FY 2025 PRM NOFO for RSCs.pdf

U.S. Department of State Bureau of

Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM)

FY 2025 PRM Notice of Funding Opportunity for

Resettlement Support Centers (RSCs) Africa; Asia; Austria;

Eurasia; Latin America; MENA; and TuME

Table Of Contents FY 2025 PRM Notice of Funding Opportunity for Resettlement Support Centers (RSCs) Africa; Asia; Austria; Eurasia; Latin America; MENA; and TuME

Table Of Contents

Basic Information

Program Description

Summary

Purpose of Resettlement Support Centers (RSCs)

Refugee Processing Caseload

Geographic Regions

Standardized Program Objectives and Indicators

Program Requirements

Number of Proposal Applications

General Guidance

Federal Award Information

Eligibility Information

Eligible Applicants

Other

Application and Submission Instructions

Application Package

Application Review Information

Federal Award Administration Information

PRM Points of Contact and Other Documentation

Appendix 1: Proposal Narrative Guidance

Appendix 2: Budget Documents Guidance

Appendix 3: System Solution Champion and START Equipment & Software Requirements

Appendix 4: Sample RSC Scorecard Template

Disclaimer

Section 508

Basic Information

Funding Opportunity Number: DFOP0013457

Assistance Listings (CFDA) number: 19.018 - Resettlement Support Centers (RSCs) for

U.S. Refugee Resettlement

Announcement issuance date: Tuesday, April 9, 2024

Announcement type: Cooperative Agreement

Proposal application submission deadline: Sunday, June 9, 2024, 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 six months from the proposal submission deadline.

Advisory: All applicants must submit proposal application packages through the website Grants.gov. PRM strongly recommends submitting your application packages 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. PRM also strongly encourages organizations that have received funding from PRM in the past to read this section as a refresher.

PRM strongly recommends application narratives be submitted in Adobe PDF, as

Microsoft Word documents may sometimes produce different page lengths based on http://www.grants.gov/ https://www.state.gov/population-refugees-and-migration-funding-opportunities/ software versions and configurations when transmitted. Tables and budget documents should be submitted as Excel documents. Page limits are strictly adhered to, and PRM will not review pages of the narrative beyond the stated limit, which may negatively impact the concept note’ score. All documents must be in English and should avoid the use of jargon and should spell out all acronyms upon first use.

Organizations can retrieve PRM’s-recommended templates and NGO guidelines on

PRM’s website and in this opportunity’s grants.gov page.

Program Description

Summary

This announcement is designed to accompany PRM’s General NGO Guidelines, which contain additional information on PRM’s priorities and NGO funding strategy with which selected organizations must comply. As the NGO guidelines focus mainly on overseas humanitarian assistance, please use both the General NGO Guidelines and this announcement to ensure that your submission is in full compliance with PRM requirements and that the proposed activities are in line with PRM’s priorities.

Requirements in this announcement supersede those outlined in the general guidelines. Submissions that do not reflect the requirements outlined in these guidelines will not be considered.

Purpose of Resettlement Support Centers (RSCs)

The admissions process for refugee applicants seeking resettlement in the United

States is overseen by the Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and

Migration (the Bureau).

https://www.state.gov/population-refugees-and-migration-funding-opportunities/ https://www.state.gov/population-refugees-and-migration-funding-opportunities/

The purpose of RSCs is to assist the Bureau in preparing the necessary casework for persons in selected locations eligible for interview by the Department of Homeland

Security’s (DHS) U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) in support of the U.S.

Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP). For those persons approved, the RSC provides assistance in completing the additional requirements for refugee admission under

Section 207 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). These requirements include, but are not limited to, ensuring the required security checks are requested, completing a medical exam, and attending cultural orientation. In addition, the RSC collects and maintains data to facilitate the services provided to refugees by U.S.-based resettlement agencies.

