FTI Egypt NOFO.pdf

U.S. Department of State Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs

Office of Assistance Coordination

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 19.322

Fiscal Transparency Innovation in Egypt Opportunity Number:

Key Information:

Announcement Type: New Date Opened: June 14, 2022 Deadline for Questions: July 1, 2022 Application Deadline: July 31, 2022 Expected Date of Notification: October 1, 2022 Federal Agency Contact: NEA-Grants@state.gov

Funding Opportunity Synopsis

In 2019, Egypt launched a sweeping public development initiative, targeting over 55% of its population, to alleviate and reduce poverty in the countryside. The Decent Life program is a five-year presidential initiative whose main objective is improving the quality of life in Egypt’s poorest rural communities. The initiative falls within the framework of the Sustainable Development

Strategy: Egypt Vision 2030 and seeks to decrease multidimensional poverty and unemployment.

The Government of Egypt (GoE) intends Decent Life to be comprehensive, with every state institution having a role and addressing nearly every facet of development: infrastructure; housing;

education; water and sanitation; vocational training; medical care; financial support (small loans);

and more.

The cost and scale of this ambitious initiative brings with it risks. Measures to strengthen transparency and accountability, therefore, are essential to increase the success of Decent Life and to build public trust in it. The Egyptian Ministry of Finance’s Fiscal Transparency and Citizen

Engagement Unit has committed to such measures, and will partner with U.S. Embassy Cairo to that end.

U.S. Embassy Cairo will manage a project to create relevant and publicly available reports detailing GoE expenditures on Decent Life and construct a website to host those reports. The website will be turned over to the Ministry of Finance at the completion of the project.

All applications must be submitted in English. Complete information on how applicants can submit proposals for this opportunity can be found in Section VI below.

Applicants should read this NOFO in its entirety before writing their proposal, and should refer to the full Evaluation Criteria provided in Section VII while drafting all materials.

Eligible Countries and Territories

In this announcement, we seek to support projects in Egypt. Please note: Applications that focus on activities in countries and territories other than those listed will NOT be considered.

Background Information about NEA/AC and EB

The Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs (EB) manages the Fiscal Transparency Innovation

Fund (FTIF), which advances EB’s fiscal transparency goals to improve financial governance, counter corruption, and enhance economic sustainability. FTIF supports governments and civil society organizations (CSOs) as they work to improve public financial management (PFM) and transparency in areas covered by the Fiscal Transparency Report (FTR). The FTR is a congressionally mandated annual report, which assesses data collected by our posts in 141 countries against minimum requirements of fiscal transparency, including the public availability, completeness, and reliability of government budget documents, as well as transparency in natural resource extraction contracting and licensing procedures. This project is funded by the FTIF.

The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, Office of Assistance Coordination

(NEA/AC) offers Federal assistance to groups and individuals striving to bring about positive change in the Middle East-North Africa region. The Assistance Coordination Office works in 20 countries and territories, partnering with governments, civil society organizations (CSOs), community leaders, youth and women activists and private sector groups to advance their efforts.

Competitively selected projects aim to foster participatory governance, economic reform, and educational advancement in response to local interest and needs. NEA/AC will partner with U.S.

Embassy Cairo to administer this grant.

Table of Contents

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. PROBLEM STATEMENT

B. ACHIEVABLE OBJECTIVES

C. PROJECT DESIGN

D. GENDER INTEGRATION

E. DEFINITIONS

MEASUREMENT OF RESULTS

AWARD INFORMATION

SUBSTANTIAL INVOLVEMENT

ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

B. REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS

C. ADDITIONAL ELIGIBILITY CONSIDERATIONS

APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

A. APPLICATION DOCUMENTS

B. APPLICATION FORMATTING REQUIREMENTS

C. SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION

D. SUBMISSION DATES AND TIMES

FUNDING LIMITATIONS, RESTRICTIONS, AND OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

