Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for Grant Proposals: Trans-Saharan Professionals Program, 17996-18005 [2010-7981]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 67 (Thursday, April 8, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17996-18005]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-7981]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 6948]


Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for 
Grant Proposals: Trans-Saharan Professionals Program

    Announcement Type: New Grant.
    Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/PE/C/AF-NEA-WHA-10-53.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 19.415.
    Key Dates:
    Fiscal Year Funds: 2010.
    Application Deadline: May 20, 2010.
    Anticipated Award Date: September 15, 2010.
    Anticipated Project Completion Date: August 31, 2012.
    Approximate Total Funding: $1,650,000.
    Approximate Number of Awards: 3.
    Approximate Average Award: $400,000-$650,000.
    Executive Summary: The Office of Citizen Exchanges of the Bureau of 
Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA/PE/C) announces an open 
competition for grants to conduct one of three professional exchange 
programs in the Trans-Sahara Africa Region. The Office anticipates 
awarding separate grants to three different organizations, one for each 
of the three themes presented in this announcement.
    U.S. public and non-profit organizations meeting the provisions 
described in Internal Revenue code section 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3) may 
submit proposals that support the goals of the Trans-Saharan 
Professionals Program. These goals, which encompass both bureau and 
programmatic goals, are: (1) To provide foreign participants from 
eligible countries an opportunity for professional development through 
three- to four-week study tours and internships in the U.S.; (2) to 
provide U.S. participants the opportunity to share their professional 
expertise with counterparts in eligible countries while also learning 
from them; (3) to promote mutual understanding and partnerships between 
key professional groups in the United States and counterpart groups in 
eligible countries with a plan for working relationships to continue 
well beyond the period of ECA funding; and (4) encourage mass media to 
report on the program to a wider audience. Proposed projects should be 
two-way exchanges involving participants from both the U.S. and foreign 
countries traveling to each others' countries. Each project should 
contribute to the strengthening of civil society where it is carried 
out. Participants in these projects will be provided professional 
learning programs that will enhance their careers with the expectation 
that they will contribute their expertise to the program.
    Projects should take place over the course of approximately two 
years and target current or up-and-coming professional leaders who will 
promote positive development in their communities. Specific themes of 
interest in this competition include: Elections, Business Development, 
and Community Leadership. Eligible countries and guidance for each 
theme are provided in Section I.7 below. Proposals that target themes 
and countries not specifically mentioned in this Request for Grant 
Proposals will be considered technically ineligible and receive no 
further consideration in the review process.
    Applicants may submit only one proposal under this competition. If 
multiple proposals are received from the same applicant, all 
submissions will be declared technically ineligible and receive no 
further consideration in the review process. No guarantee is made or 
implied that grants will be awarded in all themes or for all countries 
listed.

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    I.1. Authority: Overall grant making authority for this program is 
contained in the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961, 
Public Law 87-

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256, as amended, also known as the Fulbright-Hays Act. The purpose of 
the Act is ``to enable the Government of the United States to increase 
mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the 
people of other countries (* * *); to strengthen the ties which unite 
us with other nations by demonstrating the educational and cultural 
interests, developments, and achievements of the people of the United 
States and other nations (* * *) and thus to assist in the development 
of friendly, sympathetic and peaceful relations between the United 
States and the other countries of the world.'' The funding authority 
for the program above is provided through legislation.
    I.2. Purpose and Program Description: In this competition, the 
Trans-Saharan Professionals Program is conceived as a two-way exchange 
involving current or up-and-coming professional leaders from both the 
U.S. and selected African countries who will effect positive 
development in their communities. Professional programs will be focused 
in the following themes: Elections, Business Development, and Community 
Leadership. One grant will be awarded for each of these themes. The 
goals of each program are: (1) To provide African participants from 
eligible countries a plan for professional development through three- 
to four-week learning programs in the U.S.; (2) to provide U.S. 
participants a plan to share their professional expertise with 
counterparts in eligible countries while also learning from them; (3) 
to promote mutual understanding and partnerships between key 
professional groups in the United States and counterpart groups in 
eligible countries with a plan for working relationships to continue 
well beyond the period of ECA funding; and (4) to encourage mass media 
to report on the program to a wider audience. Projects will take place 
over the course of approximately two years.
    Proposals should demonstrate how the grantee will creatively 
utilize online networking sites such as the State Department's Alumni 
Web site (alumni.state.gov) to engage with program participants before, 
during and after they take part in the international exchange and the 
Bureau's new social networking site, Exchanges Connect 
(connect.state.gov), to highlight program activities and first-person 
participant experiences during the program. Applicants should plan to 
get participants registered on the Bureau's Alumni site and assist them 
in using it.
    I.3. Participants. For the purposes of this program, 
``participants'' are defined as those who travel under grant funding 
from their country of origin to a designated exchange country. The 
recommended numbers of African and U.S. participants are presented in 
section I.7 below for each theme. Although more African participants 
than American participants are anticipated under this program model, it 
is important to emphasize that this program is reciprocal in nature and 
directed to mutual understanding with learning and giving on both the 
African and U.S. sides.
    African participants should be selected through a merit-based, 
competitive process. They should be up-and-coming or mid-level 
professionals with experience or responsibility relevant to one of the 
specific themes. They should have good interpersonal and communication 
skills that will allow them to function effectively and independently 
in a wide variety of private, public, and professional settings in the 
U.S. While a command of oral and written English is highly desirable, 
those participants who do not possess strong English language skills 
should be provided with interpretation and translation assistance. 
Proposals should describe how participants who need language assistance 
will be accommodated and the costs included in the budget. Logistics 
and costs will be too great to recruit a separate interpreter for each 
African participant, so group activities with a few interpreters may be 
most practical. Participants should also have demonstrated leadership 
abilities and a commitment to or participation in a wider program, 
including alumni projects and affairs.
    U.S. participants may include individuals who act as hosts and 
mentors for African participants who travel to the U.S., and 
professionals from government and civil society organizations with 
expertise relevant to the project focus. While U.S. participants are 
not required to have relevant foreign language capability, it is 
recommended. As with the African participants, proposals should 
describe how language interpretation needs will be handled and their 
costs included in the budget.
    Applicants should plan to program the number of participants noted 
in section I.7 below, or more, and maximize the lengths of the U.S.- 
and African-based programs within the given funding levels. Therefore, 
applicants that use home-stays, engage public and private partners who 
provide programming support, maximize cost sharing, and employ other 
creative techniques to increase or stretch funding dollars will be 
deemed more competitive under the cost effectiveness/cost sharing 
review criterion reference below. Grantees must assure that home-stay 
lodging will be of appropriate good quality for safety, cleanliness, 
and comfort.
    I.4. Partner Organizations. Applicants must identify the U.S.-based 
and foreign-based organizations and individuals with whom they are 
proposing to collaborate and describe previous cooperative activities, 
if any.
    I.5. Project Activities. To be successful, grant applicants must 
convincingly demonstrate a capacity to achieve the following key 
activities:
    I.5a. Recruit Participants. The recipient of this award will 
recruit qualified individuals throughout the target countries for both 
spring and fall delegates. African participants should be selected 
through a merit-based, competitive process with the knowledge and 
participation of the Public Affairs Section (PAS) of the U.S. Embassy. 
An in-country or regional partner organization(s) or office is also 
required to coordinate screening, selecting, and preparing participants 
prior to departure for the United States including a formal pre-
departure orientation program.
    I.5b. Facilitate the Visa Process. The grant recipient must work 
with ECA and the relevant Public Affairs Sections of U.S. embassies to 
secure U.S. visas for African participants, and work directly with the 
partner country embassy to secure visas for U.S. participants. ECA will 
issue the DS-2019 forms required for the J visas on which foreign 
participants must travel when participating in an ECA-sponsored 
program.
    I.5c. Arrange All Round-trip International Travel, complying with 
the Fly America Act, and domestic travel arrangements for the 
participants.
    I.5d. Conduct U.S.-Based Learning Programs. The recipient of this 
award will be responsible for designing and implementing learning 
programs from three to four weeks in the United States for African 
participants. ECA is open to creative and cost-efficient approaches for 
program content. U.S.-based home-stays for African participants are 
recommended to reduce costs while providing cultural learning. The 
grantee may consider engaging a partner or sub-grantee to arrange for 
internship placements or other specialized learning activities. The 
link of project activities to project objectives should be explained.
    I.5e. Conduct an Overseas Program for U.S. Participants. The 
recipient of this award will conduct an overseas program in which U.S. 
participants will travel for two to three weeks to conduct on-site 
consultancies and joint programming

[[Page 17998]]

with African participants and their colleagues, and, if appropriate and 
feasible, reciprocal internships to share their professional expertise 
and learn from their counterparts. Home-stays may also be considered. 
The overseas program should be designed to engage a broad audience 
beyond the original African participants. Proposals should demonstrate 
how the grantee would work with a community-based partner overseas to 
engage a wide range of people and will sustain the program benefits 
beyond the period of the grant. The link of project activities to 
project objectives should be explained.
    I.5f. Conduct a Second Round of U.S. Studies and Overseas Programs. 
The recipient of this award will conduct a second round of U.S.-based 
learning activities and overseas programs of a similar nature as 
described in I.5d and I.5e above in order to build on the work of the 
first cohorts.
    I.5g. Conduct Orientation and Professional Conference. The grantee 
will also be responsible for conducting a thorough orientation for 
African participants upon their arrival in the United States, as well 
as a concluding conference in Washington, DC, to be coordinated with 
the ECA's Office of Citizen Exchanges and with other grantees in this 
set of three thematic projects. For the Professionals Conference, 
grantees will be responsible for providing transportation, lodging, per 
diem and miscellaneous expenses for all program fellows for a minimum 
of one day in Washington, DC. These costs should be included in the 
proposal budget. The ECA Office of Citizen Exchanges will work with the 
grantees to plan one day's activities in Washington that will introduce 
the participants to Department leaders, explain support available for 
alumni activities, and arrange visits to other relevant Government 
offices. Grantees will be responsible for planning any activities in 
Washington, DC, beyond that day.
    I.5h. Monitor, Evaluate, and Report on Project. ECA 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. III.3d.3. Project Monitoring and Evaluation 
below.
    I.5i. Engage Media (journalists in press, radio, television, and 
Web activities) who will report on program activities to wider 
audiences.
    I.5j. Carry Out Follow-up Activities. The recipient of this award 
will develop enhancement activities that reinforce program goals after 
the participants' return to their home countries. This commitment must 
include informing participants of the Bureau's Alumni program, 
facilitating their enrollment, and developing plans for their on-going 
participation. Please refer to the PSI for additional information on 
Alumni, Outreach, and Engagement.
    I.5k. Manage All Financial Aspects of the Project, including 
participant costs and transparent arrangements of sub-grant 
relationships with partner organizations, if applicable.
    I.6. Projected Timeline. ECA envisions that the Professional 
Fellows program calendar will be approximately as follows:
     September 2010--January 2011: Recruitment and selection of 
African participants and securing U.S.-based hosts and learning sites.
     March--May 2011: Travel to the United States by half of 
the African participants for orientation and placement at learning 
sites for a three- to four-week program.
     May 2011: Travel by the African participants to 
Washington, DC at or towards the end of their U.S.-based program for an 
enrichment conference arranged in conjunction with the ECA Office of 
Citizen Exchanges.
     June--September 2011: The U.S. participants who were 
involved in the spring 2011 hosting and education will travel overseas 
for two-three weeks of programming.
     October--December 2011: Travel to the United States by the 
remaining half of the African participants for orientation and 
placement at learning sites for a three- to four-week program.
     November--December 2011: Travel by the remaining African 
participants to Washington, DC at or towards the end of their U.S.-
based program for an enrichment conference arranged in conjunction with 
the ECA Office of Citizen Exchanges.
     January--May 2012: The U.S. participants who were involved 
in the fall 2011 hosting and education will travel overseas for two-
three weeks of programming.
    I.7. Themes. Specific grant awards will be made for Professional 
Fellowships to be carried out in the following themes and countries:
    I.7a. Elections Fellows: Grant not to exceed $650,000: Free and 
fair elections are a crucial component of democracy. Only as government 
leaders are selected through open procedures in which citizens can 
freely participate can the public have confidence in their government. 
The Elections exchange project should focus on six francophone 
countries that are scheduled to hold elections in the next couple of 
years: Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal. This 
special Professional Exchanges initiative will engage governmental and 
nongovernmental leaders on the following and related issues at the 
grassroots level that contribute to free and fair elections: Voter 
registration and education, election monitoring, campaign guidelines, 
the role of media and citizens' organizations, and protection of voter 
privacy.
    This will be a two-year exchange and education program. In the 
first year, a U.S. delegation of six experts on the issues noted above 
will travel to the six countries to solidify working plans with local 
partners and, with U.S. Embassy/PAS assistance, recruit Africans who 
will come to the U.S. In the next phase, a delegation made up of three 
Africans from each of the six countries will come to the U.S. for 3-4 
weeks of study of electoral processes, the role of media and citizens' 
organizations, and the education and activities of voters. This 
delegation will include leaders with (a) community responsibilities 
(such as League of Women Voters in the U.S.) for informing voters and 
monitoring electoral procedures, (b) governmental responsibility for an 
aspect of elections, and (c) media assignment to cover elections. 
Toward the end of this delegation's study in the U.S., they should be 
brought to Washington, DC, for a one-day conference planned in 
conjunction with the ECA Office of Citizen Exchanges which will 
introduce relevant elements of the Federal Government. In the second 
year, another delegation of six U.S. experts will travel to the six 
partner countries to assess the impact of the first year's work and to 
recruit another delegation of Africans to come to the U.S. That second 
delegation of Africans will again include three community leaders from 
each of the six countries and will be programmed to work with American 
counterparts for 3-4 weeks. Again, toward the end of this delegation's 
study in the U.S., they should be brought to Washington, DC, for a one-
day conference planned in conjunction with the Office of Citizen 
Exchanges which will introduce relevant elements of the Federal 
Government, with the grantee responsible for any additional activities 
in DC beyond that day. Thus, over the two-year period of the grant, 36 
Africans will come to the U.S. and 12 Americans will travel to Africa.
    I.7a.1. Trans-Saharan Africa:
    Countries: Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, and 
Senegal.
    Program Contact: Jim Ogul; tel: (202) 632-6055, e-mail: 
ogulje@state.gov.

[[Page 17999]]

    I.7b. Business Development Fellows: Grant not to exceed $600,000: 
Unemployment rates are high among young adults in Africa, and those 
young adults make up a majority of populations in the Trans Saharan 
countries. The lack of jobs leads to frustration, and vulnerability to 
extremist views is widespread. This new Professional Exchanges program 
will offer entrepreneurship education, including the skills to assess 
business risk without crushing it and an emphasis on creating new jobs 
or businesses. These skills will include identifying a market, raising 
start-up funds, designing a business plan, managing staff, advertising, 
and understanding the legal environment for business development. The 
focus will be on five francophone West African countries with similar 
colonial histories: Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Niger, and Senegal.
    This will be a two-year exchange and education program in new 
business development. In the first year, a U.S. delegation of five 
experts on entrepreneurship and business development would travel to 
the five target countries to solidify working plans with local partners 
and, with U.S. Embassy/PAS assistance, recruit Africans who will come 
to the U.S. In the next phase, a delegation made up of three Africans 
from each of the five countries would come to the U.S. for 3-4 weeks to 
study new business development. This delegation would include young 
adults, both women and men, who have demonstrated an aptitude for 
entrepreneurship and planning. Toward the end of this delegation's 
study in the U.S., they should be brought to Washington, DC, for a one-
day conference planned in conjunction with the ECA Office of Citizen 
Exchanges which will introduce relevant elements of the Federal 
Government, with the grantee responsible for arranging any activities 
in DC beyond that day. In the second year, another delegation of five 
U.S. experts would travel to the five partner countries to assess the 
impact of the first year's work and to recruit another delegation of 
Africans to come to the U.S. That second delegation of Africans would 
again include three young adults with promising aptitudes from each of 
the five countries and would be programmed to work with American 
counterparts for 3-4 weeks. Again, toward the end of this delegation's 
study in the U.S., they should be brought to Washington, DC, for a one-
day conference planned in conjunction with the ECA Office of Citizen 
Exchanges which will introduce relevant elements of the Federal 
Government, with the grantee responsible for arranging any activities 
in DC beyond that day. Thus, over the two-year period of the grant, 30 
Africans will travel to the U.S. and 10 Americans will travel to 
Africa.
    I.7b.1. Trans-Saharan Africa:
    Countries: Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Niger, and Senegal.
    Program Contact: Jim Ogul; tel: (202) 632-6055, e-mail: 
ogulje@state.gov.
    I.7c. Leadership Fellows: Grant not to exceed $400,000: This 
program will promote leadership development in community and 
governmental affairs in three of the five eligible countries. Grant 
applicants must choose three countries from the list below and explain 
those choices. The program will emphasize both leadership skills and 
ethical standards, while introducing participants to the structure and 
foundation of the U.S. government, emphasizing separation of powers, 
checks and balances, transparency in operations, as well as citizen 
participation in the decision-making process. Participants will observe 
diverse examples of leadership and the evolving role of women and 
minorities in business, government, community, and social affairs. This 
project could focus on leaders in dispute resolution and cross-cultural 
