68250 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 213 / Thursday, November 3, 2011 / Notices 

report will be transmitted to OMB, and 

be made available to the public via 

OMB’s USAspending.gov Web site—as 

part of ECA’s Federal Funding 

Accountability and Transparency Act 

(FFATA) reporting requirements. 

(3) A SF–PPR, ‘‘Performance Progress 

Report’’ Cover Sheet with all program 

reports. 

(4) Quarterly 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–12–10. 

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: October 27, 2011. 

J. Adam Ereli, 

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau 

of Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. 

Department of State. 

[FR Doc. 2011–28420 Filed 11–2–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4710–05–P 

DEPARTMENT OF STATE 

[Public Notice: 7672] 

Bureau of Educational and Cultural 

Affairs (ECA) Request for Grant 

Proposals: Study of the U.S. Institutes 

for Women Student Leaders on 

Women’s Leadership 

Announcement Type: New 

Cooperative Agreements. 

Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/ 

A/E/USS–12–22–23. 

Catalog of Federal Domestic 

Assistance Number: 19.009. 

Key Dates: May to August, 2012. 

Application Deadline: December 30, 

2011. 

Executive Summary 

The Branch for the Study of the 

United States, Office of Academic 

Exchange Programs, Bureau of 

Educational and Cultural Affairs, invites 

proposal submissions from accredited 

U.S. colleges and universities for the 

design and implementation of two (2) 

Study of the United States Institutes for 

Women Student Leaders on Women’s 

Leadership. Applicants may submit a 

proposal to administer one institute. 

The five week Institutes should take 

place in June and July, 2012. 

Both Institutes should take place at 

U.S. academic institutions and provide 

groups of highly motivated female 

undergraduate students from the 

countries and regions noted below with 

in-depth seminars on Women’s 

Leadership. Each Institute should 

include four weeks of academic 

residency followed by a one-week 

integrated educational travel tour that 

will expose participants to a different 

region of the United States. The oneweek educational study tour should 

continue to examine the theme of 

women’s leadership and should 

conclude with a three day session in 

Washington, DC. In order to take part in 

a joint closing conference, the 

participants should travel to 

Washington, DC no later than the 

evening of July 18, 2012. 

Each Institute will host up to 20 

participants, for a total of approximately 

40 students. ECA plans to provide two 

awards (a maximum of one per 

applicant) for the administration of two 

Study of the U.S. Institutes and 

welcomes applications from accredited 

post-secondary education institutions in 

the United States (see Eligibility 

Information, section III). Women’s 

colleges are especially encouraged to 

apply. The awarding of Cooperative 

Agreements for this program is 

contingent upon the availability of FY 

2012 funds. 

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 

The Study of the U.S. Institutes for 

Student Leaders are intensive academic 

programs whose purpose is to provide 

groups of foreign undergraduate 

students with a deeper understanding of 

the United States while also enhancing 

their leadership skills. The Institutes 

also expose Americans to the diverse 

cultures and traditions of the exchange 

participants. 

The Institutes on Women’s 

Leadership aim to provide 

undergraduate women leaders an 

introduction to women’s leadership in 

the United States, while strengthening 

their leadership skills and heightening 

their awareness of U.S. and global 

women’s issues. The Institutes should 

examine the history and evolution of 

U.S. society, culture, values, and 

institutions, with particular emphasis 

on women’s roles throughout U.S. 

history. The Institutes should also 

incorporate a focus on contemporary 

American life and contemporary 

women, including the role of women in 

political, social, and economic issues 

and debates. The Institutes should 

address the influence of principles and 

values such as democracy, the rule of 

law, individual rights, freedom of 

expression, equality, diversity, and 


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tolerance on the empowerment of 

women in the United States. 

