[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 241 (Thursday, December 15, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 78072-78079]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-32105]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 7729]


Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for 
Grant Proposals (RFGP): International Sports Programming Initiative 
(ISPI)

    Announcement Type: New Grant.
    Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/PE/C/SU-12-15.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 19.415.

DATES: Key Dates:
    Application Deadline: Friday, February 3, 2012.
    Executive Summary: The Office of Citizen Exchanges of the Bureau of 
Educational and Cultural Affairs announces an open competition for the 
International Sports Programming Initiative. 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 for 
projects designed to reach out to youth and promote mutual 
understanding by increasing the professional capacity of those who 
design and manage youth sports programs in select countries in Africa, 
East Asia and the Pacific, the Near East and North Africa, South and 
Central Asia, Europe, and the Western Hemisphere. The focus of all 
programs must be on reaching out to both male and female youth ages 7-
17 and/or their coaches/administrators. Programs designed to train 
elite athletes or coaches will not be considered. Eligible countries 
and territories in each region are:
    Africa: Botswana, Cote d'Ivoire, Kenya, Mali, and Nigeria;
    East Asia and the Pacific: China, Malaysia, or a multi-country 
program that MUST include AT LEAST TWO of the following--Cambodia, 
Laos, Thailand, and/or Vietnam;
    Near East and North Africa: Egypt, Tunisia, or a program that MUST 
include both Israel and West Bank/Gaza;
    South and Central Asia: Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and 
Turkmenistan;
    Europe: Bosnia and Turkey; and the
    Western Hemisphere: Belize, Brazil, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, and 
Uruguay.
    Proposals may address multiple countries, but all the countries 
must then be in the same region. Please see Section III.3. Other 
Eligibility Requirements for more information on eligibility 
requirements. Funding Under this Competition is pending the 
availability of FY 2012 funds.

I. Funding Opportunity Description

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

    Purpose: The Office of Citizen Exchanges welcomes proposals for 
two-way exchanges (one component in the United States and the other in 
the chosen country) that directly respond to the thematic areas 
outlined below. Projects for themes not listed below will not be 
eligible for consideration under the FY 2012 International Sports 
Program Initiative Competition, and will be deemed technically 
ineligible and receive no further consideration in the review process.
    Themes:

(1) Youth Sports Engagement

    Exchanges funded under this theme will focus on effective ways that 
sport can play a role in youth development at the grassroots level, 
while promoting technical proficiency among the youth sport coaches, 
sport administrators, and/or sport officials participating in the 
program. The role that sports can play in the long-term well-being of 
underserved youth should also be emphasized. Through exchanges between 
youth sport coaches, sport administrators, and/or sport officials, 
programs should encourage participants to share experiences in 
managing, organizing, and developing programs for youth sports 
activities with the aim of exposing young people to the ideas of 
teamwork and self-discipline that can lead to success in other aspects 
of their lives.

(2) Sport and Health

    Exchanges funded under this theme will focus on increasing 
awareness among young people of the importance of following a healthy 
lifestyle. Project goals should aim to avoid substance abuse, enhance 
physical fitness in order to prevent illness, and raise the overall 
quality of life through sports. Emphasis should be on the 
responsibility of the broader community to support healthy behaviors, 
and to educate young people how to prevent and manage non-communicable 
or infectious diseases, such as HIV/AIDS, through sports programs.

(3) Sport and Disability

    Exchanges funded under this theme are designed to promote and 
sponsor sport, recreation, and fitness programs for persons with 
disabilities. Project goals should include improving the quality of 
life for persons with disabilities by providing affordable, inclusive 
sports experiences that build self-esteem and confidence, enhancing 
active participation in community life, and making a significant 
contribution to the physical and psychological health of people with 
disabilities. Proposals under this theme aim to demonstrate that 
persons with disabilities can be included in sports opportunities in 
their communities, and will develop opportunities for them to do so. In 
addition, projects should aim to raise the awareness of non-disabled 
people about contributions that persons with disabilities make to 
society.

