RFP-JTAP-035- Youth centers Capacity building firm(s) - USAID/TAP

Country: Jordan

Organization: Creative Associates International

Closing date: 17 Sep 2023

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP)

To: Offeror

From: Creative Associates International, Inc.

Subject: Request for Proposal (RFP) No. RFP-JTAP-035- Youth centers Capacity building firm(s)

Type of Award: Fixed firm award

Basis of Award:  Best Value

RFP Issue Date: 8/27/2023

RFP Closing Date: 9/17/2023

RFP Closing Time: 4:00 PM – Local Time, Amman, Jordan

Reference: USAID Contract No. 72027821C00005

Enclosed is a Request for Proposal (RFP). Creative invites qualified firms and organizations to submit a proposal for the Jordan- Technical Assistance Project (TAP) under the referenced USAID 72027821C00005. After the evaluation, as described herein, resulting in selecting a winning proposal, the issuance of an award is subject to successful negotiation of the terms and conditions and receiving USAID’s Contracting Officer consent, Additionally TAP may award to one or multiple offerors.

The requirements for this activity are described in the “Statement of Work” in Attachment I. Creative encourages your organization to indicate its interest in this procurement by submitting a proposal according to the instructions in Attachment II “Instructions to Offerors”. Proposals will be evaluated based on the “Evaluation Criteria” in Attachment III. Creative will make an award to the responsible Offeror(s) submitting an offer which provides best value to the project: technical merit and price will be both considered.

To be considered, Offerors should submit a complete proposal no later than the closing date and time indicated above. Offerors should ensure that the proposals are well-written in English/Arabic, easy to read, follow the instructions provided and contain only requested information.

Any questions should be submitted via email to TapProcurement@crea-jtap.com no later than September 7, 2023. No questions will be entertained if they are received by means other than the specified email address, and any communications to alternate e-mail addresses will result in the disqualification of the bidder. The solicitation number (listed above) should be stated in the subject line. Answers will be compiled and distributed on September 9, 2023.

Proposals must be comprised of one electronic copy of the Technical Proposal and one electronic copy of the Cost/Business proposal, sent in separate e-mails, and labeled with the above-stated RFP number and title. Submissions shall be delivered to:

Creative Procurement Department TapProcurement@crea-jtap.com

Sincerely,

Creative Procurement Department

Attachments:

Attachment I : Statement of Work Attachment IV : Proposal Cover Letter as an attachment

Attachment II : Instructions to Offerors Attachment V : Compliance Certification

Attachment III : Evaluation Criteria

ATTACHMENT I: STATEMENT OF WORK

Firm to Establish Youth Centers Capacity Building Program.

Introduction

Creative Associates International is a dynamic and fast-growing professional service firm that specializes in international development in the areas of education, democratic transitions, and stabilization in post-conflict environments. Based in Washington, DC, the firm has a field presence in 30 plus countries worldwide with a strong and diverse portfolio that includes global contracts with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and other clients including the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Defense. The firm has earned a solid reputation among its clients and missions worldwide and is well-regarded by competitors and partners alike.

Program Summary

The Technical Assistance Program (TAP), funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), is a five-year education and youth program that seeks to transform the organizational culture and improve the abilities within the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Youth to ensure officials can implement desired reforms. Creative and its partners will provide technical assistance in the development, roll-out, and tracking of policies and procedures to incorporate international best practices for public education and youth programming. Among the many activities in the Jordan Technical Assistance Program, it will support curriculum development, promote inclusive learning techniques, improve the skills of teachers and school managers, and other tangible activities that ultimately support changing the organizational culture within the two ministries and relevant agencies. The program will further support Jordan’s outreach and behavioral change communications initiatives that are aimed at creating a culture of reading, the inclusion of vulnerable children, and increased youth engagement.

Purpose

USAID is seeking to engage a youth capacity building firm to develop and implement a capacity building training program for the Ministry of Youth’s staff at the youth centers. The program stipulates delivering training courses regularly, addressing each of the skills that were identified through the assessment conducted by the Civil Service Bureau, with the aim of gradually, progressively and sequentially building the capacity of the staff at the youth centers over 2 years. The program must include a mentoring and coaching component to ensure its sustainability and fulfil its objective of enabling youth workers to respond to the needs of the youth more efficiently and effectively.

To further ensure the program’s sustainability, the consultancy firm must institutionalize the capacity building training program by assembling a core team at the Ministry of Youth, consisting of the most exceptional 26 trained staff at each of youth centers. The team will undergo a 20-day intensive training of trainers and will be assigned the responsibility of delivering the training packages to alternating staff once the program has ended.

Background

Since its launch in 2021, the JTAP has been supporting the Ministry of Youth in developing its policies for more efficient and effective performance, simultaneously providing capacity building and necessary resources. In year 3, the JTAP aims to assist in improving the Ministry of Youth’s youth centers’ performance by developing and implementing an extensive and comprehensive capacity building training program for the Ministry of Youth’s staff at the youth centers.

There are 200 youth centers located in the 12 governorates of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. The youth centers consist of male, female and mixed centers, whereby approximately 50% are located in rented properties and the other 50% are owned. In mixed centers, males and females may also be segregated, by accessing different floors or allocating separate days of the week for males and females to access the center. A large number of youth centers are inactive, under-utilized and under-maintained. They often lack innovative spaces or equipment due to limited resources and ineffective and inefficient use of the center and its resources. The youth centers play an important role in fulfilling the Ministry of Youth’s mandate by providing young people with appropriate services and programs and equipping youth workers with the necessary skills to ensure effective and efficient performance in the management of the youth centers.

