[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 221 (Friday, November 14, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67557-67564]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-26948]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 6424]


Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for 
Grant Proposals: Youth Leadership Program With Algeria, the 
Philippines, or Serbia

    Announcement Type: New Grant.
    Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/PE/C/PY-09-10.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 00.000.
    Application Deadline: January 9, 2009.
    Executive Summary: The Office of Citizen Exchanges, Youth Programs 
Division, of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs announces 
an open competition for Youth Leadership Programs supporting exchanges 
with Algeria, the Philippines, or Serbia. Public and private non-profit 
organizations meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code 
section 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3) may submit separate proposals for grants 
that will support youth and adult participants from one of these three 
countries in a U.S.-based exchange program that explores civic 
education, leadership development, respect for diversity, and community 
activism. The program will conclude with follow-on activities in the 
participants' home countries in which they apply the knowledge and 
skills acquired during the exchange experience.

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

[[Page 67558]]

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 
Algeria and Philippines programs is provided through legislation. The 
funding authority for the program with Serbia is provided through the 
Support for East European Democracy (SEED) Act (1989).
    Purpose: Through these grants, the Youth Leadership Program 
provides an opportunity for teenagers (ages 15-17) and adult educators 
in Algeria, the Philippines, and Serbia to participate in intensive, 
thematic, four- to six-week-long exchanges in the United States that 
complement a more formal education in the principles of a civil 
society. The Serbia Program also includes an exchange component for 
American teenagers. The overarching goal is for the exchange 
participants and their American counterparts to develop a broad 
worldview that incorporates diverse perspectives and for the alumni to 
apply their skills toward productive and positive outlets in their home 
communities.
    The program will enable participants to:
    (1) To develop their sense of civic responsibility and commitment 
to community development;
    (2) To become part of a cadre of community activists who will share 
their knowledge and skills with their peers through positive action and 
collaboration;
    (3) To foster understanding and build relationships with youth from 
different ethnic, religious, and national groups;
    (4) To promote mutual understanding between the people of their 
country and the United States.
    Applicant organizations should identify their own specific 
objectives and measurable outcomes based on these program goals and the 
specifications provided in this solicitation.
    The exchange format will be intensive and interactive, weaving 
together both formal and informal sessions to achieve the stated goals 
and objectives. Applicants must present a program plan that allows the 
participants to thoroughly explore the themes in a creative, memorable, 
and practical way. All activities should be designed to be replicable 
and provide practical knowledge and skills that the participants can 
apply to school and civic activities at home.
    Applicants must demonstrate their capacity for doing programs of 
this nature, focusing on three areas of competency: (1) Provision of 
programs that address the goals and themes outlined in this document; 
(2) age-appropriate programming for youth; and (3) previous experience 
in working with the selected country or its region.
    Applicant organizations need to have the necessary capacity in the 
partner country through a branch office, a partner organization, or 
other affiliates that have the demonstrated ability to conduct the 
specified activities in the partner country.
    Should organizations wish to apply for a grant with more than one 
country, they must submit a separate proposal for each. Each of the 
three country programs will be judged independently and proposals for a 
particular country will be compared only to proposals for the same 
country.
    Please see information specific to the program with each country 
below.

Algeria

    Objective: To promote interaction among youth from Algeria and the 
United States and assist the participants in jointly developing their 
leadership skills.
    Program focus: The applicant should present a program plan that 
focuses on leadership development, respect for diversity, and civic 
education. The applicant should also choose one of these two themes as 
an additional focus: (1) Media Literacy: How to analyze, access, 
evaluate and produce media; the impact of mass media on individuals and 
societies; and journalism techniques for sharing the voices of youth 
for positive action in their communities. (2) Business/
Entrepreneurship: The study of applied economics, practical business 
skills, entrepreneurship, and related ethics and leadership education, 
including creating an effective business plan and establishing good 
business practices.

