NOFO Q&A INL23CA0038-WHPPERU-SMARTPOLICE-07062023.pdf

Questions and Answers for Model Precinct/Smart Policing Training Project – Lima

INL23CA0038-WHPPERU-SMARTPOLICE-07062023

Date: August 11, 2023

Question 1:

Does INL expect the grantee to use the awarded funds to build the technology needed for the component of intelligence-led technology?

INL Response:

INL defers to the implementer to decide if building or procuring the technology needed for the intelligence-led technology component is better.

Question 2:

Will this police modernization intervention be the continuation of some past or ongoing reform efforts funded by INL? Is there an incumbent implementer?

INL Response:

This project is the continuation of past INL projects, consolidated in specific target areas.

Question 3:

It is required that "applicants must have demonstrated experience working on legal issues in Peru" (p. 11). Would having lectured to the Peruvian National Police count as a valid experience?

INL Response:

INL will use a whole-of-nominee approach to award the Smart Policing grant. All former engagement with the Peruvian National Police, including lectures, will count as valid experience.

Question 4:

Can INL confirm that text boxes may be size 10 font?

INL Response:

Department of State guidelines require 12-point Calibri font.

Question 5:

Can INL clarify if there is a difference between selected and target MPPs?

INL Response:

INL considers the terms selected and targeted interchangeable when referring to MPP’s.

Question 6:

Can INL clarify the minimum number of designated regions to be selected for implementation?

INL Response:

The Peru MPP will be initially focused on four designated high-crime regions.

These regions are Loreto (Iquitos), Lima (San Juan de Lurigancho), La Libertad (Trujillo), and Cusco (Cusco). Based on the results of the initial implementation of the project in these four regions and funding availability, this project may be expanded up to seven regions.

Question 7:

On Page 8 of the NOFO, Activity 3- New York City Study Tour- can INL clarify how many people and how many days the applicant should budget for?

INL recommends up to ten participants, with a particular focus on sub-officials, participate in a one-week study tour, with a budget not to exceed $60,000. INL will support study tours to other locations, provided they meet the intended outcomes.

Question 8:

On Page 8 of the NOFO, when referring to the 20% target for advanced training for PNP officers, can INL clarify whether this is 20% of all the PNP or 20% of those officers who received the basic training?

INL Response:

20 percent of PNP personnel physically working in the designated locations where the Peru MPP project will be implemented. Targeted PNP personnel should be assigned to divisions working on community policing, citizen security, crime prevention, and patrol so that the learned skills and knowledge can be put to practical use.

Question 9:

Would INL consider hybrid or virtual trainings to reach the intended populations?

INL considers in-person training to be the most beneficial form of education.

Thus, the principal training delivery form should focus on in-person training provided by subject matter experts in each specialized area. However, this does not preclude the implementer from coordinating virtual training sessions with guest speakers who are experts in a particular area. Thus, there is some flexibility in the educational training format. All virtual training components should be discussed with INL Lima prior to scheduling and should include as many participants from as many MPP locations as possible.

Question 10:

Could INL confirm that Activity 3, Sub-Activity 4 (page 9), requiring the implementer to create a mid/high-level PNP management working group to develop and implement a CompStat system, only refers to the organizational and foundational elements of a CompStat system and not at the actual country-wide operational and technological needs required to make it fully functional, particularly as the Sub-Activity 4, builds upon the CompStat system witnessed in New York City?

INL Response:

The creation of a mid/high-level PNP working group to develop and implement an intelligence-based police system refers to the organizational and foundational elements of establishing such a system at the regional level, within the designated MPP locations. Discussion of a national approach may be appropriate in the future.

Question 11:

Under Activity 1 of Objective 3, the NOFO indicates that 25% of the students should be female candidates. Peru has only one school for women police officers, and it’s in Lima (San Bartolo). Is the NOFO suggesting that applicant organizations should bring female students (at least 25% of students) from distinct regions to Lima for training to become police officers?

No. When the NOFO indicates that 25 percent of the student participants be female candidates, INL is referring to the percentage of female PNP officials from the region where the Peru MPP project is being implemented.

Question 12:

Under the scholarship program as described under Objective 3, does an MOU currently exist between the U.S. Embassy in Lima and Peru’s National Police for this program or will obtaining such an MOU be an obligation of the applicant organization?

INL Response:

INL will prepare a Project Implementation Letter (PIL) between INL and the Peruvian National Police.

Question 13:

Is the “Note” section under Objective 5 specific to and related solely to Objective 5, or is the Note referring in general to the entire project? In other words, is a project coordinator required for each of the 7 regions (including the 2 from Lima) or can local consultants in the 7 regions serve as local coordinators?

INL Response:

The implementer, in consultation with INL Lima, will contract the services of a MPP Project Coordinator (PC) who possesses the subject matter expertise in crime prevention strategies and community policing. The PC will hire embedded Technical Advisors (TA) for each MPP location. The TAs will oversee the project(s) in each MPP location and report results and impact on a regular basis through the PC. INL Lima will assist the implementer with the selection of the best candidates.

Question 14:

Page 4 of the NOFO mentions that the project will “initially be implemented in up to four prioritized high-crime regions,” and later expanded to seven designated areas including Callao, La Libertad (Trujillo), Ica (Chincha), Cusco, Arequipa, Iquitos, and Lima, district of San Juan de Lurigancho (SJL). Could INL provide additional guidance as to which four areas will be prioritized?

