Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), 66769-66775 [2011-27731]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 208 (Thursday, October 27, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66769-66775]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-27731]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 7665]


Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA)

    Request for Grant Proposals: The Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) 
Program: Host Family and School Placement and Monitoring
    Announcement Type: New Cooperative Agreement.
    Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/PE/C/PY-12-06.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 19.415.
    Application Deadline: December 22, 2011.
    Executive Summary: The Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) program seeks 
to promote mutual understanding between the United States and the 
countries of Eurasia by providing secondary school students from the 
region the opportunity to live in American society for an academic 
year. In turn, these students will expose U.S. citizens to the culture, 
traditions, and lifestyles of people in Eurasia. Public and private 
non-profit organizations meeting the provisions described in Internal 
Revenue Code section 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3) are invited to submit 
proposals to identify host schools; vet, select, and monitor host 
families; and place and monitor a portion of the students participating 
in the FLEX program during the 2012-13 academic year. Pending the 
availability of funds, an FY 2012 cooperative agreement will provide 
the monies required to recruit and screen host families; secure school 
placements; conduct student and host family orientations; provide 
cultural and educational enrichment activities; handle all counseling 
and programmatic issues; and evaluate program implementation.

I. Funding Opportunity Description Authority

    Overall grant making authority for this program is contained in the 
Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961, Public Law 87-
256, as amended, also known as the Fulbright-Hays Act. The purpose of 
the Act is ``to enable the Government of the United States to increase 
mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the 
people of other countries * * *; to strengthen the ties which unite us 
with other nations by demonstrating the educational and cultural 
interests, developments, and achievements of the people of the United 
States and other nations * * * and thus to assist in the development of 
friendly, sympathetic and peaceful relations between the United States 
and the other countries of the world.'' The funding authority for the 
program above is provided through legislation.
    Purpose: The FLEX Program seeks to provide approximately 1,000 high 
school students from Eurasia with an opportunity to live in the United 
States for the purpose of promoting mutual understanding between our 
countries. Participants will reside with American host families and 
attend high school during the 2012-13 academic year. Qualified 
organizations may submit proposals to administer this cooperative 
agreement. This solicitation refers only to FLEX high school students 
between the ages of 15 and 17 from the following Eurasian countries: 
Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, 
Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Ukraine.
    Organizations will be responsible for identifying schools and 
screening families in addition to: (1) Providing English language 
enhancement activities for approximately 10% of their students who are 
specially identified; (2) orienting all students to local conditions, 
resources and opportunities; (3) orienting host families to program 
specifics; (4) providing support services for students; (5) arranging 
enhancement activities and skill-building opportunities; (6) monitoring 
student, family and coordinator performance and progress; (7) providing 
mid-year programming and re-entry training; and (8) evaluating project 
success. Preference will be given to those organizations that offer 
participants opportunities to develop leadership skills and raise their 
awareness of tolerance and civic responsibility through community 
activities and networks. The number of students who will participate is 
subject to the availability of funding in fiscal year 2012.
    Goal: The goal of the program is to promote mutual understanding 
and foster relationships between the people of Eurasia and the United 
States by enabling students to:
     Gain an understanding of American culture, diversity, and 
respect for others with differing views and beliefs;
     Teach Americans about their home countries and cultures;
     Interact with Americans and generate enduring ties;
     Explore and acquire an understanding of the key elements 
of U.S. civil society, including concepts such as volunteerism, the 
idea that American citizens can and do act at the grassroots level to 
deal with societal problems, and an awareness of and respect for the 
Rule of Law; and

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     Share and apply experiences and knowledge in their home 
communities as FLEX alumni, initiating activities that focus on 
development and community service.
    Objectives: The objectives of the FLEX placement and monitoring 
component are:
     To place pre-selected high school students from 10 
Eurasian countries in safe, qualified, well-suited host families;
     To place students in accredited schools;
     To expose program participants to American culture and 
enable them to obtain a broad view of U.S. society and history;
     To provide appropriate venues for program participants to 
share their culture, lifestyles, and traditions with U.S. citizens;
     To provide participants with development opportunities 
that foster leadership skills they can take back with them and use in 
their home countries; and
     To provide activities that will increase and enhance 
students' leadership capacity, enabling them--as FLEX alumni--to 
initiate activities in their home countries that focus on development 
and community service.

