[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 77 (Thursday, April 22, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21131-21138]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-9322]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 6967]


Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA); Request for 
Grant Proposals: Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study Program (YES): 
``US YES Inbound Placement and YES Abroad Recruitment Components''

    Announcement Type: New Grant.
    Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/PE/C/PY-10-07.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 19.415.
    Key Dates: September 1, 2010-September 30, 2013.
    Application Deadline: June 3, 2010.
    Executive Summary: The Office of Citizen Exchanges of the Bureau of 
Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) announces an open competition 
for grants to support exchanges and relationship building between high 
school students from countries with significant Muslim populations and 
the people of the United States. Public and private non-profit 
organizations meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code 
section 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3) and public institutions may submit a 
proposal for the YES Inbound U.S. Placement and YES Abroad Recruitment 
Components.
    The Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Program provides 
scholarships for reciprocal high school academic exchanges of 
approximately 1077 students from approximately 35 countries coming to 
the U.S. and approximately 50 American students traveling to 
approximately 10 of these countries.
    To implement the entirety of the YES program, two Requests for 
Grant Proposals are being announced: One (this announcement) covers 
Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Program Inbound U.S. 
Placement and YES Abroad Recruitment Components. A second, separate 
announcement will solicit proposals for the Kennedy-Lugar Youth 
Exchange and Study Program (YES) Overseas Recruitment and YES Abroad 
Placement and Alumni Components to: Develop marketing materials and a 
handbook for U.S. and non-U.S. students, host families and host 
schools, recruit and select approximately 1077 YES Inbound 
participants, make a final selection of

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approximately 50 American Outbound participants and place them in 10 
eligible countries overseas, and organize all alumni programs for YES 
Abroad and YES Inbound participants.
    This Inbound U.S. Placement and YES Abroad Recruitment Components 
announcement envisions 12 to 15 awards for the U.S. placement of 20-300 
students each, and includes:
     U.S. host family and school selection for YES Inbound 
participants.
     Host family and student U.S.-based orientations.
     Student monitoring and support and enhancement activities 
for YES Inbound.
     American Student Recruitment and nomination for the YES 
Abroad Program.
     Where possible, engagement of YES Abroad alumni.
    The YES Inbound program provides scholarships for high school 
students (15-18.5 years) from countries with significant Muslim 
populations to spend up to one academic year in the U.S. The program 
promotes mutual understanding and respect. Students live with host 
families, attend high school, engage in activities to learn about 
American society and values, acquire leadership skills, and help 
educate Americans about their countries and cultures.
    Organizations are invited to submit proposals to recruit, screen 
and select U.S. host families; identify accredited U.S. high schools 
and secure school placements; conduct local student and host family 
orientations; provide cultural and educational enrichment activities; 
handle all counseling, programmatic and on-program participant 
monitoring issues; and evaluate program implementation for a portion of 
the students participating in the YES program during the 2011-12 
academic year. Each applicant must propose to place a minimum of 20 YES 
inbound students, up to a maximum of 300 students, as it is the 
expectation that 12-15 awards will be made in order to place and 
support the approximate total of 1077 students.
    In addition, organizations will recruit and nominate students from 
these same United States communities for the Kennedy-Lugar YES Abroad 
Program. This YES Abroad program will send approximately 50 U.S. 
citizen students from the United States to selected YES countries for 
the 2011-12 academic year. For YES Abroad, the eligible hosting 
countries at the time of publication of this RFGP are: Egypt, Ghana, 
India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mali, Morocco, Oman, Thailand, and Turkey. 
However, the Bureau reserves the right to amend these lists at any time 
as conditions change. Under YES Inbound US Placement and YES Abroad 
Recruitment Components grants, organizations will be asked to market 
the YES Abroad program to U.S. students, identify potential qualified 
YES Abroad program participants, and submit nominations of qualified 
American students to the Overseas YES Inbound Recruitment and YES 
Abroad Placement and Alumni Components grantee for final selection and 
overseas placement.

