OFOP0001743 NOFO - Vocational Support.pdf

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SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE

Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL)

Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)

Announcement Type: Request for Federal Assistance Award Applications

Funding Opportunity Title:

Vocational Support for Colombian Veterans with Disabilities

Funding Opportunity Number: OFOP0001743 Program: INL-WHP Eradication Program

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number:

19.704 - Counternarcotics

Total Funding Available: $2,000,000 U.S. Dollars

Funding Source: Post-Funds

Application Ceiling: Up to $2,000,000 U.S. Dollars

Application Floor: At least $1,500,000 U.S. Dollars

Anticipated Number of Awards: 1 award

Initial Project Implementation Length: 36 months

Estimated Project Start Date: May 2025

NOFO Issuance Date: January 15, 2025

Deadline for Submission of Questions: February 14, 2025 by 11:59 PM EST via email

Deadline for Submission of Applications: March 17, 2025 by 11:59 PM EST via www.grants.gov

Assistance Type: Cooperative Agreement

Applicant Types and Eligibility Categories:

Organizations only.

Refer to Section C: Eligibility Information for more information.

http://www.grants.gov/

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INL Points of Contact:

Danielle Parsons (parsonsdm@state.gov) - GO INL PM Daniel Durazo DurazoDA@state.gov INL PS Pierry Ramirez- RamirezP@state.gov

BUREAU MISSION

The mission of the State Department’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) is to keep Americans safe by countering crime, illegal drugs, and instability abroad. The Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) is at the forefront of responding to these challenges, uniting these overarching themes through our foreign assistance programs, diplomatic engagement, and policy coordination.

INL’s foreign assistance programs are essential to advancing U.S. policy objectives. INL programs advance the following strategic goals:

1. Disrupt and reduce illicit drug markets and transnational crime to protect American lives and U.S. national security.

2. Combat corruption and illicit financing to strengthen democratic institutions, advance rule of law, and reduce transnational crime and its enablers.

3. Strengthen criminal justice systems to support stable, rights respecting partners.

mailto:DurazoDA@state.gov mailto:RamirezP@state.gov

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

A. PROJECT DESCRIPTION

B. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

C. ELIGILIBITY INFORMATION

D. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

E. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

F. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

APPENDIX A: PERFORMANCE MONITORING PLAN

APPENDIX B: PROJECT RISK ANALYSIS

APPENDIX C: BUDGET AND BUDGET NARRATIVE

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A. PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Overview: The Office of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs of the United States Department of State calls for an open competition for organizations to submit applications to carry out a project to strengthen the rehabilitation and reemployment of Colombian National Police (CNP) officers and military personnel permanently injured in the course of eradication, drug interdiction, rural security, anti-terrorism, anti-crime, and anti-drug trafficking operations; in cooperation with the CNP Directorate of Wellbeing (Dirección de Bienestar or DIBIE) and the Directorate of Veterans and Inclusive Rehabilitation (DIVRI). The project must include design, planning, and coordination to provide rehabilitation services, vocational training, and re-integration into security positions in the public or private sector that allow beneficiaries to contribute to INL’s key missions. Furthermore, the project must include the design of strategies to ensure these actions contribute to the development of long-term changes in Colombia’s disability rights regime with the goal of sustaining rehabilitation and employment opportunities for disabled veterans.

Priority Region/Countries: Colombia

Problem Statement: During decades of armed conflict in Colombia, drug traffickers and terrorist organizations used landmines and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) to protect illicit crops and target the Colombian security forces, in addition to other forms of violence inflicted upon police and military personnel. As a result, Colombia has one of the largest numbers of landmine and IED victims in the world. The victims include more than 3,500 members of the CNP and several thousand Colombian Army (COLAR) and Colombian Navy (COLNAV) personnel who have engaged in coca eradication, drug interdiction, rural security, anti-terrorism, anti-crime, and anti-narcotics operations.

