proprietary information - asf.org.pk web viewrequest for proposals. implementation of international...

Request for ProposalsImplementation of International Market Linkages

Program under USAID’s Agribusiness ProjectPakistan

RFP-ASF/UAP-IMLP-24/2012

Cooperative Agreement: AID-391-A-12-00001

July 27th, 2012

Agribusiness Support Fund144, DD Block, Central Commercial Area (CCA), Phase IV, D.H.A, Lahore, Pakistan

Tel: +92-423- 5749081-3, 5899761-2; Fax: +92-423-5749084www.asf.org.pk; [email protected]

Letter of Intent Due: 10th August, 2012Proposals Due: 11th September, 2012

i

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.asf.org.pk/

Agribusiness Support Fund (ASF) Request for Proposals – International market Linkages Program: RFP-ASF/UAP-IMLP-24/2012

Table of Contents1 OPPORTUNITY.....................................................................................................................................1

1.1 Who May Apply.............................................................................................................................12 BACKGROUND..................................................................................................................................... 1

2.1 ASF / USAID’s Agribusiness Project.............................................................................................12.2 International Market Linkages Program (IMLP).............................................................................2

3 SOLICITATION FOCUS........................................................................................................................ 33.1 General Information...................................................................................................................... 33.2 IMLP Activities – Scope of Work...................................................................................................33.3 Period of Performance.................................................................................................................. 43.4 Place of Performance....................................................................................................................43.5 Work Requirements...................................................................................................................... 43.6 List of Milestones.......................................................................................................................... 5

4 PROPOSAL PREPARATION................................................................................................................ 54.1 Technical Proposal........................................................................................................................54.2 Cost Proposal................................................................................................................................6

5 APPLICATION PROCEDURES.............................................................................................................85.1 Submission Guidelines..................................................................................................................8

6 COMPETITIVE PROCESS....................................................................................................................96.1 Review and Selection Process......................................................................................................96.2 Evaluation Criteria.........................................................................................................................96.3 Pre-Award Reviews.......................................................................................................................96.4 Selection for Award..................................................................................................................... 106.5 Conditions for Funding Continuation...........................................................................................106.6 Cancellation of Request for Proposals........................................................................................10

7 RFP SCHEDULE AND SELECTION INFORMATION.........................................................................108 OTHER REQUIREMENTS.................................................................................................................. 119 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION / INQUIRIES........................................................................................12

Appendix A: List of Potential Value Chains.................................................................................................. 13Appendix B: Certifications, Assurances and Other Statements of Applicant................................................14Appendix C: Other Provisions.......................................................................................................................22Appendix D: Letter of Intent.......................................................................................................................... 25

ii


1 OPPORTUNITY

The Agribusiness Support Fund (ASF) invites proposals from internationally-experienced firms for the implementation of International Market Linkages Program, including planning, execution, implementation, and documentation / reporting for establishing business linkages of selected Pakistani horticulture and livestock products / agribusinesses with the international and domestic high-end markets.

The mechanism of support for these activities will be a cooperative sub-agreement with the funds provided by United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through a cooperative agreement (Cooperative Agreement AID-391-A-12-0000) with ASF for implementation of USAID’s Agribusiness Project (UAP).

1.1 Who May ApplyProposals will be accepted only from legally registered firms, including for-profit or not-for-profit entities, having vast international experience of implementing the activities mentioned in the scope of work. Proposers are encouraged to build collaborative relationships with relevant stakeholders (industry partners, professional business associations etc.) in order to link the selected Pakistani agribusinesses to high-potential markets.

2 BACKGROUND

2.1 ASF / USAID’s Agribusiness ProjectAgribusiness Support Fund (ASF) is a not-for-profit company incorporated in Pakistan under section 42 of the Companies Ordinance 1984. ASF is currently implementing a 5-year USAID’s Agribusiness Project (UAP) which is designed to address the problems and constraints impeding the development of agriculture sector of Pakistan and to stimulate private sector investment in the target high value sectors.

The overall goal and specific objectives of UAP are as follows:

Overall Goal:

o To support improved conditions for broad-based economic growth, create employment opportunities and contribute to poverty alleviation through increase in competitiveness of horticulture and livestock value chains in partnership with all stakeholders.

Specific Objectives:

o To strengthen the capacity in horticulture and livestock value chains to increase sales to domestic and foreign markets;

o To strengthen the capacity of smallholders and farmer enterprises to operate autonomously and effectively; and

o To increase agriculture efficiency and productivity through adoption of new farming techniques and technological innovation among targeted beneficiaries.

The activities of UAP are organized into two components i.e. (i) Technical Assistance (TA) for Capacity Building and Program Support; and, (ii) Partnership Window Cost-Sharing Grants.

Under Component-1, the Project will provide on-going technical and capacity building assistance to upgrade and strengthen the priority value chains in horticulture and livestock sub-sectors through its four

1


sub-components including: (1) International Technical Assistance & Program Delivery Support, (2) International Market Linkages Development, (3) Kissan Field (Schools (KFS), and (4) Capacity Building, Training & Awareness. The Component-2 of the Project involves launching of a national cost-sharing grants program, offering a wide range of customized grant products to all players within the priority value chains. These cost-sharing grants will be provided in the priority value chains, including: agribusinesses (including processors, exporters, marketers, value adding and other related SMEs), farmers and farmer enterprise groups for better integration into domestic and export market chains. Grants will also be provided to farmers’ associations, processors and exporters, transporters, service providers, universities and research institutes, Non-Governmental Organizations, Rural Support Programs (RSPs) and other key players in order to address weakness and market failures with the ultimate objective to strengthen private sector and market systems. Focus of investments will be on up-stream marketing and processing (off-farm) aspects of the value chains for fostering value addition and to capitalize on the strengthened capacities through assistance provided under Component-1.

The Project proposes a holistic approach of value chain-wide interventions from production to marketing. The focus of the efforts is on creating capacities in the selected value chains to meet the requirements of domestic and international markets and value addition. Whilst, initially, interventions are designed to address critical gaps at the on-farm level, the overwhelming focus of the Project will be on functions related to off-farm, upstream activities in the value chain including value addition, processing and marketing. However, efforts will be made to ensure inclusive development of the value chains affording opportunities to small-holders to take advantage of the emerging opportunities and enabling them to profitably access domestic and export markets.

2.2 International Market Linkages Program (IMLP)The International Market Linkages Program is an important component of UAP which aims at addressing the constraint of access to markets including domestic high end and international markets through marketing and linkages support activities in partnership with internationally experienced firm(s). This RFP specifically describes the work required under the International Market Linkages Program. This subcomponent will primarily provide international Technical Assistance (TA) support for agricultural marketing and brand development directed to identify and capitalize on opportunities in high-price markets to develop linkages for Pakistani agribusiness products.

