Program Office: Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, International Programs
Opportunity Title: J/TIP FY 2013 International Programs to Combat Trafficking in Persons
Announcement Type: Request for Statements of Interest (RSOI)
Funding Opportunity Number: AT-ATC-13-002
Deadline for Applications: Tuesday, January 22, 2013 5:00p.m. EST
The Department of State’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (the TIP Office) is announcing an open competition for fiscal year 2013 funding of projects to combat trafficking in persons outside of the United States. The first stage of competition begins with this solicitation for two-page Statements of Interest (SOI) from eligible organizations interested in submitting proposals for projects that address specific recommendations identified in the 2012 Trafficking in Persons Report. In the second stage, the TIP Office will invite selected applicants to submit full proposals that expand upon their capability to perform the project proposed in the first stage SOIs. U.S.-based and foreign non-profit, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and institutions of higher education are eligible to apply. For-profit organizations are eligible to apply on a limited basis. Public International Organizations (IOs) are not eligible to apply under this solicitation. Pending the availability of appropriated funds, the TIP Office anticipates awarding grants of up to $750,000 per project. All SOIs must be submitted via www.grantsolutions.gov OR www.grants.gov by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) on Tuesday, January 22, 2013.
The Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (Div. A, P.L. 106-386), as amended (TVPA), authorized the establishment of the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons in the U.S. Department of State. The TIP Office provides leadership and coordination within the U.S. government and seeks partnerships with foreign governments, civil society, and multilateral organizations to combat modern slavery utilizing the “3 Ps” strategy: preventing trafficking in persons, protecting and assisting trafficking victims, and prosecuting traffickers. Through targeted foreign assistance, the TIP Office funds programs that address human trafficking, the act of obtaining or maintaining another person in compelled service. This includes forced labor, sex trafficking, bonded labor, involuntary domestic servitude, forced child labor, and child soldiers.
The TVPA 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 on U.S. foreign assistance for governments and NGOs in countries working to eradicate trafficking. The 2012 TIP Report, available at http://www.state.gov/j/tip/rls/tiprpt/2012/index.htm, includes Tier rankings and country-specific recommendations for 181 countries and territories.
The 2012 TIP Report noted that throughout the decade since the UN’s Palermo Protocol was signed and the TVPA enacted into law, most countries (142) have become parties to the Protocol, have passed laws criminalizing all forms of human trafficking, and have begun to develop victim assistance mechanisms. However, the numbers of victims identified, victims assisted, and traffickers convicted remains alarmingly low. The challenge of the next decade is for governments to fully implement the legal and programmatic frameworks that have been created.
Through this solicitation and in keeping with the priorities identified in the TIP Report, the TIP Office seeks to fund programs that assist foreign governments to enforce laws to combat human trafficking and expand victim assistance services, demonstrate model approaches to combating human trafficking, and add to our knowledge and understanding of how best to eradicate this form of modern slavery through comprehensive research and evaluation.
Information on the USG’s international anti-trafficking efforts to combat human trafficking is available on at http://www.state.gov/j/tip/response/index.htm. A list of programs the TIP Office recently funded is available at: http://www.state.gov/j/tip/intprog/index.htm.
The TIP Office allocates some of its foreign assistance funds through an open two-stage competitive process that begins with an annual solicitation for applications each fiscal year. The tremendous interest globally in anti-trafficking program support has made the competition for funding very rigorous. In 2012, the TIP Office received 518 first-stage applications requesting $281 million in funding.
This solicitation announces the first stage of the 2013 grant competition. Applicants may submit a Statement of Interest (SOI), a two-page summary of a proposed project that includes the information described below. Following a technical review and an interagency competitive review panel, selected applicants will be invited to submit a full proposal that expands on their SOIs. These second-stage proposals will then be reviewed by the TIP Office and considered for funding.
The global trends and country-specific recommendations listed in the country narratives of the 2012 TIP Report serve as a diagnostic tool and guide anti-trafficking programming under this announcement. Applicants are urged to review these recommendations before developing and submitting an application for funding.
Pending the availability of appropriated funds, the TIP Office anticipates awarding grants of up to $750,000 for project periods of up to 36 months to successful organizations in the second stage of this competition.
