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[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 9 (Thursday, January 13, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2432-2438]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-499]

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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 7295]

Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for 
Grant Proposals: FY2012 Humphrey Fellowship Program

    Announcement Type: New Cooperative Agreement.
    Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/A/S/U-12-01.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 19.010.

    Application Deadline: April 4, 2011.
    Executive Summary: The U.S. Department of State's Bureau of 
Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) announces an open competition to 
assist in the administration of the FY2012 Hubert H. Humphrey 
Fellowship Program. Public and private non-profit organizations meeting 
the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code section 26 U.S.C. 
501(c)(3) may submit proposals to cooperate with the Bureau in the 
administration and implementation of the FY2012 Humphrey Program. The 
final amount that will be available in FY2012 to fund the Humphrey 
Program has not yet been determined. Applicants are asked to prepare a 
budget not to exceed $13,500,000 for program and administrative costs. 
Please indicate the number of participants who can be accommodated 
based on detailed calculations of program and administrative costs. For 
more information about calculating budget requests, see paragraph 
IV.3.e.1 of this document. Pending the availability of FY2012 funds, 
the Agreement should begin on October 1, 2011 and should expire on 
September 30, 2014.

I. Funding Opportunity Description

Authority

    Overall grant making authority for this program is contained in the 
Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961, Public Law 87-
256, as amended, also known as the Fulbright-Hays Act. The purpose of 
the Act is ``to enable the Government of the United States to increase 
mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the 
people of other countries * * *; to strengthen the ties which unite us 
with other nations by demonstrating the educational and cultural 
interests, developments, and achievements of the people of the United 
States and other nations * * * and thus to assist in the development of 
friendly, sympathetic and peaceful relations between the United States 
and the other countries of the world.'' The funding authority for the 
program above is provided through legislation.

Purpose

    Overview: The Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program was established 
in 1978. The goal of the Humphrey Program is to strengthen U.S. 
interaction with professionals from developing and emerging countries 
who are well placed to address their countries' development needs in 
key areas including public health, sustainable growth, and democratic 
institution-building, while providing participants with opportunities 
to develop professional expertise and leadership skills for public 
service in their countries. Each year the Humphrey Program brings 
accomplished professionals from North Africa and the Middle East, Sub-
Saharan Africa, East Asia and the Pacific, South and Central Asia, 
Latin America, the Caribbean, Eastern Europe, and Eurasia to the U.S. 
for a ten-month stay combining non-degree graduate study, leadership 
training, and professional development. Candidates for the Humphrey 
Program are nominated by U.S. Embassies or binational Fulbright 
Commissions, based on the candidates' professional backgrounds, 
academic qualifications, and leadership potential. By providing these 
emerging leaders with opportunities to understand U.S. society and 
culture and to participate with U.S. colleagues in current approaches 
to the fields in which they work, the Humphrey Program provides a basis 
for on-going cooperation between U.S. citizens and their professional 
counterparts in other countries.
    Fellowships are granted competitively to candidates who have a 
public service orientation, a commitment to their

[[Page 2433]]

