Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for Grant Proposals: Algeria Youth Leadership Program, 61928-61933 [E7-21562]
Download as PDF
<![CDATA[
61928
Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 211 / Thursday, November 1, 2007 / Notices
Equities Rule 5.2(j)(6)(B)(I)(1)(b)(ii) that
relates to minimum trading volume for
each component security is more
stringent than the trading volume
requirement related to options trading.8
Notwithstanding the foregoing, while a
significant number of listed equity
securities meet the minimum market
capitalization and trading volume
requirements for components of equity
indexes under NYSE Arca Equities Rule
5.2(j)(6), the Exchange represents that
many do not meet the current criteria
for standardized options trading. The
Exchange believes that the explicit
market capitalization and trading
volume requirements of NYSE Arca
Equities Rule 5.2(j)(6)(B)(I)(1)(b)(i) and
(ii), respectively, are sufficient to ensure
that any component security comprising
an Equity Reference Asset underlying a
series of Equity Index-Linked Securities
will have an adequate liquid trading
market. In addition, the Exchange
believes that, by requiring that both
proposed conditions to NYSE Arca
Equities Rule 5.2(j)(6)(B)(I)(1)(b)(v) (i.e.,
enhancing concentration limits for
component securities and increasing the
minimum number of component
securities) be met in order to avail of the
proposed exemption to such rule, the
proposal would significantly reduce the
possibility of manipulation of the index.
Based on the foregoing, the Exchange
believes that the protection of requiring
such securities to be qualified for
options trading is unnecessary.
2. Statutory Basis
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with NOTICES
The Exchange believes that the
proposed rule change is consistent with
Section 6(b) of the Act,9 in general, and
furthers the objectives of Section 6(b)(5)
of the Act,10 in particular, in that it is
designed to promote just and equitable
principles of trade, to foster cooperation
and coordination with persons engaged
in regulating, clearing, settling,
processing information with respect to,
and facilitating transactions in
securities, to remove impediments to
and perfect the mechanism of a free and
open market and a national market
8 NYSE Arca Equities Rule 5.2(j)(6)(B)(I)(1)(b)(ii)
requires that each component security must have
trading volume in each of the last six months or not
less than 1,000,000 shares per month, except that
for each of the lowest dollar weighted component
securities in the index that, in the aggregate,
account for no more than 10% of the dollar weight
of the index, the trading volume shall be at least
500,000 shares per month in each of the last six
months. In contrast, the options criteria for
underlying securities generally require a minimum
trading volume (in all markets in which the
underlying security is traded) of 2,400,000 shares in
the preceding twelve months, as stated above.
9 15 U.S.C. 78f(b).
10 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
VerDate Aug<31>2005
19:40 Oct 31, 2007
Jkt 214001
system, and, in general, to protect
investors and the public interest.
B. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
Statement on Burden on Competition
The Exchange believes the proposed
rule change will impose no burden on
competition that is not necessary or
appropriate in furtherance of the
purposes of the Act.
C. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
Statement on Comments on the
Proposed Rule Change Received From
Members, Participants or Others
The Exchange states that no written
comments were solicited or received
with respect to the proposed rule
change.
III. Date of Effectiveness of the
Proposed Rule Change and Timing for
Commission Action
Within 35 days of the date of
publication of this notice in the Federal
Register or within such longer period (i)
as the Commission may designate up to
90 days of such date if it finds such
longer period to be appropriate and
publishes its reasons for so finding or
(ii) as to which NYSE Arca consents, the
Commission will:
A. By order approve such proposed
rule change, or
B. Institute proceedings to determine
whether the proposed rule change
should be disapproved.
IV. Solicitation of Comments
Interested persons are invited to
submit written data, views, and
arguments concerning the foregoing,
including whether the proposed rule
change is consistent with the Act.
