Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for Grant Proposals: 2009 Fellowships in the Arts: Documentary Filmmaking and Iraq Museum Residencies, 15817-15825 [E9-7849]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 65 (Tuesday, April 7, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15817-15825]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-7849]



[[Page 15817]]

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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 6569]


Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for 
Grant Proposals: 2009 Fellowships in the Arts: Documentary Filmmaking 
and Iraq Museum Residencies

    Announcement Type: New Cooperative Agreements.
    Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/PE/C/CU-09-49.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 00.000.
    Key Dates:
    Application Deadline: May 12, 2009.
    Executive Summary: The Cultural Programs Division of the Office of 
Citizen Exchanges in the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs 
announces an open competition for two Cooperative Agreements to support 
programs for short residency and training programs in the United States 
for emerging and mid-career documentary filmmakers from around the 
world and museum specialists from Iraq. The Bureau anticipates that 
approximately $900,000 will be available to support this competition. 
Grantees will design, develop, and implement 30-60 day programs in the 
United States for the selected participants, individually or in small 
groups. Each program should be built around a residency experience, 
which may be supplemented by other program elements designed to enhance 
and expand upon the activities of the residency.
    Proposed projects should transform institutional and individual 
understanding of key international, arts and/or cultural issues, foster 
dialogue, and develop professional expertise and leadership capacity. 
Projects should be structured to encourage American professionals and 
their international counterparts to develop a common dialogue for 
dealing with shared challenges and concerns.
    The Bureau is interested in receiving proposals from organizations 
with a strong interest, thematic expertise, institutional commitment, 
and a successful track-record in conducting international exchanges and 
in the specific thematic field their proposal addresses. Organizations 
that have the expertise, interest, and institutional commitment but 
lack the required experience of conducting exchanges may wish to 
consider developing proposals based on consortia type relationships 
with more experienced, eligible organizations. Please note that for 
these proposals, the role of each organization must be clearly defined 
and any sub-granting agreements must be included in the proposal 
submission.

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: This competition is based on the premise that people-to-
people exchanges encourage and strengthen understanding of democratic 
values and nurture the cultural and social growth of societies. Under 
this premise, the Bureau offers a new funding opportunity for 
organizations to develop short residency and training programs in the 
United States for emerging and mid-career documentary filmmakers from 
around the world and museum professionals from Iraq. Proposals that 
show strong prospects for enhancing existing long-term collaborations 
or establishing new collaborative efforts among participating 
organizations will be deemed more competitive under the program 
planning criterion listed below.
    The two project themes for which the Bureau will accept proposals 
under this competition are as follows: (1) Documentary Filmmaker 
Fellowship Program; and (2) Iraq Museum Professional Residency Program.
    Under this program, U.S. non-profit organizations will conduct 
projects in cooperation with the Bureau of Educational and Cultural 
Affairs, Cultural Programs Division on the themes listed above, with 
their counterparts abroad for each project theme. No guarantee is made 
or implied that cooperative agreements will be awarded in both themes.
    In addition to describing extensive expertise in the specific 
thematic area, proposals should reflect a practical understanding of 
global issues, and demonstrate sensitivity to cultural, political, 
economic, and social differences in the specific world regions in which 
the exchange project will occur. Special attention should be given to 
describing the applicant organization's experience with planning and 
implementing people-to-people international cultural exchange projects. 
Applicants should outline their project team's capacity for 
successfully implementing projects of this nature, provide a detailed 
sample program and time line to illustrate planning capacity and 
ability to achieve program objectives. Applicants must identify all 
U.S. and foreign partner organizations and/or venues with whom they are 
proposing to collaborate, and describe previous cooperative projects in 
the section on ``Institutional Capacity.'' For this competition, 
applicants must include in their proposal supporting materials or 
documentation that demonstrates a minimum of five years experience in 
conducting international arts exchange programs and four years 
experience in conducting exchange programs with the U.S. Government. 
Proposals must include references with name and contact information for 
other assistance awards the applicant has received in the event the 
Bureau chooses to be in touch directly.
    Proposals should acknowledge U.S. Embassy involvement in the 
participant nomination process and the Cultural Programs Division's 
(ECA/PE/C/CU) involvement in the final selection of all participants.
    For the 2009 Fellowships in the Arts, U.S. non-profit organizations 
may submit proposals for either one of the two--but not both--project 
themes and countries of exchange that are listed below. Please note 
that for additional information about this competition, a contact 
program officer at ECA is listed under each of the following two 
themes:
    1. Documentary Filmmaker Fellowship Program (not to exceed 
$400,000):
    Residency and Training cultural exchange for foreign emerging 
documentary filmmakers from countries to be determined by ECA/PE/C/CU.
    Program Contact: Susan Cohen, tel: (202) 203-7509, e-mail: 
CohenSL@state.gov with copy to: ProctorLF@state.gov.
    Project Goals:
    ECA seeks programs that will provide participants with in-depth 
exposure to their professional discipline as practiced in the U.S.; 
outreach to U.S. colleagues and publics, particularly youth, and; 
opportunities for creation and presentation of their work. ECA will 
select innovative programs for emerging or mid-career professionals in 
documentary filmmaking that will introduce them to the diversity of

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cultural expression in the United States; provide them with direct, 
hands-on experience with new techniques and technology in filmmaking; 
offer opportunities for interaction with U.S. filmmakers and other arts 
professionals; assist them with the development of their careers; 
familiarize them with the business aspects of documentary filmmaking, 
including measures to protect artists' rights, and; offer them 
opportunities to share their work with U.S. audiences. The Bureau is 
particularly interested in program components that will provide 
linkages between participants and public school students in the U.S.
    Proposals should provide programs for a group of twenty (20) 
participants. The proposal should describe the proposed program, 
explain how it reflects the diversity of U.S. culture, show how it 
responds to the needs and interests of artists coming from a variety of 
countries and backgrounds, and demonstrate how it responds to ECA's 
goals.
    Programs may be 30-60 days in length. Applicants should explain 
their rationale for the length of the program proposed. Programs should 
be centered on documentary filmmaking, should be customized to meet the 
needs and interests of the participants, and include the foreign 
program participants as peers of U.S. counterparts. Applicants should 
include other activities that will enhance the residency experience, 
including site visits; meetings with U.S. film directors, 
cinematographers, and other arts professionals; public presentations of 
program participants' work, and; workshops for U.S. youth and 
educators. All programs must include the opportunity for participants 
to create works and to share their creation with U.S. colleagues and 
the public, particularly youth. Program activities complementary to the 
residency may take place in one or more locations in the U.S. This 
project does not include program activities outside the U.S. 
Participation in university courses for credit may not be included in 
proposals and participation in conferences will be considered only if 
it is clearly relevant to the professional background of the 
participants and represents only a small part of the overall program. 
Programs that exclusively involve participation in `off-the-shelf' 
summer institutes or other pre-structured training situations are not 
acceptable and will not be funded.
    The Bureau encourages public presentation of participants' 
documentary films and recognizes its value to mutual understanding. 
Proposals should therefore include opportunities for presentations and 
for public programs, such as panel discussions, and other avenues for 
program participants to discuss their work with U.S. audiences. 
Programming with U.S. public schools and/or other educational 
institutions is strongly encouraged.
    Proposals should include a sample program with day-by-day 
schedules. An orientation session in Washington, D.C. must be included 
that provides general information about U.S. society and an opportunity 
for ECA to meet and brief newly arrived participants. A post-program 
event, at a site to be determined by grantee, that provides the 
opportunity for presentation of newly created documentaries and a de-
briefing session must also be included.
    Participants:
    Program participants will be emerging or mid-career professional 
documentary filmmakers, generally aged 20-40 years from around the 
world. They should have also demonstrated a commitment to their 
profession as well as to positively influencing their communities, 
particularly minorities and youth. In general, participants will not 
have extensive or recent experience in the U.S. ECA intends that the 
program be highly competitive and that a final selection of nominations 
will result in a diverse mix of participants from a variety of 
countries.
    Applicants must state that they are prepared to work with program 
participants from any country or region determined by ECA. ECA will 
determine the priority or target countries for recruitment of program 
participants. It is unlikely that the Bureau will include countries 
whose artistic film community has substantial and ongoing contact with 
its counterpart in the U.S., such as Western Europe. Potential program 
participants must have a working knowledge of English sufficient to 
carry out the residency program without interpretation.
    Participant Selection:
    Foreign participants will be nominated in two ways: By the 
Department of State through a call for nominations from U.S. Embassies 
and posts, and; by the grantee organization, which will utilize its own 
network of contacts overseas (including film industry, film 
associations) and its own resources (such as U.S. filmmakers) to make a 
concurrent call for nominations. All participant applications will be 
reviewed by a panel organized and convoked by the grantee organization 
and consisting of artists and art professionals, and an ECA 
representative as an observer. Procedures for the nomination, selection 
of participants, and panel members must be detailed in the proposal. 
ECA will review and approve nominees prior to and following panel 
consideration.
    Successful programs will achieve the following:

