PKG00249810-instructions.pdf

United States Department of State Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL)

Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) – SAMS Domestic

Announcement Type: Request for Federal Assistance Awards Applications

Public Opportunity Title: Professional Development Network for Substance Use

Disorder Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Service Providers and Workforce

NOFO Opportunity Number: SFOP0005706

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 19.704 – Counter-narcotics

Funding Amount: Not to exceed the total amount of $1,200,000 U.S. Dollars

NOFO Issuance Date: April 8, 2019

Deadline for Receipt of Questions: May 8, 2019 5:00 PM Eastern Standard Time

Closing Date and Time for June 10, 2019 Submission of Applications: 11:59 PM Eastern Standard Time via www.grants.gov

Program Type: INL/PC Drug Demand Reduction

Grant Program: Drug Demand Reduction

Assistance Type: Cooperative Agreement

Eligibility Category: U.S. based non-profit/non-governmental organizations

(NGOs) or educational institutions having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS or overseas-based non-profit/non-governmental organizations (NGOs) or private/state educational institutions. See complete eligibility criteria below.

Applicant Type: Organizations only

Award Ceiling: $1,200,000

Award Floor: $900,000

Cost Sharing Requirement: Not required but recommended http://www.grants.gov/

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The mission of the State Department’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) is to minimize the impact of international crime and illegal drugs on the United States, its citizens, and partner nations by providing effective foreign assistance and fostering global cooperation. This mission, which centers on helping our partner nations establish a capable and accountable criminal justice sector, was expanded during the past decade to include stabilizing post-conflict societies through criminal justice sector development and reform. This mission supports peace and security by stabilizing and strengthening security institutions and by combating narco-trafficking and other transnational crimes such as money laundering and criminal gangs. It promotes just and democratic governments by strengthening justice sector institutions, good governance and respect for human rights.

INL combines forces with other U.S. Government (USG) and international agencies and takes a regional approach to widespread problems. INL also encourages more developed governments to take responsibility as equal partners in global efforts to combat transnational crime, including drug trafficking. The Bureau’s priority programs support three inter-related objectives:

• BUILDING CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEMS: Institutionalize rule of law by developing and expanding criminal justice systems to strengthen partner country law enforcement and judicial effectiveness, foster cooperation in legal affairs, and advance respect for human rights;

• COUNTER-NARCOTICS: Disrupt the overseas production and trafficking of illicit drugs through targeted counter-narcotics and institution-building assistance and coordination with foreign nations and international organizations, and;

• TRANSNATIONAL CRIME: Minimize the impact of transnational crime and criminal networks on the United States and its allies through enhanced international cooperation and foreign assistance.

NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

The United States Department of State, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs INL is seeking applications from qualified U.S. and non-U.S. based non-governmental (NGOs)/non-profit organizations or Educational Institutions for a Cooperative Agreement to implement a program entitled “Professional Development Network for Substance Use Disorder Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Service Providers and Workforce.” The authority for this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is found in the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended.

Pursuant to 2 CFR 200.400g, it is U.S. Department of State policy not to award profit under assistance instruments. All direct and indirect reasonable, allocable, and allowable expenses, however, that are related to the agreement program and are in accordance with applicable cost standards (2 CFR 200 for U.S. and overseas-based non-profit organizations, and education institutions) may be paid under the cooperative agreement. NOTE: overseas-based nonprofit organizations are legally required to comply with 2 CFR 200.

Subject to the availability of funds, INL intends to issue an award in an amount not to exceed

$1,200,000 in total funding. The U.S. Dollar amount will be funded from INL allocated funds, for an initial project period of one (1) year. INL may award up to four (4) additional years contingent on INL priorities, good performance of the recipient and funding availability. 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).

Eligible organizations interested in submitting an application are encouraged to read this NOFO thoroughly to understand the type of project sought and the application submission requirements and evaluation process.

To be eligible for an award, the applicant must submit all required information and documents in its application through www.grants.gov including the requirements found in any attachments to this funding opportunity. This NOFO consists of the following Sections:

Contents

SECTION I – PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

SECTION II – FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

SECTION III – ELIGIBLITY INFORMATION

SECTION IV – APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

TAB A: PROPOSAL GUIDELINES

TAB B: PROGRAM MONITORING AND EVALUATION PLAN, LOGIC

MODEL, and PROGRAM RISK ANALYSIS

TAB C: BUDGET GUIDELINES

SECTION V – APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

SECTION VI – FEDERAL AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

SECTION VII – AGENCY CONTACTS

This funding opportunity is posted on www.grants.gov and may be amended. See Section IV for further details. Potential applicants should regularly check the website to ensure they have the latest information pertaining to this NOFO. Applicants will need to have available or download the most updated version of the Adobe program to their computers to view and save the Adobe forms properly. If you have difficulty registering on www.grants.gov or accessing the NOFO, please contact the www.grants.gov helpdesk at: 1-800-518-4726, International callers: 1-606- 545-5035, or via email at support@grants.gov for technical assistance. The Contact Center is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week (except federal holidays).

