Call for Proposals: EXBS Balkans Logistics and SME Support Program

Deadline: 4-Mar-23

The Department of State’s Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation, Office of Export Control Cooperation (ISN/ECC) through this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) seeks proposals for the Export Control and Related Border Security (EXBS) Balkans Logistics and Small Medium Enterprise (SME) Support Program.

The EXBS Program Mission is to enhance U.S. national security by preventing proliferation of WMD and illicit trade in conventional weapons, and to strengthen partner countries’ capabilities to comply with international strategic trade control norms and enforcement best practices. EXBS trains border security personnel and law enforcement officials to detect, interdict, investigate, and prosecute illicit transfers of conventional weapons and to ensure that international ports of entry have adequate equipment to screen suspicious cargo. EXBS also assists partner countries in the establishment of independent strategic trade control authorities to regulate transfers of technologies and material that could be used for WMD, related delivery systems, or advanced conventional weapons. To strengthen compliance with international strategic trade control norms and U.N. sanctions resolutions, EXBS also conducts outreach to the private sector to help industry better understand its nonproliferation obligations.

The purpose of this award is to provide coordinated logistics services, to include selection of subject matter experts (SMEs), to support EXBS programming in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Greece, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia, hereafter referred to as the Balkans. The hallmark of EXBS in the Balkans is the affordability of utilizing, in most cases, no-cost regional trainers, coupled with EXBS all inclusive logistics support, to build and strengthen partner capacity in three key pillars – strategic trade control management, customs enforcement, and border security operations. They implement most programs in the region via this model, which relies on implementer(s) logistics services to organize and execute engagements as delivered by these no-cost instructors or by other SMEs, where required.

EXBS programs via a mutual assistance model, which aims to build relationships between institutions in different countries across the region to support and train each other, with the goal of indigenizing sustainable regional capabilities through train-the trainer and mentorship programs. Every year, this yields a growing cadre of local EXBS trained instructors, who can in turn train their colleagues in various priority competencies. Throughout the course of the cooperative agreement and following its conclusion, the various engagements supported via this award will:

Bolster partner capacity to address proliferation financing, as the Financial Action Task Force has identified that Balkan partners have shown insufficient progress toward meeting international obligations in this area.
Raise sanctions compliance and export control compliance and awareness through industry and academia outreach via support for development and implementation of export management and compliance programs to ensure compliance with the export regulations, especially among universities and institutions engaged in proprietary research.
Strengthen partners’ sanctions implementation capacities through specialized consultations and assistance by exchanging best practices and streamlining working relationships at all levels.
Raise awareness of cybersecurity threats to critical infrastructure as a cross-border concern currently impacting border security operations across the Balkans.
Through partnership with other international stakeholders, bolster Balkan partner customs enforcement and border security domestic capabilities on sustainable practices by developing internal training teams.
Extend the reach of EXBS assistance in the Balkans by including EU partner countries, including but not limited to Croatia and Greece, in joint engagements to address common areas of concern to include weapons diversion and illicit trafficking of conventional weapons/components and CBRNE materials and related items, licensing practices and commodity identification.
Continue to foster cooperation and information exchange among partners through quarterly meetings of the EXBS-sponsored Tri Border and Southern Border Initiatives.
Address border security challenges in newly established common economic areas resulting from both EU-led and Balkan-led initiatives, such as the Berlin Process for the Western Balkans and the Open Balkan Initiative.

Goals and Objectives

ISN/ECC expects that the Activities and Outcomes of this Award will work towards the following ISN Goals and EXBS Program Objectives:
- ISN Goals
  - Strengthen Global Nonproliferation Norms
    - Strengthen the NPT and IAEA
    - Promote US Civil Nuclear Cooperation
  - Counter Biological Threats to U.S. National Security and International Public Safety
    - Strengthen the BWC
    - Support the Development of Foreign Partners’ Capabilities to Prevent, Detect, Investigate, and Respond to Biological Threats
    - Advance Standards of Safe, Secure, and Transparent Biological Work Worldwide
  - Advance U.S. Strategic Interests and Protect against Threats from the PRC and Russia
    - Counter the PRC’s Military-Civil Fusion Strategy
    - Build Partner Resilience Against Russian Malign Influence and Exploitation
    - Promote Global and Regional Stability to Advance U.S. Interests and Those of U.S. Allies and Partners
  - Prevent and Respond to Proliferation of WMD, Missiles, and Destabilizing Conventional Weapons and Technologies
    - Disrupt or Deter Proliferation by State or Non-State Actors that Threaten International Security
    - Strengthen Other States’ Capabilities to Counter Proliferation
    - Strengthen the Multilateral Export Control Regimes and Promote Global Nonproliferation Action
  - Promote Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in Bureau Operations and Programs
- EXBS Objectives – Strategic Trade Management
  - Increase the number of countries that have adopted strategic trade controls legislation, including penalties
  - Increase the number of countries that have implemented control lists
  - Increase mechanisms for partner industry outreach
  - Improve capacity for trade compliance enforcement, investigations, and prosecutions
  - Strengthen partner sanctions implementation, including counter proliferation finance measures
  - Improve partner regulation of transit and transshipment of dual-use goods and sensitive technology
  - Improve partner inter-agency coordination and information sharing
- EXBS Objectives – Customs Enforcement
  - Improve partner inter-agency coordination and information sharing
  - Improve partner enforcement response capability
  - Improve partner cargo targeting capacity
  - Improve partner passenger screening capacity
  - Improve partner capacity to protect commercial transportation conveyances
  - Develop self-sufficient training program for border security personnel
  - Improve capacity of border security personnel at ports of entry through equipment and infrastructure upgrades
- EXBS Objectives – Border Security Operations
  - Improve partner inter-agency coordination and information sharing
  - Improve partner capacity to conduct investigations
  - Improve command and control capabilities on the frontier
  - Improve partner capability to work with international partners
  - Improve partner capacity to conduct land and maritime operations
  - Improve partner border security infrastructure
  - Improve partner WMD or CBRNE detection and response capacity

Funding Information

Approximate Total Funding: $1,235,251.00
Approximate Number of Awards: 1
Anticipated Award Date: September 2023
Anticipated Project Completion Date: 24 months from start

Deliverables/Activities

ISN/ECC envisions:

Logistics support for EXBS events (this line of effort is not to exceed $1,045,251.00)
- Implementers of this project will provide coordinated logistical support for engagements at both the national and regional levels for Balkan partners focused on strengthening partner capacity across the three EXBS pillars.
- In particular, ISN/ECC expects the recipient to:
  - Provide logistics for up to 70 events involving up to 30 participants per event, plus instructors. The necessary logistics may include, but are not limited to, the following expense categories:
    - Airfare (participant and instructor)
    - Lodging (participant and instructor)
    - Per diem (participant and instructor)
    - Interpretation
    - Translation of materials (slide decks, course handouts, workbooks, etc.)
    - Travel insurance (participant and instructor)
    - Equipment rental: this may include rental of vehicles/boats for performing non-intrusive searches, audiovisual equipment, and simultaneous and/or consecutive interpretation equipment
  - Establish a standard form which the EXBS Balkans team will submit to the recipient to request logistics services. EXBS will specify the exact type(s) of logistical support required for each individual event when submitting this form and may request to utilize specific post-approved interpreters, hotels, etc.
Selection of SMEs for EXBS events (this line of effort is not to exceed $190,000.00)
- In particular, ISN/ECC expects the recipient to:
  - In coordination with the EXBS team, establish a diverse cadre of export control/sanctions policy, licensing, and enforcement experts (both US experts and foreign experts must be included on the roster) to provide advisory, consultative, mentoring, and training support for Balkan partner countries. Implementer(s) must be able to propose qualified experts as well as onboard specific experts as directed by ECC. The EXBS Balkans team may also propose experts they have worked with on similar activities with a proven record of quality delivery or where continuity of instruction, consultation, or mentoring is required.
  - Establish a contractual relationship with those experts so that they are available to provide required services, but only paid for actual labor expended in preparing for, conducting, and reporting on assigned activities. Contracting vehicles should last throughout the life of the cooperative agreement.
  - Establish a standard form, which the EXBS Balkans team will submit to request experts to perform requested activities.
  - Provide logistical support to SMEs for travel and lodging related to their participation in advisory, consultative, mentoring, and training activities on behalf of the EXBS program.
  - Establish processes for experts to report on the effectiveness of activities they conduct or take part in pursuant to this award by providing after action reports and recommended actions in writing.

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants should be knowledgeable of existing strategic trade control programs and best practices, including programs funded by the U.S. Government in this area, and current international trends and developments, in order to capitalize on ongoing work, and not duplicate efforts.
Applications by organizations, which do not meet the eligibility by the time of the application deadline, will result the application not being reviewed.
- Eligibility for this NOFO is limited to educational and research institutions and U.S. not-for-profit/non-governmental organizations (NGOs) subject to section 501 (c) (3) of the U.S. tax code, foreign educational and research institutions, Domestic and Foreign For-Profit Organizations and foreign not-for-profits/NGOs and international NGOs and PIOs.
- Domestic & Foreign For-Profit organizations are eligible to apply. For-profit organizations applying to this NOFO will agree to forgot their profit margins to be eligible for this competition.
- Other: Organizations should have existing, or the capacity to develop, requisite technical expertise, and partnerships with international entities and relevant stakeholders, including foreign government officials with broad expertise in strategic trade controls implementation. Organizations should endeavor to apply DEIA principles in their selection of partners and interpretation of stakeholders or target audience.
- Organizations may form consortia and submit a combined proposal. However, one organization should be designated as the lead applicant. Organizations should submit separate proposals for each line of effort/sub-section/project identified in the NOFO.

For more information, visit Grants.gov.