NOFO Solicitation_FY21 EL Fellow and Specialist Program.pdf

Department of State

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

(NOFO): FY2021 English Language Fellow and Specialist Program

Announcement Type: New Cooperative Agreement

Funding Opportunity Number: SFOP0007400

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 19.421

Key Date/Application Deadline: January 8, 2021

Executive Summary:

The Office of English Language Programs of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural

Affairs announces an open competition for proposals to advance the Bureau’s objectives through support of academic exchanges that will improve English teaching capacity around the world and increase mutual understanding between the people of the United

States and those of other countries through the physical or virtual exchanges of U.S.

English language educators to educational institutions in all world regions

The English Language (EL) Fellow and Specialist Programs build bridges of mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries by placing U.S. English language educators in educational institutions abroad. The EL

Fellow and Specialist Programs send talented, highly qualified U.S. citizens in the area of

Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) or a closely related field for approximately ten-month Fellow exchanges or short-term (two weeks or more) Specialist assignments at educational institutions in all regions of the world. Both programs offer virtual exchanges, with some modification to the duration of the program and benefits to the exchange participants. Through U.S. embassy-designated projects, EL Fellows and

Specialists share their expertise, build English teaching capacity abroad, hone their skills, and gain international experience. Upon returning to the United States, they share their experiences and acquired knowledge with their communities and professional colleagues.

Projects are carried out with host-country ministries of education, universities, teacher-training institutions, NGOs, binational centers, and other English language teaching institutions.

The EL Fellow and Specialist Programs allow students and teachers at host institutions to benefit from the U.S. participants’ knowledge and perspectives on pedagogical issues and gain a better understanding of U.S. culture and values, representative government, free enterprise, and the rule of law. EL Fellows and Specialists provide foreign educators, professionals, and students with the communication skills they need to participate in the global economy and to improve their access to accurate information and U.S.

perspectives on a broad variety of issues.

Pending the availability of Fiscal Year 2021 funds, the Bureau anticipates the placement of a total of approximately 200 Fellows and 200 Specialists and 50 U.S. embassy (post)-funded Fellows and Specialists either virtually or in-person during both Academic Year

2021-2022 and 2022-2023. U.S. public and private non-profit organization meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code, Section 26 U.S.C 501 (c) (3) may submit proposals to administer and manage the FY2021 EL Fellow and Specialist Program.

Background:

It is the Bureau’s intent to award one Cooperative Agreement in the amount of

$17,000,000, pending the availability of FY 2021 funds, to an applicant that has the ability to achieve these objectives and the necessary infrastructure and experience conducting academic exchange programs. The Bureau reserves the right to reduce, revise, or increase proposal budgets and participant numbers in accordance with the needs of the program and the availability of funds.

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.

Program Categories:

English Language (EL) Fellow Program

EL Fellow requirements:

U.S. citizenship

A master’s degree or Ph.D. in TESOL, Applied Linguistics or a field related to English language teaching.

Minimum of two years of full-time classroom TESOL teaching experience

Cross cultural sensitivity and respect for different cultures

A demonstrated commitment to the field of English language teaching

Personal qualities deemed necessary for a successful project, e.g., resourcefulness, determination, teamwork, adaptability, and flexibility.

Examples of assignments include in-person and virtual. In-person Fellow assignments are typically 20 classroom contact hours per week plus a minimum of

10 hours of preparation per week. The remaining 10 hours a week can be dedicated to secondary duties. Typical duties include teaching, teacher training, materials and/or test development; and extracurricular English language activities and programs. All duties must not exceed 40 hours per week and must not include administrative work. Virtual Fellow assignments typically include at maximum 10 direct contact hours and 10 preparation hours.

EL Fellows are requested by U.S. embassies overseas in an annual call for proposals.

English Language (EL) Specialist Program EL Specialists are highly experienced U.S. academics and professionals in the field of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) or related disciplines that work on programs that contribute to the host country’s capacity to teach English. English Language Specialist projects can include in-country activities overseas, virtual activities, or a combination of both. The length of in-country projects ranges from 10 working days to a maximum of three months.

