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Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)

.U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE

Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL)

Announcement Type: Request for Federal Assistance Award Applications

Funding Opportunity Title:

Mexico Travel and Logistics Program for Training

Support

Funding Opportunity Number: OFOP0002758

Program:

U.S.-Mexico Security Cooperation Training Assistance

Program

Catalog of Federal Domestic

Assistance (CFDA) Listing Number:

19.704 - Counternarcotics

Total Funding Available: $9,900,000.00 U.S. Dollars

Funding Source: Post-Funds

Application Ceiling: Up to $9,900,000.00 U.S. Dollars

Application Floor: At least $9,000,0000.00 U.S. Dollars

Anticipated Number of Awards: 1 award

Initial Project Implementation

Length:

24 months

Estimated Project Start Date: January 2027

NOFO Issuance Date: May 29, 2026

Deadline for Submission of

Questions:

June 29, 2026 by 11:59 PM EST via email

Deadline for Submission of Applications:

July 29, 2026 by 11:59 PM EST via www.grants.gov

Assistance Type: Cooperative Agreement (CA)

Applicant Types and

Eligibility Categories:

Organizations only.

http://www.grants.gov/

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Refer to Section C: Eligibility Information for more information.

INL Points of Contact:

Najar Starr (StarrND@state.gov) - GO

Gabriela Camacho (camachogd@state.gov) – GOR

Mexico City Grant Unit (mexicocityinlgu@state.gov) –

PO

BUREAU MISSION

The mission of the State Department’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement

Affairs (INL) is to keep Americans safe by countering crime, illegal drugs, and instability abroad.

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

mailto:StarrND@state.gov mailto:camachogd@state.gov)%20-mailto:mexicocityinlgu@state.gov

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

A. PROJECT DESCRIPTION

B. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

C. ELIGILIBITY INFORMATION

D. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

E. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

F. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

APPENDIX A: PERFORMANCE MONITORING PLAN

APPENDIX B: PROJECT RISK ANALYSIS

APPENDIX C: APPLICABLE COST PRINCIPLES, BUDGET, AND BUDGET

NARRATIVE

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A. PROJECT DESCRIPTION

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

Department of State announces an open competition for organizations to submit applications to carry out a project to provide programmatic, logistical, travel, and administrative support to advance INL

Mexico’s objectives and programs. These programs deliver training and related activities to appropriate participants in support of the objectives of the U.S.–Mexico Security Cooperation

Assistance Program. Through these efforts, the project will help strengthen regional security, counter transnational criminal threats, and advance U.S. national security interests by helping make the

United States stronger, safer, and more prosperous.

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

DevResults system. See Appendix A for more details.

Priority Region/Countries:

Mexico

United States

Central and South America

Countries within INL projects scope

Problem Statement:

The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs

(INL) in Mexico implements a large volume of projects and activities that require complex, time-sensitive coordination of travel, logistics, administrative processing, and compliance with U.S.

Government policies and procedures. These activities often involve large number of participants across multiple locations, compressed planning timelines, and evolving operational and security conditions. The scale and complexity of these efforts require dedicated technical and administrative support to ensure efficient planning, execution, and oversight. Without a dedicated, professional support mechanism, the timely and compliant execution of INL-funded training and activities would be significantly constrained, limiting INL’s ability to achieve U.S.–Mexico security cooperation objectives.

Project Goal(s) and Objectives:

Goal

Strengthen INL Mexico's capacity to deliver timely, effective law enforcement and criminal justice training programs by providing comprehensive travel and logistics coordination that advances shared security objectives for Mexico and the United States.

Project Objectives:

The project seeks to:

• Provide comprehensive logistical, administrative and occasional programmatic support to enable the planning and implementation of INL-supported activities.

• Facilitate domestic and international travel, lodging, and event logistics for participants, instructors, and subject-matter experts in compliance with U.S. Government policies and regulations.

• Maintain accurate administrative, financial, and participant records to support accountability, monitoring, and reporting requirements; and

• Support reasonable accommodation for people with disabilities, in accordance with U.S. and host government law.

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Anticipated Program Scope:

• The U.S. government estimates that approximately 3,000 to 10,000 people will attend INL events within a 12-month period. Individual events may range from small workshops with just a few participants to large trainings involving more than one hundred participants, while event duration may vary from one (1) day to up to six (6) months, with the average event lasting approximately five (5) to ten (10) days.

