[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 132 (Wednesday, July 10, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45777-45779]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-17328]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 4062]


Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs; Humanitarian Assistance Program

AGENCY: Department of State.

ACTION: Notice.

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Introduction

    The Office of Northern Gulf Affairs (NGA) announces an open 
competition for proposals for humanitarian assistance projects in Iraq 
(southern, central or northern) and for Iraqi refugees in neighboring 
countries. Multiple awards may be made from this announcement. 
Proposals may address any area or sector within a broad range of 
humanitarian relief to Iraqi people, including, but not limited to, the 
following:
     Medical care, health services, and health education
     Relief to internally displaced persons or refugees
     Relief supplies
     Shelter/housing
     Water supply
     Sanitation
     Primary education
     Landmine action, education and awareness
    The list is not intended to be exclusive or binding, and NGA 
remains open to considering a broad range of humanitarian-related NGO 
activities and innovative projects. Projects in Iraq must be consistent 
with any applicable UN resolutions.

Purpose

    The purpose of this humanitarian assistance program is to respond 
to urgent humanitarian needs of people in Iraq, Iraqi refugees, and 
internally displaced persons. The primary objective is to provide 
relief and access to basic, life-sustaining resources in ways that meet 
internationally accepted standards of care in such areas as public 
health, medical care and services, shelter/housing, water supply, 
sanitation, education, and other areas.

Eligible Applicants

    Eligible applicants include all non-governmental and non-profit 
organizations.

Legislative Authority

    This program is authorized by Section 575 of the Foreign 
Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 
2001 (FOAA)(P.L. 106-429).

Availability of Funds

    The funding level for this program is $6,600,000. It is anticipated 
that at least 5 awards will be made ranging from $500,000 to $3.5 
million. The Grants Officer 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 government.

Review Criteria

    Eligible applications will be competitively evaluated according to 
the following criteria:
    Results or Benefits Expected--The applicant clearly describes the 
results and benefits to be achieved. 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. (30 points)
    Approach--The applicant must demonstrate that its strategy and plan 
are likely to achieve the proposed results; the proposed activities and 
timeframes are 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 the quality of 
life for Iraqi people. (25 points)
    Organization Profiles--Where coalition partners are proposed, the 
applicant describes the rationale for the collaboration, each partner 
agency's respective role, and how the coalition will enhance the 
accomplishment of the project goals. In all cases, the applicant 
describes planning consultation efforts undertaken. The proposed 
coalition is appropriate with respective roles and financial 
responsibilities delineated. Evidence of commitment of coalition 
partners in 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 services as well as adequate gender balance and 
constituent representation on the proposed project's advisory board. 
Assurance is provided that proposed services will be delivered in a 
manner that is linguistically and culturally appropriate to the target 
population. Individual organization staff including volunteers are 
well-qualified. The administrative and management features of the 
project, including a plan for fiscal and programmatic management of 
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--The budget and narrative 
justification are reasonable in relation to the proposed activities and 
anticipated results and the plan for services is realistic. (20 points)

Application/Proposal Submission and Deadline

    An application (Standard Form 424) with an original signature and 
two clearly identified copies is 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) Anna Mary Portz, Grants Officer, U.S. Department of State, NEA/
NGA, Room 4241, 2201 C Street NW., Washington, DC 20520, telephone 
(202) 647-6111, fax (202) 736-4464, e-mail portzam,@state.gov.
    Application materials must be submitted to the U.S. Department of

[[Page 45778]]

State, Anna Mary Portz, Grants Officer, NEA/NGA, Room 4241, 2201 C 
Street NW., Washington, DC 20520 on or before close of business (4:30 
p.m. EST) August 1, 2002. 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/NGA, between the hours of 
8:30-4:30 p.m., to the attention of Anna Mary Portz. Express or 
overnight mail services may also be used, though applicants are 
cautioned that express/overnight mail services do not always deliver as 
agreed and other delays may occur until regular mail delivery is 
resumed.
    Applicants must also provide an electronic copy of the proposal by 
e-mail to Anna Mary Portz, Grants Officer at e-mail address 
[email protected]). 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. The Grants Officer must be aware that the 
proposal is on its way, or the package risks being considered late or 
turned away by Diplomatic Security.
    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 received on 
or before close of business (4:30 p.m. est) August 1, 2002.

Late Applications

    Applications received after the closing date and time will be 
classified as late.
    Applications which do not meet the criteria above are considered 
late applications. NGA shall notify each late applicant that its 
application will not be considered in the current competition.

General Instructions for Preparing a Full Project Description

    The project description provides a major means by which an 
application is evaluated and ranked to compete with other applications 
for available assistance. The project description should be concise and 
complete and should address the activity for which Federal funds are 
being requested. Supporting documents should be included where they can 
present information clearly and succinctly. Applicants are encouraged 
to provide information on their organizational structure, staff, 
related experience, and other information considered relevant. Awarding 
offices use this and other information to determine whether the 
applicant has the capability and resources necessary to carry out the 
proposed project. It is important, therefore, that this information be 
included in the application. However, in the narrative the applicant 
must distinguish between resources directly related to the proposed 
project from those that will not be used in support of the specific 
project for which funds are requested.

Length of Applications

    Each application narrative should not exceed 25 double-spaced pages 
in a 12-pitch font. Attachments and appendices should not exceed 25 
pages and should be used only to provide supporting documentation such 
as administration charts, position descriptions, resumes, and letters 
of intent or partnership agreements. Each page should be numbered 
sequentially, including the attachments or appendices. This limitation 
of 25 pages plus the SF 424 should be considered as a maximum, and not 
necessarily a goal.

Introduction

    NGA is particularly interested in specific factual information and 
statements of measurable goals in quantitative terms. Project 
descriptions are evaluated on the basis of substance, not length. 
Extensive exhibits are not required. (Supporting information concerning 
activities that will not be directly funded by the grant or information 
that does not directly pertain to an integral part of the grant funded 
activity should be placed in an appendix.) Applicants shall prepare the 
project description statement in accordance with the following 
instructions.

Project Summary/Abstract

    Provide a summary of the project description (a page or less) with 
reference to the funding request.

Objectives and Need for Assistance

    Clearly identify the physical, economic, social, financial, 
institutional, and/or other problem(s) requiring a solution. The need 
for assistance must be demonstrated and the principal and subordinate 
objectives of the project must be clearly stated.

Results or Benefits Expected

    Identify the results and benefits to be derived.

Approach

    Outline a plan of action which describes the scope and detail of 
how the proposed work will be accomplished. Account for all functions 
or activities identified in the application. Cite factors which might 
accelerate or decelerate the work and state your reason for taking the 
proposed approach rather than others. Describe any unusual features of 
the project such as reductions in cost or time, or extraordinary social 
and community involvement.
    Provide quantitative monthly or quarterly projections of the 
accomplishments to be achieved for each function or activity. When 
accomplishments cannot be quantified by activity or function, list them 
in chronological order to show the schedule of accomplishments and 
their target dates. List organizations, cooperating entities, 
consultants, or other key individuals who will work on the project 
along with a short description of the nature of their effort or 
contribution.

Geographic Location

    Describe the precise location of the project and boundaries of the 
area to be served by the proposed project. Maps or other graphic aids 
may be attached.

Staff and Position Data

    Provide a biographical sketch for each key person appointed and a 
job description for each vacant key position. A biographical sketch 
will also be required for new key staff as appointed.

Organization Profiles

    Provide information on the applicant organization(s) and 
cooperating partners such as organizational charts, financial 
statements, audit reports, documentation of experience in the program 
area, and other pertinent information.

Third-Party Agreements

    Include written agreements between grantees and subgrantees or 
subcontractors or other cooperating entities. These agreements must 
detail scope of work to be performed, work schedules, remuneration, and 
other terms and conditions that structure or define the relationship.

Budget and Budget Justification

    Applicants must submit a comprehensive budget for the entire 
project. There must be a summary budget as well as breakdowns 
reflecting both administrative and program budgets. Applicants may 
provide separate sub-budgets, sub-grant, or contract budgets for each 
program component, phase, location, or activity to provide 
clarification. Provide line item detail and detailed calculations for 
each budget object class identified. Detailed calculations must include

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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. Provide a narrative budget 
justification that describes how the categorical costs are derived. 
Discuss the necessity, reasonableness, and allocability of the proposed 
costs. The following guidelines are for preparing the budget and budget 
justification.

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, FICA, 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. However, an applicant may use its own 
definition of equipment provided that such equipment would at least 
include all equipment defined above. 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. An applicant organization that uses its own definition 
for equipment should provide a copy of its policy or section of its 
policy which includes the equipment definition.

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 which supports the amount requested.

Contractual

    Description: Costs of all contracts for services and goods except 
for those which belong under other categories such as equipment, 
supplies, construction, etc.
    Justification: Attach a list of proposed contractors, indicating 
the names of the organizations, the purposes of the contracts, the 
estimated dollar amounts, and the award selection process.

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, and administrative costs. Justification: 
Provide computations, a narrative description and a justification for 
each cost under this category.
    Total Direct Charges, Total Indirect Charges, Total Project Costs: 
Self explanatory.

Reporting Requirement

    Quarterly progress and financial reports are required for all 
funded projects. Final reports will be due 90 days after end of project 
period.

Where To Obtain Additional Information

    Questions regarding this Request for Proposals should be directed 
to Anna Mary Portz, Grants Officer, Department of State, NEA/NGA, Room 
4241, 2201 C Street NW., Washington, DC, 20520, telephone (202) 647-
5281, fax (202) 736-4464, e-mail portzam,@state.gov.

    Dated: July 3, 2002.
Ryan Crocker,
Acting Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, Department 
of State.
[FR Doc. 02-17328 Filed 7-9-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-31-P