USAID_PDEX_RFP_7200AA22R00006.pdf

RFP-Providing Development Expertise and Technical Skills (PDEX) professional support services contract-7200AA22R00006

ISSUE DATE: October 29, 2021

QUESTIONS DUE: November 15, 2021; Receive by 12:00pm; Eastern Standard Time

CLOSING DATE: December 15, 2021; Receive by 3:00pm; Eastern Standard Time

SUBJECT: Request for Proposal (RFP) for the Providing Development Expertise and

Technical Skills (PDEX) professional support services contract

SOLICITATION: 7200AA22R00006

Dear Prospective Offeror:

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is seeking full-time, short-term, and episodic technical and professional support services in support of the Innovation, Technology, and Research (ITR) Hub (and other USAID operating units, as needed), as outlined in the Statement of Work in Section C.

Responses will only be considered from those offerors who are an 8(a) firm and who hold a current MOBIS schedule and an active Secret level (or above) Facility Clearance (FCL) from or registered with the Defense Security Service (DSS). If offerors do not have an active Secret level FCL, they will be deemed non-responsive and will not be eligible for further review.

This Request for Proposal (RFP) is being competed through the General Services Administration (GSA) Professional Support Services Schedule, 874-7 in accordance with FAR 8.4. Responses will only be considered from organizations with Set Aside Codes SMALL BUSINESSES ONLY, from interested socioeconomic (Historically Underutilized Business Zone Small Business (HUBZone), Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), Women-owned small business and small business organizations under the NAICS code for 541990- All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services and 541611-Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services that have the capacity and a proven track record to provide professional and technical institutional support contract services.

Response to this RFP must include the information that is outlined in Section L of the RFP.

Please ensure that your company’s registration in the System for Award Management (SAM) Central is current and up to date. SAM can be accessed at www.sam.gov.

The Government anticipates awarding a Cost-Plus Fixed Fee contract with one two-year base period of performance with three option periods of one year each, for a total possible period of performance of five years.

All questions concerning this RFP must be submitted by e-mail to Julia Banks at jbanks@usaid.gov and Roderick Watson rwatson@usaid.gov and received no later than12:00pm;

Eastern Standard Time on November 15, 2021.

Quotes shall be submitted via email to: Julia Banks at jbanks@usaid.gov and Roderick Watson rwatson@usaid.gov. Please submit your proposal no later than 12:00pm; Eastern Standard Time on December 15, 2021.

This request for proposal in no way obligates the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to award a contract, nor does it commit USAID to pay any costs incurred in the preparation and submission of proposals.

It is the responsibility of the offeror of this solicitation to ensure that it has been received in its entirety, including subsequent solicitation amendments, if any. USAID bears no responsibility for data errors resulting from transmission or conversion processes.

If you have questions, please feel free to contact Julia Banks at jbanks@usaid.gov and Roderick Watson at rwatson@usaid.gov

Sincerely, /s/

Roderick Watson Contracting Officer U.S. Agency for International Development http://www.sam.gov/ mailto:jbanks@usaid.gov mailto:rwatson@usaid.gov mailto:jbanks@usaid.gov mailto:rwatson@usaid.gov mailto:jbanks@usaid.gov mailto:rwatson@usaid.gov

SECTION B – SUPPLIES OR SERVICES AND PRICE/COSTS

B.1 PURPOSE

The US Agency for International Development (USAID) has a requirement for full-time, short-term, and episodic technical and professional support services in support of the Innovation, Technology, and Research (ITR) Hub (and other USAID operating units, as needed). This Request for Proposal (RFP) is prepared in accordance with FAR Subpart 8.4, and solicits General Service Administration (GSA), Professional Support Services (PSS) Schedule 874-7 Consulting Services, NAICS Code 541611. Competitive offers will be solicited only from qualified Small Businesses 8(a).

B.2 CONTRACT TYPE AND CONTRACT SERVICES

This is a Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee Hybrid contract. For the consideration set forth in the contract, the contractor shall provide the deliverables or outputs as described in Section C and comply with all contract requirements.

B.3 ESTIMATED COST AND FEES

[To be completed at time of award]

(a) The estimated cost for the performance of the work required hereunder, inclusive of fee, is $95,000,000.00. The ceiling fixed fee is $TBD. The total estimated cost-plus- fixed-fee is $TBD.

(b) Within the estimated cost-plus-fixed-fee, if any, specified in paragraph (a) above, the amount currently obligated and available for reimbursement of allowable costs incurred by the contractor (and payment of fee, if any) for performance hereunder is $TBD.

The contractor shall not exceed the aforesaid obligated amount unless authorized by the Contracting Officer pursuant to the clause of this contract entitled ‘Limitation of Funds’ (FAR 52.232-22)

B.4 OBLIGATED AMOUNT

Within the total estimated Cost-Plus Fixed Fee specified in Section B.3 above, the amount currently obligated and available for reimbursement of allowable costs incurred by the Contractor (and payment of fee, if any) for performance hereunder is $TBD. The Contractor must not exceed the obligated amount until additional funds are added.

Subject to the availability of funds, this contract will be incrementally funded.

