FINAL SOI Instructions.docx

Statement of Interest (SOI)

FY 2024 GCJ

Accountability for Mass Atrocities Program Statement Round One U.S. Department of State Office of Global Criminal Justice

Opportunity Number: DFOP0017128

Application Deadline: 3 March 2025 17:00 ET

Contents

U.S. Department of State Office of Global Criminal Justice Statement of Interest

A. Basic Information

1. Overview

The Office of Global Criminal Justice of the U.S. Department of State announces an open competition for organizations to submit a statement of interest (SOI) to strengthen national and international accountability mechanisms investigating and/or prosecuting mass atrocities committed during armed conflict and times of peace. This would include transitional justice processes encompassing the range of measures—judicial and non-judicial, formal and informal, retributive and restorative—employed by countries transitioning out of armed conflict or repressive regimes to redress legacies of atrocities and to promote long-term, sustainable peace.

The SOI may address situations involving the commission of war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide, and other grave human rights abuses or violations. The project may center on one specific country or have a regional focus.

The submission of the SOI is the first step in a two-step process. Applicants must first submit a concise 1 to 5-page statement of interest designed to clearly communicate the project idea and objectives. This is not a full proposal and will not result in a federal assistance award at this step.

The purpose of the SOI process is to allow applicants to submit project ideas for evaluation prior to requiring the development of a full proposal application. Upon a merit review of eligible SOIs, selected applicants will be invited to expand on their project idea(s) by submitting a full proposal application. Full proposals will go through a second merit review before final funding decision(s) are made.

PLEASE NOTE:

Applicants should immediately access MyGrants or www.grants.gov to set up a username and password. For instructions on how to register with MyGrants or grants.gov for the first time, please see the MyGrants Grantee Account Creation SOP or grants.gov Start Guide.

Funding Instrument Type: Cooperative agreement

Project Performance Period: Proposed projects should be completed in a 12 to 24-month period.

Executive Summary The Office of Global Criminal Justice (GCJ) advises the Secretary of State and the Under Secretary of State for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights on issues related to war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide. In particular, the Office helps formulate U.S. policy on the prevention of, responses to, and accountability for mass atrocities during conflict and peace. The proposed project should advance and promote accountability for mass atrocities and support transitional justice mechanisms and stakeholders.

B. Eligibility

1. Eligible Applicants

The following organizations are eligible to apply:

· Not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil

· society/non- governmental organizations

· For-profit organizations

· Public and private educational institutions of higher education

· Public international organizations and governmental institutions

2. Cost Sharing or Matching

Cost share is not required.

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 E.3 for more information.

Organizations with a field presence in the country proposed will have preference over those that do not.

C. Program Description

1. Goals and Objectives

GCJ is seeking projects that propose creative ways to strengthen justice and accountability for mass atrocities during armed conflict and/or at times of peace through support to transitional justice mechanisms and processes. GCJ also seeks to encourage the highest standards in investigations conducted by investigators, prosecutors, and other actors in the justice and accountability documentation space to ensure that legal proceedings are survivor-centered and trauma-informed and meet internationally accepted legal standards.

All SOI proposals must address one or more of these objectives:

· Strengthen domestic, regional, and/or international justice mechanisms in their investigation and prosecution of perpetrators of international serious crimes.

· Strengthen justice processes by expanding the capabilities of criminal justice practitioners and/or documenters and build their understanding of international human rights law (IHRL), international criminal law (ICL), international humanitarian law (IHL), and domestic law, where applicable, through investigative support, capacity-building training programs, and/or train-the-trainer mentorship in the investigation and prosecution of serious international crimes.

· Strengthen stakeholder participation in transitional justice processes including, but not limited to, filing of criminal complaints, formal truth-telling efforts, documentation and evidence collection and preservation in accordance with best practices and international chain of custody standards, witness protection, trial-monitoring, outreach and engagement with affected communities, information-sharing, and atrocity prevention efforts.

· Support government, civil society, and/or others in designing and implementing transitional justice mechanisms and responses to uphold rule of law and accountability of serious crimes.

2. Substantial Involvement

The awardee is expected to meet with the GCJ Program Office on a frequent basis to share progress of their program.

