Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)

Seabed Mapping, Exploration, and Characterization in the Pacific Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs Office of Ocean and Polar Affairs Department of State Opportunity number: DFOP0019432 Application deadline: August 14, 2026, at 11:59pm ET

Contents

U.S Department of State Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs Office of Ocean and Polar Affairs Notice of Funding Opportunity

A. Basic Information

1. Overview

Funding Instrument Type: Cooperative Agreement Project Performance Period: Proposed projects should be completed in 54 months (4.5 years) or less.

This notice is subject to availability of funding.

2. Executive Summary

Priority Region: Pacific Island Countries (Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Tonga, and others) Executive Summary The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs (OES), Office of Ocean and Polar Affairs (OPA) announces an open competition for a U.S. institution, company, or organization (see eligibility information in B.1) interested in submitting an application to conduct ocean mapping, seabed exploration, habitat and resource characterization, and data management and analysis in Pacific Island Countries (PICs). The funded activities will be done in cooperation and coordination with relevant PIC governments and stakeholders. This funding opportunity is one component of a broader U.S. Government (USG) initiative, in partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Department of the Interior (DOI), aimed at advancing seabed mapping and exploration in the Pacific. Together, these efforts will provide environmental baseline data, locate and characterize habitats and resources in PIC’s seabed within national jurisdiction, analyze impacts for ocean resource management, and build foreign national regulatory frameworks with high environmental and transparency standards favorable to competitive private sector investment.

This opportunity advances President Trump’s Executive Orders on critical minerals, including EO 14285 on Unleashing America’s Offshore Critical Minerals and Resources, which directs U.S. government agencies to move expeditiously to support investment in deep sea science, mapping, and technology, strengthen partnerships with allies and industry, and ensure U.S. companies are well-positioned to support allies and partners interested in developing seabed minerals responsibly in areas within their national jurisdictions.

B. Eligibility

1. Eligible Applicants The following organizations are eligible to apply:

· U.S.-based for-profit organizations or businesses;

· U.S.-based public, private, or state educational institutions; and

· U.S.-based not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/non-governmental organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status.

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.

2. Cost Sharing or Matching The non-Federal share of costs, frequently called “cost share” or “matching costs,” refers to that portion of the project or program costs not borne by the Federal Government. This may include cash and third-party in-kind contributions. These costs must reflect the realistic capacity of the applicants and any third-party contributors.

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. Per 2 CFR §200.306, items that are proposed for cost share must be allowable per 2 CFR §200, Subpart E—Costs Principles.

Voluntary cost-share: Should the applicant choose to contribute voluntary cost-share but does not meet the minimum amount of the voluntary cost-sharing stipulated in the applicant’s budget, DOS’ contribution may be reduced in proportion to the applicant’s contribution.

3. Other Eligibility Requirements All organizations must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) issued via SAM.gov as well as a valid registration in SAM.gov. Please see Section D.3 for more information. Individuals are not required to have a UEI or be registered in SAM.gov.

Applicants are only allowed to submit one proposal per organization. If more than one proposal is submitted from an organization, all proposals from that institution will be considered ineligible for funding.

Any applicant with an exclusion in the Exclusions section of the System for Award Management (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 in the Exclusions section of SAM.gov can participate in any activities under an award. All applicants are strongly encouraged to review the Exclusions section in SAM.gov to ensure that no ineligible entity or person is included in their application.

Applicants must have existing, or the capacity to develop, active partnerships, local in-country partners, entities, and relevant stakeholders and have demonstrable experience in administering successful and preferably similar projects.

C. Program Description

1. Key Considerations Priority countries of implementation for this award are the Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Tonga, and other PICs.

Applicants should demonstrate prior seabed mapping or deep-sea exploration or characterization experience in the Central or Western Pacific, including relevant stakeholder engagement and an understanding of cultural considerations that may affect expedition planning, logistics, and execution. Applicants should also leverage familiarity with existing datasets to ensure their work complements and advances ongoing efforts by other partners, including the USG. Finally, applicants must possess the capacity to process and deliver high-quality data promptly to PIC governments and the USG to ensure timely use in management and policy decisions.

