[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 213 (Thursday, November 4, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64353-64360]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-24652]
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DEPARTMENT OF STATE
[Public Notice 4884]
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for
Grant Proposals for Four (4) Study of the United States (U.S.)
Institutes
Announcement Type: New Cooperative Agreements.
Funding Opportunity Numbers:
(1) Study of the U.S. Institute on Religious Pluralism--ECA/A/E/
USS-05-03-RP.
(2) Study of the U.S. Institute on U.S. Foreign Policy--ECA/A/E/
USS-05-03-FP.
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(3) Study of the U.S Institute on Contemporary American
Literature--ECA/A/E/USS-05-03-AML.
(4) Study of the U.S. Institute on American Politics and Political
Thought--ECA/A/E/USS-05-03-AP.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 19.418.
Dates:
Key Dates:
Application Deadline: January 10, 2005.
Executive Summary: The Branch for the Study of the U.S., Office of
Academic Exchange Programs, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs,
announces an open competition for public and private non-profit
organizations to develop and implement the Study of the United States
Institutes listed above. These institutes, for a multinational group of
18 experienced university faculty, are intended to provide participants
with a deeper understanding of American life and institutions, past and
present, in order to strengthen curricula and to improve the quality of
teaching about the United States at universities abroad. The institutes
should be designed as intensive, academically rigorous seminars for
scholars from outside the United States and should have a strong
central theme and focus. Each should also have a strong contemporary
component.
The programs, which should be six weeks in length, will be
conducted during the summer of 2005 and must include an academic
residency segment of at least four weeks duration at a U.S. college or
university campus (or other appropriate location) and a study tour
segment of not more than two weeks that should complement the learning
gained during the academic residency segment.
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Authority
Overall grant making authority for this program is contained in the
Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961, Public Law 87-
256, as amended, also known as the Fulbright-Hays Act. The purpose of
the Act is ``to enable the Government of the United States to increase
mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the
people of other countries * * *; to strengthen the ties which unite us
with other nations by demonstrating the educational and cultural
interests, developments, and achievements of the people of the United
States and other nations * * * and thus to assist in the development of
friendly, sympathetic and peaceful relations between the United States
and the other countries of the world.'' The funding authority for the
program above is provided through legislation.
Purpose: The Bureau is seeking detailed proposals for four Study of
the United States (U.S.) Institutes (listed at the beginning of this
RFGP) from colleges, universities, consortia of colleges and
universities, and other not-for-profit academic organizations that have
an established reputation in one or more of the following fields:
political science, international relations, law, history, sociology,
literature, American studies, and/or other disciplines or sub-
disciplines related to the program themes.
These Study of the U.S. Institutes should provide a multinational
group of up to 18 experienced foreign university faculty with a deeper
understanding of U.S. society and culture, past and present. Each
institute should be organized around a central theme or themes in U.S.
civilization and should have a strong contemporary component. Through a
combination of traditional, multi-disciplinary and interdisciplinary
approaches, program content should be imaginatively integrated in order
to elucidate the history and evolution of U.S. institutions and values,
broadly defined. The program should also serve to illuminate
contemporary political, social, and economic debates in American
society.
Institutes are intended to offer foreign scholars whose
professional work focuses in whole or in substantial part on the United
States the opportunity to deepen their understanding of American
society, culture and institutions. Their ultimate goal is to strengthen
curricula and to improve the quality of teaching about the U.S. in
institutions of higher learning abroad.
Programs should be six weeks in length and must include an academic
residency segment of at least four weeks duration at a U.S. college or
university campus (or other appropriate location). A study tour segment
of not more than two weeks should also be planned and should not only
directly complement but should also extend the learning gained during
the academic residency segment; the study tour should include visits to
one or two additional regions of the United States.
The project director or one of the key program staff responsible
for the academic program must have an advanced degree in one of the
following fields: political science, international relations, law,
history, sociology, literature, American studies, and/or other
disciplines or sub-disciplines related to the program themes. Staff
escorts traveling under the cooperative agreement must have
demonstrated qualifications for this service. Programs must conform
with Bureau requirements and guidelines outlined in the Solicitation
Package. Bureau programs are subject to the availability of funds.