Comments may be submitted by any of
the following methods:
Electronic Comments
• Use the Commission’s Internet
comment form (https://www.sec.gov/
rules/sro.shtml); or
• Send an e-mail to rulecomments@sec.gov. Please include File
Number SR–NYSEArca–2007–110 on
the subject line.
post all comments on the Commission’s
Internet Web site (https://www.sec.gov/
rules/sro.shtml). Copies of the
submission, all subsequent
amendments, all written statements
with respect to the proposed rule
change that are filed with the
Commission, and all written
communications relating to the
proposed rule change between the
Commission and any person, other than
those that may be withheld from the
public in accordance with the
provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be
available for inspection and copying in
the Commission’s Public Reference
Room, 100 F Street, NE., Washington,
DC 20549, on official business days
between the hours of 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.
Copies of the filing also will be available
for inspection and copying at the
principal office of the Exchange. All
comments received will be posted
without change; the Commission does
not edit personal identifying
information from submissions. You
should submit only information that
you wish to make available publicly. All
submissions should refer to File
Number SR–NYSEArca–2007–110 and
should be submitted on or before
November 23, 2007.
For the Commission, by the Division of
Market Regulation, pursuant to delegated
authority.11
Nancy M. Morris,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E7–21454 Filed 10–31–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF STATE
[Public Notice 5980]
Bureau of Educational and Cultural
Affairs (ECA) Request for Grant
Proposals: Algeria Youth Leadership
Program
Announcement Type: New Grant.
Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/
PE/C/PY–08–12.
Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance Number: 00.000.
Key Dates:
Paper Comments
Application Deadline: January 3,
• Send paper comments in triplicate
2008.
to Nancy M. Morris, Secretary,
Executive Summary: The Office of
Securities and Exchange Commission,
Citizen Exchanges, Youth Programs
100 F Street, NE., Washington, DC
Division, of the Bureau of Educational
20549–1090.
and Cultural Affairs announces an open
All submissions should refer to File
competition for the Algeria Youth
Number SR–NYSEArca–2007–110. This Leadership Program. Public and private
file number should be included on the
non-profit organizations meeting the
subject line if e-mail is used. To help the provisions described in Internal
Commission process and review your
Revenue Code section 26 U.S.C.
comments more efficiently, please use
11 17 CFR 200.30–3(a)(12).
only one method. The Commission will
PO 00000
Frm 00074
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
E:\FR\FM\01NON1.SGM
01NON1
Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 211 / Thursday, November 1, 2007 / Notices
501(c)(3) will submit proposals to
recruit and select high school students
in Algeria, and conduct a program in
Algeria and the United States
approximately six weeks in length that
will focus on themes of leadership
development, respecting diversity, and
civic education.
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 FulbrightHays 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.
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with NOTICES
Purpose
The Algeria Youth Leadership
Program has been established to offer
youth from Algeria an opportunity to
interact with their American peers and
jointly develop their leadership skills.
The Office of Citizen Exchanges’ Youth
Programs Division, through the Algeria
Youth Leadership Program, will bring
Algerian and American exchange
participants (ages 15–17) together in the
United States for approximately four
weeks in the summer of 2008. The
Algerian participants will also undergo
two (2) weeks of intensive English
language instruction before their
departure to the United States.
Components of the program will
include: (A) Two (2) weeks of intensive
English language instruction in Algeria
for the Algerian participants; (B) a predeparture and post-arrival orientation
for the Algerian students, each being no
more than two (2) days in length; (C)
approximately two (2) weeks of
structured activities in U.S.
communities when the Algerian
students will have homestays with
American families; (D) a week at a
summer program site for both the
Algerians and Americans; (E) a weeklong civic education workshop for both
the Algerians and Americans, and (F) a
one-day wrap-up session at the
VerDate Aug<31>2005
19:40 Oct 31, 2007
Jkt 214001
conclusion of the program for both the
Algerian and American participants.
Follow-on activities for alumni will be
designed to reinforce the lessons
learned on the exchange and enable the
alumni to apply their new skills in their
home communities.
The grantee organization will be
responsible for the entire cycle of the
program to include: Recruitment and
selection of Algerian and American
students; management of travel
documents, international airline
reservations for Algerian students and
up to two (2) adult escorts, who will
accompany the Algerian students and
participate in the program; domestic
transportation for Algerian and
American participants; preparation and
oversight of all programmatic
components in the United States;
provision of follow-on activities for
Algerian alumni in their home country,
and, to the extent possible, for American
alumni in the United States.
