INL NOFO - SCC Travel Grant-FINAL (7-14-2026) A.pdf

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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:

Southern Cone Cooperation Law Enforcement and

Criminal Justice Sector Support

Funding Opportunity Number: DFOP0019393

Program: INL Southern Cone Cooperation

Catalog of Federal Domestic

Assistance (CFDA) Listing Number:

19.705 - Transnational Crime

Total Funding Available: $500,000 U.S. Dollars

Funding Source:

Domestic or Post-Funds

Please refer to section B – Federal Award Information

Application Ceiling: Up to $500,000 U.S. Dollars

Application Floor: At least $500,000 U.S. Dollars

Anticipated Number of Awards: 1 award

Initial Project Implementation

Length:

24 months

Estimated Project Start Date: September 2026

NOFO Issuance Date: July 14, 2026

Deadline for Submission of

Questions:

July 30, 2026 by 11:59 PM EST via email

Deadline for Submission of Applications:

August 17, 2026 by 11:59 PM EST via www.grants.gov

Assistance Type: Cooperative Agreement (CA)

Applicant Types and

Eligibility Categories:

Organizations only.

Refer to Section C: Eligibility Information for more information.

http://www.grants.gov/

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INL Points of Contact:

Dianne Murril (murrildr@state.gov) - GO

Melissa Verlaque (verlaquemr@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:murrildr@state.gov mailto:verlaquemr@state.gov

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

A. PROJECT DESCRIPTION

B. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

C. ELIGILIBITY INFORMATION

D. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

E. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

F. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

APPENDIX A: PERFORMANCE MONITORING PLAN

APPENDIX B: PROJECT RISK ANALYSIS

APPENDIX C: APPLICABLE COST PRINCIPLES, 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 provide travel logistics support for law enforcement and criminal justice sector reform assistance programs within INL’s Southern Cone Cooperation (SCC) portfolio (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay). This program will enable INL to deliver timely technical assistance to key law enforcement and criminal justice agencies across SCC partner countries working to combat transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and prevent foreign terrorist organizations (FTOs) from operating in the region. By strengthening law enforcement capacity and criminal justice institutions across the Southern Cone, this assistance supports regional security, promotes the rule of law, and advances American interests in the Western Hemisphere.

Through this partnership, the United States will work with SCC to enhance citizen security, dismantle criminal networks, and strengthen criminal justice institutions across the Southern Cone — creating conditions for regional stability and sustained U.S. engagement in the Western Hemisphere.

Project Reporting: Note that this award must submit quarterly performance reports through INL’s

DevResults system. See Appendix A for more details.

Priority Region/Countries: SCC – (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay) (contingent upon the funding)

Problem Statement: INL SCC currently lacks dedicated programmatic, logistical, and administrative support to efficiently manage the high volume of travel required for program implementation. This gap results in delays in training delivery, increased administrative burden on program staff, and missed opportunities for timely technical assistance. INL SCC requires a dedicated travel logistics partner to coordinate all aspects of travel support, enabling INL staff to focus on program design and implementation while ensuring timely, cost-effective delivery of capacity-building assistance to SCC countries.

Project Goal:

Enhance INL SCC's operational capacity to deliver timely, effective law enforcement and criminal justice capacity-building programs by establishing a dedicated travel logistics support function that reduces administrative burden, minimizes programmatic delays, and enables INL staff to focus on countering FTOs and TCOs operating across the Southern Cone.

Project Objectives:

1. Provide comprehensive travel logistics coordination for training events and technical assistance activities annually, ensuring 95% on-time delivery of travel arrangements.

2. Reduce administrative burden on INL SCC program staff by assuming full responsibility for travel logistics coordination, enabling staff to focus on program design, implementation, and monitoring..

3. Facilitate knowledge transfer and technical assistance delivery by coordinating travel for SCC security and criminal justice personnel to observe international best practices, and for U.S.

and third-country instructors to deliver technical assistance in the region.

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4. Develop and submit detailed technical plans (including timeline, work plan, budget, and M&E plan) for emerging assistance needs within two weeks of INL approval, pending funds availability.

5. Maintain cost-effective travel coordination that maximizes program impact while ensuring compliance with all applicable U.S. Government regulations.

