R -- Afghanistan Infrastructure and Rehabilitation Program

The United States Government, represented by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Afghanistan Procurement Support Office in Bangkok, Thailand, and in conjunction with the USAID Mission in Kabul, Afghanistan intends to issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) for USAID/Afghanistan to solicit proposals from qualified organizations/institutions interested in implementing the Infrastructure and Rehabilitation Program. This program is aimed primarily to support USAID/Afghanistan's Infrastructure Objective to create a thriving economy led by the private sector. The objective of this program is to provide USAID/Afghanistan a full range of technical assistance and physical support to assist the Government of Afghanistan (GoA), Afghan people, and private sector to achieve objectives that mesh with and will contribute to the achievement of four infrastructure sector objectives - Energy and Natural Resources, Transportation, Public Buildings, and Urban Development/Water & Sanitation. Work in all sectors will include three main components: 1) technical assistance in the four sectors for institutional development and capacity building, including policy formulation, planning, studies, training and operation and maintenance; 2) engineering, including design, reconstruction and construction of infrastructure systems and facilities; and, 3) provision of equipment and commodities to support the operations, as well as infrastructure-related equipment and materials. This is a full and open competition and the procedures set forth in FAR Part 15 shall apply. The authorized geographic code for procurement of goods and services under this solicitation is 935. As such, this procurement is open to all offers from USAID Geographic Code (Source, Origin and Nationality) 935 which include all countries, except for those designated by the US Government as foreign policy restricted countries. The current foreign policy restricted countries are as follows: Cuba, Iran, North Korea and Syria. USAID encourages the participation to the maximum extent possible of small business concerns, small disadvantaged business concerns and women-owned small business concerns in this activity as the prime contractor or as subcontractor in accordance with Part 19 of the FAR. USAID also encourages the use of the Interested Vendor List (IVL) on the Federal Business Opportunities website page so that firms can contact one another for consideration of teaming arrangements and/or small business subcontracting opportunities in response to this solicitation. USAID anticipates awarding a single award with a period of performance for 5 years at a total estimated ceiling of up to $1.4 Billion. The RFP is expected to be issued on November 14, 2005 and proposals will be due no later than the closing date specified in the RFP. It will be distributed through the Federal Business Opportunities website of the General Services Administration. Any amendments to this solicitation will be issued on the website along with the RFP. Please check the Federal Business Opportunities website (http://www.fbo.gov) periodically. Any questions should be submitted via email to the point of contact at: apsobangkok@usaid.gov. Please do not contract USAID/Afghanistan in Kabul directly, since all communication must be through this office. The release of this notice in no way obligates USAID or the US Government to release an RFP or make an award of any type.