Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for Grant Proposals for Study of the U.S. Institute for Bolivian Indigenous Student Leaders, 19825-19830 [05-7511]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 71 (Thursday, April 14, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19825-19830]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-7511]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 5049]


Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for 
Grant Proposals for Study of the U.S. Institute for Bolivian Indigenous 
Student Leaders

    Announcement Type: New Cooperative Agreement.
    Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/A/E/USS-05-09-BSL.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 00.000.
    Key Dates:
    Application Deadline: June 1, 2005.
    Executive Summary: The Study of the U.S. Branch, Office of Academic 
Exchange Programs, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, 
announces an open competition for public and private non-profit 
organizations to develop and implement a four-week ``Study of the 
United States Institute for Bolivian Indigenous Student Leaders'' to 
take place in January or January-February 2006. This program is to be 
conducted in Spanish as the primary language of instruction. It is 
designed to provide a group of 12 to 15 highly motivated undergraduate 
student leaders representing the Bolivian indigenous population with a 
four-week academic seminar and educational travel program that will 
give them a deeper understanding of U.S. society, culture, values and 
institutions, while at the same time assisting these participants in 
the further development of their leadership potential and collective 
problem-solving skills.
    The Bureau anticipates providing one assistance award to support 
this program.
    Program participants will be drawn principally from the Quechua and 
Aymara indigenous groups of Bolivia, but should include students from 
some of Bolivia's 30 other ethnic groups. The participants will be 
identified and selected by the U.S. Embassy in La Paz, in consultation 
with the State Department's Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs and 
ECA.
    Participants will be selected on the basis of their demonstrated 
leadership capacity as well as academic achievement, community 
involvement and interest in learning about the United States. It is 
expected that they will draw on the experience derived from this 
institute in future positions of leadership in their community and home 
country.

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Authority: Overall grant making authority for these programs is 
contained in the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961, 
Public Law 87-256, as amended, also known as the Fulbright-Hays Act. 
The purpose of the Act is ``to enable the Government of the United 
States to increase mutual understanding between the people of the 
United States and the people of other countries * * *; to strengthen 
the ties which unite us with other nations by demonstrating the 
educational and cultural interests, developments, and achievements of 
the people of the United States and other nations * * * and thus to 
assist in the development of friendly, sympathetic and peaceful 
relations between the United States and the other countries of the 
world.''
    Based on a group of 12 to 15 participants, the total Bureau-funded 
budget (program and administrative) for the Study of the U.S. Institute 
for Bolivian Indigenous Student Leaders should be approximately 
$230,000. Please Note: Proposals for programs involving between 12 and 
15 participants will be eligible for consideration, however preference 
will be given to proposals that accommodate larger numbers of 
participants, up to the maximum of 15 (12 participants should be the 
minimum).
    Applicants must submit a comprehensive budget for the entire 
program. The Bureau reserves the right to reduce, revise, or increase 
proposal budgets in accordance with the needs of the program, and 
availability of U.S. government funding.
    Purpose: The Bureau is seeking detailed proposals for the Study of 
the United States Institute for Bolivian Indigenous Student Leaders 
from U.S. liberal arts colleges, universities, consortia of colleges 
and universities, and other not-for-profit academic organizations, that 
have an established reputation in one or more of the following fields: 
political science, international relations, law, history, sociology, 
U.S. studies, and/or other disciplines or sub-disciplines related to 
the study of the United States.
    The academic program should be designed to illuminate the history 
and evolution of U.S. society, culture, values and institutions, 
broadly defined. It should include attention to the role and influence 
of principles and values such as democracy, the rule of law, individual 
rights, freedom of expression, equality, diversity and tolerance in 
American life and society, and provide insight into the nature of the 
political process in the United States. The concepts of individual and 
civic responsibility, volunteerism and community involvement should 
also be addressed. To the extent feasible, hands-on activities related 
to these areas should be included in the program.
    Within this broader framework, the program should also include a 
focus on how different social and ethnic groups interact in American 
society and politics, and how disadvantaged populations within the 
U.S.--e.g., Native Americans and other minorities, immigrants and other 
populations--have been able to overcome discrimination or exclusion and 
enter the mainstream of American economic, political and social life. 
The program should examine current political, social and economic 
issues and debates relating to these groups and their relations with 
broader U.S. society. Participants also should learn how free 
enterprise, free trade, foreign investment, and creation of economic 
zones can promote economic development and economic opportunity.
    In light of the foregoing, it will be important that applicant 
institutions demonstrate a competence in such areas as civil rights, 
governance in ethnically and socially diverse communities, interactions 
between different social, cultural and ethnic groups, and strategies to 
promote economic opportunity among disadvantaged groups. Applicant 
institutions are strongly encouraged to involve organizations that 
represent these interests and groups in the planning and implementation 
of the institute.
    In addition to promoting a better understanding of the United 
States and of how diverse groups interact and cooperate within the 
U.S., an important objective of this institute is to help the 
participants develop their leadership and consensus-building skills. In 
this context, the program should include lectures as well as group 
discussions and exercises focusing on such topics as the essential 
attributes of leadership; ``teambuilding;'' developing effective 
communication and problem-solving skills; and managing change in 
different organizational settings.
    Because the program will be conducted in Spanish as the primary 
language of instruction, applicant institutions must demonstrate that 
most

[[Page 19826]]

if not all the institute faculty, as well as guest speakers, 
administrative staff, and others who will be prominently involved in 
program implementation are fluent Spanish speakers, or that appropriate 
arrangements for translation services can be made within the confines 
of the program budget.
    The program should be four weeks in length with a domestic travel 
component of not more than seven (7) days, including a concluding 2-3 
days in Washington, DC, at the end of the program. This travel 
component should directly complement the academic residency segment. It 
should include visits to cities and other sites of interest in the 
region of the host institution.
    The institute should be organized through an integrated, balanced 
series of lectures, readings, seminar discussions, experiential 
learning exercises, regional travel, and site visits. The academic 
component should encourage active participation by the students in 
lecture and panel formats, as well as through activities such as group 
projects and debates. Opportunities for participants to meet ordinary 
Americans from different social, ethnic and economic backgrounds should 
be arranged in the form of dinners or weekend home stays with local 
families, meetings of civic organizations, or get-togethers with 
American students. Participants may be invited to speak to appropriate 
student and civic groups about their experiences and life in their home 
country.
    Applicants are encouraged to design thematically coherent programs 
in ways that draw upon the particular strengths, faculty and resources 
of their institutions and communities as well as upon the nationally 
recognized expertise of scholars and other experts throughout the 
United States. Within the limits of their thematic focus and organizing 
framework, Institute programs should also be designed to:
    1. Bring an interdisciplinary or multi-disciplinary focus to bear 
on the program content;
    2. give participants a multi-dimensional view of U.S. society and 
institutions that includes a broad and balanced range of perspectives. 
Where possible, programs should therefore include the views not only of 
scholars but also other professionals such as government officials, 
representatives of non-governmental or community service organizations, 
journalists, and others who can substantively contribute to the topics 
at issue; and
    3. ensure access to library and material resources that will enable 
grantees to continue their research and study upon returning to their 
home institutions.
    The project director or one of the key program staff responsible 
for the academic program must have an advanced degree in political 
science, international relations, law, history, sociology, U.S. studies 
and/or other disciplines or sub-disciplines related to the study of the 
United States. Programs must conform with Bureau requirements and 
guidelines outlined in the Solicitation Package. Bureau programs are 
subject to the availability of funds.
    The host institution will also be expected to provide participants 
post-program opportunities for further investigation and research on 
the topics and issues examined and discussed during the institute.
    Participants: As specified in the Project Objectives, Goals and 
Implementation (POGI) guidelines in the solicitation package, 
participants in the ``Study of the United States Institute for Bolivian 
Indigenous Student Leaders'' will be highly motivated students 
representing the Quechua, Aymara and other indigenous populations who 
are enrolled as first, second or third year undergraduates at Bolivian 
universities. Participants will be fully conversant in Spanish, which 
is the language of instruction in many Bolivian universities; however, 
they will likely have very limited or no working knowledge of English. 
All participants will have demonstrated academic excellence, leadership 
potential as manifested through, e.g., community involvement, and a 
serious interest in learning more about the United States.
    Participants will be identified and selected by the U.S. Embassy in 
La Paz in consultation with the State Department's Bureau of Western 
Hemisphere Affairs and ECA. A mix of male and female participants will 
be included, and a mix of ethnic, religious and cultural backgrounds 
represented. The students' major fields are expected to vary, including 
the humanities, social sciences, education, business, and other 
professional fields.
    All participants in this program will be required to return home to 
continue their university studies following completion of their 
Institute program. They will have had little or no prior study or 
travel experience in the United States or elsewhere outside of their 
home country, and must be willing and able to fully participate in an 
intensive academic program, community service, and active educational 
travel program. As participants will be selected in part on the basis 
of their demonstrated leadership capacity, it is expected they will use 
the experience derived from the program in positions of responsibility 
in their communities and country in the future.
    Please note: Special attention will be required on the part of the 
host institution to the students' limited knowledge of the U.S. and 
their varying levels of academic sophistication. Particular sensitivity 
also may be required on the part of the host institution to the 
cultural traditions and religious practices of the participating 
students, who will represent a variety of ethnic and religious groups. 
Special requirements and restrictions regarding diet, worship, housing 
and medical care may need to be considered. ECA will provide guidance 
and assistance, as needed.
    Program Dates: The Study of the United States Institute for 
Bolivian Indigenous Student Leaders should be 28 days in length 
(including participant arrival and departure days). The institute 
should begin in early to mid-January 2006 and conclude either in late 
January or early February 2006.
    Program Guidelines: The conception and structure of the institute 
program is the responsibility of the organizers. It is critically 
important that proposals provide a full, detailed and comprehensive 
narrative describing the objectives of the institute; the title, scope 
and content of each session; planned site visits; and, how each session 
relates to the overall institute theme(s). A syllabus must be included 
that indicates the subject matter for each lecture, panel discussion or 
other activity (e.g., group exercises), confirms or provisionally 
identifies proposed lecturers and session leaders, and clearly shows 
how assigned readings will support each session (assigned readings 
should be Spanish-language only). A calendar of all program activities 
must also be included. The recipient may be required to obtain review 
and approval of significant agenda/syllabus changes in advance of their 
implementation.


