HomeFunding Opportunity Announcements ...FY 2021 Request for Concept Notes for NGO Programs Preventing, Preparing for, and Responding to COVID-19 hide FY 2021 Request for Concept Notes for NGO Programs Preventing, Preparing for, and Responding to COVID-19 Funding Opportunity Announcement April 22, 2021 Download Notice [659 KB] FY 2021 Request for Concept Notes for NGO Programs Preventing, Preparing for, and Responding to COVID-19 Request for Concept Notes Number: SFOP000806 Assistance Listing (CFDA) number: 19.522 – Overseas Refugee Assistance Programs for Strategic Global Priorities Announcement issuance date: Thursday, April 22, 2021 Submission deadline: Thursday, May 14, 2021 at 11:59:59 p.m. (23:59:59) EDT. Submissions after this deadline will not be considered. Funding limits: Unless specified otherwise in Section H (“Global, Regional, and Country Provisions”), program proposals must not be less than the funding floor and not more than the funding ceiling per year or they will be disqualified. Funding floor per award (lowest $$ value): $500,000 per year, unless otherwise specified below Funding ceiling per award (highest $$ value): $5,000,000 per year Anticipated timeframe for notification of selection for full proposal development: Concept notes will be due on 14 May, 2021, 3 weeks (21days) after the announcement issuance date above. PRM anticipates, but cannot guarantee, that within four weeks from the concept note submission deadline, selected concept notes will be notified of request for full proposal development. Selected concept note applications can result in PRM requests for full proposals for amendments to current awards or for new awards. Request for full proposal development does not guarantee an award. Anticipated timeframe for award of selected full proposals: Pending the availability of funding, PRM anticipates, but cannot guarantee, that awards will be made prior to September 30, 2021. ADVISORY: PRM invites interested applicants to join in an informational call on Monday, April 26, 2021 at 09:00 Eastern Time. You may join via the link: https://statedept.webex.com/statedept/j.php?MTID=m9ae5249b9774bd44bd6a5b711466f658 Meeting number: 199 901 5935 Password: imAsm823634 (46276823 from phones) Join by video system Dial 1999015935@statedept.webex.com Join by phone +1-415-527-5035 USA toll +1-929-251-9612 USA Toll 2 Access code: 199 901 5935 All applicants must submit concept notes through the website Grants.gov. PRM strongly recommends submitting your concept note early to allow time to address any technical difficulties that may arise on the Grants.gov website. If you are new to PRM funding, the Grants.gov registration process can be complicated. We urge you to refer to PRM’s General NGO Guidelines “Application Process” section for information and resources to help ensure that the application process runs smoothly. PRM also strongly encourages organizations that have received funding from PRM in the past to read this section as a refresher. PRM strongly recommends concept notes be submitted in Adobe PDF, as Microsoft Word documents may sometimes produce different page lengths based on software versions and configurations. Exceeding page length limits will result in disqualification. All documents must be in English. Organizations can request copies of all PRM-recommended templates and NGO guidelines, by emailing PRM’s NGO Coordinator with only the phrase PRM NGO Templates (exactly as written in bold) in the subject line, to PRMNGOCoordinator@state.gov. Organizations will receive an automated email reply containing the templates. Full Text of Notice of Funding Opportunity Program Description Summary: This solicitation is the first step in a competitive two-part process. After reviewing concept notes, PRM will invite (no later than four weeks after submission) selected organizations to expand their submissions into full single-year (15-page) or multi-year (20-page) proposals for a second competitive review, with objectives, indicators, and detailed budgets for each year of the program. In this second step, selected organizations will have 30 calendar days after they are notified of their selection to submit their full proposals with objectives, indicators, and detailed budgets for each year of the program. Organizations may apply as consortia. For purposes of this notice, PRM considers a consortium to be a group of no fewer than three NGOs that comprise an agreement or group formed to undertake an assistance activity beyond the resources or expertise of any one member. Current partner organizations already receiving PRM funding may apply for COVID funding available through this NOFO by requesting amendments to their current awards. Concept note applications selected for consideration as amendments to existing awards will follow the current PRM process for applying for award modifications. Organizations seeking amendments to existing awards should state this explicitly in their concept note. Request for full proposal development does not guarantee an award. This announcement references PRM’s General NGO Guidelines, which contain additional information on PRM’s priorities and NGO funding strategy with which selected organizations must comply. Please use both the General NGO Guidelines and this announcement to ensure that your concept note submission is in full compliance with PRM requirements and that the proposed activities are in line with PRM’s priorities. Concept note submissions that do not reflect the requirements outlined in these guidelines will not be considered. A. Targeted population: Subject to further definition in the regional descriptions below, concept notes should be for overseas assistance programs that aim to support PRM’s populations of concern, e.g.: refugees and asylum seekers, internally displaced persons, stateless populations, conflict victims, and vulnerable migrants (collectively referred to as Populations of Concern, or POCs) to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. Concept notes should target, at a minimum, 50 percent of POCs listed above. The remaining percentage may be members of host communities. Regional and country specific targeted populations may also be described below in sub-sections under H.ii and H.iii below. B. Program areas: Proposed activities must support one or more of the following program areas: i. Prevent, prepare for, and respond to the health impacts of COVID-19 on PRM’s POCs as well as the health and humanitarian aid workers who serve them; and/or ii. Prepare for, mitigate, and address the economic, education, and protection impacts of COVID-19 on PRM’s POCs, including, but not limited to:. a. Safe and managed access to asylum and protection services amid COVID-19-related restrictions; b. Gender-based violence risk mitigation, prevention, and response; c. Child protection; d. Efforts to prepare for, prevent, respond to, and recover from setbacks in accessing education due to COVID-19; e. Assistance to meet basic needs and recover from economic and livelihood losses resulting from COVID-19; f. Provision of mental health and psychosocial services (MHPSS) for POCs as well as the health and humanitarian aid workers who serve them. C. Sectors and Modalities: Concept notes must focus on one or more of the following programmatic sectors. See PRM’s General NGO Guidelines for sector/modality descriptions: i. Protection; ii. Child protection; iii. Gender-based Violence Prevention and Response; iv. Health; v. Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS); vi. Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH); vii. Nutrition and Food Security; viii. Education ix. Livelihoods; x. Shelter; xi. Core Relief Items; xii. Local Government Capacity-Building; or xiii. Cash and Voucher Assistance[1]. Note: In order to ensure greater accountability for protection outcomes, all overseas assistance program proposals must include the following protection outcome indicator under one of the objectives: Percentage of beneficiaries who report an improved sense of safety and well-being at the end of the program, disaggregated by age and gender. Please see the NGO Guidelines section A.C.1. of Appendix C for more details. D. Maximum Number of Submissions: An organization may not submit more than three concept notes total (including both amendments and new project concept notes). For country-specific programs, organizations may submit a maximum of one concept note per country. Any subsequent submissions by an organization for the same country will be disqualified. Organizations may submit concept notes for additional countries up to the maximum of three in total. Organizations may also submit regional and/or multi-country/global concept notes up to the maximum of three in total. (Note: Submissions by organizations as part of a consortium do not count toward an individual organization’s submission limit.) E. Coordination: Applicants are strongly encouraged to engage with existing national structures or structures operated by International Organizations (IOs) or NGOs to provide services to the target populations, rather than establishing new, parallel structures. If an activity is parallel to or duplicative of the national response, the proposal must address how the project is linked to the national response and provide a brief timeline for transition of the activities to national entities and for phase-out of the applicants’ activities. F. Operating During the COVID-19 Pandemic: We understand the difficult circumstances under which NGOs are currently operating as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and will take that into consideration during our review of applications. Organizations should address how they will implement their proposed program in light of health, safety, and logistical limitations posed by the pandemic and should attempt to ensure that proposed indicators and activities under each objective can be implemented under the challenging circumstances created by the COVID-19 response. G. General Provisions: i. Addressing Gaps: Proposed programming should address a demonstrated gap in one or more of the two program areas noted above. ii. Duration of Activity: Program plans for 1 or 2 years will be considered. iii. Funding limits: Unless specified otherwise in Section H (“Global, Regional, and Country Provisions”), program proposals must not be less than the funding floor and not more than the funding ceiling per year or they will be disqualified. a. Funding floor per award (lowest $$ value): $500,000 per year, unless otherwise specified below b. Funding ceiling per award (highest $$ value): $5,000,000 per year iv. Total Anticipated Amount to be Awarded: PRM anticipates, but cannot guarantee, to award up to approximately $50 million total through this directed NOFO for COVID response. H. Global, Regional, and Country Provisions: Global, regional, and country guidelines appear below. Concept notes for regions and/or countries not specifically listed may be submitted but PRM will prioritize for funding concept notes received for regions and countries specifically covered in the guidelines below. i. Global – Improve and Strengthen Global Humanitarian Response: PRM will consider global concept notes that document and disseminate lessons learned and evidence from partners’ response to COVID-19 with the objective of improving the humanitarian system’s capacity to continue effective program delivery during a large-scale disease outbreak. This could include sector or response-wide tools, guidance, and evidence generation, with a focus on PRM’s populations of concern (refugees and asylum-seekers, internally displaced persons, stateless populations, conflict victims, and vulnerable migrants). Concept notes should address how investments will strengthen internal and system-wide approaches to the COVID-19 pandemic response and support institutional preparedness for future outbreaks. ii. Regional Specific Guidelines: Unless specified otherwise below, proposed programs should be for 1 or 2 years, and for a funding amount not less than $500,000 and not more than $5 million per year. Region Africa Targeted Population Refugees, asylum seekers, and refugee returnees must comprise at least 50 percent of the target beneficiary base Priority Sectors Health, MHPSS, Protection, GBV, Livelihoods, Education, and WASH Funding Limits Not less than $250,000 and not more than $1 million per year for new awards and not more than $500,000 per year for amendments to existing awards. Other Notes Current partner organizations already receiving PRM funding may apply for COVID funding available through this NOFO by requesting amendments to current awards. Concept note applications selected for consideration as amendments to existing awards will follow the current PRM process for applying for award modifications. Region South America Targeted Population Only applications for programs in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela will be considered (see country specific guidelines below). Region Caribbean Targeted Population At least 50 percent Venezuelan refugees, asylum seekers, stateless