NOFO (CWT) Africa - FINAL 1-16-2025.pdf

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.U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE

Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL)

Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)

Announcement Type: Request for Federal Assistance Award Applications

Funding Opportunity Title: Countering Wildlife Trafficking in Africa

Funding Opportunity Number: DFOP0017129

Program: Countering Wildlife Trafficking

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number:

19.705 - Transnational Crime

Total Funding Available: $4,000,000 U.S. Dollars

Funding Source: Post-Funds

Application Ceiling:

Applicants can refer to the specific goals on page 5 to see the maximum request for their proposal.

Application Floor:

Applicants can refer to the specific goals on page 5 to see the minimum request for their proposal.

Anticipated Number of Awards: 3 awards

Initial Project Implementation Length: 24 months unless otherwise specified

Estimated Project Start Date: June 2025

NOFO Issuance Date: January 16, 2025

Deadline for Submission of Questions: February 17, 2025 by 11:59 PM EST via email

Deadline for Submission of Applications:

March 17, 2025 by 11:59 PM EST via www.grants.gov

Assistance Type: Grant (GR)

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:

Najar Starr (StarrND@state.gov) - GO Damaris Thompson ThompsonDA@state.gov Nick Sedgley (SedgleySB@state.gov)

BUREAU MISSION

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

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

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

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

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

mailto:StarrND@state.gov mailto:ThompsonDA@state.gov mailto:SedgleySB@state.gov

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

A. PROJECT DESCRIPTION

B. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

C. ELIGILIBITY INFORMATION

D. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

E. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

F. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

APPENDIX A: PERFORMANCE MONITORING PLAN

APPENDIX B: PROJECT RISK ANALYSIS

APPENDIX C: BUDGET AND BUDGET NARRATIVE

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A. PROJECT DESCRIPTION

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

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

Priority Region/Countries: Kenya, Tanzania

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

Program Vision: This program seeks to enhance law enforcement and justice sector efforts to counter wildlife and timber trafficking, ultimately helping to disrupt trafficking operations, and removing opportunities for criminal organizations to profit from illicit proceeds derived from these illegal trades.

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

Strategic goals and objectives are listed below with associated award ceilings and floors. Applicants should address only one strategic goal per application but may address one or more objectives.

Applicants may submit one application per goal. Applications that address more than one objective will not be given preference over ones that address only one – instead applications will be evaluated on their merit and anticipated impact. Where single countries are listed, each application may encompass any or all the objectives listed for that country and may include cross-border activities with neighboring countries where appropriate.

Applicants are encouraged to propose innovative solutions within the scope of the objectives, but activities should be specific and appropriate to the country and/or regional context. Proposals must include one or more of the target regions listed.

INL is interested in supporting programs that will deliver long-term institutional change to the challenges of the target countries and have the support of government partners within the criminal justice sector. INL encourages proposals that present a long-term vision, and strategically selected

5 | P a g e activities based on needs, the organization’s comparative advantage and expertise, and the funding landscape of other key stakeholders. Applicants should propose sustainable solutions that impact the root issue and will achieve improved practices beyond the lifetime of the agreement. Applicants provide a summary of their organizational strategic goals in the target country, and how the proposal supports that plan.

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

INL will prioritize proposals with the highest demonstrated government buy-in and support.

1. Kenya Individual Award Ceiling: $:1,500,000 Individual Award floor: $1,00,000 Anticipated number of Awards: 2-3

Countries/Areas: Kenya

In September 2024 the Kenya Wildlife Service released their 5-year strategic plan that outlines their priorities across all sectors of the service. Most notably to INL’s mission, KWS identified the strategic objective to control the illegal trade in and trafficking of wildlife and wildlife products under Key Result Area 1. The goal and objectives listed below are intended to help KWS meet their priorities to combat wildlife trafficking through discrete interventions that will build enforcement capacity and organizational systems that will modernize and professionalize the service.