    Note: In a cooperative agreement, ECA is substantially involved 
in program activities above and beyond routine grant monitoring. ECA 
activities and responsibilities for this program are as follows: ECA 
will participate in the selection of participants, will exercise 
oversight with one or more site visits and will debrief participants 
while in the U.S. and also engage in follow-up communications with 
the participants upon their return home. ECA may require changes in 
the activities proposed even after the grant is awarded.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Cooperative Agreement. ECA's level of involvement

[[Page 19827]]

in this program is described in section I above.
    Fiscal Year Funds: FY-2005.
    Approximate Total Funding: $230,000.
    Approximate Number of Awards: 1.
    Approximate Average Award: $230,000.
    Floor of Award Range: $200,000.
    Ceiling of Award Range: $230,000.
    Anticipated Award Date: Pending availability of funds, August 1, 
2005.
    Anticipated Project Completion Date: September 30, 2006.

III. Eligibility Information

III.1. Eligible Applicants

    Applications may be submitted by public and private non-profit 
organizations meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code 
section 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3).

III.2. Cost Sharing or Matching Funds

    There is no minimum or maximum percentage required for this 
competition. However, the Bureau encourages applicants to provide 
maximum levels of cost sharing and funding in support of its programs.
    When cost sharing is offered, it is understood and agreed that the 
applicant must provide the amount of cost sharing as stipulated in its 
proposal and later included in an approved grant agreement. Cost 
sharing may be in the form of allowable direct or indirect costs. For 
accountability, you must maintain written records to support all costs 
which are claimed as your contribution, as well as costs to be paid by 
the Federal government. Such records are subject to audit. The basis 
for determining the value of cash and in-kind contributions must be in 
accordance with OMB Circular A-110, (Revised), subpart C.23--Cost 
Sharing and Matching. In the event you do not provide the minimum 
amount of cost sharing as stipulated in the approved budget, ECA's 
contribution will be reduced in like proportion.

