Secretary's War Widows Program
Request for Proposals: Secretary's War Widows Program
December 18, 2009
DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Public Notice
Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor and the Secretary’s Office of Global Women’s Issues Request for Proposals: Secretary’s War Widows Program
SUMMARY
The
Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL) and the
Secretary’s Office of Global Women’s Issues (S/GWI)
announce a Request for Proposals (RFP) from organizations
interested in submitting proposals to support and address
the specific challenges and needs of widows and female heads
of households in Iraq, in particular poor, isolated, and/or
illiterate widows and female heads of households, including
but not limited to rural areas, in multiple governorates.
The Department of State recognizes that women’s
empowerment and equal and active civic involvement are key
components of a thriving society. The Department is
therefore deeply committed to ensuring that women’s rights
are fully integrated into U.S. foreign policy.
To address the concerns and needs of women in Iraq, DRL and S/GWI announce an open competition for assistance from the U.S. Department of State’s Fiscal Year 2009 Economic Support Funds (ESF) from organizations interested in submitting proposals for projects that focus on immediate support for widows and female heads of household in Iraq. Organizations should have a demonstrated capacity to work in Iraq on issues related to women and are encouraged to demonstrate how their proposed projects would address needs not covered by existing or other planned programs in Iraq and provide measurable outcomes. Applicants are also highly encouraged to identify local partners and NGOs in Iraq for segments of their proposed work plan. This request for proposals does not guarantee funding and is subject to approval by the Ambassador-at-Large of S/GWI, the Assistant Secretary of DRL, and the Office of Acquisitions Management.
REQUEST
FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)
Applications should consider how
to ensure the greatest possible degree of support among
Iraqis for the stated objectives. Organizations are invited
to submit proposals that provide a compelling
country-oriented rationale and comprehensively outline and
develop program concepts and capacity to manage projects
that will address one or more of the following
priorities:
• Projects that support efforts to increase
awareness of and access to existing legal and social
services, such as the Government of Iraq widow stipend
program; of particular interest are projects that focus on
and encourage financial independence and sustainable
income-generating opportunities.
• Projects that
identify, recruit, and train Iraqi widows and female heads
of household in literacy, entrepreneurship, and practical
career-building skills that enable them to engage in the
economy with competitive and practical skills reflecting
cultural and market conditions.
• Projects that build
training programs with a focused follow-on component
regarding job placement and assistance, particularly working
with Iraqi NGOs that have demonstrated capability of
providing results-oriented training on career-building
skills and job placement support; partnership and
coordination with the private sector are also
encouraged.
• Projects that assist local organizations
in securing micro-grant opportunities from other sources to
encourage practical and innovative small and medium
businesses.
• Projects that support and strengthen
project implementation and sustainability through buy-in and
partnerships with the Government of Iraq and local
communities.
• Projects that strengthen advocacy,
increase human rights awareness, and support the integration
and self-sufficiency of women as active members of their
communities to address issues of concern to Iraqi women,
particularly widows and female heads of
household.
• Projects that support and promote
women’s human rights, women’s health, and the inclusion
of women in the social, political, and economic fabric of
Iraqi society.
• Projects that include and foster
coordination and partnerships among local groups and
organizations that aim to enhance the empowerment of Iraqi
widows and female heads of household as effective members of
Iraqi civil society.
• Proposals should address
coordination with Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs) and
with the international community and other USG-funded
entities in Iraq, if applicable.
• Proposals should
demonstrate awareness of cultural sensitivities and address
initiatives to ensure safety of
participants.
TECHNICAL
REQUIREMENTS
Proposals should conform to
DRL’s posted Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI),
available at http://www.state.gov/g/drl/p/2009/index.htm.
(For this solicitation, applicants must use the Revised
PSI dated October 2009). An organization may submit no
more than one proposal addressing this RFP.
For all
application documents, please ensure:
1) All pages
are numbered, including budgets and
attachments;
2) All documents are formatted to 8
½ x 11 paper, and
3) All Microsoft Word documents
are single-spaced, 12 point Times New Roman font, with a
minimum of 1-inch margins.
Complete applications
should include the following for proposal submission:
1. Completed and signed SF-424, SF-424a and
SF424b, as directed on grants.gov.
2. Table of Contents (not to exceed one [1] page in Microsoft Word) that includes a page-numbered contents page, including any attachments.
