Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for Grant Proposals: Youth Programs Academic Year Disability Component, 15244-15249 [E6-4383]
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(A) By order approve such proposed
rule change, or
(B) Institute proceedings to determine
whether the proposed rule change
should be disapproved.
For the Commission, by the Division of
Market Regulation, pursuant to delegated
authority.21
Nancy M. Morris,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E6–4342 Filed 3–24–06; 8:45 am]
IV. Solicitation of Comments
BILLING CODE 8010–01–P
Interested persons are invited to
submit written data, views, and
arguments concerning the foregoing,
including whether the proposed rule
change, as amended, is consistent with
the Act. Comments may be submitted by
any of the following methods:
Electronic Comments
DEPARTMENT OF STATE
[Public Notice 5352]
Bureau of Educational and Cultural
Affairs (ECA) Request for Grant
Proposals: Youth Programs Academic
Year Disability Component
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• Use the Commission’s Internet
comment form (https://www.sec.gov/
rules/sro.shtml); or
• Send an e-mail to rulecomments@sec.gov. Please include File
Number SR–Phlx–2005–80 on the
subject line.
Announcement Type: New Grant.
Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/
PE/C/PY–06–37.
Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance Number: 00.000.
Key Dates: July 2006–June 2007.
Application Deadline: May 8, 2006.
Executive Summary: The Office of
Citizen Exchanges, Youth Programs
Paper Comments
Division, of the Bureau of Educational
and Cultural Affairs announces an open
• Send paper comments in triplicate
competition for the management of the
to Nancy M. Morris, Secretary,
Disability Component for its Academic
Securities and Exchange Commission,
Year programs. This includes
Station Place, 100 F Street, NE.,
conducting a five-day summer
Washington, DC 20549–1090.
Preparatory Workshop and a three-day
All submissions should refer to File
spring Leadership and Reentry
Number SR–Phlx–2005–80. This file
Workshop for Students with Disabilities
number should be included on the
from Eurasia participating in the Future
subject line if e-mail is used. To help the Leaders Exchange (FLEX) Program and
Commission process and review your
from countries with significant Muslim
comments more efficiently, please use
populations participating in the Youth
only one method. The Commission will Exchange and Study (YES) Program, as
post all comments on the Commission’s well as the provision of support services
Internet Web site (https://www.sec.gov/
to these students throughout the year by
rules/sro.shtml). Copies of the
assisting grantee placement
submission, all subsequent
organizations and maintaining regular
amendments, all written statements
communication with each student, as
with respect to the proposed rule
needed. Approximately 20–27 high
change that are filed with the
school-aged students will participate in
Commission, and all written
the Disability Component Program.
communications relating to the
I. Funding Opportunity Description
proposed rule change between the
Commission and any person, other than
Authority: Overall grant making
those that may be withheld from the
authority for this program is contained
public in accordance with the
in the Mutual Educational and Cultural
provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be
Exchange Act of 1961, Public Law 87–
available for inspection and copying in
256, as amended, also known as the
the Commission’s Public Reference
Fulbright-Hays Act. The purpose of the
Room. Copies of such filing also will be Act is ‘‘to enable the Government of the
available for inspection and copying at
United States to increase mutual
the principal office of the Exchange. All understanding between the people of
comments received will be posted
the United States and the people of
without change; the Commission does
other countries * * *; to strengthen the
not edit personal identifying
ties which unite us with other nations
information from submissions. You
by demonstrating the educational and
should submit only information that
cultural interests, developments, and
you wish to make available publicly. All achievements of the people of the
submissions should refer to File
United States and other nations * * *
Number SR–Phlx–2005–80 and should
and thus to assist in the development of
be submitted on or before April 17,
2006.
21 17 CFR 200.30–3(a)(12).
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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: It is Bureau policy that
recruitment of people with disabilities
at every level should be a priority in all
sponsored programming. It is ECA’s goal
to provide each student with disabilities
participating in the FLEX or YES
Programs with an integrated three-phase
program designed to enhance their
experience in the U.S. This will include
providing a Preparatory Workshop upon
the students’ arrival in the U.S. and
developing an action plan with each
student for the coming year. The grantee
organization will then continue to
support each of these students and work
with their placement organizations to
assist the students in taking advantage
of local opportunities for people with
disabilities. Finally, the process will
include implementing the Leadership
and Reentry Workshop to assist the
students in discussing their year’s
experience and in preparing for their
return home as individuals with
disabilities.
Background: The Future Leaders
Exchange (FLEX) and Youth Exchange
and Study (YES) programs bring
secondary school students from Eurasia
and countries with significant Muslim
populations to the U.S. for an academic
year. During their time in the U.S., these
students live with American host
families and attend U.S. high schools.
