Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 222 / Thursday, November 17, 2011 / Notices 71425 

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://fa.statebuy.state.gov. 

VI.3. Reporting Requirements: You 

must provide ECA with a hard copy 

original plus one copy of the following 

reports: 

(1) A final program and financial 

report no more than 90 days after the 

expiration of the award; 

(2) A concise, one-page final program 

report summarizing program outcomes 

no more than 90 days after the 

expiration of the award. This one-page 

report will be transmitted to OMB, and 

be made available to the public via 

OMB’s USAspending.gov Web site—as 

part of ECA’s Federal Funding 

Accountability and Transparency Act 

(FFATA) reporting requirements. 

(3) A SF–PPR, ‘‘Performance Progress 

Report’’ Cover Sheet with all program 

reports, including the SF–PPR–E and 

SF–PPR–F. 

(4) Quarterly or interim reports, as 

required in the Bureau cooperative 

agreement. 

Award recipients will be required to 

provide reports analyzing their 

evaluation findings to the Bureau in 

their regular program reports. (Please 

refer to IV. Application and Submission 

Instructions (IV.3.d.3) above for Program 

Monitoring and Evaluation information. 

All data collected, including survey 

responses and contact information, must 

be maintained for a minimum of three 

years and provided to the Bureau upon 

request. 

All reports must be sent to the ECA 

Grants Officer and ECA Program Officer 

listed in the final assistance award 

document. 

VII. Agency Contacts 

For questions about this 

announcement, contact: Sarah Shields, 

Youth Programs Division, ECA/PE/C/ 

PY/T, SA–5, 3rd Floor, U.S. Department 

of State, 2200 C Street NW., 

Washington, DC 20522–0503, by 

telephone (202) 632–9261 or email 

ShieldsSD@state.gov. 

All correspondence with the Bureau 

concerning this RFGP should reference 

the above title and number ECA/PE/C/ 

PY–12–09. 

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: November 9, 2011. 

J. Adam Ereli, 

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau 

of Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. 

Department of State. 

[FR Doc. 2011–29643 Filed 11–16–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4710–05–P 

DEPARTMENT OF STATE 

[Public Notice 7689] 

Bureau of Educational and Cultural 

Affairs (ECA) Request for Grant 

Proposals: Study of the United States 

Institutes for Student Leaders on U.S. 

History and Government 

Announcement Type: New 

Cooperative Agreement. 

Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/ 

A/E/USS–12–21. 

Catalog of Federal Domestic 

Assistance Number: 19.009. 

Dates: Key Dates: July–August, 2012 

and January–February, 2013. 

Application Deadline: January 13, 

2012. 

Summary: Executive Summary: The 

Branch for the Study of the United 

States, Office of Academic Exchange 

Programs, Bureau of Educational and 

Cultural Affairs (ECA), invites proposal 

submissions for the design and 

implementation of six (6) Study of the 

U.S. Institutes for Student Leaders on 

U.S. History and Government, pending 

the availability of funds. Participants 

will be drawn from countries 

throughout Central and South America 

and the Caribbean. Three institutes will 

be conducted entirely in Spanish, and 

the remaining three in English. Each 

academic institute will be five weeks in 

duration, including a one-week 

integrated study tour. 

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 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. 

I. 2. Purpose and Overview 

The Study of the U.S. Institutes for 

Student Leaders on U.S. History and 

Government are intensive academic 

programs whose purpose is to provide 

groups of undergraduate students from 

the Western Hemisphere with a deeper 

understanding of the United States. 

The principal objective of the 

Institutes is to enhance participants’ 

knowledge of U.S. history, government, 

institutions, society, and culture. In this 

context, the Institutes should 

incorporate a focus on American 

historical events as well as 

contemporary American life including 

current political, social, and economic 

debates. The role and influence of 

principles and values such as 

democracy, the rule of law, individual 

rights, freedom of expression, equality, 

and diversity and tolerance should be 

addressed. 