III.3. Other Eligibility Requirements

    (a) Bureau grant guidelines require that organizations with fewer 
than four years experience in conducting international exchanges be 
limited to $60,000 in Bureau funding. ECA anticipates awarding one 
assistance award in an amount up to $230,000 for the Study of the U.S. 
Institute for Bolivian Indigenous Student Leaders. Therefore, 
organizations with less than four years experience in conducting 
international exchanges are ineligible to apply under this competition. 
The Bureau encourages applicants to provide maximum levels of cost 
sharing and funding in support of its programs.
    (b) Technical Eligibility: All proposals must comply with the 
following: The project director or one of the key program staff 
responsible for the academic program must have an advanced degree in 
one of the following fields: political science, international 
relations, law, history, sociology, literature, U.S. studies, and/or 
other disciplines or sub-disciplines related to the program themes.
    Failure to meet this criterion will result in your proposal being 
declared technically ineligible and given no further consideration in 
the review process.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    Note: Please read the complete Federal Register announcement 
before sending inquiries or submitting proposals. Staff in ECA's 
Study of the U.S. Branch ECA/A/E/USS) staff will be available to 
consult with prospective applicant institutions about proposal 
preparation and program design and content up until the proposal 
submission deadline. Once the RFGP deadline has passed, Bureau staff 
may not discuss this competition with applicants until the proposal 
review process has been completed.

IV.1. Contact Information To Request an Application Package

    Please contact the Branch for the Study of the U.S., ECA/A/E/USS, 
Room Number 252, U.S. Department of State, SA-44, 301 4th Street, SW., 
Washington, DC 20547, telephone number (202) 453-8536 and fax number 
(202) 453-8533, email BendaPM@State.gov to request a Solicitation 
Package. Please refer to the Funding Opportunity Number ECA/A/E/USS-05-
09-BSL when making your request.
    The Solicitation Package contains the Proposal Submission 
Instruction (PSI) document which consists of required application 
forms, and standard guidelines for proposal preparation.
    It also contains the Project Objectives, Goals and Implementation 
(POGI) document, which provides specific information, award criteria 
and budget instructions tailored to this competition.

IV.2. To Download a Solicitation Package Via Internet

    The entire Solicitation Package may be downloaded from the Bureau's 
Web site at https://exchanges.state.gov/education/rfgps/menu.htm. Please 
read all information before downloading.

IV.3. Content and Form of Submission

    Applicants must follow all instructions in the Solicitation 
Package. The original and eight (8) copies of the application should be 
sent per the instructions under IV.3e. ``Submission Dates and Times 
section'' below.
    IV.3a. You are required to have a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal 
Numbering System (DUNS) number to apply for a grant or cooperative 
agreement from the U.S. Government. This number is a nine-digit 
identification number, which uniquely identifies business entities. 
Obtaining a DUNS number is easy and there is no charge. To obtain a 
DUNS number, access https://www.dunandbradstreet.com or call 1-866-705-
5711. Please ensure that your DUNS number is included in the 
appropriate box of the SF-424 which is part of the formal application 
package.
    IV.3b. All proposals must contain an executive summary, proposal 
narrative and budget.
    Please refer to the solicitation package. It contains the mandatory 
Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) document and the Project 
Objectives, Goals and Implementation (POGI) document for additional 
formatting and technical requirements.
    IV.3c. You must have nonprofit status with the IRS at the time of 
application. If your organization is a private nonprofit which has not 
received a grant or cooperative agreement from ECA in the past three 
years, or if your organization received nonprofit status from the IRS 
within the past four years, you must submit the necessary documentation 
to verify nonprofit status as directed in the PSI document. Failure to 
do so will cause your proposal to be declared technically ineligible.
    IV.3d. Please take into consideration the following information 
when preparing your proposal narrative:
IV.3d.1 Adherence to All Regulations Governing the J Visa
    The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs is placing renewed 
emphasis on the secure and proper administration of Exchange Visitor (J 
visa) Programs and adherence by grantees and sponsors to all 
regulations governing the J visa. Therefore, proposals should 
demonstrate the applicant's capacity to meet all requirements governing 
the administration of the Exchange Visitor Programs as set forth in 22 
CFR 62, including the oversight of Responsible Officers and Alternate 
Responsible Officers, screening and selection of program participants, 
provision of pre-arrival information and orientation to participants, 
monitoring of participants, proper maintenance and security of forms, 
record-keeping, reporting and

