Notice of Funding Opportunity — 2018 Cluster Munition Remnant Survey (CMRS) and Clearance in Eastern Cambodia

Program Office: Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement
Opportunity Title: 2018 Cluster Munition Remnant Survey (CMRS) and Clearance in Eastern Cambodia
Announcement Type: Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)
Funding Opportunity Number: 18.PMWRA.Cambodia.CMRSandClearance.NOFO
Deadline for Applications: Tuesday, January 16, 2017 at 5:00 PM EST
Award Type: Cooperative Agreement
Cost Sharing Requirement: No

1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement (PM/WRA) is pleased to invite eligible organizations to submit applications for a cooperative agreement to conduct Cluster Munition Remnant Survey (CMRS) and Clearance in Eastern Cambodia during fiscal year 2018 and 2019. Specific goals, objectives, and technical requirements for application packages are detailed below. PM/WRA anticipates awarding up to $4,000,000 under this opportunity.

PM/WRA will evaluate applications on a competitive basis using the evaluation criteria explained below and will provide funding for the application(s) found most likely to achieve PM/WRA’s goals and objectives within the stated monetary and time parameters. To be eligible for award consideration, you must submit your application via www.grants.gov  by 5:00 PM EST on Tuesday, January 16, 2018. PM/WRA will not accept applications submitted via e-mail, fax, the postal system, or delivery companies/couriers. Applicants may submit more than one application if they would like to propose multiple project ideas; however, each application should be submitted only once.

2. BACKGROUND

PM/WRA administers the U.S. Conventional Weapons Destruction (CWD) foreign assistance program to reduce the harmful worldwide effects of at-risk, illicitly-proliferated, and indiscriminately-used conventional weapons of war. PM/WRA announces competitive CWD grant opportunities as funding becomes available and strives to award grants by the end of the same fiscal year.

PM/WRA has provided CWD assistance to Cambodia since 1993. To date, we have provided over $124 million for projects that comprehensively supported the CWD sector in Cambodia in areas such as survey and clearance of explosive remnants of war (ERW); risk education; victim assistance; physical security and stockpile management; and capacity development.

For the FY 2018 funding cycle, PM/WRA is prioritizing:

• Survey and Clearance of U.S.-origin contamination in Eastern Cambodia.
• Survey and Clearance in Western Cambodia.
• Efforts to define and draft a comprehensive plan to make Eastern Cambodia free from the humanitarian impact of U.S.-origin conventional munitions.
• Employ regionally developed best practices for addressing explosive remnants of war contamination through use of the Cluster Munition Remnant Survey (CMRS) methodology.
• Clearance of confirmed hazardous areas identified through CMRS.
• Physical security and stockpile management.
• Capacity development that will support a sustainable national mine action capacity in Cambodia.

To this end, PM/WRA is inviting eligible organizations to submit a proposal that addresses the following areas:

• Survey and Clearance of U.S.-origin explosive remnants of war (ERW) contamination in Eastern Cambodia.
• Define and draft a comprehensive plan to make Eastern Cambodia free from the humanitarian impact of U.S.-origin ERW.
• Employ regionally developed best practices for addressing explosive remnants of war contamination through use of the Cluster Munition Remnant Survey (CMRS) methodology.
• Clearance of confirmed hazardous areas identified through CMRS.
• Strengthening cooperation between the U.S. and Cambodian mine action authorities and supporting capacity development for a sustainable national mine action capacity in Cambodia.

3. GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

PM/WRA Goals and Objectives

1. Enhance regional security by reducing at-risk, illicitly proliferated, or indiscriminately used conventional weapons of war.
   1. Secure stockpiles of surplus, obsolete, or otherwise at-risk conventional weapons of war.
   2. Destroy stockpiles of surplus, obsolete, or otherwise at-risk conventional weapons of war.
2. Increase civilian security by protecting lives and property.
   1. Reduce the risk of accidental detonation at military depots.
   2. Clear mines and explosive remnants of war (ERW).
   3. Return of land and infrastructure to productive use.
   4. Assist the rehabilitation and reintegration into society of survivors of accidents involving mines and other ERW.
   5. Educate the public about the risk of mines and other ERW.
   6. Enhance host nations’ CWD program capacity.
3. Promote U.S. foreign policy interests.
   1. Demonstrate support for friends and allies.
   2. Enhance public awareness of benefits of CWD.
   3. Integrate gender mainstreaming into CWD programs.

Project Scope

This NOFO will only address projects that include all of the following goals:

• Conduct Cluster Munition Remnant Survey (CMRS) activities in Eastern Cambodia to identify Confirmed Hazardous Areas (CHAs).
• Conduct Clearance of CHAs identified through CMRS
• Define and draft a comprehensive plan to make Eastern Cambodia free from the humanitarian impact of U.S.-origin ERW.
• Strengthening cooperation between the U.S. and Cambodian mine action authorities and supporting capacity development for a sustainable national mine action capacity in Cambodia.

