2023 Formative Research on Child Trafficking in Nepal NOFO.pdf

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE

Notice of Funding Opportunity

Federal Awarding Agency: U.S. Department of State

Program Office: Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in

Persons, International Programs Section

Funding Opportunity Title: 2023 Notification of Funding Opportunity –

Formative Research on Child Trafficking in Nepal

Announcement Type: 2023 TIP Office Initial Notification of Funding

Opportunity

Funding Opportunity: SFOP0009867

Catalog of Federal Domestic

Assistance Number(s): 19.019

Deadline for Applications: July 24, 2023 5:00 pm EDT

Minimum Funding: $800,000

Maximum Funding: $1,600,000

FULL TEXT OF NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY (NOFO)

A. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Department of State Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (TIP

Office) announces an open competition for applications to conduct a formative research study on child trafficking in Nepal that consists of three stages:

• Stage 1: Literature review and hot spot mapping to provide a solid foundation for the planned research carried out in Stage 2;

• Stage 2: Primary data collection to address gaps in knowledge identified in

Stage 1;

• Stage 3: Knowledge application and dissemination of findings.

The purpose of this funding call is to develop evidence regarding the local context on social, economic, and cultural realities for child trafficking victims in Nepal.

Evidence should be derived from previous research, qualitative and quantitative methods, and generate a comprehensive understanding of child trafficking in

Nepal with the ultimate goal to determine where to target resources, which interventions to deploy, and whether the interventions are culturally appropriate and responsive to the local context. Applicants should propose beginning with a literature review (Stage 1) prior to conducting a formative research study (Stage

2). It is expected that completion of this study will not exceed 30 months.

A formative research study gathers information on a community of interest (here, child trafficking victims in Nepal) and defines its characteristics, determines how to access it, and identifies the needs, perspectives, and priorities of the community (i.e., knowledge gaps) that assist in developing and implementing culturally and geographically appropriate program interventions. It will also identify those who can affect change beyond the child trafficking victim, for example, parents, teachers, religious leaders, community leaders or government officials. Formative research examines the community of interest’s perspectives, their behaviors and perceptions, and the factors which influence those behaviors.

Applicants must justify their selection of methods for this study and describe why they are most appropriate for better understanding the characteristics, accessibility, and needs of the child trafficking victim population in Nepal.

The target population for this research should be child trafficking victims

(individuals under the age of 18) in Nepal who are exploited in three specific types of trafficking:

1) trafficking of children into the adult entertainment sector (AES);

2) cross-border trafficking of children (primarily to/from India); and

3) forced child labor in brick kilns, garment and carpet manufacturing, as well as domestic work.

Applicants may propose collecting primary data on other types of child trafficking in Nepal, however, it is not required. If additional types of trafficking are included, applicants must justify their decision to expand beyond three priority types identified above. The TIP Office may request more information from a selected applicant to justify the inclusion of an additional trafficking type or types and, ultimately, may ask the applicant to remove it from the final study.

Applicants must also consider the additional vulnerabilities that these children face, such as the child’s age, gender, and sociodemographic characteristics, etc.

Based on previous assessments of Nepal, the TIP Office is interested in evidence on the relationship between the number of children who are unregistered or lack proof of registration and child trafficking in Nepal. In assessing this, applicants should demonstrate how this relationship will be explored through both qualitative (e.g., focus group discussions, social mapping, free listing, etc.) and quantitative methods (e.g., household survey, semi-structured interviews, rating and ranking exercises, etc.).

It is important for the TIP Office to identify potential barriers and facilitators to future anti-trafficking programming and policies (e.g., challenges in the recruitment and retention of the targeted population, identification of beneficiaries, knowledge of competing priorities or interests, as well as the recognition of the lack of skills, knowledge and expertise in the region, among others), and ways to mitigate or enhance them. Findings should explore potential factors that influence the sustainability of an intervention as well as recommendations for ensuring they are incorporated into programmatic design, development, and implementation.

Applicants are encouraged to employ a range of qualitative and quantitative research methods in order to generate an in-depth understanding of child trafficking in Nepal. They must describe the research methods to be used for each study of the types of trafficking listed above and are encouraged to triangulate their findings. Note that there may be some overlap in data collection between the types of trafficking, as well in terms of capturing the overall takeaways of the population’s characteristics and needs (e.g., such as through

KIIs). The proposed research methods must be specified in a research methods table (See Annex A). Applicants are encouraged to use participatory methods, such as social mapping, free listing, among others, and must ensure that their proposed research methods (study design, sampling plan, participants, setting, etc.) are clear and capture the context (e.g., social, environmental, and economic) and diverse perspectives of relevant stakeholders. For further instructions, please refer to the Guidelines for Submitting Proposals to the TIP Office for Formative

Research in Nepal.

