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COMPETITIVE TASK ORDER SOLICITATION IN SUPPORT OF THE
CUBA DEMOCRACY AND CONTINGENCY PLANNING PROGRAM (CDCPP)


Issuance Date: May 8, 2008
Closing Date: May 29, 2008
Closing Time: 3:00 P.M. EST

VIA EMAIL

TO ALL INTERESTED PARTIES:

SUBJECT:  M/OAA/GRO/LMA-08-7825, COMPETITIVE TASK ORDER SOLICITATION IN
SUPPORT OF THE CUBA DEMOCRACY AND CONTINGENCY PLANNING PROGRAM (CDCPP)

The USAID Cuba Program is soliciting proposals from organizations under
USAID's   Instability, Crisis, and Recovery Programs (ICRP) IQC to implement
the Cuba Democracy and Contingency Planning Program (CDCPP).  The base task
order is estimated to cost a maximum of $30 million over three years.

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is soliciting
proposals from the five for a new three-year Time & Materials (T&M)
performance-based task order.  This task order will begin as soon as
possible and must be completed by September 29, 2011.

Overall technical factors are considered slightly more important than
cost/price factors.
The relative importance of each technical criterion is indicated by the
number of points assigned; a total of 100 points is possible.  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.

Although no points are set forth in the Evaluation Criteria for cost, cost
will be evaluated in determining which Offeror’s proposal represents the
“Best Value” to the Government.  The cost will be evaluated for cost-realism
and will be evaluated for reasonableness, allowability and allocability.
Therefore, the low cost proposal may not necessarily be the successful
offeror.

Please provide this office with a technical and cost proposal for providing
the technical assistance and accomplishing the tasks described in the
attached Statement of Work (SOW).  The authorized geographic code for this
task order is Code 935.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE TECHNICAL PROPOSAL

Technical Proposals shall contain the following sections (evaluation points
are in parentheses). All sub criteria are weighted equally:

1.                  (15 Pts)  Statement of Understanding -- The Offeror must
submit a three-page statement that demonstrates understanding of the basic
activities under the SOW, including statements distinguishing this
requirement from more traditional USAID interventions.   An additional two
pages must demonstrate the Offeror’s understanding of the Phase II Quick
Response Option.

2.                  (10 Pts)  Past Experience -- The Proposal must highlight
(in no more than 8 pages) the Offeror’s experiences that relate to the work
described by the SOW.  This section may include the past performance of
proposed subcontractors.  The Offeror must include references to specific
past and current projects under development or in operation.

3.                  (30 Pts)  A Proposed Management and Implementation
Plan – The Offeror must submit a management and implementation plan (no more
than 7 pages) that includes a description of the Offeror’s proposed
management structure for implementing the work under the Task Order; how the
Offeror plans to design, implement, and monitor activities under several
components simultaneously; develop a framework for ensuring the quality of
its performance in each activity; and its capability to quickly mobilize
required experts to guide and execute the various assignments this Task
Order entails.    The implementation plan shall identify:

Framework of the applicant to design and manage activities of multiple
components.

Quality and appropriateness of the applicant’s documented plan (with proper
calendars and timelines for activities) for overall design, coordination,
management, monitoring, and support of activities.

 Demonstration of how project activities and program impact will be
evaluated against targets set out in the program implementation and
monitoring and evaluation plans. This includes how evaluation of the program
will be measured and tracked.

 Overall goals and objectives should be evaluated against USAID goals and
objectives.


4. (10 Pts) Approach for Responding to Surge Activities -- consistent with
the objectives and goals of this Task Order, the Offeror must include (in no
more than 4 pages) illustrative examples of the Offeror’s approach (based on
real projects and experiences) to responding to a potential transition,
including approaches for the creation of a USAID Mission, including
operations and program support.   This section shall include logistical
requirements along with specific characterization of expertise that might be
required of the specialists who would be recruited to perform the various
duties of this Task Order.

5.  (30 Pts) Quality of Key Personnel and Proposed Non-Key Technical
Expertise
The Offeror should identify Key Personnel to be included in this plan, and
they should offer a justification of why each Key Personnel position is
important to the implementation of this management plan. This criterion will
be assessed for the relevance and appropriateness of proposed key personnel
and other categories if the Offeror believes that they would be important
and necessary.  Particular emphasis will be placed on:
§         The Key Personnel’s technical and management expertise relevant to
the SOW;
§         The logic and appropriateness of additional technical,
administrative and support staff proposed;
§         The logic and extent of sub-contractor utilization under this TO
Their availability and whether they are full-time staff persons of the IQC
Prime Contractors or subcontractors or consultants must be indicated.

The following three positions are key.  The minimum qualifications are set
forth in Section VIII of the SOW.

Chief of Party/Project Director
            Team Leader, Grants under Contract
            Team Leader, Quick Response

Its clearly stated approach/plans for recruiting highly skilled
international and local experts who may not presently be on the full-time
staff of the prime IQC contractor’s and/or subcontractors’ staff, including
the recruitment of non-staff individual experts.  The question and potential
difficulty of recruiting/forming ”multiple teams” of highly skilled
consultants with late stage transaction experience that are operating
concurrently on different projects must specifically be addressed, and the
Offeror must explain its approach for identifying the most qualified yet
cost-effective consultants to staff each transaction.  A clear and specific
outline of how the Offeror plans to organize and manage the CDCPP team and
its proposed subcontractors must be included.


Demonstration of the Offeror’s Ability to Recruit Transition Experts -- from
both within as well as outside the list of subcontractor companies included
on the ICRP IQC Contractor’s team. The Offeror must through his response to
this RFP demonstrate his ability (in no more than 4 pages, excluding
associated CVs) to recruit and retain Non-Key Personnel identified in the
Statement of Work and present at least three detailed candidate resumes for
each major category of experts (and other categories if the Offeror believes
that they would be important and necessary).  Demonstrating this capability
is important because the offeror may at times be asked by CDCPP to staff 2-3
teams of consultants to support different Phase I and Phase II activities
concurrently.  While the names of the specific consultants may be removed,
their availability, and whether they are full-time staff persons of ICRP IQC
Prime Contractors or subcontractors or consultants must be presented with
the specific desired skills.


6.  (5 Pts) Proposed Set of Measurable Performance Criteria -- by which the
Offeror’s work and accomplishments will be monitored and evaluated.  The
Offeror must suggest (in no more than 2 pages) additional relevant
criteria/indicators that would accurately measure the success and
performance of their work for both, 1) technical assistance/capacity
building activities that will be focused upon hastening transition to
democracy in Cuba (Phase I) and 2) USG Determined Transition support
activities (Phase II) .





INSTRUCTIONS FOR COST PROPOSAL


A detailed cost proposal must be prepared in the following format for each
year of the Phase I base period.  A separate detailed budget and narrative
must be submitted for the Phase II Quick Response Option.

Direct Labor – US
Direct Labor – Non-US
Consultants
Subcontractors
Grants under Contract                        (use plug number)
Travel, Transportation & Per Diem     (use plug number)
Other Direct Costs
GRAND TOTAL


Offerors must submit a detailed narrative with the cost proposal explaining
all applicable elements of cost comprising the proposal, including a
breakdown of named subcontractor costs, labor costs (direct, subcontractor
and consultant), underlying budget assumptions, and computational
methodologies.

The narrative must also Include your manpower assumptions (total man days of
effort) to perform the total work, by key personnel, technical specialists
and other functional labor categories.

Contractor-Employee Biographical Data Sheets must be submitted for all named
personnel to support the proposed labor costs.

The Cost Proposal narrative shall be written in English, using Microsoft
Word and/or Microsoft Excel.

The Government cost estimate for this three-year basic task order is:

Direct Contractor Loaded Labor                     =          $10,500,000
Subcontractors                                               =          $
1,000,000
Consultants                                                     =          $
5,000,000
Grants under Contract (GUC) Program         =          $12,000,000 PLUG
NUMBER
Travel, Transportation & Per Diem                 =          $     500,000
PLUG NUMBER
Other Direct Costs                                         =          $
1,000,000
Total T&M                                                        =
$30,000,000


The Government cost estimate for the Phase II Quick Response Option is:

Project Office Start Up Costs                         =          $
1,700,000
HHE & Overseas Allowances                         =          $  1,100,000
Travel, Transportation & Per Diem                 =          $     700,000
PLUG NUMBER
Vehicle & Other Direct Costs                         =          $
500,000
Total T&M for Option                                       =          $
4,000,000

The preferred method of submitting a proposal is via e-mail, with the
following caveat.  Technical and cost proposals should be sent in separate
e-mails.

