16848 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 65 / Thursday, April 5, 2007 / Notices 

12 17 CFR 200.30–3(a)(12). 

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 

No. SR–Phlx–2007–25 on the subject 

line. 

Paper Comments 

• Send paper comments in triplicate 

to Nancy M. Morris, Secretary, 

Securities and Exchange Commission, 

Station Place, 100 F Street, NE., 

Washington, DC 20549–1090. 

All submissions should refer to File 

Number SR–Phlx–2007–25. 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. Copies of the filing also will be 

available for inspection and copying at 

the principal office of the Phlx. 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–Phlx–2007–25 and should 

be submitted on or before April 26, 

2007. 

For the Commission, by the Division of 

Market Regulation, pursuant to delegated 

authority.12

Florence E. Harmon, 

Deputy Secretary. 

[FR Doc. E7–6378 Filed 4–4–07; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 8010–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF STATE 

[Public Notice 5743] 

Bureau of Educational and Cultural 

Affairs (ECA); Request for Grant 

Proposals: Edmund S. Muskie 

Graduate Fellowship Program 

Announcement Type: New 

Cooperative Agreement. 

Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/ 

A/E/EUR–08–01. 

Catalog of Federal Domestic 

Assistance Number: 00.000. 

Key Dates: Application Deadline: June 

1, 2007. 

Executive Summary: The Office of 

Academic Exchange Programs of the 

Bureau of Educational and Cultural 

Affairs (ECA) announces an open 

competition for the administration of 

the FY 2008 Edmund S. Muskie 

Graduate Fellowship Program (Muskie 

Program). Public and private non-profit 

organizations meeting the provisions 

described in IRS regulation 26 CFR 

1.501(c)(3) may submit proposals to 

administer the selection, placement, 

monitoring, evaluation, follow-on, and 

alumni activities for the Edmund S. 

Muskie Graduate Fellowship Program 

(Muskie Program). Organizations with 

less than four years experience in 

conducting international exchange 

programs are not eligible for this 

competition. 

The Muskie Program selects 

outstanding citizens from Armenia, 

Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, 

Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, 

Russia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan 

and Turkmenistan (herein referred to as 

Eurasia) to receive fellowships for 

Master’s level study in the United States 

in the fields of business administration, 

economics, law, public administration, 

and public policy. Candidates from 

countries other than Russia and Ukraine 

will be also considered in additional 

fields of education, environmental 

management, international affairs, 

library and information science, 

journalism/mass communications, and 

public health per guidelines outlined in 

the Project Objectives, Goals, and 

Implementation (POGI). Muskie 

Program fellows will be enrolled in 

graduate degree, certificate, and nondegree programs lasting one to two 

academic years. Funding should 

support a minimum of 145 fellows for 

Master’s level fellowships under the FY 

2008 program. Every effort should be 

made to maximize the number of 

awards granted. 

I. Funding Opportunity Description 

Authority 

Overall grant making authority for 

this program is contained in the Mutual 

Educational and Cultural Exchange Act 

of 1961, Public Law 87–256, as 

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

enable the Government of the United 

States to increase mutual understanding 

between the people of the United States 

and the people of other countries * * *; 

to strengthen the ties which unite us 

with other nations by demonstrating the 

educational and cultural interests, 

developments, and achievements of the 

people of the United States and other 

nations * * * and thus to assist in the 

development of friendly, sympathetic 

and peaceful relations between the 

United States and the other countries of 

the world.’’ The funding authority for 

the program above is provided through 

Fulbright-Hays legislation. 

Purpose 

The Muskie Program is designed to 

promote mutual understanding, build 

democracy and foster the transition to 

market economies in Eurasia through 

intensive academic study and 

professional training. The academic 

component of the program will begin in 

the fall semester of academic year 2008–

2009. Fellows may participate in a nine, 

twelve, eighteen, or twenty-four month 

academic program leading to a Master’s 

degree. Fellows also take part in an 

eight to twelve week internship during 

the summer following the first academic 

year, with an option for a second 

internship following the second year of 

study. At the end of their designated 

academic and/or internship programs, 

fellows are required to return 

immediately to their home countries. 

