University Leadership and Engagement NOFO.pdf

U.S. Department of State Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs

Office of Assistance Coordination Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 19.600

Local Grant: University Leadership and Engagement Opportunity Number: TUNIS06082024

Key Information:

Announcement Type: New Date Opened: June 8, 2023 Deadline for Questions: June 20, 2023 Application Deadline: July 20, 2023 Expected Date of Notification: September 1, 2023 Federal Agency Contact: NEA-Grants@state.gov

Funding Opportunity Synopsis The Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs’ Office of Assistance Coordination (NEA/AC) and Embassy

Tunis' Assistance Unit seek proposals that take specific, measurable action to address the decline in traditional modes of political participation among young people. Tunisian youth run for office less often and remain underrepresented in elected positions. With 24.5 percent of its population between the ages of 15 and 29, Tunisia cannot afford to let a quarter of the population sit on the sidelines. The project will increase university students’ leadership, networking, and analysis skills so that they become more likely to engage in advocacy and civic projects. Universities will create organizational frameworks for extracurricular activities that give students a meaningful role in the financial and administrative management of clubs. The clubs themselves will develop the skills students need to succeed as engaged citizens while creating linkages with existing community service projects.

All applications must be submitted in English. Complete information on how applicants can submit proposals for this opportunity can be found in Section VI below.

Applicants should read this NOFO in its entirety before writing their proposal and should refer to the full Evaluation Criteria provided in Section VII while drafting all materials.

Eligible Countries and Territories

In this announcement, we seek to support projects in Tunisia and work with locally registered organizations. Please note: Applications that focus on activities in countries and territories other than Tunisia will NOT be considered.

Background Information about NEA/AC

The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, Office of Assistance Coordination (NEA/AC) offers Federal assistance to groups and individuals striving to bring about positive change in the Middle East-North Africa region. The Assistance Coordination Office works in 20 countries and territories, partnering with governments, civil society organizations (CSOs), community leaders, youth and women activists and private sector groups to advance their efforts. Competitively selected projects aim to foster participatory governance, economic reform, and educational advancement in response to local interest and needs.

Background Information about the U.S. Embassy in Tunisia

The United States Embassy in Tunisia (Embassy Tunis) remains a committed partner to Tunisia by working with its private sector and civil society as they lay the foundation for the country’s future. Since 2011, the United States has supported Tunisia’s democratic development with economic, security, and governance assistance. U.S. support focuses on economically empowering Tunisians through inclusive, private sector-led growth, fostering democratic development, and protecting human rights.

The U.S. Embassy's Assistance Unit (AU) provides programming that responds to the needs of the Tunisian people to accelerate economic development and strengthen democracy. The AU works in coordination with other U.S. government agencies as well as the international community to target distinct and defined elements of Tunisian economic and governance reforms. The AU manages projects funded through Economic Support Funds, Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) local grants, and three MEPI leadership programs. To learn more about the AU, you can visit the following webpage: Foreign Assistance Unit | U.S. Embassy in Tunisia (usembassy.gov) https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Ftn.usembassy.gov%2Fforeign-assistance-unit%2F&data=04%7C01%7CDanielsJT%40state.gov%7C4884d298bf2b45f3708c08da16fd9e89%7C66cf50745afe48d1a691a12b2121f44b%7C0%7C0%7C637847575820309834%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&sdata=3HzDcGlMhNcGU5pNpnVbgVMQSnKeByRK98t9coYEqLo%3D&reserved=0 https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Ftn.usembassy.gov%2Fforeign-assistance-unit%2F&data=04%7C01%7CDanielsJT%40state.gov%7C4884d298bf2b45f3708c08da16fd9e89%7C66cf50745afe48d1a691a12b2121f44b%7C0%7C0%7C637847575820309834%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&sdata=3HzDcGlMhNcGU5pNpnVbgVMQSnKeByRK98t9coYEqLo%3D&reserved=0

Table of Contents

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

PROBLEM STATEMENT

ACHIEVABLE OBJECTIVES

PROJECT DESIGN

GENDER INTEGRATION

II. MEASUREMENT OF RESULTS

III. AWARD INFORMATION

IV. SUBSTANTIAL INVOLVEMENT

V. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS

ADDITIONAL ELIGIBILITY CONSIDERATIONS

VI. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

APPLICATION DOCUMENTS

APPLICATION FORMATTING REQUIREMENTS

SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION

SUBMISSION DATES AND TIMES

VII. FUNDING LIMITATIONS, RESTRICTIONS, AND OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

AWARDS TO COMMERCIAL FIRMS OR FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS

AUDIT REQUIREMENTS

COMPLIANCE WITH APPLICABLE FEDERAL FUNDING REGULATIONS AND DOS TERMS AND CONDITIONS

VIII. APPLICATION REVIEW AND SELECTION PROCESS

APPLICATION EVALUATION CRITERIA

REVIEW AND SELECTION PROCESS

IX. ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

AWARD NOTICES

REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

TRAVEL NOTIFICATIONS

APPLICANT VETTING AS A CONDITION OF AWARD

SPECIAL PROVISION FOR PERFORMANCE IN A DESIGNATED COMBAT AREA (SPOT) REQUIREMENTS

BRANDING AND MARKING REQUIREMENTS FOR GRANTEES

UEI NUMBER REQUIREMENT FOR SUB AWARDEES

SUB AWARDEE REPORTING REQUIREMENT

X. AGENCY CONTACTS

XI. DISCLAIMER

List of Acronyms

AC Office of Assistance Coordination CSO Civil Society Organizations DOS Department of State DUNS Data Universal Numbering System ET Eastern Time FR Final Report

GoT Government of Tunisia ILMS Integrated Logistics Management System

M&E Monitoring and Evaluation MEL Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning NEA Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs NOFO Notice of Funding Opportunity QFR Quarterly Financial Report QPR Quarterly Performance Report

RMP Results Monitoring Plan SAMS State Assistance Management System

UEI Unique Entity Identification

APPENDICES (Posted with NOFO)

APPENDIX 1— Budget Sample Template and Budget Narrative Guidance APPENDIX 2— Logic Model Template APPENDIX 3— Application Guidance APPENDIX 4— Results Monitoring Plan Template

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

The Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs’ Office of Assistance Coordination (NEA/AC) and Embassy

Tunis' Assistance Unit seek proposals that take specific, measurable action to address the increasing turn away from traditional modes of political participation among young people.

Tunisian youth run for office less often and remain underrepresented in elected positions. With

24.5 percent of its population between the ages of 15 and 29, Tunisia cannot afford to let a quarter of the population sit on the sidelines. The project will increase university students’ leadership, networking, and analysis skills so that they become more likely to engage in advocacy and civic projects. Universities will create organizational frameworks for extracurricular activities that give students a meaningful role in the financial and administrative management of clubs. The clubs themselves will develop the skills students need to succeed as engaged citizens while creating linkages with existing community service projects.

PROBLEM STATEMENT

In recent years, young people have increasingly rejected traditional modes of political participation: they vote less, are not as engaged through political parties, and express less trust in political institutions. Tunisian youth run for office less often and remain underrepresented in elected positions. With 24.5 percent of its population between the ages of 15 and 29, Tunisia cannot afford to let a quarter of the population sit on the sidelines.

Tunisia university students represent a significant portion of Tunisia's population of nearly 12 million, with over 300,000 students enrolled in higher education institutions in the 2021-2022 academic year. Most students report going to campus for their classes and leaving, and generally do not engage in organized extracurricular activities. Participation in clubs and extracurricular activities, however, gives students additional opportunities to gain decision making, debate, public speaking, and other skills critical to their success after graduation.

By creating an infrastructure for extracurricular activities and giving students a meaningful role in the administrative and financial management of clubs, universities will facilitate students’ acquisition of skills they cannot learn in the classroom. Through service-learning programs, volunteer work, internships, and other activities, students can develop the skills and knowledge necessary to become effective leaders and contributors to their communities. Debate, Moot

Court, and other clubs offer students a path to engage on important topics in a non-partisan fashion. Clubs that spur Tunisian students to defend positions they disagree with or argue both sides of certain issues will push students outside their comfort zones. Beyond building public speaking and analytical skills, students will develop strong networks with ambitious and civically minded peers. This project will connect Tunisian universities with the U.S. universities to learn best practices in creating self-sustaining clubs and building leaders who are engaged in their communities.

ACHIEVABLE OBJECTIVES

Project’s Goal: University students become active community leaders who engage civil society organizations (CSOs) and local stakeholders to create sensible solutions addressing the pressing needs of their communities.

A successful project will result in:

Objective 1: Universities facilitate the creation of clubs and encourage students to play a central role in the financial and administrative management of them.

Objective 2: Student clubs foster social activism, civic responsibility, and the revitalization of principles and practices that enable a strong, healthy, and productive political climate for all.

This NOFO responds to the mission’s Integrated Country Strategy (ICS) goal and objectives below:

Mission Goal 1: Tunisia strengthens democratic institutions and increases citizen confidence in government responsiveness.

• Mission Objective 1.2: Tunisian citizens and civil society understand and exercise their rights and responsibilities in a democratic system.

• Mission objective 1.3: Tunisian citizens, particularly youth, women, and other geographically marginalized populations have equal access to government services and fully benefit from economic development.

