NOFO_CARSI PANAMAFY25_For Publishing.pdf

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE

Strengthening Government Through Civil Society Engagement in Panama

Notice of Funding Opportunity

Link to templates:

https://pa.usembassy.gov/carsi/

Announcement Type: New Grant

Public Opportunity Title: Central America Regional Security Initiative (CARSI) Small

Grants Program: Strengthening Government Through Civil Society Engagement in Panama

Funding Opportunity Number: S-PM070-25-GR-501

Funding Type: FY24 Economic Support Funds under the Foreign

Assistance Act Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Listing: 19.750 Funding Amount: $500,000 U.S. Dollars

Issuance Date: January 14, 2025

Deadline for Receipt of Questions: March 4, 2025

Deadline for Submission of Applications: March 14, 2025

Funding Activity Category: Governance Program Type: U.S. Embassy Panama City Grant Program: Central America Regional Security Initiative Assistance Type: Grant Application Submission: Application must be submitted through grants.gov Electronic Requirement: Yes

Eligibility Category: U.S. Non-profit/non-governmental organizations (NGOs) having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS or overseas based NGOs, institutions of higher education, and public international organizations (PIOs); Panama NGOs are strongly encouraged to apply.

Est. Project Start Date: August 4, 2025 https://www.grants.gov/

Est. Project End Date: Variable Fiscal Year: FY 2024 Award Ceiling: $250,000 Award Floor: $100,000 Expected # of Awards Funded: 2 to 3 Cost Sharing Requirement: No Type of Applicant: Organizations only (Individuals are not eligible to apply) Number of Applications: One (1) per applicant organizations

Executive Summary

The U.S. Embassy in Panama announces a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to promote democratic institutions, accountability, and good governance in Panama with up to $500,000 in Fiscal Year 2024 Economic Support Funds (ESF) for a project period between 18-24 months.

The anticipated start date for this activity is August 4, 2025. Subject to the availability of funds, U.S. Embassy Panama intends to issue approximately two to three awards in an amount not to exceed $500,000. Each award will be for an amount between $100,000 and up to $250,000.

Applications are due on March 14, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern time (Washington, D.C).

Proposals should focus on advancing both the Central American Regional Security Initiative (CARSI) goals as well as the Root Causes Strategy. Submitters should seek to focus specifically on the CARSI Goal Three to support the development of strong, capable, and accountable Central American governments and the RCS Pillar II goal to combat corruption, strengthen democratic governance, and advance the rule of law.

Specific objectives and indicators should be included in the proposals that allow the organization to measure and demonstrate progress. Funding awarded under this NOFO cannot be used for law enforcement, to train members of law enforcement, or to provide social services.

U.S. Embassy Panama invites qualified U.S. non-profit/non-governmental organizations (NGOs) having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS or overseas-based NGOs, U.S. and overseas-based public and private institutions of higher education, and public international organizations (PIOs) to apply.

U.S. Embassy Panama reserves the right to fund any or none of the applications submitted and will determine the resulting level of funding for each award. The authority for this NOFO is found in the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended.

Eligible organizations interested in applying are encouraged to read this NOFO thoroughly to understand the scope of eligible projects, the application submission requirements, and the review process.

Link to templates: https://pa.usembassy.gov/carsi/

For more information, please contact panamagrants@state.gov.

Notice of Funding Opportunity The U.S. Department of State at U.S. Embassy Panama is seeking applications from Non- Governmental Organizations (NGOs), Public International Organizations (PIOs), Educational Institutions, and other qualified organizations for a grant to implement a program entitled “Strengthening Government Through Civil Society Engagement in Panama”. The authority for this NOFO is found in the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended.

Pursuant to 2 CFR 200.400g, it is U.S. Department of State policy not to award profit under assistance instruments. All reasonable, allocable, and allowable expenses, however, both direct and indirect, which are related to the agreement project and are in accordance with applicable cost standards (2 CFR 200 for U.S. and overseas-based non-profit organizations and universities;

and the Mandatory Standard Provision “Allowable Costs (2 CFR 200.403)” for public international organizations), may be paid under the grant agreement.

Note: Non-U.S.-based nonprofit organizations are legally required to comply with the 2 CFR 200.

Subject to the availability of funds, U.S. Embassy Panama intends to issue at least two and no more than three awards in amounts not to exceed $500,000.00 in total funding. The U.S. dollar amount will be funded from U.S. Embassy Panama allocated funds, for a project period of between 18-24 months per award. The anticipated start date for this activity is August 4, 2025.

