FIRST NOFO DFOP0017227 - 6 June 2025.docx

Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)

Unleashing American Energy Dominance and Expediting Responsible and Secure U.S. Small Modular Reactor Deployment through the FIRST Program INTERNATIONAL SECURITY AND NONPROLIFERATION OFFICE OF COOPERATIVE THREAT REDUCTION, DEPARTMENT OF STATE Opportunity number: DFOP0017227 Application deadline: 30 July 2025

Contents

U.S Department of State

INTERNATIONAL SECURITY AND NONPROLIFERATION OFFICE OF

COOPERATIVE THREAT REDUCTION

Notice of Funding Opportunity

A. Basic Information

1. Overview

Funding Instrument Type: Grant, cooperative agreement, Inter-Agency Agreement. Cooperative agreements include substantial involvement of the bureau or embassy in program implementation of the project.

Project Performance Period: Proposed projects should be completed in 15 months or less.

This notice is subject to the availability of funding.

2. Executive Summary Priority Region: Africa (AF), East Asia Pacific (EAP), Europe (EUR), Near Eastern Affairs (NEA), South and Central Asian (SCA), Western Hemisphere (WHA) Executive Summary ISN/CTR administers the Foundational Infrastructure for Responsible Use of Small Modular Reactor (SMR) Technology Program (FIRST) to enable partner countries’ responsible nuclear energy deployment under the highest nuclear security, safety, and nonproliferation standards. FIRST is ISN’s flagship programmatic tool to advance President Trump’s Executive Order on Unleashing American Energy in global nuclear energy markets. Launched in 2019, FIRST harnesses the power of U.S. public-private partnerships and the innovation of the U.S. nuclear industry to engage partner countries worldwide seeking to build or expand their nuclear energy programs to meet energy needs. Expertise acquired through FIRST workshops, webinars, technical consultancies, study tours, feasibility studies, SMR simulators, regional training hubs, and site visits includes SMR technology selection, SMR deployment roadmaps, SMR fleet deployment regional harmonization initiatives, nuclear security and nonproliferation considerations for SMR deployment, nuclear safety and licensing best practices for advanced reactors, SMR site selection and characterization, nuclear workforce development, stakeholder engagement, preparation for SMR financing, integrating nuclear in the energy mix, planning for responsible spent fuel and SMR waste management, and more. These civil nuclear energy partnerships harness the power of the U.S. nuclear industry to expedite the deployment of safe, secure, and proliferation-resistant SMRs meeting the highest international standards.

B. Eligibility

1. Eligible Applicants The following organizations are eligible to apply: U.S. for-profit organizations or businesses; U.S.-based non-profit/non-governmental organizations with or without 501(c) (3) status of the U.S. tax code; U.S.-based private, public, or state institutions of higher education; foreign-based non-profit organizations/non-government organizations (NGO); Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs); Public International Organizations (PIO) ; Foreign Public Entities (FPE); and foreign-based institutions of higher education.

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.

Voluntary cost-share: Should the applicant choose to contribute voluntary cost-share but does not meet the minimum amount of the voluntary cost-sharing stipulated in the applicant’s budget, DOS’ contribution may be reduced in proportion to the applicant’s contribution.

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.

Applicants can submit one application in response to the NOFO. If more than one application is submitted by an organization, only the final application received, and time stamped by grants.gov will be reviewed for eligibility. Each application can include multiple projects, each containing its own scope and budget, that will be evaluated independently.

C. Program Description

1. Goals and Objectives

Advancing President Trump's Executive Order to unleash American energy, FIRST harnesses the power of the U.S. nuclear industry and innovation to advance energy security and sovereignty worldwide by enabling responsible SMR deployment. FIRST is designed to enhance U.S. bilateral and regional cooperation, consistent with the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) nuclear energy infrastructure development milestones approach, in nuclear energy infrastructure development and capacity-building that prioritize from the outset the highest, U.S.-aligned nuclear security, safety, and nonproliferation standards as key decisional criteria in reactor deployment decisions. In so doing, the program supports secure, safe, and proliferation-resistant deployment of U.S. SMRs or other advanced reactors to partner countries.

