Q&A OFOP0002496 - Countering Cartel Recruitment.pdf

This is a Questions and Answers document for the federal grant opportunity OFOP002496 "Countering Cartel Recruitment in Mexico," issued in March 2026. The document addresses 42 clarification questions from potential applicants regarding project implementation, objectives, and budget requirements. Key guidance includes: projects should ideally be implemented across all six priority states (Sinaloa, Sonora, Tamaulipas, Jalisco, Michoacán, and Guerrero); applicants may propose one or more of the five stated objectives, with flexibility to address all five if appropriate; objectives should be complementary but may be presented as modular components; and participant vetting must occur at least 60 days in advance per the U.S. Department of State Leahy Amendment requirements. The document clarifies that no prior federal or state authorization is needed to name specific states or municipalities in proposals, and that organizations may serve as prime recipients on multiple awards provided they maintain separate financial management systems per 2 CFR 200.302 and 200.303.

Additional guidance addresses budget and implementation details: contingency costs are allowable if reasonably estimated and justified per 2 CFR 200.433; local organizations without a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement may apply a 15% de minimis rate on Modified Total Direct Costs; no specific exchange rate is recommended for Mexican Pesos; SAM.gov registration must be fully active at proposal submission; and formal institutional adoption (such as incorporation into state law) is expected within the project period. The document indicates that INL will provide pre-drafted standard legal procedures and policies for deterrence and disengagement, along with current INL strategies at project inception. Applicants should propose key personnel based on project needs, and monitoring through the Change Map and DevResults system is expected for all projects, with optional additional research or evaluation components permitted.