RFP No. TAF-WEP-OCT-2014-041 RFP No. TAF-WEP-OCT-2014-041 The Asia Foundation Afghanistan Program Office: Women Empowerment Program Funding Opportunity Title: Announcement Type: Request For Proposal Funding Opportunity Number: Deadline for Applications: October, 30 2014 (2:30 p.m., Kabul time) CONTACT INFORMATION For further queries regarding the project please contact [email protected]. For administrative queries contact [email protected] and [email protected]. No personal visits or telephone calls shall be entertained. THE PROCUREMENT UNIT The Asia Foundation House # 861, Street # 1 Shirpour, District-10, (Sub Street of Shirpour Project) Kabul, Afghanistan. The Foundation will not be responsible for proposals left at the main gate, reception, guard offices, or handed over to any TAF employee other than the procurement unit staff. CHECKLIST OF DOCUMENTS INCLUDED IN PROPOSAL Documents / Content to be included in the RFP Yes No Technical proposal CVs of key staff and core personnel Summary table of similar projects Letters of recommendation Implementation plan Risk assessment plan Budget and budget narrative M&E strategy/manual distinct from M&E Plan in body of technical Gender equity policy Copies of last two years of annual audit reports Bidder’s declaration € € € € € € € € € € € € € € € € € € € € € € 1 Please explain if “No” has been checked. RFP No. TAF-WEP-OCT-2014-041 Contents I. BACKGROUND SUMMARY............................................................................................................. 2 II. STATEMENT OF WORK ................................................................................................................... 5 III. EXPECTED DELIVERABLES: .......................................................................................................... 9 IV. MONITORING AND EVALUATION .............................................................................................. 10 V. MULTIPLIER EFFECT AND SUSTAINABILITY .......................................................................... 11 VI. GENDER ............................................................................................................................................ 11 VII. BENEFICIARY: ................................................................................................................................. 12 VIII. BUDGET GUIDELINES: .................................................................................................................. 12 IX. INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUBMISSION OF PROPOSAL: ................................................................. 12 X. TIME FRAME .................................................................................................................................... 15 XI. EVALUATION CRITERIA ............................................................................................................... 15 XII. TYPE OF AWARD INSTRUMENT ................................................................................................. 16 XIII. OTHER TERMS AND CONDITIONS .............................................................................................. 16 I. BACKGROUND SUMMARY 2 RFP No. TAF-WEP-OCT-2014-041 The Asia Foundation is a non-profit, non-governmental organization committed to the development of a peaceful, prosperous, just, and open Asia-Pacific region. Drawing on 60 years of experience, the Foundation supports Asian initiatives to improve governance, law, and civil society; women's empowerment; economic reform and development; sustainable development and the environment; and international relations. With a network of 19 offices throughout Asia, an office in Washington, D.C., and its headquarters in San Francisco, the Foundation addresses these issues on both a country and regional level. In Afghanistan, the Foundation supports five primary themes: Governance, Women's Empowerment, Education, Islam and Development, and the Annual Survey of the Afghan People. Project Goals: The project goal is to contribute to a sustained reduction in VAW and sustainable protection of women’s personal security by strengthening formal and informal justice sectors and raising public awareness of women’s rights within an Islamic framework. The project approach, which has been successfully utilized by the Foundation in Afghanistan and other Muslim majority countries, will increase religious institutions’ knowledge and acceptance of the principles of women’s rights within an Islamic framework and build their capacity to be effective advocates for women’s rights in their local communities and provinces. The project’s approach is based on the recognition that religious institutions and leaders have the potential to be key agents of support for the protection of women’s rights and, therefore, human rights. Areas which will be covered by this project in alignment with the outcomes above include: 1) directing women affected by violence to appropriate and relevant community-based or formal justice institutions to provide proper treatment and quality services, and building the capacity of government to deliver those services; 2) through awareness and knowledge transfer, such as trainings on EVAW law and women’s rights, the prevention dimension of VAW will be addressed so men understand women’s rights and women are able to articulate their rights in Islam and laws of Afghanistan; and 3) providing awareness for men and women to increase their