Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for Grant Proposals: The Indonesia English Language Study Program, 13198-13203 [2010-5970]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 52 (Thursday, March 18, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13198-13203]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-5970]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 6923]


Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for 
Grant Proposals: The Indonesia English Language Study Program

    Announcement Type: New Grant.
    Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/A/E/EAP-2010-IELSP.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 19.009.
    Key Dates: June 2010-March 2012.
    Application Deadline: April 29, 2010.

Executive Summary

    The Office of Academic Exchange Programs of the Bureau of 
Educational and Cultural Affairs announces an open competition to 
administer the FY2010 Indonesia English Language Study Program. ECA 
welcomes applications from public and private non-profit organizations 
or consortia of organizations including accredited post-secondary 
educational institutions in the United States meeting the provisions 
described in Internal Revenue Code Section 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3) in the 
United States (see Eligibility Information, section III). The grant 
recipient will administer and manage this initiative, which over the 
period of one year will enroll approximately 150 Indonesian 
undergraduate students in one eight-week intensive English language 
course each at a U.S. college or university and provide participants 
with an introduction to American institutions, society and culture. The 
grant recipient will be expected to identify the participating colleges 
and universities that will host students in groups of no more than 20 
at a time. It is anticipated that the total amount of funding for 
FY2010 administrative and program costs will be $1,443,000. ECA 
reserves the right to reduce, revise, or increase the proposed budget 
in accordance with funding availability and the needs of the program.

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,

[[Page 13199]]

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.''

Purpose

    Since the inception of the Indonesia English Language Study Program 
in FY2007, this program has brought over 350 Indonesian undergraduates 
to the United States to attend eight-week long, intensive English study 
courses at colleges and universities across the country. The intent of 
this program is to increase the English language capability of 
Indonesian undergraduate students and to provide them with a 
substantive U.S. exchange experience. Many of the participants may wish 
to return to the U.S. at a future date for graduate study; will 
eventually seek careers in Indonesia as teachers of English at the 
school and university level; or may become entrepreneurs, scientists, 
government officials, leaders within the Indonesian NGO community, or 
hold other positions of influence.

Overview

    The program will consist of a series of approximately eight eight-
week programs. Each of these programs will be limited to 20 
participants and should offer 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.
    Applicant organizations should identify a partner organization in 
Indonesia with the capacity to advertise, recruit, screen and assist in 
the selection of the program's participants as part of a nationwide, 
merit-based, transparent competition. Both the applicant organization 
and its Indonesia partner will be expected to work closely with the 
Public Affairs Section (PAS) of the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta and with 
other Indonesian organizations identified by PAS Jakarta, including 
government ministries, on this aspect of the project. It is expected 
that approximately half the participants will come from institutions of 
higher education that are administered by the Ministry of National 
Education, and half from institutions administered by the Ministry of 
Religious Affairs. In recruiting participants, efforts should be made 
to seek students from non-elite backgrounds, from both rural and urban 
sectors, and with little or no prior experience in the United States or 
elsewhere outside their home country. It is anticipated that the 
selection of participants will reflect Indonesia's geographic, 
institutional, ethnic, and gender diversity. Most of the students 
selected will be in their junior year of study and will have completed 
approximately nine years of formal English study.
    One grant will be awarded for the administration of this program 
and the organization of U.S. based activities. The grant recipient will 
be expected to identify the participating colleges and universities 
that will host students in groups of no more than 20 each. U.S. host 
institutions should be identified with an eye toward geographic and 
institutional diversity and the ability to provide the highest quality 
English language instruction, which is the primary objective of the 
program. In identifying the participating host institutions, the 
proposal should make clear (a) why these institutions have been 
recommended, (b) what particular strengths they will bring to the 
program, and (c) how those institutions will specifically meet the 
program content requirements as outlined above. Plans for participant 
housing arrangements should be outlined and should maximize the 
opportunities for program participants to practice their English 
speaking and listening skills with native English speakers and with 
people from countries other than Indonesia.
    Students will be available for these programs in three discrete 
academic periods: (1) Spring 2011; (2) Summer 2011; and (3) Fall 2011. 
At each campus program, it is essential that all students not be placed 
together in the same English courses, but rather that they study with 
students of other nationalities and language backgrounds who will also 
be attending these intensive English language programs. Applicants 
should therefore design a program that will offer an academic residency 
component of eight 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 the 
participants' general reading, writing, speaking and listening skills. 
Provision should also be made for the testing of those skills before, 
during and after the program.
    Further guidance can be found in the Project Objectives, Goals and 
Implementation (POGI) document, which provides specific information, 
award criteria and budget instructions tailored to this competition.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Grant Agreement.
    Fiscal Year Funds: 2010.
    Approximate Total Funding: $1,443,000.
    Approximate Number of Awards: 1.
    Approximate Average Award: $1,443,000.
    Anticipated Award Date: June 1, 2010.
    Anticipated Project Completion Date: March 2012.

