EUR-BEL-17-GR-001-Full Announcement - Incubate Digital Platforms.doc

Department of State – Embassy of the United States, Brussels, Belgium Notice of Funding Opportunity

Program Office:

Public Affairs Section, U.S. Embassy Brussels Funding Opportunity Title:

Program to Incubate Digital Platforms for Immigration Integration, Countering Violent Extremism Announcement Type:

Grant Funding Opportunity Number:

EUR-BEL-17-GR-001

Deadline for Applications:

May 29, 2017

CFDA

Number

19.878

Contact Information

A) For questions relating to Grants.gov, please call the Grants.gov Contact Center at 1-800-518-4726.

B) For assistance with the requirements of this solicitation, contact Carolyn Turpin, Regional Community Engagement Officer, Public Affairs Section, U.S. Embassy Brussels at:

Email: turpincl@state.gov

IMPORTANT NOTE

Applicants requesting $25,000 or more must submit all application materials electronically through Grants.gov.

Authorization to submit proposals through www.grants.gov is a multi-step process that requires prior successful registration with DUNS, NCAGE, and SAM, and www.grants.gov. Please being the registration process immediately to ensure that the process is completed well in advance of the deadline for applications. The entire registration process can require up to four weeks for the registration to be validated and confirmed. See Application and Submission Information for further details.

Due to the volume of applicants and inquiries, the Public Affairs Office does not accept letters of intent, concept papers, or requests for meetings or phone calls prior to application through this Notice of Funding Opportunity.

CONTENTS

I. Executive Summary II. Background III. Federal Award Information

IV. Eligibility Requirements V. Application and Submission Information

VI. Award Selection Criteria VII. Federal Award Administration Information VIII. Federal Awarding Agency Contacts IX. Other Information I. Executive Summary The U.S. Embassy Brussels’ Public Affairs Section is pleased to announce an open competition for assistance awards through this Notice of Funding Opportunity. We invite non-profit/non-governmental organizations and individuals to submit communication campaign incubation concept papers to implement a program to incubate digital platforms that support immigration integration and counter violent extremism. Community, youth, women’s and faith-based non-governmental organizations are encouraged to apply. There is approximately $200,000 available to award one grant.

The Department of State’s purpose in funding projects under this opportunity is to reduce violent extremism and terrorism by promoting a comprehensive approach to address violent extremist challenges in Europe and the unique contributions that communities, civil society, and the private sector can make towards this effort. Our office seeks to promote positive narratives and tolerant perspectives as well as directly dispel violent extremist messaging; reduce violent extremism through education, critical thinking, and structured dialogue; and enhance and amplify community-based resiliency efforts focused on women and youth. The funds awarded through this opportunity will be used to strengthen messaging campaigns in general and specifically those created by former participants of the Peer 2 Peer competitions.

To this end, we invite proposals that address one or more of the objectives listed below:

1. Counter Narrative: Dispel the narratives of extremist groups that incite violence and provide alternative narratives. Provide positive narratives concerning refugees and immigrant populations.

2. Preventative Outreach: Provide positive alternatives to ordinary citizens susceptible to recruitment into violent extremism.

3. Capacity Building: Increase capacity within communities to reduce violent extremism with an emphasis on religious leaders, youth, and women. Engage at-risk youth and communities in the counter messaging and campaign development.

Projects should be completed within one year and may be implemented in any part of Europe.

II. BACKGROUND

This funding opportunity is part of Embassy Brussels support for public diplomacy programming in Belgium and the greater European region. Proposals should demonstrate an understanding of the purpose of public diplomacy, and address the Public Affairs Section’s stated goals, objectives, target audiences, and geographic locations.

The Public Affairs Section’s public diplomacy programming in Belgium:

• Strengthens people-to-people ties between the United States and Belgium through shared information, experiences, exchanges, and/or expertise.

• Strengthens local institutions to build long-term, self-sustaining relationships and institutional linkages between U.S. and Belgian organizations.

• Reduces violent extremism by promoting positive messages and tolerant perspectives that enhance and amplify community-based efforts in a wide range of areas.

• Expands media outreach by amplifying U.S. diplomacy activities and programs on social and traditional media platforms.

