FINAL TVTP NOFO.pdf

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)

Terrorism and Targeted Violence Research and Evaluation

Contents Contents

NOFO Template

A. Program Description

1. Issued By

2. Assistance Listings Number

3. Assistance Listings Title

4. Funding Opportunity Title

5. Funding Opportunity Number

6. Authorizing Authority for Program

7. Appropriation Authority for Program

8. Announcement Type

9. Program Overview, Objectives, and Priorities

10. Performance Measures

A. Federal Award Information

1. Available Funding for the NOFO: $9,513,943

2. Projected number of Awards (Optional):

3. Period of Performance:

4. Projected Period of Performance Start Date(s):

5. Projected Period of Performance End Date(s):

6. Funding Instrument Type: Grants or Cooperative Agreements

B. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants

2. Applicant Eligibility Criteria

3. Other Eligibility Criteria

4. Cost Share or Match

C. Application and Submission Information

1. Key Dates and Times

2. Agreeing to Terms and Conditions of the Award

3. Address to Request Application Package

4. Steps Required to Submit an Application, Unique Entity Identifier, and System for Award Management (SAM)

5. Electronic Delivery

6. How to Register to Apply through Grants.gov

7. How to submit an Application to DHS via Grants.gov

8. Timely Receipt Requirements and Proof of Timely Submission

9. Content and Form of Application Submission

10. Other Submission Requirements

11. Funding Restrictions and Allowable Costs

12. Allowable Costs

D. Application Review Information

1. Application Evaluation Criteria

2. Review and Selection Process

E. Federal Award Administration Information

1. Notice of Award

2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

3. Reporting

F. DHS Awarding Agency Contact Information

1. Contact and Resource Information

G. Other Information

1. Period of Performance Extensions

2. FEMA Financial Assistance Programs for Infrastructure

FY 23 DHS HQ NOFO Template Updates # Section Page # Header

1 A.10 7 Program Overview, Objectives, and Priorities

2 A.11 8 Performance Measures

3 B.1 8 Available Funding for the NOFO

4 B.7.a/b 9-11 Cooperative agreements/Grants

5 C.1 12 Eligible Applicants

6 C.2 13 Applicant Eligibility Criteria

7 C.3 13 Other Eligibility Criteria/Restrictions

8 D.1.b 14 Application Submission Deadline

9 D.1.e 16 Other Key Dates

10 D.4 17 Unique entity identifier and System for Award Management

11 D.5.a

Steps Required to Submit an Application, Unique Entity Identifier, and System for Award Management

(SAM)

12 D.5.b

Steps Required to Submit an Application, Unique Entity Identifier, and System for Award Management

(SAM)

13 D.7.a.1 19 How to Register to Apply through Grants.gov

14 E.1.a 25 Application Evaluation Criteria, Programmatic Criteria

15 E.1.b 25 Financial Integrity Criteria 16 F.8 31 Reporting, Program Evaluation

17 H.2.a 32-35 Additional Information, BABA Disclaimer: Agency specific content may vary from DHS HQ Template

NOFO Template

All entities wishing to do business with the federal government must have a unique entity identifier (UEI). The UEI number is issued by the SAM system. Requesting a UEI (Sam.gov information can be found at: https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration.

Grants.gov registration information can be found at:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html.

A. Program Description

1. Issued By U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Science and Technology Directorate (S&T)

2. Assistance Listings Number 97.108

3. Assistance Listings Title Homeland Security, Research, Testing, Evaluation, and Demonstration of Technologies

4. Funding Opportunity Title Terrorism and Targeted Violence Research and Evaluation

5. Funding Opportunity Number

DHS-ST- 23-108-FR01

6. Authorizing Authority for Program 6 U.S. Code § 188(b)(C) – Conduct of research, development, demonstration, testing and evaluation

7. Appropriation Authority for Program Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2021, Pub. L. No. 116-260, Division F, Science and Technology Directorate, Research and Development

Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2022, Pub. L. No. 117-103, Division F, Title IV, Research, Development, Training & Services

Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2023, Pub. L. No. 117-328, Division F, Title IV, Research, Development, Training & Services.

8. Announcement Type Initial https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html

9. Program Overview, Objectives, and Priorities

a. Overview

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) is the science advisor to the Secretary and serves as the research and development arm for the Department. S&T’s mission is to enable effective, efficient, and secure operations across all homeland security missions. S&T management of multi-disciplinary social science, engineering, and technology R&D efforts are done to ensure that the advancements in science and technology are harnessed for solutions to address fundamental policy and operational challenges. Preventing acts of terrorism and targeted violence requires a whole of society approach and is part of Goal 1 of the DHS Strategic Plan. S&T supports this mission by conducting evidence-based research and evaluation to understand an evolving threat landscape. To support this mission, S&T conducts social, behavioral, and economic science research to (a) support our understanding of individual and organizational motives for engaging in, and disengaging from, violent extremism; (b) develop and assist locally tailored interventions with local partners; and (c) evaluate the implementation and effectiveness of terrorism prevention activities and policies.

