NOFO - Sinjar Agreement Mediation and Dialogue.docx

United States Department of State Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations (CSO) Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) - SAMS Domestic

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY OVERVIEW

Announcement Type: Request for Federal Assistance Applications

Public Opportunity Title: Sinjar Agreement Mediation and Dialogue (SAMAD)

NOFO Opportunity Number: SFOP0009844 Assistance Listing

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 19.121

Funding Amount: Not to exceed the total amount of $444,444

NOFO Issuance Date: June 2, 2023

Deadline for Receipt of Questions: July 7, 2023, 5:00PM Eastern Standard Time

Closing Date and Time for Submission of Applications: August 1, 2023, 11:59 PM Eastern Standard Time via www.grants.gov

Program Type: CSO/NEA

Anticipated Number of Awards: One

Type of Award: Cooperative Agreement

Anticipated Period of Performance: 18 months

Est. Program Start Date: August 30, 2023

Est. Program End Date: February 28, 2025

Eligibility Category:

· Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education

· Nonprofits that do not have 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education

· Public and State controlled institutions of higher education

· For profit organizations other than small businesses

· Overseas non-governmental organizations

· Other: Foreign Public Entities and Public International Organizations (PIOs).

Type of Applicant: Organizations only.

Number of Applications: One (1) per applicant organization

[NOTE: Organizations may form consortia and submit a combined proposal. However, only one organization must be designated as the lead applicant. The lead applicant must meet the eligibility criteria listed above.]

Electronic Requirement: Yes. All applications must be submitted through SAMS Domestic or grants.gov. E-mailed or faxed proposal packages will not be considered.

Submission of Applications: For more information, see the instructions listed below.

Anticipated Award Date: Within approximately nine to twelve weeks of the closing of this announcement. The successful applicant will receive notification. The U.S. Department of State is under no obligation to fund any of the proposals submitted under this funding opportunity.

Award Ceiling: $444,444

Award Floor: $400,000

Cost-Sharing: Recommended but not required.

CSO Point of Contact: Laurie Mynatt, MynattLJ@state.gov Ned Curry, CurryEJ@state.gov

This funding opportunity is posted on SAMS Domestic and grants.gov, and may be amended. Answers to questions from potential applicants will be posted as an attachment to this NOFO. Applicants should regularly check the websites for the most recent information pertaining to this NOFO. Department of State bears no responsibility for data errors resulting from transmission or conversion processes associated with electronic submissions Incomplete application packages will not be considered. E-mailed, faxed or mailed documents will NOT be considered.

It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that the application package has been received in SAMS Domestic or grants.gov in its entirety. Incomplete applications will be considered ineligible. Individual e-mailed or faxed documents will not be considered.

Other Submission Requirements

All application submissions must be made electronically via www.grants.gov or SAMS Domestic (https://mygrants.servicenowservices.com). Both systems require registration by the applying organization. Please note that the Grants.gov registration process can take ten (10) business days or longer, even if all registration steps are completed in a timely manner.

It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that it has an active registration in SAMS Domestic or Grants.gov. Applicants are required to document that the application has been received by SAMS Domestic or Grants.gov in its entirety. CSO bears no responsibility for disqualification that result from applicants not being registered before the due date, for system errors in either SAMS Domestic or Grants.gov, or other errors in the application process. Additionally, applicants must save a screen shot of the checklist showing all documents submitted in case any document fails to upload successfully.

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.

Applicants must follow all formatting instructions in the applicable NOFO and these instructions.

CSO encourages organizations to submit applications during normal business hours (Monday – Friday, 9:00AM - 5:00PM Eastern Standard Time (EST)). If an applicant experiences technical difficulties and has contacted the appropriate helpdesk but is not receiving timely assistance (e.g. if you have not received a response within 48 hours of contacting the helpdesk), you may contact the CSO’s point of contact listed in the NOFO in Section G. The point of contact may assist in contacting the appropriate helpdesk.

Note: The Grants Officer will determine technical eligibility of all applications.

The decision for the final eligibility and award determination rests with the Grants Officer.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations (CSO) is charged with leading the formulation and implementation of U.S. conflict prevention and stabilization strategies, policies, and programs. It provides the secretariat for the U.S. government’s multi-agency Atrocity Prevention Task Force and is the State Department’s lead implementer of the U.S. Strategy to Prevent Conflict and Promote Stability. At the end of 2021, CSO also stood up the Negotiations Support Unit to assist U.S. diplomats and other officials to resolve some of the thorniest and most intractable disputes. CSO’s efforts to reduce fragility, strengthen democratic institutions, and increase social cohesion with and within priority partner countries directly advance U.S. foreign policy objectives.

