[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 192 (Thursday, October 4, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56818-56824]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-19642]
[[Page 56818]]
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DEPARTMENT OF STATE
[Public Notice 5951]
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for
Grant Proposals: Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange Program
Announcement Type: New Grant.
Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/PE/C/PY-08-08.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 19.410.
Key Dates:
Application Deadline: November 8, 2007.
Executive Summary: The Office of Citizen Exchanges, Youth Programs
Division (ECA/PE/C/PY), of the Department of State's Bureau of
Educational and Cultural Affairs announces an open competition for the
Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange Program (CBYX). Public and private
non-profit organizations meeting the provisions described in Internal
Revenue Code section 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3) may submit proposals to
facilitate educational exchanges between American and German high
school students and young professionals.
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 CBYX program supports the exchange of American and
German young people in order to sustain and strengthen German-American
friendship based on common values of democracy, and to convey lasting
personal and institutional relationships to the successor generation.
The primary objective of the program is to encourage American and
German youth to learn about each other's society and culture through
educational exchange. Additional goals for this competition include a
renewed effort to promote the participants' roles as young ambassadors
and the impact they can have on US-German relations, and to strengthen
the linkages between U.S. Representatives and their Bundestag
counterparts. The program provides a full scholarship for an academic
year experience of living and studying in the host country.
The Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs
administers the CBYX program in the United States. The program is known
in Germany as the Parlamentarisches Patenschafts-Program (PPP), and is
administered by the German Bundestag Administrative Office (WI4).
Inaugurated in 1983 through a bilateral agreement between the U.S.
Congress and the German Bundestag, each government provides funding to
exchange organizations through assistance awards for the costs of
participant recruitment and selection, international airfare,
orientation and debriefing, and hosting support for the respective
exchange participants.
The U.S.-German agreement calls for an open grants competition
every four years, and WI4 is holding a simultaneous open competition to
select the German counterpart organizations that will manage the
program in Germany. Up to five German high school exchange
organizations will be partnered with five American high school exchange
organizations, and one German vocational and one German young
professionals exchange organization will be paired with American
exchange organizations. Within the proposal narrative organizations
should name their intended German partner organization and provide
pertinent institutional background and support materials as
appropriate, and demonstrate your ability to cooperate with foreign
partners in implementing exchanges.
Pending the availability of funds, organizations that are
successful in this competition will be awarded grants in FY2009 for
academic year 2009-10. Pending successful implementation of this
program and the availability of funds in subsequent fiscal years, it is
ECA's intent to renew the grants for three additional fiscal years
before openly competing them again. All grants will be subject to
availability of funds.
Please note: At the time of publication, funds have not been
appropriated to support this program. As is the case with all Bureau
assistance awards, final awards cannot be made until funds have been
appropriated by Congress, allocated and committed through internal
Bureau procedures.
According to the agreement between the State Department and the
Bundestag WI4, the maximum number of participants to be exchanged in
any given year is 400 Germans and 400 Americans. However, the actual
number of participants exchanged each year is dependent on the amount
of funding made available by the U.S. Congress and the German
Bundestag. Though Congress has not yet determined the budget level for
FY2009, the competition for program year 2009-10 will be based on up to
350 American and 360 German participants. Throughout the four-year
grant cycle, representatives of both governments and the respective
grantee organizations will hold annual discussions to determine the
final participant numbers for each academic year.
Participants are chosen according to procedures and criteria
established by each government. In the U.S. the CBYX program has three
components.
1. High School Component: In FY 2009 this component may provide a
maximum of 250 (50 per each organization) scholarships for a one-year
educational and cultural homestay experience in Germany for American
high school students ages 15-18, and reciprocally, host a maximum of
285 (57 per each organization) German students in the U.S. High school
exchange organizations are invited to bid on conducting merit-based
competitions among American high school students in one or more of five
designated regions of the United States, as follows:
Northeast: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode
Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania,
Washington, DC, Delaware, Maryland.
Southeast: Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Kentucky,
Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina,
Georgia, Florida, Puerto Rico.
Central States: Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin,
Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska.
Southwest: Kansas, Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah,
Arizona, Southern California* (*the northern border of this region
includes the counties of Monterey, San Benito, Fresno, and Inyo).