--Enhance participant professional capacity.
--Provide participants with an appreciation and a greater understanding 
and respect for diverse cultures--focusing specifically on U.S. society 
and culture. Provide them a greater understanding of the similarities, 
including shared values between the U.S. and the foreign countries.
--Provide participants an understanding of how international cultural 
exchange and networking can positively influence their lives and those 
of others and provide them the tools to accomplish successful 
networking.
--Provide a platform for dialogue and development of enduring 
professional ties between U.S. contacts and foreign participants, as 
well as among foreign participants.
--Enhance participant leadership capacity and their ability to initiate 
and support follow-on activities in their home countries intended.

    Successful applicants must fully demonstrate a capacity to achieve 
the following:
    (1) Work jointly with foreign and U.S. partners and/or contacts to 
design, develop, and execute a multi-regional documentary film 
residency program of professional development, artistic enrichment and 
cross-cultural dialogue that achieves the goals described above.
    (2) Identify, screen, recruit, and select twenty (20) foreign 
documentary filmmakers from specified countries fitting the above 
description.
    (3) Provide a sound infrastructure for coordination and 
implementation of the entire program. This refers to both substantive 
and administrative components of the program, including but not limited 
to: Fellowship and workshop content and organization, travel, housing, 
orientation, and visa applications. Successful applicants will also 
have U.S. partners able and willing to provide cost-sharing (including 
in-kind) in order to help cover program costs.
    (4) Design, build, and implement intensive 30-60 day professional 
residency filmmaking program in the U.S. that will achieve program 
objectives.
    (5) Develop enhancement activities and opportunities that reinforce 
program goals after the participants

