The Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation, Office of Export Control Cooperation (ISN/ECC) invites applications to strengthen partner countries’ capabilities to comply with international strategic trade control (STC) norms and enforcement best practices.
ISN/ECC seeks to ensure countries have the necessary strategic trade control authorities to regulate transfers of dual-use items and sensitive and advanced technologies, including semiconductors, from misuse and diversion.
Thailand is a strategic trade hub in Southeast Asia and is in the early stages of implementing a STC system. The lack of a robust STC system increases the risks of unchecked proliferation and sanctions evasion. The PRC’s efforts to bypass U.S. sanctions and export controls on restricted technologies have intensified, and the PRC is using Southeast Asian regional neighbors who may serve as channels for procuring sensitive U.S.-origin items. Without rigorous export controls, Thailand’s evolving trade infrastructure—designed to attract global business—could inadvertently become a conduit for unlawful technology transfers, posing security threats to the United States and compromising global supply chain integrity.
Thailand adopted the Trade Controls of Weapons of Mass Destruction (TCWMD) Act in 2020 to regulate strategic items, such as military goods, radioactive materials, hazardous items, and other dual-use goods. However, due to the absence of crucial implementing regulations, the TCWMD Act remains largely unenforced. The lead agency for the TCWMD Act, the Department of Foreign Trade (DFT), is planning to start licensing nuclear items in 2025. To support this effort, ISN/ECC, in partnership with DFT, developed a licensing implementation roadmap to provide clear milestones to ensure Thailand will meet its goal.
To further support Thailand’s licensing implementation, ISN/ECC has identified crucial areas in which they can work with partners in enhancing Thailand’s capacity to license dual-use items and safeguard sensitive technologies.
Goals and Objectives
The goal of this project is to strengthen Thailand’s STC system, by ensuring robust regulatory and enforcement capacities are effectively implemented to regulate trade and transfers of goods, technologies, materials, and expertise that could be used for WMD, related delivery systems, or advanced conventional weapons. Work performed under this NOFO will strengthen the regulatory environments, implementation practices, and enforcement measures to prevent the misuse and diversion of sensitive technologies and other dual-use items.
Through this effort, ISN/ECC seeks to facilitate greater partnership and engagement with the Government of Thailand and industry, through trainings, workshops, or other appropriate methods, to encourage implementation, enforcement, and compliance of measures for the protection of technologies and dual-use items. Government entities will be equipped to regulate and license dual-use, sensitive, and advanced technologies. Companies will gain an understanding of Thailand’s STC requirements and their compliance expectations. Work performed in response to this NOFO should foster an environment that upholds interagency and industry independence and cooperation while advocating for strategic trade control measures.
ISN/ECC seeks to fund implementers to deliver tangible, measurable capacity development and technical assistance that addresses regulatory and institutional weaknesses and facilitates compliance with international strategic trade control norms and enforcement best practices. Proposals should reflect a clear understanding of the problem set, as well as efforts to deconflict with existing, ongoing programming and assistance to meet the relevant ISN/ECC Program goals.
Funding Information
Total available funding: $789,343.00
Award amounts: $789,343.00
Length of performance period: 24 months
Expected Outcomes
ISN/ECC expects to accomplish the following through implementation of this project:
Enhance foreign officials’ understanding of international strategic trade control norms and enforcement measures best practices.
Build capacity for implementing export controls and licensing.
Strengthen government agencies’ capacity to improve interagency functioning and cooperation.
Build capacity for implementing ICPs.
Increase industry’s understanding of compliance expectations and Thailand’s STC requirements.
Strengthen trust and collaboration between government agencies and industry.
Eligibility Criteria
The following U.S. or foreign organizations are eligible to apply:
Not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/non-governmental organizations
Public and private educational institutions
For-profit organizations. Applications submitted by for-profit entities may be subject to additional review following the panel selection process. Additionally, the Department of State prohibits profit to for-profit or commercial organizations under its assistance awards. Profit is defined as any amount in excess of allowable direct and indirect costs.
Public International Organizations and Governmental institutions.