Successful applicants will demonstrate their relevant experience and expertise in not only the proposed research methodologies, but also carrying out research in

Nepal either on child trafficking a related field (i.e., child labor, gender-based violence, child abuse, etc.).

Strong applicants will demonstrate, through letters of support or letters of commitment, existing relationships with the relevant government institutions, civil society organizations, as well as academic and/or research institutions based in Nepal.

Applicants will be required to use the TIP Office definitions and indicators for measuring human trafficking. These definitions are included in the Guidelines for

Submitting Proposals to the TIP Office for Formative Research in Nepal.

B. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

1. Eligible Applicants

Organizations eligible to apply include U.S.-based and foreign non-profits, non-governmental organizations (including faith-based organizations), public international organizations (PIOs), institutions of higher education, and for-profit entities. For-profit organizations are not permitted to generate profits from grant-funded activities. U.S. government (USG) agencies may respond to this NOFO with applications for projects that would be funded through an Interagency Acquisition Agreement. While foreign governments are not eligible to apply, governments may be beneficiaries of projects provided that funding does not pay salaries of government agency personnel and that such assistance is not restricted by U.S. law or policy.

Applications submitted by for-profit entities may be subject to additional review following the panel selection process. Additionally, the Department of State prohibits profit to for-profit or commercial organizations under its assistance awards. Profit is defined as any amount in excess of allowable direct and indirect costs. The allowability of costs incurred by commercial organizations is determined in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) at 48 CFR 30, Cost Accounting Standards Administration, and 48 CFR 31 Contract Cost Principles and Procedures.

Organizations currently receiving funds from the TIP Office may apply for additional funding under the present funding opportunity. The eligibility requirements for applying to this funding opportunity do not restrict applicants from receiving other sources of funding from the United States government, including funding from other bureaus within the Department of State. However, the applicant must provide information on any work conducted with U.S.

government funding related to human-trafficking issues or cross-cutting (health, education, labor, gender, etc.) human-trafficking issues within the project narrative.

Under this funding opportunity, applicants may partner with other organizations in submitting application(s). In instances where the lead applicant is not based in Nepal, applications must include at least one identified local partner engaged in the project from its inception. Applicants partnering with other organizations must clearly identify the lead applicant, and the applicant may designate one or more partner organizations as sub-recipients. For the purposes of this funding opportunity, a partner organization is any organization that would receive sub-award funding from a successful applicant to help the applicant organization implement anti-trafficking projects and/or activities. All mandatory terms and conditions for a successful applicant also apply to any sub-awards awarded.

2. Cost Sharing or Matching

Cost sharing, cost matching, and cost participation are not required to carry out a project under this funding opportunity. While not required, applicants can propose to include voluntary cost-share. Applications that include voluntary cost share will NOT be evaluated differently than other applications. Applicants should list the cost share amount in the SF-424. If awarded, the Recipient must provide the minimum amount of cost sharing as stipulated in the Recipient's budget; if the Recipient is not successful in raising the amount by the end of the award, the USG will reduce the federal funds proportionally.

C. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

The Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (22 USC 7101 et seq.), as amended

(TVPA), established the TIP Office in the U.S. Department of State. The TIP Office leads the United States’ global engagement on the fight against human trafficking and seeks partnerships with foreign governments, civil society organizations, and multilateral organizations to combat human trafficking through the “3P” paradigm: prosecuting traffickers through victim-centered law enforcement, protecting trafficking victims through proactive identification and comprehensive, trauma-informed care, and preventing trafficking in persons. TIP Office programs and projects combat human trafficking—a crime involving the exploitation of someone for the purposes of labor or services or a commercial sex act through the use of force, fraud, or coercion—in all its forms. Forms of human trafficking include sex trafficking, child sex trafficking, forced labor, forced child labor domestic servitude, forced criminality, and the unlawful recruitment or use of child soldiers.

The U.S. government defines “trafficking in persons” as:

• Sex Trafficking – when a trafficker uses force, fraud, or coercion to compel a person to engage in a commercial sex act or when a trafficker causes a child who has not attained 18 years of age to engage in a commercial sex act.

• Forced Labor – when a trafficker recruits, harbors, transports, provides, or obtains a person for labor or services by using force, fraud, or coercion.

Trafficking in persons does not require the movement of a person. Under the

TVPA and generally consistent with the UN Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and

Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children (Palermo Protocol), individuals may be trafficking victims regardless of whether they once consented, they participated in unlawful acts their traffickers compelled them to commit, someone transported them into the exploitative situation, or they were simply born into a state of servitude. The TIP Office will not fund projects that use alternate definitions of trafficking.

