Department of State - Global Affairs
Program Office: Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, International Programs Section
Opportunity Title: G/TIP FY 2010 International Programs to Combat Trafficking in Persons
Announcement Type: Request for Statements of Interest (RSOI)
Funding Opportunity Number: AT-ATC-10-002-010815
Deadline for Applications: December 3, 2009. 5:00p.m. EST
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The Department of State’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (G/TIP) is pleased to announce a two-stage competitive process for 2010 funding of projects that will improve the response to trafficking in persons outside the United States. The first stage is submission and competitive panel review of two-page Statements of Interest (SOI) from organizations interested in submitting proposals for projects that combat human trafficking. In the second stage, G/TIP will invite applicants whose Statements of Interest are reviewed favorably to submit proposals that expand on their SOI. These proposals will also be reviewed by a panel for consideration of funding. This announcement initiates the first stage, and G/TIP is now requesting applicants to submit a Statement of Interest, as described in this solicitation. U.S.-based non-profit and nongovernmental organizations (NGO), public international organizations (PIO), foreign NGOs, and institutions of higher education are encouraged to apply by submitting a Statement of Interest. Pending appropriations, G/TIP anticipates awarding grants of up to $750,000 per project.
BACKGROUND
The Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (P.L. 106-386), as amended (TVPA), authorized the establishment of the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (G/TIP) in the U.S. Department of State. The mission of G/TIP is to combat modern slavery by employing a “3 Ps” strategy: preventing trafficking in persons, protecting and assisting trafficking victims, and prosecuting traffickers and others who profit from trafficking in persons. Additionally, as Secretary Clinton has indicated, G/TIP will seek partnerships to effectuate this strategy. G/TIP provides leadership and coordination within the U.S. government and engages with foreign governments, civil society, and multilateral organizations to focus attention and devote resources to addressing human trafficking.
The TVPA also requires that the Department of State submit an annual assessment of “severe forms of trafficking in persons” and governments’ efforts to address them. The State Department’s annual Trafficking in Persons Report (TIP Report), published in June each year, is an important diplomatic tool in the Department’s dialogue with other governments and also serves as the guide for U.S. foreign assistance to governments and NGOs in countries working to eradicate trafficking. The 2009 TIP Report, available at http://www.state.gov/g/tip/rls/tiprpt/2009/, includes Tier rankings and country-specific recommendations for 173 countries and evaluations of two additional countries. As reflected in the 2009 TIP Report, despite laudatory global progress in establishing structures such as national action plans and counter-trafficking laws, much remains to be done to operationalize these promises. The number of reported trafficking cases appears to be in stasis; labor trafficking cases made up only 104 of the 2,983 convictions in the 2009 reporting period, despite ILO statistics that indicate millions of persons labor in bondage around the world as well as suffer in sexual servitude. Prevention and victim protection efforts often are developed in isolation and are not integrated into the 3Ps structure that is the vision of the TVPA.
Pursuant to the TVPA, human trafficking is at its essence all the activities involved in obtaining or maintaining compelled service of a person by another. G/TIP seeks to fund programs that reflect this view.
2010 G/TIP GRANT COMPETITION OVERVIEW
G/TIP allocates foreign assistance aimed at improving the response to trafficking in persons in other countries through an open competitive process. G/TIP announces a solicitation for applications early each fiscal year and the office strives to award new grant projects late in the same fiscal year. In 2009 the response to G/TIP’s solicitation reached record levels; nearly 400 proposals were submitted for review. In an effort to manage the 2010 competitive grant process most effectively and to save hundreds of applicants the time and resources required to prepare a full proposal, G/TIP is using a two-stage competitive process for 2010 funding. This solicitation announces the first stage: G/TIP requests applicants to submit a Statement of Interest (SOI), a two-page summary of a proposed project that includes the information described below. Following a competitive panel review, selected applicants will be invited to submit a full proposal that expands on their SOI. These proposals will then be reviewed and considered for funding.
Given the limited funding available, G/TIP has identified 40 countries as priorities for this solicitation. SOIs that address human trafficking issues in the named countries are especially encouraged. Applicants are urged to review the country-specific recommendations listed in the country narratives of the 2009 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report as these will guide anti-trafficking programming under this announcement. Pending the appropriation of funds, G/TIP anticipates awarding grants of up to $750,000 for 36 months per project to organizations which, in the second stage of this competition, are invited to submit full proposals and are successful in the competitive review of proposals. U.S.-based non-profit and non-governmental organizations (NGO), public international organizations (PIO), foreign NGOs, and universities are eligible to submit SOIs. On a limited basis, for-profit organizations are also eligible to submit SOIs; however, they may not take a profit from grant-funded activities.
