Through its donor-funded activities, ICMA has acquired a depth of experience in building effective and accountable local governments and local government associations through targeted institutional development and sustainable capacity building in more than 70 countries worldwide. Our 9,000 members, representing local government executives and urban experts, provide a pool of practitioners that offer a unique, hands-on approach to resolving complex issues faced by local governments and communities at risk in developing and transitioning countries. ICMA’s services can be accessed through a number of IQCs, LWAs, and other funding mechanisms. 

USAID Indefinite Quantity Contracts (IQCs)

An indefinite quantity contract (IQC) is a funding mechanism used by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and other organizations to expedite and simplify the procurement process by prequalifying contractors for specific types of assignments. 

USAID missions can access ICMA’s expertise and capabilities through three IQCs: Sustainable Urban Management (SUM II), Encouraging Global Anticorruption and Good Governance Effort (ENGAGE), and Decentralization/Local Governance Strengthening Technical Assistance Services.

Sustainable Urban Management (SUM II)

The Sustainable Urban Management (SUM II) IQC helps further USAID’s overall goal of well-managed urbanization and the Economic Growth, Agriculture and Trade (EGAT) Bureau’s strategic objective of improved management of urbanization worldwide. The SUM II IQC mobilizes technical assistance, training, and advisory services in five main functional areas: (1) urban services provision and shelter; (2) improved local government management; (3) improved environmental management; (4) disaster mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery; and (5) urban finance and credit systems. The IQC’s period of performance extends three years past the end of the ordering period, through September 2012. ICMA is a subcontractor to Urban Institute on one of the six consortia awarded the IQC. For further information, contact Judit Deilinger at ICMA.

Encouraging Global Anticorruption and Good Governance Effort (ENGAGE)

The ENGAGE IQC provides a wide array of support services encompassing short- and long-term technical assistance and other support in innovative anti-corruption, transparency, integrity, and accountability program areas. ICMA participates as a member of a team headed by ARD, Inc. For further information, contact Alan Edmond at ICMA. 

Decentralization/Local Governance Strengthening Technical Assistance Services

The Decentralization IQC supports programs in countries where responsibility has devolved from the central to the local level. The IQC has two functional activities: (1) decentralization and participatory government, which includes increased transparency, accountability, and participation by local governments and citizens in decision making, and (2) public management and administration, which includes developing the administrative and technical skills of local government officials and employees in service delivery, financial management, and local economic development. ICMA is a member of a team headed by The Urban Institute. For further information, contact Isabelle Bully-Omictin at ICMA.

USAID Leader with Associates (LWA) Agreements

ICMA has been awarded the City-to-City Partnerships Leader with Associates (LWA) and participates with two other organizations that utilize USAID LWAs—Volunteers for Economic Growth Alliance (VEGA) and the International Housing Coalition (IHC). 

CITYLinks

The CityLinks program was awarded to ICMA by USAID for a five-year period beginning September 29, 2011. The program has a three-fold purpose, with a particular emphasis on the needs of the urban poor, especially women and children: 

• To improve climate-related governance and systems in targeted urban areas
• To increase resilience of vulnerable communities in cities of Feed the Future focus countries
• To improve water supply and sanitation access in Global Health Initiative countries.

ICMA has assembled a team of partners and resource organizations with specific expertise and past performance in the identified technical areas, including climate change adaptation and mitigation, food security and nutrition, water infrastructure development and management, and creation of “pro-poor” programs and strategies. 

The LWA mechanism provides USAID missions with the opportunity to tap into the resources, expertise, and commitment of ICMA’s membership of local government practitioners. These professional managers, along with their department heads and staff, can bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to bear on municipal problems. ICMA can add value in another way as well—by drawing on years of organizational experience in designing and facilitating partnerships of this kind using its time-tested CityLinks approach.

Missions can use CityLinks Associate awards to initiate a new project that addresses unmet local and regional needs—or to enhance an existing project by harnessing supplementary resources from U.S. municipalities.

For additional information about CityLinks, contact Joseph Lombardo at ICMA.

Volunteers for Economic Growth Alliance (VEGA)

ICMA is a partner in the Volunteers for Economic Growth Alliance (VEGA), a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit, founded in 2004 through a Leader with Associates (LWA) cooperative agreement, as a vehicle to allow USAID Economic Growth Officers to reach out to organizations providing technical experts in private, public, and NGO sector development. VEGA is the world’s largest consortium of economic growth volunteer organizations that collectively have assisted 140 developing and transitional countries by sending out more than 25,000 experts/advisers to help promote economic growth activities over the last 40 years. VEGA has a credible track record of delivering economic development programs with sustainable solutions throughout the developing world. Since its inception in 2004, USAID funding of $4 million for VEGA has resulted in global programs worth more than $140 million. 