I.3. Overview 

These two Study of the U.S. Institutes 

for Women Student Leaders on 

Women’s Leadership will be 

implemented in the context of the 

‘‘Women in Public Service Project’’ 

announced by Secretary of State Hillary 

Clinton in March, 2011. Secretary of 

State Clinton stated that this project 

would ‘‘promote the next generation of 

women leaders who will invest in their 

countries and communities, provide 

leadership for their governments and 

societies, and help change the way 

global solutions are developed.’’ The 

Women in Public Policy initiative aims 

to identify and empower a new 

generation of women to seek and attain 

leadership roles in democratic 

governments and civil society around 

the world. The Study of the U.S. 

Institutes for Women Student Leaders 

on Women’s Leadership will support 

this initiative. 

The Study of the U.S. Institute for 

Women Student Leaders on Women’s 

Leadership should examine the history 

and participation of women in public 

life in the United States. The Institute 

should focus on two major areas: (1) 

Developing participants’ leadership 

skills in areas such as critical thinking, 

communication, decision-making, and 

managerial abilities; and (2) placing 

these abilities in the context of the 

history and participation of women in 

U.S. politics, economics, culture, and 

society. The Institute should examine 

the historical domestic progress towards 

women’s equality in the United States, 

the current domestic successes and 

challenges to women in a variety of 

fields, and current challenges in global 

women’s issues. 

In addition to promoting a better 

understanding of women’s leadership in 

the United States, an important 

objective of the Institutes is to develop 

the participants’ own leadership skills. 

In this context, the academic program 

should include group discussions, 

trainings, and exercises that focus on 

topics such as leadership, team and 

consensus building, networking, 

collective problem solving skills, 

effective communication and public 

speaking, and management skills. 

Institutes should include a community 

service component in which the 

participants experience firsthand how 

not-for-profit organizations and 

volunteerism play a key role in 

American civil society and offer unique 

opportunities for women’s 

empowerment. 

Local site visits and educational travel 

should provide opportunities to observe 

varied aspects of American life and to 

further explore the evolving roles of 

women in American society, especially 

the roles they play in local, state, and 

national government. The program 

should also include opportunities for 

participants to meet U.S. citizens from 

a variety of backgrounds, to interact 

with their American peers, and to meet 

with appropriate women student and 

civic groups to share information about 

their experiences and the role of women 

in their home countries. 

The Institutes should begin on or 

around June 16, 2012 and conclude in 

Washington, DC with participants 

arriving in Washington, DC no later than 

the evening of July 18, 2012. Recipients 

should agree to collaborate with the 

Department of State and any other 

recipients to plan and implement a 

concluding conference in Washington, 

DC 

I.4. Recipient(s) 

ECA is seeking detailed proposals 

from U.S. colleges and universities. 

Applicants may apply to host one 

Institute. Women’s colleges are 

especially encouraged to apply. See III.1 

for eligibility requirements. 

I.5. Participants 

Participants will be identified and 

nominated by the U.S. Embassies and 

Consulates and/or Fulbright 

Commissions with final selection made 

by ECA. ECA will make the final 

decisions regarding participating 

countries. All of the participants in 

these programs will be female. 

Participants in the Study of the U.S. 

Institutes for Women Student Leaders 

will be highly motivated undergraduate 

students from colleges, universities, and 

other institutions of higher education in 

selected countries overseas who 

demonstrate achievement and 

leadership through academic study, 

community involvement, and 

extracurricular activities. Their 

academic fields of study will be varied, 

and may include sciences, social 

sciences, arts and humanities, 

education, and business. All 

participants will have a good knowledge 

of English and will have demonstrated 

interest in leadership and women’s 

empowerment. 

Every effort will be made to recruit 

participants who are from non-elite or 

underprivileged backgrounds, are from 

both rural and urban areas, and have 

had little or no prior experience in the 

United States or elsewhere outside of 

their home country. 

We anticipate that participants will be 

drawn from the following regions and 

countries: 

(1) Sub-Saharan Africa (countries 

include Angola, Liberia, Mozambique, 

Sierra Leone, and South Sudan). 

(2) North Africa/Middle East and East 

Asia (countries include Burma, Egypt, 

Libya, Mongolia, and Tunisia). 