PM/WRA anticipates this award will cover a 24-month project period. Subject to the availability of duly-appropriated funds and satisfaction of applicable legal requirements and notifications, PM/WRA anticipates awarding up to $2 million for an initial 12-month period of performance, with up to $2 million additional potentially available for a follow-on 12-month period. Depending on the project’s efficiency and effectiveness, and subject to future availability of funds, the project may be renewed annually thereafter for a maximum total project duration of five years. Projects must be approved by and coordinated with relevant host nation authorities to the greatest extent possible. The specific deliverables included in the proposal for each goal must include but are not limited to the following:

• Conduct Cluster Munition Remnant Survey (CMRS) activities in Eastern Cambodia to identify Confirmed Hazardous Areas (CHAs).
  • Estimated number of villages where CMRS will be conducted
  • Estimated number of squared meters that non-technical and technical survey will be conducted on
  • Estimated number of CHAs identified through CMRS
• Conduct Clearance of CHAs identified through CMRS
  • Estimated squared meters of CHAs cleared
• Define and draft a comprehensive plan to make Eastern Cambodia free from the humanitarian impact of U.S.-origin conventional munitions.
  • Within the first 6 months of the project, provide to PM/WRA a draft plan for making Eastern Cambodia free from the humanitarian impact of ERW utilizing the CMRS methodology and clearance – including timelines and funding required. This should be drafted in conjunction and consultation with the Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority based on the data available at that point in time.
  • For the duration of the grant, conduct biannual updates to the draft plan to include any new data and insight.

Project activities must be implemented in Eastern Cambodia in areas that have known U.S.-origin ERW contamination utilizing the CMRS methodology. For the purposes of this NOFO, data from the national database unit within Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority and U.S. bombing data can be used to confirm U.S.-origin contamination. Description of the CMRS methodology must be included in the proposal. The proposal must also include a section on sustainability which addresses how the project will support the capacity development of a sustainable national mine action capacity in Cambodia.

The above information is not meant to be exhaustive, and PM/WRA will consider applications with alternative approaches to meeting the goals and objectives specified above.

4. ANTICIPATED PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

The award is anticipated to be issued for an initial 12-month (one year) period of performance, with up to four additional 12-month option periods.

Applications should detail proposed activities for the initial 12-month period of performance and for the first optional 12-month period (for a total of two years), and should assume up to $2 million per year (for a total of $4 million).

5. APPLICANT & ORGANIZATION CRITERIA

U.S.-based and foreign non-governmental organizations (NGOs), Public International Organizations (PIOs), Foreign Public Entities (FPEs), and institutions of higher education are eligible to apply to this NOFO. 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 should have demonstrated experience administering successful CWD-related projects, preferably in the target country and/or region, or in similarly challenging security environments.

Only organizations that are registered, accredited, and certified to work in Cambodia as of November 16, 2017 are eligible to receive funding under this NOFO. Applications must address eligibility requirements and offer proof of accreditation.

6. DEADLINE & SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

All NOFO applications must be submitted via www.grants.gov  by 5:00 PM Eastern Standard Time (EST) on Tuesday, January 16, 2018. PM/WRA will not accept applications submitted via e-mail, fax, the postal system, or delivery companies/couriers. Applicants may submit more than one application if they would like to propose multiple project ideas; 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 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.grants.gov .

Grants.gov Registration/Application Submission

Applicants must submit applications via www.grants.gov . This website is available to all applicants. If you have difficulty registering on www.grants.gov  or accessing the NOFO, please contact the grants.gov Helpdesk at 1-800-518-4726 or via email at support@grants.gov for technical assistance.

In order to apply for a grant, your organization must complete the Grants.gov registration process. Registration can take between three-five business days or as long as two weeks if all steps are not completed in a timely manner. Please log into http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration.html  to obtain complete instructions on the registration process.

Foreign Registrants: Anyone residing and doing business outside of the United States is still required to complete the five steps of the Grants.gov registration process, in addition to fulfilling supplementary requirements for doing business with the United States government. Please ensure that you have obtained a DUNS number, an NCAGE code, and an “ACTIVE” status in SAM.gov prior to registering in Grants.gov.

The preferred document formats for the uploaded NOFO are Microsoft Word or PDF. Applicants should wait until the upload shows the status as “Successful” before moving to the next part of the application kit.

PLEASE ENSURE THAT THE APPLICATION IS SUBMITTED AFTER UPLOADING ALL OF THE MATERIAL. IF YOU DO NOT RECEIVE A CONFIRMATION PAGE, THE APPLICATION HAS NOT BEEN SUBMITTED.