A. AWARDS TO COMMERCIAL FIRMS OR FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS

B. AUDIT REQUIREMENTS

C. COMPLIANCE WITH APPLICABLE FEDERAL FUNDING REGULATIONS AND DOS TERMS AND CONDITIONS

APPLICATION REVIEW AND SELECTION PROCESS

A. APPLICATION EVALUATION CRITERIA

B. REVIEW AND SELECTION PROCESS

ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

A. AWARD NOTICES

B. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

C. TRAVEL NOTIFICATIONS

D. APPLICANT VETTING AS A CONDITION OF AWARD

E. SPECIAL PROVISION FOR PERFORMANCE IN A DESIGNATED COMBAT AREA (SPOT) REQUIREMENTS

F. BRANDING AND MARKING REQUIREMENTS FOR GRANTEES

G. UEI NUMBER REQUIREMENT FOR SUB AWARDEES

H. SUB AWARDEE REPORTING REQUIREMENT

AGENCY CONTACTS

DISCLAIMER

APPENDICES (Posted with NOFO)

APPENDIX 1— Budget Sample Template and Budget Narrative Guidance APPENDIX 2— Logic Model Template APPENDIX 3— Application Guidance

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

The NEA/AC and EB bureaus seek proposals to strengthen the fiscal transparency of the Egyptian development program Decent Life. This project aims to increase the financial transparency of the largest mega-project in Egypt today. The GoE’s Decent Life initiative seeks to significantly develop the Egyptian countryside and ameliorate poverty through massive public spending. Much is still unknown about the announced $50 billion budget. Thus, U.S. Embassy Cairo will partner with the Ministry of Finance’s Transparency Unit to collaborate on this proposed project and increase transparency of Decent Life’s finances.

A. PROBLEM STATEMENT

According to the GoE, the Decent Life initiative represents the largest single public project.

However, many details about the project are not yet publicly available. There is no specific line for Decent Life in the national budget. Rather, the program’s expenses are scattered throughout several ministries, with no breakdown of specific spending by ministry. It is also unclear what role contributions from the private sector and the Egyptian diaspora play in financing the initiative.

B. ACHIEVABLE OBJECTIVES

The project’s objective is to increase transparency of the Egyptian government’s Decent Life initiative. This proposed project will target the following results:

• The implementing partner, in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance, will create a report covering Decent Life’s finances from its 2019 inception through June 30, 2022 – the end of Egypt’s current fiscal year.

• The implementing partner, in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance, will create a user-friendly webpage that clearly maps Decent Life’s spending.

• Civil society will use the report and/or website to engage with the government on Decent

Life and participate in the monitoring and evaluation process.

• The Ministry of Finance will take over ownership of the website and update it regularly.

C. PROJECT DESIGN

This solicitation invites applications in support of increasing the fiscal transparency of the

Decent Life initiative in Egypt.

Funds are available to support projects with potential to promote this objective through activities that gather and evaluate the initiative’s implementation and progress, create a website to share and publish information about the program activities and expenditures, and collaborate with the

Ministry of Finance to institutionalize these processes.

Project activities may include:

a. Collaboration with the Ministry of Finance to create a report detailing Decent Life’s implementation and expenditures

b. Creation of a website to host the report and other relevant information

c. Cooperating with the Ministry of Finance to turn over ownership and management of the website.

d. Outreach to Decent Life’s target population in rural areas and to relevant CSOs to encourage civil engagement in implementation and monitoring of Decent Life.

e. Printing reports and outreach campaigns designed to publicize project findings.

Project beneficiaries shall include:

a. The Ministry of Finance, relevant CSOs, and rural populations.

The following activities and costs are NOT ALLOWED under this announcement:

• Exchange activities with other countries or territories;

• Social welfare projects;

• Paying to complete activities begun with other funds;

• Activities that appear partisan or that support individual or party electoral campaigns;

• Academic or analytical research (if not necessary as part of the larger project);

• Medical and psychological research and clinical studies;

• Projects of a commercial or profit-making nature;

• Cultural presentations, cultural research, cultural clubs, or festivals, etc.; and

• Entertainment costs (e.g., receptions, social activities, ceremonies, alcoholic beverages, guided tours).

NOTE: Applications that include any of these activities or costs above may be eliminated at the

Technical Eligibility Review stage and will not advance to the Merit Review Panel.

D. GENDER INTEGRATION

NEA/AC requires that all activities fully address gender considerations, ensuring that both men and women benefit from support where applicable, and that gender awareness is a built-in component of project activities where appropriate. This should be documented through gender analysis in the project narrative that identifies any relevant gender gaps and ways the proposed activities will address those gaps. Proposals should demonstrate how addressing relevant gender gaps will enhance the project’s goals and objectives. Applicants who are unfamiliar with integrating gender in foreign assistance programing should view the training video located here:

https://encompassworld.com/elearningfiles/DOS/DOS_Gender_Integration_E-

Course/story_html5.html

E. DEFINITIONS

The following are definitions of activities accepted under this announcement:

N/A

MEASUREMENT OF RESULTS

Applicants shall provide a logic model or a theory of change to demonstrate how the proposed project (including activities, the project design, and the surrounding context) will achieve the stated objectives. The logic model or theory of change statements can be generated using the template in

Appendix II. Please see Section VI below for more information.

