Rwanda FTIF NOFO.pdf

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE

U.S. EMBASSY KIGALI

Notice of Funding Opportunity

Funding Opportunity Title: Enhancing Fiscal Transparency Supply and Demand in Rwanda Funding Opportunity Number: DOS-RWANDA-PE-2021-01 Deadline for Applications: August 3, 2021

Assistance Listing Number: 19.662 Total Amount Available: $250,000

A. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The U.S. Embassy in Kigali of the U.S. Department of State announces an open competition for organizations to submit applications to improve fiscal transparency of the central government and state-owned enterprises. Please follow all instructions below.

Priority Region: Rwanda

A.1. Background:

In its 2020 Fiscal Transparency Report, U.S. Embassy Kigali assessed that Rwanda did not meet the U.S. State Department’s minimum fiscal transparency requirements because it did not publish detailed allocations to, and earnings from, significant state-owned enterprises (SOEs). In addition, an audit opinion on the consolidated financial statements of the general government is not published. While information on debt servicing obligations and new public loans undertaken by the Government of Rwanda (GOR) is available online, the GOR does not provide a detailed breakdown of SOEs’ public guarantees. The Rwanda Parliament does not publish the draft budget law on its website. Local government grass-roots budgets and planning information are not available on district websites.

The 2019 Open Budget Survey from the International Budget Partnership (IBP) gave Rwanda a score of 39/100 on its transparency survey, which is below IBP’s global average. The main shortcomings were that the GOR’s Pre-Budget Statement, Mid-Year Review and Year-End Budget Report are internal government documents that are not shared with the public. While the Executive Budget Proposal and the Citizen’s Budget (known as the Citizen’s Guide in Rwanda) are made public, IBP found that their content is not sufficiently comprehensive.

(Of note, an International Monetary Fund (IMF) press release on May 6, 2021 regarding a staff-level agreement on policies needed to complete the fourth review under the Policy Coordination Instrument noted the need for Rwanda to strengthen the management of fiscal risks, including from state-owned enterprises. It also noted that Rwanda’s fiscal deficit in the current and next two budget years is projected to widen due to the need for increased spending, including support to state-owned enterprises.)

In addition to fiscal transparency supply issues, demand is also limited. Typically, a limited number of media, civil society organizations, and think tanks attend parliamentary hearings on budget-related issues. Some media and CSOs lack advanced knowledge in public financial management (PFM) literacy and the budget process. This results in non-government actors not having the ability to scrutinize budget proposals and implementation reports. Moreover, time allocated for local budget consultation is short and invitations are sent to pre-selected stakeholders on short notice.

A.2. Program Objectives:

The overall objective of the grant is to expand the amount of publicly available budget information and increase the public’s capacity to analyze it. On the supply side, the project will seek to encourage the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, the Parliament, and local governments to make pre- and post-budget enactment information available. It will also aim to encourage the government to provide feed-back on inputs from the public. On the demand side, the project will strengthen the capacity of CSOs, media, and community-based institutions to engage in budget preparation and demand accountability.

Objective 1: Encourage the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, Rwanda Parliament, and local governments to make pre- and post-budget enactment information publicly available.

Objective 2: Encourage the government to provide feedback on inputs from the public.

Objective 3: Enhance the knowledge of CSOs and other stakeholders in budget literacy.

Objective 4: Increase the engagement of CSOs and other stakeholders in the budget process.

Objective 5: Raise public awareness on budget issues.

A.3. Expected Results

Specific results could include the following:

• The GOR significantly improves access to information on allocations to and earnings from key SOEs.

• The audit opinion of the consolidated financial statements of general government is published.

• Pre-Budget Statement, Mid-Year Review and Year-End Budget Report are published online on the GOR’s websites.

• Citizen’s Budget guide is widely disseminated and explained.

• Executive Budget Proposal is published on Parliament’s website under “Bills in

Parliament.”

• Local governments’ budgets and planning information (District, Sector and Ce ll-levels) is available on respective websites.

• Rwanda’s Parliament publishes its own analysis and recommendations on its assessment of the Executive Budget Proposal and in-year budget implementation reports.

• The GOR expands on mechanisms to engage CSOs and members of the public on the budget process.

• Parliament allows an increasing number of members of the public and CSOs to testify during parliamentary hearings on budget proposals and the Office of the Auditor General audit reports.

• Time allocated to consultations on local governments’ budgets is increased.

• Invitations to parliamentary and local government pre-budget hearings are extended to all interested stakeholders.

• Any CSO or individual willing to testify in budgetary public hearings is able to do so.

• Media, CSOs, and local government officials receive training in budget literacy and develop an increased understanding of budget process.