dialogue, community organizers, activists from grassroots 
organizations, business leaders, media representatives, and/or 
government officials.
    This will be a two-year exchange and education program in 
leadership. In the first year, a U.S. delegation of four experts on 
leadership would travel to the three target countries to solidify 
working plans with local partners and, with U.S. Embassy/PAS 
assistance, recruit Africans who will come to the U.S. In the next 
phase, a delegation made up of four Africans from each of the three 
countries would come to the U.S. for 3-4 weeks to study leadership 
development. This delegation will include young adults, both women and 
men, who have demonstrated an aptitude for leadership and community 
outreach. Toward the end of this delegation's study in the U.S., they 
should be brought to Washington, DC, for a one-day conference planned 
in conjunction with the ECA Office of Citizen Exchanges which will 
introduce relevant elements of the Federal Government, with the grantee 
responsible for any activities in DC beyond that day. In the second 
year, another delegation of four U.S. experts will travel to the three 
partner countries to assess the impact of the first year's work and to 
recruit another delegation of Africans to come to the U.S. That second 
delegation of Africans will again include four young adults with 
promising aptitudes from each of the three countries and will be 
programmed to travel to the U.S. to work with American counterparts for 
3-4 weeks. Again, toward the end of this delegation's study in the 
U.S., they should be brought to Washington, DC, for a one-day 
conference planned in conjunction with the ECA Office of Citizen 
Exchanges which will introduce relevant elements of the Federal 
Government, with the grantee responsible for any activities in DC 
beyond that day. Thus, over the two-year program, the grant will 
sponsor 24 Africans coming to the U.S. and 8 Americans going to Africa.
    I.7c.1. Trans-Saharan Africa:
    Countries: Choose three from these eligible countries: Burkina 
Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, and Senegal.
    Program Contact: Jim Ogul; tel: (202) 632-6055, e-mail: 
ogulje@state.gov.
    I.8. What to Include in Your Proposal:
    I.8a. Executive Summary. The Executive Summary should be one-page 
in length and include the project title, the goals of the project, the 
target countries, the names of all partner organizations responsible 
for program implementation, the numbers of participants, both African 
and American, and the number of proposed exchanges and approximate 
dates.
    I.8b. Proposal Narrative. In no more than 20, double-spaced pages, 
the narrative should include:
    I.8b.1. Project Goals, Objectives, Anticipated Outcomes. A clear, 
succinct statement of project goals, objectives and anticipated 
outcomes that responds to Bureau goals as listed in this RFGP. 
Objectives should be described in specific, measurable, and realistic 
terms that are achievable within the scope of the project, both in 
terms of time and funding. Specify the project's broader objectives in 
terms of bureau and overarching program outcomes. Then delineate the 
project's main objectives (no more than five) and outcomes you expect 
as a result of your project's activities. For each outcome, please 
state the time frame for achievement. They should be guided by one or 
more of the following questions. (Please see section III.3d.3. Project 
Monitoring and Evaluation for assistance in identifying and defining 
outcomes.)
    1. What specifically will participants, U.S. and African, learn as 
a result of this project?
    2. What new attitudes will participants, U.S. and African, develop,