Pacific/Northwest: Alaska, Hawaii, Washington, Oregon, Idaho,
Montana, Wyoming, Nevada, North Dakota, South Dakota, Northern
California* (*the southern border of this region includes the counties
of Santa Cruz, Santa Clara, Merced, Madera, and Mono).
[[Page 56819]]
American high school exchange organizations may bid on more than
one region, indicating the most preferred region(s) in priority order.
Five organizations will be selected to conduct all aspects of the
recruitment and selection of 50 American participants in one of the
five regions. In coordination with its German partner organization,
high school organizations will program 50 American and 57 German
students. German students may be placed in host homes and schools
throughout the U.S.
Organizations that are awarded a grant will conduct advertising,
recruitment, processing of applications, screening, selection, pre-
departure, arrival, and re-entry orientations, and management of all
administrative and logistical matters including domestic and
international travel.
In the host country, American and German partner organizations will
coordinate arrival and re-entry orientation for the respective exchange
students, placement of the students in host families and schools
(nationwide), arrange program enrichment activities, conduct the
recruitment, screening, including criminal background checks, selection
and orientation of host-families, provide program monitoring,
supervision and counseling to students and host families, and manage
all administrative and logistical matters including in-country travel
and health and accident insurance.
For the German participants grantee organizations should secure all
host family and school placements at least two weeks prior to the
German students' arrival in the United States. Organizations will be
required to submit to the program office a list of these placements
(host families, host schools, and corresponding Congressional
representatives/districts) no later than August 31 and periodically
update the information throughout the year.
Grantee organizations will submit to the Department of State
program office, at least 60 days after departure/arrival data lists of
all current American participants with U.S. addresses, names of parents
and corresponding Congressional representatives/districts.
2. Vocational Component: This component provides scholarships to
graduating American high-school seniors with a vocational
specialization for a one-year professional study and training
experience in their fields of interest in Germany. One organization
will be selected to conduct all aspects of the nationwide selection
competition in the U.S. for 25 American students and programming,
including advertising, recruitment, processing of applications,
screening, selection, pre-departure orientations, and management of all
administrative and logistical matters including domestic and
international travel. (During the selection process the grantee is
encouraged to work with vocational educational offices at the state
level, as well as administrators of secondary schools with vocational
education curriculum.)
The German partner organization chosen by the Bundestag
Administrative Office will coordinate arrival and re-entry orientation
for the students and their placement in host families and schools,
arrange a practicum in the participants' field of study, arrange
program enrichment activities, and conduct the recruitment, screening,
selection and orientation of host families, provide program monitoring,
supervision and counseling to students and host families, and manage
all administrative and logistical matters including in-country travel
and health and accident insurance.
The vocational grantee organization will submit to the Department
of State program office, at least 60 days after departure/arrival a
data list of all current American participants with U.S. addresses,
names of parents and corresponding Congressional representatives/
districts.
3. Young Professionals Component: This component provides
scholarships for a one-year professional study and training experience
in the host country in business, technical, vocational, and
agricultural fields to young American and German students ages 18-24.
One organization will be selected to conduct all aspects of programming
for 75 American and 75 German Young Professionals, including the
nationwide competition for the Americans and placement of the German
students in American homes and schools, advertising, recruitment,
processing of applications, screening, selection and pre-departure
orientations and debriefings, and management of all administrative and
logistical matters including domestic and international travel.
In the host country, the American and German partner organization
will coordinate arrival and re-entry orientation for the students, the
placement of the students in host families (or other suitable living
quarters) and schools (colleges/universities), arrange a practicum in
the participants' field of study, arrange program enrichment
activities, and conduct the recruitment, screening, selection and
orientation of host families, provide program monitoring, supervision
and counseling to students and host families, and manage all
administrative and logistical matters including in-country travel and
health and accident insurance.
In the United States, each German young professional participant
will be placed in a two-or four-year college for one semester of full-
time study or a minimum of 12 credit hours (which may include an
English class) throughout the academic year. The organization is
encouraged to seek tuition waivers and cost sharing with cooperating
colleges. The organization will coordinate with each participant to
assure that his/her practicum is based on a prospectus of the specific
skills and functions that will be mastered and that there is a
structured learning component that enables the participant to gain a
perspective on the overall operation of the business. The selected
organization will also coordinate a six-week Congressional internship
on Capitol Hill or in the state office for up to five German young
professionals.
