10422 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 37 / Thursday, February 24, 2011 / Notices 

title, and OMB control number in any 

correspondence. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Direct requests for additional 

information regarding the collection 

listed in this notice, including requests 

for copies of the proposed information 

collection and supporting documents, to 

Keith D. Miller, Office of Overseas 

Schools, U.S. Department of State, 

Room H–328, 2301 C Street, NW., 

Washington, DC 20522–0132, who may 

be reached on 202–261–8200 or at 

millerkd2@state.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

We are soliciting public comments to 

permit the Department to: 

• Evaluate whether the proposed 

information collection is necessary for 

the proper performance of our 

functions. 

• Evaluate the accuracy of our 

estimate of the burden of the proposed 

collection, including the validity of the 

methodology and assumptions used. 

• Enhance the quality, utility, and 

clarity of the information to be 

collected. 

• Minimize the reporting burden on 

those who are to respond, including the 

use of automated collection techniques 

or other forms of technology. 

Abstract of proposed collection: 

The Office of Overseas Schools of the 

Department of State (A/OPR/OS) is 

responsible for determining that 

adequate educational opportunities 

exist at Foreign Service posts for 

dependents of U.S. Government 

personnel stationed abroad and for 

assisting American-sponsored overseas 

schools to demonstrate U.S. educational 

philosophy and practice. The 

information gathered enables A/OPR/OS 

to advise the Department and other 

foreign affairs agencies regarding 

current and constantly changing 

conditions, and enables A/OPR/OS to 

make judgments regarding assistance to 

schools for the improvement of 

educational opportunities. 

Methodology: 

Information is collected via electronic 

media. 

Additional Information: 

Dated: February 18, 2011. 

Matthew Klimow, 

Acting Executive Director, Bureau of 

Administration, Department of State. 

[FR Doc. 2011–4156 Filed 2–23–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4710–24–P 

DEPARTMENT OF STATE 

[Public Notice: 7341] 

Bureau of Educational and Cultural 

Affairs (ECA) Request for Grant 

Proposals: Youth Leadership Program 

With Sub-Saharan Africa 

Announcement Type: New 

Cooperative Agreement. 

Funding Opportunity Number: 

ECA/PE/C/PY–11–31. 

Catalog of Federal Domestic 

Assistance Number: 19.415 

Application Deadline: April 14, 2011. 

Executive Summary 

The Office of Citizen Exchanges, 

Youth Programs Division, of the Bureau 

of Educational and Cultural Affairs 

(ECA) announces an open competition 

for the Youth Leadership Program with 

Sub-Saharan Africa. 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 

provide youth and adult participants 

with three-week exchanges focused on 

civic education, community service, and 

youth leadership development, and to 

support follow-on projects in their home 

communities. U.S. Embassies in the 

participating countries will recruit, 

screen, and select the participants. ECA 

anticipates awarding one or two 

cooperative agreements that will 

support approximately 100 participants 

from 10 countries. Exchanges for 

participants from Anglophone countries 

will be conducted in English, and 

exchanges for participants from 

Francophone countries will be 

conducted in French. The awards will 

be contingent upon the availability of 

FY–2011 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 FulbrightHays Act. The purpose of the Act is ‘‘to 

enable the Government of the United 

States to increase mutual understanding 

between the people of the United States 

and the people of other countries * * *; 

to strengthen the ties which unite us 

with other nations by demonstrating the 

educational and cultural interests, 

developments, and achievements of the 

people of the United States and other 

nations * * * and thus to assist in the 

development of friendly, sympathetic 

and peaceful relations between the 

United States and the other countries of 

the world.’’ The funding authority for 

the program above is provided through 

legislation. 

Overview 

The Youth Leadership Program with 

Sub-Saharan Africa is a three-week 

exchange for high school youth and 

adult educators focused on civic 

education, community service, and 

youth leadership development. 

Subthemes that explore these 

overarching themes may be added, such 

as business and entrepreneurship, the 

environment, public health, or other 

topics relevant to the participating 

African countries. Participants engage in 

a variety of activities such as workshops 

on leadership and service, community 

site visits related to the program themes 

and subthemes, interactive training, 

presentations, visits to high schools, 

local cultural activities, and other 

activities designed to achieve the 

program’s stated goals. Multiple 

opportunities for participants to interact 

meaningfully with their American peers 

must be included. Follow-on activities 

with the participants are an integral part 

of the program, as the students apply 

the knowledge and skills they have 

acquired by planning service projects in 

their home communities. 

The goals of the program are to: 

(1) Promote mutual understanding 

between the people of the United States 

and the people of Africa; 

(2) Prepare youth leaders to become 

responsible citizens and contributing 

members of their communities; and 

(3) Foster relationships among youth 

from different ethnic, religious, and 

national groups. 

The objectives of the program are for 

participants to: 

(1) Demonstrate a better 

understanding of the elements of a 

participatory democracy as practiced in 

the United States; 

(2) Demonstrate critical thinking and 

leadership skills; and 

(3) Demonstrate skill at developing 

project ideas and planning a course of 

action to bring the projects to fruition. 

The primary themes of the program 

are: 

(1) Civic Education (Citizen 

Participation, Grassroots Democracy and 

Rule of Law); 

(2) Community Service; and 

(3) Youth Leadership Development. 