CSO announces an open competition for organizations interested in submitting applications for programs addressing the local governance challenges in Sinjar, Iraq and the implementation of the Sinjar Agreement.

Pending availability of funds and satisfactory performance, including compliance with the award’s terms and conditions CSO may consider adding funds to the award. CSO intends to support one (1) award as a result of this NOFO.

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

The Federal award signed by the State Department Grants Officer is the only authorizing document.

This NOFO consists of the Overview and Executive Summary, plus the following sections:

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY SYNOPSIS

The Department of State’s Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations (CSO) aims to support a program to set the conditions to reinvigorate the stalled 2020 Sinjar Agreement.

Conflict Analysis Summary: The Sinjar district of Ninewa province is the Yezidi community’s traditional homeland. Hundreds of thousands of Yezidis fled the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in 2014, and ISIS killed or enslaved many of those who could not leave. In March 2016, the Department determined ISIS’ actions against Yezidis constituted genocide. Sinjar requires Government of Iraq (GOI) investment for reconstruction efforts, though the international community continues to meet much of Sinjar’s reconstruction needs. An estimated 200,000 Yezidis remain internally displaced, mostly in camps or urban areas in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region (IKR).

Like much of Ninewa province, both the GOI and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) – as part of the semi-autonomous IKR – claim governmental authority over Sinjar, though de facto control has oscillated between both entities. When ISIS invaded Sinjar in 2014, thousands of Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP)-led Peshmerga forces voluntarily withdrew from the area, which many Yezidis viewed as an act of betrayal. Elements of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) – a U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organization (FTO) – filled the security vacuum in Sinjar, offering and assuring safe passage for those fleeing from ISIS. The PKK-affiliated elements subsequently maintained a foothold in Sinjar on the grounds that it was protecting Yezidis from ISIS.

Specific problem/opportunity that CSO seeks to address with this NOFO: This program seeks to create an inclusive, community-centered process for Sinjaris’ views on local governance to be considered in an Iraqi-led implementation of the Sinjar Agreement. In October 2020, the GOI and the KRG signed the Sinjar Agreement. The agreement, which remains largely unimplemented, stipulates appointing a new mayor (until one can be elected), forming a local police force, and creating a reconstruction committee. However, when negotiating the agreement, neither the GOI nor the KRG consulted substantively with Sinjar’s local community; therefore, most Sinjaris, particularly Yezidis, consider the agreement fundamentally flawed. This program intends to bridge the gap between Sinjaris and regional and national governance bodies by elevating local perspectives on reconstruction needs, the presence of armed groups, and other local governance priorities to set the conditions for an Iraqi-led implementation of the Sinjar Agreement.

ILLUSTRATIVE PROGRAM OBJECTIVES & ACTIVITIES

This program will be implemented over an 18-month period. Below are illustrative objectives and corresponding activities.

Note: CSO would like to benefit from the applicant’s knowledge, experience, and creativity in determining how to meet the goal.

Objective 1: Improve the GOI’s and the KRG’s understanding of the Sinjari community’s interests and needs in relation to local, regional, and federal governing bodies.

Activities could include but are not limited to:

· 1A) Surveys/focus groups/key informant interviews (KIIs) on what Sinjaris seek from their local government, the GOI, and the KRG: The purpose of this activity is to understand Sinjari stakeholders’ attitudes on local governance and identify entry points for building the capacity of Sinjaris to address governance challenges. The activity should span the Sinjar district and include the viewpoints of women, youth, and ethnic and religious minorities, and include dedicated, trauma-informed sessions on issues of conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV).

· 1B) Community Dialogue on local governance in Sinjar: Building off the previous activity, the implementer will establish, oversee, and mediate one or more community dialogues. The dialogue(s) will prioritize inclusive participation of diverse stakeholders, particularly women and youth. The intended outcome of this activity is an agreed-upon plan from primary stakeholders for establishing, codifying, and strengthening local governance. This report will be shared with UNAMI and Iraqi leaders in Baghdad and Erbil to further encourage Sinjar Agreement implementation.

Objective 2: Increase the capacity of Sinjaris to mediate on local governance.

