Federal Register, Volume 75 Issue 77 (Thursday, April 22, 2010)

[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 77 (Thursday, April 22, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21096-21102]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-9360]

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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 6964]

Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for
Grant Proposals: 2010 Community Solutions Program

Announcement Type: New Cooperative Agreement.
Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/PE/C/EUR-SCA-10-60.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 19.415.
Key Dates:
Application Deadline: June 3, 2010.
Executive Summary: The Office of Citizen Exchanges of the Bureau of
Educational and Cultural Affairs invites proposal submissions for the
Community Solutions Program in Africa, East Asia and the Pacific,
Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, South and Central Asia and
the Western Hemisphere. 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 conduct this professional
fellowship program. The Community Solutions Program serves as a
mechanism to support and encourage initiatives organized by young civic
and community leaders, ages 25-38, currently working to address the
economic, environmental, political, and social challenges confronting
their respective local communities. Through professional fellowships
with a specific leadership component, Community Solutions will provide
opportunities for eligible individuals to more effectively address
issues of concern in their own towns, cities and regions.

I. Funding Opportunity Description

I.1. Authority

Overall grant making authority for this program is contained in the
Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961, Public Law 87-
256, as amended, also known as the Fulbright-Hays Act. The purpose of
the Act is ``to enable the Government of the United States to increase
mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the
people of other countries * * *; to strengthen the ties which unite us
with other nations by demonstrating the educational and cultural
interests, developments, and achievements of the people of the United
States and other nations * * * and thus to assist in the development of
friendly, sympathetic and peaceful relations between the United States
and the other countries of the world.'' The funding authority for the
program above is provided through legislation.

I.2. Purpose and Program Description

In an increasingly connected world, local economic, environmental,
political, and social challenges are intimately linked to their
counterparts on a global scale. So too, are each community's solutions
and approaches to these problems. Making progress on today's complex
global challenges on a local scale requires multi-dimensional public
engagement strategies to forge partnerships, mobilize broad coalitions,
and galvanize public opinion across all sectors of society.
The Community Solutions Program seeks to enhance the skills of
approximately 65-80 civic and community leaders to more effectively
address current economic, environmental, political, and social
challenges in their communities through increased civic engagement and
dialogue, leadership development, and an enhanced understanding of the
way public and private resources interface for the common good. Through
a four- to six-month fellowship, complemented by leadership
development, Community Solutions will provide opportunities for
eligible individuals to experience best practices, learn about
effective models of public and community engagement, and develop
concrete strategies to better address complex issues in their home
communities.
ECA anticipates funding one project for approximately $1,500,000 to
take place over the course of one to two years and target young
professionals currently engaged in initiatives that aim to improve and
enhance the economic, environmental, political, and social well-being
of their communities.
As a global tool to address community-based challenges, the
Community Solutions Program seeks to:
(1) Enhance the participants' ability to address complex local
economic, environmental, political, and social challenges through a
U.S.-based fellowship;
(2) Provide concrete tools to the participants to take on greater
leadership roles in their communities, by developing their skills for
effective public discourse, professional collaboration, and project
management;
(3) Cultivate professional ties with U.S. economic, environmental,
political, and social institutions through collaborative and follow-on
projects;
(4) Create a global network of diverse, multi-disciplinary, engaged
professionals and civic leaders committed to problem solving and
community engagement; and
(5) Expand and strengthen the relationship between the people of
the United States and other countries to work in partnership to
identify solutions to common issues facing their local communities.
The specific themes for the professional fellowships for this
program are: (1) Accountability and Transparency, (2) Tolerance/
Conflict Resolution, (3) Environmental Issues, and (4) Women's Issues.
Eligible countries and guidance for each theme are provided in
Section I.8 below. Proposals that target professional fellowships that
are unrelated to the themes referenced in this Request for Grant
Proposals will be considered ineligible.

I.3. Participants

For the purposes of this program, ``participants'' are defined as
citizens of the eligible countries selected through a merit-based,
global competition to travel to the United States to take part in a
Community Solutions fellowship. Participants must be early to mid-
career professionals with demonstrated leadership abilities, who are
engaged in a community-based project with the express goal of
addressing an economic, environmental, political, and/or social
challenge confronting that community (either in or outside of their
professional capacity). Participants must possess the intercultural and
English language skills necessary to benefit fully from the fellowship.
Therefore, strong preference will be given to individuals who have
previously studied in the United States for a period of four months or
longer, in order to build upon an already established understanding of
U.S. society, culture, politics, and public institutions.
Fellows should be placed in community-based, non-profit or other
civil society organizations, government offices, or legislative bodies
(Federal or State, county or municipal). Hosting institutions and
organizations should have expertise relevant to the fellowship's focus
and be working on innovative community engagement projects in the non-
profit or governmental spheres, including State legislatures, city
councils or local government that express a willingness to collaborate
on a specific project of

[[Page 21097]]

mutual interest. Preference should be given to hosting sites that have
identified potential collaborative projects or initiatives of interest
to Community Solutions participants. In order to enhance the
possibility that these collaborative initiatives continue after the
conclusion of the fellowship, proposals should include follow-on
projects that utilize existing Web or social technologies such as
Twitter, blogs, SMS messaging systems, etc.
Through their respective fellowships, Community Solutions Fellows
will work with seasoned civic leaders on pre-defined issues of mutual
interest. Fellowship sites should provide real life models for the
Fellows to apply leadership lessons, explore creative approaches to
global challenges, and develop concrete strategies to apply within
their local communities. Linking Community Solutions Fellows, program
hosts and mentors together, the Community Solutions program will work
to create a worldwide network of engaged professionals and civic
leaders.
Applicants should strive to maximize the number of participants and
the length of the U.S.-based program at the given funding levels.
Therefore, applicants who engage public and private partners for
programming support, and employ other creative techniques to increase
or stretch funding dollars will be deemed more competitive than those
that do not, under the Cost Effectiveness and Cost-Sharing review
criterion.

I.4. Partner Organizations

Applicants must identify the U.S.-based and any foreign-based
organizations and individuals with whom they are proposing to
collaborate to implement Community Solutions, and describe any previous
cooperative activities. While having a presence in each eligible
country is not required, applicants that are able to demonstrate
institutional capacity in regions overseas (whether through their own
resources or through partnerships with other organizations or
institutions) will be given strong consideration. In addition,
proposals must demonstrate capacity in the United States to secure
effective and appropriate host placements for the participants.
Proposals that include letters of commitment from possible U.S-based
host organizations will be deemed more competitive.

I.5. Project Activities

Projects should include placement of participants in carefully
identified four- to six-month fellowships in non-profit organizations
and other public and civil society organizations where they will work
with seasoned community leaders on current complex global challenges
related to the participants' community activities. Strong project
designs will ground and augment the fellowship experience with
leadership development activities that relate to civic engagement.

I.6. Program Guidelines

In a cooperative agreement, ECA is substantially involved in
program activities above and beyond routine grant monitoring. While the
recipient organization is responsible for the conception and structure
of the program, ECA anticipates working in tandem to ensure that all
aspects of the program design support the Community Solutions program
goals through innovative activities.

I.7. Projected Timeline

ECA envisions the approximate dates of the Community Solutions
program to be as follows:
September 2010-January 2011: Recruitment and selection of
foreign participants. Recruitment campaign for U.S. hosting
institutions.
February 2011-May 2011: Securing U.S.-based hosts and host
sites.
August 2011: Travel to the United States by all the
foreign participants for orientation and placement at community
Fellowship sites for a four- to six-month program.
August 2011-December 2011: Fellowship.
December 2011: Travel to Washington, DC, for a two-day end
of program workshop.
January 2012-July 2012: Conduct any follow-on
collaborative projects.

I.8. Professional Fellowship Themes

Themes and Eligible Partner Countries: Proposals need to embrace a
global program design that incorporates all of the proposed themes
under Community Solutions. Program participants should be from all of
the regions listed below. Proposals that target countries or themes not
listed in this solicitation will be deemed technically ineligible. No
guarantee is made or implied that every theme will have participants.
1. Transparency and Accountability: Fellowships should provide
exposure to institutions and concepts related to civil society, grass-
roots democracy, good governance, anti-corruption, transparency,
accountability, and/or free and fair elections. The important role of
volunteerism and the culture of volunteerism can also be addressed,
when appropriate.
Geographic Regions and Eligible Countries
Africa: Zimbabwe, Uganda, Rwanda, Liberia, Zambia, Sierra
Leone.
East Asia and the Pacific: Mongolia, Cambodia, Thailand,
Laos, Singapore, Philippines, and Malaysia.
Europe: Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech
Republic.
South and Central Asia: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,
Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.
2. Tolerance/Conflict Resolution: Fellowships should expose
participants to issues and strategies that address tolerance, multi-
culturalism, discrimination, and conflict resolution. Negotiation
skills, the art of compromise, fair treatment of minority populations,
and civil rights and responsibilities can also be addressed. Based on
participants' specific interests, fellowships may need to be identified
that deal with conflict resolution and crisis response tools for use in
failing, failed, and post-conflict states and complex emergencies/
disasters.
Geographic Regions and Eligible Countries
Africa: Zimbabwe, Uganda, Rwanda, Liberia, Zambia, Sierra
Leone.
South and Central Asia: Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh.
Near East & North Africa: Israel, West Bank/Gaza, Lebanon,
Egypt, Jordan, Syria.
Western Hemisphere: El Salvador, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay,
and Trinidad.
3. Environmental Issues: Fellowships for the ``Environmental
Issues'' theme should focus on issues related to water and resource
management, food security, supporting the food supply (at local,
regional or national levels), social entrepreneurship (to leverage
science and technology to address ecological and environmental issues)
low-carbon technologies, and the use of natural resources, pollution,
sustainable energy, and climate change.
Geographic Regions and Eligible Countries
South and Central Asia: Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh,
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.
Near East & North Africa: Israel, West Bank/Gaza, Lebanon,
Egypt, Jordan, Syria.
Western Hemisphere: El Salvador, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay,
and Trinidad.
4. Women's Issues: Fellowships for the ``Women's Issues'' theme
should focus on issues related to women's empowerment, women's
education,

[[Page 21098]]

women's health, women entrepreneurs, gender equality, and the
prevention of all forms of exploitation, including domestic violence.
Special emphasis should be placed on identifying Fellowships that will
provide exposure to best practices for grassroots organizations working
to advance the political, economic, and social empowerment of women.
Geographic Regions and Eligible Countries
Africa: Zimbabwe, Uganda, Rwanda, Liberia, Zambia, Sierra
Leone.
Near East & North Africa: Israel, West Bank/Gaza, Lebanon,
Egypt, Jordan, Syria.
Additional guidelines and programming responsibilities of the
recipient organization and ECA are located in the POGI.

II. Award Information

Type of Award: Cooperative Agreement. ECA's level of involvement in
this program is listed under number I above.
Fiscal Year Funds: 2010.
Approximate Total Funding: $1,500,000.
Approximate Number of Awards: 1.
Floor of Award Range: $1,500,000.
Ceiling of Award Range: $1,500,000.
Anticipated Award Date: September 1, 2010.
Anticipated Project Completion Date: July 2012.

III. Eligibility Information

III.1. Eligible Applicants

Proposals may be submitted by U.S. public and non-profit
organizations meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code
section 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3).

III.2. Cost Sharing or Matching Funds

There is no minimum or maximum percentage required for this
competition. However, the Bureau encourages applicants to provide
maximum levels of cost sharing and funding in support of its programs.
When cost sharing is offered, it is understood and agreed that the
applicant must provide the amount of cost sharing as stipulated in its
proposal and later included in an approved agreement. Cost sharing may
be in the form of allowable direct or indirect costs. For
accountability, you must maintain written records to support all costs
which are claimed as your contribution, as well as costs to be paid by
the Federal government. Such records are subject to audit. The basis
for determining the value of cash and in-kind contributions must be in
accordance with OMB Circular A-110, (Revised), Subpart C.23--Cost
Sharing and Matching. In the event you do not provide the minimum
amount of cost sharing as stipulated in the approved budget, ECA's
contribution will be reduced in like proportion.

III.3. Other Eligibility Requirements

(a) Bureau grant guidelines require that organizations with less
than four years experience in conducting international exchanges be
limited to $60,000 in Bureau funding. ECA anticipates making one award,
in an amount up to $1,500,000 to support program and administrative
costs required to implement this exchange program. Therefore,
organizations with less than four years experience in conducting
international exchanges are ineligible to apply under this competition.
The Bureau encourages applicants to provide maximum levels of cost
sharing and funding in support of its programs.
(b) Technical Eligibility: All proposals must comply with the
following or they will result in your proposal being declared
technically ineligible and given no further consideration in the review
process.
Eligible applicants may not submit more than one proposal
under this competition.
If more than one proposal is received from the same
applicant, all submissions will be declared technically ineligible and
will receive no further consideration in the review process. Please
Note: Applicant organizations are defined by their legal name, and EIN
number as stated on their completed SF-424 and additional supporting
documentation outlined in the Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI)
document.
Eligible applicants may only propose working with the
countries and themes listed in this RFGP.
Please refer to the Proposal Submission Instruction (PSI)
document for additional requirements.

