2024 TIP Office Notice of Funding Opportunity, Request for Statements of Interest.pdf

U.S. Department of State

Notice of Funding Opportunity – Call for Statements of Interest

Federal Awarding Agency: U.S. Department of State

Program Office: Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in

Persons, International Programs Section

Funding Opportunity Title: 2024 TIP Office International Programs to Combat

Human Trafficking Notice of Funding Opportunity

– Stage 1: Statement of Interest

Announcement Type: 2024 TIP Office Notification of Funding

Opportunity – Statement of Interest

Funding Opportunity: DFOP0016706

Catalog of Federal Domestic

Assistance Number(s): 19.019

Deadline for Applications: 23:59 EST July 31, 2024

A. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Department of State’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons

(TIP Office) is pleased to invite organizations to submit Statements of Interest

(SOIs) to combat human trafficking outside of the United States. Informed by the annual Trafficking in Persons Report (TIP Report), current anti-trafficking programming and trends, research, scoping visits, assessments, engagements with foreign governments, and in consultation with other U.S. government agencies and offices, the TIP Office identified multiple programming priorities for funding under this announcement.

The TIP Office will allocate funding for anti-trafficking projects through an open, two-stage competitive process. In stage one of competition, also known as the

SOI stage, applicants are invited to submit four-page SOIs for projects designed to address the TIP Office’s 2024 programming priorities in Africa (AF), East Asia and the Pacific (EAP), the Near East and North Africa (NEA), South and Central Asia

(SCA), and the Western Hemisphere (WHA). All SOIs selected following a technical and programmatic review will be invited to participate in stage two of the competitive process and submit full proposals. Following a technical and programmatic interagency review, stage two proposals are recommended for funding to the TIP Office’s Ambassador-at-Large for final approval. All funding for approved proposals is pending the availability of FY 2024 appropriated funds. The

TIP Office anticipates issuing awards for the majority of the priorities identified below in the spring of 2025.

The TIP Office may exercise Non-Competitive Continuations (NCC) to awarded projects under this solicitation for additional years and funds to build on efforts of the base period of performance. Within 90 days of the conclusion of the first period of performance, the TIP Office will notify the recipient of its intent to exercise or not to exercise an NCC after an internal evaluation of the recipient’s performance. The decision to exercise an NCC will depend both on the satisfactory performance of the recipient and on the availability of funds. More information on NCCs will be shared in stage two of the competitive process when full proposals are submitted.

The TIP Office welcomes strong SOIs that address human trafficking challenges on a significant scale, offer the potential to have a systemic and sustainable impact, and align with U.S. government priorities and the TIP Office’s 2024 country and regional priorities listed under the 2024 Regional Programming Priorities, among other factors.

B. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

Approximate Average Award: $1,000,000 for initial period of performance Floor of Award Range: None Ceiling of Award Range: $1,000,000 for initial period of performance; $7,500,000 for total overall ceiling) (Some Programming Priorities may have lower initial and total overall ceiling award ranges, see below.)

Anticipated Award Date: April 1, 2025 Additional Information: The TIP Office reserves the right to reduce, revise, or increase budgets in accordance with the needs of the program and the availability of funds.

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 to combat human trafficking and seeks partnerships with foreign governments, civil society organizations, and multilateral organizations utilizing the “3P” paradigm: prosecuting traffickers using a victim-centered and trauma-informed approach, protecting trafficking victims through proactive identification and the provision of comprehensive, trauma-informed care, and preventing trafficking in persons through targeted programs that make it more difficult or risky for traffickers to commit the crime.

The TIP Office also recognizes the importance of partnerships and collaborative efforts with relevant governmental and nongovernmental actors in anti-trafficking work. TIP Office programs and projects combat human trafficking – a crime that involves compelling a person to work or engage in a commercial sex act through the trafficker’s use of force, fraud, or coercion. It should be noted that when a person younger than 18 is used to perform a commercial sex act, it is a crime regardless of whether there is any force, fraud, or coercion.

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

• Sex trafficking encompasses the range of activities involved when a trafficker uses force, fraud, or coercion to compel another person to engage in a commercial sex act or causes a child to engage in a commercial sex act.

• Forced labor, sometimes also referred to as labor trafficking, encompasses the range of activities involved when a person uses force, fraud, or coercion to exploit the labor or services of another person.