Applicant organizations must 

demonstrate the ability to administer all 

aspects of the Muskie Program—

recruitment, selection, university 

placements, orientation, monitoring and 

support of FY 2008 fellows including all 

logistics, financial management, 

evaluation, follow-on, and alumni. 

Applicant organizations must 

demonstrate the ability to recruit and 

select a diverse pool of candidates from 

various geographic regions in Eurasia. 

The cooperating organization will serve 

as the principal liaison with Muskie 

Program host institutions for the 

Bureau. Further details on specific 

program responsibilities can be found in 

the Project Objectives, Goals, and 

Implementation (POGI), which is part of 

the formal solicitation package. 

Interested organizations should read the 

entire Federal Register announcement 


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for all information prior to preparing 

proposals. 

The Bureau will award one 

cooperative agreement for this program. 

Should an applicant organization wish 

to work with other organizations in the 

implementation of this program, the 

Bureau requests that a sub-grant 

agreement be developed. The same 

requirements apply to the sub-grantee as 

to the grantee organization. 

In a cooperative agreement, the Office 

of Academic Exchange Programs, 

European and Eurasian Branch (ECA/E/ 

E/EUR) is substantially involved in 

program activities above and beyond 

routine grant monitoring. ECA/A/E/EUR 

activities and responsibilities for this 

program are as follows: 

1. Participating in the design and 

direction of program activities; 

2. Approval of key personnel; 

3. Approval and input for all program 

agendas and timelines; 

4. Providing guidance in execution of 

all project components; 

5. Monitoring the target goal for 

number of participants and expenditure 

of funds toward meeting that goal; 

6. Providing guidance on content and 

speakers for workshops; 

7. Assisting with SEVIS-related 

issues; 

8. Assistance with participant 

emergencies; 

9. Providing background information 

related to participants’ home countries 

and cultures; 

10. Providing liaison with Public 

Affairs Sections of the U.S. Embassies 

and country desk officers at the State 

Department; 

11. Providing ECA evaluation 

mechanisms. 

II. Award Information 

Type of Award: Cooperative 

Agreement. 

ECA’s level of involvement in this 

program is listed under number I above. 

Fiscal Year Funds: 2008. 

Approximate Total Funding: 

$8,500,000, pending availability of FY 

2008 funds. 

Approximate Number of Awards: 1. 

Ceiling of Award Range: $8,500,000. 

Anticipated Award Date: Pending 

availability of funds, October 1, 2007. 

Anticipated Project Completion Date: 

06/30/2011. 

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 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 grant 

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 

awarding one grant, in an amount up to 

$8,500,000, 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 Office of Academic 

Exchange Programs, ECA/A/E/EUR, 

Room 246, U.S. Department of State, 

SA–44, 301 4th Street, SW., 

Washington, DC 20547, (202) 453–8522, 

fax: (202) 453–8520, e-mail: 

iovinems@state.gov to request a 

Solicitation Package. Please refer to the 

Funding Opportunity Number ECA/A/ 

E/EUR–08–01 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 Bureau Program 

Manager Micaela Iovine and refer to the 

Funding Opportunity Number ECA/A/ 

E/EUR–08–01 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/ 

education/rfgps/menu.htm, 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. 


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IV.3b. All proposals must contain an 

executive summary, proposal narrative 

and budget. 

Please Refer to the Solicitation 

Package. It contains the mandatory 

Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) 

document and the Project Objectives, 

Goals and Implementation (POGI) 

document for additional formatting and 

technical requirements. 

IV.3c. You must have nonprofit status 

with the IRS at the time of application. 

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 Bureau of 

Educational and Cultural Affairs is 

placing renewed emphasis on the secure 

and proper administration of Exchange 

Visitor (J visa) Programs and adherence 

by grantees and sponsors to all 

regulations governing the J visa. 

