SOLICITATION NOTICE
D -- The purpose of this agreement is to provide a vehicle for receiving, storing, testing, distributing, installing, training, maintaining, and monitoring use of donated computers to schools in Uzbekistan
- Notice Date
- 6/10/2002
- Notice Type
- Solicitation Notice
- Contracting Office
- Agency for International Development, Overseas Missions, Kazakhstan USAID-Almaty, Dept. of State, Washington, DC, 20521-7030
- ZIP Code
- 20521-7030
- Solicitation Number
- 122-02-006
- Response Due
- 6/24/2002
- Archive Date
- 7/9/2002
- Point of Contact
- Altay Toxanbayev, Acquisition Specialist, Phone 7-3272-507612 ext. 292 , Fax 1-413-771-5698, - Altay Toxanbayev, Acquisition Specialist, Phone 7-3272-507612 ext. 292 , Fax 1-413-771-5698,
- E-Mail Address
-
atoxanbayev@usaid.gov, atoxanbayev@usaid.gov
- Description
- OPENING DATE: Friday, June 10, 2002 CLOSING DATE: Friday, June 24, 2002 CLOSING TIME: 10:00am, Almaty Time SUBJECT: Request for Proposal (RFP) No. 122-02-006 - DRAFT MANAGEMENT OF COMPUTER DELIVERY IN UZBEKISTAN Dear Sir/Madam: The United States Government, represented by the United States Agency for International Development Regional Mission to Central Asia (USAID/CAR), is publishing the subject RFP as a DRAFT, in order to obtain comments/input from all public and private interested parties. Your comment/input for the RFP, and may be taken into consideration for the preparation of the final RFP. All types of eligible organizations and firms are strongly encouraged to review the document, provide comment, and consider submitting offers in response to the resulting final RFP (solicitation). Interested parties are encouraged to submit comments and input for the above parts of Draft RFP in the form of written comments sent directly at e-mail AlmatyCO@usaid.gov. All comments will be taken into consideration for the preparation of the final RFP. USAID/CAR is not requesting proposals at this time only written comments to e-mail: AlmatyCO@usaid.gov by closing date. Any proposal that is received in response to this DRAFT RFP will be discarded prior to issuance of the final RFP. USAID/CAR reserves the right not to incorporate any and all comments into the final RFP, or even issue a final RFP. Sincerely, John Griffin Contracting Officer DRAFT Scope of Work For Management of Computer Delivery Purpose The purpose of this agreement is to provide a vehicle for receiving, storing, testing, distributing, installing, training, maintaining, and monitoring use of donated computers from the U.S. to schools in Uzbekistan in the most sustainable manner feasible, and procuring additional equipment as detailed below to fill the balance. Background This program was conceived in a discussion between DPM Azimov and Aministrator Natsios in November 2001, when Azimov requested that USAID assist in equipping schools with computers. This request was repeated during high-level meetings at the Joint Security and Cooperation Consultations in January 2002. This request was agreed to by the U.S. delegation led by Ambassador Taylor. Of nearly 10,000 schools in Uzbekistan, about half are equipped with computers. Only 1.2 percent of these schools have Pentium class computers, and about 7 percent have 386-486 computers. The rest have Soviet computers of some 20 years ago. Three percent of all students in Uzbekistan have access to computers in their schools. Due to the age of those computers and accompanying lack of spare parts, many of these computers are not in working order. The U.S. Government has agreed to donate and ship a number of used 110/240V computers and monitors with some extras, such as cables, from the United States to Uzbekistan. This program supports a new priority of USAID on education and youth in Central Asia, and links with a larger-scale basic education initiative now in the design phase. Period Arrival of the computers in Tashkent is expected in late 2002. This agreement will begin one month prior to the expected arrival of the computers and continue for 8 more months (2 months distribution + 6 months maintenance & monitoring). Program description The primary purpose of this program is to transfer donated used computers from the US to primary and secondary schools in Uzbekistan in pursuit of familiarizing students with computer technology and use, and connecting them to the internet where feasible. Pre-Arrival Activities Several procedures will need be developed, approved by USAID, and acted upon before arrival of the equipment, including: an inventory format for the equipment that will record specific details regarding distribution and working condition of each individual piece of equipment over the life of this award; a distribution plan for beneficiary schools; a Beneficiary Agreement that includes policies and procedures to which those schools must adhere; a training plan for appropriate personnel at distribution sites upon installation; and a monitoring plan for the post-distribution phase. In this pre-arrival period, the contractor will also be expected to identify sources and price quotes for additional computers, monitors, and accessories, as well as introductory computer courses and materials, along with accessories, operating system, and software. Proposals should include a mobilization plan for the first 60 days of the activity that covers all of the activities in this ?Pre-Arrival? section. This plan should take the form of a calendar with detailed information as to when and how these various logistical issues will be managed. Inventory format: The contractor will develop a format for inventory of the equipment that includes fields for serial numbers, working condition, date and location of distribution, memory capacity, operating system, software installed, and dates and descriptions of repairs. This inventory should be a living document from which repair, software installation, and distribution records can be kept through life of this activity. USAID will approve the format prior to arrival of the equipment. Distribution Plan: The contractor will assess which schools in which communities should be potential beneficiaries of these computers, what software