B.5 CONTRACT LINE ITEMS AND BUDGET

The Contract Line Items (CLINS) for this contract are as follows:

CLIN Cost Element

001 Services as Described in Section C for Categories 1 and 2 staff (Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee)

002 Services as Described in Section C for Category 3 staff and associated other direct costs for Categories and 2 staff (Cost Reimbursable)

003 Services as Described in Section C for buy-in Categories 1 and 2 buy-in staff (Cost-Plus- Fixed-Fee) -is not guaranteed that the CLIN will be utilized either in part or in full subject to availability of funds a changing operational needs.

004 Services as Described in Section C for buy-in Category 3 staff and associated other direct costs for Categories 1 and 2 buy-in staff (Cost Reimbursable) - It is not guaranteed that the CLIN will be utilize either in part or in full subject to availability of funds and changing operational needs.

Total Estimated Cost: $95,000,000

Estimated Budget. The Offeror should reference the instructions and values provided by the government in Section L.6 - INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE PREPARATION OF THE

COST/BUSINESS PROPOSAL.

B.6 PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

The period of performance for this contract is expected to be from March 21, 2022, to March 20, 2027:

● Base Year: March 21, 2022, thru March 20, 2024

● Option Year 1: March 21, 2024, thru March 20, 2025

● Option Year 2: March 21, 2025, thru March 20, 2026

● Option Year 3: March 21, 2026, thru March 20, 2027

[END OF SECTION B]

SECTION C-DESCRIPTION/SPECIFICATION/STATEMENT OF WORK

C.1 The Providing Development Expertise and Technical Skills (PDEX) Contract is designed to provide USAID/DDI/ITR with a full-time staff of PDEX Contractor employees to support ITR objectives, as well as the capability to provide access to short-term and episodic staffing support needs. The PDEX Statement of Work (SOW) requires the Contractor to support:

1. Category 1: Full-time PDEX Contractors: PDEX shall staff a full-time workforce with diverse development and technical expertise appropriate for supporting the Innovation, Technology, and Research (ITR) Hub within the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)’s Bureau for Development, Democracy, and Innovation (DDI).

2. Category 2: Short-term PDEX Contractors: PDEX shall have the capability to provide short-term staff support (1–12-month employment contracts) as required by USAID in any of the areas of expertise covered in this SOW.

3. Category 3: Episodic Consultancy Support: PDEX shall have the ability to recruit and hire a series of professional consultants to be made available to USAID at a negotiated daily or hourly rate in order to provide meeting/retreat facilitation, event management, professional development, professional communications, or other short-term staffing support or technical expertise required to meet USAID’s development objectives.

USAID is located in Washington, D.C., and it is anticipated that the majority of PDEX employees will also be based in Washington. D.C, with possible work sites domestically and overseas in the field Mission(s) (as identified in specific scope requests).

C.2 BACKGROUND

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is an independent federal agency. The mission of USAID, on behalf of the American people, is to promote and demonstrate democratic values abroad and advance a free, peaceful, and prosperous world. In support of America's foreign policy, USAID leads the U.S. Government's international development and disaster assistance through partnerships and investments that save lives, reduce poverty, strengthen democratic governance, and help people emerge from humanitarian crises, and progress beyond assistance.

C.2.1 Bureau for Development, Democracy, and Innovation (DDI):

USAID established the Bureau for Development, Democracy, and Innovation in November 2020.

The Bureau for Development, Democracy, and Innovation (DDI) is USAID’s central resource for providing world-class technical assistance to its Missions. DDI’s cross-cutting, global perspective enables the Agency to anticipate and respond to evolving trends and issues, catalyze innovation and financing, and broaden our partnership base, all with the goal of sustainably meeting USAID’s development and humanitarian goals.

DDI comprises four Centers and five Hubs. The Centers serve as USAID’s leaders for technical assistance in democracy and governance, economics and market development, education, energy, environment, human rights, and infrastructure. The Hubs provide Missions with expert guidance and training on cross-cutting development priorities, including women’s empowerment and gender equality, innovation, technology and research while increasing USAID’s partnerships with diverse organizations, such as higher education institutions, research institutes, other funders, private organizations, and the nonprofit sector.

C.2.2 Description of Innovation, Technology, and Research Hub:

The Innovation, Technology, and Research (ITR) Hub leads USAID’s use of field experimentation, research, open innovation, and digital technology to transform development approaches. The ITR Hub remains on the forefront of science and technology to incorporate breakthrough innovations into USAID’s programs and policies, and applies the latest tools, like artificial intelligence and impact bonds, to address key development priorities. USAID’s ITR Hub comprises a team of change makers and problem solvers working in partnership with researchers, universities, social enterprises, local communities and the private sector to test, incubate, and accelerate the scale-up of cutting-edge solutions and research to deliver the greatest impact.

