F -- Prosperity, Livelihoods and Conserving Ecosystems (PLACE)

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) intends to issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a five (5) year, $300 million, multiple award, Indefinite Quantity Contract (IQC). There will be approximately three (3) unrestricted and two (2) small business set-aside awards. However the number of awards will be based upon the best value determination of the Contracting Officer. The anticipated small business subcontracting percentage will be 40% of the contract ceiling. Of that percentage, a 15% requirement will be allocated to Small Disadvantaged Business participation. Perspective offerors are encouraged to use the following Small Business Administration (SBA) website to identify potential small businesses in support of the requirements set forth above: http://web.sba.gov/subnet/ The Prosperity, Livelihoods and Conserving Ecosystems (PLACE) IQC will support the Natural Resources Management Office's (EGAT/NRM) Strategic Objective (SO) - Increased social, economic and environmental benefits through healthy ecosystems and sustainable resource management. The Intermediate Results (IRs) associated with this SO include: IR1: Improving management and conservation across diverse landscapes through science, interdisciplinary approaches and the adoption of best practices; IR2: Promoting equitable natural resources governance and management of natural resource conflicts; IR3: Increasing economic opportunities through sustainable production, marketing and trade of natural resource-based products and services; and IR4: Strengthening USAID operating units and partners through field support, technical leadership and knowledge management. The awardee(s) will be expected to respond rapidly to requests from USAID Missions and Bureaus for technical assistance in carrying out integrated approaches to managing the biophysical, social, governance and economic components of natural resources management and biodiversity conservation. Activities may include interventions at multiple spatial scales from the household to issues of global dimension. The awardee(s) shall furnish personnel having substantial experience and expertise, both practical and conceptual, to perform the range of activities described by this Statement of Work, and as further delineated in subsequent Task Orders. Awardee(s) will be expected to respond in a comprehensive and technically sound manner to Performance-Based Task Orders from all USAID clients. This form of Task Order describes and quantifies the results expected and provides target levels or standards of performance, but is not prescriptive in detailing the means to reach desired outcomes. The technical assistance provided by the awardee(s) will address a wide range of topics relating to varied aspects of natural resources management. USAID anticipates that some commodity procurement, equipment installation, and/or the making of small grants to host-country organizations will be called for under various Task Orders. The awardee(s) will be expected to work primarily with host country government institutions (national, provincial, and local) charged with management and decision-making responsibilities in biodiversity conservation and natural resources management and/or local NGOs, private sector entities, academic/research institutions and community/civil society organizations that are stakeholders in sound resource management and conservation. This mechanism will replace and build on the BIOFOR IQC in providing USAID Missions/Offices and their partners with a broad range of technical assistance components in order to address complex development needs across multi-use landscapes. These components can be divided into three categories: 1) overarching themes; 2) Primary Natural Resource Management Categories; and 3) Cross-Cutting Resource Management Approaches. Overarching Themes 1. Integrated Landscape/Seascape Management 2. Scaling-up & Sustaining Impact 3. Supporting Fragile and Transformational States Primary Natural Resource Management Categories 1. Biodiversity Conservation (terrestrial, fresh-water and marine) 2. Sustainable Forestry 3. Sustainable Tourism 4. Sustainable Agriculture 5. Provision of Ecosystem Services Cross-cutting Natural Resource Management Approaches 1. Governance and Policy Reform 2. Property & Resource Rights 3. Institutional Strengthening & Capacity Building 4. Enterprise Development 5. Sustainable Finance 6. Conflict Mitigation & Management 7. Gender and strengthening the role of women and disadvantaged groups 8. Small Grants Management