• In a typical month, a project activity could include the coordination of programs for 400 participants in ten Mexican states and potentially another country. Most of these participants will travel by air, while some others by bus/ferry/train or a combination, depending on their point of origin.

Project activities and deliverables:

Proposed activities should clearly demonstrate alignment with U.S. national interests and policy priorities and include mechanisms to ensure effective implementation, measurable results, and responsible stewardship of U.S. taxpayer resources.

Activities should support practical, results-oriented projects that enhances partner institutions’ ability to address shared security challenges and contributes to a safer, more stable, and more prosperous environment that advances U.S. strategic interests.

Activity 1 - Travel Documents: The award recipient is responsible for collecting from INL, or from the participants if requested by INL, before travel, their Annex 3 (this may be collected the first day of the training), bank account information, and passports (if needed). Additionally, if required by

INL, award recipient will assist participants with obtaining appropriate travel documents such as work permits (if required), immunization, costs for birth, health, PCR or antigen test, identity certificates, and other documents needed to attend the event. The award recipient should review the necessary travel requirements published on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website needed to enter the country to which the participants are traveling to. Only costs authorized by the

Cost Principles for Non-Profit Organizations (2CFR 230) will be allowed. The award recipient should maintain express mail delivery services for delivery of materials or travel documents. As an exception, local government employees traveling for official purposes funded by the INL should apply for A-2 visas. INL Mexico will submit applications to the Visa Unit.

The award recipient will work closely with INL Mexico to set reasonable deadlines for obtaining participant information to secure travel documents. In line with U.S. Department of State Leahy

Amendment vetting requirements, award recipient acknowledges that the process for vetting participants may take longer than expected and may create situations in which participants are approved with short notice before programs are set to begin. No funds will be distributed to participants until vetting (see activity 17) takes place. To the extent possible, awardee will work with the Grants Officer Representative (GOR) and the INL Mexico Program Managers to identify travel events well in advance of scheduled dates to secure optimal travel arrangements and pricing. As part of regular reporting, award recipient will provide INL with data on advance times for requests received, to help identify opportunities for process improvements and more efficient scheduling.

Activity 2 - Travel Advances and Reimbursement: When required, the award recipient shall provide participants, instructors, subject matter experts (SME), and speakers with a travel advance up to the maximum per diem amount authorized by the U.S. Department of State or a lesser amount as determined by the award recipient and INL. The applicant shall ensure the participant receives the travel advance with sufficient time, no later than three (3) working days prior to departure, to reduce the financial burden associated with the event. The award recipient will provide participants with a

6 | P a g e monetary travel advance before travel to cover meals, incidentals, etc. whenever possible. The advance can be in form of cash in exceptional circumstances with prior approval from INL, and when no other secure method of payment is available, wire transfer, direct deposit or any other means not prohibited by U.S. or local laws.

The award recipient is encouraged to maintain both U.S. and Mexican bank accounts and to use accounts that do not generate interest. Awardee will provide reimbursement for costs associated with travel, to include per diem, baggage fees, incidentals, taxis, buses, weapons fees when required

(WEAP), etc. in accordance with INL policies.

Activity 3 - Airline Tickets/Air Transportation: When required, the organization shall provide round-trip airline tickets for travel for students, participants, speakers, instructors, and SMEs as required. The award recipient cannot buy any fare labelled as FIRST or BUSINESS or ECONOMY

PLUS. All flight arrangements must comply with the Fly America Act. The award recipient shall verify participant information such as names in passports, vetting and visas before purchasing e-tickets. Awardee will be responsible for oversight of all arrivals and departures and shall make every effort to avoid unused tickets by booking the lowest cost, fully refundable fares that allow changes without penalty to the extent possible. The award recipient will be responsible for ensuring an adequate budget for international air travel. Tickets exceeding $5,000.00 require approval from INL

Mexico Security Assistance Operations (SAO) .

The award recipient can work with reputable travel agencies in Mexico and the U.S. to make airline reservations for the referred travels and will exercise due diligence to ensure the purchase price of airline tickets consistent with the booking policy outlined above, and advantageous to the U.S.

