Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for Grant Proposals: Three Summer Institutes for 2009, Including a Summer Institute for Norwegian Students in the Sciences, a Summer Institute for European Student Leaders, and a Summer Institute for European Student Leaders in Education, 77093-77098 [E8-30128]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 244 (Thursday, December 18, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 77093-77098]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-30128]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 6459]


Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for 
Grant Proposals: Three Summer Institutes for 2009, Including a Summer 
Institute for Norwegian Students in the Sciences, a Summer Institute 
for European Student Leaders, and a Summer Institute for European 
Student Leaders in Education

    Announcement Type: Three new Cooperative Agreements.
    Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/A/E/EUR 09-05.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 00.000.
    Key Dates: April 1, 2009-July 1, 2010.
    Application Deadline: February 26, 2009.
    Executive Summary: The Office of Academic Exchange Programs, 
European and Eurasian Programs Branch (ECA/A/E/EUR) announces an open 
competition for three (3) Summer Institutes for European undergraduate 
students to take place during the summer of 2009. The Institutes vary 
in focus, the number of participants, length, timing, and funding. 
Accredited, post-secondary educational institutions in the United 
States may submit proposals to administer one or more of the Institute 
programs. Institutions must submit separate proposals for each 
Institute. All Institutes will be funded in FY2009 pending the 
availability of funds.

 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 of each Summer Institute: Please refer to the Project 
Objectives, Goals, and Implementation (POGI) document for a complete 
program description for all three Institutes.
    The Summer Institute for Norwegian Students in the Sciences will 
introduce twelve (12) undergraduate students who have completed at 
least two years of university studies in the natural sciences at 
Norwegian institutions to the scientific research being conducted on 
the polar regions. Proposals should interweave the themes and issues 
being examined by the International Polar Year (IPY) program into the 
Institute plan. For example, topics covered in the academic program may 
include climate change, the influence of the polar regions on the 
global system, community and environmental sustainability in the polar 
regions, and and/or other issues being examined by the IPY program.
    The six-week Institute is also intended to introduce Norwegian 
students to the U.S. university classroom and lab, campus life, and 
offer them opportunities to interact with their U.S. peers.
    The U.S.-Norway Fulbright Commission for Educational Exchange will 
recruit and nominate the participants. The Institute will take place 
during a six-week period between late June and mid-August, preferably

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July 5-August 15, 2009. Funding for this Institute will be up to 
$200,000, pending the availability of FY2009 funds.
    Guidelines: The program should be designed to support the following 
components:
    (a) An academic program that focuses on polar studies, with 
particular relevance to the circumpolar region, also known as the 
``High North''. The academic program can be a mix of lectures, 
seminars, and/or special projects and should include lab and/or field 
research at the host institution or other sites.
    (b) A cultural component that allows participants to explore their 
host city and region and have full participation in campus life at the 
host institution.
    (c) It is anticipated that all participants will be fluent in 
English. However, the host institution should be prepared to offer 
English language support as necessary.
    (d) A U.S. peer mentor component. The host institution should 
retain three (3) qualified upper division or graduate U.S. students 
majoring in science who exhibit cultural sensitivity and an 
understanding of the Institute's objectives to accompany the 
participants throughout the academic and cultural components of the 
program.
    2. The Summer Institute for European Student Leaders will offer a 
group of twenty-four (24) European undergraduate students from a broad 
range of ethnic, religious and socio-economic backgrounds the 
opportunity to learn about the United States and build leadership 
skills during a five-week program on an American campus. The Fulbright 
Commissions in Denmark, France, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, 
Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom will recruit participants who are 
first- or second-year undergraduate students or recent high school 
graduates who will enter university in fall 2009. The Institute will 
promote study and learning about the United States, civic engagement, 
and leadership development through academic coursework and 
participatory activities that will serve the participants in their 
academic and professional careers and to promote mutual understanding 
between the United States and their home countries. ECA anticipates 
that the five-week Institute will begin mid-July 2009. Funding for this 
Institute will be up to $215,000, pending the availability of FY 2009 
funds.
    Guidelines: The program should be designed to support the following 
components:
    (a) An academic program that will introduce participants to the 
important events, people, and documents that have shaped the United 
States and contemporary American life. The host institution is 
encouraged to identify or develop an academic course that Institute 
participants can take together with American students at the 
university.
    (b) A cultural component that complements and reinforces the 
academic component. Activities should include visits to historical and 
cultural sites of interest and participation in extra-curricular 
activities that will allow an optimal level of interaction with 
American peers. This component should include plans for participants to 
be engaged in a community service activity one to two hours per week.
    (c) An English language component designed to strengthen the 
English proficiency of all participants. While all program activities 
should aim to promote English-language learning, preparations should be 
in place to assist students through one-on-one or small group 
tutorials. The tutorials should be held several times a week throughout 
the duration of the Institute and will be mandatory for those 
participants deemed to require additional language instruction based on 
their English language assessment.
    (d) A U.S. peer mentor program. The host institution should retain 
four qualified upper division or graduate U.S. students who exhibit 
cultural sensitivity and an understanding of the Institute's objectives 
to serve as cultural interpreters and accompany the participants 
throughout the program. The mentors should reside in the dormitories or 
other campus housing with the participants.
    Applicants should take into account that the participants may not 
be familiar with the American student-centered classroom approach and 
will have varying degrees of experience in expressing their opinions in 
a classroom environment. In this respect, all aspects of the Institute 
program should be designed to encourage the students to interact with 
each other and American counterparts.
    3. The Summer Institute for European Student Leaders in Education 
will offer a group of twelve (12) European undergraduate students from 
a broad range of ethnic, religious and socio-economic backgrounds the 
opportunity to learn about the U.S. system of education at the primary, 
secondary and higher education levels through an integrated and 
uniquely designed program that focuses on the U.S. education system, 
American pedagogical practices, U.S. education policy, the openness of 
the U.S. higher education system, and integration and diversity in 
American schools. Participants will have completed at least two years 
of university studies in an education-related field. Recruitment and 
nomination of the participants will be managed by the Fulbright 
Commission in France, Germany, Spain, and the United Kingdom. ECA 
anticipates that the five-week Institute will begin mid-July 2009. 
Funding for the Education Institute will be up to $110,000, pending the 
availability of FY 2009 funds.
    Guidelines: The program should be designed to support the following 
components:
    (a) An academic program that will introduce participants to the 
U.S. system of education as described above, while interweaving the 
perspectives, experiences and current challenges facing the local 
educational system wherever appropriate. A component focused on 
familiarizing the participants with the United States should also be 
included that will require the students to explore key documents and 
important events and periods that have shaped the United States.
    (b) A cultural component that complements and reinforces the 
academic component. Activities should include visits to schools, 
historical, and cultural sites of interest. This component should 
include plans for participants to be engaged in a community service 
activity one to two hours per week.
    (c) An English language component designed to strengthen the 
English proficiency of all participants. While all program activities 
should aim to promote English-language learning, preparations should be 
in place to assist students through one-on-one or small group 
tutorials. The one-on-one and/or small group tutorials should be held 
several times a week throughout the duration of the Institute and will 
be mandatory for those participants deemed to require additional 
language instruction based on their English language assessment.
    (d) A U.S. peer mentor program. The host institution should retain 
three (3) qualified upper division or graduate U.S. students who 
exhibit cultural sensitivity and an understanding of the Institute's 
objectives to serve as cultural interpreters and accompany the 
participants throughout the program.
    Each of the three Institutes will be funded through a Cooperative 
Agreement. Please note that in a Cooperative Agreement, ECA/A/E/EUR is 
substantially involved in program

