Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for Grant Proposals: Turkish Student Teacher Internship Project, 2326-2332 [E7-631]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 11 (Thursday, January 18, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2326-2332]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-631]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 5673]


Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for 
Grant Proposals: Turkish Student Teacher Internship Project

    Announcement Type: New Cooperative Agreement.
    Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/A/S/X-07-02.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 00.000.
    Key Dates: Application Deadline: March 21, 2007.
    Executive Summary: The Office of Global Educational Programs of the 
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs announces an open 
competition for the Turkish Student Teacher Internship Project. U.S. 
public and private universities meeting the provisions described in 
Internal Revenue Code section 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3) may submit proposals 
to administer an eight-week professional development program for 
graduate students of education from Turkey beginning in January 2008. 
The focus of the program is to familiarize participants with U.S. 
student-centered teaching methods and the use of technology in the 
classroom. The exchange experience should also give Turkish 
participants an in-depth experience of American life and culture and 
contribute to mutual understanding between Turkey and the United 
States. The program should include both a theoretical component, 
provided through professional development seminars in an academic 
setting, and a practical component, provided through practice teaching 
experience under the guidance of experienced mentor teachers in local 
school districts. Interested organizations should indicate strong 
contacts with local U.S. school districts in order to provide the 
practical student-teaching component, as well as a demonstrated ability 
to conduct a substantive academic program. Host schools for internships 
may be public, private, magnet or charter schools, and should exemplify 
best practices.

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 above is provided through legislation.

Purpose

    The Turkish Student Teacher Internship Project will bring forty 
graduate student teachers of education from Bilkent University and 
other universities in Turkey to the U.S. to learn about student-
centered teaching and technology in the classroom. Approximately 
twenty-six participants will be enrolled in a two-year Master's in 
Teacher Education program, a Teaching English as a Foreign Language 
program, or other innovative degree programs which train high school 
level teachers of other subjects to use student-centered teaching 
methods. Most of the students will have completed one year of M.A.-
level academic work before beginning the program in the U.S. The 
English-speaking student teachers will be selected by the Commission 
for Educational Exchange between the U.S.A. and Turkey (Fulbright 
Commission) in coordination with the U.S. Embassy in Turkey. At least 
twelve of the participants will come from universities other than 
Bilkent University. Some of these other students may be upper-level 
undergraduate students with strong English language skills, subject 
field knowledge, and a background in education. The group will 
demonstrate diversity in terms of their home regions in Turkey, gender, 
and socio-economic background, and will prepare to teach in the subject 
fields of English as a Foreign Language, Turkish language and 
literature, mathematics, history, and biology. Following their program, 
the students will return to their home institutions for additional 
graduate study before starting careers as high school teachers in 
Turkey.
    This program is designed to assist young Turkish educators who will 
prepare students to live in an increasingly interdependent world, and 
to provide these educators with an in-depth exchange experience in the 
United States. It is intended that this experience will provide a basis 
for continuing contact with American counterparts in order to promote 
mutual understanding between the two countries.

Guidelines

    The eight-week program should provide participants with thorough 
exposure to student-centered teaching approaches and the use of 
technology in American schools and a substantive cultural/educational 
exchange experience in the United States. The cooperating institution 
will, in collaboration with representatives of the Fulbright 
Commission, U.S. Embassy,

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and Bilkent University in Ankara, conduct a needs assessment, interview 
and select participants, and lead a three-day pre-departure orientation 
workshop for the participants.
    The cooperating institution should provide substantive information 
for the pre-departure orientation about the program, the program's 
goals, and expectations of participants. It should also offer a 
framework for integrating the training and its objectives into the 
participants' previous training, and promote strategies for sharing 
their knowledge with professional counterparts and with students in 
their own classrooms. At the orientation, organizers should seek input 
from the participants about the needs of local teachers, review 
comparative teaching practices, and address issues about the 
participants' stay in the U.S.
    Upon their arrival in the United States, the participants should 
receive a second orientation that includes a basic introduction to 
American life and customs, and how these customs differ from practices 
in their home country. The participants should also receive academic 
training on teaching methodology and instructional procedures. Teachers 
should then be placed in small groups at local schools, paired with 
experienced U.S. teachers whose academic specializations match their 
own (English, biology, history, mathematics, and Turkish language and 
literature--for which the pairing should be with U.S. literature mentor 
teachers). Internship activities should include: Observing a variety of 
teaching methods (inquiry, active classroom, group projects, etc.) as 
well as computer-based lessons; working individually with a mentor 
teacher on curriculum development; and team teaching. While the 
greatest emphasis should be on immersing student teachers actively in 
the American classroom environment, the participants should also 
participate in development seminars on related topics in a university 
academic setting. The internship and seminars will also help 
participants to create a curriculum development project or portfolio to 
use upon their return to Turkey.

