This subpart prescribes procurement procedures which shall apply to an importer whenever a commodity procurement is to be financed by USAID subject to this part 201.

The importer is responsible for providing the supplier with the following information (either through the invitation for bids, the request for quotations or otherwise):

(a) Notice that the transaction is to be financed by USAID under this part 201;

(b) The identification number of the implementing document;

(c) All additional information prerequisite to USAID financing and contained in the instructions from the borrower/grantee to the importer (for example, eligible source of commodity, periods during which deliveries must be made, shipping provisions, and documentation requirements); and, where appropriate,

(d) Notice of the marking requirements in § 201.31(d), when the importer is the government of the cooperating country or any if its subdivisions or instrumentalities.

(a) General requirements. When the importer is the government of the cooperating country or any of its subdivisions, agencies or instrumentalities, all purchase contracts for commodities shall be awarded under public sector procedures in this section unless otherwise authorized by USAID. Such contracts shall be awarded on a competitive basis unless otherwise authorized by USAID under paragraph (g) of this section.

(b) Formal competitive bidding. Formal competitive bidding procedures shall be used for all procurements estimated to exceed $100,000 or the equivalent, exclusive of ocean or air transportation costs, except when other procedures are authorized in accordance with this section. Formal competitive bidding procedures may also be used for procurements under $100,000 at the option of the importer. Formal competitive bidding procedures include advertising the availability of an invitation for bids in accordance with paragraph (h) of this section, issuance of the invitation for bids, public opening of sealed bids, evaluation of bids, and award of the contract, except as provided in § 201.22(b)(3), to the lowest responsive bid by a responsible bidder.

(1) Contents of the invitation for bids. The invitation for bids and every attachment and amendment thereto shall be in the English language and shall be available to prospective suppliers free of charge unless otherwise authorized by USAID. The following minimum requirements are applicable:

(i) Statement of requirements. The invitation for bids shall state specifically that the formal competitive bidding procedures set forth in this § 201.22 apply. The terms and conditions of the procurement shall be clearly indicated, including any factors other than price to be used in the evaluation. Commodity specifications shall be stated in a non-restrictive manner and in sufficient detail to permit maximum response from prospective suppliers. The metric system of measurements shall be used for specifications unless USAID determines in writing that such use is impractical or is likely to cause significant inefficiencies or the loss of markets to U.S. firms.

(ii) Statement regarding submission of bids. The invitation for bids shall be appropriately numbered and state the complete physical address, as well as any post office box number, to which bids or offers are to be sent, the closing hour and date for submission and the date, hour and place of the public opening of the bids. If additional drawings, details, regulations or forms are necessary for submitting a bid, the invitation shall state where such material may be obtained.

(iii) Statement regarding this part 201. The invitation for bids shall expressly indicate the extent to which any resulting contract is subject to the requirements of this part 201.

(iv) Statement regarding late bids. The invitation for bids shall state that no bid received at the address designated in the invitation after the closing hour and date for submission will be considered for award unless its late arrival at that address is attributable solely to mishandling of the bid documents by the importer or any of its agents directly associated with receiving or processing the bids. In no case will the importer consider a bid which was not received at the place of public opening before the award was made.

(2) Handling bids. Bids received shall be held intact and sealed and shall be safeguarded against disclosure of contents prior to bid opening. The bids shall be opened publicly as specified in the bid invitation, and all properly submitted bids shall be considered. Direct submission of a bid by a prospective supplier, rather than through an agent or other representative of the supplier in the cooperating country, shall not be cause for rejection.

(3) Awards. Every award shall be made to that responsible bidder whose responsive bid is lowest in price. If any factor other than price is used in evaluating bids, each such factor shall be computed in accordance with the formula in the invitation for bids.

(c) Two-stage formal competitive bidding. Subject to the approval of USAID, two-stage formal competitive bidding may be used in the procurement of specialized equipment, where requirements are stated in performance-type specifications. Two-stage bidding involves a request for technical proposals for the equipment being purchased, submission of proposals without price information, discussions with the offerors as necessary to clarify proposals, followed by a request for priced bids for those proposals found to be fully acceptable following discussions between the offerors and the purchaser. The priced bids shall be publicly opened. Handling and award of the bids shall comply with paragraphs (b) (2) and (3) of this section.

(d) Competitive negotiation procedures. (1) If approved by USAID based on a written record of the reasons therefor, a competitive negotiation procedure may be used. Competitive negotiation procedures include advertising the availability of a request for quotations in accordance with paragraph (h) of this section, issuance of the request for quotations, receipt and evaluation of offers, negotiation (when appropriate), and award of the contract to the offeror submitting the most advantageous offer, price and other factors considered. Competitive negotiation procedures may be approved in the following circumstances:

(i) When it is impossible to develop adequate commodity specifications for use in an invitation for bids;

(ii) When price alone would not be an effective means of determining an award (i.e., when criteria, such as time of delivery or service capability need to be evaluated);

(iii) When emergency procurement is justified by a demonstration that the time required for formal competitive bid procedures would result in an unacceptable delay in delivering the commodities;

(iv) When proprietary procurement is justified; or

(v) When adherence to formal competitive procedures would impair program objectives.