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, Supplementing

United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime (Palermo

Protocol), individuals may be trafficking victims regardless of whether they once consented to provide commercial sex acts (with the exception of children, who cannot provide consent), labor, or services; whether they participated in unlawful acts their traffickers compelled them to commit; whether someone transported them into the exploitative situation; or whether they were simply born into a state of servitude. The TIP Office will not support 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 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 2024 TIP Report is available on the TIP Office website, www.state.gov/j/tip.

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 risen to 180. In addition, a majority of 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 - remains low relative to the size of the problem; governments also continue to face challenges in effectively implementing anti-trafficking legal and policy frameworks.

The TIP Office works to build the capacity of partner governments and civil society to address these challenges in a number of ways, including through foreign assistance programs. Information on U.S. government anti-trafficking efforts is available at: https://www.state.gov/humantrafficking/ and a summary of international projects currently funded by the TIP Office is available at:

https://www.state.gov/tip-office-project-descriptions/.

The TIP Office’s preference is to avoid duplicating past efforts by supporting new and creative approaches. This does not exclude from consideration projects that http://www.state.gov/j/tip https://www.state.gov/humantrafficking/ https://www.state.gov/tip-office-project-descriptions/ improve upon or expand existing successful projects in a new or complementary way.

Applicants are expected to submit SOIs that reflect an understanding of victim-centered, trauma-informed, and survivor-informed approaches to anti-trafficking programming. Applicants should also include these approaches in any plans for direct engagement with individuals with lived experience of human trafficking;

applicants are encouraged to work with and/or consult individuals with lived experience of human trafficking in the development of their SOIs if possible.

When relevant for the SOIs, applicants are expected to reflect the provision of comprehensive services to victims of trafficking. Strong applicants should incorporate these approaches, where relevant, into their proposals and explain how each concept will be appropriately applied in project activities. The TIP

Office defines these concepts as follows:

Victim-Centered Approach

Placing the crime 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

A trauma-informed approach 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, and seeking to actively resist re-traumatization. This approach includes an understanding of the vulnerabilities and experiences of trauma survivors, including the prevalence and physical, social, and emotional impact of trauma. A trauma-informed approach places priority on restoring the survivor’s feelings of safety, choice, and control.

Programs, services, agencies, and communities can be trauma-informed.

Survivor-Informed

A program, policy, intervention, or product that is designed, implemented, and evaluated with intentional leadership, expertise, and input from a diverse community of survivors to ensure that the program, policy, intervention, or product accurately represents their needs, interests, and perceptions.

To maximize the impact and sustainability of the award(s) that result from this funding opportunity, the TIP Office retains the right to execute NCCs. The total duration of any award, including potential NCC amendments, shall not exceed 60 months, or five years. Any NCC is contingent on performance and pending availability of funds. An NCC is not guaranteed, and the Department of State reserves the right to exercise or not to exercise this option.

2024 REGIONAL PROGRAMMING PRIORITIES

The TIP Office has identified regional and country programming priorities for potential funding. These priorities are heavily informed by recommendations from the annual TIP Report, coordination with a broad range of anti-trafficking donors, and engagement with foreign governments and local civil society, and are based on the TIP Office’s current anti-trafficking efforts.

The TIP Office generally prioritizes foreign assistance in those countries assessed below Tier 1 in the TIP Report and where governments demonstrate political will, but lack the economic resources or anti-trafficking expertise, to effectively address the problem. The 2024 select programming priorities below are listed alphabetically by geographic region. Applicants may apply for up to the total amount listed below and should submit funding requests rounded to the nearest

$5,000 (e.g. $735,000 rather than $734,097).

The TIP Office may fund activities in high-income countries, but the use of foreign assistance funding to benefit a high-income country requires additional review.

Applicants should ensure that inclusion of high-income countries is responsive to the TIP Office's regional and country priorities. The TIP Office considers high-income countries to be those designated as high income by the World Bank using the gross national income (GNI) per capita (Atlas method). The current threshold for high-income countries (based on 2024 data) is a GNI per capita of $13,206 or more.

To be eligible for consideration, SOIs must respond to at least one of the specific programming priority areas and countries or regions identified below. If an applicant is submitting SOIs for multiple priorities described below, the applicant must submit only one SOI per priority. Project proposals should be no more than

60 months in duration -- 24 months for the base period with a potential 36-month

NCC period.

