Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for Grant Proposals (RFGP): One-time Competitive Grants Program-Competition A-Academic Programs, 9997-10004 [2010-4561]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 42 (Thursday, March 4, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9997-10004]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-4561]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 6911]


Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for 
Grant Proposals (RFGP): One-time Competitive Grants Program--
Competition A--Academic Programs

    Announcement Type: New Grant
    Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/A-10-One-time-Comp-A
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 19.014
    Key Dates:
    Application Deadline: April 12, 2010
    Executive Summary: This competition is one of two competitions that 
the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs is conducting in 
accordance with the Conference Report (House Report 111-366) 
accompanying the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2010 (Pub. L. 111-
117) under Division F of the Department of State, Foreign Operations 
and Related Programs Appropriation Act 2010, ``Educational and Cultural 
Exchange Programs'' in support of an $8 million ``One-Time Competitive 
Grants Program.'' All applications must be submitted by public or 
private non-profit organizations, meeting the provisions described in 
Internal Revenue code section 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3). Total funding for 
this ``One-Time Competitive Grants Program'' is $8 million. Four 
million dollars will be dedicated to Competition A--Academic Programs 
One-time Grants Program--reference number ECA/A-10-One-time-Comp-A, and 
$4 million will be dedicated to and announced simultaneously in a 
separate RFGP Competition B--Professional, Cultural and Youth One-time 
Grants Program--reference number ECA/PE/C-10-One-time-Comp-B. Please 
note: The Bureau reserves the right to reallocate funds it has 
initially allocated to each of these two competitions, based upon 
factors such as the number of applications received and responsiveness 
to the review criteria outlined in each of the solicitations.
    Applicants may submit only one proposal (total) to one of the two 
competitions referenced above. In addition, applicants under this 
competition (ECA/A-10-One-time-Comp-A) may apply to administer only one 
of the listed activities (total). If multiple proposals are received 
from the same applicant, all submissions will be declared technically 
ineligible and will be given no further consideration in the review 
process. Eligible applicants are strongly encouraged to read both RFGPs 
thoroughly, prior to developing and submitting proposals, to ensure 
that proposed activities are appropriate and responsive to the goals, 
objectives and criteria outlined in the solicitations.
    As further directed by the Congress, ``The program shall be only 
for the actual exchange of people and should benefit a population that 
is not being addressed through existing authorized exchanges.''
    The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs announces a 
competition for grants that support international exchanges in order to 
increase mutual understanding and build relationships, through 
individuals and organizations, between the people of the United States 
and their counterparts in other countries. The Bureau welcomes 
proposals from organizations that have not received a previous grant 
from the Bureau as well as from those which have; see eligibility 
information below and in section III.

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

[[Page 9998]]

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.