All institutes should be designed as intensive, academically
rigorous seminars intended for an experienced group of fellow scholars
from outside the United States. The institutes should be organized
through an integrated series of lectures, readings, seminar
discussions, regional travel and site visits, and they should also
include some opportunity for limited but well-directed independent
research. Applicants are encouraged to design thematically coherent
programs in ways that draw upon the particular strengths, faculty and
resources of their institutions as well as upon the nationally
recognized expertise of scholars and other experts throughout the
United States. All Study of the United States Institute programs,
regardless of their particular thematic focus, should seek to:
1. Provide participants with a survey of contemporary scholarship
within the institutes governing academic discipline(s), delineating the
current scholarly debate within the field. In this regard the seminar
should indicate how prevailing academic practice in the discipline
represents both a continuation of and a departure from past scholarly
trends and practices. It is expected that presenters from other
institutions will be brought in, as appropriate. Please note that the
ways these alternative schools of thought will be presented should be
clearly described in the proposal;
2. Bring an interdisciplinary or multi-disciplinary focus to bear
on the program content;
3. Give participants a multi-dimensional examination of U.S.
society and institutions that reflects a broad and balanced range of
perspectives and responsible views. Programs should include the views
not only of scholars, cultural critics and public intellectuals, but
also those of other professionals such as government officials,
journalists and others who can substantively contribute to the topics
at issue; and,
4. Ensure access to library and material resources that will enable
grantees to continue their research, study and curriculum development
upon returning to their home institutions.
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Program Descriptions
(1) Study of the U.S. Institute on Religious Pluralism in the United
States
This Institute should provide a multinational group of 18
experienced foreign university faculty with an opportunity to increase
their understanding of American civilization and institutions through
an examination of the American religious experience and its
intersection with democracy. Employing a multi-disciplinary approach,
drawing on fields such as history, political science, sociology,
anthropology, law and others where appropriate, the program should
explore both the historical and contemporary relationship between
church and state in the United States; examine the ways in which
religious thought and practice have influenced and been influenced by
the development of American democracy; examine the intersections of
religion and politics in the United States in such areas as elections,
public policy, and foreign policy; and explore the sociology and
demography of religion in the United States today, including a survey
of the varieties of contemporary religious belief and their impact on
American politics.
(2) Study of the U.S. Institute on U.S. Foreign Policy
The ``Study of the United States Institute on American Foreign
Policy'' should provide a multinational group of 18 experienced foreign
university faculty with a deeper understanding of how U.S. foreign
policy is conceptualized and enacted with emphasis on the post cold war
era. This institute should examine the intersection of ideas and
structures in the development of U.S. foreign policy. While the program
should review the domestic institutional foundations for U.S. foreign
policy, the primary focus should be on the main philosophical
traditions that have girded U.S. foreign policy; the grand strategies
and frameworks that have been developed out of these philosophical
trends; and, what actors--both governmental and non-governmental--shape
U.S. foreign policy at various stages from its conceptualization to its
enactment. An overarching goal of the program is to illuminate the
relationship between U.S. policies and the political, social and
economic forces in the United States that constitute the domestic
context in which such policies are debated, formulated and executed. A
thematic approach that examines how U.S. foreign policy has dealt with
specific areas of concern over time, for example nuclear proliferation
and weapons of mass destruction, democratization and humanitarian
crises would be one way for an applicant to illuminate the continuities
and changes in U.S. foreign policy. Ideally, the program should be
structured in such a way as to give attention to U.S. policy both
globally and in particular geographic areas and to examine the role of
U.S. foreign policy within the context of international relations and
international institutions.
