FY 2022 Request for Concept Notes for NGO Programs Benefiting Displaced Persons and Refugees in Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey

FY 2022 Request for Concept Notes for NGO Programs Benefiting Displaced Persons and Refugees in Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey

Request for Concept Notes Opportunity Number:  SFOP0008443

Assistance Listing (CFDA) number:  19.519 – Overseas Refugee Assistance Programs for Near East

Announcement issuance date:  Thursday, November 18, 2021

Proposal submission deadline: Friday, January 7, 2022, at 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern Time [23:59:59].  Concept Notes submitted after this deadline will not be considered.

Funding limits:  Concept notes/proposals must not be less than the funding floor and not more than the funding ceiling per year or they will be disqualified.  See country-specific guidelines for further information.

Anticipated timeframe for notification of selection for full proposal development:  PRM anticipates, but cannot guarantee, that within roughly two months from the concept note submission deadline, selected concept notes will be notified of selection for full proposal development.

Anticipated timeframe for award of selected full proposals: Pending the availability of funds, PRM anticipates, but cannot guarantee, that awards will be made prior to September 30, 2022.

ADVISORY:  All applicants must submit concept notes through the website Grants.gov.  Applications that are submitted through SAMS Domestic in response to this funding opportunity will be disqualified.  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.  All concept notes and required documents must be in English.

Exceeding page length limits, including through the inclusion of cover pages, will result in disqualification.

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 and NGO Guidelines.

COVID-19: PRM recognizes the difficult circumstances under which organizations are currently operating because of the COVID-19 pandemic and will take them into consideration in proposal reviews. To the extent possible, organizations should address how COVID-19 and resulting risks, restrictions and limitations will factor into their designated programs and attempt to ensure that proposed indicators and activities can be implemented under the challenging circumstances created by COVID-19.

Note: An accessible, 508 Compliant version of this notice of funding opportunity will be made available within the month of December 2021.

Full Text of Notice of Funding Opportunity

1. Program Description

Summary:  This solicitation is the first step in a two-part process.  After reviewing concept notes, PRM will invite (no later than three months after submission) selected organizations to expand their submissions into full single-year (15-page) or multi-year (20-page) proposals with objectives, indicators, and detailed budgets for each year of the program.  Selected organizations will have at least 30 calendar days after they are notified of their selection to complete their full proposals.  Organizations may apply as consortia.  For purposes of this notice, PRM considers a consortium to be a group of no fewer than three NGOs (unless stated otherwise in country-specific guidance) that comprise an agreement, combination, or group formed to undertake, or proposing to undertake, an assistance activity beyond the resources of any one member. (Note: NGOs that were approved for a multi-year proposal in FY 2021 will be requested to submit the proposal for their second year of funding at a later date.)

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 country-specific priorities.  Concept note submissions that do not reflect the requirements outlined in these guidelines will not be considered.

A.Concept note activities should primarily support displaced persons and refugees in Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey. Concept note activities are restricted to beneficiaries living outside of government or UNHCR-run camps, unless otherwise noted in the country-specific guidance.  Because of PRM’s mandate to provide protection, assistance, and sustainable solutions for refugees and victims of conflict, PRM will consider funding only those projects that include a target beneficiary base of at least 50 percent refugees for each objective of the program.  In Iraq only, the 50 percent target beneficiary base may include both internally displaced persons (IDPs) and IDP returnees in addition to, or in lieu of, refugees.  PRM encourages the inclusion of refugee beneficiaries who are not Syrian or Iraqi to promote an equitable approach among refugee nationalities, based on PRM’s commitment to the “one refugee approach”.  Wherever possible, programs should pursue a community-based approach that also benefits host communities and that promotes social cohesion between refugees and host communities.

B. Program area: Concept notes must support one or more of the following program areas:

i. Humanitarian Protection and Assistance
ii. Interim and Durable Solutions

C. Concept notes must focus on one or more of the following sectors and sub-sectors (see PRM’s General NGO Guidelines for sector descriptions):  

1. Protection, including:

1. 1. Child protection
   2. Gender-based Violence Prevention (GBV)

1. Health
2. Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS)
3. Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH)
4. Education
5. Livelihoods and Economic Empowerment (if selected, full proposals must include a market analysis, or it will be disqualified)
6. Shelter
7. Core Relief Items/Cash-Based Initiatives

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. See NGO Guidelines in section A.C.1. of
Appendix C for more details.

