Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for Grant Proposals: International Sports Programming Initiative, 13884-13890 [06-2572]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 52 (Friday, March 17, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13884-13890]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-2572]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 5342]


Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for 
Grant Proposals: International Sports Programming Initiative

    Announcement Type: New Grant.
    Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/PE/C/WHA-EAP-06-34.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 00.000.
    Key Dates: Application Deadline: May 11, 2006.
    Executive Summary: The Office of Citizen Exchanges of the Bureau of 
Educational and Cultural Affairs announces an open competition for 
International Sports Programming Initiative. 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 
discuss approaches designed to enhance and improve the infrastructure 
of youth sports programs in the countries of Africa, East Asia, Near 
East and North Africa, and South Asia. The focus of all programs must 
be reaching out to youth ages 8-18. Programs designed to train elite 
athletes will not be considered. In Africa, the following countries are 
eligible: Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Guinea, Liberia, 
Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda. In East Asia eligible countries are: 
Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand. In the 
Near East and North Africa eligible countries are: Algeria, Bahrain, 
Egypt, Kuwait, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, United Arab 
Emirates, and Yemen. Eligible countries in South Asia are: Afghanistan, 
Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Only single country 
projects are eligible.
    Applicants may not submit proposals that address more than one 
country or for countries that are not designated in the RFGP.
    For the purposes of this competition, eligible regions are Africa, 
East Asia, the Near East, North Africa, and South Asia. No guarantee is 
made or implied that grants will be awarded in all themes and for all 
countries listed.

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Authority: Overall grant making authority for this program is 
contained in the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961, 
Public Law 87-256, as amended, also known as the Fulbright-Hays Act. 
The purpose of the Act is ``to enable the Government of the United 
States to increase mutual understanding between the people of the 
United States and the people of other countries; to strengthen the ties 
which unite us with other nations by demonstrating the educational and 
cultural interests, developments, and achievements of the people of the 
United States and other nations and thus to assist in the development 
of friendly, sympathetic and peaceful relations between the United 
States and the other countries of the world.'' The funding authority 
for the program above is provided through legislation.

Purpose

    Overview: The Office of Citizen Exchanges welcomes proposals that 
directly respond to the following thematic areas. Given budgetary 
limitations, projects for other themes and other countries not listed 
below will not be eligible for consideration under the FY-2006 
International Sports Program Initiative. In Africa, the following 
countries are eligible: Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Guinea, 
Liberia, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda. In East Asia eligible countries 
are: Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand. In 
the Near East and North Africa eligible countries are: Algeria, 
Bahrain, Egypt, Kuwait, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, 
United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. Eligible countries in South Asia are: 
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Only 
single country projects are eligible.

Themes

(1) Training Sports Coaches
    The World Summit on Physical Education (Berlin, 1999) stated that a 
``quality physical education helps children to develop the patterns of 
interest in physical activity, which are essential for healthy 
development and which lay the foundation for healthy, adult 
lifestyles.'' Coaches are critical to the accomplishment of this goal. 
A coach not only needs to be qualified to provide the technical 
assistance required by young athletes to improve, but must also 
understand how to aid a young person to discover how success in 
athletics can be translated into achievement in the development of life 
skills and in the classroom.
    Projects submitted in response to this theme would be aimed at 
aiding youth, secondary school and university coaches in the target 
countries in the development and implementation of appropriate training 
methodologies, through seminars and outreach. The goal is to ensure the 
optimal technical proficiency among the coaches participating in the 
program while also emphasizing the role sports can play in the long-
term economic well being of youth.
(2) Youth Sports Management Exchange
    Exchanges funded under this theme would help American and foreign 
youth sport coaches, adult sponsors, and sports associations officials 
share their experience in managing and organizing youth sports 
activities, particularly in financially challenging circumstances, and 
would contribute to a better understanding of the role of sports as a 
significant factor in educational success. Americans are in a good 
position to convey to foreign counterparts the importance of linking 
success in sports to educational achievement and how these two factors 
can contribute to short-term and long-term economic prospects.
(3) Youth With Disability
    Exchanges supported by this theme are designed to promote and 
sponsor sports, recreation, fitness and leisure events for children and 
adults with physical disabilities. Project goals include improving the 
quality of life for

[[Page 13885]]

people with disabilities by providing affordable inclusive sports and 
recreational experiences that build self-esteem and confidence, 
enhancing active participation in community life and making a 
significant contribution to the physical and psychological health of 
people with disabilities. Physically and developmentally challenged 
individuals will be fully included in the sports and recreation 
opportunities in their communities.
(4) Sports and Health
    Projects funded under this category will focus on effective and 
practical ways to use sport personalities and sports health 
professionals to increase awareness among young people of the 
importance of following a healthy life style to reduce illness, prevent 
injuries and speed rehabilitation and recovery. Emphasis will be on the 
responsibility of the broader community to support healthy behavior. 
The project goals are to promote and integrate scientific research, 
education, and practical applications of sports medicine and exercise 
science to maintain and enhance physical performance, fitness, health, 
and quality of life. (Actual medical training and dispensing of 
medications are outside the purview of this theme.)
    Audience: Representatives from government and non-governmental 
organizations, coaches, community leaders, and youth audiences.

Ideal Program Model

     U.S. grantee identifies U.S. citizens to conduct multi 
location in-country program, including clinics and training sessions 
for government officials (Ministry of Sports and Ministry of 
Education), coaches (adult and youth), GO representatives including 
representatives from relevant sports federation, community officials 
including local authorities associated with recreational facilities, 
youth audiences (equal numbers of boys and girls), elected local 
government officials, and sports management professionals to support 
one of the themes listed. In-country partner (a local university, 
government agency or other appropriate organization such as relevant 
sports federation) would co-host the event with the U.S. grantee 
institution; and participate in the selection of participants for U.S. 
program.
     U.S. program that would include a site visits designed to 
provide participants with background information on U.S. approaches to 
the themes listed in the announcement; internships with appropriate 
sports related organizations and at community-based recreational 
facilities; and a one-day debriefing and evaluation.
     In-country program conducted by U.S. experts that served 
as internship hosts or coordinated site visits. Participants in U.S. 
program design the program and serve as co-presenters. Project would 
also support materials translated into target language, small grants 
for projects designed to expand the exchange experience and support for 
the development of alumni association.

Suggested Program Designs

    Bureau-supported exchanges may include internships; study tours; 
short-term, non-technical experiential learning; extended and intensive 
workshops; and seminars taking place in the United States or overseas 
as long as these seminars promote intensive exchange of ideas among 
participants in the project. Examples of program activities include:
    1. A U.S.-based program that includes an orientation to program 
purposes and to U.S. society; study tour/site visits; professional 
internships/placements; interaction and dialogue; hands-on training; 
professional development; and action plan development.
    2. Capacity-building/training-of-trainer (TOT) workshops to help 
participants to identify priorities, create work plans, strengthen 
professional and volunteer skills, share their experience with 
committed people within each country, and become active in a practical 
and valuable way.
    3. Site visits by U.S. facilitators/experts to monitor projects in 
the region and to encourage further development, as appropriate.

Participant Selection

    Proposals should clearly describe the types of persons that will 
participate in the program as well as the participant recruitment and 
selection processes. For programs that include U.S. internships, 
applicants should submit letters of support from host institutions. In 
the selection of foreign participants, the Bureau and U.S. embassies 
retain the right to review all participant nominations and to accept or 
refuse participants recommended by grantee institutions. When U.S. 
participants are selected, grantee institutions must provide their 
names and brief biographical data to the Office of Citizen Exchanges. 
Priority in two-way exchange proposals will be given to foreign 
participants who have not previously traveled to the United States.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Grant Agreement.
    Fiscal Year Funds: 2006.
    Approximate Total Funding: $600,000.
    Approximate Number of Awards: 4-5.
    Approximate Average Award: $135,000.
    Floor of Award Range: $60,000.
    Ceiling of Award Range: Approximately $135,000.
    Anticipated Award Date: Pending availability of funds, August 31, 
2006.
    Anticipated Project Completion Date: September 30, 2007-June 30, 
2008.
    Projects under this competition may range in length from one to 
three years depending on the number of project components, the country/
region targeted and the extent of the evaluation plan proposed by the 
applicant. The Office of Citizen Exchanges strongly encourages 
applicant organizations to plan enough time after project activities to 
measure project outcomes. Please refer to the Program Monitoring and 
Evaluation section, item IV.3d.3 below, for further guidance on 
evaluation.

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. Cost sharing is an important 
element of the ECA-grantee institution relationship, and it 
demonstrates the implementing organization's commitment to the program. 
Cost sharing is included as one criterion for grant proposal 
evaluation. Applicants are strongly encouraged to cost share a portion 
of overhead and administrative expenses. Cost-sharing, including 
contributions from the applicant, proposed in-country partner(s), and 
other sources should be included in the budget request. Proposal 
budgets that do not reflect cost sharing will be deemed not competitive 
under the Cost Effectiveness and Cost Sharing criterion (item V.1 
below). 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

[[Page 13886]]

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) Grants awarded to eligible organizations with less than four 
years of experience in conducting international exchange programs will 
be limited to $60,000.
    (b) Technical Eligibility: In addition to the requirements outlined 
in the Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) technical format and 
instructions document, all proposals must comply with the following or 
they will result in your proposal being declared technically ineligible 
and given no further consideration in the review process.
    1. The Office does not support proposals limited to conferences or 
seminars (i.e., one-to fourteen-day programs with plenary sessions, 
main speakers, panels, and a passive audience). It will support 
conferences only when they are a small part of a larger project in 
duration that is receiving Bureau funding from this competition.
    2. No funding is available exclusively to send U.S. citizens to 
conferences or conference-type seminars overseas; nor is funding 
available for bringing foreign nationals to conferences or to routine 
professional association meetings in the United States.
    3. The Office of Citizen Exchanges does not support academic 
research or faculty or student fellowships.
    4. Applicants may not submit more than one (1) proposal for this 
competition. Organizations that submit proposals that exceed these 
limits will result in having all of their proposals declared 
technically ineligible, and none of the submissions will be reviewed by 
a State Department panel.
    5. Proposals that target countries/regions or themes not listed in 
the RFGP will be deemed technically ineligible.
    6. Proposals involving the production or interpretation of artistic 
work WILL NOT be accepted under this competition, and if received, will 
be declared technically ineligible.

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 Office of Citizen Exchanges, ECA/PE/C, Room 220, U.S. 
Department of State, SA-44, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC, 20547, 
tel.: 202-453-8163; fax: 202-453-8168; or e-mail harveyrh@state.gov to 
request a Solicitation Package. Please refer to the Funding Opportunity 
Number (ECA/PE/C/WHA-EAP-06-34) 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 that consists of required application forms, 
and standard guidelines for proposal preparation.
    Please specify the Bureau Program Officer listed for each region 
and theme above and refer to the Funding Opportunity Number (ECA/PE/C/
WHA-EAP-06-34) 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, from the 
grants.gov Web site at https://www.grants.gov. Please read all 
information before downloading.
    V.3. Content and Form of Submission: Applicants must follow all 
instructions in the Solicitation Package. The application should be 
sent per the instructions under IV.3f. ``Application Deadline and 
Methods of Submission'' 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 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 
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 its record of compliance with 22 CFR part 62 et seq., including 
the oversight of its 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

[[Page 13887]]

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 
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. For this competition, requests should not exceed 
approximately $135,000. There must be a summary budget as well as 
breakdowns reflecting both administrative and program budgets. 
Applicants may provide separate sub-budgets for each program component, 
phase, location, or activity to provide clarification.
    IV.3e.2. Allowable costs for the program include the following:
     1. Travel. International and domestic airfare; visas; transit 
costs; ground transportation costs. Please note that all air travel 
must be in compliance with the Fly America Act. There is no charge for 
J-1 visas for participants in Bureau sponsored programs.
    2. Per Diem. For U.S.-based programming, organizations should use 
the published Federal per diem rates for individual U.S. cities. 
Domestic per diem rates may be accessed at: https://policyworks.gov/org/
main/mt/homepage/mtt/perdiem/perd03d.html. ECA requests applicants to 
budget realistic costs that reflect the local economy and do not exceed 
Federal per diem rates. Foreign per diem rates can be accessed at: 
https://www.state.gov/m/a/als/prdm/html.
    3. Interpreters. For U.S.-based activities, ECA strongly encourages 
applicants to hire their own locally

[[Page 13888]]

based interpreters. However, applicants may ask ECA to assign State 
Department interpreters. One interpreter is typically needed for every 
four participants who require interpretation. When an applicant 
proposes to use State Department interpreters, the following expenses 
should be included in the budget: Published Federal per diem rates 
(both ``lodging'' and ``M&IE'') and ``home-program-home'' 
transportation in the amount of $400 per interpreter. Salary expenses 
for State Department interpreters will be covered by the Bureau and 
should not be part of an applicant's proposed budget. Bureau funds 
cannot support interpreters who accompany delegations from their home 
country or travel internationally.
    4. Book and Cultural Allowances. Foreign participants are entitled 
to a one-time cultural allowance of $150 per person, plus a book 
allowance of $50. Interpreters should be reimbursed up to $150 for 
expenses when they escort participants to cultural events. U.S. program 
staff, trainers or participants are not eligible to receive these 
benefits.
    5. Consultants. Consultants may be used to provide specialized 
expertise or to make presentations. Honoraria rates should not exceed 
$250 per day. Organizations are encouraged to cost-share rates that 
would exceed that figure. Subcontracting organizations may also be 
employed, in which case the written agreement between the prospective 
grantee and sub-grantee should be included in the proposal. Such sub-
grants should detail the division of responsibilities and proposed 
costs, and subcontracts should be itemized in the budget.
    6. Room rental. The rental of meeting space should not exceed $250 
per day. Any rates that exceed this amount should be cost shared.
    7. Materials. Proposals may contain costs to purchase, develop and 
translate materials for participants. Costs for high quality 
translation of materials should be anticipated and included in the 
budget. Grantee organizations should expect to submit a copy of all 
program materials to ECA, and ECA support should be acknowledged on all 
materials developed with its funding.
    8. Equipment. Applicants may propose to use grant funds to purchase 
equipment, such as computers and printers; these costs should be 
justified in the budget narrative. Costs for furniture are not allowed.
    9. Working meal. Normally, no more than one working meal may be 
provided during the program. Per capita costs may not exceed $15-$25 
for lunch and $20-$35 for dinner, excluding room rental. The number of 
invited guests may not exceed participants by more than a factor of 
two-to-one. When setting up a budget, interpreters should be considered 
``participants.''
    10. Return travel allowance. A return travel allowance of $70 for 
each foreign participant may be included in the budget. This allowance 
would cover incidental expenses incurred during international travel.
    11. Health Insurance. Foreign participants will be covered during 
their participation in the program by the ECA-sponsored Accident and 
Sickness Program for Exchanges (ASPE), for which the grantee must 
enroll them. Details of that policy can be provided by the contact 
officers identified in this solicitation. The premium is paid by ECA 
and should not be included in the grant proposal budget. However, 
applicants are permitted to include costs for travel insurance for U.S. 
participants in the budget.
    12. Wire transfer fees. When necessary, applicants may include 
costs to transfer funds to partner organizations overseas. Grantees are 
urged to research applicable taxes that may be imposed on these 
transfers by host governments.
    13. In-country travel costs for visa processing purposes. Given the 
requirements associated with obtaining J-1 visas for ECA-supported 
participants, applicants should include costs for any travel associated 
with visa interviews or DS-2019 pick-up.
    14. Administrative Costs. Costs necessary for the effective 
administration of the program may include salaries for grantee 
organization employees, benefits, and other direct and indirect costs 
per detailed instructions in the Application Package. While there is no 
rigid ratio of administrative to program costs, proposals in which the 
administrative costs do not exceed 25% of the total requested ECA grant 
funds will be more competitive under the cost effectiveness and cost 
sharing criterion, per item V.1 below. Proposals should show strong 
administrative cost sharing contributions from the applicant, the in-
country partner and other sources.
    Please refer to the Solicitation Package for complete budget 
guidelines and formatting instructions.
    IV.3f. Application Deadline and Methods of Submission:
    Application Deadline Date: Thursday, May 11, 2006.
    Reference Number: ECA/PE/C/WHA-EAP-06-34.
    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: Due to heightened 
security measures, proposal submissions must be sent via a nationally 
recognized overnight delivery service (i.e., DHL, Federal Express, UPS, 
Airborne Express, or U.S. Postal Service Express Overnight Mail, etc.) 
and be shipped no later than the above deadline. The delivery services 
used by applicants must have in-place, centralized shipping 
identification and tracking systems that may be accessed via the 
Internet and delivery people who are identifiable by commonly 
recognized uniforms and delivery vehicles. Proposals shipped on or 
before the above deadline but received at ECA more than seven days 
after the deadline will be ineligible for further consideration under 
this competition. Proposals shipped after the established deadlines are 
ineligible for consideration under this competition. It is each 
applicant's responsibility to ensure that each package is marked with a 
legible tracking number and to monitor/confirm delivery to ECA via the 
Internet. ECA will not notify you upon receipt of application. Delivery 
of proposal packages may not be made via local courier service or in 
person for this competition. Faxed documents will not be accepted at 
any time. Only proposals submitted as stated above will be considered. 
Applications may not be submitted electronically at this time.
    Applicants must follow all instructions in the Solicitation 
Package.


