2023 Rapid Landscape and Gap Analysis on Human Trafficking 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 Rapid Landscape and Gap Analysis on

Human Trafficking

Announcement Type: 2023 TIP Office Initial Notification of Funding

Opportunity

Funding Opportunity: SFOP0009866

Catalog of Federal Domestic

Assistance Number(s): 19.019

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

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 from organizations with experience undertaking rapid landscape and gap analyses in one or more regions on human trafficking or closely related issues, such as health, education, labor, or gender, among others. The purpose of this NOFO is to identify organizations that can be called upon in the future by the TIP Office to conduct rapid landscape and gap analyses in the region of expertise of the selected application(s). These analyses will be used to help the TIP Office build a repository of evidence that will inform the design of research and projects funded and implemented around the world. This solicitation seeks applicants that demonstrate previous experience conducting landscape and gap analyses on human trafficking or closely related issues in one or more regions. Applicants may apply for more than one region but must clearly demonstrate regional expertise via different analyses. If selected, applicants will sign a one-year award that, pending performance and the availability of funds, may be eligible for non-competitive continuation of the award. Applicants will be called upon by the TIP Office quarterly or biannually to conduct rapid landscape and gap analyses that provide a robust understanding of a specific TIP problem in a particular country in the region the applicant demonstrated experience (i.e., sub-Saharan Africa, Europe, East Asia and Pacific, Middle East/North Africa, South and Central Asia, and the Western Hemisphere).

The TIP Office will identify the specific country and TIP issues they would like to see addressed by the selected applicant in the rapid landscape and gap analysis.

The selected applicant would then supply the TIP Office with additional program materials (i.e., line-item budget, timeline, among others) for that analysis. Such analyses will include insight from individuals at the community, provincial/district, and national levels from both government and civil society stakeholders and identify gaps in certain areas that the TIP Office could consider for future funding priorities (i.e., service gaps, policy gaps). If selected, all applicants must conduct analyses that include secondary as well as primary data collection. A literature review that, where accessible, considers peer-reviewed studies, white papers, grey literature, and includes literature in a country’s local language will also be required.

Successful applicants are expected to demonstrate appropriate experience in the subject matter and administering successful analyses of similar size and scope – preferably in human trafficking or closely related fields. Strong applicants must show how they have coordinated with anti-trafficking and other relevant stakeholders on past rapid analyses, including but not limited to government entities, international organizations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), donors, and civil society. These existing relationships should be demonstrated through letters of support or letters of commitment. Applicants should also highlight where they incorporated diverse stakeholders, in particular community members and human trafficking survivors, in the development and implementation of past rapid landscape and gap analyses.

The rapid landscape and gap analyses will complement (not duplicate) findings in the TIP Office’s annual TIP Report and will necessitate the selected implementer(s) travel to the country designated by the TIP Office for the analysis and conducting interviews with government officials, NGOs, human trafficking survivors, international organizations, and others. Demonstration of this type of engagement on past analyses is a vital component of strong applications.

Applicants may apply to one or more regions in their proposal, provided they demonstrate examples of studies that they or their organization have completed for each region. The maximum amount of funding allocated for rapid assessments in this solicitation is $400,000 for a one-year program.

The TIP Office expects to fund 6-8 assessments under the funding provided. The expectation is that an analysis is completed within 3-4 months or less.

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 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 commercial or for-profit 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 U.S. government, including funding from other bureaus within the Department of State. However, the applicant must provide information on previous work conducted with U.S.

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

2. Cost Sharing or Matching

Cost sharing, cost matching, and cost participation are not required to carry out a project under this funding opportunity, however 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 U.S.

government 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 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;

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/ 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 for this funding opportunity. Upon completion of a technical and programmatic review, the TIP Office will select a limited number to fund. The TIP Office will provide feedback on the selected applications and may recommend, but not require, collaboration between applicants. Funding will not be affected by the applicant’s decision to collaborate or not, with other recipients.

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 evaluation of all projects.

