Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for Grant Proposals: The Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) Program: Host Family and School Placement and Monitoring, 70061-70067 [2010-28832]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 220 (Tuesday, November 16, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70061-70067]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-28832]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice: 7225]


Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for 
Grant Proposals: The Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) Program: Host 
Family and School Placement and Monitoring

    Announcement Type: New Grant.
    Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/PE/C/PY-11-04.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 19.415.
    Application Deadline: January 5, 2011.
    Executive Summary: The Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) program seeks 
to promote mutual understanding between the United States and the 
countries of Eurasia by providing secondary school students from the 
region the opportunity to live in American society for an academic 
year. In turn, these students will expose U.S. citizens to the culture, 
traditions, and lifestyles of people in Eurasia.
    Organizations are invited to submit proposals to identify host 
schools; vet, select, and monitor host families; and place and monitor 
a portion of the students participating in the FLEX program during the 
2011-12 academic year. Pending the availability of funds, an FY 2011 
grant will provide the monies required to recruit and screen host 
families; secure school placements; conduct student and host family 
orientations; provide cultural and educational enrichment activities; 
handle all counseling and programmatic issues; and evaluate program 
implementation.

I. Funding Opportunity Description Authority

    Overall grant making authority for this program is contained in the 
Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961, Public Law 87-
256, as amended, also known as the Fulbright-Hays Act. The purpose of 
the Act is ``to enable the Government of the United States to increase 
mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the 
people of other countries * * *; to strengthen the ties which unite us 
with other nations by demonstrating the educational and cultural 
interests,

[[Page 70062]]

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 FLEX Program seeks to provide approximately 1,000 high 
school students from Eurasia with an opportunity to live in the United 
States for the purpose of promoting mutual understanding between our 
countries. Participants will reside with American host families and 
attend high school during the 2011-12 academic year. Public and private 
non-profit organizations meeting the provisions described in Internal 
Revenue Code section 26 USC 501(c)(3) may submit proposals to recruit 
and select host families and schools for high school students between 
the ages of 15 and 17 from Eurasia. This solicitation refers only to 
FLEX students from the following Eurasian countries: Armenia, 
Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, 
Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Ukraine.
    In addition to identifying schools and screening families, 
organizations will be responsible for: (1) Providing English language 
enhancement activities for approximately 10% of their students who are 
specially identified; (2) orienting all students to local conditions, 
resources and opportunities; (3) orienting host families to program 
specifics; (4) providing support services for students; (5) arranging 
enhancement activities and skill-building opportunities; (6) monitoring 
student, family and coordinator performance and progress; (7) providing 
mid-year programming and re-entry training; and (8) evaluating project 
success. Preference will be given to those organizations that offer 
participants opportunities to develop leadership skills and raise their 
awareness of tolerance and civic responsibility through community 
activities and networks. The number of students who will participate is 
subject to the availability of funding in fiscal year 2011.
    During the year, FLEX participants will be engaged in a variety of 
activities, such as community and school-based programs, skill-building 
workshops, and cultural events. Academic year 2011-12 will be the 19th 
year of the FLEX program, with more than 20,000 students having been 
awarded scholarships since the program's inception.
    Goal: The goal of the program is to promote mutual understanding 
and foster relationships between the people of Eurasia and the United 
States by enabling students to:
     Gain an understanding of American culture, diversity, and 
respect for others with differing views and beliefs;
     Teach Americans about their home countries and cultures;
     Interact with Americans and generate enduring ties;
     Explore and acquire an understanding of the key elements 
of U.S. civil society, including concepts such as volunteerism, the 
idea that American citizens can and do act at the grassroots level to 
deal with societal problems, and an awareness of and respect for the 
Rule of Law; and
     Share and apply experiences and knowledge in their home 
communities as FLEX alumni, initiating activities that focus on 
development and community service.
    Objectives: The objectives of the FLEX placement and monitoring 
component are:
     To place approximately 1,000 pre-selected high school 
students from 10 Eurasian countries in safe, qualified, well-suited 
host families;
     To place students in accredited schools;
     To expose program participants to American culture and 
enable them to obtain a broad view of U.S. society and history;
     To provide appropriate venues for program participants to 
share their culture, lifestyles, and traditions with U.S. citizens;
     To provide participants with development opportunities 
that foster leadership skills they can take back with them and use in 
their home countries; and
     To provide activities that will increase and enhance 
students' leadership capacity, enabling them--as FLEX alumni--to 
initiate activities in their home countries that focus on development 
and community service.
    Other Components: One organization already has been awarded a grant 
to administer the ``Organizational Components'' of the FLEX program, 
and performs the following functions: Recruitment and selection of 
Eurasian students; assistance in documentation and preparation of DS-
2019 visa forms; preparation of cross-cultural materials; pre-departure 
orientation; international travel from home to host community and 
return; facilitation of ongoing communication between the natural 
parents and the placement organization, as needed; maintenance of a 
student database and provision of data to the U.S. Department of State; 
and ongoing follow-up with alumni after their return to Eurasia.
    Another organization is currently responsible for supporting 
students with disabilities. This includes a pre-program orientation, a 
year-end reentry training, and support throughout the year in order to 
help them cope with challenges specific to their circumstances. 
Students with disabilities may need supplementary independence skills 
training early on in the program. Placement organizations will be in 
direct communication with both organizations.
    Guidelines: Applicants are requested to submit a narrative 
outlining a comprehensive strategy for the administration and 
implementation of the placement component of the FLEX program that 
includes the following responsibilities:
    1. Recruitment, screening, selection, and FLEX-specific orientation 
of local coordinators and host families;
    2. Enrollment of participants in an accredited school;
    3. Post-arrival orientation for participants;
    4. Placement of a small number of students with disabilities;
    5. Pre-program specialized English language programming for pre-
selected students who require focused preparation for their academic 
year;
    6. Preparation and dissemination of placement organization 
materials to the organization administering the ``Organizational 
Components'' by May 1, 2011 (these materials will be distributed to the 
students at the Pre-Departure Orientation);
    7. Troubleshooting;
    8. Monitoring of students, host families and local coordinators;
    9. Quarterly evaluation of the organization's success in achieving 
program goals;
    10. Mid-year programs to assess progress; and
    11. Re-entry training to prepare students for readjustment to their 
home environments.
    Applicants must request a grant for placement and monitoring of at 
least 30 students; there is no maximum number of students that may be 
placed by one organization. Placements may be in any region of the 
United States. Strong preference will be given to organizations that 
choose to place participants in clusters of at least three students 
(these students should be from different countries) in a particular 
Local Coordinator's area of responsibility. Please refer to the POGI 
for details on essential program elements, permissible costs, and 
criteria used to select and