All Institutes should take place at U.S. 

academic institutions whose 

interpretation of U.S. history, 

government, institutions, society, and 

culture could be presented through the 

lens of their location, academic mission, 

and expertise. The Institutes should 

address topics such as: civil rights, 

minority rights, politics, religion, 

economics, and U.S. relations with 

Latin America. 

In addition to promoting a better 

understanding of the United States and 

of U.S. history and government, an 

important objective of the Institutes is to 


jlentini on DSK4TPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
71426 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 222 / Thursday, November 17, 2011 / Notices 

develop the participants’ leadership 

skills. In this context, the academic 

programs should include seminars, 

workshops, and activities that focus on 

topics such as leadership, teambuilding, 

collective problem solving skills, 

effective communication, and 

management skills. The Institutes 

should include a community service 

component, in which the students 

experience civic engagement as a core 

American value firsthand. 

Throughout the course of the 

Institutes, participants should have 

ample opportunities to interact with 

Americans. Such interactions could take 

place in the classroom, dormitories, 

local community, or a home-stay 

experience. In addition to exposing the 

participants to various aspects of 

American life and culture, these 

activities should aim to allow the 

participants to share their culture and 

experiences with Americans. 

This award will support up to 120 

undergraduate participants. Three 

institutes for twenty participants each 

will take place in summer 2012 while 

an additional three institutes will take 

place in winter 2013. Please refer to the 

Project Objectives, Goals, and 

Implementation (POGI) document for 

programmatic details. 

Please note: This award will be in the form 

of a Cooperative Agreement. In a Cooperative 

Agreement, ECA is substantially involved in 

the management and oversight of the 

Institutes. 

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: FY 2012. 

Approximate Total Funding: 

$1,440,000. 

Approximate Number of Awards: 

One. 

Floor of Award Range: $1,440,000. 

Ceiling of Award Range: $1,440,000. 

Anticipated Award Date: Pending 

availability of funds, April 1, 2012. 

Anticipated Project Completion Date: 

August, 2013. 

Additional Information: Pending 

successful implementation of this 

program and the availability of funds in 

subsequent fiscal years, ECA may 

choose to renew this Cooperative 

Agreement for up to two additional 

fiscal years, before openly competing it 

again. 

III. Eligibility Information 

III.1 Eligible applicants 

ECA is seeking detailed proposals 

from accredited post-secondary U.S. 

institutions (community colleges, liberal 

arts colleges, public and private 

universities), consortia of organizations, 

and/or from public and private nonprofit organizations meeting the 

eligibility requirements outlined below. 

ECA intends to issue one award and 

is seeking proposals from organizations 

with the ability to administer, support, 

and oversee the six academic Institutes. 

Recipients may be public or private 

organizations that provide sub-awards 

to up to six institutions of higher 

education to implement the institutes. 

Or, higher education institutions may 

apply to administer and implement the 

institutes working with branch 

campuses, other colleges in a 

consortium, or partnering with any 

other institution of higher education. 

Institutions of higher education may 

host no more than one institute at a time 

(for up to 20 students), but may host up 

to two institutes under this award (e.g. 

a summer and a winter institute). 

The recipient will serve as the lead 

organization and will be responsible for 

the oversight of all six institutes and 

must appoint a project director who will 

be the main point of contact and liaison 

with ECA. 

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). 

An applicant organization is defined 

by the DUNS number of the 

organization and by the signature of the 

authorized representative contained on 

the ‘‘Application for Federal Assistance 

Form’’ (SF–424) submitted under this 

competition. 

III.2 Cost Sharing or Matching Funds 

There is no minimum or maximum 

percentage required for this 

competition. However, ECA 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, the 

recipient must maintain written records 

to support all costs that are claimed as 

a contribution, as well as costs to be 

paid by the Federal government. Such 

records are subject to audit. The basis 

for determining the value of cash and 

in-kind contributions must be in 

accordance with OMB Circular A–110, 

(Revised), Subpart C.23—Cost Sharing 

and Matching. In the event the recipient 

institution does not provide the 

minimum amount of cost sharing as 

stipulated in the approved budget, 

ECA’s contribution will be reduced in 

like proportion. 