Successful applicants will work with the NEA/AC program and monitoring and evaluation (M&E) teams to create a plan based on the proposed logic model/theory of change to measure qualitative and quantitative indicators as part of the award negotiations process. The successful applicants will be responsible for collecting data against these indicators - which will be monitored throughout the period of performance of the award to gauge necessary modifications to the project’s design - and assess the results of the project’s success in meeting expected outcomes.

AWARD INFORMATION

Funding Mechanism Type: Grant

Estimated Number of Awards: 1

Estimated Total Program Funding: $99,500.00

Estimated Award Ceiling: $99,500.00

Estimated Award Floor: $90,000.00

Cost-Sharing or Matching: Encouraged; NOT Required

Estimated Length of Project Period: 12-24 Months

NEA/AC reserves the right to award more or less than the estimated program funding, and reserves the right to award funding under this announcement for a period of up to two years after the announcement’s close date.

This request for full applications does not constitute an award or commitment on the part of the

U.S. government to make any awards, nor does it commit the U.S. government to pay for costs incurred in the preparation and submission of an application.

Non-Competing Continuation

Continuation grants funded under these awards, beyond the initial budget period, will be contingent upon the availability of funds; grantee’s progress in meeting grant requirements, including timely submission of required reports and compliance with all terms and conditions of the award; timely submission of a request for additional funding; and a determination that continued funding would be in the best interest of the Department of State.

Pending successful implementation of this project for the initial estimated length of time as indicated above, and pending the availability of funds in subsequent fiscal years, NEA/AC may extend this grant for additional time, not to exceed a 4 year total project period. Please note that this NOFO requires that applicants submit additional budget materials to plan for potential out-years of non-competing continuations. See Section VI Application and Submission Information for more details.

SUBSTANTIAL INVOLVEMENT

ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

All applicants will be screened by NEA/AC to determine whether they meet all of the program eligibility requirements detailed below.

NOTE: Applications that do not demonstrate that they meet all of the eligibility requirements in Section A and Section B will not advance past the Technical Eligibility

Review stage and may be deemed ineligible for funding under this announcement. Nothing can be added to an application once the competition deadline has passed.

A. ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

Eligible applicants include:

- U.S. or foreign o non-profit organizations;

o For-profit organizations;

o Private institutions of Public Relations;

o Public or state institutions of Public Relations;

o Public international organizations;

o Small businesses with function and regional experience in the areas of economic governance, fiscal transparency, or open government partnerships in the MENA region.

NEA/AC is committed to an anti-discrimination policy in all its programs and activities.

NEA/AC welcomes applications irrespective of an applicants’ race, ethnicity, color, creed, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, or disability. We encourage applications from organizations working with underserved communities, including women, people with disabilities, and youth.

NEA/AC strongly encourages applications from organizations headquartered in the Middle East and North Africa region. International non-governmental organizations with principal bases of operations outside the Middle East and North Africa are also encouraged to apply, but the percentage of total budget actually spent in the region through local partners may be among the elements of evaluation for this competition.

A.1. Prime Applicant

To be considered for funding under this opportunity, applicants SHALL:

• Have demonstrable previous experience working in the MENA region. This should be addressed within the project narrative section of your application.

• Meet ALL of the registration requirements listed below.

• Meet any requirements listed as MANDATORY in Additional Eligibility Considerations, below.

A.2. Local Partners

Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit projects that include partnerships with local organizations that would work together on specific programmatic objectives or priorities and that utilize local expertise. In particular, NEA/AC strongly encourages applicants not based in the MENA region to partner with local organizations

B. REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS

To apply for NEA/AC (Federal) funding, organizations, whether based in or outside the

U.S., must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and an active account with the System for

Award Management (SAM). Applicants who do not meet all registration requirements are

NOT eligible for funding under the opportunity.

UEI Number

All applicants must have a Unique Entity Identification (UEI) number.

