[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 132 (Thursday, July 10, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41197-41205]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-17481]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 4397]


Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs Request for Grant 
Proposals (RFGPs) in an Open Competition Seeking Cooperative 
International Projects To Introduce American and Foreign Participants 
to Each Other's Social, Economic, and Political Structures

SUMMARY: The Office of Citizen Exchanges of the Bureau of Educational 
and Cultural Affairs announces an open competition for cooperative 
international projects that introduce American and foreign participants 
to each others' social, economic, and political structures and 
international interests. U.S.-based 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 that support 
international projects in the United States and overseas involving 
current or potential leaders.
    Interested applicants should read the complete Federal Register 
announcement before addressing inquiries to the Office of Citizen 
Exchanges or submitting their proposals. Once the RFGP deadline has 
passed, the Office of Citizen Exchanges may not discuss this 
competition in any way with applicants until after the Bureau program 
and project review process has been completed.

    Important Note: This Request for Grant Proposals contains 
language in certain sections that is new or significantly different 
from that used in the past. Please pay special attention to the 
following sections: General Program Guidelines; Ineligibility; 
Program Data Requirements, and Budget Guidelines and Cost-Sharing 
Requirements.


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Interested organizations/institutions 
may contact the Office of Citizen Exchanges, room 216, SA-44, U.S. 
Department of State, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547, 
telephone number 202/619-5348, fax number 202/260-0440 to request a 
Solicitation Package. The Solicitation Package contains detailed award 
criteria, required application forms, specific budget instructions, and 
standard guidelines for proposal preparation. Please specify the 
appropriate Bureau Program Officer as listed below on all other 
inquiries and correspondence.
    To Download a Solicitation Package via Internet: The entire 
Solicitation Package also may be downloaded from the Bureau's Web site 
at http://exchanges.state.gov/education/RFGPs. Please read all 
information before downloading.

Announcement Name and Number

    All correspondence with the Bureau concerning this RFGP should 
reference the ``Open Competition for Cooperative International 
Projects'' and reference number: ECA/PE/C-04-01. Please refer to title 
and number in all correspondence or telephone calls to the Office of 
Citizen Exchanges.

Program Information

Overview

    The Office of Citizen Exchanges of the Bureau of Educational and 
Cultural Affairs announces this Open Competition for proposals for 
assistance grants for all world regions except Western, Central, 
Southeast Europe and Russia/Eurasia. We welcome proposals that directly 
respond to the following themes, regions and countries. Given budgetary 
considerations, projects in countries and for themes other than those 
listed will not be eligible for consideration. The themes listed below 
are important to the Office of Citizen Exchanges, but no guarantee is 
made or implied that grants will be made in all categories.
    This competition is based on the premise that people-to-people 
exchanges focused on the enhancement of human capacity and the 
encouragement and strengthening of democratic initiatives nurture the 
social, political, and economic development of society.
    Proposals for single country, sub-regional and regional projects 
will be accepted. In some cases, where noted, multi-country proposals 
will be given priority consideration.
    Proposals should be designed to support exchanges that operate on 
two levels: (1) They should enhance institutional partnerships between 
U.S. organizations and partner organizations in the region, improving 
the institutional capacity of the partner organizations, and (2) they 
should offer practical information and useful materials to enable the 
partners to share skills and practical experience after the grant 
period is over.
    The Bureau encourages applicants to consider carefully the choice 
of target countries and issues. In order to prevent duplication of 
effort, proposals should reflect an understanding of the work of USAID 
and other development agencies, where appropriate, on the target 
themes, and focus on countries for which there has been limited 
investment on the selected issue, or for which exchange activities 
would complement--not

[[Page 41198]]

duplicate--current assistance programs. Applicants are encouraged to 
contact the Office of Citizen Exchanges to discuss program concepts 
prior to proposal submission. In addition, applicants may contact the 
Public Affairs Sections in U.S. Embassies to discuss proposed 
activities and their relevance to mission priorities.
    To the extent possible, exchanges should be bilateral, with roughly 
equal numbers of participants from the U.S. and foreign countries. If a 
bilateral exchange is not proposed, the reasons should be explained in 
the proposal.
    Applicants should carefully review the following recommendations to 
tailor proposals to address issues of interest in specific geographical 
areas.
    Grants awarded to eligible organizations with less than four years 
of experience in conducting international development or exchange 
programs will be limited to $60,000. Applicants must submit a 
comprehensive budget for their entire proposed program. Grant awards 
will range from $60,000 to $200,000. Proposals must provide a summary 
budget as well as breakdowns reflecting both administrative and program 
budgets.
    Proposals which clearly demonstrate a significant cost-sharing--
with 50% of the amount requested from ECA as the preferred target--will 
be judged more competitive. For example, an organization requesting 
$150,000 would be more competitive if the proposal presented at least 
$75,000 in allowable cost sharing.

