CE CPC RFP Qs As.pdf

AMENDMENT 2, ATTACHMENT 1

ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS SUBMITTED BY INDUSTRY IN RESPONSE TO THE

CLEAN ENERGY INDEFINITE DELIVERY INDEFINITE QUANTITY (IDIQ)

CONTRACT FOR CRITICAL PRIORITY COUNTRIES (CPCs)

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)

Question 1: We are interested in participation in this Solicitation in fields as follow:

1. Clean Energy;

2. Energy Poverty

3. Energy Sector Governance

4. Energy Security

5. Energy Sector Reform

Should we choose only 1 field of activity or we can participate in some of them?

Answer: USAID seeks proposals that address the entire requirement described in this RFP, not for just one theme/activity or a select few themes/activities.

Question 2: The task orders are prepared by Government. What services do you expect to obtain in result – a report, a design for a selected country, a research report or equipment manufactured for installation in a certain country?

Answer: Section C of the RFP outlines the types of activities that USAID may require under this IDIQ Contract. Details will be determined at the task order level.

Question 3: Page 7, Section B.8 includes a note that states, “The ceiling on fixed fee shall apply to the prime contractor and all subcontractors under task orders.” Please confirm that the ceiling in this note refers to the maximum percentage of the task order’s estimated cost that the prime contractor may charge and that the same maximum percentage of the subcontracted cost that a subcontractor may charge.

Answer: The ceiling refers to the maximum percent of the task order estimated cost that can be used to negotiate the fixed fee for both the prime contractor and the subcontractor.

Question 4: Page 79 states that proposals are to be submitted on “text accessible CD-ROM.” Can USAID please define what “text accessible” means in this instance? Further along page 79, the RFP states that the electronic files shall be text accessible in Microsoft Word and Excel. Would searchable PDF files qualify as “text accessible”?

Answer: Excel: Offerors must include the formulas and enable access to all Excel data.

Microsoft Word: A PDF file that is only searchable, and not editable, does not meet the requirement.

Question 5: Certain documents, such as the Contractor Performance Reports, Form 1420 Biodatas, and other signed documents, can be cumbersome to place into Microsoft Word documents, with larger file sizes and lower resolution resulting. Can web-based (CPRs) and signed documents be included as PDF annexes?

Answer: Yes. Amendment 2 changed page 79 as follows: In the last paragraph, after the second sentence (“Include all formulas and enable access to all Excel data.”), add the following sentence: Web-based and signed documents may be included as PDF annexes.

Question 6: Do you agree that the Technical Proposal response for “Performance in Using Small Business (SB) Concerns” (Section L.8.2.c.2) should not be included in the total page count and thus should be added to the list of items excluded from the page limit (Section L.8.1.b) outlined on page 82? Page 84 says “The information in response to this section 2) Performance Using Small Business (SB) Concerns, shall not be included in the total page count.”

Answer: Yes.

Question 7: Page 83 of the RFP calls for past performance projects that were active within the past five years with contract performance completed within the past three years. This is a very tight requirement considering the recentness of USAID’s activities in the critical priority countries. Many of our firms’ relevant projects, especially those in conflict and post-conflict countries, are ongoing. May we include them?

Answer: Yes.

Question 8: Page 83 of the RFP states that the contractor should present a minimum of five past performance projects “that were active within the past five years with contract performance completed within the past three years. There is no maximum limit on the performance projects.”

Does that mean that once the minimum number of projects meeting the criteria above is satisfied, we may highlight projects that fall outside of the criteria, e.g., ongoing projects, projects that were completed more than three years ago, projects that are technically relevant but were not conducted in one of the critical countries or a conflict/post conflict environment?

Answer: Projects that fall outside the criteria should not be submitted.

The projects should be relevant to clean energy, and should have been performed in conflict, post-conflict, or disaster environments.

All projects submitted for past performance purposes much have been active within the past five years. Although the RFP required past performance to have been completed within the past three years, Amendment 2 changed that requirement to allow offerors to submit ongoing projects.

Question 9: Page 83 states “contract performance completed.” Could USAID define that phrase?

Does it mean that all technical activity has been completed, or that the final contractual closeout process has been finished? The closeout process on USAID projects can take years until DCAA audits final indirect rates.

Answer: Contract performance completed means that the technical activity is finished or that the period of performance is over. It does not mean that the closeout has been completed.

