[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 213 (Thursday, November 3, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68243-68250]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-28420]
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DEPARTMENT OF STATE
[Public Notice: 7671]
Youth Leadership Program: TechGirls
Overview Information
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for Grant
Proposals: Youth Leadership Program: TechGirls.
Announcement Type: New Cooperative Agreement.
Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/PE/C/PY-12-10.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 19.415.
Application Deadline: December 15, 2011.
Executive Summary
The Office of Citizen Exchanges, Youth Programs Division, of the
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) announces an open
competition for the new Youth Leadership Program ``TechGirls.'' 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 conduct a three- to five-week exchange program in the
United States in Summer 2012 focused on promoting high-level study of
technology for high school girls from the Middle East and North Africa.
U.S. Embassies in the participating countries and territories will
recruit, screen, and select the teenage girls. The
[[Page 68244]]
program will provide an exchange of academic study of applied
technology for girls who already have a demonstrated aptitude and
strong interest in the subject, will empower girls to pursue higher
education and careers in technology, and will support activities in the
participants' home countries that are designed to reinforce and support
the skills and linkages acquired during the U.S. 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 Fulbright-Hays Act. The purpose of
the Act is ``to enable the Government of the United States to increase
mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the
people of other countries * * *; to strengthen the ties which unite us
with other nations by demonstrating the educational and cultural
interests, developments, and achievements of the people of the United
States and other nations * * * and thus to assist in the development of
friendly, sympathetic and peaceful relations between the United States
and the other countries of the world.'' The funding authority for the
program above is provided through legislation.
Background
In July 2011, Secretary Clinton announced the launch of a youth
exchange program called TechGirls ``to encourage innovation and promote
the spread of new technologies to give women and girls the support that
they need to become leaders in this field.'' TechGirls will complement
the TechWomen program and echo its goals; this initiative champions two
distinct but key themes of President Obama's June 2009 speech in Cairo
by supporting development in the field of technology and enabling young
women to reach their full potential in the technology industry. For
additional background, visit: http://exchanges.state.gov/programs/professionals/techwomen.html.
The TechGirls program will bring approximately 25 teenage girls
from select countries in the Middle East and North Africa to the United
States for a three- to five-week exchange program in Summer 2012
focused on promoting high-level study of technology. The program should
include participation in a technology camp, perhaps at a university,
that will bring together the program participants with American peers
who share similar interests. The camp should be academically rigorous
and provide exposure to advanced tools in technology, as well as tools
that can be readily adopted for use in the participants' home
countries, through hands-on classes, labs, and individual or team-based
projects.
The TechGirls program participants may be integrated into an
existing camp or residential program, or one may be designed
specifically for them. The camp should be complemented by additional
activities designed specifically for the TechGirls to include mentoring
experiences, job shadowing, mini-internships, and/or site visits to
high tech companies in the United States. Participants should be
afforded ample opportunity throughout the course of the program to
engage in small group work to design and develop projects that are
relevant to the field and will produce tangible, presentable outcomes,
as well as to plan for follow-on activities. The program will be
rounded out by planned social, recreational, and cultural activities;
community service activities; home hospitality arrangements such as
meals, recreational activities, or homestays with local families; and
other activities designed to achieve the program's stated goals.
Multiple opportunities for participants to interact meaningfully with
their American peers must be included. Follow-on activities that are
designed to reinforce and support the skills and linkages acquired
during the U.S. program are an integral part of the program.
The Bureau anticipates that the TechGirls participants will be
selected from the same countries that are participating in TechWomen so
that TechWomen participants may assist with recruitment and mentoring
of the girls once they return home. TechWomen participants are
currently expected to be from Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco,
Palestinian territories, Tunisia, and Yemen.
The goals of the program are to:
(1) Provide a program of academic study of applied technology for
girls who already have a demonstrated aptitude and strong interest in
the subject;
(2) Empower girls to pursue higher education and careers in
technology;
(3) Link peers who share interests and abilities;
(4) Develop leadership skills of the participants;
(5) Promote mutual understanding among the peoples of the United
States and the countries and territories of the Middle East and North
Africa.
