RFP_674-12-000035_final.pdf

Regional Acquisition and Assistance Office

P O Box 43, Groenkloof, 0027 Tel: (012) 452-2000 Fax: (012) 460-3177 Web: http://southafrica.usaid.gov

Date Issued: December 3, 2012 Closing Date: January 16, 2013, 4 p.m.

Pretoria local time Question due date: December 10, 2012, 8 p.m.

Pretoria local time

SUBJECT: Request For Proposals (RFP) No.: SOL-674-12-000035

REF: South Africa Government Capacity Development and Support (GCDS) Activity

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is seeking proposals from qualified organizations interested in providing the technical assistance and services as described in the attached solicitation. USAID plans to award a Cost plus Fixed Fee (CPFF) term contract.

This procurement shall be full and open competition, under which any type of organization (e.g. US and local South African, large or small commercial [for profit] firm, educational institution, non-profit organization) is eligible to compete. The authorized geographic code for nationality and procurement of goods and services under this contract is 935 which consists of any area or country including the cooperating country but excludes foreign-policy restricted countries. Implementation under this contract will occur over 5 years. In order to understand the magnitude of USAID’s requirement, the Government estimates 74,100 Professional Technical Staff person-days Level of Effort. All requirements are subject to availability of funds.

Amendments to this solicitation will be made available through the Government homepage at http://www.fbo.gov. It is the offeror’s responsibility to check this site periodically for official updates and amendments to the solicitation. This solicitation in no way obligates USAID to award a contract, nor does it commit USAID to pay any costs incurred in the preparation and submission of a proposal in response hereto. Furthermore the Government reserves the right to reject any and all offers, if such action is considered to be in the best interest of the Government.

Offerors are encouraged to read the entire solicitation, which includes all pertinent technical sections and the terms, conditions and instructions required for submitting a proposal. Any blanks in Sections B through J will be completed by the Contracting Officer before award. Offerors must comply with FAR clause 52.204-7, Central Contractor Registration, and adhere to the requirements set forth in Section K – Representations, Certifications and Other Statements of Offerors.

By email only, please submit all questions about this RFP no later than the deadline above to proposals@usaid.gov; include the RFP number in the email subject line. Oral instructions, answers or guidance from any USAID source prior to the award of the contract shall not be binding.

The Agency point of contact for this solicitation is Jodie Dille, Contracting Officer, at jdille@usaid.gov.

Sincerely, Dana H. Rose Regional Contracting Officer USAID/Southern Africa mailto:jdille@usaid.gov

SOL-674-12-000035

SOLICITATION, OFFER AND AWARD

4. TYPE OF SOLICITATION2. CONTRACT NUMBER 3. SOLICITATION NUMBER

7. ISSUED BY CODE 8. ADDRESS OFFER TO (If other than Item 7)

ORDER UNDER DPAS (15 CFR 700)

6. REQUISITION/PURCHASE NUMBER

NOTE: In sealed bid solicitations "offer" and "offeror" mean "bid" and "bidder".

NEGOTIATED (RFP)

SEALED BID (IFB)

5. DATE ISSUED

1. THIS CONTRACT IS A RATED RATING PAGE OF PAGES

1 75

C. E-MAIL ADDRESS

EXT.NUMBERAREA CODE

B. TELEPHONE (NO COLLECT CALLS)A. NAME

10. FOR

INFORMATION

CALL:

CAUTION: LATE Submissions, Modifications, and Withdrawals: See Section L, Provision No. 52.214-7 or 52.215-1. All offers are subject to all terms and conditions contained in this solicitation.

(Date)(Hour) local timeuntildepository located in copies for furnishing the supplies or services in the Schedule will be received at the place specified in Item 8, or if hand carried, in the

SOLICITATION

9. Sealed offers in original and See RFP Section L.6

PART IV - REPRESENTATIONS AND INSTRUCTIONS

OTHER STATEMENTS OF OFFERORS

EVALUATION FACTORS FOR AWARD

INSTRS., CONDS., AND NOTICES TO OFFERORS

REPRESENTATIONS, CERTIFICATIONS AND

LIST OF ATTACHMENTS

CONTRACT CLAUSES

PART III - LIST OF DOCUMENTS, EXHIBITS AND OTHER ATTACH.

I

J

K

L

M SPECIAL CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS

CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION DATA

DELIVERIES OR PERFORMANCE

INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE

PACKAGING AND MARKING

DESCRIPTION/SPECS./WORK STATEMENT

SUPPLIES OR SERVICES AND PRICES/COSTS

SOLICITATION/CONTRACT FORM

PART II - CONTRACT CLAUSESPART I - THE SCHEDULE

H

G

F

E

D

C

B

A

SEC. DESCRIPTION PAGE(S) (X) DESCRIPTION SEC. (X)

11. TABLE OF CONTENTS

18. OFFER DATE17. SIGNATURE

SUCH ADDRESS IN SCHEDULE.

