Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for Grant Proposals: Serbia Youth Leadership Program, 42706-42711 [E6-12043]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 144 (Thursday, July 27, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42706-42711]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-12043]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 5476]


Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for 
Grant Proposals: Serbia Youth Leadership Program

    Announcement Type: New Grant.
    Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/PE/C/PY-07-04.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 00.000

    Application Deadline: September 21, 2006.
    Executive Summary: The Office of Citizen Exchanges, Youth Programs 
Division, of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) 
announces an open competition for the Serbia Youth Leadership Program. 
Public and private non-profit organizations meeting the provisions 
described in Internal Revenue Code section 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3) may 
submit proposals to recruit and select youth and adult participants in 
Serbia and to provide the participants with U.S.-based exchange 
projects focused on civic education and leadership.

[[Page 42707]]

I. Funding Opportunity Description

Authority

    Overall grant making authority for this program is contained in the 
Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961, as amended, 
Public Law 87-256, 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 is provided through the Support for East European Democracy 
(SEED) Act (1989).

Overview

    The Serbia Youth Leadership Program will enable teenagers (ages 15-
17) and adult educators to participate in intensive, thematic, month-
long projects that involve a practical examination of the principles of 
democracy and civil society as practiced in the United States and 
provide participants with training that allows them to develop their 
leadership skills. Participants will be engaged in a variety of 
activities such as workshops, community and/or school-based programs, 
seminars, and other activities that are designed to achieve the 
projects' stated goals and objectives. Opportunities for participants 
to interact with American youth and educators will be included whenever 
appropriate.
    The goals of the programs are:
    (1) To develop a cadre of young adults in Serbia who have a strong 
sense of civic responsibility and commitment to community development;
    (2) To foster relationships among youth from different ethnic, 
religious, and national groups;
    (3) To promote mutual understanding between the United States and 
the people of other countries.
    Applicants should identify their own specific objectives and 
measurable outcomes based on these program goals and the project 
specifications provided in this solicitation.
    With the specific focus of this program, the following outcomes 
will indicate a successful project:
     Participants will demonstrate critical thinking and 
leadership skills.
     Participants will demonstrate a better understanding of 
the elements of a participatory democracy as practiced in the United 
States.
     Participants will demonstrate skill at developing project 
ideas and planning a course of action to bring the projects to 
fruition.
    The Bureau intends to support three discrete projects, each funded 
at approximately $212,000 and each focusing on a different theme. 
Organizations may apply to implement one, two, or all three projects. 
The six themes that showcase U.S. governance and society will be woven 
through each project. These are listed in no particular order.
    (1) Grassroots activism
    (2) Rule of law and the judiciary
    (3) Religious freedom in the United States
    (4) The role of local and municipal governments
    (5) Ethnic tolerance and living in a multi-ethnic society
    (6) Student activism/student government.
    Each of the three projects must address each of the six themes in 
some way. In addition, for each project applicants must choose one of 
the themes and develop it into the primary focus of the project; that 
is, a project will have one dominant theme, and five minor themes. The 
applicant must then present a program plan that allows the participants 
to thoroughly explore the dominant theme in a creative, memorable, and 
practical way, with a particular ``hook'' or angle. For instance, the 
participants may engage in a research project or simulation or case 
study in order to examine the theme in depth. All activities should be 
designed to be replicable and provide practical knowledge and skills 
that the participants can apply to school and civic activities at home. 
The Bureau expects these three proposed projects to be sophisticated 
and challenging. They will offer bright and ambitious youth and 
teachers who work with youth with the opportunity to develop their 
personal characteristics and skills in a positive and productive way.
    The total amount of funding available is $636,000. Proposals must 
clearly indicate the project theme(s) and budgets should be matched to 
the projects. For instance, if an applicant submits a proposal for one 
project, its grant request should be approximately $212,000. For two, a 
request would be for approximately $424,000, and for all three 
projects, $636,000. Since cost effectiveness is one of the proposal 
review criteria, the number of participants that can be accommodated in 
a project will be a factor in the proposal review process, though this 
will be balanced with program quality and a realistic budget.
    Organizational Capacity: Applicant organizations must demonstrate 
their capacity for doing projects of this nature, focusing on three 
areas of competency: (1) Provision of programs that address the goals 
and themes outlined in this document; (2) age-appropriate programming 
for youth; and (3) previous experience working with Europe and/or 
Eurasia. Applicants must have the organizational capacity in Serbia 
necessary to implement the in-country activities, or it must partner 
with an organization or institution with the requisite capacity to 
recruit and select participants for the program and to provide follow-
on activities.
    Organizations applying to implement more than one of the three 
projects must convincingly demonstrate their capacity to manage a 
complex, multi-phase program with two or three separate projects. While 
the applicant may find ways to effectively combine recruitment and 
selection processes, the exchange projects in the United States need to 
remain distinct both thematically and temporally. The organization's 
ability to administer more than one project successfully must be 
thoroughly discussed and proven in the proposal.
    Guidelines: The grant(s) will begin on or about December 1, 2006. 
The grant period will be 12 to 20 months in duration, as appropriate 
for the applicant's program design. The four-week exchange in the 
United States may take place any time during 2007. Applicants must 
propose the period of the exchange, but the exact timing of the project 
may be altered through the mutual agreement of the Department of State 
and the grant recipient.
    The grant recipient will be responsible for the following:
     Recruitment and selection of youth and adult educators 
from diverse geographic regions in Serbia.
     Provision of orientations for exchange participants and 
participants in the host communities.
     Designing and planning of activities that provide a 
substantive project on the selected theme, as well as on leadership 
development, civic education, and community service. Some activities 
should be school and/or community-based, as feasible, and the projects 
will involve as much interaction with American peers as possible.
     Logistical arrangements, homestay arrangements and other 
accommodations, disbursement of stipends/per diem, international and 
domestic travel.

