SOL-168-14-000010-01.pdf

AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATI ON/MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT 11. CONTRACT 10 COOE I PAGE OF PAGES

1 I 6

2. AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION NO. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE 4. REQUISITION/PURCHASE REQ. NO.

PROJECT NO. (If applicable)

000001 07/25/2014

6. ISSUED BY CODE USAID/BIH 7. ADMINISTERED BY (If other than Item 6) CODE I USAID Bosnia-Herzegov ina Ambasada SAD-a Roberta c . Frasurea 1 71000 Sarajevo , BiH

8. NAME AND ADDRESS OF CONTRACTOR (No .. street. county, State and ZtP Code) (x) 9A. AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION NO.

SOL-168 - 14-0 000 1 0

x 9B. DATED (SEE ITEM 11)

07/15/2014

10A. MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT/ORDER NO.

10B. DATED (SEE ITEM 13)

CODE FACILITY CODE

11. THIS ITEM ONLY APPLIES TO AMENDMENTS OF SOLICITATIONS

!21 The above numbered solicitation is amended as set forth in Item 14. The hour and date specified for receipt of Offers D is extended. IB is not extended.

Offers must acknowledge receipt of this amendment prior to the hour and date specified in the sol icitation or as amended, by one of the following methods: (a) By completing

Items 8 and 15, and returning 1 copies of the amendment; (b) By acknowledging receipt of this amendment on each copy of the offer submitted; or (c) By separate letter or telegram which includes a reference to the solicitation and amendment numbers. FAILURE OF YOUR ACKNOWLEDGEMENT TO BE REC EIVED AT THE PLACE DESIGNATED FOR THE REC EIPT OF OFFERS PRIOR TO THE HOUR AND DATE SPECIFIED MAY RESULT IN REJ ECTION OF YOUR OFFER. If by virtue of this amendment you desire to change an offer already submitted, such change may be made by telegram or letter, provided each telegram or letter makes reference to the solicitation and this amendment, and is received prior to the opening hour and date specified.

12. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION DATA (If required)

13. TH IS ITEM ONLY APPLIES TO MODIFICATION OF CONTRACTS/ORDERS. IT MODIFIES THE CONTRACT/ORDER NO. AS DESCRIBED IN ITEM 14.

CHECK ONE

E. IMPORTANT:

A. THIS CHANGE ORDER IS ISSUED PURSUANT TO: (Specify authority) THE CHANGES SET FORTH IN ITEM 14 ARE MADE IN THE CONTRACT

ORDER NO. IN ITEM 10A.

B. THE ABOVE NUMBERED CONTRACT/ORDER IS MODIFIED TO REFLECT THE ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES (such as changes in paying office.

appropriation date, etc.) SET FORTH IN ITEM 14, PURSUANT TO THE AUTHORITY OF FAR 43. 103(b).

C. THIS SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT IS ENTERED INTO PURSUANT TO AUTHOR ITY OF:

D. OTHER (Specify type of modification and authority)

Contractor O isnot. Q is requi red to sign this doOJment and return copies to the issuing office.

14. DESCRIPTION OF AM ENDMENT/MODIFICATION (Organized by UCF section headings, including solicitation/contract subject matter where feasible .)

MPSA

The purpose of this amendment is to respond to questions related to the RFP #

SOL- 168 - 14 - 000010 .

15B. CONTRACTOR/OFFEROR 15C. DATE SIGNED 16C. DATE SIGNED

(Signature of person authorized to sign) 7~zs~&,y

NSN 7540-01-152-8070

Previous edition unusable

STAN DARD FORM 30 (REV. 10-83)

Prescribed by GSA

FAR (48 CFR) 53.243

Marginalized Populations Support Activity Bidders Conference Questions

July 21, 2014

1. On page 74 it states that Offers must have adequate financial resources – How shall we demonstrate this in our cost proposal? What proof is required for this? Do we need to disclose bank statements with our current cash flow and finances? Are bank guarantees required?

• Three years of the past audited financial statements will be required as an attachment to the

Cost Proposal.

• During the pre-award survey, an Offeror’s bank statements and other documents will be reviewed to determine the financial health of the organization.

• All documents that are submitted will be confidential/not shared with anyone outside of the

Contracting Office or outside the Technical Evaluation Committee.

• Bonds and guarantees from banks are not required. The pre-award survey will determine the offeror’s financial health and credibility.

