Federal Register, Volume 72 Issue 11 (Thursday, January 18, 2007)

[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 11 (Thursday, January 18, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2326-2332]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-631]

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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 5673]

Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for
Grant Proposals: Turkish Student Teacher Internship Project

Announcement Type: New Cooperative Agreement.
Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/A/S/X-07-02.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 00.000.
Key Dates: Application Deadline: March 21, 2007.
Executive Summary: The Office of Global Educational Programs of the
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs announces an open
competition for the Turkish Student Teacher Internship Project. U.S.
public and private universities meeting the provisions described in
Internal Revenue Code section 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3) may submit proposals
to administer an eight-week professional development program for
graduate students of education from Turkey beginning in January 2008.
The focus of the program is to familiarize participants with U.S.
student-centered teaching methods and the use of technology in the
classroom. The exchange experience should also give Turkish
participants an in-depth experience of American life and culture and
contribute to mutual understanding between Turkey and the United
States. The program should include both a theoretical component,
provided through professional development seminars in an academic
setting, and a practical component, provided through practice teaching
experience under the guidance of experienced mentor teachers in local
school districts. Interested organizations should indicate strong
contacts with local U.S. school districts in order to provide the
practical student-teaching component, as well as a demonstrated ability
to conduct a substantive academic program. Host schools for internships
may be public, private, magnet or charter schools, and should exemplify
best practices.

I. Funding Opportunity Description

Authority

Overall grant making authority for this program is contained in the
Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961, as amended,
Public Law 87-256, 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 Turkish Student Teacher Internship Project will bring forty
graduate student teachers of education from Bilkent University and
other universities in Turkey to the U.S. to learn about student-
centered teaching and technology in the classroom. Approximately
twenty-six participants will be enrolled in a two-year Master's in
Teacher Education program, a Teaching English as a Foreign Language
program, or other innovative degree programs which train high school
level teachers of other subjects to use student-centered teaching
methods. Most of the students will have completed one year of M.A.-
level academic work before beginning the program in the U.S. The
English-speaking student teachers will be selected by the Commission
for Educational Exchange between the U.S.A. and Turkey (Fulbright
Commission) in coordination with the U.S. Embassy in Turkey. At least
twelve of the participants will come from universities other than
Bilkent University. Some of these other students may be upper-level
undergraduate students with strong English language skills, subject
field knowledge, and a background in education. The group will
demonstrate diversity in terms of their home regions in Turkey, gender,
and socio-economic background, and will prepare to teach in the subject
fields of English as a Foreign Language, Turkish language and
literature, mathematics, history, and biology. Following their program,
the students will return to their home institutions for additional
graduate study before starting careers as high school teachers in
Turkey.
This program is designed to assist young Turkish educators who will
prepare students to live in an increasingly interdependent world, and
to provide these educators with an in-depth exchange experience in the
United States. It is intended that this experience will provide a basis
for continuing contact with American counterparts in order to promote
mutual understanding between the two countries.

Guidelines

The eight-week program should provide participants with thorough
exposure to student-centered teaching approaches and the use of
technology in American schools and a substantive cultural/educational
exchange experience in the United States. The cooperating institution
will, in collaboration with representatives of the Fulbright
Commission, U.S. Embassy,

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and Bilkent University in Ankara, conduct a needs assessment, interview
and select participants, and lead a three-day pre-departure orientation
workshop for the participants.
The cooperating institution should provide substantive information
for the pre-departure orientation about the program, the program's
goals, and expectations of participants. It should also offer a
framework for integrating the training and its objectives into the
participants' previous training, and promote strategies for sharing
their knowledge with professional counterparts and with students in
their own classrooms. At the orientation, organizers should seek input
from the participants about the needs of local teachers, review
comparative teaching practices, and address issues about the
participants' stay in the U.S.
Upon their arrival in the United States, the participants should
receive a second orientation that includes a basic introduction to
American life and customs, and how these customs differ from practices
in their home country. The participants should also receive academic
training on teaching methodology and instructional procedures. Teachers
should then be placed in small groups at local schools, paired with
experienced U.S. teachers whose academic specializations match their
own (English, biology, history, mathematics, and Turkish language and
literature--for which the pairing should be with U.S. literature mentor
teachers). Internship activities should include: Observing a variety of
teaching methods (inquiry, active classroom, group projects, etc.) as
well as computer-based lessons; working individually with a mentor
teacher on curriculum development; and team teaching. While the
greatest emphasis should be on immersing student teachers actively in
the American classroom environment, the participants should also
participate in development seminars on related topics in a university
academic setting. The internship and seminars will also help
participants to create a curriculum development project or portfolio to
use upon their return to Turkey.

Components of U.S. Program

Cross-cultural orientation (2-4 days): Introduction to
U.S. Government as it relates to education, the U.S. educational
system, and American culture through site visits and a cross-cultural
adjustment seminar;
Site visits in school districts (2-3 days): To all levels
and types of schools, including economically and ethnically diverse
schools;
Internships in high schools (6 weeks): Each student
teacher will work with a U.S. mentor teacher individually or with one
other student teacher; activities should include classroom observation,
team teaching, and cultural presentations;
Exposure to local school governance: Through such
activities as attendance at faculty, board of education, and PTA
meetings;
Professional development seminars planned and conducted in
an academic setting to complement school-based training: Topics may
include classroom management, conflict resolution, diversity, and
curriculum development. Seminars may be spread throughout the six weeks
or take the form of a mid-program conference/debriefing;
Final debriefing (1-2 days): Student teachers will share
what they have observed and learned through presentations they will
make to each other within the group;
Curriculum development project: By the end of the eight-
week program, the student teachers should complete a project
incorporating a new teaching method or technology that they will put
into practice when they begin teaching in Turkey. Students should be
able to use this project to brief fellow students at seminars held at
their home universities, sharing the knowledge they have gained during
their exchange experience with a wider group of MA candidates in
Turkey.
Cultural experiences: The project should provide
opportunities for participants to interact with the local community
through brief home hospitality visits and through involvement with non-
school-based groups; participants should take part in activities
reflecting the diversity of American society, and should speak to
Americans about Turkish history and culture.
Final debriefing in Washington, DC: This portion of the
program will allow Department of State staff to discuss the program in
detail with the participants and to discuss how to improve such
programs in the future. A cultural program, to be approved by the
Bureau, will also be part of the Washington visit.

Grantee's Responsibilities

Plan and implement the exchange program in all aspects,
including both the academic and practical component;
Together with the Fulbright Commission and the U.S.
Embassy in Ankara, run a competition to select Turkish students to take
part in the program;
Conduct a needs assessment at beginning of project;
Locate school districts to host groups for U.S.
internships through an informal competition (schools must submit a
brief proposal outlining their interest, understanding of goals,
examples of best practices, and commitment to mentoring).
Transportation should be provided for student teachers by the
administering university or host school. Schools should expose
participants to multiple pedagogical styles and should designate an
experienced mentor teacher to oversee the day-today activities of the
participants;
Conduct orientations in Turkey and the U.S. (the pre-
departure orientation in Turkey may be conducted by the Fulbright
Commission in close cooperation with the grantee organization, and the
local coordinating institution, Bilkent University);
Conduct professional development seminars and a
debriefing;
Brief U.S. mentor teachers on their responsibilities in
supervising the student teachers during their internships;
Monitor and evaluate the program;
Administer all participant logistics: arrange
international transportation, ground transportation to local schools
and training sites, and participant per diem and housing; enroll
participants in State Department-provided emergency and accident
insurance; prepare U.S. Government forms such as the DS-2019 forms,
tax, social security, etc.
Arrange for home hospitality visits for at least some
portion of the exchange visit, perhaps through local schools or other
participating organizations; cooperating institutions should be
sensitive to accommodating participants' religious observances;
Administer all financial aspects of the program and comply
with reporting requirements;
Arrange a visit to Washington, DC, at the end of the
group's U.S. program, to include meetings with Bureau representatives,
a cultural program, and a school site visit if possible;
Plan follow-on activities with host schools and
participants in conjunction with participants' academic program;
Administer an alumni grants competition, in which Turkish
participants may apply for financial assistance to obtain essential
materials for their home schools, offer follow-on training for other
teachers, open a teacher resource center, develop teaching materials,
bring U.S. mentor teachers to Turkey to develop school linkages, and to
conduct other activities that will build on the exchange visits.
The Fulbright Commission for Educational Exchange between the

[[Page 2328]]

