CTR Wide Q &A document posted 27 Nov.pdf

CTR Wide Q &A document that will be posted along with the other NOFO documents every Friday until 10 Jan 2025.

Multiple NOFOs

Q: How does CTR want implementers to submit questions that are related to all the NOFOs the process in general? Submit to one NOFO POC and flag as a general issue? Submit to multiple NOFO POCs if applying to multiple NOFOs? Submit to the budget team distro group?

A: Please send all questions to the email identified on the NOFO and the CTR Budget Team email (isn-ctr-budget@state.gov). If the question is not NOFO specific, please contact the CTR Budget Team email (isn-ctr-budget@state.gov).

Q: Does CTR intend on revising the NOFOs to include a clear statement of budget caps per proposal?

A: Preferred project size may vary by NOFO. CTR will review documents and update the NOFO posting if necessary.

Q: For the monitoring and evaluation section of the NOFO does this need to be filled out per project or per proposal?

A: Please refer to the NOFO for guidance on if proposal documents should proposal wide or project specific. Please include a one-page Monitoring and Evaluation Narrative per project. If you are proposing multiple projects and narrative would be the identical for all projects only submit one narrative document and identify all the projects, it applies to. For the Monitoring and Evaluation Plan/Tracker please submit one document with a unique tab for each project proposed.

Q: The NOFO says that proposals should be submitted in 14 point font, but the template is 12. Which should we use?

A: All proposals documents should be submitted in 14 point font.

Q: Are private institutions from outside of the United States with experience in developing technological solutions in both software and hardware for companies and society eligible to participate?

A: Yes, private institutions from outside of the United States are eligible to participate. Please see the NOFO instructions posted with this announcement on the focus areas, how proposals will be reviewed, and conditions for submission.

mailto:isn-ctr-budget@state.gov mailto:isn-ctr-budget@state.gov

Q: What are CTR’s NOFOs and where can they be found?

A: Here is the full listing of active CTR NOFOs posted on Grants.gov.

NOFO Title NOFO #

Build Partner Resilience to Counter Proliferator State Hybrid Threats in the Nonproliferation Arena DFOP0016984

Countering Proliferator State Advanced Conventional Weapons Proliferation DFOP0016985

Advancing Nuclear Safety, Security, and Nonproliferation through the FIRST Program DFOP0016986

Build Partner Capabilities to Protect Semiconductor and CHIPS Technology DFOP0016987

Build Partner Capabilities to Protect Critical Advanced and Emerging Technologies DFOP0016988

Build Partner Capabilities to Counter Global Biological Threats DFOP0016989

Building Partner Capacity to Counter Chemical Weapons Threats DFOP0016990

8 Countering WMD and UAS Threats in Iraq DFOP0016991

Build Partner Capabilities to Counter the Russian Federation’s Chemical and Biological Threats DFOP0016992

Countering the Russian Federation’s Sanctions Evasion Activities DFOP0016993

11 Nonproliferation Scientist Engagement Program DFOP0016994

Countering DPRK and Iran’s WMD, UAS, and Missile Proliferation DFOP0016995

Q: I was looking to get info on what it is for or what the money is intended to be used for? What exactly the extent of the grant is for? Is the grant at all for profit individual companies? Also etc. so on and so forth on rules and regulations?

A: This information is included in the NOFO guidance document.

Q: May I have more information regarding this NOFO; I am not able to open it.

A: It is not clear which NOFO is being requested. All NOFO materials can be found on www.grants.gov:

https://www.grants.gov/

Q: Do we need to be Fedramp compliant?

A: If necessary to complete your proposed work.

Q: Can you confirm the due date for the proposal is January 17th?

A: The due date for each NOFO is included in the posting.

Q: Would you be able to break down the timeline from January 17th onward? Is there an established date to have all vendors selected by?

A: The proposal review process is included in the NOFO posting.

Q: If our proposal was accepted, when would the training take place?

A: Not before 1 Oct 2025.

Q: Our organization is interested in a few solicitations that are currently active.

However, I've tried many times to sign up for a MyGrants account in order to read the full announcement, to no avail. Would you be able to share the electronic copy of the full announcement for the following funding opportunities?

Q: I recently obtained a Grant Writing Certification, and I would like to be considered as a Peer Reviewer for this grant.