Entities can register in SAM.gov and will be assigned their Unique Entity ID (SAM) within

SAM.gov. Entities will no longer obtain or use a UEI (DUNS) for entity registration or reporting.

System for Award Management (SAM)

SAM is a U.S. government wide registry of vendors doing business with the Federal government and requires annual renewal. The system centralizes information about grant applicants/recipients, and provides a central location for grant applicants/recipients to change organizational information.

Further, each applicant must maintain an active account, with current information, while its application is under consideration for funding. To keep an active SAM.gov account, an applicant must renew it at least once each year. If an organization’s account expires, the organization cannot submit a grant application until it is renewed.

To create a new SAM account, go to https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration.

Organizations must have a UEI number and a CAGE number (US Domestic Organizations) or a

NCAGE number (Foreign Organizations), to create an account. The CAGE code will be issued by SAM.gov. Overseas entities must request a NCAGE code at https://eportal.nspa.nato.int/Codification/CageTool/request-new-cage.

For help with SAM.gov, please visit their support page at https://www.fsd.gov or contact them at: 866-606-8220 (U.S.) or +1-334-206-7828 (international).

Note: Obtaining an active SAM.gov registration may take 12 - 15 business days to complete the process of creating an account in the system.

C. ADDITIONAL ELIGIBILITY CONSIDERATIONS

Cost-Sharing or Matching

There is no minimum or maximum percentage required for this competition. However, NEA/AC encourages applicants to provide maximum levels of cost sharing and funding in support of its programs.

Cost-sharing or matching is not an evaluation criteria of this NOFO.

APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

A. APPLICATION DOCUMENTS

All applications must include the application components detailed below. All application documents must be submitted in English. Applicants may submit only one application. Please refer to Section B below for additional submissions guidance and requirements.

NOTE: Applications that do not include all the required documentation described in Section

1 below will not advance past the Technical Eligibility Review stage. Further, applications that exceed the allowable page limits will not be reviewed by the review panel. Applicants may not add any materials to an application once it has been submitted and the competition deadline has passed.

A.1. Required Documents

Federal Assistance Application Forms (SF-424 and SF424a)

Applicants must complete each of these forms online to be considered for funding.

Guidance on how to complete the SF-424 and SF424a is provided in Appendix 3. NOTE: In addition to following all guidance outlined below regarding application materials, applicants are strongly encouraged to review the Application Evaluation Criteria section of this NOFO closely as they prepare their proposal. The Evaluation Criteria section is the rubric by which each application will be scored.

Project Narrative

The Project Narrative describes the efforts the applicant will undertake to address the priorities and goals of this announcement. It may be no longer than 15 pages. More details on preparing the Project Narrative are provided in Appendix 3. Applicants are strongly encouraged to review Appendix 3 before preparing their Narrative.

Budget & Budget Narrative Submission

Applicants must provide the following three elements as part of their budget submission:

• Summary Budget

• Detailed Line Item Budget

• Budget Narrative

There is no page limit for this section of an application. A sample fillable template can be found in Appendix 1. This template includes three tabs: The first tab includes written guidance on preparing the Budget Narrative. Applicants are strongly encouraged to create their Budget

Narrative in Word and submit as either a Word Doc or PDF file. Please note that the Budget

Narrative should include designations of who is considered Key Personnel for this project. As defined in the Department of State Standard Terms and Conditions (for assistance awards, Key

Personnel means, “…key professional and supervisory personnel; i.e., the members of the professional staff in a program supervisory position engaged for or assigned to duties under the award.”

The second tab has the template for the Summary Budget. This tab will auto-fill as you complete the Detailed Line Item Budget, which can be found on the third tab. The third tab is where you can fill in the template for the Detailed Line Item Budget as stated above. NOTE: Applicants are strongly encouraged to use the same format as provided in the template, and to submit summary and detailed line item budgets in Excel form, and the Budget Narrative as either a

PDF or Word file. If the applicant does not use the template, the applicant must ensure that their submission includes all elements outlined in the sample. The template, which includes more detailed instructions, can be found in Appendix 1. Applicants are strongly encouraged to review

Appendix 1 before preparing their Budget and Budget Narrative.

