SOL-641-13-000005_Amend_1.pdf

USAID/GHANA Feed the Future Agriculture Policy Support Project RFP No. SOL‐641‐13‐000005, Amendment No. 01

The following are responses to questions we received by the deadline. Please note that some questions are combined to avoid duplication.

Q1: Page 95, section L.6 states that the “cover page, executive summary, acronyms, and annexes do not count against the page limit.” Would USAID kindly confirm that a cover letter and table of contents page also will not count against the page limit?

A1: Cover letter and table of contents page will not count against the page limit.

Q2: Page 99, section L.6 lists the annexes in the following order: A, B, E, C, D, and F. Would USAID please confirm the order in which offerors should present their annexes?

A2: Offerors can present their Annexes in alphabetical order.

Q3: Would USAID please provide a copy of its Ghana Mission Local Compensation Plan?

A3: Please find attached.

Q4: Page 33, section F.2 indicates that, “the period of performance for this contract is five years starting [TBD] through [TBD].” To accurately estimate costs and budget accordingly, could USAID please provide an estimated start date for the contract?

A4: Estimated start date is September 2013 through August 2018.

Q5: Section C.1 on page 9 of the RFP refers to a “recent institutional assessment of public, private, agricultural research, and civil society organizations”. Can USAID provide Offerors a copy of this assessment?

A5: The institutional assessment of public private and CSO is attached herewith. However, the agricultural research institutional assessment is an internal document mainly prepared to inform USAID projects. Therefore, Offerors should use their information to develop their proposal. But, once the contractor is identified, this document will be made available to the winning Offeror.

Q6: Kindly confirm that the geographic code for this procurement is 935, as specified in section H.2 on page 46.

A6: The authorized geographic code for procurement of goods and services under this Contract is 935.

Q7: Section L.6, on page 98 (D. The Use of Local Partners and Enhance their Capacity) requests that offerors build the capacity of Ghanaian private and civil society organizations’ capacity as well as guide and assist local partners in the areas of financial management, organizational management, and overall business management and planning. In order to budget effectively, can USAID provide further information on how many local organizations offerors should work with?

A7: The Offerors must present their own estimates of the number of local organizations they will work with.

Q8: Given the importance of working with a variety of local organizations, can USAID confirm that local organizations should not enter into exclusive agreements with offerors?

A8: USAID does not require exclusive agreements.

Q9: To enhance readability of the business proposal, may we print excel budget sheets on 11 X 17 inch paper?

A9: Yes.

Q10: May the business proposal be printed double sided?

A10: Yes.

Q11: On Section L.7, page 101, can USAID kindly clarify what cost breakdowns it would like to see under “Grants under Contracts: Cost breakdowns for grants under contract.”

A11: Please use your own discretion on the cost breakdown of small grant funds and how you would manage the GUC.

Q12: L.6.C.2 “The offeror must submit fully completed and signed USAID Biographical Data Sheet (AID Form 1420-17) for each proposed key staff member.” Does this mean we ONLY need to submit EBDs of Key Personnel?

A12: Please submit Biographical Data on each proposed key personnel using AID Form 1420- 17.

Q13: F.6.1 “The COP requires Minimum of 5 years’ experience as chief of party on projects of similar complexity, with experience in managing teams of professionals, and with the administrative, procurement, hiring, recruitment, financial and logistical aspects of project implementation.” Can experience in roles similar to that of COP (i.e., Country Director, Team Leader, etc) be used to count toward the 5 years?

A13: Yes.

Q14: Section F.6.1, page 39 of the RFP notes the Chief of Party must have a “minimum of 5 years’ experience as chief of party on projects of similar complexity...” Would USAID consider a candidate with 5 or more years of experience on projects of similar complexity, with experience managing teams of professionals, and with the administrative, procurement, hiring, recruitment, financial and logistical aspects of project implementation, with the title of “country representative,” as equivalent and acceptable for the COP position?

A14: Yes.

Q15: H.4. Authorized Work Day/Week. The six day work week guidance for STTA is unclear.

Can USAID please confirm that a six day work week is approved for STTA?

A15: This is to confirm that a six day work week is approved for STTA.

Q16: L.7.C.9. Information Concerning Work-Day, Work-Week, and Paid Absences, the states that the Contractor and each subcontractor must submit information. Is this requirement just for each major subcontractor or all proposed subcontractors?

A16: Yes, for each major subcontractor.

Q17: Section J. Attachment 3 of the RFP includes SF LLL – Disclosure of Lobbying Activities.

This form is not listed in the required elements of the cost/business proposal in Section L.7.

Could USAID please confirm that this requirement is only for the Prime Offeror?

A17: This is for Prime Offeror to be submitted as part of cost proposal.

Q18: Section K. Representations, Certifications, and other Statements of Offerors. Could USAID please confirm that this requirement is only for the Prime Offeror?

A18: This requirement is for Prime Offeror and each subcontractor. See section L.7.C (page

102) of the RFP.

Q19: Would USAID please provide offerors an exchange rate to use for budgeting purposes?

A19: Offerors must use the prevailing official exchange rates for their budgeting purposes.

Q20: Annex A has a page limitation (as guided by Section L.6.B on page 97); are there page limitations for Annexes B through F?

A20: No

Q21: International couriers often need a destination phone number in order to ensure accurate delivery. Could USAID/Ghana please provide a phone number for this purpose?

A21: (233) (302) 741 272

[END OF RFP AMENDMENT]