(Note: For more information on these
programs, refer to the Youth Programs
Division Web site: https://
exchanges.state.gov/education/citizens/
students.)Since 1995, the FLEX program
has included a component for students
with disabilities. This has been
challenging since individuals with
disabilities are treated very differently
in Eurasia than they are in the U.S. In
Eurasia, most disabled young people
attend special schools, largely
institutions, and being disabled carries
a major stigma. Most young, disabled
individuals either are ignored by
parents who are ashamed of them or are
overprotected by parents who are
concerned that they cannot function
independently. A similar situation
exists in the countries from which the
YES students come; and therefore, the
disabilities component is being
expanded this year to include YES
students. The program should be
designed to support the following
specific activities/components:
Preparatory Workshop for Students
with Disabilities: Generally, FLEX and
YES participants with disabilities adjust
well to American life and culture and
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realize the same positive effects as nondisabled participants. The grantee
organization will assess the students’
abilities and special needs and provide
information to placement organizations
(POs) on accommodations that each
student may require as well as assist
each PO in identifying resources to
support the student in the host
community. The Preparatory Workshop
will also introduce and guide students’
expectations and skills for the U.S.
academic year as individuals with
disabilities. The grantee organization
will also focus on identifying local
activities and resources to prepare each
student to incorporate disability related
themes into their FLEX or YES program
objectives of participation in
community service and enhancement
activities designed to involve them in
civic education, democracy building
and mutual understanding. Please note:
Due to differences in scheduling
between the FLEX and YES programs,
two separate Preparatory Workshops
will be necessary for FLEX and YES
program participants respectively.
Ongoing Support and Academic Year
Programming: Placement organizations
have minimal experience working with
students with disabilities and often lack
resources and counseling expertise.
Providing such support services during
the year will undoubtedly offer students
with disabilities access to opportunities
that they may not be aware of as well
as enhance their experiences in their
American host communities. However,
in addition to providing for the physical
and emotional support of students with
disabilities, POs also need guidance in
identifying appropriate disability
related local community service and
enhancement opportunities to provide
for the programmatic aspects of the
students’ FLEX or YES experience. Your
organization’s expertise and knowledge
of resources around the country will
provide valuable assistance to POs in
planning meaningful activities that can
expand the students’ knowledge and
self-awareness of disability issues. This
will enhance their stay as well as their
ability to become agents of change in
their home countries on matters
concerning people with disabilities.
Leadership and Reentry Workshop for
Students with Disabilities: After having
enjoyed the accessibility and other
disability supports that exist in the U.S.,
FLEX and YES students with disabilities
are often not well prepared to return to
the less disability-friendly environments
of their home countries. It is important
to adequately prepare program
participants with disabilities for the
reverse culture shock that is sure to
occur when they return home.
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Therefore, this workshop should focus
solely on the readjustment of each
student as a person with a disability, as
the students will also be attending other
reentry workshops conducted for all
FLEX and YES students by their
respective placement organizations at
the end of the program year. These other
workshops will provide more general
training for readjustment to the
students’ home cultures. Additional
goals of the Leadership and Reentry
workshop are conducting activities to
further develop leadership skills and
foster empowerment and provision of
tools that would enable these
individuals to do outreach and work in
support of disability rights in their
countries.
Proposed funding would support the
following activities:
Preparatory Workshops: Two five-day
workshops in summer 2006 to prepare
FLEX and YES students with disabilities
for their exchange experience.
• Assessment of students’ skills and
preparation of reports to provide
placement organizations information
about their students’ specific needs and
abilities.
• Lodging, meals, student supervision
and emergency medical care. [Note:
Health insurance is provided by each
student’s placement organization. Any
issues or questions regarding insurance
should be addressed to the placement
organizations.]
• Coordination of arrival and
departure travel information with
administrative component grantee.
[Students’ international and domestic
travel is provided through the FLEX
administrative components and YES
recruitment grants.]
• Coordination of make-up activities
and information for any late arriving
students.
• Comprehensive follow-up
programming with any selected
individuals who were unable to attend
the workshop.
• Fiscal management.
• Workshop evaluation.
Support and Programming Services:
• Provision of disability- and localityspecific information and resources to
placement organizations and students to
enhance their FLEX and YES program
activities.
• Provision of ongoing support and
program assistance and communication
to FLEX and YES students with
disabilities through their POs.
• Fiscal management.
• Evaluation.
Leadership and Reentry Workshop: A
three-day workshop in spring 2007 to
prepare students with disabilities to
return to their home countries.
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• Lodging, meals, student supervision
and medical care.
• Travel from host communities to
workshop site, and return.
• Follow-up programming—with any
selected individuals who were unable to
attend the workshop.
• Fiscal management.
• Evaluation.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Grant Agreement.
Fiscal Year Funds: 2006.
Approximate Total Funding:
Approximately $146,346.
Approximate Number of Awards:
One.
Anticipated Award Date: June 2006.
Anticipated Project Completion Date:
June 2007.
Additional Information: Pending
successful implementation of this
program and the availability of funds in
subsequent fiscal years, it is ECA’s
intent to renew this grant for two
additional fiscal years, before openly
competing it again.
