[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 7 (Thursday, January 10, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1906-1911]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-299]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 6054]


Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for 
Grant Proposals: Chilean English as a Foreign Language (EFL) Student 
Teacher Program

    Announcement Type: New Cooperative Agreement.
    Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/A/L-08-01.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 00.000.
    Key Dates: (Pending availability of funds)
    Anticipated Grant Start Date: May 5, 2008.
    Anticipated Program Start Date: August 2008.
    Anticipated Grant End Date: February 28, 2009.
    Application Deadline: March 13, 2008.
    Executive Summary: The Office of English Language Programs of the 
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs announces an open 
competition for the Chilean English as a Foreign Language (EFL) Student 
Teacher Program. Accredited, U.S. post-secondary educational 
institutions meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code 
section 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3) may submit proposals to administer this 
semester-long program for Chilean pre-service teachers. Post-secondary 
educational institutions may apply independently or in a consortium 
with other post-secondary institutions. The program will include 
academic coursework and practicum/student teaching for Chilean EFL 
student teachers in their penultimate year of undergraduate study. ECA 
plans to award two grants for the administration of this program under 
which a total of approximately thirty EFL student teachers will be 
placed in two groups at two different U.S. universities. The program 
will take place during the fall semester of 2008 and will, in addition 
to teaching participants about student-centered methodology, give them 
an in-depth experience of U.S. life and culture and contribute to 
mutual understanding between Chile and the United States.
    The program should include both a theoretical component, provided 
through courses and professional development seminars in an academic 
setting, and a practical component, provided through practice teaching 
under the guidance of experienced mentor teachers in local school 
districts. Interested post-secondary educational institutions should 
indicate strong contacts with local U.S. school districts in order to 
provide the practical student-teaching component, as well as a 
demonstrated ability to conduct a substantive academic program. Host 
schools for student teaching may be public, magnet or charter schools, 
and should exemplify best practices. The total funding available for 
program and administrative purposes is anticipated to be approximately 
$450,000, and will be awarded in two separate grants of $225,000. This 
exchange program will be funded in FY-2008 pending the availability of 
funds.

I. Funding Opportunity Description

Authority

    Overall grant making authority for this program is contained in the 
Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961, Public Law 87-
256, as amended, also known as the Fulbright-Hays Act. The purpose of 
the Act is ``to enable the Government of the United States to increase 
mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the 
people of other countries * * *; to strengthen the ties which unite us 
with other nations by demonstrating the educational and cultural 
interests, developments, and achievements of the people of the United 
States and other nations * * * and thus to assist in the development of 
friendly, sympathetic and peaceful relations between the United States 
and the other countries of the world.'' The funding authority for the 
program above is provided through legislation.

Purpose

    The Chilean EFL Student Teacher Program is designed to assist Chile 
in its goal of becoming a bilingual society. The people of the United 
States and Chile enjoy a particularly close relationship, nurtured by 
longstanding and strong cultural, diplomatic and commercial ties. As 
leading members of the Organization of American States (OAS) and the 
Asian-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) inter-governmental forum, the 
governments of the U.S. and Chile share a common commitment to 
democracy and sustainable economic growth, and work together to the 
mutual benefit of their citizens and neighbors.

