[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 223 (Tuesday, November 20, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65379-65392]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-22659]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 5994]


Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for 
Grant Proposals: Open Competition Seeking Professional Exchange 
Programs in Africa, East Asia, Europe, the Near East, North Africa, 
South Central Asia, and the Western Hemisphere

    Announcement Type: New Grant.
    Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/PE/C-08-01.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 19.415.
    Key Dates:
    Application Deadline: February 15, 2007.
    Executive Summary: The Office of Citizen Exchanges of the Bureau of 
Educational and Cultural Affairs announces an open competition for 
grants that support exchanges and build relationships between U.S. non-
profit organizations and civil society and cultural groups in Africa, 
East Asia, Europe, the Near East, North Africa, South Central Asia and 
the Western Hemisphere. Pending availability of funds, it is 
anticipated that approximately $5,000,000 or more will be available to 
support this competition. ECA/PE/C expects to fund approximately 15-20 
projects under this competition in FY 2008. U.S. public and non-profit 
organizations meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue code 
section 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3) may submit proposals that support the goals 
of The Professional Exchange Program. Projects should promote mutual 
understanding and partnerships between key professional and cultural 
groups in the United States and counterpart groups in other countries 
through multi-phased exchanges taking place over one to two years. 
Proposals should encourage citizen engagement in current issues, with a 
particular focus on youth and those who influence them, and promote the 
development of democratic societies and institutions, with a view 
toward creating a more stable world. To the fullest extent possible, 
programs should be two-way exchanges supporting roughly equal numbers 
of participants from the U.S. and foreign countries.
    Proposed projects should transform institutional and individual 
understanding of key issues, foster dialogue, share expertise, and 
develop capacity. Through these people-to-people exchanges, the Bureau 
seeks to break down stereotypes that divide peoples, to promote good 
governance and economic growth, to contribute to conflict prevention 
and management, and to build respect for cultural expression and 
identity in the world. Projects should be structured to allow American 
professionals and their international counterparts in eligible 
countries to develop a common dialogue for dealing with shared 
challenges and concerns. Projects should include current or potential 
leaders who will effect positive change in their communities. Exchange 
participants may include community leaders, elected and professional 
government officials, religious leaders, educators, and proponents of 
democratic ideals and institutions, including for example, the media 
and judiciary, or others who influence the way in which different 
communities approach these issues. The Bureau is especially interested 
in engaging socially and economically diverse groups that may not have 
had extensive contact with counterpart institutions in the United 
States and particularly seeks proposals that engage educators or other 
groups that directly influence youth in innovative ways.
    Applicants may not submit proposals that address more than one 
region or that include countries not eligible under a specific theme 
designated in the RFGP. Proposals that do so will be declared 
technically ineligible and will receive no further consideration in the 
review process. For the purposes of this competition, eligible regions 
are Africa, East Asia, Europe, the Near East, North Africa, South 
Central Asia, and the Western Hemisphere. No guarantee is made or 
implied that grants will be awarded in all themes and for all countries 
listed.

I. Funding Opportunity Description

II. 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

[[Page 65380]]

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 competition is based on the premise that people-to-
people exchanges encourage and strengthen understanding of democratic 
values, nurture the social, political, cultural, and economic 
development of societies and encourage a more active citizenry. 
Exchanges supported by institutional grants from the Bureau should 
operate at two levels: they should enhance partnerships between U.S. 
and foreign institutions, and they should establish a common language 
to develop practical solutions for shared problems and concerns. The 
Bureau is particularly interested in projects that will create mutually 
beneficial and self-sustaining linkages between professional 
communities in the U.S. and their counterpart communities in other 
countries. Applicants must identify the U.S. and foreign organizations 
and individuals with whom they are proposing to collaborate and 
describe previous cooperative activities, if any. Information about the 
mission, activities, and accomplishments of partner organizations 
should be included in the submission. Proposals should contain letters 
of commitment or support from partner organizations for the proposed 
project. Applicants should clearly outline and describe the role and 
responsibilities of all partner organizations in terms of project 
logistics, management and oversight.
    Competitive proposals will include the following:
     A brief description of the issue to be addressed and how 
it relates to the target country or region. (Proposals that request 
resources for an initial needs assessment will be deemed less 
competitive under the review criterion Program Planning and Ability to 
Achieve Objectives, per item V.1 below.);
     A clear, succinct statement of program objectives and 
expected outcomes that responds to Bureau goals for each theme in this 
competition. Desired outcomes should be described in qualitative and 
quantitative terms. (See the Program Monitoring and Evaluation section 
per item V.1 below, for more information on project objectives and 
outcomes.);
     A proposed timeline, listing the optimal schedule for each 
program activity;
     A description of participant recruitment and selection 
processes;
     Letters of support from foreign and U.S. partners. 
(Letters from prospective partner institutions should demonstrate a 
capacity to arrange and conduct U.S. and overseas activities.);
     An outline of the applicant organization's relevant 
expertise in the project theme and country(ies);
     An outline of relevant experience managing previous 
exchange programs;
     Resumes of experienced staff who have demonstrated a 
commitment to implement and monitor projects and ensure outcomes;
     A comprehensive plan to evaluate whether program outcomes 
will achieve the specific objectives described in the narrative. (See 
the Program Monitoring and Evaluation section [IV.3d.d below] for 
further guidance on evaluation.);
     A post-grant plan that demonstrates how the grantee plans 
to maintain contacts initiated through the program. Applicants should 
discuss ways that U.S. and foreign participants or host institutions 
will collaborate and communicate after the ECA-funded grant has 
concluded. (See Review Criterion 5, per item V.1 below for 
more information on post-grant activities.)
     Successful projects will demonstrate the importance 
Americans place on community service as an element of active 
citizenship and may include ideas and projects to strengthen civil 
society through community service either during participants' stay in 
the U.S. or upon their return to their countries.
     In addition to addressing the specific themes described 
below, proposals should develop partner organizations' capacity in such 
areas as strategic planning, performance management, fund raising, 
financial management, human resources management, and decision-making.
    U.S. Embassy Involvement: Before submitting a proposal, all 
applicants are strongly encouraged to consult with the Washington, DC-
based State Department contact for the themes/regions listed in this 
solicitation. Applicants are also strongly encouraged to consult with 
Public Affairs Officers at U.S. Embassies in relevant countries as they 
develop proposals responding to this RFGP. Also, it is important that 
the proposal narrative clearly state the applicant's commitment to 
consult closely with the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy in 
the relevant country(ies) to develop plans for project implementation 
and to select project participants. Proposals should also acknowledge 
U.S. Embassy involvement in the final selection of all participants. 
Applicants should state their willingness to invite representatives of 
the Embassy(ies) and/or consulate(s) to participate in program sessions 
or site visits.
    ECA/DOS Acknowledgement: Narratives should state that all material 
developed for the project will prominently acknowledge Department of 
State ECA Bureau funding for the program.
    Outreach: Applicants who receive assistance awards are encouraged 
to engage in outreach activities that will promote the goals of the 
project and increase the visibility of the project activities, 
including public events and appropriate media appearances.