Africa

1. COMOROS, Protection, Prevention, $1,000,000 ceiling for initial period of performance; $2,500,000 for total overall ceiling. Over the last year, the

Government of Comoros made significant efforts to identify trafficking victims, refer victims to services, and increase investigations of trafficking crimes.

However, the lack of short-term shelters and long-term housing for victims continues to adversely affect the government’s ability to adequately protect trafficking victims.

Request for Application: The TIP Office requests applications to build on previous and current efforts to: 1) Strengthen government and civil society coordination of anti-trafficking efforts; 2) Assist the Government of Comoros with the development of a National Action Plan on TIP; and/or 3) Provide comprehensive services and shelter services to victims in consultation with survivor advocates.

2. GHANA, Protection and Prevention, $1,000,000 ceiling for initial period of

Government of Ghana demonstrated significant anti-trafficking efforts by adopting a new National Action Plan (NAP), increasing trafficking investigations and prosecutions, and providing anti-trafficking training to law enforcement, judicial officials, community leaders, and service providers. However, the

Government of Ghana identified fewer trafficking victims compared to previous years and continued its 2017 ban on labor migration to Gulf states, which increases vulnerability to trafficking.

Request for Application: The TIP Office requests applications that build on previous and current efforts to: 1) Prevent and protect Ghanaian adults from predatory labor recruitment methods; 2) Increase efforts to investigate and prosecute trafficking crimes, including fraudulent labor recruitment; 3) Increase efforts to prevent exploitation of Ghanaian workers abroad; 4) Proactively screen for trafficking indicators among vulnerable populations, including Ghanaians seeking work aboard and foreign workers (e.g. from Cuba, the PRC, etc.) in Ghana;

and/or, 5) Increase comprehensive protective services for victims.

3. KENYA, Protection and Prosecution, $1,000,000 ceiling for initial period of

Government of Kenya increased efforts to identify more trafficking victims, provided identified victims with direct services or referrals to non-governmental organization (NGO) provided care, and developed a bench book for judges to improve hearing of labor trafficking cases. However, protection services for victims, particularly adults, remains limited and inconsistent in quality.

and current efforts to: 1) Expand protection and prosecution resources to geographic areas outside of Nairobi and Mombasa; 2) Increase protection services for Kenyan trafficking victims exploited abroad (e.g. providing pre-departure training to all migrant workers); 3) Train labor inspectors to report potential violations to the appropriate officials; and/or 4) Capacitate law enforcement officials to formally refer all trafficking victims to assistance, including adults, foreign nationals, and Kenyans exploited abroad. Applicants should specify their approach to training techniques that are applicable for shelters that serve several vulnerable populations, not solely trafficking victims (e.g. referencing specific theory and/or applied approaches).

4. NAMIBIA, Protection and Prevention, $1,000,000 ceiling for initial period of

Government of Namibia made significant efforts to identify victims of trafficking.

However, these efforts were not sustained compared with efforts during previous years. Some victims were inappropriately penalized for unlawful acts committed as a result of being trafficked. Officials and staff lacked the necessary training to ensure services provided are trauma-informed and victim-centered and do not result in revictimization. Some government officials and civil society organizations lacked awareness and understanding of referral mechanisms for victims.

and current efforts to: 1) Enhance victim identification and referral to services; 2)

Support the coordination of the Government of Namibia and civil society’s anti-trafficking efforts and responses; 3) Protect victims of trafficking through a trauma-informed approach; and/or 4) Train front-line actors and institutionalize trainings using a sustainable approach.

Near East and North Africa

1. ALGERIA, Protection, $1,00,000 ceiling for initial period of performance;

$2,500,000 for total overall ceiling. The Government of Algeria’s efforts to identify and assist human trafficking victims is insufficient. It lacks effective screening measures for human victims among vulnerable populations, such as sub-Saharan African migrants, refugees, asylum-seekers, and individuals in commercial sex. The National Referral Mechanism has not yet been finalized.

Officials also require training to ensure services are trauma-informed, victim-centered, and avoid potential revictimization.

Request for Applications: The TIP Office requests applications for a project well-positioned to coordinate with the Government of Algeria, international organizations, and civil society on proactive identification of victims and provision of protective services. The project should: 1) Work with the government to screen migrants and other vulnerable populations for signs of trafficking; 2)

Coordinate with the government and international organizations and/or civil society organizations to provide specialized protection services for trafficking victims; 3) Advocate the government to finalize (as necessary) and implement

SOPs for victim identification and screening; 4) Finalize (if necessary) and implement the National Referral Mechanism; and/or 5) Train law enforcement, immigration, and other frontline workers on victim identification and referral procedures.

