Responsible State Behavior in Cyberspace Capacity Building Draft Scope of Work Template.docx

Responsible State Behavior in Cyberspace Capacity Building Draft Scope of Work Template

Instructions in blue are for the applicant.

A. BACKGROUND

Recognizing the growing role of technology as a cross-cutting national security issue, the State Department created the Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy (CDP) in April 2022 to lead and coordinate U.S. diplomacy on cyber and digital policy. The bureau addresses the national security challenges and economic opportunities presented by cyberspace and digital technologies and promotes standards and norms that are fair, transparent, and support the rights-respecting use of technology. Through robust engagement in multilateral organizations, bilateral diplomacy with partners round the world, and encouragement of responsible state behavior in cyberspace, CDP empowers U.S. leadership in cyber, digital, and technology diplomacy.

CDP deploys foreign assistance to strengthen international cooperation, create new partnerships, promote economic growth and development, and assist in the defense of our foreign partners to uphold an open, interoperable, secure, and reliable Internet.

Calibrated cyber and digital policies help form the backbone of our deeply interconnected world, are vital to U.S. national and economic security, and are required to fully harness the transformative power of technology. As citizens around the world eagerly seek increased Internet connectivity to access the tremendous opportunities afforded by digital transformation, the United States is working to ensure this connectivity is secure, meaningful, governed fairly, and serves the interests of its users. Foreign assistance programs aim to advance an affirmative vision of technology as a tool that supports collective security, prosperity, and democratic values.

More information on CDP is available at https://www.state.gov/bureaus-offices/deputy-secretary-of-state/bureau-of-cyberspace-and-digital-policy/.

The Digital Connectivity and Cybersecurity Partnership (DCCP) is a global, interagency initiative led by CDP and the U.S. Department of State to promote an open, interoperable, secure, and reliable internet. DCCP provides foreign assistance to partner nations to promote investments in secure, diverse, and resilient information and communication technologies (ICT) infrastructure; support the adoption of inclusive, rights-respecting, multi-stakeholder models of internet governance; grow global markets for trusted ICT goods and services; and enhance cybersecurity. CDP foreign assistance programming follows these core tenets of DCCP. More information on DCCP is available at https://www.state.gov/digital-connectivity-and-cybersecurity-partnership/.

The United States seeks common understanding on critical cyber issues of national and international significance. For over a decade, the United States and partner nations have worked to develop and coalesce around a non-binding framework of responsible state behavior in cyberspace that promotes international stability and transparency. The framework affirms that existing international law applies to state behavior in cyberspace and includes certain voluntary norms of state behavior and implementation of practical confidence building measures to help reduce the risk of conflict stemming from cyber incidents. Many countries, particularly those unfamiliar with previous UN discussions on responsible state behavior in cyberspace, would benefit from being better informed and engaged in the implementation of the framework. All UN member countries have endorsed the framework multiple times, most recently in 2021 (found here).

Given the importance of implementing the framework for the maintenance of international peace and security in cyberspace, there is a pressing need for outreach and training for a broader array of civilian government officials to ensure that they can effectively participate in the OEWG and contribute to discussions about implementing the framework.

Separately, but relatedly, many countries emphasized the need for capacity building on international law at recent meetings of the UN OEWG. Many countries, particularly from developing economies, also expressed interest in further exploring how existing international law applies to state conduct in cyberspace. Certain countries continue to push for a comprehensive cyber treaty to address gaps that they claim existing international law inadequately addresses. The United States and other likeminded countries believe that existing international law is adequate to regulate state behavior in cyberspace and that there are no known gaps that need to be filled by new rules.

To create common understandings on how international law applies to state conduct in cyberspace, the United States and likeminded countries have encouraged other countries to develop and articulate national positions on this issue. With that in mind, many countries, particularly from developing economies, lack adequate legal resources and capacities to easily engage in the development of their views on how international law applies in cyberspace.

B. STRATEGIC & PROGRAM GOALS & OBJECTIVES

This project should contribute to the following CDP strategic goals and objectives outlined in the Functional Bureau Strategy, and DCCP Pillar:

CDP Strategic Goals and Objectives:

Bureau Goal 1: Advance cyber and digital policies that align with U.S. national interests and foreign policy objectives.

Objective 1.1: Deepen relationships with existing U.S. partners, forge new partnerships, and engage with a range of countries to advance a common vision for the Internet and digital technologies.

Objective 1.3: Identify, enhance, cultivate, and develop strategic engagements across the private sector and multistakeholder communities.

Objective 1.4: Increase secure and open digital connectivity and access to the Internet.

DCCP Pillar:

Pillar 4: Enhance Cybersecurity by increasing adoption and implementation of cybersecurity best practices.

C. PROJECT GOAL

This project should be designed to achieve the following high-level goal:

Insert the high-level goal the project is expected to achieve and will be supported by the objectives.

