2020 Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) – 80 Years of Exchanges Professional Development Seminars

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Notice of Funding Opportunity

Funding Opportunity Title: 80 Years of Exchanges Professional Development Seminars

Funding Opportunity Number: PAS-MOROCCO-FY20-02

Deadline for Applications: Saturday, February 29, 2020

CFDA Number: 19.040

Total Amount Available: $40,000.00

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Public Affairs Office of the U.S. Embassy in Rabat is pleased to announce an open competition for organizations to submit applications to carry out three separate professional development seminars for the alumni of U.S. Government exchange programs during Calendar 2020 as part of post’s new “80 Years of Exchanges” initiative.  Please carefully follow all instructions below.

The Public Affairs Office invites proposals to organize and implement seven Alumni professional development seminars on three separate subjects: leadership, project management, and digital engagement.

• Leadership—Three day-long seminars in Rabat, Fes, and Tangier in early April will teach Moroccan alumni (both young alumni and more established professionals) how to be more effective leaders. Each seminar will engage approximately 30 participants.  The seminars will be led by a visiting American speaker and other Moroccan alumni trainers identified by the Public Affairs Office and the grantee.  The grantee will develop the program for each seminar and provide logistical support, including transportation or reimbursement to cover travel and accommodation (as needed) for program participants, renting a conference space, furnishing meals and coffee breaks, and any necessary supplies.  The Public Affairs Office will cover travel and logistics for the U.S. Speaker.  The grantee will work with the Public Affairs Office to design the seminar program, identify the Moroccan trainers, and recruit the participants.
• Project Management—A day-long seminar in early July will teach approximately 30 Moroccan alumni (both young alumni and more established professionals) the best practices of project management. This seminar will be led by Moroccan alumni who are professional project management trainers or who run local or international NGOs.  The grantee will develop the program for each seminar and provide logistical support, including renting a conference space, providing for meals and coffee breaks, and any necessary supplies.  There will be no travel expenses provided to participants for this seminar.  The grantee will work with the Public Affairs Office to design the seminar program, identify the Moroccan trainers, and recruit the participants.
• Digital Engagement—Three one-day seminars in October in Casablanca, Marrakech, and Agadir will teach Moroccan alumni (both young alumni and more established professionals) how to more effectively communicate using digital platforms. Each seminar will engage approximately 30 alumni.  This seminar will feature a U.S. Speaker, as well as Moroccan trainers who are experts in social media and digital marketing.  The grantee will develop the program for each seminar, and provide logistical support including transportation arrangements or reimbursement to cover travel (as needed) and accommodation for participants, renting a conference space, providing for meals and coffee breaks, and any necessary supplies.  The Public Affairs Office will cover travel and logistics for the U.S. Speaker.  The grantee will work with the Public Affairs Office to design the program and recruit the participants.

These Alumni Professional Development Seminars will be part of a wider U.S. Embassy initiative titled “80 Years of Exchanges,” which seeks to build the capacity of the U.S. Government exchange program alumni, enhance interaction among alumni and between alumni and the Embassy, promote applications for future youth Exchange Programs, and highlight the impact of U.S Government exchange programs in Morocco.  The Alumni Professional Development Seminars will be branded as 80 Years of Exchanges activities and will use a common logo and hashtags.

Organizations are encouraged to submit proposals with a detailed budget for the total of seven seminars.  These proposals should outline how the applicant will provide the following: 

• Logistical Support: Guarantee transportation arrangements or reimbursement to cover travel to and from the workshops, hotel accommodation for participants, conference space, meals, and supplies for a total of 7 Professional Development Seminars (3 on Leadership in Rabat, Fes, and Tangier, 3 on Digital Engagement in Casablanca, Marrakech, and Agadir, and 1 in Rabat on Project Management). The Grantee should estimate covering the travel and lodging expenses for about 15 alumni for each seminar, except for the project management seminar in Rabat.
• Recruitment. Design a recruitment plan and online platform to select 30 alumni participants for each of the 7 seminars, in collaboration with Public Affairs Office.  The Public Affairs Office will approve the final participant list for each event.
• Program design: Work closely with Public Affairs staff to design and implement the 7 Alumni Professional Development Seminars, including developing the seminar content and agenda, preparing U.S. and Moroccan speakers, assembling all training materials, and implementing the seminars.
• Monitoring and Evaluation: Develop a monitoring and evaluation plan (to be approved by the Public Affairs Office) to measure the impact of the 7 Alumni Professional Development Seminars using before and after surveys as well as qualitative feedback.
• Photography/Videography: Provide a professional photographer/videographer who can create social media content for use by the Public Affairs Office, and produce a wrap-up video (to be approved by Public Affairs Office) from all 7 Alumni Professional Development Seminars.

