[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 42 (Thursday, March 3, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11837-11843]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-4716]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice: 7353]


Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for 
Grant Proposals: Youth Leadership and Teacher Professional Development 
Program With Bosnia and Herzegovina

    Announcement Type: New Cooperative Agreement.
    Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/PE/C/PY-11-29.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 19.415.
    Application Deadline: April 22, 2011.
    Executive Summary: The Office of Citizen Exchanges, Youth Programs 
Division, of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs announces 
an open competition for the Youth Leadership and Teacher Professional 
Development Program with Bosnia and Herzegovina. 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 
conduct U.S.-based exchange activities on civic education, leadership, 
and community service for high school students and teachers from Bosnia 
and Herzegovina. The Bureau will be supporting two exchanges for 21 
participants each during the course of 2012; each exchange will be 
three to four weeks in duration. Applicants should apply to implement 
both exchanges. The Office of Public Affairs (OPA) of the U.S. Embassy 
in Sarajevo will recruit, screen, and select the participating 
secondary school students and teachers. OPA and the award recipient 
will jointly support follow-on activities for the alumni.

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Authority: Overall grant making authority for this program is 
contained in the Mutual Educational and Cultural

[[Page 11838]]

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.
    Overview: The Youth Leadership and Teacher Professional Development 
Program with Bosnia and Herzegovina has been implemented annually since 
1999 through a partnership of the Office of Public Affairs (OPA) in the 
U.S. Embassy in Sarajevo and a U.S. organization or institution that 
has received an award from the Bureau of Educational and Cultural 
Affairs (ECA).
    The goals of the program are to:
    (1) Promote mutual understanding between the people of the United 
States and the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina;
    (2) Prepare young leaders to become responsible citizens and 
contributing members of their communities and to develop their 
leadership skills;
    (3) Nurture a cadre of students and teachers to be actively engaged 
in addressing issues of concern in their schools and communities upon 
their return home and are equipped with the knowledge, skills, and 
confidence to become citizen activists.
    The objectives of the program are for participants to be able to:
    (1) Demonstrate a better understanding of the elements of a 
participatory democracy as practiced in the United States;
    (2) Demonstrate critical thinking, problem-solving, and leadership 
skills; and
    (3) Demonstrate skill at developing project ideas, planning a 
course of action, and bringing the projects to fruition.
    Participants will be engaged in a variety of activities during the 
U.S. exchange such as workshops, community and/or school-based 
programs, seminars, and other activities that are designed to achieve 
the program's stated goals. Opportunities for the youth and adult 
participants to interact with their American peers in a sustained, 
substantive, and in-depth manner must be prominently integrated into 
the exchange program.
    The applicant should present a program plan that allows the 
participants to thoroughly explore civic participation in the United 
States in a creative, memorable, and practical way. Exchange activities 
should be designed to be replicable and provide practical knowledge and 
skills that the participants can apply to school and civic activities 
at home. The two exchanges need not be exactly the same; the program 
activities may be modified to take advantage of different resources, 
but should still aim to fulfill the same objectives.
    One of the U.S.-based exchanges will take place in spring 2012 and 
the other in fall 2012. Applicants should propose the period of the 
exchange, but the exact timing of the project may be altered through 
the mutual agreement of the Department of State and the award 
recipient. The program should be no less than three weeks and up to 
four weeks in duration. Program development should begin in the late 
summer of 2011.
    The participants will be high school students between the ages of 
15 and 18 who have demonstrated leadership abilities in their schools 
and/or communities, and high school teachers who have demonstrated an 
interest in youth leadership and are expected to remain in positions 
where they can continue to work with youth. Participants will be 
proficient in the English language. Each delegation will be 18 students 
and three teachers.
    Applicants should outline their team's capacity for doing projects 
of this nature, focusing on three areas of competency: (1) Provision of 
leadership and civic education programming, (2) age-appropriate 
programming for youth, and (3) working with individuals from Bosnia and 
Herzegovina or other areas of Southeast Europe. Applicants need not 
have a partner in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as the U.S. Embassy in 
Sarajevo will recruit and select the participants from selected cities 
in the Federation and in Republika Srpska and will organize a pre-
departure orientation.
    In pursuit of the goals outlined above, each exchange program 
provided by the U.S. award recipient organization will include the 
following:
     Working with OPA to provide program materials and 
preparation sessions at the pre-departure orientation in Sarajevo.
     A welcome orientation.
     The planning of three to four weeks of exchange activities 
that provide a creative and substantive program that develops both the 
youth and the adult participants' knowledge and skill base in civic 
education, community service, and youth leadership development. The 
academic and extracurricular components will focus primarily on 
interactive activities, practical experiences, and other hands-on 
opportunities that explore the program themes. Some activities should 
be school and/or community-based, and community service must also be 
included. It is crucial that programming involve American peers 
wherever possible. Cultural, social, and recreational activities will 
balance the schedule.
     Opportunities for the educators to work with their 
American peers and other professionals and volunteers to help them 
foster youth leadership, civic education, and community service 
programs at home.
     The arrangement of homestays for the participants in the 
United States with properly screened and briefed American families for 
the majority of the exchange period. Criminal background checks must be 
conducted for all members of host families (and others living in the 
home) who are 18 years of age or older.
     Logistical arrangements, including lodging and meals not 
taken at homestays, disbursement of stipends, local travel, and travel 
between sites.
     The development and implementation of a plan to monitor 
the participants' safety and well-being while on the exchange, and to 
create opportunities for participants to share potential issues and 
resolve them promptly. The award recipient will be required to provide 
proper staff supervision and facilitation to ensure that the teenagers 
have safe and pedagogically rich programs. Staff, along with the adult 
participants, will assist the youth with cultural adjustments, provide 
societal context to enhance learning, and counsel students as needed.
     A closing session to summarize the project's activities 
and prepare participants for their return home.
     Assistance in follow-on activities in Bosnia and 
Herzegovina, particularly by facilitating continued engagement among 
the participants, advising and supporting them in the implementation of 
community service projects, and offering opportunities to reinforce the 
ideas, values and skills imparted during the exchange. Exchange 
participants should return home from the exchange prepared to conduct 
projects that serve a need in their schools or communities, which will 
be supported by project staff through a follow-on visit in the fall.

