PROMOTE_IQC_RFP.doc

USAID AFGHANISTAN

FROM THE AMERICAN PEOPLE

Request for Proposals (RFP) SOL-306-13-000033

PROMOTE Indefinite-Quantity Contracts

Date Posted: July 18, 2013 Cut-off Date for Questions: August 6, 2013 Pre-Proposal Conference: August 15, 2013 Closing Date: September 18, 2013 11:00 AM Kabul time

SUBJECT:

Request for Proposals (RFP) SOL-306-13-000033 PROMOTE Indefinite-Quantity Contracts Dear Offerors, USAID Afghanistan is pleased to release the attached Request for Proposals (RFP) for the Promoting Gender Equality in National Priority Programs (PROMOTE) project. This anchor program demonstrates the strong commitment of USAID to a brighter future for Afghan women and for Afghanistan’s economic development.

The PROMOTE program is designed to be implemented through an indefinite quantity contract mechanism (IQC) for five years. The ceiling limit is set at $416 million to allow for possible contributions of up to $200 million from other interested international donors. Subject to the availability of funds, the PROMOTE program implementation is divided into the following major components and a notional percentage of effort assigned:

· Women in the Economy (56%)

· Women's Rights Groups and Coalitions (14%)

· Women in Government (11%)

· Women’s Leadership Development (19%) PROMOTE will invest in opportunities that enable educated women (i.e., women between 18 and 30 years of age who have at least a secondary education) to enter and advance into decision-making positions in Afghanistan’s public, private and civil society sectors. This cohort is estimated at over 200,000 strong—and growing fast, with approximately 164,000 girls attending secondary school nationwide. These women represent a valuable source of talent and expertise for the country. Focused on these target groups, PROMOTE will activate a sustainable process leading to a critical mass of new and upcoming generations of Afghan women assuming decision making and leadership roles in mainstream social, political and economic spheres. PROMOTE will directly benefit a minimum of 75,000 women within the targeted cohort.

The first task order expected to be issued under the IQC in this RFP is Women’s Leadership Development (WLD) Training for more than 25,000 Afghan women. All participants of the PROMOTE program activities are expected to take part in the WLD training, and responsibilities under this task order will also include coordination activities such as establishing alumni networks and a knowledge management platform. It is essential that beneficiaries of this program become effective advocates for Afghan women on a range of vital issues such as gender based violence; women, peace and security; child marriage; and trafficking in persons. In addition, while the program specifically targets educated women, as they move into influential positions in government and private sectors, participants are expected to work towards ensuring the welfare, rights and opportunities for all Afghan women. PROMOTE aims to ensure that a “gender agenda” is not an issue on the fringes of national policy and programming but central to the advancement of Afghanistan’s political, social and economic development.

As part of USAID/Afghanistan’s goals, two PROMOTE Legacy Initiatives: a) the USAID American-Afghan Education Fund for Afghan Women and b) the Institute for Gender and Development Studies at an Afghan university will be established. The Legacy Scholarship will provide scholarships with 80% reserved for Afghan universities, and the remainder for regional and U.S. scholarship. The establishment of the Institute will provide an enabling environment to foster policy advocates and technology entrepreneurs and to generate influential analytic products leading to advances in women’s status. PROMOTE technical assistance might be deployed to help with the Legacy (i.e. setting up the women’s institute). The new initiatives, however, will not become explicit components of the PROMOTE RFP and will be managed under a different mechanism.

In the Tokyo Mutual Accountability Framework, the Afghan Government has committed to achieving a rate of 30% female staff in the Afghan Civil Service and PROMOTE will assist them in working toward this goal. Analysis of the critical mass theory can be found in section C.5 of the RFP, Program Purpose, and in the project concept paper, located here: https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=ef25d2e39bd494da6f95ffb5da0535a0&tab=core&_cview=0.

Offerors are encouraged to demonstrate innovative approaches using science and technology while empowering women: this can include addressing the use of technologies such as mobile money and other mobile technologies within the technical approach of the technical proposal. Additional target and sustainability information will be included with the release of each future task order, and we encourage offerors to suggest creative solutions.

Questions regarding this RFP must be submitted by email to the following addresses:

To:

kabulaidoaamailbox@usaid.gov and samateen@usaid.gov

Questions must be received by close-of-business (4:30 pm Kabul time) on the “Cut-off Date for Questions” indicated on page one of this letter, and Section L of this RFP. Answers to questions received after that date will be answered at the Contracting Officer's discretion.

A pre-proposal conference limited to discussion on the Baseline Data Collection Services Request for Task Order Proposals (RFTOP), will be held on Thursday August 15, 2013, from 9:00 to 12:00 AM. Further information regarding the registration requirements and location will be posted as an RFP amendment. The Baseline Data Collection Services RFTOP is restricted to Afghan firms, who are encouraged to attend.

Proposals in response to this RFP are due at the email address and time specified in Blocks 8 and 9 of the SF 33, Solicitation, Offer and Award.

We thank you all for your interest in this important program and look forward to receiving your proposals.

/s/ Abdullah Akbar

Contracting Officer

Office of Acquisition & Assistance

U.S. Agency for International Development

PROPOSALS ARE DUE ELECTRONICALLY TO THE ADDRESS SHOWN IN SECTION L

3PART I – THE SCHEDULE

3SECTION B - SUPPLIES OR SERVICES AND PRICE/COSTS

10SECTION C – STATEMENT OF WORK

SECTION D- PACKAGING AND MARKING

SECTION E – INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE

54SECTION F – DELIVERIES OR PERFORMANCE

SECTION G – CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION DATA

SECTION H – SPECIAL CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS

PART II – CONTRACT CLAUSES

SECTION I – CONTRACT CLAUSES

114PART III – LIST OF DOCUMENTS, EXHIBITS AND OTHER ATTACHMENTS

114SECTION J – LIST OF ATTACHMENTS

ATTACHMENT J.1

IDENTIFICATION OF PRINCIPAL GEOGRAPHIC CODE NUMBERS

ATTACHMENT J.2

AID 1420-17 Contractor Employee Biographical Data Sheet

ATTACHMENT J.3

SF LLL DISCLOSURE OF LOBBYING ACTIVITIES

ATTACHMENT J.4

GUIDANCE FOR USAID-funded COMMUNICATIONS PRODUCTS

ATTACHMENT J.5

PAST PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

ATTACHMENT J.6

MODEL SUBCONTRACTING PLAN

ATTACHMENT J.7

CONTRACTOR AND MAJOR SUBCONTRACTOR POLICY FOR WORKDAY, WORKWEEK, AND PAID ABSENCES [to be inserted at award]

ATTACHMENT J.8

MISSION’S LOCAL COMPENSATION PLAN

ATTACHMENT J.9

REGISTRATION AND TAX EXEMPTIONS IN AFGHANISTAN

ATTACHMENT J.10

AFGHAN FIRST POLICY

ATTACHMENT J.11

DD254 Department of Defense Contract Security Classification Specifications

ATTACHMENT J.12

GUIDANCE IN DEVELOPING A SECURITY PLAN

ATTACHMENT J.13

GENDER ANALYSIS (PROMOTE) Executive Summary

ATTACHMENT J.14

LIST OF INTERESTED ORGANIZATIONS

ATTACHMENT

J.15

COMMENTS/RESPONSES TO DRAFT RFP

ATTACHMENT J.16

RFTOP - BASELINE DATA COLLECTION (Task Order One)

ATTACHMENT J.17

RFTOP - WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT (Task Order Two)

ATTACHMENT J.18

ELECTRONIC PAYMENTS HORTATORY LANGUAGE FOR

ACQUISITION AND ASSISTANCE SOLUTIONS

PART IV – REPRESENTATIONS AND INSTRUCTIONS

SECTION K – REPRESENTATIONS, CERTIFICATIONS and OTHER STATEMENTS OF OFFERORS

SECTION L - INSTRUCTIONS, CONDITIONS, AND NOTICES TO OFFERORS

SECTION M - EVALUATION FACTORS FOR AWARD

PART I – THE SCHEDULE

SECTION B - SUPPLIES OR SERVICES AND PRICE/COSTS

B.1

PURPOSE

The purpose of this contract is to provide services that fall within the scope of work (SOW) specified in Section C. USAID Task Order Contracting Officers (TOCO) will request the work through the issuance of task orders during the ordering period as specified in Section F of the contract. Task orders will be awarded to IQC contract holders through a competitive, fair opportunity process.

B.2

CONTRACT TYPE AND SERVICES

This is a multiple-award Indefinite-Quantity Contract (IQC). The Government will issue task orders that are either Firm-Fixed-Price (FFP) or Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee (CPFF). The Government intends to make maximum use of Firm Fixed Price or Firm Fixed Price task orders with cost reimbursable line items. The Contractor must perform the work set forth in task orders at prices consistent with Section B of this contract. Cost type task orders must indicate if they are completion or term form.

B.3

MINIMUM OBLIGATED AMOUNT

The basic contract includes an initial obligation of funds in the amount of $50,000 to cover the minimum order guarantee. USAID is required to order and the Contractor is required to furnish the minimum order amount of services.

Following this initial obligation, individual task orders will obligate funds to cover the work required under that task order. The obligated amount for each task order will be established by the TOCO. The initial obligation will be used as part of the funding for the two task orders awarded under this contract.

