U.S. Embassy to Papua New Guinea,
Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu

Promoting PAPUA NEW GUINEA’S CONSTITUTION

Funding Opportunity Title:  Civic Education Project
Funding Opportunity Number:   DOSPNG – 23- GR 003
Application Deadline:  July 15, 2023

Please refer to detailed review schedules in section IV.
Award Floor: $50,000 USD
Award Ceiling: $250,000 USD

* NOTE: Cost-share is not required, however, if provided, please detail whether the cost-share is through in-cash or in-kind contribution and approximate dollar amount. Cost-share will not be included in the criteria for evaluation.

CFDA Number:  19.040 – Public Diplomacy Programs

References:  Standard Department Terms & Conditions   [English PDF] 

Eligibility Category: U.S., international, or Papua New Guinean non-governmental organizations, foundations, business organizations, academic institutions, think tanks, government agencies, or public institutions with a non-profit status.

Electronic Requirement:  Proposals must be submitted by email to pdportmoresby@state.gov by midnight, July 15, 2023, Port Moresby time.

Funding Opportunity Description

The Public Diplomacy Section of the U.S. Embassy Port Moresby (PD Port Moresby) announces an open competition for organizations to submit applications to carry implement and manage the youth civic education project program on Papua New Guinea’s constitution for participants in Hela and Morobe Provinces.

The Constitution of Papua New Guinea is the core framework document that must guide all legislative, executive, and social principles moving forward. The document is visionary and provides a template for an ideal and humaine way of life for all Papua New Guineas.  The Constitution must be analyzied and fully understood by youth, translated into local languages, and spread from one village to another so that all Papua New Guineans can have a better understanding of what can be given a full transition to a society ruled by law.

The Constitution of Papua New Guinea is a unifying statement in a country with 100 tribes and 850 languages. To bridge the gap between these varied and diverse cultures, the Constitution outlines rights to which all citizens can and should agree to: the right to health, education, and employment; to cultural identity, and the right for women and men to live as equals.

An implementing organization will be chosen to create and execute a long-term program that teaches the foundations of Papua New Guinea’s constitution and delivers an interactive mock legislative experience for youth in in Hela and Morobe Provinces. The Civic Education Project will promote the foundations of PNG’s democratic values and participatory citizenship through activities such as mock legislative sessions, mock trials, legislative training sessions, legal workshops, debates, discussions, community service, and cultural events. The Civic Education Project should include meetings with political representatives, such as provincial, regional, and national government officials, judges, health officials and law enforcement officers. The applicant organization should propose a long-term hands-on participatory youth program that teaches the tenants of PNG’s constitution, promotes the democratic practices of proposing legislation solutions followed by discussion, debate, and compromise, and how the most successful participants of the program can lead subsequent iterations of the program in new regions. Civic Education Project should also highlight America’s own constitutional system and post-colonial history, teach the basics of our federal and state structure, and demonstrate the role of the three branches of power. The applicant should indicate the resources to be used for the proposed activities, including partner organizations the applicant wishes to involve in conducting them.

In order to successfully implement the project, the grantee must collaborate closely with village, provincial, and national leaders, as well as with the U.S. Embassy Port Moresby and organizations organizing similar youth legislative programs such as UNFPA and others. Proposals that feed into or build off of existing youth legislative programs will have priority.

The implementer will be expected to plan for transportation, accommodation, meals and incidentals with attention to all health and safety requirements as well as to cost efficiency, legal and administrative requirements for minors’ participation in educational programs, as well as adult supervision. Cost sharing and in-kind contributions by the applicant organization and partners are welcome but not required, and may include: provision of space or securing a venue on a partner organization’s premises for the camp activities; provision of equipment; obtaining a discounted price for accommodation, room rental, etc., providing transportation and/or meals, etc. The applicant organization should provide details on their experience organizing such events and indicate possible challenges to the proposed activity and how they would address them. The partner must include an evaluation and follow-up metric as part of the program.