will be necessary, and in what quantity. This assessment will be based upon electrical reliability in the community, security considerations, and the community?s ability and willingness to adhere to the Beneficiary Agreement (outlined below). The equipment should be concentrated in the areas where USAID is already active. Based on its assessment, the contractor will provide USAID with various potential packages for distribution of the equipment, based on packing lists that will be provided upon shipment. The packages will include which schools get which equipment, keeping in mind that each school should receive at least one of the larger-memory CPUs. The packages should also include which schools will have reliable internet access, although non-availability of internet should not preclude a school?s receiving some equipment. USAID will actively participate in the formulation of this plan, and must approve the final version (with GOU input as necessary) before distribution can begin. Procurement: In the event that the U.S. Government is not able to fill the order of computers from its surplus stock, the contractor will be required to procure 110/220V Pentium II personal computers (no Macs) and 110/220Vcolor monitors, UPS?s, keyboards, mice, cables, and power cords. The computers will have at least 16 MB RAM, .5 GB, and video cards. For the purposes of this proposal, bidders are to budget for 200 PCs, monitors, UPS?s, keyboards, mice, power cords, and other necessary cords and cables. Procured items need not be new, but must be in good working order, and must fit the specification noted in this paragraph. In addition, the contractor will identify sources and obtain quotes for necessary accessories, including 500 European plugs, and 1,000 sets of Cyrillic stickers for keyboards. The packing list will provide a more detailed picture of what this procurement may entail, but the contractor should budget according to these items for the purposes of this document. Once the packing list is received, the contractor will provide a report to USAID that outlines how many computers, monitors, UPS?s and other supplementary materials (cords, cables, etc.) will be needed before delivery and installation can begin. In this pre-arrival period, the contractor will explore possibilities for special discounts that might be offered by local internet provider for schools, especially schools in poorer, rural areas of the country. The contractor should also explore the possibility of the GOU?s subsidizing this cost to schools, especially once the period of this award is completed. The contractor will also identify and obtain price quotes for course materials that schools and teachers will use for various levels of computer courses. Depending upon what is already installed on the computers that we receive (assuming that some are educational), USAID will work with the contractor to decide which courses to procure. All procurement will be undertaken in accordance with the USAID Eligibility Rules for Goods and Services (attached), and budgets should reflect costs accordingly. Beneficiary Agreement: The contractor will develop a Beneficiary Agreement that all beneficiary schools must sign in order to receive any equipment. This Beneficiary Agreement will be approved by USAID before distribution begins. In addition to the hard and fast rule that these computers are not for resale, this agreement will include the school?s commitment to: allow appropriate teachers to attend training on the computers; install only licensed software on the computers; allow students access to the internet (where internet is available) during most school days; adhere to policies and procedures developed by the contractor and approved by USAID; maintain equipment after this award?s maintenance period expires; develop a system of user fees for non-student users that will cover costs of internet access during school hours. Training Plan: The contractor will develop a 2-3 day course for appropriate school personnel at the distribution site to teach basic use and maintenance practices, including efficient use of the internet where appropriate. The training should also include a reiteration of the policies and procedures to which beneficiaries will adhere, how to start and sustain user fee systems, and should introduce identified course materials. Monitoring Plan: The contractor will develop a separate monitoring plan for the equipment to be carried out after distribution and installation. This plan will lay out travel to each of the beneficiary schools once a month to see first hand how the computers are being used, advise the school on other perhaps more advanced uses in their particular situations, and record and resolve any problems that may have occurred with the equipment. A form for each monitoring visit will be developed upon which to record these issues, along with any online partnerships with US or other schools and any webpages created at the school. This plan and accompanying form will be approved by USAID before distribution is complete. Mention of this plan should be made in the Beneficiary Agreement. All pre-arrival activities should be completed by the estimated time of arrival of the equipment. Arrival and Pre-Distribution Activities Shipment of the donated computers to Tashkent will be arranged by USAID/CAR. Upon its arrival in Tashkent, USAID will provide letters for customs clearance. Once cleared, the contractor will take receivership of all equipment and deliver it to a storage facility with appropriate security, space, and environmental conditions for computers. The contractor will arrange for a publicity event, perhaps at the storage facility. The event should include appropriate USAID and GOU education officials, perhaps some personnel from likely beneficiary schools, and the press. USAID and the US Embassy can be of some assistance with regard to this event, but the contractor must be prepared to take on most of the responsibility for it. Careful, detailed inventory of the equipment, including memory capacity and software applications already installed in CPUs, and working condition of all equipment, will