FY 2024 CO TA NOFO FINAL.pdf

U.S. Department of State

Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM)

FY 2024 Notice of Funding Opportunity for Cultural

Orientation Technical Assistance Program

Table of Contents FY 2024 Notice of Funding Opportunity for Cultural Orientation Technical Assistance

Program

Basic Information

Program Description

Federal Award Information

Eligible Applicants

Other

Application and Submission Instructions

Application Package

Application Review Information

Federal Award Administration Information

PRM Points of Contact

Disclaimer

Basic Information

Funding Opportunity Number: SFOP0010123

Assistance Listings (CFDA) number: 19.510 - U.S. Refugee Admissions Program

Announcement issuance date: Friday, November 3, 2023

Announcement type: Cooperative Agreement

Proposal application submission deadline: Friday, December 22, 2023 at 11:59:59 p.m. (23:59:59) EST. Proposals submitted after this deadline will not be considered.

Anticipated timeframe to award for selected proposals: Pending the availability of funds, PRM anticipates, but makes no guarantee, that awards will be made less than three months from the proposal submission deadline.

ADVISORY: All applicants must submit proposals through the website Grants.gov NOT through SAMS Domestic. Please note that if you apply on the SAMS Domestic site, your application will be disqualified. PRM strongly recommends submitting your proposal early to allow time to address any technical difficulties that may arise on the

Grants.gov website.

If you are new to PRM funding, the Grants.gov registration process can be complicated.

We urge you to refer to PRM’s General NGO Guidelines “Application Process” section for information and resources to help ensure that the application process runs smoothly. While PRM’s General NGO Guidelines are geared towards overseas assistance programming and not for refugee admissions, you may refer to the section on “Application Process” for general information. PRM also strongly encourages organizations that have received funding from PRM in the past to read this section as a refresher.

http://www.grants.gov/ https://www.state.gov/population-refugees-and-migration-funding-opportunities/ https://www.state.gov/funding-opportunities/general-ngo-guidelines/

Program Description

Background and Purpose

The Cultural Orientation (CO) Technical Assistance Program is managed by the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration of the Department of State (hereinafter referred to as the "Bureau"). The purpose of the CO Technical Assistance Program is to strengthen linkages between overseas CO programs for refugees approved for admission to the United States and Reception and Placement (R&P) and Welcome

Corps (WC) activities conducted upon their arrival.

Overseas CO addresses (at a minimum) the following topics essential to processing, travel, and resettlement:

• Cultural Adjustment

• Digital Technology and Literacy

• Education

• Employment

• Health and Hygiene

• Housing

• Learning English

• Newcomer Rights and Responsibilities

• Role of the Local Resettlement Agency (RA)

• Role of the Private Sponsor Group (PSG)

• Transportation

• Travel

• U.S. Laws

This program serves to complement the R&P and WC programs, the purpose of which is to promote the effective resettlement of all persons who are admitted to the United

States under the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, including assisting refugees to achieve economic self-sufficiency through employment as quickly as possible.

Domestic CO is conducted within the first 30 to 90 days after arrival in the United

States, and addresses (at a minimum) the following topics:

• Role of the Local Resettlement Agency

• Role of the Private Sponsor Group

• Newcomer Rights and Responsibilities

• Learning English

• Public Assistance

• U.S. Laws

• Your New Community

• Employment

• Health and Hygiene

• Budgeting and Personal Finance

• Housing

• Safety

• Cultural Adjustment

• Education

• Transportation

• Digital Technology and Literacy

Program Objectives

The CO Technical Assistance program must be prepared to support both the overseas and the domestic delivery of Cultural Orientation. With that in mind, the Bureau has established the following CO Technical Assistance Program objectives and activities for

2024 (Year One):

1. To strengthen linkages between overseas CO programs and domestic R&P and

WC activities

a. Develop, maintain, and update content on a CO Website and newsletter;

https://coresourceexchange.org/

b. Maintain and upgrade refugee-facing digital platforms such as Settle In with the goal of providing cultural orientation material to all refugees regardless of linguistic or cultural literacy ability.

