Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for Grant Proposals: Youth Leadership Program with Rwanda and Kenya, 16857-16862 [E7-6361]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 65 / Thursday, April 5, 2007 / Notices (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 DEPARTMENT OF STATE [Public Notice 5746] jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for Grant Proposals: Youth Leadership Program with Rwanda and Kenya Announcement Type: New Grant. Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/ PE/C/PY–07–39. Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 00.000. Application Deadline: May 31, 2007. Executive Summary: The Office of Citizen Exchanges, Youth Programs Division, of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs announces an open competition for two projects, one with VerDate Aug<31>2005 17:37 Apr 04, 2007 Jkt 211001 Rwanda and one with Kenya, under the Youth Leadership Program. Public and private non-profit organizations meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code section 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3) may submit proposals to conduct a three- to four-week U.S.-based project for secondary school students and teachers from Rwanda or from Kenya. The project activities will focus on civic education, leadership, diversity, and community activism. 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 With this new Youth Leadership Program, the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) plans to support two separate exchange projects, one with Kenya and one with Rwanda, in late 2007. Each three- to four-week long project will enable 18 teenagers (ages 15–17) and three adult educators from one of the two countries to participate in an intensive exchange in the United States designed and implemented by the grant recipient organizations. The U.S. Embassies in Nairobi and Kigali will recruit, screen, and select the participants. These projects are designed to promote high-quality leadership, civic responsibility, and civic activism among our countries’ future leaders. The projects will offer 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 PO 00000 Frm 00096 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 16857 that are designed to achieve the projects’ stated goals and objectives. Participants will live with American families for most of the exchange period. Multiple opportunities for participants to interact with American youth and educators must be included. The goals of the program are: (1) To promote mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of Kenya and of Rwanda; (2) To develop a sense of civic responsibility and commitment to community development among youth; (3) To develop leadership skills among secondary school students appropriate to their needs; (4) To foster relationships among youth from different ethnic, religious, and national groups. A successful project will be one that nurtures a cadre of students and teachers to be actively engaged in addressing issues of concern in their schools and communities upon their return home and that equips them with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to become citizen activists. The Bureau anticipates providing two grants to support two discrete projects, one for each country and each funded at approximately $95,000. [Note that this funding does not include international airfare for the exchange participants.] Organizations may submit only one proposal, for either Rwanda or Kenya. The two projects will be judged independently and proposals will be compared only to proposals for the same country. ECA intends to award only one grant for each project. Project A: Rwanda Applicants should propose a three- to four-week U.S. program between the second week of November and midDecember 2007. Funding for this grant is approximately $95,000. Project B: Kenya Applicants should propose a three- to four-week U.S. program in December 2007. Funding for this grant is approximately $95,000. Applicants should outline their capacity for doing projects of this nature, focusing on three areas of competency: (1) Provision of leadership and civic education programming, (2) age-appropriate programming for youth, and (3) previous experience working with exchange participants from Africa. Applicants need not have a partner in Kenya or Rwanda, as the staff of the Public Affairs Section (PAS) of the U.S. Embassies in Nairobi and Kigali will recruit and select the participants and provide a pre-departure orientation. E:\FR\FM\05APN1.SGM 05APN1 16858 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 65 / Thursday, April 5, 2007 / Notices jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES Guidelines The grants will begin on or about September 1, 2007. The grant period will be approximately 8 to 12 months in duration, as appropriate for the applicant’s program design. The U.S. project activities should take place during a school break in the partner country; the time frames are noted above for each country. Applicants should propose the period of the exchange, but the exact timing of the project may be altered through the mutual agreement of the Department of State and the grant recipient. The program should be no less than three weeks (21 days) and up to four weeks (28 days) in duration. The delegation from each country is expected to be 21 secondary school