The Bureau will make one award each for:

• RSC Africa (based in Nairobi, Kenya),

• RSC Asia (based in Bangkok, Thailand),

• RSC Austria (based in Vienna, Austria),

• RSC Eurasia (based in Warsaw, Poland),

• RSC Latin America (based in San Salvador, El Salvador),

• RSC Middle East and North Africa (MENA) - based in Amman, Jordan, and

• RSC Türkiye and Middle East (TuME) - based in Istanbul, Türkiye, for an initial period beginning October 1, 2024, through September 30, 2025, subject to availability of funds. With this award, the Bureau will provide full financial support to the selected organization, based on the proposal submitted in response to this funding opportunity. Each of the seven awards will have the possibility of being extended for two additional fiscal years through September 30, 2027.

Refugee Processing Caseload

In order to serve the Administration’s anticipated goal to admit up to 125,000 refugees in FY 2025, the Bureau intends to award initial funding and allocations at an operational level of 125,000 refugee arrivals. If the Presidential Determination for FY

2025 sets a target different than this initial operational level, the Bureau will work with successful applicants to adjust allocation numbers and proposal documents. Arrival trends will be reviewed mid-year to adjust budgets, as needed. Each RSC applicant should prepare proposal documents based on the allocations below. For proposal documents that reference years two and three of the program in FY 2026 and FY 2027, organizations should plan based on maximum actual departures for those fiscal years and the resources needed to achieve this level of departures.

• RSC Africa: 37,000 refugee departures from Sub-Saharan Africa.

• RSC Asia: 12,000 refugee departures from Bangladesh, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and other countries in Asia.

• RSC Austria: 1,000 refugee departures from Austria, Croatia, and Israel.

• RSC Eurasia: 4,000 refugee departures from the former Soviet Union (FSU), including Armenia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, and Ukraine and 20,000 SIV departures.

• RSC Latin America: 42,000 refugee departures from Ecuador, El Salvador, Costa

Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, and other countries in the region, as necessary.

• RSC MENA: 21,000 refugee departures from the Middle East, North Africa, and

India and 20,000 SIV departures.

• RSC TuME: 8,000 refugee departures from Türkiye and Lebanon.

Geographic Regions

Proposed activities should primarily support refugees in the following locations:

• RSC Africa: Sub-Saharan Africa.

• RSC Asia: Bangladesh, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and other small caseloads in countries in Asia.

• RSC Austria: Austria, Croatia, and Israel.

• RSC Eurasia: The former Soviet Union (FSU).

• RSC Latin America: Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, and other countries in the region, as necessary.

• RSC MENA: Egypt, India, Iraq, Jordan, Pakistan, Qatar, and other countries in the region, as necessary.

• RSC TuME: Türkiye and Lebanon.

While the regional breakdown above reflects the current RSC landscape, PRM will welcome proposals that include combined or variant regional breakdowns, for example combining the portfolios of two current RSCs under a single RSC. If applicants propose combined or variant regional breakdowns and would also like to be considered for the current regional breakdown, they should submit separate proposals.

Standardized Program Objectives and Indicators

In an effort to strengthen the quality and integrity of the USRAP, the Bureau has established the following standardized objectives and indicators, which will be monitored throughout the fiscal year, for each organization selected for funding. In addition to the standardized indicators below, applicants are required to propose at least one additional outcome-based indicator for each of these four objectives. Of the additional indicators proposed, one indicator per year must be related to:

a) cultural orientation,

b) scheduling and coordinating medicals

c) coordinating departures with the International Organization for Migration

(IOM), and

d) reviewing, adapting, and/or streamlining case processing business processes to maximize RSC efficiency.

Applicants may include additional objectives and indicators if they choose. In addition, PRM reserves the right to add or change indicators in consultation with applicants during final negotiations prior to award of the cooperative agreement. See

Attachment B included in this funding opportunity on Grants.gov for the objectives and indicators table that should be included as part of the application submission.

