DOS-Baghdad-PD-2023-005-Iraqi Alumni Association Development.pdf

Notice of Funding Opportunity

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE

U.S. Embassy Baghdad

Public Affairs Section

Funding Opportunity Title: Iraqi Alumni Association Development

Funding Opportunity Number: DOS-Baghdad-PD-2023-005

Assistance Listing Number: 19.021

Deadline for Applications: Iraq Time, 07/16/2023 (11:59 P.M.)

Total Amount Available: $250,000.00

A. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad invites eligible organizations to submit proposals to assist in the development of the Iraqi Alumni Associations –Central Chapter (DHA Development Horizon

Association) that includes Baghdad, Anbar, Diyala, Babil, Wasit, Najaf, Karbala and Qadisia provinces.

The DHA organization is one of three alumni associations formed by Iraqis who have participated in U.S. government-funded exchange programs that involved travel to the United

States (i.e., IYLEP, IVLP, Fulbright, etc.). Founded in 2014, DHA was established to provide alumni with opportunities for networking, professional development, community service, and continued contact with the U.S. Mission. The association, having become less active in recent years), needs assistance with organizational development, including: re-formulating its vision, mission, and goals; developing organizational and leadership structures; training in leadership skills; completing the process to legally re-register as NGOs; developing and executing a plan of activities that support its mission and goals, which should align with those of Embassy Baghdad and the United States Government; conducting fundraising; planning and budgeting; developing a communications strategy; and organizing outreach and recruitment of new members who meet the eligibility requirements.

There are more than 8,000 alumni of U.S.-funded exchange programs in Iraq. In 2014-2015, a group of these alumni met to begin the process of formally organizing into an alumni association with the broad goals of providing alumni with opportunities for networking, professional development, community service, and continued contact with the U.S. Mission. The assembled alumni elected an Alumni Leadership Council (ALC) comprised of seven members and charged the ALC with the responsibility of developing a draft charter for the organization, developing, and carrying out a program of activities for alumni, organizing a follow-up conference, and developing a plan for communicating with current members and recruiting new members who meet the eligibility requirements.

While the ALC has had some success in achieving these goals, the association became inactive because of security issues and a lack of support to develop sufficient capacity to become self-sustaining. It has become clear that the associations would benefit from expert assistance to meet their goals.

Awardee will assist the organization in:

Reactivation:

Formulate and articulate a vision, mission, and goals for the association. These should be developed through a consultative process that seeks input from as many of the alumni as possible. Develop an organizational structure (i.e., leadership roles, committee structures, etc.)

that will assist each association in carrying out its mission, encouraging participation by alumni in association leadership, and creating a system for annual elections of a board of directors to ensure fair transfer of leadership roles. This will be carried out through holding meetings with the current head of the association. Discuss status of the association and specify next steps, which will include: (1) Authorizing annual registration fees to be paid to the Iraqi Department of

NGOs in COMSEC; (2) Holding elections to select a new board of directors for the association;

(3) Revising the internal organizational system of the association; (4) Making logistical arrangements for association headquarter location/office supplies/rent)

Incorporate the vision, mission, and goals into a charter document that will also include details on the organizational structure; leadership roles and the method of filling each role; financial roles and responsibilities; assist the association in carrying out its mission and meeting all legal requirements under Iraqi law; presenting the final charter for ratification to the association members; and organizing meetings as necessary to support the process.

Resource Management:

Create and carry out a plan for developing organizational capacity in the association. Activities will consist of professional development workshops, networking opportunities, and similar activities. This will be carried out by:

Organizing essential skills workshops/trainings on the following four areas of required expertise:

1. Grant Proposal Writing

2. Grant Management

3. Job Interview Skills

4. Small Business Management

Hosting an Alumni Job Fair and inviting major companies, organizations and job recruiting agencies to an all-inclusive alumni job fair where alumni can present their resumes and have opportunities to engage with these entities.

Small Grants Program:

Provide small grants for alumni to carry out community programs. Awardee shall announce, distribute, monitor, and manage a small grants program, with a limit of $10,000 per project.

Awardee will consult with the U.S. Embassy for clearance on topics and grantmaking process.

Possible topics include, but are not limited to:

• Empowering Women and Youth

• Encouraging Environmental Awareness and Renewable/Clean Energy

• Promoting Entrepreneurship

• Promoting Civic Engagement and Strengthening Civil Society

• Fostering Cultural Ties

• Enhancing Professionalism in the Media

• Fostering Alumni Network Development.

