Internatinal Fundatin fr Electral Systems Request fr Applicatin Date: 08/14/2017 Ref.: RFA-012-001-001 Subject: Request fr Applicatins: Campaign Finance Mnitring by Civil Sciety Organizatin The Internatinal Fundatin fr Electral Systems (IFES), invites yur rganizatin t participate in this cmpetitive slicitatin fr pricing, delivery, and terms f ptential sale f the fllwing services fr the IFES ffice in Nepal. IFES reserves the right t reject any and all ffers, t add, delete, r mdify any element f the slicitatin at any time withut prir ntificatin and withut any liability r bligatin f any kind. This RFA des nt bligate IFES t enter int a cntract nr des it bligate IFES t pay any csts incurred in the preparatin f submissin f any Respnse. BACKGROUND IFES is an independent, internatinal nn-gvernmental rganizatin (INGO) with headquarters registered in the United States f America. IFES supprts citizens rights t participate in free and fair electins. Our independent expertise strengthens electral systems and builds lcal capacity t deliver sustainable slutins. Organizatinal Backgrund Since 1999, IFES has cnducted a range f assistance activities t supprt the develpment f demcratic electins and plitical prcesses in Nepal. IFES prvides supprt t strengthen the electral management capacity f the Electin Cmmissin f Nepal (ECN), prmte inclusive electral refrm, strengthen the capacity f civil sciety rganizatins (CSOs) and mbilize citizens t participate in demcratic plitics. IFES cntinues t wrk clsely with the ECN and CSOs thrugh each electin cycle. IFES is currently wrking in supprt f the upcming electins in Nepal thrugh the Cnsrtium fr Electins and Plitical Prcess Strengthening (CEPPS) mechanism, funded by USAID. Under this mechanism, IFES is c-implementing the prject titled Plicy Dialgue (r Niti Sambad) which aims t prmte dialgue and accuntability mechanisms fr, within and amng plitical parties, gvernment entities, and civil sciety rganizatins in supprt f mre transparent and inclusive plitical prcesses in Nepal. IFES prvides technical supprt t engage and enfranchise the mst marginalized grups in Nepal thrugh partnerships with the Electin Cmmissin, Nepal and ther electral stakehlders including media rganizatins, disabled persn s rganizatins, and civil sciety rganizatins. Prject Descriptin Page 1 f 6
IFES is planning t issue a sub-award t a legally registered, nn- gvernmental, nn-partisan Nepali rganizatin t develp and implement a methdlgy fr mnitring campaign expenditures. This invitatin is fr an rganizatin that will wrk in clse crdinatin with IFES lcal and internatinal experts t adapt IFES existing mnitring methdlgy t the Nepali cntext and implement a pilt mnitring missin in the Kathmandu Valley during the upcming State Assembly and/r Parliamentary electins. The awarded rganizatin will be required t design, plan and implement a cmprehensive campaign finance mnitring prgram with the supprt prvided by IFES. The activities undertaken within the prject will cntribute t the main bjectives f the prject: T develp a methdlgy fr mnitring campaign expenditure in Nepal T mnitr use f resurces by electin cntesters such as candidate r party psters, flags, t- shirts; plitical advertisements n televisin, scial media r radi bradcasts; and transprtatin, fd, and ther allwances in attempt t buy vtes including the use f administrative and state resurces; T raise awareness amng the public abut campaign finance regulatins and the abuse f state resurces during electin campaigns; T prmte fair cmpetitin amng all electral stakehlders by highlighting the rle f mney in the electin campaign The rganizatin shuld have a strng presence in the Kathmandu Valley fr cmpletin f this prject, thugh a wider natinal presence is preferred t supprt mnitring effrts utside f the Kathmandu Valley that may be cnducted in the future. IFES will cnsider initiatives up t $15,000 in value. Sub-award funds may be used nly fr the activities directly related t the implementatin f a sub-award prject. IFES reserves the right t fund ne, several, r nne f the applicatins submitted. The first sub-award will be fr a pilt fr 5-8 mnths fcused n campaign spending mnitring in Kathmandu fr the next electins. The awarded rganizatin will be required t prduce a cmprehensive reprt n the main findings f the mnitring activities in Nepali and English language, and t present it t the public and a wide range f stakehlders, such as gvernment, plitical parties, civil sciety, electin management bdies and the media bth at the natinal and lcal level. The reprt will cntain at a minimum a descriptin f the methdlgy used, main findings, references t legal prvisins that were vilated and recmmendatins fr imprvements. In additin, the selected rganizatin will be expected t develp an utreach plan t help raise public awareness and advcacy fr refrm. Additinal activity reprts will als be required after majr trainings and awareness events. The awarded rganizatin shuld have a strng presence in Kathmandu where mnitring will be cnducted but wider cverage in the districts is preferred in case f future prject expansin. While previus experience in electin-related mnitring activities is preferable, it is NOT required that the selected rganizatin has previus experience in campaign finance mnitring. In supprt f the abve, IFES respnsibilities will be t prvide a minimum f three trainings t the cre team at the sub-awardee n campaign finance. The cre team culd include: Prject Manager IT/data fcal persn(s) wh culd adapt IFES existing database n campaign finance fr Nepal Reprt Writing Officer Media Outreach Officer Page 2 f 6
