Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 135 / Thursday, July 16, 2009 / Notices 34619 

Dated: May 28, 2009. 

David T. Donahue, 

Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of 

Consular Affairs, Department of State. 

[FR Doc. E9–16936 Filed 7–15–09; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4710–06–P 

DEPARTMENT OF STATE 

[Public Notice 6697] 

Bureau of Educational and Cultural 

Affairs (ECA) Request for Grant 

Proposals: Community College 

Initiative Program 

Announcement Type: New 

Cooperative Agreement. 

Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/ 

A/S/U–10–01. 

Catalog of Federal Domestic 

Assistance Number: 19.009. 

Key Dates: 

Application Deadline: September 25, 

2009. 

Executive Summary: 

The Bureau of Educational and 

Cultural Affairs (ECA) announces an 

open competition for one or more 

assistance awards to administer the 

Community College Initiative Program, 

which will support study by 

international undergraduate students at 

accredited U.S. community colleges. 

The Program provides quality 

educational programs, professional 

development, employment skills and a 

first-hand understanding of American 

society to underserved, non-elite 

international students, particularly 

women, who already have some work 

experience. The Bureau anticipates 

supporting students from developing 

countries in every world region in this 

program including (subject to change) 

such countries as Brazil, Indonesia, 

Pakistan, and South Africa, as well as 

other countries. Community college 

consortia and other associations of 

community colleges meeting the 

provisions described in Internal 

Revenue Code section 501(c) may 

submit proposals to cooperate with the 

Bureau in the administration and 

implementation of the 2010 Community 

College Initiative Program. For planning 

purposes, the Bureau invites proposals 

from eligible organizations for a 

program at a total funding level of 

approximately $8.5 million pending 

availability of FY2010 resources. 

Applicants may apply to administer the 

entire program or a portion thereof. 

Applicant organizations should indicate 

the number of participants that can be 

accommodated at the requested funding 

level based on detailed calculations of 

program and administrative costs. In 

order to maximize the number of 

participants under this program, it is the 

Bureau’s expectation that significant 

institutional and private sector funding 

and cost sharing will be made available 

by cooperating institutions. We 

anticipate that approximately 250 to 275 

students will participate in the FY2010 

program. 

I. Funding Opportunity Description 

Authority: 

Overall grant making authority for 

this program is contained in the Mutual 

Educational and Cultural Exchange Act 

of 1961, Public Law 87–256, as 

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

enable the Government of the United 

States to increase mutual understanding 

between the people of the United States 

and the people of other countries * * *; 

to strengthen the ties which unite us 

with other nations by demonstrating the 

educational and cultural interests, 

developments, and achievements of the 

people of the United States and other 

nations * * * and thus to assist in the 

development of friendly, sympathetic 

and peaceful relations between the 

United States and the other countries of 

the world.’’ The funding authority for 

the program above is provided through 

legislation. 

Purpose: 

The Community College Initiative 

Program demonstrates abroad the U.S. 

commitment to education for all by 

providing access to educational 

opportunities to a broad sector of 

international students. The Bureau is 

engaged with the community college 

sector in the United States to increase 

the number of international students 

enrolled at U.S. community colleges and 

to reinforce community college efforts to 

build international ties. U.S. community 

colleges can make a unique contribution 

to international educational exchange 

by demonstrating the flexibility and 

relevance of American higher education. 

By providing quality technical and firstlevel professional education, 

community colleges enable students 

from developing countries to acquire 

skills and to gain experiences that will 

equip them to participate constructively 

in their countries’ efforts to progress 

economically and politically. 

Community colleges can also provide a 

model of lower-cost, community-based, 

higher education that offers wide access 

to skills development for existing jobs. 

International students selected for 

academic study at accredited U.S. 

community colleges under this program 

will receive educational opportunities, 

professional development, and an 

exposure to American society that will 

enable them to return home with unique 

skills and experience with which to 

contribute to the growth and 

development of their countries. Upon 

return, these students will be able to 

enter the skilled work force and fill 

important needs in their home 

countries. 

