 and $16 million?

Answer 6: See Question 7 of BEP_Amendment_1_Q&A_FINAL.

Question 7: Section M, “Staffing and Key Personnel” on page 85 states “The quality of the staffing plan and the extent to which the plan properly delineates the processes, approaches and staff necessary to accomplish the requirements of Section C, including quality and appropriateness of against the profile” … is incomplete (bolded section). Please clarify the appropriateness of what against the profile.

Answer 7: Good catch. It’s appropriateness of key personnel against the profile.

Question 8: To demonstrate access to the needed expertise for this contract, may bidders include, in annex to the technical proposal, a matrix that identifies and summarizes the qualifications of illustrative STTA candidates?

Answer 8: See Question 22 of BEP_Amendment_1_Q&A_FINAL.

Question 9: USAID notes on page 78 (L.6, first paragraph) that the Technical Proposal should be submitted in Word. On page 77 under L.5 (first paragraph), USAID requests that files be submitted in Word, PDF, or Excel, and that the file sizes must be 5 MB or under. The bolded section in the second paragraph in the same section states “USAID’s preference is that each technical and each cost proposal be submitted as a single email attachment.” May Offerors submit the Technical Proposal in PDF format to ensure the Technical Proposal is one file under 5MB, with all attachments, including letters?

Answer 9: Yes. Also see Question 34 of BEP_Amendment_1_Q&A_FINAL.

Question 10: May Offerors include a list of acronyms in the Technical Proposal that would not count toward the 30-page limit?

Answer 10: See Question 8 of BEP_Amendment_1_Q&A_FINAL.

Question 11: Letters of Commitment from Key Personnel are required in both the Technical

Proposal (L.6, last bullet under “Required Order” on page 78) and the Cost Proposal (L.7, Part 8 on page 84). Please confirm that the Letters of Commitment are required only in the Technical Proposal.

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Answer 11: Confirmed.

Question 12: Section H.8(e) states, “One annual salary increase not more than 3% may be granted after the employee’s completion of each twelve-month period…” This restriction may preclude offerors from complying with AIDAR 752.7007, incorporated in Section H.7, which states, “Direct compensation of the Contractor’s personnel will be in accordance with the Contractor’s established policies and procedures, and practices, and the cost principles applicable to this contract.” We respectfully request that USAID remove this requirement, thereby allowing offerors to submit cost proposals in accordance with their established policies, practices, and procedures.

Answer 12: No, and the requirement doesn’t conflict with AIDAR 752.7007.

Question 13: Section H.8 (e) states, “Unless the consultant is an employee of the contractor, they are considered subcontractors subject to the applicable clauses and requirements.” Treating consultants as subcontractors would contradict our organization’s Cost Accounting Structure, as our indirect rates are applied to consultants and subcontractors differently. Will USAID confirm consultants may be treated according to our approved Cost Accounting Structure?

Answer 13: No, the requirement in Section H.8(e) remains.

Question 14: Section L.7, Part 2 on page 80 of the RFP, it states, “Under Other Direct Costs, international travel should be identified separately and broken down by destination, number of trips, and number of travelers,” indicating travel should be budgeted as an ODC. However, in Attachment 4 Budget Template, international travel is listed under the “Travel” cost component and not under “Other Direct Costs.” May Offerors budget international travel as part of the Travel line item?

Answer 14: Yes.

Question 15: In the Attachment 4 Budget Template CPFF, on Line 24, there is a cost line item for “Transportation of HHE &c.” Could USAID confirm what cost items should be included in this line item?

Answer 15: This item assumes costs related to Chief of Party’s Household Effects (if any).

Question 16: We also kindly ask USAID to clarify the revised proposal due date—whether it’s June 12, 2017, per Question 9 of the Q&A or June 13, 2017, per Amendment 1.

Answer 16: See Question 1.