Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for Grant Proposals: Teachers of Critical Languages Program, 8334-8339 [E6-2233]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 32 (Thursday, February 16, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8334-8339]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-2233]



[[Page 8334]]

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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 5309]


Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for 
Grant Proposals: Teachers of Critical Languages Program

    Announcement Type: New Cooperative Agreement.
    Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/A/S/X-06-04.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 00.000.
    Application Deadline: April 14, 2006.

Executive Summary

    The Fulbright Teacher Exchange Branch in the Office of Global 
Educational Programs of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, 
U.S. Department of State (ECA/A/S/X), announces an open competition for 
an assistance award in the amount of $500,000 for the Teachers of 
Critical Languages Program. As part of the National Security Language 
Initiative, the program aims to strengthen national security and 
prosperity in the 21st century through education, especially in 
developing foreign language skills of Americans. The pilot program will 
bring qualified teachers from China and Jordan to teach their native 
languages in U.S. school systems. Organizations meeting the provisions 
described in Internal Revenue Code section 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3) may 
submit proposals to administer this program. In addition to 
strengthening foreign language instruction at U.S. schools, the 
international teachers selected for the program will have the 
opportunity to learn about U.S. teaching methodologies, culture and 
society, and to improve their English language proficiency. The program 
should begin in late July or August 2006 with a comprehensive two-week 
orientation for Jordanian and Chinese participants on U.S. culture and 
society, including U.S. foreign language teaching methodologies.

I. Funding Opportunity Description

I.1. 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.

I.2. Purpose

    In support of the U.S. government's National Security Language 
Initiative to improve and strengthen American expertise in foreign 
languages, the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) will 
partner with a non-profit grantee organization to implement this 
program. The program will bring primary and secondary school teachers 
to the U.S. from the following countries: at least ten from China and 
two from Jordan to teach Chinese and Arabic, respectively, in American 
primary and secondary schools. To the extent possible, teachers should 
be assigned to schools with established foreign language programs in 
the subject languages. It is recommended that the foreign teachers 
team-teach with a U.S. teacher where possible. In addition to providing 
language instruction, the international teachers will serve as cultural 
resources on their home countries in history, geography, social studies 
and other relevant classes in the U.S. schools. U.S. students will 
benefit from having native language instructors and from a broadened 
foreign language curriculum. International teachers will be exposed to 
U.S. teaching methodologies, refine their teaching skills, increase 
their English language proficiency, and expand their knowledge of U.S. 
society and culture. The international teachers will return home to 
share their experiences with students and colleagues.

I.3. Program Goals

    I.3a. To introduce and expand the teaching of critical foreign 
languages in American primary and secondary schools, thereby improving 
the language skills of young Americans and motivating increased study 
of these languages.
    I.3b. To enable international teachers to learn first-hand about 
the culture and society of the United States, improve their English 
language proficiency, and to expand their knowledge of U.S. teaching 
methodologies.
    I.3c. To increase mutual understanding between U.S. school 
communities and visiting international teachers, and by extension, 
their home institutions and students.
    I.3d. To provide opportunities for U.S. and participant home 
country schools to develop lasting ties and to share educational best 
practices.

I.4. Program Components

    In early 2006, ECA/A/S/X will collaborate with colleagues in 
Beijing and Amman to recruit international teachers. ECA/A/S/X will 
identify and recruit candidates for the program in cooperation with the 
Chinese Ministry of Education. In Jordan, ECA/A/S/X will recruit 
candidates in conjunction with the Regional English Language Officer 
(RELO) based at the U.S. Embassy in Amman. Simultaneously ECA/A/S/X 
will coordinate the recruitment of U.S. host schools. The grantee 
organization will be responsible for the following program components:
    I.4a. Final selection of U.S. host schools: Upon the award of a 
grant in early June, the grantee organization should organize a panel 
to review applications from U.S. host schools and place international 
teachers at these schools in collaboration with the Bureau. Then the 
grantee organization should notify host schools and international 
teachers of their assignments and help them to prepare for the 
exchange. The grantee organization should provide an orientation for 
mentors and administrators from the U.S. schools selected to 
participate in the program.
    Placements in primary and secondary schools will be for an academic 
year--August/September 2006 through May/June 2007--according to the 
calendar in the placement school. Placements should immerse teachers 
actively in the American classroom environment and may include the 
following elements: teaching their native languages in their own 
foreign language classes; observing a variety of classroom activities 
(active classroom, group projects, etc.); working with other teachers 
on curriculum development; and team teaching. Placements in schools 
should also include opportunities to learn about local school 
governance through such activities as faculty, board of education, and 
Parent-Teacher Association meetings.
    I.4b. Pre-departure orientations for international teachers: 
International teachers should participate in a two- or three-day pre-
departure orientation. The partner international organizations in 
Beijing and Amman will organize an orientation with substantial 
assistance and input from the grantee organization. The orientation 
will provide information about the program's goals and the U.S. 
Department of State's expectations of participants. At the