IS DIFFERENT FROM ABOVE - ENTER

15C. CHECK IF REMITTANCE ADDRESS

EXT.NUMBERAREA CODE

15B. TELEPHONE NUMBER

(Type or print)AND

ADDRESS

OF

OFFEROR

CODE FACILITY

16. NAME AND TITLE OF PERSON AUTHORIZED TO SIGN OFFER15A. NAME

DATEAMENDMENT NO.DATEAMENDMENT NO.

and related documents numbered and dated):

amendments to the SOLICITATION for offerors

(The offeror acknowledges receipt of

14. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF AMENDMENTS

CALENDAR DAYS (%)30 CALENDAR DAYS (%)20 CALENDAR DAYS (%)10 CALENDAR DAYS (%)

(See Section I, Clause No. 52.232.8)

13. DISCOUNT FOR PROMPT PAYMENT

designated point(s), within the time specified in the schedule.

by the offeror) from the date for receipt of offers specified above, to furnish any or all items upon which prices are offered at the price set opposite each item, delivered at the

12. In compliance with the above, the undersigned agrees, if this offer is accepted within ______________ calendar days (60 calendar days unless a different period is inserted

NOTE: Item 12 does not apply if the solicitation includes the provisions at 52.214-16, Minimum Bid Acceptance Period.

OFFER (Must be fully completed by offeror)

IMPORTANT - Award will be made on this Form, or on Standard Form 26, or by other authorized official written notice.

28. AWARD DATE

(Signature of Contracting Officer)

27. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

25. PAYMENT WILL BE MADE BY

26. NAME OF CONTRACTING OFFICER (Type or print)

CODE 24. ADMINISTERED BY (If other than Item 7)

ITEM

(4 copies unless otherwise specified)

23. SUBMIT INVOICES TO ADDRESS SHOWN IN

41 U.S.C. 253 (c) ( 10 U.S.C. 2304 (c) (

22. AUTHORITY FOR USING OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION:

21. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION20. AMOUNT19. ACCEPTED AS TO ITEMS NUMBERED

AWARD (To be completed by government)

CODE

REQ-674-12-00037211/02/2012

X

USAID/SA RAAO

Regional Acquisition and Assistance USAID/Southern Africa 100 Totius Street P.O. Box 43 Groenkloof 0027 Pretoria, South Africa

Jodie Dille 271 6 jdille@usaid.gov

245-2200

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

PAGE(S)

Dana Rose

AUTHORIZED FOR LOCAL REPRODUCTION

Previous edition is unusable

STANDARD FORM 33 (Rev. 9-97)

Prescribed by GSA - FAR (48 CFR) 53.214(c)

RFP NO. SOL-674-12-000035

Section B

Page | 2

PART I – THE SCHEDULE

SECTION B – SUPPLIES OR SERVICES AND PRICE/COSTS

B.1 PURPOSE

The purpose of this contract is to provide technical assistance for the Government Capacity Development and Support (GCDS) activity as specified in Section C. The GCDS activity will enhance the South African Government (SAG), specifically the Department of Social Development (DSD), in supporting Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) by strengthening the DSD’s response in addressing the social and structural barriers that increase the vulnerability of OVC to Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) and Tuberculosis (TB) and address specific constraints hampering the health and social welfare system to achieve better outcomes for OVC and other vulnerable children (e.g. those affected by child abuse, neglect and exploitation).

B.2 CONTRACT TYPE AND SERVICES

This is a Cost-Plus-Fixed Fee (CPFF) term Contract. For the consideration set forth below, the Contractor shall provide the level of effort described in Section F.5 to accomplish the goals, objectives and components set forth in Section C.

B.3 ESTIMATED COST, FIXED FEE, AND OBLIGATED AMOUNT

(a) The Total Estimated Cost Plus Fixed Fee for the performance of the work required is as follows:

Total Estimated Cost: $ Fixed Fee: $ Total Estimated Cost plus Fixed Fee: $

(b) The total estimated cost for the performance of the work required hereunder, exclusive of fixed fee, is $xx. The total fixed fee is $xx. The total estimated cost plus fixed fee is $xx.

(c) Within the estimated cost plus fixed fee specified in paragraph (a) above, the amount currently obligated and available for reimbursement of allowable costs incurred by the Contractor is $xxx. Funds obligated are anticipated to be sufficient through xxx.

B.4 INDIRECT COST

Pending establishment of revised provisional or final indirect cost rates, allowable indirect costs shall be reimbursed on the basis of the following negotiated provisional or predetermined rates and the appropriate bases:

Description Rate Base Type Period

1/ 1/ 1/ 2/ 2/ 2/ 3/ 3/ 3/

1/Base of Application:

Type of Rate:

Period:

Source:

Section B

Page | 3

2/Base of Application:

3/Base of Application:

B.5 COST REIMBURSABLE

The U.S. dollar costs allowable shall be limited to reasonable, allocable and allowable costs determined in accordance with FAR 52.216-7, Allowable Cost and Payment, FAR 52.216-8, Fixed Fee, if applicable, and AIDAR 752.7003, Documentation for Payment. The application of the following clauses (incorporated by reference in Section I) is as follows:

FAR 52.232-20 Limitation of Cost (applies while the contract is fully funded).

FAR 52.232-22 Limitation of Funds (applies while the contract is funded in an amount less than the total cost plus fixed fee).

