Opportunity Information: Apply for SOL 538 13 000007
Apply for SOL 538 13 000007
- The Dominican Republic USAID Santo Domingo in the other (see text field entitled explanation of other category of funding activity for clarification) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Monitoring" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 98.001 USAID Foreign Assistance for Programs Overseas.
- This funding opportunity was created on Aug 20, 2013 and posted on Aug 20, 2013.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Oct 15, 2013. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $6,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.
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Opportunity Summary:
This opportunity is a USAID Sources Sought notice (Funding Opportunity Number SOL 538 13 000007) issued by the USAID Mission to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean (USAID/BEC). It is not a request for proposals or applications, and it does not commit USAID to make an award. The notice is essentially a market survey meant to identify local, regional, or international organizations that have the capacity and interest to implement and manage a multi-country monitoring and evaluation (M&E) effort. The overall intent is to strengthen the ability of development institutions, universities, and NGOs across the eastern and southern Caribbean to carry out high-quality monitoring, evaluation, and performance management functions.
USAID/BEC’s broader development portfolio in the region includes improving employability and job options for vulnerable youth, reforming juvenile justice systems, improving education access and quality, strengthening parliamentary function, building climate change adaptation capacity, and expanding life skills that support success at work and healthy homes. The Mission works with national governments, NGOs, and international organizations across ten countries: Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago. Within that context, USAID is exploring engagement with an implementing organization or institution (local, regional, or international) to improve performance management at multiple levels, so the Mission and its partners can make better-informed strategic and management decisions and strengthen development learning. A key theme is institutional strengthening: USAID places special emphasis on building or reinforcing existing capacity in a way that helps establish a self-sustaining entity capable of providing high-quality M&E services not only for USAID-funded activities, but potentially for other donors across the region.
The notice outlines four main work areas. First, it seeks increased frequency and improved quality of project monitoring to strengthen project management and results. This includes collecting data beyond the Mission’s Performance Management Plan (PMP) indicators, drawing from project M&E plans, sub-activity reporting, field monitoring reports, and relevant secondary data from stakeholders. It also includes conducting annual Data Quality Assessments (DQAs) for both the General Development Office (GDO) and project-level indicators. In addition, the implementing organization would support USAID staff involved in M&E through training, improving or redesigning reporting tools, analyzing management practices, and providing third-party quality control. There is also an expectation of collaboration with partner government representatives through training and technical assistance to monitor, assess, or evaluate activities, described as being on a cost-share basis.
Second, the effort aims to increase how effectively lessons learned are generated and used through impact monitoring and evaluation follow-up. The implementing organization would help the GDO develop and track a forward-looking evaluation and assessment plan that lays out what will be evaluated, when, why, and with what research questions. It would also conduct high-quality monitoring and results reporting consistent with USAID guidance, track management responses and follow-up actions tied to evaluations and audits, and support the presentation and dissemination of findings to a range of stakeholders. Where requested, the organization would also conduct outreach to broaden the uptake and influence of key lessons learned.
Third, the project emphasizes establishing and implementing performance management systems and policies. This includes assisting the Mission with performance management information systems that support monitoring, measurement, and reporting; tracking compliance with USAID and Mission performance management requirements (including ADS, relevant policies, and Mission Orders); and training staff while providing ongoing advisory support and customer support for any new tools or applications introduced. Another component is translating, analyzing, and presenting regional socioeconomic information so it can be used in results reporting and to inform evaluations and assessments. Finally, this work area includes convening and supporting an M&E users group that brings together performance management specialists from USAID/BEC partner organizations to discuss issues jointly with USAID staff.
Fourth, the opportunity focuses on building lasting local capacity for performance management in the region. The implementing organization would conduct monitoring, assessment, analysis, and evaluation services as needed; develop standard operating procedures (SOPs) that clarify how organizations implement and use M&E for project management and results achievement; and support the creation of a local "spin-off" organization that can provide M&E technical services and training throughout the Caribbean. This element signals USAID’s interest in long-term sustainability beyond the life of a single award.