(3) Study of the U.S. Institute on Contemporary American Literature
This program, designed for a multinational group of 18 experienced
foreign university faculty, should focus on recent American literature
and criticism. Its purpose is twofold: First, to explore contemporary
American writers and writing in a variety of genres; second, to suggest
how the themes explored in those works reflect larger currents within
contemporary American society and culture. The program should explore
the diversity of the American literary landscape, examining how major
contemporary writers, schools and movements reflect the traditions of
the American literary canon and, at the same time, represent a
departure from that tradition, establishing new directions for American
literature.
(4) Study of the U.S. Institute on American Politics and Political
Thought
The ``Study of the United States Institute on American Politics and
Political Thought'' should provide a multinational group of 18
experienced foreign university faculty with a deeper understanding of
U.S. political institutions and major currents in American political
thought by focusing on the interplay between ideas and institutions in
shaping the contemporary American polity. The institute should provide
an overview of the origins (constitutional foundations), development
and current functioning of the American presidency, Congress and the
federal judiciary, however examination of political institutions might
be expanded to include for example the two-party system, the civil
service system, interest groups, or the welfare/regulatory state. The
institute should also and simultaneously survey important currents in
the history of American political thought, including but not limited to
the political thought of the Founding period. In this context, the
Branch for the Study of the U.S. is particularly interested in
providing the foreign participants insight into competing strains in
modern American political thought/culture, such as liberalism,
republicanism (with a small ``r''), libertarianism, communitarianism,
conservatism, neo-conservatism, etc. The institute should review the
provenance and trajectory of these different intellectual strands or
movements, and highlight how they have intersected with American
political institutions to shape public discourse and public policy
formulation in the contemporary United States.
Participants: As specified in the Project Objectives, Goals and
Implementation (POGI) guidelines in the solicitation package, programs
should be designed for highly-motivated and experienced multinational
groups of 18 post-secondary educators, and, in some cases, government
officials. Participants will be interested in taking part in an
intensive seminar on aspects of U.S. civilization as a means to develop
or improve courses and teaching about the United States at their home
institutions and school systems.
Participants will be diverse in terms of age, professional
position, and travel experience abroad. Participants can be expected to
come from educational institutions where the study of the U.S. is
relatively well-developed as well as from institutions that are just
beginning to introduce courses and programs focusing on the United
States. While participants may not have in-depth knowledge of the
particular institute program theme, they will likely have had exposure
to the relevant discipline and some experience teaching about the
United States.
Participants will be drawn from all regions of the world and will
be fluent in the English language.
Participants will be nominated by Fulbright Commissions and by U.S.
Embassies abroad. A final list of participants will be sent to the host
institution. Host institutions do not participate in the selection of
participants.
Program Dates: Ideally, the programs should be 44 days in length
(including participant arrival and departure days) and should begin in
late June or early July 2005.
Program Guidelines: It is critically important that proposals
provide a full, detailed and comprehensive narrative describing the
objectives of the institute; the title, scope and content of each
session; and, how each session relates to the overall institute theme.
A syllabus must therefore indicate the subject matter for each lecture
or panel discussion, confirm or provisionally identify proposed
lecturers and discussants, and clearly show how assigned readings will
support each session. A calendar of all activities for
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the program must also be included. Overall, proposals will be reviewed
on the basis of their fullness, coherence, clarity, and attention to
detail.
Note: In a cooperative agreement, ECA/A/E/USS is substantially
involved in program activities above and beyond routine grant
monitoring. ECA/A/E/USS activities and responsibilities for this
program are as follows: ECA/A/E/USS will participate in the
selection of participants, will exercise oversight with one or more
site visits and will debrief participants. ECA/A/E/USS may also
require changes in the content of the program as well as the
activities proposed either before or after the grant is awarded.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Cooperative Agreement. ECA's level of involvement in
this program is listed under number I above.
Fiscal Year Funds: FY-05.
Approximate Total Funding: $1,040,000.
Approximate Number of Awards: 1 award per Institute (topic) for a
total of four (4) awards.
Approximate Average Award: $260,000.
Floor of Award Range: $220,000.
Ceiling of Award Range: $260,000.
Anticipated Award Date: Pending availability of funds, March 15,
2005.