FY 2008 Thematic Topics by Region

    REGION: Africa (AF):
    AF: Economic Growth to Fight Poverty and Strengthen Democracy.
    Program Contact: Curtis Huff, tel: (202) 453-8159, e-mail: 
[email protected].
    Project Goals: ECA seeks proposals that promote entrepreneurial 
thinking, job creation, business planning, and management skills that 
will assist young African adults in launching business careers. 
Programs should increase understanding of the links between 
entrepreneurial activity and free markets as well as the importance of 
transparency and accountability in business and government. Proposals 
should also increase understanding among African and American 
participants of the influence of culture on business.
    Audience: Young adults, 25-32, especially women.
    Eligible Countries: Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, 
South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia.
    Successful programs will achieve the following:
     Educate young men and women in entrepreneurial thinking, 
business management skills, and attracting investment, with also the 
ability to design training and to lead others in building these skills.
     Enhance appreciation for American business practices and 
the role of the individual in creating growth through grassroots-
focused entrepreneurial efforts.
     Develop enduring professional ties between U.S. and 
partner organizations and expand leadership skills.

[[Page 65381]]

     Enable participants to initiate and support development 
and community service activities in their home countries.
    Successful applicants must demonstrate a capacity to conduct the 
following activities:
    (1) Work jointly with an African partner organization to develop a 
useful business skills program for young adult Africans that includes 
activities in both the U.S. and Africa.
    (2) U.S. experts travel to Africa for in-country consultations and 
preliminary trainings. Working with the African partner, U.S. experts 
recruit and select African participants for a U.S.-based fellowship 
program.
    (3) Provide a six- to ten-week U.S.-based fellows program for 10 to 
15 Africans on business development that features both individualized 
and group learning and practice activities which develop technical and 
leadership skills plus cultural sensitivity.
    (4) As a counterpart to the fellows program in the U.S., provide a 
multi-week program in Africa for 10-15 Americans to learn about 
business challenges and opportunities there and to assist in conducting 
workshops for a wider audience of Africans.
    (5) Develop enhancement activities and leadership development 
opportunities to reinforce program goals after all participants' return 
to their home country. An essential follow-on component will be a 
longitudinal assessment of the achievements of the program.
    Possible Program Model:
    1. Grantee sends Americans to work alongside African partners for 
two weeks or more to examine the needs of young adults in starting 
businesses in the region, and any in-country efforts that are already 
underway or planned to address those needs. These activities should 
include development of a working relationship among the Americans, 
their African project partners, and any African government offices that 
have responsibility for business development.
    2. Grantee works with African partner organization to recruit a 
pool of 50 or more Young Professionals who are interested in starting 
businesses and will commit to a multi-staged development program.
    3. Grantee and partner conduct a business skills program in Africa 
for the 50+ recruits, including instruction on how to write a business 
plan. Participants are invited to submit business plans to program 
organizers.
    4. Competition is held where those who develop the best plans will 
be offered a U.S.-based fellowship program.
    5. African participants come to the U.S. for fellowship program of 
six to ten weeks that features both individualized and group learning 
and practice activities which develop technical and leadership skills 
plus cultural sensitivity. (A shorter-term study tour for Africans will 
be considered inadequate.)
    6. Grantee and African partner commit to a plan for additional 
business skills development activities in Africa after the grant is 
finished. These plans might include additional basic business training 
or mentoring of new businesses by American specialists and maintenance 
of a Web site for this purpose.
    7. Grantee and African partner keep each other informed of 
developments in business education through email, telephone, video 
conferences, travel, etc, in order to maintain an informed momentum in 
their partnership.
    AF: Local Governance.
    Program Contact: Curtis Huff, tel: (202) 453-8159, e-mail: 
[email protected].
    Project Goals: ECA is seeking proposals that promote democratic 
institutions that are effective, responsive, transparent, and 
accountable to the people. Programs should increase skills and 
commitment to professional standards in municipal planning, policy 
analysis, bill drafting, budgeting, constituent relations, project 
implementation, and administration of services. Programs should promote 
the establishment of responsible watchdog organizations and develop a 
constructive working relationship with local government officials.
    Audience: Mayors, city councilors, public administrators, 
executives, municipal planners, and community watchdog leaders 
(especially women).
    Eligible Countries: Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Kenya, 
Liberia, Mali, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, and Tanzania.
    Successful programs will achieve the following:
     Educate local officials in a professional approach to 
public administration and empower them to conduct it with integrity and 
effectiveness while also designing training and building the ability to 
lead others in this field.
     Enhance appreciation for American local governmental 
practices and the role of the watchdog groups.
     Establish structured interaction among American and 
African participants designed to develop enduring professional ties.
     Present plans to enable participants to initiate and 
support activities in their home countries that focus on local 
development and community service.
    Successful applicants must demonstrate a capacity to conduct the 
following activities:
    (1) Work jointly with an African partner organization to develop an 
effective governance skills program for young adult Africans that 
includes activities in both the U.S. and Africa.
    (2) Provide a six- to ten-week U.S.-based fellows program for 10 to 
15 Africans on local government.
    (3) As a counterpart to the fellows program in the U.S., provide a 
multi-week program in Africa for 10-15 Americans to learn about local 
governance challenges and opportunities there and to assist in 
conducting workshops for a wider audience of Africans.
    (4) Grantee and African partner commit to a plan for additional 
local governance skills development activities in Africa after the 
grant is finished. These plans might include additional basic training 
or mentoring and maintenance of a web site for this purpose.
    (5) Launch a self-sustaining program of enhancement activities and 
leadership development opportunities to reinforce program goals after 
all participants' return to their home country. An essential follow-on 
component will be a longitudinal assessment of the achievements of the 
program.
    Possible Program Model:
    1. Grantee sends Americans to work alongside African partners for 
two weeks or more to learn about the local governance efforts in the 
region.
    2. Grantee and partner conduct a local governance education program 
in Africa for local leaders. Program participants would then be invited 
to submit training plans, with the incentive that those who produce the 
best plans will be invited to the U.S. for fellowships.
    3. Competition is held where those who develop the best plans will 
be offered a U.S.-based fellowship program.
    4. African participants come to the U.S. for fellowship program of 
six to ten weeks that features both individualized and group learning 
and practice activities which develop technical and leadership skills 
plus cultural sensitivity. (A shorter-term study tour for Africans will 
be considered inadequate.)
    5. Grantee and African partner commit to a plan for follow-on 
activities in Africa after the grant is finished. These plans might 
include additional

