NOFO_Morocco Space Policy_Strategy_Final.docx

.U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE

Bureau of Political-Military Affairs Office of Global Programs and Initiatives (PM/GPI) Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) Funding Opportunity Number: DFOP0016599

· U.S.-based non-profit/non-governmental organizations

· Foreign-based non-profit/non-governmental organizations

· Non-profit/non-governmental organizations based in Morocco

Alexandra LaRosa, LaRosaA@state.gov Huber Parsons, ParsonsH@state.gov

Section A. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs announces an open competition for organizations to submit applications to carry out a project to support the Government of Morocco in developing a national space policy and strategy.

A1. BACKGROUND

The Global Defense Reform Program (GDRP) is a flexible, multi-year State-funded program that seeks to build the institutional capacity of select U.S. partners’ security sectors at the service, ministerial, and national levels, to ensure security is provided in an effective, transparent, and accountable manner. GDRP presents an opportunity to leverage advisory and other strategic support services to pursue institutional reforms that achieve U.S. foreign policy objectives. GDRP programs aim to build the resilience of U.S. partners and their security institutions, and enhance effectiveness and accountability, and better align the defense sector to the needs and challenges of the partner nation and its citizens. At the same time, GDRP projects advance U.S. national security and foreign policy interests, reduce threats to the homeland, and avert the need for U.S. military interventions through the promotion of alliances and partnerships needed to succeed in today’s competitive geopolitical environment.

In the course of their work, GDRP implementers must advocate for strengthened institutions and improved capabilities that remain supportive of democratic civilian authority and oversight, must always have as its end-state to safeguard and protect the public, and must always uphold the rule of law and respect for human rights. GDRP implementing partners should consistently integrate the characteristics of strong security sector governance and reform:

• local ownership;

• effective and accountable; and

• holistic, political, and technical.

A2. PROBLEM STATEMENT

Morocco is operationally active in the space domain, employing multiple satellites and remote sensing platforms to track various threats. However, it lacks a unifying national space strategy or foundational space policy that clearly defines roles, responsibilities, threats, and strategic objectives. As a result, Morocco’s existing space platforms are not utilized to their full potential. Currently, Morocco’s space activities are led by the Administration for National Defense (ADN) and the Moroccan Royal Armed Forces (FAR). These organizations are primarily responsible for operations using Morocco’s current space assets, as well as procurement and integration with other Government of Morocco (GoM) and civil society entities such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), the Royal Center for Remote Sensing (CRTS), and the Centre National pour la Recherche Scientifique et Technique (CNSRT), among others.

The FAR and ADN have identified several space capability areas where they seek to focus future development and capacity building. These capability areas include satellite imagery interpretation, platform-specific technology, remote sensing, satellite communications, and secure positioning. In order properly develop, absorb, and employ such capabilities, Morocco requires a foundational strategic framework and document to guide its activities and investments in the space domain.

A3. DEVELOPING A NATIONAL SPACE STRATEGY AND POLICY

During recent engagement with the United States, the FAR and ADN acknowledged that they lack both a national space strategy and the requisite subject matter expertise to develop one. They indicated a willingness and eagerness to collaborate with the United States to draft and implement such a foundational strategy and policy to fully utilize and sustain its space assets. Additionally, a foundational space strategy will enable Morocco to develop and purse resource requirements (e.g., equipment, personnel, and training) to full capitalize on its available assets.

This project will require an implementer to work with the FAR and ADN to develop and implement a national space policy and strategy that clearly defines: 1) the strategic end state that Morocco wishes to achieve; 2) roles and responsibilities across the GoM in order to achieve desired end state; 3) the security threats they seek to mitigate; and 4) the steps needed to fully institutionalize and implement a strategic framework focused on the space domain.

A4. PROJECT GOAL(S)

The project goal is that by the end of 2028, Morocco has developed and implemented a national-level space strategy and policy document that: identifies national security threats in the space domain, establishes meaningful and effective mechanisms for addressing those threats, harnesses the strengths of Morocco’s existing space-focused organizations while clearly defining each of their distinct roles and responsibilities, and holds organizations to account for their respective roles in strategy implementation. The project implementer will advise and assist GoM in developing and implementing this policy, and in institutionalizing the requisite systems and procedures to ensure sustainability beyond the life of this project.

