SFOP0007975_DOS_EAP_4_29.pdf

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE

BUREAU OF EAST ASIAN AND PACIFIC AFFAIRS (EAP)

Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)

Announcement Type: New Announcement

Assistance Type: Cooperative Agreement

Funding Opportunity Title: Development of Information Technology (IT) and

Cybersecurity Fundamentals Course Curriculum

Funding Opportunity Number: SFOP0007975

Catalog of Federal Domestic

Assistance (CFDA) Number: 19.124

Total Available Funding: $691,358

NOFO Issuance Date: April 29, 2021

Deadline for Receipt of Questions: June 18, 2021 at 5:00PM Eastern Daylight Time

Application Deadline: June 28, 2021 at 11:59PM Eastern Daylight Time

Eligibility Category: U.S. Non-profit/non-governmental organizations

(NGOs) having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, or overseas-based non-profit/non-governmental organizations, and U.S. and overseas private/state institutions of higher education (See full eligibility criteria below in Section C).

Executive Summary:

The Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs (EAP) Office of Regional and Security Policy

(RSP) at the U.S. Department of State (DOS), announces this Notice of Funding Opportunity

(“NOFO”) for the development of a general education course curriculum on information technology and cybersecurity fundamentals, which would be accessible to students, young professionals, and the general public. The curriculum will publicly advertised and shared, royalty-free, to qualifying universities and educational institutions located in economic support fund (ESF) eligible countries within the Indo-Pacific region.

A cooperative agreement for up to $691,358 U.S. Dollars (USD) in FY 2020 ESF will be awarded (pending availability of funds) for work that will support the development of a general education-level curriculum on information technology and cybersecurity fundamentals to address the cyber workforce development gaps that currently exist within the Indo-Pacific region. Funds may also be used to support translation of curriculum and materials, conduct engagements with regional universities, organizations, governments, and industry stakeholders found within the

Indo-Pacific region, as well as to provide support to build the capacity of universities and organizations interested in adopting this curriculum.

Eligible organizations interested in submitting an application are encouraged to review this

NOFO thoroughly to understand the type of project sought and the application submission requirements and review process as outline in this NOFO.

The period of performance is up to 36 months. Funding authority rests in the Foreign Assistance

Act of 1961 (FAA).

Contact Person: See Section G.

Please read carefully the entire solicitation package if you plan to submit an application; there are steps that you should take immediately in order to make your submissions by the deadline.

A. PROJECT DESCRIPTION

A.1. Background

As the world becomes more technologically advanced, the need for a workforce that is sufficiently versed in technologies, processes, and cyber-related risks is increasingly imperative to enable a nation to fulfill its cybersecurity-related national goals. Virtually every sector of a modern economy is becoming reliant on information and communications technologies (ICT) and security of these systems and data is a key component to a nation’s economic success. By

2022, the expected number of unfilled cybersecurity jobs worldwide is expected to have grown

350% over 2013 requirements, topping 3.5 million vacancies worldwide.1 Those who graduate with a Computer Science/IT degree are often not qualified for the positions they apply for, as the skills they possess/have learned are not aligned with employer and industry needs. In addition, programs that seek to address the cyber workforce development challenges in the Indo-Pacific region are few and far between, offered by large technology companies and targeted only for

IT/cyber professionals. Given that technology is increasingly being used in every sector, cyber/IT skills and cyber/IT savvy workers are needed in virtually every industry to perform routine cyber/IT functions. As a result, there is a need and opportunity to develop a local, affordable, and accessible standardized general education curriculum that provides students, young professionals, and the general public, including but not limited to those studying computer science/IT, with the skills and hands-on training they need to successfully enter the cyber/digital workforce.

The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of East Asian Pacific Affairs (EAP) has engaged with the

U.S. interagency, U.S. Embassies abroad, and the MITRE Corporation on the cyber workforce development challenges that exist within the Indo-Pacific region. EAP’s work thus far has primarily focused on gathering research and awareness-raising activities through engagement

1 Morgan, S., Top 5 Cybersecurity Facts, Figures, Predictions, And Statistics For 2020 To 2021, Cybercrime Magazine, 29

March 2020, https://cybersecurityventures.com/top-5-cybersecurity-facts-figures-predictions-and-statistics-for-2019-to-2021/ https://cybersecurityventures.com/top-5-cybersecurity-facts-figures-predictions-and-statistics-for-2019-to-2021/ with U.S. Embassy cyber officers, U.S. interagency stakeholders, as well as American Chambers of Commerce and their affiliated companies. From our engagements and from the cyber workforce development research the MITRE Corporation has developed on behalf of the

Department, EAP would like to further build on our past efforts and compliment ongoing U.S.

government efforts by developing a general education course curriculum to provide university students, young professionals, and the ordinary global citizen with the fundamental cybersecurity and IT skills needed to effectively work and operate in an increasingly digital world.

