Humanitarian Demining & Weapons Removal

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The United States Government, as represented by the United States Department of State (DoS) and its Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement (PM/WRA), is seeking applications from qualified organizations to support components of its strategic objectives to: 1) advance sustain- able development and global interests by providing a humanitarian response to the harmful social and economic effects generated by landmines, unexploded ordnance (UXO), abandoned ordnance (AO), small arms/light weapons (SA/LW) and man portable air-defense systems (MANPADS) and 2) advance peace and security. The purpose of this Request for Applications (RFA) is twofold: 1) to describe PM/WRA’s strategic framework for which applications are sought, including specific categories of interest; and 2) to explain the process and criteria for evaluating applications. Under this Fiscal Year 2008 RFA, PM/WRA may allocate approximately $3.0-$3.5 million covering six specific categories of interest. PM/WRA is open to the number of awards made, but it is anticipated that at least one award will be made under each of the project categories. Depending on the quality of proposals, as well as changes in programming assumptions, PM/WRA reserves the right to make no awards. All awards are subject to the availability of funds. This RFA seeks applications for activities that are relevant to PM/WRA’s goals and objectives that will result in achievement of or significant progress toward reinforcing country programs; increasing SA/LW destruction; expanding mine action, SA/LW, and MANPADS knowledge base and information exchange; supporting outreach/public awareness; stimulating and rewarding creative thinking; and fusing impact survey data, surveillance data and land release methodologies. Cost sharing/matching and counterpart contributions are encouraged and will be viewed favorably. However, PM/WRA is not requiring cost sharing and counterpart contributions under this RFA. This RFA is issued under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended, which requires that those funds have a direct impact on or be used for humanitarian assistance programs. Therefore, proposed projects must include an international connection or component and be consistent with and support U.S. humanitarian programs abroad.

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