[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 58 (Thursday, March 25, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15423-15428]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-6713]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 4670]


Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs Request for Grant 
Proposals: Central and Eastern European Professional Exchanges and 
Training Program for Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, 
Serbia and Montenegro, and Slovenia

SUMMARY: The Europe/Eurasia division of the Office of Citizen Exchanges 
of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs announces an open 
competition for Central and Eastern European Professional Exchanges and 
Training Programs for Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, 
Romania, Serbia and Montenegro, and Slovenia. The office anticipates 
awarding approximately three grants under this overall competition. 
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 proposals.
    Announcement Title and Number: All correspondence with the Bureau 
concerning this RFGP should reference the above title and number ECA/
PE/C/EUR-04-46.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The Office of Citizen Exchanges, ECA/
PE/C/EUR, Room 224, U.S. Department of State, SA-44, 301 4th Street, 
SW., Washington, DC 20547, Attention: Central and Eastern Europe 
Professional Exchanges and Training Program, telephone number: 202-619-
5327, fax number 202-619-4350 or [email protected] to request a 
Solicitation Package. The Solicitation Package contains detailed award 
criteria, required application forms, specific budget instructions, and 
standard guidelines for proposal preparation.
    For specific inquiries, please contact Bureau program officers by 
phone or e-mail: Brent Beemer (202) 401-6887 ([email protected]) and 
Henry Scott (202) 619-5327 ([email protected]).
    Please read the complete Federal Register announcement before 
sending inquiries or submitting proposals. Once the RFGP deadline has 
passed, Bureau staff may not discuss this competition with applicants 
until the proposal review process has been completed.
    To Download a Solicitation Package Via Internet: The entire 
Solicitation Package may be downloaded from the Bureau's Web site at 
http://exchanges.state.gov/education/RFGPs. Please read all information 
before downloading.
    General Program Guidelines: Applicants should identify the 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. Specific information about the 
counterpart organizations' activities and accomplishments should be 
included in the section on Institutional Capacity. Proposals should 
contain letters of support tailored to the project being proposed from 
foreign-country partner organizations.
    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:
     A proven track record of working in the proposed 
issue area and country;
     Experienced staff with language facility and a 
commitment by the staff to monitor projects locally to ensure 
implementation;
     A clear, convincing plan showing how permanent 
results will be accomplished as a result of the activity funded by the 
grant; and
     A plan that outlines activities that will take 
place after the Bureau grant concludes.
    Proposal narratives should clearly demonstrate an organization's 
commitment to consult closely with the Public Affairs Section, and when 
required, other officers at the U.S. Embassy. Proposal narratives must 
confirm that all materials developed for the project will acknowledge 
Bureau funding for the program as well as a commitment to invite 
representatives of the Embassy and/or Consulate to participate in 
various program sessions/site visits. Please note that this will be a 
formal requirement in all final grant awards.
    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 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. Proposals that 
include U.S.-based training will receive the highest priority.
    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 with 
committed people within each country, and become active in a practical 
and valuable way.
    3. Site visits by U.S. facilitators/experts to monitor projects in 
the region and to provide additional training and consultations as 
needed.

[[Page 15424]]

    Activities 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 when they are a small part 
of a larger project in duration 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. The Office also does not 
support academic research or fund faculty or student fellowships.
    Selection of Participants: Where applicable, all grant proposals 
should clearly describe the type of persons who will participate in the 
program as well as the participant selection process. For programs that 
include U.S. internships, applicants should submit letters of support 
from host institutions. In the selection of foreign participants, the 
Bureau and U.S. Embassies will review all participant nominations and 
may accept or refuse participants recommended by grantee institutions. 
When American participants are selected, grantee institutions must 
provide their names and brief biographical data to the Office of 
Citizen Exchanges. 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 and 
provision to the Bureau of data on participants and program 
activities.)
    Evaluation: In general, evaluation should occur throughout the 
project. The evaluation should incorporate an assessment of 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 identified resources, advocates, and 
financial support for the 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 
must be conducted at the end of each component, should measure the 
impact of the activities and should obtain participants' feedback on 
the program content and administration. A detailed evaluation will be 
conducted at the conclusion of the project and a report will be 
submitted to the Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural 
Affairs. When possible, the evaluation should be conducted by an 
independent evaluator.
    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 as required. As a minimum, the data must include 
the following:
    (1) Name, address, contact information and biographic sketch of all 
persons who travel internationally on funds provided by the grant or 
who benefit from the grant funding but do not travel.
    (2) Itineraries of international and domestic travel, providing 
dates of travel and cities in which any exchange experiences take 
place. Final schedules for in-country and U.S. activities must be 
received by the ECA/PE/C/EUR Program Officer at least three work days 
prior to the official opening of the activity.
    Adherence To All Regulations Governing the J Visa: The Office of 
Citizen Exchanges of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs is 
the official program sponsor of the exchange program covered by this 
RFGP, and an employee of the Bureau will be the ``Responsible Officer'' 
for the program under the terms of 22 CFR 62, which covers the 
administration of the Exchange Visitor Program (J visa program). Under 
the terms of 22 CFR 62, organizations receiving 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 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 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 62. If the applicant has experience as 
a designated Exchange Visitor Program Sponsor, the applicant should 
discuss their record of compliance with 22 CFR 62 et. seq., including 
the oversight of their Responsible Officers and Alternate Responsible 
Officers, screening and selection of program participants, provision of 
pre-arrival information and orientation to participants, monitoring of 
participants, proper maintenance and security of forms, record-keeping, 
reporting and other requirements.
    The Office of Citizen Exchanges of ECA will be responsible for 
issuing DS-2019 forms to participants in this program. A copy of the 
complete regulations governing the administration of Exchange Visitor 
(J) programs is available at http://exchanges.state.gov or from: 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.

Program Information

Overview

    The Bureau welcomes proposals that respond directly to the themes 
and countries listed below. Given budgetary considerations, projects in 
countries and for themes other than those listed will not be eligible 
for consideration and will be ruled technically ineligible. No 
guarantee is made or implied that grants will be awarded in all 
categories.
    For this competition, both single country and multi-country 
projects are eligible for support. In order to prevent duplication of 
effort, proposals should reflect an understanding of the work of 
international agencies so that projects complement--not duplicate--
other assistance programs.
    Two-way exchanges will be given the highest priority. Applicants 
should carefully review the following recommendations for proposals in 
Central and Eastern European countries.
    To be eligible for a grant award under this competition, the 
proposed professional training and exchange projects must address one 
of the following specific themes.

Themes

     Professional Librarian Training for Kosovo 
(Kosovo only).
     Media Training (Regional Program for Albania, 
Bulgaria, Croatia, Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro, and Slovenia).

Professional Librarian Training for Kosovo

    The Bureau is accepting proposals for a project that will produce a 
cadre of

[[Page 15425]]

professionals from Kosovo who will effectively manage a university 
library. The Bureau envisions a two-part project that will train a 
minimum of nine individuals who will work at the University of Pristina 
Central Library. Applicants should propose a project that provides both 
U.S.-based and Kosovo-based activities.
    The U.S.-based component should last approximately five months, 
beginning with classroom-style training sessions, followed by a hands-
on professional internship at a U.S. university or college library. By 
participating in the training and internships, participants should 
acquire the skills and experience that are needed to run a state-of-
the-art university library. Participants should learn how to work with 
e-reference services, the Online Public-Access Catalog, WWW search 
engines, e-books, e-journals, and the digital library, as well as know 
how to use Web development tools.
    The Kosovo-based component should consist of a follow-up, on-site 
training and assessment visit by U.S. trainers. While in Pristina, the 
trainers should propose to meet with representatives of the Public 
Affairs Section (PAS) at the U.S. Office Pristina before and after 
completing the training.
    The project should prepare participants to work in a virtual 
library environment, train fellow colleagues in the use of electronic 
resources, and identify and promote e-resources useful for students and 
faculty of the university.
    The University of Pristina and the Ministry of Education, who are 
working in tandem to set up the University of Pristina Central Library, 
should serve as in-country partner organizations and will assist in the 
recruitment and selection of participants, as well as provide 
logistical support for in-country activities. Individuals targeted for 
the training program should be residents of Kosovo and recent graduates 
of institutions of higher learning, preferably with degrees in areas 
other than library science. While participants must be proficient in 
English, knowledge of other languages may prove beneficial since 
participants will potentially be using e-resources that are in 
languages other than English. Representatives of PAS will provide final 
approval of all individuals who are nominated for participation. 
Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact the U.S. Office Pristina 
for specific guidance before submitting proposals.
    Project funding: The total funding available for this project is 
approximately $325,000. The Bureau anticipates awarding one grant for 
this project. For more information on this topic, please contact Henry 
Scott at (202) 619-5327 [email protected].