The Ministry of Youth developed the Youth Centers Action Plan, which consists of three key components; infrastructure, staff and programs. The main objective is to reactivate and rehabilitate the Ministry of Youth’s youth centers to further meet the needs of the youth in Jordan, which were identified through various assessments involving the youth, parents, local communities, partners, stakeholders and the Ministry of Youth’s staff. The aim is to create safe, youth-friendly spaces, which are youth-lead through the youth centers’ elected youth administrative committees.

More specifically, the staff component of the Youth Centers Action Plan includes an assessment of the skills of the staff at the youth centers, which was conducted by the Civil Service Bureau (CSB) in 2022. The purpose of the assessment was to assess a range of skills of the staff at the youth centers to identify their capacity, and areas of strength and weakness to inform and mold the capacity building training program. The assessment evaluated several competencies, namely, writing digital and printed reports and understanding the principles of official correspondences and administrative hierarchy, the ability to implement the ministry’s financial regulations and the governmental procurement bylaw, the Ministry of Youth’s organizational structure, communication and attentiveness, support and guidance, forming relationships and partnerships, creativity and innovation, critical and innovative thinking, strategizing and planning, digital skills, Arabic language skills, and English language skills.

1. Main Objective

• To plan, design, develop and implement an extensive and comprehensive capacity building training program for the Ministry of Youth’s staff at the youth centers.

Sub-objectives:

• To ensure that the capacity building training program is based on international standards and best practices.
• To ensure that the capacity building training program is relevant to the Jordanian context and meets the strategies and priorities of the Ministry of Youth.
• To ensure that the capacity building training program adopts a holistic approach by complementing other areas of technical support that JTAP is providing to the Ministry of Youth.
• To ensure that the capacity building training program is sustainable and measurable and can be utilized to inform decisions.
• To ensure that the capacity building training program complements and operationalizes Component 2 – Staff of the Youth Centers Action Plan.
• To enhance the skills of the staff at the youth centers to better serve the youth and address their priorities and needs.
  • To provide young people with a safe place to connect and learn in a healthy environment.
  • To provide learning and opportunities for young people.
  • To provide young people with training courses to support their transition to the labor market.
  • To provide young people with programs to increase their engagement and participation.
  • To provide parents, caregivers and the community with relevant information to appropriately support and engage with young people.
  • To provide parents, caregivers and the community with relevant information about child rights, protection and gender-based violence.
  • To engage parents, caregivers and the community in activities that enhance social and emotional wellbeing.
  • To ensure that young people have equal access to services, inclusive of genders, abilities, languages, ethnicities, religions or nationalities.

2. STATEMENT OF WORK

The assignment will be conducted in close coordination with the Ministry of Youth and the JTAP Deputy Chief of Party, with technical support and quality assurance from the JTAP Youth Development Advisor and Youth Program Manager, to fulfil the activities listed in the following scope of work:

1. Kick-off Meeting:

Meet with the Ministry of Youth to discuss and agree on the scope of work, methodology, detailed timeline and desired outcomes.

2. Desk Review:

Conduct a desk review of relevant literature, including youth centers assessments, laws and bylaws outlining the mandate, roles and duties of the youth centers and the Ministry of Youth’s vision for an optimal youth center. The desk review must include the study of regional and international standards and best practices, and the review of the following key documents:

• Youth Welfare Law 2005
• National Youth Strategy (2019 – 2025)
• National Youth Strategy Action Plan (2023 – 2025)
• Ministry of Youth – Youth Centers Action Plan
• Ministry of Youth – Youth Centers Annual Plans
• Ministry of Youth – Financial Regulations
• Civil Service Bureau – Assessment of Youth Center Staff
• Youth Centers Assessment Report: Mapping Assessment for the 197 youth centers supported by the Ministry of Youth across Jordan
• Proposed Programs: Needs and Gap Analysis for the Ministry of Youth’s Programs in Jordan
• Youth Centers Performance Standards
• Other relevant documents

3. Specialized training Providers (subcontracts):

Contract and manage specialized subcontractors in accordance with the expertise necessary for the diverse components of the training packages, and coordinate and facilitate discussions between subcontractors to ensure a timely and effective implementation of the training packages.:

The total number of trainees is around 700, divided by 28 participants per training session.

The training packages are expected to take place simultaneously, , in the three regions Amman ,Erbid and Aqaba. option would be for the firm to travel to the 13 governorates as opposed to holding the training sessions in Amman, Irbid and Aqaba.

4. Curriculum Development:

Design and develop a detailed and tailored continuing professional development (CPD) curriculum based on the findings of the desk review and regional and international standards and best practices, addressing the following skills that have been organized into training packages and listed in order of priority:

No. 1 – Training Package:

• Introduction to youth work in Jordan

Including the Ministry of Youth's organizational structure, national priorities, and the significance, impact and challenges of youth work

• Arabic language skills (advanced)

Including essential communication, formal correspondence (e.g. formal letters and emails), reporting skills, key terms and common phrases in the youth sector

• English language skills (beginner)

Including essential communication, key terms and common phrases in the youth sector

• Digital skills (intermediate)

Including International Computer Driving License (ICDL)

No. 2 – Training Package:

• Financial management

Including financial regulations and the government procurement bylaw, and relevant procedures, regulations, bylaws and laws

• Resource management
• Proposal writing

Including the process of applying for grants and fulfilling the selection criteria