DUNS Number (Unique Entity Identifier)

A valid DUNS number is required for submission of an application on 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 in the attached at http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform . Additionally, please ensure that registration in the following systems is in a current/active status prior to your organization’s application submission.

US-based organizations may request a DUNS number by calling 1-866-705-5711; the DUNS number is usually provided immediately.

Foreign organizations that do not have a Unique Entity Identifier (DUNS number) will need to go to the Dun & Bradstreet website listed above to obtain the number. *The webform requests generally takes 1-2 business days.

CAGE/NCAGE Registration

For US-based organizations, a CAGE code will automatically be assigned to your entity once you submit your entity’s registration in SAM.gov and the TIN validation has been returned.

NCAGE Codes are required for all foreign entities prior to starting a SAM registration. PLEASE NOTE: The organization’s name, address, and email information used to request your NCAGE Code must match what you used to request your Unique Entity Identifier (DUNS Number). Otherwise, you will receive error messages when applying for the NCAGE code. You can submit your request for an NCAGE Code using the NCAGE Request Tool at https://eportal.nspa.nato.int/AC135Public/scage/CageList.aspx . Detailed instructions are posted at that site. For additional information, please call 1-269-961-4623 or send an email message to NCAGE@dlis.dla.mil.

SAM.gov Registration

SAM.gov registration is required of all applicants. Applicant organizations can obtain assistance for SAM.gov registration by using the following link: https://www.fsd.gov  or by calling 1-866-606-8220 (U.S. calls)/or 1-324-206-7828 (international calls). PLEASE NOTE: The organization’s name, address, and email information used to request your organization’s Unique Entity Identifier (DUNS number) and the NCAGE Code must match what is used to request the SAM.gov validation. Otherwise, you will receive error messages when registering in SAM.gov.

US-based organizations that already have a TIN (Tax identification number), your SAM registration will take 3-5 business days to process. US-based organizations applying for an EIN (employer identification number), please allow up to 2 weeks.

Foreign organizations must have a DUNS number and an NCAGE code prior to completing the SAM.gov registration process.

Please note: If your organization is registered with SAM.gov and your status is NOT listed as ACTIVE, you will need to update your registration prior to receiving an award. SAM.gov requires ALL organizations (foreign and domestic) to register on an ANNUAL basis.

7. APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

PM/WRA will screen all applications to determine whether they meet the technical requirements listed below. PM/WRA will neither evaluate nor consider any application that fails to meet these technical requirements. All applications must be submitted in English.

All application packages must include a proposal with the following components:

• A 12-page (maximum) narrative proposal, which may include a cover page and table of contents
• A 3-page (maximum) budget narrative
• A detailed line-item budget (this can be in Microsoft Excel or PDF format as a separate attachment)
• Optional: Up to fifteen (15) pages of annexes/appendices including organizational work charts, letters of recommendation, or letters of accreditation, among others

The maximum page limit for a proposal is fifteen (15) pages, plus a line-item budget and an additional fifteen (15) pages for optional annexes/appendices.

Application Kit

In addition to the proposal items mentioned above, Grants.gov will prompt applicants to submit several other documents. Directions on what to include in these documents and how to complete them are provided below.

Application Kit Narrative Proposal Budget Narrative Detailed Line-Item Budget Note: These forms must be completed in full, or the application will not be reviewed: SF-424 Form SF-424A Form SF-424B Form SF424C Form (for construction only) SF424D Form (for construction only) Most recent audit Proof of Operational and Organizational Accreditation Certification (if applicable) Inventory of DOS-purchased equipment from previous awards. (if applicable) NICRA Agreement (if applicable) Sub-Award/Sub-Contract Budget (if applicable)

1. Narrative Proposal

A full and detailed narrative proposal should include, but is not limited to, the following:

• Project outcomes, deliverables, and performance indicators plan, including both the quantitative and qualitative indicators that will be used
• Project description, including goals and objectives, and project duration, including methodology, initial work plan, and proposed summer/winter work plans, if required
• Description of how the project meets PM/WRA priorities and the NOFO
• Description of how the program outcomes will be sustained after the program ends
• Cost per square meter, broken down by activity area
  • For example, nontechnical survey, technical survey, clearance, etc.
• Projected geographical areas of activity
• List of the number of personnel that will be employed under the project, along with the number of teams that will be supported
• Project Hazard List as per Project Title Documentation, if applicable
• Full Organizational Structure, including NAMED key personnel and their respective experience
• List of key personnel, including titles, duties, and responsibilities
  • Note: Key personnel are generally limited to 3-5 people, depending upon the project. Key personnel are defined as individuals who contribute to the development or execution of a project in a substantive, measurable way. If key personnel cannot be designated at the time of award, they must be designated within thirty (30) days of the award, per the U.S. Department of State’s Terms and Conditions.