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activities above and beyond routine monitoring. ECA/A/E/EUR's 
activities and responsibilities for all three Institutes are as 
follows:
    [cir] ECA will select participants who are nominated by the 
participating Fulbright Commissions.
    [cir] ECA will facilitate sending pre-arrival orientation materials 
electronically to participants via the participating Fulbright 
Commissions.
    [cir] ECA will enroll all participants in the Accident and Sickness 
and Sickness Program for Exchanges (ASPE). This health benefits program 
will be of no cost to the host institutions. The host institutions will 
be responsible for the co-pays for medical treatment.
    [cir] ECA will issue DS-2019s for the participants to enter the 
United States on J-visas.
    [cir] ECA will organize debriefing sessions in Washington, DC, at 
the conclusion of the Institutes. All costs for the debriefing (travel 
to Washington, lodging, meals) will be the responsibility of the host 
institution and should be included in the proposal budget.
    [cir] ECA will provide the host institution with biographical 
information about the participants and their travel itineraries.
    Proposal Contents: Applicants should submit a complete and thorough 
proposal describing the Institute in a convincing and comprehensive 
manner. Please clearly indicate which Institute the proposal is being 
submitted for. Since there is no opportunity for applicants to meet 
with reviewing officials, the proposal should respond to the criteria 
set forth in the solicitation and other guidelines as clearly as 
possible.

II. Award Information

    Type of Awards: Cooperative Agreements.
    Fiscal Year Funds: 2009.
    Approximate Total Funding:
     Summer Institute for Norwegian Students in the Sciences: $200,000.
     Summer Institute for European Student Leaders: $215,000.
     Summer Institute for European Student Leaders in Education: 
$110,000.
    Approximate Number of Awards: 3.
    Anticipated Award Date: April 1, 2009.
    Anticipated Project Completion Date: July 1, 2010.
    Additional Information: Pending successful implementation of each 
program and the availability of funds in subsequent fiscal years, it is 
ECA's intent to renew the cooperative agreement for the Summer 
Institute for European Student Leaders and Summer Institute for 
European Student Leaders in Education for two additional fiscal years, 
before openly competing them again. Please note that at this time, the 
Summer Institute for Norwegian Students in the Sciences is a one-time 
opportunity.