[[Page 65382]]

training in public administration or even the development of a public 
administration academy.
    6. The grantee and African partner keep each other informed of 
developments in public administration education through email, 
telephone, video conferences, travel, etc, in order to maintain their 
partnership.
    REGION: East Asia and the Pacific (EAP):
    EAP: Active and Responsible Citizenship.
    Program Contact: Clint Wright, tel: (202) 453-8164, e-mail: 
[email protected].
    Project Goals: ECA encourages proposals that will help educate 
citizens, local officials, and leaders of non-government organizations 
on their rights and responsibilities in a democracy. Programs should 
encourage the empowerment of foreign participants to participate in the 
development of public policy, public discussions, and debates by 
developing individual skills and organizations. Projects should engage 
government and NGO leaders in dialogue on issues impacting local 
communities and engage government leaders--national and local--on the 
importance of citizen participation in governmental decision-making. 
Projects should examine specific practices that promote an effective, 
accountable, transparent and responsive government and public 
administration that is crucial to the development of democracy.
    Audience: Should include representatives from government and non-
governmental organizations, professional associations and community 
leaders between the ages of 25 and 40 with an emphasis on equal numbers 
of men and women.
    Eligible Countries: Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and 
Vietnam. (single-country projects only).
    Successful programs will achieve the following:
     Encourage an understanding of the important elements of a 
civil society. This includes concepts such as volunteerism, grassroots 
activism, and the importance of the rule of law in all societies.
     Programs should help develop an appreciation for American 
governmental and legal structures, an understanding of the diversity of 
American society, and the necessity for increased tolerance and respect 
for others with differing views and beliefs.
    Successful applicants must fully demonstrate a capacity to achieve 
the following:
    (1) Recruit and select approximately 10 to 15 individuals from 
government, nongovernmental organizations, and community leaders 
throughout the target country, including private business leaders for a 
six to eight week U.S.-based fellows program. Partnering with 
organizations based in the proposed host-country is required.
    (2) Coordinate and program the fellowships.
    (3) The final part of the program will be conducting enhancement 
activities and leadership development opportunities that reinforce 
program goals after the participants' return to their home country. An 
essential follow on component will be a longitudinal assessment of the 
achievements of the program.
    Possible Program Model:
    1. U.S. grantee identifies U.S. citizens to conduct in-country 
seminar for citizen leaders, teachers, NGO representatives, media, 
elected local government officials, and legal professionals to discuss 
transparency and accountability. The in-country partner (a local 
university or other appropriate professional group) will co-host the 
event with the U.S. grantee institution. During this phase, the grantee 
will openly recruit and select the participants to take part in the 
U.S.-based fellows program.
    2. The grantee implements the U.S.-based fellowships in local 
elected officials' offices, NGO organizations, and citizen 
organizations.
    3. An in-country program would be conducted by the U.S. experts who 
served as fellowship hosts or seminar leaders. The participants in U.S. 
program would help design seminars and serve as co-presenters. 
Organizers broaden impact through public outreach, including media.
    4. Project may also support materials translated into native 
language, small grants for projects designed to expand the exchange 
experience, and support for the development of alumni association.
    REGION: Europe (EUR):
    EUR: Legislative Education and Practice Program (LEAP).
    Program Contact: Jon Crocitto, Tel. (202) 453-8149; e-mail: 
[email protected].
    Project Goals: In some European countries, concepts such as free 
democratic elections and political parties are still not very developed 
and other aspects of democracy almost seem to be moving backward. Free 
and democratic elections and civic activism and engagement are the 
backbone of a civil society. LEAP is designed to strengthen 
understanding of the U.S. legislative process and enhance appreciation 
of civic society. LEAP will provide Young Professionals from Europe 
with hands-on exposure to the U.S. political process through six-month 
internships in state legislatures, city councils or local governments 
in the U.S. U.S. participants should be selected among staff members at 
the various internship sites who will act as primary host/mentors to 
the foreign fellows during their U.S.-based program. After the 
internships are completed, these U.S. staff members will travel 
overseas to the interns' home countries. There they will participate in 
joint outreach activities, including media, and conduct on-site 
consultancies and presentations to wider audiences.
    Audience: Generally, ECA prefers program participants who have not 
previously been part of U.S.-based exchange programs as participants in 
new programs. However, the LEAP program is an exception. Because of the 
unique nature of this program, foreign participants who are alumni of 
long-term exchange programs (an academic year or more) in the United 
States (USG or privately sponsored) are favored as participants in this 
program. These alumni have previous experience living and attending 
school in the U.S. that will provide them with the cultural and 
linguistic background necessary to benefit fully from the program. The 
foreign participants should be selected through a merit-based, 
competitive process. They should be recent university graduates in 
political affairs or other relevant fields--approximately mid to late 
20's in age, with some professional experience in the political or 
legislative arenas. Participants should have demonstrated leadership 
abilities and a commitment to or participation in the political process 
or policy-making through involvement in civic education activities, 
citizen advocacy groups, political campaigns, political parties, or 
election monitoring in their home countries. U.S. participants will be 
staff members of the state legislatures, city councils or local 
governments who act as hosts for the foreign participants during the 
inbound portion of the program.
    Eligible Countries (all should be included): Turkey, Russia, 
Ukraine, Georgia.
    Successful applicants must fully demonstrate a capacity to achieve 
the following:
    (1) Manage (both programmatically and logistically) the program in 
the United States and overseas. Interested organizations must have 
offices and staff (or partner organizations) in all countries involved 
in the program. Close coordination with ECA and U.S.

[[Page 65383]]

Embassy Public Affairs Sections in relevant countries will be 
essential.
    (2) Conduct recruitment and selection of participants through a 
merit-based competitive process. A pre-departure and an arrival 
orientation to ensure that participants have realistic expectations and 
have essential information on their individual internships, host 
communities, their responsibilities, and logistics should be included. 
Use of host families for foreign participants in the U.S. is highly 
encouraged.
    (3) Organize an intensive introduction to the U.S. political 
process to take place in whole or in part in Washington, DC.
    (4) Identify and manage individualized internships with state 
legislators, city councils or local government that will expose 
participants to citizen participation in the political process. 
Internships at the state level would be strongly preferred.
    (5) Coordinate all logistics and programming for consultancy and 
training program where U.S. participants will travel to the countries 
where foreign participants are from for two to three weeks. The U.S. 
participants would conduct workshops and trainings that cover the U.S. 
legislative process and will enhance appreciation of civic society. The 
training(s)/workshop(s) should be designed to engage a broad audience, 
not just program participants. The U.S. participants would also engage 
in joint outreach efforts, including engagement with the media.
    Possible Program Model:
    1. U.S. grantee and in-country partner select about 20 foreign 
participants to participate in the U.S.-based program followed by a 
four to six month internship in state legislatures, city councils or 
local governments in the U.S. for foreign participants.
    2. An in-country program for 10 to 15 U.S. participants (who 
hosted/worked with the foreign participants in the U.S.) for two to 
three weeks. This would include on-site consultancies and group 
workshop(s) for a broad audience. Foreign participants help design the 
seminars and serve as co-presenters.
    3. A series of enrichment activities that could include support 
materials translated into target language, small grants for projects 
designed to expand the exchange experience, the creation of a web 
portal for ongoing virtual program activities and communication, and 
other activities.
    EUR: Outreach and Integration of Marginalized Populations in 
Western Europe.
    Program Contact: Brent Beemer, tel: (202) 453-8147, e-mail: 
[email protected].

