Response to Questions- Improving Community Security and Access to Justice in Syria NOFO.docx

RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS

IMPROVING COMMUNITY SECURITY AND ACCESS TO JUSTICE IN SYRIA NOFO

OPPORTUNITY NUMBER: SFOP0006282

1) Do you take into consideration our close to 20 years of experience even though we have only been registered for about a year?

All applications will be reviewed against the selection criteria published in the NOFO. This includes organizational capacity, which can be demonstrated by an organization’s track record of successful project implementation or, if a newly established organization, the track record and experience of the key personnel and demonstration of the organization’s ability to successfully meet the project requirements.

2) Please provide more information on the requirement to be able to operate out of Germany. Is it required that we register in Germany even if we do not intend to operate from there? Or are you stating that if we intend to operate from there, we need to demonstrate our legal right to do so? Is it possible to be awarded a grant if neither the prime nor the sub-awardees are registered in Germany?

Applicants are strongly encouraged to base operations in Berlin, Germany to facilitate coordination with other NEA/AC implementers. Applicants which do not propose basing operations in Berlin will not be disqualified but will be at a significant disadvantage. Applicants for this award should demonstrate that they can obtain all necessary legal paperwork and the German government permissions to manage their activities out of Berlin, Germany. In addition, should the need to operate from Istanbul, Turkey arise, applicants should demonstrate an understanding of legal requirements and Turkish government permissions required to manage activities out of Turkey.

3) For the requirement to operate out of Germany, would it be sufficient if our proposed sub-partner is registered in Germany and will handle all operations in Germany? Same question for Turkey.

As noted above, applicants are not required to base operations in Berlin, but applicants which choose not to do so will be at a significant disadvantage.

4) On page 6, the NOFO states that NEA/AC seeks applications which focus on one or more of the following areas and then lists Community Security, Assessment of Syrian Judicial System, and Options for Supporting Access to Justice as the three areas. Furthermore, within the Community Security section, the NOFO states that proposals for NE Syria should address: Community Policing; Civilian Governance and Internal Security; and Community Focused Security Activities. Does this mean that each applicant must address all three of these areas or is it possible to apply to work in one or two of these areas?

As stated in the NOFO, applicants may focus their applications on one or more of the topic areas identified. However, an organization that addresses all three areas could be at an advantage.

5) Is it possible to propose to work just in the third area – Options for Supporting Access to Justice – and not in the other two areas?

Yes, applicants can also choose to work on Options for Supporting Access to Justice and not in the other two areas. However, an organization that addresses all three areas could be at an advantage.

6) As these are intended to be cooperative agreements, is it envisioned that the grantees would be expected to coordinate and work closely together to ensure complementarity of programming, assuming more than one award is made?

Yes, award recipients are expected to coordinate activities with other NEA/AC award recipients implementing projects in Syria.

7) What is the proposed start date?

Page 10 of the NOFO erroneously states that the proposed start date for this project is January 1, 2020. This should read April 1, 2020. However, NEA/AC reserves the right to award funding under this announcement for a period of up to two years after the announcement’s close date.

8) On page 21 there is a reference to being informed of decisions by August 2019. What is the correct date for this?

Applicants who proceeded past the Technical Eligibility Review stage will be informed of the NEA/AC’s decision by April 1, 2020, but NEA/AC reserves the right to award funding under this announcement for a period of up to two years after the announcement’s close date.

9) On page 13 of the instructions for Preparing an Application for Funding, the NOFO states that Key Personnel should include a Program Director and defines the position as “the individual who will provide daily oversight of the grant, including fiscal and personnel management, community relations, and project implementation and evaluation during the project period.” Could NEA please confirm that the Project Director position as described is the field-based, most senior manager for the project, also known as Chief of Party?

An experienced Chief of Party will fulfil the program director position requirement.

10) Can State provide some examples or parameters for the kinds of activities which would constitute community "security services"?

Please refer to the Security in Northeast and Northwest Syria on page 5 of the NOFO.

11) "Applicants must demonstrate the ability to conduct baseline and needs assessments of potential Syrian beneficiaries." Is this applicable to the proposal or only after an award has been made?

Applicants must demonstrate the ability to conduct baseline and needs assessments of potential Syrian beneficiaries when completing their applications to the Notice of Funding Opportunity.

12) "Applicants should demonstrate they can secure all necessary legal paperwork and German government permissions to manage activities out of Berlin, Germany where other USG Syria stabilization implementing partners are based." Can State provide more context or information about what kind of paperwork is required?

Please see the response to question 2 above.

13) "Likewise, applicants should demonstrate an understanding of legal requirements and Turkish government permissions to manage activities out of Turkey, should the need to do so arise during the course of the award." Can State provide more context or information about how an applicant can demonstrate an understanding of these legal requirements?

Refer to the response to question 2 above.

14) "Applicants should also articulate approaches to identify appropriate partners." Can State clarify what is meant by appropriate partners? Does this mean an applicant needs to outline its vetting process?

Appropriate partners are implementing partners who can deliver organizational capacity-building support to community security providers, local governance bodies, and civil society entities based in Syria, consistent with U.S assistance objectives. Key subaward partners are subject to the United States vetting requirements.

15) "Proposals should explain a logical approach to delivering organizational capacity-building support to community security providers." Is what is meant here that an applicant should explain its capacity-building methodology?

Yes, applicants should describe their capacity-building process in the context of the NOFO requirement.

16) Should projects tied to community security include all elements listed under "I.) Community Security" including Community Policing, Civilian Governance & Internal Security, and Community Focused Security Activities?

Applicants may elect to submit proposals to address one or more of the assistance objectives above. See the response to question 4.

17) How is the start date January 1, 2020 (pg. 10) if the proposal isn't due until January 24, 2020?

Please see the response to question 7 above.

18) "Sub-awards: DOS will assume the lead in identifying areas of opportunity and introducing potential programming partners to the recipient." Can State provide more information about this process?

NEA/AC will take the lead in identifying the potential Syrian beneficiaries of the United States government’s assistance programming and coordinate with its implementing partners to ensure the assistance projects target the identified population.

19) The date seems to be incorrect here "NEA/AC expects to notify applicants who proceeded past the Technical Eligibility Review stage about the status of their application by August 23, 2019."

Please see the response to question 8 above.