INL.CWT Africa NOFO - FINAL 5-22-2023.pdf

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.U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE

Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL)

Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) Revised 05-22-2023

Announcement Type: Request for Federal Assistance Award Applications

Funding Opportunity Title: Countering Wildlife Trafficking in Africa

Funding Opportunity Number: SFOP0009580

Program: Countering Wildlife Trafficking in Africa

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number:

19.705 - Transnational Crime

Total Funding Available: $9,000,000.00 U.S. Dollars

Funding Source: Domestic-Funds

Application Ceiling: Up to $3,000,000.00 U.S. Dollars

Application Floor: At least $750,000.00 U.S. Dollars

Anticipated Number of Awards: 4 - 6 awards

Initial Project Implementation Length: 24 months

Estimated Project Start Date: October 1, 2023

NOFO Issuance Date: March 27, 2023

Deadline for Submission of Questions: April 27, 2023 by 11:59 PM EST via email

Deadline for Submission of Applications:

May 30, 2023 by 11:59 PM EST via www.grants.gov

Assistance Type: Grant http://www.grants.gov/

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Applicant Types and Eligibility Categories:

Organizations only Refer to Section C: Eligibility Information for more information.

INL Points of Contact:

Najar Starr (StarrND@state.gov) - GO Damaris Thompson (thompsonda@state.gov) Samantha Novick (NovickSN@state.gov )

BUREAU MISSION

The mission of the State Department’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) is to keep Americans safe by countering crime, illegal drugs, and instability abroad. The Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) is at the forefront of responding to these challenges, uniting these overarching themes through our foreign assistance programs, diplomatic engagement, and policy coordination.

INL’s foreign assistance programs are essential to advancing U.S. policy objectives. INL programs advance the following strategic goals:

1. Disrupt and reduce illicit drug markets and transnational crime to protect American lives and U.S. national security.

2. Combat corruption and illicit financing to strengthen democratic institutions, advance rule of law, and reduce transnational crime and its enablers.

3. Strengthen criminal justice systems to support stable, rights respecting partners.

mailto:thompsonda@state.gov mailto:NovickSN@state.gov

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

A. PROJECT DESCRIPTION

B. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

C. ELIGILIBITY INFORMATION

D. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

E. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

F. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

APPENDIX A: PERFORMANCE MONITORING PLAN

APPENDIX B: PROJECT RISK ANALYSIS

APPENDIX C: BUDGET AND BUDGET NARRATIVE

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A. PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Overview: The Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs of the U.S.

Department of State announces an open competition for organizations to submit applications to carry out projects to counter wildlife and timber trafficking in Sub-Saharan Africa, with an aim to build upon partner countries’ civilian law enforcement capacities and capabilities by: (1) Increasing the disruption and interdiction of illicit trade, (2) Strengthening investigative and enforcement functions, (3) Enhancing prosecutorial and judicial capacity, and (4) Developing and implementing cross-border and regional law enforcement coordination and information sharing.

Priority Region/Countries: Cameroon, Uganda, Southern Africa

Problem Statement: Wildlife trafficking and natural resource crimes are lucrative forms of transnational organized crime (TOC) that have decimated populations of species, such as elephants, rhinos, pangolins, and more. Wildlife trafficking and natural resource crimes fuel corruption, threaten the rule of law and peace and security, spread disease, and destabilize communities that depend on wildlife for biodiversity and eco-tourism revenues. Criminal organizations are increasingly involved in this illicit trade, especially the illegal movement of wildlife from source countries to demand countries, such as the movement of ivory from Africa to Asia. Traffickers exploit porous borders and weak institutions to profit from trading in illegal wildlife. Wildlife and wildlife products are transported through multilevel illicit networks of criminal intermediaries and government officials.

Project Vision: This project seeks to enhance law enforcement and justice sector efforts to counter wildlife trafficking, ultimately helping to disrupt wildlife trafficking operations, and removing opportunities for criminal organizations to profit from illicit proceeds derived from the wildlife trade.

Project Goal(s) and Objectives: To strengthen Sub-Saharan Africa’s domestic criminal justice institutions and regional coordination by supporting successful enforcement, investigative, and prosecutorial functions for wildlife crime. Proposed projects should be designed to strengthen the capacity of wildlife-related institutions and actors in countries most affected by wildlife trafficking in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Strategic objectives are listed below with associated award ceilings and floors. Where single countries are listed, each application may encompass any or all the sub-objectives listed for that country and may include other countries depending on the cross-border activities.

