AF CN NOFO FY 2023_508Version (1) - Accessible with 508 comments - 11.27.2023.pdf

U.S. Department of State

Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration

(PRM)

FY 2024 Request for Concept Notes Benefiting Afghan

Refugees and Returnees in Afghanistan

Population Refugees, Migration U.S Department of State

Table of Contents

Basic Information

Program Description

Summary

Geographic Regions / Populations

Program area

Program Sectors and Modalities

Number of Concept Note Applications

Country-specific Guidelines

Federal Award Information

Eligibility Information

Other

Application and Submission Instructions

Application Review Information

Federal Award Administration Information

PRM Points of Contact

Basic Information

Request for Concept Notes Number: SFOP0010143

Assistance Listing (CFDA) number: 19.523 - Overseas Refugee Assistance Programs for

South Asia

Announcement issuance date: Monday, December 4, 2023

Concept note application submission deadline: Tuesday, January 9, 2024 at 11:59:59 p.m. (EST) Concept Notes submitted after this deadline will not be considered.

Funding limits: Program proposals must not be less than the funding floor and not more than the funding ceiling per year or they will be disqualified.

• Funding floor per year (lowest $ value): $2,000,000

• Funding ceiling per year (highest $ value): $3,000,000

Anticipated timeframe for notification of selection for full proposal development:

PRM anticipates, but cannot guarantee, that within 45 days from the proposal submission deadline selected concept notes will be notified of selection for full proposal development.

Anticipated timeframe for award of selected full proposals: Pending the availability of funds, PRM anticipates, but cannot guarantee, that awards will be made less than 8 months from the proposal submission deadline.

ADVISORY: All applicants must submit concept notes applications through the website

Grants.gov PRM strongly recommends submitting your concept note early to allow time to address any technical difficulties that may arise on the Grants.gov website.

If you are new to PRM funding, the Grants.gov registration process can be complicated.

We urge you to refer to PRM’s General NGO Guidelines “Application Process” section for information and resources to help ensure that the application process runs smoothly. PRM also strongly encourages organizations that have received funding from PRM in the past to read this section as a refresher.

PRM strongly recommends concept notes be submitted in Adobe PDF, as Microsoft

Word documents may sometimes produce different page lengths based on software versions and configurations when transmitted. Tables and budget documents should be submitted as Excel documents. Exceeding page length limits will result in disqualification. All required documents must be in English and should avoid the use of jargon and spell out acronyms upon first use. Supplementary documents in a local language may be submitted along with an English translation or summary.

Organizations can retrieve PRM’s-recommended templates and on this opportunity’s grants.gov page.

Program Description

Summary

This solicitation is the first step in a two-part process. After reviewing concept notes, PRM will invite (no later than 3 months after submission) selected organizations to expand their submissions into full multi-year (20-page) proposals with objectives, an indicator table, detailed budgets for each year of the program, and other required documents. Selected organizations will have 30 calendar days after they are notified of their selection to complete their full proposals. Organizations may apply as consortia. For purposes of this notice, PRM considers consortia to be a group of no http://www.grants.gov/ fewer than three NGOs that comprise an agreement, combination, or group formed to undertake, or proposing to undertake, an assistance activity beyond the resources of any one member.

This announcement references PRM’s General NGO Guidelines, which contain additional information on PRM’s priorities and NGO funding strategy with which selected organizations must comply. Please use both the General NGO Guidelines and this announcement to ensure that your concept note submission is in full compliance with PRM requirements and that the proposed activities are in line with PRM’s priorities. Concept note submissions that do not reflect the requirements outlined in these guidelines will not be considered.

Geographic Regions / Populations

Concept note activities must primarily support refugee returnee populations in

Afghanistan. Because of PRM's mandate to provide protection, assistance, and sustainable solutions for refugees and victims of conflict, concept note proposals should only contain those programs that include a target population base of at least 50 percent refugees/IDPs/other populations of concern.

Program area (For PRM Use)

Proposed program concept notes must align with one or more of the following program areas.

