Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for Grant Proposals: Young Turkey/Young America: A New Relationship for a New Age, 25740-25748 [2011-11000]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 87 (Thursday, May 5, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25740-25748]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-11000]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice: 7443]


Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for 
Grant Proposals: Young Turkey/Young America: A New Relationship for a 
New Age

    Announcement Type: New Grant.
    Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/PE/C/EUR-SCA-11-34.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 19.415.
    Key Dates:
    Application Deadline: June 2, 2011.
    Executive Summary:
    The Office of Citizen Exchanges of the Bureau of Educational and 
Cultural Affairs invites proposal submissions for the FY 2011 Young 
Turkey/Young America Program: A New Relationship for a New Age. Public 
and private non-profit organizations meeting the provisions described 
in Internal Revenue Code section 26 USC 501(c)(3) may submit proposals 
to conduct this professional fellowship program. The Young Turkey/Young 
America Program was first announced by Secretary of State Hillary 
Rodham Clinton in Ankara on March 7, 2009, as part of an ongoing 
commitment to strengthen U.S. Turkish relations. Turkish Young Turkey/
Young America provides opportunities for young leaders, ages 24-35, in 
Turkey and the United States to advance critical dialogue, identify 
shared concerns, and develop grassroots initiatives that positively 
impact people's lives resulting in stronger ties between the two 
nations. Since the start of the initiative in 2009, more than 79 young 
Turkish and American leaders have engaged in substantive dialogue and 
collaborative projects addressing economic, environmental, social, and 
political issues facing both countries.

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.

I.2. Purpose

    The Young Turkey/Young America Program was created to recognize and 
support ``one of the most important bilateral relationships in the 
world'', create opportunities for sustained

[[Page 25741]]

partnerships, and identify ways to deepen ties between emerging young 
leaders in both countries. Young Turkey/Young America seeks to enhance 
the ability of rising leaders to more effectively engage in public 
dialogue, and establish projects of mutual concern around economic, 
environmental, political, and social challenges facing Turkey and the 
United States in the 21st Century. Through a two-way professional 
exchange model, complemented by a robust leadership development 
component, experiential learning opportunities, and collaborative 
exercises, Young Turkey/Young America provides opportunities for 
eligible individuals to work together to advance foreign policy 
dialogue, enhance their leadership skills, develop or strengthen 
existing partnerships, and advance concrete strategies to better 
address complex issues facing both countries.
    ECA anticipates funding a total of two (2) to three (3) projects, 
for approximately $325,000 each, under the themes outlined below. 
Projects should occur over the course of one to two years and target 
young professionals currently working to improve and enhance the 
economic, environmental, political, and/or social well-being of their 
communities with an expressed interest in advancing US-Turkey bi-
lateral relations.
    The first project theme ``Foreign Policy Dialogue Among Emerging 
Leaders'' will link young Turkish and American leaders in substantive 
foreign policy dialogue on issues of importance to both countries.
    The second project theme ``Social and Economic Challenges for 
Future Leaders'' will work to expand the capacity of nascent grassroots 
or not-for-profit organizations working in or with disadvantaged 
communities to address existing socio-economic issues and challenges.
    Additional information on projects and participants is located 
under I.6 Young Turkey/Young America Fellowship Themes.
    As a tool to developing grassroots initiatives that will positively 
impact people's lives and deepen ties between the future leaders of 
both countries, Young Turkey/Young America seeks to:
    (1) Enhance the participants' ability to address complex economic, 
environmental, political, and social challenges through a two-way 
exchange model;
    (2) Provide concrete tools for young professionals to advance as 
future leaders by developing skills for effective public discourse, 
negotiation, collaboration, coalitation building, and where applicable, 
community based management;
    (3) Cultivate professional ties with U.S. and Turkish counterparts 
through collaborative follow-on projects;
    (4) Create a network of engaged professionals committed to problem 
solving and engaged dialogue in both countries; and,
    (5) Expand and strengthen the relationship between the people of 
the United States and Turkey to work in partnership to identify 
solutions to common issues and problems facing their countries and the 
global community.
    In order to enhance the possibility that these projects will 
strengthen U.S. Turkish relations and colloborative initiatives 
continue after the conclusion of the exchange program, proposals should 
support a variety of follow-on projects. Special emphasis should be 
placed on ways that existing Web or social technologies can enhance 
follow-on efforts.

I.3. Participants

    For the purposes of this program, ``participants'' are defined as 
citizens of the eligible countries selected through a merit-based, 
competition to participate in the Young Turkey/Young America Program. 
Participants must be early to mid-career professionals with 
demonstrated leadership abilities, working in grassroots or not-for-
profit organizations, foreign policy think-tanks, or other institutions 
related to the two proposed themes with a stated interested in 
addressing economic, environmental, political, and/or social challenges 
through engaged partnership with Turkey and the United States. Every 
effort must be made to recruit program participants that reflect the 
diversity of the American and Turkish landscapes. Strong consideration 
should be given to participants who express a willingness to 
collaborate on a specific project of mutual interest.
    Applicants should strive to maximize the number of participants and 
the length of the U.S. and Turkey-based program at the given funding 
levels. Therefore, applicants who engage public and private partners 
for programming support, and employ other creative techniques to 
increase or stretch funding dollars will be deemed more competitive 
than those that do not, under the Cost Effectiveness and Cost-Sharing 
review criterion.
    Additional information about program participants is located under 
I.7 Young Turkey/Young America Fellowship Themes.

I.4. Partner Organizations

    Applicants must identify the U.S.-based and any foreign-based 
organizations and individuals with whom they are proposing to 
collaborate to implement Young Turkey/Young America, and describe any 
previous cooperative activities. While having a permanent presence in 
Turkey is not required, applicants that are able to demonstrate 
institutional capacity in Turkey (whether through their own resources 
or through partnerships with other organizations or institutions) will 
be given strong consideration under the Institutional Planning and 
Track Record criterion.
    Applicants should clearly outline and describe the role and 
responsibilities of all partner organizations in terms of project 
logistics, management and oversight. Proposals that include letters of 
commitment from partner organizations, proposed speakers or other 
possible U.S-based hosting organizations will be deemed more 
competitive under the Institutional Planning and Track Record 
criterion.

I.5. Project Activities

    Proposals should include a description of the project theme to be 
addressed, how it advances U.S.-Turkish relations, and how it will be 
integrated into the exchange experience. Strong project designs will 
ground and augment the exchange experience with leadership development 
and experiential learning activities that relate to the proposed theme 
and larger program goals.
    U.S.-based programs should be two to three weeks in length and 
focus on the development of joint projects between the Turkish and U.S. 
participants. Proposed schedules should also include a one- or two-day 
debriefing and evaluation session in Washington, DC at the end of the 
program. The Turkey component should be one to two weeks in duration 
and build upon key learning objectives and discussion points explored 
during the U.S.-based program. Schedules should include ample time to 
allow for continual implementation of joint community-based projects 
started during the U.S.-based program.
    Proposals should clearly outline strategies to encourage regular 
communication between participants through electronic and digital 
communications both during and after the exchange program.

I.6. Young Turkey/Young America Fellowship Themes

    Proposals need to embrace a program design that fully incorporates 
one of the

[[Page 25742]]

two proposed themes under Young Turkey/Young America.
    1. Foreign Policy Dialogue among Emerging Leaders: This project is 
designed to support and promote transatlantic dialogue on foreign 
policy issues. Projects should allow emerging leaders to examine 
foreign policy issues in a context that encourages substantive dialogue 
on issues of common concern, including those that contribute to peace 
and stability in the Middle East, enhance energy security, promote 
conflict resolution, advance dialogue on border and immigration issues, 
and continue cooperation on bilateral economic relations. This program 
will focus on the elements of strategic partnerships, negotiation 
around shared interests, and engaged dialogue as an alternative to 
conflict.
    Eligible participants include emerging leaders (approximately 15-20 
from the U.S. and Turkey) currently involved in international affairs, 
youth wings of political parties, not-for-profit organizations with a 
civic society or youth focus, universities, business organizations, 
government agencies, media, and think tanks.
    2: Social and Economic Challenges for Future Leaders: This project 
will work to expand the effectiveness and capacity of grassroots and 
not-for-profit organizations working with marginalized populations and 
economically disadvantaged communities to engage with policy makers and 
government officials, conduct community outreach and media campaigns, 
develop organizational capacity, including efforts at fundraising and 
constituent building, provide educational and other community services, 
and create strategic partnerships and alliances.
    Eligible participants include emerging grassroots leaders 
(approximately 15-20 from the U.S. and Turkey) currently working within 
local, regional, or national grassroots and/or community non-profit 
organizations, government offices, media or think tanks working to 
improve the social, economic, and political standing of marginalized or 
disadvantaged communities.