INL is interested in supporting programs that will deliver long-term institutional change to the challenges of the target countries and have the support of government partners within the criminal justice sector. INL encourages proposals that present a long-term vision and strategically selected activities based on needs, the organization’s comparative advantage and expertise, and the funding landscape of other key stakeholders. Applicants should propose sustainable solutions that impact the root issue and will achieve improved practices beyond the lifetime of the agreement. Applicants are encouraged to provide a summary of their own strategic goals in the target country, and how the proposal supports that plan. Applications will also be prioritized if they demonstrate awareness

5 | P a g e and synergies with other wildlife trafficking programs in the country, or that bring together a consortium of partners to implement program activities in a strategic and coordinated way.

Applications will be judged and selected on their ability to achieve the strategic objectives and have host country buy-in and commitment to implement the proposed activities. Letters of support from the host government are required, and memorandums of understanding (MOUs) between the applicant and the host government lead agency are preferred. INL will prioritize proposals with the highest demonstrated government buy-in and support.

Applicants should address only one strategic objective per application but may address one or more sub-objectives. Applicants may submit multiple applications. Applications that address more than one sub-objective will not be given preference over ones that address only one – instead applications will be evaluated on their merit and anticipated impact.

Strategic Objective 1: The Government of Uganda can effectively respond to instances of poaching and wildlife trafficking, thereby limiting the ability of criminal networks to operate in the country.

Award Ceiling: $2,000,000

Award floor: 1,000,000

Anticipated number of Awards: 1-2

Sub-Objective 1.1: Increase the ability of UWA to coordinate park-level and national responses to wildlife trafficking and poaching.

Sub-Objective 1.2: Build investigative and enforcement functions to target the transit of wildlife products.

Sub-Objective 1.3: Enhance prosecutorial and judicial capacity to prosecute traffickers.

Sub-Objective 1.4: Strengthen cross-border cooperation and interdiction efforts on the

Uganda/DRC border.

Strategic Objective 2: The Government of Cameroon can effectively investigate and prosecute instances of wildlife trafficking, thereby limiting the ability of criminal networks to operate in the country.

Award Ceiling: $1,000,000 Award floor: $500,000 Anticipated number of Awards: 1-2

Sub-Objective 2.1: Build investigative and enforcement functions to target the transit of wildlife products.

Sub-Objective 2.2: Enhance prosecutorial and judicial capacity to prosecute traffickers.

Sub-Objective 2.3: Strengthen cross-border cooperation and interdiction efforts on the Cameroon/Nigeria border.

Sub-Objective 2.4: Strengthen anti-corruption efforts within relevant agencies to enhance government response, improve government accountability, and strengthen transparency as it relates to wildlife crime.

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Strategic Objective 3: To reduce the ability of transnational criminal networks to profit from wildlife and other natural resource crimes in Southern Africa.

Award Ceiling: $3,000,000 Award floor: $750,000 Anticipated number of Awards: 2-5

Sub-Objective 3.1: Build investigative and enforcement functions to prevent, detect, and investigate criminals and their broader networks through specialized training and equipment.

Sub-Objective 3.2: Improve national and cross-border capabilities to prosecute and adjudicate cases and related offenses with appropriate sentencing structures, including through training, mentoring, and legal reform.

Sub-Objective 3.3: Increase cross-border, cross-regional, and cross-continental coordination, and cooperation among criminal justice entities at all levels.

For this opportunity, other natural resource crimes may include the illicit trade in timber, succulents, and cycads, as well as illicit mining and charcoal harvesting within protected areas where there are demonstrated links to organized crime. Applicants may propose to focus entirely on wildlife crime, entirely on timber, or may address multiple natural resource crimes depending on need. Specific proposals addressing the illicit trade in protected hardwood species are especially encouraged. Proposals should be clear and specific about the crimes that applicants to focus on, as well as their connection to transnational organized groups. For this opportunity, applicants must propose to conduct primary activities in at least one of the following countries:

Angola, Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia. Proposals may include additional countries in Southern Africa beyond these, especially where there are strong transnational links.

