U.S. Agency for International Development, M/OP/B/HNE, Room 7.09-120, 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20523-7100

R -- GLOBAL WORKFORCE IN TRANSITION MULTIPLE TASK ORDER IQC SOL M/OP-00-984 DUE 063000 POC Georgia Fuller, Tel: 202-712-0551, Fax: 202-216-3132, E-mail: gfuller@usaid.gov, Contracting Officer, James Jeckell, Tel: 202-712-0491, E-mail: jjeckell@usaid.gov WEB: http://www.info.usaid.gov/procurement_bus_opp/procurement/announce/cbd, http://www.info.usaid.gov. E-MAIL: http://www.info.usaid.gov, gfuller@usaid.gov or jjeckell@usaid.gov. The U.S. Agency for International Development intends to competitively award an indefinite quantity contract (IQC) to acquire professional support services. The effort supports the Global Bureau/Human Capacity Development Center (HCD) Strategic Objective (SO2) titled "The contribution of host-country institutions of higher education to sustainable development increased." (Higher education includes colleges, universities, community colleges, vocational and training institutions and research institutes and other institutions at the post primary level.) The contractor will be expected to assess competitiveness and education and training systems and identify models and options that will provide pathways for the evolution/modification of education and training systems, linking them more effectively to public and private sector economic and human resource developmental and competitiveness needs. Through this contract the contractor will assist USAID by providing professional services to achieve the followinggoals: 1) provide technical assistance and leadership to USAID Missions, Bureaus and other operating units in responding to the need to develop workforces with skills relevant to market and societal development needs; 2) fostering public private collaboration in addressing workforce and competitiveness skills needs; 3) advocating policies and programs that increase the capacity of public and private education and training providers to deliver relevant skills training; and 4) informing education and skill development policy and operational reform. The professional services will be obtained by the issuance of separate task orders under the IQC. As a result of this solicitation USAID anticipates the award of a single IQC for a three-year base period and a two-year option period with an estimated maximum value of $35,000,000. All responsible sources may submit a proposal that will be considered by USAID. This procurement will be awarded subject to full and open competition procedures, under which any type of organization (commercial [for profit] firms, educational institutions or non-profit organizations) is eligible to compete. A minimum 20% subcontracting with small business concerns, small disadvantaged business concerns, women-owned small business concerns, and HUBZone small business concerns will be required under the contract. In addition, subcontracting plans pursuant to FAR 52.219-9 are required to be included in submitted proposals. The RFP will be issued NO EARLIER than fifteen (15) days after the date of this publication. 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 (MS Word 97 format). This CBD notice can be viewed and downloaded from the following USAID website: http://www.info.usaid.gov. The RFP also, once issued, can be downloaded from the web site. At the Homepage, select "Business and Procurement Opportunities", then "USAID Procurements", and on the following screen, select "Download Available USAID Solicitations." http://www.info.usaid.gov/procurement_bus_opp/procurement/solicitation/ Receipt of this RFP through INTERNET must be confirmed by written or faxed (202-216-3132) 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. Interested offerors may request a printed copy or on a 3.5" floppy disk of the rfp by submitting a written request for RFP #M/OP-00-984 to the address listed above, or by internet to gfuller@usaid.gov. The applicable SIC Code is 8742. Posted 05/03/00 (W-SN450841). (0124)

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