Note: If selected, full proposals for cash and voucher assistance programs must include the relevant indicator(s) from the selection contained in the NGO Guidelines in section A.C.3.  of Appendix C.

D. Organizations should submit separate concept notes for each country program. Organizations may submit no more than two concept notes per country in line with country-specific guidelines. No regional or multi-country concept notes will be considered.  Any additional submissions received will be disqualified.  Upon review, PRM reserves the right to ask an applicant to merge submitted concept notes into a single proposal.  Please see country-specific provisions for the maximum number of concept notes allowed to be submitted.

E.  PRM welcomes submissions from both international and national/local NGOs.

F.  Applicants are strongly encouraged to engage with existing structures to provide services to refugees, including those operated by international organizations and national or local actors (both governmental and NGO), rather than establishing new, parallel structures.  If an activity is parallel to or duplicative of the national response, the proposal must explain why and address how the project is linked to the national response and provide a brief timeline for phase-out.

G.  Country-specific Provisions: 

Iraq Country-Specific Guidelines

General Guidance:   

1. For programs in Iraq, PRM will accept no more than two (2) concept notes perapplicant. If more than one application is submitted, each application mustreach a different target population of concern (e.g. Iraqis, Syrians, or Joint). Proposals for any of these target populations are equally welcomed.a. For projects focusing on IDPs: Iraqi IDPs and returnees must collectively make up more than 50 percent of total beneficiaries. Projects may not focus solely on returnees.b. For projects focused on assisting Syrian refugees: Refugees must make up more than 50 percent of total beneficiaries.c. For joint projects assisting both Syrian refugees and Iraqi IDPs/returnees: Refugees, IDP returnees, and IDPs must collectively make up more than 50 percent of the target population. .d. PRM will give preference to projects providing clear breakdowns and percentages of populations to be served to demonstrate compliance with the required percentages. Where feasible, organizations are strongly encouraged to include support of non-Syrian refugee populations and vulnerable host community members within their projects.
2. NGO projects seeking to assist Syrian refugees in Iraq should be in line with activities in the Iraq Country Chapter of the UN’s Regional Refugee and Resilience Plan (3RP) Appeal.  NGO projects seeking to assist Iraqi IDPs should be in line with activities in the UN’s Humanitarian Response Plan for Iraq.
3. Projects may include in-camp activities; however, PRM encourages projects that focus on non-camp locations including informal sites and that take Government of Iraq initiatives to close IDP camps into account.
4. When projects include returnees, NGOs are encouraged to include locations identified as hotspots of severity in IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix Returns Index.
5. PRM strongly encourages programs that assist Iraqi IDPs and refugees in reaching durable solutions as well as those that build the capacity of local authorities and organizations.  PRM will give preference to projects demonstrating a sound methodology for helping these populations achieve a durable solution within the project’s timeframe.  All projects assisting displaced Iraqis, regardless of sector, should relate in some way to helping achieve durable solutions.

Sectors/sub-sectors:

Projects for Iraqi IDPs and Returnees: Protection (including addressing GBV), MHPSS, and Livelihoods.

Projects for Syrian Refugees: Protection (including addressing GBV and Child Protection), Health, Mental Health/PSS, Livelihoods, WASH, and Shelter.

Joint Projects for Iraqi IDPs/Returnees and Syrian Refugees: Protection (including addressing GBV and Child Protection), MHPSS, and Livelihoods.

1. Projects in all sectors should adhere to the relevant Cluster’s guidance.
2. 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.
3. In the livelihoods sector, PRM will prioritize 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.  Livelihoods programs should include at least one governorate other than Ninewa and Anbar.
4. Proposed protection projects for IDPs should focus on longer-term needs of IDPs 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.
5. PRM will not fund programs for the rehabilitation or reconstruction of infrastructure, including schools.

Duration of Activity: 12 or 24 months (24 months preferred)

Funding Levels: 

• Funding floor per award (lowest $$ value): $2,000,000 per year
• Funding ceiling per award (highest $$ value): $4,000,000 per year

Anticipated Number of Selections for Full Proposal Development:  PRM anticipates selecting up to 12 concept notes to be developed into full proposals through this announcement.  PRM further anticipates selecting up to seven proposals to be awarded.