Project activities and deliverables: Applications should propose activities consistent with one or more of the proposed sub-objectives. Applications that propose activities under more than one sub-objective will not be given preference over those that address only one – instead applications will be evaluated on their merit and anticipated impact on reducing the ability of criminal groups to profit from the poaching and trafficking of protected animals and their body parts and/or, in the case of the Southern Africa objective only, other natural resources originating in or transiting Southern Africa. Applicants are encouraged to propose innovative solutions within the scope of the objectives, but activities should be specific and appropriate to the country and/or regional context.

Proposals must include one or more of the target countries listed above.

Applications will be judged and selected on their ability to achieve the objectives, deliver long-term sustainable solutions, and gain host country buy-in and commitment to implement the proposed activities. Letters of support from host government and NGO status in the host-country is required, and memorandums of understanding (MOUs) between the applicant and the host government lead agency are preferred. INL will prioritize proposals with the highest demonstrated government buy-in and support. More information regarding the evaluation process can be found on page 15.

Participants and Audiences: Applicants should identify target audiences, specific demographics, and the geographic areas in which the project will be implemented. It is particularly important to

7 | P a g e specify the approximate number of beneficiaries to be directly and indirectly impacted by project activities.

Utilize Local Resources and Expertise INL values involving local community experts to help conduct programming, since their knowledge of the local wildlife trafficking and persons involved in the illegal trade will strengthen the program’s outcomes. We encourage collaborating with and using local resources and experts in the region when possible.

Social Safeguards The proposal must clearly articulate an understanding of how the work outlined in the proposal may negatively impact local communities (including human rights considerations), if relevant. Applicants must provide a detailed social safeguards plan within their risk analysis that clearly outlines the social risks and measures applicants will put in place to mitigate those risks. It is incumbent upon the applicant to write a social safeguards plan tailored to their organization and proposed program.

More information on this additional requirement can be found on page 10.

Project Expansion: INL is interested in supporting long-term, sustainable solutions to the challenges in the target countries. If the project is successful, INL will consider the option of an award modification to expand the project to other areas or countries in the region, subject to availability of future funding. Applicants may include in their proposal a brief section outlining how additional funds could potentially be used to expand work into additional activities or countries in future years.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to demonstrate how their project might leverage funding through other organizations.

B. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

Applicants are encouraged to reference the table on the first page(s) of this NOFO to determine the basic federal award information (e.g., project length, amount of funding available, anticipated number of awards, assistance type, etc.). Additional award information is included in this section, although specific aspects of the award(s) issued from this NOFO may differ from program to program.

1. Project Implementation Period

The initial project implementation length is the amount of time (e.g., months) applicants should plan to implement the project. If a range of months is listed, applicants should propose a realistic project length within that range.

INL may extend the project implementation period, contingent on INL priorities, good performance of the recipient, Department of State management approvals, and funding availability. INL projects shall not exceed five (5) total years of project implementation.

2. Assistance Type

The type of assistance is determined by scope of INL’s involvement in the implementation of the project. Refer to the table on the first page(s) of the NOFO to determine whether this particular project will be a grant or cooperative agreement.

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For cooperative agreements, INL may be substantially involved in the following ways:

• Approval of the recipient’s annual work plans, including: planned activities for the following year, travel plans, planned expenditures, event planning, and changes to any activity to be carried out under the Cooperative Agreement;

• Approval of specified key personnel;

• Approval of sub-award recipients (if any), and concurrence on the substantive provisions of the sub-awards; and coordination with other cooperating agencies; and

• Approval of Monitoring and Evaluation Plan

• Other country- or project-specific approvals will be included in the award documents.

3. Funding Notices

This award will be supported with International Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement (INCLE) funds under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961. This notice is subject to availability of funding.

Length of performance period: 24 months

Anticipated program start date: October 1, 2023

Number of awards anticipated: 4 - 6 awards (dependent on amounts)

Award amounts: awards may range from a minimum of $750,000.00 to a maximum of $3,000,000.00

Total available funding: $9,000,000.00

Type of Funding: FY 2022 INCLE Funds under the Foreign Assistance Act

C. ELIGILIBITY INFORMATION

1. Eligible Applicant Types The following organizations are eligible to apply:

• U.S.-based non-profit/non-governmental organizations (NGOs);

• U.S.-based educational institutions subject to section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. tax code;

• U.S.-based educational institutions subject to section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. tax code or section 26 US 115 of the US 115 of the U.S. tax code;

• Foreign-based non-profits/non-governmental organizations (NGOs);

• Foreign-based educational institutions

Applicants must also meet the following requirements to be eligible to apply to this NOFO:

• Demonstrate host-government support and the ability to work in the target country(ies).

