Burma DDR NOFO - FINAL 04-08-20.docx

United States Department of State Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) – SAMS Overseas

Announcement Type: Request for Federal Assistance Awards Applications

Public Opportunity Title: Drug Prevention and Awareness Programming in Myanmar

NOFO Opportunity Number: Number generated by Grants OfficeINL20GR0023-DrugPrevBurma-04082020

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 19.704 – Counter-narcotics

Funding Amount: Not to exceed the total amount of $500,000.00 U.S. Dollars

NOFO Issuance Date: March 25, 2020April 8, 2020

Deadline for Receipt of Questions: April 24, 2020May 8, 2020 5:00 PM Eastern Standard Time

Program Type: INL/EA

Grant Program: Myanmar Counter-narcotics Program – Drug Demand Reduction

Assistance Type: Grant

Eligibility Category: Eligible organizations may include: (U.S. based non-profit/non-governmental organizations (NGOs) or educational institutions having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS or overseas-based non-profit/non-governmental organizations (NGOs) or private/state educational institutions. See complete eligibility criteria below.

Applicant Type: Organizations only

Award Ceiling: $500,000

Award Floor: $250,000

Cost Sharing Requirement: Not required but recommended

INL Points of Contact: Amber Osborne, Program Officer, OsborneAN@state.gov Najar Washington, Grants Officer, WashingtonND@state.gov

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The mission of the State Department’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) is to minimize the impact of international crime and illegal drugs on the United States, its citizens, and partner nations by providing effective foreign assistance and fostering global cooperation. This mission, which centers on helping our partner nations establish a capable and accountable criminal justice sector, was expanded during the past decade to include stabilizing post-conflict societies through criminal justice sector development and reform. This mission supports peace and security by stabilizing and strengthening security institutions and by combating narco-trafficking and other transnational crimes such as money laundering and criminal gangs. It promotes just and democratic governments by strengthening justice sector institutions, good governance and respect for human rights.

INL combines forces with other U.S. Government (USG) and international agencies and takes a regional approach to widespread problems. INL also encourages more developed governments to take responsibility as equal partners in global efforts to combat transnational crime, including drug trafficking. The Bureau’s priority programs support three inter-related objectives:

· BUILDING CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEMS: Institutionalize rule of law by developing and expanding criminal justice systems to strengthen partner country law enforcement and judicial effectiveness, foster cooperation in legal affairs, and advance respect for human rights;

· COUNTER-NARCOTICS: Disrupt the overseas production and trafficking of illicit drugs through targeted counter-narcotics and institution-building assistance and coordination with foreign nations and international organizations, and;

· TRANSNATIONAL CRIME: Minimize the impact of transnational crime and criminal networks on the United States and its allies through enhanced international cooperation and foreign assistance.

NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

The United States Department of State, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) is seeking applications from qualified U.S. and non-U.S. based non-governmental (NGOs)/non-profit organizations or Educational Institutions for a Grant/Cooperative Agreement to implement a program entitled “Drug Prevention and Awareness Programming in Myanmar.” The authority for this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is found in the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended.

Pursuant to 2 CFR 200.400g, it is U.S. Department of State policy not to award profit under assistance instruments. All direct and indirect reasonable, allocable, and allowable expenses, however, that are related to the agreement program and are in accordance with applicable cost standards (2 CFR 200 for U.S. and overseas-based non-profit organizations, and education institutions) may be paid under the grant. NOTE: overseas-based nonprofit organizations are legally required to comply with 2 CFR 200.

Subject to the availability of funds and pending Department of State management approvals, INL intends to issue up to two an awards in an amount not to exceed $500,000 in total funding. The U.S. Dollar amount will be funded from INL allocated funds, for an initial project period of two (2) years. INL may award up to three (3) additional years contingent on INL priorities, good performance of the recipient, Department of State management approvals, and funding availability. INL reserves the right to fund any number of applications or none of the applications submitted and will determine the resulting level of funding for each award(s).

Eligible organizations interested in submitting an application are encouraged to read this NOFO thoroughly to understand the type of project sought and the application submission requirements and evaluation process.

To be eligible for an award, the applicant must submit all required information and documents in its application through www.grants.gov, including the requirements found in any attachments to this funding opportunity.

This NOFO consists of the following Sections:

Contents

This funding opportunity is posted on www.grants.gov and may be amended. See Section IV for further details. Potential applicants should regularly check the website to ensure they have the latest information pertaining to this NOFO. Applicants will need to have available or download the most updated version of the Adobe program to their computers to view and save the Adobe forms properly. If you have difficulty registering on www.grants.gov or accessing the NOFO, please contact the www.grants.gov helpdesk at: 1-800-518-4726, International callers: 1-606-545-5035, or via email at support@grants.gov for technical assistance. The Contact Center is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week (except federal holidays).