• Objective 1: RSC completes processing for refugee applicants in accordance with USRAP guidelines and the cooperative agreement.

o 1.1: Percent of target number of refugee applicants pre-screened (using telephone, video, or in-person pre-screening as necessary).

o 1.2: Percent of refugee applicants with Assurance requested within

Service Level Agreement (SLA) once ready for Assurance.

o 1.3: Percent of refugee applicants with travel requested within SLA once

Ready for Departure.

o 1.4: Percent of RSC-owned Action Items completed within relevant SLA timelines (see appendix of specific action items and SLAs).

o 1.5: RSC passes quality control checks performed by PRM/Refugee

Processing Center (RPC) staff on RSC cases to verify the RSC is following

USRAP START processing guidance and has not deviated from this guidance without formally documented approval from PRM that is reflected in processing guides.

• Objective 2: RSC maintains program integrity and protects against fraud and malfeasance, in accordance with the PRM Integrity and Compliance module.

o 2.1: RSC staff and refugee applicants aware of fraud reporting channels.

o 2.2: RSC staff demonstrate active use of the fraud reporting inbox.

o 2.3: RSC staff engage in quarterly anti-fraud meeting with partners.

o 2.4: RSC demonstrate that they are following current National Institute of

Standards and Technology (NIST) standard for cybersecurity.

o 2.5: RSC Integrity and Compliance Staff, including management, review possible breaches and malfeasance, and take appropriate next steps.

o 2.6: RSC communicates to all applicants that the program is free of charge and that fraud should be reported.

• Objective 3: RSC management provides oversight and support to maintain a trained and knowledgeable workforce.

o 3.1: RSC staff receive on-boarding training, and specialized training on updated guidance/new requirements throughout the year, to achieve

USRAP objectives.

o 3.2: RSC staff able to demonstrate knowledge required to fulfil their job.

o 3.3: RSC staff demonstrate efficient workload management practices, use

START system tools where possible and conduct RSC-led trainings to equip staff.

• Objective 4: RSC maintains professional and respectful services, environment, and communications with refugee applicants.

o 4.1: Refugee applicant inquiries receive response within two weeks.

o 4.2: Refugee applicants report satisfaction with quality of interactions with RSC.

Program Requirements

The Bureau has established the following requirements for each organization managing an RSC:

• Beginning on October 1, 2024, provide regional refugee processing services for all USRAP applicants regardless of nationality, religion, gender, sexual orientation, political opinion, race, or ethnicity in:

• Africa, with the primary RSC office located in Nairobi, Kenya and sub-offices as needed.

• RSC Asia, with the primary RSC office located in Bangkok, Thailand and sub-offices as needed.

• RSC Austria, with the primary RSC office located in Vienna, Austria and sub-offices as needed.

• RSC Eurasia, with the primary RSC office located in Warsaw, Poland and sub-offices as needed.

• RSC Latin America, with the primary RSC office located in San Salvador, El Salvador and sub-offices as needed.

• RSC MENA, with the primary RSC office located in Amman, Jordan and sub-offices as needed.

• RSC TuME, with the primary RSC office located in Istanbul, Türkiye and a sub-office as needed.

• Collaborate equitably with all domestic resettlement agencies, including sharing relevant biographic and other background information with domestic resettlement agencies working in the Reception and Placement Program, as appropriate and in accordance with PRM confidentiality guidelines and procedures, to facilitate their provision of required sponsorship assurances.

• Provide refugee processing services in support of the USRAP using START and in accordance with procedures established by the Bureau, as needs arise. Conduct pre-screening interviews, leveraging cost efficiencies where telephonic pre-screening is appropriate, and casework in the countries listed above to capture all relevant information pertaining to the case, e.g., biographical data, special medical needs, information about victims of torture, etc. Ensure that all necessary security checks are requested and remain in a valid status for travel in accordance with the USRAP Manual and RPC

SOPs. Prepare the case file, including completion of all forms necessary for presentation of the case to USCIS for adjudication.

• Enter all required information into START in a timely manner in adherence with the USRAP Processing Guidance provided by PRM/RPC. Maintain data cleanliness and perform timely data cleanup as requested by PRM/RPC.

• Remain in close contact with the RPC, cooperating fully and at all times, to ensure that collected refugee information, START interface, and related equipment remains secure, functional, up to date, and in compliance with

Department and Bureau guidance where appropriate.

