11976 Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 48 / Friday, March 12, 2010 / Notices 

DEPARTMENT OF STATE 

[Public Notice 6919] 

Determination Pursuant to the 

Department of State, Foreign 

Operations, and Related Programs 

Appropriations Act, 2010, Related to 

the Provision of Military Assistance in 

Support of Southern Sudan Security 

Sector Transformation Program 

Pursuant to the authority vested in me 

by the laws of the United States, 

including section 7070(f)(5) of the 

Department of State, Foreign 

Operations, and Related Programs 

Appropriations Act, 2010 (Div. F, Pub. 

L. 111–117) and Department of State 

Delegation of Authority 245–1 (Feb. 13, 

2009), I hereby determine that the 

provision to the Government of 

Southern Sudan of non-lethal military 

assistance, military education and 

training, and defense services controlled 

under the International Traffic in Arms 

Regulations is in the national interest of 

the United States, and that such 

assistance may be provided pursuant to 

section 7070(f)(5). 

This determination shall be 

transmitted to the Congress and 

published in the Federal Register. 

Dated: February 3, 2010. 

James B. Steinberg, 

Deputy Secretary of State. 

[FR Doc. 2010–5496 Filed 3–11–10; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4710–26–P 

DEPARTMENT OF STATE 

[Public Notice 6920] 

Bureau of Educational and Cultural 

Affairs (ECA) Request for Grant 

Proposals: Global Connections and 

Exchange Program 

Announcement Type: New Grant. 

Funding Opportunity Number: ECA– 

PE–C–PY–10–05. 

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance 

Number: 19.415. 

Key Dates 

Application Deadline: April 30, 2010. 

Executive Summary 

The Youth Programs Division, Office 

of Citizen Exchanges, of the Bureau of 

Educational and Cultural Affairs 

announces an open competition for up 

to three Global Connections and 

Exchange programs in specified 

countries from the following regions: 

Middle East (Egypt, Jordan, Israel, West 

Bank/Gaza and Lebanon), East Asia/ 

Pacific (Indonesia, Malaysia, and 

Vietnam), and Africa (Nigeria, South 

Africa, Uganda, Zambia, Ethiopia). 

Public and private non-profit 

organizations meeting the provisions 

described in Internal Revenue Code 

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

proposals to facilitate online and faceto-face exchanges between overseas 

schools and counterparts in the United 

States. 

The Global Connections and 

Exchange (GCE) program utilizes 

technology to create an American 

presence in areas where citizens have 

little opportunity to travel or participate 

in exchange programs. Through 

webchats and discussion boards, foreign 

youth participate in dialogue with 

American peers about their lives, 

families and communities. In addition, 

a theme-based curriculum will increase 

understanding of issues relevant to both 

U.S. and overseas participants. Each 

regional program also captures the spirit 

of activism through extracurricular 

projects that harness the energies of 

youth to affect positive change. 

Applicants may propose to host only 

one regional project listed under this 

competition. Should an applicant 

submit multiple proposals under this 

competition, all those proposals will be 

declared technically ineligible and 

given no further consideration in the 

review process. 

I. Funding Opportunity Description 

Authority: 

Overall grant making authority for 

this program is contained in the Mutual 

Educational and Cultural Exchange Act 

of 1961, Public Law 87–256, as 

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

enable the Government of the United 

States to increase mutual understanding 

between the people of the United States 

and the people of other countries * * *; 

to strengthen the ties which unite us 

with other nations by demonstrating the 

educational and cultural interests, 

developments, and achievements of the 

people of the United States and other 

nations * * * and thus to assist in the 

development of friendly, sympathetic 

and peaceful relations between the 

United States and the other countries of 

the world.’’ The funding authority for 

the program above is provided through 

legislation. 

Overview: The Internet and social 

networking sites have become 

prevailing tools of influence among 

youth throughout the world. Social 

media such as Facebook, YouTube, 

mobile technology and blogs offer young 

people opportunities to connect with 

peers across borders and tear down 

misperceptions that lead to 

misunderstanding. In order to harness 

these powerful technology tools to 

remove stereotypes and impel change, 

youth need to be better equipped to use 

social networking sites and new 

technologies in a positive way. 

The Global Connections and 

Exchange program is designed to 

address these issues by developing a 

cadre of youth technology leaders who 

are introduced to a broad range of ideas 

and resources through the use of 

information and communication 

technologies. By participating in this 

yearlong program, high school students 

and teachers expand their computer 

literacy skills, improve general 

education, and gain a deeper 

understanding of diverse societies and 

values. As a result, students increase 

their understanding of foreign cultures, 

expand their perspectives regarding 

contemporary issues and are better able 

to use technology to influence change. 

The goals of the program are to: 

• Generate personal and institutional 

ties between youth and educators in the 

United States and their overseas 

counterparts; 

• Improve educational tools, 

resources, and learning through the 

application of computer technology, 

online resource development, and 

student collaboration. 

• Empower youth to act as catalysts 

of change in their communities through 

multimedia outreach and leadership 

skills development. 

Information about similar programs 

can be found at: http:// 

exchanges.state.gov/youth/programs/ 

connections.html 

ECA plans to award multiple grants 

for the management of the Global 

Connections and Exchange program for 

countries or special areas [specified 

below] in the Middle East, East Asia/ 

Pacific and Africa. The grant period will 

be 12–18 months in duration. 

Applicants should select the region and 

theme with which they plan to work, 

and present a strong justification for 

their choices in their proposals. 

• East Asia/Pacific Regional Project— 

Indonesia, Malaysia, and Vietnam (any 

proposal for East Asia/Pacific must 

involve all three countries); 

• Middle East Regional Project— 

Israel and at least two of the following: 

Egypt, Jordan, West Bank/Gaza and 

Lebanon; 

• Africa Regional Project—Nigeria, 

South Africa, Uganda, Zambia, Ethiopia 

(at least three countries) 

Please note: Applicants may not include 

countries not listed and may not combine 

countries across regions. 

An essential element of all projects 

will be to build mutual understanding 


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and respect among the people of the 

United States and people of the partner 

countries. Programs will encourage 

respect for diversity, develop leadership 

skills, and promote problem-solving and 

critical thinking. Each regional program 

will include: (1) A theme-based project 

relevant to U.S. and overseas schools; 

(2) two-way exchanges for a small 

number of youth and one adult educator 

from each country; (3) a social 

networking site; (4) community service 

projects; and (5) a plan for continued 

communication once the grant expires. 

Themes:A successful project will 

focus on a specific theme by initiating 

a wide range of on-line and off-line 

activities throughout the academic year. 

Applicants must choose one of the 

following themes: 

(1) Environment—Participants will 

complete projects that tackle issues such 

as pollution, recycling, water 

consumption and conservation, waste 

management and other relevant topics 

that increase environmental awareness. 

(2) Rule of Law—Projects will focus 

on social issues and ways in which 

government policy and respective 

justice systems deal with these issues. 

Projects may include debates, research, 

advocacy, and community outreach. 

(3) Social Entrepreneurship— 

Participants will gain financial literacy 

skills and learn the difference between 

social and business sector definitions of 

entrepreneurship. Students will work 

together to design and operate social 

entrepreneurial projects that benefit 

their schools and communities. 

(4) Media Literacy—Participants will 

compare and contrast the role of media 

in their communities, analyze different 

media forms and create simple messages 

that influence others to take action. 

(5) Food Security—Participants will 

discuss and compare the agricultural 

production, nutrition, and accessibility 

of food in their respective societies. 

Students will create Web sites and other 

multimedia as an educational tool and 

share information about local 

organizations that address food and 

security needs. 

Applicants should identify specific 

objectives and measurable outcomes 

based on program goals and project 

specifications provided in the 

solicitation. Should organizations wish 

to conduct the program in more than 

one region, they must submit a separate 

proposal for each. 

Organizational Capacity: Applicants 

must demonstrate their capacity for 

conducting online programs, or they 

must partner with an organization or 

institution with the requisite capacity to 

create, monitor and evaluate a program 

of this nature. This includes the 

following elements: (1) Administrative 

infrastructure in the geographic areas 

from which schools will be selected; (2) 

technical expertise to create a webbased, multi-faceted curriculum 

focusing on a specific theme; (3) social 

networking expertise to monitor the 

Web site, create topics of discussion, 

and train participants in proactive 

communication to encourage 

interaction. 

Grants to be awarded under this 

competition will be based upon the 

quality and responsiveness of proposals 

to the review criteria presented later in 

this RFGP. The grants should begin on 

or about August 1, 2010, subject to 

availability of funds. 

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. 

Participants: A specified number of 

youth, 15 to 17 years old, must be 

competitively selected to participate in 

yearlong, theme-focused projects. 

Depending on how the program will be 

managed and implemented, students 

may be selected from one or more 

classrooms or schools. Proposals should 

indicate if the project will be conducted 

as part of the class curriculum or as an 

after-school activity. Proposals should 

also define criteria for student selection 

and indicate how students will be 

rewarded for participation. One 

educator and a small number of youth 

who are part of this prestigious group 

will be eligible to visit their partners on 

a three-week exchange. 

Concurrently, the social networking 

site should engage educators and 

students from as many classes and/or 

schools as possible. Proposals should 

include a plan to train and motivate 

participants to lead discussions, write 

blogs and inspire others to become 

active social networkers. 

Guidelines: Beginning on or about 

August 1, 2010, activities will include 

recruitment and selection of 

participants, development of a web 

environment to support a theme-based 

curriculum, creation of a social 

networking site, development of 

reciprocal exchange activities, and 

support of follow-on activities. Online 

interaction through the social 

networking site will begin at the start of 

the school year in September 2010. 

Activities involving project themes may 

begin no later than November 1, 2010. 

Reciprocal exchanges should occur in 

2011, preferably while schools are in 

session. 

Once the grant is awarded, the 

recipient must select a group of youth 

participants and at least one educator to 

be active participants in theme-based 

activities that involve Web-based 

interaction, research, and other 

technical applications that result in 

concrete outputs. Grant recipients are 

encouraged to incorporate webchats, 

community service and international 

events and competitions into the overall 

design of the curriculum. Examples 

include the Department’s Doors to 

Diplomacy competition (http:// 

future.state.gov/news/115213.htm), 

International Education Week (http:// 

iew.state.gov/), and Global Youth 

Service Day (http://gysd.org/), among 

others. 

The grant recipient will select 

exchange participants among those most 

actively involved in the project theme. 

Responsibilities include: (1) Provide 

orientations for exchange participants 

and host schools and families; (2) 

manage all logistical arrangements; (3) 

provide for a meaningful cultural and 

educational experience that includes 

theme-based activities, country 

presentations at schools and community 

centers and at least one community 

service activity; (4) develop action plans 

for continued communication and 

youth-led activities upon participants’ 

return home. 

Added Notes: Grant recipients will 

identify the program as the ‘‘Global 

Connections and Exchange (GCE)’’ at all 

times. Web sites and other materials 

must acknowledge the U.S. Department 

of State as the sponsor, with specific 

recognition of the Bureau of Educational 

and Cultural Affairs. The Bureau will 

retain copyright use of and be allowed 

to distribute materials related to this 

program, as appropriate. Grant 

recipients must also inform the ECA 

Program Officer of their progress at each 

stage of the project’s implementation in 

a timely fashion. 

II. Award Information 

Type of Award: Grant Agreement. 

Fiscal Year Funds: 2010. 

Approximate Total Funding: 

$650,000. 

Approximate Number of Awards: 

Three. 

Approximate Average Award: 

$220,000. 

Anticipated Award Date: August 1, 

2010. 

Anticipated Project Completion Date: 

12–18 months after start date, to be 

specified by applicant. 

III. Eligibility Information 

III.1. Eligible Applicants 

Applications may be submitted by 

public and private non-profit 

organizations meeting the provisions 


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described in Internal Revenue Code 

section 26 USC 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 awards for each of 

the three programs in amounts 

exceeding $60,000 to support program 

and administrative costs required to 

facilitate activities. Therefore, 

organizations with less than four years 

experience in conducting international 

exchanges are ineligible to apply for 

either of the two grants. However, 

organizations are strongly encouraged to 

offer sub-awards in order to strengthen 

capacity, enhance diversity and expand 

opportunities to organizations otherwise 

ineligible to apply. 

(b) Technical Eligibility: It is the 

Bureau’s intent to award three separate 

grants to three different institutions 

under this competition. Therefore, 

prospective applicants may submit only 

one proposal under this competition. 

All applicants must comply with this 

requirement. Should an applicant 

submit multiple proposals under this 

competition, all proposals will be 

declared technically ineligible and 

given no further consideration in the 

review process. 

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 the Office of Citizen 

Exchanges, ECA–PE–C–PY, Room 568, 

U.S. Department of State, SA–5, 2200 C 

Street, NW., Washington, DC 20037, 

telephone: 202–632–6427, fax number: 

202–632–9355, e-mail: 

MussmanAP@state.gov to request a 

Solicitation Package. Please refer to the 

Funding Opportunity Number (ECA– 

PE–C–PY–10–05) 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. 

It also contains the Project Objectives, 

Goals and Implementation (POGI), 

which provides specific information, 

award criteria and budget instructions 

tailored to this competition. 

Please specify Anna Mussman and 

refer to the Funding Opportunity 

Number (ECA–PE–C–PY–10–05) 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 ‘‘Application 

Deadline and Methods of Submission’’ 

under the section below (IV.3f). 

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. 

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. 


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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 grant 

awards 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, record-keeping, 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/ 

ECD, 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, socioeconomic 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 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, 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 


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11980 Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 48 / Friday, March 12, 2010 / Notices 

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.3d.4. Describe your plans for: 

Sustainability, overall program 

management, staffing, school linkages 

and projects, reciprocal exchanges, and 

coordination with ECA and PAS. 

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: 

(1) Stipends for U.S. and overseas 

educators; 

(2) Small grants to support 

community service projects; 

(3) Competitions and other types of 

incentives; 

(4) Reciprocal exchanges for a small 

group of students and one educator to/ 

from the United States. 

Organizations are required to use free 

and existing Web sites for purposes of 

social networking and project 

implementation. Please refer to the 

Solicitation Package for complete 

budget guidelines and formatting 

instructions. 

IV.3f. Application Deadline and 

Methods of Submission: 

Application Deadline Date: April 30, 

2010. 

Reference Number: ECA–PE–C–PY– 

10–05. 

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., DHL, 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 eight (8) copies of 

the application should be sent to: 

Program Management Division, ECA– 

IIP/EX/PM, Ref.: ECA–PE–C–PY–10–05, 

SA–5, Floor 4, 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 

a PC-formatted disk. The Bureau will 

provide these files electronically to the 

appropriate Public Affairs Section(s) at 

the U.S. embassies for 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 

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, 

7a.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. 


srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 48 / Friday, March 12, 2010 / Notices 11981 

Applicants will receive a validation email 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. 

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 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. Program Planning/Ability to 

Achieve Program: Proposals should 

clearly convey a feasible plan that 

supports program goals and is relevant 

to the Bureau’s mission. The substance 

of online activities should be described 

in detail. A detailed agenda and relevant 

work plan should adhere to the program 

overview and guidelines described 

above. Reviewers will evaluate how 

training and the curriculum will 

support online learning and 

collaboration among students. They will 

also assess how objectives will be 

achieved and assure that the timetable 

is feasible for completion of major tasks. 

2. Support of Diversity: Proposals 

should demonstrate substantive support 

of the Bureau’s policy on diversity. 

Geographic, gender and socio-economic 

diversity should be reflected in the 

selection of schools and participants. 

The curriculum content should 

reinforce cultural diversity in the 

broadest sense of the term. 

3. Institutional Capacity/Track 

Record: Proposed personnel and 

institutional resources in both the 

United States and in the partner 

countries should be adequate and 

appropriate to achieve the program 

goals. Proposals should exhibit 

significant experience in social 

networking as well as implementing 

web-based educational projects at the 

high school level. Reviewers will assess 

the organization’s institutional record of 

successful programs, including 

responsible fiscal management and full 

compliance with all reporting 

requirements as determined by the 

Bureau’s Grants Division. The Bureau 

will consider the past performance of 

prior recipients and the demonstrated 

potential of new applicants. 

4. Follow-on Activities: Proposals 

should provide a plan for continued 

follow-on activity (without Bureau 

support) ensuring that Bureau 

supported programs are not isolated 

events. Reviewers will examine ways in 

which social networking sites are 

managed and their applicability for use 

when funds are no longer available. 

5. 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 strongly 

recommended, particularly for prior 

grant recipients implementing similar 

programs. 

6. Cost-effectiveness/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. 

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 

For assistance awards involving the 

Palestinian Authority, West Bank, and 

Gaza: 

All awards made under this 

competition must be executed according 

to all relevant U.S. laws and policies 

regarding assistance to the Palestinian 

Authority, and to the West Bank and 

Gaza. Organizations must consult with 

relevant Public Affairs Offices before 

entering into any formal arrangements 

or agreements with Palestinian 

organizations or institutions. 

Note: To assure that planning for the 

inclusion of the Palestinian Authority 

complies with requirements, please contact 

Program Officer Anna Mussman (tel.: 202– 

632–6427, e-mail: MussmanAP@state.gov) for 

additional information. 

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:// 


srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with NOTICES
11982 Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 48 / Friday, March 12, 2010 / Notices 

www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants. 

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

VI.3. Reporting Requirements 

You must provide ECA with a hard 

copy original of the following reports 

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) 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. 

(4) One interim report, midway into 

the program, describing activities and 

progress. 

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. 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 of all persons who travel 

internationally on funds provided by 

the agreement. 

(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. 

(3) Information about schools 

including, but not limited to, location, 

demography, participating teachers and 

students. 

Note: All travelers must have been selected 

to participate in theme-based projects. 

Collaboration with partner country and 

school will determine travel itinerary. 

VII. Agency Contacts 

For questions about this 

announcement, contact: Anna 

Mussman, Office of Citizen Exchanges, 

ECA–PE–C–PY, Room 3–H17, ECA–PE– 

C–PY–10–05, U.S. Department of State, 

SA–5, 2200 C Street, NW., Washington, 

DC 20037, telephone: 202–632–6427, 

fax number: 202–632–9355, E-mail: 

MussmanAP@state.gov. 

All correspondence with the Bureau 

concerning this RFGP should reference 

the above title and number: ECA–PE–C– 

PY–10–05. 

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: March 5, 2010. 

Maura M. Pally, 

Acting Assistant Secretary for Educational 

and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of 

State. 

[FR Doc. 2010–5489 Filed 3–11–10; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4710–05–P 

DEPARTMENT OF STATE 

[Public Notice 6921] 

Request for Information for the 2010 

Trafficking in Persons Report 

SUMMARY: The Department of State (‘‘the 

Department’’) requests written 

information to assist in reporting on the 

degree to which the United States and 

foreign governments comply with the 

minimum standards for the elimination 

of trafficking in persons (‘‘minimum 

standards’’) that are prescribed by the 

Trafficking Victims Protection Act 

(‘‘TVPA’’) of 2000, Div. A of Public Law 

106–386, section 108, as amended. This 

information will assist in the 

preparation of the Trafficking in Persons 

Report (‘‘TIP Report’’) that is submitted 

annually by the Department to the U.S. 

Congress. The TVPA mandates a report 

on countries’ level of compliance with 

the minimum standards and expresses 

the United States’ policy not to provide 

nonhumanitarian, nontrade-related 

foreign assistance to any government 

that does not comply with the minimum 

standards and is not making significant 

efforts to do so. For the 2010 TIP Report, 

the United States will voluntarily report 

on its compliance with the minimum 

standards. Submissions must be made 

in writing to the Office to Monitor and 

Combat Trafficking in Persons at the 

Department of State by March 26, 2010. 

Please refer to the Addresses, Scope of 

Interest and Information Sought sections 

of this Notice for additional instructions 

on submission requirements. 

DATES: Submissions must be received by 

the Office to Monitor and Combat 

Trafficking in Persons by 5 p.m. on 

March 26, 2010. 

ADDRESSES: Written submissions and 

supporting documentation may be 

submitted to the Office to Monitor and 

Combat Trafficking in Persons by the 

following methods: 

• Facsimile (fax): 202–312–9637. 

• Mail, Express Delivery, Hand 

Delivery and Messenger Service: U.S. 

Department of State, Office to Monitor 

and Combat Trafficking in Persons, 1800 

G Street, NW., Suite 2148, Washington, 

DC 20520. Please note that materials 

submitted by mail may be delayed due 

to security screenings and processing. 

• E-mail (preferred): 

tipreport@state.gov for submissions 

related to foreign governments and 

tipreportUS@state.gov for submissions 

related to the United States. 

Scope of Interest: The Department 

requests information relevant to 

assessing compliance with the 

minimum standards for the elimination 

of trafficking in persons in the year 

2009. The minimum standards for the 

elimination of trafficking in persons are 

listed in the Background section. 

Submissions must include information 

relevant and probative of the minimum 

standards for the elimination of 

trafficking in persons and should 

include, but need not be limited to, 

answering the questions in the 

Information Sought section. These 

questions are designed to elicit 

information relevant to the minimum 

standards for the elimination of 

trafficking in persons. Only those 

questions for which the submitter has 

direct professional experience should be 

answered and that experience should be 


srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with NOTICES