Deadline: 3 July 2020
The United States Department of State, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs INL is seeking applications from qualified U.S. and non-U.S. based non-governmental (NGOs)/non-profit organizations or Educational Institutions for a Cooperative Agreement to implement a program entitled “Supporting Efficient and Transparent Court Management in Croatia.
Although Croatian police and prosecutors have made some progress in tackling corruption, a slow judicial process with inadequate penalties remains a weak link. The judiciary is characterized by a lengthy appeals process with few avenues for mediation or plea bargains – therefore limiting the ability of law enforcement and prosecutors to prevent and respond to crime.
Project Purpose: To support the development of efficient and transparent court processes in Croatia, INL has set aside $600,000 in FY 2018 International Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement (INCLE) funds to support the judiciary – including judges and court administrators – to develop skills, knowledge, and processes to reduce court backlog and improve timely and transparent adjudication of cases in line with EU standards.
Project Goals
- Improved ability of the Croatian judiciary to adjudicate cases in a timely and transparent manner in line with EU standards, thereby further reducing the backlog of cases facing Croatia.
- Key judicial staff follow established, uniform procedures for court management and case disposition in line with EU standards.
Project Objectives and Activities
- Objective 1: Develop recommendations for increasing judicial efficiency in Croatia, with a particular focus on decreasing the country’s significant case backlog.
- Structural issues, limited resources, and staff capacity gaps all contribute to judicial inefficiency in Croatia. A technical baseline analysis will support the Croatian government to prioritize reforms.
- Activity 1: Work with relevant Croatian officials and stakeholders, including the Ministries of Justice, Finance, and Public Administration, and the President of the Supreme Court, to build buy-in for this programming. Obtain all formal government permissions/authorizations necessary, including written approvals from the Justice Minister and President of the Supreme Court, to implement program and ensure sustainability.
- Activity 2: Conduct baseline analysis as to the factors impeding judicial efficiency and contributing to the significant case backlog in Croatia. The baseline analysis should take into account relevant factors, including but not limited to:
- Legal and regulatory frameworks
- Novel legal issues for Croatia (i.e. media and consumer protection cases)
- Strategic plans at the Croatian judiciary
- Staffing levels and structures
- Training and standard operating procedures
- Equipment and technology
- Support infrastructure and records management practices
- Levels of funding and resources
- Levels of communication and information sharing
- Activity 3: Provide the Croatian government with recommendations for potential reforms and an action plan for implementation.
- Activity 4: Identify 2-4 courts with significant backlogs – including at least one court in Zagreb and one outside Croatia’s major population centers – to pilot recommendations.
- Objective 2: Increased efficiency and transparency of court processes through implementation of established, uniform procedures in line with EU standards.
- The Croatian judiciary has procedural standards in many areas, such as an established statutory deadlines for various phases of the judicial process, but they are not updated, enforced, or implemented. The summons process is ineffective and cases can be repeatedly delayed due to illness or absence of nearly any party involved in a trial. Legislative changes are usually required for even minor changes made to procedures in Croatia. Frequent legislative changes without adequate consideration of the impact on the judicial process further impede efficiency.
- Activity 1: Work with the Croatian judiciary to analyze and develop established, uniform procedures for court management in line with EU standards.
- Activity 2: Support Croatian officials to develop an advocacy plan for any changes that require further legislative amendments or modifications to rules and regulations, particularly those which would accelerate processing cases.
- Activity 3: Support Croatian judiciary to develop strategy to publicly communicate successes and challenges to increase transparency.
- Objective 3: Further the ability of the Croatian judiciary to use appropriate technology and secure necessary resources for efficient and transparent court management.
- The efficiency of Croatian judges is limited in large part by administrative tasks they must perform themselves. In most courts in Croatia have neither court recorders nor electronic recordings in court proceedings. Instead, the judge hears witnesses and then dictates the official record to a court recorder afterward. The EU may have purchased recording equipment for some courts but judges may not be using it. Another issue may be underpaid, undertrained, and demotivated support staff who are not able to keep up with a more efficient court pace.
- Activity 1: Work with the Justice Ministry and Croatian judiciary to develop recommendations for technological improvements.
- Activity 2: Train court staff on how to use any currently available technology that may be underutilized.
- Activity 3: Conduct training and mentoring on budgeting and advocacy skills for court administrators.
- Objective 4: Increased knowledge and skills related to court management, transparent case adjudication, and anticorruption techniques among judges and court administrative staff.
- Court staff will need to be trained on any new processes, procedures, or equipment. Judges may also lack management training necessary to motivate administrative staff. Finally, the judicial system remains vulnerable to outside influence.
- Activity 1: Conduct training on court management techniques and implementation of procedures and rules for judiciary staff, including judges and court administrative staff, especially for county court judges who adjudicate criminal cases in the first instance.
- Activity 2: Conduct management and leadership training for judges.
Funding Information
- The anticipated total federal funding amount is not to exceed $600,000.
- The period of performance is two (2) year(s) with an anticipated start date of June 2020.
Eligibility Criteria
- Applicants that qualify to receive U.S. grants (such as U.S. not-for-profit/nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) or U.S.-based educational institutions subject to section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. tax code; foreign not-for-profits/non-governmental organizations (NGOs) or foreign based educational institutions, with the ability to develop and successfully implement a project in Country X and meet INL’s reporting requirements. Organizations must also be able to demonstrate current (or pending) country registration in Country X, if required by the country of project implementation.
- Applicants must have demonstrated experience implementing similar education or capacity building programs, preferably in Country X. INL reserves the right to request additional background information on organizations that do not have previous experience administering similar programs and/or federal grant awards.
- Applicants must have the ability to produce course materials, deliver training, and conduct evaluations in Spanish and English. The applicant’s staff should be proficient in English in order to fulfill reporting requirements.
- Applicants must have existing, or the capacity to develop, active partnerships with stakeholders in order to successfully carry out the proposed program.
- Organizations may form a consortium and submit a combined proposal. However, one organization should be designated as the lead applicant and other members as sub-award partners.
- Applicants must be able to respond to the NOFO and be able to mobilize in a short period.
For all application documents, please ensure:
- All pages are numbered, including budgets and attachments,
- All documents are formatted to 8 ½ x 11 paper, and
- All Microsoft Word documents are single-spaced, 12 point Times New Roman font, with a minimum of 1-inch margins.
For more information, visit https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=326934