Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for Grant Proposals: International Sports Programming Initiative, 6190-6197 [E9-2472]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 23 (Thursday, February 5, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6190-6197]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-2472]



[[Page 6190]]

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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 6510]


Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for 
Grant Proposals: International Sports Programming Initiative

    Announcement Type: New Grant.
    Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/PE/C/SU-09-28.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 00.000.
    Key Dates:
    Application Deadline: March 23, 2009.
    Executive Summary: The Office of Citizen Exchanges of the Bureau of 
Educational and Cultural Affairs announces an open competition for the 
International Sports Programming Initiative. 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 for 
projects designed to reach out to youth and promote mutual 
understanding by increasing the professional capacity of those who 
design and manage youth sports programs in select countries in Africa, 
East Asia, the Near East and North Africa, South Central Asia, Europe, 
and the Western Hemisphere. The focus of all programs must be on 
reaching out to both male and female youth ages 8-18 and/or their 
coaches. Programs designed to train elite athletes or coaches will not 
be considered. For the purposes of this competition, eligible regions 
are Africa, Europe, East Asia, the Near East and North Africa, South 
and Central Asia and the Western Hemisphere. Eligible countries in each 
region are: Africa: Kenya, South Africa, Nigeria, Uganda, Ghana, 
Namibia, Senegal, and Mali; East Asia: China, Indonesia, Malaysia, 
Singapore, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam; Near East and North 
Africa: Morocco, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi 
Arabia, and Oman; South and Central Asia: Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, 
Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Maldives, and 
Bangladesh; Europe: Turkey and Armenia; and the Western Hemisphere: El 
Salvador, Panama, Honduras, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, Trinidad and 
Tobago, and Brazil.
    Proposals may address multiple countries but they must be from the 
same region. Proposals for countries that are not designated in the 
RFGP or that address more than one region will be deemed technically 
ineligible and will receive no further consideration in the review 
process.

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: Overview: The Office of Citizen Exchanges welcomes 
proposals for two-way exchanges (one component in the United States and 
the other in the chosen country) that directly respond to the following 
thematic areas. Given budgetary limitations, projects for themes not 
listed below will not be eligible for consideration under the FY-2009 
International Sports Program Initiative Competition, and if received 
will be deemed technically ineligible and will receive no further 
consideration in the review process.
    Themes:

(1) Training Sports Coaches

    The World Summit on Physical Education (Berlin, 1999) stated that a 
``quality physical education helps children to develop the patterns of 
interest in physical activity, which are essential for healthy 
development and which lay the foundation for healthy, adult 
lifestyles.'' Coaches are critical to the accomplishment of this goal. 
A coach not only needs to be qualified to provide the technical 
assistance required by young athletes to improve, but must also 
understand how to help a young person to discover how success in 
athletics can be translated into achievement in the development of life 
skills and in the classroom.
    Through seminars and outreach, projects submitted in response to 
this theme will aim at aiding youth and secondary school coaches in the 
target countries in the development and implementation of appropriate 
training methodologies. The goal is to ensure the optimal technical 
proficiency among the coaches participating in the program while also 
emphasizing the role sports can play in the long-term economic well-
being of youth.

(2) Youth Sports Management Exchange

    Exchanges funded under this theme will enable American and foreign 
youth sport coaches, adult sponsors, and sport association officials to 
share their experience in managing and organizing youth sports 
activities, particularly in financially challenging circumstances, and 
will advance cross-cultural understanding of the role of sports as a 
significant factor in educational success. The pursuit of academic 
degrees from U.S. institutions is not an acceptable focus of this 
program, and applications that propose this will not be considered.

(3) Youth With Disabilities

    Exchanges supported by this theme are designed to promote and 
sponsor sports, recreation, fitness, and leisure events for children 
and adults with physical disabilities. Project goals include improving 
the quality of life for people with disabilities by providing 
affordable, inclusive sports and recreational experiences that build 
self-esteem and confidence, enhancing active participation in community 
life and making a significant contribution to the physical and 
psychological health of people with disabilities. Proposals under this 
theme aim to demonstrate that physically disabled individuals can be 
included in sports and recreation opportunities in their communities, 
and will develop opportunities for them to do so.

(4) Sports and Health

    Projects funded under this category will focus on effective and 
practical ways to use sports personalities and sports health 
professionals to increase awareness among young people of the 
importance of following a healthy lifestyle to reduce illness, prevent 
injuries and speed rehabilitation and recovery. Emphasis will be on the 
responsibility of the broader community to support healthy behavior. 
The project goals are to promote and integrate scientific research, 
education, and practical applications of sports medicine and exercise 
science to maintain and enhance physical performance, fitness, health, 
and quality of life. (Actual medical training and dispensing of 
medications are outside the purview of this theme.)
    No guarantee is made or implied that grants will be awarded in all 
themes or for all countries listed.
    Audience: The intended audience is non-elite youth, coaches, 
community leaders and representatives from

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government and non-governmental organizations.
    Ideal Program Model: The following are suggested program 
structures:
     A U.S. grantee identifies U.S. citizens to conduct a 
multi-location, in-country program overseas that includes clinics and 
training sessions for: Male and female athletes; government officials 
(Ministry of Sports and Ministry of Education); coaches (adult and 
youth); NGO representatives (including representatives from relevant 
sports federations); community officials (including local authorities 
associated with recreational facilities); youth audiences (equal 
numbers of boys and girls); elected local government officials; and 
sports management professionals to support one of the themes listed.
     An in-country partner overseas (a local university, 
government agency or other appropriate organization, such as a relevant 
sports federation) co-hosts an activity with the U.S. grantee 
institution, and participates in the selection of participants for a 
U.S. program.
     A U.S. program that includes site visits designed to 
provide participants with exposure to American youth and coaches, 
sports education in the United States, background information on U.S. 
approaches to the themes listed in the announcement, relevant cultural 
activities, and a debriefing and evaluation.
     U.S. experts who worked with participants from overseas 
implement an in-country program.
     Participants in the U.S. program design in-country 
projects and serve as co-presenters.
     Materials are translated into the relevant language for 
use in future projects.
     Small grants are dispersed for projects designed to expand 
the exchange experience.
     All participants are encouraged to enroll in the Bureau of 
Education and Cultural Affairs' alumni Web site.
    U.S. Embassy Involvement: Before submitting a proposal, all 
applicants are strongly encouraged to consult with the Washington, DC-
based State Department contact for the themes/regions listed in this 
solicitation. Applicants are also strongly encouraged to consult with 
Public Affairs Officers at U.S. Embassies in relevant countries as they 
develop proposals responding to this RFGP. It is important that the 
proposal narrative clearly state the applicant's commitment to consult 
closely with the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy in the 
relevant country/countries to develop plans for project implementation, 
to select project participants, and to publicize the program through 
the media. Proposals should acknowledge U.S. Embassy involvement in the 
final selection of all participants.
    Media: Proposals should include specific strategies for publicizing 
the project, both in the United States and overseas, as applicable. 
Sample materials can be included in the appendix.
    Participant Selection: Proposals should clearly describe the types 
of persons that will participate in the program, as well as the 
participant recruitment and selection processes. It is a priority of 
the office to include female participants in all of its programs. In 
the selection of foreign participants, the Bureau and U.S. embassies 
retain the right to review all participant nominations and to accept or 
refuse participants recommended by grantee institutions. When U.S. 
participants are selected, grantee institutions must provide their 
names and brief biographical data to the Office of Citizen Exchanges. 
Priority in two-way exchange proposals will be given to foreign 
participants who have not previously traveled to the United States.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Grant Agreement.
    Fiscal Year Funds: 2009.
    Approximate Total Funding: $1,500,000.
    Approximate Number of Awards: 6-8.
    Approximate Average Award: $225,000.
    Ceiling of Award Range: $225,000.
    Floor of Award Range: $60,000.
    Anticipated Award Date: Pending availability of funds, August 31, 
2009.
    Anticipated Project Completion Date: September 30 2010-June 30 
2011.
    Projects under this competition may range in length from one to 
three years depending on the number of project components, the country/
region targeted and the extent of the evaluation plan proposed by the 
applicant. The Office of Citizen Exchanges strongly encourages 
applicant organizations to plan enough time after project activities to 
measure project outcomes. Please refer to the Program Monitoring and 
Evaluation section, item IV.3d.3 below, for further guidance on 
evaluation.

