Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA); Request for Grant Proposals: Regional Educational Advising Coordinator Program, 28897-28902 [E6-7601]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 96 (Thursday, May 18, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28897-28902]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-7601]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 5410]


Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA); Request for 
Grant Proposals: Regional Educational Advising Coordinator Program

    Announcement Type: New Cooperative Agreement.
    Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/A/S/A-07-03.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 00.000.
    Key Dates: Program start date: October 1, 2006.
    Application Deadline: July 10, 2006.
    Executive Summary: The Educational Information and Resources Branch 
in the Office of Global Educational Programs of the Bureau of 
Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) announces an open competition 
for a cooperative agreement to support the Regional Educational 
Advising Coordinator (REAC) Program. The underlying goal of this 
cooperative agreement is to foster international student mobility 
between the United States and the rest of the world. The grantee 
organization will provide programmatic oversight and coordination, 
communication and information channels, training and logistical 
support, and human resource services to eight REACs, thus assuring 
their capacity to supply the EducationUSA network of 450 State 
Department-supported educational advising centers with adequate 
resources and professional training, and in turn, hundreds of thousands 
of overseas students with objective, accurate and timely information on 
U.S. higher education. The grantee organization will also ensure that 
the Bureau, U.S. embassies and Fulbright commissions receive thoughtful 
assessments of issues concerning advising centers and regional trends 
in student mobility from the REACs.
    Non-profit higher education organizations with the infrastructure 
to manage programs in all regions of the world may submit proposals 
which demonstrate their knowledge of international student mobility, 
understanding of the needs of the EducationUSA network, and the 
capacity to support REACs based in Ghana, Germany, Mexico, Morocco, 
Pakistan, Peru, Russia, and Thailand. Pending availability of FY07 
funding, this grant will provide an assistance award in the range of 
$1,273,000 to $1,433,000.

I. Funding Opportunity Description

Authority

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

Purpose

    The State Department and ECA are committed to facilitating and 
increasing the flow of international students to the U.S. in order to 
provide future world leaders with opportunities to understand U.S. 
society, culture and values. The REACs' role is critical to the 
Bureau's pursuit of this objective.
    REACs and the EducationUSA advisers they support are catalysts for 
the exchange of U.S. Government-sponsored students and scholars as well 
as those who pursue U.S. educational programs through their own means 
or

[[Page 28898]]

with the aid of other sponsors. REACs and the EducationUSA network 
market U.S. higher education abroad, promote study by international 
students, scholars and professionals in the U.S., and encourage study 
abroad by Americans. EducationUSA advisers counsel international 
students, parents and foreign government officials, and bring U.S. 
educational opportunities to the attention of a broad and diverse 
segment of young people. Advisers also facilitate outreach by U.S. 
institutions to these populations. (For more information, please see 
https://www.educationUSA.state.gov.)