The objective of the TA will be to facilitate connection of selected Pakistani agricultural products with international markets by assisting participating enterprises to employ the findings of selected value chain studies to develop strategic capability through capacity building, coaching and recommendations on commercially viable solutions to address gaps and constraints and to develop awareness and understanding of international customers through successful implementation of selected interventions. The TA will provide support in value chain mapping and analysis for selected commodities and products; conduct complementary competitive analysis (including global demand trends and value chain development for the products with export potential or for import substitute products); conduct sector analysis and market research for target products; identify both universally marketable products and/or potential development for niche market opportunities including branding strategies, identification of potential international partners and formulation of programs/interventions for global alliances and linkages. The brand development will be primarily aimed at developing partnerships between Pakistani enterprises and external premium brands to develop vertically integrated value chains. The TA will also provide support in planning, management and monitoring activities for the overall program.

2


3 SOLICITATION FOCUS

3.1 General InformationThis RFP solicits proposals for implementation (through a cooperative sub-agreement) of International Market Linkages Development Program – a subcomponent of USAID’s Agribusiness Project. This is an open solicitation and all eligible applicants may submit.

3.2 IMLP Activities – Scope of WorkAs described in Para 2.2, the objective of IMLP implementation is to facilitate connection of selected Pakistani agricultural products with international markets by assisting participating enterprises to employ the findings of selected value chain studies to develop strategic capability through capacity building, coaching, marketing/promotion and recommendations on commercially viable solutions to address gaps and constraints and to develop awareness and understanding of international customers through successful implementation of selected interventions. This will facilitate linkages development of agribusinesses in Pakistan with high end markets and assist in capturing market shares and niches.

The scope of work of the market linkages program includes all planning, execution, implementation, and documentation/reporting. The selected firm(s) will be responsible for the delivery of outputs envisaged under this sub-component and will devise strategies to achieve the overall targets of the project and its broader objectives. Specific deliverables and milestones are given in the section 3.5 and 3.6 below. Moreover, this scope of work will be further elucidated during the formal planning phase of the project.

The selected firm(s) will be required to address the following functional requirements:

a) conduct or validate value chain mapping and analysis for selected commodities and products; conduct complementary competitive analysis (including global demand trends and value chain development benchmarking for the products with export potential or for import substitute products); conduct sector analysis and market research for target products; identify both universally marketable products and/or potential development for niche market opportunities;

b) formulate positioning strategies together with domestic partners; positioning for certain products may involve targeting different buyers in different markets;

c) formulation of programs/interventions for global alliances, linkages and international branding/co-branding opportunities; brand development will be primarily aimed at developing partnerships between Pakistani enterprises and external premium brands to develop vertically integrated value chains;

d) identification of potential international partners, investors and traders for organizing and establishing linkages with partners in Pakistan; and

e) provide support in planning, management and monitoring activities for the program.

The potential products/value chains covered under the project are listed in Appendix A. The product mix to be supported under the program will include both fresh and processed products. The list will be prioritized based on the preparatory activities (Component-1 of UAP, as mentioned above). Product priorities must have sufficient critical mass for any market targeted and will based on the existing and potential strengths (quantities, seasonality, quality and pricing matrix in relation to different target markets). Product demand and market segmentation are also relevant considerations to be looked at while setting priorities coupled with demand characterization (customers’ preferences).

The project may opt to divide the work into marketing sections that align with different product categories or different markets targeted. Market coverage may be around different regions of the world such as Americas, Europe, Middle East, Central Asia/Eastern Europe, Far East and Africa. The TA will determine

3


the total size of each of these markets and identify opportunities with regard to capturing market share by Pakistani value chains. An action plan will be developed to capture market share in short, medium and long term. The strategy for marketing and branding/co-branding may also differ by product or market whichever is applicable.

The sub-component will work in conjunction with other sub-components of the project especially market access program and international quality certification and compliance activities. Activities under the program will also seek relevance for coordinated efforts with other interventions notably farmer enterprise groups formation and beneficiaries of on-farm (production grants) and off-farm grants (challenge and lead company grants) envisaged under the project.

3.3 Period of PerformanceThe total period of performance for this assignment is 4 years, including program start up and closing to deliver the outputs envisaged under the program. The planning should be completed in less than first 3 months while work on all aspects mentioned above should be started concurrently as soon as the work-plan is approved. All work must be scheduled to complete within this timeframe as well as allowing time for the project close out.

By virtue of its complexity positioning will require concerted efforts. This will include profiling product, producer, regional, sector, and industry as the bases of positioning. Position may be on regional, country, product/commodity basis. The approach to positioning should be reinforced on best practices, experience and action research. To the degree possible, profiles are individualized to agribusiness levels and be based on trust, relationships, and honest exchanges. Effectively profiling products and producers, like effective international positioning, shall be based on understanding of competiveness and competitive processes.

3.4 Place of PerformanceThe selected firm(s) will operate out of Pakistan based at the project office in Lahore / Islamabad. The firm(s) will have effective coordination with project management throughout the implementation of the activities. The project will conform to the reporting requirement as mentioned in the scope of work and as may change owing to donor requirement from time to time.

3.5 Work RequirementsAs part of engagement, the selected firm(s) will be responsible for performing tasks throughout various stages of this project. The following is a list of tasks which will result in the successful completion of objectives of this project:

a) Development of work-plan and realigning the scope of work in collaboration with the project and private sector partner enterprises

b) Designing and conducting value chain and international competitiveness studies c) Prioritization of products (fresh/processed) for branding and marking in collaboration with the

project and private sector partnersd) Development and Finalization of branding/positioning strategiese) Designing marketing and promotion strategies and plansf) Linkages for formal contracts with domestic and international chains

3.6 List of MilestonesFollowing are the key milestones;

4


a) First Year’s work plan, PMP, and communication/branding & marking strategy developed and submitted for approval within 2 months from signing of sub-agreement;

b) Rapid Appraisal/Assessment in 10 key markets undertake by end of first year;c) Value chain analysis and supply chain assessment for 10 products undertaken by end of first year;d) Marketing, positioning, branding strategies developed in partnership with ASF and key private

sector partners (national and international) by the end of year one; ande) Ten international marketing contracts facilitated (not less than USD1 million dollars on average

spanning 3-5 years).