c. Provide technical support to the CO working group and CO leaders;

d. On request, conduct presentations regarding CO at national and/or regional refugee resettlement-related conferences;

e. If requested by the Bureau, provide technical assistance to overseas and/or domestic CO programs regarding the evaluation of CO program activities, and the assessment of student learning and understanding, as appropriate;

f. Facilitate both in-person and virtual overseas and domestic CO trainer exchanges;

g. If requested by the Bureau, provide coordination and/or facilitation of special forums or workshops such as a domestic and overseas CO coordinators conference.

h. If requested by the Bureau, coordinate a trip for the CORE Director, the PRM

CO Program Officer and the PRM Overseas CO Focal Point Officer to an RSC to monitor and evaluate a particular Cultural Orientation program

2. To provide information and materials to overseas CO programs and to domestic refugee service providers. Audit Cultural Orientation material and edit as necessary to account for ongoing upgrades to the USRAP. Such upgrades https://settleinus.org/ include, but are not limited to: WC; Virtual R&P; Needs-Based Approach to

Resettlement; and the Role of the US Tie in Providing Housing:

a. Compile backgrounders, fact sheets and other documents to be posted on the CO Website ;

b. Identify, locate, and distribute specific materials requested by overseas CO programs;

c. Ensure that all CO materials are available online in accessible and flexible electronic format(s);

3. To provide support and technical assistance to overseas and domestic CO programs on request;

4. To provide feedback to overseas and domestic CO programs as needed with guidance from the Bureau;

5. To provide other technical assistance requested by the Bureau, subject to availability of funds and adequate staffing levels, to perform assigned tasks;

6. To strengthen communication between Resettlement Support Centers (RSCs) and refugees during overseas case processing to ensure refugees have ready access to accurate, useful information about the U.S. Refugee Admissions

Program and general orientation topics, including WC and Virtual R&P.

a. To translate current materials on the refugee-facing website, as requested by the Bureau.

https://coresourceexchange.org/

b. Maintain and update the refugee-facing website regularly and create additional material as needed.

c. Design, develop, and distribute resources as needed and requested by the

Bureau.

Federal Award Information

Proposed program start date

March 15, 2024

Duration of Activity

Applicants may submit multi-year proposals with activities and budgets that do not exceed three years from the proposed start date. Actual awards will not exceed three years in duration and activities and budgets submitted in year one can be revised/updated each year. Continued funding after the initial 12-month period of performance requires the submission of a noncompeting single proposal and will be contingent upon available funding, strong performance, and continuing need. In funding a program one year, PRM makes no representations that it will continue to fund the program in successive years and encourages applicants to seek a wide array of donors to ensure long-term funding possibilities. Please see Multi-Year Funding section below for additional information.

Period of Performance

March 15, 2024 to March 14, 2025.

Funding Limits

Project proposals must not be less than the funding floor and nor more than the funding ceiling per year or they will be disqualified.

• Funding floor per year (lowest $ value): $1,500,000 per year

• Funding ceiling per year (highest $ value): $1,800,000 per year

Note: Funding ceilings and floors pertain to the PRM cost per year.

Anticipated Number of Awards

PRM anticipates, but makes no guarantee, to fund one award through this announcement.

Eligibility Information

Eligible Applicants

a. Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education (U.S.-based NGOs must be able to demonstrate proof of non-profit tax status).

b. Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education (overseas-based NGOs must be able to demonstrate proof of registration in country of domicile); and

c. International Organizations. International multilateral organizations, such as United Nations agencies, should not submit proposals through

Grants.gov in response to this NOFO. Multilateral organizations that are seeking funding for programs relevant to this announcement should contact the PRM Program Officer (as listed below) on or before the closing date of the funding announcement.

To be considered for participation in the program, applicants must:

1. Demonstrate knowledge and experience in CO curriculum and materials development; in educational program implementation and evaluation; in assessment of student learning and understanding; and in adult teaching and learning methodology;

2. Demonstrate experience working in a refugee context or with other migrant populations in the United States; and

3. Demonstrate financial stability and provide documentation of at least three full years of operation in a 501(c)(3) non-profit status.

