[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 236 (Thursday, December 9, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 76772-76777]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-30872]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 7260]


Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs Request for Grant 
Proposals: Future Leaders Exchange Civic Education Workshop

    Announcement Type: New Grant.
    Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/PE/C/PY-11-16.
    Catalog of Federal and Domestic Assistance Number: 19.415.
    Key Dates:
    Application Deadline: January 4, 2011.
    Executive Summary: The Office of Citizen Exchanges, Youth Programs 
Division, of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs announces 
an open competition to conduct the Spring Civic Education Workshop for 
students participating in the academic year Future Leaders Exchange 
(FLEX) program. The goal of the Spring Workshop is to broaden the 
participants' knowledge and understanding of the democratic concepts 
that are integral to a civil society and to provide them with tools 
they can take home to aid in the transformation of their countries. 
Public and private non-profit organizations meeting the provisions 
described in IRS regulation 26 CFR 1.501(c) may submit proposals to 
develop and conduct a one-week workshop in Washington, DC, in Spring 
2011. The workshop should include approximately 100 high school 
students from 10 Eurasian countries who are attending school in the 
United States during the 2010/11 academic year. Spring Workshop 
participants will be selected through an essay contest from among a 
group of approximately 976 students who are participating in the 
academic year component of the Division's Future Leaders Exchange 
program. Provision of cost sharing to maximize the number of 
participants will be looked at very favorably.

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 Fulbright-Hays Act. 
The purpose of the Act is ``to enable the Government of the United 
States to increase mutual understanding between the people of the 
United States and the people of other countries * * *; to strengthen 
the ties which unite us with other nations by demonstrating the 
educational and cultural interests, developments, and achievements of 
the people of the United States and other nations * * * and thus to 
assist in the development of friendly, sympathetic and peaceful 
relations between the United States and the other countries of the 
world.'' The funding authority for the program above is provided 
through legislation.
    Purpose: The Civic Education Workshop should provide an opportunity 
for participants to gain a better understanding of the democratic 
concepts and values that are such an integral part of American society 
and culture. Concepts such as citizen empowerment, volunteerism, 
community action, and debate should be included in program components. 
The program should also enable participants to learn firsthand about 
the Federal system of government, observe government institutions, hear 
about and discuss issues on the Federal agenda, and interact with 
government officials. Dedicated time blocks should be provided for 
exposure to and education about the American election process. Special 
attention also should be paid to those issues that will be especially 
significant to people from the countries of the former Soviet Union.
    Responsibilities: The recipient of the grant is responsible for 
developing and conducting the Civic Education Workshop based on 
guidelines set forth by the Division. The grantee organization will 
also be responsible for coordinating roundtrip travel arrangements for 
each participant in the Spring Workshop from his/her host community to 
Washington, DC, and for providing room and board for students during 
their time in Washington. The grantee must be amenable to working with 
the Department of State and the Bureau in arranging certain briefings 
and visits, as the opportunity arises.
    The Spring Workshop should be arranged for seven days, including 
arrival and departure. The grantee organization will be provided with 
the names of the students who will have been chosen for the Spring 
Workshop after competing in an essay contest. The essays will have been 
reviewed by independent, objective, specially-trained selectors.
    Guidelines: The Spring Workshop should be held in early spring 2011 
during a time when Congress is in session. Proposals must effectively 
describe the organization's ability to accomplish the following 
essential components of the program:
    1. Provide a Civic Education Workshop in Washington, DC, as 
described above and held at the time period indicated. Program 
components should include sessions on U.S. domestic and foreign policy, 
the role of the media in a civil society, citizen empowerment, 
volunteerism and community activism, and federalism.
    2. Provide pre-program training for organization staff on the 
society and culture of relevant countries before the workshop.
    3. Provide housing and meals for all students throughout the 
Workshop.
    4. Arrange roundtrip travel for Spring Workshop students from their 
U.S. host communities to Washington, DC, in coordination with FLEX 
placement organizations. (Note: Students will likely be traveling from 
most of the 50 states.) Provide ground transportation for students in 
the DC area, including to and from Washington area airports.
    5. Provide opportunities to attend cultural events and visit 
museums and monuments.
    6. Coordinate with the Bureau's Youth Programs Division and the 
Office of Legislative Affairs in making appropriate arrangements for 
individual meetings for all Spring Workshop participants with their 
respective Members of Congress (Senators and/or Representative).
    7. Provide staff to assist in case of medical emergencies.
    8. Incorporate a component into the Spring Workshop designed to 
facilitate students' transition from the DC program back to their host 
communities. Include a description of the ways in which all students 
will be encouraged to share what they have learned, both in their U.S. 
host communities and when they return to their home countries.
    9. Provide a mechanism for evaluation of the program in terms of 
its impact on the students and its success in fulfilling the 
objectives.
    A competitive proposal will incorporate important elements of 
American culture in sessions that are largely interactive and designed 
to

[[Page 76773]]

appeal to high school-age students. The Workshop must be substantive 
and academic while, at the same time, be paced realistically to meet 
the needs of young people.
    Significant cost sharing is important because it will enable a 
greater number of students to participate. Therefore, those proposals 
that show more generous and creative cost sharing will be more 
favorably viewed. Please refer to the Program Objectives, Goals, and 
Implementation (POGI) section of the Solicitation Package for greater 
detail regarding the design of component parts as well as other program 
information.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Grant Agreement.
    Fiscal Year Funds: FY 2011.
    Approximate Total Funding: $184,000.
    Approximate Number of Awards: 1.
    Anticipated Award Date: Pending availability of funds, February 
2011.
    Anticipated Project Completion Date: August 31, 2011.
    Additional Information: Pending successful implementation of this 
program and the availability of funds in subsequent fiscal years, it is 
ECA's intent to renew this grant for two additional fiscal 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 U.S.C. 501(c)(3).

III.2. Cost Sharing or Matching Funds

    There is no minimum or maximum percentage required for this 
competition. However, the Bureau encourages applicants to provide 
maximum levels of cost sharing and funding in support of its programs.
    When cost sharing is offered, it is understood and agreed that the 
applicant must provide the amount of cost sharing as stipulated in its 
proposal and later included in an approved grant agreement. Cost 
sharing may be in the form of allowable direct or indirect costs. For 
accountability, the grantee organization must maintain written records 
to support all costs which are claimed as its 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 organization 
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) Bureau grant guidelines require that organizations with less 
than four years experience in conducting international exchanges be 
limited to $60,000 in Bureau funding. ECA anticipates awarding one 
grant, in an amount up to $184,000 to support program and 
administrative costs required to implement this program. Therefore, 
organizations with less than four years experience in conducting 
international exchanges are ineligible to apply under this competition. 
As stated above, the Bureau encourages applicants to provide maximum 
levels of cost-sharing and funding from private sources in support of 
its programs.
    (b) Technical Eligibility: All proposals must comply with the 
Application and Submission requirements described below or they will 
result in your proposal being declared technically ineligible and given 
no further consideration in the review process.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    Note:  Please read the complete 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, Youth Programs 
Division (ECA/PE/C/PY), SA-5 Floor 3, U.S. Department of State, 2200 C 
Street, NW., Washington, DC 20037, telephone (202) 632-6052; fax (202) 
632-9355; e-mail: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#a5f6c6cdd0c9dfe4efe5d6d1c4d1c08bc2cad3"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="e6b5858e938a9ca7aca69592879283c8818990">[email protected]</span></a> to request a Solicitation Package. 
Please refer to the Funding Opportunity Number (ECA/PE/C/PY-11-16) 
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 ECA Program Officer Amy Schulz and refer to the 
Funding Opportunity Number ECA/PE/C/PY-11-16 on all other inquiries and 
correspondence.

IV.2. To Download a Solicitation Package via Internet

    The entire Solicitation Package may be downloaded from the Bureau's 
Web site at http://exchanges.state.gov/grants/open2.html, or from the 
Grants.gov Web site at http://www.grants.gov.
    Please read all information before downloading.

IV.3. Content and Form of Submission

    Applicants must follow all instructions in the Solicitation 
Package. The application should be submitted per the instructions under 
IV.3f. ``Application Deadline and Methods of Submission'' section 
below.
    IV.3a. You are required to have a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal 
Numbering System (DUNS) number to apply for a grant or cooperative 
agreement from the U.S. Government. This number is a nine-digit 
identification number, which uniquely identifies business entities. 
Obtaining a DUNS number is easy and there is no charge. To obtain a 
DUNS number, access http://www.dunandbradstreet.com or call 1-866-705-
5711. Please ensure that your DUNS number is included in the 
appropriate box of the SF-424 which is part of the formal application 
package.
    IV.3b. All proposals must contain an executive summary, proposal 
narrative and budget.
    Please Refer to the Solicitation Package. It contains the mandatory 
Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) document and the Project 
Objectives, Goals and Implementation (POGI) document for additional 
formatting and technical requirements.
    IV.3c. All Federal award recipients and sub-recipients must 
maintain current registrations in the Central Contractor Registration 
(CCR) database and have a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering 
System (DUNS) number. Recipients and sub-recipients must maintain 
accurate and up-to-date information in the CCR until all program and 
financial activity and reporting have been completed. All entities must 
review and update the information at least annually after the initial 
registration and more frequently if required information changes or 
another award is granted.
    You must have nonprofit status with the IRS at the time of 
application. Please

[[Page 76774]]

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 one- page 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.

V.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 62, 
which covers the administration of the Exchange Visitor Program (J visa 
program). Under the terms of 22 CFR 62, organizations receiving grants 
under this RFGP will be third parties ``cooperating with or assisting 
the sponsor in the conduct of the sponsor's program.'' The actions of 
grantee program organizations shall be ``imputed to the sponsor in 
evaluating the sponsor's compliance with'' 22 CFR 62. Therefore, the 
Bureau expects that any organization receiving a grant under this 
competition will render all assistance necessary to enable the Bureau 
to fully comply with 22 CFR 62 et seq.
    The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs places critically 
important emphasis on the secure and proper administration of Exchange 
Visitor (J visa) Programs and adherence by grantee program 
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 62. If your organization has experience 
as a designated Exchange Visitor Program Sponsor, the applicant should 
discuss its record of compliance with 22 CFR 62 et. seq., including the 
oversight of its responsible Officers and Alternate Responsible 
Officers, 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, Private Sector Programs Division U.S. Department of 
State, ECA/EC/D/PS, SA-5, 5th Floor, 2200 C Street, NW., Washington, DC 
20037.
IV.3d.2 Diversity, Freedom and Democracy Guidelines
    Pursuant to the Bureau's authorizing legislation, programs must 
maintain a non-political character and should be balanced and 
representative of the diversity of American political, social, and 
cultural life. ``Diversity'' should be interpreted in the broadest 
sense and encompass differences including, but not limited to 
ethnicity, race, gender, religion, geographic location, socio-economic 
status, and physical 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 the total proposal. Public 
Law 104-319 provides that ``in carrying out programs of educational and 
cultural exchange in countries whose people do not fully enjoy freedom 
and democracy, the Bureau ``shall take appropriate steps to provide 
opportunities for participation in such programs to human rights and 
democracy leaders of such countries.'' Public Law 106--113 requires 
that the governments of the countries described above do not have 
inappropriate influence in the selection process. Proposals should 
reflect advancement of these goals in their program contents, to the 
full extent deemed feasible.
IV.3d.3. Program Monitoring and Evaluation
    Proposals must include a plan to monitor and evaluate the project's 
success, both as the activities unfold and at the end of the program. 
The Bureau recommends that your proposal include a draft survey 
questionnaire or other technique plus a description of a methodology to 
use to link outcomes to original project objectives. The Bureau expects 
that the grantee will track participants or partners and be able to 
respond to key evaluation questions, including satisfaction with the 
program, learning as a result of the program, changes in behavior as a 
result of the program, and effects of the program on institutions 
(institutions in which participants work or partner institutions). The 
evaluation plan should include indicators that measure gains in mutual 
understanding as well as substantive knowledge.
    Successful monitoring and evaluation depend heavily on setting 
clear goals and outcomes at the outset of a program. Your evaluation 
plan should include a description of your project's objectives, your 
anticipated project outcomes, and how and when you intend to measure 
these outcomes (performance indicators). The more that outcomes are 
``smart'' (specific, measurable, attainable, results-oriented, and 
placed in a reasonable time frame), the easier it will be to conduct 
the evaluation. You should also show how your project 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

[[Page 76775]]

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 short-term outcome, whereas 
behavior and institutional changes are normally considered longer-
term outcomes.

    Overall, the quality of your monitoring and evaluation plan will be 
judged on how well it (1) specifies intended outcomes; (2) gives clear 
descriptions of how each outcome will be measured; (3) identifies when 
particular outcomes will be measured; and (4) provides a clear 
description of the data collection strategies for each outcome (i.e., 
surveys, interviews, or focus groups). (Please note that evaluation 
plans that deal only with the first level of outcomes [satisfaction] 
will be deemed less competitive under the present evaluation criteria.)
    The grantee organization will be required to provide reports 
analyzing its evaluation findings to the Bureau in its regular program 
reports. All data collected, including survey responses and contact 
information, must be maintained for a minimum of three years and 
provided to the Bureau upon request.
    IV.3e. Please take the following information into consideration 
when preparing your budget:
    IV.3e.1. Applicants must submit SF-424A--``Budget Information--Non-
Construction Programs'' along with a comprehensive budget for the 
entire program. The award may not exceed $184,000. There must be a 
summary budget as well as breakdowns reflecting both administrative and 
program budgets. Applicants may provide separate sub-budgets for each 
program component, phase, location, or activity to provide 
clarification. Proposals that maximize the number of students will be 
favorably viewed. One grant will be awarded for this activity.
    Please refer to the Solicitation Package for further details, 
including a list of allowable costs for the program, complete budget 
guidelines, and formatting instructions.
IV.3f. Application Deadline and Methods of Submission
    Application Deadline Date: Tuesday, January 4, 2011.
    Reference Number: ECA/PE/C/PY-11-16.
    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 seven copies of the application should be sent to: 
Program Management Division, ECA-IIP/EX/PM, Ref.: ECA/PE/C/PY-11-16, 
SA-5, Floor 4, Department of State, 2200 C Street, NW., Washington, DC 
20037.
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 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: 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#a0d3d5d0d0cfd2d4e09cc180c8d2c5c69d" http: grants.gov">grants.gov</a>">support@grants.gov</a>.

[[Page 76776]]

    Applicants have until midnight (12 a.m.), Washington, DC time of 
the closing date to ensure that their entire application has been 
uploaded to the Grants.gov site. There are no exceptions to the above 
deadline. Applications uploaded to the site after midnight of the 
application deadline date will be automatically rejected by the 
grants.gov system, and will be technically ineligible.
    Please refer to the Grants.gov Web site, for definitions of various 
``application statuses'' and the difference between a submission 
receipt and a submission validation. Applicants will receive a 
validation e-mail from grants.gov upon the successful submission of an 
application. Again, validation of an electronic submission via 
Grants.gov can take up to two business days. Therefore, we strongly 
recommend that you not wait until the application deadline to begin the 
submission process through Grants.gov. ECA will not notify you upon 
receipt of electronic applications.
    It is the responsibility of all applicants submitting proposals via 
the Grants.gov web portal to ensure that proposals have been received 
by Grants.gov in their entirety, and ECA bears no responsibility for 
data errors resulting from transmission or conversion processes.
IV.3g. Intergovernmental Review of Applications Executive Order 12372 
Does Not Apply to This Program.

V. Application Review Information

V.1. Review Process

    The Bureau will review all proposals for technical eligibility. 
Proposals will be deemed ineligible if they do not fully adhere to the 
guidelines stated herein and in the Solicitation Package. All eligible 
proposals will be reviewed by the program office, as well as the Public 
Diplomacy section overseas, where appropriate. Eligible proposals will 
be subject to compliance with Federal and Bureau regulations and 
guidelines and forwarded to Bureau grant panels for advisory review. 
Proposals may also be reviewed by the Office of the Legal Adviser or by 
other Department elements. Final funding decisions are at the 
discretion of the Department of State's Assistant Secretary for 
Educational and Cultural Affairs. Final technical authority for 
assistance awards (grants or cooperative agreements) resides with the 
Bureau's Grants Officer.
    Review Criteria. Technically eligible applications will be 
competitively reviewed according to the criteria stated below. These 
criteria are not rank ordered and all carry equal weight in the 
proposal evaluation:
    1. Quality of the Program Idea: Proposals should exhibit 
originality, substance, precision, and relevance to the Bureau's 
mission, as well as the objectives of the FLEX program. Program design 
must reflect an understanding of young people and of cultural traits 
that would be specific to this population.
    2. Program Planning: Detailed agenda and relevant work plan should 
demonstrate substantive undertakings and logistical capacity. Agenda 
and plan should adhere to the program overview and guidelines described 
above.
    3. Ability to Achieve Program Objectives: Objectives should be 
reasonable, feasible, and flexible. Proposals should clearly 
demonstrate how the institution will meet the program's objectives and 
plan.
    4. Multiplier Effect/Impact: Proposed programs should describe the 
impact that workshop participants will have on others, both in their 
U.S. host communities and in their respective Eurasian country after 
they return home. There should be a plan for providing students with 
tools they can take back to their Eurasian home countries to implement 
concepts and ideas they have gained from the workshop. Proposals also 
should explain how academic year students will be prepared to 
transition back to their host communities.
    5. Support of Diversity: Proposals should demonstrate substantive 
support of the Bureau's policy on diversity. Achievable and relevant 
features should be cited in both program administration (program venue 
and program evaluation) and program content (topics of program sessions 
and meetings, resource materials and follow-up activities).
    6. Institutional Capacity/Record: Proposed personnel and 
institutional resources should be adequate and appropriate to achieve 
the program or project's goals. Proposals should demonstrate an 
institutional record of successful exchange programs, including 
responsible fiscal management and full compliance with all reporting 
requirements for past Bureau grants as determined by Bureau Grant 
Staff. The Bureau will consider the past performance of prior 
recipients and the demonstrated potential of new applicants.
    7. Project Evaluation: Proposals should include a plan to evaluate 
the activity's success, both as the activities unfold and at the end of 
the program. A draft survey questionnaire or other technique plus 
description of a methodology to use to link outcomes to original 
project objectives is recommended. The successful applicant will be 
expected to submit a final report.
    8. 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.1. Award Notices

    Final awards cannot be made until funds have been appropriated by 
Congress, allocated and committed through internal Bureau procedures. 
Successful applicants will receive an 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 Non-
profit Organizations.

    Please reference the following websites for additional information:

[[Page 76777]]

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.) 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.) The SF-PPR-E and SF-PPR-F with the Final Performance Report.
    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: Amy Schulz, U.S. 
Department of State, Office of Citizen Exchanges/Youth Programs 
Division, ECA/PE/C/PY/F, SA-5, 3rd Floor, ECA/PE/C/PY-11-16, 2200 C 
Street, NW., Washington, DC 20037, Telephone (202) 632-6052, Fax (202) 
632-9355, e-mail <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#cb98a8a3bea7b18a818bb8bfaabfaee5aca4bd"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="c497a7acb1a8be858e84b7b0a5b0a1eaa3abb2">[email protected]</span></a>.
    All correspondence with the Bureau concerning this RFGP should 
reference the above title and number ECA/PE/C/PY-11-16.
    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: December 2, 2010.
Ann Stock,
Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs, Department of 
State.
[FR Doc. 2010-30872 Filed 12-8-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P


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