Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 222 / Friday, November 18, 2005 / Notices 70017 

11 17 CFR 240.19b–4(f)(6). 

12 17 CFR 240.19b–4(f)(6)(iii). 

13See supra note 6. 14 17 CFR 200.30–3(a)(12). 

subparagraph (f)(6) of Rule 19b–4 

thereunder.11 As required under Rule 

19b–4(f)(6)(iii),12 the Exchange provided 

the Commission with written notice of 

its intent to file the proposed rule 

change, along with a brief description 

and text of the proposed rule change, at 

least five business days prior to the date 

of the filing of the proposed rule change. 

At any time within 60 days of the 

filing of the proposed rule change, the 

Commission may summarily abrogate 

such rule change if it appears to the 

Commission that such action is 

necessary or appropriate in the public 

interest, for the protection of investors, 

or otherwise in the furtherance of the 

purposes of the Act.13

IV. Solicitation of Comments 

Interested persons are invited to 

submit written data, views, and 

arguments concerning the foregoing, 

including whether the proposed rule 

change, as amended, is consistent with 

the Act. Comments may be submitted by 

any of the following methods: 

Electronic Comments 

• Use the Commission’s Internet 

comment form (http://www.sec.gov/ 

rules/sro.shtml); or 

• Send an e-mail to rulecomments@sec.gov. Please include File 

Number SR–PCX–2005–119 on the 

subject line. 

Paper Comments 

• Send paper comments in triplicate 

to Jonathan G. Katz, Secretary, 

Securities and Exchange Commission, 

100 F Street, NE., Washington, DC 

20549–9309. 

All submissions should refer to File 

Number SR–PCX–2005–119. This file 

number should be included on the 

subject line if e-mail is used. To help the 

Commission process and review your 

comments more efficiently, please use 

only one method. The Commission will 

post all comments on the Commission’s 

Internet Web site (http://www.sec.gov/ 

rules/sro.shtml). Copies of the 

submission, all subsequent 

amendments, all written statements 

with respect to the proposed rule 

change that are filed with the 

Commission, and all written 

communications relating to the 

proposed rule change between the 

Commission and any person, other than 

those that may be withheld from the 

public in accordance with the 

provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be 

available for inspection and copying in 

the Commission’s Public Reference 

Section. Copies of such filing also will 

be available for inspection and copying 

at the principal office of the PCX. All 

comments received will be posted 

without change; the Commission does 

not edit personal identifying 

information from submissions. You 

should submit only information that 

you wish to make available publicly. All 

submissions should refer to File 

Number SR–PCX–2005–119 and should 

be submitted on or before December 9, 

2005. 

For the Commission, by the Division of 

Market Regulation, pursuant to delegated 

authority.14

Jonathan G. Katz, 

Secretary. 

[FR Doc. E5–6374 Filed 11–17–05; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 8010–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF STATE 

[Public Notice 5231] 

Bureau of Educational and Cultural 

Affairs (ECA) Request for Grant 

Proposals: Summer Language Institute 

for American Youth 

Announcement Type: New Grant. 

Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/ 

PE/C/PY–06–16. 

Catalog of Federal Domestic 

Assistance Number: 00.000. 

Key Dates: 

Application Deadline: January 18, 

2006. 

Executive Summary: The Youth 

Programs Division, Office of Citizen 

Exchanges of the Bureau of Educational 

and Cultural Affairs, announces an open 

competition for projects to provide 

Arabic or Chinese language instruction 

overseas for American high school 

students in Summer 2006. 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 

implement six-to eight-week summer 

institutes in an Arabic-speaking country 

and/or a Chinese-speaking country 

(hereafter referred to as China and 

understood to include mainland China 

and Taiwan as training sites) for U.S. 

students aged 15 to 18 to have both 

formal and informal Arabic or Chinese 

language instruction through a 

comprehensive exchange experience. 

ECA plans to award one or two grants 

for either an Arabic Institute or a 

Chinese Institute, or both. Applicants 

may apply to implement institutes in 

one or both languages. 