Activities could include but are not limited to:

· 2A) Capacity Building to Mediate Local Governance: Based on the surveys and dialogue above, the purpose of this activity is to build local Sinjaris’ capacity to work collaboratively across ethnic, religious, and political affiliations to address shared governance challenges. This may include creating opportunities to socialize shared views on local governance priorities, the creation of de-escalatory communication channels, the creation of community dialogues to discuss community security challenges, and other approaches to mediate conflicts related to local governance. This activity will be informed by the local governance report (Objective 1A) to target efforts ripe for successful mediation. No less than 25 percent of participants must be women. Particular attention should be given to building capacity on early warning and response, including the participation of survivors of CRSV.

GEOGRAPHIC REGIONS/POPULATIONS

· Geographic Focus: Most of program activities will occur in the Sinjar district’s primary population centers, both North and South of the Sinjar Mountains. This will ensure communities from Sinjar’s diverse political, ethnic, and religious backgrounds are included. This program will benefit the Iraqi people, specifically Sinjaris currently residing in Sinjar and the estimated 200,000 Yezidis who remain internally displaced from Sinjar and seek to return to home. Successful applicants must have physical access to communities throughout the Sinjar district.

· Target Groups: The targeted groups should include varying strata within Sinjar’s society, including but not limited to local government leaders, religious leaders, civil society, women, ethnic and religious minorities, youth, journalists, and others. Program activities must be accessible, inclusive, and reflective of the diverse needs of women and girls, particularly survivors of CRSV.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

· Women, Peace, and Security – Per the Women, Peace, and Security Act of 2017, the United States is committed to the meaningful participation of women in conflict prevention, management, and resolution, which is critical to the long-term stability of countries and regions. This includes promoting the physical safety of women and girls, collecting and analyzing sex-disaggregated data for the purpose of developing and enhancing early warning systems for conflict and violence, and integrating the perspectives and interests of affected women into conflict prevention activities and strategies. In addition, U.S. government programs should improve outcomes in gender equality and the empowerment of women.

· Coordination and Partnerships: This program will coordinate with UNAMI to elevate local Sinjari voices, share the program’s findings, and leverage UNAMI’s relationships with local, regional, and national leaders in Iraq. UNAMI is an important actor for this program due to its history as an original broker of the Sinjar Agreement, including the mandate to support implementation of the Sinjar Agreement.

· Other considerations: A successful applicant must have physical access to the Sinjar district and have a track record of conducting vetting/risk assessments related to the risks of material support to terrorist groups. Proposals that reflect any type of support for any member, affiliate, or representative of a designated terrorist organization or narcotics trafficker, including elected members of government, will NOT be considered. This provision must be included in any sub‐awards/sub-contracts issued under this award.

II. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

CSO expects to award one (1) grant based on this NOFO and in an amount not to exceed the total ceiling amount of $444,444. The period of performance is 18 months with an anticipated start date of August 2023. CSO may extend the award up to six months contingent on CSO priorities, good performance of the recipient, Department of State management approval, and funding availability.

The U.S. government may: (a) reject any or all applications, (b) accept other than the lowest cost application, (c) accept more than one application, and (d) waive irregularities in applications received.

The U.S. government may make award on the basis of initial applications received, without discussions or negotiations. Therefore, each initial application should contain the applicant's best terms from a cost and technical standpoint. The U.S. government reserves the right (though it is under no obligation to do so), however, to enter into discussions with one or more applicants in order to obtain clarifications, additional detail, or to suggest refinements in the project description, budget, or other aspects of an application.

Depending on the quality of submissions, CSO anticipates awarding either a grant or cooperative agreement depending on the needs and risk factors of the program. The distinction between grants and cooperative agreements revolves around the existence of “substantial involvement.” Cooperative agreements require greater Federal government participation in the project. If a cooperative agreement is awarded, CSO will undertake reasonable and programmatically necessary substantial involvement. For example, CSO will work closely with successful applicants to advise on revisions to the theory-of-change (TOC), design, indicators, and data collection instruments, working to ensure an approach that benefits the wider conflict community. Additionally, CSO seeks to ensure that qualitative and quantitative information from the program is shared with CSO in ways that can feed into the broader analysis of conflict dynamics at subnational, national, and regional levels. As a result, CSO may work with the Recipient to develop a documentation and reporting plan that meets those needs.

