Request for Proposals (RFP)

Transcription

1 Request for Proposals (RFP) Issue Date: 05/03/2016 Deadline for Registration on Afghanbids.com: 05/06/2016 Closing Date for Proposals: 05/11/2016 Closing Time: 16:00 Kabul Time Discussion End Date: 05/09/2016 Project Title: Provision of training in Public Relation Bid Reference Number: ABADE081/KAB I. Disclaimer: The information contained in this Request for proposals (RFP) (hereinafter referred to as RFP) document is provided to the Offeror(s), by International Executive Service Corps/ Assistance in Building Afghanistan by Developing Enterprises (hereinafter referred to as IESC/ABADE ). The purpose of this RFP document is to provide Offeror(s) with information to assist them in the preparation of their proposals for the services which IESC/ABADE seeks to source. This RFP document does not claim to contain all the information each Offeror may require. Each Offeror should conduct its own assessment and should check the accuracy, reliability and completeness of the information in this RFP document, and where necessary obtain independent advice from appropriate sources. IESC/ABADE may, at its own discretion, but without being under any obligation to do so, update, amend or supplement the information in this RFP document. Contract(s) resulting from this RFP document will be a Fixed Price Purchase Order. II. Background: Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Afghanistan rely on public relation and marketing to bring their products and services to their consumers. In order to win new customers and retain the existing ones, the firms have to distinguish themselves from the competition as well they need to create and maintain a positive public image. Since most of Afghan businesses rely on old fashioned techniques of production and distribution; ideas are replicated without a distinct competitive advantage, and as a result, a successful brand will not materialize. A number of SME s who have Public-Private Alliance (PPA) agreements with ABADE have been identified to be lacking the public relation skills from a business perspective. In order to prepare these SMEs for success, ABADE will arrange a training course to fill this skill gap among our partners as well as among other SMEs working in Afghanistan that require this kind of support. III. Objectives: ABADE s objective is to bring to our PPA partners and SMEs proven Public Relation and Marketing techniques through lectures and case studies and maintain a good reputation among both media and customers by communicating and presenting their product, services and the overall operation

2 in the best light possible. Program Outcomes: Upon completion of the program, ABADE Partners and SMEs will be able to: Explain the importance of effective writing skills as they apply to public relations, advertising, and sales for target audiences Apply the basic elements of planning and research to strategic writing for public relations, advertising, sales, marketing, and business communication Employ writing to appeal to audiences through a variety of mediums, including speech, print, broadcasting, and advertising Identify the ethical and legal dimensions of working in the public relations field Trace the history of public relations as a profession Discuss the nature and challenges of public relations work Apply principles of persuasion and conflict management to public relations campaign design Adapt strategies and tactics of public relations campaigns to fit diverse audiences and clients Use resources to ensure that your grammar, spelling, and punctuation are correct Part 1 Public Relations : Writing Public Relations 1 begins by introducing ABADE Partners and SMEs to the role of public relations writers, including their ethical and legal responsibilities. Some of the general topics covered include persuasion, research skills, the public relations planning process, writing clearly and simply, and using proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Specifically, the course covers writing styles and processes for s, memos, letters, reports, proposals, news releases, broadcasts, ad copy, material for the Internet, speeches, newsletters, brochures, magazines, and annual reports. The course concludes with an examination of how to communicate information during a crisis. Part 2 Public Relations : Strategies and Tactics Public Relations 2 begins with an overview of public relations, including such topics as ethics, professionalism, public relations departments and firms, research techniques, planning and evaluating a public relations program, and the communication process. The course also includes the preparation and handling of news releases, media alerts, and pitch letters. Finally, the course covers topics that affect a public relations employee: conflict management, public opinion, new technologies in public relations, corporate public relations, public relations and the government, global public relations, and public relations for nonprofit organizations. IV. Statement of Work: The offerer will conduct training for a minimum of 30 business owners, Marketing Managers or notable individuals identified by ABADE in Kabul province. The course should be a minimum of 6 days for a total of 48 hours class work (6 hours of class work per day including lunch and tea breaks) and 12 hours one-on-one assistance to the companies. The course syllabus will be approved by ABADE in advance. Once approved it should be provided to the participants on the first day of class and clarified as to the participant s responsibilities. Course material such as definition of concepts, examples, case studies, pens, note books, flip charts and magic markers should be provided by the implementer. Certificates of participation should be provided to individuals only upon participation in class.

