[Federal Register: December 15, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 240)]
[Notices]
[Page 74417-74422]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr15de05-112]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF STATE
[Public Notice 5245]
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for
Grant Proposals: Religion and Society: A Dialogue
Announcement Type: New Grant.
Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/PE/C/NEA-AF-06-26.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 00.000.
Application Deadline: February 16, 2006.
Executive Summary
The Office of Citizen Exchanges of the Bureau of Educational and
Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State, announces a special
competition for two to three grants to support international exchange
projects under the rubric ``Religion and Society: A Dialogue.'' 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 and implement a multi-phased exchange to engage
influential clerics, religious scholars and community leaders from
countries with significant Muslim populations in dialogue designed to
educate participants about the scholarship and practice of Islam in the
United States and the world and the compatibility of religious practice
and democratic social and political values and structures.
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.
Overview
The Office of Citizen Exchanges consults with and supports American
public and private nonprofit organizations in developing and
implementing multi-phased, often multi-year, exchanges of
professionals, community leaders, scholars and academics, public policy
advocates, non-governmental organization activists, etc. These
exchanges address issues of vital importance to the United States and
to other countries; they promote focused, substantive, and cooperative
interaction among counterparts; and they entail both theoretical and
experiential learning for all participants. A primary goal is the
development of sustained, international, institutional and individual
linkages. In addition to providing a context for professional
development and collaborative problem-solving, these projects are
intended to introduce foreign participants and their American
counterparts to one another's political, social, and economic
structures, facilitating improved communication and enhancing mutual
understanding. Desirable components of an exchange may be local citizen
involvement and activities that orient foreign participants to American
society and culture.
The initiative ``Religion and Society: A Dialogue'' will support
two to three grants facilitating the international exchange of American
and non-American clerics, religious scholars, and community leaders--
influential opinion leaders recognized for their ability to communicate
in scholarly writing, through sermons, or by virtue of a position of
community leadership. The objectives of the exchange are (1) to enhance
the non-American participants' understanding of the place of religion
and serious religious study, particularly Islam, in American life; (2)
to provide a forum for examination and discussion of the compatibility
of religious practice and democratic social and political values and
structures, the benefits produced by coexistence among religious
communities, and the practice of Islam in a multi-cultural, multi-
religious context; and (3) to broaden the understanding of American
scholars, clerics, and laypersons of the place of Islam in non-American
societies.
Competitive program models would outline activities for a two-year
exchange, including: Consultations and participant selection in
participating countries by American professionals (selection
coordinated with U.S. Embassies); study trips of up to 28 non-American
scholars, clerics, and community leaders to the United States for
several weeks (approximately 14 participants in two separate tours, one
each year); and final consultations and workshops in the countries of
origin of non-American participants by up to 14 American scholars,
etc., Muslim and non-Muslim (approximately 7 American participants in
each of two separate tours). Study tours in the United States would
include: Meetings at Islamic centers, discussions with American Muslim
and non-Muslim counterparts, familiarization with major religious
libraries and archives, particularly those holding significant Islamic
collections, discussions with leaders and members of religious and
secular institutions that represent America's guarantee of human
dignity and freedom of worship, and participation in scholarly (and
possibly public) workshops and seminars. Abroad, Americans would
participate in workshops and seminars, consult with local clerics,
scholars, and community leaders, etc.
Participants may be drawn from any relevant country, worldwide.
Proposals should provide a persuasive rationale for the country or
countries included in the exchange. The Office of Citizen Exchanges
encourages applicants to be creative in planning project
implementation. Activities may include both theoretical orientation and
experiential, community-based initiatives designed to achieve
objectives. Applicants should, in their proposals, identify any partner
organizations and/or individuals inside or outside the U.S. with which/
whom
[[Page 74418]]
they are proposing to collaborate and justify the collaboration on the
basis of experience, accomplishments, etc.
Selection of Participants
Applications should include a description of a merit-based, focused
participant selection process. Applicants should anticipate consulting
with the Public Affairs Sections of U.S. Embassies in selecting
participants, with the Embassy retaining the right to nominate
participants, to advise the grantee regarding participants recommended
by other entities, and to have final approval of the list of
participants identified.
Public Affairs Section Involvement
The Public Affairs Sections (PAS) of the U.S. Embassies often play
an important role in project implementation. PAS will initially
evaluate project proposals and may, in consultation with the grantee
organization, coordinate planning with the grantee organization and in-
country partners, facilitate in-country activities, nominate
participants and vet grantee nominations, observe in-country
activities, and debrief participants. PAS will also evaluate project
impact.
Though project administration and implementation are the
responsibility of the grantee, the grantee is expected to inform the
PAS in participating countries of its operations and procedures and to
coordinate with PAS officers in the development of project activities.
The PAS should be consulted regarding country priorities, political and
cultural sensitivities, security issues, and logistic and programmatic
issues.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Grant Agreement.
Fiscal Year Funds: 2006.
Approximate Total Funding: $1,000,000, to be allocated among two to
three grant awards.
Approximate Number of Awards: Two to three.
Anticipated Award Date: Pending availability of funds, August 31,
2006.