S&T is committed to the protection of privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties in all performed or supported research. S&T expects recipients of S&T funding to share this commitment.

Therefore, funding under this notification will not be used to support the collection, maintenance, use, or dissemination of individuals’ personally identifiable information based on the content of their speech and how they express themselves non-violently, their associations, how and whether they choose to worship, and how they choose to non-violently express their concerns or positions to government. Accessing (viewing or examining) such personally identifiable information but not collecting, maintaining, using, or disseminating it is permissible.

Similarly, event or activity information that does not include personally identifiable information is permissible. Non-violent forms of political activism and the political views held by individuals or groups may not provide the basis for collecting personally identifiable information. Funded efforts are required to anonymize any data collected to protect individual privacy. Before any data collected as part of this research is archived or publicly released the recipient should conduct a review to ensure that there is no personally identifiable information, and that no secondary personally identifiable information may be used to unmask research participants identity.

S&T is committed to upholding ethical standards in the design, development, and use of artificial intelligence/machine learning systems and expects funding recipients to share this commitment. These ethical standards are based on the Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights, which instructs that individuals should:

1) Be protected from unsafe or ineffective systems;

2) Not face discrimination by algorithms, and systems should be used and designed in an equitable way;

3) Be protected from abusive data practices via built-in protections and should have agency over how data about them is used;

https://www.dhs.gov/publication/department-homeland-securitys-strategic-plan-fiscal-years-2020-2024 https://www.dhs.gov/publication/department-homeland-securitys-strategic-plan-fiscal-years-2020-2024 https://www.whitehouse.gov/ostp/ai-bill-of-rights/

4) Know that an automated system is being used and understand how and why it contributes to outcomes that impact them; and

5) Be able to opt out, where appropriate, and have access to a person who can quickly consider, and remedy problems individuals encounter.

Social, behavioral, and economic science research is critical for DHS in developing a scientific understanding of how individuals, small groups, and organizations affect prevention, deterrence, threats, targeted violence, interventions, response, resilience, security, and recovery activities. Knowledge of how human beings behave in—and interact with—the various socio-economic contexts they inhabit is an essential component of promoting multi-disciplinary research. These challenging tasks require access to a broad set of expertise drawn from the fields of psychology, economics, criminology, political science, sociology, biostatistics, computer science, and other disciplines. Knowledge and findings from this research will be translated into easily digestible products for federal, state, local, and community-based organizations to enable education and awareness to reinforce a whole-of-society prevention approach. These efforts will equip and empower local terrorism and prevention stakeholders, such as family members, bystanders, teachers, community leaders, community-based organizations and law enforcement, with the knowledge they need to recognize concerning behavior and to take the necessary steps to minimize a threat as it evolves.

b. Objectives:

S&T seeks to support foundational research that contributes to advancing the state of the science through novel, nuanced, innovative and rigorous scientific inquiry using diverse and non-traditional strategies. This notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) aims to:

1. Conduct basic and applied research to improve our understanding of how and why individuals radicalize to violence, mobilize to violence, and disengage from violence using diverse and non-traditional research strategies from a multi-disciplinary perspective.

2. Understand the efficacy of non-government, online interventions to prevent, deter, or otherwise mitigate negative outcomes and harms related to online behaviors as they are related to Homeland Security missions. Please note that any activities conducted for research purposes must include an independent and objective evaluation component to understand outcomes and, if possible, impacts of interventions that are measurable and repeatable.

3. Ensure key stakeholders such as federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial partners, community-based organizations, violence prevention practitioners, and members of the public have the knowledge and tools required to support the implementation of effective prevention and intervention programming.

This NOFO will prioritize investigations of historical terrorist and targeted violence acts, events, and movements that occur within the United States and its territories, or that targets its citizens specifically. The focus of this NOFO is to advance the understanding of behaviors and motivations to engage in terrorist or targeted violence activities, to inform greater understanding and provide situational awareness regarding terrorist movements, and to inform the creation of prevention, diversion, and rehabilitation strategies for those involved. Proposals focused on traditional counter terrorism or state-sponsored adversarial behaviors will not be prioritized. Proposals that seek to predict future patterns of behavior or threats will not be prioritized.

