Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 227 / Friday, November 26, 2004 / Notices 69019

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://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; 

(2) Quarterly program and financial 

reports which should include both 

quantitative and qualitative data you 

have available. 

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. 

VI.4. 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. 

VII. Agency Contacts 

For questions about this 

announcement, contact: Anna 

Mussman, Office of Citizen Exchanges, 

ECA/PE/C/PY, Room 568, U.S. 

Department of State, SA–44, 301 4th 

Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547. 

Telephone: (202) 203–7506, Fax 

number: (202) 203–7529, Internet 

address: mussmanap@state.gov. All 

correspondence with the Bureau 

concerning this RFGP should reference 

the above title and number ECA/PE/C/

PY–05–12. 

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. 

Notification: Final awards cannot be 

made until funds have been 

appropriated by Congress, allocated and 

committed through internal Bureau 

procedures.

Dated: November 18, 2004. 

C. Miller Crouch, 

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau 

of Educational and Cultural Affair, 

Department of State.

[FR Doc. 04–26172 Filed 11–24–04; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4710–05–P

DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 4906] 

Bureau of Educational and Cultural 

Affairs (ECA) Request for Grant 

Proposals for the Middle East 

Partnership Initiative Study of the 

United States (U.S.) Institutes for 

Student Leaders From the Middle East/

North Africa 

Announcement Type: New 

Cooperative Agreement. 

Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/

A/E/USS–05–07. 

Catalog of Federal Domestic 

Assistance Number: 0000. 

Key Dates:

Application Deadline: February 4, 

2005. 

Executive Summary: The Study of the 

U.S. Branch, Office of Academic 

Exchange Programs, Bureau of 

Educational and Cultural Affairs, 

announces an open competition for 

public and private non-profit 

organizations to develop and implement 

two Middle East Partnership Initiative 

(MEPI) Study of the United States 

Institutes for Undergraduate Student 

Leaders, and one Middle East 

Partnership Initiative (MEPI) Study of 

the United States Institute for Recent 

High School Graduates. Funding for 

these institutes is being provided by the 

Department of State’s Middle East 

Partnership Initiative, the U.S. 

Government’s primary policy and 

programmatic mechanism to address 

reform in the Middle East. 

The Bureau anticipates awarding two 

separate assistance awards to support 

the institutes targeting undergraduate 

student leaders, and one assistance 

award to support a single institute for 

recent high school graduates (three 

assistance awards total). Prospective 

applicants are limited to submitting one 

proposal only to conduct one of these 

three programs. 

I. Funding Opportunity Description 

Authority: Overall grant making 

authority for these programs is 

contained inthe Mutual Educational and 

Cultural Exchange Act of 1961, Public 

Law 87–256, as amended, also known as 

the Fulbright-Hays Act. The purpose of 

the Act is ‘‘to enable the Government of 

the United States to increase mutual 

understanding between the people of 

the United States and the people of 

other countries * * *; to strengthen the 

ties which unite us with other nations 

by demonstrating the educational and 

cultural interests, developments, and 

achievements of the people of the 

United States and other nations. * * * 

and thus to assist in the development of 

friendly, sympathetic and peaceful 

relations between the United States and 

the other countries of the world.’’

Funding for these institutes is being 

provided from a transfer of FY–2005 

Economic Support Funds for the Middle 

East Partnership Initiative. 

Purpose: The Bureau is seeking 

detailed proposals for each ‘‘Middle 

East Partnership Initiative Study of the 

United States Institute for 

Undergraduate Student Leaders’’ and 

the ‘‘Middle East Partnership Initiative 

Study of the United States Institute for 

Recent High School Graduates’’ from 

accredited U.S. colleges, universities, 

consortia of colleges and universities, 

and other not-for-profit academic 

organizations, that have an established 

reputation in one or more of the 

following fields: political science, 

international relations, law, history, 

sociology, U.S. studies, and/or other 

disciplines or sub-disciplines related to 

the study of the United States.