persons and those at risk of statelessness, and vulnerable migrants in several host countries in the southern Caribbean region. Regional concept notes will be accepted for the Southern Caribbean countries and must include at least one of the following countries: Dominican Republic, Guyana, and Trinidad and Tobago. Priority Sectors WASH, Protection, Livelihoods, Child Protection, Shelter Funding Limits Not less than $500,000 and not more than $1 million for new awards and not more than $500,000 per year as an amendment for existing awards. Other Notes Current partner organizations already receiving PRM funding may apply for COVID funding available through this NOFO by requesting amendments to current awards. Concept note applications selected for consideration as amendments to existing awards will follow the current PRM process for applying for award modifications. Region Mexico, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Panama Targeted Population Concept notes for projects in Mexico, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Panama should primarily support asylum seekers, refugees, and vulnerable migrants in those countries. PRM will consider funding only those programs that include a target beneficiary base of over 50 percent non-host country populations. Priority Sectors Health, Protection, Child Protection, and GBV Funding Limits Not less than $1 million and not more than $2 million per year. Other Notes All proposed projects should respond to the immediate health and protection impacts of COVID-19 on target populations and the health of humanitarian aid workers who serve them. PRM will prioritize selection of proposals that seek to ensure asylum seekers, refugees, vulnerable migrants, and humanitarian aid workers are integrated into vaccine distribution and enjoy equitable access to COVID-19 treatment and other healthcare services/resources. PRM will also consider projects that include, in addition to a primary focus on access to care and inclusion, complimentary activities to support protection needs resulting from COVID-19 restrictions, such as mental health and psychosocial support, safe spaces for children, support to persons with disabilities and their caregivers, and gender-based violence prevention and response. Project activities may also support improved COVID-19 mitigation measures for spaces and processes affecting populations of concern, such as shelters and government immigration authority facilities. Region Southwest Asia Targeted Population Only concept notes for programs in Afghanistan and Pakistan (see country specific notes in the Country section below) iii. Country Specific Guidelines: Unless otherwise specified below, proposed programs should be for 1 or 2 years, and for a funding amount not less than $500,000 and not more than $5 million per year. Country Brazil Targeted Population At least 50 percent Venezuelan refugees, asylum seekers, and vulnerable migrants Priority Sectors Health, WASH, and Protection Funding Limits Not less than $500,000 and not more than $2 million for new awards and not more than $500,000 per year as an amendment for existing awards. Other Notes Current partner organizations already receiving PRM funding may apply for COVID funding available through this NOFO by requesting amendments to current awards. Concept note applications selected for consideration as amendments to existing awards will follow the current PRM process for applying for award modifications. Country Colombia Targeted Population Venezuelan refugees, asylum seekers, and vulnerable migrants must comprise at least 50 percent of the beneficiary base Priority Sectors Child Protection, Education, Health, Protection, Shelter, WASH Funding Limits Not less than $500,000 and not more than $2 million for new awards and not more than $500,000 per year as an amendment for existing awards. Other Notes Current partner organizations already receiving PRM funding may apply for COVID funding available through this NOFO by requesting amendments to current awards. Concept note applications selected for consideration as amendments to existing awards will follow the current PRM process for applying for award modifications. Country Ecuador Targeted Population At least 50 percent Colombian refugees, asylum seekers, and vulnerable migrants in Ecuador and/or at least 50 percent Venezuelan refugees, asylum seekers, and vulnerable migrants. Priority Sectors Protection, WASH, and shelter Funding Limits Not less than $500,000 and not more than $2 million for new awards and not more than $500,000 per year as an amendment for existing awards. Other Notes Current partner organizations already receiving PRM funding may apply for COVID funding available through this NOFO by requesting amendments to current awards. Concept note applications selected for consideration as amendments to existing awards will follow the current PRM process for applying for award modifications. Country Peru Targeted Population At least 50 percent Venezuelan refugees, asylum seekers, and vulnerable migrants Priority Sectors Health, Protection, Livelihoods Funding Limits Not less than $500,000 and not more than $2 million for new awards and not more than $500,000 per year as an amendment for existing awards. Other Notes Current partner organizations already receiving PRM funding may apply for COVID funding available through this NOFO by requesting amendments to current awards. Concept note applications selected for consideration as amendments to existing awards will follow the current PRM process for applying for award modifications. Country Venezuela Targeted Population At least 50 percent Colombian refugees, asylum seekers, and vulnerable migrants Priority Sectors Health, WASH, Protection, Livelihoods, Child Protection, Shelter Funding Limits Not less than $500,000 and not more than $2 million for new awards and not more than $500,000 per year as an amendment for existing awards. Other Notes Current partner organizations already receiving PRM funding may apply for COVID funding available through this NOFO by requesting amendments to current awards. Concept note applications selected for consideration as amendments to existing awards will follow the current PRM process for applying for award modifications. Country Afghanistan Targeted Population Proposed Afghanistan projects should primarily support Afghan refugee returnees, IDPs, and host community members. PRM will consider funding only those programs that include a target beneficiary base of at least 50 percent refugee returnees. Priority