final fy12 rfgp.doc

Billing Code: 4710-05

Department of State

[Public Notice]

Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for Grant Proposals: E-Teacher Scholarship Program and Professional Development Workshop Announcement Type:

New Cooperative Agreement

Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/A/L-12-04-OY-B Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 19.421

Key Dates:

Anticipated Award Date: August 1, 2012.

Anticipated Program Start Date: August 20, 2012.

Anticipated Program End Date: December 31, 2013.

Application Deadline: April 13, 2012

Executive Summary: The Office of English Language Programs of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA/A/L) announces an open competition for the E-Teacher Scholarship Program and Professional Development Workshop. The E-Teacher Scholarship Program and Professional Development Workshop advance the U.S. Department of State’s goals by improving the quality of English language teaching throughout the world. Accredited U.S. post-secondary educational institutions, or consortia of such institutions, meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code section 26 USC 501(c)(3) may submit a proposal to implement two components of the E-Teacher Scholarship Program and Professional Development Workshop.

1. The first component includes distance learning courses: six to eight university-level English as a Foreign or Second Language professional development courses, lasting 10 to 12 weeks, and optional two to four short-duration courses, lasting three to five weeks, for up to 1,200 English teaching professionals from throughout the world (with a minimum of 75 percent of the participants enrolled in the longer courses).

2. The second component is a three-week English teaching professional development workshop for approximately 26 E-Teacher alumni from multiple geographic regions of the world.

For the longer online courses participants will receive university level instruction in the most recent English language teaching methods and techniques, as well as an introduction to U.S. educational values, and will interact with U.S. experts via innovative distance learning.

The purpose of the optional short courses is to expand and diversify the participation of English teaching professionals in the E-Teacher community. For the short online courses, less experienced English teaching professionals will receive intensive instruction in introductory topics in methods and techniques. These courses should also introduce distance learning to English teaching professionals who may not be experienced using online tools.

The Professional Development Workshop will provide the E-Teacher participants with a deepened understanding of current ELT methods and techniques, improved skills to conduct professional presentations and workshops in English, leadership skills that will enable them to share knowledge gained in the program with colleagues through workshops or professional presentations in their home countries, enhanced understanding of the United States and international cultures through their professional interactions between U.S. and other foreign EFL educators, and a professional development plan, including an assessment component with measureable objectives, for the dissemination of best practices which are uniquely suited to each participant's local EFL context.

Post-secondary educational institutions, or consortia of post-secondary educational institutions, are encouraged to apply.

ECA will award one Cooperative Agreement for the administration of these two program components to be implemented during the 2012-2013 academic year. The total funding available for program and administrative purposes is anticipated to be approximately $1,200,000.

It is the Bureau’s intent to award a cooperative agreement (one base year plus two option years) for an estimated total amount of $3,600,000. Please see section II.) Award Information, below, for additional details.

I.

Funding Opportunity Description:

Authority:

Overall grant making authority for this program is contained in the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961, Public Law 87-256, as amended, also known as the Fulbright-Hays Act. The purpose of the Act is "to enable the Government of the United States to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries...; to strengthen the ties which unite us with other nations by demonstrating the educational and cultural interests, developments, and achievements of the people of the United States and other nations...and thus to assist in the development of friendly, sympathetic and peaceful relations between the United States and the other countries of the world." The funding authority for the program above is provided through legislation.

Purpose:

The E-Teacher Scholarship Program and Professional Development Workshop offer professional development for English teaching professionals through online courses provided by one or more U.S. universities. The courses introduce the most current English teaching methods and techniques, offer the opportunity to engage in a distance-learning program that employs the latest in modern technology, provide direct access to U.S. experts with whom participants might not otherwise have the opportunity to interact, and prepare the participant to formally disseminate the newly acquired knowledge to his or her colleagues. Each participant is expected to devote six to ten hours a week to an E-Teacher Scholarship course, which includes posting comments on the discussion board, reading required articles, writing course projects, and reading others’ posts. By creating a forum for international communication and by encouraging critical thinking and the active application of new technical skills and other aspects of successful learning, the E-Teacher Scholarship Program and Professional Development Workshop foster the Bureau’s goal of expanding outreach to and participation by diverse and underserved students, teachers, and institutions in the study and teaching of American English abroad.