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return to their home countries. Follow-on components could be public 
presentations of films by program participants. Applicants are directed 
to review the PSI for additional information on this criterion.
    (6) Provide to ECA/PE/C/CU at the conclusion of the program a Web-
ready package that will showcase participants' involvement in the 
program as well as feature the artistic product of their residency.
    ECA expects that this project will lead to greater artist-to-artist 
and institution-to-institution contact as well as collaboration across 
international borders. Proposals should describe mechanisms for 
measuring, supporting, and enhancing this cooperation during the grant 
period and beyond.
    In the cooperative agreement, ECA/PE/C/CU is substantially involved 
in program activities above and beyond routine monitoring. ECA/PE/C/CU 
responsibilities for this program are as follows:
    [dec221] ECA/PE/C/CU will make a final decision regarding countries 
for recruitment of program participants.
    [dec221] Embassies will be one channel for nominations of program 
participants. Grantee may propose names for consideration by Embassy 
Public Affairs Sections and will have the opportunity to review the 
biographic information submitted and advise if a specific nominee does 
not appear to have attained an appropriate professional level of 
expertise.
    [dec221] ECA/PE/C/CU will participate in selection of final 
participants for the program.
    [dec221] ECA/PE/C/CU will review the proposed residency, 
orientation and de-briefing program schedules and provide final 
approval.
    [dec221] ECA/PE/C/CU will issue DS-2019s needed for travel to the 
U.S. under the J visa program.
    [dec221] Following return to their home countries, Embassies will 
showcase the participating filmmakers and their work developed during 
or resulting from their experience in the U.S.
    2. Iraq Museum Professional Residency Program (not to exceed 
$500,000):
    Residency and Training cultural exchange for Iraqi museum 
professionals.
    Program Contact: Alan Cross, tel: (202) 203-7497, e-mail: 
CrossA@state.gov with copy to: BrooksMM@state.gov.
    Project Description:
    ECA seeks an organization to design and implement residency 
programs that will provide museum professionals from Iraq with in-depth 
exposure to their professional discipline as practiced in the U.S.; 
outreach to U.S. colleagues and publics, and; opportunities for 
increasing mutual understanding between the people of Iraq and the 
United States. This residency program is an integral component of the 
`Iraq Cultural Heritage Project' (ICHP), which constitutes ECA's major 
commitment to that country's cultural heritage. Over a period of three 
years, approximately 50 emerging and mid-career Iraqi museum 
professionals will participate in approximately 50 residencies in the 
United States designed to increase their expertise in collections 
management, cultural heritage conservation, digital collections/tools, 
museum administration, community engagement, and institutional capacity 
building. The programs will also be expected to introduce them to the 
diversity of cultural expression in the United States; provide them 
with direct, hands-on experience with new techniques and technology in 
their field; offer them opportunities for interaction with U.S. museum 
professionals; familiarize them with related fields, including private/
public partnerships, volunteerism, and new technologies, and; offer 
them opportunities to share their work with U.S. audiences.
    Programs will range from 30-60 days in length and will be custom 
designed by the grantee organization based on input from ECA and/or ECA 
partners. Residency programs will generally be sought for individual 
museum professionals, but could also be requested for a defined small 
group of museum professionals.
    Proposals should include sample programs with day-by-day schedules 
for a 30-day residency. An orientation session must be included that 
will provide participants with general information about the United 
States, its form of government, society and culture. A post-program 
session in Washington, DC must also be included, providing the 
possibility for de-briefing. When possible and practicable, orientation 
and de-briefing sessions should take place in groups in order to make 
best use of resources.
    The project will entail working with ECA and/or its designated 
partners in planning and scheduling all events, including:
    [dec221] Arranging all air travel (domestic and international) and 
local transportation;
    [dec221] Oversight of arrivals and departures (international and/or 
domestic);
    [dec221] Preparation of briefing materials for participants;
    [dec221] Designing and planning residencies as well as additional 
activities;
    [dec221] Coordinating escorts as necessary;
    [dec221] Arranging payment for all costs related to the residency 
program, including those incurred by residency hosts (museums or other 
identified civic spaces), per diem and lodging for participants; 
educational materials, equipments or supplies; etc.
    Program activities complementary to the residency may take place in 
one or more locations in the U.S. This project does not include program 
activities outside the U.S. Participation in university courses for 
credit may not be included in proposals and participation in 
conferences will be considered only if it is clearly relevant to the 
professional background of the participants and represents only a small 
part of the overall program. Programs that exclusively involve 
participation in `off-the-shelf' summer institutes or other pre-
structured training situations are not acceptable and will not be 
funded.
    Any key U.S. partner institutions should be identified and letters 
of support should be provided in the proposal.
    Participants:
    Program participants will be emerging and mid-career museum 
professionals, generally aged 20-40 years from Iraq. They will have 
various levels of experience in the museum field and, in general, will 
not have extensive experience in the United States.
    Potential program participants must have a working knowledge of 
English sufficient to carry out the residency program without 
interpretation.
    Participant Nomination and Selection:
    Foreign participants will be nominated through different channels, 
and will include but are not limited to: Successful participants from 
other ICHP projects, nominees from the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, and 
nominees from other USG and Iraqi partners. Grantee may also propose 
names for consideration by the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. 
Embassy in Baghdad. Final selection of participants will be made by 
ECA.
    Successful programs will achieve the following:

--Enhance participant professional capacity.
--Provide a platform for dialogue and development of enduring 
professional ties between U.S. contacts and foreign participants, as 
well as among foreign participants.
--Enhance participant leadership capacity and their ability to initiate

[[Page 15820]]

and support follow-on activities in their home countries intended.
--Provide participants with an appreciation and a greater understanding 
and respect for diverse cultures--focusing specifically on U.S. society 
and culture. Provide them a greater understanding of the similarities, 
including shared values between the U.S. and Iraq.
--Provide participants an understanding of how international cultural 
exchange and networking can positively influence their lives and those 
of others and provide them the tools to accomplish successful 
networking.