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The Chilean educators participating in this exchange program will 
prepare their future students to live in an increasingly interdependent 
world, and the exchange experience will provide a basis for the 
educators' continuing contact with U.S. counterparts in order to 
promote mutual understanding between the U.S. and Chile.
    The program will bring a total of approximately thirty EFL student 
teachers in their penultimate year of undergraduate study at Chilean 
universities and place them in two clusters at different U.S. 
universities. The student teachers will be selected by a panel of U.S. 
and Chilean members in Chile to create a diverse group in terms of 
their home regions in Chile, gender, and socio-economic background. The 
semester-long program will take place from August 2008 to December 
2008. During the program, participants will learn about student-
centered English teaching through special seminars, enrollment in 
regular university courses and practice teaching. The program will 
prepare the student teachers to teach in the subject field of English 
as a Foreign Language. Following their program, the students will 
return to their home institutions for additional study before starting 
careers as high school English teachers in Chile.
    The program should encompass the following elements:
    (1) Grantee organization participation in the pre-departure 
orientation in Chile organized by the Chilean Government;
    (2) Orientation upon arrival at university;
    (3) Instruction in English language as needed;
    (4) Intensive education in relevant subjects and teaching 
methodologies through a variety of courses within the host university's 
school of education or other departments (participants will select 
courses based on their individual goals and interests);
    (5) Enrollment in a specially designed group seminar on teaching 
strategies for their home environments and educational leadership;
    (6) Participation in a substantial three-week practice teaching 
component to engage participants actively with the American classroom 
environment.
    a. Host universities should recruit school districts to host groups 
for internships based on brief proposals from the school districts, 
outlining their interest, their understanding of the program goals, 
examples of their best practices, and a commitment to mentoring.
    b. School districts should be within easy driving distance of the 
host university, and should be capable of introducing participants to 
more than one approach to teaching (for example, inquiry, active 
classroom, group projects, etc.).
    (7) Cultural and community service activities to encourage 
interaction and mutual understanding between Chileans and U.S. peers 
and citizens;
    (8) Travel to Washington, DC during the second half of the program 
for a three- to four-day workshop including visits to the Department of 
State, cultural sites, and relevant educational organizations.
    Applicants should outline how host school districts will be 
selected and how teachers will collaborate with schools and local 
communities.
    Applicant organizations should submit a narrative outlining a 
comprehensive strategy for the administration and implementation of the 
program. The narrative should include a design for the program, and a 
plan for monitoring the student teachers' academic and professional 
programs.
    The comprehensive program strategy should reflect a vision for the 
initiative as a whole, interpreting the goals of the Chilean EFL 
Student Teacher Program with creativity, as well as providing 
innovative ideas for the program. The strategy should include a 
description of how the various components of the program will be 
integrated to build upon and reinforce one another.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Cooperative Agreement.
    Fiscal Year Funds: 2008.
    Approximate Total Funding: $450,000 (pending availability of 
funds).
    Approximate Number of Awards: 2.
    Approximate Average Award: $225,000.
    Anticipated Award Date: Pending availability of funds, April 7, 
2008.
    Anticipated Project Completion Date: December 2008.

Additional Information

    Pending successful implementation of this program and the 
availability of funds in subsequent fiscal years, it is ECA's intent to 
renew this cooperative agreement for two additional fiscal years, 
before openly competing it again.

III. Eligibility Information

    III.1. Eligible applicants: Applications may be submitted by public 
and private non-profit organizations meeting the provisions described 
in Internal Revenue Code section 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3).
    III.2. Cost Sharing or Matching Funds: There is no minimum or 
maximum percentage required for this competition. However, the Bureau 
encourages applicants to provide the highest possible 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, the grantee must maintain written records to support 
all costs which are claimed as its 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 the grantee does not provide the 
minimum amount of cost sharing as stipulated in the approved budget, 
ECA's contribution will be reduced in like proportion.
    III.3. Other Eligibility Requirements: (a) Grants awarded to 
eligible organizations with less than four years of experience in 
conducting international exchange programs are limited to $60,000. ECA 
anticipates awarding two grants, in an amount up to $225,000 to support 
program and administrative costs required to implement this exchange 
program. Therefore, organizations with less than four years experience 
in conducting international exchanges are ineligible to apply under 
this competition. The Bureau encourages applicants to provide maximum 
levels of cost sharing and funding in support of its programs.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    Note: Please read the complete announcement before sending 
inquiries or submitting proposals. Once the RFGP deadline has 
passed, Bureau staff may not discuss this competition with 
applicants until the proposal review process has been completed.

    IV.1 Contact Information to Request an Application Package: Please 
contact the Eran Williams, Branch Chief for Programs in the Office of 
English Language Programs, ECA/A/L, room 304, U.S. Department of State, 
SA-44, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547, telephone (202) 453-
8843, or fax (202) 453-8858 to request a Solicitation Package. Please 
refer to the Funding Opportunity Number ECA/A/L-08-1 located at the top 
of this announcement when making your request.
    Alternatively, an electronic application package may be obtained

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from grants.gov. Please see section IV.3f for further information.
    The Solicitation Package contains the Proposal Submission 
Instruction (PSI) document which consists of required application 
forms, and standard guidelines for proposal preparation.
    It also contains the Project Objectives, Goals and Implementation 
(POGI) document, which provides specific information, award criteria 
and budget instructions tailored to this competition.
    Please specify Eran Williams and refer to the Funding Opportunity 
Number ECA/A/L-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 Web site at http://www.grants.gov.
    Please read all information before downloading.
    IV.3. Content and Form of Submission: Applicants must follow all 
instructions in the Solicitation Package. The 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 and the Project 
Objectives, and the Goals and Implementation (POGI) document for 
additional formatting and technical requirements.
    IV.3c. You must have nonprofit status with the IRS at the time of 
application. If your organization is a private nonprofit which has not 
received a grant or cooperative agreement from ECA in the past three 
years, or if your organization received nonprofit status from the IRS 
within the past four years, you must submit the necessary documentation 
to verify nonprofit status as directed in the PSI document. Failure to 
do so will cause your proposal to be declared technically ineligible.
    IV.3d. Please take into consideration the following information 
when preparing your proposal narrative:
    IV.3d.1 Adherence to All Regulations Governing the J Visa.
    The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs places critically 
important emphases on the security and proper administration of the 
Exchange Visitor (J visa) Programs and adherence by grantees and 
sponsors to all regulations governing the J visa. Therefore, proposals 
should demonstrate the applicant's capacity to meet all requirements 
governing the administration of the Exchange Visitor Programs as set 
forth in 22 CFR part 62, including the oversight of Responsible 
Officers and Alternate Responsible Officers, screening and selection of 
program participants, provision of pre-arrival information and 
orientation to participants, monitoring of participants, proper 
maintenance and security of forms, record-keeping, reporting and other 
requirements. The Grantee will be responsible for issuing DS-2019 forms 
to participants in this program.
    A copy of the complete regulations governing the administration of 
Exchange Visitor (J) programs is available at http://exchanges.state.gov or from: United States Department of State, Office 
of Exchange Coordination and Designation, ECA/EC/ECD--SA-44, Room 734, 
301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547, Telephone: (202) 203-5029, 
FAX: (202) 453-8640.
    Please refer to Solicitation Package for further information.
    IV.3d.2 Diversity, Freedom and Democracy Guidelines.
    Pursuant to the Bureau's authorizing legislation, programs must 
maintain a non-political character and should be balanced and 
representative of the diversity of U.S. 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 the 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 each proposal include a draft survey 
questionnaire or other technique plus a description of a methodology to 
use to link outcomes to original project objectives. The Bureau expects 
that the grantee will track participants or partners and be able to 
respond to key evaluation questions, including satisfaction with the 
program, learning as a result of the program, changes in behavior as a 
result of the program, and effects of the program on institutions 
(institutions in which participants work or partner institutions). The 
evaluation plan should include indicators that measure gains in mutual 
understanding as well as substantive knowledge.
    Successful monitoring and evaluation depend heavily on setting 
clear goals and outcomes at the outset of a program. The evaluation 
plan should include a description of the project's objectives, 
anticipated project outcomes, and how and when the applicant will 
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.
    The 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.

[[Page 1909]]

    We encourage applicants 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 the 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.
    Describe your plans for: i.e. sustainability, overall program 
management, staffing, coordination with ECA and PAS or any other 
requirements etc.
    IV.3e. Applicants should take the following information into 
consideration when preparing their budgets:
    IV.3e.1. Applicants must submit a comprehensive budget for the 
entire program. There must be a summary budget as well as breakdowns 
reflecting both administrative and program budgets. Applicants may 
provide separate sub-budgets for each program component, phase, 
location, or activity to provide clarification.
    IV.3e.2. Allowable costs for the program include the following:
    (1) Practice teaching host schools administrative costs
    (2) Seminars and debriefing costs
    (3) Cultural activities
    (4) Book allowance/shipping
    (5) Grantee administrative costs
    (6) Tuition (Please explain how you will ensure cost-effective 
arrangements based on non-credit enrollment and/or other methods 
according to formulas that can be protected from increases in tuition 
rates).
    The Chilean government will provide a student maintenance package 
that will cover housing, meals and incidentals as well as international 
transportation to the host universities and from Washington, DC.
    IV.3f. Application Deadline and Methods of Submission.
    Application Deadline Date: Thursday, March 13, 2008.
    Reference Number: ECA/A/L-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 an applicant 
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 4 copies of the application should be sent to: 
U.S. Department of State, SA-44, Bureau of Educational and Cultural 
Affairs, Ref.: ECA/A/L--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 for its 
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 an applicant's internet connection. 
Therefore, we strongly recommend that an applicant 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

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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 an 
applicant 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.
    Optional--IV.3f.3 An applicant may also state here any limitations 
on the number of applications that an applicant may submit and make it 
clear whether the limitation is on the submitting organization, 
individual program director or both.
    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 
assistance awards grants resides with the Bureau's Grants Officer.
Review Criteria
    Technically eligible applications will be competitively reviewed 
according to the criteria stated below. These criteria are not rank 
ordered and all carry equal weight in the proposal evaluation:
    1. Quality of the program idea: Proposals should exhibit 
originality, substance, precision, and relevance to the Bureau's 
mission.
    2. Program planning: Detailed agenda and relevant work plan should 
demonstrate substantive undertakings and logistical capacity. Agenda 
and plan should adhere to the program overview and guidelines described 
above.
    3. Ability to achieve program objectives: Objectives should be 
reasonable, feasible, and flexible. Proposals should clearly 
demonstrate how the institution will meet the program's objectives and 
plan.
    4. Multiplier effect/impact: Proposed programs should strengthen 
long-term mutual understanding, including maximum sharing of 
information and establishment of long-term institutional and individual 
linkages.
    5. Support of Diversity: Proposals should demonstrate substantive 
support of the Bureau's policy on diversity. Achievable and relevant 
features should be cited in both program administration (selection of 
participants, program venue and program evaluation) and program content 
(orientation and wrap-up sessions, program meetings, resource materials 
and follow-up activities).
    6. Institutional Capacity: Proposed personnel and institutional 
resources should be adequate and appropriate to achieve the program or 
project's goals.
    7. Institution's Record/Ability: Proposals should demonstrate an 
institutional record of successful exchange programs, including 
responsible fiscal management and full compliance with all reporting 
requirements for past Bureau grants as determined by Bureau Grants 
Staff. The Bureau will consider the past performance of prior 
recipients and the demonstrated potential of new applicants.
    8. Follow-on Activities: Proposals should provide a plan for 
continued follow-on activity (without Bureau support) ensuring that 
Bureau supported programs are not isolated events.
    9. Project Evaluation: Proposals should include a plan to evaluate 
the activity's success, both as the activities unfold and at the end of 
the program. A draft survey questionnaire or other technique plus 
description of a methodology to use to link outcomes to original 
project objectives is recommended.
    10. Cost-effectiveness: The overhead and administrative components 
of the proposal, including salaries and honoraria, should be kept as 
low as possible. All other items should be necessary and appropriate.
    11. Cost-sharing: Proposals should maximize cost-sharing through 
other private sector support as well as institutional direct funding 
contributions.
    12. Value to U.S.-Partner Country Relations: Proposed projects 
should receive positive assessments by the U.S. Department of State's 
geographic area desk and overseas officers of program need, potential 
impact, and significance in the partner country(ies).

VI. Award Administration Information

VI.1a. Award Notices

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

VI.2 Administrative and National Policy Requirements

    Terms and Conditions for the Administration of ECA agreements 
include the following:
    Office of Management and Budget Circular A-122, ``Cost Principles 
for Nonprofit Organizations.''
    Office of Management and Budget Circular A-21, ``Cost Principles 
for Educational Institutions.''
    OMB Circular A-87, ``Cost Principles for State, Local and Indian 
Governments''.
    OMB Circular No. A-110 (Revised), Uniform Administrative 
Requirements for Grants and Agreements with Institutions of Higher 
Education, Hospitals, and other Nonprofit Organizations.
    OMB Circular No. A-102, Uniform Administrative Requirements for 
Grants-in-Aid to State and Local Governments.
    OMB Circular No. A-133, Audits of States, Local Government, and 
Non-profit Organizations
    Please reference the following Web sites for additional 
information: http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants.
    http://exchanges.state.gov/education/grantsdiv/terms.htm#articleI.
    VI.3. Reporting Requirements: The grantee must provide ECA with a 
hard

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copy original plus one copy of 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.
    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 work days prior to 
the official opening of the activity.

VII. Agency Contacts

    For questions about this announcement, contact: Eran Williams 
Office of English Language Programs, ECA/A/L, room 304, U.S. Department 
of State, SA-44, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547, (202) 453-
8843 and fax (202) 453-8858, [email protected].
    All correspondence with the Bureau concerning this RFGP should 
reference the above title and number ECA/A/L-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: December 20, 2007.
C. Miller Crouch,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. 
Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, 
Department of State.
 [FR Doc. E8-299 Filed 1-9-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P