Many injured and wounded security personnel lack access to rehabilitation services, vocational and educational support, and job placement assistance to help them reintegrate into society. As a result, much of the talent, experience, and knowledge these injured personnel have to offer is unavailable to the counternarcotics mission and Colombian society. INL is allocating funding for a project to formalize and strengthen the process of recruiting Colombian security personnel injured and wounded in service of the counternarcotics and anti-crime mission, providing physical rehabilitation services, psychological rehabilitation services, vocational training, educational resources and job-placement support in both the public and private sectors.

INL believes that if disabled veterans receive comprehensive rehabilitation services, vocational training, education, job search support, and / or assistance with other vocational activities, then a meaningful percentage of disabled veterans will be empowered and motivated to reintegrate into Colombian police and/or military institutions ultimately strengthening the counternarcotics mission by contributing skills, knowledge, and experience that would otherwise be lost. In addition, other disabled veterans will be empowered to attain gainful employment, individual entrepreneurship, and/or other productive activities at a higher rate, further strengthening the counternarcotics mission by building bridges and trust with the rest of society.

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Project Vision: INL envisions that by 2035, all Colombian police and military injured and wounded in service of the counternarcotics and anti-crime mission will receive the rehabilitation, training, and job search services they need in order to re-integrate into society with gainful employment or other structured vocational activities, whether in service to the counternarcotics mission, in service to their peers, or as a bridge between law enforcement and society at large. This vision aligns with INL Functional Bureau Strategy (FBS) Objective 1.2: Plant-based drug markets are disrupted and reduced; Bogota Integrated Country Strategy (ICS) Objective 1.2: Colombian institutions improve capacities and coordination efforts to reduce narcotrafficking; and Bogota ICS Sub-Objective 4.1.1:

Colombia improves the social, economic, and political participation of and provision of service and protections for marginalized communities, including […] people with disabilities.

Project Goal(s) and Objectives: The overall goal of the project is to more effectively reintegrate injured and wounded Colombian police and military into the counternarcotics and anti-crime mission (and/or other public or private sector employment, preferably in the security sector); the project will accomplish this goal by strengthening the process of recruitment, rehabilitation, vocational and educational support, and job-placement support for injured and wounded Colombian security personnel.

1. Objective 1 – Intake and Recruitment: Design a carefully defined intake process and recruitment calendar with transparent criteria to select beneficiaries to participate in the program. The intake process will effectively profile beneficiaries’ rehabilitation status and track their participation and progression through the program.

2. Objective 2 – Rehabilitation Support: After assessment during the intake process, beneficiaries receive the appropriate package of physical and psychological rehabilitation services (i.e. some beneficiaries will require the full package where others may only require some services before moving on to the activities in Objective 3 – Education and Vocational Training).

3. Objective 3 – Education and Vocational Training: Beneficiaries who have completed the rehabilitation process receive educational support and vocational training that empowers them to pursue gainful employment, primarily by reintegrating into the Colombian police or military, or other security institutions, but also potentially in the private sector or as entrepreneurs. Beneficiaries will undergo a profiling process to determine their interests and existing skillsets to best tailor later support (i.e. desire to pursue higher education degree, desire to re-join police or military, etc.).

4. Objective 4 – Employment Assistance: The project will support beneficiaries in the process of applying and interviewing for employment (whether in the public or private sector) or starting their own business, based on the interest assessment under Objective 3.

5. Objective 5 – Ambassador Program: Beneficiaries who “graduate” from the program (i.e.

complete all the steps and attain either gainful employment, establish their own business, or pursue other structured activities) serve as leaders/mentors to support recruitment and orientation of new beneficiaries.

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Project activities and deliverables:

Activity 1 – Program Database: Build a comprehensive database that allows for tracking beneficiaries’ participation in and progression through the program, and that facilitates organizing various activities and events in a fair, transparent, and equitable manner. The implementer should update the database monthly to keep track of beneficiaries’ progress.

- Deliverable: Implementer will deliver structured participant database within first two months of period of performance (PoP).

Activity 2 – Intake Process: Design a standardized, transparent intake process for potential beneficiaries that includes inputting information into the database. Intake process must assess rehabilitation needs of beneficiaries who are at different points in the process, enabling program to provide services as appropriate.