The academic program for the 

institutes should include attention to 

the role and influence of principles and 

values such as democracy, the rule of 

69020 Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 227 / Friday, November 26, 2004 / Notices 

law, individual rights, freedom of 

expression, equality, diversity and 

tolerance. Historical political, social and 

economic debates that have shaped U.S. 

society and/or current issues may be 

examined. The concepts of individual 

and civic responsibility, volunteerism 

and community involvement should 

also be addressed, and hands-on 

activities related to these areas should 

be included in the program. The grantee 

institution should take into account that 

the participants may have little or prior 

knowledge of the U.S. and varying 

degrees of experience in expressing 

their opinions, and should tailor the 

curriculum and classroom activities 

accordingly. 

In addition to promoting a better 

understanding of the United States, the 

institute emphasizes developing the 

participants’ leadership and collective 

problem solving skills. In this context, 

the program should include lectures as 

well as group discussions and exercises 

focusing on such topics as the essential 

attributes of leadership; ‘‘teambuilding;’’

effective communication and problemsolving skills; and management skills 

for diverse organizational settings. 

The institutes must be serious 

academic programs and grantee 

institutions will be expected to 

demonstrate sensitivity in explaining 

the students’ responsibility to take full 

advantage of the opportunity, fully 

participate in all elements of the 

program and prepare for discussions 

and activities in a serious way. 

Each program should be 47 days in 

length including participant arrival and 

departure days, a 2-day pre-program 

orientation in Washington, DC, and a 

domestic travel component up to 

fourteen days, of which 3–4 days should 

be spent in Washington, DC, at the end 

of the program. This travel component 

should directly complement the 

academic residency segment. It should 

include visits to cities and other sites of 

interest in the region of the grantee 

institution.

The project director or one of the key 

program staff responsible for the 

academic program must have an 

advanced degree in political science, 

international relations, law, history, 

sociology, American studies and/or 

other disciplines or sub-disciplines 

related to the study of the United States. 

Programs must conform with Bureau 

requirements and guidelines outlined in 

the Solicitation Package. Bureau 

programs are subject to the availability 

of funds. 

The institutes should be organized 

through an integrated, balanced series of 

lectures and seminar discussions that 

leave ample time for discussion and 

interaction among students, lecturers 

and guest speakers. Reading and writing 

assignments need to be adjusted to the 

participants’ familiarity with English. 

Grantee institutions need to recognize 

the diverse characteristics and academic 

preparation of the students who are 

recent secondary school graduates or 

university students. Experiential 

learning exercises, regional travel, and 

site visits are important elements of the 

program. Institutes should also include 

opportunities for participants to meet 

American citizens from a variety of 

backgrounds, to interact with peers, and 

to speak to appropriate student and 

civic groups about their experiences and 

life in their home countries. 

Applicants are encouraged to design 

thematically coherent programs that 

draw upon the particular strengths, 

faculty and resources of their 

institutions as well as upon the 

nationally recognized expertise of 

scholars and other experts throughout 

the United States. Within the limits of 

their thematic focus and organizing 

framework, Institute programs should 

also be designed to: 

1. Give participants a multidimensional view of U.S. society and 

institutions that includes a broad and 

balanced range of perspectives. Where 

possible, programs should therefore 

include the views not only of scholars, 

cultural critics and public intellectuals, 

but also those of other professionals 

such as government officials, journalists 

and others who can substantively 

contribute to the topics at issue; 

2. Ensure access to library and 

material resources that will enable 

grantees to continue their studies and 

develop follow-on projects related to the 

summer institute curriculum upon 

returning to their home institutions; 

and, 

3. Bring an interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary focus to bear on the 

program content, if appropriate. 