III. Eligibility Information
III.1. Eligible Applicants
Applications may be submitted by
public and private non-profit
organizations meeting the provisions
described in Internal Revenue Code
section 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3).
III.2. Cost Sharing or Matching Funds
There is no minimum or maximum
percentage required for this
competition. However, the Bureau
encourages applicants to provide
maximum levels of cost sharing and
funding in support of its programs.
When cost sharing is offered, it is
understood and agreed that the
applicant must provide the amount of
cost sharing as stipulated in its proposal
and later included in an approved grant
agreement. Cost sharing may be in the
form of allowable direct or indirect
costs. For accountability, you must
maintain written records to support all
costs which are claimed as your
contribution, as well as costs to be paid
by the Federal government. Such
records are subject to audit. The basis
for determining the value of cash and
in-kind contributions must be in
accordance with OMB Circular A–110,
(Revised), Subpart C.23—Cost Sharing
and Matching. In the event you do not
provide the minimum amount of cost
sharing as stipulated in the approved
budget, ECA’s contribution will be
reduced in like proportion.
III.3. Other Eligibility Requirements
Grants awarded to eligible
organizations with less than four years
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of experience in conducting
international exchange programs will be
limited to $60,000.
IV. Application and Submission
Information
Note: Please read the complete Federal
Register announcement before sending
inquiries or submitting proposals. Once the
RFGP deadline has passed, Bureau staff may
not discuss this competition with applicants
until the proposal review process has been
completed.
IV.1. Contact Information To Request an
Application
Package: Please contact the Youth
Programs Division, ECA/PE/C/PY, Room
Number 568, U.S. Department of State,
SA–44, 301 4th Street, SW.,
Washington, DC 20547, phone: (202)
203–7517, fax (202) 203–7529, or e-mail
PetersML@state.gov to request a
Solicitation Package. Please refer to the
Funding Opportunity Number located at
the top of this announcement when
making your request.
The Solicitation Package contains the
Proposal Submission Instruction (PSI)
document which consists of required
application forms, and standard
guidelines for proposal preparation. 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
Michele Peters and refer to the Funding
Opportunity Number (ECA/PE/C/PY–
06–37) located at the top of this
announcement on all other inquiries
and correspondence.
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IV.2. To Download a Solicitation
Package Via Internet
The entire Solicitation Package may
be downloaded from the Bureau’s Web
site at https://exchanges.state.gov/
education/rfgps/menu.htm. Please read
all information before downloading.
IV.3. Content and Form of Submission
Applicants must follow all
instructions in the Solicitation Package.
The application should be sent 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://
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www.dunandbradstreet.com or call 1–
866–705–5711. Please ensure that your
DUNS number is included in the
appropriate box of the SF–424 which is
part of the formal application package.
IV.3b. All proposals must contain an
executive summary, proposal narrative
and budget. Please Refer to the
Solicitation Package. It contains the
mandatory Proposal Submission
Instructions (PSI) document and the
Project Objectives, Goals and
Implementation (POGI) document for
additional formatting and technical
requirements.
IV.3c. You must have nonprofit status
with the IRS at the time of application.
If your organization is a private
nonprofit which has not received a grant
or cooperative agreement from ECA in
the past three years, or if your
organization received nonprofit status
from the IRS within the past four years,
you must submit the necessary
documentation to verify nonprofit status
as directed in the PSI document. Failure
to do so will cause your proposal to be
declared technically ineligible.
IV.3d. Please take into consideration
the following information when
preparing your proposal narrative:
IV.3d.1. Adherence to All Regulations
Governing the J Visa: The 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
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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, recordkeeping,
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://
www.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
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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 timeframe), 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
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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 longerterm 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. The award will be
approximately $146,346. There must be
a summary budget as well as
breakdowns reflecting both
administrative and program budgets.
Applicants may provide separate subbudgets for each program component,
phase, location, or activity to provide
clarification.
IV.3e.2. Allowable costs for the
program include the following:
(1) Round-trip transportation for
participants from their host
communities to/from the Leadership
and Reentry workshop site.
(2) Daily travel at workshop site
location as necessary.
(3) Accommodations and meals for
participants during the time of the
workshop.
(4) Rental of facilities and equipment.
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(5) Fees for relevant excursions and
cultural activities.
(6) Honoraria for speakers/trainers, as
appropriate.
(7) Necessary reasonable
accommodations.
(8) Materials development.
Please refer to the Solicitation Package
for complete budget guidelines and
formatting instructions.
IV.3f. Application Deadline and
Methods of Submission:
Application Deadline Date: Monday,
May 8, 2006.
Reference Number: ECA/PE/C/PY–
06–37.
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 Program 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’’.
Applicants must follow all
instructions in the Solicitation Package.
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The original and eight copies of the
application should be sent to: U.S.
