Advancing_the_Agenda_of_Gender_Equality_(Advantage)__IDIQ.pdf

Date Issued: December 18, 2012

Questions Due: January 8, 2013 – Noon, EST

Closing Date: February 1, 2013 – Noon, EST

Subject: Request for Proposals (RFP) Number SOL-OAA-13-000020

Advancing the Agenda of Gender Equality (Advantage)

Small Business Set Aside

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is seeking proposals to provide services that support Advancing the Agenda of Gender Equality. USAID anticipates awarding approximately four (4) Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contracts, all reserved for small businesses resulting from this solicitation.

USAID anticipates the maximum ordering limitation of the contracts resulting from this RFP will be $74,000,000 over the 5-year ordering period. 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 on the number of task orders that the successful contractors will receive or the amount of money beyond the minimum order guarantee set forth in the RFP. The geographic code for this RFP is 937. Task orders issued under this IDIQ contract may be either

Firm Fixed-Price or Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee awards (or a combination thereof).

All questions related to this RFP must be submitted to advantage2012@usaid.gov no later than

Noon, EST, January 8, 2013. Unless otherwise notified by an amendment to the RFP, no questions will be accepted after this date.

This RFP in no way obligates USAID to award a contract, nor does it commit USAID to pay any cost incurred in the preparation and submission of a proposal.

This RFP can be viewed and downloaded from the Internet at www.fedbizopps.gov. USAID bears no responsibility for data errors resulting from transmission or conversion processes.

Further, be aware that amendments to solicitations are occasionally issued and will be posted on the same Internet site from which you downloaded the solicitation. You are therefore advised to regularly check the above Internet site for amendments.

Sincerely, /s/

Kevin Sampson

Contracting Officer mailto:advantage2012@usaid.gov http://www.fedbizopps.gov/

1. THIS CONTRACT IS A RATED ORDER RATING PAGE OF PAGES

UNDER DPAS (15 CFR 700)

2. CONTRACT NUMBER 3. SOLICITATION NUMBER 4. TYPE OF SOLICITATION 5. DATE ISSUED 6. REQUISITION/PURCHASE NUMBER

SEALED BID (IFB)

X NEGOTIATED (RFP)

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

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

9. Sealed offers in original and _____________________________ copies for furnishing the supplies or services in the Schedule will be received at the place specified in Item 8, or if handcarried, in the depository located in until local time _______________________ (Hour) (Date)

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

A. NAME B. TELEPHONE (NO COLLECT CALLS) C. E-MAIL ADDRESS

AREA CODE NUMBER EXT.

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

PART I - THE SCHEDULE PART II - CONTRACT CLAUSES

A SOLICITATION/CONTRACT FORM I CONTRACT CLAUSES

B SUPPLIES OR SERVICES AND PRICES/COSTS PART III - LIST OF DOCUMENTS, EXHIBITS AND OTHER ATTACH.

C DESCRIPTION/SPECS./WORK STATEMENT J LIST OF ATTACHMENTS

D PACKAGING AND MARKING PART IV - REPRESENTATIONS AND INSTRUCTIONS

E INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE

F DELIVERIES OR PERFORMANCE

G CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION DATA L INSTR., CONDS., AND NOTICES TO OFFERORS

H SPECIAL CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS M EVALUATION FACTORS FOR AWARD

K

REPRESENTATIONS, CERTIFICATIONS AND OTHER

STATEMENTS OF OFFERORS

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

12.

13. DISCOUNT FOR PROMPT PAYMENT 10 CALENDAR DAYS (%) 20 CALENDAR DAYS (%) 30 CALENDAR DAYS (%) CALENDAR DAYS (%)

(See Section I, Clause No. 52-232-8)

14. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF AMENDMENTS AMENDMENT NO. DATE AMENDMENT NO. DATE

(The offeror acknowledges receipt of amendments to the

SOLICITATION for offerors and related documents numbered and dated:

CODE FACILITY

16. NAME AND TITLE OF PERSON AUTHORIZED TO SIGN OFFER 15A. NAME AND

ADDRESS

OF OFFEROR

(Type or print)

15B. TELEPHONE NUMBER 17. SIGNATURE 18. OFFER DATE

AREA CODE NUMBER EXT.

15C. CHECK IF REMITTANCE ADDRESS IS DIFFERENT FROM

ABOVE - ENTER SUCH ADDRESS IN SCHEDULE

19. ACCEPTED AS TO ITEMS NUMBERED 20. AMOUNT 21. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION

22. AUTHORITY FOR USING OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION: 23. SUBMIT INVOICES TO ADDRESS SHOWN IN ITEM

(4 copies unless otherwise specified) 10 U.S.C. 2304(a) ( ) 41 U.S.C. 253(c) ( )

24. ADMINISTERED BY (If other than Item 7) 25. PAYMENT WILL BE MADE BY CODE CODE

26. NAME OF CONTRACTING OFFICER (Type or print) 27. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 28. AWARD DATE

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

(Signature of Contracting Officer)

(REV. 9-97)

10. FOR INFORMATION CALL:

11. TABLE OF CONTENTS

STANDARD FORM 33

SOLICITATION, OFFER AND AWARD

SOLICITATION

OFFER (Must be fully completed by offeror)

