United States Department of State Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL) Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO): Transitional Justice Processes including Bolstering Accountability for Gross Human Rights Violations This is the announcement of DRLA-DRLAQM-17-018 Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 19.345 Application Deadline: Friday, December 2, 2016 A. PROJECT DESCRIPTION The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL) announces an open competition for organizations interested in submitting applications for proposals that seek to address gross human rights violations through transitional justice processes. This includes identifying tools to mitigate conflict, advancing critical transitional justice programming, and promoting accountability. Transitional justice measures can include a wide range of tools – judicial and non-judicial, formal and informal, retributive and restorative – employed to strengthen respect for human rights and the rule of law, while addressing the root causes of conflict. Applicants should outline project concepts and capability to manage projects aimed at addressing transitional justice processes in the context of ongoing lack of justice and impunity in countries and regions with a legacy of gross human rights violations. Successful proposals will provide an analysis of the root causes of these systemic issues, explain how the proposed approach addresses these root causes, and promote collaboration and coordination amongst relevant stakeholders in-country through partnerships with one or more organizations. Additionally, proposals should take a holistic view of justice and impunity, articulating how the approach will ultimately serve to restore the relationship between citizens and the state in cases where this legacy impacts individual and community participation in democratic processes. Innovative approaches to and projects that build on previous initiatives to increase their overall impact are encouraged, acknowledging that in many cases conflicts are decades old and societies face ongoing challenges related to their effects, as well as new obstacles. For example, in places where ongoing effects of trauma and divisions within communities impede victims from organizing effectively to hold governments accountable for human rights violations, new approaches to reconciliation and victim healing are appropriate. Successful proposals will demonstrate a clear understanding of the country and regional context and operating environment, including existing U.S. Government or other donor funded programs working in the same or similar areas.
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United States Department of State
Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL)
Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO): Transitional Justice Processes including
Bolstering Accountability for Gross Human Rights Violations
This is the announcement of DRLA-DRLAQM-17-018
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 19.345
Application Deadline: Friday, December 2, 2016
A. PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL)
announces an open competition for organizations interested in submitting applications for
proposals that seek to address gross human rights violations through transitional justice
processes. This includes identifying tools to mitigate conflict, advancing critical transitional
justice programming, and promoting accountability. Transitional justice measures can include a
wide range of tools – judicial and non-judicial, formal and informal, retributive and restorative –
employed to strengthen respect for human rights and the rule of law, while addressing the root
causes of conflict.
Applicants should outline project concepts and capability to manage projects aimed at addressing
transitional justice processes in the context of ongoing lack of justice and impunity in countries
and regions with a legacy of gross human rights violations. Successful proposals will provide an
analysis of the root causes of these systemic issues, explain how the proposed approach
addresses these root causes, and promote collaboration and coordination amongst relevant
stakeholders in-country through partnerships with one or more organizations. Additionally,
proposals should take a holistic view of justice and impunity, articulating how the approach will
ultimately serve to restore the relationship between citizens and the state in cases where this
legacy impacts individual and community participation in democratic processes.
Innovative approaches to and projects that build on previous initiatives to increase their
overall impact are encouraged, acknowledging that in many cases conflicts are decades
old and societies face ongoing challenges related to their effects, as well as new
obstacles. For example, in places where ongoing effects of trauma and divisions within
communities impede victims from organizing effectively to hold governments
accountable for human rights violations, new approaches to reconciliation and victim
healing are appropriate.
Successful proposals will demonstrate a clear understanding of the country and regional
context and operating environment, including existing U.S. Government or other donor
funded programs working in the same or similar areas.
2
Proposals must take an inclusive, community-owned, victim-centered approach in
designing institutional transitional justice mechanisms aimed at encouraging broad
community ownership and sustainability.
Successful proposals must also provide appropriate resources and support for the
psychosocial health of staff. Accordingly, please provide a section in your activities and
budget to reflect these resources and support (i.e., activities can range from access to
educational materials and training opportunities to counseling services to other
contextually relevant support).1
Projects should address one of the following three themes in order to be considered eligible.
Organizations must explicitly identify for which category the proposal is being submitted. If a
proposal does not explicitly identify one of the below themes on the first page of the submission,
it may be deemed technically ineligible and may not be forwarded to the review panel for
consideration.
1. Empowering and engaging marginalized populations, ethnic minority groups and women
in relevant areas of Transitional Justice
DRL’s objective is to address past and ongoing systematic, multi-ethnic and human rights
violations and violations of international humanitarian law. DRL seeks proposals that address
social, psycho-social, political, and justice sector factors that contribute to legacies of conflict
and cycles of intolerance and violence against marginalized populations, ethnic minority groups
and women. We seek to support programs that can demonstrably and simultaneously address
past atrocities and prevent violence and inter-communal conflict. Programs should incorporate a
human rights perspective and could include activities such as conflict resolution, alleviation of
community tensions, promotion of cultures of tolerance, systemic tracking of instigation of
violence, documentation of human rights abuses and discrimination, legal documentation,
forensic evidence and oral history and related forms of truth-telling (through education, media
campaigns and other tools). Program approaches should support community leaders, local civil
society organizations, women, marginalized and ethnic minority populations, and local
authorities, as appropriate.
2. Enhancing victim engagement with formal and informal Transitional Justice mechanisms
DRL’s objective is to support civil society organizations’ efforts to enhance victim engagement
with transitional justice processes. Activities may include support in judicial proceedings before
1 For reference to international guidance, please see the following: Core Humanitarian Standard Commitment 8.9
● If your organization has a NICRA and includes NICRA charges in the budget, your latest
NICRA should be included as a PDF file.
● Written responses and revised application documents addressing conditions and
recommendations from the DRL Review Panel;
● Completion of the Department’s Financial Management Survey, if receiving DRL
funding for the first time;
● Submission of required documents to register in the Payment Management System
managed by the Department of Health and Human Services, if receiving DRL funding for
the first time (unless an exemption is provided);
● Other requested information or documents included in the notification of intent to make a
Federal award or subsequent communications prior to issuance of a Federal award.
D.3 Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM) Any applicant listed on the Excluded Parties List System (EPLS) 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.” Additionally, no entity
listed on the EPLS can participate in any activities under an award. All applicants are strongly
encouraged to review the EPLS in SAM to ensure that no ineligible entity is included.
All organizations, whether based in the United States or in another country, must have a Unique
Entity Identifier (UEI), formerly referred to as DUNS, and an active registration with the SAM
before submitting an application. DRL may not review applications from or make awards to
applicants that have not completed all applicable UEI and SAM requirements. 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.
Note: The process of obtaining a SAM.gov registration may take anywhere from 4-8 weeks.
Please begin your registration as early as possible.
● If you are based in the United States or pay employees within the United States, prior to
registering in SAM you will need an Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and a Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) code.
● If you are based outside of the United States and do not pay employees within the
United States, you do not need an EIN from the IRS. However, you will need a NATO
CAGE (NCAGE) code before you can have an active registration in SAM.
All organizations must also continue to maintain active SAM registration with current
information at all times during which they have an active Federal award or application under
consideration by a Federal award agency. SAM requires all entities to renew their registration
once a year in order to maintain an active registration status in SAM. It is the responsibility of
the applicant to ensure it has an active registration in SAM and to maintain that active
It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that it has an active registration in
GrantSolutions.gov or Grants.gov. Applicants are required to document that the application has
been received by GrantSolutions.gov or Grants.gov in its entirety. DRL bears no responsibility
for disqualification that result from applicants not being registered before the due date, for
system errors in either GrantSolutions or Grants.gov, or other errors in the application process.
Additionally you must save a screen shot of the checklist showing all documents submitted in
case any document fails to upload successfully.
GrantSolutions.gov is highly recommended for submission of all applications and is DRL’s
preferred choice for receiving applications. Faxed, couriered, or emailed documents will not be accepted. Reasonable accommodations
may, in appropriate circumstances, be provided to applicants with disabilities or for security
reasons. Applicants must follow all formatting instructions in the applicable solicitation and
these instructions.
DRL encourages organizations to submit applications during normal business hours (Monday
– Friday, 9:00AM- 5:00PM Eastern Time). If an applicant experiences technical difficulties and
has contacted the appropriate helpdesk but is not receiving timely assistance (e.g. if you have not
received a response within 48 hours of contacting the helpdesk), you may contact the DRL point
of contact listed in the NOFO in section G. The point of contact may assist in contacting the
appropriate helpdesk, but an applicant should also document their efforts in contacting the help
desk. Applicants may also contact the DRL point of contact listed in the NOFO if experiencing
technical issues with grants.gov or grantsolutions.gov that may result in a late submission.
Applicants experiencing technical difficulties should follow these three steps: 1. Contact the helpdesk for either Grants.gov or GrantSolutions immediately.
2. Document (including screenshots) technical issues AND efforts to contact the helpdesk.
3. Submit all of the required documents to the DRL point of contact listed in the solicitation
before the deadline.
Note: The Procurement Office will determine technical eligibility of all applications
GrantSolutions.gov Applications All applicants are strongly encouraged to submit applications via www.grantsolutions.gov. Applicants using GrantSolutions.gov for the first time should complete their “New Organization
Registration” as soon as possible. This process must be completed before an application can be
submitted. Registration with GrantSolutions.gov usually occurs directly after an applicant
submits their registration. To register with GrantSolutions.gov, click “Login to GrantSolutions”
and follow the “First Time Users” link to the “New Organization Registration Page.” There are
different ways to register your organization, click on the link that fits best.