countries' development, and clear leadership potential. Candidates are 
recruited from both the public and the private sectors, including non-
governmental organizations, in areas that include the following: 
Agricultural and rural development; communications/journalism; economic 
development; educational administration, planning, and policy; finance 
and banking; higher education administration; HIV/AIDS policy, 
prevention, and treatment; human resource management; law and human 
rights; natural resource management, environmental policy, and climate 
change; public health policy and management; public policy analysis and 
public administration; substance abuse education, treatment, and 
prevention; teaching of English as a foreign language; technology 
policy and management; trafficking in persons policy and prevention; 
and urban and regional planning. Humphrey Fellows typically range in 
age from the late 20's to the mid-50's; are professionals in leadership 
positions who have the requisite experience, skills, and commitment to 
public service to advance in their professions; have a minimum of five 
years of professional experience; and have an interest in policy 
issues. English speaking ability is required; to enable the Program to 
accommodate qualified candidates from under-represented populations, up 
to 6 months of intensive English instruction is offered in the U.S. to 
selected Fellows prior to the start of the academic-year program. 
Outreach to under-represented populations is a major priority of the 
Bureau, and in recent years more than half of the incoming Humphrey 
Fellows have undertaken some pre-academic English training.
    Seventeen universities are currently serving as Humphrey host 
institutions: American University (law and human rights); Arizona State 
University (journalism); Boston University (finance and banking); 
Cornell University (agricultural and rural development and natural 
resource management, environmental policy, and climate change); Emory 
University (public health); Johns Hopkins University (substance abuse 
prevention and treatment); the Massachusetts Institute of Technology 
(urban/regional planning); Michigan State University (economic 
development); Pennsylvania State University (education); Syracuse 
University (public administration); Tulane University (public health); 
the University of California, Davis (agricultural and rural development 
and natural resource management, environmental policy, and climate 
change); the University of Maryland, College Park (journalism); the 
University of Minnesota (two cohorts, one in law and human rights and 
one in public administration); the University of Washington (public 
administration); Vanderbilt University (education); and Virginia 
Commonwealth University (substance abuse prevention and treatment). 
These institutions are selected to host groups of Humphrey Fellows 
through a competitive process coordinated by the recipient in 
consultation with the Bureau. Fellows are placed at one of these 
Humphrey host institutions in multi-regional professional clusters of 
approximately ten to fifteen Fellows (e.g., twelve Fellows in law and 
human rights from twelve different countries would be placed at one 
university that has applied and been approved to host Fellows in this 
field). Each field of study is openly competed every five years, a 
cycle which results in one or two fields of study being openly competed 
in any given year. The schedule for host campus competitions is 
provided in the Project Objectives, Goals, and Implementation (POGI) 
document for this solicitation. The recipient will initially be 
expected to establish cooperative arrangements with the current host 
universities for one year. However, proposals should include a strategy 
for evaluating host campus performance over the course of the year and 
for organizing and administering a competition to obtain and review 
applications from a diverse range of institutions to serve as host 
universities in the fields of study scheduled to be competed in FY2012.
    To provide a more diverse U.S. experience for the Humphrey Fellows 
and to engage a more diverse range of communities in the United States 
in international exchange programs sponsored by the Department of 
State, ``associate campuses'' that might not otherwise have the 
capacity for graduate-level international programming (including 
community colleges and rural or minority-serving institutions) now 
cooperate with Humphrey host universities to engage Humphrey Fellows 
substantively in projects and events at the associate campuses. The 
plans for host university competitions should include a requirement 
that all applicant universities include an associate campus component 
in their proposals.
    Proposals must conform with the Bureau requirements and guidelines 
outlined in the Solicitation Package, which includes this document (the 
Request for Grant Proposals, or RFGP); the Project Objectives, Goals 
and Implementation (POGI); and the Proposal Submission Instructions 
(PSI).
    The Bureau will work cooperatively and closely with the recipient 
of this Cooperative Agreement and will maintain a regular dialogue on 
administrative and program issues and questions as they arise over the 
duration of the award.
    Contingent upon satisfactory performance based on annual reviews 
and availability of funds in subsequent fiscal years, the Bureau 
intends to renew this award each year for four additional years, before 
openly competing it again.

Guidelines

Program Planning and Implementation
    Applicant organizations are requested to submit a narrative 
outlining a comprehensive strategy for the administration and program 
implementation of the Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program including 
preparation of participant recruitment guidelines, coordination with 
U.S. Embassies and binational Fulbright Commissions, selection and 
placement of participants at host universities, monitoring the Fellows' 
academic and professional programs, and alumni support. In addition, 
applicant organizations should outline a plan for a range of 
enhancement activities that will reinforce one another and build on the 
core academic and professional program. These activities must include, 
but are not limited to, a fall program-wide seminar in Washington, DC, 
professional enhancement workshops on specific topics for those Fellows 
who share an interest in the topics (for example, sustainable use of 
resources, climate change, food security, international finance, or 
conflict resolution), and an end-of-year program-wide workshop focusing 
on issues related to re-entering the home country environment and to 
implementing the skills and knowledge gained during the Humphrey year. 
The comprehensive program strategy should reflect a vision for the 
Program as a whole, interpreting the goals of the Humphrey Program with 
creativity and providing innovative ideas and recommendations for the 
Program. The strategy should include a description of how the various 
components of the Program will be integrated to build upon and 
reinforce one another. For example, workshops or seminars should build 
on the campus-based academic and professional program in support of the 
Humphrey Program's goal of enabling the Fellows to develop leadership 
skills in public service.

