Notice of Funding Opportunity: Investment Screening Mechanism in Chile

Deadline: 31-Aug-2023

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 a project to raise awareness about the benefits of investment screening for national security.

The project seeks to engage public and private sector stakeholders to promote investment screening as an essential national security tool.

The mission of the State Department’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) is to keep Americans safe by countering crime, illegal drugs, and instability abroad. The Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) is at the forefront of responding to these challenges, uniting these overarching themes through the foreign assistance programs, diplomatic engagement, and policy coordination.

INL’s foreign assistance programs are essential to advancing U.S. policy objectives. INL programs advance the following strategic goals:

• Disrupt and reduce illicit drug markets and transnational crime to protect American lives and U.S. national security.
• Combat corruption and illicit financing to strengthen democratic institutions, advance rule of law, and reduce transnational crime and its enablers.
• Strengthen criminal justice systems to support stable, rights respecting partners.

Project Vision

• This project promotes an end goal of Chile having an investment screening mechanism that is effective and enforced. The investment screening mechanism will better equip Chile to identify and prevent emerging threats and malign influence.

Goal

• Public and private sector stakeholders will have increased awareness of the value of using investment screening as a national security tool leading to the development of a roadmap to implement investment screening in Chile.

Objectives

• Objective 1
  • Engage target audiences (Chilean government/Congress, business community, academia, security services) on investment screening principles; build active connections and relationships with similar stakeholders in other countries on effective laws/regulations/implementation; build in-depth knowledge of the security implications for countries lacking investment screening.
• Objective 2
  • Develop a diagnostic of risks and vulnerabilities in Chile’s current regulatory framework related to Foreign Direct Investment and create a roadmap of measures to address those vulnerabilities.

Project Activities and Deliverables

• Activity 1:
  • Diagnostic
    • Develop a diagnostic to identify the potential national security risks and vulnerabilities resulting from a lack of an investment screening mechanism. The diagnostic will include analysis of risks to:
      • Overall national security
      • Critical infrastructure
      • Critical natural resources
      • Financial sector
      • Business sector
    • Roadmap
      • The diagnostic will also develop an initial roadmap that specifies actions to mitigate risks and vulnerabilities identified, drawing from best practices of current investment screening mechanisms.
• Activity 2: Engagement with Key Actors  
  • Upon completion of the diagnostic the applicant will organize a two-day seminar with an open session to present the findings and discuss investment screening examples and approaches from OECD members and a workshop to propose investment screening options for Chile.
  • Over the subsequent six months the implementer will organize periodic meetings of workshop participants to further develop a roadmap of concrete investment screening proposals for Chile.
  • The applicant will then develop a comprehensive roadmap from working group inputs.
  • The applicant will organize a second seminar to present the roadmap to policymakers responsible for developing and implementing an investment screening mechanism and a workshop to refine the proposals.
• Activity 3: Comprehensive Roadmap
  • Following the second seminar the applicant will produce a comprehensive roadmap to detail steps to create and implement an investment screening mechanism. The applicant will work with local press to ensure media coverage of each seminar, for example organizing an interview with a seminar speaker or working with a speaker to place an op-ed.
  • Grant funds will be used for the development of the study, the logistics of organizing the seminar (location, printed materials), and can also be used for expert presenters’ travel expenses.

Funding Information

• Total Funding Available: $200,000
• Anticipated Number of Awards: 1 award
• Initial Project Implementation Length: 12-18 months
• Estimated Project Start Date: October 1, 2023

Participants and Audiences

• The implementer will consult with Embassy Santiago on audience invite lists. The intended audiences would include security services, academia, business community, and members of congress and government authorities.
• Applicants should describe how they will promote equitable inclusion, including from communities outside Santiago.

Priority Region/Country: Chile

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.

For more information, visit Grants.gov.