2. How are payments going to be made? Are payments made upon deliverables? Do we need to “self-finance” until we can submit the first deliverable?

• The offeror shall propose a financing structure.

• Financing can be structured based on deliverables (milestones) with a small portion of the fee paid upon completion of the project. Offerors shall propose milestones, which will be the basis for establishing the payment structure under the contract. Milestones can be structured and priced in a way that allows financing of the work towards subsequent deliverables (milestones). It is not required that each milestone is priced at the actual cost of it to the contractor; however, the grand total of the detailed contract budget proposed shall equal the total of all milestones that will be included in the contract (will constitute the contract budget). Alternatively, offerors may request monthly progress payments.

• Offerors must explain in the Cost Proposal what structure will work best for them and provide sufficient operating cash to run the activity.

3. Can current Implementing Partners of USAID apply for this Contract?

• Yes, current implementing partners of USAID can apply for this contract.

4. If two Offerors are forming a Consortium, do we need to legally register at the Entity or State level?

• Offerors may enter into partnerships, prime/sub arrangements, consortia or joint venture agreements. USAID’s requirement is to pay only one organization and interact with only one organization on contractual matters. As long as the entity with whom we interact is legal, and meets the eligibility definition, they can submit an offer.

5. How will the Contractor work with USAID in the selection of participants for trainings?

• Please see page 14 of the RFP modification, which states that “All training participants will be chosen by USAID in collaboration with the Contractor. The Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) will have final approval of the participants for each training course”.

6. Is USAID going to be actively involved in the selection of beneficiaries?

• USAID will be part of the selection process of beneficiaries.

7. Please explain how Offerors should include VAT in the Cost Proposals.

• Offerors should indicate services that are subject to VAT and include VAT in their budget.

BiH state regulations on indirect taxation apply to all taxpayers. Normally, invoices and requests for payment include VAT amounts, but the basis for VAT and VAT amounts should be listed separately.

8. For Past Performance it states that Offerors must have at least five similar past projects. Is this cumulative with the subcontractor of do we need to have five for each of the partners submitting a proposal?

• This is cumulative. A total of five past similar projects is necessary between all partners submitting the proposal.

9. What budget categories need to be included in the Cost Proposal? Should we separate all operational costs?

• All expenses applicable to the implementation of the prospective contract should be presented in the detailed budget submitted as part of the cost proposal. Additionally, offerors shall propose a price schedule for the contract based on milestones, in which they distribute expenses included in the detailed budget (for all expense types) into logical milestones of contract completion, thereby proposing a price/payment schedule of the prospective contract.

The grand total for the detailed budget and price/payment schedule shall be equal. This shall include apportioning the contractor’s necessary and allocable operational expenses to the amount of grants to be issued and managed and proposed subcontracts, thereby establishing a percentage of the contractor’s operational costs vis-à-vis grants and subcontracts.

• In-kind support may bear a different (lower) percentage rate for operational expenses because it is expected to require less effort of the Contractor to procure goods for an amount up to $65,000/year than for providing training and performing complex duties such as awarding grants.

• Trainings shall be priced at their actual cost, including direct and allocable operational/indirect expenses. Operational and indirect expenses shall not be presented as a percentage on top of the training price, but included in it. Pricing training this way is more reflective of how trainings are priced in general. Operational and indirect expenses allocated to trainings and thereby included in the proposed training price shall be excluded from the proposed percentage of operational costs of subcontracts and grants. Yet the detailed budget shall identify all operational/indirect costs, including those that will be included in the training price.

• Similarly, indirect and allocable operational expenses of subcontractors shall be built into the total subcontract price. The detailed budget of the prime contractor shall contain one line item for the total estimated price of each subcontract. Offerors shall submit a detailed budget for each subcontract in addition to the detailed budget of the prime contractor.

10. Please explain the cost structure for training, since the RFP states that administrative costs will not be considered. Does this mean that trainings will be organized collaboratively with USAID?

How will we get to the final figure? Are the training costs, other than of consultants/trainers fee and training material, such as the accommodation and transportation costs, part of the proposal budget? If so, in what budget category are we going to budget them in the category: Costs such as these....., as presented at the pre proposal conference?

