NOFO_CNP-Navy Scholarships_INL20CA0059-Becas-Colombia-08062020.pdf

United States Department of State

Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL)

Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)

Announcement Type: Request for Federal Assistance Awards Applications

Public Opportunity Title: Colombian Law Enforcement Scholarship Program

NOFO Opportunity Number: INL20CA0059-Becas-Colombia-08062020

NOFO Issuance Date: August 6, 2020

Deadline for Receipt of Questions: September 6, 2020

5:00 PM Eastern Standard Time

Deadline for Submission of October 6, 2020

Applications: 11:59 PM Eastern Standard Time via www.grants.gov

Funding Amount: Not to exceed $5,000,000.00 U.S. Dollars

Award Ceiling: $5,000,000.00

Award Floor: $4,200,000.00

Program Type: INL Bogota

Grant Program: International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INCLE)

Catalog of Federal Domestic 19.704 – Counter-narcotics

Assistance (CFDA) Number:

Assistance Type: Cooperative Agreement

Eligibility Category: Organizations only. Eligible organizations include: U.S.

based non-profit/non-governmental organizations (NGOs) with a 501(c)(3) IRS status; overseas-based non-profit/non-governmental organizations (NGOs); U.S. based educational institutions with a 501(c)(3) IRS status; and overseas based private/state educational institutions.

http://www.grants.gov/

Refer to Section III of this document for complete information.

Cost Sharing Requirement: Not required but recommended.

INL Points of Contact: Katelyn Smith, SmithKB@state.gov

Eison Palacios, PalaciosEY@state.gov

Jessica Warder, WarderJE@state.gov

NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

The United States Department of State, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement

Affairs INL is seeking applications from qualified applicants for a Cooperative Agreement to implement a program titled “Colombian Law Enforcement Scholarship Program.” The authority for this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is found in the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended.

Subject to the availability of funds and pending Department of State management approvals, INL intends to issue an award in an amount not to exceed $5,000,0000.00 in federal funding. The U.S.

Dollar amount will be funded from INL allocated funds, for an initial project period of one year.

INL may award up to four 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).

Any questions concerning this NOFO should be submitted via email to Katelyn Smith

SmithKB@state.gov), Eison Palacios (PalaciosEY@state.gov), and Jessica Warder

(WarderJE@state.gov) by the deadline listed on page 1 of this document. Responses to questions will be made available to all potential applicants through an amendment to this NOFO and posted on grants.gov.

Table of Contents

SECTION I – PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

SECTION II – FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

SECTION III – ELIGIBLITY INFORMATION

SECTION IV – APPLICATION CHECKLIST

SECTION V – APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

SECTION VI – APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

SECTION VII – FEDERAL AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

TAB A: PROPOSAL GUIDELINES

TAB B: PROGRAM MONITORING AND EVALUATION PLAN, LOGIC MODEL, and

PROGRAM RISK ANALYSIS

TAB C: BUDGET GUIDELINES

TAB D: GUIDELINES FOR STANDARD FORMS

mailto:SmithKB@state.gov mailto:PalaciosEY@state.gov mailto:WarderJE@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.

SECTION I – PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

BACKGROUND

The United States and Colombia share common goals to deter illicit drug trafficking and other transnational criminal activity that threatens U.S. national security and public safety. INL

Bogota works closely with the Colombian National Police (CNP) and the Colombian navy to build institutional capacity and to carry out a number of strategic law enforcement and counter narcotics programs.

Colombia needs more qualified police recruits to improve its operational readiness, to project a strong and effective presence throughout the country, and to achieve joint counter narcotics objectives. Increased ethnic and geographic diversity within its ranks will allow these institutions to better serve Colombia’s diverse communities and deter youth recruitment into criminal groups. Currently, however, Colombian police recruitment efforts are undercut by the high cost of entering these institutions. Police recruits must cover the full cost of their yearlong basic training academy, which costs several thousand dollars for application fees and lodging, academic, and incidental expenses. Many interested applicants must travel significant distances at personal expense simply to visit a recruitment office and apply. This is a serious obstacle for qualified candidates from underprivileged backgrounds or who live in Colombia’s many remote and rural areas. It is precisely these rural regions where additional government presence and licit economic opportunities are most needed to bring stability and combat narco-trafficking and the influence of illegal armed groups.

Since 2009, INL Bogota has supported a scholarship program for more than 6,000 qualified

Afro-Colombian, indigenous, and rural candidates to join the CNP. In 2017, this program was expanded to include the Colombian navy and has supported a total of 201 students (11 officers and 190 non-commissioned officers). The scholarship program not only strengthens Colombia’s institutional capacity to fight drug trafficking and organized crime, but it provides youth from rural regions with a meaningful career in government service and deters recruitment of youth into criminal gangs or cultivation of illicit crops. Most scholarship recipients will return to their region of origin at some point in their career to help improve community-police relations. Many indigenous scholarship recipients speak languages other than Spanish and their presence is critical to help the CNP serve these communities. The scholarship program is vital to establishing public security and improving community-police relations in Colombia.

PROJECT PURPOSE/DESCRIPTION

The purpose of this award is to support the staffing needs and operational readiness of the CNP and Colombian navy by increasing recruitment of qualified applicants from economically disadvantaged rural populations, including among women and Afro-Colombian and indigenous communities. The program will also indirectly reduce the recruitment of youth in rural areas into illegal armed groups, discourage illicit crop cultivation, and build trust in Colombian public security institutions by providing economic opportunities to qualified recipients. The scholarship program will support approximately 900 CNP students and 161 navy students per year to pursue non-commissioned officer positions and 100 CNP students and five navy students to study to become commissioned officers.

The award recipient will be responsible for managing more than $4,200,000.00 annually in U.S.

government funds to support the purchase of required uniforms and equipment, tuition and meals, and expenses required for CNP and navy training courses. The recipient will be responsible for on-time monthly electronic funds transfer payments to bank accounts of scholarship recipients. The recipient will also advise the CNP and navy on methods to increase interest in the program; organize public outreach campaigns in target areas; work with the CNP and navy to pre-select candidates for INL-Bogota’s consideration; and gather and report statistical information about the performance of scholarship recipients in their respective institutions. The recipient will communicate regularly with INL-Bogota and present quarterly progress and financial reports.

NOTE: If the prime applicant organization does not have a presence in Colombia (e.g. a field office), it must partner with a Colombia-based organization that can serve the roles of pre-selecting candidates and building the capacity of the CNP and navy to lead recruitment drives and conduct public outreach.

PROJECT GOALS

1. Increase the staffing and operational readiness of the CNP and Colombian navy by increasing their recruitment of qualified individuals from traditionally under-represented rural, economically disadvantaged, and minority ethnic communities.

2. Provide on-time monthly payments to all scholarship program recipients and effectively and responsibly manage and protect all U.S. government resources.

3. Enhance CNP and navy recruitment and public outreach efforts to advertise the scholarship program and increase the number of qualified applicants.

4. Improve public perception of Colombian security institutions and deny illegal groups access to young and vulnerable rural recruits.

5. Strengthen the links between the CNP and navy with rural and ethnic minority populations, particularly in areas with endemic violence and high levels of coca cultivation.

6. Monitor and evaluate program impact by gathering and reporting statistical information about how scholarship recipients compare with their peers in performance, retention, and promotion in their respective institutions, and by assessing the effect of the program on citizen security in Colombia’s rural areas.

PROJECT OBJECTIVES

Objective 1: Increase the number and percentage of individuals from economically disadvantaged rural and minority ethnic communities in the CNP and navy.

Activity 1: Work with regional CNP and navy recruitment officers in target areas defined by INL and CNP/navy to interview, vet, and pre-select approximately 1,166 scholarship recipients per year for INL Bogota approval and selection.

Activity 2: Ensure accurate, on-time monthly payments (within the first five days of each month) to each scholarship recipient.

Application Note: Average direct costs to CNP and navy scholarship recipients are $4.2 million annually (roughly $3.6 million for the CNP and $600,000 for the navy). INL and/or the partner institutions will provide the Recipient(s) with a more specific breakdown of costs prior to, or soon after, the award start date. For the application Budget and Budget Narrative, it is optional to estimate the breakdown of these costs (uniforms, supplies, course fees, stipends, etc.), but all applicants must still include line item(s) in the Budget related to total direct recipient costs. Applicants should explain within the Budget Narrative that the actual breakdown of costs will be determined later, in consultation with INL. Applicants should also separate the CNP and navy costs into separate line items.

Objective 2: Partner with the CNP and navy to increase the number of CNP and navy-hosted recruitment drives and public outreach campaigns in target regions to increase the number of interested candidates.

Activity 1: Work with the CNP and navy to create and manage a website and social media pages

(Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and other social media as required) to share information about the scholarship program in Spanish.

Activity 2: Work with INL, the CNP and the navy to create and disseminate new social media content about the scholarship program weekly.

Activity 3: Support CNP and navy recruitment offices in target regions to organize one local recruitment campaign per region, consisting of at least one public event and three radio interviews to disseminate information to candidates.

Activity 4: Collect metrics on the number of interested scholarship candidates (by gender, ethnicity, background, and region of origin) to guide outreach efforts.

Objective 3: Compare the performance of scholarship recipients to that of non-scholarship recipients within each institution.

Activity 1: Gather and analyze statistics on program recipients, including: the percentage who are female, comparative graduation rates, comparative promotion and retention rates, and other performance indicators.

Objective 4: Improve vulnerable communities’ perception of the CNP and navy and reduce interest in joining illegal armed groups.

Activity 1: Conduct a questionnaire of all scholarship recipients at the time of their selection, at the end of their academy training, and during their careers to determine changes in their perception of Colombia’s public security forces and of the perception and/or likelihood of joining an illegal armed group.

Activity 2: Create an ambassador’s program for current and former scholarship recipients to visit their communities, improve local perceptions of the police, and contribute to recruitment drives.

Objective 5: Strengthen the links between the CNP and navy with target populations, particularly in areas with endemic violence and high levels of coca cultivation.

Activity 1: Support an outreach event between the scholarship students and their communities following graduation.

DESIRED RESULTS AND ILLUSTRATIVE INDICATORS

By the end of the initial project period, the selected applicant is expected to:

increase the number and percentage of individuals from traditionally under-represented rural and minority ethnic communities in the CNP and navy;

make accurate and timely payments to all scholarship recipients and their service school;

gather and analyze comparative statistics regarding the performance of scholarship recipients;

improve the perception of the CNP and navy in target communities; and reduce interest among youth to join criminal groups.

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 recipient will be responsible for monitoring and reporting on quantitative and/or qualitative indicators during and upon completion of the project. In addition, INL will regularly monitor the project’s performance to assess whether project activities are on track and targets are being achieved.

Examples of outcome and output 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.

The recipient may propose additional outputs, indicators, and/or targets as appropriate. 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. The recipient will be required to collect baseline data for all the PMP indicators during the first year of the project.

Where appropriate, indicators should be disaggregated by gender and ethnicity.

Example Output Indicators Targets

Number of individuals from rural or ethnic minority communities pre-selected for scholarship program.

Applicants should propose targets for each indicator.

Number of individuals from rural or ethnic minority communities entering and graduating from CNP and navy training academies under the scholarship program.

Number of on-time payments made to students

Number of outreach events hosted by CNP and navy in target areas

Number of outreach events students host in their communities

Example Outcome Indicators Targets

Increased number and percentage of individuals from rural and ethnic minority communities in the Colombian police and navy.

Applicants should propose targets for each indicator.

Increased number/frequency of CNP and navy-hosted public outreach events in target regions.

Improved perception of the CNP and navy among scholarship recipients.

Criminal organizations have decreased access to recruitment in communities targeted by the INL Bogota scholarship program

[END OF SECTION I]

SECTION II – FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

INL expects to award up to two grant agreement(s) based on this NOFO. The anticipated total federal funding amount is not to exceed $5,000,000.00. The period of performance is one (1) year with an anticipated start date of January 2021. INL may extend the award up to four (4) additional years contingent on INL priorities, good performance of the recipient, Department of State management approval, and funding availability.

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.

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/cooperative agreement. NOTE: overseas-based nonprofit organizations are legally required to comply with 2 CFR 200.

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.

STATE DEPARTMENT LEAHY AMENDMENT VETTING

Applicants please be advised that the following will be required if your organization is selected for this announcement:

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

Eligibility for this NOFO is limited to applicants that:

Qualify to receive U.S. grants that meet one of these organization types:

o U.S. based non-profit/non-governmental organizations (NGOs) with a 501(c)(3)

IRS status;

o Overseas-based non-profit/non-governmental organizations (NGOs);

o U.S. based educational institutions with a 501(c)(3) IRS status; and o Overseas based private/state educational institutions

AND

Demonstrate experience implementing similar recruitment or capacity building programs, preferably in Colombia or the Latin America region. Note: 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.

Are able to produce course materials, deliver training, and conduct evaluations in Spanish and English. The applicant’s staff should be proficient in English in order to fulfill reporting requirements.