Goal 1: Kenyan law enforcement are properly trained and equipped to better interdict, investigate, and combat wildlife trafficking

Objective 1.1: Rangers and other KWS law enforcement officers are trained professionals in basic, advanced, and specialized skills with clear career trajectories.

Objective 1.2: KWS maintains robust technology systems and domain awareness platforms to inform KWS leadership and decision makers to wildlife trafficking threats across the country.

Objective 1.3: KWS can effectively react to wildlife trafficking threats in border areas.

Objective 1.4: KWS can protect critically endangered species from poaching threats in Tsavo West National Park.

2. Tanzania Individual Award Ceiling: $1,000,000 Individual Award floor: $300,000 Anticipated number of Awards: 1-2

Countries/Areas: Tanzania

Tanzania faces persistent challenges in combating wildlife trafficking, including limited law enforcement capacity, inconsistent interagency coordination, and the vastness of its https://www.tourism.go.ke/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/KWS-DRAFT-BoT-Validated-Final.pdf

6 | P a g e protected areas, which complicate enforcement efforts. Key areas like those surrounding Lake Tanganyika are particularly vulnerable, serving as transit routes for organized criminal networks trafficking high-value wildlife products into neighboring countries such as Zambia and Burundi. Furthermore, gaps in the integration of Tanzania’s National Strategy to Combat Poaching and Illegal Wildlife Trade across zonal operations leave critical regions exposed to poaching and trafficking threats.

Goal 2: Strengthen Tanzanian law enforcement capacity to combat wildlife trafficking through improved training, resource optimization, and strategic coordination.

Objective 1.1: TAWA law enforcement officers are trained professionals in basic, advanced, and specialized skills with clear career trajectories.

Objective 1.2: TAWA can facilitate the integration of Tanzania’s updated National Strategy to Combat Poaching and Illegal Wildlife Trade at the zonal level by aligning TAWA’s operational plans and activities with strategic priorities.

Objective 1.3: TAWA can strengthen and expand their Rapid Reaction Team (RRT) framework to ensure comprehensive coverage and effective implementation across all key zones with the use of equipment and technology.

Objective 1.4: Tanzanian law enforcement has a better understanding of wildlife and timber-related offenses along Lake Tanganyika’s border with Zambia, DRC, and Burundi to inform targeted enforcement and transboundary collaboration.

Project activities and deliverables: At a minimum, applicants should be prepared to provide INL with the following deliverables dependent upon the activities and interventions proposed:

• Training modules and curriculums (prior to release).

• All reports produced with INL support (trade analysis, gap analysis, baseline assessments) (prior to release).

• Summary outcomes of workshops and seminars convened with INL support.

• Additional deliverables may be identified following award.

Evaluation Criteria: Applications will be judged and selected on their ability to achieve the goal and objectives and have host country buy-in and commitment to implement the proposed activities.

Letters of support from each of the host governments are required, and memorandums of understanding (MOUs) between the applicant and the host government lead agency are preferred.

Applicants should address only one strategic goal per application but may address one or more objectives within that goal. Applicants can only submit one application per goal, but may apply to multiple goals.

Applications should propose activities consistent with one or more of the proposed objectives.

Applicants are encouraged to propose innovative solutions within the scope of the goals and objectives, but activities should be achievable, specific and appropriate to the country and/or regional context.

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Applicants are encouraged to propose innovative solutions within the scope of the objectives, but activities should be specific and appropriate to the country and/or regional context. Applicants should work to identify baseline capacity levels and goals, existing and past project efforts, and previous implementation issues when building a proposal. Applicants should also display an understanding of national policies, governmental structures and entities.

Applicants should ensure that all activities undertaken to support rangers are consistent with the International Ranger Code of Conduct and/or guidelines including but not limited to the Global Ranger Competencies. Resources - International Rangers Federation.

More information regarding the evaluation process can be found on page 21.

Deconfliction: Proposals should ensure that they deconflict with and complement similar programs taking place within the focus country/region. INL encourages applicants demonstrate knowledge of similar efforts in the target region and ensure that their proposals complement rather than duplicate this work.