(2) When formal competitive bidding procedures have failed, all bids have been rejected, and further use of such procedures would clearly not be productive, the Mission Director may authorize the use of competitive negotiation procedures. Further advertising is not required. The request for quotations may be prepared as a new document or may incorporate appropriate provisions of the invitation for bids. It shall be submitted to those potential suppliers who originally submitted bids in response to the invitation for bids.

(e) Small value procurement. When the estimated value of the contract does not exceed $100,000 or equivalent (exclusive of ocean and air transportation costs), the purchaser may award a contract by advertising the procurement in accordance with paragraph (h) of this section and soliciting quotations from a reasonable number of sources, including, where feasible, producers of the commodity, taking into consideration:

(1) The nature of the commodities to be purchased;

(2) The number of sources which can supply the commodities;

(3) The value of the procurement; and

(4) The administrative cost of procuring the commodities.

(f) Proprietary procurement. Purchasing by brand or trade name or by a restrictive specification (proprietary procurement) may be justified for reasons such as:

(1) Substantial benefits, such as economies in maintenance of spare parts inventories, stronger local dealer organization, better repair facilities, or greater familiarity by operating personnel, can be achieved through standardizing on a particular brand;

(2) Compatibility with equipment on hand is required; or

(3) Special design or operational characteristics are required.

(g) Negotiation with a single source—(1) Circumstances. Competition may be waived and negotiation with a single source authorized by USAID under one of the following circumstances:

(i) the purchaser can demonstrate the existence of an emergency situation in which the requirement for competition would result in an unacceptable delay in the procurement of the commodities;

(ii) proprietary procurement is justified and the necessary commodities or spare parts are available from only one source, taking into account any special requirements such as the need for in-country service capability; or

(iii) adherence to competitive procedures would result in the impairment of the objectives of the United States foreign assistance program or would not be in the best interest of the United States.

(2) Amendments. Negotiation with a single source to amend an existing contract outside the scope of the contract must be justified under one or more of the criteria in paragraph (g)(1) of this section and formally approved by USAID.

(h) Advertising—(1) Requirements. (i) For each procurement estimated to exceed $25,000, or equivalent (exclusive of ocean and air transportation costs), notice of the availability of the invitation for bids, request for quotations or specific information about procurements under $100,000 shall be published by the USAID Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization/Minority Resource Center in the appropriate USAID Bulletin. The purchaser shall submit three copies of each invitation for bids or request for quotations (if any) to the USAID Mission with its request for advertising. The Mission will forward the request for advertising and the procurement documents to USAID/W. The request for advertising should arrive in the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization/Minority Resource Center at least 45 days prior to the final date for receiving bids or quotations. The purchaser may, in addition, advertise in appropriate local, regional, and international journals, newspapers, etc., and otherwise, in accordance with local practice.

(ii) Additionally, if the estimated value of the contract is more than $100,000, or equivalent (exclusive of ocean and air transportation costs), the notice of availability of the invitation for bids or request for quotations shall be published in the “Commerce Business Daily” of the U.S. Department of Commerce.

(2) Exceptions. (i) When negotiation with a single source has been authorized, advertising is not required.

(ii) When formal competitive bid procedures have failed to result in an award pursuant to paragraph (d)(2) of this section and a determination is made to follow competitive negotiation procedures, no further advertising is required.

(iii) The requirements for advertising as set forth above may be waived by USAID to avoid serious procurement delays in certain circumstances, provided, however, that efforts shall be made to secure bids or offers from a reasonable number of potential suppliers.

(i) USAID approvals. (1) Each invitation for bids or request for quotations for an USAID-financed procurement which is estimated to exceed $100,000, or equivalent (exclusive of ocean and air transportation costs), must be approved by USAID prior to issuance.

(2) Each contract in excess of $100,000, or equivalent (exclusive of ocean and air transportation costs), must be formally approved by USAID prior to finalization with the supplier.

(3) USAID may require that contracts under $100,000 be formally approved prior to finalization with the supplier.

(a) General requirements. Procurements under private sector procedures will normally be carried out by importers using negotiated procurement procedures, unless the importer chooses to follow the procedures in § 201.22. Procurement on a negotiated basis shall be in accordance with good commercial practice. Solicitations by the importer for quotations or offers shall be made uniformly to a reasonable number of prospective suppliers, including, where feasible, producers of a commodity, and all quotations or offers received, whether or not specifically solicited, shall be given consideration before making an award.

