FY24 CSP NOFO_SFOP0010104.pdf

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This notice of funding opportunity announces a competitive grant program from the Department of State's Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation, Office of Cooperative Threat Reduction to support efforts to prevent, detect, and counter the development and use of chemical weapons. Up to $7 million is available for awards ranging from $50,000 to $250,000 supporting projects of 12 months or less under the Chemical Security Program. Eligible applicants include not-for-profit organizations, educational institutions, federally funded research centers, and for-profit organizations conducting eligible activities. Applications are due by January 31, 2024. The funding opportunity is assigned to the Global Threat Reduction assistance program (19.033). Proposed projects must address one or more of the program's lines of effort including disrupting state acquisition of chemical precursors and equipment, enhancing response and attribution capabilities, and reinforcing global non-proliferation norms. Priority will be given to proposals building local capacity and sustainability. Recipients will be required to report on financial and programmatic progress regularly.

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FY24 CTR Project Proposal Template 231030.docx DOCX document
FY24 CTR Consolidated Project List.xlsx XLSX spreadsheet
FY24 CTR Consolidated Project List 240126.xlsx XLSX spreadsheet
Budget Detail & Budget Summary - TEMPLATE.xlsx XLSX spreadsheet
DEIA NOFO Doc_Fall2023_final_231010.docx DOCX document

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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE

Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation Office of Cooperative Threat Reduction (ISN/CTR)

Notice of Funding Opportunity

Funding Opportunity Title: Chemical Security Program Funding Opportunity Number: SFOP0010104 Deadline for Applications: January 31, 2024, 11:59 Assistance Listing Number: 19.033 Total Amount Available: $7,000,000

A. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Department of State’s Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation, Office of Cooperative Threat Reduction (ISN/CTR) is pleased to announce an open competition for assistance awards through this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). ISN/CTR sponsors foreign assistance activities funded by the Nonproliferation, Antiterrorism, Demining and Related Programs (NADR) and other accounts, and focuses on mitigating weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and WMD-related delivery systems proliferation and security threats from non-state actors and proliferator states. An underlying aim of all ISN/CTR’s efforts is long-term sustainability to maximize programmatic impact while minimizing the need for foreign partners to rely on outside financial or technical assistance.

ISN/CTR’s Chemical Security Program (CSP) supports efforts to prevent, detect, and counter the development, maintenance, proliferation, and use of chemical weapons (CW) by state and non-state actors worldwide. CSP achieves this mission through capacity-building programs, open-source research, and other specialized efforts, all of which help foreign government and private sector stakeholders identify and disrupt the flow of materials, knowledge, and expertise to CW programs.

State actors are actively maintaining CW stockpiles while at the same time seeking to develop new CW capabilities, in particular non-lethal agents, incapacitants, and pharmaceutical-based agents (PBAs), as well as delivery methods designed to make detection and attribution difficult.

In pursuit of these activities, state CW programs require access to equipment, technology, and chemical precursors. Most, if not all, state CW programs must acquire some portion of these items from outside their borders, which presents opportunities to disrupt such acquisition through CSP capacity building.

In the past ten years, Syria and ISIS have used CW against military targets and civilian populations. Russia* and North Korea have used CW in targeted killings, and the United States has imposed sanctions on entities within each for their support of their CW programs. The United States has imposed sanctions on Iranian entities for their involvement in the testing and production of chemical agents for use as so-called incapacitation agents and maintains significant concerns over Iran’s obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention.

*Note: Project proposals focusing exclusively on countering Russia’s CW program, supply chain, and funding; Russia’s use of CW in targeted assassinations; and Russia’s CW disinformation should submit to the ISN/CTR Special Projects Team NOFOs SFOP0010114 and

SFOP0010111.

CSP Lines of Effort: To advance the policy goals and address the threats described above, in FY24, CSP activities will be undertaken along the following lines of effort:

Disrupting State CW Precursor, Equipment, and Knowledge Acquisition. CSP will disrupt state efforts to procure weaponizable chemical precursors, lab and production equipment, and expertise by:

1. Training producers, manufacturers, distributors, resellers, shipping agents, or others along the supply chain of CW-relevant goods, materials, and production equipment to conduct enhanced due diligence to detect state CW-related procurement activities.