B.6 PAYMENT OF FIXED FEE

Subject to FAR 52.216-8, Fixed Fee, if applicable, payment of fixed fee shall be allocated based upon the proportion of the level of effort (LOE) specified in Section F.5 that was provided by the Contractor in the period covered by the invoice. Normally, the Contractor will be paid the proportion of the fee specified that corresponds to the proportion of LOE delivered by the Contractor during the period covered by the invoice. In the event that the Contractor does not provide the total LOE stipulated in Section F.5, the total amount of fixed fee will be reduced in similar proportion.

END OF SECTION B

Section C

Page | 4

SECTION C – DESCRIPTION/SPECIFICATIONS/STATEMENT OF WORK

C.1 OBJECTIVES

The Government Capacity Development and Support (GCDS) activity will enhance the South African Government (SAG), specifically the Department of Social Development (DSD), in supporting Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC). The GCDS activity will strengthen the DSD’s response in addressing the social and structural barriers that increase the vulnerability of OVC to Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) and Tuberculosis (TB) and address specific constraints hampering the health and social welfare system to achieve better outcomes for OVC and other vulnerable children (e.g. those affected by child abuse, neglect and exploitation).

Specifically, the GCDS will provide support to the DSD to achieve the following three objectives:

Improve timely availability of reliable data on program performance monitoring and evaluation

(M&E) and information on the social effects of HIV and AIDS and other vulnerabilities faced by children (such as child abuse, neglect and exploitation);

Strengthen coordination, management and oversight of community care service structures that protect and care for the most vulnerable children and the families that care for them; and

Strengthen inter-sector integration and coordination between DSD and other SAG Departments such as Health and Education and build a supportive multi-sector environment led by DSD for vulnerable children through system strengthening at the national and provincial level.

To achieve these objectives, GCDS for OVC shall focus on six components:

Component 1: Support and strengthen the health and social welfare system coordination and integration for improved service delivery for OVC services;

Component 2: Support improved management and evaluations of programs for the most vulnerable children;

Component 3: Strengthen social and individual behavior change to prevent HIV infection for children under 18 years;

Component 4: Strengthen DSD’s monitoring and evaluation (M&E) systems and enhance the knowledge base for cost effective outcomes for vulnerable children;

Component 5: Support and strengthen the child protection response framework; and Component 6: Strengthen the management of the South African social services workforce serving children.

The overarching goal of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) in South Africa in programs that support OVC is mitigation of the impact of HIV, TB and STI on orphans and other children made vulnerable by HIV and AIDS and their families. Over the next five years, the PEPFAR South Africa (SA) program will undergo changes as the U. S. Government (USG) partnership with the SAG moves to support a country owned national HIV and TB response as defined in the SA and U.S. PEPFAR Partnership Framework signed in December 2010 which has resulted in a Partnership Framework Implementation Plan which was signed in August 2012.

C.2 BACKGROUND

The following provides relevant background information regarding (a) the PEPFAR context, (b) the country context, and (c) the GCDS for DSD in support of OVC program description.

Page | 5

PEPFAR Context

In the first five years of the global PEPFAR program, interventions focused on establishing and scaling up prevention, care, and treatment programs. The programs achieved success in expanding access to HIV prevention, care, and treatment in low-resource settings. During its first phase, PEPFAR supported treatment to more than 2.4 million people, care to nearly 11 million people including 3.6 million OVC, and prevention of mother-to-child treatment (PMTCT) activities for nearly 16 million pregnancies.

The global epidemic continues to require a comprehensive, multi-sectoral approach that expands access to prevention, care, and treatment. In December 2009, PEPFAR released its second Five-Year Strategy, which builds upon its success as programs transition from an emergency response to promoting sustainable country programs. For more information about PEPFAR‘s Five-Year Strategy, please visit http://pepfar.gov/strategy/.

On May 5, 2009, President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton announced the U.S. government‘s Global Health Initiative (GHI); see press release at:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Statement-by-the-President-on-Global-Health-Initiative/.

PEPFAR is the cornerstone of GHI. GHI is designed to connect and build upon the impressive results and momentum of PEPFAR and other USG health programs. It is leveraging the full range of USG assets in supporting a long-term strategic approach to global health that enables partner countries to improve health in communities impacted by HIV and other diseases. As part of GHI, PEPFAR is supporting countries to provide more efficient, integrated and sustainable health programs and serves as the platform upon which to link and integrate systems of care. For more information about the GHI, please visit http://ghi.gov.

On December 14, 2010 Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation Minister Maite Nkoana Mashabane signed a Partnership Framework that will guide future efforts to combat HIV/AIDS in South Africa. The Partnership Framework provides a five-year (2012/13-2016/17) joint strategic plan of cooperation between the SAG, the USG and other stakeholders. The Framework supports the goals of South Africa’s national strategy to fight HIV/AIDS, and emphasizes sustainability, local expertise, coordination and accountability in the fight against AIDS. See the Partnership Framework at:

http://www.pepfar.gov/documents/organization/153124.pdf.