Guidelines: 

Applicants are requested to submit a 

narrative of no more than 20 doublespaced, single-sided pages outlining a 

comprehensive strategy for the 

administration and implementation of 

the Community College Initiative 

Program including the following 

program components: Identification of 

accredited U.S. community colleges to 

host participants in groups of 

approximately 12 students, with 

colleges with limited international 

experience hosting smaller cohorts. Host 

colleges should have expertise in the 

fields of study of the students accepted 

for placement. 

Proposals should anticipate the 

placement of students in the following 

fields: 

• Agriculture 

• Applied Engineering 

• Business Management and 

Administration 

• Health Professions including 

Nursing 

• Information Technology 

• Media 

• Tourism and Hospitality 

Management 

Programs in agriculture, applied 

engineering, business management and 

administration, information technology, 

media, and tourism and hospitality 

management should last one academic 

year. Programs in the health professions, 

including nursing, may last up to 18 

months. All programs of study should 

lead to a certificate or an Associate 

Degree. Programs should include 

unpaid internships and service learning 

opportunities. Academic programs 

should begin in Fall 2010. 

Proposals should describe in detail a 

system for review and placement of 

candidates nominated by U.S. 

Embassies and Fulbright Commissions 

abroad for the approval of ECA. 

Proposals should also explain processes 

for developing and disseminating predeparture orientation materials, 

registering participants in SEVIS under 

the Bureau’s sponsorship with a 

program number to be provided by the 

Bureau, and organizing post-arrival 

orientation programming. 

Pre-academic intensive English 

language training should be provided in 

the Spring of 2010 to those participants 

who lack adequate English to function 

effectively in the U.S. classroom as 

evidenced by standardized test scores. 


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Pre-academic English language training 

should take place at host colleges. Prearrival distance learning and in-country 

English training options may also be 

proposed. Proposals should also 

describe English as a Second Language 

programs and services at the 

participating colleges for students 

needing additional language work 

during the academic year. 

Proposals should explain how 

participants will engage in enrichment 

activities, and should include creative 

ideas for exposing participants broadly 

to American institutions, society and 

culture. For example, these activities 

may include presentations to college 

classes, local schools and the 

community; involvement with local 

families; and attendance at educational 

and cultural events with a U.S. focus. 

Proposals should also outline 

procedures for advising, monitoring and 

supporting participants; for evaluating 

their programs; and for follow-up with 

program alumni. 

An applicant organization may 

propose to administer the entire 

program or a portion thereof based on 

the organization’s interest and capacity 

in one or more of the specified fields. 

A proposal should be consistent with 

the applicant organization’s 

institutional capacities and the range of 

fields in which the proposed host 

colleges have expertise. 

The budget should provide funding 

for round-trip travel for all participants, 

pre-academic intensive English 

language training for seventy-five per 

cent of the participating students, 

tuition, books, and living costs as well 

as costs for program administration. An 

applicant organization should explain 

processes for providing maintenance, 

book, and other allowances to 

participating students and for paying 

tuition fees directly to host colleges. If 

possible, to streamline administrative 

procedures and to maintain the 

flexibility to respond to program 

developments as they occur, 

organizations should propose processes 

to provide payments to participants and 

colleges directly without requiring 

formal sub-agreements with the host 

colleges. 

Cost-sharing is expected from 

organizations applying to cooperate 

with the Bureau on this program. 

Applicant organizations are encouraged 

to include third-party contributions in 

their proposals. 

Proposals should demonstrate depth 

of experience in conducting and 

administering complex and multifaceted international education 

programs. Proposals should provide a 

plan for continued follow-on activity 

(without Bureau support), such as 

tracking and maintaining updated lists 

of all alumni and facilitating follow-up 

activities with alumni, including list 

serves. 

Programs and projects must conform 

with the requirements and guidelines 

outlined in the Solicitation Package, 

which includes the Request for Grant 

Proposals (RFGP), the Project 

Objectives, Goals and Implementation 

(POGI) and the Proposal Submission 

Instructions (PSI). 