No. 3 – Training Package:

• Planning and strategizing

Including identifying annual programs, activities and timeline

• Risk management

Including identifying, assessing and controlling threats

No. 4 – Training Package:

• Management
• Leadership

No. 5 – Training Package:

• Networking and partnership

Including forming relationships with parents, local communities and private sector

• Innovation, creativity and critical thinking

No. 6 – Training Package:

• Communication skills towards youth
• Observational and attentiveness skills towards youth
• Youth coaching and counselling

Including providing support and guidance and directing youth to facilities and resources

5. Training Materials and Resources:

Prepare all necessary training materials and resources, including presentations, handouts, reference materials, and any other supportive documents to aid in the delivery of the training program. All training materials and resources must also be developed digitally in the form of infographics and must include 1 condensed animated video for each of the 16 sub-topics to be uploaded on the Interactive Youth Platform at a later stage. Furthermore, the materials and resources should consider principles of positive youth development (PYD), gender and social inclusion.

6. Training Methodology:

Propose a suitable training methodology and schedule for the training packages that includes interactive workshops, practical exercises, role-playing scenarios, case studies, group discussions, and other engaging techniques. The training sessions should be designed to foster active participation and enhance learning outcomes.

7. Monitoring and Evaluation Framework:

Develop and implement a monitoring and evaluation framework and utilize monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to evaluate the effectiveness of the training program in delivering the training packages, and the skills acquired by the staff, through pre- and post-training assessments, feedback surveys and qualitative assessments to measure the impact of the training.

8. Training Delivery:

Deliver 6 training packages to approximately 700 Ministry of Youth center staff (Heads of Youth Centers and Supervisors) Trainings are expected to run simultaneously in the three regions with the option of the firm traveling to each of the 13 governorates.

in order of priority (refer to Scope of Work: 3. Curriculum Development). The training delivery should include ongoing coaching and mentoring throughout the duration of the capacity building training program.

9. Managerial, Administrative, Logistical and Technical Support:

Provide ongoing managerial, administrative, logistical and technical support for the delivery of the training packages, the training will take place in youth centers affiliate or in 3-star hotels if the youth centers are not available.

10. Feedback and Revision:

Review and analyze feedback from the training sessions and revise the curriculum, methodology and delivery of the training program accordingly.

11. Coaching and Mentoring:

Conduct ongoing coaching and mentoring sessions to the Ministry of Youth’s staff at the youth centers to ensure proper implementation of the skills and competencies acquired in the training. Each youth center must receive a minimum of 6 hours of coaching per training package (total of 36 hours per youth center) , please refer to annex 1 subject youth centers list.

12. Reporting

Submit final reports (annually), monthly progress reports, and 6 comprehensive reports after the delivery of each of the 6 training packages, which should include the status of the training program, participant feedback, challenges and actions taken to overcome them.

13. Knowledge Transfer Plan:

Propose a knowledge transfer plan to assist the Ministry of Youth’s staff at the youth centers to effectively apply the knowledge accumulated during the training program in their work, which includes established communities of practice to support knowledge sharing and troubleshooting.

14. Reward Mechanism:

Develop and propose a mechanism for recognizing and rewarding high-performing staff and addressing underperforming staff.at youth centers.

15. Training of Trainers (ToT):

Conduct a 20-day condensed training of trainers (ToT) program (3 days for each of the training packages and 2 days for reflection) for a selected core team consisting of 26 exceptional Ministry of Youth staff at the youth centers to sustain the capacity building training program by equipping selected staff with the knowledge and skills to facilitate future training sessions independently. The 26 exceptional Ministry of Youth staff at the youth centers will be selected based on their performance, commitment and engagement throughout the capacity building training program.

16. Training Certificates:

Design training certificates for approximately 700 Ministry of Youth center staff to be awarded upon successful completion of the capacity building training program excluding printing as the printing service will be provided by TAP once receive the Design required.

17. Closing Ceremonies:

The firm will have to organize and Host 3 closing ceremonies (1 in each region: north, center and south) in cooperation with the Ministry of Youth to recognize the commitment, participation and engagement of approximately 700 Ministry of Youth center staff that participated in the capacity building training program.

18. Follow-up Support:

Provide ongoing post-training support, including follow-up webinars and seminars, virtual consultations and a helpline to address challenges or queries by the staff at the youth centers, this is part of the 36 hours of coaching and mentoring activities highlighted further below. This activity can take different forms, not necessarily physical field visits.

KEY DELIVERABLES

The consultancy firm must provide the following deliverables in the Arabic and English languages, subject the approval of the JTAP and the Ministry of Youth. All deliverables must be submitted to the JTAP and the Ministry of Youth for their input, feedback and approval before proceeding. All materials developed shall become the property of the Ministry of Youth, and the consultancy firm shall not have any claim or rights over these materials.

1. Inception report which should include a detailed action plan and timeline for the 2-year duration of the capacity building training program, following meetings with the Youth Programming Team at the JTAP and relevant focal points at the Ministry of Youth.

2. Desk review of the relevant literature, including youth centers assessments, laws and bylaws outlining the mandate, roles and duties of the youth centers and the Ministry of Youth’s vision for an optimal youth center.

3. Report summarizing the findings of the desk review.

4. Subcontracts with specialized training providers in accordance with the expertise necessary for the diverse components of the training packages.

5. Continuing professional development (CPD) curriculum for each of the 6 training packages (refer to Scope of Work: 3. Curriculum Development).