2. Cost Sharing or Matching

Cost share is the portion of project costs not borne by the U.S. government. Cost share is recommended but not required for this project. Applicants must be able to ensure cost share is accounted for/tracked through accounting systems and/or supporting documentation (such as Personnel Activity Records, proof of voluntary hours, proof of any purchases for materials being included as cost share, etc.)

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Any cost share proposed must be appropriately captured within the SF-424A, budget, and budget narrative.

3. Other Eligibility Requirements

• In order to be eligible to receive an award, all organizations must have a unique entity identifier (also known as UEI), as well as a valid registration on www.SAM.gov.

Individuals are not required to have a unique entity identifier or be registered in SAM.gov. Refer to Section D for additional guidance.

• Applicants are only allowed to submit one proposal per organization. Organizations may form a consortium and submit a combined proposal, however one organization should be designated as the lead applicant and other organization(s) listed as sub-recipient partner(s).

• To be eligible to receive a federal assistance award, organizations must have a commitment to non‐discrimination with respect to beneficiaries and adherence to equal opportunity employment practices. INL is committed to an anti-discrimination policy in all of its programs and activities. INL welcomes applications irrespective of an applicant’s race, ethnicity, color, creed, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or other status.

• Applicants are reminded that U.S. Executive Orders and U.S. law prohibits transactions with, and the provision of resources and support to, individuals and organizations associated with terrorism. It is the legal responsibility of the recipient to ensure compliance with these Executive Orders and laws. This provision must be included in any sub‐awards issued under this grant award.

Note: Public International Organizations (PIOs) and For-Profit Organizations are excluded from applying to INL grant/cooperative agreement announcements.

D. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

Applicants should carefully follow all instructions in this section to ensure their application is formatted properly and includes all required documents. Proposals that do not meet the requirements of this announcement or fail to comply with the stated requirements will be deemed ineligible for review.

1. How to Apply and Submit Questions

This opportunity is posted on www.grants.gov, along with all required application forms and, where applicable, templates for application documents. Applications and all supporting documents must be submitted via www.grants.gov. INL reserves the right to reject any applications submitted through improper channels.

Applicants are encouraged to closely review the NOFO and email questions to the INL points of contact by the deadline listed on the first page(s) of this document. After the question deadline has passed, INL will respond to all questions publicly through a Questions & Answers document uploaded to the Related Documents tab of this opportunity.

2. Required Application Documents

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All documents in the following list must be included in your application, unless explicitly listed as optional. If a document includes a page limit, please adhere to that limit in your application.

Applicants that do not submit all required documents will be notified via email of their ineligibility after the application deadline.

Standard Application Forms

SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance – Organizations)

Must be signed by an authorized signatory of the applicant’s organization.

SF-424A (Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs)

SF-424B (Assurances for Non-Construction Programs) – Optional The SF-424B is only required for applicants who are not registered in SAM.gov.

Project Proposal The proposal should contain sufficient information that anyone not familiar with it would understand exactly what the applicant is proposing to do. The following documents may be submitted separately or combined into one document. If combined, please be sure to adhere to the page limits for each section.

Proposal Narrative – Maximum 20 pages Applicants may use their own proposal template, but it must include all the sections below. Refer to Appendix A for additional guidance on drafting a proposal narrative.

Cover Page: include organization name, project title, requested number of months, target country(ies), point(s) of contact, and requested funding amount.

Table of Contents: list all documents and attachments with page numbers.

Executive Summary: Provide a synopsis of the project.

Project Context: Include an analysis of the issue to be addressed, including why it is important to address, what the main causes of the issue are, and who has power to effect change on the issue; suggested approaches and solutions (with evidence to support suggestions); and suggestions for revision to NOFO goals and objectives if needed.

Theory of Change & Implementation Plan: Describe the implementation plan (specific activities to implement suggested solutions); explain how or why they should result in accomplishment of the project goals and objectives (i.e., the theory of change). Projects should be designed such that activities, if implemented according to plan, should result in achievement of program objectives; and objectives, if achieved, should result in achievement of program goals. The Theory of Change should clearly demonstrate this causal logic. Finally, discuss likely challenges to implementation, including any risks of harm to project implementers or participants, along with mitigation strategies.

