Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for Grant Proposals: Timor Leste and South Pacific Scholarship Programs, 22201-22207 [E8-8943]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 80 (Thursday, April 24, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22201-22207]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-8943]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 6196]


Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for 
Grant Proposals: Timor Leste and South Pacific Scholarship Programs

    Announcement Type: New Cooperative Agreement(s).
    Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/A/E/EAP-08-01.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 00.000.
    Application Deadline: May 28, 2008.
    Executive Summary: The Office of Academic Programs of the Bureau of 
Educational and Cultural Affairs announces an open competition to 
administer the United States-Timor Leste (USTL) Scholarship Program and 
the United States-South Pacific (USSP) Scholarship Program. Eligible 
applicants may submit a proposal to administer one or both of the 
scholarship programs. 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 organize and carry out 
academic exchange program activities for students from Timor Leste and/
or the sovereign island nations of the South Pacific (eligible nations 
are listed below in the Overview section). The recipient(s) will

[[Page 22202]]

be responsible for all aspects of the programs, including publicity and 
recruitment of applicants; merit-based competitive selection; placement 
of students at an accredited U.S. academic institution; student travel 
to the U.S.; orientation; up to 4 years of U.S. degree study at the 
bachelor's or 2 years at the master's level; enrichment programming; 
advising, monitoring and support; pre-return activities; evaluation; 
and follow-up with program alumni. The duration of the award(s) will be 
up to 5 years, beginning in late summer 2008. The Department of State, 
Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2008 (Div. 
J, P.L. 110-161) provides $496,000 to support the USTL Scholarship 
Program and $496,000 to support the USSP Scholarship Program, which 
reflects the impact of the FY-2008 rescission which has been applied to 
all programs.

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: In response to Public Law 103-236, which directed the 
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) to provide 
scholarships to students from Timor Leste and from the sovereign island 
nations of the South Pacific region, ECA created the USTL Scholarship 
Program and the USSP Scholarship Program for academic study at 
accredited colleges and universities in the United States.
    United States--Timor Leste Scholarship Program Overview: The goal 
of the USTL Scholarship Program is to support undergraduate level study 
at accredited higher education institutions in the United States for a 
select cadre of academically talented Timorese who are expected to 
assume future leadership roles in Timor Leste's development. As Timor 
Leste makes the transition to independence and democratic government, 
it is essential to develop the human resource capacity of the Timorese 
people, especially in fields such as agriculture, business, 
communications, computer science, economics, education, environmental 
science, international relations, political science, psychology and 
urban planning. The eligible academic fields of study were selected to 
emphasize the areas of critical development need in Timor Leste. USTL 
scholarships are typically offered for four years total including up to 
one year of English language and pre-academic training followed by up 
to three years for the completion of the undergraduate degree in 
designated fields. In some cases, USTL students will have undergraduate 
credits for transfer from their home institutions to their U.S. 
institutions.
    United States--South Pacific Scholarship Program Overview: The USSP 
Scholarship Program was established by the United States Congress to 
provide opportunities for U.S. study to students from South Pacific 
nations in fields important for the region's future development. Public 
Law 103-236 authorized academic scholarships to qualified students from 
the sovereign island nations of the South Pacific region to pursue 
undergraduate and graduate study at institutions of higher education in 
the United States.
    This program supports increased mutual understanding between the 
people of the U.S. and those of the South Pacific Islands. Students 
from the following nations are eligible to apply for these 
scholarships: Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue, Papua New 
Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.
    Fields of study under the program are based on recommendations from 
Department of State regional bureau representatives, ECA and the Public 
Affairs Section (PAS) at the U.S. embassy, and have included 
agriculture, business, computer science, education, environmental 
studies, journalism, political science, public administration, urban 
planning and other fields. The recipient organization should arrange 
for the students' enrollment at accredited U.S. institutions of higher 
education where a full liberal arts curriculum (including social 
sciences, humanities and sciences) is available. Students selected for 
these scholarships enroll in 4-year undergraduate degree programs, or 
in master's degree programs. The latter have generally involved 1 year 
of preparatory U.S. study followed by up to 2 years of formal master's 
degree study.
    The requirements for administration of these programs are outlined 
in further detail in this document and in the Program Objectives, Goals 
and Implementation (POGI) document. The proposal should respond to each 
item in the POGI.
    In a cooperative agreement, the Bureau is substantially involved in 
program activities above and beyond routine grant monitoring. Bureau 
activities and responsibilities for this program include:
    (1) Participation in the design and direction of program 
activities;
    (2) Approval of key personnel;
    (3) Approval and input on program timelines and agendas;
    (4) Guidance in execution of all program components;
    (5) Review and approval of all program publicity and recruitment 
materials;
    (6) Participation in student interview and selection panels;
    (7) Review of selection decisions prior to offer of award;
    (8) Consultation on and approval of academic placement assignments;
    (9) Approval of changes to students' proposed academic field or 
institution;
    (10) Approval of decisions related to special circumstances or 
problems throughout duration of program;
    (11) Assistance with SEVIS-related issues;
    (12) Assistance with participant emergencies;
    (13) Liaison with relevant U.S. Embassies and country desk officers 
at the State Department.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Cooperative Agreement ECA's level of involvement in 
this program is listed under number I above.
    Fiscal Year Funds: 2008
    Approximate Total Funding: $992,000
    Approximate Number of Awards: 1-2
    Anticipated Project Start Date: late summer 2008
    Anticipated Project Completion Date: August 2013
    Additional Information: Pending successful implementation of this 
program and the availability of funds in subsequent fiscal years, it is 
the Bureau's intent to renew the Cooperative Agreement(s) 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).