knowledge on women’s rights and institutions that they can approach when faced with VAW. The project will also foster linkages between local religious and community leaders and groups, men and women, parliamentarians, researchers and women’s rights activists, to encourage their support for women’s rights and the EVAW law. The Foundation’s experience and past work enables it to apply different, appropriate approaches to handle and work with different types of stakeholders. Regarding the formal justice sector, the Foundation remains sensitive of their needs, specifically their general lack of awareness regarding the rights of women within an Islamic framework, as well as the EVAW law, and lack of institutional capacity. Therefore, the project logic follows that in order to achieve sustainable protection of women, the Foundation and its partners will work with informal and formal justice entities and the public to build their capacity, awareness, and motivation regarding the protection of women from violence, the EVAW law, service provisions and the proper resolution of VAW cases. The objective of the project is to contribute to a sustained reduction in violence against women (VAW) and the sustainable protection of women’s personal security by strengthening the formal 3 RFP No. TAF-WEP-OCT-2014-041 and informal justice sectors and raising public awareness of women’s rights within an Islamic framework. This project seeks to: • • • Increase access to justice for women Decrease violence against women Increase public awareness on women’s rights Outcomes of the Project: Outcome 1: Improved access to quality services in target areas by women affected by violence Outcome 2: Increased VAW cases resolved with positive outcomes for women through informal and formal justice processes, in accordance with women’s rights under Islam and the EVAW Law Outcome 3: Increased community awareness and engagement - among men and women - in strengthening women's access to justice, prevention of VAW, and women's participation in public life. Note: This RFP only covers the specific activities listed below above under Outcomes 1, 2 and 3. 4 RFP No. TAF-WEP-OCT-2014-041 Methodology and Approach: The project approach, which has been successfully utilized by the Foundation in Afghanistan and other Muslim majority countries, will increase religious institutions’ knowledge and acceptance of the principles of women’s rights within an Islamic framework and build their capacity to be effective advocates for women’s rights in their local communities and provinces. The project’s approach is based on the recognition that religious institutions and leaders have the potential to be key agents of support for the protection of women’s rights and human rights. Areas which will be covered by this project, in alignment with the outcomes above, include: 1) directing women affected by violence to appropriate and relevant community-based or formal institutions to access proper treatment and quality services, and building the capacity of government to deliver those services; 2) through awareness and knowledge transfer, such as trainings on EVAW law and women’s rights, the prevention dimension of VAW will be addressed so that men understand women’s rights and women are able to articulate their rights under Islam and the laws of Afghanistan; and 3) providing awareness for men and women to increase their knowledge on women’s rights and institutions that they can approach when faced with VAW. The Asia Foundation is a non-profit, non-governmental organization committed to the development of a peaceful, prosperous, just, and open Asia-Pacific region. The Foundation supports programs in Asia that help improve governance, women's empowerment and women’s rights, Education, and Islam and Development. Drawing on more than 60 years of experience in Asia, the Foundation collaborates with private and public partners to support leadership and institutional development, exchanges, and policy research. With a network of 19 offices throughout Asia, an office in Washington, D.C., and its headquarters in San Francisco, the Foundation addresses these issues on both a country and regional level II. STATEMENT OF WORK The Purpose of this RFP is to seek national institutions with experience in working with religious scholars, governmental institutions, women’s rights activists, civil society, and community leaders in order to implement the following activities: Outcome 1: Improved access to quality services in target areas by women affected by violence Activity 1.1: Deliver technical assistance to MoWA’s Women’s Protection Centers Directorate. Implementing partner will hire one management expert for one year in each province of its responsibility to provide EVAW Law trainings, existing policies trainings, paralegal trainings, and case/file management trainings to DOWA’s Women Protection Centers and any other topics determined after needs assessment of Women Protection Centers and EVAW Committees in the provinces. In addition to providing training, the expert will mentor staff in applying training. This management expert will build capacity of mentioned organizations. Possible areas requiring expert’s attention may include but are not limited to: case management training, file management, 5 RFP No. TAF-WEP-OCT-2014-041 training on Women’s Rights in Islam, etc,, all areas to be identified and developed by the implementing partners. Outcome 2: Increased VAW cases resolved with positive outcomes for women