Supporting Implementation of the REIF in the Great Lakes Region of Africa

The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of African Affairs, Office of Assistance, is offering the Supporting Implementation of the Regional Economic Integration Framework (REIF) in the Great Lakes Region of Africa funding opportunity, opportunity number DFOP0019574. The program is a Federal cooperative agreement intended to advance U.S. national interests through market-based, private sector-led growth in critical minerals investment in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Burundi, and Uganda. Approximately $14,490,000 in FY25 Development Assistance funding is available, pending availability of funds, and one award of up to approximately $14,490,000 is anticipated. The funding must be obligated no later than September 30, 2026. The anticipated project start date is October 1, 2026, and proposed programs should be completed within 48 months. The program seeks to improve mining sector governance and strengthen regulatory policies and practices in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi while countering illicit activities in minerals production, trade, and export that undermine U.S. companies or U.S. access to critical minerals. Its four objectives are to improve transparency and licit trade, promote trusted information and communication technology infrastructure deployment, enforce licit finance, and promote responsible investment exemplified by U.S. investors. Applicants may address fewer than all four objectives, but preference will be given to proposals that meaningfully address all four. Projects should demonstrate measurable benefits in one or more targeted countries, while the overall program should include work in all four countries and may concentrate programming in the Democratic Republic of the Congo while using cost-effective approaches in Burundi, Rwanda, and Uganda. Illustrative activities include regulatory and political economy assessments, strengthening mining-site inspection and certification capacity, improving licensing and production and export data systems, developing chain-of-custody systems, using blockchain or other technologies for secure trade information systems, strengthening cybersecurity and data protection, expanding financial technology and digital payment solutions, enhancing financial intelligence cooperation, improving beneficial ownership transparency, and promoting responsible mining investment. The program must complement rather than duplicate relevant U.S. Government activities. Conferences, awareness campaigns, multi-stakeholder dialogues, or communications activities may not serve as standalone deliverables. Programs with long causal chains that fail to produce clear and immediate returns to U.S. strategic priorities and supply chain security are unallowable, as is programming duplicating existing U.S. Government efforts. Award funds also cannot be used for alcoholic beverages or transferred to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency. Cost sharing or matching is not required, although applicants may propose it. Non-U.S. Government resource contributions will be considered during merit review. Eligible prime applicants are not-for-profit organizations, for-profit organizations, and institutions of higher education. Subrecipients and contractors may be any type of organization, and subcontractors may also be individuals. Each application must have a single prime applicant, and an organization may submit only one proposal as prime, although it may participate in other applications as a subrecipient or subcontractor. Prime applicants must have a Unique Entity Identifier and valid SAM.gov registration unless an approved exemption applies. The proposed team should demonstrate relevant technical and country experience, and leadership should be capable of communicating effectively in English and French. The proposed Chief of Party should have at least 15 years of experience in a similar leadership role, be fluent in English and French, and possess strong technical and managerial expertise. Applications must be submitted electronically through MyGrants no later than September 9, 2026, at 11:59 pm ET. Questions and an optional notice of intent to apply may be emailed to AF-A-Proposals@state.gov by August 18, 2026, at 11:59 pm ET, with opportunity number DFOP0019574 in the subject line. The anticipated response to questions is August 25, 2026. The notice of intent is optional, non-binding, and does not affect an organization's ability to apply. Except for the detailed budget spreadsheet, proposal materials must be assembled into a single PDF in the prescribed order. Required materials include a one-page Table Listing Critical Details; a proposal narrative of no more than 15 pages; a project schedule and timeline of no more than two pages; a monitoring and evaluation plan of no more than five pages; the applicable UAS impact assessment and plan or confirmation that relevant UAS use does not apply; a risk assessment and mitigation plan of no more than five pages; a budget justification narrative; required attachments; mandatory Federal application forms; and a separate spreadsheet containing summary and detailed budgets. Applications will be evaluated using a four-point scale across three weighted areas. Quality and Feasibility of the Program Idea and Planning accounts for 50 percent, Organizational and Staff Capacity and Experience accounts for 30 percent, and Budget and Sustainability accounts for 20 percent. Reviewers will consider the clarity and feasibility of the approach, implementation timeline, understanding of local conditions, alignment with the NOFO objectives, pathways for U.S. business participation and supply chain security, complementarity with existing efforts, organizational and personnel capacity, relevant technical and country experience, ability to mobilize private sector financing, cost effectiveness, sustainability, and transition toward local ownership or the private sector. If applications receive equivalent scores, the lower indirect cost rate may be used as a tie-breaker. A review committee will evaluate eligible applications, while final selection and funding authority rests with a senior-level official. The Department anticipates a project start date of October 1, 2026. Cooperative agreement involvement may include Department approval of a three-month start-up and mobilization plan, review and approval of results before subsequent stages begin, joint preparation or presentation of results, approval of substantial media and outreach events, involvement in participant selection, approval of technical assistance, and approval of work plans and monitoring, evaluation, and learning plans. Successful recipients will also be subject to financial and program reporting requirements specified in the award. Unsuccessful applicants are expected to be notified by email within approximately 90 days after application submission. The NOFO does not establish a recurring application cycle, and any continuation funding beyond the initial budget period is discretionary and subject to funding availability, satisfactory progress, and a Department determination that continued funding serves its interests.

Meaningfully address all four objectives where feasible; demonstrate clear and immediate pathways for U.S. business participation and U.S. supply chain security; propose concrete annual deliverables, indicators, targets, and milestones; demonstrate sophisticated understanding of political fragility, insecurity, armed group activity, public health risks, inadequate infrastructure, and weak governance; show how the project complements rather than duplicates existing U.S. Government efforts; demonstrate relevant technical and multi-country capacity including French language capability; demonstrate capacity to mobilize private sector financing; provide a realistic time-bound transition to local ownership or the private sector; ensure the budget is reasonable, realistic, and cost-effective; show how U.S. taxpayer funding will catalyze substantial commercial returns; identify and confirm key personnel and partners where possible because reviewers may view more fully identified teams as stronger.