Applications must follow the instructions outlined below.

Priority Region:

Project activities may take place in Hela and/or Morobe Provinces.

Program Objectives:

The objective of the project is to:

• Engage at least 4,000 youth in Hela and Morobe Provinces over three years in a long-term (at least six month) program that teaches young adults the basics of PNG’s constitution and legal system.
• Youth learn the ability to interpret the constitution and draft basic laws.
• Youth improve their ability to debate, reason, and compromise.
• Successful participants are given the opportunity take the program to other communities.
• Youth have a better understanding of the American constitution and the U.S. federal and state framework.
• Youth have a better understanding of the role of the legislative and judicial system, have better access to local and national government officials, and are advocates of PNG’s constitutional framework.
• The most active participants are given the opportunity to take part in broader youth legislative programs (such as national youth parliament programs in Port Moresby or model UN programs in the United States).
• Participants create their own preamble to the youth constitution in Tok Pisin.
• Participants create a written or recorded playbook of legislative best practices for future parliamentarians.

Project Requirements

The project proposal must clearly state how the project beneficiaries (applicants) will be selected, the mode of training and activities, how the project implementer will deliver the proposed curriculum, a sample curriculum, and a clear timeline for implementation. The implementing partner should aim at selecting at least 2,000 participants per province. The following criteria must be met by the participants to be considered for this program:

• Young adults between 15-25 years of age;
• In good social standing;
• Demonstrated leadership and commitment to public service.

Criteria for the selection of the implementing partner will include but is not limited to the following:

• Established track record for organizing educational activities;
• Implementer’s ability to partner with government officials, local leaders, and multinational organizations;
• The implementer host civic education programs for youth that address the powers and authorities of local governments and the central government;
• Project participants are at least 60 percent female;
• The program should teach the participants the basic tenants of civic engagement and assist the participants in designing a civic engagement project within their local community;
• Top participants are expected to teach skills to new cohorts of participants and travel to Port Moresby or the United States for participant in nation-wide or international legislative programs.

Participants and Audiences: 

The target audience for the program should be boys and girls with an enthusiasm for leadership and civic engagement ages 15-25 living in Hela and Morobe provinces. Participants must be energetic and available to commit up to participating in the program designed by the grantee, participating in discussions and debates, meeting with officials, taking part in networking opportunities and other events as part of the program.

The civic education program must be implemented both in Hela and Morobe Provinces under this award. The budget may include travel for top participants to take part in events in Port Moresby or the United States, or to bring subject matter experts to Papua New Guinea.

Proposed Project Schedule

The grant will be awarded in September 2023.  The grantee will hire and train staff in the fall of 2023. The first cohort of civic education programs in Hela and Morobe will begin in February through October 2024. Top participants will take part in nation-wide or international legislative programs in November. Top participants will lead new cohorts in Hela and Morobe February through October 2025.

Follow-on activities and the small grants programs should be ongoing through the period of the grant.

FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

Length of performance period: A maximum of 36 months.
Number of awards anticipated: 2
Number of Participants: 2,000 minimum.
Total available funding: $250,000 (Subject to availability of funds).
Type of Funding: FY2023, funding authority rests in the Fulbright-Hays Act.
Anticipated program start date: Fall 2023.

This notice is subject to availability of funding.

Funding Instrument Type: Cooperative Agreement.

Program Performance Period: Proposed programs should be completed in 36 months or less. Each cohort should be trained in less than 12 months. Competitive proposals should include trainings of cohorts in both Hela and Morobe.

ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

1. Eligible Applicants

The following organizations registered in Papua New Guinea are eligible to apply:

• Registered public or private non-profit organizations, such as business associations, foundations, and civil society/non-governmental organizations with programming experience.
• Non-profit or governmental educational institutions; and
• Governmental institutions

For-profit or commercial entities are not eligible to apply.

