Monitoring and Evaluating (M&E) Services

MONITORING AND EVALUATING SERVICES 100% SMALL BUSINESS NAICS code 541611 (Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services) A. THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE ONLY. In accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 10.002, this notice issued for the purpose of market research. This request is for planning purposes only and does not constitute a Solicitation or an indication the Government will contract for the items contained in this notice. This notice is not to be construed as an acquisition Request For Proposal (RFP) nor is any commitment on the part of the Government to award a contract implied nor does the Government intend to pay for any information submitted as a result of this request. The Government shall not reimburse respondents for any cost associated with submission of the information requested or reimburse expenses incurred to interested parties for responses to this notice. Any response received will not be used as a proposal. The U. S. Department of State seeks to identify potential SMALL BUSINESS SOURCES capable of providing services as identified in this notice. Small Business contractors interested in performing this project must submit a detailed Statement of Qualifications and Capabilities, which demonstrates their experience and ability in the field of work described in this notice. B. SCOPE OF WORK: The United States Department of State, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) Office of Western Hemisphere Programs (WHP) is interested in conducting market research for potential qualified and capable Small Businesses. Dedicated to strengthening criminal justice systems, countering the flow of illegal narcotics and minimizing transnational crime. INL plays a key role in leading the development and synchronization of U. S. international drug and crime assistance. INL's technical support, tailored to bolster capacities of partner countries through multilateral, regional, and country-specific programs. Monitoring and evaluating (M&E) the effectiveness of these programs is imperative to the efficient administration of this vital technical assistance. The project shall require vendors to provide qualified DC-based and in-country M&E support staff. INL/WHP requires M&E services to provide enhanced assistance to the development of systematic M&E policies and procedures; the creation of academically defensible performance measures; support, manage, and conduct data collection efforts across the hemisphere; and develop an M&E data management, analysis, and reporting system and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). This will help INL/WHP achieve compliance with the Foreign Aid Transparency and Accountability Act of 2016 (FATAA). FATAA codifies many of the gains in monitoring and evaluating, reporting on the performance of U. S. foreign assistance and its contribution to the policies and priorities undertaken by the Federal Government that the U. S. Department of State is already working towards. There are four (4) components of this requirement. 1. Washington D. C. - Based M&E Support - The contractor shall furnish a team of performance management experts who will support INL/WHP in developing performance measures for INL/WHP programs and projects. This team shall be based in the Washington D.C. metro area. This team will thoroughly define each performance measure, for example, through Performance Management Definition Forms (PMDFs) and Variable Definition Forms (VDFs), which explain each measure and serve as a record of data collection methodology. This team will oversee the personnel located at various overseas posts as defined later in this solicitation and hereinafter referred to as "in-country M&E Specialists," prevent duplication of effort, establish and manage reporting cycles, and develop analytical reports for INL/WHP use. As required, this team may also deploy to develop performance measures in conjunction with the in-country M&E Specialists, develop Data Collection Tools (DCTs), and collect data from third party sources with prior written approval of the COR. These activities may also include creation of surveys, data comparisons, statistical analysis, or interviews. At the end of the contract, these M&E Specialists will be responsible for ensuring the transfer of all information, SOPs, and data to D.C.-based INL/WHP employees and systems. 2. In-Country M&E Support - This contract shall require support for Posts within the Western Hemisphere with INL/WHP programming, as enumerated in the Personnel section of this solicitation. This support shall include developing strategic and project level indicators, collecting and managing both project and country-level data and will contribute to reporting against standardized strategic-level indicators across the Western Hemisphere. This shall include researching and partnering with other entities that are pursuing M&E efforts, requesting data from host governments, conducting open source research, and performing light data entry. These activities may also include creation of surveys, semi-experimental comparisons, statistical analysis, and interviews. At the end of the contact, these M&E Specialists will be responsible for ensuring the transfer of all information, SOPs, and data to INL-designated in-country officers and INL/WHP. 3. Data Management Support - The contractor shall provide D.C.