Balkans NOFO Questions 07252019.docx

BUREAU OF CONFLICT AND STABILIZATION OPERATIONS

Anticipating, Preventing, and Responding to Conflict Political Instability Risks in the Western Balkans – SFOP005987 Clarifing Questions

BUREAU OF CONFLICT AND STABILIZATION OPERATIONS

1. Could CSO provide any examples of the types of tools that it envisions for the diplomatic toolkit? Possible example: dashboard that helps quickly organize and visualize data, produces an output that will help diplomats conceptualize the scope of an issue or that will inform targeted interventions/responses/messages. Encourage potential implementer to think creatively and proactively in their proposals, highlighting their organization’s capacities.

2. Does CSO envision the data hub(s) to be primarily or exclusively digital? Envision data to be primarily digital to facilitate sharing, but other forms of complimentary data may be considered.

3. Can CSO please confirm whether the $1,323,250 amount available for this opportunity covers both themes 1 and 2? If applicants decide to cover only one theme, does CSO have suggestions on the specific amount of funding that applicants should apply for? $1,323,250 is the total amount of funding available for this opportunity. This opportunity may result in multiple awards, a single award, or no awards across one or both themes. CSO does not have a suggested funding level. Requested funding should be commensurate with the scope of the proposed work.

4. Given the need to work with local organizations, particularly under theme 1, how will CSO secure and protect data provided through this project, particularly in light of local groups who may have concerns about U.S. government involvement in project activities and the use and application of the tools developed through this program? CSO, together with the chosen implementer, will work closely with the regional embassies to mitigate concerns and be responsive to sensitivities on the ground in order to ensure project data and participants are properly protected.

5. Can CSO please provide the Financial Management Survey (referenced on p2 of the PSI)? The announcement has been updated to include this document.

6. Can CSO please confirm that the Data Collection and Reporting Plan (referenced on p13 of the NOFO) can be part of the Logic Model/PMP? Can CSO please provide any additional explanations or template for Data Collection and Reporting Plan? This should be a separate document. There is no specific template. The plan can be described as a narrative in a word document. Please reference the “Data Collection Guidance” document in the announcement for more information.

7. Can CSO please confirm that the Performance Monitoring and Evaluation Plan (referenced on p11 of the NOFO) is to be included as an attachment? Applicants should submit a completed Logic Model/Performance Monitoring Plan excel sheet as an attachment to their submission. The Performance Monitoring and Evaluation Plan is a separate document, which will be developed by the successful applicant after an award has been issued.

8. On p1 of the NOFO, the stated ceiling amount is $1,323,250. On p7 of the NOFO, the stated ceiling amount is $1,133,650. Can CSO please provide the correct ceiling amount for this opportunity and clarify if the stated ceiling amount is for multiple awards collectively or per award? $1,323,250 (see #3)

9. On p2 of the NOFO, the program duration is stated to be 18 months. Can CSO please clarify if there is some flexibility with regards to the stated program duration? In addition, on p2, the NOFO states the anticipated program start date of October 1, 2019, however it also states that successful applicants will be notified “within approximately nine to twelve weeks of the closing of this announcement.” That would put the start date anywhere from October 18th - November 8th, 2019. As such, could CSO please confirm the anticipated start date for the program? 9-12 weeks is the standard window of time we typically expect to notify successful applicants. In this case, we anticipate notification will happen much quicker based on proximity to the end of the fiscal year. Similarly, October 1, 2019 is a target start date, but the exact date of the award may be different and activities might begin on a different date.

10. On p5 of the NOFO, CSO states that the selected implementer must be “working with U.S. government partners and others.” Can CSO please provide more specificity as to who this would include? The U.S. interagency, host governments, regional missions, and local partners. Specific actors may depend on the nature of the activities proposed.

11. Can CSO please clarify whether the proposed “unclassified data hubs” (referenced on p5) would be made accessible to CSO, its U.S. government partners and others, or for a larger audience? Can CSO please provide clarity and define what they envision the “data hubs” to be and their functionality? Implementer should strive to make data as shareable as possible – with CSO, host governments, USG partners, and the public. By “data hubs,” we generally mean data sets or a tool/mechanism that centralizes multiple disparate data sets.

12. Can CSO please share any existing databases that the offerors should be aware of to avoid duplication? We place the onus on the applicant to understand the landscape.

13. Can CSO please confirm that the Project Objectives and Activities (referenced on p6 of the NOFO) are illustrative? That’s correct. They are illustrative.

14. For the proposed scope of work, can CSO please clarify if the implementers’ work will fall under the Chief of Mission authority? Yes. Implementers’ work would fall under Chief of Mission authority.

15. On pg2 of the NOFO, it says responses to questions will be posted online. Can CSO please clarify if responses will be posted on SAMS Domestic or www.grants.gov? Both.

16. What specific aspects of “outside interference” or Chinese “influence” should applicants focus on? These are broad issues, with numerous possibilities. The NOFO provides some examples of the types of information that could be of benefit. Encourage potential implementers to think creatively and proactively in their proposals, highlighting their organization’s capacities and how they are positioned to address a particular issue.

17. How important is it for proposed projects to cover all countries of the Western Balkans? Applicants should strive to be as representative as possible and provide detailed justification why a particular Western Balkan country or countries would be excluded.

18. On page 6, under Theme #1 Election Interference, the NOFO’s examples of activities start with: Design and conduct surveys to measure external malign influence, to include disinformation attempts and foreign financial influence. In the last two years, various U.S. and EU organizations have conducted reliable public opinion surveys that have included questions related to public’s perception of EU, NATO, the U.S. and Russia, as well as citizens’ trust in various institutions, including the media. In view of this fact, could the CSO elaborate on the expected outcome for this new survey? In addition, is the survey expected to be quantitative or qualitative? Both quantitative and qualitative survey data will be considered, although emphasis should be placed on quantitative data. New data need not be limited to public perceptions/sentiment analysis, but could systematically document instances of disinformation attempts or map financial linkages. Encourage potential implementers to think creatively and proactively in their proposals, highlighting their organization’s capacities.

19. On pages 5 and 6 of the NOFO, which concerns the “#1 Election Theme, there is a requirement that "an unclassified analytic platform for prediction and counter-messaging campaigns” be produced by grantee. Can CSO please clarify what is meant by "unclassified?" Is the platform required to be open source and non-proprietary? Can CSO please clarify its expectations regarding the platform? Implementer retains proprietary rights, but should strive to make data as shareable as possible – with CSO, host governments, USG partners, and the public.

UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED

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