• For applicants approved by USCIS, assist the refugees in completing all post-adjudication steps required for admission to the United States. This includes coordinating with the RPC to obtain sponsorship assurances from domestic resettlement partners working under cooperative agreements with the Bureau, preparing travel packets, coordinating medical screening, conducting cultural orientation training, and working with IOM for travel arrangements.

• Correspond with applicants and partners on relevant case statuses and to obtain, as necessary, information relevant to the applicant’s qualifications for admission, in accordance with PRM confidentiality guidelines and procedures, including PRM’s Integrity and Compliance module.

• Provide cultural orientation to approved refugees in accordance with guidelines developed by the Bureau and by using materials and resources developed by the current cultural orientation technical assistance provider (see https://coresourceexchange.org/).

• Develop a formal curriculum, in consultation with the Bureau, for cultural orientation training for refugees that will prepare them for travel and initial adjustment to life in the United States. Develop a training and management plan for RSC staff who will conduct cultural orientation training. Conduct cultural orientation in such a way as to achieve performance outcomes as delineated by the Bureau.

https://coresourceexchange.org/

• The cultural orientation training will cover, at a minimum, the following subjects:

• Travel

• Role of the Resettlement Agency

• Health

• Cultural Adjustment

• Rights and Responsibilities

• Employment

• Education

• Economic self-sufficiency and responsible credit

Number of Proposal Applications

Organizations may submit a maximum of one application per region. Organizations may also apply for a combination, or separate variation, of the regions outlined above.

Any such proposal should be in addition to proposals submitted with the regional breakdowns outlined above. Alternative regional breakdown proposals should clearly state the rationale for the proposed geographic coverage, outline any resulting cost and processing efficiencies, and describe the monitoring and oversight structure.

Subsequent submissions received for the same regional breakdowns will be disqualified.

General Guidance

Duration of Activity

Program plans for one year will be considered, beginning October 1, 2024, through

September 30, 2025, subject to the availability of funds. Continued funding after the initial 12-month period of performance requires the submission of a noncompeting updated single year proposal and will be contingent upon available funding, strong performance, and continuing need. This agreement may be renewable for up to two additional fiscal years. At the end of three years, if the need to operate the RSC continues, the Bureau will re-compete the project, and the recipient of this award may participate in that process. In funding a project one year, PRM makes no representations that it will continue to fund the project in successive years.

Period of Performance

Programs period of performance of 12 months will be considered, with the possibility of two, one-year extensions for a total program duration of 36 months.

Funding limits

The Bureau anticipates up to seven awards with award amounts that will vary depending on the RSC location and anticipated number of refugee departures.

Funding amounts for individual awards in previous years have varied, depending on the location. The total award amounts will be contingent on funding availabilities.

Additionally, budget proposals will be evaluated based on their cost savings measures, both against current resettlement support center operations and efficiencies throughout the period of performance.

The funding floor and ceiling are being set per system requirements, but the review panel will not use the budget amount as criteria for disqualification during the technical review.

• Funding floor per year (lowest $ value): $0 per year

• Funding ceiling per year (highest $ value): $200,000,000 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 as many as seven awards through this announcement with no more than one award per region.

Anticipated Amount to be Awarded Total

The amount of funding available per award for this NOFO will be determined as part of the application review process based on applications received and funding made available through appropriations. Total amounts awarded will be based on a thorough review of each RSC proposal received, anticipated refugee departures for each region, and amount of funding available in FY 2025. Applicants are encouraged to prioritize cost efficiencies when drafting their budget proposals.

Federal Award Information

• Proposed program start dates: October, 1, 2024

• Duration of Activity: See general guidelines above. 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 one year 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.

Eligibility Information

Eligible Applicants o 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).

o 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).

o 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 POC (as listed below) before the closing date of the funding announcement.

Other Eligibility Requirements: Organizations must also be authorized to operate, or eligible for authorization, by the host governments to be considered for an award. This should be understood, when required by each government’s law, to include registration with or receipt of project approval from any relevant country ministry, agency, or other official organization with jurisdiction over any activity to be conducted by the RSC. The RSC must also have authorization to operate in all countries where refugee processing activities will occur.