2023 RESEARCH PROGRAMING FUNDING OPPORTUNITY – Demonstrable

Experience Conducting Landscape and Gap Analyses on Human Trafficking or

Closely Related Fields

A rapid landscape assessment and gap analysis can be used to collect available information on a specific topic or issue in a specific country/region, as well as identify the gaps to be addressed in future programmatic interventions, in a comprehensive manner. The TIP Office will use these analyses to build a repository of evidence that will inform the design of research and projects funded and implemented around the world.

The TIP Office anticipates future landscape and gap analyses may focus on, but are not limited to, some or all the following areas. Strong applicants will highlight past analyses that demonstrate similar types of expectations:

• Identification of common trafficking trends in-country.

• Identification of all key stakeholders in-country, including government actors working on human trafficking. This should include the titles of each actor, their role, how effective they are in that position, strengths of each actor and gaps in knowledge, and noteworthy skills and cooperation with other government entities.

• Identification of all human trafficking and human trafficking adjacent donors active in the country. Human trafficking adjacent programming could include education, gender-based violence, mental health services, vocational services, criminal justice sector training and assistance, and health or other prevention activities.

• An overview of government-invested funding, if any, towards human trafficking and human trafficking adjacent issues. This may be demonstrated in funds allocated for government worker salaries and/or government support for NGOs providing services and shelter.

• Identification of local and international NGOs and International

Organizations active in human trafficking and human trafficking adjacent work and assessment of the government’s engagement with NGOs, whether positive or negative.

• Identification of tools a country’s government has at its disposal to combat human trafficking, such as a National Action Plan, a National Referral

Mechanism, a multidisciplinary task force focused on trafficking, police units dedicated to human trafficking, child friendly spaces for interviewing child trafficking victims, a case management system for the care of a victim as well as for the prosecution of cases, among others. Assessing whether these tools are implemented and, if so, to what effect.

• Examples of training courses utilized in the country’s national academies for social workers, police, prosecutors, judges, etc.

• Elaboration on the regulatory system, if any, for the recruitment of overseas workers and other mechanisms to protect overseas workers from exploitation.

• Mapping of active systems involved in the human trafficking response, looking at prevention (including but not limited to, education, vocational work, financial inclusion programs, public awareness campaigns, etc.), protection (including but not limited to, proactive identification of victims, referral mechanisms, shelter and medical and psychosocial services), and prosecution efforts (including but not limited to investigations by police, labor and immigration services, investigations and prosecutions by prosecutors’ offices, and judges adjudicating human trafficking and forced labor cases).

• Identification of current activities and programming in-country that could be built upon in potential future funding. This should include human trafficking adjacent activities and entities, especially in under-resourced countries, such as one-stop centers, social services centers, vocational academies, NGO shelters and services, etc.

• Needs assessment based on information above to identify current gaps and challenges related to the trafficking response in-country. This will require both primary and secondary data collection (i.e., existing data sources already in the identified country). Local service providers must be consulted on this assessment.

• Establish a protocol and/or guidelines for conducting landscape analyses on human trafficking that could be used in future TIP Office programming.

• Literature review of current and recent research conducted in-country on human trafficking or a closely related field.

Applicants must submit project narratives that detail previous landscape and gap analysis studies the organization has conducted in a specific region to combat human trafficking or closely related issues. Applicants must document existing relationships they hold with local research institutions or universities and highlight past analyses they have conducted that assess human trafficking issues specific to a region (i.e., child trafficking, adult trafficking, domestic servitude, cyber scamming). Coordination with a local expert in human trafficking from a university or research institution is required.

Applicants must demonstrate their ability to access local communities and document experience they have collecting insight directly from individuals at the community, provincial/district and national levels, from both government and civil society stakeholders, to identify gaps in specific areas. Applicants must also demonstrate experience and expertise with both primary and secondary data collection, as both will be required for the landscape and gap analysis. This could include experience collecting primary data from foreign government and civil society partners, interviewing stakeholders, conducting literature reviews, among others. Applicants should also demonstrate an ability to conduct a literature review, including resources published in the local language, if applicable. Once selected, the TIP Office will inform the implementer where the studies should be undertaken and what specific topics and areas of consideration should be included. Applicants will then respond with specific project documents that respond to that specific area of consideration (i.e., line-item budget, timeline, among others).

