For Evaluators · RFQ 12314426Q0118

Curated reading path · Evaluation-factor crosswalk

The portal surfaces every dimension of HSG's quote in self-contained pages, mapped to the RFQ evaluation factors. Two reading paths — 5 minutes and 15 minutes — let you go as deep as the time allows.

5-minute path

The essentials

1
Overview
Win theme + four hero stats (Maurice's 38 years inside USDA FAS, Diana's 199-indicator FFP Handbook, Diana's $920M FFP portfolio oversight, Diana's active U.S. Top Secret clearance) + the Four NOFO-Anchored Design Goals section listing each NOFO Reform priority and the NOFO core function commitment to support American Farmers feeding the world's hungriest.
2
Team
Diana L. Caley (Senior M&E Advisor and Training Lead — FFP Indicator Handbook author + BHA M&E Guidance co-author + Top Secret), Maurice W. House (retired FAS Minister Counselor, 38 yrs FAS), Kevin Latner (25-yr FAS career; Food for Progress monetization), Kevin Sage-EL (34-yr FAS Foreign Service; Agricultural Counselor U.S. Embassy Nairobi 2016-2020 covering Kenya + Rwanda among the 7 FY25 NOFO priority countries; FAS Vessel Approval Analyst; FAS Branch Chief over $30M+/yr in U.S. cooperator matching-grants), Audrey McGuire (Emax CEO; bilateral co-investment architecture), Jelani House (Engagement Manager and POC), Olivia Till (HSG W-2 Senior Analyst & Designated Alternate POC under PWS §7.0; on-site at USDA HQ DC ~4 days/wk) — plus Emax Generalist Analyst capacity at Emax's discretion under HSG FFP transition leadership direction.
3
Transition Architecture
FFP 1.0 / 1.5 / 2.0 Optioning Framework. The strategic spine: HSG structures the choice for USDA leadership across Continuity, the NOFO Adaptation baseline, and the FFP 2.0 Redesign Reform 3 points toward — without substituting HSG judgment for USDA's.
4
PWS Coverage
Every PWS scope area mapped to the named team-member lead. Diana L. Caley leads the M&E architecture (Programmatic Reporting Guide D8; M&E elements of Risk Management Guide D5) and the USDA Staff Training & Handover phase (D11). The three senior FAS career officers (Maurice, Kevin Latner, Kevin Sage-EL) lead the FAS-facing process guides — Sage-EL anchors the East Africa / Kenya / Rwanda / Cargo Preference / cooperator-program dimensions. Engagement Manager Jelani House leads D1, D2, and D10; HSG W-2 Olivia Till provides production support across all deliverables.

15-minute path

Full evaluation depth

Evaluation-Factor Crosswalk

RFQ factor → portal evidence

Volume I, Factor 1: Staffing Plan

Technical evaluation

Per Amendment 1 Q25/Q71/Q80, USDA predicts the most competitive vendors to have BOTH USDA international programs AND USAID FFP Title II program experience. HSG fields both, plus the NOFO's M&E framework author at the deliverable lead position. Three career USDA FAS Senior Foreign Service officers bring the USDA FAS bench: Maurice W. House (38 yrs USDA FAS; retired Minister Counselor), Kevin Latner (25 yrs USDA FAS; Food for Progress monetization), and Kevin Sage-EL (34 yrs USDA FAS; Agricultural Counselor U.S. Embassy Nairobi 2016-2020 covering Kenya + Tanzania + Uganda + Rwanda + Malawi + Burundi — Kenya and Rwanda are 2 of the 7 FY25 NOFO priority countries; FAS Vessel Approval Analyst for U.S. foreign food aid carriers; FAS Branch Chief supervising $30M+/yr in U.S. cooperator matching-grant programs). Diana L. Caley (USAID Office of Food for Peace M&E Advisor; $920M FFP portfolio oversight; author of the FFP Emergency Indicator Handbook from which the NOFO's nine standard indicators descend; active Top Secret clearance) brings the USAID-side authored M&E credential. No other small business in this competition fields the original author of the NOFO's M&E framework alongside three career FAS Senior Foreign Service officers covering Kenya and Rwanda directly.

Team PWS Coverage (named leads per scope area)

Volume I, Factor 2: Technical Capability

Technical evaluation

Approach articulated against each of the five PWS scope areas (3.1–3.5) plus 3.6 Coordination and 3.7 Training & Handover. Anchored on the FY25 NOFO's core function commitment to support American Farmers feeding the world's hungriest (the unifying purpose statement) and the three reform priorities (100% U.S. origin commodities; strict accountability against fraud/waste/abuse/diversion; off-boarding-and-graduating doctrine). The nine standard performance indicators, seven priority countries, 50% commodity-and-freight budget floor, and Sphere 2018 ration standards (2,100 kcal/person/day) are all surfaced operationally. FFP 1.0 / 1.5 / 2.0 Optioning Framework structures the transition choice for USDA leadership. Five named Enhanced Frameworks (Bellmon, Country-Tier Risk, R&I Adaptation, 22 CFR Crosswalk, Four-Stage Graduation Pathway). Eight operating principles on /methodology, including the M&E discipline principle anchored on the nine NOFO indicators. AI-augmented delivery via AI/Expert Reconciliation Log.

