[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 61 (Thursday, March 31, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16541-16547]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-6384]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 5037]


Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for 
Grant Proposals: Tibet Professional, Educational and Cultural Exchange 
Program

    Announcement Type: New Grant.
    Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/PE/C/WHA/EAP-05-58.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 00.000.
    Key Dates:
    Application Deadline: May 9, 2005.

Executive Summary

    The Office of Citizen Exchanges welcomes proposals in an open 
competition for Tibet Professional, Educational and Cultural Exchange 
Projects that focus on the themes of Cultural Preservation and Economic 
Self-sufficiency. The Office seeks proposals that train and assist 
Tibetans living in Tibetan communities in China by providing 
professional experience and exposure to American life and

[[Page 16542]]

culture through internships, workshops and other learning and sharing 
experiences hosted by local U.S. institutions. The experiences also 
will provide Americans the opportunity to learn about Tibetan culture 
and the social and economic challenges Tibetans face today. These two-
way exchanges should not be simply academic in nature but should 
provide practical, hands-on experience in U.S. public or private sector 
settings that may be adapted to an individual's institution upon return 
home. Proposals may combine elements of professional enrichment, job 
shadowing and internships appropriate to the language ability and 
interests of the participants.
    Applicants should ensure that their proposals comply with the Tibet 
Policy Act of 2002, particularly that their projects promote in all 
stages the active participation of Tibetans. Section 616 (d) of the 
Foreign Relations Authorization Act, 2003 (Pub. L. 107-228) defines the 
Tibet Project Principles.
    (d) Tibet Project Principles--Projects in Tibet supported by 
international financial institutions, other international 
organizations, nongovernmental organizations, and the United States 
entities referred to in subsection (c), should (1) Be implemented only 
after conducting a thorough assessment of the needs of the Tibetan 
people through field visits and interviews; (2) Be preceded by cultural 
and environmental impact assessments; (3) Foster self-sufficiency and 
self-reliance of Tibetans; (4) Promote accountability of the 
development agencies to the Tibetan people and active participation of 
Tibetans in all project stages; (5) Respect Tibetan culture, 
traditions, and the Tibetan knowledge and wisdom about their landscape 
and survival techniques; (6) Be subject to on-site monitoring by the 
development agencies to ensure that the intended target group benefits; 
(7) Be implemented by development agencies prepared to use Tibetan as 
the working language of the projects; (8) neither provide incentive 
for, nor facilitate the migration and settlement of, non-Tibetans into 
Tibet; and (9) neither provide incentive for, nor facilitate the 
transfer of ownership of, Tibetan land or natural resources to non-
Tibetans.

1. 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 Office of Citizen Exchanges welcomes proposals that focus on 
the themes of Cultural Preservation and Economic Self-sufficiency under 
this competition for FY-2005 Tibet Professional, Educational and 
Cultural Exchange Projects.

Cultural Preservation

    Projects under this theme should aim to assist Tibetans in 
preserving their cultural heritage through activities designed to 
reduce the pillage of irreplaceable cultural heritage and to create 
opportunities to develop long-term strategies for preserving cultural 
property through training and conservation, museum development, and 
public education. Projects might include supporting the preservation of 
cultural sites; objects in a site, museum or similar institution; or 
forms of traditional cultural expression. The proposals may encompass 
topics such as museum needs, historic buildings, collections, 
archaeological sites, rare manuscripts, language, or traditional arts, 
crafts, or music.

Economic Self-Sufficiency

Vocational Education

    Proposals are sought which emphasize vocational training or 
administration and development of vocational schools targeted towards 
the practical needs of Tibetan communities. Discussion of how to 
integrate education with economic planning, how to diversify revenue 
sources, and how to recruit, train and retain strong faculty would all 
contribute towards increased emphasis on vocational education and its 
importance to both Americans and Tibetans in a modern and changing 
economy. Vocational education may include practical training of 
entrepreneurs, development of Tibetan-language educational materials 
(such as Tibetan-English teaching guides or Tibetan-language public 
health education materials), or development of distance-learning 
technology solutions for remote rural schools. English-language 
training projects that are held in China are preferred over ones that 
would bring Tibetans to the U.S. for training.

