Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)

Fueling AI Innovation and Adoption (FAIIA) Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy, Department of State

Opportunity number: DFOP0017898 Application deadline: May 11, 2026, 11:59 p.m.

Contents

U.S Department of State Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy Notice of Funding Opportunity

A. Basic Information

1. Overview

Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2024 (Div. F, P.L. 118-47) (SFOAA)

Funding Instrument Type: Cooperative agreement. Cooperative agreements include substantial involvement of the bureau in program implementation of the project. Examples of substantial involvement are included in section C below.

Project Performance Period: Proposed projects should be completed in 36 months or less.

This notice is subject to availability of funding.

2. Executive Summary The Fueling AI Innovation and Adoption program (FAIIA) addresses foundational barriers to AI deployment and adoption abroad. FAIIA promotes the U.S. approach to AI innovation, competition, application, and governance. Through FAIIA, the U.S. Department of State can shift the trajectory of the recipient country toward the American AI ecosystem, counter the Chinese government’s false narratives, and solidify the position of the U.S. as the partner of choice. This program seeks to strengthen the foundational AI capabilities of partner nations so that they will mature as AI-ready partners who will ultimately purchase and integrate American AI technologies.

Priority Region: Global

B. Eligibility

1. Eligible Applicants The following organizations are eligible to apply:

· U.S.-based not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/non-governmental organizations

· U.S.-based for-profit organizations

2. Cost Sharing or Matching Providing cost sharing, matching, or cost participation is not an eligibility factor or requirement for this NOFO and providing cost share will not result in a more favorable competitive ranking. Per 2 CFR §200.306, items that are proposed for cost share must be allowable per 2 CFR §200, Subpart E—Costs Principles.

3. Other Eligibility Requirements All organizations must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) issued via SAM.gov as well as a valid registration in SAM.gov. Please see Section D.3 for more information. Individuals are not required to have a UEI or be registered in SAM.gov.

Applicants are only allowed to submit 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.

Applicants must possess deep expertise in artificial intelligence technologies, policy and regulatory reform, capacity building, and government modernization. Applicants must have existing, or the capacity to develop, active partnerships with relevant stakeholders and have demonstrated experience in administering successful and preferably similar projects. Ideal applicants will have a multidisciplinary team including AI technical experts, policy advisors, regulatory specialists, training and curriculum developers, and change management consultants. Ideal applicants will also have regional or country experts who have established relationships in target partner countries. Preference may be given to applicants with demonstrated regional experience and strong networks in Southeast Asia and the Pacific Island Countries (PICs).

Given the breadth of the scope of this project, applicants are strongly encouraged to propose consortiums or partnerships that leverage a broad array of subject matter experts, AI technology providers, training institutions, policy research organizations, and implementation partners to deliver comprehensive capabilities across all three lines of effort described below.

C. Program Description

1. Goals and Objectives The Fueling AI Innovation and Adoption program (FAIIA) addresses foundational barriers to AI deployment and adoption abroad. FAIIA promotes the U.S. approach to AI innovation, competition, application, and governance. The program addresses critical challenges. First, it pushes back against excessive and onerous regulation that would stifle private sector innovation and threaten American technological leadership. Second, it counters China’s campaign to spread its authoritarian influence globally through AI technologies, which amplifies a pro-China narrative, technological dependencies, and enables censorship. In addition, China is also pushing a false narrative that the United States is restricting access to AI solutions to international partners.

Through FAIIA, the U.S. Department of State can shift the trajectory of the recipient country toward the American AI ecosystem, counter the Chinese government’s false narratives, and solidify the position of the U.S. as the partner of choice. This program seeks to strengthen the foundational AI capabilities of partner nations so that they will mature as AI-ready partners who will ultimately purchase and integrate American AI technologies, including through the American AI Exports Program outlined in E.O. 14320. FAIIA is organized around three lines of effort:

1. Roadmaps to AI Readiness – assistance to support partner countries in mapping and developing their national AI strategies, frameworks, guidelines, standards, best practices, infrastructure, and governance models which will serve as institutional scaffolding to drive maturation of AI readiness in alignment with American commercial interests.