3. Executive Summary (not to exceed
one [1] page in Microsoft Word) that includes:
a) the
target country(ies);
b) name and contact information for
the project’s main point of contact;
c) a
one-paragraph “statement of work” or synopsis of the
program and its expected results;
d) a concise breakdown
of the project’s objectives and activities;
e) the
total amount of funding requested and program length,
and
f) a brief statement on how the project is
innovative, sustainable, and will have a demonstrated
impact.
4. Proposal Narrative should not exceed
ten [10] pages in Microsoft Word. Please note the 10-page
limit does not include the Table of Contents, Executive
Summary, Attachments, Detailed Budget, Budget Narrative, or
NICRA. Applicants may submit multiple documents in one
Microsoft Word file: i.e., Table of Contents, Executive
Summary, Proposal Narrative, and Budget Narrative in one
file or as separate, individually submitted files.
Submissions should address the specific criteria outlined in
the solicitation, and may include:
a) Proposals should
clarify how the program is innovative and necessary in the
country: This may include how program methods are creative
or approach an issue in a new and unique way. Moreover, an
explanation should be provided as to how new activities will
not duplicate or merely add on to existing activities.
b) Demonstrated Program Planning: The program plan should clearly describe the proposed objectives and activities, demonstrating clear linkages between activities and objectives. If applicable, proposals should identify local partners, target areas for activities, target participant groups or selection criteria for participants, and purpose/criteria for subgrants, among other pertinent details. Where appropriate, applicants may include back-up plans if the program or components of the program are not able to be implemented as initially conceived.
c) Multiplier Effect and Sustainability: The proposal should demonstrate how the program will include elements of sustainability and achieve lasting impact.
d)
Institution’s Record and Capacity: The organization should
briefly describe any experience it has in Iraq and/or
similar experience elsewhere, as well as specific and
relevant program successes that demonstrate the
organization’s record and capacity. Given the page
limitations, it is recommended that applicants avoid
including general organizational history.
5.
Budget Narrative (preferably in Microsoft Word) that
includes an explanation/justification for each line item in
the detailed budget spreadsheet, as well as the source and
description of all cost-share offered. For ease of review,
it is recommended that applicants order the budget narrative
as presented in the detailed budget. Primarily Headquarters-
and Field-based personnel costs should include a
clarification on the roles and responsibilities of key
staff. In addition, it is recommended that budget narratives
address the overall cost-effectiveness of the proposal,
including any cost-share offered (see below for more
information on cost-sharing and cost-effectiveness).
6. Detailed Line-Item Budget (preferably in Microsoft Excel or similar spreadsheet format) that includes three [3] columns including DRL and S/GWI request, any cost-sharing contribution, and total budget (see below for more information on budget format). Costs should be in USD.
7. Attachments (not to exceed seven [7] pages
total, preferably in Microsoft Word) that include the
following in order:
a) Pages 1-2: Monitoring and
Evaluation Plan (see below for more information on this
section).
b) Page 3: Short bios of key program personnel
that highlight relevant professional experience. Given the
limited space, CVs are not recommended for submission.
c) Page 4: Timeline of the overall proposal. Components
should include activities, evaluation efforts, and program
closeout.
d) Page 5-7: Additional optional attachments.
Attachments may include further timeline information,
letters of support, memorandums of understanding/agreement,
etc. For applicants with a large number of letters/MOUs, it
may be useful to provide a list of the
organizations/government agencies that support the program
rather than the actual documentation.
8. If your
organization has a negotiated indirect cost rate agreement
(NICRA) and includes NICRA charges in the budget, your
latest NICRA should be sent as a .pdf file. This document
will not be reviewed by the panelists, but rather used by
program and grant staff if the submission is recommended for
funding. Hence, this document does not count against the
submission page limitations. If your proposal involves
subgrants to organizations charging indirect costs, and
those organizations also have a NICRA, please submit the
applicable NICRA as a .pdf file (see below for more
information on indirect cost rate).
Note: To ensure all applications receive a balanced evaluation, the DRL and S/GWI Review Committee will review the first page of the requested section up to the page limit and no further. DRL and S/GWI encourage organizations to use the given space effectively.
INFORMATION ON STANDARD
FORMS
Organizations must also fill out and submit
SF-424, SF-424A, and SF-424B forms as directed on www.grants.gov.
