Somalia - SOI - Operational Mentorship FINAL (5).docx

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE

Bureau of African Affairs Notice of Funding Opportunity: Statement of Interest

Funding Opportunity Title: Operational Mentorship for Somalia National Army (SNA) and the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) Funding Opportunity Number: DFOP0017004 Deadline for Applications: December 8, 2024, 11:59PM EST CFDA Number: 19.979 Total Amount Available: $15,000,000

A. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Bureau of African Affairs of the U.S. Department of State (AF) announces an open competition for organizations to submit a statement of interest (SOI) to carry out a program to support operational mentorship for the Somalia National Army (SNA) and select troop contributing countries (TCCs) to be determined at a later date, from the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) (AU Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) follow-on mission)- selected troop contributing countries (TCCs). Through its implementing partners, since 2010, the United States (U.S.) has been providing mentorship and training to ATMIS and the SNA, primarily focused on the Danab. The Danab is a light infantry brigade which is able to conduct clearance operations with a respect for human rights and in accordance with the law of armed conflict, conduct joint operations with partner forces including other SNA units, and local Somali defense forces. This project, funded by the U.S. government (USG) through the Department of State (DOS), will continue to build on earlier U.S. funded activities in order to enable Somali and select AUSSOM partners to execute tasks effectively and continue to work towards the stabilization and security of southern and central Somalia.

Please carefully follow all instructions below.

The submission of the SOI is the first step in a multi-step process. Applicants must first submit a concise three (3) page statement of interest designed to clearly communicate program ideas/approaches, objectives, and organizational capacity to implement activities in Somalia. This is not a full proposal. The purpose of the SOI process is to allow applicants to submit program ideas for evaluation prior to requiring the development of a full proposal application. Upon a review of eligible SOIs, selected applicants will be invited to participate in a virtual co-creation workshop, estimated to take place December 16, 2024, to develop their proposals in collaboration with AF. Following this co-creation workshop, selected participants will be invited to expand on their program idea(s) by submitting a full proposal application in mid- to late December 2024. Full proposals will go through a second merit review before final funding decision(s) are made and subject to the availability of funding. This multi-step process allows organizations to submit program ideas to AF before investing significantly more time in assembling full proposals and budgets.

The intent of the co-creation workshop is to foster collaboration across a variety of implementers with different areas of expertise, perspectives, and experiences to co-design, co-develop, pilot, and innovate practical and scalable solutions to complex problem sets. Due to the collaborative nature of the co-creation workshop, organizations submitting SOIs will need to feel comfortable discussing their proposed approach with other interested applicants. AF invites organizations to participate with us to create strategic, focused, and results-oriented solutions to effectively continue to build the capacity of the SNA and AUSSOM forces to work towards the stabilization of southern and central Somalia through operational mentorship.

Priority Country: Somalia Priority Region: Southern and Central Somalia

The Challenge:

The SNA lacks the institutional capacity to support the Danab with force management, force generation, force sustainment, and force employment, while relying on U.S. support, operational mentorship, and logistical support. The USG has initiated a process to transition sustainment of the Danab to the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS). However, the USG anticipates this transition will require significant time to preserve the operational capacity of the Danab in order to effectively counter Al-Shabaab. As ATMIS is not expected to meet its objective of fully transitioning security responsibilities from the AU to FGS by the end of 2024, the USG plans to continue to provide operational mentorship to select AUSSOM TCCs, and will primarily focus on providing security to keep population centers and infrastructure safe. Somalia is a challenging operating environment (see Operating Environment, Limitations and Relevant Regulations below), with FGS and SNA struggling to account for food, equipment, and other donated items. Interested applicants should provide innovative and detailed plans to improve accountability in order to address these common issues.

Program Objectives:

This program aims to: 1) facilitate force integration of Somali National Armed Forces (SNAF), 2) continue improving operational capability of the Danab, SNA, and select AUSSOM TCCs to counter al-Shabab and other violent extremist organizations (VEOs), and 3) build Danab and SNA accountability and sustainment procedures and capabilities.

Objective 1: Facilitate SNAF Force Integration

· Mentor Danab trainers to co-develop standardized program(s) of instruction (POI) with select international partners to bolster operational capacity and interoperability among the Danab, Turkish-trained unit “GorGor”, and wider SNA units.

· Mentor Danab trainers to participate in command post exercise(s) with the “GorGor”, wider SNA forces, and local defense forces to facilitate interoperability and identify operational capability gaps.

· Mentor Danab trainers to conduct force integration training for wider SNA forces previously trained by various international partners in order to professionalize forces and enable them to conduct joint operations against Al-Shabaab and other VEOs operating in Somalia.

