Strengthening Private Sector Engagement to Counter Synthetic Drug Trafficking | SFOP0007230

Opportunity Information: Apply for SFOP0007230

The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), released a discretionary grant opportunity titled "Strengthening Private Sector Engagement to Counter Synthetic Drug Trafficking" (Funding Opportunity Number SFOP0007230). The basic aim is to reduce the flow of illicit synthetic drugs by making it harder for traffickers to use legitimate private-sector services and platforms as part of their supply chains. The premise is that many stages of synthetic drug production, shipment, marketing, payment, and delivery can touch lawful businesses, and closing off those access points can create meaningful disruptions that ultimately help prevent dangerous substances from reaching the United States.

The project is designed to improve coordination in two directions: first, between government authorities and private-sector entities, and second, within and across relevant industries themselves. INL emphasizes building stronger working relationships so that both sides have clearer channels to share information, align on roles, and stay current on emerging criminal methods. A core theme is awareness and responsiveness: government partners can provide insight into trafficking trends and typologies, while companies and industry groups can help identify how their products, services, or platforms are being exploited and what operational controls can realistically stop or deter that abuse.

Planned activities under the grant would focus on equipping private-sector actors to detect suspicious customers or transactions and to take remedial action when red flags appear. That generally implies developing or strengthening practical mechanisms such as communication protocols, industry coordination forums, referral and reporting pathways, and internal procedures that help firms recognize exploitation attempts. The opportunity description highlights that criminals increasingly rely on private-sector tools and infrastructure, so the project aims to ensure businesses are not only informed about those trends but also capable of acting on that knowledge in ways that reduce risk and deny traffickers easy access to commercial systems.

From an administrative standpoint, the funding instrument is a grant, categorized under Law, Justice, and Legal Services, with CFDA number 19.704. The award ceiling is $1,400,000, and the Department of State anticipated making one award under this solicitation. The opportunity was created on July 27, 2020, with an original closing date of August 27, 2020. Eligibility is listed broadly as "Others," with additional eligibility details referenced in the full announcement materials.

In practical terms, this opportunity is about building durable public-private partnerships that can move beyond ad hoc cooperation. The State Department is looking for efforts that create repeatable coordination mechanisms and strengthen industry capacity so companies can spot suspicious behavior earlier, share relevant insights responsibly, and implement measures that reduce the likelihood their services, platforms, or products will be leveraged in the synthetic drug trade. The intended outcome is a more hostile environment for traffickers across the legitimate touchpoints they depend on, resulting in greater disruption of the synthetic drug supply chain and improved protection of public health and safety.

• 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 "Strengthening Private Sector Engagement to Counter Synthetic Drug Trafficking" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.704.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jul 27, 2020.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 27, 2020. (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 $1,400,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for SFOP0007230

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