Other examples of substantial involvement can include, but are not limited to:

· Active participation or collaboration with the recipient in the implementation of the award;

· Review and approval of one stage of work before another can begin;

· Review and approval of substantive provisions of proposed sub-awards or contracts beyond existing Federal policy;

· Approval of the recipient’s budget or plan of work prior to the award.

Due to political, security, and humanitarian sensitivities in Iraq, including the closure of internally displaced persons camps, any decisions to change the scope or purpose of activities in the statement of work, or to bring in other organizations to assist with activities and to engage with media, will be made in consultation with CSO, U.S. Embassy Baghdad, U.S. Consulate Erbil, and with Host Nation authorities as appropriate. CSO also expects to assist with the development of in-country partners who would be interested and capable of continuing this effort beyond the duration of the program.

The authority for this funding opportunity is found in the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended (FAA).

Issuance of the solicitation does not constitute an award commitment on the part of the U.S. government. CSO reserves the right to reduce, revise, or increase application budgets in accordance with program evaluation requirements. In the event of an award, CSO reserves the right to terminate the agreement in accordance with 2 CFR 200 and the Department of State Standard Terms and Conditions. Specifically, an award may be terminated if the Recipient is not meeting the objectives of the program or if the program no longer is consistent with the national security or foreign policy interest of the United States.

All applicants should be familiar with OMB Circular 2 CFR Part 200.

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

Eligible Applicants CSO welcomes applications from U.S.-based non-profit/non-governmental organizations (NGOs) or education institutions having a 501(c) (3) status with the IRS; commercial entities; for profit organizations; overseas non-governmental organizations; Foreign Public Entities and Public International Organizations (PIOs).

Applications submitted by for-profit entities may be subject to additional review following the panel selection process. Additionally, the Department of State prohibits profit to for-profit or commercial organizations under its assistance awards. Profit is defined as any amount in excess of allowable direct and indirect costs. The allowability of costs incurred by commercial organizations is determined in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) at 48 CFR 30, Cost Accounting Standards Administration, and 48 CFR 31 Contract Cost Principles and Procedures.

Please see 2 CFR 200.307 for regulations regarding program income.

Cost Sharing or Matching Providing cost sharing, matching, or cost participation is not an eligibility factor or requirement for this NOFO and providing cost share will not result in a more favorable competitive ranking. Applicants may offer cost share, but cost share will not be considered or factored in when proposals are reviewed.

Other Eligibility Requirements Applicants must have existing active partnerships with local in-country partners, entities, and relevant stakeholders and have demonstrable experience in administering successful and preferably similar projects in Iraq. Access to Sinjar is required.

Any applicant listed on the Excluded Parties List System in the System for Award Management (SAM.gov) (www.sam.gov) and/or has a current debt to the U.S. government 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 or person listed on the Excluded Parties List System in SAM.gov can participate in any activities under an award. All applicants are strongly encouraged to review the Excluded Parties List System in SAM.gov to ensure that no ineligible entity or person is included in their application.

In order to be eligible to receive an award, all organizations must have a unique entity identifier (Data Universal Numbering System/DUNS number from Dun & Bradstreet), as well as a valid registration on www.SAM.gov. Please see Section D.3 for information on how to obtain these registrations. Individuals are not required to have a unique entity identifier 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.

IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

Please contact the CSO point of contact listed in Section VII if requesting reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities or for security reasons. Please note that reasonable accommodations do not include deadline extensions.

Please refer to the Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) for more information and complete instructions on how to apply to this NOFO, including information on proposal’s content and formatting. Please use both the PSI and the NOFO to ensure that the proposal submission is in full compliance with the requirements. Proposal submissions that do not meet all of the requirements outlined in the NOFO and PSI will NOT be considered.

Please follow all instructions below carefully. Proposals that do not meet the requirements of this announcement or fail to comply with the stated requirements will be ineligible.

Content of Application Please ensure:

· 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 paper, and

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

The following documents are required:

· SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance – organizations) or SF-424-I (Application for Federal Assistance --individuals)

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

· SF-424B (Assurances for Non-Construction programs) (note: the SF-424B is only required for individuals and for organizations not registered in SAM.gov)

FUNDING RESTRICTIONS

All proposals should include consideration of security conditions in Iraq. Due to security considerations in Iraq, the recipient may choose to limit association with U.S. funding. Proposals that reflect any type of support for any member, affiliate, or representative of a designated terrorist organization or narcotics trafficker, including elected members of government, will NOT be considered.