Although the RFP required past performance to have been completed within the past three years, Amendment 2 changed that requirement to allow offerors to submit ongoing projects.

Question 10: For many of our projects, USAID has chosen not to complete Contractor Performance Reports. Shall we include a statement to that effect in our proposals?

Answer: Yes.

Question 11: Page 84 of the RFP lists a number of requirements for the task order statement of work. Would the organization chart and implementation timeline for the task order be included in the page count?

Answer: Page 84 states that the offeror must submit a management and implementation plan that includes a description of the offeror’s proposed management structure for implementing the work under the task order. The instructions for the sample task order do not specifically require an organization chart and implementation timeline. If the offeror submits a Management Structure Organizational Chart, it will not be included in the page count.

Question 12: Page 84 states that the contractor should describe how it would monitor task order activities. Are we correct in assuming that a detailed monitoring plan is not required? If so, would it count in the page limits?

Answer: A detailed monitoring plan is not required. The offeror should include its approach to monitoring task order activities in its proposal.

Question 13: Could USAID please provide exact text for the signed letter of availability for each person? Professionals are concerned about the degree of commitment, considering the fact that the task order is only illustrative.

Answer: Letters of availability are not required for the sample task order. Signed letters of availability are required only for the IDIQ Contract Manager and the Senior Technical Advisor.

Question 14: Can the advanced degree academic qualifications criteria be substituted with years of experience for any of the positions?

Answer: Experience may not be used as a substitute for a graduate degree.

Amendment 2 changed the Request for Proposals to allow a Master’s Degree in a subject that’s related to the position to replace one year of experience and a PhD in a relevant field to replace two years of experience. This change does not apply to all positions (for example, it does not apply to the Legal Advisor), so please pay careful attention to the SF 30.

Question 15: Page 86, Subsection L.91 (e), requires the submission of a Subcontracting Plan described as “the equivalent of a master subcontracting plan for the overall IDIQ contract.” On what basis shall offerors prepare their plans given that there is only a common ceiling and no minimum order?

Answer: These plans may be presented using percentages without specific reference to dollar amount.

Question 16: Are USAID's assessments of A. Corporate/Institutional Capability and C. Past Performance, as listed under Section M.2 Technical Evaluation Factors, based on the prime contractor only or on the capabilities and past performance of the entire team presented?

Answer: The offeror’s Corporate / Institutional Capability and Past Performance should represent the entire team.

Question 17: Given the recent announcement of the official results of the Sudan Referendum, Southern Sudan will become an independent nation on July 9th, 2011. Could USAID kindly elaborate on whether both North and South Sudan will be considered priority countries under this

IDIQ?

Answer: Offerors should prepare their proposals based upon the fact that Sudan is currently one country. After South Sudan becomes an independent nation, USAID will decide whether or not one or both Sudans are Critical Priority Countries. For now, offerors should assume that both Sudans will be considered Critical Priority Countries.

Question 18: On page 83, the RFP requests a narrative describing at least five past performance projects that were active within the past five years and completed within the past three years. The RFP also states that there is no maximum limit on the number of projects described. If we present more than five projects, may we include (i) ongoing projects and (ii) projects implemented and completed earlier than the prescribed period if they are relevant to the scope of work?

Answer: Although the RFP required past performance to have been completed within the past three years, Amendment 2 changed that requirement to allow offerors to submit mid-term past performance for ongoing projects.

All projects submitted for past performance purposes must have been active within the past five years.

The projects should be relevant to clean energy, and should have been performed in conflict, post-conflict, or disaster environments.

Question 19: On page 41 of the RFP, Section H.9 lists the Authorized Geographic Code for this IDIQ as 000. As it has been the common practice of USAID to utilize the 935 Authorized Geographic Code on procurements in the current four critical priority countries listed in the RFP, would USAID consider changing the Geographic Code to 935 to facilitate expedient project implementation?

Answer: The Request for Proposals, in section H.9 Authorized Geographic Code, states that the authorized geographic code is 000 (United States), or as specified in task orders.

If USAID determines that the 935 geographic code is more appropriate for a specific task order, the Agency will use 935 in the Request for Task Order Proposals.

Question 20: Would USAID please confirm that “Personnel” to be evaluated under Section M.2(e) on page 92 refers solely to the IDIQ Contract Manager and the Senior Technical Advisor?

Answer: Confirmed.