I. Funding Opportunity Description 

Authority 

Overall grant making authority for 

this program is contained in the Mutual 

Educational and Cultural Exchange Act 

of 1961, Public Law 87–256, as 

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

enable the Government of the United 

States to increase mutual understanding 

between the people of the United States 

and the people of other countries * * *; 

to strengthen the ties that 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 

The Bureau of Educational and 

Cultural Affairs (ECA) is supporting the 

participation of youth in intensive, 

substantive educational experiences that 

will promote language learning as well 

as engage the successor generation in a 

dialogue for greater understanding. 

Promoting the study of critical 

languages among American youth is a 

vital element of America’s security in 

the post-9/11 world, as well as 

promoting mutual understanding and 

respect between the people of the 

United States and the citizens of 

strategically important countries around 

the world. 

The goals of the Summer Language 

Institute for American Youth are: 

• To improve the ability of Americans 

to engage with the people of Arabic or 

Chinese-speaking countries through the 

shared language of the partner country; 

• To develop a cadre of Americans 

with advanced linguistic skills and 

cultural understanding who are able to 

advance the international dialogue, 

promote the security of the United 

States, and compete effectively in the 

global economy; 

• To provide a tangible incentive for 

the learning and use of foreign 

languages. 

In order to achieve these goals, the 

Bureau is offering the opportunity for 

American secondary school students to 

gain basic to intermediate skills in the 

Arabic language or the Chinese 

language. ECA plans to award one or 

two grants for either an Arabic Institute 

or a Chinese Institute, or both. 

Applicants may apply to implement 

institutes in one or both languages. The 

70018 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 222 / Friday, November 18, 2005 / Notices 

Bureau reserves the right to reduce, 

revise, or increase proposal budgets in 

accordance with the needs of the 

program and the availability of funds. 

The Summer Language Institutes for 

American Youth are to be conducted in 

an Arabic-speaking country (Egypt or 

Jordan) or in China. Through these 

institutes, a total of 30 to 40 high school 

students from the United States will 

spend six to eight weeks on a program 

abroad in the summer of 2006. The 

Arabic Institute and the Chinese 

Institute will provide not only intensive 

language instruction in a classroom 

setting but will also provide languagelearning opportunities through 

immersion in the cultural, social, 

educational, and home life of the 

partner country. The exchange program 

will enhance the participants’

knowledge of the host country’s history, 

culture, and political system. 

Indicators of a successful program 

• Pre- and post-institute language 

testing of participants will demonstrate 

a substantive increase in language skills. 

• Participants will demonstrate—for 

example, through surveys, essays, focus 

groups, or presentations—a deeper 

understanding of the host country’s 

culture, including its customs, beliefs, 

and practices. 

• Alumni will continue their foreign 

language study and/or participate in 

other exchanges to Arabic-speaking 

countries or to China. 

• Students and families from the host 

country who engage with the U.S. 

participants demonstrate an interest in 

learning more about the United States. 

Capacity of administering 

organization: U.S. applicant 

organizations must have the necessary 

capacity in the partner country to 

implement the program through either 

its own offices or a partner institution. 

Organizations applying for this grant 

must demonstrate their (or their 

partners’) capacity for conducting 

projects of this nature, focusing on three 

areas of competency: (1) Provision of 

foreign language instruction programs 

and provision of educational and 

cultural exchange activities as outlined 

in this document; (2) age-appropriate 

programming for the target audience; 

and (3) experience in working with the 

proposed partner country or countries. 

Country Selection 

For the Arabic Institute: Applicant 

organizations should plan to send 

students to Egypt or Jordan, in 

consideration of both linguistic and 

safety issues. 

For the Chinese Institute: Applicant 

organizations should plan to send 

students to Mandarin-speaking regions 

of mainland China or Taiwan. 

Participant Selection: The grant 

recipient will recruit, screen, and select 

a group of students, aged 15 to 18, 

representing the ethnic, racial, socioeconomic, and religious diversity of the 

United States. Participants may be 

beginning Arabic/Chinese speakers who 

have had little or no instruction in the 

language or they may be students with 

basic language skills who are ready for 

intermediate instruction. The delegation 

may be a mix of both groups, as long as 

the proposed institute makes explicit 

accommodation for learners of varying 

skill levels. Selected students will also 

demonstrate suitability for an intensive 

exchange experience. 

Institute Summary: This six to eightweek summer institute overseas for high 

school students will focus on language 

study and cultural immersion and will 

include four to six hours per day of 

formal language training, plus 

excursions, briefings and discussions on 

key issues. 

The grant recipient will provide 

instruction in the Arabic or Chinese 

language for a delegation of teenagers 

who may be beginning and/or 

intermediate students of the language. 

While teaching conversational Arabic or 

Chinese will be necessary to help 

students cope with their immersion 

setting, classes should also provide 

formal instruction in grammar, 

vocabulary, and pronunciation, and will 

cover reading, speaking, listening, and 

writing. 

Arabic: The institute should 

emphasize the acquisition of colloquial 

Arabic, though it is useful for students 

to learn Modern Standard Arabic and its 

study may also be woven into the 

program. 

Chinese: Students must learn 

Mandarin. Teaching materials used in 

the program should be available in both 

simplified and traditional character 

versions. The Hanyu pinyin 

romanization system should be used. 

During the exchange, the students 

will also have the opportunity to 

participate in activities designed to 

teach them about community life, 

citizen participation, and the culture 

and history of the host country. 

Activities should engage host country 

teenagers as much as possible. The 

program activities will introduce the 

students to the community—its leaders 

and institutions, the ways citizens 

participate in local government, and the 

resolution of societal problems—and 

will include educational excursions that 

serve to enhance the visitors’

understanding of the history, culture, 

media, political institutions, ethnic 

diversity, and environment of the 

region. ECA requires participation in a 

community service project that also 

involves youth of a similar age from the 

host country. Participants should also 

have opportunities to give presentations 

on their lives in the United States in 

community forums. 

Since the purpose of the institute is to 

provide an immersion program for the 

language learners and increase their 

language skills, ECA strongly urges 

organizations to arrange homestays with 

local families for as much of the 

duration of the institute as possible, 

balancing this with time spent in a hotel 

or dormitory setting where the 

participants may be more inclined to 

speak English. 

The delegation should have an adult 

accompany them on the international 

flight, and adult staff should be 

available to support the participants 

during the course of the institute. 

Applicants must provide a plan of 

follow-up with alumni by e-mail, 

through a Web site or Web log, and/or 

in person, and should assist alumni in 

maintaining connections with 

organizations and individuals in the 

host country. The grant recipient will be 

expected to work in coordination with 

ECA to track the activities of alumni and 

their continued interest in studying the 

language. 

Grant funding includes recruitment 

and selection of participants, 

orientation, travel, tuition and 

maintenance costs, educational 

enhancements, cultural and social 

activities, alumni activities, and 

administrative costs. 

Note: All printed materials and formal oral 

communications should acknowledge the 

role of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau 

of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Drafts of 

printed materials developed for this program 

should be submitted to ECA for review and 

distribution as it sees fit. Copies of materials 

given to and prepared by the students should 

be provided to the ECA program office in a 

timely fashion. 

Proposal Contents 

In a maximum 20-page, one-sided, 

double-spaced narrative, please describe 

the proposed project in detail. Clearly 

outline whether you are applying to 

implement an Arabic Institute, a 

Chinese Institute, or both. We 

recommend using the following outline 

to organize your narrative. Refer to the 

proposal review criteria in this 

document for further guidance. 

(1) Vision—Statement of the 

applicant’s objectives as they relate to 

the Department’s goals. 

Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 222 / Friday, November 18, 2005 / Notices 70019 

(2) Preparation—Describe the program 

planning and the recruitment, selection, 

orientation of participants. 

(3) Institute Activities—Outline with 

detail the exchange activity (language 

instruction, educational excursions, 

cultural activities, community service, 

participant monitoring, logistics). 

Include a sample itinerary under Tab E. 

(4) Follow-on Activities—Describe 

programming and support provided for 

exchange alumni. 

(5) Diversity—Describe how various 

aspects of the program will promote an 

understanding of geographic, ethnic, 

and socioeconomic diversity in the U.S. 

and the partner country or countries. 

(6) Program Evaluation Plan—

Describe the design and methodology. 

(7) Organization Capacity and 

Program Management—Describe the 

organization and program staffing 

(identify individuals and their 

responsibilities, both in the U.S. and 

overseas), structure, and resources. 

Indicate plan for working with ECA and 

PAS. 

(8) Work Plan/Time Frame. 

Please include any attachments in Tab 

E of your proposal. Limit the 

attachments to those essential for 

completing an understanding of the 

proposal. 