Program Information

    The grantee organization will ensure that REACs have the necessary 
logistical and programmatic support to provide comprehensive and 
accurate information to EducationUSA advisers through regional 
listservs and newsletters; to evaluate the need of advising centers for 
resources and training and to provide advisers appropriate training 
through regional workshops, internships and other professional 
opportunities; to conduct site visits to centers and report to ECA's 
Educational Information and Resources Branch (ECA/A/S/A); and to 
provide analyses to the Public Affairs and Consular sections of U.S. 
embassies on issues concerning the advising centers and trends in 
student mobility, with special reference to underserved groups. The 
grantee should also ensure that REACs represent the views of advisers 
and international students to educational institutions in the United 
States for the purpose of facilitating the enrollment of students in 
U.S. institutions.
    REACs have been employed previously through a variety of 
mechanisms, including grants to U.S.-based non-governmental 
organizations as well as transfers of funds to U.S. embassies and 
Fulbright Commissions. Through this cooperative agreement, the Bureau 
intends to provide a coherent administrative structure for the REACs, 
while maintaining the Bureau's traditionally substantial level of 
involvement in overseeing the format and content of assistance provided 
by the REACs to EducationUSA advisers. The grantee organization will 
use funding made available through this agreement to provide a uniform 
and equitable structure for REACs' salaries, health insurance, 
pensions, professional development, travel, equipment, and logistical 
support. The grantee organization should serve as a partner to REACs by 
facilitating and supporting them to conduct an adequate number of 
regional adviser training sessions and workshops. The grantee should 
facilitate communication and information flow among and between REACs 
via a listserv or other means. Ongoing REAC office expenses, including 
rent, are also eligible for funding. Should additional monies become 
available, the agreement will also pay for a part-time assistant for 
each REAC, where feasible and not already furnished from other sources; 
applicants should discuss in their proposals how they would provide 
part-time assistants.
    Applicant organizations should include in their proposals a plan to 
maintain REACs in the cities and countries where they are currently 
based. Applicants must be willing to enter into a sub-grant agreement 
with certain current REAC host organizations, and to pay any applicable 
office rental fees as needed. Please contact ECA/A/S/A Program Officer 
Rachel Waldstein for more information on individual incumbent REAC 
situations. If a vacancy occurs, the grantee organization will be 
expected to recruit and select new REACs, in close consultation with 
ECA/A/S/A.
    Please see the Program Objectives, Goals and Implementation (POGI) 
for further details on REAC responsibilities and qualifications, 
grantee organization responsibilities and the ECA/A/S/A role.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Cooperative Agreement. Under this cooperative 
agreement, ECA/A/S/A will be substantially involved in program 
activities above and beyond routine grant monitoring. It will play a 
central role in reviewing staff selection, travel plans and budget, and 
issues requiring consultation with Fulbright Commission or U.S. embassy 
personnel. Please see the POGI for details.
    Fiscal Year Funds: 2007.
    Approximate Total Funding: Minimum of $1,273,000 and up to 
$1,433,000, pending availability of FY07 funds.
    Approximate Number of Awards: One.
    Approximate Average Award: Minimum of $1,273,000 and up to 
$1,433,000, pending availability of funds.
    Anticipated Award Date: Pending availability of funds, October 1, 
2006.
    Anticipated Project Completion Date: December 31, 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 possible in support of its programs. Proposals that include 
significant cost sharing will be deemed more competitive.
    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:
    (a.) Bureau grant guidelines require that organizations with less 
than four years experience in conducting international exchanges be 
limited to $60,000 in Bureau funding. ECA anticipates awarding one 
grant, in an amount of approximately $1,273,000 to $1,433,000 to 
support program and administrative costs required to implement this 
program. Therefore, organizations with less than four years experience 
in conducting international exchanges are ineligible to apply under 
this competition. The Bureau encourages applicants to provide maximum 
levels of cost sharing and funding in support of its programs.
    (b.) Organizations may collaborate in the submission of an 
application to manage this program. In such a case, the agreement will 
be made with one organization that should be prepared to work with its 
institutional partners on the basis of one or more sub-agreements.

[[Page 28899]]

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 Global Educational Programs, ECA/A/S/
A, Room 349, U.S. Department of State, SA-44, 301 4th Street, SW., 
Washington, DC 20547, telephone: 202-453-8866, fax number: 202-453-
8890, e-mail: Waldsteinre@state.gov to request a Solicitation Package. 
Please refer to the Funding Opportunity Number ECA/A/S/A-07-03 located 
at the top of this announcement when making your request.
    Alternatively, an electronic application package may be obtained 
from grants.gov. Please see section IV.3f for further information.
    The Solicitation Package contains the Proposal Submission 
Instruction (PSI) document, which consists of required application 
forms, and standard guidelines for proposal preparation.
    It also contains the Project Objectives, Goals and Implementation 
(POGI) document, which provides specific information, award criteria 
and budget instructions tailored to this competition.
    Please specify Rachel Waldstein, Program Officer, and refer to the 
Funding Opportunity Number ECA/A/S/A-07-03 located at the top of this 
announcement on all other inquiries and correspondence.
    IV.2. To Download a Solicitation Package Via Internet: The entire 
Solicitation Package may be downloaded from the Bureau's Web site at 
https://exchanges.state.gov/education/rfgps/menu.htm, or from the 
Grants.gov Web site at https://www.grants.gov. Please read all 
information before downloading.
    IV.3. Content and Form of Submission: Applicants must follow all 
instructions in the Solicitation Package. The application should be 
submitted per the instructions under IV.3f. ``Submission Dates and 
Times section'' below.
    IV.3a. You are required to have a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal 
Numbering System (DUNS) number to apply for a grant or cooperative 
agreement from the U.S. Government. This number is a nine-digit 
identification number, which uniquely identifies business entities. 
Obtaining a DUNS number is easy and there is no charge. To obtain a 
DUNS number, access https://www.dunandbradstreet.com or call 1-866-705-
5711. Please ensure that your DUNS number is included in the 
appropriate box of the SF-424 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: For 
applicants' information only, the Bureau of Educational and Cultural 
Affairs is placing renewed emphasis on the secure and proper 
administration of Exchange Visitor (J visa) Programs and adherence by 
grantees and sponsors to all regulations governing the J visa. 
Therefore, proposals should demonstrate the applicant's capacity to 
meet all requirements governing the administration of the Exchange 
Visitor Programs as set forth in 22 CFR part 62, including the 
oversight of Responsible Officers and Alternate Responsible Officers, 
screening and selection of program participants, provision of pre-
arrival information and orientation to participants, monitoring of 
participants, proper maintenance and security of forms, record-keeping, 
reporting and other requirements. The Grantee will be responsible for 
issuing DS-2019 forms to participants in this program.
    A copy of the complete regulations governing the administration of 
Exchange Visitor (J) programs is available at https://
exchanges.state.gov or from: United States Department of State, Office 
of Exchange Coordination and Designation, ECA/EC/ECD--SA-44, Room 734, 
301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547. Telephone: (202) 203-5029. 
FAX: (202) 453-8640.
    Please refer to Solicitation Package for further information.
    IV.3d.2. Diversity, Freedom and Democracy Guidelines: Pursuant to 
the Bureau's authorizing legislation, programs must maintain a non-
political character and should be balanced and representative of the 
diversity of American political, social, and cultural life. 
``Diversity'' should be interpreted in the broadest sense and encompass 
differences including, but not limited to ethnicity, race, gender, 
religion, geographic location, socio-economic status, and physical 
challenges. Applicants are strongly encouraged to adhere to the 
advancement of this principle both in program administration and in 
program content. Please refer to the review criteria under the `Support 
for Diversity' section for specific suggestions on incorporating 
diversity into your proposal. Public Law 104-319 provides that ``in 
carrying out programs of educational and cultural exchange in countries 
whose people do not fully enjoy freedom and democracy,'' the Bureau 
``shall take appropriate steps to provide opportunities for 
participation in such programs to human rights and democracy leaders of 
such countries.'' Public Law 106-113 requires that the governments of 
the countries described above do not have inappropriate influence in 
the selection process. Proposals should reflect advancement of these 
goals in their program contents, to the full extent deemed feasible.
    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