3 V. Project Deliverables: 1. Develop a Work Plan/Course Syllabus to be approved by ABADE 2. Final report to ABADE due one week after completion of training along with all signed attendance sheets for the duration of the training and encompassing each day. Final report will include overview of program and summary of training student participation outcome percentage of pass/fail. 3. Feedback and Evaluations by SME and Implementer at the end of the course for general informationm no specific format. 4. Eliminate skill gaps in marketing and branding for participants. 5. Pass ratio minimum for final examination: 80% pass and receive certificate of completion. VI. Project Timeframe: 05/06/ /31/2016 VII. Instructions to Offerors. A. Proposals submission: Offerors who wish to submit a proposal should register on and add the project on their watch list. Proposals must be uploaded on before the closing date. Offers received after the closing date will not be considered. Technical and Cost proposals must be submitted in one PDF file with a blank page separating the two sections. If you have difficulty registering, please admin@afghanbids.com immediately, or call AfghanBids help desk at +93 (0) AfghanBids is not part of ABADE and the technical person answering this number can only help you with registration problems or with problems uploading files. This is an IT person, and they do not know anything about the RFPs/Procurements on the site. Please do not call them to ask questions about the bid. B. Closing Date and use of AfghanBids: The closing date for registration does not apply to Offerors who have already successfully registered on AfghanBids and have a username and password. For new users, please keep in mind it may take two to three business days to register on and have your account verified. Until verification is complete, you will not be able to upload a proposal. If you do not follow the steps to register online by the deadline for registration given on the RFP s front page, you may not have a verified account before the closing date. Offerors who do not upload their proposals before 16:00 on or before the closing date will not be able to submit their proposals after the bid closes. Also keep in mind that on slower internet connection, large proposal files may take a long time to upload. Package your proposal properly to reduce the file size (save as a PDF file). Give yourself plenty of time to upload your file. C. Clarification and Amendment of RFP Documents: Offerors may request clarifications on the RFP document on the discussion board on not later 16:00, Kabul time on the Discussion End Date. IESC/ABADE will answer questions posted by Offerors before the deadline, and will provide answers to all Offerors simultaneously on the discussion board. No questions will be answered over the phone or in person. D. Cover Page and Markings: The cover page for your offer should be on your company letterhead and MUST contain the following information:

4 1. Project or Title: (from the front page of this RFP document) 2. Bid Reference Number: (from the front page of this RFP document) 3. Company Name: 4. Company Address: 5. Name of Company s authorized representative: 6. Telephone No, Cellular Phone #, address: 7. Total Proposed Price: 8. Duration of Validity of proposal: 9. Payment terms: 10. Acceptance of Tax Withholding Statement and TIN 11. DUNS # 12. Signature, date and time E. Eligibility Requirements: Firms and NGOs operating in Afghanistan must have a valid Afghan business license or registration to be eligible for awards. Firms and NGOs operating outside of Afghanistan will need to obtain a DUNS number prior to receiving any award. VIII.Basis for Award: IESC/ABADE anticipates that award will be based on best-value principles. Accordingly, award will be made to the technically acceptable Offerors whose proposals provide the greatest overall value to IESC/ABADE, price and other factors considered, and whose proposals conform to all solicitation requirements. To determine best-value proposals will be evaluated on the criteria below. The relative importance of each individual criterion is indicated by the number of points assigned, totalling 100 points. Offerors should note that these criteria serve to: (a) identify the significant factors which Offerors should address in their proposals, and (b) set the standard against which all proposals will be evaluated. IX. Technical Proposal: PLEASE READ CAREFULLY, THE FOLLOWING ARE INSTRUCTIONS FOR PREPARING PROPOSALS. Proposals must be organized into sections corresponding to the sections presented in A. Technical Evaluation Criteria, and numbered accordingly. Please stay in the page limits given below. Only include the requested information and avoid submitting extra content. Any pages exceeding the page limitation for each section of the proposal will not be evaluated. Proposals shall be written in English with each page numbered consecutively. Cover pages, dividers, tables of contents and the following attachments are not subject to the page limit: Resumes/Curriculum Vitae (CVs) Draft Work Plan table or figure Past Performance Summary Table (up to two pages) Samples of previous products similar to those required for this RFP No other attachments will be considered. Any page in the Technical Proposal which contains a table, chart, graph, etc., is counted as a page within the page limitation. A. Technical Evaluation Criteria Proposals will be evaluated according to the following criteria. Points will also reflect the overall