Question 21: The cover letter indicates that the period of performance for a task order may not extend beyond three years after the end of the ordering period. However, on page 24 of the RFP, Section F.2 states that a task order may not be awarded for a period of performance that goes more than five (5) years into the future at the time the order is either awarded or extended by modification. Would USAID please clarify the anticipated period of performance?

Answer: The ordering period under the IDIQ Contract is five years. Individual task orders can range from less than one year to five years. No task order can continue more than three years after the five year ordering period under the IDIQ Contract ends. Thus, the period of performance for a task order awarded during the first through third years of the IDIQ Contract could be up to five years, but a task order awarded at the end of the fifth year of the IDIQ Contract could not have a period of performance of more than three years. The maximum length of performance under the entire IDIQ Contract, including all task orders, could be as much as eight years.

Question 22: On page 12 of the RFP, Section C.3.2 refers to “indirect clean energy activities.”

Would USAID please clarify how it differentiates between “direct” and “indirect” clean energy activities?

Answer: The distinction between direct and indirect clean energy activities is a budgetary distinction in USAID appropriations. Direct activities are funded with Clean Energy (CE) funds from the clean energy pillar of the Global Climate Change Initiative (GCCI). Indirect clean energy activities are not funded by the CE/GCCI funds, but they meet specified criteria for funding, policy priorities, objectives, indicators, and outcome.

Question 23: On pages 102 and 103 of the RFP, Section F.5.1(b) and Section F.5.1 (d) make reference to “phase one.” Would USAID please clarify what “phase one” refers to and whether there is an anticipated “phase two?”

Answer: The sample task order has only one phase – developing strategies (for developing an enabling environment in component one, for capacity building in component two, and for public outreach in component three). Because this is a sample task order, a phase two is not anticipated.

Amendment 2 deleted the references to phase one.

Question 24: It is our observation from experience implementing programs in Afghanistan that the $1,000,000 plug for other direct costs listed in Attachment J.11 on page 127 of the RFP would be insufficient to cover operating costs for the illustrative TO. Would USAID please confirm that the Sample Task Order budget will be used solely for the purpose of award evaluation and not for the basis of a task order award?

Answer: Confirmed. The Sample Task Order budget will be used solely for the purpose of evaluation and not for the basis of a task order award.

Question 25: Section L.8(2)(c)(2)(3)(B) on page 84 instructs Offerors to provide a copy of the most recent SF294 “Subcontracting Report for Individual Contracts” for each contract against which the Offeror was required to report for the past three years. Given the large volume of our SF294s for the past three years, totaling more than 500 pages, would USAID consider receiving these forms on a CD-ROM as an annex to the technical volume? Alternatively, would USAID consider the option of selecting ten relevant SF294 forms for USAID’s review?

Answer: The SF 294 “Subcontracting Report for Individual Contracts” may be submitted on a CD-ROM.

Question 26: Section L.6(d) instructs Offerors to use 8.5 inch by 11 inch paper for the proposals;

would USAID please confirm that Excel spreadsheets may be printed on 11 inch by 17 inch paper for the cost volume?

Answer: RFP page 79 has been changed to allow Excel spreadsheets to be printed on either standard size (8 ½ by 11 inch) paper or legal size (8 ½ by 14 inch) paper. 11 inch by 17 inch paper is not acceptable.

Question 27: Page 96, Section C.3.(b) references the Afghanistan Energy and Capacity Building (AECB) project, a three year initiative funded by USAID, is scheduled for completion in August of 2011. Besides the one-page fact sheet available from the USAID Afghanistan website, would USAID make available to prospective bidders any more detailed information or reports? The relevant material does not appear to be available in USAID’s DEC at present.

Answer: The AECB project is not referenced in the sample task order. Detailed information and/or reports about AECB are not needed to prepare a proposal in response to this Request for Proposals.

Question 28: Would both Northern and Southern Sudan be considered Critical Priority Countries under this RFP if two newly independent states were created?

Answer: Offerors should prepare their proposals based upon the fact that Sudan is currently one country. After South Sudan becomes an independent nation, USAID will decide whether or not one or both Sudans are Critical Priority Countries. For now, offerors should assume that both Sudans will be considered Critical Priority Countries.

Question 29: The draft Clean Energy RFP for CPCs limited the number of subcontractors per offer to eight. The final RFP does not mention such a limit. Can you please clarify if there are any restrictions on the size of consortiums/number of organizations per offer?