Components of U.S. Program

     Cross-cultural orientation (2-4 days): Introduction to 
U.S. Government as it relates to education, the U.S. educational 
system, and American culture through site visits and a cross-cultural 
adjustment seminar;
     Site visits in school districts (2-3 days): To all levels 
and types of schools, including economically and ethnically diverse 
schools;
     Internships in high schools (6 weeks): Each student 
teacher will work with a U.S. mentor teacher individually or with one 
other student teacher; activities should include classroom observation, 
team teaching, and cultural presentations;
     Exposure to local school governance: Through such 
activities as attendance at faculty, board of education, and PTA 
meetings;
     Professional development seminars planned and conducted in 
an academic setting to complement school-based training: Topics may 
include classroom management, conflict resolution, diversity, and 
curriculum development. Seminars may be spread throughout the six weeks 
or take the form of a mid-program conference/debriefing;
     Final debriefing (1-2 days): Student teachers will share 
what they have observed and learned through presentations they will 
make to each other within the group;
     Curriculum development project: By the end of the eight-
week program, the student teachers should complete a project 
incorporating a new teaching method or technology that they will put 
into practice when they begin teaching in Turkey. Students should be 
able to use this project to brief fellow students at seminars held at 
their home universities, sharing the knowledge they have gained during 
their exchange experience with a wider group of MA candidates in 
Turkey.
     Cultural experiences: The project should provide 
opportunities for participants to interact with the local community 
through brief home hospitality visits and through involvement with non-
school-based groups; participants should take part in activities 
reflecting the diversity of American society, and should speak to 
Americans about Turkish history and culture.
     Final debriefing in Washington, DC: This portion of the 
program will allow Department of State staff to discuss the program in 
detail with the participants and to discuss how to improve such 
programs in the future. A cultural program, to be approved by the 
Bureau, will also be part of the Washington visit.

Grantee's Responsibilities

     Plan and implement the exchange program in all aspects, 
including both the academic and practical component;
     Together with the Fulbright Commission and the U.S. 
Embassy in Ankara, run a competition to select Turkish students to take 
part in the program;
     Conduct a needs assessment at beginning of project;
     Locate school districts to host groups for U.S. 
internships through an informal competition (schools must submit a 
brief proposal outlining their interest, understanding of goals, 
examples of best practices, and commitment to mentoring). 
Transportation should be provided for student teachers by the 
administering university or host school. Schools should expose 
participants to multiple pedagogical styles and should designate an 
experienced mentor teacher to oversee the day-today activities of the 
participants;
     Conduct orientations in Turkey and the U.S. (the pre-
departure orientation in Turkey may be conducted by the Fulbright 
Commission in close cooperation with the grantee organization, and the 
local coordinating institution, Bilkent University);
     Conduct professional development seminars and a 
debriefing;
     Brief U.S. mentor teachers on their responsibilities in 
supervising the student teachers during their internships;
     Monitor and evaluate the program;
     Administer all participant logistics: arrange 
international transportation, ground transportation to local schools 
and training sites, and participant per diem and housing; enroll 
participants in State Department-provided emergency and accident 
insurance; prepare U.S. Government forms such as the DS-2019 forms, 
tax, social security, etc.
     Arrange for home hospitality visits for at least some 
portion of the exchange visit, perhaps through local schools or other 
participating organizations; cooperating institutions should be 
sensitive to accommodating participants' religious observances;
     Administer all financial aspects of the program and comply 
with reporting requirements;
     Arrange a visit to Washington, DC, at the end of the 
group's U.S. program, to include meetings with Bureau representatives, 
a cultural program, and a school site visit if possible;
     Plan follow-on activities with host schools and 
participants in conjunction with participants' academic program;
     Administer an alumni grants competition, in which Turkish 
participants may apply for financial assistance to obtain essential 
materials for their home schools, offer follow-on training for other 
teachers, open a teacher resource center, develop teaching materials, 
bring U.S. mentor teachers to Turkey to develop school linkages, and to 
conduct other activities that will build on the exchange visits.
    The Fulbright Commission for Educational Exchange between the

