Background: Inclusive development is the concept that every person, regardless of identity, is instrumental in transforming their societies and their inclusion in the development process leads to better outcomes. The Inclusive Development (ID) Hub of USAID’s Bureau for Inclusive Growth, Partnerships, and Innovation (IPI) promotes a nondiscriminatory and integrated development approach that ensures that all people can fully participate in and benefit from development processes. The ID Hub helps missions and operating units to a) analyze inclusive development issues in their country or sector; b) support research on what works in promoting the empowerment and inclusion of marginalized groups and combatting stigma and discrimination; c) implement activities to improve the lives of the most at risk populations; and d) provide technical assistance and oversight of activities related to a variety of ID Hub technical areas.
This contract will be issued and managed by ZemiTek, LLC, the lead in a joint-venture partnerships (Global Solutions Ventures-GSV), which supports the Agency for International Development (USAID), Bureau for Inclusive Growth, Partnerships, and Innovation (IPI), Inclusive Development Hub (ID Hub). The work under this contract will be coordinated with USAID’s Children in Adversity team within the Inclusive Growth, Partnerships, and Innovation Bureau’s Inclusive Development Hub (IPI/ID), which leads interagency efforts to implement Public Law (P.L.) 109-95, the Global Child Thrive Act (GCTA), and Advancing Protection and Care for Children in Adversity: A U.S. Government Strategy for Children to Thrive (Thrive Strategy).
Objective: To identify a communications company which can provide support to the U.S. Government Special Advisor and the Children in Adversity team to complete discrete tasks related to implementation of P.L. 109-95, the GCTA, and the Thrive Strategy. All tasks will facilitate the implementation of this Strategy and will be completed in consultation with the GSV Project Director, the Special Advisor, Children in Adversity team, and ID Hub Senior Communications Advisors. The initial activity includes the design, format and layout for the FY 2023/FY 2024 combined Report to Congress (RTC) and appendix. Subject to USAID needs, the availability of funds, and contractor availability and interest, this contract may be amended to accommodate additional communications support from throughout the ID Hub.
ZemiTek, LLC, therefore seeks Communications Support Services to support the following:
Design, Format, and Produce the Thrive Strategy Annual Report to Congress (FY 2023 and FY 2024 combined)
Period of Performance:
o/a January 24, 2025 – September 30, 2025 (FY 2023-FY 2024 RTC) (possibility for extension)
Expected Expertise: Art direction, Graphic design, Editing, Proofreading, Writing, Visual Design, 508 compliance of document and appendix
(1) Thrive Report to Congress
In July 2024, U.S. Government (USG) partners launched Advancing Protection and Care for Children in Adversity: A U.S. Government Strategy for Children to Thrive (2024-2029) or Thrive Strategy, which outlines the USG’s approach to investing in the development, care, dignity, and safety of the world’s most vulnerable children and their families. Thrive guides a whole-of-government approach to investing in the development, care, dignity, and safety of the world’s most vulnerable children and their families, fostering collaboration and coordination, and maximizing results across departments and agencies. The Thrive Strategy maintains three strategic objectives: (1) Build Strong Beginnings; (2) Support Families to Thrive; and (3) Protect Children from Violence. Subsequently, the Thrive Interagency put the Strategy into action, with impacts, and outcomes described in a Report to Congress on an annual basis.
The Thrive Annual Report to Congress provides a sense of the scale and scope of programming under the Thrive Strategy. It demonstrates the breadth of efforts to provide services for vulnerable children and their families and, where possible, highlights the outcomes achieved by USG-funded programs.
Each year the Children in Adversity team coordinates with other USAID operating units and other U.S. Government Bureaus and Agencies participating in Thrive to compile the annual Report to Congress, as mandated by Public Law 109-95 and the Global Child Thrive Act. The Children in Adversity team manages the report’s clearance and production. Once completed, the team works with USAID’s Bureau for Legislative and Public Affairs to distribute the Report to Congress and Thrive interagency partners. The team will clear text for the report through the Thrive Interagency and USAID’s Legislative and Public Affairs Bureau.
USAID requires support creating the FY 2023/FY 2024 combined Report to Congress (to be produced between January 2025-May 2025). For the combined report, USAID will work with the incumbent to create and finalize design templates for the cover, interior spreads, and appendixes of the report. Incumbent will design infographic icons and story templates prior to finalized content. They will also craft content, including an opening letter, overview of interagency efforts including a graphic of all Agencies and Operating Units included in the Thrive Strategy, up to four (4) interagency stories, and a highlights spread spotlighting work supporting Children in Adversity by the USG interagency working group for FY 2023 and FY 2024. We anticipate 3-6 rounds of revisions of the report. USAID will share text received through an annual interagency data call with the incumbent to draw from for the content outlined above, and to lay out into approved templates. Then, the consultant will perform a substantial copy edit of the text. Finally, USAID will review and give final approval to the incumbent to produce the final 508 compliant proof and print-ready version of the main report to be distributed and posted on the Children in Adversity website (www.childreninadversity.gov) as well as a designed and 508-compliant version of the appendix.
GSV requires assistance with the above-described steps in drafting, designing, formatting, and producing the combined FY 2023 and FY 2024 Reports to Congress. Responses to this RFP should include the required personnel or services to provide drafting, graphic design, editing, and a substantial copy edit of the text and appendix in line with USAID copy edit rules, and 507 compliance support.
Deliverables and Delivery Schedule: The finished publication covering FY 2023 and FY 2024 will be approximately 20–28 pages, including self-cover, as well as an Appendix with up to 40 pages. All deliverable products will be submitted in electronic draft format for the technical lead’s review and comment. Final copies will be delivered to Technical Lead five (5) working days after receiving the USAID’s remarks. All written draft deliverable products need to be submitted in electronic format for review and comment. In addition, final deliverable products will be submitted in 508 compliant and print-ready pdf formats. The timeline is subject to change and dependent on USAID providing feedback in a timely manner.