[[Page 2434]]

Applicants should propose a theme for the program-wide seminar and 
identify by name potential speakers who will stimulate the Fellows to 
engage in discussions with the speakers and one another in ways that 
are consistent with the seminar's objectives and the Program's goals.
    Applicants should describe how they will provide periodic 
electronic data uploads for the Bureau's participant database, and how 
they will ensure that these updates are accurate. Please describe a 
strategy for maintaining a Humphrey Program Web site and for updating 
it periodically so that Fellows' achievements and statements, listings 
of eligible countries, Embassy and Fulbright Commission contacts, and 
the listing of host universities are current and complete. Applicants 
should also be prepared to collaborate with the Bureau to create and 
maintain a Humphrey-specific section of the ECA alumni Web site and 
help promote this Web site to alumni as well as current participants.
    Pending availability of funds, this award should begin on October 
1, 2011 and will run through September 30, 2014. This award would 
include both the administrative and program portions of the Hubert H. 
Humphrey Fellowship Program such as: The selection and placement of the 
2012-2013 class of Fellows and the monitoring of their programs; the 
administration of creative programs of follow-up support and 
coordination with Humphrey alumni from all classes in coordination with 
the Bureau's comprehensive alumni outreach efforts; and the 
administration and implementation of enhancement activities for the 
2012-2013 class such as workshops, seminars, or other activities to be 
proposed by the applicant organizations.
    Funding for administrative expenses under this award, such as 
salaries and benefits, staff travel, office supplies, postage, 
communications, and indirect costs will cover only the period October 
1, 2011 through September 30, 2012.
    Funding for program expenses will cover programmatic needs for the 
2012-2013 class of Humphrey Fellows throughout the entire Agreement 
period (October 1, 2011 through September 30, 2014) according to the 
work plan approved in the final Cooperative Agreement.
    Alumni activities should address the following ECA alumni program 
goals: To foster U.S. diplomatic mission engagement with exchange 
alumni; to foster alumni implementation and teaching of the concepts 
they explored during their exchange programs; to provide training that 
will foster the ability of alumni to share and implement these 
concepts; and to participate in long-term evaluations of the Humphrey 
Program. Alumni programming may include, but is not limited to, 
activities such as workshops allowing alumni to share their knowledge 
with the public, including youth; activities fostering community 
service, or small grants competitions.
    A separate Agreement with the current recipient will cover 
administrative implementation of the program for academic year 2011-
2012 Humphrey Fellows until the conclusion of their U.S. program in the 
late spring of 2012. For the FY2012 Cooperative Agreement, which this 
announcement covers, the recipient will have responsibility for 
selection, placement, and program implementation for the academic year 
2012-2013 Fellows and for alumni programming for all program alumni. In 
FY2012 and subsequent years, if the award is renewed, the recipient 
would additionally be responsible for overseeing the programs of the 
Fellows who will be in the U.S. in subsequent years (for example, the 
programs of academic year 2013-2014 Fellows in FY2013).
    Please refer to the POGI for specific program and budget 
guidelines.
    In a Cooperative Agreement, ECA/A/S/U is substantially involved in 
program activities above and beyond routine grant monitoring. ECA/A/S/U 
will consult frequently with the recipient on details of program 
implementation as illustrated in the list below of items for which 
program office consultation and approval is required. ECA/A/S/U 
activities and responsibilities for this program are as follows:
     Specific plans for enhancement activities such as 
workshops, seminars, and retreats including themes, agendas, and 
speakers;
     Texts for publication;
     Candidate Review Committee members;
     Co-funding initiatives;
     Alumni conference plans and other alumni support 
initiatives;
     Recommendations of the host campus selection committee;
     Associate host campus partnerships;
     Country eligibility and nomination quotas;
     Formulation of program policy;
     Assignment of recommended candidates to principal or 
alternate status;
     Program evaluation activities.