A5. PROJECT OBJECTIVES

The project should focus on applying specialized subject matter expertise and skillsets to pursue the following objectives:

· ASSESSMENT - Gain an understanding of the context, gathering information, meeting key stakeholders, learning about existing institutional reform efforts, and identifying institutional gaps.

· COLLABORATIVE COUNTRY ACTION PLAN – Work with GoM counterparts to outline their space policy objectives and to identify actions they will need to take to get there, with assistance through this project.

· TRAINING, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, MENTORSHIP – Provide a mix of formal training, contributing subject matter expertise, and mentoring personnel assigned by the GoM to the national security organizations with equities in the space domain. This may require tailored training on Morocco’s laws and executive orders related to national security, curriculum development, instructor-led delivery of training modules, logistical support for training sessions, and expertise from a Senior Expert for Space Policy (and possibly other subject matter experts). The intent is for GoM national security personnel to achieve a common baseline understanding of space-related laws, policies, concepts, and analysis methodology.

· ADVISORY SUPPORT FOR GoM-LED SYSTEMS AND STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES – Assist GoM national security organizations with equities in the space domain to develop culturally-appropriate and sustainable policies, processes, and systems that will enable them to effectively and efficiently carry out their mandates. Processes must incorporate regular input and two-way communication with GoM’s interagency to develop a whole-of-government approach to the space domain. The purpose behind this objective is to institutionalize systems that transcend the longevity of specific individuals.

· DEVELOPING A NATIONAL SPACE STRATEGY – Provide advisory support to GoM national security organizations to assist in the process for developing a national space strategy (NSS). The implementing partner should assist GoM in gathering input from a variety of stakeholders to ensure the NSS is a meaningful document that incorporates the range of perspectives across diverse groups within Morocco, that identifies security threats to the country, that identifies Morocco’s interests and opportunities, and that lays out a realistic strategy for safeguarding Morocco’s interests in the space domain for the following 4-5 years.

· ASSISTING IN NSS IMPLEMENTATION – Provide advisory support to GoM that assists in the implementation of the NSS. This could include briefings to socialize and update on progress made on implementing the NSS; technical expertise in budget planning, human resource management, and/or interagency coordination; and assisting GoM to put in place institutional accountability mechanisms.

A6. PARTICIPANTS, AUDIENCES, AND COORDINATION

The target audience for advisory support is the FAR and the ADN, with participation from other entities across the GoM and Moroccan civil society that have equities in the space domain, such as the MFA, CRTS, and CNSRT, academic and scientific institutions, and other civil society stakeholders if relevant. The implementer must coordinate with other USG-funded and affiliated entities (e.g., DoD’s Institute for Security Governance) involved in defense-related institutional capacity building efforts in Morocco.

A7. KEY PERSONNEL

Key Personnel for this Cooperative Agreement include the following:

1) Project Manager The purpose of a Project Manager is to plan and manage project activities, to serve as project continuity, to bring in needed expertise and resources at appropriate times during each phase of the project, to ensure effective communication with key stakeholders, and to ensuring compliance with grant requirements such as written reporting.

a. Required Qualifications:

1. At least five (5) years of project management experience in an international context;

2. At least five (5) years’ experience managing people and finances;

3. Demonstrated experience in national security affairs;

4. Demonstrated experience in monitoring and evaluation;

5. Excellent verbal and written communication skills in the English language.

b. Preferred Qualifications:

1. Experience living and working in the North Africa region,

2. Language skills in Arabic and/or French,

3. Ability to obtain and maintain a Secret security clearance issued by the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) prior to performance on the cooperative agreement.