Recognizing the many years required to develop the necessary infrastructure to support a nuclear power program, FIRST provides essential technical expertise to priority partner countries to advance the secure and responsible utilization of U.S. civilian nuclear reactors to meet energy needs, especially SMRs and other advanced reactors.

While global in scope, FIRST directs its efforts towards individual priority countries on both a bilateral and regional basis to maximize its programmatic impact. FIRST is primarily interested in engaging partner countries’ nuclear energy agencies, regulatory authorities, reactor operators, utilities, nuclear research institutes, technical and non-technical organization decision makers, energy and foreign ministries. Audiences for these activities may include, but are not limited to:

· Nuclear Energy, Security, and Nonproliferation Decision Makers: FIRST engages various policy makers in partner countries, including at senior levels, on paths forward for secure, sustainable, proliferation-resistant approaches to civil nuclear energy in their respective countries. This community may include officials from energy ministries, finance ministries, foreign diplomats, university partners responsible for training the nuclear workforce, and local officials in the context of FIRST.

· Government Operators, Regulators, Utilities, Technical Experts, and Security Personnel: FIRST engages operators, regulators, and security personnel to implement programs that ensure the highest, U.S.-aligned standards for nuclear safety, security, and nonproliferation as key decisional criteria for SMR deployment.

· Technical Organization and Nuclear Industry Decision Makers: To ensure the sustainability and success of FIRST engagement with operators, regulators, and security personnel, FIRST engages relevant decision makers and local nuclear industry officials.

Goals

FIRST is a force multiplier for secure and safe U.S. SMR deployment from responsible nuclear vendors to promote energy and economic security, enhance civil nuclear energy partnerships, and champion the highest nuclear security, safety, and nonproliferation standards that the United States and our partners have long upheld.

FIRST helps partner countries:

· establish a nuclear power program under the highest international standards for nuclear security, safety, and nonproliferation,

· take advantage of next generation nuclear innovations and technologies in their sustainable energy plans and meet their energy needs, and

· deepen civil nuclear energy partnerships through government, U.S. industry, national laboratory, and university engagements with an SMR focus.

FIRST tailors each engagement to meet the partner’s specific needs through a tailored, multi-module collaborative technical cooperation, training, project development, and capacity building program. With partners from across the U.S. government and experts from the nuclear industry, universities with an SMR focus, non-governmental organizations, and U.S. national laboratories, FIRST brings world-class innovative expertise on the cutting edge of nuclear technology to strengthen partner country capacity for responsible SMR deployment.

Objectives

In Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25), as the primary focus, FIRST will fund activities that align with U.S. priorities for countries participating in FIRST, including both potential new FIRST partners and countries already engaged. Proposals should clearly indicate how the work is intended to support the following objective.

Empower potential nuclear energy newcomer countries (and current nuclear energy states with SMR deployment interests) to prioritize responsible, U.S.-aligned nuclear security, nonproliferation, and safety standards from the outset as key decisional criteria when evaluating civil nuclear reactor technologies, to include SMRs and other advanced reactor designs. FIRST prepares partner countries to build nuclear energy programs to achieve their energy goals under the highest international standards for nuclear security, safety, and nonproliferation. FIRST provides this support in a manner consistent with the IAEA Milestones Approach for implementing a responsible nuclear power program. These efforts support the ability of the United States to uphold and strengthen global nuclear nonproliferation, security, and safety norms at the facility and national level and in international forums such as the IAEA.

FIRST prioritizes nuclear energy newcomer countries and, in some cases, current nuclear energy countries located primarily in Eastern Europe, Central Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and sub-Saharan Africa. This line of effort for FY25 is primarily focused on partner states including but not limited to Eastern Europe (Bulgaria, Estonia, Lithuania, Romania, Serbia, regional, and others), Middle East and North Africa (Jordan, Morocco, Tunisia, and the Gulf Cooperation Council, i.e. Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates), Southeast Asia (Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand), sub-Saharan Africa (Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, and regional), and a limited number of Central Asian (Kazakhstan, regional, and others), Latin American and the Caribbean (Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Jamaica, Paraguay, Peru, and regional).

