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MEPI Standing Program Announcement (May 4, 2004)Note: November 2004 closing postponed DEPARTMENT OF STATE I. Funding Opportunity Description: The Middle East Partnership Initiative supports economic, political, and educational reform efforts in the Middle East and champions opportunity for all people of the region, especially women and youth. The Office of the Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) announces a competition for grant and cooperative agreement applications that focus on one or more of the priority areas addressed by MEPI. As President Bush outlined in his November 6, 2003 speech at the National Endowment for Democracy, the U.S. has adopted a new policy, a forward strategy for freedom in the Middle East. For full text of the President’s speech, see www.mepi.state.gov. MEPI is the Administration’s primary diplomatic policy and development programmatic tool to support this new forward strategy. As a result, MEPI is seeking new and innovative proposals to promote and support positive change in economic, political, education programs and the empowerment of women in the Middle East and North Africa. Applications should include cost-sharing, partnership with local NGOs or local governments in the region, a public diplomacy outreach plan, and an alumni network component. Proposals may be for regional programs or for programs in: Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, West Bank and Gaza, and Yemen. MEPI will also seek opportunities to include Iraqis in regional programs, where legal and appropriate. Applicants should take into consideration existing relief programs, particularly with respect to targets of extensive USG programs such as Egypt, Jordan, and West Bank/Gaza, to avoid program duplication to the maximum extent possible. MEPI is looking for creative ideas that can be implemented relatively quickly to produce concrete results. Applications may address one or more of the stated purposes; proposals need not cover all priorities. Funding Instrument Type: Grants and Cooperative Agreements Anticipated Total Program Funding: $14 million in Federal Fiscal Year 2004 Electronic Link to Full Announcement: Go to http://www.mepi.state.gov, click on Current Opportunities, click on Standing Program Announcement.
II. Award Information: NEA expects to award approximately 20 grants or cooperative agreements during FY 2004. Awards, initially, will be funded for one year, with an option to extend for up to one additional year based on the achievement of performance metrics in the first year, availability of funds, and the best interests of the U.S. Government. NEA reserves the right to award less, or more than the funds described, in the absence of worthy applications, or under such other circumstances as may be deemed to be in the best interest of the U.S. Government. Project and Budget Periods: This announcement invites applications for project periods of up to 17 months with an option to extend for up to one additional year based on the achievement of performance metrics in the first budget period. Applications for continuation grants funded under these awards, beyond the initial budget period, will be entertained on a noncompetitive basis, subject to availability of funds, satisfactory progress of the grantee, and a determination that continued funding would be in the best interest of the Department of State. Ceiling on amount of individual Awards: $800,000 Floor of Individual Award Amounts: $100,000 Average Projected Award Amount: $500,000
III. Eligibility Information: Eligible applicants include all non-governmental institutions, private organizations, commercial entities and US state and local governments. Additional Information on Eligibility: All recipients must have a Dun & Bradstreet Number. On June 27, 2003, the Office of Management and Budget published in the Federal Register a new Federal policy applicable to all Federal grant recipients. The policy requires Federal grant applicants to provide a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number when applying for Federal grants or cooperative agreements on or after October 1, 2003. Please ensure that your organization has applied for a DUNS number. You may acquire a DUNS number at no cost by calling the dedicated toll-free DUNS number request line at 1-866-705-5711 or you may request a number on-line at www.dnb.com IV. Application/Proposal Submission and Deadline An application (Standard Form 424) with an original signature and two clearly identified copies are required. The application form (Standard Form 424) and instructions can be obtained from either: (1) The following Web sites: http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/#forms http://www.usaid.gov/procurement_bus_opp/procurement/forms/SF-424/(2) Barbara T. Fox, Grants Officer, U.S. Department of State, NEA/ PI, c/o Room 6258, 2201 C Street, N.W., Washington, DC, 20520, telephone (202) 776-8525, fax: (202) 776-8445, e-mail: Foxbt2@state.gov The applications narrative should not exceed 20 pages and 20 of appendices attachments. Each page should be numbered sequentially. The limitation of 40 pages should be considered as a maximum and not necessarily a goal. Narrative submission should be in Times New Roman font, size 12, single-line spacing. Applicants must also provide an electronic copy of the proposal by e-mail to foxbt2@state.gov. Proposals must be submitted in both hard copy and by e-mail; proposals submitted only by e-mail, or only in hard copy, will not be considered. Submission: Application materials must be submitted to the U.S. Department of State, Barbara Fox, Grants Officer, NEA/PI, mailing address : c/o Room 6258, 2201 C Street, N.W., Washington, DC, 20520. Applications submitted by e-mail and either (1) mail (including express mail or overnight mail services), or (2) hand-carried by applicant couriers or by other representatives of the applicant, shall be considered as meeting an announced deadline if they are submitted before 11:59 p.m. on due dates. Due to delays in regular mail delivery to the State Department, applicants are strongly encouraged to hand-carry or use couriers to deliver applications to NEA/PI, Monday through Friday (excluding U.S. Government holidays) between the hours of 8:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Express or overnight mail services may also be used, though applicants are cautioned that express/overnight mail services do not always deliver as agreed. The Grants Officer must be notified by telephone or e-mail, at least one hour in advance of delivery, that the application is on its way, or the package risks being considered late or turned away by Diplomatic Security.
Extension of Deadline: The Chief Grants Management Officer in NEA/PI may extend or waive application deadline requirements when circumstances such as acts of God (floods, hurricanes, etc.) occur; or when there is a widespread disruption of the mail service, or in other extraordinary circumstances that may affect all applicants. Background: MEPI is a Presidential initiative to promote positive change in the Middle East and North Africa through diplomatic efforts and through results-oriented programs, both regional and specific to individual countries. Reform in this part of the world is of strategic, long-term importance not only to the national security interests of the United States, but to the U.S. goal of ensuring that the people of the region experience the benefits that come with more open economies, greater educational opportunities, and political freedom. In addition to focusing on other regional initiatives such as Iraq reconstruction and Arab-Israeli peace, the U.S. Government also is looking to encourage democracy, prosperity and regional stability, as a further means of combating extremism and terror. A key element of MEPI is creating links and partnerships with Arab, U.S., and global private sector businesses, elements of civil society, and governments to jointly achieve sustainable reform in the region. MEPI works in four priority areas:
Under its economic pillar, MEPI is seeking proposals that support our goals in the areas of trade, investment, and business development. Trade projects should be fully consistent with the President’s vision for a Middle East Free Trade Area (MEFTA) and increase MEPI partner countries’ global competitiveness. To date, MEPI has funded projects involving trade capacity building that support WTO accession, U.S. Trade and Investment Framework Agreements (TIFA), and Free Trade Agreements (FTA). To complement these government-to-government activities, MEPI is interested in proposals for programs that help small and medium sized businesses take advantage of increased trade opportunities and efforts that help vulnerable economic sectors and businesses adapt to the new commercial environment. MEPI is interested in programs that work to help firms develop business and marketing strategies and ones that create new opportunities for regional businesses. Current projects supporting the MEPI business development goal include the Partnership for Financial Excellence, which promotes greater competition, independence of state control, efficiency, and integration of individual financial markets in the region. MEPI also is undertaking both executive and managerial level business training with partners in the Middle East and North Africa. Under this SPA, MEPI is seeking projects that will increase the numbers of individuals and organizations able to tap into and benefit from national reforms and additional capital. The political and civil society pillar covers the broad areas of democracy, good governance, and the media. MEPI is seeking proposals for projects that strengthen democratic practices and civil society, promote the rule of law and accountable, effective government institutions, and enhance the role of free and independent media in society. MEPI is focusing its efforts in this pillar on election assistance and political party strengthening, development of parliamentary skills, and legal and judicial reform. For example, MEPI has funded a project to set up regional schools that will teach the fundamentals of organizing political campaigns and advocacy. In the area of parliamentary strengthening, MEPI seeks to reinforce the capabilities of parliaments and to create a demand for democratic practices, for example, through technical assistance to legislators, staff, and party causes in increasing representation, law-making, transparency and legislative oversight functions. Under judicial and legal reform, MEPI is focused on the continuing education of public defenders, prosecutors, and judges on critical principles of code reform for criminal and civil law, constitutional reform, human rights, and methods to preserve judicial independence. In addition, MEPI will focus on commercial law programs that support both the political and economic pillars. Finally, MEPI supports the liberalization of media in the region through establishing an open media and new information channels, training media professionals in journalism and business skills, and supporting local media lawyers who, in cooperation with parliamentarians and other organizations, can advocate for media reform. Applicants are encouraged to develop proposals for programs that address the MEPI core competencies of election assistance and political party strengthening, parliamentary strengthening, and legal and judicial reform, and media and civil society in a creative manner. Under this SPA, proposals are welcome in the above areas, but MEPI is seeking additional ideas that focus on broadening citizen participation in government at all levels, strengthen relationships between political parties and their constituencies, and that build consensus on ethical conduct for elected and appointed officials. Under the education pillar, MEPI seeks a holistic approach to develop a “competitive alternative” model to current schools, curriculum, and mind-set. MEPI-funded project should focus on access, quality and skills development. Successful proposals in this pillar should expand access to primary, intermediate, and secondary education for all people, especially girls and women. MEPI supports improvement in the quality of primary, intermediate, and secondary education through mechanisms that could include teacher training, curriculum content, community empowerment, and digital readiness. Development of skills for private sector employment is a MEPI goal under this pillar, as is building networks among education reformers across the region. For example, MEPI is developing and will fund a “Partnership Schools” project that will create models or opportunities for alternatives in education and the demand for quality, relevant education within communities and countries. The latter project considers target areas such as teacher training, methods, and certification; as well as curriculum development and technology utilization. Full and active engagement by the private sector, including with job skills training and placement opportunities, is integral to the success of “Partnership Schools.” Proposals that address these and other, relevant education reform objectives, including through mechanisms not already under MEPI consideration or funding, are strongly encouraged. MEPI intends to fund projects only in countries that are committed to a process of comprehensive school reform. Under the women’s pillar, MEPI seeks to reduce the barriers—cultural, legal, regulatory, economic, and political—to women’s full participation in society. MEPI is looking for innovative and creative proposals that reduce those barriers and respond to issues identified by local women or women’s groups themselves. Successful projects should build the capacity of women and local women’s interest groups and organizations to achieve their goals, whether by providing training in skills such as advocacy, outreach, communication and networking at the local, regional and international level; projects heightening awareness of the barriers to women’s advancement and increasing understanding of how empowering women can have a beneficial impact on society as a whole; projects tackling the legal barriers, including legal discrimination, facing women; or by projects directly increasing women’s involvement in political and economic life. Applications should address the consequences of the barriers facing women in the region, and describe elements designed to increase the capacity of women to overcome the barriers themselves or to reduce their underlying causes. Regional: Proposals for programs with a regional focus, i.e., those that cross borders because they address problems common to multiple countries in the region, are encouraged. MEPI strongly supports programs that build networks within and across national boundaries and build local organizational capacity and leverage opportunities. We encourage programs that progressively transfer project management to organizations in the region as they are able to sustain new activities. Generally, MEPI will not fund “bricks and mortar” type projects. Scholarships that provide technical assistance in support of a larger program will be considered. In addition, proposals that offer full participation by women and/or youth are encouraged. All applicants are asked to include in their proposals under any pillar an explanation of how women and youth in particular will benefit, and, if this is not applicable, an explanation of why not. In keeping with the President's Volunteers for Prosperity initiative, proposals that use highly skilled American volunteers are encouraged. The proposal should explain clearly how the volunteers will be used and, if this is not applicable, an explanation of why not. All programs must include a detailed public diplomacy/public outreach plan, and a follow-up plan to maintain contact with program alumni, as well as consider digital readiness as a program element where appropriate. Successful applicants will be expected to coordinate closely with the Department of State, NEA/PI, the MEPI regional offices in Tunis and Abu Dhabi, and relevant U.S. Embassies/Consulates, as appropriate, in the implementation of all aspects of their program. Successful proposals will address:
Successful proposals will demonstrate how the implementing organization, through direct contact with individuals, organizations, and governments, will increase both the understanding of the importance of reform and strengthen the capacity of leaders, individuals and organizations, to pursue and implement reform efforts on a sustainable basis. High quality partnerships within the Middle East and North Africa are essential, and successful applicants will include a growing role for local partners in project design and management during the implementation of the project, providing professional training of local partners where this is needed. Training is not an end in itself, however, but should lead to the effective transfer of leadership, expertise, and skills to local partners at the end of the project. Where a significant part of the applicant's project is networking and conferencing, the successful applicant will demonstrate persuasively that at the end of the project, a financially viable and sustainable professional organization can be achieved that continues to work on issues that advance reforms. In areas of educational reform, applicants should demonstrate how project results, e.g. curricular materials, teacher training programs, digital readiness, will be placed in local organizations and schools capable and willing to use the project results. Applicants will demonstrate a thorough knowledge of the countries in which they wish to work, be able to select and justify local partners, establish clear benchmarks and timelines for success, and discuss persuasively strategies and programmatic tools they will use to achieve and measure program goals, including sustainability, on time and in budget. The ideal applicant will provide the type of program that can provide results in moving forward reform efforts in the Middle East and North Africa in one or more pillars and in more than one country. The ideal applicant will also be characterized by the ability to start work within a few weeks of award without an extended build up of staff and offices, and the ability to deliver activities within four months. All products and services developed or produced as a result of an approved grant or cooperative agreement must clearly acknowledge the U.S. Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI). The U.S. Government will retain the right to royalty-free use of all materials developed through U.S. funded programs. Similarly, all related written materials, statements, press, media releases, or events must acknowledge the MEPI. The grantee will also allow for Internet connectivity with the MEPI Web site, where relevant. V. Review and Selection Process: Each application submitted under this announcement will be evaluated and rated by an independent review panel on the basis of the following evaluation criteria. The criteria are designed to assess the quality of the proposed project, and to determine the likelihood of its success. The criteria are closely related and are considered as a whole in judging the overall quality of an application. Points are awarded only to applications that are responsive within the context of this program announcement. Results or Benefits Expected—The applicant clearly describes the results and benefits to be achieved. Results address at least one of MEPI’s ten goals (See www.mepi.state.gov). The applicant identifies how improvement will be measured on key indicators and provides milestones indicating progress. Proposed outcomes are tangible and achievable within the grant project period. There are formal program evaluation and reporting plans. (30 points) Approach—The applicant must demonstrate that its strategy and plan are likely to achieve the proposed results; that proposed activities, including Public Diplomacy/outreach component, and timeframes are rapid, reasonable and feasible. The plan describes in detail how the proposed activities will be accomplished as well as the potential for the project to have a positive impact on reform efforts in the Middle East and North Africa. (35 points) Organization Profiles—Where collaborators are proposed, the applicant describes the rationale for the collaboration, each partner’s respective role, and how the coalition will enhance the accomplishment of the project goals. In all cases, the applicant describes joint planning consultation efforts undertaken. The proposed coalition is appropriate with respective roles and financial responsibilities delineated. Evidence of commitment of coalition partners to implementing the activities is demonstrated, i.e., by letters or the terms of the signed agreement among participants. The applicant or coalition partners provide documented experience in performing the proposed activities. Assurance is provided that proposed services will be delivered in a manner that is linguistically and culturally appropriate to the target population. Individual organization staffs, including volunteers, are well-qualified. The administrative and management features of the project, including a plan for fiscal and programmatic management for each activity, is described in detail with proposed start-up times, ongoing timelines, major milestones or benchmarks, a component/project organization chart, and a staffing chart. (25 points) Budget and Budget Justification— Calculations are provided with line item detail for each budget object class identified on the Budget Information form. Detailed calculations must include estimation methods, quantities, unit costs, and other similar quantitative detail sufficient for the calculation to be duplicated. The detailed budget must also include a breakout by the funding sources identified in Block 15 of the SF-424. The budget justification should be a narrative that describes how the categorical costs are derived. The budget and narrative justification are reasonable in relation to the proposed activities and anticipated results and the plan for services is realistic. The budget documents the necessity, reasonableness, and allocability of all proposed costs. The application documents any efforts to secure other funding sources. (10 points) Guidelines for preparing the budget and budget justification: Both Federal and non-Federal resources shall be detailed and justified. Cost sharing is an important element of the budget process. "Federal resources" refers only to the MEPI grant application. It is suggested that budget amounts and computations be presented in a columnar format: first column, object class categories; second column, Federal budget; next column(s), non-Federal budget(s), and last column, total budget. PERSONNEL Description: Costs of employee salaries and wages. Justification: Identify the project director or principal investigator, if known. For each staff person, provide the title, time commitment to the project (in months), time commitment to the project (as a percentage or full-time equivalent), annual salary, grant salary, wage rates, etc. Do not include the costs of consultants or personnel costs of delegate agencies or of specific project(s) or businesses to be financed by the applicant. FRINGE BENEFITS Description: Costs of employee fringe benefits unless treated as part of an approved indirect cost rate. Justification: Provide a breakdown of the amounts and percentages that comprise fringe benefit costs such as health insurance, retirement insurance, taxes, etc. TRAVEL Description: Costs of project-related travel by employees of the applicant organization (does not include costs of consultant travel). Justification: For each trip, show the total number of traveler(s), travel destination, duration of trip, per diem, mileage allowances, if privately owned vehicles will be used, and other transportation costs and subsistence allowances. EQUIPMENT Description: Costs of tangible, non-expendable, personal property, having a useful life of more than one year and an acquisition cost of $5,000 or more per unit. Justification: For each type of equipment requested, provide a description of the equipment, the cost per unit, the number of units, the total cost, and a plan for use on the project, as well as use or disposal of the equipment after the project ends. SUPPLIES Description: Costs of all tangible personal property other than that included under the Equipment category. Justification: Specify general categories of supplies and their costs. Show computations and provide other information that supports the amount requested. OTHER Enter the total of all other costs. Such costs, where applicable and appropriate, may include but are not limited to insurance, professional services costs, space and equipment rentals, printing and publication, computer use, training costs, such as tuition and stipends, staff development costs, and administrative costs. Justification: Provide computations, a narrative description and a justification for each cost under this category. INDIRECT CHARGES Description: Total amount of indirect costs. This category should be used only when the applicant currently has an indirect cost rate approved by a cognizant Federal agency. Justification: An applicant that will charge indirect costs to the grant must enclose a copy of the current negotiated indirect cost rate agreement (NICRA). It should be noted that when an indirect cost rate is requested, those costs included in the indirect cost pool should not also be charged as direct costs to the grant. PROGRAM INCOME Description: The estimated amount of income, if any, expected to be generated from this project. Interest income on US funds is not allowed. Justification: Describe the nature, source and anticipated use of program income in the budget or refer to the pages in the application that contain this information. NON-FEDERAL RESOURCES Description: Amounts of non-Federal resources that will be used to support the project as identified in Block 15 of the SF-424. Justification: The firm commitment of these resources must be documented and submitted with the application in order to be given credit in the review process.
VI. Award Administration Information Administrative and National Policy Requirements:
Reporting Requirements: Programmatic and Financial Reports will be due quarterly 30 days after the quarter. One Web-postable program summary is required within 30 days of award. A final report covering finance and results achieved will be due 90 days after the end of the performance period. Released by the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs |
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