2. Training partner government law enforcement to investigate CW-related procurement activities in their jurisdiction and review their laws to identify how such activities can be prosecuted under existing statutes.

3. Enhancing government oversight of proliferation-sensitive supply chains by fostering public-private partnership and better information sharing amongst government, industry, and other relevant stakeholders.

Countries of Impact: EAP: Singapore; EUR: Armenia, Bulgaria, Czechia, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye; NEA: Jordan, Lebanon, United Arab Emirates; SCA: India, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan

Deterring CW Use through Response and Attribution. CSP will enhance global efforts to deter CW use by ensuring partner governments can swiftly, safely, and effectively respond to CW attacks in their jurisdictions by:

1. Improving partner states’ defensive countermeasures by training first responders and national CBRN teams to identify indicators of CW attacks, limit casualties through effective first aid and decontamination, and collect evidence to ensure successful attribution and prosecution, including through OPCW channels.

2. Improving national laboratory capabilities to handle and conduct analyses of CW samples to ensure successful attribution and prosecution.

Countries of Impact: EAP: Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam; EUR: Armenia, Bulgaria, Czechia, Georgia, Poland, Serbia, Türkiye; NEA: Lebanon; SCA: India, Kazakhstan.

Reinforcing Global Norms Against CW Use and Promoting CWC Compliance. CSP will counter U.S. adversaries’ efforts to impede global CWC implementation, weaken the OPCW’s effectiveness, and undermine the norms against CW production, stockpiling, and use by:

1. Engaging partner governments, media, and NGO communities to counter U.S.

adversaries’ disinformation campaigns attacking norms against CW use, the OPCW, and U.S. assistance to other countries.

2. Providing tailored assistance to select OPCW Member States to improve countries national implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention.

Countries of Impact: AF: Kenya, Nigeria; EAP: the Philippines; NEA: Lebanon, Libya; SCA:

Uzbekistan

Preventing Terrorist CW Attacks. CSP will impede the ability of Foreign Terrorist Organizations to conduct successful CW attacks targeting the United States and its partners and allies by, in addition to the activities described above:

1. Engaging partner governments to identify vulnerable chemicals of concern in their jurisdictions and support relevant stakeholders in securing them in accordance with international best practices.

Countries of Impact: NEA: Lebanon; SCA: Pakistan

Open-Source Research. CSP will fund open-source research in support of the above lines of effort, explore other potential lines of effort or types of engagement, and for providing investigative leads to foreign governments on CW-related procurement activities. Research should be quick-turn, actionable reporting on dynamic, fast-evolving CW proliferation threat typologies and will include information that can be shared with the private sector.

Submitting Competitive Proposals: These are the criteria by which proposals will be evaluated, broken down by line of effort.

Disrupting State CW Precursor, Equipment, and Knowledge Acquisition. Funded activities will emphasize:

• Disrupting procurement networks for precursors of highly potent pharmaceuticals, including but not limited to fentanyls;

• Training partners to adopt employee vetting and know-your-customer (KYC) programs to ensure chemicals and equipment are not diverted to state procurement agents or front companies operating on their behalf;

• Advancing cross-sector collaboration and information sharing between government, industry, and other relevant stakeholders regarding the CW-relevant supply chain.

• Enhancing government oversight of contract chemical producers, especially in the European countries listed above;

• Disrupting proliferator states from acquiring materials or equipment that can be used to conduct research and development on advanced CW capabilities;

• Raising awareness among chemical scientists, technicians, and engineers in partner countries of the dual-use dangers associated with CW-relevant research collaborations with proliferator state nationals;

• Training law enforcement and/or security forces on identifying and investigating suspicious CW-related procurement activities.

• Strengthening governments’ understanding of their private sector’s exposure to CW procurement activities by assessing proliferation risks related to CW-relevant chemicals, precursors, and equipment, mapping their use, manufacture, and storage, and understanding how they may unwittingly export to CW procurement agents.

