Department of State

Public Notice

Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor Request for Proposals: Programs for North Korea

SUMMARY

The Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL) announces a Request for Proposals (RFP) for programs that promote human rights and democratic principles for North Koreans.

PLEASE NOTE: DRL strongly urges applicants to access www.grantsolutions.gov or www.grants.gov as soon as possible in order to obtain a username and password to submit an application. For more information, please see DRL’s Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI), updated in November 2012, available at http://www.state.gov/j/drl/p/c12302.htm.

REQUESTED PROPOSAL PROGRAM OBJECTIVES

Open call for proposals for programs focused on human rights and democracy in North Korea (organizations may request up to $350,000). Program proposals should include activities that support recommendations from the recently released report from the Commission of Inquiry on North Korea and/or DPRK’s Universal Periodic Review. Such activities may include but are not limited to:

• Strengthening international campaigns that increase awareness and advocacy for North Korea human rights;
• Promoting access to information into, out of, and within North Korea. Projects can include the production of media, including visual/video content, for DVDs, USBs, and other methods to send information into North Korea. Content should include informative and engaging ways to educate and shape North Korean understanding and attitudes toward human rights and democratic principles.
• Strengthening the capacity of non-Western organizations that mobilize action for human rights in North Korea in their countries;
• Amplifying efforts to document abuses within, and focus attention and action on North Korea’s political prison camp system, including the fate of disappeared persons in North Korea;
• Raising awareness of democratic principles, including addressing workers’ rights, disability rights, women’s rights, children’s rights, and other rights;
• Strengthening the capacity of organizations documenting human rights and labor rights abuses in the DPRK.

Proposals will be evaluated on the program idea, as well as by the organization’s track record of implementing programs related to North Korea and in accordance with U.S. regulations, including copyright and other laws. More information on DRL’s evaluation criteria is found below under the Technical Requirement section. Please ensure that proposed budgets are commensurate with proposed activities, and that the proposal follows directions as stated in DRL’s Proposal Submission Instructions.

DEADLINE AND TECHNICAL ELIGIBILITY

Please refer directly to DRL’s posted Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI), updated in November 2012, available at http://www.state.gov/j/drl/p/c12302.htm.

Faxed, couriered, or emailed documents will not be accepted at any time. Applicants must follow all formatting instructions in this document and the Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI).

To ensure all applications receive a balanced evaluation, the DRL Review Committee will review the first page of the requested section up to the page limit and no further. DRL encourages organizations to use the given space effectively.

An organization may submit no more than two [2] proposals; organizations choosing to address objectives in two program areas must submit separate proposals.

Technically eligible submissions are those which: 1) Arrive electronically via www.grantsolutions.gov or www.grants.gov by Tuesday, May 13, 2014 before 11:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST); 2) Heed all instructions contained in the solicitation document and Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI), including length and completeness of submission; and 3) Do not violate any of the guidelines stated in the solicitation and this document.

It is the responsibility of all applicants to ensure that proposals have been received by www.grantsolutions.gov or www.grants.gov in their entirety. DRL bears no responsibility for data errors resulting from transmission or conversion processes.

Once the Request for Proposals deadline has passed, U.S. Department of State staff in Washington and overseas may not discuss competing proposals with applicants until the review process has been completed.

NOTE: In order to process final awards, approved applicants will need to register with www.grantsolutions.gov.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The Bureau anticipates awarding grants in the third quarter of 2014. Programs that leverage resources from funds internal to the organization or other sources, such as public-private partnerships, will be highly considered. Projects that have a strong academic, research, conference, or dialogue focus will not be deemed competitive. DRL strongly discourages health, technology, or science related projects unless they have an explicit component related to the requested program objectives listed above. Projects that focus on commercial law or economic development will be rated as non-competitive. Cost sharing is strongly encouraged, and cost sharing contributions should be outlined in the proposal budget and budget narrative.

DRL will not consider proposals that reflect any type of support, for any member, affiliate, or representative of a designated terrorist organization, whether or not elected members of government.

The information in this solicitation is binding and may not be modified by any Bureau representative. Explanatory information provided by the Bureau that contradicts this language will not be binding. Issuance of the solicitation does not constitute an award commitment on the part of the Government. The Bureau reserves the right to reduce, revise, or increase proposal budgets in accordance with the needs of the program evaluation requirements.

This request for proposals will appear on www.grantsolutions.gov or www.grants.gov DRL’s website, www.state.gov/j/drl.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

Should you have questions regarding the solicitation, please contact dprkRFP@state.gov. Once the deadline has passed, State Department officials and staff - both in the Bureau and at embassies overseas - may not discuss this competition with applicants until the entire proposal review process is completed.