through informal and formal justice processes, in accordance with women’s rights under Islam and the EVAW Law. Activity 2.1: Training of Trainers (ToT) for religious leaders on 18 booklets of Women’s Rights in Islam. The implementing partner’s personnel will travel to the provinces to select 48 male religious leaders or Community Dialogue Group (CDG) facilitators/trainers (8 in each province who will then establish their CDGs (Community Dialogue Groups) in their respective areas. They will also select 12 mobile trainers (these mobile trainers will provide lectures on women rights issue to students in schools and Madrassas) in six targeted provinces (two in each province) and train them on EVAW law and women’s rights in Islam topics which will be provided by the Foundation. (Please provide criteria under which you will select these religious leaders/imams in target provinces). Under this activity and after selection of the male CDG facilitators, the following ToT trainings are required for the selected CDG facilitators and mobile trainers of activity 3.4: • • • Hiring two master trainers in each province on EVAW Law and Women’s Rights in Islam in the capital of each province. Training on 18 booklets of women’s rights in Islam, tolerance, and corruption for 8 CDG facilitators and two mobile trainers in each province. These booklets will be covered in 10 individual one-day trainings, one per month. One two-day training on EVAW law for the 8 CDG facilitators and two mobile trainers in each province. Curriculum will be provided by the Foundation. Activity 2.2: Train male CDGs members on women’s rights, the EVAW Law, tolerance and anticorruption. The partner will train 8 male CDGs (each CDG consist of 15 members) in each province on women’s rights in Islam 18 booklets and EVAW Law. It is important that individuals (men CDG members) are influential members of the community and religious leaders who have influence in decision-making. The trainings must be distributed once per month for one year, totaling 10 trainings. • • Trainings for 8 male CDGs on 18 booklets of women’s rights in Islam in each province. These booklets will be covered in ten individual one-day trainings. One training on EVAW Law in each province for 8 male CDGs. This is a two day training. Activity 2.3: Establish Family Resolution Centers (FRCs) The implementing partner will establish two Family Resolution Centers (FRCs) per province totaling 12 FRCs in six target provinces. Each FRC will include six members comprised of traditional and religious leaders, school teachers, representatives from DoWAs, Ulama Council members, family court judges, and those influential male and female leaders that are members of Shuras/Jirga’s. FRCs will meet on a regular as well as ad hoc basis based on the cases received. The FRCs will provide advice and counseling for those women who are victims of violence, those 6 RFP No. TAF-WEP-OCT-2014-041 that directly seek the FRCs or are referred by CDGs or other individuals, and formal and informal institutions. The proposed FRCs are expected to resolve an average of two cases per month. The partners will provide trainings on women’s rights, tolerance, anti-corruption, conflict resolution, case reporting and registration skills and techniques. The members will be supported through small monthly stipends for their transportation and communication within the FRCs and with other stakeholders. These FRCs will work for one year. • • • Training on 18 booklets of women rights in Islam for FRC members in each province. These booklets will be trained in 10 individual one-day trainings. These trainings will occur once per month. One training on conflict resolution and case registration in each province. This is one threeday training for FRC members in each province for six total trainings. One two-day training on EVAW Law in each province for FRC members. Activity 2.4: Conduct Training of Trainers for formal justice sector actors such as prosecutors, judges, and police. Implementing Partner will select two trainers/facilitators in each of the targeted province who will receive Trainings of Trainers (ToT) on the EVAW law and women’s rights from master trainers of the partner organization. These trained trainers will conduct trainings for formal justice sector’s employees in Activity 2.5 and 2.6; the ToT trainings are as below: • • Nine individual days of training on 18 booklets of women’s rights in Islam in each province (two booklets per day). These trainings should occur once per month. One two-day training on EVAW law in each province. Activity 2.5: Train police, prosecutors, and judges on EVAW Law, women’s rights within Islam, and tolerance. Implementing partner will train approximately 20 participants per province from the formal justice sector including prosecutors, judges, and Family Response Units (FRUs) of police department on 18 booklets of women’s rights and EVAW law. Trainings on 18 booklets of women’s rights in Islam in each province for 20 participants from the formal justice sector group. These booklets should be trained in 12 separate oneday trainings. One two-day training on EVAW law in each province for 20 participants of formal justice sector group. This will be conducted for two consecutive days. • Activity 2.6: Train prosecutors, judges, and FRUs on VAW case resolution. Implementing partner will train approximately 20 participants (who participated in 2.5 activity’ training) per province from the formal justice sector including prosecutors, judges, and Family Response Units (FRUs) for three days on VAW case resolution focusing on identifying ‘actors’ or stakeholders related to VAW cases, how cases will be referred among stakeholders including governmental entities, identifying lawyers if needed for victims, identifying victim’s advocates, if available, etc., all with the goal of expediting VAW cases and securing a greater number of prosecutions of these cases. 