Have existing, or the capacity to develop, active partnerships with stakeholders in order to successfully carry out the proposed program.

Are able to mobilize the project in a timely manner.

Additional Eligibility Information

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.

For-profit organizations and public international organizations (PIOs) are excluded from applying to this grant announcement.

INL encourages applications from potential new partners.

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. Note: This provision must be included in any sub‐awards issued under this grant award.

[END OF SECTION III]

SECTION IV – APPLICATION CHECKLIST

Complete applications must include every document listed below in order to be deemed technically eligible for consideration by the merit review panel. Applications that are missing any of the required documentation will not be eligible for review.

1. Completed and signed SF-424 and SF-424A

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.

2. Proposal Narrative

The Proposal Narrative (not to exceed 20 total pages) must include:

i. Cover page (approx. 1 page) that includes the following information:

Applicant organization name

Project title

Target country/countries

Contact information for applicant organization’s main point of contact

Project length (estimated months or dates)

Total requested funding amount in U.S. Dollars

ii. Table of Contents (approx. 1 page)

Should list all sections and attachments with page numbers

iii. Executive Summary (approx. 2 pages)

Not to exceed two (2) pages

Summary should include a brief statement of work or synopsis of the project, including a concise breakdown of the project’s goals, objectives, and results

Summary should include a brief statement on the project’s innovativeness, sustainability, and impact.

iv. The narrative (approx. 10-15 pages) should:

Fully explain the project’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.

Develop detailed activities and articulate how the proposed activities contribute to objectives and overall project goal.

Outline the applicant’s organizational capacity to implement the proposed project, Outline in detail the project approach, sustainability, potential impact, and complementarity to ongoing efforts.

Identify target areas for activities, identify target participant groups or selection criteria for participants, address how the project 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.

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.

3. Summary and Detailed Line-Item Budget

In Microsoft Excel, includes the following three 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 this announcement via www.grants.gov.

4. 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.

5. Monitoring and Evaluation Plan

See TAB B below for more information on this section

6. Activity Map

Delineates goals, objectives, activities, and indicators.

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

Note: INL will work with the selected applicant(s) to further refine this document prior to award issuance.

7. Timeline of the overall proposal

Components should include activities, evaluation efforts, and program closeout

8. Program Risk Analysis

Analyzes potential programmatic, environmental, and political risks to the program.

Additional information is included in TAB B of this NOFO

9. 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.

10. 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.

11. INL Pre Award/Grantee Annual Survey

This template analyzes the organization’s financial capacity and infrastructure.

The sample template is provided as an attachment under this announcement via

12. A copy the applicant organization’s most recent audit, if applicable

Required per 2 CFR 200.500 – Subpart F.

http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/

If an organization does not meet the requirement for an audit or for any other reason one cannot be provided, the organization must submit an explanation with its application.

13. NICRA, if applicable

If the applicant 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 a proposal includes subgrants to organizations charging indirect costs, please submit the applicable NICRA(s).

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

If the applicant organization does not have a negotiated indirect cost rate agreement

(NICRA) please specify if the 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.

14. Other Attachments (optional)

Not to exceed five (5) pages total, 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.

Including additional attachments is optional.

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

[END OF SECTION IV]

SECTION V – APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

GRANTS.GOV INFORMATION

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 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).

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.

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.

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.

UNIQUE ENTITY IDENTIFIER (DUNS NUMBER)

All organizations (foreign and domestic) must obtain a DUNS number.

US-based organizations may request a DUNS number by calling 1-866-705-5711; the DUNS number is usually provided immediately. Foreign organizations must go to the Dun & Bradstreet website at http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/pages/CCRSearch.jsp to obtain the number. This can take between 1-2 business days.

Note: Applicants should ensure that all proposed sub-grantees have a valid DUNS number.

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.

For foreign-based organizations, an NCAGE code is required for all foreign entities prior to starting a SAM.gov registration. It is important to note that the organization’s name, address, and email information used to request the NCAGE Code must match exactly what was listed in the

Unique Entity Identifier (DUNS Number) request. Otherwise, applicants will receive error messages when applying for the NCAGE code. You can submit your request for an NCAGE Code using the NCAGE Request Tool at http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ mailto:support@grants.gov https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-faqs.html https://www.grants.gov/help/html/help/GetStarted/Get_Started.htm http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-1-obtain-duns-number.html http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform https://eportal.nspa.nato.int/AC135Public/scage/CageList.aspx. 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.