Deterring CW Use through Response and Attribution. Funded activities will emphasize:

• Assessing and enhancing the capabilities of selected laboratories in partner countries to perform at international standards for identification and verification analysis of chemical warfare agents and related chemicals;

• Trainings, field exercises, lectures, tabletop exercises (TTXs), and hands-on field training that tackle chemical threat scenarios and utilize technologies to respond to and attribute chemical attacks;

• Trainings designed to strengthen the ability of law enforcement agencies to investigate chemical attacks, manage chemical crime scenes that are contaminated with chemical materials, conduct sampling to support chemical identification and attribution, and attribute the chemicals involved to their sources or intermediate handling;

• Training law enforcement or first responders on ways to manage, process, and forensically retrieve chemical incident data to increase the chances of detecting, deterring and prosecuting state actors who plot to conduct chemical attacks; and,

• Advancing cross-sector collaboration between stakeholders on operational procedures related to chemical investigations.

Reinforcing Global Norms Against CW Use and Promoting CWC Compliance. Funded activities will emphasize:

• Convening exchanges among key non-governmental stakeholders on state CW threats, the role their institutions can play in promoting and advancing CWC compliance in their countries and internationally, and fostering robust collaboration among these stakeholders to reinforce the norm against CW use.

• Raise awareness of common disinformation campaigns and messages by proliferator states that attempt to erode norms against CW use, the OPCW, and/or the U.S. CWC compliance.

• Provide specific training to assist countries achieving CWC compliance.

Preventing Terrorist CW Attacks. In addition to activities carried out under the above lines of effort, funded activities will emphasize:

• Training on locally relevant strategies to prevent CW attacks and planning, such as advanced insider threat trainings for law enforcement, industry personnel, and university officials to identify signs of radicalization, especially in remote locations;

• Training chemical industry to implement international standards for materials management, transportation, and storage of chemicals to ensure partners adopt sustainable practices for monitoring and security of weaponizable precursors;

• Developing national and facility-level policies and programs to strengthen oversight of and secure CW-related assets.

Open-source research. Funded activities will emphasize:

• Characterizing the procurement needs for state actor-agnostic CW programs, and identifying vendors, suppliers, distributors, shipping agents, or other entities that could be exploited by state CW procurement agents.

• Identifying front companies operating on behalf of state procurement agents, mapping their ownership structures, and identifying corporate relationships that could lend insight into their procurement activities.

• Developing case studies to allow for targeted participant outreach based on procurement networks of chemical agents, goods, commodities, equipment, and intellectual properties.

All proposals must make a clear and compelling case for how they will reduce a chemical threat, how they will address partner-specific political, technical, and/or logistical realities, and how they will support one or more CSP goals and complement existing activities.

CSP will view the following attributes favorably in the FY24 proposal process:

• Proposals that build indigenous capacity within a partner country, foster relationships among key stakeholders within them, and establish relationships between stakeholders in other partner countries;

• Effective mechanisms for long-term sustainability post-engagement, including follow-up activities every three to six months throughout the period of performance;

• Approaches that leverage partner country chemical security champions’ abilities to provide local and regional perspectives and expertise to further advance CWC compliance and other norms against CW use.

• Proposals that include references to incorporation of best practices that would improve diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in CSP programming;

• Proposals that reference the current CW threat landscape specific to the country of engagement or the proliferator state;

• Proposals that engage law enforcement partners on preventative measures and immediate response-oriented and investigative techniques and planning rather than long-term recovery or decontamination;

• Nonproliferation benefit clearly evidenced by data-driven analysis and targeted approaches to current threat information;

• Multi-phased proposals to scope vulnerabilities and develop threat-specific targeted solutions and exercises;

• Proposals that articulate, account for, and counter the specific risks and vulnerabilities a partner country faces related to state CW program procurement or potential chemical attacks, and engagements.

• Financial and/or in-kind cost-sharing, including but not limited to subject matter expertise, facilities, equipment, technology, or other forms of cost-sharing;

• Proposals that leverage multiple implementers together to deliver innovative, technical, and/or logistical solutions; and,

• Virtual or web-based activities and low-cost equipping solutions for difficult operating environments that promote participant retention throughout the engagements.

• CSP does not seek to fund the development of new analytical tools, nor does CSP seek training for its own staff to learn how to use such tools. Rather, CSP seeks to leverage existing tools, datasets, and capabilities against which its implementers provide analysis and targeted, timely reporting based on periodic CSP guidance to inform capacity-building efforts and enable partners to take actions.

