INL.NOFO - GREAT PROGRAM Central America - FINAL.pdf

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.U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE

Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL)

Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)

Announcement Type: Request for Federal Assistance Award Applications

Funding Opportunity Title:

Implementation of the Gang Resistance Education And Training (G.R.E.A.T.) Program – Training and Technical Assistance Support through Central America

Funding Opportunity Number: INL23GR0029-WHPCARSI-GREAT-041423 Program: Central America Regional Security Initiative

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number:

19.705 - Transnational Crime

Total Funding Available: $5,485,000 U.S. Dollars

Funding Source: Post-Funds

Application Ceiling:

$1,150,000 USD (El Salvador) $1,200,000 USD (Panama) $1,050,000 USD (Honduras) $ 735,000 USD (Costa Rica) $1,350,000 USD (Guatemala)

Application Floor: Floor amounts as noted above for each country

Anticipated Number of Awards:

Five (5) awards (one per country to the same implementer)

Initial Project Implementation Length: 36 months

Estimated Project Start Date: August 1, 2023

NOFO Issuance Date: April 14, 2023

Deadline for Submission of Questions: May 12, 2023 by 11:59 PM EST via email

Deadline for Submission of Applications: June 2, 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:

Cheryl Price (PriceCH@state.gov) - GO

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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.

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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 a project to Implement the Gang Resistance Education And Training (G.R.E.A.T.) Program

– Training and Technical Assistance Support through Central America.

INL has a strong commitment to help the governments of the Central American implement prevention programs as one of the main strategies for reducing future problems with gangs and criminal violence. One of the key programs that INL selected for gang prevention efforts since in 2009 is the Gang Resistance Education And Training (G.R.E.A.T.) Program, because of the established record and broad acceptance in the United States. G.R.E.A.T. has over two decades of successful use in American cities and towns, supported and overseen by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs. G.R.E.A.T. is a school-based, life-skills competency program taught by uniformed law enforcement officers and helps youths foster positive attitudes toward law enforcement, avoid conflict, resist peer pressure, and develop a strong sense of personal responsibility. Law enforcement personnel with powers of arrest—police officers, sheriff’s deputies, parole or probation officers, school police officers, Federal law enforcement officers/agents, etc.—are eligible to teach G.R.E.A.T. All officers must complete a G.R.E.A.T. Officers Training Course to deliver the program in the classroom. Per the National G.R.E.A.T. Program Policies and Guidelines, G.R.E.A.T. officers are responsible for maintaining their G.R.E.A.T.

certification.

G.R.E.A.T. lessons focus on providing life skills to students to help them avoid delinquent behavior and violence to solve problems. The G.R.E.A.T. program consists of four components: a 13-week middle school curriculum, an elementary school curriculum, a summer program, and family training.

The middle school component is the core, mandatory component. Training certifications are offered in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, and Costa Rica, to sworn law enforcement officers to teach the G.R.E.A.T. curriculum in elementary and middle schools across the country.

G.R.E.A.T. is supported by a national policy board consisting of Federal and local law enforcement agencies, a national training committee, and five regional training centers operated by local law enforcement partners. For additional information about G.R.E.A.T., visit www.G.R.E.A.T.-online.org.

Since program implementation in 2010, there are more than 2600 GREAT instructors have been certified and approximately 1,400,000 at youth risk in the Region have been benefitted. For the purpose of this funding opportunity “The Region” includes El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, and Costa Rica. The certified instructors, who are in schools teaching, have not only experienced an eager response from the children but also report greatly improved relationships with other community members as a result of their efforts.

The purpose of this grant is to continue to provide G.R. E.A.T. Instructor Certifications to Central American Officers plus overall management and coordination of the Program, including scheduling of trainers and training; regular review, revision, and updating of curricula and training processes;

publication and production of materials and resources needed for training and for instructors in the field; maintenance and enhancement of a dual-language G.R.E.A.T. web site; continued

6 | P a g e development of program curricula and materials to improve accessibility for Central American audiences; and monitoring and evaluation of Program implementation to ensure fidelity to the Program design and effective delivery of services.

Priority Region/Countries:

- El Salvador

- Guatemala

- Honduras

- Panama

- Costa Rica

Problem Statement: This program intends to prevent youth at risk from joining gangs and criminal activities through life skills and tools to make good choices during their childhood and teenage years. In addition, the program works toward simultaneously improving the relationship between the police institutions in Central America and the communities they serve.

Project Vision: This program envisions that Central America becomes a region with safer communities that provides valuable reasons to retain families and prevent irregular migration.

Project Goal(s), Objectives, Activities, and Deliverables:

Goal 1: Provide training courses, materials, and resources to Central American police officers to deliver the G.R.E.A.T. Program throughout Central American schools and communities.

Goal 2: Support at-risk youth to have the necessary life skills and problem-solving tools to help them avoid delinquent behavior and violence.

Goal 3: Improve the relationship between law enforcement personnel and the communities they serve.

Objective 1: Certify new G.R.E.A.T. instructors through delivery of G.R.E.A.T. Officer Training (GOT) classes.