PROJECT DESIGN

This solicitation invites applications to empower students and increase their leadership skills by developing and managing clubs within university campuses. Working directly with universities is crucial as successful project will provide tools and techniques to promote student-administration collaboration in the financial and administrative management of extracurricular activities. To ensure sustainability, the project will help universities adopt new mechanisms that engage students in decision making beyond the project timeframe. Funds are available to support projects that increase youth resilience and empower them to take an active role in their communities.

Objective 1: Universities facilitate the creation of clubs and encourage students to play a central role in the financial and administrative management of them.

• Identify universities and assess civic engagement among students: The project will first identify and assess which universities would benefit and attract most students to the leadership clubs. A follow-on assessment will identify youth engagement and political/civic participation.

• Ensure universities’ staff empower their students to take part in decision making: The project will collaborate with universities’ staff and administration to ensure their full support and cooperation on the students’ clubs. Students should have the space to share, learn, and act within their universities based on the fundamentals of democratic participation. The universities’ involvement should also focus on allowing students to take part in the decision-making process.

• Create partnerships with international universities: The project will conduct a market analysis of existing universities in the U.S. and possible partnerships. Activities should aim to create at least one partnership to bring international expertise and foster community engagement within Tunisian universities.

Objective 2: Student clubs foster social activism, civic responsibility, and the revitalization of principles and practices that enable a strong, healthy, and productive political climate for all.

• Provide students with capacity building and leadership training: The project will assess students’ needs and create a personalized capacity-building program for each university.

These efforts will help unleash leadership potential. Examples of capacity building opportunities include training in soft skills, democratic values, political systems, and modes of participation.

• Unlock decision making tools and opportunities: The project will help students by equipping them with the right tools to take part in decision making. It will allow students to apply knowledge in real life experiences where they collaborate on passing budgets and have a say in decisions pertaining to their communities.

Project activities should mostly focus on:

a. A mapping of the current literature and an assessment to identify relevant beneficiary universities, as well as student’s needs.

b. Partnerships with U.S. based universities for an international expertise and curriculum of trainings.

c. Facilitating clubs’ involvement in local community advocacy or other campaigns.

d. Mechanisms that ensure youth are equipped to be informed and engaged leaders beyond the scope of the project.

Project beneficiaries include:

At least five universities, with a total of at least 50 students per university.

Illustrative outcomes may include but should not be limited to:

• Creating a space for students to share, learn, and act within their universities based on the fundamentals of democratic participation.

• Helping Tunisian universities understand the importance of community involvement and their role in supporting youth take part in public life.

• Supporting at least five universities with tools and strategies for better youth engagement.

• Signing at least one partnership with a U.S. based university to provide expertise and to foster community engagement within Tunisian universities. Curriculum provided will be disseminated to all universities benefitting from the project.

• Empowering students to collaborate with university administrators and participate actively in financial and administrative management of extracurricular activities.

The following activities and costs are NOT ALLOWED under this announcement:

• Social welfare projects;

• Paying to complete activities started with other funds;

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

• Academic or analytical research (if not necessary as part of a larger project);

• One-time events, such as stand-alone conferences and one-off round tables;

• Medical and psychological research and clinical studies;

• Projects of a commercial or profit-making nature;

• Cultural presentations, cultural research, cultural clubs, or festivals, etc.; and

• Entertainment costs (e.g., receptions, social activities, ceremonies, alcoholic beverages, guided tours).

NOTE: Applications that include any of these activities or costs above may be eliminated at the Technical Eligibility Review stage and will not advance to the Merit Review Panel.

Gender Integration

NEA/AC and Embassy Tunis require that all activities fully address gender considerations, ensuring that both men and women benefit from support where applicable, and that gender awareness is a built-in component of project activities. This should be documented through gender analysis in the project narrative that identifies any relevant gender gaps and ways the proposed activities will address those gaps. Proposals should demonstrate how addressing relevant gender gaps will enhance the project’s goals and objectives. Applicants who are unfamiliar with integrating gender in foreign assistance programing should view the training video located here:

https://encompassworld.com/elearningfiles/DOS/DOS_Gender_Integration_E- Course/story_html5.html https://encompassworld.com/elearningfiles/DOS/DOS_Gender_Integration_E-Course/story_html5.html https://encompassworld.com/elearningfiles/DOS/DOS_Gender_Integration_E-Course/story_html5.html

MEASUREMENT OF RESULTS

Applicants shall provide a logic model and a theory of change statement to demonstrate how the proposed project (including activities, the project design, and the surrounding context) will achieve the stated objectives. The logic model and theory of change statements can be generated using the template in Appendix II. Please see Section VI below for more information.