    Note: Interested Applicants are HIGHLY encouraged to contact ECA 
before submitting a proposal under this theme.

    Project Goals: ECA seeks programs that will engage community 
leaders, educators, youth influencers, journalists, and community-based 
organizations in examination of programs and practices to facilitate 
integration and empowerment of minority populations, particularly 
youth, in Western European countries. This program would look at issues 
related to the integration of immigrant and minority populations into a 
modern democratic society. This includes integration in the political 
system, economic opportunity, freedom of expression, access to 
education, and practice of an open social/cultural life, while 
maintaining ethnic identity within a multi-ethnic society. A specific 
concentration of programming on immigrant and minority youth 
populations and the special needs/challenges they face in modern 
society should be a major focus. An overall comparison and sharing of 
best practices in the U.S. and in the Western European countries on 
these issues should also be included. Programming should include an 
overview of U.S. and European government and legal structures, an 
understanding of the diversity of American and European societies and 
efforts to increase tolerance and respect for others with differing 
views and beliefs. Program content will include an overview of the 
range of historical and current American and European experiences with 
integrating various immigrant and minority citizens, examination of 
what has worked well and what has not, and analysis of the range of 
actors including government, NGOs, religious organizations, immigrant 
organizations, educational institutions, and the role of the media and 
public who report on these issues.
    Audience: Participants (from the U.S. and foreign countries) in the 
program should include representatives of non-governmental 
organizations, community leaders, educators, youth influencers, 
religious leaders, and journalists from minority communities. Note: 
European Union, national, and regional government officials are welcome 
to be part of programming, but given funding limitations, ECA funds may 
not be used to support their travel expenses.
    Eligible Countries (single-country projects only) Denmark, United 
Kingdom.
    Successful programs will achieve the following:
     An understanding of issues related to the status of 
immigrant and minority populations in a modern democratic society. This 
includes integration in the political system, economic opportunity, and 
freedom of expression, education, and social/cultural life, while 
maintaining ethnic identity within a multi-ethnic society. A specific 
understanding of immigrant and minority youth populations and the 
special needs/challenges they face in modern society is envisioned.
     An appreciation for American governmental and legal 
structures, and a better understanding of the diversity of American 
society and efforts over the nation's history to increase tolerance and 
respect for others with differing views and beliefs. Program content 
will include an overview of the range of historical and current 
American experience with integrating various immigrant and minority 
citizens, examination of what has worked well and what has not, and 
analysis of the range of actors including local government, NGOs, 
religious organizations, immigrant organizations, educational 
institutions, and the role of the media.
     An enhanced leadership capacity that will enable 
participants to initiate and support activities in their home countries 
that focus on the status of minority populations.
    Successful applicants must fully demonstrate a capacity to achieve 
the following:
    (1) Recruit and select approximately 15 to 20 individuals 
throughout the target country. Program should be designed for two 
groups to travel to the U.S. Partnering with organizations based in 
target country is required. Also, given resources available in Western 
Europe, successful applicants will have West European partners that 
will cover considerable program costs within the host country and cover 
all its own administrative costs for this project.
    (2) In addition to identifying in-country partner and screening, 
selecting, and preparing participants prior to departure for the United 
States, the recipient of this grant will be responsible for building 
and executing a three to four week informative travel and training 
program in the United States.
    (3) Conduct an in-country workshop(s) to examine the process of 
integration of marginalized populations in Europe and developing 
strategies to address these issues. The workshop(s) should be designed 
to engage a broad audience, not just program participants.

[[Page 65384]]

