USAID/Kyiv, 19 Nyzhniy Val St., 254071 Kiev, Ukraine

R -- REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM IN EASTERN UKRAINE SOL USAID/Kyiv RFP 99-04 DUE 011599 POC Contact Point: Winifred Mulligan, wmulligan@usaid.gov, Tel: 380-44-462-5678, Fax: 380-44-462-5834, Contracting Officer, Cathrine A. Mallay, cmallay@usaid.gov The U.S. Agency for International Development will issue the request for proposal (RFP) in support of its Kharkiv Initiative. This acquisition is set aside for small business concerns (100% small business set-aside). The Kharkiv Initiative is a regional economic development program in the eastern area of Ukraine. The Initiative purpose is to concentrate resources of Ukrainian national, regional and municipal governments and United States Government to create a positive business climate and accelerate economic reform. The anticipated result is creation of a model for regional entrepreneurial development. The Kharkiv Initiative goal is to increase private sector employment, resulting in an overall increase in regional personal income. The initial effort is preparation of a comprehensive regional economic development strategic plan. Following approval of the comprehensive strategy by both partners, strategies will be prepared that focus on four areas of concentration. The concentration areas are: (1)Creating attractive foreign investment opportunities with strategically important regional industries; (2) Developing small and medium business sector; (3) Advancing commercial marketability of the region's scientists and researchers; and (4) Developing agriculture processing business sector. Strategies for the four areas of concentration will contain annual quantifiable and measurable performance indicators which in total will mark achievement of the strategy. Illustrative budgets for contributions by partners that are realistic and practical will be developed. Following approval by both partners, action plans for implementation of the four concentration areas will be prepared. Action plans will contain implementation actions, time lines, determine responsibilities for implementation and establish performance standards. Action plan performance standards will relate directly to concentration area strategic performance indicators. Action plans should include short-term implementation activities which are observableand important to engaging public support for the Initiative. Concentration area strategies should recognize that substantial activities by donors and Ukrainian Governments are underway which directly benefit the Initiative. Planning is to be a collaborative process, engaging Ukrainian national, oblast and municipal governments, U.S. government, region institutions and private businesses in a common effort to define obstacles and investment opportunities and develop action plans which address impediments to regional development. Ukraine and U.S. development professionals will provide expert advice during the planning process. The USAID Mission in Ukraine will award a contract with a small U.S. firm to facilitate the planning process and to provide Ukrainian and U.S. development experts. The planning process from formulation and approval of a strategy to preparation and approval of action plans should take about nine months, beginning with contract award by February, 1999. This CBD notice can be viewed and downloaded using the USAID Web Site. The RFP will be issued by being posted on the USAID Web Site. The RFP, once issued, can be downloaded from the Agency web site. The Worldwide Web address is http://www.info.usaid.gov. Select Business and Procurement Opportunities from the home page, then "USAID Procurements." On the following screen, select "Download Available USAID Solicitations." Receipt of this RFP through INTERNET should be confirmed by written notification to the contact person noted above. Parties providing this confirmation or otherwise expressing interest will be listed as an attachment to the RFP. 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. Any interested party requesting a hard copy or diskette of the solicitation must submit a written request (fax or email is acceptable) to the contact person noted above and must make its own arrangements to get the solicitation (mail, courier, etc.); USAID/Kyiv will not bear the cost for this purpose of courier service or other special pickup or delivery services. SIC Code 8742. Posted 11/12/98 (I-SN270883). (0316)

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