Through this solicitation, S&T aims to conduct foundational research that has the potential to contribute to the development of evidence-based policy, programs and technologies in support of the DHS Countering Terrorism and Targeted Violence Strategic Framework (CTTV), specifically Goal 3, and the White House National Strategy for Countering Domestic Terrorism, specifically Goals 1 and 2.

c. Priorities

(i) Research to Understand Trends, Nature, Causes, and Correlates in Terrorism and Targeted Violence in the United States.

DHS has a clearly articulated need to understand the nature of threats posed by targeted violence, the incidence and prevalence of targeted violence, and the factors that influence targeted violence in the United States. This has been reiterated in both the CTTV Framework and in the White House National Strategy for Countering Domestic Terrorism. Our nation’s capacity to respond to terrorism and targeted violence depends on our ability to understand these phenomena as they occur and to adapt our understanding as trends evolve. In today’s environment, threat actors are motivated by a diverse range of motivations including violence, racial, ethnic, political, religious, anti-government, societal, financial, or personal grievances. The focus of this priority area is to improve knowledge and understanding of trends, tactics, techniques, and procedures used by perpetrators of targeted violence and terrorism. DHS is interested in answering these research questions:

• What motivates instances or trends of targeted violence among groups, organizations, or individuals? Are there related causes or correlates of these trends based on the characteristics of perpetrators, targets, or other variations among these events?

• What are the risks, vulnerabilities, or protective characteristics of individuals radicalized to violence?

• What characteristics are common among terrorism and targeted violence incidents in the United States?

The goal of this priority area is to develop empirical evidence and knowledge about mobilization to or material support of terrorism and targeted violence while creating resources that are accessible to the public and provide critical insights on key questions about historical patterns of terrorism and targeted violence. This research has the potential to increase our understanding of the most important factors that may https://edit.dhs.gov/publication/strategic-framework-countering-terrorism-and-targeted-violence https://edit.dhs.gov/publication/strategic-framework-countering-terrorism-and-targeted-violence http://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/06/15/fact-sheet-national-strategy-for-countering-domestic-terrorism http://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/06/15/fact-sheet-national-strategy-for-countering-domestic-terrorism prevent radicalization to violence, intervene to prevent an incident of targeted violence, develop effective interventions for those already in the process of radicalization, and mitigate the impacts of extremist violence. This priority area is in support of objective 1 in section 9b.

(ii) Research on the Implementation of Evidence-Based and Best Practices in

Terrorism Prevention and Intervention Research

As the field of terrorism research makes strides in developing prevention and intervention programs, DHS must take a leadership role in developing research informed implementation guidance for our community partners as we learn more about evidence-based practices, practitioner-based knowledge, and best practices.

The field has grown in our understanding of the threats, risks, and vulnerabilities associated with a range of targeted violence and terrorism incidents. This knowledge is available in various domains of study, such as, criminology, industrial organizational psychology, community psychology, political science, economics etc.

However, more research is needed to translate that knowledge into actionable prevention and intervention practices and/or programs that can be easily adapted by local community partners and evaluated.

The goal of this priority area is to bridge the gap between research and practice in terrorism research by applying the principles of implementation science.

Implementation science is the scientific study of methods to promote the systematic uptake of research findings and other evidence-based practices into routine practice in real world settings and therefore improve the quality and effectiveness of prevention programming. Implementation studies employ mixed method quantitative and qualitative designs to identify factors that impact the uptake of research findings.

While implementation studies may have components of program evaluation, the focus of these studies should be on identifying the barriers to implementation of research knowledge and the development of strategies to overcome these barriers in real world community-based settings.

DHS seeks applicants who propose novel, nuanced, and innovative methods for gathering knowledge from the academic literature, gray literature, government reports, practice-based knowledge, and expertise from counter terrorism practitioners and related communities of interest and the like. This knowledge should then be translated into implementable pilot projects or evaluability assessments to be undertaken with a practitioner/community-based partner. Through this priority area, DHS aims to apply existing knowledge from disparate areas of study to advance implementation research in prevention and intervention of terrorism and targeted violence through the identification, translation and implementation of insights, evidence, methodology, and knowledge from research. This research has the potential to bridge the gap between research and practice in terrorism prevention by sharing the knowledge and expertise to inform current research on targeted violence and terrorism prevention. This priority area is in support of objective 3 in section 9b.

(iii) Research Applying Computational Social Science to Homeland Security Needs

According to the National Academy of Sciences:

The contributions of SBS [social and behavioral science] research will be vital to the capacity of the United States to react effectively to future risks. Ongoing SBS work is illuminating, for example, the nature of social networks and complex systems, protections against social cybersecurity threats, evolving ways adversaries influence hearts and minds, and the ways individuals are drawn into radicalization and extremism.”1

Current research and data reveal that radicalization to violence is increasingly happening within intricate social networks and ecosystems that are difficult to model.