Government. The award recipient is only authorized to purchase e-tickets for official routes and dates.

Any changes for personal convenience, outside of INL operations, are the responsibility of the traveler, and INL will not cover associated costs. No cost construct or extended trips are authorized.

Award recipient shall confirm with the travel agency if all the booked participants were confirmed passengers for all air transportation activities. The award recipient is responsible for notifying INL of any participants cancellations or no-shows.

Activity 4 - Health, Travel, and Personal Property Insurance: When required, the award recipient shall provide each participant, when traveling outside Mexico, with up to the maximum amount of insurance authorized by the FTR or 2 CFR 200. Award recipient must ensure that all participants, speakers, SME’s, Students, etc. have the appropriate level of insurance before the trip begins.

International travel insurance coverage should include pre-existent conditions reimbursement for over $80,000.00. Government of Mexico participants do not require national insurance since they have domestic health insurance. The insurance contracted by the organization must include expenses related to any appropriate health phenomenon.

Activity 5 - Ground Transportation: When required, the award recipient shall arrange ground transportation for individuals or groups to support INL events. Ground transportation may include taxis, rented vehicles (sedans, pickup trucks, vans, or buses) or other commercially available options, and may involve travel by bus/ train/ ferry or a combination depending on participants’ departure location. When traveling by public bus or taxi these costs should be handled by reimbursement.

Ground transportation could include transportation to and from hotels to meeting facilities, to and from the airport and hotel, between sites of interest, etc. The award recipient shall ensure participants arrive at the event location at least 15 minutes before the event begins and shall take the necessary measures to ensure vehicles comply with Government of Mexico and U.S. Government safety standards.

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When required by the U.S. Embassy Regional Security Office in Mexico, the recipient organization shall take appropriate security measures to protect the safety of participants during the ground transportation process which may include the use of armored vehicles. Drivers hired by the award recipient may need to obtain clearances for accessing government facilities

In cases of operational travel, the award recipient must provide boat, airplane, bus, and vehicle fuel for task force use on an ad-hoc basis. Procurement will be structured for a specific location, specific type of vehicle, and authorized Government of Mexico unit.

As a general practice, the recipient will arrange and provide ground transportation services (e.g., hired vehicles, buses) or participants will utilize commercial ground transportation such as taxis or ride-share services. In limited and justified circumstances, an invitational traveler (including a participant, subject matter expert, speaker, or instructor) may be authorized to rent a vehicle directly when no reasonable or secure alternative mode of transportation is available. Such arrangements must be approved in advance by the INL Grants Officer’s Representative (GOR) and supported by written justification.

When rental vehicles are procured directly by invitational travelers and reimbursed under the award, reimbursement of rental costs and associated insurance shall follow U.S. Government travel regulations. Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) and Loss Damage Waiver (LDW) are not reimbursable for rentals within the United States but may be reimbursed for overseas rentals when required by local law or standard commercial practice and when no U.S. Government contract rate including insurance is available.

Activity 6 - Lodging: When required, the award recipient is responsible for arranging and prepaying lodging for participants, SME’s and instructors. Lodging may include hotels, apartments or similar accommodations that must comply with the applicable U.S. Department of State per diem rates for the location.

In some cases, the U.S. government may secure lodging at academy dormitories or other facilities. In these cases, the award recipient award recipient shall coordinate lodging arrangements directly with

USG representative responsible for the event. If dormitory-style accommodations are used, the award recipient may be required to provide bedding supplies such as pillows, blankets, and other associated supplies.

The award recipient shall ensure that all accommodations are of adequate size to accommodate one or two adults and take the necessary measures to ensure lodging facilities meet USG or Government of Mexico sanitary and safety standards. The award recipient should prioritize leases with lodging providers with flexible cancellation policies, including agreement avoiding cancellation fees and those offering courtesy rooms and/or meeting rooms or parking. The award recipient should negotiate prepaid lodging, when possible, to avoid participant, SME, or instructors’ payment and reimbursement. When required, the award recipient should negotiate with hotels so that a guaranteed deposit is not required from the participants. Participants shall only be required to provide a credit card for incidentals as required by hotel policy.

Per guidance of INL, the award recipient on a case-by-case basis could be required to competitively bid longer-term lodging stays. The organization must send to the INL Program Assistants proof of payment of the lodging of speakers, SMEs, instructors, etc., and POC that confirms that accommodation has been paid and thus avoids the participants being charged to their credit cards.

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For activities involving more than ten (10) participants, the award recipient may be asked to block rooms needed for INL escorts (USDH, PSC and LES) and shall share with Program Assistants and

INL Travel the confirmation number and hotel POC. The award recipient should contact the hotel one day after participants check in to verify that everyone has arrived as the award recipient is responsible for notifying INL within 24 hours of any participants cancellations or no-shows.

Activity 7 – Event Management: The award recipient shall organize events that support the objectives of the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) for partner entities of the Government of Mexico, as required. Events may include conferences, training programs, workshops, seminars, or other activities that advance INL’s institutional objectives. The recipient shall also provide administrative support for INL-sponsored travelers attending conferences or related events.

When required, the recipient shall arrange and rent appropriate facilities for conferences and training events in Mexico, the United States, or other countries. Facilities may range from small meeting rooms accommodating five (5) to ten (10) participants to large venues hosting hundreds of participants, as well as outdoor training sites, training centers, or academies. In some cases, the U.S.

Government may coordinate with the Government of Mexico to obtain facilities (e.g., training academies), and the recipient shall have the capacity to process payments to those institutions as directed by INL.

The recipient may also provide event support services, including audio-visual and computer equipment, communications services (e.g., internet, radios, or cell phones), interpretation and translation, reception and cleaning services, administrative support, refreshments (e.g., coffee breaks and lunch), training materials, and other supplies necessary to support event objectives. The recipient shall ensure that facilities meet applicable U.S. Government or Government of Mexico’s sanitary and safety standards.

When required, the recipient shall assist with the identification, recruitment, invitation, and contracting of speakers, subject matter experts (SMEs), trainers, instructors, and interpreters.

Honoraria may be paid in accordance with applicable U.S. federal assistance guidelines and may not exceed allowable limits unless approved in writing by the Grants Officer. The recipient may also pay conference registration or event fees, including training-related licensing costs, when such expenses support program objectives.

As needed, the recipient shall provide on-site coordination support, including event assistants, travel counselors, or logistics personnel. The recipient may also designate an in-country logistics coordinator to support conferences and training activities in coordination with the INL team. Event logistics schedules and vendor points of contact shall be shared with INL at least one (1) week in advance.

With prior INL approval, the recipient may procure services from qualified institutions to support the development and implementation of training courses or related programmatic activities. All procurements must comply with the recipient’s procurement policies and applicable federal regulations, including 2 CFR 200.317–200.327, and must follow appropriate competitive procedures.

Activity 8 - Refreshments and Meals: When required, the award recipient is responsible for providing participants with government approved per diem or meals that could include hot breakfast, lunch, and dinner at locations where meals cannot be readily obtained at public facilities. When meals are provided directly by the recipient, the corresponding Meals and Incidental Expenses (M&IE) allowance shall be reduced accordingly, in accordance with applicable U.S. Government per diem

9 | P a g e regulations. As appropriate, the award recipient shall also provide snacks, coffee, tea, and other non-alcoholic refreshments during events. The award recipient shall maintain a regular inventory, storage and deliver plan for refreshments and coffee break services when necessary. The organization shall ensure food and beverages meet USG or Government of Mexico sanitary standards. The award recipient may be needed to provide pre-packaged or “to-go” meals so disposable packages may be needed. for Government of Mexico participants, the award recipient is responsible to provide, per diem in accordance with the maximum rates established by the Government of Mexico according to the norms published on the “Diario Oficial de la Federación” of Mexico. For international travel, GSA per diem rates must be applied. When required by INL, the award recipient shall arrange and pay for catering services to support events and training activities. In some cases, catering services may need to be procured directly from the host venue if the venue is the sole provider authorized to deliver food services at the event location.

Activity 9 – Event Close Out: The award recipient shall be responsible for collecting and maintaining proof of participant attendance, and receipts to be reimbursed no later than five (5) working days after the last day of the event. Upon completion of refunds, the award recipient shall send an email to the INL Program Assistant in charge of the event summarizing the total of participants that were reimbursed. All activities must be closed out no later than two (2) months after the completion of the event. This requirement supports timely reconciliation of final costs and ensures accurate reporting in applicable quarterly financial and programmatic reports.

