Implementation of Four GCTF Classic Workshops in 2027

Implementation of Four GCTF Classic Workshops in 2027 is sponsored by American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Public Diplomacy Section. This cooperative agreement supports the implementation of the 2027 Global Cooperation and Training Framework (GCTF) Classic Workshop Series.

**Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)** **Implementation of Four GCTF Classic Workshops in 2027** **American Institute in Taiwan** **Opportunity number: 1** **Application deadline:September 6, 202 6(Taipei Time)** **Funding Instrument Type:**Cooperative agreement. Cooperative agreements include substantial involvement of the bureau or embassy in program implementation of the project.

Examples of substantial involvement are included in section C. 2 below. **Project Performance Period**: Proposed projects should be completed by March 31, 2028.

This notice is subject to availability of funding. The Public Diplomacy Section reserves the right to award less or more than the funds described under circumstances deemed to be in the best interest of the U.S. government, pending the availability of funds and approval of the designated grants officer. ###### **2.

****Executive Summary** The American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Public Diplomacy Section (PDS) announces an open competition for a cooperative agreement to support the implementation of the 2027 Global Cooperation and Training Framework (GCTF) Classic Workshop Series. Subject to the availability of funding, AIT intends to award one cooperative agreement to implement four GCTF Classic workshops in Taiwan during calendar year 2027.

The Global Cooperation and Training Framework (GCTF) is a capacity-building platform that brings together government officials, industry experts, academics, and civil society representatives to exchange practical experiences and promote professional cooperation on emerging regional and global challenges.

The 2027 workshop series will focus on issues related to resilience, emerging technologies, economic security, trusted supply chains, democratic governance, and other topics jointly identified by GCTF partners.

Rather than issuing separate awards for individual workshops, AIT will utilize a single cooperative agreement to enhance implementation efficiency, strengthen coordination across workshops, provide greater budget flexibility, and ensure continuity throughout planning, execution, monitoring, and reporting.

The selected recipient will serve as AIT’s implementation partner and will be responsible for workshop operations, including venue coordination, participant management, international travel support, interpretation services, audiovisual support, workshop materials, vendor coordination,logistics,monitoring and evaluation, and required grant reporting.

AIT and GCTF partners will provide overall policy guidance, strategic direction, and substantive oversight throughout the implementation period. Approximately four workshops are anticipated under this award.

Most workshops are expected to be held in Taipei, with one workshop anticipated in southern Taiwan to expand regional engagement and highlight Taiwan’s expertise in areas such as critical infrastructure, energy transition, advanced manufacturing, port operations, and whole-of-society resilience.

Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, professional associations, think tanks,event management companies,and other organizations with demonstrated experience managing international conferences or capacity-building programs and administering U.S. Government assistance awards.

This cooperative agreement is intended to strengthen practical international cooperation,facilitate professional exchanges among Indo-Pacific and like-minded partners, and further advance the GCTF as a practical platform for capacity building, policy dialogue, and technical cooperation. ###### **1.

****Eligible Applicants** The following organizations are eligible to apply: * **Not-for-profit organizations**, including non-governmental organizations (NGOs), think tanks, and civil society organizations * **Educational institutions**, including universities and research institutions * **Professional associations and nonprofit organizations**with demonstrated experience managing international conferences or capacity-building programs * **Private-sector organizations**with demonstrated experience organizing international conferences or implementing international exchange programs * **Public international organizations**, where eligible under applicable U.S. Government regulations Organizations may sub-contract with other entities, but only one entity, from the eligible categories of organizations listed above,can be the prime recipient of the award.

When sub-contracting with other entities, the responsibilities of each entity must be clearly defined in the proposal. For more information on the difference between sub-contract and sub-recipient, please refer to2 CFR 200. 331.

###### **2. ****Cost Sharing or Matching** Cost sharing is not required. **3.

****Other Eligibility Requirements** All organizations must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) issued via SAM. gov as well as a valid registration in SAM. gov. Please see Section D.