students and educators. The total number of participants in a delegation is subject to change. The 18 students will be between the ages of 15 and 18, will have demonstrated leadership abilities in their schools and/or communities, and will be high academic achievers. The three educators will be high school teachers, or possibly community leaders who work with youth, who have demonstrated an interest in promoting youth leadership. Participants will be proficient in the English language. In pursuit of the goals outlined above, the program arrangements will include the following: • A welcome orientation. • The design and planning of activities that provide a substantive program on civic education, community activism, respect for diversity, constructive debate and dialogue, and leadership through both academic and extracurricular components. The program will take place in Washington, DC, and in one or two other communities. Activities should take place in schools as much as possible and in the community. Community service and computer training will also be included. It is crucial that programming involve American students whenever possible. • Opportunities for the educators to work with their American peers to help them foster youth leadership, civic education, and community service programs at home. • Logistical arrangements, homestays, disbursement of stipends/per diem, local travel, and travel between sites. • A closing session to summarize the project activities and prepare participants for their return home. • Support of follow-on activities in Kenya or Rwanda after the participants have returned home designed to reinforce values and skills imparted VerDate Aug<31>2005 17:37 Apr 04, 2007 Jkt 211001 during the U.S. program. U.S. project staff or trainers will travel to the partner country several months after the exchange. Proposals must demonstrate how the stated objectives will be met. The proposal narrative must 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 and Government Visitor categories. Please be sure to refer to the complete Solicitation Package— this Request for Grant Proposals (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: $190,000. Approximate Number of Awards: Two. Floor of Award Range: $95,000. Ceiling of Award Range: $95,000. Anticipated Award Date: September 1, 2007. Anticipated Project Completion Date: 8–12 months after start date, to be specified by applicant based on project plan. Additional Information: Pending successful implementation of these projects and the availability of funds in subsequent fiscal years, it is ECA’s intent to renew these grants for two additional fiscal years before openly competing them again. III. Eligibility Information III.1. Eligible Applicants Applications may be submitted by public and private non-profit organizations meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code section 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3). III.2. Cost Sharing or Matching Funds There is no minimum or maximum percentage required for this competition. However, the Bureau encourages applicants to provide maximum levels of cost sharing and funding in support of its programs. When cost sharing is offered, it is understood and agreed that the applicant must provide the amount of cost sharing as stipulated in its proposal and later included in an approved grant agreement. Cost sharing may be in the form of allowable direct or indirect costs. For accountability, you must maintain written records to support all PO 00000 Frm 00097 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 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 two grants in amounts of approximately $95,000 each 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. (b) Technical Eligibility: Applicants may submit only one proposal in response to this RFGP that proposes to provide a program for either Kenya or Rwanda. Organizations that submit more than one proposal will result in having all of their proposals declared technically ineligible, and none of the submissions will be reviewed by a State Department panel. 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–07–39) located at the top of this announcement when making your request. Alternatively, an electronic application package may be obtained E:\FR\FM\05APN1.SGM 05APN1 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 65 / Thursday, April 5, 2007 / Notices 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. jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES 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 PSI document and the POGI document for additional formatting and technical requirements. IV.3c. You must have nonprofit status with the IRS at the time of application. If your organization is a private nonprofit which has not received a grant or cooperative agreement from ECA in the past three years, or if your organization received nonprofit status from the IRS within the past four years, you must submit the necessary VerDate Aug<31>2005 17:37 Apr 04, 2007 Jkt 211001 documentation to verify nonprofit status as directed in the PSI document. Failure to do so will cause your proposal to be declared technically ineligible. IV.3d. Please take into consideration the following information when preparing your proposal narrative: IV.3d.1. Adherence to All Regulations Governing the J Visa. The Office of Citizen Exchanges of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs is the official program sponsor of the exchange program covered by this RFGP, and an employee of the Bureau will be the Responsible Officer for the program under the terms of 22 CFR 62, which covers the administration of the Exchange Visitor Program (J visa program). Under the terms of 22 CFR 62, organizations receiving grants under this RFGP will be third parties ‘‘cooperating with or assisting the sponsor in the conduct of the sponsor’s program.’’ The actions of grantee program organizations shall be ‘‘imputed to the sponsor in evaluating the sponsor’s compliance with’’ 22 CFR 62. Therefore, the Bureau expects that any organization receiving a grant under this competition will render all assistance necessary to enable the Bureau to fully comply with 22 CFR 62 et seq. The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs places great emphasis on the secure and proper administration of Exchange Visitor (J visa) Programs and adherence by grantee program organizations and program participants to all regulations governing the J visa program status. Therefore, proposals should explicitly state in writing that the applicant is prepared to assist the Bureau in meeting all requirements governing the administration of Exchange Visitor Programs as set forth in 22 CFR 62. If the applicant organization has experience as a designated Exchange Visitor Program Sponsor, the applicant should discuss its record of compliance with 22 CFR 62 et seq., including the oversight of their Responsible Officers and Alternate Responsible Officers, screening and selection of program participants, provision of pre-arrival information and orientation to participants, monitoring of participants, proper maintenance and security of forms, record-keeping, 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 PO 00000 Frm 00098 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 16859 State, Office of Exchange Coordination and Designation, ECA/EC/ECD–SA–44, Room 734, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547, Telephone: (202) 203–5029, Fax: (202) 453–8640. IV.3d.2 Diversity, Freedom and Democracy Guidelines. Pursuant to the Bureau’s authorizing legislation, programs must maintain a non-political character and should be balanced and representative of the diversity of American political, social, and cultural life. ‘‘Diversity’’ should be interpreted in the broadest sense and encompass differences including, but not limited to ethnicity, race, gender, religion, geographic location, socio-economic status, and 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. Pub. L. 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.’’ Pub. L. 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, E:\FR\FM\05APN1.SGM 05APN1 16860 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 65 / Thursday, April 5, 2007 / Notices 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. jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES 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 shortterm 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 VerDate Aug<31>2005 17:37 Apr 04, 2007 Jkt 211001 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: May 31, 2007. Reference Number: ECA/PE/C/PY– 07–39. 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 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. PO 00000 Frm 00099 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 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– 07–39, Program Management, ECA/EX/ PM, Room 534, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547. 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 E:\FR\FM\05APN1.SGM 05APN1 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 65 / Thursday, April 5, 2007 / Notices 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 jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES 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 POGI document. VerDate Aug<31>2005 17:37 Apr 04, 2007 Jkt 211001 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 Nonprofit Organizations. Please reference the following Web sites for additional information: https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants. https://exchanges.state.gov/education/ grantsdiv/terms.htm#articleI. VI.3. Reporting Requirements You must provide ECA with a hard copy original plus one copy of the following reports: (1) A final program and financial report no more than 90 days after the expiration of the award; (2) Interim reports, as required in the Bureau grant agreement. Grantees will be required to provide reports analyzing their evaluation PO 00000 Frm 00100 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 16861 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–07–39. 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. E:\FR\FM\05APN1.SGM 05APN1 16862 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 65 / Thursday, April 5, 2007 / Notices 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 27, 2007. Dina Habib Powell, Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs, Department of State. [FR Doc. E7–6361 Filed 4–4–07; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4710–05–P 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 DEPARTMENT OF STATE [Public Notice 5745] Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for Grant Proposals: Youth Leadership Program: Diversity, Democracy, Globalization, and Citizenship Announcement Type: New Grant. Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/ PE/C/PY–07–31. Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 00.000. Application Deadline: May 31, 2007. Executive Summary: The Office of Citizen Exchanges, Youth Programs Division, of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs announces an open competition for the ‘‘Youth Leadership Program: Diversity, Democracy, Globalization, and Citizenship’’ in which the participating countries will be Turkey, Germany, and the United States. 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 30–40 youth and adult participants overseas and in the United States, to provide the participants with a 25-to 30-day U.S.based exchange program, and to support follow-on activities for the alumni. The program will be designed to promote high-quality leadership and civic responsibility among future leaders and will enable the Turkish, German, and American participants to explore diversity and the expression of and respect for individual beliefs as citizens in democratic nations. jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES 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- VerDate Aug<31>2005 17:37 Apr 04, 2007 Jkt 211001 ‘‘Youth Leadership Program: Diversity, Democracy, Globalization, and Citizenship’’ will enable approximately 30–40 teenagers (ages 16–18) and adult educators to participate in an intensive, thematic project in the United States for approximately four weeks that allows for open discussion of the roles and responsibilities of a citizen in a democracy, lessons in critical thinking about various approaches to governance and respect for different perspectives, and the expression of identity and values. Leadership development, community service, and the development of a global point of view of are also elements of this program. The program will offer a firsthand view of U.S. practices, such as how groups with differing points of view find common ground or how governmental and nongovernmental organizations reach out to those reflecting a spectrum of views. The participants may explore diversity from the perspectives of various sectors of a society; for example, immigrants and natives, socio-economic classes, religious groups, political groups, or from different generations. The Turkish and German participants will be joined by American students for the program for a dialogue among the diverse communities represented by the three countries. Participants will be engaged in a variety of activities such as workshops, community and/or schoolbased programs, cultural activities, seminars and other activities designed to achieve the project’s stated goals and objectives. The goals of the program are: (1) To develop a sense of civic responsibility and a commitment to international understanding and cooperation among youth; (2) To understand how different people and societies deal with matters of individual belief in a democratic PO 00000 Frm 00101 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 society and identify with cultural, political, religious, and social groups; (3) To foster relationships among youth from different ethnic, religious, and national groups; (4) To promote mutual understanding and respect between the people of the United States, Germany, and Turkey; and (5) To develop a cadre of youth leaders who will share their knowledge and skills with their peers through positive action. With this focus, the following outcomes will indicate a successful project: • Participants will work together to identify areas of commonality and contrast among countries and diverse groups within a country. • Participants will develop critical thinking skills that will enable them to consider the perceptions and concerns of individuals with different perspectives. • Participants will demonstrate a better understanding of group and individual identity, respect for minorities, and freedom of expression in a democracy. Applicants should identify their own specific objectives and measurable outcomes based on these program goals and the project specifications provided in this solicitation. Applicants 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) ageappropriate programming for youth; and (3) previous experience working on programs with Turkey and/or with Germany. Applicants, or their partner organizations, need to have the necessary capacity in these two countries to recruit, select, and orient participants for the program, and to provide follow-on activities. Guidelines Grants should begin on or about September 1, 2007. The grant period will be approximately 14 to 20 months in duration, according to the applicant’s program plan. In pursuit of the goals outlined above, the program arrangements will include the following: • Recruitment and selection of a diverse group of youth and adult educators in Turkey, in Germany, and in the United States. • A pre-departure orientation program. • Design and planning of activities in the United States that provide a substantive program on leadership, civic E:\FR\FM\05APN1.SGM 05APN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 65 (Thursday, April 5, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16857-16862]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-6361]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 5746]