For each project, applicant 

organizations must focus on these 

primary themes. Secondary themes, 

such as business and entrepreneurship, 

the environment, public health, or other 

topics relevant to the participating 

African countries, will serve to illustrate 

the more abstract concepts of the 


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primary themes. For example, the 

secondary theme of the environment 

can be used to examine how a group of 

individuals with an idea can start a 

recycling campaign in their community. 

Using these goals, objectives, and 

themes, applicant organizations should 

identify their own specific and 

measurable outputs and outcomes based 

on the project specifications provided in 

this solicitation. Proposals should 

indicate how recipients will achieve the 

short-term program objectives, and how 

these objectives will contribute to the 

achievement of the stated long-term 

goals. 

Project Options 

The amount of funding available is 

approximately $550,000, pending the 

availability of funds. ECA anticipates 

awarding one or two cooperative 

agreements for the management of the 

Youth Leadership Program with SubSaharan Africa. One project will be 

conducted in English for 40 participants 

from four Anglophone countries of 

Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa and 

Tanzania; one project will be conducted 

in French for 60 participants from six 

Francophone countries of Burkina Faso, 

Chad, Cote D’Ivoire, Mali, Mauritania, 

and Niger. The Bureau reserves the right 

to reduce, revise, or increase proposal 

project configurations, budgets, and 

participant numbers in accordance with 

the needs of the program and the 

availability of funds. In addition, the 

Bureau reserves the right to adjust the 

participating countries should 

conditions change in the partner 

country or if other countries are 

identified as Department priorities. 

Organizations may apply for the 

Anglophone countries project, the 

Francophone countries project, or for 

both project options, but must submit 

only one proposal under this 

competition. Multiple submissions will 

be declared technically ineligible and 

will not be considered further in the 

review process. Please note the 

approximate funding for each option. 

The Bureau suggests a per capita cost 

between $5,000 and $6,000 for this 

program (applicants need not budget for 

participant international airfare). The 

Francophone countries project per 

capita costs may fall in the upper range 

due to the added cost for French 

interpretation. 

Option 1: Anglophone Countries 

(Approximately $220,000) 

A regional project conducted in 

English for 40 participants from Kenya, 

Nigeria, South Africa, and Tanzania. 

Approximately 10 participants (8 youth 

and 2 adults) from each participating 

country will travel to the United States. 

Option 2: Francophone Countries 

(Approximately $330,000) 

A regional project conducted in 

French for 60 participants from Burkina 

Faso, Chad, Cote D’Ivoire, Mali, 

Mauritania, and Niger. Approximately 

10 participants (8 youth and 2 adults) 

from each participating country will 

travel to the United States. French 

language interpreters must be provided 

for U.S. programming. 

For Both Options 

Regional projects should include 

activities where participants from 

several countries interact to share ideas 

and work on program themes during the 

U.S. exchange. However, not all 

delegations must travel to the United 

States at the same time. It is suitable to 

break them up into smaller sub-groups, 

but should keep a mix of participants 

from several countries. Applicants who 

propose to host a large delegation in the 

United States at one time must propose 

a plan to break it into smaller cohorts 

for most of the exchange activities. 

Applicants are encouraged to be creative 

and flexible in making arrangements 

that will help meet our program goals. 

Participants 

U.S. Embassies in the participating 

countries will recruit, screen, and select 

the participants; the award recipient 

will not be involved in participant 

selection. The youth participants will be 

high school students aged 15 to 18 years 

old with at least one semester of high 

school remaining. The adult 

participants may be teachers, trainers, 

school administrators, and/or 

community leaders who work with 

youth. They will have the dual role of 

both exchange participant and 

chaperone. The Anglophone 

participants will be proficient in the 

English language. The Francophone 

participants will not be required to have 

English proficiency; the award recipient 

must provide French language 

interpretation and place the participants 

in host families where at least one 

member speaks French. Where possible, 

U.S. Embassy staff will seek adult 

educators with some English ability. 

Organizational Capacity 

Applicant organizations must 

demonstrate their capacity for 

conducting international youth 

exchanges, focusing on three areas of 

competency: (1) Provision of projects 

that address the goals, objectives, and 

themes outlined in this document; 

(2) age-appropriate programming for 

youth; and (3) previous experience 

working on programs in the region. 

Applicants need not have organizational 

capacity in the participating countries, 

as the U.S. Embassies will serve as the 

in-country partner. 

U.S. Embassy Involvement 

U.S. Embassies in the participating 

countries will recruit, screen, and select 

the participants; provide pre-departure 

briefings; facilitate visas; arrange 

international travel to the United States; 

and oversee follow-on alumni projects. 

Once a cooperative agreement is 

awarded, the recipient must consult 

regularly with the Public Affairs Section 

at the U.S. Embassy in the partner 

country to implement the project. 

Guidelines 

Pending the availability of funds, it is 

anticipated that the cooperative 

agreement will begin on or about 

September 1, 2011. The award period 

will be 12 to 18 months in duration, as 

appropriate for the applicant’s program 

design. Planning and preparation will 

start in 2011, and the exchanges will 

take place sometime between November 

2011 and December 2012. Applicants 

should propose the period of the 

exchange(s) in their proposals, but the 

exact timing may be altered through the 

mutual agreement of the Department of 

State and the award recipient. 