Department of State, SA–44, Bureau of
Educational and Cultural Affairs,
Reference Number: ECA/PE/C/PY–06–
37, Program Management, ECA/EX/PM,
Room 534, 301 4th Street, SW.,
Washington, DC 20547.
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.
Applicants must also submit the
‘‘Executive Summary’’ and ‘‘Proposal
Narrative’’ sections of the proposal in
text (.txt) format on a PC-formatted disk.
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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 assistance
awards resides with the Bureau’s Grants
Officer.
Review Criteria
Technically eligible applications will
be competitively reviewed according to
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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: Proposals should
exhibit originality, substance, precision,
and resourcefulness. Objectives should
be reasonable, feasible, and flexible. A
detailed agenda and relevant work plan
should include proposed support
activities and should demonstrate
substantive undertakings and logistical
capacity. Agenda and plan should
adhere to the program overview and
guidelines described above and should
clearly demonstrate how the project will
meet objectives.
2. 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
(program venue and program
evaluation) and program content.
3. Institutional Capacity: Proposed
personnel and institutional resources
should be adequate and appropriate to
achieve the program or project’s goals.
You should demonstrate experience
working with youth with disabilities, as
well as familiarity with the culture and
current challenges that exist for people
with disabilities living in Eurasia and
represented by the FLEX program and
people with disabilities in the countries
represented in the YES program. Your
proposal should demonstrate an
institutional record of successful
programs, including responsible fiscal
management and full compliance with
all reporting requirements for past
Bureau grants as determined by Bureau
Grant Staff.
4. Multiplier Effect/Impact: The
proposed program should describe how
workshop participants will be motivated
and enabled to reach out to other
individuals with disabilities in their
communities in the U.S. and in their
home countries.
5. Follow-on Activities: Proposals
should describe how the program will
encourage participants to teach and
encourage advocacy to others in their
home countries.
6. Project Evaluation: Proposals
should include a plan to evaluate the
activity’s success, both as the activities
unfold and at the end of the program. A
draft survey questionnaire or other
technique plus description of a
methodology to use to link outcomes to
original project objectives are
recommended.
7. Cost effectiveness/Cost sharing: The
overhead and administrative
components of the proposal, including
salaries and honoraria, should be kept
as low as possible. All other items
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should be necessary and appropriate.
Proposals should maximize cost-sharing
through other private sector support as
well as institutional direct funding
contributions.
VI. Award Administration Information
VI.1. Award Notices
Final awards cannot be made until
funds have been appropriated by
Congress, allocated and committed
through internal Bureau procedures.
Successful applicants will receive an
Assistance Award Document (AAD)
from the Bureau’s Grants Office. The
AAD and the original grant proposal
with subsequent modifications (if
applicable) shall be the only binding
authorizing document between the
recipient and the U.S. Government. The
AAD will be signed by an authorized
Grants Officer, and mailed to the
recipient’s responsible officer identified
in the application.
Unsuccessful applicants will receive
notification of the results of the
application review from the ECA
program office coordinating this
competition.
VI.2. Administrative and National
Policy Requirements
Terms and Conditions for the
Administration of ECA agreements
include the following:
Office of Management and Budget
Circular A–122, ‘‘Cost Principles for
Nonprofit Organizations.’’
Office of Management and Budget
Circular A–21, ‘‘Cost Principles for
Educational Institutions.’’
OMB Circular A–87, ‘‘Cost Principles
for State, Local and Indian
Governments.’’
OMB Circular No. A–110 (Revised),
Uniform Administrative Requirements
for Grants and Agreements with
Institutions of Higher Education,
Hospitals, and other Nonprofit
Organizations.
OMB Circular No. A–102, Uniform
Administrative Requirements for
Grants-in-Aid to State and Local
Governments.
OMB Circular No. A–133, Audits of
States, Local Government, and 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 two hard
copy originals of the following reports:
Quarterly program and financial
reports; and a final program and
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Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 58 / Monday, March 27, 2006 / Notices
financial report no more than 90 days
after the expiration of the award.
Grantees will be required to provide
reports analyzing their evaluation
findings to the Bureau in their regular
program reports. (Please refer to IV.
Application and Submission
Instructions (IV.3.d.3) above for Program
Monitoring and Evaluation information.
All data collected, including survey
responses and contact information, must
be maintained for a minimum of three
years and provided to the Bureau upon
request.
All reports must be sent to the ECA
Grants Officer and ECA Program Officer
listed in the final assistance award
document.
VII. Agency Contacts
For questions about this
announcement, contact: Michele Peters,
Program Officer, Office of Citizen
Exchanges, ECA/PE/C/PY, Room 568,
Reference Number ECA/PE/C/PY–06–
37, U.S. Department of State, SA–44,
301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC
20547, phone: (202) 203–7517 and fax
(202) 203–7529, E-mail:
PetersML@state.gov.
All correspondence with the Bureau
concerning this RFGP should reference
the above title and number ECA/PE/C/
PY–06–37.