Answer: There is no restriction on a consortium’s size.

Question 30: Sample RFTOP: Does the Agency have, and can the Agency share, an estimate of the total LOE or total budget for completing this task order?

Answer: USAID will not provide a total budget. The level of effort is provided.

Question 31: Can you please specify the geographic code for the sample RFTOP?

Answer: This is a sample task order, not an actual RFTOP, so the geographic code is irrelevant.

Question 32: On Page 5, B.2 Contract Type and Services: Can the Prime Contractor issue subcontracts under individual task orders other than CPFF or FFP, such as Time & Materials or fixed price Contract Item Line Numbers (CLINS) with a ceiling price?

Answer: The task orders that USAID issues under this IDIQ Contract will be CPFF and FFP. Prime contractors may issue subcontracts using time and materials or fixed price CLINS with a ceiling price.

Question 33: On page 28, under F.(7) Fair Opportunity (a), what is the meaning of the phrase between parentheses “(or all contractors designated under a specific sector)”?

Answer: The phrase in the parenthesis is standard USAID fair opportunity language.

Question 34: On page 29, (5)(ii)(C): As currently written, it reads as if there will always be no need to go to the next step below. It may be useful to clarify the language.

Answer: This is standard USAID fair opportunity language.

Question 35: On page 82, fifth bullet at top of the page: Please confirm that Past Performance listing is the same as the reports of past performance information requested on page 83 under (c)(ii).

Answer: Confirmed.

Question 36: On page 85, L.8(2)(e), Personnel Information: We understand that offerors are requested to submit CVs and other information for the proposed IDIQ Contract Manager and Senior Technical Advisor position. But are offerors expected to propose and submit CVs for other personnel, such as for the Program Personnel positions listed in Attachment J.9, as part of this Section? Or as part of another section of the Proposal?

Answer: Offerors are expected to propose and submit CVs for personnel listed in Attachment J.1, Section C.4 on pages 97-99.

Question 37: On page 91, M.2 TECHNICAL EVALUATION CRITERIA, c. Past Performance, Item (1), are past performance criteria (a) to (e) of equal importance a priori for the total 10 points?

Answer: Past performance sub-criteria are of equal importance.

Question 38: On page 92, M.2 TECHNICAL EVALUATION CRITERIA, c. Past Performance (20 Points), Item (2) states “Prime offerors who are not small business concerns will also be evaluated on their past performance in using small business (SB) concerns. (10 Points)” Does this mean that small businesses bidding for a partial small business set aside award will be evaluated on a scale of 90 potential points instead of 100 (as they will not be evaluated for use of small business concerns)? Or will Item (1) under Past Performance be assigned a maximum of 20 points for small business offerors (instead of 10 points as currently stated), thus maintaining the total maximum points of 100 for small business offerors as well? Please clarify.

Answer: 90 potential points.

Question 39: To clarify the amendment – if a company is not priming an offer, may they subcontract on more than one offer?

Answer: Yes.

Question 40: May a small business propose its offer solely for the reserved small business award?

Answer: No. All offerors proposing as a prime will initially be considered for an unrestricted (i.e., non-reserved) award. After the unrestricted awards have been made, small businesses that submitted responsive offers as primes but which did not receive an unrestricted award will be considered for the awards that are reserved for small business.

Question 41: Does a small business need to submit just one offer that will first be considered on the unrestricted track and then, if it does not receive an award, this offer will then be considered for an award reserved for small businesses?

Question 42: Or does a small business need to submit two offers, one for the unrestricted and one for the restricted track?

Answer: No.

Question 43: Could all five awards be made to small businesses?

Answer: If all of the highest rated proposals have small business primes, then all of the awards would be made to those teams.

Question 44: If a small business receives an award on the unrestricted track, can it still qualify for the small business set aside exceptions to fair opportunity?

Question 45: Will the sample task order actually be awarded?

Question 46: Amendment #1 indicates that an offeror may be a prime contractor for one proposal as well as a subcontractor on another proposal. Does that also mean that strictly subcontractors (i.e., those who will not be primes) can be on more than one team?

Question 47: Can non-profit organizations be on more than one team?

Question 48: Will small businesses that are selected for small business set-aside contracts be eligible to bid on all future RFTOPs?

Answer: Yes. All IDIQ Contract holders will be eligible to bid on all future RFTOPs unless the RFTOP is set-aside for a small business or there is another fair opportunity exception.