Please fill in the
highlighted yellow fields and use the following guideline
for the SF-424:
1. Type of Submission: Application
2.
Type of Application: New
5b. Federal Award Identifier:
Please enter zeros or leave blank
8a. Please enter name
of applicant (organization)
8b. Please enter the
organization’s EIN or TIN number
8c. Please enter the
organization’s DUNS number
8d. Please enter the
organization’s address
8f. Please enter the name,
telephone number and e-mail address of the primary contact
person for this proposal
9. Please select type of
applicant from pull down list
11. The CFDA number is
00.000
12. Please enter the Funding Opportunity Number
(similar to DRL-07-GR-018-MW-010101) and Title (similar to
Global Request for Statements of Interest).
15. Please
enter descriptive title of project
16a. Please enter
congressional district of applicant organization
16b.
Please enter N/A or zeros
17. Please enter the
approximate start and end dates of the proposed
activities
18. Please enter the amount requested from the
USG under “Federal,” any cost-share under
“Applicant,” fill in the total, and otherwise use
zeros.
19. Please enter “c”
20. Complete as
indicated
21. Complete as indicated
Please fill in the
highlighted yellow fields of the SF 424A with information
from your proposed budget.
Please fill in the highlighted
yellow fields of the SF-424B:
Page 2 -
Complete applicant organization and title of authorized
official sections.
PROGRAM MONITORING AND
EVALUATION
Strong monitoring and evaluation plans
incorporate performance indicators for all program
activities and include benchmarks, or targets, for each
indicator. Performance indicators are ways to objectively
assess the degree of success a program has had in achieving
its stated objectives, goals, and planned program
activities. Performance indicators should address the direct
products and services delivered by a program (outputs), and
the results of those products and services (outcomes).
Findings on outputs and outcomes should both be
reported.
Outputs, which are products and services
delivered from the program activities, are often stated as
an amount. Output data show the scope or size of project
activities, but they cannot replace information about
progress toward outcomes or the project’s impact. Outputs
may include the number of people trained or the number of
seminars conducted. An example of a program output: train
100 civil society organization members in organizational
fundraising.
Outcomes, in contrast, represent the
specific, realistic results of a project and are usually
measured as an extent of change. Outcomes may include
progress toward expected program objectives or other results
of the program. For example, a program’s objective could
be to increase the participation of female candidates in
elections. One outcome of the program would be that after
receiving training, women run and win seats in the
Parliament.
DRL and S/GWI recommend that applicants
include a clear description of the methodology and data
collection strategies/tools to be employed (e.g., pre- and
post-surveys, interviews, focus groups) and, where feasible,
samples of evaluative tools such as draft survey
questionnaires. DRL and S/GWI expect that the grantee will
track participants or partners as appropriate and be able to
respond to key evaluation questions, including satisfaction
with the program/training, information learned as a result
of the program/training, changes in attitude and behavior as
a result of the program, and effects of the program on
institutions in which participants work or partner
institutions. Applicants should include the monitoring and
evaluation process in their timeline.
Overall, the
quality of your monitoring and evaluation plan will be
judged on how well it incorporates the above-mentioned
components. Since a quality evaluation should be as
objective and unbiased as possible, DRL and S/GWI highly
encourage all applicants to include an independent
evaluation (e.g., hiring an outside evaluator to assess the
program from its inception) as part of their overall
monitoring and evaluation plan. Costs for an outside
evaluation may be charged to the grant.
ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION
DRL and S/GWI will not consider proposals
that reflect any type of support for any member, affiliate,
or representative of a designated terrorist organization,
whether or not elected members of government.
The bulk of
project activities must target the requested country and
should last between one and three years. U.S.-based
activities, study tours, scholarships, or exchange projects
will not be deemed competitive. Projects that have a strong
academic, research, conference, or dialogue focus will not
be deemed competitive.
Awards are contingent on the
availability of funds. DRL and S/GWI have approximately $5
million in ESF available for the Secretary’s War Widows
Program grant awards. Grants are expected to range
approximately between $500,000 and $1 million. All awards
will support program and administrative costs required to
implement the program. DRL and S/GWI anticipate making grant
awards in spring 2010.
