Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 18 / Thursday, January 29, 2009 / Notices 5199 

18 17 CFR 200.30–3(a)(12). 

or otherwise in furtherance of the 

purposes of the Act. 

IV. Solicitation of Comments 

Interested persons are invited to 

submit written data, views and 

arguments concerning the foregoing, 

including whether the proposed rule 

change is consistent with the Act. 

Comments may be submitted by any of 

the following methods: 

Electronic Comments 

• Use the Commission’s Internet 

comment form (http://www.sec.gov/ 

rules/sro.shtml); or 

• Send an e-mail to rulecomments@sec.gov. Please include File 

Number SR–NASDAQ–2009–002 on the 

subject line. 

Paper Comments 

• Send paper comments in triplicate 

to Elizabeth M. Murphy, Secretary, 

Securities and Exchange Commission, 

100 F Street, NE., Washington, DC 

20549–1090. 

All submissions should refer to File 

Number SR–NASDAQ–2009–002. This 

file number should be included on the 

subject line if e-mail is used. To help the 

Commission process and review your 

comments more efficiently, please use 

only one method. The Commission will 

post all comments on the Commission’s 

Internet Web site (http://www.sec.gov/ 

rules/sro.shtml). Copies of the 

submission, all subsequent 

amendments, all written statements 

with respect to the proposed rule 

change that are filed with the 

Commission, and all written 

communications relating to the 

proposed rule change between the 

Commission and any person, other than 

those that may be withheld from the 

public in accordance with the 

provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be 

available for inspection and copying in 

the Commission’s Public Reference 

Room, on official business days between 

the hours of 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Copies 

of the filing also will be available for 

inspection and copying at the principal 

office of the Exchange. All comments 

received will be posted without change; 

the Commission does not edit personal 

identifying information from 

submissions. You should submit only 

information that you wish to make 

available publicly. All submissions 

should refer to File Number SR– 

NASDAQ–2009–002 and should be 

submitted on or before February 19, 

2009. 

For the Commission, by the Division of 

Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated 

authority.18

Florence E. Harmon, 

Deputy Secretary. 

[FR Doc. E9–1943 Filed 1–28–09; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 8011–01–P 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE 

COMMISSION 

[Release No. 34–59185; File No. 

SR–NYSE–2008–141] 

Self-Regulatory Organizations; New 

York Stock Exchange LLC; Notice of 

Filing and Order Granting Accelerated 

Approval of Proposed Rule Change To 

Extend the Pilot Period for the NYSE 

Realtime Reference Prices Pilot 

Program 

Correction 

In notice document E9–9 beginning 

on page 749 in the issue of Wednesday, 

January 7, 2009 make the following 

correction: 

On page 750, in the third column, in 

the last line of the first paragraph, 

‘‘January 27, 2009’’ should read 

‘‘January 28, 2009’’. 

[FR Doc. Z9–9 Filed 1–28–09; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 1505–01–D 

DEPARTMENT of STATE 

[Public Notice 6499] 

Bureau of Educational and Cultural 

Affairs (ECA) 

Request for Grant Proposals: 

American Serbia & Montenegro Youth 

Leadership Exchange (A–SMYLE) 

Program. 

Announcement Type: New Grant. 

Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/ 

PE/C/PY–09–19. 

Catalog of Federal Domestic 

Assistance Number: 00.000. 

Key Dates: 

Application Deadline: March 27, 

2009. 

Executive Summary: The Office of 

Citizen Exchanges’ Youth Programs 

Division announces an open 

competition for the American Serbia & 

Montenegro Youth Leadership Exchange 

(A–SMYLE) Program, for high school 

students from Montenegro and Serbia. 

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 recruit and select high 

school students aged 15–17 from 

Montenegro and Serbia, place them with 

host families and schools for an 

academic year of study in the United 

States, provide activities that will 

enable the students to learn about 

leadership, civic responsibility, 

community activism, democracy, and 

American society, as well as to educate 

Americans about their countries and 

cultures, and to support alumni in 

projects at home. 

