Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for Grant Proposals: Youth Leadership Program, 25734-25740 [2011-10998]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 87 (Thursday, May 5, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25734-25740]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-10998]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice: 7442]


Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for 
Grant Proposals: Youth Leadership Program

    Announcement Type: New Cooperative Agreement.
    Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/PE/C/PY-11-69.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 19.415.
    Application Deadline: June 6, 2011.

Executive Summary

    The Office of Citizen Exchanges, Youth Programs Division, of the 
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) announces an open 
competition for the Youth Leadership Program. Public and private non-
profit organizations meeting the provisions described in Internal 
Revenue Code section 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3) may submit proposals to 
provide youth and adult participants with three or more separate three-
week exchanges focused on civic education, community service, and youth 
leadership development, and to support follow-on projects in their home 
communities. U.S. Embassies in the participating countries will 
recruit, screen, and select the participants. The successful applicant 
will provide flexible programming and work with ECA and U.S. Embassies 
as they identify the participating countries in response to emerging 
circumstances requiring U.S. engagement.

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.

Overview

    The Youth Leadership Program provides three-week exchanges in the 
United States for high school youth and adult educators from countries 
identified as Department priorities. Exchange activities will focus on 
civic education, community service, and youth leadership development. 
Secondary themes on issues of global relevance may be added. 
Participants will engage in a variety of activities such as workshops 
on leadership and service, community site visits related to the program 
themes and subthemes, interactive training and discussion groups, 
presentations, visits to high schools, local cultural activities, 
homestays, and other activities designed to achieve the program's 
stated goals.
    Multiple opportunities for participants to interact meaningfully 
with their American peers must be included. Follow-on activities with 
the participants are an integral part of the program, as the students 
apply the knowledge and skills they have acquired by planning service 
projects in their home communities.
    The goals of the program are to:
    (1) Promote mutual understanding between the people of the United 
States and the people of other countries;
    (2) Prepare youth leaders to become responsible citizens and 
contributing members of their communities; and
    (3) Foster relationships among youth from different ethnic, 
religious, and national groups.
    The objectives of the program are for participants to:
    (1) Demonstrate a better understanding of the elements of a 
participatory democracy as practiced in the United States;
    (2) Demonstrate critical thinking and leadership skills; and
    (3) Demonstrate skills in developing project ideas and planning a 
course of action to bring the projects to fruition.
    The primary themes of the program are:
    (1) Civic Education (Citizen Participation, Grassroots Democracy 
and Rule of Law);
    (2) Community Service; and
    (3) Youth Leadership Development.
    For each project, applicant organizations must focus on these 
primary themes. Secondary themes such as business and entrepreneurship, 
the environment, public health, or other topics of global relevance 
will serve to illustrate the more abstract concepts of the primary 
themes. For example, the secondary theme of the environment can be used 
to examine how a group of individuals with an idea can start a 
recycling campaign in their community. These themes may vary in 
response to Department priorities connected with the countries that 
participate.
    Using these goals, objectives, and themes, applicant organizations 
should identify their own specific and measurable outputs and outcomes 
based on the project specifications provided in this solicitation. 
Proposals should indicate how recipients will achieve the short-term 
program objectives, and how these objectives will contribute to the 
achievement of the stated long-term goals.

Project Outline

    The amount of funding available is approximately $600,000. ECA

[[Page 25735]]

anticipates awarding one cooperative agreement for the management of 
this Youth Leadership Program. With funding of approximately $7,500 per 
participant, the program will involve hosting a total of about 70 to 90 
high school students and educators for three-week exchanges in the 
United States in 2012. They will travel in several delegations, each 
delegation ranging from 14 to 24 participants and each delegation 
representing a different country or region from around the world, to be 
determined in consultation with Department stakeholders as emerging 
events dictate.
    Applicants are encouraged to be creative and flexible in making 
arrangements that will help meet our program goals. For instance, the 
groups may not all be of equal size and may travel at anytime 
throughout the year. More exchange participants may be included should 
funding allow. The Bureau reserves the right to reduce, revise, or 
increase proposal project configurations, budgets, and participant 
numbers in accordance with the needs of the program and the 
availability of funds.

Participants

    U.S. Embassies in the participating countries will recruit, screen, 
and select the participants; the award recipient will not be involved 
in participant selection. The youth participants will be high school 
students aged 15 to 18 years old. The adult participants may be 
teachers, trainers, school administrators, and/or community leaders who 
work with youth. They will have the dual role of both exchange 
participant and chaperone. The ratio of youth to adult participants 
will be approximately 7:1. Participants will be proficient in the 
English language.

Organizational Capacity

    Applicant organizations must demonstrate their capacity for 
conducting international youth exchanges, providing projects that 
address the goals, objectives, and themes outlined in this document, 
and providing age-appropriate programming for youth.

U.S. Embassy Involvement

    U.S. Embassies in the participating countries will recruit, screen, 
and select the participants; provide pre-departure briefings; 
facilitate visas; and collaborate with the U.S. recipient organization 
in overseeing alumni follow-on projects. Once a cooperative agreement 
is awarded and the participating countries are identified, which may 
take place throughout the agreement period, the recipient must consult 
regularly with the Public Affairs Section at the U.S. Embassies in the 
partner countries to implement the exchanges.

Guidelines

    The cooperative agreement will begin on or about September 1, 2011. 
The award period will be 18 to 24 months in duration, as appropriate 
for the applicant's program design. Planning and preparation will start 
in 2011, and the exchanges will take place primarily in calendar year 
2012. Applicants should propose the period of the exchanges in their 
proposals, but the exact timing may be altered through the mutual 
agreement of the Department of State and the award recipient.
    The award recipient will be responsible for the following:
    Orientations: Provide pre-departure materials and information about 
the U.S. program to help the U.S. Embassies, participants, and their 
families in preparation for the exchange. Also, provide orientations 
for those participating from the host communities, including host 
families.
    Logistics: Manage all logistical arrangements, including 
international and domestic travel, ground transportation, 
accommodations, group meals, and disbursement of pocket money.
    Exchange Activities: Design and plan three weeks of exchange 
activities that provide a creative and substantive program that 
develops both the youth and the adult participants' knowledge and skill 
base in civic education, community service, and youth leadership 
development. The exchange will take place in no more than two or three 
locations so that the participants have time to familiarize themselves 
with a community. The exchange will focus primarily on interactive 
activities, practical experiences, and other hands-on opportunities 
that provide a substantive experience on the specified program themes. 
Some activities should be school and/or community-based, and the 
exchange will involve as much sustained interaction with American peers 
as possible (for both the youth and adult participants). Cultural, 
social, and recreational activities will balance the schedule. 
Applicants may choose to include a visit to Washington, DC.
    Accommodations: Arrange home stays for the participants in the 
United States with properly screened and briefed American families for 
the majority of the exchange period. Criminal background checks must be 
conducted for members of host families (and others living in the home) 
who are 18 years of age or older. Please see the POGI for more details 
on host family screening and placement.
    Monitoring: Develop and implement a plan to monitor the 
participants' safety and well-being while on the exchange and to create 
opportunities for participants to share potential issues and resolve 
them promptly. The award recipient will be required to provide proper 
staff supervision and facilitation to ensure that the teenagers have 
safe and pedagogically rich programs. Staff, along with the adult 
participants, will assist the youth with cultural adjustments, provide 
societal context to enhance learning, and counsel students as needed.
    Follow-on Activities: Plan and implement activities in the 
participants' home countries, in coordination with the U.S. Embassies, 
particularly by facilitating continued engagement among the 
participants, advising and supporting them in the implementation of 
community service projects, and offering opportunities to reinforce the 
ideas, values and skills imparted during the exchange. Exchange 
participants should return home from the exchange prepared to conduct 
projects that serve a need in their schools or communities. To amplify 
program impact, proposals should present creative and effective ways to 
address the project themes, for both program participants and their 
peers.
    Evaluation: Design and implement an evaluation plan that assesses 
the short- and medium-term impact of the project on the participants as 
well as on host and home communities.

