AMANAT_RFP_Questions_and_Answers.pdf

USAID/Afghanistan RFP No.: SOL 306-16-000037 – Afghanistan’s Measure for AccouNtability and

Transparency (AMANAT)

Questions and Answers Document

1. On page 1 and 2 of the Statement of Objectives, it states that “AMANAT is designed to build on and scale up anti-corruption interventions currently being carried out by the USAID-funded Advancing Effective Reforms for Civic Accountability (AERCA) project[.]” Can USAID please release the statement of work and/or progress reports from the AERCA Project’s Anti-Corruption component?

USAID Response: AERCA’s draft business process mapping report is provided as an attachment (Attachment J.12) to this solicitation.

2. Are there particular provinces that AMANAT activities are expected to focus on?

USAID Response: The offeror should look at provinces based on potential service delivery activities. USAID has not selected provinces for this reason.

3. Page 9, B.4, Estimated Cost and Fixed Fee for CLIN 0002, states that “the fee set forth in B.4(a) is based upon furnishing the level-of-effort specified in paragraph (c) above.”

However, section B.9 makes reference to a deliverables schedule for CLIN 0002. Could USAID please confirm that CLIN 0001 is CPFF-term, and that offerors should only submit a fee schedule for CLIN 0001?

USAID Response: CLIN 0002 is a line item IDIQ portion of the contract and offerors should only propose a fee schedule for CLIN 0001 per the instructions provided in the RFP. Please refer to the revised fixed fee payment schedule in section B.9 which clarifies that the percentage of fixed fee for CLIN 0002 will be negotiated upon issuance of each task order.

4. Page 19, Section F.4, Grants Manual states that the contractor must submit a grants manual 60 days after award. Would USAID consider extending the due date of the grants manual to 90 days after award, when the draft work plan is due, to allow for the integration of activities from the work plan into the grants manual?

USAID Response: USAID has revised the due date to 90 days.

5. On page 23-24, Section F.8.(e) of the RFP, Key Personnel Qualifications states that the Anti-Corruption Advisor position requires a masters level degree or higher and a minimum of 10 years of experience. Given the expertise that comes with field experience, we respectfully request that USAID allow additional years of work experience to count in lieu of an advanced degree.

USAID Response: The qualifications for this position do not mandate a Master’s degree.

6. Page 52, Section H.36, USAID’s Afghan First Policy and Reporting Requirements, states, “Another dimension of the Afghan First Policy is the direct resourcing of Afghan institutions and government program through grants to allow these institutions and programs to experience a maximum of management autonomy.” Could USAID please clarify if USAID intends for the contractor to issue grants to government organizations? If so, could USAID further confirm that a Project Appraisal Document (PAD) or Determination of Findings (D&F) have been conducted in accordance with ADS 302.3.4.13?

USAID Response: USAID does not intend for the contractor to issue grants directly to government organizations.

7. Page 56, Section H.42 states “Annual salary increases of any kind of not more than 3% cumulatively may be granted after the employee’s completion of each twelve-month period of satisfactory services under the contract.” This contradicts AIDAR 752.7007, incorporated by reference in Section H.9 on page 36, which states, “Direct Compensation of the Contractor’s personnel will be in accordance with the Contractor’s established policies, procedures and practices…” Can USAID please confirm that offerors should comply with AIDAR 752.7007 and follow their established policies, procedures, and practices for establishing individual salaries and administering salary increases?

USAID Response: Section H.42 provides requirements in addition to AIDAR 752.7007.

Direct compensation of the Contractor’s personnel must be in accordance with their established policies, procedures, and practices, and the cost principles applicable to this contract, and Section H.41 sets an additional limit on the amount of an annual raise.

Annual raises that exceed 3% also require Contracting Officer approval.