B.4

MAXIMUM CONTRACT CEILING

This is a multiple award Indefinite Quantity Contract (IQC) with an overall ceiling price of US $416,000,000 ($416 million). The maximum aggregate dollar value of task orders awarded to all Contractors cannot exceed the contract ceiling. This ceiling is not being subdivided among the number of awardees, nor is it being multiplied by the number of awardees.

B.5

OBLIGATED AMOUNT, ESTIMATED COST, FIXED FEE

B.5.1 Obligated Amount.

The basic contract includes an initial obligation of funds in the amount of $50,000.00 to cover the minimum order guarantee.

B.5.2 The Total Estimated Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee (CPFF) for each task order must be negotiated in accordance with the terms of the IQC contract. In no event may the indirect rates or fixed fee for a task order exceed the ceilings set forth in Section B.9 and B.11 of the IQC contract. The U.S. dollar costs must be limited to reasonable, allocable, and allowable costs determined in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 52.216-7, Allowable Cost and Payment, and FAR 52.216-8, Fixed Fee, A-21 (for universities), and A-122 (non-profits).

A Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA) is an indirect cost rate negotiated between an organization and USAID or the organization’s cognizant Government Audit Agency, to recover indirect costs. Offerors that currently have a negotiated indirect cost rate agreement with USAID or their cognizant Government Audit Agency shall be permitted to submit indirect costs under their IQC and Task Order awards. If you do not have an approved Federal indirect cost rate, you will be unable to recover funds budgeted for indirect costs until a rate is approved. Offerors without such an agreement will be required to work with the Contracting Officer to establish a NICRA based on a number of considerations. Offerors without a negotiated indirect cost rate agreement must have the supporting data available on which to establish a NICRA rate and an accounting system capable of separating and identifying direct and indirect costs. In such cases, prior to award USAID may conduct a pre-award survey/assessment to determine whether the potential awardee has sufficient financial management systems and capacity to manage USAID funds in accordance with U.S. Government and USAID requirements.

B.5.3 Fixed Fee Payment. For any Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee (CPFF) task order issued under this contract, at the time of each payment of allowable costs to the Contractor, the USAID paying office ordinarily pays the Contractor a percentage of the fixed fee that directly corresponds to the percentage of allowable costs being paid. Two exceptions to paying fixed fee in this manner apply:

(a) If the TOCO determines that this method results in paying a disproportionately higher ratio of fixed fee than the percentage of work that the Contractor has completed, then the TOCO may suspend further payment of any fixed fee until the Contractor has made sufficient progress to justify further payment, up to the agreed percentage.

(b) Because the clauses entitled "Allowable Cost and Payment" (FAR 52.216-7) and "Fixed Fee" (FAR 52.216-8) are incorporated into this contract, the terms and conditions of these clauses apply after total payments of fixed fee reach eighty five percent (85%) of the total fixed fee.

B.5.4 Firm Fixed Price Task Orders

(a) The Firm-Fixed Price for each task order will be negotiated based on the price to complete the work. After acceptance of a fixed price task order by the Contractor, the task order price will only be adjusted to reflect changes in scope or conditions governed by other clauses (differing site conditions, etc.).

(b) Cost reimbursable line items may be allowed in Firm-Fixed Price task orders for elements of the task order that cannot be reasonably estimated.

B.6 LABOR (CPFF Task Orders) (a) Compensation of personnel under this contract or any resulting subcontract must be in accordance with AIDAR 752.7007 Personnel Compensation (July 2007).

(b) Salary Approval: Acceptance of the Contractor labor rates presented during IQC or task order negotiation does not constitute approval of final salary rates above the Contractor Salary Threshold (CST). (See ADS 302.3.6.10) All TOCOs will comply with the approval requirements in ADS 302. See section H.4 and H.5 to include guidance regarding approvals.

(c) Labor Categories: The Contractor shall furnish personnel with the necessary education, training and/or relevant experience, as specified in the task orders to be issued under this contract. Task order proposals must justify proposed rates to the satisfaction of the TOCO.

(d) Locally Hired National Personnel or Other Non-U.S. Expatriates

(1) Third Country Nationals (TCNs) and Cooperating Country Nationals (CCNs) who are working in the United States or are legal residents of the United States at the time they are hired for a task order, must be extended benefits and subject to restrictions on the same basis as U.S. citizens who work in the United States. The U.S. labor rates may be applied to TCNs and CCNs conforming to this regulatory provision.

(2) Salaries for locally-hired personnel and other non-U.S. labor under this contract or any resulting subcontract must be in accordance with AIDAR 752.7007, Personnel Compensation (July 2007), and should be based upon a combination of factors including prevailing in-country salaries for the professional category being negotiated and consideration of the individual's education, work experience and recent relevant salary history.

