Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 208 / Thursday, October 28, 2010 / Notices 66413 

DEPARTMENT OF STATE 

[Public Notice 7218] 

30-Day Notice of Proposed Information 

Collection: Exchange Programs 

Alumni Web Site Registration, DS– 

7006 

ACTION: Notice of request for public 

comment and submission to OMB of 

proposed collection of information. 

SUMMARY: The Department of State has 

submitted the following information 

collection request to the Office of 

Management and Budget (OMB) for 

approval in accordance with the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. 

• Title of Information Collection: 

Exchange Programs Alumni Website 

Registration. 

• OMB Control Number: None. 

• Type of Request: Existing collection 

in use without OMB control number. 

• Originating Office: Bureau of 

Educational and Cultural Affairs, ECA– 

IIP/EX. 

• Form Number: DS–7006. 

• Respondents: Exchange program 

alumni and current participants of U.S. 

government-sponsored exchange 

programs, Americans who hosted or 

programmed an exchange participant, or 

employees of a program agency 

administering an exchange program. 

• Estimated Number of Respondents: 

15,000. 

• Estimated Number of Responses: 

15,000. 

• Average Hours per Response: 10 

minutes. 

• Total Estimated Burden: 2,500 

hours. 

• Frequency: One-time per registrant. 

• Obligation to Respond: Required to 

Obtain or Retain a Benefit. 

DATES: Submit comments to the Office 

of Management and Budget (OMB) for 

up to 30 days from October 28, 2010. 

ADDRESSES: Direct comments to the 

Department of State Desk Officer in the 

Office of Information and Regulatory 

Affairs at the Office of Management and 

Budget (OMB). You may submit 

comments by the following methods: 

• E-mail: 

oira_submission@omb.eop.gov. You 

must include the DS form number, 

information collection title, and OMB 

control number in the subject line of 

your message. 

• Fax: 202–395–5806. Attention: Desk 

Officer for Department of State. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: You 

may obtain copies of the proposed 

information collection and supporting 

documents from Michael Quizon, 

Program Analyst, ECA–IIP/EX; State 

Department; SA–5, Room 4–V01; 

Washington, DC 20522–0504, who may 

be reached on 202–632–3357 or at 

quizonmd@state.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

We are soliciting public comments to 

permit the Department to: 

• Evaluate whether the proposed 

information collection is necessary to 

properly perform our functions. 

• Evaluate the accuracy of our 

estimate of the burden of the proposed 

collection, including the validity of the 

methodology and assumptions used. 

• Enhance the quality, utility, and 

clarity of the information to be 

collected. 

• Minimize the reporting burden on 

those who are to respond. 

Abstract of Proposed Collection 

The Exchange Programs Alumni Web 

site requires information to process 

users’ voluntary requests for 

participation in the Web site. Other than 

contact information, which is required 

for website registration, all other 

information is provided on a voluntary 

basis. Participants also have the option 

of restricting access to their information. 

Respondents to this registration form 

include: U.S. government-sponsored 

exchange program participants and 

alumni, hosts, and guests. Alumni 

Affairs collects data from users to not 

only verify their status or participation 

in a program, but to also connect alumni 

with other alumni and aid embassy staff 

in their alumni outreach. 

Methodology 

Information provided for registration 

is collected electronically via the 

Alumni website, alumni.state.gov. 

Additional Information 

The registration form is dynamic, 

presenting certain questions according 

to the user type. The Exchange Programs 

Alumni Web site is also secure and 

encrypted. 

Dated: October 21, 2010. 

Julianne Paunescu, 

Acting Director, Office of Policy and 

Evaluation, Bureau of Educational and 

Cultural Affairs, Department of State. 

[FR Doc. 2010–27299 Filed 10–27–10; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4710–05–P 

DEPARTMENT OF STATE 

[Public Notice 7214] 

Bureau of Educational and Cultural 

Affairs (ECA) Request for Grant 

Proposals: FY 2012 Fulbright Scholar 

Program 

Announcement Type: New 

Cooperative Agreement. 

Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/ 

A/E–12–01. 

Catalog of Federal Domestic 

Assistance Number: 19.401. 

Key Dates: 

Application Deadline: February 18, 

2011. 

Executive Summary: The Office of 

Academic Programs, Bureau of 

Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), 

U.S. Department of State announces an 

open competition for a cooperative 

agreement to assist in the FY 2012 

administration of the worldwide 

Fulbright Scholar Program. The 

Fulbright Scholar Program is a major 

component of the overall Fulbright 

Program, which also includes the 

Fulbright Student Program. 

For more than 60 years, the Fulbright 

Scholar Program has offered awards for 

college and university faculty, as well as 

for non-academic professionals (such as 

lawyers, artists, and journalists) and 

independent scholars, to lecture and 

conduct research abroad. Tens of 

thousands of U.S. and non-U.S. scholars 

and professionals have participated in 

these exchanges since the Fulbright 

Program’s inception in 1946. 

The Fulbright Scholar Program 

currently sends approximately 1,300 

qualified U.S. scholars and 

professionals abroad to lecture, conduct 

research, and provide academic 

consulting at overseas institutions for 

long- and short-term programs. 

Conversely, the program brings 

approximately 900 visiting (non-U.S.) 

participants from approximately 150 

countries to the United States for similar 

activities. 

Responsibility for the management of 

the Fulbright Scholar Program is shared 

between the U.S. Department of State in 

Washington, DC, fifty bilateral Fulbright 

commissions, approximately 100 U.S. 

embassies overseas, and a private sector, 

cooperating agency in the United States. 

Overall policy guidelines for the 

Fulbright Scholar Program are 

determined by the Presidentially 

appointed J. William Fulbright Foreign 

Scholarship Board (FSB). 

The organization that is awarded the 

cooperative agreement under this 

competition will be responsible for 

recruitment, selection, placement, 

facilitation of enrichment activities for 


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participants, program promotion, 

disbursement of funds, and 

recordkeeping for both the U.S. and 

Visiting Fulbright Scholar Programs. 

This work will be supervised by the 

Bureau of Educational and Cultural 

Affairs of the Department of State. 

I. Funding Opportunity Description 

Authority 

Overall grant making authority for 

this program is contained in the Mutual 

Educational and Cultural Exchange Act 

of 1961, Public Law 87–256, as 

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

enable the Government of the United 

States to increase mutual understanding 

between the people of the United States 

and the people of other countries * * *; 

to strengthen the ties which unite us 

with other nations by demonstrating the 

educational and cultural interests, 

developments, and achievements of the 

people of the United States and other 

nations * * * and thus to assist in the 

development of friendly, sympathetic 

and peaceful relations between the 

United States and the other countries of 

the world.’’ The funding authority for 

the program above is provided through 

legislation. The Fulbright Program also 

receives significant annual funding and 

other support from partner governments 

and private donors worldwide. 

The Bureau of Educational and 

Cultural Affairs, as sponsor and 

manager of the Fulbright Scholar 

Program, plays a significant role in the 

planning and implementation of all 

program initiatives, publicity, 

promotion, and enrichment activities, as 

well as liaison with overseas field 

partners. The Bureau will work closely 

with the recipient organization on 

participant selection procedures, 

development of selection panels, and 

stipend and benefit issues. Regular 

ongoing contacts with Bureau managers 

will be required throughout the program 

year. Through this Request for Grant 

Proposals (RFGP), the Department seeks 

new ideas to develop effective responses 

to changing recruitment conditions, to 

improve the outreach of the program in 

the U.S. and overseas, and to introduce 

new models for scholarly exchange. 

Purpose 

The Department of State will provide 

funding to the successful applicant 

organization to assist in the 

administration of both the U.S. and 

Visiting Fulbright Scholar Program. 