Background: In FY 2004, the U.S. Department of State launched the E-Teacher Scholarship Program as a pilot program. The program offered 5 courses at that time: Assessment for EFL, Teaching Critical Thinking, English for Business, English for Law, and Teaching English to Young Learners (primary school level). Presently, seven courses are offered: Building Teaching Skills Through the Interactive Web, Critical Thinking in the English as a Foreign Language Curriculum, English as a Foreign Language Assessment, English for Specific Purposes Best Practices, Methods Course I: Survey of Best Practices in Teaching of English to Speakers of Other Languages, Methods Course II: Developing EFL Literacy through Project-Based Learning, and Teaching English to Young Learners.

The Program is currently operating, or has operated, in over 100 countries in all regions of the world. All participants are nominated through U.S. Embassies and selected by the Office of English Language Programs (ECA/A/L).

Guidelines: Practical and applicable information regarding effective classroom practices should be taught to the participants using appropriate standards for distance and online learning. In addition to providing practical and applicable information about adapting innovative English language teaching methods, the online courses and the U.S.-based face-to-face workshop are required to have adequate and appropriate content to give the participants insights into U.S. culture, including U.S. society and values.

Follow-On: Another important goal of the E-Teacher Scholarship Program and Professional Development Workshop is for participants to share the knowledge gained during the program with colleagues through workshops or professional presentations in their home countries. To meet this latter goal, courses in the proposals should include a final project or a module of teacher training that the participants create for the effective dissemination or application of the information provided in the program. Surveys of the participants at appropriate times after the completion of the course should be conducted to obtain quantitative data on the follow-on training component. Proposals should include plans to collect data from 10 to 20 percent of participants at the end of the course, six months out, and one year out in order to assess program impact. Proposals should also include a social media site that offers alumni opportunities to continue to share their ideas and experiences and hosts follow-up surveys, a database of final projects, and resources related to the courses.

Participants: The participants will have completed a bachelor’s degree, will have taught EFL/ESL in K-12, university, or other educational institution settings for a minimum of 2 years, will have the ability to read English with almost complete comprehension on a variety of authentic prose material, including technical material in TESOL-related fields, and will be able to write English with sufficient structural accuracy and vocabulary to participate effectively in formal and informal papers and posts on TESOL-related topics. The participants will expect to spend from 6-10 hours a week on the course and will be able to access the Internet at least 4 times a week. Proposals should take into account the limited Internet access of some participants and blocked sites, such as Google, Facebook, and YouTube, for participants in some countries.

Cooperative Agreement: In a Cooperative Agreement, ECA/A/L is substantially involved in the program activities, above and beyond routine grant monitoring, including the selection of the scholarship participants based on input from the U.S. Embassies. For the online course component, ECA/A/L will select scholarship recipients, make recommendations on the course titles, propose revisions to the syllabi, make recommendations for program start dates, propose revisions in the program format when necessary, and maintain close communication with the course provider(s) for proper program management. For the workshop component, ECA/A/L will select the workshop participants, consult with the provider on the content, design, and length of the program, and recommend revisions when necessary.

Cooperative Agreement Recipient Responsibilities:

The recipient organization or consortium awarded the

E-Teacher Scholarship Program and Professional Development Workshop Cooperative Agreement from ECA will be responsible for the following two activities.

1. Propose, design, and implement distance learning courses: six to eight university-level English as a Foreign or Second Language professional development courses, lasting 10 to 12 weeks, and optional two to four short-duration courses, lasting three to five weeks, for up to 1,200 English teaching professionals from throughout the world (with a minimum of 75 percent of the participants enrolled in the longer courses) during the U.S. 2012-2013 academic year. With a maximum of 25 students per class, the number of classes for each subject will depend on the demand for the courses and the capacity of the course provider(s). Each course may be offered in all semesters/quarters of the academic year. The courses will familiarize participants with student-centered teaching methods and the most current approaches to various aspects of teaching English as a Foreign/Second Language. The courses will also assign participants to complete a formal follow-on training component, as their final project, for the effective dissemination or application of the information provided in the courses.