It is expected that an organization applying would be able to conduct these assessments for multiple countries across regions where they have an area of expertise and/or presence. The expectation is that a deliverable of one rapid landscape and gap analysis would be completed within 3-4 months.

D. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

1. Address to Request 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. 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 highlight their work in different countries and/or regions; 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.

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 https://mygrants.service-now.com/grants https://mygrants.service-now.com/grants https://mygrants.service-now.com/grants) https://mygrants.service-now.com/grants) 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. Content and Form of Application Submission

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:

Research Experience and Country/Regional Expertise 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.

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 significant changes in this funding opportunity process. Applicants are responsible for reviewing and incorporating the

Guidelines for Submitting TIP Office Landscape and Gap Analysis Proposals https://afsitsm.service-now.com/ilms/home mailto:JTIPGrants@state.gov 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

• Project Narrative: Research Experience and Country/Regional

Expertise (Must type within grey box) – Required template available on

SAMS Domestic (35,000-character limit with font no less than 12-point in

Calibri). 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 Submitting TIP Office Landscape and Gap Analysis Proposals.

Required components within the project narrative include:

1. Past Experience Conducting Landscape and Gap Analyses

2. Past Research on Human Trafficking or Closely Related Issues

3. Local Partnerships and Relationships with Local Research

Institutions

4. Organizational Capacity

5. Relevant Ethical Considerations

• Proposal Annexes:

o Annex A – Summary of Research Methods o Annex B – Budget Summary, by Project Year o Annex C – NICRA Agreement* o Annex D – Resumes and Qualifications of Key Personnel – o Annex E – Letters of Agreement or Letters of Intent to Cooperate on Research

▪ Must demonstrate current relationships with local stakeholders o Annex F – 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.

Organizations that already have a DUNS can continue to use this for SAM registration and reporting until April 3, 2022. After that time, organizations will no longer use UEI (DUNS) and that number will not be maintained in any IAE systems (SAM.gov, CPARS, FAPIIS, eSRS, FSRS, FPDS-NG). Beginning April 4, 2022, applicants will only use the UEI (SAM) which, if they are already actively registered in SAM, would have been assigned the UEI (SAM). Please note that selected grantees may not make a sub-award to a sub-recipient unless that sub-recipient has obtained and provided to the recipient a UEI. A sub-recipient is not required to be fully registered in SAM.gov but must complete a UEI-only request within SAM.gov.

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 https://mygrants.service-now.com/grants https://mygrants.service-now.com/grants 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 funds may not benefit countries or entities that are not eligible recipients of United States foreign assistance or for which there are applicable assistance restrictions. Applicants 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.

E. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

1. Criteria for the Human Trafficking Landscape and Gap Analysis

Reviewers will evaluate applications based on their own merits. Reviewers will use the below evaluation criteria. Applicants are responsible for reviewing the criteria below to fully understand how applications will be reviewed and evaluated for potential funding. Applications will be evaluated against their responses to the questions listed below:

• Past Experience Conducting Landscape and Gap Analyses o Describes how past landscape and gap analyses the applicant has conducted in a specific region addressed a critical evidence-to-practice gap in the anti-trafficking field, or closely related issues.

Applicant demonstrates an evidence-based understanding towards specific issues addressed in past research on human trafficking problems or other relevant fields. Past studies should cite a range of reputable and up-to-date sources (primary and secondary) and reflect the perspectives of those individuals living and working in the target area. Examples of past studies should provide a clear explanation of why the target population/location was strategically chosen. When describing the target population in past studies, there is a consideration of differences in socioeconomic status, ethnicity, gender, age group, and other characteristics. Applicant considers and demonstrates knowledge of both risk and protective factors at multiple levels and how they interact and influence the presence, prevalence, and severity of the proposed human trafficking problem.

Applicant does not propose any new activities for proposed research in the proposal and solely relies on conveying past experience conducting landscape and gap analyses in one or more of the target regions.