Therefore, proposals should 

demonstrate the applicant’s capacity to 

meet all requirements governing the 

administration of the Exchange Visitor 

Programs as set forth in 22 CFR Part 62, 

including the oversight of Responsible 

Officers and Alternate Responsible 

Officers, screening and selection of 

program participants, provision of prearrival information and orientation to 

participants, monitoring of participants, 

proper maintenance and security of 

forms, record-keeping, reporting and 

other requirements. The Grantee 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. 

Please refer to Solicitation Package for 

further information. 

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 

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 

specific results a project is intended to 

achieve and is usually measured as an 

extent of change. Findings on outputs 

and outcomes should both be reported, 

but the focus should be on outcomes. 

We encourage you to assess the 

following four levels of outcomes, as 

they relate to the program goals set out 

in the RFGP (listed here in increasing 

order of importance): 

1. Participant satisfaction with the 

program and exchange experience. 

2. Participant learning, such as 

increased knowledge, aptitude, skills, 

and changed understanding and 

attitude. Learning includes both 

substantive (subject-specific) learning 

and mutual understanding. 

3. Participant behavior, concrete 

actions to apply knowledge in work or 

community; greater participation and 

responsibility in civic organizations; 

interpretation and explanation of 

experiences and new knowledge gained; 

continued contacts between 

participants, community members, and 

others. 

4. Institutional changes, such as 

increased collaboration and 

partnerships, policy reforms, new 

programming, and organizational 

improvements. 

Please note: Consideration should be given 

to the appropriate timing of data collection 

for each level of outcome. For example, 

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

institutional changes are normally 

considered longer-term outcomes. 

Overall, the quality of your 

monitoring and evaluation plan will be 

judged on how well it (1) specifies 

intended outcomes; (2) gives clear 

descriptions of how each outcome will 

be measured; (3) identifies when 

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.) 

Grantees will be required to provide 

reports analyzing their evaluation 


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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 a 

comprehensive budget for the entire 

program. Awards may not exceed 

$8,500,000. 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. A 

comprehensive narrative must 

accompany the budget, clearly 

explaining all proposed costs (staff 

salaries and time on task must be 

supported by appropriate 

documentation and certified as true and 

accurate representations of actual costs 

and percentage of task). 

The Bureau encourages applicant 

organizations to provide maximum 

levels of cost sharing and funding from 

private sources in support of its 

programs. 

IV.3e.2. Allowable costs for the 

program include the following: 

(1) Program Expenses 

(2) Domestic Administration 

(3) Overseas Administration 

Please refer to the Solicitation 

Package for complete budget guidelines 

and formatting instructions. 

IV.3f. Application Deadline and 

Methods of Submission: 

Application Deadline Date: 06/01/ 

2007. 

Reference Number: ECA/A/E/EUR 08–

01. 

Methods of Submission: Electronic 

and Hard Copy. 

Applications may be submitted in one 

of two ways: 

(1) In hard-copy, via a nationally 

recognized overnight delivery service 

(i.e., DHL, Federal Express, UPS, 

Airborne Express, or U.S. Postal Service 

Express Overnight Mail, etc.), or 

(2) electronically through http:// 

www.grants.gov. 

Along with the Project Title, all 

applicants must enter the above 

Reference Number in Box 11 on the SF–

424 contained in the mandatory 

Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) 

of the solicitation document. 

IV.3f.1. Submitting Printed 

Applications 

Applications must be shipped no later 

than the above deadline. Delivery 

services used by applicants must have 

in-place, centralized shipping 

identification and tracking systems that 

may be accessed via the Internet and 

delivery people who are identifiable by 

commonly recognized uniforms and 

delivery vehicles. Proposals shipped on 

or before the above deadline but 

received at ECA more than seven days 

after the deadline will be ineligible for 

further consideration under this 

competition. Proposals shipped after the 

established deadlines are ineligible for 

consideration under this competition. 