The anticipated outcomes from the achievement of above-mentioned milestones are given below:

a) Sales to domestic and international markets increased by 20%;b) Unit prices of selected prices increased by 20-40%;c) Contribute to creation of x number of employment; andd) Increase in income by 20% of direct beneficiaries.

4 PROPOSAL PREPARATION

The interest firms are invited to prepare and submit Technical and Cost proposals (as per guidelines provided below) in separate volumes. In preparing proposal documents, the applicants will assume a four (04) year project beginning November 1, 2012 and ending October 30, 2016. It will assume a life of project budget of $3.50 million.

The Applicant shall put in writing to ASF/UAP Grants & Contracts department any questions it might have or support it might require regarding the completion of the proposals. Upon receiving written questions and requests for support, the Grants & Contracts department, together with Program department, will organize and facilitate meetings with appropriate ASF/UAP staff or other relevant staff; or, will together with THE Program department, respond such questions via email.

The guidelines for preparation of Technical and Cost proposal are provided below.

4.1 Technical ProposalThe Technical Proposal should explicitly include (but not be limited to) the following:

a) Brief Company Profile / Corporate Capacities Statement b) Previous and current experiences of firms relevant to the scope of work (Max 3 relevant project

sheets)c) Narrative Technical Approach and Methodology

o Approach and Methodology (Max 3 pages)o Project Management Methodology (Max 1 page)o Project Progress Monitoring and Reporting Systems (Max 1 page)o Approach to deliver indicative functionally requirements as mentioned in scope of work

(Max 2 pages)o Capacity building and linkages with other program areas (Max 1 page)o Priority coverage of markets/products and prioritization approach (Max 2 pages)

d) Proposed draft work plan based on best understanding of the scope specified in the scope of work and milestones (Max 1 page)

e) Personnel Schedule and level of efforts of proposed teamf) CV of the key personnel mentioned in section 10 (Max 3 pages per CV)

5


Page limits will be strictly enforced. Proposals that exceed the limit will constitute grounds for ASF/UAP to return the proposal without review.

4.2 Cost ProposalThe Cost Proposal should be submitted in separate volume from the Technical Proposal. Certain documents are required to be submitted by the Applicant in order for ASF/UAP to make a determination of responsibility.

Since the mechanism of support for activities under this sub-award will be a cooperative sub-agreement with the funds provided by USAID through a cooperative agreement (Cooperative Agreement AID-391-A-12-00001) with ASF; therefore the budget under this sub-award should be structured in accordance with applicable regulations of USAID. While for-profit firms may also participate; pursuant to 22 CFR 226.81, it is USAID policy (also flowing down to this sub-award) not to award profit under assistance instruments such as cooperative agreements. However, all reasonable, allocable, and allowable expenses, both direct and indirect, which are related to the grant program and are in accordance with applicable cost standards (22 CFR 226, OMB Circular A-122 for non-profit organization, OMB Circular A-21 for universities, and the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 31 for-profit organizations), may be paid under the Cooperative Sub-Agreement.The following describes the documentation that the Applicant must submit to ASF/UAP prior to award. The applicant is encouraged to be as concise as possible, but still provide the necessary detail to address the following:

Include a DETAILED budget with an accompanying DETAILED budget narrative that provides in detail the total costs for implementation of the project your organization is proposing (summary budgets using Standard Form 424 and 424A should also be included and these forms are available at http://www.usaid.gov/forms/ ), including:

The breakdown of all costs associated with the program according to costs of, if applicable, headquarters, country, regional and/or satellite offices;

The breakdown of all costs according to each partner organization involved in the program (if applicable);

The costs associated with external, internationally renowned technical assistance and those associated with local in-country technical assistance;

The breakdown of the financial and in-kind contributions of all organizations involved in implementing the proposed Agreement (cost share);

A procurement plan for commodities (if applicable); A current Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA). The Applicant who does not currently

have a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA) from their cognizant agency shall also submit their official overhead policy with the proposal.

Cost share – ASF/UAP encourages cost share contributions from its sub-awardees. While a particular cost share threshold is not required for this agreement, the Applicant is strongly encouraged to propose cost share contributions and to provide a rationale for the levels of cost share proposed. The cost share element will be considered while evaluating the cost proposal.

The Applicant should submit any additional evidence of responsibility deemed necessary ASF/UAP to make a determination of responsibility. The information submitted should substantiate that the applicant:

1 Has adequate financial resources or the ability to obtain such resources as required during performance of the award;

6


2 Has the ability to comply with the award conditions, taking into account all existing and currently prospective commitments of the Applicant, non-governmental and governmental;

3 Has a satisfactory record of performance: Past relevant unsatisfactory performance is ordinarily sufficient to justify a finding of non-responsibility, unless there is clear evidence of subsequent satisfactory performance;

4 Has a satisfactory record of integrity and business ethics; and 5 Is otherwise qualified and eligible to receive a sub-award under applicable Pakistani laws and

regulations.

Please ensure that the budget narrative that you provide clearly defines the assumptions, reasons, basis and logic behind the cost proposed. For example, if you are proposing cost of travel, the budget narrative should clearly describe the reason why a certain number of trips have been proposed. The table below serves as a guideline on the budget format (details of each cost element should also be provided in separate sheets). Please remove/add cost elements according to your technical proposal and in line with the above instructions. Also submit break downs of various cost elements as explained above.

Cost Element Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Total

Total Direct Labor

Salary and Wages

Fringe Benefits

Consultants

Travel, Transportation, and Per Diem

Equipment and Supplies

Communications (branding & marking)

Other Direct Costs

Total Estimated Cost

The DETAILED budget application should be prepared in accordance with the following guidelines:

Salary and Wages: Direct salaries and wages should be proposed, and transparently hired, in accordance with the applicant's personnel policies;

Consultants : The Consultants should be proposed in accordance with the project requirements and should be transparently hired on accordance with applicant's personnel / procurement policies;

Fringe Benefits: If the applicant has a fringe benefit rate that has been approved by an agency of the U.S. Government, such rate should be used and evidence of its approval should be provided. If a fringe benefit rate has not been so approved, the application should propose a rate and explain in details how the rate was determined. If the latter is used, the narrative should include a detailed breakdown comprising all items of fringe benefits (e.g., workers compensation, health and life insurance, retirement, etc.) and the costs of each, expressed in US$ and as a percentage of salaries;

7


Travel and Transportation: The application should indicate the number of trips, and the estimated costs. Specify the origin and destination for each proposed trip, duration of travel, and number of individuals traveling. Per diems should be based on the applicant's normal travel policies;

Equipment: Estimated types of equipment (i.e., model #, cost per unit); Supplies: Office supplies and other related supply items related to this activity; Communication: This includes cost of communication (branding & marking) of the project; Other Direct Costs: This includes communications, report preparation costs, (other than insurance

included in the applicant's fringe benefits), office rent, project audit and other direct expenses etc. The narrative should provide a breakdown and support for all other direct costs.

