Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 72 / Thursday, April 16, 2009 / Notices 17755 

Note: To assure that planning for the 

inclusion of the Palestinian Authority 

complies with requirements, please contact 

Cultural Programs Division, Jill Staggs, 

StaggsJ@state.gov for additional information. 

VI.2. Administrative and National 

Policy Requirements 

Terms and Conditions for the 

Administration of ECA agreements 

include the following: 

Office of Management and Budget 

Circular A–122, ‘‘Cost Principles for 

Nonprofit Organizations.’’ 

Office of Management and Budget 

Circular A–21, ‘‘Cost Principles for 

Educational Institutions.’’ 

OMB Circular A–87, ‘‘Cost Principles 

for State, Local and Indian 

Governments’’. 

OMB Circular No. A–110 (Revised), 

Uniform Administrative 

Requirements for Grants and 

Agreements with Institutions of 

Higher Education, Hospitals, and 

other Nonprofit Organizations. 

OMB Circular No. A–102, Uniform 

Administrative Requirements for 

Grants-in-Aid to State and Local 

Governments. 

OMB Circular No. A–133, Audits of 

States, Local Government, and Nonprofit Organizations. 

Please reference the following Web 

sites for additional information: 

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

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

VI.3. Reporting Requirements 

You must provide ECA with a hard 

copy original plus nine (9) copies of the 

following reports: 

1. A final program and financial 

report no more than 90 days after the 

expiration of the award; 

2. A concise, one-page final program 

report summarizing program outcomes 

no more than 90 days after the 

expiration of the award. This one-page 

report will will be transmitted to OMB, 

and be made available to the public via 

OMB’s USAspending.gov Web site—as 

part of ECA’s Federal Funding 

Accountability and Transparency Act 

(FFATA) reporting requirements. 

3. A SF–PPR, ‘‘Performance Progress 

Report’’ Cover Sheet with all program 

reports. 

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: Alan Cross, 

Cultural Programs Division, ECA/PE/C/ 

CU, Room 568, ECA/PE/C/CU–09–50, 

U.S. Department of State, SA–44, 301 

4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547, 

202–203–7497, 202–205–7525, 

CrossA@state.gov. 

All correspondence with the Bureau 

concerning this RFGP should reference 

the above title and number ECA/PE/C/ 

CU–09–50. 

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: April 8, 2009. 

C. Miller Crouch, 

Acting Assistant Secretary for Educational 

and Cultural Affairs, Department of State. 

[FR Doc. E9–8677 Filed 4–15–09; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4710–05–P 

DEPARTMENT OF STATE 

[Public Notice 6582] 

Bureau of Educational and Cultural 

Affairs (ECA) Request for Grant 

Proposals: U.S.-French Teachers-inTraining Program 

Announcement Type: Cooperative 

Agreement. 

Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/A/S/X– 

09–02. 

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance 

Number: 00.000. 

Application Deadline: June 4, 2009. 

Executive Summary: The Fulbright 

Teacher Exchange Branch in the Office 

of Global Educational Programs of the 

U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of 

Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA/ 

A/S/X) announces an open competition 

for the U.S.-French Teachers-inTraining Program. Accredited, U.S. 

post-secondary educational institutions 

meeting the provisions described in 

Internal Revenue Code section 26 U.S.C. 

501(c)(3) may submit proposals to 

administer a three-month teacher 

exchange program for U.S. and French 

beginning teachers. The program will 

provide approximately 25 French preservice teachers with a three-week 

orientation to American history, culture 

and society, provided through seminars 

in an academic setting, and a nine-week 

practical component, provided through 

practice teaching experience under the 

guidance of experienced mentor 

teachers at a U.S. secondary school. The 

program will also integrate a 

professional development seminar with 

other program activities throughout the 

practical teaching period. Proposals 

should document strong contacts with 

local school districts in the United 

States to demonstrate the ability to 

provide the practical student-teaching 

component for French pre-service 

teachers. Proposals should also 

demonstrate the ability to conduct a 

substantive professional development 

seminar in an academic setting. 