I.7. ECA and Embassy Involvement

    Proposals should include plans to work with ECA's Office of Public 
Affairs and Strategic Communications in developing a coordinated media 
and public outreach strategy to strengthen the identity, increase 
visibility, and raise public awareness of the Young Turkey/Young 
America Program. All grantees need to incorporate the respective 
program's brand (when provided by ECA) and give credit to ECA 
throughout all of its educational and outreach materials including its 
website with final approval by ECA.
    Proposals should also include an articulated strategy as to how the 
grantee plans to work closely with the Public Affairs Section of the 
U.S. Embassy in Turkey during project recruitment and selection, 
implementation, and follow-on programming. Applicants should include 
concrete plans for PAS involvement in program outreach and activities 
and state their willingness to invite representatives of the Embassy to 
participate in interviews, pre-departure orientations, exchange 
components, and follow-on projects. All plans must be approved by ECA 
before their execution within Turkey. Applicants are strongly 
encouraged to consult with Public Affairs Officer Stefanie Altman-
Winans, winanss@state.gov, at the U.S. Embassy in Ankara as they 
develop proposals responding to this RFGP.

I.8. Proposal Content

    I.8a. Executive Summary. The Executive Summary should be one page 
in length and include the project title, proposed theme, nature of 
activity, requested funding level, project goals, names of partner 
organizations responsible for project implementation, number of 
American and Turkish participants, and anticipated outcomes. Executive 
summaries should also include a description of proposed participants 
and information about the wider audience benefiting from the program.
    I.8b. Proposal Narrative. The narrative should include detailed 
information and outlined strategies for achieving program objectives 
and should address the following:
    a. Vision (statement of need, objectives, goals, benefits)
    b. Participating Organizations
    c. Program Activities (advertisement, recruitment, pre-departure 
and U.S. orientations, cultural program, participant monitoring, etc.)
    d. Collaborative and Follow-on Program Components
    e. Program Evaluation
    f. Project Management
    g. Alumni Programming
    h. Work Plan/Time Frame
    Proposal narratives should be limited to 20 double spaced pages. 
Proposals should also include an acknowledgement to follow guidance in 
the PSI entitled ``Acknowledgement of ECA's Financial Support and Use 
of the Department Seal''. Proposals must affirm grantee organizations' 
plan to use ECA-developed program logos and the State Department seal 
on all relevant program materials, applications, websites, and other 
related materials.
    Proposals must acknowledge compliance with ``ECA's General Policy 
Guidance on Alumni Outreach/Follow-on and Engagement'' provided in the 
PSI and describe efforts to support the Young Turkey/Young America 
alumni community. Special attention should be paid to creative 
approaches for integrating ECA's alumni and social media sites into the 
exchange program (https://www.state.alumni.gov; https://www.exchangesconnect.gov).
    I.8c. Budget. Please refer to section IV.3e. Budget Submission in 
this document and the PSI for guidance on preparing your budget. The 
budget narrative and corresponding budget notes should be included 
under Tab E.

