Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for Grant Proposals: Study of the U.S. Institute for Pakistani Student Leaders on Comparative Public Policy, 21126-21131 [2010-9326]
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Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 77 / Thursday, April 22, 2010 / Notices
Dated: April 15, 2010.
Maura M. Pally,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Educational
and Cultural Affairs, Department of State.
[FR Doc. 2010–9328 Filed 4–21–10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710–05–P
DEPARTMENT OF STATE
[Public Notice 6965]
Bureau of Educational and Cultural
Affairs (ECA) Request for Grant
Proposals: Study of the U.S. Institute
for Pakistani Student Leaders on
Comparative Public Policy
Announcement Type: New
Cooperative Agreement.
Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/
A/E/USS–10–28.
Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance Number: 19.009.
Key Dates: July–August, 2011.
Application Deadline: Friday, May 21,
2010.
Executive Summary: The Branch for
the Study of the United States, Office of
Academic Exchange Programs, Bureau
of Educational and Cultural Affairs,
invites proposal submissions for the
design and implementation of a sixweek academic institute for up to 25
Pakistani student leaders focused on
comparative public policy.
The Study of the U.S. Institute for
Pakistani Student Leaders should
include: A summer academic course at
a U.S. university or college campus that
includes up to 20 American
undergraduate students at no cost to
ECA; volunteer community service
activities with peer mentors or other
Americans; leadership development;
and a one to two-week educational
study tour to another part of the United
States. In addition, Pakistani
participants should have opportunities
to make presentations about their
country or university studies on campus
or locally.
Pending availability of funds, support
for this program is being provided from
special FY–2009/FY–2010 supplemental
funds that have been appropriated to the
Department.
I. Funding Opportunity Description
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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 FulbrightHays 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
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and the people of other countries * * *;
to strengthen the ties which unite us
with other nations by demonstrating the
educational and cultural interests,
developments, and achievements of the
people of the United States and other
nations * * * and thus to assist in the
development of friendly, sympathetic
and peaceful relations between the
United States and the other countries of
the world.’’ The funding authority for
the program above is provided through
legislation.
Purpose
The Study of the U.S. Institute for
Pakistani Student Leaders on
Comparative Public Policy is a new
program, created in response to the
interest of the U.S. Embassy in Pakistan
to provide opportunities for Pakistani
undergraduates to study at a U.S.
campus and to exchange ideas with
their American peers. The Study of the
U.S. Institutes for Student Leaders are
intensive academic programs whose
purpose is to provide groups of foreign
undergraduate students with an
introduction to a specific field of study,
while also heightening the participants’
general knowledge of U.S. society,
culture, and values.
In addition to promoting a better
understanding of the United States, an
important objective of the Student
Leader Institutes is to develop the
participants’ leadership skills. In this
context, the leadership component
should be experiential in nature and
include group discussions, training, and
exercises that focus on leadership
theories, teambuilding, collective
problem-solving skills, effective
communication, and management skills
for diverse organizational settings.
Additionally, community service
activities should allow participants to
experience firsthand how not-for-profit
organizations and volunteerism play a
role in U.S. civil society.
The program should also include
cultural activities, local site visits, and
an educational travel component within
the United States to illustrate the
various topics explored in class and to
gain an understanding of the regional
differences within the country. Finally,
the program should include
opportunities for participants to meet
U.S. citizens from a variety of
backgrounds and to speak to appropriate
student and civic groups about life in
their home countries.
Solicitations should allow for predeparture briefing and post-program
debriefing sessions at the U.S. Embassy
in Islamabad.
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Overview
The Study of the U.S. Institute for
Pakistani Student Leaders on
Comparative Public Policy should
provide Pakistani participants with an
overview of U.S. history and
government; the core of the course
should engage American and Pakistani
students in a comparative analysis of
governments and policies in the two
countries. Public policy discussions
could include topics such as foreign
policy, healthcare, agriculture, or
education and how these policies are
formulated and implemented,
examining the role of citizens, media,
lobbying groups, think-tanks, local,
state, and federal governments. In
addition, the institute should allow
participants to gain practical skills used
in the analysis of public policy. The
class should be crafted to maximize
interaction and cross-cultural study
between Pakistani and American
students in order to allow them to share
experiences and viewpoints.
Recipient
ECA is seeking detailed proposals
from U.S. colleges, universities, and
other not-for-profit organizations that
have an established reputation in one or
more of the following fields: Political
science, international relations, law,
history, sociology, American studies,
and/or other disciplines or subdisciplines related to the study of the
United States.
Program Design
The Study of the U.S. Institute for
Pakistani Student Leaders on
Comparative Public Policy should
provide a group of up to 25 Pakistani
students with a uniquely designed
program that provides a comparative
analysis of public policy. The academic
component of the institute should
include up to 20 U.S. students enrolled
in the class work. The institute must not
replicate existing or previous lectures,
workshops, or group activities designed
for American students but should be
tailored for the particular group of
students. The recipient should take into
account that the Pakistani participants
may have little or no prior knowledge of
the United States and varying degrees of
experience in expressing their opinions
in a classroom setting and should tailor
the curriculum and classroom activities
accordingly. Every effort should be
made to encourage active student
participation in all aspects of the
institute. The program should provide
ample time and opportunity for
discussion and interaction among
students, lecturers, and guest speakers.
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The program should incorporate a
variety of classroom approaches such as
panel presentations, seminar
discussions, debates, individual and
group activities, lectures, and reading
assignments for the academic sessions.
The program should be six weeks in
length; participants will spend four
weeks at the host institution for the
academic program, and approximately
two weeks on a related educational
study tour, including three or four days
in Washington, DC at the conclusion of
the Institute.
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Program Administration
The recipient should designate an
academic director, who will be present
throughout the program to ensure the
continuity, coherence, and integration
of all aspects of the academic program,
including the related educational study
tour. In addition to the academic
director, an administrative director
should be assigned to oversee all
student support services, including
supervision of the program participants
and budgetary, logistical, and other
administrative arrangements. It is
important that the recipient also retain
approximately 5 peer mentors to work
with institute directors to organize
leadership, community, and cultural
activities for participants. Peer mentors
should be culturally sensitive,
personally committed to the goals of the
exchange, and participate in all aspects
of the program.