[[Page 19828]]

other requirements. ECA will be responsible for issuing DS-2019 forms 
to participants in this program.
    A copy of the complete regulations governing the administration of 
Exchange Visitor (J) programs is available at https://
exchanges.state.gov or from: United States Department of State, Office 
of Exchange Coordination and Designation, ECA/EC/ECD-SA-44, Room 734, 
301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547, Telephone: (202) 401-9810, 
FAX: (202) 401-9809.
    Please refer to Solicitation Package for further information.
IV.3d.2 Diversity, Freedom and Democracy Guidelines
    Pursuant to the Bureau's authorizing legislation, programs must 
maintain a non-political character and should be balanced and 
representative of the diversity of American political, social, and 
cultural life. ``Diversity'' should be interpreted in the broadest 
sense and encompass differences including, but not limited to 
ethnicity, race, gender, religion, geographic location, socio-economic 
status, and disabilities. Applicants are strongly encouraged to adhere 
to the advancement of this principle both in program administration and 
in program content. Please refer to the review criteria under the 
'Support for Diversity' section for specific suggestions on 
incorporating diversity into your proposal. Public Law 104-319 provides 
that ``in carrying out programs of educational and cultural exchange in 
countries whose people do not fully enjoy freedom and democracy,'' the 
Bureau ``shall take appropriate steps to provide opportunities for 
participation in such programs to human rights and democracy leaders of 
such countries.'' Public Law 106-113 requires that the governments of 
the countries described above do not have inappropriate influence in 
the selection process. Proposals should reflect advancement of these 
goals in their program contents, to the full extent deemed feasible.
IV.3d.3. Program Monitoring and Evaluation
    Proposals must include a plan to monitor and evaluate the project's 
success, both as the activities unfold and at the end of the program. 
The Bureau recommends that your proposal include a draft survey 
questionnaire or other technique plus a description of a methodology to 
use to link outcomes to original project objectives. The Bureau expects 
that the grantee will track participants or partners and be able to 
respond to key evaluation questions, including satisfaction with the 
program, learning as a result of the program, changes in behavior as a 
result of the program, and effects of the program on institutions 
(institutions in which participants work or partner institutions). The 
evaluation plan should include indicators that measure gains in mutual 
understanding as well as substantive knowledge.
    Successful monitoring and evaluation depend heavily on setting 
clear goals and outcomes at the outset of a program. Your evaluation 
plan should include a description of your project's objectives, your 
anticipated project outcomes, and how and when you intend to measure 
these outcomes (performance indicators). The more that outcomes are 
``smart'' (specific, measurable, attainable, results-oriented, and 
placed in a reasonable time frame), the easier it will be to conduct 
the evaluation. You should also show how your project objectives link 
to the goals of the program described in this RFGP.
    Your monitoring and evaluation plan should clearly distinguish 
between program outputs and outcomes. Outputs are products and services 
delivered, often stated as an amount. Output information is important 
to show the scope or size of project activities, but it cannot 
substitute for information about progress towards outcomes or the 
results achieved. Examples of outputs include the number of people 
trained or the number of seminars conducted. Outcomes, in contrast, 
represent specific results a project is intended to achieve and is 
usually measured as an extent of change. Findings on outputs and 
outcomes should both be reported, but the focus should be on outcomes.
    We encourage you to assess the following four levels of outcomes, 
as they relate to the program goals set out in the RFGP (listed here in 
increasing order of importance):
    1. Participant satisfaction with the program and exchange 
experience.
    2. Participant learning, such as increased knowledge, aptitude, 
skills, and changed understanding and attitude. Learning includes both 
substantive (subject-specific) learning and mutual understanding.
    3. Participant behavior, concrete actions to apply knowledge in 
work or community; greater participation and responsibility in civic 
organizations; interpretation and explanation of experiences and new 
knowledge gained; continued contacts between participants, community 
members, and others.
    4. Institutional changes, such as increased collaboration and 
partnerships, policy reforms, new programming, and organizational 
improvements.
    Please note: Consideration should be given to the appropriate 
timing of data collection for each level of outcome. For example, 
satisfaction is usually captured as a short-term outcome, whereas 
behavior and institutional changes are normally considered longer-term 
outcomes.
    Overall, the quality of your monitoring and evaluation plan will be 
judged on how well it (1) specifies intended outcomes; (2) gives clear 
descriptions of how each outcome will be measured; (3) identifies when 
particular outcomes will be measured; and (4) provides a clear 
description of the data collection strategies for each outcome (i.e., 
surveys, interviews, or focus groups). (Please note that evaluation 
plans that deal only with the first level of outcomes [satisfaction] 
will be deemed less competitive under the present evaluation criteria.)
    Please note: Because the cooperative agreement prospectively to be 
awarded under the terms of the present RFGP is likely to be of less 
than one year's duration, host institutions will not be expected to be 
able to demonstrate significant specific results in terms of 
participant behavior or institutional changes during the agreement 
period. Applicant institutions' monitoring and evaluation plans should, 
therefore, focus primarily on the first and more particularly the 
second level of outcomes (learning). ECA/A/E/USS will assume principal 
responsibility for developing performance indicators and conducting 
post-institute evaluations to measure changes in participant behavior 
as a result of the program, and effect of the program on institutions, 
over time.
    Grantees will be required to provide reports analyzing their 
evaluation findings to the Bureau in their regular program reports. All 
data collected, including survey responses and contact information, 
must be maintained for a minimum of three years and provided to the 
Bureau upon request.
IV.3d.4. Describe Your Plans for Overall Program Management, Staffing, 
and Coordination With ECA
    ECA considers program management, staffing and coordination with 
the Department of State essential elements of your program. Please be 
sure to give sufficient attention to these elements in your proposal. 
Please refer to the Technical Eligibility Requirements and the POGI in 
the Solicitation package for specific guidelines.
    IV.3e. Please take the following information into consideration 
when preparing your budget:

[[Page 19829]]

    IV.3e.1. Applicants must submit a comprehensive budget for the 
entire program. There must be a summary budget as well as breakdowns 
reflecting both administrative and program budgets. Applicants may 
provide separate sub-budgets for each program component, phase, 
location, or activity to provide clarification.
    Applicants must submit a comprehensive budget for the entire 
program. The Bureau reserves the right to reduce, revise, or increase 
proposal budgets in accordance with the needs of the program, and 
availability of U.S. government funding.
    Please refer to the ``POGI'' in the Solicitation Package for 
complete institute budget guidelines and formatting instructions.
IV.3e.2. Allowable Costs for the Program Include the Following
    (1) Institute staff salary and benefits.
    (2) Honoraria for guest speakers.
    (3) Participant per diem.
    Please refer to the Solicitation Package for complete budget 
guidelines and formatting instructions.
    IV.3f. Submission Dates and Times: Application Deadline Date: June 
1, 2005.
    Explanation of Deadlines: Due to heightened security measures, 
proposal submissions must be sent via a nationally recognized overnight 
delivery service (i.e., DHL, Federal Express, UPS, Airborne Express, or 
U.S. Postal Service Express Overnight Mail, etc.) and be shipped no 
later than the above deadline. The delivery services used by applicants 
must have in-place, centralized shipping identification and tracking 
systems that may be accessed via the Internet and delivery people who 
are identifiable by commonly recognized uniforms and delivery vehicles. 
Proposals shipped on or before the above deadline but received at ECA 
more than seven days after the deadline will be ineligible for further 
consideration under this competition. Proposals shipped after the 
established deadlines are ineligible for consideration under this 
competition. It is each applicant's responsibility to ensure that each 
package is marked with a legible tracking number and to monitor/confirm 
delivery to ECA via the Internet. ECA will not notify you upon receipt 
of application. Delivery of proposal packages may not be made via local 
courier service or in person for this competition. Faxed documents will 
not be accepted at any time. Only proposals submitted as stated above 
will be considered. Applications may not be submitted electronically at 
this time.
    Applicants must follow all instructions in the Solicitation 
Package. Important note: When preparing your submission please make 
sure to include one extra copy of the completed SF-424 form and place 
it in an envelope addressed to ``ECA/EX/PM.''
    The original and eight (8) copies of the application for the Study 
of the U.S. Institute for Bolivian Indigenous Student Leaders should be 
sent to: U.S. Department of State, SA-44, Bureau of Educational and 
Cultural Affairs, Program Management, ECA/EX/PM, Room 534, 301 4th 
Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547, Reference number: ECA/A/E/USS-05-09-
BSL.
    Along with the Project Title, all applicants must enter the above 
Reference Number in Box 11 on the SF-424 contained in the mandatory 
Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) of the solicitation document.
    IV.3g. Intergovernmental Review of Applications: Executive Order 
12372 does not apply to this program.
    Applicants are also requested to submit the ``Executive Summary'' 
and ``Proposal Narrative'' sections of the proposal in text (.txt) 
format on a PC-formatted disk.

