[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 9 (Thursday, January 13, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2432-2438]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-499]
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DEPARTMENT OF STATE
[Public Notice 7295]
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for
Grant Proposals: FY2012 Humphrey Fellowship Program
Announcement Type: New Cooperative Agreement.
Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/A/S/U-12-01.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 19.010.
Application Deadline: April 4, 2011.
Executive Summary: The U.S. Department of State's Bureau of
Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) announces an open competition to
assist in the administration of the FY2012 Hubert H. Humphrey
Fellowship Program. 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 cooperate with the Bureau in the
administration and implementation of the FY2012 Humphrey Program. The
final amount that will be available in FY2012 to fund the Humphrey
Program has not yet been determined. Applicants are asked to prepare a
budget not to exceed $13,500,000 for program and administrative costs.
Please indicate the number of participants who can be accommodated
based on detailed calculations of program and administrative costs. For
more information about calculating budget requests, see paragraph
IV.3.e.1 of this document. Pending the availability of FY2012 funds,
the Agreement should begin on October 1, 2011 and should expire on
September 30, 2014.
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Authority
Overall grant making authority for this program is contained in the
Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961, Public Law 87-
256, as amended, also known as the Fulbright-Hays Act. The purpose of
the Act is ``to enable the Government of the United States to increase
mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the
people of other countries * * *; to strengthen the ties which unite us
with other nations by demonstrating the educational and cultural
interests, developments, and achievements of the people of the United
States and other nations * * * and thus to assist in the development of
friendly, sympathetic and peaceful relations between the United States
and the other countries of the world.'' The funding authority for the
program above is provided through legislation.
Purpose
Overview: The Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program was established
in 1978. The goal of the Humphrey Program is to strengthen U.S.
interaction with professionals from developing and emerging countries
who are well placed to address their countries' development needs in
key areas including public health, sustainable growth, and democratic
institution-building, while providing participants with opportunities
to develop professional expertise and leadership skills for public
service in their countries. Each year the Humphrey Program brings
accomplished professionals from North Africa and the Middle East, Sub-
Saharan Africa, East Asia and the Pacific, South and Central Asia,
Latin America, the Caribbean, Eastern Europe, and Eurasia to the U.S.
for a ten-month stay combining non-degree graduate study, leadership
training, and professional development. Candidates for the Humphrey
Program are nominated by U.S. Embassies or binational Fulbright
Commissions, based on the candidates' professional backgrounds,
academic qualifications, and leadership potential. By providing these
emerging leaders with opportunities to understand U.S. society and
culture and to participate with U.S. colleagues in current approaches
to the fields in which they work, the Humphrey Program provides a basis
for on-going cooperation between U.S. citizens and their professional
counterparts in other countries.
Fellowships are granted competitively to candidates who have a
public service orientation, a commitment to their
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countries' development, and clear leadership potential. Candidates are
recruited from both the public and the private sectors, including non-
governmental organizations, in areas that include the following:
Agricultural and rural development; communications/journalism; economic
development; educational administration, planning, and policy; finance
and banking; higher education administration; HIV/AIDS policy,
prevention, and treatment; human resource management; law and human
rights; natural resource management, environmental policy, and climate
change; public health policy and management; public policy analysis and
public administration; substance abuse education, treatment, and
prevention; teaching of English as a foreign language; technology
policy and management; trafficking in persons policy and prevention;
and urban and regional planning. Humphrey Fellows typically range in
age from the late 20's to the mid-50's; are professionals in leadership
positions who have the requisite experience, skills, and commitment to
public service to advance in their professions; have a minimum of five
years of professional experience; and have an interest in policy
issues. English speaking ability is required; to enable the Program to
accommodate qualified candidates from under-represented populations, up
to 6 months of intensive English instruction is offered in the U.S. to
selected Fellows prior to the start of the academic-year program.
Outreach to under-represented populations is a major priority of the
Bureau, and in recent years more than half of the incoming Humphrey
Fellows have undertaken some pre-academic English training.