Project activities and deliverables: Proposals should include, but are not limited to, the following activities:

1. Travel Documents

2. Travel Advances

3. Airline Tickets/Air Transportation

4. Health, Travel, and Personal

Property Insurance

5. Interpretation and Translation

Services

6. Ground Transportation

7. Lodging

8. Event Management

9. Refreshments and Meals

10. Unused E-ticket Funding

11. Monthly Reimbursements

12. Unused Funds Settlement

13. Database Management

14. Background Checks of Travelers

15. Exceptional Circumstances

16. Customer Service and Corrective

Action Reports

Activity 1 – Travel Documents: When required, the award recipient is responsible for assisting participants with obtaining appropriate travel documents such as visas, work permits (if required), immunization, costs for birth, health insurance, participants certification of narcotics offenses and drug trafficking, identity certificates, and other documents needed to travel or attend events. Only costs authorized by the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) will be allowed. If statutorily or policy required, participants of the travel service grant must be Leahy vetted prior to any funds being expended (See Activity 11).

Activity 2 – Travel Advances: When required, the award recipient shall provide the participants with a travel advance up to the maximum per diem amount authorized by the U.S. Department of

State or lesser amount as agreed to by the award recipient and INL SCC. The applicant shall ensure the participant receives the travel advance with sufficient time, no later than one day prior to departure, to reduce the financial burden associated with the event. The advance can be in cash, debit card, wire transfer, direct deposit, or any other means not prohibited by U.S. or local laws.

Activity 3 – Airline Tickets/Air Transportation: When required, the organization shall provide the participant with an airline ticket. If statutorily or policy is required, flights must comply with the Fly America Act. The potential applicant should work to guarantee that the best possible prices for airline tickets are being secured and should consult with INL to purchase refundable tickets when necessary. Periodic reviews of pricing will be conducted by INL SCC, and pricing should, on average, be within 15% of the lowest published rate. INL SCC will inform as to the category of ticket to be purchased (such as restricted fare or other). All flight arrangements must comply with the Fly America Act, the award recipient shall verify participant information such names as in passports, vetting and visas before purchasing e-tickets. Awardee will be responsible for oversight of all arrivals and departures.

Activity 4 – Health, Travel, Personal Property, and Other Insurance: When required, the award recipient shall provide each participant, when traveling, with up to the maximum amount of insurance authorized by the FTR or FAR. The applicant must ensure that all participants have the appropriate level of insurance before the travel begins.

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Activity 5 – Interpretation and Translation Services: When required, the award recipient is responsible for providing the necessary interpretation and translation services to support other activities. This could include translating training materials, preparatory reading, and schedules for participants or translating materials from the host government partners for the Department of

State and its partners. In addition, the recipient is expected to secure interpretation services for training, study tours, etc. This could include renting or providing portable or stationary simultaneous translation equipment.

Activity 6 – Ground Transportation: When required, the award recipient shall arrange the use of rented vehicles for individuals or groups to support INL cc. Ground transportation includes taxis, rented vehicles (sedans), pickup trucks, vans, trains, or buses. If required by U.S. Embassy

Regional Security Offices, the award recipient shall take all required security measures to protect the safety of participants during the ground transportation process. The protection could include the use of armored vehicles and require background checks on drivers. Ground transportation could include transportation to and from hotels to meeting facilities, to and from the airport and hotel, between sites of interest, etc. The award recipient shall ensure participants arrive at the sponsored event location at least 15 minutes before the event begins and shall take the necessary measures to ensure the vehicles meet SCC governments and USG safety standards.

Activity 7 – Lodging: When required, the potential applicant is responsible for providing participants with adequate lodging such as hotels or apartments using the U.S. Department of

State approved per diem rates as a guideline and in compliance with all U.S. Embassy Regional

Security Offices policies. In some cases, the U.S. government may be able to obtain lodging at academy dormitories or other facilities. In these cases, the award recipient shall coordinate lodging arrangements directly with the U.S. government representative responsible. Per guidance of INL SCC, the award recipient on a case-by-case basis could be required to competitively bid longer term lodging stays. The potential applicant should work to guarantee that the best possible prices for lodging are being secured. Periodic reviews of pricing will be conducted by INL SCC and pricing should, on average, be within 15% of the lowest published rate. The potential applicant could be required to provide bedding supplies such as pillows, blankets, and other associated supplies. The award recipient shall ensure that rented rooms are of adequate size to sleep occupants and take the necessary measures to ensure the rented lodging facilities meet U.S.

or SCC governments sanitary and safety standards. Per guidance of INL SCC, the occupancy numbers will be defined on a case-by-case basis.

