Clarification_Questions_and_Answers.pdf

Clarification Questions and Answers

1. Section L.6 (page 85) asks for copies of HR/Personnel, Procurement, and Travel policies and procedures as part of Annex 4 of the Cost Proposal. However, on page 93, these documents are only required if the Offeror does not have prior U.S. government experience, Would USAID confirm that these documents are not required if Offerors have U.S. government experience?

USAID Response: Copies of HR/Personnel, Procurement, and Travel policies and procedures are not required at time of proposal submission if Offerors have U.S.

government experience. However, USAID may ask at later date.

2. SOL-306-14-000085 lists the due date for bids as January 10, 2018, at 16:00 Kabul time;

however, the entry on fbo.gov (as modified on November 28) lists the due date as January 11, 2018, at 1:30am Eastern time. Can USAID please confirm that the due date is January 11 at 1:30am as listed on fbo.gov?

USAID Response: The due date lists in the Solicitation is the accurate date which is January 10, 2018, at 16:00 Kabul time. FBO has been adjusted for the time difference.

3. Would USAID please provide an exchange rate to use in rate and budget negotiations to ensure consistency among bidders?

USAID Response: For all exchange rate, please refer to DA AFGHANIATN BANK http://dab.gov.af/en/DAB/currency and for NTA (Afghanistan National Technical Assistance Salary Scale), the rate is $1=AFN64. For more information about NTA, please visit http://www.budgetmof.gov.af/index.php/en/nta/nta-policy .

4. Requirements for Past Performance Annex J. listed on page 83 indicate that "The Offeror (including all partners of a joint venture) must provide performance information for itself, the Contractor teaming arrangements, if any, in accordance with the following...List in Annex J. to the technical proposal up to three (3) of the most recent and relevant contracts..." Please confirm that the Offeror alone (unless in joint venture) must submit information on three recent and relevant contracts.

USAID Response: The requirement is that the offeror alone must submit information on three recent and relevant contracts.

5. We kindly request that USAID expand this requirement to include the offerors’ most recent and relevant contracts, cooperative agreements, or task orders.

USAID Response: USAID is only looking for up to three most recent and relevant contracts for efforts similar to the work in the subject proposal under past performance requirements.

http://dab.gov.af/en/DAB/currency http://www.budgetmof.gov.af/index.php/en/nta/nta-policy

6. Clause I. 5 AIDAR 752-204-72, Access to USAID Facilities and USAID’s Information Systems (August 2013) does not appear to be applicable to the scope of work of this RFP as the implementing partner will not manage or have access to USAID systems or data.

Please clarify the need for this clause.

USAID Response: AIDAR 752-204-72 has been removed.

7. Please confirm that offerors may include a cover letter with the technical proposal that does not count against the page limit.

USAID response: USAID confirm that the cover letter is not counted against page limit.

8. Given the significant fluctuation in annual rate percentage increases per the NTA (5% to 14%), would USAID kindly provide the offeror a suggested percentage for annual escalations, to allow for fair price competition between bidders?

USAID Response: Staffing positons under the NTA should reflect a step increase on an annual bases, provided successful work performance which is in line with the position grade and step. Those increases are clearly available in the NTA documentation.

9. Will USAID consider allowing a limited number of full-page graphics to be excluded from the page limit and included in an additional annex to illustrate the offeror’s technical approach?

USAID Response: USAID is not accepting exceeding the stated page limits or the inclusion of additional annexes.

10. Would USAID confirm the anticipated award and project dates for this activity?

USAID Response: The anticipated award date information is located on the USAID Business Forecast. The USAID Business Forecast will be update accordingly when changes occur.

11. The RFP refers to Attachment J.2 as a proposal checklist. When reviewing the provided attachment J.2, it provides information on Tabs, Section L references, Proposal sections, and page counts that do not match actual requirements in Section L. Please confirm if Attachment J.2 is correctly stating the desired proposal structure and page counts, or if Section L is correct on the proposal structure and page count.

USAID RESPONSE: Section L takes precedence over the attachments – Attachment J.2 is just illustrative template. Offerors are expected to update the Proposal Check List accordingly.

12. USAID requests 2-page resumes for “Program Manager” and “Teaming Coordinator.” In Section L of the RFP, pages 81-82, the instructions to bidders requests 3-page resumes for each Key Personnel in Annex H (Resumes).

USAID RESPONSE: Resumes for Key Personnel may be up to 3 pages (see section L.5). There is no mention of a Program Manager or Teaming Coordinator in the Solicitation. These positions are illustrative in Attachment J.2. Offeror is to propose the key personnel in accordance with the Solicitation.

13. Key Personnel positions are not specified.

USAID RESPONSE: Correct. See L5 Section 3. Offeror is expected to submit adequate and appropriate Key Personnel in accordance with the Solicitation.

14. Would USAID please clarify the page limits for key personnel CVs?

USAID RESPONSE: Resumes for Key Personnel may be up to 3 pages (see section L.5).

15. Clarify whether the Program Manager (or COP) and Teaming Coordinator are designated Key Personnel as indicated in Attachment J.2, Tab F, or whether these titles were meant to be illustrative?

USAID RESPONSE: These positions are illustrative. Offeror is expected to use best judgement in proposing adequate and appropriate Key Personnel.