Participants and Audiences:

• Industries and laboratories that manufacture, store, or distribute weaponizable chemicals, their precursors, and production equipment, such as the pharmaceutical and contract chemical sectors;

• Suppliers and vendors of chemical precursors, weaponizable chemicals, and related production equipment;

• Law enforcement entities, security forces, and first responders including those responsible for securing public transportation, mass gatherings, and other potential targets of a chemical attack or responding to such attack if one occurs; and

• Government ministries and agencies that have a role in chemical oversight and response, including regulatory authorities and emergency management agencies.

As a U.S. Foreign Assistance activity, this program does not provide training or capacity-building support to U.S. national audiences.

B. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

Length of performance period: Twelve (12) months

Number of awards anticipated: 25 awards (dependent on amounts)

Award amounts: awards may range from a minimum of $50,000 to a maximum of $250,000

Total available funding: $7,000,000 Type of Funding: FY24/25 Nonproliferation, Anti-Terrorism, Demining and Related Activities Funds under the Foreign Assistance Act.

Anticipated program start date: October 1, 2024

This notice is subject to availability of funding.

Funding Instrument Type: Grant, fixed amount award (FAA), or cooperative agreement.

Cooperative agreements and some FAAs are different from grants in that bureau staff are more actively involved in the grant implementation (“Substantial Involvement”). ISN/CTR will play an active role in developing and shaping the materials developed and implanted during this award.

CTR will also help identify participants.

Program Performance Period: Proposed programs should be completed in 12 months or less.

C. ELIGILIBITY INFORMATION

1. Eligible Applicants

The following organizations are eligible to apply:

• Not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/non-governmental organizations

• Public and private educational institutions

• Federally funded research and development centers (FFRDCs)

• For-profit organizations Public International Organizations and Governmental institutions

2. Cost Sharing or Matching

Cost sharing is not required and will play no role in when the project is being evaluated.

3. Other Eligibility Requirements

In order to be eligible to receive an award, all organizations must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number issued via www.SAM.gov as well as a valid registration on www.SAM.gov. Please see Section D.3 for more information.

Applicants are only allowed to submit one proposal package per organization. If more than one proposal package is submitted from an organization, all proposals from that institution may be considered ineligible for funding.

D. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

1. Address to Request Application Package http://www.sam.gov/

Required application forms are available at grants.gov.

2. Content and Form of Application Submission

Please follow all instructions below carefully. Proposals that do not meet the requirements of this announcement or fail to comply with the stated requirements will be ineligible.

Content of Application Please ensure:

• The proposal clearly addresses the goals and objectives of this funding opportunity.

• All documents are in English

• All budgets are in U.S. dollars

• All pages are numbered

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

• All Microsoft Word documents are single-spaced, 12 point Calibri font, with a minimum of 1-inch margins.

Proposal documents Mandatory documents o SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance – organizations) o Project Proposal: Please follow the directions to complete the proposal template included in the application package.

o Consolidated Project List o Budget Detail

Optional documents o SF-424B (Only required for organizations not registered in SAM.gov) o SF -LLL (DISCLOSURE OF LOBBYING ACTIVITIES) o Copy of most recent approved NICRA o Summary Page o DEIA standalone document (Separate from DEIA plan information included in project proposal)

2. Summary Page: Cover sheet stating the applicant name and organization, proposal date, program title, program period proposed start and end date, and brief purpose of the program.

3. Proposal (3 pages per project maximum): The proposal should contain sufficient information that anyone not familiar with it would understand exactly what the applicant wants to do. Use the project proposals template posted with this NOFO.

5. Budget Detail: Use the spreadsheet template included with the NOFO to describe each of the budget expenses in detail. See section H. Other Information: Guidelines for Budget Submissions below for further information.

6. Consolidated Project List: Please use the provided template to identify all key information about the project. Each project included with this proposal should have its own line on the spreadsheet.

7. Attachments (Optional)

• 1-page CV or resume of key personnel who are proposed for the program

• If your organization has a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA) and includes NICRA charges in the budget, your latest NICRA should be included as a PDF file.

• Standalone DEIA Statement in compliance with the optional proposal document, format included in with the guidance posted with the NOFO.