[[Page 28900]]

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.
    Describe your plans for: i.e. sustainability, overall program 
management, staffing, coordination with ECA and PAS or any other 
requirements etc.
    IV.3e. Please take the following information into consideration 
when preparing your budget:
    IV.3e.1. Budget: Applicants must submit a comprehensive budget for 
the entire program. There must be a summary budget as well as 
breakdowns reflecting both administrative and program budgets. 
Applicants may provide separate sub-budgets for each REAC or for each 
program component, phase, location, or activity to provide 
clarification. Administrative and indirect costs may not exceed 30% and 
may not be charged against program costs such as REAC per diem, or 
lodging and per diem for advisers attending regionally based training.
    IV.3e.2. Allowable costs for the program include the following:
    (1) REAC salaries, benefits, health insurance, retirement.
    (2) Costs for REAC professional development and for facilitating 
communication and information flow among REACs and with advising 
centers.
    (3) Part-time assistant salaries.
    (4) REAC travel.
    (5) Logistical support and equipment.
    (6) Cost of organizing regional adviser training programs.
    Please refer to the Solicitation Package for complete budget 
guidelines and formatting instructions.
    IV.3f. Application Deadline and Methods of Submission:
    Application Deadline Date: July 10, 2006.
    Reference Number: ECA/A/S/A-07-03.
    Methods of Submission: Applications may be submitted in one of two 
ways:
    (1) In hard-copy, via a nationally recognized overnight delivery 
service (i.e., DHL, Federal Express, UPS, Airborne Express, or U.S. 
Postal Service Express Overnight Mail, etc.), or
    (2) electronically through https://www.grants.gov.
    Along with the Project Title, all applicants must enter the above 
Reference Number in Box 11 on the SF-424 contained in the mandatory 
Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) of the solicitation document.
    IV.3f.1. Submitting Printed Applications: Applications must be 
shipped no later than the above deadline. Delivery services used by 
applicants must have in-place, centralized shipping identification and 
tracking systems that may be accessed via the Internet and delivery 
people who are identifiable by commonly recognized uniforms and 
delivery vehicles. Proposals shipped on or before the above deadline 
but received at ECA more than seven days after the deadline will be 
ineligible for further consideration under this competition. Proposals 
shipped after the established deadlines are ineligible for 
consideration under this competition. ECA will not notify you upon 
receipt of application. It is each applicant's responsibility to ensure 
that each package is marked with a legible tracking number and to 
monitor/confirm delivery to ECA via the Internet. Delivery of proposal 
packages may not be made via local courier service or in person for 
this competition. Faxed documents will not be accepted at any time. 
Only proposals submitted as stated above will be considered.


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


    The original and seven copies of the application should be sent to: 
U.S. Department of State, SA-44, Bureau of Educational and Cultural 
Affairs, Ref.: ECA/A/S/A-07-03, Program Management, ECA/EX/PM, Room 
534, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547.
    Along with the Project Title, all applicants must enter the above 
Reference Number in Box 11 on the SF-424 contained in the mandatory 
Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) of the solicitation document.
    IV.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).

