COMPETITION TYPE: 
Request for Application (RFA)
DETAIL DESCRIPTION: 
USAID/Armenia Justice Sector Support Project (hereinafter “JSSP” or the “Project’’) is seeking applications from the locally registered civil society organizations (hereinafter “CSO”), in accordance with the terms and provisions defined by the Armenian legal framework, for a funding opportunity to conduct court observational study evaluating the consistency and uniformity of judicial practices within the Armenian justice system with the aim of:
- Identifying and pinpointing the root causes of existing inconsistent judicial practice.
- Providing evidence-based insights and approaches to improve case law application and ensure uniform application of law.
- Contributing to the enhancement of judicial efficiency and supporting reforms in Armenia’s judicial sector.
- Strengthening civil society’s oversight on the justice reforms and enhancing the rule of law.
The selected CSO will conduct a comprehensive court observational study to evaluate the causes and impact of inconsistent application of law in Armenia’s judicial system. As a first step, the CSO will identify and specify the group of cases within the administrative or civil justice system that will be the focus of the upcoming research and study report to be produced. A key component of the study will involve analyzing case data available on DataLex.am, where the CSO will examine selected case records to identify variations in the application of law, interpretive inconsistencies, and other issues contributing to discrepancies in judicial decisions. In addition to data analysis from DataLex.am, the CSO should engage with the court personnel, litigants, lawyers, and stakeholders to gain insights into existing procedural practices and judicial interpretation challenges. The CSO should further compile findings and develop actionable recommendations based on both insights from interviews and analysis from Datalex.am while taking into consideration international best practices in ensuring uniform application of law. These recommendations will aim to promote uniform application of law and improve judicial consistency. The CSO will prepare detailed study reports, organize a final workshop to present the findings to stakeholders, all to enhance consistency in judicial decision-making and promote equitable access to justice. Therefore, the grantee shall demonstrate and comply with several requirements which should include but will not be limited to the following:
- Clearly define and justify the group of cases within the administrative or civil justice system to be analyzed.
- Use well-structured research methodology, including statistical analysis and case comparison techniques, to identify patterns of inconsistency in the application of law.
- Engage with relevant national stakeholders, including court personnel, litigants, lawyers, and other court actors, to gain qualitative insights and ensure a clear methodology for collecting and integrating insights from these engagements into the study.
- Prepare detailed report outlining the findings, analysis and conclusions.
- Ensure report is comprehensive, with clear evidence of identified inconsistencies and detailed actionable recommendations for promoting uniformity of judicial practice.
- Consider international best practices in uniform application of law when formulating targeted recommendations.
- Organize a workshop or a seminar to present findings and discuss recommendations with the key stakeholders. Facilitate dialogue and gather feedback from participants to refine recommendations as needed.
- Submit periodic progress reports on the research process, including any challenges encountered and adjustment made.
REQUIREMENTS: 
See Annex 1 of this RFA for eligibility requirements.
APPLICATION PROCEDURES: 
Deadline for Questions/Clarifications: December 27, 2024
Deadline for Responses to Questions/Clarifications: January 13, 2025
Deadline for Submitting Applications: January 27, 2025
Any questions concerning this RFA should be submitted in writing to: ***********@***********.*** no later than the deadline stated above. Responses to questions received prior to the deadline will be furnished through an amendment to this notice via e-mail. Phone calls are prohibited. Applications submitted after the deadline will not be considered.
The application must be submitted electronically to mail to: ***********@***********.*** (see Annex 5 for the Application Form). JSSP reserves the right to organize an informative conference workshop prior to the delivery of the application, if deemed necessary, to allow the eligible applicant to ask questions about the RFA and receive directions on how to fill out the application (see Annex 6 for Frequently Asked Questions).
Issuance of this RFA does not constitute an award commitment on the part of JSSP nor does it commit the JSSP to pay for any costs incurred in preparation or submission of comments/suggestions or an application. The application is submitted at the risk of the applicant. All preparation and submission costs are at the applicant’s expense. The maximum grant amount will be 9,600,000.00 (nine million six hundred thousand) Armenian Drams per grant award, for up to 6 months.