Funded activities under this line of effort will emphasize:

· Engaging high-level nuclear energy officials and other governmental stakeholders in partner countries for SMR-focused capacity-building engagements—both remote and in-person—on topics such as nuclear security, safety, and nonproliferation for SMRs, workforce development, stakeholder engagement, licensing for advanced reactors, SMR technology selection, non-predatory financial arrangements, and related topics. Engagements intended for high-level audiences should typically be accessible to officials who do not possess a deep technical background.

· Conducting expert-level, in-depth, capacity-building training, workshops, roundtables, site visits, and study tours for governmental, industrial, and other technical stakeholders in partner countries on topics such as those mentioned above. These engagements should generally possess sufficient technical depth to engage a technical audience but must be tailored to meet the experience of the specific partner country to be engaged (from potential newcomer to advanced nuclear energy state).

· Providing SMR feasibility studies, SMR control room simulators and regional training hubs, SMR roadmaps, regional SMR fleet deployment harmonization initiatives, and related technical and financial advisory services to explore responsible SMR options and empower responsible SMR deployment in partner countries.

As a U.S. national security program authorized to deliver nonproliferation and nuclear security outcomes abroad, FIRST does not train U.S. personnel in U.S.-based institutions or fund projects intended to push nuclear energy to countries not currently exploring this option.

Expected Outcomes

The FIRST program engages with foreign partners on nuclear security, energy, and sovereignty in an ongoing endeavor. To this end, ISN/CTR will evaluate each proposal, and each project during implementation, based on the strength of its proposed structure of engagement activities and established milestones, seeking work that will continue throughout the period of the project, build upon FIRST and related projects previously conducted, leverage existing public-private partnerships and create new ones, and utilize in-country activities where necessary to ensure the effectiveness of the ongoing effort.

All proposals will measure partner capacity before and after engagement, with the expectation that skills, procedures, technical understanding, and abilities have increased due to ISN/CTR support.

Key Considerations

Leveraging Technical and Other Expertise: FIRST incorporates experts from U.S. and international technical organizations, the nuclear industry, national laboratories, and universities with an SMR focus in its activities. FIRST seeks to incorporate lessons learned and best practices from the nuclear industry but does not seek to push nuclear energy to countries that are not considering it.

Tailored Engagement Strategies: FIRST sponsors projects that are relevant to each partner country’s needs, capabilities, infrastructure, and nuclear regulatory environment. Rather than adopting a one-size-fits-all approach, no two FIRST projects are identical, because no two countries are identical. FIRST projects are based on a nuanced understanding of technical and human capacity and other factors relevant to secure and safe nuclear energy deployment in each partner country, take local cultural and policy considerations into account, leverage the implementer’s own relationships and experience in country, and build upon past FIRST or other expert engagements.

Utilizing Innovative Technology: To sustain developments made during in-country trainings and to provide consistent, regular support throughout project implementation, FIRST includes the use of online training modules, virtual communication, and other innovations for capacity building.

Concrete Impact: FIRST seeks to move beyond awareness-raising and toward adoption, implementation, and long-term sustainability of best practices as well as timely progress through the IAEA milestones process to a responsible SMR deployment decision consistent with national energy planning timelines. To accomplish this, FIRST is open to a variety of approaches and encourages leveraging private sector capabilities whenever appropriate. Proposals that provide specific and feasible approaches to sustainability, rather than platitudes or vague references, are highly encouraged.

2. Substantial Involvement ISN/CTR will be involved in the project development and planning. ISN/CTR staff will work closely with the implementer to select participants, grant awards, and review event agendas, curriculum, studies, and all other materials to ensure that they align with the proficiency level, needs and interests of each ISN/CTR partner country audience. ISN/CTR will approve all foreign participants, advise on training, and will consult on all aspects of event logistical planning and all participants including process and lead-time required for obtaining U.S. visas.

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.

ISN/CTR is looking for one proposal package per application. Each package can include multiple standalone projects, each containing its own budget, that can be evaluated independently. Each proposal packet will include one of the following documents that incorporate information on all proposed projects: SF-424, SF-424A, SF-424B (Optional), SF-LLL (if Applicable), Summary Page, Key Personnel, Monitoring and Evaluation Narrative, Monitoring and Evaluation Plan/Tracker, and Consolidated Project List. 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. Each proposed project should have a unique set of the following documents: Project Narrative, Detailed Line-Item Budget Document, and Budget Narrative Document.