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Authority: Overall grant making authority for this program is 
contained in the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961, 
Public Law 87-256, as amended, also known as the Fulbright-Hays Act. 
The purpose of the Act is ``to enable the Government of the United 
States to increase mutual understanding between the people of the 
United States and the people of other countries * * *; to strengthen 
the ties which unite us with other nations by demonstrating the 
educational and cultural interests, developments, and achievements of 
the people of the United States and other nations * * * and thus to 
assist in the development of friendly, sympathetic and peaceful 
relations between the United States and the other countries of the 
world.'' The funding authority for the program above is provided 
through legislation.
    Purpose: The Inbound Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) 
Program is designed to foster a global community of shared interests 
and values developed through better mutual understanding via first-hand 
participation of high school students, preferably aged 15-18.5, from 
countries with significant Muslim populations in academic year or 
semester exchanges to the United States. Participants will reside with 
American host families and attend high school during the 2011-12 
academic year. The YES Abroad program is designed to provide the same 
experience for high school students from the United States in some of 
the same YES countries. Both programs seek to select students with 
leadership potential, to develop their leadership skills while in the 
U.S. or abroad, and to support them in alumni activities after they 
return home.
    Public and private non-profit organizations meeting the provisions 
described in Internal Revenue Code section 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3) may 
submit proposals to recruit and select host families and schools for 
high school students between the ages of 15 and 18.5. This solicitation 
refers to YES students from the following countries: Afghanistan, 
Albania, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, 
Cameroon, Egypt, Gaza, India, Indonesia, Israel (Arab Communities), 
Jordan, Kenya, Kosovo, Kuwait, Lebanon, Liberia, Macedonia, Malaysia, 
Mali, Morocco, Mozambique, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Philippines, Qatar, 
Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Suriname, Tanzania, 
Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, West Bank, and Yemen.
    In addition to identifying schools and screening host families in 
the United States for inbound YES student placements, grantee 
organizations will be responsible for: (1) Orienting all inbound 
students to local conditions, resources and opportunities; (2) 
providing support services for students; (3) arranging enhancement 
activities and skill-building opportunities; (4) monitoring student 
health, safety and welfare, host family and coordinator performance and 
student academic progress; (5) providing mid-year programming and re-
entry training; (6) evaluating project success; (7) recruiting YES 
Abroad applicants from American high schools; (8) nominating candidates 
for YES Abroad to the grantee responsible for the ``YES Overseas YES 
Inbound Recruitment, YES Abroad Placement, and Alumni Components'' 
(selected under a separate competition) to be considered for selection.
    Preference will be given to those organizations that offer 
participants opportunities to develop leadership skills and raise their 
awareness of tolerance and civic responsibility through community 
activities and networks.
    During the year, YES participants will be engaged in a variety of 
activities, such as community and school-based programs, skill-building 
workshops, and cultural events. Academic year 2011-2012 will be the 
ninth year of the YES program, with more than 4,000 students having 
been awarded scholarships since the program's inception.
    Goals: The overarching goals of the YES program are to:
     Promote better understanding by youth from selected 
countries about host country society, people, institutions, values and 
culture;
     Foster lasting personal ties;
     Engage the exchange participants in activities that 
advance mutual understanding, respect for diversity, leadership skills, 
and understanding of civil society during their exchange in the U.S.;
     Enhance Americans' understanding of other countries and 
cultures;

[[Page 21133]]

    Considering the specific focus of the YES program, the following 
outcomes will indicate a successful project:
    1. Inbound participants will develop an appreciation for American 
culture, an understanding of the underlying values and diversity of 
American society, and increased tolerance and respect for others with 
differing views and beliefs.
    2. Participants will teach their hosts about the cultures of their 
home countries.
    3. Inbound participants will interact with Americans and generate 
enduring ties. YES Abroad participants will learn about the cultures 
and underlying values of the countries in which they study, and help 
educate others about American culture while learning about their host 
country's culture.
    4. Inbound participants will acquire an understanding of important 
elements of a civil society. This includes concepts such as 
volunteerism, the idea that American citizens can and do act at the 
grassroots level to deal with societal problems, and an awareness of 
and respect for the Rule of Law.
    5. Participants will gain leadership skills that will enable them, 
as YES alumni, to initiate activities in their home countries that 
focus on development and community service.
    Objectives: The objectives of the YES program are:
     To place up to 1,077 pre-selected inbound high school 
students from over 35 countries in safe, qualified, well-suited host 
families; and recruit approximately 50 American students who will 
travel to approximately 10 of these countries;
     To place students in accredited schools and safe, 
supportive and welcoming host family living environments;
     To expose inbound program participants to American culture 
and enable them to obtain a broad view of U.S. society and history;
     To provide appropriate venues for program participants to 
share their culture, lifestyles, and traditions with host country 
citizens;
     To provide participants with development opportunities 
that foster skills they can take back with them and use in their home 
countries; and
     To provide activities that will increase and enhance 
students' leadership capacity, enabling them--as YES alumni--to 
initiate activities in their home countries that focus on development 
and community service.
    Other Components: Under a separate grant, one organization will 
administer the ``Overseas YES Inbound Recruitment, YES Abroad 
Placement, and Alumni Components'' of the YES program, both Inbound and 
Abroad, and perform the following functions: recruitment and selection 
of the international students; assistance in documentation and 
preparation of DS-2019 visa forms; preparation of cross-cultural 
materials; pre-departure orientation; international travel from home to 
host community and return; facilitation of ongoing communication 
between the natural parents and the placement organization, as needed; 
maintenance of a student database and provision of data to the U.S. 
Department of State; placement of 50 American YES Abroad students and 
ongoing follow-up with alumni after their return to their home 
countries.
    Another organization will be responsible for supporting students 
with disabilities. This involves a post-arrival orientation and a year-
end reentry training, as well as ongoing supplemental support 
throughout the year in order to help the students cope with challenges 
specific to their circumstances.
    This same grantee organization will assess students with 
disabilities at the start of the academic year. Placement organizations 
may find the students' assessments useful in helping the students 
adjust to their new communities. Placement organizations will be in 
direct communication with both of these organizations.
    Guidelines: Applicants are requested to submit a narrative 
outlining a comprehensive strategy for the administration and 
implementation of the placement component of the YES program to include 
the following responsibilities:
    (1) Recruitment, screening, selection, and YES-specific orientation 
of local coordinators and host families;
    (2) Enrollment in an accredited school;
    (3) Post-arrival orientation for participants;
    (4) Placement of a small number of students with disabilities;
    (5) In Spring 2011, on a date given by the Organizational Component 
grantee, prepare and convey to the organization administering the 
Organizational Components grant the materials pertaining to each 
Inbound student's placement, including information on the hosting 
community, host family information, and school. These materials will be 
distributed to the students at the Pre-Departure Orientation;
    (6) Troubleshooting;
    (7) Monitoring the health, safety and welfare of students, and the 
performance of host families and local coordinators;
    (8) Quarterly evaluation of the organization's success in achieving 
program goals;
    (9) Mid-year orientations to assess progress; and further explore 
cultural observations;
    (10) Re-entry training to assist students with closure in the U.S. 
and readjustment to their home environments.
    (11) Recruitment of prospective YES Abroad students in American 
high schools and other youth organizations.
    (12) To follow a nomination strategy developed by the grantee 
responsible for the ``Overseas YES Inbound Recruitment, YES Abroad 
Placement, and Alumni Components'' to submit names of potential YES 
Abroad students.
    Applicants must request a grant for placement and monitoring of at 
least 20 and no more than 300 inbound students. Placements may be in 
any region of the United States. Strong preference will be given to 
organizations that choose to place participants in clusters of at least 
three students (these students should be from different countries) in a 
particular Local Coordinator's area of responsibility. Please refer to 
the Solicitation Package for details on essential program elements, 
permissible costs, and criteria used to select and place students. We 
anticipate grants beginning no later than September 2010, subject to 
the availability of funds.
    Inbound participants begin to arrive in their host communities in 
August 2011 and remain for 10 or 11 months until their departure mid-
May to early July 2012.
    Administration of the program must be in compliance with reporting 
and withholding regulations for federal, state, and local taxes as 
applicable. Recipient organizations should demonstrate regulation 
adherence in the proposal narrative and budget.
    Applicants should submit the health and accident insurance plans 
they intend to use for students on this program. If use of a private 
plan is proposed, the State Department will compare that plan with the 
Bureau plan and make a determination as to which will be applicable.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: New Grant Agreement.
    Fiscal Year Funds: FY 2010.
    Approximate Total Funding: $9,000,000.
    Approximate Number of Awards: 12-15 grants.