2) Senior Subject Matter Expert for Space Policy The expertise of a Senior Subject Matter Expert for Space Policy will be needed throughout the project.

a. Required Qualifications:

1. Experience at a senior level in the U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Department of State, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. National Security Council, or other national security-related organization,

2. Experience working with strategic and operational concepts in the space domain, including drafting strategic guidance and policy,

3. Experience in interagency planning and coordination,

4. Experience living and working outside the United States.

b. Preferred Qualifications:

1. University degree in international affairs, security studies, public policy, legal affairs, or a related discipline,

2. Experience living and working in the North Africa region,

3. Language skills in Arabic and/or French,

4. Ability to obtain and maintain a Secret security clearance issued by the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) prior to performance on the cooperative agreement.

3) Space Technology Expert A Space Technology Expert advisor will be needed during various phases of the project, but possibly not all phases, depending on the technical approach of the implementing partner.

a. Required Qualifications:

1. Knowledge of space platforms, capabilities, and related assets,

2. Knowledge of national security structures,

3. Experience advising foreign governments on technical matters.

b. Preferred Qualifications:

1. University degree in aerospace engineering, astronautical engineering, astrophysics, or a related scientific discipline,

2. Experience living and working in the North Africa Region,

3. Language skills in Arabic and/or French,

4. Ability to obtain and maintain a Secret security clearance issued by the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) prior to performance on the cooperative agreement.

A8. PROJECT REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

Bi-monthly conference calls The Senior Expert will participate in a conference call (approximately every 2-3 months) comprising key members of the project team, including but not limited to the U.S. Embassy and the PM/GPI office to ensure regular updates on the progress of the project.

Landscape Assessment Inclusive of a Gap Analysis (LAGA) During the first several months of the project, the implementing partner should conduct an initial Landscape Assessment inclusive of a Gap Analysis (LAGA) of Moroccan national security institutions. The process of gathering information (such as on current human resource management policies, standards, and frameworks) for the LAGA deliverable should be used to develop a rapport with Moroccan counterparts while gaining an understanding of current institutional capacities and barriers to effective national security structures and systems. Through the LAGA, the implementing partner should aim to collaborate with GoM and other relevant counterparts to understand other efforts and conditions that impact their capacities and barriers to achieving project objectives. Given the importance of acquiring a deep understanding of the existing capacity and specific issues which enable and stand in the way of effective defense activities, the LAGA process and document will lay a foundation for the rest of the project.

Collaborative Country Action Plan (CAP) After the assessment phase and LAGA deliverable have been completed, the implementing partner should collaborate with relevant host government counterparts to draft a Country Action Plan (CAP) which may take a few months. The CAP deliverable should include extensive input from the partner and should also include input from the U.S. Embassy Political Section. Throughout the development of the CAP deliverable, the implementing partner shall keep PM/GPI informed on progress. Ideally, the CAP will be a document that is ultimately approved by a senior GoM official.

The CAP should include a high-level overview, objectives, and sub-objectives illustrating the actions and steps needed to achieve GoM’s desired outcomes. The CAP will be a roadmap for generating a shared vision for actions the GoM will take over multiple years. Note that PM/GPI can provide a template for the CAP deliverable for use by the implementing partner.

Quarterly written reports PM/GPI requires quarterly written reports, to include the following information. Quarterly written reports must be uploaded to the grants file in SAMS/myGrants.gov by the grantee:

Scope

· Summary of significant achievements related to the project objectives. Please provide relevant quantitative and qualitative data, and relevant photos.

· For each project objective, are actual achievements Exceeding, Meeting, or Trailing in relation to the project plan? Provide brief analysis of each, including any needed adjustments to the project.

· Provide a map of Morocco that shows the locations of major project activities during the reporting period.

Cost

· Is the project Over budget, On budget, or Under budget (based on Percentage of period of performance completed vs Percentage of funds expended).

Schedule

· Are all project personnel positions filled?

· Are project activities Ahead of schedule, On schedule, or Behind schedule?

· List significant project activities/events planned for the next 4-6 months.

Other

· Provide brief remarks on any assistance or issues that the U.S. Embassy or PM/GPI could provide to contribute to the objectives of this project.

