Mark Walther, Contracting Officer, USAID, M/OP/B/PCE, Room 1504, SA- 14, Wash., D.C. 20523-1422, Attn: Joe Lentini

R -- SUPPORT FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH AND INSTITUTIONAL REFORM (PRIVATIZATION AND LEGAL AND INSTITUTIONAL REFORM) SOL OP/B/PCE-96-001 POC Contract Specialist, Joe Lentini, 703/875-1190. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) intends to award multiple Indefinite Quantity Contracts (IQCs) as described below. In March, 1994, USAID produced Strategies for Sustainable Development to inform and guide the process of economic development assistance to developing countries. The document states that economic growth succeeds when the provision of economic assistance ''respects and safeguards the economic, cultural and natural environment, creates many incomes and chains of enterprises, is nurtured by an enabling policy environment, and builds indigenous institutions that involve and empower the citizenry. Development is sustainable when it permanently enhances the capacity of a society to improve its quality of life, enlarges the range of freedom and opportunities.'' Accordingly, the Agency's Strategic Objective of Broad-based Economic Growth focuses on (1) strengthening markets, (2) expanding access and opportunity, and (3) investing in people. To meet this mandate, the Bureau for Global Programs, Research and Mission Support has consolidated all technical support under ''umbrella'' projects to enhance economy and efficient response capability. Accordingly, the Economic Growth Center's Office of Economic and Institutional Reform (G/EG/EIR) has consolidated its varied research and technical support activities into a single project called SEGIR. SEGIR supports USAID economic growth activities in five areas: (1) Macroeconomic Policy, Poverty Alleviation and Economic Institutions and Analyses, (2) Privatization, (3) Financial Services, (4) General Business, Investment, Commerce, Export and Trade, and (5) Legal and Institutional Reform. NOTE: This RFP pertains to areas two (2) and five (5), Privatization and Legal and Institutional Reform. Privatization: (This RFP estimates 4-6 awards in Privatization. One of these awards is intended to be through the U.S. Small Business Administration's 8(a) Program.) The objective of the Privatization IQCs is to make available services that are readily accessible by USAID for the following purposes: (1) to provide assistance to G/EG/EIR in developing a global leadership agenda for privatization, (2) to assist decision-makers in USAID recipient countries to recognize and understand the benefits of privatization, (3) to assist USAID recipient countries to develop and implement effective privatization strategies and programs, (4) to provide technical assistance to USAID recipient countries to address specific implementation tasks related to privatization, and (5) to help USAID recipient countries to develop the capacity to independently implement their privatization programs without need of further donor assistance. The four primary privatization components are (1) Privatization Policy and Institutional Framework Development, (2) Assets Restructuring and Transfer, (3) Post Privatization and the Role of Government, (4) Research and Information Dissemination. Legal and Institutional Reform: (This RFP estimates 4-6 awards in Legal and Institutional Reform. One of these awards is intended to be through the U.S. Small Business Administration's 8(a) Program.) The purpose of this activity is to enhance USAID's capacity to identify and address the key legal and institutional constraints to economic growth throughout the world consistent with USAID's commitment to (1) strengthening markets, (2) expanding access and opportunity, and (3) investing in people. In order to facilitate the establishment of individual rights in property (real, personal, and intellectual), timely and effective enforcement of contract rights, and transparent processes for ensuring the previous two regimes, USAID will require rapid- response technical assistance services during program design, implementation, and evaluation stages as they become identified and requested by Missions, Regional Bureaus, and/or other USAID/Washington central Bureaus. The SIC Code for the above awards is 8742. Subcontracting with small business concerns and socially and economically disadvantaged entities: USAID encourages the participation, to the maximum extent possible, of U.S. entities that are small business concerns, small disadvantaged business concerns, and disadvantaged enterprises. It is anticipated that the prime contractor will make maximum practicable use of such entities. Small business and small disadvantaged business subcontracting plans, pursuant to FAR 52.219-9, are required to be included in submitted proposals. To help identify potential subcontractors, a list of all organizations requesting a copy of the solicitation will be sent with each document. By providing the list, USAID does not endorse the listed organizations as being capable of carrying out the activity, nor does USAID verify the claimed status of the organizations. Necessarily, the list will contain the names of only those organizations known prior to the issuance of the solicitation document. All organizations are encouraged to indicate whether they are small businesses, small disadvantaged businesses, 8(a) businesses, or disadvantaged enterprises so that their status may be indicated on the list. Interested parties may request a copy of RFP No. OP/B/PCE-96-001 by submitting a written request addressed to: Agency for International Development, M/OP/B/PCE, Room 1504, SA-14, Washington, D.C. 20523-1422, Attn: Joe Lentini. All requests must include four self-addressed mailing labels. All RFPs will be mailed not less than 15 days after this notice. No phone or fax requests will be accepted. There will be no RFPs available for pick-up. No walk-ins. Requests not conforming to this requirement will not be honored. All RFPs will be mailed through the U.S. Postal Service unless an organization prepares a self-addressed envelope already prepared for mailing with either their Federal Express or Express Mail account. Only one request for the RFP per organization will be honored. The preferred method of distribution of USAID procurement information is via the Internet or by request of a solicitation on a 3.5'' floppy disk (WordPerfect 5.1/5.2 format). This CBD notice can be viewed and downloaded using the Agency Gopher. The RFP, once issued, can be downloaded from the Agency Gopher. The Gopher address is GOPHER.INFO.USAID.GOV. Select USAID Procurement and Business Opportunities from the Gopher menu. From there, choose the heading USAID Procurements and then Download Available USAID Solicitations. The CBD notice and the RFP text can be downloaded via Anonymous File Transfer Protocol (FTP). The FTP address is FTP.INFO.USAID.GOV. Logon using the use identification of ''anonymous'' and the password is your e'mail address. Look under the following directory for the RFP: pub/OP/RFP/BPCE601/bpce601.rfp. Receipt of this RFP through Internet must be confirmed by written (fax or mail) notification to the contact person noted above. It is the responsibility of the recipient of this solicitation document to ensure that it has been received from Internet in its entirety and USAID bears no responsibility for data errors resulting from transmission or conversion processes. Questions must be directed to Joe Lentini, Contract Specialist, Agency for International Development, M/OP/B/PCE, Room 1504, SA-14, Washington, D.C. 20523-1422, (Phone 703-875-1190). (0124)

Loren Data Corp. http://www.ld.com (SYN# 0070 19960506\R-0001.SOL)