• SF-LLL form

3. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM.gov) (NOTE: This section is required and not optional. )

Required Registrations:

All organizations, whether based in the United States or in another country, must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and an active registration with the SAM.gov. A UEI is one of the data elements mandated by Public Law 109-282, the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA), for all Federal awards.

Note: As of April 2022, a DUNS number is no longer required for federal assistance applications.

The 2 CFR 200 requires that sub-grantees obtain a UEI number. Please note the UEI for sub-grantees is not required at the time of application but will be required before an award is processed and/or directed to a sub-grantee.

Note: The process of obtaining or renewing a SAM.gov registration may take anywhere from 4-8 weeks. Please begin your registration as early as possible.

• Organizations based in the United States or that pay employees within the United States will need an Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and a UEI number prior to registering in SAM.gov.

• Organizations based outside of the United States and that do not pay employees within the United States do not need an EIN from the IRS but do need a UEI number prior to registering in SAM.gov.

• Please note that as of November 2022 and February 2022 respectively, organizations based outside of the United States that do not intend to apply for U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) awards are no longer required to have a NATO Commercial and Government Entity (NCAGE) code or CAGE code to apply for non-DoD foreign assistance funding opportunities. If an applicant organization is mid-registration and wishes to remove a CAGE or NCAGE code from their SAM.gov registration, the applicant should submit a help desk ticket (“incident”) with the Federal Service Desk (FSD) online at www.fsd.gov using the following language: “I do not intend to seek financial assistance from the Department of Defense. I do not wish to obtain a CAGE or NCAGE code. I understand that I will need to submit my registration after this incident is resolved in order to have my registration activated.”

Organizations based outside of the United States and that DO NOT plan to do business with the DoD should follow the below instructions:

Step 1: Proceed to SAM.gov to obtain a UEI and complete the SAM.gov registration process. SAM.gov registration must be renewed annually.

Organizations based outside of the United States and that DO plan to do business with the DoD in addition to Department of State should follow the below instructions:

Step 1: Apply for an NCAGE code by following the instructions on the NSPA NATO website linked below:

NCAGE Homepage:

https://eportal.nspa.nato.int/AC135Public/sc/CageList.aspx NCAGE Code Request Tool (NCRT):

Exemptions An exemption from the UEI and sam.gov registration requirements may be permitted on a case-by-case basis if:

• An applicant’s identity must be protected due to potential endangerment of their mission, their organization’s status, their employees, or individuals being served by the applicant.

• For an applicant, if the Federal awarding agency makes a determination that there are exigent circumstances that prohibit the applicant from receiving a unique entity identifier and completing SAM registration prior to receiving a Federal award.

In these instances, Federal awarding agencies must require the recipient to obtain a unique entity identifier and complete SAM registration within 30 days of the Federal award date.

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Organizations requesting exemption from UEI or SAM.gov requirements must email the point of contact listed in the NOFO at least two weeks prior to the deadline in the NOFO providing a justification of their request. Approval for a SAM.gov exemption must come from the warranted Grants Officer before the application can be deemed eligible for review.

4. Submission Dates and Times

Applications are due no later than 31 January 2024 at 11:59pm (EDT).

5. Funding Restrictions

Legal restrictions prevent ISN/CTR from providing assistance to Burma, China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, South Sudan, Sudan, and Syria.

Under Section 635b of the Foreign Assistance Act, CTR is able to provide awards to for-profit corporations, so long as the for profit does not benefit in profit from the implementation of the award.

6. Other Submission Requirements

All application materials must be submitted through www.Grants.gov unless you are a U.S.

Government entity applying for Inter-Agency Agreement (IAA) funding. If you are applying for an IAA please submit proposals to the relevant program team and ISN-CTR- BUDGET@state.gov.

E. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

1. Criteria Applicants should note that the following criteria serve as a standard against which all project proposals will be evaluated and identify significant considerations that should be addressed in all proposals. ISN/CTR will award a cooperative agreement to the applicant(s) whose offer represents the best overall value to the government from both a technical and cost perspective.

ISN/CTR will evaluate proposals against the stated criteria. Criteria are listed in descending order of importance.

