Cyber Exercises and Experiential Education (CE3)

The Cyber Exercises and Experiential Education (CE3) program is intended to bolster low-to-middle-income countries cybersecurity workforce by training and exposing their emerging student leaders to opportunities to engage in or pursue careers in cybersecurity policy and governance. The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy (CDP) announces an open competition for organizations with the capacity and interest to carry out the project outlined in this announcement. 2 of 23 Pending the availability of funds, CDP anticipates awarding 1 grant or cooperative agreement of up to $1,000,000 USD. CDP reserves the right to award more or less funding or make no award as is in the best interest of the US Government. A1. Background on CDP and the State Department’s Cyber Mission Recognizing the growing role of technology as a cross-cutting national security issue, the State Department created CDP in April 2022 to lead and coordinate U.S. diplomacy on cyber and digital policy. The bureau addresses the national security challenges and economic opportunities presented by cyberspace and digital technologies and promotes standards and norms that are fair, transparent, and support the rights-respecting use of technology. Through robust engagement in multilateral organizations, bilateral diplomacy with partners round the world, and encouragement of responsible state behavior in cyberspace, CDP empowers U.S. leadership in cyber, digital, and technology diplomacy. CDP deploys foreign assistance to strengthen international cooperation, create new partnerships, promote economic growth and development, and assist in the defense of our foreign partners to uphold an open, interoperable, secure, and reliable Internet. Calibrated cyber and digital policies help form the backbone of our deeply interconnected world, are vital to U.S. national and economic security, and are required to fully harness the transformative power of technology. As citizens around the world eagerly seek increased Internet connectivity to access the tremendous opportunities afforded by digital transformation, the United States is working to ensure this connectivity is secure, meaningful, governed fairly, and serves the interests of its users. Foreign assistance programs aim to advance an affirmative vision of technology as a tool that supports collective security, prosperity, and democratic values.