D. Application Contents and Format

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

Mandatory Application Forms

1. SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance – organizations)

2. SOI (5 pages maximum)

Contents of SOI Must Include:

· A brief summary of the project, including how it will demonstrate impact and engage relevant beneficiaries. Identify subawards as appropriate.

· A clear breakdown of the program’s objectives, activities, and expected results for each objective and proposed timeline.

· A clear statement of the applicant’s organizational capacity to carry out the proposed activity and manage U.S. Government funds.

· Documents fully in English.

· The anticipated total budget amount (in U.S. dollars) but a budget breakdown is not required.

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

· Plan to issue sub-awards must be stated

E. Submission Requirements and Deadlines

1. Template

There is no template for this first round.

2. Department of State Contacts

If you have any questions about the grant application process, please contact GCJ’s Programming Team at: JGCJ_Programs@state.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 statement of interest. 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 2: 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 this statement of interest at least two weeks prior to the deadline of the statement of interest 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.

1. Submission Dates and Times SOI applications are due no later than March 3, 2025, at 17:00 (ET).

2. 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. Prohibition on Funding Activities that Encourage Mass-Migration Caravans towards the United States Southwest Border

None of the funds awarded under this grant may be made available to encourage, mobilize, publicize, or manage mass-migration caravans towards the United States southwest border. Funds may not be made available for legal counseling on the United States asylum process; and/or for referrals to legal representation in the United States.

Funds may only be used for cash cards for use in the country in which they are provided or to facilitate assisted voluntary returns and other purposes that do not encourage, mobilize, publicize, or manage mass migration caravans towards the United States southwest border. The provision of humanitarian assistance is permitted.

3. Other Submission Requirements All application materials must be submitted by email to JGCJ_Programs@state.gov.

F. Application Review Information

1. Review Criteria

Each submission will be evaluated and rated based on the evaluation criteria outlined below.

Quality of Program Idea – 50 points: The SOI is responsive to program framework. The idea is communicated well and is feasible. SOIs that promote creative approaches to address program objectives are highly encouraged. The proposed timeline is reasonable.

Organizational Capacity and Record on Previous Grants – 35 points: The SOI should demonstrate the organization’s expertise and previous experience in administering programs in the country/region specified. If a local partner is identified, SOI should briefly describe the partner’s role and experience.

Program Planning / Ability to Achieve Objectives – 15 points: The SOI should clearly articulate proposed program activities and expected results towards achieving program objectives and goal(s).

2. Review and Selection Process

A review committee will evaluate all eligible SOI applications.

All eligible SOIs will be reviewed against the criteria listed above. SOIs are reviewed individually against the criteria and not against competing SOIs. For a fair review, all panelists will review the SOI up to the 5-page limit and no further.

The panel may provide conditions and/or recommendations on SOIs to enhance the proposed program. Conditions must be addressed, and recommendations should be addressed, in a full proposal application.

Following the review, any successful SOI applicants will be contacted and instructed to submit full applications. A full application will include:

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

· SF424A (Budget Information for Non-Construction programs)

· SF424B (Assurances for Non-Construction programs) – the SF424B are only required for individuals, organizations exempt from registration, and for organizations not required to fully register in SAM.gov.

3. 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:

· Financial stability

· Management systems and standards

· History of performance

· Audit reports and findings

· Ability to effectively implement requirements

ii. Responsibility/Qualification Information in SAM.gov.

iii. The Federal awarding agency is required to review the responsibility and qualification records available in the non-public segment of SAM.gov 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 (see 41 U.S.C. 2313);

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

v. 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. 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.

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).

· 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 Executive Order on Advancing Racial Equity and Underserved Communities, proposals should demonstrate how the program advances equity with respect to race, ethnicity, religion, income, geography, gender identity, sexual orientation, and disability. The proposal should also demonstrate how the program will further engage with underserved communities. Proposals should demonstrate how addressing racial equity and underserved communities will enhance the program’s goals and objectives, as well as the experience of participants.

The support of underserved communities will be part of the review criteria for this opportunity. Therefore, proposals should clearly demonstrate how the program will support and advance equity and engage underserved communities in program administration, design, and implementation.