(3) Unless otherwise authorized by the Mission Director, the compensation for CCN and TCN labor shall not exceed the Mission’s Local Compensation Plan (attachment J.8 or most recent update).

B.7

OTHER DIRECT COSTS (MATERIALS) (CPFF ONLY)

(a) In addition to direct labor, other direct costs necessary for the performance of the work under task orders, such as travel and transportation, lodging and subsistence expenses, and allowances may be authorized by the task order.

(b) The Contracting Officer determines which other direct costs are allowable, allocable, and fair and reasonable in accordance with the applicable federal cost principles (i.e., FAR 31.2 and AIDAR 731.2 for commercial (for profit) organizations or FAR 31.3 and AIDAR 731.3 for educational institutions, or FAR 31.7 and AIDAR 731.7 for other not-for-profit organizations). For those other direct costs the TOCO authorizes, Contractors are allowed to recover applicable indirect costs on these costs, if doing so is part of the Contractor's usual accounting procedures, consistent with the applicable cost principles, and are included in the Contractor's Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement.

B.8

INDIRECT COST (CPFF ONLY)

Pending establishment of revised provisional or final indirect cost rates, allowable indirect costs shall be reimbursed on the basis of the following negotiated provisional or predetermined rates and the appropriate bases:

Description Rate Base Type Period

[Rate 1 description to be inserted] 1/ 1/ 1/

[Rate 2 Description to be inserted] 2/ 2/ 2/

[Rate 3 Description to be inserted] 3/ 3/ 3/

1/ Base of Application:

[Basis of rate 1 to be inserted] Type of Rate:

[Rate 1 description to be inserted] Period:

[to be inserted] Source:

[to be inserted] 2/ Base of Application:

[Basis of rate 2 to be inserted] Type of Rate:

[Rate 2 description to be inserted] Period:

[to be inserted] Source:

[to be inserted] 3/ Base of Application:

[Basis of rate 3 to be inserted] Type of Rate:

[Rate 3 description to be inserted] Period:

[to be inserted] Source:

[to be inserted] Contractors are allowed to recover applicable indirect costs (i.e., overhead, G&A, etc.) on other direct costs (ODCs) if it is part of the Contractor's usual accounting procedures, consistent with FAR Part 31, and Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA).

The Contractor will make no change in its established method of classifying or allocating indirect costs without the prior written approval of the Contracting Officer and OAA/CAS.

Reimbursement for indirect costs shall be at the final negotiated rates, but not in excess of the ceiling rates specified below.

The Government shall not be obligated to pay any additional amount on account of indirect costs above the ceiling rates established in the contract. This advance understanding shall not change any monetary ceiling, cost limitation, or obligation established in the contract.

B.9 ADVANCE UNDERSTANDING ON CEILING ON INDIRECT COST RATES AND FINAL PERFORMANCE FOR INDIRECT COSTS (a) For each of the Contractor's accounting periods during the term of this contract, the parties agree as follows:

(1) The distribution base for establishment of final [rate 1 description to be inserted] is [to be inserted at award].

(2) The distribution base for establishment of final [rate 2 description to be inserted] is [to be inserted at award].

(3) The distribution base for establishment of final [rate 3 description to be inserted] is [to be inserted at award].

(b) The Contractor will make no change in its established method of classifying or allocating indirect costs without the prior written approval of the contracting officer.

(c) Reimbursement for indirect costs shall be at the final negotiated rates, but not in excess of the following ceiling rates:

Description

[Rate 1 description to be inserted]

[Rate 2 description to be inserted]

[Rate 3 description to be inserted]

(d) The government shall not be obligated to pay any additional amount on account of indirect costs above the ceiling rates established in the contract. This advance understanding shall not change any monetary ceiling, cost limitation, or obligation established in the contract.

B.10

TASK ORDER LIMITATIONS

B.10(a) Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee (CPFF) Task Orders. When issuing CPFF task orders, the TOCO will state in the task order the total estimated cost plus fixed fee, which is the total amount of the task order and the maximum amount the Contractor may be paid without advance written approval of the cognizant Contracting Officer. This maximum amount represents the prime contractor’s and subcontractors’ professional labor categories and salaries, an estimated number of workdays, other direct costs and fixed fee.

B.10(b) Firm-Fixed-Price (FFP) Task Orders. When issuing FFP task orders, TOCOs must state in the task order the firm fixed price, which represents the total amount of the task order and the maximum price the contractor may be paid to perform the services, reports, or other deliverables in the task order. In the event a cost reimbursable line is included in a task order, said cost reimbursable line item shall be clearly stated and not included in the FFP.

