DEADLINE: JANUARY 10, 2017

1. The U.S. Embassy in Jakarta is now accepting project proposals for the U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) 2017 Competition. Proposals must include all items as noted in paragraph # 9.  Incomplete proposals will not be considered.  All proposals must be submitted by e-mail to RahardjoCB@state.gov and SchinnererK@state.gov  The deadline for submitting proposals is January 10, 2017.
2. BACKGROUND: Since FY 2001, the Department of State has led efforts to support cultural heritage preservation worldwide through the implementation of the AFCP program. In FY2016, worldwide awards ranged from USD $21,400 to USD $140,000.
3. FUNDING AREAS: Through the AFCP Program, the Department of State supports projects to preserve cultural heritage in the following three areas:
   1. CULTURAL SITES—such as, but not limited to, historic buildings and archaeological sites;
   2. CULTURAL OBJECTS AND COLLECTIONS from a museum, site, or similar institution—that include, but are not limited to, archaeological and ethnographic objects, paintings, sculpture, manuscripts, and general museum conservation needs; and,
   3. FORMS OF TRADITIONAL CULTURAL EXPRESSION—such as traditional music, indigenous languages, and crafts.
4. FUNDING PRIORITIES—SPECIFIC TO THE AFCP 2017 ANNUAL COMPETITION: Project proposals that meet one or more of the following criteria will receive additional consideration in FY 2017:
   1. Directly support U.S. treaty or bilateral agreement obligations, such as cultural property protection agreements;
   2. Support the preservation of inscribed UNESCO World Heritage sites;
   3. Support disaster risk reduction for cultural heritage and post-disaster cultural heritage recovery in seismically active and other disaster-prone areas; and
   4. Engage women, youth, or under-served communities.
5. SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING SITES AND OBJECTS THAT HAVE A RELIGIOUS CONNECTION: The establishment clause of the U.S. Constitution permits the government to include religious objects and sites within an aid program under certain conditions. For example, an item with a religious connection (including a place of worship) may be the subject of a cultural preservation grant if the item derives its primary significance and is nominated solely on the basis of architectural, artistic, historical, or other cultural (not religious) criteria.
6. ELIGIBLE PROJECT APPLICANTS: The AFCP defines eligible project applicants as reputable and accountable non-commercial entities, such as non-governmental organizations, museums, ministries of culture, or similar institutions and organizations that are able to demonstrate that they have the requisite experience and capacity to manage projects to preserve cultural heritage.
7. INELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES AND UNALLOWABLE COSTS: AFCP will NOT support the following activities or costs, and applications involving any of the activities or costs below will be deemed ineligible:
   1. Preservation or purchase of privately or commercially owned cultural objects, collections, or real property, including those whose transfer from private or commercial to public ownership is envisioned, planned, or in process but not complete at the time of application;
   2. Preservation of natural heritage (physical, biological, and geological formations, paleontological collections, habitats of threatened species of animals and plants, fossils, etc.);
   3. Preservation of hominid or human remains;
   4. Preservation of news media (newspapers, newsreels, radio and TV programs, etc.);
   5. Preservation of published materials available elsewhere (books, periodicals, etc.);
   6. Development of curricula or educational materials for classroom use;
   7. Archaeological excavations or exploratory surveys for research purposes;
   8. Historical research, except in cases where the research is justifiable and integral to the success of the proposed project;
   9. Acquisition or creation of new exhibits, objects, or collections for new or existing museums;
   10. Construction of new buildings, building additions, or permanent coverings (over archaeological sites, for example);
   11. Commissions of new works of art or architecture for commemorative or economic development purposes;
   12. Creation of new or the modern adaptation of existing traditional dances, songs, chants, musical compositions, plays, or other performances;
   13. Creation of replicas or conjectural reconstructions of cultural objects or sites that no longer exist;
   14. Relocation of cultural sites from one physical location to another;
   15. Removal of cultural objects or elements of cultural sites from the country for any reason;
   16. Digitization of cultural objects or collections, unless part of a larger, clearly defined conservation or documentation effort;
   17. Conservation plans or other studies, unless they are one component of a larger project to implement the results of those studies;
   18. Cash reserves, endowments, or revolving funds (funds must be expended within the award period [up to five years] and may not be used to create an endowment or revolving fund);
   19. Costs of fund-raising campaigns;
   20. Contingency, unforeseen, or miscellaneous costs or fees;
   21. Costs of work performed prior to announcement of the award unless allowable per 2 CFR 200.458 and approved by the grants officer;
   22. International travel, except in cases where travel is justifiable and integral to the success of the proposed project;