2. Environments for AI Adoption – assistance to support the adoption of policy and regulatory environments conducive to secure investment, adoption, and innovation in AI; technical and legal support for policies that enable local experimentation and innovation with American AI systems. Foreign partners need support both to build these environments and navigate challenges that may constrain them.

3. Upskilling for “AI-First” Partners – assistance to build a cohort of local experts trained to develop and deploy AI models, tools and governance frameworks that align with and promote the U.S. approach. This is an upskilling program that strengthens local capacity to use, operate, and sustain AI technology.

This project should be designed to achieve the following high-level goal: maintain U.S. leadership in AI by helping 1) U.S. technology companies grow their global market share while appropriately safeguarding U.S. technology and innovation from hostile exploitation and theft; 2) counter China’s efforts to disseminate Chinese ICT and AI tech ecosystem; and 3) emerging economies adopt American AI and related technologies.

In awarding funds for this project, CDP expects that the activities and milestones listed below will be accomplished within the project’s period of performance. Upon final award, CDP and the selected partner will meet to discuss a final set of standard and project-specific indicators.

Project Objective 1: Partner countries develop comprehensive national AI strategies, frameworks, and governance models that establish institutional scaffolding for AI readiness and align with U.S. approaches to AI innovation and governance and promote trusted and secure technology ecosystems as alternatives to Chinese models.

Expected Outcomes Achievement of Project Objective 1 is expected to result in the following outcomes:

1. National AI Strategy Development: Partner countries develop comprehensive national AI strategies that articulate vision, priorities, and implementation roadmaps aligned with U.S. approaches to AI innovation.

2. Institutional Capacity Built: Government ministries and agencies develop the technical knowledge, governance structures, regulatory frameworks, processes, and operational resources necessary to implement and oversee AI strategies and framework.

3. Stakeholder Engagement Mechanisms Created: Partner countries establish comprehensive consultation processes for engaging the private sector, civil society, local governments, and academia in AI strategy development and implementation.

4. Implementation Roadmaps Defined: Partner countries develop detailed, time-bound implementation plans with clear milestones, responsibilities, and resource allocations for executing U.S.-aligned AI strategies, supported by access to qualified experts who can provide technical and policy guidance throughout the process.

Applicant should insert additional outcomes as needed.

Activities To achieve the expected project outcomes, the project could include the following:

1. Conduct a Rapid AI Readiness Assessment: Perform rapid baseline assessments of partner country AI maturity across policy, institutional, technical, infrastructure (energy), and human capital dimensions to identify gaps and priorities.

2. Facilitate National AI Strategy Development: Provide technical assistance to partner country governments in drafting national AI strategies, including stakeholder consultations, priority setting, and vision articulation.

3. Shape AI Innovation Environment: Support partner countries in shaping technology governance bodies with appropriate mandates, membership, decision-making processes, and accountability mechanisms to support a pro-innovation environment conducive for the adoption of American AI and related technologies.

4. Develop Policy and Regulatory Frameworks: Support creation of policy frameworks to encourage AI innovation, promote trusted AI solutions, and address AI-enabled censorship, data governance, algorithmic transparency, privacy protections, and innovation enablement.

5. Build Government Capacity: Deliver training and technical assistance on AI strategy implementation, governance best practices, and policy development processes that encourage innovation and investment from U.S. technology providers while limiting the influence and adoption of Chinese models and standards

Applicant should insert additional activities as needed.

Project Objective 2: Partner countries establish and implement policy and regulatory environments that are conducive to secure AI investment, adoption, and innovation.

Expected Outcomes Achievement of Project Objective 2 is expected to result in the following outcomes:

1. Policy Frameworks Adopted: Partner countries implement policy frameworks that enable innovation and avoid overregulation.

2. Barriers to AI Investment Removed: Partner countries identify and eliminate regulatory, legal, and administrative barriers that inhibit trusted AI and digital infrastructure investment, technology transfer, and secure innovation, while ensuring a level playing field for U.S. industry and reducing reliance on Chinese companies.

3. Tech Protection Measures Aligned: Partner countries develop and adopt policy frameworks for complementary tech protection measures, such as export controls and investment security, to mitigate risks from countries and entities of concern.