· Conduct vetting and recruitment for future Somali-led Danab intake cohorts and mentor Danab trainers during the re-training of regular SNA units.

Objective 2: Continue to Improve Operational Capability to Counter al-Shabaab and other VEOs:

· Mentor Danab Battalion, Brigade, and Mechanized Units to conduct joint combat operations, make progress towards achieving Full Operational Capacity (FOC), strengthen capacity for self-sustainment, and improve skills and small unit capabilities.

· Mentor select AUSSOM forces (to be determined later by the U.S.) to professionally execute AUSSOM’s mission mandate, to include: mentoring during active combat operations and instilling detailed transition planning and operations that enable the transition of security responsibilities to Somali security forces, force protection, the protection of key Somali Government infrastructure, and detailed planning and execution of targeted offensive operations in order to disrupt al-Shabaab and other VEOs. Enable select AUSSOM units to conduct timely and regular ground resupply of all units and bases.

· Mentor Danab and select AUSSOM units to effectively conduct medical treatment and outreach to military personnel and civilians, to include during active combat operations, increasing: 1) the capabilities of Danab, Burundi National Defense Forces (BNDF), and Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF) military health services; and 2) the number of positive contacts between the Danab and AUSSOM, and Somali communities, and assisting in the stabilization of territory recaptured from al-Shabaab.

Objective 3: Build Danab and Wider SNA Accountability and Sustainment Capabilities

· Mentor wider SNA forces to independently conduct facility operations and maintenance (O&M) and ensure they are able to perform job duties on site to effectively plan, monitor, and budget for O&M of electricity generation and distribution, water supply, purification and distribution, plumbing, ground services, waste removal and hygiene, and handyman services without disruption. Mentor wider SNA forces to develop and implement standardized procedures for O&M activities.

· Mentor wider SNA mechanics to provide vehicle maintenance services for the Danab and build organic SNA capability to sustain Danab vehicles and equipment, including building the capability to effectively plan, monitor, and budget for the maintenance of vehicles and equipment supporting operations. Mentor wider SNA mechanics to develop and implement standardized procedures for vehicle and equipment activities.

Operating Environment, Limitations and Relevant Regulations:

· Somalia is a highly dangerous and dynamic work environment. Al-Shabaab and other insurgent groups have demonstrated both the capability and intent to attack facilities and personnel associated with U.S. implementing partners with mortars, suicide vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices, suicide bombers, and small arms. The implementor shall have no expectation of a USG-assisted evacuation. The implementor shall take significant security precautions and coordinate closely with AUSSOM TCCs and the SNA to safeguard its personnel and operations.

· Implementor personnel will not directly engage in combat or issue directives to AUSSOM TCCs or Danab personnel conducting combat operations under any circumstances. The purpose of the Cooperative Agreement (CA) is to enable and support AUSSOM TCCs and SNA partner operations through the provision of training and mentorship, and not to provide direct combat support to either AUSSOM TCCs or the SNA. Failing to place sufficient control over personnel to ensure adherence to this restriction will serve as a justification for the immediate termination of the Cooperative Agreement.

· While in Somalia, implementor personnel will be required to adhere to all security directives issued by AUSSOM and the SNA, within applicable U.S. regulations and the confines of the Cooperative Agreement.

· In accordance with the DOS General Terms and Conditions for Overseas Awards, implementor must take full responsibility for the management of the project supported under the award and for the adherence to federal regulations, in addition to award-specific terms and conditions. Although the implementor is encouraged to seek the advice and opinion of the Grants Officer (GO) and/or the Grants Officer Representative (GOR) on problems that may arise, such advice does not diminish implementor’s responsibility to make prudent and sound administrative judgements under the circumstances prevailing at the time the decision was made and should not imply that the responsibility for operating decisions has shifted to DOS.

· In accordance with the United Nations Participation Act, the implementor must not replicate functions the United Nations Support Office (UNSOS) is mandated to provide, unless provided explicit authorization to do so by the GOR.

· The implementor must coordinate with DOS to ensure compliance with U.S. law, in particular 22 USC § 2378(d), the Leahy Amendment.

· Implementor personnel funded under the Cooperative Agreement shall not participate in any activities related to other programs or contracts, even if funded by the USG, unless explicit permission is sought and received from the GO and the GOR in advance.

Participants and Audiences:

· Somali National Army (SNA) - DANAB

· Select AUSSOM TCCs

· Wider SNA

B. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

Length of performance period: Twelve to Eighteen (12 - 18) months beginning 1 March 2025 Number of awards anticipated: One award or multiple awards (dependent on amounts or program implementation ideas presented) Award amounts: Awards may range from a minimum of $10,000,000 to a maximum of $15,000,000 Type of Funding: FY 2024 Peacekeeping Operations funds under the Foreign Assistance Act Anticipated program start date: 1 March 2025

This notice is subject to availability of funding.