The award recipient will be 

responsible for the following: 

Orientations: Provide pre-departure 

materials and information about the 

U.S. program to help the U.S. 

Embassies, participants, and their 

families in preparation for the exchange. 

Also, provide orientations for those 

participating from the host 

communities, including host families. 

Logistics: Manage all logistical 

arrangements, including French 

language interpretation as appropriate, 

domestic travel, ground transportation, 

accommodations, group meals, and 

disbursement of stipends. 

Exchange Activities: Design and plan 

three weeks of exchange activities that 

provide a creative and substantive 

program that develops both the youth 

and the adult participants’ knowledge 

and skill base in civic education, 

community service, and youth 

leadership development. The exchange 

will take place in no more than two or 

three locations so that the participants 

have time to familiarize themselves with 

a community. The exchange will focus 

primarily on interactive activities, 

practical experiences, and other handson opportunities that provide a 

substantive project on the specified 

program themes. Some activities should 


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10424 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 37 / Thursday, February 24, 2011 / Notices 

be school and/or community-based, and 

the projects will involve as much 

sustained interaction with peers of the 

host country as possible (for both the 

youth and adult participants). Cultural, 

social, and recreational activities will 

balance the schedule. Applicants may 

choose to include a visit to Washington, 

DC. 

Accommodations: Arrange home 

stays for the participants in the United 

States with properly screened and 

briefed American families for the 

majority of the exchange period. 

Criminal background checks must be 

conducted for members of host families 

(and others living in the home) who are 

18 years or older. Please see the POGI 

for more details on host family 

screening and placement. 

Monitoring: Develop and implement a 

plan to monitor the participants’ safety 

and well-being while on the exchange 

and to create opportunities for 

participants to share potential issues 

and resolve them promptly. The award 

recipient will be required to provide 

proper staff supervision and facilitation 

to ensure that the teenagers have safe 

and pedagogically rich programs. Staff, 

along with the adult participants, will 

assist the youth with cultural 

adjustments, provide societal context to 

enhance learning, and counsel students 

as needed. 

Follow-on Activities: Plan and 

implement activities in the participants’ 

home countries, in coordination with 

the U.S. Embassies, particularly by 

facilitating continued engagement 

among the participants, advising and 

supporting them in the implementation 

of community service projects, and 

offering opportunities to reinforce the 

ideas, values and skills imparted during 

the exchange. Exchange participants 

should return home from the exchange 

prepared to conduct projects that serve 

a need in their schools or communities. 

To amplify program impact, proposals 

should present creative and effective 

ways to address the project themes, for 

both program participants and their 

peers. 

Evaluation: Design and implement an 

evaluation plan that assesses the shortand medium-term impact of the project 

on the participants as well as on host 

and home communities. 

Please note: In a cooperative agreement, 

the Department of State is substantially 

involved in program activities above and 

beyond routine grant monitoring. The 

Department’s activities and responsibilities 

for the Youth Leadership Program with SubSaharan Africa are as follows: 

(1) Provide advice and assistance in the 

execution of all program components. 

(2) Manage the recruitment and selection of 

the participants, arrange and purchase 

international travel, provide pre-departure 

briefings, and oversee follow-on activities. 

(3) Issue DS–2019 forms and J–1 visas. All 

foreign participants will travel on a U.S. 

Government designation for the J Exchange 

Visitor Program. 

(4) Facilitate interaction within the 

Department of State, to include ECA, the 

regional bureaus, and overseas posts. 

(5) Arrange meetings with Department of 

State officials in Washington, DC and the 

participating countries. 

(6) Approve publicity materials and final 

calendar of exchange activities. 

(7) Monitor and evaluate the program, 

through regular communication with the 

award recipient and possibly one or more site 

visits. 

Additional Information 

Award recipients will retain the name 

‘‘Youth Leadership Program’’ to identify 

their project. All materials, publicity, 

and correspondence related to the 

program will acknowledge this as a 

program of the Bureau of Educational 

and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. 

Department of State. The Bureau will 

retain copyright use of and be allowed 

to distribute materials related to this 

program as it sees fit. 

The organization must inform the 

ECA Program Officer and participating 

U.S. Embassies of their progress at each 

stage of the project’s implementation in 

a timely fashion, and will be required to 

obtain approval of any significant 

program changes in advance of their 

implementation. 

Proposals must demonstrate how the 

stated objectives will be met. The 

proposal narrative should provide 

detailed information on the major 

project activities, and applicants should 

explain and justify their programmatic 

choices. Projects must comply with J–1 

visa regulations for the International 

Visitor and Government Visitor 

category. Please be sure to refer to the 

complete Solicitation Package—this 

RFGP, the Project Objectives, Goals, and 

Implementation (POGI), and the 

Proposal Submission Instructions 

(PSI)—for further information. 

II. Award Information 

Type of Award: Cooperative 

Agreement. ECA’s level of involvement 

in this program is listed under Section 

I above. 

Fiscal Year Funds: FY–2011. 

Approximate Total Funding: 

$550,000. 

Approximate Number of Awards: One 

or two. 

Floor of Award Range: $200,000. 

Ceiling of Award Range: $550,000. 

