AFCP2019CE_NOFO.pdf

Department of State

Bureau of Educational and Cultural

Affairs (ECA) Notice of Funding

Opportunity (NOFO):

FY 2019 U.S. Ambassadors Fund for

Cultural Preservation Conservation

Professionals Program

Announcement Type: New Cooperative Agreement

Funding Opportunity Number: SFOP0005691

CFDA Number 19.451

Key Date/Application Deadline June 3, 2019

Executive Summary

The Cultural Heritage Center of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs

(ECA/P/C) invites proposal submissions from U.S. public and private nonprofit organizations meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code section 26 USC

501(c)(3) for a Cooperative Agreement to assist in the design and implementation of the

FY 2019 U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) Conservation

Professionals Program. This program shall consist of a maximum of four two-way exchange programs centered on clearly defined architectural or objects conservation projects of relevance to the participants and their home institutions or organizations.

Each program shall involve an equal number of American and foreign conservation professionals and last for a maximum of eight weeks.

The overarching goal of the U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation

Conservation Professionals program is to strengthen existing professional and institutional relationships in architectural or objects conservation and to provide participants with new technical knowledge and skills that they may apply in their work at their home institutions or organizations. Program development and planning, carried out in cooperation with ECA/P/C, should begin in fall 2019 with implementation of the program in winter 2019 and the first exchange program no later than spring 2020.

A. Program Description

A.1. Authorities: 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.

A.2. Purpose: The FY 2019 U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP)

Conservation Professionals program shall strengthen existing professional and institutional relationships in architectural or objects conservation and provide American and foreign participants with new technical knowledge and skills that they may apply in their work. It shall consist of a maximum of four two-way exchange programs centered on clearly defined architectural or objects conservation projects of relevance to the participants and their home institutions or organizations. Each program shall involve a maximum of two American participants traveling overseas and a maximum of two foreign participants traveling to the United States. Each program shall last a maximum of eight weeks (inclusive of travel), with equal time spent at a host institution or organization in the United States and at a host institution or organization overseas. The conservation projects, selected by the State Department, will be or stem from projects supported through the AFCP: https://eca.state.gov/cultural-heritage-center/ambassadors-fund-cultural-preservation/annual-reports

The overarching goals for this pilot program are:

a. To advance the technical knowledge and skills of American conservation professionals and their foreign counterparts;

b. To expand existing relationships between U.S. and foreign conservation professionals and their home or sponsoring institutions or organizations;

c. To strengthen bilateral cooperation on architectural and objects conservation projects of mutual benefit to the U.S. and other countries; and

d. To build on the AFCP program, which supports the preservation of cultural heritage as a demonstration of U.S. respect for the cultural heritage of others.

Established by the U.S. Department of State at the recommendation of the 106th Congress and administered by ECA’s Cultural Heritage Center (ECA/P/C), the AFCP Small Grants

Competition and Large Grants Program support the preservation of cultural sites, museum collections, and other forms of cultural heritage in less developed countries.

AFCP supports a wide range of activities, from the conservation of World Heritage sites and other major historic monuments to the documentation of local museum collections.

Since 2001, AFCP has awarded more than 1,000 grants ranging from $5,000 to $2 million for projects in over 125 countries.

A.3. Program Design: The program shall consist of a maximum of four two-way exchange programs centered on clearly defined architectural or objects conservation projects of relevance to the participants and their home institutions or organizations.

Each program shall involve a maximum of two American participants traveling overseas and a maximum of two foreign participants traveling to the United States. Each program shall last a maximum of eight weeks (inclusive of travel), with equal time spent at a host institution or organization in the United States and at a host institution or organization overseas. The first program under the Cooperative Agreement should take place no later than spring 2020.

https://eca.state.gov/cultural-heritage-center/ambassadors-fund-cultural-preservation/annual-reports https://eca.state.gov/cultural-heritage-center/ambassadors-fund-cultural-preservation/annual-reports

ECA/P/C, in consultation with U.S. embassies and the corresponding regional bureaus, will select the conservation projects, including the institutions or organizations and participating conservation professionals. ECA/P/C will consider only those foreign institutions or organizations that have existing relationships with U.S. institutions or organizations. The architectural or objects conservation projects will be or stem from projects supported through the AFCP program.

