Questions and Answers About the Office To Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons 2013 Request for Statements of Interest (RSOI)
Office To Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons
December 18, 2012
Questions and Answers from the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (TIP Office) webcast to provide information about the Solicitation: Request for Statements of Interest (SOI) from NGOs.
A. U.S.-based non-profit and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), foreign NGOs, and institutions of higher education are eligible to submit SOIs under this solicitation. On a limited basis, for-profit organizations are also eligible to submit SOIs; however, they may not take a profit from grant-funded activities.
Public International Organizations (PIOs) are not eligible to apply under this solicitation. Foreign governments are not eligible to apply, although governments may be beneficiaries of funded programs, provided that funding does not pay salaries of government agency personnel and that such assistance is not restricted by U.S. law or policy.
Q. Why are PIOs not eligible to apply?
A. The TIP Office will continue working with its PIO partners and has already identified projects for PIOs outside of what is described in the solicitation.
The TIP Office will send invitation letters to select PIOs based on their demonstrated areas of experience to submit proposals for specific projects in countries identified by the TIP Office. The TIP Office will send these invitations on a rolling basis as funding is available.
Q: How can a for-profit business receive a TIP Office grant?
A: On a very limited basis, the TIP Office has provided grants to for-profit entities. These organizations do not make any profit from the funds provided. The Department of State’s Office of the Procurement Executive must provide additional approval for grants that are awarded to for-profit entities.
Q. Are small businesses, as defined by the USG, eligible to apply?
A. Yes, but as with for-profit organizations, small businesses may not take a profit from grant funds.
Q. Can organizations that currently receive funds from the TIP Office apply for additional funding under this solicitation?
A. Yes, but only for specific activities listed in the bullet points for the countries listed in the solicitation.
A. FY 2013 funds have not yet been appropriated by Congress. All awards under this announcement are pending the appropriation of funds.
Q. How much money will be allocated to each region or country?
A. The final amount allocated for each country and region will depend on the quality of the proposals received and on the nature of the proposed activities.
Q. What are the expected funding dates?
A. The TIP Office expects to award grant funds to successful applicants no later than September 30, 2013.
Q. How many full proposals did the TIP Office fund in FY 2012?
A. Last year, the TIP Office received more than 500 applications requesting more than $280 million in assistance – far more than our funding could support. By the end of the FY 2012 competition for funding, we awarded a total of nearly $17.7 million to fund 40 grants. Detailed information about our FY12 awards is available at: http://www.state.gov/j/tip/
Q. Where can I find specifics regarding previously funded projects?
A. Applicants are encouraged to look to our website, http://www.state.gov/j/tip/
Q. Please explain why some countries were not selected for funding consideration.
A. Our foreign assistance priorities and funding decisions are guided by the trends and country-specific recommendations in the annual Trafficking in Persons Report. The 2012 TIP Report is posted on our website at http://www.state.gov/j/tip/
The process of selecting countries for funding is very difficult and is done in consultation with other offices within the Department of State. The number of countries selected in the solicitation is restricted due to the limited amount of funding that our office administers. Please note that we will accept SOIs only for countries named in the solicitation.
Q. Can an organization apply to work in more than one country?
A. This solicitation is only for bilateral programs. The TIP Office will only consider proposals for the countries and program areas identified in the solicitation. Each NGO may apply to work in more than one country, but each country is a stand-alone project. In other words, if an NGO anticipates working in three separate countries with three separate projects, the NGO must submit three separate SOIs. Because some trafficking in persons is transnational, it is possible that, for example, a project in Country X may include some contacts with the source country, but the primary project is in Country X.
Q. Is there a limit to the number of SOIs that can be submitted by a single applicant?
A. No, there is no limit. Organizations are permitted to submit multiple applications; however, the Office intends to provide funding to a wide range of qualified, capable organizations that do well in the competitive review. Those who submit multiple applications are reminded to tailor each application to their organization’s particular strengths and country-specific experience.
A. SOIs for projects that are located in or focus on countries not identified in this solicitation or that do not address a priority objective for an identified country will be rejected during the technical review process.
Q. Do I need to submit a complete budget at the time of submitting the SOI?
A. No, only a total amount of funding in U.S. dollars is requested. No budget categories are required or requested for the SOI. If cost share is offered, then a total for cost share should also be provided. All cost figures must be in US dollars.
Q. The award ceiling is $750,000 for this solicitation for 36 months. Does this mean $750,000 each year for up to 3 years?
A. No, the TIP Office will award projects that total up to $750,000 for the duration of the project. The maximum duration of a project is 36 months. The amount requested and the proposed duration should be consistent with the scope of the project. The average NGO award in FY 12 was less than $500,000.
Q. Does the award ceiling of $750,000 include indirect costs?
A. Yes. All costs requested, including indirect costs, must be included in this amount.
Q. If an applicant proposes a partnership with government, civil society, another NGO or a PIO, does the partnership agreement have to be finalized or in writing at the time of the SOI application?
A. No, partnerships that are referenced in a SOI do not need to be formal or in writing at the time the SOI is submitted. Proposed partnerships should be referenced in the SOIs to ensure that they are considered in the review. The TIP Office encourages SOIs that demonstrate strong partnerships, and in the second stage of competition, SOIs that are selected to submit full proposals are encouraged to submit letters of intent to cooperate.
Q. Can an organization submit a letter of intent?
A. Please review the solicitation carefully to ensure that your application meets the requirements for a SOI, which may not be the same as a letter of intent. The solicitation provides a detailed description of what needs to be included in the SOI.
A. To ensure fairness, all applicants will have an equal chance to describe their proposed project. Detailed information on formatting requirements and more can be found in the solicitation. The Application Package must include:
1. Standard Forms 424 and 424B (Completed; Instructions provided)
2. Two-page Statement of Interest (See Content description)
Please be sure to specifically designate the country you propose to work in on number 14 of SF 424.
Q. Is there any difference between submitting applications to www.grantsolutions.gov versuswww.grants.gov? Should applicants submit applications to both?
A. Applicants should not submit a SOI to both websites. While we will accept SOIs via either website, our Office encourages applicants to use www.grantsolutions.gov. Applicants should be aware that GrantSolutions requires a DUNS number to submit an application, while Grants.gov requires both a DUNS number and a current CCR registration, which takes approximately 3-5 business days (for U.S. based NGOs) to obtain and must be renewed annually. Regardless of the website used, all applicants are encouraged to initiate applications early in the application development process and to submit completed applications early to allow time to address any technical difficulties that may arise.
Q. What should I do if I encounter difficulty in using the GrantSolutions or Grants.gov websites?
A. For assistance with GrantSolutions.gov please contact Customer Support at help@grantsolutions.gov or 1-800-577-0771 (toll charges for international callers) or 1-202-401-5282. Customer Support is available 8 AM – 6 PM EST, Monday – Friday, except for federal holidays. Please note that December 25, 2012 and January 1, 2013 are federal holidays and the help line will be closed.
For assistance with Grants.gov, please contact the Contact Center at support@grants.gov or call the Contact Center at1-800-518-4726 (toll charges for international callers). The Contact Center is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, except federal holidays. Please note that December 25, 2012 and January 1, 2013 are federal holidays and the help line will be closed.
A. All SOIs received will first undergo a technical review. Those SOIs which pass the technical review are forwarded to the relevant U.S. Embassy for review and comment. This information is then taken into consideration by a regional interagency review panel composed of experts on human trafficking programming and the relevant region. Panel recommendations are then submitted and reviewed by the Ambassador-at-Large to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons.
Q. Please clarify the role of U.S. Embassies in the 2013 competitive review process.
A. All U.S. Embassies have been informed of the FY 2013 solicitation and the Embassies in the selected countries have been encouraged to post information about the solicitation on their websites. Embassies will review and comment on proposed projects that meet the technical requirements. Full proposals will be shared with the embassy in the country where the work is proposed to take place.
To preserve the fairness and integrity of the competitive process, please do not contact embassy personnel regarding your application.
Q. How many applicants do you expect to invite to submit a full proposal?
A. We are not certain of the number that will be invited to submit full applications in stage two of the competitive process. The decision will be made after review of the SOIs. However, this is a two-stage competition; Not all applicants selected to submit a full proposal will be selected for funding.
Q. When do you expect to notify applicants if they are requested to submit a full proposal?
A. We expect to notify applicants in the spring that their SOI was selected for the second stage of competition. Applicants will have 30 days from notification to submit a full proposal.
Q. What does the TIP Office require for full proposals?
A. Applicants that are evaluated highly in the first stage of the competitive review (SOI process) will be invited to submit full proposals. At that time, selected applicants will receive additional information about the second stage requirements.
Q. Where can I get additional advice about preparing the SOI or full application?
A. The TIP Office makes every effort to ensure a fair, transparent, competitive grants process. In keeping with this commitment, we cannot advise applicants on the content of their proposals or provide suggestions regarding proposals.
No one from the Office, or any other Department of State office or bureau, including Embassy personnel, is permitted to advise you on the content of your application. Persons with questions about the requirements of the solicitation may contact Chelsea Lord (lordc@state.gov) or Zach Winters (wintersz@state.gov).
ELIGIBILITY
Q. Who is eligible to apply for funding?A. U.S.-based non-profit and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), foreign NGOs, and institutions of higher education are eligible to submit SOIs under this solicitation. On a limited basis, for-profit organizations are also eligible to submit SOIs; however, they may not take a profit from grant-funded activities.
Public International Organizations (PIOs) are not eligible to apply under this solicitation. Foreign governments are not eligible to apply, although governments may be beneficiaries of funded programs, provided that funding does not pay salaries of government agency personnel and that such assistance is not restricted by U.S. law or policy.
Q. Why are PIOs not eligible to apply?
A. The TIP Office will continue working with its PIO partners and has already identified projects for PIOs outside of what is described in the solicitation.
The TIP Office will send invitation letters to select PIOs based on their demonstrated areas of experience to submit proposals for specific projects in countries identified by the TIP Office. The TIP Office will send these invitations on a rolling basis as funding is available.
Q: How can a for-profit business receive a TIP Office grant?
A: On a very limited basis, the TIP Office has provided grants to for-profit entities. These organizations do not make any profit from the funds provided. The Department of State’s Office of the Procurement Executive must provide additional approval for grants that are awarded to for-profit entities.
Q. Are small businesses, as defined by the USG, eligible to apply?
A. Yes, but as with for-profit organizations, small businesses may not take a profit from grant funds.
Q. Can organizations that currently receive funds from the TIP Office apply for additional funding under this solicitation?
A. Yes, but only for specific activities listed in the bullet points for the countries listed in the solicitation.
LOGISTICS
Q. How much funding does the TIP Office have for FY 2013?A. FY 2013 funds have not yet been appropriated by Congress. All awards under this announcement are pending the appropriation of funds.
Q. How much money will be allocated to each region or country?
A. The final amount allocated for each country and region will depend on the quality of the proposals received and on the nature of the proposed activities.
Q. What are the expected funding dates?
A. The TIP Office expects to award grant funds to successful applicants no later than September 30, 2013.
Q. How many full proposals did the TIP Office fund in FY 2012?
A. Last year, the TIP Office received more than 500 applications requesting more than $280 million in assistance – far more than our funding could support. By the end of the FY 2012 competition for funding, we awarded a total of nearly $17.7 million to fund 40 grants. Detailed information about our FY12 awards is available at: http://www.state.gov/j/tip/
Q. Where can I find specifics regarding previously funded projects?
A. Applicants are encouraged to look to our website, http://www.state.gov/j/tip/
Q. Please explain why some countries were not selected for funding consideration.
A. Our foreign assistance priorities and funding decisions are guided by the trends and country-specific recommendations in the annual Trafficking in Persons Report. The 2012 TIP Report is posted on our website at http://www.state.gov/j/tip/
The process of selecting countries for funding is very difficult and is done in consultation with other offices within the Department of State. The number of countries selected in the solicitation is restricted due to the limited amount of funding that our office administers. Please note that we will accept SOIs only for countries named in the solicitation.
Q. Can an organization apply to work in more than one country?
A. This solicitation is only for bilateral programs. The TIP Office will only consider proposals for the countries and program areas identified in the solicitation. Each NGO may apply to work in more than one country, but each country is a stand-alone project. In other words, if an NGO anticipates working in three separate countries with three separate projects, the NGO must submit three separate SOIs. Because some trafficking in persons is transnational, it is possible that, for example, a project in Country X may include some contacts with the source country, but the primary project is in Country X.
Q. Is there a limit to the number of SOIs that can be submitted by a single applicant?
A. No, there is no limit. Organizations are permitted to submit multiple applications; however, the Office intends to provide funding to a wide range of qualified, capable organizations that do well in the competitive review. Those who submit multiple applications are reminded to tailor each application to their organization’s particular strengths and country-specific experience.
CONTENT
Q. Can an organization submit a proposal that includes countries not listed in the solicitation?A. SOIs for projects that are located in or focus on countries not identified in this solicitation or that do not address a priority objective for an identified country will be rejected during the technical review process.
Q. Do I need to submit a complete budget at the time of submitting the SOI?
A. No, only a total amount of funding in U.S. dollars is requested. No budget categories are required or requested for the SOI. If cost share is offered, then a total for cost share should also be provided. All cost figures must be in US dollars.
Q. The award ceiling is $750,000 for this solicitation for 36 months. Does this mean $750,000 each year for up to 3 years?
A. No, the TIP Office will award projects that total up to $750,000 for the duration of the project. The maximum duration of a project is 36 months. The amount requested and the proposed duration should be consistent with the scope of the project. The average NGO award in FY 12 was less than $500,000.
Q. Does the award ceiling of $750,000 include indirect costs?
A. Yes. All costs requested, including indirect costs, must be included in this amount.
Q. If an applicant proposes a partnership with government, civil society, another NGO or a PIO, does the partnership agreement have to be finalized or in writing at the time of the SOI application?
A. No, partnerships that are referenced in a SOI do not need to be formal or in writing at the time the SOI is submitted. Proposed partnerships should be referenced in the SOIs to ensure that they are considered in the review. The TIP Office encourages SOIs that demonstrate strong partnerships, and in the second stage of competition, SOIs that are selected to submit full proposals are encouraged to submit letters of intent to cooperate.
Q. Can an organization submit a letter of intent?
A. Please review the solicitation carefully to ensure that your application meets the requirements for a SOI, which may not be the same as a letter of intent. The solicitation provides a detailed description of what needs to be included in the SOI.
APPLICATION SUBMISSION
Q. What does an application include?A. To ensure fairness, all applicants will have an equal chance to describe their proposed project. Detailed information on formatting requirements and more can be found in the solicitation. The Application Package must include:
1. Standard Forms 424 and 424B (Completed; Instructions provided)
2. Two-page Statement of Interest (See Content description)
- In English, all in 12 Point font (Times New Roman)
- Amount of funding requested in U.S. dollars. Cost share amount in U.S. Dollars, if it is proposed.
- No budget categories are requested or required.
Please be sure to specifically designate the country you propose to work in on number 14 of SF 424.
Q. Is there any difference between submitting applications to www.grantsolutions.gov versuswww.grants.gov? Should applicants submit applications to both?
A. Applicants should not submit a SOI to both websites. While we will accept SOIs via either website, our Office encourages applicants to use www.grantsolutions.gov. Applicants should be aware that GrantSolutions requires a DUNS number to submit an application, while Grants.gov requires both a DUNS number and a current CCR registration, which takes approximately 3-5 business days (for U.S. based NGOs) to obtain and must be renewed annually. Regardless of the website used, all applicants are encouraged to initiate applications early in the application development process and to submit completed applications early to allow time to address any technical difficulties that may arise.
Q. What should I do if I encounter difficulty in using the GrantSolutions or Grants.gov websites?
A. For assistance with GrantSolutions.gov please contact Customer Support at help@grantsolutions.gov or 1-800-577-0771 (toll charges for international callers) or 1-202-401-5282. Customer Support is available 8 AM – 6 PM EST, Monday – Friday, except for federal holidays. Please note that December 25, 2012 and January 1, 2013 are federal holidays and the help line will be closed.
For assistance with Grants.gov, please contact the Contact Center at support@grants.gov or call the Contact Center at1-800-518-4726 (toll charges for international callers). The Contact Center is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, except federal holidays. Please note that December 25, 2012 and January 1, 2013 are federal holidays and the help line will be closed.
COMPETITIVE REVIEW
Q. How does J/TIP decide which proposals to fund?A. All SOIs received will first undergo a technical review. Those SOIs which pass the technical review are forwarded to the relevant U.S. Embassy for review and comment. This information is then taken into consideration by a regional interagency review panel composed of experts on human trafficking programming and the relevant region. Panel recommendations are then submitted and reviewed by the Ambassador-at-Large to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons.
Q. Please clarify the role of U.S. Embassies in the 2013 competitive review process.
A. All U.S. Embassies have been informed of the FY 2013 solicitation and the Embassies in the selected countries have been encouraged to post information about the solicitation on their websites. Embassies will review and comment on proposed projects that meet the technical requirements. Full proposals will be shared with the embassy in the country where the work is proposed to take place.
To preserve the fairness and integrity of the competitive process, please do not contact embassy personnel regarding your application.
Q. How many applicants do you expect to invite to submit a full proposal?
A. We are not certain of the number that will be invited to submit full applications in stage two of the competitive process. The decision will be made after review of the SOIs. However, this is a two-stage competition; Not all applicants selected to submit a full proposal will be selected for funding.
Q. When do you expect to notify applicants if they are requested to submit a full proposal?
A. We expect to notify applicants in the spring that their SOI was selected for the second stage of competition. Applicants will have 30 days from notification to submit a full proposal.
Q. What does the TIP Office require for full proposals?
A. Applicants that are evaluated highly in the first stage of the competitive review (SOI process) will be invited to submit full proposals. At that time, selected applicants will receive additional information about the second stage requirements.
Q. Where can I get additional advice about preparing the SOI or full application?
A. The TIP Office makes every effort to ensure a fair, transparent, competitive grants process. In keeping with this commitment, we cannot advise applicants on the content of their proposals or provide suggestions regarding proposals.
No one from the Office, or any other Department of State office or bureau, including Embassy personnel, is permitted to advise you on the content of your application. Persons with questions about the requirements of the solicitation may contact Chelsea Lord (lordc@state.gov) or Zach Winters (wintersz@state.gov).
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