8. Page 56, Section H.42, Part E states “Consultants…require subcontract consent in accordance with FAR 44.” Per FAR 44.101, Definitions, “Subcontractor” is defined as “any supplier, distributor, vendor, or firm that furnishes supplies or services to or for a prime contractor or another subcontractor.” Short-term consultants retained by contractors are not suppliers, distributors, vendors, nor firms and thus do not require “subcontract consent in accordance with FAR 44.” Will USAID please consider removing this requirement for personnel compensation?

USAID Response: Part E was adjusted in Amendment 1 to this solicitation and states “Consultants… require advance written approval of the Contracting Officer.

9. Page 57, Section H.42 states that “No premium pay is authorized under this Contract. A six-day workweek is authorized.” Afghanistan local labor law requires premium/overtime pay for a six day work week for CCN staff. Could USAID please confirm that premium pay is authorized?

USAID Response: For occasions when there are essential and time-sensitive tasks to be performed that cannot be accomplished during a five-day workweek, a six-day workweek is authorized only for consultants and field personnel. No overtime or premium pay is authorized under this Contract

10. Page 56-7, Section H.42.a “Additional Requirements for Personnel Compensation” states that “If, during contract performance, the Contractor proposes salary or wages for an individual(s) that exceeds the market value of the position or the highest rate of annual salary or wage received during any full year of the immediately preceding three

(3) years, the cognizant Contracting Officer’s approval is required.” Can USAID please confirm that if Offeror hires an employee based on an established salary scale based on market rates, and the proposed salary is within the salary scale and market rate for the position, but represents an increase from the highest rate of annual salary received during any full year of the immediately preceding three years, that CO approval will not be required?

USAID Response: Yes.

11. On page 56-7, Section H.42.e, the RFP states, “Consultants generally are not retained as employees of the contractor, and require subcontract consent with FAR 44.” Would USAID please remove the requirement for consent to subcontract for consultants in order to minimize the administrative burden and delays in providing needed STTA to the program?

USAID Response: Please see response provided under 8 above.

12. On page 108, Section L.4.(j) of the RFP, it lists “Cover Page/SF 1447” as one of the items that is not included in the page limit. We respectfully request that we also be able to include a cover letter that is not subject to page restrictions?

USAID Response: Offerors may include cover letters. Cover letters included will however count against the page limitation.

13. On page 109, the Offeror is required to provide past performance information in Annex J.

On page 111, the Offeror is instructed to include “4. Past Performance” within the 30 page limit. Would the Mission please clarify whether the Past Performance Information should be included within the 30 page limit in addition to in Annex J? If it is required within the 30 page limit, would the Mission please describe what this section should contain?

USAID Response: Please see response provided under 14 below.

14. On page 109, under the Annexes to the technical proposal heading, it lists Past Performance Information to be included as Annex J. However, on page 111, in section L.6.I, it has the following format for the Technical Proposal:

1. Technical Approach

2. Management Plan and Implementation Schedule

3. Monitoring and Evaluation

4. Past Performance

5. Annexes

a. Could USAID please confirm that Past Performance Information is to be included as Annex J in the proposal?

USAID Response: Past performance should be included as the Annex in J.

Any supporting information on past performance that is important to note in certain technical areas of the proposal (for example experience with similar programming or experience in Afghanistan may be noted in the main application, but USAID will use the Annex in J to evaluate past performance).

b. Could USAID please verify that subcontractor past performance information is also to be included in Annex J?

USAID Response: Yes.

15. Given that attachment J.4 Past Performance Information Sheet and J.5 Contractor

Performance Report Short Form ask for the same information, could USAID please verify that only attachment J.4 needs to be included in the Past Performance section?

USAID Response: Offerors should follow the instructions and return all information requested in the RFP.