The grantee organization must recruit
and select the Algerian exchange
participants in consultation with the
Public Affairs Section at the U.S.
Embassy in Algiers. The grantee
organization must make arrangements
for the students to take part in intensive
English language instruction before their
departure to the United States. English
language classes should be no longer
than two (2) weeks in duration.
The grantee organization must also
recruit and select American high school
students. Preference will be given to a
nationwide recruitment plan, though a
regional recruitment plan may also be
considered.
The grantee organization must
provide the Algerian participants with
pre-departure and post-arrival
orientations to prepare them for both the
content and the logistics of the
exchange. The American students must
receive pre-program information on
content and logistics.
A successful project will be one that
nurtures a cadre of students to be
actively engaged in their schools and
communities upon their return home,
and that equips students with the
knowledge, skills, and confidence to do
so. By the end of the program, Algerian
students will have developed
relationships with their peers in the
United States and within their
delegation; developed their own
impression of the United States;
strengthened their English language
skills; and obtained an understanding of
how American democracy operates on a
daily basis. The American students will
develop an appreciation for another
culture and learn more about Algerian
society and traditions through their
PO 00000
Frm 00075
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
61929
relationships with the Algerian
participants.
Goals
• To develop leadership, civic
responsibility, and commitment to
community service among youth;
• To strengthen the English language
skills of the Algerian participants;
• To foster relationships between
Americans and Algerians with a focus
on respect for ethnic, socioeconomic
and religious diversity; and
• To promote mutual understanding
between the people of the United States
and the people of Algeria.
Applicants should identify their own
specific program objectives, as well as
measurable outcomes based on the
program goals and specifications
provided in this solicitation. 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) prior
work with individuals from the region.
Participants
Selection of Algerian students must
focus on teenagers, aged 15–17, from
across the country who represent the
full diversity of the Algerian population.
They should demonstrate an interest in
the project themes and exhibit maturity,
flexibility, and open-mindedness.
The program must also include
American students, aged 15–17, who
demonstrate an interest in the project
themes and exhibit maturity, flexibility,
and open-mindedness. Care should be
taken to ensure a recruitment process
that targets a diverse pool of Americans
from across the county (or from
throughout a region).
Algerian adult participants will be
educators or leaders of nongovernmental organizations that work
with youth. They should be available to
support the participants during the
course of each component of the
exchange.
There will be at least 20 participants
from Algeria, plus the two adult escorts.
They will be joined by a delegation of
at least 10 American students for the
camp and civic education components.
Applicants must specify the size and
composition of each country delegation
in their proposal.
U.S. Program
The approximate six-week program
will begin in the United States with a
two-day orientation for the Algerian
participants and wrap up with a oneday debriefing session for both the
Algerian and American students. The
E:\FR\FM\01NON1.SGM
01NON1
61930
Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 211 / Thursday, November 1, 2007 / Notices
camp and civic education experiences
will allow Algerian and American
students to build relationships, and
should combine both recreational and
substantive elements addressing such
topics as participatory democracy,
community service, and respect for
diversity. The civic education workshop
should include briefings, simulations,
and discussions on citizen participation
and the fundamentals of the American
democratic system of government.
During the time that the Algerian
students are living with American host
families, their scheduled events should
include a structured and sustained mix
of workshops, simulations and roleplaying, meetings, tours, training, and
social time among their peers.
The primary components are
described in more detail in the Project
Objectives, Goals and Implementation
(POGI) document.
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with NOTICES
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Grant Agreement.
Fiscal Year Funds: FY–2008, pending
availability of funds.
Approximate Total Funding:
$225,000.
Approximate Number of Awards: 1.
Approximate Average Award:
$225,000.
Anticipated Award Date: Pending
availability of funds, March 10, 2008.
Anticipated Project Completion Date:
Approximately 18 months after start
date.
Additional Information: Pending
successful implementation of this
program and the availability of funds in
subsequent fiscal years, it is ECA’s
intent to renew this grant for two
additional fiscal years before openly
competing it again.
III. Eligibility Information
III.1. Eligible applicants: Applications
may be submitted by public and private
non-profit organizations meeting the
provisions described in Internal
Revenue Code section 26 U.S.C.