Proposals will be reviewed according to the following criteria:

• The degree to which the proposed project addresses the objectives outlined above;
• The grantee’s demonstrated ability to manage complex activities occurring in different cities and involving different participants;
• The grantee’s familiarity with U.S. Government exchange programs and their alumni in Morocco (if the grantee is unfamiliar with U.S. Government exchange programs and alumni, he or she should partner with an organization that has this background);
• The grantee’s ability to support, monitor and evaluate the seminars, including the administration of a survey that evaluates the organizational aspects and programmatic impact of each workshop;
• The grantee’s ability to design compelling content and stimulating workshop programs, based on guidance provided by the Public Affairs Office; and
• The extent to which the grantee’s proposed program will create strong ties between alumni and the U.S. Embassy Rabat, as well as strengthen the alumni network.

Review and Selection Process

The Public Affairs Section will evaluate all eligible applications.  The evaluation process will consist of two stages.  First, a technical review will be completed to ensure that proposals meet the technical eligibility requirements.  Second, a Grant Review Committee comprised of personnel from the U.S. Embassy in Rabat and the U.S. Consulate General in Casablanca will evaluate eligible proposals based on the criteria identified above.

Participants and Audiences: Approximately 210 alumni of U.S. Department of State exchange programs. 

FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

1. Length of performance period: 6 to 12 months, renewable for up to 3 years
2. Number of awards anticipated: one award
3. Award amounts: awards may range from a minimum of $20,000 to a maximum of $40,000
4. Total available funding: $40,000.00
5. Type of Funding: FY20 Smith Mundt Public Diplomacy Funds
6. Anticipated program start date: Spring 2020 

This notice is subject to availability of funding. 

Funding Instrument Type:  Cooperative Agreement. The Public Affairs Office will be actively involved in the award’s implementation. The Public Affairs Office will provide input on the process of selecting workshop participants, as well as approving the final invitees; Public Affairs will provide input on the program and speakers of each workshop; and will consult with the awardee on venues and other logistical details. 

Program Performance Period: Proposed program activities should be completed in 12 month or less.

ELIGILIBITY INFORMATION

The following organizations are eligible to apply:

The Public Affairs Office encourages applications from all sectors: committed and organized civil-society organizations, local representatives of civil society, think tanks, non-governmental organizations, cultural institutions, academic institutions, and individuals. All grantees must have a non-profit status.

Other Eligibility Requirements: Applicants should carefully review all elements of the 80 Years of Exchanges Training Program Implementation Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) and be sure to fulfill all “Eligibility Requirements” – including obtaining a DUNS and NCAGE numbers – before applying (See bottom of the Announcement for more details on the eligibility requirements and see under Additional resources for guidance on how to apply for DUNS and NCAGE codes)

APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

• Applications are due by Saturday, February 29, 2020.
• The proposal budget should be $20,000 to $40,000.
• Must complete DUNS, NCAGE and Sam registration.
• The project should not have an intended start date before March 15, 2020.
• All proposals must adhere to the policy explained in the 80 Years of Exchanges Training Program Implementation NOFO including the “eligibility requirements.” Please review these requirements carefully.
• Proposal Package:
• The Project Narrative(DOC 47 KB)
• The Budget Proposal(XLSX 22 KB)
• SF424 (Application for Federal Assistance – Must be signed)(PDF 265 KB)
• SF424A (Budget Information)(PDF 1 MB)
• SF424B (Assurances – Must be signed)(PDF 70 KB)
• NGO proof of local registration.
• NGO banking info-Rib certificate
• Send the whole package to RabatGrants@state.gov by close of business February 29, 2020
• For any questions please contact us at RabatGrants@state.gov

Content of Application

Please ensure:

• The proposal clearly addresses the goals and objectives of this funding opportunity
• All documents are in English
• All budgets are in U.S. Dollars
• All pages are numbered
• All documents are formatted to 8 ½ x 11 paper, and
• All Microsoft Word documents are single-spaced, 12-point Times New Roman font, with a minimum of 1-inch margins.