Monitoring and Evaluation: INL is working to become a more strategic, agile, and effective organization. Sound design, monitoring, and evaluation (DME) is critical to all of these efforts. Strong DME drives greater results both by reorienting from a focus on activities to a focus on outcomes and by fostering learning. To collect useful monitoring data, projects must have clear, change-oriented goals and objectives, each with at least one valid indicator. The purpose of the Design and Monitoring Requirements is to ensure INL and partners:

• Know what specific results a given project is trying to achieve;

• Lay out a clear plan for how to achieve the expected results; and

• Have a plan to monitor progress toward expected results such that the results of a project can be systematically measured.

Change Standard: Goals and objectives must describe the desired results rather than project Activities. To ensure you meet the change standard for projects, check that:

• The goal or objective statement is a complete sentence; and

• The sentence starts with the project beneficiary or government partner – NOT INL, the third-party implementing partner, or a project deliverable.

Thttps://inlvideos.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/inlchangestandardmodule/story.html

Clarity Standard: Goals and objectives must provide a specific definition of success. To ensure you meet the clarity standard for projects, check that the statement meets the change standard, and:

• The subject of the goal statement must be a specific and observable group of individuals who should all know or do the same thing;

• The goal or objective statement describes either the knowledge, skills, or beliefs to be acquired; or the observable actions or behaviors to be practiced

Valid Indicator: All goals and objectives must have at least one valid indicator. To meet the valid indicator requirement, check that the goal or objective statement meets the change and clarity standards, and that the indicator itself is:

• Quantitative (usually starting with “number of…” or “percentage of…”)

• Concrete (avoiding abstract concepts and instead describing what to count or calculate)

• A Conceptual Match (i.e., the indicator captures the concept described in the goal or https://www.internationalrangers.org/resources/#guidelines https://inlvideos.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/inlchangestandardmodule/story.html

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Note: If the goal or objective statement includes more than one result, there should be multiple indicators, and this set of indicators should capture the whole of the results. Activities can and should have indicators to track whether project implementation is occurring as expected, and to empower both INL program officers and implementing partners to change course if not. (For example, if training is a major project activity, there should probably be indicators about the number of trainings and the number of trainees.) However, not all activities need indicators; too much monitoring impedes implementation, and too much data obscures what really matters. For better or worse, there is no formula to provide specific direction about what to monitor.

For more information the following online, self-paced, interactive videos are available to INL partners to help explain each Requirement:

• INL Change Standard Module

• INL Clarity Standard Module

• INL Valid Indicator Module

Participants and Audiences: Applicants should identify target audiences, specific demographics, and the geographic areas in which the project will be implemented. It is particularly important to specify the approximate number of beneficiaries to be directly and indirectly impacted by project activities.

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

We encourage proposals that are innovative, leverage existing partnerships and technologies, and engage, empower, and support the development of local NGOs and partner organizations within the focus countries. INL encourages local NGOs to be active partners in program design, management, and implementation.

Social Safeguards The proposal must clearly articulate an understanding of how the work outlined in the proposal may negatively impact local communities (including human rights considerations), if relevant. Applicants must provide a detailed social safeguards plan within their risk analysis that clearly outlines the social risks and measures applicants will put in place to mitigate those risks. It is incumbent upon the applicant to write a social safeguards plan tailored to their organization and proposed program. Social safeguarding plans should include the following components. If for whatever reason the applicant cannot implement any of the below components, the applicant should provide a justification why the organization or context make those interventions unfeasible.

• The applicant outlines how the project may negatively impact local communities

• The social safeguards plan includes redress mechanisms that are accessible to stakeholders, appropriate to the sociocultural context, and ensure the safety and security of complainants.