[[Page 11839]]

     The design and implementation of an evaluation plan that 
assesses the impact of the project.
    Please note:
    In a cooperative agreement, the Department of State is 
substantially involved in program activities above and beyond routine 
grant monitoring. The Department's activities and responsibilities for 
this program are as follows:
    (1) The U.S. Embassy will serve as the in-country partner and 
manage the recruitment and selection of the participants, cover their 
in-country expenses, arrange and purchase the international travel, and 
oversee their follow-on activities.
    (2) Provide advice and assistance in the execution of all program 
components.
    (3) Facilitate interaction within the Department of State, to 
include ECA, the regional bureaus, and overseas posts.
    (4) Arrange meetings with Department of State officials in 
Washington, DC.
    (5) Issue DS-2019 forms and J-1 visas for the participants. All 
participants will travel on a U.S. Government designation for the J 
Exchange Visitor Program.
    (6) Approve final calendar of exchange activities.
    (7) Monitor and evaluate the program, through regular communication 
with the award recipient and possibly one or more site visits.
    Additional Information:
    The organization must inform the ECA Program Officer of their 
progress at each stage of the project's implementation in a timely 
fashion, and will be required to obtain approval of any significant 
program changes in advance of their implementation.
    Proposals must clearly demonstrate how the stated objectives will 
be met. The proposal narrative should provide detailed information on 
the major project activities, and applicants should explain and justify 
their programmatic choices. 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. Projects must comply with J-
1 visa regulations for the International Visitor and Government 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.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Cooperative Agreement.
    Fiscal Year Funds: 2011.
    Approximate Total Funding: $200,000.
    Approximate Number of Awards: One.
    Approximate Average Award: $200,000.
    Anticipated Award Date: Pending availability of funds, proposed 
start date is summer 2011.
    Anticipated Project Completion Date: February 28, 2013.
    Additional Information: Pending successful implementation of this 
program and the availability of funds in subsequent fiscal years, it is 
ECA's intent to renew this cooperative agreement for two additional 
fiscal years, before openly competing it again.

