CROAT Drones Enhancement in Cote d'Ivoire | DFOP0009155

FAQs: CROAT Drones Enhancement in Cote d'Ivoire (DFOP0009155)

What is the "CROAT Drones Enhancement in Cote d'Ivoire" funding opportunity?

It is a U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Counterterrorism (CT) discretionary grant competition intended to strengthen Cote d'Ivoire's counterterrorism surveillance capacity by expanding the drone fleet used by the Centre de Renseignement Operationnel Antiterroriste (CROAT), also described as the Counterterrorism Operational Intelligence Center.

What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON) for this program?

The Funding Opportunity Number is DFOP0009155.

Which U.S. government office is sponsoring this opportunity?

The opportunity is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Counterterrorism (CT).

What is the main objective of the project?

The core objective is to expand CROAT's drone fleet so the unit can conduct lawful domestic and cross-border surveillance focused on known or suspected terrorists operating in the region.

What types of activities does the opportunity emphasize?

The description emphasizes improving the ability to detect, monitor, and track terrorist threats using unmanned aerial systems, supporting intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance that can contribute to earlier warning, better targeting for interdiction, and more informed operational decision-making.

Does the opportunity mention any legal or compliance expectations for surveillance?

Yes. The surveillance is explicitly described as lawful, indicating the activities are expected to be conducted within applicable legal constraints.

Is the surveillance scope limited to within Cote d'Ivoire?

No. The opportunity references both domestic and cross-border surveillance, suggesting a regional operating environment where terrorist networks and facilitators may move across national borders.

What is CROAT in this context?

CROAT refers to Cote d'Ivoire's Centre de Renseignement Operationnel Antiterroriste, also described in the opportunity narrative as the Counterterrorism Operational Intelligence Center. It is the partner government unit whose surveillance capacity is being strengthened.

What funding instrument will be used (grant vs. cooperative agreement)?

The award is structured as a cooperative agreement.

What does it mean that this is a cooperative agreement?

Based on the opportunity description, a cooperative agreement typically indicates the U.S. government expects to be more actively involved in program oversight or implementation than it would be under a standard grant.

How many awards does the opportunity anticipate making?

The opportunity anticipates a single award.

What is the maximum funding amount available?

The award ceiling is $986,679.

Does the award ceiling suggest anything about project scale?

Yes. The ceiling and single-award structure indicate a relatively focused project scope rather than a multi-award portfolio.

When was the opportunity created?

The opportunity was created on March 4, 2024.

What was the original application closing date?

The original application closing date was April 29, 2024.

What category is this opportunity associated with?

The activity falls under the Law, Justice and Legal Services category.

What is the CFDA/Assistance Listing number associated with this opportunity?

The opportunity is associated with CFDA/Assistance Listing 19.701.

Who is eligible to apply according to the narrative description?

The narrative description lists a broad set of eligible entity types, including not-for-profit organizations (including think tanks and civil society/non-governmental organizations), public and private educational institutions, for-profit organizations (where permitted by appropriation), public international organizations, and governmental institutions.

Who is eligible to apply according to the structured eligibility field?

The structured eligibility field specifically lists nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education).

Why might there be confusion about eligibility?

Because the narrative description appears broad while the structured eligibility field is narrower. Applicants are advised in the opportunity summary to pay close attention to the full notice details and controlling eligibility language to confirm whether eligibility is limited to 501(c)(3) entities or whether other entity types are acceptable under the final published announcement.

Is this opportunity focused on capacity-building for a partner government unit?

Yes. The overall framing describes a targeted capacity-building effort supporting a partner government counterterrorism intelligence unit through the expansion of a drone fleet.

Is the project focused on counterterrorism surveillance of any group, or specific targets?

The description specifies surveillance focused on known or suspected terrorists operating in the region.

Is the program described as discretionary?

Yes. It is described as a discretionary grant competition.