Sub-Saharan Africa (AF)

    Contacts for African programs: Curtis Huff, 202/619-5972; e-mail: 
[email protected], and Carol Herrera, 202/619-5405; e-mail: 
[email protected], James Ogul, 202/205-0535; e-mail: 
[email protected].
    1. Strengthen private sector approaches to generating economic 
growth and increasing productivity in Africa through expanded trade and 
investment, especially in countries where there are pro-growth economic 
policies that foster enterprise and entrepreneurship:
    Proposals should focus on building an understanding of the impact 
of globalization on the national economy with emphasis on both the 
benefits of globalization and the inherent risks involved in 
participating in the global economy. Project themes may include orderly 
market compliance, intellectual property rights (IPR) enforcement, 
regulatory transparency, sector reforms and measures that government 
and business can take to ease the displacement of workers in the 
process of economic liberalization. A sub-theme could include a 
discussion of how the U.S. implements commercial diplomacy including 
how we negotiate and plan our trade/commercial relations. Proposals 
should ``jumpstart'' the African Growth and Opportunities Act (AGOA) 
process by providing medium and small African business entrepreneurs 
and members of business associations an understanding of AGOA and of 
the American market place. Projects should enhance African 
understanding of U.S. business norms and actual practices, of U.S. 
customs operations, product distribution and retailing, and help them 
develop business linkages and relationships with manufacturers and 
business in their respective sectors. Of particular interest would be 
proposals for projects in AGOA approved countries
    2. Increase African capacity to fight terrorism, and to prevent, 
mitigate and resolve crises, conflict and regional instability:
    Proposals should promote constructive dialogue and the reduction of 
stereotyping, violence, hatred, and incitement among diverse groups. A 
proposal could address a particular conflict or develop a broadly 
applicable educational program to promote peaceful resolution of 
current or recent inter-communal conflicts or tensions. It could work 
through the media or educational institutions or NGOs or other 
implementation channels. It should build a valued working relationship 
between U.S. and African professionals in conflict management and 
resolution, and develop or result in a program that can continue after 
grant support is finished. Of particular interest would be a proposal 
on Moving Beyond Conflict to Recovery with emphasis on the Democratic 
Republic of the Congo/Great Lakes, Sierra Leone/Guinea/Liberia, 
Ethiopia/Eritrea, and Angola. Issues should include setting priorities 
and reconciliation methodologies after a long war, i.e. family 
reunification, land tenure, encouraging a return to the countryside, 
permanent resettlement in place vs. return to pre-conflict homes, de-
mining and major infrastructure repair.
    3. Increase democracy, good governance and respect for the rule of 
law, and help strengthen civil society:
    Proposals should focus on working with African governments and NGOs 
to promote and strengthen civil societies, independent media, human 
rights, the rule of law and democratic development. Issues to be 
addressed might include the meaning of civil society, the separation of 
governmental powers, the role of non-governmental organizations, 
promoting responsible and balanced journalism and media 
professionalism, political tolerance, social diversity, rule of law, 
democratic and team-centered approaches to decision-making. Proposals 
should include different ethnic and religious groups in order to expand 
the dialogue for coexistence. Among the themes of interest are: the 
development of an independent judiciary; the enforcement of commercial 
laws such as intellectual property rights protection, sanctity of 
contracts, and competition policy; labor rights; government 
accountability; and alternative dispute resolution. The objective is to 
acquaint officials, journalists, NGO leaders, lawyers and other 
relevant professionals with the concepts and practice of law in the 
U.S. and the applicability of the U.S. experience throughout Africa.
    4. Decrease the spread of HIV/AIDS, malaria and other infectious 
diseases:
    Proposals should outline exchange activities that would foster 
awareness of risk and promote behavior changes crucial to control and 
eventual eradication of HIV/AIDS or associated debilitating diseases 
such as malaria and multiple-drug resistant tuberculosis. Proposals 
should address a selection of the following topics: education 
strategies to teach prevention to people who don't believe it can 
happen to them or believe that infection is inevitable; stigma 
reduction strategies for people living with HIV/AIDS; engagement of 
political, religious, cultural and other leaders in public education 
efforts; grassroots mobilization and advocacy. Note: proposals must 
clearly support the ``U.S. Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis 
and Malaria Act of 2003'' and promote accomplishment of the goals set 
forth in the U.S. Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. Details on U.S. 
policy to combat HIV/AIDS can be found at http://www.whitehouse.gov/infocus/hivaids/
    5. Preserve Africa's sustainable resource base:
    Proposals should develop exchanges that focus public awareness on 
the threat posed by environmental deterioration, facilitate efforts to 
combat the threat by mobilizing governmental and/or non-governmental 
action, and work at multiple levels to educate and to develop 
solutions. Of special interest are proposals that would strengthen 
national park systems, that would clean up major cities, and that would 
make clean water much more widely available. ECA Bureau funds cannot be 
used for construction projects, but should be used for projects that 
increase

[[Page 41199]]

an understanding of how to plan and mobilize forces to accomplish these 
goals. Proposals should build a valued working relationship between 
Americans and Africans that is likely to continue after grant support 
is finished.