    Successful applicants must fully demonstrate a capacity to achieve 
the following:
    (1) Work jointly with foreign and U.S. partners and/or contacts to 
design, develop, and execute a variety of museum residency programs for 
professional development, artistic enrichment and cross-cultural 
dialogue that achieve the goals described above.
    (2) Provide a sound infrastructure for coordination and 
implementation of the entire program. This refers to both substantive 
and administrative components of the program, including but not limited 
to: Fellowship and workshops content and organization, international 
and domestic travel, housing, orientation, and visa applications. 
Successful applicants will also have U.S. partners able and willing to 
provide cost-sharing (including in-kind) in order to help cover program 
costs.
    (3) Design, build, and implement intensive 30-60 day museum 
residency programs in the U.S. that will achieve program objectives.
    (4) Develop enhancement activities and opportunities that reinforce 
program goals after the participants return to their home countries. 
Follow-on components could be public presentations by program 
participants. Applicants are encouraged to review the PSI for 
additional information regarding this criterion.
    (5) Show understanding of the challenges of collaboration in the 
design and implementation of the residency programs and propose means 
for addressing them.
    ECA expects that this project will lead to greater person-to-person 
and institution-to-institution contact as well as collaboration across 
international borders. Proposals should describe mechanisms for 
measuring, supporting and enhancing this cooperation during the grant 
period and beyond.
    In the cooperative agreement, ECA/PE/C/CU is substantially involved 
in program activities above and beyond routine monitoring. ECA/PE/C/CU 
responsibilities for this program are as follows:
    [dec222] ECA/PE/C/CU will make the final determination of program 
participants. Participants will be nominated as stated previously.
    [dec222] ECA/PE/C/CU will review the proposed residencies, 
orientation and de-briefing program schedules, and provide final 
approval.
    [dec222] Where applicable, ECA/PE/C/CU will issue DS-2019s needed 
for travel to the U.S. under the J visa program.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Cooperative Agreements. ECA's level of involvement 
in this program is listed under number I above.
    Fiscal Year Funds: FY-2009.
    Approximate Total Funding: $900,000.
    Approximate Number of Awards: 2.
    Approximate Average Award:
    Project 1: $400,000.
    Project 2: $500,000.
    Anticipated Award Date: September 1, 2009.
    Anticipated Project Completion Dates: December 30, 2010 for 
documentary residency; December 30, 2012 for Iraq museum residency.

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 USC 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) 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 two 
separate awards, in amounts up to $500,000 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) Proposals must demonstrate that an applicant has an established 
resource base of programming contacts and the ability to keep this 
resource base continuously updated. This resource base should include 
but is not limited to thematically related institutions (e.g., film 
organizations and museums), speakers, thematic specialists, and 
practitioners in a wide range of professional fields in both private 
and public sectors.
    (c) Technical Eligibility: All proposals must comply with the list 
of requirements below or they will result in your proposal being 
declared technically ineligible and given no further consideration in 
the review process:

-- Applicants may only submit one proposal under this open competition. 
Submission of more than one proposal per applicant under this open 
competition will render all proposals by the applicant technically 
ineligible and will not receive further consideration in the review 
process.
-- Proposals for Project 2 (Iraq Museum Professionals Residency 
program) that contain any other country will be considered technically 
ineligible, and will not receive further consideration in the review 
process.
-- For this competition, all eligible organizations must demonstrate a 
minimum of five years' experience successfully conducting international 
arts exchange programs that involved the exchange of participants, as 
well as at least four years' experience successfully conducting 
international programs with the U.S. Government.
-- Key U.S. partner institutions and their roles in the project must be 
identified and letters of support provided in the proposal.