Sectors Child Protection, MHPSS, WASH, Health, Livelihoods, Nutrition and Food Security, Shelter, and Education Funding Limits Not less than $1 million and not more than $3 million per year Other Notes Proposed protection projects should focus on longer-term needs of beneficiaries to facilitate safe, voluntary, and dignified returns or local integration, including but not limited to recovery of legal documents and assistance with housing, land, and property rights. Provision of core relief items, cash assistance, and/or local government capacity-building will be considered if integrated in a project focused on one or more of the above sectors. Wherever possible, livelihoods projects should seek to restore or build upon former livelihoods. Country India Targeted Population At least 50 percent Rohingya and other Burmese refugees, and/or urban refugees and asylum seekers Priority Sectors Health, Livelihoods, Protection, GBV, and Child Protection Funding Limits Not less than $500,000 and not more than $3 million per year Other Notes Prefer programs with the ability to operate in multiple locations and across multiple sectors, provided such work supports an integrated program approach. Proposals should not duplicate existing national systems and COVID-19 response mechanisms. For livelihoods programs, priority will be given to activities that demonstrate the ability to deliver sustainable, income-generating, employment opportunities. Country Iraq Targeted Population Iraqi IDPs, Returnees, and/or Syrian refugees Priority Sectors Livelihoods Funding Limits Not less than $1 million and not more than $3 million per year Other Notes Country Jordan Targeted Population Syrian and non-Syrian refugee populations should comprise at least 50 percent of the target beneficiary base. Proposals should specify the breakdown of nationalities supported by each activity. Priority Sectors Protection, GBV, Livelihoods, Health Funding Limits Not less than $1 million and not more than $3 million per year Other Notes Proposals should be in line with activities in the UN’s Regional Refugee and Resilience Plan (3RP) Appeal/Jordan Response Plan and work with existing coordination structures. Country Lebanon Targeted Population Syrian and Iraqi refugees and the communities that host them. Programs beneficiaries must include at least 50 percent refugees. Priority Sectors Protection, GBV, Child Protection, Livelihoods, Health Duration 1 – 2 years. Two-year programs preferred. Funding Limits Not less than $500,000, not more than $3 mil per year Other Notes Proposals should be in line with activities in the Lebanon Crisis Response Plan (LCRP) Appeal. Country Pakistan Targeted Population Afghan refugees. PRM will consider funding only those programs that include a target beneficiary base of at least 50 percent Proof of Registration (POR) cardholding refugees. Priority Sectors Protection, GBV, Child Protection, MHPSS, WASH, Health, Livelihoods, and Education Funding Limits Not less than $500,000 and not more than $1.5 mil per year Other Notes In the education sector for Afghan refugee projects, PRM prioritizes support to children to help them prepare for, enter, participate, and succeed in formal education and to assist youth who may be unlikely to participate in the formal education sector to obtain the necessary skills to transition to adulthood. Provision of core relief items, cash assistance, and/or local government capacity-building will be considered if integrated in a project focused on one or more of the above sectors. In the livelihoods sector, PRM will prioritize sustainable, impact-driven, market-based projects that seek to improve the economic well-being of beneficiaries. Wherever possible, projects should seek to restore or build upon former livelihoods of affected populations. Proposed protection projects should focus on longer-term needs of beneficiaries in order to facilitate safe, voluntary, and dignified returns or local integration, including but not limited to recovery of legal documents and assistance with housing, land, and property rights. Country Thailand Targeted Population At least 50 percent Burmese refugees and asylum-seekers Priority Sectors MHPSS, Health, WASH, Protection, GBV, and Child Protection Location Along Thailand-Burma border. Country Turkey Targeted Population All refugee populations including Iraqis, Afghans, and other International Protection applicants. Priority will be given to programs that target a majority of non-Syrian refugees. Priority Sectors Health Funding Limits Not less than $1 million per year and not more than $3 million per year. Other Notes NGO proposals should be in line with activities in the UN’s Regional Refugee and Resilience Plan (3RP) Appeal/Turkey Response Plan.; All program activities should be consulted with the Government of Turkey. PRM’s health care focus in Turkey is on health services not covered by existing programs and/or provided by the Ministry of Health. This includes projects that help support refugees’ access to health services that are already established. Federal Award Information A. Proposed program start dates: September 30, 2021 B. Duration of Activity: See country-specific guidelines above. Applicants may submit multi-year proposals with activities and budgets that do not exceed two years from the proposed start date. Budgets submitted in year one can be revised/updated for second year. Continued funding after year-one requires the submission of a noncompeting single-year or multi-year proposal and will be contingent upon available funding, strong performance, and continuing need. In funding a program for one year, PRM makes no representations that it will continue to fund the program in successive years and encourages applicants to seek a wide array of donors to ensure long-term funding possibilities. Please see Multi-Year Funding section below for additional information. Livelihoods programs are encouraged to be multi-year (Note: A market analysis will be required if selected for full proposal development). C. Funding Limits: Unless specified otherwise in Section H (“Global, Regional, and Country Provisions”), program proposals must not be less than the funding floor and not more than the funding ceiling per year or they will be disqualified. Funding floor per award (lowest $$ value): $500,000 per year Funding ceiling per award (highest $$ value): $5,000,000 per year D. Anticipated Amount to be Awarded Total: PRM anticipates, but cannot guarantee, to award up to approximately $50 million total through the directed NOFO for COVID response. Eligibility Information A. Eligible Applicants: (1) Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with IRS, other than institutions of higher education (U.S.