PROPOSAL NARRATIVE

The Proposal Narrative must be single-spaced, 12-point Calibri font in Microsoft Word, at least one-inch margins, and should not exceed ten pages. Please note the ten-page limit does not include the Cover Page, Executive Summary, Table of Contents, Attachments, Detailed Budget, Budget Narrative, Audit, or NICRA. Applicants are encouraged to combine multiple documents into a single Word Document or PDF (i.e. Cover Page, Table of Contents, Executive Summary, and Proposal Narrative in one file). Please see Proposal Narrative Guidelines in Section 2F below for more details. should be organized into the following five components:

Executive Summary (not included in the ten-page limit):

· A succinct one-page summary containing information that the applicant believes best represents its proposed program and includes: the name and contact information for the program’s main point of contact; the program’s goal and objectives; program’s approach and methodology; and program’s expected outcomes.

Approach and Methodology:

· Conflict/Context Analysis: Successful applications under this funding opportunity will describe an approach based on a context and conflict analysis that leads to a concrete program change hypothesis. In this section, please provide background on the conflict/context in which the proposed program will be operating.

· Program Goal and Objectives: In this section, please fully explain the program’s goal and objectives. The overarching goal statement should be visionary in nature, and outline what the overall activities and objectives should be building towards. It is important that the program goal aligns with (CSO/Department/U.S. government) policy. The objectives of the program should describe where you expect to be by the end of your program. The objectives should be measurable, results-focused, and achievable in within the timeframe of the program.

· Activities: All activities should be clearly developed and sufficiently detailed to understand the resource and time requirements, and how they contribute to the objectives and goal. Please identify: target areas for activities; target participant groups or selection criteria for participants; how the program will engage relevant stakeholders, including women; and local partners as appropriate, among other pertinent details. If partners are included, the narrative should clearly describe the division of labor between the direct applicant and partners.

· Research Methodology: The implementing partner(s) will need to outline a research plan as a part of the application, to be approved by the U.S. Government. This plan would be essential for enabling the organization(s) to track progress and adapt practices. Throughout the research process, the implementing partner(s) will regularly report research progress to the USG. The methodology may include surveys, focus group discussions (FGDs), and key informant interview questions and indicators, which need to be compatible and complementary to other CSO-supported research initiatives.

· Theory of Change: Provide a theory of change for your program that elaborates explicit causal connections between the program’s activities, key intermediate outcomes, objectives, and the long-term goal. Generally, this should involve a chain of “if…then…because…” statements, or something similar. The program theory of change should apply and contextualize any relevant general theory about how this type of intervention works, and how to avoid negative outcomes. It should specify any key assumptions about the context (including relevant gender dynamics), the program design, or companion interventions that are required for success. It should cogently establish that the activities can reasonably be expected to be sufficient in kind, amount and timing with the resources applied, in this context. In addition, briefly explain how the program theory of change interacts with the broader system of conflict interventions by the U.S. government and others. A useful resource for guidance on developing theories of change is USAID’s Theories and Indicators of Change (THINC).

· Integration of Target Groups: It is likely that you will identify groups of individuals who will need special consideration as you develop your program. Please address how you will incorporate these target groups in your planned activities. These groups may include at-risk populations, such as women, ethnic and/or religious minorities, persons with disabilities, or youth.

Implementation Plan

· Resources, Key Steps and Timeline for Activities (including sequential logic): Describe the proposed activities and how they will achieve the objectives and goal of this program. In doing so, this section should demonstrate how the proposed activities build upon one another and are logically sequenced to achieve the desired outcomes, based on the proposed approach and methodology. The application must identify and address gaps in current responses to the conflict (as identified in the context and conflict analysis), including any gender dynamics that currently, or have the potential to, exacerbate or mitigate conflict. The applicant must submit an illustrative first year activity plan, which sets out a realistic outline of tasks and deliverables, anticipated time frames, challenges, opportunities and due dates, and persons responsible for achieving each task. This narrative description will be complemented by a Gantt chart in the Additional Attachments.

· Risk Assessment/Do No Harm: List any significant risks of harm to implementers, participants, beneficiaries or their communities, or of exacerbating conflict or creating new conflicts, which may result from this program. Based on your gender analysis, include specific risks to women and girls. Consider how resources or skills provided might be misused, create grievances among non-recipients, or cause key actors to react in harmful ways. Explain how these risks will be monitored regularly throughout the project (e.g., a timetable for regularly checking against the Risk Assessment), how activities minimize and prevent risks, and plans for mitigating harm if risks occur. Describe measures for protecting data safeguarding information about contacts.

· Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA): U.S. government partners are responsible for ensuring that comprehensive protection measures are in place for preventing and addressing sexual exploitation and abuse of persons of concern and that allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse by Recipient staff are reported to CSO in a timely manner. Applicants should submit copies of any organization-wide policies and procedures on Do No Harm and PSEA, or explain how the applicant organization plans to develop such policies. If not already explained in its policies and procedures, the Applicant must outline in its proposal how it will work with any sub-grantees to develop and apply PSEA policies and procedures over the course of the program.

· Local Engagement and Sustainability: Strong proposals will describe strategies to sustain the outcomes beyond CSO funding and contribute to building the capacity of communities to address their own concerns in the future. This might be done through sub-grants to local organizations, although that is not a requirement; capacity-building and sustainment can be achieved indirectly as well. This section must also demonstrate a clear understanding of the role that local organizations and institutions are playing or can play in conflict mitigation and peacebuilding. The conflict analysis and the program design should reflect local perspectives and explain how the program will engage with local partners, including women-led organizations, throughout its lifecycle. The proposal should describe how the applicant will work with local entities to build their organizational and technical capacities, and/or relationships to mitigate conflict. Strong proposals will demonstrate the applicant’s coordination with international organizations (IOs) and other NGOs working in the same area or sector, as coordination with local and national government authorities to avoid duplication. Applicants may submit signed Letters of Intent from organizations that will participate in the program. Letters of Intent should address the willingness of partner organizations to participate in the effort, and the understanding all parties have as to their unique roles and responsibilities in terms of the proposed program. In cases where an applicant (i.e., non-local) was not able to partner with a local organization or institution, does not consider it feasible to do so, or does not consider it in the program’s best interest, the applicant must clearly explain the rationale.

Institutional Capabilities and Past Performance

· Organization: Provide a description of the applicant organization – including its general purpose, goals, annual budget (including funding sources), and major past and current activities and programs undertaken.

· Relevant Programmatic and Thematic Experience: Applications should demonstrate the ability to develop and implement programs of the kind outlined in this proposal. Previous experience designing and implementing similar programs is highly desirable and should be detailed and documented in the application. Applicants should demonstrate how organizational resources, capabilities, and experience, and lessons learned from literature on this type of endeavor, will enable the applicant to achieve the grant’s stated objectives.

· Regional/Country Experience: Applicants should specify relevant experience in the country(ies) identified in the proposal, or in similar situations in other countries. Applicants should be able to legally operate in Iraq, specifically in Sinjar. Identify in-country partners; the successful applicant will already have in place at least one partnership with regional institutions and/or organizations. Specify the expertise that each partner brings.

· Key Program Staff: Applications should highlight key staff, their positions, percentage of time devoted to this program, and management structure for the program. The resumes of key staff should highlight relevant educational and field experience and be included as an appendix (see additional attachments below). The person(s) principally responsible for M&E design and technical oversight should be included. The resumes should be no more than two pages and should all follow a consistent format. The applicant should also clarify roles for local partners and staff.

Performance Monitoring and Evaluation Plan:

· CSO considers monitoring to be essential for responsible program management. Successful applicants will submit a draft monitoring plan within 30 days of award notification. After CSO review, a final monitoring plan must be submitted within 30 days of the award notification.

· For the purposes of the application, please submit a notional logic model/PMP (use template provided). This must include notional indicators at each of the following levels: objective, intermediate outcome, and output. Provide an explanation if data will not be disaggregated by sex. Describe how any risks of harm listed above will be monitored. In addition, use this section to describe the applicant’s approach to monitoring and evaluation and why this approach is appropriate for this program and context. This may include the type of data you may collect (qualitative and/or quantitative). If possible, include applicable State Department standard gender indicators (see attachment). Describe the timing of data collection and analysis and how this information will inform midstream program management decision-making.

· Please describe the resources needed to implement your M&E plan and address these in your budget. In most cases, CSO will fund program evaluations separately. If you want to propose including specific monitoring and evaluation activities in the program budget (outside of monitoring, which is required), please specify whether you are requesting funds for a baseline, mid-term and/or final evaluation. Additionally, please elaborate on the type of evaluation (quasi-experimental, developmental, outcome harvesting, process tracing, etc.).