7 RFP No. TAF-WEP-OCT-2014-041 • Training on basic and advanced conflict resolution and case management in each province for 20 formal justice sector employees group. This will be conducted for three consecutive days. Activity 2.8: Provide training to Special VAW Unit in Attorney Office. Implementing partner will build capacity of the Attorney Offices Special EVAW Units in the field of management to improve functioning of this unit. Partner will hire one management expert for one year in each province to work with this unit after conducting a comprehensive need assessment survey of these units. Possible areas requiring expert’s attention may include but are not limited to: case management training, file management, training on Women’s Rights in Islam, etc, all areas to be identified and developed by the implementing partners. Activity 2.9: Conduct Training of Trainers for female CDG facilitators on women’s rights within Islam, and EVAW Law. Personnel of implementing partner will travel to provinces to select 48 female CDG facilitators/trainers (8) in each province. These selected trainers will be trained on 18 booklets of women’s rights in Islam and EVAW law. • • Trainings on 18 booklets of women’s rights in Islam in each province for 8 CDG facilitators in each province. These booklets will be covered in 10 separate one-day ToT trainings. One two-day training on EVAW Law in each province for 8 CDG facilitators. Activity 2.10: Establish women CDGs to promote women’s rights within Islam and the EVAW Law. The partner will train 8 female CDGs (each CDG consist of 15 members) in each province on women’s rights in Islam 18 booklets and EVAW Law. It is important that Individuals (women CDG members) should be influential member of community, religious leaders who have influence in decision-making. The trainings must be distributed in a way to happen one each month for CDG members in one year. • • Trainings for 8 female CDGs on 18 booklets of women’s rights in Islam in each province. These booklets will be covered in 10 separate one-day trainings, one per month. One two-day training on EVAW Law in each province for 8 female CDGs. Activity 2.11: Train female instructors and university students of law on compatibility of EVAW Law with Shar’iah. Key female instructors – 20 participants per province which makes a total 120 instructors and university students in six provinces who will receive trainings on the EVAW law and women’s rights within an Islamic framework. This will promote sustainability as they pass on the curriculum at the institutions where they teach. In partnership with the MoHE, the implementing partner’s master trainers will train instructors and university students who can then pass along key messages about women’s rights in Islam and other issues such as tolerance and anti-corruption to their students and peers. Trainers will provide materials to the teachers, as appropriate, to be taken by students to their homes, so they may find their way to the members of the family who cannot access this information through other means. 8 RFP No. TAF-WEP-OCT-2014-041 • 18 individual one-day trainings regarding booklets based on student schedules to be determined. Outcome 3: Increased community awareness and engagement--among men and women--in strengthening women's access to justice, prevention of VAW, and women's participation in public life. Activity 3.1: Train Khateebs on women’s rights within Islam and the EVAW Law. In order to create an enabling environment of support for women to access their rights, the general public needs to understand the importance and moral obligation incumbent upon each Muslim to support women’s access to their rights in Islam. The Friday sermon is a key vehicle to convey to the public each Muslim’s moral obligation to end violence and support women’s rights. Twenty Khateebs from each province will be trained by the master trainers to give informative sermons. The Khateebs will receive training on the concepts of the booklets and meet quarterly to discuss sermons, schedules, and hear from motivational speakers on the topics. A total number of 120Khateebs (20khateebs x 6 provinces) will be trained in the 6 target provinces. This group of 20 Khateebs per province will receive a two-day EVAW law training as well. After receiving trainings these speakers would deliver speeches on the 18 topics. • • Training on 18 booklets of women’s rights in Islam in each province for 20 Khateebs. Trainings should cover one booklet in each of 18 individual trainings. One two-day training on EVAW law in each province for 20 Khateebs. Activity 3.2: Provide trainings on women’s rights and the EVAW Law in boys’ and girls’ schools and madrasas. A group of local mobile Trainers (two per province), who will be recruited and trained under activity 2.1 from the religious scholars and leaders in the community. The trainers shall have the necessary religious knowledge and credibility in the community. In coordination with the MoE, the mobile trainers will introduce the 18 topics through morning