Failure to satisfy any of the three required qualifications above will preclude further consideration for participation in the program.

Cost Sharing or Matching

Cost sharing, matching, or cost participation is not a requirement of an application in response to this funding announcement.

Proposals for consideration should describe the sources and amounts of additional funding that may be utilized to complement PRM funding, and meet the following criteria:

• Are not paid by the Federal Government under another Federal award.

• Are verifiable from the non-Federal entity's records.

• Are not included as contributions for any other Federal award; and

• Are necessary and reasonable for accomplishment of project or program objectives.

Please include this information in the Budget Summary, Budget Detail, and Budget

Narrative of the proposal, and separated from the PRM share of the proposed budget.

Note: Though favorably looked upon, inclusion will not result in a competitive ranking increase when evaluated.

Other

Proposals must have a concrete implementation plan with well-conceived objectives, outcomes, and indicators that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and reliable, time-bound, and trackable (SMART), and have established or projected baselines.

Application and Submission Instructions

Address to Request Application Package

Application packages may be downloaded from the website www.Grants.gov.

Content and Form of Application

It is the intention of the Bureau to enter into a Cooperative Agreement effective March

15, 2024 through March 14, 2025. Agencies should report all data in terms of the program year unless the instructions for an appendix or attachment specify another time-period.

Multi-Year Proposals:

• Applicants proposing multi-year programs should adhere to the following guidance: Applicants may submit proposals that include multi-year strategies presented in one-year (12 month) cycles for a period not to exceed three years

(36 months) from the proposed start date. Fully developed programs with detailed budgets, objectives and indicators are required for each year of activities. Applicants should use PRM’s proposal narrative requirements outlined below.

• Multi-year funding applicants should use PRM’s budget detail summary and budget narrative templates (see attachments), and must disaggregate budget by year, per year, and for each program year. Multi-year proposal narratives and budgets can be updated yearly upon submission of new noncompeting single year proposal narrative template with an updated budget.

http://www.grants.gov/ Lucas Keene Are you seeking multi year? It seemed from the above instructions this was for one year

Sheehan, Kathleen Yes, it is multi-year. Where should this be highlighted other than Federal Award Information?

• Multi-year program proposal page limits: Multi-year proposals using PRM’s multi-year template must not exceed 20 pages in length (Times New Roman or

Calibri 12-point font, letter sized paper, one-inch margins on all sides). If the applicant does not use PRM’s recommended templates, proposals must not exceed 15 pages in length. Organizations may choose to attach work plans, activity calendars, and/or logical frameworks as addendums/appendices to the proposal but are not required to do so. These attachments do not count toward the page limit total however annexes cannot be relied upon as a key source of program information. The proposal narrative must be able to stand on its own in the application process. Proposals exceeding the page limit will not be considered.

o PRM strongly recommends application narratives be submitted in Adobe

PDF, as Microsoft Word documents may sometimes produce different page lengths based on software versions and configurations. Tables and budget documents should be submitted as Excel documents.

o Exceeding page length limits will result in disqualification. (Do not include additional cover pages).

o All documents must be in English and should avoid the use of jargon and should spell out all acronyms upon first use.

• Multi-year applications selected for funding by PRM will be funded in one-year

(12-month) increments based on the proposal submitted in the initial application as approved by PRM. Continued funding after the initial 12-month award requires the submission of a noncompeting single-year proposal narrative and will be contingent upon available funding, strong performance, and continuing need. Follow-on applications are submitted annually for years

[two through three] of proposals through non-competed directed announcements for the continuation funding.

Application Package

Proposal Format:

Applicants should adhere to the following guidelines when preparing proposals:

• All documents in the proposal should be submitted electronically on 8.5 inch by

11 inch pages with one-inch margins.

• All documents in the proposal must be in 12-point Times New Roman font.

• All pages of the proposal must be numbered. Page numbers should restart at

“page 1” for each separate file/attachment (Excel or Word Document) that is submitted. Applicants must adhere to page limitations as described in the detailed instructions below.

• Sections within each narrative should be sequential as directed in the detailed instructions below.