3 for more information. Individuals are not required to have a UEI or be registered in SAM. gov. 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. **4.

This opportunity will not support:** * Projects relating to partisan political activity; * Charitable or development activities; including direct social services such as medical, psychological, and/or humanitarian support * Projects that support specific religious activities; * Fund-raising campaigns; * Lobbying for specific legislation or programs * Scientific research or surveys; * Projects intended primarily for the growth or institutional development of the organization; * Projects that duplicate existing projects; **C.

Program Description** **1. Project Background, Goals, and Objectives** The Global Cooperation and Training Framework (GCTF) is an innovative capacity-building platform, through which Taiwan shares its expertise and connects with global partners to advance cooperation on global challenges.

Established in 2015 by Taiwan and the United States, the platform has since expanded to include Japan (2019), Australia (2021), Canada (2024), and the United Kingdom (2025).

Together, the GCTF Partners — represented by Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association (JTEA), the Australian Office Taipei (AO), the Canadian Trade Office in Taipei (CTOT), and the British Office Taipei (BOT) — co-organize a series of international workshops, trainings, and exchanges, which facilitate knowledge-sharing and build global capacity to address critical challenges.

Since its establishment in 2015, the GCTF has expanded both geographically and substantively,providing practical capacity-building opportunities on critical issues affecting regional and global security including economic resilience, democratic governance, emerging technologies, public health, disaster preparedness, and other shared challenges.

Each year, GCTF organizes a series of Classic workshops, which invite international speakers and participants from government, the private sector, and/or civil society to Taiwan to engage with Taiwan experts on topics of shared interests. This cooperative agreement seeks to support four GCTF Classic workshops in Taiwan during 2027.

Workshop topics will be jointly determined by the GCTF Joint Committee, which is comprised of representatives of the United States, Taiwan, Japan, Australia, Canada, and the UK. The project seeks to strengthen the effectiveness, efficiency, and long-term sustainability of GCTF programming by implementing four GCTF Classic workshops under a single cooperative agreement.

* Enhance practical cooperation among the GCTF Partners and other like-minded economies; * Promote policy dialogue and capacity building on shared regional challenges; * Improve coordination and continuity across GCTF programming; * Support practical exchanges among government, industry, academia, and civil society; and * Advance regional resilience, trusted technology, economic security, and democratic governance through practical international cooperation.

The selected grantee will: * Plan and implement four GCTF Classic workshops in Taiwan during 2027; * Provide comprehensive logistical and administrative support, including venue management, participant registration, travel coordination, interpretation, audiovisual services, and vendor management; * Coordinate closely with AIT and other GCTF Partners throughout project planning and implementation; * Support international and domestic speaker and participant engagement; * Organize site visits or technical visits when appropriate; * Conduct participant outreach and post-event evaluations; * Prepare the overall 2027 program report;and * Submit all required financial, monitoring, and performance reports in accordance with U.S. government grant requirements.

Primary participants are expected to include: * Representatives from international organizations; * Private-sector leaders and industry experts; * Academic and research institutions; * Civil society organizations; * Technical and policy specialists; and * Other stakeholders engaged in regional resilience, economic security, emerging technologies, democratic governance, and related policy areas.

Each workshop is expected to bring together international and domestic participants to facilitate practical knowledge-sharing, policy dialogue, and professional networking. **2. ****Substantial Involvement** This award will require substantial involvement from the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT)and GCTF Partners(Japan, Australia, Canada, UK, and Taiwan).

AIT will approve all key aspects of the workshop, including but not limited to venue selection, flight and hotel arrangements, ground transportation, lodging, visual designs, agenda, site visit locations, speaker and participant lists, catering and menus, conference room layout, lighting, and audio-visual setup. **D. Application Contents and Format** 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.

