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 

Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 194 / Thursday, October 7, 2004 / Notices 60215

priorities for educational advising in the 

region. The REAC must be a U.S. citizen 

located in Moscow.

In a cooperative agreement, ECA/A/S/

A is substantially involved in program 

activities above and beyond routine 

grant monitoring. ECA/A/S/A activities 

and responsibilities for this program are 

as follows: all Eurasia centers must 

facilitate international exchange through 

overseas educational advising, 

orientation, and information services for 

foreign students and scholars seeking 

information on opportunities in U.S. 

higher education. ECA/A/S/A will 

provide reference materials, training 

opportunities, and occasional 

equipment (on a priority needs basis) to 

all educational advising centers in the 

State Department-affiliated 

EducationUSA advising network. All 

centers in the network, including those 

centers receiving grants from ECA/A/S/

A, must operate according to the 

following basic principles: 

(a) Advising centers should provide 

impartial information about all 

accredited institutions of higher 

learning in the United States; 

(b) Services provided at no charge 

should include, at minimum, access to 

educational reference materials as 

appropriate and to an introductory 

group advising session; 

(c) Advising centers must be open to 

the public and must serve the diversity 

of the population without bias against 

age, gender, socio-economic level, race, 

religion, physical disabilities, or any 

other factor. 

In addition, ECA/A/S/A support is 

contingent upon the following standards 

of operation: 

Outreach: Proposals should include 

any proposed outreach programs from 

each center and a detailed description of 

activities, along with a proposed 

schedule of visits. Examples of outreach 

may include collaboration with 

American Corners and the Internet 

Access Training Program (IATP), 

organization of education fairs, 

presentations at local high schools, and 

cooperation with Peace Corps 

volunteers. The Bureau’s priority of 

diversity should be considered when 

making plans for outreach activities to 

ensure that less represented non-elite 

populations, including the physically 

challenged, have access to the centers’

services. 

Statistics: Centers should submit 

monthly usage statistics to the Eurasia 

REAC and be responsive to special 

requests for information from the 

Eurasia REAC and ECA/A/S/A. The 

proposal should also explain how the 

centers are working with public affairs 

and consular sections of the U.S. 

Embassies in the region to assist the 

Embassies and students in the visa 

application process. 

Fund-Raising/Cost Defrayment: The 

proposal should explain any measures 

the advising centers are taking to 

generate income or defray operating 

costs and include projected savings/

income from activities during 2005. 

Coordination and Communication:

ECA/A/S/A requests that Eurasia 

educational advising centers continue to 

coordinate major events such as 

workshops, advising fairs, etc. with the 

REAC and other centers in the region or 

in Europe to prevent similar events from 

occurring at the same time. In 

accordance with the principles of better 

customer service, such coordination 

will provide visiting representatives of 

U.S. institutions the opportunity to 

participate in multiple advising fairs on 

the same trip. 

Advisers at the centers should 

participate in the Eurasia advising 

listserv and maintain contact with other 

educational advisers in Eurasia and 

other regions. This listserv is 

administered by the Educational 

Information and Resources Branch and 

is open to educational advisers working 

at Department of State-affiliated 

advising centers. 

Professional Standards, Guidelines 

and Development: Educational advisers 

should adhere to the OSEAS Standards 

of Ethical Conduct adopted by NAFSA: 

Association of International Educators. 

ECA/A/S/A requests that your 

organization consider providing cost 

sharing for educational advisers to 

attend/participate in professional 

development conferences. 

Unless an educational advising center 

is removed from the list of State 

Department-approved EducationUSA 

advising centers, each center should 

prominently display in the center and 

on its website, if one exists, the 

EducationUSA name and logo, as part of 

the State Department’s effort to build 

recognition of the EducationUSA brand. 

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:

$435,000. 

Approximate Number of Awards:

One—Three. 

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 

Grants awarded to eligible 

organizations with less than four years 

of experience in conducting 

international exchange programs will be 

limited to $60,000. 

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 Educational 

Information and Resources Branch, 

ECA/A/S/A, Room 349, U.S. 

Department of State, SA–44, 301 4th 

Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547, 

60216 Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 194 / Thursday, October 7, 2004 / Notices 

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–05–07 located at 

the top of this announcement when 

making your request. 

The Solicitation Package contains the 

Proposal Submission Instruction (PSI) 

document that consists of required 

application forms, and standard 

guidelines for proposal preparation. 

It also contains the Project Objectives, 

Goals and Implementation (POGI) 

document, which provides specific 

information, award criteria and budget 

instructions tailored to this competition. 

Please specify Bureau Program Officer 

Dorothy Mora and refer to the Funding 

Opportunity Number ECA/A/S/A–05–

07 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/

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. 

Applicants must also submit the 

‘‘Executive Summary’’ and ‘‘Proposal 

Narrative’’ sections of the proposal in 

text (.txt) format on a PC-formatted disk. 

The Bureau will provide these files 

electronically to the Public Affairs 

Section at the U.S. embassies and 

consulates in Eurasia for review. 

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

and Bradstreet Data Universal 

Numbering System (DUNS) number to 

apply for a grant or cooperative 

agreement from the U.S. Government. 

This number is a nine-digit 

identification number, which uniquely 

identifies business entities. Obtaining a 

DUNS number is easy and there is no 

charge. To obtain a DUNS number, 

access http://

www.dunandbradstreet.com or call 1–

866–705–5711. Please ensure that your 

DUNS number is included in the 

appropriate box of the SF—424 which is 

part of the formal application package. 

IV.3b. All proposals must contain an 

executive summary, proposal narrative 

and budget. 

Please Refer to the Solicitation 

Package. It contains the mandatory 

Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) 

document and the Project Objectives, 

Goals and Implementation (POGI) 

document for additional formatting and 

technical requirements. 

IV.3c. You must have nonprofit status 

with the IRS at the time of application. 

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: 

Proposals should include a plan to work 

with the American Corner network in 

Eurasia. Proposals should also address 

cooperation with the IATP network and 

alumni groups where practical. 

IV.3d.2 Diversity, Freedom and 

Democracy Guidelines. Pursuant to the 

Bureau’s authorizing legislation, 

programs must maintain a non-political 

character and should be balanced and 

representative of the diversity of 

American political, social, and cultural 

life. ‘‘Diversity’’ should be interpreted 

in the broadest sense and encompass 

differences including, but not limited to 

ethnicity, race, gender, religion, 

geographic location, socio-economic 

status, and disabilities. Applicants are 

strongly encouraged to adhere to the 

advancement of this principle both in 

program administration and in program 

content. Please refer to the review 

criteria under the ‘Support for Diversity’

section for specific suggestions on 

incorporating diversity into your 

proposal. Public Law 104–319 provides 

that ‘‘in carrying out programs of 

educational and cultural exchange in 

countries whose people do not fully 

enjoy freedom and democracy,’’ the 

Bureau ‘‘shall take appropriate steps to 

provide opportunities for participation 

in such programs to human rights and 

democracy leaders of such countries.’’

Public Law 106—113 requires that the 

governments of the countries described 

above do not have inappropriate 

influence in the selection process. 

Proposals should reflect advancement of 

these goals in their program contents, to 

the 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 

grantee will track participants or 

partners and be able to respond to key 

evaluation questions, including 

satisfaction with the program, learning 

as a result of the program, changes in 

behavior as a result of the program, and 

effects of the program on institutions 

(institutions in which participants work 

or partner institutions). The evaluation 

plan should include indicators that 

measure gains in mutual understanding 

as well as substantive knowledge. 

Successful monitoring and evaluation 

depend heavily on setting clear goals 

and outcomes at the outset of a program. 

Your evaluation plan should include a 

description of your project’s objectives, 

your anticipated project outcomes, and 

how and when you intend to measure 

these outcomes (performance 

indicators). The more that outcomes are 

‘‘smart’’ (specific, measurable, 

attainable, results-oriented, and placed 

in a reasonable time frame), the easier 

it will be to conduct the evaluation. You 

should also show how your project 

objectives link to the goals of the 

program described in this RFGP. 

Your monitoring and evaluation plan 

should clearly distinguish between 

program outputs and outcomes. Outputs

are products and services delivered, 

often stated as an amount. Output 

information is important to show the 

scope or size of project activities, but it 

cannot substitute for information about 

progress towards outcomes or the 

results achieved. Examples of outputs 

include the number of people trained or 

the number of seminars conducted. 

Outcomes, 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 

Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 194 / Thursday, October 7, 2004 / Notices 60217

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. 

Describe your plans for: 

sustainability, overall program 

management, staffing, coordination with 

ECA and PAS. 

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. 

IV.3.e.2. Allowable costs for the 

educational advising program include 

the following: 

(1) Educational advising staff salaries 

and benefits; 

(2) Office supplies and expenses, 

including rent, communications, 

postage and shipping; 

(3) Outreach and publicity costs; 

(4) Indirect costs; Allowable costs for 

the REAC include the following: 

(1) REAC salary and benefits; 

(2) Travel and per diem costs for site 

visits and training within the Eurasia 

region; 

(3) Travel for REAC to attend NAFSA 

National Conference in Seattle, 

Washington for one week, and an 

additional week of REAC meetings in 

Washington, DC in May/June 2005; 

(4) Program costs for internship 

training programs and other training 

workshops. This may include 

participant travel and per diem, 

supplies, venue costs, and honoraria for 

speakers; 

(5) Office and administrative costs, 

including communication and 

equipment. 

Please refer to the Solicitation 

Package for complete budget guidelines 

and formatting instructions. 

IV.3f. Submission Dates and Times: 

Application Deadline Date: Friday, 

November 12, 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–05–07, Program 

Management, ECA/EX/PM, Room 534, 

301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 

20547. 

Along with the Project Title, all 

applicants must enter the above 

Reference Number in Box 11 on the SF–

424 contained in the mandatory 

Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) 

of the solicitation document. 

IV.3g. Intergovernmental Review of 

Applications: Executive Order 12372 

does not apply to this program. 

Applicants must also submit the 

‘‘Executive Summary’’ and ‘‘Proposal 

Narrative’’ sections of the proposal in 

text (.txt) format on a PC-formatted disk. 

The Bureau will provide these files 

electronically to the appropriate Public 

Affairs Section(s) at the U.S. 

embassy(ies) for its(their) review. 

V. Application Review Information 

V.1. Review Process 

The Bureau will review all proposals 

for technical eligibility. Proposals will 

be deemed ineligible if they do not fully 

adhere to the guidelines stated herein 

and in the Solicitation Package. All 

eligible proposals will be reviewed by 

the program office, as well as the Public 

Affairs Sections overseas, where 

appropriate. Eligible proposals will be 

subject to compliance with Federal and 

Bureau regulations and guidelines and 

forwarded to Bureau grant panels for 

advisory review. Proposals may also be 

reviewed by the Office of the Legal 

Adviser or by other Department 

elements. Final funding decisions are at 

the discretion of the Department of 

State’s Assistant Secretary for 

Educational and Cultural Affairs. Final 

technical authority for assistance 

awards and 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. 

60218 Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 194 / Thursday, October 7, 2004 / Notices 

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 two copies of the 

following reports: 

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. 

Program Data Requirements:

Organizations awarded grants will be 

required to maintain specific data on 

program participants and activities in an 

electronically accessible database format 

that can be shared with the Bureau as 

required. As a minimum, the data must 

include the following: 

(1) Name, address, contact 

information and biographic sketch of all 

persons who travel internationally on 

funds provided by the grant 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: The 

Educational Information and Resources 

Branch, ECA/A/S/A, room 349, U.S. 

Department of State, 301 4th Street, 

SW., Washington, DC 20547, telephone: 

202–260–6936, fax: 202–401–1433, 

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

educationusa.

All correspondence with the Bureau 

concerning this RFGP should reference 

the above title and number ECA/A/S/A–

05–07. 

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.

Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 194 / Thursday, October 7, 2004 / Notices 60219

Dated: September 30, 2004. 

C. Miller Crouch, 

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau 

of Educational and Cultural Affairs, 

Department of State.

[FR Doc. 04–22582 Filed 10–6–04; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4710–05–P

OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES 

TRADE REPRESENTATIVE 

Trade Policy Staff Committee; Public 

Comments for Market Access 

Negotiations Under the WTO 

Agreement on Government 

Procurement

AGENCY: Office of the United States 

Trade Representative.

ACTION: Notice and request for 

comments. 

SUMMARY: The Trade Policy Staff 

Committee (TPSC) is requesting written 

public comments with respect to the 

expansion of market access 

opportunities in government 

procurement under the World Trade 

Organization Agreement on Government 

Procurement. The specific information 

being sought is described in the 

background section below.

DATES: Public Comments are due by 

noon, November 1, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Offices of the U.S. Trade 

Representative, 600 17th Street, NW., 

Washington, DC 20508. Submissions by 

electronic mail: FR0446@ustr.gov. 

Submissions by facsimile: Gloria Blue, 

Executive Secretary, Trade Policy Staff 

Committee, at (202) 395–6143.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For 

procedural questions concerning public 

comments, contact Gloria Blue, 

Executive Secretary, TPSC, Office of the 

USTR, 1725 F. Street, NW, Washington, 

DC 20508, telephone (202) 395–3475. 

Questions concerning the expansion of 

market access opportunities in 

government procurement should be 

addressed to Jean Heilman Grier, Senior 

Procurement Negotiator, Office of the 

USTR, (202) 395–5097, or Scott Pietan, 

Department of Commerce, (202) 482–

4337.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

Chairman of the TPSC invites written 

comments from the public on the 

expansion of market access 

opportunities in government 

procurement under the World Trade 

Organization (WTO) Agreement on 

Government Procurement (GPA). 

Comments should identify specific 

improvements that are needed in the 

current coverage of the Parties to the 

GPA. Such requests could include the 

addition of specific government entities, 

state-owned enterprises or other 

government-related entities, the 

addition of services covered by the 

Agreement, and the removal of existing 

discriminatory measures or exclusions. 

The Appendices with the current 

market access commitments or coverage 

of each Party can be found on the WTO 

Web site at http://www.wto.org under 

the trade topic ‘‘government 

procurement,’’ with the details of 

Parties’ market access obligations at 

http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/

gproc_e/loose_e.htm. 

1. Background Information 

The GPA is a plurilateral agreement 

that currently applies to 38 Members of 

the WTO. In addition to the United 

States, they are: Canada, European 

Communities (including its 25 member 

States: Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Czech 

Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, 

France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, 

Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, 

Luxemburg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, 

Portugal, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, 

Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom), Hong 

Kong China, Iceland, Israel, Japan, 

Korea, Liechtenstein, Netherlands with 

respect to Aruba, Norway, Singapore, 

and Switzerland. The GPA includes 

both procedures that all the Parties are 

required to follow when they undertake 

procurements covered by the GPA and 

market access obligations in the 

Appendices to the Agreement. 

The Appendices include for each 

Party a positive list of the government 

entities that are required to comply with 

the Agreement when they undertake 

procurement above specified thresholds, 

subject to exclusions of certain goods. 

The government entities covered by the 

GPA include central government 

entities and government-related 

enterprises (such as state-owned 

enterprises), as well as, for most Parties, 

sub-central government entities. The 

Appendices also include a list of the 

services covered by the Party. In 

addition, the Parties set out exclusions 

and discriminatory measures in the 

Appendices.

The GPA calls for negotiations aimed 

at increasing market access 

opportunities under the Agreement 

through the greatest possible extension 

of coverage of government procurement 

by the Parties, on the basis of 

reciprocity, and the elimination of 

discriminatory measures and practices 

that distort open procurement. The GPA 

Parties have agreed to commence 

bilateral negotiations with the 

submission of initial requests to the 

other Parties for improvements in their 

coverage under the GPA by the end of 

November 2004. Based on the requests, 

the Parties will exchange offers in the 

spring of 2005. 

The comments will be considered in 

developing U.S. positions in the 

negotiations, including requests for 

improvements in the market access 

provided by other Parties under the 

GPA. 

2. Requirements for Submissions 

In order to facilitate prompt 

processing of submissions, USTR 

strongly urges and prefers electronic (email) submissions in response to this 

notice. 

Persons making submissions by email should use the following subject 

line: ‘‘Expansion of Market Access 

under the WTO/GPA’’ followed by 

‘‘Written Comments.’’ Documents 

should be submitted as WordPerfect, 

MSWord, or text (.txt) files. Supporting 

documentation submitted as 

spreadsheets are acceptable in Quattro 

Pro or Excel. 

For any document containing 

business confidential information 

submitted electronically, the file name 

of the business confidential version 

should begin with the characters ‘‘BC-’’, 

and the file name of the public version 

should begin with the characters ‘‘P-’’. 

The ‘‘P-’’ or ‘‘BC-’’ should be followed 

by the name of the submitter. Persons 

who make submissions by e-mail should 

not provide separate cover letters; 

information that might appear in a cover 

letter should be included in the 

submission itself. To the extent 

possible, any attachments to the 

submission should be included in the 

same file as the submission itself, and 

not as separate files. 

Written comments submitted in 

response to this request will be placed 

in a file open to public inspection 

pursuant to 15 CFR 2003.5, except 

business confidential information 

exempt from public inspection in 

accordance with 15 CFR 2003.6. 

Business confidential information 

submitted in accordance with 15 CFR 

2003.6 must be clearly market ‘‘Business 

Confidential’’ at the top of each page, 

including any cover letter or cover page, 

and must be accompanied by a 

nonconfidential summary of the 

confidential information. All public 

documents and nonconfidential 

summaries shall be available for public 

inspection in the USTR Reading Room. 

The USTR Reading Room is open to the 

public, by appointment only, from 10 

a.m. to 12 noon and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., 

Monday through Friday. An 

appointment to review the file must be 

scheduled at least 48 hours in advance