[[Page 22203]]

    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, the recipient 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 making one award in an amount up to $992,000, 
or two awards of up to $496,000 each, to support program and 
administrative costs required to implement the exchange program(s). 
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 Federal Register 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 East Asia and Pacific Programs Branch, ECA/A/E/EAP, Room 
208, U.S. Department of State, SA-44, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, 
DC 20547, phone: (202) 453-8102, fax: (202) 453-8107, e-mail: 
augustinevr@state.gov to request a Solicitation Package. Please refer 
to the Funding Opportunity Number ECA/A/E/EAP-08-01 located at the top 
of this announcement when making your request.
    The Solicitation Package contains the Proposal Submission 
Instruction (PSI) document, which consists of required application 
forms, and standard guidelines for proposal preparation.
    It also contains the Project Objectives, Goals and Implementation 
(POGI) document, which provides specific information, award criteria 
and budget instructions tailored to this competition.
    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. Please read all 
information before downloading.
    IV.3 Content and Form of Submission: Applicants must follow all 
instructions in the Solicitation Package. The original and 10 copies of 
the application should be sent 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 
Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) document and the Project 
Objectives, Goals and Implementation (POGI) document for additional 
formatting and technical requirements.
    IV.3c You must have nonprofit status with the IRS at the time of 
application.
    Please note: Effective March 14, 2008, all applicants for ECA 
federal assistance awards must include with their application, a copy 
of page 5, Part V-A, ``Current Officers, Directors, Trustees, and Key 
Employees'' of their most recent Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Form 
990, ``Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax.'' 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 Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs places critically 
important emphases on the security and proper administration of 
Exchange Visitor (J visa) Programs and adherence by recipients and 
sponsors to all regulations governing the J visa. Therefore, proposals 
should demonstrate the applicant's capacity to meet all requirements 
governing the administration of the Exchange Visitor Programs as set 
forth in 22 CFR 62, including the oversight of Responsible Officers and 
Alternate Responsible Officers, screening and selection of program 
participants, provision of pre-arrival information and orientation to 
participants, monitoring of participants, proper maintenance and 
security of forms, recordkeeping, reporting and other requirements. The 
Recipient will be responsible for issuing DS-2019 forms to participants 
in this program.
    A copy of the complete regulations governing the administration of 
Exchange Visitor (J) programs is available at https://
exchanges.state.gov or from: United States Department of State, Office 
of Exchange Coordination and Designation, ECA/EC/ECD-SA-44, Room 734, 
301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547, Telephone: (202) 203-5029, 
FAX: (202) 453-8640.
    Please refer to Solicitation Package for further information.
IV.3d.2 Diversity, Freedom and Democracy Guidelines
    Pursuant to the Bureau's authorizing legislation, programs must 
maintain a non-political character and should be balanced and 
representative of the diversity of American political, social, and 
cultural life. ``Diversity'' should be interpreted in the broadest 
sense and encompass differences including, but not limited to 
ethnicity, race, gender, religion, geographic location, socio-economic 
status, and disabilities. Applicants are strongly encouraged to adhere 
to the advancement of this principle both in program administration and 
in program content. Please refer to the review criteria under the 
`Support for Diversity' section for specific suggestions on 
incorporating