2. IRAQ, Protection, $3,000,000 ceiling for initial period of performance;

$7,5000,000 for total overall ceiling. Migrants from Asia and Africa, both documented and undocumented, are subject to forced labor in federal Iraq and the Iraqi Kurdistan Region (IKR). Traffickers also fraudulently recruit foreign migrants in other Near East countries and subsequently force them into working in Iraq and the IKR. Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) report migrants in the IKR receive harsher treatment from employers than local employees, including physical and emotional abuse, and continue to be vulnerable to nonpayment or under-payment of wages and food deprivation. Despite the many vulnerable individuals within the IKR, which includes a great number of internally displaced persons and refugees, the Kurdistan Regional Government remains without a dedicated government-run shelter for victims of trafficking and lacks access to comprehensive services for survivors.

Request for Applications: The TIP Office requests applications for a project to 1)

Provide shelter and comprehensive, specialized protection services, including legal assistance, healthcare, shelter, and repatriation assistance, to survivors of trafficking in the Iraqi Kurdistan region (IKR); 2) Work with the Kurdistan Regional

Government to develop and institute guidelines for proactive victim identification and referral, and train officials on these guidelines. These guidelines and training should include extensive coverage of survivor-centered practices; 3) Advocate for the government to proactively establish its own shelters for trafficking survivors and provide comprehensive protection services; and/or 4) Advocate for the government to allow NGOs to register.

3. TUNISIA, Protection, $1,000,000 ceiling for initial period of performance;

$2,500,000 million for total overall ceiling. Both foreign migrants and Tunisians are exploited within Tunisia, but full access to protection services is reliant on official identification as a trafficking victim by a few designated authorities. This limitation, combined with the fact that many Tunisian officials have a limited understanding of trafficking, may delay identification and the process for victims to receive care, and cause bottlenecks in the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) when initial victim referrals increase but are not followed by timely official designation. An increase in anti-foreign sentiment and the threat of pending legislation penalizing Tunisians for assisting migrants has made the environment for foreign victims even more precarious.

Request for Applications: The TIP Office requests applications that explore streamlining the official designation process for trafficking victims in Tunisia.

Applicants must demonstrate a strong, institutional relationship with the

Government of Tunisia and articulate the approach they would take to advocate for the strengthening and streamlining of Tunisia’s National Referral Mechanism

(NRM) and how they would engage government stakeholders on these efforts.

Applicants should propose trainings for relevant officials, including judges and immigration officials, on their existing roles within the NRM, how to perform them, and how to appropriately address gaps and delays that exist in the current designation process. Applications should also provide direct and comprehensive assistance to survivors and train staff at government-operated centers for vulnerable populations on best practices in caring for trafficking victims.

Applicants must demonstrate a robust understanding of the bottlenecks and barriers for both migrants and Tunisians in accessing services through the NRM.

East Asia and the Pacific

1. CAMBODIA, Protection, $1,000,000 ceiling for initial period of performance;

$2,500,000 for total overall ceiling. In Cambodia, there are insufficient resources and capacity available to provide adequate protection services, including shelter, to trafficking victims.

Request for Applications: The TIP Office requests applications to expand the provision of protection services, such as shelter, food, medical care, clothing, and/or reintegration assistance to all human trafficking victims, including

Cambodian nationals subjected to human trafficking abroad who have returned to Cambodia, and victims exploited in Cambodia, including third country nationals. These services should include an increased emphasis on victims of forced labor and services for men and boys.

2. LAOS, Prevention, $1,000,000 ceiling for initial period of performance;

$2,500,000 for total overall ceiling. In Laos, traffickers frequently and increasingly lure Lao women and girls, including individuals from rural and underserved communities in Luang Namtha and Oudomxay, with false promises of work opportunities or promises of marriage – typically through marriage brokers – to nationals in neighboring countries, primarily the People’s Republic of

China (PRC). These women and girls are instead subjected to sex trafficking, forced labor, and forced surrogacy. This trend reportedly increased after completion of the Lao-China Railway in 2021 but fluctuated during COVID-19 pandemic-related travel restrictions and border closures; traffickers also transport

Lao victims for these purposes overland through Thailand en route to the PRC.