Applicant completes D through F.

D. PROJECT OBJECTIVES

This project should be designed to achieve the following objectives:

Objective 1: Raise awareness and deepen understanding of the global framework of responsible state behavior in cyberspace, which supports the application of existing international law, adherence to certain voluntary norms of state behavior, and the development, and implementation of the framework.

Objective 2: Assist countries, particularly from developing economies, to develop and articulate national positions on how international law applies to state conduct in cyberspace.

E. Activities and Expected Milestones The table below details how the project will achieve its objectives through activities designed to achieve specific results in accordance with overarching program (CDP and DCCP) strategic goals and objectives. In awarding funds for this project, CDP expects that the activities and milestones listed below will be accomplished within the project’s period of performance.

Project Objective 1: Raise awareness and deepen understanding of the global framework of responsible state behavior in cyberspace, which supports the application of existing international law, adherence to certain voluntary norms of state behavior, and the development, and implementation of the framework.

Expected Outcomes Achievement of project objectives is expected to result in the following outcomes:

· 1.1 Increased awareness on each component of the framework of responsible state behavior in cyberspace.

· 1.2 Increased holistic understanding of the framework and how it fits into international negotiations of what constitutes responsible state behavior in cyberspace.

· 1.3 Increased ability of civilian government officials to articulate and implement all or part of the framework within their own national contexts.

· Insert additional project outcomes.

Project Objective 2: Assist countries, particularly from developing economies, to develop and articulate national positions on how international law applies to state conduct in cyberspace.

Expected Outcomes Achievement of project objectives is expected to result in the following outcomes:

· 2.1 Increased ability to develop and defend a national position on cybersecurity relative to the framework.

· 2.2 Increased awareness of how international law applies to state conduct in cyberspace.

· Insert additional project outcomes.

Activities To achieve the project outcomes, the project must include the following:

· Facilitating delivery mechanisms to directly engage civilian government officials, including but limited to, face-to-face workshops, scenario-based exercises, virtual education, facilitated peer-to-peer learning, etc.

· Fostering connections and exchanges between foreign government counterparts to exchange views and information on processes to implement the framework and/or national positions on how existing international law applies to state conduct in cyberspace; and promote continued engagement and collaboration in cyber policy issues.

· Equipping civilian government officials with the knowledge and resources to become more competent advocates in promoting international stability, confidence, and transparency in cyberspace.

To achieve the expected project objectives and outcomes, the project could address, but not limited to, the following:

· Insert additional project activities.

Performance Indicators

· 1.3 Number of countries that take steps to adopt or implement the Framework for Responsible State Behavior in Cyberspace.

· 1.4 Number of countries whose attendance in key multilateral fora is enabled through project activities.

· 2.1 Number of countries that develop a plan for the adoption of, or begin implementing, one or more aspect of the Framework for Responsible State Behavior in Cyberspace with USG support.

· 2.2 Number of instances of U.S. cyberspace policy positions presented in international or regional fora by the U.S. or DCCP partner countries.

· 2.3 Number of countries that develop and deliver independent public statements on how international law applies in cyberspace.

· DCCP 4.1 Number of people trained in international cyberspace security with USG support.

· DCCP 4.2 Number of people trained in international cyberspace security by the USG who demonstrate improved knowledge or skill.

· Insert additional performance indicators.

F. Sustainability Applicant’s plan for continuing the project beyond the grant period, or the availability of other resources, if applicable. Include ways project activities will ensure sustainability.

G. KEY TERMS AND DEFINITIONS

Activity: A specific action undertaken over a specific timeframe through which inputs are mobilized to produce specific outputs. An activity can be a sub-component of a program, project, or process.

Goal: The highest-order outcome or end state to which a program, project, process or policy is intended to contribute.

Monitoring: An ongoing system of gathering information and tracking performance to assess progress against established goals and objectives. Monitoring provides an indication of progress against goals and indicators of performance, reveals whether desired results are occurring, and confirms whether implementation is on track.

Objective: A statement of the condition or state one expects to achieve toward accomplishing a program or project goal.

Outcome: A result or effect that may be contributed to by the program or project, or attributable to the program or project. Outcomes may be short-term or long-term, intended or unintended, positive or negative, direct or indirect.

Performance Indicators: Performance indicators measure a particular characteristic or dimension of a project’s outputs or outcomes. Outputs are directly attributable to the project activities, while outcomes typically represent longer-term results to which a given program contributes but for which it is not solely responsible.

Program: A set of activities or projects that are typically implemented by several parties over an unspecified timeframe and may cut across sectors, themes, and/or geographic areas.

Project: A set of activities intended to achieve a defined product, service, or result within specified resources and implementation schedules. A set of projects makes up the portfolio of a program.