501(c)(3).
III.2. Cost Sharing or Matching Funds:
There is no minimum or maximum
percentage required for this
competition. However, the Bureau
encourages applicants to provide
maximum levels of cost sharing and
funding in support of its programs.
When cost sharing is offered, it is
understood and agreed that the
applicant must provide the amount of
cost sharing as stipulated in its proposal
and later included in an approved grant
agreement. Cost sharing may be in the
form of allowable direct or indirect
costs. For accountability, you must
maintain written records to support all
VerDate Aug<31>2005
19:40 Oct 31, 2007
Jkt 214001
costs which are claimed as your
contribution, as well as costs to be paid
by the Federal government. Such
records are subject to audit. The basis
for determining the value of cash and
in-kind contributions must be in
accordance with OMB Circular A–110,
(Revised), Subpart C.23—Cost Sharing
and Matching. In the event you do not
provide the minimum amount of cost
sharing as stipulated in the approved
budget, ECA’s contribution will be
reduced in like proportion.
III.3. Other Eligibility Requirements:
Bureau grant guidelines require that
organizations with less than four years
experience in conducting international
exchanges be limited to $60,000 in
Bureau funding. ECA anticipates
awarding one grant, in an amount up to
$225,000 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.
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
Matt O’Rourke, ECA/PE/C/PY, Room
M23, U.S. Department of State, SA–44,
301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC
20547, (t) 202–453–8170, (f) 202–453–
8169, ORourkeMM@state.gov to request
a Solicitation Package.
Please refer to the Funding
Opportunity Number ECA/PE/C/PY–08–
12 located at the top of this
announcement when making your
request. Alternatively, an electronic
application package may be obtained
from grants.gov. 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 POGI, which provides
specific information, award criteria and
budget instructions tailored to this
competition.
Please specify Matt O’Rourke and
refer to the Funding Opportunity
Number ECA/PE/C/PY–08–12 located at
the top of this announcement on all
other inquiries and correspondence.
IV.2. To Download a Solicitation
Package Via Internet: The entire
PO 00000
Frm 00076
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
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
website 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 which is
part of the formal application package.
IV.3b. All proposals must contain an
executive summary, proposal narrative
and budget.
Please Refer to the Solicitation
Package. It contains the mandatory PSI
document and the POGI for additional
formatting and technical requirements.
IV.3c. You must have nonprofit status
with the IRS at the time of application.
If your organization is a private
nonprofit which has not received a grant
or cooperative agreement from ECA in
the past three years, or if your
organization received nonprofit status
from the IRS within the past four years,
you must submit the necessary
documentation to verify nonprofit status
as directed in the PSI document. Failure
to do so will cause your proposal to be
declared technically ineligible.
IV.3d. Please take into consideration
the following information when
preparing your proposal narrative:
IV.3d.1. Adherence To All
Regulations Governing The J Visa.
The Office of Citizen Exchanges of the
Bureau of Educational and Cultural
Affairs is the official program sponsor of
the exchange program covered by this
RFGP, and an employee of the Bureau
will be the ‘‘Responsible Officer’’ for the
program under the terms of 22 CFR part
62, which covers the administration of
the Exchange Visitor Program (J visa
program). Under the terms of 22 CFR
part 62, organizations receiving grants
under this RFGP will be third parties
‘‘cooperating with or assisting the
sponsor in the conduct of the sponsor’s
E:\FR\FM\01NON1.SGM
01NON1
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 211 / Thursday, November 1, 2007 / Notices
program.’’ The actions of grantee
program organizations shall be
‘‘imputed to the sponsor in evaluating
the sponsor’s compliance with’’ 22 CFR
part 62. Therefore, the Bureau expects
that any organization receiving a grant
under this competition will render all
assistance necessary to enable the
Bureau to fully comply with 22 CFR
part 62 et seq.
