[Federal Register: October 7, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 194)]
[Notices]
[Page 60209-60214]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr07oc04-83]
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DEPARTMENT OF STATE
[Public Notice 4854]
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for
Grant Proposals: Educational Adviser Training and Support Services
Announcement Type: New Cooperative Agreement.
Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/A/S/A-05-05.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 00.000.
Key Dates: January 1, 2005 to December 31, 2005.
Application Deadline: Friday, November 22, 2004.
Executive Summary: The Educational Information and Resources Branch
of the Office of Global Educational Programs in the Bureau of
Educational and Cultural Affairs announces an open competition for
Educational Adviser Training and Support Services. 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
develop training programs and provide support services for the
following:
1. Department of State-Affiliated Overseas Educational Advisers
Overseas educational advisers provide accurate and objective
information to foreign audiences on U.S. study opportunities at
accredited academic institutions and guide students and professionals
in selecting a program appropriate to their needs.
2. Regional Educational Advising Coordinators
Regional Educational Advising Coordinators (REAC) provide training
and needs assessment and serve as the chief resource to centers in
their regions on advising and other educational issues.
Project proposals should be structured to focus on the following:
1. Short-term training for mid- and senior-level advisers.
2. Logistical support services for Regional Educational Advising
Coordinators and educational advisers attending the national NAFSA:
Association of International Educators conference in Seattle in May
2005.
The Department anticipates awarding one grant to administer this
program.
The training component of the proposal should include a U.S.-Based
Training program (USBT) for mid-level advisers and Professional
Advising Leadership (PAL) fellowships for senior-level advisers.
The USBT for mid-level educational advisers should be approximately
three weeks in duration in Fall 2005 and must include workshops on
advising issues of concern, visits to a variety of U.S. academic
institutions outside of the Washington, DC metropolitan area and
attendance at a regional NAFSA: Association of International Educators
conference or similar professional development opportunity.
Professional Advising Leadership (PAL) projects for senior-level
advisers may take place three times throughout 2005 and include four
advisers in each group. Advisers applying for a PAL fellowship will
have at least four years of advising experience. Applicants will
formulate a proposal outlining a project that will be of benefit to the
adviser's center, region and the profession as a whole.
The Support Services portion of the program will include providing
logistical support for the following activities in May/June 2005:
1. Regional Educational Advising Coordinators (REAC) Meeting
Support will include making arrangements for lodging and other
activities for up to eight REACs and Educational Information and
Resources Branch (ECA/A/S/A) program staff for five days of
consultations in Washington, DC before the 2005 NAFSA Conference to be
held May 29-June 3, 2005 in Seattle, Washington,
2. PAL Meeting
Support will include making arrangements for meetings with REACs,
PAL Fellows and Branch program officers after the NAFSA conference in
Seattle.
3. Educational Adviser Pre-NAFSA Conference Campus Visits/Conference
Attendance
Support will include (a) making hotel reservations for advisers not
participating in the USBT and PAL programs and (b) providing grants to
advisers for conference attendance and to the ECA/A/S/A-designated
campus liaison coordinator for administration of pre-conference campus
visits.
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
[[Page 60210]]
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 program's objectives are twofold: to strengthen and
develop the skills of overseas educational advisers; and to build a
corps of knowledgeable advisers who are skilled trainers and can
advance the field of educational advising in their home countries with
new and current expertise, techniques and knowledge of applicable
technology.
Guidelines
1. Participants
For the purposes of this RFGP, eligible advisers are defined as
those who are currently working at a State Department-affiliated
advising center and who have demonstrated the skills associated with
the four major components of overseas educational advising: (1)
Knowledge of the U.S. and home country educational systems; (2)
knowledge of the application process for individuals to enroll in U.S.
higher educational institutions; (3) demonstrated educational advising
and cross-cultural communication skills; and (4) demonstrated office
management skills as they relate to an overseas advising center. In
addition, each participant must demonstrate leadership and a commitment
to the profession.
Approximately twenty participants are expected for one USBT program
and twelve (three groups of four) for the PAL program. Participants
will be selected by ECA/A/S/A based on nominations from overseas posts.