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 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) Grants awarded to eligible organizations with less than four 
years of experience in conducting international exchange programs will 
be limited to $60,000. Organizations that only qualify for the $60,000 
level may choose to conduct a one-way exchange, but must explain how 
the objectives of Americans interacting with foreign participants will 
still be achieved.
    (b) Technical Eligibility:
     It is imperative that all proposals follow the 
requirements outlined in the Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) 
technical format and instructions document. Additionally, 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 Office does not support proposals limited to 
conferences or seminars (i.e., one- to fourteen-day programs with 
plenary sessions, main speakers, panels, and a passive audience). It 
will support conferences only when they are a small part of a larger 
project in duration that is receiving Bureau funding from this 
competition. No funding is available exclusively to send U.S. citizens 
to conferences or conference-type seminars overseas; nor is funding 
available for bringing foreign nationals to conferences or to routine 
professional association meetings in the United States.

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     The Office of Citizen Exchanges does not support academic 
research or faculty or student fellowships.
     Applicants may not submit more than one (1) proposal for 
this competition. Organizations that submit proposals that exceed these 
limits will result in having all of their proposals declared 
technically ineligible, and none of the submissions will be reviewed by 
a State Department panel.
     Proposals that target countries/regions or themes not 
listed in the RFGP will be deemed technically ineligible.

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 Citizen Exchanges, ECA/PE/C, Room 220, U.S. 
Department of State, SA-44, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547, 
tel.: 202-453-8167; fax: 202-453-8168; or e-mail Elizabeth Fine at 
fineeh@state.gov to request a Solicitation Package. Please refer to the 
Funding Opportunity Number ECA/PE/C/SU-09-28 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.
    Please specify Elizabeth Fine and refer to the Funding Opportunity 
Number ECA/PE/C/SU-09-28 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 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 
Office of Citizen Exchanges of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural 
Affairs is the official program sponsor of the exchange program covered 
by this RFGP, and an employee of the Bureau will be the ``Responsible 
Officer'' for the program under the terms of 22 CFR part 62, which 
covers the administration of the Exchange Visitor Program (J visa 
program). Under the terms of 22 CFR part 62, organizations receiving 
awards (either a grant or cooperative agreement) under this RFGP will 
be third parties ``cooperating with or assisting the sponsor in the 
conduct of the sponsor's program.'' The actions of recipient 
organizations shall be ``imputed to the sponsor in evaluating the 
sponsor's compliance with'' 22 CFR part 62. Therefore, the Bureau 
expects that any organization receiving an award under this competition 
will render all assistance necessary to enable the Bureau to fully 
comply with 22 CFR part 62 et seq.
    The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs places critically 
important emphases on the secure and proper administration of Exchange 
Visitor (J visa) Programs and adherence by recipient organizations and 
program participants to all regulations governing the J visa program 
status. Therefore, proposals should explicitly state in writing that 
the applicant is prepared to assist the Bureau in meeting all 
requirements governing the administration of Exchange Visitor Programs 
as set forth in 22 CFR part 62. If your organization has experience as 
a designated Exchange Visitor Program Sponsor, the applicant should 
discuss their record of compliance with 22 CFR part 62 et seq., 
including the oversight of their Responsible Officers and Alternate 
Responsible Officers, screening and selection of program participants, 
provision of pre-arrival information and orientation to participants, 
monitoring of participants, proper maintenance and security of forms, 
record-keeping, reporting and other requirements.
    The Office of Citizen Exchanges of ECA will be responsible for 
issuing DS-2019 forms to participants in this program.
    A copy of the complete regulations governing the administration of 
Exchange Visitor (J) programs is available at https://
exchanges.state.gov or from: United States Department of State, Office 
of Exchange Coordination and Designation, ECA/EC/ECD--SA-44, Room 734, 
301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547, Telephone: (202) 203-5029, 
FAX: (202) 453-8640.
    IV.3d.2. Diversity, Freedom and Democracy Guidelines: Pursuant to 
the Bureau's authorizing legislation, programs must maintain a non-
political character and should be balanced and representative of the 
diversity of American political, social, and cultural life. 
``Diversity'' should be interpreted in the broadest sense and encompass 
differences including, but not limited to ethnicity, race, gender, 
religion, geographic location, socio-economic