[[Page 70063]]

place students. We anticipate grants beginning no later than April 
2011, subject to the availability of funds.
    Participants will begin to arrive in their host communities in late 
July 2011 and remain for 10 or 11 months until their departure mid-May 
to late June 2012. Students with disabilities and students requiring 
supplementary English language instruction may arrive earlier.
    Administration of the program must be in compliance with federal, 
state, and local tax reporting and withholding regulations as 
applicable. Recipient organizations must demonstrate regulation 
adherence in the proposal narrative and budget.
    Applicants must submit the health and accident insurance plans they 
intend to use for students on this program. The Bureau offers the 
Accident and Sickness Program for Exchanges (ASPE) plan for students 
participating in the program. Placement Organizations wishing to use a 
different plan must demonstrate that such alternate plan a) provides 
comparable or more comprehensive coverage and b) costs less. Coverage 
must begin when students depart their home countries and not conclude 
until they return home. Please keep in mind that the students with 
disabilities who participate in the July post-arrival workshop must be 
covered by the Placement Organization's health insurance policy while 
they are participating in the workshop.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: New Grant.
    Fiscal Year Funds: FY 2011.
    Approximate Total Funding: $8,000,000.
    Approximate Number of Awards: 10-15 grants.
    Approximate Average Award: Funding level is dependent on the number 
of proposed students, monitoring, the quality of support, and volume of 
activities.
    Anticipated Award Date: Pending availability of funds, April 2011.
    Anticipated Project Completion Date: August 2012.
    Additional Information: Pending successful implementation of this 
program and the availability of funds in subsequent fiscal years, it is 
ECA's intent to renew this grant for two additional fiscal years, 
before openly competing it again.