The Bureau of Educational and
Cultural Affairs places great emphasis
on the secure and proper administration
of Exchange Visitor (J visa) Programs
and adherence by grantee program
organizations and program participants
to all regulations governing the J visa
program status. Therefore, proposals
should explicitly state in writing that the
applicant is prepared to assist the
Bureau in meeting all requirements
governing the administration of
Exchange Visitor Programs as set forth
in 22 CFR part 62. If your organization
has experience as a designated
Exchange Visitor Program Sponsor, the
applicant should discuss their record of
compliance with 22 CFR part 62 et seq.,
including the oversight of their
Responsible Officers and Alternate
Responsible Officers, screening and
selection of program participants,
provision of pre-arrival information and
orientation to participants, monitoring
of participants, proper maintenance and
security of forms, 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, socioeconomic 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
VerDate Aug<31>2005
19:40 Oct 31, 2007
Jkt 214001
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
PO 00000
Frm 00077
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
61931
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 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
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:
E:\FR\FM\01NON1.SGM
01NON1
61932
Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 211 / Thursday, November 1, 2007 / Notices
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with NOTICES
IV.3e.1. Applicants must submit a
comprehensive budget for the entire
program. Awards may not exceed
$225,000. 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
for clarification. Please refer to the
Solicitation Package for complete
budget guidelines and formatting
instructions.
IV.3f. Application Deadline and
Methods of Submission:
Application Deadline Date: January 3,
2008.
Reference Number: ECA/PE/C/PY–
08–12.
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.
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
VerDate Aug<31>2005
19:40 Oct 31, 2007
Jkt 214001
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–
08–12, 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:
ORourkeMM@state.gov. In the e-mail
message subject line, include the name
of the applicant organization and the
partner country.
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, email: 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
PO 00000
Frm 00078
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
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.’’
E:\FR\FM\01NON1.SGM
01NON1
Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 211 / Thursday, November 1, 2007 / Notices
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
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.
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with NOTICES
VII. Agency Contacts
For questions about this
announcement, contact: Matt O’Rourke,
Office of Citizen Exchanges, ECA/PE/C/
PY, Room M23, ECA/PE/C/PY–08–12,
U.S. Department of State, SA–44, 301
4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547,
(t) 202–453–8170, (f) 202–453–8169,
ORourkeMM@state.gov.
All correspondence with the Bureau
concerning this RFGP should reference
the above title and number ECA/PE/C/
PY–08–12.
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
VerDate Aug<31>2005
19:40 Oct 31, 2007
Jkt 214001
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: October 25, 2007.
C. Miller Crouch,
Acting Assistant Secretary, Bureau of
Educational and Cultural Affairs, Department
of State.
[FR Doc. E7–21562 Filed 10–31–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710–05–P
DEPARTMENT OF STATE
[Public Notice 5978]
Bureau of Educational and Cultural
Affairs (ECA) Request for Grant
Proposals: The Future Leaders
Exchange Program: Host Family and
School Placement
Announcement Type: New Grant.
Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/
PE/C/PY–08–10.
Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance Number: 00.000.
Key Dates:
Application Deadline: December 14,
2007.
Executive Summary: The Youth
Programs Division of the Bureau of
Educational and Cultural Affairs
announces an open competition for the
placement component of the Future
Leaders Exchange (FLEX) 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 recruit and select host
families and schools for high school
students between the ages of 15 and 17
from countries of the former Soviet
Union, hereafter referred to as Eurasia.
This solicitation and the activities to
which it refers, applies only to FLEX
students from the following Eurasian
countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia,
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova,
PO 00000
Frm 00079
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
61933
Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan,
Ukraine and Uzbekistan.
In addition to identifying schools and
screening, selecting, and orienting
families, organizations will be
responsible for: (1) Providing English
language enhancement activities for a
small percentage of students who are
specially identified; (2) orienting all
students at the local level; (3) providing
support services for students; (4)
arranging enhancement activities and
skill-building opportunities; (5)
assessing student performance and
progress; (6) providing mid-year
programming and re-entry training; and
(7) evaluating project success.
Preference will be given to those
organizations that offer participants
opportunities to develop leadership
skills and raise their awareness of
tolerance and social justice through
community activities and networks. The
award of grants and the number of
students who will participate is subject
to the availability of funding in fiscal
year 2008.