Anticipated Project Completion Date: October 30, 2005.
Additional Information: Pending successful implementation of these
programs and the availability of funds in subsequent fiscal years, it
is ECA's intent to renew each of these grants for two additional fiscal
years, before openly competing each one again.
III. Eligibility Information
III.1. Eligible Applicants
Applications may be submitted by public and private non-profit
organizations meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code
section 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3).
III.2. Cost Sharing or Matching Funds
There is no minimum or maximum percentage required for this
competition. However, the Bureau encourages applicants to provide
maximum levels of cost sharing and funding in support of its programs.
When cost sharing is offered, it is understood and agreed that the
applicant must provide the amount of cost sharing as stipulated in its
proposal and later included in an approved grant agreement. Cost
sharing may be in the form of allowable direct or indirect costs. For
accountability, you must maintain written records to support all costs
which are claimed as your contribution, as well as costs to be paid by
the Federal government. Such records are subject to audit. The basis
for determining the value of cash and in-kind contributions must be in
accordance with OMB Circular A-110, (Revised), Subpart C.23--Cost
Sharing and Matching. In the event you do not provide the minimum
amount of cost sharing as stipulated in the approved budget, ECA's
contribution will be reduced in like proportion.
III.3. Other Eligibility Requirements
(a) Bureau grant guidelines require that organizations with less
than four years experience in conducting international exchanges be
limited to $60,000 in Bureau funding. ECA anticipates awarding one
grant per institute, each in an amount up to approximately $260,000 to
support program and administrative costs required to implement this
exchange program. Therefore, organizations with less than four years
experience in conducting international exchanges are ineligible to
apply under this competition. The Bureau encourages applicants to
provide maximum levels of cost sharing and funding in support of its
programs.
(b) Technical Eligibility: All proposals must comply with the
following: The project director or one of the key program staff
responsible for the academic program must have an advanced degree in
one of the following fields: political science, international
relations, law, history, sociology, literature, American studies, and/
or other disciplines or sub-disciplines related to the program themes.
Failure to meet this criteria will result in your proposal being
declared technically ineligible and given no further consideration in
the review process.
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 Branch for the Study of the U.S., ECA/A/E/USS,
Room Number 252, U.S. Department of State, SA-44, 301 4th Street, SW.,
Washington, DC 20547, telephone number (202) 619-4557 and fax number
(202) 619-6790, e-mail either [email protected] for funding numbers
ECA/A/E/USS-05-03-RP, ECA/A/E/USS-05-03-FP, ECA/A/E/USS-05-03AML or
[email protected] for funding number ECA/A/E/USS-05-03-AP to request a
Solicitation Package. Please refer to the correct Funding Opportunity
Numbers located on the first page of this announcement and cited above
when making your request.
The Solicitation Package contains the Proposal Submission
Instruction (PSI) document which consists of required application
forms, and standard guidelines for proposal preparation.
It also contains the Project Objectives, Goals and Implementation
(POGI) document, which provides specific information, award criteria
and budget instructions tailored to this competition.
Please specify Program Officer Nancy L. Meyers at
[email protected] for Funding Opportunity Numbers ECA/A/E/USS-05-03-
RP, ECA/A/E/USS-05-03-FP, ECA/A/E/USS-05-03AML or specify Program
Officer Peter Benda at [email protected] for funding number ECA/A/E/
USS-05-03-AP on all other inquiries and correspondence.
IV.2. To Download a Solicitation Package Via Internet
The entire Solicitation Package may be downloaded from the Bureau's
Web site at http://exchanges.state.gov/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 thirteen (13) copies of the application
should be sent per the instructions under IV.3e. ``Submission Dates and
Times section'' below.
IV.3a.
You are required to have a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal
Numbering System (DUNS) number to apply for a grant or cooperative
agreement from the U.S. Government. This number is a nine-digit
identification number, which uniquely identifies business entities.