IV. Application and Submission Information

Note: Please read the complete announcement before sending
inquiries or submitting proposals. Once the RFGP deadline has
passed, Bureau staff may not discuss this competition with
applicants until the proposal review process has been completed.

IV.1. Contact Information To Request an Application Package

Please contact David Gustafson in the Office of Citizen Exchanges,
ECA/PE/C, U.S. Department of State, SA-5, 3rd Floor, 2200 C St., NW.,
Washington, DC 20522-0503, ph: (202) 632-6083, [email protected] to
request a Solicitation Package. Please refer to the Funding Opportunity
Number: (ECA/PE/C/EUR-SCA-10-60).
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 Linn[eacute]a E. Allison and refer to the Funding
Opportunity Number (ECA/PE/C/EUR-SCA-10-60) 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/grants/open2.html, 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.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 and the Project
Objectives, Goals and Implementation (POGI) document for additional
formatting and technical requirements.

[[Page 21099]]

IV.3c. You must have non-profit status with the IRS at the time of
application. Please Note: Effective January 7, 2009, all applicants for
ECA Federal assistance awards must include in their application the
names of directors and/or senior executives (current officers,
trustees, and key employees, regardless of amount of compensation). In
fulfilling this requirement, applicants must submit information in one
of the following ways:
(1) Those who file Internal Revenue Service Form 990, ``Return of
Organization Exempt From Income Tax,'' must include a copy of relevant
portions of this form.
(2) Those who do not file IRS Form 990 must submit information
above in the format of their choice.
In addition to final program reporting requirements, award
recipients will also be required to submit a one-page document, derived
from their program reports, listing and describing their grant
activities. For award recipients, the names of directors and/or senior
executives (current officers, trustees, and key employees), as well as
the one- page description of grant activities, will be transmitted by
the State Department to OMB, along with other information required by
the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA), and
will be made available to the public by the Office of Management and
Budget on its USASpending.gov Web site as part of ECA's FFATA reporting
requirements.
If your organization is a private non-profit which has not received
a grant or cooperative agreement from ECA in the past three years, or
if your organization received non-profit status from the IRS within the
past four years, you must submit the necessary documentation to verify
non-profit 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 62,
which covers the administration of the Exchange Visitor Program (J visa
program). Under the terms of 22 CFR 62, organizations receiving awards
(either a grant or cooperative agreement) under this RFGP will be third
parties ``cooperating with or assisting the sponsor in the conduct of
the sponsor's program.'' The actions of recipient organizations shall
be ``imputed to the sponsor in evaluating the sponsor's compliance
with'' 22 CFR 62. Therefore, the Bureau expects that any organization
receiving an award under this competition will render all assistance
necessary to enable the Bureau to fully comply with 22 CFR 62 et seq.
The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs places critically
important emphases on the secure and proper administration of Exchange
Visitor (J visa) Programs and adherence by recipient organizations and
program participants to all regulations governing the J visa program
status. Therefore, proposals should explicitly state in writing that
the applicant is prepared to assist the Bureau in meeting all
requirements governing the administration of Exchange Visitor Programs
as set forth in 22 CFR 62. If your organization has experience as a
designated Exchange Visitor Program Sponsor, the applicant should
discuss their record of compliance with 22 CFR 62 et seq., including
the oversight of their Responsible Officers and Alternate Responsible
Officers, screening and selection of program participants, provision of
pre-arrival information and orientation to participants, monitoring of
participants, proper maintenance and security of forms, record-keeping,
reporting and other requirements.
The Office of Citizen Exchanges of ECA will be responsible for
issuing DS-2019 forms to participants in this program.
A copy of the complete regulations governing the administration of
Exchange Visitor (J) programs is available at http://exchanges.state.gov or from: Office of Designation, ECA/EC/D, SA-5,
Floor C2, Department of State, Washington, DC 20522-0582.
IV.3d.2 Diversity, Freedom and Democracy Guidelines
Pursuant to the Bureau's authorizing legislation, programs must
maintain a non-political character and should be balanced and
representative of the diversity of American political, social, and
cultural life. ``Diversity'' should be interpreted in the broadest
sense and encompass differences including, but not limited to
ethnicity, race, gender, religion, geographic location, socio-economic
status, and disabilities. Applicants are strongly encouraged to adhere
to the advancement of this principle both in program administration and
in program content. Please refer to the review criteria under the
`Support for Diversity' section for specific suggestions on
incorporating diversity into your proposal. Public Law 104-319 provides
that ``in carrying out programs of educational and cultural exchange in
countries whose people do not fully enjoy freedom and democracy,'' the
Bureau ``shall take appropriate steps to provide opportunities for
participation in such programs to human rights and democracy leaders of
such countries.'' Public Law 106-113 requires that the governments of
the countries described above do not have inappropriate influence in
the selection process. Proposals should reflect advancement of these
goals in their program contents, to the full extent deemed feasible.
IV.3d.3. Program Monitoring and Evaluation
Proposals must include a plan to monitor and evaluate the project's
success, both as the activities unfold and at the end of the program.
The Bureau recommends that your proposal include a draft survey
questionnaire or other survey 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 depends 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

[[Page 21100]]

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 delineated in the RFGP (listed here
in increasing order of importance):
1. Participant satisfaction with the program and exchange
experience.
2. Participant learning, such as increased knowledge, aptitude,
skills, and changed understanding and attitude. Learning includes both
substantive (subject-specific) learning and mutual understanding.
3. Participant behavior, concrete actions to apply knowledge in
work or community; greater participation and responsibility in civic
organizations; interpretation and explanation of experiences and new
knowledge gained; continued contacts between participants, community
members, and others.
4. Institutional changes, such as increased collaboration and
partnerships, policy reforms, new programming, and organizational
improvements.
Please Note: Consideration should be given to the appropriate
timing of data collection for each level of outcome. For example,
satisfaction is usually captured as a short-term outcome, whereas
behavior and institutional changes are normally considered longer-term
outcomes.
Overall, the quality of your monitoring and evaluation plan will be
judged on how well it: (1) Specifies intended outcomes; (2) gives clear
descriptions of how each outcome will be measured; (3) identifies when
particular outcomes will be measured; and (4) provides a clear
description of the data collection strategies for each outcome (i.e.,
surveys, interviews, or focus groups). (Please note that evaluation
plans that deal only with the first level of outcomes [satisfaction]
will be deemed less competitive under the present evaluation criteria.)
Recipient organizations will be required to provide reports
analyzing their evaluation findings to the Bureau in their regular
program reports. All data collected, including survey responses and
contact information, must be maintained for a minimum of three years
and provided to the Bureau upon request.
IV.3e. Please follow the guidelines in this section and consult the
PSI when preparing the budget submission:
IV.3e.1. Applicants must submit SF-424A--``Budget Information--Non-
Construction Programs'' along with a comprehensive budget for the
entire program. Budget requests may not exceed $1,500,000. There must
be a summary budget as well as breakdowns reflecting both
administrative and program budgets. Applicants may provide separate
sub-budgets for each program component, phase, location, or activity to
provide clarification.
IV.3e.2. Allowable costs for the program are outlined in the POGI.
IV.3F. Application Deadline and Methods of Submission
Application Deadline Date: June 3, 2010.
Reference Number: ECA/PE/C/EUR-SCA-10-60.
Methods of Submission: Applications may be submitted in one of two
ways:
(1) In hard-copy, via a nationally recognized overnight delivery
service (i.e., Federal Express, UPS, Airborne Express, or U.S. Postal
Service Express Overnight Mail, etc.), or
(2) Electronically through 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 eight (8) copies of the application should be sent
to: Program Management Division, ECA-IIP/EX/PM, Ref.: ECA/PE/C/EUR-SCA-
10-60, 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'' sections of the
proposal in text (.txt) or Microsoft Word format on CD-ROM. As
appropriate, the Bureau will provide these files electronically to
Public Affairs Sections at U.S. embassies for 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 Note: ECA bears no responsibility for applicant
timeliness of submission or data errors resulting from transmission
or conversion processes for proposals submitted via Grants.gov.

