Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA); Request for Grant Proposals: Study of the United States Institute for Korean Undergraduate Student Leaders, 36599-36604 [E6-10110]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 123 (Tuesday, June 27, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36599-36604]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-10110]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 5457]


Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA); Request for 
Grant Proposals: Study of the United States Institute for Korean 
Undergraduate Student Leaders

    Announcement Type: New Cooperative Agreement.
    Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/A/E/USS-07-SK.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 00.000.
    Key Dates: Application Deadline: August 25, 2006.
    Executive Summary: The Branch for the Study of the United States, 
Office of Academic Exchange Programs, Bureau of Educational and 
Cultural Affairs, invites proposal submissions for the design and 
implementation of the ``Study of the United States Institute for Korean 
Undergraduate Student Leaders'' to take place over the course of six 
weeks beginning in January 2007. The Institute is intended to provide a 
group of 15-18 highly motivated undergraduate students with an 
integrated and imaginatively designed academic and educational travel 
program that will give them a deeper understanding of U.S. politics, 
culture and society, while at the same time enhancing their leadership 
skills. Funding for this program is pending availability of FY-2007 
funds.

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

    Study of the U.S. Institutes are intensive academic programs whose 
purpose is to provide groups of

[[Page 36600]]

undergraduate student leaders with a deeper understanding of the United 
States, while at the same time enhancing their leadership skills. The 
Study of the U.S. Institute for Korean Undergraduate Student Leaders 
should provide a group of 15-18 undergraduate student leaders with an 
integrated and imaginatively designed academic and educational travel 
program. The program will consist of an academic component that 
includes leadership training and community service, as well as an 
educational travel component in the United States.
    The principal objective of the Institute is to heighten the 
participants' awareness of the history and evolution of U.S. society, 
culture, values and institutions, broadly defined. In this context, the 
Institute should incorporate a focus on contemporary American life, as 
it is shaped by historical and/or current political, social, and 
economic issues and debates. The role and influence of principles and 
values such as democracy, the rule of law, individual rights, freedom 
of expression, equality, diversity and tolerance should be addressed.
    In addition to promoting a better understanding of the United 
States, an important objective of the Institute is to develop the 
participants' leadership and collective problem-solving skills. In this 
context, the academic program should include group discussions, 
training and exercises that focus on such topics as the essential 
attributes of leadership; teambuilding; effective communication; and 
management skills for diverse organizational settings. There should 
also be a community service component, whereby the students experience 
firsthand how not-for-profit organizations and volunteerism play a key 
role in American civil society.
    Local site visits and educational travel to cities and other 
destinations outside the immediate area of the grantee institution 
should provide opportunities to observe varied aspects of American life 
and discuss issues raised in the academic program. The program should 
also include opportunities for participants to meet American citizens 
from a variety of backgrounds, to interact with their American peers, 
and to speak to appropriate student and civic groups about their 
experiences and life in South Korea.
    The Bureau is seeking detailed proposals for the Institute from 
U.S. liberal arts colleges, universities, consortia of colleges and 
universities, and other not-for-profit academic organizations that have 
an established reputation in one or more of the following fields: 
Political science, international relations, law, history, sociology, 
American studies, and/or other disciplines or sub-disciplines related 
to the study of the United States.

Overview

    The Study of the U.S. Institute for Korean Undergraduate Student 
Leaders should provide the students with a uniquely designed program 
that focuses on U.S. politics, culture and society. While planning 
activities and student recruitment will commence in 2006, the study 
program itself is scheduled to begin in January 2007 to coincide with 
an extended break in the Korean academic calendar. The program will 
consist of a challenging academic program, as well as educational 
travel to other regions of the United States to illustrate the various 
topics explored in class. The program should be six weeks in length; 
participants will spend approximately four weeks at the host 
institution, and approximately two weeks on the educational study tour, 
including two to three days in Washington, DC, at the conclusion of the 
Institute. The educational travel component should directly complement 
the academic program, and should include visits to cities and other 
sites of interest in the region around the grantee institution, as well 
as to another geographic region of the country. The grantee institution 
will also be expected to provide participants with post-program 
opportunities for further investigation and research on the topics and 
issues examined during the institute.

