The United States Agency for International Development, USAID/Egypt, Office of Procurement (D/PROC), 6th Floor, Unit 64902, APO AE 09839-4902

R -- TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE REQUESTED UNDER THE AGRIBUSINESS-LED EXPORT BUSINESSES (ALEB), USAID/EGYPT, SO1, SUBSET-GROWTH THROUGH GLOBALIZATION (GTG), RP NO. 263-0264 SOL RFP No. 263-98-P-021 POC Contact Point: Mr. James C. Athanas, Contracting Officer, USAID/Egypt, Tel: 011-20-2-357-3257/58, Fax: 011-20-2-357-3818, E-mail: jathanas@usaid.gov The United States Agency for International Development's Mission to Egypt (USAID/Egypt) is requesting proposals from U.S. firms, organizations, and other entities to provide technical services to the Government of Egypt through a direct contract with USAID/Egypt. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) invites profit, non-profit, non-governmental, and consortium organizations to submit proposals for providing technical assistance and training services to increase private sector exports of processed food products. Agribusiness-led Export Businesses (ALEB) is a central component of USAID/Egypt SO 1, and its subset Growth Through Globalization (GTG) Results Package No. 263-0264, to support Egypt to diversify its export market base and increase exports by improving the competitiveness of export companies and service providers. Therefore, ALEB will support activities that further develop Egyptian food processing companies and related export service firms and associations and thereby enable them to be competitive in regional and global markets, especially in Europe and the Gulf, but not excluding opportunities in African, Asian, American as well as niche or specialty markets. Expected results will be achieved through five tasks 1) targeted export marketing and product information access expanded and more widely available, 2) processing technologies and product improvement services expanded and more widely available, 3) strengthen and expand international marketing, management and technical skills, 4) association and private sector export services supporting export development and policy dialogue enhanced, and 5) private sector strategic alliances supporting exports expanded. This was based on a customer survey which identified current and potential processed foods exporter needs for a) export marketing assistance -- especially better market information and product market assistance, b) professional marketing, middle management and technical training, c) technical assistance to better understand,invest more wisely in and effectively and efficiently utilize cooling, freezing, canning, dehydrating, transport, packaging and other processing technologies that will raise quality, reduce spoilage and lower costs, and d) improving natural raw materials sourcing; the effective combination of which will increase the overall profitability of processed food exports. The total life of the ALEB activity is expected to be at least four years and activity resource requirements are estimated at $18.3 million over the first four years of the contract with a two year option not to exceed $ 10 million, if planned performance milestones are achieved. A direct USAID cost-plus-award-fee, performance based contract is contemplated. It is a requirement that the firms must comply with USAID geographic code 000 (USA) for nationality and source regulations. U.S. organizations interested in submitting offers for this solicitation may request a copy of RFP No. 263-98-P-021, by submitting a written request (telephone requests will not be considered, fax requests are acceptable), stating the RFP number and activity name along with three self-addressed mailing labels. Do not send self-addressed envelopes. Requests for the RFP should be sent to James C. Athanas, Contracting Officer, USAID/Cairo, Unit 64902, APO AE 09839-4902. Courier service requests should be sent to: James C. Athanas, Contracting Officer, USAID/Cairo, 106 Kasr El Aini Street, Cairo Center Building, 6th Floor, Cairo, Egypt. The RFP will be issued on or after May 15, 1998. Offerors will be given 60 days from the date of the issuance of the RFP to prepare and submit their proposals. "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 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 must be confirmed by written 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." The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) encourages the participation to the maximum extent possible of small business concerns, small disadvantaged business concerns and women-owned small business concerns in this activity as prime contractors or subcontractors in accordance with Part 19 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation. In this respect, it is anticipated that the prime contractor will make every reasonable effort to identify and make maximum practicable use of such concerns. All other evaluation criteria being found equal, the participation of such concerns may become a determining factor for selection. (0093)

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