U.S. Department of State

Funding Opportunity Number: PRM-ECA-11-CA-SA-04082011-PAKISTAN

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number: 19.519 - Overseas Refugee Assistance Programs for Near East and South Asia

Announcement issuance date: Thursday, April 7, 2011

Proposal submission deadline: Tuesday, May 10, 2011 at 12:00 p.m. (noon) EST. Proposals submitted after this deadline will not be considered.

ADVISORY: PRM strongly recommends submitting your proposal early to allow time to address difficulties that may arise due to system delays.

Proposed Program Start Dates: August 1 – September 30, 2011

Duration of Activity: No more than 12 months.

Applicants with multi-year programs must continue to re-compete for PRM funding each year. Furthermore, in funding a project one year, PRM makes no representations that it will continue to fund the project in successive years and encourages applicants to seek a wide array of donors to ensure long-term funding possibilities.

Current Funding Priorities for Afghan Refugees in Pakistan: PRM will prioritize currently available funding for proposed non-governmental organization (NGO) activities that best meet the Bureau’s priorities for Afghan refugees in Pakistan as identified below.

In FY 2011, PRM’s funding priority through non-governmental organizations (NGOs) is to equip Afghan refugees with transferrable skills to earn livelihoods upon return to Afghanistan and to support Afghan refugees and their host communities in Pakistan through maternal/child/reproductive healthcare, prevention of and response to gender-based violence (GBV), primary education services through age 13, and livelihood support to help sustain Afghans who may not be returning to Afghanistan in the near future.

PRM will accept proposals from any NGO working in the above-mentioned sectors, although, given budgetary constraints, priority will be given to proposals from organizations that can demonstrate:

• a working relationship with UNHCR, current UNHCR funding, and/or a letter of support from UNHCR for the proposed activities and/or overall country program (this letter should highlight the gap in services the proposed program is designed to address);
• A proven track record in providing proposed assistance both in the sector and specified location;
• Evidence of coordination with IOs and other NGOs working in the same area or sector as well as – where possible – local authorities;
• A concrete implementation plan with well-conceived objectives and indicators that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and reliable, time-bound and trackable (SMART), have established baselines, and at least one outcome or impact indicator per objective;
• A budget that is appropriate for meeting the objectives and demonstrates co-funding by non-U.S. government sources;
• Appropriate targeting of beneficiaries in coordination with UNHCR and other relevant organizations. Because of PRM's mandate to provide protection, assistance, and sustainable solutions for refugees and victims of conflict, PRM considers funding only those projects that include a target beneficiary base of at least 50% refugees.
• Adherence to relevant international standards for humanitarian assistance. See PRM’s General NGO Guidelines for a complete list of sector-specific standards.

Country Specific Instructions:

In FY 2011, PRM’s funding priority with NGOs is to provide Afghan refugees with the skills and connections to find jobs in Afghanistan and to support Afghan refugee communities in Pakistan through maternal/child/reproductive healthcare, prevention of and response to GBV, primary education services through age 13, and livelihood support in order to achieve self-reliance in Pakistan if return is not yet possible. Proposals that can demonstrate coordinated activities with the United Nations-Government of Pakistan Refugee Affected and Hosting Area (RAHA) initiative will be given priority consideration by PRM.

The following activities are priority areas for PRM in FY 2011:

1. Provision of or improved access to basic health services, especially comprehensive reproductive health and maternal/child healthcare.
2. Gender equality and protection of women (such as combating GBV, working inclusively with men and boys, economic empowerment and livelihoods for women, etc.) and activities to support extremely vulnerable individuals. All projects should seek to address the particular needs of women and children and indicators should disaggregate by gender and age group.
3. Provision of or improved access to primary education services up to age 13 with coursework to support eventual repatriation/reintegration in Afghanistan (e.g. proficiency in Dari, curriculum coordinated with and educational credentials certified by the Afghan Ministry of Education, etc.) or that will help beneficiaries earn a livelihood in Pakistan.
4. Vocational training in marketable skills and, as necessary, provision of the required tool set for the profession (stand-alone vocational training not linked to income-generating activities will not be considered for funding in FY 2011). Partners should conduct market and income surveys before initiating training/livelihoods activities and should seek to identify skills that would be marketable in either Afghanistan or Pakistan.