ECA will not notify you upon receipt of 

application. It is each applicant’s 

responsibility to ensure that each 

package is marked with a legible 

tracking number and to monitor/confirm 

delivery to ECA via the Internet. 

Delivery of proposal packages may not 

be made via local courier service or in 

person for this competition. Faxed 

documents will not be accepted at any 

time. Only proposals submitted as 

stated above will be considered. 

Important Note: When preparing your 

submission please make sure to include one 

extra copy of the completed SF–424 form and 

place it in an envelope addressed to ‘‘ECA/ 

EX/PM’’. 

The original and eight copies of the 

application should be sent to: 

U.S. Department of State, SA–44, 

Bureau of Educational and Cultural 

Affairs, Ref.: ECA/A/E/EUR 08–01, 

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) format on a PC-formatted disk. 

The Bureau will provide these files 

electronically to the appropriate Public 

Affairs Section(s) at the U.S. embassies 

for their review. 

IV.3f.2.—Submitting Electronic 

Applications 

Applicants have the option of 

submitting proposals electronically 

through Grants.gov (http:// 

www.grants.gov). Complete solicitation 

packages are available at Grants.gov in 

the ‘‘Find’’ portion of the system. Please 

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. Therefore, we 

strongly recommend that you not wait 

until the application deadline to begin 

the submission process through 

Grants.gov. 

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. 

Applicants will receive a 

confirmation e-mail from grants.gov 

upon the successful submission of an 

application. 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. 

Optional—IV.3f.3. You may also state 

here any limitations on the number of 

applications that an applicant may 

submit and make it clear whether the 

limitation is on the submitting 

organization, individual program 

director or both. 

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 


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Educational and Cultural Affairs. Final 

technical authority for 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. Program Development and 

Management: Proposals should exhibit 

originality, substance, precision, and 

relevance to the Bureau’s mission. 

Objectives should be reasonable, 

feasible, and flexible. 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. 

Proposals should clearly demonstrate 

how the institution will meet the 

program’s objectives and plan. 

2. 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. 

3. 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, program 

venue and program evaluation) and 

program content (orientation and wrapup sessions, program meetings, resource 

materials and follow-up activities). 

4. Institutional Capacity and 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 Grants Staff. The 

Bureau will consider the past 

performance of prior recipients and the 

demonstrated potential of new 

applicants. 

5. Project Evaluation: Proposals 

should include a plan to evaluate the 

activity’s success, both as the activities 

unfold and at the end of the program. A 

draft survey questionnaire or other 

technique plus description of a 

methodology used to link outcomes to 

original project objectives is 

recommended. 

6. Cost-effectiveness: 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 

Assistance Award Document (AAD) 

from the Bureau’s Grants Office. The 

AAD and the original grant proposal 

with subsequent modifications (if 

applicable) shall be the only binding 

authorizing document between the 

recipient and the U.S. Government. The 

AAD will be signed by an authorized 

Grants Officer, and mailed to the 

recipient’s responsible officer identified 

in the application. 

Unsuccessful applicants will receive 

notification of the results of the 

application review from the ECA 

program office coordinating this 

competition. 

VI.2 Administrative and National Policy 

Requirements 

Terms and Conditions for the 

Administration of ECA agreements 

include the following: 

Office of Management and Budget 

Circular A–122, ‘‘Cost Principles for 

Nonprofit Organizations.’’

Office of Management and Budget 

Circular A–21, ‘‘Cost Principles for 

Educational Institutions.’’

OMB Circular A–87, ‘‘Cost Principles 

for State, Local and Indian 

Governments.’’

OMB Circular No. A–110 (Revised), 

Uniform Administrative 

Requirements for Grants and 

Agreements with Institutions of 

Higher Education, Hospitals, and 

other Nonprofit Organizations. 

