INL.NOFO-FINAL FY26v.1-FINAL (Mar 2026)-Individual FINAL VERSION.pdf

1 | P a g e

Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)

.U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE

Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL)

Announcement Type: Request for Federal Assistance Award Applications

Funding Opportunity Title:

Strengthening Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Organized

Crime Specialized Departments for Organized

Crime Through Expert Advisory Support

Funding Opportunity Number: OFOP0003410

Program:

INL Office of Europe and Asia’s Bosnia and

Herzegovina Program

Catalog of Federal Domestic

Assistance (CFDA) Listing Number:

19.703 - Criminal Justice Systems

Total Funding Available: $150,000.00 U.S. Dollars

Funding Source: Post-Funds

Application Ceiling: Up to $75,000.00 U.S. Dollars

Application Floor: At least $50,000.00 U.S. Dollars

Anticipated Number of Awards: 2 awards

Initial Project Implementation

Length:

12-18 months

Estimated Project Start Date: November 2026

NOFO Issuance Date: July 30, 2026

Deadline for Submission of

Questions:

August 28, 2026 by 11:59 PM CET via email

Deadline for Submission of Applications:

September 28, 2026 by 11:59 PM CET

2 | P a g e

Assistance Type: Grant - Individual Award (IN)

Applicant Types and

Eligibility Categories:

Individuals only.

Refer to Section C: Eligibility Information for more information.

INL Points of Contact:

Aaron J. Rupert (rupertaj@state.gov ) – GO

Iva Komsic (komsici@state.gov) – PO

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.

INL is at the forefront of responding to these challenges, uniting these overarching themes through our foreign assistance programs, diplomatic engagement, and policy coordination.

mailto:komsici@state.gov

3 | P a g e

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 C: BUDGET AND BUDGET NARRATIVE

4 | P a g e

A. PROJECT DESCRIPTION

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

Department of State announces a funding opportunity for individuals to submit applications to carry out a project to provide expert advice and mentoring to specialized departments in Bosnia and

Herzegovina's (BiH) entities of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH) and Republika

Srpska (RS) to enhance their ability to investigate and prosecute organized crime and transnational organized crime (TCO)-fueled corruption cases that impact U.S. security and economic interests.

Criminal networks in BiH have documented links to Western Hemisphere cartels that use BiH to launder drug proceeds and to shield corrupt politicians from accountability in TCO-related crimes.

This program will strengthen prosecutorial capacity by providing advice and mentoring from experts who have experience in building similar specialized anti-organized crime and corruption units in their home countries which have a track record of success degrading organized and TCO-related corruption that harms U.S. interests. The primary target audience is prosecutors, judges, and support staff in the

FBiH and RS Specialized Departments and leaders in the BiH justice community such as officials in the entity-level Ministries of Justice and the state-level High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council

(HJPC), though the program will also engage the wider justice and law enforcement sectors that support their work.

Project Description: This project seeks to engage highly qualified individuals with demonstrated senior-level experience establishing, leading, or operating specialized prosecutorial or judicial bodies focused on organized crime and TCO-related corruption to provide sustained expert support to counterpart organizations in BiH. Through this project, the expert will deliver structured advisory sessions, expert advisory participation in working group sessions on legal reforms to the specialized departments, case-based mentoring, and targeted technical assistance to enhance the ability of these specialized departments to prosecute and try cases linked to U.S. security and economic interests.

Organized Crime and TCO-fueled corruption in BiH enrich global cartel networks with links to the

United States and threaten the U.S. interest in BiH’s stability and economic development. Criminal networks operating within BiH are embedded in broader regional and international structures, enabling illicit financial flows, drug trafficking, weapons smuggling, and other serious crimes that impact the United States. BiH sits on the "Balkan Route," a well-established corridor for the smuggling of narcotics, illicit weapons, and irregular migrants, and is home to powerful TCOs that cooperate with and help fund Western Hemisphere cartels that traffic illicit drugs to Americans.

While BiH has taken meaningful steps to address these threats — most notably through the recent establishment of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina's (FBiH) Specialized Department for

Combating Corruption and Organized Crime (POSKOK) — these institutions remain nascent and face significant operational and institutional constraints. POSKOK and its Republika Srpska (RS) counterpart require improvements to institutional experience, prosecutorial methodology, and case management expertise to build and sustain complex, high-level organized crime cases with links to

U.S. interests.