6. Training materials and resources for each of the 6 training packagesbased on the CDP curriculum, which includes manual and digital presentations, infographics, handouts, reference materials, and any other supportive documents.

7. 16 animated videos for each of the 16 sub-topics (1 condensed video per sub-topic) as per following details:

• Animated Video
• Duration: 2-3 Minutes
• Targeted groups:

MoY staff at central and field levels as well as youth

• Animated video content:

The animated video will be uploaded on the MoY’s platform to provide a description of the module, its objectives and the expected outcomes. By looking at the video, the trainee will understand the relevance, the benefits and the alignment to his/her work area.

• Tone:

Concise language informative.

• Voice:

The animation will be narrated in Arabic professional style, with English subtitles and sign language.

• Animated style:

Mixture of animated text and 2d motion graphics, and we are open to all options.

• The successful offeror will provide TAP with script and storyboard for review and approval prior to production.

8. Training methodology and schedule for eachof the 6 training packages, which includes a detailed action plan and timeline for each component.

9. Monitoring and evaluation framework for the implementation of the two-year program, which includes materials and tools.

10. Training delivery for each of the 6 training packages through workshops for approximately 700 Ministry of Youth center staff.

11. Monitoring and evaluation: for each of the 16 training modules, for which monitoring will be through coaching, while the firm will be requested to develop 5 equivalent forms of tests for each module, based on a specification table. These tests will be implemented by TAP and MoY.

The Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) framework of this project is designed to align seamlessly with the TAP MEL plan, ensuring effective tracking and assessment of project outcomes. Key highlights of the M&E approach include:

• Data Collection Alignment: To streamline data collection and capture project impact comprehensively, the attendance sheet data will be collected using the TAP data collection system (Medal). This approach ensures real-time reporting and integration within the TAP database, maintaining data consistency across various disaggregation levels. Mandatory pre and post forms will be utilized to gauge change and progress accurately, enabling us to measure the effectiveness of interventions.
• Data Quality Assessment (DQA) and Records: Ensuring data accuracy and reliability is a priority. A robust data quality assessment process will be implemented to maintain high standards of data integrity. To facilitate this, comprehensive records of collected data will be maintained. These records will play a crucial role in conducting thorough DQA, helping us identify and address any discrepancies and enhancing the overall reliability of the collected data.

12. Reports after the delivery of each of the 6 training packages, which includes reflections, feedback, challenges and methods utilized to overcome them, and the strengths, weaknesses and progress of the Ministry of Youth center staff.

13. Knowledge transfer plan which includes established communities of practice.

14. Revised materials and resources based on response and feedback from the training workshops.

15. 36 hours of coaching and mentoring activities for the Ministry of Youth’s staff at each youth center (6 hours for each training package per youth center) in the field and/or online to provide further guidance on each of the 6 training packages.

16. Ongoing managerial, administrative, logistical and technical support for the delivery of the training packages.

17. Training of Trainers for 26 Ministry of Youth center staff, which includes training on the curriculum, methodology, materials and resources and delivery of the 6 training packages.

18. Mechanism for recognizing and rewarding high-performing staff and addressing underperforming staff at the youth centers.

19. 700 training certificates awarded to approximately 700 Ministry of Youth center staff.

20. 3 closing ceremonies (1 in each region: north, center and south) for 700 Ministry of Youth center staff.

21. Monthly progress reports at the end of each month to the JTAP and the Ministry of Youth.

22. Final report at the end of each year (30 September 2024 and 30 September 2025), which should include:

• Executive summary
• For each of the 6 training packages:
  • Subcontractors
  • Final continuing professional development (CPD) curriculum
  • Final implementation methodology and schedule
  • Final materials and resources
  • Final monitoring and evaluation framework
  • Monitoring and evaluation results
  • Reflections and feedback
  • Challenges and methods utilized to overcome them.
  • Strengths, weaknesses and progress of the Ministry of Youth’s staff at the youth centers

Mechanism for recognizing and rewarding high-performing Ministry of Youth staff at the youth centers and addressing underperforming Ministry of Youth staff at the youth centers.

A. QUALIFICATIONS & REQUIREMENTS

The following criteria must be met by applicants:

• At least 10 years of experience in the youth sector, particularly in relation to youth workers.
• At least 10 years of experience in developing and implementing capacity building programs for youth workers.
• At least 10 years of experience in developing training materials and curriculums and delivering training packages across various sectors, which include mentoring and coaching components.
• At least 12 years of experience related to developing and implementing similar programs.
• Proven financial and technical experience in managing complex projects with multiple locations, subcontractors, and subject training areas.
• At least 10 years of experience in monitoring and evaluation, including developing monitoring and evaluation frameworks and tools.
• At least 10 years of practical experience in the field of adolescent and youth development, participation and engagement.
• Provide samples of previous deliverables that are similar to those which is required by this consultancy (e.g. training programs, materials, curriculums, packages, etc.).
• Strong reputation and understanding of the Jordanian context.
• Proven ability to work with multiple stakeholders, including governmental institutions.
• Demonstrated experience in undertaking similar consultancies for international development agencies and/or projects; experience with USAID is preferable.
• Include experts on gender issues and have expertise in gender analysis of programs to ensure that the program is responsive to gender aspects of entire interventions.
• Excellent command of the Arabic and English languages.

CONFIDENTIALITY:

All information shared by the JTAP, the Ministry of Youth and the consultancy firm shall be treated with strict confidentiality and shall not be disclosed to any third parties without prior written consent.