Activity 1: Plan, coordinate, and oversee delivery of 21 GOT classes to certify up to 840 police officers from the participating countries as G.R.E.A.T. instructors.

Activity 2: Offer classes in each country participating in the Program to minimize travel costs to Posts and disruption of work schedules.

Activity 3: Produce and provide printed materials for distribution at training classes or as needed, including training participant guides and journals, forms, activity handouts, information sheets, instructor manuals for use in teaching, flash drives preloaded with presentation materials, uniform pins to identify officers as certified G.R.E.A.T. instructors, and other supplies as needed for training or for class presentations in the field.

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Activity 4: Produce and provide G.R.E.A.T. elementary and middle school student handbooks and distribute them to G.R.E.A.T. instructors upon request for use in their G.R.E.A.T. classes.

Activity 6: Create a data base of officers who in the region who have participated in the program.

The data base should have the ability to filter participants by location, country, and gender among others.

Objective 2: Provide ongoing instructor development through in-service training classes and the families’ component to broaden and improve instructors’ skills and knowledge.

Activity 1: Plan, coordinate, and oversee delivery of 19 G.R.E.A.T. Officer In-Service Training classes for instructors with one or more years of experience teaching the G.R.E.A.T. curriculum.

Activity 2: Plan, coordinate, and oversee delivery of 19 G.R.E.A.T. Families Trainings (GFTs) to train certified instructors on the additional curriculum used with families of at-risk youths.

Activity 3: Offer classes in all five countries where the program is deployed throughout Central America, with the majority of training slots intended for the host country of each event.

Activity 4: Add all offerings and instructors to the data base included in objective one.

Objective 3: Provide a “train the trainer” course to selected officers who can become instructors in G.R.E.A.T. certification courses and other development activities.

Activity 1: Plan, coordinate, and oversee delivery of one G.R.E.A.T. Team Leader Training (GTLT) to develop up to 16 G.R.E.A.T. team leaders (instructor-trainers) to assist with training new G.R.E.A.T. instructors.

Activity 2: Select candidates through an application and review process and in consultation with the National Police forces in each country and INL personnel at each U.S. Embassy.

Activity 3: Successful candidates of the GTLT will participate in a two-phase, on-the-job training program conducted in conjunction with GOT classes.

Activity 4: New team leaders will serve as part of the training staff at future GOTs in their countries, allowing their departments to absorb part of the cost and responsibility for training their own officers to implement the G.R.E.A.T. Program.

Objective 4: Plan and execute a training conference to update participants, share best practices, and broaden the knowledge and skills of active instructors in the region.

Activity 1: Plan, coordinate, and conduct a dedicated training conference for experienced G.R.E.A.T. instructors to provide instruction on various topics of particular relevance and usefulness to G.R.E.A.T. instructors.

Activity 2: Plan, coordinate and conduct a one day in service training for Team Leaders following the conference.

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Objective 5: Provide all printed materials for program implementation and online resources to certified officers throughout Central America.

Activity 1: Design training guides, instructor manuals, and related materials needed by trainees and by instructors in the field. This should consider adaptation to political changes and external factors that may impact the program during the period of performance.

Activity 2: Produce, store, and distribute informational material about the G.R.E.A.T. Program.

This includes but is not limited to participant guides and journals, forms, activity handouts, information sheets, instructor manuals for use in teaching, flash drives preloaded with presentation materials, uniform pins to identify officers as certified G.R.E.A.T. instructors, and other supplies as needed for training or for class presentations in the field. In addition, informational material must be made available including brochures, flyers, and booklets, to assist G.R.E.A.T. instructors in promoting the Program and educating school personnel, government officials, and community leaders about the Program and its benefits.

Activity 3: Increase interaction in social media outlets to promote the program in Central America. This includes operation and maintenance of a dual-language (Spanish and English) G.R.E.A.T. web site to provide information to G.R.E.A.T. instructors, other interested parties, and the public about the Program. The site will include a password-protected portal to provide instructors access to curricula, other program materials, program announcements, and the online order form for student handbooks.

Activity 4: Implementer shall work closely with Central American police institutions and other stakeholders to keep track of how the books are being distributed and used by certified instructors.

Activity 5: Utilize input from experienced Central American G.R.E.A.T. instructors to improve adaptation of existing curricula for Central American audiences. This should include tropicalization of the curriculum. For example, name adaption and exercises should be reflective of the Central American populations.

Activity 6: Seek local printing companies in each country that can produce handouts, workbooks, and any other printed resource for the officers.

Objective 6: Monitor and evaluate G.R.E.A.T. instructors to ensure continued fidelity to the program design.

Activity 1: Periodically visit, observe, evaluate, and give recommendations to active instructors during G.R.E.A.T classes. This should include planned and/or surprise visits.

Activity 2: Provide written reports of observations and recommendations to the participating departments and INL in a time effective time frame.

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Activity 3: Hold curriculum review sessions to ensure the material is accurate and continues to meet the needs of the region. This includes name adaptation, examples, exercises, and topics that may become necessary and specific to the region.

Activity 4: Keep a data base of officers trained in the region to include participation in all the courses available.