[[Page 22204]]

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 recipient 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.)
    Recipients 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 3 years and provided to the Bureau 
upon request.
    IV.3d.4. Describe your plans for: Sustainability, overall program 
management, staffing, coordination with ECA and PAS or any other 
requirements.
    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. In addition, the proposal must include a comprehensive 
budget narrative demonstrating how costs were derived. The budget 
format should break out costs on a year-by-year basis. If applying to 
administer both the USTL and USSP programs, the applicant's budget 
proposal should include a budget summary page that breaks out program 
and administrative costs. The total amount of funding requested from 
ECA may not exceed $992,000 if applying to administer both the USTL and 
USSP programs; or $496,000 if applying to administer one of the two 
programs. At this level of funding, applicants are encouraged to budget 
for at least ten (10) students for degree study, i.e., at least five 
(5) each under the USTL and USSP programs. The number of participants 
that the organization proposes to sponsor should be clearly stated. ECA 
reserves the right to reduce, revise or increase the proposed budget in 
accordance with funding availability and the needs of the program. 
There must be a summary budget as well as breakdowns reflecting both 
administrative and program budgets.
    IV.3e.2. Allowable costs for the program include the following:
    (1) Publicity, recruitment, selection, placement and communication 
with applicants and participants.
    (2) Travel for student participants between home and program 
location.
    (3) Tuition and fees, stipends for living costs, book allowances, 
and other necessary maintenance costs and expenses for the students.
    (4) Advising and monitoring of students.
    (5) Academic and cultural support and enrichment activities.
    (6) Pre-return activities and evaluation.
    (7) Staff and administrative expenses to carry out the program 
activities. Administrative and overhead costs should be as low as 
possible.
    Please refer to the Solicitation Package for complete budget 
guidelines and formatting instructions.
    IV.3f. Application Deadline and Methods of Submission:
    Application Deadline Date: May 28, 2008.
    Reference Number: ECA/A/E/EAP-08-01.
    Methods of Submission: Applications may be submitted in one of two 
ways:
    (1) In hard-copy, via a nationally recognized overnight delivery 
service

[[Page 22205]]

(i.e., DHL, Federal Express, UPS, Airborne Express, or U.S. Postal 
Service Express Overnight Mail, etc.), or
    (2) Electronically through https://www.grants.gov.
    Along with the Project Title, all applicants must enter the above 
Reference Number in Box 11 on the SF-424 contained in the mandatory 
Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) of the solicitation document.
IV.3f.1--Submitting Printed Applications
    Applications must be shipped no later than the above deadline. 
Delivery services used by applicants must have in-place, centralized 
shipping identification and tracking systems that may be accessed via 
the Internet and delivery people who are identifiable by commonly 
recognized uniforms and delivery vehicles. Proposals shipped on or 
before the above deadline but received at ECA more than 7 days after 
the deadline will be ineligible for further consideration under this 
competition. Proposals shipped after the established deadlines are 
ineligible for consideration under this competition. ECA will not 
notify you upon receipt of application. It is each applicant's 
responsibility to ensure that each package is marked with a legible 
tracking number and to monitor/confirm delivery to ECA via the 
Internet. Delivery of proposal packages may not be made via local 
courier service or in person for this competition. Faxed documents will 
not be accepted at any time. Only proposals submitted as stated above 
will be considered.