-based NGOs must be able to demonstrate proof of non-profit tax status); and (2) Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status with IRS, other than institutions of higher education (overseas-based NGOs must be able to demonstrate proof of registration in country of domicile). International multilateral organizations, such as United Nations agencies, are not eligible to submit new applications toward this funding opportunity. B. Cost-Sharing or Matching: Cost sharing, matching, or cost participation is not a requirement of an application in response to this funding announcement. Concept notes and proposals will be considered that describe the sources and amounts of additional funding that may be utilized to complement PRM funding, and meet the following criteria; i. Are not paid by the Federal Government under another Federal award; ii. Are verifiable from the non-Federal entity’s records; iii. Are not included as contributions for any other Federal award; and iv. Are necessary and reasonable for accomplishment of project or program objectives. Please include this information in the Budget Summary of the concept note submission. (Note: Though favorably looked upon, inclusion will not result in a competitive ranking increase when evaluated.) Other A. Concept notes and eventually full proposals must encompass relevant international standards for humanitarian assistance, especially Sphere Standards. See PRM’s General NGO Guidelines for a complete list of sector-specific standards including new guidance on proposals for programs in urban areas. B. PRM strongly encourages programs that target the needs of vulnerable and underserved groups among the beneficiary population (such groups may include: women; children; adolescents; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or intersex (LGBTI+) individuals; older persons; the sick; persons with disabilities; and other religious, ethnic, or other minorities) and can demonstrate what steps have been taken to meet the specific and unique protection and assistance needs of these vulnerable groups effectively. C. PRM will accept concept notes from any NGO working in the above-mentioned sectors, although priority will be given to concept notes from organizations that can demonstrate: i. a working relationship with UNHCR; ii. a proven track record in providing proposed assistance both in the sector and specified location which can include an existing funding relationship with PRM (selected concept note applications can result in PRM requests for proposals for amendments to current awards or for new awards); iii. evidence of coordination with international organizations (IOs) and other NGOs working in the same area or sector as well as – where possible – local authorities; iv. an emphasis on the outcome or impact of program activities. Full objective and indicator tables will only be required if the applicant is invited to submit a full proposal; however, the concept note must generally demonstrate the ability to deliver impact; v. a strong sustainability plan, involving local capacity building, where feasible, will be required if the applicant is invited to submit a full proposal; vi. where applicable, adherence to PRM’s Principles for Refugee Protection in Urban Areas; vii. an understanding of and sensitivity to conflict dynamics in the program location. Application and Submission Instructions A. Address to Request Application Package: Application packages may be downloaded from the website Grants.gov. B. Content and Form of Application: For country-specific programs, organizations may submit a maximum of one concept note per country. Any subsequent country-specific submissions received will be disqualified. Organizations may also submit regional and/or multi-country/global concept notes. An organization may not submit more than three concept notes total. (Note: Submissions by organizations as part of a consortium do not count toward an individual organization’s submission limit.) Concept notes must be no more than 3 pages in length (or 4 pages if a consortia submission) submitted in Adobe PDF, using Times New Roman, 12-point font, with one-inch margins on all sides. Concept notes that are longer than 3 pages (or 4 pages if a consortia submission) will be automatically disqualified. Note: PRM recommends proposals be submitted in Adobe PDF, as Microsoft Word documents may sometimes produce different page lengths based on software versions and configurations. Exceeding page length limits will result in disqualification. (Do not include cover pages.) All documents must be in English. Concept notes must include the following categories, in any arrangement. Brief problem statement, description of target population with anticipated beneficiary numbers, and vulnerability criteria used to identify beneficiaries Program description, location, and duration Proposed measurable outcomes and impact of the program Summary of the organization(s) and experience doing similar work Organizational point(s) of contact Organizations may request copies of all PRM-recommended templates and NGO guidelines, by emailing PRM’s NGO Coordinator with only the phrase PRM NGO Templates (exactly as written in bold) in the subject line, to PRMNGOCoordinator@state.gov. Organizations will receive an automated email reply containing the templates. C. Budget Summaries: Budget summaries must be attached to the concept note and do not count against the 3-page limit (or 4 pages if a consortia submission). The budget summary is separate from SF-424, SF-F24A, and SF-424B documents, which are also required and similarly do not fall within the page limit. Budget summaries should be submitted under the budget narrative section in Grants.gov. Budget summaries must include the following categories disaggregated by year: i. Personnel allowances ii. Benefits iii. Travel iv. Program equipment v. Supplies vi. Contractual vii. Construction viii. Other direct costs ix. Indirect costs x. Total amount requested Organizations can request a budget summary template by emailing PRM’s NGO Coordinator with the with the subject line “PRM NGO Templates” (exactly as written, without quotation marks); this will prompt an automatic reply email with the budget summary template. There should be no attachments, other than the summary budget and SF-424 documents, to the initial concept note submission. D. To be considered