Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for Grant Proposals: Fulbright Program Offices, Russia, and Kyiv, Ukraine, 16853-16857 [E7-6359]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 65 (Thursday, April 5, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16853-16857]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-6359]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 5744]


Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for 
Grant Proposals: Fulbright Program Offices, Russia, and Kyiv, Ukraine

    Announcement Type: New Grant.
    Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/A/E/EUR-08-02.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 00.000.
    Application Deadline: Friday, June 1, 2007.
    Executive Summary: The Office of Academic Exchange Programs of the 
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) announces an open 
competition for organizations to serve as the fiscal disbursing agent 
and to provide administrative support for the Fulbright Program Offices 
in Moscow, Russia, and in Kyiv, Ukraine. Public and private non-profit 
organizations meeting the provisions described in IRS regulation 26 CFR 
1.501(c) may submit proposals to provide these services to one or both 
Offices (Moscow and/or Kyiv). A separate proposal must be submitted for 
each country's office, i.e., organizations that apply for both the 
Moscow and Kyiv Offices must submit two discrete proposals for 
addressing the particular budgetary guidelines and any other country-
specific requirements for each Office outlined in the RFGP.

I. Funding Opportunity Description

Authority

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

Overview

    The Fulbright Program Offices are responsible for the overseas 
management of ECA's Fulbright Program and other ECA educational 
exchange programs, which includes recruitment of visiting Fulbright 
students and scholars, placement and logistical support for U.S. 
Fulbright scholars and students located in Russia and Ukraine. ECA and 
the U.S. Embassy Public Affairs Sections (PAS) in Russia and Ukraine 
have full authority over all program operations, policy issues, and the 
selection and supervision of the Directors of the Fulbright Offices 
(who are U.S. citizens) and their staffs. Administration of the Russian 
and Ukraine Fulbright Programs is the responsibility of the Fulbright 
Program Office staff in their respective country.
    Due to legal constraints and logistical obstacles, the U.S. 
Government is unable to provide operating funds directly to the 
Fulbright Offices in Russia and Ukraine. Thus, through this RFGP, ECA 
requests the services of a recipient organization to be responsible for 
disbursing U.S. Government funds in support of the activities of the 
Offices. This includes, but is not limited to, guaranteeing that rent 
and staff salaries are paid in a timely manner, providing funds for 
program activities and office supplies, maintaining a legal status in 
Russia and/or Ukraine and providing administrative services in order to 
ensure the smooth and continued operations of the Fulbright Program 
Offices. The specific duties of the ECA recipient organization 
requested in the RFGP are outlined below.

Purpose

    The grantee organization will be responsible for the following:
    1. Performing all legal requirements necessary to maintain the 
office space, staffing, and program activities of the Fulbright Program 
Offices in Moscow and/or Kyiv.
    2. Demonstrating the ability, in terms of an accounting staff 
knowledgeable in Russian and/or Ukrainian law, to be able to provide 
the Fulbright Program Office with cash (dollars and/or rubles and/or 
hryvna) and/or pay bills directly.
    3. Providing proof of legal status/registration as well as evidence 
of the ability to handle a wide range of payments in Russia and/or 
Ukraine and in the United States.
    4. Oversight of a modest operating budget for the Fulbright Program 
Offices, including advancing budget funds to the Offices for 
programmatic as well as administrative activities. The grantee 
organization will not have oversight of Fulbright grant monies 
designated for students and scholars.
    5. Payment of salaries and benefits--including housing allowances--
for the American Director of the Fulbright Program Offices in Russia 
and/or Kyiv. The Directors' salaries will be determined by PAS and ECA.
    6. Payment of salaries and benefits for local staff. Local staff 
salaries will be determined by PAS and ECA.
    7. Assisting PAS and ECA in the recruitment of Fulbright Program 
Offices staff when vacancies occur. Final decisions on hiring will be 
made by PAS and ECA.
    8. Consulting and cooperation, on administrative matters, with the 
U.S.-based organizations responsible for the administration of the 
Fulbright Program in the United States.
    Programs must comply with J-1 visa regulations. Please refer to the 
Solicitation Package for further information.