5 APPLICATION PROCEDURES

5.1 Submission GuidelinesThe application, accompanied by a signed cover letter, must be submitted via email to [email protected] latest by 5:00 p.m. PKT/PST (GMT + 5 hours), Tuesday, 11th

September, 2012. The receipt of the application will be confirmed within three days. Please note that letters of intent are requested, but not required, for submission of a proposal. Failure to submit a letter of intent will not impact the selection process. Letters of intent cannot be submitted after the deadline stated in this RFP.

Every page of the application must be numbered. The application must have a table of contents. Large graphics files are discouraged. Attached file format must be Microsoft (2010 version) Word, Excel or PDF.

The Applicant must submit technical and cost portions of their applications in separate volumes. Budgets must be submitted in unlocked Excel (.xls) format with all formulas to demonstrate calculations.

In addition to the documents / information required to be submitted along with the Technical & Cost Proposals, the Applicants must also electronically submit the following documents along with the Proposals:

o Certifications and Assurances of Applicant (Annex-II)o Letter of Intent (by 10th August, 2012; not a mandatory document)o Certificate of Registration / Incorporationo Audited Financial Statements (Last 3 years)

6 COMPETITIVE PROCESS

6.1 Review and Selection ProcessProposals will be evaluated for the factors (mentioned in 6.2) demonstrating the likelihood of the achievement of the goals stated in this RFP. All proposals will undergo peer review by ASF/UAP Evaluation Committee. All proposals will be assigned a numerical score and the Applicants will receive a copy of the Committee’s comments with the assigned score. Final selection for funding proposals will be made by USAID/Pakistan.

6.2 Evaluation CriteriaProposals will be evaluated on the basis of the following criteria:

Evaluation Factors Score

8



Previous ExperienceExperience of similar projects 12

30Experience in target markets 12Experience of USAID-funded projects 6

Approach & Methodology

Understanding of objectives 5

30

Quality of methodology 5Innovativeness / Comments on SoW 5Work Program 5Personnel Schedule 5Counterpart Personnel & Facilities 2.5Proposal Presentation 2.5

Key Personnel

International Competitiveness Advisor- Team Leader 5

15

International Marketing Specialist 2Branding and Positioning Specialist 2International Trade Facilitation Specialist 2International Market System Analyst 2Domestic Agribusiness Marketing Specialist 2

Cost Effectiveness & Realism Reasonableness of the requested costs in relation to the objectives, design and potential significance of the proposed project

12

25Consistency with the elements of Technical Proposal 8Cost-share Proposed 5

Total 100

6.3 Pre-Award ReviewsFor those proposals that are identified as exemplary and that merit consideration for funding, a pre-award review of the applicant firms to assess their institutional capacity to meet ASF/USAID requirements of financial management, procurement, performance reporting and accountability may be carried out. In addition to requiring and reviewing information on the accounting & procurement policies, internal controls etc., ASF/UAP team, if required, may also undertake site visits. In the event that a site visit is needed, ASF/UAP personnel will work with the proposing institution(s) selected for site visits to establish the agenda for the on-site review, specify materials and facilities that should be available for review and identify key personnel from the institution and/or collaborating organizations who should be available to meet with members of the site review team.

6.4 Selection for AwardAt the end of the selection process, each proposing organization is notified in writing of its selection or non-selection status. ASF/UAP provides debriefings to those Applicants who request one. The selection letters will include a statement indicating that the selected organization’s business office will be contacted by ASF/UAP, and a reminder that any costs incurred by the Applicant in anticipation of an award are at their own risk. Selection notification will be made electronically by a letter signed by the selecting official. ASF/UAP reserves the right to offer selection of only a portion of a proposal. In these instances, the Applicant(s) will be given the opportunity to accept or decline the offer.

6.5 Conditions for Funding ContinuationFollowing initial year funding, the awardee organization(s) will be expected to meet performance. Specific performance milestones will be identified early in the project implementation phase through collaborative

9


discussions between the ASF/UAP leadership and project leaders at awardee institution(s). Both measurable performance targets and dates for target attainment will be determined based upon expectations for performance. The likely measurement points for reporting on milestone attainment are 18-, 36-, and 54-months following project initiation. However, these may be adjusted to accommodate specific issues or characteristics of an option or science/engineering discipline that may influence progression toward goals and objectives. The timing of the milestone dates will be determined by the NSBRI and communicated to the awardee institution well in advance of any reporting deadlines.

6.6 Cancellation of Request for ProposalsProspective proposers to this RFP are advised that, in general, funds are not available for award at the time of its release. ASF/UAPI’s obligation to make an award(s) is contingent upon the availability of appropriated funds from which payment can be made and the receipt of proposals that ASF/UAP determines are acceptable for award under this RFP.

ASF/UAP reserves the right to make no awards under this RFP and to cancel the RFP. ASF/UAP assumes no liability for canceling the RFP or for the failure of anyone to receive actual notice of cancellation.

7 RFP SCHEDULE AND SELECTION INFORMATION

The following is the RFP schedule and selection information:Description Particulars

Solicitation RFP Identifier RFP-ASF/UAP-IMLP-24/2012Application Format Required Electronic Submission (email); file format must be Microsoft (2010 version)

Word, Excel or PDF (See Section 5.1 Submission Guidelines for further information)

Letter of Intent Due (not mandatory) 10 August, 2012Proposals Due 11 September, 2012, 5:00 p.m. PKT/PST (GMT + 5 hours)Selection Announcement October – November, 2012Funding Begins Approximately 30-90 days following notification of selection

8 OTHER REQUIREMENTS

a) ASF is implementing a 5-year USAID’s Agribusiness Project (UAP) under the Cooperative Agreement No. AID-391-A-12-00001. The International market Linkages Program (IMLP), being a component of UAP, will be governed under applicable USAID rules and regulations. Only the reasonable, allocable, and allowable expenses, both direct and indirect, which are related to the program and are in accordance with applicable cost standards (22 CFR 226, OMB Circular A-122 for non-profit organization, OMB Circular A-21 for universities, and the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 31 for-profit organizations), may be paid under the Cooperative Sub-Agreement. Similarly, the Standard Provisions for Non-US Non-governmental Recipients (ADS 303), as applicable to ASF under the prime cooperative agreement, also flow down to sub-recipients.