Activity 10 – Unused Funds Settlement: When required, the award recipient shall take required actions to recover unused funds resulting from cancellations by participants, SME’s, Instructors, vendors, facilities, etc. Voucher settlement includes obtaining receipts from hotels and other service providers, as well as any supporting documentation necessary to reconcile expenses associated with the event. In the event the award recipient owes reimbursement to a participant, settlement shall be made no later than ten (10) working days following the last day of the event. The award recipient shall prepare monthly documentation packages, for submission to INL no later than five (5) business days after the beginning of each month, packages shall include all invoices reflecting value-added tax

(VAT) expenses associated with purchases or services funded under the award for the purpose of

VAT recovery. VAT recovery shall be processed by INL through Financial Management Center

(FMC), in accordance with applicable procedures and requirements.

The organization will be responsible for contacting no-show/cancelled participants to recover any funds provided for M&IE. Additionally, the award recipient shall maintain a database (debtor list) tracking all unused and recovered funds and provide a monthly report to the Grants Officer

Representative (GOR).

Activity 11 – Unused E-ticket Funding Reporting: The award recipient shall track unused electronic airline tickets (e-tickets) resulting from cancellations by participants, speakers, instructors, SMEs, etc., The award recipient shall make every reasonable effort to obtain reimbursement, and/or reuse the tickets for other authorized travelers. The award recipient shall maintain a database of unused/reused tickets and provide a monthly report to the Grants Officer Representative (GOR) with this information. The award recipient must work with the travel agency to use as many unused tickets as possible before the expiration date. The award recipient shall ensure that, in any given quarter, the number of unused or open airline tickets does not exceed thirty (30). To the maximum extent practicable, all cancelled tickets shall be reimbursed.

The award recipient should maintain agreements or established working arrangements with airlines or travel service providers, when feasible with a team dedicated to this award, to facilitate group travel bookings, generally for groups of ten (10) or more travelers. These arrangements should enable

10 | P a g e the organization to deal with situations in which INL requires participants to travel on the same flight or, when necessary, to split groups across multiple flights while ensuring reasonable and efficient travel options, INL expects award recipient to be able to confirm purchase of tickets within 24 hours.

In the event of airline delays, cancellations, or missed connections, the recipient shall take immediate action to rebook affected travelers on the most efficient and cost-effective available flights, in coordination with the travel agency and in accordance with U.S. Government travel regulations. The recipient shall make every reasonable effort to minimize disruptions to scheduled activities and ensure travelers arrive at their destination as close as possible to the original itinerary.

The recipient shall maintain the capability to provide real-time travel support, including outside normal business hours, when necessary, to address urgent travel disruptions. The recipient shall promptly notify INL of any significant travel disruptions and the actions taken to resolve them. Any additional costs incurred as a result of airline delays or rebooking shall be reasonable, justified, and documented. When possible, the recipient shall seek to avoid additional costs by working with airlines to utilize flexible fare options or existing tickets.

Activity 12 – Database Management: The award recipient shall maintain accurate digital records of each participant. At minimum, record shall include name, parent organization, country of origin, event attended, dates, costs per participant, final costs per activity, INL project(s) that funded the event, and any other information required in a format mutually agreed by the U.S. Government and the recipient organization. The award recipient is responsible for reviewing the final list of participants uploaded into the Training Tracking System (TTS) and report any discrepancies to INL.

The award recipient shall also utilize any other potential system implemented by INL during the duration of the award. And shall provide required participant and event data to the GOR no later than thirty (30) days after the completion of each event.

The recipient shall maintain a database with filtering capabilities that allow identification of participants enrolled in multiple courses, events, or activities scheduled for the same dates. The system shall also track cases in which a participant, instructor, subject matter expert (SME), or other invitee cancels attendance at a sponsored event and fails to return the M&IE provided. Individuals who do not return the applicable M&IE following a cancellation shall not be eligible to participate in subsequent events sponsored by INL or the U.S. Government until the matter has been resolved. The award recipient shall report such cases to the Grants Officer’s Representative (GOR) and include them in a monthly report summarizing outstanding M&IE recoveries and related actions taken to resolve them.