PEPFAR provides support to countries to combat the effects of HIV and AIDS. In its second phase, PEPFAR is working to enhance the ability of governments to manage their epidemics, respond to broader health needs impacting affected communities, and address new and emerging health concerns. Capacity building is key to successful efforts to combat the AIDS epidemic. Capacity building is defined as “the ability of individuals and organizations or organizational units to perform functions effectively, efficiently and sustainably.” The USG investment in capacity building through PEPFAR, within the context of national HIV/AIDS plans, seeks to assist host governments’ efforts to know their epidemics and respond strategically to prevent infections, care for and treat infected and affected populations (such as OVC), and mitigate the social and economic consequences. Effective capacity building efforts target government, local research and development institutions, nongovernmental organizations, networks, communities, academia and the private sector, with a goal toward enhancing the short and long term potential for these institutions to support the local response and for host governments to lead, manage and monitor internal and external efforts to address HIV/AIDS in-country.

Country Context

South Africa has a population of approximately 50 million and 5.6 million HIV positive people due to a generalized epidemic that accounts for 17% of the global burden of HIV and AIDS. HIV and its related http://pepfar.gov/strategy/ http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Statement-by-the-President-on-Global-Health-Initiative/ http://ghi.gov/ http://www.pepfar.gov/documents/organization/153124.pdf

Page | 6 diseases contribute significantly to maternal mortality (50%) and mortality of children under five years of age (35%). Nearly one third of South Africa’s population is younger than 15 years. Approximately 22 % of the country’s 18 million children are affected by HIV/AIDS. More than 2.01 million children have been orphaned by AIDS (Mid-Year Population Estimates, Statistics South Africa). The 2010 General

Household Survey suggests that the overall number of orphans could be as high as 3.7 million (General

Household Survey, Statistics South Africa, 2010) while the UNICEF 2010 South Africa Annual Report indicates that a fifth of all children, or 3.9 million, have lost one or both parents. According to Tulane University research (2010) at least 4 million South African children are living with HIV, have a parent who is HIV-positive, or have lost a parent to AIDS-related illness. Twenty-three percent of children in South Africa were not living with either biological parent in 2008 (South African Child Gauge, 2009/2010). The South African Child Gauge 2010/2011 reports that the number of children who have lost both a mother and a father has more than doubled since 2002 (from approximately 352,000 to 966,000), indicating an increase of three percentage points in double orphans as a proportion of all children, which is most likely driven primarily by the AIDS epidemic. When parents die as a result of AIDS, other relatives, particularly grandmothers and older siblings, often take on the role of caretaker. Although their numbers are relatively small, in some situations children themselves become heads of households charged with the care of family members, including those who have HIV or other illnesses.

South Africa recognizes that in addition to orphans a much larger number of children are highly vulnerable through circumstances such as HIV infection at birth or through unprotected sex; living in a household with sick or elderly caregivers; being abandoned; or living in a household that cares for many children or who are multiple bereaved or are frequently mobile. Some children experience all these circumstances at different times. Due to widespread poverty in South Africa, the economic responsibilities associated with providing basic care to children often place great strain on families. In many families, substance abuse and physical and sexual abuse of children occur, pulling the families apart

– both literally and figuratively. The orphan crisis is particularly troubling for girls who are more likely to be overworked, drop out of school, and to be dispossessed of their parents’ property. Women also share a large burden of the crisis. Female-headed households are more likely to take in orphans, more likely to be poor, and therefore, more likely to enter into an irreversible downward spiral of increasing expenses contributing to the present feminization of poverty. Qualitative research suggest that adolescents in AIDS-affected families may be at risk for abuse and exploitation (Transactional Sex amongst

AID-orphaned and AIDS affected adolescents predicted abuse and Extreme Poverty www.jaids.com by L.

Cluver et al Nov 2011). Youth who are simultaneously AIDS orphaned and have an AIDS-sick caregiver (dual affected) are an especially vulnerable group. In short, according to this research, familial AIDS makes children more likely to be hungry, abused, and thus more vulnerable to transactional sex.

The HIV epidemic has had a significant negative impact on life expectancy in South Africa and has left many families and children economically vulnerable and often socially stigmatized (UNICEF 2010 South

Africa Annual Report). The disease burden for HIV and TB (South Africa ranks the third highest in the world in terms of TB burden) is set on the backdrop of a system that faces several challenges including significant human resource needs, poor child health outcomes, poor child well-being outcomes and a lack of effective information management at all levels of the health and social welfare system.

On December 1, 2011, the South African National AIDS Council (SANAC) launched the National Strategic Plan for HIV, STIs, and TB (2012 – 2016) (NSP). This document reflects the strong SAG leadership and commitment to a robust multi-sectoral national HIV response and outlines objectives intended to achieve impact and address the challenges discussed above.

The NSP is driven by South Africa’s long-term (20 year) vision of “Zero new HIV and TB infections, Zero new infections due to vertical transmission, Zero preventable deaths associated with HIV and TB, and Zero discrimination associated with HIV, STIs, and TB.” In line with this vision, the NSP has set the

Page | 7 following broad goals:

Reduce new HIV infections by at least 50%, using combination prevention approaches;

Initiate at least 80% of eligible patients on antiretroviral treatment (ART), with 70% alive and on treatment five years after initiation;

Reduce the number of new TB infections, as well as the number of TB deaths by 50%;

Ensure an enabling and accessible legal framework that protects and promotes human rights in order to support implementation of the NSP; and Reduce the self-reported stigma and discrimination related to HIV and TB by 50% by 2016.

