76802 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 236 / Thursday, December 8, 2011 / Notices 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: A. 

Escobar, Office of Disaster Assistance, 

U.S. Small Business Administration, 

409 3rd Street SW., Suite 6050, 

Washington, DC 20416. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice is 

hereby given that as a result of the 

President’s major disaster declaration on 

11/23/2011, Private Non-Profit 

organizations that provide essential 

services of governmental nature may file 

disaster loan applications at the address 

listed above or other locally announced 

locations. 

The following areas have been 

determined to be adversely affected by 

the disaster: 

Primary Counties: Cibola, Sandoval, and 

the Pueblo of Acoma and the 

Pueblo of Santa Clara. 

The Interest Rates are: 

Percent 

For Physical Damage: 

Non-Profit Organizations With 

Credit Available Elsewhere 3.250 

Non-Profit Organizations 

Without Credit Available 

Elsewhere .......................... 3.000 

For Economic Injury: 

Non-Profit Organizations 

Without Credit Available 

Elsewhere .......................... 3.000 

The number assigned to this disaster 

for physical damage is 129406 and for 

economic injury is 129416. 

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance 

Numbers 59002 and 59008). 

James E. Rivera, 

Associate Administrator for Disaster 

Assistance. 

[FR Doc. 2011–31550 Filed 12–7–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 8025–01–P 

SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION 

[License No. 02/02–0646] 

Riverside Micro-Cap Fund II, L.P.; 

Notice Seeking Exemption Under 

Section 312 of the Small Business 

Investment Act, Conflicts of Interest 

Notice is hereby given that Riverside 

Micro-Cap Fund II, L.P., 45 Rockefeller 

Center, New York, NY 10111, a Federal 

Licensee under the Small Business 

Investment Act of 1958, as amended 

(‘‘the Act’’), in connection with the 

financing of a small concern, has sought 

an exemption under Section 312 of the 

Act and Section 107.730, Financings 

which Constitute Conflicts of Interest of 

the Small Business Administration 

(‘‘SBA’’) Rules and Regulations (13 CFR 

107.730). Riverside Micro-Cap Fund II, 

L.P. proposes to provide equity security 

financing to Employment Law Training, 

Inc., 160 Pine Street, San Francisco, CA 

94111 (‘‘ELT’’). 

The financing is brought within the 

purview of § 107.730(a) and (d) of the 

Regulations because Riverside Capital 

Appreciation Fund V, L.P. and CoInvest Vehicle, both Associates of 

Riverside Micro-Cap Fund II, L.P., own 

more than ten percent of ELT, and 

therefore this transaction is considered 

a financing of an Associate requiring 

prior SBA approval. 

Notice is hereby given that any 

interested person may submit written 

comments on the transaction, within 

fifteen days of the date of this 

publication, to the Associate 

Administrator for Investment, U.S. 

Small Business Administration, 409 

Third Street SW., Washington, DC 

20416. 

Dated: November 30, 2011. 

Sean J. Greene, 

Associate Administrator for Investment. 

[FR Doc. 2011–31547 Filed 12–7–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 8025–01–P 

SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION 

[License No. 02/02–0646] 

Riverside Micro-Cap Fund II, L.P.; 

Notice Seeking Exemption Under 

Section 312 of the Small Business 

Investment Act, Conflicts of Interest 

Notice is hereby given that Riverside 

Micro-Cap Fund II, L.P., 45 Rockefeller 

Center, New York, NY 10111, a Federal 

Licensee under the Small Business 

Investment Act of 1958, as amended 

(‘‘the Act’’), in connection with the 

financing of a small concern, has sought 

an exemption under Section 312 of the 

Act and Section 107.730, Financings 

which Constitute Conflicts of Interest of 

the Small Business Administration 

(‘‘SBA’’) Rules and Regulations (13 CFR 

107.730). Riverside Micro-Cap Fund II, 

L.P. proposes to provide equity security 

financing to DrugTest Holding 

Company, 12600 Northborough Drive, 

Suite 300, Houston, TX 77067 (‘‘DISA’’). 

The financing is brought within the 

purview of § 107.730(a) and (d) of the 

Regulations because Riverside Capital 

Appreciation Fund V, L.P. and CoInvest Vehicle, both Associates of 

Riverside Micro-Cap Fund II, L.P., own 

more than ten percent of DISA, and 

therefore this transaction is considered 

a financing of an Associate requiring 

prior SBA approval. 

Notice is hereby given that any 

interested person may submit written 

comments on the transaction, within 

fifteen days of the date of this 

publication, to the Associate 

Administrator for Investment, U.S. 

Small Business Administration, 409 

Third Street SW., Washington, DC 

20416. 

Dated: November 30, 2011. 

Sean J. Greene, 

Associate Administrator for Investment. 

[FR Doc. 2011–31548 Filed 12–7–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 8025–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF STATE 

[Public Notice: 7711] 

Bureau of Educational and Cultural 

Affairs (ECA) Request for Grant 

Proposals: Empowering Women and 

Girls Through Sports 

Announcement Type: New 

Cooperative Agreement. 

Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/ 

PE/C/SU–12–14. 

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance 

Number: 19.415. 

Key Dates 

Application Deadline: February 6, 

2012. 

Executive Summary: The Office of 

Citizen Exchanges of the Bureau of 

Educational and Cultural Affairs 

announces an open competition for 

Empowering Women and Girls through 

Sport Program as part of the 

International Sports Programming 

Initiative. This initiative will consist of 

approximately 12 short-term U.S.-based 

and overseas programs focused on using 

sport as a tool for women’s 

empowerment. The program envisions 

approximately 115 participants from 

overseas coming to the U.S., and 

approximately 20 American participants 

traveling overseas. Public and private 

non-profit organizations meeting the 

provisions described in Internal 

Revenue Code section 26 U.S.C. 

501(c)(3) may apply. 

I. Funding Opportunity Description 

Authority: Overall grant making 

authority for this program is contained 

in the Mutual Educational and Cultural 

Exchange Act of 1961, Public Law 87– 

256, as amended, also known as the 

Fulbright-Hays Act. The purpose of the 

Act is ‘‘to enable the Government of the 

United States to increase mutual 

understanding between the people of 

the United States and the people of 

other countries* * *; to strengthen the 

ties which unite us with other nations 

by demonstrating the educational and 

cultural interests, developments, and 

achievements of the people of the 

United States and other 

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Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 236 / Thursday, December 8, 2011 / Notices 76803 

nations* * *and thus to assist in the 

development of friendly, sympathetic 

and peaceful relations between the 

United States and the other countries of 

the world.’’ The funding authority for 

the program above is provided through 

legislation. 

Purpose: The Office of Citizen 

Exchanges welcomes proposals for twoway exchanges that directly respond to 

the following objectives: (1) To use sport 

as a tool to introduce foreign 

participants to the United States, and 

specifically to girls-focused 

programming; (2) To increase the 

capacity of girls’ sports programs 

overseas; and (3) To use mentorships to 

foster professional relationships 

between women’s sports leaders and 

administrators in the United States with 

those overseas. 

It has been shown that women’s 

participation in sport can improve 

physical health, foster self-esteem, and 

provide opportunities for leadership 

and achievement. By demonstrating the 

important and growing role that sports 

play in the social development of 

women and girls in the United States, 

these sports exchange programs will 

foster women’s empowerment in 

participating countries. 

All foreign participants will benefit 

from the effectiveness of sport in 

communicating American ideals and 

values despite language and other 

cultural barriers. Foreign participants 

will gain a deeper understanding of U.S. 

society and culture through interactions 

with participants from the United 

States, as well as through sessions on 

the history of Title IX and its 

implications in the United States. The 

Americans with whom they spend time 

in the United States, along with 

Americans who travel overseas, will 

learn about the experience of their 

foreign counterparts. 

Sports Visitor Programs 

The visitor program will introduce 

participants to: The integration of sports 

into the education and lives of women 

and girls in the United States; the role 

of sports in teaching teamwork, healthy 

behaviors, and leadership skills; and to 

develop the participants’ skills and 

knowledge in using sport as a vehicle 

for positive change in their 

communities. 

The primary audience will be either 

youth players (14–17 years old) or 

coaches who work with girls and are 

committed to the development of girls’ 

sport programs. Program Sessions may 

include some combination of the 

following topics: Title IX; disability 

sports; sport-specific clinics; 

teambuilding; schools in the United 

States; after school programming; 

volunteerism; coaching & youth 

development; women’s health, 

including fitness and nutrition; 

leadership activities; exposure to sports 

programs specifically for girls; 

recruiting participants and funding 

women’s sport programs; and conflict 

resolution. 

ECA estimates approximately 115 

visitors for 10-day programs. Most 

programs will either begin or end in the 

Washington, DC area. Other program 

sites will be determined by ECA, in 

consultation with the cooperating 

agency. For more information on 

budgeting, please consult the POGI. 

Sport Envoy Programs 

Sports Envoys will be a combination 

of American sports program 

administrators, coaches, and athletes 

who will focus on female athletes and 

coaches, as well as the development of 

girls’ sports programming infrastructure. 