III.3 Other Eligibility Requirements 

Grants awarded to eligible 

organizations with less than four years 

of experience in conducting 

international exchange programs will be 

limited to $60,000. ECA anticipates that 

the award under this competition will 

be up to $1,440,000. Therefore, 

organizations with less than four years 

experience in conducting international 

exchanges are ineligible to apply under 

this competition. ECA encourages 

applicants to provide maximum levels 

of cost sharing and funding in support 

of its programs. 

All applicants are strongly 

encouraged to read this RFGP 

thoroughly, prior to developing and 

submitting a proposal, to ensure that 

proposed activities are appropriate and 

responsive to the goals, objectives, and 

criteria outlined in the solicitation. 

IV. Application and Submission 

Information 

Note: Please read the complete 

announcement before sending inquiries or 

submitting proposals. Once the RFGP 

deadline has passed, ECA staff may not 

discuss this competition with applicants 

until the proposal review process has been 

completed. If you have any questions prior to 

the deadline stated on the RFGP, please 

address your questions to Jose ́ Marrero at 

MarreroJA@state.gov or (202) 632–3337. 

IV.1 Contact Information To Request 

an Application Package 

Please contact the Branch for the 

Study of the United States, ECA/A/E/ 

USS; SA–5, Fourth Floor; U.S. 

Department of State; Washington, DC 

20037, (202) 632–3337 to request a 

Solicitation Package. Please refer to the 

Funding Opportunity Number ECA/A/ 

E/USS–12–21 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 Jose ́ Marrero and refer 

to the Funding Opportunity Number 


jlentini on DSK4TPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 222 / Thursday, November 17, 2011 / Notices 71427 

ECA/A/E/USS–12–21 on all inquiries 

and correspondence. 

IV.2. To Download a Solicitation 

Package Via Internet 

The entire Solicitation Package may 

be downloaded from ECA’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 section IV.6 

Application Deadline and Methods of 

Submission, indicated 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 

must maintain current registrations in 

the Central Contractor Registration 

(CCR) database. Recipients must 

maintain accurate and up-to-date 

information in the CCR until all 

program and financial activity and 

reporting have been completed. 

Recipients 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. Failure to 

register in the CCR will render 

applicants ineligible to receive funding. 

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 onepage 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 Bureau of Educational and 

Cultural Affairs places critically 

important emphases on the security and 

proper administration of the Exchange 

Visitor (J visa) Programs and adherence 

by award recipients 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 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. 

ECA prefers that the award recipient 

issue 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 Designation, Private Sector 

Programs Division, ECA/EC/D/PS, 

SA–5, 5th Floor, Department of State, 

Washington, DC 20037. 

Please refer to Solicitation Package for 

further information. 

IV.3d.2 Diversity, Freedom, and 

Democracy Guidelines 

Pursuant to ECA’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, socioeconomic 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,’’ ECA ‘‘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. ECA 

recommends that proposals include a 

draft survey questionnaire or other 

technique plus a description of a 

methodology used to link outcomes to 

original project objectives. ECA 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, 


jlentini on DSK4TPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
71428 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 222 / Thursday, November 17, 2011 / Notices 

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. 

An evaluation plan should include a 

description of project’s objectives, 

anticipated project outcomes, and how 

and when outcomes will be measured 

(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. Applicants should also 

show how project objectives link to the 

goals of the program described in this 

RFGP. 

Monitoring and evaluation plans 

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 applicants 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 a 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.) 

Recipients will be required to provide 

reports analyzing their evaluation 

findings to ECA 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 

ECA upon request. 

IV.3e. Budget 

IV.3e.1 Applicants must submit SF– 

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

comprehensive budget for the entire 

program. There must be a summary 

budget as well as breakdowns reflecting 

both administrative and program 

budgets. Applicants may provide 

separate sub-budgets for each program 

component, phase, location, or activity 

to provide clarification. 