Offerors shall submit an electronic copy of the Technical proposal and the
Cost Proposal via email to: cfloore@usaid.gov by 3:00 pm local time
(Washington DC) on Thursday May 29, 2008.


Submission of proposals shall be by e-mail or by hard copy subject to the
following understanding:

The USAID email gateway accepts messages whose total size with attachments
is 15 Mb;
An email proposal must be submitted to cfloore@usaid.gov, the subject line
of the email must contain the solicitation number M/OAA/GRO/LMA-08-7825:
Acceptable native file formats are Microsoft Office Suite applications
(.DOC, .XLS, .MDB) or Adobe Acrobat (.PDF);
Time of receipt of the email is the USAID email gateway time-stamp of the
message header;

For a proposal submitted by email, respondent is encouraged to request a
return receipt.

If you decide to submit an offer in hard copy, it must be submitted in
accordance with this RFQ and received no later than 3:00 P.M. on the closing
date indicated above at the place indicated below.  The technical proposal
(original and three copies) and the cost proposal (original and one copy)
must be submitted in separate envelopes.  Proposals and modifications
thereof must be addressed to:

              By Courier or Hand-Delivered
              U.S. Agency for International Development
              Office of Acquisition and Assistance, M/OAA/GRO/LMA
              1300 Pennsylvania Ave., Room 7.09-43
              14th St. Entrance*
              Washington, D.C. 20523-7900
              Attn:  RFQ No. M/OAA/GRO/LMA-08-7825

*Couriers must enter the building from the 14th street entrance and proceed
to the USAID Visitor's desk.  Couriers may use the phone at the Visitor's
desk to contact Ms. Chai Floore (202) 712-4992 to ensure timely receipt.
Note: Packages cannot be left at the USAID Visitor's Desk.

This RFQ in no way obligates USAID to award a task order nor does it commit
USAID to pay any costs incurred in the preparation and submission of the
proposal.

Any questions concerning this RFQ should be addressed to Ms. Chai Floore in
writing at the aforementioned address, by fax to (202) 216-3395 or by email
to cfloore@usaid.gov
All questions relating to this RFQ must be submitted no later than Friday,
May 16, 2008 to allow time for a written response.  USAID will not
acknowledge RFQ questions submitted orally.

                                                                        Sincerely,


                                                                        a/s

                                                                        Georgia
G. Fuller
                                                                        Acting
Team Leader
M/OAA/GRO/LMA
                                                                        Office
of Acquisition and Assistance


I. TASK ORDER SUMMARY

PURPOSE:

The Cuba Democracy and Contingency Planning Program (CDCPP) is expressly
designed to hasten Cuba’s peaceful transition to a democratic society. To
realize Cuba’s successful, political, social and economic transition, Cubans
will need considerable humanitarian, technical, training and institutional
support, whether immediately or at a later date as permitted according to
legislative and other restrictions.
This task order will fund activities, as appropriate, that provide rapid,
transitional support services to advance and consolidate rapidly moving
political or economic development opportunities on the island. The task
order will establish the means for a rapid and effective USAID response in
the event of a crisis or conflict and mitigate the potential for instability
in Cuba.
In the event that USAID is asked to provide rapid transitional governance
and development assistance, such support needs to be thought through so that
it can be directed rapidly, discreetly, and opportunistically, depending
upon evolving, on-island conditions. CDCPP will serve to bridge contingency
planning with implementation of democratic, humanitarian, institutional
support and market-oriented transition activities.  Such activities should
prominently figure as key components of the United States’ commitment to
support Cubans as they promote democratic transition.

CDCPP will deliver a range of complementary activities to support three
objectives:

Support the USG’s primary objective of hastening a peaceful transition to a
democratic, market-oriented society, by providing additional humanitarian
assistance and support to civil society (hereinafter referred to as
“hastening transition”).
Provide the analytical foundation for verifying the on-island conditions,
opportunities and programmatic interventions that will best support and
complement activities that hasten the transition to democracy as well as
transition planning and subsequent national development.
Develop and, legal conditions and other circumstances permitting, activate
plans for launching a rapid-response programmatic platform that will meet
USAID’s interests for having, and coordinating an on-island programming
presence.

Depending upon evolving on-island conditions, the USAID Cuba program plans
to award a wide range of new grants for supplemental technical,
humanitarian, institutional and social development support.  This new
mechanism is envisioned to expand upon and complement USAID/Cuba’s current
program that is already awarding and managing a series of grants through an
Annual Program Statement.  The Grants under Contract (GUC) mechanism should,
as one example, be able to make awards quickly depending upon changing
on-island conditions.
Whether immediately or at a later date (legal conditional and other
circumstances permitting), this contracting vehicle will finance activities
that would be able to provide transitional support services to advance and
consolidate rapidly moving political or economic development opportunities
on the island.
II. INTRODUCTION

Since 1996 USAID and State Department’s Democracy, Human Rights and Labor
(DRL) Bureau (since 2006) have awarded approximately $80 million to support
Cuba’s democratic transition. Cuba program partners have used these
resources to provide humanitarian assistance, support human rights and Cuba’s
independent civil society movement, and thwart the government’s information
blockade against the Cuban people.

USAID and State/DRL have awarded numerous grants and cooperative agreements
to more than 35 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and universities.
During this time many tons of food and medicine have been provided to
hundreds of families of political prisoners and other victims of repression
inside Cuba.  During FY07 alone, program results have been significant:
more than 50 civil society organizations were provided technical, moral and
humanitarian support, many of these organizations conducted numerous public
advocacy campaigns, an estimated 100 journalists received training, and
dozens of independent news outlets and local libraries received material,
solidarity and humanitarian support.

Indeed, in spite of the continuously repressive regime, there are strong
indications that Cuban civil society is becoming increasingly vibrant and
active. Apart from Cubans’ improving access to information, and likely as a
result of increasingly frequent public advocacy campaigns, civil resistance
actions in Cuba have increased dramatically over the past 10 years from 44
actions in 1997 to 3,222 in 2005.[1] This program will seek to address
conditions that might undermine the potential for a functioning democracy
and that might increase the possible risk of future civil conflict or
political instability.

Today, the situation in Cuba remains very uncertain given the illness of
Fidel Castro, his brother Raul’s recent assumption of the Presidency, as
well as the increasing activism and civil protests reported on the island.
In order to provide flexibility to respond to the island’s changing
situation, USAID is proposing a flexible, opportunity-oriented instrument
that would enable USAID to support the current goal of hastening transition
to democracy in Cuba, as well as to be able to shift to provide more support
towards advancing transition activities if and when the US Government
Determined Transition is underway.

III. PROGRAM SUMMARY

The Cuba Democracy and Contingency Planning Program (CDCPP) is planned as a
three-year program.  It has three goals:  to support the Cuban people in
hastening transition in Cuba, to advance transition planning recommended in
the second report of the Commission for Assistance to a Free Cuba (CAFCII),
and establish the means for having a rapid and effective USAID response in
the event that USAID is asked to provide additional technical and financial
resources to assist in hastening and consolidating Cuba’s democratic
transition.

This program is part of a broader USAID strategy to hasten the transition to
democracy in Cuba.  The program’s particular purpose is to validate and
carry out potential conflict mitigation and program planning opportunities
to assist in the peaceful transition to a democratic Cuba as recommended in
CAFC II, and provide assistance in the event of a USG-Determined Transition.

USAID’s Cuba program objective, ‘Governing Justly and Democratically’
incorporates activities that address and advance three basic Program Areas:
2.1: Rule of Law and Human Rights, 2.3: Political Competition and
Consensus-Building, and 2.4: Civil Society.  The CDCPP is intended to
complement and contribute towards a range of activities across these three
Program Areas as well as expand into other program areas, should that become
necessary.  It will be important for the Contractor to consult with the
Cognizant Technical Officer (CTO) to understand current and potentially new
Cuba program partners to adopt a complementary approach for advancing USAID’s
interests in Cuba, including seeking to attract other institutional and
financial resources to advance Cuba’s development challenges.

CDCPP will be implemented in two phases with four main components.

