[Federal Register: March 13, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 50)]
[Notices]
[Page 13608-13615]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr13mr08-98]
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DEPARTMENT OF STATE
[Public Notice 6132]
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA)
Request for Grant Proposals: Teacher Exchange Program
Announcement Type: New Cooperative Agreement
Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/A/E-09-01
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 19.408
Key Dates:
Application Deadline: May 23, 2008.
Executive Summary: The Office of Global Educational Programs of the
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), U.S. Department of
State, announces an open competition for three assistance awards to
administer components of the Office's Teacher Exchange Program in
Fiscal Year 2009. Public and private non-profit organizations or
consortia of eligible organizations meeting the provisions described in
Internal Revenue Code section 501(c)(3) may submit proposals to
cooperate with the Bureau in the administration of the teacher exchange
programs as categorized below. To facilitate effective communication
between ECA's Teacher Exchange Branch (ECA/A/S/X) and the
organization(s) cooperating on these programs, applicant organizations
should have offices and staffs located in Washington, DC at the time of
application.
In recent years, the Bureau has expanded and diversified its
programming for teachers consistent
[[Page 13609]]
with the Bureau's emphasis on younger and disadvantaged, non-elite
populations and with the influence teachers can have on these
populations in school classrooms in the U.S. and around the world. This
Request for Grant Proposals is part of an effort to add synergies to
the Bureau's engagement with primary and secondary school educators and
to present a range of teacher program opportunities to potential
applicant organizations, which may submit proposals to administer and
implement one, two, or all three pairs of the following FY 2009 Teacher
Exchange Programs as outlined below:
Pair A: the Fulbright Classroom Teacher Exchanges and the
Distinguished Fulbright Awards in Teaching; Pair B: the International
Leaders in Education Program and the Teaching Excellence Awards
Program; and/or Pair C: the Educational Seminars and the Teachers of
Critical Languages Program. Details about these program components are
provided under the Funding Opportunity Description section of this
document and in the Project Objectives, Goals, and Implementation
(POGI) document associated with this solicitation. Proposals should
reflect a vision for the program, interpreting the goals of the
Fulbright-Hays Act and the Teacher Exchange Program with creativity, as
well as providing innovative ideas and recommendations.
The cooperating organization(s) will have responsibility for
program administration, which includes the following broad categories:
program planning and management; placement; orientation; enrichment
activities; participant supervision and support services; fiscal
management and budgeting; and program reporting and evaluation.
Proposals should include schedules and timelines for notifying ECA,
overseas partners, and grantees of placements, travel arrangements and
cross-cultural and school information in a timely manner. Programs must
comply with J-1 visa regulations. Teacher exchange participants in the
U.S. and abroad should be identified through open, merit-based
competitions.
Although the amount that will be available to support these
programs in FY 2009 has not yet been determined, for planning purposes
the total amount of funding that may be available to cover
administrative and program costs of these programs will be up to
$13,875,000. The amounts listed for each program are provided to enable
applicant organizations to prepare budgets for planning purposes, and
are subject to change. More specific information for each program is
provided below and in the Project Objectives, Goals, and Implementation
(POGI) document. All awards are pending availability of FY 2009 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
To improve mutual understanding among teachers, school
administrators, and their schools and communities in the U.S. and
abroad through professional development and exchange. Teacher exchanges
support the internationalization and increased quality of schools and
classrooms, increase the knowledge of students and communities about
global issues and cultures, and improve knowledge of foreign languages.
Teacher exchanges also encourage the professional development of
teachers by broadening their familiarity with and increasing their
understanding of approaches to their subjects and pedagogical methods.
The Presidentially appointed J. William Fulbright Foreign
Scholarship Board is responsible for two of the programs described
below (those in Pair A), and has issued overall policy guidelines and
selection criteria which are available at the following Web site:
http://exchanges.state.gov/education/fulbright. The Fulbright Foreign
Scholarship Board is responsible for the final selection of Fulbright
candidates. Organizations cooperating with the Bureau must ensure full
and proper identification of the Fulbright Program with the U.S.
government and the Department of State.
Applicant organizations may propose to administer and implement
one, two, or all three pairs of the following teacher exchange
programs.
Pair A
1. In Fulbright Classroom Teacher Exchanges, a teacher from the
U.S. and a teacher from a participating foreign country exchange
teaching positions and professional duties for a semester or a year. In
FY 2009, approximately 60 exchanges are anticipated. Countries
currently anticipated for participation are France, Hungary, India,
Mexico, South Africa, Switzerland, Turkey, and the United Kingdom,
although additional countries may be added, depending on Bureau
priorities. Applicant organizations must demonstrate flexibility in
working in countries which may not be identified at the present time.
In this program model, U.S. teachers apply to participate in the
program through the cooperating organization; international
counterparts apply through a Fulbright Commission or U.S. Embassy
overseas (in the case of Switzerland and the United Kingdom, the CH
Youth Exchange and the British Council, respectively). Recruitment of
U.S. participants for the FY 2009 program (academic year 2009-2010) is
being conducted by the organization currently administering this
program component with FY 2008 resources; FY 2009 proposals should
include the costs of recruitment for grants to be funded with FY 2010
resources for academic year 2010-2011. In consultation with the Bureau,
the U.S. cooperating organization and the nominating entity overseas
will facilitate the matching of U.S. and international teacher
applicants with one another for the consideration of relevant
supervising school administrators. The cooperating U.S. organization
will provide an orientation program for all participants and will
monitor and support their programs in consultation with overseas
counterparts. Amount available for program and administration estimated
at up to approximately $2,950,000.
2. New for FY 2009, the Distinguished Fulbright Awards in Teaching
will recognize and encourage excellence in teaching in the U.S. and
selected countries abroad. Countries participating in the program in FY
2009 may include Argentina, the Czech Republic, Finland, Ghana, Greece,
Japan, Mexico, Senegal, Singapore, and South Africa, although
additional countries may be added, depending on Bureau priorities.
Applicant organizations must demonstrate flexibility in working in
countries which may not be identified at the present time. These awards
will provide a rich professional growth opportunity
[[Page 13610]]
to the Distinguished Fulbright Teachers while enhancing mutual
understanding among international and U.S. teachers, administrators,
their students, and host communities. U.S. teachers will apply to the
U.S. cooperating organization to pursue individual projects for a
semester or a summer in the participating countries, and teachers from
participating countries will apply through the U.S. Embassy or
Fulbright Commission to pursue projects in the U.S. The Distinguished
Fulbright Teachers will conduct research, take courses for professional
development, and lead master classes or seminars for teachers and
students in the countries of exchange. Based on proposals submitted by
U.S. teachers to conduct these activities in specific eligible
countries, the U.S. Embassy, Fulbright Commission, or other
organization as applicable in each participating country will
facilitate a relevant academic or professional affiliation in
consultation with each U.S. Distinguished Teacher. The U.S. cooperating
organization will identify one U.S. university to provide the
international Distinguished Teachers with broad-ranging access to
faculty resources, schools, and other educational opportunities. In FY
2009, a pilot program for approximately twelve U.S. teachers and twelve
international teachers is anticipated. Amount available for program and
administration estimated at up to approximately $900,000.
Pair B
3. The International Leaders in Education Program will bring
approximately 86 international secondary school teachers to U.S.
universities for a semester to develop their teaching skills, to
increase their subject-matter expertise, and to pursue coursework and
practical teaching experiences in American high schools. Fulbright
Commissions and U.S. Embassies will be responsible for recruiting
applicants and nominating candidates. The cooperating U.S. organization
will be responsible for convening independent committees to select
candidates for approval by ECA for participation in the program. This
organization will also be responsible for identifying approximately
five appropriate host universities through a national competition, for
organizing a three-day orientation session and a three-day end-of-
program review in Washington, DC, and for actively monitoring program
implementation in the host universities and schools. In cohorts of
approximately 15-20 participants at each host university, the
participants will audit university-level courses relevant to their
teaching field and expertise, attend professional development seminars,
workshops, and conferences on education-related and pedagogical topics,
and teach or team-teach for eight weeks in U.S. secondary schools in
cooperation with experienced U.S. partner teachers. The universities
and schools should also provide opportunities for participants to share
information about their home countries with U.S. audiences, and to
prepare training workshops for colleagues after returning to their home
countries. A limited number of American host teachers will also be
selected to travel to some of the international teachers' home schools
for two- to three-week programs. Administrative and program costs are
estimated at up to approximately $2,500,000.
4. Under the Teaching Excellence and Achievement program component,
groups of educators from a variety of countries will participate in
three six-week programs in FY 2009. Based in clusters of 20
participants at approximately five different U.S. universities, a total
of approximately 180 international educators will participate in
seminars, share pedagogical practices, and engage in classroom
teaching, observation, and curriculum development in the fields of
English, English as a Foreign Language, math, science, social studies
and civics. Under this program, U.S. Embassies and Fulbright
Commissions will recruit and select international participants. The
U.S. cooperating organization will identify, through a national
competition, U.S. universities with access to appropriate faculty and
community resources to administer the three-week seminars and to
arrange for participants to teach or job-shadow in U.S. secondary
schools for approximately three weeks under the guidance of experienced
mentor teachers or administrators. The universities and schools should
also provide opportunities for participants to share information about
their home countries with U.S. audiences and to prepare workshops for
colleagues after returning to their countries. The U.S. cooperating
organization will administer a three-day orientation session in
Washington, DC and a three-day end-of-program review. The U.S.
cooperating organization will also organize a competition to identify
approximately 105 U.S. educators to make reciprocal visits in two
groups (a summer cohort and a fall cohort) to the international
teachers' home countries to gain a deeper understanding of the
educational systems and cultures of these countries, and to establish
or strengthen cooperation with schools in the participating countries.
Amount available for program and administration estimated at up to
approximately $3,750,000.
Pair C
5. Educational Seminars
(a) We anticipate that approximately 100 teachers and other
educators will travel to the U.S. in country-specific groups to learn
about the U.S. educational system in seminars of two to three weeks,
and through visits to U.S. secondary schools. Currently anticipated for
participation in the seminars are Argentina, Brazil, Jordan, Mexico,
Thailand and Uruguay, although additional countries may be added,
depending on Bureau priorities. Applicant organizations must
demonstrate flexibility in working in countries which may not be
identified at the present time. These seminars will provide an
introduction to the U.S. educational system and to U.S. society and
culture. Fulbright Commissions, U.S. Embassies, or other educational
organizations in these countries will recruit and select international
educators for the seminars, while the U.S. cooperating agency will be
responsible for recruiting and selecting U.S. candidates, for
implementing a three-day orientation in Washington, DC, for arranging
visits of participants in groups to geographically and socially diverse
U.S. schools with an interest in hosting the international educators,
and for overseeing an end-of-program review. Some seminars will require
translation as noted in the POGI. Approximately 45 selected U.S.
educators from the host schools will make reciprocal exchange visits to
these countries in programs to be organized by Fulbright Commissions
(except in Jordan, where there is not a reciprocal component).
(b.) Approximately 20 U.S. secondary school teachers of Greek,
Latin, and the classics will attend intensive summer courses lasting
from six to eight weeks to be organized by the Fulbright Commissions
and U.S. non-profit partner organizations in Greece and Italy. The U.S.
cooperating organization will be responsible for notifying participants
of their selection, helping arrange their transportation, and providing
them with a maintenance allowance during the seminar. The non-profit
organizations will arrange orientation meetings for the participants
upon their arrival in Greece and Italy.
(c.) Approximately 6 U.S. teachers will travel to India for a four-
week summer program with Indian teachers
[[Page 13611]]
and schoolchildren. The U.S. cooperating organization will be
responsible for administering an open competition to select the
participants, and for administering their awards. The Fulbright
Commission in India will organize a program of visits to Indian schools
for discussions and observation of best practices with Indian
counterpart teachers.
Recruitment of U.S. participants for the FY 2009 Educational
Seminars is being undertaken by an incumbent organization with FY 2008
resources; under this competition, proposals should include the costs
of recruitment for the 2010 seminars, for which grants to participants
will be provided in FY 2010 (except Jordan which does not have a
program for U.S. educators). Amount available for program and
administration of the seminars estimated at up to approximately
$1,550,000.
6. Approximately 38 Teachers of Critical Languages will come from
China and the Middle East to teach Chinese and Arabic at U.S.
elementary and secondary schools for an academic year. In FY 2009, we
may also request applicants to administer pilot initiatives for two
teachers from Russia and two from Japan to teach their native languages
at K-12 schools for an academic year. Applicant organizations must
demonstrate flexibility in working in countries which may not be
identified at the present time. This activity is a component of the
National Security Language Initiative announced by President George W.
Bush in January 2006 to encourage the study and teaching of critical
languages in the United States. The cooperating U.S. organization will
recruit U.S. host schools, oversee the placement of Chinese and Arabic
(and possibly Russian, Japanese, and other) teachers, provide an in-
depth two-week orientation session on relevant U.S. pedagogical,
educational, and social issues, and monitor and support the teachers
and their engagement with the U.S. host schools throughout the program.
International teachers will be recruited and selected by U.S. embassies
or partner organizations in the participating countries. Amount
available for program and administration estimated at up to
approximately $2,225,000.
Program Administration
Bureau activities and responsibilities for all 6 teacher exchange
program components (3 pairs) include:
(1) Participation in the design and direction of program
activities;
(2) Approval of key personnel;
(3) Approval and input on program timelines, agendas and
administrative procedures;
(4) Guidance in execution of all program components;
(5) Review and approval of all program publicity and recruitment
materials;
(6) Approval of participating teachers and administrators, in
cooperation with Fulbright commissions, U.S. embassies, and
international non-governmental organizations, (Fulbright program
candidates are also subject to final selection by the Fulbright Board);
(7) Approval of decisions related to special circumstances or
problems throughout the duration of program;
(8) Assistance with non-immigration status and other SEVIS-related
issues;
(9) Assistance with participant emergencies;
(10) Liaison with relevant U.S. embassies, Fulbright commissions
and country desk officers at the State Department.
Programs must conform with Bureau requirements and guidelines
outlined in the Solicitation Package which includes the Request for
Grant Proposals (RFGP), the Project Objectives, Goals and
Implementation (POGI) and the Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI).
Cooperating Agency Responsibilities
The cooperating agency or agencies is/are responsible for various
aspects of outreach, recruitment, and screening of applicants; SEVIS
duties and preparation of form DS-2019 under a G Program Number under
the Bureau's responsibility on behalf of the Teacher Exchange Branch;
orientation programs, professional in-service meetings, and
debriefings; placement and, as required for the classroom teacher
exchanges, matching U.S. teachers with international counterparts;
monitoring, supervision, and support of participants; administering
sub-award competitions as necessary; and fiscal management, evaluation,
and follow-on and alumni activities for the program components
described above. Please see the POGI for details pertaining to these
activities for each program component. The Bureau's program office and
the cooperating agency or agencies will meet regularly regarding
program implementation. The Bureau's program office and the cooperating
agency or agencies will also maintain regular telephone, e-mail, and
fax communications with each other.
Additional Guidelines
Applicant organizations should submit separate proposals with
budgets and narratives outlining a comprehensive strategy for the
administration and implementation of each pair of program components
for which they are applying: (Pair A: Fulbright Classroom Teacher
Exchanges/Distinguished Fulbright Awards in Teaching; Pair B:
International Leaders in Education/Teaching Excellence and Achievement;
Pair C: Educational Seminars/Teachers of Critical Languages).
Organizations may apply for more than one pair of components, but may
not apply to administer program components except in the combinations
prescribed. Proposals should reflect a vision for the programs,
interpreting the goals of the Fulbright-Hays Act and the Teacher
Exchange Program with creativity, as well as providing innovative ideas
and recommendations. The Bureau places a priority on ensuring that the
positive impact of the Teacher Exchange Program is visible to the
public in U.S. and host school communities. Applicant organizations
should outline a plan to work with the media and other organizations,
in close consultation with the Bureau, to ensure that the program and
its awards and achievements receive appropriate publicity.
The narrative portion of the proposal for each pair of program
components should not exceed 20 pages. Proposals may utilize appendices
to illustrate elements of the narrative.
Applicants must also provide a separate administrative and program
budget for each program pair. Where possible, proposals should reflect
economies of scale and should demonstrate administrative efficiencies.
Please refer to the Solicitation Package for further information.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Cooperative Agreement(s). ECA's level of involvement
in this program is listed under number I above.
Fiscal Year Funds: 2009.
Approximate Total Funding: $13,875,000 pending availability of
funds.
Approximate Number of Awards: 3 awards.
Anticipated Award Date: Pending availability of funds, October 1,
2008.
Anticipated Project Completion Date: September 30, 2011.
Additional Information: Pending successful implementation of this
program and the availability of funds in subsequent fiscal years, it is
ECA's intent to renew the grants for a period of two additional fiscal
years, before openly competing the programs again.
[[Page 13612]]
III. Eligibility Information
III.1. Eligible applicants: Applications may be submitted by public
and private non-profit organizations or consortia of institutions
meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code section 26
U.S.C. 501(c)(3).
Consortia of eligible organizations applying for grants should
designate one organization to be the recipient of the cooperative
agreement award. Proposals from consortia should provide a detailed
description of the responsibilities of each partner organization.
Organizations with primary responsibility for any of the six
program components must have a staff based in Washington, DC at the
time of application.
III.2. Cost Sharing or Matching Funds: The Bureau anticipates that
proposals will include significant amounts of cost-sharing in support
of the Teacher Exchange Program, and encourages applicants to provide
maximum levels of funding in support of this initiative.
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: 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 or more cooperative agreement
awards in (an) amount(s) over $60,000 to support program and
administrative costs required to implement this exchange program.
Therefore, organizations with less than four years experience in
conducting international exchanges are ineligible to apply under this
competition.
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 Ms. Pat Mosley in the Teacher Exchange Branch, ECA/A/S/X, Room
349, U.S. Department of State, SA-44, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington,
DC 20547, e-mail: mosleypm@state.gov, telephone: (202) 453-8897 and fax
number: (202) 453-8890, to request a Solicitation Package. Please refer
to the Funding Opportunity Number ECA/A/S/X-09-01 when making your
request.
Alternatively, an electronic application package may be obtained
from http://www.grants.gov. Please see section IV.3f. for further
information.
The Solicitation Package contains the Proposal Submission
Instruction (PSI) document which consists of required application
forms, and standard guidelines for proposal preparation.
It also contains the Project Objectives, Goals and Implementation
(POGI) document, which provides specific information, award criteria
and budget instructions tailored to this competition.
IV.2. To Download a Solicitation Package Via the Internet: The
entire Solicitation Package may be downloaded from the Bureau's Web
site at http://exchanges.state.gov/education/rfgps/menu.htm, or from
the Grants.gov Web site at http://www.grants.gov.
Please read all information before downloading.
IV.3. Content and Form of Submission: Applicants must follow all
instructions in the Solicitation Package. The application should be
submitted per the instructions under IV.3f. ``Application Deadline and
Methods of Submission'' section below.
IV.3a. You are required to have a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal
Numbering System (DUNS) number to apply for a grant or cooperative
agreement from the U.S. Government. This number is a nine-digit
identification number, which uniquely identifies business entities.
Obtaining a DUNS number is easy and there is no charge. To obtain a
DUNS number, access http://www.dunandbradstreet.com or call (1-866)
705-5711. Please ensure that your DUNS number is included in the
appropriate box of the SF--424 which is part of the formal application
package.
IV.3b. All proposals must contain an executive summary, a proposal
narrative, and a budget for each program within the program pair(s) for
which the applicant applies. The proposal narrative for each program
pair should not exceed twenty (20) pages in length.
Please Refer to the Solicitation Package. The mandatory Proposal
Submission Instructions (PSI) document and the Project Objectives,
Goals and Implementation (POGI) document contain additional formatting
and technical requirements.
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. Adherence to All Regulations Governing the J Visa: 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 grantees and sponsors to all
regulations governing the J visa. Therefore, proposals should
demonstrate the applicant's capacity to meet all requirements governing
the administration of the Exchange Visitor Programs as set forth in 22
CFR 62, including the oversight of Responsible Officers and Alternate
Responsible Officers, screening and selection of program participants,
provision of pre-arrival information and orientation to participants,
monitoring of participants, proper maintenance and security of forms,
record-keeping, reporting and other requirements.
The Grantee 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: United States Department of State, Office
of Exchange Coordination and Designation, ECA/EC/ECD--SA-44, Room 734,
301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547, Telephone: (202) 203-5029,
Fax: (202) 453-8640.
Please refer to Solicitation Package for further information.
IV.3d.2. Diversity, Freedom and Democracy Guidelines: Pursuant to
the
[[Page 13613]]
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
instrument plus a description of a methodology to use to link outcomes
to original project objectives. The Bureau expects that the grantee
will be able to respond to key evaluation questions, including
participant satisfaction with the program, learning as a result of the
program, and anticipated changes in behavior as a result of the
program. 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.
We encourage you to assess the following three 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. Anticipated Participant behavior, anticipated 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.
Grantees will be required to provide reports analyzing their
evaluation findings to the Bureau in their regular program reports.
Grantees will be required to submit ``success stories'' for Bureau
reporting purposes as well as outreach. 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.3d.4. Describe your plans for: overall program management,
staffing, coordination with ECA and with U.S. and international
educational institutions, Fulbright commissions and PAS of U.S.
embassies. Provide a staffing plan which outlines the responsibilities
of each staff person and explains which staff members will be
accountable for each program responsibility. Whenever possible,
streamline administrative processes.
IV.3e. Please take the following information into consideration
when preparing your budget:
IV.3e.1. Applicants must submit a comprehensive line item
administrative budget for each program within the program pairs which
they are applying to administer. It is anticipated that funding for the
cooperative agreement awards for program administration of the three
pairs of teacher exchange programs described here will be approximately
$13,875,000.
IV.3e.2. Allowable costs and additional budget guidance are
outlined in detail in the POGI document. Please refer to the
Solicitation Package for complete budget guidelines and formatting
instructions.
IV.3f. Application Deadline and Methods of Submission:
Application Deadline Date: May 23, 2008.
Reference Number: ECA/A/S/X-09-01.
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 10 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/X-09-01, Program Management, ECA/EX/PM, Room
534, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547.
IV.3f.2. Submitting Electronic Applications: Applicants have the
option of submitting proposals electronically through Grants.gov
(http://www.grants.gov). Complete
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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. Therefore, we
strongly recommend that you not wait until the application deadline to
begin the submission process through Grants.gov.
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: 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.