Participants
Up to 25 participants will be selected
from Pakistan. The students will be
identified and nominated by the U.S.
Embassy in Pakistan, with final
selection made by ECA.
Participants in the Study of the U.S.
Institutes for Pakistani Student Leaders
on Comparative Public Policy will be
highly motivated undergraduate
students from colleges, universities, and
other institutions of higher education in
Pakistan who have demonstrated
leadership through academic work,
community involvement, and
extracurricular activities. Their major
fields of study will be varied, and will
include the sciences, social sciences,
humanities, education, and business.
Every effort will be made to select a
balanced mix of male and female
participants and to recruit participants
from a variety of backgrounds who have
had little or no prior experience in the
United States or elsewhere outside of
their home country.
Program Dates
The Institute should be six weeks in
length beginning in July, 2011.
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Program Guidelines
III. Eligibility Information
It is essential that the proposal
provide a detailed and comprehensive
narrative describing how the host
institution will achieve the objectives of
the institute; the title, scope and content
of each session; planned site visits, the
educational travel component; and how
each session relates to the overall
institute theme.
Overall, the proposal will be reviewed
on the basis of its responsiveness to
RFGP criteria, coherence, clarity, and
attention to detail.
Please note: In a cooperative
agreement, ECA is substantially
involved in program activities above
and beyond routine grant monitoring.
The Public Affairs Section of the U.S.
Embassy in Pakistan may also be
involved in planning program activities.
ECA will assume the following
responsibilities for the institute:
participate in the selection of
participants; review and confirm syllabi
and proposed speakers for the institute;
monitor the institute through one or
more site visits; meet with participants
in Washington, DC at the conclusion of
the institute; work with the recipient to
publicize the program through various
media outlets; and engage in follow-on
communication with the participants
after they return to their home
countries.
ECA may request that the recipient
make modifications to the academic
residency and/or educational travel
components of the program. The
recipient will be required to obtain
approval from ECA of any significant
program changes in advance of their
implementation.
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III.1. Eligible Applicants
Note: All materials, publicity, and
correspondence related to the program must
acknowledge this as a program of the Bureau
of Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S.
Department of State. ECA will retain
copyright use of and distribute materials
related to this program as it sees fit.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Cooperative
Agreement ECA’s level of involvement
in this program is listed under number
I above.
Fiscal Year Funds: 2009/2010.
Approximate Total Funding: $475,000
(pending availability of funds).
Approximate Number of Awards: 1.
Anticipated Award Date: Pending
availability of funds, September, 2010.
Anticipated Project Completion Date:
February, 2012.
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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, in an
amount up to $475,000 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.
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.
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IV.1 Contact Information To Request
an Application Package
Please contact the Study of the U.S.
Branch, ECA/A/E/USS, SA–5, 4th Floor,
U.S. Department of State, 2200 C Street,
NW, Washington, DC 20522–0504,
Telephone: (202) 632–3342, Fax (202)
632–9411, E-mail:
BjornlundBS@state.gov to request a
Solicitation Package. Please refer to the
Funding Opportunity Number ECA/A/
E/USS–10–28 located at the top of this
announcement when making your
request. Alternatively, an electronic
application package may be obtained
from grants.gov. Please see section IV.3f
for further information.
The Solicitation Package contains the
Proposal Submission Instruction (PSI)
document which consists of required
application forms, and standard
guidelines for proposal preparation.
It also contains the Project Objectives,
Goals and Implementation (POGI)
document, which provides specific
information, award criteria and budget
instructions tailored to this competition.
Please specify Britta S. Bjornlund and
refer to the Funding Opportunity
Number ECA/A/E/USS–10–28 located at
the top of this announcement on all
other inquiries and correspondence.
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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.
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Please Refer to the Solicitation
Package. It contains the mandatory
Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI)
document and the Project Objectives,
Goals, and Implementation (POGI)
document for additional formatting and
technical requirements.
IV.3c. You must have nonprofit status
with the IRS at the time of application.
Please note: Effective January 7, 2009,
all applicants for ECA federal assistance
awards must include in their
application the names of directors and/
or senior executives (current officers,
trustees, and key employees, regardless
of amount of compensation). In
fulfilling this requirement, applicants
must submit information in one of the
following ways:
(1) Those who file Internal Revenue
Service Form 990, ‘‘Return of
Organization Exempt From Income
Tax,’’ must include a copy of relevant
portions of this form.
(2) Those who do not file IRS Form
990 must submit information above in
the format of their choice.
In addition to final program reporting
requirements, award recipients will also
be required to submit a one-page
document, derived from their program
reports, listing and describing their
grant activities. For award recipients,
the names of directors and/or senior
executives (current officers, trustees,
and key employees), as well as the onepage description of grant activities, will
be transmitted by the State Department
to OMB, along with other information
required by the Federal Funding
Accountability and Transparency Act
(FFATA), and will be made available to
the public by the Office of Management
and Budget on its USASpending.gov
Web site as part of ECA’s FFATA
reporting requirements.
If your organization is a private
nonprofit which has not received a grant
or cooperative agreement from ECA in
the past three years, or if your
organization received nonprofit status
from the IRS within the past four years,
you must submit the necessary
documentation to verify nonprofit status
as directed in the PSI document. Failure
to do so will cause your proposal to be
declared technically ineligible.
IV.3d. Please take into consideration
the following information when
preparing your proposal narrative:
Iv.3d.1 Adherence to All Regulations
Governing the J Visa
The Bureau of Educational and
Cultural Affairs places critically
important emphases on the security and
proper administration of the Exchange
Visitor (J visa) Programs and adherence
by award recipients and sponsors to all
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regulations governing the J visa.
Therefore, proposals should
demonstrate the applicant’s capacity to
meet all requirements governing the
administration of the Exchange Visitor
Programs as set forth in 22 CFR 62,
including the oversight of Responsible
Officers and Alternate Responsible
Officers, screening and selection of
program participants, provision of prearrival information and orientation to
participants, monitoring of participants,
proper maintenance and security of
forms, record-keeping, reporting and
other requirements. 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: United States Department of
State, Office of Exchange Coordination
and Designation, Office of Designation,
ECA/EC/D, SA–5, Floor C2, Department
of State, Washington, DC 20522–0582.