Other Components

    Organizational Component: One organization has been awarded a grant 
to administer the Organizational Component of the FLEX program, and 
performs the following functions: Recruitment and selection of Eurasian 
students; preparation of cross-cultural materials; pre-departure 
orientation; international travel from home to host community and 
return; facilitation of ongoing communication between the natural 
parents and the placement organization, as needed; maintenance of a 
student database; and ongoing follow-up with alumni after their return 
to Eurasia.
    Disability Component: Another organization is currently responsible 
for supporting students with disabilities. This includes a pre-program 
orientation, a year-end reentry training, and support throughout the 
year to both students and placement organizations to help students with 
disabilities cope with challenges specific to their circumstances. 
Students with disabilities may need supplementary independence skills 
training early on in the program. Placement organizations will be in 
direct communication with both the organizational and disability 
component organizations.
    Civic Education Component: An organization will be awarded the 
grant for the Civic Education Workshop in approximately February/March 
FY 2012. The Workshop will include a week of activities in Washington, 
DC. ECA will offer all FLEX students the opportunity to compete for 
participation in this event. Placement Organizations are expected to 
encourage students to apply to this competition, and should help 
facilitate their participation if selected.
    Guidelines: Applicants are requested to submit a narrative 
outlining a comprehensive strategy for the administration and 
implementation of the placement component of the FLEX program that 
includes the responsibilities outlined in the Project Objectives, Goals 
and Implementation (POGI) document and in accordance with the J-visa 
regulations set forth in the 22 CFR part 62: https://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=ecfr&sid=c329fb110ea15b0bf4b16f4d88cb4d16&rgn=div5&view=text&node=22:1.0.1.7.37&idno=22#PartTop.
    An organization must be able to dedicate key staff to this program 
who possess a thorough understanding of the secondary school student 
Exchange Visitor (J-visa) Program regulations.
    Your application must include a plan to place and monitor a minimum 
of 30 students; there is no maximum number of students that may be 
placed by one organization. Placements may be in any region of the 
United States. Strong preference will be given to organizations that 
choose to place participants in clusters of at least three students 
(these students should be from different countries) in a particular 
Local Coordinator's area of responsibility. Please refer to the POGI 
for details on essential program elements, permissible costs, and 
criteria used to select and place students. We anticipate cooperative 
agreements beginning no later than April 2012, subject to the 
availability of funds.
    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. 
In addition, the Bureau reserves the right to adjust the participating 
countries should conditions change in a partner country or if other 
countries and/or regions are identified as Department priorities.
    Participants will begin to arrive in their host communities in late 
July 2012 and remain for 10 or 11 months until their departure mid-May 
to late June 2013. Students with disabilities and students requiring 
supplementary English language instruction will be among the first to 
arrive.
    Administration of the program must be in compliance with federal, 
state, and local tax reporting and withholding regulations as 
applicable. Recipient organizations must demonstrate regulation 
adherence in the proposal narrative and budget.
    Applicants must submit the health and accident insurance plans they 
intend to use for students on this program. The Bureau offers the 
Accident and Sickness Program for Exchanges (ASPE) plan for students 
participating in the program. Placement Organizations wishing to use a 
different plan must demonstrate that such alternate plan a) provides 
comparable or more comprehensive coverage and b) costs less. Coverage 
must begin when students depart their home countries and not conclude 
until they return home. Please keep in mind that the students with 
disabilities who participate in the July post-arrival workshop must be 
covered by the Placement Organization's health insurance policy while 
they are participating in the workshop.
    ECA Activities and Responsibilities: In a cooperative agreement, 
ECA is substantially involved in program activities above and beyond 
routine monitoring. ECA activities and responsibilities for the FLEX 
program include:
    (1) Providing advice and assistance in the execution of all program 
components.
    (2) Serving as liaison between the award recipients and personnel 
within the Department of State, including ECA, the regional bureaus, 
and overseas posts.
    (3) Monitoring and evaluating the program and its participants 
through communication by email, phone, and site visits.
    (4) Issuing DS-2019 forms for the participants. All participants 
will travel on a U.S. government designation for the J-1 Exchange 
Visitor Program.
    (5) Creating and updating SEVIS status; maintaining all SEVIS 
records.
    (6) Hosting an annual meeting for all award recipients to provide 
program guidance.
    (7) Approving program promotional materials and Web site 
information.
    (8) Representing the U.S. Government as the program sponsor at 
exchange events, program events, and orientations.
    (9) Publicizing program highlights and responding to Congressional 
and Department requests for information.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: New Cooperative Agreement. ECA's level of 
involvement

