[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 42 (Thursday, March 4, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9997-10004]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-4561]
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DEPARTMENT OF STATE
[Public Notice 6911]
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for
Grant Proposals (RFGP): One-time Competitive Grants Program--
Competition A--Academic Programs
Announcement Type: New Grant
Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/A-10-One-time-Comp-A
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 19.014
Key Dates:
Application Deadline: April 12, 2010
Executive Summary: This competition is one of two competitions that
the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs is conducting in
accordance with the Conference Report (House Report 111-366)
accompanying the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2010 (Pub. L. 111-
117) under Division F of the Department of State, Foreign Operations
and Related Programs Appropriation Act 2010, ``Educational and Cultural
Exchange Programs'' in support of an $8 million ``One-Time Competitive
Grants Program.'' All applications must be submitted by public or
private non-profit organizations, meeting the provisions described in
Internal Revenue code section 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3). Total funding for
this ``One-Time Competitive Grants Program'' is $8 million. Four
million dollars will be dedicated to Competition A--Academic Programs
One-time Grants Program--reference number ECA/A-10-One-time-Comp-A, and
$4 million will be dedicated to and announced simultaneously in a
separate RFGP Competition B--Professional, Cultural and Youth One-time
Grants Program--reference number ECA/PE/C-10-One-time-Comp-B. Please
note: The Bureau reserves the right to reallocate funds it has
initially allocated to each of these two competitions, based upon
factors such as the number of applications received and responsiveness
to the review criteria outlined in each of the solicitations.
Applicants may submit only one proposal (total) to one of the two
competitions referenced above. In addition, applicants under this
competition (ECA/A-10-One-time-Comp-A) may apply to administer only one
of the listed activities (total). If multiple proposals are received
from the same applicant, all submissions will be declared technically
ineligible and will be given no further consideration in the review
process. Eligible applicants are strongly encouraged to read both RFGPs
thoroughly, prior to developing and submitting proposals, to ensure
that proposed activities are appropriate and responsive to the goals,
objectives and criteria outlined in the solicitations.
As further directed by the Congress, ``The program shall be only
for the actual exchange of people and should benefit a population that
is not being addressed through existing authorized exchanges.''
The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs announces a
competition for grants that support international exchanges in order to
increase mutual understanding and build relationships, through
individuals and organizations, between the people of the United States
and their counterparts in other countries. The Bureau welcomes
proposals from organizations that have not received a previous grant
from the Bureau as well as from those which have; see eligibility
information below and in section III.
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
[[Page 9998]]
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.
Background
The Conference Agreement (House Report 111-366) accompanying the
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2010 (Pub. L. 111-117) under Division
F of the Department of State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs
Appropriation Act 2010, ``Educational and Cultural Exchange Programs''
provides support for an $8 million One-Time Competitive Grants Program.
``The conferees also endorse language in the House and Senate Reports
regarding this competitively awarded grants program.''
As referenced in the Senate Report 111-44, ``* * * an exchange
program that received a one-time grant in a previous year is ineligible
for additional one-time funding, but the Committee encourages the
Department to consider new proposals from previously funded grantees
within discretionary funding if they meet appropriate guidelines.''
Please see eligibility information below and in section III.
Programs shall support the actual exchange of people and should
benefit a population that is not being addressed through existing
authorized exchanges, such as exchanges with developing countries which
target community leaders, students and youth with high financial need
and minority and ethnic groups.
Grants shall address issues of mutual interest to the United States
and other countries, consistent with the program criteria established
in Public Law 110-161.
Purpose
The Office of Academic Programs will accept proposals for the
following one-time special initiatives. For each of the activities
listed below, the Bureau will emphasize engaging participants from
selected geographic regions. Further details on specific program
responsibilities are included in the Program Objectives, Goals, and
Implementation (POGI) document for this initiative. Interested
organizations should read the entire Federal Register announcement for
all information prior to preparing proposals. Please refer to the
solicitation package for further instructions.