    Important note: When preparing your submission please make sure 
to include one extra copy of the completed SF-424 form and place it 
in an envelope addressed to ``ECA/EX/PM''.


    The original and ten copies of the application should be sent to: 
U.S. Department of State, SA-44, Bureau of Educational and Cultural 
Affairs, Ref.: ECA/PE/C/WHA-EAP-06-34, 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.

[[Page 13889]]

    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 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.
    IV.3h. Applicants must also submit the ``Executive Summary'' and 
``Proposal Narrative'' sections of the proposal in text (.txt) format 
on a PC-formatted disk. The Bureau will provide these files 
electronically to the appropriate Public Affairs Section(s) at the U.S. 
Embassy for its review.

V. Application Review Information

    V.1. Review Process: The Bureau will review all proposals for 
technical eligibility. Proposals will be deemed ineligible if they do 
not fully adhere to the guidelines stated herein and in the 
Solicitation Package. 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 grants resides with the Bureau's Grants 
Officer.

Review Criteria

    Technically eligible applications will be competitively reviewed 
according to the criteria stated below. These criteria are not rank 
ordered and all carry equal weight in the proposal evaluation:
    1. Program Planning and Ability to Achieve Objectives: Program 
objectives should be stated clearly and should reflect the applicant's 
expertise in the subject area and region. Objectives should respond to 
the topics in this announcement and should relate to the current 
conditions in the target country/countries. A detailed agenda and 
relevant work plan should explain how objectives will be achieved and 
should include a timetable for completion of major tasks. The substance 
of workshops, internships, seminars and/or consulting should be 
described in detail. Sample training schedules should be outlined. 
Responsibilities of proposed in-country partners should be clearly 
described. A discussion of how the applicant intends to address 
language issues should be included, if needed.
    2. Institutional Capacity: Proposals should include (1) the 
institution's mission and date of establishment; (2) detailed 
information about proposed in-country partner(s) and the history of the 
partnership; (3) an outline of prior awards--U.S. government and/or 
private support received for the target theme/country/region; and (4) 
descriptions of experienced staff members who will implement the 
program. The proposal should reflect the institution's expertise in the 
subject area and knowledge of the conditions in the target country/
countries. Proposals should demonstrate an institutional record of 
successful exchange programs, including responsible fiscal management 
and full compliance with all reporting requirements for past Bureau 
grants as determined by Bureau Grants Staff. The Bureau will consider 
the past performance of prior recipients and the demonstrated potential 
of new applicants. Proposed personnel and institutional resources 
should be adequate and appropriate to achieve the program's goals. The 
Bureau strongly encourages applicants to submit letters of support from 
proposed in-country partners.
    3. Cost Effectiveness and Cost Sharing: Overhead and administrative 
costs in the proposal budget, including salaries, honoraria and 
subcontracts for services, should be kept to a minimum. Proposals whose 
administrative costs are less than twenty-five (25) per cent of the 
total funds requested from the Bureau will be deemed more competitive 
under this criterion. Applicants are strongly encouraged to cost share 
a portion of overhead and administrative expenses. Cost-sharing, 
including contributions from the applicant, proposed in-country 
partner(s), and other sources should be included in the budget request. 
Proposal budgets that do not reflect cost sharing will be deemed not 
competitive in this category.
    4. Support of Diversity: Proposals should demonstrate substantive 
support of the Bureau's policy on diversity. Achievable and relevant 
features should be cited in both program administration (selection of 
participants, program venue and program evaluation) and program content 
(orientation and wrap-up sessions, program meetings, resource materials 
and follow-up activities). Applicants should refer to the Bureau's 
Diversity, Freedom and Democracy Guidelines in the Proposal Submission 
Instructions (PSI) and the Diversity, Freedom and Democracy Guidelines 
section, Item IV.3d.2, above for additional guidance.
    5. Post-Grant Activities: Applicants should provide a plan to 
conduct activities after the Bureau-funded project has concluded in 
order to ensure that Bureau-supported programs are not isolated events. 
Funds for all post-grant activities must be in the form of 
contributions from the applicant or sources outside of the Bureau. 
Costs for these activities must not appear in the proposal budget, but 
should be outlined in the narrative.
    6. Program Monitoring and Evaluation: Proposals should include a 
detailed plan to monitor and evaluate the program. Program objectives 
should target clearly defined results in quantitative terms. 
Competitive evaluation plans will describe how applicant organizations 
would measure these results, and proposals should include draft data 
collection instruments (surveys, questionnaires, etc.) in Tab E. See 
the ``Program Management/Evaluation'' section, item IV.3d.3 above for 
more information on the components of a competitive evaluation plan. 
Successful applicants (grantee institutions) will be expected to submit 
a report after each program component concludes or on a quarterly 
basis, whichever is less frequent. The Bureau also requires that 
grantee institutions submit a final narrative and financial report no 
more than 90 days after the expiration of a grant. Please refer to the 
``Program Management/Evaluation'' section, item IV.3d.3 above for more 
guidance.

