Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for Grant Proposals: Youth Leadership Programs for Indonesia and the Philippines, 9845-9850 [E6-2723]
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Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 38 / Monday, February 27, 2006 / Notices
Room. Copies of the filing also will be
available for inspection and copying at
the principal office of the Exchange. All
comments received will be posted
without change; the Commission does
not edit personal identifying
information from submissions. You
should submit only information that
you wish to make available publicly. All
submissions should refer to File No.
SR–CBOE–2006–17 and should be
submitted on or before March 20, 2006.
For the Commission, by the Division of
Market Regulation, pursuant to delegated
authority.16
Nancy M. Morris,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 06–1733 Filed 2–24–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8010–01–P
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
[Release No. 34–53338; File No. SR–PCX–
2005–141]
Self-Regulatory Organizations; Pacific
Exchange, Inc.; Order Approving
Proposed Rule Change Relating to
Modifications to the Archipelago
Exchange’s Closing Auction
February 21, 2006.
On December 21, 2005, the Pacific
Exchange, Inc. (‘‘PCX’’), through its
wholly owned subsidiary PCX Equities,
Inc. (‘‘PCXE’’), filed with the Securities
and Exchange Commission
(‘‘Commission’’), pursuant to Section
19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934 (‘‘Act’’) 1 and Rule 19b–4
thereunder,2 a proposed rule change to
amend its rules governing the Closing
Auction 3 of the Archipelago Exchange
(‘‘ArcaEx’’), the equities trading facility
of PCXE. The proposed rule change was
published for notice and comment in
the Federal Register on January 19,
2006.4 The Commission received no
comment letters on the proposal.
The proposed rule change would
clarify ArcaEx’s Closing Auction
functionality and conform it
substantially to its Market Order
Auction rules.5 Specifically, the
proposed rule change would provide
that if there were Limited Price Orders 6
eligible for execution in the Closing
Auction, the Closing Auction price
would be the Indicative Match Price 7
16 17
hsrobinson on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES
CFR 200.30–3(a)(12).
U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
2 17 CFR 240.19b–4.
3 See PCXE Rule 7.35(e).
4 See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 53096
(January 11, 2006), 71 FR 3145.
5 See PCXE Rule 7.35(c).
6 See PCXE Rule 1.1(s).
7 See PCXE Rule 1.1(r).
and that if no such orders were eligible
for execution, any Market-on-Close
Orders (‘‘MOC’’) 8 submitted to
participate in the Closing Auction,
would be rejected. In addition to a few
non-substantive changes, the proposed
rule change would clarify the priority
for execution of orders on the side of an
imbalance in the Closing Auction and
the circumstances, such as system
malfunctions, in which Limit-on-Close
Orders (‘‘LOC’’) 9 and MOC Orders
would be cancelled. The Exchange also
proposes to delete a provision in the
Closing Auction rule related to limiting
the Closing Auction price to a threshold
amount since a similar concept is
already incorporated into the definition
‘‘Indicative Match Price.’’
The proposed rule change would limit
the Closing Auction to Exchange-listed
securities, including Exchange-listed
funds for which PCXE is the primary
market. In its filing, the Exchange
explained that, as a result of limited
participation and limited liquidity in
the ArcaEx Closing Auction, orders are
frequently executed at prices that vary
from the closing prices at other primary
markets. The proposed rule change is
aimed at protecting Users 10 from
executions that may occur at such
prices. In addition, the proposal would
clarify that orders submitted to the
Closing Auction while such auction is
suspended would be rejected.
The Commission finds that the
proposed rule change is consistent with
the requirements of the Act and the
rules and regulations thereunder
applicable to a national securities
exchange.11 In particular, the
Commission finds that the proposed
rule change is consistent with Section
6(b)(5) of the Act,12 which requires,
among other things, that the rules of an
exchange be designed to promote just
and equitable principles of trade, to
foster cooperation and coordination
with persons engaged in facilitating
transactions in securities and, in
general, to protect investors and the
public interest. The Commission
believes that the proposed rule change
is reasonably designed to clarify and
conform substantially the Closing
Auction pricing mechanism to the
Market Order Auction pricing
mechanism, as well as to provide
investors with a clearer understanding
of how orders will be priced in the
1 15
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8 See
PCXE Rule 7.31(dd).
PCXE Rule 7.31(ee).
10 See PCXE Rule 1.1(yy).
11 In approving this proposed rule change, the
Commission has considered the proposed rule’s
impact on efficiency, competition, and capital
formation. 15 U.S.C. 78c(f).
12 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
9 See
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9845
Closing Auction. Further, the proposal
appears to be reasonably designed to
delineate the circumstances under
which the PCXE may suspend the
Closing Auction, which should enhance
transparency for Users as to when a
Closing Auction in a particular security
may not occur.
It is therefore ordered, pursuant to
section 19(b)(2) of the Act,13 that the
proposed rule change (SR–PCX–2005–
141) be, and hereby is, approved.
For the Commission, by the Division of
Market Regulation, pursuant to delegated
authority.14
Nancy M. Morris,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E6–2686 Filed 2–24–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8010–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF STATE
[Public Notice 5320]
Bureau of Educational and Cultural
Affairs (ECA) Request for Grant
Proposals: Youth Leadership
Programs for Indonesia and the
Philippines
Announcement Type: New Grant.
Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/
PE/C/PY–06–21.
Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance Number: 00.000.
Key Dates: Application Deadline:
April 19, 2006
Executive Summary: The Office of
Citizen Exchanges, Youth Programs
Division, of the Bureau of Educational
and Cultural Affairs announces an open
competition for two Youth Leadership
Programs: One with Indonesia and one
with the Philippines. Public and private
non-profit organizations meeting the
provisions described in Internal
Revenue Code section 26 U.S.C.
501(c)(3) may submit proposals to
recruit and select youth and adult
participants overseas and to provide the
participants with a U.S.-based exchange
project focused on civic education,
leadership, conflict resolution, tolerance
and respect for diversity, and/or
community activism.
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
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U.S.C. 78s(b)(2).
CFR 200.30–3(a)(12).
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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.
Overview: The Youth Leadership
Programs enable teenagers (ages 15–17)
and adult educators to participate in
intensive, thematic, month-long projects
in the United States that complement a
more formal education in the principles
of a civil society. Participants will be
engaged in a variety of activities such as
workshops, community and/or schoolbased programs, cultural activities,
seminars and other activities designed
to achieve the projects’ stated goals and
objectives. Opportunities for
participants to interact with American
youth and adult educators will be
included as much as possible.
The goals of the programs are:
(1) To develop a sense of civic
responsibility and commitment to
community development among youth;
(2) To develop a cadre of community
activists who will share their knowledge
and skills with their peers through
positive action;
(3) To foster relationships among
youth from different ethnic, religious,
and national groups;
(4) To promote mutual understanding
between the United States and the
people of other countries.
Applicants should identify their own
specific objectives and measurable
outcomes based on these program goals
and the project specifications provided
in this solicitation.
Should organizations wish to apply
for more than one project, they must
submit a separate proposal for each. The
two projects will be judged
independently and proposals for a
particular country will be compared
only to proposals for the same country.
ECA intends to award only one grant for
each project.
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Project A: Indonesia
Objective: To introduce students and
educators from Indonesia to the
principles of democracy, civil society,
and youth leadership as they are
practiced in the United States, with an
additional focus on volunteerism/
community activism and peer
education.
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Participants: Fifteen to 20 students
and teachers (approx. ratio of 4:1) who
have demonstrated an interest in
playing a role in their communities. The
participants need not be proficient in
English; interpretation should be
provided.
Applicants should propose a U.S.
program between March and August
2007. Total funding: $167,000.
Project B: Philippines
Objective: To advance a dialogue and
a degree of mutual understanding
between Muslim and non-Muslim youth
from the Autonomous Region of Muslim
Mindanao and surrounding provinces,
leading to a strategy to implement
cooperatively after re-entry.
