Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for Grant Proposals: English as a Foreign Language (EFL) Institute for Teachers from Bangladesh and Eastern India (West Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa), 25145-25150 [05-9489]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 91 (Thursday, May 12, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25145-25150]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-9489]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 5073]


Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for 
Grant Proposals: English as a Foreign Language (EFL) Institute for 
Teachers from Bangladesh and Eastern India (West Bengal, Bihar, and 
Orissa)

    Announcement Type: New Grant.
    Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/A/S/X-05-05.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 00.000.
    Key Dates:
    Application Deadline: June 9, 2005.
    Executive Sumary: The Fulbright Teacher Exchange Branch, Office of 
Global Educational Programs of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural 
Affairs (ECA) announces an open competition for an assistance award 
program to support the development of a regional teacher-training 
institute for South Asia. Accredited, post-secondary educational 
institutions meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code 
section 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3) may submit proposals to develop a joint 
English-as-a-Foreign Language (EFL) Institute for middle school 
teachers from Bangladesh and Eastern India (West Bengal, Bihar and 
Orissa). The Institute will provide an intensive six-week U.S. academic 
program for 10-15 qualified English teachers from each of the 
respective countries. A smaller number (4-6 for each country) of the 
U.S. partner

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teachers will travel to Bangladesh and Eastern India (West Bengal, 
Bihar and Orissa) to train other teachers with the project alumni in 
country.

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Authority: Overall grant making authority for this program 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.'' The funding authority for the program above is provided 
through legislation.
    Purpose: The Bureau asks for detailed proposals from U.S. 
institutions of higher education that have expertise in the field of 
EFL. Proposals should demonstrate a deep understanding of the local 
educational systems in Bangladesh and Eastern India (West Bengal, Bihar 
and Orissa) as well as the issues confronting English-language 
education there. Special expertise in handling cross-cultural programs 
is highly desirable. Proposals should also outline practical and 
feasible follow-on activities that build on the achievements of the 
program while promoting the continued exchanges of ideas between the 
participants, their U.S. partners and the U.S. institution receiving 
the grant.
    The proposal should reflect five overall goals: (1) To produce a 
highly focused ``Institute'' (seminar) that enables participants to 
improve their English speaking and reading skills; (2) to provide 
training that updates participants in best practices in EFL at the 
middle school level; (3) to provide training that will improve 
participants' teaching skills, to include student-centered learning and 
``train the trainer'' skills that they can use to conduct workshops on 
institute topics in their home countries in the future; (4) to arrange 
for participants to shadow U.S. teachers at schools with whom they will 
partner to develop training modules which they will use to train other 
teachers in their home districts in Bangladesh and Eastern India; and 
(5) to provide participants with opportunities to interact with 
Americans, thereby affording them the opportunity to gain awareness and 
understanding of U.S. culture and society and to discuss their culture 
with Americans.
    Program Design: (Stage I) Participants will be recruited and 
selected in country by the Public Affairs Section (PAS) of the U.S. 
Embassy in Dhaka and the U.S. Consulate in Calcutta, coordinating 
closely with the Regional English Language Office in New Delhi and in 
consultation with the Bangladeshi and Indian Ministries of Education. 
U.S. Embassy and Consulate officials will work with the Ministries to 
facilitate follow-on activities.
    After participants have been selected, but prior to their arrival 
in the U.S., grantee institution representatives will visit both 
countries to consult with representatives from the PAS of the U.S. 
Embassy in Dhaka and the U.S. Consulate in Calcutta. After consultation 
with PAS representatives, the grantee institution will conduct a three-
day pre-departure orientation workshop for the participants. This 
workshop should provide information about the Institute, its goals and 
expectations of the program participants. It should also relate the 
Institute objectives to participants' previous training and experience, 
and promote team-building strategies. At the workshops, organizers 
should seek input from the Public Affairs Offices of the U.S. Embassy, 
Dhaka, the U.S. Consulate, Calcutta and the Regional English Language 
Office in New Delhi about the needs of local teachers, review 
comparative teaching practices, and address cultural and other 
practical issues concerning the participants' stay in the U.S.
    In planning the Institute's academic and work shadow activities, 
the U.S. grantee organization, in consultation with the Department of 
State's Office of English Language Programs, will identify and select 
specific training and instructional materials to supplement the school 
curriculums in Bangladesh and Eastern India. These materials will 
include books, cassette tapes, CD ROMs and other resources. The grantee 
should include $500-$800 per participant for these training and 
instructional materials in the budget submission. (See the budget 
section below.) The grantee will be responsible for purchasing these 
materials in coordination with the Department of State's Office of 
English Language Programs and for having them available at the training 
site. The materials will support the six-week academic and work shadow 
programs of the Institute as well as the in-country follow-on 
workshops. These materials are free of copyright and may be duplicated 
for distribution to local teachers and schools participating in the 
follow-on workshops.
    U.S. Based Training: (Stage II) Following the pre-departure 
orientation, participants will spend approximately six weeks in the 
U.S. immersed in the academic and work shadow programs of the Institute 
organized by the U.S. grantee. The Institute should meet the needs of 
the Bangladeshi and Indian participants through activities designed by 
U.S. education specialists with appropriate expertise in EFL 
instruction, curriculum development and training.
    The Institute should have three components: (1) A two-week 
intensive academic program, (2), a three-week work shadow that will 
partner foreign and U.S. teachers in team teaching practice, and (3), a 
three to four day cultural and educational program in Washington, DC. 
The training portion of the program should address innovative EFL 
teaching methodologies and approaches and their implementation in 
Bangladesh and India.
    In addition to the work shadow portion of the training, significant 
time should also be allotted for the inclusion of related professional 
activities outside the classroom that will introduce participants to 
U.S. education specialists, activities such as school visits, 
consultations with other U.S. teachers, and attendance at professional 
meetings. At a minimum, during the three-week team-teaching, work 
shadowing component, participants will observe best practices in EFL 
instruction and practice teaching in a U.S. school.
    Among the topics to be addressed during the Institute are: 
Introduction to computer use for EFL instruction, critical thinking, 
communication, conflict resolution, analytical and evaluation skills, 
and student development and motivation.
    Participants will not have previously visited the United States. In 
view of this, an initial orientation to the host institution and its 
community, as well as an introduction to U.S. society and its system of 
education, should be an integral part of the Institute and take place 
shortly after arrival on the U.S. campus. The six-week program should 
also include cultural activities that facilitate interaction among 
participants, with American students, faculty, and administrators and 
the local community to promote mutual understanding between the people 
of the United States and the people of Bangladesh and India.
    The final component of the Institute is the site visit to 
Washington, DC. The site visit should complement and reinforce the 
study program. Visit will include a meeting at the Bureau of

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Educational and Cultural Affairs and other meetings as advised by the 
Fulbright Teacher Exchange Branch of the Department of State and should 
include cultural sites, schools and educational organizations.
    Administration and management of the study program and the program 
in Washington, DC will be the responsibility of the U.S. grantee 
organization. The U.S. institution is responsible for domestic and 
international travel arrangements, as well as for lodging, food, and 
allowances for participants while at the host institution, in U.S. 
based schools during the work shadow portion of the program and in 
Washington, DC.
    In-country Workshops: (Stage III) The final stage of this program 
will consist of four to six follow-on workshops in each country in 
different schools facilitated by U.S. teachers and their Bangladeshi or 
Indian partners for in-country EFL teachers who did not participate in 
the U.S. program. At these workshops, Institute participants, in 
collaboration with U.S. teachers, will showcase the teaching strategies 
they developed in the U.S. and practice the teacher training skills 
acquired during the program. The U.S. grantee institution will be 
responsible for facilitating these workshops in close collaboration 
with PAS in Calcutta and Dhaka and the Regional English Language Office 
in New Delhi. The grantee institution will assist Institute 
participants and U.S. teacher teams to plan and organize workshops, and 
will coordinate travel and provide an orientation program for U.S. 
teachers.
    Budget Guidelines: 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 submit separate sub-budgets for each program component, 
phase, location, or activity to provide clarification. Please allow 
$500 to $800 per participant to purchase English language materials, 
which will be coordinated with the Department of State Office of 
English Language Programs. The grant cost to the Bureau for the U.S.-
based Institute, work shadow program and the in-country follow-on 
activity may not exceed $400,000. Please indicate the number of 
participants that can be accommodated at this funding level, based on 
detailed calculations of program and administrative costs. Subject to 
availability of funds, one grant will be awarded to conduct the EFL 
Institute, work shadow program and follow on for the two countries.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Grant Agreement.
    Fiscal Year Funds: 2005.
    Approximate Total Funding: $400,000.
    Approximate Number of Awards: One.
    Approximate Average Award: Pending the availability of funds, 
$400,000.
    Ceiling of Award Range: $400,000.
    Anticipated Award Date: Pending the availability of funds, 
September 1, 2005.
    Anticipated Project Completion Date: May 2007.
    Additional Information: Pending successful implementation of this 
program and the availability of funds in subsequent fiscal years, it is 
ECA's intent to renew this grant for two additional fiscal years, 
before openly competing it again.

III. Eligibility Information

III.1. Eligible Applicants

    Applications may be submitted by accredited, post secondary 
educational 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 for allowable direct or indirect costs. For 
accountability, you must maintain written records to support all costs 
that 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

    Bureau grant guidelines require that organizations with less than 
four years experience in conducting international exchanges be limited 
to $60,000 in Bureau funding. ECA anticipates awarding one grant, in an 
amount over $60,000 to support program and administrative costs 
required to implement this exchange program. 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.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    Note: 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.