- Deliverable: Implementer delivers a fully developed intake SOP, including step-by-step intake process, within first three months of PoP.

Activity 3 – Recruitment/Intake: Develop a robust recruitment calendar that proactively recruits new beneficiaries and places them in the appropriate step (rehabilitation, education/vocational, employment support) in the program.

- Deliverable: Implementer delivers a recruitment calendar for approval to INL within first three months of PoP.

Activity 5 – Job Profiles: Work with counterparts (Colombian National Police, Ministry of Defense, Private Sector partners, and the International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Section at U.S. Embassy) to research slate of potential job offerings for which beneficiaries may qualify;

this will enable the program to tailor rehabilitation, education, and vocational training offerings to match requirements for those positions. The program will prioritize positions that fall under programs that receive support from INL.

Activity 6 – Physical and Psychological Rehabilitation: Assess the physical and psychological rehabilitation needs of all beneficiaries and provide appropriate services (physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, audiology, nutrition, counseling, trauma management, etc.).

Activity 7 – Structured Activities: Organize a variety of activities on an annual basis that provide structure, opportunities for goal setting and establishing routines, motivation to practice, train, and/or perform activities to develop mobility, coping among other skills. Examples include involvement in sports, art, volunteering, or other solo or group activities.

- Deliverable: Implementer will organize 25 structured activities domestically within Colombia per year (20 sports activities and 5 non-sports activities), involving an average of 30

7 | P a g e beneficiaries per activity. Implementer will provide and/or arrange for necessary materials, equipment, supplies, space, and logistical support.

- Deliverable: Implementer will develop an annual calendar of activities within the first three months of the PoP.

Activity 8 – Interest Profiling: Interview and profile all beneficiaries who complete the rehabilitation process to assess their skills, knowledge, experience, and interests, in order to provide appropriate guidance and support during the vocational and educational phase.

Activity 9 – Educational Scholarships: Offer 50 scholarships per year to support higher education and/or re-education of beneficiaries to gain employment, preferably in the police or military, as per the profiles from Activity 8.

- Deliverable: 50 beneficiaries receive scholarships covering continuing or ongoing education.

Activity 10 – Vocational Training: Provide vocational training for all beneficiaries who already have the requisite education for their desired employment, but who are seeking to gain additional employable skills. Vocational training may include in-person or virtual courses.

- Deliverable: 200 (or roughly 70% of all beneficiaries who completed rehabilitation process) receive vocational training support.

Activity 11 – Employment Training: Train beneficiaries to strengthen job application skills (such as resume writing, interview skills, professional networking, etc.).

Activity 12 – Job Placement: Provide beneficiaries with job search/placement assistance to seek gainful employment. Prioritize positions within the police and military; this activity will require extensive coordination with Colombian government institutions to ensure positions are available and that applicants fit the profile. Separately, the program will also aid beneficiaries seeking employment in the public and private sectors, prioritizing positions that relate to counternarcotics, law enforcement, criminal justice, or other security-related fields such as airport and port security, risk assessment, security services, etc.

- Deliverable: by 2028, at least 80 injured or wounded police/military personnel who participate in the project (hereafter “beneficiaries”) will achieve gainful employment.

- Deliverable: 30 beneficiaries achieve employment directly with Colombian police or military

(either remaining in active duty, retired, or as contractors), preferably in programs INL supports.

- Deliverable: 50 beneficiaries find employment elsewhere in the public or private sectors, preferably in law enforcement, criminal justice, or other security-related positions.

- Deliverable: Provide interested beneficiaries with basic entrepreneurship training (such as creating a business plan, financing, etc.) to assist those wishing to start their own businesses.

Activity 13 – Ambassador Recruitment and Training: Identify potential candidates from among beneficiaries who have “graduated” from the program who would make good leaders or mentors and designate them as official “Ambassadors.” Then provide basic

8 | P a g e mentorship/leadership training on how to guide, support, and encourage incoming beneficiaries to stick with the program, seek employment, etc.