Computational social science serves as a multidisciplinary, and multi-method tool to better model human behavior using modern computational tools such as artificial intelligence and machine learning. DHS seeks research to apply these methods to homeland security needs. The goal of this priority area is to explore the application of novel computational social science methods to enduring terrorism and targeted violence problem sets. DHS is interested in applying these methods to already collected and de-identified data sets and/or synthetic data sets and environments.

Applicants must demonstrate the clear and compelling application of these tools towards explaining radicalization to violence and targeted violence. This objective will rely on robust data collection from both mainstream and emerging platforms to provide insights on emerging violent narratives. This priority area is in support of objective 1 and 2 in section 9b.

(iv) Analysis of Online Intervention Programs

Strategic Goal 2.2 of the National Strategy for Countering Domestic Terrorism states a need to “Address online terrorist recruitment and mobilization to violence by domestic terrorists.” Recruiting and mobilizing individuals to violence is increasingly happening online through communications platforms including social media, online gaming platforms, file-sharing sites, and peer-to-peer platforms. While much of this is happening online, there is a lack of research on online interventions designed to address radicalization to violence online. The goal of this priority area is to understand the efficacy of non-government, online interventions to prevent, deter, or otherwise mitigate the negative outcomes and harms related to online behaviors as they are related to Homeland Security missions (i.e. human trafficking, targeted violence, child exploitation, illegal immigration, or terrorism). DHS is dependent on voluntary participation of digital industry partners, small businesses and NGO’s that invest in these interventions, to help us understand the relationships between online and offline behavior. This priority area seeks to research the efficacy of these

1 National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2019. A Decadal Survey of the Social and Behavioral Sciences: A Research Agenda for Advancing Intelligence Analysis. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/25335.

programs and methods. Any programmatic activities conducted for research purposes must include an independent and objective evaluation component to understand outcomes and, if possible, impacts of interventions that are measurable and repeatable. The research funded under this priority area has the potential to increase our understanding of the efficacy and impact of online interventions as a tool. This priority area is in support of objective 2 and 3 in section 9b.

10. Performance Measures

1. The number of publications produced (e.g., peer reviewed, non-peer reviewed, presentations, etc.) and shared with the public.

a. Description: This measure pertains to the number of transitions of knowledge products as completed per DHS S&T guidelines. A successful transition is the dissemination of a knowledge product to the public. Knowledge products may be assessments, standards, training, or documents for decision support. The transition of knowledge products reflects the value that S&T provides in delivering solutions to advance the publics’ knowledge and awareness to the drivers of terrorism and targeted violence.

b. Data Sources: Knowledge product(s) added across all performers that are disseminated to the Homeland Security Enterprise and the public.

c. Data Reliability Check: DHS PM, and/or a Subject Matter Expert reviews the data submitted by performer(s).

2. Execution of the research design and protocols to ensure research goals and objectives were achieved on schedule and on budget, as outlined in the research proposal.

a. Description: This measure indicates how successful a performer will be in the execution of research and project management practices.

b. Data Sources: Quarterly Performance reports, Research Plan data submitted by performer.

3. The number of expanded or new partnerships created with other sectors (e.g., international, interagency, academic, private sector and prevention researchers and practitioners) that are funded through this grant.

a. Description: This measure indicates how the grant award(s) has built capacity by growing the evidence base by expanding the pool of TVTP researchers and practitioners.

b. Data Sources: Quarterly Performance reports, Research Plan data submitted by performer.

A. Federal Award Information

1. Available Funding for the NOFO: $9,513,943

Target award amount for each Priority is listed below. These amounts are not a minimum or maximum award, but if the applicant requests an amount that significantly deviates from the target award amount for each Priority, DHS will require the applicant to include a detailed justification.

Priority (i) - $3,513,943 Priority (ii) - $2,000,000 Priority (iii) - $2,000,000 Priority (iv) - $2,000,000

2. Projected number of Awards (Optional):

TBD

3. Period of Performance:

24 months. Extensions to the period of performance are allowed. For additional information, please refer to Section H of this NOFO.