Contingent upon the availability of funds and quality of proposals, as many as five awards may be granted based on this NOFO. U.S. Embassy Panama reserves the right to fund any or none of the applications submitted and will determine the resulting level of funding for each award.

To be eligible for an award, the applicant must submit all required information in its application through http://www.grants.gov, including the requirements found in any attachments to this opportunity. This NOFO consists of this cover letter plus the following sections:

1. Section A – Program Description and Funding Opportunity

2. Section B – Federal Award Information

3. Section C – Eligibility Information

4. Section D – Application and Submission Information

5. Section E – Application Review Information

6. Section F – Federal Award Administration Information

7. Section G – Federal Awarding Agency Contact

8. Section H – Other Information mailto:panamagrants@state.gov http://www.grants.gov/

This funding opportunity is posted on http://www.grants.gov and may be amended. See Section D for further details. Potential applicants should regularly check the website to ensure they have the latest information pertaining to this NOFO. Applicants will need to have available or download the Adobe software program to their computers to view and save the Adobe forms properly. If organizations have difficulty registering on http://www.grants.gov or accessing the NOFO, please contact the Grants.gov Helpdesk at 1-800-518-4726 or via email at support@grants.gov for technical assistance or email panamagrants@state.gov for difficulty accessing the NOFO.

It is the responsibility of the recipient of this NOFO document to ensure that it has been received from http://www.grants.gov in its entirety. U.S. Embassy Panama bears no responsibility for data errors resulting from transmission or conversion processes associated with electronic submissions. The deadline to submit applications is March 14, 2025, 11:59 p.m.

Eastern Standard Time (Washington, D.C.)

Please submit any questions concerning this NOFO in writing to PanamaGrants@state.gov. The deadline for submission of questions about this NOFO is March 4, 2025. Responses to questions will be made available to all potential applicants through an amendment to this NOFO that will be posted on http://www.grants.gov.

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

government, nor does it commit the U.S. government to pay for costs incurred in the preparation and submission of an application. In addition, final award of any resultant grant agreement cannot be made until funds have been fully appropriated, allocated, and committed through internal U.S. Embassy Panama procedures. While it is anticipated that these procedures will be successfully completed, potential applicants are hereby notified of these requirements and conditions for award. Applications are submitted at the risk of the applicant.

All preparation and submission costs are at the applicant’s expense.

A. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The U.S. Embassy Panama / Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs of the U.S. Department of State announces an open competition for organizations to submit applications to carry out a program to support the development of strong, capable, and accountable Central American governments; with Central American civil society demanding government accountability without reprisal of their rights and being able to influence policy outcomes. Host nation governments uphold the values and practices of liberal democracy and citizens hold their governments accountable for these actions. Please follow all instructions below.

A.1 Background

The objective of this grant is to strengthen democratic governance and inspire sustained public interest in participating in budget transparency and oversight processes. Proposals should foster collaboration among CSOs (and, where feasible, public institutions). Post may give preference to programs that integrate a gender lens and (1) strengthen key public institutions http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ involved with the public budget, open data, transparency, anti-corruption; or (2) strengthen transparent, participatory municipal-level governance. This call for proposals expresses particular interest in transparency projects that allow citizens to have access to government data at all levels of government, CSO and citizen participation in government budgets, and strengthening or establishing oversight procedures.

A secure and stable Central America leads to a safer and more prosperous hemisphere.

Through the Root Causes Strategy (RCS) and the Central America Regional Security Initiative (CARSI), U.S. assistance seeks to secure U.S. borders and protect U.S. citizens by addressing the security, governance, and economic root causes of irregular migration and illicit trafficking, and to promote fair and reciprocal trade in Central America. To promote improved governance, U.S. assistance in Central America supports anti-corruption efforts that improve the ease of doing business; strengthen the rule of law; promote strong institutions and government accountability; reduce impunity; and improve fiscal management by promoting efficient tax collection, civil society engagement, and institutional reform. U.S. assistance augments the capabilities of government entities and civil society organizations to build more accountable, transparent, and effective public institutions. CARSI Economic Support Fund (ESF) grants, such as this opportunity, support programming to strengthen civil society’s role in improving governance and supporting a professional, non-partisan civil service.

The RCS identifies, prioritizes, and coordinates actions to improve security, governance, human rights, and economic conditions in the region. The RCS lays out a framework to use the policy, resources, and diplomacy of the United States, and to leverage the expertise and resources of a broad group of public and private stakeholders, to build hope for citizens in the region that the life they desire can be found at home. The end goal is a democratic, prosperous, and safe Central America, where people advance economically, live, work, and learn in safety, have confidence in public institutions, and enjoy opportunities to create futures for themselves and their families at home.