- Deliverable: 5% of “graduating” beneficiaries volunteer to serve as mentors/leaders.

Participants and Audiences: The intended target audience for all activities are Colombian Police and Military personnel permanently injured or wounded in the line of duty, in service to the counternarcotics and anti-crime mission shared by the United States and Colombia. Applicants will design a formal, transparent, and equitable recruitment process and timeline for the program, and should describe how they will ensure equitable (and safe) inclusion, using participatory, locally led, and intersectional approaches as appropriate.

Project Expansion: If the project is successful, INL will consider the option of an award modification to expand the project to other areas or countries in the region, subject to availability of future funding. Applicants may include in their proposal a brief section outlining how additional funds could potentially be used to expand work into additional activities or countries in future years.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to demonstrate how their project might leverage funding through other organizations.

B. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

Applicants are encouraged to reference the table on the first page(s) of this NOFO to determine the basic federal award information (e.g., project length, amount of funding available, anticipated number of awards, assistance type, etc.). Additional award information is included in this section, although specific aspects of the award(s) issued from this NOFO may differ from program to program.

1. Project Implementation Period

The initial project implementation length is the amount of time (e.g., months) applicants should plan to implement the project. If a range of months is listed, applicants should propose a realistic project length within that range. INL reserves the right to reduce or increase the initial project implementation period in accordance with the needs of the INL project/program.

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

2. Assistance Type

The type of assistance is determined by scope of INL’s involvement in the implementation of the project. Refer to the table on the first page(s) of the NOFO to determine whether this particular project will be a grant or cooperative agreement.

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

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

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

• Approval of Monitoring and Evaluation Plan

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

3. Funding Notices

This award will be supported with International Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement (INCLE) funds under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961. This notice is subject to availability of funding.

Length of performance period: 36 months

Anticipated program start date: May 2025

Number of awards anticipated: 1 awards (dependent on amounts)

Award amounts: awards may range from a minimum of $1,500,000 to a maximum of $2,000,000

Total available funding: $2,000,000

Type of Funding: FY22 INCLE43 Funding

C. ELIGILIBITY INFORMATION

1. Eligible Applicant Types The following organizations are eligible to apply:

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

• U.S.-based educational institutions subject to section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. tax code or section 26 US 115 of the U.S. tax code;

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

• Foreign-based educational institutions

Applicants must also meet the following requirements to be eligible to apply to this NOFO:

• Applicants must have demonstrated experience implementing similar rehabilitation, vocational training, or employment support programs, preferably in Colombia or Latin America; applicant must demonstrate experience with populations with disability (preferably police and military personnel). INL reserves the right to request additional background information on organizations that do not have previous experience administering similar programs and/or federal grant awards.

• Applicants must have the ability to provide rehabilitation services, deliver training, and conduct evaluations in Spanish and English. The applicant’s key personnel should be proficient in English in order to fulfill reporting requirements.

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• Applicants must have existing, or the capacity to develop, active partnerships with stakeholders (especially the CNP and DIVRI) in order to successfully carry out the proposed program.

• Organizations may form a consortium and submit a combined proposal. However, one organization should be designated as the lead applicant and other members as sub-award partners.

2. Cost Sharing or Matching

Cost share is the portion of project costs not borne by the U.S. government. Cost share is recommended but not required for this project. Applicants must be able to ensure cost share is accounted for/tracked through accounting systems and/or supporting documentation (such as Personnel Activity Records, proof of voluntary hours, proof of any purchases for materials being included as cost share, etc.)

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

3. Other Eligibility Requirements

• In order to be eligible to receive an award, all organizations must have a unique entity identifier (also known as UEI), as well as a valid registration on www.SAM.gov.

Individuals are not required to have a unique entity identifier or be registered in SAM.gov. Refer to Section D for additional guidance.

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

• To be eligible to receive a federal assistance award, organizations must have a commitment to non‐discrimination with respect to beneficiaries and adherence to equal opportunity employment practices. INL is committed to an anti-discrimination policy in all of its programs and activities. INL welcomes applications irrespective of an applicant’s race, ethnicity, color, creed, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or other status.