3. PAST PERFORMANCE

1. Offeror shall document and summarize proven track record of successfully implementing similar activities to include a description of similar services provided in the past and any lessons learned that will be incorporated into the activity described in this RFP. Experience in Arabic speaking country is preferred.
2. Offeror shall submit samples of similar work experience of the same scale and scope.
3. Offerors with past performance with similar projects, in the same geographic area and/or of similar scale to the activity described in this RFP will be scored more favorably than offerors that do not meet these criteria.

4. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

The contract is expected to start on 1 October 2023 and last until 30 September 2025, however the starting and ending dates are tentative and we might expect delays until the procurement process is finalized, in which case the starting and end dates will be adjusted accordingly. Initially, a 2-year Agreement will be signed with the selected firm. USAID TAP might select more than one firm to perform the assignment if need be. The contract may be renewed annually, based on the performance of the firm and the timely submission of deliverables. Throughout the contracting period, the firm must ensure that all deliverables are completed in a timely manner, this includes subcontracting and managing experts and specialized providers if/where necessary.

5. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: Jordan

How to apply

Attachment II

INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS

A. General Instructions

These Instructions to Offerors will not form part of the offer or the Agreement. They are intended solely to aid Offerors in the preparation of their proposals. Read and follow these instructions carefully.

1. The proposal and all corresponding documents related to the proposal must be written in the English language, unless otherwise explicitly allowed. Additionally, all proposals should be single-spaced with clear section headings, and be presented in the order specified in Attachment III – Evaluation Criteria.
2. USAID TAP may award more than one offeror.
3. The workshops shall be held using the facilities available at MoY, i.e. Youth Centers and/or affiliates, Youth hostels (details of these facilities will be provided once the contract is awarded). Should there not be availability, the offeror can revert to 3 Star hotels only. Please prepare your cost for the workshop and meal plan on the 3-star hotels and will be releasing the price of youth center affiliates after the awarding.
4. Please submit two options for the financial proposals,

• Option 1, The training packages to take place simultaneously, in the three regions Amman, Irbid and Aqaba.
• Option 2 the training packages to take place in 13 governorates as per the list attached .

1. Proposals must include only the Offeror’s own work. No text should be copied from sources outside of your organization, unless those sources are adequately cited and credited. If Creative determines that any part of the proposal is plagiarized from outside sources, the Offeror will be automatically disqualified.
2. Proposals and all cost and price figures must be presented in local currency or USD. All prices should be gross of tax, but net of any customs duties.
3. The Offeror must state in their Proposal the validity period of their offer. The minimum offer acceptance period for this RFP is 90 days after the closing date of the RFP. If an Offeror has provided a validity period of less than 90 days, they will be asked to revise this. If the Offeror does not extend the validity period, their proposal will be rejected. Creative reserves the right not to make an award.
4. The Technical Proposal and Cost/Business Proposal must be kept separate from each other. Technical Proposals must not make reference to cost or pricing information at any point. This will enable the technical evaluation to be made strictly on the basis of technical merit.
5. Offerors must be licensed and authorized to conduct business in Jordan, as evidenced by submission of a copy of a valid Business License (if registered as a for-profit company), a valid Host Government license (if registered as a non-profit organization) or a municipal license (if registered as a local vendor of goods or import-export dealer). The copy of the license must clearly show a license number, official government stamp and a date of issue and date of expiry.
6. No costs incurred by Offerors in preparing and submitting the proposal are reimbursable by Creative. All such costs will be at the Offeror’s expense.
7. Responsibility Determination: Award shall only be made to one responsible Offeror. To enable Creative to make this determination, the Offeror must provide a cover letter, as provided in Attachment IV.
8. Late Offers: Offerors are wholly responsible for ensuring that their Offers are received in accordance with the instructions stated herein. A late Offer will be recommended for rejection, even if it was late as a result of circumstances beyond the Offeror’s control. Late offers will only be considered at Creative’s Procurement Department’s discretion.
9. Modification/Withdrawal of Offers: Offerors have the right to withdraw, modify or correct their offer after it has been delivered to Creative at the address stated above, and provided that the request is made before the RFP closing date.
10. Disposition of Proposals: Proposals submitted in response to this RFP will not be returned. Reasonable effort will be made to ensure confidentiality of proposals received from all Offerors. This RFP does not seek information of a highly proprietary nature, but if such information is included in the Offeror’s proposal, the Offeror must alert Creative and must annotate the material by marking it “Confidential and Proprietary” so that these sections can be treated appropriately.
11. Clarifications and Amendments to the RFP: Any questions regarding this solicitation must be emailed to TapProcurement@crea-jtap.com. No questions/clarifications will be entertained if they are received by another means. The solicitation number should be stated in the subject. Responses will be complied and emailed to the requesting potential Offeror and will be sent to all organizations that requested this RFP or re-posted publicly if offered as a full and open competition.
12. Creative anticipates that discussions with Offerors will be conducted; however, Creative reserves the right to make an award without discussions. It is strongly recommended that Offerors present their best offer.
13. تستطيع الشركات ان تطلب نسخة من وصف العمل/ المهام باللغة العربية اذا تطلب الامر من خلال البريد الالكتروني اعلاه

Failure to agree and comply with any of the above specifications will result in the Offeror being considered unresponsive and the proposal may be rejected.

B. Submission of Proposal:

Proposals must be submitted in two separate e-mails:

• E-mail 1 – Technical Proposal
• E-mail 2 – Cost/Business proposal
• Each e-mail should be clearly labeled with the RFP number and project title.
• Proposals must be delivered no later than the specified date/time.