ECA reserves the right to adjust the 

regions and countries participating in 

these institutes based on Department 

priorities. 

I.6. Program Guidelines 

It is essential that proposals provide 

a detailed and comprehensive narrative 

describing the objectives of the Institute; 

the title, scope, and content of each 

session; planned site visits; and how 

each session relates to the overall 

Institute theme. Proposals must include 

a syllabus that indicates the subject 

matter for each lecture, panel 

discussion, group presentation, or other 

activity. The syllabus also should 

confirm or provisionally identify 

proposed speakers, trainers, and session 

leaders, and clearly show how assigned 

readings will advance the goals of each 

session. Overall, proposals will be 

reviewed on the basis of their 

responsiveness to RFGP criteria, 

coherence, clarity, and attention to 

detail. The accompanying Project 

Objectives, Goals, and Implementation 

(POGI) document provides programspecific guidelines that all proposals 

must address fully. 

Please note: In a Cooperative 

Agreement, the Branch for the Study of 

the United States is substantially 

involved in program activities above 

and beyond routine grant monitoring. 

The Branch will assume responsibilities 

for the Institute as indicated in the 

Program Objectives, Goals, and 

Implementation (POGI) document. The 

Branch may request that the recipient(s) 

make modifications to the academic 

residency and/or educational travel 

components of the program. The 

recipient(s) will be required to obtain 

approval of significant program changes 

in advance of their implementation. 

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: 

$480,000. 

Approximate Number of Awards: 

Two. 

Approximate Average Award: 

$240,000. 

Ceiling of Award Range: $240,000. 


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Anticipated Award Date: Pending 

availability of funds, April 1, 2012. 

Anticipated Project Completion Date: 

September 30, 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 

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, 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, 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.) ECA grant guidelines require that 

organizations with less than four years 

experience in conducting international 

exchanges be limited to $60,000 in ECA 

funding. ECA anticipates making 

awards up to $240,000 per institute 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. ECA encourages 

applicants to provide maximum levels 

of cost sharing and funding in support 

of its programs. 

(b.) Technical Eligibility: It is ECA’s 

intent to fund a total of two (2) Institutes 

as a result of this solicitation. 

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. 

Total available funding is up to 

$240,000 per Institute for a total of 

$480,000. Applicant organizations are 

invited to submit one proposal to host 

only one Institute. Eligible applicants 

may not submit more than one proposal 

in this competition. 

The proposal should clearly indicate 

the desired country group from Section 

I.5 above if appropriate and any regional 

expertise, if applicable. ECA reserves 

the right to alter or reassign the final 

country groupings. 

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 questions prior to the 

RFGP deadline, please address your 

questions to Elizabeth J. Latham, Program 

Officer in the Branch of the Study of the 

United States, at LathamEJ@state.gov or (202) 

632–3338. 

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) 632–3338 to request a 

Solicitation Package. Please refer to the 

Funding Opportunity Number ECA/A/ 

E/USS–12–22–23 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 Elizabeth J. Latham and 

refer to the Funding Opportunity 

Number (ECA/A/E/USS–12–22–23) 

located at the top of this announcement 

on all other inquiries and 

correspondence. 

IV.2. To Download a Solicitation 

Package Via Internet 

The entire Solicitation Package may 

be downloaded from 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 IV.3f. 

‘‘Application Deadline and Methods of 

Submission’’ section below. 

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

and Bradstreet Data Universal 

Numbering System (DUNS) number to 

apply for a grant or cooperative 

agreement from the U.S. Government. 

This number is a nine-digit 

identification number, which uniquely 

identifies business entities. Obtaining a 

DUNS number is easy and there is no 

charge. To obtain a DUNS number, 

access http:// 

www.dunandbradstreet.com or call 1– 

(866) 705–5711. Please ensure that your 

DUNS number is included in the 

appropriate box of the SF–424 which is 

part of the formal application package. 