Project planning and solicitations must align with both CARSI and RCS goals and projects should strive to contribute to one or more lines of efforts.

The Five Goals of CARSI in Central America:

1. Create safe streets for the citizens of the region;

2. Disrupt the movement of criminals and contraband to, within, and between the nations of Central America;

3. Support the development of strong, capable, and accountable Central American governments;

4. Re-establish effective state presence, services and security in communities at risk; and

5. Foster enhanced levels of coordination and cooperation between the nations of the region, other international partners, and donors to combat regional security threats.

RCS Pillar II: Combatting corruption, strengthening democratic governance, and advancing the rule of law

• Strengthen democratic institutions to improve governance and rule of law The United States will work with countries to promote reform agendas across all branches of government, so government better serves all citizens. This will include a focus on adequately resourcing judicial and oversight institutions, ensuring their independence, and promoting reform of personnel selection and retention processes.

• Prioritize an anticorruption agenda The United States will work regionally, bilaterally, and, if we must, unilaterally to root out corruption and enhance transparency across the region.

• Improve administration of public resources The United States will work with governments to establish proper budgeting, management, and use of public resources at the local and national levels to enhance service delivery for all citizens, including in underserved areas and for vulnerable populations.

Solicitations under this NOFO must primarily reflect support for CARSI Goal Three (strong, capable, and accountable governments) and RCS Pillar II, and the results, particularly indicators, will be reported under the Strategy’s Governance objective. Applicants must provide governance indicators to track results that correlate with CARSI Goal Three and RCS Pillar II.

Priority Region: Panama

A2. Program Goal and Objectives

Program Goal:

Support the development of a strong, capable, and accountable Panamanian government.

Support Panamanian civil society to advocate for government accountability without reprisal of their rights and be able to influence policy outcomes. Host nation governments uphold the values and practices of liberal democracy and citizens hold their governments accountable for these actions.

Program Objectives:

As applicable, proposals should specify the expected results from projects benefitting from these funds, such as the number of participants trained; improvement in government transparency or e-government; and other improvements in basic government services that impact citizens and small business. All proposals should state clear objectives and show plans to measure project performance and contributions to meeting those objectives.

Proposals should highlight how they improve governance for underserved populations (sometimes referred to as “marginalized” or “vulnerable populations”) and may include, but are not limited to, women and girls, persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples, people of African descent, members of racial and ethnic minorities, refugees and internally displaced persons, members of religious minorities, LGBTQI+ persons, rural residents, migrants, and individuals adversely affected by persistent poverty or inequality.

Projects should focus on one or more of the following objectives:

Objective 1: Panama’s democratic institutions implement meaningful reforms to hold corrupt actors accountable and decrease impunity.

Impunity undermines the integrity of democratic governments and enables corruption.

Strengthening the rule of law is necessary to increase accountability, ensure stability, and safeguard the public interest. Potential projects could include assistance with the accusatory penal justice system and the Panamanian state’s timely delivery of justice, strengthening policies and mechanisms to ensure separation of powers, whistleblower protections, press freedoms/access, public access to government data, and strengthening the legal framework for transparency.

Objective 2: Panama manages public revenues transparently and is accountable for investing public resources responsibly.

Ensuring public revenue data, services, and processes are easily accessible to citizens promotes efficiency and accountability within the government while mitigating the risk of corruption.

Potential projects could include developing tools to increase responsible management of public resources, building government capacity to publish data that is easily accessible to citizens, and/or supporting the use of public data for projects that promote transparency, anti-corruption, and responsibility. Illustrative examples of projects may include but are not limited to helping the Government of Panama establish proper processes for budgeting, management, and the use of public resources at the local and national levels to enhance service delivery for all citizens, including in underserved areas and among vulnerable populations.

Objective 3: Panamanian civil society holds government accountability and can influence policy outcomes. The government of Panama upholds the values and practices of liberal democracy;

citizens hold their government accountable for these actions.