SAM.GOV REGISTRATION

SAM.gov registration is required of all INL applicants (both US-based and foreign-based) prior to registering with grants.gov. If your organization is registered with SAM.gov but the registration is not listed as active, the registration must be updated prior to submitting an application through grants.gov. SAM.gov requires ALL organizations (foreign and domestic) to register on an

ANNUAL basis. If your organization was previously registered in the Central Contractor Registry

(CCR), you must still create a new Individual User Account in SAM prior to receiving a future federal grant.

Applicant organizations can obtain assistance for SAM.gov registration at https://www.fsd.gov or by calling 1-866-606-8220 (U.S. calls)/or 1-324-206-7828 (international calls). It is important to note that the organization’s name, address, and email information used to request the Unique

Entity Identifier (DUNS number) and NCAGE Code must match exactly what is used to request the SAM.gov validation. Otherwise, you will receive error messages when registering in

SAM.gov.

For US-based organizations that already have a TIN (taxpayer identification number), your SAM registration will take 3-5 business days to process. For US-based organizations also applying for an EIN (employer identification number) and foreign-based organizations, the process may take two weeks.

GRANTS.GOV REGISTRATION

In order to apply for a grant, your organization must complete the Grants.gov registration process.

Registration can take between three-five business days or as long as two weeks if all steps are not 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 a DUNS number, an NCAGE code, and an “ACTIVE” status in SAM.gov prior to registering in Grants.gov.

TECHNICAL FORMAT REQUIREMENTS

For all application documents, please ensure:

All pages are numbered, including budgets and attachments, All documents are formatted to 8 ½ x 11 paper, and

All Microsoft Word documents are single-spaced, 12 point Times New Roman font, with a minimum of 1-inch margins.

All documents must be submitted in English. (Per Department policy, English is the official and controlling language for all submitted application/award documents.)

http://www.fsd.gov/

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET (OMB) CIRCULARS

Organizations should be familiar with 2 CFR 200 on cost accounting principles. For a copy of the

OMB circular cited, please contact Government Publications or download from http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title02/2cfr200_main_02.tpl. Overseas-based nonprofit organizations are legally required to comply with 2 CFR 200.

AUDITS

The recipient’s proposal may include the cost of an audit that meets the following requirements:

Complies with the requirements of 2 CFR 200 Subpart F “Audit Requirements;”

Complies with the requirements of American Institute of Certified Public Accountants

(AICPA) Statement of Position (SOP) No. 92-9, "Audits of Not-for-Profit Organizations

Receiving Federal Awards;"

Complies with AICPA Codification of Statements on Auditing Standards AU Section 551, "Reporting on Information Accompanying the Basic Financial Statements in Auditor-

Submitted Documents," where applicable. When the U.S. Department of State is the largest direct source of Federal financial assistance (i.e., the cognizant Federal Agency) and indirect costs are charged to Federal grants, a supplemental schedule of indirect cost computation is required;

A non-Federal entity that expends $750,000 or more during the non-Federal entity's fiscal year in Federal awards must have a single or program-specific audit conducted for that year in accordance with the provisions of 2 CFR 200 subpart F. The audit costs shall be identified by 2 CFR 200.435.

INDIRECT COST-RATE

An organization with a negotiated indirect cost rate agreement (NICRA) negotiated with a cognizant federal government agency other than the U.S. Department of State must include a copy of the cost-rate agreement. Applicants should indicate in the proposal budget how the rate is applied and if any of the rate will be cost-shared. Per 2 CFR 200.414. any non-Federal entity that has never received a negotiated indirect cost rate, except for those non-Federal entities described in Appendix VII to Part 200—States and Local Government and Indian Tribe Indirect Cost

Proposals, paragraph D.1.b, may elect to charge a de minimis rate of 10% of modified total direct costs (MTDC) which may be used indefinitely.

As described in 2 CFR 200.403, factors affecting allowability of costs, costs must be consistently charged as either indirect or direct costs, but may not be double charged or inconsistently charged as both. If chosen, this methodology once elected must be used consistently for all Federal awards until such time as a non-Federal entity chooses to negotiate for a rate, which the non-Federal entity may apply to do at any time.

[END OF SECTION V]

SECTION VI – APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

The technical applications and proposal submissions will be evaluated in accordance with the

Technical Evaluation Criteria set forth below. Technical evaluation of applications will be based on the extent and appropriateness of proposed approaches and feasibility of achieving the strategic objectives, in accordance with the following criteria.