AWARD (To be completed by Government)

1 N/A 121

SOL-OAA-13-000020 December 18, 2012

U.S. Agency for International Development

Office of Acquisition and Assistance

M/OAA/EGAT RM 566-F SA-44

1300 Pennsylvania Ave, NW

Washington DC 20523

See L.6

See Section L.6 and L.7 12 noon EST February 1, 2013

G. Serapis Irby 202.567.4745

Advantage2012@usaid.gov

See Attached Table of Contents

X 1

X 3-12

X 13-21

X 22-23

X 24

X 25-37

X 38-41

X 42-57

X 58-66

X 67

X 68-85

X 86-103

X 104-107

$.00

_ X _

Kevin Sampson

Contracting Officer mailto:Advantage2012@usaid.gov

SOL-OAA-13-000020

PART I - THE SCHEDULE

SECTION B - SUPPLIES OR SERVICES AND PRICE/COSTS

B.1 PURPOSE

The purpose of the Advancing the Agenda of Gender Equality (ADVANTAGE) IDIQ is to strengthen USAID’s capacity to integrate gender equality and women’s empowerment systematically across USAID’s new and ongoing Initiatives; programs and projects; performance monitoring and evaluation efforts; and procurements by providing specialized international and local expertise for discrete gender integration tasks.

Addressing gender equality and women’s empowerment is central to achieving the goals put forth in the Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review. USAID policy requires that gender analysis be incorporated into the planning, implementation and assessment of the

Agency’s Country Development Cooperation Strategies, Development Objectives and project designs.

To do this, USAID Task Order Contracting Officers (TOCOs) will request the work 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 a multiple-award Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity Contract (IDIQ). The

Government will issue task orders that are either Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee (CPFF) (term or completion) or any Firm Fixed-Priced (FFP) type. The Contractor must perform the services set forth in task orders at prices consistent with section B of this contract.

Cost type task orders must indicate if they are completion or term form.

B.3 MAXIMUM CONTRACT CEILING

This is a multiple award Contract with an overall ceiling price of $74,000,000.00. The maximum aggregate dollar value of Task Orders awarded to all Contractors cannot exceed the Contract ceiling. This ceiling is not being subdivided among the number of awardees nor is it being multiplied by the number of awardees.

B.4 MINIMUM ORDER GUARANTEE

Obligated Amount, the basic Contract includes an initial obligation of funds in the amount of

$25,000 to cover the minimum order guarantee. USAID is required to order and the Contractor is required to furnish the minimum order amount of services. Following this initial obligation, individual Task Orders will obligate funds to cover the work required under such Task Orders.

B.5 INDIRECT COST RATES

[Only applicable to CPFF task orders]

Pending establishment of revised provisional or final indirect cost rates, allowable indirect costs shall be reimbursed on the basis of the following negotiated provisional or predetermined rates and the appropriate bases for prime contractors and their major subcontractors (“major subcontractors” are those subcontractors expected to perform at least 20% of the technical effort)

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: While Subcontractor indirect cost rates are not incorporated above, subcontractor indirect cost rates may be included in Task Order proposals, and are subject to approval of the TOCO in accordance with FAR 52.244-2, Subcontracts.

B.6 CEILING INDIRECT COST RATES

(a) Reimbursement for indirect costs shall be at the lower of the negotiated final or predetermined rates, or the following ceiling rates:

Description Rate Base Type Period

TBD TBD 1/ 1/ 1/

TBD TBD 2/ 2/ 2/

TBD TBD 3/ 3/ 3/

1/Base of Application:

2/Base of Application:

3/Base of Application:

(b) The Government shall not be obligated to pay any additional amount should the final indirect cost rates exceed the negotiated ceiling rates. If the final indirect cost rates are less than the negotiated ceiling rates, the negotiated rates shall be reduced to conform to the lower rates.

(c) This understanding shall not change any monetary ceiling, obligation, or specific cost allowance or disallowance. Any changes in classifying or allocating indirect costs require the prior written approval of the Contracting Officer.

(d) 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 and OAA/Contract

Audit and Support (CAS).

B.7 CEILINGS ON FIXED FEE - CPFF TASK ORDERS

(a) For each task order issued under this IDIQ, the TOCO and Contractor agree to negotiate a set dollar amount for fixed fee. In negotiating the fixed dollar amount for fee, the TOCO must consider the policies and factors for establishing fee in FAR 15.404-4 as well as any applicable

USAID policy on establishing a fixed fee amount. In no event, however, may the amount of fixed fee in any individual task order exceed ______ percent (offeror proposes ceiling percentage) of the task order’s estimated cost, excluding fee. The fee ceiling applies to the prime contractor and any subcontractors.

NOTE: The ceiling on fixed fee does not apply to Firm-Fixed-Price (FFP) Task Orders. This fee shall not be applied to sub-grant costs.

(b) The Total Estimated Cost Plus Fixed Fee for each Task Order must be negotiated in accordance with the terms of this Contract.

