Amendment 01

Questions and Responses SOL-663-10-000001 “USAID/Ethiopia Health Infrastructure Program”

TECHNICAL:

Q1. Section C.3, Page 13. second paragraph: It is stated that “The IQC contractor will not undergo any design work under this contract.” This is understood in the case of new health centers. In the case where the IQC contractor has completed assessments leading to recommendations for reconstruction or rehabilitation, please indicate anticipated process for completing the required design work.

R1. USAID/Ethiopia envisions using the already existing A/E IQC for all design works anticipated during the implementation of the Construction IQC. As stated in the RFP, the construction IQC contractor is not supposed to perform design work.

Q2. Section C.3, Page 13. last paragraph of Implementation and mobilization subsection reads: ”Specific implementation and mobilization plans for the construction and renovation works will be developed by the Contractor under Task Order # 1 for COTR review and approval.” Does this imply that USAID expects subsequent Task Orders will be ready to go shortly after IQC award?

R2. TO#1 will be awarded concurrently with the IQC contract. Subsequent TOs will be issued thereafter.

Q3. Section C.8, Page 15. Please clarify whether Performance and Payment Bond language pertains to the construction portion of individual task orders under the IQC, the entire task order price or some other value.

R3. The Performance and Payment Bonds are applicable to the entire IQC.

Q4. Section F.5, Page 22. Please clarify the procedures anticipated for issuance of RFTOPs, and award of Task Orders. The language in this section, particularly under subsection b) seems to refer interchangeably to RFTOPs (Requests for Task Order Proposals) and the Task Orders themselves. This comment also applies to section F.8 on page 25 which appears to be missing steps that relate to the submission of a Task Order Proposal.

R4. On section F.5 - As all subsequent Task Orders are issued in reference to the basic IQC, USAID’S request for Task Order Proposal shall be addressed directly to the basic IQC holder. These individual task orders shall clearly describe all activities to be performed. The statement in the RFP with regard to RFTOP is also not ambiguous.

On section F.8 - The detail procedure regarding the submission of a particular Task Order Proposal shall be described on each RFTOP.

Q5. Section F.6, page 23. There are significant differences between the requirements (minimum qualifications) for the PM as stated in this section and those stated for the PM n the TO#1 SOW on page 104. Please clarify.

R5. Section F.6. c, 2nd paragraph, delete the following statement “with at least 10 years experience in the construction industry, with a portion of this experience in developing countries, shall have at least 5 years experience in health facility construction work” and replace with “with a minimum qualifications specified in TO#1 SOW”, Q6. Section F.8, page 25 (see question 4 above). Also, since the Contractor may be required to conduct a site visit and perform a site survey, will this be billable under TO #1 or does USAID expect this to be non billable as per the language in Section F.5. A). (4) on page 22.

R6. Costs incurred while performing site visits and site surveys are allowable costs and could be chargeable to TO#1.

Q7. Section F.9. Page 26. Under the subsection Government Review Comments, are we correct in assuming that both the 10 day period and the 5 day periods refer to Working Days?

R7. Yes, these refer to working days.

Q8. Section F. 12.1. Page 34. Please clarify and provide examples relevant to the Ethiopian context of what is meant by “foreign government-owned organizations.

R8. This refers to any “foreign government-owned organization”. There are organizations in Ethiopia that are owned by foreign governments.

Q9. Section F. In general - Please clarify acceptance procedures of completed construction work. Who is the Project Owner? What are the relative roles of the Government o Ethiopia vis a vis USAID with regard to acceptance, warranty period, claims, the forum for claims and their resolution?

R9. USAID/Ethiopia through its Contracting Officer is the owner until final closeout.

FAR clause 52.246-12, Inspection of Construction, states that "...the Government shall accept, as promptly as practicable after completion and inspection all work required by the contract....” This clause is incorporated in the RFP for your reference.

USAID/Ethiopia Contracting Officer is responsible for acceptance of the completed work. After acceptance, USAID will turn the completed project over to the Government of Ethiopia (GOE) Authority.

The warranty is a contractual requirement for one year from date of final acceptance (FAR clause 52.246.21 warranty of construction is incorporated), if the GOE has a problem with the construction during the warranty period, they will contact USAID/Ethiopia through the Contracting Officer who will follow up with the construction contractor. In short, USAID/Ethiopia is the owner until turned over to the GOE. But we (USAID/Ethiopia) are still the "owner" as regards the warranty since it is a USAID contractual requirement.

Q10. Section H.21. Page 44. Related to question 9 above, the language in Section H appears to have been crafted for the case of U.S. Government ownership of the completed/delivered construction. Please clarify is the U.S. Government is to be regarded as the project owner during the Warranty period?

R10. See R#9 above.

Q11. Section L.1 Page 75. This section refers to approximately 65 new health centers to be constructed, 3-5 warehouses, and approximately 300 health centers to be rehabilitated. Please reconcile this with the language in section C.1 which indicates that the goal is to construct approximately 85 health centers, 9 warehouses, and renovate approximately 100 health centers.

R11. Section L.1 Page 75, delete 65, 3-5 and 300 and replace with approximately 85, 9 and 100 respectively.

Q12. Section L.9. Page 85. This language indicates that COP is “one of the key personnel” for TO #1. Does USAID consider the COP and the Program Manager (as shown in section F and the TO#1SOW) positions to be one and the same?

R12. Yes.

Q13. Attachment 8 - Cost/Price Evaluation Matrix, LOE breakdown is to be provided under Note 4, but no LOE breakdown is shown. However, Attachment 11 provides LOE, can USAID please confirm that we are to cost TO 1 based on the LOE in Attachment 11? If so, can USAID please confirm if offerors may deviate from the LOE estimates provided in Attachment 11 if their technical approach to Task Order 1 would be more effectively implemented using a different staffing configuration?

R13. Illustrative LOE is given on attachment 11. However, offerors may deviate from the LOE provided in attachment 11 if they think the activity would be more effectively implemented using a different staffing configuration.

Q14. According to I.1, this IQC is a hybrid contract that will issue Firm Fixed Price and Cost Plus Fixed Fee type contracts. Attachment 9- Statement Of Work for Task Order #1 says the TO will be CPFF Term. Can AID please clarify, is this IQC a hybrid that utilized Firm Fixed Price and Cost Plus Fixed Fee term type contracts? Will some contracts also be cost plus fixed fee completion type contracts?

R14. Yes, this IQC will be a contract under which either Firm Fixed Price or Cost Plus Fixed Fee Task Orders will be issued. TO#1 will be CPFF Term. However, subsequent TOs will be either CPFF Term/Completion or FFP.

Q15. H.3 says that salaries and wages may not exceed the Contractor’s established policies and practices, but also says that any annual salary increase above 5% requires CO approval. Can USAID please clarify, as H.3 conflicts with I.18, AIDAR 752.7007, which says that direct compensation is in accordance with the contractor’s policies, and that Contracting Officer approval is required if the salary exceeds the USAID CST .

R15. There is no conflict between H.3 and I.18. H.3 refers to and says any annual salary increase above 5% requires CO approval and I.18 refers to reimbursable maximum ceiling which exceed the USAID Contractor Salary Threshold (USAID CST).

Q16. L.7 Delivery Instructions part (c) states that the mailing address for submission is specified in SF 33. However the address provided is via Washington DC rather than a direct mailing address in Ethiopia. Part (e) which would provide the US mail service or hand carry address is blank. Can USAID please clarify where hard copies of the proposals are to be sent by providing the exact street address?

R16. Section L.7 (e) Mailing Addresses, add the following:

If Sent via U.S. Postal Service: - U.S. Agency for International Development

Office of Acquisition & Assistance 2030 Addis Ababa Place Washington D.C. 20521-2030

Hand-Carried, or via Courier Service:

U.S. Agency for International Development

Office of Acquisition & Assistance Riverside Building Off Olympia /Haile G.Selassie Road Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Q17. The instructions in L.8 for the IQC proposal state that the technical proposal must be 30 single sided pages. Would USAID allow the technical volume to be printed double sided to conserve paper?

R17. Yes. Technical proposal may be printed double sided but must not exceed 30 pages both sides counted.

MISCELLANEOUS:

Q1. Is there an incumbent contractor currently providing these services?

R1. Currently there is no incumbent contractor working on “Health Infrastructure Program” in Ethiopia. The Crown Agents USA contract for renovation of health posts and centers ended December 2009.

Q2. Is there a program officer associated with this program?

R2. A Contracting Officer’s Technical Representative (COTR) will be designated by the Contracting Officer at the time of award. The COTR will be responsible for technical oversight and program management of this contract.

Q3. We are in need of clarification; In an effort to project contractor staff salaries, please define when disbursements would be made to the winning vendor and at what amounts? This will help us to determine when and how we will be able to pay for expenses over and above the IQC Tasks.

R3. We anticipate an initial obligation of $5,000,000 at the time of award. The winning contractor will be authorized to incur allowable, allocable, and reasonable costs under this contract effective from the date the contracting officer signs the contract and seek for reimbursement at a later time.

- END OF AMENDMENT 01 TO SOL-663-10-000001 -