4. AI Regulatory Sandboxes Established: Partner countries operationalize AI policy frameworks that enable local experimentation and innovation with American AI.

5. Public-Private Collaboration Mechanisms Established: Partner countries establish formal channels for ongoing dialogue between regulators and AI innovators to ensure responsive, adaptive regulatory environments, including partnership opportunities with U.S. companies

Applicant should insert additional outcomes as needed.

Activities To achieve the expected project outcomes, the project could include the following:

1. Facilitate AI Sandbox Pilot Projects: Connect partner country sandboxes with American AI companies interested in testing solutions, creating demonstration effects for regulatory approaches.

2. Map Existing Regulatory Barriers: Conduct detailed mapping exercises with government agencies, private sector, and AI innovators to identify specific laws, regulations, and administrative procedures that currently block or slow AI adoption.

3. Launch Regulatory Hackathons: Organize intensive collaborative sessions bringing regulators and AI developers together to co-design solutions to specific regulatory challenges.

4. Implement Regulatory and Adversarial Foreign Influence Impact Dashboards: Develop tracking systems measuring how regulatory changes, adversarial foreign influence, and the presence of untrusted technologies affect AI investment, innovation metrics, and market entry.

5. AI Skilling and Workforce Development Initiatives: In partnership with U.S. industry, develop and implement AI skilling and workforce development programs to expand access to training and certifications – including on export controls and research security – that build local expertise and support the growth of a competitive AI workforce.

Applicant should insert additional activities as needed.

Project Objective 3: Build a cohort of local AI experts.

Expected Outcomes Achievement of Project Objective 3 is expected to result in the following outcomes:

1. AI-Capable Government Workforce Developed: Partner countries’ government officials with practical skills to deploy, configure, and operate AI systems in public sector contexts.

2. Operational AI Projects Implemented: Trained officials successfully deploy and manage AI applications within their agencies, demonstrating practical capability and creating demonstration effects.

3. Sustained AI System Operation: Government agencies maintain and optimize AI systems beyond initial deployment, showing capacity for long-term technology stewardship.

4. Reduced Dependence on External Consultants: Partner country governments develop internal capacity to manage AI projects, reducing over-reliance on expensive and/or untrusted external technical assistance.

5. Regional AI Knowledge Hub Created: Partner countries become sources of AI expertise for neighboring countries, amplifying the benefits of the U.S. approach to technology innovation regionally.

Applicant should insert additional outcomes as needed.

Activities To achieve the expected project outcomes, the project could include the following:

1. Establish AI Talent Development and Retention Strategies: Work with partner governments to create education and training pathways, compensation adjustments, or recognition programs that build and retain trained AI talent.

2. Conduct AI Vendor Ecosystem Mapping: Connect trained officials with American AI companies offering solutions relevant to their use cases, facilitating technology partnerships.

3. Provide Access to AI Development Environments: Supply trained officials with cloud credits, software licenses, and development tools enabling hands-on practice and experimentation.

4. Establish AI Centers of Excellence: Create dedicated facilities within partner country governments where trained officials can securely access AI infrastructure, datasets, and expert support for projects.

5. Create AI Deployment Playbooks: Develop step-by-step guides for common AI use cases in government, enabling trained officials to replicate successful implementations.

Applicant should insert additional activities as needed.

Insert additional Project Objectives and accompanying information as needed.

As outlined, this project should contribute to the following strategic goal and objectives outlined in the 2025 National Security Strategy and the Agency Strategic Plan (FYs 2026-2023).

Strategic Goals and Objectives:

· Ensure that U.S. technology and U.S. standards—particularly in AI, biotech, and quantum computing—drive the world forward.

· Work with our treaty allies and partners to counteract predatory economic practices and use our combined economic power to help safeguard our prime position in the world economy.

· Drive the United States’s strategic leverage by increasing U.S. exports and investment.

· Strengthen U.S. technological edge and industry dominance.

The selected implementing partner will conduct the following activities to ensure all relevant performance information is collected and submitted to CDP.

Quarterly Performance Reports and Indicators: The implementer will prepare and submit quarterly performance reports using a standard template provided by CDP that includes qualitative descriptions of progress and results achieved in each quarter, next steps and progress planned for the upcoming quarter, any challenges or risks and how they will be mitigated, and quantitative data reported against relevant CDP indicators.