See https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/snow-dismissal-procedures/federal-holidays/ for a list of federal holidays.

You may also obtain online assistance at: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-faqs.html or https://www.grants.gov/help/html/help/GetStarted/Get_Started.htm.

Any questions concerning this NOFO should be submitted in writing to Amber Osborne via email at OsborneAN@state.gov and Najar Washington at WashingtonND@state.gov. The deadline for submission of questions for this NOFO is April 24May 8, 2020, 5:00 PM EST. Responses to questions will be made available to all potential applicants as an attachment to this NOFO and posted on www.grants.gov .

INL encourages applicants to submit their applications during normal business hours (Monday – Friday, 9:00AM- 5:00PM Eastern Standard Time). If an applicant experiences technical difficulties and has contacted the appropriate help desk, but is not receiving timely assistance, (e.g. if you have not received a response within 48 hours of contacting the help desk), you may contact the INL point of contact listed in the NOFO. The point of contact may assist in contacting the appropriate help desk, but an applicant should also document their efforts in contacting the help desk. Applicants may also contact the INL point of contact listed in the NOFO if experiencing technical issues with grants.gov that may result in a late submission.

Applicants experiencing technical difficulties should follow these three steps:

1) Contact the help desk for Grants.gov immediately.

2) Document (including screenshots) technical issues AND efforts to contact the help desk. Provide ticket number(s) and/or reference number(s) provided by the helpdesk in order to assist with the technical issue(s).

3) If there are continued difficulties submitting documents, email all of the required documents to the INL point of contact listed in the NOFO before the deadline.

Note: The INL Grants Officer will determine technical eligibility of all applications and allowability of acceptable proposal submissions if applicants experience technical difficulties without a resolution.

It is the responsibility of the recipient of this NOFO document to ensure that it has been received from www.grants.gov in its entirety. INL bears no responsibility for data errors resulting from transmission or conversion processes associated with electronic or late submissions.

Issuance of this NOFO does not constitute an award commitment on the part of the U.S. government, nor does it commit the U.S. government to pay for costs incurred in the preparation and submission of an application. In addition, final award of any resultant grant agreement cannot be made until funds have been fully appropriated, allocated, and committed through internal INL procedures. While it is anticipated that these procedures will be successfully completed, potential applicants are hereby notified of these requirements and conditions for award. Applications are submitted at the risk of the applicant. All preparation and submission costs are at the applicant's expense.

SECTION I – PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

BACKGROUND

Myanmar is the world’s second largest producer of opium poppy and is considered one of the largest producers and a major source of amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS) in the world. International Crisis Group identified Myanmar’s Shan State as a major global source of high purity crystal methamphetamine. With its porous borders and numerous conflict areas, Myanmar has long been ideal for the production and illicit trafficking of drugs.

The ready availability of ATS and heroin has led to growing domestic addiction and substance abuse problems, particularly among youth, migrant workers, internally displaced persons, and populations within conflict areas. Though there is limited reliable data on the trends and scale of drug use, recent International Republican Institute polling identified drugs as the number one issue of concern among citizens, with anecdotal evidence from communities across the country that domestic consumption of ATS and heroin is growing steadily.

The Government of Myanmar (GOM) has adopted an amended Narcotics Drug and Psychotropic Substance Law and first National Drug Control Policy in February 2018 – with a significant shift towards a human rights and health-focused approach to address the domestic substance abuse problem. With few resources dedicated to building community resilience to drug and substance abuse, drug prevention work is done primarily by civil society organizations (CSOs) and often does not include evidence-based approaches to prevent youth and other populations from turning to drugs.

The State Department’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) partners with the GOM, NGOs, international organizations, and communities to support supply and demand side counter narcotics efforts. INL tailors its demand-side engagements to be complementary to ongoing efforts to increase the GOM’s capacity to control the supply of drugs. INL’s demand reduction efforts have primarily focused on workforce professional development through training on the Universal Prevention and Universal Treatment Curricula, as well as supporting the development of community-based drug prevention strategies.

To complement the U.S. National Drug Control Strategy and meet INL priorities on drug demand reduction, mainly the promotion and use of internationally accepted standards, INL has allocated up to $500,000 USD in FY 2015 and FY 2016 International Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement funds for drug demand reduction projects supporting evidence-based public education programs to raise awareness and promote effective alternatives for target populations in Myanmar.