Question 49: Page 18 and other places in the RFP refer to “post-natural disaster areas.” Can you please define?

Answer: In this RFP, “post-natural disaster” refers to assistance provided after a natural disaster such as an earthquake, tsunami, flood, etc.

Question 50: Page 34 indicates that the COTR is TBD. Has the COTR been determined at this time?

Answer: The COTR’s information will be provided at the time of award.

Question 51: Regarding SF-1420 bio-data forms, is it correct that the only 1420 forms that are needed are for the IDIQ Contract Manager and the Sr. Technical Advisor?

Answer: AID 1420-17, the Contractor Employee Biographical Data Sheet, is only required for the IDIQ Contract Manager and Senior Technical Advisor.

Question 52: Position Descriptions – page 97 includes position titles and descriptions for six positions required for the Sample Task. Page 122, Attachment J.9, includes position titles and descriptions for 10 categories – some of which overlap with the categories starting on page 97.

Should bidders include proposed personnel (plus CVs) for each of the 10 position categories found in J.9, or only for the six in the Sample Task?

Answer: Offerors only need to provide proposed personnel and CVs for the positions listed in the sample task order.

Question 53: Will USAID allow the future IDIQ prime contractors to apply a subcontractor management fee?

Answer: IDIQ prime contractors will not be allowed to apply a subcontractor management fee.

Question 54: Will small business bidders be allowed to subcontract with other than U.S. firms (non-U.S. firms) at the time of bidding the CE CPC country IDIQ, or is USAID restricting award to U.S. prime contractors and U.S. subcontractor consortium members?

Answer: The Request for Proposals for the IDIQ Contract, in section H.9 Authorized Geographic Code, states that the authorized geographic code is 000 (United States), or as specified in task orders. If USAID determines that the 935 geographic code is more appropriate for a specific task order, the Agency will use 935 in the Request for Task Order Proposals, and the prime may then subcontract to non-U.S. organizations for that task order.

Question 55: May small business bidders be allowed to subcontract with associations that have headquarters outside of the United States as part of the bid on the CE IDIQ for CPCs?

Answer: The Request for Proposals for the IDIQ Contract, in section H.9 Authorized Geographic Code, states that the authorized geographic code is 000 (United States), or as specified in task orders. If USAID determines that the 935 geographic code is more appropriate for a specific task order, the Agency will use 935 in the Request for Task Order Proposals, and the prime may then subcontract to non-U.S. organizations for that task order.

Question 56: Are bidders required to bid the number of days shown in Attachment J.11, the Summary Sheet Budget Format for the Sample Task? Or are those days inserted for illustrative purposes only? Similarly, is the $1.0 mil plug number for ODCs to be used in offeror bids?

Answer: Yes, offerors are required to use all of the plug figures shown in the Summary Sheet Budget Format for the sample task order (which includes the number of days and the $1 million ODC figure).

Question 57: If a small business graduates to a medium size business during the implementation of the IDIQ following award, will they still be entitled to bid on Small Business awards or will they only be able to bid on future tasks under the full and open category?

Answer: A small business prime that graduates after the IDIQ Contract is awarded will continue to be considered a small business for the purpose of bidding on RFTOPs under this IDIQ contract.

Question 58: Is there a limitation on the number of subcontractors that a prime offeror can include on their team?

Question 59: Page 7 – States that contractor is not obligated to accept orders under $50,000 or over $50,000,000. Implies orders in that range must be accepted. What is the purpose of, and implication of, these ranges?

Answer: The IDIQ Contract holder that submits the successful proposal for a RFTOP in the $50,000 to $50,000,000 range is required to perform the task order. The purpose is to not require performance for task orders that are either extremely small or extremely large.

Question 60: Page 10 refers to the Foreign Assistance Framework. Many of the areas are covered in this framework, including under Humanitarian Assistance (disaster readiness), Economic Growth (environment, infrastructure, trade and investment), Investing in People (Social services and protection for vulnerable people) and Governing Justly and Democratically (Civil society).

However, others which may have a tangential relationship with clean energy are not mentioned in the RFP; examples include Economic Growth (agriculture, macroeconomic foundation), Governing Justly and Democratically (political competition and consensus-building, rule of law) and peace and security (counternarcotics). Will TOs under this IDIQ potentially be required to address any and all topics under the Foreign Assistance Framework?