The Fulbright Program was created by 

the U.S. Congress at the end of the 

World War II to provide the opportunity 

for future leaders to observe and better 

comprehend the political, economic, 

and cultural institutions and societies of 

other countries and people. In the 

intervening years, the Fulbright Program 

has evolved into the premier 

educational exchange program 

sponsored by the people of the United 

States through their federal government, 

and an important element in the 

conduct of U.S. foreign affairs. The 

Fulbright Program, which now extends 

to more than 150 foreign countries and 

involves approximately 8,000 

participants per year, has helped to form 

and inform tens of thousands of the 

world’s leaders in every academic and 

professional field. 

The Scholar portion of the Fulbright 

Program will engage approximately 

2,400 scholars and professionals in FY 

2012. 

The hallmark of the Fulbright 

Program is binationalism. The United 

States Government and foreign 

governments, educational institutions 

and other public and private entities are 

all partners in this enterprise. In many 

countries of the world, financial 

contributions from governments or 

public/private sources match or exceed 

those of the United States. Because of its 

binational nature, the profile of the 

Fulbright Program worldwide reflects a 

range of objectives and interests. 

Under the auspices of the J. William 

Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board, 

approximately 800 U.S. citizens are 

awarded one or two semester Fulbright 

Scholar grants each year through a 

merit-based, competitive process, to 

teach undergraduate or graduate courses 

at host universities overseas, collaborate 

with foreign colleagues on projects, 

pursue individual research, conduct 

seminars, consult with foreign 

government ministries and educational 

institutions, advise on curriculum 

development and guest lecture at 

foreign universities other than their host 

institutions. 

All grant opportunities are 

determined overseas by binational 

Fulbright commissions and U.S. 

embassies in coordination with the 

Department of State’s Bureau of 

Educational and Cultural Affairs in 

Washington, DC. The cooperative 

organization administering the Fulbright 

Scholar Program is responsible for 

advertising and recruiting applicants in 

the U.S. and for managing an academic 

peer review process to recommend 

candidates for participation in the 

program. 

Similarly, approximately 900 foreign 

scholars and professionals receive 

grants each year for research, teaching, 

guest lecturing and academic consulting 

in the United States. These participants 

are chosen through open, merit-based 

competitions in each country, which are 

conducted by a bilateral Fulbright 

commission or, in the absence of a 

commission, by a U.S. embassy. 

Additionally, the Fulbright Scholar 

Program offers a range of activities in 

response to changing conditions and 

requirements within the U.S. academic 

community and varying circumstances 

and emerging needs in overseas 

academic environments. The 

cooperating organization should be 

prepared to offer expertise, intellectual 

input and creative thinking on current 

research, pedagogical, administrative, 

institutional, and other academic issues 

and concerns to promote the relevance, 

quality and effectiveness of the 

Fulbright Scholar Program in the U.S. 

and abroad. The cooperating 

organization should be prepared to 

advise the Bureau on international 

higher education policy issues that are 

addressed by the Bureau in Fulbright 

and other contexts. 

While maintaining its core long-term 

activities, the program now includes 

shorter-term grant opportunities for both 

U.S. and foreign scholars, new 

opportunities for collaborative research 

and support for follow-on activities to 

build lasting links between U.S. and 

foreign academic institutions. These 

initiatives have made the Scholar 

program more responsive to academic 

environments and more relevant in 

supporting long-term U.S. national 

interests as well as world-wide 

concerns. The Department continues to 

seek new program models that respond 

to changing circumstances in the U.S. 

and overseas. The cooperating 

organization will need to demonstrate 

flexibility to respond quickly to 

changing priorities and global 

circumstances when administering and 

developing programs. 

The Fulbright Specialist Program 

provides short-term (two to six weeks) 

opportunities for up to 500 U.S. 

academic specialists annually to work 

with overseas, post-secondary 

institutions on projects ranging from 

lecturing and participation in teaching 

seminars to collaboration on curriculum 

and course design. 

Through the Scholar-in-Residence 

component of the Fulbright program, 

the Bureau brings foreign scholars and 

professionals for an academic semester 

or academic year to U.S. campuses that 

do not often house foreign scholars. 

These campuses are selected through a 

competition managed by the 

cooperating agency. 