b) Over the four year course of the project, the Applicant will be required to prepare the following reports:

i. Bi-weekly reportsii. Quarterly, semi-annual and annual reports – ASF/UAP will require quarterly reporting on:

(i) performance indicators as determined in the UAP PMP; (ii) performance targets for the subsequent quarter; (iii) a description of any project constraints and how they are being

10


addressed; (iv) any success stories; and (v) expenditure data broken down by the categories of the budget. On a semi-annual basis, the quarterly reports will additionally include information on: (i) additional performance indicators as determined in the UAP PMP and performance targets for the following six month period.

iii. Annual work plansiv. Project completion report will also be required to be submitted not later than 30 days from

the formal close out of the projectv. Any other reports required by ASF/UAP from time to time

c) The applicants will be required to meet ASF/USAID branding and marking requirements by displaying ASF and USAID identity of appropriate size at its offices, project sites, events, reports and other communication. ASF/UAP Monitoring, Evaluation & Communication department will provide guidance to applicant in meeting such requirements. The Applicants are required to properly budget branding & marking costs in the cost proposal.

d) An Initial Environmental Examination (IEE) has been approved for the project funding under UAP and for activities to be undertaken herein. The IEE contains a Positive Determination for all activities except the following: Training and capacity building of Value Chain participants; Studies and analyses of several value chains for livestock, horticulture, and agriculture markets; Special studies including a Programmatic Environmental Assessment (PEA); Provision of Technical Assistance; and Market trials and other such demonstrations and trials relating to product sales testing. That means that all other activities of the project could have significant impact and are recommended for a Positive Threshold Decision as required in 22 CFR 216.3 (a) (2) (iii). The applicants will be provided guidance on any environmental compliance applicable to activities under the IMLP component

9 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION / INQUIRIES

Please direct any questions concerning this application procedure to ASF/UAP by sending your inquiry to [email protected], or by faxing your questions to +92-423-5749084.

11



Appendix A: List of Potential Value Chains

Sr. No Value Chains Geographical Clusters1 Mango (i) Multan, Muzaffargarh, Rahim Yar Khan, (ii) Mirpur Khas, Tando Allahyar (iii) D.I.

Khan

2 Citrus (i) Sargodha, M.B. Din, TT Singh (ii) Mardan, Swabi, Nowshera (iii) Swat, Dir, Malakand Agency

3 Apples (i) Pishin, Mastung (ii) North Waziristan

4 Dates (i) Khairpur, Sukkur (ii) Turbat, Panjgoor (iii) D I Khan

5 Pine Nuts (i) Diamer, Gilgit ,Skardu (ii) Zhob, Ziarat

6 Apricot (i) Gilgit, Skardu

7 Peaches (i) Swat, Dir (ii) Peshawar, Charsadda

8 Guava (i) Larkana, Sheikhupura (ii) Sheikhupura, Nankana(iii) Kohat

9 Banana (i) Thatta, TandoAllayar, Nawabshah

10 Grapes (i) Pishin (ii) Potohar Region (iii) Gilgit

11 Chillies (i) MirpurKhas, Sanghar, Umarkot

12 Potato (i) Sahiwal, Okara

13 Off-season Vegetables

(i) Kohat, DI khan, Tank, Laki Marwat , Mianwali (ii) Karachi, Sukkur, Khairpur, Ghotki, N.Feroze (iii) Diamer, Gilgit Baltistan (iv) Charsadda, Mardan, Nowshera, Peshawar (v) Faisalabad, TT Singh,

14 Meat Karak, Bhakhar, Mianwali, Karachi, Lahore Peshawar, Gilgit , Khiarpur, Sukkur, N.Feroze, Shikarpur, Dadu, Larkana, Diamer, Astore, Gilgit, Ghizer, Faisalabad, Jhang, Khushab, Sargodha, M.B. Din, DG Khan, Rajanpur, Sheikhupura

15 Dairy Jhang, Sahiwal, Karachi, DI khan

12


Appendix B: Certifications, Assurances and Other Statements of Applicant

[To be submitted as part of an Applicant’s cost proposal. To be signed by an authorized agent of the applicant at the end of this Section]

PART I - CERTIFICATIONS AND ASSURANCES 1. ASSURANCE OF COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS AND REGULATIONS GOVERNING NON-

DISCRIMINATION IN FEDERALLY ASSISTED PROGRAMS (a) The recipient hereby assures that no person in the United States shall, on the bases set forth below, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be otherwise subjected to discrimination under, any program or activity receiving financial assistance from USAID, and that with respect to the grant for which application is being made, it will comply with the requirements of:

1. Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Pub. L. 88-352, 42 U.S.C. 2000-d), which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color or national origin, in programs and activities receiving Federal financial assistance;

2. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794), which prohibits discrimination on the basis of handicap in programs and activities receiving Federal financial assistance;

3. Age Discrimination Act of 1975, as amended (Pub. L. 95-478), which prohibits discrimination based on age in the delivery of services and benefits supported with Federal funds;

4. Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C. 1681, et seq.), which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in education programs and activities receiving Federal financial assistance (whether or not the programs or activities are offered or sponsored by an educational institution); and

5. USAID regulations implementing the above nondiscrimination laws set forth in Chapter II of Title 22 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

(b) If the recipient is an institution of higher education, the Assurances given herein extend to admission practices and to all other practices relating to the treatment of students or clients of the institution, or relating to the opportunity to participate in the provision of services or other benefits to such individuals, and shall be applicable to the entire institution unless the recipient establishes to the satisfaction of the USAID Administrator that the institution's practices in designated parts or programs of the institution will in no way affect its practices in the program of the institution for which financial assistance is sought, or the beneficiaries of, or participants in, such programs.

(c) This assurance is given in consideration of and for the purpose of obtaining any and all Federal grants, loans, contracts, property, discounts, or other Federal financial assistance extended after the date hereof to the recipient by the Agency, including installment payments after such date on account of applications for Federal financial assistance which were approved before such date. The recipient recognizes and agrees that such Federal financial assistance will be extended in reliance on the representations and agreements made in this Assurance, and that the United States shall have the right to seek judicial enforcement of this Assurance. This Assurance is binding on the recipient, its successors, transferees, and assignees, and the person or persons whose signatures appear below are authorized to sign this Assurance on behalf of the recipient.

2. CERTIFICATION REGARDING LOBBYING

13


The undersigned certifies, to the best of his or her knowledge and belief, that:

1. No Federal appropriated funds have been paid or will be paid, by or on behalf of the undersigned, to any person for influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any agency, a Member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a Member of Congress in connection with the awarding of any Federal contract, the making of any Federal grant, the making of any Federal loan, the entering into of any cooperative agreement, and the extension, continuation, renewal, amendment or modification of any Federal contract, grant, loan, or cooperative agreement.