Gender, Equity, and Inclusion Analysis: Include in your proposal an analysis that addresses the ways in which women, gender diverse persons, and members of other marginalized and underrepresented groups (as specified in the “Participants and Audiences” section above) might affect and be affected differently by your work, including a consideration of their safe and meaningful participation. Strengthen your proposal by incorporating the results of this

11 | P a g e gender, equity and inclusion analysis into your project design. Include a description of how you will minimize any inequities and identified potential risks.

Description of Prior Work: Provide brief descriptions, including outcomes and deliverables, of any similar projects the organization has implemented.

Future Funding Plan/Sustainability: Briefly discuss the plan for ensuring the sustainability of the project (i.e., that the project continues to have impact beyond the grant period) or note if sustainability is unlikely without continued support. Applicants may also include a brief section outlining how additional funds could potentially be used to expand work into additional activities or countries beyond the initial project period.

Performance Monitoring Plan

See Appendix A for more details and instructions. Applicants MUST submit the following:

• Change Map (see template) or equivalent

• Illustrative Performance Indicator Reference Sheet (see template)

• In addition to project-specific indicators, all applicants should also include the interagency END Act indicators to their performance monitoring plan and report quarterly. These indicators are as follows:

1. Number of people trained and/or received resources (disaggregated by gender, position)

2. Number of people that applied improved law enforcement practices (disaggregated by gender, position)

3. Number of successful enforcement actions by arrests/prosecutions/convictions/sentencing

4. Quantity and/or estimated dollar value of seized wildlife, assets, and/or proceeds

5. Documentation of the state of interagency or intergovernmental collaboration (description of collaboration/event, description of effectiveness of collaboration/event)

Note 1: If full performance monitoring information is not available at the time of the proposal, applicant should indicate that the indicators and associated information are notional. If selected, a final version of the documents will be required as an early deliverable.

Note 2: Reporting of performance narratives and indicator data in INL’s DevResults database is required once project implementation is underway.

Project Risk Analysis

A template is included under the Related Documents section of this NOFO announcement on www.grants.gov. Refer to Appendix B for additional guidance on drafting a Project Risk Analysis.

Timeline Outline key milestones in the project, project start-up, and closeout, programmatic activities, and monitoring and evaluation activities (e.g., monitoring trips or semi-annual reviews). May be a written schedule and/or a GANTT chart.

https://www.state.gov/2021-end-wildlife-trafficking-report/

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Organization, Staff, and Partners The following documents may be submitted separately or combined into one document. If combined, please be sure to adhere to the page limits for each section.

Biographical Information of Applicant Organization – Maximum 4 pages Introduce the applicant organization, including biographical information such as mission statement, organization size, relevant office location(s), etc.

Provide a summary description of past and present operations, demonstrating the applicant’s ability to carry out the project Describe any experience the organization has in the target country or region Confirm whether the organization is a registered business entity within the target country or region

List of Key Personnel – Maximum 3 pages Names, titles, responsibilities, and relevant experience or qualifications of key personnel involved in the management of the project

Partner Information (if subrecipient) is being proposed) – Maximum 3 pages Introduce and provide relevant information about key partner organizations and sub-recipients s Briefly describe the division of labor and/or distinct roles and responsibilities among the applicant organization and its partners If proposing a sub-recipient, please briefly describe the applicant organization’s experience related to managing sub-recipients

Letters of Support – Required Applicants must submit letters of support from project partners, host government entities, or other relevant stakeholders

Project Budget and Cost Documents

Summary and Detailed Budgets A proposal budget must be submitted in spreadsheet format (e.g., Microsoft Excel). A template is located under the Related Documents section of this NOFO announcement on www.grants.gov for applicants as a reference. Refer to Appendix C for additional guidance on drafting a proposal budget.

One tab of the spreadsheet shall contain the Summary Budget, which lists the OMB-approved budget categories and total estimated cost per category

One tab of the spreadsheet shall contain the Detailed Budget, which breaks down the OMB-approved budget categories into individual line items and provides detailed cost estimates per line item

If applicable, federal costs and recipient cost share must be reported in separate columns

Budget Narrative

The Budget Narrative is a companion document to the summary and detailed budgets, and must be submitted in word document format. A template is included under the

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Related Documents section of this NOFO announcement on www.grants.gov. Refer to Appendix C for additional guidance on drafting a Budget Narrative.