Additional Information

    At this time it is not known whether additional funding will be 
available in subsequent fiscal years. However, pending successful 
implementation of this program and the availability of funds in 
subsequent fiscal years, ECA reserves the right to renew this grant for 
two additional fiscal years, before openly competing it again.

III. Eligibility Information

    III.1. Eligible applicants: Applications may be submitted by public 
and private non-profit organizations meeting the provisions described 
in Internal Revenue Code section 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3).
    III.2. Cost Sharing or Matching Funds: There is no minimum or 
maximum percentage required for this competition. However, the Bureau 
encourages applicants to provide maximum levels of cost sharing and 
funding in support of its programs.
    When cost sharing is offered, it is understood and agreed that the 
applicant must provide the amount of cost sharing as stipulated in its 
proposal and later included in an approved agreement. Cost sharing may 
be in the form of allowable direct or indirect costs. For 
accountability, you must maintain written records to support all costs 
which are claimed as your contribution, as well as costs to be paid by 
the Federal government. Such records are subject to audit. The basis 
for determining the value of cash and in-kind contributions must be in 
accordance with OMB Circular A-110, (Revised), Subpart C.23--Cost 
Sharing and Matching. In the event you do not provide the minimum 
amount of cost sharing as stipulated in the approved budget, ECA's 
contribution will be reduced in like proportion.

III.3. Other Eligibility Requirements

    (a) Grants awarded to eligible organizations with less than four 
years of experience in conducting international exchange programs will 
be limited to $60,000.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    Note: Please read the complete announcement before sending 
inquiries or

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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 East Asia and Pacific Programs Branch of the 
Office of Academic Programs, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs 
(ECA/A/E/EAP), SA-5, 4th Floor, U.S. Department of State, 2200 C 
Street, NW., Washington, DC 20522-0504. Telephone: (202) 632-3213 and 
fax: (202) 632-9464, LeenertsSL@state.gov to request a Solicitation 
Package. Please refer to the Funding Opportunity Number ECA/A/E/EAP-
2010-IELSP located at the top of this announcement when making your 
request.
    Alternatively, an electronic application package may be obtained 
from grants.gov. Please see section IV.3f for further information.
    The Solicitation Package contains the Proposal Submission 
Instruction (PSI) document which consists of required application 
forms, and standard guidelines for proposal preparation.
    It also contains the Project Objectives, Goals and Implementation 
(POGI) document, which provides specific information, award criteria 
and budget instructions tailored to this competition.
    Please specify Shana Leenerts and refer to the Funding Opportunity 
Number ECA/A/E/EAP-2010-IELSP located at the top of this announcement 
on all other inquiries and correspondence.

IV.2. To Download a Solicitation Package Via Internet

    The entire Solicitation Package may be downloaded from the Bureau's 
Web site at https://exchanges.state.gov/grants/open2.html, or from the 
Grants.gov Web site at https://www.grants.gov.
    Please read all information before downloading.
    IV.3. Content and Form of Submission: Applicants must follow all 
instructions in the Solicitation Package. The application should be 
submitted per the instructions under IV.3f. ``Application Deadline and 
Methods of Submission'' section below.
    IV.3a. You are required to have a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal 
Numbering System (DUNS) number to apply for a grant or cooperative 
agreement from the U.S. Government. This number is a nine-digit 
identification number, which uniquely identifies business entities. 
Obtaining a DUNS number is easy and there is no charge. To obtain a 
DUNS number, access https://www.dunandbrad street.com or call 1-866-705-
5711. Please ensure that your DUNS number is included in the 
appropriate box of the SF-424 which is part of the formal application 
package.
    IV.3b. All proposals must contain an executive summary, proposal 
narrative and budget.
    Please Refer to the Solicitation Package. It contains the mandatory 
Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) document and the Project 
Objectives, Goals and Implementation (POGI) document for additional 
formatting and technical requirements.
    IV.3c. You must have nonprofit status with the IRS at the time of 
application. Please note: Effective January 7, 2009, all applicants for 
ECA Federal assistance awards must include in their application the 
names of directors and/or senior executives (current officers, 
trustees, and key employees, regardless of amount of compensation). In 
fulfilling this requirement, applicants must submit information in one 
of the following ways:
    (1) Those who file Internal Revenue Service Form 990, ``Return of 
Organization Exempt From Income Tax,'' must include a copy of relevant 
portions of this form.
    (2) Those who do not file IRS Form 990 must submit information 
above in the format of their choice.
    In addition to final program reporting requirements, award 
recipients will also be required to submit a one-page document, derived 
from their program reports, listing and describing their grant 
activities. For award recipients, the names of directors and/or senior 
executives (current officers, trustees, and key employees), as well as 
the one- page description of grant activities, will be transmitted by 
the State Department to OMB, along with other information required by 
the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA), and 
will be made available to the public by the Office of Management and 
Budget on its USASpending.gov Web site as part of ECA's FFATA reporting 
requirements.
    If your organization is a private nonprofit which has not received 
a grant or cooperative agreement from ECA in the past three years, or 
if your organization received nonprofit status from the IRS within the 
past four years, you must submit the necessary documentation to verify 
nonprofit status as directed in the PSI document. Failure to do so will 
cause your proposal to be declared technically ineligible.
IV.3d. Please Take into Consideration the Following Information When 
Preparing Your Proposal Narrative
IV.3d.1 Adherence to All Regulations Governing the J Visa
    The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs places critically 
important emphases on the security and proper administration of the 
Exchange Visitor (J visa) Programs and adherence by award recipients 
and sponsors to all regulations governing the J visa. Therefore, 
proposals should demonstrate the applicant's capacity to meet all 
requirements governing the administration of the Exchange Visitor 
Programs as set forth in 22 CFR 62, including the oversight of 
Responsible Officers and Alternate Responsible Officers, screening and 
selection of program participants, provision of pre-arrival information 
and orientation to participants, monitoring of participants, proper 
maintenance and security of forms, record-keeping, reporting and other 
requirements.
    The award 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, 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

[[Page 13201]]

opportunities for participation in such programs to human rights and 
democracy leaders of such countries.'' Public Law 106-113 requires that 
the governments of the countries described above do not have 
inappropriate influence in the selection process. Proposals should 
reflect advancement of these goals in their program contents, to the 
full extent deemed feasible.
IV.3d.3. Program Monitoring and Evaluation
    Proposals must include a plan to monitor and evaluate the project's 
success, both as the activities unfold and at the end of the program. 
The Bureau recommends that your proposal include a draft survey 
questionnaire or other technique plus a description of a methodology to 
use to link outcomes to original project objectives. The Bureau expects 
that the recipient organization will track participants or partners and 
be able to respond to key evaluation questions, including satisfaction 
with the program, learning as a result of the program, changes in 
behavior as a result of the program, and effects of the program on 
institutions (institutions in which participants work or partner 
institutions). The evaluation plan should include indicators that 
measure gains in mutual understanding as well as substantive knowledge.
    Successful monitoring and evaluation depend heavily on setting 
clear goals and outcomes at the outset of a program. Your evaluation 
plan should include a description of your project's objectives, your 
anticipated project outcomes, and how and when you intend to measure 
these outcomes (performance indicators). The more that outcomes are 
``smart'' (specific, measurable, attainable, results-oriented, and 
placed in a reasonable time frame), the easier it will be to conduct 
the evaluation. You should also show how your project objectives link 
to the goals of the program described in this RFGP.
    Your monitoring and evaluation plan should clearly distinguish 
between program outputs and outcomes. Outputs are products and services 
delivered, often stated as an amount. Output information is important 
to show the scope or size of project activities, but it cannot 
substitute for information about progress towards outcomes or the 
results achieved. Examples of outputs include the number of people 
trained or the number of seminars conducted. Outcomes, in contrast, 
represent specific results a project is intended to achieve and is 
usually measured as an extent of change. Findings on outputs 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.
    Describe your plans for: i.e. sustainability, overall program 
management, staffing, coordination with ECA and PAS or any other 
requirements etc.
IV.3e. Please Take the Following Information Into Consideration When 
Preparing Your Budget
    IV.3e.1. Applicants must submit SF-424A--``Budget Information--Non-
Construction Programs'' along with a comprehensive budget for the 
entire program. Budget requests may not exceed $1,443,000. The number 
of participants who will take part should be clearly stated. There must 
be a summary budget as well as breakdowns reflecting both 
administrative and program budgets. Applicants may provide separate 
sub-budgets for each program component, phase, location, or activity to 
provide clarification.
    IV.3e.2. Allowable costs for the program include the following:
    (1) Instructional costs (For example: Language program fees, 
educational course materials);
    (2) Lodging, meals, and incidental expenses for participants;
    (3) Expenses associated with cultural activities planned for the 
group of participants (for example: tickets, transportation);
    (4) Administrative costs as necessary;
    (5) International and necessary in-country airfare and travel 
expenses;
    (6) U.S. ground transportation costs to/from airports and for one 
regional trip for cultural enhancement.
    Please refer to the Solicitation Package for complete budget 
guidelines and formatting instructions.
IV.3f. Application Deadline and Methods of Submission
    Application Deadline Date: April 29, 2010.
    Reference Number: ECA/A/E/EAP-2010-IELSP.
    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

