2015 Womens Leadership RFGP.pdf

Department of State

Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for Grant Proposals:

FY 2015 Study of the U.S. Institutes for Student Leaders on Women’s Leadership

Announcement Type: New Cooperative Agreement

Funding Opportunity Number: ECA-ECAAE-15-009

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 19.009

Application Deadline: December 1, 2014

Executive Summary: The Study of the U.S. Branch, Office of Academic Exchange

Programs, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA/A/E/USS), invites proposal submissions for the design and implementation of two (2) Study of the U.S. Institutes for

Student Leaders on Women’s Leadership. Applicants may submit only one proposal to implement one Institute under this competition.

Taking place over the course of five weeks at a U.S. academic institution, each Institute should be organized for a group of 20 foreign undergraduate female students focusing on the history and participation of women in public life in the United States and linkages to global women’s issues. Information on the scheduling of the Institute and grouping of participants can be found in Section I.5.

Applicants may also apply to take the lead in organizing the opening workshop for 80

SUSI participants and 20 U.S. student ambassadors, all of whom will continue on to

Study of the U.S. Institutes on Women’s Leadership (including the two Institutes in this solicitation and two Institutes funded through separate awards). More information on this can be found in the attached Project Objectives, Goals, and Implementation.

ECA plans to award two Cooperative Agreements for the implementation of two Study of the U.S. Institutes for Student Leaders on Women’s Leadership and welcomes applications from accredited post-secondary education institutions in the United States and public and private non-profit organizations (see Eligibility Information, section III).

The awarding of Cooperative Agreements for these programs is contingent upon the availability of FY 2015 funds.

It is ECA’s intent to award two cooperative agreements for one base year plus two option years for an estimated total amount of $1,440,000. Please see section II. Award

Information, below for additional details.

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

I. 1. AUTHORITY:

Overall grant making authority for this program is contained in the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961, Public Law 87-256, as amended, also known as the

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.

I. 2. PURPOSE

Study of the U.S. Institutes for Student Leaders are intensive academic programs that provide groups of foreign undergraduate students with a deeper understanding of U.S.

society, culture, and institutions. Institutes also include an integrated study tour, leadership training, community service activities, and opportunities to interact with a wide range of Americans.

The principal objective of the Institutes is to provide foreign student leaders an in-depth examination of a specific field of study, while also heightening their awareness of the history and evolution of U.S. society, culture, values, and institutions, broadly defined.

The Institutes should address the influence of principles and values such as democracy, the rule of law, individual rights, freedom of expression, equality, diversity, and tolerance, and should also incorporate a focus on contemporary American life.

I. 3. OVERVIEW

Each program should be five weeks in length; participants should spend approximately four weeks at an academic institution and approximately seven to ten days on an integrated educational study tour, including three to five days in Washington, D.C. at the beginning of the Institute. The program will begin with a one-day opening workshop in

Washington, D.C. which will bring together 80 women from four Study of the U.S.

Institutes for Student Leaders on Women’s Leadership and 20 U.S. student ambassadors.

The academic program should include group discussions, experiential learning activities, and exercises that focus on the theme and include aspects of leadership, teambuilding, collective problem-solving skills, effective communication, and management skills.

Institutes should include a community service component in which the students experience firsthand how not-for-profit organizations and volunteerism play a key role in

U.S. civil society. The educational travel component should directly complement the academic program.

Local site visits and educational travel should provide opportunities to observe varied aspects of American life and to discuss lessons learned in the academic program. All programs should foster ECA’s mission to promote mutual understanding between citizens of other countries and citizens of the United States. Thus, the programs should include robust opportunities for participants to meet Americans from a variety of backgrounds, to interact with their U.S. peers, and to speak to appropriate student and civic groups about their experiences and life in their home countries.

Institutes should provide an in-depth study on the theme of Women’s Leadership outlined below. Participants should gain both theoretical knowledge and practical skills.

I. 4. INSTITUTE THEME

The Study of the U.S. Institutes on Women’s Leadership should examine the history and participation of women in public life in the United States. The Institutes should focus on two major areas: (1) Developing participants’ leadership skills in areas such as critical thinking, communication, decision-making, and managerial abilities; and, (2)

Placing these abilities in the context of the history and participation of women in U.S.

politics, economics, culture, and society. The Institutes should examine the historical domestic progress towards women’s equality in the United States, the current domestic successes and challenges to women in a variety of fields, and current challenges in global women’s issues.

