Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for Grant Proposals: Youth Leadership Program: Diversity, Democracy, Globalization, and Citizenship, 16862-16867 [E7-6369]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 65 (Thursday, April 5, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16862-16867]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-6369]


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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.

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.

Purpose

    ``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 non-governmental 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 school-based 
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 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) age-appropriate 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

[[Page 16863]]

responsibility, diversity, and the expression of and respect for 
individual beliefs by citizens in democratic nations. Some activities 
should be school and/or community-based, as feasible, and the projects 
will involve interaction with American peers in addition to those 
selected for the program.
     Logistical arrangements, homestay arrangements and other 
accommodation, disbursement of stipends/per diem, local travel, and 
travel between sites.
     Follow-on activities in the participants' home countries 
designed to reinforce the ideas, values, and skills imparted during the 
U.S. program.
    Recruitment and Selection: Applicants must outline a recruitment 
and selection plan in all three countries in their proposals. Once a 
grant is awarded, the grant recipient must consult with the Public 
Affairs Sections at the U.S. Embassies in Ankara and Berlin to review 
the plan and incorporate their priorities. The Department of State and/
or its overseas representatives reserve final approval of all selected 
delegations.
    Participants: The participants will be teenagers, aged 16-18, and 
adult educators from Turkey, Germany, and the United States who 
represent the ethnic, religious, racial, gender balance, and geographic 
diversity of their populations. The total number of participants will 
be roughly 30 to 40, with generally equal representation from the three 
countries. The ratio of student to adult participants will be 
approximately 5:1 or 6:1.
    In Turkey, participants will be recruited from a spectrum of 
different groups and organizations dealing with education, governance, 
and public life. In Germany, participants will be recruited through 
outreach to traditionally under-served or marginalized communities, as 
well as from youth groups dealing with education, governance, and 
public life. In the United States, participants will also be recruited 
through diverse networks of schools, clubs, non-profit organizations, 
and other groups.
    Participants will be proficient in English in order to fully 
participate in discussions. They will demonstrate an interest in the 
project theme and will exhibit leadership, maturity, flexibility, and 
open-mindedness. The adults will be teachers or community leaders who 
work with youth, and they will have the dual role of both exchange 
participant and chaperone.
    U.S. Program Activities: Applicants should propose a 25-to 30-day 
exchange in the United States that takes place during the summer of 
2008 between late June and early August. The project may take place in 
one or two communities and should offer the participants exposure to 
the variety of American life. The closing workshop for the program must 
be organized in Washington, DC, and will offer a chance for State 
Department officials to meet the participants.
    The program delivery will be focused primarily on interactive 
activities, practical experiences, and other hands-on opportunities to 
learn about the fundamentals of a dynamic and diverse civil society, 
community service, tolerance and respect for diversity, and building 
leadership skills. The participants will examine ways that individual 
perspectives can be expressed and the ways that democratic nations 
acknowledge such expression. They should have a chance to see community 
activists and leaders in action. The activities of the project could 
include a mix of workshops, simulations and role-playing, case studies, 
meetings, classroom visits, site visits, training, and collaborative 
projects and discussions with peers. Leadership development and 
teambuilding exercises will also be included, along with volunteer 
service activities. Cultural and recreational activities will balance 
the schedule. The participants will live with American host families 
for at least half of the program, preferably in pairings that mix up 
the participants from the three countries.
    Programs will include ``how-to'' training that enables the students 
and teachers to get a hands-on feel for the topic (such as 
participating in a debate, peer mediation session, or mock trial), to 
discuss challenging issues, and to re-create similar activities for 
their peers back home.
    The program will also provide opportunities for the adult educators 
to work with their American peers and other professionals and 
volunteers to learn about new topics and methods in teaching the rights 
and responsibilities of a citizen in a democracy and the practical 
application of theoretical concepts.
    The program in the United States will end with a closing session 
that focuses on summarizing the experience, developing action plans for 
activities at home, and preparing for re-entry.
    Follow-on Activities and In-Country Programming: Follow-on 
activities that are designed to reinforce values and skills imparted 
during the U.S. program will be organized for project alumni in each 
country. Applicants should present creative and effective ways to 
address the project themes, for both program participants and their 
peers, as a means to amplify the program's impact.
    Proposals must demonstrate how the stated objectives will be met. 
The proposal narrative should provide detailed information on the major 
program activities, and applicants should explain and justify their 
programmatic choices. Programs must comply with J-1 visa regulations. 
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: $245,000.
    Approximate Number of Awards: One.
    Anticipated Award Date: September 1, 2007.
    Anticipated Project Completion Date: 14-20 months after start date, 
to be specified by applicant based on project plan.
    Additional Information: Pending successful implementation of the 
project and the availability of funds in subsequent fiscal years, ECA 
reserves the right to renew grants for up to two additional fiscal 
years before openly competing grants under this program 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

