SOL-615-13-000015_Questions_and_Answers.pdf

USAID/East Africa and USAID/Kenya Health Programs Questions and Answers

1. Can you tell me if there is an incumbent contractor currently performing work for this requirement? If so, could you please provide their company name and contract number?

There is no incumbent contractor currently performing this work.

2. Considering the geographical constraint of personally reviewing the document, I request you to provide us the following details before we buy the document:

1) List of Items, Schedule of Requirements, Scope of Work, Terms of Reference, Bill of Materials required.

Please refer to the solicitation on FedBizOpps.Gov.

2) Soft Copy of the Tender Document through email.

Please refer to the solicitation on FedBizOpps.Gov.

3) Names of countries that will be eligible to participate in this tender.

Please refer to Section C.5, entitled “Geographic Areas,” of the solicitation. Please also refer to the applicable geographic code in Section H. for source and nationality requirements.

4) Information about the Tendering Procedure and Guidelines

Please refer to the solicitation on FedBizOpps.Gov.

5) Estimated Budget for this Purchase

Please refer to Sections B.6 and B.7 of the solicitation.

6) Any Extension of Bidding Deadline?

Per the solicitation, the deadline for proposals is July 8, 2013 at 0800 Nairobi time.

7) Any Addendum or Pre Bid meeting Minutes?

Please refer to the solicitation on FedBizOpps.Gov.

3. Section L.5 Submission/Delivery Instructions (RFP page 59-60 of 72) does not detail instructions regarding desired font type and size, margins, and spacing requirements for the technical and cost proposals. Does USAID have any guidance on such formatting requirements?

Please refer to Section L.6 of the solicitation: “Technical proposals shall be written in English and typed, with each page numbered consecutively. Proposals must be legible and require no magnification.” It is up to offerors as to which font to utilize.

4. Section L.6 Instructions for the Preparation of the Technical Proposal (RFP page 60 of 72) notes that CVs of key personnel are limited to 2 pages each and are excluded from the 25 page technical proposal limit. Further, in the same section (RFP page 61 of 72) the RFP states “All CVs for key personnel must be included at the end of the technical proposal.” Can USAID please confirm that CVs of the three key personnel for Task Order 01 may be included as an Annex which also doesn’t count against the page limit?

Per Section L.6 of the solicitation, CVs of key personnel are not included in the 25 page limit;

however, each key personnel CV is limited to 2 pages and is to be included at the end of the technical proposal. This does not need to be an annex.

5. Section L.6 Instructions for the Preparation of the Technical Proposal (RFP page 61 of 72) states:

“The Key Personnel section for both task orders may contain small biographies…” Can USAID please clarify the reference to “both” task orders, as the RFP only includes an attachment for Task Order 01 (Attachment 1)? Is there a second task order to which offerors must respond?

Thank you for noting this error. There is only one task order, Task Order 01 (Attachment 1) to which offerors must respond. USAID has amended the solicitation to remove this error.

6. Section L does not provide guidance on annexes to the technical proposal which are often an important part of supporting an organization’s Technical Proposal. Are there specific Annexes that USAID wishes to see for the Technical Proposal or are they up to the Offeror’s discretion? USAID allow annexes to the technical proposal? Will Annexes be excluded from the 25 page limit for Technical? If the answer is yes, will they be provided to the Evaluators given the language in Section L.6 stating anything over 25 pages will not be provided to evaluators (p 60 of 72)

Annexes are not permitted. Any information offerors wish to convey through the technical proposal, must fit within the established page limitations in Section L.6.

7. Section L.7 (c) Instructions for Preparation and Submission of the Cost/Business Proposal - Part 5 Letters of Commitment (Subcontractors) (RFP page 62-63 of 72) states in bold “USAID discourages the use of exclusive agreements as this limits USAID’s, and Kenya’s, ability to receive the best services.” Will USAID please confirm whether this statement applies to potential U.S. subcontractors as well as local firms, or is meant for just teaming with local Kenyan firms?

It applies to all subcontractors.

8. Section M.2 Technical Evaluation Criteria (RFP page 64 of 72) states: “Price has been given evaluation points and will be evaluated in accordance with” and ends mid-sentence. Will USAID please provide more information regarding evaluation of Price by completing the sentence on page 64?

Thank you for noting this error. Price has not been given evaluation points. This reference in section M.2 has been removed in the amended solicitation. Please refer to Section M.4 for information regarding evaluation of price.

9. Section F.2. Place of Performance (RFP page 18 of 72) addresses that the place of performance under this contract is Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Zambia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia, Djibouti, and the Central African Republic, while Section B.4.

Price/Cost Schedule (RFP page 7 of 72) addresses that the fully burdened rates include associated costs and profit, including allowances.

a. Would USAID please clarify whether Offeror should prepare the fully burdened rates associated costs and profit, including allowances by averaging allowances’ rates from all of the 10 countries mentioned above or is there a different methodology USAID would prefer?

