[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 241 (Thursday, December 15, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 78072-78079]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-32105]
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DEPARTMENT OF STATE
[Public Notice 7729]
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for
Grant Proposals (RFGP): International Sports Programming Initiative
(ISPI)
Announcement Type: New Grant.
Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/PE/C/SU-12-15.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 19.415.
DATES: Key Dates:
Application Deadline: Friday, February 3, 2012.
Executive Summary: The Office of Citizen Exchanges of the Bureau of
Educational and Cultural Affairs announces an open competition for the
International Sports Programming Initiative. 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 for
projects designed to reach out to youth and promote mutual
understanding by increasing the professional capacity of those who
design and manage youth sports programs in select countries in Africa,
East Asia and the Pacific, the Near East and North Africa, South and
Central Asia, Europe, and the Western Hemisphere. The focus of all
programs must be on reaching out to both male and female youth ages 7-
17 and/or their coaches/administrators. Programs designed to train
elite athletes or coaches will not be considered. Eligible countries
and territories in each region are:
Africa: Botswana, Cote d'Ivoire, Kenya, Mali, and Nigeria;
East Asia and the Pacific: China, Malaysia, or a multi-country
program that MUST include AT LEAST TWO of the following--Cambodia,
Laos, Thailand, and/or Vietnam;
Near East and North Africa: Egypt, Tunisia, or a program that MUST
include both Israel and West Bank/Gaza;
South and Central Asia: Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and
Turkmenistan;
Europe: Bosnia and Turkey; and the
Western Hemisphere: Belize, Brazil, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, and
Uruguay.
Proposals may address multiple countries, but all the countries
must then be in the same region. Please see Section III.3. Other
Eligibility Requirements for more information on eligibility
requirements. Funding Under this Competition is pending the
availability of FY 2012 funds.
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Authority: Overall grant making authority for this program is
contained in the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of
1961, Public Law 87-256, as amended, also known as the Fulbright-
Hays Act. The purpose of the Act is ``to enable the Government of
the United States to increase mutual understanding between the
people of the United States and the people of other countries * * *;
to strengthen the ties which unite us with other nations by
demonstrating the educational and cultural interests, developments,
and achievements of the people of the United States and other
nations * * * and thus to assist in the development of friendly,
sympathetic and peaceful relations between the United States and the
other countries of the world.'' The funding authority for the
program above is provided through legislation.
Purpose: The Office of Citizen Exchanges welcomes proposals for
two-way exchanges (one component in the United States and the other in
the chosen country) that directly respond to the thematic areas
outlined below. Projects for themes not listed below will not be
eligible for consideration under the FY 2012 International Sports
Program Initiative Competition, and will be deemed technically
ineligible and receive no further consideration in the review process.
Themes:
(1) Youth Sports Engagement
Exchanges funded under this theme will focus on effective ways that
sport can play a role in youth development at the grassroots level,
while promoting technical proficiency among the youth sport coaches,
sport administrators, and/or sport officials participating in the
program. The role that sports can play in the long-term well-being of
underserved youth should also be emphasized. Through exchanges between
youth sport coaches, sport administrators, and/or sport officials,
programs should encourage participants to share experiences in
managing, organizing, and developing programs for youth sports
activities with the aim of exposing young people to the ideas of
teamwork and self-discipline that can lead to success in other aspects
of their lives.
(2) Sport and Health
Exchanges funded under this theme will focus on increasing
awareness among young people of the importance of following a healthy
lifestyle. Project goals should aim to avoid substance abuse, enhance
physical fitness in order to prevent illness, and raise the overall
quality of life through sports. Emphasis should be on the
responsibility of the broader community to support healthy behaviors,
and to educate young people how to prevent and manage non-communicable
or infectious diseases, such as HIV/AIDS, through sports programs.
(3) Sport and Disability
Exchanges funded under this theme are designed to promote and
sponsor sport, recreation, and fitness programs for persons with
disabilities. Project goals should include improving the quality of
life for persons with disabilities by providing affordable, inclusive
sports experiences that build self-esteem and confidence, enhancing
active participation in community life, and making a significant
contribution to the physical and psychological health of people with
disabilities. Proposals under this theme aim to demonstrate that
persons with disabilities can be included in sports opportunities in
their communities, and will develop opportunities for them to do so. In
addition, projects should aim to raise the awareness of non-disabled
people about contributions that persons with disabilities make to
society.