• All applicants must provide a workplace free from harassment and bullying for all individuals, including but not limited to cooperative agreement/grant personnel and INL personnel.

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

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

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D. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

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

1. How to Apply and Submit Questions

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

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

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

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

Standard Application Forms

SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance – Organizations)

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

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

SF-424B (Assurances for Non-Construction Programs) – Optional The SF-424B is only required for applicants who are not registered in SAM.gov.

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

Proposal Narrative – Maximum 20 pages Applicants may use their own proposal template, but it must include all the sections below. Refer to Appendix A for additional guidance on drafting a proposal narrative.

Cover Page: include organization name, project title, requested number of months, target country(ies), point(s) of contact, and requested funding amount.

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Table of Contents: list all documents and attachments with page numbers.

Executive Summary: Provide a synopsis of the project.

Project Context: Include an analysis of the issue to be addressed, including why it is important to address, what the main causes of the issue are, and who has power to effect change on the issue; suggested approaches and solutions (with evidence to support suggestions); and suggestions for revision to NOFO goals and objectives if needed.

Theory of Change & Implementation Plan: Describe the implementation plan (specific activities to implement suggested solutions); explain how or why they should result in accomplishment of the project goals and objectives (i.e., the theory of change). Projects should be designed such that activities, if implemented according to plan, should result in achievement of program objectives; and objectives, if achieved, should result in achievement of program goals. The Theory of Change should clearly demonstrate this causal logic. Finally, discuss likely challenges to implementation, including any risks of harm to project implementers or participants, along with mitigation strategies.

Gender, Equity, and Inclusion Analysis: Include in your proposal an analysis that addresses the ways in which women, gender diverse persons, and members of other marginalized and underrepresented groups (as specified in the “Participants and Audiences” section above) might affect and be affected differently by your work, including a consideration of their safe and meaningful participation. Strengthen your proposal by incorporating the results of this gender, equity and inclusion analysis into your project design. Include a description of how you will minimize any inequities and identified potential risks.

Description of Prior Work: Provide brief descriptions, including outcomes and deliverables, of any similar projects the organization has implemented.

Future Funding Plan/Sustainability: Briefly discuss the plan for ensuring the sustainability of the project (i.e., that the project continues to have impact beyond the grant period) or note if sustainability is unlikely without continued support. Applicants may also include a brief section outlining how additional funds could potentially be used to expand work into additional activities or countries beyond the initial project period.

Performance Monitoring Plan

See Appendix A for more details and instructions. Applicants MUST submit the following:

• Change Map (see template) or equivalent

• Illustrative Performance Indicator Reference Sheet (see template)

Note 1: If full performance monitoring information is not available at the time of the proposal, applicant should indicate that the indicators and associated information are notional. If selected, a final version of the documents will be required as an early deliverable.

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Note 2: INL may require the grantee to report quarterly performance report information in INL’s DevResults database.

Project Risk Analysis

A template is included under the Related Documents section of this NOFO announcement on www.grants.gov. Refer to Appendix B for additional guidance on drafting a Project Risk Analysis.

Timeline Outline key milestones in the project, project start-up, and closeout, programmatic activities, and monitoring and evaluation activities (e.g., monitoring trips or semi-annual reviews). May be a written schedule and/or a GANTT chart.

DevResults Provide quarterly performance report information into INL’s DevResults database.

Organization, Staff, and Partners The following documents may be submitted separately or combined into one document. If combined, please be sure to adhere to the page limits for each section.

Biographical Information of Applicant Organization – Maximum 4 pages Introduce the applicant organization, including biographical information such as mission statement, organization size, relevant office location(s), etc.