Background

    The Conference Agreement (House Report 111-366) accompanying the 
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2010 (Pub. L. 111-117) under Division 
F of the Department of State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs 
Appropriation Act 2010, ``Educational and Cultural Exchange Programs'' 
provides support for an $8 million One-Time Competitive Grants Program. 
``The conferees also endorse language in the House and Senate Reports 
regarding this competitively awarded grants program.''
    As referenced in the Senate Report 111-44, ``* * * an exchange 
program that received a one-time grant in a previous year is ineligible 
for additional one-time funding, but the Committee encourages the 
Department to consider new proposals from previously funded grantees 
within discretionary funding if they meet appropriate guidelines.'' 
Please see eligibility information below and in section III.
    Programs shall support the actual exchange of people and should 
benefit a population that is not being addressed through existing 
authorized exchanges, such as exchanges with developing countries which 
target community leaders, students and youth with high financial need 
and minority and ethnic groups.
    Grants shall address issues of mutual interest to the United States 
and other countries, consistent with the program criteria established 
in Public Law 110-161.
Purpose
    The Office of Academic Programs will accept proposals for the 
following one-time special initiatives. For each of the activities 
listed below, the Bureau will emphasize engaging participants from 
selected geographic regions. Further details on specific program 
responsibilities are included in the Program Objectives, Goals, and 
Implementation (POGI) document for this initiative. Interested 
organizations should read the entire Federal Register announcement for 
all information prior to preparing proposals. Please refer to the 
solicitation package for further instructions.
    1. Intensive English Language Program:
    The U.S. Department of State is dedicated to increasing its 
engagement with undergraduate students worldwide who demonstrate the 
potential to become leaders and who represent indigenous, disadvantaged 
or underrepresented communities. ECA offers exchange programs that 
increase knowledge and understanding of the United States to 
undergraduates from underserved sectors of society. The Intensive 
English Program will enroll foreign undergraduate students in eight-to-
ten weeks of intensive English language courses at colleges and 
universities in the United States, and provide them with an 
introduction to American institutions, society and culture. To support 
English acquisition, while in the U.S., participants will complete 
community service activities and have the opportunity to develop a 
project related to community service or volunteerism focused on topics 
such as the environment, public health, clean/renewable energy, 
conservation, or related fields. The project would be implemented upon 
the participant's return to their home countries.
    A total of three grants will be awarded for the administration of 
the Intensive English Language Program. ECA expects to fund 
approximately 120 students. Participants will be selected by U.S. 
Embassies or Fulbright Commissions in participating countries. Regions 
of emphasis: Middle East/North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, South and 
Central America (including the Caribbean), South/Central Asia, and East 
Asia/Pacific.
    Applicant organizations may be U.S. colleges and universities, 
consortia of U.S. colleges and universities, or non-governmental 
organizations meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue code 
section 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3). An individual university applying for the 
award will develop and administer the program and act as the host 
institution for all participants. A consortium applying for the award 
must identify a lead institution to receive and administer the award, 
but may place the participants at one or more of the consortium 
institutions.
    Purpose: The Intensive English Language Program will provide 
promising undergraduate students from underserved sectors, who would 
not otherwise qualify for U.S. exchange opportunities based on English 
language ability, an opportunity to increase their English language 
skills through a substantive U.S. academic exchange experience. This 
program will make participants more competitive in applications for 
other U.S. government-sponsored exchanges in the future or for future 
graduate admission to U.S. institutions.
    Program Design: Programs should have a duration of eight-to-ten 
weeks. ECA anticipates supporting approximately 120 participants, who 
may be divided into several cohorts of students. Programs should 
provide participants with intensive English language training, 
including English for Academic Purposes, as well as the development of 
general reading, writing, speaking and listening skills, and the 
testing of those skills. For planning purposes, interested applicants 
should anticipate that programs will take place from May-September 
2011.
    Student participants will be undergraduates and will be recruited 
and selected by the U.S. Embassy Public Affairs Sections or Fulbright 
Commissions in the students' home countries. ECA will approve 
nominations and make final selection. Participants will come from non-
elite backgrounds, from both rural and urban sectors, and with little 
to no prior experience in the United States or elsewhere outside of 
their home country. Participants will exhibit academic ability and 
leadership potential including an interest in community service.
    It is anticipated that the selection of participants will reflect 
each region's geographic, institutional, ethnic, and gender diversity. 
Most of the students selected will have a basic knowledge of the 
English language through formal study.
    For applicants representing a consortium of colleges or 
universities, the proposal should indicate the lead institution and 
produce letters of support from all institutions or organizations that 
will carry out activities as part of the consortium. In identifying the 
participating host institutions, the proposal should make clear why 
these institutions have been recommended, and how those institutions 
will specifically meet the purposes outlined above.
    Applicants should design a program that will offer an academic 
residency component of eight-to-ten weeks, the central element of which 
is an intensive English language training course (English for Academic 
Purposes), together with other instructional elements that will develop 
participants' general reading, writing, speaking and listening skills. 
It is essential that participants be placed in classes with students 
from a variety of language

[[Page 9999]]

backgrounds and not only in courses that contain only speakers of their 
native language. Provisions should also be made for testing those 
skills.
    The program should also provide opportunities for participants to 
regularly meet with U.S. citizens from a variety of backgrounds, meet 
with American students, and to speak to appropriate students and civic 
groups about their experiences and life in their home countries. 
Programs must include a community service component, in which the 
students experience firsthand the role of volunteerism and social 
entrepreneurship in American civil society (please see POGI for 
details).
    Participants for this program will come from the following regions: 
Middle East/North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, South and Central America 
(including the Caribbean), South/Central Asia, and East Asia/Pacific. 
Proposals from applicant organizations should indicate if they wish to 
host participants from one particular region or multiple regions. A 
pedagogical rationale for the program plan should demonstrate knowledge 
of the region or multiple regions indicated in the proposal.
    ECA reserves the right to adjust the regional composition of 
student cohorts according to Bureau or program priorities. 
Participating countries within regions will be determined by ECA, in 
consultation with Public Affairs Sections at U.S. embassies abroad. 
International travel will be arranged by ECA and therefore should not 
be included in budget requests.
    Please see the POGI document for detailed budget information. It is 
anticipated that the total amount of funding for administrative and 
program costs will be approximately $1.2 million. The total funding for 
this project will be approximately $1.5 million. ECA anticipates 
withholding approximately $300,000 for the purchase of participants' 
airline tickets and in-transit expenses. The funding levels for Award 
Average and Ceiling of Award do not include funding for travel which is 
to be provided by ECA.
    Number of Awards: 3.
    Award Average: $400,000.
    Ceiling of Award: $400,000.
    Contact: Vincent Pickett, PickettVS@state.gov, 202-632-3243.
    2. Capacity Building for Undergraduate Study Abroad: Overall 
Purpose: To build the capacity of U.S. institutions of higher education 
and of potential host institutions abroad to provide study abroad 
opportunities for U.S. undergraduate students. A proposal may be 
submitted by an accredited college or university or by another public 
or private non-profit organization meeting the provisions described in 
Internal Revenue code section 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3).
    Program Design: Proposals must address one of three program goals 
and should specify the goal to be pursued:
    (a) U.S. institutions with substantial experience providing study 
abroad opportunities may partner with international counterparts with 
limited experience receiving U.S. students in order to expand the 
capacity of the foreign partner to host U.S. students, particularly in 
locations that have been underserved by traditional study abroad 
programs.
    (b) U.S. institutions with substantial experience providing study 
abroad opportunities may cooperate with less experienced U.S. partner 
colleges and universities to enable the less experienced institutions 
to develop programs with international counterparts or build their 
study abroad offices through professional visits of administrators, 
faculty and/or students.
    (c) U.S. institutions with limited experience administering study 
abroad programs may seek to strengthen their study abroad offices or 
expand their capacity to administer such programs. Proposals submitted 
in this category should not exceed $60,000.
    In each category, awards will support projects that result in 
increased and broadened opportunities for U.S. undergraduate students 
to study abroad in quality academic programs that form an integral part 
of degree-granting programs at accredited U.S. educational institutions 
at the tertiary level. The Bureau strongly encourages applications 
focusing on non-traditional study abroad students, non-traditional 
study abroad destinations and non-traditional fields of study abroad, 
including science; technology; engineering; mathematics; education; and 
critical languages (Arabic, Azerbaijani, Bengali, Brazilian Portuguese, 
Chinese, Dari, Farsi, Hindi, Kazakh, Korean, Kurdish, Kyrgyz, Nepali, 
Pashto, Punjabi, Russian, Swahili, Tajik, Turkish, Turkmen, Urdu and 
Uzbek).
    Regions of Emphasis: Europe/Eurasia (Turkey and Russia only), North 
Africa and the Middle East, South Asia and East Asia, South and Central 
America (including the Caribbean), Sub-Saharan Africa.
    The Bureau anticipates funding approximately ten projects at levels 
averaging $250,000 and not to exceed approximately $500,000 with total 
Bureau funding not to exceed $2,500,000. Applicants that do not have 
four years of experience conducting international exchange programs 
will be limited to $60,000 per item (a) under section III.3. below. 
Proposals for smaller amounts will be considered.
    Approximate Number of Awards: 10.
    Approximate Average Award: $250,000.
    Ceiling of Award Range: $500,000.
    Contact: Bahareh Moradi (MoradiBX@state.gov), 202-632-6350; or 
Carina Klein (KleinCD@state.gov), 202-632-9460.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Grant Agreement.
    Fiscal Year Funds: FY-2010.
    Approximate Total Funding: $4 million.
    Approximate Number of Awards: 13.
    Approximate Average Award: $307,692.
    Floor of Award Range: Depending upon an organization's length of 
experience in conducting international exchanges, and proposed 
activities, grants could be awarded for less than $60,000. See section 
III.3.a, below.
    Ceiling of Award Range: Up to $500,000.
    Anticipated Award Date: August 2010.
    Anticipated Project Completion Date: Approximately 24-36 months 
after the start date of the grant.
    Additional Information: As stipulated in the legislation, this is a 
competitive one-time grants program.