B.10(c) Minimum Order. When USAID requires services or reports and other deliverables covered by this contract in a Task Order in the amount of less than $50,000, the Contractor is not obligated to accept an order to furnish those services or reports and other deliverables under this contract. However, if the Contractor agrees to furnish services or reports and other deliverables required by USAID in an amount of less than $50,000 and is awarded a Task Order to do so, the Contractor is required to provide these services and reports / deliverables in accordance with the contract's terms and conditions.

B.10(d) Maximum Order. When USAID requires services or reports and other deliverables covered by this contract in a Task Order amount of more than $20,000,000, the Contractor is not obligated to accept an order to furnish those services or reports and other deliverables under this contract. However, if the Contractor agrees to furnish services or reports and other deliverables required by USAID in excess of $20,000,000 and is awarded a Task Order to do so, the Contractor is required to provide these services and reports / deliverables in accordance with the contract's terms and conditions.

B.10(e) Notwithstanding the above, if issuance of a task order to, and acceptance of a task order by, the Contractor would: (1) result in the Contractor (or its personnel or its subcontractors or their personnel) having an organizational conflict of interest for which restrictions would be placed on the Contractor's (or its personnel’s or its subcontractors’ or their personnel’s) future activities; or (2) violate the provisions of the Procurement Integrity legislation, i.e., Section 27 of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy Act (41 U.S.C. 423), as amended by Section 814 of Pub. L. 101-189, the Contractor, after written notification to the Contracting Officer, is not obligated to furnish those services or reports and other deliverables under this contract, and USAID may acquire the supplies or services from another source.

B.11

CEILING ON FIXED FEE

(a) For each CPFF task order issued under this IQC, the TOCO and the Contractor agree to negotiate a set dollar amount for fixed fee. In negotiating the fixed dollar amount for fee, the TOCO must consider the policies and factors for establishing fee in FAR 15.404-4 as well as any applicable USAID policy on establishing a fixed fee amount. In no event, however, may the amount of fixed fee in any individual task order exceed ____ percent of the task order's estimated cost; excluding fee. (Offeror shall propose the fee required by Section L of the RFP) (b) For each CPFF task order issued under this IQC, the Contractor shall negotiate set dollar amounts for subcontractor fixed fees. In negotiating the fixed dollar amount for fee, the Contractor shall consider the policies and factors for establishing fee in FAR 15.404-4 as well as any applicable USAID policy on establishing a fixed fee amount. In no event, however, may the amount of subcontractor fixed fee in any individual task order for (name subcontractor(s)) exceed ____ percent of the subcontractor's estimated cost, excluding fee. (offeror shall propose the fee as required by Section L of the RFP) (c) The fixed fee for any subcontractor not listed above, whether a new subcontractor approved by the IQC Contracting Officer or TOCO or included as a non-major subcontractor in the Contractor’s original teaming arrangement, shall not exceed the prime Contractor’s fee ceiling.

[END OF SECTION B]

SECTION C – STATEMENT OF WORK

C.1

ACRONYMS AND DEFINITIONS

The following terms and acronyms are used in this IQC and subsequent task orders with meanings as reflected below:

C.2

INTRODUCTION

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)/PROMOTE Indefinite-Quantity Contracts (IQC) will provide the USAID/Afghanistan Office of Program and Project Development (OPPD)/Gender Unit with a mechanism to award, on both a fair opportunity basis and through set-aside awards, task orders to enable educated women to enter and advance into decision-making positions in Afghanistan’s public, private and civil society sectors. PROMOTE will provide access to advanced professional development opportunities through four specific components: women in the economy, women’s rights groups and coalitions, women in government, and women’s leadership development.

C.3 BACKGROUND and development challenge When USAID and the international community resumed their work in Afghanistan in 2001, the condition of Afghan women was deplorable. Women were forbidden from working, going to school or leaving their homes without a male relative; female literacy dropped to 5 percent; and life expectancy for women was a mere 44 years.

A decade later, with the support of USAID, the international community and the cooperation of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (GIROA), Afghan women have achieved remarkable gains: Today, nearly 40 percent of school-aged girls—over 3 million—are enrolled in school, including 165,000 girls in secondary school. An additional 40,000 young women attend public or private universities or technical and vocational training institutes, with more enrolling each year; life expectancy has increased to 64 for both women and men; 27 percent of seats in the Afghan National Assembly Lower House, 22 percent in the Upper House and 17 percent in provincial councils are reserved for women through a quota system; women’s organizations are working to end violence and discrimination against women; and equal rights for women are enshrined in the Afghan Constitution and official Afghan national policy. Afghanistan is also a signatory to international treaties and conventions such as the Elimination of Violence Against Women (EVAW), the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), Security Council Resolution 1325 and others.