Please clearly mention in your application letter that you learned of this announcement through Career Center and mention the URL of its website - www.careercenter.am. Thanks.
OPEN TO/ ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: 
For applying to the grant application, the organization shall operate in the territory of the Republic of Armenia and must demonstrate that it meets the following criteria:
- Be officially registered and working non-profit organization in accordance with the terms and provisions defined by the Armenian legal framework.
- Have five or more years of experience in justice sector reforms and their oversight.
- Possess proven experience in conducting court observation studies, legal research, or related areas relevant to promoting justice reforms.
- Be qualified to receive grants within the meaning of Armenian legislation.
- Have relevant personnel (Project Manager, Legal Expert). Detailed staffing requirements are provided in Annex 2.
Selected grantees shall commit to meeting the following reporting requirements:
- Project proposal submitted prior to the commencement of activities, outlining the objectives, methodologies, and expected outcomes related to the study and to be applied. This should include a timeline for activities and a budget breakdown.
- Bi-monthly progress reports detailing the status of project activities, progress made, and any challenges encountered.
- Bi-monthly financial report alongside bi-monthly progress reports detailing expenditures against the USAID approved budget.
- Data collection and analysis report summarizing the data collection process from DataLex.am and other sources (if available), including methodologies applied for analysis. This should include preliminary findings and insights regarding inconsistencies in the application of law (Submission timing: month 3).
- Draft report outlining the key findings, analysis, and recommendations (Submission timing: month 5).
- Final report synthesizing all research findings, conclusions, and recommendations, submitted at the conclusion of the six-month project. Minimal requirement to the content of the Report are the following: Executive summary on the research and its significance; Comprehensive analysis of findings related to the unform application of law; Clear and actionable recommendations aimed at judicial reforms; Documentation of stakeholder engagement and feedback processes; Overview of how the implemented study aligns with international standards and best practices (Submission timing: month 6).
- Summary report following any workshop or knowledge-sharing event held to present findings and recommendations (Submission timing: within two weeks following the event).
- Final evaluation report outlining the overall impact of the study, including recommendations for future initiatives or follow-up projects based on lessons learned. (Submission timeline: end of month 6, along with the Final report).
- Final financial report along with final reports developed.
- Other deliverables that might be requested by JSSP within two weeks after the creation of the deliverable in question.
See Annex 1 of this RFA for eligibility requirements.
Grants will be awarded to applicants whose application (1) meets the minimum qualifications described above, and (2) best demonstrates commitment and capacity to achieve the objectives of this funding opportunity. See the selection criteria contained in Annex 1.
The applicant should make sure its staffing complies with the minimum staffing requirements specified in Annex 2. The review and evaluation procedures are specified in Annex 3.
To be eligible for an award, the applicant must provide all information as required in this RFA and meet eligibility standards specified in Annex 1 of this RFA. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that the entire RFA has been downloaded from the internet in its entirety and JSSP bears no responsibility for data errors resulting from the transmission process.
Qualified applicants are encouraged to read this funding opportunity thoroughly to understand the type of program sought, application submission requirements and evaluation process.
ATTACHMENTS:
Annex 1 - Eligibility and Selection Criteria - ANNEX 1_Eligibility and selection criteria.docx
Annex 2 - Minimum Staffing Requirements - ANNEX 2_Minimum Staffing Requirements.docx
Annex 3 - Review and Evaluation Procedure - ANNEX 3_Review and evaluation procedure.docx
Annex 4 - Budget - Annex 4_Budget.xlsx
Annex 5 - Application Form - ANNEX 5_Application form.docx
Annex 6 - FAQs - ANNEX 6_Frequently asked questions.docx
RFA - RFA- Grants for CSOs_uniform application of law.docx
Q&A - Q&A - Grant for Engaging Civil Society in Court Monitoring - Uniform Application of Law.pdf