* The proposal clearly addresses the goals and objectives of this funding opportunity * All documents are in English * All budgets are in U.S. dollars * All pages are numbered, including budgets and attachments * All documents are formatted to fit 8 ½ x 11 paper * All documents are single-spaced, 14-point New Times Roman font, with 1-inch margins. Captions and footnotes may be 10-point New Times Roman font.

Font sizes in charts and tables, including the budget, can be reformatted to fit within 1 page width. * All applicant authorized signatures are provided where indicated on the various, required forms. The following documents are required: **1.

Mandatory application forms** * SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance – organizations) athttps://grants. gov/orhttps://www. ait.

org. tw/. * SF-424A (Budget Information for Non-Construction programs) athttps://grants.

gov/orhttps://www. ait. org.

tw/. * SF-424B (Assurances for Non-Construction programs) athttps://grants. gov/orhttps://www.

ait. org. tw/.

(note: the SF-424B is only required for individuals, organizations exempt from registration, and for organizations not required to fully register inhttps://sam. gov/) **2. Proposal (10 pages maximum)** The proposal should contain sufficient information that anyone not familiar with it would understand exactly what the applicant wants to do.

You may use your own proposal format, but it must include all the items below. * **Proposal Summary:**Short narrative that outlines the proposed project, including project objectives and anticipated impact. (Attachment:RecommendedTemplate_Proposal).

* **Introduction to the Organization**: A description of past and present operations, showing ability to carry out the program, including information on all previous grants from the State Department and/or U.S. government agencies as well as experience with and expertise in areas related to those described in the NOFO.

Applicants are encouraged, but not required, to use the attached Applicant Organization Information Survey form to provide this information(Attachment:RecommendedTemplate_Applicant Organization Information (AOI) Survey). If the applicant chooses not to use the attached form,all of the requested information from the form will still need to be addressed in the application package.

* **Problem Statement:**Clear,concise and well-supported statement of the problem to be addressed and why the proposed program is needed * **Program Methods, Design, Activities, and Deliverables:**The “goals” describe what the program is intended to achieve. The “objectives” refer to the intermediate accomplishments on the way to the goals. These should be achievable and measurable.

Describe the program activities and how they will help achieve the objectives. * **Proposed Project Schedule and Timeline:**The proposed timeline for the program activities. Include the dates, times, and locations of planned activities and events.

* **Key Personnel:**Names, titles,roles and experience/qualifications of key personnel involved in the program. What proportion of their time will be used in support of this program? * **Project Partners:**List the names and type of involvement of key partner organizations and sub-awardees (if applicable).

* **Future Funding or Sustainability:** Applicant’s plan for continuing the program beyond the grant period, or the availability of other resources, if applicable. * **Monitoring & Evaluation Plan:**Proposals must include a draft Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Performance Monitoring Plan (PMP). The M&E PMP should show how applicants intend to measure and demonstrate progress towards the project’s objectives and goals.

The key components to the PMP are as follows: * Monitoring and Evaluation Narrative: In narrative form, applicants should describe how they intend to monitor and evaluate the activities of their award.

In addition, the applicant should describe any M&E processes, including key personnel, management structure (where M&E fits into the overall program’s staff structure), technology, and as well provide a brief budget narrative explaining any line-item expenditures for M&E listed in the program’s budget.

If the proposal is from a prior grantee, the proposal discusses how the grantee has adapted,improved or otherwise modified their approach based on learning from previous experience. This narrative is limited to two pages. * Theory of Change Diagram: Applicants are expected to submit either a Theory of Change diagram or an If-Then Statement that illustrates how project activities will lead to intended outcomes.

* Monitoring and Evaluation Datasheet: The applicant must include their proposed activities and their expected outputs and outcomes as well as the goals and objectives as written in the NOFO. The datasheet’s purpose is to explicitly illustrate how a project’s activities lead to tangible results (such as increased beneficiary skills, knowledge, or attitudes) that ultimately address a PDS objective.

