SI Seeks MEL Capacity Building Firms in Mali

Disclaimer: This is a Call for Expression of Interest (CEI). It is not a Request for Proposals (RFP) or a Request for Quotations (RFQ) and is not to be construed as a commitment by SI to award a subcontract based on this CEI. All costs associated with responding to this request will be solely at the respondent’s expense.

Project Background

As the implementer of USAID’s Mali Monitoring Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Platform, Social Impact, Inc. (SI) is required to develop local firms’ monitoring and evaluation (M&E) capacities in alignment with USAID’s focus on localization. Subject to the availability of funds and the level of demand for services the USAID Mali MEL Platform seeks local M&E firms to participate in a MEL capacity-building program designed to increase their MEL knowledge, skills, and services and enhance their ability to compete effectively for donor funds. In addition, selected organizations can expect to increase their financial and administrative knowledge and skills so that they are eligible to provide MEL services directly to USAID in the future. This may include (but is not limited to): conducting performance evaluations, designing monitoring systems, data collection, assessing data quality, and developing MEL plans.

Service Explanation

In support of USAID’s focus on localization, one of the key objectives of the USAID Mali MEL Platform is to build the capacity of local organizations to monitor and evaluate development programs.[1] In Mali, few local companies and/or research organizations have been able to win and successfully manage prime contracts with USAID and/or other major international donors. Thus, as a part of building local MEL capacity, USAID has asked SI to help build the pool of potentially eligible local organizations that could provide direct MEL support to USAID in the future. SI will provide these organizations with MEL support and capacity development to enable them to independently monitor or evaluate development programs, improve organizational learning, and use monitoring data and evaluations to support adaptive management. SI’s capacity building support will align with USAID policy, international standards, and best practices. The ultimate objective is to enable Malian organizations to apply for, win, and successfully manage MEL work with USAID and other donors as prime contractors. This Statement of Work (SOW) summarizes how SI will accomplish this goal and draws upon SI’s extensive MEL capacity-building experience with USAID, other U.S. Government agencies, the World Bank, Gates Foundation, and other donors.

To provide fair opportunity to all local organizations, SI will use this CEI as a competitive application process to select a pool of approximately five local organizations to participate in its capacity building program. The selected organizations will participate in MEL capacity assessment, MEL training and support to effectively compete for work on USAID-funded MEL assignments.

Because the knowledge, skills, organizational capacities, and performance gaps of each organization are unique, SI will utilize the capacity assessment of selected organizations to provide needs-based training and capacity building support. Based on the assessment results and latest updates in USAID MEL policies and procedures, SI will design training and other capacity building support on the key technical, administrative and financial management skills and tools needed to conduct MEL work for USAID and other international donors as well as effectively manage direct donor contracts. After completion of the trainings and subject to USAID demand, SI may invite participating organizations to compete for Task Orders where they will apply their increased knowledge and skills through collaboration with SI on USAID MEL activities. Under these subcontracts (the number and exact nature of which are currently unknown), the subcontractor organizations may have the opportunity to take on increasing levels of responsibility for the work, while SI provides real-time support and guidance. As the prime contractor, SI will be responsible for the quality of all deliverables.

CEI Response Instructions

Firms interested in this work should follow the Instructions for Preparation of the EOI in the attached PDF file: “USAID Mali MEL Platform_CEI for MEL Capacity Building_English.” The deadline for the submission of EOIs is Friday, September 22, 2023, by 5:00 PM Bamako time. The deadline for local firms to submit questions is Monday, September 11, 2023 and SI will respond questions by Wednesday, September 13, 2023. Local firms have the opportunity to attend the general information session on this CEI in the SI-Mali Conference Room, located at Hamdallaye ACI 2000, Street 317, Gate 398, Office 301, Bamako, Mali.

Points of Contact