IV.3b. All proposals must contain an 

executive summary, proposal narrative 

and budget. 

Please Refer to the Solicitation 

Package. It contains the mandatory 

Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) 

document and the Project Objectives, 

Goals and Implementation (POGI) 

document for additional formatting and 

technical requirements. 

IV.3c. All Federal award recipients 

and sub-recipients must maintain 

current registrations in the Central 

Contractor Registration (CCR) database 

and have a Dun and Bradstreet Data 

Universal Numbering System (DUNS) 

number. Recipients and sub-recipients 

must maintain accurate and up-to-date 

information in the CCR until all 

program and financial activity and 

reporting have been completed. All 

entities must review and update the 

information at least annually after the 

initial registration and more frequently 

if required information changes or 

another award is granted. 

You must have nonprofit status with 

the IRS at the time of application. Please 

note: Effective January 7, 2009, all 

applicants for ECA federal assistance 

awards must include in their 

application the names of directors and/ 

or senior executives (current officers, 


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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 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 part 62, 

including provision of pre-arrival 

information and orientation to 

participants, monitoring of participants, 

proper maintenance and security of 

forms, record-keeping, reporting and 

other requirements. 

ECA will be responsible for the 

oversight of Responsible Officers and 

Alternate Responsible Officers, 

screening and selection of program 

participants, and 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. 

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 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. ECA expects 

that recipients will track participants or 

partners and be able to respond to key 

evaluation questions, including 

satisfaction with the program, learning 

as a result of the program, changes in 

behavior as a result of the program, and 

effects of the program on institutions 

(institutions in which participants work 

or partner institutions). The evaluation 

plan should include indicators that 

measure gains in mutual understanding 

as well as substantive knowledge. 

Successful monitoring and evaluation 

depend heavily on setting clear goals 

and outcomes at the outset of a program. 

Your evaluation plan should include a 

description of your project’s objectives, 

your anticipated project outcomes, and 

how and when you intend to measure 

these outcomes (performance 

indicators). The more that outcomes are 

‘‘smart’’ (specific, measurable, 

attainable, results-oriented, and placed 

in a reasonable time frame), the easier 

it will be to conduct the evaluation. You 

should also show how your project 

objectives link to the goals of the 

program described in this RFGP. 

Your monitoring and evaluation plan 

should clearly distinguish between 

program outputs and outcomes. Outputs 

are products and services delivered, 

often stated as an amount. Output 

information is important to show the 

scope or size of project activities, but it 

cannot substitute for information about 

progress towards outcomes or the 

results achieved. Examples of outputs 

include the number of people trained or 

the number of seminars conducted. 

Outcomes, in contrast, represent 

specific results a project is intended to 

achieve and is usually measured as an 

extent of change. Findings on outputs 

and outcomes should both be reported, 

but the focus should be on outcomes. 

We encourage you to assess the 

following four levels of outcomes, as 

they relate to the program goals set out 

in the RFGP (listed here in increasing 

order of importance): 

1. Participant satisfaction with the 

program and exchange experience. 

2. Participant learning, such as 

increased knowledge, aptitude, skills, 

and changed understanding and 

attitude. Learning includes both 

substantive (subject-specific) learning 

and mutual understanding. 

3. Participant behavior, concrete 

actions to apply knowledge in work or 

community; greater participation and 

responsibility in civic organizations; 

interpretation and explanation of 

experiences and new knowledge gained; 

continued contacts between 

participants, community members, and 

others. 

4. Institutional changes, such as 

increased collaboration and 

partnerships, policy reforms, new 

programming, and organizational 

improvements. 


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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.) 

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. Budget requests 

for the institutes may not exceed 

$240,000 per institute, and 

administrative costs should be no more 

than $80,000 per institute. 

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) Washington, DC closing 

conference expenses; 

(7) 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: December 

30, 2011 

Reference Number: ECA/A/E/USS– 

12–22–23 

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–12–22–23, SA–5, 

Floor 4, Department of State, 2200 C 

Street NW., Washington, DC 20037. 