CDP standard indicators and disaggregates that the implementing partner will report for this project are listed below, but CDP will work with the selected implementer to finalize these, and any additional project-specific indicators deemed relevant. CDP will also provide definition sheets for each CDP indicator below.

Indicators:

· CDP 1.2 - Number of cyber, digital, emerging technology, or related deals/project supported or finalized with USG assistance.

· Number involving a U.S. company

· Number finalized/signed

· Value of the finalized deal(s) (in USD)

· Qualitative: Description of what the deal was for or about

· CDP 1.12 - Number of cyber, digital, emerging technology, or related studies, assessments, or stocktaking exercises supported with USG assistance.

· CDP 1.5 - Number of cyber, digital, emerging technology, or related strategies/roadmaps/plans developed or improved with USG assistance.

· Number involving critical or emerging technologies

· Number involving infrastructure (e.g., ORAN, cables, critical infrastructure)

· Number involving cybersecurity or cyberspace security

· CDP 1.6 - Number of people receiving training, capacity building, or technical assistance on cyber, digital, emerging technology or related issues with USG support.

· Number of males receiving formal training

· Number of females receiving formal training

· Number of males receiving capacity building or technical assistance

· Number of females receiving capacity building or technical assistance

· Number of government officials (of any rank or branch, including contractors)

· Number taught on critical and emerging technologies (e.g., AI)

· Number taught on infrastructure issues (e.g., ORAN, cables, critical infrastructure)

· Number taught on cybersecurity or cyberspace security

· Qualitative: Country of each participant

· CDP 1.7 - Number of people receiving training, capacity building, or technical assistance on cyber, digital, emerging technology, or related issues who demonstrate improved knowledge or skill.

· Number of males

· Number of females

· Number of government officials (of any rank or branch, including contractors)

· Number taught on critical and emerging technologies (e.g., AI)

· Number taught on infrastructure issues (e.g., ORAN, cables, critical infrastructure)

· Number taught on cybersecurity or cyberspace security (feeds to standard PS4.4-1)

· Qualitative: Country of each participant

· CDP 1.8 - Number of USG supported conferences, workshops, meetings, or other fora held to convene stakeholders for technical assistance or to discuss best practices in cyber, digital, emerging technology, or related issues.

· Number on critical and emerging technologies (e.g., AI)

· Number on infrastructure issues (e.g., ORAN, cables, critical infrastructure)

· Number on cybersecurity or cyberspace security

· CDP 2.2 - Number of cyber, digital, emerging technology or related policies, laws, or regulations drafted, proposed, adopted, improved, or implemented with USG assistance.

· Number drafted or improved

· Number formally adopted/passed

· Number on critical and emerging technologies (e.g., AI)

· Number on infrastructure issues (e.g., ORAN, cables, critical infrastructure)

· Number on cybersecurity or cyberspace security

· Qualitative: Name of the law/policy

· CDP 2.8 - Number of benefitting organizations or institutions reached with CDP foreign assistance.

· Qualitative: Specify the name of each organization reached new / write in space needed

· Qualitative: Specify the home country of each organization reached

Applicant should insert additional performance indicator disaggregates as needed.

2. Substantial Involvement The distinction between grants and cooperative agreements revolves around the existence of “substantial involvement.” Cooperative agreements require greater federal government participation in the project. If a cooperative agreement is awarded, CDP will undertake reasonable and programmatically necessary substantial involvement. Examples of substantial involvement could include but are not limited to:

· Active participation or collaboration with the recipient in the implementation of the award.

· Review and approval of one stage of work before another can begin.

· Collaboration on selection and/or review and approval of sub-award partnerships or sub-contracts beyond existing federal policy.

· Approval of the recipient’s budget or plan of work prior to the award.

· Review participant training program acceptance and rejection letters.

· Coordination with interagency partners and industry

D. Application Contents and Format 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, including budgets and attachments

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

· All Microsoft Word documents are single-spaced, 12-point Times New Roman font, with 1-inch margins.