In a cooperative agreement, the 

Bureau is substantially involved in 

program activities above and beyond 

routine grant monitoring. Bureau 

activities and responsibilities for this 

program include: 

(1) Participation in the design and 

direction of program activities; 

(2) Approval of key personnel; 

(3) Approval and input on program 

timelines and agendas; 

(4) Guidance in execution of all 

program components; 

(5) Review and approval of all 

program publicity and other materials; 

(6) Approval of host campuses; 

(7) Final selection of participating 

students; 

(8) Approval of changes to students’ 

proposed academic field or institution; 

(9) Approval of decisions related to 

special circumstances or problems 

throughout duration of program; 

(10) Assistance with SEVIS-related 

issues; 

(11) Assistance with participant 

emergencies; 

(12) Liaison with relevant U.S. 

Embassies, Fulbright commissions and 

country desk officers at the State 

Department. 

Pending availability of funds, grants 

should begin on or around December 1, 

2009 and will run through November 

30, 2012. Grants will include both the 

administrative and program portions of 

the program. 

II. Award Information 

Type of Award: Cooperative 

Agreement. 

ECA’s level of involvement in this 

program is listed under number I above. 

Fiscal Year Funds: FY 2010. 

Approximate Total Funding: 

$8,500,000. 

Approximate Number of Awards: 

Pending the review and approval of 

successful proposals, the Bureau 

intends to make approximately one to 

six awards under this competition. 

Approximate Average Award: The 

size of the awards will depend on the 

number and quality of the proposals 

submitted, and on the distribution of 

fields on which the recommended 

proposals focus. The maximum award 

available will be approximately 

$8,500,000. The Bureau anticipates that 

the minimum award available will be 

approximately $1,000,000. 

Anticipated Award Date: Pending 

availability of funds, December 1, 2009. 

Anticipated Project Completion Date: 

November 30, 2012. 

Additional Information: 

For each field of study, participants 

should be grouped at one or more 

colleges with a strong program of 

instruction in the field. Colleges will 

place participants in the fields of 

agriculture, applied engineering, 

business management and 

administration, information technology, 

media, and tourism and hospitality 

management in certificate programs 

lasting one academic year. Colleges may 

also place students in health 

professions, including nursing, in 

programs lasting more than one year but 

no more than 18 months. Programs in 

health professions, including nursing, 

should culminate in a certificate or an 

Associate Degree. Those proposals that 

focus resources on more costly programs 

lasting 18 months should demonstrate 

significant levels of cost-sharing. 

Subject to the availability of funds in 

subsequent fiscal years, it is ECA’s 

intent to renew the cooperative 

agreement(s) for two additional fiscal 

years before openly competing it again. 

III. Eligibility Information 

III.1. Eligible applicants 

Applications may be submitted by 

public and private non-profit 

organizations meeting the provisions 

described in Internal Revenue Code 

section 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3) that are 

consortia of accredited U.S. community 

colleges, or other combinations of 

multiple community college campuses. 

Applications must designate a lead 

institution to receive and administer the 

award. 

III.2. Cost Sharing or Matching Funds 

There is no minimum or maximum 

percentage required for this 

competition. However, the Bureau 

encourages applicants to provide 

maximum levels of cost sharing and 

funding in support of its programs. 

When cost sharing is offered, it is 

understood and agreed that the 

applicant must provide the amount of 

cost sharing as stipulated in its proposal 

and later included in an approved 

agreement. Cost sharing may be in the 

form of allowable direct or indirect 

costs. For accountability, you must 

maintain written records to support all 

costs which are claimed as your 


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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 and cooperative 

agreement guidelines require that 

organizations with less than four years 

experience in conducting international 

exchanges be limited to $60,000 in 

Bureau funding. Due to the scope and 

complexity of this program, 

organizations with less than a four-year 

track record 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 Karene Grad, ECA/A/S/ 

U, SA–5, Floor 4, Department of State, 

Washington, DC 20522–0504; e-mail 

GradKX@state.gov to request a 

Solicitation Package. Please refer to the 

Funding Opportunity Number ECA/A/ 

S/U–10–01 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 Bureau Program Officer 

Karene Grad and refer to the Funding 

Opportunity Number ECA/A/S/U–10– 

01 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/grants/ 

open2.html, or from the Grants.gov Web 

site at http://www.grants.gov. 