Participants: 20–25 teenagers and 3–
8 educators. Educators should have
demonstrated conflict resolution
experience and expect to remain in
positions where they can continue
working with youth on matters related
to conflict resolution and inter-ethnic
understanding. The group should be
evenly divided between Muslim and
non-Muslim participants (both youth
and adults). Participants will be
proficient in English.
Applicants should propose a U.S.
program between January and June
2007. The project will also include an
alumni activity that involves alumni
since the beginning of the program in
2004. Total funding: $200,000.
For both projects, applicants must
demonstrate their capacity for doing
projects of this nature, focusing on three
areas of competency: (1) Provision of
programs that address the goals and
themes outlined in this document; (2)
age-appropriate programming for youth;
and (3) previous experience in working
with the specified countries. Applicants
need to have the necessary capacity in
the geographic areas from which
participants will be recruited or a
partnered institution with the requisite
capacity to recruit and select
participants for the program and to
provide follow-on activities.
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. The Bureau also reserves the
right to renew this grant in future years
contingent upon the successful
performance of the grant recipient and
the availability of funding.
Guidelines: Grants should begin on or
about August 15, 2006, subject to the
availability of funds. The grant period
will be 12 to 16 months in duration, as
appropriate.
In pursuit of the goals outlined above,
the programs will include the following:
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• Recruitment and selection of youth
and adult educators from the
appropriate geographic regions.
• A pre-departure orientation
program.
• Designing and planning of activities
in the United States that provide a
substantive program on leadership
development, civic education,
community service, and conflict
resolution. Some activities should be
school and/or community-based, as
feasible, and the projects will involve as
much interaction with American peers
as possible.
• Logistical arrangements, home-stay
arrangements (as appropriate) and/or
other accommodation, provisions for
religious observance, disbursement of
stipends/per diem, local travel, and
travel between sites.
• Follow-on activities in the
participants’ home countries designed
to reinforce the ideas, values, and skills
imparted during the U.S. program.
Recruitment and Selection: The grant
recipients must consult with the Public
Affairs Sections at the U.S. Embassies to
review a recruitment and participant
selection plan. Organizers must strive
for the broadest regional and ethnic
diversity within specified areas of each
country. The Department of State
and/or its overseas representatives
reserve final approval of all selected
delegations.
Participants: The participants will be
teenagers aged 15 to 17, who have
demonstrated leadership aptitude and
an interest in community service, and
adults who are teachers, school
administrators, and/or community
leaders who work with youth. The ratio
of students to adults will be
approximately 5:1. The adult
participants will be participants first
and foremost, but will also serve as
chaperones and advisors.
Criteria for selection of participants
will be leadership skills, an interest in
service to the community, strong
academic and social skills, overall
composure, openness and flexibility
and, for the Philippines project, English
proficiency. It is desirable that 2–3
participants attend or teach at the same
school or live in the same community so
that they can support each other upon
return.
U.S. Program: The projects may take
place in one or two communities and
should offer the participants exposure to
the variety of American life. The
program should focus primarily on
interactive activities, practical
experiences, and other hands-on
opportunities to learn about the
fundamentals of a civil society,
community service, conflict resolution,
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tolerance and respect for diversity, and
building leadership skills. Suggestions
include simulations, a volunteer service
project, and leadership training
exercises. All programming should
include American participants wherever
possible. Cultural and recreational
activities will balance the schedule.
Please see the POGI for more details.
Follow-on Activities and In-Country
Programming: Follow-on activities for
U.S. program alumni are required, and
additional in-country programming is
strongly recommended. Applicants
should present creative and effective
ways to address the project themes, for
both program participants and their
peers, as a means to amplify the
program impact.
Proposals must demonstrate how the
stated objectives will be met. The
proposal narrative should provide
detailed information on the major
program activities, and applicants
should explain and justify their
programmatic choices. Programs must
comply with J–1 visa regulations. Please
be sure to refer to the complete
Solicitation Package—this RFGP, the
Project Objectives, Goals, and
Implementation (POGI), and the
Proposal Submission Instructions
(PSI)—for further information.
