2025 AfPak NOFO Information Session FAQ (12.16.24).docx

FY25 Afghanistan- Pakistan Concept Note Notice of Funding Opportunity Information Session FAQ On December 2, 2024, PRM held an information session to review the FY25 Concept Note (CN) Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). The session included a walkthrough of the NOFO document and a question-and-answer section.

Due to technical limitations, a recording of the information session will not be made available online. In lieu of a recording, PRM has provided the below FAQ outlining the questions that were answered during the session.

The Concept Note NOFO and the FAQ can be found by searching the Funding Opportunity number DFOP0017032 on Grants.gov or by clicking the following link: https://grants.gov/search-results-detail/357293

Technical

· The PRM website is currently undergoing updates. For the most up to date FY2025 version of the PRM General NGO Guidelines, please download the “Other Supporting Documents - Recommended Templates” zip file from the “Related Documents” tab of the funding opportunity on grants.gov

· For help registering on SAM.gov or any other related issues, please visit https://sam.gov/about/contact

· For any Grants.gov issues, please visit https://www.grants.gov/support/

· For more information about UEI numbers, please visit: https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp?id=kb_article_view&sysparm_article=KB0051214

· "The apply button in the grants.gov page is gray and cannot be clicked, why?"

· You likely do not have the appropriate role within your organization. Logged-in users without an applicant profile and appropriate role will see the apply button as gray. Only users with specific roles can apply for funding opportunities.

· Organization applicants should have a profile added using their organization’s Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and be assigned at least one of the following roles: Workspace Manager, Standard AOR, or Expanded AOR. If the organization uses custom roles, the user should have the privilege to create Workspace. Visit Roles and Privileges section of Grant.gov at https://www.grants.gov/applicants/workspace-overview/workspace-roles for more information about assigning appropriate roles.

· Individual applicants submitting on their own behalf may see this but are ineligible to this opportunity.

Visit the Add Profile Help link at Grants.gov at https://apply07.grants.gov/help/html/help/LoginAndMyAccount/AddProfile.htm for more information about adding a profile.

Eligibility

· Are local organizations eligible to apply to this NOFO?

· Please refer to the NOFO on eligibility guidelines for potential applicants.

· Are for-profit entities eligible to apply?

· No.

· Do primary applicants for Afghanistan programs have to be legally registered within Afghanistan?

· Primary applicants should have appropriate approvals to work inside Afghanistan.

· Can existing PRM partners apply to this call for CN submissions?

· Current PRM-funded partners in Afghanistan may only be included in applications as subrecipients or as part of a consortium. Current PRM partners in Pakistan can apply in any capacity.

· Are institutions of higher education that are working with displaced learners in Afghanistan eligible to join a consortium as a partner?

· Please refer to the eligibility criteria in the NOFO for information on organization types eligible to apply for this funding.

· Do all implementing partners, including local NGOs and sub-consortia members, need to be registered on SAM.gov?

· All lead applicant organizations must be registered on SAM.gov and possess a UEI to receive funding. Expected sub-recipients must acquire a UEI by the time an award is made but are not expected to receive full SAM registration.

· Are UN entities eligible to respond to this NOFO?

· Yes, however international multilateral organizations, such as United Nations agencies, should not submit concept notes through Grants.gov in response to this Notice of Funding Opportunity. Multilateral organizations that are seeking funding for programs relevant to this announcement should contact the PRM Program Office before the closing date of this announcement.

· If we already implement BHA funding in Afghanistan or Pakistan, are we eligible to apply to this NOFO?

· Yes, an existing funding agreement with BHA does not preclude an applicant from funding opportunities with PRM.

· Are there requirements for applicant (prime or sub) prior experience?

· PRM will consider and weigh prior experience as part of the evaluation process.

Consortium/Joint Proposals/Partnerships

· Do you have to include all members of the consortium in the application?

· If the applicant is applying as a consortium, a description of how the consortia will be organized and how lines of authority and decision-making will be managed across all team members and between the lead applicant and associate awardees should be included in the concept note. The prime applicant would be responsible for overall implementation of the proposed program activities, preparation/presentation of annual work plans, M&E planning, and required reporting to PRM. Expected sub-recipients must require a UEI by the time an award is made but are not expected to receive full SAM registration.

· When putting together a consortium, do all organizations need to meet the eligibility criteria or just the submitting org?

· All organizations that are part of the consortium must meet the eligibility criteria.

