Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)

Advisory Support for Establishing a National Cybersecurity Operations Center (SOC)

Bureau of Emerging Threats (ET), Department of State Opportunity number: DFOP0019791 Application deadline: October 16, 2025

Contents

U.S Department of State Bureau of Emerging Threats (ET) Notice of Funding Opportunity

A. Basic Information

1. Overview

Funding Instrument Type: Cooperative Agreement (ET anticipates substantial involvement given the national security sensitivity of this program, the need for close interagency coordination, and the requirement for ET review and approval of key activities and deliverables – see Section C.2)

Project Performance Period: Proposed projects should be completed in 36 months or less. The Department encourages applicants to propose innovative implementation approaches that reduce the overall timeline while ensuring the successful and sustainable achievement of project objectives.

The Department of State will entertain applications for continuation grants funded under these awards beyond the initial budget period on a non-competitive basis subject to availability of funds, satisfactory progress of the program, and a determination that continued funding would be in the best interests of the U.S. Department of State.

This notice is subject to availability of funding.

2. Executive Summary Priority Region: Western Hemisphere - Argentina Executive Summary The Bureau of Emerging Threats (ET) leads the Department of State in anticipating and responding to national security challenges arising from adversary use of new technologies across cyberspace, outer space, critical infrastructure and undersea domains, quantum technologies, and artificial intelligence (AI). ET focuses on protecting U.S. national security in these areas of strategic and technological competition using diplomatic tools and interagency capabilities as part of coordinated foreign policy responses.

Within ET, the Office of Critical Infrastructure Security (ET/CI) is responsible for addressing novel threats and disruptions to critical infrastructure that threaten lives, economic stability, and national power. ET/CI addresses threat vectors targeting major critical infrastructure sectors, including energy systems, communications networks, transportation and logistics, financial systems, healthcare, and water, and works to coordinate “upgrade and secure” efforts with allies and partners, counter attacks against data centers, and protect against cloud security vulnerabilities.

In the Western Hemisphere, adversaries have exploited weak cyber defenses in government networks and critical infrastructure to gain intelligence advantages, potential coercive leverage over sovereign decision-making, and latent access pathways that may extend to U.S. interests. Argentina, under the Milei administration, has signaled that it seeks close alignment with the United States on strategic and economic issues, including a deliberate transition away from untrusted foreign digital infrastructure suppliers in favor of trusted, market-oriented partners.

Persistent and sophisticated cyber threats—including advanced persistent threats (APTs), targeted ransomware, and espionage campaigns—continue to target Argentine ministries and critical infrastructure. Without a mature national-level Security Operations Center (SOC) with clear authorities, mission, charter, and well-trained staff, a country’s ability to detect, analyze, and respond to such threats in a coordinated manner remains limited.

B. Eligibility

1. Eligible Applicants The following organizations are eligible to apply:

· Not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/non-governmental organizations;

· Public and private educational institutions

· Public International Organizations and Governmental institutions

· Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs)

· For-Profit Organizations

2. Cost Sharing or Matching Cost sharing is recommended but not required for this project. If an applicant chooses to offer cost share, it will not be evaluated as a scored criterion but may be used as a tiebreaker among applications with otherwise equivalent scores. Any cost share proposed must be appropriately captured within the SF-424A, budget, and budget narrative.

3. Other Eligibility Requirements All organizations must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) issued via SAM.gov as well as a valid registration in SAM.gov. Please see Section D.3 for more information. Individuals are not required to have a UEI or be registered in SAM.gov.

Applicants are only allowed to submit one proposal per organization. If more than one proposal is submitted from an organization, all proposals from that institution will be considered ineligible for funding.

Applicants are reminded that U.S. Executive Orders and U.S. law prohibit transactions with individuals and organizations associated with terrorism. Compliance with these requirements must be included in any sub-awards.

C. Program Description

1. Goals and Objectives

Background:

Many government telecommunications and critical infrastructure networks in the Western Hemisphere currently rely in significant part on equipment and software sourced from foreign vendors that may pose national security risks to the countries involved and to their U.S. and international partners. These dependencies create opportunities for adversaries to conduct cyber espionage, insert latent access mechanisms, and shape national risk posture in ways that undermine sovereign decision making and could affect interconnected regional and global supply chains.

Recognizing these vulnerabilities, the Government of Argentina has requested U.S. Government assistance to strengthen its cybersecurity posture through a structured transition to trusted technology and cybersecurity practices. This request aligns with its broader policy of deepening cooperation with the United States and other trusted partners and reducing reliance on extra-hemispheric suppliers whose technology and governance practices may be inconsistent with its long-term security interests.

