Q&A-CWT in Southeast Asia - SFOP0009740 06-6-2023.pdf

Questions and Answers for “Counter Wildlife Trafficking in Southeast Asia”

SFOP0009740

Date: June 6, 2023

Question 1:

1. Under Section D.2 Performance Monitoring Plan (pg. 15) the NOFO states “In addition to project-specific indicators, all applicants should also include the interagency END Act indicators to their performance monitoring plan and report quarterly”. Can INL provide the indicator definitions for the END Act indicators? Separately, do all indicators listed in the

NOFO need to be included in the performance monitoring plan, or just applicable indicators to proposed activities?

INL Response:

The definitions are identified in the NOFO under the Performance Monitoring Plan section on page 15:

1. Number of people trained and/or received resources (disaggregated by gender, position)

2. Number of people that applied improved law enforcement practices (disaggregated by gender, position)

3. Number of successful enforcement actions by arrests/prosecutions/convictions/sentencing

4. Quantity and/or estimated dollar value of seized wildlife, assets, and/or proceeds

5. Documentation of the state of interagency or intergovernmental collaboration

(description of collaboration/event, description of effectiveness of collaboration/event)

The applicant is responsible for responding to all END Act indicators unless they can justify, in writing, why they may not be able to report on one or more (such as the indicator not being applicable to their project, etc.).

2. Under Section E.1 Program Monitoring and Risk (pg. 22) the NOFO states “Illustrative

Indicator Reference Sheet includes selected standard indicators; provides three valid indicators for goals, objectives, or sub-objectives in the change map”. Do all standard indicators included in the change map/performance monitoring plan need to be defined in the Illustrative indicator reference sheet? Do they count towards the three valid indicators?

And do the standard indicators include the END Act indicators listed in the NOFO?

INL Response:

The applicant should define project-specific indicators separate from the END Act indicators (which are the standard indicators). Applicants should be able to measure the success of a goal/objective with indicators that fall outside of the END act indicators. These indicators can complement the END Act indicators.

3. Under Section D.2 Performance Monitoring Plan (pg. 15) the NOFO states “If full performance monitoring information is not available at the time of the proposal, applicant should indicate that the indicators and associated information are notional. If selected, a final version of the documents will be required as an early deliverable”. Can INL provide a specific timely for the final version of the full performance monitoring information to be submitted?

INL Response:

A draft PMP should be presented to INL before the award start date. The Program Officer and the selected applicant will determine what can be reported on before the project starts and agree on parameters.

4. Under Appendix B: Project Risk Analysis (pg. 27), the NOFO states “Applicants should incorporate all assumptions and external factors identified in the Monitoring Plan and

Proposal Narrative into the risk analysis.” Is there a third document (Monitoring Plan) required aside from the PIRS and Change Map or do these two documents form the

Monitoring Plan?

INL Response:

All requirements are listed on Page 26. The required documents for a monitoring plan are:

a. Requirements for INL Performance Monitoring are met through three documents:

1. Change Map;

2. Performance Indicator Reference Sheet; and

3. Performance Monitoring Reports (during the period of performance).

5. For Objective 2 - Can the funding be used cover law enforcement agency participant travel costs (e.g., air and ground travel, accommodation, subsistence) to attend specialized meetings and workshops held internationally (e.g., US, India) or regionally (e.g., in another

ASEAN country), that will build the capacity of these agencies to detect, investigate and prosecute wildlife crimes? Similarly, can this be used to cover project staff participation in regional and / international meetings (eg CITES/ASEAN Enforcement Working Group meeting) that would directly contribute to the goals and objectives of the project?

INL Response:

Yes, subject to INL review/approval funds can be used to cover all associated travel, accommodation, and subsistence costs of law enforcement agency participants, including project staff.

6. Sub-Objective 2.2 & 3.2 mention “improve wildlife law enforcement capacity to prevent, detect, and investigate wildlife criminals and their contraband through specialized training and equipment.” Can the funding be used to purchase supplies (such as cameras, mobile phones, GPS) or software (licenses for intelligence databases) for use by law enforcement agencies to build their capacity?

INL Response:

Yes, subject to INL review/approval, funding under this award can be used to purchase supplies (such as cameras, mobile phones, GPS) or software (licenses for intelligence databases) for use by law enforcement agencies to build their capacity.

7. To implement Objective 3 on Priority Borders successfully, it requires building cooperation with agencies in all the countries that share these key borders. For three of the border areas listed, one of the countries that share the border is China. Specifically related to this:

a. Can funding under the proposal cover activities (e.g., workshops, trainings, and expenses of other SEA country law enforcement participants) with Chinese law enforcement agencies/border authorities that will be held IN China?

No, funding under this award cannot be used to support activities which benefit Chinese law enforcement agencies/border authorities or any other government, NGO or CSO based in China.

b. Can the funding under the proposal cover expenses such as air/ground travel, materials, subsistence, and accommodation for representatives from Chinese law enforcement authorities to attend joint- regional workshops/trainings held in either of the Southeast Asian countries?

No, funding under this award cannot be used to cover expenses such as air/ground travel, materials, subsistence, and accommodation for representatives from Chinese law enforcement authorities or any other government, NGO or CSO based in China.

c. Can the funding be used to cover project staff participation for meetings in China that will directly contribute to the goals and objective of the project?

This may be possible, but it will need to be considered in the context of the full proposal along with details on the specific activities and should not be a predominant component of the project.

8. The NOFO states that letters of support from host governments are required and memorandums of understanding (MOUs) are preferred. Does this mean that MOUs can or should be submitted instead of letters of support, or should they be included in addition to letters?

INL aims to ensure that potential implementing partners have host government support to work in their country on these issues. Applicants should use their discretion and can choose to provide an MOU or a Letter of Agreement, or both, to demonstrate this support.

9. The Change Map template guidance includes the line: “Do not include indicators for deliverables.” Could you kindly clarify exactly what this guidance means?

INL Response:

Indicators should focus on results/impacts/outcomes, not monitoring completion of deliverables/outputs.

10. If applicants choose to provide a glossary/acronym list, is the Glossary/Acronym list excluded from page count?

No, the maximum page count for the project proposal is 20 pages.

11. Would the Government allow the use of Calibri 9 pt for tables?

No, the stipulated formatting is required to improve the accessibility for individuals with visual impairments and must be complied with.

12. Would the Government allow the use of Calibri 9 pt for graphics/figures?

No, the stipulated formatting is required to improve the accessibility for individuals with visual impairments and must be complied with.

13. Do the END Act Indicators need to be filled out at the time of the grant submission?

A draft PMP should be presented to INL before the award start date. The Program Officer and the selected applicant will determine what can be reported on before the project starts and agree on parameters.

14. If any of the required documents are in a language other than English, should we attach the original native file along with its English version or only the English translation?

INL Response:

Please provide us with English versions of all required documents. You do not need to provide versions of required documents in languages other than English.