The Bureau sponsors collaborative 

research through the global New 

Century Scholars Program and 


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comparable regional research programs, 

involving approximately 30 U.S. and 

foreign scholars working in thematically 

based cohorts for approximately one 

year. 

These programs require close 

collaboration between the Bureau, the 

cooperating agency in the U.S., 

Fulbright commissions and U.S. 

embassies overseas. Based on this 

program’s direct relevance to current 

world issues, the cooperating 

organization is expected to provide 

expertise on how academic research 

collaboration can most effectively 

address international policy issues and 

encourage academic and other private 

sector involvement and support to 

supplement government funds. 

The cooperating agency will also be 

responsible for other special projects as 

directed by the Office of Academic 

Exchange Programs, Bureau of 

Educational and Cultural Affairs of 

Department of State, including seminars 

for Community College and 

International Education Administrators, 

and other professional development 

opportunities for groups of scholars 

from selected countries. 

The Bureau welcomes proposals from 

applicant organizations proposing 

additional new scholarly exchange 

activities consistent with Fulbright 

principles that are relevant to changing 

circumstances in the global academic 

community. 

In FY 2012, the Bureau of Educational 

and Cultural Affairs will continue to 

seek to strengthen exchanges in parts of 

the world which have been underrepresented in academic exchange 

programs. The Bureau seeks innovative 

recruitment approaches and creative 

strategies to attract U.S. Scholars to 

these regions. 

In a cooperative agreement, ECA/A/E 

is substantially involved in program 

activities above and beyond routine 

monitoring. ECA activities and 

responsibilities for this program are as 

follows: 

• Participating in the design and 

direction of program activities; 

• Approving of key personnel; 

• Approving and providing input on 

program timelines, agendas and 

administrative procedures; 

• Providing guidance in execution of 

all program components; 

• Reviewing and approving all 

program publicity and recruitment 

materials; 

• Providing approval of participating 

scholars, in cooperation with Fulbright 

commissions and U.S. embassies, 

subject to final selection by the 

Fulbright Board; 

• Providing approval of changes to 

scholars proposed field, program, or 

institution; 

• Providing approval of decisions 

related to special circumstances or 

problems throughout the duration of 

program; 

• Assisting with non-immigration 

status and other SEVIS-related issues; 

• Assisting with participant 

emergencies; 

• Providing liaison with relevant U.S. 

embassies, 

• Fulbright commissions and country 

desk officers at the State Department. 

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: 2012. 

Approximate Total Funding: 

$7,800,000. 

Approximate Number of Awards: 

One. 

Approximate Average Award: 

$7,800,000. 

Floor of Award Range: $7,800,000. 

Ceiling of Award Range: $7,800,000. 

Anticipated Award Date: Pending 

availability of funds, October 1, 2011. 

Anticipated Project Completion Date: 

September 30, 2015. 

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 at least four 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 USC 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. The 

successful recipient organization will be 

expected to continue to provide costsharing in future renewal applications at 

levels comparable to those provided in 

the initial competition. 

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 $7,800,000 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 

technical eligibility requirements 

specified in the Proposal Submission 

Instructions (PSI) and the Project 

Objectives, Goals, and Implementation 

(POGI) document. Failure to do so will 

result in your proposal being declared 

technically ineligible and given no 

further consideration in the review 

process. 

IV. Application and Submission 

Information 

Note: Please read the complete 

announcement before sending inquiries or 

submitting proposals. Once the RFGP 

deadline has passed, Bureau staff may not 

discuss this competition with applicants 

until the proposal review process has been 

completed. 

IV.1 Contact Information To Request an 

Application Package 

Please contact the Office of Academic 

Exchange Programs, ECA/A/E, SA–5, 

4th Floor, U.S. Department of State, 

2200 C Street, NW., Washington, DC 

20037, telephone (202) 632–3233, fax 

(202) 632–6490 to request a Solicitation 

Package. Please refer to the Funding 


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Opportunity Number ECA/A/E–12–01 

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 Ms. Michelle Johnson 

and refer to the Funding Opportunity 

Number ECA/A/E–12–01 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. You must have nonprofit status 

with the IRS at the time of application. 