Brokered marriages between rural Lao women and PRC men employed at special economic zones (SEZs) known to perpetuate trafficking also increased during the

COVID-19 pandemic.

Request for Applications: The TIP Office requests applications to raise awareness on human trafficking inside Laos, along the border with the PRC, by conducting an awareness raising campaign and/or outreach to communities in border areas within Laos where there is heightened vulnerability to trafficking via forced and fraudulent marriage in the PRC. All programming should be conducted within Lao borders and not spill into neighboring countries.

3. MALAYSIA, Protection, $1,000,000 ceiling for initial period of performance;

$2,500,000 for total overall ceiling. Malaysia is comprised of two noncontiguous regions, Peninsular Malaysia and East Malaysia, located in Borneo. Most anti-trafficking resources are concentrated in Peninsular Malaysia – especially in and around Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia's capital city. Victim services and criminal justice resources are scarce in Borneo, including in Sarawak and Sabah, which impacts law enforcement efforts to identify victims, and victim services capabilities.

Additional resources are needed to build out victim support infrastructures and to bolster ongoing and emerging government efforts to better support sex and labor trafficking survivors in under-resourced areas.

Request for Applications: The TIP Office requests applications to advance protection services in remote regions, particularly in Borneo. Strong applicants would provide, or enhance the capacity of existing efforts to provide, victims services, which may include but is not limited to: case management for child and adult sex and labor trafficking victims, needs assessments, psychosocial services, legal counsel, immigration counsel, employment counsel, etc., as well as support the creation and delivery of trainings for local law enforcement on victim screenings and referrals.

4. SOLOMON ISLANDS, Protection, $1,000,000 ceiling for initial period of performance; $2,500,000 for total overall ceiling. In Solomon Islands, specialized care for children and shelter for adult men and labor trafficking victims is extremely limited. Most trafficking victims identified in prior years came from the provinces, making services exclusively located in Honiara difficult to access. There is a need to increase support for victim protection services, including funding for specialized shelter services, benefiting all trafficking victims, including adult men and children.

Request for Applications: The TIP Office requests applications to provide protection services to trafficking victims, which are nearly nonexistent in the country, such as shelter, food, medical care, clothing, and/or reintegration assistance.

5. THE FEDERATED STATES OF MICRONESIA, Prevention, $400,000 ceiling for initial period of performance; $1,000,000 for total overall ceiling. Increasing numbers of Micronesian nationals are migrating to the United States, particularly from the outer islands, due to the visa-free travel they are granted under the

Compacts of Free Association. Traffickers entice Micronesian women and men, including friends and family members, with promises of well-paying jobs in the

United States and its territories but, upon their arrival, they are subsequently forced into commercial sex, domestic servitude, or forced labor.

Request for Applications: The TIP Office requests applications to raise awareness of human trafficking among migrants to the United States. Applicants must demonstrate how they would work closely with local civil society members and government officials, developing awareness material in various mediums and in local languages, and implementing innovative approaches to targeting vulnerable populations and explaining human trafficking in the local, culturally appropriate context. Along with ongoing awareness-raising activities, projects should include in-person pre-departure orientations on how life is in the United States, and what to do if someone believes they are a victim of trafficking in the United States.

Pending successful implementation in phase one (the initial 24 months), conditions on the ground, and the availability of funds, applicants should propose expanding this project to include the Marshall Islands and Palau in a potential phase two, or non-competitive continuation period (the final 36 months).

6. GLOBAL, Prevention, Protection, $600,000 ceiling for initial period of performance; $1,500,000 for total overall ceiling. There is an ongoing need to raise awareness of the global exploitation of Chinese migrant workers through human trafficking and forced labor in Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) projects.

People’s Republic of China (PRC) nationals have been subjected to forced labor in several countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and South America working on BRI projects or other PRC-affiliated infrastructure projects, within which PRC and local authorities exercise insufficient oversight of relevant recruitment channels, contracts, and labor conditions.

Request for Applications: The TIP Office requests applications to investigate and produce reports that elevate the public’s understanding of forced labor in BRI projects and/or other PRC-affiliated infrastructure projects. Activities may include partnering with investigative journalists and utilizing media outlets to highlight this exploitation. Applicants should demonstrate past experience engaging on this topic and specifically with workers in BRI projects and/or other

PRC-affiliated infrastructure projects. Proposals should include engaging with victims or those at risk of exploitation and providing necessary assistance, which could include legal assistance, training, guidance on securing healthcare, and repatriation assistance.