Applicants submitting hard-copy 

applications must also submit the 

‘‘Executive Summary’’ and ‘‘Proposal 

Narrative’’ sections of the proposal in 

text (.txt) or Microsoft Word format on 

CD–ROM. 

IV.3f.2 Submitting Electronic 

Applications 

Applicants have the option of 

submitting proposals electronically 

through Grants.gov (http:// 

www.grants.gov). Complete solicitation 

packages are available at Grants.gov in 

the ‘‘Find’’ portion of the system. 

Please Note: ECA bears no 

responsibility for applicant timeliness of 

submission or data errors resulting from 

transmission or conversion processes for 

proposals submitted via Grants.gov. 

Please follow the instructions 

available in the ‘Get Started’ portion of 

the site (http://www.grants.gov/ 

GetStarted). 

Several of the steps in the Grants.gov 

registration process could take several 

weeks. Therefore, applicants should 

check with appropriate staff within their 

organizations immediately after 

reviewing this RFGP to confirm or 

determine their registration status with 

Grants.gov. 

Once registered, the amount of time it 

can take to upload an application will 

vary depending on a variety of factors 

including the size of the application and 

the speed of your Internet connection. 

In addition, validation of an electronic 

submission via Grants.gov can take up 

to two business days. 

Therefore, we strongly recommend 

that you not wait until the application 

deadline to begin the submission 

process through Grants.gov. 

The Grants.gov Web site includes 

extensive information on all phases/ 

aspects of the Grants.gov process, 

including an extensive section on 

frequently asked questions, located 

under the ‘‘For Applicants’’ section of 

the Web site. ECA strongly recommends 

that all potential applicants review 

thoroughly the Grants.gov Web site, 

well in advance of submitting a 

proposal through the Grants.gov system. 

ECA bears no responsibility for data 

errors resulting from transmission or 

conversion processes. 

Direct all questions regarding 

Grants.gov registration and submission 

to: Grants.gov Customer Support, 

Contact Center Phone: (800) 518–4726, 

Business Hours: Monday–Friday, 7 

a.m.–9 p.m. Eastern Time, 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. 


srobinson on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 213 / Thursday, November 3, 2011 / Notices 68255 

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 of State 

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.1a. Award Notices 

Final awards cannot be made until 

funds have been appropriated by 

Congress, 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(s) and the U.S. 

Government. The FAA will be signed by 

an authorized Grants Officer, and 

mailed to the recipient’s responsible 

officer identified in the application. 

Unsuccessful applicants will receive 

notification of the results of the 

application review from the ECA 

program office coordinating this 

competition. 

VI.2. Administrative and National 

Policy Requirements 

Terms and Conditions for the 

Administration of ECA agreements 

include the following: 

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 the 

following mandatory reports: 

(1) Interim program reports no more 

than 30 days after the conclusion of 

each 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. 


srobinson on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
68256 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 213 / Thursday, November 3, 2011 / Notices 

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: Elizabeth J. 

Latham, U.S. Department of State, Study 

of the U.S. Branch, ECA/A/E/USS, SA– 

5, 4th floor, 2200 C Street NW., 

Washington, DC 20037, 

LathamEJ@state.gov, (202) 632–3338. 

All correspondence with ECA 

concerning this RFGP should reference 

the above title and number ECA/A/E/ 

USS–12–22–23. 

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. 

VIII. Other Information 

Notice 

The terms and conditions published 

in this RFGP are binding and may not 

be modified by any ECA 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. Awards made will be subject to 

periodic reporting and evaluation 

requirements per section VI.3 above. 

Dated: October 27, 2011. 

J. Adam Ereli, 

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, 

Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. 

Department of State. 