(c) Grants under Contracts. For any grants under contract activities awarded under a task order, the TOCO must determine if a Letter of Credit (LOC) is necessary. However, since issuance of an LOC cannot be accomplished prior to award, all offerors shall propose a ceiling percentage fee if issued an LOC and a separate ceiling fee percentage if not issued an LOC. 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, excluding fee if issued a letter of credit.

___ percent (offeror proposes ceiling percentage) of the amount for grants under contract awarded under the task order, excluding fee if NOT issued a letter of credit.]

B.8 LABOR

Compensation of personnel under this Contract or any resulting subcontract must be in accordance with AIDAR 752.7007 Personnel Compensation (July 2007), the full text of which is in Section H3.

(a) Central management costs: The Contracting Officer has determined the government will not authorize central management costs under the IDIQ contract. Contractors shall not bill USAID directly for central management costs (e.g., responding to task order proposal requests, central reporting, central meetings with the basic IDIQ contract Contracting Officer’s Representative) under this IDIQ contract or under task orders.

(b) The work day and work week policies and method of accounting for paid absences including holidays for the Contractor and major subcontractors will be set forth in Attachment J.X of the award. (The contractor’s information will be included in the award pursuant to the instructions found in L.9 (i).

B.9 TASK ORDER LIMITATIONS

Note: Task orders issued under this IDIQ contract may be either Firm Fixed-Price or Cost-Plus-

Fixed-Fee awards.

(a) Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee Task Orders. When issuing CPFF task orders, the TOCO shall state in the Task Order the total estimated cost plus fixed fee, which is the total amount of the Task

Order and the maximum amount the contractor may be paid without the advance written approval of the Contracting Officer to perform the services, reports, or other deliverables in the

Task Order. This maximum amount represents the negotiated mix of the prime Contractors and subcontractors' professional labor categories and salaries, an estimated number of workdays, other direct costs, indirect costs, and fixed fee.

(b) Firm Fixed Price (FFP) Task Orders. When issuing FFP Task Orders, TOCOs shall state in the Task Order the firm-fixed-price, which represents the total amount of the Task Order and the maximum price the contractor may be paid to perform the services, reports, or other deliverables in the Task Order.

(c) Minimum Order. When USAID requires services or reports and other deliverables covered by this Contract in a Task Order in the amount of less than $25,000, the contractor is not obligated to accept an order to furnish those services or reports and other deliverables under this Contract.

However, if the contractor agrees to furnish services or reports and other deliverables required by

USAID in an amount of less than $25,000 and is awarded a Task Order to do so, the contractor is required to provide said services and reports/deliverables in accordance with the Contract's terms and conditions.

(d) Maximum Order. When USAID requires services or reports and other deliverables covered by this Contract in a Task Order amount of more than $20,000,000, the contractor is not obligated to bid on an order to furnish those services or reports and other deliverables under this

Contract. However, if the contractor agrees to furnish services or reports and other deliverables required by USAID in excess of $20,000,000 and awarded a Task Order to do so, the contractor is required to provide said services and reports/deliverables in accordance with the Contracts terms and conditions.

(e) Notwithstanding the above, if issuance of a Task Order to, and acceptance of a Task Order by, the contractor would: (1) result in the contractor (or its personnel or its subcontractors or their personnel) having an organizational conflict of interest for which restrictions would be placed on the contractor's (or its personnel’s or its subcontractors’ or their personnel’s) future activities; or (2) violate the provisions of the Procurement Integrity legislation, i.e., Section 27 of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy Act (41 U.S.C. 423), as amended by Section 814 of

Pub. L. 101-189 the contractor, after written notification to the cognizant Contracting Officer is not obligated to furnish those services or reports and other deliverables under this Contract, and

USAID may acquire the supplies or services from another source.

B.10 COST REIMBURSABLE

The U.S. dollar costs allowable shall be limited to reasonable, allocable, and allowable costs determined in accordance with FAR 52.216-7, Allowable Cost and Payment; FAR 52.216-8, Fixed Fee, if applicable; AIDAR 752.7003, Documentation for Payment; OMB Circular A-21, Cost Principles for Educational Institutions and OMB Circular A-122, Cost Principles for Non-profit organizations.

B.11 LABOR CATEGORIES – UNBURDENED CEILING DAILY RATES

(a) The task order must include rates that are equal to or lower than the ceiling rates set forth below.

Each ceiling daily rate (CDR) for personnel listed below is “unburdened” and must only include salary costs or consulting rates of the individual providing the services. The CDR for personnel must not include the following payroll costs (fringe benefits, FICA, etc.), indirect costs applicable to labor, or profit/fee.

The CDRs set forth below are fixed for the term of the IDIQ award and are for an eight hour day, and apply to all subcontractors. If a new subcontractor is proposed for a specific task order on other than a fixed-price basis, the CDRs set forth below will apply, and the subcontract is subject to consent by the TOCO.

Actual salaries for all personnel will be negotiated under task orders and final approval is provided by the TOCO. The ceiling rates presented below do not constitute approval of final salary rates above the Contractor Salary Threshold (CST) (see ADS 302.3.6.10.). All TOCOs must comply with the approval requirements in ADS 302.