Please refer to Solicitation Package for
further information.
IV.3d.2 Diversity, Freedom, and
Democracy Guidelines
Pursuant to the Bureau’s authorizing
legislation, programs must maintain a
non-political character and should be
balanced and representative of the
diversity of American political, social,
and cultural life. ‘‘Diversity’’ should be
interpreted in the broadest sense and
encompass differences including, but
not limited to ethnicity, race, gender,
religion, geographic location, socioeconomic 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.
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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 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
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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 longerterm 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.)
Recipients 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—NonConstruction Programs’’ along with a
comprehensive budget for the entire
program. Budget requests may not
exceed $475,000. There must be a
summary budget as well as breakdowns
reflecting both administrative and
program budgets. Applicants may
provide separate sub-budgets for each
program component, phase, location, or
activity to provide clarification.
Please refer to the Solicitation
Package for complete budget guidelines
and formatting instructions.
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IV.3f. Application Deadline and
Methods of Submission
Application Deadline Date: Friday,
May 21, 2010.
Reference Number: ECA/A/E/USS–
10–28.
Methods of Submission: Applications
may be submitted in one of two ways:
(1) In hard-copy, via a nationally
recognized overnight delivery service
(i.e., Federal Express, UPS, Airborne
Express, or U.S. Postal Service Express
Overnight Mail, etc.), or
(2) Electronically through https://
www.grants.gov.
Along with the Project Title, all
applicants must enter the above
Reference Number in Box 11 on the SF–
424 contained in the mandatory
Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI)
of the solicitation document.
IV.3f.1 Submitting Printed
Applications
Applications must be shipped no later
than the above deadline. Delivery
services used by applicants must have
in-place, centralized shipping
identification and tracking systems that
may be accessed via the Internet and
delivery people who are identifiable by
commonly recognized uniforms and
delivery vehicles. Proposals shipped on
or before the above deadline but
received at ECA more than seven days
after the deadline will be ineligible for
further consideration under this
competition. Proposals shipped after the
established deadlines are ineligible for
consideration under this competition.
ECA will not notify you upon receipt of
application. It is each applicant’s
responsibility to ensure that each
package is marked with a legible
tracking number and to monitor/confirm
delivery to ECA via the Internet.
Delivery of proposal packages may not
be made via local courier service or in
person for this competition. Faxed
documents will not be accepted at any
time. Only proposals submitted as
stated above will be considered.
Important note: When preparing your
submission please make sure to include
one extra copy of the completed SF–424
form and place it in an envelope
addressed to ‘‘ECA/EX/PM’’.
The original and six (6) copies of the
application should be sent to: Program
Management Division, ECA–IIP/EX/PM,
Ref.: ECA/A/E/USS–10–28, SA–5, Floor
4, Department of State, 2200 C Street,
NW., Washington, DC 20522–0504.
(Include following language re: CD–
ROM submission only if proposals will
be forwarded to embassies. If post input
is not necessary, delete language.)
Applicants submitting hard-copy
applications must also submit the
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‘‘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 at the U.S.
embassy for its review.
IV.3f.2—Submitting Electronic
Applications
Applicants have the option of
submitting proposals electronically
through Grants.gov (https://
www.grants.gov). Complete solicitation
packages are available at Grants.gov in
the ‘‘Find’’ portion of the system.
Please Note: ECA bears no
responsibility for applicant timeliness of
submission or data errors resulting from
transmission or conversion processes for
proposals submitted via Grants.gov.
Please follow the instructions
available in the ‘Get Started’ portion of
the site (https://www.grants.gov/
GetStarted).
Several of the steps in the Grants.gov
registration process could take several
weeks. Therefore, applicants should
check with appropriate staff within their
organizations immediately after
reviewing this RFGP to confirm or
determine their registration status with
Grants.gov.
Once registered, the amount of time it
can take to upload an application will
vary depending on a variety of factors
including the size of the application and
the speed of your internet connection.
In addition, validation of an electronic
submission via Grants.gov can take up
to two business days.
Therefore, we strongly recommend
that you not wait until the application
deadline to begin the submission
process through Grants.gov.
The Grants.gov Web site includes
extensive information on all phases/
aspects of the Grants.gov process,
including an extensive section on
frequently asked questions, located
under the ‘‘For Applicants’’ section of
the Web site. ECA strongly recommends
that all potential applicants review
thoroughly the Grants.gov Web site,
well in advance of submitting a
proposal through the Grants.gov system.
ECA bears no responsibility for data
errors resulting from transmission or
conversion processes.
Direct all questions regarding
Grants.gov registration and submission
to:
Grants.gov Customer Support.
Contact Center Phone: 800–518–4726.
Business Hours: Monday–Friday, 7
a.m.–9 p.m. Eastern Time.
E-mail: support@grants.gov.
Applicants have until midnight (12
a.m.), Washington, DC time of the
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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 cooperative
agreements resides with the Bureau’s
Grants Officer.
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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 Program Plan and Ability
To Achieve Program Objectives:
Proposals should exhibit originality,
substance, precision, and relevance to
the ECA’s mission. A detailed agenda
and relevant work plan should
demonstrate substantive undertakings
and logistical capacity. Objectives
should be reasonable, feasible, and
flexible. Proposals should demonstrate
clearly how the institution will meet the
program’s objectives and plan.
2. Support for Diversity: Proposals
should demonstrate substantive support
of the Bureau’s policy on diversity.
Achievable and relevant features should
be cited in both program administration
(program venue and program
evaluation) and program content
(orientation and wrap-up sessions,
program meetings, presenters, and
resource materials).
3. Evaluation: Proposals should
include a plan to evaluate the activity’s
success, both as the activities unfold
and at the end of the program. The
Bureau recommends that the proposal
include a draft survey questionnaire or
other technique plus a description of a
methodology to use to link outcomes to
original project objectives.
4. Cost-effectiveness/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. Institutional Track Record/Ability:
Proposals should demonstrate an
institutional record of successful
exchange programs, including
responsible fiscal management and full
compliance with all reporting
requirements for past ECA grants as
determined by ECA Grants Staff. The
ECA will consider the past performance
of prior recipients and the demonstrated
potential of new applicants. Proposed
personnel and institutional resources
should be fully qualified to achieve the
project’s goals.
6. Follow-on Activities: Proposals also
should discuss provisions made for
follow-up with returned participants as
a means of establishing longer-term
individual and institutional linkages
and should provide a plan for continued
follow-on activity (without Bureau
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Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 77 / Thursday, April 22, 2010 / Notices
support) ensuring that Bureau
supported programs are not isolated
events.
VI. Award Administration Information
VI.1a. Award Notices
Final awards cannot be made until
funds have been appropriated by
Congress, allocated and committed
through internal Bureau procedures.
Successful applicants will receive a
Federal Assistance Award (FAA) from
the Bureau’s Grants Office. The FAA
and the original proposal with
subsequent modifications (if applicable)
shall be the only binding authorizing
document between the recipient and the
U.S. Government. The FAA will be
signed by an authorized Grants Officer,
and mailed to the recipient’s
responsible officer identified in the
application.
Unsuccessful applicants will receive
notification of the results of the
application review from the ECA
program office coordinating this
competition.
VI.2 Administrative and National
Policy Requirements
Terms and Conditions for the
Administration of ECA agreements
include the following:
Office of Management and Budget
Circular A–122, ‘‘Cost Principles for
Nonprofit Organizations’’
Office of Management and Budget
Circular A–21, ‘‘Cost Principles for
Educational Institutions’’
OMB Circular A–87, ‘‘Cost Principles for
State, Local and Indian Governments’’
OMB Circular No. A–110 (Revised),
Uniform Administrative
Requirements for Grants and
Agreements with Institutions of
Higher Education, Hospitals, and
other Nonprofit Organizations
OMB Circular No. A–102, Uniform
Administrative Requirements for
Grants-in-Aid to State and Local
Governments
OMB Circular No. A–133, Audits of
States, Local Government, and Nonprofit Organizations
Please reference the following Web
sites for additional information:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants.
https://fa.statebuy.state.gov.
srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with NOTICES
VI.3. Reporting Requirements
You must provide ECA with a hard
copy original plus one copy of the
following reports:
(1) A final program and financial
report no more than 90 days after the
expiration of the award;
(2) A concise, one-page final program
report summarizing program outcomes
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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.
VII. Agency Contacts
For questions about this
announcement, contact: Britta S.
Bjornlund, U.S. Department of State,
Study of the U.S. Branch, ECA/A/E/
USS, SA–5, 4th Floor, ECA/A/E/USS–
10–28, 2200 C Street, NW., Washington,
DC 20522–0504, Telephone: (202) 632–
3339, Fax: (202) 632–9411, E-mail:
BjornlundBS@state.gov.
All correspondence with the Bureau
concerning this RFGP should reference
the above title and number ECA/A/E/
USS–10–28.
Please read the complete
announcement before sending inquiries
or submitting proposals. Once the RFGP
deadline has passed, Bureau staff may
not discuss this competition with
applicants until the proposal review
process has been completed.
VIII. Other Information
Notice
The terms and conditions published
in this RFGP are binding and may not
be modified by any Bureau
representative. Explanatory information
provided by the Bureau that contradicts
published language will not be binding.
Issuance of the RFGP does not
constitute an award commitment on the
part of the Government. The Bureau
reserves the right to reduce, revise, or
increase proposal budgets in accordance
with the needs of the program and the
availability of funds. Awards made will
be subject to periodic reporting and
evaluation requirements per section VI.3
above.
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21131
Dated: April 15, 2010.
Maura M. Pally,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Educational
and Cultural Affairs, Department of State.
[FR Doc. 2010–9326 Filed 4–21–10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710–05–P
DEPARTMENT OF STATE
[Public Notice 6967]
Bureau of Educational and Cultural
Affairs (ECA); Request for Grant
Proposals: Kennedy-Lugar Youth
Exchange and Study Program (YES):
‘‘US YES Inbound Placement and YES
Abroad Recruitment Components’’
Announcement Type: New Grant.
Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/
PE/C/PY–10–07.
Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance Number: 19.415.
Key Dates: September 1, 2010–
September 30, 2013.
Application Deadline: June 3, 2010.
Executive Summary: The Office of
Citizen Exchanges of the Bureau of
Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA)
announces an open competition for
grants to support exchanges and
relationship building between high
school students from countries with
significant Muslim populations and the
people of the United States. Public and
private non-profit organizations meeting
the provisions described in Internal
Revenue Code section 26 U.S.C.
501(c)(3) and public institutions may
submit a proposal for the YES Inbound
U.S. Placement and YES Abroad
Recruitment Components.
The Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange
and Study (YES) Program provides
scholarships for reciprocal high school
academic exchanges of approximately
1077 students from approximately 35
countries coming to the U.S. and
approximately 50 American students
traveling to approximately 10 of these
countries.
To implement the entirety of the YES
program, two Requests for Grant
Proposals are being announced: One
(this announcement) covers KennedyLugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES)
Program Inbound U.S. Placement and
YES Abroad Recruitment Components.
A second, separate announcement will
solicit proposals for the Kennedy-Lugar
Youth Exchange and Study Program
(YES) Overseas Recruitment and YES
Abroad Placement and Alumni
Components to: Develop marketing
materials and a handbook for U.S. and
non-U.S. students, host families and
host schools, recruit and select
approximately 1077 YES Inbound
participants, make a final selection of
E:\FR\FM\22APN1.SGM
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 77 (Thursday, April 22, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21126-21131]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-9326]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF STATE
[Public Notice 6965]
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for
Grant Proposals: Study of the U.S. Institute for Pakistani Student
Leaders on Comparative Public Policy
Announcement Type: New Cooperative Agreement.
Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/A/E/USS-10-28.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 19.009.
Key Dates: July-August, 2011.
Application Deadline: Friday, May 21, 2010.