Please note: Effective January 7, 2009, 

all applicants for ECA federal assistance 

awards must include in their 

application the names of directors and/ 

or senior executives (current officers, 

trustees, and key employees, regardless 

of amount of compensation). In 

fulfilling this requirement, applicants 

must submit information in one of the 

following ways: 

(1) Those who file Internal Revenue 

Service Form 990, ‘‘Return of 

Organization Exempt From Income 

Tax,’’ must include a copy of relevant 

portions of this form. 

(2) Those who do not file IRS Form 

990 must submit information above in 

the format of their choice. 

In addition to final program reporting 

requirements, award recipients will also 

be required to submit a one-page 

document, derived from their program 

reports, listing and describing their 

grant activities. For award recipients, 

the names of directors and/or senior 

executives (current officers, trustees, 

and key employees), as well as the onepage description of grant activities, will 

be transmitted by the State Department 

to OMB, along with other information 

required by the Federal Funding 

Accountability and Transparency Act 

(FFATA), and will be made available to 

the public by the Office of Management 

and Budget on its USASpending.gov 

Web site as part of ECA’s FFATA 

reporting requirements. 

If your organization is a private 

nonprofit which has not received a grant 

or cooperative agreement from ECA in 

the past three years, or if your 

organization received nonprofit status 

from the IRS within the past four years, 

you must submit the necessary 

documentation to verify nonprofit status 

as directed in the PSI document. Failure 

to do so will cause your proposal to be 

declared technically ineligible. 

IV.3d. Please take into consideration 

the following information when 

preparing your proposal narrative: 

IV.3d.1 Adherence to all regulations 

governing the J visa. The Bureau of 

Educational and Cultural Affairs places 

critically important emphases on the 

security and proper administration of 

the Exchange Visitor (J visa) Programs 

and adherence by award recipients and 

sponsors to all regulations governing the 

J visa. Therefore, proposals should 

demonstrate the applicant’s capacity to 

meet all requirements governing the 

administration of the Exchange Visitor 

Programs as set forth in 22 CFR part 62, 

including the oversight of Responsible 

Officers and Alternate Responsible 

Officers, screening and selection of 

program participants, provision of prearrival information and orientation to 

participants, monitoring of participants, 

proper maintenance and security of 

forms, record-keeping, reporting and 

other requirements. 

The award recipient 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. 

Please refer to Solicitation Package for 

further information. 

IV.3d.2 Diversity, Freedom and 

Democracy Guidelines. Pursuant to the 

Bureau’s authorizing legislation, 

programs must maintain a non-political 

character and should be balanced and 

representative of the diversity of 

American political, social, and cultural 

life. ‘‘Diversity’’ should be interpreted in 

the broadest sense and encompass 

differences including, but not limited to 

ethnicity, race, gender, religion, 

geographic location, socio-economic 

status, and disabilities. Applicants are 

strongly encouraged to adhere to the 

advancement of this principle both in 

program administration and in program 

content. 

Please refer to the review criteria 

under the ‘Support for Diversity’ section 

for specific suggestions on incorporating 

diversity into your proposal. Public Law 

104–319 provides that ‘‘in carrying out 

programs of educational and cultural 

exchange in countries whose people do 

not fully enjoy freedom and 

democracy,’’ the Bureau ‘‘shall take 

appropriate steps to provide 

opportunities for participation in such 

programs to human rights and 

democracy leaders of such countries.’’ 

Public Law 106–113 requires that the 

governments of the countries described 

above do not have inappropriate 

influence in the selection process. 

Proposals should reflect advancement of 

these goals in their program contents, to 

the full extent deemed feasible. 

IV.3d.3. Program Monitoring and 

Evaluation. Proposals must include a 

plan to monitor and evaluate the 

project’s success, both as the activities 

unfold and at the end of the program. 