• The number of media professionals, CSOs, and local government officials that meaningfully, knowledgeably, and enthusiastically participate in pre-budget consultations is increased.

• Media, CSOs, and local government officials demonstrate an improved ability to advocate for changes in budget proposals prior to approval by Parliament.

• The number of television and radio programs that encourage public discussion of budget issues increases.

To ensure the feasibility and sustainability of the project, Embassy Kigali will require tha t the grantee consults from the beginning with the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning (MINECOFIN), Parliament, the IMF, the World Bank, and the IBP, along with media and relevant CSOs.

Participants and Audiences:

The intended target audiences include the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, Rwanda

Parliament, local governments, CSOs, and other stakeholders.

B. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

Length of performance period: 2 years Number of awards anticipated: 1 Award amounts: awards may range from a minimum of $200,000 to a maximum of $250,000 Total available funding: $250,000

Type of Funding: FY 2020 Economic Support Funds (ESF) Anticipated program start date: September 2021

This notice is subject to availability of funding.

Funding Instrument Type: Grant

Program Performance Period: Proposed programs should be completed in 24 months or less.

C. ELIGILIBITY INFORMATION

1. Eligible Applicants

The following organizations are eligible to apply:

• U.S. non-profit/non-governmental organizations (NGOs) having a 501(c) (3) status with the IRS

• Overseas-based non-profit/non-governmental organizations,

• U.S. and foreign public and private educational institutions

• Public International Organizations and Governmental institutions

2. Cost Sharing or Matching

Cost sharing or matching is not required and will not be evaluated during the merit review.

3. Other Eligibility Requirements

In order to be eligible to receive an award, all organizations must have a unique entity identifier

(Data Universal Numbering System/DUNS number from Dun & Bradstreet), as well as a valid registration on www.SAM.gov. Please see Section D.3 for information on how to obtain these registrations. Individuals are not required to have a unique entity identifier or be registered in SAM.gov.

Applicants are only allowed to submit one proposal per organization. If more than one proposal is submitted from an organization, all proposals from that institution will be considered ineligible for funding.

Organizations must have a commitment to equal opportunity employment practices and to non-discrimination practices with regard to beneficiaries, without regard to race, religion, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, or political affiliation.

D. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

1. Address to Request Application Package

Application forms required below are available at grants.gov under the announcement title and funding opportunity number provided above.

2. Content and Form of Application Submission

Please follow all instructions below carefully. Proposals that do not meet the requirements of this announcement or fail to comply with the stated requirements will be ineligible.

Content of Application

Please ensure:

• The proposal clearly addresses the goals and objectives of this funding opportunity

• All documents are in English

• All budgets are in U.S. dollars

• All pages are numbered

• All documents are formatted to 8 ½ x 11 paper, and

• All Microsoft Word documents are single-spaced, 12-point Times New Roman font, with a minimum of 1-inch margins.

The following documents are required:

1. Mandatory application forms

• SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance – organizations) at Grants.gov

• SF-424A (Budget Information for Non-Construction programs) at Grants.gov

2. Summary Page: Cover sheet stating the applicant’s name and organization, proposal date, program title, program period proposed start and end date, and brief purpose of the program.

3. Proposal (12 pages maximum): The proposal should contain sufficient information that anyone not familiar with it would understand exactly what the applicant wants to do. You may use your own proposal format, but it must include all the items below.

• Proposal Summary: Short narrative that outlines the proposed program, including program objectives and anticipated impact.

• Introduction to the Organization or Individual applying: A description of past and present operations, showing ability to carry out the program, including information on all previous grants from the U.S. Embassy and/or U.S. government agencies.

• Problem Statement: Clear, concise and well-supported statement of the problem to be addressed and why the proposed program is needed

• Program Goals and Objectives: The “goals” describe what the program is intended to achieve. The “objectives” refer to the intermediate accomplishments on the way to the goals. These should be achievable and measurable.

• Program Activities: Describe the program activities and how they will help achieve the objectives.

• Program Methods and Design: A description of how the program is expected to work to solve the stated problem and achieve the goal. Include a logic model as appropriate.

• Proposed Program Schedule and Timeline: The proposed timeline for the program activities. Include the dates, times, and locations of planned activities and events.

• Key Personnel: Names, titles, roles and experience/qualifications of key personnel involved in the program. What proportion of their time will be used in support of this program?

• Program Partners: List the names and type of involvement of key partner organizations and sub-awardees.

• Program Monitoring and Evaluation Plan: This is an important part of successful grants. Throughout the timeframe of the grant, how will the activities be monitored to ensure they are happening in a timely manner, and how will the program be evaluated to make sure it is meeting the goals of the grant?

• Future Funding or Sustainability Applicant’s plan for continuing the program beyond the grant period, or the availability of other resources, if applicable.