• Humanitarian Protection and Assistance

• Interim and Durable Solutions

• Humanitarian Diplomacy

Program Sectors and Modalities

Concept notes must focus on one or more of the following programmatic sectors (see

PRM’s General NGO Guidelines for sector descriptions):

• Non-Food Items

• Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities

• Education

• Health o Health: Reproductive Health

• Livelihoods And Economic Empowerment (full proposals must include a market analysis)

• Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS)

• Nutrition

• Protection o Protection: Legal o Protection: Child Protection o Protection: GBV

• Shelter

• Water, Sanitation, Hygiene (WASH)

Note: If selected for full proposal development, three indicators are required for all programs regardless of design or sector. If the proposed program will not contribute to one or several of these mandatory indicators, the indicator must still be included in the proposal indicator table but with a target of zero.

o PRM-1. Number of individuals directly reached through PRM funding.

https://www.state.gov/j/prm/funding/c78352.htm o PRM-2. Amount of humanitarian funding distributed to local, national, or refugee-led organizations (in USD) – This amount should include any sub-awards or contracts with local, national, or refugee-led organizations. If the prime applicant is a local, national, or refugee-led organization, they should put the full proposal budget total as the target value. The Inter-Agency Standing Committee

(IASC) working definition of “local” and “national” organizations is here.

Applicants should put a target of zero for this indicator if it does not apply to them; it will not affect their eligibility.

o PRM-3. Percentage of participants who report that humanitarian assistance is delivered in a safe, accessible, accountable, and participatory manner – This is a protection mainstreaming indicator developed by the Directorate General for

European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO) and adopted by the Grand Bargain. Research or coordination awards that don’t involve community implementation are exempt from this indicator. Please refer to the PRM Performance Indicator Reference & Definition Sheets (PIRS) for a sample questionnaire and analysis guidance.

If selected, full proposals for cash and voucher assistance programs must include the relevant indicator(s) from the selection contained in the NGO Guidelines Appendix D.

Number of Concept Note Applications

Organizations may submit a maximum of one concept note only. Any subsequent submissions received will be disqualified. (Note: Submissions by organizations as part of a consortium do not count toward an individual organization’s submission limit.)

https://interagencystandingcommittee.org/system/files/hftt_localisation_marker_definitions_paper_24_january_2018.pdf

Country-specific Guidelines

Afghanistan-Specific Guidance

General Guidance

A. Programs should take place in high refugee-return areas. Applicants are encouraged to focus activities in one or more of the Priority Areas of Return and

Reintegration (PARRs).

Duration of Activity

Program plans for three years will be considered. Funding for year two and year three will be contingent upon funding availability, strong performance, and continued need.

Funding limits

Proposed program concept notes must not be less than the funding floor and not more than the funding ceiling per year or they will be disqualified.

• Funding floor per year (lowest $ value): $2,000,000

• Funding ceiling per year (highest $ value): $3,000,000

Note: Funding ceilings and floors pertain to the PRM cost per year.

https://ssar-platform.org/documents/priority-areas-return-and-reintegration-parrs https://ssar-platform.org/documents/priority-areas-return-and-reintegration-parrs

Anticipated Number of Selections for Full Proposal Development

PRM anticipates, but cannot guarantee, to select as many as six (6) submissions to be developed into full proposals through this announcement.

Anticipated Amount to be Awarded Total

PRM anticipates, but cannot guarantee, to award up to approximately $9,000,000 total through the directed NOFO for this country.

Federal Award Information

Proposed program start dates: September 1, 2024

Duration of Activity:

See country-specific guidelines above. Applicants may submit multi-year proposals with activities and budgets that do not exceed three years from the proposed start date. Budgets submitted in year one can be revised/updated each year. Continued funding after the initial 12-month period of performance requires the submission of a noncompeting single-year proposal and will be contingent upon available funding, strong performance, and continuing need. In funding a program one year, PRM makes no representations that it will continue to fund the program in successive years and encourages applicants to seek a wide array of donors to ensure long-term funding possibilities. Please see Multi-Year Funding section below for additional information.

Livelihoods programs are encouraged to be multi-year (Note: A market analysis will be required if selected for full proposal development).

Funding Limits:

See country-specific guidelines above.

Anticipated Number of Awards:

See country-specific guidelines above.

Eligibility Information

Eligible Applicants

1. Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS (U.S.-based NGOs must be able to demonstrate proof of non-profit tax status).

2. Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education (overseas-based NGOs must be able to demonstrate proof of registration in country of domicile); and

3. International Organizations. International multilateral organizations, such as

United Nations agencies, should not submit concept notes through Grants.gov in response to this Notice of Funding Opportunity. Multilateral organizations that are seeking funding for programs relevant to this announcement should contact the PRM Program Officer (as listed below) on or before the closing date of this announcement.

Cost Sharing or Matching:

Cost sharing, matching, or cost participation is not a requirement of an application in response to this funding announcement.

Concept notes and invited proposals for consideration should describe the sources and amounts of additional funding that may be utilized to complement PRM funding and meet the following criteria.

• Are not paid by the Federal Government under another Federal award.

• Are verifiable from the non-Federal entity's records.

• Are not included as contributions for any other Federal award; and

• Are necessary and reasonable for accomplishment of project or program objectives.

Please include this information in the indicated column in the Budget Summary of the concept note submission.

Note: Though favorably looked upon, inclusion will not result in a competitive ranking increase when evaluated.

Other

Concept notes and eventually full proposals must encompass relevant international standards for humanitarian assistance, especially Sphere Standards. See PRM’s

General NGO Guidelines for a complete list of sector-specific standards including new guidance on proposals for programs in urban areas.

PRM strongly encourages programs that target the needs of vulnerable and underserved groups among the beneficiary population (such groups may include:

women; children; adolescents; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or intersex

(LGBTQI+) individuals; older persons; the sick; persons with disabilities; and other religious, ethnic, or other minorities) especially those that have been designed in http://www.spherehandbook.org/ consultation with representatives of those groups, and can demonstrate what steps have been taken to meet the specific and unique protection and assistance needs of these vulnerable groups effectively.

PRM will accept concept notes from any NGO working in the above-mentioned sectors, although, given budgetary constraints, priority will be given to concept notes from organizations that can demonstrate:

• a working relationship with UNHCR.

• a proven track record in providing proposed assistance both in the sector and specified location.

• evidence of coordination with international organizations (IOs) and other NGOs working in the same area or sector as well as – where possible – local authorities.

• an emphasis on the outcome or impact of program activities. Full objective and indicator tables will only be required if the applicant is invited to submit a full proposal; however, the concept note must generally demonstrate the ability to deliver impact.

• a strong sustainability plan, involving local capacity building, where feasible, will be required if the applicant is invited to submit a full proposal.

• where applicable, adherence to PRM’s Principles for Refugee Protection in Urban

Areas;

• an understanding of and sensitivity to conflict dynamics in the program location.

https://2009-2017.state.gov/documents/organization/187237.pdf https://2009-2017.state.gov/documents/organization/187237.pdf

Application and Submission Instructions

A. Where to Request Application Package: Application packages may be downloaded from the website www.Grants.gov.

B. Content and Form of Application: Organizations may submit a maximum of one concept note per country only. Any subsequent submissions received will be disqualified. (Note: Submissions by organizations as part of a consortium do not count toward an individual organization’s submission limit.)

Concept notes must not exceed 4 pages in length, including the cover page table

(or 5 pages if a consortia submission) submitted in Adobe PDF, using Times New

Roman or Calibri, 12-point font, letter sized paper with one-inch margins on all sides. Page limits are strictly adhered to, and PRM will not review pages of the narrative beyond the stated limit, which may negatively impact the concept note’ score.

• PRM strongly recommends proposals be submitted in Adobe PDF, as

Microsoft Word documents may sometimes produce different page lengths based on software versions and configurations. Tables and budget documents should be submitted as Excel documents.

• All documents must be in English and should avoid the use of jargon and spell out acronyms upon first use.

a. Concept note narratives must include the following categories, in any arrangement.

• Brief problem statement, description of target population with anticipated beneficiary numbers, and vulnerability criteria used to identify participants.

http://www.grants.gov/

• Program description, location, and duration

• Proposed measurable outcomes and impact of the program.

• Summary of the organization(s) and experience doing similar work

• Organizational point(s) of contact

b. A one-page Budget Summary in Excel format. A recommended template is found within the grants.gov opportunity page. (Note: Budget summaries should be submitted as an attachment under the “budget narrative” section in grants.gov.)

Budget summaries do not count against the 4-page limit (or 5 pages if a consortia submission). The budget summary is separate from SF-424, SF-F24A, and SF-424B documents, which are also required and similarly do not fall within the page limit.

