Disrupting Transnational Criminal Organizations Through Advanced Forensic Capabilities in Morocco

The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, announces an open competition for the Disrupting Transnational Criminal Organizations Through Advanced Forensic Capabilities in Morocco funding opportunity. INL works to protect U.S. security interests by countering crime, illegal drugs, and instability abroad through foreign assistance, diplomatic engagement, and policy coordination. This project is intended to strengthen Morocco's ability to combat transnational criminal organizations by improving evidence based investigations and prosecutions of drug trafficking and other transnational crimes. Morocco is a significant transit point for illicit goods, and the project is designed to address forensic capability gaps that can delay investigations and prosecutions while strengthening Morocco's role in regional security cooperation. The project has two principal components. The first is advanced forensic science training covering the collection, analysis, and use of forensic and digital evidence and data. The selected implementer will collaborate with Morocco's General Directorate of National Security forensic experts to develop curricula, conduct five regional forensic training courses, and establish train the trainer capacity at the Higher Institute of Security Sciences in Ifrane and the DGSN Forensic and Scientific Police Laboratory in Casablanca. The second component is the procurement, equipping, delivery, and operationalization of one mobile forensics facility serving Laayoune, Dakhla, and surrounding areas. The mobile capability is intended to reduce delays caused by transporting forensic evidence more than 16 hours to Casablanca and enable faster on site evidence collection, preliminary analysis, and preservation. Required project deliverables include finalized forensic training curricula and comprehensive training materials, completion of five forensic science training courses with participant documentation and evaluations, a cadre of Moroccan instructors capable of independently delivering courses, and one fully equipped and operational mobile forensics facility with inventory lists and user manuals. The implementer must also develop standard operating procedures for the mobile facility, train Moroccan personnel in its operation, maintenance, and troubleshooting, conduct operational testing and demonstrations, provide ongoing technical support, submit quarterly progress reports and a final report, and develop a sustainability plan. Budgets should address appropriate project travel, lodging and per diem, training materials, forensic equipment and supplies, mobile facility procurement, shipping and delivery, translation and interpretation where needed, and appropriate consultant expertise. Costs for U.S. Government employees and contractors working directly for the U.S. Embassy or INL may not be included. Construction is not allowable or applicable. Cost sharing is recommended but is not required. Eligible applicants include U.S. based nonprofit or nongovernmental organizations, U.S. based educational institutions subject to section 501(c)(3) or section 26 USC 115 of the U.S. tax code, foreign based nonprofit or nongovernmental organizations, and foreign based educational institutions. Applicants must demonstrate business registration in the Kingdom of Morocco. Public International Organizations are excluded. Organizations must have a Unique Entity Identifier and an active SAM.gov registration, and each organization may submit only one proposal. Organizations may form a consortium, but one organization must serve as the lead applicant and other participating organizations must be identified as subrecipient partners. Applications and supporting materials must be submitted through Grants.gov unless INL specifically authorizes an alternative because of unresolved technical problems. Required application materials include the SF-424 and SF-424A, with the SF-424B required for applicants not registered in SAM.gov, a proposal narrative of no more than 20 pages, a Change Map, an Illustrative Performance Indicator Reference Sheet, a Project Risk Analysis, a project timeline, organizational biographical information, a key personnel list, partner information when applicable, summary and detailed budgets, a Budget Narrative, applicable indirect cost documentation, a history of U.S. Government federal assistance awards or other implemented projects, the FY2026 INL Applicant Pre-Award Risk Survey and supporting documentation, and an organizational audit or explanation of why an audit is not required. Letters of support are optional. Application documents must be in English, budgets must be in U.S. dollars, pages must be numbered, and Word documents must be single spaced in 12 point Times New Roman with at least one inch margins. Applications will be evaluated on a 100 point scale. Project Analysis and Design accounts for 55 points, Program Monitoring and Risk for 20 points, Institution's Record and Capacity for 15 points, and Cost Effectiveness for 10 points. Reviewers will examine the quality of the problem analysis and theory of change, feasibility of implementation, knowledge of Morocco's forensic infrastructure, integration of the training and mobile facility components, sustainability, monitoring indicators, risk mitigation, institutional and staff capacity, DGSN coordination, and the reasonableness of proposed costs. Where applications receive equivalent scores, the lower indirect cost rate may be used as a tie breaker. INL first conducts a technical eligibility review, after which eligible applications are evaluated by a review committee and selected applications are presented to INL management and the Grants Officer for approval. The NOFO was issued July 15, 2026. Questions are due by August 12, 2026 at 11:59 PM EST by email, and applications are due September 9, 2026 at 11:59 PM EST through Grants.gov. The opportunity provides total available funding of 2,100,000 USD, anticipates one award, and establishes an award range of 1,500,000 USD to 2,100,000 USD. The project implementation period is 24 months. The first page identifies an estimated project start date of November 2026, while the Federal Award Information section identifies an anticipated program start date of October 2026. This discrepancy should be verified with INL. The listed INL contacts are Najar Starr at StarrND@state.gov, Stephanie Sabbath at SabbathSN@state.gov, and Hanan Souilmi at SouilmiH@state.gov. Unsuccessful applicants are expected to be notified by October 2026 by email.

Prioritize Project Analysis and Design because it carries 55 of 100 points. Demonstrate detailed knowledge of Morocco's forensic infrastructure and DGSN systems. Clearly explain how advanced training and the mobile forensic facility reinforce one another. Provide realistic coordination mechanisms with DGSN and the Higher Institute of Security Sciences. Address security, procurement and customs, Leahy vetting, sustainability, monitoring, and risk mitigation. Ensure mobile facility procurement and training costs are realistic and directly linked to project objectives.