Afghan attitudes towards women have also evolved. According to The Asia Foundation’s 2012 A Survey of the Afghan People:

· 87% of Afghans support equal educational opportunities for women and men, including 92% of women and 83% of men;

· 84% think women should be allowed to stand up for their individual rights, including 90% of women and 79% of men;

· 66% of Afghans say women should be allowed to work outside the home, including 80% of women and 55% of men; in urban areas, 81% agree, compared with 61% in rural areas;

· 53% of respondents say that when voting, women should decide for themselves, including 62% of women and 46% of men; more urban residents (69%) than their rural counterparts (48%) say that women should decide themselves; and.

· 56% of women and 37% of men say there should be equal representation in political leadership; in urban areas, 58% of respondents agree compared with 41% in rural areas.

These achievements have produced a large group of educated young women, who possess at least a secondary school diploma, some university study or a university degree, a demographic group that did not exist a decade ago. Estimated at over 200,000 strong—and growing fast—these women represent a valuable source of talent and expertise for the country.

At the same time, the gains are newly won, not yet firmly grounded or unconditionally accepted in Afghan society or psyche, vary widely by geography and ethnicity, and nowhere are they effectively enforced. A key risk faced by Afghan women during Transition is the declining visibility and influence of women leaders in the public arena. This is due to a number of factors: decreased influence of the donor community and foreign governments, less freedom of movement due to concerns about security and safety, and decreased salaries from foreign donors and NGOs, which might cause a “brain drain” of the upper class of Afghan families, including educated women, leaving the caretaking of women’s rights largely in the hands of Afghan men. Many women fear a Taliban resurgence would render women’s rights as vulnerable to the vagaries of politics as they have been historically.

Recent events, including attacks on girls’ schools, executions of women leaders, such as the murder of the Director of Women’s Affairs and the Acting Director in Laghman province, and the officially endorsed Shiite “Code of Conduct, ” which condones wife beating under certain circumstances and restricts women’s mobility, and an increase in reported domestic violence cases, are causing many Afghan women to fear that Transition will herald a reversal of their decade-long struggle for safety and rights.

The 2012-2014 Transition refers to the durable and irreversible transition of security responsibility from ISAF to GIROA’s Afghan National Security Forces to defend the independence, national sovereignty and territorial integrity of Afghanistan and to ensure internal security and public order. Transition is an evolving process, not a single event. In addition to transferring full responsibility for security, the shared strategy for a sovereign, stable Afghanistan has four other elements: ongoing training and equipping Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF); building an enduring partnership with Afghanistan; reconciliation among Afghans; and promoting regional stability and economic integration. Should Transition restrict or reverse even the most basic human rights and educational opportunities women have gained over the last decade, the country would be deprived of the productive contributions of half its population, greatly diminishing national development prospects. Even today, despite official GIRoA mandates endorsing equal rights for women, they are seriously under-represented in all sectors of society, professionally marginalized, and lack institutionalized opportunities to assume decision making and leadership roles in government, the private sector and civil society. Further restricting women’s rights, education, employment, and the ability to participate in public life would not only come at an enormous cost to women, it would greatly diminish Afghanistan’s ability to grow sustainably, ensure participatory and inclusive governance, and reduce poverty.

Research shows that women serve as a catalyst for many positive changes at all levels of society. Access to education, for example, improves women’s long-term economic prospects and helps lift themselves and their families out of poverty. Healthy, educated women are also far more likely to have, healthier and better educated children and to participate in political and civic life, adding their valuable perspectives to the shaping of the country’s future. With 42 percent of the Afghan population under the age of 15, healthy, educated mothers will ensure that the next generation of Afghans – both male and female – will fare better than the current one.

Research also demonstrates that women’s rights and opportunities are essential to maximize the economic and development potential of a country.

Women’s empowerment is inextricably linked to security, economic opportunity, effective governance, and social development around the world. “Just as investing in women and girls can create a positive development cycle, however, the opposite is also true: countries that fail to empower half their population will suffer from lower productivity, slower economic growth, and weaker development outcomes.”

With the stakes so high, the case for securing and sustaining a productive role for Afghan women is as compelling for Afghanistan as it is for women. Restrictions on Afghan women’s rights, education, employment, credit, and the ability to participate in public life come at an enormous cost to women and to Afghanistan’s ability to grow sustainably, govern effectively and reduce poverty. Ensuring that Afghan women are part of the decision making about the country’s future can help address these challenges and assure that solutions include the needs of the entire population.