Activity 13 –Training Centers: When required, the award recipient shall provide administrative and logistical support in the training facilities identified by INL, additionally the award recipient shall identify facilities that comply with specific requirements aligned to activities provided by INL as requested. Activities conducted may vary from high-level executive meetings to multi-day training events involving several hundred of participants. Support services may include, but are not limited to, preparing and setting up training rooms, producing and printing materials for participants, setting up refreshments, greeting and directing participants, and providing other administrative or logistical assistance necessary to ensure the effective implementation of the event.

Activity 14 – Payments Requests: The award recipient will submit monthly payment requests to the

Grants Officer (GO) and Grants Officer's Representative (GOR) no later than 30 calendar days after the end of each reporting month. In exceptional circumstances and with prior written approval from

INL, the recipient may submit payment requests within 60 calendar days.

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Timely submission of payment requests ensures the recipient receives payments promptly, prevents financial constraints, supports effective INL oversight, maintains sufficient funding for program activities, and facilitates liquidation of both canceling and non-canceling funds.

The award recipient must maintain adequate cash flow to cover monthly expenses ranging from

$300,000.00 USD to $1,000,000.00 USD for program implementation. The award recipient must monitor and account for all budget cost increases or decreases resulting from exchange rate fluctuations in accordance with 2 CFR 200.440 (Exchange Rates). If exchange rate fluctuations cause budget revisions exceeding the thresholds established in 2 CFR 200.308 (Revision of Budget and

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

The award recipient will provide monthly burn rate reports detailing expenditures and liquidations under the award. These reports enable INL to monitor fund utilization rates, ensure expenditures align with approved activities, support effective financial oversight, and facilitate timely program implementation adjustments when necessary.

Activity 15 – Prepare Event Materials and Presentations: The award recipient is responsible for preparing, printing and distributing event materials, including, but not limited to, travel and event agenda per participant, course packets, event guidebooks/manuals, attendance lists, name tags, binders, pens, banners, and other printed or digital materials, as required by INL. The organization shall comply with the U.S. Department of State branding and marketing requirements. The award recipient may be responsible for the design of certain training manuals, banners, or other materials related to the event. If necessary, NCSC should be able to purchase supplies related to any health phenomenon, such as hand sanitizer, face masks, thermometers, gloves, or any other item that may be necessary to safely conduct the event. The award recipient should purchase the materials/supplies/personal protection equipment (PPE) through vendors, in accordance with the award recipient procurement policy. The organization may assist in the recruitment of appropriate speakers, SMEs, or trainers with or without honoraria. The award recipient shall maintain express mail or courier services to facilitate timely delivery of materials or travel documents. All event materials and presentations produced under this award are property of the U.S. Government. The award recipient should have contact with more than one (1) vendor to attain the best available prices for any event. The organization should maintain a secure storage room/area for all materials received from vendors, ensure proper tracking, and distribute materials to the required locations as requested by INL. All manuals or materials with outdated content must be destroyed.

The recipient shall ensure that all vendors or contractors with access to training materials, manuals, or other sensitive program materials sign appropriate Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs). The recipient shall also ensure safeguarding and proper control of training materials and other supplies procured under this award. Vendor storage facilities shall not be used for storing training materials or program supplies. These requirements are consistent with the safeguarding and internal controls provisions outlined in 2 CFR 200.302(b)(4).

Activity 16 – Interpretation and Translation Services: The award recipient may be responsible for providing translation of academic or training materials and interpretation services, with or without the use of interpretation equipment, for national and international events. The award recipient shall maintain relationships with multiple translation and interpretation service providers to ensure competitive pricing and to ensure the availability of quality interpreters who may be recruited with short notice. In certain cases, INL may specify a particular vendor for the interpretation services. In these cases, it will not be necessary to obtain three (3) quotes. However, the recipient shall retain

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INL’s written justification on file to document the procurement decision, ensuring compliance with award recordkeeping requirements and audit standards.

Activity 17 – Leahy and Local Vetting: The recipient shall ensure that the approved vetting list is obtained for each event and that all participants have received the required vetting clearance prior to participation. The award recipient shall maintain and regularly update a list of vetted individuals. As vetting clearances are valid for one (1) year, the recipient shall ensure that the list remains current and accurately reflects the validity period of each clearance.