    Please note: In a cooperative agreement, the Department of State 
is substantially involved in program activities above and beyond 
routine grant monitoring. The Department's activities and 
responsibilities for the Youth Leadership Program are as follows:
    (1) Provide advice and assistance in the execution of all 
program components.
    (2) Manage the recruitment and selection of the participants, 
provide pre-departure briefings, and oversee follow-on activities.
    (3) Issue DS-2019 forms and J-1 visas. All foreign participants 
will travel on a U.S. Government designation for the J Exchange 
Visitor Program.
    (4) Facilitate interaction within the Department of State, to 
include ECA, the regional bureaus, and overseas posts.
    (5) Arrange meetings with Department of State officials in 
Washington, D.C. and the participating countries.
    (6) Approve publicity materials and final calendar of exchange 
activities.
    (7) Monitor and evaluate the program, through regular 
communication with the award recipient and possibly one or more site 
visits.


[[Page 25736]]



Additional Information

    Award recipients will retain the name ``Youth Leadership Program'' 
to identify their project. All materials, publicity, and correspondence 
related to the program will acknowledge this as a program of the Bureau 
of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State. 
The Bureau will retain copyright use of and be allowed to distribute 
materials related to this program as it sees fit.
    The organization must inform the ECA Program Officer and 
participating U.S. Embassies of their progress at each stage of the 
project's implementation in a timely fashion, and will be required to 
obtain approval of any significant program changes in advance of their 
implementation.
    Proposals must demonstrate how the stated objectives will be met. 
The proposal narrative should provide detailed information on the major 
project activities, and applicants should explain and justify their 
programmatic choices. Projects must comply with J-1 visa regulations 
for the International Visitor and Government Visitor category. Please 
be sure to refer to the complete Solicitation Package--this RFGP, the 
Project Objectives, Goals, and Implementation (POGI), and the Proposal 
Submission Instructions (PSI)--for further information.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Cooperative Agreement. ECA's level of involvement in 
this program is listed under Section I above.
    Fiscal Year Funds: FY-2011.
    Approximate Total Funding: $600,000.
    Approximate Number of Awards: One.
    Anticipated Award Date: September 1, 2011.
    Anticipated Project Completion Date: 18-24 months after start date, 
to be specified by applicant based on project plan.

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 an award 
in an amount exceeding $60,000 to support program and administrative 
costs required to implement this exchange program. Therefore, 
organizations with less than four years experience in conducting 
international exchanges are ineligible to apply under this competition. 
The Bureau encourages applicants to provide maximum levels of cost 
sharing and funding in support of its programs.
    (b) Proposed sub-award recipients are also limited to grant funding 
of $60,000 or less if they do not have four years of experience in 
conducting international exchanges.
    (c) 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.

IV.1. Contact Information to Request an Application Package

    Please contact the Youth Programs Division, ECA/PE/C/PY, SA-5, 3rd 
Floor, U.S. Department of State, 2200 C Street, NW., Washington, DC 
20037, by telephone (202) 632-9261, fax (202) 632-9355, or e-mail 
YLP@state.gov to request a Solicitation Package. Please refer to the 
Funding Opportunity Number ECA/PE/C/PY-11-69 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 Program Officer Sarah Shields and refer to the 
Funding Opportunity Number ECA/PE/C/PY-11-69 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. All Federal award recipients and sub-recipients must 
maintain current registrations in the Central Contractor Registration 
(CCR) database and have a Dun and Bradstreet Data