    Note: The program will be implemented by a partnership of the 
Public Affairs Section in the U.S. Embassy in Algiers and the U.S. 
grantee organization. The Embassy will be responsible for 
recruiting, screening, and selecting the Algerian participants, 
while the U.S. grantee organization will be responsible for 
selecting the U.S. participants, travel logistics, an English 
language workshop in Algeria, the U.S.-based exchange activity, and 
follow-on activities with alumni.

    Participants: 25 high school students and 2-3 adults from Algeria, 
plus 10 American high school students who will participate in the U.S.-
based activities with the Algerian students.
    Timeframe: The U.S.-based exchange program should take place 
between mid-July and mid-August, 2009. The U.S. program should be no 
less than four weeks in duration, preceded by up to two weeks of 
intensive English training that takes place in Algeria.
    Amount of grant funds available: $275,000. The Bureau intends to 
award one grant.

Philippines

    Objective: To advance dialogue and mutual understanding between 
Americans and Filipinos and between Muslim and non-Muslim youth from 
the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao and surrounding provinces, 
leading to the cooperative implementation of service projects in 
Mindanao.
    Program focus: The U.S. program should focus primarily on ways that 
youth can work collaboratively across ethnic and religious lines. All 
activities should be related to developing open dialogues among the 
participants through which they can develop strategies to work together 
to help solve some of the common challenges they face as teenagers in 
Mindanao. Participants will also gain a more thorough understanding of 
how democracy is practiced in the United States, particularly at the 
grassroots level, including community activism, minority rights, and 
the responsibilities of citizens.
    Participants: 21-27 teenagers and 4-5 adults from the Autonomous 
Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and surrounding areas. Both the youth 
and adult contingents should represent the diversity of the region.
    Time frame: The four- to six-week U.S.-based exchange program 
should take place between January and June 2010.
    Amount of grant funds available: $275,000. The Bureau intends to 
award one grant.

Serbia

    Objective: To promote interaction among youth from Serbia and the 
United States through reciprocal exchanges while introducing the two 
groups to how democracy is practiced in each country, the rights and 
responsibilities of citizens, and how community service allows youth to 
be proactive participants in their communities.

[[Page 67559]]

    Program focus: There will be six exchange delegations from Serbia 
to the United States, and two to four exchange delegations of Americans 
to Serbia. Each exchange will focus on a specific theme related to 
participatory governance, such as grassroots activism, the rule of law, 
religious freedom, the role of local and municipal governments, ethnic 
tolerance and living in a multi-ethnic society, and student activism/
student government.
    Participants: Approximately 130 teenagers and educators (teachers 
or community leaders who work with youth) from Serbia who will travel 
to the U.S. for four weeks in six exchange delegations of 20-25 each. 
Approximately 30 U.S. teenagers and educators will travel to Serbia in 
groups of 7 to 15.
    Time frame: The four-week Serbia-to-U.S. exchanges may take place 
between late 2009 and the end of 2010. The U.S-to-Serbia exchanges, 
which may be two to four weeks in duration, may take place between or 
after the Serbia-to-U.S. exchanges. The grant(s) may span up to two 
years.
    Amount of grant funds available: $1,355,000. The Bureau intends to 
award one or two grants. Applicants may apply to conduct the entire 
program, utilizing all of the grant funds. Alternatively, organizations 
may apply for a grant of roughly half the amount of funding available, 
in which case ECA may award grants to two organizations. These two 
organizations will be required to work in cooperation with each other 
in order to avoid public confusion between the two projects.