16. Page 109, Section L.4 “General Instructions to Offerors, 2. Cost Proposal (Volume II),” states that, “Annexes to the cost proposal must be separately tabbed and identified and are limited to the following: Annex A, “Completed SF 1420-17s of key personnel duly signed by an authorized official of the Offeror’s organization. Use additional pages, if necessary;” Annex B, “Level of Effort (LOE) chart with names, position titles and levels of effort;” Annex C ,“Compensation plan for technical and administrative staff for Contracting Officer approval;” Annex D, “Procurement plan for equipment to be purchased under the contract;” Annex E, “A statement that the Offeror has registered as an entity with System for Award Management (SAM);” and Annex F, “Copy of Human Resource/Personnel, Procurement and Travel policies and procedures.” However, there are further cost inputs requested in the solicitation instructions from Section L that are not included as annexes. Can USAID please confirm that the following inputs can be included as additional annexes to the cost proposal: Evidence of Responsibility, Letters of Commitment (from subcontractors), Section K ,Representations and Certifications, work day work week information,” and Subcontracting Plan, if required?

USAID Response: Yes, these may be included as additional annexes.

17. Page 109, Section L.4 includes “Annex D: Staffing Plan (should include organogram)” under annexes to the technical proposal. However, Page 113, Section L.6(V)(a) also references including a “comprehensive, draft staffing plan” within the Management Plan and Implementation Schedule section. Please confirm that Annex D and the “comprehensive, draft staffing plan” referenced within the Management Plan and Implementation schedule section are the same requirement. If so, please specify the technical volume section in which the staffing plan should be included, and please confirm that it is exclusive of the 30-page technical volume page limit.

USAID Response: Annex D and the referenced draft staffing plan in Section L.6 are the same things. The implementation schedule refers to the start up and implementation of the actual activity.

18. On p. 109, Section L.4.2, the RFP requires Offerors to submit Annex C “Compensation plan for technical and administrative staff for Contracting Officer approval” as an annex to the cost proposal. Would USAID permit Offerors to provide the compensation plan upon award?

USAID Response: No, this should be provided at time of proposal, but can be modified upon award.

19. Would USAID confirm that the two page Executive Summary requested on p. 111, Section L.6.IV.1 “Instructions for the Preparation of Volume I—Technical Proposal” is not included in the 30 page limitation for the Technical Proposal ?

USAID Response: The Executive Summary is included in the 30 page limitation.

20. Please confirm whether or not the Executive Summary referenced on page 111 under

Section L.6 in included in the 30-page technical volume page limit.

USAID Response: Please see response provided under question 20 above.

21. Page 112, Section L.6.IV.3.a “Instructions for the Preparation of Volume I—Technical Proposal” of the RFP states that “Offerors are strongly encouraged to include letters of cooperation from partner organizations, particularly government agencies, in their proposals.” Would USAID allow Offerors to include these letters of support in an additional annex to the Technical Proposal, not subject to the page limitations?

USAID Response: These may be included as additional annexes.

22. Page 113, Section L.6.V.1.a “Instructions for the Preparation of Volume I—Technical Proposal” of the RFP states that “A comprehensive, draft staffing plan with a level of effort chart that includes key personnel and other long-term staff as well as short-term, professional, and administrative staff. The statements of qualification or curriculum vitae should also be summarized here” Would USAID please confirm that statements of qualification and summary curriculum vitae are only required for key personnel and may be provided separate from the level of effort chart and in the staffing plan annex only?

USAID Response: These may be included as annexes.

23. Page 114, L.6V.c.i.: Key Personnel Resumes (Annex B): Would the Mission consider increasing the page limit on Key Personnel Resumes to three pages?

USAID Response: The page limitation for each Key Personnel’s Resume (Annex B) remains capped at two pages.

24. Page 114, L.6V.c.i.: Key Personnel Resumes (Annex B): Must the three references and contact information be included within the page limit for each CV?

USAID Response: Reference information can be included on another page.

25. Page 116: L.6.VII Past Performance: Should the Offeror provide past performance reference information in Annex J for all subcontractors, or is this only a requirement for Major Subcontractors?