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 (no cents)

· All pages are numbered

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

· All Microsoft Word documents are single-spaced, 12-point Calibri font, with a minimum of 1-inch margins. Font sizes in charts and tables, including the budget, can be reformatted to fit within 1 page width.

· All application materials must be submitted through www.Grants.gov unless you are a U.S. government entity applying for Inter-Agency Agreement (IAA) funding. If you are applying for an IAA please submit proposals to first@state.gov and ISN-CTR-BUDGET@state.gov.

The following documents are required:

1. Mandatory application forms

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

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

2. Optional Application Forms

· SF-424B forms (strongly encouraged for for-profit entities and (FPEs/PIOs))

· SF-LLL (Disclosure of Lobbying Activities)

3. Summary Page Include a table with the organization name, project title, target country/countries, name and contact information for the application’s main point of contact, and brief section that clearly outlines the (1) the problem statement addressed by the project (2) research-based evidence justifying the applicant’s approach, and (3) quantifiable project outcomes. (Template not provided, not to exceed one (1) page, preferably as a Word document)

4. Key Personnel Identify staff within your organization or outside of your organization (subgrantee, consultants, contractors), carrying out administrative and/or technical responsibilities, who are integral to the success of each project. Provides names, titles, roles and experience/qualifications, time they will support each project of key personnel involved in each project. Given the limited space, inserting CVs are not recommended but may be submitted as an attachment. Generally limited to 3-5 individuals. (Template not provided, not to exceed two (2) pages, preferably as a Word document).

5. Program Monitoring and Evaluation Narrative and Plan/Tracker This is a two (2) component submission requirement. (Template not provided)

(1) Monitoring and Evaluation Narrative: (3 pages maximum) Preferably a one-page Word document, the narrative outlines how a project’s M&E system will be carried out and by whom. It details how you will track your project’s performance toward its objectives over time and provides a clear description of the approach and data collection strategies and tools to be employed (e.g., pre- and post-test surveys, interviews, focus groups). The description should include how the applicant will track and document whether activities occurred (outputs) and the results or changes caused by these activities (outcomes). If the project includes work with local partners or sub-partners, explain how M&E efforts will be coordinated amongst these organizations. Explain if an external evaluation will be included. Evaluations, internal or external, should be systematic studies that use research methods to address specific questions about project performance. They should provide a valuable supplement to ongoing monitoring activities. Evaluation activities generally include baseline assessments, mid-term and final evaluations.

(2) Monitoring and Evaluation Plan:

The monitoring and evaluation (M&E) plan should draw on the objectives, activities and expected changes outlined in the proposal, and link those areas to indicators. The M&E plan is generally structured as an Excel table with output- and outcome-based indicators. It explains how data will be collected (data collection methods) to measure the effect of programming against declared objectives. It outlines baselines (where your project is starting) and quarterly targets (what you would like to achieve) for each indicator. Please see “Sample Monitoring Indicator Plan” included as an attachment to the NOFO.

Note: If recommended for funding, the panel and/or bureau may negotiate the inclusion of additional Department of State Foreign Assistance indicators. These indicators assist the bureau in tying projects to larger bureau program objectives for Department’s Managing for Results framework. More information on this policy framework and access to the foreign assistance master indicator list is on the Foreign Assistance Resource Library. After award issuance, the M&E plan will accompany performance reports to document progress on indicators.

6. Consolidated Project List The proposal document should include all the identified project information for each project that your organization proposed to this NOFO. Each project should be an individual line on the Excel table, with all cells being filled in. This document will be sued to ensure that all proposed projects are reviewed and accounted for. (Please use the provide template)

7. Project Narrative (3 pages maximum per project) The proposal should contain sufficient information that anyone not familiar with it would understand exactly what the applicant wants to do. You may use your own proposal format, but it must include all the items below. (Please use the provide template)

i. CTR Unique Identifier: Please assign each project a unique identifier based on the following convention: Implementer_Country_Fiscal Year_001 (IMPL_EFF_YR_001).

ii. Project Summary: Short narrative that outlines the proposed project, including project objectives and anticipated impact.