We have amended Section B.4 and F.4. If allowances are authorized via State Department regulations, the Contractor will be able to budget for them separately in the task order fixed price build up. However, no indirect costs or profit are allowed on the allowances. USAID anticipates that the number of task orders which this would apply to will be minimal.

b. Would USAID please clarify whether Offeror should prepare separate fully burdened rates associated costs and profit, excluding allowances when expat professional and support labor are not in country (i.e. when expat professional/support labor are in the US conducting desk study or writing reports)?

Please see 9.a. There should only be one labor category each for junior expats and senior expats.

c. Would USAID please confirm that Senior Local and Junior Local are not entitled of allowances?

Senior Local and Junior Local staff are not entitled to expatriate allowances.

10. Section L.7 (2) Task Order 01 addresses that Offeror shall propose a fixed price to perform all required work and shall include a breakout of the component costs, while Section B.4. Price/Cost Schedule (RFP page 7 of 72) addresses that Offerer should prepare fully burdened rates of the thirteen (13) positions listed on the RFP page 7 of 72. The burdened rates will be used for Task Orders (TOs) subsequent to Task Order 01. Would USAID please clarify that Offeror should submit one (1) Task Order 01 budget and one (1) price/cost schedule for this solicitation?

That is correct.

11. Under Task 01, can Kenyan and Third Country Nationals (TCNs) serve in the COP Key Personnel position? Or is there any particular Key Personnel position required to be filled by Expat only?

Kenyans are welcome to serve as key personnel as long as they meet the requirements noted in Attachment 1: Task Order 01, Section A.2. Please refer to Section H.24 for restrictions regarding Third Country Nationals (TCNs).

12. Can USAID share a copy of the latest CDCS?

USAID is only able to share a DRAFT of the CDCS Results Framework. Please see the attachment on FedBizOpps.Gov.

13. Under Attachment 2, “Tentative Assessment and Evaluation Plan 2013-2014”, “KEMSA Support Program Evaluation” is scheduled for “May-13 – June-13”; what is the correct estimated date for this evaluation?

This evaluation is no longer required. The RFP has been amended to remove this evaluation from Attachment 2.

14. Under Task Order 01, the office space is required accommodate 10 full time employees. Does this mean the cost should include the three (3) Key Personnel and seven (7) Non-key personnel to serve as the total core support staff.

Other than the requirement of the three key personnel, the composition of the core support staff is up to the discretion of the offeror. The intent of providing the estimated number of staff the office needs to accommodate is to only provide all offerorrs an idea of the office size needed. Please note the full sentence on page 67 states: “This includes identifying and procuring an office space that can accommodate ten full-time employees with capacity to accommodate an additional ten temporary consultants, as well as furnishings and office equipment.”

15. Section L.6 states, "The Key Personnel section for both task orders may contain small biographies of the proposed key personnel. All CVs for key personnel must be included at the end of the technical proposal." Would USAID confirm that CV's are only required for Key Personnel named in Task Order 01?

16. Confirmed.

17. Section L does not reference if SF1420 (Bio-Data sheets) are required for the Cost Proposal? If required, are these only for Key Personnel named in Task Order #1?

These are not required but are an example of what can be provided to justify labor category prices.

18. The RFP does not reference if Letters of Commitment from Key Personnel are required. Could

USAID please advise if these are to be included in the proposal?

Letters of Commitment from Key Personnel are not required.

19. Section L.7 (b)(2), Instructions for Preparation and Submission of the Cost/Business Proposal -

Part 2 - Proposed Costs - Task Order 1, states: Since this is a task order which sets up the administrative and core functions of the IDIQ, the offeror is not required to utilize the labor categories when developing the proposed price. As the statement of work for future task orders has yet to be determined, will USAID also allow offerors to propose additional labor categories on subsequent task orders?

No.

20. Section B.4 Price/Cost Schedule requests Offerors to provide fully burdened rates for various labor categories. Are the rates that are to be proposed fixed daily rates or are they ceiling rates for each of the labor categories. Additionally, as this is a 5 year contract, does USAID wish five

(5) separate schedules for Section B4, one for each year of the project?

The labor rates are ceilings. However, when proposing the prices for task orders, the contractor is not precluded from proposing lower prices, see Section F.4, than those in the schedule. Per Section L.7.(b)(1) five separate schedules are not required, since USAID requests annual escalation rates which will be applied to the base year in subsequent years.

21. For rates shown in Section B4, Price/Cost Schedule. is only one (1) schedule of rates (prime and subcontractors combined) to be submitted and not separate rates for the prime contractor and any international and/or local subcontractors?

Yes.

22. Section B.4 (page 7 of the RFP) states, “The above rates are fully burdened rates and include all associated costs and profit, including allowances.” Could USAID please clarify what “allowances” are to be included in this table? Various travel, moving and other allowances don’t lend themselves to becoming part of a daily rate, as they may be temporary in nature, and could depend upon the country of performance and specific circumstances.

Please see the answer to question 9.a.