The recipient will be required to engage with national government and industry officials in Indo-

Pacific ESF-eligible countries (per EAP’s guidance and approval) to identify cyber/IT gaps and understand employer needs and priorities. The recipient will also be required to identify commonalities in the skill gaps and the employer needs to develop the core foundation of the curriculum. In addition, the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) included in the curriculum should be drawn from the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) National

Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) workforce development mapping tool found here:

https://niccs.cisa.gov/workforce-development/mapping-tool. The skills identified should provide participants with the foundational cyber hygiene knowledge to protect themselves online, recognize cyber threats, and mitigate cyber-related risks with their sector/organization, among others. The skills learned and topics discussed should be tailored to the target audience of the course.

Based on the results and findings of the recipient’s engagement and review efforts, they will create a curriculum to teach the skills identified. The curriculum should be at the general-education level targeting university students and young professionals, with an increased emphasis placed on women, ethnic minorities, and other historically marginalized and vulnerable groups. The curriculum should follow a semester schedule and should be an approximately 8-to-

16-week course, but EAP will defer to applicant to make this distinction. EAP will also defer to the applicant on the preferred method of delivery of this course (virtual, classroom, or hybrid) and on the course class size.

The recipient will also be required to condense the course into a 1-2 week ad hoc regional training program, which would be taught and led by the applicant. This training should primarily target young or inexperienced professionals who may not be able to dedicate a large amount of time to the longer version curriculum. EAP will defer to the applicant on the preferred method of delivery of this course (virtual or classroom) and the course class size. Proposals should include a contingency plan for both the 8-16 week course and the 1-2 week training in the event the activities are not able to be implemented or need to be shifted from in person to virtual engagements due to COVID-19.

Once the curriculum is developed, the recipient will publicly advertise the curriculum and 1-2 week training materials though the applicant’s website and/or potentially other vehicles, determined upon further consultation with EAP. Universities or organizations that express interest in the curriculum or 1-2 week training are required to complete an online form accessible through the applicant’s website to request curriculum materials and additional information.

Qualifying universities or organizations are those that are 1.) not affiliated with the military, law https://niccs.cisa.gov/workforce-development/mapping-tool enforcement, or intelligence organizations, 2.) located in ESF-eligible countries in the Indo-

Pacific region, 3.) not funded by or affiliated with the PRC, DPRK, Russia, or Iran, and 4.) for

Cambodia*, Nauru*, and Sri Lanka*– not affiliated with the government of Cambodia and the central governments of Nauru and Sri Lanka per the restrictions in section D5. Universities and organizations who qualify and are properly vetted will be granted access to use and adopt the curriculum royalty-free, broadening the accessibility and sustainability of the curriculum. If universities and organizations are interested in adopting this course, the recipient may be asked to provide train-the-trainer workshops on both versions of the curriculum to instruct universities and organization on how to teach the course materials.

If additional funding becomes available or if there is excess in funding, the recipient may be asked to adapt the curriculum to be delivered as a self-study online course, which would be advertised publicly and made free and publicly available to those who qualify, to reach a wider audience. Individuals interested in the self-study online course will be required to register in order to qualify. Qualifying individuals interested in the self-study online course will be those that are 1.) not affiliated with the military, law enforcement, or intelligence organizations, 2.) a confirmed national of a ESF-eligible country in the Indo-Pacific region, 3.) not affiliated with the

PRC, DPRK, Russia, or Iran, and 4.) for Cambodia*, Nauru*, and Sri Lanka* – not affiliated with the government of Cambodia and the central governments of Nauru and Sri Lanka per the restrictions in section D5. The recipient will be required to develop a cohesive and deliberate strategy to effectively execute the curriculum as an online self-study course.

To ensure the effectiveness and relevancy of the training, the recipient will provide a strategy for ensuring that their proposed education and training approach, curriculum, materials, and instruction methods are tested and effective in promoting a cyber-ready workforce. Given that the cyber workforce development situation is varied between countries in the Indo-Pacific region, the applicant will be responsible for making changes and recommendations on how to best adapt the course, either sub-regionally or on a country-by-country basis. Translation and localization of course materials may also requested if deemed necessary by EAP. The applicant will also be required to provide periodic assessments on the effectiveness and impact of the course, which will include specific sections measuring the effectiveness of the course for women, ethnic minorities, and other historically marginalized and vulnerable groups.