In FY 2011, PRM is not seeking expansion of programming, but rather is pursuing transitional strategies for the Afghan refugee population in Pakistan. Given budget constraints, the Bureau will place higher priority on programs that address critical gaps in healthcare and protection over those that provide educational or livelihood support.

Transition Strategy: Proposals must include a thoroughly developed transition strategy that outlines a clear and effective plan for moving project activities and services to local, regional, or national governance structures, to local organizations, or to self-reliance strategies at the end of the current project. Components of the transition strategy may include, inter alia, building the capacity of local, district, and provincial government entities (in coordination with UNHCR) or local NGOs to provide services to Afghans; working with beneficiary communities to develop innovative ways to ensure access to healthcare and other services once PRM support ends; engaging government officials and local organizations in planning for project handover and for a post-2012 protection regime for Afghan beneficiaries; and fostering better relations between Pakistani host communities and Afghan refugees. NGOs may present phased transitional approaches, but all transitional strategies must demonstrate a concrete and significant reduction in services/activities by the end of the project period as well as a clear communication strategy to seek beneficiary input on planned changes in service delivery.

To this end, PRM requests that proposals include an objective and corresponding indicators that specifically measure steps the NGO will take during the next 12 months to phase out services and/or transition management of facilities and services to government or local entities in Pakistan. Proposals must include an effective and practicable exit/transition strategy since follow-on funding is not guaranteed. The transition component of proposals will be scored higher than in previous years.

IOs that are engaged in programs relevant to the assistance addressed by this PRM funding announcement should ensure that these programs are made known to PRM on or before the closing date of this funding announcement so that PRM can evaluate all IO and NGO programs for funding consideration.

Funding Limits:

PRM will consider projects submitted with budgets up to $1,000,000.

As stated in the General NGO Guidelines, PRM looks favorably on cost-sharing efforts and seeks to support projects with a diverse donor base and/or resources from the submitting organization.

Proposal Submission Requirements:

See “How to Apply” (http://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant_faqs.jsp#applying) on Grants.gov for complete details on requirements, and note the following highlights:

• Proposals must be submitted via Grants.gov. Organizations not registered with Grants.gov should register well in advance of the May 10, 2011 deadline as it can take up to two weeks to finalize registration (sometimes longer for non-U.S. based NGOs to get the required registration numbers). To register with Grants.gov, organizations must first receive a DUNS number and register with the Central Contract Registry (CCR) which can take weeks and sometimes months. See “Applicant FAQs” section on Grants.gov (http://www.grants.gov/help/applicant_faqs.jsp#applying) for complete details on registering.
• Do not wait until the last minute to submit your application on Grants.gov. Applicants who have done so in the past and experienced technical difficulties were not able to meet the deadline. Please note: Grants.gov is expected to experience continued high volumes of activity in the near future. PRM strongly recommends submitting your proposal early to avoid submission delays. We recommend that organizations, particularly first-time applicants, submit applications via Grants.gov no later than one week before the deadline to avoid last-minute technical difficulties that could result in an application not being considered.
• If you encounter technical difficulties with Grants.gov please contact the Grants.gov Help Desk at support@grants.gov or by calling 1-800-518-4726. Applicants who are unable to submit applications via Grants.gov due to Grants.gov technical difficulties and who have reported the problem(s) to the Grants.gov help desk and received a case number and had a service request opened to research the problem(s), should contact PRM Program Officer Michelle Monsegur at (202) 453-9283 or MonsegurM@state.gov to determine whether an alternative method of submission is appropriate.
• Applications must be submitted under the authority of the Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) at the applicant organization. Having proposals submitted by agency headquarters helps to avoid possible technical problems.
• Pursuant to U.S. Code, Title 218, Section 1001, stated on OMB Standard Form 424 (SF-424), Department of State is authorized to consolidate the certifications and assurances required by Federal law or regulations for its federal assistance programs. The list of certifications and assurances can be found at: http://fa.statebuy.state.gov/content.asp?content_id=161&menu_id=68 )
• NGOs that have not received PRM funding since the U.S. Government fiscal year ending September 30, 2004 must be prepared to demonstrate that they meet the financial and accounting requirements of the U.S. Government by submitting copies of 1) the most recent external financial audit, 2) non-profit tax status under IRS 501 (c)(3), 3) a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number, and 4) an Employer ID (EIN)/Federal Tax Identification number.