The SF-424 family of forms may be downloaded through grants.gov. Budget summaries must include the following categories, and disaggregated by year:

• Personnel allowances

• Benefits

• Travel

• Program equipment

• Supplies

• Contractual

• Construction

• Other direct costs

• Indirect costs

• Total amount requested

c. There should be no attachments, other than the budget summary (Excel) and SF-

424 documents, to the concept note submission.

d. To be considered for PRM funding, organizations must submit a complete application package including:

• 4-page concept note (or 5-page concept note for consortia).

• One-page budget summary (Excel) clearly indicating costs disaggregated by year for the program period. The budget summary does not count against overall page limits.

• Signed and completed SF-424, SF-424 A, and SF-424 B. These documents do not count against the page limit.

o Note: If the applicant organization has an active registration in SAM.gov that was either created or updated on or after February 2, 2019, then the applicant does NOT need to submit the SF-424B as they will be prompted to complete the representations and certifications in

SAM.gov.

C. Consortia:

Organizations may apply to this call as individual organizations or consortia: however, for consortia, one organization must be designated as the lead applicant at both the concept note and full proposal stage.

For purposes of consortia applying for PRM funding, PRM’s considers consortium to be a group of no less than three NGOs that comprise an agreement, combination, or group formed to undertake, or proposing to undertake, an assistance activity beyond the resources of any one member. PRM may request to review and approve of substantive provisions of proposed sub-awards.

Applicants may form consortia in order to bring together organizations with varied expertise to propose a comprehensive program in one proposal. The consortium arrangement may allow for greater geographic coverage, inclusion of technical and sectoral strengths from multiple organizations, increased inclusion of local and national organizations, and/or the potential of much greater impact through collaboration.

Submissions by organizations as part of a consortium do not count toward an organization’s individual submission limit. If the applicant is applying as a consortium, a description of how the consortia will be organized and how lines of authority and decision-making will be managed across all team members and between the lead applicant and associate awardees should be included in the concept note. The prime applicant would be responsible for overall implementation of the proposed program activities, preparation/presentation of annual work plans, M&E planning, and required reporting to PRM. The prime applicant should designate a single individual to be the liaison with PRM, although

PRM would reserve the right to communicate with sub-grantees.

Organizations may retrieve copies of all PRM-recommended templates and NGO guidelines on PRM’s website.

D. Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) Number and System for Award Management

(SAM).

Note: On April 4, 2022, the formerly used DUNS Number was replaced by the

System for Award Management (SAM.gov) UEI. For more information on the process, visit GSA's website on the UEI transition.

Each applicant is required to:

• be registered in SAM before submitting its application.

https://www.gsa.gov/about-us/organization/federal-acquisition-service/office-of-systems-management/integrated-award-environment-iae/iae-systems-information-kit/unique-entity-identifier-update http://www.sam.gov/

• provide a valid UEI number in its application; and

• continue to maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which it has an active PRM award or an application or plan under consideration by PRM.

No federal award may be made to an applicant until the applicant has complied with all applicable UEI and SAM requirements and, if an applicant has not fully complied with the requirements by the time the PRM award is ready to be made, PRM may determine that the applicant is not qualified to receive a PRM award and use that determination as a basis for making a PRM award to another applicant.

E. Concept notes must be submitted via Grants.gov. Grants.gov registration requires a UEI number and active SAM.gov registration. If you are new to PRM funding, the Grants.gov registration process can be complicated. We urge you to refer to PRM’s General NGO Guidelines “Application Process” section for information and resources to help ensure that the application process runs smoothly. PRM also strongly encourages organizations that have received funding from PRM in the past to read this section as a refresher. Applicants may also refer to the “For Applicants” page on Grants.gov for complete details on requirements.

Do not wait until the deadline to attempt to submit your application on

Grants.gov. Organizations not registered with Grants.gov should register well in advance of the deadline as it can take several weeks to finalize registration

(sometimes longer for non-U.S.-based NGOs to receive required registration numbers). We also recommend that organizations, particularly first-time applicants, submit applications via Grants.gov no later than one week before the deadline to avoid last-minute technical difficulties that could result in an https://www.grants.gov/applicants/grant-applications/how-to-apply-for-grants application not being considered. PRM has extremely limited ability to correct or facilitate rapid resolution to technical difficulties associated with grants.gov, SAM.gov or UEI number and registration issues. PRM partners must maintain an active SAM registration with current and correct information at all times during which they have an active federal award or an application under consideration by

PRM or any federal agency.