The applicant will only provide direct assistance under the cooperative agreement to the following countries: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burma* (subject to the vetting requirements), Cambodia*, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Kiribati, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Mongolia, Nauru, Nepal, Palau*, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, Solomon

Islands, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, and Vietnam. Priority countries will be determined upon consultation with EAP, but applicants should include in their proposal at least one country from the ASEAN region (Burma*, Cambodia*, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam) and at least one Pacific Island country (Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau*, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon

Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu).

*Please refer to section D5 for certain country restrictions.

A2. Program Goals

The purpose of the EAP-funded cybersecurity and IT fundamentals curriculum is to provide the ordinary student or young professional, including but not limited to those study cybersecurity/IT or working in a cybersecurity/IT-related field, with the technical prowess to effectively work in all sectors as they become increasingly more reliant on technology. The curriculum will also be made publicly available and royalty free to qualifying universities and organizations, which will help broaden the accessibility of the curriculum to regional universities and organizations that do not have sufficient funds to develop a similar curriculum on their own. If this curriculum becomes adopted and used by numerous universities and organizations alike, an increasing number of students, young professionals, and ordinary citizens will become cyber/IT literate, which will help address the cyber workforce development gaps that currently exist and decrease the number of unfilled cyber/IT job variances that are anticipated to increase. Increased cyber/IT literacy will also help build civilian capacity to protect systems from cyber threats and generate a safe online environment where business and entrepreneurship can thrive.

Objective 1: An increase in the number of regional universities and organizations offering a curriculum that adequately prepares students and young professionals with the foundational cyber hygiene knowledge to protect themselves online, recognize cyber threats, and mitigate cyber-related risks with their sector/organization, among others.

Objective 2: An increased number of students and young professionals have developed the

KSA’s needed to understand fundamental cybersecurity and IT-related concepts to effectively work in today’s increasingly digital workforce.

A3. Expected Long-Term Results

By the end of the project, the information technology and cybersecurity fundamentals course curriculum should be completed, publicly advertised and freely available to qualifying organizations/universities, and implemented in ESF-eligible countries in the Indo-Pacific region.

Toward the end of the award, it will be expected that numerous universities and organizations will have adopted and implemented this training as part of a general education curriculum. An increasing number of students and young professionals will be expected to have taken this course, either as part of a general education requirement or due to an increasing interest in acquiring cyber/IT skills for work performance, leading to increased cyber/digital skills capacity throughout the Indo-Pacific region. Women, ethnic minorities, and other historically marginalized and vulnerable groups are also expected to have participated in this course to gain the cyber/IT skills needed to be employable in an increasingly digital world. There should also be an increase in communications and cooperation between government and industry on cyber/IT-related needs, cyber/IT skill gaps, and how to work together to address these challenges.

Specific long-term results could include the following:

• Result 1: A growing number of university students, young professionals, and ordinary citizens, with an increased emphasis on women, ethnic minorities, and other historically marginalized and vulnerable groups, that will have the skills, knowledge, and abilities to understand foundational information technology and cybersecurity concepts.

• Result 2: A growing number of universities or organizations that can provide a information technology and cybersecurity fundamentals curriculum for students and young professionals within the Indo-Pacific region.

• Result 3: An increased interconnectedness between government, industry, and academia to identify new cyber/digital workforce development gaps, along with development of new public-private partnerships to address needs/gaps.

• Result 4: A decrease in the amount of unfilled cyber/IT vacancies that is anticipated to increase.

• Result 5: An increase in the amount of job seekers that are well-qualified to work in the

IT/Cyber-sectors of both industry and government.

A4. Main Activities

To achieve the goals and expected results, the program could include the following activities:

• Activity 1: Consult with EAP, government, industry, and academia to identify the cyber/digital workforce skill gaps that currently exist, understand each sector’s priorities, and use this information to help create a IT/cybersecurity fundamental course curriculum targeted for university students, young professionals, and ordinary citizens.

• Activity 2: Use the NICE mapping tool to identify knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA) that students should possess to have a foundational understanding of cybersecurity/IT-related challenges. Apply the KSAs identified in the NICE mapping tool to the course curriculum.

• Activity 3: Develop an 8-to-16-week general education cybersecurity and IT fundamentals course to teach the skills identified in Activity 1 and 2.