2. Goals and Objectives Problem Statement Significant knowledge gaps remain in seabed mapping, exploration, and characterization, hindering responsible management decisions on resource development, including seabed minerals. Critical minerals are the building blocks of strategic technologies essential to national security and economic competitiveness, playing vital roles in industries including energy, defense, and transportation. However, supply chains for critical minerals have seriously constricted over time. This has created vulnerabilities for both the United States and PICs, which seek to assure economic prosperity and assert sovereign rights over their seabed areas within national jurisdiction.

Seabed mapping, exploration, and characterization offers an opportunity to diversify sources of critical minerals outside of existing chokepoints, support partners in responsibly developing their seabed mineral resources, and promote private sector (U.S. institution, company, or organization) investments that set the standard for operational excellence and effective environmental review.

Funding will support ocean mapping, deep sea exploration, habitat and resource characterization, and data management and analysis in priority PICs. This will provide the scientific foundation that PIC governments need for responsible seabed mineral management. This work will deliver high-quality data directly to PIC governments and the USG to inform management and potential resource maps, as well as characterization of the environmental context in which the mineral resources occur. Given that ocean exploration expeditions generally must be planned 12 to 18 months in advance, this competition seeks to harness the capacity and flexibility of U.S. companies and organizations to advance this work expeditiously alongside U.S. government agencies.

Project Goal This project will support responsible seabed mineral management in the Central and Western Pacific by generating the high-quality scientific data that PIC governments need to assess and make informed decisions on private sector applications for seabed mineral development. Through ocean mapping, seabed and water column exploration, habitat and resource characterization, and environmental studies, this project will ensure that the PICs most interested in exploring their seabed mineral resources have the information they need to make timely decisions. By harnessing the best of U.S. innovation and private sector capacity, this project will establish partnerships between the U.S. private sector, PIC governments, and the USG on seabed exploration and create conditions favorable to private commercial investment free of foreign malign influence.

Objectives and Activities In coordination with NOAA, the selected U.S.-based entity will pursue the following objectives over the life of the award:

1. Conduct ocean mapping and seabed exploration and characterization activities in high-priority PIC continental shelf areas to generate the scientific data PIC governments need to evaluate private sector seabed minerals development applications.

2. Characterize seabed resources within PIC continental shelf areas to provide PIC governments with accurate, timely, high-quality data on the location, extent, and composition of mineral deposits, enabling informed and timely regulatory decision-making.

3. Conduct environmental studies to support responsible seabed mineral management, ensuring PIC governments have the baseline environmental data necessary to assess private sector applications and meet applicable standards.

4. Strengthen PIC government capacity to assess, approve, and oversee private sector seabed exploration applications, enabling PIC partners to move forward quickly and effectively with resource management decisions.

5. Establish and sustain partnerships among U.S. private sector entities, PIC governments, and the USG to advance seabed exploration, leveraging U.S. innovation and industry capacity to create conditions favorable to private sector engagement in the Pacific.

To achieve these objectives, and in coordination with relevant USG agencies (e.g., NOAA, DOI), the selected U.S.-based entity will complete two to four mapping and exploration expeditions in the Pacific and deliver resulting data to PIC governments and the USG. In particular, the selected U.S.-based entity will undertake the following activities over the life of the award:

1. Identify expedition locations and timelines for FY27–29 in high-priority PIC countries’ continental shelf areas with USG support within the first three to six months of the award.

2. Solidify expedition plans for FY27 and FY28, including engagement with PIC governments, scientific experts, and relevant stakeholders within the first nine months of the award.

3. Complete all FY27 expeditions in consultation with PIC stakeholders and deliver resulting data to PIC governments and the USG within the first year of the award.

4. Execute Pacific expeditions and finalize additional cruise plans for FY29 within the first year and a half of the award.

5. Complete all FY28 and FY29 exploration expeditions and deliver resulting data to PIC governments and the USG by the end of the second and third years of the award.