Logic Model/Theory of Change

Applicants shall provide a logic model or theory of change to demonstrate how the proposed project (including activities, the project design, and the surrounding context) will achieve the stated objectives. A theory of change statement describes how and why a program is expected to achieve its stated outcomes using if-then language. The logic model and theory of change statements can be generated using the template in Appendix 2. NOTE: Applicants are strongly encouraged to use the same format as found in the sample. If the applicant does not use the template, the applicant must ensure that their submission includes all elements outlined in the sample. This section may be no longer than 3 pages.

Project Timeline

Applicants must provide an overall breakdown of the order and timeframe in which all project activities will take place. This item should provide a macro snapshot of what will take place from beginning to end of the project. Applicants must ensure that the timeline of activities/events corresponds with details provided in the Project Narrative and Logic Model / Theory of Change.

This section may not exceed 2 pages.

Job Descriptions / Biographical Info for Key Personnel Positions

For each position designated as key personnel for this project, applicants must provide the following:

1. If the position is already filled: Provide brief biographical information summarizing the person’s qualifications, as well as a brief description of the roles or responsibilities pertaining to this project.

OR

2. If the person to fill a key position has not yet been hired: Provide a brief summary of the job description, which should include a description of the roles and responsibilities pertaining to this project, as well as a description of qualifications of eligible candidates.

NOTE: If an applicant is proposing sub grant partner(s) as part of their project design, Key

Personnel/Positions of the sub grantee must also be included. This section of the application may not exceed 5 pages.

Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement

Applicants proposing indirect costs in the Budget greater than a 10% de minimis rate must provide a copy of their Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA). This item will not be counted toward any page limits.

A.2. Optional Documents

Applicants may submit additional documents for consideration with their application.

These documents are not required and there is a 10 page limit for this section of the application. Below are examples of some additional documents an applicant may wish to submit.

1. Letters of Agreement or Letters of Intent: Applicants proposing partner organizations and/or government bodies should include Letters of Intent or Letters of Agreement from their proposed partners.

2. Organizational Chart: The organizational chart outlines the clear lines of responsibility and authority in the applicant organization to include budgeted level of effort listed by each person.

3. Sustainability Plan: The sustainability plan outlines how the proposed project will be sustained beyond the initial award period. More information on preparing the

Sustainability Plan is provided in Appendix 3. Sustainability Plans may not exceed 2 pages.

4. Security, Risk Mitigation, & Contingency Planning Summary: This item should provide detail regarding the applicant’s intended due diligence to assess and mitigate risks, and put in place adequate security measures to ensure the safety and well-being of project staff, participants, and partners, if applicable. This should include specific actions by the applicant to ensure risks are adequately and routinely assessed, and that security measures are commensurate with operational concerns specific to the locale. The applicant should also include a contingency plan that highlights potential challenges and limitations to project implementation in the operating environment and propose contingency plans should program activities be impacted. Please note that this section should not be limited to physical security and risk but should cover any applicable factors relevant to the given operating environment. This section may not exceed 5 pages.

NOTE: Applicants must adhere to all maximum allowed page counts. Applications that exceed any of the allowable page limits will not advance past the Technical Eligibility

Review stage.

B. APPLICATION FORMATTING REQUIREMENTS

The required font is 12-point, Times New Roman. All application documents must be single spaced, with all margins (left, right, top, and bottom) of at least one inch each. Also, applicants should ensure all pages in the application package are numbered consecutively and meet the page limit requirements outlined in Section VI above. The Standard Forms 424 (SF-424 and SF-

424a) are excluded from the page numbering.

It is strongly recommended that applicants submit grant applications using Microsoft

Office. If applicants do not have access to Microsoft Office products, Adobe PDF files may be submitted.

C. SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION

Applicants must submit their application electronically through Grants.gov. The system requires the applicant to have an account with the system and requires active SAM.gov registration as detailed in Section V. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure they have an active account and will be able to submit its application.

There are no exceptions to these requirements.

The application process is not complete until the applicant receives notification that its application has been validated and forwarded to the granting agency (NEA/AC). Please allow sufficient time for entering the application into these systems. It is the responsibility of the applicant to monitor its application to ensure that it is successfully received and validated.

Grants.gov

Grants.gov is a single portal for applicants to find and apply to U.S. government funding opportunities. Creating an account with this system is a five-step process: 1) obtain a UEI number; 2) create an account with the System for Award Management; 3) create a profile, including username and password; 4) obtain Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) authorization; and 5) track AOR status. This process can take 10 business days or longer, even if all the steps are completed in a timely manner. To create an account, go to www.grants.gov and click on the “Register” link, located at the top, right-hand side of the page.