The embassies will have a key role in 

implementing the programs, but the 

cooperating agency will help to develop 

program materials, recruit sport program 

administrators, and may arrange airfare. 

Additionally, small groups of American 

envoys may require an orientation 

before traveling overseas. The applicant 

should plan on approximately 20 

participants receiving an orientation in 

the Washington, DC area before heading 

overseas. 

Sports Mentorship Program 

The Sports Mentorship component 

will link approximately 20 foreign 

emerging leaders in women’s sports 

from ECA-selected countries, who have 

at least two years of professional 

experience in building sports programs 

for women and girls, with female peer 

mentors in the United States for an 

approximately four-week mentorship 

program. The program is designed to 

reach beyond the exchange by serving as 

the basis for an international 

professional support network for 

women working in sport. Participants 

will also have access to the community 

of alumni from previous State 

Department sponsored exchange 

programs. 

Applicant organizations must identify 

a sampling of the U.S. organizations and 

individuals with whom they are 

proposing to match foreign participants. 

Proposals should contain letters of 

commitment or support from partner 

organizations for the proposed 

mentorships. A description of any 

previous cooperative activities with 

these partner organizations must be 

included in the proposal, along with 

information about their mission, 

activities, and accomplishments. 

Applicants should clearly outline and 

describe the roles and responsibilities of 

all partner organizations in terms of 

project logistics, management and 

oversight. 

By participating and working with 

female athletes and administrators from 

around the globe, the participants will 

develop a broader world view; they will 

have opportunities to connect with 

women and girls across borders and 

promote mutual understanding and 

partnerships. They will be able to 

harness the tools sport provides for 

helping women and girls to live a 

healthy and independent life that will 

enable them to pursue educational, 

career, and leadership opportunities 

that otherwise may have been closed to 

them. 

Further details on specific program 

responsibilities can be found in the 

Project Objectives, Goals, and 

Implementation (POGI), which is part of 

the formal solicitation package available 

from the Bureau. Interested 

organizations should read the entire 

Federal Register announcement for all 

information prior to preparing 

proposals. 

In a cooperative agreement, ECA/PE/ 

C/SU is substantially involved in 

program activities above and beyond 

routine monitoring. ECA/PE/C/SU 

activities and responsibilities for this 

program are as follows: 

1. Participating in the design and 

direction of program activities, 

including approval and input for all 

program agendas and timelines; 

2. Providing guidance in execution of 

all project components; 

3. Providing guidance on content and 

speakers for workshops; 

4. Assisting with SEVIS-related 

issues; 

5. Assisting with participant 

emergencies; 

6. Selecting participating countries for 

programming; 

7. Liaising with Public Affairs 

Sections of the U.S. Embassies and 

country desk officers at the State 

Department; 

8. Liaising with the U.S. professional 

sports leagues and federations to select 

Sports Envoys and help in hosting Sport 

Visitor delegations. 

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: 

$1,000,000. 

Approximate Number of Awards: 1. 

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76804 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 236 / Thursday, December 8, 2011 / Notices 

Approximate Average Award: 

$1,000,000. 

Anticipated Award Date: Pending 

availability of funds, February 15, 2012. 

Anticipated Project Completion Date: 

June 30, 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 $1,000,000 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 

ineligible and given no further 

consideration in the review process. 

The Office does not support proposals 

limited to conferences or seminars (i.e., 

one- to fourteen day programs with 

plenary sessions, main speakers, panels, 

and a passive audience). It will support 

conferences only when they are a small 

part of a larger project in duration that 

is receiving Bureau funding from this 

competition. 

No funding is available exclusively to 

send U.S. citizens to conferences or 

conference-type seminars overseas; nor 

is funding available for bringing foreign 

nationals to conferences or to routine 

professional association meetings in the 

United States. 

The Office of Citizen Exchanges does 

not support academic research or 

faculty or student fellowships. 

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 Beth Fine, Office of 

Citizen Exchanges, ECA/PE/C/SU, SA– 

5, 3rd Floor, SportsUnited, Department 

of State, Washington, DC 20522–0503, 

telephone: (202) 632–6061; fax: (202) 

632–6492; or email: FineEH@state.gov to 

request a Solicitation Package. Please 

refer to the Funding Opportunity 

Number 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 Beth Fine and refer to 

the Funding Opportunity Number ECA/ 

PE/C/SU–12–14 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 

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 

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Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 236 / Thursday, December 8, 2011 / Notices 76805 

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 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. 

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. 

