Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for Grant Proposals: Youth Leadership Program With Iraq, 6197-6202 [E9-2473]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 23 (Thursday, February 5, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6197-6202]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-2473]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 6511]


Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for 
Grant Proposals: Youth Leadership Program With Iraq

    Announcement Type: New Grant.
    Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/PE/C/PY-09-27.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 00.000.
    Application Deadline: April 2, 2009.
    Executive Summary: The Office of Citizen Exchanges, Youth Programs 
Division, of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs announces 
an open competition to design and implement a Youth Leadership Program 
with Iraq. 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 a grant that will support English-
speaking high school students and adult participants from Iraq in a 
four-week U.S.-based exchange that explores civic education, leadership 
development, respect for diversity, and community involvement. The 
program will conclude with follow-on activities in the participants' 
home communities in which they apply the knowledge and skills acquired 
during the exchange experience.

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Authority: Overall grant making authority for this program is 
contained in the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961, 
Public Law 87-256, as amended, also known as the Fulbright-Hays Act. 
The purpose of the Act is ``to enable the Government of the United 
States to increase mutual understanding between the people of the 
United States and the people of other countries * * *; to strengthen 
the ties which unite us with other nations by demonstrating the 
educational and cultural interests, developments, and achievements of 
the people of the United States and other nations * * * and thus to 
assist in the development of friendly, sympathetic and peaceful 
relations between the United States and the other countries of the 
world.'' The funding authority for the program above is provided 
through legislation.
    Purpose: The Youth Leadership Program with Iraq offers secondary 
school students and educators from Iraq an opportunity to learn about 
the United States and to develop their leadership skills. Through this 
program, the Office of Citizen Exchanges' Youth Programs Division will 
sponsor a total of approximately 35 participants from Iraq who will 
join 15 to 20 American high school students in a four-week exchange 
program in the United States during the summer of 2010.
    The goals of the program are: (1) To enable the participants to 
understand civic participation and the rights and responsibilities of 
citizens in a democracy; (2) to develop leadership skills among 
secondary school students and teachers appropriate to their needs; (3) 
to foster understanding and build relationships across ethnic, 
religious, and national groups; and (4) to promote mutual understanding 
between the people of Iraq and the United States.
    Applicant organizations should identify their own specific 
objectives and measurable outcomes based on these program goals and the 
specifications provided in this solicitation.
    The program promotes high-quality leadership, civic responsibility, 
and civic activism among both countries' future leaders by offering a 
practical examination of the principles of democracy and civil society 
as practiced in the United States, and by providing participants with 
training that allows them to develop their leadership skills. The 
exchange format will be intensive and interactive. Participants will be 
engaged in a variety of activities such as workshops, community and/or 
school-based programs, seminars, and other activities that are designed 
to achieve the project's stated goals and objectives. Participants will 
live with American families for most of the exchange period.
    The total number of Iraqi participants will be between 30 and 40 
Iraqis--25-30 teenagers (aged 15-17) and 5-10 adult educators (teachers 
or staff of NGOs that work with youth). Applicant organizations may 
propose to bring them to the United States as one large group or in two 
smaller groups, as appropriate to their program designs, in the summer 
of 2010 between mid-June and mid-September. They will be joined in 
their U.S.-based activities by 15 to 20 competitively selected American 
teenagers of the same age as the Iraqi students. ECA encourages the 
inclusion of as many participants as possible.
    Applicant organizations must present a plan to select a delegation 
of participants from Iraq who will proportionally represent the ethnic, 
religious, and geographic diversity of the Iraqi population. The 
selected participants will have sufficient English language skills to 
be able to communicate without interpretation. The Department of State 
and/or its overseas representatives must approve all selected 
delegations.
    Applicants must demonstrate their capacity for doing programs of 
this nature, focusing on three areas of competency: (1) Provision of 
leadership and civic education programming; (2) age-appropriate 
programming for youth; and (3) prior work with individuals from the 
Middle East.
    Applicant organizations need to have the necessary capacity in Iraq 
through a branch office, a partner organization, or other affiliates 
that have the demonstrated ability to conduct the specified activities.
    In pursuit of the goals outlined above, the grant recipient will be 
responsible for implementing the following:
     Recruitment, screening, and selection of the Iraqi and 
American youth participants and Iraqi adult educators.
     Pre-departure and welcome orientations.
     Design and planning of substantive and well-organized 
activities in the United States on leadership development, civic 
education, and community service.
     Activities should be school and/or community-based, and 
the program will involve extensive interaction between Iraqis and 
Americans. The exchange will conclude with a civic education program in 
Washington, DC.
     Logistical arrangements, preparation of travel documents, 
homestay arrangements and other accommodation, provisions for religious 
observance, disbursement of stipends/per diem, and international and 
local travel.
     Follow-on activities designed to reinforce the ideas, 
values, and skills imparted during the U.S. program.
    Grant recipients will use the name ``Youth Leadership Program with 
Iraq'' to identify the program. All participants and alumni should 
identify themselves with the Youth Leadership Program (YLP).
    Proposals must demonstrate how the stated objectives will be met. 
The proposal narrative should provide detailed information on the major 
program activities, and applicants should explain and justify their 
programmatic choices. Programs must comply with J-1 visa regulations. 
Please refer to the complete Solicitation Package--this RFGP, the 
Project