Developing Entrepreneurship

    Projects under this theme may focus on the skills Tibetans, many of 
whom come from rural backgrounds with rudimentary economies, need to 
function effectively in a modern economy (e.g. finance, accounting, and 
language skills). Projects will be favored that explore ways in which 
both the government and the private sector can help promote sustainable 
entrepreneurship, including access to credit, ecologically conscious 
tourism policies and investment, or English language training for trade 
or tourism purposes. Programs that train budding entrepreneurs and 
develop micro-finance programs for them are welcome.

Sustainable Growth and Eco-Tourism

    Exchanges funded under this theme would help American and Tibetan 
conservationists, tourism planners, and economic planners share their 
experience in managing tourism resources and development projects, 
particularly in ecologically fragile areas, and would contribute to 
better understanding of conservation and concepts essential to 
responsible economic growth. Local community projects are invited in 
fields such as eco-tourism, renewable energy, or poverty alleviation 
projects, including farm technology, animal husbandry, or agricultural 
marketing.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Grant Agreement.
    Fiscal Year Funds: Fiscal Year 2005.
    Approximate Total Funding: $500,000.
    Approximate Number of Awards: Four.
    Approximate Average Award: $125,000.
    Floor of Award Range: $60,000.
    Ceiling of Award Range: $135,000.
    Anticipated Award Date: September 1, 2005.
    Anticipated Project Completion Date: December 31, 2007.

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).

[[Page 16543]]

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 
that 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

    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, Room 224, 
U.S. Department of State, SA-44, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 
20547, telephone number 202-453-8154 and fax number 202-453-8168, 
[email protected] to request a Solicitation Package. Please refer to 
the Funding Opportunity Number ECA/PE/C/WHA/EAP-050-58 located at the 
top of this announcement when making your request.
    The Solicitation Package contains the Proposal Submission 
Instruction (PSI) document that consists of required application forms, 
and standard guidelines for proposal preparation.
    Please specify Douglas McNeal and refer to the Funding Opportunity 
Number ECA/PE/C/WHA/EAP-05-58 located at the top of this announcement 
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 ten 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) 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 applicant should 
discuss their record of compliance with 22 CFR part 62 et seq., 
including the oversight of their Responsible Officers and Alternate 
Responsible Officers, screening and selection of program participants, 
provision of pre-arrival information and orientation to participants, 
monitoring of participants, proper maintenance and security of forms, 
record-keeping, reporting and other requirements.
    The Office of Citizen Exchanges of ECA will be responsible for 
issuing DS-2019 forms to participants in this program.
    A copy of the complete regulations governing the administration of 
Exchange Visitor (J) programs is available at http://exchanges.state.gov or from: United States Department of State, Office 
of Exchange Coordination and Designation, ECA/EC/ECD--SA-44, Room 734, 
301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547, Telephone: (202) 401-9810, 
FAX: (202) 401-9809.
    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,

[[Page 16544]]

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 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 $135,000. 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:
    Travel costs: International and domestic airfares; visas; transit 
costs; ground transportation costs. Please note that all air travel 
must be in compliance with the Fly America Act. There is no charge for 
J-1 visas for participants in Bureau sponsored programs. Please note 
that Tibetan participants may not travel to the U.S. primarily for 
English language instruction.
    Per Diem: For the U.S. program, organizations have the option of 
using a flat $160/day for program participants or the published U.S. 
Federal per diem rates for individual American cities. For activities 
outside the U.S., the published Federal per diem rates must be used. 
NOTE: U.S. escorting staff must use the published Federal per diem 
rates, not the flat rate. Per diem rates may be accessed at http://www.policyworks.gov/.
    Interpreters: If needed, interpreters for the U.S. program are 
available through the U.S. Department of State Language Services 
Division. Typically, a pair of simultaneous interpreters is provided 
for every four visitors who need interpretation. Bureau grants do not 
pay for foreign interpreters to accompany delegations from their home 
country. Grant proposal budgets should contain a flat $160/day per diem 
for each Department of State interpreter, as well as home-program-home 
air transportation of $400 per interpreter plus any U.S. travel 
expenses during the program. Salary expenses are covered centrally and 
should not be part of an applicant's proposed budget. Locally arranged 
interpreters with adequate skills and experience may be used by the 
grantee in lieu of State Department interpreters, with the same 1:4 
interpreter to participant ratio. Costs associated with using their 
services may not exceed rates for U.S. Department of State 
interpreters.
    Book and cultural allowance: Foreign participants are entitled to 
and escorts are reimbursed a one-time cultural allowance of $150 per 
person, plus a