To maximize its effectiveness in this role, there is a shared interest in further clarifying mission and authorities, enhancing visibility across participating ministries and operators, and aligning processes and technical architectures with global best practices for national-level Security Operations Centers (SOCs).

By providing advisory support to refine the national SOC’s mission, authorities, organizational alignment, technical architecture, and staffing model—and by supporting continued development of analytic and incident response capabilities—the U.S. Government can help:

· Reduce cybersecurity risk associated with legacy and untrusted network infrastructure;

Support a reliable, civilian-led national SOC that reflects global best practices in people, process, and technology; and

· Further strengthen Argentina’s role as a capable and reliable partner in the Western Hemisphere in line with U.S. strategic objectives.

Overall Program Goal:

Improve Argentina’s national cybersecurity posture by providing advisory support to design, establish, and operationalize a centralized, civilian-led national Cybersecurity Operations Center (SOC) capable of preventing, detecting, analyzing, and responding to advanced cyber threats targeting Argentine government networks and critical infrastructure, in alignment with trusted U.S. and allied security practices.

Program Objectives:

The cooperative agreement should be structured to achieve the following objectives over a 36-month period or less:

1. Comprehensive and Ongoing Assessments Conduct a comprehensive, baseline assessment of Argentine government networks and data centers to be covered by the SOC—including the status of ongoing efforts to upgrade and secure untrusted foreign equipment that support Argentina’s government network—to directly inform SOC architecture, sensor placement, data collection priorities, and phased implementation.

2. Legal and Policy Frameworks Advise on statutory authorities, policies, interagency memoranda, and data-sharing agreements needed to enable a national SOC to lawfully collect, correlate, and respond to cyber threat information across ministries and agencies, while respecting privacy and regulatory constraints and clarifying roles and responsibilities.

3. Governance and Operational Design Develop clear governance structures, SOC charter content, roles and responsibilities, escalation procedures, incident response playbooks, and coordination mechanisms between the SOC, Argentina’s national CSIRT (CERT.ar), ministries, law enforcement, and international partners, ensuring the SOC has authority to execute its mission and is embedded appropriately within the government’s organizational alignment.

4. Technical Architecture Advisory Provide technical advisory support on the design and integration of monitoring and analytic capabilities—such as SIEM, host and network sensors, behavioral analytics, and curated threat intelligence feeds—to detect adversary tactics, techniques, and procedures across the full attack lifecycle, including advanced persistent threats and covert reconnaissance associated with malign foreign actors.

5. Workforce Development and Skills-Based Training Build a sustainable Argentine SOC workforce by designing and delivering targeted skills-based training, mentoring, analytic tradecraft development, exercises, and train-the-trainer programs so that Argentine analysts and engineers can independently triage alerts, hunt for threats, and conduct incident response at speed and scale.

Funding and Lines of Effort:

Subject to the availability of funds, ET/CI anticipates awarding up to $ 13,912,185 USD under this NOFO. Applicants should propose budgets and work plans that align broadly with the following advisory lines of effort:

· Comprehensive and Ongoing Assessments: approximately $2,000,000

· Legal and Policy Frameworks: approximately $1,250,000

· Governance and Operational Design: approximately $1,250,000

· Technical Architecture Advisory: approximately $5,000,000

· Workforce Development and Skills-Based Training: approximately $4,600,000

Funding Limitations:

As a general principle, funding under the Argentina component of this NOFO is intended to prioritize advisory support, design, and technical advisory for the national SOC, rather than to underwrite long‑term operational costs. The Government of Argentina is expected to assume primary responsibility for the procurement of SOC hardware, appliances, commercial software licenses, and for recurring operational and maintenance costs.

However, subject to applicable authorities, availability of funds, and ET/CI approval, limited support for hardware, software, or related implementation costs may be considered where:

· Such investments are critical to achieving agreed-upon advisory and capacity-building objectives; and

· No feasible alternative financing mechanism is available within an appropriate timeframe.

Any such support will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis and must be clearly justified within the proposed work plan and budget, consistent with U.S. policy and export control requirements.

Illustrative Activities:

Objective 1 – Comprehensive and Ongoing Assessments

Illustrative activities include, but are not limited to:

· Conduct a baseline assessment of:

· Government network segments, systems, and data centers to be covered by the SOC;

· The current state of Argentina’s government network and security architecture, including any remaining untrusted equipment;

· Existing logging, monitoring, and incident response capabilities.

· Produce updated network diagrams and inventories that link technical assets to mission/business functions and criticality.

· Develop prioritized recommendations for making the network infrastructure more secure by removing, isolating, or otherwise neutralizing untrusted equipment, and by sequencing remediation activities to minimize operational disruption.

· Design iterative assessment and review cycles to:

· Refine and prioritize detection use cases;

· Inform the sequencing of SOC build‑out and integration across newly trusted infrastructure;

· Identify and track remediation of key vulnerabilities affecting critical services.