• Proposed Activity or Activities: Applicants should clearly describe what they propose to do and how they will do it. The proposed project(s) must directly relate to meeting the specified objectives and applicants should include specific information on how they will systematically meet ISN/CTR’s global threat reduction mission. ISN/CTR will evaluate the project proposal in terms of how well it addresses the issues at hand, relevance and feasibility of the proposed activities, the timeline for completion, and the extent to which the impact of the project will continue beyond the conclusion of the period of performance.

• Organizational Capability: Applicants must demonstrate how their resources, capabilities, and experience will enable them to achieve the stated goals and objectives in an international technical context. The proposal(s) must identify all key partners and organizations that will be involved in implementation of this project.

• Budget: Proposed costs will be evaluated for feasibility, fiscal control practices, and efficiency. ISN/CTR must be able to determine that proposed costs are reasonable, allowable, and allocable to the proposed project activities.

ISN/CTR will evaluate the budget to determine if the overall costs are realistic for the work to be performed, if the costs reflect the applicant’s understanding of the allowable cost principles established by 2CFR200, and if the costs are consistent with the program narrative.

• Impactful and Measurable Engagements: Although complex nonproliferation objectives demand persistent engagement with partner countries, discrete projects should individually advance progress toward a particular objective. Proposals should describe the end-state the project aims to achieve, along with specific, measurable, and realistic benchmarks by which to gauge progress toward that end state. Compelling project proposals will establish milestones to be met during the implementation period, and describe observable progress in meeting the program goals described above.

• Diversity and Inclusion: ISN/CTR values collaboration and promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion with all stakeholders by creating an environment that is open to equal opportunities without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran or disabled status. Implementers are welcome but not required to submit with their proposal a plan for how the implementer intends to further ISN/CTR’s diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) objectives through their programming.

Submitted plans will be evaluated separate to the overall evaluation of projects and

• Cyber Security: Implementer shall be required to establish and follow policy and procedures for an effective implementation of security controls using NIST 800-53 (Rev. 5 or higher)), System and Information Integrity Policy (SI-1) as follows:

a. Identification and Authentication: Implement multifactor authentication for network access and local access.

b. Access Controls: Implement security controls for information sharing, remote access and wireless access including: Monitoring, controlling, and protecting remote and wireless access to information by auditing information systems components (e.g., workstations, notebook computers, smartphones, and tablets).

c. Incident Handling: Monitor and report any and all security incidents including breaches to ISN/CTR directly within 48 hours of the incident and include a risk assessment of the security access controls.

2. Review and Selection Process

A review committee will evaluate all eligible applications, final funding decision will be made by ISN/CTR Office Director and Deputy Director.

3. Responsibility/Qualification Information in SAM.gov (formerly, FAPIIS)

i. The Federal awarding agency, prior to making a Federal award with a total amount of Federal share greater than the simplified acquisition threshold, 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);

ii. 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;

iii. 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.

F. FEDERAL AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

1. Federal Award Notices

The grant award or cooperative agreement will be written, signed, awarded, and administered by the Grants Officer. The assistance award agreement is the authorizing document and it will be provided to the recipient for review and signature by email. The recipient may only start incurring program expenses beginning on the start date shown on the grant award document signed by the Grants Officer.

If a proposal is selected for funding, the Department of State has no obligation to provide any additional future funding. Renewal of an award to increase funding or extend the period of performance is at the discretion of the Department of State.

Issuance of this NOFO does not constitute an award commitment on the part of the U.S.

government, nor does it commit the U.S. government to pay for costs incurred in the preparation and submission of proposals. Further, the U.S. government reserves the right to reject any or all proposals received.

Payment Method: Payment Management System or SF-270 on a monthly basis.

2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

Before submitting an application, applicants should review all the terms and conditions and required certifications which will apply to this award, to ensure that they will be able to comply.