Offerors who do not submit their technical and cost proposals separately may be automatically disqualified.

C. Content of Proposal:

The proposal shall be comprised of four sections:

i. The Cover Letter (Attachment IV)

ii. Copy of the Offeror’s Valid Business license/Copy of commercial registration

iii. The Technical Proposal

iv. The Cost/Business Proposal – Excluding sales tax as USAID-TAP is sales tax exempted.

1. The Cover Letter: should be on the Offeror’s letterhead and MUST contain the information requested in Attachment IV.
2. Business License
3. Technical Proposal:

a. Should clearly & precisely address theoretical and practical aspects that the Offeror has considered and will employ to carry out the statement of work.

b. The Technical Proposal is the opportunity for the Offeror to demonstrate that the firm is “technically capable” of implementing the activity and should demonstrate the Offeror’s understanding of and capabilities to carry out the work, and address the key issues described in the Evaluation Criteria in Attachment III.

c. The Technical Proposal should be divided into clearly separate sections following the same order of the Evaluation Criteria in Attachment III. A mis-ordered proposal that makes information hard to find will result in lower score

d. The technical proposal should include a management plan with clearly laid out organizational chart.

e. If an Offeror submits a proposal that fails to respond to the majority of the information requested in this RFP, as outlined specifically in the statement of work and the evaluation criteria, the Offeror’s proposal will be subject to disqualification.

1. The Cost/Business Proposal: must be submitted separately from the technical proposal and will primarily indicate the price for performing the work specified in this RFP. At a minimum, the Cost/Business proposal should include the following information for Phase 1 only:

a. A detailed budget that provides a break-down of costs by line item by geographic area.

b. Detailed and comprehensive budget notes that provides information on each of the line items and explains why these items are needed for implementation of the activity

c. Detailed CVs for key personnel shall be provided. Key personnel shall be, at a minimum, Sr Manager in charge of project, Project Manager, Technical Lead (or equivalent Offeror labor category)

d. Labor:

I. Offeror must provide: a time-phased (e.g., monthly, quarterly, etc.) breakdown of labor hours, fully burdened labor rates, for each labor category bid.

II. Offerors should bid fully burdened labor rates per labor category.

III. Labor category descriptions to include education and experience for each category.

e. Other direct costs:

I. Any travel costs shall be broken down by person, trip, flight, hotel, periderm in accordance with US State Department rates and regulations.

II. Any other direct costs to include subcontracted items will be fully justified to include a fair and reasonable determination based on generally accepted price analysis techniques.

1. Creative’s review of the Cost Proposal shall determine if the overall costs proposed are realistic for the work to be performed, reflect a correct understanding of the project requirements, and are consistent with the Offeror’s Technical Proposal. Creative will also review individual line items and determine if they are allowable, allocable and reasonable. Professional References

Using the exact table format provided below or equivalent, please (list at least 3 )only the projects implemented within the past 3 years, a brief description of how each is relevant to this RFP and the contact details for each previous client or donor. Please include recommendation/appreciation letters and certificates as attachments.

Table 2

(a) Activity Title

(b) Location(s) of activity

(c) Synopsis of the activity and its relevance to this RFP

(d) Performance period (date, duration and if completed on schedule)

(e) Prime or Subcontractor?

(f) Amount for the activity

(g) Name & Contact Info(E-mail and phone) of client

Failure to comply with any of the above points will result in the Offeror being considered “unresponsive” and the proposal will be rejected.

If an Offeror provides insufficient information in their technical and/or cost proposal, Creative reserves the right to request additional information, or to request a revised proposal from the Offeror, if necessary.

Creative reserves the right to make no award under this RFP.

Attachment III

EVALUATION CRITERIA

A. BASIS OF AWARD:

1. Creative will evaluate proposals on a best value basis, in accordance with the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) Subpart 15.1 – Source Selection Processes and Techniques. In all solicitations, Creative will consider and conduct an evaluation on the basis of both technical and cost submissions. The relative importance of these two factors places technically above cost. In rare cases, Creative may also award a firm other than the highest technically rated Offeror or the lowest price Offeror, in accordance with FAR 15.101-1.
2. The award will be made to the Offeror whose offer presents the Best Value, which is the optimal combination of technical merits and reasonable cost and does not exceed the internal budget established for this effort. Proposals will be scored on technical factors first. Only the Cost/Business proposals of those offers that surpass the minimum qualifying score of 70 points in the technical evaluation will have their Cost/Business Proposal reviewed. Those that do not reach this qualifying score in the Technical Evaluation will be considered non-competitive and their Cost/Business proposals will not be considered.

B. EVALUATION CRITERIA

1. Technical Proposal - 100 points.

Provide a clear, specific, and succinct technical proposal that covers both the conceptual and practical approaches of how to achieve the objectives of this project. Specifically, please address the following, in the order specified below:

Item # 1 : Technical proposal

Requirement:

A Technical proposal addressing the SOW including how the firm’s previous experience matches the Youth program objectives (20 pages maximum);

• The technical proposal should include a management plan with a clearly laid out organizational chart.
• A description of each of the high-level topics that will be included.

Points Available 40

**Item # 2 :**Methodology

Requirement:

Proposed methodology and workplan with expected schedule including timeline (10 Pages maximum);

Methodologies that indicate a greater practical understanding of implementing the work, and more innovative yet realistic ways of carrying out the work will be scored more favorably than those that do not consider these factors.

Points Available: 30

**Item # 3:**Staffing plan

Requirement:

Please provide the following, in order:

a. A staffing plan for this activity that includes the following information for each proposed staff member:

-Name and Proposed position on your team:

-Summary of relevant expertise and experience

b. CVs for each proposed staff member. Each CV should be one page in length.

Staffing plans proposing staff with qualifications and experience related to the tasks in this RFP will be evaluated more favorably than staffing plans that do not consider these factors.

**Points Available:**10

**Item # 4:**Past performance

Requirement:

Reference Contacts of three organizations that have recently contracted you to carry out similar assignments, including samples of work conducted within similar SOW.

Offerors with past performance with similar projects, in the same geographic area and/or of similar scale to the activity described in this RFP will be scored more favorably than offerors that do not meet these criteria

Points Available: 10

**Item # 5:**Key personnel

Requirement:

• Suitability statement including CVs of lead team members with details of qualifications and experience.

Key personnel with qualifications and experience related to the tasks in this RFP will be evaluated more favorably than those who are not a qualified and experienced.

Points Available: 10

2. Cost Reasonableness & Financial Capability – presented in Cost/Business Proposal.

Creative’s review of the Cost Proposal shall determine if the overall costs proposed are realistic for the work to be performed, reflect a correct understanding of the project requirements, and are consistent with the Offeror’s Technical Proposal. Creative will also review individual line items and determine if they are allowable, allocable and reasonable.

a) Offerors that do not provide the above-required items as part of their Cost/Business proposal, that provides a proposal that represents a poor understanding of the work to be performed, or that presents unrealistic, unallowable, un-allocable or unreasonable items and costs, in the reviewer’s evaluation, will be considered unresponsive and may be disqualified from further consideration.

b) References provided will be contacted for verification of information provided and assessment of Offeror performance.

If an Offeror submits a proposal that fails to respond to the majority of the information requested in this RFP, as outlined specifically in the statement of work and the evaluation criteria, the Offeror’s proposal will be automatically disqualified.

Creative reserves the right to request additional supporting documentation or a revised proposal from an Offeror if insufficient information has been provided in the Offeror’s technical and/or cost proposal. If the requested information is not provided, Creative has the right to disqualify the firm from further consideration.

ATTACHMENT IV

FORMAT FOR PROPOSAL COVER LETTER – TO BE PRINTED ON ORGANIZATIONAL LETTERHEAD

City, Country

To: Creative Procurement Team

Dear Sir / Madam:

We, the undersigned, offer to undertake the [Insert RFP No], [Insert project title], in accordance with your Request for Proposal dated [Insert MM/DD/YYYY] and our Technical and Cost/Business Proposal submitted herein.

Our organization’s details are as follows:

i. Company’s Name

ii. Company’s Address

ii. Name of Company’s authorized representative:

iv. Telephone #/Cellular Phone #, Email address:

v. Validity Period of Proposal

vi. A valid Business License

Our proposal shall be binding upon us, subject to any modifications resulting from negotiation, up to expiration of the validity period of the proposal. We understand you are not bound to accept this or any Proposal you receive.

We also certify that our organization:

(a) has adequate financial resources including appropriate insurance coverage to perform the work stated herein, or the ability to obtain them without delay;

(b) is able to comply with the described delivery or performance schedule, taking into consideration all existing commitments and constraints;

(c) has a satisfactory performance record;

(d) has a satisfactory record of integrity and business ethics;

(e) has the necessary technical capacity, equipment and facilities, or the ability to obtain them; and

(f) is otherwise qualified and eligible to receive an award under applicable laws and regulations.

Sincerely,

Authorized Signature:

Name and Title of Signatory:

Date:

ATTACHMENT V

COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATION

As part of the Offeror submitting a valid proposal to Creative in response to this RFP, the Offeror certifies that:

1. CODE OF CONDUCT

The Offeror agrees to perform any resultant Purchase Order issued by Creative in a professional, ethical and culturally sensitive manner as further described in Creative's Supplier Code of Conduct. Special attention should be focused on the Whistleblower Protection (and Seller’s responsibility to report fraud, waste and abuse suspicions), Child Protection requirements and Creative’s commitment to Combatting Human Trafficking.

1. STATEMENT ON RULES ON SOURCE AND NATIONALITY FOR COMMODITIES AND SERVICES FINANCED BY USAID

Offeror has thoroughly studied Section 1.e of this RFQ containing “Rules on Source, and Nationality for Commodities and Services financed by USAID” (22CFR228) and that the successful Offeror as well as all the components and commodities being offered in the Offer in response to this RFQ meet all required source and nationality eligibility criteria as specified under Section 1.6 of this RFQ.

1. 52.204-24 REPRESENTATION REGARDING CERTAIN TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND VIDEO SURVEILLANCE SERVICES OR EQUIPMENT (AUG 2020)

The Offeror shall not complete the representation at paragraph (d)(1) of this provision if the Offeror has represented that it “does not provide covered telecommunications equipment or services as a part of its offered products or services to the Government in the performance of any contract, subcontract, or other contractual instrument” in the provision at 52.204-26, Covered Telecommunications Equipment or Services—Representation, or in paragraph (v) of the provision at 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications-Commercial Items.

(a) Definitions. As used in this provision—

Backhaul, covered telecommunications equipment or services, critical technology, interconnection arrangements, reasonable inquiry, roaming, and substantial or essential component have the meanings provided in the clause 52.204-25, Prohibition on Contracting for Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment.

(b) Prohibition.

