SOL-72067418R00005_MECLAK_RFP_11.30.17tm.pdf

Issuance Date:

Questions Due Date/Time:

November 30, 2017

December 14, 2017, 15:00 South African Standard Time

Closing Date/Time: January 24, 2018, 15:00 South African Standard Time

Subject: Request for Proposals (RFP) No. SOL72067418R00005

Monitoring and Evaluation to Collaborate, Learn, Adapt, and Knowledge Management Activity

The United States Government, represented by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through its Regional Mission to Southern Africa (USAID/SA), is seeking proposals to implement a project entitled Monitoring and Evaluation to Collaborate, Learn, Adapt, and Knowledge Management (MECLAK) from qualified organizations interested in providing the services described in the attached solicitation.

This procurement is being conducted through full and open competition amongst all types of organizations. USAID encourages the participation, to the maximum extent possible, of U.S.-based small businesses and local South African organizations, either as the prime contractor or as subcontractors.

USAID/SA anticipates that the maximum aggregate ordering limitation for contracts resulting from this RFP will be $10 million over the period of performance. The maximum aggregate dollar value of task orders awarded to all contractors cannot exceed this contract ceiling. This ceiling is not being subdivided among the number of awardees nor is it being multiplied by the number of awardees. There is no guarantee that the number of task orders that the successful contractors will receive or the amount of money beyond the minimum order guarantee as set forth in the RFP.

Please refer to Section L for information regarding proposal requirements. Failure to comply with the submission closing date and time as listed in Section L of the RFP will deem any submission unacceptable and it will not be reviewed or evaluated. Only electronic proposals will be accepted.

Section L of the RFP sets forth all instructions for the preparation and submission of required proposal contents, including critical dates and times for the submission of questions, and the proposal closing date and time. Section M states the criteria by which proposals will be evaluated. Oral explanations or instructions given before award of the contract will not be binding. This RFP and any future amendments can be viewed and downloaded from www.fbo.gov; USAID advises to regularly check the above website for RFP amendments.

Issuance of this solicitation and the submission of a proposal does not constitute a commitment on the part of the U.S. Government nor USAID to make an award; neither does it constitute an obligation for any costs incurred in the preparation and submission of a proposal. Award(s) will be subject to funds availability following the proper completion of required USAID internal processes. Further, the U.S.

Government reserves the right to reject any or all proposals received. To this end, this RFP is being

SOL72067418R00005: MECLAK

Activity issued and consists of this cover letter and the text of the attached RFP. All offerors are cautioned to carefully review this cover letter and the contents of the RFP.

Thank you for your interest in working with USAID/SA.

Best, Jessica R. Faber Regional Contracting Officer USAID/Southern Africa Regional Office of Acquisition and Assistance

Table of Contents

SECTION B – SUPPLIES OR SERVICES AND PRICE/COSTS 4

SECTION C – DESCRIPTION/SPECIFICATIONS/STATEMENT OF WORK 13

SECTION D – PACKAGING AND MARKING 26

SECTION E – INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE 28

SECTION F – DELIVERIES OR PERFORMANCE 29

SECTION G – CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION DATA 40

SECTION H – SPECIAL CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS 43

SECTION I – CONTRACT CLAUSES 64

SECTION J – LIST OF ATTACHMENTS 70

SECTION K – REPRESENTATIONS, CERTIFICATIONS, AND OTHER STATEMENTS 71

SECTION L – INSTRUCTIONS, CONDITIONS, AND NOTICES TO OFFERORS 84

SECTION M – EVALUATION FACTORS FOR AWARD 96

ATTACHMENTS 100

SECTION B – SUPPLIES OR SERVICES AND PRICE/COSTS

B.1 PURPOSE

The purpose of this contract is to provide services that fall within the Statement of Work (SOW) specified in Section C of the USAID/Southern Africa (USAID/SA) Monitoring and Evaluation to Collaborate, Learn, Adapt, and Knowledge Management (MECLAK) IDIQ contract.

USAID Task Order Contracting Officers (TOCOs) will order services through the issuance of task orders during the ordering period as specified in Section F of the contract.

B.2 CONTRACT TYPE AND SERVICES

This is an Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) type contract. The US Government will issue task orders that are either Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee (CPFF) (term or completion) or Firm-Fixed-Price (FFP) type. The Contractor will furnish the services as set forth in task orders at terms consistent with the terms specified in this contract.

B.3 MINIMUM OBLIGATED AMOUNT

As required by FAR 16.504(a)(1), the minimum order guarantee of this contract is $60,000. USAID is required to order and the Contractor is required to furnish the minimum order amount of services.

Following this initial obligation, TOCOs will obligate funds to cover the work required under each individual task order.

B.4 MAXIMUM CONTRACT CEILING

This is a multiple-award IDIQ contract for the MECLAK activity with an overall ceiling price of $10,000,000. The maximum aggregate dollar value of all task orders awarded under this contract shall not exceed the contract ceiling. USAID will neither subdivide the ceiling amongst the IDIQ awardees nor multiply it amongst awardees.

B.5 OBLIGATED AMOUNT, ESTIMATED COST, FIXED FEE

B.5.1 Obligated Amount. The basic contract includes an initial obligation of funds in the amount of $60,000 to cover the minimum order guarantee.