D. SUBMISSION DATES AND TIMES

Applications must be time stamped before 17:00:00 eastern time (ET) on July 31, 2022

There will be no grace period, and any application not received by the application deadline will be deemed ineligible and will not advance to be reviewed. Each applicant is encouraged to submit an application in advance of the deadline so that the applicant can alert NEA/AC

(nea-grants@state.gov) of any technical difficulties and allow sufficient time to resolve difficulties before the deadline. Although NEA/AC will work with applicants to resolve technical issues, it is not in a position to grant exceptions to the submission requirements outlined in this announcement.

FUNDING LIMITATIONS, RESTRICTIONS, AND OTHER

CONSIDERATIONS

E. AWARDS TO COMMERCIAL FIRMS OR FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS

The Department of State prohibits profit under its assistance awards to commercial organizations. No funds will be paid as profit to any recipient that is a commercial organization.

Profit is defined as any amount in excess of allowable direct and indirect costs. The allowability of costs incurred by commercial organizations is determined in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) at 48 CFR Part 31. Program income earned by the recipient may be:

• added to the total of the amount of this award, including the required cost sharing or matching, and use it to further eligible project objectives;

• used to meet the Recipient’s cost sharing or matching requirement;

• OR deducted from the total project or program allowable cost in determining the net allowable costs on which the federal share of costs is based.

F. AUDIT REQUIREMENTS

Domestic and foreign organizations that expend $750,000 or more in a fiscal year in federal assistance must perform an independent, recipient-contracted Single Audit or Program Specific

Audit. (Program-specific Audit means an audit of one Federal award program. Single Audit means an audit which includes both the entity’s financial statements and the Federal Awards to be conducted in accordance with Generally Accepted Government Auditing Standards

(GAGAS). The audits must be independently and professionally executed in accordance with

GAGAS either prescribed by a government’s Supreme Audit Institution with auditing standards approved by the Comptroller General of the United States, or the host country’s laws or adopted by the host country’s public accountants or associations of public accountants, together with generally accepted international auditing standards. However, foreign entity audits consistent with International Standards for Auditing or other auditing standards are acceptable with the

Grants Officer’s approval. More information can be found at https://www.gao.gov/assets/700/693136.pdf

For sub-non-Federal entities expending $750,000 or more in Department of State award funding during their fiscal year, Department of State standard audit provisions require that Prime non-

Federal entities certify that audits of sub-non-Federal entities are performed annually and according to the standards described above. The cost of audits required under this policy may be charged either as an allowable direct cost to the award OR included in the organizations established indirect costs in the award’s detailed budget.

G. COMPLIANCE WITH APPLICABLE FEDERAL FUNDING REGULATIONS AND DOS

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Payment of funds awarded under this Notice of Funding Opportunity will not be disbursed until the DOS has been assured that the Recipient’s financial management system will provide effective control over and accountability for all Federal funds in accordance with 2 CFR 200 and

2 CFR 600 as applicable. Awards issued under this NOFO are subject to the Department of State

Standard Terms and Conditions (https://www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/U.S.-

Department-of-State-Standard-Terms-and-Conditions-10-01-2019508.pdf) and 2 CFR 200 and 2

CFR 600 as applicable.

APPLICATION REVIEW AND SELECTION PROCESS

A. APPLICATION EVALUATION CRITERIA

Achievable Objectives (30 points)

Each of the project objectives listed above (in Section I) are clearly addressed.

• Impact and Effectiveness: The applicant describes the project’s potential contribution to solving the problem addressed in the problem statement and achieving results.

• Timeframe: The applicant describes realistic results to be accomplished within the timeframe of the proposed award.

• Beneficiaries: The applicant clearly identifies the anticipated beneficiaries and explains how the project’s objectives will positively affect them.

• Milestones: The applicant provides realistic milestones to indicate progress toward goals and objectives as described in the program announcement.

• M&E: The applicant explains how monitoring and evaluation activities will be carried out throughout the award’s period of performance and who will be responsible for them.

Project Design (40 points)

The applicant clearly describes how each proposed project activity will address each of the objectives outlined in the requested priority area above (Section I).

• Responsiveness to NOFO: Explain how the proposed activities respond to the objectives listed in the NOFO.

• Logic Model / Theory of Change: The applicant details how the proposed Logic Model or Theory of Change clearly links project activities, outputs, and outcomes to objectives.