IV.3e.2 Allowable costs for the 

program include the following: 

(1) Institute staff salary and benefits. 

(2) Participant housing and meals. 

(3) Participant U.S. travel and per 

diem. 

(4) Textbooks, educational materials, 

and admissions fees. 

(5) Honoraria for guest speakers. 

(6) Follow-on programming for 

alumni of Study of the United States 

programs. 

Please refer to the Solicitation 

Package for complete budget guidelines 

and formatting instructions. 

IV.3f. Application Deadline and 

Methods of Submission 

Application Deadline Date: January 

13, 2012. 

Reference Number: ECA/A/E/USS– 

12–21. 

Methods of Submission: 

Applications may be submitted in one 

of two ways: 

(1) In hard-copy, via a nationally 

recognized overnight delivery service 

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

Express, or U.S. Postal Service Express 

Overnight Mail, etc.), or 

(2) Electronically through http:// 

www.grants.gov. Along with the Project 

Title, all applicants must enter the 

above Reference Number in Box 11 on 

the SF–424 contained in the mandatory 

Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) 

of the solicitation document. 

IV.3f.1 Submitting Printed 

Applications 

Applications must be shipped no later 

than the above deadline. Delivery 

services used by applicants must have 

in-place, centralized shipping 

identification and tracking systems that 

may be accessed via the Internet and 

delivery people who are identifiable by 

commonly recognized uniforms and 

delivery vehicles. Proposals shipped on 

or before the above deadline but 

received at ECA more than seven days 

after the deadline will be ineligible for 

further consideration under this 

competition. Proposals shipped after the 

established deadlines are ineligible for 

consideration under this competition. 

ECA will not notify you upon receipt of 

application. It is each applicant’s 

responsibility to ensure that each 

package is marked with a legible 

tracking number and to monitor/confirm 

delivery to ECA via the Internet. 

Delivery of proposal packages may not 

be made via local courier service or in 

person for this competition. Faxed 

documents will not be accepted at any 

time. Only proposals submitted as 

stated above will be considered. 

Important note: When preparing your 

submission please make sure to include 

one extra copy of the completed SF–424 

form and place it in an envelope 

addressed to ‘‘ECA/EX/PM.’’ 

The original and six (6) copies of the 

application should be sent to: Program 

Management Division, ECA–IIP/EX/PM, 

Ref.: ECA/A/E/USS–12–21, 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 

a CD–ROM. 

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: Due to Recovery Act related 

opportunities, there has been a higher than 


jlentini on DSK4TPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 222 / Thursday, November 17, 2011 / Notices 71429 

usual volume of grant proposals submitted 

through Grants.gov. Potential applicants are 

advised that the increased volume may affect 

the Grants.gov proposal submission process. 

As stated in this RFGP, 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. 

Email: 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 email from 

grants.gov upon the successful 

submission of an application. Again, 

validation of an electronic submission 

via Grants.gov can take up to two 

business days. Therefore, we strongly 

recommend that you not wait until the 

application deadline to begin the 

submission process through Grants.gov. 

ECA will not notify you upon receipt of 

electronic applications. 

It is the responsibility of all 

applicants submitting proposals via the 

Grants.gov Web portal to ensure that 

proposals have been received by 

Grants.gov in their entirety, and ECA 

bears no responsibility for data errors 

resulting from transmission or 

conversion processes. 

IV.3g. Intergovernmental Review of 

Applications: Executive Order 12372 

does not apply to this program. 

V. Application Review Information 

V.1. Review Process 

ECA 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 

ECA regulations and guidelines and 

forwarded to ECA grant panels for 

advisory review. Proposals may also be 

reviewed by the Office of the Legal 

Adviser or by other Department 

elements. Final funding decisions are at 

the discretion of the Department of 

State’s Assistant Secretary for 

Educational and Cultural Affairs. Final 

technical authority for Cooperative 

Agreements resides with ECA’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 Program Plan and Ability 

To Achieve Program Objectives: 

Proposals should exhibit originality, 

substance, precision, and relevance to 

ECA’s mission. A detailed agenda and 

relevant work plan should demonstrate 

substantive undertakings and logistical 

capacity. Objectives should be 

reasonable, feasible, and flexible. 

