[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 155 (Thursday, August 12, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49934-49940]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-18456]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 4800]


Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for 
Grant Proposals: South Asia Professional Exchanges and Training Program 
for Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka

    Announcement Type: New Grant.
    Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/PE/C/NEAAF-05-02.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 00.000.
    Application Deadline: October 7, 2004.
    Summary: The South Asia/Near East/Africa Division of the Office of 
Citizen Exchanges of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs 
(ECA), in cooperation with the South Asia Bureau of the U.S. Department 
of State, announces an open competition for grants to support exchanges 
and relationship building between U.S. non-profit organizations and 
civil society groups in the following South Asian countries: 
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. ECA is most 
interested in projects which have a regional, multi-country, or cross-
border focus, but single-country proposals will also be considered. 
Proposals should center on groups that work with young people, and 
should design innovative, short-term, high impact projects that promote 
mutual understanding between people in the U.S. and people in South 
Asia and the advancement of one or more of the following themes: 
excellence in education, democracy enhancement, economic skills 
promotion, and conflict management.
    In this competition, innovative design for short-term, high-impact 
projects to pursue these themes effectively, and to do so with South 
Asian partner organizations, will be important to proposal 
competitiveness. Up to five grants may be awarded, and no award will 
exceed $200,000. 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 for the South Asia Professional 
Exchanges and Training Program for Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, 
Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Authority: Overall grant making authority for this program is 
contained in the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961, 
Public Law 87-256, as amended, also known as the Fulbright-Hays Act. 
The purpose of the Act is ``to enable the Government of the United 
States to increase mutual understanding between the people of the 
United States and the people of other countries * * *; to strengthen 
the ties which unite us with other nations by demonstrating the 
educational and cultural interests, developments, and achievements of 
the people of the United States and other nations * * * and thus to 
assist in the development of friendly, sympathetic and peaceful 
relations between the United States and the other countries of the 
world.'' The funding authority for the program above is provided 
through legislation. Funding for this competition is being provided 
from FY-2004/FY-2005 Economic Support Funds (ESF) transferred to the 
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs for obligation.
    Purpose: ECA seeks proposals that will address one or more of four 
pillars in the Department's strategy for working with South Asia: 
education, democracy, economic development, and conflict management. 
Proposals will be judged more competitive if they present convincingly 
innovative, short-term, high-impact project designs, as the Bureau 
seeks new, expeditious and

[[Page 49935]]

potentially more effective ways to engage relevant audiences for these 
themes in the focal countries. Proposals should provide for travel 
between the U.S. and South Asia and for activities which will promote 
collaboration in planning and implementing projects of common interest. 
Proposals should target groups focused on youth, including teachers, 
parents, religious and community leaders and/or other mentors. They 
should also reflect an understanding of the related work of various 
international agencies (e.g., U.S. Agency for International 
Development, World Bank, development foundations) so that the new 
projects complement, but do not duplicate, other programs. Proposals 
for countries and for themes other than those listed here will not be 
eligible for consideration and will be declared technically ineligible. 
No guarantee is made or implied that grants will be awarded in all 
categories.
    Themes:
     Innovation in education: Projects might include the 
development of curricula, classroom pedagogy, parent/teacher/student 
associations, or the training of teachers and administrators to fit the 
needs of target schools and communities. Target schools may be public 
and/or publicly-sanctioned religious schools. Of particular interest 
would be schools or activities that focus on female students, as would 
projects that promote student problem solving and critical thinking 
skills with an interactive pedagogy. Special attention might be given 
to preparing students for employment or for citizenship roles. Literacy 
projects for girls, their mothers and/or unemployed youth plus projects 
that seek to develop and disseminate student-focused material in local 
languages on citizenship and civic issues would also be of interest.
     Democracy enhancement: Projects should promote youth 
awareness of and involvement in civic and democratic processes, 
including respect for intellectual freedom, tolerance of diversity, 
accountability of government, human rights, and inclusiveness of women 
and minorities. Small grants to community-based NGOs to promote 
grassroots democracy, civic education projects, and/or community health 
and development projects with a civic education component will be 
considered.
     Economic skills promotion: Projects should encourage and 
help youth develop skills for employment, entrepreneurship, intelligent 
economic decisionmaking, and business management. Integration of women 
and unemployed youth into local economies and regional economic 
cooperation is also of interest.
     Conflict prevention, mitigation, reconciliation: Projects 
should bring together young people from divided communities in 
countries and/or regions experiencing civil and communal conflict. 
Small-scale projects involving mock legislatures, volunteerism, student 
camps, mediation training, civil society efforts or other projects that 
promote dialogue among groups in conflict and coalitions among divided 
communities are of interest.
    Applicants should identify local organizations and individuals in 
the South Asian countries with which/whom they are proposing to 
collaborate and provide information regarding previous cooperative 
programming and/or contacts. Information about the counterpart 
organizations' activities and accomplishments should be included in the 
section on institutional capacity. Proposals must contain letters of 
commitment or support from the foreign country partner organizations, 
and these letters should be tailored to the project being proposed.
    Strong proposals usually have the following characteristics:
     A demonstrable track record by the applicant of working in 
the proposed issue area and countries;
     Experienced staff with language facility, where needed, 
and a commitment to monitor projects locally to ensure implementation;
     A clear, convincing implementation plan showing how 
substantive results will be achieved as a result of the activities 
funded by the grant; and
     A plan that outlines activities that will take place after 
the ECA grant concludes (follow-on).
    The proposal narrative should clearly state the applicant's 
commitment to consult closely with the Public Affairs Section, and when 
required with other officers, at the U.S. Embassy in the focal 
countries. Applicants are encouraged to consult with U.S. Public 
Affairs Officers in those countries before submitting proposals. 
Proposal narratives should also state that all material developed for 
the project will acknowledge ECA Bureau funding for the program as well 
as a commitment to invite representatives of the Embassy and/or 
Consulate to participate in program sessions or site visits. Note that 
this will be a formal requirement in all final grant awards.

Suggested Program Designs

    ECA-supported exchanges may include internships; study tours; 
short-term, non-technical experiential learning; and 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, experiential 
training, and action plan development.
    2. Capacity-building and training-of-trainer (TOT) workshops to 
help participants 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 and workshops by U.S. facilitators to monitor 
projects in the region and to provide additional consultation and 
training as needed.

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 an integral component of a larger 
project that is receiving ECA funding from this competition. 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 of Citizen 
Exchanges does not support academic research or faculty or student 
fellowships.
    Participant Selection: The winning applicants MUST consult closely 
with officers in the Public Affairs Sections of U.S. Embassies, as well 
as the ECA Office of Citizen Exchanges, during program implementation. 
Embassy officers must concur in the selection of all participants 
nominated for the program.
    Security Considerations: Proposals that include work in or with 
Afghanistan or Pakistan should reflect an awareness of security 
conditions there and should demonstrate willingness to work closely 
with the U.S. Embassies in Kabul or Islamabad to schedule grant 
activities in accordance with mission security guidelines. All travel 
to Afghanistan or Pakistan by U.S. participants in this program must be 
cleared in advance with the U.S. Embassies in Kabul or Islamabad and 
must be performed in accordance with mission requirements. Itineraries, 
details of local transportation and housing, and names of visitors will 
be submitted in advance for mission approval.

[[Page 49936]]

    Once projects are funded, ECA will work with the grantees to 
solicit more detailed information on the needs and interests of 
individual participants.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Grant.
    Fiscal Year Funds: FY04-05.
    Approximate Total Funding: $800,000.
    Approximate Number of Awards: Four to five.
    Approximate Average Award: $170,000.
    Floor of Award Range: $ 55,000.
    Ceiling of Award Range: $200,000.
    Anticipated Award Date: Pending availability of funds, December 21, 
2004.
    Anticipated Project Completion Date: While ECA is most interested 
in projects that can be completed expeditiously, projects extending to 
December 31, 2006, will be considered.

III. Eligibility Information

    III.1. Eligible applicants: Applications may be submitted by public 
and private non-profit organizations meeting the provisions described 
in Internal Revenue Code section 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3).
    III.2. Cost Sharing or Matching Funds: There is no minimum or 
maximum percentage required for this competition. However, the Bureau 
encourages applicants to provide maximum levels of cost sharing and 
funding in support of its programs, and amount of cost sharing offered 
will be one criterion in evaluating grant proposals.
    When cost sharing is offered, it is understood and agreed that the 
applicant must provide the amount of cost sharing as stipulated in its 
proposal and later included in an approved grant agreement. Cost 
sharing may be in the form of allowable direct or indirect costs. For 
accountability, grantees must maintain written records to support all 
costs which are claimed as contributions, 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 the grantee does not provide the 
minimum amount of cost sharing as stipulated in the approved budget, 
ECA's contribution will be reduced in like proportion.
    III.3. Other Eligibility Requirements:
    Grants awarded to eligible organizations with less than four years 
of experience in conducting international exchange programs will be 
limited to $60,000.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    Note: 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.