Proposed course topics should be based on the needs of English teaching professionals outside of the United States, such as speaking and listening, methodology, technology in the classroom, academic and process writing, reading skills, materials adaptation and development, curriculum design, English for Specific Purposes, administration of EFL programs, special education, teaching young learners, teaching teens, classroom management, and assessment. For the optional short courses, topics should focus on introductory material relevant to less experienced English teaching professionals and better suited for a shorter length of time, while also introducing distance learning to English teaching professionals who may not be experienced using online tools.

Recipients are encouraged to incorporate ECA/A/L publications and materials (see http://exchanges.state.gov/englishteaching /resources-et.html) into course syllabi and the Professional Development Workshop. The proposal should include projected dates and a syllabus of content for each course. The award recipient must subsequently submit an annotated bibliography of recommended reading titles related to each course (approximately 15 to 20 titles per course), the full course syllabus, proposed projects, discussion questions, and all associated course documents, such as rubrics and questionnaires. ECA/A/L retains the right to print, publish, repurpose, and distribute abroad these documents in all media, including electronic media, and in all languages and editions.

2. Design and administer, in collaboration with ECA/A/L, one three-week professional development workshop in the United States for 26 E-Teacher alumni nominated by the U.S. Embassies’ Public Affairs Section with input from the Regional English Language Officer (RELO) and approved by ECA/A/L. The workshop, which will be implemented in the summer of 2013, will focus on methodology, linguistic enhancement, educational leadership, cultural interchange, and effective practices in the classroom. The purpose of this workshop is to build on participants’ recent online course experiences, introduce participants to aspects of U.S. society and culture and help them prepare formal teacher-training projects to implement in their home countries following the exchange program.

The workshop should encompass the following elements:

(a) Orientation upon arrival in the U.S.;

(b) Intensive education in relevant topics and language teaching methodologies focused on having the participants create a formal teacher-training project to implement in their home countries;

(c) Cultural and community service activities to encourage interaction and mutual understanding; and

(d) A three-day briefing in Washington, D.C. at the conclusion of the exchange component. The Washington, D.C. briefing should familiarize participants with ECA and other relevant bureaus within the State Department, allow participants to meet with English language experts from Washington, D.C., and provide an opportunity for participants to share their teacher training plans.

Applicant organizations should submit a narrative outlining a comprehensive strategy for the administration and implementation of the workshop. The narrative should include a design for the workshop, a syllabus of course content, and a plan for monitoring and evaluating the foreign English teachers’ academic performance in the workshop.

3. Submit quarterly and end-of-project reports of database information in Microsoft Word and Excel formats, as appropriate, to ECA/A/L.

4. Submit quarterly performance and financial reports and complete an annual performance evaluation/review. Satisfactory performance is a condition of continued administration of the program and execution of all option years.

Proposal narratives should include a brief statement of commitment to implement the program for the base year, plus two additional option years, pending ECA’s determination of successful performance and availability of funds. The narrative should focus on details specific to the implementation of the base year program, with the understanding that the program design, duration and participant numbers would be similar when/if the subsequent two option years are exercised.

It is anticipated that the Cooperative Agreement will begin on or about August 1, 2012, and the recipient should complete all program activities by December 31, 2013. The program workshop will take place in the summer of 2013. Please refer to additional program specific guidelines in the Project Objectives, Goals, and Implementation (POGI) document.

II. Award Information:

Type of Award:

Cooperative Agreement

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

Fiscal Year Funds: FY 2012–Base Year (August 1, 2012 to December 31, 2013); FY 2013—Option Year-One (August 1, 2013 to December 31, 2014); FY 2014—Option Year-Two (August 1, 2014 to December 31, 2015), pending successful performance and availability of funds.

Approximate Total Funding: $3,600,000. This figure represents base year ($1,200,000) plus two option years ($1,200,000 each), pending successful performance and availability of funds.

