U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of CT Technical Support Grant

The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Counterterrorism and Countering Violent Extremism (CT) announces a Notice of Funding Opportunity for organizations interested in providing administrative and technical support for a new multilateral initiative to establish internationally-recognized non-binding good practices for preventing and responding to terrorist attacks against soft targets.

CT invites organizations to submit proposal applications to provide technical and administrative support for a new initiative under the auspices of the Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF) to assist governments in deepening their understanding and increasing their capacity to prevent terrorist attacks against soft targets. Typical soft targets include business and commercial facilities, such as hotels, restaurants, malls, stadiums, and mass transit (e.g., railway stations). Proposals should describe how the applicant will provide a range of administrative and logistical tasks (to include booking a venue, catering, translation, etc.) and technical support (e.g., developing agendas, preparing documents, etc.) to organize, implement, and facilitate a series of regional and global workshops involving government and industry experts. The goal of these workshops is to work toward good practices for governments and their partners on soft target protection, which can serve as the basis for international engagement, assistance, and training, to enhance the security and resilience of sites that are potential soft targets. Proposals should also describe how the applicant’s expertise will help to inform the development a draft document of internationally-recognized non-binding good practices, based on the results of the expert-level workshops. Finally, proposals should describe how the applicant will develop a roster of international experts, who could be deployed to assist governments in assessing their needs, providing technical advice, and supporting implementation of established good practices.

Successful applicants will: (1) demonstrate a clear understanding of the urgent and complex challenge of terrorist attacks against soft targets, expertise in developing policy approaches and practical measures to better protect soft targets, leveraging government/law enforcement entities and the private sector; (2) demonstrate prior success in organizing public-private expert workshops on a regional, multilateral, and global basis, especially by providing timely and responsive administrative and logistical support to ensure the success of the meetings; (3) include past examples of documents drafted taking into consideration a range of stakeholders including multiple governments, international organizations, and outside experts; and (4) outline a robust monitoring and evaluation framework to assess project progress and outcomes. Awards are subject to the availability of funding.

All applications must be submitted electronically via Grants.gov or GrantSolutions.gov by
11:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) on August 30, 2016.
PLEASE NOTE: Prior to submitting an application via www.Grants.gov or www.GrantSolutions.gov, applicants must have: (1) a valid Dun & Bradstreet (DUNS) number; and (2) a valid System for Award Management (SAM) registration (www.sam.gov). CT urges potential applicants to apply immediately for a DUNS number as well as to register immediately with www.sam.gov and www.grants.gov. Applicants are advised that it can take up to one week to complete SAM registration before it is possible to start registering for www.grants.gov, and up to an additional week to register with www.grants.gov (i.e. to obtain a username and password). Non-U.S. applicants will also require a NATO NCAGE number, a process normally requiring up to two additional weeks.

CONTEXT

Enhanced government security and changing terrorist strategy have resulted in an increased tempo of terrorist attacks against soft targets. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, al-Qa’ida pursued a strategy that often prioritized hard targets for spectacular attacks, including military facilities, embassies, and aviation. In contrast, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant’s (ISIL) eagerness to encourage small-scale attacks and its recruitment of a relatively high number of fighters have increased the risk of attacks on soft targets. As evidenced in Paris, Brussels, Istanbul, Bamako, Ouagadougou, Grand-Bassam, and elsewhere, the clear human, economic, and political consequences of these types of attacks demonstrate the need for improved international preparedness focused on soft target protection.

Typical soft targets include business and commercial facilities, such as hotels, restaurants, malls, stadiums, and mass transit, where people congregate to shop, dine, and conduct business, and which are relatively vulnerable to a terrorist attack due to their open access and limited security barriers. The facilities are varied, but most are privately owned. Although terrorist attacks on these targets also vary, they have recently involved some combination of suicide bombers, teams of gunmen, and hostage situations. Concerns about protecting soft targets are not new, but ISIL’s support for these types of attacks heightens the risk to new levels.

A variety of stakeholders, including national and local governments, international organizations, and private industry, need to work cooperatively to address the evolving risk to potential soft targets. Governments should develop or expand existing national plans (e.g., counterterrorism, preparedness, and critical infrastructure security and resilience plans) to consider the risk to these sites and the importance of identifying, prioritizing, and protecting them. These plans need to go beyond national preparedness for dealing with natural disasters, pandemics, and armed attacks, and include mechanisms to promote risk-based decision making, information sharing, and public-private partnering to address terrorism, and specifically terrorist attacks against soft targets.