The program will also provide for 

exchange visits to France for U.S. 

beginning teachers and students 

preparing for teaching careers. In 

cooperation with the French Ministry of 

Education and the Conference of 

Directors of the University Institutes for 

Teacher Training (Confe ́rence des 

directeurs d’IUFM), and with support 

from the Franco-American Commission 

for Educational Exchange (Fulbright 

Commission), the cooperating 

institution will recruit and select 

approximately 15 U.S. pre-service or inservice teachers, and provide a predeparture orientation in the U.S. The 

French partners will arrange an incountry orientation, French language 

training, and a three-month student 

teaching internship for U.S. teachers 

with funds that will be provided 

separately. The program for French 

teachers will run from January to March 

2010. The U.S. program should be 

planned for fall 2010. The total award 

for all program and administrative 

expenses covered under the agreement 

will be approximately $375,000. 

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I. Funding Opportunity Description 

I.1. Authority 

Overall grant making authority for 

this program is contained in the Mutual 

Educational and Cultural Exchange Act 

of 1961, Public Law 87–256, as 

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

enable the Government of the United 

States to increase mutual understanding 

between the people of the United States 

and the people of other countries* * *; 

to strengthen the ties which unite us 

with other nations by demonstrating the 

educational and cultural interests, 

developments, and achievements of the 

people of the United States and other 

nations* * * and thus to assist in the 

development of friendly, sympathetic 

and peaceful relations between the 

United States and the other countries of 

the world.’’ The funding authority for 

the program above is provided through 

legislation. 

I.2. Purpose 

Overview: 

I.2a. Program Goals 

1. Contribute to mutual understanding 

between France, a key U.S. partner and 

ally, and the United States. 

2. Provide French teachers-intraining, especially those who plan to 

teach in diverse schools, a better 

understanding of U.S. society, history, 

and culture. 

3. Provide opportunities for students 

in French schools to learn first-hand 

about U.S. society, history and culture 

from beginning and future American 

teachers. 

4. Expose U.S. beginning and student 

teachers to a greater understanding of 

another culture, society, and 

educational system. 

5. Provide opportunities for both 

French and U.S. teachers to develop 

teaching skills in a different educational 

environment. 

6. Provide opportunities for schools in 

France and in the United States to 

develop long-lasting ties and to share 

educational best practices, including 

strategies for teaching in multi-cultural, 

mixed-ability classrooms. 

This program is expected to assist 

French and American educators as they 

prepare students to live in an 

increasingly interdependent world. 

I.2b. French Participants 

French participants will be in their 

first year of practical teaching and will 

be expected to pass their final practical 

examination in France in early June 

2010. It is anticipated that many of the 

participants will teach in schools that 

serve economically disadvantaged and/ 

or diverse socio-economic sectors. 

I.2c. U.S. Participants 

U.S. participants will be 

undergraduate or graduate students in 

education, recent graduates with 

education degrees, or first-year teachers. 

All U.S. participants must be new 

teachers or in an advanced stage of 

preparations to become teachers. The 

cooperating institution will recruit and 

select U.S. participants in a nationwide 

search in coordination with the 

Fulbright Teacher Exchange Branch, the 

Fulbright Commission, the French 

Embassy, the Conference of Directors of 

the University Institutes for Teacher 

Training (Confe ́rence des directeurs 

d’IUFM), and the French Ministry of 

Education. U.S. participants may teach 

any subject, but some proficiency in the 

French language is a requirement. As a 

whole, U.S. participants should reflect 

the diversity of American society 

(including, but not limited to 

geographic, gender, racial, ethnic, and 

socio-economic diversity). 

I.2d. Guidelines 

The cooperating institution should 

conduct a short planning visit to France 

to consult with representatives from the 

Fulbright Commission, the French 

Ministry of Education, the Conference of 

Directors of the University Institutes for 

Teacher Training (Confe ́rence des 

directeurs d’IUFM), the U.S. Embassy, 

and local educators. Based on 

assessments made during this planning 

visit, the cooperating institution will 

develop a detailed schedule and 

curriculum in consultation with the 

Fulbright Teacher Exchange Branch for 

the U.S.-based program and will discuss 

with French partners the development 

of the program for U.S. participants. The 

cooperating institution, in consultation 

with the Ministry of Education, should 

develop a process that will assist French 

participants to receive official 

recognition by the French Ministry of 

Education for their participation in this 

program. 