U.S.-based and foreign non-profit and non-governmental organizations (NGO) and accredited educational institutions are eligible and encouraged to submit SOI applications. For-profit organizations are also eligible to submit SOIs ; however, they may not generate a profit from grant-funded activities.
Generally, the TIP Office prioritizes foreign assistance in countries ranked as Tier 3, Tier 2 Watch List, and in some cases, Tier 2, where governments lack the economic resources and trafficking expertise to effectively address the problem.
Given the limited funding planned, the TIP Office has identified 14 countries for this solicitation based on a review of the TIP Report Tier rankings over the past two years; consultation with other offices in the Department; and consideration of recent anti-trafficking program funding from this Office, other USG agencies, or other donors. The TIP Office recognizes that some countries with significant trafficking problems and a need for assistance may not be among the 14 countries identified below.
The TIP Office is only interested in SOIs for countries that are specifically named for funding consideration in this solicitation, and these SOIs must be responsive to the country-specific recommendations listed below the respective country and articulated in the 2012 TIP Report. SOIs for projects taking place in countries that are not identified in this solicitation or that do not address a priority objective for an identified country will be rejected during the technical review process.
The countries and regions selected for funding consideration in this solicitation are listed below. The TIP Office has selected 14 Countries from 5 regions in which projects will be considered for funding under this solicitation.
1. The TIP Office seeks to fund programs in Kenya that focus on the country’s needs for:
According to the 2012 TIP Report, the recommendations for Kenya within these categories are:
2. The TIP Office seeks to fund programs in Senegal that focus on the country’s needs for:
According to the 2012 TIP Report, the recommendations for Senegal within these categories are:
3. The TIP Office seeks to fund programs in Sierra Leone that focus on the country’s needs for:
According to the 2012 TIP Report, the recommendations for Sierra Leone within these categories are:
4. The TIP Office seeks to fund programs in South Sudan that focus on the country’s needs for:
According to the 2012 TIP Report, the recommendations for South Sudan within these categories are:
5. The TIP Office seeks to fund programs in Uganda that focus on the country’s needs for:
According to the 2012 TIP Report, the recommendations for Uganda within these categories are:
1. The TIP Office seeks to fund programs in Cambodia that focus on the country’s needs for:
According to the 2012 TIP Report, the recommendation for Cambodia within this category is:
2. The TIP Office seeks to fund programs in Malaysia that focus on the country’s needs for:
According to the 2012 TIP Report, the recommendation for Malaysia within this category is:
1. The TIP Office seeks to fund programs in Jordan that focus on the country’s needs for:
According to the 2012 TIP Report, the recommendations for Jordan within these categories are:
1. The TIP Office seeks to fund programs in Afghanistan that focus on the country’s needs for:
According to the 2012 TIP Report, the recommendations for Afghanistan within these categories are:
2. The TIP Office seeks to fund programs in Bangladesh that focus on the country’s needs for:
According to the 2012 TIP Report, the recommendation for Bangladesh within this category is:
1. The TIP Office seeks to fund programs in Costa Rica that focus on the country’s needs for:
According to the 2012 TIP Report, the recommendations for Costa Rica within this category are:
2. The TIP Office seeks to fund programs in the Dominican Republic that focus on the country’s needs for:
According to the 2012 TIP Report, the recommendations for the Dominican Republic within this category are:
3. The TIP Office seeks to fund programs in Honduras that focus on the country’s needs for:
According to the 2012 TIP Report, the recommendation for Honduras within this category is:
4. The TIP Office seeks to fund programs in Mexico that focus on the country’s needs for:
According to the 2012 TIP Report, the recommendations for Mexico within this category are:
No countries in the EUR region have been identified for funding consideration in this solicitation.
The country-specific recommendations listed within each country named for funding consideration will guide anti-trafficking program decisions under this announcement. The TIP Office is interested only in proposals that meet these identified activities. Strong partnerships involving NGOs and multilateral organizations and government agencies that promote sustainable institutional development and ongoing structural impact are encouraged.
Applicants are reminded that the target beneficiaries of our work are trafficked persons or persons at risk of being trafficked, which are inherently a vulnerable group and who are often targeted because of one or more other vulnerabilities. These groups may include women and those vulnerable to gender-based violence; children; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or intersex (LGBTI) individuals; the elderly; the sick; the disabled; and other minorities. Applicants are encouraged to practice inclusivity of vulnerable and underserved populations in developing project plans. Please review the Additional Information section at the end of the solicitation for further details about the Department of State’s guidelines concerning vulnerable populations.