III. Eligibility Information

    III.1. Eligible Applicants: Applications may be submitted by public 
and private non-profit organizations meeting the provisions described 
in Internal Revenue Code section 26 USC 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: Bureau grant guidelines 
require that organizations with fewer than four years experience in 
conducting international exchanges be limited to $60,000 in Bureau 
funding. Since an award to support program and administrative costs 
required to implement this exchange program for a minimum of 30 
students will exceed $60,000, 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

    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 Youth Programs Division, ECA/PE/C/PY, SA-5, Floor 3, U.S. 
Department of State, Washington, DC 20037, telephone (202) 632-6416, 
and fax (202) 632-9355, e-mail Amrote Molla at MollaAB@state.gov to 
request a Solicitation Package. Please refer to the Funding Opportunity 
Number ECA/PE/C/PY-11-04 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 the Funding Opportunity Number (ECA/PE/C/PY-11-04) 
at the top of this announcement on all inquiries and correspondence.
    IV.2. To Download a Solicitation Package via the Internet: The 
entire Solicitation Package may be downloaded from the Bureau's Web 
site at https://exchanges.state.gov/grants/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,

[[Page 70064]]

trustees, and key employees, regardless of amount of compensation). In 
fulfilling this requirement, applicants must submit information in one 
of the following ways: 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. 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 be required to submit a one-page document, derived from 
their program reports, listing and describing their grant activities. 
For award recipients, the names of directors and/or senior executives 
(current officers, trustees, and key employees), as well as the one-
page description of grant activities, will be transmitted by the State 
Department to OMB, along with other information required by the Federal 
Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA), and will be made 
available to the public by the Office of Management and Budget on its 
USASpending.gov Web site as part of ECA's FFATA reporting requirements.
    If your organization is a private nonprofit which has not received 
a grant or cooperative agreement from ECA in the past three years, or 
if your organization received nonprofit status from the IRS within the 
past four years, you must submit the necessary documentation to verify 
nonprofit status as directed in the PSI document. Failure to do so will 
cause your proposal to be declared technically ineligible.
    IV.3d. Please take into consideration the following information 
when preparing your proposal narrative:
    IV.3d.1 Adherence To All Regulations Governing The J-Visa: The 
Office of Citizen Exchanges of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural 
Affairs is the official program sponsor of the exchange program covered 
by this RFGP, and an employee of the Bureau will be the ``Responsible 
Officer'' for the program under the terms of 22 CFR part 62, which 
covers the administration of the Exchange Visitor Program (J-visa 
program). Under the terms of 22 CFR part 62, organizations receiving 
awards (either a grant or cooperative agreement) under this RFGP will 
be third parties ``cooperating with or assisting the sponsor in the 
conduct of the sponsor's program.'' The actions of recipient 
organizations shall be ``imputed to the sponsor in evaluating the 
sponsor's compliance with'' 22 CFR part 62. Therefore, the Bureau 
expects that any organization receiving an award under this competition 
will render all assistance necessary to enable the Bureau to fully 
comply with 22 CFR part 62 et seq.
    The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs places critically 
important emphases on the secure and proper administration of Exchange 
Visitor (J-visa) Programs and adherence by recipient organizations and 
program participants to all regulations governing the J-visa program 
status. Therefore, proposals should explicitly state in writing that 
the applicant is prepared to assist the Bureau in meeting all 
requirements governing the administration of Exchange Visitor Programs 
as set forth in 22 CFR part 62.
    Please Note: The Department of State is revising existing Secondary 
School Student regulations regarding the screening, selection, school 
enrollment, orientation, and quality assurance monitoring of exchange 
students as well as the screening, selection, orientation, and quality 
assurance monitoring of host families and field staff. Regulation 
revisions will be effective as of November 26, 2010. For more details, 
please visit https://exchanges.state.gov/jexchanges. Any organization 
approved for funding will be responsible for complying with all 
regulations in effect during the time of the award.
    If your organization has experience as a designated Exchange 
Visitor Program Sponsor, you should discuss your record of compliance 
with 22 CFR part 62 et seq., 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 review the record of compliance with 22 CFR part 
62 et seq. of applicant organizations designated as Exchange Visitor 
Program Sponsors by ECA's Office of Private Sector Exchange as one 
factor in evaluating the record/ability of organizations to carry out 
successful exchange programs.
    The Office of Citizen Exchanges of ECA will be responsible for 
issuing DS-2019 forms to participants in this program.
    A copy of the complete regulations governing the administration of 
Exchange Visitor (J) programs is available at https://exchanges.state.gov or from: Office of Designation, ECA/EC/D, SA-5, 
Floor C2, Department of State, Washington, DC 20037.
    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.
    Funds provided through this award may not be used to promote 
participation in, or to purchase equipment or supplies intended for, 
activities related to religious worship or proselytization. Host 
families, school officials, and grantee organizations shall not require 
program participants to attend religious services. However, as part of 
their exchange experience, participants may be offered the opportunity 
to take part voluntarily in this facet of their host culture, at their 
own discretion. Volunteer host families (who receive no financial 
benefit from grant funds) are encouraged to enable participants living 
with them to attend services of the participant's religion, if the 
participant so desires and the services are available within a 
reasonable distance of the host family's residence.
    IV.3d.3. Program Monitoring and Evaluation: Program Monitoring 
includes Participant Monitoring, which focuses specifically on ensuring 
students' safety and well-being throughout the year; see Review 
Criterion 5 for details and instructions. This section focuses 
on other aspects of Program Monitoring.
    Program Monitoring: Proposals must include a plan to monitor and 
report on 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