23. Section L.6 (page 61 of the RFP) states “The Key Personnel section for both task orders may contain small biographies of the proposed key personnel.” Could USAID please confirm that this solicitation includes only on task order (Task Order 01).

Confirmed.

24. Section L.7 (page 61 of the RFP) states “Government furnished property will be provided to the successful offeror and is identified in the task order.” We cannot locate any such list and would request that it be furnished prior to submission as it could affect the overall cost of the task order.

Thank you for noting this error. The solicitation has been revised to remove this sentence in Section L.7.(b)(2). Government furnished property will not be provided to the successful offeror.

25. Section H.2. (a) (page 25 of the RFP) states, “The authorized source for procurement is Geographic Code 937…” but Section H.7 (page 27 of the RFP) states, “Unless otherwise stated in the task orders, the authorized geographic code for procurement of goods and services under this contract is 935.” Please confirm the geographic code for this procurement.

The geographic code is 935 unless otherwise stated in the task orders. The code referenced in H.2 is the standard language and states that the default code is 937 unless otherwise stated elsewhere.

26. Are annexes allowed in the Technical Proposal?

27. Section M.4 (p. 65) provides a formula for calculating estimated labor for the IDIQ.

a. How will the offerors’ budgets for Task Order 01, which are the only known costs of the contract, be considered in the cost evaluation? Per Section L.7 (page 61), we understand that the three key personnel for Task Order 01 do not need to fit the established labor categories, and therefore are outside the total labor costs requested in Section M.4.

The offerors’ budgets for Task Order 01 are not the only costs that USAID will evaluate.

Please read Section L.7.(b) carefully and note each offeror must submit labor category prices for the overall IDIQ and a fixed price for Task Order 01. Per Section M.4, price will be evaluated in accordance with FAR 15.404-1. We have added additional language in Section M.4 to help clarify.

b. If offerors are to propose budgets for Task Order 01, should the labor part of the budget include: (1) only the labor costs and allowances associated with the three key personnel specified in the RFP; or (2) the labor costs and allowances of the three key personnel plus the human resource, financial, and logistical/transport staff required to provide the required core services specified in Task Order 01?

Offerors must propose an overall price that is reasonable for the core services required to fulfill the scope of work for Task Order 01, including administration and support for the

IDIQ.

c. If offerors are to propose budgets for Task Order 01, should offerors include the costs of the proposed facilities (e.g., office rent, utilities, office equipment)?

Please see question 26.b.

28. Section L.6, Instructions for the Preparation of the Technical Proposal (. 61) instructs offerors that “The Key Personnel section for both task orders may contain small biographies of the proposed key personnel.” Only one task order (Task Order 01) was attached to the proposal.

Please clarify.

There is only one task order.

29. In Section L, Past Performance is included as part of Cost, but on in Section M, Past Performance (M.3.) is called out separately from Technical Evaluation Criteria (M.2.) and Evaluation of Price (M.4.). Does USAID desire Past Performance included in the proposal only as Part 3 of the Cost volume as described in Section L (page 61-62)?

30. On page 61, section L.7.b.1, the RFP states “The offeror shall proposed fully burdened daily rates for all labor categories identified in Section B.4 and shall include a breakout of the component costs. This includes a breakdown of the elements of the price.” Could USAID please describe the specific components it would like to see delineated?

The Offeror must provide a breakdown of all elements that the Offeror used to develop the price and provide a supporting narrative that sufficiently justifies the price.

31. On page 61, section L.7.b.2, the RFP states “The offeror shall propose a fixed price to perform all required work and shall include a breakout of the component costs. This includes a breakdown of the elements of the price.” Could USAID please describe the specific components it would like to see delineated?

Please see question 29.

32. On page 61, section L.7.b.2., the RFP states that “Government furnished property will be provided to the successful offeror and is identified in the Task Order,” but there is no discussion of Government furnished property or equipment in Attachment 1: Task Order 01. Could USAID please clarify any Government furnished property or equipment that will be provided to the offeror as part of Task Order 01, especially as it relates to the required office space?

Please see question 23.

33. On page 64, Section M.1.e., the RFP states “Price has not been given points,” but in section M.2.

below, the RFP states “Price has been given evaluation points and will be evaluated in accordance with”

a. Please clarify if Price will be assigned evaluation points.

Please see question 8.

b. Please clarify the end of the sentence in section M.2.

Please see question 8 and the revised RFP.

34. In section L.4.a. on page 59, USAID states that it anticipates 25 task orders per year, but on page 67 in Attachment 1: Task Order 01, USAID states that it anticipates “issuance of five task orders per month.” Could USAID please clarify which number is the correct monthly anticipated Task Order volume?

USAID anticipates the issuance of four task orders per month. The RFP has been amended to reflect this consistently.

35. Please confirm that USAID is asking contractors to prepare a budget for Task Order #1, as well as to provide loaded rates for the labor categories over the five year period.

This is correct.

