Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for Grant Proposals: Study of the United States Institutes for Scholars and Secondary Educators, 56645-56651 [2010-23145]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 179 (Thursday, September 16, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56645-56651]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-23145]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 7173]


Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for 
Grant Proposals: Study of the United States Institutes for Scholars and 
Secondary Educators

    Announcement Type: New Cooperative Agreement.
    Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/A/E/USS-11-05-09.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 19.401.
    Key Dates:
    Application Deadline: October 27, 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 five different Study of the United States Institutes 
to take place over the course of six weeks beginning in June 2011, 
pending the availability of funds. These Institutes should provide a 
multinational group of experienced educators with a deeper 
understanding of U.S. society, culture, values, and institutions.
    Four of these Institutes will be for groups of 18 foreign 
university level faculty, focusing on American Politics and Political 
Thought, Contemporary American Literature, Religious Pluralism in the 
United States, and U.S. Foreign Policy. The fifth Institute will be a 
general survey course on the study of the United States for a group of 
30 foreign secondary educators.
    Applicants may propose to submit one proposal to host only one 
Institute listed under this competition. Should an applicant submit 
multiple proposals under this competition, all proposals will be 
declared technically ineligible and given no further consideration in 
the review process.

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

[[Page 56646]]

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: Study of the United States Institutes are intensive 
academic programs whose purpose is to provide foreign university 
faculty, secondary educators, and other scholars the opportunity to 
deepen their understanding of American society, culture, and 
institutions. The ultimate goal is to strengthen curricula and to 
improve the quality of teaching about the United States in academic 
institutions abroad.
    The Bureau is seeking detailed proposals for five different Study 
of the United States Institutes. Applications may be submitted by 
public and private U.S. colleges, universities, and other not-for-
profit academic organizations that have an established reputation in a 
field or discipline related to the specific program theme, and which 
meet the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code section 26 
U.S.C. 501(c)(3).
    Overview: Each program should be six weeks in length; participants 
will spend approximately four weeks at the host institution, and 
approximately two weeks on an educational study tour, including four to 
five days in Washington, DC, at the conclusion of the Institute. The 
educational travel component should directly complement the academic 
program, and should include visits to cities and other sites of 
interest in the region around the recipient institution, as well as to 
another geographic region of the country. The recipient institution 
also will be expected to provide participants with guidance and 
resources for further investigation and research on the topics and 
issues examined during the Institute after they return home.
    The Study of the United States Institute on American Politics and 
Political Thought should provide a multinational group of 18 
experienced foreign university faculty and practitioners with a deeper 
understanding of U.S. political institutions and major currents in 
American political thought. The Institute should provide the foreign 
participants insight into how intellectual and political movements have 
influenced modern American political institutions. The Institute should 
provide an overview of political thought during the founding period 
(constitutional foundations), and the development and current 
functioning of the American presidency, Congress, and the federal 
judiciary. The examination of political institutions might be expanded 
to include the electoral system, political parties and interest groups, 
the civil service system, media and think tanks, or the welfare/
regulatory state. The Institute should address modern political and 
cultural issues in the United States (including but not limited to 
civil rights, women's rights, immigration, etc.), and the significance 
of public discourse in the formulation of public policy. One award of 
up to $290,000 will support this Institute.
    The Study of the United States Institute on Contemporary American 
Literature should provide a multinational group of up to 18 experienced 
foreign university faculty and practitioners with a deeper 
understanding of U.S. society and culture, past and present, through an 
examination of contemporary American literature. Its purpose is 
twofold: (1) To explore contemporary American writers and writing in a 
variety of genres; and (2) to suggest how the themes explored in those 
works reflect larger currents within contemporary American society and 
culture. The program should explore the diversity of the American 
literary landscape, examining how major contemporary writers, schools 
and movements reflect the traditions of the American literary canon. At 
the same time, the Institute should expose participants to writers who 
represent a departure from that tradition, and who are establishing new 
directions for American literature. One award of up to $290,000 will 
support this Institute.
    The Study of the United States Institute on Religious Pluralism in 
the United States should provide a multinational group of up to 18 
experienced foreign university faculty and practitioners with a deeper 
understanding of U.S. society and culture, past and present, through an 
examination of religious pluralism in the United States and its 
intersection with American democracy. Employing a multi-disciplinary 
approach, drawing on fields such as history, political science, 
sociology, anthropology, law and others where appropriate, the program 
should explore both the historical and contemporary relationship 
between church and state in the United States; examine the ways in 
which religious thought and practice have influenced, and been 
influenced by, the development of American-style democracy; examine the 
intersections of religion and politics in the United States in such 
areas as elections, public policy, and foreign policy; and explore the 
sociology and demography of religion in the United States today, 
including a survey of the diversity of contemporary religious beliefs 
and its impact on American politics. One award of up to $290,000 will 
support this Institute.
    The Study of the U.S. Institute on U.S. Foreign Policy should 
provide a multinational group of 18 experienced foreign university 
faculty and practitioners with a deeper understanding of how U.S. 
foreign policy is formulated and implemented with an emphasis on the 
post Cold War period. This Institute should begin with a review of the 
historical development of U.S. foreign policy and cover significant 
events, individuals, and philosophies that have dominated U.S. foreign 
policy. In addition, the Institute should explain the role of key 
players in the field of foreign policy including the executive and 
legislative branches, the media, public opinion, think-tanks, non-
governmental and international organizations and how these players 
debate, cooperate, influence policy, and are held accountable. Regional 
sessions, for the entire group, highlighting salient topics such as 
energy security and environmental policy in Europe; trade and human 
rights issues in Asia; foreign aid and humanitarian assistance in 
Africa; drug trafficking and immigration issues for the Western 
Hemisphere; and combating terrorism in the Near East and South Asia are 
among the relevant issues that might be explored. In addition, sessions 
focusing on current issues such as nuclear disarmament, the Middle East 
peace process, or U.S. military actions would be appropriate. The host 
institution should provide a comprehensive and cohesive program, 
ensuring that a diversity of views is presented and remain flexible 
based on final composition of the participant group. One award of up to 
$290,000 will support this Institute.
    The Study of the U.S. Institute for Secondary Educators should 
provide a multinational group of 30 experienced secondary school 
educators (teachers, teacher trainers, curriculum developers, textbook 
writers, or education ministry officials) with a deeper understanding 
of U.S. society, education, and culture--past and present. The 
Institute should be organized around a central theme or themes in U.S. 
civilization and should have a strong contemporary component.