Funding Instrument Type: Cooperative Agreement.

Cooperative Agreements (CAs) are different from grants in that the USG (Bureau/Embassy staff) is substantially involved. Implementor should expect, at a minimum, the following, which is subject to change:

· Payment requests will be accompanied by the submission of a detailed cost breakdown to the GOR, organized by budget line-item in the authorized award budget (for both federal funds and cost-share).

· Not later than by close of business on Monday each week, the implementor will submit to the GOR and designated personnel at the U.S. Embassy Mogadishu a schedule of all upcoming events during the week and anticipated distribution of all implementor personnel funded under the CA by site, to enable the attendance/participation of monitoring personnel.

· Concurrent with the above-mentioned weekly submission, the implementor will also submit a full roster of personnel present in country under the CA organized according to each task.

· Not later than close of business on Friday each week, the implementor will submit a summary of all activities undertaken during the week to designated personnel at the U.S. Embassy Mogadishu and the GOR.

· Within 30 days of the award, the implementor, in conjunction with the AF/RPS M&E team, will submit a Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Plan. The M&E Plan will outline outcomes associated with objectives, establish milestones and provisional timelines, and describe how the program will achieve stated objectives. The M&E Plan will identify output and outcome indicators that align with program objectives and milestones and describe how results will be measured and assessed during implementation.

· After the M&E Plan is approved, the implementer will collect and report baseline data for performance indicators so that it is possible to measure change throughout the lifecycle of the award.

· The implementer will submit quarterly reports, to include activities conducted, challenges, lessons learned, key achievements, and progress against outputs and outcomes.

· The DOS staff based in Washington, D.C., will coordinate and collaborate closely with the implementor on all programmatic, financial, and administrative activities.

· The GO will review and provide prior approval for any implementor-proposed changes to current activities which will have an impact on program approaches and the sustainability of the Danab.

· The DOS staff based in Washington, D.C. will provide initial direction and provide prior final approval on all matters related to recruitment guidelines for training intakes supported under the CA.

· The DOS will review and approve any programs of instruction proposed by the implementer.

· The GO will review and provide prior approval for any shifts in allocation of personnel funded under the CA between different tasks.

· The GO will review and provide prior approval for the initiation of any direct maintenance support by implementor personnel of host nation or AUSSOM equipment.

· The GO will provide prior approval of any procurement plans.

Program Performance Period: Proposed programs should be completed in 12 - 18 months.

The Department of State retains the right to execute non-competitive continuation amendment(s). Any amendment(s) is based on performance needs of the USG, and availability of funds.

C. ELIGILIBITY INFORMATION

1. Eligible Applicants

The following organizations with relevant experience in this line of work are eligible to apply:

· Not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/non-governmental organizations

· For-profit organizations

· Foreign Public Entities (FPE)

2. Cost Sharing or Matching

Providing cost sharing, matching, or cost participation is not an eligibility factor or requirement for this SOI and providing cost share will not result in a more favorable competitive ranking.

3. Other Eligibility Requirements

In order to be eligible to receive an award, all organizations must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number issued via www.SAM.gov as well as a valid registration on www.SAM.gov. Please see Section E.4 for more information. Individuals are not required to have a UEI 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.

Awarded grantees are required to submit Leahy vetting of any 3rd party contractor or military staff participating in the administration of this program.

D. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

1. Application Package

Application forms required below are available at grants.gov.

2. Content and Form of Application Submission

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

Content of SOI must include:

· A brief program description summarizing approaches, objectives, outcomes, M&E activities and/or performance indicators, beneficiaries, and proposed timeline.

· A clear statement of the applicant’s organizational capacity to carry out the proposed activity and manage U.S. Government funds.

· Documents fully in English.

· The anticipated total budget amount (in U.S. dollars).

· Adhere to maximum 3-page limit.

3. Submission Dates and Times

SOIs are due no later than December 8, 2024, at 11:59pm EST.

4. Funding Restrictions

This program will be funded from the Department of State's Peacekeeping Operations (PKO) foreign assistance funding account, which is intended to enhance regional stability and multilateral peacekeeping activities. Leahy vetting will be required for any training associated with PKO activities. Each country listed in this SOI which may be covered under this cooperative agreement is subject to legal review and approval from the Department of Statement.

5. Other Submission Requirements

All application materials must be submitted electronically through www.Grants.gov or SAMS Domestic.

E. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

1. Criteria

Each SOI will be evaluated and rated on the basis of the evaluation criteria outlined below:

Quality of Program Idea – 50 points: The SOI is responsive to program framework. The idea is communicated well and is feasible. SOIs that promote creative approaches to achieve program objectives are highly encouraged. The proposed timeline is reasonable.