III. Eligibility Information

III.1. Eligible applicants

    Applications must 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).
    Organizations listed in the House Report 111-187 and the Senate 
Report 111-44 under ``Educational and Cultural Exchange Programs'' are 
encouraged to apply.
    Per Senate Report 111-44, ``The Committee notes that an exchange 
program that received a one-time grant in a previous year is ineligible 
for additional one-time funding, but the Committee encourages the 
Department to consider new proposals from previously funded grantees 
within discretionary funding if they meet appropriate guidelines.'' 
Please see section III.3. Other Eligibility Requirements, below.

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 the 
highest possible levels of cost sharing

[[Page 10000]]

and funding in support of its projects, noting that cost sharing is one 
of the criteria for reviewing proposals.
    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 grant agreement. Cost 
sharing may be in the form of allowable direct or indirect costs. For 
accountability, written records must be maintained to support all costs 
which are claimed as contributions, 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 that the minimum amount of cost 
sharing is not provided as stipulated in the approved budget, ECA's 
contribution will be reduced in like proportion.

III.3. Other Eligibility Requirements

    (a) Grants awarded to eligible organizations with less than four 
years of experience in conducting international exchange programs will 
be limited to $60,000. Therefore, applicants should explain, with 
examples, their experience in conducting international exchanges, and, 
if that experience is less than four years, should limit their proposed 
grant budgets to $60,000.
    (b) Technical Eligibility: All proposals must comply with the 
following:

--Eligible applicants may submit only one proposal (total) for one of 
the two competitions referenced in the Executive Summary Section of 
this document. If multiple proposals are received from the same 
applicant, all submissions from that applicant will be declared 
technically ineligible and will be given no further consideration in 
the review process. In addition, applicants under this competition 
(ECA/PE/C-10-One-time-Comp-B or ECA/A-10-One-time-Comp-A) may only 
apply to administer one of the listed activities (total).
--Proposals requesting funding for infrastructure development 
activities, sometimes referred to as ``bricks and mortar support,'' are 
not eligible for consideration under this competition and will be 
declared technically ineligible and will receive no further 
consideration in the review process.
--No funding is available exclusively to send U.S. citizens to 
conferences or conference-type seminars overseas; nor is funding 
available for bringing foreign nationals to conferences or to standard 
professional association meetings in the United States.
--An exchange program/activity that was funded under one-time grant 
competitions in previous years, (FY-2008 Competitive One-time Grants 
Program--Reference numbers: ECA/A-08-One-time-Comp-A or ECA/PE/C-08-
One-time-Comp-B; or the FY-2009 Competitive One-time Grants Program--
Reference numbers: ECA/A-09-One-time-Comp-A or ECA/PE/C-09-One-time-
Comp-B) is ineligible for additional one-time funding under this 
competition. However, ``previously funded grantees'' under previous 
one-time competitions, referenced above, may submit proposals under 
this competition, if the proposal is for a new exchange program. 
Applications submitted by prior-year one-time grant recipients must 
include in their proposal narrative/submission a narrative description 
of the specific elements that make their submission under the FY-2010 
one-time competition a new exchange program, rather than a repetition 
or extension of what was funded by ECA under a prior year award. 
Elements that would contribute to the program's being considered 
``new'' for the purposes of this competition would include: New 
overseas partner institution(s), a new country and/or world region of 
activity, a substantially different thematic topic, a new participant 
profile. Final determination of a proposal's eligibility as a ``new'' 
activity will be made by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural 
Affairs. If the application does not include a narrative explaining how 
the project qualifies as ``new,'' it will be declared technically 
ineligible and will receive no further consideration in the review 
process.
    Please refer to the Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) document 
for additional requirements.