C.2.3 Description of Innovation, Technology, and Research Divisions:

Innovation Division: ITR’s Innovation (ITR/I) Division includes two teams: (1) Exploratory Programs and Innovation Competitions (EPIC); and (2) Development Innovation Ventures (DIV). ITR/I strives to increase the adoption of evidence-based development and humanitarian solutions, and to advance the effective use of innovative funding design through pay-for-results approaches. ITR/I’s programs and approaches include stakeholders that have not traditionally thought of themselves as part of the development and humanitarian sectors, and incentivizes new, local partners (including from the private sector) to innovate in the markets where the development challenges exist.

https://www.usaid.gov/innovation-technology-research

Technology Division: ITR’s Technology (ITR/T) Division works with the private sector, governments, and civil society to eliminate barriers to digital inclusion, to use data for decision-making, to expand access to digital financial services, to apply geospatial technology and analysis to development challenges, and to leverage emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and digital identification. The division also leads the implementation of USAID's Digital Strategy across the agency. The Division consists of eight technical teams: Digital Inclusion, Digital Finance, Cybersecurity, Development Informatics, GeoCenter, Strategy and Research, Knowledge and Insights and Digital Strategy Implementation.

Research Division: ITR’s Research Division (ITR/R) aims to improve development outcomes through the generation and effective use of scientific research around the world, across all sectors and regions where USAID works. The Division partners with higher education institutions in the United States and in USAID partner countries, governments, civil society, and the private sector to build local research capacity and use an evidence-based approach to development work. To this end, the Division supports a large variety of programs, activities, and services aimed at supporting the creation, translation, use, and understanding of research and evidence.

ITR Front Office: The ITR Front Office (FO) supports all three divisions by providing strategic leadership, oversight, and coordination of all Hub functions.

SECTION C.3: OBJECTIVE

USAID’s DDI/ITR aims to award the Providing Development Expertise and Technical Skills (PDEX) Contract for a two (2) year base period with three (3) 12 – month option years. ITR intends to procure services that will provide technical, administrative, communication, analytical, and professional support staff to ITR’s Divisions. Each PDEX Contractor employee will be assigned to specific units to support ITR (see “Background” Section above). The Contract type will be a cost-plus fixed feed hybrid contract in accordance with the terms and conditions of the solicitation.

DDI/ITR is committed to advancing principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion through the PDEX Contract, in line with the Federal Acquisition Regulations on Equal Opportunity (FAR 52.222- 26) and AIDAR Non-Discrimination (752.222-71 Nondiscrimination). This commitment is also in line with the Presidential Executive Order On Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government and Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. DDI/ITR and its leadership are further committed to integrating the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace in order to motivate staff to gain understanding of inequalities and implicit bias and to adopt a changemaker mindset to successfully contribute to USAID's objectives. With regard to diversity, equity, and inclusion, the Contractor will use its own internal processes and procedures and demonstrate innovative approaches to maximizing compliance with the stated above FAR and AIDAR regulations.

https://www.usaid.gov/research

This PDEX Statement of Work (SOW) provides an overview of the general responsibilities of the PDEX Contractor and PDEX Contractor employees in response to workforce needs resulting from USAID’s development and humanitarian assistance responsibilities in DDI/ITR. The PDEX Contractor employees shall play key roles in assisting USAID to manage complex technical and development response activities as well as other duties as identified.

Under the PDEX SOW, the Contractor shall be responsible for providing full-time (Category 1) personnel (to be called PDEX Contractor employees throughout this SOW) to perform work characterized as technical, administrative, communication, analytical, and professional in support of ITR. A detailed list of anticipated positions to be hired as PDEX Contractor employees can be found in Attachment I.

Please note: the list of titles and position descriptions in Attachment I is reflective only of currently encumbered positions and known requirements. It is anticipated that in addition to these positions, additional titles and position descriptions will need to be added to the Contract (at appropriately negotiated rates) throughout the duration of the Contract Award. Therefore, the Contractor must have the capability to add and staff additional positions as they arise throughout implementation.

In addition to hiring full-time PDEX Contractor employees (Category 1) in support of ITR, the PDEX Contractor will also be responsible for maintaining the capability to hire and support short-term PDEX Contractor employees (Category 2) and episodic consultancies (Category 3) under the PDEX Contract. Detailed needs for short-term or consultancy support under PDEX will be identified post-award and may come from USAID/DDI/ITR as well as other Missions, Bureaus, or Independent Offices (M/B/IOs) within USAID on a limited/as needed basis. An initial funding obligation in support of likely Category 2 and 3 anticipated but not yet known staffing needs will be included in the initial Award. Beyond that, all future obligations for short-term and episodic support will be negotiated and added to the Contract via a buy-in process formalized through the cognizant Contracting Officer (CO) as those needs are identified post-award.

In summary, the Contractor shall provide required personnel, or demonstrate the capability to provide (upon Award), personnel in the following three distinct categories as needed:

1. Category 1: Full-time PDEX Contractors: PDEX shall staff a full-time workforce with diverse development and technical expertise appropriate for supporting the Innovation, Technology, and Research (ITR) Hub within the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)’s Bureau for Development, Democracy, and Innovation (DDI). Anticipated skills needed for the PDEX Contractor workforce include advanced data analysis, analytical approaches, experience researching or applying emerging technologies for development, facilitation and co-creation experience, scientific research and statistical analysis, innovative program design experience, and general development knowledge and technical skills. A list of full-time staff to initially be supported under

PDEX will be made available to the Contractor (see estimated positions and numbers in Attachment I - Position Descriptions) upon contract award.

