USAID/Uganda Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Program

The United States Agency for International Development in Uganda (USAID/Uganda) intends to make a follow-on sole source award to the incumbent contractor, The QED Group, LLC for approximately $4,500,000. Contract # AID-617-C-13-00007 with The QED Group, LLC is a Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee (CPFF) completion type with the period of performance of 06/24/2013 to 06/23/2018. The TEC Increase to this existing Contract services USAID/Uganda through three core components: MONITORING & EVALUATION: Provides technical assistance to USAID/Uganda and its implementing partners to strengthen monitoring and evaluation capacity, promote evidence-based programming and management, enhance analytical rigor, and evaluate activities and projects. LEARNING & ADAPTATION: Supports USAID/Uganda and its implementing partners to improve organizational practices and capacity for learning and adaptation within staff and processes. This includes conducting organizational network analyses, supporting learning networks, conducting learning reviews, and documenting and facilitating events that promote adaptive management. COORDINATION, COLLABORATION, AND SYNERGY: Works to facilitate collaboration, strengthen stakeholder networks, and broaden relationships with the private sector, the Government of Uganda, and donor partners. USAID/Uganda has recently completed its second iteration of country development cooperative strategy (CDCS 2.0). The Learning Contract has been instrumental in supporting the Mission in developing its through learning reviews, evaluations of activities, launching studies and analysis, hosting stakeholder events and information dissemination. Launching a competition at this stage of the activity would result in an unacceptable delay in transitioning from USAID/Uganda's current CDCS 1.0 to the new strategy. This TEC increase is intended to support the Mission to pivot its current activities and design new activities that are aligned to the new CDCS 2.0. The support will be through continued learning reviews and assessments, management restructuring, embedding systems and integration into new designs; assist in developing a strategy level performance management and learning plan; and socialize the CDCS 2.0 approach to the Mission and implementing partners. Such continuity is critical to USAID to maintain the above mentioned services. The statutory authority permitting the award without providing full and open competition is AIDAR 706.302-70(a) (2), which says that "full and open competition need not be obtained when it would impair or otherwise have an adverse effect on programs conducted for the purpose of foreign aid, relief and rehabilitation." It further states in 706.302-70(b) (5) that this authority may be used for "an award for the continued provision of highly specialized services when award to another resource would result in substantial additional costs to the Government or would result in unacceptable delays." QED has worked closely with USAID/Uganda for over 18 months in the formulation of the new CDCS strategy. The resulting strategy is a marked departure from the traditional approach taken by the earlier CDCS. It is a proactive and innovative strategy that focuses on integration and systems approach across the Mission that is beneficial to USAID. The development of this approach is the result of intensive research, analysis and consultation by QED and the Mission. The understanding, thinking and reasoning behind the approach uniquely places QED to further assist the Mission as it transitions from its current CDCS to the new one. It would be difficult for other sources to gain the same level of intimate understanding and knowledge in a timely manner to support the Mission with its transition. No solicitation package or a request for competitive proposals will be issued. It has been determined that The QED Group, LLC is the only source for the aforementioned services that meets USAID'S requirements and provides the best value. Please refer any questions and comments to the solicitation mail box at kampalausaidsolicita@usaid.gov Contracting Office Address: USAID/Uganda Plot 1577 Ggaba Road P.O. Box 7856 Kampala, Uganda