The award recipient shall work directly with the project participants and their institutions or organizations to determine final detailed project plans, including logistics, budgets, specific project activities, and any supplemental cultural and professional activities and events, as appropriate.

Under this pilot, one exchange program may involve, for example, two (one American and one foreign) conservators whose home museums have similar collections and an existing institutional relationship via an AFCP project. The participants would gain greater awareness of each other’s collections and conservation approaches and challenges, as well as new technical knowledge and skills, through a project focusing on clearly and mutually defined conservation activities (such as documentation and assessment, preventive conservation, conservation treatment, etc., including training in the above-mentioned activities). Attendance or participation in a related local professional conference or museum exhibit while in the U.S. or overseas would enrich the program.

The activities at the two institutions need not be identical (the activity at the American institution could be training in conservation treatment, whereas the activity at the foreign institution could be documentation and assessment, and vice versa) but must complement each other. The AFCP does not support the removal of cultural heritage from one country to another for any reason, so projects involving the transport of cultural heritage across international borders are ineligible.

The applicant should present a program plan that addresses the full array of tasks and activities commonly associated with two-way exchange programs in which the participants and their institutions or organizations have already been pre-selected, such as logistics, communication and orientation, scheduling, and monitoring and evaluation. The plan should also account for the central role the applicant would play, if selected, in working directly with the participants and their respective institutions on detailed project plans and conservation activities, travel itineraries, schedules, and any supplemental enrichment activities envisioned as part of each exchange program.

A.4. Responsibilities: In a cooperative agreement, ECA is substantially involved in program activities beyond routine monitoring. ECA activities and responsibilities shall include but are not limited to:

a. Participating in the design, implementation, and direction of the program;

b. Approving key personnel;

c. Providing input on and approving program design, timelines, and administrative procedures;

d. Providing guidance in the execution of program components;

e. Reviewing and approving program publicity and other materials, including social media, as applicable;

f. In consultation with relevant U.S. embassies, recruiting and selecting projects, participating conservation professionals, and their home institutions or organizations;

g. Providing liaison with participants, institutional or organizational points of contact, relevant U.S. embassies, and relevant programs and offices at the U.S.

Department of State, as appropriate;

h. Approving specific project activities, budgets, itineraries, schedules, and any supplemental enrichment activities;

i. Approving changes to projects and participants (including home institutions or organizations);

j. Approving decisions related to special circumstances or problems throughout the duration of the program;

k. Assisting with participant emergencies.

The responsibilities of the recipient organization are as follows:

a. Communicating with and preparing U.S. and foreign participants and their corresponding home or sponsoring organizations prior to participants’ departure for, or arrival at, the project sites (which may include pre-departure or other orientations).

b. Finalizing, in close coordination with participants and their respective institutions or organizations, specific project plans and activities, budgets, itineraries, schedules, and any supplemental enrichment activities;

c. Arranging program-related air and ground transportation for participants, including international and domestic transportation;

d. Identifying, and coordinating logistics for, any proposed supplemental enrichment activities;

e. Arranging, in coordination with the participants and the hosting institutions or organizations, accommodations and methods of payment of stipends and/or per diems;

f. Follow-on activities, including monitoring of participants for one year, that effectively track their follow-on activities related to the exchange;

g. Gathering and maintenance of participant and alumni data, anecdotes, and other details for reference and reporting to ECA;

h. Program evaluation including pre-exchange, end of exchange, and follow-on assessment up to one year after the exchange;

i. Issuing DS-2019s for foreign participants and assisting American participants with obtaining the appropriate visas for overseas travel.

B. Federal Award Information

Type of Award: Cooperative Agreement

Fiscal Year Funds: FY 2019

Approximate Total Funding: $100,000

Approximate Number of Awards: One (1)

Approximate Average Award: $100,000

Floor of Award Range: $100,000

Ceiling of Award Range: $100,000

Anticipated Award Date: September 1, 2019

Anticipated Completion Date: August 31, 2021

Additional Information: ECA reserves the right to reduce, revise, or increase proposal budgets in accordance with the needs of the program and the availability of funds.

Pending successful implementation of this program and the availability of funds in subsequent fiscal years, it is ECA’s intent to renew this Cooperative Agreement for two additional consecutive fiscal years, before openly competing it again.