Program Design

    The Study of the U.S. Institute for Korean Undergraduate Student 
Leaders should be designed as an intensive academic program with an 
educational travel component that is organized through a carefully 
integrated series of panel presentations, seminar discussions, debates, 
individual and group activities, lectures and reading assignments, as 
well as local site visits, regional educational travel, and 
participation in community service activities. In addition to host 
college or university faculty and professionals from the region where 
the Institute takes place (e.g., in government, media, religious and 
civic organizations), course presenters should include outstanding 
scholars and other professional experts from throughout the United 
States, as appropriate.
    The Institute must not simply replicate existing or previous 
lectures, workshops, or group activities designed for American 
students. Rather, it should be a specially designed and well-integrated 
seminar that creatively combines lectures, discussions, readings, 
debates, local site visits and regional travel into a coherent whole. 
The grantee institution should take into account that the participants 
may have little or no prior knowledge of the United States and varying 
degrees of experience in expressing their opinions in a classroom 
setting; it should therefore tailor the curriculum and classroom 
activities accordingly. Every effort should be made to encourage active 
student participation in all aspects of the Institute. The grantee 
institution will be required to develop a program that provides ample 
time and opportunity for discussion and interaction among students, 
lecturers and guest speakers, not simply standard lectures or broad 
survey reading assignments. Reading and writing assignments should be 
adjusted to the participants' familiarity with English.
    Applicants are encouraged to design thematically coherent programs 
in ways that draw upon the particular strengths, faculty and resources 
of their institutions, as well as upon the nationally recognized 
expertise of scholars and other experts throughout the United States.

Program Administration

    The Institute should designate an academic director who will be 
present throughout the program to ensure the continuity, coherence and 
integration of all aspects of the academic program, including the study 
tour. In addition to the academic director(s), an administrative 
director or coordinator should be assigned to oversee all student 
support services, including supervision of the program participants, 
budgetary, logistical, and other administrative arrangements. For 
purposes of this program, it is important that the grantee institution 
also retain qualified mentors or escorts who exhibit cultural 
sensitivity, an understanding of the program's objectives, and a 
willingness to accompany the students throughout the program sessions, 
to the extent feasible.

Participants

    Participants in the Study of the U.S. Institute for Korean 
Undergraduate Leaders will be highly motivated and exemplary 
undergraduate students from colleges, universities and teacher training 
institutions in South Korea who demonstrate leadership through academic 
work, community involvement, and extracurricular activities. Their 
major fields of study will be varied, and will include the humanities, 
social sciences, education

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and business. All participants will have a good knowledge of English.
    Participants will be identified and nominated by the U.S. Embassy 
in Seoul, with final selection made by the Branch for the Study of the 
United States at ECA, in consultation with representatives from the 
Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs. Every effort will be made to 
select a balanced mix of male and female participants. The U.S. Embassy 
will make a particular effort to recruit participants who are from non-
elite or underprivileged backgrounds, from both rural and urban areas, 
and have had little or no prior experience in the United States or 
elsewhere outside of their home country.

Program Dates

    The Institute should be a maximum of 44 days in length (including 
participant arrival and departure days) and, pending availability of 
funds, is anticipated to begin in early January 2007 and conclude in 
mid-February 2007.

Program Guidelines

    While the conception and structure of the institute agenda is the 
responsibility of the organizers, it is essential that proposals 
provide a detailed and comprehensive narrative describing the 
objectives of the Institute; the title, scope and content of each 
session; planned site visits; and how each session relates to the 
overall institute theme. A syllabus must be included that indicates the 
subject matter for each lecture, panel discussion, group presentation 
or other activity. The syllabus should also confirm or provisionally 
identify proposed speakers, trainers, and session leaders, and clearly 
show how assigned readings will advance the goals of each session. A 
calendar of all program activities must be included in the proposal, as 
well as a description of plans for public and media outreach in 
connection with the Institute.