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

iv. Project Title: Please provide a one-sentence project title that succinctly describes the project and outcome.

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

vi. 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.

vii. Project Activities and Deliverables: Describe the program activities and how they will help achieve the objectives.

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

ix. Outcomes: The results or effects of the objective(s). What are the detailed, measurable statements that outline the end results?

x. Risk Analysis: Risks are unavoidable – all projects inherently contain both internal and external risks.

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

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

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

xiv. Country of Impact: If a project will provide assistance to more than one country, please specify the estimated percent of funds that will be provided to each country.

xv. Nonproliferation Objective and the Project’s Role in Meeting this Objective: Please provide a specific explanation of how your proposed activities will meet the nonproliferation objectives outlined in the NOFO.

xvi. Participant Review Acknowledgment: If the proposal includes virtual or in person engagements your organization will need to submit participant information to CTR using the CTR participant review spreadsheet.

xvii. Project Budget: Please include the top line total for the projects and complete the separate budget attachments.

xviii. Project Point of Contact (POC)

8. Budget Justification Documents After filling out the SF-424A Budget (above), submit two separate files for each project proposed to describe each of the budget expenses in detail. See section I. Other Information: Guidelines for Budget Submissions below for further information. (Please use the provide template)

(1) Detailed Line-Item Budget Document:

Entities and organizations not recognized as FFRDCs, FPEs, or PIOs 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 ISN/CTR, any required or voluntary cost sharing, and the total budget. If submitting multiple projects each project can have its own page in the workbook. Costs must be in whole U.S. dollars. The attached Budget Guidance Template is the preferred format for submission. Detailed line-item budgets for sub-grantees should be included as additional tabs within the Excel workbook (if available at the time of submission).

(2) Budget Narrative Document : (3 Pages maximum) Entities and organizations not recognized as FFRDCs, FPEs, or PIOs are required to submit narrative information, preferably as a Word document, that explains the methodology considerations for each specific line identified in the Excel document. The budget narrative should 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 program 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 untypical 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 the need to import due to unavailability, specific needs of different audiences, costs related to country limitations, etc.

Budget Documents for Foreign Public Entities/Public International Organizations: Entities and organizations recognized as FFRDCs, FPEs, or PIOs are not required to submit detailed budget information according to the OMB cost categories. (1) A detailed budget, preferably an excel document broken down by activity may be provided instead. Costs must be in U.S. dollars. (2) A budget narrative, preferably as an Excel workbook, an activity based detailed budget with information identifying lines associated with labor (inclusive of contractual or consultancy staff), participant support costs, travel, and other activity related expenses as appropriate for each activity identified. While 2 CFR 200, Subpart E—Costs Principles does not apply to FFRDCs, FPEs, or PIOs, it should be used as a guide to assist in determining reasonableness. Budget narrative information, preferably as a Word document, should explain the methodology considerations for each activity and other cost considerations or special circumstances that are helpful in determining reasonableness.

9. Attachments that will be included in evaluation

· 1-page Curriculum Vitae (CV) or resume of key personnel who are proposed for the program.

· 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.

· Past Performance statement please provide a list of recent U.S. Government funded awards (max 10) that have been active in the last twenty-four (24) months with references and award numbers.

· Official permission letters, if required for program activities.

· Consolidated project list (Template Provided)

E. Submission Requirements and Deadlines

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

2. Department of State Contacts If you have any questions about the grant application process, please contact: ISN-CTR-BUDGET@state.gov and FIRST@state.gov.

ISN/CTR will not conduct individual meetings to discuss the specifics of a proposal or provide additional information on the needs of the NOFO before they close. ISN/CTR will collect all questions about this NOFO submitted to the distros above and post the questions and answers as an attachment to the NOFO in Grants.gov every Friday until 25 July 2025.

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 30 July 2025, 11:59 P.M. EDT

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. 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.

iii. 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.

iv. Applicants are advised that IHEs must certify the following at the time of award, and that this certification requirement must be included in any subaward agreements to IHEs:

· Its compliance in all respects with section 1011f of title 20, United States Code, and any other applicable foreign funding disclosure requirements is material for purposes of section 3729 of title 31, United States Code, and for receipt of appropriate Federal grant funds.

