Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for Grant Proposals: Indonesia-U.S. Youth Leadership Program, 5836-5842 [2010-2420]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 23 (Thursday, February 4, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5836-5842]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-2420]


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

DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 6893]


Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for 
Grant Proposals: Indonesia-U.S. Youth Leadership Program

    Announcement Type: New Grant.

[[Page 5837]]

    Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/PE/C/PY-10-28.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 19.415.
    Application Deadline: March 31, 2010.
    Executive Summary: The Office of Citizen Exchanges, Youth Programs 
Division, of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs announces 
an open competition for the Indonesia-U.S. Youth Leadership Program. 
Public and private non-profit organizations meeting the provisions 
described in Internal Revenue Code section 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3) may 
submit proposals for a reciprocal exchange program between Indonesia 
and the United States. Applicants should plan to recruit and select 
between 24 and 34 youth and adult participants in Indonesia and in the 
United States and to provide the participants with a three-week 
exchange program in the partner country. The exchange activities will 
focus broadly on the themes of civic rights and responsibilities, 
leadership, respect for diversity, and community activism, and 
specifically on the theme of the environment. Activities will be geared 
toward preparing participants to conduct projects at home that serve a 
community need.

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Authority: Overall grant making authority for this program is 
contained in the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961, 
Public Law 87-256, as amended, also known as the Fulbright-Hays Act. 
The purpose of the Act is ``to enable the Government of the United 
States to increase mutual understanding between the people of the 
United States and the people of other countries * * *; to strengthen 
the ties which unite us with other nations by demonstrating the 
educational and cultural interests, developments, and achievements of 
the people of the United States and other nations * * * and thus to 
assist in the development of friendly, sympathetic and peaceful 
relations between the United States and the other countries of the 
world.'' The funding authority for the program above is provided 
through legislation.
    Purpose: The Indonesia-U.S. Youth Leadership Program enables 
teenagers (ages 15-17) and adult educators to participate in intensive, 
thematic, three-week-long exchanges in the United States and in 
Indonesia. Exchange activities must focus broadly on civic rights and 
responsibilities, leadership, respect for diversity, and community 
activism. The specific theme of the environment will be used as a tool 
to illustrate those concepts. Participants will be engaged in a variety 
of activities such as workshops, community and/or school-based 
programs, cultural activities, seminars and other activities designed 
to achieve the project's stated goals and objectives. Ample 
opportunities for American and Indonesian participants to interact with 
each other will be included.
    The goals of the program are:
    (1) To promote mutual understanding between the United States and 
the people of Indonesia;
    (2) To develop a sense of civic responsibility and commitment to 
community development among youth;
    (3) To develop a cadre of community activists who will share their 
knowledge and skills with their peers through positive action; and
    (4) To foster relationships among youth from different ethnic, 
religious, and national groups.
    Program Objective: To introduce students and educators to the host 
country's principles of democracy, civil society, diversity, and youth 
leadership, with an additional focus on volunteerism/community activism 
and peer education on environmental issues.
    Applicants should identify their own specific objectives and 
measurable outcomes based on these program goals and the project 
specifications provided in this solicitation.
    Applicants must demonstrate their capacity for doing projects of 
this nature, focusing on three areas of competency: (1) Provision of 
programs that address the goals and themes outlined in this document; 
(2) age-appropriate programming for youth; and (3) previous experience 
working with Indonesia. In addition to their U.S. presence, applicants, 
or their partner organizations, need to have the necessary capacity in 
Indonesia to recruit and select Indonesian participants for the program 
and to provide follow-on activities for them, and to provide a content-
rich exchange program for the American participants. The partner 
organization must have a functioning office in Indonesia and an 
established track record of working with youth or on issues in 
Indonesian education. The representative(s) in Indonesia should have an 
active role in the preparation of the proposal submitted in response to 
this RFGP.
    Guidelines: The grant will begin on or about August 1, 2010. The 
grant period will be approximately 16 to 20 months in duration, 
according to the applicant's program plan. Applicants should propose 
the timing of the two three-week exchanges (one to each country), which 
will take place between March and August 2011. Dates may be shifted by 
the mutual agreement of the Department and the grant recipient.
    In pursuit of the goals outlined above, the program will include 
the following:
     Recruitment and selection of a diverse group of youth and 
adult educators in Indonesia and in the United States.
     Pre-departure and arrival orientations.
     Design and planning of exchange activities in the United 
States and in Indonesia that provide a creative and substantive program 
on the specified themes and offer a thorough introduction to the host 
country's culture.
     Logistical arrangements, including homestay arrangements 
and other accommodations, provisions for religious observance, 
disbursement of stipends, local travel, and travel between sites.
     Monitoring of the participants' safety and well-being 
while on the exchange.
     Follow-on activities in the participants' home countries 
designed to reinforce the ideas and skills imparted during the exchange 
program.
    Recruitment and Selection: Once a grant is awarded, the grant 
recipient must consult with the Public Affairs Section at the U.S. 
Embassy in Jakarta and with the ECA program officer to review a 
recruitment and participant selection plan. Organizers must strive for 
regional and ethnic diversity within both Indonesia and the United 
States. Small groups of participants should be from the same town or 
region so that they can support one another in their projects upon 
their return home. The Department of State and/or its overseas 
representatives reserve final approval of all selected delegations.
    Participants: Within the range of 24 to 34, an applicant should 
present the number of participants it expects to be able to accommodate 
based on its program design and budget. The Bureau wants a greater 
number of Indonesians than Americans to travel, as presented in the 
ranges below. Additional American participants may be included if 
supported by other sources of funding, but they must complete the same 
screening process for suitability as an exchange participant as the 
grant-funded participants do. The ratio of students to educators should 
be approximately 6:1.
    The Indonesian participants will be 18 to 24 students and educators 
selected from a variety of schools--public (secular) schools, 
pesantrens (Islamic boarding schools), and non-Islamic parochial 
schools. Fluency in English should not be a requirement for

[[Page 5838]]

selection, but some beginning English skills are desirable to enhance 
interaction with American peers. For educational activities, the grant 
recipient should be prepared to provide interpretation services 
appropriate to the project.
    The American participants will be 6 to 10 high school students and 
educators that represent the diversity of the United States and who 
demonstrate an interest in Indonesia and the project themes.
    Criteria for selection of all participants will be leadership 
skills, an interest in service to the community, strong academic and 
social skills, overall composure, and openness and flexibility. It is 
desirable that 2-4 participants attend or teach at the same school or 
live in the same community so that they can support each other upon 
return.
    Exchange Activities: The exchanges may take place in one or two 
communities and should offer the participants exposure to the variety 
of lifestyles in the United States and Indonesia. The program should 
focus primarily on interactive activities, practical experiences, and 
other hands-on opportunities to learn about the fundamentals of a civil 
society, community service, tolerance and respect for diversity, and on 
building leadership skills. Suggestions include simulations and 
leadership training exercises plus other activities that reveal various 
aspects of the host country, such as group dialogues with peers, 
volunteer service projects, visits with community and government 
leaders, or a review of the role of the media. Visits to different 
types of educational institutions, such as pesantrans in Indonesia, 
should be a component of each exchange. In both the United States and 
Indonesia, homestays with local families must be arranged for a 
significant portion of the exchange period. All programming should 
include peers from the host country wherever possible. Cultural and 
recreational activities will balance the schedule. Please see the POGI 
for more details.
    The American and Indonesian delegations should have an opportunity 
to meet and interact with each other for approximately one week. 
Applicants are urged to present creative plans for activities that will 
foster interaction between these participants.
    Given the youth of the participants, the grant recipient will be 
required to provide proper staff supervision and facilitation to ensure 
that the Indonesian and American teenagers have safe and pedagogically 
robust programs while visiting the other country. Staff, along with the 
adult participants, will need to assist youth with cultural 
adjustments, to provide societal context to enhance learning, and to 
counsel students as needed. Applicants should describe their plans to 
meet these requirements in their proposals.
    Follow-on Activities: The grant recipient is required to offer 
follow-on activities for the exchange alumni, particularly in 
facilitating continued engagement among the participants, advising and 
supporting them in the implementation of their community service 
projects, and offering opportunities to reinforce the lessons and 
themes of the exchange. Applicants should present creative and 
effective ways to address the project themes, for both program 
participants and their peers, as a means to amplify the program impact. 
Follow-up visits with alumni by project staff or trainers are 
recommended.
    Proposals must demonstrate how the stated objectives will be met. 
The proposal narrative should provide detailed information on the major 
program activities, and applicants should explain and justify their 
programmatic choices. Programs must comply with J-1 visa regulations. 
Please be sure to refer to the complete Solicitation Package--this 
RFGP, the Project Objectives, Goals, and Implementation (POGI), and the 
Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI)--for further information.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Grant Agreement.
    Fiscal Year Funds: 2010.
    Approximate Total Funding: $275,000.
    Approximate Number of Awards: One.
    Anticipated Award Date: August 1, 2010.
    Anticipated Project Completion Date: 16-20 months after start date, 
to be specified by applicant based on project plan.
    Additional Information: Pending successful implementation of the 
project and the availability of funds in subsequent fiscal years, ECA 
reserves the right to renew grants for up to two additional fiscal 
years before openly competing grants under this program 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 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: Bureau grant guidelines 
require that organizations with less than four years experience in 
conducting international exchanges be limited to $60,000 in Bureau 
funding. ECA anticipates making one award, in an amount up to $275,000 
to support the 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.

IV. Application and Submission Information

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

    IV.1. Contact Information to Request an Application Package: Please 
contact the Youth Programs Division, ECA/PE/C/PY, SA-5, 3rd Floor, U.S. 
Department of State, Washington, DC 20522-0503, Tel (202) 632-6434, E-
mail HollySR@state.gov to request a Solicitation Package. Please refer 
to the Funding Opportunity Number ECA/PE/C/PY-10-28 when making your 
request. Alternatively, an electronic application package may be 
obtained from grants.gov. Please see section IV.3f for further 
information.

[[Page 5839]]

    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 Bureau Program Officer Carolyn Lantz and refer to 
the Funding Opportunity Number ECA/PE/C/PY-10-28 on all other inquiries 
and correspondence.
    IV.2. To Download a Solicitation Package Via Internet: The entire 
Solicitation Package may be downloaded from the Bureau's Web site at 
https://exchanges.state.gov/grants/open2.html, or from the Grants.gov 
Web site at https://www.grants.gov. Please read all information before 
downloading.
    IV.3. Content and Form of Submission: Applicants must follow all 
instructions in the Solicitation Package. The application should be 
submitted per the instructions under IV.3f. ``Application Deadline and 
Methods of Submission'' section below.
    IV.3a. You are required to have a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal 
Numbering System (DUNS) number to apply for a grant or cooperative 
agreement from the U.S. Government. This number is a nine-digit 
identification number, which uniquely identifies business entities. 
Obtaining a DUNS number is easy and there is no charge. To obtain a 
DUNS number, access https://www.dunandbradstreet.com or call 1-866-705-
5711. Please ensure that your DUNS number is included in the 
appropriate box of the SF-424 which is part of the formal application 
package.
    IV.3b. All proposals must contain an executive summary, proposal 
narrative and budget.
    Please Refer to the Solicitation Package. It contains the mandatory 
Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) document and the Project 
Objectives, Goals and Implementation (POGI) document for additional 
formatting and technical requirements.
    IV.3c. You must have nonprofit status with the IRS at the time of 
application. Please note: Effective January 7, 2009, all applicants for 
ECA federal assistance awards must include in their application the 
names of directors and/or senior executives (current officers, 
trustees, and key employees, regardless of amount of compensation). In 
fulfilling this requirement, applicants must submit information in one 
of the following ways:
    (1) Those who file Internal Revenue Service Form 990, ``Return of 
Organization Exempt From Income Tax,'' must include a copy of relevant 
portions of this form.
    (2) Those who do not file IRS Form 990 must submit information 
above in the format of their choice.
    In addition to final program reporting requirements, award 
recipients will also be required to submit a one-page document, derived 
from their program reports, listing and describing their grant 
activities. For award recipients, the names of directors and/or senior 
executives (current officers, trustees, and key employees), as well as 
the one-page description of grant activities, will be transmitted by 
the State 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 Office of Citizen Exchanges of the Bureau of Educational and 
Cultural Affairs is the official program sponsor of the exchange 
program covered by this RFGP, and an employee of the Bureau will be the 
``Responsible Officer'' for the program under the terms of 22 CFR 62, 
which covers the administration of the Exchange Visitor Program (J visa 
program). Under the terms of 22 CFR 62, organizations receiving awards 
(either a grant or cooperative agreement) under this RFGP will be third 
parties ``cooperating with or assisting the sponsor in the conduct of 
the sponsor's program.'' The actions of recipient organizations shall 
be ``imputed to the sponsor in evaluating the sponsor's compliance 
with'' 22 CFR 62. Therefore, the Bureau expects that any organization 
receiving an award under this competition will render all assistance 
necessary to enable the Bureau to fully comply with 22 CFR 62 et seq.
    The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs places critically 
important emphases on the secure and proper administration of Exchange 
Visitor (J visa) Programs and adherence by recipient organizations and 
program participants to all regulations governing the J visa program 
status. Therefore, proposals should explicitly state in writing that 
the applicant is prepared to assist the Bureau in meeting all 
requirements governing the administration of Exchange Visitor Programs 
as set forth in 22 CFR 62. If your organization has experience as a 
designated Exchange Visitor Program Sponsor, the applicant should 
discuss their record of compliance with 22 CFR 62 et. seq., including 
the oversight of their Responsible Officers and Alternate Responsible 
Officers, screening and selection of program participants, provision of 
pre-arrival information and orientation to participants, monitoring of 
participants, proper maintenance and security of forms, record-keeping, 
reporting and other requirements.
    The Office of Citizen Exchanges of ECA will be responsible for 
issuing DS-2019 forms to participants in this program.
    A copy of the complete regulations governing the administration of 
Exchange Visitor (J) programs is available at https://exchanges.state.gov or from: Office of Designation, ECA/EC/D, SA-5, 
Floor C2, Department of State, Washington, DC 20522-0582.

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.''

[[Page 5840]]

Public Law 106-113 requires that the governments of the countries 
described above do not have inappropriate influence in the selection 
process. Proposals should reflect advancement of these goals in their 
program contents, to the full extent deemed feasible.

IV.3d.3. Program Monitoring and Evaluation

    Proposals must include a plan to monitor and evaluate the project's 
success, both as the activities unfold and at the end of the program. 
The Bureau recommends that your proposal include a draft survey 
questionnaire or other technique plus a description of a methodology to 
use to link outcomes to original project objectives. The Bureau expects 
that the recipient organization will track participants or partners and 
be able to respond to key evaluation questions, including satisfaction 
with the program, learning as a result of the program, changes in 
behavior as a result of the program, and effects of the program on 
institutions (institutions in which participants work or partner 
institutions). The evaluation plan should include indicators that 
measure gains in mutual understanding as well as substantive knowledge.
    Successful monitoring and evaluation depend heavily on setting 
clear goals and outcomes at the outset of a program. Your evaluation 
plan should include a description of your project's objectives, your 
anticipated project outcomes, and how and when you intend to measure 
these outcomes (performance indicators). The more that outcomes are 
``smart'' (specific, measurable, attainable, results-oriented, and 
placed in a reasonable time frame), the easier it will be to conduct 
the evaluation. You should also show how your project objectives link 
to the goals of the program described in this RFGP.
    Your monitoring and evaluation plan should clearly distinguish 
between program outputs and outcomes. Outputs are products and services 
delivered, often stated as an amount. Output information is important 
to show the scope or size of project activities, but it cannot 
substitute for information about progress towards outcomes or the 
results achieved. Examples of outputs include the number of people 
trained or the number of seminars conducted. Outcomes, in contrast, 
represent specific results a project is intended to achieve and is 
usually measured as an extent of change. Findings on outputs and 
outcomes should both be reported, but the focus should be on outcomes.
    We encourage you to assess the following four levels of outcomes, 
as they relate to the program goals set out in the RFGP (listed here in 
increasing order of importance):
    1. Participant satisfaction with the program and exchange 
experience.
    2. Participant learning, such as increased knowledge, aptitude, 
skills, and changed understanding and attitude. Learning includes both 
substantive (subject-specific) learning and mutual understanding.
    3. Participant behavior, concrete actions to apply knowledge in 
work or community; greater participation and responsibility in civic 
organizations; interpretation and explanation of experiences and new 
knowledge gained; continued contacts between participants, community 
members, and others.
    4. Institutional changes, such as increased collaboration and 
partnerships, policy reforms, new programming, and organizational 
improvements.

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

    Overall, the quality of your monitoring and evaluation plan will be 
judged on how well it (1) specifies intended outcomes; (2) gives clear 
descriptions of how each outcome will be measured; (3) identifies when 
particular outcomes will be measured; and (4) provides a clear 
description of the data collection strategies for each outcome (i.e., 
surveys, interviews, or focus groups). (Please note that evaluation 
plans that deal only with the first level of outcomes [satisfaction] 
will be deemed less competitive under the present evaluation criteria.)
    Recipient organizations will be required to provide reports 
analyzing their evaluation findings to the Bureau in their regular 
program reports. All data collected, including survey responses and 
contact information, must be maintained for a minimum of three years 
and provided to the Bureau upon request.
    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 $275,000. There must be 
a summary budget as well as breakdowns reflecting both administrative 
and program budgets. Applicants may provide separate sub-budgets for 
each program component, phase, location, or activity to provide 
clarification. Please refer to the Solicitation Package for complete 
budget guidelines and formatting instructions.

IV.3f. Application Deadline and Methods of Submission

    Application Deadline Date: Wednesday, March 31, 2010.
    Reference Number: ECA/PE/C/PY-10-28.
    Methods of Submission:
    Applications may be submitted in one of two ways:
    (1) In hard-copy, via a nationally recognized overnight delivery 
service (i.e., Federal Express, UPS, Airborne Express, or U.S. Postal 
Service Express Overnight Mail, etc.), or
    (2) Electronically through https://www.grants.gov.
    Along with the Project Title, all applicants must enter the above 
Reference Number in Box 11 on the SF-424 contained in the mandatory 
Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) of the solicitation document.

IV.3f.1 Submitting Printed Applications

    Applications must be shipped no later than the above deadline. 
Delivery services used by applicants must have in-place, centralized 
shipping identification and tracking systems that may be accessed via 
the Internet and delivery people who are identifiable by commonly 
recognized uniforms and delivery vehicles. Proposals shipped on or 
before the above deadline but received at ECA more than seven days 
after the deadline will be ineligible for further consideration under 
this competition. Proposals shipped after the established deadlines are 
ineligible for consideration under this competition. ECA will not 
notify you upon receipt of application. It is each applicant's 
responsibility to ensure that each package is marked with a legible 
tracking number and to monitor/confirm delivery to ECA via the 
Internet. Delivery of proposal packages may not be made via local 
courier service or in person for this competition. Faxed documents will 
not be accepted at any time. Only proposals submitted as stated above 
will be considered.

    Important Note: When preparing your submission please make sure 
to include one extra copy of the completed SF-424 form and place it 
in an envelope addressed to ``ECA/EX/PM''.

    The original and six copies of the application should be sent to: 
Program Management Division, ECA-IIP/EX/PM, Ref.: ECA/PE/C/PY-10-28, 
SA-5, Floor 4, Department of State, 2200 C Street, NW., Washington, DC 
20522-0504.

[[Page 5841]]

    With the submission of the proposal package, please also e-mail the 
Executive Summary, Proposal Narrative, and Budget sections of the 
proposal, as well as any attachments essential to understanding the 
program, in Microsoft Word, Excel, and/or PDF, to the program officer 
at LantzCS@state.gov. The Bureau will provide these files 
electronically to the Public Affairs Section at the U.S. Embassy in 
Jakarta for its review.

IV.3f.2 Submitting Electronic Applications

    Applicants have the option of submitting proposals electronically 
through Grants.gov (https://www.grants.gov). Complete solicitation 
packages are available at Grants.gov in the ``Find'' portion of the 
system.

    Please Note: ECA bears no responsibility for applicant 
timeliness of submission or 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.
    IV.3g. Intergovernmental Review of Applications: Executive Order 
12372 does not apply to this program.

