Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for Grant Proposals: The U.S./Afghanistan Professional Partnership Program, 18005-18012 [2010-7979]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 67 (Thursday, April 8, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18005-18012]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-7979]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 6950]


Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for 
Grant Proposals: The U.S./Afghanistan Professional Partnership Program

    Announcement Type: New Grant.
    Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/PE/C/EUR-SCA-10-52.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 19.415.
    Key Dates:
    Application Deadline: May 21, 2010.
    Executive Summary: In his December 1, 2009, speech in West Point, 
New York, President Obama said that a new

[[Page 18006]]

diplomatic initiative in Afghanistan would be part of the U.S. strategy 
to bring peace and stability in the Afghanistan/Pakistan region. As 
part of this initiative, ECA is seeking proposals for a new program, 
called ``The U.S./Afghanistan Professional Partnership Program.'' This 
program will bring young professionals from the two countries together 
to develop cross cultural relationships and develop professional skills 
that will positively impact people's lives and will result in stronger 
ties between the two nations.
    Pending availability of funds, the Bureau expects to award one 
grant for approximately $1,200,000. The project is focused on 
professionals working in the judicial system and public administration 
and will be designed to demonstrate best practices, offer professional 
development opportunities, and support internships at U.S-based 
workplaces for Afghan professionals. The program will involve 
provincial and district (state, local) public administration officials, 
district attorney offices, legal aid offices, case workers, and judges 
where possible.

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.'' Funding for this competition is 
provided through special FY 2009/FY 2010 supplemental funds that have 
been appropriated to the Department of State.

General Program Outlines

    Language: This program is for English and non-English speaking 
Afghan participants. English language ability will not be a requirement 
to participate. Groups of Afghan professionals should be arranged 
according to language ability/preference (English and Dari). For the 
Dari-speaking participants, State Department Language Services 
interpreters will be assigned through the Office of Citizen Exchanges. 
There will be approximately three interpreters assigned for the group 
orientation portion of the program and about one interpreter to three 
Afghan participants for the internship portion of the program. 
Proposals should budget for the appropriate amount of interpreters. See 
IV.3e.2c. for specifics on budgeting for interpreters.
    Visas: Applicants must demonstrate that they can work with ECA and 
the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy in Kabul for the U.S. 
visas and directly with the Afghan Embassy for its visas (if 
necessary). ECA will issue the DS-2019 forms required for J visas; see 
Section IV.3d.1 for additional information related to the 
administration of J visa programs.
    Travel: The grantee will arrange all round-trip international 
travel, complying with the Fly America Act, and domestic travel 
arrangements for the participants. All Afghan and American participants 
must depart and arrive in Afghanistan through Kabul. Proposals should 
include plans to house the Afghan participants in Kabul for at least 
one day to coordinate pre-departure and post program briefings with the 
Public Affairs Staff of the U.S. Embassy.
    U.S. Based Programs: The recipients of grant awards will be 
responsible for implementing programs from four to six weeks in the 
United States for the Afghan participants. It is envisioned that the 
Afghan participants will be grouped in delegations of ten who will 
travel together to the United States. Each delegation of ten Afghan 
participants will travel at different times throughout the grant 
period. The Afghan participants will be placed within relevant, 
reputable, legally-recognized U.S. organizations where they will gain 
hands-on experience with legal and public administration professions in 
the United States, and will have the opportunity to establish 
relationships with U.S. professional counterparts for on-going 
collaboration. The grantee may want to engage with a partner or sub-
grantee to arrange for the internship placement. The grantee should 
also include cultural enrichment activities as an integral part of the 
experience. Such activities could include outings to museums, historic 
sites, sporting events, cultural exhibits, local schools or community 
events, volunteering and other opportunities to experience American 
culture and diversity. Short-term homestays to give participants a 
personal experience of how typical Americans live are highly desirable.
    Afghanistan-Based Programs: Proposals should also describe a 
selection process and logistics for a one to two-week Afghanistan-based 
program for a smaller number of U.S. participants. The U.S. 
participants will be selected from among the internship host 
organizations for the Afghan participants and will travel several 
months after the Afghans return home. The Afghanistan-based program may 
include public presentations, joint skills development programs, and 
media interviews, if possible. All details and specifics on 
Afghanistan-based programs will be arranged in close coordination with 
the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy in Kabul.