2. Category 2: Short-term PDEX Contractors: PDEX shall have the capability to provide short-term staff support (1–12-month employment contracts) as required by USAID in any of the areas of expertise covered in this SOW. Short-term PDEX staff will be identified and requested by USAID on an as-needed basis post-award. For transition planning, and budgeting purposes, Offerors are advised that no employees under Category 2 are anticipated to be needed immediately upon award.

3. Category 3: Episodic Consultancy Support: PDEX shall have the ability to recruit and hire a series of professional consultants to be made available to USAID at a negotiated daily or hourly rate in order to provide discrete technical skills, meeting/retreat facilitation, event management, professional development, professional technical communication, or other short-term staffing support or technical expertise required to meet ITR’s objectives. Consultancies supported via this Category of the SOW are anticipated to range between 2 hours (small activities) to 1-month overall level of effort (LOE) for more complex needs and will be identified on an as-needed basis post-award.

Consultants must be paid on an hourly, or daily, basis for actual work performed. For transition planning, and budgeting purposes, Offerors are advised that no employees under Category 3 are anticipated to be needed immediately upon award.

As noted above, Category 1 (Full-time staff) will need to be hired and made available soon after Contract Award (further details available in Attachment I). Contract employment under Category 2 (short-term contract employees) and Category 3 (consultancies) are anticipated but not yet known. The Contractor must have access to, and/or capability to hire employees under these Categories and funds will be made available in the Contract if/as needed. The Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) will articulate the Agency's specific need for support under Categories 2 and 3 throughout Contract implementation and will work with the Contractor to identify the technical experts needed to staff the requirements, as identified. Hiring for Categories 2 and 3 will be on an “as needed” basis subject to Contracting Officer (CO)/COR approval.

Support under Category 2 (short-term contract employees) will likely involve, but not be limited to, the following types of short-term (1-12 month) full-time staffing support:

● Providing additional technical staff to support the needs of the Agency in the event of a disaster, conflict, or other crisis, as well as support the needs of DDI to support other emerging priorities (Administration, USAID, Congressional, etc.).

● Providing specific technical staff to support identified needs of DDI/ITR.

● Providing staff with unique capabilities to fill assignments related to advanced data analysis, analytical approaches, expertise, contracting, or the application of emerging technologies or approaches for development.

● Providing “bridge” institutional contract support for USAID contractors or employees who have finished a term of service under one hiring mechanism/category and are awaiting onboarding under another hiring mechanism/category.

Support under Category 3 (episodic consultancies) will likely involve, but not be limited to, the following types of consultant support:

● Serving as an expert facilitator for USAID retreats, learning sessions, or meetings.

● Organizing expert panels, events, or virtual convenings.

● Providing specific technical and professional consultant support in the areas of science, technology, or innovation.

● Taking notes, providing documentation, or distilling findings or highlights for key events or activities related to USAID priorities.

● Providing professional development or other skills or capacity building support for ITR staff (PDEX Contractor employees, USAID Direct Hire employees, or other staff) or other audiences.

● Providing technical writing, graphic design, or other communications support to ITR.

It shall be assumed that the environment for providing staffing support for ITR in all three categories of contractor employment will be fluid, rapidly changing, and complex. There shall be great need for flexibility and rapid response to changing circumstances and strong capabilities to communicate well verbally and in writing. The Contractor shall ensure that no constraints or impediments interfere with its obligation to meet the requirements of this Contract in a timely manner. Consistent with this SOW, the Contractor shall propose and implement innovative, efficient, and transparent recruitment, management, and retention processes in order to ensure the Government’s needs are met throughout the duration of the PDEX Contract period.

Anticipated Position Descriptions, Hours, and Expenses by Category of Contract Employment

1. Category 1: Full-time PDEX Contractors

The Contractor must ensure the proper skill sets are obtained, maintained, and employed to meet the stated requirements, duties, and responsibilities of this SOW. The level of effort for each full-time PDEX Contractor employee position (Category 1) is estimated at 2080 hours per employee per year, with full benefits. The anticipated number of positions required under Category 1 at this time are available in Attachment I. It is expected that the Contractor will work with USAID to provide a “right of first refusal” for positions to all employees employed under relevant incumbent institutional support Contracts currently supporting ITR that are currently performing at, or above, expectations, as requested by USAID. Full-time PDEX Contract Employees under Category 1 shall be eligible for all standard employment benefits (annual leave, health and commuting benefits, annual promotion considerations, parental leave, sick leave, retirement savings, etc.).

Please note: the list of titles and position descriptions in Attachment 1 is reflective only of currently encumbered positions and known requirements. It is anticipated that in addition to these identified positions, additional titles and position descriptions will need to be added to the Contract by ITR (at appropriate negotiated rates) throughout the duration of the Contract Award.

