FY 2020 Fulbright Student POGI.pdf

PROJECT OBJECTIVES, GOALS, AND IMPLEMENTATION (POGI)

FY 2020 Fulbright Student Program

Funding Opportunity Number: SFOP0005700

Office of Academic Exchange Programs ECA/A/E

The POGI guidelines apply specifically to the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) issued by the Office of Academic Exchange Programs (ECA/A/E) for the FY 2020 Fulbright Student

Program. Proposals must conform to the NOFO, the Guidelines stated in this document, and the standard Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI). Applications not adhering to the conditions set forth herein may be deemed technically ineligible. These guidelines are specific to the program mentioned above and are IN ADDITION TO the Standard Guidelines outlined in the PSI. If there is a perceived disparity between the standard and program specific Guidelines and the program information supplied in the accompanying NOFO, the NOFO is to be the dominant reference.

I. STATEMENT OF WORK

Pending the availability of funds, the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) of the

U.S. Department of State will enter into a cooperative agreement with one or more U.S. public or private non-profit organizations meeting the provisions of a 501 (c) 3 to administer the FY 2020

Fulbright Student Program.

The FY 2020 Fulbright Student Program will support the administration of approximately 2,220 new awards to U.S. students to study, conduct research, and teach English abroad and approximately 2,534 new awards (including 471 self-placed foreign students, 410 Fulbright

Foreign Language Teaching Assistants (FLTAs) and 182 Faculty Development and Regional

Specialty Programs in the Western Hemisphere) for foreign students to study, conduct research, and teach foreign languages in the United States. Additionally, funds may be used to support special initiatives for FY 2020 or previously funded participants as requested by ECA.

Under the terms of the cooperative agreement, the recipient(s) will be responsible for administering a number of special programs and activities for U.S. and foreign students including, but not limited to; the Fulbright-Fogarty Fellowships in Public Health and the

Fulbright National Geographic Storytelling Fellowship for U.S. students; the Foreign Language

Teaching Assistant (FLTA) Program; the Faculty Development and Regional Specialty Programs for select countries in the Western Hemisphere; the Junior Faculty Development Program for select countries in Near East Asia; Pre-Academic and English Language Training; Short-term

Gateway (arrival) Orientations; Foreign Student Enrichment Seminars; and in-country administrative and programmatic support for the Fulbright Program in Russia, Ukraine, and

China. This cooperative agreement will support the administration of the program for new FY

2020 students and applicants as well as any special initiatives for participants or previously funded participants requested by ECA. The cooperative agreement should begin on October 1, 2019, pending the availability of FY 2020 funds.

U.S. public and private non-profit organizations or consortia of eligible organizations meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code section 501(c)(3) may submit proposals to cooperate with ECA in the administration and implementation of one or more of the following:

Proposals will be accepted from eligible organizations or consortia of organizations wishing to administer the entire worldwide Fulbright Student Program or the entire

Fulbright U.S. Student Program.

Proposals will also be accepted from eligible organizations or consortia of organizations wishing to administer the Fulbright Foreign Student Program for one or more regions of the world. Organizations or consortia applying for the foreign student program in two or more world regions must also include a creative and detailed plan to administer enrichment seminars and programs for foreign students; short-term English language, pre-academic, and orientation programming for all foreign students; and the worldwide

Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant Program.

For East Asia and the Pacific, proposals must include a comprehensive plan to provide administrative and programmatic support for the Fulbright Program in China.

For Europe, proposals must include a comprehensive plan to provide administrative and programmatic support for the programs in Russia and Ukraine.

For Near East Asia, organizations proposing to administer the Foreign Student Program must also administer the Junior Faculty Development Program for the region.

For the Western Hemisphere, organizations may propose to administer the Foreign

Student Program, the Faculty Development and Regional Specialty Programs, or both.

Pending successful implementation of this program and the availability of funds in subsequent fiscal years, the Bureau may renew this cooperative agreement for a period of approximately four additional fiscal years before openly competing it again. The Bureau reserves the right to renew the awards beyond that period. This cooperative agreement will support administration of the program for new students and applicants only; student awards granted in FY 2019 and previous years will continue to be managed by the organizations that currently administer the

Fulbright Student Program. ECA reserves the right to reduce, revise, or increase funding amounts and participant numbers pending the availability of funds, the needs of the program, and

U.S. Department of State foreign policy priorities. If the Fulbright Student Program is awarded to (an) organization(s) that does/do not currently administer the Fulbright Student Program, the new organization(s) and the current administrators of the Fulbright Student Program will be required to collaborate closely to ensure a successful transition.