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

    Announcement Type: New Grant.
    Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/PE/C/PY-07-39.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 00.000.
    Application Deadline: May 31, 2007.
    Executive Summary: The Office of Citizen Exchanges, Youth Programs 
Division, of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs announces 
an open competition for two projects, one with Rwanda and one with 
Kenya, under the Youth Leadership Program. Public and private non-
profit organizations meeting the provisions described in Internal 
Revenue Code section 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3) may submit proposals to 
conduct a three- to four-week U.S.-based project for secondary school 
students and teachers from Rwanda or from Kenya. The project activities 
will focus on civic education, leadership, diversity, and community 
activism.

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

    With this new Youth Leadership Program, the Bureau of Educational 
and Cultural Affairs (ECA) plans to support two separate exchange 
projects, one with Kenya and one with Rwanda, in late 2007. Each three- 
to four-week long project will enable 18 teenagers (ages 15-17) and 
three adult educators from one of the two countries to participate in 
an intensive exchange in the United States designed and implemented by 
the grant recipient organizations. The U.S. Embassies in Nairobi and 
Kigali will recruit, screen, and select the participants.
    These projects are designed to promote high-quality leadership, 
civic responsibility, and civic activism among our countries' future 
leaders. The projects will offer 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. Participants will live with 
American families for most of the exchange period. Multiple 
opportunities for participants to interact with American youth and 
educators must be included.
    The goals of the program are:
    (1) To promote mutual understanding between the people of the 
United States and the people of Kenya and of Rwanda;
    (2) To develop a sense of civic responsibility and commitment to 
community development among youth;
    (3) To develop leadership skills among secondary school students 
appropriate to their needs;
    (4) To foster relationships among youth from different ethnic, 
religious, and national groups.
    A successful project will be one that nurtures a cadre of students 
and teachers to be actively engaged in addressing issues of concern in 
their schools and communities upon their return home and that equips 
them with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to become citizen 
activists.
    The Bureau anticipates providing two grants to support two discrete 
projects, one for each country and each funded at approximately 
$95,000. [Note that this funding does not include international airfare 
for the exchange participants.] Organizations may submit only one 
proposal, for either Rwanda or Kenya. The two projects will be judged 
independently and proposals will be compared only to proposals for the 
same country. ECA intends to award only one grant for each project.
Project A: Rwanda
    Applicants should propose a three- to four-week U.S. program 
between the second week of November and mid-December 2007. Funding for 
this grant is approximately $95,000.
Project B: Kenya
    Applicants should propose a three- to four-week U.S. program in 
December 2007. Funding for this grant is approximately $95,000.
    Applicants should outline their capacity for doing projects of this 
nature, focusing on three areas of competency: (1) Provision of 
leadership and civic education programming, (2) age-appropriate 
programming for youth, and (3) previous experience working with 
exchange participants from Africa. Applicants need not have a partner 
in Kenya or Rwanda, as the staff of the Public Affairs Section (PAS) of 
the U.S. Embassies in Nairobi and Kigali will recruit and select the 
participants and provide a pre-departure orientation.

[[Page 16858]]

Guidelines

    The grants will begin on or about September 1, 2007. The grant 
period will be approximately 8 to 12 months in duration, as appropriate 
for the applicant's program design.
    The U.S. project activities should take place during a school break 
in the partner country; the time frames are noted above for each 
country. Applicants should propose the period of the exchange, but the 
exact timing of the project may be altered through the mutual agreement 
of the Department of State and the grant recipient. The program should 
be no less than three weeks (21 days) and up to four weeks (28 days) in 
duration.
    The delegation from each country is expected to be 21 secondary 
school students and educators. The total number of participants in a 
delegation is subject to change. The 18 students will be between the 
ages of 15 and 18, will have demonstrated leadership abilities in their 
schools and/or communities, and will be high academic achievers. The 
three educators will be high school teachers, or possibly community 
leaders who work with youth, who have demonstrated an interest in 
promoting youth leadership. Participants will be proficient in the 
English language.
    In pursuit of the goals outlined above, the program arrangements 
will include the following:
     A welcome orientation.
     The design and planning of activities that provide a 
substantive program on civic education, community activism, respect for 
diversity, constructive debate and dialogue, and leadership through 
both academic and extracurricular components. The program will take 
place in Washington, DC, and in one or two other communities. 
Activities should take place in schools as much as possible and in the 
community. Community service and computer training will also be 
included. It is crucial that programming involve American students 
whenever possible.
     Opportunities for the educators to work with their 
American peers to help them foster youth leadership, civic education, 
and community service programs at home.
     Logistical arrangements, homestays, disbursement of 
stipends/per diem, local travel, and travel between sites.
     A closing session to summarize the project activities and 
prepare participants for their return home.
     Support of follow-on activities in Kenya or Rwanda after 
the participants have returned home designed to reinforce values and 
skills imparted during the U.S. program. U.S. project staff or trainers 
will travel to the partner country several months after the exchange.
    Proposals must demonstrate how the stated objectives will be met. 
The proposal narrative must 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 and Government Visitor categories. Please 
be sure to refer to the complete Solicitation Package--this Request for 
Grant Proposals (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: $190,000.
    Approximate Number of Awards: Two.
    Floor of Award Range: $95,000.
    Ceiling of Award Range: $95,000.
    Anticipated Award Date: September 1, 2007.
    Anticipated Project Completion Date: 8-12 months after start date, 
to be specified by applicant based on project plan.
    Additional Information: Pending successful implementation of these 
projects and the availability of funds in subsequent fiscal years, it 
is ECA's intent to renew these grants for two additional fiscal years 
before openly competing them again.