Therefore, the Contractor must have the capability to add and staff additional positions as they arise throughout implementation (within the approved Contract ceiling). In addition, DDI/ITR may enable other M/B/IOs to “buy-in” to the contract for specific needs under Category 1. In these cases, specific position descriptions will be identified and negotiated post-award and funds will be obligated into the Contract specifically in support of each new “buy-in.” (NOTE-- These additional Category 1 employees are not guaranteed to be funded under the Contract. Rather, USAID will accommodate them in the Total Estimated Cost (TEC) ceiling of the Contract award in the event that USAID would like to meet these position needs at a later date, post-award.)

The Position Descriptions, provided in Attachment I, are generalized role/function descriptions. It is envisioned that for all newly filled positions (not filled on award creation with incumbent staff) full position descriptions, detailing specific needs, technical, geographic, or other specialized knowledge or education requirements, and additional information concerning which teams, divisions, or other organization structures for which the specific position is planned will be drafted by the government and provided to the Contractor.

The summary of positions and estimated staff provided in Attachment I - Position Descriptions only accounts for the Government’s full-time employment support needs under Category 1, and it does not account for the contract management team (“Key Personnel”) within the Contractor’s Home Office, which should be proposed during the solicitation phase (see Key Personnel section below).

1. Category 2: Short-term PDEX Contractors In addition to primary ITR PDEX Contractor Employees hired under Category 1, the Contract shall have the capability to support additional PDEX Contractor employees on a short-term basis as needed throughout the duration of the Contract. For the purposes of this SOW, “Short-term” is defined as full-time employment (40 hours/week) for between 1 month and 12 months, maximum. Benefits (health insurance, leave, retirement, etc.) for contractor employees under Category 2 shall be provided commensurate with the Offeror’s standard employment policies and all relevant local and national labor laws applicable to part-time employees.

While no specific needs for Category 2 (short-term) employees are included in the initial Requirement, the Contract ceiling will include flexibility to allow USAID to fund up to an estimated 50 short-term employees under Category 2 over the life of the Contract. Positions supported under Category 2 are anticipated to be in support of core ITR functions. In addition, DDI/ITR may enable other Missions, Bureaus, and Independent Offices (M/B/IOs) to “buy-in” to the contract for specific needs under Category 2. In these cases, specific scopes will be identified and negotiated post-award and funds will be obligated into the Contract specifically in support of each supplemental “buy-in.” (NOTE-- These additional Category 2 short-term employees are not guaranteed to be funded under the Contract. Rather, USAID will accommodate them in the Total Estimated Cost (TEC) ceiling of the Contract award in the event that USAID would like to meet these position needs at a later date, post-award.)

1. Category 3: Episodic Consultancy Support

In addition to providing staffing support under Categories 1 and 2, the PDEX Contractor shall also have the capability to provide as-needed consultancy support under Category 3 of this Contract. Specifically, PDEX shall have the ability to advertise for, recruit, and hire a series of professional consultants to be made available to USAID at a negotiated daily or hourly rate in order to provide discrete technical skills, meeting/retreat facilitation, event management, professional development, professional technical communication, or other short-term staffing support or technical expertise throughout the duration of this Contract. “Episodic consultancy support” as defined by Category 3 of this SOW are defined as ranging between 2 hours (small activities) to 1 month overall (160 hours) level of effort (LOE) for more complex needs and will be identified on an as-needed basis post-award. Consultants must be paid on an hourly, or daily basis for actual work performed. As consultants under Category 3 will not receive benefits under PDEX, their rates should be presented as fully burdened rates.

While no specific needs for Category 3 (episodic consultants) are included in the initial Requirement, the Contract ceiling will include flexibility to allow USAID to fund up to an estimated 100 consultant employees under Category 3 over the life of the Contract. Positions supported under Category 3 are anticipated to be in support of core ITR functions. In addition, DDI/ITR may enable other M/B/IOs to “buy-in” to the contract for specific needs under Category 3/consultancy support. In these cases, specific scopes will be identified and negotiated post-award and funds will be obligated into the Contract specifically in support of each supplemental consultancy “buy-in.” (NOTE-- These additional Category 3 episodic consultancies are not guaranteed to be funded under the Contract. Rather, USAID will accommodate them in the Total Estimated Cost (TEC) ceiling of the Contract award in the event that USAID would like to meet these position needs at a later date, post-award.)

In summary, the estimated number of staff personnel (PDEX Contractor Employees in Categories 1, 2, and 3) required to carry out the Contract for USAID over the next five years (one two-year base period plus three one year option years) includes (but is not limited to):

Table 1. PDEX Contractor Employee Summary Table

PDEX Contractor Employee Summary

Labor PDEX Contractor Employees to be Hired during the Transition Period (ie, Day One)

Number of Additional PDEX Contractor Employees that may be Hired as needed over the course of the Contract

Est. LOE Hours Per S

Category 1: Full-time PDEX Contractor Employees

41* 25* (13 estimated for new hires in Year 1 and 12 estimated for new hires in Out Years (Years

2-5)).