OMB Circular No. A–102, Uniform 

Administrative Requirements for 

Grants-in-Aid to State and Local 

Governments. 

OMB Circular No. A–133, Audits of 

States, Local Government, and Nonprofit Organizations. 

Please reference the following Web 

sites for additional information: 

http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants. 

http://exchanges.state.gov/education/ 

grantsdiv/terms.htm#articleI. 

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) 10 interim reports for the Muskie 

Graduate Fellowship Program. 

Financial reports must adhere to the 

quarterly reporting requirements 

mandated by Congress and be submitted 

quarterly. Please note that all program 

and financial reports should be sent to 

the Grants Division. 

Grantees 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 

Organizations awarded grants 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 grant or who 

benefit from the grant 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: Program 

Manager Micaela Iovine, Office of 

Academic Exchange Programs, ECA/A/ 

E/EUR, Room 246, Reference Number: 

ECA/A/E/EUR–08–01, U.S. Department 

of State, SA–44, 301 4th Street, SW., 

Washington, DC 20547, (202) 453–8522, 

fax: (202) 453–8520, e-mail: 

iovinems@state.gov. 

All correspondence with the Bureau 

concerning this RFGP should reference 

the above title and number ECA/A/E/ 

EUR–08–01. Please read the complete 

announcement before sending inquiries 

or submitting proposals. Once the RFGP 

deadline has passed, Bureau staff may 


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Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 65 / Thursday, April 5, 2007 / Notices 16853 

not discuss this competition with 

applicants until the proposal review 

process has been completed. 

VIII. Other Information 

Notice 

The terms and conditions published 

in this RFGP are binding and may not 

be modified by any Bureau 

representative. Explanatory information 

provided by the Bureau that contradicts 

published language will not be binding. 

Issuance of the RFGP does not 

constitute an award commitment on the 

part of the Government. The Bureau 

reserves the right to reduce, revise, or 

increase proposal budgets in accordance 

with the needs of the program and the 

availability of funds. Awards made will 

be subject to periodic reporting and 

evaluation requirements per section VI.3 

above. 

Dated: March 27, 2007. 

Dina Habib Powell, 

Assistant Secretary for Educational and 

Cultural Affairs, Department of State. 

[FR Doc. E7–6360 Filed 4–4–07; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4710–05–P 

DEPARTMENT OF STATE 

[Public Notice 5744] 

Bureau of Educational and Cultural 

Affairs (ECA) Request for Grant 

Proposals: Fulbright Program Offices, 

Russia, and Kyiv, Ukraine 

Announcement Type: New Grant. 

Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/ 

A/E/EUR–08–02. 

Catalog of Federal Domestic 

Assistance Number: 00.000. 

Application Deadline: Friday, June 1, 

2007. 

Executive Summary: The Office of 

Academic Exchange Programs of the 

Bureau of Educational and Cultural 

Affairs (ECA) announces an open 

competition for organizations to serve as 

the fiscal disbursing agent and to 

provide administrative support for the 

Fulbright Program Offices in Moscow, 

Russia, and in Kyiv, Ukraine. Public and 

private non-profit organizations meeting 

the provisions described in IRS 

regulation 26 CFR 1.501(c) may submit 

proposals to provide these services to 

one or both Offices (Moscow and/or 

Kyiv). A separate proposal must be 

submitted for each country’s office, i.e., 

organizations that apply for both the 

Moscow and Kyiv Offices must submit 

two discrete proposals for addressing 

the particular budgetary guidelines and 

any other country-specific requirements 

for each Office outlined in the RFGP. 

I. Funding Opportunity Description 

Authority 

Overall grant making authority for 

this program is contained in the Mutual 

Educational and Cultural Exchange Act 

of 1961, Public Law 87–256, as 

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

enable the Government of the United 

States to increase mutual understanding 

between the people of the United States 

and the people of other countries * * *; 

to strengthen the ties which unite us 

with other nations by demonstrating the 

educational and cultural interests, 

developments, and achievements of the 

people of the United States and other 

nations * * * and thus to assist in the 

development of friendly, sympathetic 

and peaceful relations between the 

United States and the other countries of 

the world.’’ The funding authority for 

the program above is provided through 

legislation. 