Anticipated Project Completion Date: July 31, 2008 to May 31, 2009.
Projects under this competition may range in length from two 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 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. Required 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. Cost sharing is an important
element of the ECA-grantee institution relationship, and it
demonstrates the implementing organization's commitment to the program.
Cost sharing is included as one criterion for grant proposal
evaluation. 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
under the Cost Effectiveness and Cost Sharing criterion (item V.1,
below).
When cost sharing is offered, it is understood and agreed that the
applicant must provide the amount of cost sharing 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
that 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 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 two to three grants, in an amount up
to $500,000 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.
(b.) Technical Eligibility: Proposals must comply with the
requirements outlined in this Request for Grant Proposals and
accompanying Proposal Submission Instructions in order to be considered
technically eligible for consideration in the review process.
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: The
Application Package comprises the Proposal Submission Instruction (PSI)
document, consisting of required application forms and standard
guidelines for proposal preparation. The Solicitation Package may be
downloaded from: http://exchanges.state.gov/education/rfgps/menu.htm.
Please read all information before downloading.
IV.2 To receive a hard copy of the Application Package via U.S.
Postal Service, contact Thomas Johnston, Office of Citizen Exchanges,
ECA/PE/C/NEA-AF, Room 216, U.S. Department of State, SA-44, 301 4th
Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547, Telephone (202) 453-8162; Fax (202)
453-8168; E-mail JohnstonTJ@state.gov. Please refer to Funding
Opportunity Number ECA/PE/C/NEA-AF-06-26 on all inquiries and
correspondence.
IV.3. Content and Form of Submission: Applicants must follow all
instructions in the Solicitation Package. The original and ten copies
of the application should be sent per the instructions under IV.3f.
``Submission Dates and Times section,'' below.
IV.3a. Applicants 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 the 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
[[Page 74419]]
and budget. Please refer to the Application Package, containing the
mandatory Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) document, for
additional formatting and technical requirements.
IV.3c. Applicants 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
Office of Citizen Exchanges of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural
Affairs is the official program sponsor of the exchange program covered
by this RFGP, and an employee of the Bureau will be the ``Responsible
Officer'' for the program under the terms of 22 CFR 62, which covers
the administration of the Exchange Visitor Program (J visa program).
Under the terms of 22 CFR 62, organizations receiving grants under this
RFGP will be third parties ``cooperating with or assisting the sponsor
in the conduct of the sponsor's program.'' The actions of grantee
program organizations shall be ``imputed to the sponsor in evaluating
the sponsor's compliance with'' 22 CFR 62. Therefore, the Bureau
expects that any organization receiving a grant under this competition
will render all assistance necessary to enable the Bureau to fully
comply with 22 CFR 62 et seq.
The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs places great
emphasis on the secure and proper administration of Exchange Visitor (J
visa) Programs and adherence by grantee program organizations and
program participants to all regulations governing the J visa program
status. Therefore, proposals should explicitly state in writing that
the applicant is prepared to assist the Bureau in meeting all
requirements governing the administration of Exchange Visitor Programs
as set forth in 22 CFR 62. If your organization has experience as a
designated Exchange Visitor Program Sponsor, the applicant should
discuss its record of compliance with 22 CFR 62 et. seq., including the
oversight of its 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: 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.
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 fullest extent 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 grantee
will track participants or partners and be able to respond to key
evaluation questions, including satisfaction with the program, learning
as a result of the program, changes in behavior as a result of the
program, and effects of the program on institutions (institutions in
which participants work or partner institutions). The evaluation plan
should include indicators that measure gains in mutual understanding as
well as substantive knowledge.
Successful monitoring and evaluation depend heavily on setting
clear goals and outcomes at the outset of a program. Your evaluation
plan should include a description of your project's objectives, your
anticipated project outcomes, and how and when you intend to measure
these outcomes (performance indicators). The more that outcomes are
``smart'' (specific, measurable, attainable, results-oriented, and
placed in a reasonable time frame), the easier it will be to conduct
the evaluation. You should also show how your project objectives link
to the goals of the program described in this RFGP.
Your monitoring and evaluation plan should clearly distinguish
between program outputs and outcomes. Outputs are products and services
delivered, often stated as an amount. Output information is important
to show the scope or size of project activities, but it cannot
substitute for information about progress towards outcomes or the
results achieved. Examples of outputs include the number of people
trained or the number of seminars conducted. Outcomes represent
specific results a project is intended to achieve and are 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
[[Page 74420]]
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
criterion.)
Grantees will be required to provide reports analyzing their
evaluation findings to the Bureau in their regular program reports. All
data collected, including survey responses and contact information,
must be maintained for a minimum of three years and provided to the
Bureau upon request.
IV.3e. Please take the following information into consideration
when preparing your budget:
IV.3e.1. Applicants must submit a comprehensive budget for the
entire project. 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. Budgets that limit
administrative costs to approximately 25% of the funding sought from
ECA will be given priority consideration.
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://policyworks.gov/org/main/mt/homepage/mtt/perdiem/perd03d.html.
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://www.state.gov/m/a/als/prdm/html.