[[Page 28901]]

    Applicants have until midnight (12 a.m.) of the closing date to 
ensure that their entire applications have been uploaded to the 
grants.gov site. Applications uploaded to the site after midnight of 
the application deadline date will be automatically rejected by the 
grants.gov system, and will be technically ineligible.
    Applicants will receive a confirmation e-mail from grants.gov upon 
the successful submission of an application. ECA will not notify you 
upon receipt of electronic applications.
    IV.3g. Intergovernmental Review of Applications: Executive Order 
12372 does not apply to this program.

V. Application Review Information

    V.1. Review Process:
    The Bureau will review all proposals for technical eligibility. 
Proposals will be deemed ineligible if they do not fully adhere to the 
guidelines stated herein and in the Solicitation Package. All eligible 
proposals will be reviewed by the program office, as well as the Public 
Diplomacy section overseas, where appropriate. Eligible proposals will 
be subject to compliance with Federal and Bureau regulations and 
guidelines and forwarded to Bureau grant panels for advisory review. 
Proposals may also be reviewed by the Office of the Legal Adviser or by 
other Department elements. Final funding decisions are at the 
discretion of the Department of State's Assistant Secretary for 
Educational and Cultural Affairs. Final technical authority for 
assistance awards (cooperative agreements) resides with the Bureau's 
Grants Officer.

Review Criteria

    Technically eligible applications will be competitively reviewed 
according to the criteria stated below. These criteria are not rank 
ordered and all carry equal weight in the proposal evaluation. Please 
see POGI for a description of each criterion.
    1. Program planning/Ability to achieve program objectives.
    2. Institution's capacity/record.
    3. Cost effectiveness/cost sharing.
    4. Multiplier effect/impact.
    5. Support of diversity.
    6. Project evaluation.
    7. Area expertise.

VI. Award Administration Information

    VI.1a. Award Notices: Final awards cannot be made until funds have 
been appropriated by Congress, allocated and committed through internal 
Bureau procedures. Successful applicants will receive an Assistance 
Award Document (AAD) from the Bureau's Grants Office. The AAD and the 
original grant proposal with subsequent modifications (if applicable) 
shall be the only binding authorizing document between the recipient 
and the U.S. Government. The AAD will be signed by an authorized Grants 
Officer, and mailed to the recipient's responsible officer identified 
in the application.
    Unsuccessful applicants will receive notification of the results of 
the application review from the ECA program office coordinating this 
competition.
    VI.2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements:
    Terms and Conditions for the Administration of ECA agreements 
include the following:
    Office of Management and Budget Circular A-122, ``Cost Principles 
for Nonprofit Organizations.''
    Office of Management and Budget Circular A-21, ``Cost Principles 
for Educational Institutions.''
    OMB Circular A-87, ``Cost Principles for State, Local and Indian 
Governments.''
    OMB Circular No. A-110 (Revised), Uniform Administrative 
Requirements for Grants and Agreements with Institutions of Higher 
Education, Hospitals, and other Nonprofit Organizations.
    OMB Circular No. A-102, Uniform Administrative Requirements for 
Grants-in-Aid to State and Local Governments.
    OMB Circular No. A-133, Audits of States, Local Government, and 
Non-profit Organizations.
    Please reference the following Web sites for additional 
information:

https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants.
https://exchanges.state.gov/education/grantsdiv/terms.htm# articleI.

    VI.3. Reporting Requirements: You must provide ECA with a hard copy 
original plus one copy of the following reports:
    (1) A final program and financial report no more than 90 days after 
the expiration of the award;
    (2) Quarterly program and financial reports. Program reports should 
include travel and budget updates for each REAC.
    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.
    Program Data Requirements: Organizations awarded grants will be 
required to maintain specific data on program participants (REACs and 
EducationUSA advisers) 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) Information on 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 seven work days prior to 
the official opening of the activity.

VII. Agency Contacts

    For questions about this announcement, contact: Rachel Waldstein, 
Program Officer, Educational Information and Resources Branch, Office 
of Global Educational Programs, ECA/A/S/A, Room 349, ECA/A/S/A-07-03, 
U.S. Department of State, SA-44, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 
20547, telephone: 202-453-8866, fax: 202-453-8890, e-mail address: 
Waldsteinre@state.gov.
    All correspondence with the Bureau concerning this RFGP should 
reference the above title and number ECA/A/S/A-07-03.
    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.


[[Page 28902]]


    Dated: May 12, 2006.
Dina Habib Powell,
Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs, Department of 
State.
[FR Doc. E6-7601 Filed 5-17-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P