See https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/snow-dismissal-procedures/federal-holidays/ for a list of federal holidays.

You may also obtain online assistance at:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-faqs.html or https://www.grants.gov/help/html/help/GetStarted/Get_Started.htm.

Any questions concerning this NOFO should be submitted via email to Anne Chick at chickal@state.gov and Najar Washington at WashingtonND@state.gov. The deadline for submission of questions for this NOFO is May 8, 2019, 5:00PM EST. Responses to questions will be made available to all potential applicants as an attachment to this NOFO and posted on http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ mailto:support@grants.gov https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/snow-dismissal-procedures/federal-holidays/ https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-faqs.html https://www.grants.gov/help/html/help/GetStarted/Get_Started.htm mailto:chickal@state.gov mailto:WashingtonND@state.gov www.grants.gov .

INL encourages applicants to submit their applications during normal business hours (Monday

– Friday, 9:00AM- 5:00PM Eastern Standard Time). If an applicant experiences technical difficulties and has contacted the appropriate help desk, but is not receiving timely assistance, (e.g. if you have not received a response within 48 hours of contacting the help desk), you may contact the INL point of contact listed in the NOFO. The point of contact may assist in contacting the appropriate help desk, but an applicant should also document their efforts in contacting the help desk. Applicants may also contact the INL point of contact listed in the NOFO if experiencing technical issues with grants.gov that may result in a late submission.

Applicants experiencing technical difficulties should follow these three steps:

1) Contact the help desk for Grants.gov immediately.

2) Document (including screenshots) technical issues AND efforts to contact the help desk. Provide ticket number(s) and/or reference number(s) provided by the helpdesk in order to assist with the technical issue(s).

3) If there are continued difficulties submitting documents, email all of the required documents to the INL point of contact listed in the NOFO before the deadline.

Note: The INL Grants Officer will determine technical eligibility of all applications and allowability of acceptable proposal submissions if applicants experience technical difficulties without a resolution.

It is the responsibility of the recipient of this NOFO document to ensure that it has been received from www.grants.gov in its entirety. INL bears no responsibility for data errors resulting from transmission or conversion processes associated with electronic or late submissions.

Issuance of this NOFO does not constitute an award commitment on the part of the U.S.

government, nor does it commit the U.S. government to pay for costs incurred in the preparation and submission of an application. In addition, final award of any resultant grant agreement cannot be made until funds have been fully appropriated, allocated, and committed through internal INL procedures. While it is anticipated that these procedures will be successfully completed, potential applicants are hereby notified of these requirements and conditions for award. Applications are submitted at the risk of the applicant. All preparation and submission costs are at the applicant's expense.

SECTION I – PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

BACKGROUND

Drug demand reduction is a key foreign policy tool for addressing the interconnected threats of drugs, crime, and violence. Consequently, the goal of demand reduction strategies calls for a comprehensive, balanced approach to the drug-problem that targets prevention, treatment, recovery, research, and international cooperation.

Recognizing that substance use disorders are a major public health threat, and that drug use is a preventable and treatable disease, many countries are requesting INL-sponsored technical assistance to improve development of effective policy and programs. INL works closely with international partners to coordinate and place into practice capacity building and training activities for service providers in drug prevention, treatment, and recovery. INL also promotes the sharing of critical information and evidence-based studies to preserve the stability of societies that are threatened by the narcotics trade.

To support further progress in building and sustaining an effective and professional substance use disorder prevention and treatment workforce, and to equip this workforce with education and materials to meet 21st century challenges, INL has allocated $1,200,000 USD in FY 2018 funds for this issue.

PROJECT PURPOSE/DESCRIPTION

As a key activity, INL promotes the development of a professional network of substance use disorder prevention and treatment service providers, policymakers, academic professionals, and other stakeholders (the “workforce”) to encourage and promote evidence-based, effective drug demand reduction around the world. In addition, INL encourages regular communication within this professional workforce, to facilitate the translation of science into clinical practice, to keep policymakers informed about the challenges faced by practitioners, and to provide access to online training and other professional materials to further professionalize this workforce.