Approximate Number of Awards:

Approximate Average Award: $1,200,000 Anticipated Award Date: August 1, 2012 Anticipated Project Completion Date: December 31, 2015. This date reflects the anticipated duration of the award – one base year plus two option years.

Additional Information:

A Cooperative agreement(s) will be awarded for a period of 17 months with options for two additional 17 month periods. After receipt of the request for the option year from the recipient, ECA will notify the recipient of our intention to exercise or not to exercise an option year within 90 days in advance of expiration of the current year after an internal evaluation of the recipient’s performance. The decision to exercise option years will depend both on the satisfactory performance of the recipient and the availability of funds.

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

1. timely quarterly performance and financial reports;

2. a request in writing to ECA at least 90 days in advance of the expiration of the current program year. This request should be incorporated/highlighted in the third quarterly program report;

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

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

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

Please contact Kelli Odhuu, Program Officer of the E-Teacher Scholarship Program and Professional Development Workshop, ECA/A/L, SA-5, 4H15, U.S. Department of State, 2200 C Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20037, telephone (202) 632-9285 and fax number (202) 632 9464, odhuuke@state.gov to request information about this announcement.

III.) Eligibility Information:

III.1. Eligible applicants:

Applications may be submitted by public and private non-profit organizations meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code section 26 USC 501(c)(3).

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

When cost sharing is offered, it is understood and agreed that the applicant must provide the amount of cost sharing as stipulated in its proposal and later included in an approved agreement. Cost sharing may be in the form of allowable direct or indirect costs. For accountability, you must maintain written records to support all costs which are claimed as your contribution, as well as costs to be paid by the Federal government. Such records are subject to audit. The basis for determining the value of cash and in-kind contributions must be in accordance with OMB Circular A-110, (Revised), Subpart C.23 - Cost Sharing and Matching. In the event you do not provide the minimum amount of cost sharing as stipulated in the approved budget, ECA's contribution will be reduced in like proportion.

III.3. Other Eligibility Requirements:

a.)

Bureau grant guidelines require that organizations with less than four years experience in conducting international exchanges be limited to $130,000 in Bureau funding. ECA anticipates making one award, in an amount up to $1,200,000 to support program and administrative costs required to implement this exchange program. Therefore, organizations with less than four years experience in conducting international exchanges are ineligible to apply under this competition. The Bureau encourages applicants to provide maximum levels of cost sharing and funding in support of its programs.

IV.) Application and Submission Information:

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

IV.1 Contact Information to Request an Application Package:

Please contact Kelli Odhuu, Program Officer of the E-Teacher Scholarship Program and Professional Development Workshop, ECA/A/L, SA-5, 4H15, U.S. Department of State, 2200 C Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20037, telephone (202) 632 9285 and fax number (202) 632 9464, odhuuke@state.gov to request a Solicitation Package. Please refer to the Funding Opportunity Number (ECA/A/L-12-04-OY-B) located at the top of this announcement when making your request.

Alternatively, an electronic application package may be obtained from grants.gov. Please see section IV.3f for further information.

The Solicitation Package contains the Proposal Submission

Instruction (PSI) document which consists of required application forms, and standard guidelines for proposal preparation.

It also contains the Project Objectives, Goals and Implementation (POGI) document, which provides specific information, award criteria and budget instructions tailored to this competition.

Please specify Kelli Odhuu and refer to the Funding Opportunity Number (ECA/A/L-12-04-OY-B) located at the top of this announcement on all other inquiries and correspondence.

IV.2.

To Download a Solicitation Package Via Internet:

The entire Solicitation Package may be downloaded from the Bureau's website at http://exchanges.state.gov/grants/open2.html, or from the Grants.gov website at http://www.grants.gov.

Please read all information before downloading.

IV.3.

Content and Form of Submission: Applicants must follow all instructions in the Solicitation Package. The application should be submitted per the instructions under IV.3f. “Application Deadline and Methods of Submission” section below.

IV.3a.