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

Other

Proposals must have a concrete implementation plan with well-conceived objectives and indicators that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and reliable, time-bound, and trackable (SMART), and have established baselines; objectives should be clearly linked to the sectors. Objectives and indicators should originate from the

Standardized Program Objectives and Indicators section above and be detailed in the attached objectives and indicators table (Attachment B). Applicants may include additional objectives and indicators if they choose.

RSC applicants must have evidence of effective coordination with U.S. government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and international organizations involved with the USRAP and possess management capacity at the agency’s headquarters sufficient to oversee the operation of the RSC. RSC applicants must detail in a separate narrative direct support (e.g., facilities, services, other support) provided for USCIS activities.

The use of START is mandatory. See Appendix 3 for a list of hardware and software items that are currently needed to access and/or operate START, including the equipment to operate the circuit ride functionality. Equipment that will be procured by the RSC and related costs must be included in the proposal.

PRM strongly encourages programs that target the needs of vulnerable and underserved groups among the beneficiary population (such groups may include:

women; children; adolescents; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or intersex

(LGBTQI+) individuals; older persons; the sick; persons with disabilities; and members of minority communities) and can demonstrate what steps have been taken to meet the specific and unique protection and assistance needs of these vulnerable groups effectively.

Application and Submission Instructions

A. Where to Request Application Package: Application packages may be downloaded from the website www.Grants.gov.

B. Content and Form of Application: Organizations may submit a maximum of one proposal per region only. Any subsequent submissions received will be disqualified. PRM strongly recommends using the proposal and budget templates that are available on PRM’s website.

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 only required for the first year of activities. Subsequent years should be included at the summary level.

Applicants should use PRM’s recommended multi-year proposal template for the first year of a multi-year application.

• Multi-year funding applicants may use PRM’s budget templates, 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.

• Multi-year program proposal page limits: multi-year proposals using PRM’s multi-year template must not exceed 17 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.

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 Page limits are strictly adhered to, and PRM will not review pages of the narrative beyond the stated limit, which may negatively impact the proposal’s score.

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, cost effectiveness, 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. It is strongly recommended that organizations submit as early as possible after the directed announcement for continuation funding has been issued. Late submissions will jeopardize continued funding.

Application Package

To be considered for PRM funding, organizations must submit a complete application package encompassing the documents below. Please note, information provided in the proposal narrative and budget documents will be used for planning purposes, but organizations will still be required to submit updated proposal and budget documents before each fiscal year begins.

• A proposal narrative with the information included in Appendix 1 that details the first year of the program (October 1, 2024 - September 30, 2025). This narrative also includes a section requesting RSC applicants to detail cost savings measures, both against current resettlement support center operations, if applicable, and efficiencies within the period of performance, and direct support of USCIS operations including specific services and costs.

• Indicator Table: Including all required PRM indicators and targets for each year.

• Budget summary, budget detail, and budget narrative, disaggregated by year for each year of the program period. Appendix 2 provides more guidance and information on the template for the budget proposal documents. Attachment A, included in this funding opportunity on Grants.gov, provides the recommended template for the budget summary and detail and should be prepared in Excel format. The budget summary and budget detail also include columns for planned budgets in FY 2026 and FY 2027. In the budget narrative, organizations should also provide a brief summary of the anticipated resources needed to reach departure targets in FY 2026 and FY 2027.

• Completed and signed SF-424 andSF-424A. PRM requires that Box 21 of the SF-

424 be checked.

o If the applicant organization has an active registration in SAM.gov that was either created or updated on or after February 2, 2019, then the applicant does NOT need to submit the SF-424B as they will be prompted to complete the representations and certifications in

SAM.gov.

• Risk Assessment and Security Plan.

• Organizational Chart for award applicant.

• Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) Code of Conduct and a country or regional implementation plan specific to the country of region of the application.

o Note: Codes of Conduct must be consistent with the updated 2019 IASC

Task Force’s Six Core Principles. The country/regional implementation plan should outline how employees are trained and otherwise made aware of the Code of Conduct, how violations of the Code of Conduct against program participants are reported and followed up on in a safe and confidential manner, how program participants are made aware of the Code of Conduct and a mechanism to report any violations, and whether there is a focal point in the country or regional office for the

Code of Conduct.