The following documents are required:

1. Mandatory application forms, if applicable

· SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance – organizations)

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

· SF-424B (Assurances for Non-Construction programs) (note: the SF-424B is only required for individuals, organizations exempt from registration, and for organizations not required to fully register in SAM.gov)

· Organizations that engage in lobbying the U.S. government, including Congress, or pay for another entity to lobby on their behalf, are also required to complete the SF-LLL “Disclosure of Lobbying Activities” form

2. Proposal (25 pages maximum, excluding the Executive Summary/Cover Page and all additional attachments) The proposal should contain sufficient information that anyone not familiar with it would understand exactly what the applicant wants to do. Please use Attachment 1 - FAIIA Project Proposal Template attached to this NOFO. The Project Proposal Template captures and formats a majority of the content needed for this NOFO application.

· Executive Summary/Cover Page (2 pages)

· Project Overview - Short narrative that outlines the proposed project, including project objectives and anticipated impact. (8 pages or less)

· Introduction to the Organization - A description of past and present operations, showing ability to carry out programming, including information on all previous grants from the State Department and/or U.S. government agencies.

· Project Partners - List the names and type of involvement of key partner organizations and sub-awardees.

· Summary of the Project Approach and Timeline - The proposed timeline for the program activities. Include the dates, times, and locations of planned activities and events.

· Project Design and Logic Model (8 pages or less)

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

· Project 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.

· Project Activities - Describe the program activities and how they will help achieve the objectives.

· Logic Model and Theory of Change - 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.

· Project Performance Management – 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? (4 pages or less)

· Indicators

· Performance Management Approach

· Sustainability Plan – Applicant’s plan for continuing the program beyond the grant period, or the availability of other resources, if applicable. (1 page or less)

· Risk Analysis and Mitigation Strategies (1 page or less)

· Contingency Plan (1 page or less)

· Summary of Key Personnel and Subject Matter Experts - 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 project? (2 page or less)

3. Budget and 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 I. Other Information: Guidelines for Budget Submissions below for further information.

Complete Attachment - Detailed Line-Item Budget Template. Excel workbook strongly preferred. Please do not provide as a PDF. Entities and organizations are required to submit detailed budget information according to the OMB cost categories (see SF-424A as an example). Budget expenses should be submitted preferably as one Excel workbook and include three (3) columns describing the request to CDP, any required or voluntary cost sharing, and the total budget. Costs must be in whole U.S. dollars. Detailed line-item budgets for sub-grantees should be included as additional tabs within the Excel workbook (if available at the time of submission). Please see the details outlined in the Attachment for more information.

Complete Attachment - Budget Narrative Template. Please provide as a Word Document. Entities and organizations are required to submit narrative information that explain the methodology considerations for each specific line identified in the Excel document. The budget narrative must support the activities described in the proposal and provide additional information that might not be readily apparent in the detailed line-item budget. Do not simply repeat what is represented numerically in the budget, i.e. salaries are for salaries or travel is for travel. If the detailed budget includes sub-awards, please include a separate budget narrative for each sub-award budget.

Provide details on the purpose of costs, reasonability of costs, cost price analysis, allocation methodology, explain any yearly variances in unit prices, and tie expenses to project activities and/or objectives where appropriate. Information should describe prices used when costs have been averaged for the purposes of the calculation; when or if there is a reduction in a typical cost due to leveraging other resources; when costs are inflated due to specific considerations; or when atypical costs are included due to special circumstances. Provide information on considerations such as translations, multi-media approaches as also described in the proposal narrative, procurement by local vendors or need to import due to unavailability, specific needs of different audiences, costs related to country limitations, etc.

4. Attachments

· 1-page Curriculum Vitae (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, include your latest NICRA as a PDF file

· An audit or an explanation for the lack of an audit is required

· Official permission letters, if required for program activities.

Applications that do not include the elements listed above will be deemed technically ineligible. To ensure that all applications receive a balanced evaluation, the review panel will review from the first page of each section up to the page limit and no further.

E. Submission Requirements and Deadlines

1. Address to Request Application Package Application forms required above are available at grants.gov and MyGrants.com

2. Department of State Contacts If you have any questions about the grant application process, please contact: DCCP-info@state.gov.