Expected Outcomes Expected outcomes of this project include:

· Raw data collected under this project is shared promptly with relevant PIC governments to inform resource management decisions and with the USG to update projected resource maps.

· PIC governments and relevant local scientists or researchers are involved in expedition planning, data analysis, and post-expedition processes.

· PIC governments have access to high-quality scientific data on marine habitats and seabed resources within their jurisdiction, enabling them to advance responsible ocean economic growth.

· PICs most interested in exploring and/or developing their seabed mineral resources have the information needed to move forward responsibly and expeditiously.

· U.S. companies and organizations are established as trusted sources of high-quality scientific data in the Pacific.

· U.S. private sector capacity in deep-sea exploration is demonstrated and expanded in the Pacific, complementing parallel USG efforts and countering competing engagement in the region.

America First foreign policy priorities must be considered during project planning and implementation to ensure priorities are met by the end of the project.

Performance Indicators All projects should have the following qualitative and quantitative indicators. For an indicator to be useful it must be specific and unambiguous, observable, and measurable, and linked to outcome/output achievement. Applicants are welcome to propose additional indicators in their application. Possible indicators include:

· Number of ocean mapping, seabed exploration, and habitat and resource characterization expeditions and days at sea planned and completed in priority PICs.

· Number of PIC governments that receive high-quality scientific data collected under this project.

· Number of virtual or in-person science exchanges conducted with PIC government counterparts.

· Number of PIC government officials and other relevant stakeholders participating in science exchanges or capacity building activities supported by this initiative. This includes the number of opportunities made available to PIC scientists, researchers, and civil society stakeholders to directly participate in expedition planning, expeditions, data analysis, and post-expedition activities.

· Number of new relationships between U.S. industry and PIC governments.

· Number of countries interested in USG seabed minerals regulatory technical assistance.

3. Substantial Involvement OES anticipates awarding a cooperative agreement. The distinction between grants and cooperative agreements revolves around the existence of “substantial involvement.” Cooperative agreements require greater federal government participation in the project. OES will undertake reasonable and programmatically necessary substantial involvement. Substantial involvement areas can include, but are not limited to:

· Active participation or collaboration on cruises supported by award implementation.

· Review and approval of technical work plans at each stage of work before another stage can begin.

· Review and approval of any public release, publication, or sharing of seabed mapping data, habitat and resource characterization findings, or environmental baseline reports.

· Collaboration on selection and/or review of project beneficiaries.

Further, any impact assessments or environmental analyses produced under the award that will be shared with PIC governments or used to inform regulatory decisions must also be shared with the Department. The Department reserves the right to participate in – or require prior notification of – any meetings, workshops, or consultations related to award implementation between the recipient and PIC government officials, regional bodies, or international organizations related to regulatory development or resource management policy. The Department retains authority to redirect geographic focus areas (e.g., prioritizing specific PIC partners based on diplomatic engagement) or adjust programmatic priorities mid-award in response to evolving U.S. foreign policy objectives in the Indo-Pacific.

Specific areas of substantial involvement will be dependent upon the objectives of the proposal and will be outlined in the final Agreement. The final determination on award mechanism will be made by the Grants Officer.

D. Application Contents and Format

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 considered ineligible by the Department.

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, including budgets and attachments.

· All documents are formatted to fit 8 ½ x 11 paper.

· All documents are single-spaced, 14-point Times New Roman font, with 1-inch margins. Captions and footnotes may be 10-point New Times Roman font. Font sizes in charts and tables, including the budget, can be reformatted to fit within 1 page width.

The following documents are required:

1. Mandatory application forms

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

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

· SF-424B (Assurances for Non-Construction programs) Note: Form SF-424B is only required for individuals, organizations exempt from registration, and organizations not required to fully register in SAM.gov.

2. Summary Page (Not to exceed one (1) page) Cover sheet stating the applicant’s name and organization, proposal date, program title, program period proposed start and end date, target country/countries, and brief purpose of the program that clearly outlines (1) the problem statement addressed by the project (2) research-based evidence justifying the applicant’s approach, and (3) quantifiable project outcomes.