* The selected applicant’s M&E PMP is subject to review and approval before any award will be issued under this NOFO. The selected applicant will be required to work with the Public Diplomacy Section’s Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist to ensure the applicant’s M&E PMP achieves an expected level of expertise and meets PDS objectives. * Expenses directly associated with monitoring and evaluation are considered allowable.

The suggested template includes a space to list the portion of the total budget amount directly associated with monitoring and evaluation activities. **3. Budget Justification Narrative** * **Detailed Budget**– Applicants must submit a detailed line-item budget.

Applicants are encouraged to utilize the template provided with the funding opportunity but are not required to do so(Attachment:RecommendedTemplate_PDS Budget Narrative). Line-item expenditures should be listed in the greatest possible detail.

The budget must identify the total amount of funding requested, with a breakdown of amounts to be spent in the following budget categories: personnel; fringe benefits; travel; equipment; supplies; consultants/contracts; other direct costs; and indirect costs. See Annex Section I for a description of the types of costs that should be included in each category.

Personnel salaries should include the level of effort and the rate of pay, which should cover the percentage of time each staff member will dedicate to grant-based activities. If an organization is charging an indirect cost rate without a NICRA, it must apply it to the modified total budget costs (MTDC), refer to2CFR))§))200. 1)).

**Budgets shall be submitted in U.S. dollars**and final grant agreements will be conducted in U.S. dollars. * **Budget Justification Narrative** – Applicants must submit a budget justification narrative to accompany the detailed line-item budget.

The purpose of the budget justification narrative is to supplement the information provided in the detailed budget spreadsheet by justifying how the budget cost elements are necessary to implement project objectives and accomplish the project goals.

The budget justification narrative is a tool to help AIT staff fully understand the budgetary needs of the applicant and is an opportunity to provide descriptive information about the requested costs beyond the constraints of the budget template.

Together, the detailed budget spreadsheet, the budget justification narrative, and the SF-424A should provide a complete financial and qualitative description that supports the proposed project plan and should be directly relatable to the specific project components described in the applicant’s proposal. Curing venues, managing logistics, catering, etc. are allowable.

* Audit Requirements:Please note the audit requirements for Department of State awards in the Standard Terms and Conditions https://www. state. gov/federal-assistance-policies-appeals,Subpart F – Audit Requirements.

The cost of the required audits may be charged either as an allowable direct cost to the award OR included in the organization’s established indirect costs in the award’s detailed budget. * Visa Fees: Include all visa application and related fees in your budget as applicable. Please note DS-2019s for post-funded programs must be submitted directly by the award recipient.

If you anticipate your program will include the DS-2019 visa processing, your organization must be a registered Designated Sponsoring Organization. For more information go to:https://j1visa. state.

gov/sponsors/become-a-sponsor/ * **Key Personnel Resumes**: A résumé, not to exceed one page in length, must be included for the proposed key staff persons, such as the Project Director and Finance Officer,as well as any speakers or trainers (if applicable).

If an individual for this type of position has not been identified, the applicant may submit a 1-page position description,identifying the qualifications and skills required for that position, in lieu of a résumé. * **Letters of support from program partners:**Letters of support should be included for sub-recipients or other partners.

The letters must identify the type of relationship to be entered into(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 1 page in length.

* **Indirect Costs**: If your organization has a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA) and includes NICRA charges in the budget, your latest NICRA should be included in the application submission.

* **Proof of Non-profit Status:**Documentation to demonstrate the applicant’s non-profit status (e.g., U.S.-based organizations should submit a copy of their 501(c)(3) Internal Revenue Service determination letter, and non-U.S. organizations should provide evidence of non-profit status issued by a government entity). * **Proof of Registration:**A copy of the organization’s registration should be provided with the proposal application.

U.S.-based organizations should submit a copy of their IRS determination letter. Taiwan-based organizations should submit a copy of their certificate of registration from the appropriate government organization. Other items NOT required/requested with the application submission, but which may be requested if your application is approved to move forward in the review process include: 1.