These include:

• 2 CFR 25 - UNIVERSAL IDENTIFIER AND SYSTEM FOR AWARD MANAGEMENT

• 2 CFR 170 - REPORTING SUBAWARD AND EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

INFORMATION

• 2 CFR 175 - AWARD TERM FOR TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS

• 2 CFR 182 - GOVERNMENTWIDE REQUIREMENTS FOR DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE

(FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE)

• 2 CFR 183 - NEVER CONTRACT WITH THE ENEMY

• 2 CFR 600 – DEPARTMENT OF STATE REQUIREMENTS

• 41 USC 4712 - Enhancement of contractor protection from reprisal for disclosure of certain information

• U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE STANDARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS

In accordance with the Office of Management and Budget’s guidance located at 2 CFR part 200, all applicable Federal laws, and relevant Executive guidance, the Department of State will review and consider applications for funding, as applicable to specific programs, pursuant to this notice of funding opportunity in accordance with the following: NOTE:

• Guidance for Grants and Agreements in Title 2 of the Code of Federal Regulations (2 CFR), as updated in the Federal Register’s 85 FR 49506 on August 13, 2020, particularly on:

o Selecting recipients most likely to be successful in delivering results based on the program objectives through an objective process of evaluating Federal award applications (2 CFR part 200.205), o Prohibiting the purchase of certain telecommunication and video surveillance services or equipment in alignment with section 889 of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2019 (Pub. L. No. 115—232) (2 CFR part 200.216), https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=81a5f41de81c46a9844617d93a9db081&mc=true&node=pt2.1.25&rgn=div5 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=81a5f41de81c46a9844617d93a9db081&mc=true&node=pt2.1.170&rgn=div5 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=81a5f41de81c46a9844617d93a9db081&mc=true&node=pt2.1.170&rgn=div5 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=81a5f41de81c46a9844617d93a9db081&mc=true&node=pt2.1.175&rgn=div5 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=81a5f41de81c46a9844617d93a9db081&mc=true&node=pt2.1.182&rgn=div5 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=81a5f41de81c46a9844617d93a9db081&mc=true&node=pt2.1.182&rgn=div5 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=81a5f41de81c46a9844617d93a9db081&mc=true&node=pt2.1.183&rgn=div5 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=81a5f41de81c46a9844617d93a9db081&mc=true&tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title02/2chapterVI.tpl https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:41%20section:4712%20edition:prelim) https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:41%20section:4712%20edition:prelim)#:~:text=%281%29%20In%20general.-An%20employee%20of%20a%20contractor%2C%20subcontractor%2C,for%20or%20negotiation%20of%20a%20contract%29%20or%20grant.

https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:41%20section:4712%20edition:prelim)#:~:text=%281%29%20In%20general.-An%20employee%20of%20a%20contractor%2C%20subcontractor%2C,for%20or%20negotiation%20of%20a%20contract%29%20or%20grant.

https://www.state.gov/about-us-office-of-the-procurement-executive/ https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=81a5f41de81c46a9844617d93a9db081&mc=true&node=pt2.1.200&rgn=div5 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=81a5f41de81c46a9844617d93a9db081&mc=true&node=pt2.1.200&rgn=div5 o Promoting the freedom of speech and religious liberty in alignment with Promoting Free Speech and Religious Liberty (E.O. 13798) and Improving Free Inquiry, Transparency, and Accountability at Colleges and Universities (E.O.

13864) (§§ 200.300, 200.303, 200.339, and 200.341), o Providing a preference, to the extent permitted by law, to maximize use of goods, products, and materials produced in the United States (2 CFR part 200.322), and o Terminating agreements in whole or in part to the greatest extent authorized by law, if an award no longer effectuates the program goals or agency priorities (2 CFR part 200.340).

In accordance with the Executive Order on Advancing Racial Equity and Underserved Communities, proposals should demonstrate how the program advances equity with respect to race, ethnicity, religion, income, geography, gender identity, sexual orientation, and disability. The proposal should also demonstrate how the program will further engagement in underserved communities and with individuals from underserved communities. Proposals should demonstrate how addressing racial equity and underserved communities will enhance the program’s goals and objectives, as well as the experience of participants.

The support of underserved communities will be part of the review criteria for this opportunity. Therefore, proposals should clearly demonstrate how the program will support and advance equity and engage underserved communities in program administration, design, and implementation.

3. Reporting

Reporting Requirements: Recipients will be required to submit financial reports and program reports. The award document will specify how often these reports must be submitted.