A monthly stipend for some meals, incidentals and reasonable local
transportation expenses may be included in the budget, but it is
anticipated that the stipend would be substantially reduced or
eliminated during the second half of the program when the participants
receive allowances for living expenses from the firms or agencies
hosting their practicum. The current stipend range is $250 to $300 per
the regional cost of living. Where possible, hosting arrangements
should be found that do not require subsidization.
The selected young professionals organization will be required to
submit to the program office a list of the German placements in the
United States (host homes and host schools and corresponding
Congressional representatives/districts) no later than August 31, and
periodically update the information throughout the year.
The young professionals organization will submit to the Department
of State program office, at least 60 days after departure/arrival data
lists of all current American participants with U.S. addresses, names
of parents and corresponding Congressional representatives/districts.
4. Administrative Supplementals: The administrative supplemental
will provide funds to:
(1) One high school organization to produce and distribute the high
school scholarship promotional materials and maintain the CBYX High
School Scholarship application Web site, and
(2) One organization from either of the three components to
maintain the
[[Page 56820]]
Congress-Bundestag Alumni Database Web site for all CBYX participants.
High School Scholarship Materials and Web Site
In addition to the 20-page program narrative, interested high
school organizations may submit a bid to produce and distribute the
high school scholarship promotional materials and maintain the High
School scholarship application Web site. The narrative for the
supplemental should not exceed three pages and include a separate
budget projection. For budget/line-item details please see the Project
Objectives, Goals, and Implementation (POGI). The supplemental funds
will be included in the final grant agreement and listed as a separate
item of expenditure. The Bureau anticipates funding this activity at a
level of approximately $53,200, pending availability of funds.
The selected high school ``administrative'' organization will
coordinate with all of the high school grantee organizations data/input
for production of the promotional materials. Once the input is
finalized the administrative organization will mass produce and
distribute the materials to the high school organizations. This
includes advertisement brochures, posters, and scholarship applications
for recruiting American high school students, and set up/maintenance of
the scholarship application Web site. The Web site advertises the same
printed promotional materials and allows interested students to
download applications and submit them to the respective high school
organization responsible for recruiting in the students' home state.
Once the high school grantee organizations receive the promotional
materials from the administrative organization they will distribute the
materials to a wide audience within their appointed region, including
public and private secondary schools, the media, and key networks such
as the American Association of Teachers of German. (Innovative methods
of publicizing the program are welcome, within funding limitations.
Organizations are encouraged to utilize their volunteer networks and
alumni to promote the program.)
Alumni Database Web Site
In addition to the 20-page program narrative, interested
organizations from either of the three components may submit a bid to
set up and maintain the CBYX Alumni Database Web site. The narrative
for the supplemental should not exceed three pages and include a
separate budget projection. For budget/line-item details please see the
Project Objectives, Goals, and Implementation (POGI). The supplemental
funds will be included in the final grant agreement and listed as a
separate item of expenditure. The Bureau anticipates funding this
activity at a level of approximately $10,000, pending availability of
funds.
The organization selected to maintain the Congress-Bundestag Alumni
Database Web site for all CBYX participants will set up and maintain a
Web-based listing of CBYX participants designed to centrally harness
alumni and encourage activities beyond their participation in the
program. The organization select for this supplemental will coordinate
participant/alumni lists will all CBYX organizations to assure
students' eligibility and accuracy.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Grant Agreement.
Fiscal Year Funds: FY-2009.
Approximate Total Funding: Unknown at this time, pending a FY-2009
Congressional Appropriation. However, for proposal development
purposes, the total FY-2007 funding level was $3,256,000.
Approximate Number of Awards: 7 (5 High School Component, 1 Young
Professionals Component, 1 Vocational Component).
Approximate Average Award: Unknown at this time, pending a FY-2009
Congressional Appropriation.
Anticipated Award Date: January 2010.
Anticipated Project Completion Date: August 2011.
Additional Information: Final funding will be pending a FY 2009
Congressional Appropriation. However, for illustrative purposes, the
current average per capita costs for each program component are: $4,545
for the high school component, $5,698 for the young professionals
component, and $3,900 for the vocational component. Applicants' budget
submissions should be realistic and reflect anticipated actual costs
required to implement the program(s) and the varying costs specific to
the German participants' hosting needs, and the American participants'
programming needs. Budget submissions under this RFGP may be subject to
renegotiation. 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.