PROJECT PURPOSE/DESCRIPTION

This project will improve awareness of the dangers of substance abuse among target populations and enhance community resilience to drug abuse through the development and implementation of evidence-based and community-based prevention programs that promote strategies or behaviors to delay the onset of substance abuse or reduce substance misuse, particularly in populations under 35. Project proposals should identify gaps, determine strategies to address those gaps, and if applicable, build upon existing and previous efforts in Myanmar. Proposals should focus on developing strategies and activities that address both risk and protective factors to increase the likelihood of successful interventions.

INL seeks proposals that will accomplish the following four (4) priorities:

a. Strengthen community resilience through evidence-based drug prevention and awareness activities that include local government, civil society, religious and community leaders, youth, and women.

b. Build, manage, and coordinate a coalition dedicated to the promotion of scientific, evidence-based information on addiction and substance abuse aimed at preventing substance use disorders among those under 35.

c. Encourage the use of innovative community-based programs to educate youth populations on substance abuse and provide essential life skills to help populations under 35 overcome the effects of poverty, conflict, and other risk factors so that they can create better futures and drive social change in their communities.

d. Promote awareness of evidence-based drug rehabilitation services through that include vocational and life skills training programs.

The project is comprised of the following objectives and corresponding activities:

PROJECT GOALS

Activities listed below are examples, and proposals should revise the suggested activities as appropriate to achieve desired outcomes. Proposals must address all objectives listed below.

PROJECT OBJECTIVES

Objective 1: Community Coalition Building and Training

Develop sustainable community coalitions of civil society organizations, parents, leaders, and local government officials committed to evidence-based drug prevention interventions in their communities. At least one community coalition should be located in an ethnic state.

Activity 1: Conduct a gap analysis to: 1) identify key stakeholders within target communities among the government and civil society; 2) assess their understanding of substance abuse and effective prevention interventions; and 3) identify existing local drug demand reduction programming to determine whether programs conform with international evidence-based standards.

Activity 2: Based on the findings from activity one, conduct community trainings centered on changes to the new National Drug Law, applicable policies, substance abuse science, and evidence-based drug prevention strategies.

Activity 3: Based on the findings from activity one, conduct workshops to train identified community members interested in providing ongoing drug prevention services within their communities. Workshops should map out the root causes of substance abuse in their communities, develop sustainable and action-oriented community action plans, provide community organizing skills, and connect community members with a network of other communities facing similar challenges.

Activity 4: Pair trainers with interested local authorities or community members to identify community, evidence-based activities that will raise awareness on drug prevention and build local ownership over drug prevention efforts.

Activity 5: Promote sustainability through developing self-sustainment strategies, training curricula, and guides on coalition-building and international best practices on drug prevention. Provide a forum for coalitions to meet and build connections with other community coalitions at least annually.

Objective 2: Youth-Based Prevention Programs

Support community coalitions in developing evidence-based youth prevention programs that delay the onset of substance use and reduce substance misuse through raising awareness and improving resiliency by promoting alternative behaviors that increase protective factors such as stress management, responsible decision-making, goal setting, etc. while reducing risk factors.

Activity 1: Provide technical assistance to a core group of organizers on how to design evidence-based drug prevention programs for at-risk youth. Where applicable, activities should include youth leaders to ensure programs are appropriately targeted and achieve youth buy-in.

Activity 2: Support the implementation of a community organized series of activities that will effectively deliver a drug prevention message and provide life skills training to promote drug abuse resiliency in youth (under 35). Support must include connecting stakeholders to government and community leaders, the implementation of a series of activities, mentorship throughout the implementation of activities, and all associated publicity.

Activity 3: Support community organizers in designing and implementing effective monitoring and evaluation of prevention activities.

Objective 3: Program Evaluation and Expansion

Activity 1: Assist community coalitions to conduct a study to get a baseline of drug and substance abuse prior to initiating youth-directed activities.

Activity 2: Review lessons learned from objectives one and two. A formal assessment should be conducted to determine best practices, lessons learned, and recommendations for program expansion in Myanmar.

CROSS-CUTTING AND ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES

1. Coordination and De-conflicting of Projects (if current projects exist in-country) Proposals should demonstrate an awareness of other organizations that have implemented or are currently implementing similar projects in Myanmar and address how the proposal would coordinate and complement these activities.

2. Buy-in and Local Ownership Partnerships with local organizations and government agencies are crucial to the success of this project. Proposals should, when appropriate, include letters of support from local organizations and/or GOM officials.

3. Utilize Local Resources and Expertise Proposals should demonstrate a strong knowledge of local conditions. Organizations with established offices and relationships in Myanmar are preferred. Host country national key staff members and/or a demonstrated commitment to develop local staff is preferred. Organizations based outside of Myanmar are required to identify and work with an implementing partner based in Myanmar to ensure local buy-in and sustainability.

