RESPONSE_TO_CLARIFICATION_QUESTIONS_UNDER_RFP_-_SOL-663-16-000002.pdf

RESPONSE TO CLARIFICATION QUESTIONS UNDER RFP # SOL-663-16-000002

1. Question: USAID’s responses to questions 4, 13, 26 and 54 references www.fbo.gov as the location of background documents made available to offerors. Though some documents have been added to the fbo.gov page for this opportunity, the documents mentioned in the questions above have not. Can USAID clarify the location and availability of these documents and, if possible, post them to the opportunity page?

Answer: The following additional documents have been posted and this concludes the listing of documents under this RFP.

a. Agriculture commercialization clusters (ACC);

b. AGP II ATA Project Implementation Manual (PIM);

c. Agriculture Transformation Agenda;

d. ATA Roadmap to Strengthen Agriculture Sector Planning and M & E Systems;

e. Table for Distribution of USAID Feed the Future Ethiopia activities and AGP I and AGP II locations;

f. New Alliance Consolidated Policy Recommendations.

2. Question: USAID’s revised targets for output 2.5, Value of Exports ($USD millions) far exceed the targets for Sub-purpose 2, Value of Incremental Sales ($USD millions). Can USAID confirm that exports are a sub-set of incremental sales and that targets for these two indicators should be reversed?

Answer: It is USAID’s position that exports can be the subset of the total sales but not the incremental sales, therefore the targets are not revised.

3. Question: USAID’s response to question 88 indicates that local subcontractors cannot compete for GUCs. Can USAID confirm that this is intended to apply only to Ethiopian consortium partners, who are slated for a long-term role in project implementation?/

Answer: All the local subcontractors engaged under the resultant contract will not participate on the Grands under Contract program.

4. Question: Can USAID further confirm that GUCs may be used to engage Ethiopian service providers, selected on a competitive basis after award, to provide targeted support to Activity beneficiaries?

Answer: Yes, however they cannot be engaged as subcontractors under the contract and at the same time be engaged on the Grands under Contract program.

5. Question: USAID’s response to question 102 would appear to create a conflict by mixing technical and cost information. Can USAID confirm that EBDs, which include cost information, http://www.fbo.gov/ should be included in the cost proposal only?/ Could USAID please confirm the EBDs for LTTA and STTA professional staff as described in the answers should be part of the Cost Proposal and not be provided in Annex B along with CVs?

Answer: As per Section L.8 Annex B consists of Resumes (CVS). EBDs should be submitted as part of the cost proposal.

6. Question: USAID’s response to the unnumbered question between 114 and 115 is unclear. Can

USAID confirm its intention that offerors are free to propose GUCs up to a maximum of $7.25 million over the LOP?

Answer: The breakdown of the spread for the Grands under Contract fund is clearly outlined under section B of the RFP and all offerors must comply with distribution provided in the budget table under Section B.4.

7. The Instructions for the Management Plan (Section L.8, p. 115) state that, among other things, the “Offeror must discuss how management regulates linkages between the prime contractor and subcontractor, partner, joint venture entities as the organization is established and activities commenced. This includes relationships between each other, lines of authority and accountability, and mechanisms for utilizing and sharing resources, and the role of each in achieving project results.” Two questions relate to this instruction:

a. Evaluation Factors for the Management section (M.2, p. 132) do not explicitly state that the

Offeror’s plan for working with other consortium members (subcontractors, partners, JV entities) will be considered in evaluating the proposal. Would USAID please clarify that the information requested in Section L.8 will be evaluated in Section M and revise the evaluation criteria to provide greater clarity on how Sections L and M relate to one another?

b. As currently drafted, the Evaluation Factors for the Technical Approach (Section M.2.A, p. 131) specify that Small Business Inclusion is scored under the Technical Approach, rather than under the Management Plan. As noted above, Section L provides for the Management Plan to discuss linkages between the prime contractor and other consortium entities (presumably including, although not explicitly stated, small businesses). Would USAID consider revising Sections L and

M such that the discussion of small business utilization is evaluated as part of the Management

Plan, rather than the Technical Approach? Doing so would clarify that all discussion of Offeror’s plan for using all consortium members optimally in managing for success will be evaluated in the

Management Plan, rather than having the use of some (but not all) consortium members evaluated in the Technical Approach. Clarifying Question: USAID answered only part b of the question. Could USAID please answer part a. of question 73? That is, we wish to ensure that the instructions (Section L) and Evaluation criteria (Section M) match with respect to

Management Plan. Please consider revising the evaluation criteria to list the offeror’s plan for working with other consortium members as an evaluation criteria.

Answer: The requirements outlined under section L.8 (III) are consistent with the Evaluation criteria considerations as outlined under M.2. Therefore USAID will not change the evaluation criteria.

8. Question: Please specify whether this (Attachment 1 of the RFP, Self-Disclosure of Lobbying

Activities) is to be submitted as part of the cost proposal only?

Answer: Self Disclosure lobbying activities form should be submitted together with the certification package outlined in section K.

NOTICE

USAID has now submitted the final relevant documents and response to clarifications questions from offerors. No further questions will be responded to after this amendment.