Regional Contracting Office, USAID/Warsaw, Department of State, Washington, D.C. 20521-5010

R -- MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER PROGRAM -- FABRYKAT 2000 SOL Poland-98-001 POC Contact Point: Thomas M. Stephens, Regional Contracting Officer, USAID/Warsaw, Tel: 48-22-630-2480, Fax: 48-22-628-7486; e-mail: rhstephens@usaid.gov RFP No: Poland-98-001. USAID/Warsaw requires the services of a U.S. organization to implement a two-year program of technical assistance, training, institution strengthening and network development in the area of technology transfer. The program is titled FABRYKAT 2000. A cost-reimbursement (performance based completion type) contract is contemplated. The program will be implemented in Poland. The program seeks to promote technology transfer in Poland in order to improve the competitiveness and profitability of Poland's small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) by i) facilitating Polish technological innovation and ideas from concept to commercialization; and ii) providing technical assistance to SMEs seeking to modernize their manufacturing and production facilities. FABRYKAT 2000 will build from previous and current USAID/Poland initiatives on SME development and will consist of four main components: a) assessing U.S.-based manufacturing technology transfer centers for best practices in technology transfer center operations and technical processes; b) technology transfer network development in Poland; c) development and enhancement of Polish technology transfer centers (TTCs); and d) SME intervention assistance through TTCs. Offerors are expected to support the development and enhancement of at least three targeted Polish TTCs, but are also encouraged to address the broader universe of Polish TTCs. Illustrative areas of long-term expertise that could be required include: strategic management, budgeting and finance, institutional and sectoral economic development, performance monitoring and management, information dissemination, SME development, and commercialization of technology transfer ideas. Short term experts may be needed in such areas as specialized manufacturing and production processes, best practices for TTC operations, development of electronic newsletters and websites, venture capital financing, and fee-for-service capacity building in advisory organizations. The Government's estimate for performance of the work under this performance-based contract is $3.5 -- $4.5 million. It should be noted that final approval and funding for this procurement have not been received at this time. While it is fully expected that approval and funding will be obtained, should they not be, the procurement will not go forward. The RFP will be issued not earlier than 15 days from the date of publication of this notice. The due date for receipt of offers will be 60 days from the RFP issuance date and will be specifically stated in the RFP document. 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 (Word Perfect 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 web site. 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. It is the responsibility of the potential offeror to submit a request for the RFP document in a timely manner to ensure receipt of the documents well in advance so submission can be made within the submission period. RFPs will not be mailed in response to requests received with less than three weeks remaining until proposal submission date. It is the sole responsibility of the offerors to ensure that their proposal reaches the specified location for receipt of proposals in Poland no later than the date and time specified in the RFP document. Faxed requests for the RFP document will be accepted at country code 48, city code 22, 628-74-86. Telephone requests will not be honored. (0070)

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