I.2e. Cooperating Institution’s 

Responsibilities for French Participants 

• Plan and implement the exchange 

program, including both the academic 

and practical components; 

• Identify school districts to host 

groups for internships (schools should 

submit a brief proposal outlining their 

interest, understanding of goals, 

examples of best practices, and 

commitment to mentoring). School 

districts should be within driving 

distance of the host university. Schools 

should designate an experienced mentor 

teacher to oversee the day-to-day 

activities of the participants; 

• Arrange Washington, DC program; 

• Assist with and attend predeparture orientation in France; 

• Conduct debriefing in the U.S.; 

• Prepare DS–2019 forms for 

participants in this program under a 

Bureau SEVIS program number; 

• Administer logistics for French 

participants: transportation to local 

schools and training sites, enrollment in 

Bureau health insurance program, 

assistance with U.S. tax, social security, 

and other government forms; 

• Arrange for housing. 

I.2f. Cooperating Institution’s 

Responsibilities for U.S. Participants 

• Recruit and select U.S. participants 

in consultation with the Fulbright 

Teacher Exchange Branch, the Fulbright 

Commission, the Conference of 

Directors of the University Institutes for 

Teacher Training (Confe ́rence des 

directeurs d’IUFM), and the French 

Ministry of Education; 

• Facilitate pre-departure orientation 

in the U.S.; 

• Arrange travel of U.S. participants: 

Purchase airline tickets and enrollment 

in Bureau health insurance for U.S. 

participants. 

I.2g. General Responsibilities 

• Coordinate with various partners, 

including the Fulbright Commission, 

the French Ministry of Education, the 

Conference of Directors of the 

University Institutes for Teacher 

Training (Confe ́rence des directeurs 

d’IUFM), and the Fulbright Teacher 

Exchange Branch in the Bureau of 

Educational and Cultural Affairs 

regarding all activities, reporting and 

evaluation (the proposal should address 

mechanisms for communication and 

coordination); 

• Monitor and evaluate the program; 

• Administer all financial aspects of 

the program and comply with reporting 

requirements; 

• Plan follow-on activities with host 

schools and participants. 

Please note that international tickets 

for French participants will be arranged 

and funded by the French Ministry of 

Education. French participants will 

receive a maintenance allowance from 

the French Ministry of Education and 

will be responsible for their own meals 

and incidental expenses. 

The Department of State will provide 

American participants with a monthly 

maintenance allowance to be disbursed 

by the Fulbright Commission in France. 

Proposals should address follow-on 

activities in conjunction with the 

Fulbright Commission and host schools 

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in the United States and France to 

increase future impact and on-going 

participant support. 

The agreement will begin on, or 

about, September 1, 2009 and the 

cooperating institution should complete 

all exchange activities by June 30, 2011. 

Please refer to additional program 

specific guidelines in the Project 

Objectives, Goals, and Implementation 

(POGI) document. Programs must 

comply with J–1 visa regulations. Please 

refer to the Solicitation Package for 

further information. 

In a cooperative agreement, ECA/A/S/ 

X will be substantially involved in the 

program activities mentioned above and 

beyond routine grant monitoring. ECA/ 

A/S/X activities and responsibilities for 

this program are as follows: 

• Formulation of program policy; 

• Clearing texts, recruitment and 

program guidelines for publication; 

• In cooperation the Fulbright 

Commission, oversee selection of U.S. 

participants; 

• Oversight of the content for all 

orientations as well as review and 

approval of program schedules. 

II. Award Information 

Type of Award: New Cooperative 

Agreement. ECA’s level of involvement 

in this program is listed under number 

I above. 

Fiscal Year Funds: FY2009. 

Approximate Total Funding: 

$375,000. 

Approximate Number of Awards: 1. 

Approximate Average Award: 

$375,000. 

Anticipated Award Date: September 

1, 2009. 

Anticipated Project Completion Date: 

June 30, 2011. 

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 agreement for two 

additional fiscal years, before openly 

competing it again. 

III. Eligibility Information 

III.1. Eligible Applicants 

Applications may be submitted by 

accredited, post-secondary educational 

institutions 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 awarding one grant, in an 

amount up to $375,000 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. 