The Bureau recommends that your 

proposal include a draft survey 

questionnaire or other technique plus a 

description of a methodology to use to 

link outcomes to original project 

objectives. The Bureau expects that the 

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, 


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changes in behavior as a result of the 

program, and effects of the program on 

institutions (institutions in which 

participants work or partner 

institutions). The evaluation plan 

should include indicators that measure 

gains in mutual understanding as well 

as substantive knowledge. 

Successful monitoring and evaluation 

depend heavily on setting clear goals 

and outcomes at the outset of a program. 

Your evaluation plan should include a 

description of your project’s objectives, 

your anticipated project outcomes, and 

how and when you intend to measure 

these outcomes (performance 

indicators). The more that outcomes are 

‘‘smart’’ (specific, measurable, attainable, 

results-oriented, and placed in a 

reasonable time frame), the easier it will 

be to conduct the evaluation. You 

should also show how your project 

objectives link to the goals of the 

program described in this RFGP. 

Your monitoring and evaluation plan 

should clearly distinguish between 

program outputs and outcomes. Outputs 

are products and services delivered, 

often stated as an amount. Output 

information is important to show the 

scope or size of project activities, but it 

cannot substitute for information about 

progress towards outcomes or the 

results achieved. Examples of outputs 

include the number of people trained or 

the number of seminars conducted. 

Outcomes, in contrast, represent 

specific results a project is intended to 

achieve and is usually measured as an 

extent of change. Findings on outputs 

and outcomes should both be reported, 

but the focus should be on outcomes. 

We encourage you to assess the 

following four levels of outcomes, as 

they relate to the program goals set out 

in the RFGP (listed here in increasing 

order of importance): 

1. Participant satisfaction with the 

program and exchange experience. 

2. Participant learning, such as 

increased knowledge, aptitude, skills, 

and changed understanding and 

attitude. Learning includes both 

substantive (subject-specific) learning 

and mutual understanding. 

3. Participant behavior, concrete 

actions to apply knowledge in work or 

community; greater participation and 

responsibility in civic organizations; 

interpretation and explanation of 

experiences and new knowledge gained; 

continued contacts between 

participants, community members, and 

others. 

4. Institutional changes, such as 

increased collaboration and 

partnerships, policy reforms, new 

programming, and organizational 

improvements. 

Please note: Consideration should be given 

to the appropriate timing of data collection 

for each level of outcome. For example, 

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

institutional changes are normally 

considered longer-term outcomes. 

Overall, the quality of your 

monitoring and evaluation plan will be 

judged on how well it (1) specifies 

intended outcomes; (2) gives clear 

descriptions of how each outcome will 

be measured; (3) identifies when 

particular outcomes will be measured; 

and (4) provides a clear description of 

the data collection strategies for each 

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

focus groups). (Please note that 

evaluation plans that deal only with the 

first level of outcomes [satisfaction] will 

be deemed less competitive under the 

present evaluation criteria.) 

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.3d.4. Describe your plans for: i.e. 

sustainability, overall program 

management, staffing, coordination with 

ECA and PAS or any other requirements 

etc. 

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. Depending on the availability 

of funds, up to $7,800,000 in U.S. 

Government funding will be available to 

support the administration of the 

Fulbright Scholar Program worldwide in 

FY 2012. In addition, a program budget 

totaling approximately $45,000,000 for 

the global Fulbright Scholar Program 

will be transferred to the recipient 

organization at regular intervals to cover 

individual participant costs. There must 

be a summary budget as well as 

breakdowns reflecting administrative 

budget categories. 

IV.3e.2. Allowable costs for the 

program include the following: 

(1) staff salaries and benefits; 

(2) rent, furniture, and equipment; 

(3) travel; 

(4) communications, printing, and 

publishing; 

(5) and other fees associated with the 

normal administration of exchange 

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: February 

18, 2011 

Reference Number: ECA/A/E–12–01 

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 

(2.) Express, or U.S. Postal Service 

Express Overnight Mail, etc.), or 

(3.) 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/A/E–12–01, 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 


emcdonald on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with NOTICES
66418 Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 208 / Thursday, October 28, 2010 / Notices 

(http://www.grants.gov). Complete 

solicitation packages are available at 

Grants.gov in the ‘‘Find’’ portion of the 

system. 

