Mark Walther, Contracting Officer, U.S. Agency for International Development, M/OP/B/PCE, RRB Room 7.09-132, 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20523-7100

R -- SUPPORT FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH AND INSTITUTIONAL REFORM PROJECT (SEGIR)-MACROECONOMIC POLICY, POVERTY ALLEVIATION AND ECONOMIC INSTITUTIONS AND ANALYSES SOL OP/B/PCE-99-002 POC Contract Specialist, Joyce Richardson, Telephone No. 202-712-1698, E-mail address: jorichardson@usaid.gov, Fax No. 202-216-3396 WEB: http://www.info.usaid.gov/procurements_bus_opp/procurement/announce/cb d, http://www.info.usaid.gov. E-MAIL: http://www.info.usaid.gov, jorichardson@usaid.gov. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) intends to award an estimated three to five multiple award five years Indefinite Quantity Contracts (IQCs) for technical support and training in all areas of macroeconomic policy, poverty alleviation, and economic institutions. In March 1994, USAID produced "Strategies for Sustainable Development" to inform and guide the process of economic development assistance to developing countries. The document states that economic growth succeeds when the provision of economic assistance "respects and safeguards the economic, cultural and natural environment, creates many incomes and chains of enterprises, is nurtured by an enabling policy environment, and builds indigenous institutions that involve and empower the citizenry. Development is sustainable when it permanently enhances the capacity of a society to improve its quality of life, enlarges the range of freedom and opportunities." Accordingly, the Agency's strategic objective of broad-based, economic growth focuses on (1) strengthening markets, (2) expanding access and opportunity, and (3) investing in people. To meet this mandate, the Bureau for Global Programs, Research and Mission Support has consolidated all technical support under an "umbrella" project to enhance economy and efficient response capability. The Economic Growth and Agricultural Development Center's Office of Emerging Markets (G/EGAD/EM) has consolidated its varied research and technical support activities into a single project called Support for Economic Growth and Institutional Reform Project (SEGIR). SEGIR supports USAID economic growth activities in five areas: (1) Macroeconomic Policy, Poverty Alleviation and Economic Institutions and Analyses, (2) Privatization, (3) Financial Sector Development, (4) General Business, Trade & Investment, and (5) Legal Institutional Reform. This announcement only concerns (1) Macroeconomic Policy, Poverty Alleviation and Economic Institutions and Analyses. This acquisition requires rapid, high-quality, service-oriented, broad-gauged, support to the Economic Growth Center and to its clients -- USAID Field Missions, Bureaus and other client groups on a global level. The Contractor(s) will assist with the institutional development of public and private policy analysis capacity in developing countries, and advance the state-of-the-art practices by making contributions to development theory and promoting a macroeconomic policy framework for broad -based, substainable growth in USAID-assisted developing countries. Areas of focus include: fiscal policy formulation and execution, macroeconomic policy coordination and integration, labor market policy and analysis, trade and exchange rate policy, national income accounting, monetary policy formulation and execution, and sectoral policies which are linked to the macroeconomic framework. Examples of illustrative tasks are: assist a USAID field mission assess the macroeconomic context for country strategy planning; provide short-term training for host-country economists; conduct public expenditure reviews; analyze poverty trends and design or assess poverty reduction programs; design and operation of social safety nets; analysis of tax incidence; modernization of host-government cash flow procedures; modernization of public debt management; strengthening central Bank research capability, assist in the introduction of indirect monetary policy instruments; improving the reliability or timeliness of national income accounts data; and introducing sound statistical procedures into national statistical offices. The SIC Code for the above solicitation is 8742. Subcontracting with small business concerns and socially and economically disadvantaged entities: While no "set-aside" awards for small and disadvantaged businesses will be made under this RFP, small business subcontracting plans, pursuant to FAR 52.219-9, are required to be included in proposals. Plans must include a percentage goal of at least 18% of total planned subcontracting to small business concerns, HUBZone small business, small disadvantaged business concerns, and women-owned small business concerns. To help identify potential subcontractors, a list of all organizations requesting a copy of the RFP will be attached to the RFP. The list will contain the names of only those organizations known prior to the issuance of the solicitation document. When requesting a copy of the RFP, all organizations are encouraged to indicate whether they are small businesses, HUBZone small business, small disadvantaged businesses, or women-owned small businesses so that their status may be indicated on the list. Interested parties may request a copy of RFP OP/B/PCE-99-002 by submitting a written request with (3) self-addressed mailing labels (indicating small business status as noted above) to: Joyce Richardson, Contract Specialist, USAID Office of Procurement, OP/B/PCE, Room 7.09-142, Ronald Reagan Building, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave., Washington, DC 20523-7100. No phone, fax or e-mail requests will be accepted. There will be no RFPs available for pickup. Requests not conforming to this requirement will not be honored. All RFPs will be mailed through the U.S. Postal Service unless an organization completes a self-addressed envelope for mailing with either their Federal Express or Express Mail account number. Only one request for the RFP per organization will be honored. The preferred method of distribution of USAID procurement information is via the Internet or by request of a solicitation on 3.5" floppy disk (Microsoft Word 97 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. Questions should be directed to Joyce Richardson, Contract Specialist . See Note 26. Posted 06/14/99 (W-SN342671). (0165)

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