Accelerating Prosecution of Criminals and Terrorists in Lebanon by Digitizing Paper Criminal Court files

The Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs within the U.S. Department of State has issued a Notice of Funding Opportunity to support a project focused on strengthening criminal justice processes in Lebanon. This bureau works globally to counter crime, illegal drug activity, and instability, with a mission centered on protecting U.S. national security interests through international partnerships. This specific funding opportunity is designed to address systemic inefficiencies in Lebanon’s criminal justice system, particularly the reliance on disorganized, paper-based court records that hinder timely investigations and prosecutions. The purpose of this grant is to accelerate the prosecution of criminals and terrorists by digitizing criminal court files at key judicial institutions in Beirut, including the Financial Prosecutor’s Office and the Court of Cassation’s General Prosecutor’s Office. By converting physical records into secure, searchable electronic formats, the project aims to reduce delays, prevent loss of critical case information, and enhance coordination between Lebanese authorities and U.S. law enforcement agencies. The initiative directly supports broader U.S. national security goals by improving the ability to track and prosecute individuals associated with foreign terrorist organizations and transnational criminal networks. Funding under this opportunity totals $900,000, with a single award anticipated. Applicants may request between $700,000 and $900,000 to support a project implementation period of approximately 20 months, with an expected start date of August 2026. Funds may be used for activities such as digitization of records, procurement of hardware and software, training of judicial personnel, and system maintenance. The project also includes infrastructure improvements such as physical storage organization and backup power solutions. Certain restrictions apply, including prohibitions on funding activities that support terrorism, mass migration facilitation, or specific restricted entities. Eligibility is limited to organizations, including U.S. and foreign nonprofit organizations and educational institutions. Applicants must demonstrate at least five years of experience working with judicial systems to digitize case files, prior successful implementation of similar projects for non-U.S. government partners, and regional experience in Lebanon or comparable conflict-affected Middle Eastern environments. Organizations must also maintain compliance with federal requirements such as SAM.gov registration and adherence to U.S. laws related to anti-terrorism and anti-discrimination policies. The application process requires submission through Grants.gov and includes several mandatory components. These include standard federal forms such as the SF-424 and SF-424A, a detailed proposal narrative outlining the project design and theory of change, a performance monitoring plan, a project risk analysis, a timeline of activities, and comprehensive budget documentation including a detailed budget and narrative. Additional organizational documentation such as staff qualifications, partner information, and prior experience with federal awards must also be included. Applications that fail to meet submission requirements or formatting guidelines will be deemed ineligible. Applications are evaluated based on technical merit, including the strength of the project design, feasibility of implementation, monitoring and evaluation plans, institutional capacity, and cost effectiveness. A scoring system totaling 100 points is used, with the largest emphasis placed on project analysis and design. Following technical review, selected applications undergo further review by agency leadership and grants officers before final award decisions are made. Successful applicants may be notified several months after submission, while unsuccessful applicants will be informed after award issuance. Key dates for this opportunity include a question submission deadline of April 23, 2026, and a final application deadline of May 26, 2026. Applications must be submitted by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on the closing date. The opportunity is not recurring and represents a one-time funding cycle for this specific initiative. Throughout the project period, recipients will be required to submit regular financial and performance reports, including quarterly updates through the INL DevResults system.

Ensure proposal demonstrates strong evidence-based design, feasibility, and clear implementation plan aligned with evaluation criteria; emphasize prior experience in judicial digitization and regional expertise