4. Projected Period of Performance Start Date(s):

06/01/2023

5. Projected Period of Performance End Date(s):

05/31/2025

6. Funding Instrument Type: Grants or Cooperative Agreements

B. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants

a. Nonprofit with 501C3 IRS Status (Other than Institution of Higher Education)

b. Nonprofit without 501C3 IRS Status (Other than Institution of Higher Education)

c. Private Institution of Higher Education

d. For-Profit Organization (Other than Small Business)

e. Small Business

f. Hispanic-serving Institution

g. Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)

h. Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs)

i. Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions

j. Non-domestic (non-US) Entity

2. Applicant Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for this program, must meet the below requirements:

a. Applicants must not be a government organization.

b. National laboratory employees may participate in planning, conducting, and analyzing the activities directed by the applicant, but may not direct projects on behalf of the applicant organization.

c. The standards organization may provide funds through its assistance agreement with DHS to an FFRDC for project-specific, non-federal research personnel, supplies, equipment, facilities, data, and other expenses directly related to activities under this cooperative agreement.

d. Federal agencies may not apply. Federal employees are not eligible to serve in a principal leadership role on a grant or cooperative agreement and may not receive salaries or in other ways augment their agency's appropriations through awards made by this program.

i. Nonetheless, federal employees may interact substantively with recipients in the form of cooperation.

ii. Cooperation involves consulting on the planning, management, and coordination of standards organization and/or information sharing and analysis organization activities, sharing or comparing information, indicators, samples, equipment, facilities, data, models, or other support during the conduct of the standards development and related activities in which the interaction is substantial and requires the award of a cooperative agreement, rather than a grant.

iii. Substantial involvement occurs when the collaboration or cooperation of a federal employee or facility is necessary to achieving the overall goals of the activities supported by this cooperative agreement.

3. Other Eligibility Criteria Privacy, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties: Proposed projects shall not infringe on individual privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties. Applications shall describe any potential impacts to privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties and ways in which applicants will prevent or mitigate those impacts and administer their projects in a nondiscriminatory manner. Applications that describe programs, projects, or activities that do not appropriately protect privacy, civil rights, or civil liberties will be deemed ineligible for funding.

DHS will not consider multiple applications from a single organization serving as the lead. If more than one application is submitted by a single organization as the lead, the later in time will be considered, unless the later application clearly indicates a unique role for that organization, other than as lead for this activity.

4. Cost Share or Match A cost share or match is not required.

C. Application and Submission Information

1. Key Dates and Times

a. Application Start Date: 05/04/2023

b. Application Submission Deadline: 06/21/2023 at 05:00:00 PM ET

All applications must be received by the established deadline. If the due date falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or federal holiday, the reporting package is due the next business day. Applicants experiencing technical problems outside of their control must notify S&T as soon as possible and before the application deadline. Failure to timely notify S&T of the issue that prevented the timely filing of the application may preclude consideration of the award. “Timely notification” of S&T means: prior to the application deadline and within 48 hours after the applicant became aware of the issue.

c. Anticipated Award Date: No later than 06/01/2023

d. Other Key Dates (If applicable)

2. Agreeing to Terms and Conditions of the Award

By submitting an application, applicants agree to comply with the requirements of this NOFO and the terms and conditions of the award, should they receive an award.

3. Address to Request Application Package Applications will be processed through the Grants.gov portal. Application forms and instructions are available at Grants.gov. To access these materials, go to http://www.grants.gov. Hard copies of the NOFO can be downloaded from the portal or

Event Suggested Deadline for Completion Initial Registration at SAM.gov (includes UEI issuance) Four weeks before actual submission deadline

Obtaining a valid EIN Four weeks before actual submission deadline Updating SAM registration Four weeks before actual submission deadline Starting application in Grants.gov Two weeks before actual submission deadline http://www.grants.gov/ obtained via email from the Awarding Office points of contact listed in Section G of this

NOFO.

4. Steps Required to Submit an Application, Unique Entity Identifier, and System for

Award Management (SAM)

To apply for an award under this program, all applicants must:

a. Have an account with https://login.gov/

b. Register for, update, or verify their SAM account and ensure the account is active and

Employer ID Number (EIN) before submitting the application.

c. Create a Grants.gov account.

d. Add a profile to a Grants.gov account.

e. Establish an Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) in Grants.gov.

f. Submit application in Grants.gov.

g. Continue to maintain an active SAM registration with current information, including information on a recipient’s immediate and highest-level owner and subsidiaries, as well on all predecessors that have been awarded a federal contract or grant within the last 3 years, if applicable, at all times during which it has an active federal award or an application or plan under consideration by a federal awarding agency.

Applicants are advised that DHS may not make a federal award until the applicant has complied with all applicable SAM requirements. Therefore, an applicant’s SAM registration must be active not only at the time of application, but also during the application review period and when DHS is ready to make a federal award. Further, as noted above, an applicant’s or recipient’s SAM registration must remain active for the duration of an active federal award. If an applicant’s SAM registration is expired at the time of application, expires during application review, or expires any other time before award, DHS may determine that the applicant is not qualified to receive a federal award and use that determination as a basis for making a federal award to another applicant.

