[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 213 (Thursday, November 5, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57372-57379]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-26425]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 6799]


Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for 
Grant Proposals: The Benjamin Franklin Transatlantic Fellows Summer 
Institute (Europe and Eurasia) and the Benjamin Franklin Summer 
Institute With Asia (Central and South Asia)

    Announcement Type: New Grant.
    Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/PE/C/PY-10-03.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 19.415.
    Application Deadline: January 6, 2010.
    Executive Summary: The Office of Citizen Exchanges, Youth Programs 
Division, of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) 
announces an open competition for two grants for summer institutes for 
youth. Public and private non-profit organizations meeting the 
provisions described in Internal Revenue Code section 26 U.S.C. 
501(c)(3), including accredited, post-secondary U.S. educational 
institutions, may submit proposals to provide a three- to four-week 
U.S.-based institute for one of the two institute options in the summer 
of 2010 for up to 45 teenagers aged 16-18. One institute--the Benjamin 
Franklin Transatlantic Fellows Summer Institute--is for participants 
from Europe, the European

[[Page 57373]]

countries of Eurasia, and the United States. The other institute--the 
Benjamin Franklin Summer Institute with Asia--is for participants from 
Afghanistan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and the 
United States. U.S. Embassies in all the participating countries will 
select the foreign participants, and the U.S. grant recipients will 
select the American participants. Both institutes will focus on 
leadership development, critical thinking, diplomacy, community 
activism, and the media as ways that young adults can unite around 
their common goals. Support for individual or small group follow-on 
projects in the home communities of the exchange alumni will complete 
the program.

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: These institutes aim to foster relationships among the 
younger generation to build strong linkages and an awareness of shared 
values and to enable youth to face together the global challenges of 
the 21st Century. Through these institutes, diverse but intellectually 
curious students aged 16 to 18 will participate in an intensive, three- 
to four-week exchange program in the United States. Participants will 
be engaged in a variety of activities such as training sessions, 
workshops, community and/or school-based programs, and cultural events. 
Participants will work together to prepare joint projects that present 
and promote the Institutes' stated goals and objectives.
    Goals: The goals of the Benjamin Franklin Institutes are (1) to 
develop a sense of civic responsibility and a commitment to cooperation 
among youth; (2) to foster relationships among youth from different 
ethnic, religious, and national groups; (3) to promote mutual 
understanding between the people of the United States and other 
countries; and (4) to develop a cadre of young leaders who will share 
their knowledge and skills with their peers through positive action.
    With the specific focus of these institutes, the following outcomes 
will indicate a successful project:
     Participants from abroad will demonstrate an improved 
understanding of the United States and its people, and the American 
students will better understand the interests of the people of the 
participating countries.
     Participants will work together to identify and overcome 
misunderstanding or lack of understanding among nations both during the 
institute and after they return to their homes.
     Participants will develop critical thinking skills that 
will enable them to judge how effectively and accurately information is 
conveyed.
     Participants will demonstrate a better understanding of 
international relations and issues.
     Participants will gain an understanding of the roles of 
the media and public perceptions in diplomacy and global issues.
    The Benjamin Franklin Transatlantic Fellows Summer Institute began 
in 2006 to honor the 300th anniversary of the birth of Benjamin 
Franklin, the legendary American statesman and diplomat, whose career, 
interests, and studies took him across the Atlantic Ocean, bringing 
about greater understanding between Americans and Europeans. His life 
offers inspiration to young citizens of today. As a diplomat and a 
printer, he used the power of diplomacy and the media to increase the 
exchange of information between Americans and the people of other 
countries. In this light, the earlier Summer Institutes guided 
participants to examine what we need to know about each other to 
communicate better and to face the many challenges of the 21st Century 
together. The Institutes also explored how young people interact with 
media, both as consumers and producers of information, and how freedom 
of expression both provides rights to, and imposes responsibilities on 
citizens.
    The Bureau is now offering the opportunity to explore these themes 
to new delegations of youth by continuing its Benjamin Franklin 
Transatlantic Fellows Institute for European, Eurasians, and Americans, 
and by creating a new Institute for Fellows from Central Asia, South 
Asia, and the United States. The structure and themes will be similar; 
specific differences are outlined below.
    Each Institute will take place on a U.S. university or college 
campus, or at a similar venue. Ideally, the venue selected will be on 
or near a campus with a European or Asian Studies center, as 
appropriate. For a portion of the Institute, the Fellows will be housed 
together at a dormitory on campus, because living together will 
facilitate greater cooperation on the project and training. For at 
least ten days of the Institute, all Fellows will have homestays with 
local families.
    Organizations or institutions may apply to implement only one of 
the two Institutes. If more than one proposal is received from an 
applicant, all of its proposals will be disqualified. Please clearly 
identify the Institute for which you are applying and outline the 
specific reasons why the application institution is qualified to work 
with participants from the selected region (Europe/Eurasia or Central/
South Asia).