When registering with Grants.gov, organizations must designate points of contact and Authorized Organization Representatives (AORs). Please note that as of

December 2022, organizations based outside of the United States that do not intend to apply for U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) awards are no longer required to have a NATO CAGE (NCAGE) code to apply for non-DoD foreign assistance funding opportunities. If an applicant organization is mid-registration and wishes to remove an NCAGE code from their sam.gov registration, the applicant should submit a help desk ticket (“incident”) with the Federal Service

Desk (FSD) online to seek guidance on how to do so. Applicants experiencing technical difficulties with the SAM registration process should contact the Federal

Service Desk (FSD) online or at 1-866-606-8220 (U.S.) and 1-334-206-7828

(International).

Applications must be submitted under the authority of the Authorized

Organization Representative at the applicant organization. Having proposals submitted by agency headquarters helps to avoid possible technical problems.

If you encounter technical difficulties with Grants.gov please contact the

Grants.gov Help Desk at support@grants.gov or by calling 1-800-518-4726.

http://www.grants.gov/ https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp/?id=gsa_landing https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp/?id=gsa_landing https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp/?id=gsa_landing https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp/?id=gsa_landing mailto:support@grants.gov

Applicants who are unable to submit applications via Grants.gov due to

Grants.gov technical difficulties and:

• who have reported the problem to the Grants.gov help desk.

• received a case number.

• have completed UEI and SAM.gov registrations

• and had a documented service request opened to research the problem.

Applicants may contact the PRM NGO Coordinator before the submission deadline to determine whether an alternative method of submission is appropriate. PRM makes no guarantee to accept an application outside of the grants.gov system.

It is the responsibility of each applicant to ensure the appropriate registrations are in place and active. Failure to have the appropriate organizational registrations in place or are experiencing issues resulting from discrepancies across registration platforms is not considered a technical difficulty and is not justification for an alternate means of submission.

F. Submission Dates and Times.

• Announcement issuance date: Monday, December 4, 2023

• Proposal submission deadline: Tuesday, January 9, 2024 at 11:59:59 p.m.

(23:59:59) EST. Concept Notes submitted after this deadline will not be considered.

• This solicitation is the first step in a two-part process. After reviewing concept notes, PRM will invite selected organizations to expand their submissions into full-length proposals with detailed budgets. Selected organizations will have 30 calendar days after they are notified of their selection to complete their full proposals.

G. Intergovernmental Review:

Not Applicable

H. Funding Restrictions:

Federal awards will not allow reimbursement of Federal Award costs without prior authorization by PRM.

I. Other Submission Requirements.

• Branding and Marking Strategy

The following provisions will be included whenever assistance is awarded:

“The Recipient shall recognize the United States Government’s funding for activities specified under this award at the project site with a graphic of the

U.S. flag accompanied by one of the following two phrases based on the level of funding for the award:

o Fully funded by the award: “Gift of the United States Government” o Partially funded by the award: “Funding provided by the United States

Government”

PRM highly encourages recognition of U.S. government funding on social media and website platforms to be included in proposals branding and marking strategy. Recipients should tag PRM’s Twitter account @StatePRM and/or Facebook account @State.PRM (rather than using hashtags).

Additionally, the applicable U.S. Embassy should be tagged as well.”

Updates of actions taken to fulfill this requirement must be included in quarterly program reports to PRM.

All programs, projects, assistance, activities, and public communications to foreign audiences, partially or fully funded by the Department, must be marked appropriately overseas with the standard U.S. flag in a size and prominence equal to (or greater than) any other logo or identity. The requirement does not apply to the Recipient’s own corporate communications or in the United States.

The Recipient must appropriately ensure that all publicity and promotional materials underscore the sponsorship by or partnership with the U.S.

government or the U.S. embassy. The Recipient may continue to use existing logos or project materials; however, a standard rectangular U.S. flag must be used in conjunction with such logos.

Do not use the Department of State seal without the express written approval from PRM.

