Simpler Grants.gov #DFOP0018082

Technical Assistance to Counter ISIS-K Online Recruitment in Central Asia

This opportunity from the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Counterterrorism seeks proposals to counter ISIS-K's online recruitment of Central Asian foreign workers, especially Tajik and Uzbek speakers. - Government Buyer: - U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Counterterrorism - Scope and Activities: - Technical assistance to civilian law enforcement partners in Central Asia (Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Turkmenistan) - Focus on disrupting terrorist recruitment pipelines threatening U.S. interests and homeland security - Activities may include: - Online peer engagement and digital literacy training - Pre-departure and on-arrival consultations for at-risk individuals - Strengthening trust between law enforcement and communities - Enhancing information-sharing platforms and digital forensics capabilities - Partnerships with NGOs and experts to identify and disrupt online terrorist recruitment - Prosecution support and third-party evaluations - Products and Services Requested: - Technical assistance and capacity building services (no specific OEMs or commercial products required) - Equipment (e.g., generators, laptops, cell phones) and supplies for program implementation - Subrecipient and contractor services for audits, IT, and professional consulting - Notable Requirements: - No cost sharing or matching required - Open to nonprofits, educational institutions, for-profits (if allowed), public international organizations, and governmental institutions - Prohibition on certain telecommunications equipment - Funding and Performance: - Cooperative agreement with up to $986,679 in funding - Performance period up to 24 months - No specific OEMs or commercial vendors are named, as the focus is on services and technical assistance rather than product procurement.

Description

The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Counterterrorism (CT) is offering funding for projects aimed at countering ISIS-K’s online radicalization and recruitment of Central Asian foreign workers, especially Tajik and Uzbek speakers. The initiative targets the sophisticated use of multilingual online propaganda by ISIS-K on social media, gaming platforms, and generative AI to recruit vulnerable labor migrants from Central Asia working abroad. The project focuses on early investigative interventions to disrupt terrorist recruitment pipelines that could lead to attacks on U.S. soil or against U.S. interests. Activities may include online peer engagement, digital literacy training, strengthening trust between law enforcement and communities, enhancing information-sharing platforms, and improving digital forensics capabilities to support counterterrorism prosecutions.

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