You are required to have a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number to apply for a grant or cooperative agreement from the U.S. Government. This number is a nine-digit identification number, which uniquely identifies business entities. Obtaining a DUNS number is easy and there is no charge. To obtain a DUNS number, access http://www.dunandbradstreet.com or call 1-866-705-5711. Please ensure that your DUNS number is included in the appropriate box of the SF – 424 which is part of the formal application package.

IV.3b.

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

Please Refer to the Solicitation Package. It contains the mandatory Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) document and the Project Objectives, Goals and Implementation (POGI) document for additional formatting and technical requirements.

IV.3c. All federal award recipients must maintain current registrations in the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) database. Recipients must maintain accurate and up-to-date information in the CCR until all program and financial activity and reporting have been completed. Recipients must review and update the information at least annually after the initial registration and more frequently if required information changes or another award is granted. Failure to register in the CCR will render applicants ineligible to receive funding.

You must have nonprofit status with the IRS at the time of application. Please note: Effective January 7, 2009, all applicants for ECA federal assistance awards must include in their application the names of directors and/or senior executives (current officers, trustees, and key employees, regardless of amount of compensation). In fulfilling this requirement, applicants must submit information in one of the following ways:

1) Those who file Internal Revenue Service Form 990, "Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax," must include a copy of relevant portions of this form.

2) Those who do not file IRS Form 990 must submit information above in the format of their choice.

In addition to final program reporting requirements, award recipients will also be required to submit a one-page document, derived from their program reports, listing and describing their grant activities. For award recipients, the names of directors and/or senior executives (current officers, trustees, and key employees), as well as the one- page description of grant activities, will be transmitted by the State Department to OMB, along with other information required by the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA), and will be made available to the public by the Office of Management and Budget on its USASpending.gov website as part of ECA's FFATA reporting requirements.

If your organization is a private nonprofit which has not received a grant or cooperative agreement from ECA in the past three years, or if your organization received nonprofit status from the IRS within the past four years, you must submit the necessary documentation to verify nonprofit status as directed in the PSI document. Failure to do so will cause your proposal to be declared technically ineligible.

IV.3d.

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

IV.3d.1

ADHERENCE TO ALL REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE J VISA

The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs places critically important emphases on the security and proper administration of the Exchange Visitor (J visa) Programs and adherence by award recipients and sponsors to all regulations governing the J visa. Therefore, proposals should demonstrate the applicant's capacity to meet all requirements governing the administration of the Exchange Visitor Programs as set forth in 22 CFR 62, including the oversight of Responsible Officers and Alternate Responsible Officers, screening and selection of program participants, provision of pre-arrival information and orientation to participants, monitoring of participants, proper maintenance and security of forms, record-keeping, reporting and other requirements.

The award recipient will be responsible for issuing DS-2019 forms to participants in this program.

A copy of the complete regulations governing the administration of Exchange Visitor (J) programs is available at http://exchanges.state.gov or from:

Office of Designation, Private Sector Programs Division

U.S. Department of State

ECA/EC/D/PS, SA-5, 5th Floor

2200 C Street, NW

Washington, DC 20037

Please refer to Solicitation Package for further information.

IV.3d.2 Diversity, Freedom and Democracy Guidelines

Pursuant to the Bureau's authorizing legislation, programs must maintain a non-political character and should be balanced and representative of the diversity of American political, social, and cultural life. "Diversity" should be interpreted in the broadest sense and encompass differences including, but not limited to ethnicity, race, gender, religion, geographic location, socio-economic status, and disabilities. Applicants are strongly encouraged to adhere to the advancement of this principle both in program administration and in program content. Please refer to the review criteria under the 'Support for Diversity' section for specific suggestions on incorporating diversity into your proposal. Public Law 104-319 provides that "in carrying out programs of educational and cultural exchange in countries whose people do not fully enjoy freedom and democracy," the Bureau "shall take appropriate steps to provide opportunities for participation in such programs to human rights and democracy leaders of such countries." Public Law 106 - 113 requires that the governments of the countries described above do not have inappropriate influence in the selection process. Proposals should reflect advancement of these goals in their program contents, to the full extent deemed feasible.

IV.3d.3.