I.8d Attachments

    I.8d.1. Resumes. Resumes of principal staff of all partner 
organizations involved in the implementation of the project should be 
included in Tab E. As outlined in the PSI, no resume should exceed two 
pages in length.
    I.8d.2. Letters of commitment and/or letters of support. Letters of 
commitment or support from partner organizations and institutions that 
demonstrate a capacity to arrange and conduct U.S. and overseas 
activities should also be included in Tab E.
    I.8e.3. Project Materials. Materials that support project design 
and implementation should be included in Tab E. These include but are 
not limited to:
    1. Draft agendas of professional workshops, conferences and 
seminars including online modules, pre-departure orientation, U.S. 
based orientation and final conference activities
    2. Draft application and recruitment materials
    3. Draft selection and interview materials
    4. Draft participant proposals and reporting guidelines for 
collaborative projects
    5. Outline of alumni programming including sample small grant 
applications
    6. Sample evaluation and survey instruments
    7. Timeline for program implementation
    8. Project promotional materials
    9. Budget Narrative and budget notes
    10. Samples or outlines of on-line sessions including innovative 
use of ECA's alumni websites.
    Attachments that do not directly address the proposed project 
(i.e., organization brochures, pamphlets, unsolicited reports) are 
strongly discouraged.

[[Page 25743]]

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Grant Agreement.
    Fiscal Year Funds: FY 2011.
    Approximate Total Funding: $500,000-$1,000,000.
    Approximate Number of Awards: 2-3.
    Approximate Average Award: $325,000.
    Anticipated Award Date: September 1, 2011.
    Anticipated Project Completion Date: August 30, 2013.

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 two awards 
above this $60,000 threshold 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) Technical Eligibility: All proposals must comply with the 
following or your proposal will be declared technically ineligible and 
given no further consideration in the review process:

--Eligible applicants may not submit more than one proposal in this 
competition.
--If more than one proposal is received from the same applicant, all 
submissions will be declared technically ineligible and will receive no 
further consideration in the review process. Please note: Applicant 
organizations are defined by their legal name, and EIN number as stated 
on their completed SF-424 and additional supporting documentation 
outlined in the Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) document.
--Eligible applicants may only propose working with the themes and 
countries listed in this RFGP.
--Please refer to the Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) document 
for additional requirements.

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 David Gustafson in the Office of Citizen Exchanges, ECA/PE/C, 
U.S. Department of State, SA-5, 3rd Floor, 2200 C St., NW., Washington, 
DC 20522-0503, ph: (202) 632-6083, GustafsonDP@state.gov to request a 
Solicitation Package. Please refer to the Funding Opportunity Number: 
ECA/PE/C/EUR-SCA-11-34 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.
    Please specify Linn[eacute]a E. Alison and refer to the Funding 
Opportunity Number ECA/PE/C/EUR-SCA-11-34 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 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 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.

[[Page 25744]]

    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, 
record-keeping, 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 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.
    ECA encourages 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

[[Page 25745]]