The length of virtual-only projects varies from project to project – with no minimum or maximum number of hours.

EL Specialist assignments include international conference presentations, intensive teacher training workshops, advising ministries of education or other high-level educational consultations, university curriculum development, or other

English capacity building activities. The EL Specialist Program is an on-demand program, which means that proposals are accepted at any time, all year round.

EL Specialist requirements:

U.S. citizenship

A master’s degree, Ph.D., or equivalent graduate-level degree in TESOL or a closely related field

Minimum of 10 years English language teaching experience

Cross cultural sensitivity and respect for different cultures

A demonstrated commitment to the field of English language teaching

Experience presenting at English language teaching conferences

Publications of refereed presentations, journal articles, or books in the field of

TESOL

A1. Substantial Involvement:

In a cooperative agreement, the Department is substantially involved in program activities above and beyond routine monitoring, as follows:

ECA/A/L activities and responsibilities for the EL Fellow and Specialist Programs are as follows:

Providing overall program and policy design and direction based on plans and strategies proposed by the recipient organization;

Inviting U.S. embassies to submit EL Fellow and Specialist proposals;

Reviewing and analyzing the potential of projects to improve teaching capacity overseas and to promote the Bureau’s goals;

Analyzing the prospective impact of projects on host-country English teaching institutions and the likelihood of projects meeting host-country institutional needs;

Prioritizing and finalizing selection of projects for which the recipient organization will recruit EL Fellow and Specialist candidates;

Collaborating with the recipient organization and approving the design and development of the outreach strategy that addresses recruitment of new applicants, support for current participants, engagement with alumni, and raising the profile of the program;

Cultivating relationships with TESOL communities, including educational institutions, organizations, and professional associations;

Reviewing and approving the selection criteria for accepting applicants into the program;

Reviewing and approving the procedures for matching selected participants to appropriate approved projects;

Reviewing and approving a health screening procedure for selected participants and retaining final approving authority for medical clearances;

Retaining authority for final approval of the roster of candidates;

Reviewing and approving appropriate health benefits for selected participants;

Monitoring participants and program activities;

Communicating and working with U.S. embassies to resolve Fellow and

Specialist issues (academic, health, security, etc.);

Reviewing reports of Fellows’ and Specialists’ activities and projects in host countries and evaluating both the work of the Fellows and Specialists and the impact of the project;

Providing direction for virtual events to be implemented by the recipient organization;

Collaborating on an effort to motivate Fellows and Specialists to submit content to be used for the EL Program site (see ELPrograms.org) and the Community of

Practice as well as for print and digital publications, including English Teaching

Forum and the American English website: AmericanEnglish.state.gov;

Identifying the need for consultants to be hired by the recipient organization to create, curate, and copy edit content for publication and social media purposes;

Identifying the need for outside firms to be contracted by the recipient organization for digital and print design and layouts for English Teaching Forum, the American English website, and other publications as well as for printing such publications and shipping to embassies overseas and to domestic and international contacts.

U.S. embassies are responsible for managing the EL Fellow and Specialist Programs in-country. The role of the U.S. embassies includes:

mailto:ECA_SAMSDomestic@state.gov mailto:ECA_SAMSDomestic@state.gov mailto:FFATAECA@state.gov mailto:FFATAECA@state.gov

Establishing viable partnerships with prospective in-country host institutions that have critical English language programming needs;

Selecting host institutions, including evaluating the security of prospective sites and their ability to host Fellows and/or Specialists;

Developing project proposals in consultation with in-country host institutions to be implemented by Fellows and Specialists;

Submitting proposals to the Bureau for review and approval;

Reviewing selected applicants’ qualifications and making the final choice among approved Fellow and Specialist candidates, in consultation with in-country host institutions;

Confirming that appropriate medical facilities are available for the needs of selected Fellows and Specialists;