16. L.5 provides instructions for the technical proposal. In Sections 3 & 4, it discusses the requirements for Factors 2 & 3. In each of these sections, it provides a page count restriction. For example, for Section 4/Factor 3, it provides a page count of 10 pages. It then states what the plan will identify and include. The section then states the Draft AMELP is provided as Annex B to the proposal. Per Section L.4, Annexes are not part of page count. Please clarify what is expected in the technical proposal section within the page count versus what is expected in the Annexes that are not part of page count?

USAID RESPONSE: Sections 1- 4 in L.5 are all considered part of the overall 35 page count. The AMELP and QASP are just separated into Annex A&B for easy reference.

17. In L.5 for Factor 1 it states an offeror must provide: “… an explanation of how conflict risk will be mitigated.” As there are a couple of different academic definitions of conflict risk that are unique to specific events and/or environments, more than one of which is present in Afghanistan. Please clarify how the Government is defining Conflict Risk for the purposes of this RFP Section and deliverable requirement?

USAID RESPONSE: Offeror must provide plan to mitigate risk, including risks related to conflict. Offeror is expected to provide their best judgement and rationale per Section L.5

18. On page 81, L.5 Instruction for Preparation of Technical Proposal, Section 3: Key Personnel, USAID requests three references for key personnel “including their most recent supervisor.” Given that candidates expect a degree of confidentiality when applying for positions, and that contacting a current (or most recent) supervisor could jeopardize a candidate’s standing and/or employment with his/her company. Would USAID permit three references including former supervisors?

USAID RESPONSE: Yes, USAID will permit the use of the former supervisor in lieu of the most recent supervisor.

19. Section L.5, Instructions for Preparation of Technical Proposal (page 81), instructs offerors to include three references for proposed key personnel. Please confirm that these references are excluded from the 3-page limit for key personnel resumes.

USAID RESPONSE: Yes, the references are excluded from the 3-page limit for the Key Personnel resumes.

20. According to Section L.5. Section 2 of the RFP, contractors shall provide a delivery schedule in Factor 1: Performance Work Statement and Technical Approach. Would USAID allow the delivery schedule to be included in an annex outside of the performance work statement? The delivery schedule will cover the base period as well as option years requiring a significant number of pages in the performance work statement.

USAID RESPONSE: No, USAID will not allow the delivery schedule to be included in an annex outside of the Performance Work Statement.

21. Throughout Section L, it refers to a Draft Gender Analysis being a required deliverable.

The Government provides a rather detailed gender analysis as Attachment J.15 that quite clearly details how gender relations impact the overall problem. Given that J.15 provides this detailed and usual presentation of a gender analysis specific to the Agricultural problem this RFP is looking to solve. Please clarify what the expectations are for the Annex C deliverable.

USAID RESPONSE: The detailed gender analysis provided is at the level of the overall Afghan context. For Annex C, Offerors are expected to analyze the specific potential impacts of their proposal, as linked to the activities proposed in their Performance Work Statement.

22. Can USAID please clarify what is expected for the “certification of EVMS Standards” and provide the referenced Attachment H-2?

USAID RESPONSE: Section L takes precedence over the attachments – Attachment J.2 is just illustrative template. Offerors are expected to update the Proposal Check List accordingly.

23. Is the AMELP to be presented in Section 4 or in Annex B?

USAID RESPONSE: The AMELP should be presented in Annex B, per L.5, p. 82.

24. Similarly, is the QASP to be presented in Section 4 or in Annex A?

USAID RESPONSE: The QASP should be presented in Annex A, per L.5, p. 82.

25. If the AMELP and QASP are to be divided between the body of the technical proposal and the annexes, please clarify how USAID expects the division to be made.

USAID RESPONSE: The Annexes are considered part of the technical proposal. Annex A and B are not to exceed 10 pages total, per L.5, p. 82.

26. Would USAID please clarify what information is required in Factor 3: Monitoring and Evaluation Approach of the core Technical Proposal versus Annex B, the Illustrative Activity Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Plan (AMELP).

USAID RESPONSE: The Annexes are considered part of the technical proposal. The description of the AMELP is found on p. 15, Section F.4.A.6).

27. Attachment J.16 is included as a template for the Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP) that is to be included as Annex A. Would USAID please confirm that this template is only illustrative, that offerors may use their own formats for this annex, and that offerors need not provide every item of information required to complete this “initial government template”?

USAID RESPONSE: Yes, the template provided for the QASP is illustrative; the Offeror may use any format. However, the Offeror must still provide all information required by the QASP at the time of submission.

28. The evaluation criterion for Factor 1 cites “the degree to which the key factors and cross-cutting issues are addressed . . . .” To what does the term “key factors” refer? To what does the term “cross-cutting issues” refer? Are we correct in thinking these terms refer to the Statement of Objectives Sub-Purposes and Cross-Cutting Management Objectives respectively?

USAID RESPONSE: Yes, the key factors and cross-cutting issues refer to the Statement of Objectives.

29. The map included in the Statement of Objectives encompasses the entire country; it does not identify “the areas . . . that have the greatest potential for producing sustainable economic growth,” which is where the SOO says the Activity’s work will concentrate.

What are the areas where the Activity’s work should concentrate?

USAID RESPONSE: Per the SOO, these are nationwide programs, with activities in all 4 zones. The Map in the SOO is broken into four zones marked by the blue lines on the map. Offeror is expected to use best judgement in developing their technical approaches in their PWS.

30. What is the acceptable page size for charts (for certain charts (e.g. organization charts is 11 x 17).

USAID RESPONSE: No, they are not acceptable. See section L.4 for guidance.