DRC Food Production, Processing and Marketing Activity (FPPM) Procurement Plan

The plan aims to balance short-term needs with long-term value and strategically use the local procurement waiver and risk involved in hand-carrying equipment. The Federal Government and USAID require DAI to follow several basic principles when conducting procurement. Key concepts include the competitive bidding process, restricted goods, local procurement regulations, and the use of the local procurement waiver. The Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) generally require the competitive bidding process to be as competitive as possible within the objectives and needs of the contract. DAI has zero tolerance for unethical procurement practices, including conflict of interest, collusion, kickbacks or bribes, fraud, and providing unfair competitive advantage. Projects shall strive to solicit and review a minimum of three acceptable bids/proposals, and vendors must be screened through required restricted parties lists. Projects shall provide justifications for all "other than full and open competition" procurement in TAMIS, providing sufficient information to document competition and justify selection. Projects shall ensure that all competition and negotiation information is documented and shall provide said information to the DAI/W Contracts Administrator when consent is required. Recurring procurements that annually equal $3000 or more shall be done under a Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) or Vendor Ordering Agreement, which shall be recompeted on a regular basis. Projects shall comply with local procurement regulations and track local procurement to ensure that the aggregate amount of commodities and services relying on the $5 million local procurement waiver does not exceed $5 million. The procurement plan also outlines the requirements for obtaining necessary USAID approval, including before the purchase of restricted goods, goods that do not meet the contracts geographic code requirements, and fixed price subcontracts/purchase orders over $150,000. The plan emphasizes the importance of documenting competition and negotiation information and providing justifications for all "other than full and open competition" procurement. The DRC FPPM Procurement Plan is designed to ensure that procurement activities are conducted in a transparent, competitive, and compliant manner, in accordance with USAID regulations and DAI's corporate operations manual. The plan provides a framework for managing procurement risks and ensuring that the project achieves its objectives while maintaining the highest standards of integrity and accountability.