The program will begin with an opening workshop in Washington, D.C. tentatively scheduled for July 1, 2015. More information can be found in the Project Objectives, Goals, and Implementation.

I. 5. PARTICIPANTS

Participants will be drawn from the following regions:

1) Sub-Saharan Africa – June 27 to August 1, 2015

2) North Africa/Middle East - June 27 to August 1, 2015

Please note: ECA reserves the right to assign the final country groupings.

Award recipients will not participate in the selection of candidates. U.S. Embassies and consulates will nominate candidates and ECA will make the final selections.

It is anticipated that participants will be drawn from among the priority country groupings listed above and will be fluent or proficient in the English language.

Applicants are welcome to indicate their preference for one of the country groups listed and in that case, should indicate any regional expertise. ECA will make the final decisions regarding participating countries and reserves the right to adjust the regions, participating countries, themes, and program dates based upon Department priorities.

Please see the Project Objectives, Goals, and Implementation (POGI) document for more information on participants.

I. 6. RECIPIENTS

ECA is seeking detailed proposals for two Study of the U.S. Institutes for Student

Leaders on Women’s Leadership from accredited U.S. colleges and universities, and other not-for-profit academic organizations with established reputations in a field or discipline related to the specific program theme. See Section III below for eligibility requirements.

I. 7. PROGRAM GUIDELINES

The recipient is responsible for the conception and structure of the Institute and agenda.

Proposals must provide a detailed and comprehensive narrative describing the objectives of the Institute; the title, scope, and content of each session; planned site visits; and how each session relates to the overall institute theme. Proposals must include a syllabus that indicates the subject matter for each lecture, panel, discussion, group presentation, or other activity. The syllabus should also confirm or provisionally identify proposed speakers, panelists, and session leaders, and clearly show how assigned readings will advance the goals of each session.

Applicants may also choose to implement one Institute and apply to take the leading role in designing, organizing, and implementing the opening Women’s Leadership Workshop for 80 SUSI participants and 20 U.S. student ambassadors for an additional $10,000. The one-day workshop should focus on a unifying theme for all participants, should feature prominent American women as speakers and breakout leads, and should allow time for networking and discussion.

Proposals will be reviewed on the basis of their responsiveness to the six criteria listed in this RFGP, as well as coherence, clarity, and attention to detail. The accompanying

POGI provides program-specific guidelines that all proposals must address fully.

Please note: In a Cooperative Agreement, The Study of the U.S. Branch

(ECA/A/E/USS) is substantially involved in program activities above and beyond routine grant monitoring. ECA/A/E/USS may request that the recipient make modifications to the academic residency and/or educational travel components of the program. The recipient will be required to obtain approval of significant program changes in advance of their implementation. These activities and the roles and responsibilities of the

Department and your organization are outlined in the attached POGI.

I.8 OPTION YEAR INFORMATION

Proposal narratives should include a brief commitment to implement the program for the base year, plus two additional option years, pending successful performance and availability of funds. The narrative should focus on details specific to the implementation of the base year program, with the understanding that the program design, duration, and participant numbers would be similar when/if the subsequent two option years are exercised. ECA will perform an annual performance evaluation/review to determine if an option year will be exercised. Satisfactory performance and the availability of funds is a condition of continued administration of the program and execution of all option years.

II. AWARD INFORMATION:

Type of Award: Cooperative Agreement

ECA’s level of involvement in this program is listed under number I above.

Fiscal Year Funds: FY 2015-base year $235,000; FY 2016-option year-one $235,000;

option year-two $235,000 for the implementation of one Institute (no workshop):

$705,000 (base year plus two option years); pending successful performance and availability of funds. FY2015-base year $245,000; FY2016-option year-one $245,000;

option year-two $245,000 for the implementation of one Institute including the workshop for 80 SUSI participants and 20 U.S. student ambassadors; pending successful performance and availability of funds.

Approximate Total Funding: $705,000 – this figure represents the funding for one

Institute (no workshop) for the base year plus two option years, pending successful performance and availability of funds. $735,000 - this figure represents the funding for one cooperative agreement including the conference for the base year plus two option years, pending successful performance and availability of funds.

Approximate Number of Awards: Two (2)

Floor or Award Range: $235,000

Ceiling of Award Range: $245,000 (including workshop); $235,000 (no workshop)

Approximate Average of Award: $245,000 (including workshop); $235,000 (no workshop)

Anticipated Award Date: Pending the availability of FY15 funds, April 1, 2015

Anticipated Project Completion Date: September 30, 2018. This date reflects the anticipated duration of the award – one base year plus two option years.

Additional Information: Two Cooperative Agreements will be awarded for a period of

12 months (base year) with options of second and third periods of 12 and 18 months, respectively. ECA will notify the recipient of its intention to exercise or not to exercise an option year at least 90 days in advance of expiration of the current year after an internal evaluation of the recipient’s performance. The decision to exercise option years will depend both on the satisfactory performance of the recipient and the availability of funds.

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 USC 501(c)(3).

III.2. COST SHARING OR MATCHING FUNDS

There is no minimum or maximum percentage required for this competition. However, ECA 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

III.3.a. EXPERIENCE IN CONDUCTING INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGE

ECA grant guidelines require that organizations with less than four years of experience in conducting international exchanges be limited to $130,000 in ECA funding. ECA anticipates making two awards, in the amounts of $235,000 and $245,000 per Institute per year to support program and administrative costs required to implement this exchange program. Therefore, organizations with less than four years of experience in conducting international exchanges are ineligible to apply under this competition.

III.3.b TECHNICAL ELIGIBILITY

All proposals must comply with the following or the proposal will be declared technically ineligible and given no further consideration in the review process:

- Applicants may submit only one proposal Institute under this competition.

- Eligible applicants may submit only one proposal to implement one Institute 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, ECA 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 Macon Barrow, Program Officer, ECA/A/E/USS, Fourth Floor, U.S.

Department of State, 2200 C Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20037, telephone: (202) 632-

9435, or email: BarrowME@state.gov with questions or to request a Solicitation

Package.

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. ECA/A/E/USS also provides a sample budget template. You may request that template in editable format by contacting ECA/A/E/USS.

Please address inquiries to Macon Barrow and refer to the Funding Opportunity Number 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 ECA website at http://eca.state.gov/organizational-funding or from the Grants.gov website at http://www.grants.gov.

Please read all information before downloading.

mailto:BarrowME@state.gov http://eca.state.gov/organizational-funding http://www.grants.gov/

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.3.l. “Application Deadline and

Methods of Submission” section below.

IV.3.a. DUNS NUMBER

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://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.3.b. REQUIRED PROPOSAL ELEMENTS

All proposals must contain an executive summary, proposal narrative, and budget.

Please refer to the Solicitation Package for additional formatting and technical requirement information. The Solicitation Package contains the mandatory Proposal

Submission Instructions (PSI) document, a sample budget template, and the Project

Objectives, Goals, and Implementation (POGI) document for additional formatting and technical requirements.

http://dunandbradstreet.com/

IV.3.c. REQUIRED REGISTRATIONS

All federal award recipients and sub-recipients must maintain current registrations in the

System for Award Management (SAM) database and have a DUNS number. Recipients must maintain accurate and up-to-date information in www.SAM.gov 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 SAM 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 (FFATA), and will be made available to the public by the Office of Management and

Budget on its USASpending.gov website 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.3.d. GRANTSOLUTIONS

All ECA awards recipient organizations must be registered with GrantSolutions by accessing www.GrantSolutions.gov. To register as a first time user of GrantSolutions, please scroll to the bottom of the home page and click “Getting Started-Request a User

Account” at http://home.grantsolutions.gov/home/home/customer-support/getting-started/. Organizations that have previously used GrantSolutions do not need to register again. If the organization is not able to access the system, please contact

GrantSolutions.gov Help Desk for help in gaining access.