[[Page 16545]]

participant book allowance of $50. U.S. program staff members are not 
eligible to receive these benefits.
    Consultants: Consultants may be used to provide specialized 
expertise, design or manage development projects or to make 
presentations. Honoraria generally do not exceed $250 per day. 
Subcontracting organizations may also be used, in which case the 
written agreement between the prospective grantee and subcontractor 
should be included in the proposal. Subcontracts should be itemized in 
the budget.
    Room rental: Room rental may not exceed $250 per day. Materials 
development: Proposals may contain costs to purchase, develop, and 
translate materials for participants.
    Equipment: Proposals may contain limited costs to purchase 
equipment crucial to the success of the program, such as computers, fax 
machines and copy machines. However, equipment costs must be kept to a 
minimum, and costs for furniture are not allowed.
    Working Meal: The grant budget may provide for only one working 
meal during the program. Per capita costs may not exceed $5-8 for a 
lunch and $14-20 for a dinner, excluding room rental. The number of 
invited guests may not exceed participants by more than a factor of 
two-to-one. Interpreters must be included as participants.
    Return travel allowance: A return travel allowance of $70 for each 
foreign participant may be included in the budget. This may be used for 
incidental expenses incurred during international travel.
    Health Insurance: Foreign participants will be covered under the 
terms of a U.S. Department of State-sponsored health insurance policy. 
The premium is paid by the U.S. Department of State directly to the 
insurance company. Applicants are permitted to included costs for 
travel insurance for U.S. participants in the budget.
    Administrative Costs: Costs necessary for the effective 
administration of the program may include salaries for grant 
organization employees, benefits, and other direct or indirect costs 
per detailed instructions in the proposal submission instructions.
    Please refer to the Solicitation Package for complete budget 
guidelines and formatting instructions.
    IV.3f. Submission Dates and Times: Application Deadline Date: 
Monday, May 9, 2005.
    Explanation of Deadlines: Due to 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 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/WHA/EAP-05-58, 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 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. All eligible 
proposals will be reviewed by the program office, as well as the Public 
Diplomacy section overseas, where appropriate. Eligible proposals will 
be subject to compliance with Federal and Bureau regulations and 
guidelines and forwarded to Bureau grant panels for advisory review. 
Proposals may also be reviewed by the Office of the Legal Adviser or by 
other Department elements. Final funding decisions are at the 
discretion of the Department of State's Assistant Secretary for 
Educational and Cultural Affairs. Final technical authority for 
assistance awards grants resides with the Bureau's Grants Officer.

Review Criteria

    Technically eligible applications will be competitively reviewed 
according to the criteria stated below. These criteria are not rank 
ordered and all carry equal weight in the proposal evaluation:
    1. Program Planning and Ability To Achieve Objectives: Program 
objectives should be stated clearly and should reflect the applicant's 
expertise in the subject area and region. Objectives should respond to 
the priority topics in this announcement and should relate to the 
current conditions in the target country/countries. A detailed agenda 
and relevant work plan should explain how objectives will be achieved 
and should include a timetable for completion of major tasks. The 
substance of workshops, internships, seminars and/or consulting should 
be described in detail. Sample training schedules should be outlined. 
Responsibilities of proposed in-country partners should be clearly 
described.
    2. Institutional Capacity: Proposals should include (1) the 
institution's mission and date of establishment; (2) detailed 
information about proposed in-country partner(s) and the history of the 
partnership; (3) an outline of prior awards--U.S. government and/or 
private support received for the target theme/country/region; and (4) 
descriptions of experienced staff members who will implement the 
program. The proposal should reflect the institution's expertise in the 
subject area and knowledge of the conditions in the target country/
countries. 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

[[Page 16546]]

applicants. Proposed personnel and institutional resources should be 
adequate and appropriate to achieve the program's goals. The Bureau 
strongly encourages applicants to submit letters of support from 
proposed in-country partners.
    3. Cost Effectiveness and Cost Sharing: Overhead and administrative 
costs in the proposal budget, including salaries, honoraria and 
subcontracts for services, should be kept to a minimum. Priority will 
be given to proposals whose administrative costs are less than thirty 
(30) percent of the total funds requested from the Bureau. Applicants 
are strongly encouraged to cost share a portion of overhead and 
administrative expenses. Cost sharing, including contributions from the 
applicant, proposed in-country partner(s), and other sources should be 
included in the budget request. Proposal budgets that do not reflect 
cost sharing will be deemed not competitive in this category.
    4. Support of Diversity: Proposals should demonstrate substantive 
support of the Bureau's policy on diversity. Achievable and relevant 
features should be cited in both program administration (selection of 
participants, program venue and program evaluation) and program content 
(orientation and wrap-up sessions, program meetings, resource materials 
and follow-up activities). Applicants should refer to the Bureau's 
Diversity, Freedom and Democracy Guidelines in the Proposal Submission 
Instructions (PSI) and the Diversity, Freedom and Democracy Guidelines 
section above for additional guidance.
    5. Post-Grant Activities: Applicants should provide a plan to 
conduct activities after the Bureau-funded project has concluded in 
order to ensure that Bureau-supported programs are not isolated events. 
Funds for all post-grant activities must be in the form of 
contributions from the applicant or sources outside of the Bureau. 
Costs for these activities should not appear in the proposal budget, 
but should be outlined in the narrative.
    6. Evaluation: Proposals should include a detailed plan to evaluate 
the program. Applicants must identify objectives that respond to our 
goals listed in the RFGP. Objectives should state what the concrete 
results of the program would be. Clearly stated objectives are needed 
to enable an evaluation plan to determine whether the program has done 
what it has set out to do. Applicant's staff must plan to evaluate the 
project's success, after each program phase and at the completion of 
the program activity. As part of the evaluation process, your 
evaluation plan should clearly distinguish between program outputs and 
outcomes. Outputs are the units of service (number of participants, 
number of events conducted, number of documents translated or 
distributed). Outcomes are the impacts on individual participants in 
the exchanges, the larger beneficiary audience, and institutional 
structures. Findings on outputs and outcomes should both be reported, 
but the focus should be on outcomes. The more that outcomes are 
``smart'' (specific, measurable, attainable, results-oriented, and 
placed in a reasonable time frame), the stronger will be the 
evaluation. The Bureau also requires that grantee institutions submit a 
final narrative and financial report.

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 websites 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 two copies of 
the following reports:
    1. A final program and financial report no more than 90 days after 
the expiration of the award;
    2. A program report should be submitted after each program phase.
    3. A financial report will be submitted quarterly.
    Grantees will be required to provide reports analyzing their 
evaluation findings to the Bureau in their regular program reports. 
(Please refer to IV. 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: Douglas McNeal, 
Office of Citizen Exchanges, ECA/PE/C Room 216, ECA/PE/C/WHA/EAP-05-58, 
U.S. Department of State, SA-44, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 
20547, telephone number 202-453-8154 and fax number 202-453-8168, e-
mail address [email protected].
    All correspondence with the Bureau concerning this RFGP should 
reference the above title and number ECA/PE/C/WHA/EAP-05-58.
    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.

[[Page 16547]]

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: March 25, 2005.
C. Miller Crouch,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Educational and 
Cultural Affairs, Department of State.
[FR Doc. 05-6384 Filed 3-30-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P