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II. Award Information
Type of Award: Grant Agreement.
Fiscal Year Funds: 2006.
Approximate Total Funding:
$367,000—$167,000 for Indonesia +
$200,000 for Philippines.
Approximate Number of Awards:
Two.
Anticipated Award Date: August 15,
2006.
Anticipated Project Completion Date:
12–18 months after start date, to be
specified by applicant based on project
plan
Additional Information: Pending
successful implementation of the
projects and the availability of funds in
subsequent fiscal years, ECA reserves
the right to renew grants for up to two
additional fiscal years before openly
competing grants under this program
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
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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
budget, ECA’s contribution will be
reduced in like proportion.
III.3. Other Eligibility Requirements:
(a) 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 two grants, each in
amounts 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
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 Youth Programs
Division (ECA/PE/C/PY), Room 568,
U.S. Department of State, SA–44, 301
4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547,
Telephone (202) 203–7505, Fax (202)
203–7529, e-mail: LantzCS@state.gov to
request a Solicitation Package. Please
refer to the Funding Opportunity
Number (ECA/PE/C/PY–06–21) 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.
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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 Bureau Program Officer
Carolyn Lantz and refer to the Funding
Opportunity Number (ECA/PE/C/PY–
06–21) 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 application should be submitted
per the instructions under IV.3f.
‘‘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 form that
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
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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 Office of Citizen Exchanges of the
Bureau of Educational and Cultural
Affairs is the official program sponsor of
the exchange program covered by this
RFGP, and an employee of the Bureau
will be the ‘‘Responsible Officer’’ for the
program under the terms of 22 CFR part
62, which covers the administration of
the Exchange Visitor Program (J visa
program). Under the terms of 22 CFR
part 62, organizations receiving grants
under this RFGP will be third parties
‘‘cooperating with or assisting the
sponsor in the conduct of the sponsor’s
program.’’ The actions of grantee
program organizations shall be
‘‘imputed to the sponsor in evaluating
the sponsor’s compliance with’’ 22 CFR
part 62. Therefore, the Bureau expects
that any organization receiving a grant
under this competition will render all
assistance necessary to enable the
Bureau to fully comply with 22 CFR
part 62 et seq.
The Bureau of Educational and
Cultural Affairs places great emphasis
on the secure and proper administration
of Exchange Visitor (J visa) Programs
and adherence by grantee program
organizations and program participants
to all regulations governing the J visa
program status. Therefore, proposals
should explicitly state in writing that the
applicant is prepared to assist the
Bureau in meeting all requirements
governing the administration of
Exchange Visitor Programs as set forth
in 22 CFR part 62. If your organization
has experience as a designated
Exchange Visitor Program Sponsor, the
applicant should discuss their record of
compliance with 22 CFR part 62 et. seq.,
including the oversight of their
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.
The Office of Citizen Exchanges of
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:
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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.
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, socioeconomic 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.
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
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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 shortterm outcome, whereas behavior and
institutional changes are normally
considered longer-term outcomes.
Overall, the quality of your
monitoring and evaluation plan will be
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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.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 the
amounts specified. Funding for the
project with Indonesia is not to exceed
$167,000. Funding for the project with
the Philippines is not to exceed
$200,000. 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.
Please refer to the other documents in
the Solicitation Package for complete
budget guidelines and formatting
instructions.
IV.3f. Application Deadline and
Methods of Submission:
Application Deadline Date: April 19,
2006.
Reference Number: ECA/PE/C/PY–
06–21.
Methods of Submission:
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.1 Submitting Printed
Applications.
Applications must be shipped no later
than the above deadline. Delivery
services used by applicants must have
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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
place it in an envelope addressed to ‘‘ECA/
EX/PM’’.
The original, one fully-tabbed copy,
and five copies of the application with
Tabs A–E (for a total of 7 copies) should
be sent to:
U.S. Department of State, SA–44,
Bureau of Educational and Cultural
Affairs, Ref.: ECA/PE/C/PY–06–21,
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.
Applicants must also submit the
executive summary, proposal narrative,
budget section, and any important
appendices as e-mail attachments in
Microsoft Word and Excel to the
following e-mail address:
LantzCS@state.gov. In the e-mail
message subject line, include the name
of the applicant organization and the
partner country. The Bureau will
transmit these files electronically to the
Public Affairs Sections of the relevant
U.S. embassies for 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
PO 00000
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9849
‘Get Started’ portion of the site (https://
www.grants.gov/GetStarted).
Applicants have until midnight (12
a.m.) of the closing date to ensure that
their entire applications have 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 a
confirmation e-mail from grants.gov
upon the successful submission of an
application. ECA will not notify you
upon receipt of electronic applications.
IV.3g. Intergovernmental Review of
Applications: Executive Order 12372
does not apply to this program.
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 program office, as well as the Public
Diplomacy section overseas, where
appropriate. 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
Please see the review criteria in the
accompanying Project Objectives, Goals,
and Implementation (POGI) document.
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
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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 Nonprofit 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 one copy of the following
reports:
(1) A final program and financial
report no more than 90 days after the
expiration of the award;
(2) Interim reports, as required in the
Bureau grant agreement.
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. 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
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14:15 Feb 24, 2006
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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 workdays prior to the
official opening of the activity.
VII. Agency Contacts
For questions about this
announcement, contact: Carolyn Lantz,
Program Officer, Youth Programs
Division (ECA/PE/C/PY), Room 568,
U.S. Department of State, SA–44, 301
4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547,
Telephone (202) 203–7505, Fax (202)
203–7529, e-mail: LantzCS@state.gov.
All correspondence with the Bureau
concerning this RFGP should reference
the above title and number ECA/PE/C/
PY–06–21.
Please read the complete
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 21, 2006.
C. Miller Crouch,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau
of Educational and Cultural Affairs,
Department of State.
[FR Doc. E6–2723 Filed 2–24–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710–05–P
DEPARTMENT OF STATE
[Public Notice 5319]
Title: Summer Work/Travel 12-month
Pilot Program
AGENCY:
PO 00000
Department of State.
Frm 00079
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Notice with Request for
Comment.
ACTION:
The Department will accept
comments from the public up to 60 days
from February 27, 2006.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Stanley S. Colvin, Director, Office of
Exchange Coordination and
Designation, U.S. Department of State,
SA–44, 301 4th St., SW., Room 734,
Washington, DC 20547. E-mail:
jexchanges@state.gov; FAX: 202–203–
5087.
SUMMARY: The Department hereby
announces its intent to investigate the
possible adoption of a pilot program
that will provide foreign university
students an opportunity to work and
travel in the United States for up to 12
months.
The Conference Report (H. Rep. 108–
792) that accompanied The Departments
of Commerce, Justice, and State, the
Judiciary, and Related Agencies
Appropriation Act, 2005, H.R. 4818,
Public Law 108–447, incorporated by
reference certain language set forth in S.
Rep. 108–344, that accompanied S.
2809. In that report, the Senate
Committee on Appropriations directed
the Department as follows:
DATES:
’’Working Exchanges—The Committee
directs the Department of State to work with
the Governments of Australia, Canada, and
New Zealand to establish bilateral exchange
programs that will allow young people from
these countries to visit the United States for
a period of up to 1 year for purposes of work
and travel and vice versa. The United States
has long enjoyed close and valuable
exchange relationships with Australia,
Canada, and New Zealand. The bilateral
relationships between the United States and
these countries would be further
strengthened by expanding opportunities for
young people to visit each other’s countries
for an extended period. The Committee
directs the Department to work within
current regulatory frameworks governing the
exchange visitor programs, and specifically
the summer work travel program,
administered by the Bureau of Educational
and Cultural Affairs. The Committee
recognizes the work of the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs of the Government of New
Zealand in raising the visibility of this
promising program called ‘‘Working Holiday
Schemes,’’ within the United States
Government.’’