Institute A: Benjamin Franklin Transatlantic Fellows Summer Institute 
(Europe and the European Countries of Eurasia)

    The Benjamin Franklin Transatlantic Fellows Summer Institute will 
be designed for up to 45 students ages 16-18 from Europe, the European 
countries of Eurasia, and the United States. One or two students will 
come from each participating country, except for the United States, 
which will have ten representatives. U.S. Embassies that wish to 
participate will screen and select the overseas participants from a 
pool of students with whom they have contact. All countries of Europe 
and the European countries of Eurasia will be eligible to nominate 
participants; the State Department will be responsible for the final 
selection of participants and the countries they will represent. U.S. 
Embassies will arrange and pay for the Europeans' international travel 
to and from the United States. The grant recipient will be responsible 
for recruiting and selecting the American participants from across the 
United States. All students will be able to participate fully in 
English.
    The grant recipient should arrange for highly qualified mentors for 
the Fellows during the course of the Institute, and for follow-on 
activities; the mentors may also serve as trainers or instructors, as 
appropriate. The grantee organization will arrange for adult chaperones 
for select transatlantic flights (e.g., Frankfurt to the institute 
site), and adult staff should be available to support the participants 
during the course of the Institute.

[[Page 57374]]

    A study trip to Washington, DC must be included either during the 
Institute or at the end. The State Department will organize one day of 
activities and the grant recipient will arrange other activities in 
Washington that offer insight into leadership, diplomacy, and the 
media. A side trip to Philadelphia to visit key sites connected to 
Benjamin Franklin's legacy is recommended. The Institute may take place 
in one or two communities (including, or in addition to the study trip) 
and should offer the participants exposure to the variety of American 
life.

Institute B: Benjamin Franklin Summer Institute With Asia (Central and 
South Asia)