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or what new ideas will they encounter as a result of this project?
    3. How will the participants' behavior change as a result of this 
project? What new actions will they take?
    4. How will participants be a catalyst for change in their 
businesses, schools, work-places, governments, communities, or 
institutions?
    Proposals that clearly delineate salient objectives in measurable 
terms and plan activities in a sequence that will progressively lead to 
achieving those objectives, will be considered more competitive.
    I.8b.2. Background Information on Implementing Organizations. 
Information on all organizations and staff involved in the 
implementation of the project including the mission, relevant expertise 
in the project theme and countries, past activities and 
accomplishments, on-going and planned activities not including the 
proposed project. Previous grants received from the Bureau should be 
listed by office (Citizen Exchanges, International Visitors, Academic 
Exchanges, etc.) project name, countries, year, and amount.
    I.8b.3. Roles and Responsibilities. A clear delineation of the 
roles and responsibilities of all partner organizations in terms of 
project logistics, management, and oversight. Letters of agreement and/
or sub-award agreements with accompanying budgets should be included 
under Tab E of the submission.
    I.8b.4. Project Management Plan. A simple project management plan 
for the two-year life of the project that lists, in table form, dates, 
items (major events or tasks), and the person or group responsible.
    I.8b.5. Support of Diversity. A description on how the Bureau's 
policy on Support of Diversity will be integrated into the project. 
Please refer to guidance in PSI under ``Diversity, Freedom and 
Democracy Guidelines.''
    I.8b.6. Post-Grant Plan. A post-grant plan that demonstrates how 
the grantee and participants will collaborate and communicate after the 
ECA-funded grant has concluded.
    I.8b.7. Evaluation Plan. An evaluation plan that follows the 
guidance provided in this RFGP. Please refer to section III.3d.3. 
``Project Evaluation'' below. Detailed evaluation plans that put the 
narrative over the 20-page limit and sample surveys or other evaluation 
tools may be included in TAB E.
    I.8b.8. Budget. Please refer to section IV.3e. Budget Submission in 
this document and the PSI for guidance on preparing your budget.
    I.8b.9. Working with the Public Affairs Section. An acknowledgement 
to consult closely with the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy 
in the relevant countries to develop plans for project implementation, 
to select project participants, and to invite representatives of the 
Embassies to participate in program sessions or site visits. ECA 
officers can provide information for contacts at U.S. Embassies.
    I.8b.10. Acknowledging ECA's Financial Support. An acknowledgement 
to follow guidance in the PSI entitled ``Acknowledgement of ECA's 
Financial Support and Use of the Department Seal.''
    I.8b.11. Alumni Outreach. An acknowledgement to comply with ``ECA's 
General Policy Guidance on Alumni Outreach/Follow-on and Engagement'' 
provided in the PSI.
    I.8c. Attachments
    I.8c.1. Resumes. Resumes of principal staff of all partner 
organizations involved in the implementation of the project should be 
included in TAB E. These resumes should not exceed two pages.
    I.8c.2. Letters of Commitment and/or Letters of Support. Letters of 
commitment or support from partner institutions should demonstrate a 
capacity and commitment to arrange and conduct U.S. and overseas 
activities and should also be included in TAB E.
    I.8c.3. Program Materials. Materials that advance program design 
and implementation should be included in TAB E. These include:
    1. Draft agendas of professional workshops, conferences and 
seminars including pre-departure orientation and final conference 
activities.
    2. Draft application and recruitment materials.
    3. Draft selection and interview materials.
    4. Outline of proposed alumni programming.
    5. Sample evaluation and survey instruments.
    6. Timeline for program implementation.
    7. Program promotional materials.
    I.8c.4. Unsolicited Documents. Attachments that do not directly 
address the proposed project or specifically demonstrate relevant past 
performance (i.e., organization publicity brochures, pamphlets, 
unsolicited reports) are discouraged.

II. Award Information

    II.1. Type of Award: Grant Agreement.
    II.2. Fiscal Year Funds: FY2010.
    II.3. Approximate Total Funding: $1,650,000.
    II.4. Approximate Number of Awards: 3.
    II.5. Approximate Average Award: $400,000-$650,000.