• Organizing and delivering trainings will be the Contractor’s responsibility. All training related expenses shall be included in the contract and expended by the Contractor and not by USAID. The proposed price shall include all costs associated with training, including travel and lodging costs of participants. (See answer to question No.9 and No. 11). Based on the anticipated cost of the training, the offerors should propose a fixed price for training similar to the normal local market rate (per training or per person).

• Please refer to the updated SOW on pages 14 and 15 of the amended RFP. The price of training should include all expenses related to the training and all allocable operational costs (fees). Therefore the fee should not be budgeted on top of the price of the trainings (which has to be specified for other components of the SOW, such as grant management and subcontracting) because it is already included in the total training price.

11. Please clarify the number of trainings to be provided each year. Also, does USAID have a preference and/or recommendation about training duration (one, two or whatever days)?

• It is anticipated that the Contractor will deliver 8 trainings per year, each with a different topic, as described under the Scope of Work, on pages 14 and 15. USAID expects offerors to design and implement trainings that will have optimum results and impact.

12. Please describe what minimum staff qualifications are required.

• Staff qualifications have been removed from the RFP. Please see revised Section L on page

XX for details.

13. What are USAID’s expectations regarding the Organizational Capacity Assessment?

• This is a standard tool USAID is currently using. Please see page 14 of the RFP amendment, under Task 1: Conduct Organizational Capacity Assessments for more information.

14. How will the Contractor be paid if there are additional candidates for OCA? It involves significant resources and efforts. How should offerors budget for this?

• The offeror can establish a unit price per OCA candidate; however, it can be reasonably assumed that there will not be more OCA candidates per year than the awarded grantees on an annual basis.

15. Can a grantee be awarded more than one grant through the activity?

• Yes, a grantee maybe awarded more than one grant through the activity.

16. Is there a ratio per geographic location in relation to flood affected regions?

• No, the activity covers the entire BiH, and USAID does not have any exact number of potential beneficiaries from a particular region.

17. To what extent can the prime contractor outsource/subcontract work? Is there an amount or percentage limitation relative to the contract ceiling?

• The limitation is not relative to the contract total price, but to the total cost of labor.

The prime contractor should incur 50% or more of labor costs. Short term technical assistance is allowed to be a part of this figure.

18. Conflict of interest – page 39: Can the prime and subcontractor have relatives on managerial staff?

• Partnering does not constitute a conflict of interest. Conflict of interest is related to the

Contractor recommending a particular organization for a grant based on personal relationships. Each such concern must be reported to USAID.

19. What are the rules of the delivery of proposals?

• In addition to the electronic submission, one original and two photocopies are required and are to be submitted by mail or hand-delivered and must arrive to USAID before the closing date and time.

20. What is the size of e-mail attachments that the USAID server will accept?

• E-mail submissions to USAID must not be larger than 20 megabytes in one email. Offerors may have to send multiple e-mails for their submission.

21. How are grantees selected? Do we need to perform only capacity assessment and building of prospective grantees or it will be an open call?

• It will not be an open call. Capacity assessments will be performed for all the prospective grantees and based on findings, capacity building may be required. As for the group trainings aimed at capacity building, there may be participants from organizations that are not necessarily the grantees.

22. Can universities apply?

• Yes, a university can apply as long as it is a local entity. In this case, different cost principles apply. These cost principles are set forth under OMB Circular A-21.

23. Can Offerors work with International (U.S.) Organizations?

• Yes, as long as they abide by the 50% labor rule (please refer to question 17).

24. What are the requirements for monitoring and evaluation for the proposal?

• There are two parts to this requirement. One is the M&E plan for grantees, which should be developed collaboratively with the USAID/BiH M&E Specialist, and the other is monitoring and evaluation of the contract itself, i.e. how the progress and impact of the contract activities will be measured. Offerors must submit one M&E plan which outlines the results and indicators on how the overall contact will be measured.

25. What is the format for Technical Proposals?

• Please refer to the Section L.8 of the RFP which sets forth the required content of the

Technical Proposal.

26. If our organization does not have capacity to carry out the entire contract, can we apply for only one component of the Statement of Work?

• Offerors that are not able to implement all three components of the project must partner with another organization. Proposals for only one portion of the project will not be considered.

27. Has a contractor performed similar work to this for the government in the past?

If available, please provide the incumbent contract number. If you are unable to provide a contract number, is it safe to assume this is a new requirement for the government?

• This is a new activity for USAID/BiH, it is not a follow-on activity.