V. Application Review Information

V.1. Review Process

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

Review Criteria

    Technically eligible applications will be competitively reviewed 
according to the criteria stated below.
    1. Quality of the program idea: The proposed program should be well 
developed, respond to design outlined in the solicitation, and 
demonstrate originality. It should be clearly and accurately written, 
substantive, and with sufficient detail. Proposals should exhibit 
originality, substance, precision, and relevance to the Bureau's 
mission.
    2. Program planning: A detailed agenda and work plan should clearly 
demonstrate how project objectives would be achieved. The agenda and 
plan should adhere to the program overview and guidelines described 
above. The substance of workshops, seminars, presentations, school-
based activities, and/or site visits should be described in detail. 
Objectives should be reasonable, feasible, and flexible. The proposal 
should clearly demonstrate how the organization will meet the program's 
objectives and plan.
    3. Support of diversity: The proposal should demonstrate the 
recipient's commitment to promoting the awareness and understanding of 
diversity in program content. Applicants should demonstrate readiness 
to accommodate participants with physical disabilities.
    4. Institutional capacity and track record: Proposed personnel and 
institutional resources should be adequate and appropriate to achieve 
the program goals. The proposal should demonstrate an institutional 
record, including responsible fiscal management and full compliance 
with all reporting requirements for past Bureau grants as determined by 
the Bureau's Office of Contracts. The Bureau will consider the past 
performance.
    5. Cross-cultural sensitivity and area expertise: Applicants must 
demonstrate their understanding of Indonesia/Southeast Asia and should 
demonstrate sensitivity to participants' values, customs, and life 
experiences in the programming.
    6. Follow-on activities: Proposals should provide a plan for 
Bureau-supported follow-on activities to help the participants apply 
what they have learned. In addition, applicants should also provide on-
going support, not necessarily with Bureau funding, that ensures that 
this program is not an isolated event.
    7. Program evaluation: The proposal should include a plan to 
evaluate the activity's success, both as the activities unfold and at 
the end of the program.

[[Page 5842]]

The proposal should include a draft survey questionnaire or other 
technique plus description of a methodology to use to link outcomes to 
original project objectives. The grant recipient will be expected to 
submit intermediate reports after each project component is concluded.
    8. Cost-effectiveness and cost sharing: The applicant should 
demonstrate efficient use of Bureau funds. The overhead and 
administrative components of the proposal, including salaries and 
honoraria, should be kept as low as possible. All other items should be 
necessary and appropriate. The proposal should maximize cost-sharing 
through other private sector support as well as institutional direct 
funding contributions, which demonstrates institutional and community 
commitment.

VI. Award Administration Information

VI.1a. Award Notices

    Final awards cannot be made until funds have been appropriated by 
Congress, allocated and committed through internal Bureau procedures. 
Successful applicants will receive a Federal Assistance Award (FAA) 
from the Bureau's Grants Office. The FAA and the original proposal with 
subsequent modifications (if applicable) shall be the only binding 
authorizing document between the recipient and the U.S. Government. The 
FAA will be signed by an authorized Grants Officer, and mailed to the 
recipient's responsible officer identified in the application.
    Unsuccessful applicants will receive notification of the results of 
the application review from the ECA program office coordinating this 
competition.

VI.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) Interim program and financial reports, as required in the grant 
agreement;
    (2) A final program and financial report no more than 90 days after 
the expiration of the award;
    (3) A concise, one-page final program report summarizing program 
outcomes no more than 90 days after the expiration of the award. This 
one-page report will 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) A SF-PPR, ``Performance Progress Report'' Cover Sheet with all 
program reports.
    Award recipients will be required to provide reports analyzing 
their evaluation findings to the Bureau in their regular program 
reports. (Please refer to IV. Application and Submission Instructions 
(IV.3.d.3) above for Program Monitoring and Evaluation information.
    All data collected, including survey responses and contact 
information, must be maintained for a minimum of three years and 
provided to the Bureau upon request.
    All reports must be sent to the ECA Grants Officer and ECA Program 
Officer listed in the final assistance award document.

VI.4. 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. Draft schedules for in-country and U.S. activities must be 
received by the ECA Program Officer at least three weeks prior to the 
beginning of the activity.

VII. Agency Contacts

    For questions about this announcement, contact: Carolyn Lantz, 
Youth Programs Division, ECA/PE/C/PY, U.S. Department of State, 
Washington, DC 20522-0503, Tel (202) 632-6421, Fax (202) 632-9355, 
LantzCS@state.gov.
    All correspondence with the Bureau concerning this RFGP should 
reference the title and number ECA/PE/C/PY-10-28.
    Please read the complete announcement before sending inquiries or 
submitting proposals. Once the RFGP deadline has passed, Bureau staff 
may not discuss this competition with applicants until the proposal 
review process has been completed.

VIII. Other Information

Notice

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

    Dated: January 27, 2010.
Maura M. Pally,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. 
Department of State.
[FR Doc. 2010-2420 Filed 2-3-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P