Using these goals and the theme of technology, applicant
organizations should identify their own specific and measurable outputs
and outcomes based on the project specifications provided in this
solicitation. Proposals should indicate how recipients will achieve the
short-term program objectives, and how these objectives will contribute
to the achievement of the stated long-term goals.
Participants
U.S. Embassies in the participating countries will recruit, screen,
and select the youth participants. Although the award recipient is not
expected to be involved in participant selection, it may serve the
posts in an advisory role, as needed. The youth participants will be
high school girls, aged 15 to 17 years old who already have a
demonstrated aptitude and strong interest in the field of technology.
Participants will be proficient in the English language. The Bureau
anticipates selecting two to five participants from each participating
country or territory.
Participants will be provided with opportunities during the
exchange program to interact with American peers who are of the same
age and share similar interests in the field of technology. American
peers will either be participants of an existing technology camp or
will be recruited and selected by the award recipient if a technology
camp is designed specifically for the TechGirls program.
Organizational Capacity
Applicant organizations must demonstrate their capacity for
providing projects that address the goals and themes outlined in this
document, and providing age-appropriate programming for youth,
particularly from this region.
Applicants are strongly urged to garner private sector support. The
Bureau encourages the expansion of the scope of this program beyond
what it is able to fund. Private sector monies and in-kind offerings
may be used, for instance, to fund additional visits to technology
companies in the United States, to increase the number of American
students that participate in exchange program activities, or to ramp up
activities during the technology camp.
U.S. Embassy Involvement
U.S. Embassies in the participating countries will recruit, screen,
and select the participants; facilitate visas; arrange and purchase
international travel; arrange for adult accompaniment on the
international flights; collaborate with the U.S. recipient organization
in
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providing pre-departure briefings and overseeing alumni follow-on
activities; and engage TechWomen alumni in their home countries to
serve as mentors to the TechGirls alumni.
Guidelines
The total amount of funding is $175,000, pending availability of
funds. It is anticipated that the cooperative agreement will begin on
or around March 15, 2012. The award period will be approximately 12
months, and will cover all aspects of the program planning, U.S.-based
exchange activities, and support of follow-on activities in the
participants' home countries.
Applicants should propose to host one group of approximately 25
participants. The U.S.-based exchange should take place during a three-
to five-week period between June 15 and July 19, 2012, to coincide with
the school calendars in the participating countries, and also to allow
participants to complete the program and return home before Ramadan
(estimated to begin on July 20, 2012). Applicants should propose
specific exchange dates in their proposals, but the exact timing may be
altered through the mutual agreement of the Department of State and the
award recipient.
The Bureau reserves the right to reduce, revise, or increase
proposal project configurations, budgets, and participant numbers in
accordance with the needs of the program and the availability of funds.
In addition, the Bureau reserves the right to adjust the participating
countries should conditions change in a partner country or if other
countries and/or regions are identified as Department priorities.
In pursuit of the goals outlined above, the award recipient will be
responsible for the following:
(1) Providing U.S. Embassy Public Affairs staff in participating
countries and territories with program materials and logistical
information for preparation sessions at the pre-departure orientations.
(2) Managing logistical arrangements, including any domestic
travel, ground transportation, accommodations, group meals, and
disbursement of pocket money.
(3) Conducting an orientation for the TechGirls upon their arrival
in the United States and for those participating from the U.S. host
communities, including American peers and host families.
(4) Arranging housing for the participants in a dormitory, hotel,
homestay, or some combination thereof and provide staff monitoring of
the housing arrangement throughout the exchange. American host families
must be properly screened and briefed, and criminal background checks
must be conducted for all members of host families (and others living
in the home) who are 18 years of age or older.
