Questions and Answers-OFOP0003172 (FINAL) 8-26-2026.pdf

Questions and Answers for

Disrupting Transnational Criminal Organizations Through Advanced Forensic

Capabilities in Morocco

OFOP0003172

August 26, 2026

Question 1:

We acknowledge the NOFO requirement to have a country registration in hand as part of INL's bid eligibility requirements. However, given the short lead time typically required for registering a new company in country, will INL please allow the successful offeror to register post-award?

INL Response:

Per the NOFO, applicants must demonstrate business registration in the Kingdom of Morocco and should be completed when the applicant submits its proposal.

Question 2:

Section C.1 on page 11 states that “that applicants must demonstrate business registration in the

Kingdom of Morocco as an eligibility requirement.” Does INL require applicants to possess and demonstrate Moroccan business registration at the time of proposal submission, or would applicants be considered eligible provided such registration is obtained prior to award? If registration may be completed prior to award, would INL consider this approach to encourage broader competition from otherwise qualified international organizations with relevant technical expertise?

Per the NOFO, applicants must demonstrate business registration in the Kingdom of Morocco and should be completed when the applicant submits its proposal.

Question 3:

Section A, Project Description, on pages 4-6 states that the selected implementer will “procure, equip, and operationalize a fully equipped mobile forensics facility” to support Laayoune, Dakhla, and surrounding areas. However, the NOFO does not provide technical specifications, required forensic capabilities, whether the facility is intended to perform screening/preliminary analysis or full forensic laboratory-quality analysis, staffing assumptions, or platform preferences. Could INL provide minimum technical specifications or functional requirements for the mobile forensic facility, including expected forensic disciplines, anticipated staffing model, operational requirements, and any DGSN preferences regarding vehicle, trailer, or containerized laboratory configurations?

INL encourages applicants to leverage their specialized expertise and local knowledge of Morocco to propose the most effective mobile forensics solution. Applicants are invited to propose the technical capabilities, operational workflows, and unit designs that best achieve the project objectives in Laayoune, Dakhla, and surrounding regions, supported by clear justifications in their proposals.

Question 4:

Section A on pages 4-5 states that five regional training courses will bring together participants from Morocco and neighboring countries.

A. Could INL clarify which neighboring countries are currently anticipated to participate in these trainings?

B. Does INL have an expected target for the number of Moroccan instructors that should complete the train-the-trainer component?

Are travel costs for regional participants expected to be included in the applicant budget?

INL will select neighboring countries from Africa and the Middle East to attend the forensics training. The applicant should propose the number of Moroccan instructors to complete the train-the-trainers based on their experience. Travel costs for the participants from other countries should not be included in the applicant’s budget.

Question 5:

The cover page identifies an estimated project start date of November 2026, while Section B references an anticipated program start date of October 2026. Could INL clarify the expected award date and anticipated project start date for planning purposes?

The expected award date and anticipated project start date is November 2026.

Question 6:

The Estimated Project Start Date on the cover page table (p1) is listed as November 2026, while subsection 3 "Funding Notices" (p10) lists an anticipated program start date of October 2026.

Which date should applicants use for period-of-performance planning in the budget?

Please use the November 2026 timeframe for planning purposes.

Question 7:

Section A, "Specific Budget Considerations" (page 6), states that training facilities at the Higher

Institute are available at no cost.

Should this be reflected as an in-kind cost-share line item in the budget, consistent with the cost-share documentation requirements in Appendix C (page 35–36) and 2 CFR 200.306, or should applicants simply note it in the Budget Narrative and exclude it from the budget entirely?

Cost share is recommended but not required for this project, so this is at the applicant's discretion.

Because the Higher Institute is providing training facilities at no cost, applicants should not include venue costs in their budget. If an applicant wishes to voluntarily document this in-kind contribution as cost share, it should be valued and supported consistently with the documentation requirements in Appendix C.

Question 8:

The document title on page 1 of the "FY2026 Budget Narrative Template" reads "FY2025 Budget

Narrative Template."

Can INL please confirm this is the current version intended for use with the FY2026 Morocco

NOFO (OFOP0003172)?

INL confirms that this is the current version intended for use with the FY2026 Morocco NOFO

(OFOP0003172).