V. ADDITIONAL ATTACHMENTS AND BUDGET COMPONENTS

Additional attachments listed below, budget components, and the SF-424s are not part of the proposal narrative and do not count as part of the 10-page limit for the proposal narrative.

Additional Attachments:

· Logic Model/PMP: The logic model/PMP should include theories of change; goal and objectives; activities; output and outcome indicators; data collection tools; key definitions and risks and assumptions.

· Timeline: The timeline of the overall proposal should include activities, evaluation efforts, and program closeout (not to exceed one [1] page). Please use the GANTT chart template provided.

· Key Personnel: Please include CVs of key personnel that highlight relevant professional experience (not to exceed two [2] pages each).

· Past Performance References (minimum of 3): When past performance information is present, applicants shall furnish award numbers and other details with contact information for no more than three similar programs funded over the past three years by the State Department, or any other government entity or third-party source. The details shall include the following: name of the organization or agency which funded the program(s), award number, point of contact’s name, mailing address, email address and phone number, and the overall dollar value of the program. The applicant must include information on any problems encountered, and the applicant’s corrective action(s). Applicants must not provide general information on their performance. Applicants may describe any quality awards or certificates that indicate exceptional capacity to conduct the program described in this NOFO. Please use the PPR template provided.

· Data Collection and Reporting Plan: Describe how you will collect and share both qualitative and quantitative information from various sources, through your research, activities, and or monitoring efforts. [This is particularly necessary for research and analysis programs but may be relevant for other programs as well. See the attached guidance on data collection and reporting.]

· Gender Analysis: Submissions must include a gender analysis of conflict. Gender is defined as the socially constructed set of roles, responsibilities, entitlements, and behaviors associated with ‘masculinity’ and ‘femininity’ as contextually defined. These social definitions, and negative consequences for not adhering to them vary among cultures, change over time, and often intersect with other factors including age, class, disability, sexual orientation, ethnicity, race, religion, and gender identity or expression.

The Gender analysis should address how the program will identify the role gender norms and power relations play in Iraqi governance, specifically in Sinjar. This includes institutional practices, cultural norms, gender roles, access to and control over assets and resources, and patterns of decision-making. The gender analysis should address how gender norms interact with other factors to drive or mitigate conflict, the differential impact of conflict on women and men, and the roles of women and men in conflict and peacebuilding. Refer to the CSO Gender Analysis of Conflict guidance for sample questions. Applicants must submit a gender analysis (separate attachment), up to 3 pages. Proposals may also integrate gender findings into the program narrative, if applicable, which will count towards the page limit.

Budget Components:

· Budget Appropriateness: Budgeted items are necessary and sufficient to the achievement of the goal, objectives, activities and program monitoring as presented in the proposal. This should consist of both an Excel budget breakdown and a budget narrative attached as an annex. The budget narrative must include clear, substantive explanations for each line-item and how the amounts were derived, as well as the source and description of all cost-share offered. Refer to the Excel Budget Template for guidance on compiling a budget and associated budget narrative.

· Cost-effectiveness: The Department of State must determine that the costs paid for this award are reasonable, allowable, and allocable to the proposed program activities. This will consist of a review of the Budget to determine if the overall costs are realistic for the work to be performed, if the costs reflect the applicant’s understanding of the allowable cost principles established by Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in 2 CFR 200 (OMB Circular A-122), and if the costs are consistent with the program narrative. Programs should seek to produce innovative and cost-effective outcomes that reach more beneficiaries. As per Section C2 of 2 CFR 200, cost-share is not required, but funding contributed by the applicant and other partners shows a commitment to the success of the program. Applicants may incorporate cost-share through leveraging existing programs, partnering, and/or providing in-kind goods and services.

Include a PDF file copy of your organization’s most recent program (A-133 /2 CFR 200) audit, if applicable. If not, please include a copy of your most recent independent audit, if available.

Required Registrations:

All organizations, whether based in the United States or in another country, must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and an active registration with the SAM.gov. A UEI is one of the data elements mandated by Public Law 109-282, the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA), for all Federal awards.