Program Monitoring and Evaluation

Proposals must include a plan to monitor and evaluate the project’s success, both as the activities unfold and at the end of the program. The Bureau recommends that your proposal include a draft survey questionnaire or other technique plus a description of a methodology to use to link outcomes to original project objectives. The Bureau expects that the recipient organization will track participants or partners and be able to respond to key evaluation questions, including satisfaction with the program, learning as a result of the program, changes in behavior as a result of the program, and effects of the program on institutions (institutions in which participants work or partner institutions). The evaluation plan should include indicators that measure gains in mutual understanding as well as substantive knowledge.

Successful monitoring and evaluation depend heavily on setting clear goals and outcomes at the outset of a program. Your evaluation plan should include a description of your project’s objectives, your anticipated project outcomes, and how and when you intend to measure these outcomes (performance indicators). The more that outcomes are SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, results-oriented, and placed in a reasonable time frame), the easier it will be to conduct the evaluation. You should also show how your project objectives link to the goals of the program described in this RFGP.

Your monitoring and evaluation plan should clearly distinguish between program outputs and outcomes. Outputs are products and services delivered, often stated as an amount. Output information is important to show the scope or size of project activities, but it cannot substitute for information about progress towards outcomes or the results achieved. Examples of outputs include the number of people trained or the number of seminars conducted. Outcomes, in contrast, represent specific results a project is intended to achieve and is usually measured as an extent of change. Findings on outputs and outcomes should both be reported, but the focus should be on outcomes.

We encourage you to assess the following four levels of outcomes, as they relate to the program goals set out in the RFGP (listed here in increasing order of importance):

1. Participant satisfaction with the program and exchange experience.

2. Participant learning, such as increased knowledge, aptitude, skills, and changed understanding and attitude. Learning includes both substantive (subject-specific) learning and mutual understanding.

3. Participant behavior, concrete actions to apply knowledge in work or community; greater participation and responsibility in civic organizations; interpretation and explanation of experiences and new knowledge gained; continued contacts between participants, community members, and others.

4. Institutional changes, such as increased collaboration and partnerships, policy reforms, new programming, and organizational improvements.

Please note: Consideration should be given to the appropriate timing of data collection for each level of outcome. For example, satisfaction is usually captured as a short-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.

IV.3e. Please take the following information into consideration when preparing your budget:

IV.3e.1.

Applicants must submit SF-424A – “Budget Information – Non-Construction Programs” along with a comprehensive budget for the entire program. 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. ECA requires that applicants submit a plan and budget not to exceed $250,000 for the three-week workshop for 26 participants to be conducted under the terms of this Cooperative Agreement. ECA/A/L will closely supervise the Cooperative Agreement recipient's activities in the development of these plans and will have final approval authority of same.

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

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

· a detailed proposal narrative and budget for the base year of funding. (Please refer to the Proposal Submission Instruction Document (PSI) for general budget guidance.) The narrative should also include a brief commitment to implement the program for the base year, plus two additional option years, pending successful program performance and availability of funds; and

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

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

1. timely quarterly performance and financial reports;

2. a request in writing to ECA at least 90 days in advance of the expiration of the current program year. This request should be incorporated/highlighted in the third quarterly program report;

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

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

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

The ECA Grants Officer and Program Officer will:

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

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

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

· Any/all concerns, issues, or modifications requested by the Grants Officer or Program Officer to the original program design or method of implementation must be responded to in writing.

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

IV.3e.2. Allowable costs for the program include the following:

1) ECA’s goal is to maximize the number of English language teaching participants, and ECA expects that approximately 85 percent or more of the funds provided through this Cooperative Agreement will be used for implementation of mandatory program elements described under Section 1 of this RFGP. Also, applicants should explain how they will ensure cost-effective arrangements based on non-credit enrollment and/or other methods according to formulas that can be protected from increases in tuition rates.

2) Administrative costs may include staff salaries, including staff to plan and conduct the workshop aspects/elements of the Program and the Program Monitoring and Evaluation requirements specified in IV.3d.3. of the RFGP.