1. Intensive English Language Program:
The U.S. Department of State is dedicated to increasing its
engagement with undergraduate students worldwide who demonstrate the
potential to become leaders and who represent indigenous, disadvantaged
or underrepresented communities. ECA offers exchange programs that
increase knowledge and understanding of the United States to
undergraduates from underserved sectors of society. The Intensive
English Program will enroll foreign undergraduate students in eight-to-
ten weeks of intensive English language courses at colleges and
universities in the United States, and provide them with an
introduction to American institutions, society and culture. To support
English acquisition, while in the U.S., participants will complete
community service activities and have the opportunity to develop a
project related to community service or volunteerism focused on topics
such as the environment, public health, clean/renewable energy,
conservation, or related fields. The project would be implemented upon
the participant's return to their home countries.
A total of three grants will be awarded for the administration of
the Intensive English Language Program. ECA expects to fund
approximately 120 students. Participants will be selected by U.S.
Embassies or Fulbright Commissions in participating countries. Regions
of emphasis: Middle East/North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, South and
Central America (including the Caribbean), South/Central Asia, and East
Asia/Pacific.
Applicant organizations may be U.S. colleges and universities,
consortia of U.S. colleges and universities, or non-governmental
organizations meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue code
section 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3). An individual university applying for the
award will develop and administer the program and act as the host
institution for all participants. A consortium applying for the award
must identify a lead institution to receive and administer the award,
but may place the participants at one or more of the consortium
institutions.
Purpose: The Intensive English Language Program will provide
promising undergraduate students from underserved sectors, who would
not otherwise qualify for U.S. exchange opportunities based on English
language ability, an opportunity to increase their English language
skills through a substantive U.S. academic exchange experience. This
program will make participants more competitive in applications for
other U.S. government-sponsored exchanges in the future or for future
graduate admission to U.S. institutions.
Program Design: Programs should have a duration of eight-to-ten
weeks. ECA anticipates supporting approximately 120 participants, who
may be divided into several cohorts of students. Programs should
provide participants with intensive English language training,
including English for Academic Purposes, as well as the development of
general reading, writing, speaking and listening skills, and the
testing of those skills. For planning purposes, interested applicants
should anticipate that programs will take place from May-September
2011.
Student participants will be undergraduates and will be recruited
and selected by the U.S. Embassy Public Affairs Sections or Fulbright
Commissions in the students' home countries. ECA will approve
nominations and make final selection. Participants will come from non-
elite backgrounds, from both rural and urban sectors, and with little
to no prior experience in the United States or elsewhere outside of
their home country. Participants will exhibit academic ability and
leadership potential including an interest in community service.
It is anticipated that the selection of participants will reflect
each region's geographic, institutional, ethnic, and gender diversity.
Most of the students selected will have a basic knowledge of the
English language through formal study.
For applicants representing a consortium of colleges or
universities, the proposal should indicate the lead institution and
produce letters of support from all institutions or organizations that
will carry out activities as part of the consortium. In identifying the
participating host institutions, the proposal should make clear why
these institutions have been recommended, and how those institutions
will specifically meet the purposes outlined above.
Applicants should design a program that will offer an academic
residency component of eight-to-ten weeks, the central element of which
is an intensive English language training course (English for Academic
Purposes), together with other instructional elements that will develop
participants' general reading, writing, speaking and listening skills.
It is essential that participants be placed in classes with students
from a variety of language
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backgrounds and not only in courses that contain only speakers of their
native language. Provisions should also be made for testing those
skills.
The program should also provide opportunities for participants to
regularly meet with U.S. citizens from a variety of backgrounds, meet
with American students, and to speak to appropriate students and civic
groups about their experiences and life in their home countries.
Programs must include a community service component, in which the
students experience firsthand the role of volunteerism and social
entrepreneurship in American civil society (please see POGI for
details).
Participants for this program will come from the following regions:
Middle East/North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, South and Central America
(including the Caribbean), South/Central Asia, and East Asia/Pacific.
Proposals from applicant organizations should indicate if they wish to
host participants from one particular region or multiple regions. A
pedagogical rationale for the program plan should demonstrate knowledge
of the region or multiple regions indicated in the proposal.
ECA reserves the right to adjust the regional composition of
student cohorts according to Bureau or program priorities.
Participating countries within regions will be determined by ECA, in
consultation with Public Affairs Sections at U.S. embassies abroad.