A healthy democracy needs well established civil society organizations that represent diverse groups of stakeholders, as well as formal avenues through which those organizations can provide input on government policies and processes. Projects should empower Panamanian civil society and independent media to hold their government accountable through increased technical capacity and cross-sectoral cooperation; advocacy skills training, and/or mentorship of civil society organizations that serve vulnerable and/or marginalized communities (i.e.

indigenous, women, Afro-Panamanians, LGBTQ+, and at-risk youth); and/or strengthen the capacity of civil society, media, and other oversight and accountability actors to conduct research and analysis on corruption trends, advocate for preventative measures, investigate and uncover corruption, and inform and support government accountability and reform efforts.

Illustrative examples of projects include but are not limited to: 1) supporting the development or strengthening of civil society and government engagement/dialogue mechanisms; 2) building the capacity of marginalized groups to interact with local government or relevant institutions to affect government policies/practices that impact their communities; 3) facilitating government capabilities to the CSO registration process and encourage the formation of new CSOs.

Proposals should foster collaboration among civil society organizations and government institutions to enhance Panama’s anti-corruption regime; advocate for change and/or improve government transparency across all levels; and/or promote policies that enhance the human rights landscape.

Objective 4: Panama’s government adequately resources oversight institutions, ensuring their independence, and promotes reform of personnel selection and retention processes to develop a competent civil service that provides nonpartisan continuity and services to all residents of Panama.

Strong, professional, and well-resourced oversight institutions and civil service are vital for the effective functioning of a democracy. This workforce allows the government to provide continuity of services and processes, while preserving institutional knowledge and technical expertise. Illustrative examples of projects include but are not limited to strengthening government institutions to promote transparency and accountability through technology solutions and capacity building, helping the Panamanian government develop a robust and modern system for records management, building the capacity of the civil servant workforce, and/or supporting efforts to make meaningful structural reforms to strengthen the role of the civil service within the government.

CROSS-CUTTING AND ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES

Utilize Local Resources and Expertise Local-based projects that prioritize community interaction and engagement with local civic and government leadership historically have had the best chances of success. Proposals that include the utilization of local resources and expertise are highly encouraged. Partnerships between civil society organizations can also increase the likelihood of sustainable impacts.

International applicants must include collaboration with domestic organizations and institutions.

A3. Expected Results By the end of the project, grantees should demonstrate that the project has (1) improved government services to provide public resources and publish data, (2) made government stronger, more capable, and accountable, (3) strengthened civil society organizations to promote accountability and improve their role in environmental governance, and/or (4) contributed to safer and more productive communities through improved government services.

A4. Desired Results and Required Outcome Indicators:

The applicant will develop a project-level Performance Monitoring Plan (PMP) (see Tab B) with annual and end-of-project targets and results anticipated for key performance indicators. The following tables show examples of indicators that will be measured, as well as illustrative targets, upon which the recipient will be responsible for monitoring and reporting during and after the project. In addition, U.S. Embassy Panama will regularly monitor each project’s performance to assess whether project activities are on track and targets are being achieved.

By the end of the project, applicants must demonstrate that the project has contributed to at least one of the following three focuses: (1) strengthened policies/procedures to improve budget transparency and government services; (2) making government stronger, more capable, and more accountable; or (3) enhanced engagement between government and civil society that will be sustained beyond the project timeframe.

Project feasibility, potential impact, and performance will be assessed based on potential outcomes. Outcomes are changes that take place because of your organization’s work – the differences that will have been made by delivering your objectives and achieving your outputs.

For example, an outcome could be increased rates of a vulnerable population successfully accessing government services, improved productivity of government workers in targeted agencies, or new policies/procedures instituted within your partner government agency.

Required and illustrative outcome indicators for the projects are provided below. The applicants are expected to identify targets for these indicators based on what can be reasonably achieved within the performance period of the project and based on the expected overall project results described above.

Required Outcome Indicators Required targets:

Number of civil society organizations strengthened to promote policy dialogue, advocate for change and/or serve as watchdogs on key issues.

Determined by applicants

Number of civil society organizations receiving USG assistance engaged in advocacy interventions and/or policy interventions that affect their communities Panama’s citizens have an improved understanding of the legislature’s operations and budget.

Determined by applicants

Number of government service providers and civil society organizations that reduce corruption opportunities in service provision. Panamanian civil society has an increased role in budget development and implementation.

Determined by applicants

Total number of civil servants having received training. Determined by applicants

Illustrative Output Indicators Illustrative output indicators for funded projects are provided below. Outputs are the results of what your organization does. For example, the number of participants who successfully complete a job-training course or received job placement through your activities are outputs.

Below are examples of required output indicators.

Example Output Indicators: Required targets:

Platforms developed to facilitate public requests for services.

3 platforms

Women that attend weekly individual counseling sessions.