In accordance with U.S. Department of State Leahy Amendment vetting requirements, all funds provided under this award are subject to Section 620M of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended. The award recipient shall exercise due diligence to ensure full compliance with the Leahy provision and relevant Department of State policies.

Activity 18 – Operational Travel: The award recipient may be required to provide ad-hoc administrative and logistical support for urgent operational travel requests with less than twenty-four

(24) hours’ notice, as directed by INL. Support may include coordinating travel arrangements, lodging, ground transportation, and other related logistical services necessary to ensure timely and effective execution of the activity.

Activity 19 – Exceptional Circumstances: The award recipient may be required to provide ad-hoc administrative and logistical support for travel with 24 or 48 hours in advance on occasion. The organization shall accommodate late travel and/or training requests whenever possible, at least five

(5) working days in advance for activities for no more than ten (10) participants and include complete documentation, such as vetting, bank account information, passports, and Annex 3. This applies for both national and international activities. The award recipient shall process emergencies within 24 hours when support is requested. If an electronic funds transfer (EFT) cannot be processed due to short notice, it will be processed on the next business day or, if appropriate, via refund.

Activity 20 – Customer Service and Corrective Action Reports: The award recipient shall ensure their staff maintain professional and customer-service oriented environment while performing duties under this award. The award recipient should provide logistical support during official Embassy working hours, 7:30 through 17:30. For operational and regular travel, the staff must be available at any time, including weekends. The organization will provide monthly incidents reports (e.g., issues with travel arrangements or insurance coverage, funds lost on last-minute participant cancellation, etc.).

Activity 21- Training Tracking System (TTS): The recipient shall utilize INL’s Training Tracking

System (TTS) as the primary platform for monitoring travel and activity requests and for sharing program-related documentation, including but not limited to agendas, hotel information, flight options, and other logistical details. The recipient shall also use TTS to record estimated and final costs associated with each training or activity supported under this award. All required final costs information shall be entered into TTS no later than two (2) months after the completion of each activity. Proper and timely use of TTS is critical to ensuring accurate program tracking, financial oversight, and reporting for INL-supported activities, therefore, previous experience of the system is desirable. Recipient personnel must obtain the necessary Department of State (DOS) access and clearances prior to using TTS. INL will facilitate the required system access and clearance process.

Activity 22- Procurement of Goods and Services for Activities: In general, all procurement transactions shall be conducted, to the maximum extent practicable, through open and fair competition, in accordance with the procurement standards outlined in 2 CFR 200.317–200.327.

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Awards shall be made to the bidder or offeror whose proposal is responsive to the solicitation criteria and most advantageous to the program, considering price, quality, and other relevant factors identified in the solicitation.

When applicable and consistent with the recipient’s procurement policies and federal procurement thresholds, the recipient should obtain price quotations from at least three (3) qualified vendors. When necessary, the Grants Officer’s Representative (GOR) may request procurement documentation, including vendor quotations, for review and monitoring purposes.

Activity 23- Admin and Support Team: The recipient shall maintain sufficient administrative staff to perform program support duties under this award. These duties may include, but are not limited to:

providing administrative and clerical support; maintaining project documentation and correspondence; assisting INL in analyzing and anticipating program requirements; coordinating with host-nation counterparts; organizing hard copy and electronic files for improved retrieval, access, and audit purposes; editing internal documents in English and Spanish; and preparing correspondence, reports, and presentations in both English and Spanish as requested by INL.

When required and at the direction of INL, recipient staff may travel to the location of an event to provide on-site administrative or logistical support, in lieu of hiring a separate event assistant.

Activity 24- Virtual and Hybrid Events: The recipient shall have the capability to organize and support virtual and hybrid events when required. These events may include webinars, conferences, trainings, workshops, and other virtual or hybrid activities.

When required by INL, the recipient shall ensure that all necessary technical components are available to support the event, which may include, but are not limited to: an event website or registration platform, live presentation capabilities, one-way or interactive audio/video streaming, question-and-answer functions, polling tools, note-taking or participant engagement features, recorded content, interactive video conferencing, and post-event feedback surveys. The recipient shall provide and manage the appropriate platform and technical support necessary for the successful delivery of the event.

The recipient may procure basic audio equipment, when required by INL, such as standard-input headphones, or other minor technical supplies necessary to support the delivery of virtual or hybrid activities.