This opportunity is open to qualified individuals with senior-level professional experience establishing, leading, or operating a specialized prosecutorial or judicial body focused on organized crime and TCO-related corruption, with a demonstrated track record of successfully prosecuting or adjudicating complex, high-level organized crime and TCO-related corruption cases. If outside of

BiH, applicants must demonstrate experience in a legal and institutional environment comparable to

5 | P a g e that of BiH, including an understanding of the challenges inherent to operating specialized anti-organized crime and anti-corruption institutions in a complex, multi-entity governance context.

Familiarity with the legal framework governing organized crime and corruption prosecution in

Bosnia and Herzegovina, including the FBiH 2014 Law on the Suppression of Corruption and

Organized Crime, is considered a significant asset. Through this project, participants will receive sustained, hands-on expert advisory support and case-based mentoring grounded in firsthand experience with a proven specialized department model. Participants will gain practical guidance on prosecutorial methodology for complex organized crime and TCO-related corruption cases, develop a structured approach to case prioritization that enables them to strategically manage their significant caseload, and strengthen their skills to build and sustain high-level organized crime cases through the full judicial process. Through structured working group sessions, policy roundtables, and direct mentoring engagements, participants will also benefit from exposure to proven models and best practices from comparable jurisdictions, enabling them to adopt and adapt effective prosecutorial methodologies to the BiH context. The selected individual(s) will work in close partnership with INL

Sarajevo, contributing expert legal advice and recommendations within working group sessions and direct advisory engagements with specialized departments leadership and staff. All advisory and mentoring activities will be closely coordinated with INL's PSC Senior Justice Sector Advisor and other INL-supported programming in BiH to ensure complementarity, avoid duplication of efforts, and maximize the sustainability of project outcomes.

Target Audience: The primary beneficiaries of this project are prosecutors, investigators, judges, and support staff within BiH's Specialized Departments for corruption and organized crime, as well as selected cantonal prosecutors' offices and law enforcement agencies that provide investigative support to the specialized departments. Secondary beneficiaries include relevant BiH ministry and government officials involved in the implementation of the FBiH 2014 Law on the Suppression of

Corruption and Organized Crime, its RS counterpart, and the broader BiH public, which stands to benefit from a more effective, credible and independent specialized anti-organized crime and anti-corruption institution.

PROJECT GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

Goal: To strengthen the operational effectiveness of BiH's Specialized Departments for organized crime and TCO-related corruption in FBiH and RS, enabling them to more effectively investigate, prosecute, and adjudicate complex organized crime and TCO-linked corruption cases with ties to U.S.

interests.

Objectives:

• Objective 1: Strengthen Legal Framework and Prosecutorial Methodology:

Support Specialized Departments in strengthening their prosecutorial methodology and approach to complex organized crime and TCO-related corruption cases, drawing on the advisor's firsthand experience with a proven specialized department model. The selected individual(s) will participate as a legal expert and advisor within working group sessions focused on the implementation of the FBiH 2014 Law on the Suppression of Corruption and Organized Crime, providing targeted legal advice, recommendations, and best practices to working group participants on key implementation challenges and gaps. This objective will directly contribute to improving the quality and consistency of case outcomes within the specialized departments by ensuring that their prosecutorial approach is grounded in proven methodologies and firmly aligned with the legal framework governing their mandate.

6 | P a g e

• Objective 2: Enhance Operational Effectiveness and Case Development :

Improve the quality, consistency, and sustainability of complex organized crime and TCO-related corruption cases developed and prosecuted by specialized departments through sustained, case-based mentoring and targeted technical assistance to prosecutors, investigators, and support staff.

The selected individual(s) will provide hands-on guidance on advanced prosecutorial techniques and case management. A particular focus of this objective will be advising specialized departments on developing and applying a structured case prioritization framework to address the departments significant caseload, enabling prosecutors to strategically identify and prioritize cases of greatest institutional and public interest — including those with a U.S. nexus or links to high-level organized crime networks — while ensuring that lower-priority cases are managed efficiently and do not create bottlenecks that undermine the department's overall effectiveness.

PROJECT ACTIVITIES AND DELIVERABLES:

The selected individual(s) will be expected to:

Under Objective 1: Strengthen Legal Framework and Prosecutorial Methodology

• Participate as a legal expert and advisor within organized working group sessions focused on the implementation of the FBiH 2014 Law on the Suppression of Corruption and Organized

Crime, providing targeted legal advice, recommendations, and best practices to working group participants on key implementation challenges, gaps, and proposed solutions, aligned with INL;

• Provide recommendations to INL and working group participants on identified gaps, obstacles, and challenges that constrain POSKOK's ability to effectively investigate, prosecute, and adjudicate complex organized crime and TCO-related corruption cases;

• Advise Specialized Departments prosecutors on prosecutorial methodology for complex organized crime and TCO-related corruption cases, drawing on firsthand experience with a proven specialized department model in a comparable legal and institutional environment, and provide recommendations on how proven methodologies can be adapted to the BiH legal and institutional context.