B.5.2 Estimated Cost. The total estimated cost plus fixed fee for each CPFF task order must be negotiated in accordance with the terms of the IDIQ contract. In no event may the indirect rates or fixed fee for a task order exceed the ceilings as set forth in Sections B.7 and B.8 of the IDIQ contract.

The U.S. dollar costs must be limited to reasonable, allocable, and allowable costs determined in accordance with FAR 52.216-7, Allowable Cost and Payment, and FAR 52.216-8, Fixed Fee, A-21 (for universities), and A-122 (non-profit).

B.5.3 Fixed Fee Payment.

(a) The fixed fee ceiling does not apply to firm fixed price (FFP) task orders.

(b) Ceiling on Fixed Fee. For each CPFF task order issued under this IDIQ, the TOCO and the Contractor must negotiate a fixed dollar amount for the fee. In negotiating the fixed fee, the TOCO must consider the policies and factors for establishing fixed fee set forth in FAR 15.404-4. In addition, the TOCO must consider applicable USAID policy on establishing a fixed fee.

The fixed fee for any individual task order must not exceed [Offeror proposes ceiling percentage] of a task order’s estimated cost, excluding fixed fee. The fixed fee ceiling applies to the prime contractor and any subcontractor.

(c) USAID and the Contractor must negotiate the total estimated cost plus fixed fee for each task order in accordance with the terms of this IDIQ contract. In addition, the TOCO may tie the fixed fee dollar amount to the level of effort for a term task order or to specific deliverables or milestones for a completion task order.

(d) For any task order issued under this IDIQ contract, at the time of each payment of allowable costs to the contractor, USAID will pay the contractor a percentage of the fixed fee that directly corresponds to the percentage of allowable costs. Two exceptions to paying fixed fee in this manner apply:

(1) If the TOCO determines that this method will result in paying a disproportionately higher ratio of fixed fee than the percentage of the work that the contractor completed, then the TOCO may suspend further payment of any fixed fee until the Contractor has made sufficient progress to justify further payment in the opinion of the TOCO; or,

(2) The terms and conditions of FAR 52.216-7, “Allowable Cost and Payment,” and FAR 52.216.8, as incorporated by reference in Section I, apply after total payments of fixed fee reach eighty-five percent (85%) of the total fixed fee.

B.6 INDIRECT COSTS

The contract clause entitled “Allowable Cost and Payment (JUN 2013)”, FAR Subpart 52.216-7, specifies that the indirect cost rates must be established for each of the contractor’s accounting periods which apply to this contract. Pending establishment of revised provisional or final indirect cost rates, allowable indirect costs will be reimbursed on the basis of the following negotiated provisional or predetermined rates and the appropriate bases:

Description Rate Base Type Period

TBD TBD 1/ 1/ 1/

TBD TBD 2/ 2/ 2/

TBD TBD 3/ 3/ 3/

1/Base of Application:

Type of Rate:

Period:

Source:

2/Base of Application:

3/Base of Application:

NOTE: Contractors are allowed to recoup indirect costs [Overhead, General and Administrative (G&A), etc.] as other direct costs if it is part of the contractor’s usual accounting procedures, consistent with FAR Part 31, and the contractor’s Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA, if applicable).

B.7 CEILING ON INDIRECT COSTS

(a) For each of the Contractor’s accounting periods during the term of this contract, the parties agree as follows:

(1) The distribution base for establishment of final overhead rates is .

(2) The distribution base for establishment of final G&A rates is .

(b) The Contractor will make no change in its established method of classifying or allocating indirect costs without the prior written approval of the contracting officer.

(c) Reimbursement for indirect costs will be at final negotiated rates, but not in excess of the following ceiling rates for each fiscal year:

Indirect Cost Type FY 18 FY 19 FY 20 FY 21 FY 22 FY 23 (contractor’s FY)

1. [TBD]

2. [TBD]

3. [TBD]

(d) The government will not be obligated to pay any additional amount on account of indirect costs above the ceiling rates established in the contract. This advance understanding will not change any monetary ceiling, cost limitation, or obligation established in the contract.

NOTE: For Fixed-priced task orders, the overhead ceilings only serve as a basis for negotiation.

B.8 LABOR

(a) Central management. Central management costs will be handled through the following method:

The Contracting Officer has determined that a full-time key personnel position is not necessary or required to administer the IDIQ. Contractors will not be authorized to bill USAID directly for IDIQ management costs under this IDIQ or under task orders. Contractors must adopt a centralized management structure that allows for recovery of IDIQ management costs as part of its indirect costs.

(b) Workday and workweek. The workday and workweek policies and method of accounting for paid absences, including holidays for the contractor and major subcontractors, must be in accordance with the contractor’s organizational policies and acceptable accounting procedures; be compliant with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) cost principles; and be in accordance with the terms of this contract.

(c) Local hires and non-U.S. expatriates. All locally hired national personnel and other non-U.S.

expatriates must be paid in accordance with USAID Acquisition Regulation (AIDAR) 722.170. Salaries for individual locally hired personnel and other non-U.S. expatriates under this contract and any resulting subcontract must be in accordance with AIDAR 752.7007, Personnel Compensation (July 2007), and should be based upon a combination of factors including the prevailing compensation paid to personnel performing comparable work in the cooperating country as determined by USAID and consideration of the individual’s education, work experience, and recent relevant salary history.