East Asia and the Pacific (EAP)

    The contact for East Asian and Pacific programs: Raymond H. Harvey 
202/260-5491; e-mail: [email protected].
    1. Increase regional cooperation to fight terrorism, and to prevent 
disruption of regional trends toward peace, prosperity, and democracy:
    Proposals should outline exchange activities that engage non-
governmental organizations and key citizen groups active in raising 
public awareness of the danger of terrorism and addressing the serious 
negative impact that terrorism and its practitioners have on countries 
in the region and on the conditions--financial, economic and 
political--that increase the vulnerability of the region to terrorism. 
Emphasis should be placed on the need to secure the active cooperation 
of other publics and governments in the region, bilaterally and 
multilaterally within ASEAN, the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and APEC. 
Proposals for exchange activities in Thailand, Indonesia, the 
Philippines and Malaysia would be welcome.
    2. Continue the development of democracy in the region by focusing 
on efforts to reinforce educational opportunity, domestic demand for 
honest government and greater respect for individual human rights:
    Proposals should strengthen institutions of government whose 
efforts have a direct impact on the quality of a country's democracy 
and increase transparency, accountability, responsiveness and 
effectiveness of government operations. Especially welcome would be 
proposals that address efforts to fight corruption in public and 
private institutions. Projects might focus on strengthening local non-
profit organizations that advocate transparency and equal treatment of 
all before the law. Local government officials or elements of executive 
branches, legislatures, or judicial systems may also be appropriate 
program participants. One example might be an exchange for local mayors 
to exchange views with U.S. counterparts on innovations in city 
government and citizen participation in municipal affairs, with a 
return visit by a group of U.S. mayors and city managers and municipal 
experts to hold local workshops on the same theme. Also welcome would 
be proposals that engage organizations and individuals actively 
involved in developing or supporting strategies that promote increased 
formal and informal educational opportunities. Emphasis should be on 
providing essential tools and support to educators for classes and 
leadership activities. Potential topics for activities include, but are 
not limited to, creating & reconstructing educational opportunities, 
modernizing teaching methodology & practice, curriculum development, 
promoting an appreciation through the educational system of the vital 
role of women & girls in society and the importance of teaching 
leadership, civic responsibility and peaceful conflict resolution in 
the primary and secondary school classroom. Proposals for exchange 
activities in Indonesia and Malaysia would be welcome.
    3. Creating awareness and changing behavior to keep ahead of the 
advancing trends that have internationalized once-local problems such 
as HIV/AIDS, narcotics trafficking, the epidemic of infectious 
diseases, especially SARS, malaria and TB:
    The office would welcome proposals that promote better 
understanding of the threat posed by HIV/AIDS and other infectious 
diseases. Projects should explore the need to develop and reward 
leadership in these efforts, to improve community health education, and 
to remove barriers that impede a cooperative multi-sectoral response to 
these issues. Projects should address some of following topics: 
prevention and stigma reduction strategies for people living with HIV/
AIDS, especially women and youth; engagement of political, religious, 
cultural and other leaders in public education efforts; grassroots 
mobilization and advocacy. Proposals for exchange activities in Vietnam 
and Thailand would be welcome. Note: proposals must clearly support the 
``U.S. Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Act of 
2003'' and promote accomplishment of the goals set forth in the U.S. 
Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. Details on U.S. policy to combat HIV/
AIDS can be found at http://www.whitehouse.gov/infocus/hivaids/.
    4. Promotion of open markets and pro-growth policies to help 
restore long-term growth prospects by strengthening Asian financial 
systems, improving corporate governance and restructuring, promoting 
regulatory reform, and pressing for trade and investment 
liberalization:
    Proposals should focus on promoting greater understanding of the 
impact of globalization on national economies, with emphasis on both 
the benefits of globalization and the inherent risks involved in 
participating in the global economy. Themes could include orderly 
market compliance (WTO entry and responsibilities), intellectual 
property rights (IPR) enforcement, regulatory transparency, sector 
reforms and measures that government and business can take to ease the 
displacement of workers in the process of economic liberalization. 
Proposals may also address the public administration of trade regimes, 
such as training for customs officials, product promotion of both 
exports and imports, port administration, accountability, tracking 
systems development, etc. Projects that assist in the design and 
funding of a social welfare net for those at the bottom of the economic 
ladder are also solicited. We would welcome proposals for projects in 
Vietnam and The People's Republic of China.

Near East and North Africa (NEA)

South Asia (SA)

    Contacts for NEA and SA programs: Thomas Johnston, 202/619-5325; 
{[email protected]{time}  or Susan Krause, 202/619-5332; 
{[email protected]{time} .
    The countries/entities comprising the NEA and SA Areas are listed. 
Currently there is no U.S. mission in Iran, Iraq, or Libya. Note that 
project foci suggested below may be appropriate for single country, 
multi-country or regional proposals.
    Countries/Entities of the Near East and North Africa--Algeria; 
Bahrain; Egypt; Iran; Iraq; Israel; Jordan; Kuwait; Lebanon; Libya; 
Morocco; Oman; Qatar; Saudi Arabia; Syria; Tunisia; the United Arab 
Emirates (UAE); the West Bank and Gaza; Yemen.
    Countries of South Asia--Afghanistan; Bangladesh; Bhutan; India; 
the Maldives; Nepal; Pakistan; Sri Lanka.
    1. Address factors that contribute to extreme political orientation 
through programs that increase educational opportunity, accelerate 
economic reform, and promote the development of civil society in the 
region:
    Proposals should lead to enhanced and broadened educational 
opportunities for youth, to greater possibilities for professional 
development leading to economic independence and self respect, or to 
integrating into elementary and secondary education curricula civic 
education concepts such as citizen awareness, participation, 
volunteerism, and community service. Projects that contribute to 
educational development through train-the-trainer, in-service skills 
enhancement, and curriculum and methodology orientation for teachers 
are

[[Page 41200]]

welcome. Likewise, there is a need for trained instructors at all 
levels as well as for curricula and systems that produce technically 
qualified, mid-level workers. Proposals should focus on development of 
educational programs and institutions that teach how to be a skilled 
teacher, how to apply modern technology, how to implement and teach 
environmentally and scientifically sound water management and 
agricultural practices, how to design and plan road safety measures, 
etc. Finally, the development of ethics and civic responsibility 
through education is an important step in creating a more civil and 
democratic society. Middle Eastern groups are particularly interested 
in learning how American school systems have incorporated in their 
curricula community service, leadership development, volunteerism and 
environmental campaigns, and other activities that involve students in 
the larger society.

    Note: This competition is NOT designed for youth exchanges. Only 
adult professionals or grassroots practitioners may be selected to 
travel internationally for exchange activities under this 
competition. Individual university students may take part in pilot 
sessions and in-country educational activities.

    2. The expansion of citizen participation and advocacy, the 
development of good governance, and the strengthening of non-
governmental institutions are essential to democratic society:
    Proposed exchanges should contribute to transparency and the 
development of (mechanisms of) public oversight and control to 
counteract the possibility of corruption and abuse in governmental 
institutions, should strengthen the role of citizen initiative, 
participation and advocacy through non-governmental organizations, or 
should reinforce the concept of the rule of law, the rational 
administration of the judicial system, and citizens' right to equal 
justice. A populace experiencing abuses of power and corruption loses 
confidence in its civil institutions. The American NGO might work with 
indigenous NGOs, citizens' rights groups, journalists, and government 
officials to determine how best to expose and combat corruption and 
promote accountability and transparency. The Bureau welcomes proposals 
that promote an understanding of the proper role of NGOs in a 
democratic society. Social and political activism, encouraged, focused, 
and channeled through non-governmental organizations, is a basic 
underpinning of democratic society. Strengthening NGO advocacy skills, 
management, recruitment and mobilization, media relations, and 
networking will strengthen democratic/civil society trends. A well-
trained, independent judiciary is fundamental to a democratic political 
and social system. Proposals might introduce judges/prosecutors/lawyers 
to the functioning of the legal system in the U.S.
    3. National and regional stability, based on tolerance and 
cooperation, is an essential underpinning for the region's continued 
growth and cooperation:
    Proposals should focus on issues of conflict resolution and 
promotion of tolerance and cooperation among diverse ethnic 
communities. A community that expends its time, its energy, and its 
material resources on offensive or defensive combat is unable to 
develop or maintain a civil basis for democratic institutions. Communal 
and ethnic tolerance is difficult to achieve, and the problem has 
worsened with the rise of community-based political groups, 
particularly those centered on religion. There are numerous community 
groups working to bring about resolution to the challenge posed by 
ethnic nationalism, and the American experience of absorbing, 
integrating, and accommodating diverse communities from various parts 
of the world into a civil, as opposed to an ethnically defined, polity 
would be useful to these groups. Of particular relevance would be the 
experience of programs that teach tolerance in either a formal setting 
or in novel arts/media-based contexts.
    4. Economic growth, improved living standards, and participation in 
the global economy are linked to and dependent on environmental 
protection, sound natural resources management, and promoting public 
health:
    Proposals should focus on conditions that allow for and promote 
economic growth and increased participation in the global economy. 
These conditions include, in addition to a balanced, transparent and 
predictable system of civil dispute resolution, sound environmental 
protection and natural resources management and a rational approach to 
issues of public health. Economic growth, including participation in 
the broader global economy, is dependent on environmental protection 
and natural resources management and is directly correlated to the 
physical well being of the population. Exchange projects might enhance 
public awareness of the threat posted by environmental deterioration 
and facilitate efforts at multiple levels to combat the threat or might 
focus on natural resources management. Central to any discussion of 
natural resources management in the Middle East is the question of 
water: water conservation, quality, availability, and distribution. 
Finally, environmental stewardship and natural resource management are 
closely linked to issues of public health. Public health may be 
addressed either from the perspective of prevention or from the 
perspective of developing resources to respond to what is currently an 
overwhelming need for public health information and services.
    5. An informed public is the basis of democratic institution 
building. Journalism that contributes to public understanding and sound 
decision making is an essential building block for civil society:
    Proposals should focus on the role and responsibility of a free 
press in a democratic society and should include journalism training 
and/or professional skills development. If the fourth estate is to 
fulfill its role as sine qua non of democratic society, journalists 
must be well trained, and they must have an appreciation for the 
importance of objective reporting, the ethics of presenting a true and 
balanced account, and the skills required for subject specialization, 
rational media management, and dealing with laws that constrain press 
freedom.