Please Note: ECA bears no responsibility 

for applicant timeliness of submission or data 

errors resulting from transmission or 

conversion processes for proposals submitted 

via Grants.gov. 

Please follow the instructions 

available in the ‘Get Started’ portion of 

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

GetStarted). 

Several of the steps in the Grants.gov 

registration process could take several 

weeks. Therefore, applicants should 

check with appropriate staff within their 

organizations immediately after 

reviewing this RFGP to confirm or 

determine their registration status with 

Grants.gov. 

Once registered, the amount of time it 

can take to upload an application will 

vary depending on a variety of factors 

including the size of the application and 

the speed of your internet connection. 

In addition, validation of an electronic 

submission via Grants.gov can take up 

to two business days. 

Therefore, we strongly recommend 

that you not wait until the application 

deadline to begin the submission 

process through Grants.gov. 

The Grants.gov Web site includes 

extensive information on all phases/ 

aspects of the Grants.gov process, 

including an extensive section on 

frequently asked questions, located 

under the ‘‘For Applicants’’ section of 

the Web site. ECA strongly recommends 

that all potential applicants review 

thoroughly the Grants.gov Web site, 

well in advance of submitting a 

proposal through the Grants.gov system. 

ECA bears no responsibility for data 

errors resulting from transmission or 

conversion processes. 

Direct all questions regarding 

Grants.gov registration and submission 

to: Grants.gov Customer Support, 

Contact Center Phone: 800–518–4726, 

Business Hours: Monday–Friday, 7 

a.m.–9 p.m. Eastern Time, 

E-mail: support@grants.gov. 

Applicants have until midnight (12 

a.m.), Washington, DC time of the 

closing date to ensure that their entire 

application has been uploaded to the 

Grants.gov site. There are no exceptions 

to the above deadline. Applications 

uploaded to the site after midnight of 

the application deadline date will be 

automatically rejected by the grants.gov 

system, and will be technically 

ineligible. 

Please refer to the Grants.gov Web 

site, for definitions of various 

‘‘application statuses’’ and the difference 

between a submission receipt and a 

submission validation. Applicants will 

receive a validation e-mail from 

grants.gov upon the successful 

submission of an application. Again, 

validation of an electronic submission 

via Grants.gov can take up to two 

business days. Therefore, we strongly 

recommend that you not wait until the 

application deadline to begin the 

submission process through Grants.gov. 

ECA will not notify you upon receipt of 

electronic applications. 

It is the responsibility of all 

applicants submitting proposals via the 

Grants.gov web portal to ensure that 

proposals have been received by 

Grants.gov in their entirety, and ECA 

bears no responsibility for data errors 

resulting from transmission or 

conversion processes. 

Optional—IV.3f.3 You may also state 

here any limitations on the number of 

applications that an applicant may 

submit and make it clear whether the 

limitation is on the submitting 

organization, individual program 

director or both. 

IV.3g. Intergovernmental Review of 

Applications: Executive Order 12372 

does not apply to this program. 

V. Application Review Information 

V.1. Review Process 

The Bureau will review all proposals 

for technical eligibility. Proposals will 

be deemed ineligible if they do not fully 

adhere to the guidelines stated herein 

and in the Solicitation Package. All 

eligible proposals will be reviewed by 

the program office, as well as the Public 

Diplomacy section overseas, where 

appropriate. Eligible proposals will be 

subject to compliance with Federal and 

Bureau regulations and guidelines and 

forwarded to Bureau grant panels for 

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. Program planning: Detailed agenda 

and relevant work plan should 

demonstrate substantive undertakings 

and logistical capacity. Agenda and plan 

should adhere to the program overview 

and guidelines described above. 

2. Ability to achieve program 

objectives: Objectives should be 

reasonable, feasible, and flexible. 