Organizational Capacity and Record on Previous Grants – 25 points: The SOI should demonstrate the organization’s expertise and previous experience in administering programs. If a local partner is identified, the SOI should briefly describe the partner’s role and experience.

Program Planning/Ability to Achieve Objectives – 15 points: The SOI should clearly articulate proposed program activities and expected results towards achieving program objectives and goal(s).

2. Review and Selection Process

A Grants Review Committee will evaluate all eligible SOIs. All eligible SOIs will be reviewed against the criteria listed above. SOIs are reviewed individually against the criteria and not against competing SOIs. For a fair review all panelists will review the first page of the SOI up to the page limit and no further. The panel may provide conditions and/or recommendations on SOIs to enhance the proposed program. Conditions must be addressed, and recommendations should be addressed, in a full proposal application.

3. Following the review, any successful SOI applicants will be contacted and instructed to submit full applications. A full application will include:

· SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance – organizations) or SF-424-I (Application for Federal Assistance --individuals)

· SF424A (Budget Information for Non-Construction programs)

· SF424B (Assurances for Non-Construction programs) for individual or organization exempted from registering in SAM.

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

Required Registrations:

All organizations, whether based in the United States or in another country, must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and an active registration with the SAM.gov. A 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.

Note: As of April 2022, a DUNS number is no longer required for federal assistance applications.

The 2 CFR 200 requires that sub-grantees obtain a UEI number. Please note the UEI for sub-grantees is not required at the time of application but will be required before an award is processed and/or directed to a sub-grantee.

Note: The process of obtaining or renewing a SAM.gov registration may take anywhere from 4-8 weeks. Please begin your registration as early as possible.

· Organizations based in the United States or that pay employees within the United States will need an Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and a UEI number prior to registering in SAM.gov.

· Organizations based outside of the United States and that do not pay employees within the United States do not need an EIN from the IRS but do need a UEI number prior to registering in SAM.gov.

· Please note that as of November 2022 and February 2022 respectively, organizations based outside of the United States that do not intend to apply for U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) awards are no longer required to have a NATO Commercial and Government Entity (NCAGE) code or CAGE code to apply for non-DoD foreign assistance funding opportunities. If an applicant organization is mid-registration and wishes to remove a CAGE or NCAGE code from their SAM.gov registration, the applicant should submit a help desk ticket (“incident”) with the Federal Service Desk (FSD) online at www.fsd.gov using the following language: “I do not intend to seek financial assistance from the Department of Defense. I do not wish to obtain a CAGE or NCAGE code. I understand that I will need to submit my registration after this incident is resolved in order to have my registration activated.”

Organizations based outside of the United States and that DO NOT plan to do business with the DoD should follow the below instructions:

Step 1: Proceed to SAM.gov to obtain a UEI and complete the SAM.gov registration process. SAM.gov registration must be renewed annually.

Organizations based outside of the United States and that DO plan to do business with the DoD in addition to Department of State should follow the below instructions:

Step 1: Apply for an NCAGE code by following the instructions on the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) website linked below:

NCAGE Homepage:

https://eportal.nspa.nato.int/AC135Public/sc/CageList.aspx NCAGE Code Request Tool (NCRT):

Exemptions An exemption from the UEI and SAM.gov registration requirements may be permitted on a case-by-case basis if:

· An applicant’s identity must be protected due to potential endangerment of their mission, their organization’s status, their employees, or individuals being served by the applicant.

· For an applicant, if the Federal awarding agency makes a determination that there are exigent circumstances that prohibit the applicant from receiving a unique entity identifier and completing SAM registration prior to receiving a federal award. In these instances, Federal awarding agencies must require the recipient to obtain a unique entity identifier and complete SAM registration within 30 days of the Federal award date.

Organizations requesting exemption from UEI or SAM.gov requirements must email the point of contact listed in the NOFO at least two weeks prior to the deadline in the NOFO providing a justification of their request. Approval for a SAM.gov exemption must come from the warranted Grants Officer before the application can be deemed eligible for review.

F. FEDERAL AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

1. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

Terms and Conditions: Before submitting the SOI, applicants should review all the terms and conditions and required certifications which will apply if a full proposal application is requested and awarded, to ensure that they will be able to comply. These include:

2 CFR 200, 2 CFR 600, and the Department of State Standard Terms and Conditions which are available at: https://www.state.gov/about-us-office-of-the-procurement-executive/.

G. FEDERAL AWARDING AGENCY CONTACTS

If you have any questions about the SOI application process, please contact Michala Hall at HallMM@state.gov