Working to maximize participants’ safety and well-being, securing the concurrence of the Regional Security Office with the participants’ placement;

Assisting with locating and securing appropriate, secure housing;

Assisting Fellows and Specialists with host country visa process and ensuring that the Fellows’ and Specialists’ visa/residency status is adjusted immediately after arrival in host country to comply with host-country immigration regulations;

Contacting Fellows and Specialists prior to their arrival to answer questions and resolve issues related to their professional assignments, and to ensure that they have accurate information regarding housing, visa requirements, security, and other on-site needs; and acting as the Fellows’ and Specialists’ and Bureau's direct point of contact throughout their assignment;

Conducting an in-country arrival orientation and ensuring that the Fellows and

Specialists receive a security briefing by the embassy’s Regional Security Officer;

Conducting site visits and jointly monitoring Fellows’ and Specialists’ programs and activities with the recipient organization and sharing information with the recipient organization;

Nominating participants for virtual events and presenting certificates, as appropriate.

The responsibilities of the recipient organization are as follows:

1. Outreach Strategy:

Creating and delivering a quarterly outreach plan for FY 2021 cycle (2021-

2022 and 2022-2023 academic years) in consultation with the Bureau that addresses the four main goals of EL Fellow and Specialist outreach as identified below and outlines measurable objectives with a plan for deliverables.

o Recruitment: Implementing the recruitment strategy for the FY

2021 cycle (2021-2022 and 2022-2023 academic years) by conducting an extensive, comprehensive, and ongoing promotional campaign to recruit applicants who meet the eligibility and preferred qualifications for both the EL Fellow and Specialist

Programs.

o Current participants: Engaging and providing support for current participants before they begin their projects and while on-assignment by offering opportunities to connect with the program and with other participants and alumni, thus adding continued value to their overall fellowship experience.

o Alumni: Designing and developing an alumni strategy and conducting alumni events to build stronger relationships with the

EL Fellow and Specialist alumni community by engaging with them in both formal and informal opportunities to connect with, promote, and represent the English Language Programs. Creating a network of alumni volunteers for the program, including a specific strategy to incorporate alumni into recruitment for the program.

o Raising the profile of the program: Conducting year-round promotional activities that increase awareness of the EL Fellow and

Specialist Programs in the TESOL community. Cultivating relationships with TESOL institutions including universities, community colleges, Minority Serving Institutions, organizations, and professional associations to increase the visibility and awareness of the English Language Programs and its association with leaders in the field of English language education.

o Creating and implementing a diversity plan to recruit qualified candidates that represent the diversity of the United States, to provide in-program support for participants of diverse backgrounds, to establish and maintain partnerships with organization and institutions (such as Minority Serving Institutions and Special

Interest Groups) that support diversity and advocate for underrepresented communities.

Organizing special events to commemorate milestones for the program or to further relationships and partnerships with alumni and the TESOL academic community, at the request of ECA.

Developing a plan to celebrate the English Language Specialist Program’s

30th anniversary in 2021.

Selection and Placement of Candidates:

With the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, Office of English

Language Programs, and U.S. embassies, identifying and reviewing candidates for approximately 200 ECA-funded EL Fellow projects, approximately 200 ECA-funded EL Specialist projects, and 50 post-funded EL Fellow and Specialist projects selected by the U.S. Department of State.

Vetting and selecting eligible candidates for both program categories through transparent and merit-based competition. The recipient organization must screen candidates for criteria established by the Bureau, review candidates, and match candidates with appropriate projects. The vetting process should include both written applications and oral interviews.

Matching candidates’ skills to the requirements of specific projects.

Interviews and matching should be conducted by staff members who are qualified and experienced in the field of TESOL and familiar with the EL

Fellow and Specialist Programs and the Office of English Language

Programs. ECA retains the final authority to determine placement of

Fellows and Specialists.