2. Budget Narrative

A full and detailed budget narrative should include, but is not limited to, the following:

• Budget breakdown, with narrative description of each line item in the budget
• Details regarding how all figures/numbers were calculated, if not clearly shown in the detailed line-item budget
• List and describe all international travel individually, and explain the destinations and estimated costs for each flight
• Explanation of and justification for international (expatriate) personnel positions
  • Note: It is a PM/WRA priority to move programs toward national sustainability and to build national capacity.
• Brief IP historical background
• Home Leave/R&R for Expatriate Personnel – number of hours/days allowed under your organization’s policies
• Description of all non-PM/WRA equipment and vehicles that the applicant organization intends to use on the project, if applicable
  • Note: You may insert the estimated time usage value or project cost savings as a footnote of the detailed line-item budget, if necessary.
• Details regarding the applicant organization’s per diem and hotel policies, if applicable
• Post Demining Impact Assessment Methodology Plan (PDIA), if applicable
• Description of activities conducted by sub-awardees/sub-contractors/local partners, if applicable

3. Detailed Line-Item Budget

It is suggested that the budget be presented in a PDF format and that all of the columns are viewable within the constraints of the page. Otherwise it is difficult to review the budget once it is printed.

A full and detailed line-item budget should include, but is not limited to, the following:

• A breakdown of all proposed costs in U.S. Dollars, according to the headline budget categories listed in the SF-424A. If there is no associated expense with a headline budget category, it shall still be listed in the budget, and the amount shall be listed as $0. The headline budget categories are:
  • A – Personnel
  • B – Fringe Benefits
  • C – Travel
  • D – Equipment
  • E – Supplies
  • F – Contractual
  • G – Construction
  • H – Other Direct Costs
  • I – Total Direct Costs
  • J – Modified Total Direct Costs (MTDC)
  • K – Indirect Costs
  • L – Total Cost
• A row for the proposed amount of cost-share, if applicable

Under each of the above headline budget categories where there is an expense, applicants shall provide the following line-item details:

• A – Personnel
  • Expatriate Personnel
    • All expatriate personnel must be listed individually, along with the number of hours of support they will provide.
  • National Staff
    • Please break out national staff positions, where possible, and list the number of hours they will allocate to the project.
  • Note: Multiple personnel of the same category type and number of hours may be grouped together, but the budget layout must be laid out in such a manner that the individual number of hours assigned to each person can be easily calculated by someone reviewing the budget.
    • For example:

Personnel	# of Hours	Cost Per Hour	Total
10 De-miners	1000	$100	$100,000
3 Project Assistants	300	$75	$22,500

• B – Fringe Benefits
  • Personnel Insurance
  • Home Leave/R&R for Expatriate Personnel
    • Note: This should be listed under Fringe Benefits, not under Travel.
• C – Travel
  • International Travel
  • Domestic Travel

1. international and/or domestic airfare – Please indicate origin and destination (country/city), number of travelers and unit cost per round tripNOTE: All travel must be booked with economy class fares only. Applicants must explain differences in fares among travelers on the same routes. Note that all travel, where applicable, must comply with the Fly America Act. For more information see http://www.gsa.gov/portal/content/103191 .
2. in-country travel – Please indicate origin and destination (city), type of transportation, number of travelers and unit cost per traveler per trip.
3. per diem/maintenance: includes lodging, meals and incidentals for both participant and staff travel. Per diem rates may not exceed the published U.S. government allowance rates; however, institutions may use per diem rates lower than official government rates.NOTE: Per diem rates must be prorated and/or removed if applicant will Pay for refreshments and/or meals for participants during a workshop/conference.