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76806 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 236 / Thursday, December 8, 2011 / Notices 

We encourage you to assess the 

following four levels of outcomes, as 

they relate to the program goals set out 

in the RFGP (listed here in increasing 

order of importance): 

1. Participant satisfaction with the 

program and exchange experience. 

2. Participant learning, such as 

increased knowledge, aptitude, skills, 

and changed understanding and 

attitude. Learning includes both 

substantive (subject-specific) learning 

and mutual understanding. 

3. Participant behavior, concrete 

actions to apply knowledge in work or 

community; greater participation and 

responsibility in civic organizations; 

interpretation and explanation of 

experiences and new knowledge gained; 

continued contacts between 

participants, community members, and 

others. 

4. Institutional changes, such as 

increased collaboration and 

partnerships, policy reforms, new 

programming, and organizational 

improvements. 

Please note: Consideration should be given 

to the appropriate timing of data collection 

for each level of outcome. For example, 

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

institutional changes are normally 

considered longer-term outcomes. 

Overall, the quality of your 

monitoring and evaluation plan will be 

judged on how well it (1) specifies 

intended outcomes; (2) gives clear 

descriptions of how each outcome will 

be measured; (3) identifies when 

particular outcomes will be measured; 

and (4) provides a clear description of 

the data collection strategies for each 

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

focus groups). (Please note that 

evaluation plans that deal only with the 

first level of outcomes [satisfaction] will 

be deemed less competitive under the 

present evaluation criteria.) 

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—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. Educational materials; 

2. Participant travel (domestic, local, 

and international transportation); 

3. Orientations; 

4. Cultural activities; 

5. Meeting costs; 

6. Food and lodging; 

7. Travel and Per Diem for 

Interpreters or English Language 

Officers; 

8. Small grants; 

9. Evaluation; 

10. Other justifiable expenses directly 

related to supporting program activities. 

Please refer to the Solicitation 

Package for complete budget guidelines 

and formatting instructions. 

IV.3f. Application Deadline and 

Methods of Submission: 

Application Deadline Date: February 

6, 2012. 

Reference Number: ECA/PE/C/SU– 

12–14. 

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 (8) copies of the 

application should be sent to: 

Program Management Division ECA– 

IIP/EX/PM, Ref.: ECA/PE/C/SU–12–14, 

SA–5, Floor 4, Department of State, 

2200 C Street NW., Washington, DC 

20037. 

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. 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES

Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 236 / Thursday, December 8, 2011 / Notices 76807 

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. 

Optional—IV.3f.3 You may also state 

here any limitations on the number of 

applications that an applicant may 

submit and make it clear whether the 

limitation is on the submitting 

organization, individual program 

director or both. 

IV.3g. Intergovernmental Review of 

Applications: Executive Order 12372 

does not apply to this program. 

V. Application Review Information 

V.1. Review Process 

The Bureau will review all proposals 

for technical eligibility. Proposals will 

be deemed ineligible if they do not fully 

adhere to the guidelines stated herein 

and in the Solicitation Package. All 

eligible proposals will be reviewed by 

the program office, as well as the Public 

Diplomacy section overseas, where 

appropriate. Eligible proposals will be 

subject to compliance with Federal and 

Bureau regulations and guidelines and 

forwarded to Bureau grant panels for 

advisory review. Proposals may also be 

reviewed by the Office of the Legal 

Adviser or by other Department 

elements. Final funding decisions are at 

the discretion of the Department of 

State’s Assistant Secretary for 

Educational and Cultural Affairs. Final 

technical authority for assistance 

awards cooperative agreements resides 

with the Bureau’s Grants Officer. 

Review Criteria 

Technically eligible applications will 

be competitively reviewed according to 

the criteria stated below. 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: Detailed agenda and 

relevant work plan should demonstrate 

substantive undertakings and logistical 

capacity. The agenda and plan should 

adhere to the program overview and 

guidelines described above. Objectives 

should be reasonable, feasible, and 

flexible. Proposals should clearly 

demonstrate how the institution will 

meet the program’s objectives and plan. 

3. Support of Diversity: Proposals 

should demonstrate substantive support 

of the Bureau’s policy on diversity. 

Achievable and relevant features should 

be cited in both program administration 

(selection of participants, program 

venue and program evaluation) and 

program content (orientation and 

debriefing sessions, and follow-on 

activities). 

4. Institutional Capacity/Track 

Record: Proposed personnel and 

institutional resources should be 

adequate and appropriate to achieve the 

program’s goals. Proposals should 

demonstrate an institutional record of 

successful exchange programs, 

including responsible fiscal 

management and full compliance with 

all reporting requirements for past 

Bureau awards (grants or cooperative 

agreements) as determined by Bureau 

Grants Staff. The Bureau will consider 

the past performance of prior recipients 

and the demonstrated potential of new 

applicants. 