Provide a summary description of past and present operations, demonstrating the applicant’s ability to carry out the project Describe any experience the organization has in the target country or region Confirm whether the organization is a registered business entity within the target country or region

List of Key Personnel – Maximum 3 pages Names, titles, responsibilities, and relevant experience or qualifications of key personnel involved in the management of the project

Partner Information (if subrecipient) is being proposed) – Maximum 3 pages Introduce and provide relevant information about key partner organizations and sub-recipientss Briefly describe the division of labor and/or distinct roles and responsibilities among the applicant organization and its partners If proposing a sub-recipient, please briefly describe the applicant organization’s experience related to managing sub-recipients

Letters of Support – Optional If desired, applicants may submit letters of support from project partners, host government entities, or other relevant stakeholders

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Project Budget and Cost Documents

Summary and Detailed Budgets A proposal budget must be submitted in spreadsheet format (e.g., Microsoft Excel). A template is located under the Related Documents section of this NOFO announcement on www.grants.gov for applicants as a reference. Refer to Appendix C for additional guidance on drafting a proposal budget.

One tab of the spreadsheet shall contain the Summary Budget, which lists the OMB-approved budget categories and total estimated cost per category

One tab of the spreadsheet shall contain the Detailed Budget, which breaks down the OMB-approved budget categories into individual line items and provides detailed cost estimates per line item

If applicable, federal costs and recipient cost share must be reported in separate columns

Budget Narrative

The Budget Narrative is a companion document to the summary and detailed budgets, and must be submitted in word document format. A template is included under the Related Documents section of this NOFO announcement on www.grants.gov. Refer to Appendix C for additional guidance on drafting a Budget Narrative.

The Budget Narrative should communicate to INL any budgetary information that is not readily apparent in the detailed budget. Rather than simply repeating with words what is stated numerically in the budget, the Budget Narrative should explain the logic behind the amount budgeted for each line item

If applicable, proposed recipient cost share must be included in the Budget Narrative, including reference to the source of the cost share

Indirect Costs

Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA):

If the applicant has an approved Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement

(NICRA) and includes NICRA charges in the budget, a copy of the organization’s most-recent NICRA must be included in the application

If the applicant is proposing a sub-recipient that has an approved NICRA, and includes NICRA charges in the sub-award budget, a copy of the sub-recipient organization’s most-recent NICRA must be included in the application

15% de minimis Rate:

The applicant can elect to charge a de minimis rate of 15% of modified total direct costs (MTDC), which is allowable if the organization does not have a current agreement. (Please see Appendix C: Budget and budget narrative for more information regarding the 15% de minimis rate.)

If the applicant elects to utilize the 15% de minimis rate, that rate is then applicable for the entire period of performance of that award. Should the applicant negotiate and obtain a NICRA, it may not be applied to an award already using the 15% de minimis rate.

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

History of U.S. Government Federal Assistance Awards This document outlines the applicant organization’s experience with implementing U.S.

government-funded federal assistance awards, including current and completed projects.

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

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

FY2025 INL Applicant Pre-Award Risk Survey This risk survey reviews the applicant organization’s financial capacity, policies, and infrastructure. The FY2025 template is included under the Related Documents section of this NOFO announcement on www.grants.gov.

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

Submission of an outdated INL Applicant Pre-Award Risk Survey does not satisfy this requirement.

Organizational Audit

If the applicant organization is required to undergo an audit (per regulations outlined in 2 CFR 200.500 – Subpart F), a complete copy of the organization’s most-recent audit must be submitted. (The financial statement is not a substitute for a single audit report. The Single audit report is an additional requirement for domestic and foreign organizations that spend $1,000,000 or more in federal funds in the fiscal year.)

If the applicant organization is not required to undergo an audit (per the regulation cited above), a brief explanation must be submitted with the application. This explanation shall include confirmation that the organization is under the threshold for which an audit is required and/or plans for the organization to undergo an audit in the future.

3. Document Formatting

Applicants must ensure that their application documents conform to the following requirements:

The proposal clearly addresses the goals and objectives of this funding opportunity

All documents are in English

All budgets are in U.S. dollars

All pages are numbered

All documents are formatted to 8 ½ x 11 inch paper, and

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

4. Required Entity and Account Registrations for Applicants

All prospective applicant organizations must register and/or maintain active registration in the systems outlined below in order to submit an application to this NOFO.