International travel will be arranged by ECA and therefore should not
be included in budget requests.
Please see the POGI document for detailed budget information. It is
anticipated that the total amount of funding for administrative and
program costs will be approximately $1.2 million. The total funding for
this project will be approximately $1.5 million. ECA anticipates
withholding approximately $300,000 for the purchase of participants'
airline tickets and in-transit expenses. The funding levels for Award
Average and Ceiling of Award do not include funding for travel which is
to be provided by ECA.
Number of Awards: 3.
Award Average: $400,000.
Ceiling of Award: $400,000.
Contact: Vincent Pickett, [email protected], 202-632-3243.
2. Capacity Building for Undergraduate Study Abroad: Overall
Purpose: To build the capacity of U.S. institutions of higher education
and of potential host institutions abroad to provide study abroad
opportunities for U.S. undergraduate students. A proposal may be
submitted by an accredited college or university or by another public
or private non-profit organization meeting the provisions described in
Internal Revenue code section 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3).
Program Design: Proposals must address one of three program goals
and should specify the goal to be pursued:
(a) U.S. institutions with substantial experience providing study
abroad opportunities may partner with international counterparts with
limited experience receiving U.S. students in order to expand the
capacity of the foreign partner to host U.S. students, particularly in
locations that have been underserved by traditional study abroad
programs.
(b) U.S. institutions with substantial experience providing study
abroad opportunities may cooperate with less experienced U.S. partner
colleges and universities to enable the less experienced institutions
to develop programs with international counterparts or build their
study abroad offices through professional visits of administrators,
faculty and/or students.
(c) U.S. institutions with limited experience administering study
abroad programs may seek to strengthen their study abroad offices or
expand their capacity to administer such programs. Proposals submitted
in this category should not exceed $60,000.
In each category, awards will support projects that result in
increased and broadened opportunities for U.S. undergraduate students
to study abroad in quality academic programs that form an integral part
of degree-granting programs at accredited U.S. educational institutions
at the tertiary level. The Bureau strongly encourages applications
focusing on non-traditional study abroad students, non-traditional
study abroad destinations and non-traditional fields of study abroad,
including science; technology; engineering; mathematics; education; and
critical languages (Arabic, Azerbaijani, Bengali, Brazilian Portuguese,
Chinese, Dari, Farsi, Hindi, Kazakh, Korean, Kurdish, Kyrgyz, Nepali,
Pashto, Punjabi, Russian, Swahili, Tajik, Turkish, Turkmen, Urdu and
Uzbek).
Regions of Emphasis: Europe/Eurasia (Turkey and Russia only), North
Africa and the Middle East, South Asia and East Asia, South and Central
America (including the Caribbean), Sub-Saharan Africa.
The Bureau anticipates funding approximately ten projects at levels
averaging $250,000 and not to exceed approximately $500,000 with total
Bureau funding not to exceed $2,500,000. Applicants that do not have
four years of experience conducting international exchange programs
will be limited to $60,000 per item (a) under section III.3. below.
Proposals for smaller amounts will be considered.
Approximate Number of Awards: 10.
Approximate Average Award: $250,000.
Ceiling of Award Range: $500,000.
Contact: Bahareh Moradi ([email protected]), 202-632-6350; or
Carina Klein ([email protected]), 202-632-9460.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Grant Agreement.
Fiscal Year Funds: FY-2010.
Approximate Total Funding: $4 million.
Approximate Number of Awards: 13.
Approximate Average Award: $307,692.
Floor of Award Range: Depending upon an organization's length of
experience in conducting international exchanges, and proposed
activities, grants could be awarded for less than $60,000. See section
III.3.a, below.
Ceiling of Award Range: Up to $500,000.
Anticipated Award Date: August 2010.
Anticipated Project Completion Date: Approximately 24-36 months
after the start date of the grant.
Additional Information: As stipulated in the legislation, this is a
competitive one-time grants program.
III. Eligibility Information
III.1. Eligible applicants
Applications must 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).
Organizations listed in the House Report 111-187 and the Senate
Report 111-44 under ``Educational and Cultural Exchange Programs'' are
encouraged to apply.