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

    The original and 10 copies of the application should be sent to: 
U.S. Department of State, SA-44, Bureau of Educational and Cultural 
Affairs, Ref.: ECA/A/E/EAP-08-01, Program Management, ECA/EX/PM, Room 
534, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547.
IV.3f.2--Submitting Electronic Applications
    Applicants have the option of submitting proposals electronically 
through Grants.gov (https://www.grants.gov). Complete solicitation 
packages are available at Grants.gov in the ``Find'' portion of the 
system. Please follow the instructions available in the `Get Started' 
portion of the site (https://www.grants.gov/GetStarted).
    Several of the steps in the Grants.gov registration process could 
take several weeks. Therefore, applicants should check with appropriate 
staff within their organizations immediately after reviewing this RFGP 
to confirm or determine their registration status with Grants.gov. Once 
registered, the amount of time it can take to upload an application 
will vary depending on a variety of factors including the size of the 
application and the speed of your Internet connection. Therefore, we 
strongly recommend that you not wait until the application deadline to 
begin the submission process through Grants.gov.
    Direct all questions regarding Grants.gov registration and 
submission to: Grants.gov Customer Support. Contact Center Phone: 800-
518-4726. Business Hours: Monday-Friday, 7 a.m.-9 p.m. Eastern Time. E-
mail: support@grants.gov.
    Applicants have until midnight (12 a.m.), Washington, DC time of 
the closing date to ensure that their entire application has been 
uploaded to the Grants.gov site. There are no exceptions to the above 
deadline. Applications uploaded to the site after midnight of the 
application deadline date will be automatically rejected by the 
Grants.gov system, and will be technically ineligible.
    Applicants will receive a confirmation e-mail from grants.gov upon 
the successful submission of an application. ECA will not notify you 
upon receipt of electronic applications.
    It is the responsibility of all applicants submitting proposals via 
the Grants.gov web portal to ensure that proposals have been received 
by Grants.gov in their entirety, and ECA bears no responsibility for 
data errors resulting from transmission or conversion processes.
    Applicants must follow all instructions in the Solicitation 
Package.
    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 
cooperative agreements resides with the Bureau's Grants Officer.
Review Criteria
    Technically eligible applications will be competitively reviewed 
according to the criteria stated below. These criteria are not rank 
ordered and all carry equal weight in the proposal evaluation:
    (1) Quality of the program idea: Proposals should exhibit 
originality, substance, precision, and relevance to the program goals 
and mission. Proposals should demonstrate understanding of the 
participating nations and of the needs of students from the region(s) 
as related to the program goals.
    (2) Program planning: Detailed agenda and relevant work plan should 
demonstrate substantive undertakings and logistical capacity. Agenda 
and plan should adhere to the program overview and guidelines described 
above. Each component of the program should be addressed.
    (3) Ability to achieve program objectives: Objectives should be 
reasonable, feasible, and flexible. Proposals should explain how 
objectives will be met through specific activities to be carried out in 
the U.S., and in Timor Leste and/or the South Pacific region.
    (4) Multiplier effect/impact: Programs should strengthen long-term 
mutual understanding, including maximum sharing of information and 
establishment of long-term institutional and individual linkages. 
Anticipated results of the program in Timor Leste and/or the South 
Pacific region as well as in the U.S. should be addressed.
    (5) Support of Diversity: Proposals should demonstrate substantive 
support for the Bureau's policy on diversity. To the full extent 
possible, scholarship recipients for this program should be 
representative of diversity in the following categories: Country of 
origin/residence within country(ies); gender; ethnic community of 
origin within country(ies), where relevant; urban and rural regions 
(with emphasis on outreach beyond capital cities); and proposed fields 
of study within the general parameters outlined in this solicitation. 
Proposals should explain what efforts will be undertaken to achieve 
these goals. The U.S. study and enrichment programs should also 
incorporate and demonstrate the