These guidelines differ from the PRM NGO Guidelines referenced earlier in this NOFO which are geared toward overseas assistance programming and not for refugee admissions.

Required Documents:

Instructions accompany each form in the electronic Grant Application Package

1. Signed Completed Forms SF-424, SF-424A, and SF-424B.

· PRM requires that Box 21 of the SF-424 be checked. Form SF-424B is now required only for those applicants who have not registered in SAM.gov or recertified their registration in SAM.gov since February 2, 2019 and completed the online representations and certifications.

2. Proposal Narrative reflecting objectives, outcomes, and indicators.

3. Budget summary and budget detail for the initial year of the program period

(see attached Budget Detail-Summary Template)).

4. Budget narrative for the initial year of the program period (see attached Budget

Narrative Template).

5. Organization and Program Key Staff (sample format available on Grants.gov) and

Organizational Chart.

6. Plan of Work. All proposals should contain a detailed implementation plan of work, including a timeline for activities.

7. Risk Analysis (see attached Risk Analysis Template).

8. Code of Conduct on the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse.

9. Most recent Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA), if applicable or a de minimis rate calculation if the applicant elects to use the de minimis rate, if applicable.

10. Most recent external audit report is required prior to issuance of an award, if proposal is chosen for implementation.

11. Information in support of any cost-sharing/cost-matching arrangements, if applicable.

12. Information detailing the source of any in-kind contributions, if applicable.

13. Details on any sub-agreements associated with the program including the budget detail (must be part of the budget submission as noted above), if applicable.

Proposal Narrative

The proposal narrative must contain the following sections and should adhere to the requirements listed:

• The proposal narrative should be subtitled and numbered to correspond with the required information sections below. If any individual section of information is not applicable, that fact should be specifically stated. Each portion of the narrative should not exceed the number of pages indicated in the corresponding parentheses below.

• Note that page numbers should be sequential for the entirety of the Proposal

Narrative and should not restart with each section of required information.

Submit the Proposal Narrative as an attachment by selecting the “Proposal Narrative

Attachment Form” in the Grant Application Package.

Organizational Structure (Maximum 2 pages)

Each organization must describe its organizational structure, including the number of staff assigned to the CO Technical Assistance Program and how it will manage CO

Technical Assistance Program activities.

Project Management and Implementation (Maximum 8 pages)

Organizational Capacity and History

All organizations must include a narrative describing the history and development of the organization; its background in CO or similar activities and its experience in developing CO or similar materials, particularly as pertains to refugee populations; and its experience and capacity to provide technical assistance related to the provision of

CO or similar topics. Organizations must be sure to include a detailed organizational staffing plan that describes the CO Technical Assistance management function that each individual will perform.

Training Capacity

Organizations must describe their experience, ability, and capacity to provide training and CO technical assistance in:

• Conducting workshops and training on teaching methodology, curriculum development, and assessment and evaluation of CO;

• Equipping local CO providers to effectively use virtual and other remote methodologies;

• Topical subject areas as necessary to address the CO needs of refugees;

• Facilitating the exchange of best practices among programs;

• Presenting at meetings, public fora, conferences, and workshops;

• Facilitating international travel or conducting virtual staff exchange programs.

Technical Expertise in Development of Resource Materials

Organizations must illustrate their experience and describe their ability to:

• Create targeted resources utilizing a diverse variety of platforms that address the identified needs of overseas and domestic CO providers and refugees;

• Administer the CO electronic newsletter;

• Develop and/or maintain a dynamic and interactive CO website and online repository of CO resources;

• Develop background papers or fact sheets on refugee populations, as determined in collaboration with the Bureau;

• Develop and update curriculum content and format;

• Distribute materials to overseas and domestic CO service providers and R&P agencies and store existing CO materials prior to distribution in both electronic format as well as hardcopy.