Executive Summary: The Branch for the Study of the United States,
Office of Academic Exchange Programs, Bureau of Educational and
Cultural Affairs, invites proposal submissions for the design and
implementation of a six- week academic institute for up to 25 Pakistani
student leaders focused on comparative public policy.
The Study of the U.S. Institute for Pakistani Student Leaders
should include: A summer academic course at a U.S. university or
college campus that includes up to 20 American undergraduate students
at no cost to ECA; volunteer community service activities with peer
mentors or other Americans; leadership development; and a one to two-
week educational study tour to another part of the United States. In
addition, Pakistani participants should have opportunities to make
presentations about their country or university studies on campus or
locally.
Pending availability of funds, support for this program is being
provided from special FY-2009/FY-2010 supplemental funds that have been
appropriated to the Department.
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Authority
Overall grant making authority for this program is contained in the
Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961, Public Law 87-
256, as amended, also known as the Fulbright-Hays Act. The purpose of
the Act is ``to enable the Government of the United States to increase
mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the
people of other countries * * *; to strengthen the ties which unite us
with other nations by demonstrating the educational and cultural
interests, developments, and achievements of the people of the United
States and other nations * * * and thus to assist in the development of
friendly, sympathetic and peaceful relations between the United States
and the other countries of the world.'' The funding authority for the
program above is provided through legislation.
Purpose
The Study of the U.S. Institute for Pakistani Student Leaders on
Comparative Public Policy is a new program, created in response to the
interest of the U.S. Embassy in Pakistan to provide opportunities for
Pakistani undergraduates to study at a U.S. campus and to exchange
ideas with their American peers. The Study of the U.S. Institutes for
Student Leaders are intensive academic programs whose purpose is to
provide groups of foreign undergraduate students with an introduction
to a specific field of study, while also heightening the participants'
general knowledge of U.S. society, culture, and values.
In addition to promoting a better understanding of the United
States, an important objective of the Student Leader Institutes is to
develop the participants' leadership skills. In this context, the
leadership component should be experiential in nature and include group
discussions, training, and exercises that focus on leadership theories,
teambuilding, collective problem-solving skills, effective
communication, and management skills for diverse organizational
settings. Additionally, community service activities should allow
participants to experience firsthand how not-for-profit organizations
and volunteerism play a role in U.S. civil society.
The program should also include cultural activities, local site
visits, and an educational travel component within the United States to
illustrate the various topics explored in class and to gain an
understanding of the regional differences within the country. Finally,
the program should include opportunities for participants to meet U.S.
citizens from a variety of backgrounds and to speak to appropriate
student and civic groups about life in their home countries.
Solicitations should allow for pre-departure briefing and post-
program debriefing sessions at the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad.
Overview
The Study of the U.S. Institute for Pakistani Student Leaders on
Comparative Public Policy should provide Pakistani participants with an
overview of U.S. history and government; the core of the course should
engage American and Pakistani students in a comparative analysis of
governments and policies in the two countries. Public policy
discussions could include topics such as foreign policy, healthcare,
agriculture, or education and how these policies are formulated and
implemented, examining the role of citizens, media, lobbying groups,
think-tanks, local, state, and federal governments. In addition, the
institute should allow participants to gain practical skills used in
the analysis of public policy. The class should be crafted to maximize
interaction and cross-cultural study between Pakistani and American
students in order to allow them to share experiences and viewpoints.
Recipient
ECA is seeking detailed proposals from U.S. colleges, universities,
and other not-for-profit organizations that have an established
reputation in one or more of the following fields: Political science,
international relations, law, history, sociology, American studies,
and/or other disciplines or sub-disciplines related to the study of the
United States.
Program Design
The Study of the U.S. Institute for Pakistani Student Leaders on
Comparative Public Policy should provide a group of up to 25 Pakistani
students with a uniquely designed program that provides a comparative
analysis of public policy. The academic component of the institute
should include up to 20 U.S. students enrolled in the class work. The
institute must not replicate existing or previous lectures, workshops,
or group activities designed for American students but should be
tailored for the particular group of students. The recipient should
take into account that the Pakistani participants may have little or no
prior knowledge of the United States and varying degrees of experience
in expressing their opinions in a classroom setting and should tailor
the curriculum and classroom activities accordingly. Every effort
should be made to encourage active student participation in all aspects
of the institute. The program should provide ample time and opportunity
for discussion and interaction among students, lecturers, and guest
speakers.
[[Page 21127]]
The program should incorporate a variety of classroom approaches such
as panel presentations, seminar discussions, debates, individual and
group activities, lectures, and reading assignments for the academic
sessions.
The program should be six weeks in length; participants will spend
four weeks at the host institution for the academic program, and
approximately two weeks on a related educational study tour, including
three or four days in Washington, DC at the conclusion of the
Institute.
Program Administration
The recipient should designate an academic director, who will be
present throughout the program to ensure the continuity, coherence, and
integration of all aspects of the academic program, including the
related educational study tour. In addition to the academic director,
an administrative director should be assigned to oversee all student
support services, including supervision of the program participants and
budgetary, logistical, and other administrative arrangements. It is
important that the recipient also retain approximately 5 peer mentors
to work with institute directors to organize leadership, community, and
cultural activities for participants. Peer mentors should be culturally
sensitive, personally committed to the goals of the exchange, and
participate in all aspects of the program.
Participants
Up to 25 participants will be selected from Pakistan. The students
will be identified and nominated by the U.S. Embassy in Pakistan, with
final selection made by ECA.
Participants in the Study of the U.S. Institutes for Pakistani
Student Leaders on Comparative Public Policy will be highly motivated
undergraduate students from colleges, universities, and other
institutions of higher education in Pakistan who have demonstrated
leadership through academic work, community involvement, and
extracurricular activities. Their major fields of study will be varied,
and will include the sciences, social sciences, humanities, education,
and business.
Every effort will be made to select a balanced mix of male and
female participants and to recruit participants from a variety of
backgrounds who have had little or no prior experience in the United
States or elsewhere outside of their home country.
Program Dates
The Institute should be six weeks in length beginning in July,
2011.
Program Guidelines
It is essential that the proposal provide a detailed and
comprehensive narrative describing how the host institution will
achieve the objectives of the institute; the title, scope and content
of each session; planned site visits, the educational travel component;
and how each session relates to the overall institute theme.