U.S.A. and Turkey will assist in obtaining international airline
tickets; the grantee will pay the airline office in Ankara for the air
tickets. The purchase of tickets must be in compliance with the Fly
America Act. The grantee will prepare DS-2019 forms and enroll the
student teachers in the State Department's health insurance policy. The
Fulbright Commission and the sending universities will assist in the
pre-departure orientation and will conduct a post-program evaluation.
The grantee will coordinate with the Fulbright Commission on all non-
U.S. based aspects of program administration. The proposal should
address mechanisms for communication and coordination. The grantee
organization will coordinate with the Teacher Exchange Branch in the
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs regarding all U.S.-based
activities, reporting and evaluation.
It will be important for the grantee organization to help create a
network for participants to communicate and support each other in using
the new methodologies after they have completed their academic program
in Turkey and become teachers. A strong proposal will address follow-on
activities in conjunction with the Fulbright Commission and the sending
university or universities to increase future impact and participant
support.
The grant will begin on or about June 1, 2007, and the grantee
should complete all exchange activities by December 31, 2008. The
exchange program will take place in January-March 2008. Please refer to
additional program specific guidelines in the Project Objectives,
Goals, and Implementation (POGI) document.
Programs must comply with J-1 visa regulations. Please refer to
Solicitation Package for further information.

II. Award Information

Type of Award: Grant Agreement.
Fiscal Year Funds: 2007.
Approximate Total Funding: $350,000.
Approximate Number of Awards: 1.
Approximate Average Award: $350,000.
Anticipated Award Date: Pending availability of funds, June 1,
2007.
Anticipated Project Completion Date: December 31, 2008.
Additional Information: Pending successful implementation of this
program and the availability of funds in subsequent fiscal years, it is
ECA's intent to renew this grant for two additional fiscal years,
before openly competing it again.

III. Eligibility Information

III.1. Eligible Applicants

Applications may be submitted by U.S. public and private
universities 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

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, in an
amount up to $350,000 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.

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 Patricia Mosley of the Teacher Exchange Branch, ECA/
A/S/X, Room 349, U.S. Department of State, SA-44, 301 4th Street, SW.,
Washington, DC 20547, telephone: (202) 453-8897, fax: (202) 453-8890,
e-mail: [email protected] to request a Solicitation Package. Please
refer to the Funding Opportunity Number ECA/A/S/X-07-02 located at the
top of this announcement when making your request.
Alternatively, an electronic application package may be obtained
from grants.gov. Please see section IV.3f for further information.
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 Michael Kuban, telephone: (202) 453-8897, e-mail:
[email protected] and refer to the Funding Opportunity Number ECA/A/S/
X-07-02 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, or
from the Grants.gov Web site at http://www.grants.gov. 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 seven copies of the application should be
submitted per the instructions under IV.3f. ``Application Deadline and
Methods of Submission'' 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

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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 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,
recordkeeping, reporting and other requirements. The Grantee 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) 203-5029,
FAX: (202) 453-8640. Please refer to the 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 that evaluation
plans that deal only with the first level of outcomes [satisfaction]
will be deemed less competitive under the present evaluation criteria.)

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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.3.d.4. Describe your plans for staffing: Please provide a
staffing plan which outlines the responsibilities of each staff person
and explains which staff member will be accountable for each program
responsibility. Wherever possible please streamline administrative
processes.
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. The budget should not exceed $350,000 for program and
administrative costs. There must be a summary budget as well as
breakdowns reflecting both administrative and program budgets for host
campus and foreign teacher involvement in the program. Applicants may
provide separate sub-budgets for each program component, phase,
location, or activity to provide clarification.
The summary and detailed administrative and program budgets should
be accompanied by a narrative which provides a brief rationale for each
line item including a methodology for estimating appropriate average
maintenance allowance levels and tuition costs (as applicable) for the
participants, and the number that can be accommodated at the levels
proposed. The total administrative costs funded by the Bureau must be
reasonable and appropriate.
IV.3e.2. Allowable costs for the program and additional budget
guidance are outlined in detail in the POGI document.
Please refer to the Solicitation Package for complete budget
guidelines and formatting instructions.
IV.3f. Application Deadline and Methods of Submission.
Application Deadline Date: Wednesday, March 21, 2007.
Reference Number: ECA/A/S/X-07-02.
Methods of Submission:
Applications may be submitted in one of two ways:
(1) In hard-copy, via a nationally recognized overnight delivery
service (i.e., DHL, Federal Express, UPS, Airborne Express, or U.S.
Postal Service Express Overnight Mail, etc.), or
(2) Electronically through http://www.grants.gov.
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.3f.1. Submitting Printed Applications.
Applications must be shipped no later than the above deadline.
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. ECA will not
notify you upon receipt of application. It is each applicant's
responsibility to ensure that each package is marked with a legible
tracking number and to monitor/confirm delivery to ECA via the
Internet. Delivery of proposal packages may not be made via local
courier service or in person for this competition. Faxed documents will
not be accepted at any time. Only proposals submitted as stated above
will be considered.

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 seven copies of the application should be sent to:
U.S. Department of State, SA-44, Bureau of Educational and Cultural
Affairs, Ref.: ECA/A/S/X-07-02, Program Management, ECA/EX/PM, Room
534, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547.
Applicants submitting hard-copy applications 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.
IV.3f.2--Submitting Electronic Applications.
Applicants have the option of submitting proposals electronically
through Grants.gov (http://www.grants.gov). Complete solicitation
packages are available at Grants.gov in the ``Find'' portion of the
system. Please follow the instructions available in the ``Get Started''
portion of the site (http://www.grants.gov/GetStarted). Several of the
steps in the Grants.gov registration process could take several weeks.
Therefore, applicants should check with appropriate staff within their
organizations immediately after reviewing this RFGP to confirm or
determine their registration status with Grants.gov. Once registered,
the amount of time it can take to upload an application will vary
depending on a variety of factors including the size of the application
and the speed of your internet connection. Therefore, we strongly
recommend that you not wait until the application deadline to begin the
submission process through Grants.gov. Direct all questions regarding
Grants.gov registration and submission to: Grants.gov Customer Support,
Contact Center Phone: 800-518-4726, Business Hours: Monday-Friday, 7
a.m.-9 p.m. eastern time, E-mail: grants.gov">support@grants.gov.
Applicants have until midnight (12 a.m.), Washington, DC time of
the closing date to ensure that their entire application has been
uploaded to the Grants.gov site. There are no exceptions to the above
deadline. Applications uploaded to the site after midnight of the
application deadline date will be automatically rejected by the
grants.gov system, and will be technically ineligible.
Applicants will receive a confirmation e-mail from grants.gov upon
the successful submission of an application. ECA will not notify you
upon receipt of electronic applications.
It is the responsibility of all applicants submitting proposals via
the Grants.gov Web portal to ensure that proposals have been received
by Grants.gov in their entirety, and ECA bears no responsibility for
data errors resulting from transmission or conversion processes.
IV.3g. Intergovernmental Review of Applications: Executive Order
12372 does not apply to this program.

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 and Fulbright Commission overseas. 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

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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. Program Development and Management: The proposal narrative
should exhibit originality, substance, precision, and relevance to the
Bureau's mission as well as the objectives of the Turkish Student
Teacher Internship Project. It should include an effective, feasible
program plan for U.S.-based school internships and host university
seminars.
2. Multiplier effect/impact: The proposed program should strengthen
long-term mutual understanding, including maximum sharing of
information and establishment of long-term institutional and individual
linkages.
3. 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).
4. Institutional Capacity and 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 successful proposal will demonstrate the organization's
experience in international educational exchange and internship
programs, and an understanding of Turkey's history, culture, religion,
and system of education. The Bureau will consider the past performance
of prior recipients and the demonstrated potential of new applicants.
5. Follow-on and Alumni Activities: Proposals should provide a plan
for continued follow-on activity (both with and without Bureau support)
ensuring that the Turkish Student Teacher Internship Project is not an
isolated event. Activities should include tracking and maintaining
updated lists of all alumni and facilitating follow-up activities,
including administering an alumni grant competition.
6. 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. A draft survey questionnaire or other technique plus
description of a methodology to use to link outcomes to original
project objectives is recommended.
7. Cost-effectiveness and 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. Proposals should maximize cost-sharing
through other private sector support as well as institutional direct
funding contributions.

VI. Award Administration Information

VI.1a. 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:
(1) A final program and financial report no more than 90 days after
the expiration of the award; and
(2) Quarterly program and financial reports.
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: Michael Kuban,
Office of Global Educational Programs, ECA/A/S/X, Room 349, ECA/A/S/X-
07-02, U.S. Department of State, SA-44, 301 4th Street, SW.,
Washington, DC 20547, telephone: 202-453-8897, fax 202-453-8890,
[email protected].
All correspondence with the Bureau concerning this RFGP should
reference the above title and number ECA/A/S/X-07-02.
Please read the complete 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

[[Page 2332]]

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: January 8, 2007.
Dina Habib Powell,
Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs, Department of
State.
[FR Doc. E7-631 Filed 1-17-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P