Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for Grant Proposals: FY-2010 Study of the United States Institutes for Scholars, 48797-48803 [E9-23108]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 184 (Thursday, September 24, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48797-48803]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-23108]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 6768]


Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for 
Grant Proposals: FY-2010 Study of the United States Institutes for 
Scholars

    Announcement Type: New Cooperative Agreement.
    Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/A/E/USS-10-02-04.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 19.401.

Key Dates

    Application Deadline: December 3, 2009.
    Executive Summary: The Branch for the Study of the United States, 
Office of Academic Exchange Programs, Bureau of Educational and 
Cultural Affairs, invites proposal submissions for the design and 
implementation of three Study of the United States Institutes to take 
place over the course of six weeks beginning in June 2010. These 
Institutes should provide a multinational group of experienced 
educators with a deeper understanding of U.S. society, culture, values, 
and institutions.
    Two of these Institutes will be for groups of 18 foreign university 
level faculty, focusing on U.S. Culture and Society, and Journalism and 
Media. The third Institute will be a general survey course on the study 
of the United States for a group of 30 foreign secondary educators.
    Applicants may propose to host only one Institute listed under this 
competition. Should an applicant submit multiple proposals under this 
competition, all proposals will be declared technically ineligible and

[[Page 48798]]

given no further consideration in the review process.

I. Funding Opportunity Description

Authority

    Overall grant making authority for this program is contained in the 
Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961, Public Law 87-
256, as amended, also known as the Fulbright-Hays Act. The purpose of 
the Act is ``to enable the Government of the United States to increase 
mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the 
people of other countries* * *; to strengthen the ties which unite us 
with other nations by demonstrating the educational and cultural 
interests, developments, and achievements of the people of the United 
States and other nations* * *and thus to assist in the development of 
friendly, sympathetic and peaceful relations between the United States 
and the other countries of the world.'' The funding authority for the 
program above is provided through legislation.
    Purpose: Study of the United States Institutes are intensive 
academic programs whose purpose is to provide foreign university 
faculty, secondary educators, and other scholars the opportunity to 
deepen their understanding of American society, culture, and 
institutions. The ultimate goal is to strengthen curricula and to 
improve the quality of teaching about the United States in academic 
institutions abroad.
    The Bureau is seeking detailed proposals for three different Study 
of the United States Institutes from U.S. colleges, universities, and 
other not-for-profit academic organizations that have an established 
reputation in a field or discipline related to the specific program 
themes.
    Overview: Each program should be six weeks in length; participants 
will spend approximately four weeks at the host institution, and 
approximately two weeks on the educational study tour, including two to 
three days in Washington, DC, at the conclusion of the Institute. The 
educational travel component should directly complement the academic 
program, and should include visits to cities and other sites of 
interest in the region around the awardee institution, as well as to 
another geographic region of the country. The awardee institution also 
will be expected to provide participants with guidance and resources 
for further investigation and research on the topics and issues 
examined during the institute after they return home.
    The Study of the U.S. Institute on U.S. Culture and Society should 
provide a multinational group of 18 experienced and highly-motivated 
foreign university faculty and other specialists with a deeper 
understanding of U.S. society, culture, values, and institutions. The 
Institute should examine the ethnic, racial, economic, political, and 
religious contexts in which various cultures have manifested themselves 
in U.S. society, and the ways in which these cultures have influenced 
both social movements and historical epochs throughout U.S. history. 
The program should draw from a diverse disciplinary base, and should 
itself provide a model of how a foreign university might approach the 
study of U.S. culture and society. One award of up to $290,000 will 
support this Institute.
    The Study of the U.S. Institute on Journalism and Media should 
provide a multinational group of 18 experienced and highly-motivated 
foreign journalism instructors and other related specialists with a 
deeper understanding of the roles that journalism and the media play in 
U.S. society. The Institute should examine the rights and 
responsibilities of the media in a democratic society, including 
editorial independence, journalistic ethics, legal constraints, foreign 
policy issues, and media business models. The Institute should include 
strategies for teaching students of journalism the basics of the 
tradecraft: researching, reporting, writing, and editing. The program 
should also highlight technology's impact on journalism, addressing the 
influence of the Internet, the globalization of the news media, the 
growth of satellite television and radio networks, and other advances 
in media that are transforming the profession. One award of up to 
$290,000 will support this Institute.
    The Study of the U.S. Institute for Secondary Educators should 
provide a multinational group of 30 experienced secondary school 
educators (teachers, teacher trainers, curriculum developers, textbook 
writers, or education ministry officials) with a deeper understanding 
of U.S. society, education, and culture--past and present. The 
Institute should be organized around a central theme or themes in U.S. 
civilization and should have a strong contemporary component. Through a 
combination of traditional, multi-disciplinary, and interdisciplinary 
approaches, program content should be imaginatively integrated in order 
to elucidate the history and evolution of U.S. educational institutions 
and values, broadly defined. The program should also serve to 
illuminate contemporary political, social, and economic debates in 
American society. One award of up to $360,000 will support this 
Institute.
    Program Design: Each Study of the U.S. Institute should be designed 
as an intensive, academically rigorous seminar for an experienced group 
of educators from abroad. Each Institute should be organized through an 
integrated series of lectures, readings, seminar discussions, and 
regional travel and site visits, and also should include sessions that 
expose participants to U.S. pedagogical philosophy and practice for 
teaching the discipline. Each Institute also should include some 
opportunity for limited but well-directed independent research.
    Applicants are encouraged to design thematically coherent programs 
in ways that draw upon the particular strengths, faculty, and resources 
of their institutions as well as upon the nationally recognized 
expertise of scholars and other experts throughout the United States.
    Participants: Participants will be nominated by U.S. Embassies and 
Fulbright Commissions from all regions of the world, with final 
selection made by the Bureau's Branch for the Study of the United 
States. Every effort will be made to select a balanced mix of male and 
female participants. Participants will be diverse in terms of age, 
professional position, and experience abroad. All participants will 
have a good knowledge of English.
    Participants may come from educational institutions where the study 
of the United States is relatively well-developed, or they may be 
pioneers in this field at their home institutions. Some participants 
may not have visited the United States previously, while others may 
have had sustained professional contact with American scholars and 
American scholarship as well as prior study and travel experience in 
the U.S. In all cases, participants will be accomplished teachers and 
scholars who will be prepared to participate in an intellectually 
rigorous academic seminar that offers a collegial atmosphere conducive 
to the exchange of ideas.
    Program Dates: The Institutes should be a maximum of 44 days in 
length (including participant arrival and departure days) and should 
begin by June 2010.
    Program Guidelines: While the conception and structure of the 
Institute agenda is the responsibility of the organizers, it is 
essential that proposals provide a detailed and comprehensive narrative 
describing the objectives of the Institute; the title, scope and 
content of each session; planned site visits; and