III. Eligibility Information

    III.1. Eligible applicants: Applications may be submitted by public 
and private non-profit organizations meeting the provisions described 
in Internal Revenue Code section 26 USC 501(c)(3).
    III.2. Cost-Sharing or Matching Funds: There is no minimum 
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, the grantee must maintain 
written records 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 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. Four Years of Exchange Experience. 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 awards in an amount from $400,000 and 
higher to support program and administrative costs required to 
implement the programs in this RFGP. Therefore, organizations with less 
than four years experience in conducting international exchanges are 
ineligible to apply under this competition.
    III.4. Technical Eligibility: All proposals must comply with the 
following or they will result in your proposal being declared 
technically ineligible and given no further consideration in the review 
process.
     Eligible applicants may not submit more than one proposal 
in 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

[[Page 18001]]

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.
     Eligible applicants may only propose working with the 
countries and themes listed under each of the themes of this RFGP.
     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 routine 
professional association meetings in the United States.
     Please refer to the Proposal Submission Instruction (PSI) 
document for additional requirements.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    Note:  Please read the complete Solicitation Package before 
sending inquiries or submitting proposals. All applicants are 
strongly encouraged to consult with the Washington, DC-based State 
Department contact for the themes and countries listed in this 
solicitation. Applicants are also strongly encouraged to consult 
with Public Affairs Officers at U.S. Embassies in relevant countries 
as they develop proposals responding to this RFGP, and the ECA 
contact person can provide contact information for the U.S. 
Embassies. Once the RFGP deadline has passed, Bureau and Embassy 
staff may not discuss this competition with applicants until the 
proposal review process has been completed.

    IV.1. Contact Information to Request a Solicitation Package: Please 
contact Alice Ross in the Office of Citizen Exchanges, ECA/PE/C, U.S. 
Department of State, SA-5, 3rd Floor, 2200 C St., NW., Washington, DC 
20522-0503, ph: (202) 632-6085, RossAR@state.gov to request a 
Solicitation Package. Please refer to the Funding Opportunity Number 
ECA/PE/C/AF-NEA-WHA-10-53 located at the top of this announcement when 
making your request. An electronic solicitation package may be obtained 
from https://www.grants.gov. Please see section IV.3f for further 
information.
    IV.2. To Download a Solicitation Package Via the Internet: The 
entire Solicitation Package may be downloaded from the Bureau's Web 
site at https://exchanges.state.gov/grants/ 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 Solicitation Package 
includes both the Request for Grant Proposals (RFGP) and the Proposal 
Submission Instruction (PSI) document, which consists of required 
application forms, and standard guidelines for proposal preparation. 
Applicants should assure that proposals respond to guidance provided in 
both documents.
    IV.3a. DUNS number. 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, go to 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. Proposal Components: All proposals must contain an executive 
summary, proposal narrative and budget. Please refer to the PSI 
document for additional formatting and technical requirements.
    IV.3c. Non-Profit Status and Documentation: 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. Additional Information.
    IV.3d1. 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://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/types/types_1267.html 
or from: United States

[[Page 18002]]

Department of State, Office of Exchange Coordination and Designation, 
(ECA/EC/D), SA-5, Floor C2, Department of State, Washington, DC 20522-
0582.
    IV.3d2. Diversity, Freedom and Democracy Guidelines. Pursuant to 
the Bureau's authorizing legislation, programs must maintain a non-
political character and should be balanced and representative of the 
diversity of American political, social, and cultural life. 
``Diversity'' should be interpreted in the broadest sense and encompass 
differences including, but not limited to ethnicity, race, gender, 
religion, geographic location, socio-economic status, and disabilities. 
Applicants are strongly encouraged to adhere to the advancement of this 
principle both in program administration and in program content. Please 
refer to the review criteria under the `Support for Diversity' section 
for specific suggestions on incorporating diversity into your proposal. 
Public Law 104-319 provides that ``in carrying out programs of 
educational and cultural exchange in countries whose people do not 
fully enjoy freedom and democracy,'' the Bureau ``shall take 
appropriate steps to provide opportunities for participation in such 
programs to human rights and democracy leaders of such countries.'' 
Public Law 106-113 requires that the governments of the countries 
described above do not have inappropriate influence in the selection 
process. Proposals should reflect advancement of these goals in their 
program contents, to the full extent deemed feasible.
    IV.3d3. Project Monitoring and Evaluation. This section of the RFGP 
amplifies the direction given in section I above on proposal framework, 
which calls for the delineation of objectives and planning for 
baseline, short term and long term outcome measurement. Proposals must 
include a plan to monitor and evaluate the project's success, both as 
the activities unfold, at the end of the project and beyond. The Bureau 
recommends that each proposal include a draft survey questionnaire or 
other instruments plus a description of a methodology to use to link 
outcomes to original project objectives. The Bureau expects that the 
grantee will track participants or partners and be able to respond to 
key evaluation questions, including satisfaction with the project, 
learning as a result of the project, changes in personal behavior as a 
result of the project, and effects of the project 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 objectives and intended outcomes at the outset of a project. 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). Note that 
ECA recommends measurements at three points: the baseline (beginning of 
grant program) and for short term (end of grant activities) and longer-
term outcomes (2-4 months after grant activities are completed). 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 project 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 emphasis 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 impact):
    1. Participant satisfaction with the project 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 each 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 (e.g., surveys, interviews, tests, 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.) Grantees will be 
required to provide reports analyzing their evaluation findings to 
the Bureau in their regular project 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. Budget Submission. Please follow the guidelines in this 
section and consult the PSI when preparing the budget submission.
    IV.3e.1. Form SF-424A. 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. 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. We encourage recruitment of participants 
coming to