U.S.-based and foreign NGOs, institutions of higher education, and for-profit organizations are eligible to apply. Public International Organizations will not be funded under this solicitation. For-profit organizations, including small and disadvantaged businesses, may apply, but such organizations may not generate a profit from activities funded by the TIP Office. 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 applications; however, the TIP Office intends to provide funding to a wide range of qualified, capable organizations that do well in the competitive review. Those who submit multiple applications are reminded to tailor each application to their organization’s particular strengths and country-specific experience.
The TIP Office recognizes the important role of civil society leadership in combating human trafficking and thus encourages U.S.-based NGOs and institutions of higher education to partner with NGOs 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. Applicant organizations should have demonstrated experience administering successful projects, preferably in the target country and/or region, and in human trafficking or in similarly challenging program areas.
All SOIs will be screened to determine whether they meet the Technical Requirements listed below. SOIs that do not meet the Technical Requirements will not be considered for funding.
Technical Requirements: Statements of Interest (SOI) Applications MUST include these two parts. Do not submit additional documents. No additional documents will be reviewed.
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 with the amount requested in U.S. dollars.
Note: The font-size requirement is designed to ensure that all applicants have an equal opportunity to present their ideas in the SOI. Thus, the entire SOI must be in a 12-point font, including charts. Organization logos, headers, footnotes, and other wording in small fonts that do not meet the 12 point font requirement should not be included. Please double check your submission to ensure the font size is correct.
Complete the SF-424 and SF-424B forms as described in the instructions provided through www.grantsolutions.gov or www.grants.gov.
In addition, the following specific information may be helpful when completing the fields of the SF-424.
1. Type of Submission: Application
2. Type of Application: New
3. Date Received: Leave blank. This will automatically be assigned.
4. Applicant Identifier: Leave blank
5a. Federal Entity Identifier: Leave blank
5b. Federal Award Identifier: Leave blank
6. Date Received by State: Leave blank. This will automatically be assigned
7. State Application Identified: Leave blank. This will automatically be assigned
8a. Enter the legal name of the applicant organization. Do NOT list abbreviations or acronyms unless they are part of the organization’s legal name.
8b. Employer/Taxpayer ID Number: Non-U.S. organizations enter 44-4444444
8c. Enter organizational DUNS number (Data Universal Numbering System). Organizations can request a DUNS number at http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform
8d. Enter the address of the applicant
8e. Enter the name of the primary organizational unit (and department or division, if applicable) that will undertake the assistance activity, if applicable
8f. Enter the name, title, and all contact information of the person to be contacted on matters involving this application
9. Select an applicant type (type of organization)
10. Enter: Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons
11. Select: 19.019
12. Enter the Funding Opportunity Number and title. This number will already be entered on electronic applications.
13. Enter the Competition Identification Number and title. This number will already be entered on electronic applications.
14. Areas Affected by Project: List the country or countries where project activities will take place in alphabetical order
15. Enter the title of your proposed project (if necessary, delete pre-printed wording)
16. Congressional districts of Applicant and Program: Applicant if based in the U.S. please enter congressional district; if unknown or a foreign applicant please enter “90.” In box 16(b) for congressional district of program please enter “90.”
17. Enter the start date of September 30, 2013 and your projected end date
18. (18a) Enter the amount requested for the project described in the SOI under “Federal”; (18b) enter any cost-share under “Applicant”. Otherwise, use zeros
19. Enter “c”
20. Select the appropriate box. If you answer “yes” to this question you will be required to provide an explanation.
21. Enter the name, title, and all contact information of the individual authorized to sign for the application on behalf of the applicant organization.
The two-page Statement of Interest document should include the following information.
1. Brief description of the applicant organization and partner or partners, previous work in the country/region where the work would be performed, and previous work to combat human trafficking. Information should clearly demonstrate the organization’s record and capacity and may include previous grant management experience. A general organizational history is not required.