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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 recipient 
organization 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.)
    Recipient organizations 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.
Department of State Acknowledgement
    All recipients of ECA grants or cooperative agreements should be 
prepared to state in any announcement or publicity where it is not 
inappropriate that activities are assisted financially by the Bureau of 
Educational and Cultural Affairs of the United States Department of 
State under the authority of the Fulbright-Hays Act of 1961, as 
amended. Award recipients are strongly encouraged to use the Department 
seal on all promotional and related materials for ECA funded programs 
which support the commemoration of special occasions or events, but 
only after first obtaining written permission from the ECA program 
office(r) assigned to the project. In any contact with the media 
(print, television, blogging, etc.) applicants must acknowledge 
Department of State ECA Bureau funding for the program.
Alumni Outreach /Follow-on Programming and Engagement
    Please refer to the Proposal Submissions Instruction (PSI) document 
for additional guidance.
    IV.3e. Please take the following information into consideration 
when preparing your budget:
    IV.3e.1. Applicants must submit SF-424A--``Budget Information--Non-
Construction Programs'' along with a comprehensive budget for the 
entire program. For this competition, requests should not exceed 
approximately $225,000. There must be a summary budget as well as 
breakdowns reflecting both administrative and program budgets. 
Applicants may provide separate sub-budgets for each program component, 
phase, location, or activity to provide clarification. Please note that 
the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs does not fund programs 
that involve building of structures of any kind, including playing 
fields, recreation centers, or stadiums.
    IV.3e.2. Allowable costs for the program include the following:
    1. Travel. International and domestic airfare; visas; transit 
costs; ground transportation costs. Please note that all air travel 
must be in compliance with the Fly America Act. There is no charge for 
J-1 visas for participants in Bureau sponsored programs.
    2. Per Diem. For U.S.-based programming, organizations should use 
the published Federal per diem rates for individual U.S. cities. 
Domestic per diem rates may be accessed at: https://policyworks.gov/org/
main/mt/homepage/mtt/perdiem/perd03d.html.

[[Page 6194]]