(b) The single unburdened ceiling daily rate for each labor category/group below represents the mid-level and senior-level rate in each category/grouping. One unburdened ceiling daily rate for each labor category/grouping is included in the contract to provide more flexibility under task orders. If junior-level personnel are required under task orders, they must be proposed at rates below the mid-level unburdened ceiling daily rate.

[Note1: Note1: The Unburdened Ceiling Daily Rates apply to any task order(s) that are awarded under this contract.]

[Note2: The Unburdened Ceiling Daily Rates apply to prime contractor, subcontractor, and consultant salaries. For consultants that typically bill using a loaded rate, contractors must propose any charges above direct salary separately.]

[Note3: The unburdened ceiling daily rates below do not apply to Firm-Fixed-Price (FFP) Task

Orders.]

Labor Category/Grouping CDR-Mid CDR Senior

1001 Gender Integration Training Specialist $

1002 Gender Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist $

1003 Gender Assessment Technical Advisor $

1004 Online Communications Advisors $

1005 Administrative Support Specialist $

1006 Grants Management Specialist $

1007 Budget Analyst $

(c) Definition of labor categories:

1001 Gender Integration Training Specialist

The Gender Integration Training Specialist applies their background in curriculum development, training delivery, and gender equality to the process of developing and delivering training programs to build Agency capacity to design strategies, projects and activities that address gender gaps and improve development outcomes. Specialists would design and use existing

Agency instructional materials and activities based on adult learning principles. The Specialist may be requested to provide customized (sector and/or country specific) training/capacity building and/or to provide technical assistance on gender analysis in conjunction with the training. The primary audiences are Agency staff and implementing partners.

Gender Integration Training Specialists will be required to keep abreast of USAID’s policies including but not limited to: Gender Equality and Female Empowerment Policy, Country

Development Cooperation Strategy Guidance, Program Cycle Guidance, Project Design

Guidance, USAID Evaluation Policy, and the 200, 300 and 400 Series of the USAID Automated

Directives System.

(http://transition.usaid.gov/our_work/policy_planning_and_learning/policy.html ) . As new USG and Agency strategies and policies are issued and the ADS is updated, Gender Integration

Training Specialists will be expected to coordinate with USAID to ensure that they have access to current information regarding changes.

1002 Gender Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist

The Gender Monitoring and Evaluation specialist provides guidance on the use of performance indicators and evaluations to reflect progress toward gender equality outcomes and impacts throughout the program cycle. Representative tasks include providing advice on monitoring and evaluation to Development Objective teams during strategy development, project design, and the development of performance management plans. The Specialist may be requested to provide input into Statements of Work for evaluations, monitoring and evaluation plans, and/or participate in evaluation teams tasked with assessing how well Agency strategies, projects and activities address gender gaps.

Gender Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist will be required to keep abreast of USAID’s policies including but not limited to: Gender Equality and Female Empowerment Policy, Country Development Cooperation Strategy Guidance, Program Cycle Guidance, Project Design

Guidance, USAID Evaluation Policy, and the 200, 300 and 400 Series of the USAID Automated

Directives System.

(http://transition.usaid.gov/our_work/policy_planning_and_learning/policy.html ) . As new USG and Agency strategies and policies are issued and the ADS is updated, Gender Monitoring and

Evaluation Specialists will be expected to coordinate with USAID to ensure that they have access to current information regarding changes.

http://transition.usaid.gov/our_work/policy_planning_and_learning/policy.html

1003 Gender Analysis Technical Advisor

Applies experience in gender research and practice to the process of designing development strategies, projects, and activities that address gender gaps and improve development outcomes.

Gender Analysis Technical Advisors will be asked to perform a variety of tasks to integrate gender throughout the USAID Program Cycle. The Specialist may be asked to provide advice to

Development Objective teams during strategy development, project design, and the development of performance management plans. Representative tasks include strategic planning process facilitator; project design advisor; and gender analysis advisor.

Gender Analysis Technical Advisors will be required to keep abreast of USAID’s policies including but not limited to Gender Equality and Female Empowerment Policy, Country

Development Cooperation Strategy Guidance, Program Cycle Guidance, Project Design

Guidance, USAID Evaluation Policy, and the 200, 300 and 400 Series of the USAID Automated

Directives System. (See http://transition.usaid.gov/our_work/policy_planning_and_learning/policy.html). As new USG and Agency strategies and policies are issued and the ADS is updated, Gender Analysis

Technical Advisors will be expected to coordinate with USAID to ensure that technical advisor have access to current information regarding changes.

Technical advisors may be asked to provide sector-specific expertise and best practices on cross-cutting issues such as promoting women and girls leadership and empowerment; addressing gender-based violence; designing public private partnerships; using science and technology innovatively; constructively engaging of men and boys; addressing sector-specific needs of youth, sexual minorities, persons with disabilities, and other vulnerable populations.

Depending upon Task Order requirements, advisors will be provide: advice on sector-specific approaches and best practices in gender-integrated programs; sector-specific knowledge of the development literature on gender issues; expertise in gender equality indicators; applied knowledge of field tested gender analysis toolkits for their sector; training and capacity building on sector specific gender issues; and experience conducting participatory stakeholder consultations to leverage the expertise of women and girls.