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: $13.5 million.
    Approximate Number of Awards: 1.
    Approximate Average Award: Pending availability of funds, $13.5 
million.
    Anticipated Award Date: Pending availability of funds, October 1, 
2011.
    Anticipated Project Completion Date: September 30, 2014.

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 award each year for 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 U.S.C. 501(c)(3).
    III.2. Cost Sharing or Matching Funds: There is no minimum or 
maximum percentage required for this competition. However, the Bureau 
encourages applicants to provide maximum levels of cost sharing and 
funding in support of its programs.
    When cost sharing is offered, it is understood and agreed that the 
applicant must provide the amount of cost sharing as stipulated in its 
proposal and later included in an approved grant agreement. Cost 
sharing may be in the form of allowable direct or indirect costs. For 
accountability, you must maintain written records to support all costs 
which are claimed as your contribution, as well as costs to be paid by 
the Federal government. Such records are subject to audit. The basis 
for determining the value of cash and in-kind contributions must be in 
accordance with OMB Circular A-110, (Revised), Subpart C.23--Cost 
Sharing and Matching. In the event you do not provide the minimum 
amount of cost sharing as stipulated in the approved budget, ECA's 
contribution will be reduced in like proportion.
    III.3. Other Eligibility Requirements:
    (a.) Bureau grant guidelines require that organizations with less 
than four years experience in conducting international exchanges be 
limited to $60,000 in Bureau funding. ECA anticipates issuing one 
award, in an amount up to $13.5 million to support program and 
administrative costs required to implement this exchange program. 
Therefore, organizations with less than four years experience in

[[Page 2435]]