Organizations that are first-time applicants may need to register and/or create accounts in these systems. INL encourages prospective applicants to initiate these registrations as soon as possible. Applicants that have previously applied to other opportunities may already have registrations and/or accounts in the necessary systems, though applicants should ensure their registrations are active.

Registration in these systems is free of charge; Applicants will never be asked to pay a fee to register or submit an application in these systems.

Unique Entity Identifier (UEI)All organizations, whether based in the United States or in another country, must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI). A UEI is one of the data elements mandated elements mandated by Public Law 109-282, the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA), for all Federal awards. An assigned UEI does not expire.

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.

System for Award Management (SAM.gov) and NCAGE Code

Prior to submitting an application in Grants.gov, organizations must register in SAM.gov and/or ensure that their SAM.gov registration is active. Organizations are required to renew their

SAM.gov registration annually.

• Initiate the registration or renewal process at https://www.SAM.gov. Select “Entity Registration” to begin the registration or renewal request.

• First-time applicants should initiate the SAM.gov registration after receiving their UEI and, if applicable, NCAGE Code (for foreign organizations). CAGE codes will be automatically assigned to US-based organizations.

An applicant must maintain an active SAM.gov registration while it has a proposal under review by INL 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.

Any applicant listed on the Excluded Parties List System (EPLS) in SAM.gov is not eligible to apply for an assistance award. Additionally, no entity listed on the EPLS can participate in any activities https://www.sam.gov/

17 | P a g e under an award. All applicants are strongly encouraged to review the EPLS in SAM.gov to ensure that no ineligible entity is included in their proposal.

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 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 a NATO Commercial and Government Entity (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):

https://eportal.nspa.nato.int/Codification/CageTool/home

Help with NCAGE Code registration issues:

• Email: ncage@nspa.nato.int

Exemptions file:///C:/Users/DurazoDA/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/INetCache/Content.Outlook/H0G7A46G/www.fsd.gov https://eportal.nspa.nato.int/AC135Public/sc/CageList.aspx https://eportal.nspa.nato.int/Codification/CageTool/home mailto:ncage@nspa.nato.int mailto:ncage@nspa.nato.int

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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.

Grants.gov To submit an application to this NOFO, applicants must register in grants.gov.

• Go to www.grants.gov and select “Register” from the banner at the top of the page.

• This should be the last step of the entity registration processes, completed after obtaining a UEI number, NCAGE/CAGE Code (if applicable), and SAM.gov registration.

Help with grants.gov registrations and application submission:

• Go to the grant.gov support page at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html

• Call +1 800-518-4726

• Email support@grants.gov

It is the responsibility of each applicant to ensure that its application was submitted in www.grants.gov correctly. INL bears no responsibility for errors resulting from transmission or conversion processes associated with application submissions. If applicants are unable to resolve technical issues in the system, they should email the INL points of contact listed on the first page(s) of this NOFO with an explanation of the issue and proof of attempts to resolve it (e.g., emails with grants.gov support). INL Grants Office will then determine whether the applicant is allowed to submit application materials via email.

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. Prohibition on Funding Activities that Encourage Mass-Migration Caravans towards the United States Southwest Border.

None of the funds awarded under this grant may be made available to encourage, mobilize, publicize, or manage mass-migration caravans towards the United States southwest border.

Funds may not be made available for legal counseling on the United States asylum process;

and/or for referrals to legal or representation in the United States.

Funds may only be used for cash cards for use in the country in which they are provided or to facilitate assisted voluntary returns and other purposes that do not encourage, mobilize, http://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html mailto:support@grants.gov

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The provision of humanitarian assistance is permitted.

E. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

1. Technical Evaluation Criteria

A technical evaluation committee, using the criteria shown in this Section, will evaluate the applications. The various functional elements of the technical criteria are assigned weighted scores, so that the applicants will know which areas require emphasis in the preparation of applications.