Activity 8 – Event Management:

• General. When required, the potential applicant shall organize events that support INL

SCC’s capacity building objectives for the various parts of the region. An event could be a conference, a training, or any other type of activity that advances INL goals for the institutions it supports. The award recipient shall also support, when required, the administrative requirements for the attendance of INL sponsored travelers to conferences and other events that support INL capacity building goals.

• Event Facilities. When required, the potential applicant shall rent facilities to support the event. Because the nature of INL supported events can vary, so too will the type of facilities needed to meet the event objective. Example facilities include, but are not limited to: small conference rooms, large conference centers, outdoor facilities (in SCC

7 | P a g e or other foreign countries) that support specific training objectives, training centers, or training academies.

• Event Facility Support Services. The potential applicant could be required to provide audio-visual, computer equipment, communications (such as internet, radios, cell phones, or other communications services), reception, cleaning, interpreter/translation services, and supplies to support an event’s stated objective. The award recipient shall take the necessary measures to ensure the rented event facilities meet U.S. and host country sanitary and safety standards, as well as all U.S. Embassy Regional Security Offices policies.

• Event Materials and Equipment. When required, the potential applicant shall prepare materials that support the event’s objectives. The applicant must coordinate with INL to determine appropriate equipment and materials for each event. This could include, but is not limited to: obtaining design services for event materials, printing training manuals, printing course packets, printing promotional material, procuring and printing name tags

(please see page 26 for Branding and Marking requirements for printed materials), as well as training aids such as rental vehicles for training exercises, external hard drives, and other specialized tools required for law enforcement and criminal justice training activities and events. The award recipient shall maintain express mail delivery services for sending materials or travel documents.

• Event Keynote Invitees. When required, the potential applicant shall help recruit/invite/contract with appropriate speakers, subject matter experts, trainers, and interpreters etc. to accomplish the event’s objectives. In the case of invited speakers, the award recipient may be required to pay honoraria that do not exceed the maximum allowable amount established in U.S. federal assistance guidelines based on factors such as reasonable rates, fair market value, profile, or level of expertise.

• Event Fees. When required, the potential applicant shall provide event fees as training expenses for participants. Event fees may be authorized and paid to the organization providing the conference or training. This can range from a conference entrance fee to paying specific fees for licenses associated with training courses deemed to be in the interest of the U.S. government.

Activity 9 – Refreshments and Meals: When required, the award recipient is responsible for providing participants with government approved per diem or meals such as hot breakfast, lunch, and dinner. When needed, the award recipient shall also provide snacks, coffee, tea, and non-alcoholic refreshments. Snacks and beverages shall be provided in the early morning, a couple of hours before lunch, and a few hours after lunch. The award recipient shall ensure that coffee, tea, and potable drinking water are available throughout the duration of the event. The award recipient may be needed to provide meals “to-go” so disposable packages may be needed. The award recipient shall take the necessary measures to ensure food and beverages meet U.S. or SCC governments sanitary standards.

Activity 10 – Unused E-ticket Funding Reporting: The potential applicant shall track unused e-tickets resulting from cancellations by participants, collect reimbursement whenever possible, and/or reuse the tickets for other travelers. The recipients shall maintain a database of unused tickets and provide a quarterly report to the Grants Officer Representative (GOR) with this information.

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Activity 11 – Payment Requests: The award recipient will submit monthly payment requests to the Grants Officer (GO) and Grants Officer Representative (GOR) for payment processing. The award recipient must maintain adequate cash flow to cover monthly expenses ranging from

$50,000.00 USD to $100,000.00 USD during the reimbursement period.

The award recipient must monitor and account for all budget cost increases or decreases resulting from exchange rate fluctuations in accordance with 2 CFR 200.440 (Exchange Rates). If exchange rate fluctuations cause budget revisions that exceed the thresholds established in 2 CFR 200.308

(Revision of Budget and Program Plans), the recipient must obtain prior written approval from the Grants Officer before reallocating funds between budget categories.

Activity 12 – Unused Funds Settlement: When required, the award recipient shall take required actions to recover unused funds resulting from cancellations by participants, vendors, facilities, etc. Voucher settlement includes obtaining receipts from hotels, boarding passes, and other documentation. In the event the award recipient owes money to a participant, settlement shall be made no later than 15 calendar days after the last day of the event/operational activity.