The purpose of this project is to support the development of an international membership organization that can provide online support and materials for networking and professionalization of the workforce, partner and collaborate with existing organizations to promote the dissemination of evidence-based best practices, and convene periodic global events that create opportunities for the substance use prevention and treatment workforce to receive training and meet other stakeholders. The recipient will also be responsible for maintaining a database of education providers and training activities carried out using materials developed by INL Demand Reduction programs, including those offered by other recipients of INL Demand Reduction program funding.

Project recipient will be expected to work closely with other recipients of INL Demand Reduction program funding such as the Global Centre for Credentialing and Certification (GCCC), as well as participating International Organizations: United Nations Office for Drugs and Crime (UNODC), World Health Organization (WHO), the Colombo Plan (CP), African Union (AU), and the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD), and cooperating universities around the world.

The project is comprised of the following objectives and corresponding activities:

PROJECT GOALS

1. Develop and maintain a website that provides professionals engaged in substance use prevention and treatment with a one-stop-shop for professional development and networking, including online access to the Universal Curricula for Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery of Substance Use Disorders.

2. Identify and partner with existing regional, national, and sub-national organizations to promote the professionalization of the workforce through dissemination of evidence-based best practices in prevention, treatment, and recovery.

3. Periodically convene a large-scale global event and separate regional events which include training workshops, plenary presentations, and networking opportunities for professionals in the field.

PROJECT OBJECTIVES

Objective 1: Develop and maintain a website that provides professionals engaged in substance use prevention and treatment with a one-stop-shop for professional development and networking, including access to the Universal Curricula for Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery of Substance Use Disorders.

INL’s overall goal is to support the creation of a trained, professional workforce that can staff drug treatment centers or implement drug use prevention programs using evidence-based practices. This goal requires efforts to build global networks of treatment providers, practitioners, policymakers, professors, and other professionals engaged in substance use prevention and treatment practice, policy, or research. This network will allow for the rapid dissemination of evidence-based practices among the workforce, and will enable online access to a variety of materials for professionalization, including training curricula, continuing education, research and resources, and opportunities for interaction with professionals elsewhere

Activity 1: Develop a robust, interactive, and dynamic website that provides members with access to training, professional networking, discussion opportunities, current news and publications, and other resources that are continually updated to reflect the latest developments in the field of substance use prevention and treatment.

Activity 2: Maintain a database of INL-funded training materials, including a portal for trainers to register their training events and attendees are invited to register and receive credit for trainings, while individual member’s training history can be easily viewed and audited by INL.

Activity 3: Cultivate and expand a membership base within the international substance use workforce that is active on the website, and advertise the tools available through the website to promote professionalization of this workforce.

Activity 4: Ensure that the user experience on the website is optimized for a diverse set of users, including by implementing a translation strategy to efficiently translate the website into a variety of languages, including non-English scripts and writing orientations, and optimizing the website for desktop, mobile, and application access.

Objective 2: Identify and partner with existing regional, national, and sub-national organizations to promote the professionalization of the workforce through dissemination of evidence-based best practices in prevention, treatment, and recovery.

There are currently organizations in many countries and regions of the world that are actively engaged in the process of delivering training and resources to the local workforce. In order to avoid duplication of efforts and to harmonize dissemination of evidence-based best practices, the grant recipient should be able to seek out these organizations and partner with them. This partnership offers an opportunity to ensure that the trainings and resources being disseminated meet evidence-based standards of quality and completeness, as well as to build awareness of the membership organization and its online tools. The organizations to be partnered with may include regional, national, and sub-national bodies representing a variety of sectors including academic, faith-based, community organizations, etc.

Activity 1: Identify a point person for liaising with regional, national, and sub-national organizations that meet specific quality criteria, and develop a standard operating procedure to leverage opportunities to collaborate with these organizations.

Activity 2: Develop standards and guidelines for partnership, including adherence to evidence-based best practices and ethical standards, a co-branding agreement, and opportunities to interact with the membership of these organizations at regular meetings.

Objective 3: Periodically convene large-scale global and separate regional events, to include training workshops, plenary presentations, and side meetings.

From time to time, online interactions between members of the workforce should be supplemented by large-scale events that convene the global treatment and prevention workforce.

These will reinforce connections made between policymakers, practitioners, professors, and other professionals, provide opportunities for the development of new partnerships, and attract global attention to the grant recipients and its partners. The grant recipient should have the capacity to organize and execute these events, and to attract members from around the globe with opportunities to receive training, to network with other professionals, and to speak in plenary sessions.