Under Objective 2: Enhance Operational Effectiveness and Case Development

• Provide sustained, case-based mentoring and on-the-job coaching to specialized departments’ prosecutors, investigators, and support staff on advanced prosecutorial and investigative techniques for complex organized crime and corruption cases, in close coordination with

INL's PSC Senior Justice Advisor to ensure complementarity and avoid duplication of efforts;

• Advise specialized departments on the development and application of a structured case prioritization framework tailored to the department's significant caseload, enabling prosecutors to strategically identify and prioritize cases of greatest institutional and public interest — including those with a U.S. nexus or links to high-level organized crime networks

— while ensuring that lower-priority cases are managed efficiently and do not create bottlenecks that undermine the department's overall effectiveness;

• Regularly monitor progress on case development and provide ongoing, structured guidance and advice to Specialized Departments leadership and INL on operational developments, emerging challenges, and recommend adjustments to the advisory and mentoring approach.

7 | P a g e

Required Deliverables:

• Working Group Legal Advisory Inputs: Written legal advisory inputs and recommendations submitted to INL following each working group session, documenting the expert legal advice provided, key implementation challenges and gaps identified, and recommendations made to working group participants on the implementation of the FBiH

2014 Law on the Suppression of Corruption and Organized Crime, submitted within 10 business days of each session;

• Case Prioritization Framework: A structured, practical case prioritization framework tailored to POSKOK's caseload and institutional mandate, providing prosecutors with clear criteria and methodology for strategically identifying and prioritizing cases of greatest institutional and public interest — including those with a U.S. nexus or links to high-level organized crime networks — while ensuring efficient management of lower-priority cases, submitted to INL within 90 days of award;

• Case-Based Mentoring Reports: Quarterly reports documenting case-based mentoring and technical assistance provided to specialized departments’ prosecutors, investigators, and support staff, including a summary of advanced prosecutorial and investigative techniques covered, participants engaged, key recommendations made, and progress observed, submitted to INL within 15 business days of the end of each quarter;

• Final Report: The Grants Officer may request a brief final program report, due after the period of performance, that summarizes advisory activities, lessons learned and recommendations for sustaining institutional progress, submitted to INL within 30 days of the period of performance end date.

Budget Considerations: Applicants should include the following costs in their budget:

• International and in-country travel: Round-trip economy class airfare between the applicant's country of residence and Bosnia and Herzegovina for each advisory visit, working group session, and mentoring engagement planned under the project, including in-country transportation costs between cities within BiH necessary for the implementation of project activities;

• Lodging and meals: Per diem costs for lodging, meals, and incidentals during in-country advisory visits, working group sessions, and mentoring engagements, in accordance with applicable U.S. government per diem rates for Bosnia and Herzegovina;

• Honorarium: Applicants requesting an honorarium for advisory, mentoring, and coaching services rendered under this award should include their proposed daily rate in the budget.

Please note that honoraria must not exceed $784.62 per day per person, effective October 1, 2025. Applicants must include a salary history and/or resume to justify the proposed rate;

• Communications costs: Costs directly associated with remote advisory support between in-country visits, including internet and telephone costs necessary for coordination with INL

Sarajevo, specialized departments counterparts between in-person engagements;

• Translation and interpretation: Costs for translation and interpretation services necessary for advisory sessions, working group sessions, mentoring engagements, and the preparation of required deliverables, where applicable.

8 | P a g e

Please note that the following costs are not allowable under this award and must not be included in the proposed budget:

• Business or first-class airfare; all travel must be booked at economy class fares only;

• Costs of entertainment, including amusement, diversion, and social activities, unless they have a demonstrable programmatic purpose and are authorized in advance by INL;

• Alcoholic beverages;

• Any expenses incurred before or after the award period of performance, unless prior written approval is given by the INL Grants Officer; and

• Construction costs of any kind.

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 reserves the right to decrease or increase the initial project implementation period in accordance with the needs of the INL project/program.

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.

This notice is subject to availability of funding.

2. 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 the availability of funding.

