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of the Bureau’s policy on diversity. 

Achievable and relevant features should 

be cited in both program administration 

(selection of participants, program 

venue and program evaluation) and 

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

materials and follow-up activities). 

Applicants should refer to the Bureau’s 

Diversity, Freedom and Democracy 

Guidelines in the Proposal Submission 

Instructions (PSI). 

V.2f. Follow-on Activities: Applicants 

should provide a plan to conduct 

activities after the Bureau-funded 

project has concluded in order to ensure 

that Bureau-supported programs are not 

isolated events. Funds for all post-grant 

activities must be in the form of 

contributions from the applicant or 

sources outside of the Bureau. Costs for 

these activities must not appear in the 

proposal budget, but should be outlined 

in the narrative. 

V.2g. Program Monitoring and 

Evaluation: Proposals should include a 

detailed plan to monitor and evaluate 

the program. Program objectives should 

target clearly defined results in 

quantitative terms. Competitive 

evaluation plans will describe how 

applicant organizations would measure 

these results, and proposals should 

include draft data collection 

instruments (surveys, questionnaires, 

etc.) in Tab E. 

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 a Federal Assistance Award 

(FAA) from the Bureau’s Grants Office. 

The FAA and the original proposal with 

subsequent modifications (if applicable) 

shall be the only binding authorizing 

document between the recipient and the 

U.S. Government. The FAA will be 

signed by an authorized Grants Officer, 

and mailed to the recipient’s 

responsible officer identified in the 

application. Unsuccessful applicants 

will receive notification of the results of 

the application review from the ECA 

program office coordinating this 

competition. 

VI.2. Administrative and National 

Policy Requirements. Terms and 

Conditions for the Administration of 

ECA agreements include the following 

Office of Management and Budget 

(OMB) guidance: 

• Circular A–122, ‘‘Cost Principles for 

Nonprofit Organizations.’’ 

• Circular A–21, ‘‘Cost Principles for 

Educational Institutions.’’ 

• Circular A–87, ‘‘Cost Principles for 

State, Local and Indian Governments.’’ 

• Circular A–110 (Revised), ‘‘Uniform 

Administrative Requirements for Grants 

and Agreements with Institutions of 

Higher Education, Hospitals, and other 

Nonprofit Organizations.’’ 

• Circular No. A–102, Uniform 

Administrative Requirements for 

Grants-in-Aid to State and Local 

Governments. 

• Circular A–133, Audits of States, 

Local Government, and Non-profit 

Organizations. 

Please reference http:// 

www.whitehouse.gov/omb/ 

grants_circulars/for additional 

information: 

VI.3. Reporting Requirements. You 

must provide ECA with a hard copy 

original plus one electronic copy of the 

following reports: 

VI.3a. Final Reports. A final program 

and financial report no more than 90 

days after the expiration of the award; 

VI.3b. One-page Report. A concise, 

one-page final program report 

summarizing program outcomes no 

more than 90 days after the expiration 

of the award. This one-page report will 

be transmitted to OMB, and be made 

available to the public via OMB’s 

USAspending.gov Web site—as part of 

ECA’s Federal Funding Accountability 

and Transparency Act (FFATA) 

reporting requirements. 

VI.3c. SF–PPR. A SF–PPR, 

‘‘Performance Progress Report’’ Cover 

Sheet should be submitted with all 

program reports. 

VI.3d. Quarterly reports. Quarterly 

program and financial reports should be 

submitted for the duration of the 

program. For program reports, award 

recipients will be required to provide 

reports analyzing their evaluation 

findings to the Bureau. (Please refer to 

section IV.3.d.3, ‘‘Program Monitoring 

and Evaluation’’). 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. Additional Program Data 

Requirements: 

VI.4a. Data on Program participants 

and activities. Award recipients 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. At a minimum, the data must 

include the following: Name, address, 

contact information and biographic 

sketch of all persons who travel 

internationally on funds provided by 

the agreement or who benefit from the 

award funding but do not travel. 

VI.4b. Travel. 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: Jim Ogul, Office 

of Citizen Exchanges, ECA/PE/C, U.S. 

Department of State, SA–5, 3rd Floor, 

2200 C St., NW., Washington, DC 

20522–0503, ph. tel: (202) 632–6055, email: ogulje@state.gov. All 

correspondence with the Bureau 

concerning this RFGP should reference 

the above title and number ECA/PE/C– 

10–01. 

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.4 

above. 

Dated: March 31, 2010. 

Maura M. Pally, 

Acting Assistant Secretary for Educational 

and Cultural Affairs, Department of State. 

[FR Doc. 2010–7981 Filed 4–7–10; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4710–05–P 

DEPARTMENT OF STATE 

[Public Notice 6950] 

Bureau of Educational and Cultural 

Affairs (ECA) Request for Grant 

Proposals: The U.S./Afghanistan 

Professional Partnership Program 

Announcement Type: New Grant. 

Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/ 

PE/C/EUR–SCA–10–52. 

Catalog of Federal Domestic 

Assistance Number: 19.415. 

Key Dates: 

Application Deadline: May 21, 2010. 

Executive Summary: In his December 

1, 2009, speech in West Point, New 

York, President Obama said that a new 


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diplomatic initiative in Afghanistan 

would be part of the U.S. strategy to 

bring peace and stability in the 

Afghanistan/Pakistan region. As part of 

this initiative, ECA is seeking proposals 

for a new program, called ‘‘The U.S./ 

Afghanistan Professional Partnership 

Program.’’ This program will bring 

young professionals from the two 

countries together to develop cross 

cultural relationships and develop 

professional skills that will positively 

impact people’s lives and will result in 

stronger ties between the two nations. 

Pending availability of funds, the 

Bureau expects to award one grant for 

approximately $1,200,000. The project 

is focused on professionals working in 

the judicial system and public 

administration and will be designed to 

demonstrate best practices, offer 

professional development opportunities, 

and support internships at U.S-based 

workplaces for Afghan professionals. 

The program will involve provincial 

and district (state, local) public 

administration officials, district attorney 

offices, legal aid offices, case workers, 

and judges where possible. 

I. Funding Opportunity Description 

Authority 

Overall grant making authority for 

this program is contained in the Mutual 

Educational and Cultural Exchange Act 

of 1961, Public Law 87–256, as 

amended, also known as the FulbrightHays Act. The purpose of the Act is ‘‘to 

enable the Government of the United 

States to increase mutual understanding 

between the people of the United States 

and the people of other countries * * *; 

to strengthen the ties which unite us 

with other nations by demonstrating the 

educational and cultural interests, 

developments, and achievements of the 

people of the United States and other 

nations * * * and thus to assist in the 

development of friendly, sympathetic 

and peaceful relations between the 

United States and the other countries of 

the world.’’ Funding for this competition 

is provided through special FY 2009/FY 

2010 supplemental funds that have been 

appropriated to the Department of State. 

General Program Outlines 

Language: This program is for English 

and non-English speaking Afghan 

participants. English language ability 

will not be a requirement to participate. 

Groups of Afghan professionals should 

be arranged according to language 

ability/preference (English and Dari). 

For the Dari-speaking participants, State 

Department Language Services 

interpreters will be assigned through the 

Office of Citizen Exchanges. There will 

be approximately three interpreters 

assigned for the group orientation 

portion of the program and about one 

interpreter to three Afghan participants 

for the internship portion of the 

program. Proposals should budget for 

the appropriate amount of interpreters. 

See IV.3e.2c. for specifics on budgeting 

for interpreters. 

Visas: Applicants must demonstrate 

that they can work with ECA and the 

Public Affairs Section of the U.S. 

Embassy in Kabul for the U.S. visas and 

directly with the Afghan Embassy for its 

visas (if necessary). ECA will issue the 

DS–2019 forms required for J visas; see 

Section IV.3d.1 for additional 

information related to the 

administration of J visa programs. 

Travel: The grantee will arrange all 

round-trip international travel, 

complying with the Fly America Act, 

and domestic travel arrangements for 

the participants. All Afghan and 

American participants must depart and 

arrive in Afghanistan through Kabul. 

Proposals should include plans to house 

the Afghan participants in Kabul for at 

least one day to coordinate predeparture and post program briefings 

with the Public Affairs Staff of the U.S. 

Embassy. 

U.S. Based Programs: The recipients 

of grant awards will be responsible for 

implementing programs from four to six 

weeks in the United States for the 

Afghan participants. It is envisioned 

that the Afghan participants will be 

grouped in delegations of ten who will 

travel together to the United States. 

Each delegation of ten Afghan 

participants will travel at different times 

throughout the grant period. The Afghan 

participants will be placed within 

relevant, reputable, legally-recognized 

U.S. organizations where they will gain 

hands-on experience with legal and 

public administration professions in the 

United States, and will have the 

opportunity to establish relationships 

with U.S. professional counterparts for 

on-going collaboration. The grantee may 

want to engage with a partner or subgrantee to arrange for the internship 

placement. The grantee should also 

include cultural enrichment activities as 

an integral part of the experience. Such 

activities could include outings to 

museums, historic sites, sporting events, 

cultural exhibits, local schools or 

community events, volunteering and 

other opportunities to experience 

American culture and diversity. Shortterm homestays to give participants a 

personal experience of how typical 

Americans live are highly desirable. 

Afghanistan-Based Programs: 

Proposals should also describe a 

selection process and logistics for a one 

to two-week Afghanistan-based program 

for a smaller number of U.S. 

participants. The U.S. participants will 

be selected from among the internship 

host organizations for the Afghan 

participants and will travel several 

months after the Afghans return home. 

The Afghanistan-based program may 

include public presentations, joint skills 

development programs, and media 

interviews, if possible. All details and 

specifics on Afghanistan-based 

programs will be arranged in close 

coordination with the Public Affairs 

Section of the U.S. Embassy in Kabul. 

Note: Because of the changing nature of the 

security situation, U.S. participants may not 

be able to travel to Afghanistan. Therefore, 

proposals should include a contingency plan 

to bring U.S. and Afghan participants 

together in a third country (preferably within 

the South and Central Asia region) for this 

program component. See VI.1b for additional 

information on Assistance Awards in 

Afghanistan. 

Monitoring, Evaluation, and 

Reporting: The Bureau places high 

importance on monitoring and 

evaluation as a means of ensuring and 

measuring a project’s success. Proposals 

must include a detailed monitoring and 

evaluation plan that assesses the impact 

of the project. Please refer to section 

IV.3d.3. Project Monitoring and 

Evaluation below. 

Follow-up Activities: The grant 

recipients will develop enhancement 

activities that reinforce program goals 

after the participants’ return to 

Afghanistan. This includes informing 

participants of the Bureau’s Alumni 

program, facilitating their enrollment, 

and encouraging their on-going 

participation. Please refer to the PSI for 

additional information on Alumni, 

Outreach, and Engagement. 

Fiscal Management: Applicants must 

demonstrate competency to manage all 

financial aspects of the project, 

including participant costs and 

transparent arrangements of sub-grant 

relationships with partner 

organizations, if applicable. 

Contact ECA: All interested 

organizations should contact ECA 

Program Officer Brent Beemer before the 

submission of proposals. ECA will also 

put the organizations in contact with 

appropriate colleagues at the U.S. 

Embassy in Kabul. Brent Beemer: 202– 

632–6067, BeemerBT@state.gov. 

Specific Program Details 

Professional Partnerships: The 

Judicial System and Public 

Administration. 

This program will provide 

approximately 100 participants from 

Afghanistan and the United States the 


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opportunity to study the legal systems 

and public administration techniques 

and processes in both countries and for 

Afghan professionals to take part in 

internships with legal and public 

administration professionals in the U.S. 

Successful programs will achieve the 

following: 

• Demonstrate Afghan and American 

legal and public administration systems 

and approaches each country uses at the 

regional and local levels. 

• Share strategies employed by 

American and Afghan professionals to 

counter corruption and bureaucratic 

entanglements in the legal and public 

administration systems. 

• Establish structured interaction 

among American and Afghan 

participants designed to develop 

enduring professional ties. 

Proposals should include a 

comprehensive U.S.-based group 

educational and internship program for 

legal and public administrative 

professionals. One grant will be 

awarded for this project for a period of 

two to three years. 

Competitive proposals will 

demonstrate experience and contacts 

with relevant legal and public 

administration professionals, 

organizations, and educational institutes 

to program the U.S. components of this 

program. If a subcontractor is proposed 

for the internship placement, its 

experience and relevance with public 

administration needs to be explained. 

Competitive proposals should also 

demonstrate an understanding of the 

structure of the Afghan government, 

civil service, and legal systems. 

Each U.S.-based component will 

begin with a group orientation 

(preferably in Washington, DC) with 

workshops, lectures, and site visits to 

introduce participants to the basics of 

the legal system and public 

administration in the United States. 

This should be followed by hands-on 

internship components at appropriate 

host U.S. work sites to see these 

practices at work. Internships should be 

developed for small groups consisting of 

not more than three persons. A final debriefing session in Washington, DC, for 

each group should also be included in 

the proposal. 

Audience: Participants should be 

professionals, who currently hold 

positions within administrative or legal 

bodies, and have at least five years of 

active experience in the field. Note: 

Afghan groups should be arranged 

according to the professional level in 

which they work, and by their language 

ability. Proposals should demonstrate 

an ability to implement programs based 

in the provincial and local levels. 

Possible audiences for recruitment 

should include provincial and district 

(state, local) public administration 

officials, district attorney staff, legal aid 

professionals, case workers, and judges 

where possible. 

Afghanistan Recruitment and Selection 

Recruitment and selection for this 

program in Afghanistan is to be closely 

coordinated with the Public Affairs 

Section of the U.S. Embassy in Kabul. 

Proposals can include information on a 

proposed in-country partner 

organization that would recruit program 

participants, and include a proposed 

plan and budget for this recruitment and 

selection. However, applicants may 

ultimately be asked to work with an 

alternate organization recommended by 

the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. 

Embassy in Kabul to recruit program 

participants. In either case, final 

selections (including possible 

interviews of program finalists) should 

be done in conjunction with the Public 

Affairs Section. All participants must be 

approved by ECA and the Public Affairs 

Section in Kabul. 

II. Award Information 

Type of Award: Grant Agreement. 

Fiscal Year Funds: 2010. 

Approximate Total Funding: 

$1,200,000 (pending availability of 

funds). 

Approximate Number of Awards: 

One. 

Approximate Average Award: 

$1,200,000. 

Anticipated Award Date: August 1, 

2010 (pending availability of funds). 

Anticipated Project Completion Date: 

September 1, 2013. 

Additional Information: At this time, 

support for this program is being 

provided from special one-time FY 

2009/FY 2010 supplemental funds that 

have been appropriated to the 

Department. In the event that additional 

funds become available in fiscal years 

2011 and 2012, and pending successful 

implementation of the FY 2010 funded 

program, ECA reserves the right 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 

agreement. Cost sharing may be in the 

form of allowable direct or indirect 

costs. For accountability, you must 

maintain written records to support all 

costs which are claimed as your 

contribution, as well as costs to be paid 

by the Federal government. Such 

records are subject to audit. The basis 

for determining the value of cash and 

in-kind contributions must be in 

accordance with OMB Circular A–110, 

(Revised), Subpart C.23—Cost Sharing 

and Matching. In the event you do not 

provide the minimum amount of cost 

sharing as stipulated in the approved 

budget, ECA’s contribution will be 

reduced in like proportion. 

III.3. Other Eligibility Requirements: 

(a) Bureau grant guidelines require 

that organizations with less than four 

years experience in conducting 

international exchanges be limited to 

$60,000 in Bureau funding. ECA 

anticipates making one award for 

approximately $1,200,000 to support 

program and administrative costs 

required to implement this exchange 

program. Therefore, organizations with 

less than four years experience in 

conducting international exchanges are 

ineligible to apply under this 

competition. The Bureau encourages 

applicants to provide maximum levels 

of cost sharing and funding in support 

of its programs. 

(b) Technical Eligibility: Applicants 

may only submit one proposal under 

this competition. If more than one 

proposal is received from the same 

applicant, all submissions will be 

declared technically ineligible and will 

receive no further consideration in the 

review process. Please note: Applicant 

organizations are defined by their legal 

name, and EIN number as stated on 

their completed SF–424 form and 

additional supporting documentation 

outlined in the Proposal Submission 

Instructions (PSI) document. 

IV. Application and Submission 

Information 

Note: Please read the complete 

announcement before sending inquiries or 

submitting proposals. Once the RFGP 

deadline has passed, Bureau staff may not 

discuss this competition with applicants 

until the proposal review process has been 

completed. 

IV.1 Contact Information To Request 

an Application Package: Please contact 


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the Office of Citizen Exchanges, ECA/ 

PE/C, SA–5, Third Floor, U.S. 

Department of State, 2200 C Street, NW., 

Washington, DC 20522–0504, (202) 632– 

6067, BeemerBT@state.gov to request a 

Solicitation Package. Please refer to the 

Funding Opportunity Number ECA/PE/ 

C/EUR–SCA–10–52 located at the top of 

this announcement when making your 

request. 

Alternatively, an electronic 

application package may be obtained 

from grants.gov. Please see section IV.3f 

for further information. 

The Solicitation Package contains the 

Proposal Submission Instruction (PSI) 

document which consists of required 

application forms, and standard 

guidelines for proposal preparation. 

Please specify Brent Beemer and refer 

to the Funding Opportunity Number 

ECA/PE/C/EUR–SCA–10–52 located at 

the top of this announcement on all 

other inquiries and correspondence. 

IV.2. To Download a Solicitation 

Package via Internet: The entire 

Solicitation Package may be 

downloaded from the Bureau’s Web site 

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

open2.html, or from the Grants.gov Web 

site at http://www.grants.gov. 

Please read all information before 

downloading. 

IV.3. Content and Form of 

Submission: Applicants must follow all 

instructions in the Solicitation Package. 

The application should be submitted 

per the instructions under IV.3f. 

‘‘Application Deadline and Methods of 

Submission’’ section below. 

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

and Bradstreet Data Universal 

Numbering System (DUNS) number to 

apply for a grant or cooperative 

agreement from the U.S. Government. 

This number is a nine-digit 

identification number, which uniquely 

identifies business entities. Obtaining a 

DUNS number is easy and there is no 

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 for additional formatting and 

technical requirements. 

IV.3c. You must have nonprofit status 

with the IRS at the time of application. 

Please note: Effective January 7, 2009, 

all applicants for ECA Federal 

assistance awards must include in their 

application the names of directors and/ 

or senior executives (current officers, 

trustees, and key employees, regardless 

of amount of compensation). In 

fulfilling this requirement, applicants 

must submit information in one of the 

following ways: 

(1) Those who file Internal Revenue 

Service Form 990, ‘‘Return of 

Organization Exempt From Income 

Tax,’’ must include a copy of relevant 

portions of this form. 

(2) Those who do not file IRS Form 

990 must submit information above in 

the format of their choice. 

In addition to final program reporting 

requirements, award recipients will also 

be required to submit a one-page 

document, derived from their program 

reports, listing and describing their 

grant activities. For award recipients, 

the names of directors and/or senior 

executives (current officers, trustees, 

and key employees), as well as the onepage description of grant activities, will 

be transmitted by the State Department 

to OMB, along with other information 

required by the Federal Funding 

Accountability and Transparency Act 

(FFATA), and will be made available to 

the public by the Office of Management 

and Budget on its USASpending.gov 

Web site as part of ECA’s FFATA 

reporting requirements. 

If your organization is a private 

nonprofit which has not received a grant 

or cooperative agreement from ECA in 

the past three years, or if your 

organization received nonprofit status 

from the IRS within the past four years, 

you must submit the necessary 

documentation to verify nonprofit status 

as directed in the PSI document. Failure 

to do so will cause your proposal to be 

declared technically ineligible. 

IV.3d. Please take into consideration 

the following information when 

preparing your proposal narrative: 

IV.3d.1. Adherence to All Regulations 

Governing the J Visa. 

The Office of Citizen Exchanges of the 

Bureau of Educational and Cultural 

Affairs is the official program sponsor of 

the exchange program covered by this 

RFGP, and an employee of the Bureau 

will be the ‘‘Responsible Officer’’ for the 

program under the terms of 22 CFR part 

62, which covers the administration of 

the Exchange Visitor Program (J visa 

program). Under the terms of 22 CFR 

part 62, organizations receiving awards 

(either a grant or cooperative agreement) 

under this RFGP will be third parties 

‘‘cooperating with or assisting the 

sponsor in the conduct of the sponsor’s 

program.’’ The actions of recipient 

organizations shall be ‘‘imputed to the 

sponsor in evaluating the sponsor’s 

compliance with’’ 22 CFR part 62. 

Therefore, the Bureau expects that any 

organization receiving an award under 

this competition will render all 

assistance necessary to enable the 

Bureau to fully comply with 22 CFR 

part 62 et seq. 

The Bureau of Educational and 

Cultural Affairs places critically 

important emphases on the secure and 

proper administration of Exchange 

Visitor (J visa) Programs and adherence 

by recipient organizations and program 

participants to all regulations governing 

the J visa program status. Therefore, 

proposals should explicitly state in 

writing that the applicant is prepared to 

assist the Bureau in meeting all 

requirements governing the 

administration of Exchange Visitor 

Programs as set forth in 22 CFR part 62. 

If your organization has experience as a 

designated Exchange Visitor Program 

Sponsor, the applicant should discuss 

their record of compliance with 22 CFR 

part 62 et seq., including the oversight 

of their Responsible Officers and 

Alternate Responsible Officers, 

screening and selection of program 

participants, provision of pre-arrival 

information and orientation to 

participants, monitoring of participants, 

proper maintenance and security of 

forms, recordkeeping, reporting and 

other requirements. 

The Office of Citizen Exchanges of 

ECA will be responsible for issuing DS– 

2019 forms to participants in this 

program. 

A copy of the complete regulations 

governing the administration of 

Exchange Visitor (J) programs is 

available at http://exchanges.state.gov 

or from: Office of Designation, ECA/EC/ 

D, SA–5, Floor C2, Department of State, 

Washington, DC 20522–0582. 

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 


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enjoy freedom and democracy,’’ the 

Bureau ‘‘shall take appropriate steps to 

provide opportunities for participation 

in such programs to human rights and 

democracy leaders of such countries.’’ 

Public Law 106–113 requires that the 

governments of the countries described 

above do not have inappropriate 

influence in the selection process. 

Proposals should reflect advancement of 

these goals in their program contents, to 

the full extent deemed feasible. 

IV.3d.3. Program Monitoring and 

Evaluation. Proposals must include a 

plan to monitor and evaluate the 

project’s success, both as the activities 

unfold and at the end of the program. 

The Bureau recommends that your 

proposal include a draft survey 

questionnaire or other technique plus a 

description of a methodology to use to 

link outcomes to original project 

objectives. The Bureau expects that the 

recipient organization will track 

participants or partners and be able to 

respond to key evaluation questions, 

including satisfaction with the program, 

learning as a result of the program, 

changes in behavior as a result of the 

program, and effects of the program on 

institutions (institutions in which 

participants work or partner 

institutions). The evaluation plan 

should include indicators that measure 

gains in mutual understanding as well 

as substantive knowledge. 

Successful monitoring and evaluation 

depend heavily on setting clear goals 

and outcomes at the outset of a program. 

Your evaluation plan should include a 

description of your project’s objectives, 

your anticipated project outcomes, and 

how and when you intend to measure 

these outcomes (performance 

indicators). The more that outcomes are 

‘‘smart’’ (specific, measurable, attainable, 

results-oriented, and placed in a 

reasonable time frame), the easier it will 

be to conduct the evaluation. You 

should also show how your project 

objectives link to the goals of the 

program described in this RFGP. 

Your monitoring and evaluation plan 

should clearly distinguish between 

program outputs and outcomes. Outputs 

are products and services delivered, 

often stated as an amount. Output 

information is important to show the 

scope or size of project activities, but it 

cannot substitute for information about 

progress towards outcomes or the 

results achieved. Examples of outputs 

include the number of people trained or 

the number of seminars conducted. 

Outcomes, in contrast, represent 

specific results a project is intended to 

achieve and is usually measured as an 

extent of change. Findings on outputs 

and outcomes should both be reported, 

but the focus should be on outcomes. 

We encourage you to assess the 

following four levels of outcomes, as 

they relate to the program goals set out 

in the RFGP (listed here in increasing 

order of importance): 

1. Participant satisfaction with the 

program and exchange experience. 

2. Participant learning, such as 

increased knowledge, aptitude, skills, 

and changed understanding and 

attitude. Learning includes both 

substantive (subject-specific) learning 

and mutual understanding. 

3. Participant behavior, demonstrating 

concrete actions to apply knowledge in 

work or community; greater 

participation and responsibility in civic 

organizations; interpretation and 

explanation of experiences and new 

knowledge gained; continued contacts 

between participants, community 

members, and others. 

4. Institutional changes, such as 

increased collaboration and 

partnerships, policy reforms, new 

programming, and organizational 

improvements. 

Please note: Consideration should be given 

to the appropriate timing of data collection 

for each level of outcome. For example, 

satisfaction is usually captured as a shortterm outcome, whereas behavior and 

institutional changes are normally 

considered longer-term outcomes. 

Overall, the quality of your 

monitoring and evaluation plan will be 

judged on how well it (1) specifies 

intended outcomes; (2) gives clear 

descriptions of how each outcome will 

be measured; (3) identifies when 

particular outcomes will be measured; 

and (4) provides a clear description of 

the data collection strategies for each 

outcome (i.e., surveys, interviews, or 

focus groups). (Please note that 

evaluation plans that deal only with the 

first level of outcomes [satisfaction] will 

be deemed less competitive under the 

present evaluation criteria.) 

Recipient organizations will be 

required to provide reports analyzing 

their evaluation findings to the Bureau 

in their regular program reports. All 

data collected, including survey 

responses and contact information, must 

be maintained for a minimum of three 

years and provided to the Bureau upon 

request. 

IV.3e. Please take the following 

information into consideration when 

preparing your budget: 

IV.3e.1. Applicants must submit SF– 

424A—‘‘Budget Information—NonConstruction Programs’’ along with a 

comprehensive budget for the entire 

program. There must be a summary 

budget as well as breakdowns reflecting 

both administrative and program 

budgets. Applicants may provide 

separate sub-budgets for each program 

component, phase, location, or activity 

to provide clarification 

IV.3e.2. Allowable costs for the 

program include the following: 

IV.3e.2a. Travel. International and 

domestic airfare; airline baggage and 

seat fees; visas; transit costs; ground 

transportation costs. Please note that all 

air travel must be in compliance with 

the Fly America Act. There is no charge 

for J–1 visas for participants in Bureau 

sponsored programs. 

IV.3e.2b. Per Diem. For U.S.-based 

programming, organizations should use 

the published Federal per diem rates for 

individual U.S. cities. Domestic per 

diem rates may be accessed at: http:// 

www.gsa.gov/Portal/gsa/ep/

contentView.do?contentType=

GSA_BASIC&contentId=17943. ECA 

requests applicants to budget realistic 

costs that reflect the local economy and 

do not exceed Federal per diem rates. 

Foreign per diem rates can be accessed 

at: http://aoprals.state.gov/content.asp?

content_id=184&menu_id=78. 

IV.3e.2c. Interpreters. As stated 

previously, ECA anticipates that most 

participants coming to the U.S. on this 

program will not have command of 

English. ECA is requiring that eventual 

award recipients ask ECA to assign State 

Department interpreters for this project. 

One interpreter is typically needed for 

every four participants who require 

interpretation. When an applicant 

proposes to use State Department 

interpreters, the following expenses 

should be included in the budget: 

Published Federal per diem rates (both 

‘‘lodging’’ and ‘‘M&IE’’) and ‘‘homeprogram-home’’ transportation in the 

amount of $400 per interpreter. Salary 

expenses for State Department 

interpreters will be covered by the 

Bureau and should not be part of an 

applicant’s proposed budget. Bureau 

funds cannot support interpreters who 

accompany delegations from their home 

country or travel internationally. 

IV.3e.2d. Book and Cultural 

Allowances. Foreign participants are 

entitled to a one-time cultural allowance 

of $150 per person, plus a book 

allowance of $50. Interpreters should be 

reimbursed up to $150 for expenses 

when they escort participants to cultural 

events. U.S. program staff, trainers or 

participants are not eligible to receive 

these benefits. 

IV.3e.2e. Consultants. Consultants 

may be used to provide specialized 

expertise or to make presentations. 

Honoraria rates should not exceed $250 

per day. Organizations are encouraged 

to cost-share rates that would exceed 


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that figure. Subcontracting organizations 

may also be employed, in which case 

the written agreement between the 

prospective grantee and sub-grantee 

should be included in the proposal. 

Such sub-grants should detail the 

division of responsibilities and 

proposed costs, and subcontracts should 

be itemized in the budget. 

IV.3e.2f. Room rental. The rental of 

meeting space should not exceed $250 

per day. Any rates that exceed this 

amount should be cost shared. 

IV.3e.2g. Materials. Proposals may 

contain costs to purchase, develop and 

translate materials for participants. 

Costs for high quality translation of 

materials should be anticipated and 

included in the budget. Grantee 

organizations should expect to submit a 

copy of all program materials to ECA, 

and ECA support should be 

acknowledged on all materials 

developed with its funding. 

IV.3e.2h. Equipment. Applicants may 

propose to use grant funds to purchase 

equipment, such as computers and 

printers; these costs should be justified 

in the budget narrative. Costs for 

furniture are not allowed. 

IV.3e.2i. Working meal. Normally, no 

more than one working meal may be 

provided during the program. Per capita 

costs may not exceed $15–$25 for lunch 

and $20–$35 for dinner, excluding room 

rental. The number of invited guests 

may not exceed participants by more 

than a factor of two-to-one. When 

setting up a budget, interpreters should 

be considered ‘‘participants.’’ 

IV.3e.2j. Return travel allowance. A 

return travel allowance of $70 for each 

foreign participant may be included in 

the budget. This allowance would cover 

incidental expenses incurred during 

international travel. 

IV.3e.2k. Health Insurance. Foreign 

participants will be covered during their 

participation in the program by the 

ECA-sponsored Accident and Sickness 

Program for Exchanges (ASPE), for 

which the grantee must enroll them. 

Details of that policy can be provided by 

the contact officers identified in this 

solicitation. The premium is paid by 

ECA and should not be included in the 

grant proposal budget. However, 

applicants are permitted to include 

costs for travel insurance for U.S. 

participants in the budget. 

IV.3e.2l. Wire transfer fees. When 

necessary, applicants may include costs 

to transfer funds to partner 

organizations overseas. Grantees are 

urged to research applicable taxes that 

may be imposed on these transfers by 

host governments. 

IV.3e.2m. In-Country Travel Costs for 

Visa Processing Purposes. Given the 

requirements associated with obtaining 

J–1 visas for ECA-supported 

participants, applicants should include 

costs for any travel associated with visa 

interviews or DS–2019 pick-up. 

IV.3e.2n. Administrative Costs. Costs 

necessary for the effective 

administration of the program may 

include salaries for grantee organization 

employees, benefits, and other direct 

and indirect costs per detailed 

instructions in the Application Package. 

While there is no rigid ratio of 

administrative to program costs, 

proposals in which the administrative 

costs do not exceed 25% of the total 

requested ECA grant funds will be more 

competitive under the cost effectiveness 

and cost sharing criterion, per item V.1 

below. Proposals should show strong 

administrative cost sharing 

contributions from the applicant, the incountry partner and other sources. 

Please also include in the administrative 

portion of your budget plans to travel to 

Washington, DC, to meet with your 

program officer within the first 45 days 

after the grant has been awarded. Please 

refer to the Solicitation Package for 

complete budget guidelines and 

formatting instructions. 

IV.3f. Application Deadline and 

Methods of Submission: 

Application Deadline Date: May 21, 

2010. 

Reference Number: ECA/PE/C/EUR– 

SCA–10–52. 

Methods of Submission: Applications 

may be submitted in one of two ways: 

(1) In hard-copy, via a nationally 

recognized overnight delivery service 

(i.e., Federal Express, UPS, Airborne 

Express, or U.S. Postal Service Express 

Overnight Mail, etc.), or 

(2) Electronically through http:// 

www.grants.gov. 

Along with the Project Title, all 

applicants must enter the above 

Reference Number in Box 11 on the SF– 

424 contained in the mandatory 

Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) 

of the solicitation document. 

IV.3f.1. Submitting Printed 

Applications. Applications must be 

shipped no later than the above 

deadline. Delivery services used by 

applicants must have in-place, 

centralized shipping identification and 

tracking systems that may be accessed 

via the Internet and delivery people 

who are identifiable by commonly 

recognized uniforms and delivery 

vehicles. Proposals shipped on or before 

the above deadline but received at ECA 

more than seven days after the deadline 

will be ineligible for further 

consideration under this competition. 

Proposals shipped after the established 

deadlines are ineligible for 

consideration under this competition. 

ECA will not notify you upon receipt of 

application. It is each applicant’s 

responsibility to ensure that each 

package is marked with a legible 

tracking number and to monitor/confirm 

delivery to ECA via the Internet. 

Delivery of proposal packages may not 

be made via local courier service or in 

person for this competition. Faxed 

documents will not be accepted at any 

time. Only proposals submitted as 

stated above will be considered. 

Important note: When preparing your 

submission please make sure to include one 

extra copy of the completed SF–424 form and 

place it in an envelope addressed to ‘‘ECA/ 

EX/PM’’. 

The original and 10 copies of the 

application should be sent to: Program 

Management Division, ECA–IIP/EX/PM, 

Ref.: ECA/PE/C/EUR–SCA–10–52, 

Department of State, 2200 C Street, NW., 

Washington, DC 20522–0504. 

Applicants submitting hard-copy 

applications must also submit the 

‘‘Executive Summary’’ and ‘‘Proposal 

Narrative’’ sections of the proposal in 

text (.txt) or Microsoft Word format on 

CD–ROM. As appropriate, the Bureau 

will provide these files electronically to 

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

embassy(ies) for its (their) review. 

IV.3f.2. Submitting Electronic 

Applications. Applicants have the 

option of submitting proposals 

electronically through Grants.gov 

(http://www.grants.gov). Complete 

solicitation packages are available at 

Grants.gov in the ‘‘Find’’ portion of the 

system. 

Please Note: ECA bears no responsibility 

for applicant timeliness of submission or data 

errors resulting from transmission or 

conversion processes for proposals submitted 

via Grants.gov. 

Please follow the instructions 

available in the ‘Get Started’ portion of 

the site (http://www.grants.gov/

GetStarted). 

Several of the steps in the Grants.gov 

registration process could take several 

weeks. Therefore, applicants should 

check with appropriate staff within their 

organizations immediately after 

reviewing this RFGP to confirm or 

determine their registration status with 

Grants.gov. 

Once registered, the amount of time it 

can take to upload an application will 

vary depending on a variety of factors 

including the size of the application and 

the speed of your internet connection. 

In addition, validation of an electronic 

submission via Grants.gov can take up 

to two business days. 

Therefore, we strongly recommend 

that you not wait until the application 


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deadline to begin the submission 

process through Grants.gov. 

The Grants.gov Web site includes 

extensive information on all phases/ 

aspects of the Grants.gov process, 

including an extensive section on 

frequently asked questions, located 

under the ‘‘For Applicants’’ section of 

the Web site. ECA strongly recommends 

that all potential applicants review 

thoroughly the Grants.gov Web site, 

well in advance of submitting a 

proposal through the Grants.gov system. 

ECA bears no responsibility for data 

errors resulting from transmission or 

conversion processes. 

Direct all questions regarding 

Grants.gov registration and submission 

to: Grants.gov Customer Support; 

Contact Center Phone: 800–518–4726; 

Business Hours: Monday–Friday, 7 

a.m.–9 p.m. Eastern Time; E-mail: 

support@grants.gov. 

Applicants have until midnight (12 

a.m.), Washington, DC time of the 

closing date to ensure that their entire 

application has been uploaded to the 

Grants.gov site. There are no exceptions 

to the above deadline. Applications 

uploaded to the site after midnight of 

the application deadline date will be 

automatically rejected by the grants.gov 

system, and will be technically 

ineligible. 

Please refer to the Grants.gov Web 

site, for definitions of various 

‘‘application statuses’’ and the difference 

between a submission receipt and a 

submission validation. Applicants will 

receive a validation e-mail from 

grants.gov upon the successful 

submission of an application. Again, 

validation of an electronic submission 

via Grants.gov can take up to two 

business days. Therefore, we strongly 

recommend that you not wait until the 

application deadline to begin the 

submission process through Grants.gov. 

ECA will not notify you upon receipt of 

electronic applications. 

It is the responsibility of all applicants 

submitting proposals via the Grants.gov 

Web portal to ensure that proposals 

have been received by Grants.gov in 

their entirety, and ECA bears no 

responsibility for data errors resulting 

from transmission or conversion 

processes. 

Optional—IV.3f.3. You may also state 

here any limitations on the number of 

applications that an applicant may 

submit and make it clear whether the 

limitation is on the submitting 

organization, individual program 

director or both. 

IV.3g. Intergovernmental Review of 

Applications: Executive Order 12372 

does not apply to this program. 

V. Application Review Information 

V.1. Review Process 

The Bureau will review all proposals 

for technical eligibility. Proposals will 

be deemed ineligible if they do not fully 

adhere to the guidelines stated herein 

and in the Solicitation Package. All 

eligible proposals will be reviewed by 

the program office, as well as the Public 

Diplomacy section overseas, where 

appropriate. Eligible proposals will be 

subject to compliance with Federal and 

Bureau regulations and guidelines and 

forwarded to Bureau grant panels for 

advisory review. Proposals may also be 

reviewed by the Office of the Legal 

Adviser or by other Department 

elements. Final funding decisions are at 

the discretion of the Department of 

State’s Assistant Secretary for 

Educational and Cultural Affairs. Final 

technical authority for assistance award 

grants resides with the Bureau’s Grants 

Officer. 

Review Criteria 

Technically eligible applications will 

be competitively reviewed according to 

the criteria stated below. These criteria 

are not rank ordered and all carry equal 

weight in the proposal evaluation: 

1. Quality of the Program Idea: 

Proposals should exhibit originality, 

substance, precision, and relevance to 

the Bureau’s mission. 

2. Program Planning and Ability to 

Achieve Objectives: Detailed agenda and 

relevant work plan should demonstrate 

substantive undertakings and logistical 

capacity. Agenda and plan should 

adhere to the program overview and 

guidelines described above. Objectives 

should be reasonable, feasible, and 

flexible. Proposals should clearly 

demonstrate how the institution will 

meet the program’s objectives and plan. 

3. Institutional Capacity and Record: 

Proposed personnel and institutional 

resources should be adequate and 

appropriate to achieve the program or 

project’s goals. Proposals should 

demonstrate an institutional record of 

successful exchange programs, 

including responsible fiscal 

management and full compliance with 

all reporting requirements for past 

Bureau awards (grants or cooperative 

agreements) as determined by Bureau 

Grants Staff. The Bureau will consider 

the past performance of prior recipients 

and the demonstrated potential of new 

applicants. 

4. Cost-effectiveness and Cost-sharing: 

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. 

Proposals should maximize cost-sharing 

through other private sector support as 

well as institutional direct funding 

contributions. 

5. Support of Diversity: Proposals 

should demonstrate substantive support 

of the Bureau’s policy on diversity. 

Achievable and relevant features should 

be cited in both program administration 

(selection of participants, program 

venue and program evaluation) and 

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

materials and follow-up activities). 

6. Project Evaluation: Proposals 

should include a plan to evaluate the 

activity’s success, both as the activities 

unfold and at the end of the program. A 

draft survey questionnaire or other 

technique plus description of a 

methodology to use to link outcomes to 

original project objectives is 

recommended. 

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 a 

Federal Assistance Award (FAA) from 

the Bureau’s Grants Office. The FAA 

and the original proposal with 

subsequent modifications (if applicable) 

shall be the only binding authorizing 

document between the recipient and the 

U.S. Government. The FAA will be 

signed by an authorized Grants Officer, 

and mailed to the recipient’s 

responsible officer identified in the 

application. 

Unsuccessful applicants will receive 

notification of the results of the 

application review from the ECA 

program office coordinating this 

competition. 

VI.1b. The following additional 

requirements apply to this project: 

Special Provision for Performance in 

a Designated Combat Area (Currently 

Iraq and Afghanistan). 

All Recipient personnel deploying to 

areas of combat operations, as 

designated by the Secretary of Defense 

(currently Iraq and Afghanistan), under 

assistance awards over $100,000 or 

performance over 14 days must register 

in the Department of Defense 

maintained Synchronized Predeployment and Operational Tracker 

(SPOT) system. Recipients of federal 

assistance awards shall register in SPOT 

before deployment, or if already in the 

designated operational area, register 

upon becoming an employee under the 

assistance award, and maintain current 

data in SPOT. Information on how to 


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register in SPOT will be available from 

your Grants Officer or Grants Officer 

Representative during the final 

negotiation and approval stages in the 

federal assistance awards process. 