The TVPA requires that the Department of State submit to Congress an annual report assessing the efforts of governments to address trafficking in persons. The annual Trafficking in Persons Report (TIP Report) is the primary tool for the

Department’s engagement with other governments on human trafficking and informs U.S. policy and assistance priorities to combat this crime. The 2022 TIP

Report is available at: https://www.state.gov/reports/2022-trafficking-in-persons-report/.

Since 2000, when the United Nations adopted the Palermo Protocol and the

United States enacted the TVPA, the number of parties to the Protocol has reached 178. Only 14 of the 188 countries and territories assessed in the

Department of State’s 2022 Trafficking in Persons Report have yet to become parties. In addition, 154 countries have criminalized all forms of trafficking, and many countries have established specialized law enforcement units, set up trafficking victim assistance mechanisms, and launched public awareness campaigns. Nonetheless, the number of victims identified and assisted, and the number of traffickers investigated, prosecuted, and convicted remain low relative to the size of the problem. Governments also face continued challenges in effectively implementing new anti-trafficking legal and policy frameworks.

The TIP Office works to address these challenges in a number of ways, including through its foreign assistance programs. Information on U.S. government anti-trafficking efforts is available at https://www.state.gov/humantrafficking/ and a summary of CPC projects currently funded by the TIP Office is available at https://www.state.gov/child-protection-compact-partnerships/.

D. 2023 GRANT COMPETITION OVERVIEW

Any funds awarded under this funding opportunity will be provided through a grant or cooperative agreement. A cooperative agreement provides for

“substantial involvement” between the agency—in this case the TIP Office—and https://www.state.gov/reports/2022-trafficking-in-persons-report/ https://www.state.gov/reports/2022-trafficking-in-persons-report/ https://www.state.gov/humantrafficking/ https://www.state.gov/child-protection-compact-partnerships/ the recipient during the award’s period of performance. The TIP Office will undertake reasonable and programmatically necessary substantial involvement, which may include active participation or collaboration with the recipient in the implementation of the award; review and approval of one stage of work before another can begin; review and approval of all proposed sub-awards or contracts;

joint preparation or presentation of results with the recipient; and/or involvement where the TIP Office requires specific programmatic oversight over the award beyond normal monitoring. Other examples of substantial involvement by the TIP Office may include, but are not limited to, reviewing and approving key project deliverables, project materials, training curricula, and evaluation plans produced by sub-recipients. Substantial involvement is in addition to routine monitoring that includes approval of key personnel; approval of the recipient’s budget and plan of work prior to award; standard oversight, monitoring, and administration of federal awards; and unanticipated actions to correct recipient performance or administrative deficiencies identified during the implementation of the award. Projects funded by resources leveraged from other donors are not subject to TIP Office approval.

U.S.-based and foreign non-profits, non-governmental organizations (including faith-based organizations), public international organizations, institutes of higher education, and for-profit entities are invited to submit full proposals in response to the funding opportunity. Upon completion of a technical and programmatic review, the TIP Office will select one application to fund. The TIP Office will provide feedback on the selected application.

Applicants selected may be subject to a TIP Office risk assessment process that may include a pre-award site visit. The assessment may consider a variety of risk factors, including: (1) financial stability of the applicant; (2) quality of management systems and ability to meet proscribed management standards; (3) past performance in managing previous federal awards, if applicable, including compliance with reporting requirements, conformance to the award’s terms and conditions, and the extent to which previously awarded amounts will be expended prior to future awards; (4) reports and findings from available audits;

and (5) applicant ability to effectively implement statutory, regulatory, or other requirements applicable to non-Federal entities.

The TIP Office funding efforts include partnerships with governments, academia, civil society, the private sector, other funders, and international organizations to advance the goals of the program and improve collaboration on combating human trafficking. There should be meaningful engagement with individuals with lived experiences in human trafficking during development and implementation, and within the research, and monitoring and dissemination of all projects.

2023 PROGRAMING PRIORITY FUNDING OPPORTUNITY – Formative Research

Study on Child Trafficking in Nepal

The TIP Office seeks applications to conduct a formative research study that collects evidence on the social, economic, and cultural realities of child trafficking victims in Nepal. Strong applications will propose a range of qualitative and quantitative methods that build upon and complement each other. They will recognize the importance of triangulation of different research approaches to provide a more complete picture of the situation on the ground. Methods, such as participatory action research, should encourage deep community level engagement in order to develop recommendations that speak to a systemic understanding of the views, needs, and perspectives of child trafficking victims in

Nepal. This study will help the TIP Office better understand the perspectives, behaviors and perceptions of child trafficking victims in Nepal and the factors that influence those behaviors. It will also provide recommendations to the TIP Office for appropriate programmatic interventions for potential future funding opportunities.