Western Hemisphere Affairs (WHA)

    The Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs includes the countries of 
Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean.
    The contact for Western Hemisphere Affairs programs: Laverne 
Johnson, 202/619-5337; e-mail: [email protected].
    1. Increase adherence to democratic practices and their respect for 
human rights:
    Proposals should focus on developing a better understanding of the 
role of NGOs in influencing political processes, lobbying, and 
networking with other organizations. Proposals may address any of the 
following program concepts designed to enhance democracy within WHA 
countries: Transparency and Anti-corruption, Administration of Justice 
(also Comparative Legal Systems), Civilian-Military Relations, Civil 
Society Participation in Government, Leadership for Democracy, and 
Alternative Dispute Resolution as a Solution to Inter-ethnic conflict. 
Proposals are also welcome that help support non-governmental 
organizations to build public awareness of narcotics and human 
trafficking as violations of human rights that can have a pernicious 
influence on democratic systems would also be welcomed. (Any such 
proposals

[[Page 41201]]

must demonstrate clear coordination with and support for existing U.S. 
Government anti-narcotics and anti-human trafficking programs in WHA 
countries.) Proposals should focus on how a democratic government 
functions from the community to the national level in addressing these 
concepts. Participants would be representatives of politically engaged 
NGOs with a good-government focus. Project activities might focus on 
how municipal teams, including government officials, educational 
leaders, NGOs, business leaders, etc., join forces to develop 
approaches to economic development or solutions to major problems 
(environment, crime, drug use, etc.) Ideally, participants will be 
committed activists who will share ideas, successes, and challenges 
from the U.S. and the foreign country.
    2. Accelerating economic growth:
    Proposals should focus on the impact of globalization on the 
national economy with emphasis on both the benefits of globalization 
and the inherent risks involved in participating in the global economy. 
Projects, which include orderly market compliance, intellectual 
property rights (IPR) enforcement, regulatory transparency, sector 
reforms and measures that government and business can take to ease the 
displacement of workers in the process of economic liberalization. A 
sub-theme would include a discussion of how the U.S. implements 
commercial diplomacy including how we negotiate and plan our trade/
commercial relations.
    3. Enhance development of good health through focus HIV/AIDS:
    Proposals should focus on creative community-based public awareness 
initiatives that will promote better health care and prevent the spread 
of HIV/AIDS. Proposals should focus on educating girls and young women 
on some of the following topics: the need for prevention and stigma 
reduction strategies for people living with HIV/AIDS, engagement of 
political, religious, cultural and other leaders in public education 
efforts; grassroots mobilization and advocacy.

    Note: proposals must clearly support the ``U.S. Leadership 
Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Act of 2003'' and promote 
accomplishment of the goals set forth in the US Emergency Plan for 
AIDS Relief. Details on U.S. policy to combat HIV/AIDS can be found 
at http://www.whitehouse.gov/infocus/hivaids/

    4. Protection of Indigenous and Minority Cultures in a Shrinking 
World:
    Proposals would address the protection of indigenous cultures by 
demonstrating ways in which technology can be adapted to local 
conditions, and how these technologies can be used to protect and 
preserve and disseminate information about local cultural heritage. 
Emphasis under this theme is on assisting countries in preserving their 
cultural heritage through programs designed to reduce the threat of 
pillage of sites representing irreplaceable cultural heritage, and to 
create opportunities to develop long-term strategies for preserving 
cultural property through training and conservation, museum 
development, and public education. Projects might include supporting 
the preservation of cultural sites, objects in a site, museum or 
similar institution, or forms of traditional cultural expression.

General Program Guidelines

    Applicants must identify local organizations and individuals in the 
counterpart country with whom they are proposing to collaborate and 
describe in detail previous cooperative programming and/or contacts. 
Information about the counterpart organizations' activities and 
accomplishments is required and must be included in the section on 
Institutional Capacity. All proposals must contain letters of support 
tailored to the project being proposed from all foreign-country partner 
organizations. Applicants seeking information on possible overseas 
counterpart organizations may wish to speak with the Bureau Program 
Officer listed under each world region in this announcement for 
information on contacting U.S. Embassy personnel to discuss potential 
local partner institutions.
    Exchanges and training programs supported by institutional grants 
from the Bureau should operate at two levels: they should enhance 
institutional partnerships, and they should offer practical information 
and experience to individuals and groups to assist them with their 
professional responsibilities. Strong proposals usually have the 
following characteristics:
    [sbull] A proven track record of working in the proposed issue 
area;
    [sbull] an experienced staff with language facility and a 
commitment by the staff to monitor projects locally to improve 
accountability;
    [sbull] a clear, convincing plan showing how permanent results will 
be accomplished as a result of the activity funded by the grant; and
    [sbull] a follow-on plan providing for individual and institutional 
cooperative efforts beyond the scope of the Bureau grant.
    Proposal narratives should demonstrate an organization's 
willingness to consult closely with the Public Affairs Section and 
other officers at the U.S. Embassy. Final grants awards will require 
that all materials developed specifically for the project and funded 
with assistance of the ECA grant acknowledge USG funding for the 
program. Please note that this will be a formal requirement in all 
final grant awards. Proposals should indicate a commitment to invite 
representatives of the Embassy and/or Consulate to participate in 
various program sessions/site visits.