Utilizing the approved medical protocol for medical clearance and collaborating with ECA when necessary to improve the process. Ensure all

EL Fellows and Specialists, with in-country assignments 45 days or longer, have medical clearance by a qualified medical practitioner to carry out the duties of their project in the country of assignment.

Drafting, finalizing and signing an agreement with each participant that includes the program’s terms and conditions, that will serve as a contract between the recipient organization and the EL Fellow or Specialist.

Developing and updating EL Fellow and Specialist Program Policy

Handbooks which outline the program roles and responsibilities, policy, guidance, and the terms and conditions.

Providing U.S. embassies with a copy of the signed terms and conditions agreement for each EL Fellow and Specialist and a link to the online handbook.

Developing pilot exchange programs for American TESOL professionals as directed by ECA. Include appropriate funding and staffing for these exchanges.

2. Pre-Departure Orientation:

Planning and conducting a pre-departure orientation to be held in the

Washington, D.C. metropolitan area for Fellows, and in-person or virtual orientations for Specialists as well as for Fellows unable to attend the in-person orientation at any time during this cooperative agreement.

Planning and conducting virtual pre-departure orientations for Virtual

Fellows, Virtual Specialists, and in-person Fellows when appropriate.

3. Financial Management:

Conducting all financial management elements of the EL Fellow and

Specialist Programs, including processing of all EL Fellow and Specialist grant payments electronically to EL Fellows’ and Specialists’ designated bank accounts. Maintain a Program budget spreadsheet for the EL Fellow and Specialist Programs. Budget for the maximum number of EL Fellows for the funding available in the cooperative agreement.

Providing fiscal management for EL Fellows’ professional development activities during their assignments. These activities are proposed by the

Regional English Language Officers (RELOs) and approved by ECA.

Budget for representation of the programs at appropriate TESOL conferences and for special events and process all relevant payments.

4. Travel and Logistical Management:

Making all necessary international travel arrangements for the EL Fellows and Specialists for departure to and return from their fellowship or project sites. When using cooperative agreement funds for travel, the recipient organization is responsible for ensuring compliance with the Fly America

Act.

Providing EL Fellows support where possible with host country visa information from U.S. embassies and host institutions.

Making all necessary domestic and international travel arrangements for the EL Fellows participating in the pre-departure orientation in the

Washington, D.C. area.

Enrolling the selected program participants in the Bureau Accident and

Sickness Program for Exchanges (ASPE) Benefit Plan or other health benefit plan, as directed by the Bureau. This may include the purchase of health insurance for program participants as appropriate.

5. Monitoring the EL Fellow and Specialist Programs:

Providing a copy of travel itineraries to the U.S. embassies and to the

Bureau so that U.S. embassies can make arrangements to meet the EL

Fellow or Specialist upon arrival. Providing EL Fellows and Specialists with points of contact at the U.S. embassy in the country of their project site.

Supervising day-to-day administration and management of the EL Fellow and Specialist Programs. Maintaining communication with U.S. embassy staff, ECA/A/L, and the EL Fellow or Specialist regarding issues such as security, performance, health, termination of the project, termination of the

EL Fellow or Specialist, and other matters that may be of concern.

Establishing an “EL Fellow and Specialist Incident Report” log to document issues and concerns.

6. Evaluation:

Developing an evaluation strategy to measure the impact and outcome of the EL Fellow and Specialist Programs and each project subject to ECA approval. Require end-of-program reports or impact statements from

Fellows and Specialists.

7. Information Management:

Maintaining information-sharing tools (e.g., website, program database, contact management system, video conferencing/webinars, social media, Community of Practice), for the management of the EL Fellow and

Specialist Programs as well as for outreach and abiding by the Bureau guidance found at https://eca.state.gov/comms-guidance. The information-sharing tools must be easy to access and secure, and updates must be made in a timely manner. Data must be maintained in a way that will enable the recipient organization to provide the Bureau with information on the EL

Fellows and Specialists immediately upon request.

Developing and maintaining a website, contact management system and

Community of Practice for current and former EL Fellows and Specialists.