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

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

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

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

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

· Please note that as of November 2022 and February 2022 respectively, organizations based outside of the United States that do not intend to apply for U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) awards are no longer required to have a NATO Commercial and Government Entity (NCAGE) code or CAGE code to apply for non-DoD foreign assistance funding opportunities. If an applicant organization is mid-registration and wishes to remove a CAGE or NCAGE code from their SAM.gov registration, the applicant should submit a help desk ticket (“incident”) with the Federal Service Desk (FSD) online at www.fsd.gov using the following language: “I do not intend to seek financial assistance from the Department of Defense. I do not wish to obtain a CAGE or NCAGE code. I understand that I will need to submit my registration after this incident is resolved in order to have my registration activated.” using the following language: “I do not intend to seek financial assistance from the Department of Defense. I do not wish to obtain a CAGE or NCAGE code. I understand that I will need to submit my registration after this incident is resolved in order to have my registration activated.”

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

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

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

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

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

Organizations requesting exemption from UEI or SAM.gov requirements must email the point of contact listed in the NOFO at least two weeks prior to the deadline in the NOFO providing a justification of their request. Approval for a SAM.gov exemption must come from the warranted Grants Officer before the application can be deemed eligible for review.

Any applicant listed on the Excluded Parties List System (EPLS) in the System for Award Management (SAM) 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 to ensure that no ineligible entity is included.

VI. APPLICATION EVALUATION AND SCORING

The U.S. government may issue an award resulting from this NOFO to the responsible applicant whose application is the most responsive to the goals and objectives set forth in this NOFO. The U.S. government may (a) reject any or all applications, and/or (b) waive informalities and minor irregularities in applications received.

The U.S. government may make an award on the basis of initial applications received without discussion or negotiations. Therefore, applications should contain the applicant’s best terms from a cost and technical standpoint.

U.S. government also reserves the right, but is not obliged, to enter into discussions with an applicant in order to obtain clarification, additional detail, or to suggest refinements in the program’s description, budget, or other aspects of an application.

Applicants should note that the following criteria will serve as a standard against which all applications will be evaluated. Department of State will issue an award to the applicant whose proposal represents the best value to the U.S. government (USG) on the basis of technical merit, efficient use of USG funds, and satisfactory organizational capacity. In addition, each application will be evaluated and scored on the Proposal Components using a 100-point scale by a peer review committee of Department of State.

CSO will conduct a merit review of all eligible applications as outlined in this NOFO. Applications will be reviewed by an independent review panel consisting of qualified representatives from other DoS bureaus, offices, and Posts. Final approval resides with the CSO relevant programming office.

The point value for each section outlined below indicates its relative importance in the application review process. Evaluation values are based on five narrative components and two budget components.

Based on eligible applications that are responsive to the requirements outlined above, the review panel will use the following criteria when rating proposals:

1. Evaluation Criteria Quality of Program Idea Total Possible = 30 points

· Responsive to the solicitation and appropriate in the country context (6 points)

· Objectives are clear, specific, attainable, measurable results-focused and placed in a reasonable time frame. (6)

· Objectives are necessary and collectively sufficient to place the effort on a sustainable path to achieving the goal by the end of the project. (6)

· Clearly states theory of change with the required properties (6)

· Exhibits originality, prioritizes innovation, but is feasible (6) Program Planning / Ability to Achieve Objectives Total Possible = 30 points

· Activities are sufficiently detailed to understand time and resource implications. (4)

· Activities are clearly related to the objectives and goals, and collectively sufficient to achieve the objectives. (5)

· Addresses need for flexibility and ability to adapt. (4)

· Provides a comprehensive quarterly work plan for program activities. (3)

· Describes the division of labor among the direct applicant, any partners, and any potential sub-grantees; addresses how the program will engage or obtain support from relevant stakeholders; and identifies local partners where appropriate. (3)

· Includes contingency plans for potential difficulties in executing the original work plan. (3)

· Demonstrates an institutional record of successful programs in the target country or content area. (4)

· Provides a thoughtful and appropriately detailed Gender Analysis of Conflict, and the identified dynamics are considered and integrated across activities and indicators. (3) Cost Effectiveness Total Possible = 15 points

· Explains and justifies overhead and administration costs of the proposal, including salaries and honoraria. (5)

· All budget items are reasonable, appropriate and linked to program objectives and demonstrate efficient use of U.S. Government funds. (10)

· Note: Cost share is not required. Applicants may offer cost share, but cost share will not be considered or factored in when proposals are reviewed.

Program Monitoring and Evaluation Total Possible = 15 points The Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Plan includes:

· Explains how…