5 presentation of the proposal, which should be clear, complete, well organized, and well written. Most importantly, proposals should address all the requirements listed in this RFP. [1] Technical and management approach: 4 page limit; total points 40 Offerors will describe how they will structure and implement the activity and how they intend to achieve the specific objectives of developing the media products described in the tasks and activities. This section will be scored on the extent to which the Offeror: - 10 points - provides a clear understanding of the subject matter, addresses the objectives identified in the Statement of Work, and presents a clear and logical approach - 10 points - is able to provide a suitable, accessible and convenient training facility and demonstrates that Offeror has training experience relevant to the objective outlined in the Statement of Work (highlighting any prior experience working with ABADE - 20 points - describes how the course will be structured and implemented and provides a clear and concise draft course schedule. The Offeror should provide sample course materials for similar training programs conducted within the past three years (not included in the page limit). This section will be marked on the extent to which the technical approach is clear, logical, well-conceived, and technically sound, reflects appreciation for the likely problems to be encountered, and directly addresses the objectives identified in the Statement of Work. [2] Personnel Experience and Capacities: 2 page limit (not including resumes); possible points 40 The technical proposal shall include an overall staffing plan for the program which demonstrates how the bidder will staff the project and roles and responsibilities of the proposed personal. The Offeror should present in detail the roles and responsibilities of all staff proposed. In the staffing plan, the bidder shall demonstrate its technical staffing expertise and staff capacity to undertake the project. For all Key Personnel proposed in the staffing plan, the bidder will submit an updated resume that details the individual s qualifications and experience. Resumes may not exceed four pages in length and shall be in chronological order starting with most recent experience. Each resume shall be accompanied by a SIGNED letter of commitment from each individual indicating his/her availability to serve in the stated position. This section will be scored on: - 10 Points - Qualifications of Trainer(s) relevant to the Statement of Work - 20 Points - Training Experience of Trainer(s) relevant to the Statement of Work - 10 Points - Qualifications and Experience of Other Personnel relevant to managing similar training programs This section will be marked on the extent to which the staffing plan incorporates personnel, including key personnel, that have the ability to effectively achieve program objectives. [3] Offeror s past performance and references: 1 page limit (not including samples of previous work); possible points 20 The proposal must provide a detailed account of the Offeror s record in implementing similar activities to those outlined in the tasks and activities. This part should include

6 sufficient information regarding any major sub-contracted projects, and elements demonstrating the Offeror s performance for the above the tasks and activities. Insert and special requirements, instructions, or scoring considerations here. In addition, the Offeror s past performance should be summarized in table form listing relevant contracts performed within the last five years that are similar in size, scope and objectives to the activity that is the subject of this RFP. Project Title & Brief Description of Services rendered Location Province- District Client Contact namephone Services value US$ Start Date End Date This section will be marked on the extent to which the Offeror has previously successfully implemented similar programs and how lessons learned from previous programs could be applied to this activity. Scores will also reflect the Offerors ability to deliver projects on time. A. Cost Proposal Evaluation: The Offeror shall submit a Cost Proposal, which is separate from the Technical Proposal. In the final PDF proposal copy, please make sure you separate the technical and cost proposals by one blank page, and that you do NOT include any cost information in the technical portion. Cost proposals should contain a detailed budget that includes at a minimum: a) Salaries for all personnel, position title, number of work days proposed by individual, daily rate, total; b) Other direct costs ( communication transportation, stationary cost); c) Total contract amount Offerors should present cost proposal that is in a similar format to the sample provided below, with notes attached to explain how costs were developed or estimated for each proposed line item. Budget Sample*

7 *International vendors outside of Afghanistan can submit cost proposals in USD **Note to bidders: You may not propose a fee or profit that is a fixed percentage of total costs. Cost plus percentage of cost type contracts are not permitted. A fixed completion fee of a set amount is acceptable, and may be split into payments across deliverables if desired. However, this must be a fixed cost item and not a percentage of costs. Marks for the Cost criteria will be evaluated separately and will consider factors including cost effectiveness, cost control and cost realism. While ABADE believes in cost savings, budgets should be realistic and value for the services should be clearly demonstrated. A proposal with the lowest estimated cost will not necessarily win the bid. I. Special Provisions: 1) Government Withholding Tax for Afghan Based Companies Pursuant to Article 72 in the Afghanistan Tax Law effective March 21, 2009, IESC/ABADE is required to withhold "contractor" taxes from the gross amounts payable to all Afghan for-profit subcontractors/vendors. In accordance with this requirement, IESC/ABADE shall withhold two percent (2%) tax from all gross invoices to Afghan subcontractors/vendors under this Agreement with active AISA or Ministry of Commerce license. For subcontractors/vendors without an active AISA or Ministry of Commerce license, IESC/ABADE shall withhold seven percent (7%) "Contractor" taxes per current Afghanistan Tax Law.