Ensure that the website and all social media sites are branded as U.S.

Department of State programs. Maintain an active alumni database to engage former EL Fellows and Specialists in the recruitment process and as a resource for new EL Fellows and Specialists. Post the reports and photographs from EL Fellows and Specialists in the database, Community of Practice and, as appropriate, on the website.

Providing current EL Fellows’ and Specialists’ information to the Bureau’s

Office of Alumni Affairs. Consult with the Bureau's Office of Alumni

Affairs to ensure maximum compatibility of the recipient organization’s and Bureau's databases.

8. Virtual exchanges:

Carrying out a series of virtual events, potentially including Master classes delivered via MOOC, for current participants, prospective participants, and alumni as directed by ECA. This may include purchasing appropriate video conferencing and social media software, recruiting and selecting

Virtual EL Specialists, registering participants, emailing certificates or digital badges, and providing sufficient staff to manage the relevant software, interact with participants during the virtual events and act as moderators.

Providing online professional development opportunities for current

Fellows either before or during their Fellowship to allow them to earn a certificate in teacher training. Pilot online professional development opportunities with alumni when appropriate.

9. TESOL Convention Related Activities:

Organizing and implementing the participation of the Bureau in the annual

Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) Convention.

Provide sufficient funding and staffing for representation of the Office of

English Language Programs at the TESOL International convention for the duration of this cooperative agreement.

mailto:HodgsonJM@state.gov mailto:HodgsonJM@state.gov

Selecting and renting appropriate exhibit booth spaces and equipment.

Providing staff and materials to manage the exhibit booth and recruit for potential EL Fellows and Specialists. Registering Office of English

Language Programs staff and Regional English Language Officers

(RELOs). Arranging for information sessions on the EL Fellow and

Specialist Programs and making presentations jointly with ECA staff.

Arranging hotel reservations for Office of English Language Programs staff, Regional English Language Officers (RELOs), and Regional English

Language Assistants as well as other participants sponsored by ECA.

Organizing and implementing networking events to be hosted by the recipient organization at the convention.

Organizing and implementing participation of the EL Fellow and Specialist

Programs in other state and regional TESOL conferences as well as virtual events.

10. Content and Design for Print and Digital Materials:

Motivating EL Fellows and Specialists to submit content to be used on the

Community of Practice as well as for print and digital publication, including for English Teaching Forum and the American English website.

Curating such content.

Hiring consultants, as directed by ECA, for identifying, creating, curating, and copy editing content for publication and social media purposes.

Contracting consultants or outside firms, as directed by ECA, for digital and print design and layouts for English Teaching Forum, the American

English website (AmericanEnglish.state.gov), and any other publications as well as for printing such publications and shipping to embassies overseas and to domestic and international contacts.

Subscribing to necessary tools and resources for production of digital and print content.

11. Timeline:

Providing a timeline for the EL Fellow and Specialist Programs, specifying anticipated dates for program activities.

ECA anticipates the cooperative agreement beginning on April 8, 2021 and closing on

December 31, 2025.

Because the FY 2021 award will overlap with the performance period of the FY 2020 award for this program, the recipient organization of this award will be expected to work with the recipient organization of the FY 2020 award.

Applicants should have sufficient staff with relevant qualifications and experience in

TESOL or Applied Linguistics to manage the program.

https://elprograms.org/

Due to the breadth of responsibilities for administering the Cooperative Agreement, the

Bureau welcomes the submission of proposals involving subrecipients. In addition to the primary award recipient, these other organizations may be subrecipients responsible for carrying out specific activities or components of the EL Fellow and Specialist Programs, such as recruitment of participants, financial and logistical management, reporting requirements, pre-departure orientation, evaluations, clearance of health verification records, TESOL International Convention and English Language Expo related activities, etc. Applications involving subrecipients, if applicable, must clearly delineate the role each subrecipient will play and its responsibilities. Letters of commitment from any potential subrecipient(s) must be included.