I. Funding Opportunity Description 

Authority 

Overall grant making authority for 

this program is contained in the Mutual 

Educational and Cultural Exchange Act 

of 1961, Public Law 87–256, as 

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

enable the Government of the United 

States to increase mutual understanding 

between the people of the United States 

and the people of other countries * * *; 

to strengthen the ties which unite us 

with other nations by demonstrating the 

educational and cultural interests, 

developments, and achievements of the 

people of the United States and other 

nations * * * and thus to assist in the 

development of friendly, sympathetic 

and peaceful relations between the 

United States and the other countries of 

the world.’’ The funding authority for 

program is provided through Support 

for East European Democracy (SEED) 

legislation. 

Purpose 

The goals of the program are to 

develop a sense of civic responsibility 

and commitment to community 

development among youth; to foster 

relationships among youth from 

different ethnic, religious, and national 

groups; to assist the successor 

generation of Montenegro and Serbia in 

developing the qualities it will need to 

lead their countries in the 21st century; 

and to promote mutual understanding 

between the people of the United States 

and the people of Montenegro and 

Serbia. 

With these goals in mind, the Bureau 

of Educational and Cultural Affairs 

(ECA) is sponsoring this program to 

provide scholarships for secondary 

school students from Montenegro and 

Serbia to spend one academic year in 

the United States, living with U.S. host 

families and attending high school. 

Programmatic activities will introduce 

students to the principles of youth 

leadership, civic education, civil 

society, and community service, as they 

are practiced in the United States. Upon 

the students’ return to Montenegro and 

Serbia, the program will continue to 


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support the students with follow-on and 

alumni activities as they apply their 

experiences in the United States to their 

lives at home. 

Applicants should identify specific 

objectives that will demonstrate 

progress toward the goals stated above 

through the program. These will be the 

basis of an evaluation designed to 

measure the program’s success. Please 

see Section IV.3d.3. on program 

monitoring and evaluation. 

Guidelines 

Applicants must be able to implement 

the program components both in the 

United States and in Montenegro and 

Serbia. The organization must have an 

established office in Montenegro and/or 

Serbia, and must be able to dedicate key 

staff to this program who possesses a 

thorough understanding of the 

secondary school student J Exchange 

Visitor Program regulations. 

Student participants will arrive in 

their host communities during the 

month of August, and remain for 10 or 

11 months until their departure between 

mid-May and June. 

Proposed funding would support 

approximately 85 participants for an 

academic year program in 2010–11. 

Approximately 21% of the total number 

should be recruited from Montenegro; 

the rest should be recruited from all 

regions of Serbia. 

Applicants should include a 

recruitment planning schedule. 

The students will enroll in a U.S. high 

school and live with an American 

family, developing an understanding of 

U.S. life and culture. In addition to 

these firsthand experiences, students 

will participate in activities specifically 

designed to teach them about 

community life, citizen participation in 

a democracy, and U.S. culture during 

the exchange period. While in the 

United States, the focus of many of the 

students’ enhancement activities will 

include principles of civil society, 

community service, and leadership 

through focused training and 

facilitation. Participants will have the 

opportunity to give presentations on 

their country and culture in community 

forums. 

Upon the students’ return to 

Montenegro and Serbia, the program 

will continue to support them as they 

apply their experiences in the United 

States to their lives at home. The ability 

of the grant recipient to track and 

engage alumni is a critical factor in the 

success of the program. Appropriate 

financial and organizational support for 

the follow-on component for alumni is 

as important as the U.S. exchange. 

II. Award Information 

Type of Award: Grant Agreement. 

Fiscal Year Funds: 2009. 

Approximate Total Funding: 

$1,360,000. 

Approximate Number of Awards: 

One. 

Approximate Average Award: 

$1,360,000. 

Anticipated Award Date: Proposed 

start date is July 2009. 

Anticipated Project Completion Date: 

July 2012. 

Additional Information: Pending 

successful implementation of this 

program in subsequent fiscal years, it is 

ECA’s intent to renew this grant for two 

additional fiscal years, before openly 

competing it again. 