4. Budget Justification Narrative: After filling out the SF-424A Budget (above), use a separate sheet of paper to describe each of the budget expenses in detail. See section H. Other Information: Guidelines for Budget Submissions below for further information.

5. Attachments:

• 1-page CV or resume of key personnel who are proposed for the program

• Letters of support from program partners describing the roles and responsibilities of each partner

• If your organization has a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA) and includes NICRA charges in the budget, your latest NICRA should be included as a PDF file.

• Official permission letters, if required for program activities

3. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM.gov)

Required Registrations:

Any applicant listed on the Excluded Parties List System (EPLS) in the System for Award Management (SAM) is not eligible to apply for an assistance award in accordance with the OMB guidelines at 2 CFR 180 that implement Executive Orders 12549 (3 CFR, 1986 Comp., p. 189) and 12689 (3 CFR, 1989 Comp., p. 235), “Debarment and Suspension.” Additionally, no entity listed on the EPLS can participate in any activities under an award. All applicants are strongly encouraged to review the EPLS in SAM to ensure that no ineligible entity is included.

All organizations applying for grants must obtain these registrations. All are free of charge:

• Unique entity identifier from Dun & Bradstreet (DUNS number)

• NCAGE/CAGE code

• www.SAM.gov registration

Step 1: Apply for a DUNS number and an NCAGE number (these can be completed simultaneously)

DUNS application: Organizations must have a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number from Dun & Bradstreet. If your organization does not have one already, you may obtain one by calling 1-866-705-5711 or visiting http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform

NCAGE application: Application page here:

https://eportal.nspa.nato.int/AC135Public/scage/CageList.aspx Instructions for the NCAGE application process:

https://eportal.nspa.nato.int/AC135Public/Docs/US%20Instructions%20for%20NSPA%20NCA GE.pdf

For NCAGE help from within the U.S., call 1-888-227-2423

For NCAGE help from outside the U.S., call 1-269-961-7766 Email NCAGE@dlis.dla.mil for any problems in getting an NCAGE code.

Step 2: After receiving the NCAGE Code, proceed to register in SAM.gov by logging onto:

https://www.sam.gov. SAM registration must be renewed annually.

4. Submission Dates and Times https://sam.gov/ https://sam.gov/ http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform https://eportal.nspa.nato.int/AC135Public/scage/CageList.aspx https://eportal.nspa.nato.int/AC135Public/Docs/US%20Instructions%20for%20NSPA%20NCAGE.pdf https://eportal.nspa.nato.int/AC135Public/Docs/US%20Instructions%20for%20NSPA%20NCAGE.pdf https://www.sam.gov/

Applications are due no later than 11:59 PM Central Africa Time (CAT) on August 3, 2021

5. Funding Restrictions

The following activities and costs are not covered under this announcement:

• Activities that appear partisan or that support individual or party electoral campaigns.

• Payments for any partner government, military, or civilian government employee salary or pension.

6. Other Submission Requirements

Applications may be submitted electronically through www.Grants.gov.

E. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

1. Criteria

Each application will be evaluated and rated on the basis of the evaluation criteria outlined below.

Quality and Feasibility of the Program Idea – 25 points: The program idea is well developed, with detail about how project activities will be carried out and how activities will be coordinated with and receive buy-in from the GOR. The proposal includes a reasonable implementation timeline.

Organizational Capacity and Record on Previous Grants – 20 points: The organization has expertise in its stated field and has the internal controls in place to manage federal funds. This includes a financial management system and a bank account.

Project Planning/Ability to Achieve Objectives – 10 points: Goals and objectives are clearly stated and project approach is likely to provide maximum impact in achieving the proposed results.

Budget – 10 points: The budget justification is detailed. Costs are reasonable in relation to the proposed activities and anticipated results. The budget is realistic, accounting for all necessary expenses to achieve proposed activities.

Monitoring and Evaluation Plan – 10 points: Applicant demonstrates it is able to measure program success against key indicators and provides milestones to indicate progress toward goals outlined in the proposal. The project includes output and outcome indicators and shows how and when those will be measured.

Sustainability – 25 points: The proposal describes how the project activities will continue to have positive impact after the end of the performance period.

2. Review and Selection Process

A review committee will evaluate all eligible applications.

F. FEDERAL AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

1. Federal Award Notices

The grant award or cooperative agreement will be written, signed, awarded, and administered by the Grants Officer. The assistance award agreement is the authorizing document, and it will be provided to the recipient for review and signature by email. The recipient may only start incurring program expenses beginning on the start date shown on the grant award document signed by the Grants Officer.

If a proposal is selected for funding, the Department of State has no obligation to provide any additional future funding. Renewal of an award to increase funding or extend the period of performance is at the discretion of the Department of State.

