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[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 77 (Thursday, April 21, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22437-22444]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-9731]

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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 7420]

Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for 
Grant Proposals; Community Solutions Program

    Announcement Type: New Cooperative Agreement.
    Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/PE/C/EUR-SCA-11-36.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 19.415.
    Key Dates:
    Application Deadline: June 2, 2011.
    Executive Summary: The Office of Citizen Exchanges of the Bureau of 
Educational and Cultural Affairs invites proposal submissions for the 
Community Solutions Program in Africa, East Asia and the Pacific, 
Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, South and Central Asia, and 
the Western Hemisphere. 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 this professional 
fellowship program. The Community Solutions Program serves as a 
mechanism to support and encourage initiatives organized by young civic 
and community leaders, ages 25-38, currently working to address the 
economic, environmental, political, and social challenges confronting 
their respective local communities. Through four- to six-month 
professional fellowships with a specific leadership component, 
Community Solutions will provide opportunities for eligible individuals 
to more effectively address issues of concern in their own towns, 
cities and regions.

I. Funding Opportunity Description

I.1. Authority

    Overall grant making authority for this program is contained in the 
Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961, Public Law 87-
256, as amended, also known as the 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.

I.2. Purpose and Program Description

    In an increasingly connected world, local economic, environmental, 
political, and social challenges are intimately linked to their 
counterparts on a global scale. So too, are each community's solutions 
and approaches to these problems. Making progress on today's complex 
global challenges on a local scale requires multi-dimensional public 
engagement strategies to forge partnerships, mobilize broad coalitions, 
and galvanize public opinion across all sectors of society.
    The Community Solutions Program seeks to enhance the skills of 
approximately 65-75 civic and community leaders to more effectively 
address current economic, environmental, political, and social 
challenges in their communities through increased civic engagement and 
dialogue, leadership development, and an enhanced understanding of the 
way public and private resources interface for the common good. Through 
a four- to six-month fellowship, complemented by leadership 
development, Community Solutions will provide opportunities for 
eligible individuals to experience best practices, learn about 
effective models of public and community engagement, and develop 
concrete strategies to better address complex issues in their home 
communities.
    ECA anticipates funding one project for approximately $1,500,000 to 
take place over the course of two years and target young professionals 
currently engaged in initiatives that aim to improve and enhance the 
economic, environmental, political, and social well-being of their 
communities.
    As a global tool to address community-based challenges, the 
Community Solutions Program seeks to:
    (1) Enhance the participants' ability to address complex local 
economic, environmental, political, and social challenges through a 
U.S.-based fellowship;
    (2) Provide concrete tools to the participants to take on greater 
leadership roles in their communities, by developing their skills for 
effective

[[Page 22438]]

public discourse, professional collaboration, and project management;
    (3) Cultivate professional ties with U.S. economic, environmental, 
political, and social institutions through collaborative and follow-on 
projects;
    (4) Create a global network of diverse, multi-disciplinary, engaged 
professionals and civic leaders committed to problem solving and 
community engagement; and
    (5) Expand and strengthen the relationship between the people of 
the United States and other countries to work in partnership to 
identify solutions to common issues facing their local communities.
    The specific themes for the professional fellowships for this 
program are: (1) Accountability and Transparency, (2) Tolerance/
Conflict Resolution, (3) Environmental Issues, and (4) Women's Issues.
    Eligible countries and guidance for each theme are provided in 
Section I.8 below. Proposals that target professional fellowships that 
are unrelated to the themes referenced in this Request for Grant 
Proposals will be deemed technically ineligible and receive no further 
consideration in the review process.