• Applicant has a process to investigate allegations of human rights abuses, and any investigations and/or decisions are undertaken in a consistent, credible, and objective manner.

https://inlvideos.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/inlchangestandardmodule/story.html https://inlvideos.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/INLClarityApril2024/story.html https://inlvideos.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/ValidIndicator/story.html

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• The applicant has institutionalized policies including but not limited to Codes of Ethics and Codes of Conduct.

• The applicant has established SOPs for enforcement and rules of engagement. Human rights training is embedded into curricula.

More information on this additional requirement can be found on page 19.

Project Expansion: INL is interested in supporting long-term, sustainable solutions to the challenges in the target countries. If the project is successful, INL will consider the option of an award modification to expand the project to other areas, 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.

2. Assistance Type

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

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;

• Active collaboration with the recipient in the implementation of the award

• Approval of Monitoring and Evaluation Plan

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

3. Funding Notices

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

Length of performance period: 24 months (unless otherwise specified)

Anticipated program start date: June 2025

Number of awards anticipated: 3 awards (dependent on amounts)

Award amounts: awards range are specified in the goals and objectives pages

Total available funding: $5,000,000

Type of Funding: INCLE Funds under the Foreign Assistance Act

C. ELIGILIBITY INFORMATION

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

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

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

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

• Foreign-based educational institutions

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

• Letters of support from each of the primary host government partners

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

• Applicants should address only one strategic goal per application but may address one or more objectives. Applicants may submit one application per goal. Organizations may form a consortium and submit a combined proposal, however one organization should be designated as the lead applicant and other organization(s) listed as sub-recipient partner(s).

• To be eligible to receive a federal assistance award, organizations must have a commitment to non‐discrimination with respect to beneficiaries and adherence to equal opportunity employment practices. INL is committed to an anti-discrimination policy in

11 | P a g e all of its programs and activities. INL welcomes applications irrespective of an applicant’s race, ethnicity, color, creed, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or other status.

• All applicants must provide a workplace free from harassment and bullying for all individuals, including but not limited to cooperative agreement/grant personnel and INL personnel.

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

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

D. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

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

1. How to Apply and Submit Questions

This opportunity is posted on www.grants.gov, along with all required application forms and, where applicable, templates for application documents. Applications and all supporting documents must be submitted via www.grants.gov. INL reserves the right to reject any applications submitted through improper channels. Some frequently asked questions are also included as appendix to the NOFO.

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

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

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

Standard Application Forms

SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance – Organizations)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Executive Summary: Provide a synopsis of the project.

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

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

Gender, Equity, and Inclusion Analysis: Include in your proposal an analysis that addresses the ways in which women, gender diverse persons, and members of other marginalized and underrepresented groups (as specified in the “Participants and Audiences” section above) might affect and be affected differently by your work, including a consideration of their safe and meaningful participation. Strengthen your proposal by incorporating the results of this gender, equity and inclusion analysis into your project design. Include a description of how you will minimize any inequities and identified potential risks.

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

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

Performance Monitoring Plan

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

• Change Map (see template) or equivalent

• Illustrative Performance Indicator Reference Sheet (see template)

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

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

2. Number of successful enforcement actions by arrests, prosecutions, convictions, and sentencing

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

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

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

Note 2: INL may require the grantee to report quarterly performance report information in INL’s DevResults database.

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. The risk analysis should also include the Social Safeguards Plan that articulates an understanding of how the work outlined in the proposal may negatively impact local communities (including human rights considerations), if relevant. A template is included under the Related Documents section of this NOFO announcement on 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.

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

Project Budget and Cost Documents

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

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

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

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

Budget Narrative

The Budget Narrative is a companion document to the summary and detailed budgets, and must be submitted in word document format. A template is included under the Related Documents section of this NOFO announcement on www.grants.gov. Refer to Appendix C for additional guidance on drafting a Budget Narrative.

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

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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

15% de minimis Rate:

The applicant can elect to charge a de minimis rate of 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 15% de minimis rate.)

If the applicant elects to utilize the 15% de minimis rate, that rate is then applicable for the entire period of performance of that award. Should the applicant negotiate and obtain a NICRA, it may not be applied to an award already using the 15% de minimis rate.