[[Page 48799]]

how each session relates to the overall institute theme. Proposals must 
include a syllabus that indicates the subject matter for each lecture, 
panel discussion, group presentation, or other activity. The syllabus 
also should confirm or provisionally identify proposed speakers, 
trainers, and session leaders, and clearly show how assigned readings 
will advance the goals of each session. Overall, proposals will be 
reviewed on the basis of their responsiveness to RFGP criteria, 
coherence, clarity, and attention to detail. The accompanying Project 
Objectives, Goals, and Implementation (POGI) document provides program-
specific guidelines that all proposals must address fully.

    Please Note: In a cooperative agreement, the Branch for the 
Study of the United States is substantially involved in program 
activities above and beyond routine grant monitoring. The Branch 
will assume the following responsibilities for the Institute: 
Participate in the selection of participants; oversee the Institute 
through one or more site visits; debrief participants in Washington, 
DC at the conclusion of the Institute; and engage in follow-on 
communication with the participants after they return to their home 
countries. The Branch may request that the awardee institution make 
modifications to the academic residency and/or educational travel 
components of the program. The recipient will be required to obtain 
approval of significant program changes in advance of their 
implementation.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Cooperative Agreement. ECA's level of involvement in 
this program is listed under number I above.
    Fiscal Year Funds: FY 2010.
    Approximate Total Funding: $920,000.
    Approximate Number of Awards: Three (3).
    Approximate Average Award: Two awards of $290,000 for 18 
participants each; one award of $360,000 for 30 participants.
    Floor of Award Range: $290,000.
    Ceiling of Award Range: $360,000.
    Anticipated Award Date: Pending availability of funds, March 1, 
2010.
    Anticipated Project Completion Date: March 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 cooperative agreement 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

    (a.) Bureau grant guidelines require that organizations with fewer 
than four years experience in conducting international exchanges be 
limited to $60,000 in Bureau funding. ECA anticipates making three 
awards, two in an amount up to $290,000, and in one in an amount up to 
$360,000 to support the program and administrative costs required to 
implement this exchange program. Therefore, organizations with fewer 
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.) Technical Eligibility: It is the Bureau's intent to award 
three separate cooperative agreements to three different institutions 
under this competition. Therefore prospective applicants may submit 
only one proposal under this competition. All applicants must comply 
with this requirement. Should an applicant submit multiple proposals 
under this competition, all proposals will be declared technically 
ineligible and given no further consideration in the review process.

IV. Application and Submission Information

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

IV.1. Contact Information To Request an Application Package

    Please contact the Branch for the Study of the United States, ECA/
A/E/USS, Fourth Floor, U.S. Department of State, SA-5, 2200 C Street, 
NW., Washington, DC 20522-0504, (202) 632-3340 to request a 
Solicitation Package. Please refer to the Funding Opportunity Number 
ECA/A/E/USS-10-02-04 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 Brendan M. Walsh and refer to the Funding 
Opportunity Number ECA/A/E/USS-10-02-04 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.

[[Page 48800]]

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 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, recordkeeping, reporting and other 
requirements.
    ECA will be responsible for issuing DS-2019 forms to participants 
in this program.
    A copy of the complete regulations governing the administration of 
Exchange Visitor (J) programs is available at https://exchanges.state.gov or from: United States Department of State, Office 
of Exchange Coordination and Designation, Office of Designation, ECA/
EC/D, SA-5, Floor C2, Department of State, Washington, DC 20522-0582.
    Please refer to Solicitation Package for further information.

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

    Pursuant to the Bureau's authorizing legislation, programs must 
maintain a non-political character and should be balanced and 
representative of the diversity of American political, social, and 
cultural life. ``Diversity'' should be interpreted in the broadest 
sense and encompass differences including, but not limited to 
ethnicity, race, gender, religion, geographic location, socio-economic 
status, and disabilities. Applicants are strongly encouraged to adhere 
to the advancement of this principle both in program administration and 
in program content. Please refer to the review criteria under the 
`Support for Diversity' section for specific suggestions on 
incorporating diversity into your proposal. Public Law 104-319 provides 
that ``in carrying out programs of educational and cultural exchange in 
countries whose people do not fully enjoy freedom and democracy,'' the 
Bureau ``shall take appropriate steps to provide opportunities for 
participation in such programs to human rights and democracy leaders of 
such countries.'' Public Law 106-113 requires that the governments of 
the countries described above do not have inappropriate influence in 
the selection process. Proposals should reflect advancement of these 
goals in their program contents, to the full extent deemed feasible.

IV.3d.3. Program Monitoring and Evaluation

    Proposals must include a plan to monitor and evaluate the project's 
success, both as the activities unfold and at the end of the program. 
The Bureau recommends that your proposal include a draft survey 
questionnaire or other technique plus a description of a methodology to 
use to link outcomes to original project objectives. The Bureau expects 
that the 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

[[Page 48801]]

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.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 for either of the two scholar 
institutes may not exceed $290,000, and administrative costs should be 
no more than approximately $95,000. Budget requests for the Institute 
for Secondary Educators may not exceed $360,000, and administrative 
costs should be no more than approximately $110,000. There must be a 
summary budget as well as breakdowns reflecting both administrative and 
program budgets. Applicants may provide separate sub-budgets for each 
program component, phase, location, or activity to provide 
clarification.
    IV.3e.2. Allowable costs for the program include the following:
    (1) Institute staff salary and benefits
    (2) Participant housing and meals
    (3) Participant travel and per diem
    (4) Textbooks, educational materials, and admissions fees
    (5) Honoraria for guest speakers
    (6) Follow-on programming for alumni of Study of the United States 
programs.
    Please refer to the Solicitation Package for complete budget 
guidelines and formatting instructions.

IV.3f. Application Deadline and Methods of Submission

    Application Deadline Date: December 3, 2009.
    Reference Number: ECA/A/E/USS-10-02-04.
    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 this RFGP, 
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 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 (6) copies of the application should be sent 
to: Program Management Division, ECA-IIP/EX/PM, Ref.: ECA/A/E/USS-10-
02-04, SA-5, Floor 4, Department of State, 2200 C Street, NW., 
Washington, DC 20522-0504.
    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 CD.

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 webportal as 
part of the Recovery Act stimulus package. As stated in this RFGP, 
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

[[Page 48802]]

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.3 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 
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. Quality of Program Plan and Ability to Achieve Program 
Objectives: Proposals should exhibit originality, substance, precision, 
and relevance to the Bureau's mission. A detailed agenda and relevant 
work plan should demonstrate substantive undertakings and logistical 
capacity. Objectives should be reasonable, feasible, and flexible. 
Proposals should demonstrate clearly how the institution will meet the 
program's objectives and plan.
    2. Support for Diversity: Proposals should demonstrate substantive 
support of the Bureau's policy on diversity. Achievable and relevant 
features should be cited in both program administration (program venue 
and program evaluation) and program content (orientation and wrap-up 
sessions, program meetings, presenters, and resource materials).
    3. Evaluation and Follow-Up: 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 a description of a methodology to use to link outcomes to original 
project objectives is strongly recommended. Proposals also should 
discuss provisions made for follow-up with returned participants as a 
means of establishing longer-term individual and institutional 
linkages.
    4. Cost-Effectiveness/Cost-Sharing: The overhead and administrative 
components of the proposal, including salaries and honoraria, should be 
kept as low as possible. All other items should be necessary and 
appropriate. Proposals should maximize cost-sharing through other 
private sector support, as well as institutional direct funding 
contributions.
    5. Institutional Track 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 grants as determined by Bureau Grants 
Staff. The Bureau will consider the past performance of prior 
recipients and the demonstrated potential of new applicants. Proposed 
personnel and institutional resources should be fully qualified to 
achieve the project's goals.

VI. Award Administration Information

VI.1a. Award Notices

    Final awards cannot be made until funds have been appropriated by 
Congress, allocated and committed through internal Bureau procedures. 
Successful applicants will receive 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.

[[Page 48803]]

VI.2 Administrative and National Policy Requirements

    Terms and Conditions for the Administration of ECA agreements 
include the following:

Office of Management and Budget Circular A-122, ``Cost Principles for 
Nonprofit Organizations.''
Office of Management and Budget Circular A-21, ``Cost Principles for 
Educational Institutions.''
OMB Circular A-87, ``Cost Principles for State, Local and Indian 
Governments.''
OMB Circular No. A-110 (Revised), ``Uniform Administrative Requirements 
for Grants and Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education, 
Hospitals, and other Nonprofit Organizations.''
OMB Circular No. A-102, Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants-
in-Aid to State and Local Governments.
OMB Circular No. A-133, Audits of States, Local Government, and Non-
profit Organizations.

    Please reference the following Web sites for additional 
information:

https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants.
https://fa.statebuy.state.gov

VI.3. Reporting Requirements

    You must provide ECA with a hard copy original plus one copy of the 
following reports:
    (1) An interim program report no more than 90 days after the 
completion of the summer Institute;
    (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 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.
    (4) An 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: Brendan M. Walsh, 
Branch for the Study of the United States, ECA/A/E/USS, U.S. Department 
of State, Fourth Floor, U.S. Department of State, SA-5, 2200 C Street, 
NW., Washington, DC 20522-0504, phone: (202) 632-3340, or e-mail: 
WalshBM@state.gov.
    All correspondence with the Bureau concerning this RFGP should 
reference the above title and number ECA/A/E/USS-10-02-04.
    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: September 17, 2009.
Maura M. Pally,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. 
Department of State.
[FR Doc. E9-23108 Filed 9-23-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P