NOFO _SUSI_Pakistan FY20_APRIL 7.pdf

Department of State

Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Notice of Funding Opportunity

(NOFO): FY 2020 Study of the U.S. Institute for Student Leaders from Pakistan on

Comparative Public Policymaking

Announcement Type: New Cooperative Agreement

Funding Opportunity Number: SFOP0006672

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 19.009

Key Date/Application Deadline: June 5, 2020

Executive Summary: The Study of the U. S. Branch (ECA/A/E/USS), Office of

Academic Exchange Programs, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), invites proposal submissions from accredited U.S. post-secondary education institutions

(community colleges, liberal arts colleges, public and private universities) and other U.S.

public and private non-profit organizations meeting the provisions described in Internal

Revenue Code section 26 USC 501(c)(3) (see section C. Eligibility Information) to design and implement one (1) Study of the U.S. Institute for Student Leaders from

Pakistan on Comparative Public Policymaking to take place in summer 2021.

Taking place over the course of five weeks at a U.S. academic institution, the Study of the U.S. Institute (SUSI) should be organized for a group of approximately 20 undergraduate students from Pakistan on the theme of Comparative Public Policymaking.

The Institute should include four weeks of academic residency and approximately one week for an integrated educational travel component (study tour) that will expose participants to a different region of the United States. This component should include a minimum of three days in Washington, DC. See section A. Program Description for further information.

Applicants may submit only one proposal under this competition. If multiple proposals are received from the same applicant, all submissions will be declared ineligible and receive no further consideration in the review process. See section C. Eligibility

Information for additional details.

Support for this program is being provided from FY 2019/FY 2020 Pakistan Economic

Support Funds (ESF) that are in the process of being transferred to ECA for obligation. It is ECA’s intent to award one cooperative agreement in the amount of $400,000 for the

FY 2020 base year, pending the transfer and availability of the FY 2019/FY 2020

Pakistan ESF. It is unknown whether additional transfer funding will be available to support subsequent programs in FY 2021 and FY 2022. Pending successful implementation of the program and the availability of funding in subsequent fiscal years, ECA reserves the right to exercise non-competitive continuations for an estimated combined total amount of $1,200,000. Please see section B. Federal Award Information below for additional details. In the event that the levels of Pakistan Economic

Support Funds (ESF) change, ECA reserves the right to amend or modify the composition of the final award, as well as the final funding level, based upon the quality of proposals submitted, the availability of funds, and other factors related to long-term U.S. foreign policy objectives.

A. Program Description:

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. Support for this program is being provided from FY 2019/FY 2020 Pakistan

Economic Support Funds (ESF) that are in the process of being transferred to ECA for obligation.

A.1. Substantial Involvement:

In a cooperative agreement, the U.S. Department of State is substantially involved in program activities above and beyond routine monitoring. The Study of the U.S. Branch

(ECA/A/E/USS) may request that the award recipient make programmatic modifications to the academic residency and/or educational travel components of the program. The award 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 Project, Objectives, Goals, and Implementation (POGI) document.

Proposal narratives should include a commitment to implement the program for the FY

2020 base year, plus two additional non-competitive continuations in FY 2021 and FY

2022, pending successful implementation and the 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 non-competitive continuations are exercised. ECA will perform an annual performance evaluation/review to determine if a non-competitive continuation will be exercised. Satisfactory performance and the availability of funds is a condition of continued administration of the program and execution of all non-competitive continuations.

A.2. Purpose:

The Study of the U.S. Institutes (SUSI) for Student Leaders are intensive short-term academic programs whose purpose is to provide groups of undergraduate student leaders with a deeper understanding of U.S. society, culture, values, and institutions while simultaneously enhancing their leadership skills. The goal is to advance American foreign policy by promoting American prosperity and advancing American influence as outlined in the U.S. National Security Strategy. The Institutes 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.

This SUSI for Student Leaders from Pakistan on Comparative Public Policymaking should be five weeks in length. The core of the academic program should include approximately 10 American students at no cost to ECA. Participants should spend approximately four weeks at the host institution and one week on an integrated educational study tour, including at least three days in Washington, DC. The educational travel component should directly complement the academic program. It should not only include visits to cities and other regional sites of interest around the host institution, but also expose participants to another geographic region of the United States, ensuring regional diversity and balance.

The academic program should consist of a balanced series of seminar discussions, experiential learning activities, readings, group presentations, panels, and lectures that focus on the Institute theme. The program should also include a leadership development component with weekly skills building sessions on topics such as critical thinking, collective problem-solving, effective communication, decision making, and managerial abilities. Institutes should incorporate weekly community service activities in which participants experience firsthand how non-profit organizations and volunteerism play a key role in American civil society. The Institute must include a balance of speakers and perspectives throughout the program schedule including diverse demographic, political, and geographic U.S. viewpoints. Once participants return home, the program should include opportunities for continued follow-on engagement with their fellow SUSI alumni.

Activities could include, but are not limited to, small grants, webinars, workshops, collaborative publications, or other ways to continue building on the five-week SUSI experience.

The Institute should foster ECA’s mission to support the U.S. National Security Strategy and promote mutual understanding between the citizens of the United States and other countries. 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. Please see the Project Objectives, Goals, and Implementation

(POGI) document for more information.

A.3. Institute Theme

The Study of the U.S. Institute for Student Leaders from Pakistan on Comparative Public

Policymaking should provide approximately 20 Pakistani undergraduates with a deeper understanding of U.S history, culture, values, government, and institutions through the lens of policymaking. The core of the academic program should engage the Pakistani students and approximately 10 American students in a comparative analysis of governments and policies in the two countries. Please note that ECA will not fund the participation of these American students in the coursework, integrated educational travel component, or enrichment activities. Using a multidisciplinary approach, the Institute will also examine how organizations, the media, and the private sector influence government policy. Within the broader frame of the public policy process, participants will be exposed to specific public policy questions on topics such as public finance, rule of law, education, public health, economic issues, and foreign policy. The Institute should also address key U.S. foreign policy priorities such as improving media literacy, preventing disinformation, supporting religious freedom, and promoting entrepreneurship and business. To the greatest extent possible, the Institute should offer a hands-on approach to public policymaking with an opportunity for participants to gain practical skills. Participants should have opportunities to meet with U.S. public policy makers from diverse communities to offer a balanced understanding of policymaking in the

United States.

A.4. Program Administration:

ECA is seeking detailed proposals from accredited post-secondary U.S. higher education institutions (U.S. community colleges, liberal arts colleges, public and private universities) and other U.S. public and private non-profit organizations meeting the eligible requirements outlined under section C. below. ECA intends to issue one

Cooperative Agreement for the administration of this Institute. All proposals should demonstrate the institution’s administrative and program management capacities, thematic expertise, and any Pakistan-specific expertise. In addition, award recipients must strictly comply with State Department branding and signage requirements, at events, in remarks, on program documentation, and online, in all websites and social media posts. ECA reserves the right to amend or modify the number of participants, as well as the final funding level based upon the availability of funds and other factors related to long-term U.S. foreign policy objectives.

A.5. Participants: Participants in the Study of the U.S. Institute for Student Leaders from Pakistan on Comparative Public Policymaking will be highly motivated undergraduate students from all regions of Pakistan with proficient English language skills. The Institute will host approximately 20 participants. The recipient will NOT participate in the selection of participants. The U.S. embassy and consulates will nominate candidates and ECA will make the final participant selections. Every effort will be made to select a gender-balanced group. A final list of participants will be sent to the award recipient in March for processing of DS-2019s. Please see the Project

Objectives, Goals, and Implementation (POGI) document for more information on participants.

A.6. Program Dates: Pending the availability of funds, the anticipated award dates for the cooperative agreement will be on or about September 1, 2020 and end on or around

March 31, 2024. The Institute should be approximately 35 days in length; this should include participant arrival and departure days. The Institute will take place in summer

2021 and should start no earlier than June 10, 2021.

A.7. Program Guidelines: The award recipient is responsible for the conception, structure, and monitoring of the Institute and its agenda. Proposals must provide a detailed and comprehensive narrative describing the objectives of the Institute; the academic program, planned site visits, and how each session relates to the goals and objectives of the program. Proposals must include a syllabus that indicates the subject matter for each lecture, panel discussion, group presentation, or other activity. The syllabus also should confirm or provisionally identify proposed speakers with different viewpoints, trainers, and session leaders, and clearly show how assigned readings will advance the goals of each session.