Length of performance period: 12 to 18 months

Anticipated program start date: November 2026 (Note: this information should match that listed on pages 1-2.)

Number of awards anticipated: 2 awards (dependent on amounts)

Award amounts: awards may range from a minimum of $50,000.00 to a maximum of

$75,000.00

Total available funding: $150,000.00

Type of Funding: FY2023 INCLE

9 | P a g e

C. ELIGILIBITY INFORMATION

1. Eligible Applicant Types

The following are eligible to apply:

• U.S. based – Individuals

• Foreign based - Individuals

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

• Applicants must demonstrate a minimum of ten (10) years of senior-level professional experience establishing, leading, or operating a specialized prosecutorial or judicial body focused on organized crime and TCO-related corruption. Applicants must have direct, hands-on experience working within or advising a specialized anti-organized crime and anti-corruption department, with a demonstrated track record of successfully prosecuting or adjudicating complex, high-level organized crime and TCO-related corruption cases.

• If outside of BiH, applicants must demonstrate experience in a legal and institutional environment comparable to that of Bosnia and Herzegovina, including an understanding of the challenges and complexities inherent to operating specialized anti-organized crime and anti-corruption institutions in a post-conflict or complex, multi-entity governance context.

Applicants are not required to have prior in-country experience in Bosnia and Herzegovina to be eligible to apply.

• Familiarity with the legal framework governing organized crime and TCO-related corruption prosecution in Bosnia and Herzegovina, including the FBiH 2014 Law on the Suppression of

Corruption and Organized Crime and the broader BiH justice sector architecture, is a significant asset and will be considered favorably in the evaluation of applications.

• Proficiency in Bosnian, Croatian, Montenegrin, or Serbian (BCMS) is considered a significant asset.

• Prior experience providing advisory or technical assistance support to justice sector institutions in BiH or other Western Balkan countries will be considered favorably;

• Prior experience working with or alongside U.S. government agencies on organized crime and TCO-related corruption cases or justice sector reform programs will be considered favorably;

• Demonstrated experience advising on legal framework reform and implementation in the area of organized crime and TCO-related corruption, including participation in multi-stakeholder working groups or expert panels will be considered favorably;

• Demonstrated experience in developing and delivering training or mentoring programs for prosecutors, investigators, or judges on complex organized crime and corruption cases will be considered favorably.

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.)

10 | P a g e

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

3. Other Eligibility Requirements

• 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 reminded that U.S. Executive Orders and U.S. law prohibits transactions with, and the provision of resources and support to, individuals associated with terrorism.

It is the legal responsibility of the recipient to ensure compliance with these

Executive Orders and laws.

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

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-424I (Application for Federal Assistance – Individual)

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

SF-424B (Assurances for Non-Construction Programs)

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 http://www.grants.gov/

11 | P a g e submitted separately or combined into one document. If combined, please be sure to adhere to the page limits for each section.

Proposal Narrative – Four Pages Maximum

Applicants may use their own proposal template, but it must include the section listed below. Refer to Appendix A for additional guidance on drafting a proposal narrative.

• Statement of Work:

Clear description of the activity/project to be funded

Specific objectives and expected outcomes

Activities and Timeline

Detailed description of activities you will undertake

Timeline with key milestones

Methodology and approach

Geographic scope (if applicable)

Performance indicators and how you will measure results

Salary History and/or Resume (if applicant is requesting honorarium)

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

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 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

Identification Documents

Individual(s) are exempt from the requirement to obtain a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI).

However the GO, must still verify the identify of an individual prior to issuing a Federal Award.

Identification

The applicant must provide an acceptable identification for verification. Acceptable

12 | P a g e identification includes:

- Copy of U.S. Passport

- Copy of U.S. passport card

- Permanent resident card

- Copy of State issued driver’s license or personal identification card

- Foreign government-issued passport

- Foreign issued national identity card

- Federally recognized, tribal-issued photo ID

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 fit 8 ½ x 11 paper, and

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

SAM.gov:

Individuals are not required to register in SAM.gov unless they are operating a sole proprietorship or single-member limited liability company.

However, as part of the pre-award due diligence process, the GO must verify, prior to award, that all potential recipients of Federal awards (including individuals) do not have an active exclusion.

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

Each applicant is responsible for ensuring that their application is correctly submitted through www.grants.gov. INL is not responsible for errors resulting from transmission or conversion processes during application submission. If applicants cannot resolve technical issues with the system, they should email the INL points of contact listed on the first page of this NOFO, providing an explanation of the issue and proof of attempts to resolve it (e.g., correspondence with grants.gov support). The INL Grants Office will then determine whether the applicant may submit application materials via email.