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Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number. Recipients and sub-recipients 
must maintain accurate and up-to-date information in the CCR until all 
program and financial activity and reporting have been completed. All 
entities must review and update the information at least annually after 
the initial registration and more frequently if required information 
changes or another award is granted.
    You must have nonprofit status with the IRS at the time of 
application. Please note: Effective January 7, 2009, all applicants for 
ECA Federal assistance awards must include in their application the 
names of directors and/or senior executives (current officers, 
trustees, and key employees, regardless of amount of compensation). In 
fulfilling this requirement, applicants must submit information in one 
of the following ways:
    (1) Those who file Internal Revenue Service Form 990, ``Return of 
Organization Exempt From Income Tax,'' must include a copy of relevant 
portions of this form.
    (2) Those who do not file IRS Form 990 must submit information 
above in the format of their choice.
    In addition to final program reporting requirements, award 
recipients will also be required to submit a one-page document, derived 
from their program reports, listing and describing their grant 
activities. For award recipients, the names of directors and/or senior 
executives (current officers, trustees, and key employees), as well as 
the one-page description of grant activities, will be transmitted by 
the State Department to OMB, along with other information required by 
the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA), and 
will be made available to the public by the Office of Management and 
Budget on its USASpending.gov Web site as part of ECA's FFATA reporting 
requirements.
    If your organization is a private nonprofit which has not received 
a grant or cooperative agreement from ECA in the past three years, or 
if your organization received nonprofit status from the IRS within the 
past four years, you must submit the necessary documentation to verify 
nonprofit status as directed in the PSI document. Failure to do so will 
cause your proposal to be declared technically ineligible.
    IV.3d. Please take into consideration the following information 
when preparing your proposal narrative:
IV.3d.1. Adherence to All Regulations Governing the J Visa
    The Office of Citizen Exchanges of the Bureau of Educational and 
Cultural Affairs is the official program sponsor of the exchange 
program covered by this RFGP, and an employee of the Bureau will be the 
``Responsible Officer'' for the program under the terms of 22 CFR part 
62, which covers the administration of the Exchange Visitor Program (J 
visa program). Under the terms of 22 CFR part 62, organizations 
receiving awards (either a grant or cooperative agreement) under this 
RFGP will be third parties ``cooperating with or assisting the sponsor 
in the conduct of the sponsor's program.'' The actions of recipient 
organizations shall be ``imputed to the sponsor in evaluating the 
sponsor's compliance with'' 22 CFR part 62. Therefore, the Bureau 
expects that any organization receiving an award under this competition 
will render all assistance necessary to enable the Bureau to fully 
comply with 22 CFR part 62 et seq.
    The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs places critically 
important emphases on the secure and proper administration of Exchange 
Visitor (J visa) Programs and adherence by recipient organizations and 
program participants to all regulations governing the J visa program 
status. Therefore, proposals should explicitly state in writing that 
the applicant is prepared to assist the Bureau in meeting all 
requirements governing the administration of Exchange Visitor Programs 
as set forth in 22 CFR part 62. If your organization has experience as 
a designated Exchange Visitor Program Sponsor, the applicant should 
discuss their record of compliance with 22 CFR part 62 et seq., 
including the oversight of their Responsible Officers and Alternate 
Responsible Officers, screening and selection of program participants, 
provision of pre-arrival information and orientation to participants, 
monitoring of participants, proper maintenance and security of forms, 
recordkeeping, reporting and other requirements.
    The Office of Citizen Exchanges of ECA will be responsible for 
issuing DS-2019 forms to participants in this program.
    A copy of the complete regulations governing the administration of 
Exchange Visitor (J) programs is available at https://exchanges.state.gov or from:
    Office of Designation, Private Sector Programs Division, U.S. 
Department of State, ECA/EC/D/PS, SA-5, 5th Floor, 2200 C Street, NW., 
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.
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

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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. 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 (POGI and PSI) for complete budget guidelines and 
formatting instructions.
IV.3f. Application Deadline and Methods of Submission
    Application Deadline Date: Monday, June 6, 2011.
    Reference Number: ECA/PE/C/PY-11-69.
    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/PE/C/PY-11-
69, SA-5, Floor 4, Department of State, 2200 C Street, NW., Washington, 
DC 20037.
    With the submission of the proposal package, please also e-mail the 
Executive Summary, Proposal Narrative, and Budget sections of the 
proposal, as well as any attachments essential to understanding the 
program, in Microsoft Word, Excel, and/or PDF, to YLP@state.gov. The 
Bureau may provide these files electronically to the Public Affairs 
Sections at the relevant U.S. Embassies for their review.
IV.3f.2. Submitting Electronic Applications
    Applicants have the option of submitting proposals electronically 
through Grants.gov (https://www.grants.gov). Complete solicitation 
packages are available at Grants.gov in the ``Find'' portion of the 
system.

