Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for Grant Proposals: Youth Leadership Program for Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and Nicaragua, 9374-9380 [E7-3635]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 40 (Thursday, March 1, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9374-9380]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-3635]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 5703]


Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for 
Grant Proposals: Youth Leadership Program for Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, 
Bolivia, and Nicaragua

    Announcement Type: New Grant.

[[Page 9375]]

    Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/PE/C/PY-07-23.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 00.000.
    Application Deadline: April 20, 2007.
    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 Youth Leadership Program for 
Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and Nicaragua. 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 Venezuela, Ecuador, 
Peru, Bolivia, and/or Nicaragua and to provide the participants with 
short-term, U.S.-based exchanges focused on civic education, community 
activism, and leadership along with follow-on projects in their home 
communities.

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.

Overview

    This Youth Leadership Program will enable teenagers (ages 15-18) 
and adult educators to participate in intensive, thematic, month-long 
(25-30 days) projects that are designed to promote high-quality 
leadership, civic responsibility, and civic activism among the future 
leaders of Bolivia, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Peru, Venezuela, and the United 
States. Projects will 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. Multiple opportunities for 
participants to interact with American youth and educators must be 
included.
    The goals of the programs are:
    (1) To promote mutual understanding between the United States and 
the people of Central and South America;
    (2) To develop a sense of civic responsibility and commitment to 
community development among youth;
    (3) To foster relationships among youth from different ethnic, 
religious, and national groups.
    With the specific focus of this program, the following outcomes 
will indicate a successful project:
     Participants will demonstrate a better understanding of 
the elements of a participatory democracy as practiced in the United 
States.
     Participants will demonstrate critical thinking and 
leadership skills.
     Participants will demonstrate skill at developing project 
ideas and planning a course of action to bring the projects to 
fruition.
    Applicant organizations should identify their own specific 
objectives and measurable outcomes based on these program goals and the 
project specifications provided in this solicitation.
    It is anticipated that the total amount of funding available is 
$500,000. Final assistance awards are contingent on the availability of 
FY-2007 funding. Depending on the quality of proposals submitted, the 
Bureau anticipates supporting five discrete projects, each funded at 
approximately $100,000, one for each of the five specified Central and 
South American countries. The Bureau makes no assurances that it will 
award projects in all five countries. Organizations may apply to 
implement one or more projects. Proposals must clearly indicate the 
country or countries with which the applicant plans to work, and 
budgets should be matched to the projects. For instance, if an 
applicant submits a proposal for one country/project, its grant request 
should be approximately $100,000. For two, a request would be 
approximately $200,000, and so on. The Bureau prefers applications for 
two or more projects that can offer economies of scale and 
administrative efficiencies. Since cost effectiveness is one of the 
proposal review criteria, the number of participants that can be 
accommodated in each project will be a factor in the proposal review 
process, though this will be balanced with program quality and a 
realistic budget.
    For each project, applicants must focus on the primary theme of 
civic education. The secondary themes are ethics and ethical leadership 
and student-organized campaigns or programs that address societal 
problems such as the environment (including littering), drug addiction 
prevention, HIV/AIDS awareness, or public safety for cyclists, 
pedestrians, and drivers. Applicants may propose other social issues 
appropriate for a youth program. Secondary themes should be woven into 
the activities as feasible, without creating an overwhelming array of 
topics. The applicant should present a program plan that allows the 
participants to thoroughly explore civic education in a creative, 
memorable, and practical way. 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. These 
projects will offer bright and ambitious youth and teachers who work 
with youth the opportunity to develop their personal skills in a 
positive and productive way.

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 on programs with Central and/or South 
America. Applicants must have the organizational capacity in the 
partner country(ies) necessary to implement the in-country activities, 
or they 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 five 
projects must convincingly demonstrate their capacity to manage a 
complex, multi-phase program with several separate projects. The 
organization's ability to administer more than one project successfully 
must be thoroughly discussed and proven in the proposal.

Guidelines

    Pending the availability of funds, the grants will begin on or 
about September 1, 2007. The grant period will be 12 to 18 months in 
duration, as appropriate for the applicant's program design. Each 25- 
to 30-day exchange program in the United States will take place during 
the school break in the partner country; see

[[Page 9376]]