2080 hours per year (renewable)

Category 2: Short-term PDEX Contractor Employees (TBD)

0 50* 161-2080 hours total pe person

Category 3: Episodic PDEX Consultancy Support (TBD)

0 100* 2 hours - 160 hours pe consultancy

* Please use these numbers to estimate costs for budgeting purposes; actual numbers may vary and will be discussed during the negotiation phase with the apparently successful Offeror. These numbers, positions envisioned, and other details are provided in Attachment I - Position Descriptions.

As part of the Proposal submitted to USAID, please propose a crosswalk of the positions listed in Attachment I - Position Descriptions with the relevant Offeror’s schedule, position, and costs. This crosswalk should be submitted by completing Columns J-O, as applicable, (and through the addition of additional columns or editing existing ones, if necessary) of the template provided in tab “iv - Position Descriptions and Crosswalk”.

General Guidance on PDEX Contractor Employees

The Contractor shall be responsible for maintaining satisfactory standards of employee competency, conduct, appearance, and integrity for all PDEX Contractor employees and shall be responsible for taking disciplinary action(s) with respect to their PDEX management and support of employees as necessary. Each PDEX Contractor employee is expected to adhere to standards of behavior that reflect favorably on their employer, and the Federal Government.

PDEX Contractor employees will not be authorized to, and must not supervise, commit, or represent resources on behalf of the U.S. Government, or perform any Inherently Governmental Functions.

Work must be performed under the technical direction of a USAID Direct Hire (USDH). Within these limitations, PDEX Contractor employees, in all three Categories, will be expected to complete the following types (illustrative, and not exhaustive) of activities:

1. Provide expert technical support and research to USAID with regards to studies, analyses, data, and systems across a wide array of development-relevant subject areas.

2. Plan program and development assistance activities in accordance with USAID standards, including advising on the preparation of statements of work and other documents.

3. Monitor and support the implementation of program and development assistance activities, with emphasis on identifying constraints, issues, logistical needs, and dependencies of specific inputs.

4. Plan and participate in program assessments and evaluations.

5. Assist in planning, monitoring, coordinating, and reporting on program activities to ensure that activities are efficiently and effectively implemented in a manner that achieves the objectives of the U.S. Government.

6. Provide M/B/IOs with technical, administrative, communication, and programmatic support as permissible.

7. Advise on priorities for strategic development programming efforts.

8. Conduct analyses of development indicators and trends to support program design and strategy development.

9. Contribute support as meeting facilitators, communicators, technical experts, notetakers, writers, and product designers.

10. Provide technical advice on the feasibility, appropriateness, and value of proposed changes in development and humanitarian assistance activities.

11. Prepare and present program reports, success stories, and other reporting and communications materials.

12. Support USAID in our coordination with other donors, NGOs, civil society groups, the private sector, government officials, and the military.

13. Perform secretarial or administrative functions for ITR as needed, to include maintaining the calendars, scheduling meetings, maintaining files, handling mail and correspondence, supporting taskers, preparing travel-related documentation, and making travel arrangements for staff as assigned.

SECTION C.4: CONTRACT TASKS

TASK ONE: ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN THE “PROVIDING DEVELOPMENT

EXPERTISE AND TECHNICAL SKILL (PDEX)” CONTRACT MANAGEMENT

STRUCTURE

Overview of Task: Under this Task, the PDEX Prime must source and create the necessary personnel and processes to establish and maintain the PDEX institutional support contract. It is expected that the PDEX Key Personnel identified in this Request for Proposal (RFP) will play a key role in managing PDEX and as such will be available for regular (minimum weekly) phone or in-person consultations and regular (daily) email communications with USAID upon Contract Award.

Subtask 1.A: Participate in PDEX Contract Kick-Off Meeting (Contract Year One) The PDEX Prime must participate in a PDEX Contract Kick-Off Meeting with the PDEX COR and CO in Washington, DC (or virtually) upon award of the new Contract. This (estimated) 2-hour meeting will be used to orientate the PDEX Prime to the rules, regulations, and operations of USAID. USAID will prepare the agenda for the meeting and the PDEX Contractor shall come prepared to discuss in detail their plans for initiating the implementation of activities under Tasks 1-5 of the PDEX Contract.

The Contract Kick-Off Meeting shall occur within one calendar week of Contract Award.

Subtask 1.B: Develop and Submit an Annual Implementation Plan (All Contract Years) Each year, the PDEX Prime must submit an Annual Implementation Plan to the PDEX COR outlining the proposed management plan for PDEX for the year, inclusive of a detailed yearly budget project, list of key activities and planned timelines for that Year. In Year 1, the Implementation Plan shall include details on the planned Transition for incoming incumbent institutional support contracts currently supporting ITR, as well as relevant timelines. In Years 2- 5 of the Contract (if Option Years are exercised), the Annual Implementation Plan should also include an update on any changes to management or implementation approach based on the preceding year’s lessons learned as well as strategies for implementing process improvements based on any challenges identified in the Base Year.

The PDEX Prime must submit the draft Year 1 Annual Implementation Plan (including budget and timeline) within 21 days of Contract Award and a final Plan is due 14 days after receipt of USAID comments. In subsequent Contract Years, draft Annual Implementation Plans (including budget and timeline) are due 60 days before the start of the next Contract Year.