G/TIP FUNDING PRIORITIES AND PROJECT EXAMPLES
Generally, G/TIP prioritizes foreign assistance in countries ranked as Tier 3, Tier 2 Watch List, and in some cases, Tier 2, where governments have the political will to improve the response to trafficking, but lack the economic resources to address the problem. For this solicitation G/TIP has designated 40 countries as priorities for 2010 funding, based on a review of the 2009 Tier rankings, current anti-trafficking programming, and consultation with other offices in the Department. Some countries with significant trafficking problems have received extensive programmatic attention in recent years from G/TIP, other USG agencies, international organizations, and donor nations. Priority designations for this solicitation respond to the needs articulated in the 2009 report, but also take into account current active projects and the need to address trafficking in a number of regions and countries.
G/TIP is most interested in SOIs for projects in the priority countries listed below and that are responsive to the country-specific recommendations listed in the 2009 TIP Report. Under limited circumstances, G/TIP may fund projects in countries that are not listed below. These may include proposals that exhibit innovative programming, address special country circumstances, or that serve as special models for replication in other countries. A limited number of global projects may also be funded. Recognizing that many cases of human trafficking are transnational and that effective remedies must be designed to meet specific challenges, G/TIP also encourages SOIs that address cross border and regional trafficking problems, for example, a project that develops and implements strategies for improving the response to human trafficking in the Dominican Republic and Haiti.
The countries selected for priority funding consideration in this solicitation are listed below.
AFRICA REGION
Angola
Burundi
Chad
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Republic of the Congo
Cote d’Ivoire
Ethiopia
Ghana
Lesotho
Mali
Mauritania
Mozambique
Rwanda
Swaziland
EAST ASIA/PACIFIC REGION
Cambodia
Indonesia
Laos
Papua New Guinea
Philippines
Thailand
Vietnam
EUROPEAN REGION
Albania
Azerbaijan
Montenegro
NEAR EAST REGION
Iraq
Jordan
Lebanon
SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIAN REGION
Bangladesh
India
Pakistan
Tajikistan
Turkmenistan
WESTERN HEMISPHERE REGION
Argentina
Belize
Dominican Republic
Guatemala
Guyana
Haiti
Mexico
Nicaragua
As appropriate for a country or region, applicants may propose innovative programmatic approaches to combat human trafficking.
The following serve as examples, though not an exhaustive listing, of the types of projects that G/TIP seeks to fund through the 2010 competitive grant process.
- Development of enhanced cooperative efforts between NGOs and government agencies to identify and prosecute forced labor cases and facilitate victim participation in criminal and civil remedies;
- Technical support and specialized training of designated units in police agencies that focus on the investigation of human trafficking cases;
- Development and implementation of model policies and practices for immigration agencies to identify and assist victims of trafficking;
- Partnerships between U.S. NGOs and local NGOs abroad to promote capacity-building, mentoring, and collaboration that will improve the protection of human trafficking victims and increase the number of successful prosecutions of traffickers;
- Development and delivery of a technical assistance capacity that would deploy short-term expert consultants, trainers, or technical assistance providers abroad at the request of G/TIP;
- Development or enhancement of post-rescue aftercare services for victims of sex and/or labor trafficking, especially those that provide alternatives to detention or deportation-based responses;
- Technical support for implementation of victim-centered criminal justice policies and procedures that include cooperation with NGOs, the establishment of victim and witness coordinator positions in law enforcement and/or prosecutors’ offices, and development of programs or structures that allow for close and ongoing contact with victims and their advocates, which has proven effective in building trust during the criminal justice process;
- Legal analysis leading to improved anti-trafficking legislation, elimination of ineffective criminal procedures that create obstacles to successful prosecutions, and training to promote enforcement of anti-TIP laws;
- Implementation of activities to combat child sex tourism and to foster the identification and prosecution of individuals who engage in commercial sexual exploitation of children;
- Activities of multilateral organizations to develop and implement strategies or action plans that promote cooperation and effective responses among criminal justice, labor, immigration, and social service agencies in all countries that share jurisdiction over particular cases;
- Prevention activities that incorporate specific calls to action that are integrated with protection and prosecution;
- Prevention activities that confront the demand for commercial sex and address the incidence of slavery-tainted goods through engaging consumers, corporations, and workers to insist upon slavery free supply chains; and
- Research and evaluation, including action oriented research, projects that evaluate the effectiveness and impact of current anti-trafficking programs and policies, and practices that enable policy makers and practitioners to focus limited anti-TIP resources most effectively. Research and evaluation topics may also include assessment of approaches to investigation and prosecution, immigration relief, factors that facilitate victim participation in criminal justice proceedings, methods of obtaining compensation for victims, and alternative approaches to victim protection and assistance.