2. If any funds other than Federal appropriated funds have been paid or will be paid to any person for influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any agency, a Member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a Member of Congress in connection with this Federal contract, grant, loan, or cooperative agreement, the undersigned shall complete and submit Standard Form-LLL, "Disclosure of Lobbying Activities," in accordance with its instructions.

3. The undersigned shall require that the language of this certification be included in the award documents for all sub-awards at all tiers (including subcontracts, sub-grants, and contracts under grants, loans, and cooperative agreements) and that all sub-recipients shall certify and disclose accordingly.

This certification is a material representation of fact upon which reliance was placed when this transaction was made or entered into. Submission of this certification is a prerequisite for making or entering into this transaction imposed by section 1352, title 31, United States Code. Any person who fails to file the required certification shall be subject to a civil penalty of not less than $10,000 and not more than $100,000 for each such failure.

Statement for Loan Guarantees and Loan Insurance

The undersigned states, to the best of his or her knowledge and belief, that: If any funds have been paid or will be paid to any person for influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any agency, a Member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a Member of Congress in connection with this commitment providing for the United States to insure or guarantee a loan, the undersigned shall complete and submit Standard Form-LLL, "Disclosure Form to Report Lobbying," in accordance with its instructions. Submission of this statement is a prerequisite for making or entering into this transaction imposed by section 1352, title 31, U.S. Code. Any person who fails to file the required statement shall be subject to a civil penalty of not less than $10,000 and not more than $100,000 for each such failure.

3. PROHIBITION ON ASSISTANCE TO DRUG TRAFFICKERS FOR COVERED COUNTRIES AND INDIVIDUALS (ADS 206)

USAID reserves the right to terminate this [Agreement/Contract], to demand a refund or take other appropriate measures if the [Recipient/ Contractor] is found to have been convicted of a narcotics offense or to have been engaged in drug trafficking as defined in 22 CFR Part 140. The undersigned shall review USAID ADS 206 to determine if any certifications are required for Key Individuals or Covered Participants.

If there are COVERED PARTICIPANTS: USAID reserves the right to terminate assistance to, or take or take other appropriate measures with respect to, any participant approved by USAID who is found to have been convicted of a narcotics offense or to have been engaged in drug trafficking as defined in 22 CFR Part 140.

Signature __________________________________________Date_______________

Name_____________________________________________

14


Organization________________________________________

4. KEY INDIVIDUAL CERTIFICATION NARCOTICS OFFENSES AND DRUG TRAFFICKING I hereby certify that within the last ten years:

1. I have not been convicted of a violation of, or a conspiracy to violate, any law or regulation of the United States or any other country concerning narcotic or psychotropic drugs or other controlled substances.

2. I am not and have not been an illicit trafficker in any such drug or controlled substance.

3. I am not and have not been a knowing assistor, abettor, conspirator, or colluder with others in the illicit trafficking in any such drug or substance.

Signature: ____________________________

Date: ____________________________

Name: ____________________________

Title/Position: ____________________________

Organization: ____________________________

Address: ____________________________

Date of Birth: ____________________________

NOTICE:

You are required to sign this Certification under the provisions of 22 CFR Part 140, Prohibition on Assistance to Drug Traffickers. These regulations were issued by the Department of State and require that certain key individuals of organizations must sign this Certification.

If you make a false Certification you are subject to U.S. criminal prosecution under 18 U.S.C. 1001.

5. CERTIFICATION REGARDING TERRORIST FINANCING By signing and submitting this application, the prospective recipient provides the certification set out below:

1. The Recipient, to the best of its current knowledge, did not provide, within the previous ten years,

15


and will take all reasonable steps to ensure that it does not and will not knowingly provide, material support or resources to any individual or entity that commits, attempts to commit, advocates, facilitates, or participates in terrorist acts, or has committed, attempted to commit, facilitated, or participated in terrorist acts, as that term is defined in paragraph 3.

2. The following steps may enable the Recipient to comply with its obligations under paragraph 1:

a) Before providing any material support or resources to an individual or entity, the Recipient will verify that the individual or entity does not (i) appear on the master list of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons, which list is maintained by the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and is available online at OFAC’s website: http://www.treas.gov/offices/eotffc/ofac/sdn/t11sdn.pdf, or (ii) is not included in any supplementary information concerning prohibited individuals or entities that may be provided by USAID to the Recipient.

b) Before providing any material support or resources to an individual or entity, the Recipient also will verify that the individual or entity has not been designated by the United Nations Security (UNSC) sanctions committee established under UNSC Resolution 1267 (1999) (the “1267 Committee”) [individuals and entities linked to the Taliban, Usama bin Laden, or the Al Qaida Organization]. To determine whether there has been a published designation of an individual or entity by the 1267 Committee, the Recipient should refer to the consolidated list available online at the Committee’s website: http://www.un.org/Docs/sc/committees/1267/1267ListEng.htm.

c) Before providing any material support or resources to an individual or entity, the Recipient will consider all information about that individual or entity of which it is aware and all public information that is reasonably available to it or of which it should be aware.

d) The Recipient also will implement reasonable monitoring and oversight procedures to safeguard against assistance being diverted to support terrorist activity.

3. For purposes of this Certification-

a. “Material support and resources” means currency or monetary instruments or financial securities, financial services, lodging, training, expert advice or assistance, safehouses, false documentation or identification, communications equipment, facilities, weapons, lethal substances, explosives, personnel, transportation, and other physical assets, except medicine or religious materials.”

b. “Terrorist act” means¬

i. An act prohibited pursuant to one of the 12 United Nations Conventions and Protocols related to terrorism (see UN terrorism conventions Internet site: http://untreaty.un.org/English/Terrorism.asp); or

ii. An act of premeditated, politically motivated violence perpetrated against noncombatant targets by subnational groups or clandestine agents; or

iii. Any other act intended to cause death or serious bodily injury to a civilian, or to any other person not taking an active part in hostilities in a situation of armed conflict, when the purpose of such act, by its nature or context, is to intimidate a population, or to compel a government or an international organization to do or to abstain from doing any act.

c. “Entity” means a partnership, association, corporation, or other organization, group or subgroup

d. References in this Certification to the provision of material support and resources shall not be deemed to include the furnishing of USAID funds or USAID-financed commodities to the ultimate beneficiaries of USAID assistance, such as recipients of food, medical care, micro-enterprise loans, shelter, etc., unless the Recipient has reason to believe that one or more of these beneficiaries commits, attempts to commit, advocates, facilitates, or participates in terrorist acts, or has committed, attempted to commit, facilitated or

16


participated in terrorist acts.

e. The Recipient’s obligations under paragraph 1 are not applicable to the procurement of goods and/or services by the Recipient that are acquired in the ordinary course of business through contract or purchase, e.g., utilities, rents, office supplies, gasoline, etc., unless the Recipient has reason to believe that a vendor or supplier of such goods and services commits, attempts to commit, advocates, facilitates, or participates in terrorist acts, or has committed, attempted to commit, facilitated or participated in terrorist acts.