3. Proposal (15 pages maximum) The proposal should contain sufficient information that anyone not familiar with it would understand exactly what the applicant wants to do. You may use your own proposal format, but it must include all the items below.

· Proposal Summary: Short narrative that outlines the proposed project, including project objectives and anticipated impact.

· Introduction to the Organization or Individual Applying: A description of past and present operations, showing ability to carry out the program, including information on previous grants from the State Department and/or other U.S. government agencies.

· Problem Statement: Clear, concise and well-supported statement of the problem to be addressed and why the proposed program is needed.

· Project Goals and Objectives: The “goals” describe what the program is intended to achieve. The “objectives” refer to the intermediate accomplishments on the way to the goals. These should be achievable and measurable. Objectives unlike goals, are brief, clear statements that describe what will be done within a specific timeframe to help achieve or advance a goal. Objectives are applicant focused, and should be SMART:

· Specific: Detailed and specifies what will be achieved

· Measurable: Have associated metrics or measurements of success

· Attainable: Appropriately challenging, objectives can be reasonably attained given the available resources

· Relevant: Align with the policy/program goal and appropriate within the country or beneficiary audience

· Time-Bound: Achievable within the timeframe of the program

· Project Activities: Describe the program activities and how they will help achieve the objectives. Should be clearly developed and sufficiently explain the resources and time requirements identified (inputs) and things done or produced (outputs). Where appropriate, identify target areas, or where actions are happening, participant groups or selection criteria for participants; how relevant stakeholders will be engaged; actions taken by consultants, sub-recipients or vendors as appropriate/relevant.

· Project Methods and Design: A description of how the program is expected to work to solve the stated problem and achieve the goal. Include a logic model as appropriate. Please see “Logic Model Template” included as an attachment to the NOFO.

· Proposed Project Schedule and Timeline: The timeline of the overall proposal should include activities, evaluation efforts, and program closeout. Sufficient time should be included to conduct and finalize internal/external evaluations and allow any sub-recipients time for final reporting, as applicable. Include the estimated dates, times, and locations of planned activities and events. Please see “Timeline Template” included as an attachment to the NOFO.

· Key Personnel: Names, titles, roles and experience/qualifications of key personnel involved in the program. Represents staff within your organization or outside of your organization carrying out administrative and/or technical responsibilities, who are integral to the success of the program. Includes short bios that highlight relevant professional experience. What proportion of their time will be used in support of this program? Generally limited to 3-5 individuals.

· Project Partners: List the names and type of involvement of key partner organizations and sub-awardees.

· Project Monitoring and Evaluation Plan: This is an important part of successful grants. Throughout the timeframe of the grant, how will the activities be monitored to ensure they are happening in a timely manner, and how will the program be evaluated to make sure it is meeting the goals of the grant? Consider the internal and external risks associated with the proposed project and identify actions that could help mitigate the risks.

Narrative: Preferably a one-page Word document, the narrative outlines how a project’s M&E system will be carried out and by whom. It details how you will track your project’s performance toward its objectives over time and provides a clear description of the approach and data collection strategies and tools to be employed. The description should include how the applicant will track and document whether activities occurred (outputs) and the results or changes caused by these activities (outcomes). If the project includes work with local partners or sub-partners, explain how M&E efforts will be coordinated amongst these organizations.

Tracker: Preferably as an Excel workbook, the tracker contains the M&E plan that should draw on the objectives and activities and link those areas to indicators. The M&E plan is generally structured as a table with output- and outcome-based indicators. It outlines baselines (where your project is starting) and quarterly targets (what you would like to achieve) for each indicator. Please see “Monitoring Indicator Tracker Template” included as an attachment to the NOFO.

· Risk Analysis: Identify the internal and external risks associated with the proposed project, rate the likelihood of the risks, rate the potential impact of the risks on the project, and identify actions that could help mitigate the risks.