• Conducting Surveys with Alumni

• Creating wider alumni community by reaching out to inactive alumni

- Present final version of sustainability plan. Supervise execution of sub-grant projects and work with associations to complete required reporting.

- Closeout event: Hosting an in-person closeout event in cooperation with the association to celebrate the completion of the revitalizing project, showcase small grant awardees’ completed projects.

Priority Region: Central Chapter that includes Baghdad, Anbar, Diyala, Babylon, Wasit, Najaf, Karbala and Qadisiya provinces.

Participants and Audiences:

Alumni of U.S.-funded exchange programs in Iraq.

B. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

Length of performance period: 12 to 18 months.

Number of awards anticipated: 1 award.

Total available funding: $250,000.00

Type of Funding: FY23 Smith Mundt Public Diplomacy Funds.

Anticipated programs start date: September,2023

This notice is subject to availability of funding.

Funding Instrument Type: Grant.

C. ELIGILIBITY INFORMATION

1. Eligible Applicants

The following organizations are eligible to apply:

• Be a U.S. non-profit organization meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue

Code section 26 USC 501(c) (3).

• Have demonstrated experience developing and administering similar programs.

• Have the capacity to operate in Iraq and have active partnerships with organization(s) operating in Iraq needed to support the program.

2. Cost Sharing or Matching

Indicate whether cost share is required and how it will be evaluated during the merit review.

Note also that cost share can only be required if the underlying statutory authority for the funding explicitly allows the Department to require cost share (ex. not PD funding). Note also that cost sharing may be considered in the merit review only if the funding announcement specifically addresses how, it will be considered, e.g., assigning a certain number of additional points to applicants who offer cost sharing or using cost-sharing to break ties among applications with equivalent scores after evaluation against all other factors.

Note that excessive reliance on cost-sharing during the merit review may unfairly favor larger, better funded organizations.

3. Other Eligibility Requirements

In order to be eligible to receive an award, all organizations must have a Unique Entity

Identifier (UEI) number issued via www.SAM.gov as well as a valid registration on www.SAM.gov. Please see Section D.3 for more information.

D. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

1. Address to Request Application Package

Application forms required below are available at embassy website, www.grants.gov or by request from baghdadpdgrants@state.gov.

2. Content and Form of Application Submission:

Please follow all instructions below carefully. Proposals that do not meet the requirements of this announcement or fail to comply with the stated requirements will be ineligible.

Content of Application

Please ensure:

• The proposal clearly addresses the goals and objectives of this funding opportunity

• All documents are in English

• All budgets are in U.S. dollars

• All pages are numbered

• All documents are formatted to 8 ½ x 11 paper, and

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

• Public Diplomacy Grants Program Application form is recommended and available on grants.gov.

The following documents are required:

1. Mandatory application forms

• SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance – organizations) http://www.sam.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/

• SF-424A (Budget Information for Non-Construction programs)

2. Summary Page: Cover sheet stating the applicant’s name and organization, proposal date, program title, program period proposed start and end date, and brief purpose of the program.

3. Proposal (12 pages maximum): The proposal should contain sufficient information that anyone not familiar with it would understand exactly what the applicant wants to do. You may use your own proposal format, but it must include all the items below.

• Proposal Summary: Short narrative that outlines the proposed program, including program objectives and anticipated impact.

• Introduction to the Organization or Individual applying: A description of past and present operations, showing ability to carry out the program, including information on all previous grants from the U.S. Embassy and/or U.S. government agencies.

• Problem Statement: Clear, concise, and well-supported statement of the problem to be addressed and why the proposed program is needed.

• Program Goals and Objectives: The “goals” describe what the program is intended to achieve. The “objectives” refer to the intermediate accomplishments on the way to the goals. These should be achievable and measurable.

• Program Activities: Describe the program activities and how they will help achieve the objectives.

• Program Methods and Design: A description of how the program is expected to work to solve the stated problem and achieve the goal. Include a logic model as appropriate.

• Proposed Program Schedule and Timeline: The proposed timeline for the program activities. Include the dates, times, and locations of planned activities and events.

• Key Personnel: Names, titles, roles, and experience/qualifications of key personnel involved in the program. What proportion of their time will be used in support of this program?

• Program Partners: List the names and type of involvement of key partner organizations and sub-awardees.

