USAID Improving Private Sector Competitiveness

The USAID Improving Private Sector Competitiveness activity is a competitively awarded program managed by USAID/Vietnam designed to enhance the competitiveness of small and growing businesses (SGBs), with a specific focus on those led by vulnerable populations and women. The initiative employs a holistic approach to support enterprise growth across policy, market, and firm levels, ranging from the transformation of household businesses into registered firms to the scaling of small enterprises. The program is structured around four primary objectives: building business management capacity, improving efficiency and productivity through innovation and technology adoption, enhancing the business enabling environment for an inclusive economy, and strengthening cross-sectoral and business-to-business linkages. The contract, solicited under RFP 72044020R00001, is anticipated as a Cost-Plus-Fixed Fee agreement with an estimated value between 35 million and 40 million dollars and a performance period of five years. Key implementation priorities include collaborating with the Ministry of Planning Investment and the Vietnam Women's Union to promote sustainable business models and gender-sensitive legal reforms. Performance is monitored through a Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan to ensure standards are met. The procurement process included multiple amendments to refine technical proposal requirements, update past performance evaluation criteria, and incorporate mandatory clauses regarding telecommunications and video surveillance prohibitions.