Objective 2 – Legal and Policy Frameworks

Illustrative activities include, but are not limited to:

· Review Argentine legal and regulatory frameworks governing monitoring, logging, incident response, privacy, and information-sharing.

· Draft options and recommendations for:

· SOC-relevant statutory or regulatory changes (if appropriate);

· Interagency MOUs and data-sharing agreements that enable timely sharing of logs, telemetry, and incident information.

· Work with relevant ministries, legal offices, and regulators to harmonize SOC authorities and expectations with broader cyber and IT governance.

Objective 3 – Governance and Operational Design

Illustrative activities include, but are not limited to:

· Support the Government of Argentina in drafting a SOC charter and associated authorities that:

· Define the SOC’s mission, scope, constituency, and services;

· Clarify its authorities for monitoring, scanning, incident response actions, and collection and retention of digital artifacts;

· Establish expectations of support from help desk, NOC, CSIRT, and IT operations staff.

· Design SOC organizational structures and staffing plans appropriate to Argentina’s size, risk posture, and resource constraints (e.g., centralized SOC with clear alignment under a cybersecurity executive).

· Develop SOPs, escalation paths, incident response playbooks, and interagency coordination procedures and test them through scenarios and tabletop exercises.

Objective 4 – Technical Architecture Advisory

Illustrative activities include, but are not limited to:

· Advise on design decisions regarding:

· SIEM architecture and log aggregation;

· Host-based and network-based sensors and instrumentation across on-premises, cloud, mobile, and operational technology environments;

· Integration of threat intelligence, user/entity behavior analytics, and automation/orchestration capabilities.

· Help define detection, triage, and response workflow designs and tooling architectures that:

· Support rapid alert handling, correlation, and investigation;

· Align with Argentina’s business and mission needs;

· Are adaptable to hybrid environments.

· Validate SOC technical design against updated network environments as trusted supplier transitions proceed.

Objective 5 – Workforce Development and Skills-Based Training

Illustrative activities include, but are not limited to:

· Conduct a skills and staffing needs assessment for analysts, engineers, and managers.

· Design and deliver skills-based training and mentoring on:

· Alert triage and prioritization;

· Incident analysis, threat hunting, and use of tools;

· Communication with constituents and risk conveyance;

· Development and maintenance of SOC documentation and playbooks.

· Implement train-the-trainer programs to build Argentine instructional capacity and foster sustainable skills transfer.

Phased Implementation and Key Outcomes:

Applicants should propose work plans that broadly align with the following phases and outcomes:

We encourage applicants to identify opportunities to compress or run phases concurrently where feasible, provided that doing so does not compromise program quality, sustainability, or the integrity of sequencing dependencies.

Strategic and Policy Alignment:

This program directly advances U.S. national security interests by:

· Supporting U.S. strategy in the Western Hemisphere under the Trump Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine, also known as the Donroe Doctrine, which seeks to deny extra-hemispheric adversaries’ strategic footholds and control over hemispheric infrastructure and networks.

· Locking in Argentina’s strategic realignment toward the United States and trusted suppliers as it transitions away from China-origin digital infrastructure in critical sectors.

· Reducing China’s and other adversaries’ ability to conduct cyber espionage and cyber-enabled coercion against Argentine government networks, with potential spillover into areas that intersect with U.S. supply chains and interests.

· Reinforcing a trusted cybersecurity landscape in the Western Hemisphere consistent with U.S. standards and practices, thereby protecting U.S. national and economic security.

The project operationalizes key pillars of the President’s Cyber Strategy for America by shaping adversary behavior, prioritizing advisory assistance over open-ended operational funding, promoting partner self-reliance, and opening opportunities for trusted U.S. technology providers.

2. Substantial Involvement This award will be structured as a Cooperative Agreement. In accordance with 2 CFR 200, the Bureau of Emerging Threats (ET), through the Office of Critical Infrastructure Security (ET/CI), will be substantially involved in the implementation of the award. ET/CI’s substantial involvement may include, but is not limited to, the following:

1. Strategic Direction and Technical Oversight

· Providing overall strategic and policy guidance to ensure the project advances U.S. national security interests in the Western Hemisphere and aligns with ET/CI’s mandate to address cyber threats to critical infrastructure.

· Reviewing and providing input on key technical and policy deliverables related to SOC governance, charter and authorities, architecture, and workforce development prior to finalization and implementation.

2. Work Plan Review and Approval

· Reviewing and approving the initial detailed work plan, including the sequencing of assessments, advisory activities, and training, and any subsequent updates or significant changes.

· Approving the proposed phasing of activities (e.g., assess, design/build, operationalize, sustain/transition) and associated milestones.