• Key Personnel for award applicant and sub-recipient(s)

• Applicants must furnish names, titles, and brief biographical information on the education and experience of key personnel in implementing the program and key supervisory personnel; (i.e., the members of the professional staff in a program supervisory position engaged for or assigned to duties under the award).

• Most recent Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA), if applicable, or a de minimis rate calculation of Modified Total Direct Costs (MTDC) if the applicant is eligible and elects to use the de minimis rate.

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

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

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

https://interagencystandingcommittee.org/inter-agency-standing-committee/iasc-six-core-principles-relating-sexual-exploitation-and-abuse-2019 https://interagencystandingcommittee.org/inter-agency-standing-committee/iasc-six-core-principles-relating-sexual-exploitation-and-abuse-2019

• 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.

• Organizational Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP) Framework (is required prior to issuance of an award, if proposal is chosen for implementation)

C. 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.

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.

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/

D. NGO 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. International organizations should not submit proposals through

Grants.gov in response to this NOFO, instead contacting the PRM POC listed below directly.

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 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 https://www.state.gov/j/prm/funding/c78352.htm https://www.grants.gov/applicants 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.

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

Grants.gov technical difficulties and

A. who have reported the problem to the Grants.gov help desk;

B. received a case number;

C. have completed UEI and SAM.gov registrations;

D. and had a documented service request opened to research the problem, may contact the PRM NGO Coordinator before the submission deadline to determine whether an alternative method of submission is appropriate.

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

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 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.)

E. Submission Dates and Times

a. Announcement issuance date: Tuesday, April 9, 2024

b. Proposal submission deadline: Sunday, June 9, 2024, at 11:59:59 p.m.

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

F. Intergovernmental Review: Not Applicable

G. Funding Restrictions: Federal awards will not allow reimbursement of Federal

Award costs without prior authorization by PRM.

H. Other Submission Requirements o 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.

Award Provision – SPOT: The following provisions will be included in the Bureau specific component of the Notice of Award for performance in a designated combat area (Iraq and Afghanistan). Recipients are required to include this provision in any sub-grant awards or agreements.

SPECIAL PROVISION FOR PERFORMANCE IN A DESIGNATED COMBAT AREA

The Recipient must report and account for all employees, subrecipient personnel, and contract personnel working under grants or cooperative agreements working in contingency operations outside the United States that involve combat operations. The database to collect this information, called the

Synchronized Pre-Deployment Operational Tracker (SPOT), is managed by the

Department of Defense

In coordination with the Grants Officer and Grants Officer Representative, the

Recipient generally provides this information to the Department of State SPOT

Program Manager (AQMops@state.gov). The Department SPOT Program

Manager enters information provided by the Recipient directly into the SPOT system.

For Recipients with personnel who are NOT performing private security functions and who do not need access to U.S. government support or facilities:

Personnel, including U.S. citizens, third country nationals, and local personnel, are accounted for anonymously, in aggregate.

The Recipient will request an aggregate count template from the Grants Officer or Grants Officer Representative, or directly from the SPOT Program Manager

(AQMops@state.gov). The recipient will complete the template and return the mailto:AQMops@state.gov mailto:AQMops@state.gov completed form to the Grants Officer/ Grants Officer Representative or SPOT

Program Manager.

The Recipient is responsible for updating the aggregate count every quarter by providing updated information via the “Aggregate Count” template to SPOT

Program Manager for each SPOT award.

For Recipients with personnel who ARE performing a private security function;

require access to U.S. government support, facilities, or services; or who may be eligible for special refugee or immigration status under U.S. regulation:

The personnel funded under that award must be entered into SPOT individually with all required personal information.

The Recipient must enter this information into the SPOT database directly.

Unlike the aggregate count process, the Department’s SPOT Program Manager does not enter this information into SPOT on behalf of the Recipient.

The Recipient starts the process by registering for an account in SPOT by contacting the SPOT help desk.