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in this program is listed under Section I above.
    Fiscal Year Funds: FY 2012.
    Approximate Total Funding: $8,500,000.
    Approximate Number of Awards: 10-15 cooperative agreements.
    Approximate Average Award: Funding level is dependent on the number 
of proposed students, monitoring, the quality of support, and volume of 
activities.
    Anticipated Award Date: Pending availability of funds, April 2012.
    Anticipated Project Completion Date: August 2013.
    Additional Information: Pending successful implementation of this 
program and the availability of funds in subsequent fiscal years, it is 
ECA's intent to renew this cooperative agreement for two additional 
fiscal years, before openly competing it again.

III. Eligibility Information

    III.1. Eligible applicants: Applications may be submitted by public 
and private non-profit organizations meeting the provisions described 
in Internal Revenue Code section 26 USC 501(c)(3).
    III.2. Cost Sharing or Matching Funds: There is no minimum or 
maximum percentage required for this competition. However, the Bureau 
encourages applicants to provide maximum levels of cost sharing and 
funding in support of its programs.
    When cost sharing is offered, it is understood and agreed that the 
applicant must provide the amount of cost sharing as stipulated in its 
proposal and later included in an approved agreement. Cost sharing may 
be in the form of allowable direct or indirect costs. For 
accountability, you must maintain written records to support all costs 
which are claimed as your contribution, as well as costs to be paid by 
the Federal government. Such records are subject to audit. The basis 
for determining the value of cash and in-kind contributions must be in 
accordance with OMB Circular A-110, (Revised), Subpart C.23--Cost 
Sharing and Matching. In the event you do not provide the minimum 
amount of cost sharing as stipulated in the approved budget, ECA's 
contribution will be reduced in like proportion.
    III.3. Other Eligibility Requirements: Bureau grant guidelines 
require that organizations with less than four years experience in 
conducting international exchanges be limited to $60,000 in Bureau 
funding. Since an award to support program and administrative costs 
required to implement this exchange program for a minimum of 30 
students will exceed $60,000, organizations with less than four years 
experience in conducting international exchanges are ineligible to 
apply under this competition. The Bureau encourages applicants to 
provide maximum levels of cost sharing and funding in support of its 
programs.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    Please read the complete announcement before sending inquiries or 
submitting proposals. Once the RFGP deadline has passed, Bureau staff 
may not discuss this competition with applicants until the proposal 
review process has been completed.
    IV.1. Contact Information to Request an Application Package: Please 
contact the Youth Programs Division, ECA/PE/C/PY, SA-5, Floor 3, U.S. 
Department of State, Washington, DC 20037, telephone (202) 632-6055, 
fax (202) 632-9355, or e-mail FLEX@state.gov to request a Solicitation 
Package. Please refer to Funding Opportunity Number ECA/PE/C/PY-12-06 
(as listed at the top of this announcement) when making your request.
    Alternatively, an electronic application package may be obtained 
from Grants.gov. Please see section IV.3f for further information.
    The Solicitation Package contains the Proposal Submission 
Instruction (PSI) document, which consists of required application 
forms and standard guidelines for proposal preparation. It also 
contains the Project Objectives, Goals and Implementation (POGI) 
document, which provides specific information, award criteria and 
budget instructions tailored to this competition.
    Please specify the Funding Opportunity Number (ECA/PE/C/PY-12-06) 
at the top of this announcement on all inquiries and correspondence.
    IV.2. To Download a Solicitation Package via the Internet:
    The entire Solicitation Package may be downloaded from the Bureau's 
Web site at https://exchanges.state.gov/grants/open2.html or from the 
Grants.gov Web site at https://www.grants.gov.
    Please read all information before downloading.
    IV.3. Content and Form of Submission: Applicants must follow all 
instructions in the Solicitation Package. The application should be 
submitted per the instructions under IV.3f. Application Deadline and 
Methods of Submission section below.
    IV.3a. You are required to have a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal 
Numbering System (DUNS) number to apply for a grant or cooperative 
agreement from the U.S. Government. This number is a nine-digit 
identification number, which uniquely identifies business entities. 
Obtaining a DUNS number is easy and there is no charge. To obtain a 
DUNS number, access https://www.dunandbradstreet.com or call 1-866-705-
5711. Please ensure that your DUNS number is included in the 
appropriate box of the SF-424 which is part of the formal application 
package.
    IV.3b. All proposals must contain an executive summary, proposal 
narrative, budget and budget narrative.
    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 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: Those who file Internal Revenue Service Form 
990, ``Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax,'' must include a 
copy of relevant portions of this form. Those who do not file IRS Form 
990 must submit information above in the format of their choice.
    In addition to final program reporting requirements, award 
recipients will be required to submit a one-page document, derived from 
their program reports, listing and describing their 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 cooperative agreement activities, will be 
transmitted by the State Department to OMB, along with other 
information required by the Federal Funding Accountability and