Phase I:

Component I—managed off-island until further notice-- will consist of an
estimated $12 million for the Grants under Contract mechanism that will
support and complement the existing 2008 Annual Program Statement (see
www.grants.gov) as well as have the capacity to respond if USAID is asked to
bolster its assistance to consolidate Cuba’s anticipated market and
“democratic transition.” In the event of a particular crisis, protracted
conflict, or transition, the component may support new program areas or
elements.  Illustrative program areas include breaking the information
blockade with technological outreach through phone banks, satellite internet
and cell phones.

Component II will assist USAID/Cuba in the management of the Cuba program
during FY 2008 through FY 2011, by providing USAID’s LAC Cuba staff with the
ability to better manage the existing Cuba program and, subject to the
overall coordination and control of USAID’s LAC Cuba staff, help provide
additional oversight, program planning, coordination and reporting.   It
will also provide training to help Cuba NGO partners to strengthen their
program management capacity.

Component III will provide capacity for analysis of the situation on the
ground in Cuba.  Responsibilities include: conducting surveys and opinion
polls, providing rapid assessments and baselines of the island’s current
social, economic and political conditions, proposing subsequent programming
conditions, and using analyses for verifying and updating the transition
plans as envisioned in the CAFCII report.  Survey and poll results may lead
to the initiation of public support campaigns and analysis may explore the
impact of breaking the information blockade with technological outreach
through phone banks, satellite internet and cell phones.  During the third
component, planning for a USG-Determined Transition, the project will also
seek to identify and address conditions (e.g., conflict and instability)
that might undermine the potential for realizing a successful transition to
a functioning democracy in Cuba.  Analytical support will be required to
understand and rapidly document factors that could increase the possible
risk of future civil crisis, conflict, or socio-political instability, and
propose steps which should be taken to mitigate these potential obstacles in
the face of the dramatic shifts in the political and economic environment
necessary in a successful democratic transition.

Component IV encompasses the planning and preparations to establish a quick
response capability “priced option” to provide assistance in the event of a
USG-Determined Transition. Capability will include providing logistical,
operational support to the USAID presence ‘on-island’ in Cuba and program
support to the Cuban people.

Phase II: Executing the quick response priced option, if exercised, is
considered Phase II of the CDCPP.


IV. BACKGROUND AND DEVELOPMENT CHALLENGE

Cuba’s anticipated governance, economic and social transition should be
understood within a broader US political and legislative context.  Cuba is
currently subject to numerous legal restrictions on assistance, many of
which create overlapping prohibitions.  Because of the comprehensive nature
of the restrictions on assistance to Cuba, all assistance activities are
conducted pursuant to legal authorization to provide assistance
“notwithstanding any other provision of law.”

Section 1705 of the Cuban Democracy Act of 1992 (22 USC 6004) authorizes the
provision of certain assistance notwithstanding any other provision of law.
This provision authorizes donations of food to NGOs or individuals in Cuba,
exports of medicines and medical supplies, and assistance through
appropriate nongovernmental organizations for the support of individuals and
organizations to promote nonviolent democratic change in Cuba.

Section 109(a) of the Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity (LIBERTAD) Act
of 1996 (22 USC 6039) authorizes assistance and support for individuals and
independent NGOs, notwithstanding any other provision of law, to support
democracy-building efforts for Cuba.  In implementing this section, no funds
or other assistance may be provided to the Cuban Government.  Section 109(a)
explicitly indicates that the following types of assistance would be
considered “democracy-building”:

--published and informational matter, such as books, videos, and cassettes,
on transitions to democracy, human rights, and market economies, to be made
available to independent democratic groups in Cuba.
--humanitarian assistance to victims of political repression, and their
families
--support for democratic and human rights groups in Cuba
--support for visits and permanent deployment of independent international
human rights monitors in Cuba.

Section 202 of the LIBERTAD Act (22 USC 6062) sets out planning requirements
and the types of assistance permitted under the LIBERTAD Act in the event of
a USG-Determined Transition.

In spite of important legislative restrictions and repressive Cuban
authorities, USAID has been able to provide thousands of Cubans for a number
of years with humanitarian, moral, and vital institutional support for
supporting Cuba’s civil society and hastening transition.

Apart from possible internal deliberations among current Cuban authorities
as to whether any new, ‘progressive’ policies or programs might be adopted,
Cuba’s anticipated transition is also part of a larger political context
that may include international assistance from a number of countries.  The
process of any true transition will dominate political and social
development in Cuba, will affect the region’s political orientation and
development, as well as the tone of Cuba’s relationships with its neighbors.

Political transition in Cuba could lead to several possible outcomes.  The
U.S. government’s policy is that any democratic transition should remain a
peaceful, legitimate process that is seen as legitimate with results
accepted by all the affected parties.  The USG believes that such broadly
accepted support would be a key pre-condition that could lead to a stable
transition towards a democratic society and have a constructive impact on
the region’s future stability.

However, even in a relatively peaceful transition to democracy, political
changes in Cuba could also lead to less desirable, unintended outcomes.
Such as a transition may be perceived by some who benefit from Cuba’s
current regime as opportunistic, illegitimate, or insecure.  Such a scenario
could be compounded by substantial populations returning to and others
fleeing the island, leading to a slow-onset crisis.  An even more negative
scenario would be a rapid-onset crisis with widespread civic disturbances,
violence and the sudden flow of immigrants to the United States.  Prior
experience in Cuba indicates that this is one possibility.

Either of these latter outcomes could have significant destabilizing impacts
within Cuba and the region.  A strongly nationalistic government could move
Cuba towards increasingly isolationist and authoritarian policies
antagonistic to its neighbors or ethnic groups within its borders.
Disengagement of moderate voices in Cuban society, and the subsequent
empowerment of extremists, also has the potential to lead to increased
regional instability.

At this time, it is not apparent that the Cuban government has plans in
place to address any potential transition or potential crisis scenarios.
The government appears reluctant to publicly consider such contingencies or
hold quiet talks with interested parties. Due to the sensitivity of these
scenarios, few are comfortable with discussing, planning or being perceived
to be planning for them.

Nevertheless, USAID believes it is both reasonable and prudent to prepare
for several scenarios which could meet a range of as yet unknown Cuban
economic and political developments.  If conditions continue to deteriorate,
and socio-political events lead to protracted crises, local Cuban
communities may well be on the front lines of responding to them.  These
already stressed communities, many of which are also dealing with economic
and social insecurity, could become potential partners for CDCPP
consultation and planning exercises as to how to respond to a variety of
crises.

In Cuba, there are a number of vexing issues that contribute to a lack of
effective governance, economic security and an increased potential for
political instability.  The root causes of political instability lie in
problems associated with restricted access to power, information and
resources, social exclusion, long-term neglect by Cuban authorities, poor
living standards and limited economic opportunities.  These factors can
combine with inflammatory media and disillusionment with the lack of
available political options to create a frustrated and potentially volatile
population.

While no single program can address all of these issues, supporting
progressive civic actors, promotion of economic development through improved
livelihood opportunities, and greater responsiveness by local governments to
addressing a range of issues facing different marginalized groups, could
contribute significantly towards alleviating these conditions.  In
coordination with other USAID and international donors’ efforts, CDCPP aims
both to set the stage for realizing improved civic freedom and economic
security and to help alleviate the conditions that might lead to political
instability or violence.

Over the next few years, Cuba will face significant political, economic and
social challenges for which external parties should prepare.  The CDCPP is
designed to respond to Cuba’s ambiguous, challenging programming environment
to support Cuba’s pro-democracy actors. This task order will provide a
contractual mechanism that will allow the USG to respond quickly to
different types of opportunities or emergencies, particularly those that may
result from macro-political changes.

A relative suspension of positive, political developments may also be
possible, lead to political instability in the short-term, and precipitate
particular economic or social setbacks.  However, USAID believes it is
necessary to continue expanding the inclusion of a range of civil society
actors, including youth, women and faith-led organizations, which are
necessary to create the conditions for realizing meaningful democratic
‘transition’ and consolidation, including improved political stability as
well as economic, and regional, security.  Access to economic opportunities
for all segments of the population, stronger, more responsive relationships
between local government and citizens, and civic participation and inclusion
in public and private life are the types of interventions that could
positively affect Cuba’s long-term stability and development.  The interplay
of these factors partially determines Cuba’s national condition in the face
of political, social, and economic stresses that could trigger conflict and
instability.