The Standard Language for Using Grants.gov to Apply is provided to aid in fulfilling these requirements (if applicable), based off of https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/grantors/grantor-standard-language.html.

5. Electronic Delivery

DHS is participating in the Grants.gov initiative to provide the grant community with a single site to find and apply for grant funding opportunities. DHS encourages or requires applicants to submit their applications online through Grants.gov, depending on the funding opportunity.

6. How to Register to Apply through Grants.gov

a. Instructions: Registering in Grants.gov is a multi-step process. Read the instructions below about registering to apply for DHS funds. Applicants should read the https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/grantors/grantor-standard-language.html registration instructions carefully and prepare the information requested before beginning the registration process. Reviewing and assembling the required information before beginning the registration process will alleviate last-minute searches for required information.

The registration process can take up to four weeks to complete. Therefore, registration should be done in sufficient time to ensure it does not impact your ability to meet required application submission deadlines.

Organizations must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) Number with an active System for Award Management (SAM) registration, and Grants.gov account to apply for grants. If individual applicants are eligible to apply for this grant funding opportunity, then you may begin with step 3, Create a Grants.gov account, listed below.

Creating a Grants.gov account can be completed online in minutes, but SAM registration may take several weeks. Therefore, an organization's registration should be done in sufficient time to ensure it does not impact the entity's ability to meet required application submission deadlines. Complete organization instructions can be found on Grants.gov here:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration.html.

1) Register with SAM: All organizations applying online through Grants.gov must register with the System for Award Management (SAM). Failure to register with SAM will prevent your organization from applying through Grants.gov. SAM registration must be renewed annually. Organizations will be issued a UEI number with the completed SAM registration.

For more detailed instructions for registering with SAM, refer to:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-2-register-with-sam.html.

2) Create a Grants.gov Account: The next step is to register an account with

Grants.gov. Follow the on-screen instructions or refer to the detailed instructions here: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration.html.

3) Add a Profile to a Grants.gov Account: A profile in Grants.gov corresponds to a single applicant organization the user represents (i.e., an applicant) or an individual applicant. If you work for or consult with multiple organizations and have a profile for each, you may log in to one Grants.gov account to access all of your grant applications. To add an organizational profile to your Grants.gov account, enter the UEI Number for the organization in the UEI field while adding a profile.

For more detailed instructions about creating a profile on Grants.gov, refer to:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration/add-profile.html.

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-2-register-with-sam.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-2-register-with-sam.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration/add-profile.html

4) EBiz POC Authorized Profile Roles: After you register with Grants.gov and create an Organization Applicant Profile, the organization applicant's request for Grants.gov roles and access is sent to the EBiz POC. The EBiz POC will then log in to Grants.gov and authorize the appropriate roles, which may include the AOR role, thereby giving you permission to complete and submit applications on behalf of the organization. You will be able to submit your application online any time after you have been assigned the AOR role.

For more detailed instructions about creating a profile on Grants.gov, refer to:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration/authorize-roles.html.

5) Track Role Status: To track your role request, refer to:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration/track-role-status.html.

6) Electronic Signature: When applications are submitted through Grants.gov, the name of the organization applicant with the AOR role that submitted the application is inserted into the signature line of the application, serving as the electronic signature. The EBiz POC must authorize people who are able to make legally binding commitments on behalf of the organization as a user with the AOR role; this step is often missed, and it is crucial for valid and timely submissions.

7. How to submit an Application to DHS via Grants.gov Grants.gov applicants can apply online using Workspace. Workspace is a shared, online environment where members of a grant team may simultaneously access and edit different webforms within an application. For each NOFO, you can create individual instances of a workspace.

Below is an overview of applying on Grants.gov. For access to complete instructions on how to apply for opportunities using Workspace, refer to:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview.html.

a. Create a Workspace: Creating a workspace allows you to complete it online and route it through your organization for review before submitting.

b. Complete a Workspace: Add participants to the workspace to work on the application together, complete all the required forms online or by downloading PDF versions, and check for errors before submission. The Workspace progress bar will display the state of your application process as you apply. As you apply using Workspace, you may click the blue question mark icon near the upper-right corner of each page to access context-sensitive help.

c. Adobe Reader: If you decide not to apply by filling out webforms you can download individual PDF forms in Workspace. The individual PDF forms can be downloaded https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration/authorize-roles.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration/track-role-status.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview.html and saved to your local device storage, network drive(s), or external drives, then accessed through Adobe Reader.

