USAID Improving Private Sector Competitiveness   3

To All Prospective Offerors:

The United States Government, represented by the U.S. Agency for International Development in Vietnam (USAID/Vietnam), is soliciting proposals from qualified organizations interested in providing the services described in the attached solicitation. The principal geographic code for this contract is 937 and the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code is 541990.

USAID/Vietnam anticipates the award of a Cost-Plus-Fixed Fee completion type contract with a period of performance of five (5) years. The procurement will be conducted through full and open competition procedures, pursuant to Part 15 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) (48 CFR Chapter 1). Any type of organizations (large or small commercial [for profit] firms, educational institutions, and nonprofit organizations) are eligible to compete.

The overall estimated cost of this procurement is between $35 million and $40 million, subject to the availability of funds. The Government is in no way obligated to make any award within the maximum estimated cost identified. Offerors should not strive to meet the maximum amount; rather, Offerors should propose costs that are appropriate, realistic, and reasonable, and in accordance with the proposed approach for achieving results. Cost proposals together with technical proposals will be evaluated as part of a best value determination.

Please refer to Section L of the RFP for information regarding proposal requirements. Offerors should take into account the expected delivery time required by the proposal transmission, and they are responsible for ensuring proposals are received at USAID by the due date and time stipulated above. Failure to comply with the submission date will deem any submission unacceptable and it will not be reviewed or evaluated. Faxed proposals are not acceptable, nor will they be reviewed or evaluated.

Section L sets forth all instructions for the preparation and submission of required proposal contents. Offerors will develop a Performance Work Statement/Statement of Work in response to the Program objectives stated in Attachment 1 and other RFP requirements, and propose targets to be achieved. Section M states the technical evaluation criteria by which proposals will be evaluated. Oral explanations or instructions given before award of the contract will not be binding.

This solicitation in no way obligates USAID to award a contract nor does it commit USAID to pay any cost incurred in the preparation and submission of a proposal. USAID reserves the right to award the contract subject to availability of funds.

This RFP can be viewed and downloaded from https://beta.sam.gov. USAID bears no responsibility for data errors resulting from transmission or conversion processes. Further, please be aware that amendments to solicitations are occasionally issued and will be posted on the same website from which you downloaded the solicitation. USAID advises to regularly check the above website for amendments.

Sincerely,

/s/

Suzanne H. Johnson

Contracting Officer

USAID/Vietnam