November 2007 Request for Applications (RFA) for Grants to Deal with Landmines, Explosive Remnants of War, and At-Risk Small Arms, Light Weapons, and Munitions Stockpiles: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Question #1: Where can one find full versions of the abbreviated Country Plans presented in the RFA?

Answer: The abbreviated versions include information sufficient to provide a description of the goals, objectives, and activities occurring and planned for each country in which we have an existing program.

Question #2: Is the RFA open to individuals who wish to apply?
Question #3: Can you tell me if a local United Nations Association (UNA) would be entitled to apply?
Question #4: Is this grant open to non-U.S. NGOs?

Answer to Questions 2, 3, and 4: Section D in Attachment 1 of the RFA announcement discusses eligibility criteria specifically. An individual, a local UNA, a non-US NGO, or an academic institution would need to be registered as an American non-governmental organization (NGO), International NGO (INGO) or Public International Organization (PIO) in the United States, or in the Nation of Origin, or the United Nations. The applicant would need to include legal documentation in order to verify such status.

Question #5: Would these types of programs accept either military/academic or military only proposed projects?

Answer: The Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement's (PM/WRA) mission is humanitarian. Therefore, requests for applications for grants should be oriented to humanitarian objectives and goals. For example, a project to clear landmines and explosive remnants of war from a former battlefield in order to enable displaced persons to safely settle there, or for other peaceful pursuits to be safely conducted there, would be eligible for consideration. By contrast, a project to clear a mined area in order to strengthen the host nation's ability to conduct future offensive operations through that area would be ineligible for consideration. As a further example, based on an actual initiative in the past, a proposal to provide mine detecting dogs (MDD) and appropriate training to handle the MDDs in order to improve genuine humanitarian mine action operations conducted by a host nation's military deminers would be eligible for consideration. However, a project to provide MDDs to a host nation's military deminers in order to enable them to improve their military demining capability would not be considered. With respect to a proposal to help a host nation with, for example, improving the security of its stockpiles and conventional arms, the considerations would still have to be based on a humanitarian imperative. For example, a project that would help the host nation to better manage arms inventory controls and/or improve the physical security of the host nations munitions, in order to prevent a spontaneous, catastrophic explosion that would harm surrounding communities, or that would prevent arms or munitions from being obtained by criminals, terrorists, or illicit arms traffickers, would be eligible for consideration.

Question #6: Can applicants from commercial entities prepare proposals or is eligibility limited to non-profit entities?

Answer: A proposed Federal assistance award, of any amount, to a commercial firm must be approved by the Office of the Procurement Executive (A/OPE) prior to award. Moreover, any award is also subject to the competition requirements codified in 31 U.S.C. 6301(3).

Essentially, commercial entities are eligible for funding on condition that they not use the grant for profit-making activities and that they not include fees or profit within the budget proposal. The grant would cover costs only. The entity must submit assurances in the form of an official letter or other written statement to that effect.

Questions #7: Are proposals which focus on work exclusively related to reducing the illicit trafficking in small arms/light weapons in relevant counties of interest permissible? Or, is work in countries of interest expected to address both landmine related work as well as SA/LW?

Answer: Under Category 1, PM/WRA will accept proposals that exclusively relate to reducing the illicit trafficking in small arms/light weapons in countries where it is feasible. There does not need to be any link to mine action programs.

Question #8: Are proposed activities restricted to only the countries listed and summarized in the RFA?

Answer: No, proposals are not restricted to only the countries listed and summarized in the RFA. PM/WRA will consider proposals that encapsulate any of the six objectives for any country. However, the list of countries was compiled and presented to communicate PM/WRA's foci for humanitarian demining and weapons removal programs. Due to budget limitations, it is in these countries that the office has chosen to concentrate priority and support efforts.