   23. Travel or study outside the host country for professional development;
   24. Individual projects costing less than $10,000;
   25. Independent U.S. projects overseas.
8. APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS: Project proposals must include or address the following:
   1. Full and complete Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424), including Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs (SF-424A), Assurances for Non-Construction Programs (SF-424B), and, if applicable, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL);
   2. Project Basics, including title, project dates, and AFCP focus area;
   3. Project Applicant information, including contact information, DUNS Number, and SAM registration status (see below);
   4. Project Location;
   5. Proof of Official Permission to undertake the project;
   6. Project Purpose that summarizes the project objectives and desired results;
   7. Project Activities Description that presents the project tasks in chronological order;
   8. Project Time Frame or Schedule that lists the major project phases and milestones with target dates for achieving them (NOTE: Applicants may propose project periods of up to 60 months [five years]; projects must begin before September 30, 2017, and conclude no later than September 30, 2022);
   9. Project Participant Information, specifically an estimated number of non-US and US participants and estimated number of primary and secondary participants, as well as resumes of the proposed project director and other primary project participants;
   10. Statement of Importance highlighting the historic, architectural, artistic, or cultural (non-religious) values of the cultural site, collection, or form of traditional expression;
   11. Statement of Urgency indicating the severity of the situation and explaining why the project must take place now;
   12. Statement of Sustainability outlining the steps or measures that will be taken to maintain the site, object, or collection in good condition after the AFCP-supported project is complete; or, in the case of forms of traditional cultural expression, to preserve and disseminate the documentation, knowledge, or skills gained from the project;
   13. Detailed Project Budget, demarcated in one-year budget periods (2017, 2018, 2019, etc.), that lists all costs in separate categories (Personnel, Fringe Benefits, Travel [including Per Diem], Equipment, Supplies, Contractual, Other Direct Costs, Indirect Costs, Cost Sharing); indicates funds from other sources; and gives a justification for any anticipated international travel costs (templates available upon request from the Center);
   14. Budget Narrative explaining line by line how costs are estimated (quantity x unit cost, annual salary x percentage of time spent on project, etc.) and unique budget line items;
   15. Attachments and Supporting Documents including, at a minimum and REQUIRED, five (5) high quality digital images (JPEGs) or audiovisual files that convey the nature and condition of the site, object, or form of expression and, in the case of a site or object, show the urgency or need for the proposed project (collapsing wall, water damage, worn fabric, broken handle, etc.), any historic structure reports, conservation needs assessments, and other planning documents compiled in preparation for the proposed project;
9. COST SHARING AND OTHER FORMS OF COST PARTICIPATION: The AFCP encourages cost sharing, contributions in kind, and other forms of cost participation.   There is no minimum or maximum percentage of cost participation.
10. DUNS NUMBER AND SAM REGISTRATION: Applicants requesting $25,000 or more in federal assistance must have a Dun & Bradstreet Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number, a NATO Commercial and Government Entity (NCAGE) code, and be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) prior to submitting applications. NOTE:  This process can take weeks/months, especially for non-U.S. applicants.  Applicants may acquire DUNs numbers at no cost by calling the dedicated toll-free DUNs number request line at 1-866-705-5711 or by requesting a number online at http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform. Non-U.S. based applicants may request a NCAGE code at https://eportal.nspa.nato.int/AC135Public/scage/CageList.aspx. SAM is the official, free on-line registration database for the U.S. Government. SAM.gov replaced the Central Contractor Registration (CCR), the Online Representations and Certifications Application (ORCA), and the Excluded Parties List System (EPLS) in July 2012. SAM.gov collects, validates, stores, and disseminates data in support of federal agency acquisition and grant award mission. Registration in SAM is free: https://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM/
11. Please address questions to Ms. Chodidah Budi Rahardjo (aka Ibu Toto) at RahardjoCB@state.gov or by phone at +62 21 3435-9534

By U.S. Embassy Jakarta | 7 November, 2016 | Topics: News