Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 52 / Thursday, March 17, 2011 / Notices 14719 

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 of all persons who travel 

internationally on funds provided by 

the agreement or who benefit from the 

award funding but do not travel. 

(2) Itineraries of international and 

domestic travel, providing dates of 

travel and cities in which any exchange 

experiences take place. Final schedules 

for in-country and U.S. activities must 

be received by the ECA Program Officer 

at least three work days prior to the 

official opening of the activity. 

(3) Information about participating 

schools and organizations including, but 

not limited to, location, demography, 

participating program leaders, teachers, 

students, and youth. 

VII. Agency Contacts 

For questions about this 

announcement, contact: Ilo-Mai 

Harding, Program Officer, Office of 

Citizen Exchanges, ECA–PE–C–PY, 

Room 3–H17, U.S. Department of State, 

SA–5, 2200 C Street, NW., Washington, 

DC 20037, telephone: 202–632–9386, 

fax number: 202–632–9355, E-mail: 

HardingIM@state.gov. 

All correspondence with the Bureau 

concerning this RFGP should reference 

the above title and number: ECA/PE/C/ 

PY–11–32. 

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: March 9, 2011. 

Ann Stock, 

Assistant Secretary for Educational and 

Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State. 

[FR Doc. 2011–6297 Filed 3–16–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4710–05–P 

DEPARTMENT OF STATE 

[Public Notice 7366] 

Bureau of Educational and Cultural 

Affairs (ECA) Request for Grant 

Proposals: Professional Exchanges 

Congress 

Announcement Type: New Grant. 

Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/ 

PE/C–11–21. 

Catalog of Federal Domestic 

Assistance Number: 19.415. 

Key Dates: Spring and Fall 2012. 

Application Deadline: May 19, 2011 

Executive Summary: The Office of 

Citizen Exchanges of the Bureau of 

Educational and Cultural Affairs invites 

proposal submissions to conduct the 

2012 spring and fall End-of-Program 

‘‘Professional Exchanges Congresses’’ for 

individuals from Africa, East Asia and 

the Pacific, Europe, the Middle East and 

North Africa, South and Central Asia 

and the Western Hemisphere 

participating in the Legislative Fellows 

Program, the Women’s Empowerment 

Program, and the Young Entrepreneurs 

Program. Public and private non-profit 

organizations meeting the provisions 

described in Internal Revenue Code 

section 26 USC 501(c)(3) may submit 

proposals to conduct two three-day 

Professional Exchanges Congresses in 

spring and fall 2012. These professional 

exchange programs support and 

encourage young government and civil 

society leaders, roughly ages 25–38, 

from eligible countries to gain 

knowledge of U.S. practices and 

techniques in their field of expertise, 

explore governance principles and 

practices in both public and civil 

society institutions in the United States, 

and gain a deeper understanding of U.S. 

society, culture, and people. These 

professional exchange programs are also 

designed to provide U.S. participants 

the opportunity to share their 

professional expertise with counterparts 

in eligible countries and gain a deeper 

understanding of the societies, cultures, 

and professional arena of their foreign 

colleagues. 

I. Funding Opportunity Description 

I.1. 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. 

I.2. Purpose 

ECA anticipates funding one grant of 

approximately $576,000 for the 

development, management, and 

implementation of two (2) Professional 

Exchanges Congresses that will occur at 

the end of both the spring and fall 

fellowship components for the 2012 

Legislative Fellows Program, Women’s 

Empowerment Program, and Young 

Entrepreneurs Program. 

These professional exchange 

programs are two-way exchanges 

involving current or potential 

government and civil society leaders 

from both the U.S. and foreign countries 

who will effect positive change in their 

workplace and communities and 

develop long-term engagement between 

their home organizations and foreign 

counterparts. In addition to the 

professional focus of the program, 

foreign participants will be provided 

opportunities to explore governance as 

practiced in the United States, and in 

particular the interface between 

government and civil society. 

Additional information about these 

professional exchange programs can be 

located on the Federal Registry under 

Bureau of Educational and Cultural 

Affairs (ECA) Request for Grant 

Proposals: Open Competition for the 

Professional Exchange Programs, 

Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/PE/ 

C–11–01. 

The three-day Professional Exchanges 

Congresses should build upon the 

thematic focus of the Legislative 

Fellows Program, the Women’s 

Empowerment Program, and the Young 

Entrepreneurs Program; work to 

reinforce programmatic goals; allow for 

engaged interaction between individuals 

from different countries; highlight key 

learning objectives; outline plans for 

follow-on projects; and help the 

professional exchange participants 

translate and utilize their U.S. 

experiences in their home communities. 

