75368 Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 241 / Thursday, December 16, 2004 / Notices 

activities after the Bureau-funded 

project has concluded in order to ensure 

that Bureau-supported programs are not 

isolated events. Post-grant activities 

must be funded by contributions from 

the applicants or sources outside the 

Bureau. Costs for these activities should 

not appear in the proposal budget, but 

should be outlined in the narrative. 

6. Monitoring and Evaluation:

Proposals should include a detailed 

plan to monitor and evaluate the 

program. Competitive evaluation plans 

will describe how applicant 

organizations will measure the project’s 

success at meeting program objectives in 

quantitative terms, and should include 

draft data collection instruments such as 

surveys and questionnaires. Proposals 

should include a plan to evaluate the 

activity’s success, both as the activities 

unfold and at the end of the program. As 

stated previously, ECA is especially 

interested in the results of project 

activities both in terms of the impact on 

audiences as well as on participants. It 

is the applicant’s responsibility to 

inform the Bureau of exchange activity 

results and changes to the program plan 

and/or project time-line. 

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.1b The following additional 

requirements apply to this project: 

VI.2 Administrative and National Policy 

Requirements 

Terms and Conditions for the 

Administration of ECA agreements 

include the following: 

Office of Management and Budget 

Circular A–122, ‘‘Cost Principles for 

Nonprofit Organizations.’’

Office of Management and Budget 

Circular A–21, ‘‘Cost Principles for 

Educational Institutions.’’

OMB Circular A–87, ‘‘Cost Principles 

for State, Local and Indian 

Governments’’. 

OMB Circular No. A–110 (Revised), 

Uniform Administrative Requirements 

for Grants and Agreements with 

Institutions of Higher Education, 

Hospitals, and other Nonprofit 

Organizations. 

OMB Circular No. A–102, Uniform 

Administrative Requirements for 

Grants-in-Aid to State and Local 

Governments.

OMB Circular No. A–133, Audits of 

States, Local Government, and Nonprofit Organizations 

Please reference the following Web 

sites for additional information: http://

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

/exchanges.state.gov/education/

grantsdiv/terms.htm#articleI. 

VI.3. Reporting Requirements 

Grant award recipients must provide 

ECA with a hard copy original plus two 

copies 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 a 

summary of program accomplishments 

and an updated project time line. 

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: Cultural 

Programs Division, Office of Citizens 

Exchanges, ECA/PE/C/CU, Room 568, 

ECA/PE/C/CU–05–16, U.S. Department 

of State, SA–44, 301 4th Street, SW., 

Washington, DC 20547, 202–203–7488 

or 202–203–7500; fax: 202–203–7525; 

ProctorLM@state.gov. 

All correspondence with the Bureau 

concerning this RFGP should reference 

the above title and ECA/PE/C/CU–05–

16. 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: December 6, 2004. 

C. Miller Crouch, 

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau 

of Educational and Cultural Affairs, 

Department of State.

[FR Doc. 04–27556 Filed 12–15–04; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4710–05–P

DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 4923] 

Bureau of Educational and Cultural 

Affairs; U.S. Studies Institute for South 

Asian Undergraduate Student Leaders 

Announcement Type: New 

Cooperative Agreement. 

Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/

A/E/USS 05–08–SA. 

Catalog of Federal Domestic 

Assistance Number: 00–0000. 

Key Dates:

Application Deadline: February 4, 

2005. 

Executive Summary: The Study of the 

U.S. Branch, Office of Academic 

Exchange Programs, Bureau of 

Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 241 / Thursday, December 16, 2004 / Notices 75369

Educational and Cultural Affairs, 

announces an open competition for 

public and private non-profit 

organizations to develop and implement 

the U.S. Studies Institute for South 

Asian Undergraduate Student Leaders. 

The Institute is intended to provide 21 

highly motivated first through third year 

undergraduate students from 

Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan a six 

week academic seminar, including a 

domestic travel component, that will 

give them a deeper understanding of 

U.S. history, contemporary U.S. culture 

and society, and American politics and 

policymaking. An important subsidiary 

objective of the Institute is to help the 

participants develop their leadership 

and collective problemsolving skills. 

I. Funding Opportunity Description 

Authority: Overall grantmaking 

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 

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.’’ The 

funding above is provided through 

legislation.

Purpose: The Bureau is seeking 

detailed proposals for a U.S. Studies 

Institute for South Asian Undergraduate 

Student Leaders from 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, American studies, and/or 

other disciplines or sub-disciplines 

related to the study of the United States. 

The U.S. Studies Institute for South 

Asian Undergraduate Student Leaders 

should provide 21 highly motivated first 

through third year undergraduate 

students from Bangladesh, India, and 

Pakistan with a creative program that 

utilizes a variety of teaching techniques 

and formats to expose participants to a 

range of perspectives on U.S. history, 

contemporary U.S. culture and society, 

and American politics and 

policymaking. The academic program 

should include attention to the role and 

influence of principles and values such 

as democracy, the rule of 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 no 

prior knowledge of the U.S. and varying 

degrees of experience in expressing 

their opinions in a classroom setting, 

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 

problemsolving 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. 

Activities of this kind 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 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. 

The program should be six weeks in 

length including a domestic travel 

component of not more than ten (10) 

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 one of the fields 

listed above (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 Institute for South Asian 

Undergraduate Student Leaders 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. 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 in ways 

that draw upon the particular strengths, 

faculty and resources of their 

institutions as well as upon the 

expertise of nationally recognized 

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 research and 

studies upon returning to their home 

institutions; and, 

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

program content. 

The grantee institution 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. 

Participants: As specified in the 

Project Objectives, Goals and 

Implementation (POGI) guidelines in 

the solicitation package, the program 

should be designed for highly-motivated 

and exemplary first through third year 

undergraduates from colleges, 

universities, and teacher training 

institutions in India, Pakistan and 

75370 Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 241 / Thursday, December 16, 2004 / Notices 

Bangladesh, who have demonstrated 

leadership through academic 

achievements, community involvement, 

and extracurricular activities. Their 

major fields will be varied, including 

the humanities, social sciences, 

education, business, and other 

professional fields. Seven participants 

will be selected from each country. 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 possibly Hindu or other 

religious traditions. Special 

requirements and restrictions regarding 

diet, daily worship, housing and 

medical care should be considered. The 

Bureau will provide guidance and 

assistance, as needed.

Program Dates: Ideally, the program 

should be 44 days in length (including 

participant arrival and departure days) 

and is anticipated to begin late June or 

early 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; and 

how each session relates to the overall 

institute theme. A syllabus must be 

included that indicates the subject 

matter for each lecture, panel discussion 

or other activity (e.g., group exercises), 

confirms or provisionally identifies 

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, 

exercise oversight with one or more site 

visits, debrief participants while they are 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 ‘‘Note’’ above. 

Fiscal Year Funds: FY–05. 

Approximate Total Funding:

$250,000.

Approximate Number of Awards: 1. 

Approximate Average Award:

$250,000. 

Floor of Award Range: $225,000. 

Ceiling of Award Range: $250,000. 

Anticipated Award Date: Pending 

availability of funds, March 15, 2005. 

Anticipated Project Completion Date:

October 30, 2005. 

III. Eligibility Information 

III.1. Eligible Applicants 

Applications may be submitted by 

public and private non-profit 

organizations meeting the provisions 

described in Internal Revenue Code 

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

III.2. Cost Sharing or Matching Funds 

There is no minimum or maximum 

percentage required for this 

competition. However, the Bureau 

encourages applicants to provide 

maximum levels of cost sharing and 

funding in support of its programs. 

When cost sharing is offered, it is 

understood and agreed that the 

applicant must provide the amount of 

cost sharing as stipulated in its proposal 

and later included in an approved grant 

agreement. Cost sharing may be in the 

form of allowable direct or indirect 

costs. For accountability, you must 

maintain written records to support all 

costs which are claimed as your 

contribution, as well as costs to be paid 

by the Federal government. Such 

records are subject to audit. The basis 

for determining the value of cash and 

in-kind contributions must be in 

accordance with OMB Circular A–110, 

(Revised), Subpart C.23—Cost Sharing 

and Matching. In the event you do not 

provide the minimum amount of cost 

sharing as stipulated in the approved 

budget, ECA’s contribution will be 

reduced in like proportion. 

III.3 Other Eligibility Requirements 

(a) Bureau grant guidelines require 

that organizations with less than four 

years experience in conducting 

international exchanges be limited to 

$60,000 in Bureau funding. ECA 

anticipates awarding one grant in an 

amount up to $250,000 to support 

program and administrative costs 

required to implement this exchange 

program. Therefore, organizations with 

less than four years experience in 

conducting international exchanges are 

ineligible to apply under this 

competition. 

(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, American studies, and/or 

other disciplines or sub-disciplines 

related to the program themes. Failure 

to meet this criterion 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 

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.

Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 241 / Thursday, December 16, 2004 / Notices 75371

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) 619–4557 and fax number 

(202) 619–6790, e-mail 

SchmidtRC@state.gov to request a 

Solicitation Package. Please refer to the 

Funding Opportunity Number ECA/A/

E/USS 05–08–SA located at the top of 

this announcement when making your 

request. 

The Solicitation Package contains the 

Proposal Submission Instruction (PSI) 

document which consists of required 

application forms, and standard 

guidelines for proposal preparation.

It also contains the Project Objectives, 

Goals and Implementation (POGI) 

document, which provides specific 

information, award criteria and budget 

instructions tailored to this competition. 

Please specify Branch Chief Robert 

Schmidt and refer to the Funding 

Opportunity Number ECA/A/E/USS 05–

08–SA 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 

website 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 part 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, recordkeeping, 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 

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 

75372 Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 241 / Thursday, December 16, 2004 / Notices 

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.)

Please note: Because the cooperative 

agreement prospectively to be awarded under 

the terms of the present RFGP is likely to be 

of less than one year’s duration, prospective 

grantee institutions will not be expected to be 

able to demonstrate significant specific 

results in terms of participant behavior or 

institutional changes during the agreement 

period. Applicant institutions’ monitoring 

and evaluation plans should, therefore, focus 

primarily on the first and more particularly 

the second level of outcomes (learning). The 

Branch will assume principal responsibility 

for developing performance indicators and 

conducting post-institute evaluations to 

measure changes in participant behavior as a 

result of the program, and effect of the 

program on institutions, over time.

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 ECA/A/E/USS.

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. Budget 

Please take the following information 

into consideration when preparing your 

budget: 

IV.3e.1. Applicants must submit a 

comprehensive budget for the entire 

program. Awards may not exceed 

$250,000. 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. 

Based on a group of 21 participants, 

the total Bureau-funded budget 

(program and administrative) for this 

program should not exceed $250,000, 

with Bureau-funded administrative 

costs as defined in the budget details 

section of the solicitation package 

accounting for $85,000 of this total 

amount. 

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’’.

The original and ten (10) copies of the 

application should be sent to: 

Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 241 / Thursday, December 16, 2004 / Notices 75373

U.S. Department of State, SA–44, 

Bureau of Educational and Cultural 

Affairs, Ref.: ECA/A/E/USS 05–08–SA, 

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 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 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.

Please reference the following Web 

sites for additional information:

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

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

grantsdiv/terms.htm#articleI.

75374 Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 241 / Thursday, December 16, 2004 / Notices 

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 program; 

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 05–08-SA, 

U.S. Department of State, SA–44, 301 

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

telephone number (202) 619–4562 and 

fax number (202) 619–6790, e-mail 

SchmidtRC@state.gov. 

All correspondence with the Bureau 

concerning this RFGP should reference 

the above title and number ECA/A/E/

USS 05–08–SA. 

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: December 8, 2004. 

Patricia S. Harrison, 

Assistant Secretary for Educational and 

Cultural Affairs, Department of State.

[FR Doc. 04–27555 Filed 12–15–04; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4710–05–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration 

[Docket No. FAA–2004–19058; FAA Order 

5050.4B] 

NEPA Implementing Instructions for 

Airport Actions

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of availability, and 

request for comments on Draft Order 

5050.4B, NEPA implementing 

procedures for airport actions. 

SUMMARY: The Federal Aviation 

Administration’s Office of Airports 

(ARP) is proposing revisions to its 

National Environmental Policy Act 

(NEPA) implementing instructions for 

the airport development projects and 

other airport actions under its authority. 

ARP has prepared a draft order, FAA 

Order 5050.4B, NEPA Implementing 

Procedures for Airport Actions. The 

final version of that order would replace 

Order 5050.4A, Airports Environmental 

Handbook, dated October 8, 1985. The 

proposed order updates and adds to the 

instructions in the 1985 publication and 

is consistent with FAA Order 1050.1E, 

Environmental Impact: Policies and 

Procedures, discussed below. 

The draft order follows the Council on 

Environmental Quality’s (CEQ’s) NEPA 

implementing regulations at 40 CFR Part 

1500 et seq. It also follows DOT’s Order 

5610.C, Policies for Considering 

Environmental Impacts, and FAA Order 

1050.1E, Environmental Impact: Policies 

and Procedures. Information in this 

Notice’s ‘‘Summary of Proposed 

Changes’’ section highlights the most 

substantial changes ARP is proposing 

for Order 5050.4B.

DATES: ARP publishes this order for 

public review and comment. ARP is 

providing a 60-day review period. 

Commenters must file their comments at 

the following address by February 16, 

2005. FAA intends to issue a final 

version of Order 5050.4B by October 31, 

2005.

ADDRESSES: Commenters must provide 3 

copies of their comment letters. 

Commenters must mail their letters to 

the Federal Aviation Administration 

(FAA), Office of the Chief Counsel, Attn: 

Rules Docket (AGC–200), Docket No. 

FAA–2004–19058, 800 Independence 

Ave., SW., Room 915–G, Washington, 

DC 20591. People wishing to review 

comments may do so in Room 915–G at 

the above address, weekdays between 

8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m., eastern time, 

except on Federal holidays. 

Anyone seeking FAA’s recognition of 

receipt of their comments must send a 

self-addressed, stamped postcard with 

their comments. On the postcard, print: 

‘‘Comments to Docket No. FAA–2004–

19058.’’ FAA will date-stamp and return 

the postcard to the commenter.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Please contact Mr. Ed Melisky, 

Environmental Specialist, Community 

and Environmental Needs Division 

(APP–600), Office of Airport Planning 

and Programming, FAA, 800 

Independence Avenue, SW., 

Washington, DC, 20591; telephone (202) 

267–5869.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

National Environmental Policy Act 

(NEPA) and the regulations 

implementing it (40 CFR 1500–1508) 

provide Federal agencies with 

instructions on protecting the quality of 

the human and natural environment. 

The law and regulations require Federal 

agencies to carefully evaluate and take 

into account the environmental effects 

of their actions before the agencies make 

their decisions on proposed actions 

having the potential to disturb the 

environment. Section 102(B) of NEPA 

requires Federal agencies to develop 

procedures in consultation with the 

President’s Council on Environmental 

Quality (CEQ) to carry out NEPA and 

CEQ’s regulations for their specific 

activities. 

Draft Order 5050.4B presents ARP’s 

proposed revisions of the NEPA 

instructions in Order 5050.4A, dated 

October 8, 1985. Readers may not use