B. Federal Award Information:

Type of Award: Cooperative Agreement. ECA’s level of involvement in this program is listed under A1. Substantial Involvement under A. Program Description.

Fiscal Year Funds: 2021

Approximate Total Funding: $17,000,000, pending the availability of FY2021 funds

Approximate Number of Awards: 1

Approximate Average Award: $17,000,000 pending the availability of FY 2021 funds

Floor of Award Range: N/A

Ceiling of Award Range: $17,000,000 pending the availability of funds FY 2021

Anticipated Award Date: April 8, 2021 pending the availability of FY 2021 funds

Anticipated Project Completion Date: December 31, 2025

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.

Pending successful implementation of the EL Fellow and Specialist Program and the availability of funds in subsequent fiscal years, it is the Bureau’s intent to renew this

Cooperative Agreement for two additional fiscal years before openly competing it again.

C.) Eligibility Information:

C.1. Eligible applicants: U.S. public and private non-profit organizations 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 D3a and D3c below).

C.2. Other Eligibility Requirements:

a) 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 the amount of $17,000,000 pending the availability of FY2021 funds, 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, 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. 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:

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 Paulette

Estep or Jennifer Hodgson, Office of English Language Programs, ECA/A/L, U.S.

Department of State, SA-5, 2200 C Street, N.W., Washington, D.C., 20522, email

EstepPJ@state.gov or HodgsonJM@state.gov or call 202-664-2739 or 202-769-8624 to request a Solicitation Package.

Please specify ECA/A/L Program Officers Paulette Estep or Jennifer Hodgson and refer to the Funding Opportunity Number located at the top of this announcement on all other inquiries and correspondence.

The Solicitation Package contains the Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) document which consists of required application forms, and standard guidelines for proposal preparation.

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.2o. “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 mailto:HodgsonJM@state.gov mailto:HodgsonJM@state.gov https://eca.state.gov/comms-guidance https://www.grants.gov/ http://www.dnb.com/ http://www.dpm.psc.gov/ http://www.dpm.psc.gov/ http://www.sam.gov/ 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.

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.3.d. 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.

https://www.americanenglish.state.gov/ mailto:EstepPJ@state.gov

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/.

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. FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY - 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. 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.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 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 https://afsitsm.servicenowservices.com/ilms/ https://eca.state.gov/organizational-funding http://j1visa.state.gov/ 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://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-2-register-with-sam.html

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

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

The budget request may not exceed $17,000,000, pending the availability of FY2021 funds. 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. The below budget format is provided as an aid in organizing the budget, it is suggested but not required as a submission format for your proposal budget.

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. Allowable costs for the program include the following:

EL Fellows

1. Stipend

2.Dependent Allowance

3.Living allowance

4.Settling in allowance

5.Round trip travel (estimate)

6.Pre-departure orientation in Washington

7.Pre-departure allowance

8.Shipping allowance

9.Post arrival orientation allowance

10.Program activities allowance

11.Planning supplement (virtual only)

Specialists

1.Honorarium

2.Living Allowance

3.Baggage/Shipping allowance

4.Round trip travel (estimate)

5.Post-arrival orientation allowance (long-term projects only)

6.Educational materials allowance

Program Costs

1.Outreach and Recruitment;

2.Pre-departure orientation;

https://mygrants.servicenowservices.com/

3.Professional development activities;

4. Staff travel and per diem (annual and U.S. regional TESOL conferences and international travel).

5.Clearance of Health Verification Records, and

6.Activities related to the Annual TESOL Convention

7.IT Development and Maintenance

8.Digital platforms and subscriptions

Administrative Costs

1.Staff Salaries and benefits. Each staff person, his/her position location must be listed separately. Provide the percentage of his/her total time spent on the program

2.Facilities

3.Communications (i.e., telephone, postage, email)

4.Local transportation

5.Office Supplies

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

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

Application Deadline Date: January 8, 2021

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.3p. 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 https://www.grants.gov/ https://eca.state.gov/comms-guidance

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.