SF-30_&_Q&A.pdf

Amendment 04

SOL-OAA-17-000108

Energy II IDIQ

Questions and Answers

1. Question: Part 3 – Cost / Business Proposal – Smart Utilities and Sector Reform Task Order, Proposed Cost/Prices, paragraph (d) Detailed Budget Narrative, sub-section on “Salaries and Wages” paragraph 1 states as follows: “The Offeror must propose direct salaries consistent with the Offeror’s personnel policies and the CDRs proposed at the IDIQ level.” Please confirm USAID is requesting that Offerors ensure that the direct salaries are consistent with their personnel policies and the Unburdened Ceiling Daily Rates as shown in Table 1 at B.6.1, Page 7. If so, please note that the Table 1. Labor Categories and Unburdened Ceiling Daily Rates table includes only Senior and Mid Level experts, yet the STTA pool of experts’ qualifications are described at the Junior Level.

USAID Response: Cost/Business proposal for the Smart Utilities and Sector Reform Task Order is no longer required. Please see revised solicitation for changes regarding this requirement.

2. Question: Would USAID kindly confirm that Offerors should provide salary and wages for the proposed experts consistent with their personnel policies and the Unburdened Ceiling Daily Rates in Table 1 for all Mid level and Senior Level personnel?

USAID Response: Yes, offerors should provide Unburdened Ceiling Daily Rates consistent with their personnel policies. Cost/Business proposal for the Smart Utilities and Sector Reform Task Order is no longer required. Please see revised solicitation for changes regarding this requirement.

3. Question: For Junior level personnel, would USAID kindly confirm that the Offerors should use their personnel policies and other supporting documentation as may be required to demonstrate the daily rates of those individuals?

USAID Response: Cost/Business proposal for the Smart Utilities and Sector Reform Task Order is no longer required. Please see revised solicitation for changes regarding this requirement.

4. Question: To broaden the chances of finding the most qualified personnel at the best value to the U.S. government, would USAID accept additional years of experience (in addition to the experience required for each position) as the equivalent of a graduate degree for any of the “other personnel” positions?

USAID Response: Requirements related to the Smart Utilities and Sector Reform Task has been removed from the IDIQ.

5. Question: RFP Reference: L.7.b.1.i, Page Number: 119, Relevant RFP Language: “An implementation plan that describes key milestones, associated activities, inputs and outputs required for their achievement, timeframes, and indicators for monitoring implementation progress.” - Given the demand-driven nature of this task order, which will cover multiple countries through mission buy-ins, it is impossible to predict milestones and timelines of activities. Could USAID please remove the requirement or clarify how they envision contractors to identify key milestones and timelines at the proposal stage?

USAID Response: Requirements related to the Smart Utilities and Sector Reform Task has been removed from the IDIQ.

6. Question: Page 122 mentions references for Key personnel must be from, “within the last three years.” As many projects are 3+ years in duration, please consider increasing this requirement to 8 years in order to allow for a diversity of perspectives from multiple projects.

USAID Response: Requirements related to the Smart Utilities and Sector Reform Task has been removed from the IDIQ.

7. Question: RFP Reference: Attachment J.1, C.4.2.e, Page Number: 12, Relevant RFP Language: “The ES…will be expected to undertake such tasks as literature reviews, collecting and analyzing sector and/or utility data, and researching and documenting country experiences and best practices. The ES must have at least a graduate degree in engineering, economics, business, energy/environmental policy or related field and at least five years of experience supporting energy reform and commercialization programs.”- Technical staff with a graduate degree and five years of experience typically do much higher-level work than the responsibilities described for the ES.

Literature reviews, data collection and analysis, and research and documentation are typically performed by individuals with only a bachelor’s degree and 4 years of experience or a master’s degree and 2 years of experience. Would USAID consider revising the required qualifications for this position to better reflect the current labor market?

USAID Response: Requirements related to the Smart Utilities and Sector Reform Task has been removed from the IDIQ.

8. Question: RFP Reference: L.7.a, Page Number: 118, Relevant RFP Language: “Technical Approach (not to exceed 10 pages)” - The Task Order Technical Approach requires offerors to describe our approach to 15 activities plus an illustrative work order. In order to provide USAID with a full explanation of our proposed approach to support each of these important activities, would USAID consider increasing the page limit for the Task Order Technical Proposal Technical Approach section to 15 pages?