Please refer to the “Proposal Submission and Review Process” section in PRM’s General NGO Guidelines. PRM strongly encourages organizations applying for PRM funding to use the PRM recommended proposal and budget templates. Templates can be requested by sending an email to PRM's NGO Coordinator. You must type “PRM NGO Templates” in the subject line to receive an automated reply containing the template.

PLEASE TAKE SPECIAL NOTE OF THE FOLLOWING REQUIREMENTS OUTLINED IN THE PRM’s NGO GUIDELINES:

This announcement is designed to accompany PRM’s General NGO Guidelines, which contain additional administrative information and explain in detail PRM’s NGO funding strategy and priorities. Please use both the General NGO Guidelines and this announcement to ensure that the proposed activities are in line with PRM’s priorities and that your proposal submission is in full compliance with PRM requirements. Proposal submissions that do not meet all of the requirements outlined in these guidelines will not be considered. PRM recommends using the proposal and budget templates that are available upon email request from PRM's NGO Coordinator. Please send an email, with the phrase “PRM NGO templates” in the subject line, to PRM's NGO Coordinator.

• Proposals should outline how the NGO will acknowledge PRM funding. If an organization believes that publicly acknowledging the receipt of USG funding for a particular PRM-funded project could potentially endanger the lives of the beneficiaries and/or the organization staff, invite suspicion about the organization's motives, or alienate the organization from the population it is trying to help, it must provide a brief explanation in its proposal as to why it should be exempted from this requirement.
• Focus on outcome or impact indicators as much as possible. At a minimum, each objective should have one outcome or impact indicator. Wherever possible, baselines should be established before the start of the project.
• To increase PRM’s ability to track the impact of PRM funding, include specific information on locations of projects and beneficiaries. Any project involving the building or maintenance of physical infrastructure must include coordinates of site locations (place name, P-Code, latitude and longitude coordinates).
• Budget must include a specific breakdown of funds being provided by UNHCR, other USG agencies, other donors, and your own organization. PRM strongly encourages multi-lateral support for humanitarian programs.
• Organizations that received PRM funding in FY 2010 for activities that are being proposed for funding under this announcement must include the most recent quarterly progress report against indicators outlined in the cooperative agreement. If an organization’s last quarterly report was submitted more than six weeks prior to the submission of a proposal in response to this funding announcement, the organization must include, with its most recent quarterly report, updates that show any significant progress made on objectives since the last report.

Reports and Reporting Requirements:

Program reporting: PRM requires quarterly and final program reports describing and analyzing the results of activities undertaken during the validity period of the agreement. It is highly suggested that NGOs receiving PRM funding use the PRM recommended program report template. To request this template, send an email with the phrase “PRM NGO templates” in the subject line to PRM's NGO Coordinator.

Financial Reports: Financial reports are required within thirty (30) days following the end of each calendar year quarter during the validity period of the agreement; a final financial report covering the entire period of the agreement is required within ninety (90) days after the expiration date of the agreement.

For more details regarding reporting requirements please see PRM’s General NGO Guidelines.

Proposal Review Process:

PRM will conduct a formal competitive review of all proposals submitted in response to this funding announcement. A review panel will evaluate submissions based on the above-referenced proposal evaluation criteria and PRM priorities in the context of available funding.

PRM may request revised proposals and/or budgets based on feedback from the panel. PRM will provide formal notifications to NGOs of final decisions taken by Bureau management.

PRM Points of Contact:

Should NGOs have technical questions related to this announcement, they should contact the PRM staff listed below prior to proposal submission. (Note: Responses to technical questions from PRM do not indicate a commitment to fund the program discussed.):

PRM Program Officer Michelle Monsegur (MonsegurM@state.gov, 202-453-9283), Washington, D.C.

Islamabad Refugee Coordinator Rafael Foley (FoleyRP@state.gov), U.S. Embassy Islamabad, Pakistan.