Recipients of federal assistance awards 

are advised that adherence to this policy 

and procedure will be a requirement of 

all final federal assistance awards issued 

by ECA. 

Recipient performance may require 

the use of armed private security 

personnel. To the extent that such 

private security contractors (PSCs) are 

required, grantees are required to ensure 

they adhere to Chief of Mission (COM) 

policies and procedures regarding the 

operation, oversight, and accountability 

of PSCs. 

VI.2. Administrative and National 

Policy Requirements: Terms and 

Conditions for the Administration of 

ECA agreements include the following: 

Office of Management and Budget 

Circular A–122, ‘‘Cost Principles for 

Nonprofit Organizations.’’ 

Office of Management and Budget 

Circular A–21, ‘‘Cost Principles for 

Educational Institutions.’’ 

OMB Circular A–87, ‘‘Cost Principles 

for State, Local and Indian 

Governments’’. 

OMB Circular No. A–110 (Revised), 

Uniform Administrative Requirements 

for Grants and Agreements with 

Institutions of Higher Education, 

Hospitals, and other Nonprofit 

Organizations. 

OMB Circular No. A–102, Uniform 

Administrative Requirements for 

Grants-in-Aid to State and Local 

Governments. 

OMB Circular No. A–133, Audits of 

States, Local Government, and Nonprofit Organizations. 

Please reference the following Web 

sites for additional information: http:// 

www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants; 

http://fa.statebuy.state.gov. 

VI.3. Reporting Requirements: You 

must provide ECA with a hard copy 

original plus one electronic copy of the 

following reports: 

(1) A final program and financial 

report no more than 90 days after the 

expiration of the award; 

(2) A concise, one-page final program 

report summarizing program outcomes 

no more than 90 days after the 

expiration of the award. This one-page 

report will be transmitted to OMB, and 

be made available to the public via 

OMB’s USAspending.gov Web site—as 

part of ECA’s Federal Funding 

Accountability and Transparency Act 

(FFATA) reporting requirements. 

(3) A SF–PPR, ‘‘Performance Progress 

Report’’ Cover Sheet with all program 

reports. 

Award recipients will be required to 

provide reports analyzing their 

evaluation findings to the Bureau in 

their regular program reports. (Please 

refer to IV. Application and Submission 

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

Program Monitoring and Evaluation 

information. 

All data collected, including survey 

responses and contact information, must 

be maintained for a minimum of three 

years and provided to the Bureau upon 

request. 

All reports must be sent to the ECA 

Grants Officer and ECA Program Officer 

listed in the final assistance award 

document. 

VI.4. Optional Program Data 

Requirements: Award recipients 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 agreement or who 

benefit from the award funding but do 

not travel. 

(2) Itineraries of international and 

domestic travel, providing dates of 

travel and cities in which any exchange 

experiences take place. Final schedules 

for in-country and U.S. activities must 

be received by the ECA Program Officer 

at least three work days prior to the 

official opening of the activity. 

VII. Agency Contacts 

For questions about this 

announcement, contact: Brent Beemer, 

Office of Citizen Exchanges, ECA/PE/C, 

Third Floor SA–5, Third Floor, U.S. 

Department of State, 2200 C Street, NW., 

Washington, DC 20522–0504. 

Brent Beemer: 202–632–6067, 

BeemerBT@state.gov. All 

correspondence with the Bureau 

concerning this RFGP should reference 

the above title and number ECA/PE/C/ 

EUR–SCA–10–52. 

Please read the complete 

announcement before sending inquiries 

or submitting proposals. Once the RFGP 

deadline has passed, Bureau staff may 

not discuss this competition with 

applicants until the proposal review 

process has been completed. 

VIII. Other Information 

Notice 

The terms and conditions published 

in this RFGP are binding and may not 

be modified by any Bureau 

representative. Explanatory information 

provided by the Bureau that contradicts 

published language will not be binding. 

Issuance of the RFGP does not 

constitute an award commitment on the 

part of the government. The Bureau 

reserves the right to reduce, revise, or 

increase proposal budgets in accordance 

with the needs of the program and the 

availability of funds. Awards made will 

be subject to periodic reporting and 

evaluation requirements per section VI.3 

above. 

Dated: April 2, 2010. 

Maura M. Pally, 

Acting Assistant Secretary for Educational 

and Cultural Affairs, Department of State. 

[FR Doc. 2010–7979 Filed 4–7–10; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4710–05–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Railroad Administration 

[Docket No. FRA 2010–0005–N–8] 

Proposed Agency Information 

Collection Activities; Comment 

Request 

AGENCY: Federal Railroad 

Administration, DOT 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and 

its implementing regulations, the 

Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) 

hereby announces that it is seeking 

approval of the following information 

collection activities. Before submitting 

these information collection 

requirements for clearance by the Office 

of Management and Budget (OMB), FRA 

is soliciting public comment on specific 

aspects of the activities identified 

below. 

DATES: Comments must be received no 

later than June 7, 2010. 

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments 

on any or all of the following proposed 

activities by mail to either: Mr. Robert 

Brogan, Office of Safety, Planning and 

Evaluation Division, RRS–21, Federal 

Railroad Administration, 1200 New 

Jersey Ave., SE., Mail Stop 17, 

Washington, DC 20590, or Ms. Kimberly 

Toone, Office of Information 

Technology, RAD–20, Federal Railroad 

Administration, 1200 New Jersey Ave., 

SE., Mail Stop 35, Washington, DC 

20590. Commenters requesting FRA to 

acknowledge receipt of their respective 

comments must include a self-addressed 

stamped postcard stating, ‘‘Comments 

on OMB control number 2130–New.’’ 

Alternatively, comments may be 

transmitted via facsimile to (202) 493– 

6216 or (202) 493–6497, or via e-mail to 

Mr. Brogan at Robert.Brogan@dot.gov, or 


sroberts on DSKD5P82C1PROD with NOTICES