III. Eligibility Information

    III.1. Eligible applicants: Applications may be submitted by public 
and private non-profit organizations meeting the provisions described 
in Internal Revenue Code section 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3).
    III.2. Cost Sharing or Matching Funds: There is no minimum or 
maximum percentage required for this competition. However, the Bureau 
encourages applicants to provide maximum levels of cost sharing and 
funding in support of its programs. Please note that cost sharing is 
one of the criteria by which proposals will be judged.
    When cost sharing is offered, it is understood and agreed that the 
applicant must provide the amount of cost sharing as stipulated in its 
proposal and later included in an approved grant agreement. Cost 
sharing may be in the form of allowable direct or indirect costs. For 
accountability, you must maintain written records to support all costs 
which are claimed as your contribution, as well as costs to be paid by 
the Federal government. Such records are subject to audit. The basis 
for determining the value of cash and in-kind contributions must be in 
accordance with Office of Management and Budget (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 cooperative agreement 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 an award in an amount that exceeds $60,000 to 
support the program and administrative costs required to implement 
these exchange programs. Therefore, organizations with less than four 
years experience in conducting international exchanges are ineligible 
to apply under this competition. The Bureau encourages applicants to 
provide maximum levels of cost sharing and funding in support of its 
programs.
    (b.) Proposed sub-award recipients are also limited to grant 
funding of $60,000 or less if they do not have four years of experience 
in conducting international exchanges.

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, Office of Citizen 
Exchanges (ECA/PE/C/PY/T), 3rd floor, U.S. Department of State, 2200 C 
Street, NW., Washington, DC 20037, telephone (202) 632-6421, or e-mail 
[email protected] to request a Solicitation Package. Please refer to 
the Funding Opportunity Number (ECA/PE/C/PY-11-29) 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 Bureau Program Officer Carolyn Lantz and refer to 
the Funding Opportunity Number (ECA/PE/C/PY-11-29) 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.

[[Page 11840]]

    IV.3a. You are required to have a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal 
Numbering System (DUNS) number to apply for a grant or cooperative 
agreement from the U.S. Government. This number is a nine-digit 
identification number, which uniquely identifies business entities. 
Obtaining a DUNS number is easy and there is no charge. To obtain a 
DUNS number, access http://www.dunandbradstreet.com or call 1-866-705-
5711. Please ensure that your DUNS number is included in the 
appropriate box of the SF-424 which is part of the formal application 
package.
    IV.3b. All proposals must contain an executive summary, proposal 
narrative and budget.
    Please Refer to the Solicitation Package. It contains the mandatory 
Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) document and the Project 
Objectives, Goals and Implementation (POGI) document for additional 
formatting and technical requirements.
    IV.3c. All Federal award recipients and sub-recipients must 
maintain current registrations in the Central Contractor Registration 
(CCR) database and have a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering 
System (DUNS) number. Recipients and sub-recipients must maintain 
accurate and up-to-date information in the CCR until all program and 
financial activity and reporting have been completed. All entities must 
review and update the information at least annually after the initial 
registration and more frequently if required information changes or 
another award is granted.
    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 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 grants 
under this RFGP will be third parties ``cooperating with or assisting 
the sponsor in the conduct of the sponsor's program.'' The actions of 
grantee program organizations shall be ``imputed to the sponsor in 
evaluating the sponsor's compliance with'' 22 CFR 62. Therefore, the 
Bureau expects that any organization receiving a grant under this 
competition will render all assistance necessary to enable the Bureau 
to fully comply with 22 CFR 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, the applicant should 
discuss 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.
    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, Private Sector 
Programs Division, U.S. Department of State, ECA/EC/D/PS, SA-5, 5th 
Floor, 2200 C Street, NW., Washington, DC 20037.