[[Page 70065]]

questionnaire or other technique, plus a description of a methodology 
that will be used to link outcomes to original project objectives. The 
Bureau expects that the grantee will track participants and be able to 
respond to key monitoring questions throughout the year, particularly 
concerning effects of the program on program participants, their host 
families and communities.
    Successful monitoring depends heavily on setting clear goals and 
outcomes at the outset of a program. Your monitoring plan should 
include a description of your project's objectives and how and when you 
intend to measure these outcomes. You should also show how your project 
objectives link to the goals of the program described in this RFGP.
    Overall, the quality of your monitoring plan will be judged on how 
well it specifies successes and challenges. Grantees will be required 
to provide reports analyzing their monitoring 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.
    Evaluation: The Bureau's Office of Policy and Evaluation will 
conduct evaluations of the FLEX program through E-GOALS, its online 
system for surveying program participants and collecting data about 
program performance. These evaluations assist ECA and its program 
grantees in meeting the requirements of the Government Performance 
Results Act (GPRA) of 1993. This Act requires federal agencies to 
measure the results of their programs in meeting pre-determined 
performance goals and objectives. Please see specific responsibilities 
in the accompanying POGI document.
    IV.3e. Please consider the following information when preparing 
your budget: Applicants must submit SF-424A--``Budget Information--Non-
Construction Programs'' along with a comprehensive budget for the 
entire program. The budget must reflect costs for a minimum of 30 
participants. Please indicate clearly the number of students funded. 
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: January 5, 2011.
    Reference Number: ECA/PE/C/PY-11-04.

Methods of Submission

    Applications may be submitted in one of two ways:
    1. In hard-copy, via a nationally recognized overnight delivery 
service (i.e., Federal Express, UPS, Airborne Express, or U.S. Postal 
Service Express Overnight Mail, etc.), or
    2. Electronically through https://www.grants.gov.
    Along with the Project Title, all applicants must enter the above 
Reference Number in Box 11 on the SF-424 contained in the mandatory 
Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) of the solicitation document.
    IV.3f.1 Submitting Printed Applications: Applications must be 
shipped no later than the above deadline. Delivery services used by 
applicants must have in-place, centralized shipping identification and 
tracking systems that may be accessed via the Internet and delivery 
people who are identifiable by commonly recognized uniforms and 
delivery vehicles. Proposals shipped on or before the above deadline 
but received at ECA more than seven days after the deadline will be 
ineligible for further consideration under this competition. Proposals 
shipped after the established deadlines are ineligible for 
consideration under this competition. ECA will not notify you upon 
receipt of application. It is each applicant's responsibility to ensure 
that each package is marked with a legible tracking number and to 
monitor/confirm delivery to ECA via the Internet. Delivery of proposal 
packages may not be made via local courier service or in person for 
this competition. Faxed documents will not be accepted at any time. 
Only proposals submitted as stated above will be considered.

    Important Note: When preparing your submission please make sure 
to include one extra copy of the completed SF-424 form and place it 
in an envelope addressed to ``ECA/EX/PM.'' The original and eight 
(8) copies of the application should be sent to: Program Management 
Division (ECA-IIP/EX/PM), Ref.: ECA/PE/C/PY-11-04, SA-5, Floor 4, 
Department of State, 2200 C Street, NW., Washington, DC 20037.

    IV.3f.2 Submitting Electronic Applications: Applicants have the 
option of submitting proposals electronically through Grants.gov 
(https://www.grants.gov). Complete solicitation packages are available 
at Grants.gov in the ``Find'' portion of the system.