Activity 13 – Database Management: The potential applicant shall maintain accurate digital records of each participant, including name, parent organization, country of origin, event attended or operational activity, dates, costs per participant, accounting data of INL SCC’s project(s) that funded the event, and other information in a format mutually agreed to by INL SCC and the award recipient.

If statutorily or policy required, the award recipient is in charge of tracking required employment commitments of each training recipient (for example, a student sent to training in the United States for a year-long program may have to commit to several years of service). If the traveler breaks this commitment, the award recipient must inform INL SCC and seek to collect proper repayment.

The award recipient shall have an existing system for requesting and approving travel that is mutually agreed to by INL SCC and the award recipient. Supporting the administration and record-keeping for in-country, third-country, and U.S.-based travel and training programs. The features of the database should enable real-time input of participant cost and travel information.

Data quality has to be ensured through the verification of data entered, and data approved by supervisory database administrators.

Activity 14 – Background Checks of Travelers: The services include the awardee assisting INL with the tracking status of personnel nominated to attend INL sponsored events. The tracking includes the awardee coordinating with U.S. government agencies responsible for the vetting process and includes the awardee of maintaining a list of vetted persons. Recipient must receive vetting clearances for each participant before travel. Leahy vetting will be conducted by the INL

SCC. Participants of the service grant from host nations must be Leahy vetted.

Activity 15 – Exceptional Circumstances: The potential applicant shall be capable of providing ad-hoc administrative and logistical support for travel within 24 hours. The recipient will accommodate late travel and/or training requests whenever possible.

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Activity 16 – Customer Service: The potential applicant will maintain a professional, customer service-focused staff that complies with U.S. Embassy Buenos Aires, Brasilia, Santiago, Asuncion, and Montevideo workplace policies and norms.

INL SCC and the potential applicant will work together to determine the appropriate assistance needed for each event/activity. Furthermore, INL SCC and the award recipient will meet after the award is made to develop a mutually agreeable work plan. Applicants should provide a suggested work plan in the grant proposal. Additionally, applicant organizations should identify their own specific objectives and measurable outcomes based on these program goals and the specifications provided in this solicitation. Indicators could include timeliness of services, quality of interaction between the award recipient and program participants, etc.

The award recipient must obtain the Grants Officer's approval before incurring any new costs for proposed activities or expenses not previously approved.

Funds for the proposed travel logistics project cannot be used to cover expenses such as travel, personnel, administrative, or other costs for USG employees and contractors— including full-time employees (Foreign or Civil Service personnel), third-party contractors

(TPCs), Personal Services Contractors (PSCs), Locally Employed Staff (LE Staff), or Re-

Employed Annuitants (REAs).

Participants and Audiences: SCC law enforcement and criminal justice sector personnel, military, civil society, and government officials of other relevant agencies in countries who will support the INL program in the region.

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 listed in the NOFO, subject to availability of future funding. Applicants may include in their proposal a brief section outlining how additional funds could potentially be used to expand work into additional activities or countries in future years. Applicants are strongly encouraged to demonstrate how their project might leverage funding through other organizations.

B. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

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

1. Project Implementation Period

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

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2. Assistance Type

The type of assistance is determined by the 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.

This is a cooperative agreement.

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

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

• Approval of Monitoring and Evaluation Plan; and

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

3. Funding Notices

This award will be supported with International Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement

(INCLE) funds under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961. This notice is subject to the availability of funding.

Length of performance period: 24 months

Anticipated program start date: September 2026

Number of awards anticipated: 1 award (dependent on amounts)

Award amounts: awards may be awarded for a maximum of $500,000

Total available funding: $500,000

Type of Funding: FY 2025/2026 INCLE funds under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961

This funding opportunity will initially be supported by domestic funds. If post-held funds become available before award, the grant may be converted to utilize those funds instead. The successful applicant will be notified of any change to the funding source prior to award.

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 or section 26 US 115 of the U.S. tax code;

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

• Foreign-based educational institutions; and

• U.S.-based - For profit organizations

• Foreign-based – For profit organizations

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

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• Applicants must have demonstrated experience implementing similar capacity building programs. INL reserves the right to request additional background information on organizations that do not have previous experience administering similar programs and/or federal grant awards.

• Applicants must have the ability to perform work requirements listed above in Spanish, Portuguese, and English. The applicant’s staff should be proficient in English in order to fulfill reporting requirements.

• Applicants must have existing, or the capacity to develop, active partnerships with stakeholders in order to successfully carry out the proposed program.

