Applications Invited for Advancing Cybersecurity Policies in support of an Open, Interoperable, Reliable, and Secure Internet

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About the Organization

The Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy leads and coordinates the Department’s work on cyberspace and digital diplomacy to encourage responsible state behavior in cyberspace and advance policies that protect the integrity and security of the infrastructure of the Internet, serve U.S. interests, promote competitiveness, and uphold democratic values. The Bureau addresses the national security challenges, economic opportunities, and values considerations presented by cyberspace, digital technologies, and digital policy and promotes standards and norms that are fair, transparent, and support our values.

About the Grant

The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy, International Cyberspace Security (CDP/ICS) unit, announces an open competition for organizations interested in submitting applications for projects that support and encourage the adoption and/or promulgation by partner nations of cybersecurity policies, legal frameworks, and standards consistent with the United States’ efforts to promote an open, interoperable, reliable, and secure Internet.

CDP/ICS’s goal with this project is to:

1. understand the priorities or “drivers” of certain governments, particularly from the developing world, that find authoritarian models for cybersecurity related policies, legal/regulatory frameworks and technical standards more appealing, and

2. initiate proactive and informed capacity building engagements with foreign assistance eligible foreign partners to advance alternative, yet practical approaches that ensure states can achieve their own national priorities and interests while also remaining consistent with the U.S. approach for an open, interoperable, reliable, and secure Internet.

This project will focus on the following areas:

• Understanding the challenge: What aspects of various domestic cybersecurity laws and policies are being exploited for authoritarian purposes? Which aspects of these approaches are most likely to be replicated internationally? What are the domestic or international drivers for governments that are likely to adopt similar approaches?
• Identifying the target audience: What approach can we use to identify foreign governments that are most at risk for emulating these or similar approaches? What are their unique priorities and/or the perceived challenges that would drive them to emulate policies or approaches of authoritarian governments? Which governments could be potential influencers or force-multipliers in U.S. efforts to encourage more progressive policies, particularly in the developing world?
• Countering the authoritarian narrative: Explore in detail and develop effective messaging on the downsides of authoritarian approaches to cybersecurity policies and frameworks as they have been implemented, including negative impacts on national security, economic growth, development, data flows, innovation, freedom online, etc.
• Identifying alternative models: Develop briefings on U.S. and likeminded models or approaches that could be considered as alternatives as states attempt to develop domestic legislative and policy solutions, linked to data and experiences that can demonstrate the advantages of open, democratic policies.
• Designing a program of engagement: Shape and implement a program of engagement (e.g., targeted outreach, awareness raising activities, technical assistance, peer-to-peer learning opportunities) that will influence target countries to adopt U.S. and likeminded approaches and better understand the downsides of authoritarian models.

Key Project Considerations:

The following list of project considerations is provided to help applicant(s) develop a responsive, robust proposal. Strong preference will be given to applicant(s) that:

• Demonstrate a track record in delivering effective education and trainings, especially to civilian government audiences from foreign assistance eligible countries. Applicants are strongly encouraged to think imaginatively about the combination of delivery mechanisms that will deliver the best learning outcomes.
• Demonstrate strong international understanding of the strategic, operational, policy, economic, and legal aspects of cybersecurity policy, including the ability to conduct global comparative public policy and economic analysis.
• Exhibit demonstrated subject matter expertise on U.S.-China relations, China’s domestic, and foreign policy, and/or China’s broader strategic and economic ambitions.
• Possess a strong understanding of the characteristics of effective public-private partnership, including the role that the private sector, non-governmental organizations, academic institutions, and standards bodies play in shaping cybersecurity legislation and policies.
• Foster collaborative and substantive partnerships, including where applicable with local organization in other countries. As appropriate, applicants are also strongly encouraged to form consortia that leverages each organization’s respective resources and expertise when submitting a combined proposal.

Grant Size

$1,000,000.00 USD

Eligibility

CDP/ICS welcomes applications from U.S.-based non-profit/non-governmental organizations subject to section 501(c) (3) of the U.S. tax code; foreign-based non-profit organizations/nongovernment organizations (NGO); Public International Organizations; Foreign Public Organizations; private, public, or state institutions of higher education; and for-profit organizations or businesses.

Applications submitted by for-profit entities may be subject to additional review following the panel selection process. Additionally, the Department of State prohibits profit to for-profit or commercial organizations under its assistance awards. Profit is defined as any amount in excess of allowable direct and indirect costs. The allowability of costs incurred by commercial organizations is determined in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) at 48 CFR 30, Cost Accounting Standards Administration, and 48 CFR 31 Contract Cost Principles and Procedures.

How to Apply

Applications are due no later than 11:59 PM Eastern Standard Time (EST), on Thursday, 28 JULY, 2022 on https://www.grants.gov/ or SAMS Domestic (https://mygrants.servicenowservices.com) under the announcement title “Advancing Cybersecurity Policies in support of an Open, Interoperable, Reliable, and Secure Internet,” funding opportunity number “SFOP0009040.”

Grants.gov and SAMS Domestic automatically log the date and time an application submission is made, and the Department of State will use this information to determine whether an application has been submitted on time. Late applications are neither reviewed nor considered. Known system errors caused by Grants.gov or SAMS Domestic (https://mygrants.servicenow.com) that are outside of the applicant’s control will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Applicants should not expect a notification upon CDP/ICS receiving their application.

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