assemblies in at least four schools and will train 60 teachers (15 teacher per school x 4 school in one province = 60 teachers) of each targeted province on the 18 booklets using the phased approach (various schools/madrasas, male and female). The total number of teachers, male and female, who will be trained on EVAW law and women’s rights booklets, is 360in total (60teachers per province x 6 provinces). Trainers will provide materials to the teachers, as appropriate, to be taken by students to their homes. • • • III. 18 individual days of training on 18 booklets of women’s rights in Islam for school teachers from boys and girls schools in each province, one booklet per training. One two-day training on EVAW law for 60 school teachers in each province from four boys and girls schools. Hiring 12 mobile trainers (two per province, one male and one female) for one year to travel to four schools and Madrassas (boys and girls) in each province and introduce 18 booklets of women’s rights in the morning assemblies. EXPECTED DELIVERABLES: 9 RFP No. TAF-WEP-OCT-2014-041 1. Hire one management expert for one year in each province to build the capacity of the DOWAs – Women’s Protection Center employees 2. Hire two master trainers (one male, one female) per province to train CDG facilitators on women’s rights and EVAW Law 3. Hire and train 8 male CDGs facilitators per province on women’s rights and EVAW Law 4. Establish 8 male CDGs in each province and train them on women’s rights and EVAW law over a period of one year 5. Establish two operational family resolution committees per province for a period of one year 6. Train 20 employees of the formal justice sector including prosecutors, judges, and Family Response Units (FRUs) in each province on women’s rights and EVAW law 7. Train 20 employees of the formal justice sector including prosecutors, judges, and Family Response Units (FRUs) in each province on case management 8. Build the capacity of the EVAW Special Unit in Attorney General’s Office in each province through hiring a management expert for a period of one year 9. Hire and train 8 female facilitators per province on women’s rights and EVAW Law for CDGs 10. Establish 8 female CDGs per province and train them on women’s rights for a period of one year 11. Train 40 school teachers and university students per province on women’s rights and EVAW Law 12. Train 20 Khateebs per province on women’s rights and EVAW Law 13. Hire two mobile trainers per province to travel to four schools (two boys’ schools and two girls’ schools) and train 60 teachers (30 male, 30 female) in each province 14. All activities explained under scope of work shall be implemented in best quality. IV. MONITORING AND EVALUATION The Asia Foundation is committed to employing a robust Monitoring and Evaluation system in order to support quality monitoring and evaluation and effective and efficient program management by the Foundation and its Implementing Partners. While a standardized system, the Foundation’s M&E system is designed around each individual project in order to capture and assess associated outcomes. Furthermore, this system ensures that all interventions are appropriate, relevant, and well-coordinated. Foundation monitoring introduces real-time best practices that inform the design of ongoing activities. While the Foundation does not require implementing partners to themselves implement our own monitoring and evaluation system, proposals must include a detailed M&E plan which should 10 RFP No. TAF-WEP-OCT-2014-041 include output- and outcome-based indicators, baseline and target for each indicator, disaggregation if applicable, monitoring and evaluation tools, data source/s, and frequency of monitoring and evaluation. Implementing partners must comply with the following requirements in order to be considered eligible for the proposed proposal: • • • • • Provide log frame or results framework Detailed PMP Short description of M&E system Beneficiary feedback mechanisms Description of lessons learned sharing practices V. MULTIPLIER EFFECT AND SUSTAINABILITY Sustainability is a primary concern of the Foundation and should be carefully considered in the design of all program objectives and activities. The Foundation ensures that its approach is sustainable by investing heavily in the capacity of local partners and institutions and by creating and nurturing a network of CSOs. Proposals should clearly delineate how elements of their program will have a multiplier effect and be sustainable beyond the life of the grant. A good multiplier effect may include plans to build lasting networks for direct and indirect beneficiaries, follow-on training and mentoring, and Continued use of project deliverables. A strong sustainability plan may include capacity-building results or garnering other donor support after funding ceases. VI. GENDER The Asia Foundation considers gender equality to be a critical cross-cutting theme and is committed to incorporating strategies to protect and promote the rights of women and girls into all aspects of organizational programming. Recognizing that discrimination can take a multitude of forms, The Asia Foundation is committed to dismantling barriers that reinforce the marginalization of women and girls. The Asia Foundation’s approach to programming is consistent with the relevant provisions of the Constitution of Afghanistan (2004) and relevant national laws such as the law on the Elimination of Violence Against Women (2009), in promoting gender equality, gender justice and women’s rights. Further, the integration of gender considerations into all aspects of programming reinforces The Asia Foundation’s commitment to upholding the three pillars of development as outlined in the National Action Plan for the Women of Afghanistan (NAPWA), which include 1) Security; 2) Governance, Rule of Law, and Human Rights; and 3) Economic and Social Development. 