This Certification is an express term and condition of any agreement issued as a result of this application, and any violation of it shall be grounds for unilateral termination of the agreement by USAID prior to the end of its term.

Signed: ___________________________________

Name and Title: ____________________________

Name of Organization: _______________________

Date: _____________________________________

6. SURVEY ON ENSURING EQUAL OPPORTUNITY FOR APPLICANTS http://www.usaid.gov/forms/surveyeo.doc contains a survey on ensuring equal opportunity for applicants. The applicant’s completion of the survey is voluntary. The absence of a completed survey in an application may not be a basis upon which the application is determined incomplete or non-responsive. Applicants who volunteer to complete and submit the survey under a competitive or non-competitive action are instructed within the text of the survey to submit it as part of the application process; applicants who chose to submit the survey shall include it in the technical application in the “annexes” section.

PART II - OTHER STATEMENTS OF RECIPIENT 1. AUTHORIZED INDIVIDUALS

The recipient represents that the following persons are authorized to negotiate on its behalf with the USAID’s Agribusiness Project and to bind the recipient in connection with this application or grant:

Name Title Telephone No Facsimile No Email Address

2. TAXPAYER IDENTIFICATION NUMBER (TIN) If the recipient is a U.S. organization, or a foreign organization which has income effectively connected with the conduct of activities in the U.S. or has an office or a place of business or a fiscal paying agent in the U.S., please indicate the recipient's TIN:

TIN: ________________________________

3. CONTRACTOR IDENTIFICATION NUMBER - DATA UNIVERSAL NUMBERING SYSTEM (DUNS) NUMBER

(a) In the space provided at the end of this provision, the recipient should supply the Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number applicable to that name and address. Recipients should take care to report the number that identifies the recipient's name and address exactly as stated in the proposal.

17


(b) The DUNS is a 9-digit number assigned by Dun and Bradstreet Information Services. If the recipient does not have a DUNS number, the recipient should call Dun and Bradstreet directly at 1-800-333-0505. A DUNS number will be provided immediately by telephone at no charge to the recipient. The recipient should be prepared to provide the following information:

(1) Recipient's name

(2) Recipient's address.

(3) Recipient's telephone number.

(4) Line of business.

(5) Chief executive officer/key manager.

(6) Date the organization was started.

(7) Number of people employed by the recipient.

(8) Company affiliation.

(c) Recipients located outside the United States may obtain the location and phone number of the local Dun and Bradstreet Information Services office from the Internet Home Page at http://www.dbisna.com/dbis/customer/custlist.htm. If an offeror is unable to locate a local service center, it may send an e-mail to Dun and Bradstreet at [email protected]. The DUNS system is distinct from the Federal Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) system.

DUNS: ________________________________________

4. LETTER OF CREDIT (LOC) NUMBER If the recipient has an existing Letter of Credit (LOC) with USAID or another US federal agency, please indicate the LOC number:

LOC: _________________________________________

5. TYPE OF ORGANIZATION The recipient, by checking the applicable box, represents that -

a) If the recipient is a U.S. entity, it operates as [ ] a corporation incorporated under the laws of the State of _____________________________________________, [ ] an individual [ ] a partnership, [ ] a non-governmental nonprofit organization, [ ] a state or local governmental organization, [ ] a private college or university, [ ] a public college or university, [ ] an international organization, or [ ] a joint venture; or

b) If the recipient is a U.S. entity, it [ ] is, [ ] is not a Gray Amendment entity, as defined below.

c) If the recipient is a Gray Amendment Entity, it is [ ] a business concerns (as defined in 48 CFR 19.001) owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals (as defined in 48 CFR 726.101), [ ] an institution designated by the Secretary of Education, pursuant to 34 CFR 608.2, as a historically black college or university (HBCU) , [ ] a college or university having a student body in which more than 40% of the students are Hispanic American, or [ ] a private voluntary organization which is controlled by individuals who are socially and economically disadvantaged (as defined in 48 CFR 726.101).

d) If the recipient is a non-U.S. entity, it operates as [ ] a corporation organized under the laws of

18


________________________________________________________ (country), [ ] an individual, [ ] a partnership, [ ] a nongovernmental nonprofit organization, [ ] a nongovernmental educational institution, [ ] a governmental organization, [ ] an international organization, or [ ] a joint venture.

6. ESTIMATED COSTS OF COMMUNICATIONS PRODUCTS [if applicable]The following are the estimate(s) of the cost of each separate communications product (i.e., any printed material [other than non-color photocopy material], photographic services, or video production services) which is anticipated under the agreement. Each estimate must include all the costs associated with preparation and execution of the product. Use a continuation page as necessary.

7. PROCUREMENT INFORMATION [if applicable](a) Applicability. This applies to the procurement of goods and services planned by the applicant (i.e., contracts, purchase orders, etc.) from a supplier of goods or services for the direct use or benefit of the recipient in conducting the project supported by the agreement, and not to assistance provided by the applicant (i.e., a sub-grant or sub-agreement) to a sub Recipient or sub-recipient in support of the sub Recipient’s or sub-recipient's project. Provision by the applicant of the requested information does not, in and of itself, constitute USAID’s Agribusiness Project approval.

(b) Amount of Procurement. Please indicate the total estimated dollar amount of goods and services which the recipient plans to purchase under the agreement

$__________________________

(c) Nonexpendable Property. If the recipient plans to purchase nonexpendable equipment which would require the approval of the Chief of Party, please indicate below (using a continuation page, as necessary) the types, quantities of each, and estimated unit costs. [Note that the authorized geographic code under the resulting award will be 935]

Nonexpendable equipment for which the Chief of Party's approval to purchase is required is any article of nonexpendable tangible personal property charged directly to the grant, having a useful life of more than one year and an acquisition cost of $5,000 or more per unit.

TYPE/DESCRIPTION (Generic) QUANTITY ESTIMATED UNIT COST

8. CERTIFICATION OF RECIPIENT The recipient certifies that it has reviewed and is familiar with the proposed Sub-Agreement format and the regulations applicable thereto, and that it agrees to comply with all such regulations.