Anticipated Award Date: Pending 

availability of funds, September 1, 2011. 

Anticipated Project Completion Date: 

12–18 months after start date, to be 

specified by applicant based on project 

plan. 

III. Eligibility Information 

III.1. Eligible applicants: Applications 

may be submitted by public and private 

non-profit organizations meeting the 

provisions described in Internal 

Revenue Code section 26 U.S.C. 

501(c)(3). 

III.2. Cost Sharing or Matching Funds: 

There is no minimum or maximum 

percentage required for this 

competition. However, the Bureau 

encourages applicants to provide 

maximum levels of cost sharing and 

funding in support of its programs. 

When cost sharing is offered, it is 

understood and agreed that the 

applicant must provide the amount of 

cost sharing as stipulated in its proposal 

and later included in an approved 

agreement. Cost sharing may be in the 

form of allowable direct or indirect 

costs. For accountability, you must 

maintain written records to support all 

costs which are claimed as your 

contribution, as well as costs to be paid 

by the Federal government. Such 

records are subject to audit. The basis 

for determining the value of cash and 

in-kind contributions must be in 

accordance with OMB Circular A–110, 

(Revised), Subpart C.23—Cost Sharing 

and Matching. In the event you do not 

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 making multiple awards in 

amounts exceeding $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. The Bureau encourages 

applicants to provide maximum levels 

of cost sharing and funding in support 

of its programs. 

(b.) Proposed sub-award recipients are 

also limited to grant funding of $60,000 

or less if they do not have four years of 

experience in conducting international 

exchanges. 

(c.) The Bureau encourages applicants 

to provide maximum levels of cost 

sharing and funding in support of its 

programs. 


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(d.) Organizations may submit only 

one proposal (total) under this 

competition. If multiple proposals are 

received from the same applicant, all 

submissions will be declared 

technically ineligible and will be given 

no further consideration in the review 

process. Please note: Applicant 

organizations are defined by their legal 

name, and EIN number as stated on 

their completed SF–424 and additional 

supporting documentation outlined in 

the Proposal Submission Instructions 

(PSI) document. 

IV. Application and Submission 

Information 

Note: Please read the complete 

announcement before sending inquiries or 

submitting proposals. Once the RFGP 

deadline has passed, Bureau staff may not 

discuss this competition with applicants 

until the proposal review process has been 

completed. 

IV.1 Contact Information to Request an 

Application Package 

Please contact the Youth Programs 

Division, ECA/PE/C/PY, SA–5, 3rd 

Floor, U.S. Department of State, 2200 C 

Street, NW., Washington, DC 20037, by 

telephone (202) 632–9352, fax (202) 

632–9355, or e-mail 

PhillipsJA@state.gov to request a 

Solicitation Package. Please refer to the 

Funding Opportunity Number ECA/PE/ 

C/PY–11–31 located at the top of this 

announcement when making your 

request. 

Alternatively, an electronic 

application package may be obtained 

from grants.gov. Please see section IV.3f 

for further information. 

The Solicitation Package contains the 

Proposal Submission Instruction (PSI) 

document which consists of required 

application forms, and standard 

guidelines for proposal preparation. It 

also contains the Project Objectives, 

Goals and Implementation (POGI) 

document, which provides specific 

information, award criteria and budget 

instructions tailored to this competition. 

Please specify Program Officer 

Jennifer Phillips and refer to the 

Funding Opportunity Number ECA/PE/ 

C/PY–11–31 located at the top of this 

announcement on all other inquiries 

and correspondence. 

IV.2. To Download a Solicitation 

Package Via Internet 

The entire Solicitation Package may 

be downloaded from the Bureau’s Web 

site at http://exchanges.state.gov/grants/ 

open2.html, or from the Grants.gov Web 

site at http://www.grants.gov. Please 

read all information before 

downloading. 

IV.3. Content and Form of Submission: 

Applicants must follow all 

instructions in the Solicitation Package. 

The application should be submitted 

per the instructions under IV.3f. 

‘‘Application Deadline and Methods of 

Submission’’ section below. 

IV.3a. You are required to have a Dun 

and Bradstreet Data Universal 

Numbering System (DUNS) number to 

apply for a grant or cooperative 

agreement from the U.S. Government. 

This number is a nine-digit 

identification number, which uniquely 

identifies business entities. Obtaining a 

DUNS number is easy and there is no 

charge. To obtain a DUNS number, 

access http:// 

www.dunandbradstreet.com or call 

1–866–705–5711. Please ensure that 

your DUNS number is included in the 

appropriate box of the SF–424 which is 

part of the formal application package. 

IV.3b. All proposals must contain an 

executive summary, proposal narrative 

and budget. Please Refer to the 

Solicitation Package. It contains the 

mandatory Proposal Submission 

Instructions (PSI) document and the 

Project Objectives, Goals and 

Implementation (POGI) document for 

additional formatting and technical 

requirements. 

IV.3c. You must have nonprofit status 

with the IRS at the time of application. 

Please note: Effective January 7, 2009, 

all applicants for ECA Federal 

assistance awards must include in their 

application the names of directors and/ 

or senior executives (current officers, 

trustees, and key employees, regardless 

of amount of compensation). In 

fulfilling this requirement, applicants 

must submit information in one of the 

following ways: 

(1) Those who file Internal Revenue 

Service Form 990, ‘‘Return of 

Organization Exempt From Income 

Tax,’’ must include a copy of relevant 

portions of this form. 