Quarterly Smartsheet Input PM/GPI requires that on a quarterly basis, the implementing partner will upload current data into a system called Smartsheet, which allows PM/GPI to aggregate data and conduct analysis. This data includes Country Action Plan objectives and status updates. More specific information on this requirement will be provided after an award is made.

Annual Virtual Briefing PM/GPI requires that the implementing partner will provide a comprehensive briefing each year on the project, to include results to date, identification of key Moroccan stakeholders and their engagement with the project, activities that the implementing partner conducted to contribute to those results, identification of challenges and what the implementing partner has done to overcome them, project plans for the next 6-12 months, and any requests for U.S. Embassy and/or PM/GPI support to contribute to project objectives. The audience for the briefing will be PM/GPI, the U.S. Embassy, and other USG representatives invited by PM/GPI.

A9. PROJECT EXPANSION

If the project is successful, PM/GPI will consider the option of expanding the project to other areas or countries in the region, subject to availability of future funding. Applicants may include in their proposal a brief section outlining how additional funds could potentially be used to expand work into additional activities or countries in future years. Applicants are strongly encouraged to demonstrate how their project might leverage funding through other organizations.

Section B. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

Please reference the table on the first page of this NOFO for the basic federal award information. Additional award information is included in this section.

B1. PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION PERIOD

The initial project implementation length is the number of months that an applicant should plan to implement the project.

PM/GPI may extend the project implementation period, contingent on PM/GPI priorities, good performance of the recipient, Department of State management approvals, and funding availability. PM/GPI projects shall not exceed five (5) total years of project implementation.

B2. ASSISTANCE TYPE

The type of assistance is determined by scope of PM/GPI’s involvement in the implementation of the project.

For this cooperative agreement, PM/GPI will 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 specified Key Personnel;

· Approval of sub-award recipients (if any), and concurrence on the substantive provisions of the sub-awards; and coordination with other cooperating agencies; and

· Approval of Monitoring and Evaluation Plan.

B3. FUNDING NOTICES

This award will be supported with Peacekeeping Operations (PKO) funds under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended. This notice is subject to availability of funding.

· Length of performance period: 24 to 36 months

· Number of awards anticipated: One award

· Award amount: award may range from a minimum of $1,000,000 to a maximum of $1,250,000

· Total available funding: $1,250,000

· Type of Funding: FY 2024 PKO funds under the Foreign Assistance Act

· Anticipated program start date: September 1, 2024

Section C. ELIGILIBITY INFORMATION

C1. ELIGIBLE APPLICANT TYPES

The following organizations are eligible to apply:

· U.S.-based private, public, or state institutions of higher education

· U.S.-based non-profit/non-governmental organizations

· Foreign-based non-profit/non-governmental organizations

· Non-profit/non-governmental organizations based in Morocco

C2. 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.

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

C3. OTHER ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

· In order to be eligible to receive an award, all organizations must have a unique entity identifier (also known as UEI), as well as a valid registration on www.SAM.gov. Individuals are not required to have a unique entity identifier or be registered in SAM.gov. Refer to Section D for additional guidance.

· Applicants are only allowed to submit one proposal per organization. Organizations may form a consortium and submit a combined proposal, however one organization should be designated as the lead applicant and other organization(s) listed as sub-recipient partner(s).

· 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.

· Any applicant listed on the Excluded Parties List System (EPLS) in the System for Award Management (sam.gov) is not eligible to apply for an assistance award in accordance with the OMB guidelines at 2 CFR 180 that implement Executive Orders 12549 (3 CFR, 1986 Comp., p. 189) and 12689 (3 CFR, 1989 Comp., p. 235), “Debarment and Suspension.” Additionally, no entity listed on the EPLS can participate in any activities under an award. All applicants are strongly encouraged to review the EPLS in sam.gov to ensure that no ineligible entity is included.

· U.S. Applicant organizations must demonstrate adherence to equal opportunity employment practices and commitment to non-discrimination with respect to beneficiaries.

· Applicants under DOS-funded projects are responsible for complying with all applicable tax treaties and federal, state, and local laws on tax withholding and reporting for project participants.