· Future Funding or Sustainability: Applicant’s plan for continuing the program beyond the grant period, or the availability of other resources, if applicable. Include ways program activities will ensure sustainability.

4. Detailed Line-Item Budget (See section J for further information) Applicants not recognized as Public International Organizations or Governmental Institutions must submit a detailed itemized budget according to the OMB cost categories (see SF-424A). Applicants are encouraged to utilize the template provided with the funding opportunity but are not required to do so (Budget Template FY26 with MDTC Calculation_Final). Itemized expenditures should be listed in the greatest possible detail. The budget must identify the total amount of funding requested, any voluntary cost-share, and the total amount. If an organization is charging an indirect cost rate without a NICRA, it must apply it to the modified total budget costs (MTDC), refer to 2CFR§200.1. Budgets shall be submitted in U.S. dollars, and final grant agreements will be conducted in U.S. dollars.

Applicants recognized as FPEs or PIOs are not required to submit detailed budget information according to the OMB cost categories. A detailed budget and budget narrative broken down by activity may be provided instead. Costs must be in U.S. dollars.

5. Budget Justification Narrative (See section J for further information) After filling out the SF-424A Budget or the Budget Template FY26 Template (attached), use a separate file to describe each of the budget expenses in detail. Do not simply repeat what is represented numerically in the detailed budget, e.g., salaries are for salaries or travel is for travel. If the detailed budget includes sub-awards, please include a separate budget narrative for each sub-award budget. Provide details on the purpose of costs, reasonability of costs, cost price analysis, allocation methodology, explain any yearly variances in unit prices, and tie expenses to program activities and/or objectives where appropriate. Provide information on considerations such as translations, multi-media approaches as also described in the proposal narrative, procurement by local vendors or the need to import due to unavailability, specific needs of different audiences, costs related to country limitations, etc. See section I. Other Information: Guidelines for Budget Submissions below for further information.

Together, the detailed budget spreadsheet, the budget justification narrative, and the SF-424A should provide a complete financial and qualitative description that supports the proposed project plan and should be directly relatable to the specific project components described in the applicant’s proposal.

6. Attachments

· 1-page Curriculum Vitae (CV) or resume of key personnel who are proposed for the program

· Letters of support from program partners describing the roles and responsibilities of each partner as applicable

· If your organization has a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA) and includes NICRA charges in the budget, include your latest NICRA as a PDF file.

E. Submission Requirements and Deadlines

1. Address to Request Application Package Application forms required above are available at grants.gov and MyGrants under the announcement title “Seabed Mapping, Exploration, and Characterization in the Pacific,” funding opportunity number “DFOP0019432.”

2. Department of State Contacts If you have any questions about the grant application process, please contact: Corinna Anderson, andersoncb@state.gov and Andrew Judaprawira, judaprawiraaj@state.gov.

Questions and Answers or FAQs will be posted on Grants.gov and MyGrants on August 10, 2026 to answer questions from all potential applicants. All questions must be submitted by August 7, 2026.

3. Unique entity identifier and System for Award Management (SAM.gov) 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 in 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. An applicant must maintain an active registration while it has a proposal under review by the Department and must continue to keep the registration active for the entire duration of the period of performance of any Federal award that results from this NOFO.

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

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. 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) and a UEI prior to registering in SAM.gov.

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

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

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

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

Organizations based outside of the United States and that DO plan to do business with the DoD in addition to Department of State should follow the below instructions:

Step 1: Apply for an NCAGE code by following the instructions on the NSPA NATO website linked below:

NCAGE Homepage:

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

NCAGE Code Request Tool (nato.int)

Exemptions An exemption from the UEI and sam.gov registration requirements may be permitted on a case-by-case basis. See 2 CFR 25.110 for a full list of exemptions.

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

4. Submission Dates and Times Applications are due no later than August 14, 2026, 11:59pm ET under the announcement title “Seabed Mapping, Exploration, and Characterization in the Pacific,” funding opportunity number “DFOP0019432.”

