Protecting American Commercial Investments in Pakistan | DFOP0017807

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1) What is the title and opportunity number of this grant?

The opportunity is titled Protecting American Commercial Investments in Pakistan and the opportunity number is DFOP0017807.

2) Which U.S. government office is offering this funding?

This is a U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Counterterrorism funding opportunity.

3) What type of funding instrument is being used?

The opportunity will be awarded as a cooperative agreement, which generally implies substantial U.S. government involvement in implementation compared to a standard grant.

4) What is the main purpose of the program?

The core purpose is to strengthen Pakistan's law enforcement counterterrorism capacity in Balochistan Province to improve the ability to identify, disrupt, and deter terrorist networks and protect critical infrastructure connected to commercial activity.

5) How does the opportunity connect to U.S. interests?

The program is framed as protecting American economic and security interests by reducing threats that could disrupt U.S. commercial access to critical minerals tied to advanced technology, defense manufacturing, and broader economic competitiveness.

6) Why is Balochistan Province the focus?

Balochistan is highlighted as strategically significant because it contains substantial deposits of critical minerals, and the opportunity emphasizes securing areas tied to mineral extraction and related infrastructure.

7) What threat environment is described in the opportunity?

The notice describes a persistent and operationally serious threat environment in Balochistan involving multiple terrorist organizations that pose risks to regional stability, critical infrastructure, and commercial activity.

8) Which terrorist organizations are specifically named?

The opportunity specifically names the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), ISIS-K, and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) as active in Balochistan.

9) What outcomes is the U.S. government seeking?

The U.S. government is seeking a program that improves Pakistan's ability to identify, disrupt, and deter terrorist networks in Balochistan, with the downstream effect of protecting infrastructure and enabling sustained commercial access in a volatile operating environment.

10) What kinds of activities are expected under this program?

Expected activities include critical infrastructure protection technical assistance, with the possibility of complementary equipment provision where appropriate.

11) Is the program focused more on training, equipment, or operations?

The language suggests a focus on practical, operationally relevant improvements rather than purely conceptual training. Any equipment is implied to be supportive of longer-term capability, not a substitute for institutional capacity.

12) What does the opportunity say about sustainability and long-term support?

A central requirement is sustainability and eventual self-sufficiency. The program is not intended to create long-term dependency on U.S. funding or ongoing U.S. operational support.

13) What does "Pakistani ownership" mean in this context?

The opportunity emphasizes Pakistani ownership and "graduation" to self-sufficiency, meaning proposed activities should transfer knowledge, build durable systems, and leave behind capability that can be maintained locally after the award ends.

14) What is the funding category and CFDA number?

The opportunity is listed under the Law, Justice and Legal Services category with CFDA 19.701.

15) What is the maximum award amount (ceiling)?

The award ceiling is $5,821,410.

16) How many awards does the funder expect to make?

The notice indicates one expected award, suggesting a single implementer or lead organization will likely be selected to run the program at scale.

17) When was the opportunity created?

The opportunity was created on 2026-04-29.

18) What is the application deadline?

The closing date is 2026-06-08.

19) Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is listed as unrestricted. The eligible applicant pool includes:

• Nonprofit organizations (including think tanks and NGOs)
• Public and private educational institutions
• For-profit organizations
• Public international organizations
• Governmental institutions

20) Does the opportunity explicitly aim to benefit U.S. taxpayers?

Yes. The opportunity is framed as producing tangible benefits for U.S. taxpayers by reducing threats that could disrupt U.S. commercial access to critical minerals tied to economic competitiveness and security.

21) How does the opportunity relate to U.S. national strategy?

The opportunity explicitly links its rationale to the 2025 National Security Strategy emphasis that economic security underpins national security and that the United States must maintain reliable access to essential goods.

22) What is the intended end state for Pakistani law enforcement capacity?

The preferred outcome is a competent, independently functioning Pakistani law enforcement apparatus that can secure high-value areas and infrastructure in Balochistan without repeated U.S. infusions of resources.

23) Is this program intended to provide ongoing U.S. operational support in the field?

No. The notice emphasizes that the program should avoid long-term dependency and should instead build institutional capability so Pakistan can plan and execute counterterrorism functions independently over time.

24) What kinds of assets or locations are implied to be priorities for protection?

The opportunity emphasizes securing areas tied to critical mineral extraction and related infrastructure connected to mineral supply chains, which are described as high-value and vulnerable in the local threat environment.