Suggested Program Designs

    Bureau-supported exchanges may include internships; study tours; 
short-term, non-technical experiential learning, extended and intensive 
workshops and seminars taking place in the United States or overseas. 
Examples of possible program activities include.
    1. A U.S.-based program that includes: orientation to program 
purposes and to U.S. society; study tour/site visits; professional 
internships/placements; interaction and dialogue; hands-on training; 
professional development; and action plan development.
    2. Capacity-building/training-of-trainer (TOT) workshops to help 
participants to identify priorities, create work plans, strengthen 
professional and volunteer skills, share their experience to committed 
people within each country, and become active in a practical and 
valuable way.
    3. Seed/small grants to indigenous non-profit organizations to 
support community-based educational projects that build upon exchange 
activities and that address issues of local concern. Proposals may 
include a component for a Seed/Small Grants Competition (often referred 
to as `sub-grants' or `secondary grants'). This requires a detailed 
plan for recruitment and advertising; description of the proposal 
review and award mechanism; a plan for how the grantee would monitor 
and evaluate small grant activity; and a proposed amount for an average 
grant. The small grants should be directly linked to exchange 
activities. Small/seed grants may not be used for micro-credit or re-
loaning purposes. Small/seed grants may not exceed 10% of the total 
value of the grant funds sought from ECA.
    4. Site visits by U.S. facilitators/experts to monitor projects in 
the region and to provide additional training and consultations as 
needed.
    5. Content-based Internet training/ cyber-training to encourage 
citizen participation in workshops, fora, chats, and/or discussions via 
the Internet that will stimulate communication and

[[Page 41202]]

information sharing among key opinion leaders on priority topics as a 
form of cost sharing. Proposals that include Internet utilization must 
reflect knowledge of the opportunities and obstacles that exist for use 
of information technologies in the target country or countries, and, if 
needed, provide hardware, software and servers, preferably as a form of 
cost sharing. Federal standards are under review and their adoption may 
impact on the implementation of these programs.

Ineligibility

    During the program office's review process, all proposals will 
judged on their technical eligibility. A proposal deemed technically 
ineligible will be listed as not competitive. A proposal will be deemed 
technically ineligible for consideration if:
    [sbull] It does not fully adhere to the guidelines established in 
this document and in the Proposal Submission Instructions;
    [sbull] It is not received by the deadline;
    [sbull] It is not submitted by a U.S. based Public Private not for 
profit organization meeting provisions described in Internal Revenue 
code section 26 U.S.C. 503 c (3);
    [sbull] The foreign country or geographic location is ineligible.
    [sbull] The proposal does not include an in-country foreign partner 
organization(s) and does not contain letters of support from foreign 
partners, tailored to the proposed project and specific information in 
the narrative about the partner organization's past activities and 
accomplishments;
    [sbull] The proposal includes activities that are ineligible for 
support, as listed below.

Activities Ineligible for Support

    Vocational training (an occupation other than one requiring a 
baccalaureate or higher academic degree; i.e., clerical work, auto 
maintenance, etc., and other occupations requiring less than two years 
of higher education) and technical training (special and practical 
knowledge of a mechanical or a scientific subject which enhances 
mechanical, narrowly scientific, or semi-skilled capabilities) are 
ineligible for support. In addition, academic scholarship programs are 
ineligible for support.
    The Office does not support proposals limited to conferences or 
seminars (i.e., one to fourteen-day programs with plenary sessions, 
main speakers, panels, and a passive audience). It will support 
conferences only insofar as they are a small part of a larger project 
in duration and scope that is receiving Bureau funding from this 
competition. The Office will only support workshops, seminars and 
training sessions that are an integral part of a larger project. No 
funding is available exclusively to send U.S. citizens to conferences 
or conference-type seminars overseas; nor is funding available for 
bringing foreign nationals to conferences or to routine professional 
association meetings in the United States.

Program Data Requirements

    Organizations awarded grants 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 of 
Educational and Cultural Affairs as required. As a minimum, the data 
must include the following:
    [sbull] Name, address, contact information and biographic sketch of 
all persons who travel internationally on funds provided by the grant 
or who benefit from the grant funding but do not travel.
    [sbull] Itineraries of international and domestic travel, providing 
dates of travel and cities in which exchange experiences take place.

Selection of Participants

    All grant proposals should clearly describe the type of persons who 
will participate in the program as well as the process by which 
participants will be selected. It is recommended that for programs 
including U.S. internships, grant applicants submit letters tentatively 
committing host institutions to support the internships. In the 
selection of foreign participants, the Department and U.S. Embassies 
retain the right to review all participant nominations and to accept or 
refuse participants recommended by grantee institutions. When 
participants are selected, grantee institutions will provide the names 
of American participants and brief (two pages) biographical data on 
each American participant to the Office of Citizen Exchanges for 
information purposes. Priority in two-way exchange proposals will be 
given to foreign participants who have not previously traveled to the 
United States. (See section below on requirements for maintenance of 
and provision to ECA of data on participants and program activities.) 
Priority in selection of U.S. participants must be given to veterans of 
the U.S. armed forces.