Technical Advisors may be required to support gender integration in one or more of the areas below:

• Crisis, Conflict and Natural Disasters

• Democracy, Rights and Governance

• Education

• Economic Growth

• Environment and Climate Change

• Food Security and Agriculture

• Gender Based Violence

• Health and Nutrition

• Infrastructure and Urban Planning

• Organizational Capacity Building

• Science and Technology

1004 Online Communications Advisors

Depending on Task Order requirements, Communications Advisors may be asked to provide writing and editorial expertise to design and develop websites, publications, briefings and presentations. Depending on Task Order requirements, these Advisors may be asked to have experience in both content development and in applying the principles of visual design to effectively display information online. Depending upon Task Order requirements, the Advisor may be asked to serve as an Information Architect for the creation or redesign of online communication tools and toolkits. Provide design concepts utilizing software tools for the creation of high quality and easy to use online communications.

1005 Administrative Support Specialist

Provides administrative support to business and management personnel working closely with the

Project Director and other project staff. This includes, but is not limited to project administration, program management support, producing all project related correspondence, maintaining web sites and databases, scheduling meetings and reservations, and maintaining document libraries.

1006 Grants Management Specialist

Provides grant oversight and capacity building support for grants issued under USAID task orders. This includes supporting the project manager in review of grant awards for responsibility, determination, cost realism, regulatory compliance and risk analysis and mitigation. The Grants

Management Specialist will be responsible for grantee compliance for the duration of the program. Provides regular updates on grantee compliance, risks and challenges that may arise and offers solutions accordingly. Maintains and manages records of grant agreements including paper and electronic files, an inventory of all agreements, and a schedule of dates and deadlines relevant to those agreements.

1007 Budget Analyst

Ensures that budget analysis and financial reporting requirements are met for all programs.

Assists in project management functions of financial planning, program auditing, budgeting, and reporting.

Minimum Qualifications

In order to perform the statement of work set forth in Section C, the Contractor must provide personnel that meet the minimum education and experience requirements set forth below. For all positions listed in Section B.11, the minimum qualifications for mid-level and senior personnel are as follows and correspond to the Unburdened Ceiling Daily Rates.

Level Academic

Degree*

Plus

Approximate

Years of

Relevant**

Work

Experience

Including

Years of

Experience in

Int'l

Development

Relevant

Regional

Experience

Relevant

Language

Fluency

Mid Ph.D.

JD/ABD

MS/MA/MB

BS/BA

Less than

Bachelor's

As specified in

Task Order

As specified in

Task Order

As specified in

Task Order

Senior Ph.D.

JD/ABD

MS/MA/MB

BS/BA

Less than

Bachelor's

As specified in

Task Order

As specified in

Task Order

As specified in

Task Order

*Highest degree obtained should be related to work being performed.

**Relevant Work Experience is required for the levels indicated.

Locally Hired National Personnel or Other Non-U.S. Expatriates

All locally hired national personnel and other non-U.S. expatriates must be paid in accordance with AIDAR 722.170(a): Third Country Nationals (TCNs) and Cooperating Country Nationals

(CCNs) who are working in the United States or are legal residents of the United States at the time they are hired for a task order, must be extended benefits and subject to restrictions on the same basis as U.S. citizens who work in the United States. The U.S. CDRs will be applied to

TCNs and CCNs conforming to this regulatory provision.

Salaries for individual locally-hired personnel and other non-U.S. expatriates under this contract or any resulting subcontract must be in accordance with AIDAR 752.7007, Personnel

Compensations (July 2007) and should be based upon a combination of factors including prevailing in-country salaries for the professional category being negotiated and consideration of the individual's education, work experience and recent relevant salary history.

[END OF SECTION B]

SECTION C - DESCRIPTION/SPECIFICATIONS/STATEMENT OF WORK

C.1 BACKGROUND

USAID strives to promote gender equality and bring about conditions that enable both females and males to have equal opportunity to benefit from and contribute to economic, social, cultural, and political development; enjoy socially valued resources and rewards; and realize their human rights. The USAID Policy Framework 2011-2015 states: Women play key development roles, including looking after children’s health, managing household budgets, doing much of the farming, serving as community and business leaders, and holding families and communities together during conflict. Yet, in many places, women and girls are hampered by discrimination.

Societies that empower women experience faster economic growth, manage public resources more effectively, and benefit from greater agricultural productivity and improved food security.

USAID must incorporate gender equality and female empowerment systematically across its

Initiatives, ongoing projects and activities, performance monitoring and evaluation, and procurements. This also entails ensuring that USAID investments do not create or contribute to unintended negative effects to program beneficiaries. In practice, this means:

Ensuring that USAID programs explicitly and deliberately seek to eliminate gaps between the status of males and females;

Making sure that the different roles, responsibilities, and expertise of women and men are reflected in project and activity design, implementation, and evaluation;

Ensuring that women and men are full and equal partners in consultation, planning, project and activity design, and implementation and evaluation; and

Leveraging the expertise and leadership skills of women and girls.