Overall, the proposal will be reviewed on the basis of its
responsiveness to RFGP criteria, coherence, clarity, and attention to
detail.
Please note: In a cooperative agreement, ECA is substantially
involved in program activities above and beyond routine grant
monitoring. The Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy in Pakistan
may also be involved in planning program activities. ECA will assume
the following responsibilities for the institute: participate in the
selection of participants; review and confirm syllabi and proposed
speakers for the institute; monitor the institute through one or more
site visits; meet with participants in Washington, DC at the conclusion
of the institute; work with the recipient to publicize the program
through various media outlets; and engage in follow-on communication
with the participants after they return to their home countries.
ECA may request that the recipient make modifications to the
academic residency and/or educational travel components of the program.
The recipient will be required to obtain approval from ECA of any
significant program changes in advance of their implementation.
Note: All materials, publicity, and correspondence related to
the program must acknowledge this as a program of the Bureau of
Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State. ECA will
retain copyright use of and distribute materials related to this
program as it sees fit.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Cooperative Agreement ECA's level of involvement in
this program is listed under number I above.
Fiscal Year Funds: 2009/2010.
Approximate Total Funding: $475,000 (pending availability of
funds).
Approximate Number of Awards: 1.
Anticipated Award Date: Pending availability of funds, September,
2010.
Anticipated Project Completion Date: February, 2012.
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,
in an amount up to $475,000 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.
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.
[[Page 21128]]
IV.1 Contact Information To Request an Application Package
Please contact the Study of the U.S. Branch, ECA/A/E/USS, SA-5, 4th
Floor, U.S. Department of State, 2200 C Street, NW, Washington, DC
20522-0504, Telephone: (202) 632-3342, Fax (202) 632-9411, E-mail:
BjornlundBS@state.gov to request a Solicitation Package. Please refer
to the Funding Opportunity Number ECA/A/E/USS-10-28 located at the top
of this announcement when making your request. Alternatively, an
electronic application package may be obtained from grants.gov. Please
see section IV.3f for further information.
The Solicitation Package contains the Proposal Submission
Instruction (PSI) document which consists of required application
forms, and standard guidelines for proposal preparation.
It also contains the Project Objectives, Goals and Implementation
(POGI) document, which provides specific information, award criteria
and budget instructions tailored to this competition.
Please specify Britta S. Bjornlund and refer to the Funding
Opportunity Number ECA/A/E/USS-10-28 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 and the Project
Objectives, Goals, and Implementation (POGI) document for additional
formatting and technical requirements.
IV.3c. You must have nonprofit status with the IRS at the time of
application. Please note: Effective January 7, 2009, all applicants for
ECA federal assistance awards must include in their application the
names of directors and/or senior executives (current officers,
trustees, and key employees, regardless of amount of compensation). In
fulfilling this requirement, applicants must submit information in one
of the following ways:
(1) Those who file Internal Revenue Service Form 990, ``Return of
Organization Exempt From Income Tax,'' must include a copy of relevant
portions of this form.
(2) Those who do not file IRS Form 990 must submit information
above in the format of their choice.
In addition to final program reporting requirements, award recipients
will also be required to submit a one-page document, derived from their
program reports, listing and describing their grant activities. For
award recipients, the names of directors and/or senior executives
(current officers, trustees, and key employees), as well as the one-
page description of grant activities, will be transmitted by the State
Department to OMB, along with other information required by the Federal
Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA), and will be made
available to the public by the Office of Management and Budget on its
USASpending.gov Web site as part of ECA's FFATA reporting requirements.
If your organization is a private nonprofit which has not received
a grant or cooperative agreement from ECA in the past three years, or
if your organization received nonprofit status from the IRS within the
past four years, you must submit the necessary documentation to verify
nonprofit status as directed in the PSI document. Failure to do so will
cause your proposal to be declared technically ineligible.
IV.3d. Please take into consideration the following information
when preparing your proposal narrative:
Iv.3d.1 Adherence to All Regulations Governing the J Visa
The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs places critically
important emphases on the security and proper administration of the
Exchange Visitor (J visa) Programs and adherence by award recipients
and sponsors to all regulations governing the J visa. Therefore,
proposals should demonstrate the applicant's capacity to meet all
requirements governing the administration of the Exchange Visitor
Programs as set forth in 22 CFR 62, including the oversight of
Responsible Officers and Alternate Responsible Officers, screening and
selection of program participants, provision of pre-arrival information
and orientation to participants, monitoring of participants, proper
maintenance and security of forms, record-keeping, reporting and other
requirements. 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: United States Department of State, Office
of Exchange Coordination and Designation, Office of Designation, ECA/
EC/D, SA-5, Floor C2, Department of State, Washington, DC 20522-0582.
Please refer to Solicitation Package for further information.
IV.3d.2 Diversity, Freedom, and Democracy Guidelines
Pursuant to the Bureau's authorizing legislation, programs must
maintain a non-political character and should be balanced and
representative of the diversity of American political, social, and
cultural life. ``Diversity'' should be interpreted in the broadest
sense and encompass differences including, but not limited to
ethnicity, race, gender, religion, geographic location, socio-economic
status, and disabilities. Applicants are strongly encouraged to adhere
to the advancement of this principle both in program administration and
in program content. Please refer to the review criteria under the
`Support for Diversity' section for specific suggestions on
incorporating diversity into your proposal. Public Law 104-319 provides
that ``in carrying out programs of educational and cultural exchange in
countries whose people do not fully enjoy freedom and democracy,'' the
Bureau ``shall take appropriate steps to provide 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.
[[Page 21129]]
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 will track participants or partners and be able to
respond to key evaluation questions, including satisfaction with the
program, learning as a result of the program, changes in behavior as a
result of the program, and effects of the program on institutions
(institutions in which participants work or partner institutions). The
evaluation plan should include indicators that measure gains in mutual
understanding as well as substantive knowledge.