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(4) Sport for Social Change

    Exchanges funded under this theme will focus on effective ways that 
sport can play a role in promoting more stable and inclusive 
communities, and as an alternative to anti-social behavior. Project 
goals should include the importance of leadership, responsibility, 
teamwork, healthy living, and self-discipline to demonstrate how 
organized sports can encourage youth to stay in school, avoid substance 
abuse, prevent violence, and mitigate extremist voices. In addition, 
projects should aim to include the use of sport as a tool to promote 
tolerance and understanding through organized activities that appeal to 
youth and youth influencers, and that focus on conflict prevention/
resolution.
    The pursuit of academic degrees from U.S. institutions is not an 
acceptable focus of this program. Proposals that have only an academic 
focus will be deemed technically ineligible and will receive no further 
consideration in the review process.
    No guarantee is made or implied that grants will be awarded in all 
themes or for all countries listed.
    Audience: The intended audience is non-elite youth, coaches, 
community leaders, and non-governmental organizations.
    Ideal Program Model: The following are suggested program 
structures:
     A U.S. grantee identifies U.S. citizens to conduct a 
multi-location, in-country program overseas that includes clinics and 
training sessions for: male and female athletes; government officials 
(Ministry of Sports and Ministry of Education); coaches (adult and 
youth); NGO representatives (including representatives from relevant 
sports federations); community officials (including local authorities 
associated with recreational facilities); youth audiences (equal 
numbers of boys and girls); and sports management professionals to 
support one of the themes listed.
     An in-country partner overseas (a local university, 
government agency or other appropriate organization, such as a relevant 
sports federation) co-hosts an activity with the U.S. grantee 
institution, and participates in the selection of participants for a 
U.S. program.
     A U.S. program that includes site visits designed to 
provide participants with exposure to American youth and coaches, 
sports education in the United States, background information on U.S. 
approaches to the themes listed in the announcement, relevant cultural 
activities, and a debriefing and evaluation.
     U.S. experts who worked with participants from overseas 
implement an in-country program.
     Participants in the U.S. program design in-country 
projects and serve as co-presenters.
     Materials are translated into the relevant language for 
use in future projects.
     Small grants are dispersed for projects designed to expand 
the exchange experience.
     All participants are encouraged to enroll in the Bureau of 
Education and Cultural Affairs' alumni Web site https://alumni.state.gov.
    U.S. Embassy Involvement: Applicants are strongly encouraged to 
consult with Public Affairs Officers at U.S. Embassies in relevant 
countries as they develop proposals responding to this RFGP. It is 
important that the proposal narrative clearly state the applicant's 
commitment to consult closely with the Public Affairs Section of the 
U.S. Embassy in the relevant country/countries to develop plans for 
project implementation, to select project participants, and to 
publicize the program through the media. Proposals should acknowledge 
U.S. Embassy involvement in the final selection of all participants.
    Media: Proposals should include specific strategies for publicizing 
the project, both in the United States and overseas, as applicable. 
Sample materials can be included in the appendix. In any contact with 
the media (print, television, web, etc.) applicants must acknowledge 
funding from the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. 
Department of State for the program. Prior to information being 
released to the media, the ECA Program Office(r) must approve the 
document. All grantees are required to submit photos, highlights, and/
or media clips for posting on the ECA Web site: http://exchanges.state.gov/sports/.
    Participant Selection: Proposals should clearly describe the types 
of persons that will participate in the program, as well as the 
participant recruitment and selection processes. It is a priority of 
the Bureau to include female participants in all of its programs. In 
the selection of foreign participants, the Bureau would like the U.S. 
Embassies (when possible) to be involved in the recruitment and 
selection processes and the proposal should state how the grantee 
intends to incorporate this. The Bureau and U.S. Embassies retain the 
right to review all participant nominations and to accept or refuse 
participants recommended by grantee institutions. When U.S. 
participants are selected, grantee institutions must provide their 
names and biographical data to the ECA Program Officer. Priority in 
two-way exchange proposals will be given to foreign participants who 
have not previously traveled to the United States.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Grant Agreement.
    Fiscal Year Funds: 2012.
    Approximate Total Funding: $1,800,000.
    Approximate Number of Awards: 8-10.
    Approximate Average Award: $225,000.
    Ceiling of Award Range: $225,000.
    Floor of Award Range: $60,000.
    Anticipated Award Date: Pending availability of funds, August 31, 
2012.
    Anticipated Project Completion Date: September 30, 2013-June 30, 
2015.
    Projects under this competition may range in length from one to 
three years depending on the number of project components, the country/
region targeted and the extent of the evaluation plan proposed by the 
applicant. The Office of Citizen Exchanges strongly encourages 
applicant organizations to plan enough time after project activities 
are completed to measure project outcomes. Please refer to the Program 
Monitoring and Evaluation section, item IV.3d.3 below, for further 
guidance on evaluation.

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

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provide the minimum amount of cost sharing as stipulated in the 
approved budget, ECA's contribution will be reduced in like proportion.
    III.3. Other Eligibility Requirements:
    (a.) Grants awarded to eligible organizations with less than four 
years of experience in conducting international exchange programs will 
be limited to $60,000. Organizations that only qualify for the $60,000 
level may choose to conduct a one-way exchange, but must explain how 
the objectives of Americans interacting with foreign participants will 
still be achieved.
    (b.) Technical Eligibility: It is imperative that all proposals 
follow the requirements outlined in the Proposal Submission 
Instructions (PSI) technical format and instructions document. 
Additionally, all proposals must comply with the following or they will 
result in your proposal being declared technically ineligible and will 
not receive further consideration in the review process:
     Applicants may not submit more than one (1) Proposal for 
this competition. Organizations that submit proposals that exceed these 
limits will result in having all of their proposals declared 
technically ineligible.
     Proposals for countries that are not designated in the 
RFGP, that address more than one region, or address themes outside of 
those listed in the RFGP, will be deemed technically ineligible.
     The Office of Citizen Exchanges does not support proposals 
limited to conferences or seminars (i.e., one- to fourteen-day programs 
with plenary sessions, main speakers, panels, and a passive audience). 
It will support conferences only when they are a small part of a larger 
project in duration that is receiving Bureau funding from this 
competition. No funding is available exclusively to send U.S. citizens 
to conferences or conference type seminars overseas; nor is funding 
available to support the attendance of foreign nationals at conferences 
or at routine professional association meetings in the United States.
     The Office of Citizen Exchanges does not support academic 
research, or faculty or student fellowships.
     If your organization is a private non-profit which has not 
received a grant or cooperative agreement from ECA in the past three 
years, or if your organization received non-profit status from the IRS 
within the past four years, you must submit the necessary documentation 
to verify non-profit status as directed in the PSI document. Failure to 
do so will cause your proposal to be declared technically ineligible.
     Printed applications shipped after the established 
deadlines are ineligible for consideration under this competition.
     Electronic applications uploaded to the Grants.gov Web 
site after midnight of the application deadline date will be 
automatically rejected by the Grants.gov system, and will be 
technically ineligible.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    Before submitting a proposal, all applicants are strongly 
encouraged to consult with the Washington, DC-based Department of State 
contact for the themes/regions listed in this solicitation.

    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: Ryan Murphy, U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational 
and Cultural Affairs, SportsUnited Division, ECA/PE/C/SU, SA-5, Floor 
3, 2200 C Street, NW., Washington, DC 20037, tel: (202) 632-6058, fax: 
(202) 632-6492, [email protected] to request a Solicitation Package. 
Please refer to the Funding Opportunity Number ECA/PE/C/SU-12-15 
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.
    Please specify Ryan Murphy and refer to the Funding Opportunity 
Number ECA/PE/C/SU-12-15 located at the top of this announcement on all 
other inquiries and correspondence.
    IV.2. To Download a Solicitation Package Via Internet: The entire 
Solicitation Package may be downloaded from the Bureau's Web site at: 
http://exchanges.state.gov/grants/open2.html, or from the Grants.gov 
Web site at http://www.grants.gov.
    Please read all information before downloading.
    IV.3. Content and Form of Submission: Applicants must follow all 
instructions in the Solicitation Package. The application should be 
submitted per the instructions under IV.3f. ``Application Deadline and 
Methods of Submission'' section below.
    IV.3a. You are required to have a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal 
Numbering System (DUNS) number to apply for a grant or cooperative 
agreement from the U.S. Government. This number is a nine-digit 
identification number, which uniquely identifies business entities. 
Obtain ing 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, detailed timeline and detailed budget. Please Refer to the 
Solicitation Package. It contains the mandatory Proposal Submission 
Instructions (PSI) document for additional formatting and technical 
requirements.
    IV.3c. You must have nonprofit status with the IRS at the time of 
application. Please note: Effective January 7, 2009, all applicants for 
ECA federal assistance awards must include in their application the 
names of directors and/or senior executives (current officers, 
trustees, and key employees, regardless of amount of compensation). In 
fulfilling this requirement, applicants must submit information in one 
of the following ways:
    (1) Those who file Internal Revenue Service Form 990, ``Return of 
Organization Exempt From Income Tax,'' must include a copy of relevant 
portions of this form.
    (2) Those who do not file IRS Form 990 must submit information 
above in the format of their choice.
    In addition to final program reporting requirements, award 
recipients will also be required to submit a one-page document, derived 
from their program reports, listing and describing their grant 
activities. For award recipients, the names of directors and/or senior 
executives (current officers, trustees, and key employees), as well as 
the one- page description of grant activities, will be transmitted by 
the State Department to OMB, along with other information required by 
the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA), and 
will be made available to the public by the Office of Management and 
Budget on its USASpending.gov Web site as part of ECA's FFATA reporting 
requirements.
    If your organization is a private non-profit which has not received 
a grant or cooperative agreement from ECA in the past three years, or 
if your organization

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received non-profit status from the IRS within the past four years, you 
must submit the necessary documentation to verify non-profit 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 part 62. Therefore, the Bureau expects that any 
organization receiving an award under this competition will render all 
assistance necessary to enable the Bureau to fully comply with 22 CFR 
part 62 et seq.
    The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs places critically 
important emphases on the secure and proper administration of Exchange 
Visitor (J visa) Programs and adherence by recipient organizations and 
program participants to all regulations governing the J visa program 
status. Therefore, proposals should explicitly state in writing that 
the applicant is prepared to assist the Bureau in meeting all 
requirements governing the administration of Exchange Visitor Programs 
as set forth in 22 CFR part 62. If your organization has experience as 
a designated Exchange Visitor Program Sponsor, the applicant should 
discuss their record of compliance with 22 CFR 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 include a draft survey 
questionnaire or other technique plus a description of a methodology to 
use to link outcomes to original project objectives. The Bureau expects 
that the recipient organization will track participants or partners and 
be able to respond to key evaluation questions, including satisfaction 
with the program, learning as a result of the program, changes in 
behavior as a result of the program, and effects of the program on 
institutions (institutions in which participants work or partner 
institutions). The evaluation plan should include indicators that 
measure gains in mutual understanding as well as substantive knowledge.
    Successful monitoring and evaluation depend heavily on setting 
clear goals and outcomes at the outset of a program. Your evaluation 
plan should include a description of your project's objectives, your 
anticipated project outcomes, and how and when you intend to measure 
these outcomes (performance indicators). The more that outcomes are 
``smart'' (specific, measurable, attainable, results-oriented, and 
placed in a reasonable time frame), the easier it will be to conduct 
the evaluation. You should also show how your project objectives link 
to the goals of the program described in this RFGP.
    Your monitoring and evaluation plan should clearly distinguish 
between program outputs and outcomes. Outputs are products and services 
delivered, often stated as an amount. Output information is important 
to show the scope or size of project activities, but it cannot 
substitute for information about progress towards outcomes or the 
results achieved. Examples of outputs include the number of people 
trained or the number of seminars conducted. Outcomes, in contrast, 
represent specific results a project is intended to achieve and is 
usually measured as an extent of change. Findings on outputs and 
outcomes should both be reported, but the focus should be on outcomes.
    We encourage you to assess the following four levels of outcomes, 
as they relate to the program goals set out in the RFGP (listed here in 
increasing order of importance):
    1. Participant satisfaction with the program and exchange 
experience.
    2. Participant learning, such as increased knowledge, aptitude, 
skills, and changed understanding and attitude. Learning includes both 
substantive (subject-specific) learning and mutual understanding.
    3. Participant behavior, concrete actions to apply knowledge in 
work or community; greater participation and responsibility in civic 
organizations; interpretation and explanation of experiences and new 
knowledge gained; continued contacts between participants, community 
members, and others.
    4. Institutional changes, such as increased collaboration and 
partnerships, policy reforms, new programming, and organizational 
improvements.

    Please note:  Consideration should be given to the appropriate 
timing of data collection for each level of outcome. For example, 
satisfaction is usually captured as a short-

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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.
Department of State Acknowledgement
    All recipients of ECA grants or cooperative agreements should be 
prepared to state in any announcement or publicity where it is not 
inappropriate that activities are assisted financially by the Bureau of 
Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State under 
the authority of the Fulbright-Hays Act of 1961, as amended.
    In any contact with the media (print, television, web, etc.) 
applicants must acknowledge funding from the Bureau of Educational and 
Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State for the program. Prior 
to information being released to the media, the ECA Program Office(r) 
must approve the document.
Alumni Outreach/Follow-on Programming and Engagement
    Please refer to the Proposal Submissions Instruction (PSI) document 
for additional guidance.
    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. For this competition, requests should not exceed 
$225,000. 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 note that the 
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs does not fund programs that 
involve building of structures of any kind, including playing fields, 
recreation centers, or stadiums.
    IV.3e.2. Allowable costs for the program include the following:
    1. Travel. International and domestic airfare; visas; transit 
costs; ground transportation costs. Please note that all air travel 
must be in compliance with the Fly America Act. There is no charge for 
J-1 visas for participants in Bureau sponsored programs.
    2. Per Diem. For U.S.-based programming, organizations should use 
the published Federal per diem rates for individual U.S. cities. 
Domestic per diem rates may be accessed at: http://www.gsa.gov/perdiem. 
ECA requests applicants to budget realistic costs that reflect the 
local economy and do not exceed Federal per diem rates. Foreign per 
diem rates can be accessed at: http://aoprals.state.gov/content.asp?content_id=184&menu_id=78.
    3. Interpreters. For U.S.-based activities, ECA strongly encourages 
applicants to hire their own locally based interpreters. One 
interpreter is typically needed for every four participants who require 
interpretation. When an applicant proposes to use interpreters, the 
following expenses should be included in the budget: Published Federal 
per diem rates (both ``lodging'' and ``M&IE'') and transportation costs 
per interpreter. Bureau funds cannot support interpreters who accompany 
delegations from their home country or travel internationally.
    4. Book and Cultural Allowances. Foreign participants are entitled 
to a one-time cultural allowance of $150 per person, plus a book 
allowance of $50. Interpreters should be reimbursed up to $150 for 
expenses when they escort participants to cultural events. U.S. program 
staff, trainers or participants are not eligible to receive these 
benefits.
    5. Consultants. Consultants may be used to provide specialized 
expertise or to make presentations. Honoraria rates should not exceed 
$250 per day. Organizations are encouraged to cost-share rates that 
would exceed that figure. Subcontracting organizations may also be 
employed, in which case the written agreement between the prospective 
grantee and sub-grantee should be included in the proposal. Such sub-
grants should detail the division of responsibilities and proposed 
costs, and subcontracts should be itemized in the budget.
    6. Room Rental. The rental of meeting space should not exceed $250 
per day. Any rates that exceed this amount should be cost shared.
    7. Materials. Proposals may contain costs to purchase, develop and 
translate materials for participants. Costs for high quality 
translation of materials should be anticipated and included in the 
budget. Grantee organizations should expect to submit a copy of all 
program materials to ECA, and ECA support should be acknowledged on all 
materials developed with its funding.
    8. Equipment. Applicants may propose to use grant funds to purchase 
equipment, such as computers and printers; these costs should be 
justified in the budget narrative. Costs for furniture are not allowed.
    9. Working Meal. A maximum of one working meal may be authorized 
per project unless extenuating circumstances exist, in which case prior 
approval must be obtained from a DOS Grants Officer. Unless additional 
working meals are approved, the Recipient agrees to reduce the 
participants' per diem to cover the cost of any additional working 
meals. In addition, per capita costs may not exceed $45 excluding room 
rental. The number of invited guests shall not exceed participants by 
more than a factor of two-to-one.
    10. Return Travel Allowance. A return travel allowance of $70 for 
each foreign participant may be included in the budget. This allowance 
would cover incidental expenses incurred during international travel.
    11. Health Insurance. Foreign participants will be covered during 
their participation in the U.S. program by the ECA-sponsored Accident 
and Sickness Program for Exchanges (ASPE). The grantee must notify the 
program office to enroll them. Details of that policy can be provided 
by the contact officers identified in this solicitation. The premium is 
paid by ECA and should not be included in the grant proposal budget. 
However, applicants are permitted to include costs for travel insurance 
for U.S. participants in the budget.
    12. Wire Transfer Fees. When necessary, applicants may include 
costs to transfer funds to partner organizations overseas. Grantees are 
urged to research applicable taxes that may be imposed on these 
transfers by host governments.
    13. In-country Travel Costs for Visa Processing Purposes. Given the 
requirements associated with obtaining J-1 visas for ECA-supported 
participants, applicants should include costs for any travel associated 
with visa interviews or DS-2019 pick-up.
    14. Administrative Costs. Costs necessary for the effective 
administration of the program may

[[Page 78077]]

include salaries for grantee organization employees, benefits, and 
other direct and indirect costs per detailed instructions in the 
Application Package. While there is no rigid ratio of administrative to 
program costs, proposals in which the administrative costs do not 
exceed 25% of the total requested ECA grant funds will be more 
competitive under the cost effectiveness and cost sharing criterion, 
per item V.1 below. Proposals should show strong administrative cost 
sharing contributions from the applicant, the in-country partner and 
other sources.
    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, February 3, 2012.
    Reference Number: ECA/PE/C/SU-12-15.
    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 eight (8) copies of the application should be sent 
to:

U.S. Department of State, Program Management Division, ECA-IIP/EX/PM, 
Ref.: ECA/PE/C/SU-12-15, SA-5, Floor 4, Department of State, 2200 C 
Street NW., Washington, DC 20037.
    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. The Bureau 
will provide these files electronically to the appropriate Public 
Affairs Section(s) at the U.S. Embassy/ies for their review.
IV.3f.2. Submitting Electronic Applications
    Applicants have the option of submitting proposals electronically 
through Grants.gov (http://www.grants.gov). Complete solicitation 
packages are available at Grants.gov in the ``Find'' portion of the 
system.
    Please follow the instructions available in the ``Get Started'' 
portion of the site (http://www.grants.gov/GetStarted).
    Several of the steps in the Grants.gov registration process could 
take several weeks. Therefore, applicants should check with appropriate 
staff within their organizations immediately after reviewing this RFGP 
to confirm or determine their registration status with Grants.gov.
    Once registered, the amount of time it can take to upload an 
application will vary depending on a variety of factors including the 
size of the application and the speed of your internet connection. In 
addition, validation of an electronic submission via Grants.gov can 
take up to two business days.
    Therefore, we strongly recommend that you not wait until the 
application deadline to begin the submission process through 
Grants.gov.
    The Grants.gov Web site includes extensive information on all 
phases/aspects of the Grants.gov process, including an extensive 
section on frequently asked questions, located under the ``For 
Applicants'' section of the Web site. ECA strongly recommends that all 
potential applicants review thoroughly the Grants.gov Web site, well in 
advance of submitting a proposal through the Grants.gov system. ECA 
bears no responsibility for data errors resulting from transmission or 
conversion processes.
    Direct all questions regarding Grants.gov registration and 
submission to:

Grants.gov Customer Support
    Contact Center Phone: (800) 518-4726,
    Business Hours: Monday-Friday, 7 a.m.-9 p.m. Eastern Time
    Email: [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 email 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 of the relevant Embassy, 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

[[Page 78078]]

Affairs. Final technical authority for 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 and Ability to Achieve Objectives: Program 
objectives should be stated clearly and should reflect the applicant's 
expertise in the subject area and region. Objectives should respond to 
the topics in this announcement and should relate to the current 
conditions in the target country/countries. A detailed agenda and 
relevant work plan should explain how objectives will be achieved and 
should include a timetable for completion of major tasks. The substance 
of workshops, internships, seminars and/or consulting should be 
described in detail. Sample training schedules should be outlined. 
Responsibilities of proposed in-country partners should be clearly 
described. A discussion of how the applicant intends to address 
language issues should be included, if needed.
    2. Multiplier Effect/Impact: Proposed programs should strengthen 
long-term mutual understanding, including maximum sharing of 
information and establishment of long-term institutional and individual 
linkages.
    3. Institutional Capacity: Proposals should include: (1) The 
institution's mission and date of establishment; (2) detailed 
information about proposed in-country partner(s) and the history of the 
partnership; (3) an outline of prior awards--U.S. government and/or 
private support received for the target theme/country/region; and (4) 
descriptions of experienced staff members who will implement the 
program. The proposal should reflect the institution's expertise in the 
subject area and knowledge of the conditions in the target country/
countries. Proposals should demonstrate an institutional record of 
successful exchange programs, including responsible fiscal management 
and full compliance with all reporting requirements for past Bureau 
grants as determined by Bureau grants staff. The Bureau will consider 
the past performance of prior recipients and the demonstrated potential 
of new applicants. Proposed personnel and institutional resources 
should be adequate and appropriate to achieve the program's goals. The 
Bureau strongly encourages applicants to submit letters of support from 
proposed in-country partners.
    4. Cost Effectiveness and Cost Sharing: Overhead and administrative 
costs in the proposal budget, including salaries, honoraria and 
subcontracts for services, should be kept to a minimum. Proposals whose 
administrative costs are less than twenty-five (25) percent of the 
total funds requested from the Bureau will be deemed more competitive 
under this criterion. Applicants are strongly encouraged to cost share 
a portion of overhead and administrative expenses. Cost sharing, 
including contributions from the applicant, proposed in-country 
partner(s), and other sources should be included in the budget request. 
Proposal budgets that do not reflect cost sharing will be deemed not 
competitive in this category.
    5. Support of Diversity: Proposals should demonstrate substantive 
support of the Bureau's policy on diversity. Achievable and relevant 
features should be cited in both program administration (selection of 
participants, program venue and program evaluation) and program content 
(orientation and wrap-up sessions, program meetings, resource materials 
and follow-up activities). Applicants should refer to the Bureau's 
Diversity, Freedom and Democracy Guidelines in the PSI and the 
Diversity, Freedom and Democracy Guidelines section, Item IV.3d.2, 
above for additional guidance.
    6. Post-Grant Activities: Applicants should provide a plan to 
conduct activities after the Bureau-funded project has concluded in 
order to ensure that Bureau-supported programs are not isolated events. 
Funds for all post-grant activities must be in the form of 
contributions from the applicant or sources outside of the Bureau. 
Costs for these activities must not appear in the proposal budget, but 
should be outlined in the narrative.
    7. Program Monitoring and Evaluation: Proposals should include a 
detailed plan to monitor and evaluate the program. Program objectives 
should target clearly defined results in quantitative terms. 
Competitive evaluation plans will describe how applicant organizations 
would measure these results, and proposals should include draft data 
collection instruments (surveys, questionnaires, etc.) in Tab E. See 
the ``Program Monitoring/Evaluation'' section, item IV.3d.3 above for 
more information on the components of a competitive evaluation plan. 
Successful applicants (grantee institutions) will be expected to submit 
a report after each program component concludes or on a quarterly 
basis, whichever is less frequent. The Bureau also requires that 
grantee institutions submit a final narrative and financial report no 
more than 90 days after the expiration of a grant. Please refer to the 
``Program Management/Evaluation'' section, item IV.3d.3 above for more 
guidance.