• Rationale: To justify how the proposed activities will achieve the above objectives in this context.

• Project Management: Clear description of how the project will be managed in terms of initiation, planning, implementation and closing.

• Partnerships and Buy-ins: The applicant addresses how the project will engage or obtain support from relevant stakeholders and identifies any local partners.

• Feasibility: The applicant proposes activities that are feasible, and are also practical, and/or experiential in nature to encourage innovation.

• Beneficiaries Selection Criteria and Process: The applicant explains how participants will be selected (e.g., criteria for selection, selection process).

• Duplication: 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.

• Contingency Plan: The applicant articulates programming assumptions and potential challenges to project implementation and proposes contingency plans.

• Division of Labor: The application describes the division of labor among the applicant and any partners.

• Gender Considerations: The applicant includes gender analysis in the project narrative that identifies relevant gender gaps and ways the proposed activities will address those gaps. Proposals should demonstrate how addressing relevant gender gaps will enhance the program’s goals and objectives and how the project will benefit both men and women.

Organizational Capacity (20 points)

• The applicant demonstrates experience (e.g., has previously worked and/or has established contacts/partners) in the proposed country/territory/region.

• The applicant demonstrates an institutional record of successful programs in the content area proposed (e.g., fiscal transparency).

• The applicant demonstrates capacity for responsible fiscal management of donor funding

(e.g., successful management of a previous sub-award or grant).

• The applicant demonstrates the ability to meet monitoring and evaluation requirements.

• The applicant has adequate staffing and demonstrates the capacity to manage the proposed project.

Staff and Position Specifications (10 points)

• Pre-identified key staff members, including volunteers, demonstrate experience working in the country/territory/region proposed, in the proposed content area, and with participants from that area (e.g., language skills, cultural understanding).

• A description of the roles of each person or position on the project – whether staff, partner, consultant, or volunteer – demonstrating that the project will be sufficiently staffed but will avoid redundancy or duplication of effort.

• A job description, including hiring criteria, is provided for each open key position.

• Applicant and/or partner staff have relevant language competencies.

Budget & Budget Narrative (Acceptable or Not Acceptable)

• The costs proposed are reasonable in relation to the proposed activities and anticipated results, which are clearly explained in the budget narrative.

• The budget provides details of calculations, including estimation methods, quantities, unit costs, and other similar quantitative detail sufficient for the calculation to be duplicated.

• The preponderance of the budget is spent on supporting the project participants/activities in country.

• The budget includes costs dedicated to management, monitoring, and evaluation, and any costs needed for further gender analysis and for addressing gender gaps.

• Adequate travel costs are proposed.

• The budget demonstrates a reasonable cost per participant.

• The budget accounts for monitoring and evaluation costs.

B. REVIEW AND SELECTION PROCESS

NEA/AC 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 V and have submitted all required documents outlined in Section VI. 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.

NEA/AC reserves the right to have all applications deemed to be technically eligible undergo a

Subject Matter Expert (SME) review prior to the Merit Review Panel. Applications that do not pass SME review will not proceed to the Merit Review Panel.

All applications that proceed to the Merit Review Panel will be evaluated by U.S. government and non-governmental subject matter and/or country-specific experts and will be rated on a 100-point scale. Point values for individual elements of the application are presented in Section VIII.

Panel Reviewers’ ratings, and any resulting recommendations, are advisory.

Final award decisions will be influenced by whether the application meets NEA/AC’s programmatic goals and objectives, how it supports the Department’s overarching foreign policy priorities, and the geographic distribution of the top-ranking applications.

ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

A. AWARD NOTICES

Applicants who do not advance beyond the Technical Eligibility Review stage will be notified 30 business days after the closing of the announcement. The authorized representative and program point of contact listed on the SF-424 will receive the notification via email. If an applicant does not receive such a notification, their submission was put forward for review.

NEA/AC expects to notify applicants who proceeded past the Technical Eligibility Review stage about the status of their application by September 1, 2022 Final awards cannot be made until funds have been appropriated by Congress, allocated and committed through internal bureau procedures. Successful applicants will receive a Federal Assistance Award (FAA) from the bureau’s Grants Office. The FAA and the original proposal with subsequent modifications

(if applicable) shall be the only binding authorizing document between the recipient and the U.S.