    Please note: In a cooperative agreement, the Branch for the 
Study of the United States is substantially involved in program 
activities above and beyond routine grant monitoring. The Branch 
will assume the following responsibilities for the Institute: 
participate in the selection of participants; oversee the Institute 
through one or more site visits; debrief participants in Washington, 
DC at the conclusion of the Institute; and engage in follow-on 
communication with the participants after they return to their home 
countries. The Branch may require changes in the content or scope of 
activities of the Institute, either before or after the grant is 
awarded. The recipient will be required to obtain approval of 
significant agenda/syllabus changes in advance of their 
implementation.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Cooperative Agreement. ECA's level of involvement in 
this program is listed under number I ``Note'' above.
    Fiscal Year Funds: FY-2007 (pending availability).
    Approximate Total Funding: $250,000.
    Approximate Number of Awards: 1.
    Approximate Average Award: $250,000.
    Floor of Award Range: $225,000.
    Ceiling of Award Range: $250,000.
    Anticipated Award Date: Pending availability of funds, November 20, 
2006.
    Anticipated Project Completion Date: February 16, 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 
strongly encourages applicants to provide maximum levels of cost 
sharing and funding in support of its programs. When cost sharing is 
offered, it is understood and agreed that the applicant must provide 
the amount of cost sharing as stipulated in its proposal and later 
included in an approved grant agreement. Cost sharing may be in the 
form of allowable direct or indirect costs. For accountability, you 
must maintain written records to support all costs that are claimed as 
your contribution, as well as costs to be paid by the Federal 
Government. Such records are subject to audit. The basis for 
determining the value of cash and in-kind contributions must be in 
accordance with OMB Circular A-110, (Revised), Subpart C.23--Cost 
Sharing and Matching. In the event you do not provide the minimum 
amount of cost sharing as stipulated in the approved budget, ECA's 
contribution will be reduced in like proportion.
    III.3. Other Eligibility Requirements: Grants awarded to eligible 
organizations with less than four years of experience in conducting 
international exchange programs will be limited to $60,000. ECA 
anticipates awarding one grant in an amount up to $250,000 to support 
program and administrative costs required to implement this exchange 
program. Therefore, organizations with less than four years' experience 
in conducting international exchanges are ineligible to apply under 
this competition.

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 Branch for the Study of the United States, ECA/A/E/USS, 
Room 314, U.S. Department of State, SA-44, 301 4th Street, SW., 
Washington, DC 20547; tel. (202) 453-8536; fax (202) 453-8533; e-mail: 
caseysd@state.gov to request a Solicitation Package. Please refer to 
the Funding Opportunity Number ECA/A/E/USS-07-SK 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 Sheila Casey and refer to the Funding Opportunity 
Number ECA/A/E/USS-07-SK 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 section IV.3f, ``Application 
Deadline and Methods of Submission,'' below.

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    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 form 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 PSI document and the POGI document for 
additional formatting and technical requirements.
    IV.3c. You must have nonprofit status with the IRS at the time of 
application. If your organization is a private nonprofit which has not 
received a grant or cooperative agreement from ECA in the past three 
years, or if your organization received nonprofit status from the IRS 
within the past four years, you must submit the necessary documentation 
to verify nonprofit status as directed in the PSI document. Failure to 
do so will cause your proposal to be declared technically ineligible.
    IV.3d. Please take into consideration the following information 
when preparing your proposal narrative:
    IV.3d.1. Adherence to all regulations governing the J visa: The 
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs is placing renewed emphasis 
on the secure and proper administration of Exchange Visitor (J visa) 
Programs and adherence by grantees and sponsors to all regulations 
governing the J visa. Therefore, proposals should demonstrate the 
applicant's capacity to meet all requirements governing the 
administration of the Exchange Visitor Programs as set forth in 22 CFR 
part 62, including the oversight of Responsible Officers and Alternate 
Responsible Officers, screening and selection of program participants, 
provision of pre-arrival information and orientation to participants, 
monitoring of participants, proper maintenance and security of forms, 
record-keeping, reporting and other requirements. ECA will be 
responsible for issuing DS-2019 forms to participants in this program.
    A copy of the complete regulations governing the administration of 
Exchange Visitor (J) programs is available at https://
exchanges.state.gov or from: United States Department of State, Office 
of Exchange Coordination and Designation, ECA/EC/ECD--SA-44, Room 734, 
301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547. Telephone: (202) 203-5029. 
FAX: (202) 453-8640.
    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 disabilities. 
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 
(V.2.) 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 strongly 
recommends that your proposal include a draft survey questionnaire or 
other technique plus a description of a methodology to use to link 
outcomes to original project objectives. The Bureau expects that the 
grantee will track participants or partners and be able to respond to 
key evaluation questions, including satisfaction with the program, 
learning as a result of the program, changes in behavior as a result of 
the program, and effects of the program on institutions (institutions 
in which participants work or partner institutions). The evaluation 
plan should include indicators that measure gains in mutual 
understanding as well as substantive knowledge.
    Successful monitoring and evaluation depend heavily on setting 
clear goals and outcomes at the outset of a program. Your evaluation 
plan should include a description of your project's objectives, your 
anticipated project outcomes, and how and when you intend to measure 
these outcomes (performance indicators). The more that outcomes are 
``smart'' (specific, measurable, attainable, results-oriented, and 
placed in a reasonable time frame), the easier it will be to conduct 
the evaluation. You should also show how your project objectives link 
to the goals of the program described in this RFGP.
    Your monitoring and evaluation plan should clearly distinguish 
between program outputs and outcomes. Outputs are products and services 
delivered, often stated as an amount. Output information is important 
to show the scope or size of project activities, but it cannot 
substitute for information about progress towards outcomes or the 
results achieved. Examples of outputs include the number of people 
trained or the number of seminars conducted. Outcomes, in contrast, 
represent specific results a project is intended to achieve and is 
usually measured as an extent of change. Findings on outputs and 
outcomes should both be reported, but the focus should be on outcomes.
    We encourage you to assess the following four levels of outcomes, 
as they relate to the program goals set out in the RFGP (listed here in 
increasing order of importance):
    1. Participant satisfaction with the program and exchange 
experience.
    2. Participant learning, such as increased knowledge, aptitude, 
skills, and changed understanding and attitude. Learning includes both 
substantive (subject-specific) learning and mutual understanding.
    3. Participant behavior, concrete actions to apply knowledge in 
work or community; greater participation and responsibility in civic 
organizations; interpretation and explanation of experiences and new 
knowledge gained; continued contacts between participants, community 
members, and others.
    4. Institutional changes, such as increased collaboration and 
partnerships, policy reforms, new programming, and organizational 
improvements.