A: Interested organizations are welcome to apply for funding under this NOFO.

CTR is not seeking applications for peer reviewers under this NOFO.

Q:The NOFO and CTR Wide Q&A Document state that we should submit one timeline per proposal package. The provided template indicates that we should insert the project title on Line 4. If we are submitting three projects for one NOFO, should we create a separate sheet for each project at the bottom of the Excel, since objectives and activities will be project-specific? Or is CTR expecting applicants to submit just one timeline that covers all projects in a more generic way?

A: Please submit one timeline per proposal. The timeline template allows for multiple tabs, you can use one tab per project or roll all projects on to one tab.

Q: The NOFO and CTR Wide Q&A Document state that we should submit one Racial Equity and Underserved Communities Analysis (REUCA) document per proposal package. This analysis may vary by region/country. If we are submitting three projects in different regions or countries under one proposal, should we provide a more generic analysis that covers all the regions or countries included in our application?

A: Please submit a REUCA that meets the requirements identified in the NOFO and is complete and thorough as possible.

Q: Following your call for project applications for the Fight against the proliferation of advanced conventional weapons by proliferating States of the Department of State of the Bureau of International Security and Non- Proliferation, as a member of the United Nations Development Program in Côte d'Ivoire, are we eligible.

A: Organizations from outside of the United States are eligible to participate.

Please see the NOFO instructions posted with this announcement on the focus areas, how proposals will be reviewed, and conditions for submission.

DFOP0016987

DFOP0016988

A: The full announcements can be viewed under the “Related Documents” tab of the posted NOFOs.

Q: I wanted to clarify a something within the NOFO it asks for 14-point Calibri font to be used for applications, but within the optional DEIA section it asks for 12-point Calibri font, also the font size within the narrative template is 12-point. I wanted to check that 14-point is the correct size as this affects the word count that we can use.

A: All proposals documents should be submitted in 14 point font.

CSP NOFO (DFOP0016990)

Q: The pdf of the NOFO, states “Total Funding Ceiling: $4,000,000” and $30 million is not mentioned anywhere in the document. What is the actual amount available?

A: Please see updated NOFO Synopsis information for projected funding ceiling.

Q: If it is $30 million, is the intent to give less implementers a larger award over multiple projects? Or, is the intent to give up to $5 million for one project? Or, some combination there within.

A: Please see updated NOFO Synopsis information for projected award values.

Q: Is there a limitation on the total number of applications you will allow from an institution/implementer as a whole or from each campus (if applicable to the implementing organization)?

A: There is not a limitation on the number of projects that can be submitted as part of the proposal. Implementers should submit only one proposal per NOFO.

Iraq NOFO (DFOP0016991) & BEP NOFO (DFOP0016989)

Q: We would appreciate any guidance on our eligibility to participate in this opportunity to provide medicines, aligning with our mission to support high-quality healthcare.

A: We do not focus on providing healthcare support to our partners. Please review the NOFO Objectives section for more information on our programming priorities.

Iraq NOFO (DFOP0016991)

Q: Would there be an interest in pursuing a chemical security train-the-trainer workshops for the Iraqi Kurdistan Region (IKR), and if so, is CTR interested in in-person engagement only or would remote fellowships and/or train-the-trainer mentoring be of interest?

A: We will still be focusing on chemical security work for FY25 and hope to continue to work with the IKR in this space, so proposals on this LOE are encouraged. Remote fellowship or mentoring programs are not a top priority for CTR this year, but will certainly be considered as part of a larger project to ensure sustainability if it meets the NOFO objectives.

Q: We would appreciate guidance on eligibility to provide land based CUAS assets for consideration.

A: CTR is not interested in providing CUAS assets to our partners. Please review the NOFO Objectives section for more information on our programming priorities.

Protect Critical Advanced and Emerging Technologies NOFO (DFOP0016988) Q: We had a question about the funding ceiling and anticipated number of awards to be issued under DFOP0016988. From the NOFO, the funding ceiling is listed as $30,000,000 with the number of anticipated awards listed at five.

Going off this, is CMET looking for single proposals in the millions of dollars range, or will lower proposal funding amounts (say in the 250k-500k range) be competitive as well?