8 Before the signing of this Agreement, the subcontractor/vendor will provide a copy of the organization's legal registration document (AISA or Ministry Registration) and TIN (Tax Identification Number). Amounts deducted from the invoices will be forwarded to the Ministry of Finance (MOF) Tax Division credited to the firm's TIN. Records of payments to the MOF shall be maintained on file with IESC/ABADE. 2) Source and Nationality The subcontractor may supply any goods or services manufactured in or shipped from the Geographic Code. 935 (Local Procurement is therefore approved). The vendor may not supply any goods or services manufactured in or shipped from the following countries: Cuba, Iran, Laos, Libya, North Korea, or Syria. 3) Child Labor IESC/ABADE neither engages in nor condones unlawful employment, or exploitation of children in the workplace. Consistent with Afghan labor law, the minimum for full-time employment with under this Award is 15 years of age. The minimum age for employment of individuals performing hazardous work under this Award is18 years of age. Hazardous work is defined as: Work underground, under water, at dangerous heights or confined spaces; Work with dangerous machinery, equipment and tools, or which involves the manual handling or transport of heavy loads; Work in unhealthy environments which may, for example expose a worker to hazardous substances, agents or processes, or to temperatures, noise levels, or vibrations damaging to their health; Work under particularly difficult conditions such as work for long hours or during the night or work where the worker is unreasonably confined to the premises of the employer. The subcontractor hereby certifies to abide by Afghan Labor Laws and avoid unlawful employment, or exploitation of children in the workplace. 4) Vetting Procedure On December 05, 2012 USAID/Afghanistan notified that Recipients/Subcontractors receiving USAID funding must be vetted for any subcontracts valued over $25,000. This notice is effective January 1, Any Offeror receiving an award from ABADE must submit vetting documentation and receive an eligibility notice before ABADE can issue a final contract or purchase order. The vetting is not done by ABADE but by the Vetting Support Unit of USAID, and may take several weeks. IESC/ABADE will assist awardees with the procedure once a winning proposal is selected. In addition to vetting, ABADE may carry out reference checks and due diligence on any information provided by Offeror. Providing false information on personnel qualifications and experience or in past performance references will result in the Offeror being disqualified from future bidding. 5) CONFLICT OF INTEREST DECLARATION FOR THE ABADE SUBCONTRACTOR The following steps outline ABADE s Subcontracts selection process and should be understood by all Offerors to ensure the transparency of awards and avoid conflict of interest. 1. All Request for Proposals (RFPs) are announced on Afghanbids.com 2. Once the proposals are received, they are scored by an evaluation committee which consists of technical professionals. 3. Cost proposals are evaluated for reasonableness, accuracy, and completeness. 4. The best value proposal is selected based on a combination of the technical score and the cost. 5. No activity can be started until vetting and other formalities are completed and both ABADE and

9 the awardee have signed a formal contract. 6. No one from ABADE can terminate the contract, stop, or delay payment without cause. For example, if gross misconduct is discovered in the implementation process, ABADE has the right to suspend the subcontract in question until an official investigation of the facts is complete. 7. At no time is it appropriate or legal for subcontractors or beneficiaries to offer any ABADE staff member commissions, kickbacks, or gifts of any kind. If an ABADE employee is found taking commissions, kickbacks, gifts or engaging in fraud of any kind their employment contract with ABADE will be immediately terminated and their actions will be reported to USAID s Office of the Inspector General (OIG). 8. ABADE s policy against fraud exists throughout the life of the subcontract and beyond. Even if the subcontract is closed, if any party is found guilty of fraud ABADE will make a full report to the OIG which may choose to investigate and to prosecute guilty parties to the fullest extent of the law. 9. To report cases of suspected fraud please contact: Hotline@abade.org, or please call this phone number: Do not use this number for asking questions about the RFP. The hotline number is only for reporting fraud, abuse, and conflict of inte rest. The person answering this phone does not have information about bids, and cannot give any instructions or answer any questions about ongoing procurements.