PKG00264388-instructions.pdf

United States Department of State

Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL)

Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) – SAMS Overseas

Announcement Type: Request for Federal Assistance Awards Applications

Public Opportunity Title: Binational State Attorneys’ General Exchange and

Training

NOFO Opportunity Number: INL21GR0011-WHPMex-AGExchangeTrng-120720

Catalog of Federal Domestic

Assistance (CFDA) Number: 19.703 - Criminal Justice

Funding Amount: Not to exceed the total amount of $3,120,000 U.S. Dollars

NOFO Issuance Date: December 7, 2020

Deadline for Receipt of Questions: January 7, 2021

5:00 PM Eastern Standard Time

Closing Date and Time for

Submission of Applications: February 8, 2021 11:59 PM Eastern Standard Time via www.grants.gov

Program Type: INL/Rule of Law Program Office Initiative

Grant Program: Merida Initiative

Assistance Type: Grant

Eligibility Category: Eligible organizations may include: 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 http://www.grants.gov/ organizations (NGOs) or private/state educational institutions. See complete eligibility criteria below.

Applicant Type: Organizations

Award Ceiling: $3,120,000

Award Floor: $1,000,000

Cost Sharing Requirement: Not required but recommended

INL Points of Contact: Natalie Williammee via email at Williammeena@state.gov, Cheryl Price via email at PriceCH@state.gov, and Mexico

City INL Grants Unit vie email at mexicocityinlgu@state.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.

mailto:Williammeena@state.gov

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 Grant to implement a program entitled “Binational State Attorneys’ General Exchange and Training.” 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 grant. NOTE: overseas-based nonprofit organizations are legally required to comply with 2 CFR 200.

Subject to the availability of funds and pending Department of State management approvals, INL intends to issue an award in an amount not to exceed $3,120,000 in total funding. The U.S. Dollar amount will be funded from INL allocated funds, for an initial project period of three (3) years.

INL may award up to two (2) additional years contingent on INL priorities, good performance of the recipient, Department of State management approvals, 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

TAB D: GUIDELINES FOR STANDARD FORMS

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 in writing to Natalie Williammee via email at WilliammeeNA@state.gov, and Cheryl Price via email at PriceCH@state.gov, and

Mexico City INL Grants Unit vie email at Mexicocityinlgu@state.gov. The deadline for submission of questions for this NOFO is January 7, 2021, 5:00 PM EST. Responses to questions will be made available to all potential applicants as an attachment to this NOFO and posted on 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.

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:WilliammeeNA@state.gov mailto:PriceCH@state.gov mailto:Mexicocityinlgu@state.gov

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

INL is part of the Department of State’s multi-faceted response to transnational criminal activity.

Dedicated to strengthening criminal justice systems, countering the flow of illegal narcotics, and minimizing transnational crime, INL plays a key role in leading the development and synchronization of U.S. international drug and crime assistance. INL’s technical support is tailored to bolster capacities of partner countries through multilateral, regional, and country-specific programs.

The Merida Initiative is an unprecedented partnership between the United States and Mexico to fight organized crime and associated violence while furthering respect for human rights and the rule of law. Based on principles of shared responsibility, mutual trust, and respect for sovereign independence, the two countries’ efforts have built confidence that is transforming the bilateral relationship.

Under the Merida Initiative, the United States has forged strong partnerships to support Mexico’s efforts towards implementation of an oral, adversarial criminal justice system at the federal and state levels.

The main goal of this project is to ensure that criminal justice and law enforcement officials are able to work together to successfully prosecute crime and in ways that consistently apply the rule of law across jurisdictions in Mexico and the U.S.

PROJECT PURPOSE/DESCRIPTION

The purpose of this project is to strengthen and support Mexico’s transition to and implementation of an oral, adversarial and accusatorial criminal justice system by providing legal educational and collaborative opportunities among and between U.S. and Mexican state Attorneys’ General Offices

(AGO), through binational trainings, conferences and exchanges.

PROJECT GOALS

The main goal of this project is to ensure that criminal justice and law enforcement officials are able to work together to successfully prosecute crime and in ways that consistently apply the rule of law across jurisdictions in Mexico and the U.S.

PROJECT OBJECTIVES

Objective 1: Improve Mexican state criminal justice sector operators’ practical and theoretical knowledge of how to prosecute crime potentially through professional exchanges and other training events.

Objective 2: Improve the capacity of law enforcement in Mexico and the U.S. to successfully investigate and prosecute transnational criminal activity, as well as foster collaborations supporting Mexico’s implementation of an accusatorial criminal justice system potentially by bringing together state Attorneys General from both countries, as well as federal, local and private sector partners from both countries.

Objective 3: Increase collaboration between INL ROL implementing partners to ensure consistency across programs.

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.

DESIRED RESULTS AND ILLUSTRATIVE INDICATORS

By the end of the project, the selected applicant is expected to increase the competency and capacity of criminal justice system operators to investigate and prosecute crime through training and professional exchanges that incorporate curricula, content and standards previously developed by USG supported programs.

The recipient will 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 sample indicators that may be measured, as well as sample illustrative targets, upon which the recipient will be responsible for monitoring and reporting during and after the project.

In addition, INL Mexico 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:

Percent of criminal justice operators' knowledge increase as measured by pre and post testing (CWAG)

10% increase

Example 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

Interdisciplinary

Exchanges

4 U.S. based and 2 Mexico based; and 4 Mexico-based Mixed-Model

Distance Learning Interdisciplinary Exchange

Number of participants in

Interdisciplinary

Exchanges

60 participants at U.S. based Interdisciplinary Exchanges; 30 participants at Mexico-based Interdisciplinary Exchanges; and 160 participants at

Mexico-based mixed-model distance learning Interdisciplinary Exchange.

Number of virtual seminars

4 virtual seminars

Number of Binational

Attorneys’ General

Exchanges

One per year

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 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 $3,120,000. The period of performance is three (3) years with an anticipated start date of

March/April 2021. INL may extend the award up to two (2) 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.

Applicants please be advised that the following will be required if your organization is selected for this announcement.

State Department Leahy Amendment Vetting Requirements:

Funds provided under this award are subject to Section 620M of the Foreign Assistance Act of

1961, as amended, a provision titled “Limitation on Assistance to Security Forces” (the “Leahy

Amendment”). Subsection (a) of that provision states: “(a) In General.—No assistance shall be furnished under this Act [the Foreign Assistance Act] or the Arms Export Control Act to any unit of the security forces of a foreign country if the Secretary of State has credible information that such unit has committed a gross violations of human rights.” Accordingly, none of the funds under this award may be used to provide training or other assistance to any unit or member of the security forces of a foreign country if the Department of State has credible information that such unit or individual has committed a gross violation of human rights.

In signing this agreement, the Recipient agrees to exercise due diligence to ensure compliance with the Leahy provision and State Department policy, and to cooperate with the State Department in implementation of the Leahy requirement for funds under this award. The Department implements the Leahy requirement by vetting units or individuals proposed for training or other assistance to check for credible information of a gross violation of human rights by such units or individuals.

To facilitate State Department vetting, the Recipient must provide the following information for proposed participants at least sixty (60) calendar days prior to commencing award activities. This information should be submitted to the U.S. Embassy in the country where the award will be implemented in order to initiate Leahy vetting procedures:

Information needed: Full name, date of birth, country of birth, country of citizenship, gender, rank, title, and organizational affiliation. Please also include the activity and date that the activity will take place—if the person will participate throughout an extended program, please note the timeframe. Participant information should be submitted in the format attached.

Information required for “security forces” personnel: The above information is needed for each member of a foreign police or military unit (security forces, broadly defined) who will participate in any activity under this award. This includes both civilian and military employees of security forces participating in any activities funded under this award, including training, workshops or meetings, conferences, or other activities.

The Recipient must collaborate with the relevant U.S. Embassy on a case-by-case basis to determine if the Leahy requirement applies to specific activities or proposed participants.

Individuals who are not members of the security forces but who participate in activities under the award (e.g., politicians, academics, etc.) generally do not need to be vetted.

Submission Deadline: Each candidate must be cleared under Leahy vetting in advance of participation in activities funded under this award. The vetting process typically takes approximately one month, but may take longer if there are a large number of candidates or if issues arise. Thus, all information on proposed candidates must be received by the Embassy at least sixty

(60) days in advance of the training event or other activity.

The Recipient agrees that it will not include any security forces candidate in training or other activities funded under this award until the State Department advises that the candidate has cleared

Leahy vetting and is approved for participation.

[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 in Mexico and meet INL’s reporting requirements. Organizations must also be able to demonstrate current (or pending) country registration in Mexico, if required by Mexico.

AND

Applicants must have demonstrated experience implementing similar education or capacity building programs, preferably in Mexico. 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 course materials, deliver training, and conduct evaluations in Spanish and English. 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.

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.

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. 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%20NCA

GE.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)

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). 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 award to another applicant.

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.

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 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, as well as SF-424B if applicable Submitted via www.grants.gov

2. 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.

3. A copy of your organization’s most recent audit, if applicable Required per 2 CFR 200.500 – Subpart F).

If an audit cannot be provided, an explanation must be submitted with the proposal submission.

4. Cover Page 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)

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

6. Executive Summary Not to exceed two [2] pages in Microsoft Word) that includes:

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

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

7. 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:

i. 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.

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

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

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

v. 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.

8. Summary and Detailed Line-Item Budget In Microsoft Excel; 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.

9. Budget Narrative In Microsoft Word; 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.

A sample template is provided as an attachment under the announcement via

10. NICRA, if applicable 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.

11. 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.