The NSP also identifies key strategic enablers that will determine the success of its implementation including governance and institutional arrangements, effective communication, M&E, and research.

To achieve these goals, the NSP has four Strategic Objectives that form the basis of the HIV, STI, and TB response:

1. Address social and structural barriers to HIV, STI, and TB prevention, care, and impact;

2. Prevent new HIV, STI, and TB infections;

3. Sustain health and wellness;

4. Increase the protection of human rights and improve access to justice.

The NSP includes key goals and objectives aimed at mitigating the effects of HIV and AIDS on orphans, vulnerable children, and youth. The plan recognizes orphans and other vulnerable children as a key population for whom specific interventions will be implemented as primary prevention for HIV, as well as mitigating impact and breaking the cycle of ongoing vulnerability.

The NSP includes the following objectives related to orphans and vulnerable children:

Reduce the vulnerability of children to HIV, TB and sexually transmitted disease (STD) infection, with a particular focus on orphaned and vulnerable children;

Expand programs of guardian support for orphaned and vulnerable children by supporting children, assisting them to access social security, ensuring they remain in schools, and aiding household food security; and

Reduce the psychosocial impact of HIV and TB on individuals, families and community.

In addition, DSD has been assigned by the NSP of 2012-2016 to lead HIV prevention in the areas focusing on psycho-social issues. This includes facilitating social and individual behavior change, including changes in gender norms that are necessary for the prevention of new HIV infections amongst individuals, groups and communities, especially among orphans, vulnerable children and youth.

The DSD “National Action Plan for Orphans and Vulnerable Children and Other Children Made Vulnerable by HIV and AIDS” (NAPOVC) defines the unique value-adding role of various stakeholders in addressing the social impact of HIV and AIDS. It creates and promotes a supportive environment in which orphans and other children made vulnerable by HIV and AIDS are adequately cared for; supported;

and protected physically, psychologically, materially, socially, morally, spiritually and legally to grow and develop to their full potential. It is based on the principle that no single sector can successfully address the impact of the HIV and AIDS epidemic on individuals, families, and communities and emphasizes a multi-sector response.

The Department of Social Development has formulated and committed itself to the following key

Page | 8 priorities (DSD Annual Report 2010/2011):

Caring for and protecting vulnerable groups, especially children, women and people with disabilities;

Strengthening families and communities;

Transforming social relations, with specific focus on gender and victim empowerment;

Strengthening institutional capacity to deliver quality services; and Reinforcing participation in key bilateral and multilateral initiatives that contribute to poverty eradication.

PEPFAR recognizes that for programs to be sustained and quality retained, country leadership must have technical and management capabilities to oversee programs and make adjustments and shifts over time.

PEPFAR emphasizes the incorporation of health and social system strengthening goals into its prevention, care and treatment portfolios. This integration will help to reduce the burden of HIV/AIDS on the overall health and social system. Activities to achieve this goal may include the following:

Training and retention of health and social services workers, managers, administrators, and other civil service employees critical to all functions of fully functional health and social systems;

Implementing a new health and social system framework to assist in targeting and leveraging

PEPFAR activities in support of a stronger country health and social system;

Supporting efforts to identify and implement harmonized health and social system measurement tools; and Coordinating USG activities across multilateral partners to leverage and enhance broader health and social system strengthening activities.

As the SAG continues to lead and increase funding for the national response, the USG contribution is expected to decline. The Partnership Framework (PF) in Support of South Africa’s National HIV & AIDS and TB Response, 2012/13 – 2016/17, between the South African and the United States Governments, describes this anticipated transition. The Partnership Framework Implementation Plan (PFIP) provides a specific roadmap for guiding PEPFAR support to South Africa over the period 2012/13 – 2016/17.

Program Description

The GCDS activity embraces the goals and activities of the USG/SAG Partnership Framework, aligns with the SAG’s strategies and priorities that support, protect, and strengthen vulnerable children, families, and communities and contributes to achieving the strategic objectives of the recently announced new 2012-2016 NSP. The objectives, activities and expected results of this activity have been developed in consultation and collaboration with the DSD.

This activity combines targeted technical assistance with pilot interventions and operational research and will assist the DSD to effectively use its own considerable resources to make a measurable reduction in the vulnerability of children infected and affected by HIV/AIDS and other vulnerable children.

The anticipated technical assistance and capacity development within DSD will strengthen the national OVC response through system strengthening at the national and provincial level. The areas of focus include promoting coordination and harmonized planning and implementation of gender and age sensitive OVC services through a multi-sectoral response, bolstering social welfare human resources and building management information systems for OVC reporting. Emphasis will be placed on improved management capacity within DSD using reliable and regular information, strengthening service delivery through improved management and oversight of delivery models, improved social services workforce policies, strengthening financial systems and development of manager’s capacity to plan and implement priority

Page | 9 activities to achieve planned objectives.

It is anticipated that customized services will be provided in a variety of areas that include monitoring, evaluation and reporting; the use of data for strategic decision making; and support to facilitate access to quality care for OVC and their families through a functional integrated referral system. Illustrative examples of assistance may include technical assistance support for monitoring, reporting and evaluation, development of an integrated national OVC reporting system, multi-sector integration and coordination and the ability to cascade that coordination from the national to the provincial and to the community level, quality assurance/quality improvement for uniform service delivery, and integration of social and individual behavior change and community HIV prevention.

This activity will also provide support to DSD in a variety of areas to improve workforce planning, build strong management information systems, and support the implementation of baselines and impact evaluations to provide evidence for wider implementation of successful interventions. In addition, technical assistance may be provided to assess and update policies and facilitate policy dialogue for improved multi-sector coordination or workforce planning.

The GCDS activity will focus on capacity building, strategic information usage, institutional sustainability, integration and coordination of service delivery for vulnerable children across the social cluster. The majority of the interventions will focus on providing technical assistance and capacity development which may concentrate on the development of tools and strategies designed to address key issues. This GCDS must include a strong impact evaluation, which will require systematic collection of baseline data and a rigorous research design. Both quantitative and qualitative methods will be needed, given the innovative nature of the program.

C.3 KEY COMPONENTS, TASKS AND OUTCOMES

Each component of the GCDS activity is mandatory and is expected to encompass activities that will achieve the expected outcomes listed below:

Component 1: Strengthen the health and social welfare system coordination and integration for improved service delivery for OVC.

Illustrative Tasks:

Support DSD to mitigate the social and health impact of HIV and AIDS, STI & TB on children infected and affected by AIDS;

Improve initiatives entrenching referrals, linkages and support for access to ART treatment for children under 18 years;

Increase inter-sector coordination by DSD with other sectors in delivering social welfare services to maximize outcomes for children affected by the most vulnerable children (by age and gender);

Baseline data will need to be established for measurable improvement to be evident;

Support DSD to build a supportive multi-sector environment for vulnerable children at the national and provincial level;

Increase inter-sector coordination by DSD with other sectors in delivering key social services to maximize outcomes for OVC and children affected by abuse;

Promote integration and strengthen coordination between DSD and other Departments such as Health and Basic Education with a focus on OVC and their families; and

Support DSD to improve knowledge management and disseminate best practices.

Deliverables/Expected Outcomes/Illustrative Indicators:

Page | 10

Referrals, linkages and support for access to ART treatment for orphans and other vulnerable children under 18 years measurably improved;

SAG competencies to coordinate, implement, manage and evaluate strategic coordination and integration of OVC services measurably improved;

DSD linkages and referrals system to mitigate the social and health impact of HIV and AIDS, STI & TB on children infected and affected by AIDS measurably improved;

Resource base for effective OVC programming measurably increased; and Extent to which promising evidence-based best practices and approaches have been disseminated through knowledge management activities.

Component 2: Support improved management and evaluations of programs for the most vulnerable children.

Illustrative Tasks:

Improve DSD planning, oversight, accountability, cost effectiveness, coordination and outcomes of OVC programs (by age and gender );

Strengthen DSD coordination and management capacity and oversight of community care service structures (both DSD and non-governmental organizations [NGOs]) that protect and care for the most vulnerable children and the families that care for them;

Strengthen the systems approach to child protection by age and gender, which addresses child protection holistically and brings greater focus on prevention and strengthens the critical roles and assets of key actors responsible for child protection to achieve sustainable child well-being outcomes

– key actors include government, civil society, parents, caregivers, families and other community care service structures;

Conduct formative research, needs assessment and data analysis to inform OVC strategies and programming for DSD;

Support DSD to document evidence based practices and approaches and support widespread dissemination;

Support DSD to provide regular and effective process monitoring for quality assurance of OVC program implementation by age and gender;

Improve DSD management and financing of services delivered within the social development sector;

Support the development of minimum package of technical and management capacity development guidelines and/or technical assistance in targeted areas;

Support organizational systems/tools/processes in selected targeted areas (i.e., technical and managerial such as planning, HR, leadership, financial management skills, etc.); and Develop a learning agenda.

Deliverables/Expected Outcome/Illustrative Indicator:

Results based DSD program monitoring and evaluation approach implemented and monitored annually;

DSD coordination and management and oversight of community care service structures measurably improved;

Extent to which promising evidence-based best practices and approaches for the most vulnerable children have been disseminated through knowledge management activities;

Costing and expenditure analysis for services to vulnerable children completed and disseminated through knowledge management activities

Evidence based improvement in national/provincial/district technical and management capacity in targeted areas completed and disseminated; and

Annual “Lessons Learned” meeting held in collaboration with national and provincial DSD to review

Page | 11 and assess how activities are being implemented, share achievements and results.

Component 3: Strengthen social and individual behavior change to prevent HIV infection for children under 18 years.

Illustrative Tasks:

Improve DSD HIV and AIDS prevention interventions for social and individual behavior change, including changes in gender norms, necessary to the prevention of new infections among children under 18 years;

Improved psychological and psychosocial well-being of vulnerable families and their vulnerable children through measured interventions;

Improve enabling environment to institutionalize HIV prevention as a key component of DSD basket of services; and

Collaboration, learning and adapting for achieving results meetings held annually.

Deliverables/Expected Outcomes/Illustrative Indicators:

Improved enabling environment to institutionalize HIV prevention as a key component of DSD basket of services including the development of a compendium of social and individual behavior change programs for vulnerable children and their families;

DSD and implementing partner competencies to design, implement, manage, and evaluate strategic communication measurably improved;

Extent to which quality community strengthening tools and social and behavior change communication (SBCC) materials are being used by DSD and partners at the national, provincial and community-level;

Compendium of standardized tools to measure psychosocial well-being developed and disseminated through knowledge management activities; and activities, achievements, and results.

Component 4: Strengthen DSD’s monitoring and evaluation (M&E) systems and enhance the knowledge base for cost effective outcomes for vulnerable children.

Illustrative Tasks:

Support DSD to improve M&E systems and expand the evidence- based practice for effective interventions and outcomes for OVC;

Support DSD to improve the national monitoring, evaluation and reporting system for OVC;

Support DSD in operational research on the effectiveness of program interventions for OVC for effective strategic evidenced based decision making;

Support DSD to improve program performance, refine input, outcome and impact measures at various levels in support of OVC (e.g. child focused, family centered , community based);

Review the comprehensive research base and disseminate best practices focusing on improved outcomes for vulnerable children by enhancing the evidence-base and building DSD institutional capacity to share research findings and encourage best practices;

Support DSD to develop a national OVC reporting system integrated within the Social Development Information Management System;

Support DSD to improve the implementation, monitoring and results of the National Action Plan for orphans and other children made vulnerable by HIV and AIDS and ensure alignment with National Strategic Plan (2012-2016):

Support DSD to map and track the impact of various factors in the programs that they support that

Page | 12 contribute to children’s vulnerability to HIV and AIDS;

Improve the management and use of information and data within DSD to ensure the data on vulnerable children is current, widely disseminated and used to make decisions, policy changes and implementation shifts;

Support DSD to identify best practices to improve quality, coverage and effectiveness of OVC programs;

Support DSD in the development of an OVC Database linked to other available Government data sets that provide current information on children services; and

Support DSD to disseminate key research findings regularly.

Deliverables/Expected Outcomes/Illustrative Indicators:

GIS mapping and strategic data usage on the impact of various factors including age and gender that contribute to children’s, especially girls, vulnerability to HIV and AIDS completed and used for measurable strategic decision making;

Improved management and use of information and data within DSD to ensure the data on vulnerable children is current and is used to make measurable implementation shifts;

Measurable documentation of evidence for strategic and cost effective decisions that benefit children;

Functional DSD database linked to other available government data sets that provide current information on children services;

Extent to which promising evidence-based practices have been disseminated through knowledge management activities; and National Action Plan for Children infected and affected by HIV updated annually and includes and reports on National Strategic Plan (2012-2016) indicators.

Component 5: Support and strengthen the child protection response framework.

Illustrative Tasks:

Support the finalization of the conceptual framework for a multilayered set of accredited training courses in consultation with the Department of Social Development (DSD) aimed at capacitating social worker professionals in child protection to implement effective child protection interventions for children and families in South Africa;

Improve child protection interventions for OVC;

Improve training of social service professionals on policies related to child protection;

Implement a learning agenda to improve the implementation and ongoing monitoring of the Child protection framework; and Support DSD to disseminate findings and best practices in the implementation of Child abuse, neglect and exploitation (CANE) regularly.

Deliverables/Expected Outcomes/Illustrative Indicators:

Measurable functionality of the child protection system to prevent child abuse, neglect and exploitation documented;

Measurable improvements in DSD child protection interventions including interventions focused on protecting girls, at the national, provincial and district levels documented;

Extent to which innovative, evidence-informed national communication interventions on Child Protection interventions have been developed and rolled out;

Extent to which quality community strengthening tools for child protection are being used at the community-level;

Functional child protection framework implemented and systematically measured and monitored; and

Page | 13 and assess how activities are being implemented, share achievements, and model approaches and results.

Component 6: Strengthen the management of the South African social services workforce serving children.

Illustrative Tasks:

Improve institutional capacity to plan and manage the social services workforce serving children;

Improve institutional capacity to provide support; supervision; mentoring and retain a qualified and competent social services workforce serving children;

Improve training of social service professionals on policies related to child development and child protection;

Improve social service practitioners management, policies, workforce planning, and management information system;

Update systems, policies, and processes for improved functionality of the social welfare workforce serving children;

Establish performance goals, indicators and outcomes to strengthen the social welfare workforce for children; and Develop a learning agenda.

Deliverables/Expected Outcomes/Illustrative Indicators:

Measurable improvement in standardized training for the social service professional workforce serving children;

Measurable improvement in the operating model for service delivery to children;

Measurable improvement in the management and supervision of the social welfare workforce serving children;

Increased number of new/updated DSD systems, evidence based policies and processes for improved functionality of the social service workforce implemented and their impact measured; and Annual “Lessons Learned” meeting held in collaboration with national and provincial DSD to review and assess how activities are being implemented, share achievements, and model approaches and results.

C.4 GENERAL PROGRAM PARAMETERS AND GUIDANCE

The following general guidance is provided with respect to issues such as coordination with other programs and gender. These parameters and guidance apply to the overall performance.

Coordination with Other Programs

This activity must complement the work of other programs supported within DSD, USAID and PEPFAR SA, and other donors in the areas of OVC, social systems strengthening, health systems strengthening, HIV prevention, care and treatment. An updated list of PEPFAR partners in South Africa is available at http://southafrica.usembassy.gov/pepfar.html.

Use of South Africa Expertise

The primary partner under this activity is the National DSD. Partnerships with other sectors and the private sector are crucial to enhancing program implementation, achieving results, leveraging resources and ensuring long term sustainability. In addition, maximizing the use of local South African resources – including both local firms and local personnel from these sectors – is an important and vital aspect of the http://southafrica.usembassy.gov/pepfar.html

Page | 14 larger transition of some PEPFAR programs to SAG. South Africa has built a world-renowned cadre of social welfare professionals; through continued engagement and use of these South Africa resources, sustainability in HIV/AIDS interventions that benefit children is further ensured.

Gender

Gender considerations are a high priority and must be integrated into all activities of the various technical assistance components. Data must be disaggregated by gender and age to show impact across the target population. Girls and boys are differentially affected by HIV and poverty and have different opportunities and constraints to achieving improved standards of living. Men and women also access government services differently. Therefore, all activities undertaken must use a gender lens – when supporting the establishment of the research agenda and development of terms of reference and when providing training and other activities as appropriate. HIV/AIDS impacts the lives of girls differently than boys in that: a) HIV positive females are less likely than males to receive family support and resources; b) the burden of care often falls on females, while orphaned girls are more likely to be withdrawn from school than their brothers; and c) girls are more vulnerable to HIV infection than their male counterparts. This results, among other things, in a disproportionate effect of girls' primary school enrollments and emphasizes the need to view all interventions and activities through a gender lens. Societal expectations about appropriate male and female behaviors and roles profoundly shape the South African epidemic, especially the disproportionate vulnerability of young women. Addressing gender dynamics and norms and sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) as they relate to increased vulnerability to HIV infection is of central importance in this new program.

C.5 MONITORING AND EVALUATION PLAN AND INDICATORS

The contractor shall develop a Monitoring and Evaluation Plan that includes information on how the activity will be monitored and evaluated, including well-defined conceptual measures (indicators) and their definitions (with indication of data disaggregated by age and gender), and the baseline data and targets. The Contractor shall include and report on all relevant PEPFAR indicators. The current PEPFAR indicators for OVC are listed below; note that all PEPFAR indicators require data disaggregated by age and gender:

1. Number of OVC served by OVC programs (taking into account measures of quality and South Africa specific OVC indicators)

2. Number of providers/caregivers trained in caring for OVC

3. Number of OVC Reached by Household and Service Categories:

Number reached with child protection interventions o Subset reached with statutory child protection interventions

Number reached with clinical nutritional support Number of OVC successfully referred for HCT Number of OVC provided with healthcare support for access to antiretroviral treatment

(ART)

Number of OVC served with HIV- related palliative care Number reached with psychological care Number reached with Household economic strengthening activities

For additional indicators please refer to www.pepfar.gov/reports/PEPFAR Next Generation Indicators Reference Guidance version 1.1.

For additional information, please refer to http://www.pepfar.gov/pepfar/guidance/ and the South African Strategic Information (SASI) Manual 2012. Other indicators are available on the following website:

http://www.pepfar.gov/pepfar/guidance/

Page | 15 http://pepfar.pretoria.usembassy.gov and http://southafrica.usembassy.gov/pepfar.html.

C.6 KEY PERSONNEL

Key personnel are listed in Section F.7. The minimum qualifications for each key personnel position are as follows:

1. Chief of Party (COP): 100% time. The COP will be responsible for overall technical leadership and management of the project and will serve as the principal institutional liaison to USAID and DSD.

S/he should have:

Master’s degree in management, international development, macroeconomics, public health policy, development finance, economic policy, social sector applied economics, or a related field;

Ten years of relevant development country experience in planning, managing, leadership and decision making of similar highly complex social system strengthening programs;

Five years of relevant and diverse experience in managing and coordinating complex development programs, preferably in South Africa;

Five years of experience as a Chief of Party/Director and/or Deputy Chief of Party or Deputy

Director of a large development program of equivalent size and scope, preferably in South Africa;

Management of a USG cooperative agreement or contract, of which at least five years shall have been in senior program management, including professional and support staff supervision;

Experience interacting with developing country government and/or senior level government officials and/or international organizations;

Excellent communication skills with demonstrated experience in communicating complex processes to diverse stakeholders, including government officials at the national, provincial and/or district levels, NGOs, civil society organizations (CSOs), donors, etc.;

Strong interpersonal skills, must have a proven ability to develop and communicate a common vision among diverse partners, and lead a multi-disciplinary team; and

Excellent references (contacts shall be provided, including email address).

2. Deputy Chief of Party (D/COP): 100% time.