11 RFP No. TAF-WEP-OCT-2014-041 The Asia Foundation therefore requires all implementing partners and sub-grantees to identify and integrate gender considerations into all aspects of project development, planning and implementation. Implementing partners and sub-grantees are also required to establish systems to evaluate the measurable impact of project interventions against gender-sensitive indicators to ensure that project activities comply with The Asia Foundation’s commitment to protecting and promoting the rights of women and girls and preventing discrimination. VII. BENEFICIARY: Programs teams must include targeted beneficiaries of this grant and activities. VIII. BUDGET GUIDELINES: Please refer to attached budget template in designing budget. Size of grants Any grant awarded under this program must fall between the following minimum and maximum amounts: • Minimum amount for activities per province : USD = 130,000.00 and Maximum USD =140,000.00 • Minimum amount for management cost per province: USD =15,000.00 and Maximum USD = 20,000.00 Please do not mix activity cost with management cost in your budget. Use the Foundation format for budget. The financial/cost of partners will be evaluated according to the below criteria laid down in this document. IX. INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUBMISSION OF PROPOSAL: Rules of this call for proposals: These guidelines set out the rules for the submission, selection and implementation of actions financed under the program. Eligibility of applicants: Who may apply? In order to be eligible for a grant, applicants must be: • • • Organizations registered with the government of Afghanistan. Organizations working with civil society. National organization with proven experience operating and managing similar projects for international organizations or the government of Afghanistan. 12 RFP No. TAF-WEP-OCT-2014-041 • • • • Have strong networking team and strategy to reach project beneficiaries in all targeted areas. Have strong management team. Have good relationships with related governmental institutions and policy makers. Be directly responsible for the preparation and management of the action (not acting as intermediary). Applicants are excluded from participation in calls for proposals or the award of grants if, at the time of the call for proposals, they: • • • Are subject to a conflict of interest. Are guilty of misrepresentation in supplying the information required by the contracting authority as a condition of participation in the call for proposals or fail to supply this information. Have attempted to obtain confidential information or influence the evaluation committee or the contracting authority during the evaluation process of current or previous calls for proposals. It is important to mention in your proposal technical details regarding scope of operation. Number of proposals and grants per applicant: Applicants may submit only one proposal for this particular action. How to apply and procedures to follow: A separate cover letter including the name, address, and telephone number of the applicant organization, and signed by the person or persons authorized to represent the agency should accompany the proposal submission. Financial Proposal and Technical Proposal Envelopes MUST BE COMPLETELY SEPARATE and each must be clearly marked on the outside as either “TECHNICAL PROPOSAL” or “FINANCIAL PROPOSAL” when submitted. Applications must be in English and accompanied by the following documents: 1. Technical proposal (not to exceed 20 pages). Please use 12-point times new roman font, single-spaced, with appropriate margins; 2. CVs of key staff and core personnel. Please limit individual CVs to three pages; 3. A summary table explaining when, where, and how the applicant has implemented similar projects; 4. Letters of recommendation from previous projects from donors and international organizations; 5. Detailed implementation plan showing major activities and how they will be implemented over 12 months. Please include start up activities. A narrative will not be accepted 13 RFP No. TAF-WEP-OCT-2014-041 6. Risk assessment plan 7. Detailed Budget along with budget narrative. Please use the budget format provided. Do not use your own format 8. M&E strategy (preferably M&E manual) 9. Gender equity policy 10. Copies of the agency’s annual audit reports (Last two years, or if new organization written explanation) 11. Bidder’s Declaration: Potential bidders must disclose any relationships e.g. friends, family, business etc. with Foundation staff Applicants are to submit: Four (4) hard copies of the technical proposal in a sealed envelope and one (1) original hard copy of the Financial Proposal in sealed envelope marked in the upper left-hand corner with the name and address of the Applicant and the RFP title. All interested applicants bidding for a project through this RFP are required to mention their DUNS # (in bold) on first page of the proposal. The supporting documents requested must be supplied in the form of originals or photocopies. Where such documents