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:
    (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 three 
cooperative agreements, all in an amount excessive of $60,000 to 
support program and administrative costs required to implement this 
exchange program. Therefore, organizations with less than four years 
experience in conducting international exchanges are ineligible to 
apply under this competition. The Bureau encourages applicants to 
provide maximum levels of cost sharing and funding in support of its 
programs.
    (b) Accredited, post-secondary educational institutions in the 
United States may submit proposals to administer one or more of the 
Institute programs but must submit separate proposals for each 
Institute.

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 Office of Academic Exchange Programs, European and Eurasian 
Programs, U.S. Department of State, SA-44, 301 4th Street, SW., 
Washington, DC 20547, 202-453-8524 to request a Solicitation Package. 
Please refer to the Funding Opportunity Number ECA/A/E/EUR 09-05 
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 Carolina Chavez, Program Officer, and refer to the 
Funding Opportunity Number (ECA/A/E/EUR 09-05) 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/grants/open2.html, 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-

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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 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 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, record-keeping, 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 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.

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    4. Institutional changes, such as increased collaboration and 
partnerships, policy reforms, new programming, and organizational 
improvements.

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

    Overall, the quality of your monitoring and evaluation plan will be 
judged on how well it (1) specifies intended outcomes; (2) gives clear 
descriptions of how each outcome will be measured; (3) identifies when 
particular outcomes will be measured; and (4) provides a clear 
description of the data collection strategies for each outcome (i.e., 
surveys, interviews, or focus groups). (Please note that evaluation 
plans that deal only with the first level of outcomes [satisfaction] 
will be deemed less competitive under the present evaluation criteria.)
    Grantees will be required to provide reports analyzing their 
evaluation findings to the Bureau in their regular program reports. All 
data collected, including survey responses and contact information, 
must be maintained for a minimum of three years and provided to the 
Bureau upon request.
    IV.3e. Please take the following information into consideration 
when preparing your budget:
    IV.3e.1. Applicants must submit a comprehensive budget for the 
entire program. Budget requests may not exceed the amounts stated in 
Section I. 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.3f. Application Deadline and Methods of Submission:
    Application Deadline Date: February 26, 2009.
    Reference Number: ECA/A/E/EUR 09-05.
    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 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 6 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/EUR-09-05, Program Management, ECA/EX/PM, Room 
534, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547.
    Applicants submitting hard-copy applications must also submit the 
``Executive Summary'' and ``Proposal Narrative'' sections of the 
proposal in a Microsoft Word format on a CD-ROM.
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, 7a.m.-9p.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 
cooperative

[[Page 77098]]

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 Program Idea/Plan: 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 capacity.
    2. Ability to Achieve Overall Program Objectives: Objectives should 
be reasonable, feasible, and flexible. Your proposal should clearly 
demonstrate how the institution will meet the program's objectives and 
plan.
    3. 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 
(selection of presenters, program venue and program evaluation) and 
program content (orientation and wrap-up sessions, program meetings and 
resource materials).
    4. 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. Your proposal should also discuss provisions 
made for follow-up with returned grantees as a means of establishing 
longer-term individual and institutional linkages.
    5. 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.
    6. 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 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 an Assistance Award Document (AAD) 
from the Bureau's Grants Office. The AAD and the original grant 
proposal with subsequent modifications (if applicable) shall be the 
only binding authorizing document between the recipient and the U.S. 
Government. The AAD will be signed by an authorized Grants Officer, and 
mailed to the recipient's responsible officer identified in the 
application.
    Unsuccessful applicants will receive notification of the results of 
the application review from the ECA program office coordinating this 
competition.

VI.2 Administrative and National Policy Requirements

    Terms and Conditions for the Administration of ECA agreements 
include the following:
    Office of Management and Budget Circular A-122, ``Cost Principles 
for Nonprofit Organizations.''
    Office of Management and Budget Circular A-21, ``Cost Principles 
for Educational Institutions.''
    OMB Circular A-87, ``Cost Principles for State, Local and Indian 
Governments''.
    OMB Circular No. A-110 (Revised), Uniform Administrative 
Requirements for Grants and Agreements with Institutions of Higher 
Education, Hospitals, and other Nonprofit Organizations.
    OMB Circular No. A-102, Uniform Administrative Requirements for 
Grants-in-Aid to State and Local Governments.
    OMB Circular No. A-133, Audits of States, Local Government, and 
Non-profit Organizations
    Please reference the following Web sites for additional 
information: https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants; https://
fa.statebuy.state.gov.

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) 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.
    (3) A SF-PPR, ``Performance Progress Report'' Cover Sheet with all 
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.
    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: Carolina Chavez, 
ECA/A/E/EUR, Room 246, ECA/A/E/EUR 09-05, U.S. Department of State, SA-
44, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547, 202-453-8524, 
ChavezCC@state.gov.
    All correspondence with the Bureau concerning this RFGP should 
reference the above title and number ECA/A/E/EUR 09-05.
    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.

Goli Ameri,
Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs, Department of 
State.
 [FR Doc. E8-30128 Filed 12-17-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P