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 MyGrants and that an application has been received by the system in its entirety. Application submissions are automatically logged by date and time when made in grants.gov or MyGrants, 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 OES receiving their application.

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

5. Funding Restrictions

i. Funding Restrictions for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA)

None of the funds awarded resulting from this Notice of Funding Opportunity may be made available for subawards, direct financial support, or otherwise used to provide any payment or transfer to United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).

ii. Certification Regarding Compliance with applicable Federal anti-discrimination laws

If the place of performance or delivery of any award made under this NOFO will be within the United States, applicants are advised that they will be required to certify the following at the time of award:

1) Its compliance in all respects with all applicable Federal anti-discrimination laws is material to the government’s payment decisions for purposes of section 3729(b)(4) of title 31, United States Code and;

2) It does not operate any programs promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion that violate any applicable Federal anti-discrimination laws. A program promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion means a program whose purpose is to promote preferences based on race, color religion, sex, or national origins, such as in training or hiring.

iii. Certification Regarding Compliance with 20 U.S.C. 1011f and any other applicable foreign funding disclosure requirements for Institutes of Higher Education (IHEs)

Applicants are advised that IHEs must certify the following at the time of award, and that this certification requirement must be included in any subaward agreements to IHEs:

1) Its compliance in all respects with section 1011f of title 20, United States Code, and any other applicable foreign funding disclosure requirements is material for purposes of section 3729 of title 31, United States Code, and for receipt of appropriate Federal grant funds.

iv. Certification of Trafficking in Persons Compliance and Compliance Plan

Applicants are advised that they will be required to certify the following at the time of award for awards where the estimated value of services to be performed outside the United States exceeds $500,000:

1) To the best of the Recipient’s knowledge, neither the Recipient, nor any subrecipient, contractor, or subcontractor of the Recipient or any agent of the recipient or of such a subrecipient, contractor, or subcontractor, is engaged in any of the activities described in 2 CFR 175.105(a);

The recipient has implemented a Trafficking in Persons compliance plan to prevent activities described in 2 CFR 175(a) and is compliant with this plan; and the compliance plan must follow the minimum requirements described in 2 CFR 175(b)(5).

2) That the Recipient has and will implement procedures to prevent activities described in 2 CFR 175.105(a) and to monitor, detect, and terminate any subrecipient, contractor, subcontractor, or employee of the recipient engaging in these activities.

Recipients do not need to submit a copy of the plan. However, they must provide it to the Grants Officer upon request, and as appropriate, must post the useful and relevant contents of the plan or related materials on their website and at the workplace. Recipients must re-certify on an annual basis for the entire award period of performance.

v. Prohibition on Unmanned Aircraft Systems Manufactured or Assembled by American Security Drone Act-Covered Foreign Entities

(a) Definitions.

American Security Drone Act-covered foreign entity means an entity included on a list developed and maintained by the Federal Acquisition Security Council (FASC) and published in the System for Award Management (SAM) at https://www.sam.gov

FASC-prohibited unmanned aircraft system means an unmanned aircraft system manufactured or assembled by an American Security Drone Act-covered foreign entity.

Unmanned aircraft means an aircraft that is operated without the possibility of direct human intervention from within or on the aircraft.

Unmanned aircraft system means an unmanned aircraft and associated elements (including communication links and the components that control the unmanned aircraft) that are required for the operator to operate safely and efficiently in the national airspace system.

(b) Prohibition. Recipients of funding under this Notice of Funding Opportunity (including subawards and subcontracts issued by the recipient) will be prohibited from:

(1) Delivering any FASC-prohibited unmanned aircraft system, which includes unmanned aircraft (i.e., drones) and associated elements;

(2) Operating a FASC-prohibited unmanned aircraft system in the performance of the award; and

(3) Using Federal funds for the purchase or operation of a FASC-prohibited unmanned aircraft system.