The Budget Narrative should communicate to INL any budgetary information that is not readily apparent in the detailed budget. Rather than simply repeating with words what is stated numerically in the budget, the Budget Narrative should explain the logic behind the amount budgeted for each line item

If applicable, proposed recipient cost share must be included in the Budget Narrative, including reference to the source of the cost share

Indirect Costs

Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA):

If the applicant has an approved Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement

(NICRA) and includes NICRA charges in the budget, a copy of the organization’s most-recent NICRA must be included in the application

If the applicant is proposing a sub-recipient that has an approved NICRA, and includes NICRA charges in the sub-award budget, a copy of the sub-recipient organization’s most-recent NICRA must be included in the application

10% de minimis Rate:

The applicant can elect to charge a de minimis rate of 10% of modified total direct costs (MTDC), which is allowable if the organization does not have a current agreement. (Please see Appendix C: Budget and budget narrative for more information regarding the 10% de minimis rate.)

Applicant Management Capabilities INL must assess each potential applicant for organizational risks related to the financial and programmatic management of a federal assistance project.

History of U.S. Government Federal Assistance Awards This document outlines the applicant organization’s experience with implementing U.S.

government-funded federal assistance awards, including current and completed projects.

The list should include the awarding agency, point of contact, name of the project, start and end dates, and amount of the award.

If the applicant has never received a U.S. federal assistance award, please list other projects the organization has implemented, including the information requested in the bullet above.

Organizational Audit

If the applicant organization is required to undergo an audit (per regulations outlined in 2 CFR 200.500 – Subpart F), a complete copy of the organization’s most-recent audit must be submitted. (The financial statement is not a substitute for a single audit report. The Single audit report is an additional requirement for domestic and foreign organizations that spend $750,000 or more in federal funds in the fiscal year.)

If the applicant organization is not required to undergo an audit (per the regulation cited above), a brief explanation must be submitted with the application. This explanation shall include confirmation that the organization is

14 | P a g e under the threshold for which an audit is required and/or plans for the organization to undergo an audit in the future.

Responses to the Pre-Award Risk Survey in reference to the Organizational Audit does not satisfy this requirement. Please provide the required explanation in addition to the Pre-Award Risk Survey.

INL Applicant Pre-Award Risk Survey This risk survey reviews the applicant organization’s financial capacity, policies, and infrastructure. A template is included under the Related Documents section of this NOFO announcement on www.grants.gov.

Please take note of the questions within the survey that request additional documentation. These documents must be included in the application.

3. Document Formatting

Applicants must ensure that their application documents conform to the following requirements:

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 inch paper, and

All Word documents are, at minimum, single-spaced with 12 point Calibri font and 1-inch margins

4. Required Entity and Account Registrations for Applicants

All prospective applicant organizations must register and/or maintain active registration in the systems outlined below in order to submit an application to this NOFO.

Organizations that are first-time applicants may need to register and/or create accounts in these systems. INL encourages prospective applicants to initiate these registrations as soon as possible. Applicants that have previously applied to other opportunities may already have registrations and/or accounts in the necessary systems, though applicants should ensure their registrations are active.

Registration in these systems is free of charge; Applicants will never be asked to pay a fee to register or submit an application in these systems.

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

Unique Entity Identifier Organizations must have a UEI which will be automatically assigned by SAM.gov.

• If your organization does not have a UEI already, you may obtain one by calling 1-866- 705-5711 or submitting a request at http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform.

NCAGE Code http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform

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Organizations physically located outside the United States and its territories must also register for an NCAGE code. This request can be completed simultaneously with a UEI request. (Note:

CAGE codes for US-based entities will be automatically assigned in SAM.gov).

• NCAGE application: https://eportal.nspa.nato.int/AC135Public/scage/CageList.aspx

• NCAGE application instructions:

https://eportal.nspa.nato.int/AC135Public/Docs/US%20Instructions%20for%20NSPA%2 0NCAGE.pdf

Help with NCAGE Code registration issues:

• Call 1-888-227-2423 (callers within the U.S.)

• Call 1-269-961-7766 (callers outside the U.S.)

• Email NCAGE@dlis.dla.mil

System for Award Management (SAM.gov) Prior to submitting an application in grants.gov, organizations must register in SAM.gov and/or ensure that their SAM.gov registration is active. Organizations are required to renew their SAM.gov registration annually.

