Della Glenn, USTDA, Room 309, SA-16, Washington, D.C. 20523-1602, Tel: (703) 875-4357, Fax: (703) 875-4009

B -- SOLICITATION NUMBER: TDA 97-Q-082 FERTILIZER SECTOR DEFINITIONAL MISSION TO AFRICA POC Della Glenn, USTDA, Room 309, SA-16, Washington, D.C. 20523-1602, Tel: (703) 875-4357, Fax: (703) 875-4009 The U.S. Trade and Development Agency (TDA) wishes to announce a Competitive Total Set-Aside for Small Businesses to conduct a definitional mission to analyze prospective fertilizer plant construction/upgrades and technical assistance projects in Egypt, Morocco, Senegal, and Tunisia. This will be a firm fixed priced contract. The project is expected to be completed within 2 months. The U.S. Governments cost estimate for the complete execution of this contract does not exceed $40,000.00. The selected consultant would be required to conduct a full assessment of the most promising fertilizer plant construction / upgrades and technical assistance projects in each of the afore-mentioned countries, and report these findings in a definitional mission report to TDA. In order to conduct this assessment, the consultant will be required to travel to Egypt, Morocco, Senegal, and Tunisia to meet with fertilizer sector officials of each country, with other relevant public and private sector officials, and to visit existing and planned future sites for fertilizer sector development. The consultant will also be required to assess the technical, economic and financial feasibility of each of the planned projects, and to develop full budgets and scopes of work for any feasibility studies or technical consultancies recommended for subsequent funding. The consultant shall also determine U.S. industry competitiveness in competing for project implementation. TDA, located in the Washington, D.C. area, is a commercially-oriented U.S. Government foreign assistance agency that helps U.S. companies pursue overseas business opportunities. Through the funding of feasibility studies, orientation visits, training grants, and various forms of technical assistance, TDA enables American businesses to become involved in the planning stage of infrastructure and industrial projects in middle-income and developing countries. The Small Business Act, at 15 U.S.C. 644, authorizes procuring agencies to set aside procurements or portions of procurements for the exclusive participation of Small Business Concerns. The SIC Code for this procurement is 8748 -- Business Consulting Services, N.E.C. Definition: "Small business concerns" for purposes of TDA award of this total set aside contract means a concern, including its affiliates, that is independently owned and operated, not dominant the field of operation for which it is bidding. In determining whether dominance exists for TDA's purpose for this contract, consideration is give to annual gross receipts. Any concern that has annual gross receipts above $5 million, averaged over a three year period, is not considered small and is therefore, NOT eligible for award under this contract. All participating organizations involved with supplying professional services must be incorporated or chartered in the United States. Consultants planning teaming arrangements must be U.S. citizens or resident aliens. In accordance with FAR 19.301, offerors will be required to submit self certification relating to businesssize. The competitive proposals method of solicitation as set forth in Part 15 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) (48 CFR Chapter 1) shall be utilized for this procurement. This solicitation in no way obligates TDA to award a contract, nor does it commit TDA to pay any cost incurred in the preparation and submission of the proposal. Any explanation desired by an offeror regarding the meaning or interpretation of this solicitation must be requested in writing and with sufficient time allowed for reply to reach the offerors before submission of their offerors. All oral explanations or instruction, given before award of this contract will not be binding. Any information given to a prospective offeror concerning the solicitation will be furnished promptly to all prospective offerors as an amendment of the solicitation, if such information is necessary to offerors submitting proposals or if lack of such information would be prejudicial to uninformed offerors. Offeror's technical proposal will be evaluated on the basis of the following criteria: (1) Experience (up to 50 points); (2) DM Strategy (up to 40 points); and (3) Price (up to 10 points). The Request for Proposal (RFP) will be issued on/about (15) fifteen days after the publication date of this synopsis. The closing date for receipt of proposals will be fifteen (15) days thereafter. Only written requests for the RFP that indicate the company's size will be honored. U.S. eligible small businesses interested in receiving the RFP should send a fax requesting it to Della Glenn at (703)875-4009 or a letter by U.S. mail to Ms. Glenn at U.S. Trade and Development Agency (TDA), Contracts Unit, Room 309, SA-16, Washington, D.C. 20523-1602. Delivery by any other means must be addressed to Ms. Glenn at 1621 N. Kent Street, Room 309, Rosslyn, VA 22209. (0184)

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