2. Program Design
The Bureau invites organizations to submit creative and flexible
program plans which can be tailored, in close consultation with ECA/A/
S/A, to the selected advisers' individual needs. The proposal should
include an overall project framework which identifies objectives, an
implementation plan and measurable, expected outcomes.
Possible topics to incorporate for the USBT portion of the program
include: Degree equivalency and accreditation; international student
admissions; financial aid; standardized testing; ESL programs;
immigration and visa issues; fields of study; cultural adjustment; U.S.
societal diversity; specialized Internet usage; distance learning;
proposal writing; fundraising; public relations and marketing;
determining appropriate fees for advising services for students and
others, given each host country's environment; trends in advising
center cost-sharing and training and management of volunteer staff.
For the PAL component, advisers, in consultation with ECA/A/S/A and
the grantee organization, will develop a research or training project
to be carried out in the United States that will have a formative
impact on advising in their countries and regions. For 2005, PAL
projects may include the following topics: Admission with financial
aid; business planning and income-generating activities; outreach
programming; marketing and publicity for advising centers.
3. Timing/Program Phases
The USBT and PAL components should provide for the possibility of
attendance at, and active participation in, an appropriate NAFSA or
other conference where workshops and seminars address issues of current
interest to international educators and overseas advisers and where the
opportunity to brainstorm and to share information plays an important
part. Advisers should have opportunities to present and/or participate
in panels and pre-conference/conference workshops. In addition, the
USBT portion of the program should include internship experiences and
visits to a four-year public university, a private college or
university, a community college, an Historically Black College or
University (HBCU) or other minority-serving institution, and a graduate
or research institution. Ideally, USBT participants should visit
campuses while classes are in session to optimize their experience
through interaction with students.
4. Logistics
The grantee organization will be responsible for all arrangements
associated with this program. For the USBT and PAL components, these
include organizing a coherent progression of activities, providing
international and domestic travel arrangements for all advisers, making
lodging and local transportation arrangements, orienting and debriefing
advisers, preparing support material, and recruiting host campuses. The
organization should work with host campuses and experts in the field of
higher education and overseas advising to achieve maximum program
effectiveness, by providing participants with hands-on training and
direct involvement in the administration of practices and policies of
higher education institutions.
5. Evaluation/Follow-Up
The proposal must include a detailed evaluation and follow-up plan.
Special emphasis should be given to designing a program which
incorporates outcome measurement strategies that assess ultimate
effectiveness. Refer to Section IV.3d of this document for additional
information on evaluation.
6. Visa/Insurance/Tax Requirements
The program must comply with applicable visa regulations.
Participants should come on B1/B2 tourist visas. Participant health and
accident insurance will be provided to the overseas advisers by the
Bureau; the recipient organization will be responsible for enrolling
participants in the Bureau's insurance program and providing any
necessary assistance should medical care be needed. Administration of
the program must be in compliance with reporting and withholding
regulations for federal, state, and local taxes as applicable.
Recipient organizations should demonstrate tax regulation adherence in
the proposal narrative and budget.
7. Printed Materials
Drafts of all printed materials developed for this program should
be submitted to ECA/A/S/A for review and approval. All official
documents should highlight the U.S. government's role as program
sponsor and funding source. The Bureau requires that it receive the
copyright use and be allowed to distribute this material as it sees
fit.
Pending successful implementation of this program and the
availability of funds in subsequent fiscal years, it is ECA's intent to
renew this grant for two additional fiscal years, before openly
competing it again.
8. ECA's Role in the Cooperative Agreement Includes
Selection of program participants in coordination with
Public Affairs Sections at U.S. embassies and consulates overseas, with
input from the ECA Grants Office
Participation and speaking at program sessions to include
opening and closing activities
Organizing meetings with Department of State offices
Review and approval of program plans and agendas
[[Page 60211]]
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Cooperative Agreement. ECA's level of involvement in
this program is listed under number I above.
Fiscal Year Funds: FY2005.
Approximate Total Funding: $475,000-$575,000.
Approximate Number of Awards: 1.
Approximate Average Award: Not to exceed $575,000.
Anticipated Award Date: Pending availability of funds, January 1,
2005.
Anticipated Project Completion Date: December 31, 2005.
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 grant for two additional fiscal years,
before openly competing it again.
III. Eligibility Information
III.1. Eligible applicants
Applications may be submitted by public and private non-profit
organizations meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code
section 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3).
III.2. Cost Sharing or Matching Funds
There is no minimum or maximum percentage required for this
competition. However, the Bureau encourages applicants to provide
maximum levels of cost sharing and funding in support of its programs.
When cost sharing is offered, it is understood and agreed that the
applicant must provide the amount of cost sharing as stipulated in its
proposal and later included in an approved 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 OMB Circular A-110, (Revised), Subpart C.23--Cost
Sharing and Matching. In the event you do not provide the minimum
amount of cost sharing as stipulated in the approved budget, ECA's
contribution will be reduced in like proportion.
III.3 Other Eligibility Requirements
a. Bureau grant guidelines require that organizations with less
than four years' experience in conducting international exchanges be
limited to $60,000 in Bureau funding. ECA anticipates awarding one
grant, in an amount not to exceed $575,000 to support program and
administrative costs required to implement this exchange program.
Therefore, organizations with less than four years' experience in
conducting international exchanges are ineligible to apply under this
competition.
IV. Application and Submission Information
Note: Please read the complete Federal Register 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 ECA/A/S/A, Room 349, U.S. Department of State,
SA-44, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547, telephone: 202-260-
6936, fax: 202-401-1433, e-mail: MoraDD@state.gov to request a
Solicitation Package. Please refer to the Funding Opportunity Number
ECA/A/S/A-05-05 located at the top of this announcement when making
your request.
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.
IV.2. To Download a Solicitation Package Via Internet
The entire Solicitation Package may be downloaded from the Bureau's
Web site at http://exchanges.state.gov/education/rfgps/menu.htm. Please
read all information before downloading.
IV.3. Content and Form of Submission
Applicants must follow all instructions in the Solicitation
Package. The original and eight copies of the application should be
sent per the instructions under IV.3e., ``Submission Dates and Times''
section below.
IV.3a. You are required to have a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal
Numbering System (DUNS) number to apply for a grant or cooperative
agreement from the U.S. Government. This number is a nine-digit
identification number, which uniquely identifies business entities.
Obtaining a DUNS number is easy and there is no charge. To obtain a
DUNS number, access http://www.dunandbradstreet.com or call 1-866-705-
5711. Please ensure that your DUNS number is included in the
appropriate box of the SF-424 which is part of the formal application
package.
IV.3b. All proposals must contain an executive summary, proposal
narrative and budget.
IV.3c. You must have nonprofit status with the IRS at the time of
application. 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 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.2 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
[[Page 60212]]
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 timeframe), the easier it will be to conduct the
evaluation. You should also show how your project objectives link to
the goals of the program described in this RFGP.
Your monitoring and evaluation plan should clearly distinguish
between program outputs and outcomes. Outputs are products and services
delivered, often stated as an amount. Output information is important
to show the scope or size of project activities, but it cannot
substitute for information about progress towards outcomes or the
results achieved. Examples of outputs include the number of people
trained or the number of seminars conducted. Outcomes, in contrast,
represent specific results a project is intended to achieve and is
usually measured as an extent of change. Findings on outputs and
outcomes should both be reported, but the focus should be on outcomes.
We encourage you to assess the following four levels of outcomes,
as they relate to the program goals set out in the RFGP (listed here in
increasing order of importance):
1. Participant satisfaction with the program and exchange
experience.
2. Participant learning, such as increased knowledge, aptitude,
skills, and changed understanding and attitude. Learning includes both
substantive (subject-specific) learning and mutual understanding.
3. Participant behavior, concrete actions to apply knowledge in
work or community; greater participation and responsibility in civic
organizations; interpretation and explanation of experiences and new
knowledge gained; continued contacts between participants, community
members, and others.
4. Institutional changes, such as increased collaboration and
partnerships, policy reforms, new programming, and organizational
improvements.
Please note: Consideration should be given to the appropriate
timing of data collection for each level of outcome. For example,
satisfaction is usually captured as a short-term outcome, whereas
behavior and institutional changes are normally considered longer-
term outcomes.
Overall, the quality of your monitoring and evaluation plan will be
judged on how well it (1) specifies intended outcomes; (2) gives clear
descriptions of how each outcome will be measured; (3) identifies when
particular outcomes will be measured; and (4) provides a clear
description of the data collection strategies for each outcome (i.e.,
surveys, interviews, or focus groups). (Please note that evaluation
plans that deal only with the first level of outcomes [satisfaction]
will be deemed less competitive under the present evaluation criteria.)
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.3.e. 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. Applicants must submit
two budgets: One for not more than $475,000 to support initial program
and administrative costs required to implement this program, and a
second for not more than $575,000, for additional adviser training and
support activities, should additional funding become available.
IV.3e.2. Allowable costs for the program include the following:
(1) Salaries and fringe benefits; travel and per diem;
(2) Other direct costs, inclusive of rent, utilities, etc.;
(3) Indirect expenses (except against participant program
expenses), auditing costs;
(4) Participant program costs; i.e., international/domestic travel,
visas, per diem, conference attendance.
(5) Alumni Web site and alumni support activities
(6) Advising coordinator expenses for pre-conference campus visits
Please refer to the Solicitation Package for complete budget
guidelines and formatting instructions.
IV.3f. Submission Dates and Times:
Application Deadline Date: Friday, November 22, 2004.
Explanation of Deadlines: In light of recent events and heightened
security measures, proposal submissions must be sent via a nationally
recognized overnight delivery service (i.e., DHL, Federal Express, UPS,
Airborne Express, or U.S. Postal Service Express Overnight Mail, etc.)
and be shipped no later than the above deadline. The 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. 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. ECA will not notify you upon receipt of application. 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.
Applications may not be submitted electronically at this time.
Applicants must follow all instructions in the Solicitation
Package.
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 copies of the application should be sent to:
U.S. Department of State, SA-44, Bureau of Educational and Cultural
Affairs, Ref.: ECA/A/S/A/-05-05, Program Management, ECA/EX/PM, Room
534, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547.
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.
[[Page 60213]]
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 cooperative agreements 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. Quality of the Program Idea: Proposals should exhibit
originality, substance, precision, and relevance to the Bureau's
mission.
2. Program Planning: Detailed agenda and relevant work plan should
demonstrate substantive undertakings and logistical capacity. Agenda
and plan should adhere to the program overview and guidelines described
above.
3. Ability To Achieve Program Objectives: Objectives should be
reasonable, feasible, and flexible. Proposals should clearly
demonstrate how the institution will meet the program's objectives and
plan.
4. 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.
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).
6. Institutional Capacity: Proposed personnel and institutional
resources should be adequate and appropriate to achieve the program or
project's goals.
7. Institution's Record/Ability: 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.
8. Follow-On Activities: Proposals should provide a plan for
continued follow-on activity (without Bureau support) ensuring that
Bureau supported programs are not isolated events.
9. Project Evaluation: Proposals should include a plan to evaluate
the activity's success, both as the activities unfold and at the end of
the program. A draft survey questionnaire or other technique plus
description of a methodology to use to link outcomes to original
project objectives is recommended.
10. Cost-Effectiveness: 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.
11. Cost-Sharing: Proposals should maximize cost-sharing through
other private sector support as well as institutional direct funding
contributions.
12. Value to U.S.-Partner Country Relations: Proposed projects
should receive positive assessments by the U.S. Department of State's
geographic area desk and overseas officers of program need, potential
impact, and significance in the partner country(ies).
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 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 websites for additional information:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants.
http://exchanges.state.gov/education/grantsdiv/terms.htm#articleI.
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;
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.
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
[[Page 60214]]
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: Dorothy Mora,
Educational Information and Resources Branch, ECA/A/S/A, Room 349,
Reference number ECA/A/S/A-05-05, U.S. Department of State, SA-44, 301
4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547, telephone: 202-260-6936 and fax
number: 202-401-1433, Internet address: MoraDD@state.gov.
All correspondence with the Bureau concerning this RFGP should
reference the above title and number ECA/A/S/A-05-05 Please read the
complete Federal Register 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: September 27, 2004.
C. Miller Crouch,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Educational and
Cultural Affairs, , Department of State.
[FR Doc. 04-22583 Filed 10-6-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P