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.
    (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 Humphrey Fellowships and Institutional Linkages Branch, 
ECA/A/S/U, SA-5, 4th Floor, U.S. Department of State, 2200 C Street, 
NW., Washington, DC 20037, telephone: (202)632-6331, fax (202)632-9479, 
e-mail: state.gov">pschelp@state.gov to request a Solicitation Package. Please 
refer to the Funding Opportunity Number ECA/A/S/U-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 Bureau Program Officer Paul Schelp and refer to 
Funding Opportunity Number ECA/A/S/U-12-01 on all inquiries and 
correspondence.
    IV.2. To Download a Solicitation Package Via Internet: The entire 
Solicitation Package may be downloaded from the Bureau's Web site at 
http://exchanges.state.gov/grants/open2.html, or from the Grants.gov 
Web site at http://www.grants.gov.
    Please read all information before downloading.
    IV.3. Content and Form of Submission: Applicants must follow all 
instructions in the Solicitation Package. The application should be 
submitted per the instructions under IV.3f. ``Application Deadline and 
Methods of Submission'' section below.
    IV.3a. You are required to have a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal 
Numbering System (DUNS) number to apply for a grant or cooperative 
agreement from the U.S. Government. This number is a nine-digit 
identification number, which uniquely identifies business entities. 
Obtaining a DUNS number is easy and there is no charge. To obtain a 
DUNS number, access http://www.dunandbradstreet.com or call 1-866-705-
5711. Please ensure that your DUNS number is included in the 
appropriate box of the SF--424 which is part of the formal application 
package.
    IV.3b. All proposals must contain an executive summary, proposal 
narrative and budget.
    Please Refer to the Solicitation Package. It contains the mandatory 
Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) document and the Project 
Objectives, Goals and Implementation (POGI) document for additional 
formatting and technical requirements.
    IV.3c. All federal award recipients and sub-recipients must 
maintain current registrations in the Central Contractor Registration 
(CCR) database and have a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering 
System (DUNS) number. Recipients and sub-recipients must maintain 
accurate and up-to-date information in the CCR until all program and 
financial activity and reporting have been completed. All entities must 
review and update the information at least annually after the initial 
registration and more frequently if required information changes or 
another award is granted.
    You must have nonprofit status with the IRS at the time of 
application. Please note: Effective January 7, 2009, all applicants for 
ECA federal assistance awards must include in their application the 
names of directors and/or senior executives (current officers, 
trustees, and key employees, regardless of amount of compensation). In 
fulfilling this requirement, applicants must submit information in one 
of the following ways:
    (1) Those who file Internal Revenue Service Form 990, ``Return of 
Organization Exempt From Income Tax,'' must include a copy of relevant 
portions of this form.
    (2) Those who do not file IRS Form 990 must submit information 
above in the format of their choice.
    In addition to final program reporting requirements, award 
recipients will also be required to submit a one-page document, derived 
from their program reports, listing and describing their grant 
activities. For award recipients, the names of directors and/or senior 
executives (current officers, trustees, and key employees), as well as 
the one- page description of grant activities, will be transmitted by 
the State Department to OMB, along with other information required by 
the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA), and 
will be made available to the public by the Office of Management and 
Budget on its USASpending.gov Web site as part of ECA's FFATA reporting 
requirements.
    If your organization is a private nonprofit which has not received 
a grant or cooperative agreement from ECA in the past three years, or 
if your organization received nonprofit status from the IRS within the 
past four years, you must submit the necessary documentation to verify 
nonprofit status as directed in the PSI document. Failure to do so will 
cause your proposal to be declared technically ineligible.
    IV.3d. Please take into consideration the following information 
when preparing your proposal narrative:
    IV.3d.1. Adherence to all Regulations Governing the J Visa. The 
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs places critically important 
emphasis on the security and proper administration of the Exchange 
Visitor (J visa) Programs and adherence by award recipients and 
sponsors to all regulations governing the J visa. Therefore, proposals 
should demonstrate the applicant's capacity to meet all requirements 
governing the administration of the Exchange Visitor Programs as set 
forth in 22 CFR 62, including the oversight of Responsible Officers and 
Alternate Responsible Officers, screening and selection of program 
participants, provision of pre-arrival information and orientation to 
participants, monitoring of participants, proper maintenance and 
security of forms, record-keeping, reporting and other requirements.
    Employees of the Grantee will be named Alternate Responsible 
Officers and will be responsible for issuing DS-2019 forms to 
participants in this program and performing all actions to comply with 
the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS).
    A copy of the complete regulations governing the administration of 
Exchange Visitor (J) programs is available at http://exchanges.state.gov or from: United States Department of State, Office 
of Exchange Coordination and Designation, Office of Designation, ECA/
EC/D, SA-5, Floor C2, Department of State, 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,

[[Page 2436]]