To further the above stated directive
and better inform its decision making,
the Department hereby solicits comment
and proposals on the design of a pilot
program that will provide a 12-month
period of work and travel that will
operate within existing summer work
travel program regulations set forth at 22
CFR 62.32. Of specific interest to the
Department is the selection of eligible
university students and how their
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[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 38 (Monday, February 27, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9845-9850]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-2723]
=======================================================================
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DEPARTMENT OF STATE
[Public Notice 5320]
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for
Grant Proposals: Youth Leadership Programs for Indonesia and the
Philippines
Announcement Type: New Grant.
Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/PE/C/PY-06-21.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 00.000.
Key Dates: Application Deadline: April 19, 2006
Executive Summary: The Office of Citizen Exchanges, Youth Programs
Division, of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs announces
an open competition for two Youth Leadership Programs: One with
Indonesia and one with the Philippines. Public and private non-profit
organizations meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code
section 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3) may submit proposals to recruit and select
youth and adult participants overseas and to provide the participants
with a U.S.-based exchange project focused on civic education,
leadership, conflict resolution, tolerance and respect for diversity,
and/or community activism.
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
[[Page 9846]]
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.
Overview: The Youth Leadership Programs enable teenagers (ages 15-
17) and adult educators to participate in intensive, thematic, month-
long projects in the United States that complement a more formal
education in the principles of a civil society. Participants will be
engaged in a variety of activities such as workshops, community and/or
school-based programs, cultural activities, seminars and other
activities designed to achieve the projects' stated goals and
objectives. Opportunities for participants to interact with American
youth and adult educators will be included as much as possible.
The goals of the programs are:
(1) To develop a sense of civic responsibility and commitment to
community development among youth;
(2) To develop a cadre of community activists who will share their
knowledge and skills with their peers through positive action;
(3) To foster relationships among youth from different ethnic,
religious, and national groups;
(4) To promote mutual understanding between the United States and
the people of other countries.
Applicants should identify their own specific objectives and
measurable outcomes based on these program goals and the project
specifications provided in this solicitation.
Should organizations wish to apply for more than one project, they
must submit a separate proposal for each. The two projects will be
judged independently and proposals for a particular country will be
compared only to proposals for the same country. ECA intends to award
only one grant for each project.
Project A: Indonesia
Objective: To introduce students and educators from Indonesia to
the principles of democracy, civil society, and youth leadership as
they are practiced in the United States, with an additional focus on
volunteerism/community activism and peer education.
Participants: Fifteen to 20 students and teachers (approx. ratio of
4:1) who have demonstrated an interest in playing a role in their
communities. The participants need not be proficient in English;
interpretation should be provided.
Applicants should propose a U.S. program between March and August
2007. Total funding: $167,000.
Project B: Philippines
Objective: To advance a dialogue and a degree of mutual
understanding between Muslim and non-Muslim youth from the Autonomous
Region of Muslim Mindanao and surrounding provinces, leading to a
strategy to implement cooperatively after re-entry.
Participants: 20-25 teenagers and 3-8 educators. Educators should
have demonstrated conflict resolution experience and expect to remain
in positions where they can continue working with youth on matters
related to conflict resolution and inter-ethnic understanding. The
group should be evenly divided between Muslim and non-Muslim
participants (both youth and adults). Participants will be proficient
in English.
Applicants should propose a U.S. program between January and June
2007. The project will also include an alumni activity that involves
alumni since the beginning of the program in 2004. Total funding:
$200,000.
For both projects, applicants must demonstrate their capacity for
doing projects of this nature, focusing on three areas of competency:
(1) Provision of programs that address the goals and themes outlined in
this document; (2) age-appropriate programming for youth; and (3)
previous experience in working with the specified countries. Applicants
need to have the necessary capacity in the geographic areas from which
participants will be recruited or a partnered institution with the
requisite capacity to recruit and select participants for the program
and to provide follow-on activities.
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. The Bureau also reserves the right to renew this
grant in future years contingent upon the successful performance of the
grant recipient and the availability of funding.