[[Page 15821]]

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 Cultural Programs Division of the Office of 
Citizens' Exchanges of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, 
ECA/PE/P/CU, Room 569, U.S. Department of State, SA-44, 301 4th Street, 
SW., Washington, DC 20547, 202-703-7488, fax: 202-203-7525, 
ProctorLM@state.gov, to request a Solicitation Package. Please refer to 
the Funding Opportunity Number ECA/PE/C/CU-09-49 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 Susan Cohen and refer to the Funding Opportunity 
Number ECA/PE/C/CU-09-49 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 1-866-705-
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 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 Department 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 Web site as part of ECA's FFATA reporting 
requirements.
    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 award recipients 
and sponsors to all regulations governing the J visa. Therefore, 
proposals should demonstrate the applicant's capacity to meet all 
requirements governing the administration of the Exchange Visitor 
Programs as set forth in 22 CFR 62, including the oversight of 
Responsible Officers and Alternate Responsible Officers, screening and 
selection of program participants, provision of pre-arrival information 
and orientation to participants, monitoring of participants, proper 
maintenance and security of forms, record-keeping, reporting and other 
requirements.
    ECA/PE/C/CU 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.

[[Page 15822]]

    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.
    IV.3d.4 Describe your plans for: i.e. Sustainability, overall 
program management, staffing, coordination with ECA and PAS or any 
other requirements, etc.
    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. Budget requests may not exceed $400,000 for project 1 
or $500,000 for project 2. There must be a summary budget as well as 
breakdowns reflecting both administrative and program budgets. 
Applicants may provide separate sub-budgets for each program component, 
phase, location, or activity to provide clarification.
    IV.3e.2 Allowable costs for the program include the following:
    (1) Lodging, per diem, and other expenses related to foreign 
participation in residency programs;
    (2) Design and implementation of residency program (including, as 
appropriate, staff, administrative expenses, educational expenses, 
supplies, equipment, production costs for filmmaking project, 
orientation and de-briefing costs, etc.);
    (3) International and domestic travel and transportation;
    (4) Other costs related to programs complementary to the residency 
program, including presentations to public schools, panels, etc.
    Please refer to the Solicitation Package for complete budget 
guidelines and formatting instructions.
    IV.3f. Application Deadline and Methods of Submission:
    Application Deadline Date: May 12, 2009.
    Reference Number: ECA/PE/C/CU-09-49.
    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., Federal Express, UPS, Airborne Express, or U.S. Postal 
Service Express Overnight Mail, etc.), or
    (2) Electronically through https://www.grants.gov.

    Please Note:  ECA strongly encourages organizations interested 
in applying for this competition to submit printed, hard copy 
applications as outlined in section IV.3f.1., below rather than 
submitting electronically through Grants.gov. This recommendation is 
being made as a result of the anticipated high volume of grant 
proposals that will be submitted via the Grants.gov Web portal as 
part of the Recovery Act stimulus package. As stated in these RFGPs, 
ECA bears no responsibility for data errors resulting from 
transmission or conversion processes for proposals submitted via 
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

[[Page 15823]]

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 nine (9) 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/CU-09-49, 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 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 
its(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 Note:
    ECA strongly encourages organizations interested in applying for 
this competition to submit printed, hard copy applications as 
outlined in section IV.3f.1. above, rather than submitting 
electronically through Grants.gov. This recommendation is being made 
as a result of the anticipated high volume of grant proposals that 
will be submitted via the Grants.gov Web portal as part of the 
Recovery Act stimulus package. As stated in these RFGPs, ECA bears 
no responsibility for data errors resulting from transmission or 
conversion processes for proposals submitted via Grants.gov.