Violent extremist groups are using advances in technology, especially social media, to spread their propaganda and attract new recruits and inspire individuals more than ever before. To effectively challenge extremism, one has to be equally creative. Partnerships that engage outside of the usual channels and find innovative solutions that strengthen our communities and societies are important. Reaching those who are most vulnerable to violent extremism is vital. Especially important is the need to develop public-private partnerships with leaders in technology. Part of this overall effort is to get outside the walls of the government and get into the cyber realms of gamers, bloggers, and digital activist where the war of ideas is really being fought.

Project Objectives The Department of State has partnered with the Department of Homeland Security, Edventure Partners, and Facebook to develop the Peer 2 Peer: Challenging Extremism for U.S. domestic universities and the Peer 2 Peer: Facebook Global Digital Challenge for universities outside of the United States. https://edventurepartners.com/peer2peer/ Under these programs, and over the course of one semester, student teams and their faculty advisor identify problems in their communities related to extremism and review available program resources. The students then research the target market and create a strategy designed to best reach and influence their peers. Each team receives an operational budget to produce a real campaign that has measurable impact on their campus, community and country. Top teams then travel to Washington, D.C. to compete and participate in a Department of State-sponsored travel program. Facebook recognizes the top three teams with scholarship awards ranging from $1,000 to $5,000.

U.S. Embassy Brussels seeks to fund a project to expand on selected P2P projects.

Participants would come from a variety of countries that have competed in P2P and grant activities could take many forms. For example, one of the winning projects was entitled, “Dare to be Grey” and was developed by students at the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands. The messaging campaign counters the polarizing rhetoric of violent extremist groups by encouraging people to speak out against these narratives in a moderate way. The #DareToBeGrey campaign creates a platform where "anyone’s opinion" can matter. They also incorporated the content into a video and photo series and an education tour. Some follow-on projects might include but are not limited to:

· Virtual programs or real time programs between these students and students in other countries, perhaps sharing their idea for use by others.

· A camp-type event in which participants work together to find solutions that were not addressed in the first campaigns.

· Projects with the original students but with the inclusion of “target” audiences for the original campaigns.

· Completely new messaging campaigns spanning several European countries or adaption of previous ones for new audiences.

· Mentoring of participants on the expansion of their original ideas to form more permanent entities. Perhaps the development of an NGO.

The idea is to produce larger scale communication content and innovative solutions to challenge extremism that can be used and shared broadly.

Organizations may only submit one proposal under this funding opportunity, but projects that address one or more of the below objectives are welcome. Proposals should specify which project objective(s) the activities will support. Some project objectives specify the issues or a range of issues that will be considered.

1. Counter Narrative: By the end of the project, credible voices will offer positive, tolerant messages in reactive and proactive circumstances. This objective may be achieved through the following means:

· People-to-people engagements with leaders of influence, including religious, community, youth, and women leaders

· TV, radio, online, and social-media campaigns

· Other strategic communications methods of reaching vulnerable populations and delegitimizing violent extremist ideologies

2. Capacity Building: By the end of the project, individuals and organizations involved in peace-building or anti-violent extremist efforts, especially religious leaders, women and youth, will retain the skills, knowledge, and capacity necessary to take a stronger role in countering and preventing violent extremism. This objective may be achieved through the following means:

· Enhancing the role of credible religious and faith-based voices that support tolerance and nonviolence, and more broadly promoting educational initiatives

· Amplifying the role of women in building secure, tolerant families and communities

· Critical thinking and peace-building education efforts to help build resilience against extremist rhetoric and recruiting

· Promoting local research and information-sharing on the drivers and the new trends of violent extremism in all of its forms and on how to address them

3. Preventative Outreach: By the end of the project, ordinary citizens – especially younger Europeans – susceptible to recruitment into violent extremism will experience persuasive, positive alternatives to violent thought and action. This objective may be achieved through the following means:

· Education-based programs to those at risk of recruitment into violent extremism: Programs should propose directly working with schools and communities in order to engage young people in educational activities that provide exposure to moderate viewpoints and help eliminate bias.

· Activities that bring together youth from different schools or regions, establish tolerance- and peace-building practices via in-school and/or after-school programs, and/or provide exposure to positive role models – including ordinary people and celebrities/cultural heroes.

All proposals should:

· Address how the project will contribute to one or more of the objectives listed above;

· Enumerate specific outputs and outcomes to be achieved by the end of the grant period;

· Describe involvement of American participants, expert/s, organization/s, or institution/s, if any;

· Clearly specify the audiences to be reached and the geographic locations of program activities;

· Describe how elements of the project will have a multiplier effect or be sustainable beyond the life of the grant;

· Include a traditional and/or social media plan for marketing or advertising program activities and outcomes;

· Demonstrate competency to manage all financial and oversight aspects of the project, including participant costs and transparent arrangements of sub-grant relationships with partner organizations, if applicable.