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 may not exceed $325,000. 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. International and Domestic Air Fares; Visas; Transit Costs; 
Ground Transportation Costs and Airline baggage fees. Please note that 
all air travel must be in compliance with the Fly America Act. There is 
no charge for J-1 visas for participants in Bureau sponsored programs.
    2. Per Diem. For U.S.-based programming, organizations should refer 
to the published Federal per diem rates for individual U.S. cities. 
Domestic per diem rates may be accessed at: https://www.gsa.gov/portal/category/21287.
    ECA requests applicants to budget realistic costs that reflect the 
local economy and do not exceed Federal per diem rates. Foreign per 
diem rates can be accessed at: https://aoprals.state.gov/content.asp?content_id=184&menu_id=78.
    3. Book and Cultural Allowance. Participants are entitled to a one-
time cultural allowance of $150 per person, plus a book allowance of 
$50. U.S. program staff members are not eligible to receive these 
benefits.
    4. Consultants. Consultants may be used to provide specialized 
expertise or to make presentations. Daily honoraria may not exceed $250 
per day. Subcontracting organizations may also be used, in which case 
the written agreement between the prospective grantee and subcontractor 
should be included in the proposal. Subcontracts should be itemized in 
the budget.
    5. Room Rental. Room rental may not exceed $250 per day per 
conference room.
    6. Materials Development. Your proposal may contain costs to 
purchase, develop and translate materials for participants.
    7. Supplies. Proposals may contain costs to purchase equipment for 
programming such as computers, fax machines. Costs for furniture are 
not allowed. Supply costs for the purchase of equipment must be kept to 
a minimum.
    8. Working Meal. No more than two working meals may be provided for 
each program component. At least one working meal should be budgeted 
for the D.C. final debrief. The cost per person should not exceed $45 
for the working meal. No charges may be made against U.S. Government 
funds for alcoholic beverages. The number of invited guests should not 
exceed the number of funded program participants by more than a factor 
of two (i.e., no more than twenty invited guests for a working meal 
involving ten funded program participants).
    9. Return Travel Allowance. A return travel allowance of $70 for 
each participant may be included in the budget. The allowance may be 
used for incidental expenses incurred during international travel.
    10. Health Insurance. Foreign participants will be covered under 
the terms of a U.S. Department of State-sponsored health insurance 
policy. The premium is paid by the U.S. Department of State directly to 
the insurance company. Applicants are permitted to include costs for 
travel insurance for participants in the budget.
    11. Wire Transfer Fees. When necessary, applicants may include 
costs to transfer funds to partner organizations overseas. Grantees are 
urged to research applicable taxes that may be imposed on these 
transfers by host governments.
    12. In-country Travel Costs for Visa Processing Purposes. Given the 
requirements associated with obtaining J-1 visas for ECA-supported 
participants, applicants should include costs for any travel associated 
with visa interviews or DS-2019 pick-up.
    13. Administrative Costs. Costs necessary for the effective 
administration of the program may include salaries for grantee 
organization employees, benefits, and other direct and indirect costs 
per detailed instructions in the Application Package. While there is no 
rigid ratio of administrative to program costs, proposals in which the 
administrative costs do not exceed 25% of the total requested ECA grant 
funds will be more competitive under the cost effectiveness and cost 
sharing criterion, per item V.1 in the RFGP. Proposals should show 
strong administrative cost sharing contributions from the applicant, 
the in-country partner and other sources. For organizations located 
outside of the DC metropolitian area, please also include in the 
administrative portion of your budget plans to travel to Washington, 
DC, to meet with your program officer within the first 45 days after 
the grant has been awarded.
    Please refer to the Solicitation Package for complete budget 
guidelines and formatting instructions.

IV.3f. Application Deadline and Methods of Submission

    Application Deadline Date: June 2, 2011
    Reference Number: ECA/PE/C/EUR-SCA-11-34
    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

[[Page 25746]]

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/EUR-SCA-
11-34, SA-5, Floor 4, Department of State, 2200 C Street, NW., 
Washington, DC 20037.
    Applicants submitting hard-copy applications must also submit the 
``Executive Summary'' and ``Proposal Narrative'' sections of the 
proposal in text (.txt) or Microsoft Word format on CD-ROM. As 
appropriate, the Bureau will provide these files electronically to 
Public Affairs Section(s) at the U.S. Embassy(ies) for its(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 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 website 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 website. ECA strongly recommends that all 
potential applicants review thoroughly the Grants.gov website, 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
    Email: 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 website, 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 grant 
agreements resides with the Bureau's Grants Officer.

Review Criteria

    Technically eligible applications will be competitively reviewed 
according to the criteria stated below. These criteria are not rank 
ordered and all carry equal weight in the proposal evaluation:
    1. Quality of the Program Idea: Proposals should exhibit 
originality, substance, precision, and relevance to the Bureau's 
mission.
    2. Program Planning and Ability to Achieve Objectives: Program 
objectives should be stated clearly and should reflect the applicant's 
expertise in the subject area and region. Objectives should respond to 
the topics in this announcement and should relate to the current 
conditions in the target country/countries. Detailed agendas and 
relevant work plans should complement the narrative in explaining how 
objectives will be achieved. Timelines should be comprehensive in 
nature and include deadlines for completion of major tasks. The 
substance of workshops, seminars and/or consulting should be described 
in detail with sample schedules