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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 that 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. If you fail to 
include this documentation, your proposal will 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). 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 J-visa programs as set 
forth in 22 CFR part 62. If your organization has experience as a 
designated J-visa program sponsor, you should discuss your 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. ECA will review the record of 
compliance with 22 CFR part 62 et seq. of applicant organizations 
designated as Exchange Visitor Program Sponsors by ECA's Office of 
Private Sector Exchange as one factor in evaluating the record/ability 
of organizations to carry out successful exchange programs.
    The Office of Citizen Exchanges of ECA will be responsible for 
issuing DS-2019 forms to participants in this program.
    A copy of the complete regulations governing the administration of 
Exchange Visitor (J) programs is available at https://exchanges.state.gov or from: Office of Designation, 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.
    Funds provided through this award may not be used to promote 
participation in, or to purchase equipment or supplies intended for, 
activities related to religious worship or proselytization. Host 
families, school officials, and placement organizations shall not 
require program participants to attend religious services. However, as 
part of their exchange experience, participants may be offered the 
opportunity to take part voluntarily in this facet of their host 
culture, at their own discretion. Volunteer host families (who receive 
no financial benefit from cooperative agreement funds) are encouraged 
to enable participants living with them to attend services of the 
participant's religion, if the participant so desires and the services 
are available within a reasonable distance of the host family's 
residence.
    IV.3d.3. Program Monitoring and Evaluation
    Program Monitoring includes Participant Monitoring, which focuses 
specifically on ensuring students' safety and well-being throughout the 
year; see Review Criterion 5 for details and instructions. 
This section focuses on other aspects of Program Monitoring.
    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

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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.
    Evaluation: The Bureau's Office of Policy and Evaluation will 
conduct evaluations of the FLEX program through E-GOALS, its online 
system for surveying program participants and collecting data about 
program performance. These evaluations assist ECA and its program 
awardees in meeting the requirements of the Government Performance 
Results Act (GPRA) of 1993. This Act requires federal agencies to 
measure the results of their programs in meeting pre-determined 
performance goals and objectives. Please see specific responsibilities 
in the accompanying POGI document.
    IV.3e. Please consider the following information when preparing 
your budget: Applicants must submit SF-424A--``Budget Information--Non-
Construction Programs'' along with a comprehensive budget for the 
entire program. The budget must reflect costs for a minimum of 30 
participants. Please indicate clearly the number of students funded. 
There must be a summary budget as well as breakdowns reflecting both 
administrative and program budgets. Applicants may provide separate 
sub-budgets for each program component, phase, location, or activity to 
provide clarification. Proposals that demonstrate low costs per 
participant will be deemed more competitive.
    Allowable costs for the program and additional budget guidance are 
outlined in detail in the POGI document.
    Please refer to the Solicitation Package for complete budget 
guidelines and formatting instructions.
    IV.3f. Application Deadline and Methods of Submission: Application 
Deadline Date: December 22, 2011. Reference Number: ECA/PE/C/PY-12-06

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 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-IIP/EX/PM. The original and seven 
(7) copies of the application should be sent to: Program Management 
Division (ECA-IIP/EX/PM), Ref.: ECA/PE/C/PY-12-06 SA-5, Floor 4, 
Department of State, 2200 C Street, NW., Washington, DC 20037.