• Activity 4: Develop an abbreviated 1–2-week workshop equivalent to the cybersecurity and IT fundamentals course, which will be used to provide capacity-building in multilateral regional forums, bilaterally with foreign governments, industry, or civil society stakeholder, and on an ad hoc basis, per direction and consultation with EAP.

• Activity 5: Engage and support universities located in ESF-eligible countries in the EAP region to adopt this curriculum and assist in providing expertise for universities to effectively deliver the course, such as through train-the-trainer workshops, identifying situational and technical constraints, and providing textbooks and potentially localizing curriculum materials if needed.

• Activity 6: If there is excess funding or additional funds - adapt the curriculum and/or abbreviated training to be delivered as a self-study online course, which would be made free and publicly available to organizations and universities who qualify, to reach a wider audience.

A5. Performance Indicators

The project should monitor and report on performance indicators that are specific, measurable, achievable, reasonable, and time-bound. Establish, where possible, performance baseline data and expected performance targets for each expected result, and include details on what sources of data will be used to document performance, how the indicators will be measured, frequency of measurement, and units of measure. Where possible, indicators should also allow for sex disaggregation. Indicators should reflect key project outputs or outcomes that reflect on the primary goals or objectives of the project and that the implementer can collect with high quality data.

Applicants must fill out the table below and insert it into the proposal document. Additional non-Department of State (DOS) indicators may be added that are relevant to the project by adding rows to the chart.

All applicable indicators should be included in the proposal and subsequent to the award, routine, periodic reporting of all indicators will be required. The implementer will be responsible for quarterly progress reporting on each performance indicator included in the award agreement as well as analysis of progress or impediments to reach indicator targets.

The following are required indicators. Applicants are welcome to propose other indicators relevant to the primary objectives and expected results of the project.

Outcome Indicators Targets

Output 1. Number of engagements and communications between government, industry, and academia-related stakeholders to develop and provide input to the curriculum.

TBD

Output 2. Number of students, professionals, and ordinary citizens that have been trained, completed the 8-16 week comprehensive curriculum.

100-200 participants per year

Output 3. Number of students, professionals, and ordinary citizens that have been trained, completed the 1-2 week abbreviated curriculum.

At least 50 participants per year

The following are suggested indicator/s for this project:

A6. Substantial Involvement

EAP anticipates awarding a cooperative agreement as a result of this NOFO. The distinction between grants and cooperative agreements revolves around the existence of “substantial involvement.” Cooperative agreements require greater involvement from the Federal government during the implementation of the award agreement. For this cooperative agreement, it is anticipated that the Department of State will be substantially involved in the following areas at a minimum:

1. Approval of one stage of work before the next stage can begin;

2. If the curriculum is delivered as a short-term workshop or training, involvement in the selection and approval of participants or program venues;

3. Joint preparation of presentation of project results with the recipient;

Output 4. Number of universities within the Indo-Pacific region that have adopted, offered, and implemented this course as part of their university curriculum and course offerings.

TBD

Output 5. Number of women, ethnic minorities, and other historically marginalized and vulnerable groups taking this course and gaining interest in the cyber/IT field.

TBD

Outcome Indicators Targets

Output 1. Number of students and young professionals, with an IT/cyber background, entering the IT/cyber workforce with the skills needed to succeed and effectively work in the field.

TBD

Output 2. Midterm and final course surveys conducted to assess participants’ development, knowledge of material learned, and if they find the content of the course helpful/useful for their academic/professional development.

2 per course iteration

Output 3. Number of students with undeclared majors who, because of the course, will pursue a degree/career in a tech-related field (i.e. IT, computer science, information systems, computer engineering, etc.).

TBD

Output 4. Number of students that intend to pursue professional IT/cyber-related certifications that are relevant to industry hiring needs due to increased interest in the IT/cyber field.

TBD

Output 5. Periodic assessments on the effectiveness and impact of the course, which will include specific sections measuring the effectiveness of the course for women, ethnic minorities, and other historically marginalized and vulnerable groups.

TBD

4. Coordination with foreign governments/partners, universities/educational institutions, cooperating agencies, or U.S. embassies.

5. Approval of having the curriculum translated into other languages relevant to the Indo-

Pacific region.

B. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

EAP anticipates having approximately $691,358 of FY20 Economic Support Funds (ESF) available to support one successful application submitted in response to this NOFO, subject to the ability of funding. The authority for this funding opportunity is found in the Foreign

Assistance Act of 1961, as amended (FAA).