2. Description of how the project meets the TIP Office’s funding priorities, as described in this announcement.
3. Project description, including goals and objectives, intended beneficiaries, and duration.
4. Project outcomes, deliverables, and performance indicators.
5. The amount of funding requested in U.S. dollars. If cost sharing is proposed, include the amount of the proposed cost share in U.S. dollars. No other budget figures are requested or required.
All SOIs will be screened to determine whether they meet the technical requirements stated in this announcement. SOIs that do not meet the technical review requirements listed above will not be considered for funding.
Those 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 priorities outlined in this announcement and addresses the information outlined in the Content section above. Following this panel review, the TIP Office will invite highly rated applicants to submit full proposals that expand on the SOI; this is the second stage of the competitive grant process. Once notified, applicants will have 30 days to submit a full proposal under a limited competitive announcement.
Full proposals will then be reviewed by members of the J/TIP office, and recommendations regarding projects to fund will be made to the Ambassador-at-Large to Combat Trafficking in Persons for review. The Ambassador, 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 Ambassador’s recommendations will be forwarded to the TIP Office of the Director of U.S. Foreign Assistance; final approval and Congressional Notification must take place before each grant or cooperative agreement is awarded.
The review panel members will use the following criteria when evaluating SOI proposals.
-- Organizational Capability and Record of Performance
The TIP Office will consider the past performance of prior recipients and the potential of new applicants. Strong knowledge of TIP issues and the trafficking context in the country where the project would take place should be demonstrated. Applicants should describe key partnerships that will be employed to achieve proposed goals and objectives.
-- Quality of Project Idea
The SOI should be responsive to country-based needs identified in this solicitation and articulated in the TIP Report.
-- Program Goals/Objectives
The SOI should demonstrate a logical approach and present project objectives that are measurable and achievable during the project period.
-- Project Outcomes, Deliverables, and Performance Indicators
Output and outcome indicators should be clearly linked to project goals and objectives. The SOI should clearly describe the potential impact on the TIP situation in the target country or region.
-- Requested Amount and Cost Share
Cost effectiveness as it relates to the scope of the proposed project will be assessed. Cost share is considered a positive as it can enhance the potential scope and impact of the project beyond the period of the TIP Office’s funding.
All SOIs must be submitted via www.grantsolutions.gov OR www.grants.gov by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) on Tuesday, January 22, 2013. The TIP Office will not accept proposals submitted via email, fax, the postal system, delivery companies, couriers, or U.S. Embassies. Applicants may submit more than one application; however, each application should be submitted only once.
Applicants are strongly encouraged to initiate electronic applications early in the application development process, and to submit before the due date or early on the due date. 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.
Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit applications via www.grantsolutions.gov.
Organizations using www.grantsolutions.gov for the first time should register on the www.grantsolutions.gov site to create a New Applicant account as soon as possible. This process must be completed before an application can be submitted. To register with www.grantsolutions.gov, follow the “First Time Applicants” link and complete the “GrantSolutions.gov New Applicant Sign Up” application form. Organizations that have previously used www.grantsolutions.gov do not need to register again. If an organization that has previously used GrantSolutions.gov is not able to access the system, please contact Customer Support for help in gaining access: help@grantsolutions.gov or call 1-866-577-0771.
A valid DUNS (Data Universal Numbering System) number IS required for submission of an application on grantsolutions.gov. Organizations should verify that they have a DUNS number or take the steps needed to obtain one as soon as possible. Instructions for obtaining a DUNS number can be found at http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform.
A SAM (System for Award Management) registration IS NOT required prior to submitting an application via www.grantsolutions.gov, but applicants are advised to register with the SAM system at www.Sam.gov as soon as possible.
Electronic applications submitted via www.grantsolutions.gov must contain the SF-424 online forms (completed) and the SOI document (Project Narrative) specified in the application kit. No additional documents should be uploaded. The preferred document formats for the uploaded SOI are .doc or .docx. Applicants should wait until the upload shows the status as Successful before moving to the next part of 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 Standard 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. Please print this page for your records.
For assistance with www.grantsolutions.gov please contact Customer Support at help@grantsolutions.gov or call 1-866-577-0771 (toll charges for international callers) or 1-202-401-5282. Customer Support is available 8 AM – 6 PM EST, Monday – Friday, except federal holidays.
Applicants who do not submit applications via GrantSolutions.gov may submit via www.grants.gov.