3. Coordination with U.S. Government and Argentine Stakeholders

· Leading diplomatic engagement with the Government of Argentina on policy, governance, and strategic issues related to the national SOC, including coordination with Embassy Buenos Aires and other Department bureaus as appropriate.

· Convening and/or participating in regular joint coordination meetings with the implementer and relevant U.S. and Argentine stakeholders to review progress, address obstacles, and adjust priorities as needed.

4. Review and Concurrence on Key Advisory Outputs

· Reviewing and concurring on major advisory outputs before they are presented to Argentine counterparts, including:

· Comprehensive assessment of government networks and data centers, including adversarial equipment replacement and SOC capability assessments;

· Draft recommendations on legal and policy frameworks, interagency memoranda, and data-sharing agreements supporting SOC operations;

· Proposed SOC organizational models, charters, and high-level concepts of operations (CONOPS); and

· High-level SOC architecture and technology recommendations (including monitoring, data aggregation, and analytic capabilities).

· Ensuring that project recommendations reflect sound security operations practices and are consistent with U.S. expectations for national-level SOCs (e.g., clearly defined mission, authorities, documentation, and coordination functions).

5. Monitoring, Evaluation, and Adaptive Management

· Reviewing and providing input on the project’s monitoring and evaluation (M&E) plan, including indicators and targets related to, for example, SOC maturity, capacity, and sustainability.

· Reviewing periodic performance reports, participating in regular check-ins, and using data and feedback to jointly determine any necessary course corrections, such as adjusting the focus of assessments, refining advisory products, or reprioritizing training topics.

6. Approval of Public-Facing Communications Related to the Project

· Reviewing and approving, prior to release, any public-facing materials, case studies, or success stories that explicitly reference the Department of State, ET, or U.S. Government support, to ensure consistency with U.S. policy and messaging.

Substantial involvement will not extend to day-to-day management of the implementer’s operations or internal administration. The implementer will retain primary responsibility for the technical execution and management of all activities, consistent with the approved cooperative agreement, applicable federal regulations, and Department of State Standard Terms and Conditions.

D. Application Contents and Format

Please follow all instructions below carefully. Proposals that do not meet the requirements of this announcement or fail to comply with the stated requirements will be ineligible.

Content of Application Please ensure:

· The proposal clearly addresses the goals and objectives of this funding opportunity

· All documents are in English

· All budgets are in U.S. dollars

· All pages are numbered

· All documents are formatted to fit 8 ½ x 11 paper, and

· All Microsoft Word documents are single-spaced, 12-point Calibri font, with a minimum of 1-inch margins.

The following documents are required:

1. Mandatory application forms

· SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance – Organizations) — available at www.grants.gov; must be signed by an authorized signatory of the applicant's organization

· SF-424A (Budget Information for Non-Construction programs) at www.grants.gov;

· SF-424B (Assurances for Non-Construction programs) at www.grants.gov; required only for individuals, organizations exempt from registration, and organizations not required to fully register in SAM.gov.

2. Summary Page Cover sheet stating the applicant’s name and organization, proposal date, program title, program period proposed start and end date, and brief purpose of the program.

3. Proposal (40 pages maximum) The proposal should contain sufficient information that anyone not familiar with it would understand exactly what the applicant wants to do. You may use your own proposal format, but it must include all the items below.

· Proposal Summary: Short narrative that outlines the proposed project, including project objectives and anticipated impact.

· Introduction to the Organization or Individual applying: A description of past and present operations, showing ability to carry out the program, including information on all previous grants from the State Department and/or U.S. government agencies.

· Problem Statement: Clear, concise and well-supported statement of the problem to be addressed and why the proposed program is needed

· Project Goals and Objectives: The “goals” describe what the program is intended to achieve. The “objectives” refer to the intermediate accomplishments on the way to the goals. These should be achievable and measurable.

· Project Activities: Describe the program activities and how they will help achieve the objectives.

· Project Methods and Design: A description of how the program is expected to work to solve the stated problem and achieve the goal. Include a logic model as appropriate.

· Proposed Project Schedule and Timeline: The proposed timeline for the program activities. Include the dates, times, and locations of planned activities and events.

· Key Personnel: Names, titles, roles and experience/qualifications of key personnel involved in the program. What proportion of their time will be used in support of this program?

· Project Partners: List the names and type of involvement of key partner organizations and sub-awardees.

· Project Monitoring and Evaluation Plan: This is an important part of successful grants. Throughout the timeframe of the grant, how will the activities be monitored to ensure they are happening in a timely manner, and how will the program be evaluated to make sure it is meeting the goals of the grant?

· Future Funding or Sustainability Applicant’s plan for continuing the program beyond the grant period, or the availability of other resources, if applicable.