Per Senate Report 111-44, ``The Committee notes that an exchange
program that received a one-time grant in a previous year is ineligible
for additional one-time funding, but the Committee encourages the
Department to consider new proposals from previously funded grantees
within discretionary funding if they meet appropriate guidelines.''
Please see section III.3. Other Eligibility Requirements, below.
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 the
highest possible levels of cost sharing
[[Page 10000]]
and funding in support of its projects, noting that cost sharing is one
of the criteria for reviewing proposals.
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, written records must be maintained to support all costs
which are claimed as contributions, 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 that the minimum amount of cost
sharing is not provided as stipulated in the approved budget, ECA's
contribution will be reduced in like proportion.
III.3. Other Eligibility Requirements
(a) Grants awarded to eligible organizations with less than four
years of experience in conducting international exchange programs will
be limited to $60,000. Therefore, applicants should explain, with
examples, their experience in conducting international exchanges, and,
if that experience is less than four years, should limit their proposed
grant budgets to $60,000.
(b) Technical Eligibility: All proposals must comply with the
following:
--Eligible applicants may submit only one proposal (total) for one of
the two competitions referenced in the Executive Summary Section of
this document. If multiple proposals are received from the same
applicant, all submissions from that applicant will be declared
technically ineligible and will be given no further consideration in
the review process. In addition, applicants under this competition
(ECA/PE/C-10-One-time-Comp-B or ECA/A-10-One-time-Comp-A) may only
apply to administer one of the listed activities (total).
--Proposals requesting funding for infrastructure development
activities, sometimes referred to as ``bricks and mortar support,'' are
not eligible for consideration under this competition and will be
declared technically ineligible and will receive no further
consideration in the review process.
--No funding is available exclusively to send U.S. citizens to
conferences or conference-type seminars overseas; nor is funding
available for bringing foreign nationals to conferences or to standard
professional association meetings in the United States.
--An exchange program/activity that was funded under one-time grant
competitions in previous years, (FY-2008 Competitive One-time Grants
Program--Reference numbers: ECA/A-08-One-time-Comp-A or ECA/PE/C-08-
One-time-Comp-B; or the FY-2009 Competitive One-time Grants Program--
Reference numbers: ECA/A-09-One-time-Comp-A or ECA/PE/C-09-One-time-
Comp-B) is ineligible for additional one-time funding under this
competition. However, ``previously funded grantees'' under previous
one-time competitions, referenced above, may submit proposals under
this competition, if the proposal is for a new exchange program.
Applications submitted by prior-year one-time grant recipients must
include in their proposal narrative/submission a narrative description
of the specific elements that make their submission under the FY-2010
one-time competition a new exchange program, rather than a repetition
or extension of what was funded by ECA under a prior year award.
Elements that would contribute to the program's being considered
``new'' for the purposes of this competition would include: New
overseas partner institution(s), a new country and/or world region of
activity, a substantially different thematic topic, a new participant
profile. Final determination of a proposal's eligibility as a ``new''
activity will be made by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural
Affairs. If the application does not include a narrative explaining how
the project qualifies as ``new,'' it will be declared technically
ineligible and will receive no further consideration in the review
process.
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 the Office of Academic Exchanges, ECA/A/E, SA-5, 4th
floor, U.S. Department of State, 2200 C Street, NW., Washington, DC
20522-0504, tel: 202-632-3238 and fax: 202-632-6490,
[email protected] to request a Solicitation Package. Please refer to
Funding Opportunity Number ECA/A-10-One-time-Comp-A also located at the
top of this announcement when making your request.
The Solicitation Package contains the Proposal Submission
Instructions (PSI) document which consists of required application
forms, and standard guidelines for proposal preparation.
Please specify Program Officer Vincent Pickett, and refer to the
Funding Opportunity Number ECA/A-10-One-time-Comp-A 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 the
grants.gov Web site. Please read all information before downloading.
IV.3. Content and Form of Submission
Applicants must follow all instructions in the Solicitation
Package. The original and seven copies of the application should be
sent per the instructions under IV.3e. ``Submission Dates and Times''
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. The summary and narrative must be presented in
double-spaced typing.