Eligibility Requirements:

All applicants must have the following registrations:

• Dun and Bradstreet (D&B) Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number;
• NATO Commercial and Government Entity (NCAGE) code; and
• System for Award Management (SAM.gov) (If you have applied and have not yet received the registration number, provide proof of application).

Please apply for the D&B DUNS Number and NCAGE Code at the same time to reduce waiting time of information. The Legal Business Name and Address must MATCH EXACTLY when entering it into the D&B DUNS, NCAGE, and SAM.gov websites – this includes spaces, parentheses, capitalization, small letters, punctuation, etc. Self-registration in D&B DUNS, NCAGE, and SAM.gov is free of charge. 

DUN & BRADSTREET (D&B) DUNS/UNIQUE ENTITY IDENTIFIER (UEI) NUMBER

The DUNS/UEI number is a nine-digit number established and assigned by Dun and Bradstreet, Inc. (D&B) to uniquely identify business entities.

Log onto the D&B website at http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/searchAction.do

For assistance, contact D&B at the following email address: SAMHelp@dnb.com

While acquiring the D&B DUNS/UEI Number, please register to receive an NCAGE Code Number with NCS at the same time. See instructions below. Step by step information is also included here (Word – 567 KB). 

NATO COMMERCIAL AND GOVERNMENT ENTITY (NCAGE) CODE

NATO Commercial and Government Entity (NCAGE) codes are required for all foreign entities to create an account in SAM.gov. The Code is a five-character ID number, and can take, at a minimum, 4-5 business days to create.

Steps to register: (Please use the Internet Explorer web browser)

Foreign registrants must log into: CAGE Code Request at https://eportal.nspa.nato.int/AC135Public/scage/CageList.aspx

Once in the NATO Codification Tools website, scroll to the right-hand corner and click the “Magnifying Glass.” The magnifying glass will open a new page.

Scroll down the right-hand side until you see “Request New,” click on this link and it will take you to the next page to apply for an NCAGE Code Number.

When asked if the entity to be registered is a supranational organization please click “No” (if you are not part of a member state).

Validate the newly assigned NCAGE Code via the Business Identification Number Cross- Reference System (BINCS) at https://www.dlis.dla.mil/bincs/begin_search.aspx.

If the assigned NCAGE is not listed in BINCS, the recipient should send a message to NCAGE@NSPA.NATO.INT .

For assistance, e-mail NCAGE@dlis.dla.mil  for any problems in obtaining an NCAGE code. 

SYSTEM FOR AWARD MANAGEMENT (SAM.gov): (Please use either the Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox web browser)

SAM is a U.S.-government wide registry of vendors doing business with the U.S. federal government and requires annual renewal. The system centralizes information about grant applicants/recipients, and provides them with a central location to change their organizational information. More information about SAM.gov and useful guides for setting-up a new account, updating an existing account, or renewing an expired account can be found at: https://statebuy.state.gov/fa/Pages/SAMInfo.aspx.

Please complete ALL of the above steps before attempting to register in SAM.

• Log onto https://www.sam.gov
• If you have had an active record in The Central Contractor Registration (CCR), you may already have an active record in SAM. To check for an active registration, please conduct a “search” for your record using the organization name and/or DUNS Number in SAM. If you are not registered, your organization or entity will not be found.
• If your organization does not have an active registration, you must create a user account and input all information in the exact manner as you have for the IRS, D&B DUNS, and NCAGE.
• Complete and submit the online form.

If the applying organization already has the necessary information on hand (see the SAM User Guide), the online form takes approximately one hour to complete, depending upon the size and complexity of the applying entity. Because of the different steps in the process, it might take anywhere from three to fourteen business days to complete the process of creating an account with the system.

If you encounter any error, please contact the SAM Federal Service Desk to report problem at https://www.fsd.gov/clients.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ambassade des Etats-Unis d’Amérique au Maroc.
Source: Apo-Opa

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