2. Cost Sharing or Matching. Although cost share is not required, it is strongly encouraged.  When cost sharing is offered, it is understood and agreed that the applicant must provide the amount of cost sharing as stipulated in its proposal.
3. Other Eligibility Requirements. In order to be eligible to receive an award, all organizations must have a unique entity identifier and valid registration on SAM.gov . Please see the grants section of the website for more detailed instructions.
4. Only organizations having valid SAM.gov registration will be considered as eligible applicants.

Applicants are only allowed to submit one proposal per organization. If more than one proposal is submitted from an organization, all proposals from that institution will be considered ineligible for funding.

Applications are accepted in English only, and final grant agreements will be concluded in English. 

APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

Please follow all instructions below carefully. Proposals that do not meet the requirements of this announcement or fail to comply with the stated requirements will be ineligible.

1. Application Submission Deadline: All applications must be received by July 15, 2023. This deadline is firm and if an organization fails to meet the deadline noted above their application will be considered ineligible and will not be considered for funding.
2. Application Submission Process: Proposals should be submitted to the U.S. Embassy Port Moresby at the following email address PDPortMoresby@state.gov Applicants must include the Funding Opportunity Title and Funding Opportunity Number in the subject line of their email. Applications must be submitted in English. Applicants will receive a confirmation e-mail from the Embassy and/or Consulate to indicate that we have received your proposal.

The following requirements must be met for all submissions:

• Budgets must be in USD
• All documents must be in Microsoft Office file formats.

3. The application package should include:

• Cover Letter (optional): Applicants are encouraged to submit a cover letter on the organization’s letterhead containing the proposal’s submission date, project title, project performance period, and primary purpose of the project.
• Proposal Summary: Brief narrative that outlines the proposed project, including its objectives and how it advances the Embassy’s policy goals. Project summary should be one page maximum and clearly indicate the organization DUNS number.
• Proposal: The proposal should contain sufficient information so that anyone not familiar with it would understand exactly what the applicant wants to do. Applicants must submit a complete proposal that includes the items listed below.
• Introduction to the Organization: A description of past and present operations. Please include information on previous grants from the U.S. Embassy and/or U.S. government agencies.
• Problem Statement: Clear, concise, and well-supported statement of the problem to be addressed and why the proposed project is needed.
• Project Goals and Objectives: The “goals” describe what the project intends to achieve at its completion. How will the project further the relationship between the United States and Papua New Guinea?  The “objectives” refer to the intermediate accomplishments that lead to the achievement of the goals.  The goals should be measurable.
• Program Activities: Describe the program activities and indicate how they will help achieve the objectives.
• Program Methods and Design: A description of how the project is expected to work and how it will solve or address the stated problem.
• Proposed Project Schedule: The proposed timeline for undertaking and completing the specific project activities. Dates, times, and locations of planned activities and events should be included.
• Key Personnel: Names, titles, roles of the key personnel to be involved in the project. Who will work on the project? What responsibilities will they have? What qualifications do they have?  What proportion of their time will be used in support of this project (e.g. total monthly/yearly salary at 5%)?  Please indicate if any of the key personnel are alumni of a U.S. government-funded exchange program.
• Project Monitoring and Evaluation: This is an important part of successful applications. Throughout the timeframe of the grant, how will the activities be monitored to ensure they are happening in a timely manner, and how will the program be evaluated to make sure it is meeting the goals of the project? Include indicators the award will track to report on the program’s progress. At minimum, a monitoring and evaluation plan for civic education program in Hela and Morobe award must include the following:  the number of participants, demographic information of those participants, the number, type, and location of viewing sessions offered, course enhancement activities and meet-ups, routine follow-up surveys and, in some instances, follow-up calls/meetings to determine programmatic effectiveness as well as how program participants applied information gained through the civic education program.
• Potential for Multiplier Effect/Longer-term Impact/Sustainability: The proposal should include a discussion of the follow-on impact of the project, even after the end of the program through the multiplier effect or through expected follow-on activities by the civic education program participants, mentors, and facilitators.
• Media/Communications Plan: How will the applicant use traditional and social media to raise awareness about this project and its results?
• Proposed Budget: Listing of all project expenses, consistent with the proposal narrative, project activities and USG-wide budget categories. Types and amounts of funding your organization has received for the current project from other partners should be included. Include a budget narrative to explain any costs that are not self-explanatory. Please see below “Guidelines for Budget Submission.” The amount of the awards for the small grants program must be included in the budget.
• Other Attachments:
  • 1-page CV or resume of key personnel who are proposed for the program
  • Letters of support from program partners, if applicable, describing the roles and responsibilities of each partner. The letters must identify the type of relationship to be entered (formal or informal), the roles and responsibilities of each partner in relation to the proposed project activities, and the expected result of the partnership. The individual letters cannot exceed one page in length.
  • If your organization has a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA) and includes NICRA charges in the budget, your latest NICRA should be included as a PDF file.
  • Official permission letters, if required for program activities
  • If you have completed the SAM.gov process, a screenshot showing your active SAM.gov status, or if you still have not completed the SAM.gov registration, a screenshot from SAM.gov reflecting that you have started the process.

4. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM.gov)

All organizations applying for grants must obtain these registrations. All are free of charge:

• SAM.gov  registration

Please note that your registration in www.sam.gov  must be renewed annually.

To finalize your registration or if you need further assistance in connection with registration in www.sam.gov , you may contact the Federal Service Desk at https://www.fsd.gov/fsd-gov/home.do 

5. This Notice of Funding Opportunity and the related project contest cannot finance any of the following:

• Long-term infrastructure needs and construction projects.
• Materials and equipment (unless purchased for the purpose of providing training to the participants and contingent on a maintenance plan)
• Partisan political activity
• Trade activities.
• Fund-raising campaigns.
• Commercial projects.
• Scientific research.
• Projects aiming only at primary institutional development of the organization.
• Programs that support specific religious activities
• For profit endeavors
• Programs intended primarily for the growth or institutional development of the organization.
• Charitable activities.
• Projects that duplicate existing projects.
• International travel, unless specifically justified within the project and in line with the Fly America Act (see more at https://www.gsa.gov/policy-regulations/policy/travel-management-policy/fly-america-act );

APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

Each application will be evaluated and rated based on the evaluation criteria outlined below:

• Quality and Feasibility of the Program Idea – The program idea is well developed, with detail about how program activities will be carried out. The proposal includes a reasonable implementation timeline. The implementer has met with regional leaders, key stakeholders, officials, and program partners, and has received full support.
• Organizational Capacity and Record on Previous Grants – The organization has expertise in its stated field and has the internal controls in place to manage federal funds. This includes a financial management system and a bank account. The project proposal demonstrates that the organization has sufficient expertise, skills, and human resources to implement the project. The organization demonstrates that it has a clear understanding of the underlying issue that the project will address. The organization demonstrates capacity for successful planning and responsible fiscal management. This includes a financial management system and a bank account. Applicants who have received grant funds previously have been compliant with applicable rules and regulations. Where partners are described, the applicant details each partner’s respective role and provides curriculum vitae (CVs) for persons responsible for the project and financial administration. Proposed personnel, institutional resources, and partners are adequate and appropriate. Organizations with extensive experience in business or entrepreneurship and with established network, all preferably in Papua New Guinea, will have priority among applicants.
• Program Planning/Ability to Achieve Objectives – Goals and objectives are clearly stated, and program approach is likely to provide maximum impact in achieving the proposed results. Program partners are committed, and local leadership is supportive. The number of participants and impact on communities is substantial.
• Budget – The budget justification is detailed. Costs are reasonable in relation to the proposed activities and anticipated results. The budget is realistic, accounting for all necessary expenses to achieve proposed activities. The maximum number of youth can be reached.
• Monitoring and evaluation plan – Applicant demonstrates it is able to measure program success against key indicators and provides milestones to indicate progress toward goals outlined in the proposal. The program includes output and outcome indicators and shows how and when those will be measured.
• Media/Communications Plan – Applicant explains how traditional and social media will be used to raise awareness about this project and its results.