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
wwhite on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES
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 22, 2006.
C. Miller Crouch,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau
of Educational and Cultural Affairs,
Department of State.
[FR Doc. E6–4383 Filed 3–24–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710–05–P
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
Notice of Intent to Rule on Request to
Release Airport Property at Ontario
Municipal Airport, Ontario, OR
Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of request to release
airport property.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: The FAA proposes to rule and
invite public comment on the release of
land at Ontario Municipal Airport under
the provisions of Section 125 of the
Wendell H. Ford Aviation Investment
Reform Act for the 21st Century (AIR
21), now 49 U.S.C. 47107(h)(2).
DATES: Comments must be received on
or before April 26, 2006.
ADDRESSES: Comments on this
application may be mailed or delivered
to the FAA at the following address:
Mr. J. Wade Bryant, Manager, Federal
Aviation Administration, Northwest
Mountain Region, Airports Division,
Seattle Airports District Office, 1601
Lind Avenue, SW., Suite 250, Renton,
Washington 98055–4056.
In addition, one copy of any
comments submitted to the FAA must
be mailed or delivered to Mr. Scott
Trainor, City Manager, City of Ontario,
at the following address:
Mr. Scott Trainor, City Manager, City
of Ontario, 444 SW 4th Street, Ontario,
OR 97914.
Mr.
William L. Watson, OR/ID Section
Supervisor, Federal Aviation
Administration, Northwest Mountain
Region, Seattle Airports District Office,
1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Suite 250,
Renton, Washington 98055–4056.
The request to release property may
be reviewed, by appointment, in person
at this same location.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FAA
invites public comment on the request
to release property at Ontario Municipal
Airport under the provisions of the AIR
21 (49 U.S.C. 47107(h)(2)).
On March 10, 2006, the FAA
determined that the request to release
property at Ontario Municipal Airport
submitted by the airport meets the
procedural requirements of the Federal
Aviation Administration. The FAA may
approve the request, in whole or in part,
no later than April 26, 2006.
Ontario Municipal Airport is
proposing the release of approximately
29.13 acres of airport property so the
property can be sold to Snake River
Sportmen. The revenue made from this
sale will be used toward purchase of
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
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15249
Montgomery and Snow properties,
which sit directly in the Runway
Protection Zone.
Any person may inspect, by
appointment, the request in person at
the FAA office listed above under FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
In addition, any person may, upon
appointment and request, inspect the
application, notice and other documents
germane to the application in person at
Ontario Municipal Airport.
Dated: Issued in Renton, Washington, on
March 10, 2006.
J. Wade Bryant,
Manager, Seattle Airports District Office.
[FR Doc. 06–2916 Filed 3–24–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–13–M
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
[Docket No. FAA–2005–22020, FAA Order
1050.1E, Change 1]
Environmental Impacts: Policies and
Procedures
Federal Aviation
Administration, DOT
ACTION: Notice of adoption; notice of
availability.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: The Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA) has revised its
procedures for implementing the
National Environmental Policy Act by
revising Order 1050.1E, Environmental
Impacts: Policies and Procedures, with
Order 1050.1E, Change 1. The revisions
include: changes for clarification,
consistency, and addition of
information; corrections; and editorial
changes. This notice informs the public
of the availability of the Final Order.
This notice also provides the public
with information on how to access
Order 1050.1E, Change 1 on FAA’s
Office of Environment and Energy Web
site.
DATES: Order 1050.1E is effective March
20, 2006.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.
Matthew McMillen, Office of
Environment and Energy, FAA, 800
Independence Avenue, SW.,
Washington, DC 20591; Telephone (202)
493–4018.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA) and implementing regulations
promulgated by the Council on
Environmental Quality (CEQ) (40 CFR
parts 1500–1508) establish a broad
national policy to protect the quality of
the human environment and provide
policies and goals to ensure that
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 58 (Monday, March 27, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15244-15249]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-4383]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF STATE
[Public Notice 5352]
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for
Grant Proposals: Youth Programs Academic Year Disability Component
Announcement Type: New Grant.
Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/PE/C/PY-06-37.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 00.000.
Key Dates: July 2006-June 2007.
Application Deadline: May 8, 2006.
Executive Summary: The Office of Citizen Exchanges, Youth Programs
Division, of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs announces
an open competition for the management of the Disability Component for
its Academic Year programs. This includes conducting a five-day summer
Preparatory Workshop and a three-day spring Leadership and Reentry
Workshop for Students with Disabilities from Eurasia participating in
the Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) Program and from countries with
significant Muslim populations participating in the Youth Exchange and
Study (YES) Program, as well as the provision of support services to
these students throughout the year by assisting grantee placement
organizations and maintaining regular communication with each student,
as needed. Approximately 20-27 high school-aged students will
participate in the Disability Component Program.