ISN/CTR will not consider applications that reflect any type of support for any member, affiliate, or representative of a designated terrorist organization. Please refer to the link for Foreign Terrorist Organizations: https://www.state.gov/foreign-terrorist-organizations/. Consistent with Department guidance on State Funding and the Risks of Terrorist Financing for all State Department funded programs and requirements, Department bureaus must assess the likelihood that the funds or Department funded activities, goods, services, training, expert advice or assistance, or other benefits to be provided, could inadvertently or incidentally benefit terrorist organizations or their members or supporters, and must put in place appropriate risk mitigation measures to mitigate such risk. In accordance with 14 FAM 247, and consistent with 2 FAM 050, Counterterrorism (CT) name-check vetting may be performed in countries and programs designated by the Department.

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. Per 22 USC §2378d(a) (2017), “No assistance shall be furnished under this chapter or the Arms Export Control Act [22 U.S.C. 2751 et seq.] to any unit of the security forces of a foreign country if the Secretary of State has credible information that such 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.

U.S. foreign assistance for Burma or Burmese beneficiaries is subject to restrictions. This includes restrictions pursuant to section 7043(a)(3) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2020 (Div. G, P.L. 116-94)(SFOAA), on funds appropriated under Title III of the Act for Assistance for Burma. Section 7043(a)(3) provides that such funds “may not be made available to any organization or entity controlled by the armed forces of Burma, or to any individual or organization that advocates violence against ethnic or religious groups or individuals in Burma, as determined by the Secretary of State.” In addition, funds cannot be made available to any individual or organization that has committed serious human rights abuse.

The Department has a legal requirement, established by section 861 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 and implemented through subsequent regulations, to report and account for all contractors working under grants or cooperative agreements in contingency operations outside the United States that involve combat operations. The common database to collect this information, called the Synchronized Pre-deployment Operational Tracker (SPOT), is managed by the Department of Defense. A Department SPOT Program Manager, based in A/OPE/AQM/BOD (AQMops@state.gov) generally enters information provided by the recipients directly into the SPOT system. Currently the Department applies this requirement to awards operating in Iraq or Afghanistan.

The following activities and costs are not covered under this announcement (this list is NOT exhaustive):

· Projects intended primarily for the growth or institutional development of the applicant organization;

· Projects seeking funds for personal use;

· Administration of a project that will make a profit;

· Expenses incurred before or after the specified dates of award period of performance (unless prior written approval is received);

· Projects designed to advocate policy views or positions of foreign governments or views of a particular political faction;

· Alcoholic beverages;

· Costs of entertainment, including amusement, diversion, and social activities, and any associated costs, are unallowable, except where specific costs that might otherwise be considered entertainment have a programmatic purpose and are authorized either in the approved budget for the federal award or with prior written approval of the Grants Officer.

Representation by Organization Regarding a Delinquent Tax Liability or a Felony Criminal Conviction: In accordance with section 7073 of Division K of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014 (Public Law 113-76) none of the funds made available by that Act may be used to enter into an assistance award with any organization that –

· (1) Was “convicted of a felony criminal violation under any Federal law within the preceding 24 months, where the awarding agency has direct knowledge of the conviction, unless the agency has considered, in accordance with its procedures, that this further action is not necessary to protect the interests of the Government”; or

· (2) Has any “unpaid Federal tax liability that has been assessed for which all judicial and administrative remedies have been exhausted or have lapsed, and that is not being paid in a timely manner pursuant to an agreement with the authority responsible for collecting the tax liability, unless the Federal agency has considered, in accordance with its procedures, that this further action is not necessary to protect the interests of the Government.”

For the purposes of Section 7073, it is the Department of State’s policy that no award may be made to any organization covered by (1) or (2) above, unless the Procurement Executive has made a written determination that suspension or debarment is not necessary to protect the interests of the U.S. government.

Organizations should be cognizant of the restrictions above when developing project proposals. Funding restrictions require appropriate due diligence of program beneficiaries and collaboration with ISN/CTR to ensure compliance. Program 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.

