Sustainment for Counterterrorism Law Enforcement Units in Somalia | DFOP0014002

Opportunity Information: Apply for DFOP0014002

The Sustainment for Counterterrorism Law Enforcement Units in Somalia opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number DFOP0014002) is a U.S. Department of State Bureau of Counterterrorism discretionary grant, offered as a cooperative agreement, focused on keeping already-established Somalia Police Force (SPF) counterterrorism capabilities functioning effectively over time. Rather than building new units from scratch, the program is designed to preserve and extend the operational readiness of SPF counterterrorism units that have previously received U.S. counterterrorism-funded training, equipment, and mentoring. The overall aim is to ensure these units can continue conducting evidence-based counterterrorism work in Mogadishu and remain operationally capable through sustained technical support, logistics, and accountability controls.

The work is organized around three core objectives. First, the program continues specialized training and mentoring for the SPF Forensic Science Lab (FSL). The implementer is expected to deploy certified subject matter experts, specifically in latent prints and digital evidence, to work directly with the lab. This support is intended to strengthen the lab's ability to process and use forensic and digital evidence in ways that stand up in counterterrorism investigations, reinforcing investigative quality and reliability rather than relying only on informal or non-evidentiary methods.

Second, the program sustains the logistical backbone that allows CT-funded SPF units to operate day to day. This includes routine and corrective maintenance for equipment and vehicles, plus recurring consumables such as fuel and laboratory chemicals and reagents. It also includes software licensing and updates for relevant computer systems, continued support for enabling capabilities such as electronic countermeasures (ECM) maintenance, and the provision and sustainment of ammunition. In addition to physical sustainment, the implementer must handle several compliance and administrative tasks tied to ongoing operations, including tracking and monitoring Leahy vetting requirements and compiling stipend spreadsheets that will be used for payouts by a separate implementer. In practice, this means the awardee serves as a critical link between operational units, compliance processes, and the administrative systems that keep trained and equipped personnel deployable.

Third, the program requires structured monitoring, evaluation, and legal oversight of weapons and ammunition. The implementer will conduct regular (monthly or quarterly, to be finalized later) equipment verification and reporting to maintain visibility and accountability over sensitive items. A major component of this objective is secure storage and controlled inventory management: the awardee must manage a secure storage space built to international standards and keep detailed logs of controlled items that are checked into and out of the implementer's custody. The solicitation notes an estimated cost of roughly $7,000 to $10,000 per month for maintaining such a secure storage facility (or an equivalent facility meeting the same standards), which signals that strong physical security and auditable inventory procedures are central expectations of the award.

Key funding details provided in the source data include an award ceiling of $6,906,758, with the closing date listed as May 22, 2024, and the funding activity category aligned to Law, Justice, and Legal Services (CFDA 19.701). Eligible applicants are broad and include not-for-profit organizations (including think tanks and NGOs), public and private educational institutions, for-profit organizations when permitted by appropriation, and public international organizations and governmental institutions. Overall, the opportunity is oriented toward sustainment and compliance: keeping specialized forensic mentorship in place, ensuring operational units have the maintenance and consumables they need, and enforcing rigorous oversight and secure management of weapons and ammunition in line with legal requirements.

• The Bureau of Counterterrorism in the law, justice and legal services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Sustainment for Counterterrorism Law Enforcement Units in Somalia" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.701.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-04-23.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-05-22. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $6,906,758.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

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