Copies of an organization or program audit within the last two (2) years 2. Copies of relevant human resources, financial, or procurement policies 3. Copies of other relevant organizational policies or documentation that would help the Department determine your organization’s capacity to manage a federal grant award overseas 4.

Documentation that demonstrates the recipients’ plan and/or policy to safeguard PII of participants and beneficiaries. It is the responsibility of the recipient to ensure protection of personally identifiable information (PII) and safeguard PII when collecting,maintaining,using and disseminating such information 5.

Information to determine what financial controls and standard operating procedures an organization uses to procure goods and services, hire staff and track time and attendance, pay for grant-related travel, and identify other financial transactions that may be necessary to undertake the project activities 6. AIT reserves the right to request any additional programmatic and/or financial information regarding the proposal. **E.

Submission Requirements and Deadlines** **1. Address to Request Application Package** Application forms required above are available at https://www. ait.

org. tw/,grants. gov,MyGrants, etc. **2.

Department of State Contacts** If you have any questions about the grant application process, please contact:AITGCTF@state. gov. Question Deadline:For questions on this solicitation, please contact AITGCTF@state. gov. Questions must be received at least one week prior to the application deadline (Taipei Time).

Applicants should not expect an email response to questions, as questions received before the deadline will be answered in a question-and-answer document and posted athttp://www. grants. govandhttps://www.

ait. org. tw/.

**3. Unique entity identifier and System for Award Management (SAM. gov)** **Required Registration:**All organizations, whether based in the United States or in another country, must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and an active registration in SAM.

gov. A UEI is one of the data elements mandated by Public Law 109-282, the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA), for all Federal awards. An applicant must maintain an active registration while it has a proposal under review by the Department and must continue to keep the registration active for the entire duration of the period of performance of any Federal award that results from this NOFO.

The 2 CFR 200 also requires subrecipients to obtain a UEI. Please note the UEI for subrecipients is not required at the time of application but will be required before an award is processed and/or directed to a subrecipient. **Note: The process of obtaining or renewing a SAM.

gov registration may take anywhere from 4-8 weeks. ****Please begin your registration as early as possible****. ** * Organizations**based in the United States**or that pay employees within the United States will need an Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and a UEI prior to registering in SAM.

gov. * Organizations**based outside of the United States**and that do not pay employees within the United States do not need an EIN from the IRS but do need a UEI prior to registering in SAM. gov. Organizations based outside of the United States and that DO NOT plan to do business with the DoD should follow the below instructions: * Step 1:Proceed to SAM. gov to obtain a UEI and complete the SAM.

gov registration process. SAM. gov registration must be renewed annually.

An exemption from the UEI and sam. gov registration requirements may be permitted on a case-by-case basis. See2 CFR 25.

110for a full list of exemptions. Organizations requesting exemption from UEI or SAM. gov requirements must email the point of contact listed in the NOFO at least two weeks prior to the deadline in the NOFO providing a justification of their request.

Approval for a SAM. gov exemption must come from the warranted Grants Officer before the application can be deemed eligible for review. **Please note**: Any applicant with an exclusion in the System for Award Management (SAM) is not eligible to apply for an assistance award in accordance with the OMB guidelines at 2 CFR 180 that implement Executive Orders 12549 (3 CFR, 1986 Comp.

, p. 189) and 12689 (3 CFR, 1989 Comp. , p.

235), “Debarment and Suspension. ” **4. Submission Dates and Times** **Submission Deadline:**All applications must be received by September 6, 2026 (Taipei Time).

For the purposes of determining if an award is submitted on time, PDS will utilize the timestamp provided by MyGrants or Grants. gov.This deadline is firm and is not a rolling deadline. If organizations fail to meet the deadline noted above their application will be considered ineligible and will not be considered for funding.