Activity 25- Annex 3: The recipient shall obtain from INL the duly signed Annex 3 form for each participant and maintain an updated record of these forms, the award recipient should be able to maintain an updated data base to inform INL if any participant has a valid Annex 3 at any required moment. As the Annex 3 form is valid for one (1) year, the recipient shall ensure that valid forms are maintained on file for all participants supported under this award. Form is part of the attached forms for reference.

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

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

Services Contractors (PSCs), Locally Employed Staff (LE Staff), or When Actually Employed

(WAEs).

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Participants and Audiences:

INL will identify the target audiences and participants for activities. Beneficiaries may include government officials, law enforcement personnel, justice sector actors, and other relevant stakeholders from Mexico, the United States, and other countries. The U.S. Government estimates that approximately 3,000 to 10,000 participants may be supported annually through activities under this award, with individual events ranging from small technical meetings to large-scale trainings.

Project Expansion: If the project is successful, INL will consider the option of an award modification to expand the project to other areas in the region, subject to availability of future funding. Applicants may include in their proposal a brief section outlining how additional funds could potentially be used to expand work into additional activities 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 the scope of INL’s involvement in the implementation of the project. Refer to the table on the first page(s) of the NOFO to determine whether this particular project will be a grant or cooperative agreement.

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

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

• Approval of Monitoring and Evaluation Plan; and

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

• Coordination with the recipient on scheduling training activities, travel arrangements, and logistical planning to ensure alignment with INL program priorities.

• Review of financial reports, burn rate reports, and budget projections to monitor appropriate use of funds and ensure expenditure remains consistent with approved budgets.

• Oversight of required program management systems, including review of data entered into the Training Tracking System (TTS) and other INL reporting platforms.

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 the availability of funding.

Length of performance period: Twenty-four (24) months

Anticipated program start date: January 2027

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

Award amounts: awards may range from a minimum of $9,000,000.00 to a maximum of

$9,900,000.00

Total available funding: $9,900,000.00

Type of Funding: FY2022 & FY2023 INCLE Funds

C. ELIGILIBITY INFORMATION

1. Eligible Applicant Types

The following organizations are eligible to apply:

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

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

Applicants must also meet the following requirements to be considered eligible:

• Demonstrated Experience: Applicants must have demonstrated experience in providing travel-related services and logistical support for training, conferences, or similar activities, preferably in both Mexico and the United States.

• Operational Partnerships: Applicants must have existing partnerships, or the demonstrated capacity to establish partnerships with service providers necessary to implement program activities of large scale. These may include travel agencies, airlines, hotels, ground transportation providers, translation and interpretation services, insurance providers, and other vendors required to support program implementation.

• Program Implementation Experience: Applicants must have demonstrated experience implementing education, training, or programs, including the coordination of travel and logistical arrangements for participants.

• Bilingual Capability: Applicants must have the ability to produce course materials, and conduct evaluations in both Spanish and English. Applicant staff must also possess sufficient

English proficiency to meet program reporting and communication requirements.

• Stakeholder Coordination: Applicants must demonstrate the ability to coordinate with relevant stakeholders and partner organizations necessary to successfully carry out the proposed program.

• Operational Readiness: Applicants must demonstrate the capacity to respond to program requirements and mobilize resources within short implementation timelines, including the ability to support urgent travel and logistical requests when necessary.

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

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(such as Personnel Activity Records, proof of voluntary hours, proof of any purchases for materials being included as cost share, etc.)

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

3. Other Eligibility Requirements

• In order to be eligible to receive an award, all organizations must have a Unique Entity

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

• Applicants are only allowed to submit one proposal per organization. If more than one proposal is submitted from an organization, all proposals from that institution will be considered ineligible for funding. Organizations may form a consortium and submit a combined proposal; however, one organization should be designated as the lead applicant and other organization(s) listed as sub-recipient partner(s).

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

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

D. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

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

1. How to Apply and Submit Questions

This opportunity is posted on www.grants.gov, along with all required application forms and, where applicable, templates for application documents. Applications and all supporting documents must be submitted via www.grants.gov. INL reserves the right to reject any applications submitted through improper channels.

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

2. Required Application Documents

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

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

Standard Application Forms

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SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance – Organizations)

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

SF-424A…