Solutions Library — eight process guides Methodology — operating principles + NOFO three-reform anchor Transition Architecture — FFP 1.0/1.5/2.0 Optioning Framework PWS Coverage map Enhanced Frameworks (five named proprietary methodologies)

Volume II: Price

Price evaluation

Volume II pricing is submitted in the formal quote email per FAR 52.212-1; pricing detail is not displayed publicly to preserve competition sensitivity. Per Amendment 1 Q26, payment schedule is aligned with deliverable acceptance milestones. Per Q22, ODCs are not expected. Per Q72, the $650,000 ceiling reflects total of all CLINs; a higher price will not be considered. Quote is firm-fixed-price per Q61/Q90.

Pricing summary in the formal quote (email submission)

Compliance Snapshot

RFQ requirements verified

Requirement	HSG Status
Submission format	Email to Diana Rath (primary CO) AND Bill Walton (secondary CO)
Subject line format	RFQ #, Vendor Name
Quote due	May 27, 2026 — 10:00 AM ET (per Amendment 1, deadline unchanged)
Questions due	May 14, 2026 — 9:00 AM ET (passed); Amendment 1 published May 15, 2026 with 99 Q&A responses
Period of performance	July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027 (12 months firm-fixed-price; no option years). Per Q64: if award slips, the 12-month POP duration is preserved; deliverable months-after-award dates shift accordingly.
Price ceiling (Government)	$650,000.00 — total of all CLINs (Q72). Higher prices will not be considered.
Set-aside	Total Small Business Set-Aside (Amendment 1 corrected Block 10 from Unrestricted)
Design goals (4)	Goal 1: 100% U.S. origin commodities (Reform 1) · Goal 2: strict accountability via M&E architecture (Reform 2; anchored on Diana's authored FFP Indicator Handbook + the NOFO's nine standard indicators) · Goal 3: off-boarding and graduating projects (Reform 3; Four-Stage Graduation Pathway) · Goal 4: support American Farmers feeding the world's hungriest (NOFO core function statement; surfaced across Communications Strategy Guide, Country Selection Guide, and three FAS Senior Foreign Service career officers — Maurice House, Kevin Latner, and Kevin Sage-EL — whose combined careers connect U.S. agriculture to international development outcomes including in the FY25 NOFO priority countries Kenya and Rwanda)
Place of performance	USDA HQ Washington, DC. Per Q4/Q30/Q33/Q35: telework only during facility closures or contingencies; personnel adopt work schedules within the 6am–6pm ET bounds, not required to cover all hours. Back-office editing/508/POC functions per Q5/Q38 may be performed at any location.
Government-furnished equipment	Per Q46: USDA-issued computers and network accounts provided; contractor-furnished equipment NOT permitted on USDA networks. Four shared workstations available (Q14/Q46: this is available workspace, not a minimum staffing expectation).
Clearance required	T2 Public Trust (Moderate Risk). Per Q6/Q16/Q50/Q59: interim T2 issued by USDA in ~1–2 weeks; USDA Security Office will consider other recent investigations.
PIV / LincPass	Per Q60: all on-site contractor personnel will be issued USDA LincPass; no reciprocity with PIV/CAC from other agencies; ~1–2 weeks post-interim-T2 issuance.
Data rights and CUI	Per PWS 9.0 + Q51: contractor retains background IP by default; deliverables become USG property. Per Q96: USDA does not anticipate contractor personnel handling Controlled Unclassified Information.
Travel / ODCs	Per Q22: ODCs not expected. Per Q47: travel outside DC area not in scope; would require bilateral modification if needed. USDA does not provide parking; transit benefits subject to vendor policies.
Payment schedule	Per Q26: payment schedule should be aligned with deliverables. Firm-fixed-price for all deliverables (Q61/Q90).
OCI advisory	Per Q39: vendors that participate in development of requirements for follow-on activities are generally excluded from competing for that follow-on solicitation.
Cargo Preference posture	Per Q99: proposing statutory changes is not in scope. HSG's Prepositioned Commodities Guide (Deliverable 4) documents trade-offs under existing Cargo Preference Act compliance.
Offer firm for	90 calendar days from May 27, 2026
Section 508	Process-guide deliverables Section 508-conformant; portal WCAG 2.1 AA
AGAR 452.203-71 DEI compliance	Certified at offer; material requirement acknowledged
Incumbent	Per Q62/Q87: there is no incumbent. This is a one-time project.

Identifiers

Quick reference

Company

House Strategies Group, LLC

UEI

EAE1MJHMN2Z1

CAGE

7W4Y5

Status

Small Business · qualifies for Total Small Business Set-Aside (Amendment 1)

Primary NAICS for this RFQ

541611 — Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services ($24.5M small-business size standard, per Amendment 1)

30 Q Street NE, Washington, DC 20002

Founded

April 17, 2015 (FL LLC); S-Corp 2023

POC

Jelani House, Founder & Principal · Engagement Manager and contractor POC under PWS §7.0

Alternate POC

Olivia Till, HSG W-2 Senior Analyst & Designated Alternate POC (continuous on-site at USDA HQ DC)

jelani.house@housestrategiesgroup.com