[[Page 42708]]

     Follow-on activities in Serbia that reinforce the ideas, 
values and skills imparted during the U.S. program.
    Recruitment and Selection: The grant recipient(s) will manage the 
recruitment and merit-based selection of participants in cooperation 
with the Public Affairs office at the U.S. Embassy in Belgrade. 
Organizers must strive for the broadest regional, socio-economic, and 
ethnic diversity. The Department of State and/or its overseas 
representatives reserve final approval of all selected delegations. 
Note: Individuals from Montenegro or Kosovo are not eligible for this 
program.
    Participants: The participants will be teenagers 15 to 17 years old 
at the start of the exchange who have demonstrated leadership aptitude, 
an interest in community service, and have at least one year of high 
school remaining after the exchange. The exchange participants will 
also include adults who are teachers, school administrators, and/or 
community leaders who work with youth. The ratio of students to adults 
will be approximately 5:1.
    Criteria for selection of participants will be leadership skills, 
an interest in service to the community, strong academic and social 
skills, overall composure, openness and flexibility and English 
proficiency. It is desirable that 2-3 participants attend the same 
school or live in the same community so that they can support each 
other upon their return home.
    U.S. Program: The month-long projects may take place in one or two 
communities and should offer the participants exposure to the variety 
of American life. The program should focus primarily on interactive 
activities, practical experiences, and other hands-on opportunities to 
learn about the fundamentals of a civil society, community service, 
respect for diversity, and building leadership skills. Activities may 
include training sessions, site visits, roundtable discussions, 
simulations, volunteer service activities, and leadership exercises. 
While the educators will join the students for many activities during 
the exchange, there should also be some program activities arranged to 
meet their needs as adults who are helping teenagers develop their 
potential and to offer opportunities for them to meet and work with 
their peers. All programming should include American participants 
wherever possible. Cultural, social, and recreational activities will 
balance the schedule. Participants will live with American families in 
homestays for at least half of the project period.
    Follow-on Activities and In-Country Programming: Follow-on 
programming for alumni is essential, so that the exchange is not an 
isolated event. In-country activities that help to support alumni in 
their post-exchange activities are required. U.S. staff should travel 
to Serbia several months after the exchange to conduct trainings that 
reinforce the themes of the exchange; they may be accompanied by 
American teenagers. Applicants should present creative and effective 
ways to address the project themes, for both program participants and 
their peers, as a means to amplify the program impact.
    Proposals must demonstrate how the stated objectives will be met. 
The proposal narrative should provide detailed information on the major 
program activities, and applicants should explain and justify their 
programmatic choices. Programs must comply with J-1 visa regulations 
for the International Visitor category. Please be sure to refer to the 
complete Solicitation Package--this RFGP, the Project Objectives, 
Goals, and Implementation (POGI), and the Proposal Submission 
Instructions (PSI)--for further information.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Grant Agreement
    Fiscal Year Funds: FY-2006/2007 SEED Act funds transferred to ECA 
for obligation
    Approximate Total Funding: $636,000
    Approximate Number of Awards: One to three
    Anticipated Award Date: December 1, 2006.
    Anticipated Project Completion Date: 12-20 months after start date, 
to be specified by applicant based on project plan Additional 
Information: Pending successful implementation of this program and the 
availability of funds in subsequent fiscal years, it is ECA's intent to 
renew these grants for two additional fiscal years before openly 
competing them again.