Activity 1: Develop a forward-looking plan to hold 2-3 global events within the next 5 years, in partnership with other organizations.

Activity 2: Coordinate with international organizations to offer INL-supported training sessions to event attendees, and with other partner organizations to encourage side meetings in conjunction with the event.

Activity 3: Increase the number of members attending the event and countries represented at the event.

TARGET POPULATION

Applicants should identify target audiences, specific demographics, and the region(s) in which the project will be implemented. It is particularly important to specify the approximate number of beneficiaries to be directly and indirectly impacted by project activities. The project may include participation from countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific, Africa and Eastern Europe as well as other global partners in compliance with the regulations and notification requirements for INL funding. INL will review and approve the beneficiary countries, prior to the use of funds. Associated travel will be conducted with approval from INL in compliance with INL funding notifications and restrictions. All activities in country must be notified to INL a month in advance via a shared Google calendar.

DESIRED RESULTS AND ILLUSTRATIVE INDICATORS

By the end of the 1 year of the project, the selected applicant is expected to develop a project-level Performance Monitoring plan (PMP) with annual and end-of- project targets and results anticipated for key performance indicators. The following table shows indicators that will be measured, as well as illustrative targets, upon which the recipient will be responsible for monitoring and reporting during and after the project. In addition, INL will regularly monitor the project’s performance to assess whether project activities are on track and targets are being achieved.

Outcome indicators for the project are provided below. The recipient is expected to identify targets for these indicators based on what it can reasonably achieve within the performance period of the project, and based on the expected overall project results described above.

Example Outcome Indicators Illustrative targets:

Increase the percentage of members registering for a training event on the website by 10% per year.

Baseline TBD

Percentage of members increased by 15% per year. Baseline TBD

Output indicators and illustrative targets for the project are provided below. The recipient should review these and either confirm the illustrative targets or propose alternative targets, as appropriate.

Example Output Indicators Illustrative targets:

Number of visitors to the website per region. TBD Number of members receiving training and resources through the website.

TBD

Number of training events registered on the website. TBD

Number of languages into which the website has been translated. TBD Number of trainees registered for membership. TBD

Number of members of the organization. TBD Number of regional, national, and sub-national partner organizations. TBD Number of events co-sponsored with partner organizations. TBD Number of attendees at global event. TBD Number of training events offered at global event. TBD Number of survey responses received for feedback on website and global event.

TBD

The recipient may propose additional outputs, indicators, and/or targets as appropriate. The recipient will be required to collect baseline data for all the PMP indicators during the first year of the project. In addition, certain terms included in the outcomes and indicators will need to be defined at the very beginning of the project so it is possible to measure the change during and at the end of the project. Examples of such terms are “capacity”, “spread effect”, etc. Baseline information will be critical for both monitoring and evaluation of project progress and results.

[END OF SECTION I]

SECTION II – FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

INL expects to award one (1) grant agreement(s) based on this NOFO, in an amount not to exceed the total ceiling amount noted on page 1. The anticipated total federal funding amount is not to exceed $1,200,000. The period of performance is 1 year with an anticipated start date of September 1, 2019. INL may extend the award up to four (4) additional years contingent on INL priorities, good performance of the recipient, Department of State management approval, and funding availability.

The U.S. government will issue award(s) to the responsible applicant(s) whose application(s), conforms to this NOFO, and is the most responsive to the objectives and criteria set forth in this NOFO. The U.S. government may (a) reject any or all applications, (b) accept other than the lowest cost application, (c) accept more than one application, (d) accept alternate applications, and/or (e) waive informalities and minor irregularities in applications received.

The U.S. government may make an award on the basis of the initial application received, without discussions or negotiations. Therefore, each initial application should contain the applicant's best terms from a cost and technical standpoint. The U.S. government reserves the right (but is not under obligation to do so) to enter into discussions with one or more applicant(s) to obtain clarifications, additional detail, or to suggest refinements in the program description, budget, or other aspects of an application.

[END OF SECTION II]

SECTION III – ELIGIBLITY INFORMATION

(1) Eligibility for this NOFO is limited to:

• Applicants that qualify to receive U.S. grants (such as U.S. not-for-profit/non-governmental organizations (NGOs) or U.S.-based educational institutions subject to section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. tax code; foreign not-for-profits/non-governmental organizations (NGOs) or foreign based educational institutions, with the ability to develop and successfully implement a project and meet INL’s reporting requirements.