[[Page 6198]]

Objectives, Goals, and Implementation (POGI), and the Proposal 
Submission Instructions (PSI)--for further information.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Grant Agreement.
    Fiscal Year Funds: 2009.
    Approximate Total Funding: $535,614.
    Approximate Number of Awards: One.
    Anticipated Award Date: August 1, 2009.
    Anticipated Project Completion Date: February 28, 2011.
    Additional Information: Pending successful implementation of this 
program and the availability of funds in subsequent fiscal years, it is 
ECA's intent to renew this grant for two additional fiscal years, 
before openly competing it again.

III. Eligibility Information

    III.1. Eligible Applicants: Applications may be submitted by public 
and private non-profit organizations meeting the provisions described 
in Internal Revenue Code section 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3).
    III.2. Cost Sharing or Matching Funds: There is no minimum or 
maximum percentage required for this competition. However, the Bureau 
encourages applicants to provide maximum levels of cost sharing and 
funding in support of its programs.
    When cost sharing is offered, it is understood and agreed that the 
applicant must provide the amount of cost sharing as stipulated in its 
proposal and later included in an approved agreement. Cost sharing may 
be in the form of allowable direct or indirect costs. For 
accountability, you must maintain written records to support all costs 
which are claimed as your contribution, as well as costs to be paid by 
the Federal government. Such records are subject to audit. The basis 
for determining the value of cash and in-kind contributions must be in 
accordance with OMB Circular A-110, (Revised), Subpart C.23--Cost 
Sharing and Matching. In the event you do not provide the minimum 
amount of cost sharing as stipulated in the approved budget, ECA's 
contribution will be reduced in like proportion.
    III.3. Other Eligibility Requirements: Bureau grant guidelines 
require that organizations with less than four years experience in 
conducting international exchanges be limited to $60,000 in Bureau 
funding. ECA anticipates making one award in an amount up to $535,614 
to support program and administrative costs required to implement this 
exchange program. Therefore, organizations with less than four years 
experience in conducting international exchanges at the time of 
application are not eligible to apply under this competition.

IV. Application and Submission Information

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

    IV.1. Contact Information to Request an Application Package: Please 
contact the Youth Division, Office of Citizen Exchanges, ECA/PE/C/PY, 
Room 568 U.S. Department of State, SA-44, 301 4th Street, SW., 
Washington, DC 20547, (202) 203-7505 to request a Solicitation Package. 
Please refer to the Funding Opportunity Number 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 Carolyn Lantz, Program Officer, and refer to the 
Funding Opportunity Number (ECA/PE/C/PY-09-27) 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 1-866-705-
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 January 7, 2009, all applicants for 
ECA federal assistance awards must include in their application the 
names of directors and/or senior executives (current officers, 
trustees, and key employees, regardless of amount of compensation). In 
fulfilling this requirement, applicants must submit information in one 
of the following ways:
    (1) Those who file Internal Revenue Service Form 990, ``Return of 
Organization Exempt From Income Tax,'' must include a copy of relevant 
portions of this form.
    (2) Those who do not file IRS Form 990 must submit information 
above in the format of their choice.
    In addition to final program reporting requirements, award 
recipients will also be required to submit a one-page document, derived 
from their program reports, listing and describing their grant 
activities. For award recipients, the names of directors and/or senior 
executives (current officers, trustees, and key employees), as well as 
the one-page description of grant activities, will be transmitted by 
the State Depatrment to OMB, along with other information required by 
the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA), and 
will be made available to the public by the Office of Management and 
Budget on its USASpending.gov website as part of ECA's FFATA reporting 
requirements.
    If your organization is a private nonprofit that 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.