VI. Award Administration Information

VI.1a. Award Notices

    Final awards cannot be made until funds have been appropriated by 
Congress, allocated and committed through internal Bureau procedures. 
Successful applicants will receive a Federal Assistance Award (FAA) 
from the Bureau's Grants Office. The FAA and the original proposal with 
subsequent modifications (if applicable) shall be the only binding 
authorizing document between the recipient and the U.S. Government. The 
FAA will be signed by an authorized Grants Officer, and mailed to the 
recipient's responsible officer identified in the application.
    Unsuccessful applicants will receive notification of the results of 
the application review from the ECA program office coordinating this 
competition.
    For assistance awards involving the Palestinian Authority, West 
Bank, and Gaza: All awards made under this competition must be executed 
according to all relevant U.S. laws and policies regarding assistance 
to the Palestinian Authority, and to the West Bank and Gaza. 
Organizations must consult with relevant Public Affairs Offices before 
entering into any formal arrangements or agreements with Palestinian 
organizations or institutions.

    Note: To assure that planning for the inclusion of the 
Palestinian Authority complies with requirements, please contact 
(Ryan Murphy, ECA/PE/C/SU, tel: (202) 632-6058, [email protected]) 
for additional information.

    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.

[[Page 78079]]

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 two copies 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 
program reports.
    (4.) Quarterly program and financial reports which should include 
the activities completed during that quarter, information about any 
participants of the activities, and any adjustments in the program 
timeline.
    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.
    Program Data Requirements:
    Award recipients 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 agreement 
or who benefit from the award 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 weeks prior to the 
official opening of the activity.

VII. Agency Contacts

    For questions about this announcement, contact: Ryan Murphy, U.S. 
Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, 
SportsUnited Division, ECA/PE/C/SU, SA-5, Floor 3, 2200 C Street NW., 
Washington, DC 20037, tel: (202) 632-6058, fax: (202) 632-6492, 
[email protected].
    All correspondence with the Bureau concerning this RFGP should 
reference the above title and reference number ECA/PE/C/SU-12-15.
    Please read the complete announcement before sending inquiries or 
submitting proposals. Once the RFGP deadline has passed, Bureau staff 
may not discuss this competition with applicants until the proposal 
review process has been completed.

VIII. Other Information

Notice

    The terms and conditions published in this RFGP are binding and may 
not be modified by any Bureau representative. Explanatory information 
provided by the Bureau that contradicts published language will not be 
binding. Issuance of the RFGP does not constitute an award commitment 
on the part of the Government. The Bureau reserves the right to reduce, 
revise, or increase proposal budgets in accordance with the needs of 
the program and the availability of funds. Awards made will be subject 
to periodic reporting and evaluation requirements per section VI.3 
above.

    Dated: December 8, 2011.
J. Adam Ereli,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Educational and 
Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State.
[FR Doc. 2011-32105 Filed 12-14-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P