G/TIP is especially interested in proposals that emphasize sustainable or ongoing structural impact. Projects that demonstrate strong partnerships with local NGOs, diversified funding sources to maintain programmatic activity, and/or that promote institutional development are strongly encouraged.
A Statement of Interest may be:
- Bilateral (outlines work in one country);
- Regional (outlines work in more than one country in a region); or
- Global (outlines work in countries in more than one region or on global issues in human trafficking).
For a U.S Department of State listing of countries by region, please see http://www.state.gov/countries/.
For information on the USG’s international anti-trafficking efforts (annual Trafficking in Persons Reports and previously-funded USG projects) please go to: http://www.state.gov/g/tip/.
APPLICANT/ORGANIZATION CRITERIA
U.S.-based NGOs, PIOs, foreign NGOs, institutions of higher education, and, on a limited basis, for-profit organizations are eligible to apply. Organizations may form consortia and submit a combined statement of interest; however, one organization should be designated as the lead applicant. Some projects may be accomplished by USG implementers through Interagency Agreement. For-profit organizations, including small and disadvantaged businesses, may apply, but such organizations may not take a profit from G/TIP funded-activities. Foreign governments are not eligible to apply but governments may be beneficiaries of funded programs, provided that funding does not pay salaries of government agency personnel and that such assistance is not restricted by U.S. law or policy.
Organizations are permitted to submit multiple proposals; however, G/TIP intends to provide funding to a wide range of qualified, capable organizations that do well in the competitive review. Applicants are not required to include funding from other donors in project proposals.
G/TIP recognizes the important role of civil society leadership in combating human trafficking and thus encourages U.S.-based institutions of higher education and NGOs to partner with NGO and academic counterparts abroad that have a significant role in improving the response to human trafficking. Community, women’s, and faith-based NGOs, as well as Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic Serving Institutions, and Tribal Colleges and Universities are encouraged to apply. Organizations should have demonstrated experience administering successful projects, preferably in the target country and/or region, or in similarly challenging program environments.
TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS FOR SOI SUBMISSIONS
To be eligible for competitive review SOIs must meet the Technical Requirements listed below. SOIs that do not meet the technical requirements will not be further reviewed for funding.
Technical Requirements: Statements of Interest (SOI) MUST include these two parts:
1. The SF-424 and SF-424B forms; and
2. A two-page document written in English in Times New Roman or Arial 12 point font. All budget figures MUST be in U.S. dollars.
Instructions for completing the SF-424 and SF-424B forms:
Complete the SF-424 and SF-424 B forms as described in the instructions provided through www.grantsolutions.gov or www.grants.gov. On the SF-424, in addition to completing the form as described in the instructions, use the following specific information for the fields listed below:
1. Type of Submission: Application
2. Type of Application: New
3. Date Received: Leave blank
4. Applicant Identifier: Leave blank
5a. Federal Entity Identifier: Leave blank
5b. Federal Award Identifier: Leave blank
6. Date Received by State: Leave blank
7. State Application Identified: Leave blank
8b. Employer/Taxpayer ID Number: Non-U.S. organizations enter 44-4444444
8c. Organizational DUNS: Organizations can request a DUNS number at
http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform
14. Areas Affected by Project: List country or countries where project activities will take place. For bilateral projects list the country; for regional projects list the countries in alphabetical order; for more than one region describe area as “global”
16. Congressional districts of: Applicant; Program: Non-U.S. organizations enter 444
17. Enter a start date of September 30, 2010 and a projected end date
18. Enter the amount requested for the project described in the SOI under “Federal”
(18a) and any cost-share under “Applicant” (18b). Otherwise, use zeros
19. Please enter “c”
Format and Content for the Statement of Interest:
The two-page document should conform to the following format requirements and include the information below:
1. Brief description of the organization, including mission, previous work in the country/region where the work would be performed, and previous work to combat human trafficking. Due to the page limitations, a general organizational history is not recommended. Information should clearly demonstrate the organization’s record and capacity and may include previous grant management experience.
2. Description of how the project meets G/TIP priorities, as identified in this solicitation.
3. Project description, including goals and objectives, and duration of project.
4. Project outcomes, deliverables, and performance indicators.
5. Estimated budget figures in U.S. dollars for (a) Program Costs; (b) Administrative Costs (which include Indirect Costs); and (c) Any cost sharing offered.