Gender Analysis

PRM partners must complete a gender analysis in the proposal narrative that briefly explains (1) Experiences of men, women, boys, and girls with a focus on the different familial roles, community privileges, and gender dynamics within the target population; (2) associated risks and threats experienced by women, girls, and other vulnerable populations based on their gender; (3) power imbalances and needs that arise based on gender inequalities that exist within the family or community; and (4) proposed responses that will address the above and mitigate any gender differences in access, participation, or decision-making that may be experienced by at-risk groups, particularly women and girls. The gender analysis should aim to specify and target specific at-risk sub-populations of women and girls, in particular women and girl heads of households, out-of-school girls, women and girls with disabilities, women and girl survivors of violence, married girls, adolescent mothers, as well as people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or intersex (LGBTI), and those who are often unaware of and excluded from programs and services and who may be the hardest to reach based on their gender.

Plan of Work

All proposals should contain a detailed implementation plan of work, including a timeline for activities and projected outcomes. It is recommended that objectives and activities be submitted in SMART format. While the Work Plan itself should be included as an attachment to the proposal, a description of the applicant’s plan to complement this document should also be included in the narrative.

Budget Summary and Detail

The sample budget format available on Grants.gov includes columns reflecting the

Bureau (federal) and other (non-federal) funding sources as well as the total funding need. The budget summary requires each applicant to provide a breakdown of sources of any non-federal funding and the amounts. This breakdown should correspond to the amount of non-federal funding included in the budget.

The following provides guidance for the preparation of budget submissions using the sample Excel format provided. Note that budget information is required by quarter, and agencies should provide real quarterly budgets, factoring in activities such as trainings and events.

The 2024 Notice of Funding Opportunity for the CO Technical Assistance Program includes the requirement that each proposing organization submit a line-item budget for program 2024 costs by quarter, following the instructions below.

Personnel and Fringe Benefits

These sections of the budget should list individuals whose responsibility is to provide technical assistance in CO, or to conduct CO-related activities as specified in the full announcement. Costs should include salaries and benefits of full-time and part-time program and administrative personnel associated with providing or supervising the provision of CO technical assistance. Provide salary and Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) for each individual. Fringe benefits should be provided as a single line item, representing total cost for all CO staff listed. Personnel whose costs are included in an agency's overhead base may not be included here.

If an employee works 100% of the time on the CO Technical Assistance Program, that employee should be listed as 1.0 FTE. If an employee works less than 100% of the time on the CO Technical Assistance Program, the FTE and funding level for the employee should be prorated appropriately. Organizations are reminded that any employee charged directly to the CO Technical Assistance Program must complete time sheets demonstrating that the claimed amount of time was actually devoted to working on the CO Technical Assistance Program versus other responsibilities.

Travel

This section of the budget should include any potential projected travel costs related to the CO Technical Assistance Program for the purposes of conducting trainings, presenting at national and/or regional conferences, and participation at other relevant

Bureau meetings. Provide a brief description of the travel in the comments section (for example, number of trips for what purpose at a cost of $xx per trip). Provide details regarding proposed expenditures for conference travel. Travel costs listed should include local taxi fares, POV mileage, airfares, and per diem (when required for overnight trips). For each trip, include departure and arrival cities, number of travelers, and duration of trip/number of days.

Equipment

This section of the budget should include equipment costs directly attributable to the

CO Technical Assistance Program. Provide separate estimates for expendable and nonexpendable equipment and furnishings, with explanation in the comments section.

Supplies

This section of the budget should include supply costs directly attributable to the CO

Technical Assistance Program. Items listed in this section would include (as examples) stationery, copier paper, envelopes, paper clips, pens, pencils, file folders, or other small items generally used within one (1) year or less.

Contractual

Add description of contractual costs.

Construction

Add description of construction costs.

Other Direct Costs

This section of the budget should include costs directly attributable to the CO Technical

Assistance Program not covered by any of the previous categories. Such costs must be individually itemized and explained. Some examples of costs that might appear in this section include subscriptions, briefing and orientation materials, and conference registrations.

Indirect Costs

This section should include only those charges resulting from the application of a

Government (U.S.G) approved indirect cost rate to recover an appropriate portion of an organization’s indirect costs. Organizations with an approved negotiated indirect cost rate should submit via PDF attachment a copy of the most recent approved U.S.G.

negotiated indirect cost rate agreement to support the rate reflected in this category.