USAID Response: Requirements related to the Smart Utilities and Sector Reform Task has been removed from the IDIQ.

9. Question: Section C.4: Personnel Qualifications and Experience, Paragraph (2) Other Personnel, Item f. – Short Term Technical Assistance (STTA) states as follows: “The STTA shall provide expertise in targeted technical areas to support implementation of the activities outlined in Section C: Statement of Work. The STTA may be required to conduct research, provide technical assistance and/or training, draft reports, conduct modeling, and prepare videos and other media, and other tasks necessary to meet the Smart Utilities and Sector Reform Task Order objectives. The position requires a bachelor’s degree and a minimum of three years of experience in the subject area.

International development experience is strongly preferred but not required.” Based on the Minimum Qualifications provided in Table 3 in Section B.6.2, an individual with a Bachelor’s Degree and 3 years of experience would be a Junior Level person. The STTA requirements in (f) above include a number of specialty areas such as training, modeling, etc.

a. Would USAID please confirm that the STTA category would also include other cross- cutting areas such as gender mainstreaming, climate resiliency assessment, monitoring and evaluation, IT systems for smart grid, etc. that would very likely be required in executing the scope of Task Order 1?

b. These cross-cutting services often require mid- to senior level expertise. Would USAID please confirm that the Offerors are free to propose the STTA expertise as a pool of expertise that would include, Junior, Mid, and Senior Level personnel?

c. Given that the STTA support under the Task Order 1 would require a wide variety of expertise involving numerous experts, would USAID kindly confirm that the Offerors are allowed to use a single average rate and an estimated pool of hours for this entire category of labor for the purposes of developing the total budget for Task Order 1?

d. Would USAID please further confirm that no CVs/Resumes and 1420 biographical data sheets would be required for this STTA category of labor under the Task Order 1 budget?

e. Would USAID further confirm that CVs, Daily rates, and 1420 biographical data sheets for STTA specialists will be required and reviewed only at the Work Order level for each individual Work Order?

10. Question: Can USAID kindly confirm if the following language under M.7 Contracting with Small Business Concerns applies for award not only of the IDIQ, but also of task orders under the IDIQ: “If, after evaluating all offers, USAID concludes that two or more offers are in effect equally eligible to be selected for the award, then the offer that provides the greater, most varied, and most realistic use of all the categories of small business concerns may be determined to be the best value offer and will be selected for award”

USAID Response: Requirements related to the Smart Utilities and Sector Reform Task has been removed from the IDIQ.

11. Question: In RFP Section C.5, IDIQ Management, the RFP specifies that the IDIQ Contract Manager have “the experience and capability to provide management, supervision, and quality control over all implemented activities undertaken by the Contractor.” The minimum educational requirement for this position is a bachelor’s degree. In Attachment J.1, Section C.4, Personnel Qualifications and Experience, the Smart Utilities and Sector Reform Task Order instructions for all except for the EGS position require a graduate degree for six of the positions that will work on the Task Order under the oversight of the IDIQ Contract Manager: the Senior Power Reform Specialist/Chief of Party, Energy Governance Specialist, Utility Commercialization Specialist, Public-Private Partnership Specialist, Clean Energy Specialist, and Energy Specialist. Would USAID consider changing the educational requirements for these Task Order positions so that candidates could have a combination of experience and educational credentials that would be equivalent to a graduate degree?

USAID Response: Requirements related to the Smart Utilities and Sector Reform Task has been removed from the IDIQ.

12. Question: For improved chart readability, will USAID allow 11X17 paper, and allow it to count as a single page

USAID Response: Yes.

13. Question: Can USAID confirm that in addition to custom indicators, offerors should use standard Indicators under Modern Energy Services (EG.7) corresponding to economic growth and Clean Energy (EG.12) corresponding to Climate Change reference sheets?

USAID Response: Requirements related to the Smart Utilities and Sector Reform Task has been removed from the IDIQ.

14. Question: The RFP states: “The Offeror may include a chart of its teaming arrangement, a staffing organogram, and a matrix of all subcontractors and their significant personnel, along with their relevant skills, experience and proportion of time they will dedicate to this Task Order.” Can USAID confirm if the "matrix" is only for subcontractors, or is the matrix to include the entire team and their staff - the Offeror and its subcontractors?