This study must focus on the characteristics, accessibility, and needs of child trafficking victims in Nepal who are exploited in three specific types of trafficking:

1) trafficking of children into the adult entertainment sector (AES), 2) cross-border trafficking of children (primarily to/from India), and 3) forced child labor in brick kilns, garment and carpet manufacturing as well as domestic work. Applicants must also consider the added vulnerability of the lack of child registration with appropriate national documentation. Applicants may consider including other types of child trafficking issues in Nepal, provided all the types of trafficking listed above are included in the proposal. If additional types of trafficking are included, then applicants must justify their decision to expand beyond the noted priority topics. The TIP Office may request more information from a selected applicant to justify the inclusion of an additional issue and may ultimately ask the applicant to remove it from the final study.

The findings from this study will include recommended approaches to intervention design and implementation. Engagement with a local research university or entity in Nepal is required and the methodology for the research will need to receive relevant ethical approvals. Strong applicants will demonstrate their experience and contacts in Nepal and expertise in the identified research methodologies.

Expected deliverables from this study include but are not limited to:

Stage 1: Establishing the Foundation (Literature Review & Geographical

Identifications)

1. Literature review. There are several reasons for conducting a literature review. However, in the context of this study, it should be used to map the extent, range, and nature of the literature on child trafficking and trafficking adjacent research on children (e.g., gender-based violence, etc.)

in Nepal as well as to determine possible gaps both in terms of the understanding of the problem, service delivery, and the effectiveness of efforts. The literature review must bring together a variety of sources, including, but not limited to, white papers, grey literature, books, policy briefs, peer-reviewed publications, newspaper articles, secondary data from government websites, etc. It should capture both Nepali and English language publications as far back as 10 years.

Applicants should summarize the findings of the literature into a single report that classifies the existing information into different sections/themes (if possible, using the 3P paradigm of prevention, protection, and prosecution) as well as identify gaps that need to be filled using formative research methods. Particular attention should be paid to challenges and limitations of interventions targeted towards child trafficking victims in Nepal (or children in a similar context, e.g., child labor, gender-based violence, child abuse, etc.) as well as the characteristics, accessibility, and needs of child trafficking victims. Doing so will help to clarify what information is already known, or not known, about the factors influencing child trafficking in Nepal. Please note applicants are not required to conduct a systematic review but should provide the TIP Office with a description of search strategy and the collected sources. The TIP

Office recognizes findings from the literature review may require adjustments to the formative research methods originally proposed in this application.

2. Detailed chronology of all child trafficking programs in Nepal over the past

10 years and what characteristics of the project design made them successful (or not successful).

3. Comparative, geographical heat mapping of the three types of child trafficking listed above, identifying where they are most prevalent, considering urban versus rural environments. This can be used to inform the formative research design.

Stage 2: Primary Research Collection (Research Design, Data Collection, Analysis and Drafting)

4. A formative research report that employs a range of both qualitative and quantitative research methods with relevant stakeholders, including former child trafficking victims and adult survivors, that clearly identifies the population groups, mechanisms of entry, common trafficking routes, and geographic regions where child trafficking is most prevalent in Nepal and should be prioritized in future programming and/or partnerships. This research seeks to respond to the following research questions. Applicants must respond to these questions in their proposed methodology:

a. What are the views, needs, and perspectives of child trafficking victims in Nepal? Where does this population reside in the country, how do they obtain information, and how can they be best accessed through appropriate programmatic interventions? Where relevant, actors in a child victims’ familial unit and their views, needs, and perspectives should also be considered.

b. How have the root causes of child trafficking in Nepal influenced or inhibited sustainable change in combating the crime? Who are the relevant actors and systematic influences on this issue (i.e., individuals, systems, government entities) that are crucial to creating sustainable change?

c. Given the cultural and geographic contexts in Nepal, how should the

TIP Office conduct program interventions in a way that is culturally appropriate?

Stage 3: The Way Forward (Knowledge Application and Dissemination of

Findings)

5. A needs assessment that identifies the current gaps and challenges for donors implementing programs to address child trafficking in Nepal and recommendations for how best to mitigate them in future programmatic interventions.

6. A strengths-based approach summary that specifically addresses the ongoing, positive efforts the Nepalese government and civil society are doing to combat child trafficking. Emphasis on all levels of the government

(federal, provisional, and district) must be considered.

7. Recommendation(s) for potential areas of programmatic intervention by the TIP Office in Nepal.

8. Development of standardized guidelines and tools that can be utilized when assessing future programmatic interventions, with TIP Office input.