Applicants will receive a confirmation e-mail from grants.gov upon
the successful submission of an application. 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 Public
Affairs Sections 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
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. 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. Proposals should demonstrate a commitment to excellence and
creativity in the implementation and management of this program in its
various formats, including the recruitment, matching, and placement of
U.S. and international teachers and administrators, quality of
professional and pre-academic workshops, and effectiveness of program
design.
2. Program planning: Proposals should respond precisely to the
planning requirements outlined in the RFGP and POGI. Planning should
demonstrate substantive rigor. Detailed agendas and relevant work
plans, including timelines, should demonstrate feasibility and the
applicant's logistical capacity to implement the programs.
3. Ability to achieve program objectives: Proposals should
demonstrate clearly how the applicant will fulfill the programs'
objectives and implement plans, while demonstrating innovation and a
commitment to academic excellence and programmatic impact. Proposals
should demonstrate a capacity for flexibility in the management of the
programs.
4. Institutional Capacity: Proposed personnel and institutional
resources should be adequate and appropriate to achieve program goals.
Applicants should demonstrate established links to secondary schools
and institutions of higher education in the U.S. and knowledge of the
overseas educational environment, particularly an awareness of
conditions in societies and educational institutions outside the United
States as they apply to academic exchange programs. Applicants should
demonstrate prior experience or the capacity to negotiate significant
cost savings for international teachers from American institutions.
Applicants should also demonstrate their capacity to provide an
information management/database system that meets program requirements,
is compatible with the Bureau's systems, and provides for electronic
applications, electronic data storage, and electronic payment of
maintenance allowances. In its review of proposals, the Bureau will
consider the past performance of prior recipients and the demonstrated
potential of new applicants.
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 (recruitment
and selection of participants, placements, and program evaluation) and
program content (orientation programs, professional meetings,
debriefings). Proposals should articulate a diversity plan, not just a
statement of compliance.
6. Project Evaluation: Proposals should include a plan to evaluate
the programs' success, both as the activities unfold and at the end of
the programs. The Bureau recommends that proposals include a draft
survey questionnaire or other instrument plus description of a
methodology to use to link outcomes to original objectives.
7. Cost-effectiveness/Cost-sharing: The overhead and administrative
components of the proposal, including salaries, should be kept as low
as possible while adequate and appropriate to provide the required
services. Proposals should document plans to realize innovative cost-
sharing, cost-savings and other efficiencies through use of technology,
administrative streamlining, and other management techniques.
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.
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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://
exchanges.state.gov/education/grantsdiv/terms.htm#articleI.
VI.3. Reporting Requirements:
You must provide ECA with a hard copy original plus two copies of
the following reports:
A final program and financial report no more than 90 days after the
expiration of the award; quarterly financial reports, and ad hoc
program and financial reports as requested by the Teacher Exchange
Branch.
All data collected, including survey responses and contact
information, must be maintained for a minimum of three years and
provided to the Bureau upon request.
All reports must be sent to the ECA Grants Officer and ECA Program
Officer listed in the final assistance award document.
VII. Agency Contacts
For questions about this announcement, contact: Mr. Michael Kuban,
Fulbright Teacher Exchange Branch, ECA/A/S/X, Room 349, ECA/A/S/X-09-
01, U.S. Department of State, SA-44, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington,
DC 20547, e-mail: Kubanmm@state.gov, phone: (202) 453-8897, and fax:
(202) 453-8890.
All correspondence with the Bureau concerning this RFGP should
reference the above title and number ECA/A/S/X-09-01.
Please read the complete announcement before sending inquiries or
submitting proposals. All inquiries about the RFGP or any aspect of the
Teacher Exchange Program should be submitted in writing via e-mail to
Mr. Kuban. Any questions or requests for information from overseas
Fulbright commissions or Public Affairs Sections of U.S. embassies
should be submitted in writing via e-mail to Ms. Mosley for
transmission to those overseas offices. 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: March 4, 2008.
C. Miller Crouch,
Acting Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs,
Department of State.
[FR Doc. E8-5041 Filed 3-12-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P