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

[[Page 11841]]

include a draft survey questionnaire or other technique plus a 
description of a methodology to use to link outcomes to original 
project objectives. The Bureau expects that the grantee will track 
participants or partners and be able to respond to key evaluation 
questions, including satisfaction with the program, learning as a 
result of the program, changes in behavior as a result of the program, 
and effects of the program on institutions (institutions in which 
participants work or partner institutions). The evaluation plan should 
include indicators that measure gains in mutual understanding as well 
as substantive knowledge.
    Successful monitoring and evaluation depend heavily on setting 
clear goals and outcomes at the outset of a program. Your evaluation 
plan should include a description of your project's objectives, your 
anticipated project outcomes, and how and when you intend to measure 
these outcomes (performance indicators). The more that outcomes are 
``smart'' (specific, measurable, attainable, results-oriented, and 
placed in a reasonable time frame), the easier it will be to conduct 
the evaluation. You should also show how your project objectives link 
to the goals of the program described in this RFGP.
    Your monitoring and evaluation plan should clearly distinguish 
between program outputs and outcomes. Outputs are products and services 
delivered, often stated as an amount. Output information is important 
to show the scope or size of project activities, but it cannot 
substitute for information about progress towards outcomes or the 
results achieved. Examples of outputs include the number of people 
trained or the number of seminars conducted. Outcomes, in contrast, 
represent specific results a project is intended to achieve and is 
usually measured as an extent of change. Findings on outputs and 
outcomes should both be reported, but the focus should be on outcomes.
    We encourage you to assess the following four levels of outcomes, 
as they relate to the program goals set out in the RFGP (listed here in 
increasing order of importance):
    1. Participant satisfaction with the program and exchange 
experience.
    2. Participant learning, such as increased knowledge, aptitude, 
skills, and changed understanding and attitude. Learning includes both 
substantive (subject-specific) learning and mutual understanding.
    3. Participant behavior, concrete actions to apply knowledge in 
work or community; greater participation and responsibility in civic 
organizations; interpretation and explanation of experiences and new 
knowledge gained; continued contacts between participants, community 
members, and others.
    4. Institutional changes, such as increased collaboration and 
partnerships, policy reforms, new programming, and organizational 
improvements.

    Please note:  Consideration should be given to the appropriate 
timing of data collection for each level of outcome. For example, 
satisfaction is usually captured as a short-term outcome, whereas 
behavior and institutional changes are normally considered longer-
term outcomes.

    Overall, the quality of your monitoring and evaluation plan will be 
judged on how well it (1) specifies intended outcomes; (2) gives clear 
descriptions of how each outcome will be measured; (3) identifies when 
particular outcomes will be measured; and (4) provides a clear 
description of the data collection strategies for each outcome (i.e., 
surveys, interviews, or focus groups). (Please note that evaluation 
plans that deal only with the first level of outcomes [satisfaction] 
will be deemed less competitive under the present evaluation criteria.)
    Grantees will be required to provide reports analyzing their 
evaluation findings to the Bureau in their regular program reports. All 
data collected, including survey responses and contact information, 
must be maintained for a minimum of three years and provided to the 
Bureau upon request.
    IV.3e. Please take the following information into consideration 
when preparing your budget:
    IV.3e.1. Applicants must submit a comprehensive budget for the 
entire program. 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.
    Please refer to the Solicitation Package for complete budget 
guidelines and formatting instructions.
    IV.3f. Application Deadline and Methods of Submission:
    Application Deadline Date: Friday, April 22, 2011.
    Reference Number: ECA/PE/C/PY-11-29.
    Methods of Submission: Applications may be submitted in one of two 
ways:
    (1) In hard-copy, via a nationally recognized overnight delivery 
service (i.e., DHL, Federal Express, UPS, Airborne Express, or U.S. 
Postal Service Express Overnight Mail, etc.), or
    (2) Electronically through http://www.grants.gov.
    Along with the Project Title, all applicants must enter the above 
Reference Number in Box 11 on the SF-424 contained in the mandatory 
Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) of the solicitation document.

IV.3f.1. Submitting Printed Applications

    Applications must be shipped no later than the above deadline. 
Delivery services used by applicants must have in-place, centralized 
shipping identification and tracking systems that may be accessed via 
the Internet and delivery people who are identifiable by commonly 
recognized uniforms and delivery vehicles. Proposals shipped on or 
before the above deadline but received at ECA more than seven days 
after the deadline will be ineligible for further consideration under 
this competition. Proposals shipped after the established deadlines are 
ineligible for consideration under this competition. ECA will not 
notify you upon receipt of application. It is each applicant's 
responsibility to ensure that each package is marked with a legible 
tracking number and to monitor/confirm delivery to ECA via the 
Internet. Delivery of proposal packages may not be made via local 
courier service or in person for this competition. Faxed documents will 
not be accepted at any time. Only proposals submitted as stated above 
will be considered.

    Important note:  When preparing your submission please make sure 
to include one extra copy of the completed SF-424 form and place it 
in an envelope addressed to ``ECA/EX/PM''.

    The original and six copies of the application should be sent to:
    U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural 
Affairs, Program Management Division ECA-IIP/EX/PM, Ref.: ECA/PE/C/PY-
11-29, SA-5, Floor 4, 2200 C Street, NW., Washington, DC 20037.
    With the submission of the proposal package, please also e-mail the 
Executive Summary, Proposal Narrative, and Budget sections of the 
proposal, as well as any essential attachments, in Microsoft Word and/
or Excel to the program officer at [email protected]. The Bureau will 
provide these files electronically to the Office of Public Affairs at 
the U.S. Embassy in Sarajevo for its review.

IV.3f.2. Submitting Electronic Applications

    Applicants have the option of submitting proposals electronically 
through Grants.gov (http://www.grants.gov). Complete solicitation

[[Page 11842]]

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, well in 
advance of submitting a proposal through the Grants.gov system. ECA 
bears no responsibility for data errors resulting from transmission or 
conversion processes.
    Direct all questions regarding Grants.gov registration and 
submission to: Grants.gov Customer Support, Contact Center Phone: 800-
518-4726, Business Hours: Monday-Friday, 7 a.m.-9 p.m. Eastern Time, E-
mail: grants.gov">support@grants.gov.
    Applicants have until midnight (12 a.m.), Washington, DC time of 
the closing date to ensure that their entire application has been 
uploaded to the Grants.gov site. There are no exceptions to the above 
deadline. Applications uploaded to the site after midnight of the 
application deadline date will be automatically rejected by the 
grants.gov system, and will be technically ineligible.
    Please refer to the Grants.gov Web site, for definitions of various 
``application statuses'' and the difference between a submission 
receipt and a submission validation. Applicants 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 or cooperative agreements) resides with the 
Bureau's Grants Officer.

V.2. Review Criteria

    Technically eligible applications will be competitively reviewed 
according to the criteria stated below.
    1. Quality of the program idea: Objectives should be reasonable, 
feasible, and flexible. The proposal should clearly demonstrate how the 
institution will meet the program's objectives and plan. The proposed 
program should be creative and well developed, respond to the design 
outlined in the solicitation, and demonstrate originality. It should be 
clearly and accurately written, substantive, and with sufficient 
detail.
    2. Program planning: A detailed agenda and work plan should clearly 
demonstrate how 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. Proposals 
should also provide a plan for a Bureau-supported follow-on visit by 
project staff to Bosnia and Herzegovina, plus a plan for continued 
follow-on activity, not necessarily with Bureau support, that ensures 
that this program is not an isolated event.
    3. Support of diversity: Support of diversity is an important 
feature of Bureau programs. 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. Program evaluation: The proposal should include a plan to 
evaluate the program'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. Please see Section 
IV.3d.3. of this announcement for more information.
    6. Cost-effectiveness and cost sharing: The applicant should 
demonstrate efficient use of Bureau funds. The overhead and 
administrative components of the proposal, including salaries and 
honoraria, should be kept as low as possible. All other items should be 
necessary and appropriate. The proposal should maximize cost-sharing 
through other private sector support as well as institutional direct 
funding contributions.