NOTE: Visit the Adobe Software Compatibility page on Grants.gov to download the appropriate version of the software at:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html.

d. Mandatory Fields in Forms: In the forms, you will note fields marked with an asterisk and a different background color. These fields are mandatory fields that must be completed to successfully submit your application.

e. Complete SF-424 Fields First: The forms are designed to fill in common required fields across other forms, such as the applicant name, address, and UEI number. To trigger this feature, an applicant must complete the SF-424 information first. Once it is completed, the information will transfer to the other forms.

f. Submit a Workspace: An application may be submitted through workspace by clicking the Sign and Submit button on the Manage Workspace page, under the Forms tab. Grants.gov recommends submitting your application package at least 24- 48 hours prior to the close date to provide you with time to correct any potential technical issues that may disrupt the application submission.

g. Track a Workspace Submission: After successfully submitting a workspace application, a Grants.gov Tracking Number (GRANTXXXXXXXX) is automatically assigned to the application. The number will be listed on the Confirmation page that is generated after submission. Using the tracking number, access the Track My Application page under the Applicants tab or the Details tab in the submitted workspace.

For additional training resources, including video tutorials, refer to:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-training.html.

Applicant Support: Grants.gov provides applicants 24/7 support via the toll-free number 1-800-518-4726 and email at support@grants.gov. For questions related to the specific grant opportunity, contact the number listed in the application package of the grant to which you are applying.

If you are experiencing difficulties with your submission, it is best to call the Grants.gov Support Center and get a ticket number. The Support Center ticket number will assist DHS with tracking your issue and understanding background information on the issue.

8. Timely Receipt Requirements and Proof of Timely Submission

a. Online Submission. All applications must be received by 05:00:00 PM Eastern time on the application deadline. Proof of timely submission is automatically recorded by Grants.gov. An electronic date/time stamp is generated within the system when the https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-training.html mailto:support@grants.gov application is successfully received by Grants.gov. The applicant with the AOR role who submitted the application will receive an acknowledgement of receipt and a tracking number (GRANTXXXXXXXX) from Grants.gov with the successful transmission of their application. This applicant with the AOR role will also receive the official date/time stamp and Grants.gov Tracking number in an email serving as proof of their timely submission.

When DHS successfully retrieves the application from Grants.gov, and acknowledges the download of submissions, Grants.gov will provide an electronic acknowledgment of receipt of the application to the email address of the applicant with the AOR role who submitted the application. Again, proof of timely submission shall be the official date and time that Grants.gov receives your application. Applications received by Grants.gov after the established due date for the program will be considered late and will not be considered for funding by DHS.

Applicants using slow internet, such as dial-up connections, should be aware that transmission can take some time before Grants.gov receives your application. Again, Grants.gov will provide either an error or a successfully received transmission in the form of an email sent to the applicant with the AOR role attempting to submit the application. The Grants.gov Support Center reports that some applicants end the transmission because they think that nothing is occurring during the transmission process. Please be patient and give the system time to process the application.

9. Content and Form of Application Submission

The following forms or information are required to be submitted in Grants.gov as part of the application. Applicants may also access the SFs at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html.

SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance, initial application submitted through Grants.gov

SF-424A Budget. Applicants must provide budgets by object class (salaries, fringe, travel, indirect, equipment, supplies, etc.). Funds may be requested as long as the item and amount are necessary to perform the proposed work and are not precluded by the cost principles or program funding restrictions.

Grants.gov Lobbying Form, Certification Regarding Lobbying, submitted through Grants.gov

The following program-specific forms or information are required to be submitted in Grants.gov as part of the application:

• Project Abstract. Provide a summary description, not to exceed one page, of the proposed activity suitable for dissemination to the public. It should be concise and accurate and should contain a statement of objectives. It should be informative to other persons working in the same or related fields and insofar as possible https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html understandable to a technically literate lay reader. This Abstract must not include any proprietary/confidential information.

• Project Narrative. The Project Narrative (including the Project Abstract) must not exceed a maximum of twenty (20) single-spaced pages in length. Narrative shall include at a minimum the technical approach and methods utilized for research, organizations and key personnel, projected outputs and knowledge products to be developed, schedule and timeline, risk mitigation plan, and a transition plan.

Pages refer to one-side of a single-spaced typed page. Font size should be no smaller than 10 and the proposal must be submitted on 8 ½” x 11" paper. Pages in excess of the 21-page limit will not be considered. Supporting materials, such as resumes, letters of support and/or commitment, privacy certificate, and fleet description information can be submitted as attachments and are not included in the 21-page limit.

• Appendices. For those research efforts working with a digital industry partners, small businesses and NGO’s, a signed letter of support is required as part of the application to ensure the entity is aware and in support of the research design.