Applicants should include an anticipated start date between August and September 2021 and the period of performance should be 36 months.

The Department of State may make award(s) on the basis of initial applications received, without discussions or negotiations. Therefore, each initial application should contain the applicant's best terms from a cost and technical standpoint. The Department of State reserves the right (though it is not under obligation to do so), however, to enter into discussions with one or more applicants in order to obtain clarifications, additional detail, or to suggest refinements in the project description, budget, or other aspects of an application.

Depending on the quality of performance and other factors, EAP may consider additional supplemental funding to continue activities and extend the period of performance, if funds are available and EAP and the Recipient mutually agree.

Summary of Award Information

Type of Award Cooperative Agreement

Type of Funding FY2020 Economic Support Funds (ESF)

Funding Amount: $ 691,358 USD

Number of Awards: 1

Award Date: August-September 2021

Project Completion Date: September 2024

This notice is subject to availability of funding.

C. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

C.1 Eligible Applicants

EAP welcomes applications from U.S. Non-profit/non-governmental organizations (NGOs) having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, or overseas-based non-profit/non-governmental organizations, and U.S. and overseas accredited, or the equivalent to an accredited, private/state institutions of higher education.

For-profit and commercial firms are not eligible to apply in response to this NOFO.

Please see 2 CFR 200.307 for regulations regarding program income.

C.2 Cost Sharing or Matching

Providing cost sharing, matching, or cost participation is not an eligibility requirement for this

NOFO.

Please note: If cost-share is included in the budget then the recipient must maintain written records to support all allowable costs that are claimed as its contribution to cost-share, as well as costs to be paid by the Federal government. Such records are subject to audit. In the event the recipient does not meet the minimum amount of cost-sharing as stipulated in the recipient’s budget, EAP’s contribution may be reduced in proportion to the recipient’s contribution.

C.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.

Any applicant listed on the Excluded Parties List System in the System for Award Management

(SAM)(www.sam.gov) 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 Excluded Parties List System in SAM can participate in any activities under an award. All applicants are strongly encouraged to review the Excluded Parties List System in

SAM to ensure that no ineligible entity is included.

Organizations may only submit one application per organization. If more than one application is submitted by an organization, only the first application received from that institution will be reviewed for eligibility and funding.

D. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

D.1 Address to Request Application Package

Applicants can find application forms and other materials need to apply on SAMS Domestic

(https://mygrants.servicenowservices.com) and under the announcement title and funding opportunity number provided above.

Note: Applications will not be accepted through grants.gov.

Please contact the EAP point of contact listed in section G if requesting reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities or for security reasons. Please note: reasonable accommodations do not include deadline extensions.

Please read carefully the entire announcement and follow the guidelines below before sending inquiries or submitting proposals.

D.2 Content and Form of Application Submission

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

For all submitted application documents, please ensure:

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

• All documents are in English. If an original document within the application is in another language, an English translation must be provided (please note: the Department of State, as indicated in 2 CFR 200.111, requires that English is the official language of all award documents. If any documents are provided in both English and a foreign language, the

English language version is the controlling version);

• All budget costs are in U.S. dollars;

• All pages are numbered, including budgets and attachments;

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

• All documents are single-spaced, 12-point Times New Roman font, with 1-inch margins.

Captions and footnotes may be 10-point Times New Roman font. Font sizes in charts and tables, including the budget, can be reformatted to fit within 1-page width.

Complete applications must include the following required documents:

1. Completed and signed SF-424, SF-424A, and SF-424B and SF-LLL forms. These forms are available electronically via SAMS Domestic https://mygrants.servicenowservices.com.

The SF-424 B is required only for those applicants who have not registered in SAM.gov or recertified their registration in SAM.gov since February 2, 2019 and completed the online representations and certifications. The SF-LLL is required for applicants that may engage in lobbying activities.

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

https://mygrants.servicenowservices.com/

3. Table of Contents that includes a page numbered contents page and any attachments.

4. Proposal Narrative (not to exceed 10 pages), should be organized using the following section headings: Executive Summary, Organizational Capacity and Past Performance, Program Strategy, Performance Monitoring and Evaluation, and Management Plan.

Please see the “Narrative Components” section below for details on the information to include in the proposal.

(The 10-page limit does not include the Summary Page, Table of Contents, Budget, Budget Narrative, Letter of Disclosure, Letter of Institutional Support, NICRA, Audit, CVs, or SF-424s).

