International Rule of Law Technical Assistance Services

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) anticipates award of a multiple-award Indefinite Quantity Contract (IQC) to provide International Rule of Law Technical Assistance services for the Office of Democracy and Governance in the Bureau for Democracy, Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance (DCHA).   The purpose of these contracts is to support the development of the rule of law, and the promotion and protection of human rights throughout the world.  The rule of law refers to a principle in which "all persons, institutions and entities, public and private, including the State itself, are accountable to laws that are publicly promulgated, equally enforced, and independently adjudicated, and which are consistent with international human rights law" as defined by the United Nations and accepted by USAID. It also requires measures to ensure adherence to the principles of supremacy of law, equality before the law, accountability to the law, fairness in the application of the law, separation of powers, participation in decision-making, legal certainty, avoidance of arbitrariness, and procedural and legal transparency. Activities under this IQC will improve and enhance the Agency's performance in responding to the rule of law challenges and developing a human rights culture. Activities may aim to reform legal frameworks and strengthen actors and institutions within and beyond the justice sector, including but not limited to the ministry of justice, judiciary, prosecutors, legal defense, investigators, civilian police, independent governmental institutions, professional associations, schools and universities, traditional authorities, non-state justice institutions, legislative bodies, civil society, private sector associations, and citizens, in order to support the development of the rule of law and protect and promote human rights.  In addition, the contractors may award and administer a grants program to support institutional capacity building.  USAID estimates awarding six (6) contracts as a result of this solicitation, including four (4) unrestricted and at least two (2) small business set-aside.  USAID anticipates that the maximum ordering limitation of the contracts resulting from this RFP will be $500,000,000 over the five (5) year ordering period.  Note that this ceiling applies across all contracts and cannot be exceeded in the aggregate; each successful contractor will be eligible to compete on all task orders until the shared ceiling for all contracts is reached.  There is no guarantee on the number of contracts awarded, the number of task orders that any one firm will receive, or the amount of money each firm is entitled to beyond the minimum monetary amount stated in the RFP. The NAICS Code for this procurement is 541990.  The solicitation will be posted on the FEDBIZOPPS web page (i.e., www.fedbizopps.gov) not less than fifteen (15) days after this notice is issued.  In accordance with FAR 5.102(d), availability of the solicitation is limited to this electronic medium only. Requests for other copies of the solicitation will be disregarded without notice to the requestor.  No phone requests will be accepted, no solicitation will be available for pick-up, and no walk-ins will be allowed.  Questions must be directed to Mr. Malcolm Saldanha, Contract Specialist, U.S. Agency for International Development, M/OAA/DCHA/DOFDA, Ronald Reagan Building, Room 7.10-32, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave, NW Washington, D.C. 20523, (Phone: 202-712-4545) (email: msaldanha@usaid.gov).