C. Eligibility Information

C.1. Eligible Applicants: This funding opportunity is open to U.S. public and private nonprofit organizations meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code section 26 USC 501(c)(3).

C.2. Cost Sharing or Matching Funds: There is no minimum or maximum percentage required for this competition. However, the Bureau encourages applicants to provide maximum levels of cost sharing and funding in support of its programs.

When cost sharing is offered, it is understood and agreed that the applicant must provide the amount of cost sharing as stipulated in its proposal and later included in an approved agreement. Cost sharing may be in the form of allowable direct or indirect costs. For accountability, you must maintain written records to support all costs which are claimed as your contribution, as well as costs to be paid by the Federal government. Such records are subject to audit. The basis for determining the value of cash and in-kind contributions must be in accordance with 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 will be reduced in like proportion.

C.3. Other Eligibility Requirements: Applicants must have a minimum of three years of experience in conducting international exchanges to be eligible for this Opportunity.

C.4. Technically Eligible Proposals: All proposals must comply with the requirements stated in this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) and the Proposal Submission

Instructions document (the PSI). ECA will deem proposals that do not comply with these requirements as technically ineligible and will give them no further consideration in the review process.

C.5. Limit on the Number of Proposals an Eligible Applicant May Submit: Eligible applicants may not submit more than one proposal in response to 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 Note: Applicant organizations are defined by their legal name and EIN number as stated on their completed SF-424, and additional supporting documentation outlined.

D. Application and Submission Information

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

D.1. Obtaining a Solicitation Package: Applicants may download the entire

Solicitation Package from ECA's website at https://eca.state.gov/organizational-funding or from the Grants.gov website at https://www.grants.gov. Alternatively, applicants may request a package directly from the U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation, Cultural Heritage Center, ECA/P/C, SA-5, 5th Floor, U.S. Department of State, 2200 C

Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20037, (202) 632-6308, afcp@state.gov.

The Solicitation Package contains the Proposal Submission Instruction (PSI) document, which consists of required application forms, and standard guidelines for proposal preparation. . Please specify FY 2019 AFCP Conservation Professionals Program and refer to the Funding Opportunity Number located at the top of this announcement on all inquiries and correspondence.

D.2. Content and Form of Submissions: Applicants must follow the instructions in the

Solicitation Package and submit their proposals per the instructions under D.3.p.

“Application Deadline and Method of Submission” section below.

D.3. Application Requirements

D.3a. Unique Entity Identifier Number: All applicants must 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 that uniquely identifies a business entity. Obtaining a UEI number is easy and free of charge. To obtain a UEI number, access http://www.dnb.com or call 1-866-705-5711. Ensure that the UEI (Data https://eca.state.gov/organizational-funding https://www.grants.gov/ mailto:afcp@state.gov http://www.dnb.com/

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 and budget.

Please Refer to the Solicitation Package. It contains the mandatory Proposal Submission

Instructions (PSI) document for additional formatting and technical requirements.

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 current registrations 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 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. 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.

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. Non-Profit Status: You must have nonprofit status with the IRS at the time of application. Please note: 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.

D.3e. 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 grant activities. For award recipients, the names of directors and/or senior executives (current officers, trustees, and key 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/ 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 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.

D.3f. Verification of Nonprofit Status: All nonprofits that either have not received a grant or cooperative agreement from ECA in the past three years or have received nonprofit status from the IRS within the past four years must submit documentation to verify nonprofit status as directed in the PSI.

D.3g. 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.service-now.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.service-now.com/ilms/home.

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.3h. 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.

https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmygrants.service-now.com&data=02%7C01%7Ccorey.self%40accenturefederal.com%7C7b1594b15ac6485a371d08d5ab966d03%7C0ee6c63b4eab4748b74ad1dc22fc1a24%7C0%7C0%7C636603584922133235&sdata=Vv4ZnsYbdz5E5cz8wjQPFw4EHVzxlyeW1Jw7%2Fv13KNc%3D&reserved=0 https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fafsitsm.service-now.com%2Films%2Fhome&data=02%7C01%7Ccorey.self%40accenturefederal.com%7C7b1594b15ac6485a371d08d5ab966d03%7C0ee6c63b4eab4748b74ad1dc22fc1a24%7C0%7C0%7C636603584922133235&sdata=JsxtCDvJQyu0QvF5N5jsfVckX2tSNN3o4gYJ2CW1ts8%3D&reserved=0 https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fafsitsm.service-now.com%2Films%2Fhome&data=02%7C01%7Ccorey.self%40accenturefederal.com%7C7b1594b15ac6485a371d08d5ab966d03%7C0ee6c63b4eab4748b74ad1dc22fc1a24%7C0%7C0%7C636603584922133235&sdata=JsxtCDvJQyu0QvF5N5jsfVckX2tSNN3o4gYJ2CW1ts8%3D&reserved=0 mailto:ECA_SAMSDomestic@state.gov

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

Please refer to Solicitation Package for further information.