Media Training

Multi-country projects that include Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, 
Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro, and Slovenia

    The Bureau is seeking proposals that will provide training for 
journalists, editors and media managers from Albania, Bulgaria, 
Croatia, Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro, and Slovenia. The program 
should include an orientation session lasting approximately four days; 
an internship assignment of approximately five weeks in a small to 
medium-sized media organization; and a two- to three-day debriefing. 
Projects should include both English-speaking and non-English-speaking 
participants; proposals should clearly describe what provisions would 
be made for non-English speakers. ECA will consider proposals to 
shorten the internships assignment in order to accommodate interpreting 
services for non-English speakers. ECA strongly encourages the use of 
locally hired interpreters. Those applicants that opt to find their own 
interpreters should submit a budget reflecting those costs and should 
demonstrate in their proposal narrative the ability to competently 
address interpreting requirements.
    Proposals should outline hands-on, practical internships for the 
participants. A list of media establishments willing to host the 
participants as well as tentative letters of commitment should be 
included in the proposal. A sample program schedule or outline of a 
similar program that the organization has conducted in the past should 
also be submitted. Follow-up activities such as in-region workshops or 
consultations are also strongly encouraged.
    Participant Selection: Please note that the winning applicant must 
consult closely with the Public Affairs Offices at the respective U.S. 
embassies during program implementation. Embassies will nominate all 
participants for the program.
    The Bureau anticipates funding no more than two grants for this 
theme, averaging approximately $240,000 each. Approximately 37 
participants will be funded through this RFGP. Each proposal should 
accommodate approximately 17-20 participants and should be regional in 
focus. ECA will consider proposals that include several distinct 
exchanges during the life of the grant, but all exchange groups should 
include participants from at least three countries.
    Tentative participant numbers and needs are:
    Albania: Two participants. One English-speaker and one non-English 
speaker.
    Bulgaria: Six participants. Three English speakers and three non-
English speakers.
    Croatia: Four participants. English-speakers only.
    Macedonia: Ten participants. Five English and five non-English 
speakers.
    Serbia and Montenegro: Thirteen participants total. For Serbia--
four English speakers and four non-English speakers. For Montenegro--
five non-English speakers.
    Slovenia: Two participants. English speakers only.
    Once projects are funded, ECA will work with the grantees to 
solicit more detailed information on the needs and interests of 
individual participants. For more information on this topic, please 
contact Brent Beemer at (202) 401-6887 or [email protected].

Overall Budget Guidelines

    Bureau grant guidelines require that organizations with less than 
four years experience in conducting international exchanges be limited 
to $60,000 in Bureau funding. Since it is anticipated that all grants 
awarded under this competition will far exceed $60,000 in Bureau 
funding, organizations that cannot demonstrate at least four years 
experience in conducting international exchanges are ineligible to 
apply under this competition.

Budget Guidelines and Cost Sharing Requirements

    Applicants must submit a comprehensive budget for the entire 
program and must provide a summary budget as well as breakdowns 
reflecting both administrative and program budgets in the proposal. 
Applicants may provide separate sub-budgets for each program component, 
phase, location, or activity to provide clarification. Please refer to 
the Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) for complete budget 
guidelines and formatting instructions.
    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. While there is no 
minimum requirement, applicants are strongly encouraged to provide cost 
sharing to the fullest extent possible. State Department Review Panels 
will consider cost sharing seriously when evaluating all proposals.

[[Page 15426]]