3. Interpreters. For U.S.-based activities, ECA strongly encourages
applicants to hire their own locally based interpreters. However,
applicants may ask ECA to assign State Department interpreters. One
interpreter is typically needed for every four participants who require
interpretation. When an applicant proposes to use State Department
interpreters, the following expenses should be included in the budget:
Published Federal per diem rates (both ``lodging'' and ``M&IE'') and
``home-program-home'' transportation in the amount of $400 per
interpreter. Salary expenses for State Department interpreters will be
covered by the Bureau and should not be part of an applicant's proposed
budget. 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. Normally, no more than one working meal may be
provided during the program. Per capita costs may not exceed $15-$25
for lunch and $20-$35 for dinner, excluding room rental. The number of
invited guests may not exceed participants by more than a factor of
two-to-one. When setting up a budget, interpreters should be considered
``participants.''
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 program by the ECA-sponsored Accident and
Sickness Program for Exchanges (ASPE), for which the grantee must
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 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. Submission Dates and Times:
Application Deadline Date: Thursday, February 16, 2006.
[[Page 74421]]
Explanation of Deadlines: Due to 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 ten copies of the application should be sent to:
U.S. Department of State, SA-44, Bureau of Educational and Cultural
Affairs, Ref.: ECA/PE/C/NEA-AF-06-26, 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.
IV.3g. Intergovernmental Review of Applications: Executive Order
12372 does not apply to this program.
IV.3h. Applicants must also submit the ``Executive Summary'' and
``Proposal Narrative'' sections of the proposal in text (.txt) format
on a PC-formatted disk. The Bureau will provide these files
electronically to the appropriate Public Affairs Section(s) at the U.S.
embassy(ies) for its(their) review.
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 grant awards resides with the Bureau's Grants
Officer.
Review Criteria
Technically eligible applications will be competitively reviewed
according to the criteria stated below. All criteria carry equal weight
in the proposal evaluation:
1. Quality of the Program Idea: Proposals should be substantive,
well thought out, focused on issues of demonstrable relevance to all
proposed participants, and responsive to the exchange suggestions and
guidelines provided above.
2. Implementation Plan and Ability to Achieve Objectives: A
detailed project implementation plan should establish a clear and
logical connection between the interest, the expertise, and the
logistic capacity of the applicant and the objectives to be achieved.
The plan should discuss in concrete terms how the institution proposes
to achieve the objectives. Institutional resources--including
personnel--assigned to the project should be adequate and appropriate
to achieve project objectives. The substance of workshops and site
visits should be included as an attachment, and the responsibilities of
U.S. participants and in-country partners should be clearly delineated.
3. Institutional Capacity: Proposals should include an
institutional record of successful exchange programs, with reference to
responsible fiscal management and full compliance with reporting
requirements. The Bureau will consider the demonstrated potential of
new applicants and will evaluate the performance record of prior
recipients of Bureau grants as reported by the Bureau grant staff.
4. Post-Grant Activities: Applicants should provide a plan for
sustained follow-on activity (building on the linkages developed under
the grant and the activities initially funded by the grant) after grant
funds have been expended. This will ensure that Bureau-supported
projects are not isolated events. Funds for all post-grant activities
must be in the form of contributions from the applicant or sources
outside the Bureau. Costs for these activities must not appear in the
proposal budget but should be outlined in the narrative.
5. Project Evaluation/Monitoring: Proposals should include a
detailed plan to monitor and evaluate the project. Competitive
evaluation plans will describe how the applicant organization will
measure results, defined in both qualitative and quantitative terms and
will include draft data collection instruments (surveys,
questionnaires, etc.) in Tab E. See the ``Program Management/
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.
6. 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) per cent 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.
7. Support of Diversity: Proposals should demonstrate support for
the Bureau's policy on diversity. Features relevant to this policy
should be cited in program implementation (selection of participants,
program venue, and program evaluation), program content, (orientation
and wrap-up session, program meetings, resource materials
[[Page 74422]]
and follow-up activities), and program administration. Applicants
should refer to the Bureau's Diversity, Freedom and Democracy
Guidelines in the Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) and the
Diversity, Freedom and Democracy Guidelines section, Item IV.3d.2,
above for additional 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 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 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:
1. Semi-annual program and financial reports, which include a
description of program activities implemented in the course of the six-
month period and an accounting of expenditures.
2. A final program and financial report no more than 90 days after
the expiration date of the award.
3. 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.3d.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
persons who travel internationally on funds provided by the grant.
(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: Thomas Johnston,
Office of Citizen Exchanges, ECA/PE/C/NEA-AF, Room 216, ECA/PE/C/NEA-
AF-06-26, U.S. Department of State, SA-44, 301 4th Street, SW.,
Washington, DC 20547, Telephone: (202) 453-8162; Fax: (202)453-8168; E-
mail: JohnstonTJ@state.gov. Correspondence with the Bureau concerning
this RFGP should reference the above title and number ECA/PE/C/NEA-AF-
06-26.
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: December 7, 2005.
Dina Habib Powell,
Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs, Department of
State.
[FR Doc. E5-7391 Filed 12-14-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P