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

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

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

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

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

FY2025 INL Applicant Pre-Award Risk Survey This risk survey reviews the applicant organization’s financial capacity, policies, and infrastructure. The FY2025 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 FY2025 INL Applicant Pre-Award Risk Survey submission requirement.

Organizational Audit

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If the applicant organization is required to undergo an audit (per regulations outlined in 2 CFR 200.500 – Subpart F), a complete copy of the organization’s most-recent audit must be submitted. (The Single audit report is an additional requirement for domestic and foreign organizations that spend $1,000,000 or more in federal funds in the fiscal year. The submission of the financial statement is not a substitute for a single audit report nor does not satisfy the organizational audit submission 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 FY2025 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 8 ½ x 11 inch paper, and

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

4. Required Entity and Account Registrations for Applicants

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

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

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

Unique Entity Identifier (UEI)

All organizations, whether based in the United States or in another country, must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI). 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 assigned UEI does not expire.

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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.

System for Award Management (SAM.gov) and NCAGE Code

Prior to submitting an application in Grants.gov, organizations must register in SAM.gov and/or ensure that their SAM.gov registration is active. Organizations are required to renew their

SAM.gov registration annually.

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

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

An applicant must maintain an active SAM.gov registration while it has a proposal under review by INL 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.

Any applicant listed on the Excluded Parties List System (EPLS) in SAM.gov is not eligible to apply for an assistance award. Additionally, no entity listed on the EPLS can participate in any activities under an award. All applicants are strongly encouraged to review the EPLS in SAM.gov to ensure that no ineligible entity is included in their proposal.

Note: 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:

https://www.sam.gov/ https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fsd.gov%2Fgsafsd_sp%3Fid%3Dgsafsd_kb_articles%26sys_id%3Dc81018e71b1601d0937fa64ce54bcb57&data=05%7C01%7Cfjeldkk%40state.gov%7C0cc4e2b471f44abcd32308db093ecead%7C66cf50745afe48d1a691a12b2121f44b%7C0%7C0%7C638113937577534024%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=W2ShcazZBQbanYGj0cLOTnUJwv%2BGL4xfwr83%2BycQY2E%3D&reserved=0 https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=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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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 a NATO Commercial and Government Entity (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):

https://eportal.nspa.nato.int/Codification/CageTool/home

Help with NCAGE Code registration issues:

• Email: ncage@nspa.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

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

5. Funding Restrictions

i. Funding Restrictions for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) https://eportal.nspa.nato.int/AC135Public/sc/CageList.aspx https://eportal.nspa.nato.int/Codification/CageTool/home mailto:ncage@nspa.nato.int mailto:ncage@nspa.nato.int 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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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).

E. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

1. Technical Evaluation Criteria

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

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

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

Project Analysis & Design – Total Possible Points: 50

• Analysis of the problem is insightful and accurate. Insightful analysis includes a thorough discussion of the main causes and scope of the issue the project seeks to address and discussion of who has power to effect change on the issue (10)

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

• Proposed implementation plan is: (12) o Aligned with suggested approaches and solutions o Feasible given timeline, resources, and context o Designed such that activities, if implemented according to plan, should result in achievement of program objectives; and objectives, if achieved, should result in achievement of program goals

• Proposal articulates the applicant’s holistic strategy for the target countri(es)/regions, and how the proposed activities contribute to the overall goals (2)

• Proposal identifies similar interventions ongoing in the target locations, and describe how the project will build on or complement those efforts (5)

• Proposal includes a gender, equity, and inclusion analysis addressing the ways in which women, gender diverse persons, and members of other marginalized and underrepresented groups, including those with intersecting aspects of identity, might affect and be affected by this project, (3)

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

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

• Analysis and planning for sustainability is realistic (5)

Program Monitoring and Risk – Total Possible Points: 25

• Change Map includes indicators for each goal and objective; and proposed indicators…