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 Global 

Educational Programs, ECA/A/S/X, 

Room 349, U.S. Department of State, 

SA–44, 301 4th Street, SW., 

Washington, DC 20547, tel. (202) 453– 

8897, fax (202) 453–8890, or e-mail 

Mosleypj@state.gov to request a 

Solicitation Package. Please refer to the 

Funding Opportunity Number ECA/A/ 

S/X 09–02 located at the top of this 

announcement when making your 

request. Alternatively, an electronic 

application package may be obtained 

from Grants.gov. Please see section IV.3f 

for further information. 

The Solicitation Package contains the 

Proposal Submission Instruction (PSI) 

document which consists of required 

application forms, and standard 

guidelines for proposal preparation. 

It also contains the Project Objectives, 

Goals and Implementation (POGI) 

document, which provides specific 

information, award criteria and budget 

instructions tailored to this competition. 

Please specify ECA/A/S/X Program 

Officer Michelle Garren and refer to the 

Funding Opportunity Number (ECA/A/ 

S/X 09–02) located at the top of this 

announcement on all other inquiries 

and correspondence. 

IV.2. To Download a Solicitation 

Package Via Internet 

The entire Solicitation Package may 

be downloaded from the Bureau’s Web 

site at http://exchanges.state.gov/ 

education/rfgps/menu.htm, 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 

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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 Grantee will be responsible for 

designating an Alternate Responsible 

Officer under a Bureau SEVIS program 

number to issue DS–2019 forms on its 

behalf to participants in this program. 

A copy of the complete regulations 

governing the administration of 

Exchange Visitor (J) programs is 

available at http://exchanges.state.gov 

or from: United States Department of 

State, Office of Exchange Coordination 

and Designation, ECA/EC/ECD—SA–44, 

Room 734, 301 4th Street, SW., 

Washington, DC 20547, Telephone: 

(202) 203–5029, FAX: (202) 453–8640. 

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, socioeconomic status, and disabilities. 

Applicants are strongly encouraged to 

adhere to the advancement of this 

principle both in program 

administration and in program content. 

Please refer to the review criteria under 

the ‘Support for Diversity’ section for 

specific suggestions on incorporating 

diversity into your proposal. Public Law 

104–319 provides that ‘‘in carrying out 

programs of educational and cultural 

exchange in countries whose people do 

not fully enjoy freedom and 

democracy,’’ 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 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 

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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.) 

Grantees 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 Overall 

Program Management, Staffing, and 

Coordination With ECA/A/S/X 

ECA/A/S/X considers program 

management, staffing and coordination 

with the Department of State essential 

elements of your program. Please be 

sure to give sufficient attention to these 

elements in your proposal. Please refer 

to the Technical Eligibility 

Requirements and the POGI in the 

Solicitation package for specific 

guidelines. 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 a 

comprehensive budget for the entire 

program. The budget should not exceed 

$375,000 for program and 

administrative costs. There must be a 

summary budget as well as breakdowns 

reflecting both administrative and 

program budgets. Applicants may 

provide separate sub-budgets for each 

program component, phase, location, or 

activity to provide clarification. 

IV.3e.2. Allowable costs for the 

program include the following: 

(1) International Travel. 

(2) Costs for U.S. Competition. 

(3) U.S. Ground Transportation. 

(4) Orientation and Professional 

Development Seminar (instruction, 

materials, logistics). 

(5) Host schools (administrative 

costs). 

(6) Participant lodging and per diem. 

(7) Cultural Activities. 

(8) Book Allowance/Shipping. 

(9) Recipient Administrative Costs. 

Please refer to the Solicitation 

Package for complete budget guidelines 

and formatting instructions. 

IV.3f. Application Deadline and 

Methods of Submission 

Application Deadline Date: June 4, 

2009. 

Reference No: ECA/A/S/X–09–02. 

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. 

Please Note: ECA strongly encourages 

organizations interested in applying for this 

competition to submit printed, hard copy 

applications as outlined in section IV.3f.1 

below rather than submitting electronically 

through Grants.gov. This recommendation is 

being made as a result of the anticipated high 

volume of grant proposals that will be 

submitted via the Grants.gov webportal as 

part of the Recovery Act stimulus package. 