(1) Section 889(a)(1)(A) of the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (Pub. L. 115-232) prohibits the head of an executive agency on or after August 13, 2019, from procuring or obtaining, or extending or renewing a contract to procure or obtain, any equipment, system, or service that uses covered telecommunications equipment or services as a substantial or essential component of any system, or as critical technology as part of any system. Nothing in the prohibition shall be construed to—

(i) Prohibit the head of an executive agency from procuring with an entity to provide a service that connects to the facilities of a third-party, such as backhaul, roaming, or interconnection arrangements; or

(ii) Cover telecommunications equipment that cannot route or redirect user data traffic or cannot permit visibility into any user data or packets that such equipment transmits or otherwise handles.

(2) Section 889(a)(1)(B) of the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (Pub. L. 115-232) prohibits the head of an executive agency on or after August 13, 2020, from entering into a contract or extending or renewing a contract with an entity that uses any equipment, system, or service that uses covered telecommunications equipment or services as a substantial or essential component of any system, or as critical technology as part of any system. This prohibition applies to the use of covered telecommunications equipment or services, regardless of whether that use is in performance of work under a Federal contract. Nothing in the prohibition shall be construed to—

(i) Prohibit the head of an executive agency from procuring with an entity to provide a service that connects to the facilities of a third-party, such as backhaul, roaming, or interconnection arrangements; or

(ii) Cover telecommunications equipment that cannot route or redirect user data traffic or cannot permit visibility into any user data or packets that such equipment transmits or otherwise handles.

(c) Procedures. The Offeror shall review the list of excluded parties in the System for Award Management (SAM) (https://www.sam.gov) for entities excluded from receiving federal awards for “covered telecommunications equipment or services”.

(d) Representation. The Offeror represents that:

(1) It ☐ will, ☐ will not provide covered telecommunications equipment or services to the Government in the performance of any contract, subcontract or other contractual instrument resulting from this solicitation. The Offeror shall provide the additional disclosure information required at paragraph (e)(1) of this section if the Offeror responds “will” in paragraph (d)(1) of this section; and

(2) After conducting a reasonable inquiry, for purposes of this representation, the Offeror represents that—It does ☐, does not ☐ use covered telecommunications equipment or services, or use any equipment, system, or service that uses covered telecommunications equipment or services. The Offeror shall provide the additional disclosure information required at paragraph (e)(2) of this section if the Offeror responds “does” in paragraph (d)(2) of this section.

(e) Disclosures.

(1) Disclosure for the representation in paragraph (d)(1) of this provision. If the Offeror has responded “will” in the representation in paragraph (d)(1) of this provision, the Offeror shall provide the following information as part of the offer:

(i) For covered equipment—

(A) The entity that produced the covered telecommunications equipment (include entity name, unique entity identifier, CAGE code, and whether the entity was the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) or a distributor, if known);

(B) A description of all covered telecommunications equipment offered (include brand; model number, such as OEM number, manufacturer part number, or

wholesaler number; and item description, as applicable); and

(C) Explanation of the proposed use of covered telecommunications equipment and any factors relevant to determining if such use would be permissible under the prohibition in paragraph (b)(1) of this provision.

(ii) For covered services—

(A) If the service is related to item maintenance: A description of all covered telecommunications services offered (include on the item being maintained: Brand; model number, such as OEM number, manufacturer part number, or wholesaler number; and item description, as applicable); or

(B) If not associated with maintenance, the Product Service Code (PSC) of the service being provided; and explanation of the proposed use of covered telecommunications services and any factors relevant to determining if such use would be permissible under the prohibition in paragraph (b)(1) of this provision.

(2) Disclosure for the representation in paragraph (d)(2) of this provision. If the Offeror has responded “does” in the representation in paragraph (d)(2) of this provision, the Offeror shall provide the following information as part of the offer:

(i) For covered equipment—

(A) The entity that produced the covered telecommunications equipment (include entity name, unique entity identifier, CAGE code, and whether the entity was the OEM or a distributor, if known)

(B) A description of all covered telecommunications equipment offered (include brand; model number, such as OEM number, manufacturer part number, or wholesaler number; and item description, as applicable); and

(C) Explanation of the proposed use of covered telecommunications equipment and any factors relevant to determining if such use would be permissible under the prohibition in paragraph (b)(2) of this provision.

(ii) For covered services—

(A) If the service is related to item maintenance: A description of all covered telecommunications services offered (include on the item being maintained: Brand; model number, such as OEM number, manufacturer part number, or wholesaler number; and item description, as applicable); or

(B) If not associated with maintenance, the PSC of the service being provided; and explanation of the proposed use of covered telecommunications services and any factors relevant to determining if such use would be permissible under the prohibition in paragraph (b)(2) of this provision.

4. 52.204-26 COVERED TELECOMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT OR SERVICES- REPRESENTATION (DEC 2019)

(a) Definitions. As used in this provision, “covered telecommunications equipment or services” has the meaning provided in the clause 52.204-25, Prohibition on Contracting for Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment.

(b) Procedures. The Offeror shall review the list of excluded parties in the System for Award Management (SAM) (https://www.sam.gov) for entities excluded from receiving federal awards for “covered telecommunications equipment or services”.

(c) Representation. The Offeror represents that it ☐ does, ☐ does not provide covered telecommunications equipment or services as a part of its offered products or services to the Government in the performance of any contract, subcontract, or other contractual instrument.

Additional terms and conditions for the Purchase Order Agreement shall be provided upon notice of award or upon request.

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