Special attention should be paid to 

integrating these three professional 

exchange programs, and concepts such 

as citizen empowerment, grassroots 

advocacy, volunteerism, community 

action, and leadership into the Congress 


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design, content, and programmatic 

activities. 

As the capstone events of the 2012 

spring and fall professional exchange 

experience, each Professional Exchanges 

Congress is designed to provide 

participating fellows: 

• a contextual framework for 

understanding the ‘‘fellowship 

experience’’ and the interplay of 

government, governance, and civil 

society; 

• the opportunity to network with 

colleagues from participating countries; 

• a deeper understanding of the ways 

an individual, organization, or interest 

group can generate change for the 

common good; 

• concrete tools to support the role of 

the individual as a cultural ambassador; 

and, 

• an enhanced appreciation of the 

importance of public diplomacy in the 

global community. 

A description of the Legislative 

Fellows Program, the Women’s 

Empowerment Program, and the Young 

Entrepreneurs Program are provided in 

Section I.8 below. Additional 

information about these specific 

professional exchange programs can be 

found in a separate RFGP published in 

the Federal Register, and available at 

www.grants.gov, as well as on the ECA 

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

grants/open2.html (ECA/PE/C–11–01). 

Potential applicants may wish to review 

the RFGP for these professional 

exchange programs before developing a 

proposal for the Congresses. 

I.3. Participants 

For the purposes of the Professional 

Exchanges Congress, ‘‘participants’’ are 

defined as citizens of the eligible 

countries selected through a merit-based 

competition to travel to the United 

States to take part in one of the three 

spring or fall professional exchange 

programs. Participants will be young 

up-and-coming and mid-level 

government and civil society 

professionals with experience and 

current employment related to one of 

the designated areas. Because of the 

nature of this program, all selected 

participants will be highly proficient in 

written and oral English, self-directed, 

able to work effectively in a crosscultural setting, and have demonstrated 

leadership abilities. 

I.4. Project Activities 

Projects should including planning, 

development, and implementation of 

two three-day long Professional 

Exchanges Congress in spring and fall 

2012. Each Congress will include 

approximately 200–250 participants in 

addition to staff from approximately 12– 

18 participating organizations. Strong 

project designs will ground and 

augment the fellowship experience with 

leadership development activities that 

relate to civic engagement. Proposals 

should clearly outline the goals and 

objectives of the Professional Exchanges 

Congress, describe possible symposium 

themes and topics, suggest speakers, 

and include innovative informal 

networking events that allow ample 

time for interaction among the program 

participants. Special attention should be 

paid to highlighting the program using 

social media and other outreach 

methods. Proposals should also include 

a detailed draft agenda. Projects should 

provide opportunities for the exchange 

participants to begin the transition from 

program participant to alumni and 

discuss how to translate and utilize 

their U.S. experiences in their home 

communities. 

I.5. Projected Timeline 

ECA envisions the approximate dates 

of the Professional Exchanges Congress 

to be as follows: 

September 2011–January 2012: 

• Develop and implement 

communication plan and system. 

• Identify and negotiate contract with 

appropriate hotel or meeting site for 

both spring and fall Congresses. 

Contracts should include provisions for 

meals and lodging for participating 

fellows and staff from grantee 

organizations, as well as space for 

plenary meetings, informal networking 

activities, break-out sessions, etc. 

February 2012–April 2012: 

In coordination with ECA/PE/C staff 

and participating grantee organizations, 

• develop spring Congress agenda 

and all corresponding materials. 

• arrange all hotel, meals, and travel 

logistics. 

• disseminate arrival and hotel 

information to participating fellows 

along with the agenda for the Congress 

and materials. 

• develop and implement a public 

media outreach campaign to interested 

stakeholders and the wider community. 

Special provisions should be made for 

internal outreach within the Department 

of State. 

May 2–4, 2012: Conduct Three-Day 

Spring Professional Exchanges 

Congress. 

June 2012: Prepare Final Congress 

Report. Meet with ECA/PE/C staff for an 

official programmatic debrief. 

June 2012–October 2012: 

In coordination with ECA/PE/C staff 

and participating grantee organizations, 

• develop fall Congress agenda and 

all corresponding materials. 

• arrange all hotel, meals, and travel 

logistics. 

• disseminate arrival and hotel 

information to participating fellows 

along with the agenda for the Congress 

and materials. 