The grantee institutions will also be 

expected to provide participants postprogram opportunities for further 

investigation and research on the topics 

and issues examined and discussed 

during the institute. The Bureau will 

work closely with the grantee 

organization and with U.S. Embassies 

abroad to organize an alumni workshop 

for participants in this program at a site 

to be determined in the Middle East/

North Africa region within six-twelve 

months after the conclusion of the 

institute. The alumni workshop will 

provide the students opportunities to 

further develop their leadership 

potential and interact with leaders and 

professionals from the Middle East/

North Africa region. 

The MEPI Study of the U.S. Institute for 

Undergraduate Student Leaders 

This program is intended for 21 

highly motivated undergraduates who 

will be entering the second or third year 

of college or university study in fall 

2005, and who demonstrate leadership 

through academic work, community 

involvement, and extracurricular 

activities. 

For these undergraduate institutes, 

leadership training and related activities 

should ideally be scheduled to take 

place at least on a weekly basis, if not 

more frequently, during the academic 

residency period, and should be 

integrated into the academic program 

wherever possible.

The MEPI Study of the U.S. Institute for 

Recent High School Graduates 

This program is intended for a group 

of highly motivated students from the 

Middle East and North Africa who will 

have completed their high school 

studies in the summer of 2005 and who 

will be commencing undergraduate 

studies in their home countries the fall 

of 2005. 

The expectation is that the institute 

for recent high school graduates will 

incorporate even greater emphasis on 

leadership and related (teambuilding, 

critical thinking) skills development. 

The program for recent high school 

graduates should assign roughly equal 

weight to the ‘‘Study of the U.S’’ and 

leadership development components. 

Participants: As specified in the 

Project Objectives, Goals and 

Implementation (POGI) guidelines in 

the solicitation package, the MEPI Study 

of the U.S. Institute for Undergraduate 

Student Leaders should be designed for 

highly motivated and exemplary first 

and second year undergraduate students 

from colleges, universities and teacher 

training institutions in Algeria, Bahrain, 

Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, 

Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, 

Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, the United 

Arab Emirates, the West Bank and Gaza, 

and Yemen who demonstrate leadership 

through academic work, community 

involvement, and extracurricular 

activities. [Note: Israeli participants will 

be Arab-Israelis only.] 

The MEPI Study of the U.S. Institute 

for Recent High School Graduates 

should be designed for highly motivated 

students from these same countries who 

will have completed their high school 

studies in the summer of 2005 and who 

will be commencing undergraduate 

studies in the fall of 2005. 

Participants will be identified and 

nominated by U.S. embassies and 

consulates in those countries, with final 

Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 227 / Friday, November 26, 2004 / Notices 69021

selection made by the Study of the U.S. 

Branch in consultation with the MEPI 

office. A mix of male and female 

participants will be included, and a mix 

of religious and cultural backgrounds 

represented. Their major fields will be 

varied, including the humanities, social 

sciences, education, business, and other 

professional fields. All participants will 

have good knowledge of English.

Please Note: While the participants will 

have good knowledge of English, the level of 

comprehension and speaking ability may 

vary. Therefore, the grantee institutions will 

be required to prepare lectures and 

discussions that meet high academic 

standards while using language appropriate 

for students for whom English is their second 

or third language.

Efforts will be made to recruit 

participants from non-elite backgrounds 

from both rural and urban sectors of the 

home country, and who have had little 

or no prior study or travel experience in 

the United States or elsewhere outside 

of their home country. All participants 

will be required and committed to 

return to their home countries to 

continue or commence their university 

studies in the fall of 2005 following 

completion of their institute program; be 

willing and able to fully participate in 

an intensive academic program, 

community service, and active 

educational travel program. Participants 

and grantee institutions must recognize 

that the primary purpose of the program 

is to develop understanding of the U.S. 

in a structured environment managed by 

the Department of State and the grantee 

institution. Personal travel during or 

after the program is not a benefit of 

participating in the institute. As 

participants will be selected in large 

part on the basis of their demonstrated 

leadership capacity, it is expected they 

will eventually utilize the experience 

derived from the program in positions of 

responsibility in their home countries. 

The grantee institution will show 

sensitivity to the cultural traditions and 

religious practices of the participating 

students, who will represent a variety of 

Muslim and other religious traditions. 

Special requirements and restrictions 

regarding diet, daily worship, housing 

and medical care should be considered. 

The Branch will provide guidance and 

assistance, as needed.

Program Dates: Each program should 

be 47 days in length (including 

participant arrival and departure days 

and a two day pre-program orientation). 

The institute for undergraduate student 

leaders is anticipated to begin early July 

2005. The institute for recent high 

school graduates is anticipated to begin 

mid-July 2005. 

Program Guidelines: While the 

conception and structure of the institute 

program is the responsibility of the 

organizers, it is critically important that 

proposals provide a full, detailed and 

comprehensive narrative describing the 

objectives of the institute; the title, 

scope and content of each session; 

planned site visits; and, how each 

session relates to the overall institute 

theme. A proposed syllabus must 

therefore be provided indicating the 

subject matter for each lecture, panel 

discussion or other activity (e.g., group 

exercises), confirm or provisionally 

identify proposed lecturers and session 

leaders, and clearly shows how assigned 

readings will support each session. A 

calendar of all program activities must 

also be included. Additionally, 

applicant institutions should describe 

their plans for public and media 

outreach in connection with the 

program.

Note: In a cooperative agreement, the 

Study of the U.S. Branch is substantially 

involved in program activities above and 

beyond routine grant monitoring. Branch 

activities and responsibilities for this 

program are as follows: the Branch will 

participate in the selection of participants, 

will conduct a pre-program orientation, will 

exercise oversight with one or more site visits 

and will debrief participants while in the 

U.S. and also engage in follow-up 

communications with the participants upon 

their return home. The Branch may require 

changes in the content of the program as well 

as the activities proposed after the grant is 

awarded. The recipient will be required to 

obtain review and approval of significant 

agenda/syllabus changes in advance of their 

implementation.

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: FY–2005. 

Approximate Total Funding:

$990,000. 

Approximate Number of Awards: 3. 

Approximate Average Award:

$350,000. 

Floor of Award Range: $285,000. 

Ceiling of Award Range: $350,000. 

Anticipated Award Date: Pending 

availability of funds, March 1, 2005. 

Anticipated Project Completion Date:

September 30, 2006. 

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 two assistance 

awards in an amount up to $320,000 

each for the MEPI Study of the U.S. 

Institutes for Undergraduate Student 

Leaders and one assistance award in an 

amount up to $350,000 for one MEPI 

Study of the U.S. Institute for Recent 

High School Graduates. (These are the 

estimated sums required to support 

program and administrative costs to 

carry out these exchange programs.) 

Therefore, organizations with less than 

four years experience in conducting 

international exchanges are ineligible to 

apply under this competition. 

(b) Technical Eligibility: All proposals 

must comply with the following: The 

project director or one of the key 

program staff responsible for the 

academic program must have an 

advanced degree in one of the following 

fields: political science, international 

relations, law, history, sociology, 

literature, a U.S. studies field, and/or 

69022 Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 227 / Friday, November 26, 2004 / Notices 

other disciplines or sub-disciplines 

related to the program themes. 

Failure to meet these criteria will 

result in your proposal being declared 

technically ineligible and given no 

further consideration in the review 

process. 

IV. Application and Submission 

Information

Note: Please read the complete Federal 

Register announcement before sending 

inquiries or submitting proposals. The 

Branch staff will be available to consult with 

prospective applicant institutions about 

proposal preparation and program design and 

content up until the proposal submission 

deadline. 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 Branch for the 

Study of the U.S., ECA/A/E/USS, Room 

Number 252, U.S. Department of State, 

SA–44, 301 4th Street, SW., 

Washington, DC 20547, telephone 

number (202) 260–0535 and fax number 

(202) 619–6790, e-mail 

PallaresJE@State.gov to request a 

Solicitation Package. Please refer to the 

Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/A/

E/USS–05–07-MEU (Institute for 

Undergraduate Student Leaders) or 

ECA/A/E/USS–05–07-MEHS (Institute 

for Recent High School Graduates) 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.

Please specify program officer Julia 

Pallares and refer to the Funding 

Opportunity Number ECA/A/E/USS–

05–07 located on 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 ten (10) 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. 

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: 

IV.3d.1. Adherence to All Regulations 

Governing the J Visa. The Bureau of 

Educational and Cultural Affairs is 

placing renewed emphasis on the secure 

and proper administration of Exchange 

Visitor (J visa) Programs and adherence 

by grantees and sponsors to all 

regulations governing the J visa. 

Therefore, proposals should 

demonstrate the applicant’s capacity to 

meet all requirements governing the 

administration of the Exchange Visitor 

Programs as set forth in 22 CFR 62, 

including the oversight of Responsible 

Officers and Alternate Responsible 

Officers, screening and selection of 

program participants, provision of prearrival information and orientation to 

participants, monitoring of participants, 

proper maintenance and security of 

forms, record-keeping, reporting and 

other requirements. ECA will be 

responsible for issuing DS–2019 forms 

to participants in this program. 

A copy of the complete regulations 

governing the administration of 

Exchange Visitor (J) programs is 

available at http://exchanges.state.gov

or from: United States Department of 

State, Office of Exchange Coordination 

and Designation, ECA/EC/ECD—SA–44, 

Room 734, 301 4th Street, SW., 

Washington, DC 20547, Telephone: 

(202) 401–9810, FAX: (202) 401–9809. 

Please refer to Solicitation Package for 

further information. 

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 

Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 227 / Friday, November 26, 2004 / Notices 69023

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.)

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.3d.4. Describe Your Plans for 

Overall Program Management, Staffing, 

and Coordination With the Study of the 

U.S. Branch. The Branch considers 

program management, staffing and 

coordination with the Department of 

State essential elements of your 

program. Please be sure to give 

sufficient attention to these elements in 

your proposal. Please refer to the 

Technical Eligibility Requirements and 

the POGI in the Solicitation package for 

specific guidelines. 

IV.3e. Please Take the Following 

Information Into Consideration When 

Preparing Your Budget:

IV.3e.1. Applicants must submit a 

comprehensive budget for the entire 

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. 

MEPI Study of the U.S. Institute for 

Undergraduate Student Leaders 

Based on a group of 21 participants, 

the total Bureau-funded budget 

(program and administrative) for this 

institute should be up to approximately 

$320,000. 

MEPI Study of the U.S. Institute for 

Recent High School Graduates 

Based on a group of 21 participants, 

the total Bureau-funded budget 

(program and administrative) for this 

institute should be up to approximately 

$350,000. 

Justifications for any costs above these 

amounts must be clearly indicated in 

the proposal submission. Proposals 

should try to maximize cost-sharing in 

all facets of the program and to 

stimulate U.S. private sector, including 

foundation and corporate, support. 

Applicants must submit a 

comprehensive budget for the entire 

program. The Bureau reserves the right 

to reduce, revise, or increase proposal 

budgets in accordance with the needs of 

the program, and availability of U.S. 

government funding. 

Please refer to the ‘‘POGI’’ in the 

Solicitation Package for complete 

institute budget guidelines and 

formatting instructions. 

IV.3e.2. Allowable Costs for the 

Program Include the Following:

(1) Institute staff salary and benefits. 

(2) Honoraria for guest speakers. 

(3) Participant per diem. 

Please refer to the Solicitation 

Package for complete budget guidelines 

and formatting instructions.

IV.3f. Submission Dates and Times:

Application Deadline Date: Friday, 

February 4, 2005. 

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.’’

69024 Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 227 / Friday, November 26, 2004 / Notices 

The original and ten (10) copies of the 

application for the MEPI Study of the 

U.S. Institute for Student Leaders 

should be sent to: U.S. Department of 

State, SA–44, Bureau of Educational and 

Cultural Affairs, Program Management, 

ECA/EX/PM, Room 534, 301 4th Street, 

SW., Washington, DC 20547.

Please Note: For the MEPI Study of the 

U.S. Undergraduate Student Leaders Program 

use reference number: ECA/A/E/USS–05–07–

MEU. 

For the MEPI Study of the U.S. Institute for 

Recent High School Graduates use reference 

number: ECA/A/E/USS–05–07–MEHS.

Along with the Project Title, all 

applicants must enter the above 

Reference Numbers 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 are also requested to 

submit the ‘‘Executive Summary’’ and 

‘‘Proposal Narrative’’ sections of the 

proposal in text (.txt) format on a PCformatted disk. 

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. 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 

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. Overall Quality: Proposals should 

exhibit originality and substance, 

consonant with the highest standards of 

American teaching and scholarship, and 

be suitable for students with English as 

their second or third language. Program 

elements should be tailored for students 

with limited knowledge of the U.S. and 

with varying degrees of experience in 

expressing their opinions. Lectures, 

panels, and other interactive classroom 

activities, readings, community service, 

and site visits, taken as a whole, should 

offer a balanced presentation of issues, 

reflecting both the continuity of the 

American experience as well as its 

inherent diversity and dynamism. 

2. Program Planning and 

Administration: Proposals should 

demonstrate careful planning. The 

organization and structure of the 

institute should be clearly delineated 

and be fully responsive to all program 

objectives. A program syllabus (noting 

specific sessions and topical readings 

supporting each academic unit) should 

be included, as should a calendar of 

activities. The travel component should 

not simply be a tour, but should be an 

integral and substantive part of the 

program, reinforcing and 

complementing the academic segment. 

Proposals should provide evidence of 

continuous administrative and 

managerial capacity as well as the 

means by which program activities and 

logistical matters will be implemented. 

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. Institutional Capacity: Proposed 

personnel, including faculty and 

administrative staff as well as outside 

presenters, should be fully qualified to 

achieve the project’s goals. Library and 

meeting facilities, housing, meals, 

transportation and other logistical 

arrangements should fully meet the 

needs of participants. 

5. Institution’s Record/Ability:

Proposals should demonstrate an 

institutional record of successful 

exchange program activities, indicating 

the experience that the organization and 

its professional staff have had working 

with foreign students. The Bureau will 

consider the past performance of prior 

recipients and the demonstrated 

potential of new applicants. 

6. Support of Diversity: Proposals 

should demonstrate substantive support 

of the Bureau’s policy on diversity. 

‘‘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. Applicant should highlight 

instances of diversity in their proposal. 

7. Evaluation and Follow-up:

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 link 

outcomes to original project objectives 

is strongly recommended. Proposals 

should discuss provisions made for 

follow-up with returned grantees as a 

means of establishing longer-term 

individual and institutional linkages. 

8. 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. 

VI. Award Administration Information 

VI.1. Award Notices 

Final awards cannot be made until 

funds have been appropriated by 

Congress, allocated and committed 

through internal Bureau procedures. 

Successful applicants will receive 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. 

Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 227 / Friday, November 26, 2004 / Notices 69025

Please reference the following Web 

sites for additional information: http://

www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants.

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

grantsdiv/terms.htm#articleI.

VI.3. Reporting Requirements 

You must provide ECA with a hard 

copy original plus two copies of the 

following reports: 

Mandatory: (1.) A final program and 

financial report no more than 90 days 

after the conclusion of the institute; 

Grantees will be required to provide 

reports analyzing their evaluation 

findings to the Bureau in their regular 

program reports. (Please refer to IV. 

Application and Submission 

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

Monitoring and Evaluation information. 