(c) Exemptions, exceptions, and waivers. The prohibitions described above will not apply if the agency determines that an exemption, exception, or waiver applies and the award indicates that such a determination has been made. [See sections 1823 through 1825 and 1832 of Public Law 118-31 ( 41 U.S.C. 3901 note prec.) for statutory requirements pertaining to exemptions, exceptions, and waivers.].

vi. Promoting Human Flourishing in Foreign Assistance (PHFFA)

Applicants for foreign assistance awards should be aware of requirements in 2 CFR Part 602, 603, and 604.

These policies are referred to collectively as the Promoting Human Flourishing in Foreign Assistance (PHFFA) Policy.

602: The award term imposes certain abortion-related requirements on foreign nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), United States NGOs, public international organizations, foreign governments, and parastatals.

603: The award term imposes certain requirements relating to gender ideology on foreign nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), United States NGOs, international organizations, foreign governments, and parastatals.

604: The award term imposes certain requirements relating to discriminatory equity ideology on foreign nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), United States NGOs, international organizations, foreign governments, and parastatals.

The Department recognizes there are costs associated with these policies. Potential one-time and recurring costs the Department identifies for recipients and grantees are for familiarization with the policy, development and delivery of organizational training and implementation guidance, routine compliance monitoring, and recordkeeping and reporting requirements.

vii. OES will not consider applications that reflect any type of support for any member, affiliate, or representative of a designated terrorist organization. Please refer to 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 must put in place appropriate risk mitigation measures to mitigate such risk. In accordance with 14 FAM 247, and consistent with 2 FAM 050, Counterterrorism (CT) name-check vetting may be performed in countries and programs designated by the Department.

viii. 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.

6. Other Submission Requirements All application materials must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov or MyGrants.

Applicants using MyGrants for the first time will need their “New Organization Registration.” To register with MyGrants, navigate to https://MyGrants.servicenowservices.com and click “Create an Account” under “New User?” On the pop-up select “Create a MyGrants Applicant/Grantee Account” and complete all required fields. Once completed, an email will be sent to verify the account creation followed by an Okta Account set-up which will require the use of a smartphone for multi-factor authentication (MFA). If an applicant does not have accessibility to a smartphone during the time of account creation, please contact the helpdesk.

MyGrants Help Desk:

For assistance with MyGrants accounts and technical issues related to the system, please contact the ILMS help desk by phone at +1 (888) 313-4567 (toll charges apply for international callers) or through the Self Service online portal that can be accessed from ILMS Self Service Portal. Customer support is available 24/7.

Grants.gov Applications:

Applicants who do not submit applications via SAMS Domestic may submit via www.grants.gov.

The individual registered in sam.gov as the EBiz POC must be the individual to create the grants.gov account using the same email address as used in sam.gov and add a profile with grants.gov using the UEI. The EBiz POC can then delegate administrative roles to other users. Read the Help article, Manage Roles for Applicant, for instructions.

More information can be found at Applicant Registration, which includes workspace overview, how to apply for grants, track my application and applicant training.

Note: Grants.gov recommends using Adobe Acrobat Reader for Windows or MAC OS. Adobe Reader version 9.x is no longer compatible for use with grants.gov workspace PDF forms.

Applicants will receive a validation e-mail from Grants.gov upon the successful submission of an application. Validation of an electronic submission via Grants.gov can take up to two business days. Applicants are strongly encouraged to take a screenshot of the checklist showing submission of all documents in case any document fails to upload successfully and as proof for the helpdesk.

Grants.gov Helpdesk:

For assistance with Grants.gov, please call the Contact Center at +1 (800) 518-4726 or email support@grants.gov. The Contact Center is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, except federal holidays.

F. Application Review Information

1. Review Criteria OES’s review panel will evaluate each application individually against the criteria listed below, in order of importance, and not against competing applications.

Please use the below criteria as a reference, but do not structure your application according to the sub-sections.

Quality and Feasibility of the Program Idea – 30 points: The program idea is well developed, with detail about how program activities will be carried out. The proposal includes a reasonable implementation timeline. The applicant describes the project’s potential contribution to solving the problem addressed in the problem statement. The application clearly defines the problem; its causes; stakeholders; existing research/data; the approach taken to solve the problem; and realistic milestones to indicate progress. The proposal does not include any activities contrary to any standing Executive Orders. For a full list, see https://www.federalregister.gov/.