Development Challenge: although significant gains have been achieved for women and girls over the last decade within Afghan society with support from the international community, and despite official endorsements by the Government of Afghanistan for equal rights for women, Afghan women remain under-represented in all sectors of society, professionally marginalized, and lack opportunities to assume decision making and leadership roles in government, the private sector and civil society. This restricts women’s rights and deprives the country of women’s contributions to development. To address this situation, there is a need to build on past investments and advances for women to both foster a cohort of women with the necessary leadership skills and to create opportunities for Afghan women to contribute more to strengthen Afghan communities, society, governance, and the economy. A critical mass of skilled women leaders in all key sectors will help Afghanistan achieve an inclusive and sustainable economic and social development over the coming decades.

c.4

PROMOTE

Four factors combine to make intensive and sustained attention to Afghan women both urgent and compelling: (a) Transition by 2015; (b) the still-fragile status of Afghan women; (c) the yet-unrealized development potential of 50% of the population; and (d) their relative absence from Afghan government and international security and development plans.

As the U.S. and Afghanistan prepare for Transition and the Transformation decade, the role of women is critical. The Transformation decade is from 2015 to 2024 whereby Afghanistan targets to be increasingly self-sufficient by: (1) steadily decreasing it reliance on donor funds; (2) becoming fully integrated into the region as a sovereign state; and (3) becoming able to field a national security force that provides adequate protection for the state and its people. Unleashing the productive potential of Afghanistan’s women could greatly improve the country’s development prospects during and after Transition. Yet the benefits that could accrue to the country and to women will be largely lost if they are not allowed to join the ranks of decision makers and leaders in productive pursuits outside the home. If Afghanistan is to realize the potential for social, political and economic progress that the inclusion of women’s productivity promises, opportunities for them to enter and advance within these sectors must be available and accessible. Currently, they are not. Advances in women’s rights are newly won, not yet firmly grounded or accepted in Afghan society or psyche, vary widely by geography and ethnicity, and nowhere are they effectively enforced.

There is unlikely to be a better confluence of financial resources and political will to influence the long-term preservation and advancement of Afghan women’s rights and opportunities than now. This is our best opportunity to demonstrate the commitment to women that the USG has repeatedly underscored; it is the ideal moment in time to substantiate the USG’s pledge to Afghan women.

PROMOTE will invest in opportunities that enable educated women (i.e., women between 18 and 30 years of age who have at least a secondary education) to enter and advance into decision-making positions in Afghanistan’s public, private and civil society sectors. This cohort is estimated at over 200,000 strong—and growing fast, with approximately 164,000 girls attending secondary school nationwide. These women represent a valuable source of talent and expertise for the country. Focused on these target groups, PROMOTE will activate a sustainable process leading to a critical mass of new and upcoming generations of Afghan women assuming decision making and leadership roles in mainstream social, political and economic spheres. PROMOTE will directly benefit a minimum of 75,000 women within the targeted cohort.

While the program specifically targets educated women, as they move into influential positions in government and private sectors, the Contractor will be required to focus efforts through all PROMOTE participants on ensuring the welfare, rights and opportunities for all Afghan women—to advocate for the rural and urban poor who have been deprived of education or opportunities for personal growth. PROMOTE aims to ensure that a “gender agenda” is not an issue on the fringes of national policy and programming but central to the advancement of Afghanistan’s political, social and economic advancement.

Primary interventions and inputs include: (a) business/employment centers where women learn to apply their education in productive, demand-driven businesses or employment through both business development and technical/vocational training, followed by job placement for employees or credit for entrepreneurs; (b) support to network approximately 50 activist-oriented groups of educated women electronically, to enable them to forge alliances with major women’s organizations regionally and internationally and to design and implement large scale activities with the potential for high impact on women’s rights and welfare; (c) opportunities for qualified university graduates who desire a career in the government service to gain functional knowledge, skills and experience through job training and supervised on-the-job internships with government institutions, ultimately leading to long-term employment with advancement potential; and (d) state-of-the-art management and leadership programs for women that build self-confidence, self-efficacy and knowledge and proficiencies in communication, negotiation, conflict resolution, team building, decision making and other skills and abilities necessary to serve as effective leaders.

The currently skewed perceptions of women’s abilities will only change when women are given a chance to demonstrate their value and potential contributions to their families, communities and country. PROMOTE is designed to give women that chance. Providing educated women with opportunities to develop new skills, acquire new knowledge and assume leadership roles is a gender equitable response to the historical discrimination against women and their continued marginalization in public life. Throughout the life of the program, perceptions of women’s abilities will be monitored to detect improvements over time.

Finally, not only do the country’s Constitution and all official policies support the advancement of women, but Afghan women themselves have been calling for opportunities for years. PROMOTE was designed in response to requests from Afghan women for a chance to develop their own potential to participate in productive pursuits and contribute to their country’s progress.