The estimated delivery schedule for the FY 2023 and FY 2024 combined RTC is outlined in the table below, to be reviewed and agreed together with the apparently successful applicant. In addition, other written and media deliverables shall be submitted according to the schedules identified in the approved performance milestone developed under this SOW.
Estimated Delivery Schedule - FY23 and FY 2024 combined RTC - TBD
Deliverable
Deliverable Due Date (TBD)
Proposed Payment Schedule
Pagination of the RTC based on prior year’s report (combining FY 2023 and FY 2024) and a RTC GANT chart.
Week of February 3, 2025
Updated diagram of Agencies
Thrive Strategy Overview
Strategic Principles page
Week of February 3, 2025
4 draft stories in blog format that will be used for spreads from different agencies spotlighting Thrive relevant interagency efforts across FY 2023 and FY 2024 (a mix between both years)
Week of February 10, 2025
Interagency highlights and iconography for both FY 2023 and FY 2024 in stand-alone version that will be used for the Report to Congress.
Week of February 10, 2025
Design and layout for updated Report to Congress (covering FY 2023 and FY 2024) with options for how to represent both fiscal years.
Week of February 10, 2025
Cover, inside cover, back cover and 4 stories in draft layout
Week of February 17, 2025
Overview, Thrive Indicator spread drafted, Thrive Country Map
Week of February 17, 2025
Including all previous deliverables up through 16th December – 35%
Appendix copy edit and layout draft
Week of February 17, 2025
Final draft of main RTC and appendix for Children in Adversity team review
Week of February 17, 2025
Incorporate Children in Adversity team feedback and submit final draft for USG clearance process
Week of February 24, 2025
Revised draft based on comments from USAID OUs and LPA
Weeks of March 24, 2025 and March 31, 2025
508- compliant web and print-friendly PDF version final draft submitted for Children in Adversity Final review
Week of April 7, 2025
Contractor submits final publication
Week of April 14, 2025
Contractor oversees printing quality at USAID printshop
Timeline: Timeline is subject to change.
Quality Control: The highest quality of professional work is expected. Success criteria include completion status of assigned tasks, conceptual clarity, content accuracy, adherence to USAID and Children in Adversity branding and marking, and 508 compliance requirements. GSV’s technical lead will perform quality assurance through periodic (milestone) checks and by mid-project and final review by designated ZemiTek staff. In addition, USAID personnel will conduct a final quality check and product approval. The Consultant/Company is strongly encouraged to maintain active and ongoing communication, e.g. a daily email, as needed; phone meetings on milestone completion dates with the technical lead; proactive seeking of input and piloting test solutions or progressive outputs.
Approval of Deliverable(s): The timeline and the specific incremental deliverables will be negotiated when the contract is awarded.
Organizational Conflict of Interest: If the Consultant/Company is currently providing support or anticipates providing support to the USAID that creates or represents an actual or potential organizational conflict of interest (OCI), the Consultant/Company will immediately disclose this actual or potential OCI per FAR Part 9.5. The Consultant/Company is also required to complete and sign an Organizational Conflict of Interest Statement in which the Consultant/Company (and any subcontractors, consultants, or teaming partners) agrees to disclose information concerning the actual or potential conflict with any proposal for any solicitation relating to any work in the TO. All existing or potential OCI situations shall be handled in accordance with FAR Subpart 9.5.
SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
ZemiTek is requesting interested firms to provide the below information. Submissions should be single spaced, Times New Roman font (12) with one-inch margins, and include page numbers.:
Travel and other logistical expenses will be determined when a final schedule is produced and subject to USAID approval. We anticipate one trip to Southeast Asia and one trip to Eastern Europe during the Period of Performance.
RFP Response Information: The key dates for this RFP process are shown below:
December 18, 2024 RFP released to potential offerors.
January 6, 2025 Submission of questions or requests for clarification in writing via email to contracts@zemitek.com, Subject: Children in Adversity by 5 pm EST. Please note that inquiries and answers to inquiries will be shared with all applicants.
Please do not contact any ZemiTek employees regarding this RFP. Contacting individual employees may be cause for disqualification. No Telephone Inquiries Will Be Answered.
Responses to submitted questions will be available by January 9, 2025
January 13, 2025 Submission of proposal due by 5 pm EST via email to contracts@zemitek.com
January 24, 2025 Anticipated contract start date. Start date may be subject to change.
Selection Criteria: ZemiTek is issuing this RFP requesting that each offeror provide us with a brief proposal. ZemiTek intends to issue one or more fixed-price agreements to the offeror whose proposal contains the combination of those criteria offering the best overall value. Evaluation factors are a total of 100 points, apportioned as noted in the following:
Contract Mechanism: ZemiTek anticipates contracting one or more fixed-price subcontracts to the offerors whose technical and cost proposal will be evaluated based on the evaluation criteria described previously. ZemiTek will issue fixed payment(s) based on submission and ZemiTek acceptance of deliverables or measurable performance milestones. Once a subcontract is issued, it will include a fixed price payment schedule with deliverables/milestones specified in the Scope of Work.
ZemiTek may: (1) reject any or all offers; (2) accept offers other than the lowest-price offer; and/or (3) make multiple awards.
Terms and Conditions: Offerors are responsible for review of the terms and conditions described below and in the award template attached.
Withdrawals of Proposals: Offerors may withdraw proposals by written notice via email received at any time before award. Proposals may be withdrawn in person by a offeror or his/her authorized representative, if the representative’s identity is made known and the representative signs a receipt for the proposal before award.