4. Funding Restrictions https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html mailto:support@grants.gov

13 | P a g e

i. Funding Restrictions for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA)

None of the funds awarded resulting from this Notice of Funding Opportunity may be made available for subawards, direct financial support, or otherwise used to provide any payment or transfer to United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).

ii. Certification Regarding Compliance with applicable Federal anti-discrimination laws

If the place of performance or delivery of any award made under this NOFO will be within the United States, applicants are advised that they will be required to certify the following at the time of award:

1) Its compliance in all respects with all applicable Federal anti-discrimination laws is material to the government’s payment decisions for purposes of section 3729(b)(4) of title 31, United States Code and;

2) It does not operate any programs promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion that violate any applicable Federal anti-discrimination laws. A program promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion means a program whose purpose is to promote preferences based on race, color religion, sex, or national origins, such as in training or hiring.

F. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

1. Federal Award Notices

The award will be written, signed, awarded, and administered by the Grants Officer. The award agreement is the authorizing document, and it will be provided to the recipient for review and counter-signature. The recipient may only start incurring project expenses beginning on the start date shown on the 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.

Unsuccessful applicants: Unsuccessful applicants will be notified by December 1, 2026 via email.

Payment Method:

Recipients will be required to request payments by completing form SF-270—Request for

Advance or Reimbursement and submitting the form to the Grants Officer.

14 | P a g e

Recipients may not draw down funds without the affirmative authorization of the Department of

State. In addition, recipients must submit, with each SF-270 payment request, a detailed payment breakdown justifying the request.

2. Program-Specific Requirements

State Department Leahy Amendment Vetting Requirements

Funds provided under this award will be subject to Section 620M of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended, a provision titled “Limitation on Assistance to Security Forces” (the “Leahy

Amendment”). Subsection (a) of that provision states: “(a) In General.—No assistance shall be furnished under this Act [the Foreign Assistance Act] or the Arms Export Control Act to any unit of the security forces of a foreign country if the Secretary of State has credible information that such unit has committed a gross violations of human rights.” Accordingly, none of the funds under this award may be used to provide training or other assistance to any unit or member of the security forces of a foreign country if the Department of State has credible information that such unit or individual has committed a gross violation of human rights.

The recipient will be required to exercise due diligence to ensure compliance with the Leahy provision and State Department policy, and to cooperate with the State Department in implementation of the Leahy requirement for funds under this award. The Department implements the Leahy requirement by vetting units or individuals proposed for training or other assistance to check for credible information of a gross violation of human rights by such units or individuals. To facilitate State Department vetting, the Recipient must provide the required information for proposed participants at least sixty (60) calendar days prior to commencing award activities. This information should be submitted to the U.S. Embassy in the country where the award will be implemented in order to initiate Leahy vetting procedures.

3. Reporting

Recipient Reports

Program reporting is not generally required for awards to individuals. However, if the period of performance is long, or the individual will be carrying out a complicated program, the GO may require interim program reports in the award provisions. For all awards to individuals, the GO may request a brief final program report, due after the period of performance end date.

In general, the use of the SF-425—Federal Financial Report is not required. However, the GO may request the SF-425 to be submitted under awards to individuals where the budget is not fixed.

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.

15 | P a g e

Branding and Marking

The Department of State, its programs, and U.S. Government funding and assistance should be easily identifiable to the Department's global audiences.

Recipients of federal assistance awards must follow the branding guidance published at

Guidance for Contracts and Grants - U.S. Department of State Brand System. Branding policy exceptions are outlined in the U.S. Department of State Foreign Affairs Manual 10 FAM 416, Policy Exceptions.

For more information, visit: https://brand.america.gov/ https://brand.america.gov/document/547370#/-/guidance-for-contracts-and-grants https://fam.state.gov/fam/10fam/10fam0410.html https://fam.state.gov/fam/10fam/10fam0410.html https://brand.america.gov/

16 | P a g e

APPENDIX C: BUDGET AND BUDGET NARRATIVE

Before grants are awarded, INL reserves the right to reduce, revise, or increase proposal budgets in accordance with the needs of the INL program and availability of funds.

