Mali Law Enforcement Training Reform Project | INL18CA0008 AME LETRAINING 12272017

Opportunity Information: Apply for INL18CA0008 AME LETRAINING 12272017

The Mali Law Enforcement Training Reform Project is a U.S. Department of State initiative led by the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) that focuses on improving Mali's law enforcement training as part of a broader effort to strengthen criminal justice systems and reduce transnational crime. INL frames this work within the U.S. government's wider response to cross-border criminal activity, including efforts to counter illegal narcotics flows, limit transnational organized crime, and build the capabilities of partner countries through targeted technical assistance delivered via multilateral, regional, and country-specific programs. In Mali, the underlying rationale is that persistent insecurity and institutional weakness have regional spillover effects and can undermine broader stability and U.S. interests.

The opportunity was offered as a discretionary funding opportunity using a cooperative agreement mechanism, meaning the U.S. government expected to remain actively involved in shaping or overseeing the program during implementation rather than simply issuing a hands-off grant. The activity falls under the "Law, Justice and Legal Services" category and is associated with CFDA number 19.703. The funding opportunity was published on December 27, 2017, with an application deadline of February 28, 2018. The award ceiling was set at $2,500,000, and the government anticipated making up to two awards, indicating either parallel implementing partners or a strategy to divide responsibilities across multiple organizations.

Eligible applicants included public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations both with and without 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not institutions of higher education in the non-501(c)(3) category). This eligibility range suggests INL was open to proposals from universities with specialized training and research capacity as well as practitioner-oriented nonprofits experienced in police training, curriculum development, institutional reform, and rule-of-law programming.

Programmatically, the project responds to Mali's long-running challenges: a history of internal rebellion, weak security and justice institutions, and an ongoing risk of terrorism. Even after the 2015 Peace Accords, the opportunity description emphasizes that limited institutional capacity, political complications, and continuing insecurity still threaten Mali's progress toward stability. The implied purpose of reforming law enforcement training is to improve professionalism and effectiveness within security institutions so they can better address criminality and insecurity while supporting a more functional justice sector. In practical terms, initiatives like this typically center on upgrading training systems, strengthening instructional quality, modernizing curricula and training management, and building institutional capacity so reforms persist beyond the life of the award, all in alignment with broader U.S. international narcotics and crime assistance goals.

In short, this grant opportunity sought implementing partners capable of designing and delivering a structured reform effort focused on law enforcement training in Mali, with substantial U.S. government engagement, a maximum award size of $2.5 million, and a clear strategic objective of strengthening justice and security institutions in a fragile and high-risk environment affected by terrorism and transnational criminal pressures.

• The Department of State, Bureau of International Narcotics-Law Enforcement in the law, justice and legal services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Mali Law Enforcement Training Reform Project" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.703.
• This funding opportunity was created on Dec 27, 2017.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Feb 28, 2018. (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 $2,500,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 2 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education.

Apply for INL18CA0008 AME LETRAINING 12272017

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