5. Summary and Detailed Line-Item Budget (in Microsoft Excel) that includes three [3] columns including the request to EAP, any cost sharing contribution, and total budget

(see below for more information on budget format). The federal share requested should not exceed the amount of funds available under section B. A summary budget should also be included using the OMB approved budget categories (see SF-424A for budget categories). Costs must be in U.S. dollars. Detailed line-item budgets for sub-awardees should be included in additional tabs within the excel workbook. A template budget is provided, but is not required, as long as the submitted budget follows OMB budget categories.

6. Budget Narrative (in Microsoft Word) that includes substantive explanations and justifications for each line item in the detailed budget spreadsheet, as well as the source and a description of all cost-share offered. For ease of review, EAP recommends applicants order the budget narrative as presented in the detailed budget. Personnel costs must include a clarification of the roles and responsibilities of all staff, base salary, and percentage of time devoted to the project. The budget narrative should support the activities described in the proposal and provide additional information that might not be readily apparent in the detailed-line item budget, not simply repeat what is represented numerically in the budget, i.e. salaries are for salaries or travel is for travel. The budget narrative should also explain any cost share provided.

7. NICRA: If your organization has a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA) and includes NICRA charges in the budget, your most recent NICRA should be included as a PDF file. This document will not be reviewed by the panelists, but rather used by project and grant staff if the submission is recommended for funding and therefore does not count against the submission page limitations. If your proposal involves subawards to organizations charging indirect costs, please submit the applicable NICRA.

Per 2 CFR200.414(f), organizations that have never had a NICRA may request a de minimis indirect rate of up to 10% of the Modified Total Direct Costs (MTDC) as defined in 2 CFR 200.68. MTDC excludes equipment, capital expenditures, charges for patient care, rental costs, tuition remission, scholarships and fellowships, participant support costs and the portion of each subaward in excess of $25,000. The budget narrative should indicate what costs will be covered using the 10% de minimis rate.

8. Letter of Disclosure for proposed consultants/personnel (if applicable) of potential conflicts of interest, employment with a local/state/federal government.

9. A PDF file copy of your organization’s most recent single audit is required, if your organization meets the threshold as defined in 2 CFR 200 Subpart F.

Narrative Components

As stated above, the proposal may be a maximum of 10 pages. The proposal must include the following information:

a. Executive Summary

This section should be a succinct one-page summary containing information that the applicant believes best represents its proposed program and includes: the name and contact information for the project’s main point of contact; the project’s purpose; targeted countries; program length

(dates/duration); total funding requested (indicate any sub-grants proposed); project’s goals, primary objectives and expected results (highlighting any aspects of innovation, sustainability and impact of the project); involvement or use of any NGO’s or civil society organizations; and expected results and sustainability; and a one-paragraph program description. Countries of implementation are those countries or participants from countries that will receive financial or technical support as a result of this project.

b. Organizational Capacity and Past Performance

This section of the application provides information about the applicant organization. It provides evidence that the applicant has the ability to successfully carry out the program activities of the agreement.

• Provide a description of the applicant organization – including its general purpose, goals, annual budget (including funding sources), and major past and current activities and projects undertaken.

• Discuss the applicant’s experience on/with cyber/digital workforce development, IT/Cyber curriculum development, engaging with overseas universities, governments, and industry, and, if applicable, supporting the Department of State or the broader U.S. interagency foreign policy goals through capacity-building programming in the Indo-Pacific region or other regions throughout the world.

• As an attachment (which does not count as part of the 10 pages), please provide at least one past performance reference which describes any contracts, grants, cooperative agreements which the applicant organization has implemented involving similar or related programs over the past three years. Please provide the reference in an attachment and include the following information: name and address of the organization for which the work was performed;

current telephone number and email address of responsible representative from the organization for which the work was performed; contract/grant name and number (if any), annual amount received for each of the last three years and beginning and end dates; brief description of the project/assistance activity and key project accomplishments/results achieved to date.

c. Program Strategy

• Propose a clear and realistic implementation plan to significantly address the Program Goals in Section A2.

The proposal should further outline the expected and achievable results for the project which should include suggestions in Section A3. It should also outline the relevant and appropriate

Main Activities to accomplish the goals and expected results, which could include those found in Section A4. Explain the assumptions on which the success of the project depends, and the involvement of other stakeholders.

• The proposal should address how the project may impact marginalized communities and if there could be accidental harm to certain groups if the project is successful or unsuccessful.

Where not applicable, the proposal should provide a justification.