9. A final report that is public facing that summarizes findings from the formative research study and the recommendation(s) for potential areas of intervention by the TIP Office.

Engagement with a local research university or human trafficking expert in Nepal is required and the methodology for the research will need to receive appropriate ethical approvals. Strong applicants will demonstrate their experience and contacts in Nepal.

The TIP Office and the selected implementer will work together to develop an outline for the final report to ensure all pertinent information the TIP Office requires is included. The TIP Office will review and approve the final methodologies.

E. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

1. Submitting the Application Package

All applications must be submitted via SAMS Domestic (https://mygrants.service-now.com/grants) by 5:00p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) on July 24, 2023.

Please note that due to technical issues, SAMS Domestic may incorrectly note a deadline other than 5:00 p.m. EDT, however, the required deadline for submission is as stated above.

All application documents must be submitted in English. The TIP Office will NOT accept applications or updated documents submitted by any other method, including email, fax, the postal system, delivery companies, couriers, or U.S.

embassies. Applicants may submit more than one application to address different priorities; however, each application should only be submitted once.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to initiate electronic applications early in the application development process and to submit the application in advance of the deadline. This will aid in addressing any problems with submissions prior to the application deadline. No exceptions will be made for organizations that have not completed the necessary steps to submit applications on SAMS Domestic.

Applications Submitted Through SAMS Domestic

Organizations using SAMS Domestic for the first time must register on the SAMS

Domestic site to create a New Applicant account as soon as possible. This application step must be completed before an application can be submitted.

To register with SAMS Domestic, follow the “create an account” link and complete the “SAMS Domestic User Registration Request” application form.

Users will receive an email requesting account verification. This verification step must be completed before an application can be submitted. If an applicant has not previously received funding from the Department of State, the TIP Office cannot associate a new account in SAMS Domestic to an organization. Please note a new user account does not need to be associated with an organization in order to submit an application. Electronic applications submitted via SAMS

Domestic must contain completed SF-424 online forms and documents specified in this funding opportunity.

https://mygrants.service-now.com/grants

To upload the application, go to SAMS Domestic (https://mygrants.service-now.com/grants), select “Apply, then Funding Opportunities,” and select the

“Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons Programs” funding opportunity. Select the “Apply Here” button, enter the applicant organization’s information, and click Save. Complete each section of the application in the corresponding section of the Additional Documents to Be Submitted Tab: SF 424

Information (SF-424) and Project Narrative.

Please ensure that you select the box, “allow anyone in my organization to edit this application,” to ensure members of your organization have access to edit this application.

For assistance with SAMS Domestic, please contact the ILMS Support Desk at 1-

888-313-4567 (toll free for international callers) or submit a ticket using the ILMS

Self Service Portal (https://afsitsm.service-now.com/ilms/home). Customer

Support is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Please note support hours may change on Federal holidays. Please direct questions regarding the process of uploading applications to Customer Support and obtain a ticket number.

Technical difficulties not resolved by the Support Desk by the time of submission must be fully documented and reported to the TIP Office at JTIPGrants@state.gov only. Please do not contact any other Department of State personnel.

2. Technical Requirements for Proposal Application Package

All required documents submitted must be written in the English language using documents with one-inch margins formatted to 8 ½ x 11 paper only unless otherwise stated. All documents should use text that is black-colored and no less than 12-point in Calibri font.

Applicants must type within the grey box of the required Project Narrative template and must adhere to a 35,000-character limit with 12 Calibri font.

Spaces, footnotes, and charts are included within the 35,000-character limit. Any application that does not submit the required project narrative template with these font restrictions will fail the technical review. All budget figures must be in

U.S. dollars.

https://mygrants.service-now.com/grants) https://mygrants.service-now.com/grants) https://afsitsm.service-now.com/ilms/home mailto:JTIPGrants@state.gov

Submission of PDF files for the project narrative will not be accepted and will result in automatic failure of the technical review.

Please note there have been changes in this funding opportunity process.

Applicants are responsible for reviewing and incorporating the Guidelines for

Submitted TIP Office Formative Research Study Nepal Full Project Proposals.

when preparing an application. The documents include guidelines for preparing the application. This guidance is available on the TIP Office website, SAMS

Domestic, and grants.gov.

Complete applications must include the following documents in the required templates (on SAMS Domestic) to be considered for funding:

• Online Form - SF 424, SF 424A and SF 424B

• Project Narrative (Must type within template’s grey box) – Required template available on SAMS Domestic (35,000-character limit with font no less than 12-point in Calibri, Microsoft Word Document. Do not submit a PDF file). NOTE: Applicants MUST use the section headers provided in the template. Any application that does not submit the required template with these restrictions will fail the technical review.