    Note: Because of the changing nature of the security situation, 
U.S. participants may not be able to travel to Afghanistan. 
Therefore, proposals should include a contingency plan to bring U.S. 
and Afghan participants together in a third country (preferably 
within the South and Central Asia region) for this program 
component. See VI.1b for additional information on Assistance Awards 
in Afghanistan.

    Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting: The Bureau places high 
importance on monitoring and evaluation as a means of ensuring and 
measuring a project's success. Proposals must include a detailed 
monitoring and evaluation plan that assesses the impact of the project. 
Please refer to section IV.3d.3. Project Monitoring and Evaluation 
below.
    Follow-up Activities: The grant recipients will develop enhancement 
activities that reinforce program goals after the participants' return 
to Afghanistan. This includes informing participants of the Bureau's 
Alumni program, facilitating their enrollment, and encouraging their 
on-going participation. Please refer to the PSI for additional 
information on Alumni, Outreach, and Engagement.
    Fiscal Management: Applicants must demonstrate competency to manage 
all financial aspects of the project, including participant costs and 
transparent arrangements of sub-grant relationships with partner 
organizations, if applicable.
    Contact ECA: All interested organizations should contact ECA 
Program Officer Brent Beemer before the submission of proposals. ECA 
will also put the organizations in contact with appropriate colleagues 
at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul. Brent Beemer: 202-632-6067, 
BeemerBT@state.gov.

Specific Program Details

    Professional Partnerships: The Judicial System and Public 
Administration.
    This program will provide approximately 100 participants from 
Afghanistan and the United States the

[[Page 18007]]

opportunity to study the legal systems and public administration 
techniques and processes in both countries and for Afghan professionals 
to take part in internships with legal and public administration 
professionals in the U.S. Successful programs will achieve the 
following:
     Demonstrate Afghan and American legal and public 
administration systems and approaches each country uses at the regional 
and local levels.
     Share strategies employed by American and Afghan 
professionals to counter corruption and bureaucratic entanglements in 
the legal and public administration systems.
     Establish structured interaction among American and Afghan 
participants designed to develop enduring professional ties.
    Proposals should include a comprehensive U.S.-based group 
educational and internship program for legal and public administrative 
professionals. One grant will be awarded for this project for a period 
of two to three years.
    Competitive proposals will demonstrate experience and contacts with 
relevant legal and public administration professionals, organizations, 
and educational institutes to program the U.S. components of this 
program. If a subcontractor is proposed for the internship placement, 
its experience and relevance with public administration needs to be 
explained. Competitive proposals should also demonstrate an 
understanding of the structure of the Afghan government, civil service, 
and legal systems.
    Each U.S.-based component will begin with a group orientation 
(preferably in Washington, DC) with workshops, lectures, and site 
visits to introduce participants to the basics of the legal system and 
public administration in the United States. This should be followed by 
hands-on internship components at appropriate host U.S. work sites to 
see these practices at work. Internships should be developed for small 
groups consisting of not more than three persons. A final de-briefing 
session in Washington, DC, for each group should also be included in 
the proposal.
    Audience: Participants should be professionals, who currently hold 
positions within administrative or legal bodies, and have at least five 
years of active experience in the field. Note: Afghan groups should be 
arranged according to the professional level in which they work, and by 
their language ability. Proposals should demonstrate an ability to 
implement programs based in the provincial and local levels. Possible 
audiences for recruitment should include provincial and district 
(state, local) public administration officials, district attorney 
staff, legal aid professionals, case workers, and judges where 
possible.

Afghanistan Recruitment and Selection

    Recruitment and selection for this program in Afghanistan is to be 
closely coordinated with the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy 
in Kabul. Proposals can include information on a proposed in-country 
partner organization that would recruit program participants, and 
include a proposed plan and budget for this recruitment and selection. 
However, applicants may ultimately be asked to work with an alternate 
organization recommended by the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. 
Embassy in Kabul to recruit program participants. In either case, final 
selections (including possible interviews of program finalists) should 
be done in conjunction with the Public Affairs Section. All 
participants must be approved by ECA and the Public Affairs Section in 
Kabul.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Grant Agreement.
    Fiscal Year Funds: 2010.
    Approximate Total Funding: $1,200,000 (pending availability of 
funds).
    Approximate Number of Awards: One.
    Approximate Average Award: $1,200,000.
    Anticipated Award Date: August 1, 2010 (pending availability of 
funds).
    Anticipated Project Completion Date: September 1, 2013.
    Additional Information: At this time, support for this program is 
being provided from special one-time FY 2009/FY 2010 supplemental funds 
that have been appropriated to the Department. In the event that 
additional funds become available in fiscal years 2011 and 2012, and 
pending successful implementation of the FY 2010 funded program, 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) 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 
for approximately $1,200,000 to support program and administrative 
costs required to implement this exchange program. Therefore, 
organizations with less than four years experience in conducting 
international exchanges are ineligible to apply under this competition. 
The Bureau encourages applicants to provide maximum levels of cost 
sharing and funding in support of its programs.
    (b) Technical Eligibility: Applicants may only submit one proposal 
under this competition. If more than one proposal is received from the 
same applicant, all submissions will be declared technically ineligible 
and will receive no further consideration in the review process. Please 
note: Applicant organizations are defined by their legal name, and EIN 
number as stated on their completed SF-424 form and additional 
supporting documentation outlined in the Proposal Submission 
Instructions (PSI) document.

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

[[Page 18008]]

the Office of Citizen Exchanges, ECA/PE/C, SA-5, Third Floor, U.S. 
Department of State, 2200 C Street, NW., Washington, DC 20522-0504, 
(202) 632-6067, BeemerBT@state.gov to request a Solicitation Package. 
Please refer to the Funding Opportunity Number ECA/PE/C/EUR-SCA-10-52 
located at the top of this announcement when making your request.
    Alternatively, an electronic application package may be obtained 
from grants.gov. Please see section IV.3f for further information.
    The Solicitation Package contains the Proposal Submission 
Instruction (PSI) document which consists of required application 
forms, and standard guidelines for proposal preparation.
    Please specify Brent Beemer and refer to the Funding Opportunity 
Number ECA/PE/C/EUR-SCA-10-52 located at the top of this announcement 
on all other inquiries and correspondence.
    IV.2. To Download a Solicitation Package via Internet: The entire 
Solicitation Package may be downloaded from the Bureau's Web site at 
https://exchanges.state.gov/grants/open2.html, or from the Grants.gov 
Web site at https://www.grants.gov.
    Please read all information before downloading.
    IV.3. Content and Form of Submission: Applicants must follow all 
instructions in the Solicitation Package. The application should be 
submitted per the instructions under IV.3f. ``Application Deadline and 
Methods of Submission'' section below.
    IV.3a. You are required to have a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal 
Numbering System (DUNS) number to apply for a grant or cooperative 
agreement from the U.S. Government. This number is a nine-digit 
identification number, which uniquely identifies business entities. 
Obtaining a DUNS number is easy and there is no charge. To obtain a 
DUNS number, access https://www.dunandbradstreet.com or call 1-866-705-
5711. Please ensure that your DUNS number is included in the 
appropriate box of the SF-424 which is part of the formal application 
package.
    IV.3b. All proposals must contain an executive summary, proposal 
narrative and budget.
    Please refer to the solicitation package. It contains the mandatory 
Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) document for additional 
formatting and technical requirements.
    IV.3c. You must have nonprofit status with the IRS at the time of 
application. Please note: Effective January 7, 2009, all applicants for 
ECA Federal assistance awards must include in their application the 
names of directors and/or senior executives (current officers, 
trustees, and key employees, regardless of amount of compensation). In 
fulfilling this requirement, applicants must submit information in one 
of the following ways:
    (1) Those who file Internal Revenue Service Form 990, ``Return of 
Organization Exempt From Income Tax,'' must include a copy of relevant 
portions of this form.
    (2) Those who do not file IRS Form 990 must submit information 
above in the format of their choice.
    In addition to final program reporting requirements, award 
recipients will also be required to submit a one-page document, derived 
from their program reports, listing and describing their grant 
activities. For award recipients, the names of directors and/or senior 
executives (current officers, trustees, and key employees), as well as 
the one-page description of grant activities, will be transmitted by 
the State Department to OMB, along with other information required by 
the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA), and 
will be made available to the public by the Office of Management and 
Budget on its USASpending.gov Web site as part of ECA's FFATA reporting 
requirements.
    If your organization is a private nonprofit which has not received 
a grant or cooperative agreement from ECA in the past three years, or 
if your organization received nonprofit status from the IRS within the 
past four years, you must submit the necessary documentation to verify 
nonprofit status as directed in the PSI document. Failure to do so will 
cause your proposal to be declared technically ineligible.
    IV.3d. Please take into consideration the following information 
when preparing your proposal narrative:
    IV.3d.1. Adherence to All Regulations Governing the J Visa.
    The 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 part 
62, which covers the administration of the Exchange Visitor Program (J 
visa program). Under the terms of 22 CFR part 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 part 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 part 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 part 62. If your organization has experience as 
a designated Exchange Visitor Program Sponsor, the applicant should 
discuss their record of compliance with 22 CFR part 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, 
recordkeeping, 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

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enjoy freedom and democracy,'' the Bureau ``shall take appropriate 
steps to provide opportunities for participation in such programs to 
human rights and democracy leaders of such countries.'' Public Law 106-
113 requires that the governments of the countries described above do 
not have inappropriate influence in the selection process. Proposals 
should reflect advancement of these goals in their program contents, to 
the full extent deemed feasible.
    IV.3d.3. Program Monitoring and Evaluation. Proposals must include 
a plan to monitor and evaluate the project's success, both as the 
activities unfold and at the end of the program. The Bureau recommends 
that your proposal include a draft survey questionnaire or other 
technique plus a description of a methodology to use to link outcomes 
to original project objectives. The Bureau expects that the recipient 
organization will track participants or partners and be able to respond 
to key evaluation questions, including satisfaction with the program, 
learning as a result of the program, changes in behavior as a result of 
the program, and effects of the program on institutions (institutions 
in which participants work or partner institutions). The evaluation 
plan should include indicators that measure gains in mutual 
understanding as well as substantive knowledge.
    Successful monitoring and evaluation depend heavily on setting 
clear goals and outcomes at the outset of a program. Your evaluation 
plan should include a description of your project's objectives, your 
anticipated project outcomes, and how and when you intend to measure 
these outcomes (performance indicators). The more that outcomes are 
``smart'' (specific, measurable, attainable, results-oriented, and 
placed in a reasonable time frame), the easier it will be to conduct 
the evaluation. You should also show how your project objectives link 
to the goals of the program described in this RFGP.
    Your monitoring and evaluation plan should clearly distinguish 
between program outputs and outcomes. Outputs are products and services 
delivered, often stated as an amount. Output information is important 
to show the scope or size of project activities, but it cannot 
substitute for information about progress towards outcomes or the 
results achieved. Examples of outputs include the number of people 
trained or the number of seminars conducted. Outcomes, in contrast, 
represent specific results a project is intended to achieve and is 
usually measured as an extent of change. Findings on outputs 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, demonstrating 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. 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:
    IV.3e.2a. Travel. International and domestic airfare; airline 
baggage and seat fees; visas; transit costs; ground transportation 
costs. 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.
    IV.3e.2b. 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?contentType=GSA_BASIC&contentId=17943. 
ECA requests applicants to budget realistic costs that reflect the 
local economy and do not exceed Federal per diem rates. Foreign per 
diem rates can be accessed at: https://aoprals.state.gov/content.asp?content_id=184&menu_id=78.
    IV.3e.2c. Interpreters. As stated previously, ECA anticipates that 
most participants coming to the U.S. on this program will not have 
command of English. ECA is requiring that eventual award recipients ask 
ECA to assign State Department interpreters for this project. One 
interpreter is typically needed for every four participants who require 
interpretation. When an applicant proposes to use State Department 
interpreters, the following expenses should be included in the budget: 
Published Federal per diem rates (both ``lodging'' and ``M&IE'') and 
``home-program-home'' transportation in the amount of $400 per 
interpreter. Salary expenses for State Department interpreters will be 
covered by the Bureau and should not be part of an applicant's proposed 
budget. Bureau funds cannot support interpreters who accompany 
delegations from their home country or travel internationally.
    IV.3e.2d. Book and Cultural Allowances. Foreign participants are 
entitled to a one-time cultural allowance of $150 per person, plus a 
book allowance of $50. Interpreters should be reimbursed up to $150 for 
expenses when they escort participants to cultural events. U.S. program 
staff, trainers or participants are not eligible to receive these 
benefits.
    IV.3e.2e. Consultants. Consultants may be used to provide 
specialized expertise or to make presentations. Honoraria rates should 
not exceed $250 per day. Organizations are encouraged to cost-share 
rates that would exceed