Any prospective applicant who has questions concerning the contents of this NOFO should submit them by email to the email address provided above. Any updates about this NOFO will also be posted on grants.gov.

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 in 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. An applicant must maintain an active registration while it has a proposal under review by the Department and must continue to keep the registration active for the entire duration of the period of performance of any Federal award that results from this NOFO.

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

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 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 prior to registering in SAM.gov.

· 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 to apply for non-DoD foreign assistance funding opportunities. If an applicant organization is mid-registration and wishes to remove an NCAGE code from their SAM.gov registration, the applicant should submit a help desk ticket (“incident”) with the Federal Service Desk (FSD) online 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 an NCAGE code. I understand that I will need to submit my registration after this incident is resolved in order to have my registration activated.”

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):

NCAGE Code Request Tool (nato.int)

Exemptions An exemption from the UEI and sam.gov registration requirements may be permitted on a case-by-case basis. See 2 CFR 25.110 for a full list of exemptions.

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 11:59 p.m. on May 11, 2026.

5. Funding Restrictions

i. Funding Restrictions for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA)

None of the funds awarded resulting from this Notice of Funding Opportunity may be made available for subawards, direct financial support, or otherwise used to provide any payment or transfer to United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).

ii. Certification Regarding Compliance with applicable Federal anti-discrimination laws

If the place of performance or delivery of any award made under this NOFO will be within the United States, applicants are advised that they will be required to certify the following at the time of award:

1) Its compliance in all respects with all applicable Federal anti-discrimination laws is material to the government’s payment decisions for purposes of section 3729(b)(4) of title 31, United States Code and;

2) It does not operate any programs promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion that violate any applicable Federal anti-discrimination laws. A program promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion means a program whose purpose is to promote preferences based on race, color religion, sex, or national origins, such as in training or hiring.

iii. Certification of Trafficking in Persons Compliance and Compliance Plan

Applicants are advised that they will be required to certify the following at the time of award for awards where the estimated value of services to be performed outside the United States exceeds $500,000:

1) To the best of the Recipient’s knowledge, neither the Recipient, nor any subrecipient, contractor, or subcontractor of the Recipient or any agent of the recipient or of such a subrecipient, contractor, or subcontractor, is engaged in any of the activities described in 2 CFR 175.105(a);

The recipient has implemented a Trafficking in Persons compliance plan to prevent activities described in 2 CFR 175(a) and is compliant with this plan; and the compliance plan must follow the minimum requirements described in 2 CFR 175(b)(5).

2) That the Recipient has and will implement procedures to prevent activities described in 2 CFR 175.105(a) and to monitor, detect, and terminate any subrecipient, contractor, subcontractor, or employee of the recipient engaging in these activities.

Recipients do not need to submit a copy of the plan. However, they must provide it to the Grants Officer upon request, and as appropriate, must post the useful and relevant contents of the plan or related materials on their website and at the workplace. Recipients must re-certify on an annual basis for the entire award period of performance.

iv. Prohibition on Unmanned Aircraft Systems Manufactured or Assembled by American Security Drone Act-Covered Foreign Entities

(a) Definitions.

American Security Drone Act-covered foreign entity means an entity included on a list developed and maintained by the Federal Acquisition Security Council (FASC) and published in the System for Award Management (SAM) at https://www.sam.gov

FASC-prohibited unmanned aircraft system means an unmanned aircraft system manufactured or assembled by an American Security Drone Act-covered foreign entity.

Unmanned aircraft means an aircraft that is operated without the possibility of direct human intervention from within or on the aircraft.

Unmanned aircraft system means an unmanned aircraft and associated elements (including communication links and the components that control the unmanned aircraft) that are required for the operator to operate safely and efficiently in the national airspace system.