Please read all information before 

downloading. 

IV.3. Content and Form of Submission 

Applicants must follow all 

instructions in the Solicitation Package. 

The application should be submitted 

per the instructions under IV.3f. 

‘‘Application Deadline and Methods of 

Submission’’ section below. 

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

and Bradstreet Data Universal 

Numbering System (DUNS) number to 

apply for a grant or cooperative 

agreement from the U.S. Government. 

This number is a nine-digit 

identification number, which uniquely 

identifies business entities. Obtaining a 

DUNS number is easy, and there is no 

charge. To obtain a DUNS number, 

access http:// 

www.dunandbradstreet.com or call 1– 

866–705–5711. Please ensure that your 

DUNS number is included in the 

appropriate box of the SF–424 which is 

part of the formal application package. 

IV.3b. All proposals must contain an 

executive summary, proposal narrative 

and budget. 

Please Refer to the Solicitation 

Package. It contains the mandatory 

Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) 

document and the Project Objectives, 

Goals and Implementation (POGI) 

document for additional formatting and 

technical requirements. 

IV.3c. You must have nonprofit status 

with the IRS at the time of application. 

Please note: Effective January 7, 2009, 

all applicants for ECA Federal 

assistance awards must include in their 

application the names of directors and/ 

or senior executives (current officers, 

trustees, and key employees, regardless 

of amount of compensation). In 

fulfilling this requirement, applicants 

must submit information in one of the 

following ways: 

(1) Those who file Internal Revenue 

Service Form 990, ‘‘Return of 

Organization Exempt From Income 

Tax,’’ must include a copy of relevant 

portions of this form. 

(2) Those who do not file IRS Form 

990 must submit information above in 

the format of their choice. 

In addition to final program reporting 

requirements, award recipients will also 

be required to submit a one-page 

document, derived from their program 

reports, listing and describing their 

grant activities. For award recipients, 

the names of directors and/or senior 

executives (current officers, trustees, 

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

be transmitted by the State Department 

to OMB, along with other information 

required by the Federal Funding 

Accountability and Transparency Act 

(FFATA), and will be made available to 

the public by the Office of Management 

and Budget on its USASpending.gov 

Web site as part of ECA’s FFATA 

reporting requirements. 

If your organization is a private 

nonprofit which has not received a grant 

or cooperative agreement from ECA in 

the past three years, or if your 

organization received nonprofit status 

from the IRS within the past four years, 

you must submit the necessary 

documentation to verify nonprofit status 

as directed in the PSI document. Failure 

to do so will cause your proposal to be 

declared technically ineligible. 

IV.3d. Please take into consideration 

the following information when 

preparing your proposal narrative: 

IV.3d.1 Adherence to All Regulations 

Governing the J Visa 

The Bureau of Educational and 

Cultural Affairs places critically 

important emphases on the security and 

proper administration of the Exchange 

Visitor (J visa) Programs and adherence 

by award recipients and sponsors to all 

regulations governing the J visa. 

Therefore, proposals should 

demonstrate the applicant’s capacity to 

meet all requirements governing the 

administration of the Exchange Visitor 

Programs as set forth in 22 CFR part 62, 

including the oversight of Responsible 

Officers and Alternate Responsible 

Officers, screening and selection of 

program participants, provision of prearrival information and orientation to 

participants, monitoring of participants, 

proper maintenance and security of 

forms, record-keeping, reporting and 

other requirements. The award recipient 

will be responsible for issuing DS–2019 

forms to participants in this program. 

A copy of the complete regulations 

governing the administration of 

Exchange Visitor (J) programs is 

available at http://exchanges.state.gov 

or from: Office of Designation, ECA/EC/ 

D, SA–5, Floor C2, Department of State, 

Washington, DC 20522–0582. 

Please refer to Solicitation Package for 

further information. 


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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 organization 

will track participants or partners and 

be able to respond to key evaluation 

questions, including satisfaction with 

the program, learning as a result of the 

program, changes in behavior as a result 

of the program, and effects of the 

program on institutions (institutions in 

which participants work or partner 

institutions). The evaluation plan 

should include indicators that measure 

gains in mutual understanding as well 

as substantive knowledge. 