for PRM funding, organizations must submit a complete application package including: i. 3-page concept note (or 4-page concept note for consortia); a. PRM strongly recommends proposals be submitted in Adobe PDF, as Microsoft Word documents may sometimes produce different page lengths based on software versions and configurations; b. Exceeding page length limits, including through the inclusion of cover pages, will result in disqualification; and c. All documents must be in English. ii. One page budget summary clearly indicating costs disaggregated by year for the program period. The budget summary does not count against page limits. iii. Signed completed SF-424, SF-424 A, and SF-424 B. These documents do not count against the page limit. Note: Form SF-424B is now required only for those applicants who have not registered in SAM.gov or recertified their registration in SAM.gov since February 2, 2019, and completed the online representations and certifications. E. Organizations may apply to this call as individual organizations or consortia; however, for consortia, one organization must be designated as the lead applicant at both the concept note and full proposal stage. For purposes of consortia applying for PRM funding, PRM’s considers consortium to be a group of no fewer than three NGOs that comprise an agreement, combination, or group formed to undertake, or proposing to undertake, an assistance activity beyond the resources of any one member. PRM may request to review and approve of substantive provisions of proposed sub-awards. Applicants may form consortia in order to bring together organizations with varied expertise to propose a comprehensive program in one proposal. Submissions by organizations as part of a consortium do not count toward an individual organization’s submission limit. If the applicant is applying as a consortium or partnership, a description of how the partnership will be organized and how lines of authority and decision-making will be managed across all team members and between the lead applicant and associate awardees should be included in the concept note. Organizations may request copies of all PRM-recommended templates and NGO guidelines, by emailing PRM’s NGO Coordinator with only the phrase PRM NGO Templates (exactly as written in bold) in the subject line, to PRMNGOCoordinator@state.gov. Organizations will receive an automated email reply containing the templates. F. Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) Number and System for Award Management (SAM). i. Each applicant is required to: a. be registered in SAM at (sam.gov) before submitting its application; b. provide a valid DUNS number in its application; and c. continue to maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which it has an active PRM award or an application or plan under consideration by PRM. ii. No federal award may be made to an applicant until the applicant has complied with all applicable DUNS and SAM requirements and, if an applicant has not fully complied with the requirements by the time the PRM award is ready to be made, PRM may determine that the applicant is not qualified to receive a PRM award and use that determination as a basis for making a PRM award to another applicant. G. Concept notes must be submitted via Grants.gov. gov registration requires a DUNS number and active SAM.gov registration. If you are new to PRM funding, the Grants.gov registration process can be complicated. We urge you to refer to PRM’s General NGO Guidelines “Application Process” section for information and resources to help ensure that the application process runs smoothly. PRM also strongly encourages organizations that have received funding from PRM in the past to read this section as a refresher. Applicants may also refer to the “For Applicants” page on Grants.gov for complete details on requirements. i. Do not wait until the deadline to attempt to submit your application on Grants.gov. Organizations not registered with Grants.gov should register well in advance of the deadline as it can take several weeks to finalize registration (sometimes longer for non-U.S.-based NGOs to receive required registration numbers). We also 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. PRM has extremely limited ability to correct or facilitate rapid resolution to technical difficulties associated with grants.gov, SAM.gov or DUNS number and registration issues. PRM partners must maintain an active SAM registration with current and correct information at all times during which they have an active federal award or an application under consideration by PRM or any federal agency. ii. When registering with Grants.gov, organizations must designate points of contact and Authorized Organization Representatives (AORs). Organizations based outside the United States must also request and receive an NCAGE (https://eportal.nspa.nato.int/AC135Public/scage/CageList.aspx) code prior to registering with SAM.gov. Applicants experiencing technical difficulties with the SAM registration process should contact the Federal Service Desk (FSD) online or at 1-866-606-8220 (U.S.) and 1-334-206-7828 (International). iii. Applications must be submitted under the authority of the Authorized Organization Representative at the applicant organization. Having proposals submitted by agency headquarters helps to avoid possible technical problems. iv. If you encounter technical difficulties with Grants.gov please contact the Grants.gov Help Desk at support@grants.gov or 1-800-518-4726. v. Applicants who are unable to submit applications via Grants.gov due to Grants.gov technical difficulties and: a. who have reported the problem to the Grants.gov help desk; b. received a case number; c. have completed DUNS and SAM.gov registrations d. and had a documented service request opened to research the problem; e. Applicants may contact the PRM NGO Coordinator before the submission deadline to determine whether an alternative method of submission is appropriate. PRM makes no guarantee to accept an application outside of the grants.gov system. H. It is the responsibility of each applicant to ensure the appropriate registrations are in place and active. Failure to have the appropriate organizational registrations in place or are experiencing issues resulting from discrepancies across registration platforms is not considered a technical difficulty and is not justification for an alternate means of submission. I. Submission Dates and Times. i. Announcement issuance date: Wednesday, April 21, 2021 ii. Proposal submission