70764 Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 222 / Thursday, November 18, 2010 / Notices 

Percent 

Businesses with Credit Available 

Elsewhere ................................ 6.000 

Businesses without Credit Available Elsewhere ........................ 4.000 

Non-Profit Organizations with 

Credit Available Elsewhere ..... 3.625 

Non-Profit Organizations without 

Credit Available Elsewhere ..... 3.000 

For Economic Injury: 

Businesses & Small Agricultural 

Cooperatives without Credit 

Available Elsewhere ................ 4.000 

Non-Profit Organizations without 

Credit Available Elsewhere ..... 3.000 

The number assigned to this disaster 

for physical damage is 12377 B and for 

economic injury is 12378 0. 

The State which received an EIDL 

Declaration # is Texas. 

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance 

Numbers 59002 and 59008) 

Dated: November 9, 2010. 

Karen G. Mills, 

Administrator. 

[FR Doc. 2010–29135 Filed 11–17–10; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 8025–01–P 

SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION 

Small Business Information Security 

Task Force 

AGENCY: U.S. Small Business 

Administration. 

ACTION: Notice of meeting minutes. 

SUMMARY: The SBA is issuing this notice 

to publish meeting minutes for the 

Small Business Information Security 

Task Force Meeting. 

DATES: 1 p.m., Wednesday, October 13, 

2010. 

ADDRESSES: The meeting was held via 

teleconference. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant 

to section 507(i)(4)(A) of the Credit Card 

Accountability Responsibility and 

Disclosure Act of 2009, SBA submits the 

meeting minutes for the first meeting of 

the Small Business Information Security 

Task Force. Chairman, Rusty Pickens, 

called the meeting to order on October 

13, 2010 at 1 p.m. Roll call was taken 

and a quorum was established. Mr. 

Pickens thanked the Task Force 

members for agreeing to serve and for 

making themselves available for the 

meeting, noting that the group 

represented a powerhouse of expertise 

in information security matters. After 

covering the general expectations for 

Task Force meetings, most of which will 

be conducted by teleconference, Mr. 

Pickens proposed that one in-person 

meeting be attempted in the spring of 

2011. 

Mr. Pickens set forth the ground rules 

for Task Force operations. Noting that 

the Task Force is chartered through 

2013, he expressed the expectation that 

its work might be accomplished sooner, 

proposing a target deadline for the end 

of 2011 for completion of the Task Force 

Report to Congress. Mr. Pickens advised 

the group that as Chair, he will be 

responsible for providing regular 

updates on the work of the Task Force 

to the SBA Administrator. He concluded 

his introduction by encouraging all 

members to participate as fully as 

possible in all discussions to maximize 

the value of their expertise to the Task 

Force. He then introduced Frances 

Henderson of the Council of Better 

Business Bureaus as Vice-Chair of the 

Task Force. 

Ms. Henderson welcomed the other 

members to the Task Force and 

expressed the Council of Better Business 

Bureau’s appreciation for the 

opportunity to work with the SBA and 

a distinguished panel of experts on this 

important topic. She noted that while 

much valuable work has already been 

done in both the public and private 

sectors to disseminate information 

security standards, guidance and 

resources to the business community as 

a whole, there is evidence that these 

resources have not fully trickled down 

to, or are not being well utilized by 

many small businesses, including those 

in greatest need of help with their 

information security needs. She 

expressed the hope that the Task Force 

could identify the gaps in the 

information security resources available 

to small businesses and propose 

solutions that would benefit both small 

businesses and consumers. 

The other Task Force members each 

briefly introduced themselves and their 

organizations, identifying their specific 

interests and expertise in the work of 

the Task Force. 

The remainder of the meeting was 

devoted to an open discussion on the 

focus of the Task Force’s work, 

including the development of a skeleton 

work plan to be circulated in advance of 

the next meeting. 

The members agreed that meeting 

frequency should be monthly and that 

the next meeting date would be 

November 10, 2010. No other decisions 

were reached. 

In closing, Mr. Pickens introduced 

Jackie Woodward and Kristi Harmel as 

support personnel assigned to the 

Chairperson and the Task Force, and 

encouraged members to reach out to 

them with questions. 

The meeting was adjourned at 2 p.m. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Rusty Pickens, Special Consultant to the 

Office of the CIO, U.S. Small Business 

Administration, Rusty.Pickens@sba.gov. 

Paul T. Christy, 

SBA Chief Information Officer. 

[FR Doc. 2010–29136 Filed 11–17–10; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 8025–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF STATE 

[Public Notice: 7230] 

Bureau of Educational and Cultural 

Affairs (ECA) Request for Grant 

Proposals: Study of the U.S. Institutes 

for Student Leaders on New Media in 

Journalism 

Announcement Type: New 

Cooperative Agreements. 

Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/ 

A/E/USS–11–11. 

Catalog of Federal Domestic 

Assistance Number: 19.009. 

Key Dates: May to August, 2011. 

Application Deadline: January 10, 

2011. 

Executive Summary: The Branch for 

the Study of the United States, Office of 

Academic Exchange Programs, Bureau 

of Educational and Cultural Affairs, 

invites proposal submissions for the 

design and implementation of two (2) 

Study of the United States Institutes for 

Student Leaders on New Media in 

Journalism. Each taking place over the 

course of five weeks, the Institutes will 

be scheduled in summer 2011. 

Both Institutes should take place at 

U.S. academic institutions and provide 

groups of highly motivated 

undergraduate students from the 

countries and regions noted below with 

in-depth seminars on New Media and 

Journalism. Each Institute should 

include four weeks of academic 

residency followed by a one-week 

integrated educational travel tour that 

will expose participants to a different 

region of the United States. The oneweek educational study tour should 

conclude with a three day session in 

Washington, DC. 

Each Institute will host up to 20 

participants, for a total of approximately 

40 students. ECA plans to provide one 

to two awards for the administration of 

the two Study of the U.S. Institutes and 

welcomes applications from accredited 

post-secondary education institutions in 

the United States and public and private 

non-profit organizations (see Eligibility 

Information, section III). The awarding 

of Cooperative Agreements for this 

program is contingent upon the 

availability of FY 2011 funds. 

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Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 222 / Thursday, November 18, 2010 / Notices 70765 

I. Funding Opportunity Description 

I. 1. 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. 

I. 2. Purpose 

The Study of the U.S. Institutes for 

Student Leaders on New Media in 

Journalism are intensive academic 

programs whose purpose is to provide 

groups of foreign undergraduate 

students with a deeper understanding of 

the United States while also exposing 

Americans to the diverse cultures and 

traditions of the exchange participants. 

The principal objective of the 

Institutes is to provide undergraduate 

leaders an introduction to new media in 

journalism, while also heightening their 

awareness of the history and evolution 

of U.S. society, culture, values, and 

institutions, broadly defined. In this 

context, the Institutes should 

incorporate a focus on contemporary 

American life, as it is shaped by 

historical and/or current political, 

social, and economic issues and 

debates. The role and influence of 

principles and values such as 

democracy, the rule of law, individual 

rights, freedom of expression, equality, 

and diversity and tolerance should be 

addressed. 

I. 3. Overview 

The Study of the U.S. Institute on 

New Media in Journalism should 

examine major topics in journalism, 

including the changing landscape of 

traditional and new forms of media. The 

program should underscore the impact 

of digital journalism, and give 

participants new skills such as 

uploading original audio/visual content; 

utilizing twitter; publishing blogs; 

operating social networking Web sites; 

and other new media platforms. The 

Institute should also explore the 

concept of a free press, First 

Amendment rights, journalistic ethics, 

the media’s relationship to the public 

interest, and media business models. 

The Institute should include a field 

placement component, providing 

participants with hands-on experience 

covering various aspects of journalism: 

Researching, writing, editing, and 

reporting with particular emphasis on 

new forms of digital media. In addition 

to journalism and new media, the 

Institutes should explore American 

history, government, society, and 

culture. 

The Institutes should also develop the 

participants’ leadership skill, 

specifically as they relate to journalism. 

In this context, the academic program 

should include group discussions, 

trainings, and exercises that focus on 

topics such as leadership, teambuilding, 

collective problem-solving skills, 

effective communication, and 

management skills for diverse 

organizational settings. Institutes should 

include a community service 

component in which the students 

experience firsthand how not-for-profit 

organizations and volunteerism play a 

key role in American civil society. 

Local site visits and educational travel 

should provide opportunities to observe 

varied aspects of American life and to 

discuss topics addressed in the 

academic program. The program should 

also include opportunities for 

participants to meet American citizens 

from a variety of backgrounds, to 

interact with their American peers, and 

to speak to appropriate student and 

civic groups about their experiences and 

life in their home countries. 

I. 4. Recipient Organizations 

ECA is seeking detailed proposals 

from U.S. colleges, universities, and 

other not-for-profit organizations that 

have an established reputation in one or 

more of the following fields: Journalism, 

media studies, communication studies, 

and/or other disciplines or subdisciplines related to the study of the 

United States. 

I. 5. Participants 

Participants will be identified and 

nominated by the U.S. Embassies and 

Consulates and/or Fulbright 

Commissions with final selection made 

by ECA. ECA will make the final 

decisions regarding participating 

countries and reserves the right to adjust 

the countries or regions participating in 

this activity based upon Department 

priorities. 

Participants in the Study of the U.S. 

Institutes for Student Leaders will be 

highly motivated undergraduate 

students from colleges, universities, and 

other institutions of higher education in 

selected countries overseas who 

demonstrate achievement and 

leadership through academic work, 

community involvement, and 

extracurricular activities. Their 

academic fields of study will be varied, 

and may include journalism, sciences, 

social sciences, humanities, education, 

and business. All participants will have 

a good knowledge of English and will 

have demonstrated interest in new 

media and journalism. 

Every effort will be made to select a 

balanced mix of male and female 

participants, and to recruit participants 

who are from non-elite or 

underprivileged backgrounds, from both 

rural and urban areas, and have had 

little or no prior experience in the 

United States or elsewhere outside of 

their home country. 

It is anticipated that participants in 

the two Institutes will come from the 

following regions and countries: 

(1) South Asia: Bangladesh, India, 

Nepal, Sri Lanka. This Institute should 

take place in May and June, 2011. 

(2) Middle East: Iraq, Lebanon, Oman, 

West Bank. This Institute should take 

place in July and August, 2011. 

I. 6. Program Guidelines 

It is essential that proposals provide 

a detailed and comprehensive narrative 

describing the objectives of the Institute; 

the title, scope, and content of each 

session; planned site visits; and how 

each session relates to the overall 

Institute theme. Proposals must include 

a syllabus that indicates the subject 

matter for each lecture, panel 

discussion, group presentation, or other 

activity. The syllabus also should 

confirm or provisionally identify 

proposed speakers, trainers, and session 

leaders, and clearly show how assigned 

readings will advance the goals of each 

session. Overall, proposals will be 

reviewed on the basis of their 

responsiveness to RFGP criteria, 

coherence, clarity, and attention to 

detail. The accompanying Project 

Objectives, Goals, and Implementation 

(POGI) document provides programspecific guidelines that all proposals 

must address fully. 

Please note: In a Cooperative Agreement, 

the Branch for the Study of the United States 

is substantially involved in program 

activities above and beyond routine grant 

monitoring. The Branch will assume the 

following responsibilities for the Institute: 

Participate in the final selection of 

participants; debrief participants in 

Washington, DC at the conclusion of the 

Institute; and engage in follow-on 

communication with the participants after 

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they return to their home countries. The 

Branch may request that the recipient make 

modifications to the academic residency and/ 

or educational travel components of the 

program. The recipient will be required to 

obtain approval of significant program 

changes in advance of their implementation. 

II. Award Information 

Type of Award: Cooperative 

Agreement. ECA’s level of involvement 

in this program is listed under number 

I above. 

Fiscal Year Funds: FY 2011. 

Approximate Total Funding: 

$480,000. 

Approximate Number of Awards: Up 

to two. 

Floor of Award Range: $240,000. 

Ceiling of Award Range: $480,000. 

Anticipated Award Date: Pending 

availability of funds, April 1, 2011. 

Anticipated Project Completion Date: 

April, 2012. 

Additional Information: Pending 

successful implementation of this 

program and the availability of funds in 

subsequent fiscal years, it is ECA’s 

intent to renew this cooperative 

agreement for one additional fiscal year, 

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 USC 501(c)(3). 

An applicant organization is defined 

by the DUNS number of the 

organization and by the signature of the 

authorized representative contained on 

the ‘‘Application for Federal Assistance 

Form’’ (SF–424) submitted under this 

competition. 

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, the recipient 

institution must maintain written 

records to support all costs which are 

claimed as a 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 the recipient institution does 

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.) Grants awarded to eligible 

organizations with less than four years 

of experience in conducting 

international exchange programs will be 

limited to $60,000. ECA anticipates that 

the minimum award under this 

competition will be approximately 

$240,000. 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: It is ECA’s 

intent to fund a total of two (2) institutes 

as a result of this solicitation. 

All applicants are strongly 

encouraged to read this RFGP 

thoroughly, prior to developing and 

submitting a proposal, to ensure that 

proposed activities are appropriate and 

responsive to the goals, objectives and 

criteria outlined in the solicitations. 

Total available funding is up to 

$240,000 (one institute) or up to 

$480,000 (two institutes). Applicant 

organizations (colleges, universities, or 

NGOs) are invited to submit one 

application to host one or both 

Institutes. 

If proposing to host one institute, the 

proposals should clearly indicate the 

desired country group from Section I.5 

above if appropriate and any regional 

expertise, if applicable. ECA reserves 

the right to alter or reassign the final 

country groupings. 

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 Branch for the 

Study of the United States, ECA/A/E/ 

USS; SA–5, Fourth Floor; U.S. 

Department of State; Washington, DC 

20037, (202) 632–3339 to request a 

Solicitation Package. Please refer to the 

Funding Opportunity Number ECA/A/ 

E/USS–11–11 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) 

document, which provides specific 

information, award criteria and budget 

instructions tailored to this competition. 

Please specify Kevin Orchison and 

refer to the Funding Opportunity 

Number ECA/A/E/USS–11–11 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 section IV.6 

Application Deadline and Methods of 

Submission, indicated below. 

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

and Bradstreet Data Universal 

Numbering System (DUNS) number to 

apply for a grant or cooperative 

agreement from the U.S. Government. 

This number is a nine-digit 

identification number, which uniquely 

identifies business entities. Obtaining a 

DUNS number is easy and there is no 

charge. To obtain a DUNS number, 

access http:// 

www.dunandbradstreet.com or call 1– 

866–705–5711. Please ensure that your 

DUNS number is included in the 

appropriate box of the SF–424 which is 

part of the formal application package. 

IV.3b. All proposals must contain an 

executive summary, proposal narrative, 

and budget. 

Please Refer to the Solicitation 

Package. It contains the mandatory 

Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) 

document and the Project Objectives, 

Goals, and Implementation (POGI) 

document for additional formatting and 

technical requirements. 

IV.3c. You must have nonprofit status 

with the IRS at the time of application. 

Please note: Effective January 7, 2009, 

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Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 222 / Thursday, November 18, 2010 / Notices 70767 

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.4 Program Regulations 

IV.4.1 Adherence to All Regulations 

Governing the J Visa 

The Bureau of Educational and 

Cultural Affairs places critically 

important emphases on the security and 

proper administration of the Exchange 

Visitor (J visa) Programs and adherence 

by award recipients and sponsors to all 

regulations governing the J visa. 

Therefore, proposals should 

demonstrate the applicant’s capacity to 

meet all requirements governing the 

administration of the Exchange Visitor 

Programs as set forth in 22 CFR part 62, 

including the oversight of Responsible 

Officers and Alternate Responsible 

Officers, screening and selection of 

program participants, provision of prearrival information and orientation to 

participants, monitoring of participants, 

proper maintenance and security of 

forms, recordkeeping, reporting, and 

other requirements. 

ECA will issue participant DS 2019 

forms for organizations with direct 

agreements with ECA. 

A copy of the complete regulations 

governing the administration of 

Exchange Visitor (J) programs is 

available at http://exchanges.state.gov 

or from: United States Department of 

State, Office Designation, Private Sector 

Programs Divison, ECA/EC/D/PS, SA–5, 

5th Floor, Department of State, 

Washington, DC 20037. 

Please refer to Solicitation Package for 

further information. 

IV.4.2 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.4.3 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 proposals 

include a draft survey questionnaire or 

other technique plus a description of a 

methodology used 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. 

An evaluation plan should include a 

description of project’s objectives, 

anticipated project outcomes, and how 

and when outcomes will be measured 

(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. Applicants should also 

show how project objectives link to the 

goals of the program described in this 

RFGP. 

Monitoring and evaluation plans 

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 applicants 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. 

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70768 Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 222 / Thursday, November 18, 2010 / Notices 

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 a 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.5 Budget 

IV.5.1 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.5.2 Allowable costs for the 

program include the following: 

(1) Institute staff salary and benefits. 

(2) Participant housing and meals. 

(3) Participant U.S. travel and per 

diem. 

(4) Textbooks, educational materials, 

and admissions fees. 

(5) Honoraria for guest speakers. 

(6) Follow-on programming for 

alumni of Study of the United States 

programs. 

Please refer to the Solicitation 

Package for complete budget guidelines 

and formatting instructions. 

IV. 6 Application Deadline and 

Methods of Submission 

Application Deadline Date: January 

10, 2011. 

Reference Number: ECA/A/E/USS– 

11–11. 

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.6.1 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 six (6) copies of the 

application should be sent to: Program 

Management Division, ECA–IIP/EX/PM, 

Ref.: ECA/A/E/USS–11–11, SA–5, Floor 

4, Department of State, 2200 C Street, 

NW., Washington, DC 20037. 

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 CD–ROM. The Bureau will provide 

these files electronically to the 

appropriate Public Affairs Section(s) at 

the U.S. embassy(ies) for its (their) 

review. 

IV.6.2 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: Due to Recovery Act related 

opportunities, there has been a higher than 

usual volume of grant proposals submitted 

through Grants.gov. Potential applicants are 

advised that the increased volume may affect 

the grants.gov proposal submission process. 

As stated in this RFGP, 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, 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 

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Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 222 / Thursday, November 18, 2010 / Notices 70769 

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. 

IV.6.3 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 cooperative 

agreements resides with the Bureau’s 

Grants Officer. 

V.2. 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 Program Plan and Ability 

to Achieve Program Objectives: 

Proposals should exhibit originality, 

substance, precision, and relevance to 

the Bureau’s mission. A detailed agenda 

and relevant work plan should 

demonstrate substantive undertakings 

and logistical capacity. Objectives 

should be reasonable, feasible, and 

flexible. Proposals should demonstrate 

clearly how the institution will meet the 

program’s objectives and plan. 

2. Support for Diversity: Proposals 

should demonstrate substantive support 

of the Bureau’s policy on diversity. 

Achievable and relevant features should 

be cited in both program administration 

(program venue and program 

evaluation) and program content 

(orientation and wrap-up sessions, 

program meetings, presenters, and 

resource materials). 

3. Evaluation: Proposals should 

include a plan to evaluate the activity’s 

success, both as the activities unfold 

and at the end of the program. The 

Bureau recommends that the proposal 

include a draft survey questionnaire or 

other technique plus a description of a 

methodology to use to link outcomes to 

original project objectives. 

4. 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. 

5. Institutional Track Record/Ability: 

Proposals should demonstrate an 

institutional record of successful 

exchange programs, including 

responsible fiscal management and full 

compliance with all reporting 

requirements for past Bureau grants as 

determined by Bureau Grants Staff. The 

Bureau will consider the past 

performance of prior recipients and the 

demonstrated potential of new 

applicants. Proposed personnel and 

institutional resources should be fully 

qualified to achieve the project’s goals. 

6. Follow-Up and Follow-on 

Activities: Proposals should discuss 

provisions made for follow-up with 

returned participants as a means of 

establishing longer-term individual and 

institutional linkages. Proposals should 

also provide a plan for continued 

follow-on activity (without Bureau 

support) ensuring that Bureau 

supported programs are not isolated 

events. 

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 

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 copy of the 

following reports: 

(1) An interim program report no 

more than 90 days after the completion 

of the Institute; 

(2) A final program and financial 

report no more than 90 days after the 

expiration of the award; 

(3) 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 

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70770 Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 222 / Thursday, November 18, 2010 / Notices 

part of ECA’s Federal Funding 

Accountability and Transparency Act 

(FFATA) reporting requirements. 

(4) 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. 

VII. Agency Contacts 

For questions about this 

announcement, contact: Kevin 

Orchison, Study of the U.S. Branch, 

ECA/A/E/USS, U.S. Department of 

State, Fourth Floor, SA–5, 2200 C Street, 

NW., Washington, DC 20522–0504, 

phone: (202) 632–3339, e-mail: 

OrchisonKH@state.gov. 

All correspondence with the Bureau 

concerning this RFGP should reference 

the above title and number ECA/A/E/ 

USS–11–11. 

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. In addition, it 

reserves the right to accept proposals in 

whole or in part and to make an award 

or awards in the best interest of the 

program. Awards made will be subject 

to periodic reporting and evaluation 

requirements per section VI.3 above. 

Dated: November 10, 2010. 

Ann Stock, 

Assistant Secretary for Educational and 

Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State. 