4. Budget Justification Narrative After filling out the SF-424A Budget (above), use a separate file to describe each of the budget expenses in detail. See section I. Other Information: Guidelines for Budget Submissions below for further information.

5. Attachments

· 1-page Curriculum Vitae (CV) or resume of key personnel who are proposed for the program

· Letters of support from program partners describing the roles and responsibilities of each partner

· If your organization has a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA) and includes NICRA charges in the budget, include your latest NICRA as a PDF file.

· Official permission letters, if required for program activities.

E. Submission Requirements and Deadlines

1. Address to Request Application Package Application forms and all required templates are available at www.grants.gov under this funding opportunity number. Applications and all supporting documents must be submitted via www.grants.gov.

2. Department of State Contacts If you have any questions about the grant application process, please contact:

· Mauna Dosso — dossom@state.gov

· ET-Programs – ET-Programs@state.gov

3. Unique entity identifier and System for Award Management (SAM.gov) Required Registrations All organizations, whether based in the United States or in another country, must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and an active registration in SAM.gov. A UEI is one of the data elements mandated by Public Law 109-282, the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA), for all Federal awards. An applicant must maintain an active registration while it has a proposal under review by the Department and must continue to keep the registration active for the entire duration of the period of performance of any Federal award that results from this NOFO.

The 2 CFR 200 requires subrecipients to obtain a UEI. Please note the UEI for subrecipients is not required at the time of application but will be required before an award is processed and/or directed to a subrecipient.

Note: The process of obtaining or renewing a SAM.gov registration may take anywhere from 4-8 weeks. Please begin your registration as early as possible.

· Organizations based in the United States or that pay employees within the United States will need an Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and a UEI prior to registering in SAM.gov.

· Organizations based outside of the United States and that do not pay employees within the United States do not need an EIN from the IRS but do need a UEI prior to registering in SAM.gov.

· Organizations based outside of the United States that do not intend to apply for U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) awards are no longer required to have a NATO Commercial and Government Entity (NCAGE) code to apply for non-DoD foreign assistance funding opportunities. If an applicant organization is mid-registration and wishes to remove an NCAGE code from their SAM.gov registration, the applicant should submit a help desk ticket (“incident”) with the Federal Service Desk (FSD) online at www.fsd.gov using the following language: “I do not intend to seek financial assistance from the Department of Defense. I do not wish to obtain an NCAGE code. I understand that I will need to submit my registration after this incident is resolved in order to have my registration activated.”

Organizations based outside of the United States and that DO NOT plan to do business with the DoD should follow the below instructions:

Step 1: Proceed to SAM.gov to obtain a UEI and complete the SAM.gov registration process. SAM.gov registration must be renewed annually.

Organizations based outside of the United States and that DO plan to do business with the DoD in addition to Department of State should follow the below instructions:

Step 1: Apply for an NCAGE code by following the instructions on the NSPA NATO website linked below:

NCAGE Homepage:

https://eportal.nspa.nato.int/AC135Public/sc/CageList.aspx NCAGE Code Request Tool (NCRT):

NCAGE Code Request Tool (nato.int)

Exemptions An exemption from the UEI and sam.gov registration requirements may be permitted on a case-by-case basis. See 2 CFR 25.110 for a full list of exemptions.

Organizations requesting exemption from UEI or SAM.gov requirements must email the point of contact listed in the NOFO at least two weeks prior to the deadline in the NOFO providing a justification of their request. Approval for a SAM.gov exemption must come from the warranted Grants Officer before the application can be deemed eligible for review.

4. Submission Dates and Times Applications are due no later than October 16, 2026, 11:59pm, EST via www.grants.gov.

5. Funding Restrictions

i. Funding Restrictions for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA)

None of the funds awarded resulting from this Notice of Funding Opportunity may be made available for subawards, direct financial support, or otherwise used to provide any payment or transfer to United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).

ii. Prohibition on Funding Activities that Encourage Mass-Migration Caravans towards the United States Southwest Border

None of the funds awarded under this grant may be made available to encourage, mobilize, publicize, or manage mass-migration caravans towards the United States southwest border. Funds may not be made available for legal counseling on the United States asylum process; and/or for referrals to legal representation in the United States.