III. Eligibility Information

    III.1. Eligible applicants: Applications may be submitted by public 
and private non-profit organizations meeting the provisions described 
in Internal Revenue Code section 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3).
    III.2. Cost Sharing or Matching Funds: There is no minimum or 
maximum percentage required for this competition. However, the Bureau 
encourages applicants to provide maximum levels of cost sharing and 
funding in support of its programs.
    When cost sharing is offered, it is understood and agreed that the 
applicant must provide the amount of cost sharing as stipulated in its 
proposal and later included in an approved grant agreement. Cost 
sharing may be in the form of allowable direct or indirect costs. For 
accountability, you must maintain written records to support all costs 
that are claimed as your contribution, as well as costs to be paid by 
the Federal government. Such records are subject to audit. The basis 
for determining the value of cash and in-kind contributions must be in 
accordance with OMB Circular A-110, (Revised), Subpart C.23--Cost 
Sharing and Matching. In the event you do not provide the minimum 
amount of cost sharing as stipulated in the approved budget, ECA's 
contribution will be reduced in like proportion.
    III.3. Other Eligibility Requirements: a. Bureau grant guidelines 
require that organizations with less than four years experience in 
conducting international exchanges be limited to $60,000 in Bureau 
funding. ECA anticipates awarding grant in amounts over $60,000 to 
support program and administrative costs required to implement this 
exchange program. Therefore, organizations with less than four years 
experience in conducting international exchanges are ineligible to 
apply under this competition. The Bureau encourages applicants to 
provide maximum levels of cost sharing and funding in support of its 
programs.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    Note: Please read the complete announcement before sending 
inquiries or submitting proposals. Once the RFGP deadline has 
passed, Bureau staff may not discuss this competition with 
applicants until the proposal review process has been completed.

    IV.1 Contact Information to Request an Application Package: Please 
contact the Youth Programs Division (ECA/PE/C/PY), Room 568, U.S. 
Department of State, SA-44, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547, 
Telephone (202) 203-7505, Fax (202) 203-7529, e-mail: LantzCS@state.gov 
to request a Solicitation Package. Please refer to the Funding 
Opportunity Number (ECA/PE/C/PY-07-04) 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)

[[Page 42709]]