[[Page 18010]]

that figure. Subcontracting organizations may also be employed, in 
which case the written agreement between the prospective grantee and 
sub-grantee should be included in the proposal. Such sub-grants should 
detail the division of responsibilities and proposed costs, and 
subcontracts should be itemized in the budget.
    IV.3e.2f. Room rental. The rental of meeting space should not 
exceed $250 per day. Any rates that exceed this amount should be cost 
shared.
    IV.3e.2g. Materials. Proposals may contain costs to purchase, 
develop and translate materials for participants. Costs for high 
quality translation of materials should be anticipated and included in 
the budget. Grantee organizations should expect to submit a copy of all 
program materials to ECA, and ECA support should be acknowledged on all 
materials developed with its funding.
    IV.3e.2h. Equipment. Applicants may propose to use grant funds to 
purchase equipment, such as computers and printers; these costs should 
be justified in the budget narrative. Costs for furniture are not 
allowed.
    IV.3e.2i. Working meal. Normally, no more than one working meal may 
be provided during the program. Per capita costs may not exceed $15-$25 
for lunch and $20-$35 for dinner, excluding room rental. The number of 
invited guests may not exceed participants by more than a factor of 
two-to-one. When setting up a budget, interpreters should be considered 
``participants.''
    IV.3e.2j. Return travel allowance. A return travel allowance of $70 
for each foreign participant may be included in the budget. This 
allowance would cover incidental expenses incurred during international 
travel.
    IV.3e.2k. Health Insurance. Foreign participants will be covered 
during their participation in the program by the ECA-sponsored Accident 
and Sickness Program for Exchanges (ASPE), for which the grantee must 
enroll them. Details of that policy can be provided by the contact 
officers identified in this solicitation. The premium is paid by ECA 
and should not be included in the grant proposal budget. However, 
applicants are permitted to include costs for travel insurance for U.S. 
participants in the budget.
    IV.3e.2l. Wire transfer fees. When necessary, applicants may 
include costs to transfer funds to partner organizations overseas. 
Grantees are urged to research applicable taxes that may be imposed on 
these transfers by host governments.
    IV.3e.2m. In-Country Travel Costs for Visa Processing Purposes. 
Given the requirements associated with obtaining J-1 visas for ECA-
supported participants, applicants should include costs for any travel 
associated with visa interviews or DS-2019 pick-up.
    IV.3e.2n. Administrative Costs. Costs necessary for the effective 
administration of the program may include salaries for grantee 
organization employees, benefits, and other direct and indirect costs 
per detailed instructions in the Application Package. While there is no 
rigid ratio of administrative to program costs, proposals in which the 
administrative costs do not exceed 25% of the total requested ECA grant 
funds will be more competitive under the cost effectiveness and cost 
sharing criterion, per item V.1 below. Proposals should show strong 
administrative cost sharing contributions from the applicant, the in-
country partner and other sources. Please also include in the 
administrative portion of your budget plans to travel to Washington, 
DC, to meet with your program officer within the first 45 days after 
the grant has been awarded. Please refer to the Solicitation Package 
for complete budget guidelines and formatting instructions.
    IV.3f. Application Deadline and Methods of Submission:
    Application Deadline Date: May 21, 2010.
    Reference Number: ECA/PE/C/EUR-SCA-10-52.
    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 10 copies of the application should be sent to: 
Program Management Division, ECA-IIP/EX/PM, Ref.: ECA/PE/C/EUR-SCA-10-
52, 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

[[Page 18011]]

deadline to begin the submission process through Grants.gov.
    The Grants.gov Web site includes extensive information on all 
phases/aspects of the Grants.gov process, including an extensive 
section on frequently asked questions, located under the ``For 
Applicants'' section of the Web site. ECA strongly recommends that all 
potential applicants review thoroughly the Grants.gov Web site, well in 
advance of submitting a proposal through the Grants.gov system. ECA 
bears no responsibility for data errors resulting from transmission or 
conversion processes.
    Direct all questions regarding Grants.gov registration and 
submission to: Grants.gov Customer Support; Contact Center Phone: 800-
518-4726; Business Hours: Monday-Friday, 7 a.m.-9 p.m. Eastern Time; E-
mail: grants.gov">support@grants.gov.
    Applicants have until midnight (12 a.m.), Washington, DC time of 
the closing date to ensure that their entire application has been 
uploaded to the Grants.gov site. There are no exceptions to the above 
deadline. Applications uploaded to the site after midnight of the 
application deadline date will be automatically rejected by the 
grants.gov system, and will be technically ineligible.
    Please refer to the Grants.gov Web site, for definitions of various 
``application statuses'' and the difference between a submission 
receipt and a submission validation. Applicants will receive a 
validation e-mail from grants.gov upon the successful submission of an 
application. Again, validation of an electronic submission via 
Grants.gov can take up to two business days. Therefore, we strongly 
recommend that you not wait until the application deadline to begin the 
submission process through Grants.gov. ECA will not notify you upon 
receipt of electronic applications.
    It is the responsibility of all applicants submitting proposals via 
the Grants.gov Web portal to ensure that proposals have been received 
by Grants.gov in their entirety, and ECA bears no responsibility for 
data errors resulting from transmission or conversion processes.
    Optional--IV.3f.3. You may also state here any limitations on the 
number of applications that an applicant may submit and make it clear 
whether the limitation is on the submitting organization, individual 
program director or both.
    IV.3g. Intergovernmental Review of Applications: Executive Order 
12372 does not apply to this program.

V. Application Review Information

V.1. Review Process

    The Bureau will review all proposals for technical eligibility. 
Proposals will be deemed ineligible if they do not fully adhere to the 
guidelines stated herein and in the Solicitation Package. All eligible 
proposals will be reviewed by the program office, as well as the Public 
Diplomacy section overseas, where appropriate. Eligible proposals will 
be subject to compliance with Federal and Bureau regulations and 
guidelines and forwarded to Bureau grant panels for advisory review. 
Proposals may also be reviewed by the Office of the Legal Adviser or by 
other Department elements. Final funding decisions are at the 
discretion of the Department of State's Assistant Secretary for 
Educational and Cultural Affairs. Final technical authority for 
assistance award 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: Proposals should exhibit 
originality, substance, precision, and relevance to the Bureau's 
mission.
    2. Program Planning and Ability to Achieve Objectives: 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. Objectives should 
be reasonable, feasible, and flexible. Proposals should clearly 
demonstrate how the institution will meet the program's objectives and 
plan.
    3. Institutional Capacity and Record: Proposed personnel and 
institutional resources should be adequate and appropriate to achieve 
the program or project's goals. Proposals should demonstrate an 
institutional record of successful exchange programs, including 
responsible fiscal management and full compliance with all reporting 
requirements for past Bureau awards (grants or cooperative agreements) 
as determined by Bureau Grants Staff. The Bureau will consider the past 
performance of prior recipients and the demonstrated potential of new 
applicants.
    4. 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.
    5. 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).
    6. Project Evaluation: Proposals should include a plan to evaluate 
the activity's success, both as the activities unfold and at the end of 
the program. A draft survey questionnaire or other technique plus 
description of a methodology to use to link outcomes to original 
project objectives is recommended.