Seventeen universities are currently serving as Humphrey host
institutions: American University (law and human rights); Arizona State
University (journalism); Boston University (finance and banking);
Cornell University (agricultural and rural development and natural
resource management, environmental policy, and climate change); Emory
University (public health); Johns Hopkins University (substance abuse
prevention and treatment); the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
(urban/regional planning); Michigan State University (economic
development); Pennsylvania State University (education); Syracuse
University (public administration); Tulane University (public health);
the University of California, Davis (agricultural and rural development
and natural resource management, environmental policy, and climate
change); the University of Maryland, College Park (journalism); the
University of Minnesota (two cohorts, one in law and human rights and
one in public administration); the University of Washington (public
administration); Vanderbilt University (education); and Virginia
Commonwealth University (substance abuse prevention and treatment).
These institutions are selected to host groups of Humphrey Fellows
through a competitive process coordinated by the recipient in
consultation with the Bureau. Fellows are placed at one of these
Humphrey host institutions in multi-regional professional clusters of
approximately ten to fifteen Fellows (e.g., twelve Fellows in law and
human rights from twelve different countries would be placed at one
university that has applied and been approved to host Fellows in this
field). Each field of study is openly competed every five years, a
cycle which results in one or two fields of study being openly competed
in any given year. The schedule for host campus competitions is
provided in the Project Objectives, Goals, and Implementation (POGI)
document for this solicitation. The recipient will initially be
expected to establish cooperative arrangements with the current host
universities for one year. However, proposals should include a strategy
for evaluating host campus performance over the course of the year and
for organizing and administering a competition to obtain and review
applications from a diverse range of institutions to serve as host
universities in the fields of study scheduled to be competed in FY2012.
To provide a more diverse U.S. experience for the Humphrey Fellows
and to engage a more diverse range of communities in the United States
in international exchange programs sponsored by the Department of
State, ``associate campuses'' that might not otherwise have the
capacity for graduate-level international programming (including
community colleges and rural or minority-serving institutions) now
cooperate with Humphrey host universities to engage Humphrey Fellows
substantively in projects and events at the associate campuses. The
plans for host university competitions should include a requirement
that all applicant universities include an associate campus component
in their proposals.
Proposals must conform with the Bureau requirements and guidelines
outlined in the Solicitation Package, which includes this document (the
Request for Grant Proposals, or RFGP); the Project Objectives, Goals
and Implementation (POGI); and the Proposal Submission Instructions
(PSI).
The Bureau will work cooperatively and closely with the recipient
of this Cooperative Agreement and will maintain a regular dialogue on
administrative and program issues and questions as they arise over the
duration of the award.
Contingent upon satisfactory performance based on annual reviews
and availability of funds in subsequent fiscal years, the Bureau
intends to renew this award each year for four additional years, before
openly competing it again.
Guidelines
Program Planning and Implementation
Applicant organizations are requested to submit a narrative
outlining a comprehensive strategy for the administration and program
implementation of the Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program including
preparation of participant recruitment guidelines, coordination with
U.S. Embassies and binational Fulbright Commissions, selection and
placement of participants at host universities, monitoring the Fellows'
academic and professional programs, and alumni support. In addition,
applicant organizations should outline a plan for a range of
enhancement activities that will reinforce one another and build on the
core academic and professional program. These activities must include,
but are not limited to, a fall program-wide seminar in Washington, DC,
professional enhancement workshops on specific topics for those Fellows
who share an interest in the topics (for example, sustainable use of
resources, climate change, food security, international finance, or
conflict resolution), and an end-of-year program-wide workshop focusing
on issues related to re-entering the home country environment and to
implementing the skills and knowledge gained during the Humphrey year.
The comprehensive program strategy should reflect a vision for the
Program as a whole, interpreting the goals of the Humphrey Program with
creativity and providing innovative ideas and recommendations for the
Program. The strategy should include a description of how the various
components of the Program will be integrated to build upon and
reinforce one another. For example, workshops or seminars should build
on the campus-based academic and professional program in support of the
Humphrey Program's goal of enabling the Fellows to develop leadership
skills in public service.
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Applicants should propose a theme for the program-wide seminar and
identify by name potential speakers who will stimulate the Fellows to
engage in discussions with the speakers and one another in ways that
are consistent with the seminar's objectives and the Program's goals.
Applicants should describe how they will provide periodic
electronic data uploads for the Bureau's participant database, and how
they will ensure that these updates are accurate. Please describe a
strategy for maintaining a Humphrey Program Web site and for updating
it periodically so that Fellows' achievements and statements, listings
of eligible countries, Embassy and Fulbright Commission contacts, and
the listing of host universities are current and complete. Applicants
should also be prepared to collaborate with the Bureau to create and
maintain a Humphrey-specific section of the ECA alumni Web site and
help promote this Web site to alumni as well as current participants.
Pending availability of funds, this award should begin on October
1, 2011 and will run through September 30, 2014. This award would
include both the administrative and program portions of the Hubert H.
Humphrey Fellowship Program such as: The selection and placement of the
2012-2013 class of Fellows and the monitoring of their programs; the
administration of creative programs of follow-up support and
coordination with Humphrey alumni from all classes in coordination with
the Bureau's comprehensive alumni outreach efforts; and the
administration and implementation of enhancement activities for the
2012-2013 class such as workshops, seminars, or other activities to be
proposed by the applicant organizations.
Funding for administrative expenses under this award, such as
salaries and benefits, staff travel, office supplies, postage,
communications, and indirect costs will cover only the period October
1, 2011 through September 30, 2012.
Funding for program expenses will cover programmatic needs for the
2012-2013 class of Humphrey Fellows throughout the entire Agreement
period (October 1, 2011 through September 30, 2014) according to the
work plan approved in the final Cooperative Agreement.
Alumni activities should address the following ECA alumni program
goals: To foster U.S. diplomatic mission engagement with exchange
alumni; to foster alumni implementation and teaching of the concepts
they explored during their exchange programs; to provide training that
will foster the ability of alumni to share and implement these
concepts; and to participate in long-term evaluations of the Humphrey
Program. Alumni programming may include, but is not limited to,
activities such as workshops allowing alumni to share their knowledge
with the public, including youth; activities fostering community
service, or small grants competitions.
A separate Agreement with the current recipient will cover
administrative implementation of the program for academic year 2011-
2012 Humphrey Fellows until the conclusion of their U.S. program in the
late spring of 2012. For the FY2012 Cooperative Agreement, which this
announcement covers, the recipient will have responsibility for
selection, placement, and program implementation for the academic year
2012-2013 Fellows and for alumni programming for all program alumni. In
FY2012 and subsequent years, if the award is renewed, the recipient
would additionally be responsible for overseeing the programs of the
Fellows who will be in the U.S. in subsequent years (for example, the
programs of academic year 2013-2014 Fellows in FY2013).
Please refer to the POGI for specific program and budget
guidelines.
In a Cooperative Agreement, ECA/A/S/U is substantially involved in
program activities above and beyond routine grant monitoring. ECA/A/S/U
will consult frequently with the recipient on details of program
implementation as illustrated in the list below of items for which
program office consultation and approval is required. ECA/A/S/U
activities and responsibilities for this program are as follows:
Specific plans for enhancement activities such as
workshops, seminars, and retreats including themes, agendas, and
speakers;
Texts for publication;
Candidate Review Committee members;
Co-funding initiatives;
Alumni conference plans and other alumni support
initiatives;
Recommendations of the host campus selection committee;
Associate host campus partnerships;
Country eligibility and nomination quotas;
Formulation of program policy;
Assignment of recommended candidates to principal or
alternate status;
Program evaluation activities.
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: 2012.
Approximate Total Funding: $13.5 million.
Approximate Number of Awards: 1.
Approximate Average Award: Pending availability of funds, $13.5
million.
Anticipated Award Date: Pending availability of funds, October 1,
2011.
Anticipated Project Completion Date: September 30, 2014.
Additional Information
Pending successful implementation of this program and the
availability of funds in subsequent fiscal years, it is ECA's intent to
renew this award each year for four additional fiscal years, before
openly competing it again.
(III.) Eligibility Information:
III.1. Eligible applicants: Applications may be submitted by public
and private non-profit organizations meeting the provisions described
in Internal Revenue Code section 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3).
III.2. Cost Sharing or Matching Funds: There is no minimum or
maximum percentage required for this competition. However, the Bureau
encourages applicants to provide maximum levels of cost sharing and
funding in support of its programs.
When cost sharing is offered, it is understood and agreed that the
applicant must provide the amount of cost sharing as stipulated in its
proposal and later included in an approved grant agreement. Cost
sharing may be in the form of allowable direct or indirect costs. For
accountability, you must maintain written records to support all costs
which are claimed as your contribution, as well as costs to be paid by
the Federal government. Such records are subject to audit. The basis
for determining the value of cash and in-kind contributions must be in
accordance with OMB Circular A-110, (Revised), Subpart C.23--Cost
Sharing and Matching. In the event you do not provide the minimum
amount of cost sharing as stipulated in the approved budget, ECA's
contribution will be reduced in like proportion.
III.3. Other Eligibility Requirements:
(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 issuing one
award, in an amount up to $13.5 million to support program and
administrative costs required to implement this exchange program.
Therefore, organizations with less than four years experience in
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conducting international exchanges are ineligible to apply under this
competition. The Bureau encourages applicants to provide maximum levels
of cost sharing and funding in support of its programs.
(IV.) Application and Submission Information:
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 Humphrey Fellowships and Institutional Linkages Branch,
ECA/A/S/U, SA-5, 4th Floor, U.S. Department of State, 2200 C Street,
NW., Washington, DC 20037, telephone: (202)632-6331, fax (202)632-9479,
e-mail: state.gov">pschelp@state.gov to request a Solicitation Package. Please
refer to the Funding Opportunity Number ECA/A/S/U-12-01 when making
your request.
Alternatively, an electronic application package may be obtained
from grants.gov. Please see section IV.3f for further information.
The Solicitation Package contains the Proposal Submission
Instruction (PSI) document which consists of required application
forms, and standard guidelines for proposal preparation.
It also contains the Project Objectives, Goals and Implementation
(POGI) document, which provides specific information, award criteria
and budget instructions tailored to this competition.
Please specify Bureau Program Officer Paul Schelp and refer to
Funding Opportunity Number ECA/A/S/U-12-01 on all 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.3f. ``Application Deadline and
Methods of Submission'' section below.
IV.3a. You are required to have a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal
Numbering System (DUNS) number to apply for a grant or cooperative
agreement from the U.S. Government. This number is a nine-digit
identification number, which uniquely identifies business entities.
Obtaining a DUNS number is easy and there is no charge. To obtain a
DUNS number, access http://www.dunandbradstreet.com or call 1-866-705-
5711. Please ensure that your DUNS number is included in the
appropriate box of the SF--424 which is part of the formal application
package.
IV.3b. All proposals must contain an executive summary, proposal
narrative and budget.
Please Refer to the Solicitation Package. It contains the mandatory
Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) document and the Project
Objectives, Goals and Implementation (POGI) document for additional
formatting and technical requirements.
IV.3c. All federal award recipients and sub-recipients must
maintain current registrations in the Central Contractor Registration
(CCR) database and have a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering
System (DUNS) number. Recipients and sub-recipients must maintain
accurate and up-to-date information in the CCR until all program and
financial activity and reporting have been completed. All entities must
review and update the information at least annually after the initial
registration and more frequently if required information changes or
another award is granted.
You must have nonprofit status with the IRS at the time of
application. Please note: Effective January 7, 2009, all applicants for
ECA federal assistance awards must include in their application the
names of directors and/or senior executives (current officers,
trustees, and key employees, regardless of amount of compensation). In
fulfilling this requirement, applicants must submit information in one
of the following ways:
(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 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
emphasis 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, record-keeping, reporting and other requirements.
Employees of the Grantee will be named Alternate Responsible
Officers and will be responsible for issuing DS-2019 forms to
participants in this program and performing all actions to comply with
the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS).
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 20037.
Please refer to Solicitation Package for further information.
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,
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geographic location, socio-economic status, and disabilities.
Applicants are strongly encouraged to adhere to the advancement of this
principle both in program administration and in program content. Please
refer to the review criteria under the ``Support for Diversity''
section for specific suggestions on incorporating diversity into your
proposal. Public Law 104-319 provides that ``in carrying out programs
of educational and cultural exchange in countries whose people do not
fully enjoy freedom and democracy,'' the Bureau ``shall take
appropriate steps to provide opportunities for participation in such
programs to human rights and democracy leaders of such countries.''
Public Law 106-113 requires that the governments of the countries
described above do not have inappropriate influence in the selection
process. Proposals should reflect advancement of these goals in their
program contents, to the full extent deemed feasible.