Successful applicants will work with the Embassy Tunis Assistance Unit program and monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) teams to create a monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) plan based on the proposed logic model/theory of change to measure qualitative and quantitative indicators as part of the award negotiations process. The successful applicants will be responsible for collecting data against these indicators, which will be monitored throughout the period of performance of the award to gauge necessary modifications to the project’s design and assess the results of the project’s success in meeting expected outcomes.

Applicants are also required to include a Results Monitoring Plan (RMP) in their application.

The purpose of the RMP is to describe how the proposed project will capture and measure data that demonstrates progress toward achieving the specific objectives for each of the proposed project’s three Priority Areas. The RMP may also include project-specific sub-objectives (i.e.

project outcomes). Please see Appendix IV for the RMP template.

The RMP will be judged based on the following elements:

• Well-defined objectives: Do the objectives provide a clear statement of what the project specifically plans to achieve? Objectives should be project specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time bound.

• Well-defined qualitative and quantitative indicators: Indicators should objectively measure project progress towards achieving the application’s proposed objectives. To this end, applicants may include both output and outcome indicators. Indicators must all contribute towards an objective measurement of progress towards achieving project objectives. Applicants should not include indicators that track progress towards project milestones, deliverables, or activities.

• Data collection and analysis: How (and how often) will you collect and present indicator data and analysis to measure progress toward the project objectives? Data collection methods should be sound and realistic.

• Monitoring and reporting: How will you monitor and assess results during the implementation of the project to adapt implementation to changes on the ground to maintain progress? Do you plan to conduct or manage any internal or external evaluations?

It is expected that the RMP will include a combination of relevant DOS standard foreign assistance indicators1 and custom project-specific indicators suggested by the applicant for NEA/AC and Embassy Tunis Assistance Unit review. Embassy Tunis Assistance Unit’s MEL team will work with the successful applicant(s) on finalizing indicators and an RMP that will be utilized for the negotiated award.

The quality and feasibility of the proposed RMP will be among the elements on which applications are evaluated (See Part VIII for more information). More information about preparing this Plan can be found in Appendix IV.

As part of the negotiation process, successful applicants will work with Embassy Tunis Assistance Unit program and MEL teams to finalize their proposed logic model/theory of change and RMP based on their proposal to ensure it meets the above-mentioned standards.

The successful applicants will be responsible for collecting auditable data against pre-established indicators, which will be monitored throughout the period of performance of the award to inform necessary modifications to the project’s design and assess the results of the project’s success in meeting expected outputs and outcomes.

All projects funded through this NOFO will be required to complete a final evaluation by the end of the project. The evaluation of the project will assess the entire period of performance with technical support from Embassy Tunis Assistance Unit MEL team. Successful applicant will dedicate at least 3 percent of their total budget to perform and facilitate monitoring, evaluation, and learning. Selected applicant is required to have project information available for up to twelve months after the project closeout for the NEA/AC office in Rabat and Embassy Tunis team to evaluate long-term outcomes.

1 Links to Foreign Assistance Standard Indicators and their definitions can be found at https://www.state.gov/foreign-assistance-resource-library/#managing https://www.state.gov/foreign-assistance-resource-library/#managing

AWARD INFORMATION

Funding Mechanism Type:Cooperative Agreement

Estimated Number of Awards:1-2

Estimated Total Program Funding: $500,000

Estimated Award Ceiling: $500,000

Estimated Award Floor: $250,000

Cost-Sharing or Matching: Encouraged; NOT Required

Estimated Length of Project Period:12-24 Months

Contingent on the availability of funds, approximately $500,000 in Economic Support Funds for 1-2 awards will be awarded through this announcement. If selected to receive an award, an applicant will be awarded funds for up to 12-24 Months. The estimated start date for this project is October 1, 2023.

NEA/AC office in Rabat and Embassy Tunis Assistance Unit reserve the right to award more or less than the estimated program funding and reserve the right to award funding under this announcement for a period of up to two years after the announcement’s close date.

This request for full applications does not constitute an award or commitment on the part of the U.S. government to make any awards, nor does it commit the U.S. government to pay for costs incurred in the preparation and submission of an application.

Non-Competing Continuation

Continuation grants funded under these awards, beyond the initial budget period, will be contingent upon the availability of funds; grantee’s progress in meeting grant requirements, including timely submission of required reports and compliance with all terms and conditions of the award; timely submission of a request for additional funding; and a determination that continued funding would be in the best interest of the Department of State.

Pending successful implementation of this project for the initial estimated length of time as indicated above and pending the availability of funds in subsequent fiscal years, Embassy Tunis Assistance Unit may extend this grant for additional time, not to exceed a 5-year total project period.