Answer: The specific work to be undertaken will be determined at the task order level, will be within the parameters of the Statement of Work in Section C of this RFP, and will correspond with one or more areas in the Foreign Assistance Framework.

Question 61: The matrix on page 11 does show a relationship between the following activities and themes; however, the relationship is either mentioned in the RFP or should be included. Will TOs under this IDIQ address these areas as well?

Answer: The specific work will be determined at the task order level.

Question 62: The matrix does not show a relationship between Improving Climate Change into Mission Programs and Energy Poverty. However, the description under C.3.3 Energy Poverty specifically mentions that “activities to address energy poverty must realize and internalize the negative consequences on sustainable development of perpetuating low-cost conventional energy systems without accounting for their long-term impacts”

Question 63: The matrix does not show a relationship between “Fostering Private sector participation and investment” and “Energy Sector Governance.” However, in many countries, one of the main challenges of promoting private investment is the conflict regulators and governments often face between public and stakeholder needs and investors’ needs.

Question 64: The matrix does not show a relationship between facilitating innovative financing approaches and energy security. However, C.3.5 includes exploiting domestic resources and reducing overall demand through energy conservation. Both of these can take advantage of innovative financing approaches.

Question 65: The “assess environmental implications of energy services” activity is linked in the matrix to only two themes. However, this theme is specifically referenced under C.3.3 Energy Poverty and implied under C.3.5 Energy Security and C.3.6 Energy Sector Reform. For a comment on C.3.3 Energy Poverty, please item “a.” above. The description of C.3.5 Energy Security states clearly that “An important component of a modern energy security strategy must be to internalize the negative economic impacts and externalities from traditional or expedient energy resource development.” The description of C.3.6 Energy Sector Reform mentions that reforming and restructuring the energy sector can result in “improved quality of public services delivered to customers, and management of scarce resources in a more cost-effective and environmentally sustainable ways.”

Question 66: The last activity, “Improving Disaster Preparations, Responses and Recovery” is related to climate vulnerability. Will the theme C.3.2 Climate Change be addressed under this activity by providing climate vulnerability studies and developing adaptation strategies? This theme will also provide pre-disaster risk assessments, including for vulnerable populations. Will the implications for energy poverty be included in these assessments?

Question 67: The three tasks described in the sample task order all refer to developing a strategy.

It appears that the TO, therefore, does not include implementing the strategies to be developed.

Please clarify.

Answer: The sample task order does not include implementation.

Question 68: Page 85, Section L.8.2(d) and Section L.8.2 (e) state “The Proposal must also include contact information for each candidate with current home address, phone, fax and email ” for Task Order Personnel and the IDIQ Contract Manager and Senior Technical Advisor.

Please confirm that Offerors may include the business home office contact information, rather than an individual expert’s home and personal contact information. Personal contact information for contractor staff and consultants is usually considered competitive and proprietary information. Preferably, communications by USAID with proposed experts are coordinated through the contractors who are recommending the services of these experts.

Answer: Offerors must provide the individual expert’s personal contact information as specified in the RFP.

Question 69: Page 92, Section M2.d states that the Task Order personnel will be evaluated on “the extent to which the proposed personnel demonstrate the offeror’s ability to effectively achieve program objectives”. However, the seven sample task order positions outlined in the RFP do not cover the full breadth of technical expertise required to effectively achieve program objectives. For example, there is no opportunity to demonstrate the expertise required to effectively achieve program objectives in component 3 in the areas of public outreach and youth.

Answer: The sample task order does not include all of the positions necessary to cover the full breadth of all program objectives under the IDIQ Contract.

Question 70: May Offerors submit qualifications for additional experts to cover the full range of expertise required for the sample task order, in the form of a matrix in the annex, in addition to the resumes of the seven other positions?

Answer: For the sample task order, Offerors should only submit qualifications for the experts listed in Attachment J.1, Section C.4 on pages 97-99.

Question 71: If so, will the matrix be included in the technical page limitation?

Answer: Not applicable.

Question 72: If so, how will the costs of any additional expertise required to meet program objectives be reflected in the Summary Sheet Budget Format?

Answer: Not applicable.

Question 73: Page 92, Section M.2 (e), provides the evaluation criteria and points for Section E, Personnel as follows: “extent to which the offeror’s personnel demonstrate the required education qualifications, work experience, and supervisory experience….Past experience in energy sector development” and the “extent to which offeror’s proposal demonstrates that the experience sets of the proposed personnel complement each other in different areas in the energy sector.” Section L.8e requires that Offeror’s present resumes of only the IDIQ Contract Manager and Senior Technical Advisor.

Do the evaluation criteria relate only to the IDIQ Contract Manager and Senior Technical Advisor. OR, do these evaluation criterion relate to the positions outlined in Attachment J.9 Program Personnel and the IDIQ management team.

If the criterion relates to all positions, may offerors provide a matrix that summarizes the qualifications of experts for labor categories in Attachment J.9 and other potential labor categories not outlined in the RFP but covering components of the Scope of Work?

If so, will the matrix count towards the page limit?

Answer: Section M.2(e) refers solely to the IDIQ Contract Manager and the Senior Technical Advisor.

Question 74: Some small business partners voiced concern over the timing of the RFP for Clean Energy IDIQ for non-critical priority countries. These small businesses, some of whom are now considering bidding both a Prime and Subcontractors based on Amendment One, are concerned about their capacity to put together multiple proposals in response to two simultaneous Clean Energy IDIQ RFPs. Can USAID advise whether the anticipated date of issue of Clean Energy IQIC for NCPCs will be before March 17, 2011?

Answer: We appreciate your concern. The question, however, does not pertain to the RFP for the Clean Energy IDIQ Contract for Critical Priority Countries.

Question 75: In Attachment J.11 Summary Sheet Budget Format, can offerors modify the budget format to identify personnel provided by subcontractors and add a subcontractor line item to reflect costs related to subcontractor labor?

Question 76: Page 19, C.5.1, Grants Management, states that Task Orders might include funds for grant awards. What amount does USAID consider “secondary” or “minor” for grant funds in Task Orders under this IDIQ?

Answer: Grant amounts will be determined at the task order level. There is no specific dollar amount defining “secondary” or “minor” for grant funds, though grants under contract will not be the primary purpose for any task order.

Question 77: Small businesses interested in priming for both the CPC IDIQ and the non-CPC IDIQ may find it difficult to lead the preparation of both proposals simultaneously due to limited resources, thereby discouraging a small business from bidding on both opportunities as the prime contractor. In this respect, would USAID consider delaying the issuance of the non-CPC IDIQ RFP until after the CPC IDIQ proposal due date?

Answer: We understand your concern. The question, however, does not pertain to the RFP for the Clean Energy IDIQ Contract for Critical Priority Countries.

Question 78: Is it acceptable for the Offeror to suggest additional core team personnel and functions for the IDIQ beyond that of the IDIQ Contract Manager and Senior Technical Advisor?

Question 79: Should the Offeror also identify STTA (Short Term Technical Assistance) expert resources that will support the Offeror's responses to RFTOPs and implementation of Task Orders under the IDIQ?

Question 80: What is meant by standard information under past performance (p88).

Answer: Standard information under past performance is the type of information reported under the Contractor Performance System or the Past Performance Information Retrieval System.

Question 81: Can we include PPRs?

Question 82: If so, how many?

Answer: The RFP requires five.

Question 83: And can we submit them for all team members or just prime and major subs?

Answer: They can be from all team members.

Question 84: If small businesses are not listed on the CPS or PPRIS, can a CPR be submitted in its place?

Question 85: Under the Energy II IDIQ a Task Order proposal was requested to develop and conduct training in areas related to climate change, including but not limited to financing climate change, and integrating climate change into development. To what extent will the activity related to providing climate change technical assistance and training outlined in the Clean Energy IDIQ for CPC countries leverage prior USAID climate change training development efforts?

Answer: This question is irrelevant to preparing proposals in response to this RFP.

Question 86: L.6.d: The solicitation states that “Offers must use Times New Roman font size 12.” We suggest Times New Roman font size 11 for body text and Arial font size 10 for tables.

Answer: Offerors are required to follow the instructions in the RFP.

Question 87: We understand the requirements for past performance (time frame, conflict and post-conflict countries). However, point (1) in the Corporate/Institutional Capability instructions in Section L does not seem to limit bidders in this respect. May cite projects that are older or in other countries to give USAID an idea of our long history and technical capabilities?

Answer: Offerors must follow the instructions in the RFP. Amendment 2 specified that the matrix must not exceed six pages.

