2027 YSEALI ScamShield Regional Workshop

NOFO: U.S.-ASEAN Women's Leadership Academy for YSEALI, titled YSEALI WLA: InnovatHER is sponsored by U.S. Mission to ASEAN, U.S. Department of State. This cooperative agreement aims to develop and implement the 2025 U.S.-ASEAN Women's Leadership Academy for YSEALI, focusing on women in the tech industry in Southeast Asia. It seeks to create a network of Southeast Asian women advancing in technology, explore how technology can improve women's daily lives, discuss policies affecting women's access to the digital economy, and develop leadership skills.

A. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION 1. Project Background, Goals, and ObjectivesThe Department of State Agency Strategic Plan outlines U.S. economic and technological dominance (Goal 5) including strengthening the U.S. technological edge, increasing U.S. technical exports and investments, and stopping foreign actor abuse of the global trading system.Project Goal: The YSEALI Summit 2027 in Singapore will accelerate adoption of the American AI tech stack in Southeast Asia and strengthen networks of pro-innovation leaders by pairing rising leaders from ASEAN countries with the access to U.S.-origin tools and U.S. AI firms operating in Singapore, addressing problem sets these leaders bring to solve through the several days of the Summit.Project Audience:YSEALI Summit 2027 will bring together exchange alumni who have demonstrated a commitment to:· Leadership and innovative thinking.· Using technology to develop tangible solutions to problem sets in their country or region.Primary audiences:· At least 100 competitively selected early to mid-career professionals who are YSEALI alumni from the 11 ASEAN member states. · The expected 8-15 mentors and resource speakers, including U.S. and ASEAN government officials, private sector leaders, and experts, who will both inform and be informed by YSEALI alumni perspectives.Secondary audiences:· ASEAN nation government leaders in attendance at the ASEAN summit· ASEAN nation government officials responsible for pro-innovation policy formulation· Peers and colleagues of the YSEALI alumni to whom the alumni will recommend U.S. AI tech products· Traditional and non-traditional media to reach the above-mentioned audiences. Project Outcomes: The project should result in 100 YSEALI alumni using U.S. tech to create solutions to challenges faced in ASEAN countries. The project should also result in adoption of the U.S. tech stack among YSEALI alumni and increased comprehension of how the U.S. and ASEAN countries can align their pro-innovation policies for shared prosperity.Project Objectives: Objective 1: Accelerate adoption of the U.S. tech stack by demonstrating how it maximizes freedoms and prosperity in the ASEAN region. Activity 1.1. Strategic Discussions on the Advantages of the U.S. Tech Stack: Speakers and discussions will emphasize the advantages and value proposition of the U.S. tech stack. Success will look like:· At least 70% of participants demonstrate understanding of the advantages of the U.S. tech stack compared to competitor offerings at the conclusion of the summit· At least 60% of participants rank U.S. tech stack products as their preferred AI product, when given an opportunity to compare and choose, six months after the summit.· At least 60% of participants report continued use of U.S. AI six months after the summit.· At least 40% of participants report recommending U.S. AI products to peers and colleagues six months after the summit.· At least 30% of participants report integrating U.S. AI products into their professional portfolio six months after the summit· 100% of participants post at least two pieces of social media content on at least one digital platform about the advantages of the U.S. tech stack or a U.S. tech product, within two weeks after the summitActivity 1.2. Strategic Discussion on Pro-Innovation Frameworks: Speakers and discussions will examine how pro-innovation policy will foster U.S.-ASEAN tech alignment and shared prosperity. A training will equip participants on how to advocate for pro-innovation policy to their governments and legislators. Success will look like:· At least 70% of participants demonstrate understanding of pro-innovation policy and regulatory frameworks at the conclusion of the summit· 100% of participants develop an action plan to advocate for pro-innovation policy in their home countries at the conclusion of the summit· At least 50% of participants report advocating for pro-innovation policy in their home countries six months after the summit· 100% of participants post at least two pieces of social media content on at least one digital platform about the advantages of pro-innovation policy and regulatory frameworks, within two weeks after the summit Activity 1.3. ASEAN Ignite: Fueling the Future with U.S. Tech, a hackathon-style event in which cross-national participant teams harness U.S. AI to develop solutions to shared ASEAN challenges. Success will look like:· 100% of participant teams produce a working framework to harness U.S. AI and address an ASEAN challenge such as energy security, space innovation, and secure supply chains.· At least three participant teams develop cutting-edge solutions that meet a set of pre-defined criteria that are implementable with a small grant, as measured by a standardized rubric.