Section 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.

D1. ADDRESS TO REQUEST APPLICATION PACKAGE

Applicants can find application forms, kits, or other materials needed to apply on grants.gov and SAMS/MyGrants under the announcement title “Supporting Morocco’s National Space Strategy and Policy Development,” funding opportunity number DFOP0016599. Please contact the PM/GPI point of contact listed in Section G if requesting reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities or for security reasons. Please note that reasonable accommodations do not include deadline extensions.

D2. CONTENT AND FORM OF APPLICATION SUBMISSION

Proposals packages must adhere to the attached Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI). Proposal submissions that do not meet all the requirements outlined in this NOFO and the PSI will be deemed technically ineligible. To ensure that all applications receive a balanced evaluation, the review panel will review from the first page of each section up to the page limit and no further.

D2-1. 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.

Complete applications must include the following:

Standard Application Forms

· SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance – Organizations)

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

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

· SF-424B (Assurances for Non-Construction Programs) – Optional

· The SF-424B is only required for applicants who are not registered in SAM.gov.

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

· Proposal Narrative – Maximum 15 pages Applicants may use their own proposal template, but it must include all the sections below.

· 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: include a synopsis of the project, including the goal, objectives, main activities, and Key Personnel. Include a brief statement on why the project is likely to achieve the goal and how it will be sustainable.

· Context: describe the current context and provide analysis, while describing relevant opportunities and challenges.

· Technical Approach: explain the proposed technical approach, and provide a justification for why this approach has been selected. Explain how the proposed activities will achieve the project objectives, and how the project objectives / sub-objectives / milestones are necessary and sufficient for achieving the project goal. Include a section that identifies project risks and how they will be either accepted or mitigated.

· Staffing Plan: Include a chart showing the staffing plan, and information explaining how this plan aligns with the technical approach and is cost effective. Explain the strengths and skillsets of each member of the project team, and their proposed roles and responsibilities during project implementation.

· 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). Applicants may also include a brief section outlining how additional funds and time could potentially be used to reinforce project success in the target country or to expand to other countries.

· Timeline Graphically show a monthly timeline with each phase of the project, including start-up, programmatic activities and milestones, monitoring and evaluation activities, closeout.

· Logic Model A template is included under the Related Documents section of this NOFO announcement on www.grants.gov.

· Monitoring and Evaluation Plan This document outlines how activities will be monitored to ensure they are executed in a timely manner, and how the project will be evaluated to ensure the goals are met. This should include outputs, outcomes, targets, indicators, frequency of data collection, and a quarterly assessment of whether intended outputs and outcomes have been achieved, are on track, or are lagging.

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 3 pages

· Introduce the applicant organization, including information such as mission statement, organization size, relevant office location(s), etc.

· Provide a summary description of past and present operations, demonstrating the applicant’s ability to carry out the project.

· Describe any experience the organization has in the target country or region.

· Confirm whether the organization is a registered business entity within the target country or region.

· List of Key Personnel – Maximum 5 pages

· Names, titles, responsibilities, and relevant experience or qualifications of Key Personnel involved in the management of the project.

· Partner Information (if relevant) – Maximum 3 pages

· Provide relevant information about key partner organizations and sub-awardees

· Briefly describe the division of labor and/or distinct roles and responsibilities among the applicant organization and its partners.

· If proposing a sub-grantee, briefly describe the applicant organization’s experience related to managing sub-recipients.

· Letters of Support – Optional

· If desired, applicants may submit letters of support from project partners, host government entities, or other relevant stakeholders.

Project Budget and Cost Documents

· Summary and Detailed Budgets See Proposal Submission Instructions, Section C.3

· Budget Narrative See Proposal Submission Instructions, Section C.3.2

· NICRA

· See Proposal Submission Instructions, Section C.3

· 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-grantee that has an approved NICRA, and includes NICRA charges in the sub-award budget, a copy of the sub-grantee organization’s most-recent NICRA must be included in the application

· If the applicant does not have an approved NICRA, then the applicant could include a 10% de minimus indirect cost rate in its budget.