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(4) Sport for Social Change
Exchanges funded under this theme will focus on effective ways that
sport can play a role in promoting more stable and inclusive
communities, and as an alternative to anti-social behavior. Project
goals should include the importance of leadership, responsibility,
teamwork, healthy living, and self-discipline to demonstrate how
organized sports can encourage youth to stay in school, avoid substance
abuse, prevent violence, and mitigate extremist voices. In addition,
projects should aim to include the use of sport as a tool to promote
tolerance and understanding through organized activities that appeal to
youth and youth influencers, and that focus on conflict prevention/
resolution.
The pursuit of academic degrees from U.S. institutions is not an
acceptable focus of this program. Proposals that have only an academic
focus will be deemed technically ineligible and will receive no further
consideration in the review process.
No guarantee is made or implied that grants will be awarded in all
themes or for all countries listed.
Audience: The intended audience is non-elite youth, coaches,
community leaders, and non-governmental organizations.
Ideal Program Model: The following are suggested program
structures:
A U.S. grantee identifies U.S. citizens to conduct a
multi-location, in-country program overseas that includes clinics and
training sessions for: male and female athletes; government officials
(Ministry of Sports and Ministry of Education); coaches (adult and
youth); NGO representatives (including representatives from relevant
sports federations); community officials (including local authorities
associated with recreational facilities); youth audiences (equal
numbers of boys and girls); and sports management professionals to
support one of the themes listed.
An in-country partner overseas (a local university,
government agency or other appropriate organization, such as a relevant
sports federation) co-hosts an activity with the U.S. grantee
institution, and participates in the selection of participants for a
U.S. program.
A U.S. program that includes site visits designed to
provide participants with exposure to American youth and coaches,
sports education in the United States, background information on U.S.
approaches to the themes listed in the announcement, relevant cultural
activities, and a debriefing and evaluation.
U.S. experts who worked with participants from overseas
implement an in-country program.
Participants in the U.S. program design in-country
projects and serve as co-presenters.
Materials are translated into the relevant language for
use in future projects.
Small grants are dispersed for projects designed to expand
the exchange experience.
All participants are encouraged to enroll in the Bureau of
Education and Cultural Affairs' alumni Web site https://alumni.state.gov.
U.S. Embassy Involvement: Applicants are strongly encouraged to
consult with Public Affairs Officers at U.S. Embassies in relevant
countries as they develop proposals responding to this RFGP. It is
important that the proposal narrative clearly state the applicant's
commitment to consult closely with the Public Affairs Section of the
U.S. Embassy in the relevant country/countries to develop plans for
project implementation, to select project participants, and to
publicize the program through the media. Proposals should acknowledge
U.S. Embassy involvement in the final selection of all participants.
Media: Proposals should include specific strategies for publicizing
the project, both in the United States and overseas, as applicable.
Sample materials can be included in the appendix. In any contact with
the media (print, television, web, etc.) applicants must acknowledge
funding from the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S.
Department of State for the program. Prior to information being
released to the media, the ECA Program Office(r) must approve the
document. All grantees are required to submit photos, highlights, and/
or media clips for posting on the ECA Web site: http://exchanges.state.gov/sports/.
Participant Selection: Proposals should clearly describe the types
of persons that will participate in the program, as well as the
participant recruitment and selection processes. It is a priority of
the Bureau to include female participants in all of its programs. In
the selection of foreign participants, the Bureau would like the U.S.
Embassies (when possible) to be involved in the recruitment and
selection processes and the proposal should state how the grantee
intends to incorporate this. The Bureau and U.S. Embassies retain the
right to review all participant nominations and to accept or refuse
participants recommended by grantee institutions. When U.S.
participants are selected, grantee institutions must provide their
names and biographical data to the ECA Program Officer. Priority in
two-way exchange proposals will be given to foreign participants who
have not previously traveled to the United States.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Grant Agreement.
Fiscal Year Funds: 2012.
Approximate Total Funding: $1,800,000.
Approximate Number of Awards: 8-10.
Approximate Average Award: $225,000.
Ceiling of Award Range: $225,000.
Floor of Award Range: $60,000.
Anticipated Award Date: Pending availability of funds, August 31,
2012.
Anticipated Project Completion Date: September 30, 2013-June 30,
2015.