III. Eligibility Information

III.1. Eligible Applicants

    Applications may be submitted by public and private non-profit 
organizations meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code 
section 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3).

III.2. Cost Sharing or Matching Funds

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

III.3. Other Eligibility Requirements

    (a) Bureau grant guidelines require that organizations with less 
than four years experience in conducting international exchanges be 
limited to $60,000 in Bureau funding. ECA anticipates awarding two 
grants in amounts of approximately $95,000 each 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.
    (b) Technical Eligibility: Applicants may submit only one proposal 
in response to this RFGP that proposes to provide a program for either 
Kenya or Rwanda. Organizations that submit more than one proposal will 
result in having all of their proposals declared technically 
ineligible, and none of the submissions will be reviewed by a State 
Department panel.

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-07-39) located at the top 
of this announcement when making your request.
    Alternatively, an electronic application package may be obtained

[[Page 16859]]

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 PSI document and the POGI document for 
additional formatting and technical requirements.
    IV.3c. You must have nonprofit status with the IRS at the time of 
application. If your organization is a private nonprofit which has not 
received a grant or cooperative agreement from ECA in the past three 
years, or if your organization received nonprofit status from the IRS 
within the past four years, you must submit the necessary documentation 
to verify nonprofit status as directed in the PSI document. Failure to 
do so will cause your proposal to be declared technically ineligible.
    IV.3d. Please take into consideration the following information 
when preparing your proposal narrative:
    IV.3d.1. Adherence to All Regulations Governing the J Visa. The 
Office of Citizen Exchanges of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural 
Affairs is the official program sponsor of the exchange program covered 
by this RFGP, and an employee of the Bureau will be the Responsible 
Officer for the program under the terms of 22 CFR 62, which covers the 
administration of the Exchange Visitor Program (J visa program). Under 
the terms of 22 CFR 62, organizations receiving grants under this RFGP 
will be third parties ``cooperating with or assisting the sponsor in 
the conduct of the sponsor's program.'' The actions of grantee program 
organizations shall be ``imputed to the sponsor in evaluating the 
sponsor's compliance with'' 22 CFR 62. Therefore, the Bureau expects 
that any organization receiving a grant under this competition will 
render all assistance necessary to enable the Bureau to fully comply 
with 22 CFR 62 et seq.
    The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs places great 
emphasis on the secure and proper administration of Exchange Visitor (J 
visa) Programs and adherence by grantee program organizations and 
program participants to all regulations governing the J visa program 
status. Therefore, proposals should explicitly state in writing that 
the applicant is prepared to assist the Bureau in meeting all 
requirements governing the administration of Exchange Visitor Programs 
as set forth in 22 CFR 62. If the applicant organization has experience 
as a designated Exchange Visitor Program Sponsor, the applicant should 
discuss its record of compliance with 22 CFR 62 et seq., including the 
oversight of their Responsible Officers and Alternate Responsible 
Officers, screening and selection of program participants, provision of 
pre-arrival information and orientation to participants, monitoring of 
participants, proper maintenance and security of forms, record-keeping, 
reporting and other requirements.
    The Office of Citizen Exchanges of ECA will be responsible for 
issuing DS-2019 forms to participants in this program.
    A copy of the complete regulations governing the administration of 
Exchange Visitor (J) programs is available at https://
exchanges.state.gov or from: United States Department of State, Office 
of Exchange Coordination and Designation, ECA/EC/ECD-SA-44, Room 734, 
301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547, Telephone: (202) 203-5029, 
Fax: (202) 453-8640.
    IV.3d.2 Diversity, Freedom and Democracy Guidelines. Pursuant to 
the Bureau's authorizing legislation, programs must maintain a non-
political character and should be balanced and representative of the 
diversity of American political, social, and cultural life. 
``Diversity'' should be interpreted in the broadest sense and encompass 
differences including, but not limited to ethnicity, race, gender, 
religion, geographic location, socio-economic status, and 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. 
Pub. L. 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.'' Pub. L. 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,

