Partner Vetting Pre-award Requirements (FEB 2012)

(a) USAID has determined that any contract resulting from this solicitation is subject to vetting. Terms used in this provision are defined in paragraph (b) of the (48 CFR) AIDAR clause at 752.204-71 Partner Vetting, of this solicitation. An offeror that has not passed vetting is ineligible for award.

(b) The following are the vetting procedures for this solicitation:

(1) Prospective offerors review the attached USAID Partner Information Form, USAID Form 500-13, and submit any questions about the USAID Partner Information Form or these procedures to the contracting officer by the deadline for questions in the solicitation.

(2) The contracting officer notifies the offeror when to submit the USAID Partner Information Form. For this solicitation, USAID will vet at [insert in the provision the applicable stage of the source selection process at which the contracting officer will notify the offeror(s) who must be vetted]. Within the timeframe set by the contracting officer in the notification, the offeror must complete and submit the information on the USAID Partner Information Form in accordance with instructions from the vetting official named in paragraph (d) of the (48 CFR) AIDAR clause at 752.204-71 Partner Vetting, of this solicitation.

(3) The offerors must notify proposed subcontractors of this requirement when the subcontractors are subject to vetting.

(c) Source selection proceeds separately from vetting. Vetting is conducted independently from any discussions the contracting officer may have with an offeror. The offeror and any subcontractor subject to vetting must not provide vetting information to other than the vetting official. The offeror and any subcontractor subject to vetting will communicate only with the vetting official regarding their vetting submission(s) and not with any other USAID or USG personnel, including the contracting officer or his/her representatives. Exchanges between the Government and an offeror about vetting information submitted by the offeror or any proposed subcontractor are clarifications in accordance with (48 CFR) FAR 15.306(a) (48 CFR 15.306(a)). The contracting officer designates the vetting official as the only individual authorized to clarify the offeror's and proposed subcontractor's vetting information.

(d)

(1) The vetting official notifies the offeror that it:

(i) Has passed vetting,

(ii) Has not passed vetting, or

(iii) Must provide additional information, and resubmit the USAID Partner Information Form with the additional information within the number of days the vetting official specified in the notification.

(2) The vetting official will include in the notification any information that USAID's Office of Security (SEC) determines releasable. In its determination, SEC will take into consideration the classification or sensitivity of the information, the need to protect sources and methods, or status of ongoing law enforcement and intelligence community investigations or operations.

(e) Reconsideration.

(1) Within 7 calendar days after the date of the vetting official's notification, an offeror that has not passed vetting may request in writing to the vetting official that the Agency reconsider the vetting determination. The request should include any written explanation, legal documentation and any other relevant written material for reconsideration.

(2) Within 7 calendar days after the vetting official receives the request for reconsideration, the Agency will determine whether the offeror's additional information warrants a revised decision.

(3) The Agency's determination of whether reconsideration is warranted is final.

(f) Revisions to vetting information.

(1) Offerors who change key individuals, whether the offeror has previously passed vetting or not, must submit a revised USAID Partner Information Form to the vetting official. This includes changes to key personnel resulting from revisions to the technical proposal.

(2) The vetting official will follow the vetting process in paragraph (d) of this clause for any revision of the offeror's Form.

(g) Award. At the time of award, the contracting officer will confirm with the vetting official that the apparently successful offeror has passed vetting. The contracting officer may award only to an apparently successful offeror that has passed vetting.