specific information below. The exact timing of the project may be 
adjusted through the mutual agreement of the Department of State and 
the grant recipient.
    The grant recipients will be responsible for the following:
     Recruitment and selection of youth and adult educators 
from diverse geographic regions in the partner countries. The Public 
Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy in the partner country will have a 
key role in developing a recruitment strategy and deciding how 
finalists are chosen.
     Provision of orientations for exchange participants and 
for those participating in the host communities.
     Designing and planning of activities that provide a 
substantive project on the theme of civic education, as well as on 
leadership development, community service, and suggested secondary 
themes. Some activities should be school and/or community-based, as 
feasible, and the projects will involve as much sustained interaction 
with American peers as possible.
     Arrangement of homestays with American families.
     Logistical arrangements, including visa applications, 
international and domestic travel, accommodations, and disbursement of 
stipends.
     Follow-on activities in the partner country that reinforce 
the ideas, values and skills imparted during the U.S. program through 
community projects.
    Recruitment and Selection: The grant recipients will manage the 
recruitment and merit-based selection of participants in cooperation 
with the Public Affairs Sections of the U.S. Embassies in La Paz, 
Quito, Managua, Lima, and Caracas. Once a grant is awarded, the grant 
recipient must consult with the Public Affairs Section at the U.S. 
Embassy to review a recruitment and participant selection plan and to 
determine the degree of Embassy involvement in the process. Organizers 
must strive for regional, socio-economic, and ethnic diversity, as well 
as gender balance. Collaboration with Bi-National Commissions is 
suggested, if possible. The Department of State and/or its overseas 
representatives are responsible for final approval of all selected 
delegations.
    Participants: The youth participants will be teenagers 15 to 18 
years old who have demonstrated leadership aptitude and a commitment to 
their communities. The exchange participants will also include adults 
who are teachers, school administrators, and/or community leaders who 
work with youth; they will have the dual role of both exchange 
participant and chaperone. Participants will have enough proficiency in 
English to communicate with their host families and their American 
peers but, if necessary, the grantee organization will provide 
interpretation to assist with educational activities.
    U.S. Program: High schools students and educators will spend 25 to 
30 days in the United States--in Washington, DC, and in one or two 
other communities--on an intensive program that is designed to develop 
the participants' knowledge and skill base in civic education and 
community activism as well as in youth leadership development.
    The U.S. program should focus primarily on interactive activities, 
practical experiences, and other hands-on opportunities related to the 
program themes. All programming should include American teenagers 
wherever possible. The program will also provide opportunities for the 
adult educators to work with their American peers. Cultural, social, 
and recreational activities will balance the schedule. Participants 
will live with American families in homestays for at least half of the 
exchange period.
    Follow-on Activities and In-Country Programming: In-country 
activities that help to support alumni in their post-exchange 
activities are required, and should enable the alumni to share their 
experiences and apply their skills. Applicant organizations 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. U.S. project staff or trainers may travel to the 
partner country several months after the exchange to conduct trainings 
that reinforce the themes of the exchange; they may be accompanied by 
American teenagers if supported through cost-sharing.

Country Specific Information

    Applicants are required to follow program information for each 
country, where provided.
    Bolivia: Timeframe for U.S. exchange--November 15, 2007, to January 
31, 2008. Include topic of creating a sound national identity that 
unites citizens and the role of the citizen in confronting issues such 
as corruption and accountability.
    Ecuador: Timeframe for U.S. exchange--January 2008. Recruitment 
should be in both the highlands and in the coastal area, though please 
note that with an exchange in January, students in the highlands would 
miss some school at home.
    Nicaragua: Timeframe for U.S. exchange--December 1, 2007, to 
January 30, 2008. Include topic of student-organized campaigns by 
looking at socio-economic, educational and political empowerment 
groups.
    Peru: Timeframe for U.S. exchange--January 1 to February 20, 2008. 
Applicants should plan on collaborating with Bi-National Commissions 
(BNCs) for recruitment. Contact the embassy for more information.
    Venezuela: Timeframe for U.S. exchange--August 1 to September 15, 
2008.
    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: 2007.
    Approximate Total Funding: $500,000.
    Approximate Number of Awards: One to five.
    Floor of Award Range: $100,000.
    Ceiling of Award Range: $500,000.
    Anticipated Award Date: September 1, 2007, pending the availability 
of funds.
    Anticipated Project Completion Date: 12-18 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.

[[Page 9377]]

    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 grants 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 not eligible 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-07-23) 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 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 part 62, 
which covers the administration of the Exchange Visitor Program (J visa 
program). Under the terms of 22 CFR part 62, organizations receiving 
grants under this RFGP will be third parties ``cooperating with or 
assisting the sponsor in the conduct of the sponsor's program.'' The 
actions of grantee program organizations shall be ``imputed to the 
sponsor in evaluating the sponsor's compliance with'' 22 CFR part 62. 
Therefore, the Bureau expects that any organization receiving a grant 
under this competition will render all assistance necessary to enable 
the Bureau to fully comply with 22 CFR part 62 et seq.
    The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs places great 
emphasis on the secure and proper administration of Exchange Visitor (J 
visa) Programs and adherence by grantee program organizations and 
program participants to all regulations governing the J visa program 
status. Therefore, proposals should explicitly state in writing that 
the applicant is prepared to assist the Bureau in meeting all 
requirements governing the administration of Exchange Visitor Programs 
as set forth in 22 CFR part 62. If the applicant organization has 
experience as a designated Exchange Visitor Program Sponsor, the 
applicant should discuss its record of compliance with 22 CFR part 62 
et seq., including the oversight of their Responsible Officers and 
Alternate Responsible Officers, screening and selection of program 
participants, provision of pre-arrival information and orientation to 
participants, monitoring of participants, proper maintenance and 
security of forms, recordkeeping, reporting and other requirements.
    The Office of Citizen Exchanges of ECA will be responsible for 
issuing DS-2019 forms to participants in this program.
    A copy of the complete regulations governing the administration of 
Exchange Visitor (J) programs is available at https://
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.,

[[Page 9378]]

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 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.)
    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: April 20, 2007.
    Reference Number: ECA/PE/C/PY-07-23.
    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

[[Page 9379]]

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-07-23, 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 
Sections of the U.S. Embassies in the participating countries for 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 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;

[[Page 9380]]

    (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-07-23.
    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: February 22, 2007.
Dina Habib Powell,
Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs, Department of 
State.
[FR Doc. E7-3635 Filed 2-28-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P