Overview 

The Fulbright Program Offices are 

responsible for the overseas 

management of ECA’s Fulbright 

Program and other ECA educational 

exchange programs, which includes 

recruitment of visiting Fulbright 

students and scholars, placement and 

logistical support for U.S. Fulbright 

scholars and students located in Russia 

and Ukraine. ECA and the U.S. Embassy 

Public Affairs Sections (PAS) in Russia 

and Ukraine have full authority over all 

program operations, policy issues, and 

the selection and supervision of the 

Directors of the Fulbright Offices (who 

are U.S. citizens) and their staffs. 

Administration of the Russian and 

Ukraine Fulbright Programs is the 

responsibility of the Fulbright Program 

Office staff in their respective country. 

Due to legal constraints and logistical 

obstacles, the U.S. Government is 

unable to provide operating funds 

directly to the Fulbright Offices in 

Russia and Ukraine. Thus, through this 

RFGP, ECA requests the services of a 

recipient organization to be responsible 

for disbursing U.S. Government funds in 

support of the activities of the Offices. 

This includes, but is not limited to, 

guaranteeing that rent and staff salaries 

are paid in a timely manner, providing 

funds for program activities and office 

supplies, maintaining a legal status in 

Russia and/or Ukraine and providing 

administrative services in order to 

ensure the smooth and continued 

operations of the Fulbright Program 

Offices. The specific duties of the ECA 

recipient organization requested in the 

RFGP are outlined below. 

Purpose 

The grantee organization will be 

responsible for the following: 

1. Performing all legal requirements 

necessary to maintain the office space, 

staffing, and program activities of the 

Fulbright Program Offices in Moscow 

and/or Kyiv. 

2. Demonstrating the ability, in terms 

of an accounting staff knowledgeable in 

Russian and/or Ukrainian law, to be 

able to provide the Fulbright Program 

Office with cash (dollars and/or rubles 

and/or hryvna) and/or pay bills directly. 

3. Providing proof of legal status/ 

registration as well as evidence of the 

ability to handle a wide range of 

payments in Russia and/or Ukraine and 

in the United States. 

4. Oversight of a modest operating 

budget for the Fulbright Program 

Offices, including advancing budget 

funds to the Offices for programmatic as 

well as administrative activities. The 

grantee organization will not have 

oversight of Fulbright grant monies 

designated for students and scholars. 

5. Payment of salaries and benefits—

including housing allowances—for the 

American Director of the Fulbright 

Program Offices in Russia and/or Kyiv. 

The Directors’ salaries will be 

determined by PAS and ECA. 

6. Payment of salaries and benefits for 

local staff. Local staff salaries will be 

determined by PAS and ECA. 

7. Assisting PAS and ECA in the 

recruitment of Fulbright Program 

Offices staff when vacancies occur. 

Final decisions on hiring will be made 

by PAS and ECA. 

8. Consulting and cooperation, on 

administrative matters, with the U.S.- 

based organizations responsible for the 

administration of the Fulbright Program 

in the United States. 

Programs must comply with J–1 visa 

regulations. Please refer to the 

Solicitation Package for further 

information. 

Budget Guidelines 

Applicants must submit 

comprehensive budgets with each 

proposal. Awards may not exceed 

$920,150 for the Moscow Office (or 

$975,590 should it become necessary to 

cover higher rent or a move to new 

office space); and $572,000 for the Kyiv 

Office. For the Moscow Office 

applicants, the budget submission 

should be based on the lower figure 

only. The budget must include all costs 

and indicate the percentage of time 

required for each activity for all program 

staff, charged to each specific project. 

The budget should also include any cost 

sharing in the form of allowable direct 


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