Sources Sought Notice This is a Sources Sought Notice. This is not a request for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations. It is a survey to identify potential sources. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is performing this market research to determine if an adequate number of organizations are interested in and capable of implementing and managing a program to support transparency and accountability functions within targeted ministries of the Government of the Republic of Zambia(GRZ). Purpose/Objective Zambia has made significant progress in the health and education sectors with positive and tangible outcomes. The country has also made positive strides in governance efficacy, formalizing public-management policies and introducing financial management systems consistent with international standards. However, significant challenges remain to effective public resource management at the ministries of health and education, particularly at the local level, adversely impacting the delivery of public services in those sectors. Annual reports from the Zambian Auditor General, anti-corruption indices from international organizations, and strategic plans from government ministries all highlight systemic constraints to accountable and transparent public service delivery in the health and education sectors. These include missing payment vouchers, unsupported payments, unretired imprests, unaccounted-for funds and stock, failure to follow procurement procedures, and misapplication of public funds. Such weaknesses undermine the long-term sustainability of government and donor investments and complicate the desired shift to domestic financing of service delivery. To reverse these trends, various international donors, together with the GRZ, are working to strengthen national systems including procurement standards and internal audit functions. The United States Government, in collaboration with the GRZ, intends to support this work by strengthening transparency and accountability functions within the ministries of education and health and to extend existing initiatives to the local level. Support will include technical assistance in procurement, audit, and financial/accounting services as well as other related areas. The Accountable Governance for Improved Service Delivery (AGIS) project will work at the national level and in targeted provinces and districts to complement other USAID investments in health and education. AGIS will cooperate directly with the USAID-funded, citizen demand-side, Fostering Accountability and Transparency (FACT) project that is currently ongoing. FACT is building the ability of citizens to participate in local governance structures and to demand accountability in the delivery of public services. AGIS will support relevant government entities to meet this increased citizen demand for transparent and accountable service delivery. AGIS will build staff capacity to efficiently and effectively implement existing procurement and auditing policies and guidelines. The project will also help the GRZ to reform those policies and practices in need of improvement. Project Requirements: 1. Technical expertise working with national and local governments to improve and apply local and international procurement and auditing standards and practices. 2. Technical expertise in capacity building: mentorship and training to ministry of education and ministry of health staff, including: a. Appropriate professional development in procurement and auditing. b. Risk management and mitigation. c. Public sector accounting and financial management systems. d. Implementation of anti-corruption systems and measures. 3. Proven successful track record working in direct partnership with government ministries and encouraging collaboration between sector-specific ministries. 4. Experience coordinating with other national and international partners to avoid duplication of work and ensure complementarity of results. Supplementary Information Included with this notice are several relevant sources of contextual and background information, either as an attachment of as a website link: 1. Public Procurement Act: http://say-zambia.org:8080/jspui/handle/123456789/368 2. National Anti-corruption Policy: http://say-zambia.org:8080/jspui/handle/123456789/361 3. 2013 Auditor General's Report: http://www.ago.gov.zm/reports/Main/2013%20OAG%20REPORT%20FINAL%20REPORT.pdf 4. 2012 UNCAC Zambia anti-corruption report: document attached 5. Zambian Ministry of Finance's Internal Audit Manual: document attached 6. USAID FACT Project - Program Description: document attached Anticipated Period and Place of Performance The anticipated period of performance is 5 years beginning o/a September, 2016 for a total estimated cost between $5 million and $10 million dollars subject to funds availability. The project will be implemented at the national level and in selected districts countrywide. Submission Guidelines Interested organizations should submit a statement addressing the following: 1. Capacity of your organization to perform the work described above 2. Organization size. Please specify if your organization is a small business concern 3. Past experience implementing similar project activities 4. Sample of challenges encountered and creative solutions employed to overcome those challenges 5. Experience working with other stakeholders, including implementing partners on the ground, host country government officials. 6. If you are an international organization, are you willing and able to field needed expatriate assistance (long-term and/or short-term) within the total estimated cost? Statements sent in response to this sources sought notice should not exceed three (3) single - sided pages (including attachments and charts) using an 11 - point font size minimum. Send the statements electronically in Microsoft word or Adobe Portable document format (pdf) by February 26, 2016, 17:00 Local Zambian Time to: Ali Nader Contracting Officer USAID/Zambia
[email protected] Disclaimer and Important Notes This notice does not obligate the USAID to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in the response, USAID reserves the right to use information provided by the 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.fedbizopps.gov. Reponses 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).