APPLICANT/ORGANIZATION
CRITERIA
Organizations submitting proposals must meet
the following criteria:
- Be a registered U.S. non-profit organization meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code section 26 USC 501(c) (3). Applicants in the process of registration must submit proof that they are seeking non-profit status from the Internal Revenue Service at the time of proposal submission. Should the applicant be selected for a grant award, funding will be contingent upon 501(c)(3) status; or
- Be a U.S. university or research institution meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code section 26 USC 501(c) (3); and
- Have demonstrated experience administering successful projects, preferably targeting the requested country and/or region, or similarly challenging program environment. DRL and S/GWI reserve the right to request additional background information on organizations that do not have previous experience administering federal grant awards. These applicants may be subject to limited funding on a pilot basis; and
- Have existing, or the capacity to develop, active partnerships with organization(s) in the target country and/or region.
- Organizations may form consortia and submit a combined proposal. However, one organization should be designated as the lead applicant.
REVIEW PROCESS
DRL and S/GWI will review all proposals for eligibility. Eligible proposals will be subject to compliance of Federal and Bureau regulations and guidelines and may also be reviewed by the Office of the Legal Adviser or by other Department elements. Final technical authority for assistance awards resides with the Department’s Grants Division.
Proposals will be funded based on an evaluation of how the proposal meets the solicitation review criteria, U.S. foreign policy objectives, and priority needs. A Department of State Review Committee will evaluate proposals submitted under this request. Review criteria will include:
1) Quality of Program Idea
Proposals should be
responsive to the solicitation and exhibit originality,
substance, precision, and relevance to the ESF mission. DRL
and S/GWI typically do not fund continuation programs but
innovative, stand-alone programs.
2) Program
Planning/Ability to Achieve Objectives
A relevant
work plan should demonstrate substantive undertakings and
logistical capacity of the organization. The work plan
should adhere to the program overview and guidelines
described above. Objectives should be ambitious, yet
measurable and achievable. For complete proposals,
applicants should provide a monthly timeline of project
activities.
3) Multiplier Effect/Sustainability
Proposed programs should address long-term
institution building with an emphasis on moving towards
sustainability, garnering other donor support, or
demonstrating capacity-building results.
4) Program
Evaluation Plan
Programs should demonstrate the
capacity for effective monitoring, engage in impact
assessments, and provide objectives with measurable outputs
and outcomes. It is highly recommended that projects propose
an independent evaluation with a clear plan.
5)
Institution’s Record and Capacity
DRL and S/GWI
will consider the past performance of prior recipients and
the demonstrated potential of new applicants. Proposals
should demonstrate an institutional record of successful
programs, including responsible fiscal management and full
compliance with all reporting requirements for past grants.
Proposed personnel and institutional resources should be
adequate and appropriate to achieve the project's
objectives. Roles and responsibilities of primary staff
should be provided.
6) Cost Effectiveness
The
overhead and administrative components of the proposal,
including salaries and honoraria, should be kept as low as
possible. All other items should be necessary and
appropriate. Given that the majority of DRL and S/GWI-funded
programs take place overseas, U.S.-based costs should be
kept to a minimum. Cost sharing is strongly encouraged and
is viewed favorably by DRL and S/GWI reviewers.
DEADLINE AND SUBMISSION
INSTRUCTIONS
Applicants must submit proposals using
www.grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. Eastern
Standard Time (EST) on January 20, 2010.
Please note: In order to safeguard the security of applicants’ electronic information, www.grants.gov utilizes a credential provider to ensure that we can determine, with certainty, that someone really is who they claim to be.
The credential provider for www.grants.gov is Operational Research Consultants (ORC). Applicants MUST register with ORC to receive a username and password which you will need to register with www.grants.gov as an authorized organization representative (AOR). Once your organization's E-Business point of contact has assigned these rights, you will be authorized to submit grant applications through Grants.gov on behalf of your organization.
Each organization will need to be registered with the Central Contractor Registry (CCR) and you will need to have your organization's DUNS number available to complete this process. After your organization registers with the CCR, you must wait 3 business days before you can obtain a username and password. This may delay your ability to post your proposal. Therefore, DRL and S/GWI strongly encourage applicants to begin this process on www.grants.gov well in advance of the submission deadline.
No exceptions will be made for organizations that have not completed the necessary steps to post applications on www.grants.gov.
ENDS