Successful monitoring and evaluation depend heavily on setting
clear goals and outcomes at the outset of a program. Your evaluation
plan should include a description of your project's objectives, your
anticipated project outcomes, and how and when you intend to measure
these outcomes (performance indicators). The more that outcomes are
``smart'' (specific, measurable, attainable, results-oriented, and
placed in a reasonable time frame), the easier it will be to conduct
the evaluation. You should also show how your project objectives link
to the goals of the program described in this RFGP.
Your monitoring and evaluation plan should clearly distinguish
between program outputs and outcomes. Outputs are products and services
delivered, often stated as an amount. Output information is important
to show the scope or size of project activities, but it cannot
substitute for information about progress towards outcomes or the
results achieved. Examples of outputs include the number of people
trained or the number of seminars conducted. Outcomes, in contrast,
represent specific results a project is intended to achieve and is
usually measured as an extent of change. Findings on outputs and
outcomes should both be reported, but the focus should be on outcomes.
We encourage you to assess the following four levels of outcomes,
as they relate to the program goals set out in the RFGP (listed here in
increasing order of importance):
1. Participant satisfaction with the program and exchange
experience.
2. Participant learning, such as increased knowledge, aptitude,
skills, and changed understanding and attitude. Learning includes both
substantive (subject-specific) learning and mutual understanding.
3. Participant behavior, concrete actions to apply knowledge in
work or community; greater participation and responsibility in civic
organizations; interpretation and explanation of experiences and new
knowledge gained; continued contacts between participants, community
members, and others.
4. Institutional changes, such as increased collaboration and
partnerships, policy reforms, new programming, and organizational
improvements.
Please note: Consideration should be given to the appropriate
timing of data collection for each level of outcome. For example,
satisfaction is usually captured as a short-term outcome, whereas
behavior and institutional changes are normally considered longer-term
outcomes.
Overall, the quality of your monitoring and evaluation plan will be
judged on how well it (1) Specifies intended outcomes; (2) gives clear
descriptions of how each outcome will be measured; (3) identifies when
particular outcomes will be measured; and (4) provides a clear
description of the data collection strategies for each outcome (i.e.,
surveys, interviews, or focus groups). (Please note that evaluation
plans that deal only with the first level of outcomes [satisfaction]
will be deemed less competitive under the present evaluation criteria.)
Recipients will be required to provide reports analyzing their
evaluation findings to the Bureau in their regular program reports. All
data collected, including survey responses and contact information,
must be maintained for a minimum of three years and provided to the
Bureau upon request.
IV.3e. Please take the following information into consideration
when preparing your budget:
IV.3e.1. Applicants must submit SF-424A--``Budget Information--Non-
Construction Programs'' along with a comprehensive budget for the
entire program. Budget requests may not exceed $475,000. There must be
a summary budget as well as breakdowns reflecting both administrative
and program budgets. Applicants may provide separate sub-budgets for
each program component, phase, location, or activity to provide
clarification.
Please refer to the Solicitation Package for complete budget
guidelines and formatting instructions.
IV.3f. Application Deadline and Methods of Submission
Application Deadline Date: Friday, May 21, 2010.
Reference Number: ECA/A/E/USS-10-28.
Methods of Submission: Applications may be submitted in one of two
ways:
(1) In hard-copy, via a nationally recognized overnight delivery
service (i.e., Federal Express, UPS, Airborne Express, or U.S. Postal
Service Express Overnight Mail, etc.), or
(2) Electronically through https://www.grants.gov.
Along with the Project Title, all applicants must enter the above
Reference Number in Box 11 on the SF-424 contained in the mandatory
Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) of the solicitation document.
IV.3f.1 Submitting Printed Applications
Applications must be shipped no later than the above deadline.
Delivery services used by applicants must have in-place, centralized
shipping identification and tracking systems that may be accessed via
the Internet and delivery people who are identifiable by commonly
recognized uniforms and delivery vehicles. Proposals shipped on or
before the above deadline but received at ECA more than seven days
after the deadline will be ineligible for further consideration under
this competition. Proposals shipped after the established deadlines are
ineligible for consideration under this competition. ECA will not
notify you upon receipt of application. It is each applicant's
responsibility to ensure that each package is marked with a legible
tracking number and to monitor/confirm delivery to ECA via the
Internet. Delivery of proposal packages may not be made via local
courier service or in person for this competition. Faxed documents will
not be accepted at any time. Only proposals submitted as stated above
will be considered.
Important note: When preparing your submission please make sure to
include one extra copy of the completed SF-424 form and place it in an
envelope addressed to ``ECA/EX/PM''.
The original and six (6) copies of the application should be sent
to: Program Management Division, ECA-IIP/EX/PM, Ref.: ECA/A/E/USS-10-
28, SA-5, Floor 4, Department of State, 2200 C Street, NW., Washington,
DC 20522-0504.
(Include following language re: CD-ROM submission only if proposals
will be forwarded to embassies. If post input is not necessary, delete
language.)
Applicants submitting hard-copy applications must also submit the
[[Page 21130]]
``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 at the U.S. embassy for its review.
IV.3f.2--Submitting Electronic Applications
Applicants have the option of submitting proposals electronically
through Grants.gov (https://www.grants.gov). Complete solicitation
packages are available at Grants.gov in the ``Find'' portion of the
system.
Please Note: ECA bears no responsibility for applicant timeliness
of submission or data errors resulting from transmission or conversion
processes for proposals submitted via Grants.gov.
Please follow the instructions available in the `Get Started'
portion of the site (https://www.grants.gov/GetStarted).
Several of the steps in the Grants.gov registration process could
take several weeks. Therefore, applicants should check with appropriate
staff within their organizations immediately after reviewing this RFGP
to confirm or determine their registration status with Grants.gov.
Once registered, the amount of time it can take to upload an
application will vary depending on a variety of factors including the
size of the application and the speed of your internet connection. In
addition, validation of an electronic submission via Grants.gov can
take up to two business days.
Therefore, we strongly recommend that you not wait until the
application deadline to begin the submission process through
Grants.gov.
The Grants.gov Web site includes extensive information on all
phases/aspects of the Grants.gov process, including an extensive
section on frequently asked questions, located under the ``For
Applicants'' section of the Web site. ECA strongly recommends that all
potential applicants review thoroughly the Grants.gov Web site, well in
advance of submitting a proposal through the Grants.gov system. ECA
bears no responsibility for data errors resulting from transmission or
conversion processes.