36. Please explain what type of allowance costs must be included in the fully burdened rates since allowances vary by time, duration of assignment, location (danger pay percentage varies by location) and individual circumstances (some LT personnel may require an educational allowance).

Please see question 9.a.

37. Page 67 states, “In order to provide on-going monitoring, evaluation and verification support OPH and RHH under this task order, as well as on cross-cutting issues such as gender, the contractor shall provide qualified, experienced local staff to backstop each office.” Does the reference to “each office” suggest that Contractors are expected to furnish multiple regional offices? Or perhaps this refers to the Contractor’s home office and field office?

This refers to backstopping USAID/Kenya’s Office of Public Health (OPH) and USAID/East Africa’s Regional Health and HIV/AIDS (RHH) Office, both in Nairobi.

38. In evaluating minimum professional qualifications listed in Section B.4 Price/Cost Schedule, pages 7-8, would USAID consider a Ph.D. as basis for reducing the minimum number of years of experience for Professional staff?

39. The illustrative tasks listed in the RFP in Section C.3.1. Expected Task Order Services on page 12 suggest that this work may focus more on Program Development, Collaboration, and Learning, and less on project evaluations; is this interpretation accurate? We would be grateful if USAID could provide additional detail on the likely work to be performed in support of RHH and would also appreciate any guidance USAID can provide regarding possible activities in non-presence countries.

Please see Attachment II– a range of services are expected, including evaluation and other services as noted in Section C.3.1. RHH is likely to require a variety of services in Monitoring and Evaluation and Program Development, Collaboration and Learning. Examples of the types of support RHH may require in M&E include, but are not limited to, Data Quality Assessments and mid-term and end-term program evaluations. In Program Development, Collaboration and Learning areas, RHH may require – for example - support in documenting and disseminating lessons learned and successes in trans-national collaboration and programming as well as cutting-edge innovation and technology use to tackle entrenched health systems challenges across the region.

40. Section C.3.1 Expected Task Order Services on page 12 states that design and management of mid-term, performance, and impact evaluations are all anticipated work under this effort. There is a substantial difference in the effort required to develop task order proposals for impact evaluations vs. other types of evaluations and assessments, which would need to be accounted for under TO 01. In order to ensure that Offerors plan for the appropriate effort required under TO 01, can you please provide the anticipated number of impact and performance evaluations so that bidders may price accordingly?

USAID expects the contractor to have a team that will be responsive to task order requests as they occur. We do not expect to have a core team sitting idle waiting for task orders to be issued, but rather to have the capacity to respond to the task orders as they are issued. For pricing purposes, see Section L.4.(a) – USAID anticipates issuing an average of five task orders per month.

41. Section C.5 Geographic Areas on page 14 states that “contractor staff shall perform task orders in all the regions where OPH and RHH develop and implement their activities in Kenya and the East and Central Africa region.” Can USAID provide any additional guidance or estimates on the magnitude and location of work outside of Kenya?

Please refer to Section F.2, entitled “Place of Performance” for locations of work. TOs outside of Kenya will be determined based on a combination of planned RHH program support and ad hoc requests from LPCs and may go beyond the listed countries. We expect all work outside of Kenya to be task order driven. The revision of Section F.4 and B.4 with regards to allowances should remove critical uncertainties.

42. On page 14, Section C.4 Personnel Requirements it states: “The Contractor shall provide all necessary logistical support, including travel arrangements (with required USAID clearances)…and on page 23 Section G. Technical Directions/Relationship with USAID, item (6) “Obtain necessary security clearance…” We have the following related questions:

a. Can you please clarify what clearances are required?

For information on travel clearances, please refer to Section H.21. Section G.(a)(6) refers to security clearances that may be necessary if the contractor is required to access Government facilities.

b. Does this limit the nationality for any proposed personnel?

No, but please see Section H.24 in the amended RFP.

43. On page 59 in Section L.4 General Instructions to Offerors, it states: Multiple Awards: “USAID anticipates awarding one IDIQ and the first task order at the same time. USAID reserves the right award fewer awards than anticipated above. An average of 25 task orders per year are anticipated, but USAID reserves the right to award more or fewer based on need.”

However, on page 67 in Attachment 1: Task Order 01 A.1. Recruitment for Program Strategy/Design, Assessments & Evaluations, and Short- Term Technical Assistance (STTA) it states: “On average, this shall include issuance of five task orders per month” which would be 60 task orders per year.

Since this will be important for Offerors to determine the effort required to adequately respond to task order requests, can you please clarify the number of expected task orders per year?

Please see question 33.

44. On page 61 Section L.7 Instructions for Preparation and Submission of the Cost/Business Proposal, subsection (b) (2) Task Order 01 states: “The offeror shall propose a fixed price to perform all required work and shall include a breakout of the component costs. This includes a breakdown of the elements of the price. Offerors shall provide a narrative discussing the different elements to adequately justify the total price. Any assumptions should be clearly stated.

Government furnished property will be provided to the successful offeror and is identified in the task order.”