    The Benjamin Franklin Summer Institute With Asia will be designed 
for up to 45 students ages 16-18 from five countries in South and 
Central Asia and from the United States. Seven students will come from 
each participating country: Afghanistan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, 
Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. They will be joined by ten students from 
the United States. U.S. Embassies will screen and select the overseas 
participants, and will arrange and pay for the Asian participants' 
international travel to and from the United States. The grant recipient 
will be responsible for recruiting and selecting the American 
participants from across the United States, and for their travel to the 
Institute. All students will be able to participate fully in English.
    The grant recipient should arrange for highly qualified mentors for 
the Fellows during the course of the Institute and for follow-on 
activities; the mentors may also serve as trainers or instructors as 
appropriate. Adult staff should be available to support the 
participants during the course of the Institute. The U.S. embassies 
will arrange for adult chaperones for the international travel.
    For both Institutes:
    Program content: The Institute should focus primarily on the 
exploration of global issues through interactive activities, practical 
experiences, and other hands-on opportunities, through which the 
participants will learn more about democratic practices, volunteer 
service, conflict resolution, critical thinking, tolerance and respect 
for diversity, youth leadership, and the media. In addition to the 
American Fellows, program activities should engage American teenagers 
wherever possible. Cultural and recreational activities will balance 
the schedule.
    Before and during the Institute, students will gather information 
on young adults' views about one or two areas of common or global 
interest, such as sustainable development, inter-ethnic cooperation, or 
human rights. They will also identify and address stereotypes they hold 
of others. The students will gather information via the Internet and 
various forms of the media, through interviews with their 
contemporaries and with experts--including academics and diplomats--and 
by other methods, such as designing and conducting a survey. The grant 
recipient should be prepared to guide some of these pre-program and on-
program activities.
    Increasingly young people have come to rely upon mass 
communication--the use of words, sounds, and images by a few to inform, 
educate, entertain and persuade the many--to learn about the world they 
inhabit. Mass media not only supplies factual information, it also 
expresses cultural preferences, promotes value systems, and fuels 
commerce through advertising and product placement. The program should 
provide the participants with a new perspective on their learning, 
networking, perceptions of each other, the communities they live in, 
and the broader media culture.
    Training will focus on developing a critical reading of printed, 
broadcast, and electronic media. The students should increase their 
awareness of the levels of communication in news and popular media, to 
be able to judge the content and accuracy for themselves. Training will 
cover communication skills, problem solving, and team building.
    Finally, students will design simple educational materials, an 
outreach campaign, a newsletter, or another type of project that 
enables the Fellows to share the content of their discussions with 
their peers.
    The participants will take part in at least one community service 
activity during the U.S. program to demonstrate American volunteerism. 
The program should provide context for the participants to undertake 
the service activity--identifying community needs, the nature of 
volunteerism, charitable giving, etc.--and a debriefing so that the 
service activity is not an isolated event and to help participants see 
how they can apply the experience at home.
    In addition to this community service, the participants will 
present and test the educational materials or outreach described above. 
Upon their return home, participants will develop, test, and present 
the materials with audiences in their home countries.
    Guidelines:
    Pending the availability of funds, the grants will begin on or 
about April 15, 2010. Applicants should propose a three- to four-week 
U.S. institute that will take place between late June and late August 
2010. The grant period will be approximately 12 months in duration, as 
appropriate to the program design.
    The grant recipient will be responsible for the following:
     Recruitment, screening, and selection of American 
participants, ages 16-18, representing the diversity of the United 
States.
     The designing and planning of a substantive program in the 
United States that promotes international dialogue on key global 
issues, critical thinking, democracy and tolerance, media analysis, 
leadership development, civic education, and community service. Some 
activities should be school and/or community-based, as feasible, and 
the projects will involve as much interaction with American peers, even 
beyond those directly participating in the Institute, as possible.
     Logistical arrangements, properly screened host family 
arrangements, other accommodations, disbursement of stipends/per diem, 
local travel, and travel between sites.
     Monitoring of the participants' safety and well-being 
while at the institute.
     Follow-on activities in the participants' home countries 
designed to reinforce the ideas, values, and skills imparted during the 
U.S. program.
    Applicant organizations must demonstrate their capacity for doing 
projects 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 in Europe/Eurasia or Central/South Asia, 
as appropriate. Applicant organizations should be able to help U.S. 
embassies support follow-on activities for the alumni of the U.S.-based 
Institutes.
    Proposals must demonstrate how the stated objectives will be met. 
The proposal narrative should provide detailed information on how the 
major program activities will be implemented, and applicants should 
explain and justify their programmatic choices. Programs must comply 
with J-1 visa regulations for the International Visitor category. 
Please be sure to refer to the complete Solicitation Package--this 
RFGP, the Project Objectives, Goals, and Implementation (POGI), and the 
Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI)--for further information.

[[Page 57375]]

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Grant Agreement.
    Fiscal Year Funds: FY-2010.
    Approximate Total Funding: $424,000.
    Number of Awards: Two.
    Approximate Average Award: $212,000.
    Anticipated Award Date: Pending availability of funds, April 15, 
2010.
    Anticipated Project Completion Date: March 31, 2011.
    Additional Information: Pending successful implementation of this 
program 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 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 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 two awards 
in amounts exceeding $60,000 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.
    (b) Organizations or institutions may apply for only one of the two 
institutes. If more than one proposal is received from an applicant, 
all proposals will be disqualified.

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-5, 3rd Floor, Washington, DC 20522-0503, Telephone (202) 632-
6079, Fax (202) 632-9355, E-mail: [email protected] to request 
a Solicitation Package. Please refer to the Funding Opportunity Number 
(ECA/PE/C/PY-10-03) 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 Name and Number 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/grants/open2.html, 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 
Project Objectives, Goals and Implementation (POGI) document and 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. Please note: Effective January 7, 2009, all applicants for 
ECA Federal assistance awards must include in their application the 
names of directors and/or senior executives (current officers, 
trustees, and key employees, regardless of amount of compensation). In 
fulfilling this requirement, applicants must submit information in one 
of the following ways:
    (1) Those who file Internal Revenue Service Form 990, ``Return of 
Organization Exempt From Income Tax,'' must include a copy of relevant 
portions of this form.
    (2) Those who do not file IRS Form 990 must submit information 
above in the format of their choice.
    In addition to final program reporting requirements, award 
recipients will also be required to submit a one-page document, derived 
from their program reports, listing and describing their grant 
activities. For award recipients, the names of directors and/or senior 
executives (current officers, trustees, and key employees), as well as 
the one- page description of grant activities, will be transmitted by 
the State Department to OMB, along with other information required by 
the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA), and 
will be made available to the public by the Office of Management and 
Budget on its USASpending.gov Web site as part of ECA's FFATA reporting 
requirements.
    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