Question 88: In reference to grants under contract, Section B.8 Ceiling on Fixed Fee on page 7 of the RFP and Section C.5.1 Grants Management on page 19 states that no fee/profit can be proposed or received for Grants under Contract. This appears to be inconsistent with FAR 15.404-4 and ADS 302.3.6.9, which state, inter alia, that pre-negotiation fee objectives must be determined according to a structured approach that considers contractor effort, risk, and other special factors. Grants require significant effort to administer and carry risks for the contractor.

Additionally, the statutory underpinnings of fixed fee at 10 USC 2306(d) and 41 USC 254(b) discuss fee definitions and limitations in terms of total estimated cost, which would include grants in this case. Given this, we respectfully request that USAID reconsider its agency pre-negotiation fee objective of 0 percent on grants, and allow offerors to propose a reasonable fee ceiling that considers grants under contract as a part of the total estimated cost of applicable task orders.

Answer: Amendment 2 made the following changes to the Request for Proposals:

On page 7, in B.8 Ceiling on Fixed Fee, third paragraph:

Delete: The offeror shall not propose, and the contractor will not receive, a fee/profit for Grants Under Contract(s).

Replace with: For the grants under contract activities awarded under a task order, a Letter of Credit may be sought for awardees. However, since issuance of a Letter of Credit cannot be accomplished prior to award, all offerors shall propose a ceiling percentage fee if issued a Letter of Credit and a separate ceiling fee percentage if not issued a Letter of Credit. Only the appropriate fee will be included in the contract upon award as follows:

_______ percent (offeror proposes ceiling percentage) of the amount for grants under contract awarded under the task order if issued a Letter of Credit.

_______ percent (offeror proposes ceiling percentage) of the amount for grants under contract awarded under the task order if NOT issued a Letter of Credit.

On page 19, C.5.1 Grants Management: Delete: “Profit/fee will not be applied to such funds.”

Question 89: Can USAID please address how it will take into account different cost allocation methods in the sample task order budget included in Attachment J.11? We are concerned that the methodology set forth can produce a misleading result because it does not take into account differences in cost allocation practices across firms, particularly where home-office backstopping is concerned. Since some firms charge such costs directly and some charge them indirectly, the methodology in the RFP could cause firms that charge all of these costs directly to appear less expensive in the IDIQ price evaluation, even if they will not present a price advantage on actual task orders. Such firms would not have to budget the backstopping LOE that would be required to support the key and general personnel included in the sample task order budget in Attachment J.11. By contrast, firms that charge such LOE indirectly will be budgeting it through the required application of their indirect rates. This results in the price evaluation being a comparison of indirect rates at the rate level, which would appear to be inconsistent with USAID’s guidance and may result in an offeror who is actually more expensive being selected for an IQC award over an offeror who is less expensive.

Similarly, firms that recover a greater share of indirect costs on long-term personnel than on short-term will be disadvantaged over firms that spread cost allocation equally across labor types, due to the lack of a plug figure or LOE assumption for short-term personnel. This disadvantage may not realistically reflect actual implementation costs, given that short-term labor would naturally accompany long-term labor in an actual task order, which would even out the difference in offerors' indirect cost allocation structures.

Finally, the format in J.11 does not account for the fact that some offerors use a different work-year and bill leave and holidays indirectly. To ensure a fair and realistic price evaluation and that USAID receives the best value under this IDIQ, would USAID consider asking offerors to submit a full budget based on the scope of work in the Sample Task Order USAID and using that for evaluation purposes? As an alternative, would USAID consider adjusting its methodology through measures similar to the following suggestions:

A specified amount of short-term LOE that would realistically accompany the key and general personnel requested in attachment J.11.

Home-office LOE that would be directly billed according to the offeror's cost structure to support a team that meets the specified personnel parameters, to enable USAID to evaluate headquarters-based costs equally across bidders.

Answer:

ATTACHMENT J.11 SUMMARY SHEET BUDGET FORMAT – TASK ORDER &

PERSONNEL DAILY RATE TABLE FOR THE SAMPLE AFGHANISTAN ENERGY

SECTOR REFORM STRATEGY TASK ORDER, RFP page 127

After the asterisked sentence that follows the summary budget sheet, the following is added:

“Note: Offerors must capture home office costs in the above budget. If they are not included under indirect costs, add home office cost information in the appropriate place.

(Offeror may add lines if needed.) Home office costs must not be included under the other direct costs plug figure.”