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: It is Bureau policy that recruitment of people with
disabilities at every level should be a priority in all sponsored
programming. It is ECA's goal to provide each student with disabilities
participating in the FLEX or YES Programs with an integrated three-
phase program designed to enhance their experience in the U.S. This
will include providing a Preparatory Workshop upon the students'
arrival in the U.S. and developing an action plan with each student for
the coming year. The grantee organization will then continue to support
each of these students and work with their placement organizations to
assist the students in taking advantage of local opportunities for
people with disabilities. Finally, the process will include
implementing the Leadership and Reentry Workshop to assist the students
in discussing their year's experience and in preparing for their return
home as individuals with disabilities.
Background: The Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) and Youth Exchange
and Study (YES) programs bring secondary school students from Eurasia
and countries with significant Muslim populations to the U.S. for an
academic year. During their time in the U.S., these students live with
American host families and attend U.S. high schools. (Note: For more
information on these programs, refer to the Youth Programs Division Web
site: https://exchanges.state.gov/education/citizens/students.)Since
1995, the FLEX program has included a component for students with
disabilities. This has been challenging since individuals with
disabilities are treated very differently in Eurasia than they are in
the U.S. In Eurasia, most disabled young people attend special schools,
largely institutions, and being disabled carries a major stigma. Most
young, disabled individuals either are ignored by parents who are
ashamed of them or are overprotected by parents who are concerned that
they cannot function independently. A similar situation exists in the
countries from which the YES students come; and therefore, the
disabilities component is being expanded this year to include YES
students. The program should be designed to support the following
specific activities/components:
Preparatory Workshop for Students with Disabilities: Generally,
FLEX and YES participants with disabilities adjust well to American
life and culture and
[[Page 15245]]
realize the same positive effects as non-disabled participants. The
grantee organization will assess the students' abilities and special
needs and provide information to placement organizations (POs) on
accommodations that each student may require as well as assist each PO
in identifying resources to support the student in the host community.
The Preparatory Workshop will also introduce and guide students'
expectations and skills for the U.S. academic year as individuals with
disabilities. The grantee organization will also focus on identifying
local activities and resources to prepare each student to incorporate
disability related themes into their FLEX or YES program objectives of
participation in community service and enhancement activities designed
to involve them in civic education, democracy building and mutual
understanding. Please note: Due to differences in scheduling between
the FLEX and YES programs, two separate Preparatory Workshops will be
necessary for FLEX and YES program participants respectively.
Ongoing Support and Academic Year Programming: Placement
organizations have minimal experience working with students with
disabilities and often lack resources and counseling expertise.
Providing such support services during the year will undoubtedly offer
students with disabilities access to opportunities that they may not be
aware of as well as enhance their experiences in their American host
communities. However, in addition to providing for the physical and
emotional support of students with disabilities, POs also need guidance
in identifying appropriate disability related local community service
and enhancement opportunities to provide for the programmatic aspects
of the students' FLEX or YES experience. Your organization's expertise
and knowledge of resources around the country will provide valuable
assistance to POs in planning meaningful activities that can expand the
students' knowledge and self-awareness of disability issues. This will
enhance their stay as well as their ability to become agents of change
in their home countries on matters concerning people with disabilities.
Leadership and Reentry Workshop for Students with Disabilities:
After having enjoyed the accessibility and other disability supports
that exist in the U.S., FLEX and YES students with disabilities are
often not well prepared to return to the less disability-friendly
environments of their home countries. It is important to adequately
prepare program participants with disabilities for the reverse culture
shock that is sure to occur when they return home. Therefore, this
workshop should focus solely on the readjustment of each student as a
person with a disability, as the students will also be attending other
reentry workshops conducted for all FLEX and YES students by their
respective placement organizations at the end of the program year.
These other workshops will provide more general training for
readjustment to the students' home cultures. Additional goals of the
Leadership and Reentry workshop are conducting activities to further
develop leadership skills and foster empowerment and provision of tools
that would enable these individuals to do outreach and work in support
of disability rights in their countries.
Proposed funding would support the following activities:
Preparatory Workshops: Two five-day workshops in summer 2006 to
prepare FLEX and YES students with disabilities for their exchange
experience.
Assessment of students' skills and preparation of reports
to provide placement organizations information about their students'
specific needs and abilities.
Lodging, meals, student supervision and emergency medical
care. [Note: Health insurance is provided by each student's placement
organization. Any issues or questions regarding insurance should be
addressed to the placement organizations.]
Coordination of arrival and departure travel information
with administrative component grantee. [Students' international and
domestic travel is provided through the FLEX administrative components
and YES recruitment grants.]
Coordination of make-up activities and information for any
late arriving students.
Comprehensive follow-up programming with any selected
individuals who were unable to attend the workshop.
Fiscal management.
Workshop evaluation.
Support and Programming Services:
Provision of disability- and locality-specific information
and resources to placement organizations and students to enhance their
FLEX and YES program activities.