South and Central Asia

1. TURKMENISTAN, Prevention, Protection, and Prosecution, $1,000,000 ceiling for initial period of performance; $2,500,000 for total overall ceiling. Recent trends, including the government’s approval for an international organization to monitor the cotton harvest, present a unique opportunity for U.S. and international organizations to collaborate with and support officials and local civil society in Turkmenistan.

Request for Applications: The TIP Office requests applications to work collaboratively with government officials and local civil society in Turkmenistan, which will require significant coordination and flexibility from the applicant organization. Program activities should build on recent positive trends while also securing buy-in to address wider recommendations from the TIP Report.

Applicants are encouraged to include interventions that further capacitate local civil society organizations, particularly to identify, apply for, and implement donor funds from a variety of sources. Potential activities could include: bridge-funding to increase and advocate for the eventual full government-ownership of trainings, victim services (including for boys and men), and awareness campaigns; technical support to institutionalize a National Action Plan; legislation reviews and case studies to help the government amend Article 8 of the Labor Code; and/or, support the increase of independent monitoring efforts of the annual cotton harvest. At the conclusion of the award, a key indicator of success for the selected project will be the ability the Government of Turkmenistan to continue these activities and future efforts to combat human trafficking independently from TIP Office support.

2. BANGLADESH, Prosecution, $1,000,000 ceiling for initial period of performance; $2,500,00 for total overall ceiling. In 2020, Bangladesh launched seven Anti-Human Trafficking Tribunals. These tribunals, which consist of judges and special prosecutors, have enabled the government to significantly increase the number of human trafficking cases prosecuted; however, many trafficking cases remain pending.

Request for Applications: The TIP Office requests applications to focus on strengthening the capacity of Bangladesh’s Anti-Trafficking Tribunal personnel to prosecute and adjudicate human trafficking cases and expand tribunals to heavy caseload areas. Applicants are required to have a strong existing relationship with the Government of Bangladesh, experience working with the tribunal system, an understanding of the delays that these tribunals frequently face, as well as a plan for overcoming those delays.

4. MALDIVES, Protection and Prevention, $1,000,000 ceiling for initial period of performance; $2,500,000 for total overall ceiling. The Maldives does not effectively identify and refer trafficking victims among workers from foreign countries. Additionally, migrant victims of trafficking in the Maldives lacked access to shelter services and anti-trafficking materials are unavailable in languages that migrant workers in the country understand.

Request for Applications: The TIP Office requests applicants to work with the

Maldives Government to ensure officials proactively and consistently screen for human trafficking among migrant workers; refer potential trafficking victims to services, including counseling, legal assistance, shelter services, etc.; and raise awareness of trafficking issues among migrant workers in the country. Applicants are required to demonstrate a clear and well-defined relationship with the

Government of the Maldives, and it must be clear through letters of support that the government of the Maldives is willing to work with the applicant and the TIP office to make progress on this issue.

Western Hemisphere

1. BOLIVIA, Prevention and Protection, $1,000,000 ceiling for initial period of performance; $2,500,000 for total overall ceiling. Despite the Government of

Bolivia having an established victim identification protocol and national referral mechanism, reliable and consistent victim identification, screening for trafficking indicators, and victim referrals and services remain critical issues in the country.

There is a lack of adequate resources to provide assistance to trafficking victims;

there are no specialized shelters to support adult victims, including men, and rural and disenfranchised Bolivians, most of whom are Indigenous. Indigenous communities and LGBTQI+ persons are particularly at risk for sex and labor trafficking due to lack of focus on prevention and victim protection. Law enforcement officials often are unable to secure safe accommodations for trafficking victims, particularly in departments without multi-use facilities. The TIP office seeks to address this critical issue by supporting a project that will raise awareness through community outreach to Indigenous communities to prevent human trafficking crimes, and strengthen victim protection services for vulnerable populations, particularly those at risk in Indigenous communities.