Solicitation (RFP) No. ___________________________________________________

Application/Proposal No. _________________________________________________

Date of Application/Proposal ______________________________________________

Name of Recipient ______________________________________________________

Typed Name and Title ___________________________________________________

Signature _________________________________________ Date ________________

19


Appendix C: Other Provisions

Part I – Standard Provisions Standard Provisions for Non-US Non-governmental Recipients are found at http://www.usaid.gov/policy/ads/300/303mab.pdf

Part II – Special Provisions 1. Value Added Tax (Vat) and Custom Duties

Pursuant to agreements with the Government of Pakistan (GOP), all imports and expenditures under this award (the prime award) by the Grantee/Recipient and by non-local sub-grantees and subcontractors (as defined below) will be exempt from Value-Added Tax (VAT) and customs duties imposed by the GOP. Therefore, in accordance with paragraph 51 of OMB Circular No. A-122, Attachment B, such VAT and customs duties shall not constitute allowable costs under this award.

The Recipient and any non-local sub-grantees or subcontractors shall make reasonable efforts to avoid VAT at the point of sale by obtaining 0% VAT exemption. UAP and USAID will assist the Recipient to obtain zero percent (0%) VAT status from the GOP. The Recipient shall use this exemption to avoid paying any GOP VAT to local subcontractors and vendors by obtaining approval from the GOP VAT Department for suppliers to issue 0% VAT invoices.

In cases where VAT cannot be avoided, the Recipient shall obtain original VAT receipts from the vendors. Receipts must be submitted to UAP. UAP will submit those receipts to USAID’s Financial Management Office on a monthly basis to enable USAID to process refund claims with VAT authorities. The Grantee/Recipient is responsible for ensuring that sub-grantees or subcontractors comply with this requirement.

All VAT claims for the sub-grantees and subcontractors shall be submitted to USAID through UAP. Receipts for sub-grantees and subcontractors must be addressed to the project name / name of the Grantee/Recipient to enable USAID to claim refunds.

Recipients that already have exemption mechanisms in place with the GOP should continue to follow those procedures. Any refund of taxes received directly by the Recipient which were allowed as award costs, should be credited either as a cost reduction or cash refund, as appropriate, to USAID.

"Non-local sub-grantees and subcontractors" means sub-grantees and subcontractors that are present in Pakistan solely for the purpose of performing work financed by USAID or other tax-exempt foreign donors.

2. Reporting Of Foreign Taxes (a) The awardee must annually submit one report by April 6 of the next year. The reporting period will cover from October 1 to September 30.

(b) Contents of Report. The reports must be in the format provided in attachment A and contain:

(i) Applicant name.

(ii) Contact name with phone, fax and email.

(iii) Award number(s); separate report needs to be provided for each award.

(iv) Amount of foreign taxes assessed by the GOP on commodity purchase transactions valued at $500 or more financed with U.S. foreign assistance funds under this agreement during the prior U.S. fiscal year.

20

http://www.usaid.gov/policy/ads/300/303mab.pdf


(v) Only foreign taxes assessed by the foreign government in the country receiving U.S. assistance are to be reported. Foreign taxes by a third party foreign government are not to be reported.

(vi) Any reimbursements on the taxes reported in (iv) received by the recipient through March 31. Any refund from the GOP that is received directly by the awardee should be reflected. For refunds processed by USAID, we will fill in the VAT refunded amount. If a VAT refund receipt was provided to USAID for refund processing the awardee will need to provide the month under which the claim was submitted to USAID and the serial number of the invoice as included in the claim.

(vii) Reports are required even if the contractor/recipient did not pay any taxes during the report period.

(viii) Cumulative reports may be provided if the contractor/recipient is implementing more than one program in a foreign country.

(c) Definitions. For purposes of this clause:

(i) “Agreement” includes USAID direct and country contracts, grants, cooperative agreements and interagency agreements.

(ii) “Commodity” means any material, article, supply, goods, or equipment.

(iii) “Foreign government” includes only a GOP entity.

(iv) “Foreign taxes” means value-added taxes and custom duties assessed by a foreign government on a commodity. It does not include foreign sales taxes.

(d) Where. Submit the reports by either of the following means:

Email attachment (preferred): [email protected]

(e) Sub-agreements. The awardee must include this reporting requirement in all applicable subcontracts, sub-grants and other sub-agreements.

3. USAID Disability Policy - Assistance (December 2004) (a) The objectives of the USAID Disability Policy are (1) to enhance the attainment of United States foreign assistance program goals by promoting the participation and equalization of opportunities of individuals with disabilities in USAID policy, country and sector strategies, activity designs and implementation; (2) to increase awareness of issues of people with disabilities both within USAID programs and in host countries; (3) to engage other U.S. government agencies, host country counterparts, governments, implementing organizations and other donors in fostering a climate of nondiscrimination against people with disabilities; and (4) to support international advocacy for people with disabilities. The full text of the policy paper can be found at the following website: http://www.usaid.gov/about_usaid/disability/.

(b) USAID therefore requires that the applicant not discriminate against people with disabilities in the implementation of USAID funded programs and that it make every effort to comply with the objectives of the USAID Disability Policy in performing the program under this Sub-agreement. To that end and to the extent it can accomplish this goal within the scope of the program objectives, the applicant should demonstrate a comprehensive and consistent approach for including men, women and children with disabilities.”

4. Implementation of E.O. 13224 – Executive Order on Terrorist Financing (March 2002) The Applicant is reminded that U.S. Executive Orders and U.S. law prohibits transactions with, and the provision of resources and support to, individuals and organizations associated with terrorism. It is the legal responsibility of the applicant to ensure compliance with these Executive Orders and laws. This provision

21


must be included in all subcontracts/sub-awards issued under this contract/agreement.

22


Appendix D: Letter of Intent

[To be provided on the official letter head of the company]

[Location], [Date]

The Chief of PartyUSAID Agribusiness Project144, DD Block, Central Commercial Area, Phase IV, DHA, LahorePakistan

Letter of Intent Request for Proposal for International Market Linkages Program (IMLP)RFP# RFP-ASF/UAP-IMLP-24/2012

Dear Sir,

I would like to indicate our interest in the above Request for Proposal (RFP) and to be notified for any updates and amendments to the RFP.

Sincerely,

[Signature]

[Contact name]

[Complete address of the prospective provider]

[Phone and fax]

[Email address, an alias or distribution list dedicated to the RFP process]

23

proprietary information - asf.org.pk web viewrequest for proposals. implementation of international...

Documents