Applicants using MyGrants for the first time will need their “New Organization Registration. ” To register with MyGrants, navigate to https://MyGrants. servicenowservices.

com and click “Create an Account” under “New User? ” On the pop-up select “Create a MyGrants Applicant/Grantee Account” and complete all required fields. Once completed, an email will be sent to verify the account creation followed by an Okta Account set-up which will require the use of a smartphone for multi-factor authentication (MFA).

If an applicant does not have accessibility to a smartphone during the time of account creation, please contact the helpdesk. For assistance with MyGrants accounts and technical issues related to the system, please contact the ILMS help desk by phone at +1 (888) 313-4567 (toll charges apply for international callers) or through the Self Service online portal that can be accessed from ILMS Self Service Portal.

Customer support is available 24/7. See https://www. opm.

gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/federal-holidays/ for a list of federal holidays. For assistance with Grants. gov, please call the Contact Center at +1 (800) 518-4726 or emailsupport@grants.

gov. The Contact Center is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, except federal holidays. Seehttps://www. opm.

gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/federal-holidays/for a list of federal holidays. **Submission Method**: Submitting all application materials directly to the following email address:AITGCTF@state. gov. Applicants**must**include the Funding Opportunity Title and Funding Opportunity Number in the subject line of the email.

**5. Funding Restrictions** i. Funding Restrictions for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA):None of the funds awarded resulting from this Notice of Funding Opportunity may be made available for subawards, direct financial support, or otherwise used to provide any payment or transfer to United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).

ii. Certification Regarding Compliance with Applicable Federal Anti-Discrimination Laws”If the place of performance or delivery of any award made under this NOFO will be within the United States, applicants are advised that they will be required to certify the following at the time of award: a.

Its compliance in all respects with all applicable Federal anti-discrimination laws is material to the government’s payment decisions for purposes of section 3729(b)(4) of title 31, United States Code and; b. It does not operate any programs promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion that violate any applicable Federal anti-discrimination laws.

A program promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion means a program whose purpose is to promote preferences based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origins, such as in training or hiring. iii.

Certification of Trafficking in Persons Compliance and Compliance Plan:Applicants are advised that they will be required to certify the following at the time of award for awards where the estimated value of services to be performed outside the United States exceeds $500,000: * To the best of the Recipient’s knowledge, neither the Recipient, nor any subrecipient, contractor, or subcontractor of the Recipient or any agent of the recipient or of such a subrecipient, contractor, or subcontractor, is engaged in any of the activities described in 2 CFR 175.

105(a); * The recipient has implemented a Trafficking in Persons compliance plan to prevent activities described in 2 CFR 175(a) and is compliant with this plan; and the compliance plan must follow the minimum requirements described in 2 CFR 175(b)(5). * That the Recipient has and will implement procedures to prevent activities described in 2 CFR 175.

105(a) and to monitor, detect, and terminate any subrecipient, contractor, subcontractor, or employee of the recipient engaging in these activities. https://fsapartners. ed.

gov/knowledge-center/topics/section-117-foreign-gift-and-contract-reporting/resources/frequently-asked-questions Recipients do not need to submit a copy of the plan. However, they must provide it to the Grants Officer upon request, and as appropriate, must post the useful and relevant contents of the plan or related materials on its website and at the workplace.

Recipients must re-certify on an annual basis for the entire award period of performance. iv.

Prohibition on Unmanned Aircraft Systems Manufactured or Assembled by American Security Drone Act-Covered Foreign Entities American Security Drone Act-covered foreign entity means an entity included on a list developed and maintained by the Federal Acquisition Security Council (FASC) and published in the System for Award Management (SAM) athttps://www. sam.

gov FASC-prohibited unmanned aircraft system means an unmanned aircraft system manufactured or assembled by an American Security Drone Act-covered foreign entity. Unmanned aircraft means an aircraft that is operated without the possibility of direct human intervention from within or on the aircraft.

Unmanned aircraft system means an unmanned aircraft and associated elements (including communication links and the components that control the unmanned aircraft) that are required for the operator to operate safely and efficiently in the national airspace system.