Budgets should be prepared according to Tab D of the Proposal
Submission Instructions (PSI). You may delete or modify line items
according to program and administrative needs as described in the
proposal narrative. Please include budget notes, as appropriate.
High school organizations should prepare a budget to recruit/
program 50 Americans and host 57 Germans; vocational organizations
should prepare a budget to recruit/program 25 Americans; young
professionals organizations should prepare a budget to recruit/program
75 Americans and 75 Germans.
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 grant 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
Grants awarded to eligible organizations with less than four years
of experience in conducting international exchange programs will be
limited to $60,000.
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.
[[Page 56821]]
IV.1. Contact Information To Request an Application Package
Please contact the Office of Citizen Exchanges, Youth Programs
Division, ECA/PE/C/PY, Room 568, U.S. Department of State, SA-44, 301
4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547, (202) 203-7527 and (202) 203-
7529, [email protected] to request a Solicitation Package. Please
refer to the Funding Opportunity Number ECA/PE/C/PY-08-08 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 Bureau Program Officer Shalita Jones and refer to
the Funding Opportunity Number ECA/PE/C/PY-08-08 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 http://exchanges.state.gov/education/rfgps/menu.htm, or
from the Grants.gov Web site at http://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 http://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. You must have nonprofit status with the IRS at the time of
application. 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 grants under this RFGP will be third parties ``cooperating
with or assisting the sponsor in the conduct of the sponsor's
program.'' The actions of grantee program 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 a grant 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 great
emphasis on the secure and proper administration of Exchange Visitor (J
visa) Programs and adherence by grantee program organizations and
program participants to all regulations governing the J visa program
status. Therefore, proposals should explicitly state in writing that
the applicant is prepared to assist the Bureau in meeting all
requirements governing the administration of Exchange Visitor Programs
as set forth in 22 CFR part 62. If your organization has experience as
a designated Exchange Visitor Program Sponsor, the applicant should
discuss their record of compliance with 22 CFR part 62, et seq.,
including the oversight of their Responsible Officers and Alternate
Responsible Officers, screening and selection of program participants,
provision of pre-arrival information and orientation to participants,
monitoring of participants, proper maintenance and security of forms,
recordkeeping, reporting and other requirements.
The Office of Citizen Exchanges of ECA will be responsible for
issuing DS-2019 forms to participants in this program.
A copy of the complete regulations governing the administration of
Exchange Visitor (J) programs is available at #http://exchanges.state.gov or from:
United States Department of State, Office of Exchange Coordination
and Designation, ECA/EC/ECD-SA-44, Room 734, 301 4th Street, SW.,
Washington, DC 20547, Telephone: (202) 203-5029, FAX: (202) 453-8640.
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
[[Page 56822]]
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 grantee 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 timeframe), the easier it will be to conduct the
evaluation. You should also show how your project objectives link to
the goals of the program described in this RFGP.
Your monitoring and evaluation plan should clearly distinguish
between program outputs and outcomes. Outputs are products and services
delivered, often stated as an amount. Output information is important
to show the scope or size of project activities, but it cannot
substitute for information about progress towards outcomes or the
results achieved. Examples of outputs include the number of people
trained or the number of seminars conducted. Outcomes, in contrast,
represent specific results a project is intended to achieve and is
usually measured as an extent of change. Findings on outputs and
outcomes should both be reported, but the focus should be on outcomes.
We encourage you to assess the following four levels of outcomes,
as they relate to the program goals set out in the RFGP (listed here in
increasing order of importance):
1. Participant satisfaction with the program and exchange
experience.
2. Participant learning, such as increased knowledge, aptitude,
skills, and changed understanding and attitude. Learning includes both
substantive (subject-specific) learning and mutual understanding.
3. Participant behavior, concrete actions to apply knowledge in
work or community; greater participation and responsibility in civic
organizations; interpretation and explanation of experiences and new
knowledge gained; continued contacts between participants, community
members, and others.
4. Institutional changes, such as increased collaboration and
partnerships, policy reforms, new programming, and organizational
improvements.