Funds may only be used for cash cards for use in the country in which they are provided or to facilitate assisted voluntary returns and other purposes that do not encourage, mobilize, publicize, or manage mass migration caravans towards the United States southwest border. The provision of humanitarian assistance is permitted.

iii. Certification Regarding Compliance with applicable Federal anti-discrimination laws

If the place of performance or delivery of any award made under this NOFO will be within the United States, applicants are advised that they will be required to certify the following at the time of award:

1) Its compliance in all respects with all applicable Federal anti-discrimination laws is material to the government’s payment decisions for purposes of section 3729(b)(4) of title 31, United States Code and;

2) It does not operate any programs promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion that violate any applicable Federal anti-discrimination laws. A program promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion means a program whose purpose is to promote preferences based on race, color religion, sex, or national origins, such as in training or hiring.

iv. Certification Regarding Compliance with 20 U.S.C. 1011f and any other applicable foreign funding disclosure requirements:

Applicants are advised that IHEs must certify the following at the time of award, and that this certification requirement must be included in any subaward agreements to IHEs:

1) Its compliance in all respects with section 1011f of title 20, United States Code, and any other applicable foreign funding disclosure requirements is material for purposes of section 3729 of title 31, United States Code, and for receipt of appropriate Federal grant funds.

v. Certification of Trafficking in Persons Compliance and Compliance Plan

Applicants are advised that they will be required to certify the following at the time of award for awards where the estimated value of services to be performed outside the United States exceeds $500,000:

1) To the best of the Recipient’s knowledge, neither the Recipient, nor any subrecipient, contractor, or subcontractor of the Recipient or any agent of the recipient or of such a subrecipient, contractor, or subcontractor, is engaged in any of the activities described in 2 CFR 175.105(a);

The recipient has implemented a Trafficking in Persons compliance plan to prevent activities described in 2 CFR 175(a) and is compliant with this plan; and the compliance plan must follow the minimum requirements described in 2 CFR 175(b)(5).

2) That the Recipient has and will implement procedures to prevent activities described in 2 CFR 175.105(a) and to monitor, detect, and terminate any subrecipient, contractor, subcontractor, or employee of the recipient engaging in these activities.

Recipients do not need to submit a copy of the plan. However, they must provide it to the Grants Officer upon request, and as appropriate, must post the useful and relevant contents of the plan or related materials on their website and at the workplace. Recipients must re-certify on an annual basis for the entire award period of performance.

vi. Prohibition on Unmanned Aircraft Systems Manufactured or Assembled by American Security Drone Act-Covered Foreign Entities

(a) Definitions.

American Security Drone Act-covered foreign entity means an entity included on a list developed and maintained by the Federal Acquisition Security Council (FASC) and published in the System for Award Management (SAM) at https://www.sam.gov

FASC-prohibited unmanned aircraft system means an unmanned aircraft system manufactured or assembled by an American Security Drone Act-covered foreign entity.

Unmanned aircraft means an aircraft that is operated without the possibility of direct human intervention from within or on the aircraft .

Unmanned aircraft system means an unmanned aircraft and associated elements (including communication links and the components that control the unmanned aircraft) that are required for the operator to operate safely and efficiently in the national airspace system.

(b) Prohibition.Recipients of funding under this Notice of Funding Opportunity (including subawards and subcontracts issued by the recipient) will be prohibited from:

(1) delivering any FASC-prohibited unmanned aircraft system, which includes unmanned aircraft (i.e., drones) and associated elements;

(2)Operating a FASC-prohibited unmanned aircraft system in the performance of the award; and

(3) Using Federal funds for the purchase or operation of a FASC-prohibited unmanned aircraft system .

c) Exemptions, exceptions, and waivers. The prohibitions described above will not apply if the agency determines that an exemption, exception, or waiver applies and the award indicates that such a determination has been made. [See sections 1823 through 1825 and 1832 of Public Law 118-31 ( 41 U.S.C. 3901 note prec.) for statutory requirements pertaining to exemptions, exceptions, and waivers.].

vii. Promoting Human Flourishing in Foreign Assistance (PHFFA)

Applicants for foreign assistance awards should be aware of requirements in 2 CFR Part 602, 603, and 604.

These policies are referred to collectively as the Promoting Human Flourishing in Foreign Assistance (PHFFA) Policy.

602: The award term imposes certain abortion-related requirements on foreign nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), United States NGOs, public international organizations, foreign governments, and parastatals.

603: The award term imposes certain requirements relating to gender ideology on foreign nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), United States NGOs, international organizations, foreign governments, and parastatals.

604: The award term imposes certain requirements relating to discriminatory equity ideology on foreign nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), United States NGOs, international organizations, foreign governments, and parastatals.

The Department recognizes there are costs associated with these policies. Potential one-time and recurring costs the Department identifies for recipients and grantees are for familiarization with the policy, development and delivery of organizational training and implementation guidance, routine compliance monitoring, and recordkeeping and reporting requirements.

6. Other Submission Requirements Applications must be submitted electronically through www.grants.gov. ET reserves the right to reject any applications submitted through improper channels. If applicants cannot resolve technical issues with Grants.gov, they should email the ET points of contact listed above with an explanation of the issue and proof of attempts to resolve it. The ET Grants Office will then determine whether the applicant may submit materials via email.

F. Application Review Information

1. Review Criteria Each application will be evaluated and rated based on the evaluation criteria outlined below.

Quality and Feasibility of the Program Idea – 30 points: The program idea is well developed, with detail about how program activities will be carried out. The proposal includes a reasonable implementation timeline. The proposal does not include any activities contrary to any standing Executive Orders. For a full list, see https://www.federalregister.gov/.

Organizational Capacity and Record on Previous Grants – 20 points: The organization has expertise in its stated field and has the internal controls in place to manage federal funds. This includes a financial management system and a bank account. If sub-awards are proposed, applicant demonstrates experience managing subawards.

Program Planning/Ability to Achieve Objectives – 15 points: Goals and objectives are clearly stated and program approach is likely to provide maximum impact in achieving the proposed results.

Budget – 10 points: The budget justification is detailed. Costs are reasonable in relation to the proposed activities and anticipated results. The budget is realistic, accounting for all necessary expenses to achieve proposed activities.

Monitoring and evaluation plan – 15 points: Applicant demonstrates it is able to measure program success against key indicators and provides milestones to indicate progress toward goals outlined in the proposal. The program includes output and outcome indicators and shows how and when those will be measured.

Sustainability – 10 points: Program activities will continue to have positive impact after the end of the program.

2. Indirect Costs If two or more applications receive equivalent scores based on the evaluation criteria outlined in this NOFO, preference will be given to the applicant with the lower indirect cost rate, as consistent with Executive Order 14332, Section 4(b)(iii). This preference will only be applied as a tie-breaking mechanism and does not supersede the primary evaluation criteria.

3. Review and Selection Process A review committee will evaluate all eligible applications.

4. Risk Review

i. Risk factors Under the merit review as required by 2 CFR 200.206, prior to making a Federal Award the Department will review and consider the following risk factors:

a. Financial stability

b. Management systems and standards

c. History of performance

d. Audit reports and findings

e. Ability to effectively implement requirements

f. Program-specific risk factors: Applicant's demonstrated ability to operate in sensitive national security environments; capacity to appropriately handle and protect sensitive infrastructure data; and experience managing in-country coordination with foreign government counterparts.

ii. Responsibility/Qualification Information in SAM.gov The Federal awarding agency, prior to making a Federal award with a total amount of Federal share greater than the simplified acquisition threshold, is required to review and consider any information about the applicant that is in the U.S. government designated integrity and performance system accessible through SAM.gov (see 41 U.S.C. 2313)

An applicant can review and comment on any information in the responsibility/qualification records available in SAM.gov.

Before making decisions in the risk review required by 2 CFR 200.206, the Department will consider any comments by the applicant, along with information available in the responsibility/qualification records in SAM.gov.

G. Award Notices

The award or cooperative agreement will be written, signed, awarded, and administered by the Grants Officer. The award agreement is the authorizing document, and it will be provided to the recipient for review and counter-signature. The recipient may only start incurring project expenses beginning on the start date shown on the award document signed by the Grants Officer.

If a proposal is selected for funding, the Department of State has no obligation to provide any additional future funding. Renewal of an award to increase funding or extend the period of performance is at the discretion of the Department of State.

Issuance of this NOFO does not constitute an award commitment on the part of the U.S. government, nor does it commit the U.S. government to pay for costs incurred in the preparation and submission of proposals. Further, the U.S. government reserves the right to reject any or all proposals received.

Unsuccessful applicants: Unsuccessful applicants will be notified by November 1st, 2026

Payment Method:

Payments under this award will be made through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Payment Management System (PMS).

Recipients may not draw down funds without the affirmative authorization of the Department of State. In addition, recipients must submit, with each PMS payment request, a detailed explanation justifying the request.

H. Post-Award Requirements and Administration

1. Administrative and National Policy Requirements Before submitting an application, applicants should review all the terms and conditions and required certifications which will apply to this award, to ensure that they will be able to comply. These include:

In accordance with the Office of Management and Budget’s guidance located at 2 CFR part 200, all applicable Federal laws, and relevant Executive guidance, the Department of State will review and consider applications for funding, as applicable to specific programs, pursuant to this notice of funding opportunity in accordance with the following:

· Guidance for Grants and Agreements in Title 2 of the Code of Federal Regulations (2 CFR), as updated in the Federal Register’s 89 FR 30046 on April 22, 2024, particularly on:

· Selecting recipients most likely to be successful in delivering results based on the program objectives through an impartial process of evaluating Federal award applications (2 CFR part 200.205),