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U.S.A. and Turkey will assist in obtaining international airline 
tickets; the grantee will pay the airline office in Ankara for the air 
tickets. The purchase of tickets must be in compliance with the Fly 
America Act. The grantee will prepare DS-2019 forms and enroll the 
student teachers in the State Department's health insurance policy. The 
Fulbright Commission and the sending universities will assist in the 
pre-departure orientation and will conduct a post-program evaluation. 
The grantee will coordinate with the Fulbright Commission on all non-
U.S. based aspects of program administration. The proposal should 
address mechanisms for communication and coordination. The grantee 
organization will coordinate with the Teacher Exchange Branch in the 
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs regarding all U.S.-based 
activities, reporting and evaluation.
    It will be important for the grantee organization to help create a 
network for participants to communicate and support each other in using 
the new methodologies after they have completed their academic program 
in Turkey and become teachers. A strong proposal will address follow-on 
activities in conjunction with the Fulbright Commission and the sending 
university or universities to increase future impact and participant 
support.
    The grant will begin on or about June 1, 2007, and the grantee 
should complete all exchange activities by December 31, 2008. The 
exchange program will take place in January-March 2008. Please refer to 
additional program specific guidelines in the Project Objectives, 
Goals, and Implementation (POGI) document.
    Programs must comply with J-1 visa regulations. Please refer to 
Solicitation Package for further information.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Grant Agreement.
    Fiscal Year Funds: 2007.
    Approximate Total Funding: $350,000.
    Approximate Number of Awards: 1.
    Approximate Average Award: $350,000.
    Anticipated Award Date: Pending availability of funds, June 1, 
2007.
    Anticipated Project Completion Date: December 31, 2008.
    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 U.S. public and private 
universities meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code 
section 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3).

III.2. Cost Sharing or Matching Funds

    There is no minimum or maximum percentage required for this 
competition. However, the Bureau encourages applicants to provide 
maximum levels of cost sharing and funding in support of its programs.
    When cost sharing is offered, it is understood and agreed that the 
applicant must provide the amount of cost sharing as stipulated in its 
proposal and later included in an approved grant agreement. Cost 
sharing may be in the form of allowable direct or indirect costs. For 
accountability, you must maintain written records to support all costs 
which are claimed as your contribution, as well as costs to be paid by 
the Federal Government. Such records are subject to audit. The basis 
for determining the value of cash and in-kind contributions must be in 
accordance with OMB Circular A-110, (Revised), Subpart C.23--Cost 
Sharing and Matching. In the event you do not provide the minimum 
amount of cost sharing as stipulated in the approved budget, ECA's 
contribution will be reduced in like proportion.

III.3. Other Eligibility Requirements

    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 up to $350,000 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 Federal Register announcement 
before sending inquiries or submitting proposals. Once the RFGP 
deadline has passed, Bureau staff may not discuss this competition 
with applicants until the proposal review process has been 
completed.

IV. 1. Contact Information to Request an Application Package

    Please contact Patricia Mosley of the Teacher Exchange Branch, ECA/
A/S/X, Room 349, U.S. Department of State, SA-44, 301 4th Street, SW., 
Washington, DC 20547, telephone: (202) 453-8897, fax: (202) 453-8890, 
e-mail: MosleyPJ@state.gov to request a Solicitation Package. Please 
refer to the Funding Opportunity Number ECA/A/S/X-07-02 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 Michael Kuban, telephone: (202) 453-8897, e-mail: 
KubanMM@state.gov and refer to the Funding Opportunity Number ECA/A/S/
X-07-02 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 original and seven copies of 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

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appropriate box of the SF-424 which is part of the formal application 
package.
    IV.3b. All proposals must contain an executive summary, proposal 
narrative and budget.
    Please Refer to the Solicitation Package. It contains the mandatory 
Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) document and the Project 
Objectives, Goals and Implementation (POGI) document for additional 
formatting and technical requirements.
    IV.3c. You must have nonprofit status with the IRS at the time of 
application. If your organization is a private nonprofit which has not 
received a grant or cooperative agreement from ECA in the past three 
years, or if your organization received nonprofit status from the IRS 
within the past four years, you must submit the necessary documentation 
to verify nonprofit status as directed in the PSI document. Failure to 
do so will cause your proposal to be declared technically ineligible.
    IV.3d. Please take into consideration the following information 
when preparing your proposal narrative:
    IV.3d.1. Adherence to All Regulations Governing the J Visa The 
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, 
recordkeeping, 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 the 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 for specific suggestions on incorporating diversity into your 
proposal. Public Law 104-319 provides that ``in carrying out programs 
of educational and cultural exchange in countries whose people do not 
fully enjoy freedom and democracy,'' the Bureau ``shall take 
appropriate steps to provide opportunities for participation in such 
programs to human rights and democracy leaders of such countries.'' 
Public Law 106-113 requires that the governments of the countries 
described above do not have inappropriate influence in the selection 
process. Proposals should reflect advancement of these goals in their 
program contents, to the full extent deemed feasible.
    IV.3d.3. Program Monitoring and Evaluation. Proposals must include 
a plan to monitor and evaluate the project's success, both as the 
activities unfold and at the end of the program. The Bureau recommends 
that your proposal include a draft survey questionnaire or other 
technique plus a description of a methodology to use to link outcomes 
to original project objectives. The Bureau expects that the grantee 
will track participants or partners and be able to respond to key 
evaluation questions, including satisfaction with the program, learning 
as a result of the program, changes in behavior as a result of the 
program, and effects of the program on institutions (institutions in 
which participants work or partner institutions). The evaluation plan 
should include indicators that measure gains in mutual understanding as 
well as substantive knowledge.
    Successful monitoring and evaluation depend heavily on setting 
clear goals and outcomes at the outset of a program. Your evaluation 
plan should include a description of your project's objectives, your 
anticipated project outcomes, and how and when you intend to measure 
these outcomes (performance indicators). The more that outcomes are 
``smart'' (specific, measurable, attainable, results-oriented, and 
placed in a reasonable time frame), the easier it will be to conduct 
the evaluation. You should also show how your project objectives link 
to the goals of the program described in this RFGP.
    Your monitoring and evaluation plan should clearly distinguish 
between program outputs and outcomes. Outputs are products and services 
delivered, often stated as an amount. Output information is important 
to show the scope or size of project activities, but it cannot 
substitute for information about progress towards outcomes or the 
results achieved. Examples of outputs include the number of people 
trained or the number of seminars conducted. Outcomes, in contrast, 
represent specific results a project is intended to achieve and is 
usually measured as an extent of change. Findings on outputs and 
outcomes should both be reported, but the focus should be on outcomes.
    We encourage you to assess the following four levels of outcomes, 
as they relate to the program goals set out in the RFGP (listed here in 
increasing order of importance):

    1. Participant satisfaction with the program and exchange 
experience.
    2. Participant learning, such as increased knowledge, aptitude, 
skills, and changed understanding and attitude. Learning includes both 
substantive (subject-specific) learning and mutual understanding.
    3. Participant behavior, concrete actions to apply knowledge in 
work or community; greater participation and responsibility in civic 
organizations; interpretation and explanation of experiences and new 
knowledge gained; continued contacts between participants, community 
members, and others.
    4. Institutional changes, such as increased collaboration and 
partnerships, policy reforms, new programming, and organizational 
improvements.

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

    Overall, the quality of your monitoring and evaluation plan will be 
judged on how well it (1) specifies intended outcomes; (2) gives clear 
descriptions of how each outcome will be measured; (3) identifies when 
particular outcomes will be measured; and (4) provides a clear 
description of the data collection strategies for each outcome (i.e., 
surveys, interviews, or focus groups). (Please note that evaluation 
plans that deal only with the first level of outcomes [satisfaction] 
will be deemed less competitive under the present evaluation criteria.)

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    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.3.d.4. Describe your plans for staffing: Please provide a 
staffing plan which outlines the responsibilities of each staff person 
and explains which staff member will be accountable for each program 
responsibility. Wherever possible please streamline administrative 
processes.
    IV.3e. Please take the following information into consideration 
when preparing your budget:
    IV.3e.1. Applicants must submit a comprehensive budget for the 
entire program. The budget should not exceed $350,000 for program and 
administrative costs. There must be a summary budget as well as 
breakdowns reflecting both administrative and program budgets for host 
campus and foreign teacher involvement in the program. Applicants may 
provide separate sub-budgets for each program component, phase, 
location, or activity to provide clarification.
    The summary and detailed administrative and program budgets should 
be accompanied by a narrative which provides a brief rationale for each 
line item including a methodology for estimating appropriate average 
maintenance allowance levels and tuition costs (as applicable) for the 
participants, and the number that can be accommodated at the levels 
proposed. The total administrative costs funded by the Bureau must be 
reasonable and appropriate.
    IV.3e.2. Allowable costs for the program and additional budget 
guidance are outlined in detail in the POGI document.
    Please refer to the Solicitation Package for complete budget 
guidelines and formatting instructions.
    IV.3f. Application Deadline and Methods of Submission.
    Application Deadline Date: Wednesday, March 21, 2007.
    Reference Number: ECA/A/S/X-07-02.
    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/X-07-02, Program Management, ECA/EX/PM, Room 
534, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547.
    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 appropriate Public Affairs 
Section(s) at the U.S. embassy(ies) for its(their) 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). Several of the 
steps in the Grants.gov registration process could take several weeks. 
Therefore, applicants should check with appropriate staff within their 
organizations immediately after reviewing this RFGP to confirm or 
determine their registration status with Grants.gov. Once registered, 
the amount of time it can take to upload an application will vary 
depending on a variety of factors including the size of the application 
and the speed of your internet connection. Therefore, we strongly 
recommend that you not wait until the application deadline to begin the 
submission process through Grants.gov. Direct all questions regarding 
Grants.gov registration and submission to: Grants.gov Customer Support, 
Contact Center Phone: 800-518-4726, Business Hours: Monday-Friday, 7 
a.m.-9 p.m. eastern time, E-mail: support@grants.gov.
    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. There are no exceptions to the above 
deadline. 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.
    It is the responsibility of all applicants submitting proposals via 
the Grants.gov Web portal to ensure that proposals have been received 
by Grants.gov in their entirety, and ECA bears no responsibility for 
data errors resulting from transmission or conversion processes.
    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 and Fulbright Commission overseas. 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

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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:
    1. Program Development and Management: The proposal narrative 
should exhibit originality, substance, precision, and relevance to the 
Bureau's mission as well as the objectives of the Turkish Student 
Teacher Internship Project. It should include an effective, feasible 
program plan for U.S.-based school internships and host university 
seminars.
    2. Multiplier effect/impact: The proposed program should strengthen 
long-term mutual understanding, including maximum sharing of 
information and establishment of long-term institutional and individual 
linkages.
    3. Support of Diversity: Proposals should demonstrate substantive 
support of the Bureau's policy on diversity. Achievable and relevant 
features should be cited in both program administration (selection of 
participants, program venue and program evaluation) and program content 
(orientation and wrap-up sessions, program meetings, resource materials 
and follow-up activities).
    4. Institutional Capacity and Record: 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 successful proposal will demonstrate the organization's 
experience in international educational exchange and internship 
programs, and an understanding of Turkey's history, culture, religion, 
and system of education. The Bureau will consider the past performance 
of prior recipients and the demonstrated potential of new applicants.
    5. Follow-on and Alumni Activities: Proposals should provide a plan 
for continued follow-on activity (both with and without Bureau support) 
ensuring that the Turkish Student Teacher Internship Project is not an 
isolated event. Activities should include tracking and maintaining 
updated lists of all alumni and facilitating follow-up activities, 
including administering an alumni grant competition.
    6. Project Evaluation: Proposals should include a plan to evaluate 
the activity's success, both as the activities unfold and at the end of 
the program. A draft survey questionnaire or other technique plus 
description of a methodology to use to link outcomes to original 
project objectives is recommended.
    7. Cost-effectiveness and Cost Sharing: The overhead and 
administrative components of the proposal, including salaries and 
honoraria, should be kept as low as possible. All other items should be 
necessary and appropriate. Proposals should maximize cost-sharing 
through other private sector support as well as institutional direct 
funding contributions.

VI. Award Administration Information

VI.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; and
    (2) Quarterly program and financial reports.
    Grantees will be required to provide reports analyzing their 
evaluation findings to the Bureau in their regular program reports. 
(Please refer to IV. Application and Submission Instructions (IV.3.d.3) 
above for Program Monitoring and Evaluation information.)
    All data collected, including survey responses and contact 
information, must be maintained for a minimum of three years and 
provided to the Bureau upon request.
    All reports must be sent to the ECA Grants Officer and ECA Program 
Officer listed in the final assistance award document.

VII. Agency Contacts

    For questions about this announcement, contact: Michael Kuban, 
Office of Global Educational Programs, ECA/A/S/X, Room 349, ECA/A/S/X-
07-02, U.S. Department of State, SA-44, 301 4th Street, SW., 
Washington, DC 20547, telephone: 202-453-8897, fax 202-453-8890, 
KubanMM@state.gov.
    All correspondence with the Bureau concerning this RFGP should 
reference the above title and number ECA/A/S/X-07-02.
    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

[[Page 2332]]

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: January 8, 2007.
Dina Habib Powell,
Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs, Department of 
State.
[FR Doc. E7-631 Filed 1-17-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P