Proposals should demonstrate clearly 

how the institution will meet the 

program’s objectives and plan. 

2. Support for Diversity: Proposals 

should demonstrate substantive support 

of ECA’s policy on diversity. Achievable 

and relevant features should be cited in 

both program administration (program 

venue and program evaluation) and 

program content (orientation and wrapup sessions, program meetings, 

presenters, and resource materials). 

3. Evaluation: Proposals should 

include a plan to evaluate the activity’s 

success, both as the activities unfold 

and at the end of the program. ECA 

recommends that the proposal include a 

draft survey questionnaire or other 

technique plus a description of a 

methodology to use to link outcomes to 

original project objectives. 

4. Cost-effectiveness/Cost-sharing: 

The overhead and administrative 

components of the proposal, including 

salaries and honoraria, should be kept 

as low as possible. All other items 

should be necessary and appropriate. 

Proposals should maximize cost-sharing 

through other private sector support, as 

well as institutional direct funding 

contributions. 

5. Institutional Track Record/Ability: 

Proposals should demonstrate an 

institutional record of successful 

exchange programs, including 

responsible fiscal management and full 

compliance with all reporting 

requirements for past ECA grants as 

determined by ECA Grants Staff. ECA 

will consider the past performance of 

prior recipients and the demonstrated 

potential of new applicants. Proposed 

personnel and institutional resources 

should be fully qualified to achieve the 

project’s goals. 

6. Follow Up and Follow-on Activities: 

Proposals should discuss provisions 

made for follow-up with returned 

participants as a means of establishing 

longer-term individual and institutional 

linkages. Proposals should also provide 

a plan for continued follow-on activity 

(without ECA support) ensuring that 

ECA supported programs are not 

isolated events. 

VI. Award Administration Information 

VI.1 Award Notices 

Final awards cannot be made until 

funds have been appropriated by 

Congress, and allocated and committed 

through internal ECA procedures. 

Successful applicants will receive a 

Federal Assistance Award (FAA) from 

ECA’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. 


jlentini on DSK4TPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
71430 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 222 / Thursday, November 17, 2011 / Notices 

Government. The FAA will be signed by 

an authorized Grants Officer, and 

mailed to the recipient’s responsible 

officer identified in the application. 

Unsuccessful applicants will receive 

notification of the results of the 

application review from the ECA 

program office coordinating this 

competition. 

VI.2. Administrative and National 

Policy Requirements 

Terms and Conditions for the 

Administration of ECA agreements 

include the following: 

Office of Management and Budget 

Circular A–122, ‘‘Cost Principles for 

Nonprofit Organizations.’’ 

Office of Management and Budget 

Circular A–21, ‘‘Cost Principles for 

Educational Institutions.’’ 

OMB Circular A–87, ‘‘Cost Principles 

for State, Local and Indian 

Governments.’’ 

OMB Circular No. A–110 (Revised), 

‘‘Uniform Administrative Requirements 

for Grants and Agreements with 

Institutions of Higher Education, 

Hospitals, and other Nonprofit 

Organizations.’’ 

OMB Circular No. A–102, ‘‘Uniform 

Administrative Requirements for 

Grants-in-Aid to State and Local 

Governments.’’ 

OMB Circular No. A–133, ‘‘Audits of 

States, Local Government, and Nonprofit Organizations.’’ 

Please reference the following Web 

sites for additional information: 

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

grants. 

http://fa.statebuy.state.gov. 

