NOFO - Nigeria VMS - 2020 - 1214.docx

United States Department of State Notice of Funding Opportunity for Organizations Qualified Under Request for Statements of Interest and Capacity – Opportunity Number SFOP0007482 Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations (CSO)

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY OVERVIEW

Awarding Agency/Bureau: Department of State/Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations Catalog of Federal Domestic

Funding Amount: $320,938 (Not to exceed)

Assistance Type: Discretionary Eligibility Category: U.S.-based non-profit/non-governmental organizations (NGOs) or education institutions having a 501(c) (3) status with the IRS; commercial entities; for profit organizations; overseas non-governmental organizations; Foreign Public Entities and Public International Organizations (PIOs).

Type of Applicant: Organizations only Number of Applications: One (1) per applicant organization Note: Organizations may form consortia and submit a combined proposal. However, only one organization may be designated as the lead applicant. The lead applicant must meet eligibility criteria listed in this NOFO.

Electronic Requirement: Yes. All applications must be submitted through SAMS Domestic or grants.gov. E-mailed or faxed proposal packages will not be considered.

Submission of Applications: For more information, see Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI).

NOFO Issuance Date: Monday, December 14, 2020 Deadline for Receipt of Questions: Thursday, December 31, 2020 5:00 PM Eastern Standard Time. CSO will host a call on Tuesday, January 5, 2021, at 10:00AM Eastern Standard Time to answer applicant questions.

Call in number: # 1-877-336-1839 PW 1259160#

Submission Due Date: Complete proposal packages must be submitted through grants.gov or SAMS Domestic by Monday, January 25, 2021 11:59pm Eastern Standard Time

Anticipated Award Date: Within approximately nine to twelve weeks of the closing of this announcement. The successful applicant will receive notification. The U.S. Department of State is under no obligation to fund any of the proposals submitted under this funding opportunity.

Est. Program Start Date: February 25, 2021 Est. Program End Date: February 24, 2023 Program Duration: 24 Months [Pending availability of additional funding and satisfactory performance of the recipient, the award may be extended.] Cost-Sharing: Not required.

This funding opportunity is posted on SAMS Domestic and grants.gov, and may be amended. Answers to questions from potential applicants will be posted as an attachment to this NOFO. Applicants should regularly check the websites for the most recent information pertaining to this NOFO. Department of State bears no responsibility for data errors resulting from transmission or conversion processes associated with electronic submissions. Incomplete application packages will not be considered. E-mailed, faxed or mailed documents will NOT be considered.

Applicants must provide a Unique Entity Identifier, or Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS), when submitting application in response to this NOFO.

SAM.gov registration (www.sam.gov) is required. Applicants that do not have a valid DUNS number and completed www.sam.gov registration will NOT be eligible for consideration.

It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that the application package has been received in SAMS Domestic in its entirety. Incomplete applications will be considered ineligible. Individual e-mailed or faxed documents will not be considered.

The decision for the final eligibility and award determination rests with the Grants Officer.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The mission of the Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations (CSO) is to anticipate, prevent, and respond to conflict that undermines U.S. national interests. Our three lines of effort (LOEs) support this mission by focusing on different aspects of the conflict cycle: 1) strategic prevention; 2) conflict resolution; and 3) security sector stabilization. We implement our LOEs through three key functions; 1) deploying Stabilization Advisors; 2) harnessing data analytics; and 3) leading, informing, and implementing policy and programs on conflict prevention and stabilization.

CSO announces an open competition for organizations interested in submitting applications for programs to enhance early warning and early response (EWER) systems to prevent violence against civilians in target LGAs in northern Nigeria.

Pending availability of funds and satisfactory performance, including compliance with the award’s terms and conditions, CSO may consider adding funds to the award. CSO intends to support one (1) award as a result of this NOFO.

Department of State reserves the right to fund any or none of the proposals submitted and reserves the right to reduce, revise, or increase the budget in accordance with the needs of the project and the availability of funds.

The Federal award signed by the State Department Grants Officer is the only authorizing document.