(2) Those who do not file IRS Form 

990 must submit information above in 

the format of their choice. 

In addition to final program reporting 

requirements, award recipients will also 

be required to submit a one-page 

document, derived from their program 

reports, listing and describing their 

grant activities. For award recipients, 

the names of directors and/or senior 

executives (current officers, trustees, 

and key employees), as well as the onepage description of grant activities, will 

be transmitted by the State Department 

to OMB, along with other information 

required by the Federal Funding 

Accountability and Transparency Act 

(FFATA), and will be made available to 

the public by the Office of Management 

and Budget on its USASpending.gov 

Web site as part of ECA’s FFATA 

reporting requirements. 

If your organization is a private 

nonprofit which has not received a grant 

or cooperative agreement from ECA in 

the past three years, or if your 

organization received nonprofit status 

from the IRS within the past four years, 

you must submit the necessary 

documentation to verify nonprofit status 

as directed in the PSI document. Failure 

to do so will cause your proposal to be 

declared technically ineligible. 

IV.3d. Please take into consideration 

the following information when 

preparing your proposal narrative: 

IV.3d.1 Adherence To All Regulations 

Governing The J Visa 

The Office of Citizen Exchanges of the 

Bureau of Educational and Cultural 

Affairs is the official program sponsor of 

the exchange program covered by this 

RFGP, and an employee of the Bureau 

will be the ‘‘Responsible Officer’’ for the 

program under the terms of 22 CFR part 

62, which covers the administration of 

the Exchange Visitor Program (J visa 

program). Under the terms of 22 CFR 62, 

organizations receiving awards (either a 

grant or cooperative agreement) under 

this RFGP will be third parties 

‘‘cooperating with or assisting the 

sponsor in the conduct of the sponsor’s 

program.’’ The actions of recipient 

organizations shall be ‘‘imputed to the 

sponsor in evaluating the sponsor’s 

compliance with’’ 22 CFR part 62. 

Therefore, the Bureau expects that any 

organization receiving an award under 

this competition will render all 

assistance necessary to enable the 

Bureau to fully comply with 22 CFR 

part 62 et seq. 

The Bureau of Educational and 

Cultural Affairs places critically 

important emphases on the secure and 

proper administration of Exchange 

Visitor (J visa) Programs and adherence 

by recipient organizations and program 

participants to all regulations governing 

the J visa program status. Therefore, 

proposals should explicitly state in 

writing that the applicant is prepared to 

assist the Bureau in meeting all 

requirements governing the 

administration of Exchange Visitor 

Programs as set forth in 22 CFR part 62. 

If your organization has experience as a 

designated Exchange Visitor Program 

Sponsor, the applicant should discuss 

their record of compliance with 22 CFR 

part 62 et. seq., including the oversight 

of their Responsible Officers and 

Alternate Responsible Officers, 

screening and selection of program 

participants, provision of pre-arrival 


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information and orientation to 

participants, monitoring of participants, 

proper maintenance and security of 

forms, record-keeping, reporting and 

other requirements. 

The Office of Citizen Exchanges of 

ECA will be responsible for issuing 

DS–2019 forms to participants in this 

program. 

A copy of the complete regulations 

governing the administration of 

Exchange Visitor (J) programs is 

available at http://exchanges.state.gov 

or from: 

Office of Designation, Private Sector 

Programs Division, 

U.S. Department of State, ECA/EC/D/ 

PS, SA–5, 5th Floor, 2200 C Street, NW., 

Washington, DC 20037. 

IV.3d.2 Diversity, Freedom and 

Democracy Guidelines 

Pursuant to the Bureau’s authorizing 

legislation, programs must maintain a 

non-political character and should be 

balanced and representative of the 

diversity of American political, social, 

and cultural life. ‘‘Diversity’’ should be 

interpreted in the broadest sense and 

encompass differences including, but 

not limited to ethnicity, race, gender, 

religion, geographic location, socioeconomic status, and disabilities. 

Applicants are strongly encouraged to 

adhere to the advancement of this 

principle both in program 

administration and in program content. 

Please refer to the review criteria under 

the ‘Support for Diversity’ section for 

specific suggestions on incorporating 

diversity into your proposal. Public Law 

104–319 provides that ‘‘in carrying out 

programs of educational and cultural 

exchange in countries whose people do 

not fully enjoy freedom and 

democracy,’’ the Bureau ‘‘shall take 

appropriate steps to provide 

opportunities for participation in such 

programs to human rights and 

democracy leaders of such countries.’’ 

Public Law 106–113 requires that the 

governments of the countries described 

above do not have inappropriate 

influence in the selection process. 

Proposals should reflect advancement of 

these goals in their program contents, to 

the full extent deemed feasible. 