Sub non-Federal entities (sub-awardees) and subsequent tier sub-award agreements are subject to the marking requirements and the non-Federal entity shall include a provision in the sub non-Federal entity agreement indicating that the standard, rectangular U.S. flag is a requirement.

Exemptions from this requirement may be allowable but must be agreed to in writing by the Grants Officer. (Note: An exemption refers to the complete or partial cessation of branding, not use of alternative branding). Requests should be initiated with the Grants Officer and Grants Officer Representative.

Waivers issued are applied only to the exemptions requested through the

Recipient’s proposal for funding and any subsequent negotiated revisions.

In the event the non-Federal entity does not comply with the marking requirements as established in the approved assistance agreement, the

Grants Officer Representative and the Grants Officer must initiate corrective action with the non-Federal entity.

Assistance Award Provision – SPOT:

The following provisions will be included in the Bureau specific component of the

Notice of Award for performance in a designated combat area (Iraq and

Afghanistan). Recipients are required to include this provision in any sub-grant awards or agreements.

SPECIAL PROVISION FOR PERFORMANCE IN A DESIGNATED COMBAT AREA

The Recipient must report and account for all employees, subrecipient personnel, and contract personnel working under grants or cooperative agreements working in contingency operations outside the United States that involve combat operations. The database to collect this information, called the Synchronized Pre-

Deployment Operational Tracker (SPOT), is managed by the Department of

Defense

In coordination with the Grants Officer and Grants Officer Representative, the

Recipient generally provides this information to the Department of State SPOT

Program Manager (AQMops@state.gov). The Department SPOT Program Manager enters information provided by the Recipient directly into the SPOT system.

mailto:AQMops@state.gov

For Recipients with personnel who are NOT performing private security functions and who do not need access to U.S. government support or facilities:

Personnel, including U.S. citizens, third country nationals, and local personnel, are accounted for anonymously, in aggregate.

The Recipient will request an aggregate count template from the Grants Officer or

Grants Officer Representative, or directly from the SPOT Program Manager

(AQMops@state.gov). The recipient will complete the template and return the completed form to the Grants Officer/ Grants Officer Representative or SPOT

Program Manager.

The Recipient is responsible for updating the aggregate count every quarter by providing updated information via the “Aggregate Count” template to SPOT

Program Manager for each SPOT award.

For Recipients with personnel who ARE performing a private security function;

require access to U.S. government support, facilities, or services; or who may be eligible for special refugee or immigration status under U.S. regulation:

The personnel funded under that award must be entered into SPOT individually with all required personal information.

The Recipient must enter this information into the SPOT database directly. Unlike the aggregate count process, the Department’s SPOT Program Manager does not enter this information into SPOT on behalf of the Recipient.

The Recipient starts the process by registering for an account in SPOT by contacting the SPOT help desk.

mailto:AQMops@state.gov https://spot.dmdc.mil/

Note: Recipients utilizing armed private security personnel, whether employed directly or via contract, are required to adhere to post policies and procedures regarding private security contractors. As specific post policies and procedures differ in scope and applicability, the Recipient is advised to review post policies carefully and direct any questions to the embassy Regional Security Office through the Grants Officer or Grants Officer Representative.

In addition, the Recipient is reminded that only the Grants Officer has the authority to modify this Notice of Award. Recipients shall proceed with any security guidance provided by the Regional Security Officer; however, the Recipient must advise the

Grants Officer and Grants Officer Representative of the guidance received and any

Applicant Vetting as a Condition of Award (Afghanistan, Iraq, Lebanon, Pakistan, and Syria): Applicants are advised that successful passing of vetting to evaluate the risk that funds may benefit terrorists, or their supporters is a condition of award.

Vetting information is also required for all subaward performance on assistance awards identified by DOS as presenting a risk of terrorist financing. Applicants may be asked to submit Risk Analysis Information about their company and its key personnel via the secure RAM web portal. If vetting is required, the RAM Team will contact applicants directly via email and instruct them on how to enter their data via the Secure Portal. Once a user is logged on to the Portal, there are links to help users input the required information. Failure to submit information when requested, or failure to pass vetting, may be grounds for rejecting your proposal.