The Public Affairs Section will not support the following activities or expenses under this funding opportunity:

• the purchase of space or buildings in support of program activities;

• development projects;

• construction projects;

• individual travel to conferences;

• scholarships to support educational opportunities or study for individuals;

• completion of activities begun with other funds;

• fundraising or fund development projects;

• projects that are inherently political in nature or that contain the appearance of partisanship/support to an individual or single party in electoral campaigns;

• political party and lobbying activities;

• projects that support specific religious activities;

• cash prizes for competitions

III. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

Public Diplomacy Grants

Funding Instrument Type: Grant

Individual Award Amount: $200,000

Duration of Award: One year IV. ELIGIBILITY Requirements All U.S. and European registered non-profit non-governmental organizations with relevant programming experience are eligible to apply. This experience should be documented in the organization’s proposal. European or American individuals can also apply for a grant but must be able to demonstrate prior success in this field. Organizations must provide proof of registration with their application. U.S.-based organizations should submit a copy of their IRS determination letter. Europe-based organizations should submit a copy of their certificate of registration from the appropriate government organization.

Other Eligibility Requirements Applicants are allowed to submit only one proposal per organization. If more than one proposal is submitted from an organization, all proposals from that institution will be considered ineligible for funding.

In order to be eligible to receive an award, all organizations must have a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number from Dun & Bradstreet. Organizations requesting $25,000 or more must also have a valid registration on www.SAM.gov. Until that process is complete, you will not be issued a user password for Grants.gov, which is required for application submission.

Previous federal award recipients who are not/were not in compliance with the terms of their financial and program reporting requirements are ineligible to apply. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure they are in compliance with all applicable terms, conditions, and Office of Management and Budget guidance and requirements. Those organizations found to be in non-compliance may be found ineligible for funding or designated high-risk if selected for funding.

Applicants are not required to include funding from other donors. However, applications that include additional in-kind and/or cash contributions from non-U.S. Government sources will be more competitive, since cost-sharing demonstrates a strong commitment to the planned activities and will be considered to show great cost effectiveness.

All potential applicants should be knowledgeable of existing programs in the proposed countries/regions, including those funded by USG, in order to avoid duplication of effort.

V. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

Technical Requirements

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 and Form of Application Submission

Please ensure:

1. The proposal clearly addresses the goals and objectives of this funding opportunity;

2. All documents are in English;

3. All budgets are in U.S. dollars;

4. All pages are numbered;

5. All documents are formatted to 8.5 x 11 paper; and

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

When submitting a proposal, applicants are required to include the following documents and information, as applicable:

Section 1– Organization Information A. Application Summary Coversheet: Applicants must complete and submit the form provided (Attachment 1). Executive summary text should not exceed the remaining space available on the single first page of the document.

B. Applicant Organization Survey: Applicants must complete and submit the survey (Attachment 2).

C. A copy of the organization’s registration should be provided with the proposal application. U.S.-based organizations should submit a copy of their IRS determination letter. Europe-based organizations should submit a copy of their certificate of registration from the appropriate government organization.

Section 2 – Technical Proposal: Applicants must submit a complete narrative proposal in a format of your choice. The proposal shall not exceed 12 pages. Refer to the evaluation criteria in Section E below for further detail about what makes a strong proposal. All proposals must address the following areas:

· Organizational Description and Capacity

· Project Justification, Sustainability, and Impact

· Project Goals, Objectives and Activities

· Security (see note below)

· Implementation Timeline

· Monitoring and Evaluation Plan

Security:

The safety and security of all participants and activities under this project are the sole responsibility of the award recipient. Due to the security climate, we require all proposals to include a security package to accompany appropriate programmatic elements within their proposal. The security package must include, but is not limited to, secure transportation, lodging, and emergency accountability and evacuation for personnel living or working abroad, as well as a copy of your organization’s security operational procedures for high-risk environments. Reasonable costs for necessary security are allowable expenses and may be included in the proposed budget. If a security company is engaged and funded under the award, it must be registered by the government authority, or authorities, to operate in the grant program locations. We also require award recipients to notify the Public Affairs Section in advance when U.S. citizens are traveling abroad. U.S. citizens who travel abroad are encouraged to enroll in the Department of State's Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) available at: https://step.state.gov/step/. Enrollment enables citizens to receive security-related messages from the Embassy and makes it easier for us to locate you in an emergency. The Embassy also recommends that all travelers review the State Department's travel website at travel.state.gov for the Worldwide Caution, Travel Warnings, Travel Alerts, and Country Specific Information.