Note: Recipients utilizing armed private security personnel, whether employed directly or via contract, are required to adhere to post policies and procedures regarding private security contractors. As specific post policies and procedures differ in scope and applicability, the Recipient is advised to review post policies carefully and direct any questions to the embassy Regional Security Office through the Grants Officer or Grants Officer Representative.

In addition, the Recipient is reminded that only the Grants Officer has the authority to modify this Notice of Award. Recipients shall proceed with any https://spot.dmdc.mil/ security guidance provided by the Regional Security Officer; however, the

Recipient must advise the Grants Officer and Grants Officer Representative of the guidance received and any potential cost or schedule impact.

• Applicant Vetting as a Condition of Award (Afghanistan, Iraq, Lebanon, Pakistan, and Syria): Applicants are advised that successful passing of vetting to evaluate the risk that funds may benefit terrorists, or their supporters is a condition of award. Vetting information is also required for all subaward performance on assistance awards identified by

DOS as presenting a risk of terrorist financing. Applicants may be asked to submit Risk Analysis Information about their company and its key personnel via the secure RAM web portal. If vetting is required, the RAM Team will contact applicants directly via email and instruct them on how to enter their data via the Secure Portal. Once a user is logged on to the Portal, there are links to help users input the required information. Failure to submit information when requested, or failure to pass vetting, may be grounds for rejecting your proposal.

Recipient Vetting After Award: Recipients shall advise the Grants Officer of any changes in personnel listed in the DS Form 4184, Risk Analysis Information, via the secure RAM web portal, and shall provide vetting information on new individuals. The government reserves the right to vet these personnel changes and to terminate assistance awards for convenience based on vetting results.

https://ramportal.state.gov/ https://ramportal.state.gov/ https://ramportal.state.gov/

Application Review Information

PRM 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 and have submitted all required documents. 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.

PRM 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 to determine whether an application is responsive to the information in this NOFO.

Applications that do not pass SME review will not proceed to the Merit Review Panel.

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:

a. Organizational Structure and Management Capacity (20 points)

b. Processing Expertise and Plan to Achieve Objectives (20 points)

c. Budget and Cost Savings Measures (20 points)

d. Training, Monitoring, and Oversight (15 points)

e. Cultural Orientation (5 points)

f. Coordination with Stakeholders (5 points)

g. Risk Management (5 points)

h. Accountability to Affected Populations (5 points)

i. Gender Analysis (5 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 and determine whether and to what extent the applicant's plan for refugee processing meets the RSC objectives outlined in this funding opportunity, the overall refugee processing experience of the proposing organization, and the proposal’s cost effectiveness for providing comprehensive service provision to applicants of all groups and 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.

Prior to making a Federal award with a total amount of Federal share greater than the simplified acquisition threshold, PRM is required to review and consider any information about the applicant that is in the U.S. government designated integrity and performance system accessible through SAM.gov (see 41 U.S.C. 2313);

An applicant, at its option, may review and comment on any information about itself that a Federal awarding agency previously entered. Currently, federal agencies create integrity records in the integrity module of the Contractor Performance Assessment and Reporting System (CPARS) and these records are visible as responsibility/qualification records in SAM.gov;

The Federal awarding agency will consider any comments by the applicant, in addition to the other information in the designated integrity and performance system, in making a judgment about the applicant's integrity, business ethics, and record of performance under Federal awards when completing the review of risk posed by applicants as described in §200.206 Federal awarding agency review of risk posed by applicants.

Federal Award Administration Information

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.

Administrative and National Policy Requirements.

PRM awards are made consistent with the following provisions in the following order of precedence: (a) applicable laws and statutes of the United States, including any specific legislative provisions mandated in the statutory authority for the award; (b)

Code of Federal Regulations (CFR); (c) Department of State Standard Terms and

Conditions of the award; (d) the award’s specific requirements; and (e) other documents and attachments to the award.

Reporting

Successful applicants will be required to submit:

o Program Reports: PRM requires quarterly program reports describing and analyzing the results of activities undertaken during the validity period of the agreement.