Organizations must also be able to demonstrate current (or pending) country registration, if required by a country of project implementation.

AND

• Applicants must have demonstrated experience implementing similar web development, education or capacity building programs, preferably in all regions of INL programs Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific, Africa and Eastern Europe. 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 produce materials, deliver training, and conduct evaluations in English with Spanish and other languages as a benefit. The applicant’s staff should be proficient in English in order to fulfill reporting requirements.

• Applicants must have existing, or the capacity to develop, active partnerships with stakeholders 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.

• Applicants must be able to respond to the NOFO and be able to mobilize in a short period after the award has been announced.

PLEASE NOTE: Public International Organizations (PIOs) and For-Profit Organizations are excluded from applying to this grant announcement.

To be eligible for a grant award, in addition to other conditions of this NOFO, 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.

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.

(2) INL encourages applications from potential new partners.

[END OF SECTION III]

SECTION IV – APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

INL urges prospective applicants to immediately confirm their organization’s Unique Entity Identifier Number (formerly Dun and Bradstreet (DUNS) number) as well as a current Central Contractor Registration via www.SAM.gov.

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

Note: The process of obtaining a SAM.gov registration may take anywhere from 4-8 weeks.

Please begin your registration as early as possible.

Important Note:

Organizations physically located OUTSIDE of the U.S. and territories and wishing to conduct business (contracts/grants) with the U.S. Government, must FIRST request a NCAGE Code, followed by a DUNS Number and then complete the registration process in SAM.gov.

U.S. based Organizations, wishing to conduct business (contracts/grants) with the U.S.

Government to include Foreign Government, please proceed directly to SAM.gov. A U.S. CAGE Code will be assigned at the end of the SAM.gov Registration process.

CAGE/NCAGE Registration

For US-based organizations, a CAGE code will automatically be assigned to your entity once you submit your entity’s registration in SAM.gov and the TIN validation has been returned.

NCAGE Codes are required for all foreign entities prior to starting a SAM registration. PLEASE NOTE: The organization’s name, address, and email information must match what you used to request your Unique Entity Identifier (DUNS Number) Please ensure that alphabets, numerical characters, symbols, etc. and spacing is the same in both systems during the registration process..

Otherwise, you will receive error messages when applying for the NCAGE code. Organizations can submit a request for an NCAGE Code using the NCAGE Request Tool at https://eportal.nspa.nato.int/AC135Public/Docs/US%20Instructions%20for%20NSPA%20NCAG E.pdf. Detailed instructions are posted at that site. For additional information, please call 1-269- 961-4623 or send an email message to NCAGE@dlis.dla.mil.

NCAGE registrations for overseas organizations can take up to 10 days (or more) to finalize once a request has been received. Please plan accordingly.

Unique Entity Identifier (DUNS Number) http://www.sam.gov/ https://eportal.nspa.nato.int/AC135Public/Docs/US%20Instructions%20for%20NSPA%20NCAGE.pdf https://eportal.nspa.nato.int/AC135Public/Docs/US%20Instructions%20for%20NSPA%20NCAGE.pdf mailto:NCAGE@dlis.dla.mil http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-1-obtain-duns-number.html

All applicant organizations (foreign and domestic) must obtain a DUNS number. US-based organizations may request a DUNS number by calling 1-866-705-5711 or email:

SAMHelp@dnb.com; the DUNS number is usually provided immediately.

Foreign organizations that do not have a Unique Entity Identifier (DUNS number) will need to go to the Dun & Bradstreet website at http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/CCRSearch.do?val=1 to start the process for obtaining a DUNS number. If further assistance is required, please email:

SAMHelp@dnb.com. NOTE: The organization’s name, address, and email information used to request the NCAGE Code must match what is used to request your Unique Entity Identifier (DUNS Number). Please ensure that alphabets, numerical characters, symbols, etc. and spacing is the same in both systems during the registration process.

SAM.gov Registration

SAM.gov registration is required of all INL applicants prior to registering with www.grants.gov. If your organization was previously registered in the Central Contractor Registry (CCR), you must still create a new Individual User Account in SAM.gov prior to receiving a future federal grant.

Applicant organizations can obtain assistance for SAM.gov registration by using the following link:

https://www.fsd.gov or by calling 1-866-606-8220 (U.S. calls)/or 1-324-206-7828 (international calls). PLEASE NOTE: The organization’s name, address, and email information used to request your organization’s Unique Entity Identifier (DUNS number) and the NCAGE Code must match what is used to request the SAM.gov validation Please ensure that alphabets, numerical characters, symbols, and spacing is the same in both systems during the registration process. Otherwise, you will receive error messages when registering in SAM.gov.

For U.S.-based organizations that already have a TIN (taxpayer identification number), your SAM registration should take approximately 3-5 business days to process. For U.S.-based organizations applying for an EIN (employer identification number), please allow up to 2 weeks.

Foreign organizations must have a Unique Entity Identifier number and an NCAGE code prior to completing the SAM.gov registration process. Please follow the above listed instructions to obtain each.

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

All organizations must also continue to maintain active SAM.gov registration with current information at all times during which they have an active Federal award or application under consideration by a Federal award agency. SAM.gov requires all entities to renew their registration once a year in order to maintain an active registration status in SAM.gov. If an applicant has not fully complied with the requirements at the time of application, INL may determine that the applicant is unqualified to receive an award and use that determination as a basis for making an mailto:SAMHelp@dnb.com http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/CCRSearch.do?val=1 mailto:SAMHelp@dnb.com http://www.fsd.gov/ award to another applicant.

Please note: If your organization is registered with SAM.gov and your status is NOT listed as ACTIVE, you will need to update your registration prior to submitting an application through www.grants.gov. SAM.gov requires ALL organizations (foreign and domestic) to register on an ANNUAL basis.

In October 2017, new information was added to the www.SAM.gov website to help international registrations, including “Quick Start Guide for International Registrations” and “Helpful Hints”. Navigate to SAM.gov, click HELP in the top navigation bar, then click International Registrants in the left navigation panel.

SAMS Domestic Registration

Users who had a GrantSolutions account and were assigned to an award in GrantSolutions will already have an account set up for them in SAMS Domestic and will need to unlock their account.

All other applicants will need to create an account for the first time. Applicants using the SAMS Domestic Portal for the first time should complete their user registration as soon as possible. This process must be completed before an application can be submitted through SAMS Domestic.

For GrantSolutions users who had an account transferred to SAMS Domestic: Users who already have a SAMS Domestic account and need to activate their accounts must log in directly to SAMS Domestic https://mygrants.service-now.com and click on the “Forgot Password?” link. The username and email address will be the same as in GrantSolutions. A confirmation email will be sent once the account has been created. If users are experiencing difficulties with the registration process, please contact ILMS Support at 1-888-313-4567 or log a ticket via the ILMS Self Service Portal at: https://afsitsm.service-now.com/ilms/home.

To register for the first time, log in directly to SAMS Domestic https://mygrants.service-now.com and click on the link “Create an Account” on the homepage. Users will then complete the form with the requested information and click “submit.” A confirmation email will be sent once the account has been created. If users are experiencing difficulties obtaining a user login and completing the registration process, please contact ILMS Support at 1-888-313-4567 or log a ticket via the ILMS Self Service Portal at: https://afsitsm.service-now.com/ilms/home. Customer Support is available 24/7/365.

Grants.gov Registration

To apply for a grant, your organization must complete the Grants.gov registration process. The registration process can take 10 business days or longer, even if all registration steps are completed in a timely manner.

Please log into http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration.html to obtain complete instructions on the registration process.

Foreign Registrants: Anyone residing and doing business outside of the United States is still required to complete the five steps of the Grants.gov registration process, in addition to fulfilling supplementary requirements for doing business with the United States government. Please ensure http://www.grants.gov/ https://mygrants.service-now.com/ https://afsitsm.service-now.com/ilms/home https://mygrants.service-now.com/ https://afsitsm.service-now.com/ilms/home that you have obtained an NCAGE code, a UEI number (also referred to as DUNS number), and an “ACTIVE” status in SAM.gov prior to registering in Grants.gov.

Grants.gov Applications

Please refer to the Grants.gov website for definitions of various "application statuses" and the difference between a submission receipt and a submission validation. 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.

Late applications are neither reviewed nor considered unless the INL point of contact listed in the NOFO is contacted prior to the deadline and is provided with evidence of a system error caused by Grants.gov that is outside of the applicant’s control and is the sole reason for a late submission.

Applicants should not expect a separate notification from INL upon receiving their application.

It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that it has an active registration in Grants.gov.

Applicants are required to document that the application has been received by Grants.gov in its entirety. INL bears no responsibility for disqualification that result from applicants not being registered before the due date, for system errors in Grants.gov, or other errors in the application process.