4. Program Expansion If the project is successful, INL will consider the option of expanding the project to other areas, subject to availability of future funding. Applicants may include in their proposal a brief section outlining how additional funds could potentially be used to expand work into additional activities or countries in future years. Applicants are strongly encouraged to demonstrate how their project might leverage funding through other organizations.

TARGET POPULATION

Applicants should identify target audiences, specific demographics, and the region(s) in which the project will be implemented. At least one community coalition should be located in an ethnic state. It is particularly important to specify the approximate number of beneficiaries to be directly and indirectly impacted by project activities.

DESIRED RESULTS AND ILLUSTRATIVE INDICATORS

By the end of the second year of the project, the selected applicant is expected to train at least three (3) community coalitions in community organizing; assist at least two (2) coalitions in developing a community action plan; coordinate at least two (2) community coalition coordination forums; identify community risk factors; train at least 3000 at-risk youth on life skills and coping mechanisms. The project is also expected to have a significant impact on increasing drug awareness and prevention among the target population and building sustainable community action on drug prevention.

The recipient will develop a project-level Performance Monitoring plan (PMP) with annual and end-of- project targets and results anticipated for key performance indicators. The following table shows indicators that will be measured, as well as illustrative targets, upon which the recipient will be responsible for monitoring and reporting during and after the project. In addition, INL Yangon will regularly monitor the project’s performance to assess whether project activities are on track and targets are being achieved.

Outcome indicators for the project are provided below. The recipient is expected to identify targets for these indicators based on what it can reasonably achieve within the performance period of the project and based on the expected overall project results described above.

Output indicators and illustrative targets for the project are provided below. The recipient should review these and either confirm the illustrative targets or propose alternative targets, as appropriate.

The recipient may propose additional outputs, indicators, and/or targets as appropriate. The recipient will be required to collect baseline data for all the PMP indicators during the first year of the project. In addition, certain terms included in the outcomes and indicators will need to be defined at the very beginning of the project so it is possible to measure the change during and at the end of the project. Examples of such terms are “capacity”, “spread effect”, etc. Baseline information will be critical for both monitoring and evaluation of project progress and results.

[END OF SECTION I]

SECTION II – FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

INL expects to award up to two (2) grant agreement(s) based on this NOFO, in an amount not to exceed the total ceiling amount noted on page 1. The anticipated total federal funding amount is not to exceed $500,000. The period of performance is two (2) year(s) with an anticipated start date of July 2020. INL may extend the award up to three (3) additional years contingent on INL priorities, good performance of the recipient, Department of State management approval, and funding availability. Comment by Washington, Najar D: Could you confirm how many awards will be issued? It states one award on page 3. Comment by Osborne, Amber N: it should say up to two Comment by Washington, Najar D:

The U.S. government will issue award(s) to the responsible applicant(s) whose application(s), conforms to this NOFO, and is the most responsive to the objectives and criteria set forth in this NOFO. The U.S. government may (a) reject any or all applications, (b) accept other than the lowest cost application, (c) accept more than one application, (d) accept alternate applications, and/or (e) waive informalities and minor irregularities in applications received.

The U.S. government may make an award on the basis of the initial application received, without discussions or negotiations. Therefore, each initial application should contain the applicant's best terms from a cost and technical standpoint. The U.S. government reserves the right (but is not under obligation to do so) to enter into discussions with one or more applicant(s) to obtain clarifications, additional detail, or to suggest refinements in the program description, budget, or other aspects of an application.

State Department Leahy Amendment Vetting Requirements:

Funds provided under this award are subject to Section 620M of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended, a provision titled “Limitation on Assistance to Security Forces” (the “Leahy Amendment”). Subsection (a) of that provision states: “(a) In General.—No assistance shall be furnished under this Act [the Foreign Assistance Act] or the Arms Export Control Act to any unit of the security forces of a foreign country if the Secretary of State has credible information that such unit has committed a gross violations of human rights.” Accordingly, none of the funds under this award may be used to provide training or other assistance to any unit or member of the security forces of a foreign country if the Department of State has credible information that such unit or individual has committed a gross violation of human rights.

In signing this agreement, the Recipient agrees to exercise due diligence to ensure compliance with the Leahy provision and State Department policy, and to cooperate with the State Department in implementation of the Leahy requirement for funds under this award. The Department implements the Leahy requirement by vetting units or individuals proposed for training or other assistance to check for credible information of a gross violation of human rights by such units or individuals. To facilitate State Department vetting, the Recipient must provide the following information for proposed participants at least sixty (60) calendar days prior to commencing award activities. This information should be submitted to the U.S. Embassy in the country where the award will be implemented in order to initiate Leahy vetting procedures:

Information needed: Full name, date of birth, country of birth, country of citizenship, gender, rank, title, and organizational affiliation. Please also include the activity and date that the activity will take place—if the person will participate throughout an extended program, please note the timeframe. Participant information should be submitted in the format attached.

Information required for “security forces” personnel: The above information is needed for each member of a foreign police or military unit (security forces, broadly defined) who will participate in any activity under this award. This includes both civilian and military employees of security forces participating in any activities funded under this award, including training, workshops or meetings, conferences, or other activities.

The Recipient must collaborate with the relevant U.S. Embassy on a case-by-case basis to determine if the Leahy requirement applies to specific activities or proposed participants. Individuals who are not members of the security forces but who participate in activities under the award (e.g., politicians, academics, etc.) generally do not need to be vetted.

Submission Deadline: Each candidate must be cleared under Leahy vetting in advance of participation in activities funded under this award. The vetting process typically takes approximately one month, but may take longer if there are a large number of candidates or if issues arise. Thus, all information on proposed candidates must be received by the Embassy at least sixty (60) days in advance of the training event or other activity.

The Recipient agrees that it will not include any security forces candidate in training or other activities funded under this award until the State Department advises that the candidate has cleared Leahy vetting and is approved for participation.

[END OF SECTION II]

SECTION III – ELIGIBLITY INFORMATION

(1) Eligibility for this NOFO is limited to:

· Applicants that qualify to receive U.S. grants (such as U.S. not-for-profit/non-governmental organizations (NGOs) or U.S.-based educational institutions subject to section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. tax code; foreign not-for-profits/non-governmental organizations (NGOs) or foreign based educational institutions, with the ability to develop and successfully implement a project in Myanmar and meet INL’s reporting requirements. Organizations must also be able to demonstrate current (or pending) country registration in Myanmar if required by the country of project implementation.

AND

· Applicants must have demonstrated experience implementing similar education or capacity building programs, preferably in Myanmar or within Southeast Asia. INL reserves the right to request additional background information on organizations that do not have previous experience administering similar programs and/or federal grant awards.

· Applicants must have the ability to produce course materials, deliver training, and conduct evaluations in Myanmar and English. The applicant’s staff should be proficient in English in order to fulfill reporting requirements.

· Applicants must have existing, or the capacity to develop, active partnerships with stakeholders in order to successfully carry out the proposed program.

· Organizations may form a consortium and submit a combined proposal. However, one organization should be designated as the lead applicant and other members as sub-award partners.

· Applicants must be able to respond to the NOFO and be able to mobilize in a short period.

Note: Public International Organizations (PIOs) and For-Profit Organizations are excluded from applying to this grant announcement.

To be eligible for a grant award, in addition to other conditions of this NOFO, organizations must have a commitment to non‐discrimination with respect to beneficiaries and adherence to equal opportunity employment practices. INL is committed to an anti-discrimination policy in all of its programs and activities. INL welcomes applications irrespective of an applicant’s race, ethnicity, color, creed, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or other status.

Applicants are reminded that U.S. Executive Orders and U.S. law prohibits transactions with, and the provision of resources and support to, individuals and organizations associated with terrorism. It is the legal responsibility of the recipient to ensure compliance with these Executive Orders and laws. This provision must be included in any sub‐awards issued under this grant award.

(2) INL encourages applications from potential new partners.

[END OF SECTION III]

SECTION IV – APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

INL urges prospective applicants to immediately confirm their organization’s Unique Entity Identifier Number (formerly Dun and Bradstreet (DUNS) number) as well as a current Central Contractor Registration via www.SAM.gov.

All organizations must also continue to maintain active SAM.gov registration with current information at all times during which they have an active Federal award or application under consideration by a Federal award agency. SAM.gov requires all entities to renew their registration once a year in order to maintain an active registration status in SAM.gov. If an applicant has not fully complied with the requirements at the time of application, INL may determine that the applicant is unqualified to receive an award and use that determination as a basis for making an award to another applicant.

Note: The process of obtaining a SAM.gov registration may take anywhere from 4-8 weeks. Please begin your registration as early as possible.

Note: Organizations physically located OUTSIDE of the U.S. and territories and wishing to conduct business (contracts/grants) with the U.S. Government, must FIRST request a NCAGE Code, followed by a DUNS Number and then complete the registration process in SAM.gov.

U.S. based Organizations, wishing to conduct business (contracts/grants) with the U.S. Government to include Foreign Government, please proceed directly to SAM.gov. A U.S. CAGE Code will be assigned at the end of the SAM.gov Registration process.

CAGE/NCAGE Registration For US-based organizations, a CAGE code will automatically be assigned to your entity once you submit your entity’s registration in SAM.gov and the TIN validation has been returned.

NCAGE Codes are required for all foreign entities prior to starting a SAM registration. Note: The organization’s name, address, and email information must match what you used to request your Unique Entity Identifier (DUNS Number) Please ensure that alphabets, numerical characters, symbols, etc. and spacing is the same in both systems during the registration process. Otherwise, you will receive error messages when applying for the NCAGE code. Organizations can submit a request for an NCAGE Code using the NCAGE Request Tool at https://eportal.nspa.nato.int/AC135Public/Docs/US%20Instructions%20for%20NSPA%20NCAGE.pdf. Detailed instructions are posted at that site. For additional information, please call 1-269-961-4623 or send an email message to NCAGE@dlis.dla.mil.

NCAGE registrations for overseas organizations can take up to 10 days (or more) to finalize once a request has been received. Please plan accordingly.

Unique Entity Identifier (DUNS Number) All applicant organizations (foreign and domestic) must obtain a DUNS number. US-based organizations may request a DUNS number by calling 1-866-705-5711 or email: SAMHelp@dnb.com; the DUNS number is usually provided immediately.

Foreign organizations that do not have a Unique Entity Identifier (DUNS number) will need to go to the Dun & Bradstreet website at http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/CCRSearch.do?val=1 to start the process for obtaining a DUNS number. If further assistance is required, please email:

SAMHelp@dnb.com.

NOTE: The organization’s name, address, and email information used to request the NCAGE Code must match what is used to request your Unique Entity Identifier (DUNS Number). Please ensure that alphabets, numerical characters, symbols, etc. and spacing is the same in both systems during the registration process.

SAM.gov Registration SAM.gov registration is required of all INL applicants prior to registering with www.grants.gov. If your organization was previously registered in the Central Contractor Registry (CCR), you must still create a new Individual User Account in SAM.gov prior to receiving a future federal grant. Applicant organizations can obtain assistance for SAM.gov registration by using the following link: https://www.fsd.gov or by calling 1-866-606-8220 (U.S. calls)/or 1-324-206-7828 (international calls). Note: The organization’s name, address, and email information used to request your organization’s Unique Entity Identifier (DUNS number) and the NCAGE Code must match what is used to request the SAM.gov validation Please ensure that alphabets, numerical characters, symbols, and spacing is the same in both systems during the registration process. Otherwise, you will receive error messages when registering in SAM.gov.

For U.S.-based organizations that already have a TIN (taxpayer identification number), your SAM registration should take approximately 3-5 business days to process. For U.S.-based organizations applying for an EIN (employer identification number), please allow up to 2 weeks.

Foreign organizations must have a Unique Entity Identifier number and an NCAGE code prior to completing the SAM.gov registration process. Please follow the above listed instructions to obtain each.

Any applicant listed on the Excluded Parties List System (EPLS) in the System for Award Management (SAM) is not eligible to apply for an assistance award in accordance with the OMB guidelines at 2 CFR 180 that implement Executive Orders 12549 (3 CFR, 1986 Comp., p. 189) and 12689 (3 CFR, 1989 Comp., p. 235), “Debarment and Suspension.” Additionally, no entity listed on the EPLS can participate in any activities under an award. All applicants are strongly encouraged to review the EPLS in SAM.gov to ensure that ineligible entities are excluded from their applications.

All organizations must also continue to maintain active SAM.gov registration with current information at all times during which they have an active Federal award or application under consideration by a Federal award agency. SAM.gov requires all entities to renew their registration once a year in order to maintain an active registration status in SAM.gov. If an applicant has not fully complied with the requirements at the time of application, INL may determine that the applicant is unqualified to receive an award and use that determination as a basis for making an award to another applicant.

Note: If your organization is registered with SAM.gov and your status is NOT listed as ACTIVE, you will need to update your registration prior to submitting an application through www.grants.gov. SAM.gov requires ALL organizations (foreign and domestic) to register on an ANNUAL basis.

In October 2017, new information was added to the www.SAM.gov website to help international registrations, including “Quick Start Guide for International Registrations” and “Helpful Hints”. Navigate to SAM.gov, click HELP in the top navigation bar, then click International Registrants in the left navigation panel.

Grants.gov Registration

To apply for a grant, your organization must complete the Grants.gov registration process. The registration process can take 10 business days or longer, even if all registration steps are completed in a timely manner.

Please log into http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration.html to obtain complete instructions on the registration process.

Foreign Registrants: Anyone residing and doing business outside of the United States is still required to complete the five steps of the Grants.gov registration process, in addition to fulfilling supplementary requirements for doing business with the United States government. Please ensure that you have obtained an NCAGE code, a UEI number (also referred to as DUNS number), and an “ACTIVE” status in SAM.gov prior to registering in Grants.gov.

Grants.gov Applications

Please refer to the Grants.gov website for definitions of various "application statuses" and the difference between a submission receipt and a submission validation. Applicants will receive a validation e-mail from Grants.gov upon the successful submission of an application. Validation of an electronic submission via Grants.gov can take up to two business days.

Late applications are neither reviewed nor considered unless the INL point of contact listed in the NOFO is contacted prior to the deadline and is provided with evidence of a system error caused by Grants.gov that is outside of the applicant’s control and is the sole reason for a late submission.

Applicants should not expect a separate notification from INL upon receiving their application.

It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that it has an active registration in Grants.gov. Applicants are required to document that the application has been received by Grants.gov in its entirety. INL bears no responsibility for disqualification that result from applicants not being registered before the due date, for system errors in Grants.gov, or other errors in the application process.

TECHNICAL FORMAT REQUIREMENTS

For all application documents, please ensure:

A. All pages are numbered, including budgets and attachments, B. All documents are formatted to 8 ½ x 11 paper, and C. All Microsoft Word documents are single-spaced, 12 point Times New Roman font, with a minimum of 1-inch margins.

TECHNICAL ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Technically eligible applications are those that:

· Arrive electronically via Grants.gov by the designated due date and time noted in the NOFO. If reasonable accommodations are granted for persons with disabilities or for security reasons, applications must still be received by INL by the designated due date and time noted in the NOFO;

· Are in English and all costs are in U.S. dollars. If an original document within the application is in another language, an English translation must be provided. If any document is provided in both English and a foreign language, the English language version is the controlling version. (Please note: the Department of State, as indicated in 2 CFR 200.111, requires that English is the official language of all award documents);

· Heed all instructions contained in the NOFO, including length and completeness of application, including all required documents; and

· Do not violate any of the guidelines stated in the NOFO.

It is the sole responsibility of the applicant to ensure that all of the documents submitted in the grant application package are complete, accurate, and current. INL strongly encourages all applicants, especially foreign or first-time applicants, to submit applications before the designated due date to ensure that the application has been received and is complete.

APPLICATIONS REQUIREMENTS

Complete applications must include the following items listed below:

1. Completed and signed SF-424, SF-424A, as well as SF-424B if applicable

· Submitted via www.grants.gov

· Please see Tab D for instructions for completion of Standard Forms 424, 424A, and 424B.

· The SF-424B is required only for those applicants who have not registered in SAM.gov or recertified their registration in SAM.gov since February 2, 2019 and completed the online representations and certifications.

2. A copy of your organization’s most recent audit, if applicable

· Required per 2 CFR 200.500 – Subpart F).

· If an audit cannot be provided, an explanation must be submitted with the proposal submission.

3. Cover Page

· Includes a table with the organization name, project title, target country/countries, project synopsis, name and contact information for the application’s main point of contact, project length (period of performance),and requested funding amount in U.S. dollars (see the award amount ceiling as stated in the NOFO)

4. Table of Contents

· Not to exceed one [1] page in Microsoft Word), listing all documents and attachments, with page numbers.

5. Executive Summary

· Not to exceed one [1] pages in Microsoft Word) that includes:

i. a statement of work or synopsis of the program, including a concise breakdown of the project’s goals, objectives, activities, and expected results, and

ii. a brief statement on how the project is innovative, sustainable, and will have a demonstrated impact.

6. Proposal Narrative

· Not to exceed fifteen [15] pages in Microsoft Word. Please note the page limit does not include the required documents listed in items #2 - 5 and items #7 – 16 (below).

· A proposal narrative should:

i. Fully explain the program’s goals, objectives, and activities. Objectives should be ambitious, yet measureable, results-focused, and achievable in a reasonable time frame. Applicant should explain the project’s significance or contribution to the INL mandate specified in the NOFO.

ii. Activities should be clearly developed and detailed, and the narrative should clearly articulate how the proposed activities contribute to objectives and overall project goal.

iii. Outline the applicant’s organizational capacity to implement the proposed program,

iv. Outline in detail the program approach, sustainability, potential impact, and complementarity to ongoing efforts.

v. Identify target areas for activities, identify target participant groups or selection criteria for participants, address how the program will engage relevant stakeholders, and identify 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.

The proposal narrative should expand upon the risk analysis to provide greater context, operational or programmatic security concerns, and a contingency plan for overcoming potential difficulties in executing the original work plan.

7. Summary and Detailed Line-Item Budget

· In Microsoft Excel; includes the following three [3] columns: the amount requested from INL, cost sharing contributions (if any), and total budget (see below for more information on budget format).

· Applicants must submit a budget summary using the OMB-approved budget categories (see SF-424-A as a sample). Costs must be in U.S. dollars.

· A sample template is provided as an attachment under the announcement via www.grants.gov.

8. Budget Narrative

· In Microsoft Word; includes an explanation and justification for each line item in the detailed budget spreadsheet, as well as the source and a description of all cost-share offered.

· For ease of review, INL recommends applicants order the budget narrative as presented in the detailed budget.

· Personnel costs should include a clarification of the roles and responsibilities of key staff and percentage of time devoted to the project.

· Applicants that have other USG-funded projects must confirm that the total time devoted by personnel assigned to more than one project does not exceed 100%.

· The budget narrative should communicate to INL any information that might not be readily apparent in the budget rather than simply repeating with words what is stated numerically in the budget.

· A sample template is provided as an attachment under the announcement via www.grants.gov.

9. NICRA, if applicable

· If your organization has a negotiated indirect cost rate agreement (NICRA) and will include NICRA charges in the budget, your latest NICRA must be included as a PDF file. This document will not be reviewed by the panelists, but rather used by program and grant staff if the submission is recommended for funding, and therefore does not count against the submission page limitations, as described above.

· If your proposal includes subgrants to organizations charging indirect costs, please submit the applicable NICRA also as a PDF file

· See “Indirect Cost Rate” below for more information on indirect cost rates

· If your organization does not have a negotiated indirect cost rate agreement (NICRA) please specify if your organization elects to charge the de Minimis rate of 10% of the Modified Total Direct Costs (MTDC). MTDC excludes equipment, capital expenditures, charges for patient care, rental costs, tuition remission, scholarships and fellowships, participant support costs and the portion of each subaward in excess of $25,000.” The de Minimis rate must be included in the detailed budget and an explanation must be provided in the budget narrative.

10. Monitoring and Evaluation Plan

· See TAB B below for more information on this section

· Sample templates provided as attachments under the announcement via www.grants.gov.

11. Logic Model

· See TAB B below for more information on this section

· Sample templates provided as attachments under the announcement via www.grants.gov.

12. Roles and responsibilities of key program personnel

· Including short bios that highlight relevant professional experience that relates to the organization’s capacity. Given the limited space, CVs are not recommended for submission.

13. Timeline of the overall proposal

· Components should include activities, evaluation efforts, and program closeout

14. A list of previous and/or current U.S. federal assistance awards received

· Including the awarding agency, point of contact, name of the project, start and end dates, and amount of the award.

· If a list of previous and/or current U.S. federal assistance awards received cannot be provided, an explanation must be submitted with the proposal submission.

15. Program Risk Analysis

· Provide the required risk analysis information as noted in TAB B of this NOFO

· Sample template is provided as an attachment under the announcement via www.grants.gov.

16. INL Pre Award/Grantee Annual Survey

· Provide responses in the template provided by INL that reviews the organization’s financial capacity and infrastructure.

· Sample template is provided as an attachment under the announcement via www.grants.gov.

17. Attachments (optional)

· Not to exceed five (5) pages total, preferably in Microsoft Word, which may include: further timeline information, letters of support, memoranda of understanding (MOU)/agreement, etc.

i. For applicants with a large number of letters/MOUs, it may be useful to provide a list of the organizations or government agencies that support the program rather than the actual documentation.

Applications that do not include the items listed above will be deemed technically ineligible.

Note: INL retains the right to request additional documentation for those items not included on this form.

[END OF SECTION IV]

TAB A: PROPOSAL GUIDELINES

Proposals should include the following components:

· Introduction and Problem Statement

· Planned Activities

· Indicators

Problem Statement and Rationale: Describe the problem and how the project will achieve or contribute to achieving a sustainable solution and a measurable outcome. The applicant should explain the extent of existing assistance within the particular geographic area, and how the proposed intervention may complement (or differ from) other similar interventions. The implementer should also explain, as necessary, the particular experience and qualifications they bring to the project. The rationale should also reflect understanding of the priorities and policies of the bureau/post or program with which this agreement is associated.

Planned Activities and Indicators: Describe the planned activities, and relevant stakeholders for…