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[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 130 (Thursday, July 7, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39967-39974]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-17098]

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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 7517]

Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for 

Grant Proposals: Global Connections and Exchange Program: U.S.-Russia 

Virtual Science Challenge for Youth

    Announcement Type: Cooperative Agreement.

    Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/PE/C/PY-12-02.

    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 19.415.

    Application Deadline: August 31, 2011.

    Executive Summary: The Youth Programs Division, Office of Citizen 

Exchanges, of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs announces 

an open competition for the new U.S.-Russia Virtual Science Challenge 

for Youth under the Global Connections and

[[Page 39968]]

Exchange Program. Public and private non-profit organizations meeting 

the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code section 26 U.S.C. 

501(c)(3) may submit proposals to conduct a program that will use 

connective technologies to increase scientific collaboration between 

American and Russian secondary school students. Bi-national teams will 

work together in a joint project to solve a global science problem 

using online tools, videoconferencing, virtual workshops, and other 

advanced methods of communication. The projects may culminate in a 

virtual science fair attended by students around the world. The 

engagement of private sector partners and specific plans to create a 

sustainable program after the fair also distinguish this program.

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 U.S.-Russia Virtual Science Challenge for Youth will 

link teams of secondary school students in Russia and the United States 

that involve approximately 20 students in each country in a program 

designed to promote science education and expertise. The program will 

feature two key components: (1) An online, interactive project between 

Russian and American high school students that includes virtual 

meetings and workshops facilitated by experts in the private and public 

sectors and the mentoring of bi-national teams of students in science; 

and (2) an international virtual science fair that enables these bi-

national teams to present the results of their collaboration around a 

pre-determined science problem, and to compete for recognition.

    This program is part of the Global Connections and Exchange (GCE) 

Program for secondary school Internet connectivity and curriculum 

development. Students and teachers receive specialized training and 

develop skills to participate in online collaborative activities. GCE 

programs empower youth to use technology to tackle universal issues and 

engage participants in dialogue with the international community. 

Through this exchange of information, students are able to expand their 

world vision and gain perspectives that will help them succeed in the 

international arena.

    This particular project is being presented under the auspices of 

the U.S.-Russia Bilateral Presidential Commission. Under the leadership 

of President Obama and President Medvedev and coordinated by Secretary 

Clinton and Foreign Minister Lavrov, the Commission is dedicated to 

identifying areas of cooperation and pursuing joint projects and 

actions that strengthen strategic stability, international security, 

economic well-being, and the development of ties between the Russian 

and American people. The Virtual Science Challenge falls within the 

purview of the Education, Sports and Cultural Exchanges working group. 

Learn more about the Bilateral Presidential Commission at http://www.state.gov/p/eur/rls/fs/130616.htm.

    Goals: A successful program will:

     Provide high school students with a real-life example of 

what they can accomplish through international scientific 

collaboration;

     Offer a dynamic opportunity for youth to engage in 

scientific inquiry and applied science, to share their activities in a 

virtual science fair, and to learn about other students' efforts in 

science and technology;

     Promote mutual understanding and sustainable partnerships 

between American and Russian high school students, teachers, and their 

schools;

     Showcase the innovative technology available for 

conducting a virtual collaboration between the two countries;

     Expand the network of science students in the two 

participating countries.

    Applicants are strongly urged to:

     Garner private sector support. The Bureau encourages the 

expansion of the scope of this program beyond what it is able to fund. 

Private sector monies and in-kind offerings may be used to increase the 

number of cities and schools that can participate in the program, to 

increase the number of students that participate, or to utilize more 

sophisticated platforms for virtual collaboration.

     Utilize existing networks where feasible. This effort may 

include involving paired city or state programs between Russia and the 

United States and/or online forums such as GLOBE (http://www.globe.gov). The purpose is to leverage existing connections and 

build upon them to allow for deeper connections among real and virtual 

communities.

