Regional Contracting Office, USAID/Guatemala-CAP, Unit 3323, APO AA 34024

R -- INCREASED CITIZEN PARTICIPATION IN STRENGTHENED LOCAL GOVERNMENTS SOL 520-98-001 DUE 010998 POC Contact Point: Telma Paz, Acquisition Specialist and Margaret Dula, Contracting Officer, USAID/G-CAP, Tel: (502) 332-0202, Fax: (502) 331-1506, E-mail: tpaz@usaid.gov and mdula@usaid.gov. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Mission to Guatemala/Central American Programs (G-CAP), is seeking proposals from qualified U.S. organizations interested in implementing part of results package (RP) 1.3 "Increased Citizen Participation in Strengthened Local Governments" under Strategy Objective # 1 "More Inclusive and Responsive Democracy". The new activity under the RP will strengthen citizen participation by assisting both local governments and civil society organizations in applying participatory mechanisms in the joint solution of basic needs and problems. This activity will target local governments as it pertains to increasing citizen participation in local decision -- making and strengthening channels for improved interactions between citizens and elected officials. USAID anticipates awarding a cost reimbursement award fee contract for a period of 5 years. USAID encourages the participation to the maximum extent possible of Small Business, Small Disadvantaged Business and Women-Owned Small Businesses in this activity as prime Contractor or Subcontractor in accordance with part 19 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation. In this respect, it is anticipated that the prime contractor will make every reasonable effort to identify and make maximum practicable use of such concerns. All selection evaluation criteria being found equal, the participation of such concerns may become a determining factor for selection. To help identify potential subcontractors, a list of all organizations requesting a copy of the solicitation will be sent with each solicitation document. Organizations are encouraged to indicate whether they are Small or Small Disadvantage entities when requesting the solicitation and may indicate that they do not wish to be included on the list. By providing the list, USAID does not endorse the listed organizations as being capable of carrying out the activity, nor does USAID verify the claimed status of the organizations. Necessarily, the list will contain the names of only those organizations known prior to the issuance of the solicitation document. Proposals shall include Small Business plans reflecting, to the maximum extent possible, subcontracting with the above-defined entities. Proposals not including such plans will be considered to be non-responsive. No telegraphic, fax or e-mail proposals will be accepted. Geographic Code is 000. Detailed information about this solicitation is contained in the RFP documents which will be available on or about October 31, 1997. The estimated closing date is January 9, 1998. To obtain the RFP, send your written request to the Regional Contracting Office, USAID/G-CAP Unit 3323, APO AA 34024, Fax (502) 331-1506 or 331-1151, attention Telma Paz. The preferred method of distribution of USAID procurement information is via the internet or by request of a solicitation on a 3.5" floppy disk (wordperfect 5.1/5.2 format). If you require a hard copy of the solicitation, you must ask for it, but you will not receive both a hard copy anda floppy disk. This CBD notice can be viewed and downloaded using the Agency web site. The worldwide web address is http://www.info.usaid.gov. Select business and procurement opportunities from the home page, then quote usaid procurement unquote. On the following screen, select quote Download Available USAID Solicitations unquote. The RFP can also be downloaded via anonymous file transfer protocol (ftp). The FTP address is FTP.INFO.USAID.GOV. Logon using the user identification of quote anonymous unquote and the password is your e-mail address. Look under the following directory for the RFP: pub/OP/RFP/52098001/52098001.rfp. Receipt of this RFP through internet must be confirmed by written notification to the contact person noted above. It is the responsibility of the recipient of this solicitation document to ensure that it has been received from internet in its entirety and USAID bears no responsibility for data errors resulting from transmission or conversion processes. (0281)

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