Anticipated Amount to be Awarded Total:  PRM anticipates awarding approximately $18,000,000 (first year only, if multi-year proposals approved) through the directed NOFO for this country.

Jordan Country-Specific Guidelines

General Guidance: 

1. PRM will accept no more than one (1) concept note per applicant.
2. As the primary population of concern for this notice of funding opportunity, refugees must constitute at least 50% of the beneficiary population for each objective of the program, and the majority of the refugee population must be Syrian refugees.  However, PRM may also consider programs in Jordan that target a majority of non-Syrian refugees if there is strong evidence to suggest that the needs of an underserved refugee population continue to be largely unmet.  PRM encourages projects to maximize the number of refugee beneficiaries in line with the refugee pillar of the Jordan Response Plan.  In addition, PRM highly encourages projects that identify and include the most vulnerable refugee populations from all nationalities within their projects, in line with the “one refugee approach” outlined in the UN’s Regional Refugee and Resilience Plan (3RP).  Please ensure that the profile of target populations and percentage breakdown per population is clearly outlined in the concept note.
3. NGOs should not seek to begin new activities that cannot be sustained absent future U.S. funding.
4. NGO proposals seeking to assist Syrian refugees should be in line with activities in the 3RP Appeal/Jordan Response Plan and should work within existing coordination structures.  NGO proposals should also reference available resources that delineate the needs of non-Syrian refugees.

Sectors: Protection, Child Protection, GBV prevention and response, Education, Health, Mental Health/PSS, Livelihoods, and Shelter.

1. Provision of core relief items, cash assistance, and/or capacity development activities will be considered if integrated in a program focused on one or more of the above sectors.
2. PRM will prioritize education programming that addresses key educational gaps that disproportionately affect refugees and that demonstrate clear linkage with the child protection response.
3. PRM’s health care focus in Jordan is on health services not already covered by existing programs and/or provided by the public healthcare system. PRM does support, however, projects that help support refugees’ access to health services that are already established.
4. In the livelihoods sector, PRM will prioritize sustainable, impact-driven, market-based projects that seek to measurably improve the economic well-being of beneficiaries.

Duration of Activity: 12 months, 24 months, or 36 months (24 months preferred but PRM may consider 36 months for well-established organizations with a track record of program success and a concrete sustainability plan.)

Funding Limits:  

• Funding floor per award for an individual organization (lowest $$ value): $750,000 per year
• Funding ceiling per award for an individual organization (highest $$ value): $3,000,000 per year
• Funding ceiling per award for a consortium (highest $$ value): $4,000,000 per year

Anticipated Number of Selections for Full Proposal Development:  PRM anticipates selecting approximately 15 concept notes to be developed into full proposals through this announcement.  PRM further anticipates selecting up to six (6) proposals to be awarded.

Anticipated Amount to be Awarded Total:  PRM anticipates awarding approximately $14 million (first year only, if multi-year proposals approved) through the directed NOFO for Jordan.

Lebanon Country-Specific Guidelines

General Guidance:

1. PRM will accept no more than one (1) concept note per applicant.
2. As the primary population of concern for this notice of funding opportunity, refugees must constitute at least 50% of the beneficiary population for each objective of the program, and the majority of the refugee population must be Syrian refugees.  PRM highly encourages projects that identify and include the most vulnerable refugee populations from all nationalities within their projects, in line with the “one refugee approach,” outlined in the 3RP.  Please ensure that the profile of target populations and percentage breakdown per population is clearly outlined in the concept note.
3. NGO proposals seeking to assist Syrian refugees should be in line with activities in the latest Lebanon Crisis Response Plan (LCRP) Appeal, and closely coordinated with the Emergency Response Plan (ERP) and any other appeals for humanitarian assistance in Lebanon.
4. PRM looks favorably on programs with the ability to operate in multiple locations and across multiple sectors, provided such work supports an integrated program approach.

Sectors: Protection, Child Protection, GBV prevention and response, WASH, Education, Health, Mental Health/PSS, Livelihoods, and Shelter.

