Questions and Answers-SFOP0009580 4-20-2023.pdf

Questions and Answers for Countering Wildlife Trafficking in Africa

SFOP0009580

Date: April 20, 2023

Question 1:

Please can you provide clarification on number of applications that one organization can submit as lead? In the section relating to Project Goals and Objectives the text states “Applicants may submit multiple applications” but under the Other Eligibility Requirements section, it says “Applicants are only allowed to submit one proposal per organization.

INL Response:

Applicants may submit one application per strategic objective; however, applicants should not submit multiple applications to the same strategic objective.

Question 2:

Please can you provide clarification on whether for-profit entities are eligible to apply to this opportunity?

INL Response:

Per the NOFO: Public International Organizations (PIOs) and For-Profit Organizations are excluded from applying to INL grant/cooperative agreement announcements.

For-profit entities are not eligible to apply directly to this opportunity. However, INL may receive proposals from eligible organizations which include partnerships (sub-contracts only) with for-profit entities.

Question 3:

For Strategic Objectives 1 and 2, can we assume that the term “wildlife” is inclusive of marine/ timber and this term is not restricted solely to fauna?

INL Response:

Strategic Objectives 1 and 2 must focus on reducing the ability of criminal groups to profit from the poaching and trafficking of protected animals and their body parts. In the case of Strategic Objective 3 for Southern Africa, this may include other natural resource crimes such as the illicit trade in timber, succulents, and cycads, or protected marine species only where there are demonstrated links to organized crime.

Question 4:

Regarding the following sections of the NOFO:

• Letters of support from host government and NGO status in the host-country is required, and memorandums of understanding (MOUs) between the applicant and the host government lead agency are preferred.”

• Applicants must also meet the following requirements to be eligible to apply to this NOFO:

Demonstrate host-government support and the ability to work in the target country(ies).

Could you please clarify whether an international NGO with a track record of working in the country where the work will take place is eligible or if the NGO is required to be registered in the country to be eligible? If registration in the country is not required, how does an NGO demonstrate “the ability to work in the target country”?

INL Response:

Each organization and proposal is unique and will require different levels of support for the proposed activities. Organizations should be aware of whether having NGO registration in the target country(ies) is legally required to perform the activities laid out in the proposal. If not, applicants should be able to adequately detail the operating context, past performance, and level of government involvement and support to the proposal.

Question 5:

Should applicants provide a Glossary/Acronym list?

INL Response:

Applicants may provide a glossary/Acronym List to the application.

Question 6:

Is the Glossary/Acronym list excluded from page count?

INL Response:

The Glossary/Acronym list can be excluded from the maximum page count.

Question 7:

How does the government define "key personnel"?

Key personnel refers to those individuals directly involved in the program implementation.

Question 8:

How does the government define "partner organization" and "sub-recipient"? Please differentiate between the two.

INL Response:

Partner organizations can refer to any organization that will work with the primary applicant on the implementation of the agreement, and can refer to other NGO partners, contracting companies, or host country government agencies. Sub-recipient refers to specific entities that receive a subaward from the primary applicant.

Question 9:

Would INL allow the use of Arial Narrow 10 pt for tables, graphics or figures?

INL Response:

Applicants should use Calibri font but may use a size other than 12 for tables, graphics, or figures.

Question 10:

UN agencies eligible to apply?

INL Response:

UN Agencies are not eligible for this opportunity.

Question 11:

Do you have a rough estimate of how long it might take for rangers to undergo Leahy vetting?

INL Response:

We don’t have an estimate because it is dependent on multiple factors. What speeds up the process a bit is when the excel sheet is filled out correctly with all the information we need and a descriptive unit title (name of unit, location of unit, if the unit is a sub-unit, etc).

Question 12:

Do you anticipate problems with submitting members of the National Wildlife Crime Coordination Task Force for Leahy vetting?

No anticipation of issues with members of National Wildlife Crime Coordination Task Force that we can guess up front. If we do run into an issue, we will let you know as soon as possible so we can fix the problem before the training begins.