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Authority: Overall grant making
authority for this program is contained
in the Mutual Educational and Cultural
Exchange Act of 1961, as amended,
Public Law 87–256, also known as the
Fulbright-Hays Act. The purpose of the
Act is ‘‘to enable the Government of the
United States to increase mutual
understanding between the people of
the United States and the people of
other countries * * *; to strengthen the
ties which unite us with other nations
by demonstrating the educational and
cultural interests, developments, and
achievements of the people of the
United States and other nations * * *
and thus to assist in the development of
friendly, sympathetic, and peaceful
relations between the United States and
the other countries of the world.’’ The
funding authority for the program above
is provided through legislation.
Purpose: The Future Leaders
Exchange Program seeks to provide
approximately 1,100 high school
students from Eurasia with an
opportunity to live in the United States
for the purpose of promoting democratic
values and institutions throughout their
home countries. Participants will reside
with American host families and attend
high school during the 2008–09
academic year.
During the year, FLEX participants
will be engaged in a variety of activities,
such as community and school-based
programs, skill-building workshops, and
cultural events. Academic year 2008/
2009 will be the fifteenth year of the
FLEX program, with more than 17,000
E:\FR\FM\01NON1.SGM
01NON1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 211 (Thursday, November 1, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61928-61933]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-21562]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF STATE
[Public Notice 5980]
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for
Grant Proposals: Algeria Youth Leadership Program
Announcement Type: New Grant.
Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/PE/C/PY-08-12.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 00.000.
Key Dates:
Application Deadline: January 3, 2008.
Executive Summary: The Office of Citizen Exchanges, Youth Programs
Division, of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs announces
an open competition for the Algeria Youth Leadership Program. Public
and private non-profit organizations meeting the provisions described
in Internal Revenue Code section 26 U.S.C.
[[Page 61929]]
501(c)(3) will submit proposals to recruit and select high school
students in Algeria, and conduct a program in Algeria and the United
States approximately six weeks in length that will focus on themes of
leadership development, respecting diversity, and civic education.
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
The Algeria Youth Leadership Program has been established to offer
youth from Algeria an opportunity to interact with their American peers
and jointly develop their leadership skills. The Office of Citizen
Exchanges' Youth Programs Division, through the Algeria Youth
Leadership Program, will bring Algerian and American exchange
participants (ages 15-17) together in the United States for
approximately four weeks in the summer of 2008. The Algerian
participants will also undergo two (2) weeks of intensive English
language instruction before their departure to the United States.
Components of the program will include: (A) Two (2) weeks of
intensive English language instruction in Algeria for the Algerian
participants; (B) a pre-departure and post-arrival orientation for the
Algerian students, each being no more than two (2) days in length; (C)
approximately two (2) weeks of structured activities in U.S.
communities when the Algerian students will have homestays with
American families; (D) a week at a summer program site for both the
Algerians and Americans; (E) a week-long civic education workshop for
both the Algerians and Americans, and (F) a one-day wrap-up session at
the conclusion of the program for both the Algerian and American
participants. Follow-on activities for alumni will be designed to
reinforce the lessons learned on the exchange and enable the alumni to
apply their new skills in their home communities.
The grantee organization will be responsible for the entire cycle
of the program to include: Recruitment and selection of Algerian and
American students; management of travel documents, international
airline reservations for Algerian students and up to two (2) adult
escorts, who will accompany the Algerian students and participate in
the program; domestic transportation for Algerian and American
participants; preparation and oversight of all programmatic components
in the United States; provision of follow-on activities for Algerian
alumni in their home country, and, to the extent possible, for American
alumni in the United States.
The grantee organization must recruit and select the Algerian
exchange participants in consultation with the Public Affairs Section
at the U.S. Embassy in Algiers. The grantee organization must make
arrangements for the students to take part in intensive English
language instruction before their departure to the United States.
English language classes should be no longer than two (2) weeks in
duration.
The grantee organization must also recruit and select American high
school students. Preference will be given to a nationwide recruitment
plan, though a regional recruitment plan may also be considered.
The grantee organization must provide the Algerian participants
with pre-departure and post-arrival orientations to prepare them for
both the content and the logistics of the exchange. The American
students must receive pre-program information on content and logistics.