Request for applications: The TIP Office seeks applications for a project to: 1)

Enhance and increase protection services for trafficking victims; 2) Develop and implement awareness raising campaigns, materials, and community outreach activities targeting Indigenous communities on the risks of human trafficking and how to identify and report trafficking cases; and/or 3) Build the capacity of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and non-specialized shelters to support adult victims, including men victims of trafficking. Applicants may choose to address one or more programming initiatives in their application. Selecting more than one programming initiative will not hinder or improve the applicant’s chances of being selected for funding. Applicants must clearly identify target communities/populations and develop outreach materials in local languages and dialects. Applicants with local presence and established relationships with local civil society actors are preferable. Applicants should clearly outline opportunities for coordination and government buy-in.

2. PARAGUAY, Protection, $1,000,000 ceiling for initial period of performance;

$2,500,000 million for total overall ceiling. The Government of Paraguay has demonstrated inadequate protection services and support for trafficking victims, particularly adult men, which has become a critical issue in the country. There are no shelter options for male victims of trafficking, and the overall quality of care for victims, particularly in rural areas, remains insufficient due to limited resources and the lack of qualified personnel. The TIP office seeks to address this by supporting a project that will strengthen protection services, particularly among adult male victims of trafficking, and build the capacity for non-specialized shelter staff to provide trauma-informed and victim-centered care for vulnerable victims of human trafficking.

Increase comprehensive services for adult trafficking victims, particularly men, through the provision of shelter, trauma-informed mental health counseling, and medical and legal assistance; 2) Enhance and implement the use of existing protection SOPs to provide trauma-informed and victim-centered care to adult victims of trafficking; and/or 3) Build the capacity of non-specialized shelters to support adult male trafficking victims. Applicants with local presence are preferable; however, applicants with regional presence and experience will be considered. Applicants should seek government buy-in and develop partnerships with local civil society organizations and/or non-specialized shelters prior to the implementation of the project.

3. URUGUAY, Protection, $1,000,000 ceiling for initial period of performance;

$2,500,000 for total overall ceiling. Despite the Government of Uruguay having a variety of victim identification, referral, and assistance SOPs, there is no specific guidance for the proactive identification or provision of services to men and labor trafficking victims. In 2022, officials did not identify any adult men trafficking victims. The TIP office seeks to address this critical issue by supporting a project that will assist the Government, especially the Ministry of Social Development

(MIDES), in developing internal procedures to provide services to men trafficking victims and enhance the screening and identification of men trafficking victims, particularly labor trafficking victims, and referral to appropriate care.

Partner and collaborate with the Ministry of Social Development (MIDES) to develop and implement internal standard operating procedures to provide comprehensive services for adult men trafficking victims, through the provision of shelter, trauma-informed mental health counseling, and medical and legal assistance; and 2) Enhance screening tools and referral mechanisms to proactively screen, identify, and refer men victims of trafficking to care. Applicants must address all program initiatives in their application. Applicants with local presence is preferable; however, applicants with regional presence and experience will be considered. Applicants should seek government buy-in for project activities where appropriate.

4. Regional, Prosecution, $1,000,000 ceiling for initial period of performance;

$2,500,000 for total overall ceiling. As the growing global phenomenon of online scam operations (OSOs) continue to impact countries across the Western

Hemisphere, governments lack adequate resources to build law enforcement capacity to investigate, prosecute, and convict traffickers perpetrating forced criminality in OSOs. Law enforcement officers and judicial officials need specialized training on detecting and assisting in cases involving OSOs, including to prevent victims from being penalized solely for unlawful acts committed as a direct result of being trafficked. The TIP office seeks to address this critical issue by supporting a regional project that will strengthen specialized investigators and law enforcement ability to identify forced criminality in OSOs in the Western

Hemisphere.

Request for applications: The TIP Office seeks applications for a regional project to: 1) Train and build capacity of law enforcement and specialized TIP investigators and judicial officials in developing skills to effectively identify, investigate, and prosecute cases involving forced criminality; 2) Develop a train the trainer (TOT) model to support sustainable outcomes and increase institutional knowledge; and/or 3) Detect and refer victims of forced criminality to care. Applicants with local presence in each identified country is preferable;

however, applicants with regional presence and experience will be considered.

Applicants should seek government buy-in and partnerships with key stakeholders for project activities where appropriate.