PROJECT OBJECTIVES

Through this NOFO, CT seeks applications for proposals to provide administrative and technical support over 12 months to a new initiative under the auspices of the Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF) assist governments in deepening their understanding and increasing their capacity to prevent terrorist attacks against soft targets. This initiative will seek to identify ways that law enforcement and other civilian government officials can work alongside the private sector and public partners to better protect and prevent attacks against soft targets.

Specifically, this project will include the following components:

First, CT seeks assistance in organizing a series of expert and practitioner workshops on a global and regional basis to identify good practices in this regard. CT’s implementing partner will be expected to provide support with identification of expert participants, drafting of agendas and concept notes, and all administrative tasks related to the actual meetings (including, but not limited to, the distribution of invitations, supporting travel reservations for participants, the reservation of hotel and conference space, printing meeting materials, arranging translation, etc.). We anticipate this initiative would include six to seven workshops, likely to include the following:
(1) Global kick-off experts’ meeting, to be held in Europe;
(2) Regional experts and practitioners’ workshops in five regions (e.g., West Africa, East Africa, Southeast Asia, South Asia, and Eastern or Southern Europe); and
(3) Global meeting(s) to review and discuss recommended good practices.

Second, CT seeks assistance to draft a document of internationally-recognized good practices, based on the results of the workshops. In addition to the workshops, CT’s implementing partner will need to consult with a range of outside experts and U.S. government stakeholders during the drafting process. The implementing partner will also need to work with the GCTF Administrative Unit, the co-chairs of the initiative, and ensure that the process is in line with GCTF regulations.

Finally, CT seeks assistance in developing a roster of international experts and trainers, who could be deployed to assist governments in assessing their needs, providing technical advice, and supporting implementation of established good practices. CT’s implementing partner will be asked to support a series of targeted engagements to consult with specific countries on their needs and capacity gaps in this area. Proposals should include designated funding that could be used to support travel of such experts on a limited basis.

REQUIREMENTS

In order to be considered for funding, all of the following are required. Applicants that fail to adhere to these requirements will be deemed non-responsive to the NOFO and will not be considered further. Unless an item is marked “exempt from page limit,” that item is subject to the overall 15-page limit for the submission.

1) Project Narrative
Applicants shall describe the efforts the applicant will undertake to accomplish the tasks and goals of this announcement. The narrative shall include a strong analysis of the problem and a strong project design, describing how the applicant would go about planning and managing logistics for the expert workshops, performing necessary administrative functions for this initiative, drafting of the good practices document, and identification of a roster of experts to support the initiative. The narrative should include a notional timeline for completing this process in the span of 12 months.

2) Budget
Applicants shall submit a budget that covers the entire project period. The budget consists of a detailed budget breakdown in MS Excel format (see template enclosed in this NOFO) and budget narrative. All costs should be broken down by unit and cost to the fullest extent possible. Applicants shall utilize the broad budget categories outlined in the U.S. government form SF-424. (Organizations must also fill out and submit SF-424 and SF-424B forms, as directed on Grants.gov.) Applicants shall include the amount requested of the U.S. government, as well as the non-U.S. government cost-share, if any. The budget narrative is subject to the page limit; the MS Excel budget itself is not subject to the page limit.

3) Key Personnel
Applicants shall provide one-page resumes/CVs for each self-identified key staff member, including at least one program director. Applicants should describe the relevant qualifications and expertise for key personnel. Applicants should describe any key partners they will utilize to implement this project, including any plans to make sub-awards to sub-regional and national NGO partners.

4) Demonstration of Experience and Expertise
The successful application will demonstrate the applicant’s track record of convening expert workshops on a regional, multilateral, and global basis, including any experience working with the GCTF and/or other multilateral bodies. Applicants should describe their ability to provide a range of administrative and logistical support tasks to ensure the success of workshops. Applicants should demonstrate experience working with foreign governments on counterterrorism and/or countering violent extremism in the civilian security sector. Applicants should also demonstrate their experience working in some or all of the identified focus regions. Applicants should also describe their experience in developing and instituting recommendations relevant to counterterrorism, countering violent extremism, law enforcement, and national preparedness capacity building. Finally, applicants should further describe the experience working on the problem set of terrorist attacks against soft targets, such as preventative or response measures, including broader experience working on critical infrastructure security and resilience.

