Request for Proposal (RFP)
No. 4576-020601-1
HCOMP Study Course
October 28, 2015
RFP No. / 4576-020601-1
Issue Date / October 28, 2015 EST
Title / Study Course for the High Commission for Master and PhD Programs (HCOMP)
Directions for Submission / Technical & Cost Proposals must be submitted in separate emails.
Purpose of RFP / FHI360, implementer of the USAID-funded University Support and Workforce Development Program (USWDP) invites your institution to submit proposals for the design and management of a two-week study course program for 12 members of the High Commission for Master and PhD Program (HCOMP) of the Ministry of Higher Education of Afghanistan
Deadline for Questions / November 4, 2015, 4:00 pm EST. All questions must be submitted in writing via email to:
Questions received will be compiled, answered, and emailed to all vendors.
Deadline for Responses / November 6, 2015 4:00 pm EST.
Deadline for Receipt of Proposals / November 13, 2015 5:00 pm EST. Late offers will be rejected except under extraordinary circumstances at FHI 360/USWDP’s discretion.
Basis for Award / Award will be made to the Offeror whose final offer represents the best value using a combination of technical/non-cost factors and cost factors. For this procurement, technical merit is more important, and comprises a greater weight (70%) than cost factors, (50%).
Anticipated Award Type / A fixed price purchase order
Period of Performance / Approximately two weeks in early October 2015
Minimum Eligibility Requirements / Demonstrated experience in arranging/managing study courses for senior government officials from developing countries
Payments / Payments will be made by bank wire transfer or check in the name of the vendor with whom the purchase order is signed. No cash payments will be made under this award. Issuance of this RFP in no way obligates FHI 360 to award a purchase order and Offerors will not be reimbursed for any costs associated with the preparation of their bid.
Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) / There is a mandatory requirement for your organization to provide a DUNS number to FHI 360 before the purchase order is signed. All foreign entities receiving first-tier contracts with a value equal to or over $25,000 and performing work outside the U.S., who do not have a DUNS number,must obtain one prior to FHI 360’s issuance of the award.
See attached Certifications for instructions on how to obtain a DUNS number.
Vetting requirement / Partner vetting after selection will be required for any Non-US parties if the award will be equal to or in excess of $25,000, or if the cumulative amount of awards to the vendor is anticipated to reach $25,000. Vendors requiring vetting will be asked to provide detailed information on the officers of the company or organization and this information shall be submitted to the USAID Vetting Support Unit. Award will be made after a vetting determination is received from USAID.
Procurement Ethics / By submitting a proposal, Offerors certify that they have not/will not attempt to bribe or make any payments to FHI 360 employees in return for preference, or in an attempt to affect the results of the award. FHI 360 treats all reports of possible fraud/abuse very seriously. Acts of fraud or corruption will not be tolerated, and FHI 360 employees and/or subcontractors/grantees/vendors who engage in such activities will face serious consequences.
Disclaimers and Protection Clauses / FHI 360/USWDP:
  • Reserves the right to cancel this solicitation and not make any award
  • May reject any or all responses received
  • Reserves the right to disqualify any offer based on Offeror failure to follow solicitation instructions
  • Will not compensate Offerors for responses to solicitation
  • Reserves the right to issue award based on initial evaluation of offers without further discussion
  • Reserves the right to award only part of the activities in the solicitation
  • Reserves the right to waive minor proposal deficiencies that can be corrected prior to award determination to promote competition
  • Will contact Offerors to verify the contact person, address and that bid was submitted from the Offeror

  1. Background

The Afghanistan University Support and Workforce Development Program (USWDP), a five-year USAID-funded project (2014-2018), implemented by FHI 360, an international NGO, based in the United States, is designed to help Afghanistan’s higher education professionals effectively manage the growth of tertiary education while improving academic quality. Building on the successes of the Afghanistan Higher Education Project (HEP, 2006-2014) and other initiatives, USWDP is improving the management capacity of the Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE) and a select number of public universities. It helps build the capacity of the MoHE to implement key strategies designed to ensure quality education and employment for the increasing number of Afghan men and women graduating from public and private higher education institutions. USWDP implements capacity development activities to improve the academic, administrative and financial functions of universities to manage education resources and ensure quality academic programs. The project also helps universities create learning environments that foster well qualified and professional faculty members, highly capable and motivated students, diverse, innovative and market-oriented academic programs, sustainable public-private collaboration, international university partnerships, and other innovations that move Afghanistan toward the higher education system it deserves.

  1. Context

The High Commission for Master and PhD Programs (HCOMP) was established in 2009 at the Directorate General of Academic Affairs Integration of MoHE. HCOMP is a regulatory and supervisory body of MoHE established to ensure quality of graduate education in both public and private universities of Afghanistan. HCOMP is responsible for the accreditation of Master and PhD Programs and undertakes continuous assessments and conducts field visits to ensure Master and PhD programs met MoHE regulations.