All data collected, including survey 

responses and contact information, must 

be maintained for a minimum of three 

years and provided to the Bureau upon 

request. 

All reports must be sent to the ECA 

Grants Officer and ECA Program Officer 

listed in the final assistance award 

document. 

VI.4. Optional 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: Branch for the 

Study of the U.S., ECA/A/E/USS, Room 

Number 252, ECA/A/E/USS–05–07–

MEU for the Institute for Undergraduate 

Student Leaders, and ECA/A/E/USS–

05–07–MEHS for the Institute for Recent 

High School Graduates, the U.S. 

Department of State, SA–44, 301 4th 

Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547, 

telephone number (202) 260–0535 and 

fax number (202) 619–6790, e-mail: 

PallaresJE@State.gov.

All correspondence with the Bureau 

concerning this RFGP should reference 

the above title and number ECA/A/E/

USS–05–07–MEU or ECA/A/E/USS–05–

07–MEHS. 

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: November 18, 2004. 

C. Miller Crouch, 

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau 

of Educational and Cultural Affairs, 

Department of State.

[FR Doc. 04–26171 Filed 11–24–04; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4710–05–P

TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, as 

Amended by Public Law 104–13; 

Proposed Collection; Comment 

Request

AGENCY: Tennessee Valley Authority.

ACTION: Proposed collection; comment 

request. 

SUMMARY: The proposed information 

collection described below will be 

submitted to the Office of Management 

and Budget (OMB) for review, as 

required by the Paperwork Reduction 

Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35, as 

amended). The Tennessee Valley 

Authority is soliciting public comments 

on this proposed collection as provided 

by 5 CFR 1320.8(d)(1). Requests for 

information, including copies of the 

information collection proposed and 

supporting documentation, should be 

directed to the Agency Clearance 

Officer: Alice D. Witt, Tennessee Valley 

Authority, 1101 Market Street (EB 5B), 

Chattanooga, Tennessee 37402–2801; 

(423) 751–6832. (SC: 000X1BL) 

Comments should be sent to the 

Agency Clearance Officer no later than 

January 25, 2005.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Type of Request: Regular submission; 

proposal for an extension of a currently 

approved collection, without revisions, 

which will expire April 30, 2005. 

(OMB Control number: 3316–0099). 

Title of Information Collection: TVA 

Aquatic Plant Management. 

Frequency of Use: On occasion. 

Type of Affected Public: Individuals 

or households. 

Small Businesses or Organizations 

Affected: No. 

Federal Budget Functional Category 

Code: 452. 

Estimated Number of Annual 

Responses: 2,000. 

Estimated Total Annual Burden 

Hours: 400. 

Estimated Average Burden Hours Per 

Response: 0.2 (12 minutes). 

Need For and Use of Information:

TVA committed to involving the public 

in developing plans for managing 

aquatic plants in individual TVA lakes 

under a Supplemental Environmental 

Impact Statement completed in August 

1993. This proposed survey will provide 

a mechanism for obtaining input into 

this planning process from a 

representative sample of people living 

near each lake. The information 

obtained from the survey will be 

factored into the development of aquatic 

plant management plans for mainstream 

Tennessee River lakes.

Jacklyn J. Stephenson, 

Senior Manager, Enterprise Operations, 

Information Services.

[FR Doc. 04–26189 Filed 11–24–04; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 8120–08–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Office of the Secretary 

Aviation Proceedings, Agreements 

Filed the Week Ending November 12, 

2004 

The following Agreements were filed 

with the Department of Transportation 

under the provisions of 49 U.S.C. 

Sections 412 and 414. Answers may be 

filed within 21 days after the filing of 

the application. 

Docket Number: OST–2004–19633. 

Date Filed: November 9, 2004. 

Parties: Members of the International 

Air Transport Association. 

Subject:

PTC31 N&C/CIRC 0286 dated 12 

November 2004