Government. The FAA will be signed by an authorized Grants Officer and transmitted to the recipient’s responsible officer identified in the application. NEA/AC reserves the right to award funding to applicants under this announcement for a period of up to two years after the announcement’s close date.

B. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

Reporting is critical to effective program management and oversight. Reports are required as a means of evaluating the recipient’s progress and utilization of resources. They are divided between a performance progress report and a financial status report.

Recipients will, at a minimum, be required to submit Quarterly Performance Reports (QPR) and a Quarterly Financial Report (QFR). The QPRs will compare actual to planned performance and indicates the progress made in accomplishing each assistance award tasks/goals noted in the grant agreement and will contain analysis and summary of findings, both quantitative and qualitative, for key indicators. The QFRs provide a means of monitoring expenditures and comparing costs incurred with progress.

Recipients must report immediately when a program faces unplanned delays in implementation, fails to meet program targets or milestones, or costs increase. Any changes or revisions to the approved budget require prior approval from the NEA/AC Grants Officer.

Recipients are required to report program and beneficiary achievements on a quarterly basis (or provide written confirmation that there is no related news for the given quarter) beginning with second quarter’s program report.

C. TRAVEL NOTIFICATIONS

Successful applicants will be required to provide prior notification of all international travel as a requirement of their agreement. This includes travel which is already included in the approved budget and Scope of Work. The purpose of this notification is to enable NEA/AC to inform the relevant U.S. Embassy or post of the recipient’s intent to travel. The recipient must notify the

Grants Officer at least three (3) business days prior to any travel. The Grants Officer reserves the right to advise against specific travel arrangements for security-related reasons.

D. APPLICANT VETTING AS A CONDITION OF AWARD

E. SPECIAL PROVISION FOR PERFORMANCE IN A DESIGNATED COMBAT AREA

(SPOT) REQUIREMENTS

F. BRANDING AND MARKING REQUIREMENTS FOR GRANTEES

Grantees awarded under this announcement will be required to make all materials produced under the award with the standard U.S. flag in a size and prominence equal to (or greater than) any other logo or identity. Materials are defined as but not limited to: training materials, materials for recipients, or materials to communicate or promote with foreign audiences a program, event, project, or some other activity under this award, including but not limited to invitations to events, press materials, event backdrops, podium signs, etc. In addition, sub-recipients or sub-awardees are subject to the marking requirements and the grantee shall include a provision in the sub-recipient or sub-awardee’s agreement indicating that the standard, rectangular U.S. flag is a requirement. Exceptions to this requirement can be discussed with NEA/AC when negotiating an award.

G. UEI NUMBER REQUIREMENT FOR SUB AWARDEES

All sub-awardees are required to have a UEI number. For information on obtaining a UEI number, please see Section V. B. Proposed sub-awardees are not required to have a UEI number prior to the submission of an application but must have one prior to a sub-award being issued.

H. SUB AWARDEE REPORTING REQUIREMENT

Grantees awarded under this announcement will be required to report all sub-awardees receiving funds of $25,000 or more to http://www.fsrs.gov. More information about this requirement can be found at this site.

AGENCY CONTACTS

For questions regarding this funding opportunity including: completing an application, financial and grants management issues, or technical matters, contact:

nea-grants@state.gov

For questions regarding creating an account with or using grants.gov to submit an application, contact the grants.gov Contact Center. The Contact Center is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, excluding Federal holidays.

Grants.gov Contact Center

(800) 518-4726 support@Grants.gov

For questions regarding creating an account or using SAMS Domestic to submit an application, contact the ILMS Help Desk. The Help Desk is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, excluding Federal holidays. The ILMS Help Desk utilizes a user-facing ticketing interface that allows users to submit and monitor their SAMS Domestic tickets. The ILMS Self Service Portal can be accessed by going to https://afsitsm.servicenowservices.com/ilms/.

ILMS Help Desk

(888) 313-ILMS (4567)

https://afsitsm.servicenowservices.com/ilms/

DISCLAIMER

The terms and conditions published in this NOFO are binding and may not be modified by any

Bureau representative. Explanatory information provided by the bureau that contradicts public language will not be binding. Issuance of the NOFO does not constitute an award commitment on the part of the U.S. government. The Bureau reserves the right to reduce, revise, or increase proposal budgets in accordance with the needs of the program and the availability of funds.

Awards made will be subject to periodic reporting and evaluation requirements listed in this

NOFO.

mailto:support@Grants.gov