1. Projects in all sectors should adhere to the relevant Working Group’s guidance.
2. Provision of core relief items, cash assistance, and/or capacity development activities will be considered if integrated in a program focused on one or more of the above sectors.
3. Provision of WASH services, namely water trucking and desludging, will be considered if it covers a critical gap for a limited period and if integrated in a program focused on one or more of the above sectors.
4. In the education sector, PRM prioritizes support to help children prepare for, enter, participate, and succeed in formal education and to assist youth who may be unlikely to participate in formal education to obtain the necessary skills to transition to adulthood.
5. In the livelihoods sector, PRM will prioritize 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.
6. Priority will be given to projects that include social cohesion activities and involve host community members to foster cooperation, understanding, and trust between refugee and host community groups.  Such efforts should be integrated as part of the proposed program, rather than one-off activities.

Duration of Activity: 12 or 24 months (24 months preferred)

Funding Limits: 

• Funding floor per award for an individual organization (lowest $$ value): $500,000 per year
• Funding ceiling per award for an individual organization (highest $$ value): $3,000,000 per year
• Funding ceiling per award for a consortium (highest $$ value): $4,000,000 per year*

* Note: For purposes of consortia applying for PRM funding in Lebanon, PRM considers a consortium to be a group of no less than five NGOs formed to undertake, or proposing to undertake, an assistance activity exceeding the resources of any one member.  At least three of the partners must be national NGOs.

Anticipated Number of Selections for Full Proposal Development:  PRM anticipates selecting approximately 15 concept notes to be developed into full proposals through this announcement.  PRM further anticipates selecting up to six proposals to be awarded.

Anticipated Amount to be Awarded Total:  PRM anticipates awarding up to a total of $25 million (first year only, if multi-year proposals approved) through the directed NOFO for Lebanon.

Turkey Country-Specific Guidelines

General Guidance:

1. PRM will accept no more than one (1) concept note per applicant.   
2. PRM welcomes submissions that support all refugee populations in Turkey, including Syrians, as well as non-Syrian refugee populations, including Iraqis, Afghans, and other International Protection applicants as part of the 50 % target population base.  Wherever possible, programs should pursue a community-based approach that also benefits host communities and that promotes social cohesion between refugees and host communities.  Please ensure that the profile of target populations and percentage breakdown per population is clearly outlined in the concept note.
3. NGO concept notes should be in line with activities in the UN’s Regional Refugee and Resilience Plan (3RP) Appeal/Turkey Response Plan.  If selected for full proposal development and funding, all program activities should be consulted with the Government of Turkey and with local authorities (if targeting municipal-level interventions).  PRM welcomes concept notes that include partnerships with local organizations and/or local municipalities.
4. PRM looks favorably on programs with the ability to operate in multiple locations and across multiple sectors (including in locations where service provision for refugees is limited), provided such work supports an integrated program approach, does not duplicate efforts on the ground, and fills important gaps or needs currently not covered by other local or national responses.

Sectors: Protection, Child Protection, Livelihoods, GBV prevention and response, Health, Education, Shelter, Mental Health/PSS, and Core Relief Items/Cash-Based Initiatives.

1. Provision of core relief items, cash assistance, livelihoods projects and/or capacity development activities will be considered if integrated in a program that includes one or more of the above sectors.
2. For livelihoods programs, priority will be given to activities that link training to sustainable, income-generating employment opportunities.  As with all proposed programming, livelihoods activities should fill critical gaps or needs currently not covered by other local or national responses.
3. Priority will be given to projects that include social cohesion activities and involve host community members to foster cooperation, understanding, and trust between refugee and host community groups.  Such efforts should be integrated as part of the proposed program, rather than one-off activities.
4. PRM’s health care focus in Turkey is on health services not covered by existing programs and/or provided by the Ministry of Health. PRM does support, however, projects that help support refugees’ access to health services that are already established.
5. PRM encourages projects targeted at the education sector, particularly youth in secondary or vocational school, at-risk of dropping out, with special needs, or in higher education.  Such programs should ensure coordination with and address how such efforts complement and support national or local efforts by the Ministry of National Education and other partners like UNICEF.

Length:  12 months, 24 months, or 36 months (24 months preferred but PRM may consider 36 months for well-established organizations with a track record of program success and a concrete sustainability plan.)