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

    Please Note:  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

[[Page 66774]]

application deadline to begin the submission process through 
Grants.gov.
    The Grants.gov Web site includes extensive information on all 
phases/aspects of the Grants.gov process, including an extensive 
section on frequently asked questions, located under the ``For 
Applicants'' section of the Web site. ECA strongly recommends that all 
potential applicants review thoroughly the Grants.gov Web site, well in 
advance of submitting a proposal through the Grants.gov system. ECA 
bears no responsibility for data errors resulting from transmission or 
conversion processes. Direct all questions regarding Grants.gov 
registration and submission to: Grants.gov Customer Support; Contact 
Center Phone: 800-518-4726; Business Hours: Monday-Friday, 7 a.m.-9 
p.m. Eastern Time; E-mail: support@grants.gov
    Applicants have until midnight (12 a.m.), Washington, DC time of 
the closing date to ensure that their entire application has been 
uploaded to the Grants.gov site. There are no exceptions to the above 
deadline. Applications uploaded to the site after midnight of the 
application deadline date will be automatically rejected by the 
Grants.gov system, and will be technically ineligible. Please refer to 
the Grants.gov 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. In addition, 
ECA will review the record of compliance with 22 CFR part 62 et seq. of 
applicant organizations designated as Exchange Visitor Program Sponsors 
by ECA's Office of Private Sector Exchange. If it is determined that an 
applicant organization submitting a proposal has a record of not being 
in compliance, their proposal will be deemed technically ineligible and 
receive no further consideration in the review process. If in 
compliance, the applicant organization's record of compliance will be 
used as one factor in evaluating the record/ability of organizations to 
carry out successful exchange programs.
    All eligible proposals will be reviewed by the program office, as 
well as the Public Diplomacy section overseas, where appropriate. 
Eligible proposals will be subject to compliance with Federal and 
Bureau regulations and guidelines and forwarded to Bureau 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 and explained in detail in the 
POGI. These criteria are not rank ordered and all carry equal weight in 
the proposal evaluation:
    1. Program Planning/Ability to Achieve Program Objectives
    2. Support of Diversity
    3. Organization's Record/Institutional Capacity
    4. Multiplier Effect
    5. Participant Monitoring
    6. Project Evaluation
    7. Cost-effectiveness/Cost Sharing

VI. Award Administration Information

    VI.1. Award Notices: Final awards cannot be made until funds have 
been appropriated by Congress, allocated and committed through internal 
Bureau procedures. Successful applicants will receive a Federal 
Assistance Award (FAA) from the Bureau's Grants Office. The FAA and the 
original proposal with subsequent modifications (if applicable) shall 
be the only binding authorizing document between the recipient and the 
U.S. Government. The FAA will be signed by an authorized Grants 
Officer, and mailed to the recipient's responsible officer identified 
in the application.
    Unsuccessful applicants will receive notification of the results of 
the application review from the ECA program office coordinating this 
competition.
    VI.2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements: Terms and 
Conditions for the Administration of ECA agreements include the 
following:
     Office of Management and Budget Circular A-122, ``Cost 
Principles for Nonprofit Organizations.''
     Office of Management and Budget Circular A-21, ``Cost 
Principles for Educational Institutions.''
     OMB Circular A-87, ``Cost Principles for State, Local and 
Indian Governments.''
     OMB Circular No. A-110 (Revised), Uniform Administrative 
Requirements for Grants and Agreements with Institutions of Higher 
Education, Hospitals, and other Nonprofit Organizations.
     OMB Circular No. A-102, Uniform Administrative 
Requirements for Grants-in-Aid to State and Local Governments.
     OMB Circular No. A-133, Audits of States, Local 
Government, and Non-profit Organizations
    Please reference the following 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) Electronic quarterly program and financial reports, which 
should include both quantitative and qualitative data.
    Award recipients will be required to provide reports analyzing 
their evaluation findings to the Bureau in their regular program 
reports. (Please refer to IV. Application and Submission Instructions 
(IV.3.d.3) above for Program Monitoring and Evaluation information.)
    All data collected, including survey responses and contact 
information, must

[[Page 66775]]

be maintained for a minimum of three years and provided to the Bureau 
upon request.
    All reports must be sent to the ECA Grants Officer and ECA Program 
Officer listed in the final assistance award document.

VII. Agency Contacts

    For questions about this announcement, contact: Amy Schulz 
(SchulzAJ@state.gov, 202-632-6052) or Amy Simms (SimmsAA@state.gov, 
202-632-6368), Office of Citizen Exchanges, ECA/PE/C/PY, SA-5, Floor 3, 
Department of State, Washington, DC 20037. All correspondence with the 
Bureau concerning this RFGP should reference the above title and number 
ECA/PE/C/PY-12-06.
    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: October 20, 2011.
J. Adam Ereli,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Educational and 
Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State.
[FR Doc. 2011-27731 Filed 10-26-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P