V. Application Review Information

V.1. Review Process

    The Bureau will review all proposals for technical eligibility. 
Proposals will be deemed ineligible if they do not fully adhere to the 
guidelines stated herein and in the Solicitation Package. All eligible 
proposals will be reviewed by the ECA program office, the Bureau of 
Western Hemisphere Affairs, and the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. 
Embassy in La Paz. Eligible proposals will be subject to compliance 
with Federal and Bureau regulations and guidelines and forwarded to 
Bureau grant panels for advisory review. Proposals may also be reviewed 
by the Office of the Legal Adviser or by other Department elements. 
Final funding decisions are at the discretion of the Department of 
State's Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs. Final 
technical authority for cooperative agreements resides with the 
Bureau's Grants Officer.
Review Criteria
    Technically eligible applications will be competitively reviewed 
according to the criteria stated below. These criteria are not rank 
ordered and all carry equal weight in the proposal evaluation:
    1. Overall Quality: Proposals should exhibit originality and 
substance, consonant with the highest standards of American teaching 
and scholarship. Program design should reflect the main currents as 
well as the debates within the subject disciplines of each institute. 
Program elements should be tailored for students with limited knowledge 
of the U.S. and with varying degrees of academic sophistication. 
Lectures, panels, and other interactive classroom activities, readings, 
community service, and site visits, taken as a whole, should offer a 
balanced presentation of issues, reflecting both the continuity of the 
American experience as well the diversity and dynamism inherent in it.
    2. Program Planning and Administration: Proposals should 
demonstrate careful planning. The organization and structure of the 
institute should be clearly delineated and be fully responsive to all 
program objectives. A program syllabus (noting specific sessions and 
topical readings in Spanish supporting each academic unit) should be 
included, as should a calendar of activities. The travel component 
should not simply be a tour, but should be an integral and substantive 
part of the program, reinforcing and complementing the academic 
segment. Proposals should provide evidence of continuous administrative 
and managerial capacity as well as the means by which program 
activities and logistical matters will be implemented. Constant 
supervision will be required on the part of the host institution during 
the academic, extracurricular and daily life activities of the 
students.
    3. Ability to Achieve Program Objectives: Objectives should be 
reasonable, feasible, and flexible. Proposals should clearly 
demonstrate how the institution will meet the program's objectives and 
plan.
    4. Institutional Capacity: Proposed personnel, including faculty 
and administrative staff as well as outside presenters, should be fully 
qualified to achieve the project's goals. Library and meeting 
facilities, housing, meals, transportation and other logistical 
arrangements should fully meet the needs of participants.
    5. Institution's Record/Ability: Proposals should demonstrate an 
institutional record of successful exchange program activities, 
indicating the experience that the organization and its professional 
staff have had working with foreign students, particularly from Latin 
America. The Bureau will consider the past performance of prior 
recipients and the demonstrated potential of new applicants.
    6. Support of Diversity: Proposals should demonstrate substantive 
support of the Bureau's policy on diversity. ``Diversity'' should be 
interpreted in the

[[Page 19830]]

broadest sense and encompass differences including, but not limited to 
ethnicity, race, gender, religion, geographic location, socio-economic 
status, and disabilities. Applicants are strongly encouraged to adhere 
to the advancement of this principle both in program administration and 
in program content. Applicant institutions should highlight instances 
of diversity in their proposal.
    7. Project Evaluation and Follow-up: Proposals should include a 
plan to evaluate the activity's success, both as the activities unfold 
and at the end of the program. A draft survey questionnaire or other 
technique plus description of a methodology to use to link outcomes to 
original project objectives is strongly recommended. Proposals should 
also discuss provisions made for follow-up with returned grantees as a 
means of establishing longer-term individual and institutional 
linkages.
    8. Cost-Effectiveness/Cost Sharing: Proposals for programs 
involving between 12 and 15 participants will be eligible for 
consideration, however preference will be given to proposals that 
accommodate larger numbers of participants, up to the maximum of 15 (12 
participants should be the minimum). The overhead and administrative 
components of the proposal, including salaries and honoraria, should be 
kept as low as possible. All other items should be necessary and 
appropriate.