SUBSTANTIAL INVOLVEMENT

Activities in which NEA/AC and Embassy Tunis Assistance Unit may be substantially involved include:

• Approval of the project’s sub awardees and partners

• Approval of project key personnel

• Approval of the final evaluation

• Review and approval of the annual M&E plan

• Approval of the selected national and international universities

• Approval of any public advocacy and awareness campaign strategy

• Approval of the project’s annual workplan with periodic reviews and performance assessments; and

• Review and approval of the M&E plan no later than 90 days after the project’s launch with semiannual reviews, if deemed necessary.

ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

All applicants will be screened by NEA/AC office in Rabat and Embassy Tunis Assistance Unit to determine whether they meet all the program eligibility requirements detailed below.

NOTE: Applications that do not demonstrate that they meet all the eligibility requirements in Section A and Section B will not advance past the Technical Eligibility Review stage and may be deemed ineligible for funding under this announcement. Nothing can be added to an application once the competition deadline has passed.

ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

Eligible applicants include:

o Non-profit organizations;

o For-profit organizations;

o Private institutions of higher education;

o Public or state institutions of higher education;

A. Prime Applicant

To be considered for funding under this opportunity, applicants SHALL:

• Be registered in the Tunisian Official Gazette (Jort).

• Meet ALL the registration requirements listed below.

• Meet any requirements listed as MANDATORY in Additional Eligibility Considerations, below.

• Demonstrate experience working on similar projects focused on youth development, especially related to university leadership and civic engagement. This should be addressed within the project narrative section of your application.

REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS

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.”

https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fsd.gov%2Fgsafsd_sp%3Fid%3Dgsafsd_kb_articles%26sys_id%3Dc81018e71b1601d0937fa64ce54bcb57&data=05%7C01%7Cfjeldkk%40state.gov%7C0cc4e2b471f44abcd32308db093ecead%7C66cf50745afe48d1a691a12b2121f44b%7C0%7C0%7C638113937577534024%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=W2ShcazZBQbanYGj0cLOTnUJwv%2BGL4xfwr83%2BycQY2E%3D&reserved=0 https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fsd.gov%2F&data=05%7C01%7Cfjeldkk%40state.gov%7C0cc4e2b471f44abcd32308db093ecead%7C66cf50745afe48d1a691a12b2121f44b%7C0%7C0%7C638113937577534024%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=t32ANWzgpiB93pMWoq%2BFCSHz4YJY9QF1S1iQzCsS6RM%3D&reserved=0

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

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

ADDITIONAL ELIGIBILITY CONSIDERATIONS

Cost-Sharing or Matching

There is no minimum or maximum percentage required for this competition. However, NEA/AC office in Rabat and Embassy Tunis Assistance Unit encourage applicants to provide maximum levels of cost sharing and funding in support of its programs.

Cost-sharing or matching are not evaluation criteria of this NOFO.

APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

APPLICATION DOCUMENTS

All applications must include the application components detailed below. All application documents must be submitted in English. Applicants may submit only 1 application. Please refer to Section B, below, for additional submissions guidance and requirements.

NOTE: Applications that do not include all the required documentation described in Section 1 below will not advance past the Technical Eligibility Review stage. Further, applications that exceed the allowable page limits will not be reviewed by the review panel. Applicants may not add any materials to an application once it is submitted and the competition deadline has passed.

A.1. Required Documents

Federal Assistance Application Forms (SF-424 and SF424a)

Applicants must complete each of these forms online to be considered for funding.

Guidance on how to complete the SF-424 and SF424a is provided in Appendix 3. NOTE: In addition to following all guidance outlined below regarding application materials, applicants are strongly encouraged to review the Application Evaluation Criteria section of this NOFO closely as they prepare their proposal. The Evaluation Criteria section is the rubric by which each application will be scored.

Project Narrative

The Project Narrative describes the efforts the applicant will undertake to address the priorities and goals of this announcement. It may be no longer than 15 pages. More details on preparing the Project Narrative are provided in Appendix 3. Applicants are strongly encouraged to review Appendix 3 before preparing their Narrative.

Budget & Budget Narrative Submission

Applicants must provide the following three elements as part of their budget submission:

• Summary Budget

• Detailed Line-Item Budget

• Budget Narrative

Key staff members must be clearly identified in both the detailed budget and budget narrative documents.