Successful monitoring and evaluation 

depend heavily on setting clear goals 

and outcomes at the outset of a program. 

Your evaluation plan should include a 

description of your project’s objectives, 

your anticipated project outcomes, and 

how and when you intend to measure 

these outcomes (performance 

indicators). The more that outcomes are 

‘‘smart’’ (specific, measurable, 

attainable, results-oriented, and placed 

in a reasonable time frame), the easier 

it will be to conduct the evaluation. You 

should also show how your project 

objectives link to the goals of the 

program described in this RFGP. 

Your monitoring and evaluation plan 

should clearly distinguish between 

program outputs and outcomes. Outputs 

are products and services delivered, 

often stated as an amount. Output 

information is important to show the 

scope or size of project activities, but it 

cannot substitute for information about 

progress towards outcomes or the 

results achieved. Examples of outputs 

include the number of people trained or 

the number of seminars conducted. 

Outcomes, in contrast, represent 

specific results a project is intended to 

achieve and is usually measured as an 

extent of change. Findings on outputs 

and outcomes should both be reported, 

but the focus should be on outcomes. 

We encourage you to assess the 

following four levels of outcomes, as 

they relate to the program goals set out 

in the RFGP (listed here in increasing 

order of importance): 

1. Participant satisfaction with the 

program and exchange experience. 

2. Participant learning, such as 

increased knowledge, aptitude, skills, 

and changed understanding and 

attitude. Learning includes both 

substantive (subject-specific) learning 

and mutual understanding. 

3. Participant behavior, concrete 

actions to apply knowledge in work or 

community; greater participation and 

responsibility in civic organizations; 

interpretation and explanation of 

experiences and new knowledge gained; 

continued contacts between 

participants, community members, and 

others. 

4. Institutional changes, such as 

increased collaboration and 

partnerships, policy reforms, new 

programming, and organizational 

improvements. 

Please note: Consideration should be given 

to the appropriate timing of data collection 

for each level of outcome. For example, 

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

institutional changes are normally 

considered longer-term outcomes. 

Overall, the quality of your 

monitoring and evaluation plan will be 

judged on how well it (1) specifies 

intended outcomes; (2) gives clear 

descriptions of how each outcome will 

be measured; (3) identifies when 

particular outcomes will be measured; 

and (4) provides a clear description of 

the data collection strategies for each 

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

focus groups). (Please note that 

evaluation plans that deal only with the 

first level of outcomes [satisfaction] will 

be deemed less competitive under the 

present evaluation criteria.) 

Recipient organizations will be 

required to provide reports analyzing 

their evaluation findings to the Bureau 

in their regular program reports. All 

data collected, including survey 

responses and contact information, must 

be maintained for a minimum of three 

years and provided to the Bureau upon 

request. 

Describe in your proposal your plans 

for: Overall program management, 

staffing, coordination with ECA and 

with community colleges enrolling 

groups of participants, and learning and 

service opportunities for participants. 

Please provide a staffing plan which 

outlines the responsibilities of each staff 

person and explains which staff 

members will be accountable for each 

program responsibility. 

IV.3e. Please take the following 

information into consideration when 

preparing your budget: 

IV.3e.1 Applicants must submit a 

comprehensive budget for the complete 

program or a portion of the program. 

The total funding available for this 

program is approximately $8,500,000 for 

both program and administrative costs. 

Applicants may apply to administer 

total funds of less than $8,500,000, 

proportionate with the program being 

proposed. Please indicate clearly the 

number of participants to be funded and 

the budget total for both administrative 

and program costs. Applicant 

institutions must present a summary 

budget as well as breakdowns including 

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 and additional budget guidance 

are outlined in detail in the POGI 

document. 

Please refer to the Solicitation 

Package for complete budget guidelines 

and formatting instructions. 

IV.3F Application Deadline and 

Methods of Submission: 

Application Deadline Date: 

September 25, 2009. 

Reference Number: ECA/A/S/U–10– 

01. 

Methods of Submission: 

Applications may be submitted in one 

of two ways: 

(1) In hard-copy, via a nationally 

recognized overnight delivery service 


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(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 this RFGP, 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 seven copies of the 

application should be sent to: 

Program Management Division, ECA– 

IIP/EX/PM, Ref.: ECA/A/S/U–10–01, 

SA–5, Floor 4, Department of State, 

2200 C Street, NW., 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(s) at 

the U.S. embassies for their 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 

follow the instructions available in the 

‘Get Started’ portion of the site (http:// 

www.grants.gov/GetStarted). 

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 this RFGP, ECA bears no 

responsibility for data errors resulting from 

transmission or conversion processes for 

proposals submitted via Grants.gov. 

Several of the steps in the Grants.gov 

registration process could take several 

weeks. Therefore, applicants should 

check with appropriate staff within their 

organizations immediately after 

reviewing this RFGP to confirm or 

determine their registration status with 

Grants.gov. 

Once registered, the amount of time it 

can take to upload an application will 

vary depending on a variety of factors 

including the size of the application and 

the speed of your internet connection. 

In addition, validation of an electronic 

submission via Grants.gov can take up 

to two business days. 

Therefore, we strongly recommend 

that you not wait until the application 

deadline to begin the submission 

process through Grants.gov. 

The Grants.gov Web site includes 

extensive information on all phases/ 

aspects of the Grants.gov process, 

including an extensive section on 

frequently asked questions, located 

under the ‘‘For Applicants’’ section of 

the Web site. ECA strongly recommends 

that all potential applicants review 

thoroughly the Grants.gov Web site, 

well in advance of submitting a 

proposal through the Grants.gov system. 

ECA bears no responsibility for data 

errors resulting from transmission or 

conversion processes. 

Direct all questions regarding 

Grants.gov registration and submission 

to: 

Grants.gov Customer Support, 

Contact Center Phone: 800–518–4726, 

Business Hours: Monday–Friday, 7a.m.– 

9 p.m. Eastern Time, 

E-mail: support@grants.gov. 

Applicants have until midnight (12 

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

closing date to ensure that their entire 

application has been uploaded to the 

Grants.gov site. There are no exceptions 

to the above deadline. Applications 

uploaded to the site after midnight of 

the application deadline date will be 

automatically rejected by the grants.gov 

system, and will be technically 

ineligible. 

Please refer to the Grants.gov Web 

site, for definitions of various 

‘‘application statuses’’ and the 

difference between a submission receipt 

and a submission validation. Applicants 

will receive a validation e-mail from 

grants.gov upon the successful 

submission of an application. Again, 

validation of an electronic submission 

via Grants.gov can take up to two 

business days. Therefore, we strongly 

recommend that you not wait until the 

application deadline to begin the 

submission process through Grants.gov. 

ECA will not notify you upon receipt of 

electronic applications. 

It is the responsibility of all 

applicants submitting proposals via the 

Grants.gov web portal to ensure that 

proposals have been received by 

Grants.gov in their entirety, and ECA 

bears no responsibility for data errors 

resulting from transmission or 

conversion processes. 

Optional—IV.3f.3 You may also state 

here any limitations on the number of 

applications that an applicant may 

submit and make it clear whether the 

limitation is on the submitting 

organization, individual program 

director or both. 

IV.3g. Intergovernmental Review of 

Applications: Executive Order 12372 

does not apply to this program. 

V. Application Review Information 

V.1. Review Process 

The Bureau will review all proposals 

for technical eligibility. Proposals will 

be deemed ineligible if they do not fully 

adhere to the guidelines stated herein 

and in the Solicitation Package. All 

eligible proposals will be reviewed by 

the program office, as well as the Public 

Diplomacy section overseas, where 

appropriate. Eligible proposals will be 

subject to compliance with Federal and 

Bureau regulations and guidelines and 

forwarded to Bureau grant panels for 


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advisory review. Proposals may also be 

reviewed by the Office of the Legal 

Adviser or by other Department 

elements. Final funding decisions are at 

the discretion of the Department of 

State’s Assistant Secretary for 

Educational and Cultural Affairs. Final 

technical authority for cooperative 

agreements resides with the Bureau’s 

Grants Officer. 