See the Guidelines for Submitted TIP Office Formative Research Study

Nepal Full Project Proposals. Required components within the project narrative include:

1. Project Description

a. Project Goal

b. Research Objectives and Activities

▪ Explanation and Justification of Formative Research

Methods c.

d. Illustrative Indicators, by Stage

2. Project Partnerships

3. Organizational Capacity

a. Prime Organization

b. Sub-award and/or sub-contract partners

4. Coordination with Relevant Stakeholders in Nepal

5. Ethical Considerations

6. Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Integration

a. Gender and Social Integration

7. Survivor Inclusion and Victim-Centered Approach

8. Trauma-Informed Approach

9. Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Plan

• Proposal Annexes: See the Guidelines for Submitted TIP Office Formative Research Study Nepal Full Project Proposals.

o Annex A: Summary of Research Methods o Annex B: Results Monitoring Plan o Annex C: Timeline o Annex D: Budget Summary, by Project Year o Annex E: Line-Item Budget, by Project Year

▪ Required for both prime and sub-awards

▪ Account for translation costs* o Annex F: Budget Narrative o Annex G: Security, Risk Mitigation, and Contingency Plan o Annex H: NICRA Agreement* o Annex I: Resumes/CVs for Key Personnel o Annex J: Letters of Agreement or Letters of Intent to Cooperate

▪ Must demonstrate current relationships with local stakeholders o Annex K: Donor History Form

▪ USG funding and/or research funding history from the last

10 years

*Required only if applicable.

3. Unique entity identifier and System for Award Management (SAM)—Required

A valid Unique Entity Identifier (formerly the Data Universal Numbering System or

DUNS) is not required for submission of an application on SAMS Domestic;

however, a valid UEI number is required for organizations selected for an award.

Organizations should verify their UEI number or take the steps needed to obtain one as soon as possible. The DUNS number was formally replaced by a UEI (SAM) on April 3, 2022.

All applicants must register with the System for Award Management

(SAM.gov/SAM/) prior to submitting applications. Selected grantees will be required to have an active registration in SAM.gov. Organizations that have

SAM.gov accounts must log in at least once every 13 months (395 days) to maintain an active registration. When submitting applications, please reactivate any accounts that have become inactive. SAM.gov is a free government-managed website; applicants do not need to pay to have their organization registered or renewed annually.

Entities can register in SAM.gov and will be assigned their Unique Entity ID (SAM) within SAM.gov. They will no longer obtain or use a UEI (DUNS) for entity registration or reporting.

4. Submission Dates and Times

All applications must be submitted via SAMS Domestic (https://mygrants.service-now.com/grants) and no applications will be considered for funding after 5:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) on July 24, 2023 to be eligible for consideration.

The TIP Office will not accept application materials submitted by any means other than uploading to SAMS Domestic. To be competitive under this funding opportunity, applicants must be fully responsive to all directions in this document.

The application process is not complete until the applicant receives notification from SAMS Domestic that its application has been validated and forwarded to the granting agency (TIP Office). Please allow sufficient time for entering the application into these systems and to troubleshoot any issues. It is the responsibility of the applicant to monitor its application to ensure that it is successfully received and validated.

5. Funding Restrictions

Construction

The TIP Office restricts the use of Federal assistance for construction purposes.

Construction costs are defined as non-major costs for rearrangement and alteration or reconversion or renovation of facilities. Construction would include ordinary or normal alterations, restoration or rehabilitation such as any work that modifies buildings and/or grounds. This includes but is not limited to adding, replacing, modifying, relocating, removing, or painting doors, walls, windows, flooring or the alterations of ceilings, adding on to or dividing existing space or work on any building utility system, electrical, plumbing, ventilation, air conditioning, controls systems, fire alarms, fire sprinklers, security systems and telecommunication equipment. Federal assistance funds cannot be used for capital improvements unless specifically approved in advance by the TIP Office.

Equipment and Supplies

Equipment is herein defined as an article of non-expendable, tangible, personal property having a useful life of more than one year and an acquisition cost in excess of $5,000. Please note that if equipment costs are included in an application, the organization must retain ownership of all equipment obtained throughout the lifetime of the federal award. This includes any equipment funded with cost sharing or matching funds. At the end of the award, you must complete federal SF-428 forms in order for the TIP Office Grants Officer to evaluate whether the item(s) be retained, sold, or disposed of without any further obligation to the Department of State.

Supplies are herein defined as all tangible personal property other than those described in Equipment. Note that if there is a residual inventory of unused supplies exceeding $5,000 in total aggregate value upon completion of the project and the supplies are not needed for any other Federal award, your entity must retain the supplies for use on other activities or sell them, but must, in either case, compensate the Department of State for its share. The amount of compensation will be computed in the same manner as for Equipment.