A. Budget Proposal

Complete budget proposals should include a Summary Budget; Detailed Budget; and Sub-recipient

Detailed Budget(s), if applicable. The Summary Budget and Detailed Line-Item Budget should be combined in one spreadsheet document. They should be organized according to the OMB-approved budget categories:

• Travel

• Supplies

• Contractual

• Other Direct Costs

If proposing sub-recipient(s), applicants should include detailed sub-recipient budget(s) as additional tabs within the budget spreadsheet. These budgets should follow the same formatting as the primary budget proposal, including all OMB-approved budget categories.

B. Budget Narrative

The Budget proposal provides a numeric-based description of costs under the project. The Budget

Narrative is a critical companion document to the Budget that provides numeric and narrative descriptions of each cost item included in the Budget.

All costs included in the project, whether federal or recipient cost share, must be allowable, allocable, reasonable, necessary, and consistent with OMB guidelines. The applicant should keep this in mind when drafting the Budget Narrative, as INL will reference both the Budget and Budget Narrative to determine whether proposed costs fit these requirements.

Category A. Travel

Travel costs include expenses for transportation, lodging, subsistence, and related items incurred by direct employees who are in travel status on official business for the non-federal entity or participating in program activities conducted by the non-federal entity. This category outlines travel planned for staff.

• Domestic and International Airfare o Indicate origin and destination (city and country), number of travelers, number of trips each, unit cost per round trip, and purpose.

o All travel must be booked with economy class fares only.

o Where applicable, travel should comply with the Fly America Act. More information located here: http://www.gsa.gov/portal/content/103191.

• In-Country Travel http://www.gsa.gov/portal/content/103191

17 | P a g e o Indicate origin and destination cities, mode of transportation, number of travelers, and unit cost per traveler per trip.

• Per Diem

This includes lodging, meals and incidentals (M&IE) for staff and participant travel.

o Rates of maximum allowances for U.S. and foreign travel are located here:

https://www.gsa.gov/travel/plan-book/per-diem-rates o Per diem rates must follow the organization’s own policy; however, institutions may use official government per diem rates as reference.

o Per diem rates may be prorated and/or removed if the project is paying for refreshments and/or meals for participants (e.g., while attending a workshop or conference).

Category B. Supplies

Supplies include tangible items (e.g., toner, laptops, paper) and intangible items (e.g., computer software and licenses) used to manage the project and activities.

• List items separately, including a brief description and justification for the item, number of units, and unit cost.

• For electronic supplies (e.g., mobile phones and laptops), specify which staff will receive the items and the programmatic need.

Category F. Contractual

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

• Consultant Fees

Common examples include honoraria, travel and per diem for subject-matter expert consultants.

o Describe the nature of the contract/consultancy and rates o Fees and rates should be consistent with the level of experience and based on a fair market value.

o Fees and honorarium should not exceed $784.62/day per person, effective October 1, 2025. The 2026 rates will apply to all NOFOs issued after October 1, 2025, until amended. (Note: The designated INL GO can negotiate final fees and rates during the review process of an award and prior to issuance of an award.)

Category H. Other Direct Costs

Other directs costs are any costs not included in the other categories. This category may include the following:

• (communications, wifi, etc.), justify the percentage of the total cost that is being charged to this project.

• Avoid using vague wording such as “miscellaneous”, “other”, “etc.”, and “contingency fund”.

Considered Costs

INL will consider approval of the following (non-exhaustive) list of expenses:

• External evaluation to assess the project’s impact https://www.gsa.gov/travel/plan-book/per-diem-rates

18 | P a g e

• Internal evaluation conducted by the grantee

• Visa fees, immunizations, and medical insurance necessary for travel under the project

• English translations for reporting, relevant documents, or events

Unallowable Costs

The following (non-exhaustive) list of expenses are not allowed in INL grants and cooperative agreements and should not be included within the proposed budget:

• Profit for the grantee and/or sub-grantees

• Expenses incurred before or after the award period of performance, unless prior written approval is given by INL Grants Officer

• Projects designed to advocate policy views or positions of foreign governments or views of a particular political faction

• Alcoholic beverages

• Costs of entertainment, including amusement, diversion, and social activities, except where these costs have a demonstrable programmatic purpose and are authorized by INL

• Buying or leasing land

• Construction

• Direct support or the appearance of direct support for individual or single-party electoral campaigns

• Duplication of services immediately available through municipal, provincial, or national government

Additional Notices

The applicant is reminded that funds provided under this agreement must be used in a manner fully consistent with U.S. law.

The applicant will be responsible for complying with all applicable tax treaties and federal, state, and local laws on tax withholding.