Please see section D.) Application and Submission Information for application submission requirements. Proposals will be reviewed based on their responsiveness to the six review criteria listed in this NOFO (Section E.1. Review Criteria). The accompanying POGI provides program-specific guidelines that all proposals must fully address.

B. Federal Award Information:

Type of Award: Cooperative Agreement. ECA’s level of involvement in this program is listed under A. Program Description above.

Fiscal Year Funds:

FY 2020 - base year $400,000, pending the availability of FY 2019/FY 2020 Pakistan

ESF; FY 2021 - non-competitive continuation year-one, $400,000, pending successful performance and the availability of funding; FY 2022 - non-competitive continuation year-two, $400,000, pending successful performance and the availability of funding.

Approximate Total Funding: $1,200,000. This figure represents base year plus two non-competitive continuation years, pending successful implementation, performance, and the availability of funds.

Approximate Number of Awards: One.

Approximate Average Award: $400,000, pending the availability of FY 2019/FY 2020

Pakistan ESF (for the FY 2020 base year only).

Floor of Award Range: None.

Ceiling of Award Range: $400,000, pending the availability of FY 2019/FY 2020

Pakistan ESF (for the FY 2020 base year only).

Anticipated Award Date: September 1, 2020, pending the availability of FY 2019/FY

2020 Pakistan ESF (for the FY 2020 base year only).

Anticipated Project Completion Date: March 31, 2024. This date reflects the anticipated duration of the award – one base year plus two non-competitive continuation years.

Additional Information: 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.

A Cooperative Agreement will be awarded for a period of 12 months (base year) with non-competitive continuations for a second and third period of 12 and 18 months respectively, ensuring adequate time for post-Institute follow-on activities. ECA will notify the recipient of its intention to exercise or not to exercise a non-competitive continuation 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 a non-competitive continuation will depend both on the satisfactory performance of the recipient and the availability of funds.

C.) Eligibility Information:

C.1. Eligible applicants: U.S. public and private non-profit organizations and accredited

U.S. post-secondary higher education institutions (community colleges, liberal arts colleges, public and private universities) meeting the provisions described in Internal

Revenue Code section 26 USC 501(c)(3) may submit applications for this competition.

Applicants must have nonprofit status with the IRS at the time of application. Please see the Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) for additional information.

All applicants must also have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number and be registered in SAM.gov (see additional information about this requirement in D.3a and D.3c below).

C.2. Other Eligibility Requirements:

a.) Experience in Conducting International Exchange: Bureau grant guidelines require that organizations with less than four years of experience in conducting international exchanges be limited to $130,000 in Bureau funding. ECA anticipates making one cooperative agreement, in an amount of $400,000, pending the availability of

FY 2019/FY 2020 Pakistan ESF transfer funding, 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.

b.) Technical Eligibility: All proposals must comply with the requirements stated in the NOFO, POGI (if applicable), and the Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI); non-compliance will result in your proposal being declared technically ineligible and given no further consideration in the review process.

c.) Eligible applicants may not submit more than one proposal in 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.

C.3. Cost Sharing or Matching Funds:

There is no minimum or maximum percentage of cost sharing 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 the Office of Management and Budget’s Guidance 2 CFR

Parts 200 and 600, entitled the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards. In the event you do not provide the minimum amount of cost sharing as stipulated in the approved budget, ECA's contribution may be reduced in like proportion.

D.) Application and Submission Information:

Please Note: Please read the complete announcement before sending inquiries or submitting proposals. Once the NOFO deadline has passed, Bureau staff may not discuss this competition with applicants until the proposal review process has been completed.

D.1 Contact Information to Request an Application Package: Please contact Tania

Jazynka, Program Officer, Study of the U.S. Branch, ECA/A/E/USS, SA-5, Fourth Floor, U.S. Department of State, 2200 C Street, NW, Washington, DC 20037, JazynkaT@state.gov, 202-632-3277 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.

mailto:JazynkaT@state.gov

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 Institute budget in Microsoft

Excel format. You may request that template in editable format by contacting Program

Officer Tania Jazynka, JazynkaT@state.gov.