A Review Committee will evaluate all eligible applications. Successful applicants will receive official written notification by email and detailed information on finalizing grant awards. Organizations whose applications will not be funded will also be notified via email.

Grant awards are contingent upon availability of U.S. Government funding and signing of official grant documents. Verbal or other informal communications cannot be considered official notification of an award, and applicants may not incur expenses for a proposed project until all required administrative procedures have been completed.

AWARD ADMINISTRATION

Award Notices: The grant award shall be written, signed, awarded, and administered by the Grants Officer.  The Grants Officer is the U.S. government official delegated the authority by the U.S. Department of State Procurement Executive to write, award, and administer grants, fixed amount awards and cooperative agreements.  The assistance award agreement is the authorizing document, and it will be provided to the recipient.  Organizations whose applications will not be funded will also be notified in writing.

If a proposal is selected for funding, the Department of State has no obligation to provide any additional future funding in connection with the award.  Renewal of an award to increase funding or extend the period of performance is at the total discretion of the Department of State.

Payment Method: The standard form SF-270 Request for Advance or Reimbursement Payments may be submitted in the amounts required by the recipient to carry out the purpose of this award. Payments will be made in multiple installments.

Reporting Requirements: All awards issued under this announcement will require both program and financial reports on a frequency specified in the award agreement.  The disbursement of funds may be tied to submission of these reports in a timely manner.

All other details related to award administration will be specified in the award agreement as well.  Final programmatic and financial reports are due 90 days after the close of the project period. Progress reports at a minimum should be submitted via electronic mail to an address to be provided in the award.

GUIDELINES FOR BUDGET SUBMISSIONS 

• Personnel: Use this budget category for wages, salaries, and benefits of temporary or permanent staff who will be working directly for the applicant on the project.
• Travel: Use this budget category for the estimated costs of travel and per diem for this project. If the project involves international travel, include a brief statement of justification for that travel either in the Project Activities Description or as an attachment.
• Equipment: Use this budget category for all tangible, non-expendable (non-disposable) machinery, furniture, and other personal property having a useful life of more than one year (or a life longer than the duration of the project), and a cost of $5,000 or more per unit.
• Supplies: Use this category for building, conservation, and other materials that will be consumed (used up) during the project.  If an item costs more than $5,000 per unit, then put it in the budget under Equipment.
• Contractual: Use this budget category for goods and services that the applicant intends to acquire through a contract with a vendor, such as masonry repair and re-pointing services that include the costs of materials as part of a contract, or professional photographic services that include photographic prints as part of the contract.
• Other Direct Costs: Use this budget category for other costs directly associated with the project, which do not fit any of the other categories. Examples include shipping costs for materials and equipment, and the costs of utilities (water, electricity, Internet) required for the project.  Applicable taxes, if any, should be included as part of your budget. “Other” or “Miscellaneous” expenses must be itemized and explained.

“Cost Sharing” refers to contributions other than the U.S. Embassy Port Moresby grant being applied for. It includes in-kind contributions such as volunteers’ time, donated venues, admin support, etc.

“Counterpart contributions” by the involved organizations are encouraged and funds or in-kind, such as staff time, space, etc., should be mentioned in the estimated value.

INQUIRIES

If you have any questions about the grants application process or would like a proposal template, please contact PD Port Moresby at PDPortMoresby@state.gov

Proposals must be submitted by email to pdportmoresby@state.gov by midnight, July 15, 2023, Port Moresby time.