(b) Prohibition Recipients of funding under this Notice of Funding Opportunity (including subawards and subcontracts issued by the recipient) will be prohibited from:

(1) Delivering any FASC-prohibited unmanned aircraft system, which includes unmanned aircraft (i.e., drones) and associated elements;

(2) Operating a FASC-prohibited unmanned aircraft system in the performance of the award; and

(3) Using Federal funds for the purchase or operation of a FASC-prohibited unmanned aircraft system.

c) Exemptions, exceptions, and waivers. The prohibitions described above will not apply if the agency determines that an exemption, exception, or waiver applies and the award indicates that such a determination has been made. [See sections 1823 through 1825 and 1832 of Public Law 118-31 ( 41 U.S.C. 3901 note prec.) for statutory requirements pertaining to exemptions, exceptions, and waivers.].

Project activities whose direct beneficiaries are foreign militaries or paramilitary groups or individuals will not be considered for CDP funding given purpose limitations on funding.

The Leahy Law prohibits Department foreign assistance funds from supporting foreign security force units if the Secretary of State has credible information that the unit has committed a gross violation of human rights. Restrictions may apply to any proposed assistance to police or other law enforcement. Among these, pursuant to section 620M of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended (FAA), no assistance provided through this funding opportunity may be furnished to any unit of the security forces of a foreign country when there is credible information that such unit has committed a gross violation of human rights. In accordance with the requirements of section 620M of the FAA, also known as the Leahy law, project beneficiaries or participants from a foreign government’s security forces may need to be vetted by the Department before the provision of any assistance. If a proposed grant or cooperative agreement will provide assistance to foreign security forces or personnel, compliance with the Leahy Law is required.

Organizations should be cognizant of these restrictions when developing project proposals as these restrictions will require appropriate due diligence of project beneficiaries and collaboration with CDP to ensure compliance with these restrictions. Project beneficiaries subject to due diligence vetting will include any individuals or entities that are beneficiaries of foreign assistance funding or support. Due diligence vetting will include a review of open-source materials.

6. Other Submission Requirements Applications may be submitted electronically through www.Grants.gov or MyGrants.

F. Application Review Information

1. Review Criteria Each application will be evaluated and rated based on the evaluation criteria outlined below.

The selected CDP review panel will evaluate each application individually against the following criteria, listed below in order of importance, and not against competing applications. Please use the scoring below as a reference, but do not structure your application according to the sub-sections.

Quality of Project Design (20 points)

· The project idea is well developed and responsive to the policy and program objective(s) in the NOFO.

· The applicant clearly defines the problem; its causes; stakeholders; and existing research/data; the approach taken to solve the problem; realistic milestones to indicate progress.

· The project’s potential contribution to solving the problem is addressed in the problem statement.

Organizational Capacity (30 points)

· The application demonstrates an institutional record of successful projects in the content area proposed and relevant experience in the proposed country/territory/region.

· The organization has expertise in its stated field and has adequate staffing to manage the proposed project.

· The application demonstrates the organization’s capacity for responsible fiscal management of donor funding.

Project Planning and Ability to Achieve Objectives (30 points)

· Goals and objectives are clearly stated, and project approach illustrates logical and plausible pathways to achieving project outcomes.

· Proposed project activities are feasible, practical, and/or experiential in nature to encourage innovation.

· Key assumptions and risks have been identified and their potential influences described.

· If similar activities have taken place, the applicant explains how proposed activities will produce new impact and not simply duplicate past efforts.

Monitoring & Evaluation Plan (5 points)

· The proposal demonstrates a sound methodology for monitoring appropriate indicators to oversee the project’s timely progress toward stated objectives, capture key project results, and to assess and mitigate any challenges encountered in implementation.

· Includes output and outcome indicators, explains how and when those will be measured, and by whom.

Budget & Budget Narrative (10 points)

· The budget justification is a detailed and realistic financial expression of the proposed project and does not include estimated costs that are not allocable, reasonable, or allowable.

· Proposed costs are linked to project objectives and demonstrate efficient use of U.S. Government funds.

· Proposal budget, including salaries and honoraria, are explained, and justified for the work involved.

Sustainability of Impact/Multiplier Effect (5 points)

· The proposal clearly details how project activities will produce benefits and impact lasting beyond the funding period.

· Methods to ensure sustainability of project impact beyond the life of the award are clearly delineated.

2. Indirect Costs If two or more applications receive equivalent scores based on the evaluation criteria outlined in this NOFO, preference will be given to the applicant with the lower indirect cost rate, as consistent with Executive Order 14332, Section 4(b)(iii). This preference will only be applied as a tie-breaking mechanism and does not supersede the primary evaluation criteria.