· At least three participant teams implement their projects funded with small grants within six months, including turning in reports and briefing Embassy staff on how their projects harness AI and address ASEAN challenges.Objective 2: Present the United States as ASEAN’s Comprehensive Strategic Partner to the Next Generation of Leaders: Activity 2.1: Show the depth and breadth of U.S. engagement in Southeast Asia as ASEAN’s Comprehensive Strategic Partner by collaborating with at least five U.S. companies in key industries that demonstrate U.S. tech leadership. Activity 2.2: Commemorate the 50th anniversary of U.S.-ASEAN relations with remarks from U.S. Government officials and a “50 Under 50” celebration. Success will look like:· At least 70% of summit participants believe that the U.S.-ASEAN relationship is a force for shared prosperity and a free and open Indo-Pacific at the conclusion of the summit.· At least 70% of surveyed fair attendees report the closing ceremony energized them to continue working with the U.S. Department of State at the conclusion of the summit. 2b. Participants The YSEALI Summit will bring together 100 YSEALI exchange alumni, which includes alumni from the U.S.-based YSEALI Professional and Academic Fellowship programs, YSEALI regional workshops, YSEALI Women’s Leadership Academy, and the YSEALI Seeds for the Future competition winners.There is no age minimum or maximum, but the expectation is that most participants will be working professionals. Program participants are YSEALI exchange alumni who travel from their ASEAN member state of residence (Brunei, Burma/Myanmar, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam) to or from within Singapore under cooperative agreement funding. The award recipient will coordinate with the U.S. Department of State to recruit YSEALI exchange alumni as participants of the YSEALI Summit. The application to participate in the YSEALI Summit will be open on a competitive, merit basis to all categories of exchange alumni. Competitive applicants will demonstrate their substantial involvement in projects that have had a considerable impact in their communities, countries, or the region based on their YSEALI experience. Projects that demonstrate active regional engagement or strengthen partnerships between the United States and ASEAN will receive special consideration. Each U.S. Embassy will review and approve applicant shortlists for their countries.Employees of the U.S. Department of State, the recipient, subaward recipients, and/or contractors are not eligible to benefit from the program as participants but may contribute to the program as facilitators or resource speakers.Proposals must support approximately 100 participants and 8-15 resource speakers from ASEAN member countries and/or the United States. Nationals from other countries may be considered on a case-by-case basis to serve as resource speakers. 2c. Overview of key program components All proposals should contain detailed information related to the following key program components.Program Promotion and Outreach – The recipient will develop a public communication plan that includes managing a program website, creating informational documents, and developing and managing official program social media accounts in line with U.S. government branding requirementsRecruitment and Selection – The recipient will create and disseminate recruitment materials, develop and manage an online, mobile-friendly application system, and create an application scoring system to ensure a fair and open competition. The applicant must demonstrate that it has the internal capacity and expertise to carry out recruitment and related activities directly, without reliance on an in-country partner.Virtual Program Launch / Pre-Departure Orientations (PDOs) – The recipient will develop and host at least one virtual pre-departure orientation for summit participants. The PDO(s) should prepare the participants for their summit experience and include elements related to program goals, expectations, and health and safety information. PDO planning and execution should take place in collaboration with the Public Diplomacy Section of U.S. Embassy Singapore. The recipient may compensate resource speakers and delivery of thematic content with a reasonable honorarium, but this is not a requirement. Safety – The recipient will develop and implement a plan to monitor the health, safety, and welfare of summit participants, including identifying adequate resources to respond to potential emergencies. The recipient is responsible for promptly informing U.S. Embassy Singapore regarding any program or participant issues or emergencies and any actions the recipient takes to address these. Post Summit Support – The recipient will provide adequate mentorship support for the alumni groups as they implement their summit action plans. The recipient will monitor their progress. The recipient will design and produce media and communication materials that highlight summit outcomes and success stories featuring the participants – including short impact videos and related digital content – to showcase achievements, demonstrate results, and communicate the summit’s contribution to U.S. foreign policy objectives and compliance with Department of State branding and communication standards. Monitoring and Evaluation – The recipient will develop and implement a comprehensive plan to monitor and evaluate the program’s effectiveness in reaching the stated objectives. The recipient will provide reports before the Summit and after the activity to document the monitoring and evaluation and inform future public engagement efforts in this area.3. Substantial Involvement The U.S. Embassy anticipates awarding a cooperative agreement and will undertake reasonable and programmatically necessary substantial involvement. Funding Opportunity Number: PDS-SINGAPORE-FY26-001. Assistance Listing: 19.452. Funding Instrument: CA. Category: O. Award Amount: $400K – $500K per award.