(5) Designing and planning three to five weeks of exchange
activities, including a technology camp, that will provide a creative
and substantive program aimed at developing the participants' knowledge
and skill base in the field of technology. The exchange will include a
short trip to Washington, DC
(6) Developing and implementing a plan to monitor the participants'
safety and well-being while on the exchange, and to create
opportunities for participants to share potential issues and resolve
them promptly. The award recipient will be required to provide proper
staff supervision and facilitation to ensure that the teenagers have a
safe and pedagogically rich program. Staff, along with mentors will
assist the youth with cultural adjustments, provide societal context to
enhance learning, and counsel students as needed.
(7) Making proper arrangements for participants' religious
observances.
(8) Facilitating, in coordination with the U.S. Embassies,
continued engagement among the participants and offering opportunities
to reinforce the ideas, values, and skills imparted during the
exchange.
(9) Collaborating with U.S. Embassies to design and implement an
evaluation plan that assesses the short- and medium-term impact of the
project on the participants as well as on U.S. host and home
communities.
Please Note: The ECA award for the TechGirls program will take
the form of a cooperative agreement with the award recipient. In a
cooperative agreement, the Department of State is substantially
involved in program activities above and beyond routine grant
monitoring. The Department's activities and responsibilities for the
TechGirls program are as follows:
(1) Provide advice and assistance in the execution of all
program components.
(2) Manage the recruitment and selection of the participants,
arrange and purchase international travel, arrange for adult
accompaniment on the international flights, and oversee pre- and
post-exchange activities in each country.
(3) Issue DS-2019 forms and J-1 visas. All foreign participants
will travel on a U.S. Government designation for the J Exchange
Visitor Program.
(4) Provide the Accident and Sickness Program for Exchanges
(ASPE) health benefits plan for foreign participants.
(5) Facilitate interaction within the Department of State, to
include ECA, the regional bureau, and overseas embassies and
consulates.
(6) Arrange meetings with Department of State officials in
Washington, DC and the participating countries.
(7) Approve publicity materials and final calendar of exchange
activities.
(8) Monitor and evaluate the program, through regular
communication with the award recipient and possibly one or more site
visits.
Additional Information
Award recipients will retain the name ``TechGirls'' to identify
their project. All materials, publicity, and correspondence related to
the program will acknowledge this as a program of the Bureau of
Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State. The
Bureau will retain copyright use of and be allowed to distribute
materials related to this program as it sees fit.
The organization must inform the ECA Program Officer and
participating U.S. Embassies of their progress at each stage of the
project's implementation in a timely fashion, and will be required to
obtain approval of any significant program changes in advance of their
implementation.
Proposals must demonstrate how the stated objectives will be met.
The proposal narrative should provide detailed information on the major
project activities, and applicants should explain and justify their
programmatic choices. Projects must comply with J-1 visa regulations
for the International Visitor category. Please be sure to refer to the
complete Solicitation Package--this RFGP, the Project Objectives,
Goals, and Implementation (POGI), and the Proposal Submission
Instructions (PSI)--for further information.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Cooperative Agreement. ECA's level of involvement in
this program is listed under Section I above.
Fiscal Year Funds: FY-2012.
Approximate Total Funding: Pending availability of funds, $175,000.
Approximate Number of Awards: One.
Anticipated Award Date: March 15, 2012.
Anticipated Project Completion Date: Approximately 12 months after
start date, to be specified by applicant based on project plan.
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).
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III.2. Cost Sharing or Matching Funds
There is no minimum or maximum percentage required for this
competition. However, the Bureau encourages applicants to provide
maximum levels of cost sharing and funding in support of its programs.
When cost sharing is offered, it is understood and agreed that the
applicant must provide the amount of cost sharing as stipulated in its
proposal and later included in an approved agreement. Cost sharing may
be in the form of allowable direct or indirect costs. For
accountability, you must maintain written records to support all costs
which are claimed as your contribution, as well as costs to be paid by
the Federal government. Such records are subject to audit. The basis
for determining the value of cash and in-kind contributions must be in
accordance with OMB Circular A-110, (Revised), Subpart C.23--Cost
Sharing and Matching. In the event you do not provide the minimum
amount of cost sharing as stipulated in the approved budget, ECA's
contribution will be reduced in like proportion.
III.3. Other Eligibility Requirements
(1) Bureau grant guidelines require that organizations with less
than four years experience in conducting international exchanges be
limited to $60,000 in Bureau funding. ECA anticipates making an award
in an amount exceeding $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.
(2) Proposed sub-award recipients are also limited to grant funding
of $60,000 or less if they do not have four years of experience in
conducting international exchanges.
(3) The Bureau encourages applicants to provide maximum levels of
cost sharing and funding in support of its programs.
(4) Organizations may submit only one proposal (total) under this
competition. If more than one proposal is received from the same
applicant, all submissions will be declared technically ineligible and
will receive no further consideration in the review process.
Please Note: Applicant organizations are defined by their legal
name, and EIN number as stated on their completed SF-424 and
additional supporting documentation outlined in the Proposal
Submission Instructions (PSI) document.
IV. Application and Submission Information
Note: Please read the complete announcement before sending
inquiries or submitting proposals. Once the RFGP deadline has
passed, Bureau staff may not discuss this competition with
applicants until the proposal review process has been completed.
IV.1. Contact Information To Request an Application Package
Please contact the Youth Programs Division, ECA/PE/C/PY, SA-5, 3rd
Floor, U.S. Department of State, 2200 C Street NW., Washington, DC
20037, by telephone (202) 632-9261 or Email: [email protected] to
request a Solicitation Package. Please refer to the Funding Opportunity
Number ECA/PE/C/PY-12-10 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 Program Officer Sarah Shields and refer to the
Funding Opportunity Number ECA/PE/C/PY-12-10 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. All federal award recipients must maintain current
registrations in the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) database.
Recipients must maintain accurate and up-to-date information in the CCR
until all program and financial activity and reporting have been
completed. Recipients must review and update the information at least
annually after the initial registration and more frequently if required
information changes or another award is granted. Failure to register in
the CCR will render applicants ineligible to receive funding.
You must have nonprofit status with the IRS at the time of
application.
Please Note: Effective January 7, 2009, all applicants for ECA
federal assistance awards must include in their application the
names of directors and/or senior executives (current officers,
trustees, and key employees, regardless of amount of compensation).
In fulfilling this requirement, applicants must submit information
in one of the following ways:
(1) Those who file Internal Revenue Service Form 990, ``Return
of Organization Exempt From Income Tax,'' must include a copy of
relevant portions of this form.
(2) Those who do not file IRS Form 990 must submit information
above in the format of their choice.
In addition to final program reporting requirements, award
recipients will also be required to submit a one-page document, derived
from their program reports, listing and describing their grant
activities. For award recipients, the names of directors and/or senior
executives (current officers, trustees, and key employees), as well as
the one- page description of grant activities, will be transmitted by
the State Department to OMB, along with other information required by
the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act
[[Page 68247]]
(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 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 62,
which covers the administration of the Exchange Visitor Program (J visa
program). Under the terms of 22 CFR 62, organizations receiving awards
(either a grant or cooperative agreement) under this RFGP will be third
parties ``cooperating with or assisting the sponsor in the conduct of
the sponsor's program.'' The actions of recipient organizations shall
be ``imputed to the sponsor in evaluating the sponsor's compliance
with'' 22 CFR 62. Therefore, the Bureau expects that any organization
receiving an award under this competition will render all assistance
necessary to enable the Bureau to fully comply with 22 CFR 62 et seq.
The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs places critically
important emphases on the secure and proper administration of Exchange
Visitor (J visa) Programs and adherence by recipient 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 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, recordkeeping,
reporting and other requirements.
The Office of Citizen Exchanges of ECA will be responsible for
issuing DS-2019 forms to participants in this program.
A copy of the complete regulations governing the administration of
Exchange Visitor (J) programs is available at http://exchanges.state.gov or from:
Office of Designation, Private Sector Programs Division, U.S.
Department of State, ECA/EC/D/PS, SA-5, 5th Floor, 2200 C Street NW.,
Washington, DC 20037.
IV.3d.2. Diversity, Freedom and Democracy Guidelines
Pursuant to the Bureau's authorizing legislation, programs must
maintain a non-political character and should be balanced and
representative of the diversity of American political, social, and
cultural life. ``Diversity'' should be interpreted in the broadest
sense and encompass differences including, but not limited to
ethnicity, race, gender, religion, geographic location, socio-economic
status, and disabilities. Applicants are strongly encouraged to adhere
to the advancement of this principle both in program administration and
in program content. Please refer to the review criteria under the
`Support for Diversity' section for specific suggestions on
incorporating diversity into your proposal. Public Law 104-319 provides
that ``in carrying out programs of educational and cultural exchange in
countries whose people do not fully enjoy freedom and democracy,'' the
Bureau ``shall take appropriate steps to provide opportunities for
participation in such programs to human rights and democracy leaders of
such countries.'' Public Law 106-113 requires that the governments of
the countries described above do not have inappropriate influence in
the selection process. Proposals should reflect advancement of these
goals in their program contents, to the full extent deemed feasible.
IV.3d.3. Program Monitoring and Evaluation
Proposals must include a plan to monitor and evaluate the project's
success, both as the activities unfold and at the end of the program.
The Bureau recommends that your proposal include a draft survey
questionnaire or other technique plus a description of a methodology to
use to link outcomes to original project objectives. The Bureau expects
that the recipient organization will track participants or partners and
be able to respond to key evaluation questions, including satisfaction
with the program, learning as a result of the program, 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.
[[Page 68248]]
(4) Institutional changes, such as increased collaboration and
partnerships, policy reforms, new programming, and organizational
improvements.
Please Note: Consideration should be given to the appropriate
timing of data collection for each level of outcome. For example,
satisfaction is usually captured as a short-term outcome, whereas
behavior and institutional changes are normally considered longer-
term outcomes.
Overall, the quality of your monitoring and evaluation plan will be
judged on how well it (1) specifies intended outcomes; (2) gives clear
descriptions of how each outcome will be measured; (3) identifies when
particular outcomes will be measured; and (4) provides a clear
description of the data collection strategies for each outcome (i.e.,
surveys, interviews, or focus groups). (Please note that evaluation
plans that deal only with the first level of outcomes [satisfaction]
will be deemed less competitive under the present evaluation criteria.)
Recipient organizations will be required to provide reports
analyzing their evaluation findings to the Bureau in their regular
program reports. All data collected, including survey responses and
contact information, must be maintained for a minimum of three years
and provided to the Bureau upon request.
IV.3e. Please take the following information into consideration
when preparing your budget:
IV.3e.1. Applicants must submit SF-424A--``Budget Information--Non-
Construction Programs'' along with a comprehensive budget for the
entire program. Budget requests may not exceed $175,000. 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. Please refer to the Solicitation Package (POGI and PSI)
for complete budget guidelines and formatting instructions.
IV.3f. Application Deadline and Methods of Submission
Application Deadline Date: December 15, 2011.
Reference Number: ECA/PE/C/PY-12-10.
Methods of Submission: Applications may be submitted in one of two
ways:
(1) In hardcopy, via a nationally recognized overnight delivery
service (i.e., Federal Express, UPS, Airborne Express, or U.S. Postal
Service Express Overnight Mail, etc.), or
(2) Electronically through http://www.grants.gov.
Along with the Project Title, all applicants must enter the above
Reference Number in Box 11 on the SF-424 contained in the mandatory
Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) of the solicitation document.
IV.3f.1. Submitting Printed Applications
Applications must be 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 six (6) copies of the application should be sent
to:
Program Management Division, ECA-IIP/EX/PM, Ref.: ECA/PE/C/PY-12-10,
SA-5, Floor 4, Department of State, 2200 C Street NW., Washington, DC
20037.
With the submission of the proposal package, please also email the
Executive Summary, Proposal Narrative, and Budget sections of the
proposal, as well as any attachments essential to understanding the
program, in Microsoft Word, Excel, and/or PDF, to [email protected].
The Bureau may provide these files electronically to the Public Affairs
Sections at the relevant U.S. Embassy for its review.
IV.3f.2. Submitting Electronic Applications
Applicants have the option of submitting proposals electronically
through Grants.gov (http://www.grants.gov). Complete solicitation
packages are available at Grants.gov in the ``Find'' portion of the
system.
Please Note: ECA bears no responsibility for applicant
timeliness of submission or data errors resulting from transmission
or conversion processes for proposals submitted via Grants.gov.
Please follow the instructions available in the `Get Started'
portion of the site (http://www.grants.gov/GetStarted).
Several of the steps in the Grants.gov registration process could
take several weeks. Therefore, applicants should check with appropriate
staff within their organizations immediately after reviewing this RFGP
to confirm or determine their registration status with Grants.gov.
Once registered, the amount of time it can take to upload an
application will vary depending on a variety of factors including the
size of the application and the speed of your Internet connection. In
addition, validation of an electronic submission via Grants.gov can
take up to two business days.
Therefore, we strongly recommend that you not wait until the
application deadline to begin the submission process through
Grants.gov.
The Grants.gov Web site includes extensive information on all
phases/aspects of the Grants.gov process, including an extensive
section on frequently asked questions, located under the ``For
Applicants'' section of the Web site. ECA strongly recommends that all
potential applicants review thoroughly the Grants.gov Web site, well in
advance of submitting a proposal through the Grants.gov system. ECA
bears no responsibility for data errors resulting from transmission or
conversion processes.
Direct all questions regarding Grants.gov registration and
submission to: Grants.gov Customer Support. Contact Center Phone: (800)
518-4726. Business Hours: Monday-Friday, 7 a.m.-9 p.m. Eastern Time.
Email: grants.gov">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
[[Page 68249]]
will receive a validation email from grants.gov upon the successful
submission of an application. Again, validation of an electronic
submission via Grants.gov can take up to two business days. Therefore,
we strongly recommend that you not wait until the application deadline
to begin the submission process through Grants.gov. ECA will not notify
you upon receipt of electronic applications.
It is the responsibility of all applicants submitting proposals via
the Grants.gov Web portal to ensure that proposals have been received
by Grants.gov in their entirety, and ECA bears no responsibility for
data errors resulting from transmission or conversion processes.
IV.3g. Intergovernmental Review of Applications
Executive Order 12372 does not apply to this program.
V. Application Review Information
V.1. Review Process
The Bureau will review all proposals for technical eligibility.
Proposals will be deemed ineligible if they do not fully adhere to the
guidelines stated herein and in the Solicitation Package. All eligible
proposals will be reviewed by the program office, as well as the Public
Diplomacy section overseas, where appropriate. Eligible proposals will
be subject to compliance with Federal and Bureau regulations and
guidelines and forwarded to Bureau grant panels for advisory review.
Proposals may also be reviewed by the Office of the Legal Adviser or by
other Department elements. Final funding decisions are at the
discretion of the Department of State's Assistant Secretary for
Educational and Cultural Affairs. Final technical authority for
assistance awards (cooperative 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: Objectives should be reasonable,
feasible, and flexible. The proposal should clearly demonstrate how the
institution will meet the program's objectives and plan. The proposed
program should be creative, age-appropriate, respond to the design
outlined in the solicitation, and demonstrate originality. It should be
clearly and accurately written, substantive, and with sufficient
detail. Proposals should also include a plan to support participants'
follow-on activities upon their return home.
(2) Program planning and ability to achieve program objectives: A
detailed agenda and work plan should clearly demonstrate how project
objectives will be achieved. The agenda and plan should adhere to the
program overview and guidelines described above. The substance of
exchange activities, such as workshops, presentations, and/or site
visits, should be described in detail.
(3) Support of diversity: The proposal should demonstrate the
applicant's commitment to promoting the awareness and understanding of
diversity in both program administration (selection of participants,
program venue, and program evaluation) and program content (orientation
and debriefing sessions, and follow-on activities). Applicants should
demonstrate readiness to accommodate participants with physical
disabilities.
(4) Institutional capacity and track record: Proposed personnel and
institutional resources should be adequate and appropriate to achieve
the program goals. The proposal should demonstrate an institutional
record of successful implementation of similar programs, including
responsible fiscal management and full compliance with all reporting
requirements for past Bureau awards (grants or cooperative agreements)
as determined by Bureau Grants Staff. The Bureau will consider the past
performance of prior recipients and the demonstrated potential of new
applicants.
(5) Program evaluation: The proposal should include a plan to
evaluate the program's success in meeting its goals, both as the
activities unfold and after they have been completed. The proposal
should include a draft survey questionnaire or other technique, plus a
description of a methodology to link outcomes to original project
objectives.
(6) Cost-effectiveness and cost sharing: The applicant should
demonstrate efficient use of Bureau funds. The overhead and
administrative components of the proposal, including salaries and
honoraria, should be kept as low as possible. All other items should be
necessary and appropriate. The proposal should maximize cost-sharing
through other private sector support as well as institutional direct
funding contributions, which demonstrates institutional and community
commitment.
VI. Award Administration Information
VI.1a. Award Notices
Final awards cannot be made until funds have been appropriated by
Congress, allocated and committed through internal Bureau procedures.
Successful applicants will receive an Federal Assistance Award (FAA)
from the Bureau's Grants Office. The FAA and the original proposal with
subsequent modifications (if applicable) shall be the only binding
authorizing document between the recipient and the U.S. Government. The
FAA will be signed by an authorized Grants Officer, and mailed to the
recipient's responsible officer identified in the application.
Unsuccessful applicants will receive notification of the results of
the application review from the ECA program office coordinating this
competition.
VI.2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements
Terms and Conditions for the Administration of ECA agreements
include the following:
Office of Management and Budget Circular A-122, ``Cost Principles for
Nonprofit Organizations.''
Office of Management and Budget Circular A-21, ``Cost Principles for
Educational Institutions.''
OMB Circular A-87, ``Cost Principles for State, Local and Indian
Governments''.
OMB Circular No. A-110 (Revised), Uniform Administrative Requirements
for Grants and Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education,
Hospitals, and other Nonprofit Organizations.
OMB Circular No. A-102, Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants-
in-Aid to State and Local Governments.
OMB Circular No. A-133, Audits of States, Local Government, and Non-
profit Organizations
Please reference the following Web sites for additional
information:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/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
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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 or interim reports, as required in the Bureau
cooperative 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 years and
provided to the Bureau upon request.
All reports must be sent to the ECA Grants Officer and ECA Program
Officer listed in the final assistance award document.
VII. Agency Contacts
For questions about this announcement, contact: Sarah Shields,
Youth Programs Division, ECA/PE/C/PY/T, SA-5, 3rd Floor, U.S.
Department of State, 2200 C Street NW., Washington, DC 20522-0503, by
telephone (202) 632-9261 or email [email protected].
All correspondence with the Bureau concerning this RFGP should
reference the above title and number ECA/PE/C/PY-12-10.
Please read the complete announcement before sending inquiries or
submitting proposals. Once the RFGP deadline has passed, Bureau staff
may not discuss this competition with applicants until the proposal
review process has been completed.
VIII. Other Information
Notice: The terms and conditions published in this RFGP are binding
and may not be modified by any Bureau representative. Explanatory
information provided by the Bureau that contradicts published language
will not be binding. Issuance of the RFGP does not constitute an award
commitment on the part of the Government. The Bureau reserves the right
to reduce, revise, or increase proposal budgets in accordance with the
needs of the program and the availability of funds. Awards made will be
subject to periodic reporting and evaluation requirements per section
VI.3 above.
Dated: October 27, 2011.
J. Adam Ereli,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Educational and
Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State.
[FR Doc. 2011-28420 Filed 11-2-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P