[[Page 21134]]

    Approximate Average Award: Funding level is dependent on the number 
of proposed students, monitoring, the quality of support, and volume of 
activities.
    Anticipated Award Date: September 2010.
    Anticipated Project Completion Date: August 2012.
    Additional Information: Pending successful implementation of this 
program, awardees' ability to comply with Federal Regulations and ECA 
guidelines, and the availability of funds in subsequent fiscal years, 
it is ECA's intent to renew this grant or cooperative agreement for two 
additional fiscal years, before openly competing it again.

III. Eligibility Information

III.1. Eligible Applicants

    Applications may be submitted by public and private non-profit 
organizations meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code 
section 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3).

III.2. Cost Sharing or Matching Funds

    There is no minimum or maximum percentage required for this 
competition. However, the Bureau encourages applicants to provide 
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

    Bureau grant guidelines require that organizations with fewer than 
four years experience in conducting international exchanges be limited 
to $60,000 in Bureau funding. Since an award to support program and 
administrative costs required to implement this exchange program for a 
minimum of 20 students will exceed $60,000, 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 Office of Youth Programs, ECA/PE/C/PY, SA-5, 
Floor 3, U.S. Department of State, 2200 C St., NW., Washington, DC 
20522-0503, telephone (202) 632-6065, and fax (202) 632-9355, e-mail 
Matt O'Rourke at [email protected] to request a Solicitation Package. 
Please refer to the Funding Opportunity Number ECA/PE/C/PY-10-07 
located at the top of this announcement when making your request.
    Alternatively, an electronic application package may be obtained 
from http://www.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 the Funding Opportunity Number (ECA/PE/C/PY-10-07) 
at the top of this announcement on all other inquiries and 
correspondence.

IV.2. To Download a Solicitation Package Via the 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 
Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) document and the Project 
Objectives, Goals and Implementation (POGI) 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

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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 62, 
which covers the administration of the Exchange Visitor Program (J visa 
program). Under the terms of 22 CFR 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 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 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 62.
    If your organization has experience as a designated Exchange 
Visitor Program Sponsor, you should discuss your record of compliance 
with 22 CFR 62 et seq., including the oversight of Responsible Officers 
and Alternate Responsible Officers, screening and selection of program 
participants, provision of pre-arrival information and orientation to 
participants, monitoring of participants, proper maintenance and 
security of forms, record-keeping, reporting and other requirements.
    ECA will review the record of compliance with 22 CFR 62 et seq. of 
applicant organizations designated as Exchange Visitor Program Sponsors 
by ECA's Office of Private Sector Exchange as one factor in evaluating 
the record/ability of organizations to carry out successful exchange 
programs.
    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.
    Funds provided through this award may not be used to promote 
participation in, or to purchase equipment or supplies intended for, 
activities related to religious worship or proselytization. Host 
families, school officials, and grantee organizations shall not require 
program participants to attend religious services. However, as part of 
their exchange experience, participants may be offered the opportunity 
to take part voluntarily in this facet of their host culture, at their 
own discretion. Volunteer host families (who receive no financial 
benefit from grant funds) are encouraged to enable participants living 
with them to attend services of the participant's religion, if the 
participant so desires and the services are available within a 
reasonable distance of the host family's residence.
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

