USAID Program Cycle Support

The United States Agency for International Development in Vietnam (USAID/Vietnam) intends to issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a five-year cost type contract for USAID Program Cycle Support program. USAID/Vietnam intends to set aside this activity to small business concerns. NAICS Code for this activity is 541611.

The contract objectives are as follows:

• To support the achievement of program development results through the use of evidence, performance management techniques, and CLA practices, focusing on the core tasks of the Program Cycle including (1.1) design (including post-design support in seeking GVN project approval), (1.2) performance tracking, and (1.3) evaluation and research; and 
• To strengthen USAID/Vietnam staff and partners’ capacity to achieve expected development results, delivering (2.1) short, on-demand training or coaching session tailored to USAID/Vietnam staff’s needs, (2.2) capacity building for implementing partners on MEL/CLA and other implementation-related topics, and (2.3) more general capacity building on organizational development for local partners, including potential ones, in support of the Mission’s localization agenda.

The requirements of this contract envision that the contractor becomes an integral part of the Mission’s program office, including participating heavily in designs, assessments, and evaluations, as well as providing general and targeted support to technical offices.  Given the requirements, there is a significant potential for organizational conflicts of interest (OCI) to arise.  USAID has analyzed the potential OCIs and is resolving them by taking the following actions:

1. Standard contract clauses that are in the ADS will be included in the contract award. 
2. Offerors in the competitive range, or the apparently successful offeror should there be no competitive range, will be required to submit an OCI mitigation plan addressing access to nonpublic information and, if needed, impaired objectivity OCIs.  Only offerors who are in a potential position of evaluating themselves will be required to address impaired objectivity OCIs.
3. Specific language will be added to the solicitation and resultant contract clarifying that due to the nature of the work, the contractor is precluded from all future activities from the Mission during the life of the contract with the exception of the follow-on contract.  

The RFP will be released electronically in approximately two weeks on www.sam.gov. Prospective Offerors are advised that this procurement is subject to internal USAID approvals and the availability of funds.  This is NOT a Request for Proposal (RFP) and in no way obligates the US Government to issue an RFP and/or award a contract.  This notice satisfies the synopsis requirement in FAR 5.2.  If a solicitation is issued, all necessary information will be supplied at the time it is posted at www.sam.gov, and information may be different than what is noted above.  Questions/requests for information will not be responded to until RFP issuance.  Interested parties are advised to periodically monitor the above website and solicitation number for updates concerning this procurement.