IV.3d.3. Program Monitoring and 

Evaluation 

Proposals must include a plan to 

monitor and evaluate the project’s 

success, both as the activities unfold 

and at the end of the program. The 

Bureau recommends that your proposal 

include a draft survey questionnaire or 

other technique plus a description of a 

methodology to use to link outcomes to 

original project objectives. The Bureau 

expects that the recipient organization 

will track participants or partners and 

be able to respond to key evaluation 

questions, including satisfaction with 

the program, learning as a result of the 

program, changes in behavior as a result 

of the program, and effects of the 

program on institutions (institutions in 

which participants work or partner 

institutions). The evaluation plan 

should include indicators that measure 

gains in mutual understanding as well 

as substantive knowledge. 

Successful monitoring and evaluation 

depend heavily on setting clear goals 

and outcomes at the outset of a program. 

Your evaluation plan should include a 

description of your project’s objectives, 

your anticipated project outcomes, and 

how and when you intend to measure 

these outcomes (performance 

indicators). The more that outcomes are 

‘‘smart’’ (specific, measurable, attainable, 

results-oriented, and placed in a 

reasonable time frame), the easier it will 

be to conduct the evaluation. You 

should also show how your project 

objectives link to the goals of the 

program described in this RFGP. 

Your monitoring and evaluation plan 

should clearly distinguish between 

program outputs and outcomes. Outputs 

are products and services delivered, 

often stated as an amount. Output 

information is important to show the 

scope or size of project activities, but it 

cannot substitute for information about 

progress towards outcomes or the 

results achieved. Examples of outputs 

include the number of people trained or 

the number of seminars conducted. 

Outcomes, in contrast, represent 

specific results a project is intended to 

achieve and is usually measured as an 

extent of change. Findings on outputs 

and outcomes should both be reported, 

but the focus should be on outcomes. 

We encourage you to assess the 

following four levels of outcomes, as 

they relate to the program goals set out 

in the RFGP (listed here in increasing 

order of importance): 

1. Participant satisfaction with the 

program and exchange experience. 

2. Participant learning, such as 

increased knowledge, aptitude, skills, 

and changed understanding and 

attitude. Learning includes both 

substantive (subject-specific) learning 

and mutual understanding. 

3. Participant behavior, concrete 

actions to apply knowledge in work or 

community; greater participation and 

responsibility in civic organizations; 

interpretation and explanation of 

experiences and new knowledge gained; 

continued contacts between 

participants, community members, and 

others. 

4. Institutional changes, such as 

increased collaboration and 

partnerships, policy reforms, new 

programming, and organizational 

improvements. 

Please note: Consideration should be given 

to the appropriate timing of data collection 

for each level of outcome. For example, 

satisfaction is usually captured as a shortterm outcome, whereas behavior and 

institutional changes are normally 

considered longer-term outcomes. 

Overall, the quality of your 

monitoring and evaluation plan will be 

judged on how well it (1) specifies 

intended outcomes; (2) gives clear 

descriptions of how each outcome will 

be measured; (3) identifies when 

particular outcomes will be measured; 

and (4) provides a clear description of 

the data collection strategies for each 

outcome (i.e., surveys, interviews, or 

focus groups). (Please note that 

evaluation plans that deal only with the 

first level of outcomes [satisfaction] will 

be deemed less competitive under the 

present evaluation criteria.) 

Recipient organizations will be 

required to provide reports analyzing 

their evaluation findings to the Bureau 

in their regular program reports. All 

data collected, including survey 

responses and contact information, must 

be maintained for a minimum of three 

years and provided to the Bureau upon 

request. 

IV.3e. Please take the following 

information into consideration when 

preparing your budget: 

IV.3e.1. Applicants must submit SF– 

424A—‘‘Budget Information—NonConstruction Programs’’ along with a 

comprehensive budget for the entire 

program. There must be a summary 

budget as well as breakdowns reflecting 

both administrative and program 

budgets. Applicants may provide 

separate sub-budgets for each program 

component, phase, location, or activity 

to provide clarification. Please refer to 

the Solicitation Package (POGI and PSI) 

for complete budget guidelines and 

formatting instructions. 

IV.3f. Application Deadline and 

Methods of Submission 

Application Deadline Date: April 14, 

2011. 

Reference Number: ECA/PE/C/PY– 

11–31. 

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., Federal Express, UPS, Airborne 

Express, or U.S. Postal Service Express 

Overnight Mail, etc.), or 


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(2) Electronically through http:// 

www.grants.gov. 

Along with the Project Title, all 

applicants must enter the above 

Reference Number in Box 11 on the 

SF–424 contained in the mandatory 

Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) 

of the solicitation document. 

IV.3f.1 Submitting Printed 

Applications 

Applications must be shipped no later 

than the above deadline. Delivery 

services used by applicants must have 

in-place, centralized shipping 

identification and tracking systems that 

may be accessed via the Internet and 

delivery people who are identifiable by 

commonly recognized uniforms and 

delivery vehicles. Proposals shipped on 

or before the above deadline but 

received at ECA more than seven days 

after the deadline will be ineligible for 

further consideration under this 

competition. Proposals shipped after the 

established deadlines are ineligible for 

consideration under this competition. 

ECA will not notify you upon receipt of 

application. It is each applicant’s 

responsibility to ensure that each 

package is marked with a legible 

tracking number and to monitor/confirm 

delivery to ECA via the Internet. 

Delivery of proposal packages may not 

be made via local courier service or in 

person for this competition. Faxed 

documents will not be accepted at any 

time. Only proposals submitted as 

stated above will be considered. 