Guidelines for All Three Countries

    Grants will begin in spring 2009. The grant period will be 12 to 24 
months in duration, as appropriate to the program design.
    In pursuit of the goals outlined above, the programs will include 
the following:
     Recruitment, screening, and selection of the youth 
participants and adult educators (exception with Algerian 
participants--the U.S. Embassy will complete this step).
     A pre-departure orientation program.
     Designing and planning of substantive and well-organized 
activities in the United States (and in Serbia) on leadership 
development, civic education, and community service. Some activities 
should be school and/or community-based, as feasible, and the programs 
will involve extensive interaction with American peers.
     Logistical arrangements, homestay arrangements and other 
accommodation, provisions for religious observance, disbursement of 
stipends/per diem, and international and local travel.
     Follow-on activities in the participants' home countries 
designed to reinforce the ideas, values, and skills imparted during the 
U.S. program.
    Recruitment and Selection: With the exception of proposals for 
Algeria, applicants should present a recruitment plan for the foreign 
participants in their proposals. Upon receipt of a grant, the 
recipients must consult with the Public Affairs Sections at the U.S. 
Embassies to review the recruitment and participant selection plan. 
Organizers must strive for regional and ethnic diversity within the 
partner country. For the Algeria and Serbia programs, the applicant 
must present a plan for a competitive, merit-based selection process 
for the American participants. The Department of State and/or its 
overseas representatives must approve all selected delegations.
    Participants: The student participants will be teenagers aged 15 to 
17. Selected participants will demonstrate leadership potential and an 
interest in serving their communities, as well as strong social and 
academic skills, overall composure, openness and flexibility. The adult 
participants will be secondary school teachers or administrators and/or 
community leaders who work with youth. The adult participants will be 
exchange participants first and foremost, but will also serve as 
chaperones and advisors. Participants will be proficient in English.
    U.S. Exchange Activities: Each program may take place in one to 
three communities and should offer the participants exposure to the 
variety of American life. The exchange programs should consist 
primarily of interactive activities, practical experiences, and other 
hands-on opportunities that enable participants to learn about the 
fundamentals of a civil society, as well as the underlying concepts of 
leadership, volunteerism, and positive participation in civic life. 
These topics must be thoughtfully addressed through focused community 
and/or school-based program activities. Format suggestions include 
simulations, case studies, workshops, site visits, discussion groups, 
mock trials, facilitated role plays, volunteer service projects, and 
leadership training exercises. Programming must include regular and 
substantive involvement by American peers as much as possible in order 
to give participants from both countries insight into working with 
members of the other culture. The participants will have homestays with 
properly selected local families for most of the exchange period. 
Cultural, social, and recreational activities will balance the 
schedule. Please see the POGI for more details.
    The exchange activities of the American students and teachers in 
Serbia should follow up on the same themes and topics as the U.S. 
activity. These participants must have substantive educational 
activities during the exchange, which will also introduce them to home, 
school, and community life in Serbia.
    Follow-on Activities and In-Country Programming: Follow-on 
activities for alumni are an essential component of the program. 
Applicants should present creative and effective ways to continue 
dialogue on the program themes, for both participants and their peers, 
as a means to amplify the program impact, which may include blogs, Web 
sites, newsletters, or listservs. One or two U.S. project staff, 
trainers, or educators should arrange a trip to the partner country 
three to six months after the U.S. exchange to help reinforce the U.S. 
experience.
    Grant recipients will use the name ``[Country] Youth Leadership 
Program'' to identify their program. All participants and alumni should 
identify themselves with the Youth Leadership Program (YLP). Materials 
produced for grant activities need to acknowledge the State Department 
as the sponsor and reflect the State Department's goals for the 
program.
    The Bureau reserves the right to reduce, revise, or increase 
proposal budgets and participant numbers in accordance with the needs 
of the program and the availability of funds.
    Proposals must demonstrate how the stated objectives will be met. 
The proposal narrative should provide detailed information on the major 
program activities, and applicants should explain and justify their 
programmatic choices. Programs must comply with J-1 visa regulations. 
Please refer to the complete Solicitation Package--this RFGP, the 
Project Objectives, Goals, and Implementation (POGI), and the Proposal 
Submission Instructions (PSI)--for further information.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Grant Agreement.
    Fiscal Year Funds: FY-2009, pending availability of funds.
    Approximate Total Funding: $1,905,000.
    Approximate Number of Awards: 3-4.
    Floor of Award Range: $275,000.
    Ceiling of Award Range: $1,355,000.
    Anticipated Award Date: Pending availability of funds, April 15, 
2009.