Please specify Tania Jazynka and refer to the Funding Opportunity Number located at the top of this announcement on all other inquiries and correspondence.

D.2. To Download a Solicitation Package Via Internet: The entire Solicitation

Package may be downloaded from the Bureau's website at https://eca.state.gov/organizational-funding or from the Grants.gov website at https://www.grants.gov.

D.2a. Content and Form of Submission: Applicants must follow all instructions in the

Solicitation Package. The application should be submitted per the instructions under

D.3p. “Application Deadline and Method of Submission” section below.

D.3a. Unique Entity Identifier Number: You are required to have a Unique Entity

Identifier (UEI) 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 UEI number is easy and there is no charge. To obtain a UEI number, access http://www.dnb.com or call 1-866-705-5711. Please ensure that your UEI (Data Universal Numbering System or DUNS) number is included in the appropriate box of the SF – 424 which is part of the formal application package. For more detailed instructions for obtaining a UEI (DUNS) number, refer to:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-1-obtain-duns-number.html

D.3b. Required Proposal Elements: All proposals must contain an executive summary, proposal narrative, budget, and budget narrative.

D.3c. Required Registration with the System for Award Management (SAM): All federal award applicants must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) database in order to submit a proposal in response to an open competition on Grants.gov.

All federal award recipients must maintain a current registration in the SAM database.

Recipients must maintain accurate and up-to-date information in www.SAM.gov until all program and financial activity and reporting is completed on any issued award.

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. There is no cost associated with registering or updating SAM.gov accounts.

Failure to register in SAM.gov will render applicants ineligible to receive funding.

mailto:DinhCB@state.gov https://eca.state.gov/organizational-funding https://www.grants.gov/ http://www.dnb.com/ https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-1-obtain-duns-number.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-1-obtain-duns-number.html http://www.sam.gov/

For more detailed instructions for registering with SAM, refer to:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-2-register-with-sam.html

D.3d. Federal Awardee Performance & Integrity Information System (FAPIIS):

Prior to making a Federal Assistance award over $250,000, the Federal agency is required to review and consider any information about the applicant that is in FAPIIS

(see 41 U.S.C. 2313) and accessible through SAM.gov. If an Applicant is currently in

FAPIIS, they can comment on any information about its organization that a Federal awarding agency previously entered. The Federal awarding agency will consider any comments by the applicant, in addition to the other information in FAPIIS, in making a judgment about the applicant’s integrity, business ethics, and record of performance under Federal awards when completing the review of risk posed by applicants as described in 2 CFR §200.205 Federal awarding agency review of risk posed by applicants.

D.3e. Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA) Report: 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 award 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 program 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.

D.3f. Required Registration with SAMS Domestic: All ECA award recipient organizations and recipient contacts and signatories must be registered with the U.S.

Department of State’s SAMS Domestic by accessing https://mygrants.servicenowservices.com and clicking the “create an account” link.

SAMS Domestic is the U.S. Department of State’s grants management system and is supported by the Department’s Integrated Logistics Management System (ILMS).

Recipient organizations and recipient contacts and signatories that have previously used

SAMS Domestic as a U.S. Department of State award recipient do not need to register again. If the organization is not able to access the system, please contact the ILMS Help

Desk for help in gaining access.

Support for Recipient Organizations and recipient contacts and signatories is available 24 hours, 7 days a week (except federal holidays), and can be reached at 1-888-313-ILMS

(4567) or through the ILMS Self Service Portal at https://afsitsm.servicenowservices.com/ilms/.

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-2-register-with-sam.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-2-register-with-sam.html https://mygrants.servicenowservices.com/ https://afsitsm.servicenowservices.com/ilms/

In the event the ILMS Help Desk is unable to provide you with assistance in a timely manner, please contact ECA_SAMSDomestic@state.gov and copy the program officer associated with the solicitation.