3) The budget for designing and administering the workshop should include, but not be limited to, the following: the participants' international and domestic transportation, U.S. per diem, space rental, workshop materials, etc. For travel budgeting purposes, participants will come from around the world.

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

IV.3f. Application Deadline and Methods of Submission:

Application Deadline Date:

April 13, 2012 Reference Number:

ECA/A/L-12-04-OY-B

Methods of Submission:

Applications may only be submitted electronically through Grants.gov (http://www.grants.gov). Complete solicitation packages are available at Grants.gov in the ‘Find’ portion of the system.

PLEASE NOTE: ECA bears no responsibility for applicant timeliness of submission or data errors resulting from transmission or conversion processes for proposals submitted via Grants.gov.

Please follow the instructions available in the ‘Get Started’ portion of the site (http://www.grants.gov/GetStarted).

Several of the steps in the Grants.gov registration process could take several weeks. Therefore, applicants should check with appropriate staff within their organizations immediately after reviewing this RFGP to confirm or determine their registration status with Grants.gov.

Once registered, the amount of time it can take to upload an application will vary depending on a variety of factors including the size of the application and the speed of your internet connection. In addition, validation of an electronic submission via Grants.gov can take up to two business days.

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

The Grants.gov website includes extensive information on all phases/aspects of the Grants.gov process, including an extensive section on frequently asked questions, located under the "For Applicants" section of the website. ECA strongly recommends that all potential applicants review thoroughly the Grants.gov website, well in advance of submitting a proposal through the Grants.gov system.

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

Grants.gov Customer Support

Contact Center Phone:

800 -518-4726

Business Hours: Monday – Friday, 7AM – 9PM Eastern Time

Email: support@grants.gov Applicants have until midnight (12:00 a.m.), Washington, DC time of the closing date to ensure that their entire application has been uploaded to the Grants.gov site. There are no exceptions to the above deadline. Applications uploaded to the site after midnight of the application deadline date will be automatically rejected by the grants.gov system, and will be technically ineligible.

Please refer to the Grants.gov website, for definitions of various "application statuses" and the difference between a submission receipt and a submission validation.

Applicants will receive a validation e-mail from grants.gov upon the successful submission of an application. Again, validation of an electronic submission via Grants.gov can take up to two business days. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you not wait until the application deadline to begin the submission process through Grants.gov. ECA will not notify you upon receipt of electronic applications.

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

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

V. Application Review Information

V.1. REVIEW PROCESS

The Bureau will review all proposals for technical eligibility. Proposals will be deemed ineligible if they do not fully adhere to the guidelines stated herein and in the Solicitation Package. All eligible proposals will be reviewed by the program office, as well as the Public Diplomacy section 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. Final funding decisions are at the discretion of the Department of State's Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs. Final technical authority for assistance awards cooperative agreements resides with the Bureau's Grants Officer.

REVIEW CRITERIA

Technically eligible applications will be competitively reviewed according to the criteria stated below. These criteria are not rank ordered and all carry equal weight in the proposal evaluation:

1. Program Planning and Ability to Achieve Program Objectives: Detailed agenda and relevant work plan should demonstrate substantive undertakings and logistical capacity. Agenda and plan should adhere to the program overview and guidelines described above. Objectives should be reasonable, feasible, and flexible. Proposals should clearly demonstrate how the institution will meet the program's objectives and plan.

2. Multiplier Effect/Impact: Proposed programs should strengthen long-term mutual understanding, including maximum sharing of information and establishment of long-term institutional and individual linkages.

3. Support of Diversity: Proposals should demonstrate substantive support of the Bureau's policy on diversity. Achievable and relevant features should be cited in both program administration (selection of participants, program venue and program evaluation) and program content (orientation and wrap-up sessions, program meetings, resource materials and follow-up activities).

4. Institutional Capacity and Record/Ability: Proposed personnel and institutional resources should be adequate and appropriate to achieve the program or project's goals. Proposals should demonstrate an institutional record of successful exchange programs, including responsible fiscal management and full compliance with all reporting requirements for past Bureau awards (grants or cooperative agreements) as determined by Bureau Grants Staff. The Bureau will consider the past performance of prior recipients and the demonstrated potential of new applicants.