[[Page 56647]]

Through a combination of traditional, multi-disciplinary, and 
interdisciplinary approaches, program content should be imaginatively 
integrated in order to elucidate the history and evolution of U.S. 
educational institutions and values, broadly defined. The program 
should also serve to illuminate contemporary political, social, and 
economic debates in American society. One award of up to $360,000 will 
support this Institute.
    Program Design: Each Study of the U.S. Institute should be designed 
as an intensive, academically rigorous seminar for an experienced group 
of educators from abroad. Each Institute should be organized through an 
integrated series of lectures, readings, seminar discussions, and 
regional travel and site visits, and also should include sessions that 
expose participants to U.S. pedagogical philosophy and practice for 
teaching the discipline. Each Institute also should include some 
opportunity for limited but well-directed independent research. Each 
program should draw from a diverse disciplinary base, and should itself 
provide a model of how a foreign university might approach the study of 
United States.
    Applicants are encouraged to design thematically coherent programs 
in ways that draw upon the particular strengths, faculty, and resources 
of their institutions as well as upon the nationally recognized 
expertise of scholars and other experts throughout the United States.
    Participants: Participants will be nominated by U.S. Embassies and 
Fulbright Commissions from all regions of the world, with final 
selection made by the Bureau's Branch for the Study of the United 
States. Every effort will be made to select a balanced mix of male and 
female participants. Participants will be diverse in terms of age, 
professional position, and experience abroad. All participants will 
have a good knowledge of English.
    Program Dates: The Institutes should be a maximum of 44 days in 
length (including participant arrival and departure days) and should 
begin by June 2011, pending the availability of funds.
    Program Guidelines: While the conception and structure of the 
Institute agenda is the responsibility of the recipient, it is 
essential that proposals provide a detailed and comprehensive narrative 
describing the objectives of the Institute; the title, scope and 
content of each session; planned site visits; and how each session 
relates to the overall Institute theme. Proposals must include a 
syllabus that indicates the subject matter for each lecture, panel 
discussion, group presentation, or other activity. The syllabus also 
should confirm or provisionally identify proposed speakers, trainers, 
and session leaders, and clearly show how assigned readings will 
advance the goals of each session. Overall, proposals will be reviewed 
on the basis of their responsiveness to RFGP criteria, coherence, 
clarity, and attention to detail. The accompanying Project Objectives, 
Goals, and Implementation (POGI) document provides program-specific 
guidelines that all proposals must address fully.

    Please note:  In a cooperative agreement, the Branch for the 
Study of the United States is substantially involved in program 
activities above and beyond routine grant monitoring. The Branch 
will assume the following responsibilities for the Institute: 
Participate in the selection of participants; oversee the Institute 
through one or more site visits; debrief participants in Washington, 
DC at the conclusion of the Institute; and engage in follow-on 
communication with the participants after they return to their home 
countries (see POGI document for additional details). The Branch 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 of significant program 
changes in advance of their implementation.

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: FY 2011.
    Approximate Total Funding: $1,520,000 (pending the availability of 
funds).
    Approximate Number of Awards: Five (5).
    Approximate Average Award: Four awards of $290,000 for 18 
participants each; one award of $360,000 for 30 participants.
    Floor of Award Range: Approximately $290,000.
    Ceiling of Award Range: $360,000.
    Anticipated Award Date: Pending availability of funds, February 1, 
2011.
    Anticipated Project Completion Date: March 2012.
    Additional Information: Pending successful implementation of these 
programs and the availability of funds in subsequent fiscal years, it 
is ECA's intent to renew these cooperative agreements for two 
additional fiscal years before openly competing them again.

III. Eligibility Information

III.1. Eligible Applicants

    Applications may be submitted by public and private U.S. colleges, 
universities, and other not-for-profit academic organizations that have 
an established reputation in a field or discipline related to the 
specific program theme, and which meet 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 fewer 
than four years experience in conducting international exchanges be 
limited to $60,000 in Bureau funding. ECA anticipates making five 
awards, four in an amount up to $290,000, and in one in an amount up to 
$360,000 to support the program and administrative costs required to 
implement this exchange program. Therefore, organizations with fewer 
than four years experience in conducting international exchanges are 
ineligible to apply under this competition. The Bureau encourages 
applicants to provide maximum levels of cost sharing and funding in 
support of its programs.
    (b) Technical Eligibility: It is the Bureau's intent to award five 
separate cooperative agreements to five different institutions under 
this competition. Therefore prospective applicants may submit only one 
proposal under this competition. All applicants must comply with this 
requirement. Should an applicant submit multiple proposals under this 
competition, all proposals will be declared technically ineligible

[[Page 56648]]

and given no further consideration in the review process.

IV. Application and Submission Information

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

IV.1 Contact Information to Request an Application Package

    Please contact the Branch for the Study of the United States, ECA/
A/E/USS, Fourth Floor, U.S. Department of State, SA-5, 2200 C Street, 
NW., Washington, DC 20522-0504, (202) 632-3340 to request a 
Solicitation Package. Please refer to the Funding Opportunity Number 
ECA/A/E/USS-11-05-09 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 Brendan M. Walsh and refer to the Funding 
Opportunity Number ECA/A/E/USS-11-05-09 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 part 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: Office of Designation, Private Sector 
Programs Division, U.S. Department of State, ECA/EC/D/PS, SA-5, 5th 
Floor, 2200 C Street, NW., Washington, DC 20522-0505.
    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

[[Page 56649]]