• D – Equipment
  • Vehicles Purchased
  • Vehicles Rented
  • Vehicles Leased
  • Note: Equipment is defined as an article of non-expendable, tangible, personal property having a useful lifespan of more than one year and an acquisition cost in excess of $5,000 per unit. Supplies are defined as tangible personal property with an acquisition cost less than $5,000 per unit.
• E – Supplies
  • Fuel/Lubricants, if applicable
  • Note: Equipment is defined as an article of non-expendable, tangible, personal property having a useful lifespan of more than one year and an acquisition cost in excess of $5000 per unit. Supplies are defined as tangible personal property with an acquisition cost less than $5,000 per unit.
• F – Contractual
  • Activities Conducted by Sub-Awardees and/or Local Partners
  • Note: The actual sub-award/sub-contract budget must be attached to the application. If the sub-award operator or budget is unknown at the time of application submission, note that the budgets for sub-awards/sub-contracts must be approved by the Grants Officer before any pass-through costs are allowed. An approved operator may not conduct work without the Grants Officer’s approval of the budget. Any costs associated with a sub-award/sub-contract without Grants Officer approval will be disallowed.
• G – Construction
  • Construction Costs, if applicable
• H – Other Direct Costs
  • Training Costs
  • Insurance for Operations
  • Audit Costs
  • Professional Costs
  • Currency transaction/adjustment fee (0.5% is allowable)
  • Equipment Repair and Maintenance
• I – Total Direct Costs
  • Sum of items A-H
• J – Modified Total Direct Cost (MTDC)
  • The MTDC excludes equipment, rentals (excluding field office rental), and sub-award costs in excess of $25,000 and is used to calculate your indirect costs (see below).
• K – Indirect Costs
  • Indicate in this section of the budget whether or not your organization has a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA). If so, please list the NICRA rate and apply it only to the MTDC. If your organization does not have a NICRA, please note that the maximum allowable indirect rate is ten (10) percent of the MTDC.
• L – Total
  • Sum of items I and K

4. SF-424 Form

The SF-424 Form must be completed online through Grants.gov, or the application will not be reviewed. Instructions for completing the SF-424 Form are as follows:

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. Legal Name: Enter the legal name of the applicant organization.
8b. Employer/U.S. Taxpayer ID Number: Non-U.S. organizations may enter 44-4444444 only if they do not have a U.S. Taxpayer ID.
8c. Organizational DUNS: Enter the 9-digit DUNS number of the applicant organization. If the organization does not have a DUNS number, you may apply for one on the following website: http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform .
8d. Address: Enter the address of the applicant organization.
8e. Organizational Unit: Enter the name of the primary organizational unit (and department/division, if applicable) that will undertake the assistance activity.
8f. Name and Contact Information of Person to be Contacted on Matters Involving this Application: Enter the name, title, and contact information of the person to be contacted on matters involving this application.
9. Type of Applicant 1: Select an applicant type/type of organization.
10. Name of Federal Agency: Enter “Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement.”
11. Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: Enter “19.800.”
12. Funding Opportunity Number: GO will enter info.
13. Competition Identification Number: Leave blank; this will automatically be assigned.
14. Areas Affected by Project (Cities, Countries, States, etc.): In alphabetical order, list the country/countries where project activities will take place. For projects that will take place in more than one region, enter “Global.”
15. Descriptive Title of Applicant’s Project: Enter the title of the proposed project, and delete pre-entered wording, if necessary.
16. Congressional Districts Of: Leave blank.
17. Proposed Project Start Date / End Date: Enter a projected start and end date for the project.
18. Estimated Funding: Enter the amount requested from PM/WRA for the project under “Federal,” and enter any cost-share in the appropriate row (B-E). Otherwise, enter 0.00 in lines that do not apply.
19. Is Application Subject to Review by State Under Executive Order 12372 Process? Select “C: Program is not covered by E.O. 12372.”
20. Is the Applicant Delinquent on any Federal Debt? Select the appropriate box. If you answer “yes,” you will be required to provide an explanation.
21. Authorized Representative: Enter the name, title, contact information, and signature of the organization’s representative who is authorized to sign.

5. SF-424A Form

The SF-424A Form must be completed online through Grants.gov, or the application will not be reviewed. Instructions for completing the SF-424A Form are attached to this NOFO.

6. SF-424B Form

Read the SF-424B Form, and enter the name and title of the applicant organization’s authorized certifying official.

7. Most Recent Audit

Provide a copy of the applicant organization’s most recent single audit, preferably from within the last one (1) year. *U.S. non-federal entities must provide a copy of the SF-SAC coversheet.

1. The recipient’s proposal should include the cost of an audit that:

• Complies with the requirements of 2 CFR 200 Subpart F-Audit Requirements;
• A non-Federal entity (U.S. and foreign) that expends $750,000 or more during the non-Federal entity’s fiscal year in Federal awards must have a single or program-specific audit conducted for that year in accordance with the provisions of 2 CFR 200 subpart F. The audit costs shall be identified by 2 CFR 200.425;
• Foreign Public Entities (including Public International Organizations) may choose to submit audits as part of the pre-award process, but it is not required.

8. Proof of Operational and Organizational Accreditation Certification

If applicable, include this as an appendix to the Narrative Proposal.

9. Inventory of DOS-Purchased Equipment from Previous Awards (if applicable)

If applicable, include an inventory of any equipment purchased with a previous DOS-award that the applicant plans to use on the project advertised in this NOFO. Include this as an appendix to the Narrative Proposal.

10. NICRA Agreement (if applicable)

If the applicant organization has a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA) with the U.S. Federal Government, please provide a copy of it.

11. Sub-Award/Sub-Contract Budget (if applicable)

If applicable, include this as an appendix to the Narrative Proposal.

8. ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

If PM/WRA chooses an applicant’s proposal for funding, the applicant must abide by the following terms and conditions:

1. Standard Reporting Metrics: All conventional weapons destruction (CWD) and humanitarian mine action (HMA) grants must fill out the standard reporting metrics annually on the progress of the grant. It is recommended that a similar format is used for quarterly reporting of progress. In addition, all Humanitarian Demining and surface and sub-surface Explosive Remnants of War (ERW) activities must produce and maintain to-scale maps of these activities and record the location of all landmines and other ERW found and cleared.
2. Key Personnel: Key Personnel are defined as individuals who contribute to the development or execution of a project in a substantive, measurable way.
   1. The Recipient agrees that a partial basis for award of the grant or cooperative agreement is the list of key personnel proposed in the proposal. Accordingly, the Recipient agrees to assign to this task order those key persons whose resumes were submitted with the proposal and are necessary to fulfill the requirements of the award. No substitution shall be made without prior notification to and concurrence of the Grants Officer. All proposed substitutes shall meet or exceed the qualifications of the person to be replaced. The Grants Officer shall be notified in writing of any proposed substitution at least thirty (30) days in advance of the proposed substitution. Such notification shall include:
      1. An explanation of the circumstances necessitating the substitution;
      2. A complete resume of the proposed substitute; and
      3. Any other information requested by the Grants Officer to enable him/her to judge whether or not the Recipient is maintaining the same high quality of personnel that provided the partial basis for award.
3. Gender- and Age Based Reporting Requirement: Recipients shall disaggregate reporting on beneficiaries based on gender and age and report separately on the number of men and women employed in the program funded by the grant. Additionally, the Recipient shall report whether non-technical and technical survey teams include female employees, to ensure the voices of women and girls are included in survey results. Age-based reporting requires that the number of individuals served under the age of 18 and the number served over the age of 18 be listed where possible.
4. Accidents: Recipients shall inform the PM/WRA Grants Officer, Deputy Director for Programs, and relevant Grants Officer Representative (GOR) of any and all accidents, incidents, or events that result in loss of life, limb, or property within twenty-four (24) hours of occurrence.
5. Equipment: Equipment is defined as any non-expendable personal property having a useful life of more than one year and an acquisition cost of $5,000 or more per unit. The recipient must provide PM/WRA with an equipment list, including use requests, on an annual basis. When the Recipient no longer needs equipment purchased under a grant, the Recipient shall request disposition instructions from the Federal awarding agency and include its recommended disposition request. This requirement for disposition applies regardless of the current market value of the property. Only the Grants Officer may make the final determination regarding final disposition or the current market value of the equipment.
   1. An Equipment List must be completed and submitted to the Grants Officer on an annual basis. A separate Equipment List should be filled out per grant award.
6. Conflict of Interest: The non-Federal entity must disclose in writing any potential conflict of interest to the Federal awarding agency or pass-through entity if the effects of the potential or actual conflict of interest cannot be avoided, neutralized, or mitigated before award, in which the employee, officer, or agent must recuse themselves or otherwise is not eligible to participate in the award. Where there is an organizational conflict, the prospective Recipient is not eligible for the award.
7. Substantial Involvement (for Cooperative Agreements only): PM/WRA shall be substantially involved during the implementation of the award agreement in the following ways:
   1. Approval of the Recipient’s annual work plans, including: planned activities for the following year, travel plans, planned expenditures, event planning, and changes to any activity to be carried out under the Cooperative Agreement;
   2. Approval of specified key personnel;
   3. Approval of sub-award Recipients (if any), and concurrence on the substantive provisions of the sub-awards; and coordination with other cooperating agencies; and
   4. Approval of Monitoring and Evaluation Plan
   5. Other country specific approvals will be included in the award documents
8. MANPADS Reporting: During the course of its operations, the Recipient shall immediately alert PM/WRA of any Man Portable Air Defense Systems (MANPADS), Anti-Tank Guided Missiles (ATGM), or other weapons systems of high value that it may discover, and provide as much photographic and forensic evidence as possible to PM/WRA including serial numbers, markings, nomenclature, places of manufacture, and place/date of transfers of missiles and/or gripstocks.
9. IMAS: All of the Recipient’s work on this project, including any MRE components, shall meet International Mine Action Standards (IMAS).
10. MOUs: The Recipient shall seek prior approval from the Grants Officer before entering into any agreements or Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) with foreign governments, to ensure that the agreements are not in conflict with the OMB Circular or the U.S. Department of State Terms and Conditions. MOUs with a host nation government and conditions required for authorization by the national authorities to work in-country are not bound by this provision.
11. USG Acknowledgement: All Department assistance awards must acknowledge the involvement of the USG. However, for awards authorized by the Foreign Assistance Act (FAA) of 1961 or funded by an annual Foreign Operations Appropriations Act (FOAA), acknowledgement of the USG is only required “to the extent practicable.”
12. Budget Revisions: The Recipient may not transfer funds among direct cost categories in which the cumulative amount of such transfers exceeds, or is expected to exceed, ten (10) percent of the total budget without obtaining prior permission from the Grants Officer.
13. The Recipient shall provide all necessary services, equipment, and facilities necessary to accomplish the goals and objectives of this grant.
14. All award recipients must comply with applicable local and national laws in the host country/countries in which this award is implemented.
15. Applicants please be advised that the following will be required if your organization is selected for this announcement.