     Develop a model for scientific collaboration that outlives 

this program. The Bureau encourages the creation of sustainable 

programming that enables the lessons learned during its implementation 

to be shared with other educators for similar programs around the 

world.

Program Guidelines

    Applicants must identify the U.S. and Russian organizations with 

which they are proposing to collaborate to recruit and select 

participants overseas and support them in program activities. 

Applicants should also involve a well-established Russian institution 

or organization that has a science focus and good reputation for 

collaboration. Proposals should contain letters of commitment or 

support from partner organizations. A description of any previous 

cooperative activities with these partner organizations must be 

included in the proposal, along with information about their mission, 

activities, and accomplishments in conducting educational projects 

online. Applicants should clearly outline and describe the roles and 

responsibilities of all partner organizations in terms of project 

logistics, management and oversight.

    Participants: The participants will be secondary school students 

(aged 15-18) from Russia and the United States who are paired on bi-

national teams. Students on the same team within a country must be co-

located in the same school or in neighboring schools in the same city. 

For example, one team might be composed of four students from a city in 

the Russia Far East and four students from a city on the west coast of 

the United States. Applicants should present their rationale for city 

and school selection as well as their proposed plan for composing the 

bi-national teams. Approximately 40 students total will participate; 

applicants are welcome to involve more students. With justification, 

applicants may propose the size and number of teams they wish, but no 

fewer than four bi-national teams.

    This program is designed to reach out to a range of students. The 

scientific content should be accessible to intelligent, dedicated 

students but should not be at a level where only exceptionally advanced 

science students can participate. That said, a

[[Page 39969]]

desirable outcome is a cadre of students who have an active interest in 

applied science and who may serve as role models for other youth in 

their countries.

    Teachers/Mentors: Each bi-national team will have at least one 

teacher or mentor in each country. The mentors for each team, 

individually or collectively, should demonstrate knowledge of science, 

the technological applications to be used, and English. The teachers 

and mentors will facilitate online discussions and ensure that the 

Russian and American students are working together to develop their 

scientific projects for the Virtual Science Challenge. They will 

facilitate the students' participation in the virtual science fair and 

would accompany students if they travel to their partner community in 

the other country.

    The language of the collaboration and the science fair will be 

English, so all participants must be proficient.

Components

(1) Online, Interactive Program

    Bi-national teams of Russian and American high school students will 

work together online on a pre-determined science problem that is of 

mutual interest and concern. The science problem may be determined by 

the applicant and by the selected schools. The problem must be common 

for all teams. Their activities will be guided by teachers or mentors 

and may be incorporated into the school curriculum or stand as an 

extracurricular activity. The applicant's program design should 

indicate how many hours of activity per week are expected. The grant 

recipient should plan to create an online space dedicated to this 

program or use an existing platform.

    The joint Russian-American teams will explore the parameters of the 

problem, form theories, perform research, share their findings, test 

hypotheses, and analyze the results. These activities will necessarily 

be undertaken by the students as individuals, as teams within their own 

school or community, and online with their teammates in the other 

country through a variety of means that may range from message boards 

to a 3D virtual world. These efforts will be punctuated by virtual 

workshops on topics related to their scientific inquiry facilitated by 

experts in the private sector.

    The implementing organization should establish milestones to mark 

occasions when the teams can publicly share the results of their work 

to date, starting in spring 2012.

(2) International Virtual Science Fair

    To represent the students' collaboration, the participating bi-

national teams will share their research and proposed solutions to the 

science problem with the other teams and with interested students 

around the world through an international online science fair. 

Applicants must present their plans for marketing the fair and 

attracting a participatory audience. Applicants are encouraged to 

involve the U.S.-Russian teams involved in this project in an existing 

science fair or forum.

    The fair will be primarily focused on presenting the teams' 

collaborative projects, but there will also be a competitive aspect. 

The fair will also engage the observers by inviting online debate and 

commentary regarding the projects.

    While physical exchanges between the United States and Russia are 

not envisioned to be part of this project, the one- or two-way exchange 

of students and their mentors that allows them to collaborate in person 

during three-week visits to the partner country are allowed. Any 

applicant proposing such exchanges must clearly detail their intentions 

and the source of the funding.

    Competitive proposals will include the following:

     A proposed timeline detailing potential activities, 

milestones for the public presentation of results, and project goals;

     A description of how the teams will be formed and how the 

participants--both secondary school students and their teachers/

mentors--in Russia and the United States will be selected;

     A description of the online collaborative activities, 

including the workshops, seminars, and other activities facilitated by 

science experts;

     An outline of the international virtual science fair, 

including an overview of the platform, how projects will be presented, 

how students in other countries will be engaged, and how the winning 

team(s) will be recognized;

     A plan that demonstrates how the participants can maintain 

contacts initiated during the program and how the tools and methods 

used in this program can be harnessed to allow these and other U.S. and 

foreign students to collaborate and communicate beyond the life of this 

grant;

     Letters of commitment from private sector partners to 

support the program;

     A description of the applicant organization's relevant 

expertise in the project area, work in the two countries, and 

experience managing similar programs;

     Resumes of experienced staff who have demonstrated a 

commitment to implement and monitor projects and ensure outcomes;

     A comprehensive plan to evaluate whether the program 

achieves the specific objectives described in the narrative;

     A plan for how the project might be sustained in Russia 

and replicated in other countries after this year of activities.

    In a cooperative agreement, the Department is substantially 

involved in program activities above and beyond routine monitoring. 

ECA's activities and responsibilities for this program are as follows:

     Review and approval of all program publicity and other 

materials;

     Liaison with the U.S. Embassy and country desk officers at 

the Department of State;

     Collaborating with the award recipient on outreach to 

private sector partners for supplemental activities;

     Final approval of participants;

     Working with the award recipient to publicize the program 

through various media outlets; and

     Monitoring and evaluating the program as necessary, 

through site visits and/or debriefing sessions.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Cooperative Agreement.

    Fiscal Year Funds: FY 2012.

    Approximate Total Funding: $150,000, pending the availability of 

funds.

    Approximate Number of Awards: One.

    Anticipated Award Date: November 15, 2011.

    Anticipated Project Completion Date: August 31, 2013.

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

[[Page 39970]]

cost sharing as stipulated in its proposal and later included in an 

approved agreement. Cost sharing may be in the form of allowable direct 

or indirect costs. For accountability, you must maintain written 

records to support all costs which are claimed as your contribution, as 

well as costs to be paid by the Federal government. Such records are 

subject to audit. The basis for determining the value of cash and in-

kind contributions must be in accordance with OMB Circular A-110, 

(Revised), Subpart C.23--Cost Sharing and Matching. In the event you do 

not provide the minimum amount of cost sharing as stipulated in the 

approved budget, ECA's contribution will be reduced in like proportion.

III.3. Other Eligibility Requirements

    (a.) Bureau grant guidelines require that organizations with less 

than four years experience in conducting international exchanges be 

limited to $60,000 in Bureau funding. ECA anticipates making one award 

in an amount of $150,000 to support program and administrative costs 

required to implement this exchange program. Therefore, organizations 

with less than four years experience in conducting international 

exchanges are ineligible to apply under this competition. The Bureau 

encourages applicants to provide maximum levels of cost sharing and 

funding in support of its programs.

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 Youth Programs Division, ECA/PE/C/PY, SA-5, 3rd 

floor, U.S. Department of State, 2200 C Street, NW., Washington, DC 

20037, (202) 632-6079, PiersonCompeauHM@state.gov to request a 

Solicitation Package. Please refer to the Program name and Funding 

Opportunity Number ECA/PE/C/PY-12-02 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 Carolyn Lantz and refer to the 

Funding Opportunity Number ECA/PE/C/PY-12-02 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 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.

    IV.3d. Please take into consideration the following information 

when preparing your proposal narrative:

IV.3d.1. Adherence to All Regulations Governing The J Visa

    The Office of Citizen Exchanges of the Bureau of Educational and 

Cultural Affairs is the official program sponsor of the exchange 

program covered by this RFGP, and an employee of the Bureau will be the 

``Responsible Officer'' for the program under the terms of 22 CFR Part 

62, which covers the administration of the Exchange Visitor Program (J 

visa program). Under the terms of 22 CFR Part 62, organizations 

receiving awards

[[Page 39971]]

(either a grant or cooperative agreement) under this RFGP will be third 

parties ``cooperating with or assisting the sponsor in the conduct of 

the sponsor's program.'' The actions of recipient organizations shall 

be ``imputed to the sponsor in evaluating the sponsor's compliance 

with'' 22 CFR Part 62. Therefore, the Bureau expects that any 

organization receiving an award under this competition will render all 

assistance necessary to enable the Bureau to fully comply with 22 CFR 

Part 62 et seq.

    The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs places critically 

important emphases on the secure and proper administration of Exchange 

Visitor (J visa) Programs and adherence by recipient organizations and 

program participants to all regulations governing the J visa program 

status. Therefore, proposals should explicitly state in writing that 

the applicant is prepared to assist the Bureau in meeting all 

requirements governing the administration of Exchange Visitor Programs 

as set forth in 22 CFR Part 62. If your organization has experience as 

a designated Exchange Visitor Program Sponsor, the applicant should 

discuss their record of compliance with 22 CFR Part 62 et seq., 

including the oversight of their Responsible Officers and Alternate 

Responsible Officers, screening and selection of program participants, 

provision of pre-arrival information and orientation to participants, 

monitoring of participants, proper maintenance and security of forms, 

record-keeping, reporting and other requirements.

    It is acknowledged that virtual exchanges such as those included in 

this program are not included in the J-1 visa regulations governing 

exchange students coming to the United States.

    The Office of Citizen Exchanges of ECA will be responsible for 

issuing any 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 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 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.)

[[Page 39972]]

    Recipient organizations will be required to provide reports 

analyzing their evaluation findings to the Bureau in their regular 

program reports. All data collected, including survey responses and 

contact information, must be maintained for a minimum of three years 

and provided to the Bureau upon request.

    IV.3e. Please take the following information into consideration 

when preparing your budget:

    IV.3e.1. Applicants must submit SF-424A Budget Information Non-

Construction 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.

    Please refer to the Solicitation Package for complete budget 

guidelines and formatting instructions.

IV.3F. Application Deadline and Methods of Submission:

    Application Deadline Date: Wednesday, August 31, 2011.

    Reference Number: ECA/PE/C/PY-12-02.

    Methods of Submission: Applications may be submitted in one of two 

ways:

    (1) In hard-copy, via a nationally recognized overnight delivery 

service (i.e., Federal Express, UPS, Airborne Express, or U.S. Postal 

Service Express Overnight Mail, etc.), or

    (2) Electronically through http://www.grants.gov.

    Along with the Project Title, all applicants must enter the above 

Reference Number in Box 11 on the SF-424 contained in the mandatory 

Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) of the solicitation document.

IV.3f.1. Submitting Printed Applications

    Applications must be shipped no later than the above deadline. 

Delivery services used by applicants must have in-place, centralized 

shipping identification and tracking systems that may be accessed via 

the Internet and delivery people who are identifiable by commonly 

recognized uniforms and delivery vehicles. Proposals shipped on or 

before the above deadline but received at ECA more than seven days 

after the deadline will be ineligible for further consideration under 

this competition. Proposals shipped after the established deadlines are 

ineligible for consideration under this competition. ECA will not 

notify you upon receipt of application. It is each applicant's 

responsibility to ensure that each package is marked with a legible 

tracking number and to monitor/confirm delivery to ECA via the 

Internet. Delivery of proposal packages may not be made via local 

courier service or in person for this competition. Faxed documents will 

not be accepted at any time. Only proposals submitted as stated above 

will be considered.

    Important note: When preparing your submission please make sure to 

include one extra copy of the completed SF-424 form and place it in an 

envelope addressed to ECA/EX/PM.

    The original and six copies of the application should be sent to:

Program Management Division, ECA-IIP/EX/PM, Ref.: ECA/PE/C/PY-12-02, 

SA-5, Floor 4, Department of State, 2200 C Street, NW., Washington, DC 

20037.

    With the submission of the proposal package, please also e-mail the 

Executive Summary, Proposal Narrative, and Budget sections of the 

proposal, as well as any attachments essential to understanding the 

program, in Microsoft Word, Excel, and/or PDF, to the program officer 

at LantzCS@state.gov. The Bureau will provide these files 

electronically to the Public Affairs Section at the U.S. Embassy in 

Moscow 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, 7 a.m.-9 p.m. Eastern Time.

E-mail: support@Grants.gov.

    Applicants have until midnight (12 a.m.), Washington, DC time of 

the closing date to ensure that their entire application has been 

uploaded to the Grants.gov site. There are no exceptions to the above 

deadline. Applications uploaded to the site after midnight of the 

application deadline date will be automatically rejected by the 

grants.gov system, and will be technically ineligible.

    Please refer to the Grants.gov Web site, for definitions of various 

``application statuses'' and the difference between a submission 

receipt and a submission validation. Applicants will receive a 

validation e-mail from grants.gov upon the successful submission of an 

application. Again, validation of an electronic submission via 

Grants.gov can take up to two business days. Therefore, we strongly 

recommend that you not wait until the application deadline to begin the 

submission process through Grants.gov. ECA will not notify you upon 

receipt of electronic applications.

    It is the responsibility of all applicants submitting proposals via 

the Grants.gov Web portal to ensure that proposals have been received 

by Grants.gov in their entirety, and ECA bears no responsibility for 

data errors resulting from transmission or conversion processes.

    IV.3g. Intergovernmental Review of Applications: Executive Order 

12372 does not apply to this program.

[[Page 39973]]

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 (cooperative agreements) resides with the Bureau's 

Grants Officer.

Review Criteria

    Technically eligible applications will be competitively reviewed 

according to the criteria stated below.

    1. Quality of the Program Idea: Proposals should exhibit 

originality, substance, precision, and relevance to the Bureau's 

mission.

    2. Program Planning/Ability to Achieve Program Objectives: 

Proposals should clearly convey a feasible plan that supports program 

goals. The substance of the online activities and the fair should be 

described in detail. A detailed agenda and relevant work plan should 

adhere to the program overview and guidelines described above. 

Reviewers will assess how objectives will be achieved and make sure 

that the timetable is feasible for completion of major tasks.

    3. 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.

    4. Institutional Capacity/Track Record: Proposed personnel and 

institutional resources in both the United States and Russia should be 

appropriate to achieve the program goals. Proposals should exhibit 

experience among the staff in 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.

    5. Long-term Activities/Sustainability: Proposals should provide a 

plan for continued activities (without Bureau support) ensuring that 

Bureau supported programs are not isolated events.

    6. Program Evaluation: Proposals should include a plan to evaluate 

the activity's success, both as the activities unfold and at the end of 

the program. Draft survey questionnaires or other techniques, plus 

descriptions of methodologies that link outcomes to original project 

objectives, are strongly recommended.

    7. 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 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 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. Quarterly program and financial reports.

    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 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: Carolyn Lantz, U.S. 

Department of State, Youth Programs Division, ECA/PE/C/PY, SA-5, 3rd 

floor, 2200 C Street, NW., Washington, DC 20037, Telephone (202) 632-

6421, Fax, (202) 632-9355, E- mail: LantzCS@state.gov.

    All correspondence with the Bureau concerning this RFGP should 

reference the above title and ECA/PE/C/PY-12-02.

[[Page 39974]]

    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: June 29, 2011.

Ann Stock,

Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs, Department of 

State.

[FR Doc. 2011-17098 Filed 7-6-11; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4710-05-P
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