However, we did not find a reference to Government furnished property in Attachment 1: Task Order 01. Can you please clarify if any Government furnished property will be provided, and if so, provide a list of the property to be provided so that Offerors may plan accordingly?

45. Can you please confirm that USAID does not require the submission of NICRA or other documentation to support Indirect Cost Rates used in the calculation of the Fixed Burdened Daily Rates and/or Task Order 01 budget?

A NICRA is not, per se, required to be submitted. However, it is an example of what can be utilized to justify the fixed price/daily rate. Please note that per 48 CFR 9903.201-1(b)(15), Cost Accounting Standards are not applicable to this contract so offerors are able to propose lower indirect rates than their NICRAs.

46. Section M.1 General Information on page 64 notes that “non-cost factors, when combined, are considered more important than cost factors. Price has not been given points.” However, Section M.2 Technical Evaluation Criteria on page 64 states that “Price has been given evaluation points and will be evaluated in accordance with.” Can you please confirm that no points are awarded for Price?

Please see question 8.

47. On page 61 Section L.7 Instructions for Preparation and Submission of the Cost/Business

Proposal, subsection (b) (1) states: “The offeror shall proposed fully burdened daily rates for all labor categories identified in Section B.4 and shall include a breakout of the component costs.

This includes a breakdown of the elements of the price. Offerors shall provide a narrative discussing the different elements to adequately justify the total price. Any assumptions should be clearly stated.”

However, on page 70, Attachment 1: Task Order 01, Section C.3. Order of Precedence states: “If in the case the contractor’s proposal conflicts with any portion of the task order or the base IDIQ, the task order and/or the IDIQ shall take precedence.”

Given that Offeror’s assumptions will not be taken into consideration for interpreting the contract requirements, it would be helpful for USAID to be as specific as possible regarding pricing assumptions that Offerors should make. We have included below a number of questions and appreciate USAID’s consideration in providing any clarifications possible.

Okay, but USAID does not see any questions.

48. On page 7 in Section B.4. Price/Cost Schedule, regarding the fixed burdened daily rates, it states: “above rates are fully burdened rates and include all associated costs and profit, including allowances.” We have the following related questions:

a. Given that task orders may involve services in 10 different countries (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Zambia, DRC, Somalia, Djibouti and CAR), with allowances ranging from 0% to 35% for COLA, 15% to 35% for Post Differential and 0% to 25% danger pay, it would seem that if Offerors must include these allowances in the rates, USAID will end up paying unnecessarily for allowances when not needed. Would USAID consider allowing allowances, particularly since they are based on USG regulations, to be removed from the rates and included as other direct costs on a task order basis, only when required?

b. If not, can you please confirm that allowances included in the fixed burdened rates only refer to salary-related allowances and do not include the following travel related and other allowances:

Perdiem Housing Allowance Temporary Quarters Subsistence Allowance Education Allowance Separate Maintenance Allowance Education Travel R&R Shipment of Household effects Storage of Household effects

c. Given that most allowances are not provided for short-term experts, we respectfully request that USAID provide an estimate of the level of short-term experts vs. long-term experts that will be required under future task orders, in order to allow Offerors to provide realistic estimates of the probable costs of performance under the proposed labor rates.

49. Can you please confirm that Social Benefits should be included in the labor rates for “local” personnel?

50. In order to ensure that all Offerors are using the same assumptions we have the following questions regarding the Labor Categories included in Section B.4. Price/Cost Schedule on page 7:

a. Given that this is a regional project could you please clarify the definition of “local” and “expat” for the purposes of defining the individuals that will be included under the Labor Categories?

A “local” is a citizen of any of the countries of performance noted in Section C.5. An “expat” is anyone not a “local”.

b. For example, would a CCN from one of the regional countries posted to another one of the countries (eg. a Kenyan posted to Djibouti) be considered an expat or a local?

Local.

c. How should Offerors account for USNs who are living in country (for example, spouses of USG employees or other expatriates)? These individuals are usually not available at the salary costs of CCNs (and therefore would likely not be available to USAID under “local” FDRs) but do provide a lower-cost option than importing non-resident expatriate technical assistance, saving on the costs of housing and certain other allowances.

If these individuals are U.S. citizens, then they should be noted as expatriates in the labor categories; however, their labor category price should reflect this cost-savings.

51. Given that this contract covers activities in 10 different countries, with large variations in salary structure, and different regulatory requirements for the provision of social benefits in accordance with disparate local laws in each country, and that information does not currently exist regarding the level of activities that would take place in each country, we respectfully request that USAID consider the following alternatives:

a. Allow for different labor rates for different countries; or

b. Allow for the inclusion of CCN staff using CPFF pricing under future task orders.

The contracting officer has determined that all task orders under this IDIQ will be fixed price. There shall be no field offices outside of Kenya. The majority of work shall involve only short-term technical assistance to countries outside of Kenya. The labor categories simply reflect ceiling rates; therefore, the contractor is not precluded from proposing lower prices than those in the schedule.