5. Regional, Prosecution, $1,000,000 ceiling for initial period of performance;

$2,500,000 for total overall ceiling. In the Western Hemisphere, inadequate specialized law enforcement training and high rates of personnel turnover has significantly impacted prosecution efforts and access to justice for victims of trafficking. The lack of resources and availability of training on effective investigative methods and techniques, and evidence collection for entry and mid-level law enforcement officers has placed a tremendous burden on victims to actively participate in the prosecution process and has increased risks of re-victimization and trauma. The TIP Office seeks to address this critical issue by supporting a regional initiative that will build the capacity of law enforcement personnel to proactively identify victims and effectively investigate and prosecute

TIP cases through specialized investigative techniques, and corroborative evidence collection to reduce reliance on victim testimony.

Request for applications: The TIP Office seeks applications for a regional project to: 1) Train and build the capacity of entry and mid-level law enforcement officers and specialized TIP investigators to proactively identify, investigate, and prosecute cases with limited to no victim participation and testimony; 2) Develop specialized training curricula and modules on investigative methods and techniques, witness interviewing, and forensic and corroborative evidence collection for law enforcement personnel; and/or 3) Develop and implement simulated mock trials to train law enforcement on the psychological impacts of human trafficking on victims, the usage of victim statements, and how to effectively build and present a case without victim testimony. Applicants with local presence in each identified country is preferred; however, applicants with regional presence and experience will be considered. Applicants should seek government buy-in and partnerships with key stakeholders for project activities where appropriate, and coordinate with any existing U.S. government efforts on TIP investigation training.

C. 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 Notice of

Funding Opportunity (NOFO) with applications for projects that would be funded through an Interagency Agency 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 for-profit or commercial organizations under its assistance awards to earn a profit. 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 from other bureaus within the Department of State. Following a technical and programmatic review, all SOIs that are invited to participate in stage two of the competitive process and submit full proposals must provide information on any work conducted with U.S. government funding related to human-trafficking issues or cross-cutting human-trafficking issues (e.g., child protection, health, education, labor, gender, transnational crime, human rights, etc.) in the Donor History Form annex.

Under this funding opportunity, applicants may form a consortium and partner with other organizations to implement and carry out project activities. Applicants partnering with other organizations must clearly identify the lead applicant, and the lead 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.

All mandatory terms and conditions for a successful applicant also apply to any sub-awards awarded.

The TIP Office is committed to an anti-discrimination policy in all its projects and activities. The TIP Office welcomes applications irrespective of race, ethnicity, color, creed, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or other status.

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 may propose to include voluntary cost share. Applications that include voluntary cost share will NOT be evaluated differently than other applications. Applicants that voluntarily propose cost share must read the instructions regarding required budget documents under this announcement. Applicants should list the cost share amount in the SF-424 under Section C - 8b and Section D - 14.

3. Audit Requirements

Domestic non-Federal entities that expend $750,000 or more in Federal financial assistance during their fiscal year are required to have a single or program-specific audit conducted for that year. Although this provision (2 CFR §200, Subpart F) is not applicable to foreign non-profit and foreign for-profit organizations, the

Department of State requires these Recipients, if they expend $750,000 or more in DOS funds in the organization’s fiscal year, whether as a prime or a subrecipient, to undergo a recipient-contracted single or program-specific audit annually. The cost of required audits may be charged either as an allowable direct cost to the award or included in the organization’s Negotiated Indirect Cost

Rate or de minimis indirect costs. When completed, foreign organizations must submit their audits to the Grants Officer (GO). Foreign Public Entities may choose to submit audits as part of the pre-award process, but this should not be a mandatory requirement for such organizations.

D. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

1. Submitting the Application Package

All applications must be fully submitted via MyGrants by 23:59 Eastern Standard

Time (EST) on July 31, 2024. 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; however, each application should be submitted only once.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to initiate electronic applications early in the application development process and to submit the application package before the due date or early on the due date. This will aid in addressing any problems with submission prior to the application deadline. No exceptions will be made for organizations that have not completed the necessary steps to submit applications on MyGrants.

Applications Submitted Through MyGrants (formerly SAMS Domestic)

Organizations using MyGrants for the first time must register on the MyGrants 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 MyGrants, follow the “create an account” link and complete the

“MyGrants 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 the applicant has previously received funding from the Department of State, please contact JTIPGrants@state.gov after the account has been created to ensure the account is associated with the correct organization. If an applicant has not previously received funding from the

Department of State, the TIP Office cannot associate a new account in MyGrants 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 MyGrants must contain completed SF-424 online forms and documents specified in this funding opportunity.

To upload the application, go to MyGrants (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.