Sources Sought No. SOL-538-13-000007

This is a Sources Sought notice. This is not a request for proposals or applications, proposal abstracts, concept papers, or quotations. It is a survey to identify potential sources. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Mission to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean (BEC) is performing this market survey to determine if there are local, regional or international organizations with the required capacity and which may be interested in implementing and managing a multi-faceted project aimed at improving the capacity of development institutions, universities, and non-governmental organizations (NGO) to conduct and perform monitoring and evaluation activities.

Purpose/Objective
USAID supports the Barbados and the eastern and southern Caribbean in activities designed to: improve the employability of and increase job options for vulnerable youth; reform juvenile justice systems; enhance the quality of and access to education; improve the function of parliaments; increase the capacity to adapt to climate change; and expand life skills promoting success at work and healthy homes. USAID partners with national governments, NGOs and international organizations on initiatives in Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago. Moving forward, USAID proposes engaging an organization/institution (local, regional or international) within the eastern and southern Caribbean to improve performance management at all levels to support the Mission and its partners to make better informed strategic and management decisions, and advance development learning. Special attention will be given to strengthening existing institutions to facilitate the establishment of a self-sustaining organization able to provide high quality monitoring and evaluation (M&E) services for USAID and other donor activities across the region.
Project Requirements

There are four areas for the monitoring and evaluation project:

1. Increased frequency and quality of project monitoring to improve project management and results.
a. Data collection including not only those indicators specified in the Mission's Performance Management Plan (PMP), but also those which are collected through project M&E plans, sub-activity reports, field monitor reports, and secondary data received from other stakeholders.
b. Annual review and conduct of Data Quality Assessments (DQAs) for the General Development Office (GDO) and project-level indicators.
c. Support for USAID staff engaged in M&E, including training, design/modification of reporting tools, analysis of management practices, and third-party quality control.
d. Training, technical assistance, or other forms of collaboration with partner government representatives to monitor, assess, or evaluate development activities, on a cost-share basis.

2. Increased use of lessons learned from impact monitoring.
a. Assist the GDO in the development and tracking of a comprehensive, forward-looking evaluation and assessment plan (detailing the type, timing, purpose, and potential research questions).
b. Conduct high quality monitoring and results reporting per the Agency's guidance.
c. Track response (follow-ups) to evaluations, performance/project audits, and additional M&E findings as identified and tasked by USAID.
d. Support the presentation and dissemination of findings to multiple stakeholders. As requested, engage in outreach and dissemination efforts to broaden the reach and impact of identified lessons learned.

3. Establishment and implementation of performance management systems and policies.
a. Assist the Mission with performance management information systems designed to monitor, measure, and report on performance.
b. Assist the tracking of compliance with Mission and Agency guidance on performance management (ADS, policies, Mission Orders).
c. Provide staff training and advisory services on performance management issues, including ongoing training and "customer support" for any new technological tools or computer applications that may comprise the performance management systems to build capacity of Mission and partner staff. Training should relate directly to establishing and strengthening performance management systems and follow the latest guidance from USAID/Washington.
d. Translation, analysis, and presentation of regional socioeconomic information so that this information can be used for results reporting and in evaluations and assessments.
e. Organization and support for an M&E users group bringing together the performance management specialists of all USAID/BEC's partners to meet and discuss issues with USAID staff.

4. Establish and strengthen local organizational capacity for performance management.
a. Conduct of monitoring, assessment, analysis and evaluation activities/services as requested.
b. Develop Standard Operating Procedures for how organizations implement and utilize M&E in project management and achievement of results.
c. Establishing a local "spin off" organization that can provide technical services and training in M&E across the Caribbean region.
 
Anticipated Period and Place of Performance
The anticipated period of performance is for five years (2014-2019) for a total estimate amount of US$6,000,000 subject to funds availability. The proposed project will be implemented in all ten countries served by USAID/BEC (Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago), with a single office located in Bridgetown, Barbados.

Submission Guidelines
Interested organizations should submit a statement describing the capabilities of the organization as they relate to the purpose and requirements outlines above and respond to all of the following questions:
• What capacity currently exists to implement high quality M&E services?
• What support would be required to establish a sustainable institution that can provide M&E services of high quality to local and international organizations?
• What structure would be proposed to provide the above indicated services?
• Linkages both existing and desired that could provide technical support and training to the organization and local partners.
Statements sent in responses to this Sources Sought notice should not exceed four (4) pages (including attachments and charts) using an 11-point font size minimum. The statements may be sent electronically in Microsoft Word or Adobe Portable Document Format (pdf) by 5:00pm U.S. Eastern Standard Time October 15, 2013 to José Luis Núñez, Acquisition and Assistance Specialist, at [email protected].
All responses must be received by the specified due date and time.

Disclaimer and Important Notices
This notice does not obligate USAID to award a contract or grant or otherwise pay for the information provided in the response. USAID reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Respondents are advised that USAID is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. After a review of the responses received, a pre-solicitation synopsis and solicitation may be published on the Federal Business Opportunities website, www.fbo.gov or Federal Grants Opportunities, www.grants.gov. Responses to this notice will not be considered responses to a solicitation.

Confidentiality
No proprietary, confidential or sensitive information should be included in your response. USAID reserves the right to use any non-proprietary information in any resulting solicitation(s).

Bid Protests Not Available