Section 3 – Budget

A. Budget and Budget Detail: Applicants must submit a detailed budget and budget narrative justification utilizing the template provided with the funding opportunity (Attachment 3). Line item expenditures should be listed in the greatest possible detail. Personnel salaries should define the percentage of time each position will allocate to the project and the rate of pay. Budgets that are not in the provided format will not be considered. Budgets shall be submitted in U.S. dollars and final grant agreements will be conducted in U.S. dollars.

Section 4 – Key Personnel and Project Partners

A. Key Personnel – A résumé, not to exceed 1 page in length, must be included for the proposed key staff persons, such as the Project Director and Finance Officer, as well as any speakers or trainers (if applicable). If an individual for this type of position has not been identified, the applicant may submit a 1-page position description, identifying the qualifications and skills required for that position, in lieu of a résumé.

B. Project Partners – letters of support should be included for sub-awardees or other partners. The letters must identify the type of relationship to be entered into (formal or informal), the roles and responsibilities of each partner in relation to the proposed project activities, and the expected result of the partnership. The individual letters cannot exceed 1 page in length.

Section 5 – Standard Forms 424 - Application for Federal Assistance and 424B - Assurances for Non-construction Programs (2 separate forms), which are available, along with guidance for completing these forms, at: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms.html. Under the heading, “SF-424 Family.”

Please note:

1. Other items NOT required/requested for submission, but which may be requested if your application is approved for funding include:

a. Copies of an organization or program audit within the last two (2) years

b. Copies of relevant human resources, financial, or procurement policies

c. Copies of other relevant organizational policies or documentation that would help the Department determine your organization’s capacity to manage a federal grant award overseas.

2. The Embassy reserves the right to request any additional programmatic and/or financial information regarding the proposal.

Applications are accepted in English only, and final grant agreements will be concluded in English.

Application Deadline

Applications for this opportunity will be reviewed and considered on a rolling basis until funding is exhausted; we therefore encourage early submissions. Applications may be submitted for consideration at any time before the closing date of this opportunity, however, all submission must be received by May 29, 2017 at 11:59 p.m. U.S. Eastern Daylight Time. For the purposes of determining if an award is submitted on time, officials will utilize the time-stamp provided by Grants.gov.

This deadline is firm. If organizations fail to meet the deadline noted above, their application will not be considered for funding and will be considered ineligible.

Submission Requirements

Applicants requesting $25,000 or more must submit all application materials electronically through Grants.gov.

Authorization to submit proposals through www.grants.gov is a multi-step process that requires prior successful registration with DUNS, NCAGE, SAM, and www.grants.gov. Please begin the registration process immediately to ensure that the process is completed well in advance of the deadline for applications. The entire registration process can require up to four weeks for the registration to be validated and confirmed.

· Thorough instructions on the application process are available at https://eportal.nspa.nato.int/AC135Public/Docs/US%20Instructions%20for%20NSPA%20NCAGE.pdf (for the DUNS number application, NCAGE number application, and registration with SAM) and at

· http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration.html for registration with www.grants.gov as an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR). For questions relating to Grants.gov, please call the Grants.gov Contact Center at 1-800-518-4726.

Please note: Only www.grants.gov, DUNS, NCAGE, and SAM can assist with technical questions or problems applicants may experience during the registration process. Please refer to the contact information for these organizations listed in this NOFO and on the organization registration page of www.grants.gov.