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

· History of U.S. Government Federal Assistance Awards This document outlines the applicant organization’s experience with implementing U.S. government-funded federal assistance awards, including current and completed projects.

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

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

· Organizational Audit

· If the applicant organization is required to undergo an audit (per regulations outlined in 2 CFR 200.500 – Subpart F), a complete copy of the organization’s most-recent audit must be submitted

· 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.

· PM/GPI Applicant Pre-Award Risk Survey This risk survey reviews the applicant organization’s financial capacity, policies, and infrastructure. A template is included under the Related Documents section of this NOFO announcement on www.grants.gov.

· Please take note of the questions within the survey that request additional documentation. These documents must be included in the application.

D2-2. 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, at minimum, single-spaced with 14-point Calibri font and 1-inch margins. Captions and footnotes may be 10-point Calibri font. Font sizes in charts and tables, including the budget, can be reformatted to fit within 1 page width.

D.3. Unique entity identifier (UEI) and System for Award Management (sam.gov) The Unique Entity Identifier (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. www.sam.gov is the Federal government's primary database for complying with FFATA reporting requirements. OMB designated www.sam.gov as the central repository to facilitate applicant and recipient use of a single public website that consolidates data on all federal financial assistance. Under the law, it is mandatory to obtain a UEI number and register in sam.gov before submitting an application. PM/GPI may not review applications from or make awards to applicants that have not completed all applicable UEI and SAM.gov requirements.

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

Note: The process of obtaining a sam.gov registration may take anywhere from 4-8 weeks. Please begin your registration as early as possible. Numerous errors require correction, such as an address mismatch, and can delay final registration. If the application is not corrected within 90 calendar days of original registration/or renewal submission, it will be automatically deleted and the organization will need to re-start the process.

· Organizations based in the United States or that pay employees within the United States will need an Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). A Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) code and a UEI number are issued through SAM.gov. Once received continue with the remainder of the SAM.gov registration.

· Organizations based outside of the United States and do not pay employees within the United States do not need an EIN from the IRS, but do need a UEI number prior to registering in sam.gov. Please note that as of November 2022 and February 2022 respectively, organizations based outside of the United States that do not intend to apply for U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) awards are no longer required to have a NATO CAGE (NCAGE).

All organizations applying for grants (except individuals) must obtain these registrations. All are free of charge:

· NCAGE/CAGE code (if applicable)

· www.sam.gov UEI and registration

If you are an organization based outside the United States and DO NOT plan to do business with the Department of Defense:

Step 1: Proceed to SAM.gov to obtain a UEI and complete the registration.

If you are an organization based outside the United States and plan to do business with the Department of Defense:

Step 1: Apply for an NCAGE number

NCAGE Homepage:

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

https://eportal.nspa.nato.int/Codification/CageTool/home For NCAGE help from within the U.S., call 1-888-227-2423 For NCAGE help from outside the U.S., call 1-269-961-7766 Email NCAGE@dlis.dla.mil for any problems in getting an NCAGE code.

Step 2: After receiving the NCAGE Code, proceed to SAM.gov to obtain a UEI an complete registration.

All prime organizations must also continue to maintain active SAM.gov registration with current information at all times during which they have an active Federal award or application under consideration by a Federal award agency. SAM.gov requires all entities to renew their registration once a year in order to maintain an active registration status in SAM. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure it has an active registration in SAM.gov and to maintain that active registration. If an applicant has not fully complied with the requirements at the time of application, the applicant may be deemed technically ineligible to receive an award and use that determination as a basis for making an award to another applicant.

Note: SAM.gov is not the same as SAMS/MyGrants. It is free to register in both systems, but the registration processes are different.

Information is included on the SAM.gov website to help international registrations: Please note, guidance on SAM.gov and the guidance on GSA’s website about requirement for registering in SAM.gov is subject to change and currently being updated. Applicants should review the website frequently for the most up-to-date guidance.