Organizations are reminded that headquarters costs not dedicated entirely to the CO

Technical Assistance Program may not be charged to the program.

Budget Narrative (Maximum 4 pages)

The Budget Narrative should describe in full detail each of the above-mentioned items included in the Budget for program year 2024. The Budget Narrative should thoroughly and clearly describe each item, correspond with the information and figures provided on the Excel budget format, be easy to follow and understand, demonstrate cost reasonableness and that calculations are mathematically correct, and comply with guidelines and limitations.

CO Program Staff

Applicants should submit information on proposed CO Technical Assistance Program staff and other involved staff, including their proposed responsibilities, using the sample format that is provided. List on this attachment all staff members working on the CO Technical Assistance Program, including the hours per week each will spend performing CO Technical Assistance Program tasks, and a description of the duties performed.

Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and System for Award Management (SAM)

Note: On April 4, 2022, the formerly used DUNS Number was replaced by the System for Award Management (SAM.gov) UEI. For more information on the process, visit

GSA's website on the UEI transition.

Each applicant is required to:

• be registered in SAM before submitting its application.

• provide a valid UEI number in its application; and

• continue to maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which it has an active PRM award or an application or plan under consideration by PRM.

https://www.gsa.gov/about-us/organization/federal-acquisition-service/office-of-systems-management/integrated-award-environment-iae/iae-systems-information-kit/unique-entity-identifier-update http://www.sam.gov/

No federal award may be made to an applicant until the applicant has complied with all applicable UEI and SAM requirements and, if an applicant has not fully complied with the requirements by the time the PRM award is ready to be made, PRM may determine that the applicant is not qualified to receive a PRM award and use that determination as a basis for making a PRM award to another applicant.

Applications must be submitted via Grants.gov. Grants.gov registration requires a UEI number and active SAM.gov registration. If you are new to PRM funding, the

Grants.gov registration process can be complicated. We urge you to refer to PRM’s

General NGO Guidelines “Application Process” section for information and resources to help ensure that the application process runs smoothly. PRM also strongly encourages organizations that have received funding from PRM in the past to read this section as a refresher. Applicants may also refer to the “For Applicants” page on

Grants.gov for complete details on requirements.

Do not wait until the deadline to attempt to submit your application on Grants.gov.

Organizations not registered with Grants.gov should register well in advance of the deadline as it can take several weeks to finalize registration (sometimes longer for non-

U.S. based NGOs to receive required registration numbers). We also recommend that organizations, particularly first-time applicants, submit applications via Grants.gov no later than one week before the deadline to avoid last-minute technical difficulties that could result in an application not being considered. PRM has extremely limited ability to correct or facilitate rapid resolution to technical difficulties associated with

Grants.gov, SAM.gov or UEI number issues. PRM partners must maintain an active https://www.state.gov/j/prm/funding/c78352.htm https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants.html

SAM.gov registration with current and correct information at all times during which they have an active federal award or an application under consideration by PRM or any federal agency.

When registering with Grants.gov, organizations must designate points of contact and

Authorized Organization Representatives (AORs). Please note that as of December

2022, 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

CAGE (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 to seek guidance on how to do so. Applicants experiencing technical difficulties with the SAM.gov registration process should contact the Federal Service Desk online or at 1-866-606-8220 (U.S.)

and 1-334-206-7828 (International).

Applications must be submitted under the authority of the Authorized Organization

Representative at the applicant organization. Having proposals submitted by agency headquarters helps to avoid possible technical problems.

If you encounter technical difficulties with Grants.gov please contact the Grants.gov

Help Desk at support@grants.gov or by calling 1-800-518-4726.

http://www.grants.gov/ https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp/?id=gsa_landing https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp/?id=gsa_landing mailto:support@grants.gov

Applicants who are unable to submit applications via Grants.gov due to Grants.gov technical difficulties and.

• who have reported the problem to the Grants.gov help desk.

• received a case number.

• have completed UEI and SAM.gov registrations.

• and had a documented service request opened to research the problem.

Applicants may contact the PRM NGO Coordinator before the submission deadline to determine whether an alternative method of submission is appropriate. However, PRM makes no guarantee to accept an application outside of the grants.gov system.