democracy leaders of such countries.'' Public Law 106-113 requires that 
the governments of the countries described above do not have 
inappropriate influence in the selection process. Proposals should 
reflect advancement of these goals in their program contents, to the 
full extent deemed feasible.
    IV.3d.3. Program Monitoring and Evaluation. Proposals must include 
a plan to monitor and evaluate the project's success, both as the 
activities unfold and at the end of the program. The Bureau recommends 
that your proposal include a draft survey questionnaire or other 
technique plus a description of a methodology to use to link outcomes 
to original project objectives. The Bureau expects that the recipient 
organization will track participants or partners and be able to respond 
to key evaluation questions, including satisfaction with the program, 
learning as a result of the program, changes in behavior as a result of 
the program, and effects of the program on institutions (institutions 
in which participants work or partner institutions). The evaluation 
plan should include indicators that measure gains in mutual 
understanding as well as substantive knowledge.
    Successful monitoring and evaluation depend heavily on setting 
clear goals and outcomes at the outset of a program. Your evaluation 
plan should include a description of your project's objectives, your 
anticipated project outcomes, and how and when you intend to measure 
these outcomes (performance indicators). The more that outcomes are 
``smart'' (specific, measurable, attainable, results-oriented, and 
placed in a reasonable time frame), the easier it will be to conduct 
the evaluation. You should also show how your project objectives link 
to the goals of the program described in this RFGP.
    Your monitoring and evaluation plan should clearly distinguish 
between program outputs and outcomes. Outputs are products and services 
delivered, often stated as an amount. Output information is important 
to show the scope or size of project activities, but it cannot 
substitute for information about progress towards outcomes or the 
results achieved. Examples of outputs include the number of people 
trained or the number of seminars conducted. Outcomes, in contrast, 
represent specific results a project is intended to achieve and is 
usually measured as an extent of change. Findings on outputs and 
outcomes should both be reported, but the focus should be on outcomes.
    We encourage you to assess the following four levels of outcomes, 
as they relate to the program goals set out in the RFGP (listed here in 
increasing order of importance):
    1. Participant satisfaction with the program and exchange 
experience.
    2. Participant learning, such as increased knowledge, aptitude, 
skills, and changed understanding and attitude. Learning includes both 
substantive (subject-specific) learning and mutual understanding.
    3. Participant behavior, concrete actions to apply knowledge in 
work or community; greater participation and responsibility in civic 
organizations; interpretation and explanation of experiences and new 
knowledge gained; continued contacts between participants, community 
members, and others.
    4. Institutional changes, such as increased collaboration and 
partnerships, policy reforms, new programming, and organizational 
improvements.

    Please note:  Consideration should be given to the appropriate 
timing of data collection for each level of outcome. For example, 
satisfaction is usually captured as a short-term outcome, whereas 
behavior and institutional changes are normally considered longer-
term outcomes.

    Overall, the quality of your monitoring and evaluation plan will be 
judged on how well it (1) specifies intended outcomes; (2) gives clear 
descriptions of how each outcome will be measured; (3) identifies when 
particular outcomes will be measured; and (4) provides a clear 
description of the data collection strategies for each outcome (i.e., 
surveys, interviews, or focus groups). (Please note that evaluation 
plans that deal only with the first level of outcomes [satisfaction] 
will be deemed less competitive under the present evaluation criteria.)
    Recipient organizations will be required to provide reports 
analyzing their evaluation findings to the Bureau in their regular 
program reports. All data collected, including survey responses and 
contact information, must be maintained for a minimum of three years 
and provided to the Bureau upon request.
    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 for either of the two scholar 
institutes may not exceed $290,000, and administrative costs should be 
no more than approximately $95,000. Budget requests for the Institute 
for Secondary Educators may not exceed $360,000, and administrative 
costs should be no more than approximately $110,000. 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.
    IV.3e.2. Allowable costs for the program include the following:
    (1) Institute staff salary and benefits;
    (2) Participant housing and meals;
    (3) Participant travel and per diem;
    (4) Textbooks, educational materials, and admissions fees;
    (5) Honoraria for guest speakers;
    (6) Follow-on programming for alumni of Study of the United States 
programs.
    Please refer to the Solicitation Package for complete budget 
guidelines and formatting instructions.
    IV.3f. Application Deadline and Methods of Submission:
    Application Deadline Date: October 27, 2010.
    Reference Number: ECA/A/E/USS-11-05-09.
    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.

[[Page 56650]]

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-11-
05-09, SA-5, Floor 4, Department of State, 2200 C Street, NW., 
Washington, DC 20522-0504.
    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.
    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 Bureau'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. A draft survey questionnaire or other technique plus a 
description of a methodology to use to link outcomes to original 
project objectives is strongly recommended.
    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 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

[[Page 56651]]

institutional resources should be fully qualified to achieve the 
project's goals.
    6. Follow-up and Follow-on Activities: Proposals should discuss 
provisions made for follow-up with returned participants as a means of 
establishing longer-term individual and institutional linkages. 
Proposals also should provide a plan for continued follow-on activity 
(without Bureau 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:
    Mandatory:
    (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: Brendan M. Walsh, 
U.S. Department of State, Branch for the Study of the United States, 
ECA/A/E/USS, SA-5, Fourth Floor, ECA/A/E/USS-11-05-09, 2200 C Street, 
NW., Washington, DC 20522-0503, (202) 632-3340, WalshBM@state.gov.
    All correspondence with the Bureau concerning this RFGP should 
reference the above title and number ECA/A/E/USS-11-05-09.
    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: September 9, 2010.
Ann Stock,
Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs, Department of 
State.
[FR Doc. 2010-23145 Filed 9-15-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P