Where technical applications are considered essentially equal, cost may be the determining factor. Applicants should note that these criteria serve as the standard against which all applications will be evaluated and serve to identify the significant matters which applicants should address in their applications.

The relative importance of each criterion is indicated by the number of points assigned. A total of 100 points is possible.

Project Analysis & Design – Total Possible Points: 50

• Analysis of the problem is insightful and accurate. Insightful analysis includes a thorough discussion of the main causes and scope of the issue the project seeks to address and discussion of who has power to effect change on the issue (10)

• Suggested approaches and solutions (i.e., the theory of change) are: (10) o Based on good evidence; and o Appropriate given the problem, its causes, and its scope

• Proposed implementation plan is: (12) o Aligned with suggested approaches and solutions o Feasible given timeline, resources, and context o Designed such that activities, if implemented according to plan, should result in achievement of program objectives; and objectives, if achieved, should result in achievement of program goals

• Proposal includes a gender, equity, and inclusion analysis addressing the ways in which women, gender diverse persons, and members of other marginalized and underrepresented groups, including those with intersecting aspects of identity, might affect and be affected by this project, (3)

• Description of likely challenges to implementation plan, including risks of harm to organization staff, project participants, and/or others, is thorough and mitigation strategies are appropriate (8)

• Applicant considers the gender, equity, and inclusion analysis as part of risk assessment by identifying possible risks to participants as a result of their participation in line with Do No Harm principles. (2)

• Analysis and planning for sustainability is realistic (5)

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Program Monitoring and Risk – Total Possible Points: 25

• Change Map includes indicators for each goal and objective; and proposed indicators are useful for decision making, accurate in measuring the intended result, reliable, and timely (10)

• Illustrative Indicator Reference Sheet includes selected standard indicators; provides three valid indicators for goals, objectives, or sub-objectives in the change map; and demonstrates a thorough plan for data collection (10)

• Risk assessment is thorough and realistic, addresses challenges in the operating environment, and proposes adequate strategies to mitigate risks to the project (5)

Institution’s Record and Capacity Rating – Total Possible Points: 10

• The applicant demonstrates an institutional record of successful programs in the proposed country/region and program area (2)

• Professional experience of staff and institutional resources are adequate and appropriate to achieve the project's objectives (2)

• The roles and responsibilities are clearly delineated among staff and partners (2)

• Applicant is a current/former INL grantee and they successfully manage/managed the project OR the applicant has not worked with INL previously and demonstrates experience in managing similar-sized projects (2)

• Applicant submits copies of organization-wide policies and procedures on Preventing Sexual Exploitation and Abuse or explains how the applicant plans to develop such policies, which should also apply to sub-recipients. (2)

Cost Effectiveness – Total Possible Points: 15

• Activity-related costs are realistic, appropriate, and clearly linked to project objectives (5)

• Personnel costs (e.g., staff salaries, contractor rates, and honoraria) are reasonable given the amount of work and oversight needed to manage the project (5)

• Administrative costs (e.g., staff travel, supplies, office costs) are necessary, justified, and in good proportion to direct activity costs (5)

2. Review and Selection Process

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

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INL will notify successful applicant(s) via email and pass along any conditions, recommendations, or questions from the review committee. INL will notify unsuccessful applicants via email after an award has been issued to the successful applicant(s); therefore this notification process may take several months.

INL reserves the right to fund any number of applications or none of the applications submitted and will determine the resulting level of funding for each award(s).

3. Risk Review

i. Risk Factors – must include

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 (see 41 U.S.C. 2313);

An applicant can review and comment on any information in the responsibility/qualification records available in SAM.gov.

Before making decisions in the risk review required by 2 CFR 200.206, the Department will consider any comments by the applicant, along with information available in the responsibility/qualification records in SAM.gov.

3. Federal Awardee Performance & Integrity Information System (FAPIIS)

For all awards with a federal total exceeding $250,000, INL is required to review and consider any information about the applicant in FAPIIS.

Organizations are able to review and comment on any information about itself that a federal awarding agency previously entered and is currently in the designated integrity and performance system, accessible through SAM.gov.