IV. Application and Submission Information

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

IV.1. Contact Information To Request an Application Package

    Please contact the Office of Academic Exchanges, ECA/A/E, SA-5, 4th 
floor, U.S. Department of State, 2200 C Street, NW., Washington, DC 
20522-0504, tel: 202-632-3238 and fax: 202-632-6490, 
PickettVS@state.gov to request a Solicitation Package. Please refer to 
Funding Opportunity Number ECA/A-10-One-time-Comp-A also located at the 
top of this announcement when making your request.
    The Solicitation Package contains the Proposal Submission 
Instructions (PSI) document which consists of required application 
forms, and standard guidelines for proposal preparation.
    Please specify Program Officer Vincent Pickett, and refer to the 
Funding Opportunity Number ECA/A-10-One-time-Comp-A located at the top 
of this announcement on all other inquiries and correspondence.

IV.2. To Download a Solicitation Package Via Internet

    The entire Solicitation Package may be downloaded from the Bureau's 
Web site at https://exchanges.state.gov/education/rfgps/menu.htm, or the 
grants.gov Web site. Please read all information before downloading.

IV.3. Content and Form of Submission

    Applicants must follow all instructions in the Solicitation 
Package. The original and seven copies of the application should be 
sent per the instructions under IV.3e. ``Submission Dates and Times'' 
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. The summary and narrative must be presented in 
double-spaced typing.
    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

[[Page 10001]]

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 project reporting requirements, award 
recipients will also be required to submit a one-page document, derived 
from their project 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.

    Please Note:  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.
    For the Intensive English Language Program, ECA will be responsible 
for issuing DS-2019 forms to participants in this program. For the 
Capacity Building for Undergraduate Study Abroad, the recipient 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, projects 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 project administration and 
in project 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 project 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

[[Page 10002]]

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 the proposal budget:
    IV.3e.1. Applicants must submit SF-424A--``Budget Information--Non-
Construction Programs'' along with a comprehensive budget for the 
entire project. There must be a summary budget as well as breakdowns 
reflecting both administrative and program budgets. Applicants may 
provide separate sub-budgets for each project component, phase, 
location, or activity to provide clarification.
    IV.3e.2. Allowable costs for the project include the following:
    (1) Travel. International and domestic airfare; visas; transit 
costs; ground transportation costs, except where these project 
activities will be paid directly by ECA, please see the POGI for 
further information. Please note that all air travel must be in 
compliance with the Fly America Act. There is no charge for J-1 visas 
for participants in Bureau-sponsored programs.
    (2) Per Diem. For U.S.-based programming, organizations should use 
the published Federal per diem rates for individual U.S. cities. 
Domestic per diem rates may be accessed at: https://www.gsa.gov/Portal/gsa/ep/contentView.do?contentId=17943&contentType=GSA_BASIC.
    (3) Please refer to the Solicitation Package for complete budget 
guidelines and formatting instructions.
    Please refer to the Solicitation Package for complete budget 
guidelines and formatting instructions.
IV.3f. Submission Dates and Times
    Application Deadline Date: April 12, 2010.
    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, 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 
competition Reference Number (ECA/A-10-One-time-Comp. A) 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''.