Legal/electins cnsultant (des nt require a legal backgrund but smene wh cmes frm a research-backgrund and will be able t lk int the regulatins and supprt develpment f the methdlgy) During the pre-electin phase, the cre team will be expected t adapt IFES existing campaign finance methdlgy fr the Nepali cntext in clse crdinatin with IFES field team and Internatinal Plitical Finance Cnsultant. The cre grup will be expected t train a grup f 15-20 mnitrs in Kathmandu, wh will be cntracted fr the entirety f the pre-campaign and campaign perid t g ut and identify campaign expenditures based n the adpted methdlgy. Duratin f the Prject The sub-award will start in August 2017 and end after the cmpletin f the next electin in Nepal (5-8 mnths). Eligibility Eligible rganizatins will: Be lcal nn-gvernmental/nt-fr-prfit rganizatins registered with the Scial Welfare Cuncil (SWC); Have a strng, established financial management, database management and reprting system; Nt be affiliated with any plitical party r engaged in any plitical activities; Be firmly rted in Kathmandu having a strng presence and experience; Have capacity t mnitr electin-related activities; Have prir experience and demnstrated expertise in implementatin f similar prjects and prir histry f successful implementatin f electin-related prjects is a plus; Applicatin Submissin Prcedures Applicatins submitted t IFES under this cmpetitin must be riginal and the sle wrk f the applicant rganizatins. Applicants must submit in English: A detailed prject narrative including backgrund, bjectives, and prpsed methdlgy (3 pages maximum) A detailed implementatin plan; A detailed itemized budget and explanatry budget ntes; A cpy f the applicant s SWC registratin certificate and DUNS registratin infrmatin CVs f prpsed cre team members (see list abve); Outline f a mnitring and evaluatin plan. Any ther supprting dcument that will strengthen the applicatin such as links t relevant articles r reprts prduced fr ther prjects Page 3 f 6
All the materials and dcuments submitted as part f this cmpetitin becmes prperty f IFES and will nt be returned t the applicant. IFES guarantees the cnfidentiality f applicatins. If applicable, applicant shuld submit additinal infrmatin abut ther prjects (prject summary and budget) n similar tpics, submitted r already funded by ther dnrs. Please nte that selected rganizatins will be subject t a pre-award audit t determine fiscal respnsibility and ensure adequacy f financial cntrls and accunting systems. OTHER REQUIREMENTS Prspective applicants must submit the fllwing infrmatin in the Respnse: 1. A cntact name, email address, and telephne number t facilitate cmmunicatin between IFES and the prspective applicant. 2. General infrmatin abut the applicant s histry and experience. 3. If a gvernment, its agents, r agencies, have an wnership r managerial interest in the rganizatin, the prspective applicant must indicate this when submitting its ffer. Failure t d s will result in the prspective applicant s ffer being remved frm cnsideratin. 4. A brief utline f the rganizatin, including: a. Full legal name and address f the rganizatin r individual; b. A cpy f the applicant s SWC registratin certificate and tax registratin dcuments; c. Full name f the legal representative (president r managing directr) f the rganizatin (nt applicable fr individuals); d. Name f any individuals r entities that wn 50% f mre f the rganizatin; and e. Year NGO was started r established 5. The prspective applicant must disclse in writing with its respnse any subcntracting that will take place under an award. Failure t disclse subcntracting relatinships will result in the prspective applicant s ffer being remved frm cnsideratin. 6. IFES requests qutatins fr the abve listed services n a fixed unit price basis. 7. Cntain detailed cst with all applicable taxes/charges clearly identified, and prvided against each f the categries f services described in this request. 8. Detailed descriptin f past experiences prviding similar services t internatinal NGOs. 9. Names, addresses, and telephne numbers f three rganizatinal references, and apprval t cntact the listed references. IFES reserves the right t request and check additinal references. 10. Prspective applicants must be legally registered under the laws f the Nepal and pssess all licenses, permits and gvernment apprvals necessary fr perfrmance f the wrk. EVALUATION IFES will evaluate applicatins based n the fllwing criteria: 1. Quality 20% The prpsal will be evaluated based n its verall chesiveness and alignment with the gals f the prject. While IFES will wrk with the selected rganizatin t develp the methdlgy, the prject narrative shuld demnstrate an understanding f the imprtance f transparency in mney in plitics and a framewrk fr executing a prject that wuld lead t imprvement in awareness f plitical finance issues in Nepal. The implementatin plan must be clear, reasnable and specific, and all prject activities must lead t accmplishing the prject gals. Page 4 f 6