    (4) Develop enhancement activities and development opportunities 
that reinforce program goals after the participants' return to their 
home country. An essential follow-on component will be a longitudinal 
assessment of the achievements of the program.
    Possible Program Model:
    1. U.S. grantee and in-country partner identify West European 
citizens to participate in the U.S.-based program. Then a three to four 
week U.S. program that includes an orientation, study tour/site visits; 
possible short-term internships/work shadowing opportunities; hands on 
training/training-of-trainers; professional development; and the 
development of action plans.
    2. An in-country workshop(s) for a broad audience to examine the 
process of integration of minority communities. Program conducted by 
U.S. experts that served as hosts or seminar leaders. Participants in 
U.S. program design the seminar and serve as co-presenters.
    3. Enrichment activities that could include support materials 
translated into native language, small grants for projects designed to 
expand and sustain the exchange experience, and other activities.
    REGION: Near East and North Africa (NEA):
    NEA: Professional Mentoring for Women in Science and Technology.
    Program Contact: Thomas Johnston, Tel: (202) 453-8162; e-mail: 
[email protected].
    Project Goals: ECA seeks proposals that will engage young women who 
have recently embarked on professions in fields requiring skills in 
mathematics, scientific and/or technological fields. Proposals should 
encourage the use of critical thinking in the professional sphere as 
well as other aspects of life. Proposals should include plans to 
provide eight- to ten-week mentorships in American laboratories, 
professional or commercial research and development labs, or in the 
high tech industries. This program will also send American specialists 
in similar fields to conduct/participate in seminars, workshops, on-
site consultancies, and other types of activities in the home countries 
of Middle East participants, with the goal of reinforcing the 
mentorship experience and creating a wider network of women who are 
established in these professions or who aspire to do so. A principal 
goal of this program is the development of sustainable, long-term 
institutional and individual linkages based on the relationships 
established between U.S. mentors and non-American fellows.
    Mentoring programs for English-speaking fellows would be designed 
as individual affiliations with an appropriate American professional 
counterpart. Proposals should also envision small specialized shadowing 
opportunities for groups of 2-3 international participants without 
strong English skills. These group opportunities should incorporate 
diverse training methodologies and include full-time provision of an 
escort/interpreter. All proposals should also include a U.S. program 
component allowing all participants to come together, learn from each 
other and to build relationships.
    The Department has initiated outreach to women in science and 
technology in the Middle East through previous contact and conferences; 
organizers of previous projects may be consulted for additional 
contacts and information. Applicants for this ECA grant are encouraged 
to contact the ECA Program Officer, Thomas Johnston, for additional 
information and contacts.
    Audience: Middle Eastern participants will be women (22-35 years of 
age) who are newly engaged or rising in professional careers that 
require significant expertise/knowledge of mathematics, science, 
technology and/or innovative application of these skills, and who 
already are, or show promise of being, role models for others in their 
countries, particularly for women. We would consider, for example, a 
lawyer, whose work requires expert knowledge of environmental science 
as well as international law to be eligible for this program.
    Eligible Countries: Algeria; Bahrain; Egypt; Iraq; Jordan; Kuwait; 
Lebanon; Morocco; Oman; Qatar; Saudi Arabia; Syria; United Arab 
Emirates; West Bank/Gaza; Yemen.
    Successful applicants must demonstrate a capacity to achieve the 
following:
    (1) Recruit and select approximately 15 to 20 qualified individuals 
from throughout the eligible region, with representatives from as many 
countries as possible. The program should be designed for non-American 
fellows to travel to the United States for a group orientation program, 
even if they will be subsequently be engaged in individualized 
programs, in order to foster networking among the group. An in-country 
or in-region partner organization or affiliate offices overseas is 
required to coordinate recruiting and selection. Proposing 
organizations must be prepared to mount a merit-based selection 
process, to be described in the proposal.
    (2) In addition to identifying its in-country (or in-region) 
partner and identifying, selecting, and preparing participants prior to 
departure for the United States, the recipient of this grant will be 
responsible for building and implementing an eight- to ten-week 
professional mentoring experience and training program in the United 
States. This will focus primarily upon individualized fellowships for 
the foreign participants at the R & D facilities of U.S. businesses, 
non-university high-tech institutes, or other appropriate affiliation 
as well as a commitment of appropriate American professional 
counterpart women to serve as mentors. The final selection of foreign 
fellows should take into account the types of placements that may be 
available in the U.S. ECA seeks creative and cost-efficient approaches 
to this selection and placement program.
    (3) Conducting an in-country consultancy program and/or workshop in 
each participating country, during which the international fellow and 
American mentor will offer skill development and networking workshops 
for a broader range of program participants in that country.
    (4) The development of a Web site designed to foster ongoing 
communication among the international and American participants and to 
publicize the results of this program. An essential follow-on component 
will be a longitudinal assessment of the achievements of the program.
    Possible Program Model:
    1. U.S. grantee and in-country partner institution select young 
non-American women engaged in science and technology for participation 
in the U.S.-based mentoring/fellowship program.
    2. An eight- to ten-week U.S. program that includes an orientation 
followed by individualized fellowships for English speakers; a shorter 
program designed around work shadowing opportunities with 
interpretation for groups of 2-3 non-English speakers.
    3. An in-country program in each international participating 
country for one or more of the American mentors (who hosted/worked with 
the foreign participants in the U.S.). The in-country program would 
include on-site consultancies, group workshops/seminars and networking 
opportunities for a broad audience. Foreign participants would help 
design the seminars and serve as co-presenters.
    4. The development of a project specific Web site, as well as 
enrichment activities that could include having support material 
translated into the native language, small grants for research-
development projects designed

[[Page 65385]]

to expand the exchange experience, and other activities.
    NEA: Math, Science, and Technology in Secondary Schools.
    Program Contact: Thomas Johnston, Tel: (202) 453-8162; e-mail: 
[email protected].
    Project Goals: ECA seeks program proposals that will help develop 
institutional (and personal) linkages between secondary school teachers 
and administrators in the United States and partners in the NEA region 
in the disciplines of math, science, and technology innovation. ECA is 
looking to support creative programs that will link secondary school 
teachers and administrators from the U.S. and overseas in programming 
designed to explore approaches to engaging students in critical 
thinking, particularly in the teaching of math, science, and innovative 
approaches to technology, both in the classroom and through focused 
extracurricular activities, and to examine how professional 
counterparts in participating countries engage the successor 
generation.
    Audience: Math, science, and technology secondary school teachers 
and administrators.
    Eligible Countries: Algeria; Bahrain; Egypt; Iraq; Jordan; Kuwait; 
Lebanon; Libya; Morocco; Oman; Qatar; Saudi Arabia; Syria; United Arab 
Emirates; West Bank/Gaza; Yemen.
    Successful programs will achieve the following:
     An understanding of techniques used in the NEA region and 
in the United States to promote student engagement in critical thinking 
and discovery, particular in math, science, and technology.
     Develop opportunities for productive personal 
relationships between groups from participating countries that could 
lead to affiliations between schools in the U.S. and schools in the NEA 
region.
     Participants from each country should come from the same 
schools or set of schools (districts) so that direct linkages on both 
sides are facilitated and encouraged by the program.
     An appreciation for the ways in which diverse populations 
can interact productively in the secondary school setting and work 
collaboratively to develop innovative responses to scientific and 
mathematics challenges. U.S. program presentations should showcase 
teaching math, science, and technology at the secondary level, special/
accelerated programs and/or schools in the math, science, and 
technology disciplines, programs to attract students to these 
disciplines (especially girls), relevant after school programs, student 
job-shadowing programs, the roles of parents in schools, and how 
secondary schools build support and relationships with local science/
technology businesses.
     Enhanced leadership capacity among the NEA educators that 
will enable participants to initiate and support activities in their 
home schools and classrooms.
     Create the foundation for collaborative partnerships among 
classrooms, through virtual or other exchanges.
    Successful applicants must fully demonstrate a capacity to achieve 
the following:
    (1) Recruit and select approximately 15 to 20 secondary school 
teachers and administrators from overseas and 15 to 20 from the U.S. to 
take part in the program. To recruit effectively, the grantee 
organization must have affiliate offices in one or more NEA countries.
    (2) The recipient of this grant will be responsible for building 
and executing a one to two week study tour for American educators in 
the NEA region and a two to three week study tour program in the United 
States for foreign educators.
    (3) Develop enhancement activities and development opportunities 
that reinforce program goals after the participants' return to their 
home country. Grantee will be responsible for establishing electronic 
communications/on-line projects or other methods of continuing 
communication and developing collaborative projects between 
participants and their classrooms. An essential follow-on component 
will be a longitudinal assessment of the achievements of the program.
    Possible Program Model:
    1. A merit-based competitive selection of American secondary school 
educators and administrators to participate in the overseas program is 
done.
    2. A one to two week program is developed where the U.S. 
participants travel overseas. This should be done while schools in the 
host country(ies) are in session. While overseas, the U.S. participants 
will meet with and be hosted by foreign participants (and their 
schools) who have also been selected through an open merit-based 
competitive process. Programming should include time in active 
classrooms with students and presentation opportunities for the 
American participants in foreign schools/classrooms.
    3. During an interim period, educators are in contact through 
active electronic communications and web-based programs.
    4. A two to three week program is developed where the foreign 
participants travel to the U.S. This should be done while schools in 
the U.S. are in session. While in the U.S., the foreign participants 
will be hosted by U.S. participants (and their schools) whom they met 
in their program overseas. Programming should include time in active 
classrooms and at appropriate extracurricular sites with students and 
presentation opportunities for the foreign participants in American 
schools/classrooms.
    5. Enrichment activities are developed that could include support 
materials translated into the native language, small grants for 
collaborative projects designed to expand and sustain the exchange 
experience, continuation of web/electronic activities, and other 
activities are done.
    REGION: South Central Asia (SCA):
    SCA: Secondary School Linkages.
    Program Contact: Brent Beemer, tel: (202) 453-8147, e-mail: 
[email protected].
    Project Goals: ECA seeks program proposals that will help develop 
institutional (and personal) linkages between secondary schools in the 
United States and partner institutions in Turkmenistan or Pakistan. ECA 
will support creative programs that will link secondary school teachers 
and administrators from the U.S. and Turkmenistan or Pakistan in 
programming designed to explore each other's systems, schools, 
approaches to education, and study how their profession is engaging the 
successor generations in both countries.
    Audience: Secondary school teachers and administrators. Active 
parents involved with parent/teacher organizations.
    Eligible Countries: Turkmenistan, Pakistan (Single-Country Projects 
Only).
    Successful programs will achieve the following:
     An understanding of issues related to the secondary school 
system in both countries.
     Develop opportunities for personal relationships to 
develop among the participants and longer-term affiliations between 
schools in the U.S. and schools in Turkmenistan or Pakistan to take 
root. Participants from both countries in the program should come from 
the same schools or set of schools (districts) so that direct linkages 
on both sides are facilitated and encouraged by the program.
     An appreciation for American governmental and legal 
structures, and a better understanding of the diversity of American 
society and how that affects the secondary school educational

