Synopsis:
This is a Sources Sought Notice only.

This is NOT a Request for Applications.

It shall not be construed as an obligation on the part of the U. S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

The purpose of this notice is to determine the availability and capability

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of qualified U. S. Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and/or local Bosnian Non-Governmental Organizations and to gain knowledge of industry interest.

Please see below for the definition of a Local NGO.

Objectives:
The United States Agency for International Development in Bosnia and Herzegovina (USAID/BiH) is considering issuing a solicitation estimated at a value NTE $5 million over 44-months for the implementation of the new Strengthening Governing Institutions, Systems, and Processes Project (SGISP) in Bosnia-Herzegovina (BiH).

The overall goal of the SGISP is to support efforts by Bosnia-Herzegovina (BiH) toward Euro-Atlantic integrations through strengthening the capacity of country’s governing institutions to adopt, implement, and account for more effective policies, laws, and budgets that address critical European Union (EU) accession issues.

The main focus of this project is to strengthen BiH legislative institutions to scrutinize legislation more effectively, and to increase accountability of legislators toward citizens and the country’s long-term prosperity.

Also, the project will work to a limited extent with parts of the executive branch that interact closely with the legislature in areas such as public accountability, policy development, and budget planning and oversight.

The core objectives of the project are the following:
Objective One:
The quality and effectiveness of legislation is improved as a result of increased use of evidence based policy development in the law making process.

Objective Two:
Parliaments and citizens increase their participation and expertise in, and scrutiny of, budget preparation, review, adoption, implementation, and oversight processes.

Objective Three:
BiH governing institutions are increasingly accountable and transparent as a result of strengthened systems of public accountability and transparency Objective Four:
Cross-Cutting Initiative – The role and capacity of women in governing institutions in enhanced The program will focus on strengthening linkages between and among the State, BiH Federation, and targeted Cantonal governments and parliaments, in areas such as policy development and reform processes; budget preparation, review, implementation and oversight processes; and public accountability systems.

In addition, the project intends to work closely with civil society to ensure that procedures for allowing public participation in these processes and systems are created and respected.

Organizations expressing an interest in executing this work should document significant and relevant experience in the following:
• Rapidly fielding staff and establishing program and operational processes in countries undergoing political or post-conflict transitions; • Implementing results-oriented activities; • Managing subgrants; • Capacity to undertake timely local procurement of goods and services.

Submittal Information:
Organizations interested in competing for this work should submit a statement of capabilities (no more than three (3) pages) detailing their relevant experience to perform the work described above.

At a minimum, this statement of capabilities must include:
• The products or services you are offering.

(Core Competency) • Your experience in the field of legislative and governance strengthening in last five (5) years.

(Past Performance) • Why your Organization is different.

(Differentiators) • Organization address, email and point of contact • History • Your Staff • References.

The Government does not intend to make an award on the basis of this notice and will not reimburse the costs incurred by interested parties in providing the information requested herein.

Companies/Organizations expressing an interest in this work are encouraged to submit a statement of capabilities as detailed above.

Telephone inquiries regarding this notice will not be entertained.

Only written capability statements will be accepted.

All capability statements must be submitted by e-mail to:
Viktoria Hollosy at vhollosy@usaid.gov no later than Tuesday, October 16, 2012, 12:00 p.m.

Eastern Time.

Please reference “SS-13-SGISP” in the subject line of the email.

All data received in response to this sources sought synopsis marked or designated as corporate or proprietary information will be fully protected from release outside the Government.

Since this is a sources sought announcement, no debrief, evaluation letters, questions, and/or results will be issued to the participants.

Definition of Local NGO:
Local Non-Governmental Organization To be considered a “local non-governmental organization” an entity at the time of the award must:
(1)be organized under the laws of the recipient country, (2)have its principal place of business in the recipient country, (3)be majority owned by individuals who are citizens or lawful permanent residents of the recipient country or be managed by a governing body, the majority of whom are citizens or lawful permanent residents of a recipient country, and (4)not be controlled by a foreign entity or by an individual or individuals who are not citizens or permanent residents of the recipient country.

The term “controlled by”, (4), means a majority ownership or beneficiary interest as defined at (3), above, or the power, either directly or indirectly, whether exercised or exercisable, to control the election, appointment, or tenure of the organization’s managers or a majority of the organization’s governing body by any means, e.g., ownership, contract, or operation of law.

“Foreign entity” means an organization that fails to meet any part of the “local organization” definition.

Government controlled and government owned organizations in which the recipient government owns a majority interest or in which the majority of a governing body are government employees, are excluded from the above definition of local organization for the purpose of this solicitation.