2. Prpsed Timeframe and Results 20% The prpsed timeframe must be reasnable and cmprehensive. The expected results must be cncrete and apprpriate t the prject gals and bjectives, and the expected results must be meaningful, practical, reasnable and attainable. Additinally, the gal(s) and bjective(s) must be achievable within the allcated timeframe and there must be a clear utline f a mnitring and evaluatin plan fr measuring t what extent thse gals and bjectives have been met. 3. Technical Capacity 20% Cnsideratin will be given t the fllwing: the applicant rganizatin s prven experience in electinrelated prjects with preference fr plitical finance experience, demnstrated knwledge f financial mnitring r investigative reprting practices, and evidence f success in reaching high level stakehlders t influence change thrugh media r advcacy campaigns. 4. Organizatinal Capacity 20% Cnsideratin will be given t the fllwing: histry f handling similar types f awards, experience cmplying with internatinal dnr regulatins especially USAID, dcumentatin f internal institutinal and financial prcesses, and demnstrated management, research and data analysis experience f key staff. 5. Price 20% The ttal cst must be reasnable and shw efficient use f resurces, and additinal csts, if any, must be clearly identified. The budget and budget narrative shuld distinguish between csts t be incurred in the planning and trainings stage versus the electin perid when actual mnitring will ccur. Offers will be cmpared amngst applicants wh met the technical requirements. Evaluatin Criteria Grading fr Each Criterin: Highly Exceeds Expectatins 5 Pints Slightly Exceeds Expectatins 4 Pints Meets Expectatins 3 Pints Meets mst but nt All Expectatins 2 Pints Des nt Meet Expectatins 1 Pint SCHEDULE OF EVENTS Release f RFA August 14, 2017 Meeting with Interested Applicants* August 18, 2017 Questins Due August 18, 2017 Answers frm IFES August 22, 2017 RFA Clses- Respnse Due August 28, 2017 * Applicants interested in attending the meeting must ntify IFES f their intent t attend via email by August 17, 2017. Interested vendrs must email Ram Maharjan at the ifesnepal.prcurement@gmail.cm in rder t receive the meeting lcatin and time infrmatin. Page 5 f 6
The schedule nted abve may be changed at any time in the sle discretin f IFES. All cmmunicatin must adhere t this schedule and shall be in writing t the attentin f Ram Maharjan. GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS 1. IFES will nly cnsider respnses frm respnsible applicants fr award. 2. Cllusin is strictly prhibited. Cllusin is defined as an agreement r cmpact, written r ral, between tw r mre parties with the gal f limiting fair and pen cmpetitin by deceiving, misleading, r defrauding a third party. 3. Prices quted must be valid fr entire length f cntract (up t 5 mnths). 4. Unit prices are required and in the case f discrepancies between unit price and ttal price, the unit price will be taken as reference basis in the evaluatin. 5. All prcurement will be subject t IFES cntractual terms and cnditins, and cntingent n the availability f dnr funding. 6. IFES reserves the right t accept r reject any applicatin r stp the prcurement prcess at any time, withut assigning any reasn r liability. 7. IFES reserves the right t accept all r part f the applicatin when awarding the cntract. 8. All infrmatin prvided by IFES in this RFA is subject t change at any time. IFES makes n certificatin as t the accuracy f any item and is nt respnsible r liable fr any reliance n r use f the infrmatin r fr any claims asserted therefrm. 9. IFES reserves the right t require any prspective applicant t enter int an ndisclsure agreement. 10. The RFA des nt bligate IFES t pay fr any csts, f any kind whatsever, which may be incurred by the prspective applicant r any third parties, in cnnectin with the Respnse. All Respnses and supprting dcumentatin shall becme the prperty f IFES. IFES has zer tlerance fr fraud. Fraud is any act r missin that intentinally misleads, r attempts t mislead, t btain a benefit r t avid an bligatin. If yu have cncerns abut ptential fraud in any way related t IFES prjects, cntracts r activities, please cntact Ram Maharjan. Page 6 f 6