Funding Levels: 

• Funding floor per award (lowest $$ value): $1,000,000 per year
• Funding ceiling per award (highest $$ value): $3,000,000 per year

Anticipated Number of Selections for Full Proposal Development:  PRM anticipates selecting approximately 14 concept notes to be developed into full proposals through this announcement.  PRM further anticipates selecting up to six (6) proposals to be awarded.

Anticipated Amount to be Awarded Total:  PRM anticipates awarding up to a total of $18,000,000 (first year only, if multi-year proposals approved) through the directed NOFO for Turkey.

2. Federal Award Information

A. Proposed Program Start Dates: September 2022

B. Duration of Activity: See country-specific guidelines above. Applicants may submit multi-year proposals with activities and budgets that do not exceed country-specific guidance. Budgets submitted in year one must be updated each year. Continued funding after the initial 12-month period of performance requires the submission of a non-competing 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 the Multi-Year Funding section below for additional information. Livelihoods programs are encouraged to be multi-year (Note: A market analysis for programs with at least one livelihoods objective will be required if selected for full proposal development).

C. Funding Limits: See country-specific guidelines above.

D. Anticipated Number of Awards: See country-specific guidelines above.

E. Anticipated Amount to be Awarded Total: See country-specific guidelines above.

3.  Eligibility Information

A.  Eligible Applicants: (1) Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education (U.S.-based NGOs must be able to demonstrate proof of non-profit tax status); (2) Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education (overseas-based NGOs must be able to demonstrate proof of registration in country of domicile); and (3) International Organizations.  International multilateral organizations, such as United Nations agencies, should not submit concept notes through Grants.gov in response to this Notice of Funding Opportunity.  Multilateral organizations that are seeking funding for programs relevant to this announcement should contact the PRM Program Officer (as listed below) before the closing date of this announcement.

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 later proposals that describe the sources and amounts of additional funding that may be utilized to complement PRM funding, and meet the following criteria, will be considered:

• Are not paid by the Federal Government under another Federal award;

• Are verifiable from the non-Federal entity’s records;

• Are not included as contributions for any other Federal award; and

• Are necessary and reasonable for accomplishment of project or program objectives.

Please include this information in the Budget Summary of the concept note submission, separate from the proposed budget.

Note: Though favorably looked upon, inclusion will not result in a competitive ranking increase when evaluated.

4.  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 (LGBTQI+) 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, given budgetary constraints, priority will be given to concept notes from organizations that can demonstrate:

• a working relationship with UNHCR, and/or within the 3RP strategic framework;

• a proven track record in providing proposed assistance both in the sector and specified location;

• evidence of strong coordination with international organizations (IOs) and other NGOs working in the same area or sector; if selected for full proposal development, PRM also expects to see demonstrated coordination with local and national government authorities to avoid duplication and ensure government buy-in and support for the project;

• 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;

• a strong sustainability plan, involving local capacity building, where feasible, will be required if the applicant is invited to submit a full proposal;

• a strong risk management plan, including for COVID-19 risks;

• where applicable, adherence to PRM’s Principles for Refugee Protection in Urban Areas;

• an understanding of and sensitivity to conflict dynamics in the program location.

5.  Application and Submission Instructions 

A.  Address to Request Application Package: Application packages may be downloaded from the website www.Grants.gov.

B.  Content and Form of Application:  Please see the country-specific provisions for the maximum number of concept notes that can be submitted.  Any subsequent submissions received will be disqualified.

Concept notes must not exceed 4 pages in length, including the cover page table (or 5 pages if a consortia submission), submitted in Adobe PDF, using Times New Roman, 12-point font, letter sized paper with one-inch margins on all sides.  Concept notes that are longer than 4 pages (or 5 pages if a consortia submission) will be disqualified.  

Note: 

• 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.
• All concept notes and required documents must be in English.
• Exceeding page length limits, including through the inclusion of cover pages, will result in disqualification.

i. Concept note narratives must include the following categories:

a. Brief problem statement

b. Description of target population with anticipated beneficiary numbers broken down by percentage, and vulnerability criteria used to identify beneficiaries

c. Program description, location, and duration

d. Proposed measurable outcomes and impact of the program

e. Summary of the organization(s) and experience doing similar work

f. 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.