[[Page 65386]]

system. Program content should include presentations on the current 
American experience with integrating various immigrant citizens into 
the educational system, education of students with special needs, after 
school programs, student service/volunteer programs, the roles of 
parents in schools, and how secondary schools build support among local 
communities.
     An enhanced leadership capacity among the foreign 
educators that will enable participants to initiate and support 
activities in their home schools and classrooms.
    Successful applicants must fully demonstrate a capacity to achieve 
the following: 
    (1) Recruit and select approximately 15 to 20 secondary school 
teachers and administrators from Turkmenistan or Pakistan and 15 to 20 
from the U.S. to take part in the program. Partnering with a 
Turkmenistan-based or Pakistan-based organization or institution or 
having affiliate offices based there is required.
    (2) The recipient of this grant will be responsible for building 
and executing a one to two week study tour for American educators 
overseas and a two to three week study tour program in the United 
States for foreign educators.
    (3) Develop enhancement activities and development opportunities 
that reinforce program goals after the participants' return to their 
home country. Grantee will be responsible for establishing electronic 
communications/on-line projects or other methods of continuing 
communications between participants. An essential follow-on component 
will be a longitudinal assessment of the achievements of the program.
    Possible Program Model:
    1. A merit-based competitive selection of American secondary school 
educators and administrators to participate in the Turkmenistan-based 
or Pakistan-based program is conducted.
    2. A one to two week program is developed where the U.S. 
participants travel to Turkmenistan or Pakistan. This should be done 
while schools in Turkmenistan or Pakistan are in session. While 
overseas, the U.S. participants will meet with and be hosted by foreign 
participants (and their schools) who have also been selected through an 
open merit-based competitive process. Programming should include time 
in active classrooms with students and presentation opportunities for 
the American participants in overseas schools/classrooms.
    3. During an interim period, educators are in contact through 
active electronic communications and web-based programs.
    4. A two to three week program is developed where the foreign 
participants travel to the U.S. This should be done while schools in 
the U.S. are in session. While in the U.S, the foreign participants 
will be hosted by U.S. participants (and their schools) whom they met 
in their program in Turkmenistan or Pakistan. Programming should 
include time in active classrooms with students and presentation 
opportunities for the foreign participants in American schools/
classrooms.
    5. Enrichment activities are developed that could include support 
materials translated into the native language, small grants for 
projects designed to expand and sustain the exchange experience, 
continuation of web/electronic activities, and other activities.
    SCA: Outreach and Integration of Marginalized Populations in Sri 
Lanka.
    Program Contact: Brent Beemer, tel: (202) 453-8147, e-mail: 
[email protected].
    Project Goals: ECA seeks programs that will engage community 
leaders, educators, youth influencers, journalists, and community-based 
organizations in examination of programs and practices to engage 
underserved or disengaged segments of the Sri Lankan society. This 
would include strengthening outreach to youth, as well as support for 
minority rights for the Sinhalese Muslim population, especially at the 
local level. This program would examine issues related to the 
integration of marginalized populations into a modern democratic 
society, including integration in the political system, economic 
opportunity, freedom of expression, access to education, and practice 
of an open social/cultural life. A specific concentration of 
programming on minority youth populations and the special needs/
challenges they face in modern society is encouraged. Programming 
should include a study of U.S. government and legal structures, an 
understanding of the diversity of American society and efforts over the 
nation's history to increase tolerance and respect for others with 
differing views and beliefs. Program content will include an overview 
of the range of historical and current American experience with 
integrating various immigrant and minority citizens, examination of 
what has worked well and what has not, and analysis of the range of 
actors including government, NGOs, religious organizations, immigrant 
organizations, educational institutions, and the role of the media and 
public who are involved in this these issues.
    Audience: Participants in the program should include 
representatives of non-governmental organizations, community leaders, 
educators, youth influencers, religious leaders, and journalists from 
minority communities.
    Eligible Country: Sri Lanka.
    Successful applicants must fully demonstrate a capacity to achieve 
the following:
    (1) Recruit and select approximately 15 to 20 individuals 
throughout the target country. Program should be designed for two 
groups to travel to the U.S. An in-country partnering organization 
(based in Sri Lanka) is required.
    (2) In addition to identifying in-country partner and screening, 
selecting, and preparing participants prior to departure for the United 
States, the recipient of this grant will be responsible for building 
and executing a three to four week study tour and training program in 
the United States.
    (3) Conducting an in-country workshop(s) to examine the process of 
integration of marginalized populations in different societies and 
developing strategies to address these issues. The workshop(s) should 
be designed to engage a broad audience, not just program participants.
    (4) The development of enhancement activities and development 
opportunities that reinforce program goals after the participants' 
return to their home country. An essential follow-on component will be 
a longitudinal assessment of the achievements of the program.
    Possible Program Model:
    1. The U.S. grantee and in-country partner identify Sinhalese 
citizens to participate in the U.S.-based program. Then a three to four 
week U.S. program would occur that includes an orientation, study tour/
site visits; possible short-term internships/work shadowing 
opportunities; hands on training/training-of-trainers; professional 
development; and the development of action plans.
    2. A Sri Lanka-based workshop(s) for a broad audience to examine 
the status of minority communities. Participants in U.S. program help 
design the seminar and serve as co-presenters.
    3. Enrichment activities would be developed that could include 
having support materials translated into the local language, small 
grants for projects designed to expand the exchange experience, and 
other activities.
    REGION: Western Hemisphere (WHA):

[[Page 65387]]

    WHA: Creating Economic Growth to Fight Poverty and Strengthen 
Democracy.
    Program Contact: Laverne Johnson, tel: (202) 453-8160, e-mail: 
[email protected].
    Project Goals: ECA seeks proposals designed to promote local 
grassroots economic growth and prosperity among emerging youth leaders 
from the indigenous and Afro-Latino communities by sharing practical 
methods to achieve this goal and to develop community leadership skills 
as a means to strengthen democracy. To increase understanding within 
the community of the linkage between entrepreneurial activity and free 
markets as well as the importance of transparency and accountability in 
business and government.
    Audience: Young entrepreneurs, media representatives, community 
leaders, and officials from governmental and non-governmental 
organizations that either service or come from the indigenous and Afro-
Latino communities of the Hemisphere with a special emphasis on women.
    Eligible Countries: (Single-country and multiple-country projects 
accepted) Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru, 
and Venezuela.
    Successful programs will achieve the following:
     Educate young men and women in entrepreneurial thinking 
and business leadership skills to empower them to engage in business 
creation.
     Improve among participants an understanding of the role 
communication plays in creating the conditions necessary for a free 
market economy.
     A better understanding of the roles of the private sector, 
and to a lesser extent, public sector who shape the local business 
environment.
     An appreciation of the role of the individual entrepreneur 
in creating economic growth.
     Enhance appreciation for American business practices and 
the role of the individual in creating growth through grassroots-
focused entrepreneurial efforts.
     Establish a structured interaction among American and 
Hemisphere participants designed to develop enduring professional ties.
     Expand leadership capacity enabling participants to 
initiate and support activities in their home countries that focus on 
development and community service.
    Successful applicants must fully demonstrate a capacity to achieve 
the following:
    (1) Recruit and select approximately 30 individuals from the 
business associations, banking and regulatory agencies and print media. 
The delegation should include individual business owners and 
individuals who report on business from diverse regions of the 
participating country. Program should be designed for two groups of 15 
to travel to the U.S. for not less than ten days. For this phase of the 
program, partnering with organizations based in the proposed host-
country is required.
    (2) In addition to identifying in-country partner and screening, 
selecting, and preparing participants prior to departure for the United 
States, the grantee will be responsible for building and executing a 
four to six week residency program in the United States for 
approximately twelve additional Hemisphere participants.
    (3) The final part of the program will be conducting enhancement 
activities and leadership development opportunities that reinforce 
program goals after all participants' return to their home country. An 
essential follow on component will be a longitudinal assessment of the 
achievements of the program.
    Possible Program Model:
    1. Selected participants invited to attend in-country workshops 
(presented by the U.S. grantee and in-country partner) that focus on 
effective, practical methods of stimulating entrepreneurial skills and 
support free market structures in the countries listed in this 
announcement.
    2. Key members of the in-country workshops invited to U.S. for 
business facilitation or mentoring to promote innovation and networking 
skills. Develop action plans to promote entrepreneurial skills and free 
markets upon return home.
    3. Upon return, participants implement business action plans with 
guidance from U.S. mentors utilizing email and other direct 
communication.
    4. U.S. mentors travel to country to evaluate implementation of 
action plan and offer assistance.

III. Award Information

    Type of Award: Grant Agreement.
    Fiscal Year Funds: 2008, pending availability.
    Approximate Total Funding: $5,000,000.
    Approximate Number of Awards: 20.
    Approximate Average Award: $250,000 (Please Note: For the 
Legislative Education and Practice (LEAP) program outlined under the 
European Section of this document, the Office anticipates awarding one 
grant for approximately $400,000. It is anticipated that all other 
awards made under this competition will average approximately 
$300,000.)
    Ceiling of Award Range: $350,000.
    Anticipated Award Date: Pending availability of funds, September 1, 
2008.
    Anticipated Project Completion Date: September 30, 2010.

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.) Grants awarded to eligible organizations with less than four 
years of experience in conducting international exchange programs will 
be limited to $60,000.
    (b.) Any one organization is limited to submitting no more than 
four proposals in this entire competition. If any one organization 
submits more than four, then all submitted proposals will be deemed 
ineligible in this competition.

IV. Application and Submission Information:

    Note: 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.


[[Page 65388]]



IV.1. Contact Information To Request an Application Package

    Please contact the Office of Citizen Exchanges, ECA/PE/C, Room 220, 
U.S. Department of State, SA-44, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 
20547, (202) 453-8174, [email protected] to request a Solicitation 
Package. Please refer to the Funding Opportunity Number ECA/PE/C-08-01 
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.
    Please specify Program Specialist David Gustafson and refer to the 
Funding Opportunity Number ECA/PE/C-08-01 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 website 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 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 
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 critically 
important 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) 203-5029, 
FAX: (202) 453-8640.
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

[[Page 65389]]

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. Budget requests may not exceed $350,000. 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. The Bureau reserves the right to increase or decrease 
awards to meet the overall needs of the program.
    IV.3e.2. Allowable costs for the program include the following:
    1. Travel. International and domestic airfare; 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.
    2. Per Diem. For U.S.-based programming, organizations should use 
the published Federal per diem rates for individual U.S. cities. 
Domestic per diem rates may be accessed at: http://www.gsa.gov/Portal/gsa/ep/contentView.do?programId=9704&channelId=-15943&ooid=16365&contentId=17943&pageTypeId=8203&contentType=GSA_BASIC&programPage=%2Fep%2Fprogram%2FgsaBasic.jsp&P=MTT.
    ECA requests applicants to budget realistic costs that reflect the 
local economy and do not exceed Federal per diem rates. Foreign per 
diem rates can be accessed at: http://aoprals.state.gov/content.asp?content_id=184&menu_id=78.
    3. Interpreters. For U.S.-based activities, ECA strongly encourages 
applicants to hire their own locally based interpreters. However, 
applicants may ask ECA to assign State Department interpreters. One 
interpreter is typically needed for every four participants who require 
interpretation. When an applicant proposes to use State Department 
interpreters, the following expenses should be included in the budget: 
Published Federal per diem rates (both ``lodging'' and ``M&IE'') and 
``home-program-home'' transportation in the amount of $400 per 
interpreter. Salary expenses for State Department interpreters will be 
covered by the Bureau and should not be part of an applicant's proposed 
budget. Bureau funds cannot support interpreters who accompany 
delegations from their home country or travel internationally.
    4. Book and Cultural Allowances. Foreign participants are entitled 
to a one-time cultural allowance of $150 per person, plus a book 
allowance of $50. Interpreters should be reimbursed up to $150 for 
expenses when they escort participants to cultural events. U.S. program 
staff, trainers or participants are not eligible to receive these 
benefits.
    5. Consultants. Consultants may be used to provide specialized 
expertise or to make presentations. Honoraria rates should not exceed 
$250 per day. Organizations are encouraged to cost-share rates that 
would exceed that figure. Subcontracting organizations may also be 
employed, in which case the written agreement between the prospective 
grantee and sub-grantee should be included in the proposal. Such sub-
grants should detail the division of responsibilities and proposed 
costs, and subcontracts should be itemized in the budget.
    6. Room rental. The rental of meeting space should not exceed $250 
per day. Any rates that exceed this amount should be cost shared.
    7. Materials. Proposals may contain costs to purchase, develop and 
translate materials for participants. Costs for high quality 
translation of materials should be anticipated and included in the 
budget. Grantee organizations should expect to submit a copy of all 
program materials to ECA, and ECA support