document, which provides specific information, award criteria, and 
budget instructions tailored to this competition.
    Please specify Bureau Program Officer Carolyn Lantz and refer to 
the Funding Opportunity Number 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. ``Application Deadline and 
Methods of Submission'' section below.
    IV.3a. You are required to have a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal 
Numbering System (DUNS) number to apply for a grant or cooperative 
agreement from the U.S. Government. This number is a nine-digit 
identification number, which uniquely identifies business entities. 
Obtaining a DUNS number is easy and there is no charge. To obtain a 
DUNS number, access https://www.dunandbradstreet.com or call 1-866-705-
5711. Please ensure that your DUNS number is included in the 
appropriate box of the SF-424 form that is part of the formal 
application package.
    IV.3b. All proposals must contain an executive summary, proposal 
narrative and budget.
    Please Refer to the Solicitation Package. It contains the mandatory 
Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) document and the Project 
Objectives, Goals and Implementation (POGI) document for additional 
formatting and technical requirements.
    IV.3c. You must have nonprofit status with the IRS at the time of 
application. If your organization is a private nonprofit which has not 
received a grant or cooperative agreement from ECA in the past three 
years, or if your organization received nonprofit status from the IRS 
within the past four years, you must submit the necessary documentation 
to verify nonprofit status 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 62, which 
covers the administration of the Exchange Visitor Program (J visa 
program). Under the terms of 22 CFR 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 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 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 62. If the applicant organization has experience 
as a designated Exchange Visitor Program Sponsor, the applicant should 
discuss its record of compliance with 22 CFR 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://
exchanges.state.gov or from: United States Department of State, Office 
of Exchange Coordination and Designation, ECA/EC/ECD--SA-44, Room 734, 
301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547. Telephone: (202) 203-5029. 
Fax: (202) 453-8640.

IV.3d.2. Diversity, Freedom and Democracy Guidelines

    Pursuant to the Bureau's authorizing legislation, programs must 
maintain a non-political character and should be balanced and 
representative of the diversity of American political, social, and 
cultural life. ``Diversity'' should be interpreted in the broadest 
sense and encompass differences including, but not limited to 
ethnicity, race, gender, religion, geographic location, socio-economic 
status, and physical challenges. Applicants are strongly encouraged to 
adhere to the advancement of this principle both in program 
administration and in program content. Please refer to the review 
criteria under the `Support for Diversity' section for specific 
suggestions on incorporating diversity into your proposal. Public Law 
104-319 provides that ``in carrying out programs of educational and 
cultural exchange in countries whose people do not fully enjoy freedom 
and democracy,'' the Bureau ``shall take appropriate steps to provide 
opportunities for participation in such programs to human rights and 
democracy leaders of such countries.'' Public Law 106-113 requires that 
the governments of the countries described above do not have 
inappropriate influence in the selection process. Proposals should 
reflect advancement of these goals in their program contents, to the 
full extent deemed feasible.

IV.3d.3. Program Monitoring and Evaluation

    Proposals must include a plan to monitor and evaluate the project's 
success, both as the activities unfold and at the end of the program. 
The Bureau recommends that your proposal include a draft survey 
questionnaire or other technique plus a description of a methodology to 
use to link outcomes to original project objectives. The Bureau expects 
that the grantee will track participants or partners and be able to 
respond to key evaluation questions, including satisfaction with the 
program, learning as a result of the program, changes in behavior as a 
result of the program, and effects of the program on institutions 
(institutions in which participants work or partner institutions). The 
evaluation plan should include indicators that measure gains in mutual 
understanding as well as substantive knowledge.
    Successful monitoring and evaluation depend heavily on setting 
clear goals and outcomes at the outset of a program. Your evaluation 
plan should include a description of your project's objectives, your 
anticipated project outcomes, and

[[Page 42710]]

how and when you intend to measure these outcomes (performance 
indicators). The more that outcomes are ``smart'' (specific, 
measurable, attainable, results-oriented, and placed in a reasonable 
time frame), the easier it will be to conduct the evaluation. You 
should also show how your project objectives link to the goals of the 
program described in this RFGP.
    Your monitoring and evaluation plan should clearly distinguish 
between program outputs and outcomes. Outputs are products and services 
delivered, often stated as an amount. Output information is important 
to show the scope or size of project activities, but it cannot 
substitute for information about progress towards outcomes or the 
results achieved. Examples of outputs include the number of people 
trained or the number of seminars conducted. Outcomes, in contrast, 
represent specific results a project is intended to achieve and is 
usually measured as an extent of change. Findings on outputs and 
outcomes should both be reported, but the focus should be on outcomes.
    We encourage you to assess the following four levels of outcomes, 
as they relate to the program goals set out in the RFGP (listed here in 
increasing order of importance):
    1. Participant satisfaction with the program and exchange 
experience.
    2. Participant learning, such as increased knowledge, aptitude, 
skills, and changed understanding and attitude. Learning includes both 
substantive (subject-specific) learning and mutual understanding.
    3. Participant behavior, concrete actions to apply knowledge in 
work or community; greater participation and responsibility in civic 
organizations; interpretation and explanation of experiences and new 
knowledge gained; continued contacts between participants, community 
members, and others.
    4. Institutional changes, such as increased collaboration and 
partnerships, policy reforms, new programming, and organizational 
improvements.

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

    Overall, the quality of your monitoring and evaluation plan will be 
judged on how well it (1) Specifies intended outcomes; (2) gives clear 
descriptions of how each outcome will be measured; (3) identifies when 
particular outcomes will be measured; and (4) provides a clear 
description of the data collection strategies for each outcome (i.e., 
surveys, interviews, or focus groups). (Please note that evaluation 
plans that deal only with the first level of outcomes [satisfaction] 
will be deemed less competitive under the present evaluation criteria.)
    Grantees will be required to provide reports analyzing their 
evaluation findings to the Bureau in their regular program reports. All 
data collected, including survey responses and contact information, 
must be maintained for a minimum of three years and provided to the 
Bureau upon request.
    IV.3e. Please take the following information into consideration 
when preparing your budget:
    IV.3e.1. Applicants must submit a comprehensive budget for the 
entire program. Awards may not exceed the amount specified. There must 
be a summary budget as well as breakdowns reflecting both 
administrative and program budgets. Applicants applying to implement 
more than one project must provide separate sub-budgets for each.
    Please refer to the other documents in the Solicitation Package for 
complete budget guidelines and formatting instructions.

IV.3F. Application Deadline and Methods of Submission

    Application Deadline Date: September 21, 2006.
    Reference Number: ECA/PE/C/PY-07-04.
Methods of Submission
    Applications may be submitted in one of two ways:
    (1) In hard-copy, via a nationally recognized overnight delivery 
service (i.e., DHL, Federal Express, UPS, Airborne Express, or U.S. 
Postal Service Express Overnight Mail, etc.), or
    (2) Electronically through https://www.grants.gov.
    Along with the Project Title, all applicants must enter the above 
Reference Number in Box 11 on the SF-424 contained in the mandatory 
Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) of the solicitation document.

IV.3f.1 Submitting Printed Applications

    Applications must be shipped no later than the above deadline. 
Delivery services used by applicants must have in-place, centralized 
shipping identification and tracking systems that may be accessed via 
the Internet and delivery people who are identifiable by commonly 
recognized uniforms and delivery vehicles. Proposals shipped on or 
before the above deadline but received at ECA more than seven days 
after the deadline will be ineligible for further consideration under 
this competition. Proposals shipped after the established deadlines are 
ineligible for consideration under this competition. ECA will not 
notify you upon receipt of application. It is each applicant's 
responsibility to ensure that each package is marked with a legible 
tracking number and to monitor/confirm delivery to ECA via the 
Internet. Delivery of proposal packages may not be made via local 
courier service or in person for this competition. Faxed documents will 
not be accepted at any time. Only proposals submitted as stated above 
will be considered.

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

    The original, one fully-tabbed copy, and six copies of the 
application with Tabs A-E (for a total of 8 copies) should be sent to: 
U.S. Department of State, SA-44, Bureau of Educational and Cultural 
Affairs, Ref.: ECA/PE/C/PY-07-04, Program Management, ECA/EX/PM, Room 
534, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547.
    Along with the Project Title, all applicants must enter the above 
Reference Number in Box 11 on the SF-424 contained in the mandatory 
Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) of the solicitation document.
    Applicants must also submit the executive summary, proposal 
narrative, budget section, and any important appendices as e-mail 
attachments in Microsoft Word and Excel to the following e-mail 
address: LantzCS@state.gov. In the e-mail message subject line, include 
the name of the applicant organization and the partner country. The 
Bureau will transmit these files electronically to the Public Affairs 
office of the U.S. Embassy in Belgrade 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 (https://www.grants.gov/GetStarted).
    Applicants have until midnight (12 a.m.) Washington, DC time of the 
closing date to ensure that their entire application has been uploaded 
to the grants.gov site. Applications uploaded