B.8.1 Unburdened Ceiling Daily Rates

(a) Locally-Hired National Personnel or Other Non-U.S. Expatriate Rates. The Contractor must pay all locally hired national personnel and other non-U.S. expatriates in accordance with AIDAR

722.170. Further, the Contractor must pay salaries for locally-hired personnel and non-U.S. expatriates under this IDIQ Contract and any resulting subcontract in accordance with AIDAR 752.7007, “Personnel,” after factoring the prevailing compensation paid to personnel performing comparable work in the cooperating country as determined by USAID and consideration of the individual’s education, work experience, and recent and relevant salary history. Unless otherwise authorized by USAID, CCN, and TCN compensation must not exceed the prevailing compensation paid to personnel performing comparable work in the cooperating country as determined by USAID. Also, the Contractor must pay locally-hired national personnel in the currency of the cooperating country unless otherwise authorized by USAID.

(b) Unburdened Ceiling Daily Rates (CDR) apply to all labor (i.e., the prime contractor, subcontractor, Third Country Nationals (TCNs), Cooperating Country Nationals (CCNs), and consultant salaries on CPFF task orders. CDRs do not apply to FFP task orders. CDRs presume a productive eight-hour work day.

(c) Additional requirements and approvals under the IDIQ contract may apply to labor costs, including, but not limited to the following:

(1) The United States Agency for International Development Acquisition Regulation

(AIDAR) 752.7007, Personnel Compensation (July 2007);

(2) Approval of subcontractors as required under FAR Part 42;

(3) Approval of any final salary rates that exceed the Contractor Salary Threshold (CST);

and

(4) Rules requiring that CCN and TCN labor comply with a USAID Mission’s Local

Compensation Plan (LCP), as provided below in paragraph (1) of this section (Section B.8.1).

(d) The Contractor will negotiate approved labor rates at equal to or lower than the CDRs. The TOCO will provide the final approval of any labor rate. USAID will not pay any daily rate that exceeds the CDR set forth in Table 1.

(e) The CDR for personnel listed in Table 1 is “unburdened” and must only include salary costs or consulting rates of the individual providing the services. The CDR must not include the following:

(1) Payroll costs [such as fringe benefits, Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) allowances, differentials];

(2) Indirect costs applicable to labor; and

(3) Profit or fee, if any.

(f) The CDRs set forth in Table 1 will remain valid for the entirety of the IDIQ’s period of performance.

(g) The CDRs apply to all consented subcontractors under this IDIQ Contract and new subcontractors proposed for specific cost-type task orders.

The unburdened CDR for each labor category set forth in Table 1 below represents the junior-level, mid-level, and senior-level rate for each category.

Table 2 below defines labor categories and provides illustrative examples.

Table 1: Unburdened Ceiling Daily Rates

No Labor Category SENIOR-

LEVEL

MID-LEVEL JUNIOR-

LEVEL

1 Team Leader $ N/A N/A

2 Statistician $ $ $

3 Institutional/Legal Reform Expert

4 Economist $ $ $

5 Epidemiologist $ $ $

6 Education Specialists $ $ $

7 Finance/Investment Specialist

8 Public Administration Specialist

9 Operations Management Specialists

10 Value Chain/Marketing Specialist

11 Data Collection/Survey Specialists

12 Information Technology Specialists

13 Scientist $ $ $

14 Workshop And Retreat Organizers

15 Home Office Specialist Positions

16 Administrative Support Specialists

N/A $ $

Table 2: Definition of Labor Categories

Labor Category Illustrative Examples

Team Leader Director, Project Manager, Chief of Party

Statistician Sampling Methodology, mathematical/analytical modeler and estimator

Institutional/Legal Reform Expert

Institutional/Legal Reform Expert, Political Scientist, Legal Advisor, General Legal Advisor, Local Institution Advisor

Economist Agricultural, Trade, Transportation, Institutional, Managerial Economist

Epidemiologist Academic Research, Infection Control, Clinical Trial Research, Field, Investigative, Pharmaceutical Epidemiologist

Education Specialists Training Design, Administration, Public, Vocational, College Education Specialists.

Finance/Investment Specialist

Banking, Financial Accounting, Insurance, Venture Capitalist, Agricultural, Industrial Finance/Investment Specialists

Public Administration Specialist

Government Ministry, Local Government, International Organizational Public Administration Specialists

Operations Management Specialists

Systems Analytical, Private Firm Management, Public Service Provider Management Specialist, Value Chain/Marketing Specialist

Agricultural Input, Commodity, Processed Goods Value Chain/Marketing Specialists

Data Collection/Survey Specialists

Survey Design, Representative Sample, Data and Information Specialists

Information Technology Specialists

Data Management, Computer Systems, Programming, Data Synthesis Specialists

Scientist Highly Trained Specialists in any Scientific Field

Workshop And Retreat Organizers

Personnel Advisors, Systems Management, Evaluation and Communication Specialists

Home Office Specialist Positions

Home Office Project Managers, Compliance, Grants, Accounting, Security or Procurement Specialist

Administrative Support Specialists

Secretary, Receptionist, Clerk

B.8.2 Minimum Qualifications

The Contractor must provide personnel that meet the minimum education and experience requirements set forth in Table 3. These minimum qualifications for junior-level, mid-level, and senior-level personnel correspond to the unburdened CDRs set forth in Table 1 above.