ECA requests applicants to budget realistic costs that reflect the 
local economy and do not exceed Federal per diem rates. Foreign per 
diem rates can be accessed at: https://www.state.gov/m/a/als/prdm/html.
    3. Interpreters. For U.S.-based activities, ECA strongly encourages 
applicants to hire their own locally based interpreters. However, 
applicants may ask ECA to assign State Department interpreters. One 
interpreter is typically needed for every four participants who require 
interpretation. When an applicant proposes to use State Department 
interpreters, the following expenses should be included in the budget: 
Published Federal per diem rates (both ``lodging'' and ``M&IE'') and 
``home-program-home'' transportation in the amount of $400 per 
interpreter. Salary expenses for State Department interpreters will be 
covered by the Bureau and should not be part of an applicant's proposed 
budget. Bureau funds cannot support interpreters who accompany 
delegations from their home country or travel internationally.
    4. Book and Cultural Allowances. Foreign participants are entitled 
to a one-time cultural allowance of $150 per person, plus a book 
allowance of $50. Interpreters should be reimbursed up to $150 for 
expenses when they escort participants to cultural events. U.S. program 
staff, trainers or participants are not eligible to receive these 
benefits.
    5. Consultants. Consultants may be used to provide specialized 
expertise or to make presentations. Honoraria rates should not exceed 
$250 per day. Organizations are encouraged to cost-share rates that 
would exceed that figure. Subcontracting organizations may also be 
employed, in which case the written agreement between the prospective 
grantee and sub-grantee should be included in the proposal. Such sub-
grants should detail the division of responsibilities and proposed 
costs, and subcontracts should be itemized in the budget.
    6. Room Rental. The rental of meeting space should not exceed $250 
per day. Any rates that exceed this amount should be cost shared.
    7. Materials. Proposals may contain costs to purchase, develop and 
translate materials for participants. Costs for high quality 
translation of materials should be anticipated and included in the 
budget. Grantee organizations should expect to submit a copy of all 
program materials to ECA, and ECA support should be acknowledged on all 
materials developed with its funding.
    8. Equipment. Applicants may propose to use grant funds to purchase 
equipment, such as computers and printers; these costs should be 
justified in the budget narrative. Costs for furniture are not allowed.
    9. Working Meal. Normally, no more than one working meal may be 
provided during the program. Per capita costs may not exceed $15-$25 
for lunch and $20-$35 for dinner, excluding room rental. The number of 
invited guests may not exceed participants by more than a factor of 
two-to-one. When setting up a budget, interpreters should be considered 
``participants.''
    10. Return Travel Allowance. A return travel allowance of $70 for 
each foreign participant may be included in the budget. This allowance 
would cover incidental expenses incurred during international travel.
    11. Health Insurance. Foreign participants will be covered during 
their participation in the U.S. program by the ECA-sponsored Accident 
and Sickness Program for Exchanges (ASPE). The grantee must notify the 
program office to enroll them. Details of that policy can be provided 
by the contact officers identified in this solicitation. The premium is 
paid by ECA and should not be included in the grant proposal budget. 
However, applicants are permitted to include costs for travel insurance 
for U.S. participants in the budget.
    12. Wire Transfer Fees. When necessary, applicants may include 
costs to transfer funds to partner organizations overseas. Grantees are 
urged to research applicable taxes that may be imposed on these 
transfers by host governments.
    13. In-country Travel Costs for visa processing purposes. Given the 
requirements associated with obtaining J-1 visas for ECA-supported 
participants, applicants should include costs for any travel associated 
with visa interviews or DS-2019 pick-up.
    14. Administrative Costs. Costs necessary for the effective 
administration of the program may include salaries for grantee 
organization employees, benefits, and other direct and indirect costs 
per detailed instructions in the Application Package. While there is no 
rigid ratio of administrative to program costs, proposals in which the 
administrative costs do not exceed 25% of the total requested ECA grant 
funds will be more competitive under the cost effectiveness and cost 
sharing criterion, per item V.1 below. Proposals should show strong 
administrative cost sharing contributions from the applicant, the in-
country partner and other sources.
    Please refer to the Solicitation Package for complete budget 
guidelines and formatting instructions.
    IV.3f. Application Deadline and Methods of Submission:
    Application Deadline Date: Monday, March 23, 2009.
    Reference Number: ECA/PE/C/SU-09-28.
    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 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/PE/C/SU-09-28, 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