· Can two organizations apply as a joint venture/partnership instead of a consortium (requiring three partners)?

· Yes, two organizations may apply to this opportunity in a prime/sub partnership. One entity must choose to be the lead applicant for the grants.gov application process and award.

Program Design

· Can we submit a concept note proposing interventions in Afghanistan and Pakistan?

· PRM will not consider a single concept note that proposes programming in both countries. If an organization is interested in proposing programming in both countries, the organization may submit one concept note per country.

· How many provinces can we target?

· Please refer to the NOFO for eligible provinces for programming. An NGO can propose interventions in one or more provinces.

· How many priority sectors can we target?

· Please refer to the NOFO for information on priority sectors. An NGO can apply to one or more sectors prioritized under this NOFO.

· Must refugees and stateless persons targeted for services under this funding possess official documentation of status? Many don't have official documentation and papers.

· Refugees, refugee returnees, and stateless persons are the target population. They may or may not have official papers.

· What is the value of the funding available over two years?

· The funding ceiling for an individual award for Afghanistan is $6M over two years ($3M per year).

· The funding ceiling for an individual award for Pakistan is $5M over two years ($2.5M per year).

· Will awards be made through a multi-year funding mechanism (two awards of 12 months each), or would the 24-month duration be under a single award?

· Applicants can submit multi-year concept notes with activities and budgets for up to two years from the proposed start date. If selected for an award, activities and budgets can be revised/updated each year. Continued funding after the initial 12-month period of performance depends on available funds, strong performance, and continuing need. Funding a program one year does not guarantee funding in successive years.

· Can we consider activities related to infrastructure development/construction/light rehabilitation?

· Please refer to the Sectors and Modalities section in the NOFO for additional information.

Application Requirements

· Is a support letter from UNHCR required?

· No.

· When submitting budget information for the CN stage, do we also submit a budget narrative?

· A budget narrative is not required for the submission of a concept note. However, a budget summary in excel format is required; please refer to the Application and Submission Instructions section of the NOFO for complete information. Please attach the budget summary excel doc under the “budget narrative” section in grants.gov. “Budget narrative” is only the name of the section in grants.gov.

· Is the market assessment a necessary component for any CN proposing livelihoods interventions?

· Market assessments are not required for initial CN submissions. If invited to submit a full proposal, programs that include at least one livelihoods-sector objective must have a full market assessment and livelihoods competency/participant capacity assessment included as an attachment to the full proposal package.

· Where does the risk assessment information feature in terms of scoring for Afghanistan concept notes?

· Please refer to Criteria for Concept Note Application Review section in the NOFO for additional information.

· Is there a template for the Afghanistan risk annex? Should applicants use the full "Risk Assessment Template" or just the questions in the second half on "Analysis for Environments w/ Sanctions or Terrorist Actors?

· No, PRM does not offer a template for risk annexes at the CN stage. Applicants may use their own risk assessments to submit with the CN.

· Is the risk assessment a requirement for Pakistan concept notes?

· No, the risk assessment is not required for Pakistan concept notes. However, detailed information on approaches to risk within the concept note itself is encouraged as noted in the NOFO.

Security/Risk

· Is U.S. flag branding a requirement for all interventions?

· Please refer to the Other Requirements section in the NOFO for additional information.

· What is the expectation of PRM regarding M&E methods?

· Please refer to the PRM General NGO Guidelines; detailed instructions on how to get to the guidelines can be found on the first page of this document.

· Will PRM support CNs that include multi-purpose cash assistance and/or cash-based interventions?

· Please refer to the Sectors and Modalities section in the NOFO for additional information.

· What are the relevant sanctions exemptions and authorizations for awards in Afghanistan?

· On December 9, 2022, the U.N. adopted UNSCR 2664, which exempts the provision of basic human needs, including humanitarian assistance, from all U.N. asset freezes. Similarly, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued general licenses (GLs) across U.S. sanctions programs to authorize “[a]ll transactions prohibited by this part that are for the conduct of the official business of the United States Government by employees, grantees, or contractors.” See 31 CFR 594.518 (Global Terrorism Sanctions Regulations (GTSR)) and 31 CFR 597.514 (Foreign Terrorist Organization Sanctions Regulations (FTOSR)). Please see OFAC’s country page for Afghanistan (https://ofac.treasury.gov/sanctions-programs-and-country-information/afghanistan-related-sanctions) for further information on U.S. sanctions related to Afghanistan.

SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED