SFOP0006967 - Mekong Policy Dialogue Series Q&A.pdf

Question and Answers

Funding Opportunity Title: Mekong Policy Dialogue Series

Funding Opportunity Number: SFOP0006967

Below are frequent questions and answers EAP received regarding this opportunity in order to assist applicants when responding to this opportunity. In the event that similar questions were submitted, some questions listed below may have been consolidated.

1) Track 1.5 dialogues are stipulated in the NOFO, what is EAP’s definition of Track 1.5 dialogues?

A dialogue event with a focused topic of consultation facilitated by an outside actor with informal participation of government, policy leaders, and other thought leaders to facilitate the generation of new ideas and insights to pressing policy problems.

2) The NOFO states a workplan must be submitted with the preferred dates of each dialogue event ideally coinciding with DoS Mekong intergovernmental meetings in the region. Does DoS have an anticipated schedule of dates for these meetings?

Dialogue events should coincide with Mekong intergovernmental meetings in the region.

Proposals that include dialogues dates that do not coincide with DoS Mekong intergovernmental meetings should indicate how these events will increase the efficacy of the proposal outcomes. These events are held in spring, summer, and fall annually. The dialogue events could be held before or after these multilateral meetings, most likely in the fall and spring. The fall meeting is usually after the ASEAN-hosted East Asia Summit

Meeting and the spring meeting is sometime between January and May. The calendar changes annually per the ASEAN Chair.

3) What are the USG led Mekong initiatives on water that this NOFO is focusing on?

The final dialogue topics will be determined in consultation with the implementing partner and EAP and are intended to represent all facets of United States Government

(USG) led Mekong initiatives. EAP envisions focusing a portion of the dialogue events on cross-cutting transboundary water governance issues, including data sharing and transparency. The USG has a variety of water initiatives in the Mekong including the

Secretary’s Mekong Water Data Initiative, the Sustainable Infrastructure Partnership, Sister Rivers Exchange, and NexView Decision Support.

4) Who are the main U.S. allies and partners on water initiatives?

The United States works with allies and partners including members of the Friends of the

Lower Mekong (FLM). Members of the FLM include all Lower Mekong Initiative (LMI) members and Australia, the European Union, Japan, New Zealand, the Republic of

Korea, the Asian Development Bank, and the World Bank. The United States is a development partner to the Mekong River Commission (MRC), with the USG and MRC collaborating closely on priority issues.

5) China is not mentioned in the NOFO, but China is a major factor in the Mekong. Are there any restrictions about engaging Chinese players (such as think tanks)?

EAP welcomes diverse viewpoints and engagement during the policy dialogue events.

Funding made available through this NOFO must comply with all applicable restrictions on United States foreign assistance, including those in the Fiscal Year 2019 State &

Foreign Operations Appropriations Act and the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended. Funding made available in this NOFO may only directly benefit the countries identified in the NOFO.

6) When setting up dialogues, confidentiality and trust are crucial. Will the implementing partner have control over what is made public and what is not?

As a cooperative agreement, EAP and the implementing partner will work closely together to implement each dialogue event and discuss the information that is made available in public documents and outreach as described in the substantial involvement section of the NOFO. EAP will exercise final approval for all published documents and statements. When appropriate, EAP may apply Chatham House Rules to sensitive topics or discussions.

7) Does EAP anticipate that simultaneous translation should be provided between all languages?

No, we do not anticipate needs for any interpretation at these dialogues.

8) Under attachments, the NOFO states: “c. Monitoring and Evaluation Performance Indicator

Table – Pages 5-8. This section can be up to three pages long if necessary.” As pages 5-8 would be four pages in total, can you confirm that three pages is the maximum preferred length?

Yes, three pages is the maximum preferred length, however, the Review Panel will review performance indicators tables of up to four pages in length.