be recorded and supplied to the Uzbekistan Country Office and to USAID/CAR?s Contracts Office. The contractor will assure that when plugged in, all hardware is switched to 240V, and will label and test all equipment, and record in the inventory its working condition. Any damage will be noted in the inventory. Any damaged equipment will be repaired by the contractor if possible. Irreparable equipment must be noted to USAID. All necessary plug re-fitting will be the responsibility of the contractor. Each USG-donated CPU will arrive with an operating system installed. Other software already on the CPU is likely to vary greatly. We will not know until this testing phase which CPUs require which software, based on the distribution plan packages and the assessment of needs. Anti-virus software should be one prerequisite to any CPU before distribution. The contractor will recommend to USAID which software packages (and how many) to procure, and obtain quotes. Upon USAID approval, the contractor will procure that software and install it on the appropriate CPU, updating the inventory as software is installed. All newly procured CPUs will require operating systems, and other software packages recommended by the contractor. The contractor will submit a list of software to be procured, and its cost, for USAID approval. This list will be based upon the assessment of needs outlined in the previous paragraph (including the USG-donated CPUs and newly procured CPUs), software already available (installed or uninstalled) through this donation, and the price quote obtained earlier. Once procured, the contractor will load the software as per the distribution plan. Once all software is installed and recorded on the inventory, the inventory is to be considered in its initial phase, and shall be submitted to USAID. Based on the initial inventory, USAID and the contractor will together decide upon the final distribution plan for the equipment. At least one faster computer should be assigned to each school as possible. Distribution, Monitoring, and Maintenance The contractor will be responsible for distributing and installing all equipment, and seeing to appropriate electrical and security upgrades as necessary, according to the USAID-approved distribution plan. Each school must sign a Beneficiary Agreement before installation will begin. Internet connections will be established as part of the installation where appropriate, along with any appropriate networking. The contractor will also provide at least one day?s training to appropriate school personnel as to the proper usage and basic maintenance of the equipment, according to the approved training plan. Internet access to appropriate beneficiary schools will be provided as part of this award for a period of 6 months from installation date. Distribution, installation, and training should be complete within two months of the equipment?s arrival. After distribution is made, the contractor is responsible for maintenance of all computer equipment for a period of six months, on an on-call basis. USAID expects the contractor to respond to repair calls within 24 hours of receiving word of malfunction. Where possible, appropriate school personnel should be on hand to observe the repair, so that they may learn to carry it out in the future, should the problem arise again. This fact will be made clear in the Beneficiary Agreements. Any equipment destroyed in this period at the beneficiary location will be reported in monitoring visit reports to USAID. Over this final six-month period, the contractor will carry out the agreed to monitoring plan, and report to USAID monthly. USAID will conduct a review near the end of this 6-month period to assess the need to exercise the extension option. Selection Criteria and Requirements The implementing partner shall have a proven ability to handle high-profile projects, long-term presence, relevant experience, and commitment to the region, good track record, demonstrated organizational and administrative capacity, and necessary technical skills and expertise to achieve the goals of the program. Offerors are encouraged to take advantage of volunteer computer service organizations for appropriate components of the activity. Reporting and Evaluation USAID/CAR?s Uzbekistan Country Office in Tashkent is the primary contact with regard to this award. Reports outlined below must be furnished to the USAID/CAR Uzbekistan Country Office in Tashkent and to the USAID/CAR Contracts Office in Almaty. USAID reserves the right to evaulate the progress during the implementation. Required reports include: Mobilization plan; Initial inventory prior to distribution, an update after distribution, and another update at the close of the activity; Monitoring reports beginning one month after distribution begins, and monthly until the close of the activity; Quarterly financial reports as per legal award requirements Final report as per legal award requirements [CFR 22650] Special situational reports on Damaged, irreparable equipment and cause Beneficiaries not adhering to the Beneficiary Agreement Success stories Reports that USAID will approve Final mobilization plan Inventory format Training plan Distribution plan Beneficiary Agreement Monitoring plan Procurement plans, with price quotes from various sources BUDGET LISTING This is a list of items that the bidder should be sure to include as part of their budget. Since there are components of this award that are as yet of indefinite quantities, this list can be used as a guide for the purposes of this award. Any line items foreseen by the bidder that are not included on this list should be included by the bidder. Personnel Costs Office Costs Storage Costs Transportation to storage site Rent Security Procurement Appx. 500 European plugs (per unit) 200 PCs, as per above specifications (per unit) 200 color monitors (per unit) 200 keyboards (per unit) 200 mice (per unit) 1,000 UPS?s (per unit) 1,000 sets Cyrillic keyboard stickers course materials internet connection per hour, per school licensed software (average cost per piece for basic word processing, spreadsheet software) operating