SSQH_SOLICITATION_QUESTIONS_AND_RESPONSES_ADDENDUM_Mod_2.pdf

SSQH SOLICITATION QUESTIONS AND RESPONSES ADDENDUM

1) Regarding Contract 3, page. 9: The project SSQH will “support geographic areas through the delivery of a package of primary healthcare services, defined within the draft MSPP Essential Package of Services ... 4) Family Planning (FP).” Will the contract award take into account the necessity to provide a higher level of support to these areas to improve their capacity to deliver these services, since they - the targeted zones (ZC) - may require additional capacity building to reach the level of the sites in the USG development corridor?

The SSQH project provides direct service delivery support for facility-based sites specified within the RFP announcement. Additional support is provided for technical assistance (TA) at the departmental level, as specified under Objective 4 of the solicitation. Additional TA is provided for support to the referral networks, as defined under Objective 2. The project will not support additional levels of technical assistance, unless otherwise explicitly stated within the RFP announcement.

2) Does the following statement rule out the use of private funds (sources other than US government funds) for supplemental payments to GOH employees? "Contractors shall not enter into direct subcontracting relationships with GOH entities or directly pay the salaries of GOH civil servants".

Comingling of private funds and USAID funds is not allowed for this contract. Therefore private funds shall not be used as supplemental payments to GOH employees.

3) In cases where certain relevant program activities already exist under other USG agency grants, how is it determined under which contract/grant service delivery targets met are reported?

It is expected that contractors supported under SSQH will work with the USAID/Haiti Monitoring and Evaluation leads to develop Performance Monitoring Plans (PMPs) with appropriate targets.

4) On p. 118, the RFP states that the “Performance monitoring and evaluation plan (see Attachment G: for PMP and Attachment J: for Work Plan Templates) shall include periodic (semi-annual) and end-of-project indicators and targets to measure the progress of the proposed activities and the achievement of results.” The PMP Summary Table template in Attachment G only has columns for annual targets for FY2012, FY2013 and FY2014. Should applicants modify the PMP Summary Table template to include semi-annual targets?

It is expected that contractors supported under SSQH will work with the USAID/Haiti Monitoring and Evaluation leads to develop Performance Monitoring Plans (PMPs) with appropriate targets. For the purposes of proposals, it is sufficient to solely propose annual targets for the period of contract performance. Semi-annual target setting will be based on discussions between SSQH contractors and USAID CORs as a benchmark for ensuring traction in reach annual performance targets.

5) On p. 44, the RFP states that “for certain new components like gender-based violence and child protection, basic critical care services, community-based activities, referral networks, institutionalization of key management practices, and strengthening departmental health authorities’ capacity to manage and monitor service delivery, the contractor must conduct its own baseline survey.” Should the proposed budget for the project include costs for the baseline survey, or does USAID intend to fund this separately?

The costs for conducting these baseline surveys should be included in the proposal budget.

6) On pp. 27-28 of the RFP, several expected results for Objective 1 are expressed as percentage increases. For indicators that are proportions or prevalence rates (e.g. 10% increase yearly in the percentage of women of reproductive age using a modern family planning method from baseline to endline), please confirm that this refers to a percentage increase from the current value (e.g. from 30% at baseline to 33% in Y1), rather than an increase of actual percentage points (e.g. from 30% at baseline to 40% in Y1).

For indicators that are proportions or prevalence rates, targets will be a percentage increase (or decrease where appropriate) from the baseline value.

7) The RFP does not mention an endline survey. Does USAID plan to commission an external evaluation of the project? If not, is the applicant expected to include the costs of an endline survey in the proposed project budget?

A midterm evaluation can be an effective measure of project performance, informing corrective measures that may be necessary to ensure attaining the project objectives.

This should therefore be included in the project proposal (and budget). It is the intention of USAID to conduct an end-of-project external evaluation. Therefore, an end of project evaluation should not be included in the proposal (or budget).

8) The RFP (Reference Table 1 in Section C.I on pages 8-9) states that USAID anticipates awarding up to 3 contracts, divided by geographic areas. The technical instructions (reference Section L.8.(d)5 on page 115) allow Offerors who are bidding on more than one geographic area to utilize 2 additional pages in their proposal (per region) to discuss relevant “geographic considerations,” and the cost instructions (reference Section L.9 (b) 2 on page 119) direct Offerors to submit a separate budget for each geographic region.