[[Page 6199]]

    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 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 and 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;

[[Page 6200]]

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.
    IV.3d.4. For informational and planning purposes, we are informing 
all potential applicants that ECA is in the process of developing 
comprehensive approaches to alumni programming, web portal development 
supported through ECA assistance awards (grants/cooperative agreements) 
and the expansion of private/public partnerships to increase the reach 
of ECA's exchange programs. In the event your proposal is recommended 
for funding, you may receive additional guidance/information related to 
these topics during the negotiation stage of the approval process.
    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. Grant requests may not exceed $535,614. 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 refer to the Solicitation Package for complete budget 
guidelines and formatting instructions.
    IV.3f. Application Deadline and Methods of Submission:
    Application Deadline Date: Thursday, April 2, 2009.
    Reference Number: ECA/PE/C/PY-09-27.
    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 six 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/PY-09-27, Program Management, ECA/EX/PM, Room 
534, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547.
    With the submission of the proposal package, please also e-mail the 
Executive Summary, Proposal Narrative, and Budget sections of the 
proposal, as well as any essential attachments, in Microsoft Word and/
or Excel to the program officer at LantzCS@state.gov. The Bureau will 
provide these files electronically to the Public Affairs Section at the 
U.S. Embassy in Baghdad for its 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.

[[Page 6201]]

    It is the responsibility of all applicants submitting proposals via 
the Grants.gov web portal to ensure that proposals have been received 
by Grants.gov in their entirety, and ECA bears no responsibility for 
data errors resulting from transmission or conversion processes.
    IV.3g. Intergovernmental Review of Applications: Executive Order 
12372 does not apply to this program.

V. Application Review Information

    V.1. Review Process: The Bureau will review all proposals for 
technical eligibility. Proposals will be deemed ineligible if they do 
not fully adhere to the guidelines stated herein and in the 
Solicitation Package.
    All eligible proposals will be reviewed by the program office, as 
well as the Public Diplomacy section overseas, where appropriate. 
Eligible proposals will be subject to compliance with Federal and 
Bureau regulations and guidelines and forwarded to Bureau grant panels 
for advisory review. Proposals may also be reviewed by the Office of 
the Legal Adviser or by other Department elements. Final funding 
decisions are at the discretion of the Department of State's Assistant 
Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs. Final technical 
authority for assistance awards (grants) resides with the Bureau's 
Grants Officer.