• Program Monitoring and Evaluation Plan: This is an important part of successful grants. Throughout the timeframe of the grant, how will the activities be monitored to ensure they are happening in a timely manner, and how will the program be evaluated to make sure it is meeting the goals of the grant?

• Future Funding or Sustainability Applicant’s plan for continuing the program beyond the grant period, or the availability of other resources, if applicable.

4. Budget Justification Narrative: After filling out the SF-424A Budget (above), use a separate file to describe each of the budget expenses in detail. See section H. Other

Information: Guidelines for Budget Submissions below for further information.

5. Attachments:

• 1-page CV or resume of key personnel who are proposed for the program

• Letters of support from program partners describing the roles and responsibilities of each partner

• If your organization has a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA) and includes NICRA charges in the budget, your latest NICRA should be included as a

PDF file.

• Official permission letters, if required for program activities

3. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM.gov)

Required Registrations:

All organizations, whether based in the United States or in another country, must have a

Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and an active registration with the SAM.gov. A UEI is one of the data elements mandated by Public Law 109-282, the Federal Funding Accountability and

Transparency Act (FFATA), for all Federal awards.

Note: As of April 2022, a DUN’S number is no longer required for federal assistance applications.

The 2 CFR 200 requires that sub-grantees obtain a UEI number. Please note the UEI for sub-grantees is not required at the time of application but will be required before an award is processed and/or directed to a sub-grantee.

Note: The process of obtaining or renewing a SAM.gov registration may take anywhere from 4-8 weeks. Please begin your registration as early as possible.

• Organizations based in the United States or that pay employees within the United

States will need an Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the Internal Revenue

Service (IRS) and a UEI number prior to registering in SAM.gov.

• Organizations based outside of the United States and that do not pay employees within the United States do not need an EIN from the IRS but do need a UEI number prior to registering in SAM.gov.

• Please note that as of November 2022 and February 2022 respectively, 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 Commercial and Government Entity (NCAGE) code or CAGE code to apply for non-DoD foreign assistance funding opportunities. If an applicant organization is mid-registration and wishes to remove a CAGE or NCAGE code from their SAM.gov registration, the applicant should submit a help desk ticket

(“incident”) with the Federal Service Desk (FSD) online at www.fsd.gov using the following language: “I do not intend to seek financial assistance from the Department of Defense. I do not wish to obtain a CAGE or NCAGE code. I understand that I will need to submit my registration after this incident is resolved in order to have my registration activated.”

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Organizations based outside of the United States and that DO NOT plan to do business with the DoD should follow the below instructions:

Step 1: Proceed to SAM.gov to obtain a UEI and complete the SAM.gov registration process. SAM.gov registration must be renewed annually.

Organizations based outside of the United States and that DO plan to do business with the DoD in addition to Department of State should follow the below instructions:

Step 1: Apply for an NCAGE code by following the instructions on the NSPA NATO website linked below:

NCAGE Homepage:

https://eportal.nspa.nato.int/AC135Public/sc/CageList.aspx

NCAGE Code Request Tool (NCRT):

Exemptions

An exemption from the UEI and sam.gov registration requirements may be permitted on a case-by-case basis if:

• An applicant’s identity must be protected due to potential endangerment of their mission, their organization’s status, their employees, or individuals being served by the applicant.

• For an applicant, if the Federal awarding agency makes a determination that there are exigent circumstances that prohibit the applicant from receiving a unique entity identifier and completing SAM registration prior to receiving a federal award. In these instances, Federal awarding agencies must require the recipient to obtain a unique entity identifier and complete SAM registration within 30 days of the Federal award date.

Organizations requesting exemption from UEI or SAM.gov requirements must email the point of contact listed in the NOFO at least two weeks prior to the deadline in the NOFO providing a justification of their request. Approval for a SAM.gov exemption must come from the warranted Grants Officer before the application can be deemed eligible for review.

4. Submission Dates and Times

Applications are due no later than Sunday July 16,2023.

5. Other Submission Requirements

All application materials must be submitted by email to baghdadpdgrants@state.gov .

E. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

1. Criteria https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Feportal.nspa.nato.int%2FAC135Public%2Fscage%2FCageList.aspx&data=05%7C01%7Cfjeldkk%40state.gov%7C0cc4e2b471f44abcd32308db093ecead%7C66cf50745afe48d1a691a12b2121f44b%7C0%7C0%7C638113937577534024%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=v3TLT8F%2FNfk5SuTcI2zw7SMhV4HK542OhP9XDx4ln%2BY%3D&reserved=0 mailto:baghdadpdgrants@state.gov

Each application will be evaluated and rated on the basis of the evaluation criteria outlined below.