20 women

The applicant should provide output and outcome indicators in addition to the required indicators listed above. Any data collection focused on individuals should be reported by gender, if possible.

The grantee will be required to collect baseline data for all the Performance Monitoring and Evaluation indicators during the first year of the project. In addition, certain terms included in the outcomes and indicators will need to be defined at the very beginning of the project so that it is possible to measure the change during and at the end of the project. Examples of such are “capacity,” “spread effect,” etc. Baseline information will be critical for both monitoring and evaluation of project progress and results.

Participants and Audiences:

Participants and audiences could include local CSOs, public private alliances, journalists, youth organizations, and government institutions such as ministries, municipalities, and judicial institutions.

B. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

B1. Available Funding This notice is subject to availability of funding. Overall grant making authority for this program is contained in the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 as amended, Economic Support Funds and several funding restrictions apply, to include country-applicant restrictions.

The Department of State reserves the right to fund any or none of the proposals submitted and reserves the right to reduce, revise, or increase the budget in accordance with the needs of the project and the availability of funds.

The Department of State may consider continuing the program funded under this award beyond the initial period of performance on a non-competitive basis subject to availability of funds, satisfactory progress of the program, and a determination that continued funding would be in the best interest of the U.S. Department of State and U.S. Government (USG).

B2. Management

The successful applicant will need to routinely collaborate with U.S. Embassy Panama through regular meetings and conference calls to discuss progress, challenges, emerging topics, etc.

The successful applicant must ensure that all funds are used in a manner consistent with any applicable restrictions on funding. See D5 below for funding restrictions.

Section C. ELIGILIBITY INFORMATION

C1. Eligible Applicants

Eligible Entities: Applicants who are eligible to apply are U.S. non-profit/non-governmental organizations (NGOs) having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS or overseas-based NGOs, institutions of higher education, and international public organizations (IPOs) and other qualified organizations that are able to respond to the NOFO and be able to mobilize in a short period of time. Panama NGOs are highly encouraged to apply. A consortium of organizations can apply together if there is one lead organization submitting the proposal. U.S. and overseas-based Non-Governmental Organizations, and International Organizations are strongly encouraged to apply with a Panamanian NGO sub-grantee.

To be eligible for a grant award, in addition to other conditions of this NOFO, organizations must have a commitment to non‐discrimination with respect to beneficiaries and adherence to equal opportunity employment practices. Non‐discrimination includes equal treatment without regard to race, religion, ethnicity, gender, and political affiliation.

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.

The Department of State will issue an award to the Applicant whose application represents the best value to the U.S. Government based on technical merit, efficient use of U.S. Government funds, and satisfactory organizational capacity. The Department of State reserves the right to make an award based on the initial application received with or without discussion or negotiations.

U.S. Embassy Panama encourages applications from potential new partners.

C2. Cost Sharing or Matching

The non-Federal share of costs, frequently called “cost share” or “matching costs”, refers to that portion of the project or program costs not borne by the Federal Government. This may include cash and third-party in-kind contributions. These costs must reflect the realistic capacity of the applicants and any third-party contributors.

Cost-sharing is not required. Providing cost-sharing, matching, or cost participation is not an eligibility requirement for this funding opportunity and will not be factored in during the merit review of proposals.

Note: If cost-share is included in the budget, the applicant must maintain written records to support all allowable costs that are claimed as its contribution to cost-share, as well as costs to be paid by the Federal government. Such records are subject to audit. In the event the applicant does not meet the minimum amount of cost-sharing as stipulated in the applicant’s budget, Department of State will have the option to reduce its contribution in proportion to the organization’s contribution or hold the organization accountable for the amount specified in the approved budget.

C3. Other Eligibility Requirements

Applicants listed on the Excluded Parties List System (EPLS) in the System for Award Management (SAM) are not eligible to apply for an assistance award in accordance with the OMB guidelines at 2 CFR 180 that implement Executive Orders 12549 (3 CFR, 1986 Comp., p.

189) and 12689 (3 CFR, 1989 Comp., p. 235), “Debarment and Suspension.” 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 to ensure that no ineligible entity is included.

Organizations must have a commitment to equal opportunity employment practices and to non-discrimination practices regarding beneficiaries, without regard to race, religion, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, or political affiliation.

Organizations may only submit one application per organization. If more than one application is submitted by an organization, only the first application received will be reviewed for eligibility and funding.

Section D. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

D1. Address to Request Application Package

Applicants can find application forms on www.grants.gov under the announcement title and funding opportunity number provided above.