Foreign assistance may not benefit countries or entities that are not eligible recipients of United States foreign assistance or for which there are applicable assistance restrictions. Foreign assistance funds cannot be used for programming in the United States. Recipients shall work with the Department of State to ensure that any applicable restrictions and requirements are addressed prior to awarding any sub-awards.

In addition, applicants should refer to the U.S. Department of State Policy on the

Prohibition on Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or

Equipment, which is described under the “Administrative and National Policy

Requirements” section of this NOFO.

F. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

1. Criteria for the Formative Research in Nepal

Reviewers will evaluate applications based on their own merits using the evaluation criteria outlined below. Applicants are responsible for reviewing the criteria to fully understand how applications will be reviewed and evaluated for potential funding.

• Project Description o Applicants must include their goal for the project as well as their proposed research objectives. Applicants must highlight the specific research methods they plan to use and why they were chosen. The application must focus on the three specific types of child trafficking referenced in Section A of this NOFO: 1) trafficking of children into the adult entertainment sector (AES), 2) cross-border trafficking of children (primarily to/from India), and 3) forced child labor in brick kilns, garment and carpet manufacturing as well as domestic work.

Applicants must also consider the added vulnerability of the lack of child registration with appropriate national documentation. If the applicant considers other types of child trafficking, they justify their decision

• Explanation and Justification of Formative Research Methods o Provide examples of previous formative research work conducted in country or in the surrounding region and how this research is applicable to the Nepal context. Applicants should provide examples of methodologies they would use and why. Applicants should also highlight areas of research they hope to explore, which could include but are not limited to the complex root causes of vulnerability, challenges faced by the government when combating this issue, and systemic influences involved in the issue. For the primary data collection (Stage 2), applicants must propose a variety of research methods, including participatory approaches, that will provide deep insight into the context for future programmatic interventions in

Nepal. The selection of methods and relevant tools are justified, with consideration given to whether a prevalence study is needed and/or other methods to measure the harms associated with the crime. If proxy indicators are used, they clearly represent a logical connection to prevalence based on empirical evidence.

• Partnership with Local Human Trafficking Expert and/or Research

Institution o Applicants must demonstrate existing relationships with human trafficking stakeholders in the selected country and/or region.

Coordination with a local research institution or human trafficking expert is required, so applicants must highlight past or current partnerships. Applicants must demonstrate this with a letter of support included in Annex J.

• Organizational Capacity and Subject Matter Expertise in Nepal o Applicants must demonstrate experience administering successful projects of similar size and scope – preferably in human trafficking or closely correlated areas – and experience administering successful projects in Nepal or the surrounding region. Applications should also demonstrate their ability to bring together government stakeholders and hold meetings with relevant government officials.

o For prior recipients of both TIP Office and other U.S. government funding, the TIP Office will consider past performance on awards.

For new applicants, the TIP Office will evaluate the organization’s potential to successfully implement a project, including the applicant’s ability to adhere to the rules and regulations that govern

U.S. foreign assistance. The application identifies well-qualified key personnel to manage the project and oversee implementation.

o The project idea is feasible with the funds granted and time provided. As appropriate, applications should outline how the project will be informed by meaningful input and expertise from survivors or persons with lived experience of human trafficking in developing the project and/or propose survivor-led organizations as sub-grantees or partners.

• Coordination with Relevant Stakeholders in Nepal o Applications demonstrate a clear understanding of the role that local organizations and institutions play in combating human trafficking and describe how they will develop and cultivate relationships with local partners to ensure programming is context appropriate.

Engagement with a local research university or entity in Nepal is required and the methodology for the research will need to receive relevant ethical approvals. Strong applicants will demonstrate their experience and contacts in Nepal and expertise in the identified research methodologies. Public International Organizations and/or applicants not based in the proposed country or region should describe existing or proposed partnerships with either government, civil society, university, research institution, or private sector in-country stakeholders. In addition, the proposal should explain how the applicant plans to manage sub-awards effectively, if applicable.

• Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Integration o Applicants display an understanding of the gender dynamics and social inclusion considerations in the narrative. Applicants provide evidence of how they will ensure their research takes into account and receives feedback from subsets of the population especially vulnerable to the human trafficking scenario and address gender dynamics, gaps or differences. Applicants demonstrate how addressing relevant gender and social gaps and dynamics will enhance the project’s goals and objectives.

o Gender integration should include the identification and subsequent treatment of gender differences and inequalities around human trafficking issues during project design and implementation and throughout the research process. Social integration is achieved when all people, regardless of their sex, age, ethnicity, social status, income, religion, sexual orientation, ability or disability etc., have the same rights and opportunities to contribute to and benefit from the proposed human trafficking project. Where applicable, this should be documented in the Project Narrative, specifically by addressing any relevant gender and/or social gaps and ways the proposed project activities will address those gaps. Applicants should demonstrate how addressing relevant gender and/or social gaps will enhance the project’s goals and objectives and ensure inclusion and access by all intended groups to the research.