TECHNICAL FORMAT REQUIREMENTS

For all application documents, please ensure:

A. All pages are numbered, including budgets and attachments, B. All documents are formatted to 8 ½ x 11 paper, and C. All Microsoft Word documents are single-spaced, 12 point Times New Roman font, with a minimum of 1-inch margins.

TECHNICAL ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Technically eligible applications are those that:

• Arrive electronically via Grants.gov by the designated due date and time noted in the NOFO.

If reasonable accommodations are granted for persons with disabilities or for security reasons, applications must still be received by INL by the designated due date and time noted in the NOFO;

• Are in English and all costs are in U.S. dollars. If an original document within the application is in another language, an English translation must be provided. If any document is provided in both English and a foreign language, the English language version is the controlling version. (Please note: the Department of State, as indicated in 2 CFR 200.111, requires that English is the official language of all award documents);

• Heed all instructions contained in the NOFO, including length and completeness of application, including all required documents; and

• Do not violate any of the guidelines stated in the NOFO.

It is the sole responsibility of the applicant to ensure that all of the documents submitted in the grant application package are complete, accurate, and current. INL strongly encourages all applicants, especially foreign or first-time applicants, to submit applications before the designated due date to ensure that the application has been received and is complete.

APPLICATIONS REQUIREMENTS

Complete applications must include the following items listed below:

1. Completed and signed SF-424, SF-424A, and SF424B, submitted via www.grants.gov, as well as, if applicable (Please see Tab D for instructions for completion of Standard Forms 424, 424A, and 424B.) The SF-424B is required only for those applicants who have not registered in SAM.gov or recertified their registration in SAM.gov since February 2, 2019 and completed the online representations and certifications.

2. A copy of your organization’s most recent audit (as required per 2 CFR 200.500 – Subpart F). If an audit cannot be provided, an explanation must be submitted with the proposal submission.

3. Cover Page that includes a table with the organization name, project title, target country/countries, project synopsis, name and contact information for the application’s main point of contact, project length (period of performance),and requested funding amount in U.S.

dollars (see the award amount ceiling as stated in the NOFO)

4. Table of Contents (not to exceed one [1] page in Microsoft Word) listing all documents and attachments, with page numbers.

5. Executive Summary (not to exceed two [2] pages in Microsoft Word) that includes:

a) a statement of work or synopsis of the program, including a concise breakdown of the project’s goals, objectives, activities, and expected results, and

b) a brief statement on how the project is innovative, sustainable, and will have a demonstrated impact.

6. Proposal Narrative (not to exceed fifteen [15] pages in Microsoft Word). Please note the page limit does not include the required documents listed in items #2 - 5 and items #7 – 16 (below).

A proposal narrative should:

• Fully explain the program’s goals, objectives, and activities. Objectives should be ambitious, yet measureable, results-focused, and achievable in a reasonable time frame.

Applicant should explain the project’s significance or contribution to the INL mandate specified in the NOFO.

• Activities should be clearly developed and detailed, and the narrative should clearly articulate how the proposed activities contribute to objectives and overall project goal.

• Outline the applicant’s organizational capacity to implement the proposed program,

• Outline in detail the program approach, sustainability, potential impact, and complementarity to ongoing efforts.

• Identify target areas for activities, identify target participant groups or selection criteria for participants, address how the program will engage relevant stakeholders, and identify local partners as appropriate, among other pertinent details. If partners are included, the narrative should clearly describe the division of labor between the direct applicant and partners.

The proposal narrative should expand upon the risk analysis to provide greater context, operational or programmatic security concerns, and a contingency plan for overcoming potential difficulties in executing the original work plan.

7. Summary and Detailed Line-Item Budget (in Microsoft Excel) that includes the following three [3] columns: the amount requested from INL, cost sharing contributions (if any), and total budget (see below for more information on budget format). Applicants must submit a budget summary using the OMB-approved budget categories (see SF-424-A as a sample). Costs must be in U.S. dollars. (a sample template is provided as an attachment under the announcement via www.grants.gov.)

8. Budget Narrative (in Microsoft Word) that includes an explanation and justification for each line item in the detailed budget spreadsheet, as well as the source and a description of all cost-share offered. For ease of review, INL recommends applicants order the budget narrative as presented in the detailed budget. Personnel costs should include a clarification of the roles and responsibilities of key staff and percentage of time devoted to the project. Applicants that have other USG-funded projects must confirm that the total time devoted by personnel assigned to more than one project does not exceed 100%. The budget narrative should communicate to INL any information that might not be readily apparent in the budget rather than simply repeating with words what is stated numerically in the budget. (Sample template is provided as an attachment under the announcement via www.grants.gov.)