systems for 600 computers (per unit) repair parts (as you foresee necessary) Distribution costs (on a per site basis) Transportation Per diem for technician(s) installing and training Training venue and materials Monitoring and maintenance costs (on a per visit basis) Transportation Per diem for technician(s) 6- month extension option monitoring and maintenance internet service personnel costs office costs EVALUATION CRITERIA Technical, cost and other factors will be evaluated relative to each other, as described herein. Cost factors will be weighted heavily. -The technical proposal will be scored by a technical evaluation committee using the criteria shown in this Section. -The cost proposal will be scored by the method described in this Section. -The criteria below are presented by major category, with relative order of importance, so that offerors will know which areas require emphasis in the preparation of proposals. The criteria below reflect the requirements of this particular solicitation. Offerors should note that these criteria: (1) serve as the standard against which all proposals will be evaluated, and (2) serve to identify the significant matters which offerors should address in their proposals. EVALUATION CRITERIA: BEST VALUE A review panel established under the direction of the Contracting Officer, USAID/CAR, will evaluate proposals. The review panel and the Contracting Officer will use ?Best Value? criteria to determine the proposal most advantageous to the U.S. Government. All evaluation factors other than cost or price, when combined, are equal to cost or price. Technical evaluation factors, and the subfactors thereof, are listed below in their relative order of importance. Contract award shall be made to the responsive and responsible offeror whose combined technical and cost factor offer the best value to the U.S. Government. A. COST EVALUATION The contractor should have a structure that will allow it to provide the greatest value (highest results) at the lowest cost; minimizing and/or eliminating overall administrative costs, overhead, subcontract pass-through costs, profit, international staff benefits, home office communications and support, and other non-value added costs. Each offeror's cost proposal (base period and option periods) shall be evaluated based on the following criteria in comparison with the cost proposal of other offerors: 1) Effectiveness of proposed cost control structure Budget transparency to effectively track expenditures; Consistency of proposed LOE, travel costs and ODCs; Soundness of purchase and acquisition methods; Subcontracting methods are clearly defined. 2) Cost efficiency of proposed Other Direct Costs Offers market competitive pricing estimates of tangible items to be used for contract performance; Competitiveness pricing and purchase methods of in-country air travel and surface transportation. 3) Reasonableness of overall proposed price Price has not been assigned a numerical weight. Offerors are reminded that the U.S. Government is not obligated to award a negotiated contract on the basis of the lowest proposed cost (see FAR 15.101-1) or to the offeror with the highest technical evaluation score. For this procurement technical proposal is equal to cost or price relative to deciding who best might perform the work, price and other factors considered. Therefore, after the final evaluation of the proposals, the Contracting Officer will make the award to the offeror whose proposal offers the best value to the Government, considering both technical and cost factors. It should be noted that estimate cost is an important factor and its importance as an evaluation factor will increase as the degree of equality of technical competence between proposals increases. TECHNICAL EVALUATION 1) Managerial Capacity Demonstrates: - capacity to establish and adhere to complicated, detailed task plans (transportation, distribution, inventories, etc.); - capacity to manage the logistical requirements for operations in diverse locations; - capacity to track progress of all facets of the program, provide reports which accurately present program status, and deal effectively with opportunities and problems as they arise; - an effective system for managing subcontracts, joint-venture relationships or any other method proposed for involving the work of other firms or organizations to carry out the contract; - capacity to manage budgets and reporting requirements in a timely manner. Mobilization Plan. Along with the Technical Proposal the Offeror must submit a Mobilization Plan. This plan will take the form of a calendar that will guide resources and initial activities. The mobilization plan will provide details of work to be carried out in the initial 60-day period of the contract. At a minimum, it will cover the anticipated logistics of contract start-up, the process and timing of establishing administrative and financial control systems, and pre-distribution activities outlined in the Scope of Work. It will also cover the timing of the initial deployment of all staff, and the plan for the initial activities to be executed by these staff members. 2) Past Performance Demonstrated - experience in technical support with regard to installation of computer hardware and software; - capability in computer hardware repair and software troubleshooting and diagnosis; 3) Qualifications of key personnel Appropriate - technical experience for the position proposed; - managerial and supervisory experience of the Chief of Party; - language capabilities of proposed staff. 4) Technical approach and methodology Demonstrates - thorough understanding of the process, especially the pre-arrival activities. - current knowledge and understanding of the education environment and the training needs for teachers and school administrators with regard to computer technology.
- Place of Performance
- Address: 41, Kazybek bi, Park Palace, Almaty, Kazakhstan
- Zip Code: 480100
- Country: Kazakhstan
- Zip Code: 480100
- Record
- SN00090504-W 20020612/020610213143 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
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