Once the NOFO deadline has passed, the Department of State may not discuss this competition with any applicant until the proposal review process has been completed.

D2. Content and Form of Application Submission

Please follow both, the PSI and the NOFO, to ensure that the proposal package submission is in full compliance with the requirements. Please follow the guidelines in the attached Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) for additional application submission instructions, including https://grants.gov/ information on required documents and format. Proposal submissions that do not meet all the requirements outlined in this NOFO and the associated PSI will not be considered.

Any prospective applicant who has questions concerning the contents of this NOFO should submit them by email to the contacts listed in Section G. Please refer to the funding opportunity number and title. Any updates about this NOFO will also be posted on www.grants.gov.

D3. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM.gov)

Required Registrations:

All organizations, whether based in the United States or in another country, must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and an active registration with the SAM.gov (this is the official USG website and there is no cost to use this site). A UEI is one of the data elements mandated by Public Law 109-282, the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA), for all Federal awards.

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

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

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

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

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

• Please note that as of November 2022 and February 2022 respectively, organizations based outside of the United States that do not intend to apply for U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) awards are no longer required to have a NATO Commercial and Government Entity (NCAGE) code or CAGE code to apply for non- DoD foreign assistance funding opportunities. If an applicant organization is mid-registration and wishes to remove a CAGE or NCAGE code from their SAM.gov registration, the applicant should submit a help desk ticket (“incident”) with the Federal Service Desk (FSD) online at www.fsd.gov using the following language: “I do not intend to seek financial assistance from the Department of Defense. I do not http://www.grants.gov/ https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fsd.gov%2Fgsafsd_sp%3Fid%3Dgsafsd_kb_articles%26sys_id%3Dc81018e71b1601d0937fa64ce54bcb57&data=05%7C01%7Cfjeldkk%40state.gov%7C0cc4e2b471f44abcd32308db093ecead%7C66cf50745afe48d1a691a12b2121f44b%7C0%7C0%7C638113937577534024%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=W2ShcazZBQbanYGj0cLOTnUJwv%2BGL4xfwr83%2BycQY2E%3D&reserved=0 https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fsd.gov%2F&data=05%7C01%7Cfjeldkk%40state.gov%7C0cc4e2b471f44abcd32308db093ecead%7C66cf50745afe48d1a691a12b2121f44b%7C0%7C0%7C638113937577534024%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=t32ANWzgpiB93pMWoq%2BFCSHz4YJY9QF1S1iQzCsS6RM%3D&reserved=0 wish to obtain a CAGE or NCAGE code. I understand that I will need to submit my registration after this incident is resolved in order to have my registration activated.”

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

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

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

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

NCAGE Homepage:

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

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

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

• For an applicant, if the Federal awarding agency makes a determination that there are exigent circumstances that prohibit the applicant from receiving a unique entity identifier and completing SAM registration prior to receiving a Federal award. In these instances, Federal awarding agencies must require the recipient to obtain a unique entity identifier and complete SAM registration within 30 days of the Federal award date.

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.

D4. Submission Dates and Times

Applicants are urged to begin the application process well before the submission deadline as stated on page 3. No exceptions will be made for organizations that have not completed the necessary steps. Grants.gov automatically log the date and time an application submission is 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 made, and the Department of State will use this information to determine whether an application has been submitted on time. Applications received after the deadline will not be considered.

D5. Restrictions

The following activities and costs are not covered under this announcement (this list is NOT exhaustive):

• Construction or renovations is not an allowable activity under this award;

• Projects intended primarily for the growth or institutional development of the applicant organization;

• Projects seeking funds for personal use;

• Administration of a project that will make a profit;

• Expenses incurred before or after the specified dates of award period of performance (unless prior written approval is received);

• Projects designed to advocate policy views or positions of foreign governments or

• views of a particular political faction;

• Alcoholic beverages;

• Costs of entertainment, including amusement, diversion, and social activities, and any associated costs, are unallowable, except where specific costs that might otherwise be considered entertainment have a programmatic purpose and are authorized either in the approved budget for the federal award or with prior written approval of the Grants Officer.