5) Letters of Intent (exempt from page limit)
As part of the application, applicants must submit letters of intent from any proposed local and consortia partners; arrangements need not be exclusive to any one applicant. The letters of intent do not bind the applicant, unless the applicant’s arrangement with the potential sub-awardee is binding. CT’s purpose in requesting the letters is to ensure that the envisaged sub-awards are appropriate to the scope of the project and advance the broader strategic priorities outlined in this NOFO. CT reserves the right to verify any submitted letter.

APPLICATION LENGTH

To ensure all applications receive a balanced evaluation, the CT Review Committee will review each application up to the page limit and no further. Applications shall not exceed 15 pages (including required attachments that are subject to the page limit). The spreadsheets comprising the budget, key staff resumes, and letters of intent do not count against the 15-page maximum, but no resume should exceed one page. All submissions should be formatted in 12-pt Times New Roman to print on 8.5×11-inch paper, single-spaced, with one-inch margins on all sides. Submission should not be formatted to print on A4 paper.

APPLICANT ELIGIBILITY

The successful applicant may be a public or private academic institution, non-governmental organization, or for-profit entity. Any for-profit entity applying should be aware that its application may be subject to additional review following the panel selection process and that the Department of State generally prohibits profit under its assistance awards to for-profit or commercial organizations. 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 30, Cost Accounting Standards Administration, and 48 CFR 31 Contract Cost Principles and Procedures. Project income, if any, earned by the recipient must be deducted from the total project allowable cost in determining the net allowable costs on which the federal share of costs is based.

EVALUATION AND SCORING

Applications that are responsive to the requirements outlined above will be scored as follows:
Overall quality of proposal, including scope, coherence, feasibility and innovativeness (40%); key personnel (20%); demonstrated organizational track record (20%); and budget (20%).

A reminder that the successful applicant’s application will not exceed 15 pages and will include the following components, as mentioned previously in this NOFO:

1) Project Narrative.

2) Budget Narrative.

3) Sub-Award to Local Partners Plan (optional).

4) Demonstration of Experience and Expertise: A description of the applicant’s track record that explicitly addresses prior experience building foreign government capacity (particularly in the civilian security sector) as well as systems for managing foreign assistance (including narrative and financial reporting).

—Not Subject to 15-Page Limit—

5) Spreadsheets Comprising the Budget.

6) Letters of Intent (if applicable): Signed indications of intention to work with the applicant from potential sub-awardees or from consortium members, or both.

7) Resumes: One-page resumes for each proposed key staff member.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Award date: Subject to the availability of funding, CT anticipates making an award in the fourth quarter of FY 2016 or the first quarter of FY 2017 (according to the U.S. government fiscal year calendar).

The information in this solicitation is binding and may not be modified by any CT representative.
By submitting an application, the applicant accepts the conditions and requirements described in this solicitation. Explanatory information provided by CT that contradicts this language will not be binding. Issuance of the solicitation does not constitute an award commitment on the part of the U.S. government. CT reserves the right to reduce, revise, or increase application budgets in accordance with the needs of the project evaluation requirements.

Vetting of law enforcement units and personnel identified to receive training is required and will be done in accordance with State’s standard vetting procedures.

Through CT, State will be substantially involved throughout the period of performance of the anticipated cooperative agreement(s). The successful applicant will consult with the CT Program Officer before beginning each phase of activity and as the Program Officer may subsequently require.

By submitting an application for consideration in response to this NOFO, applicant agrees to the Department of State Standard Terms and Conditions found at: https://www.statebuy.state.gov/fa/Pages/TermsandConditions.aspx
Applicants are also advised that any Department of State award will be subject to the regulations found in 2 Code of Federal Regulations 200 found at: http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title02/2cfr200_main_02.tpl and any other conditions required by the Department of State and CT.

SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

All applications must be submitted electronically via www.grants.gov or www.GrantSolutions.gov.

Once this deadline has passed, Department of State staff in Washington, DC, and overseas may not discuss competing applications with applicants until the review process has been completed.

It is the responsibility of all applicants to ensure that applications have been received in their entirety by either www.Grants.gov or www.GrantSolutions.gov. CT bears no responsibility for data errors resulting from transmission or conversion processes.

No exceptions will be made for organizations that have not completed the necessary steps to submit applications