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Norway’s Constitution Day

05/17/2020

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Norway’s Constitution Day

05/17/2020 12:01 AM EDT

Michael R. Pompeo, Secretary of State

On behalf of the Government of the United States of America and the American people, I congratulate Norway and all its citizens on as you celebrate the 206th anniversary of the Norwegian Constitution.

Norway and the United States are steadfast allies and partners, and we greatly value Norway’s leadership in NATO and on the Arctic Council. Norway’s longstanding commitment to providing humanitarian and development assistance is a model for the international community. Our partnership, based on mutual democratic values and a commitment to peace and prosperity, is all the more significant as we work together to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. Through close cooperation and dedication, I am confident that we will prevail and continue to promote peace and our shared values together.

To all Norwegians and the millions of Americans who trace their ancestry to Norway, I offer my congratulations to you on this Constitution Day.

Norway’s Constitution Day

05/17/2020

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Norway’s Constitution Day

05/17/2020 12:01 AM EDT

Michael R. Pompeo, Secretary of State

To all Norwegians and the millions of Americans who trace their ancestry to Norway, I offer my congratulations to you on this Constitution Day.

Norway’s Constitution Day

05/17/2020

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Norway’s Constitution Day

05/17/2020 12:01 AM EDT

Michael R. Pompeo, Secretary of State

To all Norwegians and the millions of Americans who trace their ancestry to Norway, I offer my congratulations to you on this Constitution Day.

Secretary Pompeo’s Call with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Dr. Abdullah Abdullah

05/17/2020

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Secretary Pompeo’s Call with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Dr. Abdullah Abdullah

05/17/2020 11:34 AM EDT

Office of the Spokesperson

The following is attributable to Spokesperson Morgan Ortagus:

Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo spoke today with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, the new Chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation. Secretary Pompeo congratulated the two leaders for reaching an agreement on inclusive governance for Afghanistan. Secretary Pompeo noted that he regretted the time lost during the political impasse. He reiterated that the priority for the United States remains a political settlement to end the conflict and welcomed the commitment by the two leaders to act immediately in support of prompt entry into intra-Afghan negotiations.

Secretary Michael R. Pompeo With Matthew Boyle of Breitbart News Network and SiriusXM Patriot

05/17/2020

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Secretary Michael R. Pompeo With Matthew Boyle of Breitbart News Network and SiriusXM Patriot

05/17/2020 11:24 AM EDT

Michael R. Pompeo, Secretary of State

Via Teleconference

QUESTION: Again folks, this is Breitbart News Saturday here on SiriusXM 125, the Patriot channel. I’m Matt Boyle, our Washington political editor. We have a very special guest on the line here, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Thank you, Secretary Pompeo, for coming on the show. I wanted to have you on to talk in depth about China, and we’ll get to that in a couple minutes, but you were just in Israel this week with Prime Minister Netanyahu, so let’s start there. Can you tell us about your trip to Israel, your meeting with Netanyahu, and about the broader Vision for Peace plan that you and President Trump have been championing?

SECRETARY POMPEO: Well, Matt, thank you. I appreciate the chance to be on. I did have a great visit. It was short. I was only on the ground there for a half a dozen hours or so, but we had a series of important things to talk about. We have developed a deep, important partnership with the state of Israel. They’re good partners of ours; they’re important. This is, to so many people in the world, an important place religiously, but they’re also an important security partner, and we went to talk about those things. It was on the eve of them forming their new government after multiple elections, and we talked about the threat from the Islamic Republic of Iran and how much progress we’ve made since we recovered from the horrible decisions the previous administration had made in entering the JCPOA.

We went there also to talk about the work that we can do to promote our efforts to tamp down on anti-Semitism, so we talked about that. And then we also had the chance to talk about China’s efforts there in Israel, to make clear to our Israeli partners and friends that the risk of the Chinese Communist Party getting their hands on their technology, their high-end systems. It’s a very capable, high-end, high-tech country. We wanted to make sure they understood the risks associated with that as well.

QUESTION: So you said while you were there in Israel that Iran is attempting to use the coronavirus pandemic to, quote, “foment terror.” Can you elaborate on that? What are they doing? What is fomenting terror?

SECRETARY POMPEO: So you continue to have, in spite of the Iranian leadership demanding that more money be given to them, they are using the resources that they have to continue funding Hizballah in Lebanon and threatening the state of Israel, funding Iraqi terrorist Shia groups, all the things that they have done historically – continuing to build out their capabilities even while the people inside of their own country are suffering. And so they’ve said that it’s been our sanctions that have harmed them. Frankly, the Iranian regime is the group responsible for all the hardship that exists inside of Iran, and in fact it is the Iranian people who are demanding a change in the nature of that regime.

QUESTION: And so this kind of brings me to the main topic of what I really wanted to talk to you about today, which is China and the coronavirus pandemic. Mr. Secretary, you’ve been relentless in criticizing the Chinese Communist Government for their handling of this virus outbreak, in particular the likelihood – the increasing likelihood that this virus came from the laboratory there in Wuhan, the Wuhan Institute of Virology. Can – the Chinese deny this, of course. Can you tell us where we are in this whole investigative effort of the origins of the coronavirus?

SECRETARY POMPEO: Well, sadly, Matt, we’re not much further than we were weeks and weeks ago. The Chinese Communist Party has relentlessly deceived and denied information to the West. We have repeatedly asked to have teams go in to assist them in identifying where the virus originated. We know it began in Wuhan, but we don’t know from where or from whom, and those are important things. Your listeners need to know we still need to know that so that we can crack the code on this thing. One of the key facts for scientists and epidemiologists to build out vaccines and therapeutics and to identify how this was ultimately delivered to the world – you have to know where patient zero began and how patient zero became infected. And yet the Chinese Communist Party, at every turn, has attempted to manage the World Health Organization, to manage the information flow, to punish doctors who wanted to talk about this publicly, to undermine the central understandings of transparency that every country has a responsibility to deliver.

And as a result of that, we still have so many unanswered questions. We – the United States – the world has so many unanswered questions that are incredibly important so that we can address this issue going forward to keep American people safe. This isn’t political. This isn’t aimed at achieving a political victory. It is aimed squarely at getting the right health outcomes and saving lives all across the world.

QUESTION: Yeah. So on that note, independent studies have shown us that if the Chinese had been honest with us from the beginning about this, and honest with the world about this, that as high as 95 percent of the deaths and destruction could have been avoided. What are your thoughts on that? Are you thinking that if they had been honest we could have avoided the significant economic and obviously health damage that we’ve seen from this virus here in the United States and elsewhere around the world?

SECRETARY POMPEO: Matt, we know this much. We know that in December at least, maybe earlier, the Chinese Communist Party came to understand the threat that was presented. And then we watched their actions – I’ve talked about some of them – denying information to the world. We then saw that when the United States made the decision, when President Trump made the decision to close off travel between the United States and China, we saw China squawk at that, saying you shouldn’t be doing that. Even though they had locked down Wuhan, they had not locked down travel all across the world.

Those are the kinds of decisions that, as you stare at them, it is unambiguous that they created increased risk, that people were still traveling around the world – why? While the Chinese Communist Party knew of the risk of transmission it was still allowing people to travel outside of China while they had locked down a major city inside of their own country. We know those all to be facts, and we know had they made a different set of decisions at the front end there would have been more time for the entire world – not just for the United States but for the entire world – to prepare and react to the pandemic that has now spread all across the globe.

QUESTION: So what should be the penalty for the Chinese here? I mean, the American people are demanding that there be – I mean, if you look at the polls, they’re saying 70 percent, maybe even higher, people want to see China held accountable. How do we do that? What – how do we hold China accountable? How do we enforce that? What does that look like? Can you tell us that?

SECRETARY POMPEO: I don’t want to get out in front of what President Trump will ultimately decide, but I think we all know in this administration that we have to make sure that something like this can never happen again. That means deterrence. That means setting up processes. The President’s already stopped funding to the WHO so that we can evaluate that and figure out which pieces of the WHO might actually work and which pieces don’t, so that we can deliver good outcomes and keep Americans safe and make sure this doesn’t happen again.

And then there’ll come a time, there will come a day, when we will evaluate what it is needs to be done to convince the Chinese Communist Party that there are real costs – real costs – connected to this kind of misbehavior. You know this, Matt. We see this all the time inside the United States but around the world too. We have to hold nations accountable. And I’ve talked to many of my counterparts around the world. We have to hold nations accountable for the things and actions that they undertake which create risk and, in this case, created enormous loss of life here in the United States. President Trump is committed to doing that. The precise mechanisms that we will choose, I want to make sure that he gets the chance to get fully briefed and make those decisions.

QUESTION: So Mr. Secretary, also in recent days we’ve seen Chinese state media threaten U.S. lawmakers like Senator Tom Cotton, like Congressman Jim Banks, who’ve been very outspoken on China. They’ve threatened states like Missouri, which is trying to sue the Chinese. They’ve threatened media outlets, including us at Breitbart, The Wall Street Journal, other places. What are your thoughts about these threats that are coming from Chinese state media against Americans, whether they be U.S. states, whether they be members of Congress, whether they be media outlets like us, Breitbart or The Wall Street Journal, other places as well? What are your thoughts about that?

SECRETARY POMPEO: They have come at me too – all kinds of names. I think this shows that the Chinese Communist Party understands the risk that they have put on top of their own nation. I think those attacks demonstrate weakness, not resolve, by the Chinese Communist Party.

Matt, you and I are both old enough to remember. We know how communist regimes, how autocracies behave. When they know that they have done things that are wrong, they strike out; they try to blame others. I think that’s what you’re seeing.

They also try to maneuver around the world through disinformation, and we have been clear – President Trump, myself, the State Department have been clear – about making sure that everybody understands the facts surrounding the Chinese Communist Party. We were at this long before the coronavirus, where we called out the fact that they had kicked out American journalists.

We had been talking about the fact that they haven’t followed their own promises, their commitment not to arm the South China Sea, to put weapons there. They promised they wouldn’t do it. They have done it. They have promised a commitment to the people of Hong Kong with “one country, two systems.” They continue to diminish freedom in Hong Kong.

This goes – when it comes to what the Chinese Communist Party is doing, it goes so far beyond just what’s happened in the time of this coronavirus. I think the American people and I hope people all across the world understand the risk to the globe, to freedom-loving countries and democracies around the world, that are presented by the actions of the Chinese Communist Party.

QUESTION: Yeah, so on that note, this – well, the pandemic has definitely thrust this into the forefront of everybody’s minds, into the spotlight, this whole threat of a rising Beijing. But I know this is an issue you’ve been working on for a long time, combating the Belt and Road Initiative. If you – can you kind of explain that? Because I know – I believe we had one of our reporters with you on a trip to Northern Europe, where again they were trying to build inroads into the Arctic. And they’ve been doing this all around the globe, where they’ve been trying to build their international influence. And this is something that I know you’ve taken a lot of steps to counter around the world.

Can you tell us about this? Because I think their efforts to try to, whether it be control the Eurasian land mass, whether it be building control of shipping lanes, and so on and so forth all around the world, their geopolitical quest for control and dominance is serious, and I know it’s something that you’re fighting on a regular basis. So can you tell us more broadly about that?

SECRETARY POMPEO: Matt, you’ve captured it very, very well. The Chinese Communist Party working inside of their own country is one thing. Their efforts to create control and influence around the world are quite another and we have a responsibility to fix that. President Trump got this right in his campaign. He talks about it an awful lot. This is something that presidents of both political parties ignored for far too long. President Trump has taken it on squarely. You – we’ve seen it, it’s very public what he’s done in trade to try and make sure that that is fair and reciprocal.

But your point, your point about China’s efforts to use their wealth, state-owned enterprises, and their authoritarian regime in Africa, in the Arctic, in the straits, the sea lanes all around the world, present real risk to the United States of America and to free nations. And we are working to push back against that.

We want good things, Matt, for the Chinese people. We hold no brook against them. But the regime, the Chinese Communist Party itself, is acting in ways that are much to the detriment of the United States of America. And President Trump has made clear we’re going to make sure and protect, keep Americans safe, and do everything we can to make sure that Americans can operate freely around the world in a way that is fair, and reciprocal, and equitable.

QUESTION: Yeah, Mr. Secretary, I know you’re tight on time, so this’ll be my last question for you. And I want to definitely go deeper with you down the road, so – on this, because I know this is an important issue.

But my last question for you here today is: This influence operation that they’re building around the world – very similar, by the way, to what the Soviet Union was doing, another communist regime, in the past – but they’ve got – we’ve seen American professors at universities getting convicted of being on the take from Chinese Communist Party officials. We’ve seen their efforts to use state-backed companies like Huawei to try to infiltrate the Western world’s technology infrastructure. What are some of the things that you’re doing to combat the broader influence operations that the Chinese Communist Party has employed, whether it be here in the United States or elsewhere around the world?

SECRETARY POMPEO: Matt, this is connected to what you talked about with the Belt and Road Initiative, but it is also true here inside the United States. I spoke to the National Governors Association a few months back, where I shared that they are working to influence governors, mayors, school board members, people all – private business owners, to influence them to put the bright face of China on when it is in fact the Chinese Communist Party that’s seeking to exert their influence here inside of the United States.

This is primarily the responsibility of the FBI to police, but your listeners should know the State Department is doing its part too. We put restrictions on their diplomats who are moving around America, the same ones that they put on our diplomats as they’re traveling in China. This effort to influence what’s going on here in the United States is a very serious matter. You talked about our universities and our research lab. This is not about good Chinese people working on commercial projects. We find that acceptable. This is about the Chinese Communist Party exerting its influence here in the United States for missions that are deeply connected to the regime in China trying to exert influence in places where it ought not to be, and we’re going to do everything we can to push back against that.

QUESTION: All right. Well, Secretary Pompeo, I really want to thank you for coming on the program here. And where can people go to learn more about what you guys are doing at the State Department?

SECRETARY POMPEO: If you go to state.gov, you’ll see a series of sets of remarks, and you’ll see the actions that our team has taken as well. It’s a good place to go find consolidated the efforts we have to make sure and defend America, and keep us all safe and prosperous here at home even in these challenging times, Matt.

QUESTION: All right. Well, Secretary Pompeo, thank you for coming on the program. Thank you for everything you’re doing for America. I really want to thank you again.

Secretary Michael R. Pompeo With Matthew Boyle of Breitbart News Network and SiriusXM Patriot

05/17/2020

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Secretary Michael R. Pompeo With Matthew Boyle of Breitbart News Network and SiriusXM Patriot

05/17/2020 11:24 AM EDT

Michael R. Pompeo, Secretary of State

Via Teleconference

QUESTION: All right. Well, Secretary Pompeo, thank you for coming on the program. Thank you for everything you’re doing for America. I really want to thank you again.

American Journalists Based in Hong Kong

05/17/2020

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American Journalists Based in Hong Kong

05/17/2020 03:56 PM EDT

Michael R. Pompeo, Secretary of State

It has recently come to my attention that the Chinese government has threatened to interfere with the work of American journalists in Hong Kong. These journalists are members of a free press, not propaganda cadres, and their valuable reporting informs Chinese citizens and the world. Any decision impinging on Hong Kong’s autonomy and freedoms as guaranteed under the Sino-British Joint Declaration and the Basic Law would inevitably impact our assessment of One Country, Two Systems and the status of the territory.

American Journalists Based in Hong Kong

05/17/2020

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American Journalists Based in Hong Kong

05/17/2020 03:56 PM EDT

Michael R. Pompeo, Secretary of State

Public Schedule – May 18, 2020

05/17/2020

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Public Schedule – May 18, 2020

05/17/2020 09:00 PM EDT

Office of the Spokesperson

***THE DAILY PUBLIC SCHEDULE IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE***

SECRETARY MICHAEL R. POMPEO

Secretary Pompeo attends meetings and briefings, at the Department of State.

DEPUTY SECRETARY STEPHEN E. BIEGUN

Deputy Secretary Biegun attends meetings and briefings, at the Department of State.

UNDER SECRETARY FOR POLITICAL AFFAIRS DAVID HALE

Under Secretary Hale attends meetings and briefings, at the Department of State.

UNDER SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH, ENERGY, AND THE ENVIRONMENT KEITH KRACH

Under Secretary Krach attends meetings and briefings, at the Department of State

Taiwan’s Exclusion from the World Health Assembly

05/18/2020

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Taiwan’s Exclusion from the World Health Assembly

05/18/2020 09:39 AM EDT

Michael R. Pompeo, Secretary of State

The United States condemns Taiwan’s exclusion from the World Health Assembly. At a time when the world continues to struggle with the COVID-19 pandemic, we need multilateral institutions to deliver on their stated missions and to serve the interests of all member states, not to play politics while lives are at stake.

No one disputes that Taiwan has mounted one of the world’s most successful efforts to contain the pandemic to date, despite its close proximity to the original outbreak in Wuhan, China. This should not be a surprise. Transparent, vibrant, and innovative democracies like Taiwan always respond faster and more effectively to pandemics than do authoritarian regimes.

WHO’s Director-General Tedros had every legal power and precedent to include Taiwan in WHA’s proceedings. Yet, he instead chose not to invite Taiwan under pressure from the People’s Republic of China (PRC). The Director-General’s lack of independence deprives the Assembly of Taiwan’s renowned scientific expertise on pandemic disease, and further damages the WHO’s credibility and effectiveness at a time when the world needs it the most.

The PRC’s spiteful action to silence Taiwan exposes the emptiness of its claims to want transparency and international cooperation to fight the pandemic, and makes the difference between China and Taiwan ever more stark. Taiwan is a model world citizen, while the PRC continues to withhold vital information about the virus and its origins, deny access to their scientists and relevant facilities, censor discussion of the pandemic within China and on Chinese social media properties, and casts blame widely and recklessly.

The United States Applauds the Arrest of Félicien Kabuga

05/18/2020

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The United States Applauds the Arrest of Félicien Kabuga

05/18/2020 09:34 AM EDT

Morgan Ortagus, Department Spokesperson

We applaud the Government of France and the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals for the arrest of Félicien Kabuga, who is charged with playing a key role in the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. We commend law enforcement officials worldwide who contributed to the arrest. This is a milestone for international justice, and a message to all fugitives indicted for genocide that they will be brought to justice. We hope this arrest brings the victims and their families some peace.

Twenty-six years after the genocide in Rwanda, the United States remains committed to seeking justice for the many men, women, and children who were killed. Through the War Crimes Reward Program, we offer up to $5 million for information that leads to the arrest of the remaining seven Rwandans wanted for genocide by the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals.

Taiwan’s Exclusion from the World Health Assembly

05/18/2020

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Taiwan’s Exclusion from the World Health Assembly

05/18/2020 09:39 AM EDT

Michael R. Pompeo, Secretary of State

National Museum of American Diplomacy Announces New Virtual Exhibit: Bringing #AmericansHome

05/18/2020

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National Museum of American Diplomacy Announces New Virtual Exhibit: Bringing #AmericansHome

05/18/2020 11:40 AM EDT

Office of the Spokesperson

The National Museum of American Diplomacy is proud to launch the virtual exhibit Bringing #AmericansHome: Diplomats on the Front Line of COVID-19. This new and evolving exhibit captures the historic and ongoing efforts of the U.S. Department of State to repatriate more than 90,000 American citizens and legal residents during the pandemic. Through stories, photos, and videos, the exhibit examines the personal impact of American officials serving on the front lines of the global COVID-19 pandemic as international first responders. This unprecedented effort is grounded in over 200 years of protecting American citizens abroad and bringing them home during times of crisis. Bringing #AmericansHome highlights and honors those efforts. Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo initiated the social media hashtag #AmericansHome to signal his support for the heroic behind-the-scenes efforts of Americans diplomats in the field. Explore the exhibit here: https://diplomacy.state.gov/explore-online-exhibits/bringing-americanshome/

The National Museum of American Diplomacy is made possible by a public-private partnership between the State Department and its 501(C)(3) partner, the Diplomacy Center Foundation (DCF). In 2017, the museum completed construction of a 20,000 sq. ft. glass pavilion that contains its first two exhibit halls.

For more information about the National Museum of American Diplomacy, please contact NMAD@state.gov, or visit diplomacy.state.gov.

DRL Promoting Transparent and Accountable Governance in the Indo-Pacific Region

05/18/2020

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DRL Promoting Transparent and Accountable Governance in the Indo-Pacific Region

05/18/2020 01:06 PM EDT

Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor

United States Department of State
Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL)
Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO):
DRL Promoting Transparent and Accountable Governance in the Indo-Pacific Region

This is the announcement of funding opportunity number SFOP0006954

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 19.345

Type of Solicitation: Open Competition

Application Deadline: 11:59 PM EST on 2, July, 2020

Funding Floor: $1,500,000 (of which, $500,000 must be for activities in South Asia and $1,000,000 must be for activities in East Asia and the Pacific)

Funding Ceiling: $3,000,000 (of which, at $1,000,000 must be for activities in South Asia and at least $1,000,000,000 must be for activities in East Asia and the Pacific; the remaining $1,000,000 is available for activities across the Indo-Pacific region)

Anticipated Number of Awards: Approximately 1 – 2

Type of Award: Grant or Cooperative Agreement

Period of Performance: 12 – 30 months

Anticipated Time to Award, Pending Availability of Funds: 3 – 5 months

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 projects that promote transparent and accountable governance in the Indo-Pacific region.

The first responsibility of every government is to care for its people and effective mitigation of a public health crisis like COVID-19 requires government transparency and accountability, the full participation of civil society, and access to information. Respect for freedom of expression, including that of members of the press, is especially vital during times of emergency because it allows individuals and communities to access and share timely information to protect their health.  Emergency declarations and laws enacted in response to COVID-19 should be strictly necessary to protect public health and should not be used as an excuse to silence, target, or harass members of civil society, opposition voices, members of marginalized groups, or any other persons wishing to contribute to public discussion.  This includes individuals seeking to discuss governments’ observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms or advocate for government accountability.

The COVID-19 public health crisis, however, has created an environment ripe for exploitation by governments keen on consolidating power through a variety of measures including, but not limited to, the use of disinformation, censorship of independent media, onerous restrictions on opposition party activities, the stifling of political and civic activism, politically-motivated delays to electoral and political processes, suspensions of the rule of law, and limitations on fundamental freedoms.

In response to these growing threats, DRL seeks proposals that will develop a regional initiative with the goal to both (1) counter increasingly authoritarian approaches to COVID-19 and (2) promote rights-respecting, best practices for governments to model in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific region. Program objectives should empower local and regional civil society, including independent media and journalists, to advocate for transparent and accountable governance. Competitive applications for a regional initiative will be able to identify and address specific trends across the Indo-Pacific region and should support a combination of regional activities, such as engaging with regional fora and/or supporting cross-border coalition building, information sharing, and joint action by civil society, media, and/or governments, and targeted country-specific activities at the national and/or sub-national level. When designing the regional initiative, applicants should ensure that: 1) if requesting between $1,500,000 and $2,500,000 that at least $500,000 is allocated to support activities in South Asia and at least $1,000,000 is allocated to support activities in East Asia and the Pacific; or 2) if requesting between $2,500,000 and $3,000,000 that at least $1,000,000 is allocated to support activities in South Asia and at least $1,000,000 is allocated to support activities in East Asia and the Pacific. Applicant’s budget submissions should be able to show these allocations.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to form consortia that span traditionally independent efforts, institutions, and areas of expertise, and must demonstrate partnerships with local networks and groups already working to address these issues as well as the ability to engage government representatives and entities in the region to facilitate effective coalition-building and joint-action across stakeholder groups.

Applicants must demonstrate how their proposal advances a shared vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific through meaningful partnerships with other governments, private-sector, multi-lateral institutions/public international organizations, or other non-governmental entities, including through additional financial or in-kind support for the project. Competitive applications will include support for workshops that could be conducted with the substantial involvement of DRL and through mechanisms such as the Global Cooperation and Training Framework (GCTF) administered by the United States, Taiwan, and Japan, or other similar mechanisms in cooperation with the Republic of Korea, Australia, New Zealand, or other countries and include follow-on activities from the workshops. Project design should allow for public recognition of U.S. government funding and for the U.S. government to be substantially involved in public events or other appropriate activities to highlight U.S. government support for sound, just, and responsive governance.

Projects should achieve impact that leads to specific reforms and should have the potential for sustainability beyond DRL resources.  Programs are encouraged to avoid duplicating past efforts by supporting new and creative approaches, but DRL will not exclude from consideration projects that improve upon or expand existing successful projects in a new and complementary way.  Programs should seek to include groups that can bring perspectives based on their religion, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, and/or sexual orientation.  Programs should be demand-driven and locally led to the fullest extent possible.  DRL also requires all of its programming to be non-discriminatory and expects implementers to include strategies for integration of individuals/organizations regardless of religion, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, and/or sexual orientation.

Applicants may include an additional summary budget and budget narrative to extend the proposed period of performance to as late as March 31, 2025 and should indicate what objective(s) and/or activities could be accomplished with additional time beyond the proposed period of performance and/or funds beyond the current funding ceiling.

Where appropriate, competitive proposals may include:

Opportunities for beneficiaries to apply their new knowledge and skills in practical efforts;
Solicitation of feedback and suggestions from beneficiaries when developing activities in order to strengthen the sustainability of programs and participant ownership of project outcomes;
Input from participants on sustainability plans and systematic review of the plans throughout the life of the project, with adjustments made as necessary;
Inclusion of vulnerable populations;
Joint identification and definition of key concepts with relevant stakeholders and stakeholder input into project activities;

Systematic follow up with beneficiaries at specific intervals after the completion of activities to track how beneficiaries are retaining new knowledge as well as applying their new skills.

Activities that are not typically allowed include, but are not limited to:

The provision of humanitarian assistance;
English language instruction;

Development of high-tech computer or communications software and/or hardware;
Purely academic exchanges or fellowships;
External exchanges or fellowships lasting longer than six months;
Off-shore activities that are not clearly linked to in-country initiatives and impact or are not necessary per security concerns;
Theoretical explorations of human rights or democracy issues, including projects aimed primarily at research and evaluation that do not incorporate training or capacity-building for local civil society;

Micro-loans or similar small business development initiatives;
Initiatives directed towards a diaspora community rather than current residents of targeted countries.

This notice is subject to availability of funding.

B. Federal Award Information

The U.S. government may (a) reject any or all applications, (b) accept other than the lowest cost application, (c) accept more than one application, and (d) waive irregularities in applications received.

The U.S. government may make award(s) on the basis of initial applications received, without discussions or negotiations. Therefore, each initial application should contain the applicant’s best terms from a cost and technical standpoint. The U.S. government reserves the right (though it is under no obligation to do so), however, to enter into discussions with one or more applicants in order to obtain clarifications, additional detail, or to suggest refinements in the project description, budget, or other aspects of an application.

DRL anticipates awarding either a grant or cooperative agreement depending on the needs and risk factors of the program. The final determination on award mechanism will be made by the Grants Officer. The distinction between grants and cooperative agreements revolves around the existence of “substantial involvement.” Cooperative agreements require greater Federal government participation in the project. If a cooperative agreement is awarded, DRL will undertake reasonable and programmatically necessary substantial involvement. Examples of substantial involvement can include, but are not limited to:

Active participation or collaboration with the recipient in the implementation of the award.

Review and approval of one stage of work before another can begin.
Review and approval of substantive provisions of proposed subawards or contracts beyond existing Federal policy.
Approval of the recipient’s budget or plan of work prior to the award.

The authority for this funding opportunity is found in the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended (FAA).

To maximize the impact and sustainability of the award(s) that result from this NOFO, DRL retains the right to execute non-competitive continuation amendment(s). The total duration of any award, including potential non-competitive continuation amendments, shall not exceed 60 months, or five years. Any non-competitive continuation is contingent on performance and pending availability of funds. A non-competitive continuation is not guaranteed and the Department of State reserves the right to exercise or not to exercise this option.

DRL may require successful applicant(s) to incorporate coordination of an implementer and stakeholder meeting into the Scope of Work of the final project. DRL will discuss this possibility with particular applicant(s) during the proposal negotiation phase and may include, but not limited to the following:

Additional funding to cover cost of the stakeholder meeting;

Coordinating all logistics and hosting the meeting;
Assisting applicants with visas;
Drafting the agenda in coordination with DRL;
Preparing all materials for the meeting;
Securing outside speakers for the conference; and

Hosting a networking event outside of the meeting space.

C. Eligibility Information

For application information, please see the proposal submission instructions (PSI) on our website.

C.1 Eligible Applicants

DRL welcomes applications from U.S.-based and foreign-based non-profit organizations/nongovernment organizations (NGO) and public international organizations; private, public, or state institutions of higher education; and for-profit organizations or businesses. DRL’s preference is to work with non-profit entities; however, there may be some occasions when a for-profit entity is best suited.

Applications submitted by for-profit entities may be subject to additional review following the panel selection process. Additionally, the Department of State prohibits profit to for-profit or commercial organizations under its assistance awards. Profit is defined as any amount in excess of allowable direct and indirect costs. The allowability of costs incurred by commercial organizations is determined in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) at 48 CFR 30, Cost Accounting Standards Administration, and 48 CFR 31 Contract Cost Principles and Procedures.

Please see 2 CFR 200.307 for regulations regarding program income.

C.2 Cost Sharing or Matching

Providing cost sharing, matching, or cost participation is not an eligibility factor or requirement for this NOFO, and providing cost share will not result in a more favorable competitive ranking.

C.3 Other

Applicants should have existing, or the capacity to develop, active partnerships with thematic or in-country partners, entities, and relevant stakeholders, including private sector partners and NGOs, and have demonstrable experience in administering successful and preferably similar projects. DRL encourages applications from foreign-based NGOs headquartered in the geographic regions/countries relevant to this NOFO. Applicants may form consortia in order to bring together organizations with varied expertise to propose a comprehensive program in one proposal. However, one organization should be designated in the proposal as the lead applicant, with the other members designated as sub-award partners. DRL reserves the right to request additional background information on applicants that do not have previous experience administering federal grant awards, and these applicants may be subject to limited funding on a pilot basis.

DRL is committed to an anti-discrimination policy in all of its projects and activities. DRL welcomes applications irrespective of race, ethnicity, color, creed, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or other status.

Any applicant listed on the Excluded Parties List System in the System for Award Management (SAM.gov) (www.sam.gov) and/or has a current debt to the U.S. government 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 or person listed on the Excluded Parties List System in SAM.gov can participate in any activities under an award. All applicants are strongly encouraged to review the Excluded Parties List System in SAM.gov to ensure that no ineligible entity or person is included in their application.

D. Application and Submission Information

D.1 Address to Request Application Package

Applicants can find application forms, kits, or other materials needed to apply on www.grants.gov and SAMS Domestic (https://mygrants.servicenowservices.com) under the announcement title “DRL Promoting Transparent and Accountable Governance in the Indo-Pacific Region,” funding opportunity number “SFOP0006954.” Please contact the DRL point of contact listed in Section G if requesting reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities or for security reasons. Please note that reasonable accommodations do not include deadline extensions.

D.2 Content and Form of Application Submission

For all application documents, please ensure:

All documents are in English and all costs are in U.S. dollars. If an original document within the application is in another language, an English translation must be provided (please note the Department of State, as indicated in 2 CFR 200.111, requires that English is the official language of all award documents. If any document is provided in both English and a foreign language, the English language version is the controlling version);
All pages are numbered, including budgets and attachments;
All documents are formatted to 8 ½ x 11 paper; and,
All documents are single-spaced, 12 point Times New Roman font, with 1-inch margins. Captions and footnotes may be 10-point Times New Roman font. Font sizes in charts and tables, including the budget, can be reformatted to fit within 1 page width.

D.2.1 Application Requirements

Complete applications must include the following:

Completed and signed SF-424, SF-424A, and SF-424B forms. Please see SF-424 instructions in Section 2B of the PSI.
If your organization engages in lobbying the U.S. government, including Congress, or pays another entity to lobby on your behalf, the SF-LLL “Disclosure of Lobbying Activities” form is also required (only if applicable). Please see SF-LLL guidance in Section 2B of the PSI.
Cover Page (not to exceed one (1) page, preferably as a

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Sunday, 31 May 2020

U.S. Department of State Weekly Digest Bulletin

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U.S. Department of State Weekly Digest Bulletin

U.S. Department of State usstatebpa@public.govdelivery.com

A. Project Description

B. Federal Award Information