Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for Grant Proposals: Study of the United States Institute on U.S. National Security Policymaking in a Post 9/11 World, 41149-41154 [E8-16379]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 138 (Thursday, July 17, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41149-41154]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-16379]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 6299]


Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for 
Grant Proposals: Study of the United States Institute on U.S. National 
Security Policymaking in a Post 9/11 World

    Announcement Type: New Cooperative Agreement.
    Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/A/E/USS-09-01.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 19.418.
    Key Dates:
    Application Deadline: September 17, 2008.
    Executive Summary: The Branch for the Study of the U.S., Office of 
Academic Exchange Programs, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs 
(ECA/A/E/USS), invites proposal submissions for the design and 
implementation of the Study of the United States Institute on U.S. 
National Security Policymaking in a Post 9/11 World. This institute 
will provide a multinational group of up to 18 experienced foreign 
university educators and other professionals with a deeper 
understanding of U.S. approaches to national security policymaking, 
past and present, in order to strengthen curricula and to improve the 
quality of teaching about the United States at universities and other 
institutions abroad. The institute should be an intensive, academically 
rigorous program for scholars and other professionals from outside the 
United States, and should have a central theme and a strong 
contemporary component.
    It is anticipated that this grant will be awarded on or about 
October 15, 2008, pending the availability of funds. This six-week 
program, to be conducted during the winter of 2009, must include a 
four-week academic residency segment at a U.S. college or university 
campus (or other appropriate U.S. location) and a two-week study tour 
segment that complements the academic residency segment. The study tour 
segment must include a visit to Washington, D.C. that involves 
substantive briefings by national security policy professionals from 
the Department of State, other relevant U.S. government agencies, and 
private institutions.

I. Funding Opportunity Description

Authority

    Overall grant making authority for this program is contained in the 
Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961, Pub. L. 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 Bureau is seeking a detailed proposal for a Study of 
the United States (U.S.) Institute on U.S. National Security issues 
from colleges, universities, consortia of colleges and universities, 
and other not-for-profit academic organizations that have an 
established reputation in one or more of the following fields: 
Political science, international relations, law, military science, and/
or other disciplines or sub-disciplines related to the program themes. 
The institute should be organized around a central theme or themes in 
U.S. national security policy planning and formulation and should 
illuminate contemporary political, social, and economic debates in 
American society.

[[Page 41150]]

    The institute is intended to offer up to 18 foreign scholars and 
other professionals, whose professional work focuses in whole or in 
substantial part on the United States, the opportunity to deepen their 
understanding of American society, culture and institutions. The 
ultimate goal is to strengthen curricula, to improve the quality of 
teaching, and to broaden understanding of U.S. national security 
policymaking in universities and other institutions of influence 
abroad.
    This Study of the United States Institute program should:
    1. Provide participants with a survey of contemporary scholarship 
within the institute's governing academic discipline. The proposal 
should describe how current scholarly debates within the field will be 
presented;
    2. Give participants a multi-dimensional examination of U.S. 
society and institutions that reflects a broad and balanced range of 
perspectives and responsible views from scholars and other 
professionals, such as government officials, and private practitioners; 
and,
    3. Ensure access to library and material resources that will enable 
grantees to continue their research, study and curriculum development 
upon returning to their home institutions.

Program Description

    1. Study of the U.S. Institute on U.S. National Security: U.S. 
National Security Policymaking in a Post 9/11 World
    This Institute should provide participants an opportunity to 
increase their understanding of the foundations and formulation of U.S. 
national security policy, U.S. views on basic U.S. national security 
and defense requirements, and how those views have evolved in the post-
Cold War era and in the ongoing global fight against terrorism. This 
multi-disciplinary program should examine historical, political, 
geographic, and economic factors involved in U.S. national security 
policymaking.
    This intensive, academically rigorous program should integrate 
lectures, readings, seminar discussions, regional travel and site 
visits. The institute also should include opportunities for limited but 
well-directed independent research. Proposals should describe a 
thematically coherent program that maximizes institutional strengths, 
faculty, and resources, as well as recognized scholars and experts from 
throughout the United States.
    The program must conform with Bureau requirements and guidelines 
outlined in the Solicitation Package. Bureau programs are subject to 
the availability of funds.
    Participants: Participants will be diverse in age, professional 
position, and travel experience abroad. While participants may not have 
in-depth knowledge of the particular institute program theme, they will 
likely have had exposure to the relevant discipline and some experience 
teaching about the United States.
    Participants will be drawn from all regions of the world and will 
be fluent or proficient in the English language. Fulbright Commissions 
and U.S. Embassies abroad will nominate candidates, and final 
selections will be made by the Bureau. A final list of participants 
will be sent to the grantee institution.
    Program Dates: The anticipated award date for this cooperative 
agreement will be on or about October 15, 2008. Program activities 
should begin shortly thereafter. The institute should be approximately 
44 days in length (including participant arrival and departure days), 
should begin in early January, and end in late February or early March 
2009.
    Program Guidelines: Proposals provide a comprehensive narrative 
describing the objectives of the institute; the title, scope and 
content of each session; and how each session relates to the overall 
institute theme. A syllabus must indicate the subject matter for each 
lecture or panel discussion, identify proposed lecturers and 
discussants, and demonstrate how assigned readings support each 
session. A calendar of all activities for the program must also be 
included. Proposals will be reviewed for the completeness and clarity 
with which they respond to the individual review criteria referenced in 
Section V.1.

