Request for Statements of Interest and Capacity (SOIC) Countering State-Sponsored Propaganda and Disinformation | SFOP0004211

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is this funding opportunity?

This is a U.S. Department of State Global Engagement Center (GEC) discretionary funding opportunity titled "Request for Statements of Interest and Capacity (SOIC) Countering State-Sponsored Propaganda and Disinformation" (Funding Opportunity Number SFOP0004211). It invited organizations to submit a Statement of Interest and Capacity (SOIC) rather than a full proposal upfront.

Which agency is offering this opportunity?

The opportunity is offered by the U.S. Department of State's Global Engagement Center (GEC).

What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON)?

The Funding Opportunity Number is SFOP0004211.

What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?

The CFDA number listed is 19.040.

When was the opportunity posted?

The opportunity was posted on March 9, 2018.

What was the submission deadline?

The SOIC submission deadline listed for this opportunity was April 23, 2018.

What is a Statement of Interest and Capacity (SOIC) in this context?

An SOIC is a submission that describes an organization's ability to design and run programs aligned with the opportunity goals, specifically programs that counter foreign, state-sponsored propaganda and disinformation campaigns. This opportunity asked for an SOIC instead of requesting a full proposal at the initial stage.

What is the overall purpose of the program?

The overall purpose is to strengthen efforts that push back against adversarial information operations aimed at the United States and U.S. allies and partner nations, with a strong emphasis on reaching audiences outside the United States.

Is the focus domestic or international?

The opportunity places a strong emphasis on reaching audiences outside the United States, including audiences in allied and partner nations.

What kinds of threats does the program aim to address?

The program targets foreign, state-sponsored propaganda and disinformation campaigns that threaten or undermine U.S. national security interests, including adversarial information operations aimed at the U.S. and at U.S. allies and partners.

Does the opportunity support reactive work, proactive work, or both?

Both. The GEC described the work as reactive (exposing and refuting false narratives) and proactive (promoting fact-based narratives, analysis, and policy explanations that can compete effectively in contested information environments).

What does GEC mean by "practical, implementable activities"?

The opportunity signals support for activities that can be carried out in real-world settings and produce measurable effects in the information space, rather than purely conceptual efforts.

What are the main program objectives or lines of effort?

The opportunity outlines five lines of effort: (1) building local and regional capacity; (2) understanding the threat landscape through identifying, cataloguing, and when possible quantifying trends; (3) technology and technique development and diffusion; (4) systematic research and curation of relevant information, data, and analytics; and (5) additional innovative projects developed and executed in cooperation with the GEC.

What does "building local and regional capacity" involve?

This objective points to helping partners develop and disseminate fact-based narratives and analytical content to foreign audiences. Examples implied by the notice include training, content production support, network-building among communicators and analysts, and strengthening credible institutions or outlets that can deliver accurate information.

What does "understanding the threat landscape" mean for this opportunity?

It refers to identifying, cataloguing, and when possible quantifying trends in foreign propaganda and disinformation. Activities suggested by this objective include monitoring, analysis, and structured reporting to help stakeholders recognize tactics and themes and adjust responses quickly.

What kinds of technology or techniques are relevant under this program?

The opportunity highlights technology and technique development and diffusion. It suggests creating tools and facilitating their use through knowledge-sharing among foreign partners, drawing on external expertise, documenting proven practices, and applying them. Areas mentioned include detection, verification, attribution, audience analysis, campaign measurement, secure collaboration, and operational playbooks for rapid response and narrative competition.

What is meant by "diffusion" of tools and techniques?

In this context, diffusion means not only developing tools or methods, but also helping partners adopt and use them through training, knowledge-sharing, and documentation of proven practices.

What does the research and curation objective cover?

This objective emphasizes systematically gathering and organizing relevant information, data, and analytics from partner nations and from organizations such as think tanks, universities, civil society groups, and other nongovernmental entities, so practitioners can access and apply existing research and insights.

Does the opportunity allow for projects outside the four defined categories?

Yes. A fifth line of effort explicitly leaves room for additional innovative projects developed and executed in cooperation with the GEC, as long as they align with the GEC mission and can be carried out collaboratively.

What does it mean that the program is cooperative and collaborative?

The funding instrument type is a cooperative agreement, which typically implies more substantial federal involvement than a standard grant, including coordination with the agency during implementation. The opportunity also emphasizes innovative projects developed and executed in cooperation with the GEC.

What type of funding instrument is used?

The funding instrument type listed is a cooperative agreement.

What is the award ceiling?

The opportunity lists an award ceiling of $950,000.

How many awards were anticipated?

The opportunity anticipated up to 15 awards.

What is the funding activity category?

The funding activity category is listed as "Information and Statistics."

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is described as unrestricted, meaning it is open to any type of entity, unless additional eligibility details elsewhere in the full notice add conditions or clarifications.

What kinds of organizations does the GEC appear to be looking for?

Based on the description, the GEC sought capable organizations that can show readiness, credibility, and operational capacity to partner on counter-disinformation programming, including the ability to operate with partners abroad, leverage credible messengers, and produce measurable effects in contested information environments.

What geographic or partnership approach is emphasized?

The opportunity signals interest in organizations that can operate with partners abroad, build local and regional capacity, and engage credible messengers and institutions that can reach foreign audiences.

What outcomes does the opportunity emphasize?

The opportunity emphasizes measurable effects in the information space, including the ability to expose and refute false narratives, compete with fact-based narratives and analysis, and help partners track and respond to evolving propaganda and disinformation tactics.

Is this opportunity asking for a full proposal?

No. The opportunity requested a Statement of Interest and Capacity (SOIC) instead of a full proposal at the outset.

What is the central theme tying the objectives together?

The central theme is countering foreign, state-sponsored propaganda and disinformation through a combined approach: partner capacity-building, threat monitoring and analysis, tool/technique development and adoption, curated research support, and room for innovative cooperative projects with the GEC.