Deadline: 29-May-23
The Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs of the U.S. Department of State announces an open competition for organizations to submit applications to carry out projects to counter wildlife and timber trafficking in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Aim
The aim is to build upon partner countries’ civilian law enforcement capacities and capabilities by:
- Increasing the disruption and interdiction of illicit trade,
- Strengthening investigative and enforcement functions,
- Enhancing prosecutorial and judicial capacity, and
- Developing and implementing cross-border and regional law enforcement coordination and information sharing.
Problem Statement
Wildlife trafficking and natural resource crimes are lucrative forms of transnational organized crime (TOC) that have decimated populations of species, such as elephants, rhinos, pangolins, and more. Wildlife trafficking and natural resource crimes fuel corruption, threaten the rule of law and peace and security, spread disease, and destabilize communities that depend on wildlife for biodiversity and eco-tourism revenues. Criminal organizations are increasingly involved in this illicit trade, especially the illegal movement of wildlife from source countries to demand countries, such as the movement of ivory from Africa to Asia. Traffickers exploit porous borders and weak institutions to profit from trading in illegal wildlife. Wildlife and wildlife products are transported through multilevel illicit networks of criminal intermediaries and government officials.
Project Vision
This project seeks to enhance law enforcement and justice sector efforts to counter wildlife trafficking, ultimately helping to disrupt wildlife trafficking operations, and removing opportunities for criminal organizations to profit from illicit proceeds derived from the wildlife trade.
Project Goal(s)
To strengthen Sub-Saharan Africa’s domestic criminal justice institutions and regional coordination by supporting successful enforcement, investigative, and prosecutorial functions for wildlife crime. Proposed projects should be designed to strengthen the capacity of wildlife-related institutions and actors in countries most affected by wildlife trafficking in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Objectives
Strategic objectives are listed below with associated award ceilings and floors. Where single countries are listed, each application may encompass any or all the sub-objectives listed for that country and may include other countries depending on the cross-border activities.
- Strategic Objective 1: The Government of Uganda can effectively respond to instances of poaching and wildlife trafficking, thereby limiting the ability of criminal networks to operate in the country.
- Award Ceiling: $2,000,000
- Award floor: 1,000,000
- Anticipated number of Awards: 1-2
- Sub-Objective 1.1: Increase the ability of UWA to coordinate park-level and national responses to wildlife trafficking and poaching.
- Sub-Objective 1.2: Build investigative and enforcement functions to target the transit of wildlife products.
- Sub-Objective 1.3: Enhance prosecutorial and judicial capacity to prosecute traffickers.
- Sub-Objective 1.4: Strengthen cross-border cooperation and interdiction efforts on the Uganda/DRC border.
- Strategic Objective 2: The Government of Cameroon can effectively investigate and prosecute instances of wildlife trafficking, thereby limiting the ability of criminal networks to operate in the country.
- Award Ceiling: $1,000,000
- Award floor: $500,000
- Anticipated number of Awards: 1-2
- Sub-Objective 2.1: Build investigative and enforcement functions to target the transit of wildlife products.
- Sub-Objective 2.2: Enhance prosecutorial and judicial capacity to prosecute traffickers.
- Sub-Objective 2.3: Strengthen cross-border cooperation and interdiction efforts on the Cameroon/Nigeria border. Sub-
- Objective 2.4: Strengthen anti-corruption efforts within relevant agencies to enhance government response, improve government accountability, and strengthen transparency as it relates to wildlife crime.
- Strategic Objective 3: To reduce the ability of transnational criminal networks to profit from wildlife and other natural resource crimes in Southern Africa.
- Award Ceiling: $3,000,000
- Award floor: $750,000
- Anticipated number of Awards: 2-5
- Sub-Objective 3.1: Build investigative and enforcement functions to prevent, detect, and investigate criminals and their broader networks through specialized training and equipment.
- Sub-Objective 3.2: Improve national and cross-border capabilities to prosecute and adjudicate cases and related offenses with appropriate sentencing structures, including through training, mentoring, and legal reform.
- Sub-Objective 3.3: Increase cross-border, cross-regional, and cross-continental coordination, and cooperation among criminal justice entities at all levels.
Funding Information
- Length of performance period: 24 months
- Anticipated program start date: October 1, 2023
- Number of awards anticipated: 4 – 6 awards (dependent on amounts)
- Award amounts: awards may range from a minimum of $750,000.00 to a maximum of $3,000,000.00
- Total available funding: $9,000,000.00
Priority Region/Countries
- Cameroon, Uganda, Southern Africa
Eligibility Criteria
- The following organizations are eligible to apply:
- U.S.-based non-profit/non-governmental organizations (NGOs);
- U.S.-based educational institutions subject to section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. tax code;
- U.S.-based educational institutions subject to section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. tax code or
- section 26 US 115 of the US 115 of the U.S. tax code;
- Foreign-based non-profits/non-governmental organizations (NGOs);
- Foreign-based educational institutions.
- Other Eligibility Requirements
- In order to be eligible to receive an award, all organizations must have a unique entity identifier (also known as UEI), as well as a valid registration. Individuals are not required to have a unique entity identifier or be registered in SAM.gov.
- Applicants are only allowed to submit one proposal per organization. Organizations may form a consortium and submit a combined proposal, however one organization should be designated as the lead applicant and other organization(s) listed as sub-recipient partner(s).
- To be eligible to receive a federal assistance award, organizations must have a commitment to non‐discrimination with respect to beneficiaries and adherence to equal opportunity employment practices. INL is committed to an anti-discrimination policy in all of its programs and activities. INL welcomes applications irrespective of an applicant’s race, ethnicity, color, creed, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or other status.
- Applicants are reminded that U.S. Executive Orders and U.S. law prohibits transactions with, and the provision of resources and support to, individuals and organizations associated with terrorism. It is the legal responsibility of the recipient to ensure compliance with these Executive Orders and laws. This provision must be included in any sub‐awards issued under this grant award.
For more information, visit Grants.gov.