• Applicants must be able to respond to the NOFO and be able to mobilize in a short period.

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 (UEI) issued via SAM.gov as well as a valid registration in SAM.gov. Please see Section D for more information. Individuals are not required to have a UEI or be registered in SAM.gov.

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

• 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) 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

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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)

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 outcomes, i.e., the specific changes the project could expect to achieve within the period of performance.

Theory of Change & Implementation Plan: Describe the implementation plan

(specific activities to implement suggested solutions); and explain how or why they should result in accomplishment of the outcomes. Projects should be designed such that activities, if implemented according to plan, should result in achievement of the outcomes. The Theory of Change should clearly address why

13 | P a g e the outcomes do not already exist in practice, and how the project will address those constraints. Finally, discuss likely challenges to implementation, including any risks of harm to project implementers or participants, along with mitigation strategies.

Evidence: The theory of change should demonstrate a clear understanding of where previous relevant interventions have succeeded or failed, and demonstrate how those lessons will inform the proposed intervention(s). Projects are also expected to incorporate insights from the evidence on what has been shown to be promising in related areas of the intervention(s). The Center for Evidence-Based

Crime Policy provides a good overview of the available systemic reviews in criminal justice policy, linked here. In addition, the National Academies of

Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine publishes consensus reports including those on international crime and justice issues such as policing, linked here, that should be reviewed if relevant to the intervention(s). Where feasible, it is highly recommended that projects incorporate a research or evaluation components to ensure lessons developed through the course of implementation can inform the broader stakeholder community for future projects.

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

Future Funding Plan/Sustainability: Briefly discuss the plan for ensuring the sustainability of the project (i.e., that the project continues to have impact beyond the grant period) or note if sustainability is unlikely without continued support.

Applicants may also include a brief section outlining how additional funds could potentially be used to expand work into additional activities or countries beyond the initial project period.

Performance Monitoring Plan

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

• Change Map (see template). Note: The Change Map will eventually include

INL Standard Indicators, as determined by grantee responses to the

Standard Indicator Form. These do not need to be reflected in the Change

Map at the application stage.

• Illustrative Performance Indicator Reference Sheet (see template)

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

Note 2: Grantee must generate quarterly performance reports using INL’s performance monitoring system (DevResults). Grantee must submit several forms and templates (see

Appendix A) within 30 days of award to enroll in the system. INL will provide user accounts and training for new users.

https://cebcp.org/systematic-reviews/ https://www.nationalacademies.org/our-work/evidence-to-advance-reform-in-the-global-security-and-justice-sectors

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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

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

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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

De Minimis Rate:

The applicant can elect to charge the de minimis rate up to 15% 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 De Minimis Rate.)

If the applicant elects to utilize the De Minimis Rate, that rate may be used indefinitely.

If an award is issued utilizing the de minimis rate and the recipient subsequently negotiates a NICRA, the GO may consider amending the award to reflect the new

NICRA rate under the following conditions:

o If the applicant intends to negotiate a NICRA, the applicant must inform the

GO during the application period that they plan to negotiate a NICRA, or are in the process of doing so, and would like to amend the award in the future after a rate is finalized.

o Once the recipient receives a rate, they may submit a written request for a budget realignment. The new rate may only be applied to costs incurred during the effective period of the NICRA.

o The NICRA cannot be applied to costs incurred during a period of performance that is prior to the effective date of the new 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 must 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.

FY2026 INL Applicant Pre-Award Risk Survey

This risk survey reviews the applicant organization’s financial capacity, policies, and infrastructure. The FY2026 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.

Submission of an outdated INL Applicant Pre-Award Risk Survey does not satisfy the FY2026 INL Applicant Pre-Award Risk Survey submission requirement.

Organizational Audit

If the applicant organization is required to undergo an audit per 2 CFR 200.501

(Subpart F – Audit Requirements), a complete copy of the organization’s most-recent audit must be submitted. Organizations (domestic and foreign) that expend

$1,000,000 or more in federal awards during their fiscal year must submit a single audit report conducted in accordance with 2 CFR 200.514. The submission of financial statements alone does not satisfy the single audit requirement.

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. The brief explanation can be included in the FY2026 INL Applicant

Pre-Award Risk Survey.

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.

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4. Required Entity and Account Registrations for Applicants

All organizations, whether based in the United States or in another country, must have a Unique

Entity Identifier (UEI) and an active registration in SAM.gov. A UEI is one of the data elements mandated by Public Law 109-282, the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act

(FFATA), for all Federal awards. An applicant must maintain an active registration while it has a proposal under review by the Department and must continue to keep the registration active for the entire duration of the period of performance of any Federal award that results from this NOFO.