THE COMPETITIVE REVIEW PROCESS
This solicitation will enable G/TIP to identify organizations that are interested in and capable of implementing anti-trafficking projects in the countries identified as priority countries or regional or global projects.
SOI submissions first will be reviewed to determine whether they meet the technical requirements stated in this announcement. SOIs that pass the technical review will be reviewed and rated by a panel comprised of individuals with knowledge and experience in human trafficking programming and regional expertise. The assessment will be based on how well the proposed project meets the priority needs of G/TIP as described in the 2009 TIP Report and addresses the content outlined in the Format and Content section above. Following this panel review, G/TIP will invite highly rated applicants to submit full proposals that expand on the SOI; this is the second stage of the competitive grant process. Please note: applicants will have 30 days to submit a full proposal.
Full proposals will be subjected to a competitive regional panel review. Panel results will be reviewed by the G/TIP Director, who, before making final recommendations, will consider bilateral, regional, and global factors, as well as any policies, restrictions, or limitations on U.S assistance that may apply to each country or region involved. The Director’s recommendations will be forwarded to the Director of Foreign Assistance; final approval and Congressional Notification must take place before each grant, cooperative agreement, or Interagency Agreement is awarded.
The review panels will use the following criteria when rating full proposals:
-- Quality of Project Idea
The proposal should be responsive to the solicitation and exhibit substance, precision, and relevance to G/TIP’s mission. The proposal should also be responsive to country-based needs identified in the TIP Report, identified regional/global needs, or otherwise represent a unique project that merits funding.
-- Program Goals/Objectives
The proposal should address a key human trafficking issue or issues and should specify appropriate goals and objectives to address these. The proposal should demonstrate a logical approach and present project objectives that are measurable and achievable during the project period. Proposed projects should address long-term institutional and/or organizational development with an emphasis on moving towards sustainability.
-- Plan for Measuring Program Effectiveness
Programs should demonstrate the capacity for engaging in impact assessments and providing measurable output and outcome indicators to evaluate project accomplishments. The project’s potential long-term impact and strengthening of TIP response in-country will be assessed. Projects that propose an independent evaluation of project impact will be deemed highly competitive in this category.
-- Organizational Capability and Record of Performance
G/TIP will consider the past performance of prior recipients and the demonstrated potential of new applicants. Proposed personnel and organizational resources should be adequate and appropriate to achieve the project's goals. Roles and responsibilities of primary staff should be clear. Strong knowledge of TIP issues must be demonstrated.
-- Budget Detail and Cost Effectiveness
The overhead and administrative components of the proposal should be reasonably low. All costs should be necessary and appropriate to the execution of the project. Cost sharing is considered beneficial and demonstrates support beyond the grant funds. The presentation of each line-item and corresponding budget narrative should demonstrate that the organization’s programmatic efforts will be consistent with sound financial management practices.
-- Partnerships
Applicants should highlight any key partnerships that will be employed to achieve proposed goals and objectives. These may include the development of coalitions among local organizations; formal partnerships between U.S.-based and local NGOs abroad to promote capacity-building, mentoring, and collaboration; collaboration between multilateral organizations and criminal justice, labor, immigration or social service agencies; and/or partnerships between academia and public, private, or NGO entities. Projects that demonstrate strong partnerships and development of local NGOs are strongly encouraged.
DEADLINE AND SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS
In an effort to make the process of submitting Statements of Interest (SOIs) to G/TIP less burdensome and time consuming, applicants are encouraged to use a new web-based method that is accessed at www.grantsolutions.gov. This website is available to all applicants, but G/TIP especially encourages foreign NGOs and public international organizations to submit proposals through this web site. G/TIP currently utilizes GrantSolutions for the electronic processing of all grant applications, as well as the electronic management of its grant portfolio. Applicants may also submit SOIs via www.grants.gov. All SOIs must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) Thursday, December 3, 2009. G/TIP will not accept proposals submitted via email, fax, the U.S. postal system, FedEx, UPS and similar delivery companies, or courier. Applicants are encouraged to initiate electronic applications early in the application development process, and to submit early on the due date or before. This will aid in addressing any problems with submissions prior to the application deadline. No exceptions will be made for organizations that have not completed the necessary steps to submit applications on www.grantsolutions.gov or www.grants.gov.
A Dun and Bradstreet Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number is required for all applications for Federal assistance. Organizations should verify that they have a DUNS number or take the steps needed to obtain one. Instructions for obtaining a DUNS number can be found at http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform.
GrantSolutions Applications
Interested organizations using GrantSolutions for the first time should register on the www.GrantSolutions.gov site to create a new Applicant account. Follow the “First Time Applicants” link and complete the “GrantSolutions New Applicant Sign Up” application form. Electronic applications submitted via the GrantSolutions system must contain all completed online forms required by the application kit.
