IMPACT_Draft_Eval_Criteria_Submission_Instructions-_FedBiz_Opps_-_Oct20.pdf

Improving Prevention and Adherence to Care and Treatment (IMPACT) – Draft Requirements

EVALUATION FACTORS

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS AND EVALUATION EVALUATION

FACTOR DESCRIPTIONS

1. EVALUATION FACTORS

a. Factor Identification –This evaluation will evaluate the offerors by the proposals received in response to the Improving Prevention and Adherence to Care and Treatment (IMPACT) Request for Proposals (RFP) using the factors below. The award will be made to the overall best value proposal, considering both technical factors as well as cost/price factors.

USAID will use a trade-off process to determine which proposal best addresses the selection criteria. All evaluation factors other than cost or price, when combined, are more important than cost or price.

Order of Importance – Technical Approach is the most important factor, with Management and Staffing of secondary importance. Past Performance is more important than Organizational Capacity, but their combined values are lower than Technical Approach, Management and Staffing. Within the Technical Approach, the subfactors are listed in descending order of importance (Feasibility and Scalability of Approach, Capacity Strengthening Approach, Innovation, Approach to Collaboration, Performance Monitoring and Evaluation). Within Past Performance, Quality and Cost Control are the most important factors, followed by Schedule, Business Relations, and Management of Key Personnel in descending order of importance.

Factor 1 – Technical Approach

Sub-factor 1 - Feasibility and Scalability of Approach

Sub-factor 2 – Capacity Strengthening Approach

Sub-factor 3 - Innovation

Sub-factor 4 - Approach to Collaboration with Other Partners

Sub-factor 5 – Performance Monitoring and Evaluation Approach

Factor 2 – Management and Staffing

Sub-factor 1 –Management Plan

Sub-factor 2 - Staffing Plan

Sub-factor 3 – Key Personnel

Factor 3 – Past Performance

Factor 4 – Organizational Capacity

Factor 5 – Cost/Price

1.1 Factor 1: Technical Approach

1.1.1 Sub-factor 1: Feasibility and Scalability of Approach

a. Submission Requirements:

• Offer should propose approaches to SBCC programming that have a broad reach and scale to create significant public health impact in HIV/AIDS, Family Planning, Nutrition, MCH, and, Malaria. The proposed technical approach must be logical and demonstrate how the offeror would implement this activity in order to achieve the goals and objectives as described in the Statement of Work. The technical approach will demonstrate how the project will work within the Zambian context, and the social and contextual issues, inclusive of gender, to SBCC programming. The technical approach to SBCC programming must follow a proven model for planning, creative development, implementation, and evaluation, and should emphasize the ongoing engagement and participation of the primary audience and other key local stakeholders.

b. Evaluation Factor Description:

• The offeror articulates a high-quality SBCC approach that integrates gender considerations into programming, and is evidence-based and theory-driven, identifying and addressing specific drivers of health beliefs and behaviors at the individual, interpersonal, and collective levels at a broad enough reach and scale to create a significant public health impact;

• The offeror demonstrates how proposed SBCC activities will work appropriately within the Zambian context, the social and contextual issues, inclusive of gender.

• The approach to SBCC programming follows a proven model for planning, creative development, implementation, and evaluation, and emphasize ongoing engagement and participation of the primary audience and other key local stakeholders;

1.1.2 Sub-factor 2: Capacity Strengthening Approach

a. Submission Requirements:

Offerer should propose their approach to SBCC capacity strengthening, and how this approach will support successful handover of SBCC leadership to the Zambian government and the increased capacity of other Zambian institutions. The proposed technical approach to capacity strengthening must be logical and demonstrate how the offeror would implement this activity in order to achieve the goals and objectives as described in the Statement of Work. The technical approach will demonstrate how the project will work within the Zambian context, and the social and contextual issues including gender.

• The proposed approach is based on proven practices in capacity strengthening and uses a systematic approach; balanced development of technical and operational capacity; caters to the needs of different capacity strengthening beneficiaries; and utilizes multi-method, blended learning-based approaches; and works within the Zambian context, and the social and contextual issues including gender.