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

[[Page 13890]]

(if applicable) shall be the only binding authorizing document between 
the recipient and the U.S. Government. The AAD will be signed by an 
authorized Grants Officer, and mailed to the recipient's responsible 
officer identified in the application.
    Unsuccessful applicants will receive notification of the results of 
the application review from the ECA program office coordinating this 
competition.
    VI.2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements: Terms and 
Conditions for the Administration of ECA agreements include the 
following:
    Office of Management and Budget Circular A-122, ``Cost Principles 
for Nonprofit Organizations.''
    Office of Management and Budget Circular A-21, ``Cost Principles 
for Educational Institutions.''
    OMB Circular A-87, ``Cost Principles for State, Local and Indian 
Governments''.
    OMB Circular No. A-110 (Revised), Uniform Administrative 
Requirements for Grants and Agreements with Institutions of Higher 
Education, Hospitals, and other Nonprofit Organizations.
    OMB Circular No. A-102, Uniform Administrative Requirements for 
Grants-in-Aid to State and Local Governments.
    OMB Circular No. A-133, Audits of States, Local Government, and 
Non-profit Organizations.
    Please reference the following Web sites for additional 
information: https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants, https://
exchanges.state.gov/education/grantsdiv/terms.htm#articleI.
    VI.3. Reporting Requirements: You must provide ECA with a hard copy 
original plus two copies of the following reports:
    (1) A final program and financial report no more than 90 days after 
the expiration of the award;
    (2) Any interim report(s) required in the Bureau grant agreement 
document.
    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.3d.3] 
above for Program Monitoring and Evaluation information.)
    All data collected, including survey responses and contact 
information, must be maintained for a minimum of three years and 
provided to the Bureau upon request.
    All reports must be sent to the ECA Grants Officer and ECA Program 
Officer listed in the final assistance award document.
    VI.4. 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: The Office of 
Citizen Exchanges, ECA/PE/C, Room 220, ECA/PE/C-WHA-EAP-06-34, Bureau 
of Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State, SA-44, 
301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC, 20547; tel.: 202-453-8163; fax: 
202-453-8168; harveyrh@state.gov.
    For correspondence with the Bureau concerning this RFGP should 
reference the above title and number ECA/PE/C-06-xx. 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: March 8, 2006.
C. Miller Crouch,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Educational and 
Cultural Affairs, Department of State.
[FR Doc. 06-2572 Filed 3-16-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P