• implement a public media outreach 

campaign to interested stakeholders and 

the wider community. Special 

provisions should be made for internal 

outreach within the Department of 

State. 

November 7–9, 2012: Conduct ThreeDay Fall Professional Exchanges 

Congress. 

December 2012: Prepare Final 

Congress Report. Meet with ECA/PE/C 

staff for an official programmatic 

debrief. 

I.6. Professional Exchange Programs 

Programs and Eligible Partner 

Countries: Congress proposals need to 

embrace a global program design that 

incorporates the professional exchange 

programs outlined in announcement 

ECA/PE/C–11–01: 

Legislative Fellows Program 

The Legislative Fellows Program will 

engage professionals who are actively 

involved in the legislative process and/ 

or policy-making through their work in 

government, civic education 

organizations, citizen advocacy groups, 

political parties, or election monitoring 

organizations. During their time in the 

United States, the participants will 

examine the relationship between civil 

society and government, and the issue 

of public corruption and accountability. 

Participants will observe the role of 

their U.S. counterparts in various levels 

of the U.S. government, through 

placements in Congressional offices 

(including state/district offices), state 

legislatures, city councils/local 

government bodies, advocacy groups or 

other relevant organizations across the 

United States, engage in dialogue, and 

develop plans for projects that support 

more responsive social and political 

institutions. 

Women’s Empowerment 

The Women’s Empowerment Program 

will focus on the unique interests of 

women in issues that affect the broader 

society, including business, civil 

society, and journalism. Participants 

will represent women-owned 

businesses, non-governmental 

organizations, healthcare industries, and 

educational institutions. During their 

4–6 week fellowships in the United 

States, participants will gain firsthand 

knowledge of how organizations and 

institutions advocate on behalf of 

women and their critical role in 


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community advancement, while also 

participating in site visits and speciallydesigned seminars. 

Young Entrepreneurs 

The Young Entrepreneurs Program 

will engage small business owners, 

business professionals and business 

educators, to observe best practices in 

business, engage in dialogue with their 

peers in the U.S., and complete 

individually tailored fellowships in 

appropriate organizations. Participants 

will increase their understanding of the 

links between entrepreneurial activity 

and free markets, as well as the 

importance of transparency and 

accountability in business and 

government through the participants’ 

direct involvement in American 

businesses. 

Participants in these professional 

exchange programs will come from at a 

minimum 30 countries worldwide. For 

a full list of the eligible countries under 

each specific theme, please refer to the 

RFGP for these professional exchange 

programs; announcement ECA/PE/C– 

11–01. 

Additional guidelines and 

programming responsibilities of the 

recipient organization and ECA are 

located in the Program Objectives, Goals 

and Implementation (POGI) document. 

II. Award Information 

Type of Award: Grant Agreement 

Fiscal Year Funds: 2011 

Approximate Total Funding: $576,000 

Approximate Number of Awards: 1 

Approximate Average Award: 

$576,000 

Anticipated Award Date: Pending the 

availability of funds, September 1, 2011 

Anticipated Project Completion Date: 

December 31, 2012 

Additional Information: Pending 

successful implementation of this 

program and the availability of funds in 

subsequent fiscal years, it is ECA’s 

intent to renew this grant for two 

additional fiscal years before openly 

competing it again. 

III. Eligibility Information 

III.1. Eligible Applicants 

Applications may be submitted by 

public and private non-profit 

organizations meeting the provisions 

described in Internal Revenue Code 

section 26 USC 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 one award, in an 

amount up to $576,000 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.) Technical Eligibility: All 

proposals must comply with the 

following, or they will result in your 

proposal being declared technically 

ineligible and given no further 

consideration in the review process. 

—Eligible applicants may not submit 

more than one proposal in this 

competition. 

—If more than one proposal is received 

from the same applicant, all 

submissions will be declared 

technically ineligible and will receive 

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. 

—Eligible applicants may only propose 

working with the professional 

exchange programs and themes listed 

in this RFGP. 

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 David Gustafson in the 

Office of Citizen Exchanges, ECA/PE/C, 

U.S. Department of State, SA–5, 3rd 

Floor, 2200 C Street, NW., Washington, 

DC 20037, (202) 632–6083, 

GustafsonDP@state.gov to request a 

Solicitation Package. Please refer to the 

Funding Opportunity Number ECA/PE/ 

C–11–21 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 

PSI document, which consists of 

required application forms, and 

standard guidelines for proposal 

preparation. 

It also contains the POGI document, 

which provides specific information, 

award criteria and budget instructions 

tailored to this competition. 

Please specify Linne ́a E. Allison and 

refer to the Funding Opportunity 

Number ECA/PE/C–11–21 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 


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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 PSI 

document and the POGI for additional 

formatting and technical requirements. 

IV.3c. All federal award recipients 

and sub-recipients must maintain 

current registrations in the Central 

Contractor Registration (CCR) database 

and have a Dun and Bradstreet Data 

Universal Numbering System (DUNS) 

number. Recipients and sub-recipients 

must maintain accurate and up-to-date 

information in the CCR until all 

program and financial activity and 

reporting have been completed. All 

entities must review and update the 

information at least annually after the 

initial registration and more frequently 

if required information changes or 

another award is granted. 

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 

part 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. 

For informational purposes only, 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 

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 


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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. 

IV.3e.2. Allowable costs for the 

program include the following: 

Eligible costs include: 

(1) Symposium programming for 

approximately 500 Professional Fellows, 

participating grantee organizations, and 

ECA staff 

(2) Honoraria for speakers 

(3) Lodging and hotel expenses 

including conference space and audiovisual support 

(4) Food including working meals 

(reception and final banquet) 

(5) Enhancement and cultural 

programming 

(6) Ground transportation in the 

Washington, DC, area for participants, 

staff, and speakers 

(7) Educational Materials 

(8) Materials including printing and 

duplication of promotional pieces, 

Congress binders, participant bios, name 

tags, table tents, and other supporting 

Congress-related items 

(9) Staffing 

(10) General administrative expenses 

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 19, 

2011. 

Reference Number: ECA/PE/C–11–21. 

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 

(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 8 copies of the 

application should be sent to: Program 

Management Division, ECA–IIP/EX/PM, 


srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with NOTICES
14724 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 52 / Thursday, March 17, 2011 / Notices 

Ref. ECA/PE/C–11–21, SA–5, Floor 4, 

Department of State, 2200 C Street, NW., 

Washington, DC 20037. 

Applicants submitting hard-copy 

applications must also submit the 

‘‘Executive Summary’’ and ‘‘Proposal 

Narrative’’ sections of the proposal in 

text (.txt) or Microsoft Word format on 

CD–ROM. As appropriate, the Bureau 

will provide these files electronically to 

Public Affairs Section(s) at the U.S. 

embassy(ies) for its(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 email from grants.gov upon the 

successful submission of an application. 

Again, validation of an electronic 

submission via Grants.gov can take up 

to two business days. Therefore, we 

strongly recommend that you not wait 

until the application deadline to begin 

the submission process through 

Grants.gov. ECA will not notify you 

upon receipt of electronic applications. 

It is the responsibility of all 

applicants submitting proposals via the 

Grants.gov web portal to ensure that 

proposals have been received by 

Grants.gov in their entirety, and ECA 

bears no responsibility for data errors 

resulting from transmission or 

conversion processes. 

IV.3g. Intergovernmental Review of 

Applications: Executive Order 12372 

does not apply to this program. 

V. Application Review Information 

V.1. Review Process 

The Bureau will review all proposals 

for technical eligibility. Proposals will 

be deemed ineligible if they do not fully 

adhere to the guidelines stated herein 

and in the Solicitation Package. All 

eligible proposals will be reviewed by 

the program office, as well as the Public 

Diplomacy section 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 grants resides with the Bureau’s 

Grants Officer. 

Review Criteria 

Technically eligible applications will 

be competitively reviewed according to 

the criteria stated below. These criteria 

are not rank ordered and all carry equal 

weight in the proposal evaluation: 

The submission will be reviewed with 

the following review criteria in mind: 

1. Quality of the program idea: 

Proposals should exhibit originality, 

substance, precision, and relevance to 

the Bureau’s mission. 

2. Program planning and ability to 

achieve objectives: Detailed agenda, 

sample materials, and relevant work 

plan should demonstrate an institution’s 

or organization’s substantive 

undertakings and logistical capacity. 

Agenda and plan should adhere to the 

stated Professional Exchange Programs 

overview and Congress guidelines 

described above. Proposals should 

clearly demonstrate how the institution 

or organization will meet the Congress 

goals and objectives. 

3. Support of Diversity: Proposals 

should demonstrate the institution’s or 

organization’s commitment to 

promoting the awareness and 

understanding of diversity in all aspects 

of the Congress planning, development 

and implementation. 