Please follow the instructions available in the `Get Started'
portion of the site (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 extensive
section on frequently asked questions, located under the ``For
Applicants'' section of

[[Page 21101]]

the Web site. ECA strongly recommends that all potential applicants
review thoroughly the Grants.gov Web site, well in advance of
submitting a proposal through the Grants.gov system. ECA bears no
responsibility for data errors resulting from transmission or
conversion processes.
Direct all questions regarding Grants.gov registration and
submission to:
Grants.gov Customer Support.
Contact Center Phone: 800-518-4726.
Business Hours: Monday-Friday, 7 a.m.-9 p.m. Eastern Time.
E-mail: grants.gov">support@grants.gov.
Applicants have until midnight (12 a.m.), Washington, DC time of
the closing date to ensure that their entire application has been
uploaded to the Grants.gov site. There are no exceptions to the above
deadline. Applications uploaded to the site after midnight of the
application deadline date will be automatically rejected by the
grants.gov system, and will be technically ineligible.
Please refer to the Grants.gov Web site, for definitions of various
``application statuses'' and the difference between a submission
receipt and a submission validation.
Applicants will receive a validation e-mail from grants.gov upon
the successful submission of an application. Again, validation of an
electronic submission via Grants.gov can take up to two business days.
Therefore, we strongly recommend that you not wait until the
application deadline to begin the submission process through
Grants.gov. ECA will not notify you upon receipt of electronic
applications.
It is the responsibility of all applicants submitting proposals via
the Grants.gov Web portal to ensure that proposals have been received
by Grants.gov in their entirety, and ECA bears no responsibility for
data errors resulting from transmission or conversion processes.
IV.3g. Intergovernmental Review of Applications
Executive Order 12372 does not apply to this program.

V. Application Review Information

V.1. Review Process

The Bureau will review all proposals for technical eligibility.
Proposals will be deemed ineligible if they do not fully adhere to the
guidelines stated herein and in the Solicitation Package. All eligible
proposals will be reviewed by the program office, as well as the Public
Diplomacy section overseas, where appropriate. Eligible proposals will
be subject to compliance with Federal and Bureau regulations and
guidelines and then be 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
cooperative agreements resides with the Bureau's Grants Officer.
Review Criteria
Technically eligible proposals will be competitively reviewed
according to the criteria stated below. These criteria are not rank
ordered and all carry equal weight in the proposal evaluation:
1. Quality of the Program Idea: Proposals should exhibit
originality, substance, precision, and relevance to the Bureau's
mission.
2. Program Planning and Ability to Achieve Objectives: Program
objectives should be stated clearly and should reflect the applicant's
expertise in the subject area and region. Objectives should respond to
the topics in this announcement and should relate to the current
conditions in the target country/countries. A detailed agenda and
relevant work plan should explain how objectives will be achieved and
should include a timetable for completion of major tasks. The substance
of workshops, Fellowships, seminars and/or consulting should be
described in detail. Sample schedules should be outlined.
Responsibilities of proposed in-country partners should be clearly
described. A discussion of how the applicant intends to address
language issues should be included, if needed.
3. Institutional Capacity and Track Record: Proposals should
include (1) the institution's mission and date of establishment; (2)
detailed information about proposed in-country partner(s) and the
history of the partnership; (3) an outline of prior awards--U.S.
government and/or private support received for the target theme/
country/region; and (4) descriptions and resumes of experienced staff
members who will implement the program. The proposal should reflect the
institution's expertise in the subject area and knowledge of the
conditions in the target country/countries. Proposals should
demonstrate an institutional record of successful exchange programs,
including responsible fiscal management and full compliance with all
reporting requirements for past Bureau grants as determined by Bureau
Grants Staff. The Bureau will consider the past performance of prior
recipients and the demonstrated potential of new applicants. Proposed
personnel and institutional resources should be adequate and
appropriate to achieve the program's goals. The Bureau strongly
encourages applicants to submit letters of support from proposed in-
country partners.
4. Cost Effectiveness and Cost Sharing: Overhead and administrative
costs in the proposal budget, including salaries, honoraria and
subcontracts for services, should be kept to a minimum. Proposals in
which the administrative costs do not exceed 25% of the total requested
ECA grant funds will be more competitive. Applicants are strongly
encouraged to cost share a portion of overhead and administrative
expenses. Cost-sharing, including contributions from the applicant,
proposed in-country partner(s), and other sources should be included in
the budget request. Proposal budgets that do not reflect cost sharing
will be deemed not competitive on this criterion.
5. Support of Diversity: Proposals should demonstrate substantive
support of the Bureau's policy on diversity. Achievable and relevant
features should be cited in both program administration (selection of
participants, program venue and program evaluation) and program content
(orientation and wrap-up sessions, program meetings, resource materials
and follow-up activities). Applicants should refer to the Bureau's
Diversity, Freedom and Democracy Guidelines in the Proposal Submission
Instructions (PSI).
6. Multiplier Effect/Follow-on Activities: Proposed programs should
strengthen long-term mutual understanding, including maximum sharing of
information and establishment of long-term institutional and individual
linkages.
7. Project Evaluation: Proposals should include a detailed plan to
evaluate the program, both as activities unfold and at the end of the
program. Program objectives should target clearly defined results in
quantitative terms. Competitive evaluation plans will describe how
applicant organizations would measure these results, and proposals
should include draft data collection instruments (surveys,
questionnaires, etc.) in Tab E.
8. Stewardship: Applicants should address how they will utilize
innovative tools, low-carbon technologies, and socially responsible
approaches to program implementation, including Web-based and other
technologies, to reduce the program's carbon footprint and be a
faithful steward of Federal resources.