IV.1. Contact Information to Request an Application Package

    Please contact the Fulbright Teacher Exchange, ECA/A/S/X, Room 349, 
U.S. Department of State, SA-44, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 
20547, (Tel.) 202-619-5293, (Fax) 202-401-1433, and email, 
saritime@state.gov to request a Solicitation Package. Please refer to 
the Funding Opportunity Number ECA/A/S/X-05-05 at the top of this 
announcement 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.
    Please specify Mary Ellen Sariti and refer to the Funding 
Opportunity Number ECA/A/S/X-05-05 at the top of this announcement on 
all other inquiries and correspondence.

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 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

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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 are 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 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 other requirements. Grantee 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

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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.)
    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.
    Describe your plans for: i.e. sustainability, overall program 
management, staffing, coordination with ECA and PAS or any other 
requirements etc.
    IV.3e. Please take the following information into consideration 
when preparing your budget:
    IV.3e.1. Applicants must submit a comprehensive budget for the 
entire program. Awards may not exceed $400,000. 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.
    IV.3e.2. Allowable costs for the program include the following:
    (1) International and domestic travel.
    (2) U.S. ground transportation.
    (3) Host families.
    (4) Professional Development Seminars (instruction, materials, 
logistics.
    (5) Participant maintenance (6 weeks).
    (6) Cultural activities.
    (7) Book allowance/shipping.
    (8) Grantee administrative costs.
    (9) Follow-on programming.
    Please refer to the Solicitation Package for complete budget 
guidelines and formatting instructions.
    IV.3f. Submission Dates and Times:
    Application Deadline Date: June 9, 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 copies of the application should be sent to: 
U.S. Department of State, SA-44, Bureau of Educational and Cultural 
Affairs, Ref.: ECA/A/S/X-05-05, Program Management, ECA/EX/PM, Room 
534, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547.
    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.
    IV.3.h. Applicants must also submit the ``Executive Summary'' and 
``Proposal Narrative'' sections of the proposal in text (.txt) format 
on a PC-formatted disk. The Bureau will provide these files 
electronically to the appropriate Public Affairs Sections at the U.S. 
embassies for their review.

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. The program 
office, as well as the Public Diplomacy sections overseas, where 
appropriate will review all eligible proposals. 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 
assistance awards grants 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:
    We have devised the program idea.
    1. Program Planning: Detailed agenda and relevant work plan should 
demonstrate substantive undertakings and logistical capacity. Agenda 
and plan should adhere to the program overview and guidelines described 
above.
    2. 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.
    3. Multiplier Effect/Impact: Proposed programs should strengthen 
long-term mutual understanding, including maximum sharing of 
information and establishment of long-term institutional and individual 
linkages.
    4. Support of Diversity: Proposals should demonstrate substantive 
support of the Bureau's policy on diversity. Achievable and relevant 
features should be cited in both program administration (selection of 
participants, program venue and program evaluation) and program content 
(orientation and wrap-up sessions, program meetings, resource materials 
and follow-up activities).
    5. Institutional Capacity: Proposed personnel and institutional 
resources should be adequate and appropriate to achieve the program or 
project's goals.
    6. Institution's Record/Ability: Proposals should demonstrate an 
institutional record of successful exchange programs, including 
responsible fiscal management and full compliance with all reporting 
requirements for past Bureau grants as determined by Bureau Grants 
Staff. The Bureau will consider the past performance of prior 
recipients and the demonstrated potential of new applicants.
    7. Follow-on Activities: Proposals should provide a plan for 
continued follow-on activity (without Bureau support) ensuring that 
Bureau

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supported programs are not isolated events.
    8. Project Evaluation: 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 are recommended.
    9. Cost-effectiveness and Cost-sharing: 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. Proposals should maximize cost sharing 
through other private sector support as well as institutional direct 
funding contributions.

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 Government, 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:
    (1) A final program and financial report no more than 90 days after 
the expiration of the award.
    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.3.d.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. The ECA Program Officer must receive final schedules for in-
country and U.S. activities at least three workdays prior to the 
official opening of the activity.

VII. Agency Contacts

    For questions about this announcement, contact: Mary Ellen Sariti, 
Fulbright Teacher Exchange, Office of Global Educational Programs, ECA/
A/S/X, Room 349, ECA/A/S/X-05-05, U.S. Department of State, SA-44, 301 
4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547, (Tel.) 202-619-5293 (Fax) 202-
401-1433, saritime@state.gov.
    All correspondence with the Bureau concerning this RFGP should 
reference the above title and number ECA/A/S/X-05-05.
    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: May 4, 2005.
C. Miller Crouch,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Educational and 
Cultural Affairs, Department of State.
[FR Doc. 05-9489 Filed 5-11-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P