    Please note: Consideration should be given to the appropriate 
timing of data collection for each level of outcome. For example, 
satisfaction is usually captured as a short-term outcome, whereas 
behavior and institutional changes are normally considered longer-
term outcomes.


    Overall, the quality of your monitoring and evaluation plan will be 
judged on how well it (1) specifies

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intended outcomes; (2) gives clear descriptions of how each outcome 
will be measured; (3) identifies when particular outcomes will be 
measured; and (4) provides a clear description of the data collection 
strategies for each outcome (i.e., surveys, interviews, or focus 
groups). (Please note that evaluation plans that deal only with the 
first level of outcomes [satisfaction] will be deemed less competitive 
under the present evaluation criteria.)
    Grantees will be required to provide reports analyzing their 
evaluation findings to the Bureau in their regular program reports. All 
data collected, including survey responses and contact information, 
must be maintained for a minimum of three years and provided to the 
Bureau upon request.
    IV.3d.4. Describe your plans for overall program management, 
staffing, and coordination with Branch for the Study of the United 
States. The Branch considers these to be essential elements of your 
program; please be sure to give sufficient attention to them in your 
proposal. Please refer to the Technical Eligibility Requirements and 
the POGI in the Solicitation Package for specific guidelines.
    IV.3e. Please take the following information into consideration 
when preparing your budget:
    IV.3e.1. Applicants must submit a comprehensive budget for the 
entire program. Awards may not exceed $250,000. There must be a summary 
budget as well as breakdowns reflecting both administrative and program 
budgets. Applicants may provide separate sub-budgets for each program 
component, phase, location, or activity to provide clarification. 
Administrative costs should be approximately $85,000.
    IV.3e.2. Allowable costs for the program include the following:
    (1) Institute staff salary and benefits.
    (2) Participant housing and meals.
    (3) Participant travel and per diem.
    (4) Textbooks, educational materials and admissions fees.
    (5) Honoraria for guest speakers.
    Please refer to the Solicitation Package for complete budget 
guidelines and formatting instructions.
    IV.3f. Application Deadline and Methods of Submission:
    Application Deadline Date: August 25, 2006.
    Reference Number: ECA/A/E/USS-07-SK.
    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 eight (8) copies of the application should be sent 
to: U.S. Department of State, SA-44, Bureau of Educational and Cultural 
Affairs, Program Management, ECA/EX/PM, Room 534, 301 4th Street, SW., 
Washington, DC 20547. Reference Number: ECA/A/E/USS-07-SK.
    Applicants submitting hard-copy applications must also submit the 
``Executive Summary'' and ``Proposal Narrative'' sections of the 
proposal in text (.txt) format on a PC-formatted disk. The Bureau will 
provide these files electronically to the Public Affairs Section at the 
U.S. Embassy in Seoul for its review.
    IV.3f.2. Submitting Electronic Applications: Applicants have the 
option of submitting proposals electronically through Grants.gov 
(https://www.grants.gov). Complete solicitation packages are available 
at Grants.gov in the ``Find'' portion of the system. Please follow the 
instructions available in the `Get Started' portion of the site (http:/
/www.grants.gov/GetStarted).
    Applicants have until midnight (12 a.m.) of the closing date to 
ensure that their entire application has been uploaded to the 
grants.gov site. Applications uploaded to the site after midnight of 
the application deadline date will be automatically rejected by the 
grants.gov system, and will be technically ineligible.
    Applicants will receive 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 
ECA program office in consultation with the Bureau of East Asian and 
Pacific Affairs and the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy in 
Seoul, 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 cooperative agreements 
resides with the Bureau's Grants Officer.
    V.2. 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. Quality of Program Idea/Plan: Proposals should exhibit 
originality, substance, precision, and relevance to the Bureau's 
mission. Detailed agenda and relevant work plan should demonstrate 
substantive undertakings and logistical capacity.
    2. Ability to Achieve Overall Program Objectives: Objectives should 
be reasonable, feasible, and flexible. Proposals should clearly 
demonstrate how the institution will meet the program's objectives and 
plan.
    3. Support for Diversity: Proposals should demonstrate substantive 
support of the Bureau's policy on diversity.