A: Proposals under $500,000 will be competitive.

Advancing Nuclear Security, Safety, and Nonproliferation through the FIRST Program (DFOP0016986) Q: I wonder if the country/region not listed in the call can be eligible. For example, Taiwan is interested in pursuing SMR and [IMPLEMENTER] plans to work with NARI (a national lab in Taiwan). I am not sure if this call will fit to this purpose.

A: We are not seeking proposals engaging Taiwan under this NOFO.

Q. North Carolina State University will lead the proposal and our academic partner in Bulgaria will be the Sofia University. Is it allowable for Sofia University to be supported by this type of award?

A. Yes.

Q. If yes what kind of expenses could be supported for Sofia University?

A. Please follow the subrecipient budget template, published as part of the NOFO package.

Q. Which type of award supports this better - Grant; Cooperative Agreement;

IAA?

A. North Carolina State University should list Sofia University as a subrecipient.

Q: We are considering proposing two projects to this NOFO one active industry personnel and the other targeting students. Do you think either of these projects would be of interest to FIRST and possibly be funded under this DFOP0016986 Grant?

A: ASME is welcome to submit these proposals. Please review the NOFO Objectives section for more information on our programming priorities.

Build Partner Capabilities to Protect Semiconductor and CHIPS Technology

(DFOP0016987)

Q: We had a question about the funding ceiling and anticipated number of awards to be issued under DFOP0016987. From the NOFO, the funding ceiling is listed as $30,000,000 with the number of anticipated awards listed at five.

Going off this, is the CHIPS team looking for single proposals in the millions of dollars range, or will lower proposal funding amounts (say in the 250k-500k range) be competitive as well?

A: Proposals under $500,000 will be competitive.

Q: Is there a technical point of contact who is available to meet to discuss the opportunity?

A: CTR will not be accept meetings to discuss potential proposals or provide additional information on the goal of the NOFO.

Q: We have protype technology that can help secure IP. Would this type of work be of interest for this opportunity? Is there a technical point of contact who is available to meet to discuss the opportunity?

A: CTR is insisted is receiving proposals that meet the goals and objectives identified in the NOFO. CTR will not be meeting with any potential implanters to discuss the details of their proposal before the NOFO closes.

Build Partner Capabilities to Counter Global Biological Threats [BEP] NOFO

(DFOP0016989)

Q: Section D.2.9: The embedded link to the first reference file in the ‘Psychosocial Assistance’ section does not work. It returns an ‘Error – Page Not Found’ message. Will CTR please provide the correct link?

A: The document has been updated

Q: I was reviewing the NOFO and am wondering if there is a current requirement for these services that I could review to better understand the work or if this is considered a new effort for the customer office?

A: There is no current requirement to apply to this NOFO and we welcome new implementers to apply to our NOFO. Please see the NOFO listing for eligibility criteria and the focus areas, how proposals will be reviewed, and conditions for submission.

Q: Kazakhstan is listed in the NOFO (Section A.2. Problem Statement) but not in the region SCA's CTR BEP implementer slides. Is Kazakhstan a priority country for

CTR BEP?

A: Kazakhstan was not listed as a priority country for BEP on the implementer’s slides; however, we welcome impactful, sustainability proposals for Kazakhstan that address priorities listed in our NOFO.

Q: Is there a limitation on the total number of applications you will allow from an institution/implementer as a whole or from each campus (if applicable to the implementing organization)?

A: There is not a limitation on the number of projects that can be submitted as part of the proposal. Implementers should submit only one proposal per NOFO.

Build Partner Capabilities to Counter the Russian Federation’s Chemical and Biological Threats NOFO (DFOP0016992)

Countering the Russian Federation’s Sanctions Evasion Activities (DFOP0016993)

Q: On page 15 of the NOFO, ISN stipulates that “each proposal package will include one of the following documents that incorporate information on all proposed projects” for the Executive Summary, Timeline, Racial Equity and Underserved Communities Analysis, Security Plan, Contingency Plan, and CVs/resumes for each standalone project. To meet the specific challenges and opportunities of each proposed project, can ISN clarify whether applicants may submit multiple, project-specific Executive Summaries, Timelines, Racial Equity and Underserved Communities Analyses, Security Plans, Contingency Plans, and CVs/resumes for each proposed project?