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text (.txt) or Microsoft Word format on a PC-formatted disk. The Bureau 
will provide these files electronically to the appropriate Public 
Affairs Section(s) at the U.S. embassy/ies for their review.
    IV.3f.2--Submitting Electronic Applications: Applicants have the 
option of submitting proposals electronically through Grants.gov 
(https://www.grants.gov). Complete solicitation packages are available 
at Grants.gov in the ``Find'' portion of the system. Please follow the 
instructions available in the `Get Started' portion of the site (http:/
/www.grants.gov/GetStarted).
    Several of the steps in the Grants.gov registration process could 
take several weeks. Therefore, applicants should check with appropriate 
staff within their organizations immediately after reviewing this RFGP 
to confirm or determine their registration status with Grants.gov.
    Once registered, the amount of time it can take to upload an 
application will vary depending on a variety of factors including the 
size of the application and the speed of your Internet connection. 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 thoroughly 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 grants 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. Program Planning and Ability To Achieve Objectives: Program 
objectives should be stated clearly and should reflect the applicant's 
expertise in the subject area and region. Objectives should respond to 
the topics in this announcement and should relate to the current 
conditions in the target country/countries. A detailed agenda and 
relevant work plan should explain how objectives will be achieved and 
should include a timetable for completion of major tasks. The substance 
of workshops, internships, seminars and/or consulting should be 
described in detail. Sample training schedules should be outlined. 
Responsibilities of proposed in-country partners should be clearly 
described. A discussion of how the applicant intends to address 
language issues should be included, if needed.
    2. Institutional Capacity: Proposals should include (1) The 
institution's mission and date of establishment; (2) detailed 
information about proposed in-country partner(s) and the history of the 
partnership; (3) an outline of prior awards--U.S. government and/or 
private support received for the target theme/country/region; and (4) 
descriptions of experienced staff members who will implement the 
program. The proposal should reflect the institution's expertise in the 
subject area and knowledge of the conditions in the target country/
countries. 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 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 adequate and appropriate to achieve the program's goals. The 
Bureau strongly encourages applicants to submit letters of support from 
proposed in-country partners.
    3. Cost Effectiveness and Cost Sharing: Overhead and administrative 
costs in the proposal budget, including salaries, honoraria and 
subcontracts for services, should be kept to a minimum. Proposals whose 
administrative costs are less than twenty-five (25) per cent of the 
total funds requested from the Bureau will be deemed more competitive 
under this criterion. Applicants are strongly encouraged to cost share 
a portion of overhead and administrative expenses. Cost-sharing, 
including contributions from the applicant, proposed in-country 
partner(s), and other sources should be included in the budget request. 
Proposal budgets that do not reflect cost sharing will be deemed not 
competitive in this category.
    4. Support of Diversity: Proposals should demonstrate substantive 
support of the Bureau's policy on diversity. Achievable and relevant 
features should be cited in both program administration (selection of 
participants, program venue and program evaluation) and

[[Page 6196]]

program content (orientation and wrap-up sessions, program meetings, 
resource materials and follow-up activities). Applicants should refer 
to the Bureau's Diversity, Freedom and Democracy Guidelines in the PSI 
and the Diversity, Freedom and Democracy Guidelines section, Item 
IV.3d.2, above for additional guidance.
    5. Post-Grant Activities: Applicants should provide a plan to 
conduct activities after the Bureau-funded project has concluded in 
order to ensure that Bureau-supported programs are not isolated events. 
Funds for all post-grant activities must be in the form of 
contributions from the applicant or sources outside of the Bureau. 
Costs for these activities must not appear in the proposal budget, but 
should be outlined in the narrative.
    6. Program Monitoring and Evaluation: Proposals should include a 
detailed plan to monitor and evaluate the program. Program objectives 
should target clearly defined results in quantitative terms. 
Competitive evaluation plans will describe how applicant organizations 
would measure these results, and proposals should include draft data 
collection instruments (surveys, questionnaires, etc) in Tab E. See the 
``Program Monitoring/Evaluation'' section, item IV.3d.3 above for more 
information on the components of a competitive evaluation plan. 
Successful applicants (grantee institutions) will be expected to submit 
a report after each program component concludes or on a quarterly 
basis, whichever is less frequent. The Bureau also requires that 
grantee institutions submit a final narrative and financial report no 
more than 90 days after the expiration of a grant. Please refer to the 
``Program Management/Evaluation'' section, item IV.3d.3 above for more 
guidance.

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 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 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) A SF-PPR, ``Performance Progress Report'' Cover Sheet with all 
program reports.
    (4) Quarterly program and financial reports which should include 
the activities completed during that quarter, information about any 
participants of the activities, and any adjustments in the program 
timeline.

Award 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.
    Program Data Requirements: Award 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 agreement 
or who benefit from the award 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: Elizabeth Fine, 
SportsUnited Division, ECA/PE/C/SU, Room 220, ECA/PE/C/SU-09-28, U.S. 
Department of State, SA-44, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547, 
tel: (202) 453-8167, fax: (202) 453-8169, fineeh@state.gov.
    All correspondence with the Bureau concerning this RFGP should 
reference the above title and number ECA/PE/C/SU-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.


[[Page 6197]]


    Dated: January 29, 2009.
C. Miller Crouch,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs, 
Department of State.
[FR Doc. E9-2472 Filed 2-4-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P