If award is not made on the initial applications, INL may request clarification and supplemental materials from applicants whose applications have a reasonable chance of being selected for award.

The entry into discussion is to be viewed as part of the evaluation process and shall not be deemed by INL or the applicants as indicative of a decision or commitment upon the part of INL to make an award to the applicants with whom discussions are being held.

I. TECHNICAL EVALUATION CRITERIA

A technical evaluation committee, using the criteria shown in this Section, will evaluate the technical applications. The various functional elements of the technical criteria are assigned weighted scores, so that the applicants will know which areas require emphasis in the preparation of applications.

Where technical applications are considered essentially equal, cost may be the determining factor.

Applicants should note that these criteria serve as the standard against which all applications will be evaluated and serve to identify the significant matters which applicants should address in their applications.

The relative importance of each criterion is indicated by the number of points assigned. A total of

100 points is possible.

Quality of Program Idea (Total Possible Points - 25):

Responsive to the solicitation (5)

Appropriate in the country/regional context (5)

Exhibits originality, substance, and precision (5)

Prioritizes innovation but is feasible (5)

In countries where similar activities are already taking place, provides an explanation as to how new activities will not duplicate or merely add to existing activities (5)

Program Planning/Ability to Achieve Objectives (Total Possible Points – 25):

Includes a clear articulation of how the proposed program activities contribute to the overall program objectives (3)

Each activity is clearly developed and detailed (3)

Provides a comprehensive quarterly work plan for project activities that demonstrates substantive undertakings within the logistical capacity of the organization (3)

Objectives are clear, specific, attainable, measurable results-focused and placed in a reasonable time frame (3)

Addresses how the program will engage or obtain support from relevant stakeholders and identifies local partners where appropriate (3)

Describes the division of labor among the direct applicant, any partners and any potential subgrantees (2)

Proposal clearly articulates understanding of the security situation/operating environment and plans for ensuring safety of participants (2)

Includes contingency plans for potential difficulties in executing the original work plan (6)

Program Monitoring and Evaluation (Total Possible Points - 15):

The Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Plan includes:

Narrative explaining how monitoring and evaluation will be carried out and who will be responsible for monitoring and evaluation activities (5)

Table listing by program objectives the output- and outcome-based performance indicators with baselines and (yearly and cumulative) targets; data collection tools; data sources;

types of data disaggregation, if applicable; and frequency of monitoring and evaluation (7)

Includes an external midterm and/or final evaluation or justification for why one is not included (3)

Multiplier Effect/Sustainability of Impact Rating (Total Possible Points - 10):

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)

Institution’s Record and Capacity Rating (Total Possible Points - 10):

The proposal demonstrates an institutional record of successful programs in the proposed country and the content area (4)

Personnel and institutional resources are adequate and appropriate to achieve the project's objectives (2)

Roles, responsibilities, and brief bios/resumes are included for primary staff, and demonstrate relevant professional experience (2)

Applicant is a current/past Department of State grantee where performance (2) was/is on target showed/shows responsible fiscal management

OR

The proposal is from a new applicant and proposal demonstrates capacity for responsible fiscal management illustrates success in similar sized projects (2)

Cost Effectiveness/Cost Sharing (Total Possible Points - 15):

The overhead and administration of the proposal, including salaries and honoraria, are explained and justified for the work involved (5)

All budget items are necessary, appropriate and linked to program objectives (5)

Personnel costs are reasonable for the work involved (5)

COST EVALUATION

Cost will be evaluated for realism, reasonableness, allowability, allocability, and cost effectiveness. The pre-award evaluation of cost effectiveness will include an examination of the application’s budget detail to ensure it is a realistic financial expression of the proposed project and does not contain estimated costs that may be unallocable, unreasonable, or unallowable.

Applications that have more efficient operational systems that reduce operation costs will be favorably considered.

Applications that maximize direct activity costs including cost sharing and that minimize administrative costs are encouraged. Other considerations are the completeness of the application, adequacy of budget detail and consistency with elements of the technical application. In addition, the organization must demonstrate adequate financial management capability, to be measured by a responsibility determination.

[END OF SECTION VI]

SECTION VII – FEDERAL AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

Federal Award Notices: The successful applicant(s) will be notified via email that its proposal has been selected to move forward in the review process; this email IS NOT an authorization to begin performance.