• Applicants are requested to submit a privacy certificate2 for proposed research funded through a Financial Assistance Agreement. The privacy certificate is intended to provide assurances that the applicant understands and agrees to accept the responsibility to safeguard any personally identifiable information collected through the research and will abide by specific procedures to ensure the information is adequately protected. A model privacy certificate is included that applicants can utilize.

10. Other Submission Requirements Recipients and subrecipients must carry out their programs and activities, including those related to the building, sustainment, and delivery of core capabilities, in a manner that respects and ensures the protection of civil rights for protected populations.

The DHS Standard Terms and Conditions include a fuller list of the civil rights provisions that apply to recipients. These terms and conditions can be found in the DHS Standard Terms and Conditions. Additional information on civil rights provisions is available at https://www.fema.gov/about/offices/equal-rights/civil-rights.

DHS takes seriously its responsibility to protect the privacy of individuals in all of its activities. In addition to abiding by the “Best Practices for Use and Collection of Personally Identifiable Information (PII)” included in the DHS Standard Terms and Conditions, recipients of a cooperative agreement under this NOFO shall limit the collection of PII to only the information necessary to implement their project. Recipients shall not transmit PII of program participants to DHS. In the collection of information for the purposes of measuring performance, program evaluation, and meeting DHS reporting requirements, data should be aggregated or anonymized prior to transmittal.

2 A template for the Privacy Certificate is included as Annex 3.

https://www.fema.gov/about/offices/equal-rights/civil-rights

Successful applicants must meet all DHS and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) requirements regarding research involving human subjects. These requirements can be found in 45 C.F.R. Part 46, Subparts A-D. Subpart A of 45 C.F.R. Part 46 codifies the Federal Policy for the Protection of Human Subjects (also known as The Common Rule) which represents the basic foundation for the protection of human subjects in most research conducted or support by U.S. Federal departments and agencies. Successful applicants will incorporate an IRB determination review process into their project narrative. DHS has a process to review IRB determinations, and the Program Manager will work with the Awardee to ensure compliance prior to the collection of any data from human subjects.

Recipients may not employ deceptive or covert practices to collect data. No unapproved false identities can be used to collect data.

Recipients may not provide identifiable research data to law enforcement, intelligence, or investigative agencies.

Recipients will respect the privacy settings set by individuals on websites, only collecting publicly available social media information (e.g., open source information).

Keywords used by recipients to query publicly available information must be designed in such a way as to not profile, target, or discriminate, against any individual based on the content of their speech and how they express themselves non-violently, their associations, how and whether they choose to worship, and how they choose to non-violently express their concerns or positions to government. See, e.g., Department of Justice guidance.

Web scraping is not permissible by successful applicants recipients

Recipients must ensure that, when sourced from social media, data collection must abide by the established Terms of Service of any internet service provider(s) or other publicly available information platforms—including social media companies—from which the information is collected. Recipients will access and retain a copy of the relevant Terms of Service of each website accessed, and review monthly the terms of Service for each website accessed within the last 30 days. If the Terms of Service have been updated, a copy of the updated Terms of Service must be retained.

Recipients engaging in social media emotion analysis must provide independent, peer-reviewed proof of efficacy before research commences.

3) If some form of emotion analysis is necessary, it will be made based upon the subject's words and images.

4) Emoticons alone, or the like, will not be used to determine an individual's emotional state.

5) Any risk analysis based on publicly available or social media information will not include emotion analysis or monitoring.

Recipients will refrain from using any tools that attempt to predict future behavior of an https://www.justice.gov/crt/case-document/file/1388381/download individual or anticipate a specific emotional response based upon interpretation of past displayed emotions.

Recipients developing risk profiles or assessments may not utilize predictive analysis unless the efficacy of the predictive analytic technique or methodology has been peer-reviewed and independently validated. Any research using predictive analysis requires a description of how unintended bias is accounted for and controlled, and how data provenance is tracked and maintained by any party collecting the data.

11. Funding Restrictions and Allowable Costs

N/A

12. Allowable Costs

a. Pre-Award Costs

Pre-award costs are not allowed.

b. Management and Administration (M&A) Costs Discretionary M&A costs are allowable in the event the Recipient does not have an indirect cost rate agreement. The Recipient is allowed a maximum of up to ten (10) percent for M&A costs in these instances.

M&A are not operational costs but are necessary costs incurred in direct support of the grant or as a consequence of it, such as travel, meeting-related expenses, and salaries of full/part-time staff in direct support of the program. As such these can be itemized in financial reports.

An application must provide in the project narrative a detailed description of these expenses.

c. Indirect Facilities and Administrative (F&A)…