I.3. Participants

    For the purposes of this program, ``participants'' are defined as 
citizens of the eligible countries selected through a merit-based, 
global competition to travel to the United States to take part in a 
Community Solutions fellowship. Participants must be early to mid-
career professionals with demonstrated leadership abilities, who are 
engaged in a community-based project with the express goal of 
addressing an economic, environmental, political, and/or social 
challenge confronting that community (either in or outside of their 
professional capacity). Participants must possess the intercultural and 
English language skills necessary to benefit fully from the fellowship. 
Therefore, strong preference will be given to individuals who have 
previously studied in the United States for a period of four months or 
longer, in order to build upon an already established understanding of 
U.S. society, culture, politics, and public institutions.
    Fellows should be placed in community-based, non-profit or other 
civil society organizations, government offices, or legislative bodies 
(Federal or State, county or municipal). Hosting institutions and 
organizations should have expertise relevant to the fellowship's focus 
and be working on innovative community engagement projects in the non-
profit or governmental spheres, including State legislatures, city 
councils or local government that express a willingness to collaborate 
on a specific project of mutual interest. Preference should be given to 
hosting sites that have identified potential collaborative projects or 
initiatives of interest to Community Solutions participants. In order 
to enhance the possibility that these collaborative initiatives 
continue after the conclusion of the fellowship, proposals should 
include follow-on projects that utilize existing Web or social 
technologies such as Twitter, blogs, SMS messaging systems, etc.
    Through their respective fellowships, Community Solutions Fellows 
will work with seasoned civic leaders on pre-defined issues of mutual 
interest. Fellowship sites should provide opportunities and real life 
models for the Fellows to apply leadership lessons, explore creative 
approaches to global challenges, and develop concrete strategies to 
apply within their local communities. Linking Community Solutions 
Fellows, program hosts and mentors together, the Community Solutions 
program will work to create a worldwide network of engaged 
professionals and civic leaders.
    Applicants should strive to maximize the number of participants and 
the length of the U.S.-based program at the given funding levels. 
Therefore, applicants who engage public and private partners for 
programming support, and employ other creative techniques to increase 
or stretch funding dollars will be deemed more competitive than those 
that do not, under the Cost Effectiveness and Cost-Sharing review 
criterion.

I.4. Partner Organizations

    Applicants must identify the U.S.-based and any foreign-based 
organizations and individuals with whom they are proposing to 
collaborate to implement Community Solutions, and describe any previous 
cooperative activities. While having a presence in each eligible 
country is not required, applicants that are able to demonstrate 
institutional capacity in regions overseas (whether through their own 
resources or through partnerships with other organizations or 
institutions) will be given strong consideration. In addition, 
proposals must demonstrate capacity in the United States to secure 
effective and appropriate host placements for the participants. 
Proposals that include letters of commitment from possible U.S-based 
host organizations will be deemed more competitive under the 
Institutional Planning and Track Record criterion.

I.5. Project Activities

    Projects should include placement of participants in carefully 
identified four- to six-month fellowships in non-profit organizations 
and other public and civil society organizations where they will work 
with seasoned community leaders on current complex global challenges 
related to the participants' community activities. Strong project 
designs will ground and augment the fellowship experience with 
leadership development activities that relate to civic engagement.

I.6. Program Guidelines

    In a cooperative agreement, ECA's Office of Citizen Exchanges, 
Professional Exchanges Division, is substantially involved in program 
activities above and beyond routine monitoring. ECA anticipates working 
closely with the recipient organization to ensure that all aspects of 
the program model support the Community Solutions program goals. ECA 
activities and responsibilities for this program include participation 
in the design and direction of program implementation including 
recruitment and selection strategies, development of publicity and 
program materials, creation of online components, and execution of U.S. 
based and follow-on programming.
    Additional guidelines and programming responsibilities of the 
recipient organization and ECA are located in the POGI.

I.7. Projected Timeline

    ECA envisions the approximate dates of the Community Solutions 
program to be as follows:
     August 2011-December 2011: Recruitment and selection of 
foreign participants. Recruitment campaign for U.S. hosting 
institutions.
     January 2012-May 2012: Securing U.S.-based hosts and host 
sites.
     July/August 2012: Travel to the United States by all the 
foreign participants for orientation and placement at community 
Fellowship sites for a four- to six- month program.
     July/August 2012-December 2012: Community Solutions 
Fellowships
     December 2012: Travel to Washington, DC, for a two-day end 
of program workshop.
     January 2013-July 2013: Conduct any follow-on 
collaborative projects.