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

D.3g. Adherence To All Regulations Governing The J Visa: The Bureau of

Educational and Cultural Affairs places critically important emphases on the security and proper administration of the Exchange Visitor (J visa) Programs and adherence by award recipients and sponsors to all regulations governing the J visa. Therefore, proposals should demonstrate the applicant's capacity to meet all requirements governing the administration of the Exchange Visitor Programs as set forth in 22 CFR 62, including the oversight of 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 award recipient will be responsible for issuing DS-2019 forms to participants in this program. A copy of the complete regulations governing the administration of Exchange

Visitor (J) programs is available at http://j1visa.state.gov or from:

Office of Designation, Private Sector Programs Division

U.S. Department of State

SA-4E (Bldg. 3)

2430 E Street, NW

Washington, DC 20037

D.3h. 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 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, 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” 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 mailto:ECA_SAMSDomestic@state.gov http://j1visa.state.gov/ 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.

D.3i. Program Monitoring and Evaluation: Please Note: The Bureau plans to add standardized indicators and corresponding data collection questions for performance monitoring during the period of performance of this award. Therefore, proposed performance monitoring plans and data collection instruments should be flexible enough to incorporate those once established. 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 NOFO.

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 NOFO (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, such as 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 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.

D.3j. 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.

D.3k. 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.

https://eca.state.gov/comms-guidance

D.3l. Budget Format: Applicants must submit SF-424A – “Budget Information – Non-

Construction Programs” along with a comprehensive budget for the entire program.

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.

D.3m. Key Personnel

ECA recommends that the applicant identify intended key personnel positions via an asterisk (*) or other marking in the proposal budget, budget narrative, or a separate appendix. If not provided in the application, recipients must submit the names, titles, and brief biographical sketches of key personnel to the Grants Officer and GOR within 30 days of an award being issued. Additional information regarding key personnel requirements can be found in the State Department’s Standard Terms and Conditions, VI.

Recipient Responsibility and Compliance with Federal Requirements (link to:

https://www.state.gov/about-us-office-of-the-procurement-executive/).

D.3n. Non-Competitive Continuations: For competitions that will exercise a Non-

Competitive Continuation 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 guidance.) The narrative should also include a brief commitment to implement the program for the base year, plus two additional non-competitive continuation years, pending successful program performance and the 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 non-competitive continuation years).

To exercise the Non-Competitive Continuation mechanism the recipient will be required to submit:

1. performance and financial reports on time;

2. a request in writing to ECA at least 30 days in receipt of the NCC invitation;

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 non-competitive continuation 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 performance and financial reports, consultations, and other forms of communication and https://www.state.gov/about-us-office-of-the-procurement-executive/ dialogue before exercising additional non-competitive continuations. (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 the Bureau will exercise additional non-competitive continuations.

- 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 non-competitive continuations.

3.) Prior Grants Officer approval is required to utilize the remainder from an unobligated balance from a prior funding period to the subsequent funding period. If the Grants Officer determines that some or all of the unobligated funds are not necessary to perform the program activity, the Grants Officer may decline the

Recipient’s request to utilize the remainder from the unobligated balance.

The Grants Officer may, at their discretion, use the unobligated balance to reduce or offset future funding for a subsequent funding period. An unobligated balance at the end of a funding period is not sufficient justification to utilize the remainder of funds. A final determination and approval to utilize the remainder of any funds will be communicated via a cost amendment with adjustment, if any, to new obligation amounts.

i. The request to utilize the remainder from an unobligated balance must include:

a. A brief narrative why funds remain unobligated and how the unobligated funds will be used to complete the previously approved goals and objectives of the program; and,

b. A detailed budget that reflects the amount of unobligated funds to date, and anticipated expenditures in the subsequent period of performance for all cost categories under the authorized budget.

D.3o. Allowable costs for the program include the following:

Please refer to section F.2. of this document for information on allowable costs. Please refer to the Solicitation Package for complete budget guidelines and formatting instructions.

D.3p. Application Deadline and Method of Submission:

Application Deadline Date: Friday, June 5, 2020, 11:59 p.m. Washington, DC time

Method of Submission: Applications may only be submitted electronically through Grants.gov (https://www.grants.gov). Complete solicitation packages are available at Grants.gov in the “Search Grants” portion of the system.

D.3q. Grants.gov Registration, Application Submission, and Receipt Procedures

Eligible organizations should follow the instructions available in the ‘Get Started’ portion of the site (http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/apply-for-grants.html).