    Please note: 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

[[Page 25739]]

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 (12:00 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.
    IV.3g. Intergovernmental Review of Applications: Executive Order 
12372 does not apply to this program.

V. Application Review Information

V.1. Review Process

    The Bureau will review all proposals for technical eligibility. 
Proposals will be deemed ineligible if they do not fully adhere to the 
guidelines stated herein and in the Solicitation Package. All eligible 
proposals will be reviewed by the program office, as well as the Public 
Diplomacy section overseas, where appropriate. Eligible proposals will 
be subject to compliance with Federal and Bureau regulations and 
guidelines and forwarded to Bureau grant panels for advisory review. 
Proposals may also be reviewed by the Office of the Legal Adviser or by 
other Department elements. Final funding decisions are at the 
discretion of the Department of State's Assistant Secretary for 
Educational and Cultural Affairs. Final technical authority for 
assistance awards (cooperative agreements) resides with the Bureau's 
Grants Officer.
Review Criteria
    Technically eligible applications will be competitively reviewed 
according to the criteria stated below.
    1. Quality of the program idea: Objectives should be reasonable, 
feasible, and flexible. The proposal should clearly demonstrate how the 
institution will meet the program's objectives and plan. The proposed 
program should be creative, age-appropriate, respond to the design 
outlined in the solicitation, and demonstrate originality. It should be 
clearly and accurately written, substantive, and with sufficient 
detail. Proposals should also include a plan to support participants' 
community activities upon their return home.
    2. Program planning: A detailed plan should clearly demonstrate how 
project objectives would be achieved through the program activities, 
adhering to the program overview and guidelines described above. The 
substance of workshops, seminars, presentations, school-based 
activities, and/or site visits should be described in detail.
    3. Support of diversity: The proposal should demonstrate the 
recipient's commitment to promoting the awareness and understanding of 
diversity in participant recruitment and selection and in program 
content. Applicants should demonstrate readiness to accommodate 
participants with physical disabilities.
    4. Institutional capacity and track record: Proposed personnel and 
institutional resources in both the United States and in the partner 
countries should be adequate and appropriate to achieve the program 
goals. The proposal should demonstrate an institutional record of 
successful exchange programs, including responsible fiscal management 
and full compliance with all reporting requirements for past Bureau 
awards as determined by Bureau Grants Staff. The Bureau will consider 
the past performance of prior recipients and the demonstrated potential 
of new applicants.
    5. Program evaluation: The proposal should include a plan to 
evaluate the program's success in meeting its goals, both as the 
activities unfold and after they have been completed. The proposal 
should include a draft survey questionnaire or other technique, plus a 
description of a methodology to link outcomes to original project 
objectives. The award recipient will be expected to submit intermediate 
reports after each project component is concluded.
    6. Cost-effectiveness and cost sharing: The applicant should 
demonstrate efficient use of Bureau funds. 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. The proposal should maximize cost-sharing 
through other private sector support as well as institutional direct 
funding contributions, which demonstrates institutional and community 
commitment.

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.

[[Page 25740]]

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, including the SF-PPR-E and SF-PPR-F.
    (4) Quarterly or interim reports, as required in the Bureau 
cooperative agreement.
    Award recipients will be required to provide reports analyzing 
their evaluation findings to the Bureau in their regular program 
reports. (Please refer to IV.3.d.3 Application and Submission 
Instructions 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.
    Program reports must be sent to the ECA Grants Officer and ECA 
Program Officer listed in the final assistance award document. 
Financial reports must be submitted through the Payment Management 
System (PMS).

VII. Agency Contacts

    For questions about this announcement, contact: Sarah Shields, 
Youth Programs Division, ECA/PE/C/PY, SA-5, 3rd Floor, U.S. Department 
of State, 2200 C Street, NW., Washington, DC 20522-0503, by telephone 
(202) 632-9261 or e-mail ShieldsSD@state.gov.
    All correspondence with the Bureau concerning this RFGP should 
reference the above title and reference number ECA/PE/C/PY-11-69.
    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 29, 2011.
J. Adam Ereli,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau for Educational and 
Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State.
[FR Doc. 2011-10998 Filed 5-4-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P