Obtaining a DUNS number is easy and there is no charge. To obtain a
DUNS number, access http://www.dunandbradstreet.com or call 1-866-705-
5711. Please ensure that your DUNS number is included in the
appropriate box of the SF-424 which is part of the formal application
package.
IV.3b.
All proposals must contain an executive summary, proposal narrative
and budget.
Please Refer to the Solicitation Package. It contains the mandatory
Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI)
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document and the Project Objectives, Goals and Implementation (POGI)
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 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 the Exchange Visitor Programs as set forth in 22
CFR part 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 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.
Please refer to Solicitation Package for further information.
IV.3d.2 Diversity, Freedom and Democracy Guidelines
Pursuant to the Bureau's authorizing legislation, programs must
maintain a non-political character and should be balanced and
representative of the diversity of American political, social, and
cultural life. ``Diversity'' should be interpreted in the broadest
sense and encompass differences including, but not limited to
ethnicity, race, gender, religion, geographic location, socio-economic
status, and disabilities. Applicants are strongly encouraged to adhere
to the advancement of this principle both in program administration and
in program content. Please refer to the review criteria under the
`Support for Diversity' section for specific suggestions on
incorporating diversity into your proposal. Public Law 104-319 provides
that ``in carrying out programs of educational and cultural exchange in
countries whose people do not fully enjoy freedom and democracy,'' the
Bureau ``shall take appropriate steps to provide opportunities for
participation in such programs to human rights and democracy leaders of
such countries.'' Public Law 106-113 requires that the governments of
the countries described above do not have inappropriate influence in
the selection process. Proposals should reflect advancement of these
goals in their program contents, to the full extent deemed feasible.
IV.3d.3 Program Monitoring and Evaluation
Proposals must include a plan to monitor and evaluate the project's
success, both as the activities unfold and at the end of the program.
The Bureau recommends that your proposal include a draft survey
questionnaire or other technique plus a description of a methodology to
use to link outcomes to original project objectives. The Bureau expects
that the 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 outcomes at the outset of a program. Your evaluation
plan should include a description of your project's objectives, your
anticipated project outcomes, and how and when you intend to measure
these outcomes (performance indicators). The more that outcomes are
``smart'' (specific, measurable, attainable, results-oriented, and
placed in a reasonable time frame), the easier it will be to conduct
the evaluation. You should also show how your project objectives link
to the goals of the program described in this RFGP.
Your monitoring and evaluation plan should clearly distinguish
between program outputs and outcomes. Outputs are products and services
delivered, often stated as an amount. Output information is important
to show the scope or size of project activities, but it cannot
substitute for information about progress towards outcomes or the
results achieved. Examples of outputs include the number of people
trained or the number of seminars conducted. Outcomes, in contrast,
represent specific results a project is intended to achieve and is
usually measured as an extent of change. Findings on outputs and
outcomes should both be reported, but the focus should be on outcomes.
We encourage you to assess the following four levels of outcomes,
as they relate to the program goals set out in the RFGP (listed here in
increasing order of importance):
1. Participant satisfaction with the program and exchange
experience.
2. Participant learning, such as increased knowledge, aptitude,
skills, and changed understanding and attitude. Learning includes both
substantive (subject-specific) learning and mutual understanding.
3. Participant behavior, concrete actions to apply knowledge in
work or community; greater participation and responsibility in civic
organizations; interpretation and explanation of experiences and new
knowledge gained; continued contacts between participants, community
members, and others.
4. Institutional changes, such as increased collaboration and
partnerships, policy reforms, new programming, and organizational
improvements.
Please note: Consideration should be given to the appropriate
timing of data collection for each level of outcome. For example,
satisfaction is usually captured as a short-term outcome, whereas
behavior and institutional changes are normally considered longer-term
outcomes.
Overall, the quality of your monitoring and evaluation plan will be
judged on how well it (1) specifies intended outcomes; (2) gives clear
descriptions of how each outcome will be measured; (3) identifies when
particular outcomes will be measured; and (4) provides a clear
description of the data collection strategies for each outcome (i.e.,
surveys, interviews, or focus groups).
Please note: Because the cooperative agreement prospectively to be
awarded
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under the terms of the present RFGP is likely to be of less than one
year's duration, host institutions will not be expected to be able to
demonstrate significant specific results in terms of participant
behavior or institutional changes during the agreement period.
Applicant institutions' monitoring and evaluation plans should,
therefore, focus primarily on the first and more particularly the
second level of outcomes (learning). ECA/A/E/USS will assume principal
responsibility for developing performance indicators and conducting
post-institute evaluations to measure changes in participant behavior
as a result of the program(s), and effect of the program(s) on
institutions, over time.
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.3d.4 Describe Your Plans for Overall Program Management, Staffing,
and Coordination with ECA/A/E/USS
ECA/A/E/USS considers program management, staffing and coordination
with the Department of State essential elements of your program. Please
be sure to give sufficient attention to these elements in your
proposal. Please refer to the Technical Eligibility Requirements and
the POGI in the Solicitation package for specific guidelines.
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 should be up to approximately $260,000. 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.
Based on a group of 18 participants, the total Bureau-funded budget
(program and administrative) for this program should be up to
approximately $260,000, and Bureau-funded administrative costs as
defined in the budget details section of the solicitation package may
be up to approximately $110,000.
Justifications for any costs above these amounts must be clearly
indicated in the proposal submission. Proposals should try to maximize
cost-sharing in all facets of the program and to stimulate U.S. private
sector, including foundation and corporate, support. The Bureau
reserves the right to reduce, revise, or increase proposal budgets in
accordance with the needs of the program, and availability of U.S.
government funding.
Please refer to the ``POGI'' in the Solicitation Package for
complete institute budget guidelines and formatting instructions.
IV.3e.2. Allowable Costs for the Program Include the Following
(1) Institute staff salary and benefits.
(2) Honoraria for Guest speakers.
(3) Participant per diem.
Please refer to the Solicitation Package for complete budget
guidelines and formatting instructions.
IV.3f. Submission Dates and Times
Application Deadline Date: Monday, January 10, 2005.
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 form and place it
in an envelope addressed to ``ECA/EX/PM''.
The original and thirteen (13) copies of the application should be
sent to: U.S. Department of State, SA-44, Bureau of Educational and
Cultural Affairs, Ref.: ECA/A/E/USS-05-03-[RP/FP/AML/AP], 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 are also requested to submit the ``Executive Summary''
and ``Proposal Narrative'' sections of the proposal in text (.txt)
format on a PC-formatted disk.
V. Application Review Information
V.1. Review Process
The Bureau will review all proposals for technical eligibility.
Proposals will be deemed ineligible if they do not fully adhere to the
guidelines stated herein and in the Solicitation Package. All eligible
proposals will be reviewed by the program office, as well as the Public
Diplomacy section overseas, where appropriate. The Branch for the Study
of the U.S. may also retain outside independent consultants to review
proposals in their particular field(s) of expertise. The feedback or
input of any such consultants will be advisory only. 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
assistance awards (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 Program Idea/Plan: The proposal narrative and
appendices should demonstrate the complete integration of the two
program modules
[[Page 64359]]
(academic and experiential) into a single program. Applicants should
clearly explain how/why site visits, consultations, reading lists etc.
were chosen and how they compliment the academic module and the program
as a whole. The program should offer a balanced presentation of the
subjects/issues covered, reflecting both the continuity of the American
experience as well its diversity and dynamism inherent in it.
2. Academic Residency Program Planning and Administration: As a
general proposition, proposals should demonstrate careful planning. The
organization and structure of the academic residency component should
be clearly delineated. A program syllabus, noting specific sessions and
topical readings supporting each academic unit, should be included. The
expectation is that these institutes be conducted as intensive
graduate-level seminars. Plans for the academic residency segment
should, therefore, avoid undue reliance on the ``lecture followed by
question-and-answer session'' format, and incorporate panel
presentations, working group assignments, group debates and other
modalities designed to foster and encourage active learning and
participation by all institute participants.