A valid DUNS number AND a SAM registration ARE BOTH required prior to submitting an application via www.grants.gov.
Organizations should verify that they have a DUNS number or take the steps needed to obtain one as soon as possible. Instructions for obtaining a DUNS number can be found at http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform.
Instructions for registering with SAM can be found at www.sam.gov. Prior to July 2012, this functionality was handled by the Central Contractor Registration (CCR). In addition, SAM registration must be updated annually to maintain a valid registration. Instructions on how to register with SAM are also present on the Grants.gov website at http://www.grants.gov/applicants/org_step2.jsp.
Electronic applications submitted via the www.grants.gov must contain the three parts listed as mandatory forms in the application package, including the SOI document (Project Narrative). Upon completion of a successful electronic application submission on www.grants.gov, the applicant will receive an email confirmation that the application has been successfully submitted and is in the process of verification. The applicant will then receive another email confirming that the application has been verified. Both emails are provided by grants.gov to verify that an application was received. Please print these emails for your records.
For assistance with www.grants.gov, please call the Contact Center at 1-800-518-4726 or email support@grants.gov. The Contact Center is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, except federal holidays.
This call for Statements of Interest (SOI) will appear on www.grantsolutions.gov, www.grants.gov, and the TIP Office’s website, www.state.gov/j/tip, as well as websites of U.S. embassies.
Anticipated Time to Award: In most cases, the TIP Office will award grant funds to successful applicants no later than September 30, 2013.
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 program progress and quarterly financial reports at pre-determined intervals 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: The TIP Office monitors and evaluates all funded projects. Grantees should expect to have their programs visited and reviewed by a Grants and/or Program Officer. On-site reviews include assessment of program and administrative effectiveness. Some programs may be selected for independent evaluation, in addition to planned program monitoring.
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 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 sub-agreements under this award.
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. Either:
Or:
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:
Executive Order Strengthening Protections Against Trafficking in Persons in Federal Contracts: Any applicant’s hiring process must be consistent with the U.S. government’s position on preventing human trafficking among federal contractors, specifically:
U.S. National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security: Applicants are encouraged to review the goals of the U.S. National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security for their relevance to applications. In particular, Outcome 3.3 of the Plan provides guidance on efforts to combat trafficking:
And:
U.S. Department of State Policy on Disabilities: The United States Government has made a commitment to protect and advance human rights and fundamental freedoms for all people, including persons with disabilities. To that end, President Obama signed the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) on July 30, 2009, to ensure that every person living with a disability can benefit from the same access and protections, in the United States and abroad.
U.S. Department of State Policy on LGBT Individuals: In preparing applications, grantees are reminded to review the TIP Office’s policy on LGBT individuals. Advancing the human rights of LGBT people, as with our support for other marginalized or vulnerable people, complements and reinforces other U.S. foreign policy priorities, including strengthening civil society, promoting the rule of law, supporting gender equality and advancing the status of women and girls, protecting refugees and asylum seekers, and furthering anti-trafficking efforts, among others. Due to these intersections, violations or abuses of the human rights of LGBT people often also have negative implications for other U.S. foreign policy priorities. Therefore, we must engage host governments and civil society to promote human rights to which all people are entitled, or we are less likely to achieve our broader foreign policy and national security objectives.
The TIP Office has developed an online “Solicitation Presentation” (www.state.gov/j/tip) to provide an opportunity for organizations interested in applying for funding to hear about this request for Statements of Interest. Organizations may submit questions. The questions and answers will be published on the TIP Office’s website (www.state.gov/j/tip) and updated frequently.
A. Please direct questions about the requirements of this Request for Statements of Interest to Chelsea Lord at LordC@state.gov or Zach Winters at WintersZ@state.gov.
B. For assistance with GrantSolutions.gov please contact Customer Support at help@grantsolutions.gov or call 1-866-577-0771 (toll charges for international callers) or 1-202-401-5282. Customer Support is available 8 AM – 6 PM EST, Monday – Friday, except federal holidays. Please note that December 25, 2012, and January 1, 2013, are federal holidays and the help desk will be closed.
C. For assistance with Grants.gov, please call the Contact Center at 1-800-518-4726 or email support@grants.gov. The Contact Center is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, except federal holidays.