I.8. Professional Fellowship Themes

    Themes and Eligible Partner Countries: Proposals need to embrace a 
global program design that incorporates all of the proposed themes 
under Community Solutions. Program participants should be from all of 
the

[[Page 22439]]

regions listed below. Proposals that target countries or themes not 
listed in this solicitation will be deemed technically ineligible. No 
guarantee is made or implied that every country will have participants.
    1. Environmental Issues: Fellowships for the ``Environmental 
Issues'' theme should focus on issues related to water and resource 
management, food security, supporting the food supply (at local, 
regional or national levels), social entrepreneurship (to leverage 
science and technology to address ecological and environmental issues), 
low-carbon technologies, and the use of natural resources, pollution, 
sustainable energy, and climate change.
    Geographic Regions and Eligible Countries:
     Africa: Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia, Malawi, 
Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Uganda
     East Asia and the Pacific: Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, 
Mongolia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and 
Vietnam
     Near East & North Africa: Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, 
Syria, and West Bank/Gaza
     South and Central Asia: Bangladesh, Nepal, Maldives, and 
Sri Lanka, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and 
Uzbekistan
     Western Hemisphere: Bolivia, Brazil, Costa Rica, El 
Salvador, Paraguay, Peru, and Trinidad and Tobago
    2. Tolerance/Conflict Resolution: Fellowships should expose 
participants to issues and strategies that address tolerance, multi-
culturalism, discrimination, and conflict resolution. Negotiation 
skills, the art of compromise, fair treatment of minority populations, 
and civil rights and responsibilities can also be addressed. Based on 
participants' specific interests, fellowships may need to be identified 
that deal with conflict resolution and crisis response tools for use in 
failing, failed, and post-conflict states and complex emergencies/
disasters.
    Geographic Regions and Eligible Countries:
     Africa: Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia, Malawi, 
Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Uganda
     Near East & North Africa: Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, 
Syria, and West Bank/Gaza
     South and Central Asia: Bangladesh, Nepal, Maldives, and 
Sri Lanka
     Western Hemisphere: Bolivia, Columbia, Dominican Republic, 
El Salvador, Haiti, Paraguay, Peru, and Trinidad and Tobago
    3. Transparency and Accountability: Fellowships should provide 
exposure to institutions and concepts related to civil society, grass-
roots democracy, good governance, anti-corruption, transparency, 
accountability, and/or free and fair elections. The important role of 
volunteerism and the culture of volunteerism can also be addressed, 
when appropriate.
    Geographic Regions and Eligible Countries:
     Africa: Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia, Malawi, 
Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Uganda
     East Asia and the Pacific: Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, 
Mongolia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and 
Vietnam
     Europe: Albania, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, 
Macedonia, Romania, and Slovakia
     South and Central Asia: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, 
Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan
    4. Women's Issues: Fellowships for the ``Women's Issues'' theme 
should focus on issues related to women's empowerment, women's 
education, women's health, women entrepreneurs, gender equality, and 
the prevention of all forms of exploitation, including domestic 
violence. Special emphasis should be placed on identifying Fellowships 
that will provide exposure to best practices for grassroots 
organizations working to advance the political, economic, and social 
empowerment of women.
    Geographic Regions and Eligible Countries:
     Africa: Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia, Malawi, 
Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Uganda
     Near East & North Africa: Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, 
Syria, and West Bank/Gaza
     South and Central Asia: Bangladesh, Nepal, Maldives, Sri 
Lanka, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan
     Western Hemisphere: Brazil, Dominican Republic, and Haiti

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: 2011
    Approximate Total Funding: $1,500,000 pending the availability of 
funds
    Approximate Number of Awards: 1
    Approximate Average Award: $1,500,000
    Anticipated Award Date: August 1, 2011
    Anticipated Project Completion Date: July 31, 2013
    Additional Information: Pending successful implementation of this 
program and the availability of funds in subsequent fiscal years, it is 
ECA's intent to renew this cooperative agreement for 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: (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 up to 
$1,500,000 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.
    (b.) Technical Eligibility: All proposals must comply with the 
following or they will result in your proposal being declared 
technically

[[Page 22440]]

ineligible and given no further consideration in the review process:

--Eligible applicants may not submit more than one proposal in this 
competition.
--If more than one proposal is received from the same applicant, all 
submissions will be declared technically ineligible and will receive no 
further consideration in the review process. Please note: Applicant 
organizations are defined by their legal name, and EIN number as stated 
on their completed SF-424 and additional supporting documentation 
outlined in the Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) document.
--Eligible applicants may only propose working with the countries and 
themes listed in this RFGP.
--Please refer to the Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) document 
for additional requirements.