IV.3d.3. Program Monitoring and Evaluation. Proposals must include
a plan to monitor and evaluate the project's success, both as the
activities unfold and at the end of the program. The Bureau recommends
that your proposal include a draft survey questionnaire or other
technique plus a description of a methodology to use to link outcomes
to original project objectives. The Bureau expects that the recipient
organization will track participants or partners and be able to respond
to key evaluation questions, including satisfaction with the program,
learning as a result of the program, changes in behavior as a result of
the program, and effects of the program on institutions (institutions
in which participants work or partner institutions). The evaluation
plan should include indicators that measure gains in mutual
understanding as well as substantive knowledge.
Successful monitoring and evaluation depend heavily on setting
clear goals and outcomes at the outset of a program. Your evaluation
plan should include a description of your project's objectives, your
anticipated project outcomes, and how and when you intend to measure
these outcomes (performance indicators). The more that outcomes are
``smart'' (specific, measurable, attainable, results-oriented, and
placed in a reasonable time frame), the easier it will be to conduct
the evaluation. You should also show how your project objectives link
to the goals of the program described in this RFGP.
Your monitoring and evaluation plan should clearly distinguish
between program outputs and outcomes. Outputs are products and services
delivered, often stated as an amount. Output information is important
to show the scope or size of project activities, but it cannot
substitute for information about progress towards outcomes or the
results achieved. Examples of outputs include the number of people
trained or the number of seminars conducted. Outcomes, in contrast,
represent specific results a project is intended to achieve and is
usually measured as an extent of change. Findings on outputs and
outcomes should both be reported, but the focus should be on outcomes.
We encourage you to assess the following four levels of outcomes,
as they relate to the program goals set out in the RFGP (listed here in
increasing order of importance):
1. Participant satisfaction with the program and exchange
experience.
2. Participant learning, such as increased knowledge, aptitude,
skills, and changed understanding and attitude. Learning includes both
substantive (subject-specific) learning and mutual understanding.
3. Participant behavior, concrete actions to apply knowledge in
work or community; greater participation and responsibility in civic
organizations; interpretation and explanation of experiences and new
knowledge gained; continued contacts between participants, community
members, and others.
4. Institutional changes, such as increased collaboration and
partnerships, policy reforms, new programming, and organizational
improvements.
Please note: Consideration should be given to the appropriate
timing of data collection for each level of outcome. For example,
satisfaction is usually captured as a short-term outcome, whereas
behavior and institutional changes are normally considered longer-
term outcomes.
Overall, the quality of your monitoring and evaluation plan will be
judged on how well it (1) specifies intended outcomes; (2) gives clear
descriptions of how each outcome will be measured; (3) identifies when
particular outcomes will be measured; and (4) provides a clear
description of the data collection strategies for each outcome (i.e.,
surveys, interviews, or focus groups). (Please note that evaluation
plans that deal only with the first level of outcomes [satisfaction]
will be deemed less competitive under the present evaluation criteria.)
Recipient organizations will be required to provide reports
analyzing their evaluation findings to the Bureau in their regular
program reports. All data collected, including survey responses and
contact information, must be maintained for a minimum of three years
and provided to the Bureau upon request.
IV.3.d.4. Describe your plans for staffing: Please provide a
staffing plan which outlines the responsibilities of each staff person
and explains which staff member will be accountable for each program
responsibility. Wherever possible please streamline administrative
processes.
IV.3e. Please take the following information into consideration
when preparing your budget:
IV.3.e.1. Applicants must submit SF-424A--``Budget Information--
Non-Construction Programs'' along with a comprehensive budget for the
entire program. There must be a summary budget as well as breakdowns
reflecting both administrative and program budgets. Applicants should
provide separate sub-budgets for each program component, phase,
location, or activity to provide clarification.
The summary and detailed administrative and program budgets should
be accompanied by a narrative which provides a brief rationale for each
line item including a methodology for estimating an appropriate average
maintenance allowance levels and tuition costs for the 2012-2013 class
of Humphrey Fellows and the number of participants that can be
accommodated at the proposed funding level. The total administrative
costs funded by the Bureau must be reasonable and appropriate.
IV.3.e.2. Allowable costs for the program and additional budget
guidance are outlined in detail in the POGI document.
Please refer to the Solicitation Package for complete budget
guidelines and formatting instructions.
IV.3f. Application Deadline and Methods of Submission:
Application Deadline Date: Monday, April 4, 2011.
Reference Number: ECA/A/S/U-12-01.
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
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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 seven copies of the application should be sent to:
Program Management Division, ECA-IIP/EX/PM, Ref.: ECA/A/S/U-12-01, SA-
5, Floor 4, Department of State, 2200 C Street, NW., Washington, DC
20037.