D.3i. Diversity, Freedom, and Democracy: Pursuant to ECA’s authorizing legislation, ECA-supported programs must maintain a non-political character and remain balanced and representative of the diversity of the United States. ECA encourages applicants to interpret diversity broadly, encompassing differences such as race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, geographic location, socio-economic status, disability, sexual orientation, and gender identity. In the proposals, applicants should demonstrate how diversity would enhance the program and the participants’ exchange experiences. 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 PSI, for specific suggestions on incorporating diversity into the 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,” ECA

“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 extent feasible.

D.3j. Program Monitoring and Evaluation: Proposals must include a plan to monitor and evaluate the project’s success, both as the activities unfold and at the end of the program. The Bureau recommends that your proposal include a draft survey questionnaire or other technique plus a description of a methodology to use to link outcomes to original project objectives. The Bureau expects that the recipient organization will track participants or partners and be able to respond to key evaluation questions, including satisfaction with the program, learning as a result of the program, changes in behavior as a result of the program, and effects of the program on institutions

(institutions in which participants work or partner institutions). The evaluation plan should include indicators that measure gains in mutual understanding as well as substantive knowledge.

Successful monitoring and evaluation depend heavily on setting clear goals and outcomes at the outset of a program. Your evaluation plan should include a description of your project’s objectives, your anticipated project outcomes, and how and when you intend to measure these outcomes (performance indicators). The more that outcomes are "smart"

(specific, measurable, attainable, results-oriented, and placed in a reasonable time frame), the easier it will be to conduct the evaluation. You should also show how your project objectives link to the goals of the program described in this 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.3k. Virtual Exchange Component: ECA welcomes innovative ideas on how organizations can leverage appropriate mobile and 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 to suggest one or more virtual exchange components to complement the in-person exchange. The virtual exchange component(s) could come before, during, 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

NOFO. 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. embassies on a project-by-project basis.

D.3l. 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.

D.3m. Please take the following information into consideration when preparing your budget:

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

1) Personnel

2) Fringe Benefits

3) Travel, including Per Diem

4) Supplies

5) Contractual

6) Other Direct Costs

7) Indirect Costs https://eca.state.gov/comms-guidance

Please refer to the Solicitation Package for complete budget guidelines and formatting instructions.

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

Application Deadline Date: Monday, June 3, 2019

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 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

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 application deadline date will be automatically rejected by the Grants.gov system, and will be technically ineligible.

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, 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. Ability to achieve program objectives: The objectives are reasonable, feasible, flexible, and in alignment with the purpose of the Funding Opportunity. Proposal clearly demonstrates how the applicant intends to meet the program objectives.

2. Multiplier effect/impact: The proposal builds or strengthens professional networks and relationships and advances mutual understanding.

3. Support of Diversity: Proposal shows substantive support of ECA’s policy on diversity. Proposal demonstrates how the program will meet stated diversity targets.

4. Institutional Capacity and Record/Ability: Proposed personnel and institutional resources are adequate and appropriate to achieve program goals. Proposal demonstrates applicant’s record of success in professional or conservation exchange programs, including responsible fiscal management and full compliance with reporting requirements for past ECA awards as determined by ECA grants staff. Note: ECA will consider applicant past performance and potential in its review of proposals.

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html

5. Follow-on Activities: Proposal provides a plan for continued, non-ECA-supported, follow-on activity, ensuring that this program is not an isolated event.

6. Project Evaluation: Proposal includes a monitoring and evaluation plan that takes the full duration of the program into account.

7. Cost-effectiveness: Overhead and administrative costs, including salaries and honoraria, are reasonable and all other costs are necessary and appropriate.