deadline: Thursday, May 14, 2021 at 11:59:59 p.m. (23:59:59) EDT. Concept Notes submitted after this deadline will not be considered. iii. This solicitation is the first step in a two-part process. After reviewing concept notes, PRM will invite selected organizations to expand their submissions into full-length proposals with detailed budgets. Selected organizations will have 30 calendar days after they are notified of their selection to complete their full proposals. J. Intergovernmental Review – Not Applicable. K. Funding Restrictions. Federal awards will not allow reimbursement of Federal Award costs without prior authorization by PRM. L. Other Submission Requirements. i. Branding and Marking Strategy a. The following provisions will be included whenever assistance is awarded: The Recipient shall recognize the United States Government’s funding for activities specified under this award at the project site with a graphic of the U.S. flag accompanied by one of the following two phrases based on the level of funding for the award: Fully funded by the award: “Gift of the United States Government” Partially funded by the award: “Funding provided by the United States Government” b. PRM highly encourages recognition of U.S. Government funding on social media and website platforms to be included in proposals branding and marking strategy. Recipients should tag PRM’s Twitter account @StatePRM and/or Facebook account @State.PRM (rather than using hashtags). Additionally, the applicable U.S. Embassy should be tagged as well. c. Updates of actions taken to fulfill this requirement must be included in quarterly program reports to PRM. All programs, projects, assistance, activities, and public communications to foreign audiences, partially or fully funded by the Department, should be marked appropriately overseas with the standard U.S. flag in a size and prominence equal to (or greater than) any other logo or identity. The requirement does not apply to the Recipient’s own corporate communications or in the United States. The Recipient should ensure that all publicity and promotional materials underscore the sponsorship by or partnership with the U.S. Government or the U.S. embassy. The Recipient may continue to use existing logos or project materials; however, a standard rectangular U.S. flag must be used in conjunction with such logos. d. Do not use the Department of State seal without the express written approval from PRM. e. Sub non-Federal entities (sub-awardees) and subsequent tier sub-award agreements are subject to the marking requirements and the non-Federal entity shall include a provision in the sub non-Federal entity agreement indicating that the standard, rectangular U.S. flag is a requirement. Exemptions from this requirement may be allowable but must be agreed to in writing by the Grants Officer. (Note: An exemption refers to the complete or partial cessation of branding, not use of alternative branding). Requests should be initiated with the Grants Officer and Grants Officer Representative. Waivers issued are applied only to the exemptions requested through the Recipient’s proposal for funding and any subsequent negotiated revisions. f. In the event the non-Federal entity does not comply with the marking requirements as established in the approved assistance agreement, the Grants Officer Representative and the Grants Officer must initiate corrective action with the non-Federal entity. ii. Assistance Award Provision – SPOT: Recipients are required to include this provision in any sub-grant awards or agreements in Iraq or Afghanistan: RECIPIENT PERFORMANCE IN A DESIGNATED AREA OF COMBAT OPERATIONS (IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN) (Revised March 2015) Federal Assistance Awards deploying personnel under an assistance award, in a designated area of combat operations or future contingency operation, over $150,000 or performance over 30 calendar days, must be registered in the Department of Defense maintained Synchronized Pre-deployment and Operational Tracker (SPOT) system. For Federal Assistance Awards deploying personnel in a designated area of combat operations or future contingency operation that do not involve personnel performing security functions or needing access to government installations, the Grants Officer or his/her designee should account for personnel within the SPOT system anonymously through the use of the aggregate count functionality, reporting all personnel (U.S. Citizens, Third Country Nationals, and Local Nationals) on a quarterly basis. For assistance awards that meet the aggregate count functionality criteria, the Grants Officer or the recipient SPOT administrator should send total numbers of individuals working under a grant on a quarterly basis to the SPOT program office. Further guidance on the formatting of SPOT reporting will be provided in the Federal Assistance Award document. The SPOT program office will load these numbers on behalf of the Grants officer and the recipient to the SPOT administrator. The SPOT program office can be reached at AQMOps@state.gov. Assistance Awards deploying personnel in a designated area of combat operations or future contingency operation that utilize personnel who are performing a private security function; or require access to U.S. facilities, services, or support, the Grants Officer or his/her designee must have personnel funded under that award entered into SPOT individually with all required personal information. Recipients utilizing armed private security personnel, whether employed directly or via contract, are required to adhere to post policies and procedures regarding private security contractors. iii. Applicant Vetting as a Condition of Award (Pakistan and Afghanistan): Applicants are advised that successful passing of vetting to evaluate the risk that funds may benefit terrorists or their supporters is a condition of award. Applicants may be asked to submit information required by DS Form 4184, Risk Analysis Information about their company and its principal personnel. Vetting information is also required for all subaward performance on assistance awards identified by DOS as presenting a risk of terrorist financing. When vetting information is requested by the Grants Officer, information may be submitted on the secure web portal at https://ramportal.state.gov, via email to RAM@state.gov, or hardcopy to the Grants Officer. Questions about the form may be emailed to RAM@state.gov. Failure to submit information when requested, or failure to pass vetting, may be grounds for rejecting