The Peru MPP will be initially focused on four designated high-crime regions or locations. These regions are Loreto (Iquitos), Lima (San Juan de Lurigancho), La Libertad (Trujillo), and Cusco (Cusco). Based on initial implementation results and funding availability, the project may be expanded to up to seven regions.

Question 15:

The training activities mentioned in the NOFO will require Leahy Vetting for up to 3,020 PNP participants (20% of four regions with the highest number of personnel). What is the current INL capacity to process Leahy Vetting applications? Is there a pool of potential trainees already cleared? Approximately how many personnel could be Leahy cleared per year?

INL Lima’s Travel and Training Unit will assist with Leahy vetting. Some PNP personnel are already vetted; however, vetting is required on an annual basis. If the implementer provides all the required information, INL Lima will vet all training candidates.

Question 16:

Do the Cover Page, Table of Contents, and Executive Summary count as part of the 20-page limit in the Proposal Narrative? Similarly, should the Biographical Information of the Applicant Organization, List of Key Personnel and Partner Information be included as attachments separate from the Proposal Narrative?

INL Response:

Yes. The cover page, table of contents and executive summary count as part of the 20-page maximum. In addition, INL prefers that any additional documents be included as separate attachments.

Question 17:

Is it safe to assume the Performance Monitoring Plan, Project Risk Analysis, and Timeline can be attached as appendices, and not count as part of the 20-page limit in the Proposal Narrative?

INL Response:

These documents appear in the NOFO as separate documents from the 20-page Proposal Narrative (as evidenced by the separate bullet points). Therefore, neither the Performance Monitoring Plan, Project Risk Analysis, nor the Timeline should count toward the Proposal Narrative’s 20-page maximum limit and are acceptable to submit separately as Appendices.

Question 18:

Diversity scholarship program (30 students) 25% women = 7.5, equivalent to 8. Is this total by region or in full for the program?

Each MPP location will include a diversity scholarship program for approximately 30 students. Every effort should be made to ensure that 25 percent of participants are female.

Question 19:

As for the evaluator of monitoring the progress of the scholarship holders, one has been talked about for the 30 students or another amount (for example, 1 x every 10 students). Is this correct?

INL Response:

INL recommends that during the initial baseline assessment, a PNP officer from the Office of Citizen Participation from each respective region be selected to monitor and evaluate the progress of the students. INL defers to the implementer to identify and select responsible PNP official(s).

Question 20:

The physical spaces for the training are in the offices or police posts, or is it necessary to scout some spaces outside the police that must be rented? What is customary in previous experiences?

INL Response:

The implementer will conduct an initial baseline assessment to determine available training facilities. To the extent possible, training should be held in PNP-owned offices. If an outside venue is required, the implementer will consult with INL Lima and provide cost estimates.

Question 21:

In the case of training, will participants be grouped in the areas according to where they are stationed, or is it planned to move to a place where they attend from several locations? Could you tell me what is usual?

INL Response:

The implementer will design and implement a unique training program in each MPP location based on the initial baseline needs survey. Training participants will be selected from the assigned area.

Question 22:

Does INL have, based on previous experience, a minimum or maximum number of participants per workshop? Considering pedagogical and logistical aspects.

INL Response:

INL suggests a classroom size of approximately 30 students.

Question 23:

Objective 3 – activity 2: the adequation of training facility refers to one facility in each selected region or one overall? Also, does INL consider the adequation of a facility within the Police District, the Academy training facility or an independent place? Could this place be rented for the duration of the training? The 30 students are overall or in each district?

INL Response:

The MPP Project Coordinator (PC), working in conjunction with an embedded Technical Advisor, will identify adequate facilities for specialized trainings in each of the four selected regions. To the extent possible, these should be PNP facilities; however, if no adequate facility is available, the PC will consult with INL Lima, providing quotes. Participants will be selected from each region.

Question 24:

For the study tour, how many participants per region would apply? Is there a maximum estimate?

INL Response:

INL recommends up to ten participants, with a particular focus on sub-officials, participate in a one-week New York (or similar location) study tour, with a budget not to exceed $60,000.

Question 25:

Could the proposal suggest somewhere different to NYC so long as the contents (seeing COMPSTAT and ILP best practices) are complied with?

INL Response:

Yes.

Question 26:

As for the funds for execution, how will it be handled: Reimbursement or advances?

INL Response:

At the discretion of the INL Grant Officer, Recipients have the option of requesting advance and/or reimbursement payments.

Question 27:

It is highly likely that to properly implement ILP and data-driven patrolling strategies, the PNP would require of some hardware equipment throughout the regions. Would INL conduct these purchases -based on the assessments- or would it be part of the expectation for the implementer? The same holds for GBV and community policing.

The implementer, in consultation with INL, will determine if it is better to build or procure the required technology for the intelligence-led technology component.

Question 28:

Does INL have some specific instructions or limitations regarding software purchase or development? The project likely requires some sort of tailored-software development (COMPSTAT-like), preferably considering sustainability at its core.

INL Response:

The MPP Project Coordinator will conduct an initial baseline needs assessment and then work with INL to determine if it is better to build or procure required technology for the intelligence-led technology component.