5. Program Evaluation: Proposals 

should include a plan to evaluate the 

activity’s success, both as the activities 

unfold and at the end of the program. 

Draft survey questionnaires or other 

techniques plus a description of a 

methodology to link outcomes to the 

original program objectives are 

recommended. 

6. 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. 

7. Follow-on Activities: Proposals 

should provide a plan for 

implementation of the small grants 

program described above. That plan 

should include coordination with the 

appropriate post. All follow-on 

activities should be tracked and 

evaluated. 

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: A 

critical component of current U.S. 

government Iran policy is the support 

for indigenous Iranian voices. The State 

Department has made the awarding of 

grants for this purpose a key component 

of its Iran policy. As a condition of 

licensing these activities, the Office of 

Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has 

requested the Department of State to 

follow certain procedures to effectuate 

the goals of Sections 481(b), 531(a), 571, 

582, and 635(b) of the Foreign 

Assistance Act of 1961 (as amended); 18 

U.S.C. 2339A and 2339B; Executive 

Order 13224; and Homeland Security 

Presidential Directive 6. These licensing 

conditions mandate that the Department 

conduct a vetting of potential Iran 

grantees and sub-grantees for counterterrorism purposes. To conduct this 

vetting the Department will collect 

information from grantees and subgrantees regarding the identity and 

background of their key employees and 

Boards of Directors. 

Note: To assure that planning for the 

inclusion of Iran complies with 

requirements, please contact Beth Fine, 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES

76808 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 236 / Thursday, December 8, 2011 / Notices 

telephone number (202) 632–6061, email 

fineeh@state.gov for additional information. 

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: 

Beth Fine, telephone number (202) 632–6061, 

email fineeh@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. 

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 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 which should include relevant 

details on all programs completed that 

quarter, as well as a description of 

planning undertaken for programs 

taking place in the following quarter. 

Specific information on mentorship 

hosts, follow-on grants, and other 

program activities should be included. 

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 reports must be sent to the ECA 

Grants Officer and ECA Program Officer 

listed in the final assistance award 

document. 

Optional 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. 

(2) Numbers of all persons who 

benefit from the award funding but do 

not travel. 

(3) 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 one week prior to the official 

opening of the activity. 

VII. Agency Contacts 

For questions about this 

announcement, contact: Beth Fine, U.S. 

Department of State, ECA/PE/C/SU, SA– 

5, 3rd Floor, SportsUnited, Department 

of State, Washington, DC 20522–0503, 

telephone: (202) 632–6061; fax: (202) 

632–6492; or email: 

FineEH@state.govmailto:. 

All correspondence with the Bureau 

concerning this RFGP should reference 

the above title and number ECA/PE/C/ 

SU–12–14. 

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 28, 2011. 

J. Adam Ereli, 

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau 

of Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. 

Department of State. 

[FR Doc. 2011–31392 Filed 12–7–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4710–05–P 

OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES 

TRADE REPRESENTATIVE 

Procurement Thresholds for 

Implementation of the Trade 

Agreements Act of 1979 

AGENCY: Office of the United States 

Trade Representative. 

ACTION: Notice of Determination of 

Procurement Thresholds. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jean 

Heilman Grier, Senior Procurement 

Negotiator, Office of the United States 

Trade Representative, (202) 395–9476 or 

Jean_Grier@ustr.eop.gov. 

SUMMARY: Executive Order 12260 

requires the United States Trade 

Representative to set the U.S. dollar 

thresholds for application of Title III of 

the Trade Agreements Act of 1979, as 

amended (19 U.S.C. 2511 et seq.), which 

implements U.S. trade agreement 

obligations, including those under the 

World Trade Organization (WTO) 

Agreement on Government 

Procurement, Chapter 15 of the United 

States-Australia Free Trade Agreement 

(U.S.-Australia FTA), Chapter 9 of the 

United States-Bahrain Free Trade 

Agreement (U.S.-Bahrain FTA), Chapter 

9 of the United States-Chile Free Trade 

Agreement (U.S.-Chile FTA), Chapter 9 

of the Dominican Republic-Central 

American-United States Free Trade 

Agreement (DR–CAFTA), Chapter 9 of 

the United States-Morocco Free Trade 

Agreement (U.S.-Morocco FTA), 

Chapter 10 of the North American Free 

Trade Agreement (NAFTA), Chapter 9 of 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES