Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 194 / Thursday, October 7, 2004 / Notices 60209

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 

8(a)(17) of the Small Business Act, 

(Act)15 U.S.C. 637(a)(17), requires that 

recipients of Federal contracts set aside 

for small businesses or SBA’s 8(a) 

Business Development Program provide 

the product of a small business 

manufacturer or processor, if the 

recipient is other than the actual 

manufacturer or processor of the 

product. This requirement is commonly 

referred to as the Nonmanufacturer 

Rule. 

The SBA regulations imposing this 

requirement are found at 13 CFR 

121.406 (b). Section 8(a)(17)(b)(iv) of the 

Act authorizes SBA to waive the 

Nonmanufacturer Rule for any ‘‘class of 

products’’ for which there are no small 

business manufacturers or processors 

available to participate in the Federal 

market. 

As implemented in SBA’s regulations 

at 13 CFR 121.1204, in order to be 

considered available to participate in 

the Federal market for a class of 

products, a small business manufacturer 

must have submitted a proposal for a 

contract solicitation or received a 

contract from the Federal government 

within the last 24 months. The SBA 

defines ‘‘class of products’’ based on six 

digit coding systems. The first coding 

system is the Office of Management and 

Budget North American Industry 

Classification System (NAICS). The 

second is the Product and Service Code 

established by the Federal Procurement 

Data System. 

The SBA received a request on June 

29, 2004 to waive the Nonmanufacturer 

Rule for Paint and Paint Manufacturing. 

In response, on July 28, 2004, SBA 

published in the Federal Register, and 

FedBizOpps notices of intent to the 

waiver of the Nonmanufacturer Rule for 

Paint and Paint Manufacturing. In 

responses to these notices, SBA 

discovered the existence of a small 

business manufacturer of that class of 

products. Accordingly, based on the 

available information, SBA has 

determined that there is a small 

business manufacturer of this class of 

products, and is therefore terminating 

the class waiver of the Nonmanufacturer 

Rule for Paint and Paint Manufacturing, 

NAICS 325510.

Authority: 15 U.S.C. 637(a)(17).

Dated: October 4, 2004. 

Emily Murphy, 

Acting Associate Administrator for 

Government Contracting.

[FR Doc. 04–22580 Filed 10–6–04; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 8025–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 4854] 

Bureau of Educational and Cultural 

Affairs (ECA) Request for Grant 

Proposals: Educational Adviser 

Training and Support Services 

Announcement Type: New 

Cooperative Agreement. 

Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/

A/S/A–05–05. 

Catalog of Federal Domestic 

Assistance Number: 00.000. 

Key Dates: January 1, 2005 to 

December 31, 2005. 

Application Deadline: Friday, 

November 22, 2004. 

Executive Summary: The Educational 

Information and Resources Branch of 

the Office of Global Educational 

Programs in the Bureau of Educational 

and Cultural Affairs announces an open 

competition for Educational Adviser 

Training and Support Services. Public 

and private non-profit organizations 

meeting the provisions described in 

Internal Revenue Code Section 26 

U.S.C. 501(c)(3) may submit proposals 

to develop training programs and 

provide support services for the 

following: 

1. Department of State-Affiliated 

Overseas Educational Advisers 

Overseas educational advisers provide 

accurate and objective information to 

foreign audiences on U.S. study 

opportunities at accredited academic 

institutions and guide students and 

professionals in selecting a program 

appropriate to their needs. 

2. Regional Educational Advising 

Coordinators 

Regional Educational Advising 

Coordinators (REAC) provide training 

and needs assessment and serve as the 

chief resource to centers in their regions 

on advising and other educational 

issues. 

Project proposals should be structured 

to focus on the following: 

1. Short-term training for mid- and 

senior-level advisers. 

2. Logistical support services for 

Regional Educational Advising 

Coordinators and educational advisers 

attending the national NAFSA: 

Association of International Educators 

conference in Seattle in May 2005. 

The Department anticipates awarding 

one grant to administer this program. 

The training component of the 

proposal should include a U.S.-Based 

Training program (USBT) for mid-level 

advisers and Professional Advising 

Leadership (PAL) fellowships for seniorlevel advisers. 

The USBT for mid-level educational 

advisers should be approximately three 

weeks in duration in Fall 2005 and must 

include workshops on advising issues of 

concern, visits to a variety of U.S. 

academic institutions outside of the 

Washington, DC metropolitan area and 

attendance at a regional NAFSA: 

Association of International Educators 

conference or similar professional 

development opportunity. 

Professional Advising Leadership 

(PAL) projects for senior-level advisers 

may take place three times throughout 

2005 and include four advisers in each 

group. Advisers applying for a PAL 

fellowship will have at least four years 

of advising experience. Applicants will 

formulate a proposal outlining a project 

that will be of benefit to the adviser’s 

center, region and the profession as a 

whole.

The Support Services portion of the 

program will include providing 

logistical support for the following 

activities in May/June 2005: 

1. Regional Educational Advising 

Coordinators (REAC) Meeting 

Support will include making 

arrangements for lodging and other 

activities for up to eight REACs and 

Educational Information and Resources 

Branch (ECA/A/S/A) program staff for 

five days of consultations in 

Washington, DC before the 2005 NAFSA 

Conference to be held May 29–June 3, 

2005 in Seattle, Washington, 

2. PAL Meeting 

Support will include making 

arrangements for meetings with REACs, 

PAL Fellows and Branch program 

officers after the NAFSA conference in 

Seattle. 

3. Educational Adviser Pre-NAFSA 

Conference Campus Visits/Conference 

Attendance 

Support will include (a) making hotel 

reservations for advisers not 

participating in the USBT and PAL 

programs and (b) providing grants to 

advisers for conference attendance and 

to the ECA/A/S/A-designated campus 

liaison coordinator for administration of 

pre-conference campus visits. 

I. Funding Opportunity Description 

Authority 

Overall grant making authority for 

this program is contained in the Mutual 

Educational and Cultural Exchange Act 

of 1961, Public Law 87–256, as 

amended, also known as the 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 

60210 Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 194 / Thursday, October 7, 2004 / Notices 

and the people of other countries * * *; 

to strengthen the ties which unite us 

with other nations by demonstrating the 

educational and cultural interests, 

developments, and achievements of the 

people of the United States and other 

nations * * * and thus to assist in the 

development of friendly, sympathetic 

and peaceful relations between the 

United States and the other countries of 

the world.’’ The funding authority for 

the program above is provided through 

legislation. 

Purpose: The program’s objectives are 

twofold: to strengthen and develop the 

skills of overseas educational advisers; 

and to build a corps of knowledgeable 

advisers who are skilled trainers and 

can advance the field of educational 

advising in their home countries with 

new and current expertise, techniques 

and knowledge of applicable 

technology. 

Guidelines 

1. Participants 

For the purposes of this RFGP, 

eligible advisers are defined as those 

who are currently working at a State 

Department-affiliated advising center 

and who have demonstrated the skills 

associated with the four major 

components of overseas educational 

advising: (1) Knowledge of the U.S. and 

home country educational systems; (2) 

knowledge of the application process for 

individuals to enroll in U.S. higher 

educational institutions; (3) 

demonstrated educational advising and 

cross-cultural communication skills; 

and (4) demonstrated office 

management skills as they relate to an 

overseas advising center. In addition, 

each participant must demonstrate 

leadership and a commitment to the 

profession. 

Approximately twenty participants 

are expected for one USBT program and 

twelve (three groups of four) for the PAL 

program. Participants will be selected 

by ECA/A/S/A based on nominations 

from overseas posts. 

2. Program Design 

The Bureau invites organizations to 

submit creative and flexible program 

plans which can be tailored, in close 

consultation with ECA/A/S/A, to the 

selected advisers’ individual needs. The 

proposal should include an overall 

project framework which identifies 

objectives, an implementation plan and 

measurable, expected outcomes. 

Possible topics to incorporate for the 

USBT portion of the program include: 

Degree equivalency and accreditation; 

international student admissions; 

financial aid; standardized testing; ESL 

programs; immigration and visa issues; 

fields of study; cultural adjustment; U.S. 

societal diversity; specialized Internet 

usage; distance learning; proposal 

writing; fundraising; public relations 

and marketing; determining appropriate 

fees for advising services for students 

and others, given each host country’s 

environment; trends in advising center 

cost-sharing and training and 

management of volunteer staff.

For the PAL component, advisers, in 

consultation with ECA/A/S/A and the 

grantee organization, will develop a 

research or training project to be carried 

out in the United States that will have 

a formative impact on advising in their 

countries and regions. For 2005, PAL 

projects may include the following 

topics: Admission with financial aid; 

business planning and incomegenerating activities; outreach 

programming; marketing and publicity 

for advising centers. 

3. Timing/Program Phases 

The USBT and PAL components 

should provide for the possibility of 

attendance at, and active participation 

in, an appropriate NAFSA or other 

conference where workshops and 

seminars address issues of current 

interest to international educators and 

overseas advisers and where the 

opportunity to brainstorm and to share 

information plays an important part. 

Advisers should have opportunities to 

present and/or participate in panels and 

pre-conference/conference workshops. 

In addition, the USBT portion of the 

program should include internship 

experiences and visits to a four-year 

public university, a private college or 

university, a community college, an 

Historically Black College or University 

(HBCU) or other minority-serving 

institution, and a graduate or research 

institution. Ideally, USBT participants 

should visit campuses while classes are 

in session to optimize their experience 

through interaction with students. 

4. Logistics 

The grantee organization will be 

responsible for all arrangements 

associated with this program. For the 

USBT and PAL components, these 

include organizing a coherent 

progression of activities, providing 

international and domestic travel 

arrangements for all advisers, making 

lodging and local transportation 

arrangements, orienting and debriefing 

advisers, preparing support material, 

and recruiting host campuses. The 

organization should work with host 

campuses and experts in the field of 

higher education and overseas advising 

to achieve maximum program 

effectiveness, by providing participants 

with hands-on training and direct 

involvement in the administration of 

practices and policies of higher 

education institutions. 

5. Evaluation/Follow-Up 

The proposal must include a detailed 

evaluation and follow-up plan. Special 

emphasis should be given to designing 

a program which incorporates outcome 

measurement strategies that assess 

ultimate effectiveness. Refer to Section 

IV.3d of this document for additional 

information on evaluation. 

6. Visa/Insurance/Tax Requirements 

The program must comply with 

applicable visa regulations. Participants 

should come on B1/B2 tourist visas. 

Participant health and accident 

insurance will be provided to the 

overseas advisers by the Bureau; the 

recipient organization will be 

responsible for enrolling participants in 

the Bureau’s insurance program and 

providing any necessary assistance 

should medical care be needed. 

Administration of the program must be 

in compliance with reporting and 

withholding regulations for federal, 

state, and local taxes as applicable. 

Recipient organizations should 

demonstrate tax regulation adherence in 

the proposal narrative and budget. 

7. Printed Materials 

Drafts of all printed materials 

developed for this program should be 

submitted to ECA/A/S/A for review and 

approval. All official documents should 

highlight the U.S. government’s role as 

program sponsor and funding source. 

The Bureau requires that it receive the 

copyright use and be allowed to 

distribute this material as it sees fit. 

Pending successful implementation of 

this program and the availability of 

funds in subsequent fiscal years, it is 

ECA’s intent to renew this grant for two 

additional fiscal years, before openly 

competing it again. 

8. ECA’s Role in the Cooperative 

Agreement Includes 

• Selection of program participants in 

coordination with Public Affairs 

Sections at U.S. embassies and 

consulates overseas, with input from the 

ECA Grants Office 

• Participation and speaking at 

program sessions to include opening 

and closing activities 

• Organizing meetings with 

Department of State offices 

• Review and approval of program 

plans and agendas 

Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 194 / Thursday, October 7, 2004 / Notices 60211

II. Award Information 

Type of Award: Cooperative 

Agreement. ECA’s level of involvement 

in this program is listed under number 

I above.

Fiscal Year Funds: FY2005. 

Approximate Total Funding:

$475,000–$575,000. 

Approximate Number of Awards: 1. 

Approximate Average Award: Not to 

exceed $575,000. 

Anticipated Award Date: Pending 

availability of funds, January 1, 2005. 

Anticipated Project Completion Date:

December 31, 2005. 

Additional Information: Pending 

successful implementation of this 

program and the availability of funds in 

subsequent fiscal years, it is ECA’s 

intent to renew this grant for two 

additional fiscal years, before openly 

competing it again. 

III. Eligibility Information 

III.1. Eligible applicants 

Applications may be submitted by 

public and private non-profit 

organizations meeting the provisions 

described in Internal Revenue Code 

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

III.2. Cost Sharing or Matching Funds 

There is no minimum or maximum 

percentage required for this 

competition. However, the Bureau 

encourages applicants to provide 

maximum levels of cost sharing and 

funding in support of its programs. 

When cost sharing is offered, it is 

understood and agreed that the 

applicant must provide the amount of 

cost sharing as stipulated in its proposal 

and later included in an approved grant 

agreement. Cost sharing may be in the 

form of allowable direct or indirect 

costs. For accountability, you must 

maintain written records to support all 

costs which are claimed as your 

contribution, as well as costs to be paid 

by the Federal government. Such 

records are subject to audit. The basis 

for determining the value of cash and 

in-kind contributions must be in 

accordance with OMB Circular A–110, 

(Revised), Subpart C.23—Cost Sharing 

and Matching. In the event you do not 

provide the minimum amount of cost 

sharing as stipulated in the approved 

budget, ECA’s contribution will be 

reduced in like proportion. 

III.3 Other Eligibility Requirements 

a. Bureau grant guidelines require that 

organizations with less than four years’

experience in conducting international 

exchanges be limited to $60,000 in 

Bureau funding. ECA anticipates 

awarding one grant, in an amount not to 

exceed $575,000 to support program 

and administrative costs required to 

implement this exchange program. 

Therefore, organizations with less than 

four years’ experience in conducting 

international exchanges are ineligible to 

apply under this competition. 

IV. Application and Submission 

Information

Note: Please read the complete Federal 

Register announcement before sending 

inquiries or submitting proposals. Once the 

RFGP deadline has passed, Bureau staff may 

not discuss this competition with applicants 

until the proposal review process has been 

completed.

IV.1 Contact Information To Request an 

Application Package 

Please contact the ECA/A/S/A, Room 

349, U.S. Department of State, SA–44, 

301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 

20547, telephone: 202–260–6936, fax: 

202–401–1433, e-mail: 

MoraDD@state.gov to request a 

Solicitation Package. Please refer to the 

Funding Opportunity Number ECA/A/

S/A–05–05 located at the top of this 

announcement when making your 

request. 

The Solicitation Package contains the 

Proposal Submission Instruction (PSI) 

document which consists of required 

application forms and standard 

guidelines for proposal preparation. 

It also contains the Project Objectives, 

Goals and Implementation (POGI) 

document, which provides specific 

information, award criteria and budget 

instructions tailored to this competition. 

IV.2. To Download a Solicitation 

Package Via Internet 

The entire Solicitation Package may 

be downloaded from the Bureau’s Web 

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

education/rfgps/menu.htm. Please read 

all information before downloading. 

IV.3. Content and Form of Submission 

Applicants must follow all 

instructions in the Solicitation Package. 

The original and eight copies of the 

application should be sent per the 

instructions under IV.3e., ‘‘Submission 

Dates and Times’’ section below.

IV.3a. You are required to have a 

Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal 

Numbering System (DUNS) number to 

apply for a grant or cooperative 

agreement from the U.S. Government. 

This number is a nine-digit 

identification number, which uniquely 

identifies business entities. Obtaining a 

DUNS number is easy and there is no 

charge. To obtain a DUNS number, 

access http://

www.dunandbradstreet.com or call 1–

866–705–5711. Please ensure that your 

DUNS number is included in the 

appropriate box of the SF–424 which is 

part of the formal application package. 

IV.3b. All proposals must contain an 

executive summary, proposal narrative 

and budget. 

IV.3c. You must have nonprofit 

status with the IRS at the time of 

application. If your organization is a 

private nonprofit which has not 

received a grant or cooperative 

agreement from ECA in the past three 

years, or if your organization received 

nonprofit status from the IRS within the 

past four years, you must submit the 

necessary documentation to verify 

nonprofit status as directed in the PSI 

document. Failure to do so will cause 

your proposal to be declared technically 

ineligible. 

IV.3d. Please take into consideration 

the following information when 

preparing your proposal narrative: 

IV.3d.1 Diversity, Freedom and 

Democracy Guidelines. Pursuant to the 

Bureau’s authorizing legislation, 

programs must maintain a non-political 

character and should be balanced and 

representative of the diversity of 

American political, social, and cultural 

life. ‘‘Diversity’’ should be interpreted 

in the broadest sense and encompass 

differences including, but not limited to 

ethnicity, race, gender, religion, 

geographic location, socio-economic 

status, and disabilities. Applicants are 

strongly encouraged to adhere to the 

advancement of this principle both in 

program administration and in program 

content. Please refer to the review 

criteria under the ‘‘Support for 

Diversity’’ section for specific 

suggestions on incorporating diversity 

into your proposal. Public Law 104–319 

provides that ‘‘in carrying out programs 

of educational and cultural exchange in 

countries whose people do not fully 

enjoy freedom and democracy,’’ the 

Bureau ‘‘shall take appropriate steps to 

provide opportunities for participation 

in such programs to human rights and 

democracy leaders of such countries.’’

Public Law 106–113 requires that the 

governments of the countries described 

above do not have inappropriate 

influence in the selection process. 

Proposals should reflect advancement of 

these goals in their program contents, to 

the full extent deemed feasible. 

IV.3d.2 Program Monitoring and 

Evaluation. Proposals must include a 

plan to monitor and evaluate the 

project’s success, both as the activities 

unfold and at the end of the program. 

The Bureau recommends that your 

proposal include a draft survey 

questionnaire or other technique plus a 

description of a methodology to use to 

60212 Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 194 / Thursday, October 7, 2004 / Notices 

link outcomes to original project 

objectives. The Bureau expects that the 

grantee will track participants or 

partners and be able to respond to key 

evaluation questions, including 

satisfaction with the program, learning 

as a result of the program, changes in 

behavior as a result of the program, and 

effects of the program on institutions 

(institutions in which participants work 

or partner institutions). The evaluation 

plan should include indicators that 

measure gains in mutual understanding 

as well as substantive knowledge.

Successful monitoring and evaluation 

depend heavily on setting clear goals 

and outcomes at the outset of a program. 

Your evaluation plan should include a 

description of your project’s objectives, 

your anticipated project outcomes, and 

how and when you intend to measure 

these outcomes (performance 

indicators). The more that outcomes are 

‘‘smart’’ (specific, measurable, 

attainable, results-oriented, and placed 

in a reasonable timeframe), the easier it 

will be to conduct the evaluation. You 

should also show how your project 

objectives link to the goals of the 

program described in this RFGP. 

Your monitoring and evaluation plan 

should clearly distinguish between 

program outputs and outcomes. Outputs

are products and services delivered, 

often stated as an amount. Output 

information is important to show the 

scope or size of project activities, but it 

cannot substitute for information about 

progress towards outcomes or the 

results achieved. Examples of outputs 

include the number of people trained or 

the number of seminars conducted. 

Outcomes, in contrast, represent 

specific results a project is intended to 

achieve and is usually measured as an 

extent of change. Findings on outputs 

and outcomes should both be reported, 

but the focus should be on outcomes. 

We encourage you to assess the 

following four levels of outcomes, as 

they relate to the program goals set out 

in the RFGP (listed here in increasing 

order of importance): 

1. Participant satisfaction with the 

program and exchange experience. 

2. Participant learning, such as 

increased knowledge, aptitude, skills, 

and changed understanding and 

attitude. Learning includes both 

substantive (subject-specific) learning 

and mutual understanding. 

3. Participant behavior, concrete 

actions to apply knowledge in work or 

community; greater participation and 

responsibility in civic organizations; 

interpretation and explanation of 

experiences and new knowledge gained; 

continued contacts between 

participants, community members, and 

others. 

4. Institutional changes, such as 

increased collaboration and 

partnerships, policy reforms, new 

programming, and organizational 

improvements.

Please note: Consideration should be given 

to the appropriate timing of data collection 

for each level of outcome. For example, 

satisfaction is usually captured as a 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.) 

Grantees will be required to provide 

reports analyzing their evaluation 

findings to the Bureau in their regular 

program reports. All data collected, 

including survey responses and contact 

information, must be maintained for a 

minimum of three years and provided to 

the Bureau upon request. 

IV.3.e. Please take the following 

information into consideration when 

preparing your budget: 

IV.3e.1. Applicants must submit a 

comprehensive budget for the entire 

program. There must be a summary 

budget as well as breakdowns reflecting 

both administrative and program 

budgets. Applicants may provide 

separate sub-budgets for each program 

component, phase, location, or activity 

to provide clarification. Applicants 

must submit two budgets: One for not 

more than $475,000 to support initial 

program and administrative costs 

required to implement this program, 

and a second for not more than 

$575,000, for additional adviser training 

and support activities, should 

additional funding become available.

IV.3e.2. Allowable costs for the 

program include the following: 

(1) Salaries and fringe benefits; travel 

and per diem; 

(2) Other direct costs, inclusive of 

rent, utilities, etc.; 

(3) Indirect expenses (except against 

participant program expenses), auditing 

costs; 

(4) Participant program costs; i.e., 

international/domestic travel, visas, per 

diem, conference attendance. 

(5) Alumni Web site and alumni 

support activities 

(6) Advising coordinator expenses for 

pre-conference campus visits 

Please refer to the Solicitation 

Package for complete budget guidelines 

and formatting instructions. 

IV.3f. Submission Dates and Times: 

Application Deadline Date: Friday, 

November 22, 2004. 

Explanation of Deadlines: In light of 

recent events and heightened security 

measures, proposal submissions must be 

sent via a nationally recognized 

overnight delivery service (i.e., DHL, 

Federal Express, UPS, Airborne Express, 

or U.S. Postal Service Express Overnight 

Mail, etc.) and be shipped no later than 

the above deadline. The delivery 

services used by applicants must have 

in-place, centralized shipping 

identification and tracking systems that 

may be accessed via the Internet and 

delivery people who are identifiable by 

commonly recognized uniforms and 

delivery vehicles. Proposals shipped on 

or before the above deadline but 

received at ECA more than seven days 

after the deadline will be ineligible for 

further consideration under this 

competition. Proposals shipped after the 

established deadlines are ineligible for 

consideration under this competition. It 

is each applicant’s responsibility to 

ensure that each package is marked with 

a legible tracking number and to 

monitor/confirm delivery to ECA via the 

Internet. ECA will not notify you upon 

receipt of application. Delivery of 

proposal packages may not be made via 

local courier service or in person for this 

competition. Faxed documents will not 

be accepted at any time. Only proposals 

submitted as stated above will be 

considered. Applications may not be 

submitted electronically at this time. 

Applicants must follow all 

instructions in the Solicitation Package.

Important note: When preparing your 

submission, please make sure to include one 

extra copy of the completed SF–424 form and 

place it in an envelope addressed to ‘‘ECA/

EX/PM’’.

The original and eight copies of the 

application should be sent to: U.S. 

Department of State, SA–44, Bureau of 

Educational and Cultural Affairs, Ref.: 

ECA/A/S/A/–05–05, Program 

Management, ECA/EX/PM, Room 534, 

301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 

20547. 

Along with the Project Title, all 

applicants must enter the above 

Reference Number in Box 11 on the SF–

424 contained in the mandatory 

Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) 

of the solicitation document. 

Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 194 / Thursday, October 7, 2004 / Notices 60213

IV.3g. Intergovernmental Review of 

Applications: Executive Order 12372 

does not apply to this program. 

V. Application Review Information 

V.1. Review Process 

The Bureau will review all proposals 

for technical eligibility. Proposals will 

be deemed ineligible if they do not fully 

adhere to the guidelines stated herein 

and in the Solicitation Package. All 

eligible proposals will be reviewed by 

the program office, as well as the Public 

Diplomacy section overseas, where 

appropriate. Eligible proposals will be 

subject to compliance with Federal and 

Bureau regulations and guidelines and 

forwarded to Bureau grant panels for 

advisory review. Proposals may also be 

reviewed by the Office of the Legal 

Adviser or by other Department 

elements. Final funding decisions are at 

the discretion of the Department of 

State’s Assistant Secretary for 

Educational and Cultural Affairs. Final 

technical authority for assistance 

awards cooperative agreements resides 

with the Bureau’s Grants Officer. 

Review Criteria

Technically eligible applications will 

be competitively reviewed according to 

the criteria stated below. These criteria 

are not rank ordered and all carry equal 

weight in the proposal evaluation: 

1. Quality of the Program Idea:

Proposals should exhibit originality, 

substance, precision, and relevance to 

the Bureau’s mission. 

2. Program Planning: Detailed agenda 

and relevant work plan should 

demonstrate substantive undertakings 

and logistical capacity. Agenda and plan 

should adhere to the program overview 

and guidelines described above. 

3. Ability To Achieve Program 

Objectives: Objectives should be 

reasonable, feasible, and flexible. 

Proposals should clearly demonstrate 

how the institution will meet the 

program’s objectives and plan. 

4. Multiplier Effect/Impact: Proposed 

programs should strengthen long-term 

mutual understanding, including 

maximum sharing of information and 

establishment of long-term institutional 

and individual linkages. 

5. Support of Diversity: Proposals 

should demonstrate substantive support 

of the Bureau’s policy on diversity. 

Achievable and relevant features should 

be cited in both program administration 

(selection of participants, program 

venue and program evaluation) and 

program content (orientation and wrapup sessions, program meetings, resource 

materials and follow-up activities). 

6. Institutional Capacity: Proposed 

personnel and institutional resources 

should be adequate and appropriate to 

achieve the program or project’s goals. 

7. Institution’s Record/Ability:

Proposals should demonstrate an 

institutional record of successful 

exchange programs, including 

responsible fiscal management and full 

compliance with all reporting 

requirements for past Bureau grants as 

determined by Bureau Grants Staff. The 

Bureau will consider the past 

performance of prior recipients and the 

demonstrated potential of new 

applicants. 

8. Follow-On Activities: Proposals 

should provide a plan for continued 

follow-on activity (without Bureau 

support) ensuring that Bureau 

supported programs are not isolated 

events. 

9. Project Evaluation: Proposals 

should include a plan to evaluate the 

activity’s success, both as the activities 

unfold and at the end of the program. A 

draft survey questionnaire or other 

technique plus description of a 

methodology to use to link outcomes to 

original project objectives is 

recommended. 

10. Cost-Effectiveness: The overhead 

and administrative components of the 

proposal, including salaries and 

honoraria, should be kept as low as 

possible. All other items should be 

necessary and appropriate. 

11. Cost-Sharing: Proposals should 

maximize cost-sharing through other 

private sector support as well as 

institutional direct funding 

contributions. 

12. Value to U.S.-Partner Country 

Relations: Proposed projects should 

receive positive assessments by the U.S. 

Department of State’s geographic area 

desk and overseas officers of program 

need, potential impact, and significance 

in the partner country(ies). 

VI. Award Administration Information 

VI.1a. Award Notices 

Final awards cannot be made until 

funds have been appropriated by 

Congress, allocated and committed 

through internal Bureau procedures. 

Successful applicants will receive an 

Assistance Award Document (AAD) 

from the Bureau’s Grants Office. The 

AAD and the original grant proposal 

with subsequent modifications (if 

applicable) shall be the only binding 

authorizing document between the 

recipient and the U.S. Government. The 

AAD will be signed by an authorized 

Grants Officer, and mailed to the 

recipient’s responsible officer identified 

in the application. 

Unsuccessful applicants will receive 

notification of the results of the 

application review from the ECA 

program office coordinating this 

competition. 

VI.2 Administrative and National 

Policy Requirements 

Terms and Conditions for the 

Administration of ECA agreements 

include the following:

Office of Management and Budget 

Circular A–122, ‘‘Cost Principles for 

Nonprofit Organizations.’’

Office of Management and Budget 

Circular A–21, ‘‘Cost Principles for 

Educational Institutions.’’

OMB Circular A–87, ‘‘Cost Principles 

for State, Local and Indian 

Governments’’.

OMB Circular No. A–110 (Revised), 

Uniform Administrative 

Requirements for Grants and 

Agreements with Institutions of 

Higher Education, Hospitals, and 

other Nonprofit Organizations. 

OMB Circular No. A–102, Uniform 

Administrative Requirements for 

Grants-in-Aid to State and Local 

Governments. 

OMB Circular No. A–133, Audits of 

States, Local Government, and Nonprofit Organizations

Please reference the following 

websites for additional information:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants.

http://exchanges.state.gov/education/

grantsdiv/terms.htm#articleI.

VI.3. Reporting Requirements 

You must provide ECA with a hard 

copy original plus one copy of the 

following reports: 

1. A final program and financial 

report no more than 90 days after the 

expiration of the award; 

Grantees will be required to provide 

reports analyzing their evaluation 

findings to the Bureau in their regular 

program reports. (Please refer to IV. 

Application and Submission 

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

Monitoring and Evaluation information. 

All data collected, including survey 

responses and contact information, must 

be maintained for a minimum of three 

years and provided to the Bureau upon 

request. 

All reports must be sent to the ECA 

Grants Officer and ECA Program Officer 

listed in the final assistance award 

document. 

Organizations awarded grants will be 

required to maintain specific data on 

program participants and activities in an 

electronically accessible database format 

that can be shared with the Bureau as 

required. As a minimum, the data must 

include the following: 

(1) Name, address, contact 

information and biographic sketch of all 

60214 Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 194 / Thursday, October 7, 2004 / Notices 

persons who travel internationally on 

funds provided by the grant or who 

benefit from the grant funding but do 

not travel. 

(2) Itineraries of international and 

domestic travel, providing dates of 

travel and cities in which any exchange 

experiences take place. Final schedules 

for in-country and U.S. activities must 

be received by the ECA Program Officer 

at least three work days prior to the 

official opening of the activity. 

VII. Agency Contacts 

For questions about this 

announcement, contact: Dorothy Mora, 

Educational Information and Resources 

Branch, ECA/A/S/A, Room 349, 

Reference number ECA/A/S/A–05–05, 

U.S. Department of State, SA–44, 301 

4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547, 

telephone: 202–260–6936 and fax 

number: 202–401–1433, Internet 

address: MoraDD@state.gov.

All correspondence with the Bureau 

concerning this RFGP should reference 

the above title and number ECA/A/S/A–

05–05 Please read the complete Federal 

Register announcement before sending 

inquiries or submitting proposals. Once 

the RFGP deadline has passed, Bureau 

staff may not discuss this competition 

with applicants until the proposal 

review process has been completed. 

VIII. Other Information 

Notice 

The terms and conditions published 

in this RFGP are binding and may not 

be modified by any Bureau 

representative. Explanatory information 

provided by the Bureau that contradicts 

published language will not be binding. 

Issuance of the RFGP does not 

constitute an award commitment on the 

part of the Government. The Bureau 

reserves the right to reduce, revise, or 

increase proposal budgets in accordance 

with the needs of the program and the 

availability of funds. Awards made will 

be subject to periodic reporting and 

evaluation requirements per section VI.3 

above.

Dated: September 27, 2004. 

C. Miller Crouch, 

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau 

of Educational and Cultural Affairs, , 

Department of State.

[FR Doc. 04–22583 Filed 10–6–04; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4710–05–P

DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 4855] 

Bureau of Educational and Cultural 

Affairs (ECA) Request for Grant 

Proposals: Educational Advising and 

Regional Educational Advising 

Coordinator Services in Eurasia 

Announcement Type: New 

Cooperative Agreement. 

Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/

A/S/A–05–07. 

Catalog of Federal Domestic 

Assistance Number: 00.000. 

Key Dates: January 1, 2005 to 

December 31, 2005. 

Application Deadline: Friday, 

November 12, 2004. 

Executive Summary: The Office of 

Global Educational Programs, 

Educational Information and Resources 

Branch of the Bureau of Educational and 

Cultural Affairs announces an open 

competition for Educational Advising 

and Regional Educational Advising 

Coordinator (REAC) Services in Eurasia 

(Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, 

Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, 

Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, 

Ukraine and Uzbekistan). 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 

operate centers in Bureau-specified 

locations in Eurasia and provide REAC 

services for the region out of Moscow, 

Russia. The educational advising 

centers would be a part of the network 

of approximately 450 Department of 

State-affiliated centers worldwide. 

These centers provide comprehensive 

and unbiased information to interested 

students, scholars, and other 

individuals about study opportunities in 

the U.S. 

The REAC provides training and 

information to new and experienced 

advisers, conducts needs assessments, 

site visits, manages the regional 

advising listserv, and oversees 

production of the regional newsletter. 

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. 

Purpose: The educational advising 

centers in Eurasia must provide access 

to comprehensive and unbiased 

information about study opportunities 

in the U.S. Services provided by the 

centers must include group 

informational sessions as well as 

individual advising. The centers should 

provide accurate, impartial information 

and advising on the following topics: all 

accredited U.S. colleges, universities, 

and other higher education institutions; 

accreditation issues; the application 

process to a U.S. university; majors and 

fields of study; testing requirements; life 

in the U.S.; scholarship programs and 

financial aid; visa requirements, and 

pre-departure orientation. Centers 

should also provide information on 

grant opportunities sponsored by the 

USG and other institutions and 

organizations. The Bureau will provide 

a selection of reference books and 

materials to each center. Educational 

advisers at the centers will be eligible to 

apply for Bureau-sponsored professional 

development opportunities and training 

events. 

The REAC coordinates a network of 

educational advising centers throughout 

the region. Advising centers first opened 

in Eurasia in 1992, and the network has 

expanded each year. These centers 

provide accurate and unbiased 

information and advising about higher 

education in the U.S. and U.S. 

Government-sponsored exchange 

programs to all interested students and 

scholars. The REAC’s mission is to 

continue to develop and strengthen this 

network of educational information and 

advising centers and to provide 

leadership and expertise on educational 

advising issues to centers and Public 

Affairs Sections. The REAC is 

responsible for providing onsite 

technical assistance and training to all 

centers in the U.S. Department of Stateaffiliated network. The REAC lends 

support to any affiliated center in the 

twelve countries comprising the Eurasia 

region and works impartially with all 

organizations involved in educational 

advising to help enable centers to 

provide accurate and timely information 

on U.S. higher educational 

opportunities. The REAC also works 

closely with the Bureau and Public 

Affairs Sections to help establish