Subtask 1.C: Develop a PDEX-Specific Invoice Format and Process (Contract Year 1) and Implement the Process (All Contract Years) The PDEX Contract will be funded from a large variety of USAID funding lines and types and supported by various divisions within ITR as well as multiple M/B/IOs across USAID. To ensure appropriate cost accountability and tracking, the PDEX Prime must create an internal process to calculate and document individual incurred/actual staff costs, alignment of these costs to actual hours worked, and a systematic way to ensure, that these costs are appropriately charged to specific Agency line items/funding types (as identified by the COR) and that PDEX Contractor Employees, consultants, and any relevant subcontracts are billed and reported to the appropriate line items accordingly. Supporting documentation for all costs will be required; it must clearly enable the Government to understand specific direct and indirect costs and line items, be well organized, easy to understand, and must be submitted to USAID with each invoice.

The PDEX Invoice Format shall be organized and structured in a way that is approved by USAID. Each invoice should detail the costs by Tasks, Contractor Employee Category type, personnel name, and Division, and be divided into each budget category (i.e., salary, benefits, travel, etc.). The Invoice shall show expended, total, and remaining funds received for each funding type (by team/organizational structure and funding type, as detailed by USAID). The PDEX Invoice Format must include the information as both: (1) a machine readable (spreadsheet format) for summary and individual PDEX Contractor Employee costs, as well as (2) a .pdf format consolidated document which includes all supporting documentation. One .pdf document for each invoice is preferred, however, it can be split into individual sections if needed due to size.

Subtask 1.C.1 Develop a PDEX-Specific Invoice Format The initial deliverable for this subtask will be the development of a PDEX Invoice Format, due within 2 weeks of Contract Award and subject to adjustment as needed over the duration of the contract at the direction of the COR. With this initial invoice format must be a precise explanation of all calculations needed to determine the invoice amounts and totals. A final PDEX Invoice Format (subject to adjustments as needed over the duration of the contract) shall be submitted within 1 week of receiving any feedback from

USAID.

Subtask 1.C.2 Submit Monthly Detailed PDEX Invoices Subsequently, the Contractor shall use the approved PDEX Invoice Format to provide USAID with an accurate and acceptably detailed invoice with supporting documentation monthly within 15 days of the end of each monthly performance period.

Subtask 1.D: Submit Quarterly PDEX Financial Reports (All Contract Years) Due to the large number of funding types that will be used to support the PDEX Contract, it is essential that the Contractor closely monitor available funds in each funding line to ensure continuity of services for USAID. To support this fiscal monitoring, the PDEX Contractor shall prepare and submit Quarterly PDEX Financial Reports that include, at a minimum: initial obligations by funding line/USAID organization unit, amount expended to date by funding line, USAID organizational unit, and funds remaining by funding line/USAID organizational unit. The PDEX Quarterly Financial Report should also compare actual costs with the yearly budget projection that was compiled as part of the Annual Implementation Plan, denote overall spending, report differences to the approved annual budget, and provide explanations as needed. The PDEX Quarterly Financial Report shall also include a narrative section that identifies any financial issues and concerns that the COR and CO should be aware of, and proposed solutions or remedies for any identified issues.

Quarterly PDEX Financial Reports shall be due to the COR thirty days after the conclusion of every fiscal quarter (due dates for the report = April 30, July 30, October 30, and January 30) and shall be in a format that the COR approves, subject to adjustments as directed by the COR throughout the Contract period of performance.

Subtask 1.E: Develop, Implement, and Update a Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning (MEL) Plan for PDEX Effective monitoring and evaluation of performance of individual PDEX Contractor Employees and the overall PDEX Contract, is critical to ensuring that the PDEX Contractor Employees achieve the development goals of USAID through this mechanism. Accordingly, under this task, PDEX must develop and implement a monitoring, evaluation, and learning plan (MEL Plan) for the duration of the contract. The MEL Plan shall be developed in the spirit of a learning and adaptive management plan such that the Contractor may make meaningful adjustments to contract implementation based on lessons learned throughout the Contract period. The Prime Offeror must develop indicators that will be collected on a regular basis (to be proposed by the Prime Offeror) to document the performance of the PDEX Contract.

At minimum, the PDEX Contractor must report on the following indicators:

● Number and percentage of PDEX Contractor Employees at USAID per year, disaggregated by gender (Task 3)

● Average number of days between the Contractor’s receipt of a brand-new detailed Position Description/Requirement from USAID and presentation of a slate of qualified Candidates to the COR for review (Subtask 3.A)

● Number of days between Contractor’s notification of a PDEX Contractor Employee resignation/ITR’s need to identify a replacement and the presentation of a slate of qualified Candidates to the COR for review (Subtask 3.C)

● Number and percentage of On-Site USAID Managers who rate the PDEX Contract and employee support received positively (as measured by annual customer satisfaction surveys assessing a variety of relevant factors)

● Number of training hours offered and completed by PDEX Contractor Employees in Categories 1 & 2 (Subtask 3.B)

● Number and percentage of PDEX Contractor Employees at USAID who rate their experience under the PDEX Contract positively (Subtask 3.B)

● Number of days prior to international travel all necessary travel documentation is secured for PDEX Contractor Employees (Subtask 4.D.3)

The goal of the MEL plan, in addition to tracking actual data on the Contract’s performance, is to identify areas that are working well in contract implementation, where there have been challenges fulfilling or meeting contract objectives, and opportunities for learning and improvement that will improve overall contract performance over time.