12. Logic Model See TAB B below for more information on this section Sample templates provided as attachments under the announcement via www.grants.gov.

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

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

15. A list of previous and/or current U.S. federal assistance awards received Including 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.

16. Program Risk Analysis 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.

17. INL Pre Award/Grantee Annual Survey Provide responses in the 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.

18. Attachments (optional) Not to exceed five (5) pages total, preferably in Microsoft Word, which may include: further timeline information, letters of support, memoranda of understanding (MOU)/agreement, etc.

i. 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 the agreement, should be included. Unlike process indicators, outputs are what is produced, and are often tangible. At this level, it is the measurement of ability, knowledge, skills, or access. All indicators must include targets. Example of an output indicator involving the same participants:

Output Indicator 80 percent of participants demonstrate at least 75 percent cognizance of efficiency standards

Outcome Indicators measure the change in system or behavior or practice. Expected outcomes are the results that come from a series of activities that are necessary to achieve impact. All indicators must include targets. Example of an outcome indicator:

Outcome Indicator 30 percent of efficiency standards being implemented in a participant’s country as a result of participant’s participation.

All indicators must include measurable, numerical targets, which should serve as the foundation for monitoring and evaluation efforts. Ultimately, proposed activities and achievement of indicator targets will lead to impact.

TAB B: PROGRAM MONITORING AND EVALUATION PLAN,

LOGIC MODEL, and PROGRAM RISK ANALYSIS

INL will work with recipient organizations to implement the appropriate monitoring and evaluation plan that meets both the needs of the bureau and the implementing partner.

Incorporating a well-designed monitoring and evaluation component into a project is one of the most efficient methods of documenting the progress and potential success of a program.

Successful monitoring and evaluation depend on the following:

Setting objectives that are specific, measurable, attainable, results-focused, and placed in a reasonable time frame (SMART);

Linking project activities to stated objectives;

Developing key performance indicators that measure realistic progress towards the objectives.

INL expects implementing organizations will track participants or partners as appropriate and be able to respond to key evaluation questions, including satisfaction with the program/training, information learned as a result of the program/training, changes in attitude and behavior as a result of the program, and effects of the program on institutions in which participants work or partner with. Applicants should include the monitoring and evaluation process in their timeline.

Recipients will be required to provide reports with an analysis and summary of their findings, both quantitative and qualitative, in their regular quarterly progress reports to INL.

Performance indicators should be clearly defined, and are in many cases quantifiable. Qualitative indicators are encouraged if they provide a reliable means to measure a particular phenomenon or attribute. A good guide for determining the quality of performance indicators is the acronym

SMART – i.e., are the indicators: specific, measureable, attainable, realistic, and timely.

Indicators can focus on (i) inputs / process (measures activities or the necessary components for an activity to occur—e.g. training curriculum developed), (ii) outputs (products and services delivered from project activities, and often stated as an amount—e.g. 100 civil society organization members trained in organizational fundraising, 60 radio programs produced), and (iii) outcomes

(the specific results of a project, which are often measured as a degree of change—after receiving training on effective engagement in the political process, 40% of female participants ran for a seat in parliament).

LOGIC MODEL

A logic model is a useful tool to help “map” a project. It details planned activities, the immediate services or product of project activities (outputs), and the expected changes or benefits that occur after activities have been implemented (outcomes). Applicants can specify objectives, identify what resources (inputs) are needed, outline proposed activities (outputs) and beneficiaries, and illustrate how activities lead to expected results. The activities and expected outcomes documented within the logic model should be achievable within the level of funding and timeframe of the project.

The monitoring and evaluation plan must include, at a minimum, the following elements:

A results “Logic Model” planning document (see attached sample Logic Model template)

Indicators, as described in Tab A, as well as details on how each indicator will be measured, frequency of the measurements, units of measure, etc. Provide indicators at the output and outcome levels. Monitoring and evaluation plans should include a chart component that clearly delineates indicators and targets. All indicators must include measurable, numerical targets.

(see attached sample Monitoring and Evaluation template)

Establish, where possible, performance baseline data and expected performance targets for each indicator/outcome. In some cases, the baseline may be zero.

Describe monitoring and evaluation tools, including methods or methodology, that will be used.

Plans should describe the projected outcomes and a dissemination plan where applicable, and how the project’s impact and effectiveness will be monitored and evaluated throughout the project.

INL has included a sample Monitoring and Evaluation template and a Logic Model template as an attachment to the NOFO.

PROGRAM RISK ANALYSIS

Risks are unavoidable – all programs inherently contain both internal and external risks. However, with proper identification and management, risks can be prepared for, minimized or mitigated.

The purpose of a risk analysis is to identify the internal and external risks associated with the proposed program in the application, rate…