    Applicants must also submit the ``Executive Summary'' and 
``Proposal Narrative'' and budget sections of the proposal as well as 
any essential attachments, in Microsoft Word and/or Excel on a CD-ROM. 
The Bureau will provide these files electronically to the appropriate 
Public Affairs Sections at the U.S. Embassies for their review.
    The original and seven copies of the application should be sent to: 
U.S. Department of State, Program Management Division, ECA-IIP/EX/PM, 
Ref.: ECA/A-10-One-time-Comp-A, 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'' and ``Budget'' 
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 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 lengthy 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

[[Page 10003]]

    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.

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 of the relevant U.S. Embassy 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. These criteria are not rank 
ordered and all carry equal weight in the proposal evaluation:
    1. Quality of the program idea and program planning: Objectives 
should be reasonable, feasible, and flexible. The proposal should 
clearly demonstrate how the institution will meet the program's 
objectives and plan. The proposed program should be creative and well 
developed, respond to the design outlined in the solicitation, and 
demonstrate originality. It should be clearly and accurately written, 
substantive, and with sufficient detail. The program plan should adhere 
to the program overview and guidelines described above. Please note: 
Proposals submitted by prior-year one-time grant recipients must 
include in their proposal submission a description of the specific 
elements that make this submission a new exchange program rather than a 
repetition or extension of what was funded by ECA under a prior-year 
award.
    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: The proposal should demonstrate the 
recipient's commitment to promoting the awareness and understanding of 
diversity in participant selection and exchange program design and 
content.
    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 solid programming and responsible fiscal management. 
The Bureau will consider the past performance, including compliance 
with all reporting requirements for past Bureau grants.
    5. Program evaluation: The proposal should include a plan to 
evaluate the program's success, both as the activities unfold and at 
the end of the program. The proposal should include a draft survey 
questionnaire or other technique plus description of a methodology to 
use to link outcomes to original project objectives. Please see Section 
IV.3d.3. of this announcement for more information.
    6. 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.

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 grant 
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.
    VI.1b The following additional requirements apply to this project, 
for assistance awards involving the Palestinian Authority, West Bank, 
and Gaza:
    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 
Bahareh Moradi, MoradiBX@state.gov, 202-632-6350.

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.


[[Page 10004]]


    Please refer to 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) A final program and financial report no more than 90 days after 
the expiration of the award;
    (2) A concise, one-page final program report summarizing program 
outcomes no more than 90 days after the expiration of the award. This 
one-page report will be transmitted to OMB, and be made available to 
the public via OMB's USAspending.gov Web site--as part of ECA's Federal 
Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA) reporting 
requirements.
    (3) A SF-PPR, ``Performance Progress Report'' Cover Sheet with all 
program reports.
    (4) Interim program and financial reports after each program phase, 
as required in the Bureau grant agreement.
    Award Recipients will be required to provide reports analyzing 
their evaluation findings to the Bureau in their regular project 
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. Optional 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:
    1. Intensive English Language Program: Vincent Pickett, 
PickettVS@state.gov, 202-632-3243.
    2. Capacity Building for Undergraduate Study Abroad: Contact: 
Bahareh Moradi, MoradiBX@state.gov, 202-632-6350; or Carina Klein, 
KleinCD@state.gov, 202-632-9460.
    All correspondence with the Bureau concerning this RFGP should 
reference the above title and number ECA/A-10-One-time-Comp. A.
    Please read the complete Federal Register 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: February 24, 2010.
Maura M. Pally,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs, 
Department of State.
[FR Doc. 2010-4561 Filed 3-3-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P