It is the responsibility of each applicant to ensure the appropriate registrations are in place and active. Failure to have the appropriate organizational registrations in place or are experiencing issues resulting from discrepancies across registration platforms is not considered a technical difficulty and is not justification for an alternate means of submission.

In accordance with 2 CFR §200.113, Mandatory disclosures, the non-Federal entity or applicant for a federal award must disclose, in a timely manner, in writing to the

Federal awarding agency or pass-through entity all violations of Federal criminal law involving fraud, bribery, or gratuity violations potentially affecting the Federal award.

Non-Federal entities that have received a federal award including the term and condition outlined in Appendix XII—Award Term and Condition for Recipient Integrity and Performance Matters are required to report certain civil, criminal, or administrative proceedings to SAM. Failure to make required disclosures can result in any of the remedies described in 2 CFR §200.338 Remedies for noncompliance, including suspension or debarment. (See also 2 CFR part 180, 31 U.S.C. 3321, and 41

U.S.C. 2313.)

Submission Dates and Times

• Announcement issuance date: Monday, November 6, 2023

• Proposal submission deadline: Friday, December 22, 2023 at 11:59:59 p.m.

(23:59:59). Applications submitted after this deadline will not be considered.

Intergovernmental Review

Not Applicable

Funding Restrictions

Federal awards will not allow reimbursement of Federal Award costs without prior authorization by PRM.

Other Submission Requirements

Branding and Marking Strategy

The following provisions will be included whenever assistance is awarded:

The Recipient shall recognize the U.S. Government’s funding for activities specified under this award at the project site with a graphic of the U.S. flag accompanied by one of the following two phrases based on the level of funding for the award:

o Fully funded by the award: “Gift of the United States Government” o Partially funded by the award: “Funding provided by the United States

Government”

PRM highly encourages recognition of U.S. Government funding on social media and website platforms to be included in proposals branding and marking strategy. Recipients should tag PRM’s Twitter account @StatePRM and/or

Facebook account @State.PRM (rather than using hashtags). Additionally, the applicable U.S. Embassy should be tagged as well.

Updates of actions taken to fulfill this requirement must be included in quarterly program reports to PRM.

All programs, projects, assistance, activities, and public communications to foreign audiences, partially or fully funded by the Department, must be marked appropriately overseas with the standard U.S. flag in a size and prominence equal to (or greater than) any other logo or identity. The requirement does not apply to the Recipient’s own corporate communications or in the United States.

The Recipient must appropriately ensure that all publicity and promotional materials underscore the sponsorship by or partnership with the U.S.

Government or the U.S. Embassy. The Recipient may continue to use existing logos or project materials; however, a standard rectangular U.S. flag must be used in conjunction with such logos.

Do not use the Department of State seal without the express written approval from PRM.

Sub non-Federal entities (sub-awardees) and subsequent tier sub-award agreements are subject to the marking requirements and the non-Federal entity shall include a provision in the sub non-Federal entity agreement indicating that the standard, rectangular U.S. flag is a requirement.

Exemptions from this requirement may be allowable but must be agreed to in writing by the Grants Officer. (Note: An exemption refers to the complete or partial cessation of branding, not use of alternative branding). Requests should be initiated with the Grants Officer and Grants Officer Representative.

Waivers issued are applied only to the exemptions requested through the

Recipient’s proposal for funding and any subsequent negotiated revisions.

In the event the non-Federal entity does not comply with the marking requirements as established in the approved assistance agreement, the Grants

Officer Representative and the Grants Officer must initiate corrective action with the non-Federal entity.