Representation by Organization Regarding a Delinquent Tax Liability or a Felony Criminal Conviction: In accordance with section 7073 of Division K of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014 (Public Law 113-76) none of the funds made available by that Act may be used to enter into an assistance award with any organization that –

(1) Was “convicted of a felony criminal violation under any Federal law within the preceding 24 months, where the awarding agency has direct knowledge of the conviction, unless the agency has considered, in accordance with its procedures, that this further action is not necessary to protect the interests of the Government”; or

(2) Has any “unpaid Federal tax liability that has been assessed for which all judicial and administrative remedies have been exhausted or have lapsed, and that is not being paid in a timely manner pursuant to an agreement with the authority responsible for collecting the tax liability, unless the Federal agency has considered, in accordance with its procedures, that this further action is not necessary to protect the interests of the Government.”

For the purposes of Section 7073, it is the Department of State’s policy that no award may be made to any organization covered by (1) or (2) above, unless the Procurement Executive has made a written determination that suspension or debarment is not necessary to protect the interests of the U.S. Government.

D6. Other Submission Requirements

It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that it has an active registration in Grants.gov and that an application has been received by the system in its entirety. Department of State bears no responsibility for disqualification that results from applicants not being registered before the due date or for data errors resulting from transmission or conversion processes.

Technical Format Requirements

For all application documents, please ensure:

1. All pages are numbered, including budgets and attachments,

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

3. All Microsoft Word documents are single-spaced, 12-point Calibri font, with a minimum of

1-inch margins.

Complete applications must include the following for proposal submissions:

1. Completed Cover Sheet that includes a project title, name of the solicitation organization, and Unique Entity Identifier (UEI). (See Tab F)

2. Completed and signed SF-424, SF-424a [and SF424b,] submitted to Grants.gov, as well as, if applicable, your organization’s most recent audit.

3. Table of Contents (not to exceed one [1] page in Microsoft Word) that includes a page-numbered contents page, including any attachments.

4. Executive Summary (not to exceed two [2] pages in Microsoft Word) that includes:

a) The target country,

b) Name and contact information for the project’s main point of contact,

c) A statement of work or synopsis of the project, including a concise breakdown of the project’s objectives, activities, and expected results,

d) The total amount of funding requested and project length, and

e) A brief statement on how the project is innovative, sustainable, and will have a demonstrated impact.

5. Proposal Narrative (not to exceed ten [10] pages in Microsoft Word). Please note the ten-page limit does not include the Table of Contents, Executive Summary, Attachments, Detailed Budget, Budget Narrative, or NICRA. Applicants are encouraged to submit multiple documents in a single Microsoft Word, (i.e., Table of Contents, Executive Summary, Proposal Narrative, and Budget Narrative in one file).

6. Budget Narrative (preferably in Microsoft Word) that includes an explanation and justification for each line item in the detailed budget spreadsheet, as well as the source and a description of all cost share offered. For ease of review, U.S. Embassy Panama recommends applicants order the budget narrative as presented in the detailed budget. Project management and/or personnel costs should include a clarification of the roles and responsibilities of key staff and percentage of time devoted to the project. The budget narrative should communicate to U.S. Embassy Panama any information that might not be readily apparent in the budget, not simply repeat with words what is stated numerically in the budget.

7. Detailed Line-Item Budget (preferably in Microsoft Excel) that includes three [3] columns including the request to U.S. Embassy Panama, any cost-sharing contribution (not required), and total budget (see below for more information on budget format). A summary budget should also be included using the OMB-approved budget categories (see SF-424 as a sample).

Costs must be in U.S. dollars.

8. Attachments (not to exceed nine [9] pages total, preferably in Microsoft Word) that include the following in order:

a) Page 1-2: Project Monitoring Plan (see below for more information on this section).

b) Page 3: Roles and responsibilities of key project personnel with short bios that highlight relevant professional experience. This relates to the organization’s capacity. Given the limited space, CVs are not recommended for submission.

c) Page 4: Timeline of the overall proposal. Components should include activities, and project closeout.

d) Page 5-7: Additional optional attachments. Attachments may include further timeline information, letters of support, memoranda of understanding (MOU)/agreement, etc.

For applicants with a large number of letters/MOUs, it may be useful to provide a list of the organizations or government agencies that support the project rather than the actual documentation.

9. Applicants with a negotiated indirect cost rate agreement (NICRA) must include the latest NICRA as a .pdf file if including NICRA charges in the budget. This document will not be reviewed by the panelists, but rather used by U.S Embassy Panama project and grant staff if the submission is recommended for funding and therefore does not count against the submission page limitations, as described above. If the applicant’s proposal involves sub-grants to organizations charging indirect costs, please submit the applicable NICRA also as a .pdf file (see below for more information on indirect cost rates). Applicants must specify if their organization instead elects to charge the de minimis rate of 10% of the modified total direct costs.