Upon completion of a successful electronic application submission, the GrantSolutions system will provide the applicant with a confirmation page indicating the date and time (Eastern Time) of the electronic application submission as well as an official Application Number. This confirmation page will also provide a listing of all items that constitute the final application submission. CCR registration is not required prior to submitting an application via GrantSolutions.gov, however, a valid DUNS number must be provided.
Grants.gov Applications
Grants.gov also provides organizations with the ability to submit applications for G/TIP grant opportunities. Organizations must successfully complete the necessary registration processes (DUNS and CCR) in order to submit an application. Information about this system is available on the Grants.gov website, http://www.grants.gov. Instructions for registering with CCR can be found at https://www.bpn.gov/ccr/default.aspx.
An organization must wait approximately 3-5 business days after registering with the CCR before it may obtain a username and password. This may delay the organization’s ability to post a Statement of Interest through www.grants.gov.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
This call for Statements of Interest will appear on www.grantsolutions.gov, www.grants.gov, and G/TIP’s website, www.state.gov/g/tip, as well as websites of U.S. embassies.
Anticipated Time to Award: G/TIP will work to award grant funds to successful applicants by September 30, 2010.
Reporting and Monitoring Requirements: Applicants selected for an award must meet the following reporting and policy requirements:
1. Reporting Requirements: Grantees are required to submit semi-annual program progress and financial reports throughout the project period and final reports 90 days after the close of the project period. Access to funds may be suspended if reports are late or incomplete.
2. Grant Monitoring: G/TIP places emphasis on monitoring and evaluation of all funded projects. Grantees should expect to have their programs visited and reviewed by a grants and/or programs officer. On-site reviews include assessment of program and administrative effectiveness.
Anti-Prostitution Policy and Requirements: The U.S. Government is opposed to prostitution and related activities, which are inherently harmful and dehumanizing, and contribute to the phenomenon of trafficking in persons. Consistent with the TVPA, grantees are required to agree to the following special conditions prior to a grant being awarded:
1. None of the funds made available herein may be used to promote, support, or advocate the legalization or practice of prostitution. Nothing in the preceding sentence shall be construed to preclude assistance designed to combat trafficking in persons, including programs for prevention, protection of victims, and prosecution of traffickers and others who profit from trafficking in persons, by ameliorating the suffering of, or health risks to, victims while they are being trafficked or after they are out of the situation that resulted from such victims being trafficked. The recipient shall insert this provision in all subagreements under this award. TVPA sec. 113(g)(1) (P.L. 108-193).
2. An organization receiving funds for any program targeting victims of severe forms of trafficking must affirmatively state one of the following conditions, and shall also insert one of these provisions in all sub-agreements under an award. TVPA sec. 113(g)(2) (P.L. 108-193). Either:
- “That it does not promote, support, or advocate the legalization or practice of prostitution and will not promote, support, or advocate the legalization or the practice of prostitution during the term of this grant.”
Or: - “That it has no policy on prostitution and will remain neutral during the term of this grant.” See 149 Cong. Rec. H10287 (Daily Ed. November 4, 2003).
New TVPA Requirement for Training of Trafficking Victim Assistance Personnel:
Any applicant seeking funding under this solicitation must be prepared to make the following certification in its full proposal:
- Applicant hereby certifies that, to the extent practicable, persons or entities providing legal services, social services, health services, or other assistance have completed, or will complete, training in connection with trafficking in persons.
TVPA sec. 107A(b)(1) (P.L. 110-457).
BIDDERS’ CONFERENCE
G/TIP will host a Bidders’ Conference on November 5, 2009, at the Department of State in Washington, DC. This conference will provide an opportunity for interested parties to learn more about the G/TIP request for Statements of Interest (SOI), G/TIP programming priorities, the SOI submission/review process, and the management of grant awards to successful applicants. Information about this conference can be viewed on our website at: www.state.gov/g/tip. Materials from the conference will be published on the website after November 5, 2009.
CONTACT INFORMATION
A) For assistance with the requirements of this solicitation, please contact Mark Forstrom at ForstromMA@state.gov.
B) For assistance with GrantSolutions.gov please contact Customer Support at 1-800-618-0223 or 1-301-231-6005 or help@grantsolutions.gov. Customer Support is available 8 AM – 6 PM EST, Monday – Friday.
C) For assistance with Grants.gov, please call the Contact Center at 1-800-518-4726 or support@grants.gov. The Contact Center is available 7 AM – 9 PM, EST (closed on Federal Holidays).
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