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 David Gustafson in the Office of Citizen Exchanges, ECA/PE/C, 
U.S. Department of State, SA-5, 3rd Floor, 2200 C St, NW., Washington, 
DC 20522-0503, ph: (202) 632-6083, GustafsonDP@state.gov to request a 
Solicitation Package. Please refer to the Funding Opportunity Number: 
ECA/PE/C/EUR-SCA-11-36 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 Linn[eacute]a E. Alison and refer to the Funding 
Opportunity Number ECA/PE/C/EUR-SCA-11-36 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 
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 (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.

[[Page 22441]]

    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:

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.)
    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. Budget requests may not exceed $1,500,000. There must 
be a

[[Page 22442]]

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 are outlined in the POGI. 
Please refer to the Solicitation Package for complete budget guidelines 
and formatting instructions.
    IV.3f. Application Deadline and Methods of Submission:
    Application Deadline Date: June 2, 2011.
    Reference Number: ECA/PE/C/EUR-SCA-11-36.
    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 eight (8) copies of the application should be sent 
to:

Program Management Division, ECA-IIP/EX/PM, Ref.: ECA/PE/C/EUR-SCA-11-
36, SA-5, Floor 4, Department of State, 2200 C Street, NW., Washington, 
DC 20037.

    Applicants submitting hard-copy applications must also submit the 
``Executive Summary'' and ``Proposal Narrative'' sections of the 
proposal in text (.txt) or Microsoft Word format on CD-ROM. As 
appropriate, the Bureau will provide these files electronically to 
Public Affairs Section(s) at the U.S. embassy(ies) for its (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: 
grants.gov">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.
    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

[[Page 22443]]

advisory review. Proposals may also be reviewed by the Office of the 
Legal Adviser or by other Department elements. Final funding decisions 
are at the discretion of the Department of State's Assistant Secretary 
for Educational and Cultural Affairs. Final technical authority for 
cooperative agreements resides with the Bureau's Grants Officer.
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 Objectives: Program 
objectives should be stated clearly and should reflect the applicant's 
expertise in the subject area and region. Objectives should respond to 
the topics in this announcement and should relate to the current 
conditions in the target country/countries. Detailed agendas and 
relevant work plans should complement the narrative in explaining how 
objectives will be achieved. Timelines should be comprehensive in 
nature and include deadlines for completion of major tasks. The 
substance of workshops, Fellowships, seminars and/or consulting should 
be described in detail with sample schedules included for each major 
workshop, seminar, or conference proposed. Responsibilities of proposed 
in-country partners should be clearly described. A discussion of how 
the applicant intends to address language issues should be included, if 
needed.
    3. Institutional Capacity and Track Record: Proposals should 
include (1) the institution's mission and date of establishment; (2) 
detailed information about proposed in-country partner(s) and the 
history of the partnership; (3) an outline of prior awards--U.S. 
government and/or private support received within the scope of 
community development, leadership, or the RFGP's theme/country/region; 
and (4) descriptions and resumes of experienced staff members who will 
implement the program. The proposal should reflect the institution's 
expertise in the subject area and knowledge of the conditions in the 
target country/countries. Proposals should demonstrate an institutional 
record of successful exchange programs, including responsible fiscal 
management and full compliance with all reporting requirements for past 
Bureau grants as determined by Bureau Grants Staff. The Bureau will 
consider the past performance of prior recipients and the demonstrated 
potential of new applicants. Proposed personnel and institutional 
resources should be adequate and appropriate to achieve the program's 
goals. The Bureau strongly encourages applicants to submit letters of 
support from proposed in-country partners, part participants, or 
proposed hosting organizations.
    4. Cost Effectiveness and Cost Sharing: Overhead and administrative 
costs in the proposal budget, including salaries, honoraria and 
subcontracts for services, should be kept to a minimum. Proposals in 
which the administrative costs do not exceed 25% of the total requested 
ECA grant funds will be more competitive under this criterion. 
Applicants are strongly encouraged to cost share a portion of overhead 
and administrative expenses. Cost-sharing and in-kind contributions, 
including contributions from the applicant, proposed in-country 
partner(s), and other sources should be included in the budget request. 
Proposal budgets that do not reflect cost sharing will be deemed not 
competitive under this criterion.
    5. Support of Diversity: Proposals should demonstrate substantive 
support of the Bureau's policy on diversity. Achievable and relevant 
features should be cited in both program administration (selection of 
participants, program venue, program evaluation, etc.) and program 
content (orientation, wrap-up sessions, program meetings, resource 
materials, follow-up activities, etc.). Applicants should refer to the 
Bureau's Diversity, Freedom and Democracy Guidelines in the Proposal 
Submission Instructions (PSI).
    6. Multiplier Effect/Follow-on Activities: Proposed programs should 
strengthen long-term mutual understanding, including maximum sharing of 
information and establishment of long-term institutional and individual 
linkages.
    7. Project Evaluation: Proposals should include a detailed plan to 
evaluate the program, both as activities unfold and at the end of the 
program. Program objectives should target clearly defined results in 
quantitative terms. Competitive evaluation plans will describe how 
applicant organizations would measure these results, including the 
evaluative methodology and tools to be utilized and proposals. 
Proposals should include draft data collection instruments (surveys, 
questionnaires, etc.) in Tab E and if relevant, samples data sets from 
similarly conducted programs.
    8. Stewardship: Applicants should address how they will utilize 
innovative tools, low-carbon technologies, and socially responsible 
approaches to program implementation, including Web-based and other 
technologies, to reduce the program's carbon footprint and be a 
faithful steward of Federal resources.