[[Page 57376]]

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 
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, 
recordkeeping, 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: Office of Designation, ECA/EC/D, SA-5, 
Floor C2, Department of State, Washington, DC 20522-0582.
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 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

[[Page 57377]]

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.
    IV.3e. Please take the following information into consideration 
when preparing your budget:
    IV.3e.1. Applicants must submit SF-424A--``Budget Information--Non-
Construction Programs'' along with a comprehensive budget for the 
entire program. Grant requests, which will be for one of the two 
Institutes announced, may not exceed $212,000. This amount will not 
include the international travel costs for the exchange participants. 
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 reduce, revise, or increase 
proposal budgets in accordance with the needs of the program and the 
availability of funds.
    Please refer to the Solicitation Package for complete budget 
guidelines and formatting instructions.
    IV.3f. Application Deadline and Methods of Submission:
    Application Deadline Date: Wednesday, January 6, 2010.
    Reference Number: ECA/PE/C/PY-10-03.
    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., 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: 
Program Management Division, ECA-IIP/EX/PM, Ref.: ECA/PE/C/PY-10-03, 
SA-5, Floor 4, Department of State, Washington, DC 20522-0504.
    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 attachments essential to understanding the 
program, in Microsoft Word and/or Excel to the program officer at 
[email protected]. The Bureau will provide these files electronically 
to the Public Affairs Section at the 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 Note: ECA strongly encourages organizations interested in 
applying for this competition to submit printed, hard copy 
applications as outlined in section IV.3f.1. above, rather than 
submitting electronically through Grants.gov. This recommendation is 
being made as a result of the anticipated high volume of grant 
proposals that will be submitted via the Grants.gov webportal as 
part of the Recovery Act stimulus package. As stated in this RFGP, 
ECA bears no responsibility for data errors resulting from 
transmission or conversion processes for proposals submitted via 
Grants.gov.

    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.

[[Page 57378]]

    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 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 would 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 grants as determined by 
the Bureau's Office of Contracts. The Bureau will consider the past 
performance.
    5. Cross-cultural sensitivity and area expertise: Applicants must 
demonstrate their understanding of the area in which they propose to 
work and should demonstrate sensitivity to participants' values, 
customs, and life experiences in the programming.
    6. Follow-on activities: Proposals should provide a plan for a 
Bureau-supported follow-on visit by project staff to the relevant 
country or region, plus a plan for continued follow-on activity, not 
necessarily with Bureau support, that insures that this program is not 
an isolated event.
    7. Project 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.
    8. 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.1b. The Following Additional Requirements Apply to This Project: 
Special Provision for Performance in a Designated Combat Area 
(Currently Iraq and Afghanistan) (December 2008)
    All Recipient personnel deploying to areas of combat operations, as 
designated by the Secretary of Defense (currently Iraq and 
Afghanistan), under assistance awards over $100,000 or performance over 
14 days must register in the Department of Defense maintained 
Synchronized Pre-deployment and Operational Tracker (SPOT) system. 
Recipients of Federal assistance awards shall register in SPOT before 
deployment, or if already in the designated operational area, register 
upon becoming an employee under the assistance award, and maintain 
current data in SPOT. Information on how to register in SPOT will be 
available from your Grants Officer or Grants Officer Representative 
during the final negotiation and approval stages in the Federal 
assistance awards process. Recipients of Federal assistance awards are 
advised that adherence to this policy and procedure will be a 
requirement of all final Federal assistance awards issued by ECA.
    Recipient performance may require the use of armed private security 
personnel. To the extent that such private security contractors (PSCs) 
are required, grantees are required to ensure they adhere to Chief of 
Mission (COM)

[[Page 57379]]

policies and procedures regarding the operation, oversight, and 
accountability of PSCs.
    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. Interim reports, as required in the Bureau grant agreement.
    2. A final program and financial report no more than 90 days after 
the expiration of the award.
    3. 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.
    4. A SF-PPR, ``Performance Progress Report'' Cover Sheet with all 
program reports.
    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 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 (ECA/PE/C/PY), U.S. Department 
of State, SA-5, 3rd Floor, Washington, DC 20522-0503, Telephone (202) 
632-6421, Fax (202) 632-9355, E-mail: [email protected].
    All correspondence with the Bureau concerning this RFGP should 
reference the title, Benjamin Franklin Institute, and number, ECA/PE/C/
PY-10-03.
    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: October 26, 2009.
Maura M. Pally,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. 
Department of State.
[FR Doc. E9-26425 Filed 11-4-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P