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

Note: The process of obtaining or renewing a SAM.gov registration may take anywhere from

4-8 weeks. Please begin your registration as early as possible.

● Organizations based in the United States or that pay employees within the United States will need an Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the Internal Revenue Service

(IRS) and a UEI 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 prior to registering in

SAM.gov.

● Organizations based outside of the United States that do not intend to apply for U.S.

Department of Defense (DoD) awards are no longer required to have a NATO

Commercial and Government Entity (NCAGE) code 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 using the following language: “I do not intend to seek financial assistance from the Department of Defense. I do not wish to obtain an NCAGE code. I understand that I will need to submit my registration after this incident is resolved in order to have my registration activated.”

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

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

Organizations based outside of the United States and that DO plan to do business with the

DoD in addition to Department of State should follow the below instructions:

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

https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fsd.gov%2Fgsafsd_sp%3Fid%3Dgsafsd_kb_articles%26sys_id%3Dc81018e71b1601d0937fa64ce54bcb57&data=05%7C01%7Cfjeldkk%40state.gov%7C0cc4e2b471f44abcd32308db093ecead%7C66cf50745afe48d1a691a12b2121f44b%7C0%7C0%7C638113937577534024%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=W2ShcazZBQbanYGj0cLOTnUJwv%2BGL4xfwr83%2BycQY2E%3D&reserved=0 https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fsd.gov%2F&data=05%7C01%7Cfjeldkk%40state.gov%7C0cc4e2b471f44abcd32308db093ecead%7C66cf50745afe48d1a691a12b2121f44b%7C0%7C0%7C638113937577534024%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=t32ANWzgpiB93pMWoq%2BFCSHz4YJY9QF1S1iQzCsS6RM%3D&reserved=0

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NCAGE Homepage:

https://eportal.nspa.nato.int/AC135Public/sc/CageList.aspx

NCAGE Code Request Tool (NCRT):

NCAGE Code Request Tool (nato.int)

Exemptions

An exemption from the UEI and sam.gov registration requirements may be permitted on a case-by-case basis. See 2 CFR 25.110 for a full list of exemptions.

Organizations requesting exemption from UEI or SAM.gov requirements must email the point of contact listed in the NOFO at least two weeks prior to the deadline in the NOFO providing a justification of their request. Approval for a SAM.gov exemption must come from the warranted

Grants Officer before the application can be deemed eligible for review.

Grants.gov

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

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

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

Help with grants.gov registrations and application submission:

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

• Call +1 800-518-4726

• Email support@grants.gov

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.

5. Funding Restrictions

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. Prohibition on Funding Activities that Encourage Mass-Migration Caravans towards the

United States Southwest Border

None of the funds awarded under this grant may be made available to encourage, mobilize, publicize, or manage mass-migration caravans towards the United States southwest border.

Funds may not be made available for legal counseling on the United States asylum process;

and/or for referrals to legal representation in the United States.

https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Feportal.nspa.nato.int%2FAC135Public%2Fscage%2FCageList.aspx&data=05%7C01%7Cfjeldkk%40state.gov%7C0cc4e2b471f44abcd32308db093ecead%7C66cf50745afe48d1a691a12b2121f44b%7C0%7C0%7C638113937577534024%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=v3TLT8F%2FNfk5SuTcI2zw7SMhV4HK542OhP9XDx4ln%2BY%3D&reserved=0 https://eportal.nspa.nato.int/Codification/CageTool/home https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-I/part-25/subpart-A/section-25.110 http://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html mailto:support@grants.gov

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Funds may only be used for cash cards for use in the country in which they are provided or to facilitate assisted voluntary returns and other purposes that do not encourage, mobilize, publicize, or manage mass migration caravans towards the United States southwest border.

The provision of humanitarian assistance is permitted.

iii. 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.

iv. Certification Regarding Compliance with 20 U.S.C. 1011f and any other applicable foreign funding disclosure requirements

Applicants are advised that Institutes of Higher Education (IHEs) must certify the following at the time of award, and that this certification requirement must be included in any subaward agreements to IHEs:

1) Its compliance in all respects with section 1011f of title 20, United States Code, and any other applicable foreign funding disclosure requirements is material for purposes of section 3729 of title 31, United…