Recipient Vetting After Award: Recipients shall advise the Grants Officer of any changes in personnel listed in the DS Form 4184, Risk Analysis Information, via the secure RAM web portal, and shall provide vetting information on new individuals.

https://ramportal.state.gov/ https://ramportal.state.gov/

The government reserves the right to vet these personnel changes and to terminate assistance awards for convenience based on vetting results.

Application Review Information

Criteria

Eligible submissions will be those that comply with the criteria and requirements included in this announcement. In addition, the review panel will evaluate the concept notes based on the following criteria, in addition to a ranking of High/Medium/Low priority:

• Quality of program idea (20 points)

• Appropriate identification of beneficiary population, including vulnerable populations (10 points)

• Program feasibility/ability to achieve objectives (10 points)

• Organization’s experience and capacity (5 points)

• Budget (5 points)

PRM will conduct a formal competitive review of all concept notes submitted in response to this funding announcement. A review panel of at least three people will evaluate submissions based on the above-referenced programmatic criteria and PRM priorities in the context of available funding.

After reviewing the concept notes, selected organizations will be invited to submit full proposals. PRM will provide formal notifications to NGOs of final decisions within 90 days after the closing date of this announcement. Selected organizations will have 30 calendar days from notification to submit full proposals, with detailed budgets, and attachments as applicable (refer to PRM’s General NGO Guidelines for general proposal formatting and submission guidance for single-year/multi-year programs).

Prior to making a Federal award with a total amount of Federal share greater than the simplified acquisition threshold, PRM is required to review and consider any information about the applicant that is in the U.S. government designated integrity and performance system accessible through SAM.gov (see 41 U.S.C. 2313);

An applicant, at its option, may review and comment on any information about itself that a Federal awarding agency previously entered. Currently, federal agencies create integrity records in the integrity module of the Contractor Performance Assessment and Reporting System (CPARS) and these records are visible as responsibility/qualification records in SAM.gov;

The Federal awarding agency will consider any comments by the applicant, in addition to the other information in the designated integrity and performance system, in making a judgment about the applicant's integrity, business ethics, and record of performance under Federal awards when completing the review of risk posed by applicants as described in §200.206 Federal awarding agency review of risk posed by applicants.

Federal Award Administration Information

A. Federal Award Administration. A successful applicant can expect to receive a separate notice from PRM stating that an application has been selected before

PRM makes the federal award. That notice is not an authorization to begin performance. Only the notice of award signed by the Grants Officer is the authorizing document. Unsuccessful applicants will be notified following completion of the selection and award process.

https://www.state.gov/j/prm/funding/c78352.htm

B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements. PRM awards are made consistent with the following provisions in the following order of precedence: (a) applicable laws and statutes of the United States, including any specific legislative provisions mandated in the statutory authority for the award; (b) Code of Federal

Regulations (CFR); (c) Department of State Standard Terms and Conditions of the award; (d) the award’s specific requirements; and (e) other documents and attachments to the award.

C. Reporting. Successful applicants will be required to submit:

a. Program Reports: PRM requires program reports describing and analyzing the results of activities undertaken during the validity period of the agreement. A program report is required within thirty (30) days following the end of each three-month period of performance during the validity period of the agreement. The final program report is due one hundred and twenty (120) days following the end of the agreement. The submission dates for program reports will be written into the cooperative agreement. Partners receiving multi-year awards should follow this same reporting schedule and should still submit a final program report at the end of each year that summarizes the

NGO’s performance during the previous year.

The Bureau suggests that NGOs receiving PRM funding use the PRM recommended quarterly program report template (also used for final reports).

The suggested PRM NGO reporting template is designed to ease the reporting requirements while ensuring that all required elements are addressed. The template can be retrieved on PRM’s website.

b. Financial Reports: Financial reports are required within thirty (30) days following the end of each calendar year quarter during the validity period of the agreement (January 30th, April 30th, July 30th, October 30th). The final financial report covering the entire period of the agreement is required within one hundred and twenty (120) days after the expiration date of the agreement. For agreements containing indirect costs, final financial reports are due within sixty (60) days of the finalization of the applicable negotiated indirect cost rate agreement (NICRA).

