Deadline: 12-Jul-21
The U.S. Department of State and Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs is pleased to announce the Global Telecommunications and Emerging Technology Training.
The Digital Connectivity and Cybersecurity Partnership (DCCP) is a global, multi-year initiative co-led by the U.S. Department of State and United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to promote an open, interoperable, secure, and reliable internet. They provide foreign assistance to target countries in order to encourage the adoption of information and communication technologies (ICT) to promote economic growth and innovation, to advocate for the free flow of data, strengthen cybersecurity and mitigate against premature regulatory efforts aimed at emerging technologies.
DCCP programs are implemented unilaterally, bilaterally with like-minded partners, and through multilateral international fora. DCCP was launched in 2018 to help provide credible alternatives to top-down, authoritarian approaches to internet governance, promote the deployment of secure, next generation ICT infrastructure, and build the cybersecurity capacity of our partners in order to enable nations to realize the tremendous economic benefits of the digital economy.
Goals
- Build Connections: Expand and increase secure Internet access in targeted emerging markets.
- Advance an Open Internet: Work with partner countries to adopt policies and regulatory positions that foster and encourage open, interoperable, reliable, and secure Internet.
- Enhance Cybersecurity: Work with partner countries to build cybersecurity capabilities and adopt best practices.
Objectives
- Build the institutional capacity of partner countries’ relevant government officials and representatives to address ICT challenges and support secure and interoperable ICT ecosystems.
- Inform and align foreign decision-makers with U.S. approaches to secure ICT network deployments, critical and emerging technologies, and cybersecurity best practices to support countries’ economic and national security.
- Inform and align foreign decision-makers on U.S. approaches to economic and information and communications technology (ICT) policies, thereby reducing barriers to trade, and creating more open business environments.
- Encourage participant government officials, emerging leaders and influencers to adopt and promote policy and regulatory environments that advance, or are aligned with, U.S. policy priorities to support an open, interoperable, reliable, and secure internet.
- Provide government officials, emerging leaders and influencers with a common lexicon and foundation for engagement with partners or in multilateral fora, such as at the International Telecommunications Union (ITU).
- Build a Community of Practice comprised of alumni and other like-minded professionals.
- Estimated Total Program Funding: $3,106,476
- Award Ceiling: $3,106,476
- Award Floor: $3,106,476
Activities
The key activities of this project include:
- Develop and implement intensive modular courses offered in both an on-campus, executive format, and remote distance-learning classrooms on a range of ICT issues for students to take on a part- or full-time basis to encourage strong U.S. aligned telecommunications ICT policy and regulatory foundations in target countries and to develop a diverse, professional base to regulate, operate and/or maintain future ICT systems.
- Develop and implement intensive modular courses offered in both on-campus, executive format, and remote distance-learning classrooms and workshops for students to take on a part- or full-time basis, to identify common challenges and provide intellectual tools needed to develop digital strategies and promote the deployment of secure networks to strengthen the digital ecosystem of beneficiary countries.
- Develop and implement applicable modular courses offered in both on-campus, executive format and remote distance-learning classrooms and workshops for students to take on a part- or full-time basis on common real-time challenges to enable students to respond to and apply new skills and technical knowledge to address real-time needs.
- Develop a plan to reach and target appropriate training candidates. Establish alumni network both on-campus, executive format and through distance interactive platforms for students to continue high level engagement and knowledge sharing in a community of practice.
This training program is intended to take place in the United States and in other countries, depending upon partner country interest. While the training is for participants from every region of the globe for ESF eligible countries, past and current DCCP countries include: Bangladesh, Brazil, Cambodia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Estonia, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Guyana, India, Indonesia, Liberia, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Poland, South Africa, Tunisia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam.
- Technically eligible submissions are those which:
- arrive electronically to www.grants.gov by the designated deadline
- have heeded all instructions contained in the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) and Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI), including registrations, length and completeness of submission; and
- do not violate any of the guidelines stated in this document.
- The Applicant will need to demonstrate through previous experience and/or specific skill sets, a successful track record of developing and providing high-quality training to students on a broad range of technology, telecommunications, regulatory, internet-related, or other similarly complex policy topics.
- The Department of State will issue an award to the Applicant whose application represents the best value to the U.S. Government based on technical merit, efficient use of U.S. Government funds, and satisfactory organizational capacity. The Department of State reserves the right to make an award based on the initial application received with or without discussion or negotiations. Therefore, applications should contain the Applicants’ best terms from both cost and technical standpoints Applicants should demonstrate expertise in training individuals from diverse backgrounds. Applicants should also demonstrate in-depth understanding of a wide range of governance structures.
For more information, visit https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=333723