    Note: In a cooperative agreement, ECA/A/E/USS is substantially 
involved in program activities above and beyond routine grant 
monitoring. ECA/A/E/USS activities and responsibilities for this 
program are as follows: Completing the final selection of 
participants; Exercising oversight with one or more site visits; 
Coordinating and arranging briefings by officials from the 
Department of State; and, Debriefing participants. ECA/A/E/USS may 
also require changes in the content of the program as well as the 
activities proposed either before or after the grant is awarded.

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: FY-09.
    Approximate Total Funding: $290,000.
    Approximate Number of Awards: 1.
    Approximate Average Award: $290,000.
    Anticipated Award Date: Pending availability of funds, October 15, 
2009.
    Anticipated Project Completion Date: March 30, 2009.
    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 
colleges, universities, consortia of colleges and universities, and 
other not-for-profit academic organizations that meet the provisions 
described in Internal Revenue Code section 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3).
    III.2. Cost Sharing or Matching Funds: There is no minimum or 
maximum percentage required for this competition. However, the Bureau 
encourages applicants to provide maximum levels of cost sharing and 
funding in support of its programs.
    When cost sharing is offered, it is understood and agreed that the 
applicant must provide the amount of cost sharing as stipulated in its 
proposal and later included in an approved grant agreement. Cost 
sharing may be in the form of allowable direct or indirect costs. For 
accountability, you must maintain written records to support all costs 
which are claimed as your contribution, as well as costs to be paid by 
the Federal government. Such records are subject to audit. The basis 
for determining the value of cash and in-kind contributions must be in 
accordance with OMB Circular A-110 (Revised), Subpart C.23--Cost 
Sharing and Matching. In the event you do not provide the minimum 
amount of cost sharing as stipulated in the approved budget, ECA's 
contribution will be reduced in like proportion.
    III.3. Other Eligibility Requirements:
    (a) Bureau grant guidelines require that organizations with 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 $290,000 to support program and 
administrative costs required to implement this exchange program. 
Therefore, organizations with less than four years experience in 
conducting international exchanges are ineligible to apply under this 
competition. The Bureau encourages applicants to provide maximum levels

[[Page 41151]]

of cost sharing and funding in support of its programs.
    (b) Technical Eligibility: All proposals must comply with the 
following or they will result in your proposal being declared 
technically ineligible and given no further consideration in the review 
process: The project director or one of the key program staff 
responsible for the academic program must have an advanced degree in 
political science, international relations, law, military science, and/
or other disciplines or sub-disciplines related to the program themes, 
and; Staff escorts traveling under the cooperative agreement must have 
demonstrated qualifications to perform this service.