[FR Doc. 2011–28426 Filed 11–2–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4710–05–P 

DEPARTMENT OF STATE 

[Public Notice: 7676] 

Culturally Significant Objects Imported 

for Exhibition Determinations: 

‘‘Shapeshifting: Transformations in 

Native American Art’’ 

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given of the 

following determinations: Pursuant to 

the authority vested in me by the Act of 

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

2459), Executive Order 12047 of March 

27, 1978, the Foreign Affairs Reform and 

Restructuring Act of 1998 (112 Stat. 

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

seq.), Delegation of Authority No. 234 of 

October 1, 1999, Delegation of Authority 

No. 236–3 of August 28, 2000 (and, as 

appropriate, Delegation of Authority No. 

257 of April 15, 2003), I hereby 

determine that the objects to be 

included in the exhibition 

‘‘Shapeshifting: Transformations in 

Native American Art,’’ imported from 

abroad for temporary exhibition within 

the United States, are of cultural 

significance. The objects are imported 

pursuant to loan agreements with the 

foreign owners or custodians. I also 

determine that the exhibition or display 

of the exhibit objects at the Peabody 

Essex Museum, Salem, MA, from on or 

about January 14, 2012, until on or 

about April 29, 2012, and at possible 

additional exhibitions or venues yet to 

be determined, is in the national 

interest. I have ordered that Public 

Notice of these Determinations be 

published in the Federal Register. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For 

further information, including a list of 

the exhibit objects, contact Julie 

Simpson, Attorney-Adviser, Office of 

the Legal Adviser, U.S. Department of 

State (telephone: (202) 632–6467). The 

mailing address is U.S. Department of 

State, SA–5, L/PD, Fifth Floor (Suite 

5H03), Washington, DC 20522–0505. 

Dated: October 28, 2011. 

J. Adam Ereli, 

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau 

of Educational and Cultural Affairs, 

Department of State. 

[FR Doc. 2011–28622 Filed 11–2–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4710–05–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Office of the Secretary 

Notice of Applications for Certificates 

of Public Convenience and Necessity 

and Foreign Air Carrier Permits Filed 

Under Subpart B (Formerly Subpart Q) 

During the Week Ending September 17, 

2011 

The following Applications for 

Certificates of Public Convenience and 

Necessity and Foreign Air Carrier 

Permits were filed under Subpart B 

(formerly Subpart Q) of the Department 

of Transportation’s Procedural 

Regulations (See 14 CFR 301.201 et 

seq.). The due date for Answers, 

Conforming Applications, or Motions to 

Modify Scope are set forth below for 

each application. Following the Answer 

period DOT may process the application 

by expedited procedures. Such 

procedures may consist of the adoption 

of a show-cause order, a tentative order, 

or in appropriate cases a final order 

without further proceedings. 

Docket Number: DOT–OST–2011– 

0172. 

Date Filed: September 13, 2011. 

Due Date for Answers, Conforming 

Applications, or Motion to Modify 

Scope: October 4, 2011. 

Description: Application of Nordic 

Global Airlines Oy d/b/a Nordic Global 

Airlines Ltd (‘‘NGA’’) requesting a 

foreign air carrier permit to the full 

extent authorized by the Air Transport 

Agreement between the United States 

and the European Community and the 

Member States of the European 

Community to enable it to engage in 

foreign air transportation of property 

and mail between any point or points in 

the United States and any point or 

points outside the United States, and 

any other transportation authorized by 

additional rights made available to 

European Community carriers in the 

future. NGA further requests exemption 

authority to enable it to provide the 

services described above pending 

issuance of a foreign air carrier permit, 

and requests such additional or other 

relief as the Department may deem 

necessary or appropriate. 

Docket Number: DOT–OST–2011– 

0174. 

Date Filed: September 15, 2011. 

Due Date for Answers, Conforming 

Applications, or Motion to Modify 

Scope: October 6, 2011. 

Description: Application of JetBlue 

Airways Corporation (‘‘JetBlue’’) 

requesting a certificate of public 

convenience and necessity and requests 

the Department to designate JetBlue to 

the Colombian government authorizing 


srobinson on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES