Global Chemical Security Engagement Activities

Description

Applicants should read all materials associated with this notice of funding opportunity. Application Submission Process: Applicants should submit project proposals electronically using Grants.gov. Thorough instructions on the Grants.gov application process are available at http://www.grants.gov. For questions relating to Grants.gov, please call the Grants.gov Contact Center at 1-800-518-4726. Award amounts: ISN/CTR prefers projects that cost less than $250,000 though awards may involve multiple projects that cumulatively exceed $250,000. CTR will prioritize proposals that efficiently meet NOFO and programmatic goals at the lowest technically acceptable cost. A. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The Office of Cooperative Threat Reduction (CTR), part of the Department’s Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation (ISN), sponsors foreign assistance activities funded by the Nonproliferation, Anti-terrorism, Demining and Related Programs (NADR) account, and focuses on mitigating proliferation risk in frontline states and regions where terrorist threats are on the rise, such as in the Middle East, Africa and Asia. ISN/CTR administers the Chemical Security Program (CSP) in partnership with government, security, academic, and industrial communities to strengthen their ability to prevent chemical attacks. CSP secures chemical weapons-related assets (such as chemicals, equipment, technologies, expertise, and infrastructure) against terrorist networks and proliferant states intent on conducting chemical attacks. To accomplish this mission, CSP sponsors efforts to identify and address chemical security vulnerabilities and to detect and investigate early warning signs of chemical attacks. CSP focuses its resources in countries where non-state actors and returning foreign fighters have demonstrated an ability or interest in using chemical weapons, and seeks to instill sustainable chemical security capabilities in partner countries. CSP stakeholders include: • Government ministries and agencies that have a role in chemical oversight; • Law enforcement entities and security forces; • Chemical faculties and departments within universities and research institutions; • Facilities that manufacture, store, or distribute weaponizable chemicals and their precursors; • Chemical academic and industry associations that may play a role in the promotion of global chemical management best practices; and • International organizations with complementary (Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) prevention and chemicals management missions. In Fiscal Year 2018 (FY18), CSP will fund activities that align with and support one or more of its four goals. CSP Goals: Strengthen the ability of partner governments to disrupt chemical attacks Funded activities will emphasize: • National and facility-level policies and programs to strengthen oversight of chemical weapon related assets; • Training and equipping various partner country entities that are responsible for chemical attack prevention and response, if necessary; and/or o CSP is interested in broadly addressing chemical threats from crude weapons to sophisticated chemical agents used on the battlefield • Coordination and interaction among partner country governments, and law enforcement, technical, medical, and first responder communities on the detection and investigation of chemical attack plots. Prevent chemical attacks by promoting awareness of chemical threats and adoption of threat mitigation best practices Funded activities will emphasize: • Adoption of chemical security norms, management standards, and responsible use policies, such as Responsible Care®, employee vetting, and know-your-customer programs; • Understanding of, and compliance with, relevant nonproliferation treaty commitments and U.N. Security Council obligations, like the Chemical Weapons Convention and UNSCR 1540; • Broad awareness within each CSP partner country of locally relevant chemical security policies, programs, and best practice information as well as coordination among relevant ministries and security agencies; and/or • Train-the-trainer programs that emphasize sustainability within partner countries. Secure chemical weapons-related assets throughout the chemical supply chain Funded activities will emphasize: • Training to identify and mitigate physical and procedural security gaps, to include facility-appropriate vulnerability assessment methodologies; • Training on identifying and addressing threats of infiltration and exploitation by terrorist networks, such as insider threat mitigation and security forces training program; • Physical security upgrades to prevent unauthorized access to chemical weapons-related assets, including chemical neutralization protocols and rapid security upgrades for high security risk materials and facilities; and/or • Trainings that develop sustainable precursor chemical controls that can be used to make chemical weapons such as sarin and VX. Develop innovative strategies and explore novel tools to adapt to the constantly evolving CW threat Funded activities will offer: • Innovative tools and proposals to address new and complex challenges (such as mapping in-country laboratories and industrial plants that hold dangerous precursors); • Preventing chemical casualties through rapid train and equip efforts on CW detection devices and incident command systems to enhance chemical security posture and counter ISIS; • Training and equipment for new detection and attack prevention capabilities, such as advanced insider threat trainings for law enforcement, industry personnel, and university officials to identify signs of radicalization.

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