9. NICRA: If your organization has a negotiated indirect cost rate agreement (NICRA) and will include NICRA charges in the budget, your latest NICRA must be included as a PDF file. This document will not be reviewed by the panelists, but rather used by program and grant staff if the submission is recommended for funding, and therefore does not count against the submission page limitations, as described above. If your proposal includes subgrants to organizations charging indirect costs, please submit the applicable NICRA also as a PDF file (see “INDIRECT COST RATE” below for more information on indirect cost rates).

If your organization does NOT have a negotiated indirect cost rate agreement (NICRA) please specify if your organization elects to charge the de Minimis rate of 10% of the Modified Total Direct Costs (MTDC). MTDC excludes equipment, capital expenditures, charges for patient care, rental costs, tuition remission, scholarships and fellowships, participant support costs and the portion of each subaward in excess of $25,000.” The de Minimis rate must be included in the detailed budget and an explanation must be provided in the budget narrative.

10. Monitoring and Evaluation Plan; (see TAB B below for more information on this section);

Sample templates provided as attachments under the announcement via www.grants.gov.

11. Logic Model; (see TAB B below for more information on this section); Sample templates provided as attachments under the announcement via www.grants.gov.

12. Roles and responsibilities of key program personnel with short bios that highlight relevant professional experience. This relates to the organization’s capacity. Given the limited space, CVs are not recommended for submission.

13. Timeline of the overall proposal - Components should include activities, evaluation efforts, and program closeout

14. A list of previous and/or current U.S. federal assistance awards received; please include the awarding agency, point of contact, name of the project, start and end dates, and amount of the award. If a list of previous and/or current U.S. federal assistance awards received cannot be provided, an explanation must be submitted with the proposal submission.

15. Program Risk Analysis: Please provide the required risk analysis information as noted in TAB B of this NOFO. (Sample template is provided as an attachment under the announcement via www.grants.gov.)

16. INL Pre Award Annual Survey – template provided by INL that reviews the organization’s financial capacity and infrastructure. (Sample template is provided as an attachment under the announcement via www.grants.gov.)

http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/

17. Attachments (not to exceed five (5) pages total, preferably in Microsoft Word) that include the following in order:

a) Additional optional attachments. Attachments may include further timeline information, letters of support, memoranda of understanding (MOU)/agreement, etc. For applicants with a large number of letters/MOUs, it may be useful to provide a list of the organizations or government agencies that support the program rather than the actual documentation.

Applications that do not include the items listed above will be deemed technically ineligible.

Note: INL retains the right to request additional documentation for those items not included on this form.

[END OF SECTION IV]

TAB A: PROPOSAL GUIDELINES

Proposals should include the following components:

• Introduction and Problem Statement

• Planned Activities

• Indicators

Problem Statement and Rationale: Describe the problem and how the project will achieve or contribute to achieving a sustainable solution and a measurable outcome. The applicant should explain the extent of existing assistance within the particular geographic area, and how the proposed intervention may complement (or differ from) other similar interventions. The implementer should also explain, as necessary, the particular experience and qualifications they bring to the project.

The rationale should also reflect understanding of the priorities and policies of the bureau/post or program with which this agreement is associated.

Planned Activities and Indicators: Describe the planned activities, and relevant stakeholders for implementation. The implementer should highlight key stakeholders and their expected role in the project, along with any contingencies. The implementer should list assumptions that are dependent on the ultimate success of the project. This could include elements like geographic location, coordination efforts with other international organizations, or political will from host governments, private sector, and NGOs. As appropriate, limited contingency possibilities should be included in the proposal, in case the initial planning assumptions are not met. Example of a planned activity and contingency:

Planned Activity Contingency Energy efficiency workshops in collaboration with the government of Mexico and other representatives from the Latin America region, focused on raising awareness of energy efficiency standards.

If government of Mexico doesn’t engage at the expected level, project team will look to other regional stakeholders, such as the OAS, to assist in convening key stakeholders.

In the proposal, there should be a clearly defined link between each of the following elements as delineated:

Problem Statement Planned Activities/Inputs Process Indicators Output Indicators Outcome Indicators Impact

Process Indicators measure the activity that has been completed. Please delineate the specific activities to be conducted, such as workshops, roundtables, trainings, forums, exchanges, policy dialogues, etc. All indicators must include targets. Example of a process indicator:

Process Indicator 50 women trained in energy efficiency standards

Output Indicators, otherwise known as deliverables associated with…