• Capacity strengthening activities address needs at the individual, institutional, and systems levels, and contain clear benchmarks and goals for transition and handover of SBCC leadership and responsibility to the Zambian government, in addition to measurable capacity building of other Zambian institutions in SBCC programming.

• The offeror displays a comprehensive understanding of government of Zambia structures as related to SBCC programming, the areas of need for increased capacity in the system, and the possible challenges in the development of SBCC systems.

1.1.3 Sub-factor 3: Innovation

Offerer shall propose new and bold key interventions and approaches to SBCC programming to achieve maximum public health impact. The offeror should also propose innovative and cost effective capacity building approaches for the GRZ health institutions.

Extent to which proposed innovative and cost effective interventions to SBCC programming; pilot, assess, adapt, and apply creative new, proven and promising innovations in capacity building and health communications from diverse fields, including SBCC, marketing, design, advertising, anthropology, social psychology, and behavioral economics

1.1.4 Sub-factor 4: Approach to Collaboration

The Offerer shall submit an approach to engaging, collaborating, and working with other USG and health sector partners, government institutions and private sector partners in the implementation of the activity, addressing capacity-strengthening needs at various levels and contributes to achievement of the project’s stated; Goal, Intermediate Results, and Strategic Priorities to ensure GRZ and local leadership in SBCC programming

• The approach details how the proposed interventions will collaborate with the different relevant stakeholders to design, implement and scale up social and behavior change communications interventions, and ensure sustained capacity building at a local level.

• The approach reflects a comprehensive understanding of the need to engage all major stakeholders in a substantive manner, in order to ensure GRZ and local leadership in SBCC programming.

1.1.3 Sub-factor 5: Performance Monitoring and Evaluation Approach

The offeror shall submit a detailed monitoring and evaluation plan demonstrating that the proposed approach is results-focused and attributes project SBCC and capacity building activities to impact. The approach should demonstrate the offeror’s approach to the integration of social and behavioral research into program planning and execution; and use of information systems to monitor the effect of interventions and changing dynamics of disease profiles and epidemiology within a country. The approach should also include details of how the offeror proposes to identify and track indicators related to gender equity, female empowerment, and increased participation of males in family health decisions.

• Extent to which the offeror clearly articulates how their monitoring and evaluation plan directly corresponds to the stated goals and objectives outlined in the technical proposal, ensures that the activity is results focused, attributes project SBCC and capacity building activities to impact, measures achievement throughout the project lifecycle for all components, and integrates gender considerations and indicators into planning.

1.2 .Factor 2: Management and Staffing

1.2.1 Sub-factor 1: Management Plan

The offeror shall submit a Management Plan with an explicit description of the distinctive roles and responsibilities of the prime contractor sub-partners and sub-grantees, and how they contribute to achieving impact and outcome priorities. The plan should include an overview of how activities and communication will be managed and coordinated between; the prime contractor, sub-partners, and/or sub-grantees, and the extent to which they intend to utilize local Zambian organizations. Due to the limited number of local organizations in Zambia with SBCC capacity, USAID strongly encourages the offeror not to require exclusive agreements with proposed Zambian organizations.

• The Management Plan is logically organized, realistic and responds to the technical requirements of the program.

• The Plan includes an explicit description of the distinctive roles and responsibilities of the prime contractor, sub-partners and sub-grantees, how they contribute to achieving impact and outcome priorities, and how activities will be managed and coordinated.

• The Plan demonstrates a rational, efficient use of resources and provides for a structure that will facilitate successful achievement of the desired programmatic results.

• The extent to which the plan maximizes cost-effectiveness, and relies on local resources to the maximum extent practicable by partnering with local entities, and/or implementing large portions of the project through local organizations. The reliance on local resources to provide technical and organizational leadership in the implementation and management of this award is of critical importance to USAID/Zambia.

1.2.2 Sub-factor 2: Staffing Plan

The offeror must submit a Management Plan with an explicit description of the distinctive roles and responsibilities of the prime Contractor sub-partners and sub-grantees, and how they contribute to achieving impact and outcome priorities. The plan should include an overview of how activities and communication will be managed and coordinated between; the prime Contractor, sub-partners, and/or sub-grantees, and the extent to which they intend to utilize local Zambian organizations. Due to the limited number of local organizations in Zambia with SBCC capacity, USAID strongly encourages the offeror not to require exclusive agreements with proposed Zambian organizations.