• In table format, please present a brief, one- to two-page work plan matrix (which does count as part of the 10 pages), with a timeline including target dates for activities for the life of the agreement, which reflects the overall program approach, and objectives. The following timeline below is provided as an example.

Primary Activities, Deliverables, and/or

Milestones Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q5 Etc.

Project Monitoring Plan X

XYZ Activity X X X X

Activity 123 X X X

Etc.

d. Performance Monitoring and Evaluation Plan

• Discuss how progress towards the expected results will be measured, as outlined by the

Performance Indicators in Section A5. Identify which performance indicators will be measured and how data on these indicators will be collected, analyzed, and used for program management. Present indicators linked to specific project objectives in table format and include source of data and proposed frequency of collection. See the full list of Performance

Indicators in Section A5.

e. Management Plan

• Describe the proposed management structure for this project and provide a project organizational chart in the attachments. Include in the narrative a description of the responsibilities of all principal organizations and staff involved, reporting relationships, authority and lines of communication within and between each of these organizations.

• Include job descriptions and CVs of key staff (Project Director, etc.) as attachments (do not count as part of the 10-page limit), which demonstrate that the proposed key staff are consistent with the requirements and needs of the project. The project should have a designated Project Director who will be expected to have lead responsibility for communicating with EAP. Note the location where key staff will be based.

• Recognizing that COVID-19 has limited where and when staff/participants can travel, the

Recipient should also include a contingency plan should restricted travel remain through some portion of the period of performance. Contingency plans could include remote or virtual training tools.

Note: Applications that do not include all required documents will be marked as incomplete, and will therefore be deemed technically ineligible.

EAP retains the right to ask for additional documents not included in this NOFO. Additionally, to ensure all applications receive a balanced evaluation, the EAP Review Panel will review the first page of the requested section up to the page limit and no further. EAP encourages organizations to use the given space effectively.

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

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.

Applicants must have an active registration in SAM (www.sam.gov) prior to submitting an application, must prove a valid Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number, formerly referred to as a 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/ http://www.sam.gov/

DUNS number, and must continue to maintain an active SAM.gov registration with current information at all times during which it has an active Federal award or an application or plan under consideration by the U.S. government. If an organization does not have an active registration in SAM.gov prior to submitting an application, the application will be deemed ineligible. Note: The process of obtaining a SAM.gov registration may take anywhere from 4-8 weeks. Please begin your registration as early as possible.

The Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) is one of the data elements mandated by Public Law 109-282, the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA), for all Federal awards.

SAM is the Federal government's primary database for complying with FFATA reporting requirements. OMB designated SAM as the central repository to facilitate applicant and recipient use of a single public website that consolidates data on all federal financial assistance.

Under the law, it is mandatory to obtain a UEI number and register in SAM.

SAM requires all entities to renew their registration once a year in order to maintain an active registration status in SAM. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure it has an active registration in SAM and to also maintain its active registration in SAM.

An exemption from this requirement may be permitted on a case-by-case basis if the applicant’s identity must be protected due to possible endangerment of their mission, their organization’s status, their employees, or individuals being served by the applicant. Organizations requesting an exemption should email the point of contact listed in Section G of this NOFO.

Please note: foreign organizations will be required to register with the NATO Support Agency

(NSPA) to receive a NATO Commercial and Government Entity (NCAGE) code in order to register in SAM. NSPA will forward your registration request to the applicable National

Codification Bureau (NCB) if your organization is located in a NATO or Tier 2 Sponsored Non-

NATO Nation. (As of January 2015, NATO nations included Albania, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey, United Kingdom, and the United States of America; and Tier

2 nations included Australia, Austria, Brazil, Finland, Israel, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Morocco, New Zealand, Serbia, and Singapore.)

NSPA and/or the appropriate NCB forwards all NCAGE code information to all Allied

Committee 135 (AC/135) nations, which as of January 2015 also included Afghanistan, Argentina, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Brunei Darussalam, Chile, Colombia, Egypt, Georgia, India, Indonesia, Japan, Jordan, Montenegro, Oman, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Saudi Arabia, South

Africa, Sweden, Thailand, Republic of Macedonia, Ukraine, and the United Arab Emirates.

D.4 Submission Dates and Times

Applications are due no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) on June 28, 2021.

Applicants are urged to begin the application process well before the submission deadline. No exceptions will be made for organizations that have not completed the necessary steps.

Applications received after the deadline will not be considered.

SAMS Domestic automatically log the date and time an application submission is made, and the

Department of State will use this information to determine whether an application has been submitted on time. Late applications are neither reviewed nor considered.