As per its membership, USWDP, through the Graduate Education Stream, provides financial and technical support to HCOMP members to develop effective regulations for quality assurance and accreditation, and to supervise implementation / assessment of Master and PhD programs in public and private universities. Since its establishment in 2009, HCOMP has gradually evolved into a mature regulatory, supervisory and approving authority for the graduate education programs and has gained basic knowledge on the implementation and supervision of Master and PhD programs. Albeit the progress made so far, there remains room for improvement, especially when it comes to conducting more objective and systematic assessments in order to achieve better quality outcomes for graduate education.

Early 2015, Deputy Minister for Academic Affairs has directed HCOMP, with the support of USWDP, to conduct a rigorous assessment of existing master degree programs in public universities, which will be based on the MoHE 12-criteria for Higher Education Institutional Assessment, and will identify prevailing deficiencies and come up with strategic recommendations for the improvement of these master degree programs.

HCOMP Study Course

As an initial step of the implementation of the assessment, USWDP wants to organize a tailored study course, which will increase HCOMP members’ global perspective and help them to acquire a better knowledge about Master Degree’s assessment and enhancement in a developing country. The overall objective of this study course is to provide to HCOMP members an applied experience of assessment of graduate degrees in a similar context, so that they would eventually take the ownership of the project upon their return to Afghanistan.

Specific objectives from this study course will be:

  • To compare and analyze existing Afghan graduate programs assessment tools that have been developed by HCOMP members with the support of USWDP with host institution’s assessment tools and the process (how they undertake the assessment on the graduate programs);
  • How to enhance the existing assessment package created for them master degree program in Afghanistan.
  • How to best start using qualitative new methods on graduate degrees assessment;
  • How to plan and conduct an assessment, in a participatory approach with the institution;
  • How to preventconflict of interest and corruption.
  • How to use audits andassessment recommendations in order to enhance the programs; and
  • How to establish a graduate school and how it works in the host country as well as internationally.

All existing assessment package documentations are attached to this proposal as Annex 1.

  1. Proposal Instructions

All documents must be submitted in English language.

Proposal should contain the following documents:

Cover letter on the Institution’s letterhead signed by an authorized representative. The letter should include full address, contact information, and points of contact, including the organization’s authorized negotiators.

PART A – TECHNICAL PROPOSAL

1)Training Schedule

Propose a detailed yet tentative schedule for a two-week period that targets the achievement of the study course objectives. The program can include learning and some cultural activities, participation in workshops, conferences and cultural program in support of the study course needs. The schedule should capture the date of arrival in your country up to the date of departure. Once selected, the institution will work with the project’s technical team to finalize the training schedule.

2)Past Performance/Relevant Experience

The Offeror must demonstrate relevant past experience in arranging similar types of international study courses. Use the Past Performance template in Appendix A to provide a list of relevant programs which were successfully implemented. Include names and address of clients and institutions for which similar work was performed, current telephone number, contract/grant name and number, total award amount, and period of performance.

3)Proposed Personnel and Organizational Capacity

Outline the proposed staffing plan for delivery of the study course, demonstrating how the overall program will be managed. Describe qualifications of the proposed Program Manager, Lecturers, Trainers, and administrative and logistic staff.

The proposed lecturers/trainers should be professionals and equipped with skills and expertise in quality assurance and assessment methods with prior experience in the field. Some of the technical areas include:

  • Defining mission and purpose of Graduate programs (to implement, analyze, assess and enhance a policy document)
  • Governance and administration of graduate schools
  • Experience of teaching and/or managing graduate programs
  • Experience in graduate programs assessment, strategic planning and quality assurance monitoring
  • Graduate programs admission process (criteria, entrance exams, etc.)
  • Resource centers management

Provide detailed resumes of key people (program manager; lecturers/trainers) involved as Appendix B.

To allow FHI 360 to determine organizational capacity, provide a description of the organization’s work experience in the assessment, quality assurance and enhancement, and accreditation of graduate programs

4)Reference Letters

Offerors who provide two reference letters to demonstrate prior client satisfaction with similar services will result in 5 additional points. Provide the reference letters in Appendix C.

PART B – COST PROPOSAL

To be completed and submitted in a separate email (separate from the technical proposal.) Use the excel format template in accordance with the following instructions (no page limit).

1)Detailed Budget

The Offeror must provide a budget which includes a detailed information for FHI 360 to determine cost reasonableness.

  1. The detailed budget should include a) labor cost, direct daily rate, and level of effort (LOE) for each individual; b) in-country travel; c) other direct costs to include all in-country cost, local transportation (including airport arrival and departure) for the group, lodging (FHI 360 may decide to arrange lodging directly with hotels), lunch (halal meat only), facility and room rental for training if needed, equipment, supplies, f) indirect costs; and g) fees/profit if any (USDWP/FHI 360 will pay the participants directly funds for dinner and incidental expenses. It is assumed that lodging will include bed and breakfast).
  2. Offerors may add any cost line items, as required in the detailed budget. The Offeror should provide detailed budget notes explaining the cost estimates and assumptions along with the budget.
  1. EVALUATION

A two-stage procedure will be utilized with the evaluation of technical proposal (100 points) prior to the opening and evaluation of any cost proposals (50 points). The Price Component will be evaluated if the Technical Component of the proposal gets a minimum of 70 points. Proposals failing to get this minimum marks will not be eligible for further consideration. The technical evaluation of the proposals will be as follow:

Technical Criteria / Mark
a)Institution’s range and experience of Graduate Programs / 20 points
b)Institution’s range and experience of Graduate Programs assessment / 20 points
c)Qualifications of the trainers. All training will be in English / 20 points
d)Review of the training schedule for each immediate training objective / 20 points
e)Approach for providing all the training in the required time / 10 points
f)Institution’s previous experience with Afghan HEI or other higher education institutions. / 10 points
  1. SUBMISSION OF OFFERS

Interested organizations are required to submit a complete package as described in this solicitation comprising of technical proposal, supporting documentation, and any other materials specified, to FHI 360at the date, time and address indicated on the cover sheet of this document.All offers must be dated and signed by an authorized representative of the offeror’s organization.

Technical and cost proposals MUST be submitted in separate emails, and clearly marked as such.

Offeror should provide the name, address, telephone and facsimile numbers, and e-mail address of the individual in the offeror’s organization to be contacted, if necessary, during the evaluation of the proposal.

Electronic Submission Requirements

Proposals should be submitted via email to Sitora Djonmamadova at subject of the submission email should state the following:

RFP number, Technical, Offeror’s name

RFPnumber, Price Offer, Offeror’s name

All email attachments should be submitted in a PDF format. If you send your offerby multiple e-mails, indicate in the subject line of the email whether the e-mail relates to the technical or priceoffer, and the desired sequence of multiple e-mails and sequence of attachments (e.g. Organization X, RFQ #, Part 1 of 4, etc.). You are requested to consolidate, as much as possible, the various parts of your technical application into one technical application document and the various parts of your cost application into one cost application document.

Once sent, check your own e-mails to confirm that your attachments were indeed sent. If you discover an error in your transmission, re-send the material again and note in the subject line of the email that it is a "corrected" submission. Do not send the same e-mail more than once unless there has been a change, and if so, note that it is a corrected e-mail.Each offeror is responsible for its submissions.

You will receive e-mail confirming receipt of your proposals.

Any proposal received after the due date and time may not be accepted and shall be considered non-responsive. FHI 360 will acknowledge receipt of your proposal by return email.

Appendix A: Past Performance Chart

Include projects that best illustrate your relevant experiencearranging similar type of study courses

# / Project Title / Description of Activities / Client Name, Contact Name & Tel/Email
Funding Agency if applicable (eg. USAID/UN) / Location / Cost in USD / Period of Performance / Type of Agreement, Subcontract, Grant, PO (fixed price, cost reimbursable)
1
2
3
4
5

Appendix B: CVs of Key Staff supported by Biodata Forms (USAID EBD Form accessible in the link ww.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/AID1420-17.doc(to be submitted by Offeror)

Appendix C: Reference Letters (if applicable)

Appendix F:DUNS Number (to be submitted by Offeror)

Appendix G: Terms & Conditions

Appendix H:Certifications (pls completed and signed by each offeror)

Attachment G: Terms and Conditions

GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS:

1. Offer & Agreement: The following terms together with those on the face of this agreement, other documents as may be incorporated by reference or attached hereto, and additional terms in any Change Notice issued to this order, constitute the offer of Family Health International (dba FHI360) to the Vendor and shall, when accepted, constitute the entire order or contract between FHI360 and Vendor. This agreement shall be deemed to have been accepted upon Vendor’s signed acceptance on the cover of this order or commencement of performance. Any reference herein to any proposal, quotation, or other communication by Vendor shall, unless indicated to the contrary herein, be deemed to be limited to the description of the services and to be limited by the terms set forth or incorporated by reference herein.

2. Assignment; Neither party may assign this order or any benefits arising from this order without the prior written consent of the other, and, unless otherwise agreed in writing, the rights of any assignee shall be subject to all set-offs, counterclaim, and other comparable rights arising hereunder. FHI360 shall not, except as otherwise agreed in writing by FHI360, delegate or assign all or substantially all of on any item or service to be furnished under this agreement.

3. Proprietary Information & Confidentiality: Vendor shall consider all data, documentation, drawings, specifications software and other information furnished by FHI360 to be confidential and proprietary and shall not disclose any such information to any other person, or use such information itself for any purpose other than that for which it was intended in completing this order, unless Vendor obtains written permission from FHI360 to do so. Vendor agrees to execute FHI360’s standard Non-Disclosure Agreement upon request.

4. Terms of Payment: Subject to any superseding terms on the face hereof, Vendor shall invoice FHI360 at 1875 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20009 to the Attn: FHI360 Accounts Payables Department and be paid upon completion/acceptance of the required supplies/services. Vendor shall be paid not later than thirty (30) days after FHI360’s receipt of an acceptable invoice or FHI360’s receipt of the completed products/services, together with any required documents. Drafts will not be honored.