State Department Leahy Amendment Vetting Requirements:

Funds provided under this award are subject to Section 620M of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended, a provision titled “Limitation on Assistance to Security Forces” (the “Leahy Amendment”). Subsection (a) of that provision states: “(a) In General.—No assistance shall be furnished under this Act [the Foreign Assistance Act] or the Arms Export Control Act to any unit of the security forces of a foreign country if the Secretary of State has credible information that such unit has committed a gross violations of human rights.” Accordingly, none of the funds under this award may be used to provide training or other assistance to any unit or member of the security forces of a foreign country if the Department of State has credible information that such unit or individual has committed a gross violation of human rights.

In signing this agreement, the Recipient agrees to exercise due diligence to ensure compliance with the Leahy provision and State Department policy, and to cooperate with the State Department in implementation of the Leahy requirement for funds under this award. The Department implements the Leahy requirement by vetting units or individuals proposed for training or other assistance to check for credible information of a gross violation of human rights by such units or individuals. To facilitate State Department vetting, the Recipient must provide the following information for proposed participants at least sixty (60) calendar days prior to commencing award activities. This information should be submitted to the U.S. Embassy in the country where the award will be implemented in order to initiate Leahy vetting procedures:

Information needed: Full name, date of birth, country of birth, country of citizenship, gender, rank, title, and organizational affiliation. Please also include the activity and date that the activity will take place—if the person will participate throughout an extended program, please note the timeframe. Participant information should be submitted in the format attached.

Information required for “security forces” personnel: The above information is needed for each member of a foreign police or military unit (security forces, broadly defined) who will participate in any activity under this award. This includes both civilian and military employees of security forces participating in any activities funded under this award, including training, workshops or meetings, conferences, or other activities.

The Recipient must collaborate with the relevant U.S. Embassy on a case-by-case basis to determine if the Leahy requirement applies to specific activities or proposed participants. Individuals who are not members of the security forces but who participate in activities under the award (e.g., politicians, academics, etc.) generally do not need to be vetted.

Submission Deadline: Each candidate must be cleared under Leahy vetting in advance of participation in activities funded under this award. The vetting process typically takes approximately one month, but may take longer if there are a large number of candidates or if issues arise. Thus, all information on proposed candidates must be received by the Embassy at least sixty (60) days in advance of the training event or other activity. The Recipient agrees that it will not include any security forces candidate in training or other activities funded under this award until the State Department advises that the candidate has cleared Leahy vetting and is approved for participation.

9. EVALUATION FACTORS FOR AWARD

Cost Realism Evaluation

The Government may conduct a cost realism evaluation in order to determine if the overall costs proposed (l) are realistic for the work to be performed; (2) reflect a clear understanding of the requirements; and (3) are consistent with the various elements of the applicant’s technical proposal.

Evaluation Criteria

In making the award, the following four areas will be considered:

1. Technical Approach
2. Implementation Plan and Capabilities
3. Experience
4. Cost Effectiveness and Budget Detail

Additionally, as part of the assessment of realism, the Government will assess the likelihood of each applicant’s proposed approach actually being accomplished. Furthermore, in making the award, all factors other than cost, when combined, are significantly more important than cost or price.

10. THE COMPETITIVE REVIEW PROCESS

PM/WRA will evaluate applications meeting all technical requirements as follows:

PM/WRA will convene an application evaluation panel comprised of individuals with knowledge and experience in humanitarian demining, explosive ordnance disposal, and victim assistance programs, as well as regional experts. The panel will assess how well the proposed project(s) meet(s) the priorities, goals, and objectives specified in this announcement.

The panel may also 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 when making final award recommendations to the Grants Officer.

The review panel will use the following criteria when evaluating applications.

Note: PM/WRA reserves the right to change the priorities of the ratings for each NOFO announcement. Each competition adjusts the ranking of the evaluation criteria based upon country and program need.