Issuance of this NOFO does not constitute an award commitment on the part of the U.S.

government, nor does it commit the U.S. government to pay for costs incurred in the preparation and submission of proposals. Further, the U.S. government reserves the right to reject any or all proposals received.

Payment Method: Request for payment will be submitted through a SF-270. Payments shall be disbursed via electronic fund transfer (EFT) upon receipt of a signed SF-270 form and required reporting.

2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

Before submitting an application, applicants should review all the terms and conditions and required certifications which will apply to this award, to ensure that they will be able to comply.

These include:

• 2 CFR 25 - UNIVERSAL IDENTIFIER AND SYSTEM FOR AWARD

MANAGEMENT

• 2 CFR 170 - REPORTING SUBAWARD AND EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

INFORMATION

• 2 CFR 175 - AWARD TERM FOR TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS

• 2 CFR 182 - GOVERNMENTWIDE REQUIREMENTS FOR DRUG-FREE

WORKPLACE (FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE)

• 2 CFR 183 - NEVER CONTRACT WITH THE ENEMY

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• 2 CFR 600 – DEPARTMENT OF STATE REQUIREMENTS

• U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE STANDARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS

In accordance with the Office of Management and Budget’s guidance located at 2 CFR part 200, all applicable Federal laws, and relevant Executive guidance, the Department of State will review and consider applications for funding, as applicable to specific programs, pursuant to this notice of funding opportunity in accordance with the following: NOTE:

• Guidance for Grants and Agreements in Title 2 of the Code of Federal Regulations (2

CFR), as updated in the Federal Register’s 85 FR 49506 on August 13, 2020, particularly on:

o Selecting recipients most likely to be successful in delivering results based on the program objectives through an objective process of evaluating Federal award applications (2 CFR part 200.205), o Prohibiting the purchase of certain telecommunication and video surveillance services or equipment in alignment with section 889 of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2019 (Pub. L. No. 115—232) (2 CFR part 200.216), o Promoting the freedom of speech and religious liberty in alignment with Promoting Free Speech and Religious Liberty (E.O. 13798) and Improving Free Inquiry, Transparency, and Accountability at Colleges and Universities (E.O.

13864) (§§ 200.300, 200.303, 200.339, and 200.341), o Providing a preference, to the extent permitted by law, to maximize use of goods, products, and materials produced in the United States (2 CFR part 200.322), and o Terminating agreements in whole or in part to the greatest extent authorized by law, if an award no longer effectuates the program goals or agency priorities (2

CFR part 200.340).

3. Reporting

Reporting Requirements: Recipients will be required to submit financial reports and program reports. These will be due approximately quarterly. The financial reports will be using form SF- 425, available on grants.gov, and the programmatic reports will be a brief narrative on the project’s successes, challenges, and next steps. The award document will specify how often these reports must be submitted.

G. FEDERAL AWARDING AGENCY CONTACTS

If you have any questions about the grant application process, please contact:

KigaliASGP@state.gov.

H. OTHER INFORMATION

Guidelines for Budget Justification

• Personnel and Fringe Benefits: Describe the wages, salaries, and benefits of temporary or permanent staff who will be working directly for the applicant on the program, and the percentage of their time that will be spent on the program.

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• Travel: Estimate the costs of travel and per diem for this program, for program staff, consultants or speakers, and participants/beneficiaries. If the program involves international travel, include a brief statement of justification for that travel.

• Equipment: Describe any machinery, furniture, or other personal property that is required for the program, which has a useful life of more than one year (or a life longer than the duration of the program), and costs at least $5,000 per unit.

• Supplies: List and describe all the items and materials, including any computer devices, that are needed for the program. If an item costs more than $5,000 per unit, then put it in the budget under Equipment.

• Contractual: Describe goods and services that the applicant plans to acquire through a contract with a vendor. Also describe any sub-awards to non-profit partners that will help carry out the program activities.

• Other Direct Costs: Describe other costs directly associated with the program, which do not fit in the other categories. For example, shipping costs for materials and equipment or applicable taxes. All “Other” or “Miscellaneous” expenses must be itemized and explained.

Indirect Costs: These are costs that cannot be linked directly to the program activities, such as overhead costs needed to help keep the organization operating. If your organization has a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate (NICRA) and includes NICRA charges in the budget, attach a copy of your latest NICRA. Organizations that have never had a NICRA may request indirect costs of 10% of the modified total direct costs as defined in 2 CFR 200.68.

“Cost Sharing” refers to contributions from the organization or other entities other than the U.S.

Embassy. It also includes in-kind contributions such as volunteers’ time and donated venues.

Alcoholic Beverages: Please note that award funds cannot be used for alcoholic beverages.