• Initiate the registration or renewal process at https://www.SAM.gov. Select “Entity Registration” to begin the registration or renewal request.

• First-time applicants should initiate the SAM.gov registration after receiving their UEI and, if applicable, NCAGE Code (for foreign organizations). CAGE codes will be automatically assigned to US-based organizations.

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.”

Any applicant listed on the Excluded Parties List System (EPLS) in SAM.gov is not eligible to apply for an assistance award. Additionally, no entity listed on the EPLS can participate in any activities https://eportal.nspa.nato.int/AC135Public/scage/CageList.aspx https://eportal.nspa.nato.int/AC135Public/Docs/US%20Instructions%20for%20NSPA%20NCAGE.pdf https://eportal.nspa.nato.int/AC135Public/Docs/US%20Instructions%20for%20NSPA%20NCAGE.pdf mailto:NCAGE@dlis.dla.mil https://www.sam.gov/ https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fsd.gov%2Fgsafsd_sp%3Fid%3Dgsafsd_kb_articles%26sys_id%3Dc81018e71b1601d0937fa64ce54bcb57&data=05%7C01%7Cfjeldkk%40state.gov%7C0cc4e2b471f44abcd32308db093ecead%7C66cf50745afe48d1a691a12b2121f44b%7C0%7C0%7C638113937577534024%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=W2ShcazZBQbanYGj0cLOTnUJwv%2BGL4xfwr83%2BycQY2E%3D&reserved=0 https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fsd.gov%2F&data=05%7C01%7Cfjeldkk%40state.gov%7C0cc4e2b471f44abcd32308db093ecead%7C66cf50745afe48d1a691a12b2121f44b%7C0%7C0%7C638113937577534024%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=t32ANWzgpiB93pMWoq%2BFCSHz4YJY9QF1S1iQzCsS6RM%3D&reserved=0

16 | P a g e under an award. All applicants are strongly encouraged to review the EPLS in SAM.gov to ensure that no ineligible entity is included in their proposal.

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.

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.

Grants.gov To submit an application to this NOFO, applicants must register in grants.gov.

• Go to www.grants.gov and select “Register” from the banner at the top of the page.

• This should be the last step of the entity registration processes, completed after obtaining a UEI number, NCAGE/CAGE Code (if applicable), and SAM.gov registration.

Help with grants.gov registrations and application submission:

• Go to the grant.gov support page at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html

• Call +1 800-518-4726

• Email support@grants.gov https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Feportal.nspa.nato.int%2FAC135Public%2Fscage%2FCageList.aspx&data=05%7C01%7Cfjeldkk%40state.gov%7C0cc4e2b471f44abcd32308db093ecead%7C66cf50745afe48d1a691a12b2121f44b%7C0%7C0%7C638113937577534024%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=v3TLT8F%2FNfk5SuTcI2zw7SMhV4HK542OhP9XDx4ln%2BY%3D&reserved=0 http://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html mailto:support@grants.gov

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It is the responsibility of each applicant to ensure that its application was submitted in www.grants.gov correctly. INL bears no responsibility for errors resulting from transmission or conversion processes associated with application submissions. If applicants are unable to resolve technical issues in the system, they should email the INL points of contact listed on the first page(s) of this NOFO with an explanation of the issue and proof of attempts to resolve it (e.g., emails with grants.gov support). INL Grants Office will then determine whether the applicant is allowed to submit application materials via email.

E. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

1. Technical Evaluation Criteria

A technical evaluation committee, using the criteria shown in this Section, will evaluate the applications. The various functional elements of the technical criteria are assigned weighted scores, so that the applicants will know which areas require emphasis in the preparation of applications.

Where technical applications are considered essentially equal, cost may be the determining factor. Applicants should note that these criteria serve as the standard against which all applications will be evaluated and serve to identify the significant matters which applicants should address in their applications.

The relative importance of each criterion is indicated by the number of points assigned. A total of 100 points is possible.

