USAID Linkages for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises program

Dear Interested Parties, The United States Agency for International Development in Vietnam (USAID/Vietnam) intends to issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a five-year contract for USAID/Vietnam Linkages for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (LinkSME) program. USAID intends to use full and open competition for this procurement. The solicitation is anticipated to be released in about two weeks and will be made available electronically upon its release to www.fbo.gov. Vietnam has had one of the world's fastest rates of growth over the past 20 years, but its growth rates have been slowing in recent years. This has raised concerns that Vietnam may be falling into the middle income trap. Given this situation, the Government of Vietnam has made raising productivity and increasing value-added production a high priority as part of its plan to modernize and grow its economy. One way to do this is by strengthening the linkages between domestic firms and global value chains. The purpose of the LinkSME program will be to bring about systemic changes in business relationships between Vietnamese Small and Medium-sized Enterprises and Global Value Chains companies: Significant increases in the quantity and/or quality of business linkages between Vietnamese SME-firms and global value chains. Prospective Offerors are advised that this procurement is subject to internal USAID approvals and the availability of funds. This is NOT an Invitation for Bid (IFB) or a Request for Proposal (RFP) and in no way obligates the US Government to issue an RFP/IFB and/or award a contract. This notice satisfies the synopsis requirement in FAR 5.2. If a solicitation is issued, all necessary information will be supplied at the time it is posted at www.fbo.gov. Questions/requests for information will not be responded to until RFP issuance. Interested parties are advised to periodically monitor the above website and solicitation number for updates concerning this procurement. Sincerely, /s/ Michael Capobianco Contracting Officer