your proposal. The following clause shall be included in Section 16, Specific Conditions, or as an addendum to the solicitation, whenever assistance is awarded after vetting: Recipient Vetting After Award: Recipients shall advise the Grants Officer of any changes in personnel listed in the DS Form 4184, Risk Analysis Information, and shall provide vetting information on new individuals. The government reserves the right to vet these personnel changes and to terminate assistance awards for convenience based on vetting results. Application Review Information A. Criteria. Eligible submissions will be those that comply with the criteria and requirements included in this announcement. In addition, the review panel will evaluate the concept notes based on the following criteria, in addition to a ranking of High/Medium/Low priority: i. Quality of program idea (10 points) ii. Appropriate identification of beneficiary population, including vulnerable populations (10 points) iii. Program feasibility/ability to achieve objectives (10 points) iv. Organization’s experience and capacity (10 points) v. Cost effectiveness (10 points) (Note: PRM will conduct a formal competitive review of all concept notes submitted in response to this funding announcement. A review panel of at least three people will evaluate submissions based on the above-referenced programmatic criteria and PRM priorities in the context of available funding.) B. Timelines: After reviewing the concept notes, selected organizations will be invited to submit full proposals. Notification of selection for full proposals will occur no later than four weeks after submission deadline. Selected organizations will have 30 calendar days from notification to submit full proposals, with detailed budgets, and attachments as applicable (refer to PRM’s General NGO Guidelines for general proposal formatting and submission guidance for single-year/multi-year programs). Federal Award Administration Information A. Federal Award Administration. A successful applicant can expect to receive a separate notice from PRM stating that an application has been selected before PRM makes the federal award. That notice is not an authorization to begin performance. Only the notice of award signed by the Grants Officer is the authorizing document. Unsuccessful applicants will be notified following completion of the selection and award process. B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements. PRM awards are made consistent with the following provisions in the following order of precedence: (a) applicable laws and statutes of the United States, including any specific legislative provisions mandated in the statutory authority for the award; (b) Code of Federal Regulations (CFR); (c) Department of State Standard Terms and Conditions of the award; (d) the award’s specific requirements; and (e) other documents and attachments to the award. C. Reporting. Successful applicants will be required to submit: i. Program Reports: PRM requires program reports describing and analyzing the results of activities undertaken during the validity period of the agreement. A program report is required within thirty (30) days following the end of each three-month period of performance during the validity period of the agreement. The final program report is due ninety (90) days following the end of the agreement. The submission dates for program reports will be written into the cooperative agreement. Partners receiving multi-year awards should follow this same reporting schedule and should still submit a final program report at the end of each year that summarizes the NGO’s performance during the previous year. The Bureau suggests that NGOs receiving PRM funding use the PRM recommended quarterly program report template. The suggested PRM NGO reporting template is designed to ease the reporting requirements while ensuring that all required elements are addressed. The Quarterly Program Report Template can be requested by sending an email with only the phrase “PRM NGO Templates” (without the quotation marks) in the subject line, to PRMNGOCoordinator@state.gov. ii. 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 (January 30th, April 30th, July 30th, October 30th). The final financial report covering the entire period of the agreement is required within ninety (90) days after the expiration date of the agreement. For agreements containing indirect costs, final financial reports are due within sixty (60) days of the finalization of the applicable negotiated indirect cost rate agreement (NICRA). Reports reflecting expenditures for the recipient’s overseas and United States offices should be completed in accordance with the Federal Financial Report (FFR SF-425) and submitted electronically in the Department of Health and Human Services’ Payment Management System (HHS/PMS) and in accordance with other award specific requirements. Detailed information pertaining to the Federal Financial Report including due dates, instruction manuals and access forms, is provided on the HHS/PMS website. iii. Audit Reports: When a recipient-contracted audit is not required because the Federal award amount is less than the $750,000 threshold, the Department may determine that an audit must be performed and the audit report must be submitted to the responsible Grants Officer for review, dissemination, and resolution as appropriate. The cost of audits required under this policy may be charged either as an allowable direct cost to the award or included in the organizations established indirect costs in the award’s detailed budget. Questions: Applicants with additional technical questions related to this announcement should contact PRM at the email listed below prior to submission. Please note that responses to technical questions from PRM do not indicate a commitment to fund the program discussed. PRMCOVIDPOC@state.gov, Washington, D.C. Disclaimer: External websites linked above may not be supported or accessible by all web browsers. If you are unable to link to a referenced website, please try using a different browser or update to a more recent one. If you continue to experience difficulties to reach external resources, please contact the PRMNGOCoordinator ______________________________________________________________________________________ [1] Cash and voucher assistance proposals will be required to include one indicator from the selection contained in the NGO Guidelines in section A.C.2. of Appendix C. Tags Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration COVID-19 NGO Programs
