FY23 CETAP FAQs 06.12.23_CLEAN.pdf

Frequently Asked Questions

Funding Opportunity Announcement # DHS-23-CISA-127-CDET-0001 Week of June 12, 2023

Question #1: What is the Cybersecurity Education and Training Assistance Program (CETAP) cooperative agreement?

Answer: The CETAP cooperative agreement will provide financial assistance through up to two cooperative agreements for non-federal entities to develop cybersecurity curriculum and professional development opportunities focused on K-12 students and their educators, administrators, and caregivers and engage in outreach efforts to increase cybersecurity awareness within that K-12 community. See FY 2023 CETAP Notice of Funding Opportunity, Section A.9. Program Overview, Objectives, Priorities and Allowable Activities.

Question #2: Who are the eligible applicants?

Answer: Eligible applicants are as follows:

Nonprofit organizations, other than institutions of higher education, with an effective ruling letter from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service granting tax exemption under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

Nonprofit organizations, other than institutions of higher education, without an effective ruling letter from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service granting tax exemption under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. See FY 2023 CETAP Notice of Funding Opportunity, Section C.1 Eligible Applicants.

Question #3: What is the application submission deadline?

Answer: The application submission deadline is 07/25/2023 23:59 (GMT - 05:00) Eastern Time (US & Canada).

Question #4: Is the funding level for two awards $3.4 M for 5 years or $3.4M per year for 5 years?

Answer: The funding level is for two projected federal awards for $3.4 million with a period of performance of 60 months and a single budget period of 12 months (9/30/2023 to 9/29/2024). Funding for non-competitive continuation awards beyond the initial budget period is conditioned on the availability of funds, satisfactory performance by the recipient, program authority, compliance with the terms and conditions of the Federal Award, and a DHS/CISA determination that continued funding is in the best interests of the federal government.

The funding level is not $3.4 million per year for five years. See FY 2023 CETAP Notice of Funding Opportunity, Section B. Federal Award Information.

Question #5: What are the start and the end dates for the projected period of performance?

Answer: The projected period of performance is 09/29/2023 – 09/30/2028. See FY 2023 CETAP Notice of Funding Opportunity, Section B. Federal Award Information.

Question #6: Will there be any thoughts of entertaining changing this restrictive eligibility requirements to open the grant to more competitors?

Answer: CISA is not changing the eligibility requirements in the CETAP Notice of Funding Opportunity at this time.

Question #7: Will a nonprofit be allowed to team with another nonprofit or for-profit entity to meet the eligibility requirements?

Answer: No. An applicant must independently meet the “Eligible Applicants” and “Applicant Eligibility Criteria” set forth in Section C – Eligibility Information of the FY 2023 CETAP Notice of Funding Opportunity.

Implementation of the cooperative agreement may involve other entities as outlined in “Other Eligibility Criteria/Restrictions” set forth in the aforementioned Section C.

Question #8: Can a state, local, tribal, or territorial entity partner with a nonprofit to meet the eligibility requirements?

Answer: No. An applicant must independently meet the “Eligible Applicants” and “Applicant Eligibility Criteria” set forth in Section C – Eligibility Information of the FY 2023 CETAP Notice of Funding Opportunity.

Implementation of the cooperative agreement may involve other entities as outlined in “Other Eligibility Criteria/Restrictions” set forth in the aforementioned Section C.

Question #9: Can a recipient of a federal award, when carrying out the scope of work under the cooperative agreement, partner with a for-profit organization that already has a successful curriculum and professional development program?

Answer: Yes. DHS requires a recipient to forge robust partnerships to carry out the scope of work under the cooperative agreement. At a minimum, a recipient is required to partner/forge partnerships with at least two established organizations/clubs/non-profit entities within the educational community (i.e., after-school programs, curriculum sharing among schools, etc.) whose mission is to create/maintain/support cybersecurity curriculum development and K-12 classroom implementation. Applicants must also have established partnerships or a plan to establish a partnership with school districts/organizations/entities that support and/or can facilitate the inclusion of cybersecurity education in the curriculum in at least two CISA Regions in each budget period. See CETAP Notice of Funding Opportunity, Section C.3 Other Eligibility Criteria.

Question #10: Is a recipient of federal award that is a nonprofit organization but not an educational entity permitted to partner with educational organizations when carrying out the scope of work under a cooperative agreement?

Answer: Yes. Please see the answer to Question #9.

Question #11: Does an applicant have to be actively developing cybersecurity curriculum and professional development content to the meet the eligibility requirements?

Answer: An applicant must have experience and a satisfactory record of past performance in (K-12) cybersecurity education required to successfully manage and implement fundamental cybersecurity curriculum. An applicant must also have experience in delivering K-12 cybersecurity related professional development. See CETAP Notice of Funding Opportunity, Section C.2. Applicant Eligibility Criteria.

Question #12: Is there an exception to the eligibility criteria where a for-profit organization can apply?

Answer: No. For-profit organizations are not eligible applicants. Please see the answer to Question #2.

Question #13: Is there an exception to the eligibility criteria where a government agency can apply?

Answer: No. State, local, tribal, or territorial entities are not eligible applicants. Eligible applicants are as follows:

Nonprofit organizations, other than institutions of higher education, with an effective ruling letter from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service granting tax exemption under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

Nonprofit organizations, other than institutions of higher education, without an effective ruling letter from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service granting tax exemption under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. See FY 2023 CETAP Notice of Funding Opportunity, Section C.1 Eligible Applicants.

Implementation of the cooperative agreement may involve other entities as outlined in “Other Eligibility Criteria” set forth in Section C – Eligibility Information of the FY 2023 CETAP Notice of Funding Opportunity.

Question #14: How many CISA regions are required to be impacted through this opportunity?

Answer: At least two CISA Regions in each budget period. See Section C.3. Other Eligibility Criteria.

Question #15: If an applicant has been awarded other federal contracts, does this fall under the definition of “federal awards” for the purposes of being subjected to an audit?

Answer: No. The regulations at 2 C.F.R. pt. 200 sets forth the standards for the audits of non-Federal entities expending “federal awards”. As detailed in 2 C.F.R. § 200.501, a non- Federal entity that expends $750,000 or more during the non-Federal entity’s fiscal year in “federal awards” must have a single or program-specific audit for that year in accordance with 2 C.F.R. pt. 200. The regulation explains that an auditee may simultaneously be a recipient, subrecipient, and contractor and that “federal awards” expended as a recipient or subrecipient are subject to audit under 2 C.F.R. pt. 200 and but that payments received for goods and services provided as a contractor are not. See 2 C.F.R. § 200.501(f).

Question #16: Is this opportunity limited to US-based organizations?

Answer: Yes. An applicant must be incorporated in one of the 50 states or in the District of Columbia.

Question #17: If awarded, what is the budget period?

Answer: There will be up to five budget periods for the Federal Award, which are the following: 9/30/2023 to 9/29/2024; 9/30/2024 to 9/29/2025; 9/30/2025 to 9/29/2026;

9/30/2026 to 9/29/2027; and 9/30/2027 to 9/29/2028.

The available funding for the NOFO described above is for the initial 12-month budget period from 9/30/2023 to 9/29/2024. For additional information, see Section B.6. Budget Period.

Question #18: If awarded, what is the project period?

Answer: The period of performance for the federal awards are projected to be 09/30/2023 to 09/29/2028.