Table 3: Minimum Personnel Qualifications

Level Education Requirement (highest degree obtained should relate to the services provided)

Experience Requirement (experience should relate to the services provided)

Junior-Level Ph.D 1

JD/ABD 1

MS/MA/MBA 2

BS/BA 4

Less than BS/BA 6

Mid-Level Ph.D 4

JD/ABD 5

MS/MA/MBA 6

BS/BA 7

Less than BS/BA 8

Senior-Level Ph.D 8

JD/ABD 10

MS/MA/MBA 12

BS/BA 15

Less than BS/BA 20

B.8.3 Subcontractor Rates

(a) Unburdened CDRs apply to all subcontractor labor on CPFF task orders.

(b) For subcontractors with a cost accounting system that only processes fully burdened rates, the contractor must include in its task order proposal:

(1) The fully burdened rate proposed to the contractor by the subcontractors;

(2) Allocation of the contractor’s indirect cost in accordance with established accounting practices; and

(3) Reasonable profit.

(c) If proposed rates, inclusive of the prime contractor’s allocable indirect costs and a reasonable profit, exceed the IDIQ contract’s unburdened CDRs, then the contractor must disclose the amount of the indirect costs and the amount of the proposed profit added to the subcontractor’s proposed rates. The TOCO will negotiate reasonable labor rates using that information.

B.8.4 Unburdened CDR Rate Changes

The labor rates are fixed for all contract years; however, the contractor may submit a proposal requesting the modification of the labor rates and/or indirect cost rates and the rationale behind the proposed change at any time during the life of this IDIQ Contract. The IDIQ Contracting Officer will review these proposals and determine if the revised rates are reasonable, realistic, and serve the best interests of the U.S. Government. If the IDIQ Contracting Officer accepts the rates, then USAID will modify the contract by incorporating the new rates into the IDIQ Contract.

[END OF SECTION B]

SECTION C - DESCRIPTION/SPECIFICATIONS/STATEMENT OF WORK

C.1 PURPOSE

The MECLAK IDIQ will provide a central platform for the procurement of support services that will strengthen, support, and facilitate USAID’s Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E), Collaborating, Learning and Adapting (CLA), and Knowledge Management (KM) practices and approaches within USAID Missions in Southern Africa and in USAID activities across Southern Africa.

C.2 BACKGROUND

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is the lead U.S. Government development agency that works to end extreme global poverty and enable resilient, democratic societies to realize their potential. USAID works in over 100 countries to promote broadly shared economic prosperity, strengthen democracy and good governance; protect human rights, improve global health;

advance food security and agriculture, improve environmental sustainability; further education, help societies prevent and recover from conflicts and provide humanitarian assistance in the wake of natural and man-made disasters. Programs are primarily implemented by partner organizations through acquisition and assistance mechanisms issued either by an overseas Mission or from USAID’s headquarters in Washington, DC. USAID also supports U.S. Presidential initiatives, including the U.S.

President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the Feed the Future Initiative, the Global Climate Change Initiative, the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI), and Power Africa, among others.

USAID Southern Africa (USAID/SA) Southern African nations face some of the highest levels of income inequality, extreme poverty, and HIV prevalence in the world. While the region has realized significant achievements in economic growth, the overall number of people living in poverty has increased over the past two decades. Forty-five percent of the wider Southern Africa population lives on less than $2 per day. Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, and South Africa have some of the highest levels of income inequality globally. Thirty-four percent of the world’s population living with HIV reside in ten Southern African countries. Although a regional leader in many aspects, South Africa continues to suffer from the apartheid legacy of disparity, division and exclusion, severe income disparities, a weakened energy infrastructure, resurgent political polarization, high unemployment, failing schools, labor strife, rampant violent crime, corruption, inadequate policies, and poorly targeted public investment.

USAID's programs in the Southern Africa region aim to increase and integrate trade, fight the HIV/AIDS epidemic, mitigate food insecurity, support democratic processes, protect human rights, fight climate change, and address cross-border issues. USAID’s operations in the Southern Africa region are comprised of country offices in Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, and the Power Africa office located in Pretoria. Each Mission/Office manages USAID country programs that advance development through bilateral relationships with respective host country governments. These offices vary in size from full, large scale Missions led by a USAID Mission Director, to smaller non-presence country offices with few staff. USAID’s offices in those countries rely to varying degrees on services provided out of the USAID/SA regional platform, located in Pretoria, South Africa.

USAID/SA’s Regional Program and Project Development Office (RPPDO) supports activities within Southern Africa and provides programmatic support to USAID missions and offices in the region. In furtherance of this mandate, RPPDO will manage this IDIQ contract.