This program will address both short-term and long term support for
advancing Cuba’s democracy movement, and identify the most promising
interventions for addressing longer-term sources of social and economic
insecurity.  It will take a multi-pronged approach by combining both
hastening transition and crisis planning in particularly visible
communities, developing a capacity for rapid response to potential crises,
programming to increase economic security in vulnerable areas, and
identifying opportunities to anticipate, address and alleviate such
tensions.

V. IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

The work to be performed under the task order is conceived as having two
distinct phases. Phase I includes activities that will occur even if Cuba
does not elect to pursue a transition to market-oriented and democratic
state.  Phase II expands upon Phase I and includes on-the-ground support –
from logistics to grants and technical assistance – if a USG-Determined
Transition occurs, and USAID is asked to provide assistance.

In Phase II, decisions may need to be made between potentially competing
national priorities within Cuba, for example, deploying resources to
developing the crisis-response capacity in a wider circle of communities,
conducting supplemental, quick-impact national stabilization programs, or
providing institutional and macro-policy development support.

Phase I:  During this phase the Contractor shall:

Component I - Grants Under Contract (GUC):

Identify personnel and make meeting arrangements for establishing an
effective awards management process, including an awards committee.
Develop technical review criteria, consistent with USAID policies and
procedures, for evaluating proposals and awarding grants in agreement with
advancing USG foreign policy interests and program areas in Cuba.
Develop procedures, consistent with USAID policies and procedures, for
awarding grants to the existing program as well as to any anticipated future
program to support activities for Cuba in the event of a USG-Determined
Transition. Procedures will necessarily include the monitor and reporting of
grant results to USAID.
Demonstrate ability for management and for oversight of financial
accountability of grants, consistent with USAID policies and procedures.

Component II:

Identify, recruit and select staff as needed and initiate activities
supporting the existing Cuba program in Washington.
Carry out training and capacity enhancement program for NGOs to ensure
understanding and meeting of USG program planning, reporting requirements.

Component III:

Assist updating of plans by prioritizing the undertaking of surveys,
technical analyses, and otherwise providing the analytical foundation for
advancing CAFCII transition plan recommendations.

Component IV:

Develop a program support platform that has crisis-response capacity;
ensuring that human, logistical and financial resources can be put into
place to support deployment within 72 hours of the request.  Such a plan
should model a “surge capacity” mechanism that will allow USAID to respond
quickly to various types of emergencies, if required, remaining in place for
the life of the task order.


Phase II:

Phase II is a priced option that would be implemented by a formal
modification to the task order.  During this phase, the contractor will
immediately initiate specific surge activities planned under Component IV
and continue implementation of activities planned during CDCPP’s Components
I – III of Phase I, to include the expansion of operations and program
functions described below.


Operations

Once programming conditions become favorable, and USAID is able to exercise
this option, the Contractor will deploy to the island and immediately
establish operations supporting the creation of a USAID Mission.  Deployment
capacities must include the ability to set up office space,
telecommunications, arrange for transportation, identify and hire local
staff, make local procurement and other actions required during the first
three months.

The Contractor will begin implementation of the plan for a “surge capacity”
mechanism that will allow USAID to respond quickly in the event of a
USG-Determined Transition or crisis as required.  The contractor must remain
prepared to activate this option, which could be invoked and made
operational at any time during the life of the task order legal conditions
and other circumstances permitting.  The Contractor must anticipate the
types of logistical, technical and contractual requirements USAID would need
to have in place to expand on-island programming opportunities.

Programs

Activate program for supporting civil society and improving livelihoods,
security and social and economic stability through a possible expansion of
the Grants under Contract program (Component I above) or expansion of
Component III, as agreed to in the work plan.

a)         The Contractor, in cooperation with USAID, must actively seek
opportunities to collaborate with and develop ‘transition’ implementation
and crisis-response capacities with relevant partners, authorities and Cuban
institutions.
b)            The program will conduct ongoing monitoring of local and
national development and socio-economic security factors.

VI.   SCOPE OF WORK

Overview

The CDCPP program will support three Program Areas under USAID/Cuba’s
Program Objective “Governing Justly and Democratically” while it may also
advance particular elements within new program areas as the situation
changes.

·         Program Area  2.1 – Rule of Law and Human Rights
·         Program Area  2.3 – Political Competition and Consensus-Building
·         Program Area 2.4 – Civil Society

To hasten and support transition planning, advancing these program areas
should be considered when developing the following four components for the
CDCPP program, described and presented below:



Program Components:
Phase I:

Component I

A. Grants Program to Expand Broad-based Civic Participation

Component II

A. Staffing Support
B. Training to NGOs

Component III

  A. Technical Analysis and Surveys
  B. Develop Analytical Foundation for advancing CAFCII transition plan


Component IV

A.  Potential Crises and Transition Planning
B.  Quick Response Platform


Phase II:  PRICED OPTION to Exercise Surge Capacity

A. Operations
B. Programs



Component I:  Grants Program to Expand Civic Participation

The grants program will be initiated during Phase I hastening transition
period which could later be expanded and extended in the event of a
USG-Determined Transition.  The Contractor will consult closely with the CTO
to understand current Cuba program partners and the types of development
activities they are currently supporting, where and how there may be
opportunities to complement, and what program management, including grant
administration, challenges they are facing.  When possible, the Contractor
must also contact and collect relevant information from final program
recipients regarding effective demand, absorptive capacity, and other
practical considerations for supporting activities that could ‘hasten’ and
prepare for democratic ‘transition’.  The Contractor will also have to
consider USAID’s current planning and reporting framework to become familiar
with the three Program Areas, and associated reporting indicators, in which
USAID is advancing activities in Cuba.  In particular, Component I will,
consistent with USAID policies and procedures and in accordance with the
requirements of Section H.9 of the basic IQC:

Identify members, meeting, decision-making and recording arrangements,
including level of effort/participation requirements for establishing an
effective grant awards committee.  USAID membership must be included.

Develop processes and technical review criteria for reviewing and awarding
grants in agreement with advancing USG foreign policy interests and program
areas in Cuba.

Develop procedures for awarding grants under current operating conditions
and constraints as well as for any anticipated, expanded grant management
program to support activities for advancing Cuba’s democratic transition.
Procedures must include methods for making awards quickly, devoting
appropriate resources for grant management oversight, coaching and mentoring
of grant partners, and developing standardized reporting practices[2].  The
Contractor must anticipate deploying sufficient and appropriate
administrative oversight to meet the rate at which grants are developed,
approved and awarded.

   iv.      Develop procedures for monitoring financial management of
grants.

Component II: A. Staffing Support

In consultation with the Director of the Cuba Program or her designee, the
contractor will identify areas of program management responsibility and hire
staff to assist with specific tasks to support USAID’s Cuba program before
and after the USG-Determined Transition.  The Contractor will be responsible
for recruiting, mobilizing, and managing the performance of all personnel,
including full-time staff and short-term consultants.  The Contractor’s
responsibilities also include supporting LAC/Cuba management requirements in
areas such as hiring of staff/short term consultants, writing position
descriptions, providing analytical or administrative services, and
reporting. The Contractor will provide position descriptions for respective
positions for USAID’s review and approval.

The contractor may be required to identify and arrange short-term
consultants of specific subject matter expertise to address discrete issues
for USAID’s Cuba program’s development and implementation (e.g. conducting
assessments, surveys, media, advocacy, outreach and NGO management
training).

The expected outcome of Component II is to ensure the capacity to hire and
deploy qualified staff in a timely manner.  The contractor must fill
positions as needed, either full-time or short-term consultants, or have
personnel be made available on retainer arrangements.   The Contractor must
provide the services of suitably experienced program management/project
development officers as defined in the SOW to meet overall program planning,
and reporting requirements.

B. Training to NGOs

The contractor shall provide training to existing Cuba Program grantees as
well as new awardees.  Many of these partners are unfamiliar with USAID’s
planning and reporting practices. The contractor shall provide training on
the relationship between their respective activity objectives and how these
fit within either standardized or custom indicators for reporting under
USAID/Cuba’s respective Program Areas.

Component III:  Technical Analysis and Surveys/ Develop Analytical
Foundation for advancing CAFCII transition plan

The expected outcome of Component III is an enhancement of USAID’s field
level preparation for realizing successful transition planning.  To achieve
this, the Contractor shall engage in the following activities:

Supplemental analysis will be conducted primarily in support of transition
planning activities found in the CAFCII report. One objective is to ensure
there is a strong analytical basis for updating such plans. Another
objective is to provide baseline information through surveys or other
approaches to provide a sound basis to update these plans, including
realistic resource requirements, until the democratic transition is
underway.