Adherence to All Regulations Governing the J Visa

    The Office of Citizen Exchanges of the Bureau of Educational and 
Cultural Affairs is the official program sponsor of the exchange 
program covered by this RFGP, and an employee of the Bureau will be the 
``Responsible Officer'' for the program under the terms of 22 CFR part 
62, which covers the administration of the Exchange Visitor Program (J 
visa program). Under the terms of 22 CFR part 62, organizations 
receiving grants under this RFGP will be third parties ``cooperating 
with or assisting the sponsor in the conduct of the sponsor's 
program.'' The actions of grantee program organizations shall be 
``imputed to the sponsor in evaluating the sponsor's compliance with'' 
22 CFR part 62.
    Therefore, the Bureau expects that any organization receiving a 
grant under this competition will render all assistance necessary to 
enable the Bureau to fully comply with 22 CFR part 62 et seq.
    The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs places great 
emphasis on the secure and proper administration of Exchange Visitor (J 
visa) Programs and adherence by grantee program organizations and 
program participants to all regulations governing the J visa program 
status. Therefore, proposals should explicitly state in writing that 
the applicant is prepared to assist the Bureau in meeting all 
requirements governing the administration of Exchange Visitor Programs 
as set forth in 22 CFR part 62. If your organization has experience as 
a designated Exchange Visitor Program Sponsor, the applicant should 
discuss their record of compliance with 22 CFR part 62 et. seq., 
including the oversight of their Responsible Officers and Alternate 
Responsible Officers, screening and selection of program participants, 
provision of pre-arrival information and orientation to participants, 
monitoring of participants, proper maintenance and security of forms, 
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: United States Department of State, Office 
of Exchange Coordination and Designation, ECA/EC/ECD--SA-44, Room 734, 
301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547, Telephone: (202) 401-9810, 
FAX: (202) 401-9809.

Evaluation

    In general, evaluation should be ongoing and evolving throughout 
the duration of the project. The evaluation plan will incorporate an 
assessment of

[[Page 41203]]

the program from a variety of perspectives. Specifically, project 
assessment efforts will focus on: (a) Determining if objectives are 
being met or have been met, (b) identifying any unmet needs, and (c) 
assessing if the project has effectively discovered resources, 
advocates, and financial support for sustainability of future projects. 
Informal evaluation through discussions and other sources of feedback 
will be carried out throughout the duration of the project. Formal 
evaluation will be conducted at the end of each phase, using 
instruments designed specifically to measure the impact of the 
activities and should obtain participants' feedback and comments on the 
program content and administration. A detailed evaluation will be 
conducted at the conclusion of the project and the report will be 
submitted to the Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural 
Affairs. When possible, the evaluation should be done by an independent 
evaluator.

Budget Guidelines and Cost-Sharing Requirements

    Grants awarded to eligible organizations with less than four years 
of experience in conducting international development or exchange 
programs will be limited to $60,000. Applicants must submit a 
comprehensive budget for the entire program. Grant awards will range 
from $125,000 to $200,000. 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.
    Since Bureau grant assistance constitutes only a portion of total 
project funding, proposals should list and provide evidence of other 
anticipated sources of financial and in-kind support. Proposals which 
clearly demonstrate a significant level of cost sharing--with 50% of 
the amount requested from ECA as the preferred target--will be judged 
more competitive. Proposals with higher cost-sharing levels are 
welcome.

    Example: A proposal requests $140,000 in grant funds from ECA, 
for a project with a total budget of $500,000. The preferred 
allowable cost sharing is $70,000. In this case, the cost sharing 
far exceeds the minimum, since actual cost sharing is $360,000.
    When cost sharing is offered, it is understood and agreed that 
the applicant must provide the minimum amount of cost sharing as 
stipulated in this RFGP 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 allowable costs, which are claimed as being 
your contribution to cost participation, 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 proportionately to the 
contribution.

    The following project costs are eligible for consideration for 
funding:
    1. Travel costs. International and domestic airfares; visas; 
transit costs; ground transportation costs. Please note that all air 
travel must be in compliance with the Fly America Act. There is no 
charge for J-1 visas for participants in Bureau sponsored programs.
    2. Per Diem. For the U.S. program, organizations have the option of 
using a flat $170/day for program participants or the published U.S. 
Federal per diem rates for individual American cities. For activities 
outside the U.S., the published Federal per diem rates must be used. 
NOTE: U.S. escorting staff must use the published Federal per diem 
rates, not the flat rate. Per diem rates may be accessed at http://www.policyworks.gov/.
    3. Interpreters. If needed, interpreters for the U.S. program are 
available through the U.S. Department of State Language Services 
Division. Typically, a pair of simultaneous interpreters is provided 
for every four visitors who need interpretation. Bureau grants do not 
pay for foreign interpreters to accompany delegations from their home 
country. Grant proposal budgets should contain a flat $160/day per diem 
for each Department of State interpreter, as well as home-program--home 
air transportation of $400 per interpreter plus any U.S. travel 
expenses during the program. Salary expenses are covered centrally and 
should not be part of an applicant's proposed budget. Locally arranged 
interpreters with adequate skills and experience may be used by the 
grantee in lieu of State Department interpreters, with the same 1:4 
interpreter to participant ratio. Costs associated with using their 
services may not exceed rates for U.S. Department of State 
interpreters.
    4. Book and cultural allowance. Foreign participants are entitled 
to and escorts are reimbursed a one-time cultural allowance of $150 per 
person, plus a participant book allowance of $50. U.S. program staff 
members are not eligible to receive these benefits.
    5. Consultants. Consultants may be used to provide specialized 
expertise, design or manage development projects or to make 
presentations. Honoraria generally do not exceed $250 per day. 
Subcontracting organizations may also be used, in which case the 
written agreement between the prospective grantee and subcontractor 
should be included in the proposal. Subcontracts should be itemized in 
the budget.
    6. Room rental. Room rental may not exceed $250 per day.
    7. Materials development. Proposals may contain costs to purchase, 
develop, and translate materials for participants.
    8. Equipment. Proposals may contain limited costs to purchase 
equipment crucial to the success of the program, such as computers, fax 
machines and copy machines. However, equipment costs must be kept to a 
minimum, and costs for furniture are not allowed.
    9. Working Meal. The grant budget may provide for only one working 
meal during the program. Per capita costs may not exceed $5-8 for a 
lunch and $14-20 for a dinner, excluding room rental. The number of 
invited guests may not exceed participants by more than a factor of 
two-to-one. Interpreters must be included as participants.
    10. Return travel allowance. A return travel allowance of $70 for 
each foreign participant may be included in the budget. This may be 
used for incidental expenses incurred during international travel.
    11. Health Insurance. Foreign participants will be covered under 
the terms of a U.S. Department of State-sponsored health insurance 
policy. The premium is paid by the U.S. Department of State directly to 
the insurance company. Applicants are permitted to include costs for 
travel insurance for U.S. participants in the budget.
    12. Administrative Costs. Costs necessary for the effective 
administration of the program may include salaries for grant 
organization employees, benefits, and other direct or indirect costs 
per detailed instructions in the Solicitation Package.
    Please refer to the Solicitation Package for complete budget 
guidelines and formatting instructions.