Guidelines: Grants should begin on or about August 15, 2006,
subject to the availability of funds. The grant period will be 12 to 16
months in duration, as appropriate.
In pursuit of the goals outlined above, the programs will include
the following:
Recruitment and selection of youth and adult educators
from the appropriate geographic regions.
A pre-departure orientation program.
Designing and planning of activities in the United States
that provide a substantive program on leadership development, civic
education, community service, and conflict resolution. Some activities
should be school and/or community-based, as feasible, and the projects
will involve as much interaction with American peers as possible.
Logistical arrangements, home-stay arrangements (as
appropriate) and/or other accommodation, provisions for religious
observance, disbursement of stipends/per diem, local travel, and travel
between sites.
Follow-on activities in the participants' home countries
designed to reinforce the ideas, values, and skills imparted during the
U.S. program.
Recruitment and Selection: The grant recipients must consult with
the Public Affairs Sections at the U.S. Embassies to review a
recruitment and participant selection plan. Organizers must strive for
the broadest regional and ethnic diversity within specified areas of
each country. The Department of State and/or its overseas
representatives reserve final approval of all selected delegations.
Participants: The participants will be teenagers aged 15 to 17, who
have demonstrated leadership aptitude and an interest in community
service, and adults who are teachers, school administrators, and/or
community leaders who work with youth. The ratio of students to adults
will be approximately 5:1. The adult participants will be participants
first and foremost, but will also serve as chaperones and advisors.
Criteria for selection of participants will be leadership skills,
an interest in service to the community, strong academic and social
skills, overall composure, openness and flexibility and, for the
Philippines project, English proficiency. It is desirable that 2-3
participants attend or teach at the same school or live in the same
community so that they can support each other upon return.
U.S. Program: The projects may take place in one or two communities
and should offer the participants exposure to the variety of American
life. The program should focus primarily on interactive activities,
practical experiences, and other hands-on opportunities to learn about
the fundamentals of a civil society, community service, conflict
resolution,
[[Page 9847]]
tolerance and respect for diversity, and building leadership skills.
Suggestions include simulations, a volunteer service project, and
leadership training exercises. All programming should include American
participants wherever possible. Cultural and recreational activities
will balance the schedule. Please see the POGI for more details.
Follow-on Activities and In-Country Programming: Follow-on
activities for U.S. program alumni are required, and additional in-
country programming is strongly recommended. Applicants should present
creative and effective ways to address the project themes, for both
program participants and their peers, as a means to amplify the program
impact.
Proposals must demonstrate how the stated objectives will be met.
The proposal narrative should provide detailed information on the major
program activities, and applicants should explain and justify their
programmatic choices. Programs must comply with J-1 visa regulations.
Please be sure to refer to the complete Solicitation Package--this
RFGP, the Project Objectives, Goals, and Implementation (POGI), and the
Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI)--for further information.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Grant Agreement.
Fiscal Year Funds: 2006.
Approximate Total Funding: $367,000--$167,000 for Indonesia +
$200,000 for Philippines.
Approximate Number of Awards: Two.
Anticipated Award Date: August 15, 2006.
Anticipated Project Completion Date: 12-18 months after start date,
to be specified by applicant based on project plan
Additional Information: Pending successful implementation of the
projects and the availability of funds in subsequent fiscal years, ECA
reserves the right to renew grants for up to two additional fiscal
years before openly competing grants under this program 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 budget, ECA's
contribution will be reduced in like proportion.