Proposals should clearly demonstrate 

how the applicant will meet the 

program’s objectives and plans, while 

demonstrating innovation and a 

commitment to academic excellence. 

Proposals should demonstrate a 

capacity for flexibility in the 

management of the program. 

3. Support of Diversity: Proposals 

should demonstrate the recipient’s 

commitment to promoting the 

awareness and understanding of 

diversity. 

4. Institutional Capacity: Proposed 

personnel and institutional resources 

should be adequate and appropriate to 

achieve Fulbright Scholar Program goals 

in all respects. Applicants should 

demonstrate well-established links to 

the scholarly and professional 

community in the U.S. and knowledge 

of other educational environments as 

they apply to academic and professional 

exchange programs. 

5. Institution’s 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 Bureau awards 

(grants or cooperative agreements) as 

determined by the Bureau’s Office of 

Contracts. The Bureau will consider the 

past performance of prior recipients and 

the demonstrated potential of new 

applicants. 

6. Project Evaluation: Proposals 

should include a plan to evaluate the 

activity’s success, both as the activities 

unfold and at the end of the program. 

The Bureau recommends that the 

proposal include a draft survey 

questionnaire or other technique plus 

description of a methodology to use to 

link outcomes to original project 

objectives. Award-receiving 

organizations/institutions will be 

expected to submit intermediate reports 

after each project component is 

concluded or quarterly, whichever is 

less frequent. 

7. Cost-effectiveness and 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. 

The proposal should maximize costsharing through other private sector 

support as well as institutional direct 

funding contributions. 


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Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 208 / Thursday, October 28, 2010 / Notices 66419 

VI. Award Administration Information 

VI.1a. Award Notices 

Final awards cannot be made until 

funds have been appropriated by 

Congress, allocated and committed 

through internal Bureau procedures. 

Successful applicants will receive an 

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. 

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 

Donna Ives, Branch Chief for Middle East 

Programs, 202–632–6050 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: 

A final program and financial report 

no more than 90 days after the 

expiration of the award; 

(1.) 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. 

(2.) A SF–PPR, ‘‘Performance Progress 

Report’’ Cover Sheet with all program 

reports. 

(3.) Additional reporting requirements 

as outlined in the POGI document. 

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: Michelle 

Johnson, U.S. Department of State, 

Office of Academic Exchange Programs, 

ECA/A/E, SA–5, 4th Floor, 2200 C 

Street, NW., Washington, DC 20037, tel. 

(202) 632–3233 and fax (202) 632–6490, 

JohnsonML3@state.gov. 

All correspondence with the Bureau 

concerning this RFGP should reference 

the above title and number ECA/A/E– 

12–01. 

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 21, 2010. 

Ann Stock, 

Assistant Secretary for Educational and 

Cultural Affairs, Department of State. 

[FR Doc. 2010–27301 Filed 10–27–10; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4710–05–P 

DEPARTMENT OF STATE 

[Public Notice 7217] 

Culturally Significant Objects Imported 

for Exhibition Determinations: ‘‘Object 

of Devotion: Medieval English 

Alabaster Sculpture From the Victoria 

and Albert Museum’’ 

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, and Delegation of 

Authority No. 236–3 of August 28, 2000, 

I hereby determine that the objects to be 

included in the exhibition ‘‘Object of 

Devotion: Medieval English Alabaster 

Sculpture from the Victoria and Albert 

Museum,’’ 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 Society of the Four Arts, 

Palm Beach, FL, from on or about 

December 2, 2010, until on or about 

January 16, 2011; at Bowdoin College 

Museum of Art, Brunswick, ME, from 

on or about February 5 until on or about 

May 15, 2011; at Tyler Museum of Art, 

Tyler, TX, from on or about September 

3 until on or about November 13, 2011; 

at Princeton University Art Museum, 

Princeton, NJ, from on or about 

December 3, 2011, until on or about 

February 12, 2012; at Kalamazoo 

Institute of Arts, Kalamazoo, MI, from 

on or about March 3, until on or about 

May 13, 2012; and at Museum of Art, 


emcdonald on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with NOTICES