Project Background, Goals, and ObjectivesIn an era of global disruption and rapid technological change, secure and resilient supply chains are more critical than ever. This workshop will bring together early-stage professionals from across Southeast Asia to explore how supply chains operate, the impact of advanced technologies, and the critical minerals that power modern economies. They will leave equipped with tools to increase advocacy efforts that support national-level policy, encouraging the expansion of U.S.- ASEAN commercial opportunities and prioritizing secure supply chains that strengthen U.S. - ASEAN economic and regional security.Workshop Objectives• Enhance understanding of supply chain fundamentals: Provide participants with a strong foundation in supply chain operations, including key actors, systems, and processes.• Identify and analyze supply chain risks: Equip participants to recognize vulnerabilities such as cyber threats, illegal transshipment, geopolitical risks, and industrial overcapacity.• Explore strategies for supply chain security and resilience: Introduce U.S. tools, frameworks, and best practices for strengthening supply chain resilience, including intellectual property protection, export controls, taxation, cybersecurity, and cross-border data flows.• Introduce emerging technologies in trade and logistics: Familiarize participants with U.S.-led innovations such as digital tracking, blockchain, and artificial intelligence and their applications in improving supply chain security and efficiency.• Highlight the importance of critical and rare earth minerals: Demonstrate how these minerals underpin advanced technologies and essential products, and how diversified processing and refining capabilities contribute to American and Southeast Asian prosperity and security.• Foster regional collaboration and dialogue: Encourage early-stage professionals across Southeast Asia to share perspectives, develop joint strategies, and explore policy recommendations.• Develop practical regional solutions: Engage participants in simulations and group activities that apply workshop concepts to real-world supply chain challenges, drawing on expertise from U.S. industry partners and case studies.• Encourage participant-led innovation and action: Organize a business incubator competition that provides seed funding to innovative projects and initiatives that strengthen secure, resilient, and fair supply chains while expanding opportunities for U.S. trade, investment, and commercial partnerships across the ASEAN region.Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, and Surabaya, Indonesia, offer complementary, yet distinct, expertise that uniquely positions each location to host specialized workshop activities. Participants will engage in programming at both sites—beginning in Vietnam and concluding in Indonesia—gaining a rare, firsthand understanding of regional supply chain dynamics, economic priorities, and cross-border challenges. This immersive experience will equip participants with the broader regional perspective necessary to make informed decisions within the ASEAN context.Ho Chi Minh City:● Supply Chain Challenge Simulation: A team-based exercise where participants move goods from production to delivery while responding to realistic disruptions and crises.● Expert Talks: Sessions with industry and policy experts on current trends, risks, and opportunities in supply chain security, followed by Q&A discussions.● Case Study Lab – “When Supply Chains Break”: Participants analyze real-world supply chain disruptions, identify vulnerabilities, and propose resilience strategies.● Regional Dialogue Roundtable: Interactive discussions where participants share country perspectives, regional challenges, and opportunities for cross-border cooperation.● Site Visits: Tours of ports and/or technology and manufacturing hubs in Ho Chi Minh City to examine logistics operations and technological innovation firsthand.Surabaya:● Cybersecurity Skills Workshop: A hands-on session introducing U.S. tools and products for protecting critical infrastructure and logistics systems, including principles of zero-trust architecture.● Business Incubator: This business incubator competition will provide seed funding to innovative projects and initiatives that strengthen secure, resilient, and fair supply chains while expanding opportunities for U.S. trade, investment, and commercial partnerships across the ASEAN region.● Critical Minerals Workshop and Simulation: Participants examine the role of critical and rare earth minerals in supply chains and engage in industry-designed simulations involving sectors such as semiconductors, batteries, vehicles, computers, phones, and satellites.● Field Excursion: Visits to a critical minerals smelter and processing facility to explore operational challenges and opportunities in the mining sector and their implications for supply chain security.This program complements prior programs supporting Vietnam's long-term logistics and supply chain development goals, as well as Mission Vietnam's robust commercial diplomacy on behalf of American consumer and high-tech firms in Vietnam—the United States' seventh-largest trading partner and largest in ASEAN. This program will also build on the success of previous Mission Indonesia cybersecurity speaker programs and a semiconductor supply chain security program that trained key interlocuters in developing protocols to protect critical infrastructure in the mining and digital sectors, expanded U.S.-Indonesia commercial cooperation in the semiconductor sector, and increased Indonesia’s capacity to contribute meaningfully to more secure semiconductor supply chains.Project Audience(s):The recipient will coordinate with U.S. Consulate General Ho Chi Minh City and U.S. Consulate General Surabaya and with the U.S. Embassies to ASEAN and in ASEAN member states to recruit and select up to 55 participants with specialized backgrounds. Participants must be registered YSEALI exchange alumni aged 22-35 who have leadership potential, a commitment to enhance U.S - ASEAN trade, and experience relevant to business, science, technology, critical minerals, logistics, or global trade. This program requires at least one year of professional work experience. Participants should demonstrate their leadership and readiness to enact commercial change in their home countries.All participants must be proficient in written and spoken English. All programs must include participants from all eleven ASEAN member countries.Participants will include YSEALI exchange alumni representing all 11 ASEAN member states from the U.S.-based YSEALI Professional and Academic Fellowship programs, YSEALI regional workshops, or YSEALI Seeds for the Future competition winners.The recipient will be responsible for arranging and using cooperative agreement funds to cover all elements related to participant and staff travel including international and domestic flights, visas, travel to and from airports, accommodation, per diem, meals during the program, insurance, etc.Project Goal:Strengthen knowledge and capacity to identify, assess, and address supply chain vulnerabilities across critical industries throughout the ASEAN region.Project Objectives:● Objective 1: Strengthen the advocacy capacity of up to 55 well positioned early-stage leaders across 11 ASEAN countries to support national-level policy that encourages the expansion of U.S.- ASEAN commercial opportunities prioritizing secure and diversified supply chains strengthening U.S. - ASEAN economic and regional security.● Objective 2: Provide seed funding for at least one organically generated project or initiative that strengthens secure, resilient, and fair supply chains while expanding opportunities for U.S. trade, investment, and commercial partnerships in the ASEAN region. Develop a backup slate of at least three prospective projects.● Objective 3: Increase cross-sector knowledge sharing, coordination, and cooperation amongst ASEAN countries and the United States to address and respond to threats in supply chain security across critical industries by establishing coordinated communication channels with U.S. commercial entities and U.S. Embassies and Consulates in the region. Create professional advocacy groups that incorporate American private sector expertise; at least 75% of participants will demonstrate the ability to implement at least one new policy revision within a year of completion of the program.Substantial InvolvementThe U.S. Consulate General Ho Chi Minh City and U.S. Consulate General Surabaya will have substantial involvement in the development, content, and schedule of the workshop. In consultation with the coordinating U.S. Consulate General Ho Chi Minh City and U.S. Consulate General Surabaya, the award recipient must actively engage all relevant U.S. Embassies regarding the recruitment and selection processes as well manage communication with the participants.Working closely with U.S. Consulate General Ho Chi Minh City and U.S. Consulate General Surabaya, the recipient of this cooperative agreement shall: develop a robust program for the workshop; schedule the workshop at mutually agreed upon locations; manage the participant application and selection process through a secure portal; develop the agenda and content for the workshop; recruit speaker(s); manage all travel logistics for participants and speakers; and generate content for social media and other publicity. The recipient will provide all design files, photos and video recorded, as well as production quality, U.S. Consulate General Ho Chi Minh City and U.S. Consulate General Surabaya approved, photo album and video series of the workshop after completion. Preference will be given to joint proposals that have a local partner in both Vietnam and Indonesia, but only one cooperative agreement will be awarded and managed out of U.S. Consulate Surabaya.Regular, transparent communication via email, phone and video conference calls and face-to-face meetings (as appropriate) with the Grants Officer, Grants Officer Representative, and Program Officer throughout the period of performance is critical to the success of this cooperative agreement.All major elements of the program and its content require advance approval by U.S. Consulate General Ho Chi Minh City and U.S. Consulate General Surabaya, including, but not limited to:• Choices of dates, venue, accommodation, and menus;• Final selection of participants, mentors, and speakers from the United States and ASEAN member states;• Titles, format, and content of workshop sessions and other program activities;• Design and content of all marketing materials, publicity, and media products. Funding Opportunity Number: FY26-PAS-SURABAYA-01. Assistance Listing: 19.040. Funding Instrument: CA. Category: O. Award Amount: $200K – $300K per award.