[FR Doc. 2010–29122 Filed 11–17–10; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4710–05–P 

DEPARTMENT OF STATE 

[Public Notice 7231] 

U.S. National Commission for UNESCO 

Notice of Meeting and Closed Meeting 

The U.S. National Commission for 

UNESCO will hold a meeting on 

Wednesday, December 1, 2010, from 10 

a.m. until 12:45 p.m. Eastern Time at 

the U.S. Department of State, with the 

option of participation by telephone 

conference. The open session will have 

a series of subject-specific reports, 

during which the Commission will 

accept brief oral comments or questions 

from the public or media. The open 

session is expected to be two hours and 

forty-five minutes in duration. The 

public comment period will be limited 

to approximately 15 minutes in total, 

with two minutes allowed per speaker. 

The second portion of the meeting 

will be closed to the public to allow the 

Commission to discuss applications for 

the UNESCO Associated Schools 

Network Program and the UNESCO 

Club Network. The closed session will 

begin at 12:45 p.m. This portion of the 

call will be closed to the public 

pursuant to Section 10(d) of the Federal 

Advisory Committee Act and 5 U.S.C. 

552b(c)(6) because it is likely to involve 

discussion of information of a personal 

and financial nature regarding the 

relative merits of individual applicants 

where disclosure would constitute a 

clearly unwarranted invasion of privacy. 

For more information or to arrange to 

participate in the open portion of the 

the meeting, individuals must make 

arrangements with the Executive 

Secretariat of the National Commission 

by November 29, 2010. 

The National Commission may be 

contacted via e-mail at 

DCUNESCO@state.gov, or via phone at 

(202) 663–0026. Its Web site can be 

accessed at: http://www.state.gov/p/io/ 

unesco/. 

Dated: November 9, 2010. 

Elizabeth Kanick, 

Executive Director, U.S. National Commission 

for UNESCO, Department of State. 

[FR Doc. 2010–29128 Filed 11–17–10; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4710–19–P 

OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES 

TRADE REPRESENTATIVE 

Request for Comments Concerning 

Compliance With Telecommunications 

Trade Agreements 

AGENCY: Office of the United States 

Trade Representative. 

ACTION: Notice of request for public 

comment and reply comment. 

SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 1377 of 

the Omnibus Trade and 

Competitiveness Act of 1988 (19 U.S.C. 

3106) (‘Section 1377’), the United States 

Trade Representative (‘‘USTR’’) is 

reviewing and requests comments on 

the operation, effectiveness, and 

implementation of and compliance with 

the following agreements regarding 

telecommunications products and 

services of the United States: the World 

Trade Organization (‘‘WTO’’) General 

Agreement on Trade in Services; the 

North American Free Trade Agreement 

(‘‘NAFTA’’); U.S. free trade agreements 

(‘‘FTAs’’) with Australia, Bahrain, Chile, 

Morocco, Oman, Peru, and Singapore; 

and the Dominican Republic–Central 

America–United States Free Trade 

Agreement (‘‘CAFTA–DR’’). The USTR 

will conclude the review by March 31, 

2011. 

DATES: Comments are due by noon on 

December 17, 2010 and reply comments 

by noon on January 14, 2011. 

ADDRESSES: Gloria Blue, Executive 

Secretary, Trade Policy Staff Committee, 

or Catherine Hinckley, Director, 

Telecom Trade Policy, ATTN: Section 

1377 Comments, Office of the United 

States Trade Representative, 1724 F 

Street, NW., Washington, DC 20508. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Catherine Hinckley, Office of Services 

and Investment (202) 395–9539; or Will 

Martyn, Office of the General Counsel 

(202) 395–3582. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 

1377 requires the USTR to review 

annually the operation and effectiveness 

of all U.S. trade agreements regarding 

telecommunications products and 

services that are in force with respect to 

the United States. The purpose of the 

review is to determine whether any act, 

policy, or practice of a country that has 

entered into an FTA or other 

telecommunications trade agreement 

with the United States is inconsistent 

with the terms of such agreement or 

otherwise denies U.S. firms, within the 

context of the terms of such agreements, 

mutually advantageous market 

opportunities for telecommunications 

products and services. For the current 

review, the USTR seeks comments on: 

(1) Whether any WTO member is 

acting in a manner that is inconsistent 

with its obligations under WTO 

agreements affecting market 

opportunities for telecommunications 

products or services, e.g., the WTO 

General Agreement on Trade in 

Services, including the Agreement on 

Basic Telecommunications Services, the 

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