• Past Research on Human Trafficking or Closely Related Issues o Applicants must demonstrate their past analyses on human trafficking or a closely related field in the selected country and/or region. The applicant should include which methodologies were used and why, as well as how the organization gathered insight from relevant stakeholders, such as individuals at the community, provincial/district, and national levels from both government and civil society. Applicants must demonstrate their past work in secondary as well as primary data collection and literature reviews.

• Past or Current Partnerships with Local Research Institutions or Human

Trafficking Experts in the Country/Region o Applicants must demonstrate existing relationships with human trafficking stakeholders, or those engaged in closely related issues, in the selected country and/or region. This could include government officials, civil society, or local human trafficking experts. Coordination with a local research institution or human trafficking expert is required, so applicants should highlight past or current partnerships.

Applicants must demonstrate this with a letter of support included in

Annex E.

• Organizational Capacity o The application clearly establishes the applicant’s ability to conduct research in specific country(ies) or region(s). The applicant has appropriate experience in the subject matter. 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 research and oversee implementation. Applicants demonstrate experience administering successful projects of similar size and scope

– preferably in human trafficking or related areas – and experience administering successful projects in the applicant’s selected country or region. Applications should also demonstrate their ability to bring together government stakeholders and hold meetings with relevant government officials.

• Relevant Ethical Considerations o Applicants must demonstrate experience giving proper consideration to ethics in their past research projects. Applicants should discuss the measures that they have taken to ensure informed consent, confidentiality, and respect for the rights and dignity of all individuals involved. Applicants should also discuss the risk and benefit to researchers, participants and others, including potentially stigmatized or marginalized groups (e.g., LGBTQI+, undocumented migrants, etc.) as a result of their research. If selected, applicants will be required to provide information on how and from whom ethical approval will be sought and when it will be obtained. All must comply with the ethical rules of the country in which the research is conducted.

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, the 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 awarding agency previously entered and is currently in the designated integrity and performance system accessible through SAM;

iii. That the Federal awarding agency will consider any comments by the applicant, in addition to the other information in the designated integrity and performance system, in making a judgment about the applicant's integrity, business ethics, and record of performance under Federal awards when completing the review of risk posed by applicants as described in

§200.205 Federal awarding agency review of risk posed by applicants.

5. Anticipated Announcement and Federal Award Dates

The TIP Office anticipates making a decision on applications submitted under this

NOFO in August and will notify all applicants of their application status at this time through JTIPGrants@state.gov. Shortly after proposal applications are selected for potential funding, Program Analysts at the TIP Office will work with the selected organization(s) to clarify aspects of their application and award the funds. Pending the availability of funds and other contingencies, the TIP Office would expect projects selected for funding to commence during the fall/winter of

2023.

All funding decisions are conditional until a final award is signed.

G. FEDERAL AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

1. Federal Award Notices

Following submission, applicants can expect to hear from the TIP Office via email regarding the status of their statements of interest within approximately 45 days of the application due date. The TIP Office will provide feedback on the selected applications and may recommend, but not require, collaboration between applicants.

However, a letter stating that an applicant is chosen for further consideration does not constitute authorization to begin performance on the proposed project.

All selected applications are conditional until the funds have officially been authorized and awarded by the Grants Officer.

2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

Standard Terms and Conditions: 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:

2 CFR 200, 2 CFR 600, Certifications and Assurances, and the Department of State

Standard Terms and Conditions, all of which are available at:

https://www.statebuy.state.gov/fa/pages/home.aspx.

Note the U.S. Flag branding and marking requirements in the Standard Terms and

Conditions.

Anti-Prostitution Policy and Requirements: Grantees are required to agree to the following conditions prior to a grant being awarded:

1. None of the funds made available herein may be used to promote, support, or advocate the legalization or practice of prostitution. Nothing in the preceding sentence shall be construed to preclude assistance designed to https://www.statebuy.state.gov/fa/pages/home.aspx combat trafficking in persons, including projects for prevention, protection of victims, and prosecution of traffickers and others who profit from trafficking in persons, by ameliorating the suffering of, or health risks to, victims while they are being trafficked or after they are out of the situation that resulted from such victims being trafficked.