This NOFO consists of the Overview and Executive Summary, plus the following sections:

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

BACKGROUND

Ninety-eight percent of recent large-scale, deliberate civilian killings in Nigeria occurred in the North West, North Central, and North East geopolitical regions. In the four states that are the focus of this program, there were over 220 attacks on civilians and over 750 civilians killed since the beginning of 2020 alone. The full scope of violent attacks is likely undercounted. Detailed information on violence against civilians is limited. While several event datasets systematically code incidents, they do so anywhere from one week to several months after the events occur and are limited to attacks documented in online media, which often report witness statements without corroboration. There is no “real-time” ability to understand where and when such events are unfolding and, because of strict coding criteria, datasets likely undercount such violence.

To address these issues, this program will pair commercially available satellite imagery analysis of village burning incidents with an on-the-ground network of trained early responders to prevent and mitigate predicted violence against civilians. CSO is contracting the development of a secure electronic platform to: 1) analyze daily satellite imagery, 2) identify village burning patterns, and 3) send alerts to early responders within 24-48 hours of detecting an incident. Because attacks often occur in the same vicinity over the course of days and weeks, early interventions could save civilian lives. This NOFO solicitation only pertains to the work of the on-the-ground network of early responders; however, integration with the analysis and alerting platform is crucial.

In its first year, this program will focus on several target local government areas (LGAs) of four states in northern Nigeria that have experienced high civilian killings in recent years: Zamfara, Kaduna, Plateau, and Taraba States. Based on analysis of the satellite imagery and other risk factors, the geographic focus of this program may shift or expand in year two. This program aligns with the U.S. government’s foreign policy objectives in Nigeria, including ongoing efforts to address threats to civilian security. This program will build upon existing USAID and State Department engagements in the region while expanding early warning and early response (EWER) capacity and coverage in at-risk locations.

PROJECT GOAL

The goal of this program is to reduce violence against civilians in at-risk areas of northern Nigeria by enhancing early warning and early response efforts.

Illustrative strategic indicators of this goal might include, but are not limited to:

· Prevalence of attacks on civilians reduced in target LGAs. Attacks in target LGAs decreases by the same or greater percentage than in comparable, alternate LGAs.

· Severity of attacks on civilians reduced in target LGAs. Percentage of target LGAs experiencing multiple large scale attacks against civilians in a single month falls from the baseline period.

· EWER networks demonstrate improved capability to respond to alerts.

· EWER networks demonstrate improved capacity to document and track incidents and reprisal attacks.

PROJECT OBJECTIVES & ACTIVITIES

Objective 1: Strengthened linkages between early warning alerts of incidents and on-the-ground responders and communities.

· Establishment of reliable mechanisms for EWER networks and early responders to receive alerts from the secure electronic platform.

· Establishment of credible communication channels for EWER networks to share information with appropriate actors, to potentially include local authorities, community members, etc., as events unfold (e.g., WhatsApp, radio, or phone messaging).

· Development of partnerships with existing EWER networks and civil society organizations (including women’s peacebuilding organizations, and peace committees in target LGAs) to facilitate interoperability with the secure electronic platform.

Objective 2: Enhanced capability of early responders to respond to conflict incidents and mitigate violence.

· Establishment of a diverse network of contacts in each LGA to verify alerts/incidents in real-time and provide updates to the early responders.

· Development of emergency response plans and risk mitigation plans, including notification of law enforcement and security forces when appropriate.

· Execution of outreach campaigns to build trust with communities.

Objective 3: Improved capacity of early responders to document incidents and assess response interventions.

· Establishment of standard operating procedures for protecting and responsibly using conflict data: documenting attacks, storing data, analyzing information, and sharing with relevant stakeholders.

PROJECT CONSIDERATIONS

· Key Target Groups – This program should focus on strengthening the capacity of existing EWER networks and civil society partners to respond to violence indicators and mitigate/prevent the spread or escalation of violence. This may require extensive stakeholder consultations or co-creation activities to ensure effective program implementation. The resulting integrated EWER network should reflect the diverse gender, ethnic, religious, and livelihood backgrounds of the target populations. Local religious, traditional, and government leaders should be consulted as part of this project. The main beneficiaries are communities at risk of attack.

· Geographic Focus – EWER activities in the first year will take place in target LGAs of Zamfara, Kaduna, Plateau, and Taraba States. The geographic focus may shift or expand in year two based on attack patterns identified by the satellite imagery and other risk factors.

· Coordination and Partnerships – Applicants will be expected to partner with the technical consultant contracted by CSO who will develop a secure electronic platform to use commercially available daily satellite optical imagery to identify village burnings and issue near real-time alerts to the on-the-ground EWER networks. Frequent coordination and communication with the technical consultant will be required to effectively link the warning and response components of this program.