    Please Note: Due to Recovery Act related opportunities, there 
has been a higher than usual volume of grant proposals submitted 
through Grants.gov. Potential applicants are advised that the 
increased volume may affect the grants.gov proposal submission 
process. As stated in this RFGP, ECA bears no responsibility for 
applicant timeliness of submission or data errors resulting from 
transmission or conversion processes for proposals submitted via 
Grants.gov. Please follow the instructions available in the `Get 
Started' portion of the site https://www.grants.gov/GetStarted.

    Several of the steps in the Grants.gov registration process could 
take several weeks. Therefore, applicants should check with appropriate 
staff within their organizations immediately after reviewing this RFGP 
to confirm or determine their registration status with Grants.gov. Once 
registered, the amount of time it can take to upload an application 
will vary depending on a variety of factors including the size of the 
application and the speed of your Internet connection. In addition, 
validation of an electronic submission via Grants.gov can take up to 
two business days. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you not wait 
until the application deadline to begin the submission process through 
Grants.gov.
    The Grants.gov Web site includes extensive information on all 
phases/aspects of the Grants.gov process, including an extensive 
section on frequently asked questions, located under the ``For 
Applicants'' section of the Web site. ECA strongly recommends that all 
potential applicants review thoroughly the Grants.gov Web site, well in 
advance of submitting a proposal through the Grants.gov system. ECA 
bears no responsibility for data errors resulting from transmission or 
conversion processes. Direct all questions regarding Grants.gov 
registration and submission to: Grants.gov Customer Support; Contact 
Center Phone: 800-518-4726; Business Hours: Monday-Friday, 7 a.m.- 9 
p.m. Eastern Time; E-mail: support@grants.gov
    Applicants have until midnight (12 a.m.), Washington, DC time of 
the closing date to ensure that their entire application has been 
uploaded to the Grants.gov site. There are no exceptions to the above 
deadline. Applications uploaded to the site after midnight of the 
application deadline date will be automatically rejected by the 
grants.gov system, and will be technically ineligible. Please refer to 
the Grants.gov website, for definitions of various ``application 
statuses'' and the difference

[[Page 70066]]

between a submission receipt and a submission validation. Applicants 
will receive a validation e-mail from grants.gov upon the successful 
submission of an application. Again, validation of an electronic 
submission via Grants.gov can take up to two business days. Therefore, 
we strongly recommend that you not wait until the application deadline 
to begin the submission process through Grants.gov. ECA will not notify 
you upon receipt of electronic applications. It is the responsibility 
of all applicants submitting proposals via the Grants.gov web portal to 
ensure that proposals have been received by Grants.gov in their 
entirety, and ECA bears no responsibility for data errors resulting 
from transmission or conversion processes.
    IV.3g. Intergovernmental Review of Applications: Executive Order 
12372 does not apply to this program.

V. Application Review Information

    V.1. Review Process: The Bureau will review all proposals for 
technical eligibility. Proposals will be deemed ineligible if they do 
not fully adhere to the guidelines stated herein and in the 
Solicitation Package. In addition, ECA will review the record of 
compliance with 22 CFR part 62 et seq. of applicant organizations 
designated as Exchange Visitor Program Sponsors by ECA's Office of 
Private Sector Exchange. If it is determined that an applicant 
organization submitting a proposal has a record of not being in 
compliance, their proposal will be deemed technically ineligible and 
receive no further consideration in the review process. If in 
compliance, the applicant organization's record of compliance will be 
used as one factor in evaluating the record/ability of organizations to 
carry out successful exchange programs.
    All eligible proposals will be reviewed by the program office, as 
well as the Public Diplomacy section overseas, where appropriate. 
Eligible proposals will be subject to compliance with Federal and 
Bureau regulations and guidelines and forwarded to Bureau grant panels 
for advisory review. Proposals may also be reviewed by the Office of 
the Legal Adviser or by other Department elements. Final funding 
decisions are at the discretion of the Department of State's Assistant 
Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs. Final technical 
authority for assistance awards (grants) resides with the Bureau's 
Grants Officer.

Review Criteria

    1. Program Planning/Ability to Achieve Program Objectives: Your 
proposal narrative should exhibit originality, substance, and relevance 
to the Bureau's mission. Reviewers will assess the degree to which 
proposals engage participants in community activities that involve 
skills development and leadership training. A detailed agenda and work 
plan should adhere to the program overview and guidelines described in 
the solicitation package. Reviewers also will assess the degree to 
which the proposed outcomes of the project are realistic and 
measurable. Strategies should creatively utilize resources at the local 
level to ensure an efficient use of program funds.
    2. Support of Diversity: Proposals should demonstrate substantive 
support of the Bureau's policy on diversity. Achievable and relevant 
features should be cited in both program administration (selection of 
participants, host families, schools, program venue and program 
evaluation) and program content (orientations, program meetings, 
resource materials and follow-up activities).
    3. Organization's Record/Institutional Capacity: Proposed personnel 
and institutional resources should be adequate and appropriate to 
achieve the program or project's goals. Reviewers will assess the 
applicant and its partners to determine if they offer adequate 
resources, expertise, and experience to fulfill program objectives. 
Partner activities should be clearly defined. Proposals should 
demonstrate an institutional record of successful exchange programs, 
including responsible fiscal management and full compliance with all 
reporting and J-1 Visa requirements for past Bureau grants as 
determined by Bureau Grant Staff. In addition, organizations designated 
as Exchange Visitor Program Sponsors must include a discussion of their 
record of compliance with 22 CFR part 62 et seq., including the 
oversight of their Responsible Officers and Alternate Responsible 
Officers, screening and selection of program participants, provision of 
pre-arrival information and orientation to participants, monitoring of 
participants, proper maintenance and security of forms, record-keeping, 
reporting and other requirements. Proposals that fail to include the 
above information in their narrative will be deemed less or not 
competitive under this review criterion. ECA will review the record of 
compliance with 22 CFR part 62 et seq. of organizations designated as 
Exchange Visitor Program Sponsors as one factor in evaluating the 
record/ability of organizations to carry out successful exchange 
programs.
    4. Multiplier Effect: Proposed programs should strengthen long-term 
mutual understanding, including maximum sharing of information and 
establishment of long-term institutional and individual linkages. 
Reviewers will assess ways in which proposals include innovative ideas 
to expose U.S. communities to FLEX-related goals and activities that 
involve students, host families and schools. This includes media 
outreach, visits to local and national government representatives, 
Internet-based applications and other interactions. Reviewers will also 
evaluate substantive plans to prepare FLEX students for their role as 
active, effective FLEX alumni.
    5. Participant Monitoring: Proposals must include a detailed 
monitoring plan that addresses Student, Local Coordinator (LC) and Host 
Family (HF) monitoring. Given the importance the Department places on 
this criterion, you should dedicate a significant percentage of the 
narrative to explaining how you will achieve the Department's goals in 
regard to monitoring. You may use the appendices to house additional 
details and supporting documentation. Please see the Project 
Objectives, Goals, and Implementation (POGI) for additional details 
regarding this review criterion.
    6. Project Evaluation: Proposals should include a plan to monitor 
and evaluate the activity's success, both as the activities unfold and 
at the end of the program. Reviewers will assess your plans to monitor 
student progress and program activities, particularly in regard to 
intended outcomes indicated in your proposal. Grantees will be expected 
to submit quarterly reports, which should be included as an inherent 
component of the work plan. Your primary method of evaluation is E-
GOALS; other organization-specific instruments are encouraged.
    Proposals should also specify ways in which students will be 
encouraged to complete the mandatory end-of-the-year surveys 
administered through the E-GOALS system.
    7. Cost-effectiveness/Cost Sharing: Reviewers will analyze the 
budget for clarity and cost-effectiveness. They also will assess the 
rationale of the proposed budget and whether the allocation of funds is 
appropriate to complete tasks outlined in the project narrative. 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. Preference will be given

[[Page 70067]]

to organizations whose proposals demonstrate a quality, cost-effective 
program.

VI. Award Administration Information

    VI.1. 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 websites 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:
    A final program and financial report no more than 90 days after the 
expiration of the award.
    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 website--as part of ECA's Federal 
Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA) reporting 
requirements.
    An SF-PPR, ``Performance Progress Report'' Cover Sheet with all 
program reports, including the SF-PPR-E and SF-PPR-F. Quarterly program 
and financial reports which should include both quantitative and 
qualitative data you have available.
    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: Callie Ward 
(wardca@state.gov; 202-632-6431), Office of Citizen Exchanges, ECA/PE/
C/PY, SA-5, Floor 3, Department of State, Washington, DC 20037. All 
correspondence with the Bureau concerning this RFGP should reference 
the above contact and ECA/PE/C/PY-11-04.
    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.
    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: November 9, 2010.
Ann Stock
Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. 
Department of State.
[FR Doc. 2010-28832 Filed 11-15-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P