    IV.1. Contact Information To Request an Application Package: Please 
contact the Office of Citizen Exchanges, ECA/PE/C/NEAAF, Room 216, U.S. 
Department of State, SA-44, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547, 
Attention: South Asia Professional Exchanges Program, telephone (202) 
619-5320, fax number (202) 619-4350, to request a Solicitation Package. 
Please refer to the Funding Opportunity Number ECA/PE/C/NEAAF-05-02 and 
program title located at the top of this announcement when making your 
request.
    The Solicitation Package contains the Proposal Submission 
Instructions (PSI) which include required application forms and 
standard guidelines for proposal preparation.
    IV.2. To Download a Solicitation Package Via Internet: The entire 
Solicitation Package may be downloaded from the Bureau's Web site at 
http://exchanges.state.gov/education/rfgps/menu.htm. Please read all 
information before downloading.
    IV.3. Content and Form of Submission: Applicants must follow all 
instructions in the Solicitation Package. The original and ten copies 
of the application should be sent per the instructions under IV.3e. 
``Submission Dates and Times section'' below.
    IV.3a. Applicants are required to have a Dun and Bradstreet Data 
Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number to apply for a grant or 
cooperative agreement from the U.S. Government. This number is a nine-
digit identification number which uniquely identifies business 
entities. Obtaining a DUNS number is easy and there is no charge. To 
obtain a DUNS number, access http://www.dunandbradstreet.com or call 1-
866-705-5711. Please ensure that your DUNS number is included in the 
appropriate box of the SF-424, ``Application for Federal Assistance,'' 
which is part of the formal application package.
    IV.3b. All proposals must contain an executive summary, proposal 
narrative and budget.
    Please Refer to the Solicitation Package. It contains the mandatory 
Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) document for additional 
formatting and technical requirements.
    IV.3c. You must have nonprofit status with the IRS at the time of 
application. If your organization is a private nonprofit which has not 
received a grant or cooperative agreement from ECA in the past three 
years, or if your organization received nonprofit status from the IRS 
within the past four years, you must submit the necessary documentation 
to verify nonprofit status as directed in the PSI document. Failure to 
do so will cause your proposal to be declared technically ineligible.
    IV.3d. Please take into consideration the following information 
when preparing your proposal narrative:
    IV.3d.1. Adherence to All Regulations Governing the J Visa: The 
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 proposal should 
describe your record of compliance with 22 CFR part 62 et seq., 
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

[[Page 49937]]

forms, recordkeeping, 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.
    IV.3d.2. Diversity, Freedom and Democracy Guidelines: Pursuant to 
the Bureau's authorizing legislation, programs must maintain a non-
political character and should be balanced and representative of the 
diversity of American political, social, and cultural life. 
``Diversity'' should be interpreted in the broadest sense and encompass 
differences including, but not limited to, ethnicity, race, gender, 
religion, geographic location, socio-economic status, and disabilities. 
Applicants are strongly encouraged to adhere to the advancement of this 
principle both in program administration and in program content. Please 
refer to the review criteria under the `Support for Diversity' section 
for specific suggestions on incorporating diversity into your proposal. 
Public Law 104-319 provides that ``in carrying out programs of 
educational and cultural exchange in countries whose people do not 
fully enjoy freedom and democracy,'' the Bureau ``shall take 
appropriate steps to provide opportunities for participation in such 
programs to human rights and democracy leaders of such countries.'' 
Public Law 106-113 requires that the governments of the countries 
described above do not have inappropriate influence in the selection 
process. Proposals should reflect advancement of these goals in their 
program contents, to the full extent deemed feasible.
    IV.3d.3. Program Monitoring and Evaluation: Proposals must include 
a plan to monitor and evaluate the project's success, both as the 
activities unfold and at the end of the program. The Bureau recommends 
that your proposal include a draft survey questionnaire or other data 
collection techniques plus a description of a methodology to link 
outcomes to original project objectives and to project activities. The 
Bureau expects that the grantee will track participants or partners and 
be able to respond to key evaluation questions, including satisfaction 
with the program, learning as a result of the program, changes in 
behavior as a result of the program, and effects of the program on 
institutions (institutions in which participants work or partner 
institutions). The evaluation plan should include indicators that 
measure gains in mutual understanding as well as substantive knowledge.
    Successful monitoring and evaluation depend heavily on setting 
clear goals and objectives at the outset of a program. Your evaluation 
plan should include a description of project objectives, your 
anticipated project outcomes, and how and when you intend to measure 
these outcomes (performance indicators). The more that objectives are 
``smart'' (specific, measurable, attainable, results-oriented, and 
placed in a reasonable time frame), the easier it will be to conduct 
the evaluation. You should also show how your project objectives link 
to the program goals described in this RFGP.
    Your monitoring and evaluation plan should clearly distinguish 
between program outputs and outcomes. Outputs are products and services 
delivered, often stated as an amount. Output information is important 
to show the scope or size of project activities, but it cannot 
substitute for information about progress towards outcomes or the 
results achieved. Examples of outputs include the number of people 
trained or the number of seminars conducted. Outcomes, in contrast, 
represent specific results a project is intended to achieve and are 
usually measured as an extent of change. Findings on outputs and 
outcomes should both be reported, but primary attention should be on 
outcomes.
    We encourage you to assess the following four levels of outcomes, 
as they relate to the program goals set out in the RFGP (listed here in 
increasing order of importance):
    1. Participant satisfaction with the program and exchange 
experience.
    2. Participant learning, such as increased knowledge, aptitude, 
skills, and changed understanding and attitude. Learning includes both 
substantive (subject-specific) knowledge and mutual understanding.
    3. Participant behavior, concrete actions to apply knowledge in 
work or community; greater participation and responsibility in civic 
organizations; interpretation and explanation of experiences and new 
knowledge gained; continued contacts between participants, community 
members, and others.
    4. Institutional changes, such as increased collaboration and 
partnerships, policy reforms, new programming, and organizational 
improvements.

    Please note: Consideration should be given to the appropriate 
timing of data collection for each level of outcome. For example, 
satisfaction is usually captured as a short-term outcome, whereas 
behavior and institutional changes are normally considered longer-
term outcomes.

    Overall, the quality of your monitoring and evaluation plan will be 
judged on how well it (1) specifies intended outcomes; (2) gives clear 
descriptions of how each outcome will be measured; (3) identifies when 
particular outcomes will be measured; and (4) provides a clear 
description of the data collection strategies for each outcome (i.e., 
surveys, interviews, or focus groups). (Please note that evaluation 
plans that deal only with the first level of outcomes [satisfaction] 
will be deemed less competitive under the present evaluation criteria.)
    Grantees will be required to provide reports analyzing their 
evaluation findings to the Bureau in their regular program reports. All 
data collected, including survey responses and contact information, 
must be maintained for a minimum of three years and provided to the 
Bureau upon request.
    IV.3e. Please take the following information into consideration 
when preparing your budget:
    IV.3e.1. Applicants must submit a comprehensive budget for the 
entire program. Awards may not exceed $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.
    IV.3e.2. Allowable costs for the program include the following:
    (1) Travel. International and domestic airfare (per the ``Fly 
America Act''), ground transportation, and visas for U.S. participants. 
(J-1 visas for ECA-supported participants from South Asia 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. 
Domestic per diem rates may be accessed at: http://policyworks.gov/org/main/mt/homepage/mtt/perdiem/perd03d.html. For activities in South 
Asia, ECA requests applicants to budget realistic costs that reflect 
the local economy and never exceed Federal per diem rates. Foreign per 
diem rates can be accessed at: http://www.state.gov/m/a/als/prdm/html.
    (3) Interpreters. For U.S.-based activities, ECA strongly 
encourages applicants to hire their own locally-

[[Page 49938]]

based interpreters. However, applicants may ask ECA 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. Salary expenses for State Department interpreters 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 Allowances. 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. Honoraria rates should not exceed 
$250 per day. Organizations are encouraged to cost-share rates that 
would exceed that figure. Subcontracting organizations may also be 
employed, 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, and subcontracts should be itemized in the budget.
    6. Room rental should not exceed $250 per day, or any excess should 
be cost shared.
    7. Materials development. Proposals may contain costs to purchase, 
develop and translate materials for participants. ECA 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 ECA, and ECA support should be acknowledged on all 
materials developed with its funding.
    8. Equipment. Proposals may include limited costs to purchase 
equipment for South Asia-based programming such as computers and fax 
machines, but equipment costs should be kept to a minimum. Costs for 
furniture are not allowed.
    9. Working meal. Only one working meal may be provided during the 
program. Per capita costs may not exceed $8 for a lunch and $20 for a 
dinner, excluding room rental, and lower costs are preferred. 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 allowance 
may be used for incidental expenses incurred during international 
travel.
    11. Health Insurance. Foreign participants will be covered during 
their participation in the program by the ECA-sponsored Accident and 
Sickness Program for Exchanges (ASPE), for which the grantee must 
enroll them. Details of that policy can be provided by the contact 
officers identified in this solicitation. The premium is paid by ECA 
and should not be included in the grant proposal budget. However, 
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 on these 
transfers by host governments.
    13. In-country travel costs for visa processing purposes. Given the 
requirements associated with obtaining J-1 visas for ECA-supported 
participants, applicants should include costs for participant and/or 
in-country partner travel to U.S. embassies or consulates for these 
purposes. E.g., Afghan participants may have to travel to Islamabad 
more than once to be interviewed and to pick up their visas.
    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, proposals in which the 
administrative costs do not exceed 25% of the total requested ECA grant 
funds will be rated more highly on cost effectiveness (See Review 
Criterion 10.). Proposals should show strong administrative 
cost-sharing contributions from the applicant, the in-country partner 
and other sources.
    Please refer to the Solicitation Package for complete budget 
guidelines and formatting instructions.
    IV.3f. Submission Dates and Times:
    Application Deadline Date: October 7, 2004.
    Explanation of Deadlines: 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. ECA will not notify you upon receipt of application. 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. 
Applications may not be submitted electronically at this time.
    Applicants must follow all instructions in the Solicitation 
Package.

    Important Note: When preparing your submission please make sure 
to include one extra copy of the completed SF-424 Application For 
Federal Assistance form and place it in an envelope addressed to 
``ECA/EX/PM''.

    The original and ten 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/NEAAF-05-02, Program Management, ECA/EX/PM, Room 
534, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547.
    Along with the Project Title, all applicants must enter the above 
Reference Number in Box 11 on the SF-424 contained in the mandatory 
Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) of the solicitation document.
    IV.3g. Intergovernmental Review of Applications: Executive Order 
12372 does not apply to this program.
    Applicants must also submit the ``Executive Summary'' and 
``Proposal

[[Page 49939]]

Narrative'' sections of the proposal in text (.txt) format on a PC-
formatted disk. The Bureau will provide these files electronically to 
the appropriate Public Affairs Section(s) at the U.S. embassy(ies) for 
its(their) review.

V. Application Review Information

V.1. Review Process

    The Bureau will review all proposals for technical eligibility. 
Proposals will be deemed ineligible if they do not fully adhere to the 
guidelines stated herein and in the Solicitation Package. The program 
office, as well as the Public Diplomacy section overseas, where 
appropriate, 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:
    1. Quality of the program idea: Proposals should exhibit 
originality, substance, precision, and relevance to the purposes stated 
in this Request for Grant Proposals. Note the call for innovative, 
short-term, high-impact designs.
    2. Program planning: Detailed agenda and relevant work plan should 
demonstrate substantive undertakings and logistical capacity over a 
progressive time line. Agenda and plan should adhere to the program 
overview and guidelines described above.
    3. Ability to achieve program objectives: Objectives should be 
clearly stated (see section on monitoring and evaluation above) in 
terms that allow linkage with program activities.
    4. 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.
    5. Support of Diversity: Proposals should demonstrate substantive 
support of the Bureau's policy on diversity. Achievable and relevant 
features should be cited in both program administration (selection of 
participants, program venue and program evaluation) and program content 
(orientation and wrap-up sessions, program meetings, resource materials 
and follow-up activities).
    6. Institutional Capacity: Proposed personnel and institutional 
resources should be adequate and appropriate to achieve the program or 
project's goals.
    7. Institution's Record: Proposals should demonstrate an 
institutional record of successful exchange programs, including 
responsible fiscal management and full compliance with all reporting 
requirements for past Bureau grants as determined by Bureau Grants 
Staff. The Bureau will consider the past performance of prior 
recipients and the demonstrated potential of new applicants.
    8. Follow-on Activities: Proposals should provide a plan for 
continued follow-on activity (without Bureau support) ensuring that 
ECA-supported programs are not isolated events.
    9. Project Evaluation: Proposals should include a plan to evaluate 
the activity's success, both as the activities unfold and at the end of 
the program. ECA recommends submission of draft survey questionnaires 
or other data collection techniques plus description of a methodology 
to use to link outcomes to original project objectives and project 
activities. ECA also recommends employment of an expert, independent 
evaluator and final impact evaluation conducted six months after the 
end of other program activities.
    Although some exchange project objectives may be difficult to 
quantify, ECA urges applicants to identify indicators and observational 
techniques to associate with all objectives so that program progress 
and outcome can be objectively reported. Overall, an evaluation plan 
will be judged more satisfactory the more that it specifies (a) a 
distinct population with which to work, (b) a manageable set of 
``smart'' objectives on a time line for that population, (c) clear 
descriptions of performance indicators for each objective, (d) 
measurement tools for collecting data, (e) a methodology for 
aggregating observations, and (f) inference strategies for interpreting 
data.
    10. Cost-effectiveness: 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.
    11. Cost-sharing: Proposals should maximize cost-sharing through 
other private sector support as well as institutional direct funding 
and in-kind contributions.
    12. Value to U.S.-Partner Country Relations: Proposed projects 
should receive positive assessments by the U.S. Department of State's 
geographic area desk and overseas officers of program need, potential 
impact, and significance in the partner country(ies).

VI. Award Administration Information

VI.1. Award Notices

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

VI.2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

    Terms and Conditions for the Administration of ECA agreements 
include the following:
    Office of Management and Budget Circular A-122, ``Cost Principles 
for Nonprofit Organizations.''
    Office of Management and Budget Circular A-21, ``Cost Principles 
for Educational Institutions.''
    OMB Circular A-87, ``Cost Principles for State, Local and Indian 
Governments''.
    OMB Circular No. A-110 (Revised), Uniform Administrative 
Requirements for Grants and Agreements with Institutions of Higher 
Education, Hospitals, and other Nonprofit Organizations.
    OMB Circular No. A-102, Uniform Administrative Requirements for 
Grants-in-Aid to State and Local Governments.
    OMB Circular No. A-133, Audits of States, Local Government, and 
Non-profit Organizations.
    Please reference the following Web sites for additional 
information:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants;
http://exchanges.state.gov/education/grantsdiv/terms.htm#articleI.

VI.3. Reporting Requirements

    You must provide ECA with a hard copy original plus one copy of the 
following reports:
    a. A final program that includes the overall program evaluation and 
a final

[[Page 49940]]

financial report no more than 90 days after the expiration of the 
award;
    b. Quarterly financial reports; and
    c. Program reports after each major phase of activity, e.g., after 
each international travel phase.
    Grantees will be required to provide reports analyzing their 
evaluation findings to the Bureau in their regular program reports. 
Please refer to Application and Submission Instructions (IV.3.d.3) 
above for Program Monitoring and Evaluation information.
    All data collected, including survey responses and contact 
information, must be maintained for a minimum of three years and 
provided to the Bureau upon request.
    All reports must be sent to the ECA Grants Officer and ECA Program 
Officer listed in the final assistance award document.

VI.4. Program Data Requirements

    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 
requested. As a minimum, the data must include the following:
    (a) Name, address, contact information and biographic sketch of all 
persons who travel internationally on funds provided by the grant.
    (b) Itineraries of international and domestic travel, providing 
dates of travel and cities in which any exchange experiences take 
place. Final schedules for in-country and U.S. activities must be 
received by the ECA Program Officer at least three work days prior to 
the official opening of the activity.

VII. Agency Contacts

    For questions about this announcement, contact: Katherine Van de 
Vate ((202) 619-5320, [email protected]) or Thomas Johnston ((202) 
619-5325, [email protected]), room 216, Office of Citizen Exchanges, 
ECA/PE/C/NEAAF, U.S. Department of State, SA-44, 301 Fourth Street, 
SW., Washington, DC 20547. All correspondence with the Bureau 
concerning this RFGP should reference the above title and number ECA/
PE/C/NEAAF-05-02.
    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.

VIII. Other Information

Notice

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

    Dated: August 6, 2004.
C. Miller Crouch,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Educational and 
Cultural Affairs, Department of State.
[FR Doc. 04-18456 Filed 8-11-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P