Note: U.S. Embassy Panama retains the right to request additional documentation for those items not included on this form.

Information on Standard Forms

Please see Tab D for instructions for completion of Standard Forms 424, 424A, and 424B.

Link to templates:

Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 2 CFR 200 Organizations should be familiar with 2 CFR 200 on cost accounting principles. For a copy of the 2 CFR 200, please contact Government Publications or download from http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title02/2cfr200_main_02.tpl. Non U.S.-based nonprofit organizations are legally required to comply with 2 CFR 200.

https://pa.usembassy.gov/carsi/ http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title02/2cfr200_main_02.tpl http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title02/2cfr200_main_02.tpl

Audits

The recipient’s proposal should include the cost of an audit that:

1. Complies with the requirements of 2 CFR 200 Subpart F “Audit Requirements;”

2. Complies with the requirements of American Institute of Certified Public Accountants

(AICPA) Statement of Position (SOP) No. 92-9, "Audits of Not-for-Profit Organizations Receiving Federal Awards;"

3. Complies with AICPA Codification of Statements on Auditing Standards AU Section 551, "Reporting on Information Accompanying the Basic Financial Statements in Auditor- Submitted Documents," where applicable. When the U.S. Department of State is the largest direct source of Federal financial assistance (i.e., the cognizant Federal Agency) and indirect costs are charged to Federal grants, a supplemental schedule of indirect cost computation is required;

4. A non-Federal entity that expends $750,000 or more during the non-Federal entity's fiscal year in Federal awards must have a single or program-specific audit conducted for that year in accordance with the provisions of 2 CFR 200 subpart F.

The audit costs shall be identified by 2 CFR 200.425.

Indirect Cost Rate

An organization with a negotiated indirect cost rate agreement (NICRA) negotiated with a cognizant Federal government agency other than the U.S. Department of State must include a copy of the cost-rate agreement. Applicants should indicate in the proposal budget how the rate is applied and if any of the rate will be cost-shared. Per 2 CFR 200.414, any non-Federal entity that has never received a negotiated indirect cost rate, except for those non-Federal entities described in Appendix VII to Part 200—States and Local Government and Indian Tribe Indirect Cost Proposals, paragraph D.1.b, may elect to charge a de minimis rate of 10% of modified total direct costs (MTDC), which may be used indefinitely. As described in 2 CFR 200.403, factors affecting allowability of costs, costs must be consistently charged as either indirect or direct costs but may not be double charged or inconsistently charged as both. If chosen, this methodology once elected must be used consistently for all Federal awards until such time as a non-Federal entity chooses to negotiate for a rate, which the non-Federal entity may apply to do at any time.

All application materials must be submitted through www.Grants.gov or SAMS Domestic.

Section E. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

E1. Criteria

The Department of State will issue an award to the applicant whose proposal represents the best value to the U.S. Government based on technical merit, efficient use of U.S. Government funds, and satisfactory organizational capacity. In addition, the organization must demonstrate adequate financial management capability to be measured by a responsibility determination.

Applications should contain the applicant’s best terms from both cost and technical standpoints. The implementing partners (sub-recipients) of the primary Recipient will be subject to Department of State approval.

Eligible applications will be evaluated by an independent review panel consisting of subject matter experts from other Department of State bureaus/or offices, U.S. Embassies, and/or other U.S. Government agencies. Final approval resides with the Department of State Grants Officer. The decision for the final eligibility and award determination rests with the Grants Officer.

The following criteria will serve as a standard, which all eligible applications will be evaluated against. Each eligible application will be evaluated and scored on the review criteria using a 100-point scale.

The review panel will apply the following criteria when rating proposals:

1. Quality and Feasibility of Project Idea (20 points)

• Responsive to the solicitation (4 points)

• Appropriate in the country/regional context (4)

• Exhibits originality, substance, and precision (4)

• Prioritizes innovation, but is feasible (4)

• In countries where similar activities are already taking place, provides an explanation as to how new activities will not duplicate or merely add to existing activities (4)

2. Organizational Capacity and Record of Performance (10 points):

• The proposal demonstrates an institutional record of successful programs in the proposed country, the content area (e.g., media, access to justice), or other (describe) (4)

• Personnel and institutional resources are adequate and appropriate to achieve the project's objectives (2)

• Roles, responsibilities, and brief bios/resumes are included for primary staff, and demonstrate relevant professional experience (2)

• Applicant is a current/past Embassy grantee where performance: (2) o Was/is on target o…