2. The recipient shall insert this provision in all sub-agreements under this award.

Training Certification: All organizations receiving funds must agree to the following:

• “This organization hereby certifies that, to the extent practicable, persons or entities providing legal services, social services, health services, or other assistance have completed, or will complete, training in connection with trafficking in persons.” The recipient shall insert this provision in all sub-agreements under this award. TVPA sec. 107A(b)(1) (22 U.S.C.

7105A(b)(1)).

Special Provision for Performance in a Designated Combat Area: Each federal assistance award within areas of combat operations or future contingency operation, as designated by the Secretary of Defense, over $150,000 or providing for performance over 30 days must be registered in the Department of Defense maintained Synchronized Pre-deployment and Operational Tracker (SPOT) system. Each federal assistance award shall be registered in SPOT before personnel deployment. Requirements are fully outlined in the award agreements for recipients.

Leahy Vetting Requirement: This requirement applies to training or other assistance to be furnished to any unit or individual member of the security forces of a foreign country. Leahy vetting is required when training or assistance is provided to foreign security forces, including when such assistance is provided under a grant or cooperative agreement. Department guidance provides the following information on the type of personnel who are considered security forces and thus must be vetted under Leahy:

• “The Leahy amendment refers to the ‘security forces of a foreign country.’

It makes no distinction between military and civilian. The key is whether the individual is a member of a security force unit. In broad terms, any division or entity (to include an individual) authorized by a State or political subdivision (city, county, etc.) to use force (including but not limited to the power to search, detain, and arrest) to accomplish its mission would be considered a security force. ‘Security forces’ thus could be units of law enforcement or the military. Prison guards, customs police, border police, tax police, and the coast guard would be examples of the types of units included in the category of ‘security forces.’ Members of these types of units should be considered as subject to the Leahy Amendment and be vetted either as individuals or as part of the unit being trained. Examples of persons who are not considered ‘security forces’ include: government bureaucrats, prosecutors, judges, civilian members of NGOs, international organizations or task forces and forensic lab workers.”

Leahy Vetting requirements will be fully outlined in the award agreements for recipients. The vetting process may take considerable time, and applicants should plan training activities with sufficient time for vetting to be completed. All successful applicants, including prior grantees, will be required to complete a new

Leahy Vetting training module prior to the award of new projects.

Never Contract with the Enemy:

This requirement refers to a law that was codified in 2 CFR Part 183, which prohibits funding persons or entities that are actively opposing United States or coalition forces involved in a contingency operation in which members of the

Armed Forces are actively engaged in hostilities. If applicant is on the current list of prohibited or restricted persons or entities in SAM Exclusions, then this would prohibit that applicant from receiving an award. Furthermore, an award recipient may be terminated if they are found to have used award funds, either directly or indirectly, to the enemy.

Executive Order Strengthening Protections Against Trafficking in Persons in

Federal Contracts: Any applicant’s hiring process must be consistent with the U.S.

government’s regulations on preventing human trafficking among federal contractors and grantees, specifically:

• U.S. law and regulations expressly prohibit federal contractors, subcontractors, grantees, subgrantees, and their agents/employees from engaging in certain trafficking-related practices, such as misleading or fraudulent recruitment practices; charging employees recruitment fees; and destroying or confiscating employees' identity documents, such as a passport or a driver’s license.

See 22 U.S.C. § 7104(g) (as amended); Federal Acquisition Regulation, 48 C.F.R. §

52.222-50 (Combating Trafficking in Persons); see also Federal Acquisition

Regulation, 83 FR 65466 (Dec. 20, 2018) (Combating Trafficking in Persons—

Definition of “Recruitment Fees”).

U.S. National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security: Applicants are encouraged to review the goals of the U.S. National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security for their relevance to applications. In particular, Outcome 3.3 of the Plan provides guidance on efforts to combat trafficking:

“Engage with international and/or civil society organizations to ensure that standard operational procedures are in place to…