IV.3f.2--Submitting Electronic Applications. Applicants have the
option of submitting proposals electronically through Grants.gov
(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 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 am-9 pm Eastern Time, E-
mail: grants.gov">support@grants.gov.
Applicants have until midnight 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. 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
cooperative agreements resides with the Bureau's Grants Officer.
Review Criteria
Technically eligible applications will be competitively reviewed
according to the criteria stated below. These criteria are not rank
ordered and all carry equal weight in the proposal evaluation:
1. Quality of the program idea: Proposals should exhibit
originality, substance, precision, and relevance to the Bureau's
mission as well as to the objectives of the Humphrey Fellowship
Program.
2. Program planning: Detailed agenda and relevant work plan should
demonstrate substantive undertakings and logistical capacity. Agenda
and plan should adhere to the program overview and guidelines described
above. Objectives should be reasonable, feasible, and flexible.
3. Multiplier effect/impact: The proposed program should maximize
the Humphrey Program's potential to promote mutual understanding at the
individual, community, and professional levels and to encourage long-
term individual and institutional linkages.
4. 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).
5. Institutional capacity and record: Proposed personnel and
institutional resources should be adequate and appropriate to achieve
program goals. Proposals should demonstrate an institutional record of
successful exchange programs, including
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responsible fiscal management and full compliance with all reporting
requirements for past Bureau awards (grants or cooperative agreements)
as determined by Bureau Grants Staff. The Bureau will consider the past
performance of prior recipients and the demonstrated potential of new
applicants.
6. Follow-on and alumni activities: Proposals should provide a plan
for continued follow-on activity (both with and without Bureau support)
ensuring that the Humphrey Fellowship year is not an isolated event.
Activities should include tracking and maintaining updated lists of all
alumni and facilitating follow-up activities for alumni.
7. Project evaluation: Proposals should include a plan to evaluate
the activity's success, both as the activities unfold and at the end of
the program. A draft survey questionnaire or other technique plus
description of a methodology to use to link outcomes to original
project objectives is recommended. Successful applicants will be
expected to submit intermediate reports after major project components
are concluded.
8. Cost-effectiveness and cost-sharing: 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. Proposals should maximize cost-sharing
through other private sector support as well as institutional direct
funding contributions.
(VI.) Award Administration Information:
VI.1 Award Notices:
Final awards cannot be made until funds have been appropriated by
Congress, allocated and committed through internal Bureau procedures.
Successful applicants will receive a Federal Assistance Award (FAA)
from the Bureau's Grants Office. The FAA and the original proposal with
subsequent modifications (if applicable) shall be the only binding
authorizing document between the recipient and the U.S. Government. The
FAA will be signed by an authorized Grants Officer, and mailed to the
recipient's responsible officer identified in the application.
Unsuccessful applicants will receive notification of the results of
the application review from the ECA program office coordinating this
competition.
VI.2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements:
Terms and Conditions for the Administration of ECA agreements
include the following:
Office of Management and Budget Circular A-122, ``Cost Principles for
Nonprofit Organizations''
Office of Management and Budget Circular A-21, ``Cost Principles for
Educational Institutions''
OMB Circular A-87, ``Cost Principles for State, Local and Indian
Governments''
OMB Circular No. A-110 (Revised), Uniform Administrative Requirements
for Grants and Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education,
Hospitals, and other Nonprofit Organizations
OMB Circular No. A-102, Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants-
in-Aid to State and Local Governments
OMB Circular No. A-133, Audits of States, Local Government, and Non-
profit Organizations
Please reference the following Web sites for additional
information:
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 comprehensive 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) Annual program reports and quarterly financial reports.
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.
VII. Agency Contacts
For questions about this announcement, contact: Paul Schelp, U.S.
Department of State, Office of Global Educational Programs, SA-5, 4th
Floor, ECA/A/S/U, 2200 C Street, NW., Washington, DC 20037, telephone:
202-632-6331, fax 202-632-9479, state.gov">pschelp@state.gov.
All correspondence with the Bureau concerning this RFGP should
reference the above title and reference number ECA/A/S/U-12-01.
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: January 4, 2011.
Ann Stock,
Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S.
Department of State.
[FR Doc. 2011-499 Filed 1-12-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P