    The following are deemed allowable program costs:
    1. Travel. International and domestic airfare (per the ``Fly 
America Act''), ground transportation, and visas for U.S. participants. 
(J-1 visas for Bureau-supported participants from Eurasia to travel to 
the U.S. are issued at no charge.)
    2. Per Diem. For U.S.-based programming, organizations should use 
the published Federal per diem rates for individual U.S. cities. For 
activities in Eurasia, the Bureau strongly encourages applicants to 
budget realistic costs that reflect the local economy. Domestic per 
diem rates may be accessed at: http://policyworks.gov/org/main/mt/homepage/mtt/perdiem/perd03d.html. Foreign per diem rates can be 
accessed at: http://www.state.gov/m/a/als/prdm/.
    3. Interpreters. For U.S.-based activities, ECA strongly encourages 
applicants to hire their own locally-based interpreters. However, 
applicants may ask the Bureau to assign U.S. Department of State 
interpreters, which will decrease the amount of the award. Typically, 
one interpreter is provided for every four visitors that require 
interpreting. When an applicant proposes to use State Department 
interpreters, the following expenses should be included in the budget: 
Published Federal per diem rates (both ``lodging'' and ``M&IE''); 
``home-program-home'' transportation in the amount of $400 per 
interpreter; reimbursement for taxi fares; and cell phone usage at $10 
per week. If the applicant uses State Department interpreters, salary 
expenses will be covered by the Bureau and should not be part of an 
applicant's proposed budget. Bureau funds cannot support interpreters 
who accompany delegations from their home country or travel 
internationally.
    4. Book and cultural allowance. Foreign participants are entitled 
to a one-time cultural allowance of $150 per person, plus a book 
allowance of $50. Interpreters should be reimbursed up to $150 for 
expenses when they escort participants to cultural events. U.S. program 
staff, trainers or participants are not eligible to receive these 
benefits.
    5. Consultants. Consultants may be used to provide specialized 
expertise or to make presentations. Daily honoraria cannot 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. Such subcontracts should detail the 
division of responsibilities and proposed costs. 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. The Bureau strongly 
discourages the use of automatic translation software for the 
preparation of training materials or any information distributed to the 
group of participants or network of organizations. Costs for high-
quality translation of materials should be anticipated and included in 
the budget. Grantee organizations should expect to submit a copy of all 
program materials to the Bureau.
    8. Equipment. Proposals may include limited costs to purchase 
equipment for Eurasia-based programming such as computers, fax 
machines, and copy machines. Costs for furniture are not allowed. 
Equipment costs must be kept to a minimum.
    9. Working meal. Only one working meal may be provided 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. The allowance 
may be used for incidental expenses incurred during international 
travel.
    11. Health Insurance. Foreign participants will be covered under 
the terms of a Bureau-sponsored health insurance policy. The premium is 
paid by the Bureau directly to the insurance company. Applicants are 
permitted to include costs for travel insurance for U.S. participants 
in the budget.
    12. Wire transfer fees. When necessary, applicants may include 
costs to transfer funds to partner organizations overseas. Grantees are 
urged to research applicable taxes that may be imposed by host 
governments on these transfers.
    13. In-country travel costs for visa processing purposes. Given the 
new requirements associated with obtaining J-1 visas for Bureau-
supported participants, applicants should include costs for participant 
and/or in-country partner travel and shipping to U.S. embassies or 
consulates for visa processing purposes, such as interviews and 
delivery/pick up of DS-2019 forms.
    14. Administrative Costs. Costs necessary for the effective 
administration of the program may include salaries for grantee 
organization employees, benefits, and other direct and indirect costs 
per detailed instructions in the Application Package. While there is no 
rigid ratio of administrative to program costs, priority will be given 
to proposals whose administrative costs are less than twenty-five (25) 
per cent of the total requested from the Bureau. Proposals should show 
strong administrative cost-sharing contributions from the applicant, 
the in-country partner and other sources.

New OMB Requirement

    An OMB policy directive published in the Federal Register on 
Friday, June 27, 2003, requires that all organizations applying for 
Federal grants or cooperative agreements must provide a Dun and 
Bradstreet (D&B) Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number when 
applying for all Federal grants or cooperative agreements on or after 
October 1, 2003. The complete OMB policy directive can be referenced at 
http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/fedreg/062703_grant_identifier.pdf. 
Please also visit the ECA Web site at http://exchanges.state.gov/education/rfgps/menu.htm for additional information on how to comply 
with this new directive.

Shipment and Deadline for Proposals

    Important Note: The deadline for this competition is May 7, 
2004. In light of recent events and heightened security measures, 
proposal submissions must be sent via a nationally recognized 
overnight delivery service (i.e., DHL, Federal Express, UPS, 
Airborne Express, or U.S. Postal Service Express Overnight Mail, 
etc.) and be shipped no later than the above deadline. The 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. 
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.

    Applicants must follow all instructions in the Solicitation 
Package. The original and 14 copies (total of 15 copies, secured with 
binder clips) of the application should be sent to: U.S.