As stated in these RFGPs, ECA bears no 

responsibility for data errors resulting from 

transmission or conversion processes for 

proposals submitted via 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 eight copies of the 

application should be sent to: U.S. 

Department of State, SA–44, Bureau of 

Educational and Cultural Affairs, Ref.: 

ECA/A/S/X–09–02, Program 

Management, ECA/EX/PM, Room 534, 

301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 

20547. 

Applicants submitting hard-copy 

applications must also submit the 

‘‘Executive Summary’’ and ‘‘Proposal 

Narrative’’ sections of the proposal in 

text (.txt) or Microsoft Word format on 

a PC-formatted disk. The Bureau will 

provide these files electronically to the 

appropriate Public Affairs Section at the 

U.S. embassy for its review. 

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 strongly encourages 

organizations interested in applying for this 

competition to submit printed, hard copy 

applications as outlined in section IV.3f.1. 

above rather than submitting electronically 

through Grants.gov. This recommendation is 

being made as a result of the anticipated high 

volume of grant proposals that will be 

submitted via the Grants.gov webportal as 

part of the Recovery Act stimulus package. 

As stated in these RFGPs, ECA bears no 

responsibility for 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 

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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. 

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 agreement) 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 expertise in 

professional development for student 

teachers and logistical capacity. The 

agenda and plan should illustrate 

effective use of community and regional 

resources to enhance participants’ 

educational and cultural experiences. 

2. Ability to achieve program 

objectives: Objectives should be 

reasonable, feasible, and flexible. 

Proposals should clearly demonstrate 

how the institution will meet the 

program’s objectives and plan. 

3. Multiplier effect/impact: Proposed 

programs should strengthen long-term 

mutual understanding, including 

maximum sharing of information and 

establishment of long-term institutional 

and individual linkages between U.S. 

and French schools. 

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 wrapup sessions, program meetings, resource 

materials and follow-up activities) both 

in the United States and in France. 

5. Institutional Capacity: Proposed 

personnel and institutional resources 

should be adequate and appropriate to 

achieve the program or project’s goals. 

6. 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 grants as 

determined by Bureau Grants Staff. The 

Bureau will consider the past 

performance of prior recipients and the 

demonstrated potential of new 

applicants. 

7. Follow-on Activities: Proposals 

should provide a plan for continued 

follow-on activity ensuring that Bureau 

supported programs are not isolated 

events. 

8. 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 are 

recommended. 

9. Cost-effectiveness/cost sharing: The 

overhead and administrative 

components of the proposal, including 

salaries and honoraria, should be kept 

as low as possible. All other items 

should be necessary and appropriate. 

Proposals should maximize cost-sharing 

through other private sector support, as 

well as institutional direct funding 

contributions. 

VI. Award Administration Information 

VI.1a. Award Notices 

Final awards cannot be made until 

funds have been appropriated by 

Congress, allocated and committed 

through internal Bureau procedures. 

Successful applicants will receive a 

Federal Assistance Award (FAA) from 

the Bureau’s Grants Office. The FAA 

and the original proposal with 

subsequent modifications (if applicable) 

shall be the only binding authorizing 

document between the recipient and the 

U.S. Government. The FAA will be 

signed by an authorized Grants Officer, 

and mailed to the recipient’s 

responsible officer identified in the 

application. 

Unsuccessful applicants will receive 

notification of the results of the 

application review from the ECA 

program office coordinating this 

competition. 

VI.2. Administrative and National 

Policy Requirements 

Terms and Conditions for the 

Administration of ECA agreements 

include the following: 

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Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 72 / Thursday, April 16, 2009 / Notices 17761 

Office of Management and Budget 

Circular A–122, ‘‘Cost Principles for 

Nonprofit Organizations’’. 

Office of Management and Budget 

Circular A–21, ‘‘Cost Principles for 

Educational Institutions’’. 

OMB Circular A–87, ‘‘Cost Principles 

for State, Local and Indian 

Governments’’. 

OMB Circular No. A–110 (Revised), 

Uniform Administrative 

Requirements for Grants and 

Agreements with Institutions of 

Higher Education, Hospitals, and 

other Nonprofit Organizations. 

OMB Circular No. A–102, Uniform 

Administrative Requirements for 

Grants-in-Aid to State and Local 

Governments. 

OMB Circular No. A–133, Audits of 

States, Local Government, and Nonprofit Organizations. 

Please reference the following Web 

sites for additional information: 

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

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

VI.3. Reporting Requirements 

You must provide ECA with a hard 

copy original plus one copy of the 

following reports: 

1. A program report no more than 90 

days following the French teacher 

program component as well as the U.S. 

teacher program component. 

2. A final program and financial 

report no more than 90 days after the 

expiration of the award; 

3. 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. 

4. A SF–PPR, ‘‘Performance Progress 

Report’’ Cover Sheet with all program 

reports. 

Award recipients will be required to 

provide reports analyzing their 

evaluation findings to 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. 

VI.4. Program Data Requirements 

Organizations awarded grants will be 

required to maintain specific data on 

program participants and activities in an 

electronically accessible database format 

that can be shared with the Bureau as 

required. As a minimum, the data must 

include the following: 

1. Name, address, contact information 

and biographic sketch of all persons 

who travel internationally on funds 

provided by the grant or who benefit 

from the grant funding but do not travel. 

2. Itineraries of international and 

domestic travel, providing dates of 

travel and cities in which any exchange 

experiences take place. Final schedules 

for in-country and U.S. activities must 

be received by the ECA Program Officer 

at least three work days prior to the 

official opening of the activity. 

VII. Agency Contacts 

For questions about this 

announcement, contact: Michelle 

Garren, garrenmw@state.gov, ECA/A/S/ 

X, Room 349, ECA/A/S/X 09–02, U.S. 

Department of State, SA–44, 301 4th 

Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547, tel. 

(202) 453–8884, fax (202) 453–8890. 

All correspondence with the Bureau 

concerning this RFGP should reference 

the above title and number ECA/A/S/X 

09–02. 

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: April 8, 2009. 

C. Miller Crouch, 

Acting Assistant Secretary for Educational 

and Cultural Affairs, Department of State. 

[FR Doc. E9–8645 Filed 4–15–09; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4710–05–P 

DEPARTMENT OF STATE 

[Public Notice 6583] 

Culturally Significant Objects Imported 

for Exhibition Determinations: ‘‘William 

Holman Hunt and the Pre-Raphaelite 

Vision’’ 

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given of the 

following determinations: Pursuant to 

the authority vested in me by the Act of 

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

2459), Executive Order 12047 of March 

27, 1978, the Foreign Affairs Reform and 

Restructuring Act of 1998 (112 Stat. 

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

seq.), Delegation of Authority No. 234 of 

October 1, 1999, Delegation of Authority 

No. 236 of October 19, 1999, as 

amended, and Delegation of Authority 

No. 257 of April 15, 2003 [68 FR 19875], 

I hereby determine that the objects to be 

included in the exhibition ‘‘William 

Holman Hunt and the Pre-Raphaelite 

Vision,’’ 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 Minneapolis Institute of 

Arts, from on or about June 14, 2009, 

until on or about September 6, 2009, 

and at possible additional exhibitions or 

venues yet to be determined, is in the 

national interest. Public Notice of these 

Determinations is ordered to be 

published in the Federal Register. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For 

further information, including a list of 

the exhibit objects, contact Carol B. 

Epstein, Attorney-Adviser, Office of the 

Legal Adviser, U.S. Department of State 

(telephone: 202/453–8048). The address 

is U.S. Department of State, SA–44, 301 

4th Street, SW., Room 700, Washington, 

DC 20547–0001. 

Dated: April 7, 2009. 

C. Miller Crouch, 

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for 

Educational and Cultural Affairs, Department 

of State. 

[FR Doc. E9–8746 Filed 4–15–09; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4710–05–P 

DEPARTMENT OF STATE 

[Public Notice 6584] 

Culturally Significant Objects Imported 

for Exhibition Determinations: ‘‘African 

and Oceanic Art From the BarbierMueller Museum, Geneva: A Legacy of 

Collecting’’ 

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given of the 

following determinations: Pursuant to 

mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with NOTICES