IV.3c. You must have nonprofit status with the IRS at the time of
application. Please note: Effective January 7, 2009, all applicants for
ECA federal assistance awards must include in their application the
names of directors and/or senior executives (current officers,
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
[[Page 10001]]
Organization Exempt From Income Tax,'' must include a copy of relevant
portions of this form.
(2) Those who do not file IRS Form 990 must submit information
above in the format of their choice.
In addition to final project reporting requirements, award
recipients will also be required to submit a one-page document, derived
from their project 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.
Please Note: 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 Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs places critically
important emphases on the security and proper administration of the
Exchange Visitor (J visa) Programs and adherence by award recipients
and sponsors to all regulations governing the J visa. Therefore,
proposals should demonstrate the applicant's capacity to meet all
requirements governing the administration of the Exchange Visitor
Programs as set forth in 22 CFR 62, including the oversight of
Responsible Officers and Alternate Responsible Officers, screening and
selection of program participants, provision of pre-arrival information
and orientation to participants, monitoring of participants, proper
maintenance and security of forms, recordkeeping, reporting and other
requirements.
For the Intensive English Language Program, ECA will be responsible
for issuing DS-2019 forms to participants in this program. For the
Capacity Building for Undergraduate Study Abroad, the recipient 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, Office of Designation, ECA/
EC/D, SA-5, Floor C2, Department of State, Washington, DC 20522-0582.
Please refer to Solicitation Package for further information.
IV.3d.2 Diversity, Freedom and Democracy Guidelines
Pursuant to the Bureau's authorizing legislation, projects 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 project administration and
in project 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 project 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.
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
[[Page 10002]]
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 the proposal budget:
IV.3e.1. Applicants must submit SF-424A--``Budget Information--Non-
Construction Programs'' along with a comprehensive budget for the
entire project. There must be a summary budget as well as breakdowns
reflecting both administrative and program budgets. Applicants may
provide separate sub-budgets for each project component, phase,
location, or activity to provide clarification.
IV.3e.2. Allowable costs for the project include the following:
(1) Travel. International and domestic airfare; visas; transit
costs; ground transportation costs, except where these project
activities will be paid directly by ECA, please see the POGI for
further information. 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 use
the published Federal per diem rates for individual U.S. cities.
Domestic per diem rates may be accessed at: http://www.gsa.gov/Portal/gsa/ep/contentView.do?contentId=17943&contentType=GSA_BASIC.
(3) Please refer to the Solicitation Package for complete budget
guidelines and formatting instructions.
Please refer to the Solicitation Package for complete budget
guidelines and formatting instructions.
IV.3f. Submission Dates and Times
Application Deadline Date: April 12, 2010.
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, 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
competition Reference Number (ECA/A-10-One-time-Comp. A) 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''.
Applicants must also submit the ``Executive Summary'' and
``Proposal Narrative'' and budget sections of the proposal as well as
any essential attachments, in Microsoft Word and/or Excel on a CD-ROM.
The Bureau will provide these files electronically to the appropriate
Public Affairs Sections at the U.S. Embassies for their review.
The original and seven copies of the application should be sent to:
U.S. Department of State, Program Management Division, ECA-IIP/EX/PM,
Ref.: ECA/A-10-One-time-Comp-A, SA-5, Floor 4, Department of State,
2200 C Street, NW., Washington, DC 20522-0504.
Applicants submitting hard-copy applications must also submit the
``Executive Summary'' and ``Proposal Narrative'' and ``Budget''
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(ies)
for its(their) review.
IV.3f.2--Submitting Electronic Applications
Applicants have the option of submitting proposals electronically
through Grants.gov (http://www.grants.gov). Complete solicitation
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. In
addition, validation of an electronic submission via Grants.gov can
take up to two business days.
Therefore, we strongly recommend that you not wait until the
application deadline to begin the submission process through
Grants.gov.
The Grants.gov Web site includes extensive information on all
phases/aspects of the Grants.gov process, including an lengthy section
on frequently asked questions, located under the ``For Applicants''
section of the Web site. ECA strongly recommends that all potential
applicants review thoroughly the Grants.gov Web site, well in advance
of submitting a proposal through the Grants.gov system. ECA bears no
responsibility for data errors resulting from transmission or
conversion processes.