Projects under this competition may range in length from one to
three years depending on the number of project components, the country/
region targeted and the extent of the evaluation plan proposed by the
applicant. The Office of Citizen Exchanges strongly encourages
applicant organizations to plan enough time after project activities
are completed to measure project outcomes. Please refer to the Program
Monitoring and Evaluation section, item IV.3d.3 below, for further
guidance on evaluation.
III. Eligibility Information
III.1. Eligible applicants: Applications may be submitted by public
and private non-profit organizations meeting the provisions described
in Internal Revenue Code section 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3).
III.2. Cost Sharing or Matching Funds: There is no minimum or
maximum percentage required for this competition. However, the Bureau
encourages applicants to provide maximum levels of cost sharing and
funding in support of its programs.
When cost sharing is offered, it is understood and agreed that the
applicant must provide the amount of cost sharing as stipulated in its
proposal and later included in an approved 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
[[Page 78074]]
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.) Grants awarded to eligible organizations with less than four
years of experience in conducting international exchange programs will
be limited to $60,000. Organizations that only qualify for the $60,000
level may choose to conduct a one-way exchange, but must explain how
the objectives of Americans interacting with foreign participants will
still be achieved.
(b.) Technical Eligibility: It is imperative that all proposals
follow the requirements outlined in the Proposal Submission
Instructions (PSI) technical format and instructions document.
Additionally, all proposals must comply with the following or they will
result in your proposal being declared technically ineligible and will
not receive further consideration in the review process:
Applicants may not submit more than one (1) Proposal for
this competition. Organizations that submit proposals that exceed these
limits will result in having all of their proposals declared
technically ineligible.
Proposals for countries that are not designated in the
RFGP, that address more than one region, or address themes outside of
those listed in the RFGP, will be deemed technically ineligible.
The Office of Citizen Exchanges does not support proposals
limited to conferences or seminars (i.e., one- to fourteen-day programs
with plenary sessions, main speakers, panels, and a passive audience).
It will support conferences only when they are a small part of a larger
project in duration that is receiving Bureau funding from this
competition. No funding is available exclusively to send U.S. citizens
to conferences or conference type seminars overseas; nor is funding
available to support the attendance of foreign nationals at conferences
or at routine professional association meetings in the United States.
The Office of Citizen Exchanges does not support academic
research, or faculty or student fellowships.
If your organization is a private non-profit which has not
received a grant or cooperative agreement from ECA in the past three
years, or if your organization received non-profit status from the IRS
within the past four years, you must submit the necessary documentation
to verify non-profit status as directed in the PSI document. Failure to
do so will cause your proposal to be declared technically ineligible.
Printed applications shipped after the established
deadlines are ineligible for consideration under this competition.
Electronic applications uploaded to the Grants.gov Web
site after midnight of the application deadline date will be
automatically rejected by the Grants.gov system, and will be
technically ineligible.
IV. Application and Submission Information
Before submitting a proposal, all applicants are strongly
encouraged to consult with the Washington, DC-based Department of State
contact for the themes/regions listed in this solicitation.
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: Ryan Murphy, U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational
and Cultural Affairs, SportsUnited Division, ECA/PE/C/SU, SA-5, Floor
3, 2200 C Street, NW., Washington, DC 20037, tel: (202) 632-6058, fax:
(202) 632-6492, [email protected] to request a Solicitation Package.
Please refer to the Funding Opportunity Number ECA/PE/C/SU-12-15
located at the top of this announcement when making your request.
Alternatively, an electronic application package may be obtained
from http://www.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.
Please specify Ryan Murphy and refer to the Funding Opportunity
Number ECA/PE/C/SU-12-15 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.
Obtain ing 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, detailed timeline and detailed budget. Please Refer to the
Solicitation Package. It contains the mandatory Proposal Submission
Instructions (PSI) document for additional formatting and technical
requirements.
IV.3c. You must have nonprofit status with the IRS at the time of
application. Please note: Effective January 7, 2009, all applicants for
ECA federal assistance awards must include in their application the
names of directors and/or senior executives (current officers,
trustees, and key employees, regardless of amount of compensation). In
fulfilling this requirement, applicants must submit information in one
of the following ways:
(1) Those who file Internal Revenue Service Form 990, ``Return of
Organization Exempt From Income Tax,'' must include a copy of relevant
portions of this form.
(2) Those who do not file IRS Form 990 must submit information
above in the format of their choice.
In addition to final program reporting requirements, award
recipients will also be required to submit a one-page document, derived
from their program reports, listing and describing their grant
activities. For award recipients, the names of directors and/or senior
executives (current officers, trustees, and key employees), as well as
the one- page description of grant activities, will be transmitted by
the State Department to OMB, along with other information required by
the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA), and
will be made available to the public by the Office of Management and
Budget on its USASpending.gov Web site as part of ECA's FFATA reporting
requirements.
If your organization is a private non-profit which has not received
a grant or cooperative agreement from ECA in the past three years, or
if your organization
[[Page 78075]]
received non-profit status from the IRS within the past four years, you
must submit the necessary documentation to verify non-profit 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 part 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
part 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, record-keeping,
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.
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-
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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.
Department of State Acknowledgement
All recipients of ECA grants or cooperative agreements should be
prepared to state in any announcement or publicity where it is not
inappropriate that activities are assisted financially by the Bureau of
Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State under
the authority of the Fulbright-Hays Act of 1961, as amended.
In any contact with the media (print, television, web, etc.)
applicants must acknowledge funding from the Bureau of Educational and
Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State for the program. Prior
to information being released to the media, the ECA Program Office(r)
must approve the document.
Alumni Outreach/Follow-on Programming and Engagement
Please refer to the Proposal Submissions Instruction (PSI) document
for additional guidance.
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. For this competition, requests should not exceed
$225,000. 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 note that the
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs does not fund programs that
involve building of structures of any kind, including playing fields,
recreation centers, or stadiums.
IV.3e.2. Allowable costs for the program include the following:
1. Travel. International and domestic airfare; visas; transit
costs; ground transportation costs. Please note that all air travel
must be in compliance with the Fly America Act. There is no charge for
J-1 visas for participants in Bureau sponsored programs.
2. Per Diem. For U.S.-based programming, organizations should use
the published Federal per diem rates for individual U.S. cities.
Domestic per diem rates may be accessed at: http://www.gsa.gov/perdiem.
ECA requests applicants to budget realistic costs that reflect the
local economy and do not exceed Federal per diem rates. Foreign per
diem rates can be accessed at: http://aoprals.state.gov/content.asp?content_id=184&menu_id=78.
3. Interpreters. For U.S.-based activities, ECA strongly encourages
applicants to hire their own locally based interpreters. One
interpreter is typically needed for every four participants who require
interpretation. When an applicant proposes to use interpreters, the
following expenses should be included in the budget: Published Federal
per diem rates (both ``lodging'' and ``M&IE'') and transportation costs
per interpreter. Bureau funds cannot support interpreters who accompany
delegations from their home country or travel internationally.
4. Book and Cultural Allowances. Foreign participants are entitled
to a one-time cultural allowance of $150 per person, plus a book
allowance of $50. Interpreters should be reimbursed up to $150 for
expenses when they escort participants to cultural events. U.S. program
staff, trainers or participants are not eligible to receive these
benefits.
5. Consultants. Consultants may be used to provide specialized
expertise or to make presentations. Honoraria rates should not exceed
$250 per day. Organizations are encouraged to cost-share rates that
would exceed that figure. Subcontracting organizations may also be
employed, in which case the written agreement between the prospective
grantee and sub-grantee should be included in the proposal. Such sub-
grants should detail the division of responsibilities and proposed
costs, and subcontracts should be itemized in the budget.
6. Room Rental. The rental of meeting space should not exceed $250
per day. Any rates that exceed this amount should be cost shared.
7. Materials. Proposals may contain costs to purchase, develop and
translate materials for participants. Costs for high quality
translation of materials should be anticipated and included in the
budget. Grantee organizations should expect to submit a copy of all
program materials to ECA, and ECA support should be acknowledged on all
materials developed with its funding.
8. Equipment. Applicants may propose to use grant funds to purchase
equipment, such as computers and printers; these costs should be
justified in the budget narrative. Costs for furniture are not allowed.
9. Working Meal. A maximum of one working meal may be authorized
per project unless extenuating circumstances exist, in which case prior
approval must be obtained from a DOS Grants Officer. Unless additional
working meals are approved, the Recipient agrees to reduce the
participants' per diem to cover the cost of any additional working
meals. In addition, per capita costs may not exceed $45 excluding room
rental. The number of invited guests shall not exceed participants by
more than a factor of two-to-one.
10. Return Travel Allowance. A return travel allowance of $70 for
each foreign participant may be included in the budget. This allowance
would cover incidental expenses incurred during international travel.
11. Health Insurance. Foreign participants will be covered during
their participation in the U.S. program by the ECA-sponsored Accident
and Sickness Program for Exchanges (ASPE). The grantee must notify the
program office to enroll them. Details of that policy can be provided
by the contact officers identified in this solicitation. The premium is
paid by ECA and should not be included in the grant proposal budget.
However, applicants are permitted to include costs for travel insurance
for U.S. participants in the budget.
12. Wire Transfer Fees. When necessary, applicants may include
costs to transfer funds to partner organizations overseas. Grantees are
urged to research applicable taxes that may be imposed on these
transfers by host governments.
13. In-country Travel Costs for Visa Processing Purposes. Given the
requirements associated with obtaining J-1 visas for ECA-supported
participants, applicants should include costs for any travel associated
with visa interviews or DS-2019 pick-up.
14. Administrative Costs. Costs necessary for the effective
administration of the program may
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include salaries for grantee organization employees, benefits, and
other direct and indirect costs per detailed instructions in the
Application Package. While there is no rigid ratio of administrative to
program costs, proposals in which the administrative costs do not
exceed 25% of the total requested ECA grant funds will be more
competitive under the cost effectiveness and cost sharing criterion,
per item V.1 below. Proposals should show strong administrative cost
sharing contributions from the applicant, the in-country partner and
other sources.
Please refer to the Solicitation Package for complete budget
guidelines and formatting instructions.
IV.3f. Application Deadline and Methods of Submission:
Application Deadline Date: Friday, February 3, 2012.
Reference Number: ECA/PE/C/SU-12-15.
Methods of Submission: Applications may be submitted in one of two
ways:
(1) In hard-copy, via a nationally recognized overnight delivery
service (i.e., DHL, 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 eight (8) copies of the application should be sent
to:
U.S. Department of State, Program Management Division, ECA-IIP/EX/PM,
Ref.: ECA/PE/C/SU-12-15, SA-5, Floor 4, Department of State, 2200 C
Street NW., Washington, DC 20037.
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 CD-ROM. The Bureau
will provide these files electronically to the appropriate Public
Affairs Section(s) at the U.S. Embassy/ies 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).
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: [email protected].
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 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 of the relevant Embassy, 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
[[Page 78078]]
Affairs. Final technical authority for grants resides with the Bureau's
Grants Officer.
Review Criteria
Technically eligible applications will be competitively reviewed
according to the criteria stated below. These criteria are not rank
ordered and all carry equal weight in the proposal evaluation:
1. Program Planning and Ability to Achieve Objectives: Program
objectives should be stated clearly and should reflect the applicant's
expertise in the subject area and region. Objectives should respond to
the topics in this announcement and should relate to the current
conditions in the target country/countries. A detailed agenda and
relevant work plan should explain how objectives will be achieved and
should include a timetable for completion of major tasks. The substance
of workshops, internships, seminars and/or consulting should be
described in detail. Sample training schedules should be outlined.
Responsibilities of proposed in-country partners should be clearly
described. A discussion of how the applicant intends to address
language issues should be included, if needed.
2. Multiplier Effect/Impact: Proposed programs should strengthen
long-term mutual understanding, including maximum sharing of
information and establishment of long-term institutional and individual
linkages.
3. Institutional Capacity: Proposals should include: (1) The
institution's mission and date of establishment; (2) detailed
information about proposed in-country partner(s) and the history of the
partnership; (3) an outline of prior awards--U.S. government and/or
private support received for the target theme/country/region; and (4)
descriptions of experienced staff members who will implement the
program. The proposal should reflect the institution's expertise in the
subject area and knowledge of the conditions in the target country/
countries. Proposals should demonstrate an institutional record of
successful exchange programs, including responsible fiscal management
and full compliance with all reporting requirements for past Bureau
grants as determined by Bureau grants staff. The Bureau will consider
the past performance of prior recipients and the demonstrated potential
of new applicants. Proposed personnel and institutional resources
should be adequate and appropriate to achieve the program's goals. The
Bureau strongly encourages applicants to submit letters of support from
proposed in-country partners.
4. Cost Effectiveness and Cost Sharing: Overhead and administrative
costs in the proposal budget, including salaries, honoraria and
subcontracts for services, should be kept to a minimum. Proposals whose
administrative costs are less than twenty-five (25) percent of the
total funds requested from the Bureau will be deemed more competitive
under this criterion. Applicants are strongly encouraged to cost share
a portion of overhead and administrative expenses. Cost sharing,
including contributions from the applicant, proposed in-country
partner(s), and other sources should be included in the budget request.
Proposal budgets that do not reflect cost sharing will be deemed not
competitive in this category.
5. Support of Diversity: Proposals should demonstrate substantive
support of the Bureau's policy on diversity. Achievable and relevant
features should be cited in both program administration (selection of
participants, program venue and program evaluation) and program content
(orientation and wrap-up sessions, program meetings, resource materials
and follow-up activities). Applicants should refer to the Bureau's
Diversity, Freedom and Democracy Guidelines in the PSI and the
Diversity, Freedom and Democracy Guidelines section, Item IV.3d.2,
above for additional guidance.
6. Post-Grant Activities: Applicants should provide a plan to
conduct activities after the Bureau-funded project has concluded in
order to ensure that Bureau-supported programs are not isolated events.
Funds for all post-grant activities must be in the form of
contributions from the applicant or sources outside of the Bureau.
Costs for these activities must not appear in the proposal budget, but
should be outlined in the narrative.
7. Program Monitoring and Evaluation: Proposals should include a
detailed plan to monitor and evaluate the program. Program objectives
should target clearly defined results in quantitative terms.
Competitive evaluation plans will describe how applicant organizations
would measure these results, and proposals should include draft data
collection instruments (surveys, questionnaires, etc.) in Tab E. See
the ``Program Monitoring/Evaluation'' section, item IV.3d.3 above for
more information on the components of a competitive evaluation plan.
Successful applicants (grantee institutions) will be expected to submit
a report after each program component concludes or on a quarterly
basis, whichever is less frequent. The Bureau also requires that
grantee institutions submit a final narrative and financial report no
more than 90 days after the expiration of a grant. Please refer to the
``Program Management/Evaluation'' section, item IV.3d.3 above for more
guidance.
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.
For assistance awards involving the Palestinian Authority, West
Bank, and Gaza: All awards made under this competition must be executed
according to all relevant U.S. laws and policies regarding assistance
to the Palestinian Authority, and to the West Bank and Gaza.
Organizations must consult with relevant Public Affairs Offices before
entering into any formal arrangements or agreements with Palestinian
organizations or institutions.
Note: To assure that planning for the inclusion of the
Palestinian Authority complies with requirements, please contact
(Ryan Murphy, ECA/PE/C/SU, tel: (202) 632-6058, [email protected])
for additional information.
VI.2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements: Terms and
Conditions for the Administration of ECA agreements include the
following:
Office of Management and Budget Circular A-122, ``Cost Principles for
Nonprofit Organizations.''
Office of Management and Budget Circular A-21, ``Cost Principles for
Educational Institutions.''
OMB Circular A-87, ``Cost Principles for State, Local and Indian
Governments''.
OMB Circular No. A-110 (Revised), Uniform Administrative Requirements
for Grants and Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education,
Hospitals, and other Nonprofit Organizations.
[[Page 78079]]
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 two copies of the following reports:
(1.) A final program and financial report no more than 90 days
after the expiration of the award;
(2.) 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 program and financial reports which should include
the activities completed during that quarter, information about any
participants of the activities, and any adjustments in the program
timeline.
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.
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 weeks prior to the
official opening of the activity.
VII. Agency Contacts
For questions about this announcement, contact: Ryan Murphy, U.S.
Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs,
SportsUnited Division, ECA/PE/C/SU, SA-5, Floor 3, 2200 C Street NW.,
Washington, DC 20037, tel: (202) 632-6058, fax: (202) 632-6492,
[email protected].
All correspondence with the Bureau concerning this RFGP should
reference the above title and reference number ECA/PE/C/SU-12-15.
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: December 8, 2011.
J. Adam Ereli,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Educational and
Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State.
[FR Doc. 2011-32105 Filed 12-14-11; 8:45 am]
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