There is no page limit for this section of an application. A sample fillable template can be found in Appendix 1. This template includes three tabs: The first tab includes written guidance on preparing the Budget Narrative. Applicants are strongly encouraged to create their Budget Narrative in Word and submit as either a Word Doc or PDF file. Please note that the Budget Narrative should include designations of who is considered Key Personnel for this project. As defined in the Department of State Standard Terms and Conditions (for assistance awards, Key Personnel means, “…key professional and supervisory personnel, i.e., the members of the professional staff in a program supervisory position engaged for or assigned to duties under the award.” The second tab has the template for the Summary Budget. This tab will auto-fill as you complete the Detailed Line-Item Budget, which can be found on the third tab. The third tab is where you can fill in the template for the Detailed Line-Item Budget as stated above. NOTE:

Applicants are strongly encouraged to use the same format as provided in the template, and to submit summary and detailed line-item budgets in Excel form, and the Budget Narrative as either a PDF or Word file. If the applicant does not use the template, the applicant must ensure that their submission includes all elements outlined in the sample. The template, which includes more detailed instructions, can be found in Appendix 1. Applicants are strongly encouraged to review Appendix 1 before preparing their Budget and Budget Narrative.

Logic Model

Applicants shall provide a logic model and a theory of change statement to demonstrate how the proposed project (including activities, the project design, and the surrounding context) will achieve the stated objectives. The logic model and theory of change statements can be generated using the template in Appendix 2. NOTE: Applicants are strongly encouraged to use the same format as found in the sample. If the applicant does not use the template, the applicant must ensure that their submission includes all elements outlined in the sample. This section may be no longer than 3 pages.

Results Monitoring Plan

Applicants shall provide an RMP outlining how the proposed project will capture and measure data that demonstrates progress toward achieving the specific objectives for each of the proposed project’s three Priority Areas. The RMP can be generated using the template in Appendix 4. NOTE: Applicants are strongly encouraged to use the same format as found in the sample. If the applicant does not use the template, the applicant must ensure that their submission includes all elements outlined in the sample. This section may be no longer than 4 pages.

Project Timeline

Applicants must provide an overall breakdown of the order and timeframe in which all project activities will take place. This item should provide a macro snapshot of what will take place from beginning to end of the project. Applicants must ensure that the timeline of activities/events corresponds with details provided in the Project Narrative, Logic Model/ Theory of Change, and RMP. This section may not exceed 2 pages.

Job Descriptions/Biographical Information for Key Personnel Positions

For each position designated as key personnel for this project, applicants must provide the following:

1. If the position is already filled: Provide brief biographical information summarizing the person’s qualifications, as well as a brief description of the roles or responsibilities pertaining to this project.

OR

2. If the person to fill a key position has not yet been identified: Provide a brief summary of the job description, which should include a description of the roles and responsibilities pertaining to this project, as well as a description of qualifications of eligible candidates.

NOTE: If an applicant is proposing sub grant partner(s) as part of their project design, Key Personnel/Positions of the sub grantee must also be included. This section of the application may not exceed 5 pages.

Sustainability Plan

The sustainability plan outlines how the proposed project will be sustained beyond the initial award period. More information on preparing the Sustainability Plan is provided in Appendix 3.

Sustainability Plans may not exceed 2 pages.

Security, Risk Mitigation, & Contingency Planning Summary

This item should provide detail regarding the applicant’s intended due diligence to assess and mitigate risks and implement adequate security measures to ensure the safety and well-being of project staff, participants, and partners, if applicable. This should include specific actions by the applicant to ensure risks are adequately and routinely assessed, and that security measures are commensurate with operational concerns specific to the locale. The applicant should also include a contingency plan that highlights potential challenges and limitations to project implementation in the operating environment and propose contingency plans should program activities be impacted.

Please note that this section should not be limited to physical security and risk but should cover any applicable factors relevant to the given operating environment. This section may not exceed 3 pages.

Letters of Agreement or Letters of Intent

Applicants proposing partner organizations and/or government bodies should include Letters of Intent or Letters of Agreement from line ministries and any other proposed partners.

Jort Registration

A.2. Optional Documents

Applicants may submit additional documents for consideration with their application. These documents are not required and there is a 10-page limit for this section of the application.

Below are examples of some additional documents an applicant may wish to submit.

1. Organizational Chart: The organizational chart outlines the clear lines of responsibility and authority in the applicant organization to include budgeted level of effort listed by each person.

2. GANTT Charts: A Gantt chart is a type of bar chart that illustrates a project schedule.

The Chart should list the tasks to be performed on the vertical axis, and time intervals on the horizontal axis with the width of the horizontal bars, in the graph, showing the duration of each activity. Gantt charts illustrate the start and finish dates of the terminal elements and summary elements of a project.

NOTE: Applicants must adhere to all maximum allowed page counts. Applications that exceed any of the allowable page limits will not advance past the Technical Eligibility Review stage.