If ultimately provided with a notification of intent to make a Federal award, applicants typically have two to three weeks to provide additional information and documents requested in the notification of intent. The deadlines may vary in each notification of intent and applicants must adhere to the stated deadline in the notification of intent.

D.5 Funding Restrictions

EAP will not consider applications that reflect any type of support for any member, affiliate, or representative of a designated terrorist organization. No entity listed on the Excluded Parties List

System in SAM is eligible for any assistance.

The applicant will only provide direct assistance under the cooperative agreement to the following countries: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burma*, Cambodia*, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Kiribati, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Mongolia, Nauru*, Nepal, Palau*, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka*, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, and Vietnam.

*These select countries are subject to certain legal and policy restrictions. Prior to significant project development that would engage these countries, written approval is required from the

Department of State. Additional information on funding restrictions will be provided to the recipient in the Notice of Award.

D.6 Other Submission Requirements

All application submissions must be made electronically via SAMS Domestic

(https://mygrants.servicenowservices.com). This system requires registration by the applying organization.

It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that it has an active registration in SAMS

Domestic and that an application has been received by SAMS Domestic in its entirety. EAP bears no responsibility for disqualification that result from applicants not being registered before the due date or for data errors resulting from transmission or conversion processes. Additionally, you must save a screen shot of the checklist showing all documents submitted in case any document fails to upload successfully.

Faxed, couriered, or emailed documents will not be accepted. Reasonable accommodations may, in appropriate circumstances, be provided to applicants with disabilities or for security reasons.

Applicants must follow all formatting instructions in the applicable solicitation and these instructions.

SAMS Domestic Applications:

Applicants using SAMS Domestic for the first time should complete their “New Organization

Registration.” To register with SAMS Domestic, go to https://mygrants.servicenowservices.com follow the “create an account” link. Users will then complete the form with the requested information and click “submit.” A confirmation email will be sent once the account has been created. If users are experiencing difficulties obtaining a user login and completing the registration process, please contact ILMS Support.

ILMS Support (SAMS Domestic Help Desk):

For assistance with SAMS Domestic accounts and technical issues related to the system, please contact the ILMS Support by phone at 1-888-313-4567 (toll charges for international callers) or through the Self Service online portal that can be accessed from https://afsitsm.service-now.com/ilms/home. Customer Support is available 24/7/365.

Should an applicant experience technical issues, contacted the helpdesk, and is not receiving timely assistance (e.g. if you have not received a response after 2 days of contacting the helpdesk), you may contact the EAP point of contact listed in section G, who may assist in contacting the appropriate helpdesk. Applicants should document their efforts in contacting the helpdesk.

E. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

E.1 Criteria

Each application will be evaluated and scored on the five-part Proposal Components and the two-part Budget Components using a 100-point scale. Each application will be evaluated individually against the criteria below and not against competing applications.

Proposal Narrative: The Review Panel will score each of the five sections of the Proposal

Narrative based on how completely they address the bulleted points described in the Proposal

Narrative Guidance in Section D2. The Panel will assign up to 80 points for the proposal narrative. The importance of each section is indicated by the maximum score as follows:

• Executive Summary – 10 points

• Organization Capacity and Past Performance – 20 points

• Program Strategy – 25 points

• Performance Monitoring and Evaluation – 15 points

• Management Plan – 10 points https://afsitsm.service-now.com/ilms/home

Budget: The Review Panel will also review the budget components in order to assign up to 20 points for the overall program budget and cost-effectiveness. Proposals should keep estimated overhead and administrative costs as low as possible and have proposed expenditures that are reasonable, allowable, and allocable to the proposed project activities and reflect the applicant’s understanding of the allowable cost principles established by Office of Management and Budget

(OMB) in 2 CFR 200. Applicants should provide clear explanations and justifications for costs in relation to the work involved. All budget items should be clearly explained and justified to demonstrate its necessity, appropriateness, and its link to the project objectives. Amount of funding contributed by the applicant, sub-awardees, and other partners – while not required – shows a commitment to the success of the project.

• Budget Appropriateness – 10 points

• Cost-effectiveness – 10 points

E.2 Review and Selection Process

EAP strives to ensure each application receives a balanced evaluation by an EAP Review Panel.

All technically eligible applications for a given notice of funding opportunity are reviewed against the same criteria, listed above. Additionally, the EAP Review Panel will evaluate how the application addresses the NOFO request, U.S. foreign policy goals, and the priority needs of

EAP overall.

The EAP…