U.S. Agency for International Development, USAID/Egypt, Directorate of Procurement (D/PROC), 6th Floor, Unit 64902, APO AE 09839-4902

R -- TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, MIDDLE EGYPT INSTITUTIONAL STRENGTHENING UNDER THE EGYPT UTILITY MANAGEMENT (EUM), RP NO.263-0270 SOL RFP No. 263-98-P-011 POC Contact Point: Mr. William Reynolds, Contracting Officer, USAID/Egypt, Tel: 011-20-2-357-3257/58, Fax: 011-20-2-356-2932, E-mail wireynolds@usaid.gov The U.S. Agency for International Development Mission to Egypt (USAID/Cairo) has a requirement for technical assistance. The overall objective of this assistance activity is to increase access to sustainable water and wastewater services for the 7.5 million people in the governorates of Fayoum, Beni Suef, and Minia, by strengthening the institutional capacity of the newly formed water and wastewater organizations in these three governorates. The September 1997 grant agreement between USAID/Cairo and the Government of Egypt (GOE) defined three expected results of the new program: (1) increasing revenues from users to recover operation and maintenance costs, (2) greater decentralization of the management of the sector organizations, and (3) a significant improvement in the capacity of the sector organizations to deliver services to the people. Successful achievement of these goals is defined by the grant agreement as attainment of such final targets as billing and collection of 100% of water operation and maintenance (O&M ) costs and 50% of wastewater O&M costs; reduction of unaccounted-for water to 30%; and, increase in the number of metered water connections to 80% of all connections in urban areas. The contractor shall provide advisory services to assist the water and wastewater organizations achieve these and other performance targets. Monitoring plans will be developed by the contractor to supplement these performance targets as necessary and establish schedules for their achievement. The monitoring plan will guide both the contractor's work plan and "Memoranda of Understanding" to be entered into by USAID and each Authority which describe performance targets to be achieved prior to disbursement of USAID construction program funds. A cost reimbursable plus award fee type of contract is contemplated to be awarded. The contract will be for five years. It is a requirement that the firms must comply with USAID geographic code 000 (USA) for nationality and source regulations. The Request For Proposals (RFP No. 263-98-P-011) shall be issued on or about January 30, 1998. Interested U.S. firms must submit written requests for the RFP to Mr. William Reynolds, Contracting Officer, Office of Procurement, United States Agency for International Development, USAID/Egypt, Cairo Center Building, Sixth Floor, 106 Kasr El Aini Street, Cairo, Egypt. Address for U.S. mail: Office of Procurement, Unit 64902, APO AE 09839-4902. Telefaxed requests to 011-20-2-356-2932 will be accepted. Telephone requests will not be considered. Offerors will be given 45 days from the date of issuance of the RFP to prepare and submit their proposals. "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). This CBD notice can be viewed and downloaded using the Agency Web Site. The RFP, once issued, can be downloaded from the Agency website. The Worldwide Web address is http://www.info.usaid.gov. Select Business and Procurement Opportunities from the home page, then "USAID Procurements." On the following screen, select "Download Available USAID Solicitations." 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." The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) encourages the participation to the maximum extent possible of small business concerns, small disadvantaged business concerns and women-owned small business concerns in this activity as prime contractors or subcontractors 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 other evaluation criteriabeing found equal, the participation of such concerns may become a determining factor for selection. (0006)

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