APPLICATION FORMATTING REQUIREMENTS

The required font is 12-point, calibri. All application documents must be single spaced, with all margins (left, right, top, and bottom) of at least one inch each. Also, applicants should ensure all pages in the application package are numbered consecutively and meet the page limit requirements outlined in Section VI above. The Standard Forms 424 (SF-424 and SF-424a) are excluded from the page numbering.

It is strongly recommended that applicants submit grant applications using Microsoft Office.

If applicants do not have access to Microsoft Office products, Adobe PDF files may be submitted.

SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION

Applicants must submit their application electronically using Grants.gov. Grants.gov requires that the applying organization has an account with the system and requires a UEI number and SAM.gov account as detailed in Section V. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure they have an active account and will be able to submit its application. NEA/AC office in Rabat and Embassy Tunis Assistance Unit are not able to grant exceptions to these requirements.

The application process is not complete until the applicant receives notification that its application has been validated and forwarded to the granting agency (NEA/AC). Please allow sufficient time for entering the application into these systems. It is the responsibility of the applicant to monitor its application to ensure that it is successfully received and validated.

Grants.gov

Workspace is the standard way for organizations or individuals to apply for federal grants in Grants.gov. Workspace allows a grant team to simultaneously access and edit different forms within an application. Plus, the forms can be filled out online or offline — your choice.

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview.html

Grants.gov has Quick youtube tutorial available to educate users about the system. These documents can be found on the Support tab upon logging into the system.

SUBMISSION DATES AND TIMES

Applications must be time stamped before 17:00:00 eastern time (ET) on July 20, 2023. There will be no grace period, and any application not received by the application deadline will be deemed ineligible and will not advance to be reviewed. Each applicant is encouraged to submit an application far enough in advance of the deadline so that the applicant can alert NEA-grants@state.gov of any technical difficulties and allow sufficient time to resolve difficulties before the deadline. Although the Assistance Unit will work with applicants to resolve technical issues, it is not able to grant exceptions to the submission requirements outlined in this announcement.

FUNDING LIMITATIONS, RESTRICTIONS, AND OTHER

CONSIDERATIONS

Awards to Commercial Firms or For-Profit Organizations

The Department of State prohibits profit under its assistance awards to commercial organizations. No funds will be paid as profit to any recipient that is a commercial organization.

Profit is defined as any amount in excess of allowable direct and indirect costs. The allowability of costs incurred by commercial organizations is determined in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) at 48 CFR Part 31. Program income earned by the recipient may be:

• added to the total of the amount of this award, including the required cost sharing or matching, and use it to further eligible project objectives;

• used to meet the Recipient’s cost sharing or matching requirement;

• OR deducted from the total project or program allowable cost in determining the net allowable costs on which the federal share of costs is based.

Audit Requirements

Domestic and foreign organizations that expend $750,000 or more in a fiscal year in federal assistance must perform an independent, recipient-contracted Single Audit or Program Specific Audit. (Program-specific Audit means an audit of one Federal award program. Single Audit means an audit which includes both the entity’s financial statements and the Federal Awards to be conducted in accordance with Generally Accepted Government Auditing Standards (GAGAS).

The audits must be independently and professionally executed in accordance with GAGAS either prescribed by a government’s Supreme Audit Institution with auditing standards approved by the Comptroller General of the United States, or the host country’s laws or adopted by the host country’s public accountants or associations of public accountants, together with generally accepted international auditing standards. However, foreign entity audits consistent with International Standards for Auditing or other auditing standards are acceptable with the Grants Officer’s approval. More information can be found at https://www.gao.gov/assets/700/693136.pdf

For sub-non-Federal entities expending $750,000 or more in Department of State award funding during their fiscal year, Department of State standard audit provisions require that Prime non-Federal entities certify that audits of sub-non-Federal entities are performed annually and according to the standards described above. The cost of audits required under this policy may be charged either as an allowable direct cost to the award OR included in the organizations established indirect costs in the award’s detailed budget.

https://www.gao.gov/assets/700/693136.pdf

Compliance with Applicable Federal Funding Regulations and DOS Terms and Conditions

Payment of funds awarded under this Notice of Funding Opportunity will not be disbursed until the DOS has been assured that the Recipient’s financial management system will provide effective control over and accountability for all Federal funds in accordance with 2 CFR 200 and 2 CFR 600 as applicable. Awards issued under this NOFO are subject to the Department of State Standard Terms and Conditions (https://www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/U.S.- Department-of-State-Standard-Terms-and-Conditions-10-01-2019508.pdf) and 2 CFR 200 and 2 CFR 600 as applicable.

APPLICATION REVIEW AND SELECTION PROCESS

APPLICATION EVALUATION CRITERIA

Achievable Objectives (30 points)

Each of the project objectives listed above (in Section I) are clearly addressed.