52. Given the short turn around for the proposal effort, and that 10 countries are included, we respectfully request that USAID provide the Local Employee Compensation Plans (LCP) for each of the 10 countries.

Yes, see the attachments on FedBizOpps.Gov. Please note that South Sudan’s LCP is the same as Sudan’s, and Somalia’s LCP is the same as Kenya’s. USAID is not able to provide the LCP for the Central African Republic.

53. Attachment 2 includes a list of evaluations and assessments for 2013-2014, though the dates for potential assessments/evaluations through March of 2017. Can you please confirm that the evaluations and assessments listed in Attachment 2 will be undertaken under future task orders and are not expected to be part of TO 1?

54. Page 67, Attachment 1: Task Order 01 - A. Core Services Required states: “This includes identifying and procuring an office space that can accommodate ten full-time employees with capacity to accommodate an additional ten temporary consultants, as well as furnishings and office equipment.” We have the following related questions:

a. Can you please confirm that all Offerors must include in their budgets office space for 10 long-term and 10 short-term staff, therefore including computers, desks, and other furnishings and equipment for a total of 20 people?

Yes. However, please also see question 14.

b. TO 01 requests 3 long-term KP, however the above statement requires space for 10 LTTA. Are Offerors expected to propose 10 LTTA under TO 1?

Please see question 14.

c. If so, in order to ensure that all Offerors are proposing the same services, can you please provide a list of the other 7 positions required?

Please see question 14.

d. Are the STTA that would occupy the office space indicated above expected to be provided under TO1 or would they be provided under future TOs?

Additional personnel will be tied to future task orders.

55. Further down on page 67, Attachment 1: Task Order 01 - A. Core Services Required it states:

“The Contractor shall provide the services below under this task order. Contractor work plans for these Core Services shall be developed on an annual basis with OPH, and shall define the nature and number of various required assessments and evaluations.”

a. Are the work plans indicated above for services to be provided under TO 01 or under future TOs?

We have slightly amended the language to state that the plans shall be coordinated with the COR. Work plans would be for services under both TO 01 and future TOs.

However, the work under TO 01 is clear and USAID will not add work in the work plan to TO 01. Unless otherwise stated in a future TO, work plans will not be required for individual future TOs, hence the need to have the work planning covered out of TO 01.

b. If work plans are to identify services to be provided under TO 01, we respectfully request that USAID provide details of the required services in order to ensure that Offerors have sufficient information to permit realistic estimates of the probable costs of performance.

The requirements of TO 01 are clear.

56. On page 67, Attachment 1: Task Order 01 regarding A.1, Recruitment for Program Strategy/Design, Assessments & Evaluations, and Short- Term Technical Assistance (STTA), we have the following related questions:

a. “For all Task Orders (TOs) subsequent to this one, the Contractor shall recruit and deploy specialized technical or support staff, as outlined in the base contract.” Can you please confirm that the recruitment of these specialized technical or support staff would be through TO 01, but the provision of these personnel would be through future task orders?

b. “The Contractor shall maintain the staff necessary to efficiently and effectively provide oversight as well as human resource, financial, and logistical/transport support for all short-term staff to successfully complete their work under TOs.”

Can you please confirm that the actual transportation costs (which would vary significantly by task, and could include in-country or regional airfares, off-site car rental, perdiem, etc.) would be included in the future task orders?

Can you please confirm that actual logistics costs to implement the future task orders (which would vary significantly by task, such as coordinating survey efforts, or providing workshop/conference logistics, and are unknown at this time) would be included in future task orders?

c. “In addition to its international recruitment, the Contractor shall prepare, and update annually, a roster of qualified Kenyan and other East and Central African firms, organizations, and individuals available to provide M&E technical assistance and retreat /workshop/conference logistics, as needed.”

Can you please confirm that the costs of services to be provided by the Kenyan and East African firms, organizations and individuals indicated would be provided through future task orders and should not be included in TO 01?

57. On page 67, Attachment 1: Task Order 01 A.2 Personnel, it states: In order to provide on-going monitoring, evaluation and verification support OPH and RHH under this task order, as well as on cross-cutting issues such as gender, the contractor shall provide qualified, experienced local staff to backstop each office.”

In order to ensure that all Offerors are proposing against the same requirements, can you please provide a list of the offices that require backstops, the numbers of individuals required, and a brief description of the requirements for each position?

OPH and RHH. Please also refer to Section C.1. Offerors must use their judgment and creativity in determining how best to meet this requirement.

58. On pages 12 of the RFP Section C.2 Technical Services to be provided, paragraph 2 states: “The Contractor shall support OPH and RHH’s coordination beyond their implementing partners to include government ministries, other USG agencies and other development partners in Kenya and across East and Central Africa through regional inter-governmental institutions and regional actors that support overall USAID health and development goals.” We have the following related questions:

a. Can you please clarify if this coordination is expected to be provided through TO 01 or through future TOs?

Future TOs. This is part of what USAID can order off of the IDIQ via future TOs.

b. If through TO 01, can you please clarify what is required to perform this coordination?