IV. Application and Submission Information

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

    IV.1 Contact Information to Request an Application Package: Please 
contact the Branch for the Study of the United States, ECA/A/E/USS, 
Room 664, U.S. Department of State, SA-44, 301 4th Street, SW., 
Washington, DC 20547, tel. (202) 453-8532; fax (202) 453-8533 to 
request a Solicitation Package. Please refer to the Funding Opportunity 
Number (ECA/A/E/USS-09-01) located at the top of this announcement when 
making your request. Alternatively, an electronic application package 
may be obtained from grants.gov. Please see section IV.3f for further 
information.
    The Solicitation Package contains the Proposal Submission 
Instruction (PSI) document which consists of required application 
forms, and standard guidelines for proposal preparation.
    It also contains the Project Objectives, Goals and Implementation 
(POGI) document, which provides specific information, award criteria 
and budget instructions tailored to this competition.
    Please specify Program Officer Brendan M. Walsh, WalshBm@state.gov, 
and refer to the Funding Opportunity Number (ECA/A/E/USS-09-01) located 
at the top of this announcement on all other inquiries and 
correspondence.
    IV.2. To Download a Solicitation Package Via Internet: The entire 
Solicitation Package may be downloaded from the Bureau's Web site at 
https://exchanges.state.gov/education/rfgps/menu.htm, or from the 
Grants.gov Web site at https://www.grants.gov.
    Please read all information before downloading.
    IV.3. Content and Form of Submission: Applicants must follow all 
instructions in the Solicitation Package. The application should be 
submitted per the instructions under IV.3f. ``Application Deadline and 
Methods of Submission'' section below.
    IV.3a. You are required to have a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal 
Numbering System (DUNS) number to apply for a grant or cooperative 
agreement from the U.S. Government. This number is a nine-digit 
identification number, which uniquely identifies business entities. 
Obtaining a DUNS number is easy and there is no charge. To obtain a 
DUNS number, access https://www.dunandbradstreet.com or call 1-866-705-
5711. Please ensure that your DUNS number is included in the 
appropriate box of the SF-424 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 an 
applicant does not file an IRS Form 990, but instead files Schedule A 
(Form 990 or 990-EZ)--``Organization Exempt Under Section 501(c)(3),'' 
applicants must include with their application a copy of Page 1, Part 
1, ``Compensation of the Five Highest Paid Employees Other Than 
Officers, Directors and Trustees,'' of their most recent Internal 
Revenue Service (IRS) Form--Schedule A (Form 990 or 990-EZ).
    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 consider 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 the 
Exchange Visitor (J visa) Programs and adherence by grantees and 
sponsors to all regulations governing the J visa. Therefore, proposals 
should demonstrate the applicant's capacity to meet all requirements 
governing the administration of the Exchange Visitor Programs as set 
forth in 22 CFR 62, including the oversight of Responsible Officers and 
Alternate Responsible Officers, screening and selection of program 
participants, provision of pre-arrival information and orientation to 
participants, monitoring of participants, proper maintenance and 
security of forms, recordkeeping, reporting and other requirements.
    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.
    Please refer to Solicitation Package for further information.

IV.3d.2 Diversity, Freedom and Democracy Guidelines

    Pursuant to the Bureau's authorizing legislation, programs must 
maintain a non-political character and should be balanced and 
representative of the diversity of American political, social, and 
cultural life. ``Diversity'' should be interpreted in the broadest 
sense and encompass differences including, but not limited to 
ethnicity, race, gender, religion, geographic location, socio-economic 
status, and disabilities. Applicants are strongly encouraged to adhere 
to the advancement of this principle both in program administration and 
in program content. Please refer to the review criteria under the 
`Support for Diversity' section for specific suggestions on 
incorporating diversity into your proposal. Public Law 104-319 provides 
that ``in carrying out programs of educational and cultural exchange in 
countries whose people do not fully enjoy freedom and democracy,'' the 
Bureau ``shall take appropriate steps to provide opportunities for 
participation in such programs to human rights and

[[Page 41152]]

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.3d.4. Describe your plans for overall program management, 
staffing, and coordination with ECA/A/E/USS ECA/A/E/USS considers 
program management, staffing and coordination with the Department of 
State essential elements of your program. Please be sure to give 
sufficient attention to these elements in your proposal. Please refer 
to the Technical Eligibility Requirements and the POGI in the 
Solicitation package for specific guidelines.
    IV.3e. Please take the following information into consideration 
when preparing your budget:
    IV.3e.1. Applicants must submit a comprehensive budget for the 
entire program. Awards for the institute on National Security may not 
exceed $290,000. While there is no rigid ratio of administrative to 
program costs, the Bureau urges applicant organizations to keep 
administrative costs as low and reasonable as possible. There must be a 
summary budget as well as breakdowns reflecting both administrative and 
program budgets. Applicants may provide separate sub-budgets for each 
program component, phase, location, or activity to provide 
clarification.
    IV.3e.2. Allowable costs for the program include the following:
    (1) Institute staff salary and benefits.
    (2) Participant housing and meals.
    (3) Participant travel and per diem.
    (4) Textbooks, educational materials and admissions fees.
    (5) Honoraria for guest speakers.
    Please refer to the Solicitation Package for complete budget 
guidelines and formatting instructions.

IV.3F. Application Deadline and Methods of Submission

    Application Deadline Date: September 17, 2008.
    Reference Number: ECA/A/E/USS-09-01.
    Methods of Submission:
    Applications may be submitted in one of two ways:
    (1) In hard-copy, via a nationally recognized overnight delivery 
service (i.e., DHL, Federal Express, UPS, Airborne Express, or U.S. 
Postal Service Express Overnight Mail, etc.), or
    (2) Electronically through https://www.grants.gov.
    Along with the Project Title, all applicants must enter the above 
Reference Number in Box 11 on the SF-424 contained in the mandatory 
Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) of the solicitation document.

IV.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

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established deadlines are ineligible for consideration under this 
competition. ECA will not notify you upon receipt of application. It is 
each applicant's responsibility to ensure that each package is marked 
with a legible tracking number and to monitor/confirm delivery to ECA 
via the Internet. Delivery of proposal packages may not be made via 
local courier service or in person for this competition. Faxed 
documents will not be accepted at any time. Only proposals submitted as 
stated above will be considered.

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

    The original and eight (8) copies of the application should be sent 
to: U.S. Department of State, SA-44, Bureau of Educational and Cultural 
Affairs, Ref.: ECA/A/E/USS-09-01, 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. In 
addition, validation of an electronic submission via Grants.gov can 
take up to two business days.
    Therefore, we strongly recommend that you not wait until the 
application deadline to begin the submission process through 
Grants.gov.
    The Grants.gov Web site includes extensive information on all 
phases/aspects of the Grants.gov process, including an extensive 
section on frequently asked questions, located under the ``For 
Applicants'' section of the Web site. ECA strongly recommends that all 
potential applicants review throughly the Grants.gov Web site, well in 
advance of submitting a proposal through the Grants.gov system. ECA 
bears no responsibility for data errors resulting from transmission or 
conversion processes.
    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.
    Please refer to the Grants.gov Web site, for definitions of various 
``application statuses'' and the difference between a submission 
receipt and a submission validation. Applicants will receive a 
validation e-mail from grants.gov upon the successful submission of an 
application. Again, validation of an electronic submission via 
Grants.gov can take up to two business days. Therefore, we strongly 
recommend that you not wait until the application deadline to begin the 
submission process through Grants.gov. 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 for cooperative agreements resides with the Bureau's 
Grants Officer.

V.2. 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 Program Plan and Ability to Achieve Program 
Objectives: Your proposal should exhibit originality, substance, 
precision, and relevance to the Bureau's mission. Detailed agenda and 
relevant work plan should demonstrate substantive undertakings and 
logistical. Objectives should be reasonable, feasible, and flexible. 
Your proposal should clearly demonstrate how the institution will meet 
the program's objectives and plan.
    2. Support for Diversity: Your proposal should demonstrate 
substantive support of the Bureau's policy on diversity. Achievable and 
relevant features should be cited in both program administration 
(program venue and program evaluation) and program content (orientation 
and wrap-up sessions, program meetings, presenters, and resource 
materials).
    3. Evaluation and Follow-Up: Your proposal should include a plan to 
evaluate the activity's success, both as the activities unfold and at 
the end of the program. A draft survey questionnaire or other technique 
plus description of a methodology to use to link outcomes to original 
project objectives is strongly recommended. Your proposal should also 
discuss provisions made for follow-up with returned participants as a 
means of establishing longer-term individual and institutional 
linkages.
    4. Cost-effectiveness/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. Your proposal should maximize cost-sharing through other 
private sector support, as well as institutional direct funding 
contributions.
    5. Institutional Track Record/Ability: Your proposal 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 
Grants Staff. The

[[Page 41154]]

Bureau will consider the past performance of prior recipients and the 
demonstrated potential of new applicants. Proposed personnel and 
institutional resources should be fully qualified to achieve the 
project's goals.

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 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, or https://
fa.statebuy.state.gov.

VI.3. Reporting Requirements

    You must provide ECA with a hard copy original plus one (1) copy 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 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.
    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: Brendan M. Walsh, 
Branch for the Study of the United States, ECA/A/E/USS, Room 664, U.S. 
Department of State, SA-44, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547, 
tel. (202) 453-8532, fax (202) 453-8533, e-mail WalshBM@state.gov.
    All correspondence with the Bureau concerning this RFGP should 
reference the above title and number (ECA/A/E/USS-09-01).
    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: July 8, 2008.
C. Miller Crouch,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Educational and 
Cultural Affairs, Department of State.
 [FR Doc. E8-16379 Filed 7-16-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P