The Offeror must submit a staffing plan that includes an organogram with projected positions (key and non-key) and reporting relationships. The plan must discuss the division of responsibilities between in-country project staff, home office support (if applicable), and all proposed sub-Contractors and sub-grantees. The proposed staffing plan demonstrates clearly how proposed staff shall support the proposed technical approach to achieve results, and the extent to which they intend to utilize local, well-qualified Zambian professionals in leadership positions, in addition to technical and support staff, and short term technical assistance. The proposed staffing plan must maximize cost-effectiveness, and achieve gender equity in staffing.

CVs (of not more than three pages each) should also be submitted for Key Personnel and other proposed project staff members considered critical to the success of the project. Due to the limited number of local professionals in Zambia with SBCC capacity, USAID strongly encourages the offeror not to require exclusive agreements with Zambian proposed staff.

b. Evaluation Factor Description:

• The overall staffing plan and organogram is logically organized, realistic, and responds to the technical requirements of the program. The staffing plan demonstrates a rational, efficient use of resources and provides for a reporting, implementation, and operational support structure that will facilitate successful achievement of the desired programmatic results.

• The staffing plan demonstrates a clear division of responsibilities between in-country project staff, home office support (if applicable), short term technical assistance, and all proposed sub-Contractors and sub-grantees.

• The staffing plan maximizes cost-effectiveness, achieves gender equity in staffing on all levels. The staffing plan relies on local resources to the maximum extent practicable by employing local Zambian staff to carry out important leadership and professional functions and for short-term technical assistance.

1.2.3 Sub-factor 3: Key Personnel

• The offeror shall submit Curriculum Vitaes not to exceed three pages in length for four proposed key personnel. Proposed key personnel candidates should have at a minimum the skill requirements stated in the Key Personnel Section of the statement of work, and past performance reference that strongly support the candidate’s ability to accomplish the requirements of the position. Three professional references should be included for each proposed key personnel, inclusive of telephone and email contact information.

• The proposed key personnel and other proposed professional staff have the capability, experience, education and other qualifications for the designated work.

• The proposed key personnel should have a least the skill requirements stated in the Key Personnel Section of the scope of work.

• The proposed key personnel past performance references strongly support the candidate’s ability to successfully accomplish the requirements of the position.

• The proposed key personnel mix represents qualified local Zambian staff to the maximum extent practicable.

1.3. Factor 3: Past Performance

Relevant past performance is comprised of experience in: the implementation of social and behavior change communications (and/or health communications and promotion) with measurable health impact; development of local capacity and leadership SBCC programming;

and monitoring and evaluation of SBCC activities with a high level of quality and cost effectiveness in the below health intervention areas. Relevant programming in SBCC would be in Zambia, Southern Africa, or sub-Saharan Africa with a total program budget of $35.1+M, $25.1M - $35M, or $15M - $25M. Geographically Zambia and Southern Africa are of equivalent significance, and weigh higher than sub-Saharan Africa. Otherwise, the past performance variables are listed in decreasing degrees of significance

• HIV/AIDS

• Maternal Newborn Child Health

• Nutrition

• Family Planning

• Malaria

a. Submission Requirements:

Offerors shall provide detailed past performance information using the PPI Data Sheet included in the RFP for the ten most relevant current or previous awards performed within the last two years that are similar in size, scope, and objectives to what is described in the Statement of Work. Offerors must include the awards performed in sequential order and not select those awards with the best past performance information. Past performance information must be submitted for all sub-contractors. Each Offeror should submit no more than 10 past performance information data sheets for the entire prime/sub-contractor team.

Offerors shall not provide assessments of their performance on any referenced award.

b. Evaluation Factor Description:

The contractor performance information determined to be relevant will be evaluated in accordance with the elements below:

Quality of product or service, including consistency in meeting goals and targets:

(1) Cost control, including forecasting costs as well as accuracy in financial reporting

(2) Schedule, including the timeliness against the completion of the contract, task orders, milestones, delivery schedules, and administrative requirements (e.g., efforts that contribute to or affect the schedule variance).

(3) Business relations, addressing the history of professional behavior and overall business-like concern for the interests of the customer, including the contractor’s history of reasonable and cooperative behavior (to include timely identification of issues in controversy), customer satisfaction, timely award and management of subcontracts, cooperative attitude in remedying problems, and timely completion of all administrative requirements:

(4) Management of key personnel, including appropriateness of personnel for the job and prompt and satisfactory changes in personnel when problems with clients where identified.

(5) Management of key personnel, including appropriateness of personnel for the job and prompt and satisfactory changes in personnel when problems with clients where identified.

1.4 Factor 4: Organizational Capacity

Offerors shall provide a detailed description of their ability and experience in the development of effective partnerships with governmental entities, donors, organizational sub-partners, USAID implementing partners and other stakeholders to facilitate the design and implementation of effective SBCC interventions. The offeror should detail their institutional experience in designing, managing, implementing, and evaluating SBCC programs of similar size, scale, duration, nature, and complexity to promote behavior change with measurable impact, and sustained service utilization. The offeror should describe their background in capacity building and strengthening of local and government agencies to lead SBCC programming.

b. Evaluation Factor Description:

• The offeror demonstrates substantial institutional ability and experience in the development of effective partnerships with governmental entities, donors, organizational sub-partners, USAID implementing partners and other stakeholders to facilitate the design and implementation of effective SBCC interventions

• The offeror demonstrates substantial institutional experience in designing, managing, implementing, and evaluating SBCC programs of similar size, scale, duration, nature, and complexity to promote behavior change with measurable impact, and sustained service utilization. The offeror demonstrates an extensive background in capacity building and strengthening of local and government organizations to lead SBCC programming.

**Please note offerors are not required to have experience partnering with USAID implementing partners.

1.3 FACTOR 5: COST/PRICE

1.5.1 Contract Cost/Price

a. Submission Requirements USAID/Zambia intends to award a hybrid contract including a Cost Plus Incentive Fee CLIN for Capacity Building, Coordination, and Monitoring & Evaluation activities; a Firm Fixed Price CLIN for four deliverables; and an Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity – Firm Fixed Price CLIN for SBCC Campaigns.

For the CPIF CLIN for Capacity Building, Coordination, and M&E, offerors must submit the following information:

• (a) Part 1 - Standard Form (SF) 33 - The Offeror must submit the cover page (Section A) of this Solicitation [Standard Form (SF) 33, "Solicitation, Offer, and Award"], with blocks 12 through 18 completed, with an original signature of a person authorized on behalf of the Offeror to sign the offer.

• Target Cost, Target Fee, Maximum Fee

• Fee Adjustment Formula, above and below the Target Cost (minimum 80/20 required)

• A summary budget in Microsoft Excel with all formulas included.

• Budget narrative in MS Word (Times New Roman or Arial Font and minimum font size

11)

• A copy of the most recent Negotiated Indirect Cost Agreement for the prime and all proposed subcontractors (if applicable)

• A copy of personnel and travel policies

• Required certifications, assurances, and other statements

• Signed Contractor Employee Biographical Data Sheets (USAID Form 1420-17)

• A detailed/itemized budget in MS Excel with all formulas included. Offerors must include each line item listed below (as applicable to your technical proposal):

o Total Direct Labor o Salary and Wages o Fringe Benefits o Consultants o Travel, Transportation, and Per Diem o Equipment o Supplies o Subcontracts o Subgrants o Allowances o Participant Training o Other Direct Costs o Indirect Costs o Profit/Fee

Salary and Wages: Direct salary and wages should be proposed in accordance with the offeror’s personnel policies and meet the regulatory requirements. Costs of long-term and short-term personnel should be broken down by person years, months, days, or hours.

Fringe Benefits: Allowances and services provided by the contractor to its employees as compensation in addition to regular wages and salaries are allowable. If fringe benefits are provided for as part of a firm’s indirect cost rate structure, see FAR 42.700. If not part of an indirect cost rate, a detailed cost breakdown by benefits types should be provided.

Consultants: Services rendered by persons who are members of a particular profession or possess a special skill and who are not officers or employees of the contractor are allowable costs. Costs of consultants should be broken down by person years, months, days or hours.

Travel, Transportation, and Per Diem: Cost principles in the FAR and OMB circulars provide for costs for transportation, lodging, meals and incidental expenses. Costs should be broken down by the number of trips, domestic and international, cost per trip, per diem and other related travel costs.

Equipment and Supplies: FAR 2.101 provides for supplies as all property except land or interest in land. Costs should be broken down by types and units.

Subcontracts: FAR 44.101 provides for any contract entered into by a subcontractor to furnish supplies or services for performance of a prime contract or a subcontract. Cost element breakdowns should include the same budget items as the prime as applicable. All vehicles need to be purchased by the prime contractor.

Subgrants: Per the Statement of Work, Grants under Contracts will be a component of the resulting award. Include estimated costs of grants in the detailed budget.

Allowances: AIDAR 752.7028 provides for differentials and allowances with further references to Standardized Regulations. Allowances should be broken down by specific type and by person, and should be in accordance with offeror’s policies and these regulations.

Participant Training: AIDAR 752.7019 and ADS 253 provides for participant training and training in development. Costs should be broken down by types and participants.

Other Direct Costs: Various types of direct costs and many cost elements are allowable.

Costs should be broken down by types and units.

Indirect Costs: FAR 31.203 and FAR 42.700 provides for those remaining costs (indirect) that are to be allocated to intermediate or two or more final cost objectives. The indirect costs and bases as provided for in an offeror’s indirect cost rate agreement with the Government, or if approved rates have not been previously established with the Government, a breakdown of bases, pools, method of determining the rates and description of costs.

In addition to the detailed budget, Offerors must create a separate worksheet to highlight and summarize all anticipated costs attributable to Branding & Marking activities and Monitoring & Evaluation activities. The detailed budget will not include separate line items for Branding & Marking or Monitoring & Evaluation activities.

Branding and Marking Costs: ADS 320.3.6.3 states the costs of branding and marking are eligible for financing in contracts, if the costs are reasonable, allocable, and allowable in accordance with applicable cost principles. Such costs should be included in the total estimated cost or bid/offer price of the implementing partner.

Monitoring and Evaluation Costs: Per ADS 203.3.5, include costs of data collection, analysis, and reporting as a separate line item to ensure that adequate resources are available.

For the (1) SBCC Mapping and Gap Analysis Report, (2) SBCC Strengthening Milestone Development Plan, (3) Capacity Strengthening Assessment Report, (4) SBCC Strategic Plan deliverables, (5) Grants under Contract Manual, (6) Key populations health needs and Integration report, and the (7) Gender Integration Strategy deliverables, offerors must submit the following information:

•A firm fixed price summary budget in Microsoft Excel with all formulas included.

•Budget narrative in MS Word (Times New Roman or Arial Font and minimum font size 11) •A detailed/itemized budget in MS Excel with all formulas included. Offerors must include each line item listed below (as applicable to your technical proposal):

o Total Direct Labor o Salary and Wages o Fringe Benefits o Consultants o Travel, Transportation, and Per Diem o Equipment o Supplies o Branding and Marking Activities o Subcontracts o Allowances o Other Direct Costs o Indirect Costs o Profit

For the SBCC Campaigns IDIQ FFP CLIN, offerors do not need to submit information at this time. FFP cost proposals will be required in response to the attached SOW for the first campaign design and planning task order and an illustrative SOW for an SBCC campaign. The FFP proposal for the first task order will be used for final negotiations as USAID/Zambia intends to simultaneously award the first task order when the overall contract is awarded.

b. Evaluation criteria The CPIF cost proposal will be evaluated for cost reasonableness, completeness, allowability, allocability and the competitiveness of the target cost, target fee, maximum fee, and share ratio proposed. The FFP cost proposal will be evaluated for price reasonableness, completeness, allowability, allocability and the competitiveness of the profit proposed. These analyses are intended to determine the degree to which the costs included in the price proposal are fair and reasonable and reflect a reliance on local resources and the maximum practical allocation of resources to program implementation. An overall evaluated price will be determined and will be used as part of the tradeoff analysis in source selection determination.