USAID Policies on Gender Integration

As a result of changes to Agency policy on gender and the program planning cycle, the Office of

Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (GenDev) projects an increase in demand for technical support to assist USAID Operating Units to implement these policies. The

ADVANTAGE IDIQ is a critical component of the Office’s strategic response to that demand. It will enable GenDev as well as other USAID operating units to acquire the services (technical assistance, training, outreach/communications, and research needed to integrate gender into

Country Development Cooperation Strategies (CDCSs), Development Objectives, projects, and activities and to respond to new and emerging Administration priorities on women and girls as well as the international development agenda (such as the Millennium Development Goals).

On March 1, 2012, USAID issued its Gender Equality and Female Empowerment (GEFE)

Policy. The Policy defines three overarching outcomes for all people. These are:

Reducing gender disparities in access to; control over and benefit from resources, wealth, opportunities, and services—economic, social, political, and cultural;

Reducing gender-based violence and mitigate its harmful effects and individuals and communities, so that all people can live healthy and productive lives; and

Increasing capabilities of women and girls to realize their rights determine their life outcomes; and influence decision-making in households, communities, and societies.

In addition, the GEFE Policy defines specific roles and responsibilities for USAID Operating

Units and mandates training for multiple categories of staff to help them perform their duties.

In 2012, USAID issued several related policies and strategies which further elaborated on the

GEFE Policy. These are the (1) Countering Trafficking in Person Policy; (2) the National

Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security; (3) the United States Strategy to Prevent and

Respond to Gender-Based Violence Globally; (4) The Vision for Action to End Child Marriage;

and the (5) Youth and Development Policy . Also relevant is the Presidential Memorandum on

International Initiatives to Advance the Human Rights of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and

Transgender Persons.

AUTOMATED DIRECTIVES SYSTEM (ADS) OVERVIEW

Recent revisions to the ADS have strengthened gender integration requirements throughout

USAID’s programming cycle. (http://www.usaid.gov/policy/ads/200/)

The ADS also requires that gender issues be considered, and as appropriate, integrated into procurement requests. (http://www.usaid.gov/policy/ads/300/)

For key definitions, offerors should refer to ADS 201and the “Guide to Gender Integration and

Analysis: Additional Help for ADS Chapters 201 and 203.”

(http://www.usaid.gov/policy/ads/200/201sab.pdf

Definitions

Gender analysis refers to the systematic gathering and analysis of information on gender differences and social relations to identify and understand the different roles, divisions of labor, resources, constraints, needs, opportunities/capacities, and interests of different groups including men and women, girls and boys, and transgender persons in a given context.

Gender assessment involves carrying out a gender analysis of an organization’s programs and of the organization’s ability to monitor and respond to gender issues throughout the program http://www.usaid.gov/policy/ads/200/ http://www.usaid.gov/policy/ads/300/ http://www.usaid.gov/policy/ads/200/201sab.pdf cycle. USAID Missions often carry out a gender assessment of their portfolios to determine whether gender issues are being effectively addressed in Mission-supported programs and projects. These assessments may encompass all the sectors in which there is Mission programming or focus on a single or sub-set of sectors.

Gender integration refers to the process of using evidence to make informed decisions on how to address gender equality and female empowerment systematically across USAID’s Initiatives, ongoing programs and projects, performance monitoring and evaluation, and procurements.

CDCS AND PROJECT DESIGN GUIDANCE

The GEFE Policy will be implemented by integrating approaches and actions to advance gender equality and female empowerment throughout the Program Cycle—in Agency level policy and strategy formulation; Country Development Cooperation Strategies; project design and implementation; and monitoring, evaluation and learning.

CDCS and Project Design Guidance on Using Evidence from Analysis and Assessments

Analysis: A CDCS must be grounded in evidence and analysis. During the Initial Consultations

Phase, Missions determine what research, assessments, and evaluations are needed to inform the

CDCS process. As required in the Automated Directive System (ADS), Missions are required to undertake gender, tropical rain forest, and bio-diversity assessments. Missions are encouraged to draw evidence from third-party analysis and/or evaluations, to complement Mission assessments, including from government sources, civil society, the private sector, and other donors.

Missions are required to review, analyze, and draw evidence-based conclusions from assessments and evaluations to produce the Results Framework and full CDCS, including an analysis of what has worked or not worked in achieving results through past programs, projects and activities. Assessments and analyses should not be reviewed in isolation, but should contribute to an overall picture at both the country and sector levels of specific development constraints and opportunities. Based on the analyses, Missions should consider how best to address the identified development challenges and opportunities in a strategic and cost-effective manner.

Once completed, assessments and evaluations provide the evidence and information needed to establish a development hypothesis that describes the causal linkages between the CDCS Goal, Development Objectives, Intermediate Results, and sub-Intermediate Results. The Mission must reference the assessments and evaluations used to reach significant conclusions in its CDCS. In justifying the strategic choices in the CDCS, a Mission should reference its gender analysis, assessments and evaluations.

USAID Project Design Guidance on Gender Analysis indicates that all projects must reflect relevant gender disparities in a manner consistent with the findings of any analytic work performed during the development of the Mission’s CDCS. (See ADS 201.3.9.3) or project design. Finding from gender analysis, such as gender-related obstacles to accomplishing the projects objectives, recommendations for ways to reduce gender gaps, and opportunities to enhance women’s participation and leadership should be incorporated into project design.

