[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 63 (Thursday, April 1, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17260-17262]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-7342]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 4678]


Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs; Program Title: Global 
Connections and Exchange Program

ACTION: Request for grant proposals.

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SUMMARY: The Youth Programs Division, Office of Citizen Exchanges, of 
the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs announces an open 
competition for the Global Connections and Exchange program. Public and 
private non-profit organizations meeting the provisions described in 
Internal Revenue Code section 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3) may submit proposals 
to administer the Global Connections and Exchange program in (1) 
Azerbaijan and/or (2) for other countries with significant Muslim 
populations. The Bureau's emphasis for Program (2) is on countries in 
the Middle East/North Africa, South Asia, East Asia, and sub-Saharan 
Africa. Countries in Europe and Eurasia (excluding Turkey) are not 
eligible. The Bureau will award one grant for the Azerbaijan program 
and one to three grants for the second program. The grantee 
organizations and/or their partners will select overseas schools and 
provide them with access to the Internet and related training to 
develop collaborative school partnerships with U.S. schools. Thematic 
online projects will enhance learning, research and cross-border 
communication among participating schools. All Global Connections and 
Exchange activities will be undertaken in regular and consistent 
consultation with the Public Affairs Section (PAS) of the U.S. Embassy 
in each participating country.

Program Information

Overview

    Global Connections and Exchange is designed to introduce youth to a 
broad range of ideas and resources while enhancing the use of 
information technology in schools. Through this program, overseas 
secondary schools will expand computer literacy skills, improve general 
education, and gain a deeper understanding of U.S. society, culture, 
and values. American students will in turn gain a greater understanding 
of foreign cultures. The goals of the program are:
     Provide access to information via the Internet 
that enhances general education.
     Improve educational tools, resources, and 
learning through the application of information technology, 
complementary teacher training, online resource development, school 
partnerships, and student collaboration.
     Prepare a cadre of students with the necessary 
skills to allow them to apply for other exchange and academic study 
opportunities in the U.S.
     Generate personal and institutional ties across 
borders among students, educators and their schools.
     Ensure the sustainability of information 
technology and Internet access in schools partnered under this grant.
    Please refer to the POGI document for program specifics.

Guidelines

    Applicants should identify specific objectives and measurable 
outcomes based on program goals and project specifications provided in 
the solicitation. Should organizations wish to apply for more than one 
program, they must submit a separate proposal for each. Each of the two 
programs will be judged independently. You MUST refer to the individual 
Project Objectives, Goals and Implementation (POGI) guidelines that are 
specific to each program.
    Program 1--Azerbaijan: Total funding: $460,000. ECA will award one 
grant. The grant period will be 12 months in duration. The grant is 
intended to build on a network of schools that have benefited from 
three years of Bureau grant-funding since 2001.
    Program 2--Countries with significant Muslim populations: Total 
funding: $1,600,000. This program is a continuation of a program 
started in 2002 and expanded in 2003. The program office encourages 
creative ideas and innovative approaches to connectivity and exchange. 
ECA may award one grant for the whole amount or up to three grants for 
an amount of not less than $500,000 each. Therefore, an organization 
may apply to conduct the entire program, or it may apply to work on a 
slightly smaller scale and request a commensurate grant amount. The 
intent is to provide a small number of grants to organizations working 
with a broad network of countries. The grant period will be 18 months 
in duration. Applicants should select the countries with which they 
plan to work and present a strong justification for their choices in 
their proposals.
    For both programs, applicants must demonstrate their capacity for 
conducting programs of this nature. This includes administrative 
infrastructure in the geographic areas from which schools will be 
selected and resources to link the foreign schools with schools in the 
U.S. and other countries to facilitate substantive online programs.
    The grants to be awarded under this competition will be based upon 
the quality and responsiveness of proposals to the review criteria 
presented later in this Request for Grant Proposals (RFGP). The grants 
should begin on or about August 1, 2004, subject to availability of 
funds. Sub-grant and consortium arrangements are possibilities.
    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. Pending successful implementation of this 
program and the availability of funds in subsequent fiscal years, the 
Bureau reserves the right to renew this grant for two additional fiscal 
years, before competing it again.

Budget Guidelines

    All organizations applying under this competition must demonstrate 
in their proposal narrative a minimum of four years experience managing 
and conducting international exchange programs. Bureau grant guidelines 
require that organizations with less than four years experience 
conducting and managing international exchanges be limited to $60,000 
in Bureau funding. Since the grant or grants awarded under the 
competition will exceed the $60,000 ceiling, organizations with less 
than four years experience, per above, are not eligible to apply under 
this competition.
    Applicants must submit a summary budget that includes all program 
components as well as breakdowns reflecting both administrative and 
program budgets. Applicants should provide separate sub-budgets for 
each program component, phase, location, or activity to provide 
clarification.

[[Page 17261]]

Administrative costs, including indirect rates, should be kept to a 
minimum and cost-shared as much as possible. Please refer to the 
Solicitation Package for complete budget guidelines and formatting 
instructions.
    Announcement Title and Number: All correspondence with the Bureau 
concerning this RFGP should reference the above title and number: ECA/
PE/C/PY-04-49.
    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, and contact information on all persons who 
travel internationally on funds provided by the grant or who benefit 
from the grant funding but do not travel (e.g., teachers trained in 
country, students collaborating in online projects).
    (2) Itineraries of international and domestic travel, providing 
dates of travel and cities in which any exchange experiences take 
place.

Adherence to All Regulations Governing the J Visa

    The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs is placing renewed 
emphasis on the secure and proper administration of Exchange Visitor (J 
visa) Programs and adherence by grantees and sponsors to all 
regulations governing the J visa. Therefore, proposals should 
demonstrate the applicant's capacity to meet all requirements governing 
the administration of Exchange Visitor Programs as set forth in 22 CFR 
62, including the oversight of Responsible Officers and Alternate 
Responsible Officers, screening and selection of program participants, 
provision of pre-arrival information and orientation to participants, 
monitoring of participants, proper maintenance and security of forms, 
record-keeping, reporting and other requirements. ECA or the Grantee 
(program office: please specify which) 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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The Office of Youth Programs, ECA/PE/
C/PY, Room 568, U.S. Department of State, 301 4th Street, SW., 
Washington, DC 20547, tel. (202) 260-6520, and fax (202) 203-7529, e-
mail [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. Please specify Bureau of Education 
and Cultural Affairs Program Officer Matt O'Rourke on all other 
inquiries and correspondence.
    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.

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://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 17, 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. It is each applicant's 
responsibility to ensure that each package is marked with a legible 
tracking number 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 8 copies of each application should be sent 
to:
    U.S. Department of State, SA-44, Bureau of Educational and Cultural 
Affairs, Ref.: ECA/PE/C/PY-04-49, Program Management, ECA/EX/PM, Room 
336, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547.

Diversity, Freedom and Democracy Guidelines

    Pursuant to the Bureau's authorizing legislation, programs must 
maintain a non-political character and should be balanced and 
representative of the diversity of American political, social, and 
cultural life. ``Diversity'' should be interpreted in the broadest 
sense and encompass differences including, but not limited to 
ethnicity, race, gender, religion, geographic location, socio-economic 
status, and disabilities. Applicants are strongly encouraged to adhere 
to the advancement of this principle both in program administration and 
in program content. Please refer to the review criteria under the 
`Support for Diversity' section for specific suggestions on 
incorporating diversity into 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

    The Bureau will acknowledge receipt of all proposals and will 
review them for technical eligibility. Proposals will be deemed 
ineligible if they do not fully adhere to the guidelines stated herein 
and in the Solicitation Package. All eligible proposals will be 
reviewed by

[[Page 17262]]

the program office, as well as the State Department Geographic Area 
Office and Public Diplomacy section at the U.S. Embassy overseas, where 
appropriate. Eligible proposals will be forwarded to panels of Bureau 
officers for advisory review. Proposals may also be reviewed by the 
Office of the Legal Adviser or by other Department elements. Final 
funding decisions are at the discretion of the Department of State's 
Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs. Final 
technical authority for assistance awards (grants or cooperative 
agreements) resides with the Bureau's Grants Officer.

Review Criteria

    Technically eligible applications will be competitively reviewed 
according to the criteria stated below. These criteria are not rank 
ordered and all carry equal weight in the proposal evaluation:
    1. Quality of the program idea: Proposals should exhibit 
originality, substance, precision, and relevance to the Bureau's 
mission. Proposals should display an understanding of the goals of the 
program, as reflected in the priorities of this RFGP. Exchange 
activities should ensure efficient use of program resources. Proposals 
should demonstrate a commitment to excellence and creativity in the 
implementation and management of the program.
    2. Program planning: A detailed agenda and relevant work plan 
should explain how objectives will be achieved and should include a 
timetable for completion of major tasks. Responsibilities of partnering 
organizations should be clearly described.
    3. Ability to achieve program objectives: Objectives should be 
reasonable, feasible, and flexible. Proposals should clearly 
demonstrate how the institution will meet the program's goals and plan. 
The substance of workshops, online projects and exchange activities 
should be described in detail and included as an attachment.
    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 
schools and participants, program venue and program evaluation) and 
program content. Applicants should refer to the Bureau's Diversity, 
Freedom and Democracy Guidelines in the Proposal Submission 
Instructions (PSI).
    5. Institutional Capacity/Record/Ability: Applicants should 
demonstrate knowledge of each country's educational environment and the 
capacity to recruit U.S. schools. Proposals should present significant 
experience in developing school-based Internet programs and exhibit an 
institutional record of successful exchange programs, including 
responsible fiscal management and full compliance with all reporting 
requirements as determined by the Bureau's Grants Division. Proposed 
personnel and institutional resources should be adequate and 
appropriate to achieve the program goals and objectives.
    6. Multiplier Effect/Impact: The program should strengthen long-
term mutual understanding and facilitate curriculum reform. Applicants 
should detail how schools will share newly-acquired knowledge and 
skills with others.
    7. Program Monitoring and Evaluation: Proposals must include a plan 
and methodology to evaluate the program's successes and challenges, 
both as the activities unfold and at the end of the program. The 
evaluation plan should show a clear link between program objectives and 
expected outcomes, and should include a description of performance 
indicators and measurement tools. Applicants should provide draft 
questionnaires or other techniques for use in surveying schools/
participants to facilitate the demonstration of results. The grantee 
organization will indicate its willingness to submit periodic progress 
reports in accordance with the program office's expectations.
    8. Follow-on and Sustainability: Proposals should provide a 
strategy for the continuation of the schools' capacity to implement 
Internet access and online linkages without the Bureau's financial 
support. The proposal should address continued integrated use of 
computers and the Internet in participating schools.
    9. Cost-effectiveness/Cost sharing: The overhead and administrative 
components of the proposal, including salaries and honoraria, should be 
kept as low as possible. While lower ``per school'' figures will be 
more competitive, the Bureau expects all figures to be realistic. All 
other items should be necessary and appropriate. Proposals should 
maximize cost-sharing through other private sector support as well as 
institutional direct funding contributions.

Authority

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

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 28, 2004.
C. Miller Crouch,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Educational and 
Cultural Affairs, Department of State.
[FR Doc. 04-7342 Filed 3-31-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P