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    Anticipated Project Completion Date: 12 to 24 months after the 
onset of the award, to be determined by the applicant according to its 
program design.
    Additional Information: Pending successful implementation of these 
programs and the availability of funds in subsequent fiscal years, it 
is ECA's intent to renew these grants for two additional fiscal years, 
before openly competing them again.

III. Eligibility Information

    III.1. Eligible applicants: Applications may be submitted by public 
and private non-profit organizations meeting the provisions described 
in Internal Revenue Code section 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3).
    III.2. Cost Sharing or Matching Funds: There is no minimum or 
maximum percentage required for this competition. However, the Bureau 
encourages applicants to provide maximum levels of cost sharing and 
funding in support of its programs.
    When cost sharing is offered, it is understood and agreed that the 
applicant must provide the amount of cost sharing as stipulated in its 
proposal and later included in an approved agreement. Cost sharing may 
be in the form of allowable direct or indirect costs. For 
accountability, you must maintain written records to support all costs 
which are claimed as your contribution, as well as costs to be paid by 
the Federal government. Such records are subject to audit. The basis 
for determining the value of cash and in-kind contributions must be in 
accordance with OMB Circular A-110, (Revised), Subpart C.23--Cost 
Sharing and Matching. In the event you do not provide the minimum 
amount of cost sharing as stipulated in the approved budget, ECA's 
contribution will be reduced in like proportion.
    III.3. Other Eligibility Requirements: (a) Bureau grant guidelines 
require that organizations with less than four years experience in 
conducting international exchanges be limited to $60,000 in Bureau 
funding. ECA anticipates making awards in amounts exceeding $60,000 to 
support program and administrative costs required to implement these 
exchange programs. 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 Youth Programs Division, ECA/PE/C/PY, U.S. Department of 
State, SA-44, 301 4th Street, SW., Room 568, Washington, DC 20547, 
telephone: (202) 453-8171, fax: (202) 453-8169, E-mail: 
[email protected] to request a Solicitation Package. Please 
refer to the Funding Opportunity Number ECA/PE/C/PY-09-10 located at 
the top of this announcement when making your request. Alternatively, 
an electronic application package may be obtained from grants.gov. 
Please see section IV.3f for further information.
    The Solicitation Package contains the Proposal Submission 
Instruction (PSI) document which consists of required application 
forms, and standard guidelines for proposal preparation. It also 
contains the Project Objectives, Goals and Implementation (POGI) 
document, which provides specific information, award criteria and 
budget instructions tailored to this competition.
    Please specify Program Officer Carolyn Lantz and refer to the 
Funding Opportunity Number ECA/PE/C/PY-09-10 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, 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. Please note: Effective March 14, 2008, all applicants for 
ECA federal assistance awards must include with their application, a 
copy of page 5, Part V-A, ``Current Officers, Directors, Trustees, and 
Key Employees'' of their most recent Internal Revenue Service (IRS) 
Form 990, ``Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax.'' If an 
applicant does not file an IRS Form 990, but instead files Schedule A 
(Form 990 or 990-EZ)--``Organization Exempt Under Section 501(c)(3),'' 
applicants must include with their application a copy of Page 1, Part 
1, ``Compensation of the Five Highest Paid Employees Other Than 
Officers, Directors and Trustees,'' of their most recent Internal 
Revenue Service (IRS) Form--Schedule A (Form 990 or 990-EZ).
    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 awards (either a grant or cooperative agreement) under this 
RFGP will be third parties ``cooperating with or assisting the sponsor 
in the conduct of the sponsor's program.'' The actions of recipient

[[Page 67561]]

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 an award 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 emphases on the secure and proper administration of Exchange 
Visitor (J visa) Programs and adherence by recipient 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 recipient organization will track participants or partners and 
be able to respond to key evaluation questions, including satisfaction 
with the program, learning as a result of the program, changes in 
behavior as a result of the program, and effects of the program on 
institutions (institutions in which participants work or partner 
institutions). The evaluation plan should include indicators that 
measure gains in mutual understanding as well as substantive knowledge.
    Successful monitoring and evaluation depend heavily on setting 
clear goals and outcomes at the outset of a program. Your evaluation 
plan should include a description of your project's objectives, your 
anticipated project outcomes, and how and when you intend to measure 
these outcomes (performance indicators). The more that outcomes are 
``smart'' (specific, measurable, attainable, results-oriented, and 
placed in a reasonable timeframe), 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.)
    Recipient organizations 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.