VI. Award Administration Information

VI.1. Award Notices

    Final awards cannot be made until funds have been appropriated by 
Congress, allocated and committed through internal Bureau procedures. 
Successful applicants will receive an Assistance Award Document (AAD) 
from the Bureau's Grants Office. The AAD and the original grant 
proposal with subsequent modifications (if applicable) shall be the 
only binding authorizing document between the recipient and the U.S. 
Government. The AAD will be signed by an authorized Grants Officer, and 
mailed to the recipient's responsible officer identified in the 
application.
    Unsuccessful applicants will receive notification of the results of 
the application review from the ECA program office coordinating this 
competition.

VI.2 Administrative and National Policy Requirements

    Terms and Conditions for the Administration of ECA agreements 
include the following:
    Office of Management and Budget Circular A-122, ``Cost Principles 
for Nonprofit Organizations.''
    Office of Management and Budget Circular A-21, ``Cost Principles 
for Educational Institutions.''
    OMB Circular A-87, ``Cost Principles for State, Local and Indian 
Governments.''
    OMB Circular No. A-110 (Revised), Uniform Administrative 
Requirements for Grants and Agreements with Institutions of Higher 
Education, Hospitals, and other Nonprofit Organizations.
    OMB Circular No. A-102, Uniform Administrative Requirements for 
Grants-in-Aid to State and Local Governments.
    OMB Circular No. A-133, Audits of States, Local Governments, and 
Non-profit Organizations.
    Please reference the following Web sites for additional 
information:

https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants.
https://exchanges.state.gov/education/grantsdiv/terms.htm#articleI.

VI.3. Reporting Requirements

    You must provide ECA with a hard copy original plus two copies of 
the following reports:
    Mandatory:
    (1) A final program and financial report no more than 90 days after 
the expiration of the award or the conclusion of the institute, 
whichever comes first;
    Grantees will be required to provide reports analyzing their 
evaluation findings to the Bureau in their regular program reports. 
(Please refer to IV. Application and Submission Instructions (IV.3d.3) 
above for Program Monitoring and Evaluation information.
    All data collected, including survey responses and contact 
information, must be maintained for a minimum of three years and 
provided to the Bureau upon request.
    All reports must be sent to the ECA Grants Officer and ECA Program 
Officer listed in the final assistance award document.

VI.4. Optional Program Data Requirements

    Organizations awarded grants will be required to maintain specific 
data on program participants and activities in an electronically 
accessible database format that can be shared with the Bureau as 
required. As a minimum, the data must include the following:
    (1) Name, address, contact information and biographic sketch of all 
persons who travel internationally on funds provided by the grant or 
who benefit from the grant funding but do not travel.
    (2) Itineraries of international and domestic travel, providing 
dates of travel and cities in which any exchange experiences take 
place. Final schedules for in-country and U.S. activities must be 
received by the ECA Program Officer at least three work days prior to 
the official opening of the activity.

VII. Agency Contacts

    For questions about this announcement, contact: Branch for the 
Study of the U.S., ECA/A/E/USS, Room Number 252, ECA/A/E/USS-05-09-BSL, 
Study of the U.S. Institute for Bolivian Indigenous Student Leaders, 
U.S. Department of State, SA-44, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 
20547, telephone number (202) 453-8536 and fax number (202) 453-8533, 
e-mail: BendaPM@State.gov.
    All correspondence with the Bureau concerning this RFGP should 
reference the above title and number ECA/A/E/USS-05-09-BSL.
    Please read the complete Federal Register announcement before 
sending inquiries or submitting proposals. Once the RFGP deadline has 
passed, Bureau staff may not discuss this competition with applicants 
until the proposal review process has been completed.

VIII. Other Information

    Notice: The terms and conditions published in this RFGP are binding 
and may not be modified by any Bureau representative. Explanatory 
information provided by the Bureau that contradicts published language 
will not be binding. Issuance of the RFGP does not constitute an award 
commitment on the part of the Government. The Bureau reserves the right 
to reduce, revise, or increase proposal budgets in accordance with the 
needs of the program and the availability of funds. Awards made will be 
subject to periodic reporting and evaluation requirements per section 
VI.3 above.

    Dated: April 6, 2005.
 C. Miller Crouch,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Educational and 
Cultural Affairs, Department of State.
[FR Doc. 05-7511 Filed 4-13-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P