[[Page 22206]]

diversity of the American people, regions and culture.
    (6) Institutional Capacity: Proposed personnel and institutional 
resources should be adequate and appropriate to achieve the program 
goals. Proposal should explain how the recipient organization will meet 
the requirements of students on this specific program. Proposals should 
describe the applicant's knowledge of, or prior experience with, 
students from Timor Leste, and/or the South Pacific nations, and/or 
other developing countries.
    (7) Institution's Record/Ability: Proposals should demonstrate an 
institutional record of successful exchange programs, including 
responsible fiscal management and full compliance with all reporting 
requirements for past Bureau grants as determined by Bureau Grant 
Staff. The Bureau will consider the past performance of prior 
recipients and the demonstrated potential of new applicants.
    (8) Follow-on Activities: Proposals should provide a plan for 
continued follow-on activity (without Bureau support) ensuring that 
Bureau-supported programs are not isolated events.
    (9) Project Evaluation: Proposals should include a plan to evaluate 
the program's success, both as the activities unfold and at the end of 
the program. A draft survey questionnaire or other technique plus a 
description of a methodology that will link outcomes to original 
project objectives is recommended. The recipient will be expected to 
submit quarterly program reports.
    (10) Cost-effectiveness and Cost-sharing: The overhead and 
administrative components of the proposal, including salaries and 
honoraria, should be kept as low as possible. All other items should be 
necessary and appropriate. Proposals should maximize cost-sharing 
through other private sector support as well as institutional direct 
funding contributions.

VI. Award Administration Information

VI.1. Award Notices

    Final awards cannot be made until funds have been appropriated by 
Congress, allocated and committed through internal Bureau procedures. 
Successful applicants will receive a Federal Assistance Award (FAA) 
from the Bureau's Grants Office. The FAA 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 FAA 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://
fa.statebuy.state.gov.

VI.3. Reporting Requirements

    You must provide ECA with a hard copy original plus two copies of 
the following reports:
    (1) A final program and financial report no more than 90 days after 
the expiration of the award;
    (2) A concise, one-page final program report summarizing program 
outcomes no more than 90 days after the expiration of the award. This 
one-page report will will be transmitted to OMB, and be made available 
to the public via OMB's USAspending.gov Web site--as part of ECA's 
Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA) reporting 
requirements.
    (3) Quarterly financial and program reports, the latter of which 
should include record and analysis of program activities from that 
period.
    Recipients will be required to provide reports analyzing their 
evaluation findings to the Bureau in their regular program reports. 
(Please refer to IV. Application and Submission Instructions (IV.3.d.3) 
above for Program Monitoring and Evaluation information.
    All data collected, including survey responses and contact 
information, must be maintained for a minimum of three years and 
provided to the Bureau upon request.
    All reports must be sent to the ECA Grants Officer and ECA Program 
Officer listed in the final assistance award document.

VI.4. Program Data Requirements

    Recipients 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 award or 
who benefit from the 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 work days prior to 
the official opening of the activity.

VII. Agency Contacts

    For questions about this announcement, contact: Victoria Augustine, 
Program Officer, East Asia and Pacific Programs Branch (ECA/A/E/EAP), 
Room 208, ECA/A/E/EAP-08-01, U.S. Department of State, SA-44, 301 4th 
Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547, phone: (202) 453-8102, fax: (202) 
453-8107, e-mail: augustinevr@state.gov.
    Individual students interested in applying for either the USTL or 
USSP scholarship should not contact the Office of Academic Programs. 
Instead they should visit the following Web site for more information 
on the current programs: https://www.eastwestcenter.org/edu-sp.asp.
    All correspondence with the Bureau concerning this RFGP should 
reference the above title and number ECA/A/E/EAP-08-01.
    Please read the complete Federal Register 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

[[Page 22207]]

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: April 18, 2008.
Goli Ameri,
Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs, Department of 
State.
[FR Doc. E8-8943 Filed 4-23-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P