Provision of ongoing support and program assistance and
communication to FLEX and YES students with disabilities through their
POs.
Fiscal management.
Evaluation.
Leadership and Reentry Workshop: A three-day workshop in spring
2007 to prepare students with disabilities to return to their home
countries.
Lodging, meals, student supervision and medical care.
Travel from host communities to workshop site, and return.
Follow-up programming--with any selected individuals who
were unable to attend the workshop.
Fiscal management.
Evaluation.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Grant Agreement.
Fiscal Year Funds: 2006.
Approximate Total Funding: Approximately $146,346.
Approximate Number of Awards: One.
Anticipated Award Date: June 2006.
Anticipated Project Completion Date: June 2007.
Additional Information: Pending successful implementation of this
program and the availability of funds in subsequent fiscal years, it is
ECA's intent to renew this grant for two additional fiscal years,
before openly competing it again.
III. Eligibility Information
III.1. Eligible Applicants
Applications may be submitted by public and private non-profit
organizations meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code
section 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3).
III.2. Cost Sharing or Matching Funds
There is no minimum or maximum percentage required for this
competition. However, the Bureau encourages applicants to provide
maximum levels of cost sharing and funding in support of its programs.
When cost sharing is offered, it is understood and agreed that the
applicant must provide the amount of cost sharing as stipulated in its
proposal and later included in an approved grant agreement. Cost
sharing may be in the form of allowable direct or indirect costs. For
accountability, you must maintain written records to support all costs
which are claimed as your contribution, as well as costs to be paid by
the Federal government. Such records are subject to audit. The basis
for determining the value of cash and in-kind contributions must be in
accordance with OMB Circular A-110, (Revised), Subpart C.23--Cost
Sharing and Matching. In the event you do not provide the minimum
amount of cost sharing as stipulated in the approved budget, ECA's
contribution will be reduced in like proportion.
III.3. Other Eligibility Requirements
Grants awarded to eligible organizations with less than four years
[[Page 15246]]
of experience in conducting international exchange programs will be
limited to $60,000.
IV. Application and Submission Information
Note: Please read the complete Federal Register announcement
before sending inquiries or submitting proposals. Once the RFGP
deadline has passed, Bureau staff may not discuss this competition
with applicants until the proposal review process has been
completed.
IV.1. Contact Information To Request an Application
Package: Please contact the Youth Programs Division, ECA/PE/C/PY,
Room Number 568, U.S. Department of State, SA-44, 301 4th Street, SW.,
Washington, DC 20547, phone: (202) 203-7517, fax (202) 203-7529, or e-
mail PetersML@state.gov to request a Solicitation Package. Please refer
to the Funding Opportunity Number located at the top of this
announcement when making your request.
The Solicitation Package contains the Proposal Submission
Instruction (PSI) document which consists of required application
forms, and standard guidelines for proposal preparation. 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 Michele Peters and refer to the Funding Opportunity
Number (ECA/PE/C/PY-06-37) 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. 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 sent 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 which is part of the formal application
package.
IV.3b. All proposals must contain an executive summary, proposal
narrative and budget. Please Refer to the Solicitation Package. It
contains the mandatory Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) document
and the Project Objectives, Goals and Implementation (POGI) document
for additional formatting and technical requirements.
IV.3c. You must have nonprofit status with the IRS at the time of
application. If your organization is a private nonprofit which has not
received a grant or cooperative agreement from ECA in the past three
years, or if your organization received nonprofit status from the IRS
within the past four years, you must submit the necessary documentation
to verify nonprofit status as directed in the PSI document. Failure to
do so will cause your proposal to be declared technically ineligible.
IV.3d. Please take into consideration the following information
when preparing your proposal narrative:
IV.3d.1. Adherence to All Regulations Governing the J Visa: The
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,
recordkeeping, 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://
www.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
[[Page 15247]]
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 timeframe), 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. The award will be approximately $146,346. 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) Round-trip transportation for participants from their host
communities to/from the Leadership and Reentry workshop site.
(2) Daily travel at workshop site location as necessary.
(3) Accommodations and meals for participants during the time of
the workshop.
(4) Rental of facilities and equipment.
(5) Fees for relevant excursions and cultural activities.
(6) Honoraria for speakers/trainers, as appropriate.
(7) Necessary reasonable accommodations.
(8) Materials development.
Please refer to the Solicitation Package for complete budget guidelines
and formatting instructions.
IV.3f. Application Deadline and Methods of Submission:
Application Deadline Date: Monday, May 8, 2006.
Reference Number: ECA/PE/C/PY-06-37.
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 Program 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''.
Applicants must follow all instructions in the Solicitation
Package.
[[Page 15248]]
The original and eight copies of the application should be sent to:
U.S. Department of State, SA-44, Bureau of Educational and Cultural
Affairs, Reference Number: ECA/PE/C/PY-06-37, Program Management, ECA/
EX/PM, Room 534, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547.