[[Page 67562]]

    IV.3d.4. For informational and planning purposes, we are informing 
all potential applicants that ECA is in the process of developing 
comprehensive approaches to alumni programming, Web portal development 
supported through ECA assistance awards (grants/cooperative agreements) 
and the expansion of private/public partnerships to increase the reach 
of ECA's exchange programs. In the event your proposal is recommended 
for funding, you may receive additional guidance/information related to 
these topics during the negotiation stage of the approval process.
    In addition, all recipients of ECA grants or cooperative agreements 
should be prepared to state in any announcement or publicity where it 
is not inappropriate, that activities are assisted financially by the 
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the United States 
Department of State under the authority of the Fulbright-Hays Act of 
1961, as amended. Award recipients are strongly encouraged to use the 
Department seal on all promotional and related materials for ECA funded 
programs which support the commemoration of special occasions or 
events, but only after first obtaining written permission from the ECA 
program office(r) assigned to the project.
    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. 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.
    Funding levels for each country are as follows:
    Algeria: One grant. Grant request $275,000 maximum.
    Philippines: One grant. Grant request $275,000 maximum.
    Serbia: One or two grants. Grant request $650,000 minimum, 
$1,355,000 maximum.
    Please refer to the Solicitation Package for complete budget 
guidelines and formatting instructions.
    IV.3f.--Application Deadline and Methods of Submission
    Application Deadline Date: Friday, January 9, 2009.
    Reference Number: ECA/PE/C/PY-09-10.
    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 six copies of the application should be sent to: 
U.S. Department of State, SA-44, Bureau of Educational and Cultural 
Affairs, Ref.: ECA/PE/C/PY-09-10, Program Management, ECA/EX/PM, Room 
534, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547.
    With the submission of the proposal package, please also e-mail the 
Executive Summary, Proposal Narrative, and Budget sections of the 
proposal, as well as any essential attachments, in Microsoft Word and/
or Excel to the program office at [email protected] (Algeria), 
[email protected] (Philippines and Serbia), and 
[email protected] (all). The Bureau will provide these files 
electronically to the relevant U.S. Embassies for 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. In 
addition, validation of an electronic submission via Grants.gov can 
take up to two business days.
    Therefore, we strongly recommend that you not wait until the 
application deadline to begin the submission process through 
Grants.gov.
    The Grants.gov Web site includes extensive information on all 
phases/aspects of the Grants.gov process, including an extensive 
section on frequently asked questions, located under the ``For 
Applicants'' section of the Web site. ECA strongly recommends that all 
potential applicants review thoroughly the Grants.gov Web site, well in 
advance of submitting a proposal through the Grants.gov system. ECA 
bears no responsibility for data errors resulting from transmission or 
conversion processes.
    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.
    Please refer to the Grants.gov Web site, for definitions of various 
``application statuses'' and the difference between a submission 
receipt and a submission validation. Applicants

[[Page 67563]]

will receive a validation e-mail from Grants.gov upon the successful 
submission of an application. Again, validation of an electronic 
submission via Grants.gov can take up to two business days. Therefore, 
we strongly recommend that you not wait until the application deadline 
to begin the submission process through Grants.gov. ECA will not notify 
you upon receipt of electronic applications.
    It is the responsibility of all applicants submitting proposals via 
the Grants.gov Web portal to ensure that proposals have been received 
by Grants.gov in their entirety, and ECA bears no responsibility for 
data errors resulting from transmission or conversion processes.
    IV.3g. Intergovernmental Review of Applications: Executive Order 
12372 does not apply to this program.