USAID Response: Past performance reference information should be provided for only major subcontractors (subcontractor (a major subcontractor is one whose proposed cost are equal to or more than 20 percent of the offeror’s total proposed cost or performs a critical activity).

26. Page 120, L.7: The RFP states: “Labor cost for CCNs must not exceed the thresholds in the U.S. Embassy’s local employee compensation plan for Afghanistan.” Would the Mission please provide the local compensation plan to be used for this budget?

USAID Response: Labor costs for CCNs must not exceed the National Technical Assistance (NTA) salary thresholds. The NTA compensation scale is posted on the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (GIRoA) Ministry of Finance website (http://www.budgetmof.gov.af/index.php/en/about-nta).

27. Would USAID please provide the most recent Local Compensation Plan (LCP) and FSN scale for Afghanistan, to allow Offerors to comply with p. 120, Section L.7 requirements for CCNs not to exceed thresholds in the LCP and FSN scale?

USAID Response: Please see response provided under 26 above.

28. In order to ensure compliance with AIDAR requirements that contractor CCN staff salaries and benefits should not exceed those paid by the USAID Mission to CCN direct hires, could USAID please provide a copy of the Local Employee Compensation Plan?

USAID Response: Please see response provided under 26 above.

29. On page 120, Section L.7 (b) (2) (iii) states: “Offerors should present a consolidated budget including all costs for the full period of performance. The contract will be a Hybrid Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee (CPFF) Completion/Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract. The breakdown of costs for this hybrid will be at least 80 percent for the CPFF - Contract Line Item Number (CLIN 0001) and at most 20 percent for the IDIQ – CLIN 0002.”

We have the following related questions:

a. Is the funding level for CLIN 0002 of $10 million, as indicated in Section B.5 and the table in Section L.7 on page 119, a fixed amount that offerors should propose, or is this a ceiling amount and offerors are free to propose a different amount for CLIN 0002?

USAID Response: This is a ceiling amount. This amount has been reduced from $10 million to $8 million.

b. If CLIN 0002 is $10 million, then a minimum of 80% of total value for

CLIN 0001 would be at least $40,000,000. Can you please clarify whether $40 million for CLIN 0001 is a maximum, a minimum, or a fixed amount that Offerors should propose?

USAID Response: CLIN 0001 is now a max of $32,000,000. With a maximum ceiling of $9,600,000 in grants under contract under

CLIN 0001.

30. In Section L.7 on page 120 states that Offerors must propose ceiling daily rates (CDRs) for each of the positions (see illustrative list below) for a total of 260 days per year per position for budget purposes:

Category Labor Category CDR Mid CDR Senior

1001 Expatriate Senior Technical Advisor

1002 Expatriate mid-level Technical Advisor

1003 Local Senior Technical Specialist

1004 Local mid-level Technical Specialist

Can you please confirm that the above highlighted cells are not applicable since they request Sr.-level rates for mid-level advisors and specialists and mid-level rates for Sr.-level advisors and specialists?

USAID Response: The shaded blocks are not applicable as noted. Rates for mid-level staff should go in the CDR Mid column and the senior-level staff should go in the CDR Senior column.

31. Page 120, Section L.7 “Instructions for the Preparation of Volume II—Cost Proposal,” under (1) Direct Labor Salary and Wages, the solicitation states that, “A detailed Level of Effort (LOE) estimate with a separate line item for each proposed individual identifying each individual by name and title as well as a consolidated LOE chart, including subcontractors’ LOE, must be provided. A copy of this chart should be presented as an annex (Annex C) to cost proposal.” However, page 109, Section L.4 General Instructions to Offerors, 2. Cost Proposal (Volume II) lists Annex C as “Compensation plan for technical and administrative staff for Contracting Officer approval.” Would USAID please confirm that the LOE chart and the Compensation Plan are separate annexes, and the LOE chart should not be put into Annex C, but will instead be added as an additional annex to the Cost Proposal, not subject to the page limitations?

USAID Response: The offerors must follow the RFP instructions as stated.