5. Follow-on Activities: Proposals should provide a plan for continued follow-on activity (without Bureau support) ensuring that Bureau-supported programs are not isolated events.

6.

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

7.

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

VI.)

Award Administration Information

VI.1a. Award Notices:

Final awards cannot be made until funds have been appropriated by Congress, allocated and committed through internal Bureau procedures. Successful applicants will receive a Federal Assistance Award (FAA) from the Bureau’s Grants Office. The FAA and the original proposal with subsequent modifications (if applicable) shall be the only binding authorizing document between the recipient and the U.S. Government. The FAA will be signed by an authorized Grants Officer, and mailed to the recipient’s responsible officer identified in the application.

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

VI.1b The following additional requirements apply to this project:

Prohibition on the use of Federal Funds to Promote, Support, or advocate for the legalization or practice of Prostitution.

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.

VI.2

Administrative and National Policy Requirements:

Terms and Conditions for the Administration of ECA agreements include the following:

Office of Management and Budget Circular A‑122, "Cost Principles for Nonprofit Organizations.”

Office of Management and Budget Circular A-21, “Cost Principles for Educational Institutions.”

OMB Circular A-87, “Cost Principles for State, Local and Indian Governments”.

OMB Circular No. A‑110 (Revised), Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals, and other Nonprofit Organizations.

OMB Circular No. A-102, Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants-in-Aid to State and Local Governments.

OMB Circular No. A-133, Audits of States, Local Government, and Non-profit Organizations

Please reference the following websites for additional information:

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

http://fa.statebuy.state.gov VI.3. Reporting Requirements: You must provide ECA with an electronic copy of the following required reports:

Mandatory:

1.) Additional performance reports shall not be required more frequently than quarterly or less frequently than annually. Annual reports shall be due 90 calendar days after the grant year; quarterly or semi-annual reports shall be due 30 days after the reporting period. (Frequency of these reports will be determined by the Grants Officer and Program Officer). The performance reports (PPR) must be submitted electronically to the Grants Office at reportseca@state.gov with a copy sent to the Program Officer. 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/. Failure to comply with these reporting requirements may jeopardize the Recipient's eligibility for future Agreements.

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

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

4.) A concise, one-page final program report summarizing program outcomes no more than 90 days after the expiration of the award. This 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.

5.) If the Competition will allow for the exercise of Option Years, applicants must be placed on a mandatory quarterly program and financial reporting cycle. The due dates for these reports will be included in the final assistance award document. The program and financial reports must demonstrate substantial progress by addressing progress towards the original approved goals and objectives, relative activities and events, and supporting fiscal data. The reports will be reviewed by both the assigned Grant Officer and Program Officer.

6.) Complete syllabi, reading lists, projects and project handouts, discussion prompts, rubrics, and other documents related to the courses.

Award recipients will be required to provide reports analyzing their evaluation findings to the Bureau in their regular program reports. (Please refer to IV. Application and Submission Instructions (IV.3.d.3) above for Program Monitoring and Evaluation information.

All data collected, including survey responses and contact information, must be maintained for a minimum of three years and provided to the Bureau upon request.

All reports must be sent to the ECA Grants Office and ECA Program Officer listed in the final assistance award document.

VI.4. Optional Program Data Requirements:

Award recipients will be required to maintain specific data on program participants and activities in an electronically accessible database format that can be shared with the Bureau as required. As a minimum, the data must include the following:

1) Name, address, contact information and biographic sketch of all persons who travel internationally on funds provided by the agreement or who benefit from the award funding but do not travel.

2) Itineraries of international and domestic travel, providing dates of travel and cities in which any exchange experiences take place. Final schedules for in-country and U.S. activities must be received by the ECA Program Officer at least three work days prior to the official opening of the activity.

VII.

Agency Contacts For questions about this announcement, please contact: Kelli Odhuu, U.S. Department of State, Office of English Language Programs, ECA/A/L, SA-5, 4H15, Reference Number:…