[[Page 21102]]

VI. Award Administration Information

VI.1a. Award Notices

Final awards cannot be made until funds have been appropriated by
Congress, allocated and committed through internal Bureau procedures.
Successful applicants will receive a Federal Assistance Award (FAA)
from the Bureau's Grants Office. The FAA and the original proposal with
subsequent modifications (if applicable) shall be the only binding
authorizing document between the recipient and the U.S. Government. The
FAA will be signed by an authorized Grants Officer, and mailed to the
recipient's responsible officer identified in the application.
Unsuccessful applicants will receive notification of the results of
the application review from the ECA program office coordinating this
competition.

VI. 1b.

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
Linn[eacute]a E. Allison at (202) 632-6060, or [email protected],
for additional information.

VI.2 Administrative and National Policy Requirements

Terms and Conditions for the Administration of ECA agreements
include the following:

Office of Management and Budget Circular A-122, ``Cost Principles for
Nonprofit Organizations''
Office of Management and Budget Circular A-21, ``Cost Principles for
Educational Institutions''
OMB Circular A-87, ``Cost Principles for State, Local and Indian
Governments''
OMB Circular No. A-110 (Revised), Uniform Administrative Requirements
for Grants and Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education,
Hospitals, and other Nonprofit Organizations
OMB Circular No. A-102, Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants-
in-Aid to State and Local Governments
OMB Circular No. A-133, Audits of States, Local Government, and Non-
profit Organizations

Please reference the following Web sites for additional
information:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants.
http://fa.statebuy.state.gov.

VI.3. Reporting Requirements

You must provide ECA with an electronic copy of the following
reports at [email protected]:
Mandatory
(1) A final program and financial report no more than 90 days after
the expiration of the award;
(2) A concise, one-page final program report summarizing program
outcomes no more than 90 days after the expiration of the award. This
one-page report will be transmitted to OMB, and be made available to
the public via OMB's USAspending.gov 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) Quarterly program and financial reports highlighting all major
activities undertaken during the grant period including program
analysis and lessons learned.
Award recipients will be required to provide reports analyzing
their evaluation findings to the Bureau in their regular program
reports. (Please refer to IV. Application and Submission Instructions
(IV.3.d.3) above for Program Monitoring and Evaluation information.
All 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. 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. At 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, please contact:
Linn[eacute]a E. Allison, U.S. Department of State, Office of Citizen
Exchanges, 2200 C Street (SA-5, 3rd Floor), NW., Washington, DC 20522-
0503, (202) 632-6060 (tel.) (202) 632-6492 (fax), or
[email protected].
All correspondence with the Bureau concerning this RFGP should
reference the above title and number (ECA/PE/C/EUR-SCA-10-60).
Please read the complete announcement before sending inquiries or
submitting proposals. Once the RFGP deadline has passed, Bureau staff
may not discuss this competition with applicants until the proposal
review process has been completed.

VIII. Other Information

Notice

The terms and conditions published in this RFGP are binding and may
not be modified by any Bureau representative.
Explanatory information provided by the Bureau that contradicts
published language will not be binding. Issuance of the RFGP does not
constitute an award commitment on the part of the Government. The
Bureau reserves the right to reduce, revise, or increase proposal
budgets in accordance with the needs of the program and the
availability of funds. Awards made will be subject to periodic
reporting and evaluation requirements per section VI.3 above.

Dated: April 15, 2010.
Maura M. Pally,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs,
Department of State.
[FR Doc. 2010-9360 Filed 4-21-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P