Important note: When preparing your 

submission please make sure to include one 

extra copy of the completed SF–424 form and 

place it in an envelope addressed to ‘‘ECA/ 

EX/PM’’. 

The original and six (6) copies of the 

application should be sent to: 

Program Management Division, ECA– 

IIP/EX/PM, Ref.: ECA/PE/C/PY–11–31, 

SA–5, Floor 4, Department of State, 

2200 C Street, NW., Washington, DC 

20037. 

Applicants submitting hard-copy 

applications must also submit the 

Executive Summary, Proposal Narrative, 

and Budget sections of the proposal, as 

well as any attachments essential to 

understanding the program, in Microsoft 

Word and/or Excel format on CD–ROM. 

As appropriate, the Bureau will provide 

these files electronically to Public 

Affairs Sections at the U.S. Embassies 

for their review. 

IV.3f.2—Submitting Electronic 

Applications 

Applicants have the option of 

submitting proposals electronically 

through Grants.gov (http:// 

www.grants.gov). Complete solicitation 

packages are available at Grants.gov in 

the ‘‘Find’’ portion of the system. 

Please note: ECA bears no responsibility 

for applicant timeliness of submission or data 

errors resulting from transmission or 

conversion processes for proposals submitted 

via Grants.gov. 

Please follow the instructions 

available in the ‘Get Started’ portion of 

the site (http://www.grants.gov/ 

GetStarted). 

Several of the steps in the Grants.gov 

registration process could take several 

weeks. Therefore, applicants should 

check with appropriate staff within their 

organizations immediately after 

reviewing this RFGP to confirm or 

determine their registration status with 

Grants.gov. 

Once registered, the amount of time it 

can take to upload an application will 

vary depending on a variety of factors 

including the size of the application and 

the speed of your Internet connection. 

In addition, validation of an electronic 

submission via Grants.gov can take up 

to two business days. 

Therefore, we strongly recommend 

that you not wait until the application 

deadline to begin the submission 

process through Grants.gov. 

The Grants.gov Web site includes 

extensive information on all phases/ 

aspects of the Grants.gov process, 

including an extensive section on 

frequently asked questions, located 

under the ‘‘For Applicants’’ section of 

the Web site. ECA strongly recommends 

that all potential applicants review 

thoroughly the Grants.gov Web site, 

well in advance of submitting a 

proposal through the Grants.gov system. 

ECA bears no responsibility for data 

errors resulting from transmission or 

conversion processes. 

Direct all questions regarding 

Grants.gov registration and submission 

to: 

Grants.gov Customer Support. 

Contact Center Phone: 800–518–4726. 

Business Hours: Monday—Friday, 

7 a.m.–9 p.m. Eastern Time. 

E-mail: support@grants.gov. 

Applicants have until midnight 

(12 a.m.), Washington, DC time of the 

closing date to ensure that their entire 

application has been uploaded to the 

Grants.gov site. There are no exceptions 

to the above deadline. Applications 

uploaded to the site after midnight of 

the application deadline date will be 

automatically rejected by the grants.gov 

system, and will be technically 

ineligible. 

Please refer to the Grants.gov Web 

site, for definitions of various 

‘‘application statuses’’ and the difference 

between a submission receipt and a 

submission validation. Applicants will 

receive a validation e-mail from 

grants.gov upon the successful 

submission of an application. Again, 

validation of an electronic submission 

via Grants.gov can take up to two 

business days. Therefore, we strongly 

recommend that you not wait until the 

application deadline to begin the 

submission process through Grants.gov. 

ECA will not notify you upon receipt of 

electronic applications. 

It is the responsibility of all 

applicants submitting proposals via the 

Grants.gov Web portal to ensure that 

proposals have been received by 

Grants.gov in their entirety, and ECA 

bears no responsibility for data errors 

resulting from transmission or 

conversion processes. 

IV.3g. Intergovernmental Review of 

Applications: Executive Order 12372 

does not apply to this program. 

V. Application Review Information 

V.1. Review Process 

The Bureau will review all proposals 

for technical eligibility. Proposals will 

be deemed ineligible if they do not fully 

adhere to the guidelines stated herein 

and in the Solicitation Package. All 

eligible proposals will be reviewed by 

the program office, as well as the Public 

Diplomacy section overseas, where 

appropriate. Eligible proposals will be 

subject to compliance with Federal and 

Bureau regulations and guidelines and 

forwarded to Bureau grant panels for 

advisory review. Proposals may also be 

reviewed by the Office of the Legal 

Adviser or by other Department 

elements. Final funding decisions are at 

the discretion of the Department of 

State’s Assistant Secretary for 

Educational and Cultural Affairs. Final 

technical authority for assistance 

awards (cooperative agreements) resides 

with the Bureau’s Grants Officer. 

Review Criteria 

Technically eligible applications will 

be competitively reviewed according to 

the criteria stated below. 

1. Quality of the program idea: 

Objectives should be reasonable, 

feasible, and flexible. The proposal 

should clearly demonstrate how the 

institution will meet the program’s 

objectives and plan. The proposed 

program should be creative, ageappropriate, respond to the design 

outlined in the solicitation, and 

demonstrate originality. It should be 

clearly and accurately written, 

substantive, and with sufficient detail. 