[[Page 21136]]

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.
    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. The budget must reflect costs for a minimum of 20 and 
no more than 300 YES Inbound participants. Please indicate clearly the 
number of students funded. There must be a summary budget as well as 
breakdowns reflecting both administrative and program budgets. 
Applicants may provide separate sub-budgets for each program component, 
phase, location, or activity to provide clarification.
    IV.3e.2. Any/all sub-awards/agreements including accompanying 
budgets required to accomplish overall program objectives described 
herein, shall be submitted with the proposal package and must be 
approved by the Grants Officer, prior to commencement.
    Please refer to the Solicitation Package for complete budget 
guidelines and formatting instructions.
IV.3f. Application Deadline and Methods of Submission
    Application Deadline Date: June 3, 2010.
    Reference Number: ECA/PE/C/PY-10-07.
    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 ten (10) copies of the application should be sent 
to: Program Management Division, ECA-IIP/EX/PM, Ref.: ECA/PE/C/PY-10-
07, SA-5, Floor 4, Department of State, 2200 C Street, NW., Washington, 
DC 20522-0504.
    Applicants submitting hard-copy applications must also submit the 
``Executive Summary'' and ``Proposal Narrative'' sections of the 
proposal in text (.txt) or Microsoft Word format on CD-ROM to the 
program officer at [email protected]. As appropriate, the Bureau will 
provide these files electronically to Public Affairs Section(s) 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 bears no responsibility for applicant timeliness 
of submission or 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,

[[Page 21137]]

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: [email protected].
    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 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. In addition, 
ECA will review the record of compliance with 22 CFR 62 et seq. of 
applicant organizations designated as Exchange Visitor Program Sponsors 
by ECA's Office of Private Sector Exchange. If it is determined that an 
applicant organization submitting a proposal has a record of not being 
in compliance, their proposal will be deemed technically ineligible and 
receive no further consideration in the review process. If in 
compliance, the applicant organization's record of compliance will be 
used as one factor in evaluating the record/ability of organizations to 
carry out successful exchange programs.
    All eligible proposals will be reviewed by the program office, as 
well as the Public Diplomacy section overseas, where appropriate. 
Eligible proposals will be subject to compliance with Federal and 
Bureau regulations and guidelines and forwarded to Bureau grant panels 
for advisory review. Proposals may also be reviewed by the Office of 
the Legal Adviser or by other Department elements. Final funding 
decisions are at the discretion of the Department of State's Assistant 
Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs. Final technical 
authority for assistance awards grants resides with the Bureau's Grants 
Officer.