Direct all questions regarding Grants.gov registration and
submission to:
Grants.gov Customer Support.
Contact Center Phone: 800-518-4726.
Business Hours: Monday-Friday, 7 a.m.-9 p.m. Eastern Time.
E-mail: grants.gov">support@grants.gov.
Applicants have until midnight (12 a.m.), Washington, DC time of
the closing date to ensure that their entire application has been
uploaded to the Grants.gov site. There are no exceptions to the above
deadline. Applications uploaded to the site after midnight of the
application deadline date will be automatically rejected by the
grants.gov system, and will be technically ineligible.
Please refer to the Grants.gov Web site, for definitions of various
``application statuses'' and the difference between a submission
receipt and a submission validation. Applicants will receive a
validation e-mail from grants.gov upon the successful submission of an
application. Again, validation of an electronic submission via
Grants.gov can take up to two business days. Therefore, we strongly
recommend that you not wait until the application deadline to begin the
submission process through Grants.gov. ECA will not notify you upon
receipt of electronic applications.
It is the responsibility of all applicants submitting proposals via
the Grants.gov web portal to ensure that proposals have been received
by Grants.gov in their entirety, and ECA bears no responsibility for
data errors resulting from transmission or conversion processes.
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
cooperative agreements resides with the Bureau's Grants Officer.
Review Criteria
Technically eligible applications will be competitively reviewed
according to the criteria stated below. These criteria are not rank
ordered and all carry equal weight in the proposal evaluation:
1. Quality of Program Plan and Ability To Achieve Program
Objectives: Proposals should exhibit originality, substance, precision,
and relevance to the ECA's mission. A detailed agenda and relevant work
plan should demonstrate substantive undertakings and logistical
capacity. Objectives should be reasonable, feasible, and flexible.
Proposals should demonstrate clearly how the institution will meet the
program's objectives and plan.
2. Support for Diversity: Proposals should demonstrate substantive
support of the Bureau's policy on diversity. Achievable and relevant
features should be cited in both program administration (program venue
and program evaluation) and program content (orientation and wrap-up
sessions, program meetings, presenters, and resource materials).
3. Evaluation: Proposals should include a plan to evaluate the
activity's success, both as the activities unfold and at the end of the
program. The Bureau recommends that the proposal include a draft survey
questionnaire or other technique plus a description of a methodology to
use to link outcomes to original project objectives.
4. Cost-effectiveness/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. Institutional Track Record/Ability: Proposals should demonstrate
an institutional record of successful exchange programs, including
responsible fiscal management and full compliance with all reporting
requirements for past ECA grants as determined by ECA Grants Staff. The
ECA will consider the past performance of prior recipients and the
demonstrated potential of new applicants. Proposed personnel and
institutional resources should be fully qualified to achieve the
project's goals.
6. Follow-on Activities: Proposals also should discuss provisions
made for follow-up with returned participants as a means of
establishing longer-term individual and institutional linkages and
should provide a plan for continued follow-on activity (without Bureau
[[Page 21131]]
support) ensuring that Bureau supported programs are not isolated
events.
VI. Award Administration Information
VI.1a. Award Notices
Final awards cannot be made until funds have been appropriated by
Congress, allocated and committed through internal Bureau procedures.
Successful applicants will receive a Federal Assistance Award (FAA)
from the Bureau's Grants Office. The FAA and the original proposal with
subsequent modifications (if applicable) shall be the only binding
authorizing document between the recipient and the U.S. Government. The
FAA will be signed by an authorized Grants Officer, and mailed to the
recipient's responsible officer identified in the application.
Unsuccessful applicants will receive notification of the results of
the application review from the ECA program office coordinating this
competition.
VI.2 Administrative and National Policy Requirements
Terms and Conditions for the Administration of ECA agreements
include the following:
Office of Management and Budget Circular A-122, ``Cost Principles for
Nonprofit Organizations''
Office of Management and Budget Circular A-21, ``Cost Principles for
Educational Institutions''
OMB Circular A-87, ``Cost Principles for State, Local and Indian
Governments''
OMB Circular No. A-110 (Revised), Uniform Administrative Requirements
for Grants and Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education,
Hospitals, and other Nonprofit Organizations
OMB Circular No. A-102, Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants-
in-Aid to State and Local Governments
OMB Circular No. A-133, Audits of States, Local Government, and Non-
profit Organizations
Please reference the following Web sites for additional
information:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants.
https://fa.statebuy.state.gov.
VI.3. Reporting Requirements
You must provide ECA with a hard copy original plus one copy of the
following reports:
(1) A final program and financial report no more than 90 days after
the expiration of the award;
(2) A concise, one-page final program report summarizing program
outcomes no more than 90 days after the expiration of the award. This
one-page report will 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.
VII. Agency Contacts
For questions about this announcement, contact: Britta S.
Bjornlund, U.S. Department of State, Study of the U.S. Branch, ECA/A/E/
USS, SA-5, 4th Floor, ECA/A/E/USS-10-28, 2200 C Street, NW.,
Washington, DC 20522-0504, Telephone: (202) 632-3339, Fax: (202) 632-
9411, E-mail: BjornlundBS@state.gov.
All correspondence with the Bureau concerning this RFGP should
reference the above title and number ECA/A/E/USS-10-28.
Please read the complete announcement before sending inquiries or
submitting proposals. Once the RFGP deadline has passed, Bureau staff
may not discuss this competition with applicants until the proposal
review process has been completed.
VIII. Other Information
Notice
The terms and conditions published in this RFGP are binding and may
not be modified by any Bureau representative. Explanatory information
provided by the Bureau that contradicts published language will not be
binding. Issuance of the RFGP does not constitute an award commitment
on the part of the Government. The Bureau reserves the right to reduce,
revise, or increase proposal budgets in accordance with the needs of
the program and the availability of funds. Awards made will be subject
to periodic reporting and evaluation requirements per section VI.3
above.
Dated: April 15, 2010.
Maura M. Pally,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs,
Department of State.
[FR Doc. 2010-9326 Filed 4-21-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P