Extractives Technical Assistance Activity (ETAA)

Title: Extractives Technical Assistance Activity (ETAA) Solicitation Number: SOL-306-16-000009 Notice Type: Pre-solicitation Notice NAICS Code: 213112 The United States Government, represented by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), anticipates issuing a solicitation for a new USAID/Afghanistan activity to provide technical and financial assistance to the Ministry of Mines & Petroleum (MoMP), Government of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (GIRoA). This is a USAID effort to support the MoMP priorities to build a foundation for sustainable and efficient development and exploitation of petroleum and mineral resources to fuel economic development and growth for the benefit of the Afghan population, while reducing and eliminating illicit practices. The following types of assistance could be included as support to the MoMP's priority of building an institutional, regulatory and human resource foundation for the sector with its priority on developing/exploiting petroleum resources: - Provide technical assistance in order to strengthen the institutional capacity of MoMP, with emphasis on technical trainings and training in international mining and petroleum industry business practices, including commercially focused planning. - Illustrative Activity: Assist MoMP in utilizing gas reserve information in order to obtaining private investment to develop or re-develop known gas prospects. - Illustrative Activity: Assist the MoMP in identifying, revising, and adopting extractive industry laws and regulations that promote business activities and revenue generation in the extractives industries sector. - Illustrative Activity: Assist the MoMP in institutional and administrative restructuring of MoMP towards market oriented institution. - Illustrative Activity: Assist the MoMP in coordinating and managing internal and external/donor activities supporting the extractive industry. - Provide transactional assistance to the MoMP to develop, promote, and manage tenders and agreements. - Illustrative Activity: Assist MoMP in developing specific requirements and soliciting to investors for gas gathering/gas processing Private-Public-Partnerships. - Illustrative Activity: Assist MoMP to implement plans for a Sheberghan National Energy Center, including marketing and solicitation of users. - Illustrative Activity: Assist MoMP with ongoing construction and installation projects by providing international engineering and technical expertise. It is anticipated that USAID will issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) in the near future. USAID encourages all interested contractors to consider this business opportunity. The RFP will be posted on the Federal Business Opportunities web page (www.fbo.gov). Offerors are advised to periodically monitor the above website for updates concerning this procurement. Telephonic requests or inquiries will not be taken. Award of the contract will be made subject to the availability of the funds. This notice does not obligate USAID to release a solicitation or award a contract nor does it commit the Government to pay for cost incurred in the preparation and submission of the proposal. Contracting Office Address: Office of Acquisition and Assistance, US Agency for International Development, Kabul, Afghanistan Contracting Officer: Alexis McGinness at amcginness@usaid.gov Primary Point of Contact: Wali Achakzai at wachakzai@usaid.gov