Due to the determination made under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) for FY 2025, certain assistance that benefits the governments of the following countries may be subject to a restriction under the TVPA. New determinations will be made for FY 2026 later in FY 2025. The Department of State determines on a case-by-case basis what constitutes assistance to a government; the general principles listed below apply.

Assistance to the government includes:

· All branches of government (executive, legislative, judicial) at all levels (national, regional, local);

· Public schools, universities, hospitals, and state-owned enterprises, as well as government employees;

· Cash, training, equipment, services, or other assistance provided directly to the government, assistance provided to an NGO or other implementer for the benefit of the government, and assistance to government employees.

Subject to TVPA for funds obligated during FY 2025:

AF: Eritrea (partial waiver), South Sudan (partial waiver), Sudan (partial waiver), Djibouti (full waiver) EAP: Burma, Brunei (full waiver), Cambodia (partial waiver), PRC (partial waiver), Macau (partial waiver), North Korea, and Papua New Guinea (full waiver) EUR: Belarus (partial waiver), Russia (partial waiver) NEA: Iran, Syria SCA: Afghanistan (partial waiver), Turkmenistan (full waiver) WHA: Cuba, Nicaragua, Saint Maarten (partial waiver), Venezuela (full waiver) Additional requirements may be included depending on the content of the program.

6. Other Submission Requirements All application materials must be submitted through www.Grants.gov unless you are a U.S. government entity applying for Inter-Agency Agreement (IAA) funding. If you are applying for an IAA please submit proposals to the program team first@state.gov and ISN-CTR-BUDGET@state.gov.

F. Application Review Information

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

Quality and Feasibility of the Project Idea – 25 points: The project idea is well developed and responsive to the policy and program objective of the NOFO. The applicant describes the project’s potential contribution to solving the problem addressed in the problem statement. The application clearly defines the problem; its causes; stakeholders; and existing research/data; the approach taken to solve the problem; realistic milestones to indicate progress.

Organizational Capacity and Record on Previous Grants – 20 points: The applicant demonstrates an institutional record of successful projects in the content area proposed. The applicant demonstrates experience (e.g., has previously worked and/or has established contacts/partners) in the proposed country/territory/region. The organization has expertise in its stated field and has adequate staffing to manage the proposed project. The applicant demonstrates capacity for responsible fiscal management of donor funding (e.g., successful management of a previous grant or sub-award).

Program Planning/Ability to Achieve Objectives – 15 points: Goals and objectives are clearly stated, and project approach is likely to provide maximum impact in achieving the proposed results. The applicant proposes activities that are feasible, and are also practical, and/or experiential in nature to encourage innovation. The applicant addresses how the project will engage or obtain support from relevant stakeholders and/or identifies local partners. Program logic is sound showing plausible pathways to achieve project outcomes. Key assumptions and risks have been identified and their potential influences described. The applicant acknowledges if activities similar to those proposed are already taking or have taken place previously and provides an explanation as to how proposed new activities will not duplicate or merely add to existing/recent activities.

Financial Capacity and Cost Effectiveness (15 points): The budget justification is detailed, accounting for all necessary expenses to achieve proposed activities. Costs are reasonable in relation to the proposed activities and anticipated results and provide detail of calculations, including estimation methods, quantities, unit costs, labor in-put and responsibilities, procurement practice and policy information, and other similar quantitative details. Applications that maximize direct activity costs and minimize administrative costs are encouraged. Final approval of the budget resides with the Grants Officer.

Monitoring and evaluation plan – 15 points: Applicant demonstrates it is able to measure program success against key indicators and provides milestones to indicate progress toward goals outlined in the proposal. The program includes output and outcome indicators and shows how and when those will be measured and who will be responsible for them. The applicant clearly details how activities will result in benefits that will continue beyond the funding period.

Sustainability – 10 points: Program activities will continue to have positive impact after the end of the program.

2. Review and Selection Process The 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 eligibility requirements outlined in section C and have submitted all required documents outlined in section D. 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 eligible will move forward 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. ISN/CTR reserves the right to request the assistance of non-U.S. government Subject Matter Experts (SMEs), if appropriate to the solicitation. Point values for individual elements of the application are presented in E.1, of this part. 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.