Deadline for Proposals

    All proposal copies must be received at the Bureau of Educational 
and Cultural Affairs by 5 p.m. Washington, DC time on Friday, October 
3, 2003. Faxed documents will not be accepted at any time. Documents 
postmarked the due date but received on a later date will not be 
accepted. Each applicant must ensure that the proposals are received by 
the above deadline.

[[Page 41204]]

    Applicants must follow all instructions in the Solicitation 
Package. The original and 12 copies of the application should be sent 
to: U.S. Department of State, SA-44, Bureau of Educational and Cultural 
Affairs, Ref.: ECA/PE/C/-04-01, Program Management, ECA/EX/PM, Room 
534, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547.
    Applicants must also submit the ``Executive Summary'' and 
``Proposal Narrative'' sections of the proposal in text (.txt) format 
on a PC-formatted disk. The Bureau will provide these files 
electronically to the Public Affairs Section at the U.S. embassy for 
its review.

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 physical challenges. 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 the total 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.

Review Process

    Proposals will be deemed ineligible if they do not fully adhere to 
the guidelines stated herein and in the Solicitation Package. The 
program office, the Public Diplomacy section and other elements at the 
U.S. Embassy will review all eligible proposals. Eligible proposals 
will be subject to compliance with Federal and Bureau regulations and 
guidelines and forwarded to Bureau grant panels for advisory review. 
Proposals may also be reviewed by the Office of the Legal Adviser or by 
other Department elements. Final funding decisions are at the 
discretion of the Department of State's Assistant Secretary for 
Educational and Cultural Affairs. Final technical authority for grants 
resides with the Bureau's Grants Officer.

Review Criteria

    Technically eligible applications will be competitively reviewed 
according to the criteria stated below. These criteria are not rank 
ordered and all carry equal weight in the proposal evaluation after all 
required elements have been met (required cost-sharing, letters of 
support, willingness to work with U.S. embassies, etc).
    1. Program planning to achieve program objectives: Proposals should 
clearly demonstrate how the institution plans to achieve the program's 
objectives. Objectives should be reasonable, feasible, and flexible. 
The proposal should contain a detailed agenda and relevant work plan 
that demonstrates substantive undertakings and logistical capacity. 
Agenda and plan should adhere to the program overview and guidelines 
described above.
    2. Institutional Capacity/Record/Ability: Proposed personnel and 
institutional resources should be adequate and appropriate to achieve 
the program or project's goals. For technical projects, foreign experts 
and their local partners will be required to have the necessary 
education, training and experience for the work to be undertaken, in 
addition to language skills where applicable. Proposals should 
demonstrate an institutional record of successful development or 
exchange programs, including responsible fiscal management and full 
compliance with all reporting requirements for past Bureau grants as 
determined by Bureau Grant Staff. The Bureau will consider the past 
performance of prior recipients and the demonstrated potential of new 
applicants. Many successful applicants will have a multiyear track 
record of successful work in the selected country or within the region.
    3. Multiplier effect/impact: Proposed programs should strengthen 
long-term mutual understanding, including maximum sharing of 
information and establishment of long-term institutional and individual 
linkages.
    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. Follow-on Activities: Proposals should identify other types of 
exchanges or linkages that might be undertaken after completion of the 
Bureau supported activity.
    6. Monitoring and Project Evaluation Plan: Proposals should provide 
a detailed plan for monitoring and evaluating the program. The 
evaluation plan should identify anticipated outcomes and performance 
requirements clearly related to program objectives and activities and 
include procedures for ongoing monitoring and corrective action when 
necessary. The identification of best practices relating to project 
administration is also encouraged, as is the discussion of unforeseen 
difficulties.
    7. Cost-effectiveness/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 with 50% cost sharing (of the amount of grant 
funds requested from ECA) through other private sector support as well 
as institutional direct funding contributions will be judged more 
competitive than those proposals providing a lower amount of cost 
sharing.

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.''

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

[[Page 41205]]

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.

Notification

    Final awards cannot be made until funds have been appropriated by 
Congress, allocated and committed through internal Bureau procedures.

    Dated: July 3, 2003.
C. Miller Crouch,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Educational and 
Cultural Affairs, Department of State.
[FR Doc. 03-17481 Filed 7-9-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P