Programs must comply with J–1 visa 

regulations. Please refer to the Proposal 

Submission Instructions for further 

information. 

II. Award Information 

Type of Award: Grant. 

Fiscal Year Funds: 2006. 

Approximate Total Funding: 

$300,000. 

Approximate Number of Awards: One 

or two. 

Approximate Average Award: Two 

awards at approximately $150,000 or 

one award at $300,000. 

Anticipated Award Date: Pending 

availability of funds, the proposed start 

date is April 15, 2006. 

Anticipated Project Completion Date: 

February 28, 2007. 

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: 

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 a grant (or grants) in an 

amount over $60,000 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 Federal 

Register 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 Youth Programs Division, Office of 

Citizen Exchanges (ECA/PE/C/PY), 

room 568, U.S. Department of State, 

SA–44, 301 4th Street, SW., 

Washington, DC 20547, Telephone (202) 

203–7502, Fax (202) 203–7529, or Email NowlinJR@state.gov to request a 

Solicitation Package. Please refer to the 

Funding Opportunity Number (ECA/PE/ 

C/PY–06–16) when making your 

request. 

The Solicitation Package contains the 

Proposal Submission Instruction (PSI) 

document which consists of required 

application forms, and standard 

guidelines for proposal preparation. 

Please specify Bureau Program Officer 

Carolyn Lantz and refer to the Funding 

Opportunity Number (ECA/PE/C/PY–

06–16) 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. Please read all 

information before downloading. 

IV.3. Content and Form of 

Submission: Applicants must follow all 

instructions in the Solicitation Package. 

The original and eight copies of the 

application should be sent per the 

instructions under IV.3f. ‘‘Submission 

Dates and Times 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 for additional formatting and 

technical requirements. 

IV.3c. You must have nonprofit status 

with the IRS at the time of application. 

If your organization is a private 

nonprofit which has not received a grant 

or cooperative agreement from ECA in 

the past three years, or if your 

organization received nonprofit status 

from the IRS within the past four years, 

you must submit the necessary 

documentation to verify nonprofit status 

as directed in the PSI document. Failure 

to do so will cause your proposal to be 

declared technically ineligible. 

IV.3d. Please take into consideration 

the following information when 

preparing your proposal narrative: 

IV.3d.1—Adherence To All 

Regulations Governing The J Visa. The 

Office of Citizen Exchanges of the 

Bureau of Educational and Cultural 

Affairs is the official program sponsor of 

the exchange program covered by this 

RFGP, and an employee of the Bureau 

will be the ‘‘Responsible Officer’’ for the 

program under the terms of 22 CFR part 

62, which covers the administration of 

the Exchange Visitor Program (J visa 

70020 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 222 / Friday, November 18, 2005 / Notices 

program). Under the terms of 22 CFR 

part 62, organizations receiving grants 

under this RFGP will be third parties 

‘‘cooperating with or assisting the 

sponsor in the conduct of the sponsor’s 

program.’’ The actions of grantee 

program organizations shall be 

‘‘imputed to the sponsor in evaluating 

the sponsor’s compliance with’’ 22 CFR 

part 62. Therefore, the Bureau expects 

that any organization receiving a grant 

under this competition will render all 

assistance necessary to enable the 

Bureau to fully comply with 22 CFR 

part 62 et seq. 

The Bureau of Educational and 

Cultural Affairs places great emphasis 

on the secure and proper administration 

of Exchange Visitor (J visa) Programs 

and adherence by grantee program 

organizations and program participants 

to all regulations governing the J visa 

program status. Therefore, proposals 

should explicitly state in writing that the 

applicant is prepared to assist the 

Bureau in meeting all requirements 

governing the administration of 

Exchange Visitor Programs as set forth 

in 22 CFR part 62. If your organization 

has experience as a designated 

Exchange Visitor Program Sponsor, the 

applicant should discuss their record of 

compliance with 22 CFR part 62 et. seq., 

including the oversight of their 

Responsible Officers and Alternate 

Responsible Officers, screening and 

selection of program participants, 

provision of pre-arrival information and 

orientation to participants, monitoring 

of participants, proper maintenance and 

security of forms, record-keeping, 

reporting and other requirements. 

The Office of Citizen Exchanges of 

ECA will be responsible for issuing any 

DS–2019 forms to foreign participants. 

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. 

IV.3d.2 Diversity, Freedom and 

Democracy Guidelines. Pursuant to the 

Bureau’s authorizing legislation, 

programs must maintain a non-political 

character and should be balanced and 

representative of the diversity of 

American political, social, and cultural 

life. ‘‘Diversity’’ should be interpreted 

in the broadest sense and encompass 

differences including, but not limited to 

ethnicity, race, gender, religion, 

geographic location, socio-economic 

status, and physical challenges. 

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 

grantee 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 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. 

Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 222 / Friday, November 18, 2005 / Notices 70021 

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. Grant requests may not exceed 

$300,000. The anticipated unit cost for 

a six-to-eight-week program is $8,000 to 

$10,000. 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) Recruitment/selection. 

(2) Preparation/orientation. 

(3) Visas and associated costs. 

(4) Travel. 

(5) Institute costs, including language 

instruction, program activities, and 

monitoring. 

(6) Room and board, as necessary. 

(7) Follow-on activities. 

(8) Evaluation. 

(9) Administration. 

Maximum limits on grant funding are 

as follows: Books and educational 

materials allowance—$100 per 

participant; Conference room rental 

costs—$250 per day per room; 

Consultant fees and honoraria—$250/ 

day; Cultural allowance—$150 per 

participant; Per diem—standard 

government rates; Working meals—one 

per project; Evaluation costs—2% to 5% 

of the grant. 

Please refer to the Solicitation 

Package for complete budget guidelines 

and formatting instructions. 

IV.3f. Submission Dates and Times: 

Application Deadline Date: 

Wednesday, January 18, 2006. 

Explanation of Deadlines 

Due to heightened security measures, 

proposal submissions must be sent via 

a nationally recognized overnight 

delivery service (i.e., DHL, Federal 

Express, UPS, Airborne Express, or U.S. 

Postal Service Express Overnight Mail, 

etc.) and be shipped no later than the 

above deadline. The 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. 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. ECA will not notify you upon 

receipt of application. 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. Applications may not be 

submitted electronically at this time. 

Applicants must follow all 

instructions in the Solicitation Package. 

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, one fully-tabbed copy, 

and seven copies of the application with 

Tabs A–E (for a total of 9 copies) should 

be sent to: U.S. Department of State, 

SA–44, Bureau of Educational and 

Cultural Affairs, Ref.: ECA/PE/C/PY–

06–16, Program Management, ECA/EX/ 

PM, Room 534, 301 4th Street, SW., 

Washington, DC 20547. 

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.3g. Intergovernmental Review of 

Applications: Executive Order 12372 

does not apply to this program. 

IV.3h. With the submission of the 

proposal package, please also submit the 

Executive Summary, Proposal Narrative, 

and Budget sections of the proposal as 

e-mail attachments in Microsoft Word 

and/or Excel to the program officer at 

LantzCS@state.gov. The Bureau will 

provide these files electronically to the 

Public Affairs Sections at the relevant 

U.S. embassies for their review. 

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 (grants) 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. Proposals should 

display an understanding of the goals of 

the program. Proposals will demonstrate 

a commitment to excellence and 

creativity in the implementation and 

management of the program. 

2. Program planning and ability to 

meet program objectives: Objectives 

should be reasonable, feasible, flexible, 

and respond to the priorities outlined in 

this announcement. Proposals should 

clearly demonstrate how the institution 

will meet the program’s objectives and 

plan. A detailed agenda and relevant 

work plan will demonstrate substantive 

undertakings and logistical capacity. 

The agenda and plan should adhere to 

the program overview and guidelines 

described above and will show the 

timetable by which major tasks will be 

completed. The substance of the 

instruction and the exchange activities 

should be described in detail and 

included as an attachment. The 

responsibilities of partner organizations 

will be clearly delineated. 

3. Follow-on/Alumni Activities: 

Proposals should provide a strategy for 

maximizing the opportunities for 

alumni to further their study of the 

language and culture of the host 

country, presenting plans that are 

within the context of the grant (with 

Bureau support) and after its completion 

(without the Bureau’s financial 

support). 

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). 

5. Project Evaluation: Proposals 

should include a plan and methodology 

to evaluate the project’s successes and 

challenges, both as the activities unfold 

and at the end of the program. The 

evaluation plan should show a clear 

link between program objectives and 

expected outcomes, and should include 

70022 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 222 / Friday, November 18, 2005 / Notices 

a description of performance indicators 

and measurement tools. Applicants 

should provide draft questionnaires or 

other techniques for use in surveying 

participants to facilitate the 

demonstration of results. Applicants 

will indicate their willingness to submit 

periodic progress reports in accordance 

with the program office’s expectations. 

6. Institutional Capacity: Applicants 

should demonstrate knowledge of each 

country’s educational environment and 

the capacity for hosting this language 

institute. Proposals should include 

detailed information about the 

applicant’s capacity in the United States 

and about in-country support for the 

program, including descriptions of 

experienced personnel who will 

implement it. Institutional resources 

should be adequate and appropriate to 

achieve the project’s goals. Proposals 

should demonstrate an institutional 

record of successful exchange programs, 

including responsible fiscal 

management and full compliance with 

all reporting requirements for past 

Bureau 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. Cost-effectiveness/Cost sharing: 

The overhead and administrative 

components of the proposal, including 

salaries and honoraria, should be kept 

as low as possible. While lower ‘‘per 

participant’’ figures will be favorably 

viewed, the Bureau expects all figures to 

be realistic. All other items must 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 an Assistance Award Document 

(AAD) from the Bureau’s Grants Office. 

The AAD and the original grant 

proposal with subsequent modifications 

(if applicable) shall be the only binding 

authorizing document between the 

recipient and the U.S. Government. The 

AAD will be signed by an authorized 

Grants Officer, and mailed to the 

recipient’s responsible officer identified 

in the application. Unsuccessful 

applicants will receive notification of 

the results of the application review 

from the ECA program office 

coordinating this competition. 

VI.2 Administrative and National 

Policy Requirements: Terms and 

Conditions for the Administration of 

ECA agreements include the following: 

Office of Management and Budget 

Circular A–122, ‘‘Cost Principles for 

Nonprofit Organizations.’’

Office of Management and Budget 

Circular A–21, ‘‘Cost Principles for 

Educational Institutions.’’

OMB Circular A–87, ‘‘Cost Principles 

for State, Local and Indian 

Governments’’. 

OMB Circular No. A–110 (Revised), 

Uniform Administrative Requirements 

for Grants and Agreements with 

Institutions of Higher Education, 

Hospitals, and other Nonprofit 

Organizations. 

OMB Circular No. A–102, Uniform 

Administrative Requirements for 

Grants-in-Aid to State and Local 

Governments. 

OMB Circular No. A–133, Audits of 

States, Local Government, and Nonprofit Organizations. 

Please reference the following Web 

sites for additional information: 

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

http://exchanges.state.gov/education/ 

grantsdiv/terms.htm#articleI. 

VI.3. Reporting Requirements: You 

must provide ECA with a hard copy 

original plus two copies of the following 

reports: 

(1) A final program and financial 

report no more than 90 days after the 

expiration of the award; 

(2) Quarterly program and financial 

reports that include information on the 

progress made on the program plan and 

program results to date. 

Grantees 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: Carolyn Lantz, 

Youth Programs Division, Office of 

Citizen Exchanges, Bureau of 

Educational and Cultural Affairs, ECA/ 

PE/C/PY–06–16, U.S. Department of 

State, SA–44, 301 4th Street, SW., Room 

568, Washington, DC 20547, Telephone 

(202) 203–7505, Fax (202) 203–7529, Email LantzCS@state.gov. 

All correspondence with the Bureau 

concerning this RFGP should reference 

the above title and number ECA/PE/C/ 

PY–06–16. 

Please read the complete Federal 

Register 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. 

Issuance of the RFGP does not 

constitute an award commitment on the 

part of the Government. The Bureau 

reserves the right to reduce, revise, or 

increase proposal budgets in accordance 

with the needs of the program and the 

availability of funds. Awards made will 

be subject to periodic reporting and 

evaluation requirements per section VI.3 

above. 

Dated: November 14, 2005. 

C. Miller Crouch, 

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau 

of Educational and Cultural Affairs, 

Department of State. 

[FR Doc. 05–22921 Filed 11–17–05; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4710–05–P