A: No do not submit multiple SF-424, SF-424A, SF-424B (Optional), SF-LLL, Cover Page/Executive Summary, Security Plan, Contingency Plan, Timeline, and Racial Equity and Underserved Communities Analysis documents. Please only include one of each document per proposal.

Q: Can ISN clarify what constitutes a “standalone project”? Under Section A.3 Project Goal, ISN lists 20 Objectives under 5 categories. Does ISN consider each of these 20 Objectives to be a “standalone project”, or can applicants combine multiple objectives in one standalone project to increase efficiency and sustainability and build on linkages between objectives?

A: ISN/CTR is looking to fund projects that can tackle one or multiple objectives.

Q: ISN lists the total funding ceiling as $19,500,000 – can ISN clarify what the ceiling is for each standalone project?

A: The total funding ceiling for individual projects depends on the NOFO.

Q: Can ISN please clarify the maximum page limits for the Proposal Narrative? Section D of the NOFO limits applicants to a maximum 3 pages that is inclusive of the required Introduction to the Organization, Problem Statement, Project Methods and Design, Program Goal, Program Objective(s), Program Activities, Outcomes, Risk Analysis, and Future Funding Sustainability. We note that it will be difficult for applicants to provide a meaningful narrative that addresses all 9 required sections within 3 pages. Would ISN consider allowing applicants a 5-page maximum for the “Proposal Narrative” section of the proposal?

A: The most successful proposals stay within the 3-page limit for the project narrative and focus on the above categories. The narrative does not include the Cover Page/Executive Summary, Detailed Budget, Budget Narrative, Key Personnel, Timeline or Attachments which can take additional sections.

Q: Please let us know if there are any specific requirements or additional details we should consider as we prepare our application.

A: Please refer to the NOFO instructions and posted Q&As for application requirements, additional details, and any clarifications.

Q: Is there a specific funding ceiling for a submitted proposal, such as $1.1m?

A: The total funding ceiling for individual projects depends on the NOFO.

Q: Under the DEIA Lines of Effort/Objectives in the NOFO, there is note that “applicants should not discuss proposals directly with local partners without the explicit approval of ISN.” Does it mean that we would consider and indicate specific local partners in the proposal but should not reach out to them in the process of proposal preparation? For example, for discussing with them an estimate cost of their involvement in the project?

A: Do not engage local partners if they will be potential participants. If you are including them as a sub-implementer, please gather all necessary information to develop a completive proposal.

Countering Proliferator State Advanced Conventional Weapons Proliferation

(DFOP0016985)

Q: We would like to ask if it is obligatory for The Application to cover all the project objectives or it is possible to choose the first pool of objectives (PMCs) where our country Ukraine is listed as the Countries of Potential Impact and operate them.

A: ISN/CTR will consider proposals for single or multiple objectives.

Q: We would like to ask if it is obligatory for The Application to cover all the project objectives or it is possible to choose the first pool of objectives (PMCs) where our country Ukraine is listed as the Countries of Potential Impact and operate them.

A: Proposals can address all or one of the objectives identified in the NOFO.

UN Sanctions Compliance NOFO (DFOP0016995)

Q: Understanding there are 30+ Priority Countries of Impact, would we be responsible for delivering the training with our trainers or would we be training others to deliver the training?

A: The countries of impact list indicates the countries we are seeking to engage in this line of effort but should not be interpreted to mean that each proposal or award would be expected to engage all of them. In any case, the selected implementer would be expected to deliver the training described in the statement of work.

Q: How many of the 30+ Priority Countries of Impact are you looking to train and over what period of time? How long would the trainings take place in each country?

A: We intend to train stakeholders in most, if not all of the listed countries. We intend to do this through multiple awards and/or cooperative agreements. The length of training is typically 1-3 days, depending on the audience and level of complexity of the curriculum.

Q: How many total individuals would participate in the training in each of the 30+ Priority Countries of Impact?

A: Each workshop typically engages 30-40 people, though larger, regional activities can be larger in size.

Q: Are there language requirements outside of English?

A: This will depend on the audience and country. Many of our trainings are delivered using simultaneous interpretation and by providing translated instructional materials.