C.5

PROGRAM PURPOSE

PROMOTE will provide educated Afghan women with opportunities to develop strong, demand-driven technical knowledge and skills, plus senior level management and leadership abilities, and to facilitate women’s entry and advancement into mid-high level positions in government, the private sector and civil society. PROMOTE is based on the premise that a substantial, cross-cutting investment will begin to produce a critical mass of women leaders in key, mainstream sectors in Afghanistan. This will change the decision-making paradigm at the mid-upper levels of government, civil society and the economy, enabling women’s perspectives and priorities to help shape the national agenda, significantly improving the lives of girls and women at all levels and resulting in more inclusive, effective and sustainable social, political and economic progress for the country overall.

A fundamental PROMOTE premise is that this critical mass of women in mid- to upper-management levels in the economy, civil society and government take actions to improve the lives of girls and women at all levels, including those most in need in Afghanistan. With Transition , international support for women and girls may decline, leaving their rights, welfare and opportunities for advancement in the hands of Afghan leadership. The 2012-2014 Transition refers to the durable and irreversible transition of security responsibility from ISAF to GIROA’s Afghan National Security Forces to defend the independence, national sovereignty and territorial integrity of Afghanistan and to ensure internal security and public order. Transition is an evolving process, not a single event. In addition to transferring full responsibility for security, the shared strategy for a sovereign, stable Afghanistan has four other elements: ongoing training and equipping Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF); building an enduring partnership with Afghanistan; reconciliation among Afghans; and promoting regional stability and economic integration.

PROMOTE, and the WLD Component are designed to ensure this leadership with the influence will: (1) ensure women at the grassroots level are informed about large issues facing the nation as well as specific issues affecting women; understand the needs and perspectives of women at the grassroots level; (2) effectively represent women and ensure their inclusion in development in all sectors and at all levels; and (3) take action to unite women from all ethnic and tribal groups, encouraging recognition of common ground and respect for differences; and contribute to the overall social, political and economic development of the country.

It is incumbent upon all PROMOTE Components to ensure that participants understand and accept these responsibilities and commitments. The most important contribution USAID can make is to “institutionalize” opportunities for women to develop leadership skills so they can assume decision making positions in all sectors. Once female leaders are integrated throughout Afghan public and private sectors, they can lead the way toward equal rights and opportunities for all.

Taken together, the PROMOTE Components will develop a coordinated effort that lays out a systematic intervention for women’s inclusion and empowerment in the political, economic and social spheres. The intervention strategies proposed for PROMOTE should be ambitious and take into consideration the criticality of the Transition time frame (2013-2015). PROMOTE will initially focus on the more than 200,000 educated middle class women—beneficiaries of the last decade of support for education and social programs—as the key target group for investment.

The purpose of PROMOTE is to overcome obstacles and provide opportunities that enable educated Afghan women to enter and advance within mainstream social, political and economic sectors such that women are able to assume decision making and leadership roles at all levels that will improve the status of women and accelerate inclusive, sustainable development and social progress in Afghanistan.

C.6

GEOGRAPHIC FOCUS

PROMOTE will operate nationwide, in at least five major urban population centers, including the South and in particular Kandahar with outreach to other provincial urban areas in the regional economic zones. The urban population centers are where the majority of educated young women reside and the greatest opportunities for advancement are located. According to the Ministry of Education (MoE), 164,000 girls attended secondary school in 2011, and out of that number, nearly 160,000 live in 17 provinces.

A second geographic consideration is the economic corridors that define potential economic vitality and opportunity in specific areas of the country. In provincial capitals and regional centers in and around the developing economic corridors in the north, east, south and west, increased trade will not only stimulate new business development but could also encourage the start-up of ancillary businesses providing products and services to support the major economic enterprises. Due to a lack of capital and other types of support, as well as obstacles to women’s public ownership of businesses, few women may be involved in the establishment of large enterprises initially; however, with strategic planning and support, these zones are fertile ground for women to grow businesses and find employment.

Determining when and how to initiate safe and culturally effective interventions in other areas will be a task required by the Contractor, with approval from USAID.

C.7

PROMOTE COMPONENTS

PROMOTE includes four distinct yet related Components:

C.7.1 Component 1: Women in the Economy (WE) Purpose: To enable Afghan women to increase their participation in the mainstream, formal economy by securing employment with advancement potential or establishing/expanding viable small- to medium- to large-sized women owned businesses Afghan women have considerable presence at the micro-level and a micro-presence at the commercial-level. They are largely stuck at the subsistence, income generating, and micro-enterprise level, both in rural and urban areas outside Kabul. While statistics vary, only about 450 women own medium-large businesses that are registered with the Ministry of Economy, though it is possible that many more women own businesses that are registered in a male family member’s name, perhaps due to the onerous process to which women are subjected when attempting to register a business.