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records are subject to audit. The basis for determining the value of 
cash and in-kind contributions must be in accordance with OMB Circular 
A-110, (Revised), Subpart C.23--Cost Sharing and Matching. In the event 
you do not provide the minimum amount of cost sharing as stipulated in 
the approved budget, ECA's contribution will be reduced in like 
proportion.

III.3. Other Eligibility Requirements

    Bureau grant guidelines require that organizations with less than 
four years experience in conducting international exchanges be limited 
to $60,000 in Bureau funding. ECA anticipates awarding one grant not to 
exceed $245,000 to support program and administrative costs required to 
implement this exchange program. Therefore, organizations with less 
than four years experience in conducting international exchanges are 
ineligible to apply under this competition. The Bureau encourages 
applicants to provide maximum levels of cost sharing and funding in 
support of its programs.

IV. Application and Submission Information

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

IV.1. Contact Information To Request an Application Package

    Please contact the Youth Programs Division (ECA/PE/C/PY), Room 568, 
U.S. Department of State, SA-44, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 
20547, Telephone (202) 203-7505, Fax (202) 203-7529, E-mail: 
LantzCS@state.gov to request a Solicitation Package. Please refer to 
the Funding Opportunity Number (ECA/PE/C/PY-07-31) located at the top 
of this announcement when making your request.
    Alternatively, an electronic application package may be obtained 
from Grants.gov. Please see section IV.3f for further information.
    The Solicitation Package contains the PSI document, which consists 
of required application forms and standard guidelines for proposal 
preparation.
    It also contains the 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 (ECA/PE/C/PY-07-31) 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. ``Submission Dates and Times 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 for 
additional formatting and technical requirements. It contains the 
mandatory PSI document and the POGI document.
    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 your organization has experience as a 
designated Exchange Visitor Program Sponsor, the applicant should 
discuss their 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

[[Page 16865]]

ethnicity, race, gender, religion, geographic location, socio-economic 
status, and disabilities. Applicants are strongly encouraged to adhere 
to the advancement of this principle both in program administration and 
in program content. Please refer to the review criteria under the 
``Support for Diversity'' section for specific suggestions on 
incorporating diversity into your proposal. Public Law 104-319 provides 
that ``in carrying out programs of educational and cultural exchange in 
countries whose people do not fully enjoy freedom and democracy,'' the 
Bureau ``shall take appropriate steps to provide opportunities for 
participation in such programs to human rights and democracy leaders of 
such countries.'' Public Law 106-113 requires that the governments of 
the countries described above do not have inappropriate influence in 
the selection process. Proposals should reflect advancement of these 
goals in their program contents, to the full extent deemed feasible.
    IV.3d.3. Program Monitoring and Evaluation. Proposals must include 
a plan to monitor and evaluate the project's success, both as the 
activities unfold and at the end of the program. The Bureau recommends 
that your proposal include a draft survey questionnaire or other 
technique plus a description of a methodology to use to link outcomes 
to original project objectives. The Bureau expects that the grantee 
will track participants or partners and be able to respond to key 
evaluation questions, including satisfaction with the program, learning 
as a result of the program, changes in behavior as a result of the 
program, and effects of the program on institutions (institutions in 
which participants work or partner institutions). The evaluation plan 
should include indicators that measure gains in mutual understanding as 
well as substantive knowledge.
    Successful monitoring and evaluation depend heavily on setting 
clear goals and outcomes at the outset of a program. Your evaluation 
plan should include a description of your project's objectives, your 
anticipated project outcomes, and how and when you intend to measure 
these outcomes (performance indicators). The more that outcomes are 
``smart'' (specific, measurable, attainable, results-oriented, and 
placed in a reasonable time frame), the easier it will be to conduct 
the evaluation. You should also show how your project objectives link 
to the goals of the program described in this RFGP.
    Your monitoring and evaluation plan should clearly distinguish 
between program outputs and outcomes. Outputs are products and services 
delivered, often stated as an amount. Output information is important 
to show the scope or size of project activities, but it cannot 
substitute for information about progress towards outcomes or the 
results achieved. Examples of outputs include the number of people 
trained or the number of seminars conducted. Outcomes, in contrast, 
represent specific results a project is intended to achieve and is 
usually measured as an extent of change. Findings on outputs and 
outcomes should both be reported, but the focus should be on outcomes.
    We encourage you to assess the following four levels of outcomes, 
as they relate to the program goals set out in the RFGP (listed here in 
increasing order of importance):
    1. Participant satisfaction with the program and exchange 
experience.
    2. Participant learning, such as increased knowledge, aptitude, 
skills, and changed understanding and attitude. Learning includes both 
substantive (subject-specific) learning and mutual understanding.
    3. Participant behavior, concrete actions to apply knowledge in 
work or community; greater participation and responsibility in civic 
organizations; interpretation and explanation of experiences and new 
knowledge gained; continued contacts between participants, community 
members, and others.
    4. Institutional changes, such as increased collaboration and 
partnerships, policy reforms, new programming, and organizational 
improvements.