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orientation, organizers will review comparative teaching practices, the 
teaching of foreign languages in the U.S. (including the development of 
lesson plans in the target languages) and prepare the participants for 
their further stay in the U.S. The orientation will provide an 
introduction to the U.S. government and its role in education, the U.S. 
educational system, and American culture with an emphasis on cross-
cultural adjustment issues.
    I.4c. U.S.-based Orientation: The grantee organization should 
design and conduct a two-week, academic orientation for the teachers 
upon their arrival in the U.S. in mid-to-late July 2006 that includes 
information on U.S. society and culture, to occur before the academic 
year assignment begins. This orientation should focus on the teachers' 
transition from teaching English as a foreign language at home to 
teaching Arabic or Chinese in a U.S. classroom. Additionally, 
participants should consult with U.S. teachers of the foreign languages 
they will be teaching and should come to understand current foreign 
language teaching practices in U.S. schools, including student-centered 
and applied learning methodology. Participants should also receive 
training in English for specific purposes during this orientation in 
order to become familiar with English language terms related to U.S. 
teaching and to the U.S. educational system. During this orientation, 
international teachers should begin preparing presentations on their 
own cultures to be made in their host schools and communities during 
the year.
    I.4d. Workshop (4-5 days): During the fall, participants should 
come together for a workshop aimed at enabling them to make a full 
transition to their U.S. schools, to share their experiences in their 
U.S. classrooms, and to develop lesson plans and foreign language 
curricula for their schools. This workshop might be scheduled in 
conjunction with a professional development opportunity such as 
attendance at the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages 
conference.
    I.4f. Final debriefing, Washington, DC (3 days): Participants will 
share what they have observed and learned through presentations to 
other participants in the program. The participants should take part in 
a professional and cultural debriefing that includes relevant 
professional organizations and language associations, meetings with ECA 
representatives, and visits to museums and historic sites.
    I.4g. Follow-on programming: This component will take place after 
the international participants return home. International teachers and 
U.S. host schools will be eligible to apply for small grants that will 
support school partnerships or other activities building on this 
exchange experience. The development and approval of follow-on grants 
must be coordinated by the grantee organization with the relevant non-
governmental organizations, U.S. embassies (including the Regional 
English Language Officers, in Jordan), and ECA's Fulbright Teacher 
Exchange Branch. Applicant organizations' proposals should suggest a 
possible range of creative follow-on programming at a total cost of 
$35,000 for approximately eight to ten small grants.
    The Bureau will work with the recipient of this cooperative 
agreement on administrative and programmatic issues over the duration 
of the award.

I.5. Program Planning and Implementation

    Applicant organizations are requested to submit a narrative 
outlining a comprehensive strategy for the administration and 
implementation of this program. The narrative should include a strategy 
for selecting and collaborating with U.S. schools; a plan for selecting 
and placing international teachers in U.S. schools; a proposed design 
for orienting international teachers; a plan for monitoring the 
teachers' professional programs; and a plan for adequate follow-on 
programming. Employees of the grantee organization will be designated 
Alternate Responsible Officers, and will be responsible for issuing DS-
2019 forms to participants on behalf of ECA/A/S/X and for performing 
all actions necessary to comply with the Student and Exchange Visitor 
Information System (SEVIS).
    The comprehensive program strategy should reflect a vision for the 
program as a whole, interpreting the goals of the program with 
creativity and providing innovative ideas for the program. The strategy 
should include a description of how the various components of the 
program will be integrated to build upon and reinforce one another.
    In a cooperative agreement, ECA/A/S/X will be substantially 
involved in the program activities mentioned above and beyond routine 
grant monitoring. ECA/A/S/X activities and responsibilities for this 
program are as follows:
     Formulation of program policy;
     Clearing texts and program guidelines for publication;
     Responsibility for seeking and receiving applications from 
U.S. host schools and international candidates;
     Oversight of the content for all orientations and end-of-
program conference and debriefing as well as review and approval of 
program schedules;
     Regular updates on the progress of international teachers 
and their programs at the U.S. schools;
     Oversight of selection of follow-on programming awards.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Cooperative Agreement. ECA's level of involvement in 
this program is listed under number I above.
    Fiscal Year Funds: FY 2006.
    Approximate Total Funding: $500,000.
    Approximate Number of Awards: 1.
    Approximate Average Award: $500,000.
    Anticipated Award Date: June 1, 2006.
    Anticipated Project Completion Date: June 30, 2008.
    Additional Information: Pending successful implementation of this 
program and the availability of funds in subsequent fiscal years, it is 
ECA's intent to renew and expand this grant for two additional fiscal 
years, before openly competing it again.