Review Criteria 

Technically eligible applications will 

be competitively reviewed according to 

the criteria stated below. These criteria 

are not rank ordered and all carry equal 

weight in the proposal evaluation: 

1. Quality of the program idea: 

Proposals should exhibit originality, 

substance, precision, and relevance to 

the Bureau’s mission as well as the 

objectives of the Community College 

Initiative Program. Proposals should 

demonstrate an understanding of issues 

faced by countries in the developing 

world as related to the program goals. A 

detailed agenda and relevant work plan 

should demonstrate substantive 

undertakings and logistical capacity for 

participants placed in field-related 

clusters. The agenda and plan should 

adhere to the program overview and 

guidelines described above. 

2. Ability to achieve program 

objectives: Objectives should be 

reasonable, feasible, and flexible. 

Proposals should clearly demonstrate 

how the institution will meet the 

Community College Initiative Program’s 

objectives and plan and should address 

each program component. 

3. Multiplier effect/impact: Proposals 

should strengthen long-term mutual 

understanding, including maximum 

sharing of information and individual 

linkages. The proposed strategy should 

maximize the Program’s potential to 

maintain community college links with 

Program alumni. 

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. Institutional Capacity and Ability: 

Proposed personnel and institutional 

resources should be adequate and 

appropriate to achieve the program’s 

goals. Proposals should describe the 

applicant’s knowledge of, or prior 

experience with, international students 

and visitors, and the applicant’s 

experience in educating students in the 

targeted subject fields. Proposals should 

demonstrate an institutional record of 

successful exchange programs involving 

the hosting of international students and 

visitors, including responsible fiscal 

management and full compliance with 

all reporting requirements for past 

Bureau grants or cooperative 

agreements. The Bureau will consider 

the past performance of prior recipients 

and the demonstrated potential of new 

applicants. 

6. Follow-on Activities: Proposals 

should provide a plan for continued 

follow-on activity (without Bureau 

support) ensuring that Bureau 

supported programs are not isolated 

events. Activities should include 

tracking and maintaining updated lists 

of all alumni and facilitating follow-up 

activities with alumni, including 

electronic list serves. 

7. Project Evaluation: Proposals 

should include a plan and methodology 

to evaluate the program’s degree of 

success in meeting program objectives, 

both as the activities unfold and at the 

end of the program. A draft survey 

questionnaire or other technique plus 

description of a methodology to use to 

link outcomes to original project 

objectives is recommended. Successful 

applicants will be expected to submit 

intermediate reports after each project 

component is concluded, or quarterly, 

whichever is less frequent. 

8. Cost-effectiveness: 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 

institutional direct funding 

contributions and private sector 

support. Budget estimates should be as 

accurate as possible over the full period 

of the cooperative agreement. 

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: 

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 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 be transmitted to OMB, and 

be made available to the public via 

OMB’s USAspending.gov Web site—as 

part of ECA’s Federal Funding 

Accountability and Transparency Act 

(FFATA) reporting requirements. 

(3) A SF–PPR, ‘‘Performance Progress 

Report’’ Cover Sheet with all program 

reports; 

(4) Quarterly financial reports; 

(5) Annual program reports for the 

first and second year of the agreement. 

Award recipients will be required to 

provide reports analyzing their 

evaluation findings to the Bureau in 

their regular program reports. (Please 

refer to IV. Application and Submission 

Instructions (IV.3.d.3) above for Program 

Monitoring and Evaluation information. 

All data collected, including survey 

responses and contact information, must 

be maintained for a minimum of three 


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Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 135 / Thursday, July 16, 2009 / Notices 34625 

1Formerly Guilford Rail System. 

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 

Award recipients 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 agreement or who 

benefit from the award 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: Karene Grad, 

ECA/A/S/U, SA–5, Floor 4, Department 

of State, Washington, DC 20522–0504; email GradKX@state.gov. 

All correspondence with the Bureau 

concerning this RFGP should reference 

the above title and number ECA/A/S/U– 

10–01. 

Please read the complete 

announcement before sending inquiries 

or submitting proposals. Once the RFGP 

deadline has passed, Bureau staff may 

not discuss this competition with 

applicants until the proposal review 

process has been completed. 

VIII. Other Information 

Notice 

The terms and conditions published 

in this RFGP are binding and may not 

be modified by any Bureau 

representative. Explanatory information 

provided by the Bureau that contradicts 

published language will not be binding. 

Issuance of the RFGP does not 

constitute an award commitment on the 

part of the Government. The Bureau 

reserves the right to reduce, revise, or 

increase proposal budgets in accordance 

with the needs of the program and the 

availability of funds. Awards made will 

be subject to periodic reporting and 

evaluation requirements per section VI.3 

above. 

Dated: July 6, 2009. 

C. Miller Crouch, 

Acting Assistant Secretary for Educational 

and Cultural Affairs, Department of State. 

[FR Doc. E9–16926 Filed 7–15–09; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4710–05–P 

DEPARTMENT OF STATE 

[Public Notice 6696] 

Culturally Significant Objects Imported 

for Exhibition Determinations: ‘‘Arshile 

Gorky: A Retrospective’’ 

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 ‘‘Arshile 

Gorky: A Retrospective,’’ 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 Philadelphia 

Museum of Art, Philadelphia, PA, from 

on or about October 8, 2009, until on or 

about January 10, 2010; at the Museum 

of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, CA, 

from on or about June 6, 2010, until on 

or about September 6, 2010, 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: July 9, 2009. 

C. Miller Crouch, 

Acting Assistant Secretary for Educational 

and Cultural Affairs, Department of State. 

[FR Doc. E9–16934 Filed 7–15–09; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4710–05–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Surface Transportation Board 

[STB Docket No. AB–32 (Sub-No. 100)] 

Boston and Maine Corporation, Inc. 

and Springfiled Terminal Railway 

Company—Adverse Discontinuance— 

New England Southern Railroad Co., 

Inc. 

On June 19, 2009, Pan Am Railways 1

and its subsidiaries, Boston and Maine 

Corporation, Inc. (B&M), and 

Springfield Terminal Railway Company 

(ST) (collectively, Pan Am), filed an 

application under 49 U.S.C. 10903 

asking the Board to authorize the thirdparty, or ‘‘adverse,’’ discontinuance of 

operating authority of New England 

Southern Railroad Co., Inc. (NES), over 

approximately 27 miles of B&M’s New 

Hampshire Main Line (Line), extending 

from milepost B80.68 at Penacook to 

milepost B56 at Manchester, NH, and 

including (1) the portion of the former 

Claremont and Concord Railroad line 

from the switch to the New Hampshire 

Main Line valuation station 41+98; and 

(2) one track for interchange purposes in 

the B&M yard at Manchester. 

The line traverses United States Postal 

Service ZIP Codes 03101, 03106, 03301, 

03303, and 03304. 

Pan Am states that NES has been 

operating the Line under a lease which 

was entered into on January 14, 1985, 

and which provides that either party 

may terminate it on 90 days’ written 

notice to the other party once the initial 

10-year term expires. Pan Am states 

that, on or about April 27, 2007, it gave 

NES written notice of termination, 

effective on or about August 1, 2007, 

and indicated that it would assume 

operating the Line under its own 

operating plan. According to Pan Am, 

NES, in a letter dated July 21, 2007, 

responded that it would not file for 

discontinuance. Pan Am states that the 

adverse discontinuance is necessary to 

remove NES’s interest in the Line from 

Board jurisdiction and enable Pan Am 

to pursue contract remedies under state 

law. 

In a decision served in this 

proceeding on February 12, 2008, the 

Board granted a petition filed by Pan 

Am for exemptions from several 

statutory provisions and for waivers of 

certain Board regulations governing rail 

line discontinuances. The Board 

required Pan Am to serve a copy of the 

decision on all of the Line’s shippers 

and connecting carriers, the U.S. 

Railroad Retirement Board, and the 


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