Foreign Assistance Data Review: As required by Congress, the Department of State must make progress in its efforts to improve tracking and reporting of foreign assistance data through the Foreign Assistance Data Review (FADR). The FADR requires tracking of foreign assistance activity data from budgeting, planning, and allocation through obligation and disbursement. Successful applicants will be required to report and draw down federal funding based on the appropriate FADR Data Elements, indicated within their award documentation. In cases of more than one FADR Data Element, typically program or sector and/or regions or country, the successful applicant will be required to maintain separate accounting records.

Applicants should be aware of the post award reporting requirements reflected in 2 CFR 200 Appendix XII—Award Term and Condition for Recipient Integrity and Performance Matters.

https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.whitehouse.gov%2Fbriefing-room%2Fpresidential-actions%2F2021%2F01%2F20%2Fexecutive-order-advancing-racial-equity-and-support-for-underserved-communities-through-the-federal-government%2F&data=04%7C01%7CReisigAR%40state.gov%7C0dbdd75a0a664b32ef2508d8fb59f8f5%7C66cf50745afe48d1a691a12b2121f44b%7C0%7C0%7C637535711126807160%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=Hk82GX1SCF8LaoHg%2B2vrmdCRK6gGWYwQXU9CB6cLb5E%3D&reserved=0 https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.whitehouse.gov%2Fbriefing-room%2Fpresidential-actions%2F2021%2F01%2F20%2Fexecutive-order-advancing-racial-equity-and-support-for-underserved-communities-through-the-federal-government%2F&data=04%7C01%7CReisigAR%40state.gov%7C0dbdd75a0a664b32ef2508d8fb59f8f5%7C66cf50745afe48d1a691a12b2121f44b%7C0%7C0%7C637535711126807160%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=Hk82GX1SCF8LaoHg%2B2vrmdCRK6gGWYwQXU9CB6cLb5E%3D&reserved=0 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/retrieveECFR?gp=&SID=027fb85899500d580fc71df69d11573a&mc=true&n=pt2.1.200&r=PART&ty=HTML%20-%20ap2.1.200_1521.i#ap2.1.200_1521.xii https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/retrieveECFR?gp=&SID=027fb85899500d580fc71df69d11573a&mc=true&n=pt2.1.200&r=PART&ty=HTML%20-%20ap2.1.200_1521.i#ap2.1.200_1521.xii

G. FEDERAL AWARDING AGENCY CONTACTS

For programmatic questions about this solicitation, contact:

Chemical Security Program Office of Cooperative Threat Reduction U.S. Department of State Email: CSP@state.gov

If you have any questions about the grant application process, please contact: ISN-CTR- Budget@state.gov.

H. OTHER INFORMATION

Guidelines for Budget Justification Personnel and Fringe Benefits: Describe the wages, salaries, and benefits of temporary or permanent staff who will be working directly for the applicant on the program, and the percentage of their time that will be spent on the program.

Travel: Estimate the costs of travel and per diem for this program, for program staff, consultants or speakers, and participants/beneficiaries. If the program involves international travel, include a brief statement of justification for that travel.

Equipment: Describe any machinery, furniture, or other personal property that is required for the program, which has a useful life of more than one year (or a life longer than the duration of the program), and costs at least $5,000 per unit.

Supplies: List and describe all the items and materials, including any computer devices, that are needed for the program. If an item costs more than $5,000 per unit, then put it in the budget under Equipment.

Contractual: Describe goods and services that the applicant plans to acquire through a contract with a vendor. Also describe any sub-awards to non-profit partners that will help carry out the program activities.

Other Direct Costs: Describe other costs directly associated with the program, which do not fit in the other categories. For example, shipping costs for materials and equipment or applicable taxes. All “Other” or “Miscellaneous” expenses must be itemized and explained.

Indirect Costs: These are costs that cannot be linked directly to the program activities, such as overhead costs needed to help keep the organization operating. If your organization has a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate (NICRA) and includes NICRA charges in the budget, attach a copy of your latest NICRA. Organizations that have never had a NICRA may request indirect costs of 10% of modified total direct costs as defined in 2 CFR 200.68.

mailto:XXXX@state.gov

“Cost Sharing” refers to contributions from the organization or other entities other than the U.S. Embassy. It also includes in-kind contributions such as volunteers’ time and donated venues.

Alcoholic Beverages: Please note that award funds cannot be used for alcoholic beverages.

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