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. Applicants must also submit the
``Executive Summary'' and ``Proposal Narrative'' sections of the
proposal in text (.txt) format on a PC-formatted disk.
V. Application Review Information
V.1. Review Process
The Bureau will review all proposals for technical eligibility.
Proposals will be deemed ineligible if they do not fully adhere to the
guidelines stated herein and in the Solicitation Package. All eligible
proposals will be reviewed by the 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
assistance awards 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: Proposals
should exhibit originality, substance, precision, and resourcefulness.
Objectives should be reasonable, feasible, and flexible. A detailed
agenda and relevant work plan should include proposed support
activities and should demonstrate substantive undertakings and
logistical capacity. Agenda and plan should adhere to the program
overview and guidelines described above and should clearly demonstrate
how the project will meet objectives.
2. 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 (program venue
and program evaluation) and program content.
3. Institutional Capacity: Proposed personnel and institutional
resources should be adequate and appropriate to achieve the program or
project's goals. You should demonstrate experience working with youth
with disabilities, as well as familiarity with the culture and current
challenges that exist for people with disabilities living in Eurasia
and represented by the FLEX program and people with disabilities in the
countries represented in the YES program. Your proposal should
demonstrate an institutional record of successful programs, including
responsible fiscal management and full compliance with all reporting
requirements for past Bureau grants as determined by Bureau Grant
Staff.
4. Multiplier Effect/Impact: The proposed program should describe
how workshop participants will be motivated and enabled to reach out to
other individuals with disabilities in their communities in the U.S.
and in their home countries.
5. Follow-on Activities: Proposals should describe how the program
will encourage participants to teach and encourage advocacy to others
in their home countries.
6. Project Evaluation: Proposals should include a plan to evaluate
the activity's success, both as the activities unfold and at the end of
the program. A draft survey questionnaire or other technique plus
description of a methodology to use to link outcomes to original
project objectives are recommended.
7. Cost effectiveness/Cost sharing: The overhead and administrative
components of the proposal, including salaries and honoraria, should be
kept as low as possible. All other items should be necessary and
appropriate. Proposals should maximize cost-sharing through other
private sector support as well as institutional direct funding
contributions.
VI. Award Administration Information
VI.1. Award Notices
Final awards cannot be made until funds have been appropriated by
Congress, allocated and committed through internal Bureau procedures.
Successful applicants will receive an Assistance Award Document (AAD)
from the Bureau's Grants Office. The AAD and the original grant
proposal with subsequent modifications (if applicable) shall be the
only binding authorizing document between the recipient and the U.S.
Government. The AAD will be signed by an authorized Grants Officer, and
mailed to the recipient's responsible officer identified in the
application.
Unsuccessful applicants will receive notification of the results of
the application review from the ECA program office coordinating this
competition.
VI.2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements
Terms and Conditions for the Administration of ECA agreements
include the following:
Office of Management and Budget Circular A-122, ``Cost Principles
for Nonprofit Organizations.''
Office of Management and Budget Circular A-21, ``Cost Principles
for Educational Institutions.''
OMB Circular A-87, ``Cost Principles for State, Local and Indian
Governments.''
OMB Circular No. A-110 (Revised), Uniform Administrative
Requirements for Grants and Agreements with Institutions of Higher
Education, Hospitals, and other Nonprofit Organizations.
OMB Circular No. A-102, Uniform Administrative Requirements for
Grants-in-Aid to State and Local Governments.
OMB Circular No. A-133, Audits of States, Local Government, and
Non-profit Organizations.
Please reference the following Web sites for additional
information:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants;
https://exchanges.state.gov/education/grantsdiv/terms.htm#articleI.
VI.3. Reporting Requirements
You must provide ECA with two hard copy originals of the following
reports:
Quarterly program and financial reports; and a final program and
[[Page 15249]]
financial report no more than 90 days after the expiration of the
award.
Grantees will be required to provide reports analyzing their
evaluation findings to the Bureau in their regular program reports.
(Please refer to IV. Application and Submission Instructions (IV.3.d.3)
above for Program Monitoring and Evaluation information.
All data collected, including survey responses and contact
information, must be maintained for a minimum of three years and
provided to the Bureau upon request.
All reports must be sent to the ECA Grants Officer and ECA Program
Officer listed in the final assistance award document.
VII. Agency Contacts
For questions about this announcement, contact: Michele Peters,
Program Officer, Office of Citizen Exchanges, ECA/PE/C/PY, Room 568,
Reference Number ECA/PE/C/PY-06-37, U.S. Department of State, SA-44,
301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547, phone: (202) 203-7517 and
fax (202) 203-7529, E-mail: PetersML@state.gov.
All correspondence with the Bureau concerning this RFGP should
reference the above title and number ECA/PE/C/PY-06-37.
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 22, 2006.
C. Miller Crouch,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Educational and
Cultural Affairs, Department of State.
[FR Doc. E6-4383 Filed 3-24-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P