[[Page 16860]]

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: May 31, 2007.
    Reference Number: ECA/PE/C/PY-07-39.
    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 PSI 
of the solicitation document.
    IV.3f.1. Submitting Printed Applications. Applications must be 
shipped no later than the above deadline. Delivery services used by 
applicants must have in-place, centralized shipping identification and 
tracking systems that may be accessed via the Internet and delivery 
people who are identifiable by commonly recognized uniforms and 
delivery vehicles. Proposals shipped on or before the above deadline 
but received at ECA more than seven days after the deadline will be 
ineligible for further consideration under this competition. Proposals 
shipped after the established deadlines are ineligible for 
consideration under this competition. ECA will not notify you upon 
receipt of application. It is each applicant's responsibility to ensure 
that each package is marked with a legible tracking number and to 
monitor/confirm delivery to ECA via the Internet. Delivery of proposal 
packages may not be made via local courier service or in person for 
this competition. Faxed documents will not be accepted at any time. 
Only proposals submitted as stated above will be considered.

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

    The original, one fully-tabbed copy, and six copies of the 
application with Tabs A-E (for a total of 8 copies) should be sent to: 
U.S. Department of State, SA-44, Bureau of Educational and Cultural 
Affairs, Ref.: ECA/PE/C/PY-07-39, Program Management, ECA/EX/PM, Room 
534, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547.
    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 (http:/
/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

[[Page 16861]]

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 POGI document.

VI. Award Administration Information

VI.1a. Award Notices

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

VI.2 Administrative and National Policy Requirements

    Terms and Conditions for the Administration of ECA agreements 
include the following:

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

    Please reference the following Web sites for additional 
information:

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

VI.3. Reporting Requirements

    You must provide ECA with a hard copy original plus one copy of the 
following reports:
    (1) A final program and financial report no more than 90 days after 
the expiration of the award;
    (2) Interim reports, as required in the Bureau grant agreement.
    Grantees will be required to provide reports analyzing their 
evaluation findings to the Bureau in their regular program reports. 
(Please refer to IV. Application and Submission Instructions (IV.3.d.3) 
above for Program Monitoring and Evaluation information.)
    All data collected, including survey responses and contact 
information, must be maintained for a minimum of three years and 
provided to the Bureau upon request.
    All reports must be sent to the ECA Grants Officer and ECA Program 
Officer listed in the final assistance award document.

VI.4. Program Data Requirements

    Organizations awarded grants will be required to maintain specific 
data on program participants and activities in an electronically 
accessible database format that can be shared with the Bureau as 
required. As a minimum, the data must include the following:
    (1) Name, address, contact information and biographic sketch of all 
persons who travel internationally on funds provided by the grant or 
who benefit from the grant funding but do not travel.
    (2) Itineraries of international and domestic travel, providing 
dates of travel and cities in which any exchange experiences take 
place. Final schedules for in-country and U.S. activities must be 
received by the ECA Program Officer at least three workdays prior to 
the official opening of the activity.

VII. Agency Contacts

    For questions about this announcement, contact: Carolyn Lantz, 
Program Officer, Youth Programs Division (ECA/PE/C/PY), Room 568, U.S. 
Department of State, SA-44, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547, 
Telephone (202) 203-7505, Fax (202) 203-7529, E-mail: 
LantzCS@state.gov.
    All correspondence with the Bureau concerning this RFGP should 
reference the above title and number ECA/PE/C/PY-07-39.
    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.

[[Page 16862]]

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 27, 2007.
Dina Habib Powell,
Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs, Department of 
State.
 [FR Doc. E7-6361 Filed 4-4-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.