The attached “UEI and SAM.gov FAQ updated 021623” is a resource provided by the grants policy office. Any content shown from SAM.gov is not owned by the Department of State. This guidance and instruction are to the best of our knowledge based at the time of posting this solicitation. Where guidance in this attachments differs from the SAM.gov website, SAM.gov prevails and the applicant is encouraged to seek and document clarity provided by the SAM.gov helpdesk.

D.3.1 Exemptions An exemption from these requirements may be permitted under the following circumstances:

· Recipient is a foreign organization receiving an award that will be performed outside the United States valued at less than $25,000, if the Grants Officer deems it to be impractical for the entity to obtain a UEI or register in SAM.gov.

· The recipient is an overseas school and does not currently have a UEI number.

· The award relates to a classified or national security matter.

· The recipient’s identity must be protected due to possible endangerment of their mission, their organization’s status, their employees, or the beneficiary being served by the recipient.

· There are exigent circumstances that prohibit the recipient from receiving a UEI and completing SAM registration prior to receiving the award. These circumstances are identified in the justification below and the recipient will be required to register within 30 days of the award date in accordance with 2 CFR 25.

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.

D.4. Submission Dates and Times

Applications are due no later than 11:59 PM Eastern Standard Time (EST), on July 25, 2024, on grants.gov or SAMS/MyGrants under the announcement title “Supporting Morocco’s National Space Strategy and Policy Development,” funding opportunity number DFOP0016599.

Faxed, couriered, or emailed documents will not be accepted. Reasonable accommodations may, in appropriate circumstances, be provided to applicants with disabilities or for security reasons.

It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that it has an active registration in grants.gov or SAMS/MyGrants or grants.gov and that an application has been received by the system in its entirety. grants.gov and SAMS/MyGrants automatically log the date and time an application submission is made, and the Department of State will use this information to determine whether an application has been submitted on time. Late applications are neither reviewed nor considered. Applicants should not expect a notification upon PM/GPI receiving their application.

PM/GPI bears no responsibility for disqualification that results from applicants not being registered before the due date, for registrations errors in either system, or other errors in the application process.

D.5. Funding Limitations, Restrictions, and Other Considerations PM/GPI will not consider applications that reflect any type of support for any member, affiliate, or representative of a designated terrorist organization. Please refer the link for Foreign Terrorist Organizations: https://www.state.gov/foreign-terrorist-organizations/. Consistent with Department guidance on State Funding and the Risks of Terrorist Financing, for all State Department funded programs and requirements, Department bureaus must assess the likelihood that the funds or Department funded activities, goods, services, training, expert advice or assistance, or other benefits to be provided, could inadvertently or incidentally benefit terrorist organizations or their members or supporters, and put in place appropriate risk mitigation measures to mitigate such risk. In accordance with 14 FAM 247, and consistent with the 2 FAM 050, Counterterrorism (CT) name-check vetting may be performed in countries and programs designated by the Department.

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

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

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

· Projects seeking funds for personal use;

· Administration of a project that will make a profit;

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

· Projects designed to advocate policy views or positions of foreign governments or views of a particular political faction;

· Alcoholic beverages;

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

Representation by Organization Regarding a Delinquent Tax Liability or a Felony Criminal Conviction:

In accordance with section 7073 of Division K of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014 (Public Law 113-76) none of the funds made available by that Act may be used to enter into an assistance award with any organization that –

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

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

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

Organizations should be cognizant of these restrictions when developing project proposals. Funding restrictions will require appropriate due diligence of program beneficiaries and collaboration with PM/GPI to ensure compliance with these restrictions. Program beneficiaries subject to due diligence vetting will include any individuals or entities that are beneficiaries of foreign assistance funding or support. Due diligence vetting will include a review of open-source materials.