[[Page 42711]]

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

V. Application Review Information

V.1. Review Process

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

VI. Award Administration Information

    VI.1a. Award Notices: Final awards cannot be made until funds have 
been appropriated by Congress, allocated and committed through internal 
Bureau procedures. Successful applicants will receive an Assistance 
Award Document (AAD) from the Bureau's Grants Office. The AAD and the 
original grant proposal with subsequent modifications (if applicable) 
shall be the only binding authorizing document between the recipient 
and the U.S. Government. The AAD will be signed by an authorized Grants 
Officer, and mailed to the recipient's responsible officer identified 
in the application.
    Unsuccessful applicants will receive notification of the results of 
the application review from the ECA program office coordinating this 
competition.
    VI.2 Administrative and National Policy Requirements: Terms and 
Conditions for the Administration of ECA agreements include the 
following:

Office of Management and Budget Circular A-122, ``Cost Principles for 
Nonprofit Organizations.''
Office of Management and Budget Circular A-21, ``Cost Principles for 
Educational Institutions.''
OMB Circular A-87, ``Cost Principles for State, Local and Indian 
Governments''.
OMB Circular No. A-110 (Revised), Uniform Administrative Requirements 
for Grants and Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education, 
Hospitals, and other Nonprofit Organizations.
OMB Circular No. A-102, Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants-
in-Aid to State and Local Governments.
OMB Circular No. A-133, Audits of States, Local Government, and Non-
profit Organizations.

    Please reference the following Web sites for additional 
information:

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

    VI.3. Reporting Requirements: You must provide ECA with a hard copy 
original plus one copy of the following reports:
    (1) A final program and financial report no more than 90 days after 
the expiration of the award;
    (2) Interim reports, as required in the Bureau grant agreement.
    Grantees will be required to provide reports analyzing their 
evaluation findings to the Bureau in their regular program reports. 
(Please refer to IV. Application and Submission Instructions (IV.3.d.3) 
above for Program Monitoring and Evaluation information.
    All data collected, including survey responses and contact 
information, must be maintained for a minimum of three years and 
provided to the Bureau upon request.
    All reports must be sent to the ECA Grants Officer and ECA Program 
Officer listed in the final assistance award document.
    VI.4. Program Data Requirements: Organizations awarded grants will 
be required to maintain specific data on program participants and 
activities in an electronically accessible database format that can be 
shared with the Bureau as required. As a minimum, the data must include 
the following:
    (1) Name, address, contact information and biographic sketch of all 
persons who travel internationally on funds provided by the grant or 
who benefit from the grant funding but do not travel.
    (2) Itineraries of international and domestic travel, providing 
dates of travel and cities in which any exchange experiences take 
place. Final schedules for in-country and U.S. activities must be 
received by the ECA Program Officer at least three workdays prior to 
the official opening of the activity.

VII. Agency Contacts

    For questions about this announcement, contact: Carolyn Lantz, 
Program Officer, Youth Programs Division (ECA/PE/C/PY), Room 568, U.S. 
Department of State, SA-44, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547, 
Telephone (202) 203-7505, Fax (202) 203-7529, e-mail: 
LantzCS@state.gov.
    All correspondence with the Bureau concerning this RFGP should 
reference the above title and number ECA/PE/C/PY-07-04.
    Please read the complete announcement before sending inquiries or 
submitting proposals. Once the RFGP deadline has passed, Bureau staff 
may not discuss this competition with applicants until the proposal 
review process has been completed.

VIII. Other Information

Notice

    The terms and conditions published in this RFGP are binding and may 
not be modified by any Bureau representative. Explanatory information 
provided by the Bureau that contradicts published language will not be 
binding. Issuance of the RFGP does not constitute an award commitment 
on the part of the Government. The Bureau reserves the right to reduce, 
revise, or increase proposal budgets in accordance with the needs of 
the program and the availability of funds. Awards made will be subject 
to periodic reporting and evaluation requirements per section VI.3 
above.

     Dated: July 18, 2006.
Dina Habib Powell,
Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs Department of 
State.
 [FR Doc. E6-12043 Filed 7-26-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P