A successful project will be one that nurtures a cadre of students
to be actively engaged in their schools and communities upon their
return home, and that equips students with the knowledge, skills, and
confidence to do so. By the end of the program, Algerian students will
have developed relationships with their peers in the United States and
within their delegation; developed their own impression of the United
States; strengthened their English language skills; and obtained an
understanding of how American democracy operates on a daily basis. The
American students will develop an appreciation for another culture and
learn more about Algerian society and traditions through their
relationships with the Algerian participants.
Goals
To develop leadership, civic responsibility, and
commitment to community service among youth;
To strengthen the English language skills of the Algerian
participants;
To foster relationships between Americans and Algerians
with a focus on respect for ethnic, socioeconomic and religious
diversity; and
To promote mutual understanding between the people of the
United States and the people of Algeria.
Applicants should identify their own specific program objectives,
as well as measurable outcomes based on the program goals and
specifications provided in this solicitation. 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) prior
work with individuals from the region.
Participants
Selection of Algerian students must focus on teenagers, aged 15-17,
from across the country who represent the full diversity of the
Algerian population. They should demonstrate an interest in the project
themes and exhibit maturity, flexibility, and open-mindedness.
The program must also include American students, aged 15-17, who
demonstrate an interest in the project themes and exhibit maturity,
flexibility, and open-mindedness. Care should be taken to ensure a
recruitment process that targets a diverse pool of Americans from
across the county (or from throughout a region).
Algerian adult participants will be educators or leaders of non-
governmental organizations that work with youth. They should be
available to support the participants during the course of each
component of the exchange.
There will be at least 20 participants from Algeria, plus the two
adult escorts. They will be joined by a delegation of at least 10
American students for the camp and civic education components.
Applicants must specify the size and composition of each country
delegation in their proposal.
U.S. Program
The approximate six-week program will begin in the United States
with a two-day orientation for the Algerian participants and wrap up
with a one-day debriefing session for both the Algerian and American
students. The
[[Page 61930]]
camp and civic education experiences will allow Algerian and American
students to build relationships, and should combine both recreational
and substantive elements addressing such topics as participatory
democracy, community service, and respect for diversity. The civic
education workshop should include briefings, simulations, and
discussions on citizen participation and the fundamentals of the
American democratic system of government. During the time that the
Algerian students are living with American host families, their
scheduled events should include a structured and sustained mix of
workshops, simulations and role-playing, meetings, tours, training, and
social time among their peers.
The primary components are described in more detail in the Project
Objectives, Goals and Implementation (POGI) document.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Grant Agreement.
Fiscal Year Funds: FY-2008, pending availability of funds.
Approximate Total Funding: $225,000.
Approximate Number of Awards: 1.
Approximate Average Award: $225,000.
Anticipated Award Date: Pending availability of funds, March 10,
2008.
Anticipated Project Completion Date: Approximately 18 months after
start date.
Additional Information: Pending successful implementation of this
program and the availability of funds in subsequent fiscal years, it is
ECA's intent to renew this grant for two additional fiscal years before
openly competing it again.
III. Eligibility Information
III.1. Eligible applicants: Applications may be submitted by public
and private non-profit organizations meeting the provisions described
in Internal Revenue Code section 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3).
III.2. Cost Sharing or Matching Funds: There is no minimum or
maximum percentage required for this competition. However, the Bureau
encourages applicants to provide maximum levels of cost sharing and
funding in support of its programs.
When cost sharing is offered, it is understood and agreed that the
applicant must provide the amount of cost sharing as stipulated in its
proposal and later included in an approved grant agreement. Cost
sharing may be in the form of allowable direct or indirect costs. For
accountability, you must maintain written records to support all costs
which are claimed as your contribution, as well as costs to be paid by
the Federal government. Such records are subject to audit. The basis
for determining the value of cash and in-kind contributions must be in
accordance with OMB Circular A-110, (Revised), Subpart C.23--Cost
Sharing and Matching. In the event you do not provide the minimum
amount of cost sharing as stipulated in the approved budget, ECA's
contribution will be reduced in like proportion.
III.3. Other Eligibility Requirements: Bureau grant guidelines
require that organizations with less than four years experience in
conducting international exchanges be limited to $60,000 in Bureau
funding. ECA anticipates awarding one grant, in an amount up to
$225,000 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.