Application Review Information

1. Criteria: Eligible submissions will be those that comply with the criteria and requirements included in this announcement. In addition, the review panel will evaluate the proposals based on the following criteria:

• Proposed plan of work, including experience and capacity to develop CO training materials and curricula; experience and capacity to evaluate CO program activities; expertise to assess student learning and understanding; experience and capacity to conduct trainings; experience and capacity innovation to develop and implement targeted initiatives to address CO needs; ability to manage create targeted resources utilizing diverse methodologies and platforms;

expertise to create new resources; and ability to develop and maintain a dynamic interactive website and online repository of resources. (30 points)

• Documented organizational capacity to manage and administer a CO technical assistance program, including demonstrated knowledge, experience, and fiscal responsibility. (25 points)

• Documented capacity to manage activities in accordance with established program requirements and performance standards, including accountability for outcomes. (25 points)

• Detailed and cost-effective budget and demonstrated fiscal responsibility. (20 points)

PRM will conduct a formal competitive review of all proposals submitted in response to this funding announcement. A review panel of at least three people will evaluate submissions based on the above-referenced programmatic criteria and PRM priorities in the context of available funding.

Department of State Review Panels may provide conditions and recommendations on applications to enhance the proposed program, which must be addressed by the applicant before further consideration of the award. To ensure effective use of limited

PRM funds, conditions or recommendations may include requests to increase, decrease, clarify, and/or justify costs and program activities.

Federal Award Administration Information

A. Federal Award Administration. A successful applicant can expect to receive a separate notice from PRM stating that an application has been selected before

PRM actually makes the federal award. That notice is not an authorization to begin performance. Only the notice of award signed by the Grants Officer is the authorizing document. Unsuccessful applicants will be notified following completion of the selection and award process.

B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements. PRM awards are made consistent with the following provisions in the following order of precedence:

1. applicable laws and statutes of the United States, including any specific legislative provisions mandated in the statutory authority for the award;

2. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR);

3. Department of State Standard Terms and Conditions of the award;

4. the award’s specific requirements; and

5. other documents and attachments to the award.

C. Reporting: Successful applicants will be required to submit:

1. Program Reports: PRM requires program reports describing and analyzing the results of activities undertaken during the validity period of the agreement. A program report is required within thirty (30) days following the end of each three-month period of performance during the validity period of the agreement. The final program report is due one hundred and twenty (120) days following the end of the agreement. The submission dates for program reports will be written into the cooperative agreement.

Partners receiving multi-year awards should follow this same reporting schedule and should still submit a final program report at the end of each year that summarizes the NGO’s performance during the previous year.

The Bureau suggests that NGOs receiving PRM funding use the PRM recommended quarterly program report template and annual/final report template. The suggested PRM NGO reporting templates are designed to ease the reporting requirements while ensuring that all required elements are addressed.

2. Financial Reports: Financial reports are required within thirty (30) days following the end of each calendar year quarter during the validity period of the agreement (January 30th, April 30th, July 30th, October 30th). The final financial report covering the entire period of the agreement is required within one hundred and twenty (120) days after the expiration date of the agreement. For agreements containing indirect costs, final financial reports are due within sixty (60) days of the finalization of the applicable negotiated indirect cost rate agreement (NICRA).

Reports reflecting expenditures for the recipient’s overseas and United

States offices should be completed in accordance with the Federal Financial

Report (FFR SF-425) and submitted electronically in the Department of

Health and Human Services’ Payment Management System (HHS/PMS) and in accordance with other award specific requirements. Detailed information pertaining to the Federal Financial Report including due dates, instruction manuals and access forms, is provided on the HHS/PMS website.

3. Audit Reports: When a recipient-contracted audit is not required because the Federal award amount is less than the $750,000 threshold, the

Department may determine that an audit must be performed, and the audit report must be submitted to the responsible grants office(r) for review, dissemination, and resolution as appropriate. 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.

PRM Points of Contact

Applicants with technical questions related to this announcement should contact the

PRM staff listed below prior to submission. Please note that responses to technical questions from PRM do not indicate a commitment to fund the program discussed.

https://pms.psc.gov/

• PRM Program Officer: Kathleen Sheehan, Washington, D.C., SheehanK@state.gov, 202-256-8003

Disclaimer

External websites linked above may not be supported or accessible by all web browsers. If you are unable to link to a referenced website, please try using a different browser or update to a more recent one. If you continue to experience difficulties to reach external resources, please contact PRM NGO Coordinator.

mailto:SheehanK@state.gov mailto:PRMNGOCoordinator@state.gov