Please note: Consideration should be given to the appropriate
timing of data collection for each level of outcome. For example,
satisfaction is usually captured as a short-term outcome, whereas
behavior and institutional changes are normally considered longer-
term outcomes.
Overall, the quality of your monitoring and evaluation plan will be
judged on how well it (1) specifies intended outcomes; (2) gives
clear descriptions of how each outcome will be measured; (3)
identifies when particular outcomes will be measured; and (4)
provides a clear description of the data collection strategies for
each outcome (i.e., surveys, interviews, or focus groups). (Please
note that evaluation plans that deal only with the first level of
outcomes [satisfaction] will be deemed less competitive under the
present evaluation criteria.)Grantees 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 a comprehensive budget projection
for the entire program. There must be a summary budget as well as
breakdowns reflecting both administrative and program budgets.
Applicants may provide separate sub-budgets for each program component,
phase, location, or activity to provide clarification.
IV.3e.2. Please refer to the Solicitation Package for allowable
costs, complete budget guidelines and formatting instructions.
Note: Final budgets will be solicited from the selected
grantees for FY 2009 (academic year 2009-10) no later than fall
2009.
IV.3f. Application Deadline and Methods of Submission
Application Deadline Date: November 8, 2007.
Reference Number: ECA/PE/C/PY-08-08.
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., DHL, Federal Express, UPS, Airborne Express, or U.S.
Postal Service Express Overnight Mail, etc.), or
(2) Electronically through http://www.grants.gov.
Along with the Project Title, all applicants must enter the above
Reference Number in Box 11 on the SF-424 contained in the mandatory
Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) of the solicitation document.
IV.3f.1. Submitting Printed Applications
Applications must be shipped no later than the above deadline.
Delivery services used by applicants must have in-place, centralized
shipping identification and tracking systems that may be accessed via
the Internet and delivery people who are identifiable by commonly
recognized uniforms and delivery vehicles. Proposals shipped on or
before the above deadline but received at ECA more than seven days
after the deadline will be ineligible for further consideration under
this competition. Proposals shipped after the established deadlines are
ineligible for consideration under this competition. ECA will not
notify you upon receipt of application. It is each applicant's
responsibility to ensure that each package is marked with a legible
tracking number and to monitor/confirm delivery to ECA via the
Internet. Delivery of proposal packages may not be made via local
courier service or in person for this competition. Faxed documents will
not be accepted at any time. Only proposals submitted as stated above
will be considered.
Important note: When preparing your submission please make sure
to include one extra copy of the completed SF-424 form and place it
in an envelope addressed to ``ECA/EX/PM''.
The original and 8 copies of the application should be sent to:
U.S. Department of State, SA-44, Bureau of Educational and Cultural
Affairs, Ref.: ECA/PE/C/PY-08-08, Program Management, ECA/EX/PM, Room
534, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547.
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 a PC-formatted
disk. The Bureau will provide these files electronically to the
appropriate Public Affairs Section(s) at the U.S. Embassy for its
review.
IV.3f.2. Submitting Electronic Applications
Applicants have the option of submitting proposals electronically
through Grants.gov (http://www.grants.gov). Complete solicitation
[[Page 56823]]
packages are available at Grants.gov in the ``Find'' portion of the
system. Please follow the instructions available in the `Get Started'
portion of the site (http://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.
Therefore, we strongly recommend that you not wait until the
application deadline to begin the submission process through
Grants.gov.
Direct all questions regarding Grants.gov registration and
submission to: Grants.gov Customer Support, Contact Center Phone: 800-
518-4726, Business Hours: Monday-Friday, 7 a.m.-9 p.m. Eastern Time, E-
mail: grants.gov">support@grants.gov.
Applicants have until midnight (12 a.m.), Washington, DC time of
the closing date to ensure that their entire application has been
uploaded to the Grants.gov site. There are no exceptions to the above
deadline. Applications uploaded to the site after midnight of the
application deadline date will be automatically rejected by the
grants.gov system, and will be technically ineligible.
Applicants will receive a confirmation e-mail from grants.gov upon
the successful submission of an application. 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 grants
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: Detailed agenda and relevant work plan should
demonstrate substantive undertakings and logistical capacity. Agenda
and plan should adhere to the program overview and guidelines described
above.