· Promoting the freedom of speech and religious liberty in alignment with Promoting Free Speech and Religious Liberty (E.O. 13798) and Improving Free Inquiry, Transparency, and Accountability at Colleges and Universities (E.O. 13864) (§§ 200.300, 200.303, 200.339, and 200.341),

· Providing a preference, to the extent permitted by law, to maximize use of goods, products, and materials produced in the United States (2 CFR part 200.322), and

· Terminating agreements pursuant to the U.S. Department of State Standard Terms and Conditions, including, to the greatest extent authorized by law, if an award no longer effectuates the program goals or agency priorities (2 CFR part 200.340). For the avoidance of doubt, the Department has sole discretion over the determination that an award no longer effectuates program goals or agency priorities, and this provision permits awards to be terminated at the Department’s convenience, including when it determines that the award no longer advances the national interest.

· 2 CFR 25 - UNIVERSAL IDENTIFIER AND SYSTEM FOR AWARD MANAGEMENT

· 2 CFR 170 - REPORTING SUBAWARD AND EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION INFORMATION

· 2 CFR 175 - AWARD TERM FOR TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS

· 2 CFR 182 - GOVERNMENTWIDE REQUIREMENTS FOR DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE (FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE)

· 2 CFR 183 - NEVER CONTRACT WITH THE ENEMY

· 2 CFR 600 – DEPARTMENT OF STATE REQUIREMENTS

· U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE STANDARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS

· Recipients must comply with all applicable Executive Orders A searchable list can be found in the Federal Register: https://www.federalregister.gov/

2. Reporting Reporting Requirements: Recipients will be required to submit financial reports and program reports. The award document will specify what reports are required and how often these reports must be submitted.

Standard Reporting Schedule:

· Quarterly SF-425 (Federal Financial Report)

· Quarterly Performance Reports

· Final Performance Progress Report (within 120 days of period of performance end)

· Final SF-425 (within 120 days of period of performance end)

· Key deliverable reports as specified in the Scope of Work

Foreign Assistance Data Review: As required by Congress, the Department of State must make progress in its efforts to improve tracking and reporting of foreign assistance data through the Foreign Assistance Data Review (FADR). The FADR requires tracking of foreign assistance activity data from budgeting, planning, and allocation through obligation and disbursement. Successful applicants will be required to report and draw down federal funding based on the appropriate FADR Data Elements, indicated within their award documentation. In cases of more than one FADR Data Element, typically program or sector and/or regions or country, the successful applicant will be required to maintain separate accounting records.

Applicants should be aware of the post award reporting requirements reflected in 2 CFR 200 Appendix XII—Award Term and Condition for Recipient Integrity and Performance Matters.

3. Branding and Marking The Department of State, its programs, and U.S. Government funding and assistance should be easily identifiable to the Department's global audiences.

Recipients of federal assistance awards must follow the branding guidance published at Guidance for Contracts and Grants - U.S. Department of State Brand System. Branding policy exceptions are outlined in the U.S. Department of State Foreign Affairs Manual 10 FAM 416, Policy Exceptions.

For more information, visit: https://brand.america.gov/

I. Other Information

Guidelines for Budget Justification

Personnel and Fringe Benefits: Describe the wages, salaries, and benefits of temporary or permanent staff who will be working directly for the applicant on the program, and the percentage of their time that will be spent on the program.

Travel: Estimate the costs of travel and per diem for this program, for program staff, consultants or speakers, and participants/beneficiaries. If the program involves international travel, include a brief statement of justification for that travel.

Equipment: Describe any machinery, furniture, or other personal property that is required for the program, which has a useful life of more than one year (or a life longer than the duration of the program), and costs at least $10,000 per unit.

Supplies: List and describe all the items and materials, including any computer devices, that are needed for the program. If an item costs more than $10,000 per unit, then put it in the budget under Equipment.

Contractual: Describe goods and services that the applicant plans to acquire through a contract with a vendor. Also describe any sub-awards to non-profit partners that will help carry out the program activities.

Other Direct Costs: Describe other costs directly associated with the program, which do not fit in the other categories. For example, shipping costs for materials and equipment or applicable taxes. All “Other” or “Miscellaneous” expenses must be itemized and explained.

Indirect Costs: These are costs that cannot be linked directly to the program activities, such as overhead costs needed to help keep the organization operating. If your organization has a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate (NICRA) and includes NICRA charges in the budget, attach a copy of your latest NICRA. Organizations that have never had a NICRA may request indirect costs of 15% of Modified Total Direct Costs as defined in 2 CFR 200.1.

“Cost Sharing” refers to contributions from the organization or other entities other than the U.S. Embassy. It also includes in-kind contributions such as volunteers’ time and donated venues.

Alcoholic Beverages: Please note that award funds cannot be used for alcoholic beverages.

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