However, the RFP does not grant additional pages for discussion of additive Key Personnel (who would implement activities in additional geographic areas). Please confirm that Offerors may include additional pages in their Key Personnel and Staffing Plan section for such a discussion if they are bidding on more than one geographic area.

Please see RFP Modification #1.

9) Section C.2. III of the RFP (page 25) states that financial support to community organizations through small grants (Grants under Contracts) shall be used to enhance participation of the community in health-seeking behaviors.

a. Please clarify that USAID envisions a grants under contract mechanism under SSQH.

USAID has removed the language on Grants under Contracts on page 25.

Grants under Contract will not be authorized for this contract.

b. If so, please confirm that the grants under contract clause will be added to section H of the contract, and that Offerors should include Grants in the Standard Cost Elements on page 122 of the RFP.

c. Will USAID provide a plug figure for the grants activity?

d. Please clarify that on (page 19 paragraph 3) that the Grant monies are the same mentioned as the funds that are anticipated to be passed through to NGOs or public facilities. If these are considered to be separate funds can you provide a plug figure for this activity?

10) Can USAID provide the F indicators?

The list of F indicators can be found at the following website, http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/115255.pdf

11) Section L.8 of the RFP (page 113) states that a cover page, table of contents, and attachments are excluded from the page limit for the technical proposal. Please confirm that items such as a transmittal letter and table of acronyms will also be excluded from the page limit.

A transmittal letter and table of acronyms will not be included in the page limit.

12) Please confirm that the Executive Summary, required under Section L, page 115 of the

RFP, is excluded from the page limit for the technical proposal.

The Executive Summary is included in the page limit.

13) Section L.8.(d).9 (Past Performance – page 117) lists “purpose of award” as one of the required project details. Please clarify if this refers to the title of the referenced project.

“Purpose of Award” refers to the title of the award, as well as a brief summary of the project.

14) Section L.8.(d).9 (Past Performance – page 117) states that contractors must provide past performance information as an attachment. Please confirm that there is no past performance narrative required within the 25-pages of the Offeror’s Core Proposal.

A summary Past Performance narrative shall be provided in the core proposal. This is clarified in Mod #2 of the RFP.

15) Section L.8 requires submission of past performance information for the prime offeror, as well as all proposed (non-service delivery) subcontractors. Each team member may submit information on up to 5 projects, and for each of these projects, they must submit a total of twelve pieces of information (combining the lists on pages 117 and 118). Given the amount of information requested, would USAID consider increasing the page limit on the past performance attachment?

USAID will not adjust the page limit for the Past Performance attachment. Please note this section requires a list of previous contracts with minimal contact information and description of work performed and results achieved, which is not viewed as being page intensive.

16) Section L.8.(d).9 (Past Performance – page 117) directs contractors to provide information for itself and each subcontractor in the form of a list that includes specific information regarding relevant project experience. However, the information requested here does not match that which is requested in the instructions for the Past Performance Attachment (item d on page 118). Please clarify the information that should be submitted.

Language is clarified in Mod #2 of the RFP.

17) Section L.8 (d) 11 (b) of the RFP (Attachments, page 118) states that Offerors are to use Attachment G to submit their Performance Monitoring and Evaluation Plan. Given the 10-page limit for this attachment, please confirm that Offerors may submit Sections I-V of the template with their proposals, reserving Section VI (the Indicator Reference Sheets) for use in the Final PMP, which would be submitted as part of project startup.

Offerors may submit Sections I-V of the template with their proposals.

18) Section L.8 d(11) The instructions for preparing the Proposal Attachments (page 118 of the RFP) refer to both RFP Attachments G and J (PMP and WorkPlan) under Proposal Attachment B – Performance Monitoring and Evaluation Plan. Please confirm that Offerors should use RFP Attachment J – Workplan – when preparing Proposal Attachment A, Implementation Schedule.

Yes, Offerer(s) should use Attachment J-Workplan when preparing the Implementation Schedule.

19) Section L.9.b of the RFP (page 119 – Proposed Costs/Prices) states “The Offeror shall provide a separate budget for each geographic award it is applying for.” Please confirm that Offerors are not also required to submit separate budget narratives and supporting documents for each geographic region.

USAID does not require three budgets; however Geographic Regions need to be clearly separated within the proposed budget.