Question 9:

The NOFO stipulates under Subsection 1 that "Applicants must demonstrate business registration in the Kingdom of Morocco" in order to be eligible to apply. The NOFO also states under subsection 3 that "Organizations may form a consortium and submit a combined proposal."

Will the Government please confirm that the consortium, having a registered partner, which enables the consortium to work in country, is not only in keeping with the Moroccan Royal Decree of 1958 (regulating local associations and international organizations) but is also sufficient to meet the Subsection 1 eligibility requirement.

Per Section C of the NOFO, "Applicants must also meet the following requirements to be eligible to apply to this NOFO: Demonstrate business registration in Tunisia." This requirement applies to the applicant organization. The eligibility requirement may not be satisfied through a Moroccan-registered subrecipient or consortium member.

Question 10:

The Government indicates that the Cover Page and the Table of Contents are to be included in the

20-page ceiling for the Proposal Narrative.

Will the Government please exclude both the Cover Page and the Table of Contents from the page count?

No. As stated in the NOFO, the Cover Page and Table of Contents count toward the 20-page ceiling for the Proposal Narrative. This requirement remains unchanged. Applicants should plan their submissions accordingly.

Question 11:

Does the requirement to demonstrate business registration in the Kingdom of Morocco apply only to the lead applicant, or must each proposed subrecipient or contractor also demonstrate separate registration in Morocco?

The requirement only applies to the lead applicant.

Question 12:

What documentation should be included with the application to demonstrate compliance with the

Morocco business-registration requirement? Would the registered Moroccan branch or office of an otherwise eligible U.S.-based nonprofit organization satisfy this requirement?

Per the additional documents that may be submitted outlined on page 14 of the NOFO, the applicant may submit up to 4 pages on the Biographical Information of the Applicant Organization.

This may include confirmation that the organization is a registered business entity and should demonstrate that the applicant is a registered entity.

Question 12:

May an eligible lead applicant use a U.S.-based for-profit small business as a contractor for specialized digital-forensics, curriculum-development, training, SOP, quality-assurance, and mobile-facility technical services?

The applicant should propose its best technical solution in response to the NOFO and may include sub-contractors.

Question 13:

For-profit organizations can serve as a contractor under this opportunity.

May a for-profit organization participate as a subrecipient under this opportunity, or should a for-profit technical partner be structured exclusively as a contractor or consultant to the recipient?

For-profit organizations can serve as a subrecipient under this opportunity.

Question 14:

Is the required fully equipped mobile forensic facility expected to support digital and mobile-device forensics specifically, broader crime-scene and physical forensic disciplines, or an integrated combination of both?

The mobile forensic facility should integrate both digital/mobile-device forensic capabilities and broader crime-scene/physical forensic disciplines within a single platform.

Question 15:

May the recipient subcontract the design, fabrication, equipment integration, shipping, warranty, maintenance planning, and acceptance support for the mobile facility to a specialized commercial integrator?

INL encourages applicants to leverage their specialized expertise and local knowledge of Morocco to propose the most effective mobile forensics solution. Applicants are invited to propose the technical capabilities, including use of sub-contractors, to provide the most effective solution.

Question 16:

Does INL have a preferred approach regarding construction or procurement of the mobile facility in Morocco versus the United States? Additionally, should applicants assume responsibility for serving as importer of record, customs clearance, taxes or duties, vehicle registration, and eventual transfer of title to DGSN, or will INL, the U.S. Embassy, or DGSN facilitate any of those functions?

INL anticipates procurement of the mobile forensic facility in the United States or a source waiver is required when a vehicle is purchased outside of the United States. Applicants proposing an alternative approach must provide a compelling justification demonstrating clear programmatic necessity (e.g., technical requirements that cannot be met through U.S. sourcing) and must confirm compliance with all applicable U.S. Government sourcing and procurement policies. Applicants should assume responsibility for importing the mobile command vehicle and facilitating customs clearance. The applicant will closely work with DGSN, INL and U.S. Embassy on the process during the award phase to outline roles and responsibilities.

Question 17:

The NOFO states that fees and honoraria should not exceed $784.62 per day per person. Does this ceiling apply only to individually engaged consultants and honoraria, or does it also apply to personnel performing under competitively procured company contracts, fixed-price contracts, or other commercial contractual arrangements?

It applies to both consultants and Personnel Under Competitively Procured Company/Fixed-Price

Contracts — When Those Arrangements Constitute a Procurement Relationship.