-based Data Management Specialist(s) who will design data collection tools and support the development and maintenance of a data management system. The Data Management Specialist(s) will also assist in designing DCTs, including for implementers, support the M&E Specialists to enforce reporting cycles, clean and enter data, and produce analytical reports and data visualizations for INL/WHP use. At least one Data Management Specialist must be based on-site with access to all allowable INL systems, ensuring the data under the purview of this contract is accessible to stakeholders at all times. The contractor may be required to conduct a significant amount of data entry. The Data Management Specialist(s) shall provide instruction manuals and quick-guides for all templates, data management processes, and reporting activities to ensure the complete and easy transfer of information from the contractor to INL/WHP-designated staff prior to the end of the contract. 4. Sustainability, Transition, Technical Assistance, and Training - The contractor shall train and provide technical assistance upon request to key stakeholders on the reporting process and templates as required by INL/WHP and/or Posts. The contractor shall perform all activities to ensure program officers in Washington D. C. and Post are able to effectively access and use data stored in the commercially available system managed by the Data Management Specialists. Before the end of the contract, the contractor shall perform all activities to ensure the successful transition of all indicators, data collection, data management, analysis, and reporting knowledge, systems, processes, and activities to staff in INL/WHP and INL Sections overseas. While the process of ensuring sustainability and transition will take place throughout the contract, the contractor shall be responsible for completing training and mentoring for INL/WHP-designated staff prior to the end of the contract on the data measures, data collection methods, and use of the M&E system. All interested vendors shall possess experience in designing, developing, and performing M&E services similar in scope, specifically with knowledge of the Western Hemisphere. Interested vendors must have the capability to provide staff with: o Experience in monitoring and evaluation, strategic planning, and performance management o Experience in international narcotics and law enforcement o Experience and strong competency with data collection, analysis, and producing quality descriptive data visualizations o Hold an active security clearance or MRPT NOTE: Interested vendors MUST have the ability to provide cleared and experienced staff across the Western Hemisphere, as well as have a full understanding of and ability to operate in each country. In-country subject matter experts/specialists include, but are not limited to, the following countries: Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Belize, Columbia, Peru, Jamaica and the Eastern Caribbean (Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, and St Vincent & the Grenadines), Dominican Republic, Bahamas, Trinidad & Tobago, Suriname, Guyana, and Haiti. C. Again, this sources sought notice is issued for planning purposes only and does not constitute a solicitation for proposals, offers, bids, and/or quotes. This is not an announcement of a forthcoming solicitation or confirmation that the Government will contract for the items contained in the sources sought notice, nor any commitment on the part of the Government to award a contract implied. D. Responses to this notice will assist the government in identifying potential sources in determining if a set-aside of the solicitation is appropriate and in determining whether this approach to securing contract support is practicable. Be advised that the government will not pay for any information or administrative cost incurred in response to the sources sought notice. Responses to this sources sought notice will not be returned. All submissions will be reviewed to determine if the vendor is capable of performing the requirement based on the aforementioned criteria. E. Information submitted must be in sufficient detail as to allow for a thorough government review of a firm's interest and capabilities. Vendor's response shall not contain more than 10 pages. Vendors may also submit supplemental materials, if necessary, that will count as part of the 10-page limit. Request interested firms respond to this notice and include the following in their response: 1. Firm's information (name of representative, address, phone number, DUNS number); 2. Business Size/Type (e.g., SB, HUBZone, SDVOSB, WOSB, SDB) and size relative to NAICS code 541611 (Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services). Identify all socio-economic categories into which your company fits; 3. Describe your company's relevant past experience and resource capabilities utilizing the specifications identified in Section B - Scope of Work. Please provide up to three (3) examples. 4. Describe your company's staffing capabilities. This includes relevant experience in conducting monitoring and evaluation similar in scope to Section B - Scope of Work. 5. Past Performance: Responses to this Sources Sought shall indicate similar / relevant contracts within the past three (3) years for the same or similar services. Contract information may include those with Federal, State and local Government, as well as private companies. Please include dollar value and period of performance. F. Please do not provide generic capability statements as these documents shall add no value to this sources sought request, as the Government is looking for specific experience with the above referenced suite of tools. G. No telephone requests will be honored. All submissions regarding this notice should be sent directly to Ms. Reid-Smith, Contracting Officer via E-mail Reid-SmithSJ@state.gov no later than Wednesday, July 31, 2019 10:00am Eastern Standard Time (EST). H. The government reserves the right to set this acquisition aside for Small Business, Woman-Owned small business, HUBZone, Service Disabled Veteran Owned small business, or Small Disadvantaged Business firms based on responses received. I. Proprietary information and trade secrets, if any, must be clearly marked. All information received that is marked Proprietary will be handled accordingly.