3. Ability To Achieve Program Objectives: Objectives should be
reasonable, feasible, and flexible. Proposals should clearly
demonstrate how the institution will meet the program's objectives and
plan.
4. Multiplier Effect/Impact: Proposed programs should strengthen
long-term mutual understanding, including maximum sharing of
information and establishment of long-term institutional and individual
linkages.
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 and program evaluation) and program content
(orientation and wrap-up sessions, program meetings, resource materials
and follow-up activities).
6. Institutional Capacity: Proposed personnel and institutional
resources should be adequate and appropriate to achieve the program or
project's goals.
7. Institution's Record/Ability: Proposals should demonstrate an
institutional record of successful exchange programs, including
responsible fiscal management and full compliance with all reporting
requirements for past Bureau grants as determined by Bureau Grants
Staff. The Bureau will consider the past performance of prior
recipients and the demonstrated potential of new applicants.
8. Follow-on Activities: Proposals should provide a plan for
continued follow-on activity (without Bureau support) ensuring that
Bureau supported programs are not isolated events.
9. Project Evaluation: Proposals should include a plan to evaluate
the activity's success, both as the activities unfold and at the end of
the program. A draft survey questionnaire or other technique plus
description of a methodology to use to link outcomes to original
project objectives is recommended.
10. Cost-effectiveness: The overhead and administrative components
of the proposal, including salaries and honoraria, should be kept as
low as possible. All other items should be necessary and appropriate.
11. Cost-sharing: Proposals should maximize cost-sharing through
other private sector support as well as institutional direct funding
contributions.
12. Value to U.S.-Partner Country Relations: Proposed projects
should receive positive assessments by the U.S. Department of State's
geographic area desk and overseas officers of program need, potential
impact, and significance in the partner country(ies).
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 an Assistance Award Document (AAD)
from the Bureau's Grants Office. The AAD and the original grant
proposal with subsequent modifications (if applicable) shall be the
only binding authorizing document between the recipient and the U.S.
Government. The AAD 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.''
[[Page 56824]]
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: http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants. http://exchanges.state.gov/education/grantsdiv/terms.htm #articleI.
VI.3. Reporting Requirements
You must provided ECA with a hard copy original plus one of the
following reports:
Mandatory:
(1) A final program and financial report no more than 90 days after
the expiration of the award;
(2) Quarterly program and financial reports which should include a
narrative of program activities and financial expenditures according to
the proposed time line within the specified quarter, as well as issues
that may have arisen and how they were handled, lessons learned, etc.,
(see POGI for more details).
Grantees will be required to provide reports analyzing their
evaluation findings to the Bureau in their regular program reports.
(Please refer to IV. Application and Submission Instructions (IV.3.d.3)
above for Program Monitoring and Evaluation information.
All data collected, including survey responses and contact
information, must be maintained for a minimum of three years and
provided to the Bureau upon request.
All reports must be sent to the ECA Grants Officer and ECA Program
Officer listed in the final assistance award document. Reports may also
be sent electronically to [email protected] and copied the program
officer.
VII. Agency Contacts
For questions about this announcement, contact Shalita Jones,
Program Officer, Office of Citizen Exchanges, ECA/PE/C/PY, Room 568,
ECA/PE/C/PY-08-08, U.S. Department of State, SA-44, 301 4th Street,
SW., Washington, DC 20547, telephone (202) 203-7507 and fax number
(202) 203-7529, [email protected].
All correspondence with the Bureau concerning this RFGP should
reference the above title and number ECA/PE/C/PY-08-08.
Please read the complete announcement before sending inquiries or
submitting proposals. Once the RFGP deadline has passed, Bureau staff
may not discuss this competition with applicants until the proposal
review process has been completed.
VIII. Other Information
Notice
The terms and conditions published in this RFGP are binding and may
not be modified by any Bureau representative. Explanatory information
provided by the Bureau that contradicts published language will not be
binding. Issuance of the RFGP does not constitute an award commitment
on the part of the Government. The Bureau reserves the right to reduce,
revise, or increase proposal budgets in accordance with the needs of
the program and the availability of funds. Awards made will be subject
to periodic reporting and evaluation requirements per section VI.3
above.
Dated: September 27, 2007.
C. Miller Crouch,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs,
Department of State.
[FR Doc. E7-19642 Filed 10-3-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P