3. Review and Selection Process The U.S. Department of State is committed to ensuring a competitive and standardized process for awarding funding. Applications will be screened initially in a Technical Eligibility Review stage to determine whether applicants meet the outlined eligibility requirements and have submitted all required documents. Applications that do not meet these requirements will not advance beyond the Technical Eligibility Review stage and will be deemed ineligible for funding under this NOFO.

All applications that are deemed technically eligible will proceed to the Merit Review Panel consisting of U.S. government subject matter and/or country-specific experts and will be rated on a 100-point scale. CDP reserves the right to request the assistance of non-US government Subject Matter Experts (SMEs), if appropriate to the solicitation. Point values for individual elements of the application are presented in Section E. Panel Reviewers will determine scores based on the strengths and weaknesses of the aforementioned categories and for consistency with the program goals and objectives outlined in this NOFO. Panel Reviewers’ ratings, and any resulting recommendations, are advisory. Panel Reviewers may provide conditions and recommendations on applications to enhance the proposed project, which must be addressed by the applicant before further consideration of the award. To ensure effective use of U.S. Government funds, conditions or recommendations may include requests to increase, decrease, clarify, and/or justify costs and project activities.

Final selection authority resides with CDP’s Senior Level Official. Final award decisions will be influenced by whether the application meets the U.S. Department of State’s programmatic goals and objectives, how it supports the Department’s overarching foreign policy priorities, and the geographic distribution of the top-ranking applications.

4. Risk Review

i. Risk factors Under the merit review as required by 2 CFR 200.206, prior to making a Federal Award the Department will review and consider the following risk factors:

a. Financial stability

b. Management systems and standards

c. History of performance

d. Audit reports and findings

e. Ability to effectively implement requirements

ii. Responsibility/Qualification Information in SAM.gov 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)

An applicant can review and comment on any information in the responsibility/qualification records available in SAM.gov.

Before making decisions in the risk review required by 2 CFR 200.206, the Department will consider any comments by the applicant, along with information available in the responsibility/qualification records in SAM.gov.

G. Award Notices The award or cooperative agreement will be written, signed, awarded, and administered by the Grants Officer. The award agreement is the authorizing document, and it will be provided to the recipient for review and counter-signature. The recipient may only start incurring project expenses beginning on the start date shown on the 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.

Unsuccessful applicants: Unsuccessful applicants will be notified via email (DCCP-info@state.gov no later than 60 days after the application period closes.

Payment Method:

Payments under this award will be made through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Payment Management System (PMS).

Recipients may not draw down funds without the affirmative authorization of the Department of State. In addition, recipients must submit, with each PMS payment request, a detailed explanation of work performed and /or detailed costs justifying the request.

H. Post-Award Requirements and Administration

1. 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:

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:

· Guidance for Grants and Agreements in Title 2 of the Code of Federal Regulations (2 CFR), as updated in the Federal Register’s 89 FR 30046 on April 22, 2024, particularly on:

· Selecting recipients most likely to be successful in delivering results based on the program objectives through an impartial process of evaluating Federal award applications (2 CFR part 200.205),

· 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),

· 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

· Terminating agreements pursuant to the U.S. Department of State Standard Terms and Conditions, including, to the greatest extent authorized by law, if an award no longer effectuates the program goals or agency priorities (2 CFR part 200.340). For the avoidance of doubt, the Department has sole discretion over the determination that an award no longer effectuates program goals or agency priorities, and this provision permits awards to be terminated at the Department’s convenience, including when it determines that the award no longer advances the national interest.

· 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

· Recipients must comply with all applicable Executive Orders A searchable list can be found in the Federal Register: https://www.federalregister.gov/

2. Reporting Reporting Requirements: Recipients will be required to submit financial reports and program reports. The award document will specify what reports are required and how often these reports must be submitted.

Reporting is critical to effective program management and oversight. Reports are required as a means of evaluating the recipient’s progress and utilization of resources. They are divided between a performance progress report and a financial status report submitted on a quarterly basis or as determined by the grants officer.