[[Page 36604]]

Achievable and relevant features should be cited in both program 
administration (program venue, study tour venue, and program 
evaluation) and program content (orientation and wrap-up sessions, site 
visits, program meetings and resource materials).
    4. Evaluation and Follow-Up: Proposals should include a plan to 
evaluate the Institute'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 
institute objectives is strongly recommended. Proposals should also 
discuss provisions made for follow-up with returned grantees as a means 
of establishing longer-term individual and institutional linkages.
    5. 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.
    6. Institutional Track Record/Ability: Proposals should demonstrate 
an institutional record of successful exchange programs, including 
responsible fiscal management and full compliance with all reporting 
requirements for past Bureau grants as determined by Bureau Grants 
Staff. The Bureau will consider the past performance of prior 
recipients and the demonstrated potential of new applicants. Proposed 
personnel and institutional resources should be fully qualified to 
achieve the Institute's goals.

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 a hard copy 
original plus one (1) copy of the final program and financial report no 
more than 90 days after the expiration of the award.
    Grantees will be required to provide reports analyzing their 
evaluation findings to the Bureau in their regular program reports. 
Please refer to Application and Submission Instructions (IV.3d.3) above 
for Program Monitoring and Evaluation information.
    All data collected, including survey responses and contact 
information, must be maintained for a minimum of three years and 
provided to the Bureau upon request.
    All reports must be sent to the ECA Grants Officer and ECA Program 
Officer listed in the final assistance award document.
    VI.4. Program Data Requirements: Organizations awarded grants will 
be required to maintain specific data on program participants and 
activities in an electronically accessible database format that can be 
shared with the Bureau as required. As a minimum, the data must include 
the following:
    (1) Name, address, contact information and academic major of all 
participants.
    (2) Itineraries of international and domestic travel for all 
participants, providing dates of travel and cities in which any 
exchange experiences take place. Final itineraries must be received by 
the ECA Program Officer at least three work days prior to the 
participants' arrival in the United States.

VII. Agency Contacts

    For questions about this announcement, contact: Sheila Casey, 
Branch for the Study of the United States, ECA/A/E/USS, Room 314, ECA/
A/E/USS-07-SK, U.S. Department of State, SA-44, 301 4th Street, SW., 
Washington, DC 20547; tel. (202) 453-8536; fax (202) 453-8533, e-mail: 
caseysd@state.gov.
    All correspondence with the Bureau concerning this RFGP should 
reference the title ``Study of the U.S. Institute for Korean 
Undergraduate Student Leaders'' and number ECA/A/E/USS-07-SK.
    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: June 20, 2006.
Dina Habib Powell,
Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs, Department of 
State.
[FR Doc. E6-10110 Filed 6-26-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P