Direct all questions regarding Grants.gov registration and
submission to:
Grants.gov Customer Support.
Contact Center Phone: 800-518-4726.
Business Hours: Monday-Friday, 7 a.m.-9 p.m. Eastern Time.
E-mail: grants.gov">support@grants.gov
[[Page 10003]]
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.
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 of the relevant U.S. Embassy overseas, where
appropriate. Eligible proposals will be subject to compliance with
Federal and Bureau regulations and guidelines and forwarded to Bureau
grant panels for advisory review. Proposals may also be reviewed by the
Office of the Legal Adviser or by other Department elements. Final
funding decisions are at the discretion of the Department of State's
Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs. Final
technical authority for assistance awards (grants) resides with the
Bureau's Grants Officer.
Review Criteria
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 and program planning: Objectives
should be reasonable, feasible, and flexible. The proposal should
clearly demonstrate how the institution will meet the program's
objectives and plan. The proposed program should be creative and well
developed, respond to the design outlined in the solicitation, and
demonstrate originality. It should be clearly and accurately written,
substantive, and with sufficient detail. The program plan should adhere
to the program overview and guidelines described above. Please note:
Proposals submitted by prior-year one-time grant recipients must
include in their proposal submission a description of the specific
elements that make this submission a new exchange program rather than a
repetition or extension of what was funded by ECA under a prior-year
award.
2. 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.
3. Support of diversity: The proposal should demonstrate the
recipient's commitment to promoting the awareness and understanding of
diversity in participant selection and exchange program design and
content.
4. Institutional capacity and track record: Proposed personnel and
institutional resources should be adequate and appropriate to achieve
the program goals. The proposal should demonstrate an institutional
record, including solid programming and responsible fiscal management.
The Bureau will consider the past performance, including compliance
with all reporting requirements for past Bureau grants.
5. Program evaluation: The proposal should include a plan to
evaluate the program's success, both as the activities unfold and at
the end of the program. The proposal should include a draft survey
questionnaire or other technique plus description of a methodology to
use to link outcomes to original project objectives. Please see Section
IV.3d.3. of this announcement for more information.
6. Cost-effectiveness and cost sharing: The applicant should
demonstrate efficient use of Bureau funds. The overhead and
administrative components of the proposal, including salaries and
honoraria, should be kept as low as possible. All other items should be
necessary and appropriate. The proposal should maximize cost-sharing
through other private sector support as well as institutional direct
funding contributions.
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 grant
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.
VI.1b The following additional requirements apply to this project,
for assistance awards involving the Palestinian Authority, West Bank,
and Gaza:
All awards made under this competition must be executed according
to all relevant U.S. laws and policies regarding assistance to the
Palestinian Authority, and to the West Bank and Gaza. Organizations
must consult with relevant Public Affairs Offices before entering into
any formal arrangements or agreements with Palestinian organizations or
institutions.
Note: To assure that planning for the inclusion of the
Palestinian Authority complies with requirements, please contact
Bahareh Moradi, [email protected], 202-632-6350.
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.
[[Page 10004]]
Please refer to the following Web sites for additional information:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants. http://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.
(4) Interim program and financial reports after each program phase,
as required in the Bureau grant agreement.
Award Recipients will be required to provide reports analyzing
their evaluation findings to the Bureau in their regular project
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.
VI.4. Optional 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:
(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 three work days prior to
the official opening of the activity.
VII. Agency Contacts
For questions about this announcement, contact:
1. Intensive English Language Program: Vincent Pickett,
[email protected], 202-632-3243.
2. Capacity Building for Undergraduate Study Abroad: Contact:
Bahareh Moradi, [email protected], 202-632-6350; or Carina Klein,
[email protected], 202-632-9460.
All correspondence with the Bureau concerning this RFGP should
reference the above title and number ECA/A-10-One-time-Comp. A.
Please read the complete Federal Register 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: February 24, 2010.
Maura M. Pally,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs,
Department of State.
[FR Doc. 2010-4561 Filed 3-3-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P