[[Page 13202]]

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 10 copies of the application should be sent to: 
Program Management Division, ECA-IIP/EX/PM, Ref.: ECA/A/E/EAP-2010-
IELSP, SA-5, Floor 4, Department of State, 2200 C Street, NW., 
Washington, DC 20522-0504.
    Applicants submitting hard-copy applications must also submit the 
``Executive Summary'' and ``Proposal Narrative'' sections of the 
proposal in text (.txt) or Microsoft Word format on CD-ROM. As 
appropriate, the Bureau will provide these files electronically to 
Public Affairs Section(s) at the U.S. embassy(ies) for its (their) 
review.
IV.3f.2 Submitting Electronic Applications
    Applicants have the option of submitting proposals electronically 
through Grants.gov (https://www.grants.gov). Complete solicitation 
packages are available at Grants.gov in the ``Find'' portion of the 
system.

    Please Note: ECA 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 grant 
agreements resides with the Bureau's Grants Officer.
Review Criteria
    Technically eligible applications will be competitively reviewed 
according to the criteria stated below. These criteria are not rank 
ordered and all carry equal weight in the proposal evaluation:
    1. Quality of the Program Idea: Proposals should exhibit 
originality, substance, precision, and relevance to the Bureau's 
mission.
    2. Program Planning and Ability to Achieve Program Objectives: 
Objectives should be reasonable, feasible, and flexible. A detailed 
agenda and relevant work plan should demonstrate substantive 
undertakings and logistical capacity. Agenda and plan should adhere to 
the program overview and guidelines described above.
    3. Support of Diversity: Proposals should demonstrate substantive 
support of the Bureau's policy on diversity. Achievable and relevant 
features should be cited in both program administration (selection of 
participants, program venue and program evaluation) and program content 
(orientation and wrap-up sessions, program meetings, resource materials 
and follow-up activities).
    4. Institutional Capacity: Proposed personnel and institutional 
resources should be adequate and appropriate to achieve the program or 
project's goals.
    5. Institution's Record/Ability: Proposals should demonstrate an 
institutional record of successful exchange programs, including 
responsible fiscal management and full compliance with all reporting 
requirements for past Bureau awards

[[Page 13203]]

(grants or cooperative agreements) as determined by Bureau Grants 
Staff. The Bureau will consider the past performance of prior 
recipients and the demonstrated potential of new applicants.
    6. Follow-on Activities: Proposals should provide a plan for 
continued follow-on activity (without Bureau support) ensuring that 
Bureau supported programs are not isolated events.
    7. Project Evaluation: Proposals should include a plan to evaluate 
the activity's success, both as the activities unfold and at the end of 
the program. A draft survey questionnaire or other technique plus 
description of a methodology to use to link outcomes to original 
project objectives is recommended.
    8. Cost-effectiveness and Cost-sharing: The overhead and 
administrative components of the proposal, including salaries and 
honoraria, should be kept as low as possible. All other items should be 
necessary and appropriate. Proposals should maximize cost-sharing 
through other private sector support as well as institutional direct 
funding contributions.

VI. Award Administration Information

VI.1a. Award Notices

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

VI.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) 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 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) Quarterly program and financial reports which should include 
detailed information about program and participant progress.
    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.
    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: Shana Leenerts, 
East Asia and Pacific Fulbright Programs Branch, Office of Academic 
Programs, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA/A/E/EAP), 4th 
Floor, ECA/A/E/EAP-2010-IELSP, U.S. Department of State, SA-5, 2200 C 
Street, NW., Washington, DC 20522-0504. Telephone: (202) 632-3213 and 
fax: (202) 632-9464.
    All correspondence with the Bureau concerning this RFGP should 
reference the above title and number ECA/A/E/EAP-2010-IELSP.
    Please read the complete announcement before sending inquiries or 
submitting proposals. Once the RFGP deadline has passed, Bureau staff 
may not discuss this competition with applicants until the proposal 
review process has been completed.

VIII. Other Information

Notice

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

    Dated: March 10, 2010.
Maura M. Pally,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. 
Department of State.
[FR Doc. 2010-5970 Filed 3-17-10; 8:45 am]
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