VI. Award Administration Information

VI.1a. Award Notices

    Final awards cannot be made until funds have been appropriated by 
Congress, allocated and committed through internal Bureau procedures. 
Successful applicants will receive a Federal Assistance Award (FAA) 
from the Bureau's Grants Office. The FAA and the original proposal with 
subsequent modifications (if applicable) shall be the only binding 
authorizing document between the recipient and the U.S. Government. The 
FAA will be signed by an authorized Grants Officer, and mailed to the 
recipient's responsible officer identified in the application.
    Unsuccessful applicants will receive notification of the results of 
the application review from the ECA program office coordinating this 
competition.
    VI.1b. The following additional requirements apply to this project:
    Special Provision for Performance in a Designated Combat Area 
(Currently Iraq and Afghanistan).
    All Recipient personnel deploying to areas of combat operations, as 
designated by the Secretary of Defense (currently Iraq and 
Afghanistan), under assistance awards over $100,000 or performance over 
14 days must register in the Department of Defense maintained 
Synchronized Pre-deployment and Operational Tracker (SPOT) system. 
Recipients of federal assistance awards shall register in SPOT before 
deployment, or if already in the designated operational area, register 
upon becoming an employee under the assistance award, and maintain 
current data in SPOT. Information on how to

[[Page 18012]]

register in SPOT will be available from your Grants Officer or Grants 
Officer Representative during the final negotiation and approval stages 
in the federal assistance awards process. Recipients of federal 
assistance awards are advised that adherence to this policy and 
procedure will be a requirement of all final federal assistance awards 
issued by ECA.
    Recipient performance may require the use of armed private security 
personnel. To the extent that such private security contractors (PSCs) 
are required, grantees are required to ensure they adhere to Chief of 
Mission (COM) policies and procedures regarding the operation, 
oversight, and accountability of PSCs.
    VI.2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements: Terms and 
Conditions for the Administration of ECA agreements include the 
following:
    Office of Management and Budget Circular A-122, ``Cost Principles 
for Nonprofit Organizations.''
    Office of Management and Budget Circular A-21, ``Cost Principles 
for Educational Institutions.''
    OMB Circular A-87, ``Cost Principles for State, Local and Indian 
Governments''.
    OMB Circular No. A-110 (Revised), Uniform Administrative 
Requirements for Grants and Agreements with Institutions of Higher 
Education, Hospitals, and other Nonprofit Organizations.
    OMB Circular No. A-102, Uniform Administrative Requirements for 
Grants-in-Aid to State and Local Governments.
    OMB Circular No. A-133, Audits of States, Local Government, and 
Non-profit Organizations.
    Please reference the following Web sites for additional 
information: https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants; https://fa.statebuy.state.gov.
    VI.3. Reporting Requirements: You must provide ECA with a hard copy 
original plus one electronic 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.
    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. 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: Brent Beemer, 
Office of Citizen Exchanges, ECA/PE/C, Third Floor SA-5, Third Floor, 
U.S. Department of State, 2200 C Street, NW., Washington, DC 20522-
0504.
    Brent Beemer: 202-632-6067, BeemerBT@state.gov. All correspondence 
with the Bureau concerning this RFGP should reference the above title 
and number ECA/PE/C/EUR-SCA-10-52.
    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: April 2, 2010.
Maura M. Pally,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs, 
Department of State.
[FR Doc. 2010-7979 Filed 4-7-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P