How to Register to Apply through Grants.gov

Applicants should read instructions carefully and prepare the information requested before beginning the registration process. Reviewing and assembling the required information before beginning the registration process will alleviate last-minute searches for required information.

The registration process can take up to four weeks to complete. Therefore, registration should be done in sufficient time to ensure it does not impact your ability to meet required application submission deadlines. Applicants should check with appropriate staff within their organizations immediately after reviewing this NOFO to confirm or determine their registration status with Grants.gov. Organization applicants can find complete instructions here: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration.html

How to Submit an Application to ECA via Grants.gov

For access to complete instruction on how to apply for Notice of Funding Opportunities on Grants.gov, refer to: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/apply-for-grants.html

Grants.gov Support and Submission Issues

Direct all questions regarding Grants.gov registration and submission issues 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

Timely Receipt Requirements and Proof of Timely Submission

Applicants have until 11:59 p.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 the application deadline date and time will be automatically rejected by the Grants.gov system, and will be technically ineligible.

https://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/apply-for-grants.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/apply-for-grants.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/apply-for-grants.html mailto:support@grants.gov

Therefore, we strongly recommend that you not wait until the application deadline to begin the submission process through Grants.gov.

Proof of timely submission is automatically recorded by Grants.gov. An electronic date/time stamp is generated within the system when the application is successfully received by Grants.gov. The applicant Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) will receive an acknowledgement of receipt and a tracking number

(GRANTXXXXXXXX) from Grants.gov with the successful transmission of their application. Applicant AORs will also receive the official date/time stamp and

Grants.gov tracking number in an email serving as proof of their timely submission.

When ECA successfully retrieves the application from Grants.gov, Grants.gov will provide an electronic acknowledgement of receipt of the application to the email address of the applicant with the AOR role. Again, proof of timely submission shall be the official date and time that Grants.gov receives your application. Please also be mindful of any Grants.gov generated error messages that may appear during the application process as they may result in some documents not transmitting correctly.

Applicants using slow internet, such as dial-up connections, should be aware that transmission can take some time before Grants.gov receives your application. Grants.gov will provide either an error or a successfully received transmission in the form of an email sent to the applicant with the AOR role. The Grants.gov Support Center reports that some applicants end the transmission because they think that nothing is occurring during the transmission process. Please be patient and give the system time to process the application.

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 "Applicant FAQs" 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. ECA will not notify you upon receipt of electronic applications.

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. Prior to submitting applications through Grants.gov, please ensure you meet all Grants.gov system and software requirements, including Adobe software compatibility. You can verify if your version of Adobe software is compatible with

Grants.gov, by visiting https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html.

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, https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html and ECA bears no responsibility for data errors resulting from transmission or conversion processes.

D.3r. Intergovernmental Review of Applications: Executive Order 12372 does not apply to this program.

E. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

The Bureau will review all proposals for technical eligibility. Proposals will be deemed ineligible if they do not fully adhere to the guidelines stated herein and in the Solicitation

Package. All eligible proposals will be reviewed by the program office, as well as the

Public Diplomacy section overseas and State Department regional bureaus, 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. All awards will be assessed for risk prior to their issuance. Final funding decisions are at the discretion of the U.S. Department of State's Assistant

Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs. Final technical authority for assistance awards resides with the Bureau's Grants Officer.

E.1. 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. The agenda and plan should adhere to the program overview and guidelines described above. 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 support the National Security

Strategy and 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 show substantive support of ECA’s diversity policy. Proposals should demonstrate how diversity, including a balance of speakers and perspectives from diverse demographic, political, and geographic U.S. viewpoints, 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. Proposals should also indicate how reasonable accommodations for participant needs, including disability accommodations, will be implemented.

3. Project Evaluation: As explained in section D.3i. Program Monitoring and

Evaluation, proposals should include a plan to evaluate the activity's success, both as the activities unfold and at the end of the program. The Bureau recommends that the proposal include a draft logic model, survey questionnaire, and/or other technique plus description of a methodology to use to link outcomes to original project objectives. Award-receiving organizations/institutions will be expected to submit intermediate reports.

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/Capacity: 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 the ECA Grants Office. 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.