(b) Publicizing. To provide suppliers in the United States with an opportunity to participate in furnishing commodities which may be purchased on a negotiated basis under USAID financing, USAID will periodically publish for each cooperating country a list of commodities which may be expected to be imported and the names and contact information for the importers which have traditionally purchased those commodities. Interested suppliers may then make offers or furnish quotations on the products they desire to sell directly to the importers of those products. USAID will not publicize specific proposed purchases which are to be undertaken by private sector importers on a negotiated basis unless specifically requested to do so by the importer in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (c) of this section.

(c) Notification. If the importer elects to solicit quotations and offers for specific proposed purchases through publication by USAID, USAID will notify prospective suppliers of the export opportunity through the appropriate USAID bulletin. Requests for such notification shall be submitted to the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization/Minority Resource Center, USAID, Washington, DC 20523-7700, and shall contain the name and contact information for the importer, a full description of the commodities and any commodity related services required, applicable price and delivery terms and other relevant procurement data, in the English language. The metric system of measurements shall be used for specifications unless USAID determines in writing that such use is impractical or is likely to cause significant inefficiencies or the loss of markets to U.S. firms.

(d) Notice of quotations and offers received. USAID may require that the importer furnish an abstract in the English language and identify thereon all offers or quotations received, the offer accepted or order placed, the price, the quantity, the name and address of all persons submitting offers or quotations and of their principals, if any (including manufacturers or processors of the commodity).

(e) Procurement under special supplier-importer relationships—(1) Solicitation of offers from more than one supplier is not required if:

(i) The importer is purchasing for resale or processing, as the supplier's regularly authorized distributor or dealer, a commodity which, under the terms of the distributorship or dealer agreement, the importer is precluded from buying from another supplier; or

(ii) The importer is purchasing for resale a registered brand-name commodity from a supplier who is the exclusive distributor of that commodity to the area of the importer.

(2) USAID may require the importer to furnish, or cause to be furnished, to USAID documentary evidence of the existence of the relationships described in paragraph (e)(1) of this section.

(a) Definitions—(1) Progress payments. Progress payments are payments made prior to shipment under a fixed price procurement contract, which are based on actual costs incurred or on an actual stage or percentage of completion accomplished.

(2) Advance payments. Advance payments are payments to a supplier prior to, and in anticipation of, performance under a procurement contract. They are not based on actual performance or actual costs incurred.

(b) Progress payments—(1) Conditions for eligibility. USAID will approve progress payments only if:

(i) The period between the commencement of work and the first required delivery will exceed four months;

(ii) There will be substantial predelivery costs that may have a material impact on a suppliers's working capital;

(iii) The total FAS purchase price will exceed $200,000;

(iv) The supplier must establish a performance bond or guaranty in favor of the borrower/grantee providing adequate security for the amount of the progress payments; and

(v) The amount of the progress payments does not exceed 95 percent of the total FAS purchase price.

(2) Notice. In order for progress payments to be eligible under a competitive procurement, the solicitation document must state that such payments will be allowed and that a request for progress payments will not be considered an adverse factor in the award of the contract.

(3) Approval. All progress payments must be approved in writing by USAID.

(c) Advance payments—(1) Conditions for eligibility. Advance payments may be authorized only if USAID has made a positive determination in writing that:

(i) USAID will benefit therefrom, in terms of increased competition and/or lower prices, prior to the issuance of the solicitation or prior to award of a noncompetitive contract; and

(ii) The supplier has a financial management system which is adequate for controlling and accounting for U.S. government funds.

(2) Amount. The amount of the advance is based on an analysis of the working capital required under the procurement contract, taking into consideration the availability of the supplier's own working capital and shall be limited to the minimum amount needed for immediate disbursing needs.

(3) Security. The supplier must establish an advance payment bond or guaranty in favor of the borrower/grantee providing adequate security for the amount of the advance payment.

(4) Notice. In order for advance payments to be eligible under a competitive procurement, the solicitation document must state that such payments will be allowed and that a request for advance payments will not be considered an adverse factor in the award of the contract.

(5) Approvals. All advance payments must be approved by USAID in writing.

Whenever the importer requires the posting of a bid bond or guaranty or performance bond or guaranty, the type of bond or guaranty (certified check, irrevocable letter of credit, bank bond, bank guaranty, or surety bond) shall be at the option of the bidder or supplier. Posted bid bonds or guaranties shall be returned to unsuccessful bidders promptly after an award is made. Unless converted to a required performance bond or guaranty, any bid bond or guaranty posted by the successful bidder shall also be returned promptly. Performance bonds or guaranties (as distinguished from commodity warranties of quality or performance) shall be canceled no later than 30 days after completion of the contract performance guarantied.

Unless otherwise authorized by USAID, any marine insurance loss payment under a marine insurance policy financed pursuant to this part 201 received by the importer, either directly or indirectly, shall be used by the importer as follows:

(a) To procure from a source specified in the implementing document which originally provided the USAID funds, commodities which have been designated by USAID to the borrower/grantee as eligible for USAID financing; or

(b) To cover the cost of repairs to commodities damaged during shipment.