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 
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

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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 is limited 
to $60,000 in Bureau funding. ECA anticipates awarding one grant, in an 
amount up to $500,000 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 Office of Global Educational Programs, ECA/A/S/
X, Room 349, U.S. Department of State, SA-44, 301 4th Street, SW., 
Washington, DC 20547, tel. (202) 453-8897, fax (202) 453-8890, or e-
mail Mosleypj@state.gov to request a Solicitation Package. Please refer 
to the Funding Opportunity Number ECA/A/S/X 06-04 located at the top of 
this announcement when making your request. Alternatively, an 
electronic application package may be obtained from grants.gov. Please 
see section IV.3f for further information.
    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.
    Please specify Program Officer Catharine Cashner and refer to the 
Funding Opportunity Number 06-04 located 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 or from 
the Grants.gov Web site at https://www.grants.gov.
    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 seven copies of the application should be 
sent per the instructions under IV.3f. ``Application Deadline and 
Methods of Submission'' 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 
part 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.
    An employee of the Bureau will be named the Responsible Officer for 
the program; employees of the grantee organization will be designated 
Alternate Responsible Officers and will be responsible for issuing DS-
2019 forms to participants and performing all actions to comply with 
the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS).
    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) 203-5029. 
FAX: (202) 453-8640.
    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 physical 
challenges. 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.

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    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.)
    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: sustainability, overall program 
management, staffing, and coordination with ECA/A/S/X, Fulbright 
Commissions, and partner organization in Beijing. ECA/A/S/X considers 
program management, staffing and coordination with the Department of 
State essential elements of the program. Please be sure to give 
sufficient attention to these elements in your proposal by providing a 
staffing plan that outlines the responsibilities of each staff person 
and explains which staff member will be accountable for each program 
responsibility. Wherever possible please streamline administrative 
processes. Please refer to the POGI in the Solicitation Package for 
specific guidelines.
    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. The budget should not exceed $500,000 for program and 
administrative costs. 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.3f. Application Deadline and Methods of Submission:
    Application Deadline Date: Friday, April 14, 2006.
    Reference Number: ECA/A/S/X-06-04.
    IV.3f.1. Applications may be submitted in one of two ways:
    1. In hard-copy, via a nationally recognized overnight delivery 
service (i.e., DHL, Federal Express, UPS, Airborne Express, or U.S. 
Postal Service Express Overnight Mail, etc.), or
    2. Electronically through https://www.grants.gov.
    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.3f.2. Submitting Printed Applications. Applications must be 
shipped no later than the above deadline. 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. ECA will not notify you upon 
receipt of application. 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. 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.


    Important note: When preparing your submission please make sure 
to include one extra copy of the completed SF-424 form and

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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-06-04 , Program Management, ECA/EX/PM, Room 
534, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547.
    Applicants submitting hard-copy applications 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.
    IV.3f.2--Submitting Electronic Applications. Applicants have the 
option of submitting proposals electronically through Grants.gov 
(https://www.grants.gov). Complete solicitation packages are available 
at Grants.gov in the ``Find'' portion of the system. Please follow the 
instructions available in the `Get Started' portion of the site (http:/
/www.grants.gov/GetStarted).
    Applicants have until midnight (12 a.m.) of the closing date to 
ensure that their entire application has been uploaded to the 
grants.gov site. Applications uploaded to the site after midnight of 
the application deadline date will be automatically rejected by the 
grants.gov system, and will be technically ineligible.
    Applicants will receive confirmation e-mail from grants.gov upon 
the successful submission of an application. ECA will not notify you 
upon receipt of electronic applications.

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 section 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 (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. Program Development and Management: The proposal narrative 
should exhibit originality, substance, precision, and relevance to the 
Bureau's mission as well as the objectives of the Teachers of Critical 
Languages Program. It should include an effective program plan and 
demonstrate how the distribution of administrative resources will 
ensure adequate attention to program administration, including host 
institution selection.
    2. 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.
    3. 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).
    4. Institutional Capacity and Record: 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. Proposed personnel and institutional resources should be 
adequate and appropriate to achieve the program's goals.
    5. Follow-on Activities: Proposals should provide a plan for 
continued follow-on activity (both with and without Bureau support) 
ensuring that the Teachers of Critical Languages Program is not an 
isolated event. Activities should include tracking and maintaining 
updated lists of all alumni and facilitating follow-up activities for 
alumni.
    6. Project Evaluation: Proposals should include a plan and 
methodology to evaluate the Teachers of Critical Languages Program's 
degree of success in meeting program objectives, both as the activities 
unfold, at the end of the one-year teaching assignment, and at the 
program's conclusion. Draft survey questionnaires or other techniques 
plus description of methodologies to use to link outcomes to original 
project objectives are recommended. Successful applicants will be 
expected to submit intermediate reports after each project component is 
concluded, or quarterly, whichever is less frequent.
    7. 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.1a. 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.

[[Page 8339]]

    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 one copy of the 
following reports:
    Quarterly financial reports; Annual program reports for the first 
and second year of the agreement; and 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 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.

VII. Agency Contacts

    For questions about this announcement, contact Catharine Cashner, 
Office of Global Educational Programs, ECA/A/S/X, Room 349, ECA/A/S/X-
06-04, U.S. Department of State, SA-44, 301 4th Street, SW., 
Washington, DC 20547, telephone (202) 453-8880 and fax number (202) 
453-8890, CashnerCE@state.gov.
    All correspondence with the Bureau concerning this RFGP should 
reference the above title and number ECA/A/S/X-06-04.
    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: February 10, 2006.
C. Miller Crouch,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Educational and 
Cultural Affairs, Department of State.
[FR Doc. E6-2233 Filed 2-15-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P