III.3. Other Eligibility Requirements:
(a) 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 two
grants, each in amounts 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 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 Youth Programs Division (ECA/PE/C/PY), Room 568,
U.S. Department of State, SA-44, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC
20547, Telephone (202) 203-7505, Fax (202) 203-7529, e-mail:
LantzCS@state.gov to request a Solicitation Package. Please refer to
the Funding Opportunity Number (ECA/PE/C/PY-06-21) 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 Bureau Program Officer Carolyn Lantz and refer to
the Funding Opportunity Number (ECA/PE/C/PY-06-21) 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 application should be
submitted per the instructions under IV.3f. ``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 form that 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
[[Page 9848]]
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 Office of Citizen Exchanges of the Bureau of Educational and
Cultural Affairs is the official program sponsor of the exchange
program covered by this RFGP, and an employee of the Bureau will be the
``Responsible Officer'' for the program under the terms of 22 CFR part
62, which covers the administration of the Exchange Visitor Program (J
visa program). Under the terms of 22 CFR part 62, organizations
receiving grants under this RFGP will be third parties ``cooperating
with or assisting the sponsor in the conduct of the sponsor's
program.'' The actions of grantee program organizations shall be
``imputed to the sponsor in evaluating the sponsor's compliance with''
22 CFR part 62. Therefore, the Bureau expects that any organization
receiving a grant under this competition will render all assistance
necessary to enable the Bureau to fully comply with 22 CFR part 62 et
seq.
The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs places great
emphasis on the secure and proper administration of Exchange Visitor (J
visa) Programs and adherence by grantee program organizations and
program participants to all regulations governing the J visa program
status. Therefore, proposals should explicitly state in writing that
the applicant is prepared to assist the Bureau in meeting all
requirements governing the administration of Exchange Visitor Programs
as set forth in 22 CFR part 62. If your organization has experience as
a designated Exchange Visitor Program Sponsor, the applicant should
discuss their record of compliance with 22 CFR part 62 et. seq.,
including the oversight of their 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.
The Office of Citizen Exchanges of 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) 203-5029. FAX: (202) 453-8640.
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.
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
[[Page 9849]]
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.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 the amounts specified. Funding
for the project with Indonesia is not to exceed $167,000. Funding for
the project with the Philippines is not to exceed $200,000. 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.
Please refer to the other documents in the Solicitation Package for
complete budget guidelines and formatting instructions.
IV.3f. Application Deadline and Methods of Submission:
Application Deadline Date: April 19, 2006.
Reference Number: ECA/PE/C/PY-06-21.
Methods of Submission:
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.1 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 place it
in an envelope addressed to ``ECA/EX/PM''.
The original, one fully-tabbed copy, and five copies of the
application with Tabs A-E (for a total of 7 copies) should be sent to:
U.S. Department of State, SA-44, Bureau of Educational and Cultural
Affairs, Ref.: ECA/PE/C/PY-06-21, 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.
Applicants must also submit the executive summary, proposal
narrative, budget section, and any important appendices as e-mail
attachments in Microsoft Word and Excel to the following e-mail
address: LantzCS@state.gov. In the e-mail message subject line, include
the name of the applicant organization and the partner country. The
Bureau will transmit these files electronically to the Public Affairs
Sections of the relevant U.S. embassies for 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 (https://www.grants.gov/GetStarted).
Applicants have until midnight (12 a.m.) of the closing date to
ensure that their entire applications have 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 a confirmation e-mail from grants.gov upon
the successful submission of an application. ECA will not notify you
upon receipt of electronic applications.
IV.3g. Intergovernmental Review of Applications: Executive Order
12372 does not apply to this program.
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 program office, as well as the Public
Diplomacy section overseas, where appropriate. 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
Please see the review criteria in the accompanying Project
Objectives, Goals, and Implementation (POGI) document.
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
[[Page 9850]]
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 one copy of the following reports:
(1) A final program and financial report no more than 90 days after
the expiration of the award;
(2) Interim reports, as required in the Bureau grant agreement.
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. 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 workdays prior to
the official opening of the activity.
VII. Agency Contacts
For questions about this announcement, contact: Carolyn Lantz,
Program Officer, Youth Programs Division (ECA/PE/C/PY), Room 568, U.S.
Department of State, SA-44, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547,
Telephone (202) 203-7505, Fax (202) 203-7529, e-mail:
LantzCS@state.gov.
All correspondence with the Bureau concerning this RFGP should
reference the above title and number ECA/PE/C/PY-06-21.
Please read the complete 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 21, 2006.
C. Miller Crouch,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Educational and
Cultural Affairs, Department of State.
[FR Doc. E6-2723 Filed 2-24-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P