C.3 OBJECTIVE

The objective of the IDIQ contract is to support USAID programs in the 14 Southern Africa countries (Angola, Botswana, Comoros, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia, and Zimbabwe) plus the USAID/Southern Africa Regional Mission located in Pretoria, South Africa. The IDIQ contract will provide a comprehensive suite of technical and advisory services to design and implement M&E, CLA, and KM tasks. These services will be in alignment with ADS 201 requirements, USAID Evaluation Policy and M&E Mission Orders. According to USAID’s Operational Policy Automated Directives System (ADS) 201, “the purpose of monitoring, evaluation and learning practices is to apply knowledge gained from evidence and analysis to improve development outcomes and ensure accountability for the resources used to achieve them." This will be accomplished through the following four tasks:

Task 1: Monitoring Services

Task 2: Evaluation and Assessment Services

Task 3: Collaborating, Learning and Adapting Services

Task 4: Knowledge Management Services

C.4 STATEMENT OF WORK

Task 1: Monitoring Services

An effective performance monitoring system is an essential component of every USAID Mission and intended to ensure sound and compliant program performance management, informed decision making and optimal resource allocation. The project will assist USAID in implementing specialized strategies and projects to meet USAID monitoring and reporting requirements.

Monitoring plans and activities will be developed in coordination with RPPDO located in Pretoria, South Africa, USAID Missions and Offices throughout Southern Africa region, and implementing partners (IPs). Monitoring services provided by the implementing partner must complement, to the fullest extent possible, USAID Mission or Office internal capacity to conduct monitoring activities on an ongoing basis. The IP will not take the lead or a permanent role in monitoring.

Services to be provided include:

Service Illustrative Tasks

Data Quality Assessments (DQA) ● Support Data Quality Assessments

● Provide technical assistance on data quality, including capacity-building of USAID partner staff

Activity Monitoring and Evaluation Plan (AMEP) Development Support

● Support development review and/or revision of strategy AMEPs

● Design, plan, collect, verify, assess and/or review performance indicator data or indicators vis a vis AMEPs

Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Plan (MELP) Development Support

● Support development; review and/or revision of project or activity MELPs

● Design, plan, collect, verify, assess and/or review performance indicator data or indicators vis-à-vis MELPs

Performance Monitoring ● Design, plan, collect, verify, assess and/or review performance indicator data or indicators relevant to strategies projects and/or activities

Theory of Change Technical Assistance

● Assist in developing evidence-based theories of change with aligned Results Frameworks and indicators

● Workshop theories of change development with relevant stakeholders

● Provide information and data to assist USAID in developing evidence-based theories of change

● Recommend key elements to be included in Scopes of Work (SOW) for evaluations (which will be drafted by USAID), with particular attention to conflict of interest issues

Data Management ● Synthesize monitoring data and prepare it for reports analysis and reviews

● Synthesize data from multiple partners and projects

● Coordinate the compilation and validation of data from USAID operational plans and reports

● Produce customized information products from monitoring data and indicator data

● Provide GIS mapping support

Capacity Building ● Provide guidance and on-the-job and classroom training to USAID implementing partners, USAID staff and local evaluators regarding monitoring design, data gathering, computer compilation, etc.

● Develop selection criteria to identify and recommend local/regional Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (ME&L) firms/ organizations/ institutions capable of providing monitoring services with potential to provide quality ME&L services to USAID and other stakeholders in the region

● Assess and document the capacities of select local/regional ME&L entities, both public and private, to supply monitoring services firms/ organizations/ institutions utilizing organizational capacity assessment tools

● Determine milestones in close consultation with USAID to determine at what point local/ regional ME&L firms/ organizations/ institutions possess sufficient capacity to independently provide quality ME&L services

● Document the progress of each of these organizations based on such milestones

● Develop a strategy and roadmap at the country and/or regional level for the development of local/regional monitoring capacity development

● As required, work in close collaboration with other contractors and /or regional local capacity development advisors to strengthen organizational administration and management capacity

Providing Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (ME&L) Technical Assistance

● Assist in USAID Mission Portfolio Review preparation and documentation.

● Assist CORs, AORs or Activity Managers in designing and executing systematic monitoring plans.

Task 2: Evaluation and Assessment Services

USAID’s Evaluation Policy promotes use of evaluations to plan, manage, and guide the development of new project designs. Evaluations play a critical role in project design and development, and permit USAID to re-examine development hypotheses, adjust program implementation based on new evidence, and consider both planned and unplanned results.

Consistent with USAID ADS 201 policy, USAID Missions’ globally are expected to allocate approximately three percent of program funding to external evaluations. All evaluations must comply with ADS requirements and USAID’s Evaluation Policy.

USAID expects to solicit evaluations in a number of fields, including: economic growth, agriculture and trade; environment; education and training; global health; democracy, conflict prevention and humanitarian assistance; and cross-cutting programs (conflict management, private and voluntary cooperation, transition initiatives, urban programs, water, women in development, youth, science, technology, innovation and partnerships).

Conduct Impact Evaluations ● Design, develop and implement impact evaluations; utilize quantitative and qualitative methods to develop quasi-experimental and/or experimental designs; develop data collection instruments and protocols; and conduct baselines, mid-term, end-term and time-lag evaluations. .

● Incorporate gender and other relevant thematic analyses

Conduct Performance Evaluations ● Design, develop and implement performance evaluations and develop improvement strategies collaboratively with stakeholders.

● Utilize quantitative and qualitative methods as appropriate

● Incorporate gender and other relevant thematic analysis

Conduct Meta-Evaluations Utilizing Open Data Source Integration

● Design, develop and implement meta-evaluations in accordance with strict statistical guidelines to correctly interpret results, utilizing qualitative methods whenever information is available.