32. Per p. 120, Section L.7, would USAID please confirm that the Ceiling Daily Rates table is only required for and applicable to CLIN 0002?

USAID Response: Yes, the Ceiling Daily Rates table only applies to CLIN 0002.

33. Section L.7 (b) instructs that “There is an ODC limitation of $2,000,000 over the life of this contract (see section B.4).” Can you please confirm that this is a fixed plug amount that should be included in proposed budgets?

USAID Response: The ODC ceiling limitation is a maximum amount that may be proposed. Section B.4 has been revised to reflect the new ODC ceiling limitation of $1,600,000 for CLIN 0002.

34. On page 127, in Section L.13, it states that “[i]f the Offeror is other than a small business, it must submit a Subcontracting Plan.” Given that the Subcontracting Plan Template in Attachment J.11 requires the Offeror to include the dollar values of total and SB subcontracting, can USAID please confirm that this should be submitted as part of the Cost Proposal?

USAID Response: The subcontracting plan should be submitted as part of the written technical proposal – volume 1. The Plan will only include the total dollar amount to be subcontracted and not the total dollar value of the proposal.

35. Page 127, Section L.12 “Policies and Procedures” states that, “If the Offeror does not have prior USAID contracting experience, then the offeror must submit a copy of its personnel policies, especially regarding salary and wage scales, fringe benefits, merit increases, promotions, leave, differentials, travel and per diem regulations, etc.”

However, page 109, Section L.4.2 “Cost Proposal (Volume II)” lists Annex F as “Copy of Human Resources/Personnel, Procurement and Travel policies and procedures.” Can USAID please confirm that Offerors who have prior USAID contracting experience do not need to submit an Annex F to the cost proposal?

USAID Response: Per the instructions, offerors with prior USAID contracting experience, do not need to submit Annex F.

36. Would USAID please confirm if Offerors are required to label each local staff at their respective FSN grade/step in the budget?

USAID Response: Yes. Offerors should clearly indicate position grades for each position. Please note that the NTA scale will be used instead of the LCP for local positions.

37. As deliverables will be approved upon award, would USAID consider revising Section B.9 “Payment of Fixed Fee” to be in accordance with the approved fee percentage and based on total costs invoiced instead of based on completion of deliverables?

USAID Response: Payment of fixed fee will be based upon completion of deliverables.

38. When opened, Attachment J.11 “Subcontracting Plan” is actually titled “Disclosure of Lobbying Activities”, (which is also attached as J.10). Can USAID please provide the J.11 “Subcontracting Plan” attachment?

USAID Response: The correct attachment was provided at the time of posting the RFP. Attachment J.11 is again attached with this amendment.

Additionally, given that work required under this RFP will be performed almost entirely outside of the United States and its outlying areas, would USAID consider removing the requirement for a subcontracting plan?

USAID Response: No.

39. Firm XYZ is a worldwide firm (149 countries), which has its offices in USA and one of Big

Four. Would XYZ be considered as one firm globally and be allowed to submit our proposal through our Office based in Dubai?

USAID Response: Eligibility information is provided in the RFP. Please read the RFP in its entirety.

40. Is this contract awarded based on cost plus profit, fixed price and/or fixed price plus reimbursable base? More clarification is required.

USAID Response: This is a Cost Plus Fixed Fee (CPFF) Completion (CLIN 0001) and a single-award Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) type contract (CLIN 0002).

41. What additional factors are considered critical for the success of bid eg hiring of Afghan nationals, experience of working in conflict zone. In addition to what is mentioned in the RFP, do we need to consider something different which may add value to the project.

USAID Response: Please refer to the evaluation criteria in section M of the RFP.

42. Is there any data or analysis/research/study available to share with us which give us a better picture what the current corruption situation is in Afghanistan? Which may help us to prepare a good proposal?

USAID Response: There are numerous studies available on corruption in Afghanistan available on the web. Many of which have been conducted recently.