3. Study Tour Planning and Administration: The study tour travel
component should not simply be a tour, but rather an integral and
substantive part of the program, reinforcing and complementing the
academic component. The proposal should explain how the site visits and
presentations included in the study tour program relate to the
Institute's learning objectives. Consideration should be given to
assigning lighter readings during the study tour (e.g., short articles,
newspaper selections, etc.) related to planned study tour travel
sessions. While visits to cultural institutions may certainly be
included, the emphasis should be on meetings with scholars and other
relevant professionals such as (e.g.) government officials,
journalists, and literary critics who can substantively contribute to
deepening the participants' understanding of issues and topics
pertinent to the Institute's theme(s).
4. Ability to Achieve Overall Program Objectives: Due to the
academic nature of this program, overall objectives can only be met if
proposals exhibit originality and substance consonant with the highest
standards of American teaching and scholarship. Program design should
reflect the main currents as well as the debates within the subject
disciplines of each institute. A variety of presenters reflecting
diverse backgrounds and viewpoints should be invited to discuss their
specific areas of expertise with the participants. Assigned readings
likewise should provide opportunities for participants to be exposed to
diverse responsible perspectives on the topics and issues to be
explored.
5. Support for Diversity: Proposals should demonstrate substantive
support of the Bureau's policy on diversity. ``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. Applicant should
highlight instances of diversity in their proposal.
6. Evaluation and Follow-Up: Proposals should include a plan to
evaluate the activity's success, both as the activities unfold and at
the end of the program. A draft survey questionnaire or other technique
plus description of a methodology to use to link outcomes to original
project objectives is recommended. Proposals should discuss provisions
made for follow-up with returned grantees as a means of establishing
longer-term individual and institutional linkages.
7. Cost-Effectiveness/Cost Sharing: The overhead and administrative
components of the proposal, including salaries and honoraria, should be
kept as low as possible. All other items should be necessary and
appropriate.
8. Institutional Capacity: Proposals should provide evidence of
continuous administrative and managerial capacity as well as the means
by which program activities and logistical matters will be implemented.
Proposed personnel, including faculty and administrative staff as well
as outside presenters, should be fully qualified to achieve the
project's goals. Library and meeting facilities, housing, meals,
transportation and other logistical arrangements should fully meet the
needs of participants.
9. Institutional Track Record/Ability: Proposals should demonstrate
an institutional record of successful exchange program activities,
indicating the experience that the organization and its professional
staff have had working with foreign educators. The Bureau will consider
the past performance of prior recipients and the demonstrated potential
of new applicants.
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 and http://exchanges.state.gov/ education/grantsdiv/terms.htm#articleI.
VI.3. Reporting Requirements
You must provide ECA with a hard copy original plus two copies of
the following reports:
Mandatory: (1) A final program and financial report no more than 90
days after the expiration of the award; Grantees will be required to
provide reports analyzing their evaluation findings to the Bureau in
their regular program reports. (Please refer to IV.
[[Page 64360]]
Application and Submission Instructions (IV.3.d.3) above for Program
Monitoring and Evaluation information.
All data collected, including survey responses and contact
information, must be maintained for a minimum of three years and
provided to the Bureau upon request.
All reports must be sent to the ECA Grants Officer and ECA Program
Officer listed in the final assistance award document.
VII. Agency Contacts
For questions about this announcement, contact: Branch for the
Study of the U.S., ECA/A/E/USS, Room Number 252, U.S. Department of
State, SA-44, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547, telephone
number (202) 619-4557 and fax number (202) 619-6790, [email protected]
or [email protected] based on the funding opportunity number.
All correspondence with the Bureau concerning this RFGP should
reference the appropriate Funding Opportunity Number given at the
beginning of this RFGP and referenced again in section ``IV.1 Contact
Information to Request an Application Package'' of this announcement.
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.
Dated: October 25, 2004.
C. Miller Crouch,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Educational and
Cultural Affairs, Department of State.
[FR Doc. 04-24652 Filed 11-3-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P