F. Federal Award Administration Information

F.1. Award Notices: Final awards cannot be made until funds have been appropriated by Congress, allocated and committed through internal Bureau procedures. Successful applicants will receive a Federal Assistance Award (FAA) from the Bureau’s Grants

Office. The FAA and the original proposal with subsequent modifications (if applicable) shall be the only binding authorizing document between the recipient and the U.S.

Government. The FAA will be signed by an authorized Grants Officer, and transmitted to the recipient’s responsible officer identified in the application.

Unsuccessful applicants will receive notification of the results of the application review from the ECA program office coordinating this competition.

The U.S. Government is opposed to prostitution and related activities, which are inherently harmful and dehumanizing, and contribute to the phenomenon of trafficking in persons. None of the funds made available under this agreement may be used to promote, support, or advocate the legalization or practice of prostitution. Nothing in the preceding sentence shall be construed to preclude assistance designed to ameliorate the suffering of, or health risks to, victims while they are being trafficked or after they are out of the situation that resulted from such victims being trafficked.

The recipient shall insert the foregoing provision in all sub-agreements under this award.

This provision includes express terms and conditions of the agreement and any violation of it shall be grounds for unilateral termination of the agreement by the Department of

State prior to the end of its term.

All awards made under this competition must be executed according to all relevant U.S.

laws and policies regarding assistance to the Palestinian Authority, and to the West Bank and Gaza. Organizations must consult with relevant Public Affairs Offices before entering into any formal arrangements or agreements with Palestinian organizations or institutions.

Note: To assure that planning for the inclusion of the Palestinian Authority complies with requirements, please contact Martin Perschler at 202-632-6308 or at

PerschlerMJ@state.gov for additional information.

F.2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements: Terms and Conditions for the

Administration of ECA agreements include the following: 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 (Effective

December 26, 2014, replacing the previous circulars).

For a copy of the OMB Guidance cited, please contact the U.S. Government Publishing

Office or download from the www.ecfr.gov website.

Please reference the following websites for additional information:

https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb https://www.state.gov/m/a/ope/index.htm

F.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 the Grants Officer and Program Officer). The complete report and supporting documentation must be uploaded by the Recipient as a Post

Award Activity under the corresponding record for this Cooperative

Agreement/Grant in the U.S. Department of State’s SAMS Domestic. 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). For assistance, please contact the U.S. Department of State’s ILMS

Help Desk at 1-888-313-4567 (toll free for US callers) or through the U.S.

Department of State’s ILMS Self Service Portal at https://afsitsm.service-now.com/ilms/home. 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 SAMS Domestic, in the same manner specified for the programmatic reports. Failure to comply with these reporting requirements may jeopardize the Recipient's eligibility for future Cooperative

Agreements/Grants.

In the event you are having difficulty uploading reports and the ILMS help desk is not providing sufficient assistance, please email

ECA_SAMSDomestic@state.gov.

http://www.ecfr.gov/ https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb https://www.state.gov/m/a/ope/index.htm https://mygrants.service-now.com/ https://afsitsm.service-now.com/ilms/home https://afsitsm.service-now.com/ilms/home http://www.dpm.psc.gov/ https://mygrants.service-now.com/ mailto:ECA_SAMSDomestic@state.gov

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

3.) 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 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.

G. Agency Contacts

For questions about this announcement, contact: Martin Perschler, U.S. Department of

State, Cultural Heritage Center, ECA/P/C SA-5, 5th Floor, 2200 C Street, NW, Washington, DC 20037, (202) 632-6308, afcp@state.gov. All correspondence with ECA concerning this NOFO 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 NOFO deadline has passed, ECA staff may not discuss this competition with applicants until the proposal review process is complete.

mailto:FFATAECA@state.gov mailto:afcp@state.gov

H. Other Information:

Notice:

The terms and conditions published in this NOFO are binding and may not be modified by any Bureau representative. Explanatory information provided by the Bureau that contradicts published language will not be binding. Issuance of the NOFO does not constitute an award commitment on the part of the Government. The Bureau reserves the right to reduce, revise, or increase proposal budgets in accordance with the needs of the program and the availability of funds. Awards made will be subject to periodic reporting and evaluation requirements per section F.6. Reporting Requirements above.

Marie Royce March 27, 2019

Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs

U.S. Department of State