See answer to 57.a.

c. Further to the above question, if through TO 01, are TO 01 staff expected to perform regional travel? If so, how much?

59. On page 12 of the RFP Section C.2 Technical Services to be provided, paragraph 2 goes on to state: “In addition, implementing this project in conjunction with various stakeholders –the host governments, local organizations, academia and the private sector ---to conduct surveys, collect data, and otherwise contribute to M&E tasks will directly contribute to the capacity building of local institutions.”

a. Can you please confirm that surveys, data collection and M&E tasks will be provided

b. Can you please clarify if capacity building of local institutions is required under TO 01 or

c. If through TO 01, can you please provide further information regarding the number and location of institutions that would receive capacity building?

d. If through TO 01, could you please provide additional information regarding what is expected in the form of “capacity building?”

60. On page 12 of the RFP Section C.2 Technical Services to be provided, the end of paragraph states: “The Contractor shall also assist the Mission with its public education goals by providing qualitative and anecdotal evidence on the effects of projects on the lives of individual beneficiaries.” We have the following related questions:

a. Can you please clarify if this is required to be provided through TO 01 or though future task orders?

b. If through TO 01, can you please confirm that the Offeror is not required to provide public education materials, rather only technical input for use in producing such materials (if desired)?

61. On page 12 of the RFP, Section C.3 Technical Requirements, C.3.1 Expected Task Order Services, under the section titled “Analysis and Assessments,” can you please confirm that the actual performance of the analyses, DQAs, data quality improvement plans, and other assessments would be performed under future TOs and are not included I TO 01?

62. On page 12 of the RFP, Section C.3 Technical Requirements, C.3.1 Expected Task Order Services, under the section titled “Program Design”, can you please confirm that the following activities will be provided through future task orders and are not include in TO 01?

“…technical assistance in the assessment and design of individual projects and activities, including analysis of relevant research, reports, evaluations and documents, drafting action memos, Program Activity Descriptions (PADs), Program Descriptions, Scopes of Work and other procurement related documents, and facilitating pre-bidders workshops for local partners.”

63. On page 12 of the RFP, Section C.3 Technical Requirements, C.3.1 Expected Task Order Services, under the section titled Project Management, states:

“This Contractor shall provide OPH with consistent, on-the-ground performance monitoring and reporting to technical Agreement Officer’s Representatives (AORs) and Contracting Officer’s Representatives (CORs) to enable them to more effectively manage their projects. The Contractor will perform this function for RHH as requested. The Contractor will also conduct reviews of specific activities, programs, and portfolios as a whole when directed by OPH and RHH.

Evaluations of achievements against specific or overall goals will also be coordinated as requested by OPH and RHH.”

Can you please confirm that Project Management services as stated above will be provided through future task orders and are not included in TO 01?

64. On page 12 of the RFP, Section C.3 Technical Requirements, C.3.1 Expected Task Order Services, under the section titled Evaluation, can you please confirm that the stated evaluation services would be provided through future task orders?

65. On page 13 of the RFP, C.3 Technical Requirements, C.3.1 Expected Task Order Services, under the section titled “Support Services” can you please clarify which of the following activities (if any) would be provided through Task Order 01, and if so, further information to provide assumptions for Offerors for inclusion in the TO 01 budget?

a. “Logistical and administrative support and facilitation services will be provided for OPH and RHH retreats, technical team meetings or internal capacity building exercises.”

How many retreats, meetings or capacity building exercises would be required per year?

What is required in terms of “facilitation services”?

Can you please provide an estimated average number of participants per event?

Please confirm that the Offeror would not be responsible for the provision of space for the meetings, retreats or capacity building exercises.

Please confirm the Offeror would not be responsible for participant costs (such as travel, perdiem, or refreshments if required).

Would the Offeror be responsible for the provision of meeting supplies (such as notepads, pens, or anything else)?

Is any travel for TO 01 staff required in support of these activities?

See answer to question 57.a.

b. “The Contractor will provide similar support at meetings and public events with implementing partners, government counterparts and other stakeholders for the purposes of planning, monitoring, evaluating or promoting programs and results and for strengthening south-to-south learning and regional collaboration.”

How many meetings/public events would be required per year?

What would be the expected locations of the events?

What is required in terms of “facilitation services”?

Can you please provide an estimated average number of participants per event?

Please confirm that the Offeror would not be responsible for the provision of space for the meetings/public events.

Please confirm the Offeror would not be responsible for participant costs (such as travel, perdiem, or refreshments if required).

Would the Offeror be responsible for the provision of meeting supplies (such as notepads, pens, or anything else)?

Is any travel for TO 01 staff required in support of these activities?

Please see answer to 57.a.

c. “The Contractor may also provide support on behalf of USAID/Kenya for the Secretariat of the Development Partners in Health/Kenya coordination group.”

What support would be expected to be provided by the Offeror through To 01 (if any) in support of this activity?

Please see answer to 57.a.