In terms of scale and logistics, USAID anticipated a five-year period of performance (2014 to 2019) with an estimated total value of USD 6,000,000, subject to funding availability, and expected to make one award. Work would cover all ten USAID/BEC countries, with a single office based in Bridgetown, Barbados. The funding instrument type listed includes cooperative agreement, grant, and procurement contract, reflecting that USAID was still determining the most suitable mechanism at the sources sought stage. The opportunity is open to unrestricted applicants (any type of entity), as long as they fit any clarifications in the notice.
To respond, interested organizations were asked to submit a capabilities statement (no more than four pages, minimum 11-point font, including attachments and charts) addressing: existing capacity to deliver high-quality M&E services; what support would be needed to establish a sustainable institution capable of providing high-quality M&E to local and international organizations; the proposed organizational structure to deliver these services; and existing and desired linkages that could provide technical support and training for the organization and local partners. Submissions were to be sent electronically (Word or PDF) by 5:00 pm U.S. Eastern Time on October 15, 2013 to Jose Luis Nunez, Acquisition and Assistance Specialist, at jnunez@usaid.gov. The notice also stresses that responses should not include proprietary, confidential, or sensitive information, and that USAID may use non-proprietary content in any future solicitation.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1) What is this opportunity (SOL 538 13 000007)?
This is a USAID Sources Sought notice issued by the USAID Mission to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean (USAID/BEC). It functions as a market survey to identify organizations that have the capacity and interest to implement and manage a multi-country monitoring and evaluation (M&E) effort.
2) Is this a Request for Proposals (RFP) or an application solicitation?
No. The notice is explicitly not a request for proposals or applications.
3) Does this notice mean USAID will definitely make an award?
No. The notice does not commit USAID to make an award.
4) What is USAID/BEC trying to learn from this Sources Sought notice?
USAID/BEC is surveying the market to identify local, regional, or international organizations that have the capacity and interest to implement and manage a multi-country M&E effort, including strengthening performance management and development learning across the region.
5) What is the overall purpose of the potential M&E effort?
The overall intent is to strengthen the ability of development institutions, universities, and NGOs across the eastern and southern Caribbean to carry out high-quality monitoring, evaluation, and performance management functions so USAID and partners can make better-informed strategic and management decisions.
6) Which countries would this work cover?
The work would cover ten USAID/BEC countries: Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago.
7) Where would the implementing office be based?
The notice anticipates a single office based in Bridgetown, Barbados.
8) What types of organizations can respond?
The opportunity is listed as open to unrestricted applicants (any type of entity), as long as they fit any clarifications in the notice. USAID is interested in local, regional, and international organizations or institutions.
9) What kinds of development areas does USAID/BEC work on in the region (context for the M&E effort)?
The Mission portfolio includes improving employability and job options for vulnerable youth, reforming juvenile justice systems, improving education access and quality, strengthening parliamentary function, building climate change adaptation capacity, and expanding life skills that support success at work and healthy homes.
10) What is USAID especially emphasizing in this notice?
A key theme is institutional strengthening. USAID places special emphasis on building or reinforcing existing capacity to help establish a self-sustaining entity capable of providing high-quality M&E services not only for USAID-funded activities, but potentially for other donors across the region.
11) What are the main work areas described in the notice?
The notice outlines four main work areas:
- Increasing the frequency and improving the quality of project monitoring (including data collection and Data Quality Assessments).
- Increasing effective generation and use of lessons learned through impact monitoring and evaluation follow-up.
- Establishing and implementing performance management systems and policies (including tools, compliance tracking, and user support).
- Building lasting local capacity for performance management, including SOPs and support for a local spin-off organization.
12) What does the first work area (improved project monitoring) include?
It includes increasing monitoring frequency and improving monitoring quality to strengthen project management and results. This involves collecting data beyond the Mission Performance Management Plan (PMP) indicators and drawing on project M&E plans, sub-activity reporting, field monitoring reports, and relevant secondary data from stakeholders.
13) Are Data Quality Assessments (DQAs) part of the scope?
Yes. The notice includes conducting annual Data Quality Assessments (DQAs) for both the General Development Office (GDO) and project-level indicators.
14) What kinds of support to USAID staff are mentioned under the monitoring work area?
The implementing organization would support USAID staff involved in M&E through training, improving or redesigning reporting tools, analyzing management practices, and providing third-party quality control.
15) Is collaboration with partner governments expected?
Yes. The notice describes collaboration with partner government representatives through training and technical assistance to monitor, assess, or evaluate activities, described as being on a cost-share basis.