4. Institutional Capacity and Track 

Record: Proposed personnel and 

institutional resources should be 

adequate and appropriate to designing, 

developing, implementing, and 

managing a spring and fall capstone 

event for these professional exchange 

programs. Proposals should demonstrate 

an institutional record of successful 

execution of large scale conference, 

workshop, or symposium type 

programming and related activities, 

including responsible fiscal 

management and full compliance with 

all reporting requirements for past 

Bureau awards. 

5. Project Evaluation: Proposals 

should include a plan to evaluate the 

activity’s success, both as the activities 

unfold and at the end of the program. 

The Bureau recommends that the 

proposal include a draft survey 

questionnaire or other technique plus 

description of a methodology to use to 

link outcomes to original project 

objectives. Award-receiving 

organizations/institutions will be 

expected to submit intermediate reports 

after each project component is 

concluded or quarterly, whichever is 

less frequent. 

6. Cost-effectiveness: The overhead 

and administrative components of the 

proposal, including salaries and 

honoraria, should be kept as low as 

possible. All other items should be 

necessary and appropriate. 


srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 52 / Thursday, March 17, 2011 / Notices 14725 

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 

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 an 

electronic version and one hard 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 will be transmitted to OMB, 

and be made available to the public via 

OMB’s USAspending.gov Web site—as 

part of ECA’s Federal Funding 

Accountability and Transparency Act 

(FFATA) reporting requirements. 

(3.) A SF–PPR, ‘‘Performance Progress 

Report’’ Cover Sheet with all program 

reports. 

(4.) Quarterly program and financial 

reports highlighting all major activities 

undertaken during the grant period 

including program analysis and lessons 

learned. 

Award recipients will be required to 

provide reports analyzing their 

evaluation findings to the Bureau in 

their regular program reports. (Please 

refer to IV. Application and Submission 

Instructions (IV.3.d.3) above for Program 

Monitoring and Evaluation information. 

All data collected, including survey 

responses and contact information, must 

be maintained for a minimum of three 

years and provided to the Bureau upon 

request. 

All reports must be sent to the ECA 

Grants Officer and ECA Program Officer 

listed in the final assistance award 

document. 

VII. Agency Contacts 

For questions about this 

announcement, contact: Linne ́a E. 

Allison, U.S. Department of State, Office 

of Citizen Exchanges, Professional 

Exchanges, ECA/PE/C–EAP–ECA–SCA, 

SA–5, 3rd Floor, ECA/PE/C–11–21, 

2200 C Street, NW., Washington, DC 

20037, (202) 632–6060, Fax: (202) 632– 

6492, allisonle@state.gov. 

All correspondence with the Bureau 

concerning this RFGP should reference 

the above title and number: ECA/PE/C– 

11–21. 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: March 9, 2011. 

Ann Stock, 

Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Educational 

and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of 

State. 

[FR Doc. 2011–6279 Filed 3–16–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4710–05–P 

DEPARTMENT OF STATE 

[Public Notice 7368] 

Bureau of Educational and Cultural 

Affairs (ECA) Request for Grant 

Proposals: Open Competition for 

Professional Exchange Programs 

Announcement Type: New Grant. 

Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/ 

PE/C–11–01. 

Catalog of Federal Domestic 

Assistance Number: 19.415. 

Fiscal Year Funds: 2011. 

Application Deadline: May 12, 2011. 

Executive Summary: The Office of 

Citizen Exchanges (ECA/PE/C), Bureau 

of Educational and Cultural Affairs 

(ECA), announces an open competition 

for grants to conduct the 2011 

professional exchange programs. This 

opportunity is designed to bring young 

foreign professionals to the United 

States for four week to six week-long 

fellowships in organizations related to 

their field of work, followed by 

American counterparts who will travel 

overseas for reciprocal fellowships. 

Projects should take place over the 

course of one to two years, and engage 

up-and-coming and mid-level 

government or civil society 

professionals who will effect positive 

change in their institutions and 

communities through the following 

initiatives: The Legislative Fellows 

Program, the Women’s Empowerment 

Program, and the Young Entrepreneurs 

Program. 

U.S. public and non-profit 

organizations meeting the provisions 

described in Internal Revenue code 

section 26 U.S.C. 501(c) (3) may submit 

proposals that support the goals of these 

professional exchange programs (the 

Legislative Fellows Program, the 

Women’s Empowerment Program, and 

the Young Entrepreneurs Program). The 

basic framework that should be 

followed for all three of these programs, 

including the expected outputs and 

program timeline, is described in 

sections I.2 through I.6 below. 

Elaboration on specific aspects of these 

programs, and the eligible countries, are 

provided in Section I.7 below. 


srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with NOTICES