Reports reflecting expenditures for the recipient’s overseas and United States offices should be completed in accordance with the Federal Financial Report

(FFR SF-425) and submitted electronically in the Department of Health and

Human Services’ Payment Management System (HHS/PMS) and in accordance with other award specific requirements. Detailed information pertaining to the

Federal Financial Report including due dates, instruction manuals and access forms, is provided on the HHS/PMS website.

c. Audit Reports: When a recipient-contracted audit is not required because the

Federal award amount is less than the $750,000 threshold, the Department may determine that an audit must be performed, and the audit report must be submitted to the responsible grants office(r) for review, dissemination, and resolution as appropriate. The cost of audits required under this policy may be charged either as an allowable direct cost to the award or included in the organizations established indirect costs in the award’s detailed budget.

https://pms.psc.gov/

PRM Points of Contact

Applicants with technical questions related to this announcement should contact the

PRM staff listed below prior to submission. Please note that responses to technical questions from PRM do not indicate a commitment to fund the program discussed.

• PRM Program Office: PRM-EAP-SCA-API@state.gov

• Regional Refugee Coordinator: Cody Swyer, swyercw@state.gov, Afghanistan

Affairs Unit, Doha, Qatar

Section 508

(a) Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794d), as amended by the Workforce Investment Act of 1998, charges the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (US Access Board) with developing and promulgating standards address that access to information and communication technology (ICT) Accessibility Standards (36 CFR part 1194). Section 508 requires that when Federal agencies develop, procure, maintain, or use ICT. Federal employees with disabilities have access to and use of information and data that is comparable to the access and use by Federal employees who are not individuals with disabilities, unless an undue burden would be imposed on the agency. Section 508 also requires that individuals with disabilities, who are members of the public seeking information or services from a Federal agency, have access to and use of information and data that is comparable to that provided to the public who are not individuals with disabilities, unless an undue burden would be imposed on the agency. These standards are part of the Federal Acquisition Regulation. The complete text of the Section 508 Final Provisions can be accessed at https://www.access-board.gov/ict/.

(b) The Section 508 accessibility standards applicable to this contract or order are identified in the following paragraph. If it is determined by the Government that ICT supplies and services provided by the Contractor do not conform to the described accessibility standards in the contract, remediation of the supplies or services to the level of conformance specified in the contract will be the responsibility of the Contractor at its own expense.

mailto:swyercw@state.gov https://www.access-board.gov/ict/

(c) The Section 508 standards applicable to this contract are: 1194.

205 WCAG 2.0 Level A & AA Success Criteria 302 Functional Performance Criteria 502 Inoperability with Assistive Technology 504 Authoring Tools 602 Support Documentation 603 Support Services

(d) In the event of a modification(s) to this contract or order, which adds new ICT supplies or services or revises the type of, or specifications for, supplies or services, the Contracting Officer may require that the contractor submit a completed Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT) 2.4 or greater, 508 revision (Rev 508) or another format approved by the Department, and any other additional information necessary to assist the Government in determining that the ICT supplies or services conform to Section 508 accessibility standards. If it is determined by the Government that ICT supplies and services provided by the Contractor do not conform to the described accessibility standards in the contract, remediation of the supplies or services to the level of conformance specified in the contract will be the responsibility of the Contractor at its own expense. Information about VPAT can be accessed at https://www.itic.org/policy/accessibility/vpat.

(e) If this is an Indefinite Delivery contract, a Blanket Purchase Agreement or a Basic Ordering Agreement, the task/delivery order requests that include ICT supplies or services will define the specifications and accessibility standards for the order. In those cases, the Contractor may be required to provide a completed VPAT and any other additional information necessary to assist the Government in determining that the ICT supplies or services conform to Section 508 accessibility standards.

Disclaimer

External websites linked above may not be supported or accessible by all web browsers. If you are unable to link to a referenced website, please try using a different https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.itic.org%2Fpolicy%2Faccessibility%2Fvpat&data=05%7C01%7CBejuneBJ%40state.gov%7C1b18701488904e913fc108dbf0284c66%7C66cf50745afe48d1a691a12b2121f44b%7C0%7C0%7C638367828087230150%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=RIAuzUrUPuequff4sYPt72BVX%2FmShODzQQw46CRNdi0%3D&reserved=0 browser or update to a more recent one. If you continue to experience difficulties to reach external resources, please contact the PRM NGO Coordinator.

mailto:PRMNGOCoordinator@state.gov