66. On page 13, Section C.4. Personnel Requirements, the RFP states, “The Contractor shall provide all necessary logistical support, including travel arrangements (with required USAID clearances), computer support, team planning facilitation, and report editing and dissemination,” and “The Contractor shall bear primary responsibility for procurement, personnel, reporting and other management related requirements of the contract.” We have the following questions concerning these passages:

a. Can you please clarify what is meant by “computer support”?

It means all computer hardware and software needs normally necessary to perform the required work, including appropriate connectivity.

b. Can you please confirm that any software or equipment that is specifically required in support of future task orders will be included in those specific task orders (apart from the work equipment required to support 10 long-term and 10 short-term personnel as specified in TO 01)?

Specialized equipment or software can be considered an other direct cost. However, this does not include normal computer support as described above, e.g. Microsoft Office software.

c. Can you please confirm that the costs associated with any report editing needed for a specific task order should be included in the corresponding task order budget?

We have added a category to encompass editors. Therefore, they can be budgeted per the requirements of Section F.4 via the labor categories.

d. Can you please confirm that the costs associated with any report dissemination needed for a specific task order should be included in the corresponding task order budget (particularly given that particular dissemination requirements for future TOs, such as numbers of copies, is not presently known)?

67. FAR 16.202-2 which discusses the application of the Firm Fixed Price contract type: “when the contracting officer can establish fair and reasonable prices at the outset, such as when—…

(a) There is adequate price competition;

(b) There are reasonable price comparisons with prior purchases of the same or similar supplies or services made on a competitive basis or supported by valid certified cost or pricing data;

(c) Available cost or pricing information permits realistic estimates of the probable costs of performance; or

(d) Performance uncertainties can be identified and reasonable estimates of their cost impact can be made, and the contractor is willing to accept a firm fixed price representing assumption of the risks involved.

The Scope of Work for this contract includes a number of items that would seem to interfere with the Offeror’s ability to identify realistic estimates of probable costs, with a large number of performance uncertainties, including:

If the location of services to be performed is to be determined—in any of 10 countries or regionally—Offerors would have no reasonable basis for assumptions of the relative requirements for salaries, social benefits and allowances by country.

If the level of required long-term vs. short-term technical assistance is unknown at this time, Offerors would have no reasonable basis for estimating the inclusion of social benefits, fringe benefits and allowances.

We therefore respectfully request that USAID reconsider the application of the Fixed Price Contract mechanism for this contract in favor of a Cost Plus Fixed Fee contract that allows for a higher level of uncertainty in the required scope of services, as seems to be indicated herein.

The Contracting Officer has determined that all task orders under this IDIQ will be fixed price, and based on recent history of implementing similar programs, this methodology has been successful. However, we have made some adjustments which remove a number of uncertainties, e.g. the change in how allowances are handled.

68. On page 32, the RFP states that “the contractor would be ineligible to furnish, as a prime or subcontractor or otherwise, the implementation services for any activities for which it provides substantial design services”. Is the government able to clarify that the preclusion would not apply to a sub-contractor who is part of a consortium on this contract but does not provide design services?

The preclusion would apply to the sub-contractor given the inherent relationship between prime and sub.

69. Would USAID clarify whether it would be possible for a prime contractor to subcontract design work? In such an instance, would the preclusion apply to both the prime and the subcontractor or just the subcontractor performing the design work?

It is possible for a prime contractor to subcontract design work; however, this would still preclude the prime contractor from performing design work.

70. Is the government able to confirm that performing work on this contract will not result in any other preclusions from an organizational conflict of interest perspective? In particular, if the contractor performs an evaluation on an existing project implemented by the contractor, would you confirm this would not preclude the contractor from a follow-on project even if we did not help with the design of the new project.

First, the Contractor would not be eligible to evaluate its own program. Second, the requirements of CIB 99-17 shall be followed. Please refer to Section H.16.

71. Is the government able to confirm that there is no obligation on the contractor to bid on every task order?

Please see Section B.8.

72. Is the government able to indicate in approximate terms, the likely split of work it expects under each of the headings in section C3.1 across the period of performance?

An exact split of time between the categories is not possible at this time. Please also refer to the breakdown of labor categories in Section M.4.

73. What is the identified Government Furnished Equipment?

74. Since this is a task order which sets up the administrative and core functions for the IDIQ, the offeror is not required to utilize the labor categories when developing the proposed price (page 61). How should we depict labor pricing?

This is up to the discretion of the Offeror. Please refer to Section L.7.(b)(2).

75. Given the percentage of use for each labor category, an example of calculating the “Senior Expat Health/Population/Nutrition/HIV-AIDS Analyst” is 5% of the estimated total number of days ordered under the IDIQ (e.g. 16,200). If, 5% of 16,200 equals 810. Then, you would spread the 810 days over a 5 year period equaling 162 days per year. Correct?

Correct. However, this is only an estimate for evaluation purposes.

76. Is there an incumbent?

Please see question 1.

a. Who is the incumbent?

Please see question 1.