Project Analysis & Design – Total Possible Points: 50

• Analysis of the problem is insightful and accurate. Insightful analysis includes a thorough discussion of the main causes and scope of the issue the project seeks to address and discussion of who has power to effect change on the issue (7)

• Suggested approaches and solutions (i.e., the theory of change) are: (10) o Based on good evidence; and o Appropriate given the problem, its causes, and its scope

• Proposed implementation plan is: (13) o Aligned with suggested approaches and solutions o Feasible given timeline, resources, and context o Designed such that activities, if implemented according to plan, should result in achievement of program objectives; and objectives, if achieved, should result in achievement of program goals

• Proposal includes a gender, equity, and inclusion analysis addressing the ways in which women, gender diverse persons, and members of other marginalized and underrepresented groups, including those with intersecting aspects of identity, might affect and be affected by this project, (2)

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• Description of likely challenges to implementation plan, including risks of harm to organization staff, project participants, and/or others, is thorough and mitigation strategies are appropriate (8)

• Applicant considers the gender, equity, and inclusion analysis as part of risk assessment by identifying possible risks to participants as a result of their participation in line with Do No Harm principles. (2)

• Analysis and planning for sustainability is realistic (8)

Program Monitoring and Risk – Total Possible Points: 25

• Change Map includes indicators for each goal and objective; and proposed indicators are useful for decision making, accurate in measuring the intended result, reliable, and timely (10)

• Illustrative Indicator Reference Sheet includes selected standard indicators; provides three valid indicators for goals, objectives, or sub-objectives in the change map; and demonstrates a thorough plan for data collection (10)

• Risk assessment is thorough and realistic, addresses challenges in the operating environment, and proposes adequate strategies to mitigate risks to the project (5)

Institution’s Record and Capacity Rating – Total Possible Points: 10

• The applicant demonstrates an institutional record of successful programs in the proposed country/region and program area (2)

• Professional experience of staff and institutional resources are adequate and appropriate to achieve the project's objectives (2)

• The roles and responsibilities are clearly delineated among staff and partners (2)

• Applicant is a current/former INL grantee and they successfully manage/managed the project OR the applicant has not worked with INL previously and demonstrates experience in managing similar-sized projects (2)

• Applicant submits copies of organization-wide policies and procedures on Preventing Sexual Exploitation and Abuse or explains how the applicant plans to develop such policies, which should also apply to sub-grantees. (2)

Cost Effectiveness – Total Possible Points: 15

• Activity-related costs are realistic, appropriate, and clearly linked to project objectives (5)

• Personnel costs (e.g., staff salaries, contractor rates, and honoraria) are reasonable given the amount of work and oversight needed to manage the project (5)

• Administrative costs (e.g., staff travel, supplies, office costs) are necessary, justified, and in good proportion to direct activity costs (5)

2. Review and Selection Process

INL first reviews all submitted applications for technical eligibility, based on the list of required documents in Section D: Application and Submission Information. All technically eligible applications are then passed to a review committee, which will evaluate the applications against the Technical Evaluation Criteria listed in the previous sub-section. The application(s) selected

19 | P a g e by the review committee are then presented to INL management and the Grants Officer for approval.

INL will notify successful applicant(s) via email and pass along any conditions, recommendations, or questions from the review committee. INL will notify unsuccessful applicants via email after an award has been issued to the successful applicant(s); therefore this notification process may take several months.

INL reserves the right to fund any number of applications or none of the applications submitted and will determine the resulting level of funding for each award(s).

3. Federal Awardee Performance & Integrity Information System (FAPIIS)

For all awards with a federal total exceeding $250,000, INL is required to review and consider any information about the applicant in FAPIIS.

Organizations are able to review and comment on any information about itself that a federal awarding agency previously entered and is currently in the designated integrity and performance system, accessible through SAM.gov. INL 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 conducting pre-award due diligence.

F. 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 DS-1909 award agreement is the authorizing document and will be provided to the recipient for review and signature via email or SAMS Domestic. The recipient may only start incurring program expenses beginning on the official project start date, unless pre-award costs are authorized in the award agreement.

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 neither constitutes 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.

2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

Before submitting an application, applicants should review all the terms and conditions and that will apply to this award to ensure that they will be able to comply. These include, but may not be limited to:

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• 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 200 – UNIFORM ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS, COST PRINCIPLES, AND AUDIT

REQUIREMENTS FOR FEDERAL AWARDS

• 2 CFR 600 – DEPARTMENT OF STATE REQUIREMENTS

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

INL will review and consider applications 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. This may include, but is not limited to:

• 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 (2 CFR part 200.216) 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) (2 CFR parts 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) 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…