1. Technical Approach

• How clearly does the applicant understand the specific issues involved in this NOFO, and how well does the applicant understand actual conditions on the ground in the proposed project area(s)?
• How will proposed project activities meet the goals and objectives specified in this NOFO? Are proposed activities relevant and feasible?
• How do proposed activities address long-term institutional and/or organizational development within the country/region, with an emphasis on moving towards independent sustainability? To what extent will proposed project impacts continue beyond the conclusion of U.S. Government funding?

2. Implementation Plan and Capabilities

• How will the applicant organization’s resources, capabilities, and management structure enable it to achieve the goals and objectives specified in this NOFO? Are resources, capabilities, and management structure adequate to support the applicant’s proposed activities?
• Are the applicant’s project management, quality assurance, and staffing plans adequate to ensure that proposed activities are effective, efficient, and safe?
• What risks are involved with the applicant’s technical approach and what steps will the applicant take to mitigate such risks?
• Are proposed sub-awardees/partner organizations qualified to perform their intended tasks?
• To the extent that the applicant proposes sub-awards/partnering arrangements, what are the applicant’s plans for overseeing sub-awardee/partner organization performance? Are oversight plans adequate to ensure effective, efficient, and safe sub-awardee/partner organization performance that conforms to PM/WRA terms and conditions?

3. Organizational Experience & Key Personnel

• What experience does the applicant organization have with successfully implementing projects oriented towards the goals and objectives specified in this NOFO?
• What experience does the applicant organization have with successfully implementing relevant projects in the country/region covered by this NOFO?
• If the applicant does not demonstrate adequate experience, is there substantial risk that the project cannot be performed to satisfaction, on time, and within budget?
• Are proposed key personnel qualified to perform their intended roles? Do they possess relevant experience, expertise, and education? Do they have experience overseeing/managing/implementing projects in the country/region?
• Do proposed sub-awardees/partner organizations have experience with successfully performing relevant tasks, and to what extent is that experience in the country/region covered by this NOFO?
• If there are sub-awards, has the applicant demonstrated the ability to oversee and administer all terms and conditions of the Federal award to the sub-award and ensure proper auditing, vetting, and monitoring compliance?

4. Cost Effectiveness and Budget Detail

• Does the applicant’s budget proposal reflect an efficient use of U.S. Government funding to achieve the goals and objectives specified in this NOFO?
• Are proposed costs both reasonable and realistic for the proposed slate of activities? Are they clearly allocable to specific activities and allowable per OMB cost principals? Are all proposed costs necessary and appropriate?
• Are overhead, general and administrative, and other indirect cost components relatively low as compared to direct activity costs? How much funding will support the applicant’s organizational infrastructure and bureaucracy versus the amount of funding that will directly support project activities?
• Has the applicant provided a budget for the proposed sub-awards/partnering arrangements that are reasonable? If not, have they demonstrated knowledge for the reasonableness of cost of the proposed sub-award/partnering arrangement if they have to submit tenders to partners unknown at the time of submission?

11. EVALUATION PROCESS

The Government shall evaluate the applicant’s Technical Approach, Implementation Plan and Capabilities, Experience, and Cost Effectiveness and Budget Detail, using a four color evaluation scheme. The Government shall assign a color (as defined below), based on the applicant’s ability to support the Government’s requirements. Once the color is assigned for each area, an overall color score will be assigned for the applicant’s proposal. Applications will be ranked within each color score comparing the overall merits of each to other proposals received.

Color Evaluation Scheme

Blue – Outstanding

• The applicant has demonstrated a strong likelihood of successful performance and has no significant weaknesses.

Green – Good

• The applicant has demonstrated a reasonable likelihood of successful performance and any weaknesses can be readily corrected.

Yellow – Marginal

• The applicant has demonstrated a possibility of successful performance and any significant deficiencies may be correctable.

Red – Unacceptable

• The applicant has not demonstrated a possibility of successful performance and its deficiency is uncorrectable without a major revision of the proposal.

12. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

This NOFO will appear on www.grants.gov .

Anticipated Time to Award: PM/WRA will work to execute grant awards to successful applicants pending Congressional authorization of funds in Fiscal Year 2018.

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 quarterly narrative progress reports and quarterly financial reports throughout the project period, along with final reports ninety (90) days after the close of the project period. Please note that access to funds may be suspended if reports are late or incomplete.

2. Grant Monitoring: The Office 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.

13. CONTACT INFORMATION

1. Please direct questions about the requirements of this NOFO to Selecia Banner at BannerSL@state.gov.

2. For assistance with Grants.gov, please contact the Helpdesk at 1-800-518-4726 or via email at support@grants.gov

3. For more information on PM/WRA, please visit: https://www.state.gov/bureaus-offices/under-secretary-for-arms-control-and-international-security-affairs/bureau-of-political-military-affairs/office-of-weapons-removal-and-abatement/.