Illustrative analytical capacity includes:

               i.            Identify the macro-economic, technical and
institutional pre-conditions necessary, with commensurate activities and
timelines for realizing such pre-conditions, to facilitate the transition
from a socialist to a market oriented economy.

             ii.            Design of potential conflict mitigation programs
as well as those that could facilitate effective partnerships between Cuban
expatriates and Cubans on the island who have particular expertise or
credibility for supporting transition activities in Cuba.

            iii.            Prepare and analyze surveys and polls on
selected priority issues and themes.

           iv.            Anticipate and carefully evaluate the interests
and merits of the Cuban Diaspora community’s role in possible future crisis
and any national stabilization and development initiatives.  The types of
social, economic and political relationships this community has to bear on
any potential Cuba transition plans should be fully explored for ensuring
how well particular entities or individuals may or may not be able provide,
effective and credible roles.

             v.            Investigate and identify contemporary Cuban
social capital issues and conditions, particularly the roles of women,
youth, union members, faith-based organizations and other particularly
relevant social factors which serve as driving and constraining factors for
a range of local and national development initiatives.

           vi.            Design of particularly economic, social and
governance surveys to develop a baseline, identify potential programming
interventions, and to serve as an instrument to monitor developments in
country.

          vii.            Analysis of steps required for Cuba to achieve
integration into the international financial community, including membership
in International Monetary Fund and Multilateral Development Banks.


Component IV: Surge Capacity and Quick Response

Component IV only includes the planning phase for providing surge capacity.

The surge program will be implemented in the event of a USG-Determined
Transition under Phase II and requires that the Priced Option be formally
exercised by the Contracting Officer.
.
Through a consultative process, develop rapid, practical transition or
crisis response plans with emerging, progressive state, private sector and
civil actors, and international transition stakeholders. Illustrative
planning areas may include youth training and community activities support
for free market activities, and international solidarity;

The contractor shall be prepared to provide quick-response and practical,
field management/program platform capacity to support USAID’s response to
the transition in Cuba.

Phase II: Quick Response Surge Capacity – Priced Option

To support the Cuba Program’s quick response field operations, the
Contractor shall maintain the capacity to field a team within 72 hours of
being notified to provide support for all immediate needs of the program in
the event of a USG-Determined Transition. The Contractor shall establish and
immediately activate the platform on which the USAID Mission operations will
be developed.  Specifically, the team shall establish a temporary office
location, provide (purchase or lease) office space to include
administration, computer hardware and software, travel, and housing
accommodations for staff.  Under the Contracting Officer’s direction, the
Contractor shall establish more permanent office locations as the situation
warrants (for example, depending on the timeline for assignment of
longer-term USAID staff). The team shall also establish a capacity for USAID
staff to handle procurement, administration, financial aspects of the
program, and initial assessments as needed.  Specifically, the Contractor
shall set up offices; purchase (or lease) telecommunications and office
equipment, and vehicles; locate and hire local staff; establish
communications systems; develop and maintain a procurement and financial
system.

The Cuban government in place during a USG-Determined Transition is expected
to have requirements for assistance for economic governance and recovery,
democracy and political governance, and social sector assistance. The
contractor shall provide immediate support to the direct hire staff as
required for early program development and monitoring.  For example, the
activity will provide analytical support to meet requirements on the ground
in Cuba to assist with shaping the transition while supporting immediate
program management needs.    Illustrative activities could include reviewing
potential grantees’ suitability to receive assistance; developing and
maintaining a grants database; and monitoring grant effectiveness and
impact.

In order to provide economic assistance quickly, the task order shall have
updated and/or revised existing plans for initiating and implementing
selected priority activities. These quick response activities will likely
fall in areas of improving political and economic governance, immediate
social sector needs in transition with the existing Cuba program, broader
stabilization, institutional re-orientation and economic development
initiatives.  Tasks will be identified by Director, Office of Cuba Program
or designee and the CTO.

Cuba Background

Current legislation restricts USAID’s abilities to provide especially
extensive assistance beyond current program parameters. These conditions are
expected to change in the event of a USG-Determined Transition. At that
time, USAID will likely make decisions about specific community populations,
or types of sector interventions on the island or support to national
entities in consultation with the United States Chief of Mission and other
USG agencies and international stakeholders.  USAID expects to make informed
proposals for interventions in response to the Contractor’s analysis and
recommendations about where and how best to focus the program.

Once assistance under a USG-Determined Transition is formally authorized,
assistance to improve Cubans’ political participation, living standards and
social inclusion will generally require creating a range of   partnerships
with relevant national and local actors.  These would be selected due to
concentration of populations particularly vulnerable to conflict or
instability, opportunities to collaborate with local, progressive
leadership, assistance gaps and demands, and realistic opportunities to make
a difference.   Sustained assistance may be provided in a number of
provinces, but the types of assistance may vary greatly from one part of
Cuba to another.

Tools & Resources

Grants Under Contract Fund

The contractor shall manage a grant fund component of approximately $12
million for Cuba under the task order.  A substantial portion of this
funding may be used for awards directly to Cuban recipients if Phase II is
implemented. Expected to expand over the program’s life, as conditions
permit, the grant fund’s purpose is to support the achievement of current
and possibly new program areas, providing resources to initiate activities
key to supporting rapid response and transition, improved economic security,
and strengthening civil society.

In the event of a USG-Determined Transition and Phase II is activated, the
grant funds can be accessed for different purposes and different award
strategies.  Challenge grants may be utilized where grant funds are offered
on a competitive basis to stimulate a certain sector.  Direct grants will be
made to stimulate the effectiveness of key social actors, institutions such
as local government service centers, civil society organizations, or
citizen-government planning groups.  Grant funds may provide seed money for
innovative local or regional programs, such as training events for community
leaders, youth, and ethnic minorities.

Grants can be made to support activities under any of the program elements.
An example of an eligible training cost would be that associated with
training and capacity development of NGOs, local civil society
organizations, or local government personnel.  Where a grantee does not have
sufficient financial management capacity to manage and account for grant
funds, the Contractor may pay for and provide commodities or services for
the grantee, retaining financial responsibility for implementation.  Where
equipment, software, and/or machinery are involved, where needed, the
Contractor will ensure proper installation and training of the end users as
well monitor how the commodities are being delivered and used/consumed as
appropriate when the transition is underway and the Contractor can work on
island and is based on the island.

Grants under contracts shall be made in accordance with the requirements of
Section H.9 of the basic IQC.

Conferences
The contractor shall also provide technical and logistical support to USAID
for delivery of three to five conferences during the contractual period.  A
typical conference could have 30-100 participants for three days, and the
Contractor may be tasked with arranging participant travel.  The conferences
could be held in Washington, D.C., Miami, FL or other appropriate places as
determined by USAID.


VII. Cross-cutting Issues

USAID/Cuba has identified several key themes as cross-cutting issues that
affect hastening transition in Cuba strategy.  These include gender, youth,
civil society, human and institutional capacity development, job creation,
and media/public information.  While the Contractor must integrate all of
these themes into the CDCPP program, interventions to support youth, media,
and civil society are of particular importance and may further link to
hastening transition and preventing civil disturbance.

In addition to these thematic cross-cutting issues, the Contractor should
also address several implementation and coordination issues, such as
developing regional linkages between current or past USAID programs and
possibly using such experiences to strengthen the ongoing USAID/Cuba
programs.


Conflict Mitigation

The role of and relationships between the long exiled Cuban Diaspora,
current USG Cuba program partners and Cubans who have remained on the
island, including union, rural citizens, faith-based, and youth leaders,
should be carefully explored and considered in developing such a program.
Not only are contemporary, social and professional relations among such
actors likely very sensitive, but Cuban authorities have also been known to
interfere and sow distrust among interested Cuba transition and development
partners. The Contractor’s ability to successfully manage this program will
largely be dependent upon appreciating such variables and creating trustful,
collaborative relations.