Recipients of funding under this Notice of Funding Opportunity (including subawards and subcontracts issued by the recipient) will be prohibited from: * Delivering any FASC-prohibited unmanned aircraft system, which includes unmanned aircraft (i.e., drones) and associated elements; * Operating a FASC-prohibited unmanned aircraft system in the performance of the award; and * Using Federal funds for the purchase or operation of a FASC-prohibited unmanned aircraft system.

(c) Exemptions, exceptions, and waivers. The prohibitions described above will not apply if the agency determines that an exemption, exception, or waiver applies and the award indicates that such a determination has been made. See sections 1823 through 1825 and 1832 of Public Law 118-31 ( [41 U.S.C.

3901 note prec.) for statutory requirements pertaining to exemptions, exceptions, and waivers.] v.

Promoting Human Flourishing in Foreign Assistance (PHFFA) Applicants for foreign assistance awards should be aware of requirements in 2 CFR Part 602, 603, and 604. These policies are referred to collectively as the Promoting Human Flourishing in Foreign Assistance (PHFFA) Policy.

602: The award term imposes certain abortion-related requirements on foreign nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), United States NGOs, public international organizations, foreign governments, and parastatals. 603: The award term imposes certain requirements relating to gender ideology on foreign nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), United States NGOs, international organizations, foreign governments, and parastatals.

604: The award term imposes certain requirements relating to discriminatory equity ideology on foreign nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), United States NGOs, international organizations, foreign governments, and parastatals. The Department recognizes there are costs associated with these policies.

Potential one-time and recurring costs the Department identifies for recipients and grantees are for familiarization with the policy, development and delivery of organizational training and implementation guidance, routine compliance monitoring, and recordkeeping and reporting requirements. Vi. Pre-Award Costs: Pre-award costs are not an allowable expense for this funding opportunity.

Vii. Construction: Any award made as a result of this NOFO will not allow for construction activities or costs. Viii.

Direct Social Services:Costs that cover and provide direct social services, such as welfare, charity, health or economic relief, are unallowable. Medical assistance, such as costs to include medical professionals, including but not limited to doctors, nurses, and psychiatrists to participate in the project activities are not allowed. Applicants must acquire all required registrations and rights in the United States and Taiwan.

All intellectual property considerations and rights must be fully met in the United States and Taiwan. Any sub-recipient organization must also meet all the U.S. and Taiwan requirements described above. **F.

Application Review Information** Criteria: Each application submitted under this announcement will be evaluated and rated on the basis of the criteria enumerated below. The criteria are designed to assess the quality of the proposed project, and to determine the likelihood of its success.

* **Quality and Feasibility of the Program Idea**–20 points: The program idea should be innovative and well developed, with sufficient detail about how p roject activities will be carried out. The proposals should demonstrate originality and outline clear,achievable objectives that align directly with the priorities and requirements of the NOFO.

The proposal includes a reasonable implementation timeline, and the project scope is appropriate and clearly defined. Finally, the proposal aligns with the following: * The project clearly demonstrates a direct contribution to current U.S. foreign policy priorities. * The project will positively impact America’s reputation among foreign government partners.

* The project will positively impact American’s reputation among foreign publics.

* The proposal does not include any activities contrary to the following Executive Orders: * Executive Order 14173:“Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity * Executive Order 14287:“Protecting American Communities from Criminal Aliens” * Executive Order 14168:Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government * **Organizational Capacity and Record on Previous Grants**–20 points: * The project proposal demonstrates that the organization has sufficient expertise, skills, and human resources to implement the project, including internal contr ols in place to manage federal funds.

* 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, a bank account, and if applicable, satisfactory audit findings.

* Applicants who have received grant funds previously have been compliant with applicable rules and regulations, including the Award Provisions and Standard Terms and Conditions. * 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. * **Project Planning/Ability to Achieve Objectives**–25 points:The project plan is well developed, with sufficient detail about how activities will be