    Please follow the instructions available in the ``Get Started'' 
portion of the site (https://www.grants.gov/GetStarted.
    Several of the steps in the Grants.gov registration process could 
take several weeks. Therefore, applicants should check with appropriate 
staff within their organizations immediately after reviewing this RFGP 
to confirm or determine their registration status with Grants.gov.
    Once registered, the amount of time it can take to upload an 
application will vary depending on a variety of factors including the 
size of the application and the speed of your Internet connection. In 
addition, validation of an electronic submission via Grants.gov can 
take up to two business days.
    Therefore, we strongly recommend that you not wait until the 
application deadline to begin the submission process through 
Grants.gov.
    The Grants.gov Web site includes extensive information on all 
phases/aspects of the Grants.gov process, including an extensive 
section on frequently asked questions, located under the ``For 
Applicants'' section of the Web site. ECA strongly recommends that all 
potential applicants review 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: grants.gov">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.
    Optional--IV.3f. You may also state here any limitations on the 
number of applications that an applicant may submit and make it clear 
whether the limitation is on the submitting organization, individual 
program director or both.
    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 (cooperative agreements) resides with the Bureau's 
Grants Officer.
    Review Criteria:
    Technically eligible applications will be competitively reviewed 
according to the criteria stated below. These criteria are not rank 
ordered and all carry equal weight in the proposal evaluation:
    1. Program planning: Detailed agenda and relevant work plan should 
demonstrate substantive undertakings and logistical capacity. Agenda 
and plan should adhere to the program overview and guidelines described 
above.
    2. Ability to Achieve Program Objectives: Objectives should be 
reasonable, feasible, and flexible. Proposals should clearly 
demonstrate how the institution will meet the program's objectives and 
plan.
    3. 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 program content 
(orientation and wrap-up sessions, program meetings, resource materials 
and follow-up activities).

[[Page 15824]]

    4. Institutional Capacity: Proposed personnel and institutional 
resources should be adequate and appropriate to achieve the program or 
project's goals.
    5. Institution's Record/Ability: Proposals should demonstrate an 
institutional record of successful exchange programs, including 
responsible fiscal management and full compliance with all reporting 
requirements for past Bureau awards (grants or cooperative agreements) 
as determined by Bureau Grants Staff. The Bureau will consider the past 
performance of prior recipients and the demonstrated potential of new 
applicants.
    6. Project Evaluation: Proposals should include a plan to evaluate 
the activity's success, both as the activities unfold and at the end of 
the program. A draft survey questionnaire or other technique plus 
description of a methodology to use to link outcomes to original 
project objectives is recommended.
    7. 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.
    Proposals should maximize cost-sharing through other private sector 
support as well as institutional direct funding contributions.

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 The following additional requirements apply to this project:
    A critical component of current U.S. government Iran policy is the 
support for indigenous Iranian voices. The State Department has made 
the awarding of grants for this purpose a key component of its Iran 
policy. As a condition of licensing these activities, the Office of 
Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has requested the Department of State to 
follow certain procedures to effectuate the goals of Sections 481(b), 
531(a), 571, 582, and 635(b) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (as 
amended); 18 U.S.C. Sec. Sec.  2339A and 2339B; Executive Order 13224; 
and Homeland Security Presidential Directive 6. These licensing 
conditions mandate that the Department conduct a vetting of potential 
Iran grantees and sub-grantees for counter-terrorism purposes. To 
conduct this vetting the Department will collect information from 
grantees and sub-grantees regarding the identity and background of 
their key employees and Boards of Directors.

    Note: To assure that planning for the inclusion of Iran complies 
with requirements, please contact Jill Staggs--Iran Coordinator at 
202-203-7500 or StaggsJJ@state.gov, for additional information.

    All awards made under this competition must be executed according 
to all relevant U.S. laws and policies regarding assistance to the 
Palestinian Authority, and to the West Bank and Gaza. Organizations 
must consult with relevant Public Affairs Offices before entering into 
any formal arrangements or agreements with Palestinian organizations or 
institutions.

    Note: To assure that planning for the inclusion of the 
Palestinian Authority complies with requirements, please contact 
Jill Staggs--at 202-203-7500 or StaggsJJ@state.gov for additional 
information.

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 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 nine (9) 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.
    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.

[[Page 15825]]

    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: Susan Cohen, 
Cultural Programs Division, ECA/PE/C/CU, Room 568, ECA/PE/C/CU-09-49, 
U.S. Department of State, SA-44, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 
20547, 202-203-7509, fax: 202-203-7525, CohenSL@state.gov.
    All correspondence with the Bureau concerning this RFGP should 
reference the above title and number ECA/PE/C/CU-09-49.
    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: March 31, 2009.
C. Miller Crouch,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs, 
Department of State.
[FR Doc. E9-7849 Filed 4-6-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P