The MEL plan, and relevant baseline data and targets, must be submitted to USAID within 90 days of award and will be subject to USAID COR approval. The report must be updated on an annual and as needed basis throughout the Contract Award and shall annually include information on how PDEX has learned and adapted their management approaches based on the data collected each year and throughout implementation.

Subtask 1.F: Submit An Annual Performance and Monitoring Report to USAID (Contract Years 1-4) The PDEX Contractor must submit an Annual Performance and Monitoring Report to USAID summarizing activities conducted in the prior Contract year. The report must include the following sections:

● Executive Summary;

● Overview of tasks completed in the reporting period;

● List of PDEX Contractor Employees employed during the previous year;

● Professional development opportunities provided and PDEX Contractor Employee attendance;

● Monitoring, evaluation, and learning data on the indicators in Subtask 1.E (MEL Plan), presented in table form with baseline and actuals;

● Monitoring, evaluation, and learning narrative, with information on why goals were not met (if applicable);

● Lessons learned to identify challenges to be addressed and inform future implementation;

and

● Any other relevant information at the discretion of the PDEX Contractor.

The report must be submitted to USAID 30 days after the conclusion of each Fiscal Year of Contract Performance (the expected Due date for the Report is October 30th of each Year, recognizing that in Year 1 of the Contract the report will cover a shorter reporting period.) In addition, a redacted 508-compliant version of the report shall be submitted to USAID each year, as well, with the same due date. The redacted version shall remove all personally identifiable information and be generally shareable so that the Contractor can publish it to USAID’s Development Exchange Clearinghouse for general knowledge sharing once the overall report is finalized and approved (and with similar edits, as applicable).

Subtask 1.G: Submit a Final Performance and Monitoring Report to USAID (Final Contract Year) Upon conclusion of the contract the PDEX Contractor must submit a summative Final Report inclusive of activities during the full contract period. The report must include the following items:

● Executive Summary

● Overall description of the activities and attainment of results during the contract, including any relevant lessons learned and/or best practices

● A discussion of the overall performance of the contract, including details of any discrepancies between expected and actual results (based on the MEL Plan) and any recommendations for improving the design of the program;

● Monitoring and evaluation data and results on the indicators in Subtask 1.E, presented in table form with baseline and actuals;

● A final summary of contract expenses; and

● Any other relevant information at the discretion of the PDEX Contractor and/or as requested by the COR or CO.

The Final Performance and Monitoring Report must be submitted to USAID no more than 90 days after the end date of the contract. In addition, a redacted 508-compliant version of the report shall be submitted to USAID, as well, with the same due date. The redacted version shall remove all personally identifiable information and be generally shareable so that the Contractor can publish it to USAID’s Development Exchange Clearinghouse for general knowledge sharing.

Subtask 1.H: Submit Short PDEX Monthly Progress Reports (All Contract Years) The PDEX Prime must submit monthly progress reports to the COR outlining progress against Contract tasks and subtasks. These reports can be in bullet form and should be two (2) pages or less. These progress reports are intended to provide quick status updates/highlights for the COR and CO. The primary purpose of the monthly progress reports is to update USAID on specific hiring and retention actions each month (including exact numbers of onboards, recruits, and in-process recruits), provide updates to progress on the annual implementation plan, the status of key deliverables, highlight potential risks, and outline action plans for any potential problem areas identified during Contract implementation.

PDEX Monthly Progress Reports are due on the 5th day of every month (or the first business day thereafter) and should cover activities performed during the previous month.

Subtask 1.G: Participate in Weekly COR Meetings (All Contract Years) The PDEX Prime must allocate time to participate in (at least) weekly one-hour phone meetings with the USAID COR (and/or USAID CO as appropriate/required). The purpose of the meetings shall be to update the COR on current contract tasks, identify upcoming deadlines and milestones, and problem-solve any real time issues as they develop.

Weekly agendas for the Subtask 1.G COR meetings shall be drafted by the PDEX Contractor with contributions from the COR and/or other USAID staff and distributed at least 24 hours in advance of each meeting. Detailed notes shall be made available to the COR by the end of the business day of each Subtask 1.G. COR Meeting.

TASK TWO: DEVELOP AND DEPLOY EFFECTIVE TRANSITION PLANS

The Contractor shall develop and deploy effective, fluid, and transparent transition plans for both the start-up and close-out of the PDEX Contract. The Contractor must ensure minimal disruption of support services to USAID and minimize impact on existing contract employees as they transition from incumbent staffing Contract(s) to the new PDEX Contract, and to any future staffing support mechanisms identified by USAID following the conclusion of the PDEX Period of Performance.