Organizational Capacity and Record on Previous Grants – 20 points: The organization has expertise in its stated field and has the internal controls in place to manage federal funds. This includes a financial management system and a bank account. If sub-awards are proposed, applicant demonstrates experience managing subawards. The applicant demonstrates an institutional record of successful projects in the content area proposed. The applicant demonstrates experience (e.g., has previously worked and/or has established contacts/partners) in the proposed country/territory/region. The organization has expertise in its stated field and has adequate staffing to manage the proposed project. The applicant demonstrates capacity for responsible fiscal management of donor funding (e.g., successful management of a previous grant or sub-award).

Program Planning/Ability to Achieve Objectives – 15 points: Goals and objectives are clearly stated and program approach is likely to provide maximum impact in achieving the proposed results. The applicant proposes activities that are feasible, and are also practical, and/or experiential in nature to encourage innovation. The applicant addresses how the project will engage or obtain support from relevant stakeholders and/or identifies local partners. Program logic is sound showing plausible pathways to achieve project outcomes. Key assumptions and risks have been identified and their potential influences described. The applicant acknowledges if activities similar to those proposed are already taking or have taken place previously and provides an explanation as to how proposed new activities will not duplicate or merely add to existing/recent activities.

Budget – 10 points: The budget justification is detailed. Costs are reasonable in relation to the proposed activities and anticipated results. The budget is realistic, accounting for all necessary expenses to achieve proposed activities. Applications that maximize direct activity costs and minimize administrative costs are encouraged. Final approval of the budget resides with the Grants Officer.

Monitoring and evaluation plan – 15 points: Applicant demonstrates it is able to measure program success against key indicators and provides milestones to indicate progress toward goals outlined in the proposal. The program includes output and outcome indicators and shows how and when those will be measured.

Sustainability – 10 points: Program activities will continue to have positive impact after the end of the program.

2. Indirect Costs If two or more applications receive equivalent scores based on the evaluation criteria outlined in this NOFO, preference will be given to the applicant with the lower indirect cost rate, as consistent with Executive Order 14332, Section 4(b)(iii). This preference will only be applied as a tie-breaking mechanism and does not supersede the primary evaluation criteria.

3. Review and Selection Process A review committee will evaluate all eligible applications.

The Department of State is committed to ensuring a competitive and standardized process for awarding funding. Applications will be screened initially in a Technical Eligibility Review stage to determine whether applicants meet the eligibility requirements outlined in section C and have submitted all required documents outlined in section D. Applications that do not meet these requirements will not advance beyond the Technical Eligibility Review stage and will be deemed ineligible for funding under this NOFO.

All applications that are deemed eligible will move forward to the Merit Review Panel consisting of U.S. government subject matter and/or country-specific experts and will be rated on a 100-point scale.

Panel Reviewers will determine scores based on the strengths and weaknesses of the aforementioned categories and for consistency with the program goals and objectives outlined in this NOFO. Panel Reviewers’ ratings, and any resulting recommendations, are advisory. Panel Reviewers may provide conditions and recommendations on applications to enhance the proposed project, which must be addressed by the applicant before further consideration of the award. To ensure effective use of U.S. Government funds, conditions or recommendations may include requests to increase, decrease, clarify, and/or justify costs and project activities.

OES 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.

Final selection authority resides with OES’s senior level official. Final award decisions will be influenced by whether the application meets the Department of State’s programmatic goals and objectives, how it supports the Department’s overarching policy priorities, and the geographic distribution of the top-ranking applications.

4. Risk Review

i. Risk factors Under the merit review as required by 2 CFR 200.206, prior to making a Federal Award the Department will review and consider the following risk factors:

a. Financial stability

b. Management systems and standards

c. History of performance

d. Audit reports and findings

e. Ability to effectively implement requirements

ii. Responsibility/Qualification Information in SAM.gov 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.