16) What does the second work area (lessons learned and evaluation follow-up) include?
It includes helping the GDO develop and track a forward-looking evaluation and assessment plan that lays out what will be evaluated, when, why, and with what research questions. It also includes conducting high-quality monitoring and results reporting consistent with USAID guidance, tracking management responses and follow-up actions tied to evaluations and audits, and supporting presentation and dissemination of findings to stakeholders.
17) Does the notice mention outreach to increase the uptake of findings?
Yes. Where requested, the organization would conduct outreach to broaden the uptake and influence of key lessons learned.
18) What does the third work area (performance management systems and policies) include?
This includes assisting the Mission with performance management information systems that support monitoring, measurement, and reporting; tracking compliance with USAID and Mission performance management requirements (including ADS, relevant policies, and Mission Orders); and training staff while providing ongoing advisory support and customer support for any new tools or applications introduced.
19) Is socioeconomic data analysis part of the scope?
Yes. The notice includes translating, analyzing, and presenting regional socioeconomic information for use in results reporting and to inform evaluations and assessments.
20) What is the M&E users group mentioned in the notice?
The notice includes convening and supporting an M&E users group that brings together performance management specialists from USAID/BEC partner organizations to discuss issues jointly with USAID staff.
21) What does the fourth work area (building lasting local capacity) include?
It includes conducting monitoring, assessment, analysis, and evaluation services as needed; developing standard operating procedures (SOPs) that clarify how organizations implement and use M&E for project management and results achievement; and supporting the creation of a local "spin-off" organization that can provide M&E technical services and training throughout the Caribbean.
22) What does USAID mean by a "spin-off" organization in this context?
Based on the notice, it refers to supporting creation of a local entity that can provide M&E technical services and training across the Caribbean, signaling interest in sustainability beyond a single award.
23) What period of performance is anticipated?
USAID anticipated a five-year period of performance (2014 to 2019), subject to funding availability.
24) What is the estimated total value?
The notice lists an estimated total value of USD 6,000,000, subject to funding availability.
25) How many awards does USAID expect to make?
USAID expected to make one award.
26) What funding instrument will be used (grant, cooperative agreement, or contract)?
At the sources sought stage, the listed instrument types include cooperative agreement, grant, and procurement contract. This indicates USAID was still determining the most suitable mechanism.
27) What was required to respond to this Sources Sought notice?
Interested organizations were asked to submit a capabilities statement.
28) What must the capabilities statement cover?
The capabilities statement needed to address:
- Existing capacity to deliver high-quality M&E services.
- What support would be needed to establish a sustainable institution capable of providing high-quality M&E to local and international organizations.
- The proposed organizational structure to deliver these services.
- Existing and desired linkages that could provide technical support and training for the organization and local partners.
29) Is there a page limit or formatting requirement for the capabilities statement?
Yes. The submission was limited to no more than four pages, minimum 11-point font, including attachments and charts.
30) How were submissions supposed to be sent?
Submissions were to be sent electronically in Word or PDF format.
31) What was the submission deadline?
The deadline was 5:00 pm U.S. Eastern Time on October 15, 2013.
32) Who was the point of contact for submission?
Capabilities statements were to be submitted to Jose Luis Nunez, Acquisition and Assistance Specialist, at jnunez@usaid.gov.
33) Can proprietary or confidential information be included in the response?
No. The notice stresses that responses should not include proprietary, confidential, or sensitive information.
34) Can USAID use information from submitted responses later?
Yes. The notice states that USAID may use non-proprietary content in any future solicitation.
35) What is the PMP referenced in the notice?
The notice references the Mission's Performance Management Plan (PMP) indicators in the context of collecting data beyond those indicators. (No additional definition is provided in the text.)
36) What is the GDO referenced in the notice?
The notice refers to the General Development Office (GDO), including DQAs for GDO indicators and support to the GDO for evaluation and assessment planning.
37) What kinds of data sources are mentioned for monitoring?
The notice mentions collecting data from project M&E plans, sub-activity reporting, field monitoring reports, and relevant secondary data from stakeholders, in addition to data beyond PMP indicators.
38) What compliance frameworks are specifically named?
The notice cites compliance with USAID and Mission performance management requirements, including ADS, relevant policies, and Mission Orders.
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