Budget Guidelines

    Applicants must submit comprehensive budgets with each proposal. 
Awards may not exceed $920,150 for the Moscow Office (or $975,590 
should it become necessary to cover higher rent or a move to new office 
space); and $572,000 for the Kyiv Office. For the Moscow Office 
applicants, the budget submission should be based on the lower figure 
only. The budget must include all costs and indicate the percentage of 
time required for each activity for all program staff, charged to each 
specific project. The budget should also include any cost sharing in 
the form of allowable direct

[[Page 16854]]

or indirect costs or in-kind or cash contributions. The total of any 
administrative pass-through charges of the grantee organization, 
including indirect costs or fees, should be approximately 15 percent of 
the total budget. As with other exchange programs, ECA is committed to 
containment of costs consistent with overall program objectives and 
sound management. Grant-funded items of expenditures may include but 
are not limited to the categories below. Applicant organizations are 
encouraged to note in their program budgets and narratives areas in 
which economies beyond ECA-allowable costs can be achieved.
    Program costs may include but are not limited to:
    (1) Program advertising and recruitment costs.
    (2) Selection committee honoraria.
    (3) Semi-finalist travel expenses for interviews in Moscow and/or 
Kyiv.
    (4) Institutional TOEFL for Fulbright semi-finalists.
    (5) Room rental fees for interviews and Institutional TOEFL.
    (6) Recruitment travel in Russia and/or Ukraine by program staff, 
including per diem.
    (7) Domestic travel for semi-finalists.
    (8) Pre-departure orientation costs.
    (9) Costs for two Russia Fulbright summer schools organized by the 
Moscow Fulbright Office.
    (10) Alumni programming and tracking.
    (11) Program evaluation.
    Administrative costs may include but are not limited to:
    (1) Russian/Ukrainian visas for Fulbright Director.
    (2) Staff salaries and benefits, including housing allowance, for 
Fulbright Director.
    (3) Rent and utilities for Moscow/Kyiv offices.
    (4) Internet (e-mail, Web site support) and communications (e.g., 
fax, telephone, postage).
    (5) Office supplies.
    (6) Shipment of materials from Russia/Ukraine to the United States.
    (7) Round-trip travel for home leave for the Fulbright Director to 
the United States (via American carrier).
    (8) Administration of tax withholding as required by U.S. Federal, 
State and local authorities and in accordance with relevant tax 
treaties.
    (9) A-135 audit fees.
    A clear and cogent narrative must accompany the budget to explain 
and justify each line item. Please refer to the Proposal Submission 
Instructions (PSI) in the Solicitation Package for complete budget 
guidelines and formatting instructions. In addition, the budget 
narrative should indicate how the applicant organization will monitor 
and track expenditures for the duration of the grant to avoid under or 
over expenditures.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Grant Agreement.
    ECA's level of involvement in this program is listed under number I 
above.
    Fiscal Year Funds: FY2008, pending availability of funds.
    Approximate Total Funding: $920,150 (or $975,590 should a move to 
new office space become necessary) for the Moscow Office and $572,000 
for the Kyiv Office, pending availability of funds.
    Approximate Number of Awards: Two.
    Anticipated Award Date: Pending availability of funds (Proposed 
award date: October 1, 2007).
    Additional Information: Pending successful implementation of this 
program and the availability of funds in subsequent fiscal years, it is 
ECA's intent to renew this grant for two additional fiscal years, 
before openly competing it again.