ii. A one-page budget summary must be attached to the concept note and does not count against the 4-page limit (or 5 pages if a consortia submission). The budget summary is separate from SF-424, SF-424A documents (and SF-424B, if applicable), 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, and must be disaggregated by year:

a. Personnel allowances

b. Benefits

c. Travel

d. Program equipment

e. Supplies

f. Contractual

g. Construction

h. Other direct costs

i. Indirect costs

j. Total amount requested

Organizations can request a budget summary template by emailing PRM’s NGO Coordinator (PRMNGOCoordinator@state.gov) with the subject line PRM NGO Templates and nothing else; this will prompt an automatic reply email with the concept note template.

iii. There should be no attachments, other than the budget summary and signed, fully completed SF-424 documents, to the initial concept note submission. For selected organizations, PRM will request fully developed, 15-page max single-year and 20-page max multi-year proposals with objectives, indicators, and detailed budgets for each year of the program. Organizations that are invited to submit full proposals may attach work plans, activity calendars, and/or logical frameworks as addendums to their full-length proposal at that stage, however, PRM recommends limiting the number of annexes to only those that are required or requested.

iv. To be considered for PRM funding, organizations must submit a complete application package including:

a. A 4-page concept note (or 5-page concept note for consortia) inclusive of the cover page.

b. One-page budget summary clearly indicating costs disaggregated by year for the program period. The budget summary does not count against page limits.

a. Signed and fully 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. The SF-424 family forms are available for download on grants.gov.

C.  Consortia.  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 less than three NGOs (unless country-specific guidance states otherwise) 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. The consortium arrangement may allow for greater geographic coverage, inclusion of technical and sectoral strengths from multiple organizations, increased inclusion of local and national organizations, and/or the potential of much greater impact through collaboration.

Submissions by organizations as part of a consortium do not count toward an organization’s individual submission limit.  If the applicant is applying as a consortium, a description of how the consortia 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.  The prime applicant would be responsible for overall implementation of the proposed program activities, preparation/presentation of annual work plans, M&E planning, and required reporting to PRM.  The prime applicant should designate a single individual to be the liaison with PRM, although PRM would reserve the right to communicate with sub-grantees.

D.  Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) Number and System for Award Management (SAM).

i.  Each applicant is required to:

1. be registered in SAM at (www.sam.gov) before submitting its application;
2. provide a valid DUNS/UEI number in its application; and
3. 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.

No federal award may be made to an applicant until the applicant has complied with all applicable DUNS/UEI 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.

Note: Starting on April 4, 2022, the DUNS Number will be replaced by a “new, non-proprietary identifier” requested in, and assigned by, the System for Award Management (SAM.gov). This new identifier is being called the Unique Entity Identifier (UEI). For more information on the process, visit this link.

E.  Concept notes must be submitted via Grants.gov.  Grants.gov registration requires a DUNS/UEI 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 submit your application on Grants.gov.  Organizations not registered with Grants.gov should register well in advance of the deadline as it can take up to two 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/UEI number and registration issues. PRM partners must maintain an active SAM registration with current 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 code (https://eportal.nspa.nato.int/AC135Public/CageTool/home) 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 by calling 1-800-518-4726.

v.  Applicants who are unable to submit applications via Grants.gov due to Grants.gov technical difficulties and:

• who have reported the problem to the Grants.gov help desk;
• received a case number;

• have completed DUNS and SAM.gov registrations;
• and had a service request opened to research the problem;

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.

F.  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.

G.  Submission Dates and Times

i.  Announcement issuance date:  Thursday, November 18, 2021

ii.  Proposal submission deadline:  Friday, January 7, 2022 at 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern Time [23:59:59].  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 at least 30 calendar days after they are notified of their selection to complete their full proposals.

H.  Intergovernmental Review – Not Applicable.

I.  Funding Restrictions.  Federal awards will not allow reimbursement of Federal Award costs without prior authorization by PRM.

J.  Other Submission Requirements

i.  Branding and Marking Strategy

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”

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.

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, must 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 must appropriately 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.

Do not use the Department of State seal without the express written approval from PRM.  

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.

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:  The following provisions will be included in the Bureau specific component of the Notice of Award for performance in a designated combat area.  Recipients are required to include this provision in any sub-grant awards or agreements.