geographic location, socio-economic status, and disabilities. 
Applicants are strongly encouraged to adhere to the advancement of this 
principle both in program administration and in program content. Please 
refer to the review criteria under the ``Support for Diversity'' 
section for specific suggestions on incorporating diversity into your 
proposal. Public Law 104-319 provides that ``in carrying out programs 
of educational and cultural exchange in countries whose people do not 
fully enjoy freedom and democracy,'' the Bureau ``shall take 
appropriate steps to provide opportunities for participation in such 
programs to human rights and democracy leaders of such countries.'' 
Public Law 106-113 requires that the governments of the countries 
described above do not have inappropriate influence in the selection 
process. Proposals should reflect advancement of these goals in their 
program contents, to the full extent deemed feasible.
    IV.3d.3. Program Monitoring and Evaluation. Proposals must include 
a plan to monitor and evaluate the project's success, both as the 
activities unfold and at the end of the program. The Bureau recommends 
that your proposal include a draft survey questionnaire or other 
technique plus a description of a methodology to use to link outcomes 
to original project objectives. The Bureau expects that the recipient 
organization will track participants or partners and be able to respond 
to key evaluation questions, including satisfaction with the program, 
learning as a result of the program, changes in behavior as a result of 
the program, and effects of the program on institutions (institutions 
in which participants work or partner institutions). The evaluation 
plan should include indicators that measure gains in mutual 
understanding as well as substantive knowledge.
    Successful monitoring and evaluation depend heavily on setting 
clear goals and outcomes at the outset of a program. Your evaluation 
plan should include a description of your project's objectives, your 
anticipated project outcomes, and how and when you intend to measure 
these outcomes (performance indicators). The more that outcomes are 
``smart'' (specific, measurable, attainable, results-oriented, and 
placed in a reasonable time frame), the easier it will be to conduct 
the evaluation. You should also show how your project objectives link 
to the goals of the program described in this RFGP.
    Your monitoring and evaluation plan should clearly distinguish 
between program outputs and outcomes. Outputs are products and services 
delivered, often stated as an amount. Output information is important 
to show the scope or size of project activities, but it cannot 
substitute for information about progress towards outcomes or the 
results achieved. Examples of outputs include the number of people 
trained or the number of seminars conducted. Outcomes, in contrast, 
represent specific results a project is intended to achieve and is 
usually measured as an extent of change. Findings on outputs and 
outcomes should both be reported, but the focus should be on outcomes.
    We encourage you to assess the following four levels of outcomes, 
as they relate to the program goals set out in the RFGP (listed here in 
increasing order of importance):
    1. Participant satisfaction with the program and exchange 
experience.
    2. Participant learning, such as increased knowledge, aptitude, 
skills, and changed understanding and attitude. Learning includes both 
substantive (subject-specific) learning and mutual understanding.
    3. Participant behavior, concrete actions to apply knowledge in 
work or community; greater participation and responsibility in civic 
organizations; interpretation and explanation of experiences and new 
knowledge gained; continued contacts between participants, community 
members, and others.
    4. Institutional changes, such as increased collaboration and 
partnerships, policy reforms, new programming, and organizational 
improvements.

    Please note: Consideration should be given to the appropriate 
timing of data collection for each level of outcome. For example, 
satisfaction is usually captured as a short-term outcome, whereas 
behavior and institutional changes are normally considered longer-
term outcomes.

    Overall, the quality of your monitoring and evaluation plan will be 
judged on how well it (1) specifies intended outcomes; (2) gives clear 
descriptions of how each outcome will be measured; (3) identifies when 
particular outcomes will be measured; and (4) provides a clear 
description of the data collection strategies for each outcome (i.e., 
surveys, interviews, or focus groups). (Please note that evaluation 
plans that deal only with the first level of outcomes [satisfaction] 
will be deemed less competitive under the present evaluation criteria.)
    Recipient organizations will be required to provide reports 
analyzing their evaluation findings to the Bureau in their regular 
program reports. All data collected, including survey responses and 
contact information, must be maintained for a minimum of three years 
and provided to the Bureau upon request.
    IV.3.d.4. Describe your plans for staffing: Please provide a 
staffing plan which outlines the responsibilities of each staff person 
and explains which staff member will be accountable for each program 
responsibility. Wherever possible please streamline administrative 
processes.
    IV.3e. Please take the following information into consideration 
when preparing your budget:
    IV.3.e.1. Applicants must submit SF-424A--``Budget Information--
Non-Construction 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 should 
provide separate sub-budgets for each program component, phase, 
location, or activity to provide clarification.
    The summary and detailed administrative and program budgets should 
be accompanied by a narrative which provides a brief rationale for each 
line item including a methodology for estimating an appropriate average 
maintenance allowance levels and tuition costs for the 2012-2013 class 
of Humphrey Fellows and the number of participants that can be 
accommodated at the proposed funding level. The total administrative 
costs funded by the Bureau must be reasonable and appropriate.
    IV.3.e.2. Allowable costs for the program and additional budget 
guidance are outlined in detail in the POGI document.
    Please refer to the Solicitation Package for complete budget 
guidelines and formatting instructions.
    IV.3f. Application Deadline and Methods of Submission:
    Application Deadline Date: Monday, April 4, 2011.
    Reference Number: ECA/A/S/U-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 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

[[Page 2437]]

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 seven copies of the application should be sent to: 
Program Management Division, ECA-IIP/EX/PM, Ref.: ECA/A/S/U-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 
(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 am-9 pm Eastern Time, E-
mail: grants.gov">support@grants.gov.
    Applicants have until midnight 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.
    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. 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 
cooperative agreements resides with the Bureau's Grants Officer.