Youth

The last few years have seen the rise of well-organized youth groups in
Cuba.  Young people who lack opportunities for constructive political,
social, and/or economic engagement in society may become particularly
susceptible to recruitment into extremist political groups or criminal
activity.  Better CDCPP assessments should confirm whether this is as true
in Cuba as in many other developing, neighboring countries.  Depending upon
real, rather than outsider perceived, conditions affecting youth, this
program shall identify and seek innovative opportunities to support young
people and look for ways to help improve their appreciation of Cuba’s
promising future, seek social, technological and economic opportunities and
engage them constructively in governance and civil society.  The Contractor
shall develop program activities that include young people and promote
public advocacy, non-violent decision-making and constructive social and
economic participation.  The Contractor shall assess which youth are most
at-risk and outreach activities should be developed or supported to engage
such youth constructively.  The Contractor shall propose innovative ways to
integrate young people into all aspects of the program.

Job Creation

Recent polls indicate that the majority of Cuba’s citizens rank the standard
of living, housing conditions and unemployment as their primary concerns.
Improved living standards and lack of economic opportunity is one
contributing factor that causes widespread public frustration with Cuba’s
development and reform process.  The Contractor shall propose approaches
that will build sustainable economic opportunities in vulnerable areas with
the goal of reducing the risk of political instability and promoting
long-term economic security.

Transparency and Accountability

The legacy of the highly-centralized, hierarchical Castro government leaves
Cuba especially vulnerable to widespread corruption, and could affect public
confidence in a democratic transition.  Referencing other post-communist
transitions, assessments should be undertaken of the risks in various
transition scenarios, of the sectors most vulnerable to privatization of
public goods, and recommended approaches to introduce controls, transparency
and accountability into government activity, particularly in the areas of
procurement and privatization.


Media/Public Information

Media can serve as a bridge between communities, but in Cuba it has often
been a polarizing force.  The language of communism is featured in most
media outlets. Given that media may play a pivotal role in either
maintaining calm during potential crises or provoking additional conflict,
the Contractor shall develop an integrated media and public information
strategy to play a constructive role in hastening transition or mitigating
possible crises and generally provide strategic communications component
across the CDCPP Program. USAID/Cuba will have a separate media program and
the Contractor’s communication capacity shall be prepared to coordinate
closely with this program on all media activities.

USAID Program Linkages

USAID and Department of State both fund grants through competitive
processes.  There may well be opportunities to link the program objectives
of the grant programs with CDCPP activities. The Contractor should be aware
that there may be a requirement to coordinate activities of the project
closely with the CTO in order to be involved with activities of the
grantees.

Fast Response, Flexible Management, and Cost-Effectiveness

The situation in Cuba may change rapidly over the next one to three years in
response to events, both external and internal to Cuba.  Therefore, the
CDCPP program will need to have the capacity to quickly evolve and respond
to changes on the ground.  The Contractor shall demonstrate the ability to
successfully adapt programs to rapidly changing environments.

The selected Contractor shall be expected to share fixed costs (such as
office rental and shared services) with other USAID/Cuba projects on the
island in the event of a USG-Determined Transition and USAID is requested to
provide assistance in order to promote efficiency in the use of funds and
maximum investment in the program.  Indeed, it is important that the
Contractor’s proposed work plans and budgets demonstrate relatively high
cost-effectiveness ratio for implementing such a program.

VIII. KEY PERSONNEL

Key Personnel which the Contractor shall furnish for the performance of this
task order are as follows:

Chief of Party/Project Director
            Team Leader, Grants under Contract
            Team Leader, Quick Response


Key Personnel Guidance:  ADS 302 established a requirement that only those
personnel directly responsible for management of the task order, or whose
professional/technical skills are certified by the project office as being
essential for successful implementation of the project/program may be
designated as key personnel.  In any event, the number of key personnel
designated for any IQC or task order must not be more than five individuals
or five percent of contractor employees working under the task order/task
order, whichever is greater.

Qualifications for staff functions include:

(a) Chief of Party/Project Director

Responsibilities:  Reports to the Director of the Cuba Program or her
designee and coordinates closely with staff to manage and oversee contractor
designated activities of the program; is responsible for overall management
of the Cuba CDCPP; ensures that programs and activities are responsive to US
foreign policy and USAID strategy for Cuba as interpreted by the Director of
the Cuba Program;  ensures program coordination across teams; ensures
programmatic and financial procedures are established.

Qualifications:  Proven record of excellent management, leadership and
decision-making; demonstrated success managing international development
projects of this scope and complexity; has experience interacting with
developing country governments, international organizations, other bilateral
donor and civil society representatives, and senior government officials;
recommended 10 years experience supervising complex and challenging
operations in unstable developing or transition countries.  The ideal
candidate would be fluent in Spanish.


(b) Team Leader, Grants Under Contract

Responsibilities – Provides oversight to Grants program; subject to the
overall coordination and control of the CTO, advises and assists in the
design, development and implementation and program monitoring and evaluation
of grant-making authority and grants management policies, procedures, and
practices; provides policy guidance and interpretation for program staff as
well as sub-grantees; analyzes and evaluates grant applications, proposals
and awards to ensure adherence to grants management policies; ensures proper
negotiation of the terms and conditions for sub-grants and reviews and
analyzes budget estimates for allowability, allocability, reasonableness,
and consistency.

Qualifications:  Proven record of excellent management, leadership and
interpersonal skills; has proven ability to work with diverse international
teams; individual must have five to ten years experience in grants design
and administration to management and oversee distribution of grants as well
as subcontracting; is familiar with USAID contract management and grants
management policies and procedures; Grants under Contract experience
preferred.

 (c) Team Leader, Quick Response Platform

Responsibilities: Identifies, develops and designs potential logistical and
programmatic activities as approved by the Director of the Cuba program;
should have demonstrated experience managing reasonably complex projects and
teams working with senior officials of foreign and U.S. governments and
agencies; must have experience in project operations, administration and
program coordination; knowledge of USAID regulations and procedures is
important; monitors and evaluates activities as required.  Sufficient staff
will be hired to meet overall program requirements.

Qualifications:  Individual must have five to ten years experience with
project design, development and management with development-type projects.
This person should be familiar with or have considerable experience in
overseas development activities. Knowledge of program start-up under limited
time constraints preferred.


IX. REPORTS AND DELIVERABLES

A.  Annual Work Plan

Developed in consultation with USAID, the Contractor’s annual work plan must
be a realistic, evolving program plan.  It shall be developed from an
analysis and appreciation of the wide-ranging constraints to hastening
‘transition’ developments in Cuba, developing effective relations with
potential program partners, Cuba’s broader development potential, as well as
emerging social, political and economic trends.

The work plan will describe activities to be conducted at a greater level of
detail than the Task Order’s Statement of Work.  The complete work plan
shall be sufficiently detailed to permit monitoring project implementation,
and include a performance monitoring plan. The length for the work plan
shall be no more than 25 pages.

The first work plan is due 15 days after the signing of the task order.
After USAID’s review, the Contractor shall incorporate any required
revisions into a final work plan before the USAID CTO will provide the
Contractor a written approval of the final work plan. In the Year I work
plan, the Contractor shall also include a proposed list of Cuba program
partners to be included in the CDCPP Program.  The contractor shall make no
commitment to begin executing the work plan without USAID’s prior written
approval. The Contractor shall submit three hard copies of a draft version
of the overall work plans for Year I Program Implementation to the USAID
Cuba Program Director.  The Contractor shall submit three hard copies plus
three CD copies of the final version of the annual work plans to USAID for
written approval. The work plans for subsequent years shall be submitted by
the Contractor for review and written approval by USAID/Cuba no later than
30 days prior to the start of the next 12-month work period.

The work plans shall include, but not necessarily be limited to, a
description of the various components to be implemented; specific,
anticipated periods when staff and consultants, and the types of credentials
they bring,  will be utilized; and specific, proposed targets and indicators
for advancing each program area and element. It shall include a
schedule/timeline of activities and tasks planned to be conducted and the
inputs to be provided, by the Contractor. The work plans shall be
cross-referenced with the applicable sections in the task order’s Statement
of Work. Work plan activities shall not change the Task Order’s Statement of
Work or any other terms and conditions of the task order.  Such changes may
only be approved by the Contracting Officer, in advance and in writing. If
there are inconsistencies between the work plan and the Statement of Work or
other terms and conditions of this task order, the latter will take
precedence over the work plan.

The work plan shall describe the task order-level outputs that the
Contractor expects to achieve during the planning period associated with
indicators identified in the program’s areas and elements.  Included shall
be an explanation of how those task level outputs are expected to contribute
to the Program Area and Program Element level results. An estimated budget,
identifying the anticipated inputs by major component, shall accompany the
annual work plan.

 - GUC Operational Guidelines:  The contractor shall submit for CTO and
Contracting Officer written approval either a separate plan (submitted along
with the Work Plan), or an appendix submitted with the Work Plan that
specifies how the grant fund will operate, including criteria to be employed
in the evaluation and selection of grant applications eligible for funding.
The plan shall set forth the procedures for the administration of the grant
fund, including monitoring and reporting, and guidelines for financial
management by the contractor.  Grant criteria will require written CTO and
Contracting Officer approval, and the contractor shall inform USAID in
writing -- through program reports -- of the purpose, grantee, and size of
grants issued. USAID must approve individual awards.  Program reports are
due at the end of each calendar month.

- An overall operational plan for the surge program platform/ crisis
response developed under Component IV should be included in the work plan,
demonstrating how the Contractor will plan for and be prepared to rapidly
ramp up program implementation in the event the Phase II option is
exercised.

B.  Cuba Monitoring Reports

The contractor shall monitor, on an ongoing basis, changing political and
social dynamics at local and national levels through polling or monitoring
of surveys taken by others, networking, media monitoring, or other
appropriate means for gathering contemporary information regarding Cuba.

The Contractor shall provide USAID with concise (normally 2-5 pages) monthly
reporting on potentially evolving events and sources of social, economic or
political instability, the implications for surge capacity/transition
contingency planning, and, where appropriate, current considerations
regarding proposed activities to promote successful democratic transition.
The main purposes of these reports are to prepare for the effective planning
and potential use of the surge capacity option in this task order, to
identify program adjustments, and to provide information to assist other
interested stakeholders.  The contractor shall provide USAID with 5 hard
copies as well as an electronic copy of each monthly report.  USAID and the
Contractor may also decide on other types of report distribution if it seems
appropriate.

C.  Semi-annual Program Reports

The Contractor shall provide USAID/Cuba thorough analytical, impact, and
program reporting data. Reports will discuss:

§         program progress made during the previous three months,
§         how problems encountered have either been or remain to be
resolved,
§         relations with other Cuba program partners
§         particular successes or anecdotes worthy of highlighting,
§         shifts in policy or procedures that are creating problems or
facilitating crisis response
§         promising trends or practices for programming.

The Contractor shall submit three hard copies and three CD copies of the
Semi-Annual Progress Reports to the CTO and the Contracting Officer (CO).
The Contractor shall submit these reports no later than 30 days after the
close of the six-month reporting period.  It is important to bear in mind
that work plans and program reports must be associated with interventions
undertaken with respective USAID program areas, including associated
indicators[3].  The Contractor shall submit an outline of such reports for
approval by USAID prior to reports’ submission.  Semi-Annual Reports shall
also include the results the Contractor has achieved from the implementation
of the agreed-upon performance monitoring plan.  The Contractor shall
include no fewer than two 1-2 page success stories will be included as an
annex to each Semi-Annual Report.

D.  Monitoring and Reporting for Surge Capacity Option

If the surge capacity response option is activated under Phase II, USAID
will seek a means of reporting and planning that is sensitive to rapidly
changing events and decisions and making adaptive, program plans.   Upon
exercise of the surge capacity option, the Contractor shall prepare a
concise (2-4 page) weekly update  highlighting on-island developments,
program implementation activities of the previous two weeks and plans for
the forthcoming two weeks, including the political situation, implementation
of assistance activities, cooperation with any particular government
entities, partners and local stakeholders, and coordination with other
donors.

E.  Quarterly Financial Reporting

The Contractor shall submit to the CTO brief, quarterly expenditure reports.
These reports shall contain a summary page that reflects spending for the
quarter by category and show cumulative spending to date.  The Contractor
shall also include a brief note on any significant accrued expenditures for
the quarter that have not yet been billed to the task order, along with the
specific amount involved, to enable the CTO to accurately track the program’s
expenditure rate.  These reports shall be submitted no later than two weeks
before the end of each quarter.  Each quarter, the CTO will specify the
precise deadline for submitting the financial reports.

F.  Annual Program Objective, Area and Element Results Report

To meet USAID’s program planning reporting requirements, the Contractor
shall submit three hard copies of a brief annual Operating Plan, which shall
describe task order progress per respective program area as well as the
planned and actual, numerical targets established and approved by USAID.
This report will be used for the annual reporting requirements in
Washington.  The draft report shall be submitted to the CTO no later than 1
October  for each year of the task order.  The CTO will provide comments
within 15 days.  The Contractor shall then submit three hard copies plus one
electronic copy via e-mail to the CTO for approval within 15 days of receipt
of the CTO’s comments.


G.  Short-term Consultant Reports

Unless the CTO otherwise agrees in writing, the Contractor shall submit
within 10 days following departure of a Consultant, a brief written (1-2
pages) report describing the purpose of the consultancy, progress made,
observations to be shared, issues identified and/or problems encountered,
and expected follow-on activities by resident Contractor staff or
participating counterparts.  These reports may be submitted electronically
via e-mail to the CTO.

H.  Final Report

The Contractor shall submit, within 60 days of the completion date of this
task order, a detailed Final Report, which shall include, but not be limited
to:

Financial report showing, by line item, the amounts expended;
Summary of accomplishments achieved under this task order
Discussion of problems encountered and where objectives were not achieved
Lessons learned
Suggestions concerning desirable future, follow-on programs, if any
Description of all non-governmental institutions with which the program
components worked and an evaluation of their strengths and weaknesses
Index of all reports and information products produced under this task
order.

The Contractor shall submit three hard copies and three CD copies of the
Final Report to USAID/Cuba plus an electronic version via e-mail to the
Contracting Officer.

I.  Other Deliverables

In addition to the reports listed above, the Contractor as a part of the
CDCPP Program shall prepare modest training and reference manuals in Spanish
and English to forward the objectives of the program.
J.  MONITORING AND EVALUATION (M&E):

The USAID/Cuba Program Objective and Areas, already cited, have been
established and are in conformity with the USG’s foreign assistance planning
and reporting framework.

As the CDCPP program is developed, the Contractor shall include and propose
to USAID a procedure, resources, and system for monitoring and evaluation
that is capable of tracking and documenting the status of all component
activities for the CDCPP Program, including progress towards achieving
targets and results.  The monitoring system must be responsive to any
additions and/or adjustments to the targets/indicators as agreed to by
USAID.  The system shall include the following elements and be capable of
generating the following data and reports:

Indicators, associated data, and descriptive indices of activities
Baseline of conditions, if available, at the program’s start
Activity tracking against work plan targets
Reporting of deliverables against work plan targets
USAID program reporting data (to be defined by USAID/Cuba Program Office)
Standard Indicators/Program Area
Data Quality Assessments conducted by the Contractor’s activity managers
every two years.
Consultant Database
Financial Plan and Expenditure Tracking

X. MID-TERM REVIEW

A mid-term, formative evaluation of the CDCPP program will be conducted by
USAID in collaboration with the Contractor and possibly other stakeholders
approximately 18 months after the start of the program to determine if
adjustments should  be made to any part of the program’s approach.

The Contractor shall participate in the review and shall provide information
and data, as required, to the evaluation team undertaking the review.  In
addition to the mid-term review, USAID may conduct other independent reviews
or summative evaluation should circumstances so dictate.

XI. PUBLIC INFORMATION/PUBLIC RELATIONS

In addition to work with media to encourage responsible of achieving program
objectives, and the regular reporting of program results and accomplishments
to USAID, depending upon whether the expanded scope of transition activities
are realized in the event of a USG-Determined Transition, the Contractor’s
staff should be prepared to keep Cuban citizens informed of notable
activities and results and highlight the contribution of the American people
to Cuba’s development.  These activities may include community outreach,
press tours, public events, printed materials, and other products or
activities.  This program component will also monitor local media on an
ongoing basis to ensure that activities are being reported accurately and
remain attuned to local conditions in the communities in which they are
carried out.

XII. PROGRAM MANAGEMENT

The Contractor shall have the primary responsibility for ensuring that
activities conducted under this program contribute to USAID’s assistance
strategy for Cuba and achieve the anticipated results.   Conditions
permitting, while the Contractor shall establish central management offices
in Havana if assistance is requested in the event of a USG-Determined
Transition, it is expected that most of the program staff will be located in
field offices in proximity to implementation sites to ensure the
effectiveness of technical assistance, training, and economic development
activities, and deliver humanitarian aid that may be required in crisis
situations.

As part of the illustrative work plan, the Contractor will include for USAID’s
approval a proposal for the location, staffing, and functions of the first
one or two field offices.  USAID may also require the Contractor to provide,
at no additional cost, secure space within these field offices to house a
small USAID monitoring unit comprised of three, full-time Foreign Service
National (FSN) staff, should USAID chose to place them there.

The Contractor will establish a data-based management system through which
the CTO will be able to conduct routine task order management through the
electronic review and approval of such items as short-term technical
assistance requests, country clearances, access to trip reports, events
schedules, etc.

XIII. SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS

A. Environmental Concerns

In the event planned program activities could have any environmental
consequences, the Contractor will be required to implement the provisions of
the Initial Environmental Examination (IEE) prepared by USAID/Cuba and
cleared by the USAID Regional Environmental Officer. The Contractor must
have the capability to conduct environmental reviews as specified in the IEE
for all activities not categorically excluded, implement appropriate
mitigating actions, and conduct adequate monitoring to ensure environmental
concerns are addressed. The Contractor will be responsible for ensuring that
all requirements of the Agency's environmental regulations found at 22 CFR
216 are satisfied.

B. Gender Sensitivity

Because of special vulnerabilities during times of crisis, as well as
general economic and equity issues, gender affects program performance.  Its
inclusion in activity planning will result in better-targeted and more
effective programs. Gender is not a euphemism for “women.” It means
examining the constraints and opportunities for both men and women –
particularly as they may differ. Including gender means assessing: how the
problems of men and women may be different, how the impact of activities may
differentially affect men and women, and how the contributions of men and
women may contribute to results in different ways. The CDCPP program will
consciously address the need for increased gender sensitivity in areas such
as humanitarian aid, civic participation, training, local economic
development, and other aspects of the activity as appropriate.  Work plans,
grant awards, reports and presentations will reflect these considerations.
The Contractor’s workplan will demonstrate a knowledge of and sensitivity to
gender issues and illustrate how that knowledge and sensitivity will be
translated to effective implementation of the program.

All appropriate and feasible impact and indicator data will be disaggregated
by gender.

C. Commodity and Services Procurement

At the Contracting Officer’s written direction, the contractor may be
required to purchase and/or lease commodities.  The procurement and/or lease
of commodities may include:

(1)      Assessing, analyzing, and developing specifications for commodities
required by USAID; and

(2)      Undertaking the procurement and/or lease of approved commodities
for USAID and USAID partners according to USAID regulations.  These
commodities may include, but may not be limited to:

        (a) Computers and software;

        (b) Flash drives;

        (c) Satellite televisions and/or services;

        (d) Multimedia and/or alternative media sources;

        (c) Office equipment;

        (d) Cell phones;

        (e) Motor vehicles;

        (f) Rental or leasing of housing;

        (g) Office space rental;

        (h) Supplies, and equipment; and

        (i) Services (e.g., telecommunication, security, etc.) required for
assistance.

        (3)      Undertake the procurement of services such as personnel
staffing and training (including training materials).


SOURCE, ORIGIN AND NATIONALITY REQUIREMENTS (FEB 1997)

   (a) Except as may be specifically approved by the Contracting Officer,
all commodities (e.g., equipment, materials, vehicles, supplies) and
services (including commodity transportation services) which will be
financed under this task order with U.S. dollars shall be procured in
accordance with the requirements in 22 CFR part 228, "Rules on Source,
Origin and Nationality for Commodities and Services Financed by USAID." The
authorized source for procurement is Geographic Code 935. Guidance on
eligibility of specific goods or services may be obtained from the
Contracting Officer.

   (b) Ineligible goods and services. The Contractor shall not procure any
of the following goods or services under this task order:

     (1) Military equipment,

     (2) Surveillance equipment,

     (3) Commodities and services for support of police and other law
enforcement activities,

     (4) Abortion equipment and services,

     (5) Luxury goods and gambling equipment, or

     (6) Weather modification equipment.

   (c) Restricted goods. The Contractor shall not procure any of the
following goods or services without the prior written approval of the
Contracting Officer:

     (1) Agricultural commodities,

     (2) Motor vehicles,

     (3) Pharmaceuticals and contraceptive items,

     (4) Pesticides,

     (5) Fertilizer,

     (6) Used equipment, or

     (7) U.S. government-owned excess property.

If USAID determines that the Contractor has procured any of these specific
restricted goods under this task order without the prior written
authorization of the Contracting Officer, and has received payment for such
purposes, the Contracting Officer may require the Contractor to refund the
entire amount of the purchase.

D. Restrictions on Assistance to Cuba

Various U.S. Government statutory or regulatory restrictions on assistance
apply to this program but may also change as circumstances evolve. USAID
will inform the Contractor of these restrictions, and incorporate them into
the task orders necessary. USAID/Cuba will maintain the right to redirect
activities in response to USAID program and strategy requirements, changes
in the political situation, or regulatory changes.

E. SECURITY REQUIREMENTS

(a) This Task order involves classified performance in accordance with ADS
Chapter 567 "Classified Contract Security and Contractor Personnel Security
Program" and FAR Subpart 4.4 "Safeguarding Classified Information Within
Industry". Consequently, this task order incorporates the minimum provisions
needed to comply with the National Industrial Security Program (NISP) and
ADS 567, as summarized in paragraphs (b) through (g) below.   Consequently,
a DD 254, cleared by the Office of Security (SEC), is included with the
Statement of Work for this classified task order.  A blank copy of the DD
254 is attached in Section J.

(b) In order to be considered for a classified task order, the contractor
must obtain and maintain a "Facility Clearance" at the "Secret"
level.


(c) If the Defense Security Service (DSS) grants an interim clearance but
then subsequently revokes the interim clearance after task order award and
denies a final clearance, the task order may be terminated, depending on the
reasons DSS denied the clearance.

(d) Employees of the Contractor working under this task order and requiring
access to classified national security information and/or to areas under the
control of USAID deemed "Restricted" by USAID's Office of Security
must have
been subject to an appropriate level background investigation by the Defense
Security Service (DSS). DSS must issue either an "Interim" or "Final"
security clearance for each such employee before USAID will grant him or her
unescorted access to USAID's restricted spaces(s) or permit him or her
access to classified national security information. If DSS issues an interim
clearance but subsequently denies a final clearance for an employee of a
cleared contractor, the contractor must immediately remove the employee from
USAID-restricted space and prevent him or her from having access to or
handling classified or administratively controlled materials. The contractor
is responsible for providing properly cleared personnel to work on the task
order and for ensuring that performance is not jeopardized.

   (e) The contractor's Facility Security Officer (FSO) must forward a valid
"Visit Request" identifying their representatives/employees and the required
security clearance information to the USAID Office of Security, 1300
Pennsylvania Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20523-8800.

   (f) In the event the contractor subcontracts any work to be performed
under a classified task order, the contractor is responsible for issuing the
security guidance provided by USAID to any subcontractor and ensuring that
subcontractors comply with security requirements of the prime contract/task
order.

   (g) The USAID Office of Security will issue RRB facility passes to
individual contractor representatives/employees upon receipt of the "Visit
Request." The contractor must ensure that any passes issued are returned
upon termination of employment or completion of the task order, whichever
occurs first."

SECURITY CLEARANCES

The Chief of Party must have a “Secret” security clearance.  This
requirement may be extended to other personnel as the situation requires.



appendix:

I. Key Definitions

CAFC: Commission for Assistance to a Free Cuba, chaired by Secretary of
State and Secretary of Commerce.  For additional information, see
http://www.cafc.gov/ .

USG-Determined Transition: period when all legal requirements have been met
to the satisfaction of the President and the US Congress agrees that broad
assistance is allowed.  For additional information about the LIBERTAD Act
and the Cuban Democracy Act, see
http://www.state.gov/p/wha/rls/fs/2001/2596.htm .

Surge Capacity: the capacity to quickly deploy and direct substantial
resources to provide needed logistical and programmatic assistance in the
event of a USG-Determined Transition.




[1] “Steps to Freedom Report”, International Republican Institute, 2005.
[2] It will be especially important for the Contractor to coordinate the
awarding, administration and reporting of both budgets and program results
and have these associated with USAID’s three program areas, with associated
elements and indicators, to meet USAID reporting requirements.
[3] Reference:
(http://f.state.gov/docs/plan/AnnexC_StandardizedProgramStructureandDefinitions.pdf)
for understanding program areas, elements, and associated indicators