are in a language other than English, a faithful translation into English must be attached and will be used to evaluate the proposal. All proposals should be signed only by an authorized representative of the applicant. The deadline for the receipt of applications is October, 30 2014 at 2:30 PM, Kabul. All proposals should be directed to the attention of: THE PROCUREMENT UNIT The Asia Foundation House # 861, Street # 1 Shirpour, District-10, (Sub Street of Shirpour Project) Kabul, Afghanistan. The Foundation will not be responsible for proposals left at the main gate, reception, guard offices, or handed over to any TAF employee other than the procurement unit staff. For further queries regarding the project please contact [email protected] For administrative queries contact [email protected] and [email protected]. No personal visits or telephone calls shall be entertained. 14 RFP No. TAF-WEP-OCT-2014-041 • TIME FRAME Announcement of RFP Pre-Bid Conference (October, 19, 2014 at 10:00 AM) Responses to pre-bid questions published Last date for submission of Proposal Evaluation of proposals and identification of agency Agreement with selected agency October 16, 2014 October 19, 2014 October 23, 2014 October 30, 2014 If you would like to attend the pre bid meeting, send your contact to the procurement one day before the meeting. NB: Those attending pre-bid conference will not be admitted after 10:00 AM. Late bids/proposals will not be accepted under any circumstances. Any Proposal received by TAF after the deadline for submission of proposals shall be declared late, rejected, and returned unopened to the proposer. Any correction or resubmission done by the Proposer will not extend the submittal due date. Once submitted, proposals cannot be altered without the prior written consent of the TAF-AG proposal review committee. All short-listed bidders will be informed following the selection process their status with regard to selection and shortlisting. • EVALUATION CRITERIA How proposals will be evaluated and selected: All Applications/proposals will be examined and evaluated by a committee constituted by the contracting authority comprising of members from the program team, PMO (Program Management Office) and Grants, who will evaluate proposals from both a technical and financial standpoint. Applications/proposals submitted by applicants will be assessed according to the following criteria: 15 RFP No. TAF-WEP-OCT-2014-041 • TYPE OF AWARD INSTRUMENT Area Technical Approach Monitoring and Evaluation Organizational Capacity Personnel/ Key Staff Interview Cost/Budget Comments Score Clarity and appropriateness of scope in the proposed technical approach with 25 demonstrated understanding of project goals and component tasks. Simple and clear approach to project implementation and delivery of services. Project serves beneficiaries and engages relevant stakeholders. Detailed and logical PMP showing defined performance indicators etc. 10 Institutional profile, background, expertise, clientage, experience with similar projects, and operational and financial capacity. The Foundation reserves the right to visit organizations for due diligence purposes. Relevant experience and technical knowledge of team leader and proposed staff, including CVs and professional references. Top candidates will be given the opportunity to provide additional information through interviews at the Foundation. An overall assessment of strengths and weaknesses and institutional suitability will be made at this time. Reasonableness and appropriateness of cost. Clear budget alignment between level of effort, technical approach, and deliverables. 15 10 15 25 TAF-AG will issue a Service Agreement to the selected agency, which will be as per TAF‘s internal policies and will be governed by TAF’s Rules, Regulations and Guidelines. Payments to the NGO will be made as per the payment schedule, which will be negotiable and finalized while signing the agreement. • OTHER TERMS AND CONDITIONS TAF project-specific Marking and Branding regulations may apply to all deliverables produced from this assignment. TAF-AG is not bound to select any of the agencies submitting proposals. As quality is the principal selection criterion, TAF-AG also does not bind itself in any way to select the agency offering The lowest price. The cost for preparing a proposal and of negotiating an award including visits to the TAF-AG office, if any is not reimbursable as a direct cost of the assignment. Both for-profit and not –forProfit agencies may apply for this RFP, interested not-for-profit agencies should provide a copy of their registration certificate as a not-for-profit agency. Important Note: TAF Afghanistan encourages proposals from both new implementing partners (IP’s) and those with existing projects, but partners currently implementing two projects with the Foundation will be considered only if their current project completion date precedes the starting date specified in the current RFP. 16 RFP No. TAF-WEP-OCT-2014-041 Finally, this RFP does not obligate the Foundation to award a contract nor does it commit TAF to pay any cost incurred in the preparation and submission of a proposal. Award of a Contract under this RFP is subject to availability of funds and other internal Foundation approvals. ANNEXES: 1- Proposal Budget format 2- CV template 3- Office map – direction For the annexes please check the same RFP on ACBAR (More Downloads) 17
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