Applicants should also demonstrate a clear and accurate understanding of the range of partners operating in the target LGAs and a plan for coordinating with existing EWER networks, civil society organizations, and local populations including both women and peace committees. This includes U.S.-supported programs such as the Working Group for Peacebuilding and Governance (implemented by USIP, supported by CSO), the Karuna Center for Peacebuilding (implemented by the Karuna Center, supported by DRL), and Community Initiatives to Promote Peace (implemented by Mercy Corps, supported by USAID). However, the alerts from the analytics platform should be shared with trusted non-U.S. government partners as well, and integration with existing EWER systems is encouraged.

· Women, Peace, and Security – Per the U.S. Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) Act of 2017 and the U.S. WPS Strategy (2019), the United States is committed to 1) advancing the meaningful participation of women in efforts to prevent and resolve conflict, and counter terrorism; and 2) promoting the protection of women and girls before, during, and after conflict, which is critical to the long-term stability of countries and regions. The Strategy also commits that U.S. government programs should improve outcomes in gender equality and the empowerment of women. Per the Department of State’s WPS Strategy Implementation Plan (2020), CSO is committed to enhancing the collection of gender data to improve early warning systems.

Applicants should explain how their approach will address the WPS strategy in terms of inclusion of women in design, implementation, and monitoring of the integrated EWER networks, and ensuring gender-sensitive EWER activities that address the unique safety needs of women and girls.

· Security, Access, and Vetting – Applicants will be responsible for ensuring the security of their own operations in-country. Applicants should demonstrate a clear understanding of the security risks in different parts of Zamfara, Kaduna, Plateau, and Taraba states. They should show an awareness of access limitations presented by security concerns and other constraints, and they should show an awareness of vetting requirements that govern the use of U.S. government funding.

· Sensitivity of Information – Applicants should demonstrate understanding and experience protecting and appropriately and effectively utilizing sensitive information about conflict events, actors, and victims for both analytical and conflict mitigation purposes.

· Awareness of Challenges and Opportunities of Using Complex Data – Applicants should demonstrate a thoughtful grasp of challenges, opportunities, and creative solutions to utilizing complete, technical, or creative data sources to inform action in the field, drawn from best practices of similar efforts in other conflict or crisis zones.

II. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

CSO expects to award one (1) cooperative agreement based on this NOFO and in an amount not to exceed the total ceiling amount of $320,938. The period of performance is 24 months with an anticipated start date of February 22, 2021. CSO may extend the award contingent on CSO priorities, good performance of the recipient, Department of State management approval, and funding availability.

The U.S. government may issue an award on the basis of initial applications received, without discussions or negotiations. Therefore, each initial application should contain the applicant's best terms from a cost and technical standpoint.

Cooperative Agreement: This cooperative agreement will include substantial involvement by CSO. For example, CSO will work closely with successful applicants to advise on revisions to the theory-of-change (TOC), design, indicators, and data collection instruments, working to ensure an approach that benefits the wider conflict community. Additionally, CSO seeks to ensure that qualitative and quantitative information from the program is shared with CSO in ways that can feed into the broader analysis of conflict dynamics at subnational, national, and regional levels. As a result, CSO will work with the recipient to develop analytical products, as well as a documentation and reporting plan that meets those needs.

Due to sensitivities in Nigeria, including political dynamics, a complex security situation, etc., any decisions to change the scope or purpose of activities in the statement of work, to bring in other organizations to assist with activities and to engage with media shall be made in consultation with CSO, the Bureau of African Affairs, U.S. Embassy Abuja, and with governmental authorities, as appropriate.

Issuance of the solicitation does not constitute an award commitment on the part of the U.S. government. CSO reserves the right to reduce, revise, or increase application budgets in accordance with available program resources. In the event of an award, CSO reserves the right to terminate the agreement in accordance with 2 CFR 200 and the Department of State Standard Terms and Conditions. Specifically, an award may be terminated if the Recipient is not meeting the objectives of the program or if the program no longer is consistent with the national security or foreign policy interest of the United States.

All applicants should be familiar with OMB Circular 2 CFR Part 200.

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

Applicant must have acute awareness of conflict-related sensitivities in Northern Nigeria, and specifically the target states, through prior work in Northern Nigeria or through thematic expertise. Applicants are encouraged to partner with relevant organizations with the ability to execute such programming in the target areas.

IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

Please refer to the Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) for more information and complete instructions on how to apply to this NOFO, including information on proposal’s content and formatting. Please use both the PSI and the NOFO to ensure that the proposal submission is in full compliance with the requirements. Proposal submissions that do not meet all the requirements outlined in the NOFO and PSI will NOT be considered.

FUNDING RESTRICTIONS

The following activities and costs are not covered under this announcement:

This award will be funded from money appropriated under the “Economic Support Fund” (ESF) heading in the Department of State and Foreign Operations Appropriations Act, 2019 (Div. F, P.L. 116-6). ESF is available for foreign assistance supporting economic or political stability. ESF may not be used for military or paramilitary purposes. Given restrictions under Section 660 of the Foreign Assistance Act (FAA), ESF assistance may be provided to police and law enforcement forces only under certain limited circumstances. Note that any activities under this award involving foreign security force units will be subject to vetting in accordance with Section 620M of the FAA, also known as the Leahy law.

Federal awards generally will not allow reimbursement of pre-award costs; however, the grants officer may approve pre-award costs on a case by case basis.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Executive Summary is a succinct one-page summary containing information that the applicant believes best represents its proposed program and includes:

· the target country and LGAs;

· the program’s goal, objectives, and expected results;

· the total amount of funding requested;

· a brief description of the program’s approach and methodology, as well as how the program is innovative, sustainable, and will have a demonstrated impact; and,

· the name and contact information for the program’s main point of contact.

PROPOSAL NARRATIVE

The Proposal Narrative is a key part of the application. The Proposal Narrative (not to exceed ten pages, single-spaced, 12-point Times New Roman font in Microsoft Word, at least one-inch margins) should be organized into the following five components:

Approach and Methodology:

· Conflict/Context Analysis: Successful applications under this funding opportunity will describe an approach based on a context and conflict analysis that leads to a concrete program change hypothesis. In this section, please provide background on the conflict/context in which the proposed program will be operating.

· Program Goal and Objectives: In this section, please fully explain the program’s goal and objectives. The overarching goal statement should be visionary in nature, and outline what the overall activities and objectives should be building towards. It is important that the program goal aligns with (CSO/Department/U.S. government) policy. The objectives of the program should describe where you expect to be by the end of your program. The objectives should be measurable, results-focused, and achievable in within the timeframe of the program.

· Activities: All activities should be clearly developed and sufficiently detailed to understand the resource and time requirements, and how they contribute to the objectives and goal. Please identify: target areas for activities; target participant groups or selection criteria for participants; how the program will engage relevant stakeholders, including women; and local partners as appropriate, among other pertinent details. If partners are included, the narrative should clearly describe the division of labor between the direct applicant and partners.

· Theory of Change: Provide a theory of change for your program that elaborates explicit causal connections between the program’s activities, key intermediate outcomes, objectives, and the long-term goal. Generally, this should involve a chain of “if…then…because…” statements, or something similar. The program theory of change should apply and contextualize any relevant general theory about how this type of intervention works, and how to avoid negative outcomes. It should specify any key assumptions about the context (including relevant gender dynamics), the program design, or companion interventions that are required for success. It should cogently establish that the activities can reasonably be expected to be sufficient in kind, amount and timing with the resources applied, in this context. In addition, briefly explain how the program theory of change interacts with the broader system of conflict interventions by the U.S. government and others. A useful resource for guidance on developing theories of change is USAID’s Theories and Indicators of Change (THINC).

· Integration of Target Groups: It is likely that you will identify groups of individuals who may require special considerations as you develop your program. Please address how you will incorporate the needs of these target groups in your planned activities. Depending on the context, these groups may include populations at-risk of marginalization or exploitation, such as women, ethnic and/or religious minorities, persons with disabilities, or youth.

Implementation Plan:

· Resources, Key Steps and Timeline for Activities (including sequential logic): Describe the proposed activities and how they will achieve the objectives and goal of this program. In doing so, this section should demonstrate how the proposed activities build upon one another and are logically sequenced to achieve the desired outcomes, based on the proposed approach and methodology. The application must identify and address gaps in current responses to the conflict (as identified in the context and conflict analysis), including any gender dynamics that currently, or have the potential to, exacerbate or mitigate conflict (as identified in the gender analysis). The applicant must submit an illustrative first year activity plan, which sets out a realistic outline of tasks and deliverables, anticipated time frames, challenges, opportunities and due dates, and persons responsible for achieving each task. This narrative description will be complemented by a Gantt chart in the Additional Attachments.

· Do No Harm: List any significant risks of harm to implementers, participants, beneficiaries or their communities, or of exacerbating conflict or creating new conflicts, which may result from this program. Based on your gender analysis, include specific risks to women and girls. Consider how resources or skills provided might be misused, create grievances among non-recipients, or cause key actors to react in harmful ways. Explain how these risks will be minimized.

· Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA): U.S. government partners are responsible for ensuring that comprehensive protection measures are in place for preventing and addressing sexual exploitation and abuse of persons of concern and that allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse by Recipient staff are reported to CSO in a timely manner. Applicants should submit copies of any organization-wide policies and procedures on Do No Harm and PSEA, or explain how the applicant organization plans to develop such policies. If not already explained in its polices and procedures, the Applicant must outline in its proposal how it will work with any sub-grantees to develop and apply PSEA policies over the course of the program.

· Collecting and Using Sensitive Information: Strong proposals will describe how best practices for collecting and utilizing sensitive conflict-related alerts or other relevant information will be integrated into program activities to ensure the protection of the implementer and focus communities.

· Local Engagement and Sustainability: Strong proposals will describe strategies to sustain the outcomes beyond CSO funding and contribute to building the capacity of communities to address their own concerns in the future. This might be done through sub-grants to local organizations, although that is not a requirement; capacity-building and sustainment can be achieved indirectly as well. This section must also demonstrate a clear understanding of the role that local organizations and institutions are playing or can play in conflict mitigation and peacebuilding. The conflict analysis and the program design should reflect local perspectives and explain how the program will engage with local partners, including women-led organizations, throughout its lifecycle. The proposal should describe how the applicant will work with local entities to build their organizational and technical capacities, and/or relationships to mitigate conflict. Applicants may submit signed Letters of Intent from organizations that will participate in the program. Letters of Intent should address the willingness of partner organizations to participate in the effort, and the understanding all parties have as to their unique roles and responsibilities in terms of the proposed program. In cases where an applicant (i.e., non-local) was not able to partner with a local organization or institution, does not consider it feasible to do so, or does not consider it in the program’s best interest, the applicant must clearly explain the rationale.

Institutional Capabilities and Past Performance:

· Organization: Provide a description of the applicant organization – including its general purpose, goals, annual budget (including funding sources), and major past and current activities and programs undertaken.

· Relevant Programmatic and Thematic Experience: Applications should demonstrate the ability to develop and implement programs of the kind outlined in this proposal. Previous experience designing and implementing similar programs, including incorporating technology such as satellite imagery or other forms of alerts into local EWER efforts, is highly desirable and should be detailed and documented in the application. Applicants should demonstrate how organizational resources, capabilities, and experience, best practices, and lessons learned from literature on this type of endeavor, will enable the applicant to achieve the grant’s stated objectives.

· Regional/Country Experience: Applicants should specify relevant experience in Nigeria, or in similar situations in other countries. Applicants should be able to legally operate in the country where they propose to work. Identify in-country partners; the successful applicant will already have in place at least one partnership with regional institutions and/or organizations. Specify the expertise that each partner brings.

· Key Personnel: Applications should highlight key staff, their positions, percentage of time devoted to this program, and management structure for the program. The resumes of key personnel should highlight relevant educational and field experience and be included as an appendix (see additional attachments below). Appropriate, relevant gender expertise should also be reflected. The person(s) principally responsible for M&E design and technical oversight should be included. The resumes should be no more than two pages and should all follow a consistent format. The applicant should also clarify roles for local partners and staff.

Performance Monitoring and Evaluation Plan:

· CSO considers monitoring to be essential for responsible program management. Successful applicants will submit a draft monitoring plan within 15 days of award notification. After CSO review, a final monitoring plan must be submitted within 30 days of the award notification.

· For the purposes of the application, please submit a notional logic model/PMP (use template provided). This must include notional indicators (outputs and outcomes) for activities and outcomes. Provide an explanation if data will not be disaggregated by sex. Describe how any risks of harm listed above will be monitored. In addition, use this section to describe the applicant’s approach to monitoring and evaluation and why this approach is appropriate for this program and context. This may include the type of data you may collect (qualitative and/or quantitative). If possible, include applicable State Department standard gender indicators (see attachment). Describe the timing of data collection and analysis and how this information will inform midstream program management decision-making.

· Please describe the resources needed to implement your M&E plan and address these in your budget. In most cases, CSO will fund program evaluations separately. If you want to propose including specific monitoring and evaluation activities in the program budget (outside of monitoring, which is required), please specify whether you are requesting funds for a baseline, mid-term and/or final evaluation. Additionally, please elaborate on the type of evaluation (quasi-experimental, developmental, outcome harvesting, process tracing, etc.).

ADDITIONAL ATTACHMENTS AND BUDGET COMPONENTS

Additional attachments listed below, budget components, and the SF-424s are not part of the proposal narrative and do not count as part of the 10-page limit for the proposal narrative. Applicants must use the templates provide, where applicable.

Additional Attachments:

· Logic Model/PMP: The logic model/PMP should include theories of change; goal and objectives; activities; output and outcome indicators; data collection tools; key definitions and risks and assumptions. Please use the Logic Model/PMP template provided.

· Gender Analysis of Conflict: This analysis should address how the proposed activities in this EWER program in Nigeria are reflective of, and will account for and/or utilize, the role gender[footnoteRef:1] norms play in Nigeria. It should address how gender norms interact with other factors to drive or mitigate conflict, the differential impact of conflict and violence on women and girls, and how conceptions around masculinity and femininity could be challenged or enhanced to promote peace. Include the actual, potential, and/or perceived roles women and girls play in perpetuating or mitigating conflict and violence. Refer to the State Department’s Gender Analysis template and CSO’s Gender Analysis of Conflict tool guidance for sample questions to be addressed in this section. Note: Applicants may submit the gender analysis as a separate document or as a section within the proposal narrative. CSO highly recommends applicants submit the gender analysis as a separate document; however, the format of the gender analysis will not be considered or factored in when proposals are reviewed, provided the gender analysis is included. [1: CSO defines ‘gender’ as the socially constructed set of roles, rights, responsibilities, entitlements, and behaviors associated with being a woman or a man in a society.]

· Do No Harm: Applicants should submit copies of any organization-wide policies and procedures on Do No Harm and PSEA, if available, or explain how the applicant organization plans to develop such policies.

· Timeline/Schedule of Activities (GANTT): The timeline of the overall proposal should include activities, evaluation efforts, and program closeout (not to exceed one [1] page). Please use the GANTT chart template provided.

· Key Personnel/Roles and Responsibilities: Please indicate the roles and responsibilities of key program personnel and provide short CVs or biographies that highlight relevant professional experience (not to exceed two [2] pages each).

· Past Performance References (minimum of 3): When past performance information is present, applicants shall furnish award numbers and other details with contact information for no more than three similar programs funded over the past three years by the State Department, or any other government entity or third party source. The details shall include the following: name of the organization or agency which funded the program(s), award number, point of contact’s name, mailing address, email address and phone number, and the overall dollar value of the program. The applicant must include information on any problems encountered, and the applicant’s corrective action(s). Applicants must not provide general information on their performance. Applicants may describe any quality awards or certificates that indicate exceptional capacity to conduct the program described in this NOFO. Please use the PPR template provided.

· Data Collection and Reporting Plan: Describe how you will collect and share both qualitative and quantitative information from various sources, through your research, activities, and or monitoring efforts.

· Include a PDF file copy of your organization’s most recent program (A-133 /2 CFR 200) audit, if applicable. If not, please include a copy of your most recent independent audit, if available.

· NICRA/Indirect Cost Rate: If your organization has a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA), the most recently approved NICRA must be included as a .pdf file. If your proposal involves implementing partners charging indirect costs, please submit the applicable NICRA also as a .pdf file. Per 2 CFR 200.414, applicants that do not have a NICRA may elect to charge a de minimis rate of up to 10% of modified total direct costs (MTDC) which may be used indefinitely.

· NOTE: DOS retains the right to request additional documentation for items not specified in this NOFO or the PSI.

Budget Components:

· Budget Appropriateness: Budgeted items are necessary and sufficient to the achievement of the goal, objectives, activities and program monitoring as presented in the proposal. This should consist of both an Excel budget breakdown and a budget narrative attached as an annex. The budget narrative must include clear, substantive explanations for each line-item and how the amounts were derived, as well as the source and description of all cost-share offered. Refer to the Excel Budget Template for guidance on compiling a budget and associated budget narrative. Please use the Budget template provide.

· Cost-effectiveness: The Department of State must determine that the costs paid for this award are reasonable, allowable, and allocable to the proposed program activities. This will consist of a review of the Budget to determine if the overall costs are realistic for the work to be performed, if the costs reflect the applicant’s understanding of the allowable cost principles established by Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in 2 CFR 200 (OMB Circular A-122), and if the costs are consistent with the program narrative. Programs should seek to produce innovative and cost-effective outcomes that reach more beneficiaries. As per Section C2 of 2 CFR 200, cost-share is not required, but funding contributed by the applicant and other partners shows a commitment to the success of the program. Applicants may incorporate cost-share through leveraging existing programs, partnering, and/or providing in-kind goods and services.

V. APPLICATION EVALUATION AND SCORING

The U.S. government may issue an award resulting from this NOFO to the responsible applicant whose application is the most responsive to the goals and objectives set forth in this NOFO. The U.S. government may (a) reject any or all applications, and/or (b) waive informalities and minor irregularities in applications received.

The U.S. government may make an award on the basis of initial applications received without discussion or negotiations. Therefore, applications should contain the applicant’s best terms from a cost and technical standpoint.

U.S. government also reserves the right, but is not obliged, to enter into discussions with an applicant in order to obtain clarification, additional detail, or to suggest refinements in the program’s description, budget, or other aspects of an application.

Applicants should note that the following criteria will serve as a standard against which all applications will be evaluated. Department of State will issue an award to the applicant whose proposal represents the best value to the U.S. Government on the basis of technical merit, efficient use of USG funds, and satisfactory organizational capacity. In addition, each application will be evaluated and scored on the Proposal Components using a 100-point scale by a peer review committee of Department of State.

CSO will conduct a merit review of all eligible applications as outlined in this NOFO. Applications will be reviewed by an independent review panel consisting of qualified representatives from other DoS bureaus, offices, and Posts. Final approval resides with the CSO relevant programming office and the Grants Officer.

The point value for each section outlined below indicates its relative importance in the application review process. Evaluation values are based on five components related to the proposal narrative and other attachments, as well as two budgetary components.

Based on eligible applications that are responsive to the requirements outlined above, the review panel will use the following criteria when rating proposals:

Quality of Program Idea Total Possible = 30 points

· Responsive to the solicitation and appropriate in the country context (10 points)

· Clearly states theory of change (5)

· Establishes direct connection between proposed activities and the desired results (5)

· Exhibits originality, prioritizes innovation, but is feasible (5)

· Effectively incorporates do no harm principles (5)

Program Planning / Ability to Achieve Objectives Total Possible = 35 points

· Demonstrates an institutional record of successful conflict sensitive programs in the target country or content area. Clearly articulates how the project’s key personnel have knowledge of country context and existing relationships to successfully implement the project in a locally sensitive manner (10)

· Activities are developed, detailed, and contribute to program objectives. (5)

· Objectives are clear, specific, attainable, measurable, results-focused, and placed in a reasonable time frame. (5)

· Describes the division of labor among the direct applicant, any partners, and any potential sub-grantees; addresses how the program will engage or obtain support from relevant stakeholders; and identifies local partners where appropriate (5)

· Includes contingency plans for potential difficulties in executing the original work plan and addresses need for flexibility and ability to adapt (5)

· Provides a thoughtful and appropriately detailed Gender Analysis of Conflict, and the identified dynamics are considered and integrated across activities and monitoring indicators (5)

Cost Effectiveness Total Possible = 10 points

· Explains and justifies overhead and administration costs of the proposal, including salaries and honoraria. (5)

· All budget items and associated costs are reasonable, clearly explained, directly linked to program objectives and demonstrate efficient use of U.S. Government funds (5)

· Note: Cost share is not required. Applicants may offer cost share, but cost share will not be considered or factored in when proposals are reviewed.

Program Monitoring and Evaluation Total Possible = 15 points The Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Plan includes:

· Explains how monitoring and evaluation will be carried out and who will be responsible for monitoring and evaluation activities (5)

· Robust M&E framework includes output- and outcome-based performance indicators for each program objective with baselines and (yearly and cumulative) targets; data collection tools; data sources; types of data disaggregation, including by sex, if applicable; and frequency of monitoring and evaluation (10)

Multiplier Effect / Sustainability of Impact Total Possible = 10 points

· Clearly delineates how elements of the program will have a multiplier effect (5)

· Clearly delineates how impact will be sustainable beyond the life of the grant (5)

VI. FEDERAL AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION:

Issuance of this NOFO does not constitute a commitment on the part of the Department of State to issue an award nor does it commit the U.S. Government to pay for costs incurred in the preparation and submission of an application. Furthermore, award cannot be issued until funds have been fully appropriated, allocated, and committed through internal DOS procedures. While it is anticipated that these procedures will be successfully completed, potential applicants are hereby notified of these requirements. All preparation and submission costs are at the applicant’s expense.

Pursuant to 2 CFR 200.400 g, it is U.S. Department of State policy not to award profit under assistance instruments.

2 CFR §200.501 requires domestic/US non-federal entities that expend $750,000, or more, in federal assistance during organization’s fiscal year to have a single or program-specific audit conducted for that year. In addition, the entity must report the collected audit data elements on the form SF-SAC and submit it to the FAC. Any findings such as material weaknesses, significant deficiencies, or material noncompliance are reported on the SF-SAC.

The Federal award signed by the Grants Officer is the only authorizing document.

Reporting Requirements

Recipients will, at a minimum, be required to submit Quarterly Progress Reports and Quarterly Financial Reports (SF-425) describing key activities undertaken during the preceding month towards accomplishment of the stated objectives. Progress Reports include a narrative report and a monitoring report. These reports will compare actual to planned performance and indicate the progress made in accomplishing each assistance award task/goal noted in the grant agreement and will contain analysis and summary of findings, both quantitative and qualitative, for key indicators and/or milestones. Financial Reports will provide a means of monitoring expenditures and comparing costs incurred with progress. The Recipient should also regularly monitor and reflect upon the gender analysis together with local partners and propose in writing any significant adjustments to the program design for CSO concurrence. In difficult environments, CSO may require additional reporting and briefings in order to monitor program developments. Applicants should account for this in their M&E staffing plans.

NOTE: It is Department of State policy that English is the official language of all documents. If reports or any supporting documents are provided in both English and a foreign language, it must be stated in each version that the English language version is the controlling version.

U.S. dollar is the controlling currency.

Mandatory Disclosures (2 CFR 200.113)

The non-federal entity or applicant for a federal award must disclose, in a timely manner, in writing to the federal awarding agency or pass-through entity all violations of federal criminal law involving fraud, bribery, or gratuity violations potentially affecting the federal award. Non-federal entities that have received a Federal award including the term and condition outlined in Appendix XII of the 2 CFR 200 – Award Terms and Conditions for Recipient Integrity and Performance Matters – are required to report certain civil, criminal, or administrative proceedings to SAM (www.sam.gov). Failure to make required disclosures can result in any of the remedies described in §200.338 Remedies for Noncompliance, including suspension or debarment.

Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS)

A federal awarding agency, prior to making a federal award, will 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). 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 www.sam.gov. 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.

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.

Other Information

Applicant organizations must demonstrate adherence to equal opportunity employment practices and commitment to non-discrimination with respect to beneficiaries. Non-discrimination includes equal treatment without regard to race, religion, ethnicity, gender, and political affiliation. Applicants are reminded that U.S. Executive Orders and U.S. law prohibits transactions with or support to individuals or organizations associated with terrorism.

Proposals that reflect any type of support for any member, affiliate, or representative of a designated terrorist organization or narcotics trafficker, including elected members of government, will NOT be considered. This provision must be included in any sub‐awards/sub-contracts issued under this award.

VII. AGENCY CONTACTS

Any prospective applicant desiring an explanation or interpretation of this NOFO must request it in writing by the deadline for questions specified in the cover letter to allow a reply to reach all prospective applicants before the submission of their applications. Any information given to a prospective applicant concerning this NOFO will be furnished promptly to all other prospective applicants as a Questions and Answers attachment to this NOFO, if that information is necessary in submitting applications or if the lack of it would be prejudicial to any other prospective applicants.

Any questions concerning this NOFO must be submitted in writing by email to:

U.S. Department of State Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations (CSO) c/o Mark Azua and Susan Wolfinbarger AzuaME@state.gov WolfinbargerSR@state.gov

Unclassified

UNCLASSIFIED