VI.3. Reporting Requirements: You must 

provide ECA with a hard copy original 

plus one copy of the following reports: 

(1) An interim program report no 

more than 30 days after the conclusion 

of the Institute; 

(2) Quarterly financial reports; 

(3) A final program and financial 

report no more than 90 days after the 

expiration of the award; 

(4) 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.; 

(5) A SF–PPR, ‘‘Performance Progress 

Report’’ Cover Sheet with all program 

reports. 

Award recipients will be required to 

provide reports analyzing their 

evaluation findings to ECA 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 ECA upon 

request. 

All reports must be sent to the ECA 

Grants Officer and ECA Program Officer 

listed in the final assistance award 

document. 

VII. Agency Contacts 

For questions about this 

announcement, contact: Jose ́ Marrero, 

Study of the U.S. Branch, ECA/A/E/ 

USS, U.S. Department of State, Fourth 

Floor, SA–5, 2200 C Street NW., 

Washington, DC 20522–0504, phone: 

(202) 632–3337, email: 

MarreroJA@state.gov. 

All correspondence with ECA 

concerning this RFGP should reference 

the above title and number ECA/A/E/ 

USS–12–21. 

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 ECA that contradicts published 

language will not be binding. Issuance of the 

RFGP does not constitute an award 

commitment on the part of the Government. 

ECA reserves the right to reduce, revise, or 

increase proposal budgets in accordance with 

the needs of the program and the availability 

of funds. In addition, it reserves the right to 

accept proposals in whole or in part and to 

make an award or awards in the best interest 

of the program. Awards made will be subject 

to periodic reporting and evaluation 

requirements per section VI.3 above. 

Dated: November 10, 2011. 

Adam Ereli, 

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for 

Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. 

Department of State. 

[FR Doc. 2011–29788 Filed 11–16–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4710–05–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

Automatic Dependent Surveillance 

Broadcast (ADS–B) 

AGENCY: Department of Transportation, 

Federal Aviation Administration. 

ACTION: Notice of availability— 

Recommendations from the ADS–B In 

Aviation Rulemaking Committee. 

SUMMARY: This notice announces the 

availability of a Report from the ADS– 

B In Aviation Rulemaking Committee, 

Recommendations to Define a Strategy 

for Incorporating ADS–B In 

Technologies into the National Airspace 

System. This committee was convened 

at the FAA’s request to provide a forum 

for the U.S. and international aviation 

community to provide 

recommendations on a global strategy to 

proceed with ADS–B In while ensuring 

compatibility with the standards 

adopted for ADS–B Out. The FAA is 

currently reviewing the report to 

evaluate the appropriate course of 

action. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Doug Arbuckle, Chief Scientist, 

Surveillance & Broadcast Services Pgm, 

Sr Advisor for Surveillance & PNT, 

NextGen JPDO, (757)–846–4225. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

On June 30, 2010, the FAA chartered 

the ADS–B In Aviation Rulemaking 

Committee (ARC) to provide a forum for 

the U.S. and international aviation 

community to define a strategy for 

incorporating ADS–B In technologies 

into the National Airspace System. The 

ARC specifically was tasked to provide 

recommendations for proceeding with 

ADS–B In while ensuring compatibility 

with the ADS–B Out aviation standards 

set forth in Title 14 of the Code of 

Federal Regulations § 91.225, ADS–B 

Out equipment and use and § 91.227, 

ADS–B Out equipment performance 

requirements. 

Notice of Availability 

The ADS–B In Aviation Rulemaking 

Committee, Recommendations to Define 

a Strategy for Incorporating ADS–B In 

Technologies into the National Airspace 

System, submitted to the FAA on 

September 30, 2011, is available for 

review and downloading from the FAA 

Web site at: http://www.faa.gov/ 

nextgen/portfolio/trans_support_progs/ 

adsb/ 

Issued in Washington, DC on November 9, 

2011. 

James Eck, 

Director, Air Traffic Organization, Federal 

Aviation Administration (FAA). 

[FR Doc. 2011–29668 Filed 11–16–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–M 


jlentini on DSK4TPTVN1PROD with NOTICES