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 Matt O'Rourke, ECA/PE/C/PY, Room M23, U.S. Department of State,
SA-44, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547, (t) 202-453-8170, (f)
202-453-8169, ORourkeMM@state.gov to request a Solicitation Package.
Please refer to the Funding Opportunity Number ECA/PE/C/PY-08-12
located at the top of this announcement when making your request.
Alternatively, an electronic application package may be obtained from
grants.gov. 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 POGI, which provides specific information, award criteria
and budget instructions tailored to this competition.
Please specify Matt O'Rourke and refer to the Funding Opportunity
Number ECA/PE/C/PY-08-12 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 website 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 which is part of the formal application
package.
IV.3b. All proposals must contain an executive summary, proposal
narrative and budget.
Please Refer to the Solicitation Package. It contains the mandatory
PSI document and the POGI for additional formatting and technical
requirements.
IV.3c. You must have nonprofit status with the IRS at the time of
application. If your organization is a private nonprofit which has not
received a grant or cooperative agreement from ECA in the past three
years, or if your organization received nonprofit status from the IRS
within the past four years, you must submit the necessary documentation
to verify nonprofit status as directed in the PSI document. Failure to
do so will cause your proposal to be declared technically ineligible.
IV.3d. Please take into consideration the following information
when preparing your proposal narrative:
IV.3d.1. Adherence To All Regulations Governing The J Visa.
The Office of Citizen Exchanges of the Bureau of Educational and
Cultural Affairs is the official program sponsor of the exchange
program covered by this RFGP, and an employee of the Bureau will be the
``Responsible Officer'' for the program under the terms of 22 CFR part
62, which covers the administration of the Exchange Visitor Program (J
visa program). Under the terms of 22 CFR part 62, organizations
receiving grants under this RFGP will be third parties ``cooperating
with or assisting the sponsor in the conduct of the sponsor's
[[Page 61931]]
program.'' The actions of grantee program organizations shall be
``imputed to the sponsor in evaluating the sponsor's compliance with''
22 CFR part 62. Therefore, the Bureau expects that any organization
receiving a grant under this competition will render all assistance
necessary to enable the Bureau to fully comply with 22 CFR part 62 et
seq.
The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs places great
emphasis on the secure and proper administration of Exchange Visitor (J
visa) Programs and adherence by grantee program organizations and
program participants to all regulations governing the J visa program
status. Therefore, proposals should explicitly state in writing that
the applicant is prepared to assist the Bureau in meeting all
requirements governing the administration of Exchange Visitor Programs
as set forth in 22 CFR part 62. If your organization has experience as
a designated Exchange Visitor Program Sponsor, the applicant should
discuss their record of compliance with 22 CFR part 62 et seq.,
including the oversight of their Responsible Officers and Alternate
Responsible Officers, screening and selection of program participants,
provision of pre-arrival information and orientation to participants,
monitoring of participants, proper maintenance and security of forms,
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. 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:
[[Page 61932]]
IV.3e.1. Applicants must submit a comprehensive budget for the
entire program. Awards may not exceed $225,000. 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 for clarification. Please refer
to the Solicitation Package for complete budget guidelines and
formatting instructions.
IV.3f. Application Deadline and Methods of Submission:
Application Deadline Date: January 3, 2008.
Reference Number: ECA/PE/C/PY-08-12.
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.
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-08-12, 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: ORourkeMM@state.gov. In the e-mail message subject line,
include the name of the applicant organization and the partner country.
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 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.''
[[Page 61933]]
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.
VII. Agency Contacts
For questions about this announcement, contact: Matt O'Rourke,
Office of Citizen Exchanges, ECA/PE/C/PY, Room M23, ECA/PE/C/PY-08-12,
U.S. Department of State, SA-44, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC
20547, (t) 202-453-8170, (f) 202-453-8169, ORourkeMM@state.gov.
All correspondence with the Bureau concerning this RFGP should
reference the above title and number ECA/PE/C/PY-08-12.
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: October 25, 2007.
C. Miller Crouch,
Acting Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs,
Department of State.
[FR Doc. E7-21562 Filed 10-31-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P