Review Criteria

    Technically eligible applications will be competitively reviewed 
according to the criteria stated below. These criteria are not rank 
ordered and all carry equal weight in the proposal evaluation:
    1. Program Planning/Ability To Achieve Program Objectives:
    Your proposal narrative should exhibit originality, substance, and 
relevance to the Bureau's mission. Reviewers will assess the degree to 
which proposals engage participants in community activities that 
involve skills development and leadership training. A detailed agenda 
and work plan should adhere to the program overview and guidelines 
described in the solicitation package. Reviewers will also assess the 
degree to which the proposed outcomes of the project are realistic and 
measurable. Strategies should creatively utilize resources at the local 
level to ensure an efficient use of program funds.
    2. Support of Diversity: Proposals should demonstrate substantive 
support of the Bureau's policy on diversity. Achievable and relevant 
features should be cited in both program administration (selection of 
participants, host families, schools, program venue, and program 
evaluation) and program content (orientations, program meetings, 
resource materials and follow-up activities).
    3. Organization's Record/Institutional Capacity: Proposed personnel 
and institutional resources should be adequate and appropriate to 
achieve the program or project's goals. Reviewers will assess the 
applicant and its partners to determine if they offer adequate 
resources, expertise, and experience to fulfill program objectives. 
Partner activities should be clearly defined. Proposals should 
demonstrate an institutional record of successful exchange programs, 
including responsible fiscal management and full compliance with all 
reporting and J-1 Visa requirements for past Bureau grants as 
determined by Bureau Grant Staff. In addition, organizations designated 
as Exchange Visitor Program Sponsors must include a discussion of their 
record of compliance with 22 CFR 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. Proposals that fail to include the 
above information in their narrative will be deemed less or not 
competitive under this review criterion. ECA will review the record of 
compliance with 22 CFR 62 et seq. of organizations designated as 
Exchange Visitor Program Sponsors as one factor in evaluating the 
record/ability of organizations to carry out successful exchange 
programs.
    4. Multiplier Effect: Proposed programs should strengthen long-term 
mutual understanding, including maximum sharing of information and 
establishment of long-term institutional and individual linkages. 
Reviewers will assess ways in which proposals include innovative ideas 
to expose U.S. communities to YES-related goals and activities that 
involve students, host families and schools. This includes media 
outreach, visits to local and national government representatives, 
Internet-based applications and other interactions. Reviewers will also 
evaluate substantive plans to prepare YES students for their role as 
active, effective YES alumni.
    5. Participant Monitoring: Proposals must include a detailed 
monitoring plan, which addresses Student, Local Coordinator (LC) and 
Host Family (HF) monitoring. Given the importance the Department places 
on this criterion, you should dedicate a significant percentage of the 
narrative to explaining how you will achieve the Department's goals in 
regard to monitoring the health, safety and welfare of program 
participants. You may use the appendices to house additional details 
and supporting documentation. Please see the Project Objectives, Goals, 
and Implementation (POGI) for additional details regarding this review 
criterion.
    6. Project Evaluation: Proposals should include a plan to monitor 
and

[[Page 21138]]

evaluate the activity's success, both as the activities unfold and at 
the end of the program. Reviewers will assess your plans to monitor 
student progress and program activities, particularly in regard to 
intended outcomes indicated in your proposal. Grantees will be expected 
to submit quarterly reports, which should be included as an inherent 
component of the work plan.
    7. Cost-effectiveness/Cost sharing: Reviewers will analyze the 
budget for clarity and cost-effectiveness. They will also assess the 
rationale of the proposed budget and whether the allocation of funds is 
appropriate to complete tasks outlined in the project narrative. The 
overhead and administrative components of the proposal, including 
salaries and honoraria, should be kept as low as possible. All other 
items should be necessary and appropriate. Proposals should maximize 
cost-sharing through other private sector support as well as 
institutional direct funding contributions. Preference will be given to 
organizations whose proposals demonstrate a quality, cost-effective 
program.

VI. Award Administration Information

VI.1. 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 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) A SF-PPR, ``Performance Progress Report'' Cover Sheet with all 
program reports.
    (4) Quarterly program and financial reports which should include 
both quantitative and qualitative data you have available.
    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: Kevin Baker, Office 
of Citizen Exchanges, ECA/PE/C/PY, SA-5, Floor 3, Department of State, 
2200 C St., NW., Washington, DC 20522-0503. Telephone: (202) 632-6073; 
E-mail: [email protected].
    All correspondence with the Bureau concerning this RFGP should 
reference the above contact and ECA/PE/C/PY-10-07.
    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.

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: April 15, 2010.
Maura M. Pally,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs, 
Department of State.
[FR Doc. 2010-9322 Filed 4-21-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P