Cambodia Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) Summit 2022 | SCB600 22 PAS 0001

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Cambodia YSEALI Summit 2022 (SCB600 22 PAS 0001)

1) What is this grant opportunity?

This is a U.S. Mission to Cambodia funding opportunity to support the design and delivery of a major Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) Summit program in close partnership with the U.S. Embassy in Phnom Penh.

2) What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON)?

The Funding Opportunity Number is SCB600 22 PAS 0001.

3) What type of award is being offered?

The award is a cooperative agreement. That means the U.S. Embassy Phnom Penh is expected to play an active role in shaping the Summit's development, content, schedule, and key decisions rather than simply funding the project and stepping back.

4) Is this funding guaranteed once selected?

No. The notice states the award depends on the availability of funds.

5) What is the maximum award amount?

The award ceiling is up to $600,000.

6) What is the expected project timeframe?

The proposed period of performance is expected to be 18 months or less, meaning the Summit should be planned, executed, and fully wrapped up within that timeframe.

7) What is the program category / CFDA number?

The funding activity category is education, and the CFDA number listed is 19.040.

8) Who is eligible to apply?

Eligible applicants include non-profit organizations/NGOs and educational institutions, including U.S.-based, Cambodia-based, and foreign organizations, and U.S., Cambodian, and foreign private, public, or state institutions of higher education.

9) Are for-profit organizations eligible?

No. For-profit organizations are explicitly ineligible for this opportunity.

10) Does the Embassy prefer applicants with local partners in Cambodia?

Yes. The opportunity signals a preference for applicants that can demonstrate strong linkages with a Cambodia-based partner organization, suggesting local partnerships and in-country relationships are important for implementation and coordination.

11) What is the recipient expected to deliver?

The selected recipient is expected to build and run a complete YSEALI Summit program from start to finish while coordinating continuously with the U.S. Embassy in Phnom Penh. This includes program design, participant processes, logistics, communications, and post-event deliverables.

12) What are the core program design responsibilities?

Core responsibilities include developing a strong overall Summit concept, proposing and confirming the event location with Embassy input, and creating the full Summit agenda and session content.

13) Is the recipient responsible for the application and selection process for participants?

Yes. The recipient must manage a formal application and selection process using a secure online portal.

14) Does the project involve recruitment and coordination beyond Cambodia?

Yes. The recipient is expected to coordinate with relevant U.S. embassies involved in recruitment, selection, and participant communications. Participant recruitment and communication may involve multiple U.S. diplomatic missions beyond Cambodia.

15) What speaker and program staffing responsibilities are included?

The recipient must recruit speakers and coordinate related communications and planning as part of building out the Summit agenda and session content.

16) What logistics must the awardee manage?

Logistics are a major part of the scope. The awardee must manage travel and related arrangements for participants and speakers, and handle on-the-ground planning such as venue planning and accommodations to ensure the Summit is functional and safe.

17) What communications and visibility requirements are included?

The recipient must generate social media and publicity content during the project and, after the Summit, provide the U.S. Embassy with complete design files and all photos and video recorded.

18) What media deliverables are required after the Summit?

Final products must include a promotion-ready photo album approved by the U.S. Embassy and a video series documenting the Summit.

19) Does the recipient need professional media production capability?

Yes. Because the deliverables include a photo album and a video series that must meet Embassy standards and receive approval, the recipient will need either in-house media capacity or reliable partners who can produce professional materials.

20) How involved is the U.S. Embassy in project decisions?

The Embassy's involvement is extensive due to the cooperative agreement structure. The opportunity emphasizes oversight, regular coordination, and advance approvals for major Summit elements.

21) What types of things require advance approval by the U.S. Embassy Phnom Penh?

The announcement specifies that major elements require advance approval, including the choice of dates, venue, accommodations, and menus; the final selection of participants, mentors, and speakers; the titles, format, and content of workshops and other activities; and the design and content of marketing, publicity, and media products.

22) What communication and reporting expectations are described?

The opportunity highlights the need for regular, transparent communication with the grants officer, grants officer representative, and program officer through email, phone, video calls, and in-person meetings when appropriate.

23) What does the cooperative agreement structure mean for timelines and planning?

It means applicants should plan for an iterative review process. Because many components require Embassy feedback and formal sign-off, timelines should account for revisions and approval cycles for program content, logistics, and communications products.

24) What is the application deadline listed for this opportunity?

The original closing date for applications was June 21, 2022.

25) When was this opportunity created?

The opportunity was created on April 11, 2022.

26) What role does the recipient play in selecting participants, mentors, and speakers?

The recipient manages the process, but the final selection of participants, mentors, and speakers requires advance approval by the U.S. Embassy Phnom Penh.

27) Who approves the Summit's marketing and media materials?

The U.S. Embassy Phnom Penh must approve the design and content of marketing, publicity, and media products. The promotion-ready photo album is also explicitly required to be approved by the Embassy.

28) What must be handed over to the Embassy after the Summit concludes?

After the Summit, the recipient must provide the Embassy with complete design files and all photos and video recorded, along with the final photo album and the video series documenting the Summit.

29) Is choosing the event location fully up to the recipient?

No. The recipient proposes the location and confirms it with Embassy input, and the venue (along with dates, accommodations, and menus) is among the areas requiring advance Embassy approval.

30) What kind of organizational capacity does this opportunity assume?

Based on the stated duties, the opportunity assumes the recipient has strong operational capacity to run a large event end-to-end, manage secure online application systems, coordinate across multiple U.S. embassies, and execute travel/logistics plus communications and media production under an approval-heavy cooperative agreement model.