Proposals should also include a plan to 

support participants’ community 

activities upon their return home. 


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2. Program planning: A detailed 

agenda and work plan should clearly 

demonstrate how project objectives 

would be achieved. The agenda and 

plan should adhere to the program 

overview and guidelines described 

above. The substance of workshops, 

seminars, presentations, school-based 

activities, and/or site visits should be 

described in detail. 

3. Support of diversity: The proposal 

should demonstrate the recipient’s 

commitment to promoting the 

awareness and understanding of 

diversity in participant recruitment and 

selection and in program content. 

Applicants should demonstrate 

readiness to accommodate participants 

with physical disabilities. 

4. Institutional capacity and track 

record: Proposed personnel and 

institutional resources in both the 

United States and in the partner 

countries should be adequate and 

appropriate to achieve the program 

goals. The proposal should demonstrate 

an institutional record of successful 

exchange programs, including 

responsible fiscal management and full 

compliance with all reporting 

requirements for past Bureau awards as 

determined by Bureau Grants Staff. The 

Bureau will consider the past 

performance of prior recipients and the 

demonstrated potential of new 

applicants. 

5. Program evaluation: The proposal 

should include a plan to evaluate the 

program’s success in meeting its goals, 

both as the activities unfold and after 

they have been completed. The proposal 

should include a draft survey 

questionnaire or other technique, plus a 

description of a methodology to link 

outcomes to original project objectives. 

The award recipient will be expected to 

submit intermediate reports after each 

project component is concluded. 

6. Cost-effectiveness and cost sharing: 

The applicant should demonstrate 

efficient use of Bureau funds. The 

overhead and administrative 

components of the proposal, including 

salaries and honoraria, should be kept 

as low as possible. All other items 

should be necessary and appropriate. 

The proposal should maximize costsharing through other private sector 

support as well as institutional direct 

funding contributions, which 

demonstrates institutional and 

community commitment. 

VI. Award Administration Information 

VI.1 Award Notices 

Final awards cannot be made until 

funds have been appropriated by 

Congress, allocated and committed 

through internal Bureau procedures. 

Successful applicants will receive a 

Federal Assistance Award (FAA) from 

the Bureau’s Grants Office. The FAA 

and the original proposal with 

subsequent modifications (if applicable) 

shall be the only binding authorizing 

document between the recipient and the 

U.S. Government. The FAA will be 

signed by an authorized Grants Officer, 

and mailed to the recipient’s 

responsible officer identified in the 

application. 

Unsuccessful applicants will receive 

notification of the results of the 

application review from the ECA 

program office coordinating this 

competition. 

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 Nonprofit Organizations. 

Please reference the following Web 

sites for additional information: http:// 

www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants, 

http://fa.statebuy.state.gov. 

VI.3. Reporting Requirements: You 

must provide ECA with a hard copy 

original plus one copy of the following 

reports: 

(1) A final program and financial 

report no more than 90 days after the 

expiration of the award; 

(2) A concise, one-page final program 

report summarizing program outcomes 

no more than 90 days after the 

expiration of the award. This one-page 

report will be transmitted to OMB, and 

be made available to the public via 

OMB’s USAspending.gov Web site—as 

part of ECA’s Federal Funding 

Accountability and Transparency Act 

(FFATA) reporting requirements. 

(3) A SF–PPR, ‘‘Performance Progress 

Report’’ Cover Sheet with all program 

reports, including the SF–PPR–E and 

SF–PPR–F. 

(4) Quarterly or interim reports, as 

required in the Bureau cooperative 

agreement. 

Award recipients will be required to 

provide reports analyzing their 

evaluation findings to the Bureau in 

their regular program reports. (Please 

refer to IV.3.d.3 Application and 

Submission Instructions 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. 

VII. Agency Contacts 

For questions about this 

announcement, contact: Jennifer 

Phillips, Youth Programs Division, 

ECA/PE/C/PY, SA–5, 3rd Floor, U.S. 

Department of State, 2200 C Street, NW., 

Washington, DC 20522–0503, by 

telephone 202–632–9352, fax 202–632– 

9355, or e-mail PhillipsJA@state.gov. 

All correspondence with the Bureau 

concerning this RFGP should reference 

the above title and reference number 

ECA/PE/C/PY–11–31. 

Please read the complete 

announcement before sending inquiries 

or submitting proposals. Once the RFGP 

deadline has passed, Bureau staff may 

not discuss this competition with 

applicants until the proposal review 

process has been completed. 

VIII. Other Information 

Notice 

The terms and conditions published 

in this RFGP are binding and may not 

be modified by any Bureau 

representative. Explanatory information 

provided by the Bureau that contradicts 

published language will not be binding. 

Issuance of the RFGP does not 

constitute an award commitment on the 

part of the Government. The Bureau 

reserves the right to reduce, revise, or 

increase proposal budgets in accordance 

with the needs of the program and the 

availability of funds. Awards made will 

be subject to periodic reporting and 

evaluation requirements per section VI.3 

above. 

Dated: February 15, 2011. 

Ann Stock, 

Assistant Secretary for Educational and 

Cultural Affairs, Department of State. 

[FR Doc. 2011–4202 Filed 2–23–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4710–05–P 


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