Review Criteria

    Technically eligible applications will be competitively reviewed 
according to the criteria stated below. These criteria are not rank 
ordered and all carry equal weight in the proposal evaluation:
    1. Quality of the program idea: Proposals should exhibit 
originality, substance, precision, and relevance to the Bureau's 
mission as well as to the objectives of the Humphrey Fellowship 
Program.
    2. 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. Objectives should be reasonable, feasible, and flexible.
    3. Multiplier effect/impact: The proposed program should maximize 
the Humphrey Program's potential to promote mutual understanding at the 
individual, community, and professional levels and to encourage long-
term individual and institutional linkages.
    4. Support of diversity: Proposals should demonstrate substantive 
support of the Bureau's policy on diversity. Achievable and relevant 
features should be cited in both program administration (selection of 
participants, program venue and program evaluation) and program content 
(orientation and wrap-up sessions, program meetings, resource materials 
and follow-up activities).
    5. Institutional capacity and record: Proposed personnel and 
institutional resources should be adequate and appropriate to achieve 
program goals. Proposals should demonstrate an institutional record of 
successful exchange programs, including

[[Page 2438]]

responsible fiscal management and full compliance with all reporting 
requirements for past Bureau awards (grants or cooperative agreements) 
as determined by Bureau Grants Staff. The Bureau will consider the past 
performance of prior recipients and the demonstrated potential of new 
applicants.
    6. Follow-on and alumni activities: Proposals should provide a plan 
for continued follow-on activity (both with and without Bureau support) 
ensuring that the Humphrey Fellowship year is not an isolated event. 
Activities should include tracking and maintaining updated lists of all 
alumni and facilitating follow-up activities for alumni.
    7. 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. A draft survey questionnaire or other technique plus 
description of a methodology to use to link outcomes to original 
project objectives is recommended. Successful applicants will be 
expected to submit intermediate reports after major project components 
are concluded.
    8. 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. Proposals should maximize cost-sharing 
through other private sector support as well as institutional direct 
funding contributions.
    (VI.) Award Administration Information:
    VI.1 Award Notices:
    Final awards cannot be made until funds have been appropriated by 
Congress, allocated and committed through internal Bureau procedures. 
Successful applicants will receive a Federal Assistance Award (FAA) 
from the Bureau's Grants Office. The FAA and the original proposal with 
subsequent modifications (if applicable) shall be the only binding 
authorizing document between the recipient and the U.S. Government. The 
FAA will be signed by an authorized Grants Officer, and mailed to the 
recipient's responsible officer identified in the application.
    Unsuccessful applicants will receive notification of the results of 
the application review from the ECA program office coordinating this 
competition.
    VI.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 Non-
profit Organizations

    Please reference the following Web sites for additional 
information:

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

    VI.3. Reporting Requirements: You must provide ECA with a hard copy 
original plus one copy of the following reports:
    (1) A final comprehensive program and financial report no more than 
90 days after the expiration of the award;
    (2) A concise, one-page final program report summarizing program 
outcomes no more than 90 days after the expiration of the award. This 
one-page report will be transmitted to OMB, and be made available to 
the public via OMB's USAspending.gov Web site--as part of ECA's Federal 
Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA) reporting 
requirements.
    (3) A SF-PPR, ``Performance Progress Report'' Cover Sheet with all 
program reports.
    (4) Annual program reports and quarterly financial reports.
    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: Paul Schelp, U.S. 
Department of State, Office of Global Educational Programs, SA-5, 4th 
Floor, ECA/A/S/U, 2200 C Street, NW., Washington, DC 20037, telephone: 
202-632-6331, fax 202-632-9479, state.gov">pschelp@state.gov.
    All correspondence with the Bureau concerning this RFGP should 
reference the above title and reference number ECA/A/S/U-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: January 4, 2011.
Ann Stock,
Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. 
Department of State.
[FR Doc. 2011-499 Filed 1-12-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P
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