V. Application Review Information

V.1. Review Process

    The Bureau will review all proposals for technical eligibility. 
Proposals will be deemed ineligible if they do not fully adhere to the 
guidelines stated herein and in the Solicitation Package. All eligible 
proposals will be reviewed by the program office, as well as the Public 
Diplomacy section 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:
    1. Quality of the program idea: The proposed program should be well 
developed, respond to design outlined in the solicitation, and 
demonstrate originality. It should be clearly and accurately written, 
substantive, and with sufficient detail. Proposals should exhibit 
originality, substance, precision, and relevance to the Bureau's 
mission.
    2. Program planning and ability to achieve program objectives: A 
detailed agenda and work plan should clearly demonstrate how project 
objectives will be achieved. The agenda and plan should adhere to the 
program overview and guidelines described above. The substance of 
workshops, seminars, presentations, school-based activities, and/or 
site visits should be described in detail. Objectives should be 
reasonable, feasible, and flexible. The proposal should clearly 
demonstrate how the institution will meet the program's objectives and 
plan.
    3. Support of diversity: The proposal should demonstrate the 
recipient's commitment to promoting the awareness and understanding of 
diversity in program content. Applicants should demonstrate readiness 
to accommodate participants with physical disabilities.
    4. Institutional capacity and track record: Proposed personnel and 
institutional resources should be adequate and appropriate to achieve 
the program goals. The proposal should demonstrate an institutional 
record, including responsible fiscal management and full compliance 
with all reporting requirements for past Bureau awards (grants or 
cooperative agreements) as determined by the Bureau's Office of 
Contracts. The Bureau will consider the past performance.
    5. Program evaluation: The proposal should include a plan to 
evaluate the activity's success, both as the activities unfold and at 
the end of the program. The proposal should include a draft survey 
questionnaire or other technique plus description of a methodology to 
use to link outcomes to original project objectives. The grant 
recipient will be expected to submit intermediate reports after each 
project component is concluded.
    6. Cost-effectiveness and cost sharing: The applicant should 
demonstrate efficient use of Bureau funds. 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. The proposal should maximize cost-sharing 
through other private sector support as well as institutional direct 
funding contributions, which demonstrates institutional and community 
commitment.

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 a Federal Assistance Award (FAA) 
from the Bureau's Grants Office. The FAA and the original proposal with 
subsequent modifications (if applicable) shall be the only binding 
authorizing document between the recipient and the U.S. Government. The 
FAA 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://fa.statebuy.state.gov
    VI.3. Reporting Requirements: You must provide ECA with a hard copy 
original plus one copy of the following reports:
    (1) A final program and financial report no more than 90 days after 
the expiration of the award;
    (2) A concise, one-page final program report summarizing program 
outcomes no more than 90 days after the expiration of the award. This 
one-page report will be transmitted to OMB, and be made available to 
the public via OMB's USAspending.gov Web site--as part of ECA's Federal 
Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA) reporting 
requirements.
    (3) Interim reports, as required in the Bureau grant agreement.
    Award recipients 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

[[Page 67564]]

Instructions (IV.3.d.3) above for Program Monitoring and Evaluation 
information.
    All data collected, including survey responses and contact 
information, must be maintained for a minimum of three years and 
provided to the Bureau upon request.
    All reports must be sent to the ECA Grants Officer and ECA Program 
Officer listed in the final assistance award document.

VII. Agency Contacts

    For questions about this announcement, contact: Carolyn Lantz, 
Program Officer, Youth Programs Division, Office of Citizen Exchanges, 
ECA/PE/C/PY, Room 568, U.S. Department of State, SA-44, 301 4th Street, 
SW., Washington, DC 20547, Telephone: (202) 203-7505, Fax: (202) 203-
7529, E-mail: [email protected].
    All correspondence with the Bureau concerning this RFGP should 
reference the above title and number ECA/PE/C/PY-09-10.
    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.

Goli Ameri,
Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs, Department of 
State.
 [FR Doc. E8-26948 Filed 11-13-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P