• Impact and Effectiveness: The applicant describes the project’s potential contribution to solving the problem addressed in the problem statement and achieving results.

• Timeframe: The applicant describes realistic results to be accomplished within the timeframe of the proposed award.

• Beneficiaries: The applicant clearly identifies the anticipated beneficiaries and explains how the project’s objectives will positively affect them.

• Milestones: The applicant provides realistic milestones to indicate progress toward goals and objectives as described in the program announcement.

• M&E: The applicant explains how monitoring and evaluation activities will be carried out throughout the award’s period of performance and who will be responsible for them. The applicant includes a final evaluation of the project at the completion of the award.

Project Design (30 points)

The applicant clearly describes how each proposed project activity will address each of the objectives outlined in the requested priority area above (Section I).

• Responsiveness to NOFO: Explain how the proposed activities respond to the objectives listed in the NOFO.

• Rationale: To justify how the proposed activities will achieve the above objectives in this context.

• Project Management: Clear description of how the project will be managed in terms of initiation, planning, implementation, and closing.

• Partnerships and Buy-ins: The applicant addresses how the project will engage or obtain support from relevant stakeholders and identifies any partners such as Tunisian and American universities.

• Feasibility: The applicant proposes activities that are feasible, and are also practical, and/or experiential in nature to encourage innovation.

• Beneficiaries Selection Criteria and Process: The applicant explains how beneficiaries, including students and universities, will be selected (e.g., criteria for selection, selection process).

• Duplication: The applicant acknowledges if similar activities as those proposed are already taking, or have taken place previously, and provides an explanation as to how proposed new activities will not duplicate or merely add to existing/recent activities.

• Contingency Plan: The applicant articulates programming assumptions and potential challenges to project implementation and proposes contingency plans.

• Division of Labor: The application describes the division of labor among the applicant and any partners.

• Marginalized Communities: The applicant identifies and addresses support for marginalized populations in all proposed activities and objectives and provides specific means for their inclusion. This can include religious and ethnic minority communities, female-headed households, and communities in underserved geographic regions.

• Gender Considerations: The applicant includes gender analysis in the project narrative that identifies relevant gender gaps and ways the proposed activities will address those gaps. Proposals should demonstrate how addressing relevant gender gaps will enhance the program’s goals and objectives and how the project will benefit both men and women.

Organizational Capacity (20 points)

• The applicant demonstrates experience (e.g., has previously worked and/or has established contacts/partners) in the proposed governorate(s).

• The applicant demonstrates an institutional record of successful programs in the content area proposed (e.g., Youth capacity building).

• The applicant demonstrates capacity for responsible fiscal management of donor funding as well as managing sub-awards and grants.

• The applicant demonstrates the ability to meet monitoring and evaluation requirements.

• The applicant has adequate staffing and demonstrates the capacity to manage the proposed project.

• The applicant includes letters of intent/commitment/agreement from any proposed partners.

Alumni of U.S. Funded Leadership Programs Involvement (10 points)

• At least 1 alumnus of a U.S. Funded Leadership Program (example: Middle East Partnership Initiative) is identified as key personnel.

• Applicant shows capacity to engage leadership program alumni network, particularly as consultants, in the implementation of the project activities.

Staff and Position Specifications (10 points)

• Pre-identified key staff members, including volunteers, demonstrate experience working in the governorate(s) proposed, in the proposed content area, and with participants from that area.

• A description of the roles of each person or position on the project – whether staff, partner, consultant, or volunteer – demonstrating that the project will be sufficiently staffed but will avoid redundancy or duplication of effort.

• A job description, including hiring criteria, is provided for each open key position.

• Applicant and/or partner staff have relevant language competencies to draft reports and communicate with Embassy staff.

Budget & Budget Narrative (Acceptable or Not Acceptable)

• The costs proposed are allocable, allowable, and reasonable in relation to the proposed activities and anticipated results, which are clearly explained in the budget narrative.

• The budget provides details of calculations, including estimation methods, quantities, unit costs, and other similar quantitative detail sufficient for the calculation to be duplicated.

• The preponderance of the budget is spent on supporting the project participants/activities in country.

• The budget includes costs dedicated to management, monitoring, and evaluation, and any costs needed for further gender analysis and for addressing gender gaps.

• Adequate travel costs are proposed.

• The budget demonstrates a reasonable cost per participant.

• The budget accounts for monitoring and evaluation costs.

REVIEW AND SELECTION PROCESS

NEA/AC office in Rabat and Embassy Tunis Assistance Unit are committed to ensuring a competitive and standardized process for awarding funding. Applications will be screened initially in a Technical Eligibility Review stage to determine whether applicants meet the eligibility requirements outlined in Section V and have submitted all required documents outlined in Section VI.