Amendment_1_Eradicate_TB_Activity.pdf

AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION/MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT

1. CONTRACT ID CODE PAGE OF PAGES

1 4

2. AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION NO.

3. EFFECTIVE DATE 4. REQUISITION/PURCHASE REQ. NO 5. PROJECT NO. (If applicable)

6. ISSUED BY CODE 7. ADMINISTERED BY (IF OTHER THAN ITEM 6) CODE

Office of Acquisition and Assistance USAID Zambia

Subdivision 694/Stand 100 Lusaka Zambia

8. NAME AND ADDRESS OF CONTRACTOR (No., Street, County, State, and Zip Code)

All Prospective Offerors

9A. AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION NO. SOL-

SOL-611-14-000006

9B. DATED (SEE ITEM 11) 11/25/2014

10A. MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT/ORDER NO.

CODE: FACILITY CODE: 10B. DATED (SEE ITEM 11)

11. THIS ITEM ONLY APPLIES TO AMENDMENTS OF SOLICITATIONS

The above numbered, solicitation is amended as set forth in item 14. The hour and date specified for receipt of Offers is extended is not extended.

Offers must acknowledge receipt of this amendment prior to the hour and date specified in the solicitation or as amended by one of the following methods:

(a) By completing Items 8 and 15, and returning 1 copies of the amendment; (b) By acknowledging receipt of this amendment on each copy of the offer submitted; or (c) By separate letter or telegram which includes a reference to the solicitation and amendment numbers, FAILURE OF YOUR

ACKNOWLEDGMENT TO BE RECEIVED AT THE PLACE DESIGNATED FOR THE RECEIPT OF OFFERS PRIOR TO THE HOUR AND DATE SPECIFIED MAY RESULT IN REJECTION OF YOUR OFFER. If by virtue of this amendment you desire to change an offer already submitted, such change may be made by telegram or letter, provided each telegram or letter makes reference to the solicitation and this amendment, and is received prior to the opening hour and date specified.

12. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION DATA (If Required)

N/A

13. THIS ITEM APPLIES ONLY TO MODIFICATIONS OF CONTRACTS/ORDERS,

IT MODIFIES THE CONTRACT/ORDER NO., AS DESCRIBED IN ITEM 14

A. THIS CHANGE ORDER IS ISSUED PURSUANT TO: (Specify Authority) THE CHANGES SET FORTH IN ITEM 14 ARE MADE IN THE CONTRACT

ORDER NO. IN ITEM 10A.

B. THE ABOVE NUMBERED CONTRACT/ORDER IS MODIFIED TO REFLECT THE ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES (such as changes in paying office, appropriation date, etc.) SET FORTH IN ITEM 14, PURSUANT TO THE AUTHORITY OF FAR 43,103 (b).

C. THIS SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT IS ENTERED INTO PURSUANT TO AUTHORITY OF:

D. OTHER (Specify type of modification and authority)

E. IMPORTANT: Contractor is NOT is required to sign this document and return copies to the issuing office.

14. DESCRIPTION OF AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION (Organized by UCF section headings, including solicitation/contract subject matter where feasible.

The purpose of this amendment is to provided answers to questions received.

Except as provided herein, all terms and conditions of the document referenced in Item 9A or 10A, as heretofore changed, remains unchanged and in full force and effect.

15A. NAME AND TITLE OF SIGNER 16A. NAME AND TITLE OF CONTRACTING OFFICER

ADAM COX, CONTRACTING OFFICER

15B. CONTRACTOR/OFFEROR 15C. DATE

SIGNED

16B. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 16C. DATE

SIGNED

(Signature of person authorized to sign) (Signature of Contracting Officer)

NSN 7540-01-152-8070 STANDARD FORM 30 (REV. 10-83)

Previous Edition Unusable Prescribed by GSA FAR (48 CFR) 53.243

RFP No. SOL-611-14-000006, Amendment #01 Eradicate TB Activity

Answers to Questions – SOL-611-14-000006

1. Question: On page 14, 3rd bullet point under Sub-task 2.2, the solicitation states “The contractor must develop and implement a plan aimed at increasing TB and MDR-TB case detection among vulnerable groups…” Did you mean to say that “the plan to be developed is to be aimed at increasing drug resistant TB and MDR-TB case detection?”

so that it is consistent with the 3rd bullet under 2.2 Indicators that references “number of patients diagnosed with drug resistant TB and MDR TB”.

Answer: Yes

2. Question: On page 15, when referring to “drug resistant TB” in the 2.2 indicator, are you referring to any type of mono- or poly-drug resistance or just rifampicin-resistance?

Answer: The reference is to mono-drug resistance TB (MDR-TB) as the National TB Program reports MDR-TB.

3. Question: On page 15, under Expected Results, Bullet #2 states “Intensified and active TB/MDR-TB case finding among high-risk populations increased”. Are you requesting increased case finding for all TB among these vulnerable populations or just MDR-TB?

Answer: The request for increased case finding is for all TB.

4. Question: On page 17, Sub-task 2.4, Expected Results, Bullet #1 states “proportion of prisoners screened and successfully treated for TB increased”. Is the project to ascertain proportion screened and then successfully completing treatment or proportion initiated and then successfully treated?

Answer: The intention of project is to screen all prisoners in selected prisons (participating prisons) for TB. The measure of success is the proportion of prisoners screened for TB in these prisons. The contract also assumes that a number of TB cases will be identified through this screening and commenced on TB treatment. The measure of success will be treatment success among TB infected clients commenced on TB treatment.

5. Question: On page 17, under Task 3, Expected Results for Section 3.1, the second bullet reads “Pharmacists providing TB drugs to confirmed TB patients increased. ” Does this refer to stand-alone pharmacists (drug stores) in the private sector – a group that has not previously provided anti-TB drugs outside the government regulatory system.

Answer: The intention of the project in general is to increase private sector participation in TB control. The reference to pharmacy is just an example. It is up to the Offeror to suggest to USAID the private sector entities that will be engaged and the type of work that they will perform.

6. Question: Page 105 of the solicitation states, “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.” The two statements seem to contradict each other.

Please clarify.

Answer: Offerors must include the Branding and Marking Activities and Monitoring and Evaluation Activities on separate tabs highlighting the cost of these activities, and should not include them as separate line items in the detailed budget.

7. Question: Page 3 of the RFA, Section B.5 Ceiling on Indirect Costs, under Note 2 states “If the Contractor does not have a NICRA, all costs must be budgeted and billed as direct costs, and this provision is applicable.” However, on page 105, section L.8, under the bullet on Indirect Costs, it states, “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.” Is the P. 105 language just meant to clarify the basis for direct billing these indirect costs (in the case of those organizations without a

NICRA)?

Answer: Yes

8. Question: Does Page 105 Section L.8 mean organizations without an approved NICRA can propose one for this project?

Answer: Yes but it would be up to the Cognizant Contracting Officer to approve or not.

9. Question: Do certifications and representations need to be completed by all partners or just the prime?

Answer: All partners must complete certifications and representations.

10. Question: On Page 104, a copy of personnel policies is requested. We have several personnel policies; which ones do you want to see?

Answer: Please send them all

11. Question: Page 104 references the requirement to provide a total compensation plan.

How detailed and expansive does this plan need to be?

Answer: As indicated in the RFP please refer to FAR 52.222-46.

12. Question: Is the request for a total compensation plan over and above what is typically described at a high level in budget narratives?

Answer: See answer to question 11.

13. Question: For budgeting purposes, what month do you anticipate the project to start?

Answer: Second quarter of 2015.

14. Question: On page 45, you reference an environmental threshold. Has a preliminary environmental compliance threshold been established for this project?

Answer: All proposed activities to be implemented by the USAID/Zambia Health office have undergone an Initial Environmental Examination (IEE) to determine their effects on environment. The Offeror will examine the activities to be implemented under this program to determine effects on the environment. Based on this determination and guided by the IEE, the Contractor will develop and implement an Environmental Impact Mitigation Plan (EIMP).

15. Question: On P. 102 re: past performance, can the list of relevant projects include work funded through cooperative agreements as well as contracts?

Answer: Offerors may submit relevant acquisition and/or assistance awards (contracts, grants, and cooperative agreements).

16. Question: On Pg. 103, under Annex VII “Letters of Commitment,” would letters of support from key stakeholders/groups be acceptable for inclusion under this category?

Answer: Yes

17. Question: Given the Thanksgiving holiday upcoming, will USAID-Zambia consider extending the deadline to submit proposals?

Answer: No, USAID is comfortable with the timeline as referenced in the solicitation, and will maintain December 15, 2014 as the proposal due date.