Support for Grantee Organizations is available from 8 AM – 6 PM EST, Monday –

Friday and can be reached at help@grantsolutions.gov or 1-866-577-0771.

http://www.grantsolutions.gov/ http://home.grantsolutions.gov/home/home/customer-support/getting-started/ http://home.grantsolutions.gov/home/home/customer-support/getting-started/ mailto:help@grantsolutions.gov

Please take into consideration the following information when preparing your proposal narrative:

IV.3.e. ADHERENCE TO ALL REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE J VISA

The Office of Academic 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 ECA 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 a 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, ECA expects that any organization receiving an award under this competition will render all assistance necessary to enable ECA to fully comply with 22

CFR 62.

The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs places critically important emphases on the security and proper administration of the Exchange Visitor (J visa) Programs and adherence by recipient organizations and program participants to all regulations governing the J visa. Therefore, proposals should explicitly state in writing that the applicant is prepared to assist ECA in meeting all requirements governing the administration of Exchange Visitor Programs as set forth in 22 CFR 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, 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. 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://j1visa.state.gov or from:

Office of Designation, Private Sector Programs Division

U.S. Department of State

SA-44, Suite 668

301 4th Street, SW

Washington, DC 20547

Please refer to Solicitation Package for further information.

IV.3.f. DIVERSITY, FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY GUIDELINES

Pursuant to ECA'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 in the United States and abroad. “Diversity” should be interpreted in the broadest sense and encompass differences including race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, geographic location, socio-economic status, disability, http://j1visa.state.gov/ sexual orientation or gender identity. Proposals should demonstrate how diversity will enhance the program’s goals and objectives and the participants’ exchange experience.

Please refer to the review criteria under the “Support of Diversity” section of this document as well as the “DIVERSITY, FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY” section in the

Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) document for specific suggestions on incorporating diversity into the total 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.3.g. 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. ECA 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. ECA 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-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 ECA 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 ECA upon request.

IV.3.h. VIRTUAL EXCHANGE COMPONENT

ECA welcomes innovative ideas on how organizations can leverage appropriate mobile and/or online technologies to maintain engagement among exchange participants, encourage project collaboration and widen participation in the overall project to a broader audience. ECA strongly encourages organizations submitting proposals in response to this solicitation to suggest one or more virtual exchange components to complement the in-person exchange. The virtual exchange component(s) could come before, during and/or after the physical exchange. The objective for the virtual exchange component(s), defined as technology-enabled, sustainable, people-to-people, cross-cultural exchanges, is to augment the impact of the in-person exchange described in this solicitation. ECA encourages organizations to propose virtual exchange ideas that take advantage of ECA’s existing web and social networking platforms, including our International Exchange

Alumni space. Virtual exchange components would be coordinated with and approved by the ECA program office and U.S. missions abroad on a project by project basis.

IV.3.i. COMMUNICATIONS GUIDANCE FOR ECA GRANT RECIPIENTS

All ECA Grant Recipients must adhere to the requirements in ECA’s Communications

Guidance on the creation of program branding and attribution, websites, social media, and press.

IV.3.j. BUDGET

Please take the following information into consideration when preparing your budget:

IV.3.k. REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

Applicants must submit SF-424A – “Budget Information – Non-Construction Programs” along with a comprehensive budget for the entire program. Budget requests may not exceed $245,000 for the Institute plus workshop or $235,000 for just one Institute (no workshop) for the base year. There must be a summary budget for the base year plus two option years, 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.

For competitions that will be renewed through the option year, applicants must submit:

- the SF-424A which must include the budget request amount for the base-year of the program;

- a detailed proposal narrative and budget for the base year of funding (Please refer to the Proposal Submission Instruction Document (PSI) for general budget http://eca.state.gov/files/bureau/communications_guidance_for_eca_recipient_organizations.pdf http://eca.state.gov/files/bureau/communications_guidance_for_eca_recipient_organizations.pdf guidance and the POGI and sample budget for program specific guidance). The narrative should also include a brief commitment to implement the program for the base year, plus two additional option years, pending successful program performance and availability of funds; and

- an abbreviated/estimated summary budget presenting the total projected administrative and program costs for the anticipated total duration of programming (base year, plus two option years).

To exercise the option year mechanism the recipient will be required to submit:

1. timely quarterly performance and financial reports;

2. a request in writing to ECA at least 90 days in advance of the expiration of the current program year;

3. a summary budget that projects program expenses through the end of the current year;

4. a detailed budget outlining both administrative and program expenses for the requested option year; and

5. a brief narrative to support the continuation of the award.

The ECA Grants Officer and Program Officer will:

1.) closely monitor the recipient’s performance through site visits, desk audits, mandatory quarterly performance and financial reports, consultations, and other forms of communication and dialogue before exercising additional option years. (Additional details regarding monitoring and oversight of the program by ECA representatives will be provided at the time the base-year award is made.)

2.) review and evaluate all mandatory quarterly program and financial reports;

- All program and financial reporting requirements must be current and up-to-date before ECA will exercise additional option years.

- Any/all concerns, issues, or modifications requested by the Grants Officer or

Program Officer to the original program design or method of implementation must be responded to in writing.

- The ECA Grants Officer and Program Officer will review and advise of ECA’s approval or disapproval of the response before issuing subsequent option years.

IV.3.l. APPLICATION DEADLINE AND METHODS OF SUBMISSION

Application Deadline Date: Monday, December 1, 2014

Method of Submission: Applications may only be submitted 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 http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/GetStarted 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 website 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 website. ECA strongly recommends that all potential applicants review thoroughly the Grants.gov website, well in advance of submitting a proposal through the Grants.gov system.

Direct all questions regarding Grants.gov registration and submission to:

Grants.gov Customer Support

Contact Center Phone: 800 -518-4726

Business Hours: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week; closed on federal holidays

Email: support@grants.gov

Applicants have until midnight (12:00 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 mailto:support@grants.gov application deadline date will be automatically rejected by the grants.gov system, and will be technically ineligible.

Please refer to the Grants.gov website, for definitions of various "application statuses" and the difference between a submission receipt and a submission validation. Applicants will receive a validation e-mail from Grants.gov upon the successful submission of an application. Again, validation of an electronic submission via Grants.gov can take up to two business days. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you not wait until the application deadline to begin the submission process through Grants.gov. ECA will not notify you upon receipt of electronic applications.

It is the responsibility of all applicants submitting proposals via the Grants.gov web portal to ensure that proposals have been received by Grants.gov in their entirety, and ECA bears no responsibility for data errors resulting from transmission or conversion processes.

IV.3.m. INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVIEW OF APPLICATIONS

Executive Order 12372 does not apply to this program.

V. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

V.1. REVIEW PROCESS

ECA 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 and State Department regional bureaus, where appropriate. Eligible proposals will be subject to compliance with Federal and ECA regulations and guidelines and forwarded to ECA 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 resides with ECA's Grants Officer.

V.2. 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 Program Plan and Ability to Achieve Program Objectives: Proposals should exhibit originality and clearly demonstrate how the Institute will meet the objectives laid out in this solicitation. A detailed itinerary and staff work plan should demonstrate substantive undertakings and logistical capacity. Activities should be reasonable, feasible, and form a coherent program for participant exploration of the topic.

Competitive proposals will clearly promote ECA’s mission: to foster mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries to promote friendly and peaceful relations.

2. Support of Diversity: Proposals should demonstrate substantive support of ECA’s diversity policy. Proposals should demonstrate how diversity will be achieved in the different aspects of program design and implementation, and how diversity will enhance the program’s goals and objectives. It is important that proposals have a clearly articulated diversity plan, and not simply express general support for the concept of diversity.

3. Project Evaluation: As explained in section IV. 3.g., proposals should include a plan to evaluate the activity's success, both as the activities unfold and at the end of the program. A draft survey questionnaire or other technique plus description of a methodology to use to link outcomes to original project objectives are recommended.

4. Cost-effectiveness/Cost-sharing: The overhead and administrative components of the proposal, including salaries and honoraria, should be kept as low as possible. All other items should be necessary and appropriate. Proposals should maximize cost-sharing through other private sector support, as well as institutional direct funding contributions.

5. Institutional Track Record/Ability: Proposals should demonstrate an institutional record of successful exchange programs (past exchange programs need not have been

ECA funded.) ECA will consider the past performance of prior recipients including responsible fiscal management and full compliance with all reporting requirements for past ECA awards (grants or cooperative agreements) as determined by ECA Grants Staff.

ECA will consider the demonstrated potential of new applicants. Proposed personnel and institutional resources should be fully qualified to achieve the project’s goals.

6. Follow-on Activities: Proposals should discuss provisions made for follow-up with returned participants as a means of establishing longer-term individual and institutional linkages. Proposals also should provide a plan for continued follow-on activity (with minimal ECA support) ensuring that ECA supported programs are not isolated events.

Please refer to the POGI for additional information on follow-on activities.

VI. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

VI.1 AWARD NOTICES

Final awards cannot be made until funds have been appropriated by Congress, allocated and committed through internal ECA procedures. Successful applicants will receive a

Federal Assistance Award (FAA) from ECA’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 issued through GrantSolutions to the recipient’s Administrative Official/Authorized Representative 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 websites for additional information:

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

https://www.statebuy.state.gov/fa/pages/home.aspx

VI.3. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

You must provide ECA with an electronic copy of the following required reports:

Mandatory:

1. Additional performance reports shall not be required more frequently than quarterly or, less frequently than annually. Annual reports shall be due 90 calendar days after the grant year; quarterly or semi-annual reports shall be due 30 days after the reporting period. (Frequency of these reports will be determined by http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants https://www.statebuy.state.gov/fa/pages/home.aspx the Grants Officer and Program Officer). The first page of the Performance

Progress Report form (SF-PPR) must be submitted with all programmatic reports and can be found here:

http://aopefa.a.state.gov/content.asp?content_id=20&menu_id=68. The complete report and supporting documentation must be uploaded by the Recipient as a

Grant Note under the corresponding record for this Agreement in

GrantSolutions.gov. For assistance, please contact the GrantSolutions Help Desk at 1 (866) 577-0771 (toll free for US callers) or by email at help@grantsolutions.gov. The Federal Financial Report (FFR SF-425/SF-425a) must be submitted through the Payment Management System (PMS). The electronic version of the FFR can be accessed at: http://www.dpm.psc.gov/. Once a financial report has been approved by the Department, the Recipient must upload the approved report to GrantSolutions.gov, in the same manner specified for the programmatic reports. Failure to comply with these reporting requirements may jeopardize the Recipient's eligibility for future Agreements.

2. A SF-PPR, “Performance Progress Report” Cover Sheet must be submitted with all program performance reports.

3. A final program and financial report no more than 90 days after the expiration or termination of the award;

4. A concise, one-page final program report summarizing program outcomes no more than 90 days after the expiration of the award. This report should be e-mailed to: FFATAECA@state.gov. This one-page report will be transmitted to http://aopefa.a.state.gov/content.asp?content_id=20&menu_id=68 mailto:help@grantsolutions.gov http://www.dpm.psc.gov/ https://www.grantsolutions.gov/gs/ mailto:FFATAECA@state.gov

OMB, and be made available to the public via OMB's USAspending.gov website

- as part of ECA's Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act

(FFATA) reporting requirements.

5. Because the Competition will allow for the exercise of Option Years, applicants must be placed on a mandatory quarterly program and financial reporting cycle.

The due dates for these reports will be included in the final assistance award document. The program and financial reports must demonstrate substantial progress by addressing progress towards the original approved goals and objectives, relative activities and events, and supporting fiscal data. The reports will be reviewed by both the assigned Grant Officer and Program Officer.

Award recipients will be required to provide reports analyzing their evaluation findings to

ECA in their regular program reports. [Please refer to IV. Application and Submission

Instructions (IV.3.d.) above for Program Monitoring and Evaluation information

(IV.3.g.)].

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.

VII. AGENCY CONTACTS

For questions about this announcement, contact: Macon Barrow, ECA/A/E/USS, 2200 C

Street, NW, Washington, DC 20037, telephone: (202) 632-9435, or email:

BarrowME@state.gov .

mailto:BarrowME@state.gov

All correspondence concerning this RFGP should reference the title and funding opportunity number listed at the top of this solicitation.

Please read the complete announcement before sending inquiries or submitting proposals.

Once the RFGP deadline has passed, ECA 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 ECA representative. Explanatory information provided by ECA that contradicts published language will not be binding. Issuance of the RFGP does not constitute an award commitment on the part of the Government. ECA 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.

Kelly Keiderling October 21, 2014

Acting Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs

Department of State