III. Eligibility Information:

    III.1. Eligible applicants: Applications may be submitted by public 
and private non-profit organizations meeting the provisions described 
in Internal Revenue Code section 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3).
    III.2. Cost Sharing or Matching Funds: There is no minimum or 
maximum percentage required for this competition. However, the Bureau 
encourages applicants to provide maximum levels of cost sharing and 
funding 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:
    (a) Bureau grant guidelines require that organizations with fewer 
than four years of experience in conducting international exchange 
programs be limited to $60,000 in Bureau funding. Therefore, 
organizations with fewer than four years experience in conducting 
international exchanges are ineligible to apply under this competition.
    (b) Technical Eligibility: All proposals must comply with the 
following: proposals must demonstrate the applicant's capacity to meet 
all requirements governing the administration of Exchange Visitor (J 
visa) programs as set forth in 22 CFR 6Z, including the oversight of 
Responsible Officers and Alternate Responsible Officers, screening and 
selection of program participants, provision of pre-arrival information 
and orientation to participants, monitoring of participants, proper 
maintenance and security of forms, record-keeping, reporting and other 
requirements, or they will result in your proposal being declared 
technically ineligible and given no further consideration in the review 
process. The U.S.-based organization responsible for the administration 
of the Fulbright Program in the United States will be responsible for 
issuing DS-2019 forms to participants in this program.

IV. Application and Submission Information

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

IV.1. Contact Information to Request an Application Package

    Please contact the Office of Academic Exchange Programs, ECA/A/E/
EUR, SA-44, Room 246, U.S. Department of State, SA-44, 301 4th Street, 
SW., Washington, DC 20547, (202) 453-8522; fax (202) 453-8520, or E-
mail IovineMS@state.gov to request a Solicitation Package. Please 
specify Bureau Program Officer Micaela S. Iovine on all inquiries and 
correspondence and refer to the Funding Opportunity Number (ECA/A/E/EUR 
08-02) 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.2 for further 
information.
    The Solicitation Package contains the Proposal Submission 
Instruction (PSI) document, which consists of required application 
forms, standard guidelines

[[Page 16855]]

for proposal preparation, award criteria and budget instructions 
tailored to this competition.

IV.2. To Download a Solicitation Package Via Internet

    The entire Solicitation Package may be downloaded from the Bureau's 
Web site at https://exchanges.state.gov/education/rfgps/menu.htm, or 
from the Grants.gov Web site at https://www.grants.gov.
    Please read all information before downloading.

IV.3. Content and Form of Submission

    Applicants must follow all instructions in the Solicitation 
Package. The application should be submitted per the instructions under 
section IV.3e. ``Application Deadline and Methods of Submission'' 
below.
    IV.3a. Applicants 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 that uniquely identifies business entities. 
Obtaining a DUNS number is easy and there is no charge. To obtain a 
DUNS number, access https://www.dunandbradstreet.com or call 1-866-705-
5711. Please ensure that your DUNS number is included in the 
appropriate box of the SF-424 which is part of the formal application 
package.
    IV.3b. All proposals must contain an executive summary, proposal 
narrative and budget.
    Please Refer to the Solicitation Package. It contains the mandatory 
Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) document for additional 
formatting and technical requirements and the Project Objectives, Goals 
and Implementation (POGI) document.
    IV.3c. Applicants must have nonprofit status with the IRS at the 
time of application. If your organization is a private nonprofit that 
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 62, including the oversight of Responsible Officers and Alternate 
Responsible Officers, screening and selection of program participants, 
provision of pre-arrival information and orientation to participants, 
monitoring of participants, proper maintenance and security of forms, 
record-keeping, reporting and other requirements. The U.S.-based 
organization responsible for the administration of the Fulbright 
Program in the United States will be responsible for issuing DS-2019 
forms to participants in this program.
    A copy of the complete regulations governing the administration of 
Exchange Visitor (J) programs is available at https://
exchanges.state.gov or from: United States Department of State, Office 
of Exchange Coordination and Designation, ECA/EC/ECD-SA-44, Room 734, 
301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547, Telephone: (202) 203-5029, 
Fax: (202) 453-8640.
    Please refer to Solicitation Package for further information.
IV.3d.2 Diversity, Freedom and Democracy Guidelines
    Pursuant to the Bureau's authorizing legislation, programs must 
maintain a non-political character and should be balanced and 
representative of the diversity of American political, social, and 
cultural life. ``Diversity'' should be interpreted in the broadest 
sense and encompass differences including, but not limited to 
ethnicity, race, gender, religion, geographic location, socio-economic 
status, and disabilities. Applicants are strongly encouraged to adhere 
to the advancement of this principle both in program administration and 
in program content. Please refer to the review criteria under the 
``Support for Diversity'' section 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.3e Application Deadline and Methods of Submission