Review Criteria

    Technically eligible applications will be competitively reviewed 
according to the criteria stated below:
    1. Quality of the program idea: The proposed program should be well 
developed, respond to design outlined in the solicitation, and 
demonstrate originality. It should be clearly and accurately written, 
substantive, and with sufficient detail. Proposals should exhibit 
originality, substance, precision, and relevance to the Bureau's 
mission.
    2. Program planning and ability to achieve program objectives: A 
detailed agenda and work plan should clearly demonstrate how project 
objectives will be achieved. The agenda and plan should adhere to the 
program overview and guidelines described above. The substance of 
workshops, seminars, presentations, school-based activities, and/or 
site visits should be described in detail. Objectives should be 
reasonable, feasible, and flexible. The proposal should clearly 
demonstrate how the institution will meet the program's objectives and 
plan.
    3. Support of diversity: The proposal should demonstrate the 
recipient's commitment to promoting the awareness and understanding of 
diversity in program content. Applicants should demonstrate readiness 
to accommodate participants with physical disabilities.
    4. Cross-cultural sensitivity and area expertise: Applicants must 
demonstrate their understanding of the region and should demonstrate 
sensitivity to participants' values, customs, and life experiences in 
the programming.
    5. Institutional capacity and track record: Proposed personnel and 
institutional resources should be adequate and appropriate to achieve 
the program goals. The proposal should demonstrate an institutional 
record, including responsible fiscal management and full compliance 
with all reporting requirements for past Bureau awards (grants or 
cooperative agreements) as determined by the Bureau's Grants Office. 
The Bureau will consider the past performance.
    6. Program evaluation: The proposal should include a plan to 
evaluate the activity's success, both as the activities unfold and at 
the end of the program. The proposal should include a draft survey 
questionnaire or other technique plus description of a methodology to 
use to link outcomes to original project objectives. The grant 
recipient will be expected to submit intermediate reports after each 
project component is concluded.
    7. Cost-effectiveness and cost sharing: The applicant should 
demonstrate efficient use of Bureau funds. 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. The proposal should maximize cost-sharing 
through other private sector support as well as institutional direct 
funding contributions, which demonstrates institutional and community 
commitment.

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.1b. Special Provision for Performance in a Designated Combat 
Area (Currently Iraq and Afghanistan) (December 2008): All Recipient 
personnel deploying to areas of combat operations, as designated by the 
Secretary of Defense (currently Iraq and Afghanistan), under assistance 
awards over $100,000 or performance over 14 days must register in the 
Department of Defense maintained Synchronized Pre-deployment and 
Operational Tracker (SPOT) system. Recipients of federal assistance 
awards shall register in SPOT before deployment, or if already in the 
designated operational area, register upon becoming an employee under 
the assistance award, and maintain current data in SPOT. Information on 
how to register in SPOT will be available from your Grants Officer or 
Grants Officer Representative during the final negotiation and approval 
stages in the federal assistance awards process. Recipients of federal 
assistance awards are advised that adherence to this policy and 
procedure will be a requirement of all final federal assistance awards 
issued by ECA.
    Recipient performance may require the use of armed private security 
personnel. To the extent that such private security contractors (PSCs) 
are required, grantees are required to ensure they adhere to Chief of 
Mission (COM) policies and procedures regarding the operation, 
oversight, and accountability of PSCs.
    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 websites for additional information:

[[Page 6202]]

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) Quarterly program and financial reports as required in the 
grant agreement;
    (2) A final program and financial report no more than 90 days after 
the expiration of the award;
    (3) A concise, one-page final program report summarizing program 
outcomes no more than 90 days after the expiration of the award. This 
one-page report will will be transmitted to OMB, and be made available 
to the public via OMB's USAspending.gov website--as part of ECA's 
Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA) reporting 
requirements.
    (4) A SF-PPR, ``Performance Progress Report'' Cover Sheet with all 
program reports.

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.

VII. Agency Contacts

    For questions about this announcement, contact: Carolyn Lantz, 
Program Officer, Youth Programs Division, Office of Citizen Exchanges, 
ECA/PE/C/PY, Room 568, U.S. Department of State, SA-44, 301 4th Street, 
SW., Washington, DC 20547, (202) 203-7505, LantzCS@State.gov.
    All correspondence with the Bureau concerning this RFGP should 
reference the above title and number ECA/PE/CPY-09-27.
    Please read the complete announcement before sending inquiries or 
submitting proposals. Once the RFGP deadline has passed, Bureau staff 
may not discuss this competition with applicants until the proposal 
review process has been completed.

VIII. Other Information

    Notice: The terms and conditions published in this RFGP are binding 
and may not be modified by any Bureau representative. Explanatory 
information provided by the Bureau that contradicts published language 
will not be binding. Issuance of the RFGP does not constitute an award 
commitment on the part of the Government. The Bureau reserves the right 
to reduce, revise, or increase proposal budgets in accordance with the 
needs of the program and the availability of funds. Awards made will be 
subject to periodic reporting and evaluation requirements per section 
VI.3 above.

    Dated: January 29, 2009.
C. Miller Crouch,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs, 
Department of State.
[FR Doc. E9-2473 Filed 2-4-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P