III. Eligibility Information 

III.1. Eligible Applicants: 

Applications may be submitted by 

public and private non-profit 

organizations meeting the provisions 

described in Internal Revenue Code 

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

III.2. Cost Sharing or Matching Funds: 

There is no minimum or maximum 

percentage required for this 

competition. However, the Bureau 

encourages applicants to provide 

maximum levels of cost sharing and 

funding in support of its programs. 

When cost sharing is offered, it is 

understood and agreed that the 

applicant must provide the amount of 

cost sharing as stipulated in its proposal 

and later included in an approved 

agreement. Cost sharing may be in the 

form of allowable direct or indirect 

costs. For accountability, you must 

maintain written records to support all 

costs which are claimed as your 

contribution, as well as costs to be paid 

by the Federal government. Such 

records are subject to audit. The basis 

for determining the value of cash and 

in-kind contributions must be in 

accordance with OMB Circular A–110, 

(Revised), Subpart C.23—Cost Sharing 

and Matching. In the event you do not 

provide the minimum amount of cost 

sharing as stipulated in the approved 

budget, ECA’s contribution will be 

reduced in like proportion. 

III.3. Other Eligibility Requirements: 

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 up to 

$1,360,000 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 Federal 

Register 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, Office of 

Citizen Exchanges (ECA/PE/C/PY), U.S. 

Department of State, SA–44, 301 4th 

Street, SW., Room 220, Washington, DC 

20547, telephone: (202) 453–8158, fax: 

(202) 453–8169; e-mail: 

SchulzAJ@state.gov to request a 

Solicitation Package. Please refer to the 

Funding Opportunity Number ECA/PE/ 

C/PY–09–19 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 Program Officer Amy 

Schulz and refer to the Funding 

Opportunity Number ECA/PE/C/PY–09– 

19 located at the top of this 

announcement on all other inquiries 

and correspondence. 

IV.2. To Download a Solicitation 

Package Via Internet: The entire 

Solicitation Package may be 

downloaded from the Bureau’s Web site 

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

open2.html, or from the Grants.gov Web 

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

Please read all information before 

downloading. 

IV.3. Content and Form of 

Submission: Applicants must follow all 

instructions in the Solicitation Package. 

The application should be submitted 

per the instructions under IV.3f. 

‘‘Application Deadline and Methods of 

Submission’’ section below. 

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

and Bradstreet Data Universal 

Numbering System (DUNS) number to 

apply for a grant or cooperative 


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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. 

IV.3c. You must have nonprofit status 

with the IRS at the time of application. 

Please note: Effective January 7, 2009, 

all applicants for ECA federal assistance 

awards must include in their 

application the names of directors and/ 

or senior executives (current officers, 

trustees, and key employees, regardless 

of amount of compensation). In 

fulfilling this requirement, applicants 

must submit information in one of the 

following ways: 

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. 

Those who do not file IRS Form 990 must 

submit information above in the format of 

their choice. 

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 62, 

which covers the administration of the 

Exchange Visitor Program (J visa 

program). Under the terms of 22 CFR 

part 62, organizations receiving awards 

(either a grant or cooperative agreement) 

under this RFGP will be third parties 

‘‘cooperating with or assisting the 

sponsor in the conduct of the sponsor’s 

program.’’ The actions of recipient 

organizations shall be ‘‘imputed to the 

sponsor in evaluating the sponsor’s 

compliance with’’ 22 CFR part 62. 

Therefore, the Bureau expects that any 

organization receiving an award under 

this competition will render all 

assistance necessary to enable the 

Bureau to fully comply with 22 CFR 

part 62 et seq. 

The Bureau of Educational and 

Cultural Affairs places critically 

important emphases on the secure and 

proper administration of Exchange 

Visitor (J visa) Programs and adherence 

by recipient organizations and program 

participants to all regulations governing 

the J visa program status. Therefore, 

proposals should explicitly state in 

writing that the applicant is prepared to 

assist the Bureau in meeting all 

requirements governing the 

administration of Exchange Visitor 

Programs as set forth in 22 CFR part 62. 

If your organization has experience as a 

designated Exchange Visitor Program 

Sponsor, the applicant should discuss 

their record of compliance with 22 CFR 

part 62 et seq., including the oversight 

of their Responsible Officers and 

Alternate Responsible Officers, 

screening and selection of program 

participants, provision of pre-arrival 

information and orientation to 

participants, monitoring of participants, 

proper maintenance and security of 

forms, 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: United States Department of 

State, Office of Exchange Coordination 

and Designation, ECA/EC/ECD–SA–44, 

Room 734, 301 4th Street, SW., 

Washington, DC 20547, Telephone: 

(202) 203–5029, FAX: (202) 453–8640. 

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 


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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. 

a. Institutional changes, such as 

increased collaboration and 

partnerships, policy reforms, new 

programming, and organizational 

improvements. 

Please note: Consideration should be given 

to the appropriate timing of data collection 

for each level of outcome. For example, 

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

institutional changes are normally 

considered longer-term outcomes. 

Overall, the quality of your 

monitoring and evaluation plan will be 

judged on how well it (1) specifies 

intended outcomes; (2) gives clear 

descriptions of how each outcome will 

be measured; (3) identifies when 

particular outcomes will be measured; 

and (4) provides a clear description of 

the data collection strategies for each 

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

focus groups). (Please note that 

evaluation plans that deal only with the 

first level of outcomes [satisfaction] will 

be deemed less competitive under the 

present evaluation criteria.) 

Recipient organizations will be 

required to provide reports analyzing 

their evaluation findings to the Bureau 

in their regular program reports. All 

data collected, including survey 

responses and contact information, must 

be maintained for a minimum of three 

years and provided to the Bureau upon 

request. 

Alumni Outreach/Follow-on 

Programming and Engagement: Please 

refer to the Proposal Submissions 

Instruction (PSI) document for 

additional guidance. 

IV.3d.4 Describe your plans for: i.e. 

sustainability, overall program 

management, staffing, coordination with 

ECA and PAS or any other requirements 

etc. 

IV.3e. Please take the following 

information into consideration when 

preparing your budget: 

IV.3e.1 Applicants must submit SF– 

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

comprehensive budget for the entire 

program. Budget requests may not 

exceed $1,360,000. 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. 

IV.3e.2 Allowable costs for the 

program and additional budget guidance 

are outlined in detail in the POGI 

document. 

Please refer to the Solicitation 

Package for complete budget guidelines 

and formatting instructions. 

IV.3f. Application Deadline and 

Methods of Submission: 

Application Deadline Date: March 27, 

2009. 

Reference Number: ECA/PE/C/PY– 

09–19. 

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: U.S. 

Department of State, SA–44, Bureau of 

Educational and Cultural Affairs, Ref.: 

ECA/PE/C/PY–09–19, Program 

Management, ECA/EX/PM, Room 534, 

301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 

20547. 

Applicants submitting hard-copy 

applications must also submit the 

‘‘Executive Summary’’ and ‘‘Proposal 

Narrative’’ sections of the proposal in 

text (.txt) or Microsoft Word format on 

a PC-formatted disk. The Bureau will 

provide these files electronically to the 

appropriate Public Affairs Sections at 

the U.S. embassies for their review. 

IV.3f.2 Submitting Electronic 

Applications. Applicants have the 

option of submitting proposals 

electronically through Grants.gov 

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

solicitation packages are available at 

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

system. Please 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 


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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. 

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 at the U.S. 

Embassy in Belgrade and Podgorica. 

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) resides with the 

Bureau’s Grants Officer. 

Review Criteria 

Technically eligible applications will 

be competitively reviewed according to 

the criteria stated below. These criteria 

are not rank ordered and all carry equal 

weight in the proposal evaluation: 

1. Quality of the Program Idea: 

Proposals should exhibit originality, 

substance, precision, and relevance to 

the Bureau’s mission. 

2. Program Planning and Ability To 

Achieve Program Objectives: Detailed 

agenda and relevant work plan should 

demonstrate substantive undertakings 

and logistical capacity. Agenda and plan 

should adhere to the program overview 

and guidelines described above. 

Objectives should be reasonable, 

feasible, and flexible. Proposals should 

clearly demonstrate how the institution 

will meet the program’s objectives and 

plan. Reviewers will assess the degree to 

which proposals engage participants in 

community activities that involve skills 

development and leadership training. 

3. Multiplier Effect/Impact: Proposed 

programs should strengthen long-term 

mutual understanding, including 

maximum sharing of information and 

establishment of long-term institutional 

and individual linkages. 

4. Support of Diversity: Proposals 

should demonstrate substantive support 

of the Bureau’s policy on diversity. 

Achievable and relevant features should 

be cited in both program administration 

(selection of participants, host families, 

schools, program venues and program 

evaluation) and program content 

(orientations, program meetings, 

resource materials and follow-up 

activities). 

5. Institutional Capacity and 

Institution’s Record: Proposed 

personnel and institutional resources 

should be adequate and appropriate to 

achieve the program or project’s goals. 

Reviewers will assess the applicant and 

its partners to determine if they offer 

adequate resources, expertise, and 

experience to fulfill program objectives. 

Partner activities should be clearly 

defined. Proposals should demonstrate 

an institutional record of successful 

exchange programs, including 

responsible fiscal management and full 

compliance with all reporting 

requirements for past Bureau awards 

(grants or cooperative agreements) as 

determined by Bureau Grants Staff. The 

Bureau will consider the past 

performance of prior recipients and the 

demonstrated potential of new 

applicants. 

6. Follow-on Activities: Proposals 

should provide a plan for continued 

follow-on activity ensuring that Bureau 

supported programs are not isolated 

events. 

7. Program Monitoring and 

Evaluation: Proposals should include a 

plan to monitor and evaluate the 

program’s success, both as the activities 

unfold and at the end of the program. 

Reviewers will assess your plans to 

monitor student progress and program 

activities, particularly in regard to 

intended outcomes indicated in your 

proposal. The successful applicant will 

be expected to submit quarterly reports, 

which should be included as an 

inherent component of the work plan. A 

draft survey questionnaire or other 

technique, plus description of a 

methodology to use to link outcomes to 

original project objectives, is 

recommended. 

8. Cost-effectiveness and Cost-sharing: 

The overhead and administrative 

components of the proposal, including 

salaries and honoraria, should be kept 

as low as possible. All other items 

should be necessary and appropriate. 

Proposals should maximize cost-sharing 

through other private sector support as 

well as institutional direct funding 

contributions. Preference will be given 

to organizations whose proposals 

demonstrate a quality, cost-effective 

program. 

VI. Award Administration Information 

VI.1a. Award Notices: Final awards 

cannot be made until funds have been 

appropriated by Congress, allocated and 

committed through internal Bureau 

procedures. Successful applicants will 

receive a Federal Assistance Award 

(FAA) from the Bureau’s Grants Office. 

The FAA and the original proposal with 

subsequent modifications (if applicable) 

shall be the only binding authorizing 

document between the recipient and the 

U.S. Government. The FAA will be 

signed by an authorized Grants Officer, 

and mailed to the recipient’s 

responsible officer identified in the 

application. 

Unsuccessful applicants will receive 

notification of the results of the 

application review from the ECA 

program office coordinating this 

competition. 

VI.2. Administrative and National 

Policy Requirements: Terms and 

Conditions for the Administration of 

ECA agreements include the following: 


rmajette on PRODPC74 with NOTICES
5204 Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 18 / Thursday, January 29, 2009 / Notices 

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 

websites 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.) A final program and financial 

report no more than 90 days after the 

expiration of the award; 

(2.) Quarterly program and financial 

reports which should include both 

quantitative and qualitative data you 

have available. 

(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. This 

report does not replace the last quarterly 

report. 

(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. 

Program Data Requirements: Award 

recipients will be required to maintain 

specific data on program participants 

and activities in an electronically 

accessible database format that can be 

shared with the Bureau as required. As 

a minimum, the data must include the 

following: 

(1) Name, address, contact 

information and biographic sketch of all 

persons who travel internationally on 

funds provided by the agreement or who 

benefit from the award funding but do 

not travel. 

(2) Itineraries of international and 

domestic travel, providing dates of 

travel and cities in which any exchange 

experiences take place. Final schedules 

for in-country and U.S. activities must 

be received by the ECA Program Officer 

at least three work days prior to the 

official opening of the activity. 

VII. Agency Contacts 

For questions about this 

announcement, contact: Amy Schulz, 

Office of Citizen Exchanges, ECA/PE/C/ 

PY, Room 220, U.S. Department of State, 

SA–44, 301 4th Street, SW., 

Washington, DC 20547. Telephone: 

(202) 453–8158 Fax number: (202) 453– 

8169, E-mail address: 

SchulzAJ@state.gov. 

All correspondence with the Bureau 

concerning this RFGP should reference 

the above title and number ECA/PE/C/ 

PY–09–19. 

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: January 22, 2009. 

C. Miller Crouch, 

Acting Assistant Secretary for Educational 

and Cultural Affairs, Department of State. 

[FR Doc. E9–1926 Filed 1–28–09; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4710–05–P 

DEPARTMENT OF STATE 

[Public Notice 6497] 

Culturally Significant Objects Imported 

for Exhibition Determinations: ‘‘Titian, 

Tintoretto, Veronese: Rivals in 

Renaissance Venice’’ 

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given of the 

following determinations: Pursuant to 

the authority vested in me by the Act of 

October 19, 1965 (79 Stat. 985; 22 U.S.C. 

2459), Executive Order 12047 of March 

27, 1978, the Foreign Affairs Reform and 

Restructuring Act of 1998 (112 Stat. 

2681, et. seq.; 22 U.S.C. 6501 note, et. 

seq.), Delegation of Authority No. 234 of 

October 1, 1999, Delegation of Authority 

No. 236 of October 19, 1999, as 

amended, and Delegation of Authority 

No. 257 of April 15, 2003 [68 FR 19875], 

I hereby determine that the objects in 

the exhibition: ‘‘Titian, Tintoretto, 

Veronese: Rivals in Renaissance 

Venice,’’ imported from abroad for 

temporary exhibition within the United 

States, are of cultural significance. The 

objects are imported pursuant to loan 

agreements with the foreign owners or 

custodians. I also determine that the 

exhibition or display of the exhibit 

objects at the Museum of Fine Arts, 

Boston, MA, from on or about March 15, 

2009, until on or about July 19, 2009, 

and at possible additional exhibitions or 

venues yet to be determined, is in the 

national interest. Public Notice of these 

Determinations is ordered to be 

published in the Federal Register. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For 

further information, including a list of 

the exhibit objects, contact Julie 

Simpson, Attorney-Adviser, Office of 

the Legal Adviser, U.S. Department of 

State (telephone: (202–453–8050). The 

address is U.S. Department of State, SA– 

44, 301 4th Street, SW., Room 700, 

Washington, DC 20547–0001. 

Dated: January 22, 2009. 

C. Miller Crouch, 

Acting Assistant Secretary for Educational 

and Cultural Affairs, Department of State. 

[FR Doc. E9–1929 Filed 1–28–09; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4710–05–P 

DEPARTMENT OF STATE 

[Public Notice 6498] 

Culturally Significant Objects Imported 

for Exhibition Determinations: ‘‘Art of 

the Korean Renaissance, 1400–1600’’ 

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given of the 

following determinations: Pursuant to 

the authority vested in me by the Act of 

October 19, 1965 (79 Stat. 985; 22 U.S.C. 

2459), Executive Order 12047 of March 


rmajette on PRODPC74 with NOTICES