Organizations must obtain the following:

· DUNS number

· NCAGE code

· SAM registration, and

· AOR (Authorized Organization Representative) registration on www.grants.gov

Step 1:

Apply for a DUNS number and an NCAGE number (these can be completed simultaneously)

Step 1a:

DUNS application: Organizations must have a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number from Dun & Bradstreet, if your organization does not have one already, you may obtain one by calling 1-866-705-5711 or visiting http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/displayHomePage.do;jsessionid=81407B1F03F2BDB123DD47D19158B75F.

http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform

Step 1b:

NCAGE application: Application page here (but need to click magnifying glass and then scroll down to click new registration) https://eportal.nspa.nato.int/AC135Public/scage/CageList.aspx

Instructions for the NCAGE application process:

https://eportal.nspa.nato.int/AC135Public/Docs/US%20Instructions%20for%20NSPA%20NCAGE.pdf

For help from within the U.S., call 1-888-227-2423

For help from outside the U.S., call 1-269-961-7766

Email NCAGE@dlis.dla.mil for any problems in getting an NCAGE code. After receiving the NCAGE Code, proceed to register in SAM by logging onto: https://www.sam.gov/

Step 2:

Once DUNS and NCAGE are obtained, continue to SAM registration www.SAM.gov

Step 3:

Once SAM registration is confirmed, continue to Grants.gov organization registration http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration.html

Organizations must maintain an active SAM registration (www.SAM.gov) with current information at all times during which they have an active Federal award or an application under consideration by a Federal awarding agency. SAM registration must be renewed annually.

Given the volume of applications, we are unable to individually confirm receipt of proposals.

Address to Request Application Package This funding opportunity and any amendments can be found at www.grants.gov (search by Opportunity Number). If you require special accommodation to access any information contained in this announcement, please contact Carolyn Turpin at TurpinCL@state.gov.

VI. AWARD SELECTION CRITERIA

Each technically eligible application submitted under this announcement will be evaluated and rated on the basis of the criteria detailed below. The criteria are designed to assess the quality of the proposed project, and to determine the likelihood of its success. The criteria are closely related and are considered as a whole in judging the overall quality of an application. Applications will be reviewed on the basis of their fullness, coherence, clarity, and attention to detail.

Past performance on grants awarded by the U.S. Department of State, other United States government, or international donor agencies may also be considered. The proposal submitted by your organization should comply with the requirements of the OMB Circulars relevant to your organization and the activities of your proposal.

PAS reviews all proposals for eligibility. Eligible proposals will be subject to compliance of

Federal and Public Diplomacy regulations and guidelines and may also be reviewed by the

Office of the Legal Adviser or by other Department elements. Final technical authority for assistance awards resides with the Department’s Grants Division.

Proposals will be approved based on an evaluation of how the proposal meets the solicitation review criteria, U.S. foreign policy objectives, the priority needs of the Public Affairs Section, and availability of funding. A Grants Review Committee will evaluate all eligible proposals. Review criteria will include:

1. Project Justification, Sustainability, and Impact on U.S. Public Diplomacy Goals (30 points) – The project is likely to provide maximum impact in furthering the broader U.S. Public Diplomacy policy goals. The proposal contains a compelling justification that demonstrates an in-depth understanding of the environment in Belgium and Europe and cites specific factors creating/influencing the need for the proposed project. The proposal has a sound theory of change to address the stated need. Elements of the project will have a multiplier effect and be sustainable beyond the life of the grant. A good multiplier effect may include but is not limited to, plans to build lasting networks for direct and indirect beneficiaries, follow-on training and mentoring, and continued use of project deliverables. Sustainability may include demonstrating capacity-building results, a plan to generate revenue, or interest and support from the private sector.

2. Planning and Feasibility (20 points) – The project plan is well developed, with sufficient detail about how activities will be carried out. The proposal specifies target audiences, participant recruitment, and geographic areas of implementation. The proposal outlines clear, achievable objectives. The proposal includes a reasonable implementation timeline. The project scope is appropriate and clearly defined.

3. Organization’s Record and Capacity (20 points) – The organization has expertise in the subject area and demonstrates the ability to perform the proposed activities. The organization demonstrates capacity for successful planning and responsible fiscal management. Applicants who have received grant funds previously have been compliant with applicable rules and regulations. Where partners are described, the applicant details each partner’s respective role and provides curriculum vitae (CVs) for persons responsible for the project and financial administration. Proposed personnel, institutional resources, and partners are adequate and appropriate.

4. Cost-Effectiveness (20 points) – The budget and narrative justification are sufficiently 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. The results and proposed outcomes justify the total cost of the project. Budget items are reasonable, allowable, and allocable.

5. Monitoring and Evaluation (10 points) – Application includes a monitoring and evaluation plan for measuring program success against key indicators and provides milestones to indicate progress toward Public Affairs Section goals. Projects should demonstrate the capacity for engaging in outcome-based evaluations and identify proscribed outputs and outcomes to measure how program activities will achieve the program’s strategic objectives. The Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Plan should include output- and outcome-based indicators, baseline and target for each indicator, disaggregation if applicable, monitoring and evaluation tools, data source, and frequency of monitoring and evaluation.

VII. FEDERAL AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

Federal Award Notices As described in Section E above, the successful applicant will be notified via email that its proposal has been selected to move forward in the review process; this email IS NOT an authorization to begin performance. The notice of Federal award signed by the grants officer (or equivalent) is the authorizing document. It shall be written, signed, awarded, and administered by the Grants Officer. The Grants Officer is the Government Official delegated the authority by the U.S. Department of State Procurement Executive to write, award, and administer grants and cooperative agreements. The assistance award agreement is the authorizing document and it will be provided to the Recipient through email transmission. The recipient may only incur obligations against the award beginning on the start date outlined in the DS-1909 award document that has been signed by the Grants Officer. Organizations whose applications will not be funded will also be notified via email. Please refer to the anticipated time to award information in Section E.

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. The U.S. government also reserves the right to make an award in excess of the award ceiling.

Terms and Conditions Recipients will be held to the applicable terms and conditions found at https://www.statebuy.state.gov/fa/Pages/TermsandConditions.aspx. It is the Recipient’s responsibility to ensure they are in compliance with all applicable terms, conditions, and OMB guidance and requirements. Those organizations found to be in non-compliance may be found ineligible for funding or designated high risk.

2 CFR 200 Uniform Administrative Requirements, Costs Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards: All applicants must adhere to the regulations found in 2 CFR 200 Uniform Administrative Requirements, Costs Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards.

Branding Requirements: As a condition of receipt of a grant award, all materials produced pursuant to the award, including training materials, materials for recipients or materials to communicate or promote with foreign audiences a program, event, project, or some other activity under an agreement, including but not limited to invitations to events, press materials, and backdrops, podium signs, etc. must be marked appropriately with the standard, rectangular U.S. flag in a size and prominence equal to (or greater than) any other logo or identity. Note: Exceptions to the branding requirement are allowable under certain conditions. If an applicant is notified that their award has been chosen for funding, the Grants Officer will determine, in consultation with the applicant, if an exception is applicable.

Evaluation: In line with the Department of State’s Evaluation Policy, the U.S. Embassy Islamabad Public Affairs Section may include this award in its program evaluation efforts. When applicable and feasible, the Recipient shall cooperate with the Grants Officer (GO) and Grants Officer Representative (GOR) requests to contribute data on specific performance measures and indicators; consider GO and GOR input on design and methodology of Recipient-led evaluation efforts; provide any evaluation reports produced under the award to the GO and GOR for review; incorporate the project into any third-party evaluations that PAS may initiate.

Reporting Requirements Recipients are required to submit quarterly (calendar year) program progress and financial reports throughout the project period. Progress and financial reports are due 30 days after the reporting period. Final certified programmatic and financial reports are due 90 days after the close of the project period.

First Quarter (January 1 – March 31): Report due by April 30 Second Quarter (April 1 – June 30): Report due by July 30

Third Quarter (July 1 – September 30): Report due by October 30

Fourth Quarter (October 1 – December 31): Report due by January 30

All reports are to be submitted electronically.

Awardees that are deemed to be high risk may be required to submit more extensive and frequent reports until their high risk designation has been removed.

The Awardee must also provide the Embassy on an annual basis an inventory of all the U.S. government provided equipment using the SF-428 form.

VIII. FEDERAL AWARDING AGENCY CONTACTS

Questions regarding the administrative and programmatic aspects of this funding opportunity may be directed to Carolyn Turpin at TurpinCL@state.gov.

For questions relating to Grants.gov, please call the Grants.gov Contact Center at 1-800-518-4726.

IX. OTHER INFORMATION

Disclaimers The Federal government is not obligated to make any Federal award as a result of the announcement. 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. The U.S. government also reserves the right to make an award in excess of the award ceiling.

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

This NOFO is subject to funds availability. Awards may be granted only if appropriated funds are allocated to the United States Embassy in Islamabad by Department of State central budget authorities.

Copyrights and Proprietary Information If any of the information contained in your application is proprietary, please note in the footer of the appropriate pages that the information is Confidential – Proprietary. Applicants should also note what parts of the application, program, concept, etc. are covered by copyright(s), trademark(s), or any other intellectual property rights and provide copies of the relevant documentation to support these copyrights.

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