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.1b The following additional requirements apply to this project:
    All awards made under this competition must be executed according 
to all relevant U.S. laws and policies regarding assistance to the 
Palestinian Authority, and to the West Bank and Gaza. Organizations 
must consult with relevant Public Affairs Offices before entering into 
any formal arrangements or agreements with Palestinian organizations or 
institutions.

    Note:  To assure that planning for the inclusion of the 
Palestinian Authority complies with requirements, please contact 
please contact Linn[eacute]a E. Allison at (202) 632-6060, or 
allisonle@state.gov, for additional information.

    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.

[[Page 22444]]

OMB Circular No. A-102, Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants-
in-Aid to State and Local Governments.
OMB Circular No. A-133, Audits of States, Local Government, and Non-
profit Organizations.

    Please reference the following websites for additional information:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants.
http://fa.statebuy.state.gov.

    VI.3. Reporting Requirements: You must provide ECA with an 
electronic copy of the following reports at reportseca@state.gov:
    Mandatory:
    (1.) A final program and financial report no more than 90 days 
after the expiration of the award;
    (2.) A concise, one-page final program report summarizing program 
outcomes no more than 90 days after the expiration of the award. This 
one-page report will be transmitted to OMB, and be made available to 
the public via OMB's USAspending.gov Web site--as part of ECA's Federal 
Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA) reporting 
requirements.
    (3.) A SF-PPR, ``Performance Progress Report'' Cover Sheet with all 
program reports.
    (4.) Quarterly program and financial reports highlighting all major 
activities undertaken during the grant period including program 
analysis and lessons learned.
    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.
    VI.4. 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, please contact: 
Linn[eacute]a E. Allison, U.S. Department of State, Office of Citizen 
Exchanges, 2200 C Street (SA-5, 3rd Floor), NW., Washington, DC 20522-
0503, (202) 632-6060 (tel.) (202) 632-6492 (fax), or 
allisonle@state.gov.
    All correspondence with the Bureau concerning this RFGP should 
reference the above title and number--Community Solutions, ECA/PE/C/
EUR-SCA-11-36.
    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: April 15, 2011.
Ann Stock,
Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs, Department of 
State.
[FR Doc. 2011-9731 Filed 4-20-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P
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