Section E. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

E1. 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 Design – Total Possible Points: 30

· Strong understanding of the current context, including opportunities, challenges, and key stakeholders (10)

· Responsive to the solicitation and appropriate in the country/regional context (3)

· Technical approach is logical, feasible, and provides confidence that the goal and objectives can be achieved (10)

· Integrates the required deliverables into the project plan (5)

· Proposed technical approach addresses ways for overcoming systemic barriers to reaching the goal and objectives (2)

Ability to Achieve Objectives – Total Possible Points: 30

· Clearly articulates how each proposed activity contributes to project objectives, and level of effort is appropriate for achieving targets while also considering absorptive capacity of partner (5)

· Provides a realistic yet aggressive timeline for project activities (5)

· Logical staffing structure and institutional resources with lines of authority, roles, and responsibilities (5)

· Key Personnel, partners, and sub-grantees are well-qualified for the contributions they are intended to provide to the project team (10)

· Identifies project risks and a plan to either accept or mitigate each risk (5)

Project Management, Monitoring, and Evaluation – Total Possible Points: 15 The Project Management, Monitoring, and Evaluation Plan includes:

· Narrative explaining how project management and monitoring will be carried out and by whom (5)

· Description of the required deliverables, including the LAGA, CAP, Workplan, and submitting status updates in Smartsheet (5)

· Includes an external midterm and/or final evaluation or justification for why one is not included (5)

Institution’s Record and Capacity Rating – Total Possible Points: 15

· The applicant demonstrates an institutional record of successful programs in the proposed country/region and program area (10)

· Applicant is a current/former Department of State grantee and they successfully manage/managed the project OR the applicant has not worked with the Department of State previously but demonstrates experience in managing projects of similar-size and scope (5)

Cost Effectiveness – Total Possible Points: 10

· Activity-related costs are realistic, appropriate, and clearly linked to project objectives (4)

· Personnel costs (e.g. staff salaries, contractor rates, and honoraria) are reasonable given the amount of work and oversight needed to manage the project (3)

· Administrative costs (e.g. staff travel, supplies, office costs) are necessary, justified, and in good proportion to direct activity costs (3)

E2. REVIEW AND SELECTION PROCESS

The Grants Office first reviews all submitted applications for technical eligibility, based on the list of required documents in Section D: Application and Submission Information. All technically eligible applications are then passed to a review committee, which will evaluate the applications against the Technical Evaluation Criteria listed in the previous sub-section. The application(s) selected by the review committee are then presented to the Grants Officer for approval.

The Grants Office will notify successful applicant(s) via email and pass along any conditions, recommendations, or questions from the review committee. The Grants Office will notify unsuccessful applicants via email after an award has been issued to the successful applicant(s); therefore, this notification process may take several months. Final approval of the budget resides with the Grants Officer.

PM/GPI reserves the right to fund any number of applications or none of the applications submitted and will determine the resulting level of funding for each award(s). PM/GPI reserves the right to make an award based on the initial application received with or without discussion or negotiations. Therefore, applications should contain the Applicants’ best terms from both cost and technical standpoints.

E3. RESPONSIBILITY/QUALIFICATION INFORMATION IN SAM.GOV (FORMERLY, FAPIIS)

The Federal awarding agency, prior to making a Federal award with a total amount of Federal share greater than the simplified acquisition threshold, is required to review and consider any information about the applicant that is in the U.S. government designated integrity and performance system accessible through SAM.gov (see 41 U.S.C. 2313);

An applicant, at its option, may review and comment on any information about itself that a Federal awarding agency previously entered. Currently, federal agencies create integrity records in the integrity module of the Contractor Performance Assessment and Reporting System (CPARS) and these records are visible as responsibility/qualification records in SAM.gov;

The Federal awarding agency will consider any comments by the applicant, in addition to the other information in the designated integrity and performance system, in making a judgment about the applicant's integrity, business ethics, and record of performance under Federal awards when completing the review of risk posed by applicants as described in §200.206 Federal awarding agency review of risk posed by applicants.

Section F. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

F1. FEDERAL AWARD NOTICES

PM/GPI will provide a separate notification to applicants on the result of their applications. Successful applicants will receive a letter electronically via email requesting that the applicant respond to review panel conditions and recommendations. This notification is not an authorization to begin activities and does not constitute formal approval or a funding commitment.

Final approval is contingent on the applicant successfully responding to the review panel’s conditions and recommendations, Congressional Notification requirements, registration in required systems; and completing and providing any additional…