USAID EVALUATION POLICY

The USAID Evaluation Policy requires that evaluations use sex-disaggregated data and incorporate attention to gender relations in all relevant areas. As part of the criteria to ensure quality of the evaluation report, the Policy also states that evaluation findings will assess outcomes and impact on males and females. (See http://www.usaid.gov/evaluation/)

For access to the USAID policies and strategies referenced in Section C.1 see:

C.2 OBJECTIVE AND GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE CONTRACT

This IDIQ is designed to meet the need for cost-effective short and long term support to the

Office of Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (hereafter referred to as “GenDev”), Bureaus, and Missions by offering operating units the flexibility to procure customized services to integrate gender into strategies, programs, activities, policies, and procedures. In alignment with Agency efforts to build host country capacity, contractors will be expected to draw upon the expertise of local contractors.

C.3 STATEMENT OF WORK AND PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS AND

STANDARDS

The Contractor shall provide time-sensitive, short- and long-term technical services, reports and other deliverables on a range of gender issues with the overall goal of designing development strategies, projects, and activities that address gender gaps and improve development outcomes.

Topical are include but are not limited to gender-based violence; trafficking in persons; women's economic empowerment; women’s leadership; legal rights including property, inheritance and access to justice; women's employment in both the formal and informal sectors; women’s role in mitigating climate change and environmental stewardship; women and food security; and the role of women and girls in conflict mitigation and peace-building process. For all task orders, the Contractor will be expected to identify a roster of local consultants with expertise in gender issues that can work locally or, as needed, within regions.

Services provided under the ADVANTAGE IDIQ shall include:

C.3 (a) Technical Assistance

Technical assistance is a primary focus of the Office of Gender Equality and Women’s

Empowerment (GenDev) and is critical in providing support for gender integration to USAID operating units (USAID/Washington bureaus and offices and overseas Missions.) Undertaken in collaboration with Missions and Regional Bureaus, the Contractor shall assist the Agency in providing technical assistance to USAID operating units and other actors on a wide variety of sectoral and cross-sectoral issues as described in the preceding paragraph. Key functional areas http://www.usaid.gov/evaluation/ of technical assistance including analysis for strategic planning; program performance measurement; sectoral level analysis; project and activity design and assessments; monitoring and evaluation that capture impact(s) of gender integration; and data collection and verification.

The Contractor may provide technical assistance by fielding and deploying teams in areas including, but not limited to:

Conducting country-level gender analysis to inform development of USAID Mission Country

Development Cooperation Strategies (CDCSs) and/or sector- specific or cross-sectoral strategies;

Facilitating the process of gathering information and applying findings from gender analysis to USAID Mission CDCSs and results frameworks, sector-specific or cross-sectoral strategies;

Collaborating with USAID Operating Units to conduct assessments of existing strategies, projects, and activities to identify opportunities to improve development outcomes through gender integration;

Working with USAID Missions to provide advice to project and activity design teams to assure that all applicable gender requirements are addressed in the project design process;

Developing technical guides, toolkits and/or manuals on gender integration;

Providing technical input on how to monitor progress to achieving the goals and objectives of projects/activities including assistance on developing Performance Management Plans and and advice on selecting indicators that effectively measure the results of projects with gender implications; and participating as a member(s) of monitoring/evaluation teams that assess progress toward closing gender gaps, along with others such as USAID staff or USAID partners. This work may include designing, conducting and/or writing up the findings of evaluations;

Facilitating coordination, collaboration, and exchange of findings and lessons-learned to build on what works to make adjustments during implementation and to inform future strategies.

C.3 (b) Training (including Workshops and Seminars)

Training courses play a key role in disseminating information about the Agency’s policies and practices that pertain to gender integration at the strategic, program or activity levels. Training is also essential to building the capacity of Agency staff and implementing partners to ensure that

USAID strategies, programs, projects and activities explicitly and deliberately seek to eliminate the gaps between the status of males and females. Training carried out under this contract may be in conjunction with other USAID-sponsored technical or sector programs, regional programs, orientation for new Agency employees or may stand alone. Training will usually be carried out in teams of two—in some cases with a USAID-provided trainer(s) and/or subject matter expert(s). All training activities must employ adult learning techniques and consist of varied types of learning activities. These workshops and course may take place in Washington D.C or overseas.

The Contractor may provide training services in areas including, but not limited to:

Carrying out needs assessments and/or surveys to determine training needs;

Conducting "how to" capacity building workshops for USAID personnel and implementing partner staff;

Facilitating workshops to assist Agency staff in applying the results of gender assessments to strategies, projects and activities;

Providing training tailored to the audience’s level of knowledge of gender issues in international development;

Customizing course(s) and workshops based on country and/or sector specific training materials;

Providing workshop and course materials for participants and trainers;

Providing electronic copies and at least one hard copy of all training material to the GenDev office;

Developing new courses and workshops to reflect changes in Agency policy and practices related to gender. This may include creating web-based and/or distance learning courses;

Revising and updating existing courses to reflect changes in Agency policy and practices related to gender;

Developing manuals for trainer use;

Soliciting and analyzing participant feedback using evaluation forms at the conclusion of each session and providing this information to the Agency;

Revising and updating all workshops and courses to reflect participant feedback;

Providing workshop reports to GenDev and to client operating units;

Tracking daily (morning and afternoon) attendance and providing participants with

Certificates of Completion;

Debriefing the GenDev, orally or in writing, on lessons learned.