The VEGA LWA:

• The VEGA LWA has been extended until 2014.
• There is no award ceiling.
• Programs awarded under the VEGA LWA can continue for five years beyond the 2014 LWA end date.

• The VEGA LWA requires an internal competition among the member organizations, unlike other LWAs.

For further information, contact David Grossman at ICMA. 

International Housing Coalition

The International Housing Coalition (IHC) was organized by the National Association of REALTORS, the Canadian Real Estate Association, and Habitat for Humanity International to promote the goal of “Housing for All” as an essential element to ending poverty worldwide. ICMA is among the other 32 other organizations that form the coalition, which includes private companies, nonprofit groups, and academic/research institutions. The IHC strategy is to effect policy and programmatic change in foreign assistance through an advocacy program based on this broad coalition. The advocacy efforts are integrated with and draw strength from the organization’s active engagement in housing and urban development applied research, information sharing, and policy advice in selected countries.

The IHC is responsible for implementing an LWA Cooperative Agreement that was awarded by USAID to Habitat for Humanity International. The LWA Agreement is a vehicle that allows the IHC to assist USAID missions in developing programs focused on critical housing and urban slum issues. Within USAID the LWA Agreement is managed by the Urban Programs Team. For further information, contact Judit Deilinger at ICMA.

SOUTHCOM

ICMA holds an IDIQ (indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity) contract with the United States Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM) of the U.S. Department of Defense. The IDIQ, Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Preparedness (HA/DP) Assessment, Logistics, and Training (ALT) is designed to strengthen the capacity of countries in the Latin American/Caribbean region to plan for and respond to disasters and thus mitigate the need for U.S. assistance. The IDIQ provides services in three areas: (1) conducting assessments of the disaster preparedness of national and local organizations and reviews of national disaster plans and operational procedures; (2) designing and conducting training in key areas related to disaster preparedness and relief, including First Responder, Emergency Operations Centers, Emergency Logistics, Incident Command Systems, Warehouse Management, and Search and Rescue; and (3) providing logistics support to disasters, including supply services, field operations, food services, transportation and warehousing. For further information, contact Isabelle Bully-Omictin at ICMA.

Mission Oriented Business Integrated Services (MOBIS)

The General Services Administration has awarded ICMA a MOBIS contract, meaning that ICMA is a preapproved vendor that meets GSA standards. The MOBIS contract gives federal government agencies and other organizations access to ICMA services at prices established under the contract. GSA has completed the federally mandated contracting requirements — competition, pricing, small business and other contracting evaluations — normally required prior to obtaining services. 

The ICMA GSA MOBIS Schedule provides a broad spectrum of products and services focused on improving the performance of local governments, federal agencies, and other organizations. Following are examples of these products and services, with their respective special item numbers (SINs). There is no contract ceiling or maximum order limitation. Awards are made on a "best value" basis.

Consultation Services (SIN 874-1)

Expert advice, assistance, guidance or counseling in support of agencies' mission-oriented business functions, as follows: Management or strategy consulting; program planning, audits, and evaluations; studies, analyses, scenarios, and reports relating to mission-oriented business programs or initiatives, such as educational studies, regulatory studies, economic studies; executive/management coaching services; customized training as part of a consulting engagement.

Facilitation Services (SIN 874-2)

Facilitation and related decision support services for agencies engaged in collaboration efforts, working groups, or integrated product, process, or self-directed teams. Services covered are: defining, refining, and resolving disputes, disagreements, and divergent views; leading large and small group briefings and discussions; recording discussion content and enabling focused decision-making; stakeholder debriefings; preparing and providing draft and final reports relating to the facilitated issues.

Survey Services (SIN 874-3)

Surveying relating to mission-oriented business issues. Contractors shall assist with or perform all phases of the survey process, as follows: survey planning, design, and development; determining proper survey data collection methodology; pretest/pilot surveying; assessing reliability and validity of data; administering surveys using various types of data collection methods; survey database administration; analyses of quantitative and qualitative survey data; production of reports related to the survey; and briefings of results, to include discussion of recommendations and potential follow-up actions.

Program Integration and Project Management Services (SIN 874-7)

Services to assist agencies in planning, initiating, managing, executing, and closing out mission-oriented business programs and projects. Services included are: Project leadership and communications with stakeholders; project planning and scheduling; earned value management support; project management, including performance monitoring and measurement; reporting and documentation associated with project/program objectives; stakeholder briefings, participation in required meetings, and related project support services; program integration services; and project close-out services.

For further information, contact Barbara Yuhas at ICMA.