[[Page 18003]]

the U.S. on this program who will have good English skills. However, if 
circumstances warrant the use of interpretation, ECA strongly 
encourages applicants to hire their own locally based interpreters but 
they may ask ECA to assign State Department interpreters for U.S.-based 
activities. 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. For activities in Africa involving U.S. 
participants, grantees should work with African-based partners to 
recruit interpreters and build those costs into their budgets. Eligible 
costs for interpreters in Africa would include necessary travel, per 
diem, and honoraria.
    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 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 a small amount 
of 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 ``working meal'' 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.
    IV.3f. Application Deadline and Methods of Submission.
    Application Deadline Date: May 20, 2010.
    Reference Number: ECA/PE/C/AF-NEA-WHA-10-53.
    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 eight (8) copies of the application should be sent 
to: Program Management Division, ECA-IIP/EX/PM, Ref.: ECA/PE/C-10-01, 
SA-

[[Page 18004]]

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 Sections at the U.S. embassies for 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:  Due to Recovery Act related opportunities, there 
has been a higher than usual volume of grant proposals submitted 
through Grants.gov. Potential applicants are advised that the 
increased volume may affect the grants.gov proposal submission 
process. As stated in this RFGP, 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: 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.

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.
    V.2 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:
    V.2a. Quality of Program Idea: Proposals should exhibit 
originality, substance, precision, and relevance to the Bureau's 
mission.
    V.2b. Program Planning and Ability to Achieve Objectives: Program 
objectives should be stated clearly and should reflect the applicant's 
expertise in the subject area and region. Objectives should respond to 
the topics in this announcement and should relate to the current 
conditions in the target country/countries. A detailed agenda and 
relevant work plan should explain how objectives will be achieved and 
should include a timetable for completion of major tasks. The substance 
of workshops, internships, seminars and/or consulting should be 
described in detail. Sample schedules should be outlined. 
Responsibilities of proposed in-country partners should be clearly 
described. A discussion of how the applicant intends to address 
language issues should be included, if needed.
    V.2c. Institutional Capacity and Track Record: Proposals should 
include (1) the institution's mission and date of establishment; (2) 
detailed information about proposed in-country partner(s) and the 
history of the partnership; (3) an outline of prior awards--U.S. 
government and/or private support received for the target theme/
country/region; and (4) descriptions of experienced staff members who 
will implement the program. The proposal should reflect the 
institution's expertise in the subject area and knowledge of the 
conditions in the target countries. Proposals should demonstrate an 
institutional record of successful exchange programs, including 
responsible fiscal management and full compliance with all reporting 
requirements for past Bureau grants as determined by Bureau Grants 
Staff. The Bureau will consider the past performance of prior 
recipients and the demonstrated potential of new applicants. Proposed 
personnel and institutional resources should be adequate and 
appropriate to achieve the program's goals. The Bureau strongly 
encourages applicants to submit letters of support from proposed in-
country partners.
    V.2d. Cost Effectiveness and Cost Sharing: Overhead and 
administrative costs in the proposal budget, including salaries, 
honoraria and subcontracts for services, should be kept to a minimum. 
Proposals in which the administrative costs do not exceed 25% of the 
total requested ECA grant funds will be more competitive (see IV.3e.2 
14 for clarification on this). Applicants are strongly encouraged to 
cost share a portion of overhead and administrative expenses. Cost-
sharing, including contributions from the applicant, proposed in-
countr