[[Page 15427]]

Department of State, SA-44, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, 
Ref.: ECA/PE/C/EUR-04-46, 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 Sections at the U.S. embassies for 
their 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. Pub. L. 
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.'' Pub. L. 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. All 
eligible proposals will be reviewed by the program office, as well as 
the Public Affairs Sections overseas, where appropriate. Eligible 
proposals will be subject to compliance with Federal and Bureau 
regulations and guidelines and forwarded to Bureau grant panels for 
advisory review. Proposals may also be reviewed by the Office of the 
Legal Adviser or by other Department elements. Final funding decisions 
are at the discretion of the Department of State's Assistant Secretary 
for Educational and Cultural Affairs. Final technical authority for 
grants resides with the Bureau's Grants Officer.

Review Criteria

    Technically eligible applications will be competitively reviewed 
according to the criteria stated below. These criteria are not rank 
ordered and all carry equal weight in the proposal evaluation:
    1. Program Planning and Ability To Achieve Program Objectives: 
Program objectives should be stated clearly and should reflect the 
applicant's expertise in the subject area and region. Objectives should 
respond to the priority topics in this announcement and should relate 
to the current conditions in the target countries. A detailed agenda 
and relevant work plan should explain how objectives will be achieved 
and should include a timetable for completion of major tasks. The 
substance of workshops, internships, seminars and/or consulting should 
be described in detail. Sample training schedules should be outlined. 
Responsibilities of in-country partners should be clearly described.
    2. Institutional Capacity: The proposal should include (1) the U.S. 
institution's mission and date of establishment; (2) detailed 
information about the in-country partner institution's capacity and the 
history of the U.S. and in-country partnership; (3) an outline of prior 
awards--U.S. government and private support received for the target 
theme/region; and (4) descriptions of experienced staff members who 
will implement the program. Proposed personnel and institutional 
resources should be adequate and appropriate to achieve the program's 
goals. The proposal should reflect the institution's expertise in the 
subject area and knowledge of the conditions in the target country. 
Proposals should demonstrate an institutional record of successful 
exchange programs, including responsible fiscal management and full 
compliance with all reporting requirements for past Bureau grants as 
determined by Bureau Grant Staff. The Bureau will consider the past 
performance of prior recipients and the demonstrated potential of new 
applicants.
    3. Cost Effectiveness and Cost Sharing: Overhead and administrative 
costs in the proposal budget, including salaries, honoraria and 
subcontracts for services, should be kept to a minimum. Priority will 
be given to proposals whose administrative costs are less than twenty-
five (25) per cent of the total funds requested from the Bureau. 
Applicants are strongly encouraged to cost share a portion of overhead 
and administrative expenses. Cost-sharing, including contributions from 
the applicant, the in-country partner, and other sources should be 
included in the budget request. Proposal budgets that do not provide 
cost-sharing will be deemed not competitive in this category.
    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 venues and program evaluation) and program 
content (orientation and wrap-up sessions, program meetings, resource 
materials and follow-up activities). Applicants should refer to the 
Bureau's Diversity, Freedom and Democracy Guidelines in the Proposal 
Submission Instructions (PSI).
    5. Evaluation: Proposals should include a detailed plan to monitor 
and evaluate the program. A draft survey questionnaire plus a 
description of a methodology that will link outcomes to original 
project objectives should be provided. Successful applicants will be 
expected to submit intermediate reports after each project component 
concludes or on a quarterly basis.
    6. Post-Grant Activities: Applicants should provide a plan to 
conduct activities after the Bureau-funded project has concluded in 
order to ensure that Bureau-supported programs are not isolated events. 
Funds for all post-grant activities must be in the form of 
contributions from the applicant or sources outside of the Bureau. 
Costs for these activities should not appear in the proposal budget, 
but should be outlined in the narrative.

    Authority: Overall grant making authority for this program is 
contained in the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 
1961, Pub. L. 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.'' It is anticipated that funding for 
this competition will be made available from FY-2003 Support for 
Eastern European Democracies (SEED) Act of 1989 Act resources 
carried over into FY-2004 for obligation, pending the availability 
of funds.

[[Page 15428]]

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.

Notification

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

    Dated: March 16, 2004.
Patricia S. Harrison,
Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs, Department of 
State.
[FR Doc. 04-6713 Filed 3-24-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P