[[Page 65390]]

should be acknowledged on all materials developed with its funding.
    8. Equipment. Applicants may propose to use grant funds to purchase 
equipment, such as computers and printers; these costs should be 
justified in the budget narrative. Costs for furniture are not allowed.
    9. Working meal. Normally, no more than one working meal may be 
provided during the program. Per capita costs may not exceed $15-$25 
for lunch and $20-$35 for dinner, excluding room rental. The number of 
invited guests may not exceed participants by more than a factor of 
two-to-one. When setting up a budget, interpreters should be considered 
``participants.''
    10. Return travel allowance. A return travel allowance of $70 for 
each foreign participant may be included in the budget. This allowance 
would cover incidental expenses incurred during international travel.
    11. Health Insurance. Foreign participants will be covered during 
their participation in the program by the ECA-sponsored Accident and 
Sickness Program for Exchanges (ASPE), for which the grantee must 
enroll them. Details of that policy can be provided by the contact 
officers identified in this solicitation. The premium is paid by ECA 
and should not be included in the grant proposal budget. However, 
applicants are permitted to include costs for travel insurance for U.S. 
participants in the budget.
    12. Wire transfer fees. When necessary, applicants may include 
costs to transfer funds to partner organizations overseas. Grantees are 
urged to research applicable taxes that may be imposed on these 
transfers by host governments.
    13. In-country travel costs for visa processing purposes. Given the 
requirements associated with obtaining J-1 visas for ECA-supported 
participants, applicants should include costs for any travel associated 
with visa interviews or DS-2019 pick-up.
    14. Administrative Costs. Costs necessary for the effective 
administration of the program may include salaries for grantee 
organization employees, benefits, and other direct and indirect costs 
per detailed instructions in the Application Package. While there is no 
rigid ratio of administrative to program costs, proposals in which the 
administrative costs do not exceed 25% of the total requested ECA grant 
funds will be more competitive under the cost effectiveness and cost 
sharing criterion, per item V.1 below. Proposals should show strong 
administrative cost sharing contributions from the applicant, the in-
country partner and other sources. Please refer to the Solicitation 
Package for complete budget guidelines and formatting instructions.
    IV.3f. Application Deadline and Methods of Submission:
    Application Deadline Date: February 15, 2008.
    Reference Number: ECA/PE/C-08-01.
    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 8 copies of the application should be sent to: 
U.S. Department of State, SA-44, Bureau of Educational and Cultural 
Affairs, Ref.: ECA/PE-08-01, 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) or Microsoft Word 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.

[[Page 65391]]

    IV.3f.3. Applicants may not submit proposals that address more than 
one region or that include countries not eligible under a specific 
theme designated in the RFGP. Proposals that do so will be declared 
technically ineligible and will receive no further consideration in the 
review process. For the purposes of this competition, eligible regions 
are Africa, East Asia, Europe, the Near East, North Africa, South 
Central Asia, and the Western Hemisphere.
    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 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 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 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. A discussion of how the applicant intends to address 
language issues should be included, if needed.
    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 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. Proposals in 
which the administrative costs do not exceed 25% of the total requested 
ECA grant funds will be more competitive (see IV.3e.2 14 for 
clarification on this). 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, Item IV.3d.2, 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 must not appear in the proposal budget, but 
should be outlined in the narrative.
    6. Program Monitoring and Evaluation: Proposals should include a 
detailed plan to monitor and evaluate the program. Program objectives 
should target clearly defined results in quantitative terms. 
Competitive evaluation plans will describe how applicant organizations 
would measure these results, and proposals should include draft data 
collection instruments (surveys, questionnaires, etc) in Tab E. 
Successful applicants (grantee institutions) will be expected to submit 
a report after each program component concludes or on a quarterly 
basis, whichever is less frequent. The Bureau also requires that 
grantee institutions submit a final narrative and financial report no 
more than 90 days after the expiration of a grant.

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.
    For assistance awards involving the Palestinian Authority: All 
awards made under this competition must be executed according to all 
relevant laws and policies regarding assistance to the Palestinian 
Authority, and to the West Bank and Gaza. Recipients must consult with 
the Public Affairs Section in Jerusalem prior to submission of 
proposal.

    Note: To assure that planning for the inclusion of the 
Palestinian Authority complies with requirements, please contact 
Thomas Johnston, Tel. (202) 453-8162;

[[Page 65392]]

e-mail: [email protected] for additional information.

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 electronic 
copy of the following reports:
    1. Quarterly program and financial reports for the duration of the 
program.
    2. 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. Application and Submission Instructions (IV.3.d.3) 
above for Program Monitoring and Evaluation information.
    All data collected, including survey responses and contact 
information, must be maintained for a minimum of three years and 
provided to the Bureau upon request.
    All reports must be sent to the ECA Grants Officer and ECA Program 
Officer listed in the final assistance award document.

VI.4. Optional Program Data Requirements

    Organizations awarded grants will be required to maintain specific 
data on program participants and activities in an electronically 
accessible database format that can be shared with the Bureau as 
required. As a minimum, the data must include the following:
    (1) Name, address, contact information and biographic sketch of all 
persons who travel internationally on funds provided by the grant or 
who benefit from the grant funding but do not travel.
    (2) Itineraries of international and domestic travel, providing 
dates of travel and cities in which any exchange experiences take 
place. Final schedules for in-country and U.S. activities must be 
received by the ECA Program Officer at least three weeks prior to the 
official opening of the activity.

VII. Agency Contacts

    For questions about this announcement, contact: Brent Beemer, 
Office of Citizen Exchanges, ECA/PE/C, Room 220, ECA/PE/C-08-01, U.S. 
Department of State, SA-44, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547, 
202-453-8147; [email protected].
    All correspondence with the Bureau concerning this RFGP should 
reference the above title and number ECA/PE/C-08-01. 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 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: November 13, 2007.
C. Miller Crouch,
Acting Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, 
Department of State.
[FR Doc. E7-22659 Filed 11-19-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P