SPECIAL PROVISION FOR PERFORMANCE IN A DESIGNATED COMBAT AREA

The Recipient must report and account for all employees, subrecipient personnel, and contract personnel working under grants or cooperative agreements working in contingency operations outside the United States that involve combat operations. The database to collect this information, called the Synchronized Pre-Deployment Operational Tracker (SPOT), is managed by the Department of Defense.

In coordination with the Grants Officer and Grants Officer Representative, the Recipient generally provides this information to the Department of State SPOT Program Manager (AQMops@state.gov). The Department SPOT Program Manager enters information provided by the Recipient directly into the SPOT system.

For Recipients with personnel who are NOT performing private security functions and who do not need access to U.S. government support or facilities:

Personnel, including U.S. citizens, third country nationals, and local personnel, are accounted for anonymously, in aggregate.

The Recipient will request an aggregate count template from the Grants Officer or Grants Officer Representative, or directly from the SPOT Program Manager (AQMops@state.gov).  The recipient will complete the template and return the completed form to the Grants Officer/ Grants Officer Representative or SPOT Program Manager.

The Recipient is responsible for updating the aggregate count every quarter by providing updated information via the “Aggregate Count” template to SPOT Program Manager for each SPOT award.

For Recipients with personnel who ARE performing a private security function; require access to U.S. government support, facilities, or services; or who may be eligible for special refugee or immigration status under U.S. regulation:

• The personnel funded under that award must be entered into SPOT individually with all required personal information;
• The Recipient must enter this information into the SPOT database directly. Unlike the aggregate count process, the Department’s SPOT Program Manager does not enter this information into SPOT on behalf of the Recipient;

• The Recipient starts the process by registering for an account in SPOT by contacting the help desk at https://spot.dmdc.mil/.

Note: 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. As specific post policies and procedures differ in scope and applicability, the Recipient is advised to review post policies carefully and direct any questions to the embassy Regional Security Office through the Grants Officer or Grants Officer Representative.

In addition, the Recipient is reminded that only the Grants Officer has the authority to modify this Notice of Award. Recipients shall proceed with any security guidance provided by the Regional Security Officer; however, the Recipient must advise the Grants Officer and Grants Officer Representative of the guidance received and any potential cost or schedule impact.

iii.  Applicant Vetting as a Condition of Award (Iraq, Lebanon):  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 organization 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.  Failure to submit information when requested, or failure to pass vetting, may be grounds for rejecting your proposal.

Recipient Vetting After Award:  Recipients shall advise the Grants Officer of any changes in personnel required by DS Form 4184, Risk Analysis Information, and shall provide vetting information on new individuals on the secure web portal at https://ramportal.state.gov.  The government reserves the right to vet these personnel changes and to terminate assistance awards for convenience based on vetting results.

6.  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:

• Quality of program idea (10 points)

• Appropriate identification of beneficiary population, including vulnerable populations (10 points)
• Program feasibility/ability to achieve objectives (10 points)
• Organization’s experience and capacity (10 points)
• Cost effectiveness (10 points)

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.

After reviewing the concept notes, selected organizations will be invited to submit full proposals.  PRM will provide formal notifications to NGOs of final decisions within 90 days after the closing date of this announcement.  Selected organizations will have at least 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).

7.  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 one hundred and twenty (120) 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 office(r) 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.

8.  PRM Contacts

A.  Applicants with technical questions related to this announcement should contact the PRM staff listed below prior to submission.  Please note that responses to technical questions from PRM do not indicate a commitment to fund the program discussed.

Iraq

• PRM Program Office:  PRM-ANEIraqandYemen@state.gov, Washington, D.C.

Jordan

• PRM Program Officer:  Aamir Alavi, AlaviA@state.gov. Washington, D.C.
• Senior Regional Refugee Coordinator:  Rob McInturff, McInturffra@state.gov, Embassy Amman, Jordan

Lebanon

• PRM Program Officer:  Denis Test, TestD@state.gov, Washington, D.C.

• Beirut Refugee Coordinator:  Rachel Martinez, MartinezRM@state.gov, Embassy Beirut, Lebanon

Turkey

• PRM Program Officer:  Katie Kersavage, KersavageK@state.gov, Washington, D.C.
• Ankara Senior Coordinator: Isabelle Chan, ChanI@state.gov, Embassy Ankara, Turkey

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 reaching external resources, please contact the PRM NGO Coordinator (PRMNGOCoordinator@state.gov).