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

    Overall, the quality of your monitoring and evaluation plan will be 
judged on how well it (1) specifies intended outcomes; (2) gives clear 
descriptions of how each outcome will be measured; (3) identifies when 
particular outcomes will be measured; and (4) provides a clear 
description of the data collection strategies for each outcome (i.e., 
surveys, interviews, or focus groups). (Please note that evaluation 
plans that deal only with the first level of outcomes [satisfaction] 
will be deemed less competitive under the present evaluation criteria.)
    Grantees will be required to provide reports analyzing their 
evaluation findings to the Bureau in their regular program reports. All 
data collected, including survey responses and contact information, 
must be maintained for a minimum of three years and provided to the 
Bureau upon request.
    IV.3e. Please take the following information into consideration 
when preparing your budget:
    IV.3e.1. Applicants must submit a comprehensive budget for the 
entire program. Awards may not exceed the amounts specified. Funding 
for the project is not to exceed $245,000. There must be a summary 
budget as well as breakdowns reflecting both administrative and program 
budgets. Applicants may provide separate sub-budgets for each program 
component, phase, location, or activity to provide clarification.
    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: Thursday, May 31, 2007.
    Reference Number: ECA/PE/C/PY-07-31.
    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

[[Page 16866]]

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 7 copies) should be sent to: 
U.S. Department of State, SA-44, Bureau of Educational and Cultural 
Affairs, Ref.: ECA/PE/C/PY-07-31, 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 essential 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. The Bureau will transmit these 
files electronically to the Public Affairs Sections in the U.S. 
Embassies in Ankara and Berlin for review.
    IV.3f.2. Submitting Electronic Applications: Applicants have the 
option of submitting proposals electronically through Grants.gov 
(https://www.grants.gov). Complete solicitation packages are available 
at Grants.gov in the ``Find'' portion of the system. Please follow the 
instructions available in the ``Get Started'' portion of the site 
(https://www.grants.gov/GetStarted).
    Several of the steps in the Grants.gov registration process could 
take several weeks. Therefore, applicants should check with appropriate 
staff within their organizations immediately after reviewing this RFGP 
to confirm or determine their registration status with Grants.gov. Once 
registered, the amount of time it can take to upload an application 
will vary depending on a variety of factors including the size of the 
application and the speed of your internet connection. Therefore, we 
strongly recommend that you not wait until the application deadline to 
begin the submission process through Grants.gov.
    Direct all questions regarding Grants.gov registration and 
submission to: Grants.gov Customer Support, Contact Center Phone: 800-
518-4726, Business Hours: Monday-Friday, 7 a.m.-9 p.m. Eastern Time, E-
mail: support@grants.gov.
    Applicants have until midnight (12 a.m.) of the closing date to 
ensure that their entire applications have been uploaded to the 
Grants.gov site. 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.3d.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.

[[Page 16867]]

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-07-31.
    Please read the complete announcement before sending inquiries or 
submitting proposals. Once the RFGP deadline has passed, Bureau staff 
may not discuss this competition with applicants until the proposal 
review process has been completed.

VIII. Other Information

Notice

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

    Dated: March 29, 2007.
Dina Habib Powell,
Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs, Department of 
State.
[FR Doc. E7-6369 Filed 4-4-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P