C.3(c) Communications and Outreach (including Conference Planning and Implementation)

An important role of GenDev is to increase the level of knowledge among USAID staff, USAID's partner organizations, and the larger development community on gender integration.

GenDev also has a responsibility to ensure that USAID's efforts in gender integration are publicized and both inside and outside the Agency.

The Contractor may provide communications and outreach services in areas including, but not limited to:

Planning conferences, briefings, seminars, and panel discussions;

Creating publications both in print and electronic formats- (publications may include but are not limited to information bulletins, newsletters, practical guides, and conference proceedings);

Creating content for Agency-managed websites, or designing (and maintaining) websites;

and

Devising communications and outreach strategies to promote USAID’s work on gender integration.

C.3 (d) Organizational Analysis on Gender Integration

As part of an ambitious reform effort, USAID is changing its business processes. This includes but is not limited to: contracting with and providing grants to more and varied local and non-traditional partners, working to build host country capacity; and creating effective and sustainable partnerships to bring about the conditions where aid is no longer necessary in the countries where the Agency works. To advance this agenda, USAID is also (1) streamlining its existing business processes; (2) increasing the use of small businesses, (3) building metrics into its implementation agreements to achieve capacity building objectives; and (4) using host country systems as appropriate. The Agency is also exploring ways to work more effectively with the private sector. In addition, the Agency has embarked on talent management efforts.

Working in conjunction with GenDev staff, the Contractor may provide technical assistance and operations research services to improve the gender integration in areas including, but not limited to:

Implementing procurement reform as it relates increasing the use of women owned businesses in host countries;

Building human resource capacity;

Applying science and technology to address development challenges ;

Developing public-private partnerships;

Carrying out foreign assistance reform; and

Strengthening program planning, implementation, and assessment.

C.4 IDIQ CENTRAL MANAGEMENT

The Contractor shall provide the central management necessary to fulfill all the requirements of the contract. This includes cost and quality control of all tasks and assignments.

Primary Point of Contact: IDIQ Manager – The contractor shall designate a primary point of contact whom USAID may contact for procedural and substantive matters. The IDIQ Manager shall be the individual bearing primary responsibility for technical aspects of contract performance, as well as procurement, personnel, reporting, and other management related requirements of the contract. Specifically, the IDIQ Manager shall:

Respond to task order requests, and provide central management and oversight of task orders under this award, working collaboratively and often with USAID central and field project managers, technical officers, Contracting Officers, and meet and consult regularly with the IDIQ COR.

Select, provide technical and administrative direction and guidance to, and place and support all technical experts carrying out technical requirements.

Report to USAID technical and contract personnel in accordance with USAID reporting requirements in Section F.

Ensure quality and control methods in a consistent and transparent manner for all contracted tasks and functions.

The IDIQ Manager shall command a strong working knowledge of the concepts and effective approaches related to designing, implementing, and evaluating education programs in conflict and crisis affected environments. The IDIQ Manager must have assignments that would indicate strong writing and oral presentation skills. In addition S/he must be knowledgeable about the overall technical, administrative and logistical responsibility for the effective, efficient, and timely implementation of all activities undertaken by the contractor. S/he must have demonstrated experience with managing projects of a similar size and scope, in an international context. Oral and written English language skills must be commensurate with a U.S. professional environment (defined as a typical government or private sector office predominantly intended to provide professional or technical services to a diverse clientele).

S/he shall have at least a master's degree in education, conflict studies, international development, economic or political development or related areas that relate directly to international development and gender integration. S/he shall also have a minimum of 8 years of experience working with sector assessment, strategic planning, project management, institutional capacity development programs, program design, monitoring and evaluation, preferably in countries affected by crisis or conflict.

The IDIQ Manager must have excellent strategic planning, management, and technical leadership skills and demonstrated experience in project management, program assessment and program design across sectors, institutional capacity building, human resources, performance improvement, institutional development, adult learning methodologies, monitoring, and evaluation in a developing country setting. S/he must be able to provide vision, direction, and leadership in working with and bringing together performance improvement and disparate technical areas that span all regions of the world. It is desirable that the IDIQ Manager have a solid grasp of the physical and psychological challenges inherent in working in conflict countries and some actual work experience in such countries.

The following chart provides the minimum years of relevant work experience associated with the

IDIQ Manager’s academic degree:

Academic Degree Required Minimum

Years of Relevant

Work Experience

Required Years of

International

Development

Experience

PhD

ABD / JD

MS/MA/MBA

C.5 MANAGEMENT OF SUBGRANTS (GRANTS UNDER CONTRACT)

Funds may be made available in individual task orders for the award and administration of grants. The contractor shall solicit, negotiate, award and administer grants under task orders.

These…