● Incorporate gender and other relevant thematic analysis where possible

Conduct Cost Benefit Analysis and/or Cost Effectiveness Analysis

● Design, develop and implement cost benefit analyses, utilizing quantitative and qualitative methods

● Incorporate gender and other relevant thematic analysis

Data Management ● Synthesize monitoring data from multiple partners and prepare them for reports and reviews

● Aggregate data from multiple partners and projects

● Coordinate the compilation and validation of data from USAID operational plans and reports

● Produce customized information products from monitoring data and indicator data

● GIS mapping support

Capacity Building ● Provide guidance and on-the-job and classroom evaluation training to USAID staff, implementing partners, USAID staff and local evaluators

● Develop selection criteria to identify and recommend local/regional Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (ME&L) firms/ organizations/ institutions with potential to provide quality ME&L services to USAID and other stakeholders in the region

● Assess and document the capacities of select local/regional evaluation ME&L firms/ organizations/ institutions utilizing organizational capacity assessment tools

● Determine milestones in close consultation with USAID to determine at what point local/ regional ME&L firms/ organizations/ institutions possess sufficient capacity to independently provide quality ME&L evaluation services

● Document the progress of each of these organizations based on such milestones

● Develop a strategy and roadmap at the country and/or regional level for local/regional capacity development in collaboration with other donors/partners

● As required, work in close collaboration with other contractors and /or regional local capacity development advisors to strengthen administrative and management capacity of the selected firms/ organizations.

● Develop a strategy and roadmap at the country and/or regional level for local/regional capacity development

Evaluation and Learning (ME&L) Technical Assistance

● Assist in USAID Mission Portfolio Review preparation and documentation

● Support mid-term stocktaking, project reviews, targeted information gathering, etc.

Peer Review Mechanism ● Support Mission personnel in developing peer review mechanisms and processes

● Support mid-term stocktaking, project reviews, targeted information gathering, etc.

Report Writing ● Provide information to be synthesized by Missions into Complete Data Quality Analyses, Performance Management Plan reviews; research & assessment reports; evaluation reports

Task 3: Collaborating, Learning and Adapting Services

Collaborating, Learning and Adapting (CLA) aims to adapt programs and program approaches to changing circumstances, and new knowledge and evidence in order to increase program effectiveness and relevance; as well as to spur learning, capacity development and/or strengthening in the region.

USAID committed to a CLA approach throughout the program cycle that includes being: more purposeful in building and leveraging the evidence base to inform implementation; more attuned and adaptive to unforeseen opportunities, challenges and changing contexts; and more effective in influencing others to do the same. Additionally, it means developing and implementing USAID mission strategies and activities on a platform of intentional collaboration, strategic learning, and adaptive management. Though learning is always taking place, it is not always sufficiently planned, adequately resourced or systematically applied to improve practice.

Closely tied with M&E, CLA is a way of ensuring lessons learned are applied , at all stages of the program cycle, including strategy development, project and activity design and implementation, as well as monitoring and evaluation. Approaches to CLA will be unique and individualized against each USAID mission/office’s budget, operating context and other management factors. CLA tools are available on line: https://usaidlearninglab.org/cla-toolkit, Learning for Adapting Functions/Tasks

● Suggest CLA-based topics and agendas

● Compile lessons learned

● Share relevant information with USAID and other stakeholders

● Document processes

Stakeholder Engagement ● Facilitate workshops

● Facilitate stakeholder buy-in activities

Operations Re-Engineering ● Advise on change management approaches

● Assist in negotiating change management around monitoring, evaluation and learning

Facilitation ● Facilitate learning, collaboration and coordination among implementing partners and other collaborators who have the greatest impact on results

● Produce reflections on the implications of new learning

● Produce plans for adapting programs accordingly

● Establish a network of key stakeholders and organize periodic, appropriate opportunities for USAID to interact with them based on strategy implementation and evidence-based experience

Other Analyses and Assessments

● Conduct other CLA analyses and needs assessments

● Create contextual design/ diagnostic assessments and baselines

● Create thematic literature reviews, feasibility studies and evidence gap maps

● Identify gaps through research and experiential knowledge sharing; systematic reviews; rapid evidence assessments

● Review primary and secondary data analysis to inform project design including scenario planning; sectoral and cross cutting assessments and situation assessments

● Utilize quantitative and qualitative methods as appropriate

Internal Change Management for CLA

● Assist core USAID leadership staff to communicate a consistent message and develop appropriate incentives to advance learning and organizational development

● Conduct analyses of organizational culture and time management studies to illuminate opportunities for making advances in CLA and provide a baseline for tracking organizational learning and change

● Propose agendas for and facilitate sectoral portfolio reviews to identity areas of need, common learning needs, etc.

● Document and disseminate CLA in action examples of best practices and success stories

CLA in CDCS and RDCS implementation

● Develop learning agendas based on key strategy documents to identify key questions and critical knowledge gaps that need to be addressed. This will inform distinct levels of program, project, and activity design, indicator choices, target setting, and potential future adjustments in implementation.

● Consult with implementing partners and other USAID stakeholders to better understand design, causal pathways, and implementation conditions underlying promising program results.

● Serve as facilitator and assist with knowledge capture and sharing between USAID staff, implementing partner staff and other stakeholders.

● Establish and facilitate advisory council to provide informed advice and constructive suggestions to USAID technical specialists on program performance and development context.

Coordination, Collaboration ● Explore and establish working relations with well-known, reputable organizational research and consulting entities for collaboration and sharing of organizational management, learning and performance knowledge (researched and tacit), effectively creating learning program partnerships.

Task 4: Knowledge Management Services

The development of a sound CLA plan and approach enables USAID to manage knowledge sources and integrate learning into overall Mission management objectives. To support Mission knowledge management approaches, the contractor will aid USAID Southern Africa in making sound resource decisions through the design, development and implementation of a Mission-focused knowledge audit that examines workflow, IT and business process.

Knowledge audits will be grounded on Country Development Cooperation Strategies (CDCS) for the Southern Africa Regional Mission and individual missions in the region. Each should include (a) a knowledge needs analysis to determine what knowledge resources and capabilities are needed most, (b) a knowledge inventory analysis that will identify the explicit or physical knowledge assets such as documents, data, websites and subject matter experts within a mission, (c) a knowledge flow analysis to assess how knowledge resources should move throughout a mission, and (d) the development of a knowledge map that will serve as a visual representation of the knowledge flow analysis to assist with clarifying how knowledge should flow through a mission to capitalize on strengths or make improvements.

This audit will guide management decisions, including modifications to existing staff positions or creation of new positions, training, staff development needs (including mentoring and leadership development) and formalized networking opportunities such as a speaker’s series or subject-matter workshops.

The audit will serve to identify knowledge management activities that integrate knowledge sharing and learning into all development projects and activities. The audit will also provide employees and implementing partners with additional resources, tools and training to effectively implement USAID projects and collaborate with peer USAID partners.

Finally, the contractor will focus on effectively utilizing technology to document, store, share, map, and maintain information on program management best practices, employee and implementing partner resources, after action learning resources, skills development and training.

Knowledge Audit Focused on USAID/Southern Africa Mission and individual missions in the region

● Conduct a Knowledge Audit focused on USAID/Southern Africa

● Knowledge needs analysis involving questionnaires; focus group discussions;

interviews with key stakeholders; and workshops.

● Knowledge inventory analysis to cover workflow and business processes analysis;

content analysis; and IT systems analysis

● Knowledge flow analysis

● Knowledge mapping

Actions and Activities for Creating a Knowledge-Sharing Culture

● Augmenting position descriptions for staff members whose job is primarily to share or distribute knowledge

● Including knowledge-sharing and/or mentoring goals as part of an employee’s performance plan.

● Establishing a reward system to recognize staff for sharing knowledge through formalized incentives

● Formalizing regular networking opportunities within the Mission for the sharing of knowledge, including brown bags, presentations by experts and subject-matter workshops

Actions and Activities for Supporting the Knowledge Management Process

● Integrate knowledge sharing and learning into development programs and activities, suggesting language useful for implementing partners’ contracts)

● Recommend incentives and recognition for knowledge sharing and innovation by implementing partners

● Integrate the use of myUSAID subject areas and work spaces as a knowledge sharing platform for mission staff and operating units.

● Create capacity for simplified information access by developing a system for standard information classification (taxonomy) and filing structures in the mission.

● Establish After Action Learning processes to enable strategic planning teams to benefit from and pass on lessons learned.

C.5 RESULTS

Individual task orders will include specific deliverables and indicators measuring anticipated results of the services tasked under each component.

[END OF SECTION C]

Actions and Activities for the Effective Utilization of Technology

● Establish and maintain expertise directories for use by the mission on the Intranet / myUSAID platform.

● Develop a document management system for organizing and retrieving documents that is not reliant on the internal shared P-drive system.

● Carry out knowledge mapping to identify the knowledge that the Mission wants to manage.

● Institute After Action Learning programs.

● Institutionalize and promote available training programs that provide staff members at USAID/Southern Africa with the understanding and skills to use new knowledge sharing technologies and processes.

SECTION D - PACKAGING AND MARKING

D.1 MARKING AND BRANDING POLICY

All USAID-funded foreign assistance (including programs, projects, activities, public communications, and commodities) must be communicated, promoted, and marked as coming from the American People through USAID. Specific communications and promotion measures must be described in the “Branding Strategy” and “Branding Implementation Plan”, and specific marking will be described in the “Marking Plan” for the contract.

The Contractor shall comply with the requirements of the policy directives and required procedures outlined in USAID Automated Directive System (ADS) 320.3.2 “Branding and Marking in USAID Direct Contracting” at http://www.usaid.gov/policy/ads/300/320.pdf; and USAID “Graphic Standards Manual” available at www.usaid.gov/branding or any successor branding policy.

Anticipated elements of marking plan: deliverables to be marked, include products, equipment and inputs delivered; places where program activities are carried out; external public communications, studies, reports, publications and informative and promotional products; and workshops, conferences, fairs, media related activities and any such events. Publications authored by Contractors or other non USAID employees must include the following disclaimer on the title page: “The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.” Threats and restrictions to the security of the program need to be identified and assessed in order to request any necessary exception from the marking requirement in accordance with ADS 320.3.2.

USAID’s web page contains the electronic version of the Graphic Standards Manual that is compulsory for all Contractors. Marking under this contract shall comply with the “USAID Graphics Standards Manual” available at http://www.usaid.gov/work-usaid/branding/acquisition-awards.

D.2 AIDAR 752.7009 MARKING (JAN 1993)

a) It is USAID policy that USAID-financed commodities and shipping containers, and project construction sites and other project locations be suitably marked with the USAID emblem. Shipping containers are also to be marked with the last five digits of the USAID financing document number. As a general rule, marking is not required for raw materials shipped in bulk (such as coal, grain, etc.), or for semi-finished products which are not packaged.

b) Specific guidance on marking requirements should be obtained prior to procurement of commodities to be shipped, and as early as possible for project construction sites and other project locations. This guidance will be provided through the cognizant technical office indicated on the cover page of this contract, or by the Mission Director in the Cooperating Country to which commodities are being shipped, or in which the project site is located.

c) Authority to waive marking requirements is vested with the Regional Assistant Administrators, and with Mission Directors.

d) A copy of any specific marking instructions or waivers from marking requirements is to be sent to the Contracting Officer; the original should be retained by the Contractor.

D.3 BRANDING IMPLEMENTATION PLAN AND MARKING PLAN

http://www.usaid.gov/policy/ads/300/320.pdf%3B http://www.usaid.gov/branding http://www.usaid.gov/work-usaid/branding/acquisition-awards

The Contractor shall submit a final branding implementation plan and marking plan no later than 30 days after award. The plan must be in accordance with ADS 320.3.2. The plan must be submitted to the Contracting Officer for approval. The contractor will follow the approved plan during implementation of this contract unless a waiver is requested and approved. Guidance for applying for waivers can be found in ADS 320.

The cover page of all report deliverables required in Section F will include the USAID Identity (or name of the Agency written out) prominently displayed, the contract number, the task order number, contractor name, name of the responsible USAID office, the publication or issuance date of the document, document title, author name(s), activity number, and activity title. Descriptive information is required whether contractor furnished products are submitted in paper or electronic form. All materials will include the name, organization, address, and telephone/fax/internet number of the person submitting the materials.

[END OF SECTION D]

SECTION E – INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE

E.1 NOTICE LISTING CONTRACT CLAUSES INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

The following contract clauses pertinent to this section are hereby incorporated by reference (by Citation Number, Title, and Date) in accordance with the clause FAR 52.252-2 CLAUSES INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE in Section I.1 of this contract. See https://www.acquisition.gov/far/index.html for electronic access to the full text of a Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) clause.

FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATION (48 CFR Chapter 1)

NUMBER TITLE DATE

52.246-4 INSPECTION OF SERVICES—FIXED PRICE AUG 1996

52.246-5 INSPECTION OF SERVICES—COST

REIMBURSEMENT

APRIL 1984

E.2 INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE/RESPONSIBLE OFFICIAL

USAID inspection and acceptance of services, reports and other required deliverables or outputs shall take place at USAID/Southern Africa Mission or at any other location where the services are performed and reports and deliverables or outputs are produced or submitted. The Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) identified in Section G has been delegated authority to inspect and accept all services, reports, and required deliverables or outputs.

The TOCO will designate a Task Order COR (TOCOR) for each specific task order. In accordance with the clauses of this contract entitled INSPECTION OF SERVICES – COST REIMBURSEMENT (FAR 52.246-5) and INSPECTION OF SERVICES – FIXED-PRICE (FAR 52.246-4), inspection of results or other deliverables required by each task order issued hereunder must be made by the cognizant TOCOR for that task order. Acceptance of goods/services and reports or other deliverables by the cognizant TOCOR for that task order must form the basis for payments to the contractor and will form the basis of the contractor’s permanent performance with regard to this contract.

[END OF SECTION E]

http://www.acquisition.gov/far/index.html

SECTION F – DELIVERIES OR PERFORMANCE

F.1 NOTICE LISTING CONTRACT CLAUSES INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

Citation Number, Title, and Date) in accordance with the clause FAR 52.252-2 CLAUSES INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE in Section I.1 of this contract. See

FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATION (48 CFR Chapter 1)

NUMBER TITLE DATE

52.242-15 STOP-WORK ORDER AUG 1989

52.242-15 STOP-WORK ORDER

ALTERNATE I

APR 1984

52.242-17 GOVERNMENT DELAY OF

WORK

APR 1984

F.2 PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

(a) IDIQ Period of Performance. The period of performance for the IDIQ contract commences on the award date. The IDIQ period of performance concludes five (5) years from the award date.

(b) IDIQ Ordering Period. The IDIQ ordering period refers to the period in which a TOCO can award a task order under this IDIQ contract. The ordering period commences on the award date of this IDIQ contract and concludes five (5) years from the date of award. Once the IDIQ ordering period concludes, a TOCO must not award a task order.

(c) Task Order Period of Performance. Task orders may be issued at any time during the ordering period and must be completed no later than the end of the period of performance of the contract.

F.3 PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

Performance of this IDIQ contract and task orders issued hereunder will be in those countries as specified in the individual task orders and are limited to Angola, Botswana, Comoros, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

F.4 PERFORMANCE STANDARDS

(a) USAID will evaluate the contractor’s performance of each task order based on its adherence to the work plan, reporting against its Activity M&E Plan,…