Objective 7: Contribute to operational effectiveness by working with partner country police institutions to promote the meaningful and sustained integration of policewomen into the

G.R.E.A.T. program, including as leaders and decision-makers.

Activity 1: Periodically meet with police institutions and/or other stakeholders to promote the addition of more women to the G.R.E.A.T. Program.

Activity 2: Promote gender equality among future applicants to become team leader trainers and the regional conference participants.

Note: In order to budget accordingly, please reference the chart below which includes a detail of how the courses and activities will be distributed in the Region.

COUNTRY

NUMBER OF

OFFICER

CERTIFICATIONS

NEEDED FOR

2023-2026

NUMBER OF

FAMILIES

TRAINING

NEEDED

FOR 2023-

NUMBER OF

IN-SERVICE

TRAINING

NEEDED

FOR 2023-

NUMBER

OF NEW

TEAM

LEADERS

NEEDED

PARTICIPATION

IN CONFERENCE

HONDURAS 3 3 3 3 30

GUATEMALA 6 6 6 5 20

EL SALVADOR 3 3 3 2 70

COSTA RICA 3 4 4 3 20

PANAMA 6 3 3 3 20

TOTAL 21 19 19 16 160

Participants and Audiences: The target audience are active national police and municipal police officers in El Salvador, Panama, Guatemala, Honduras, and Costa Rica who are eligible to work in prevention programs.

Project Expansion: 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.

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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 36 months (3-years). 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.

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: 36 months

Anticipated program start date: August 31, 2023

Number of awards anticipated: Five (5) awards (one per country to the same implementer)

Award amounts: $1,150,000 USD (El Salvador) $1,200,000 USD (Panama) $1,050,000 USD (Honduras) $ 735,000 USD (Costa Rica) $1,350,000 USD (Guatemala)

Total available funding: $5,485,000

Type of Funding: FY20/21 Central American Regional Security Initiative (CARSI) – Community Policing Funds under the Foreign Assistance Act.

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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;

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

• Legally authorized or certified to use and replicate the G.R.E.A.T. Program curricula, trainings, handouts, logo, and/or any other copyrighted element required to successfully implement the program.

• Demonstrated experience implementing similar education or capacity building programs, preferably in the Central American Region. INL reserves the right to request additional background information on organizations that do not have previous experience administering similar programs and/or federal awards.

• Ability to produce course materials, deliver training, and conduct evaluations in Spanish and English. The applicant should have dedicated staff that should be proficient in English to fulfill reporting requirements and in Spanish in order to interact directly with the hosts governments and police liaisons in each country.

• Existing, or the capacity to develop, active partnerships with stakeholders in order to successfully carry out the proposed program.

• Able to respond to the NOFO and be able to mobilize in a short period of time.

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.)

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).

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• 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 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)

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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 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.

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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)

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.

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.

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 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

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Letters of Support – Optional

If desired, applicants may 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 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.)

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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 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

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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.

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.

Effective April 4, 2022, the DUNS Number will be replaced by the Unique Entity Number (UEI) as the primary means of entity identification for all federal awards U.S. government wide. A DUNS number is no longer required for federal assistance applications. For more information, please go to the following link: https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp

NCAGE Code 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.

http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp 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/

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• 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), a Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) code, 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 December 2022, organizations based outside of the United States that do not intend to apply for U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) awards are no longer required to have a NATO CAGE (NCAGE) code to apply for non-DoD foreign assistance funding opportunities. If an applicant organization is mid-registration and wishes to remove an NCAGE code from their sam.gov registration, the applicant should submit a help desk ticket (“incident”) with the Federal Service Desk (FSD) online at www.fsd.gov to seek guidance on how to do so.

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 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.

NOTE: As of April 2021, any new or renewed SAM.gov registrations were given a Unique Entity Number (UEI). UEI does not expire, however you must renew your SAM.gov registration annually.

For more information regarding the transition from UEI (DUNS) to UEI (SAM), please click on the following link: https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp D.3.1 Exemptions

An exemption from these 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 https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp?id=gsafsd_kb_articles&sys_id=c81018e71b1601d0937fa64ce54bcb57 http://www.fsd.gov/ https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp

19 | P a g e 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.

Note: As of December 2022, organizations based outside of the United States that do not intend to apply for U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) awards are no longer required to have a NATO CAGE (NCAGE) code to apply for non-DoD foreign assistance funding opportunities.

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

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.

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

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Drafters are encouraged to edit the following evaluation criteria and/or point values to fit the specific needs of their project. The points noted for each criteria below are used as examples only.

Project Analysis & Design – Total Possible Points: 45

• 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 (10)

• 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: (12) 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, (3)

• 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 (5)

• Analysis and planning for sustainability is realistic (5)

Program Monitoring and Risk – Total Possible Points: 20

• 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 (5)

• 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: 20

• The applicant demonstrates an institutional record of successful programs in the proposed country/region and program area (7)

• Professional experience of staff and institutional resources are adequate and appropriate to achieve the project's objectives (5)

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

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• 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 (4)

• 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-recipients. (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 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.

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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:

• 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:

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