    Application Deadline Date: June 1, 2007.
    Reference Number: ECA/A/E/EUR-08-02.
    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.3e.1 Submitting Printed Applications

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

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

    The original and eight (8) copies of the application should be sent 
to: U.S. Department of State, SA-44, Bureau of Educational and Cultural 
Affairs, Ref.: ECA/A/E/EUR-08-02, Program Management, ECA/EX/PM, Room 
534,

[[Page 16856]]

301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547.

IV.3e.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.3f. 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 Assistant Secretary for 
Educational and Cultural Affairs. Final technical authority for 
assistance awards grants 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 Planning: Proposals should clearly demonstrate how the 
organization will meet the program's objectives and plan. Detailed 
agenda and relevant work plan should demonstrate substantive 
undertakings and logistical capacity. Agenda and plan should adhere to 
the program overview and guidelines described above.
    2. Institutional Capacity: Proposed personnel and institutional 
resources should be adequate and appropriate to achieve the program's 
goals.
    3. Support of Diversity: Proposals should demonstrate substantive 
support of the Bureau's policy on diversity.
    4. Institution's Record/Ability: Proposals should demonstrate an 
institutional record of successful exchange program administration, 
particularly responsible fiscal management, and full compliance with 
all reporting requirements for any past Bureau grants as determined by 
Bureau Grants Staff. The Bureau will consider the past performance of 
prior recipients and the demonstrated potential of new applicants.
    5. Project Evaluation: Proposals should include a plan to evaluate 
the success of the fiduciary arrangement and make recommendations for 
improving the process in the future.
    6. Cost-effectiveness/cost-sharing: The overhead and administrative 
components of the proposal, including salaries, should be kept as low 
as possible. All other items should be necessary and appropriate.

VI. Award Administration Information

VI.1. Award Notices

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

VI.2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

    Terms and Conditions for the Administration of ECA agreements 
include the following:
    Office of Management and Budget Circular A-122, ``Cost Principles 
for Nonprofit Organizations.''
    Office of Management and Budget Circular A-21, ``Cost Principles 
for Educational Institutions.''
    OMB Circular A-87, ``Cost Principles for State, Local and Indian 
Governments.''
    OMB Circular No. A-110 (Revised), ``Uniform Administrative 
Requirements for Grants and Agreements with Institutions of Higher 
Education, Hospitals, and other Nonprofit Organizations.''
    OMB Circular No. A-102, ``Uniform Administrative Requirements for 
Grants-in-Aid to State and Local Governments.''
    OMB Circular No. A-133, ``Audits of States, Local Government, and 
Non-profit Organizations.''
    Please reference the following Web sites for additional 
information: https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants. https://
exchanges.state.gov/education/grantsdiv/terms.htm#articleI.

VI.3. Reporting Requirements

    The grantee must provide ECA with a hard copy original plus two 
copies of the following reports:
    (1) A final financial report no more than 90 days after the 
expiration of the award;

[[Page 16857]]

    (2) Quarterly financial reports that should show the disposition of 
funds for purposes as required in the grant.
    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: Micaela S. Iovine, 
Office of Academic Exchange Programs, ECA/A/E/EUR, Room 246, ECA/A/E/
EUR-08-02 U.S. Department of State, SA-44, 301 4th Street, SW., 
Washington, DC 20547, tel. (202) 453-8522; fax (202)453-8520, 
IovineMS@state.gov.
    All correspondence with the Bureau concerning this RFGP should 
reference the above title and number ECA/A/E/EUR-08-02.

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: March 29, 2007.
Dina Habib Powell,
Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs, Department of 
State.
[FR Doc. E7-6359 Filed 4-4-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P