I. Request for Information This Request for Information (RFI) is a preliminary call for expressions of interest to provide services for the activity titled, “Economic Recovery and Development Activity”. USAID/Pakistan’s Economic Recovery and Development Activity (ERDA) is a $20-25 million, five-year (2021-2026) activity designed to expand economic opportunities in the Newly Merged Districts (NMDs) of Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province by strengthening and modernizing the agriculture sector and promoting farm and off-farm micro- and small enterprises (MSEs). Interventions under this activity will promote sustainable economic growth by improving agriculture sector capacity and supporting allied MSEs in the non-agriculture sectors. Additionally, the activity will leverage planned public sector development initiatives and will support policy reforms to create an enabling environment for private sector investments in sectors that offer the highest potential for economic growth. The activity will provide targeted technical assistance to the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (GoKP) to maximize the impact of planned public sector economic growth initiatives in the NMDs and promote sustainable economic activity in the region. In addition, USAID seeks input regarding our proposed approach listed in Attachment A. The place of performance for this activity is Newly Merged Districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province of Pakistan. USAID/Pakistan intends to issue one Award for the provision of these services. The period of performance under this award will be for five years. An estimated award ceiling is between $20 - $25 million. The selected awardee will be required to successfully register their organization to operate in Pakistan and obtain the necessary No Objection Certificate from the concerned host government agencies. Also the organizations will be subject to partner vetting requirements. As per the USAID/Pakistan’s Vetting Mission Order, key individuals of the offeror and that of any proposed sub-awardees will be required to comply with the vetting requirement. Interested parties wishing to participate should submit an expression of interest (5-10 pages) which addresses their capacity and capability for performing this activity. USAID relies on the recency and relevancy of past performance information when determining awards to recipients. Recency is defined as the awards recipient has performance as either a prime or subrecipient within the last 3-5 years. Relevancy is defined as awards the recipient has received for projects with a similar scope and magnitude as this requirement. Please include three examples of past performance history meeting this criteria. HOW TO SUBMIT A RESPONSE Interested parties wishing to participate should submit their capabilities statements electronically to
[email protected] with a copy to Mr. Aaqib Hameed at
[email protected]. Responses to this RFI will be accepted through as stated above in response due date. You will receive only an electronic confirmation acknowledging receipt of your response, but will not receive individualized feedback or suggestions. Responses may contribute to upcoming activity design(s). However, this RFI will not be construed as a commitment by the U.S. Government to issue any solicitation, award any grant, or pay for any information submitted as a result of this request. Responders are responsible for adequately marking proprietary or restricted information contained in their response. No basis for claims against the U.S. Government shall arise as a result of a response to this Request for Information or from the U.S. Government’s use of such information. Specific questions about this RFI should be directed only to the email addresses identified above. This office will not respond to any telephone or other inquiries regarding this notice. The submitted information must not exceed 10 pages. The submitted response should include: Reference Number: ERDA Name / Email Affiliation/ Organization Address Short narrative, including capabilities, strengths, and expected contributions; Comments on ERDA objectives; Questions/clarifications regarding our proposed strategy listed in Attachment A; and Experience - Past Performance references (3). Please attach any documents that support your comments to the above questions. Please note USAID is not seeking technical or cost proposals at this time. Do not submit any proposal/application at this time in response to this RFI. Only the information as requested above or in Attachment A will be considered. Issuance of this notice does not constitute an award commitment to international or local Pakistani not-for-profit organizations on part of the U.S. Government, nor does it commit the Government to pay for any costs incurred in the preparation of comments. Questions regarding this notice can be directed to Mr. Muhammad Ali Bilal, Administrative Agreement Officer, at
[email protected] with a copy to Aaqib Hameed, at
[email protected] and Saadi Akhtar, at
[email protected]. Issued By: USAID/Pakistan’s Office of Acquisition and Assistance