Program Planning/Ability to Achieve Objectives – 20 points: Goals and objectives are clearly stated, and program approach is likely to provide maximum impact in achieving the proposed results.

Program activities and implementation plan (25 points): Applicants should describe what they propose to do and how they will do it. The proposed activities must directly relate to meeting the goals and objectives, and applicants should include information on how they will measure activities’ effectiveness and provide milestones to indicate progress toward NOFO-stipulated goals. The review panel will be viewing the implementation plan in terms of how well it addresses the goals and objectives, feasibility of the proposed activities and their timeline for completion, and the extent to which the impact of the project will continue beyond the conclusion of the funding period.

Monitoring and evaluation plan – 15 points: Applicant demonstrates it is able to measure program success against key indicators and provides milestones to indicate progress toward goals outlined in the proposal. The program includes output and outcome indicators and shows how and when those will be measured.

Organizational Capability (15 points): Proposals should demonstrate the ability to develop and implement programs in the areas covered by the NOFO. Applicants must demonstrate how their resources, capabilities, and experience will enable them to achieve the stated goals and objectives.

Budget – 15 points: The budget justification is detailed. Costs are reasonable in relation to the proposed activities and anticipated results. The budget is realistic, accounting for all necessary expenses to achieve proposed activities.

Key Personnel – 5 points: The review panel will consider the appropriateness of the selected project key personnel; in view of the roles and responsibilities those individuals will play in guiding the project through implementation to completion. While it is preferable to name project personnel and provide their resumes, position descriptions submitted in lieu of the resumes will be reviewed for the appropriateness of the qualifications and skills identified.

Support of Equity and Underserved Communities – 5 points: Proposals should clearly demonstrate how the program will support and advance equity and engage underserved communities in program administration, design, and implementation.

2. Review and Selection Process

A review committee will evaluate all eligible applications.

3. Responsibility/Qualification Information in SAM.gov (formerly, FAPIIS)

i. The Federal awarding agency, prior to making a federal award with a total amount of

Federal share greater than the simplified acquisition threshold, 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);

ii. 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.

iii. 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.

F. FEDERAL AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

1. Federal Award Notices

The grant award or cooperative agreement will be written, signed, awarded, and administered by the Grants Officer. The assistance award agreement is the authorizing document, and it will be provided to the recipient for review and signature by email. The recipient may only start incurring program expenses beginning on the start date shown on the grant award document signed by the Grants Officer.

If a proposal is selected for funding, the Department of State has no obligation to provide any additional future funding. Renewal of an award to increase funding or extend the period of performance is at the discretion of the Department of State.

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 proposals. Further, the U.S. government reserves the right to reject any or all proposals received.

2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

Before submitting an application, applicants should review all the terms and conditions and required certifications which will apply to this award, to ensure that they will be able to comply.

These include:

• 2 CFR 25 - UNIVERSAL IDENTIFIER AND SYSTEM FOR AWARD

MANAGEMENT

• 2 CFR 170 - REPORTING SUBAWARD AND EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

INFORMATION

• 2 CFR 175 - AWARD TERM FOR TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS

• 2 CFR 182 - GOVERNMENTWIDE REQUIREMENTS FOR DRUG-FREE

WORKPLACE (FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE)

• 2 CFR 183 - NEVER CONTRACT WITH THE ENEMY

• 2 CFR 600 – DEPARTMENT OF STATE REQUIREMENTS

• U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE STANDARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS

In accordance with the Office of Management and Budget’s guidance located at 2 CFR part

200, all applicable Federal laws, and relevant Executive guidance, the Department of State will review and consider applications for funding, as applicable to specific programs, pursuant to this notice of funding opportunity in accordance with the following: NOTE:

• Guidance for Grants and Agreements in Title 2 of the Code of Federal Regulations (2

CFR), as updated in the Federal Register’s 85 FR 49506 on August 13, 2020, particularly on:

o Selecting recipients most likely to be successful in delivering results based on the program objectives through an objective process of evaluating Federal award applications (2 CFR part 200.205), o Prohibiting the purchase of certain telecommunication and video surveillance services or equipment in alignment with section 889 of the National Defense

Authorization Act of 2019 (Pub. L. No. 115—232) (2 CFR part 200.216), o Promoting the freedom of speech and religious liberty in alignment with

Promoting Free Speech and Religious Liberty (E.O. 13798) and Improving Free

Inquiry, Transparency, and Accountability at Colleges and Universities (E.O.

13864) (§§ 200.300, 200.303, 200.339, and 200.341), o Providing a preference, to the extent permitted by law, to maximize use of goods, products, and materials produced in the United States (2 CFR part 200.322), and o Terminating agreements in whole or in part to the greatest extent authorized by law if an award no longer effectuates the program goals or agency priorities (2

CFR part 200.340).

3. Reporting https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=81a5f41de81c46a9844617d93a9db081&mc=true&node=pt2.1.25&rgn=div5 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=81a5f41de81c46a9844617d93a9db081&mc=true&node=pt2.1.25&rgn=div5 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=81a5f41de81c46a9844617d93a9db081&mc=true&node=pt2.1.170&rgn=div5 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=81a5f41de81c46a9844617d93a9db081&mc=true&node=pt2.1.170&rgn=div5 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=81a5f41de81c46a9844617d93a9db081&mc=true&node=pt2.1.175&rgn=div5 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=81a5f41de81c46a9844617d93a9db081&mc=true&node=pt2.1.182&rgn=div5 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=81a5f41de81c46a9844617d93a9db081&mc=true&node=pt2.1.182&rgn=div5 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=81a5f41de81c46a9844617d93a9db081&mc=true&node=pt2.1.183&rgn=div5 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=81a5f41de81c46a9844617d93a9db081&mc=true&tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title02/2chapterVI.tpl https://www.state.gov/about-us-office-of-the-procurement-executive/ https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=81a5f41de81c46a9844617d93a9db081&mc=true&node=pt2.1.200&rgn=div5

Reporting Requirements: Recipients will be required to submit financial reports and program reports on quarterly basis.

Foreign Assistance Data Review: As required by Congress, the Department of State must make progress in its efforts to improve tracking and reporting of foreign assistance data through the Foreign Assistance Data Review (FADR). The FADR requires tracking of foreign assistance activity data from budgeting, planning, and allocation through obligation and disbursement. Successful applicants will be required to report and draw down federal funding based on the appropriate FADR Data Elements, indicated within their award documentation. In cases of more than one FADR Data Element, typically program or sector and/or regions or country, the successful applicant will be required to maintain separate accounting records.

G. FEDERAL AWARDING AGENCY CONTACTS

If you have any questions about the grant application process, please contact: baghdadpdgrants@state.gov.

H. OTHER INFORMATION

Guidelines for Budget Justification

Personnel and Fringe Benefits: Describe the wages, salaries, and benefits of temporary or permanent staff who will be working directly for the applicant on the program, and the percentage of their time that will be spent on the program.

Travel: Estimate the costs of travel and per diem for this program, for program staff, consultants or speakers, and participants/beneficiaries. If the program involves international travel, include a brief statement of justification for that travel.

Equipment: Describe any machinery, furniture, or other personal property that is required for the program, which has a useful life of more than one year (or a life longer than the duration of the program), and costs at least $5,000 per unit.

Supplies: List and describe all the items and materials, including any computer devices, that are needed for the program. If an item costs more than $5,000 per unit, then put it in the budget under Equipment.

Contractual: Describe goods and services that the applicant plans to acquire through a contract with a vendor. Also describe any sub-awards to non-profit partners that will help carry out the program activities.

Other Direct Costs: Describe other costs directly associated with the program, which do not fit in the other categories. For example, shipping costs for materials and equipment or applicable taxes. All “Other” or “Miscellaneous” expenses must be itemized and explained.

Indirect Costs: These are costs that cannot be linked directly to the program activities, such as overhead costs needed to help keep the organization operating. If your organization has a

Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate (NICRA) and includes NICRA charges in the budget, attach a copy of your latest NICRA. Organizations that have never had a NICRA may request indirect costs of 10% of modified total direct costs as defined in 2 CFR 200.68.

“Cost Sharing” refers to contributions from the organization or other entities other than the U.S.

Embassy. It also includes in-kind contributions such as volunteers’ time and donated venues.

Alcoholic Beverages: Please note that award funds cannot be used for alcoholic beverages.