• Survivor Inclusion and Victim-Centered Approach o Applicants must describe how survivors or persons with lived experience of human trafficking are meaningfully included in all stages of the DE and intervention development research process.

Applicants are highly encouraged to compensate survivors or persons with lived experience for any and all contributions made to the project. If and when survivors or persons with lived experience are compensated, it should be clearly articulated in the budget and budget narrative.

o Placing the victim’s priorities, needs, and interests at the center of the work with the victim; providing nonjudgmental assistance, with an emphasis on self-determination, and assisting victims in making informed choices; ensuring that restoring victims’ feelings of safety and security are a priority and safeguarding against policies and practices that may inadvertently re-traumatize victims. A victim-centered approach should also incorporate a trauma-informed, survivor-informed, and culturally competent approach.

• Trauma-Informed Approach o Trauma-informed practice is built on the knowledge and understanding of the impacts of trauma on people’s lives and health.

It addresses the effects of historical, intergenerational and ongoing trauma, as well as structural and interpersonal violence, that people have experienced not only as a result of human trafficking, but also broader factors (e.g., systemic violence, cultural oppressions, etc. It includes an understanding of the vulnerabilities and experiences of trauma survivors, including the prevalence and physical, social, and emotional impact of trauma.

o A trauma-informed approach requires programs and interventions to integrate this knowledge into all aspects of practice and programming in ways that foster safety, respect and empowerment of everyone involved in the process, including survivors, researchers, practitioners, etc. It recognizes signs of trauma in individuals and the professionals who help them and responds by integrating knowledge about trauma into policies, procedures, practices, and settings. A trauma-informed approach places priority on restoring the survivor’s feelings of safety, choice, and control.

o Applicants must describe the ways in which the design, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation methods and approaches of the proposed intervention, including the research methods, are trauma informed.

• Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning o The project narrative must include a Monitoring, Evaluation, and

Learning (MEL) Plan that summarizes monitoring and evaluation

(M&E) activities, includes illustrative indicators, and describes how

M&E activities will be carried out as well as who will be responsible for carrying out the M&E activities. Applicants should include and a complexity-aware approach that describes M&E activities designed for adaptive management and learning. The MEL Plan should include associated costs as a percentage of the overall budget (generally between 3-10%).

2. Review and Selection Process

Following the submission deadline, all applications will be screened to determine whether they meet the technical requirements stated in this announcement.

Applications will be deemed ineligible during the technical review process and will not be considered for funding if their application does not meet the technical review requirements listed. Following the technical and formal content review, The TIP Office will provide feedback to the selected applicants and may suggest collaboration between selected applicants. Applications will be reviewed by members of the TIP Office and by an intra- and interagency review panel. Panel recommendations will be presented to the Ambassador-at-Large to Monitor and

Combat Trafficking in Persons for consideration.

Please note, with the exception of technical submission questions during the funding process, U.S. Department of State staff in Washington and overseas shall not discuss this competition with applicants until the entire review process has been completed and rejection and approval letters have been transmitted. All questions related to the funding process and content of this funding opportunity must be submitted via email to JTIPGrants@state.gov.

3.Pre-Award Risk Assessment

Applicants will be subject to a TIP Office risk assessment process that may include a pre-award site visit. The assessment may consider a variety of risk factors, including: (1) financial stability of the applicant; (2) quality of management systems and ability to meet proscribed management standards; (3) past performance in managing previous federal awards, if applicable, including compliance with reporting requirements, conformance to the award’s terms and conditions, and the extent to which previously awarded amounts will be expended prior to future awards; (4) reports and findings from available audits;

and (5) applicant ability to effectively implement statutory, regulatory, or other requirements applicable to non-Federal entities.

4. Federal Awardee Performance & Integrity Information System (FAPIIS)

For any Federal award under a notice of funding opportunity, if the Federal awarding agency anticipates that the total Federal share will be greater than the simplified acquisition threshold on any Federal award under a notice of funding opportunity may include, over the period of performance (see §200.88 Simplified

Acquisition Threshold), this section must also inform applicants:

i. That 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 designated integrity and performance system accessible through SAM (currently FAPIIS) (see 41 U.S.C. 2313);

ii. That an applicant, at its option, may review information in the designated integrity and performance systems accessible through SAM and comment on any information about itself that a federal…