VI. Award Administration Information

    VI.1a. Award Notices:
    Final awards cannot be made until funds have been appropriated by 
Congress, allocated and committed through internal Bureau procedures. 
Successful applicants will receive an Assistance Award Document (AAD) 
from the Bureau's Grants Office. The AAD and the original grant 
proposal

[[Page 11843]]

with subsequent modifications (if applicable) shall be the only binding 
authorizing document between the recipient and the U.S. Government. The 
AAD will be signed by an authorized Grants Officer, and mailed to the 
recipient's responsible officer identified in the application.
    Unsuccessful applicants will receive notification of the results of 
the application review from the ECA program office coordinating this 
competition.
    VI.2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements:
    Terms and Conditions for the Administration of ECA agreements 
include the following:

Office of Management and Budget Circular A-122, ``Cost Principles for 
Nonprofit Organizations.''
Office of Management and Budget Circular A-21, ``Cost Principles for 
Educational Institutions.''
OMB Circular A-87, ``Cost Principles for State, Local and Indian 
Governments''.
OMB Circular No. A-110 (Revised), Uniform Administrative Requirements 
for Grants and Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education, 
Hospitals, and other Nonprofit Organizations.
OMB Circular No. A-102, Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants-
in-Aid to State and Local Governments.
OMB Circular No. A-133, Audits of States, Local Government, and Non-
profit Organizations.

    Please reference the following Web sites for additional 
information:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants.
http://fa.statebuy.state.gov.
    VI.3. Reporting Requirements: You must provide ECA with a hard copy 
original plus one copy of the following reports:
    (1.) A final program and financial report no more than 90 days 
after the expiration of the award;
    (2.) A concise, one-page final program report summarizing program 
outcomes no more than 90 days after the expiration of the award. This 
one-page report will be transmitted to OMB, and be made available to 
the public via OMB's USAspending.gov Web site--as part of ECA's Federal 
Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA) reporting 
requirements.
    (3.) A SF-PPR, ``Performance Progress Report'' Cover Sheet with all 
interim program reports.
    (4.) Interim program and financial reports, as required in the 
cooperative agreement.
    Grantees will be required to provide reports analyzing their 
evaluation findings to the Bureau in their regular program reports. 
(Please refer to IV. Application and Submission Instructions (IV.3.d.3) 
above for Program Monitoring and Evaluation information.
    All data collected, including survey responses and contact 
information, must be maintained for a minimum of three years and 
provided to the Bureau upon request.
    All reports must be sent to the ECA Grants Officer and ECA Program 
Officer listed in the final assistance award document.
    VI.4. Program Data Requirements:
    Organizations awarded grants will be required to maintain specific 
data on program participants and activities in an electronically 
accessible database format that can be shared with the Bureau as 
required. As a minimum, the data must include the following:
    (1) Name, address, contact information and biographic sketch of all 
persons who travel internationally on funds provided by the grant or 
who benefit from the grant funding but do not travel.
    (2) Itineraries of international and domestic travel, providing 
dates of travel and cities in which any exchange experiences take 
place. Final schedules for in-country and U.S. activities must be 
received by the ECA Program Officer at least three work days prior to 
the official opening of the activity.

VII. Agency Contacts

    For questions about this announcement, contact: Carolyn Lantz, 
Youth Programs Division, ECA/PE/C/PY/T, 2200 C St., NW., 3rd Floor, 
U.S. Department of State, Washington, DC 20037, Telephone: (202) 632-
6421, E-mail: [email protected].
    All correspondence with the Bureau concerning this RFGP should 
reference the above title and number ECA/PE/C/PY-11-29.
    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: February 23, 2011.
Ann Stock,
Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs, Department of 
State.
[FR Doc. 2011-4716 Filed 3-2-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P