[[Page 25747]]

included for each major workshop, seminar, or conference proposed. 
Responsibilities of proposed in-country partners should be clearly 
described. A discussion of how the applicant intends to address 
language issues should be included, if needed.
    3. Institutional Capacity and Track Record: Proposals should 
include (1) the institution's mission and date of establishment; (2) 
detailed information about proposed in-country partner(s) and the 
history of the partnership; (3) an outline of prior awards--U.S. 
government and/or private support received within the scope of RFGP's 
theme of either U.S. Turkish foreign policy or social and economic 
development; and (4) descriptions and resumes of experienced staff 
members who will implement the program. The proposal should reflect the 
institution's expertise in the subject area and knowledge of the 
conditions in the target country/countries. Proposals should 
demonstrate an institutional record of successful exchange programs, 
including responsible fiscal management and full compliance with all 
reporting requirements for past Bureau grants as determined by Bureau 
Grants Staff. The Bureau will consider the past performance of prior 
recipients and the demonstrated potential of new applicants. Proposed 
personnel and institutional resources should be adequate and 
appropriate to achieve the program's goals. The Bureau strongly 
encourages applicants to submit letters of support from proposed in-
country partners, part participants, or proposed hosting organizations.
    4. Cost Effectiveness and Cost Sharing: Overhead and administrative 
costs in the proposal budget, including salaries, honoraria and 
subcontracts for services, should be kept to a minimum. Proposals in 
which the administrative costs do not exceed 25% of the total requested 
ECA grant funds will be more competitive under this criterion. 
Applicants are strongly encouraged to cost share a portion of overhead 
and administrative expenses. Cost-sharing and in-kind contributions, 
including contributions from the applicant, proposed in-country 
partner(s), and other sources should be included in the budget request. 
Proposal budgets that do not reflect cost sharing will be deemed not 
competitive under this criterion.
    5. 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, program venue, program evaluation, etc.) and program 
content (orientation, wrap-up sessions, program meetings, resource 
materials, follow-up activities, etc.). Applicants should refer to the 
Bureau's Diversity, Freedom and Democracy Guidelines in the Proposal 
Submission Instructions (PSI).
    6. Multiplier Effect and Follow-on Activities: Proposed programs 
should strengthen long-term mutual understanding, including maximum 
sharing of information and establishment of long-term institutional and 
individual linkages.
    7. Project Evaluation: Proposals should include a detailed plan to 
evaluate the program, both as activities unfold and at the end of the 
program. Program objectives should target clearly defined results in 
quantitative terms. Competitive evaluation plans will describe how 
applicant organizations would measure these results, including the 
evaluative methodology and tools to be utilized and proposals. 
Proposals should include draft data collection instruments (surveys, 
questionnaires, etc.) in Tab E and if relevant, samples data sets from 
similarly conducted programs.

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 websites for additional information: 
https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants, https://fa.statebuy.state.gov.
    VI.3. Reporting Requirements: You must provide ECA with an 
electronic copy of the following reports at reportseca@state.gov:

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 website--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.
    (4) Quarterly program and financial reports highlighting all major 
activities undertaken during the grant period including program 
analysis and lessons learned.
    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 reports must be sent to the ECA Grants Officer and ECA Program 
Officer listed in the final assistance award document. 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 Data Requirements

    Award recipients will be required to maintain specific data on 
program participants and activities in an electronically accessible 
database format that can be shared with the Bureau as required. As a 
minimum, the data must include the following:

[[Page 25748]]

    (1) Name, address, contact information and biographic sketch of all 
persons who travel internationally on funds provided by the agreement 
or who benefit from the award funding but do not travel.
    (2) Itineraries of international and domestic travel, providing 
dates of travel and cities in which any exchange experiences take 
place. Final schedules for in-country and U.S. activities must be 
received by the ECA Program Officer at least one month prior to the 
official opening of the activity.

VII. Agency Contacts

    For questions about this announcement, please contact: 
Linn[eacute]a E. Allison, U.S. Department of State, Office of Citizen 
Exchanges, 2200 C Street (SA-5, 3rd Floor), NW., Washington, DC 20522-
0503,(202) 632-6060 (tel.) (202) 632-6492 (fax), or 
allisonle@state.gov.
    All correspondence with the Bureau concerning this RFGP should 
reference the following title and number Young Turkey/Young America, 
ECA/PE/C/EUR-SCA-11-34
    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 of Educational and 
Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State.
[FR Doc. 2011-11000 Filed 5-4-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P