For the FY 2020 cooperative agreement(s), which this announcement covers, the partner organization(s) will have responsibility for the following activities: For U.S. students, a potential phase-in of responsibilities for application screening, program implementation, support for monitoring and supervision in the field, and fiscal management for Academic Year (AY) 2020-

2021 U.S. student participants; and recruitment and outreach to U.S. student applicants for the

AY 2021-2022 program. For the FY 2020 Fulbright Foreign Student Program, responsibilities will include: application screening, placement, and initial program implementation for AY 2020-

2021 foreign student participants, English language, pre-academic training and orientation for

AY 2020-2021 foreign student participants; enrichment workshops for AY 2020-2021 foreign student participants; and the development and distribution of recruitment and application materials to Fulbright commissions and Public Affairs Sections (PAS) at U.S. embassies for the

AY 2021-2022 Fulbright Foreign Student Program. If the cooperative agreement(s) is/are renewed in subsequent years, the award recipient(s) would be responsible additionally for full-year supervision, monitoring and support for both new and renewal grants for foreign students who would be in the U.S. for study and research, and U.S. students abroad, as required.

A. FULBRIGHT U.S. STUDENT PROGRAM

In support of the Fulbright U.S. Student Program, the award recipient will have responsibility for the following:

1. Application Screening and Selection Process

● Develop and maintain an online announcement with specific country award descriptions as well as a robust and stable application system for the U.S. student program, which will process applicant data through the application, selection, and monitoring phases of the program cycle. The application system must be developed in tandem with all administrators of other Fulbright Student Programs and/or the Fulbright Scholar Program.

All application, selection, and individual award data should be entered and maintained in a sortable, searchable format/system that can be shared with ECA. The application system and/or application process must also be accessible to applicants with disabilities.

● Propose a timeline and work plan to meet the following deadlines: The award recipient should prepare and launch an informational website on the Fulbright U.S. Student

Program including eligibility requirements and the award announcement for the

Academic Year 2021-2022 program cycle by March 31, 2020. Design a searchable, online catalog so that guidelines and eligibility (including language requirements, academic calendar, grant period, eligible fields of study, affiliation requirements, qualifications, research clearances, grant benefits, conditions of award, other general information) are provided in a uniform way for each country. Request updates from all eligible countries in consultation with ECA/A/E regional branches. The award recipient will be required to submit a draft of the appropriate sections of the AY 2021-2022 online catalog to ECA/A/E branches no later than January 31, 2020. Sufficient time should be allowed in the annual publication schedule to give ECA time to review all materials and to suggest possible modifications.

● Describe a plan to conduct a technical review of U.S. student applications for eligibility and completeness (including information such as biographical data, citizenship, veteran’s status, transcripts, letters of recommendation, project plans, etc.) and obtain missing documentation from applicants prior to releasing applications to Fulbright National

Screening Committees, Fulbright commissions and/or Public Affairs Sections (PAS) of

U.S. embassies, and the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board (FFSB). Refer questions of eligibility to the appropriate ECA/A/E branch prior to selection committee review.

● Outline plans for a transparent, merit-based review process, with clearly identified criteria for assessing the U.S. student applications. Propose a plan to appoint and convene national review panels to recommend and rank candidates. Fulbright National

Screening Committees should reflect the diversity of the U.S. higher education community and include panelists from minority-serving institutions (MSIs) and other underrepresented institutions as well as qualified Fulbright alumni. As directed by ECA, the award recipient will provide opportunities for Fulbright commissions and PAS to provide input to selection committee members regarding country-specific priorities and/or concerns and develop mechanisms to report selection committee results to all

Fulbright commissions and PAS. Develop and implement best practices and training for award recipient staff who serve as panel facilitators. Best practices and training should aim to provide consistency and standardization across all national screening committees regardless of meeting location. In addition, the recipient should provide introductory comments at each panel to emphasize ECA and FFSB priorities. ECA/A/E staff should be included as resources at facilitator trainings and screening committee meetings.

ECA/A/E staff should receive a preliminary schedule of meetings at least three months in advance of the first meeting. Additionally, ECA/A/E staff should receive confirmation of meetings and information regarding the committees, including biographical information on each committee member, three to four weeks prior to the meetings (or when the committee members receive their application materials for review).

● Propose a cohesive plan to normalize review panel results across varying U.S. locations if necessary and ensure that review panels for new countries, programs, initiatives, and/or any multi-country review panels are held in Washington, D.C. Screening committees for the Fulbright-Fogarty Program and the Fulbright National Geographic Storytelling

Fellowship must also be held in Washington, D.C. in coordination with the Fogarty

International Center of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and National Geographic.

● Propose a plan to notify applicants of their status after meetings of national screening committees.

● Submit the slate of semi-finalist candidates to ECA and the FFSB via the established

FFSB Transmittal System. Working with ECA and other Fulbright Program partners worldwide, assist the administrator of the Fulbright Scholar Program with maintenance of the FFSB Transmittal System.

● Propose an electronic system to collect, review, and track participant medical forms, in consultation with ECA and other Fulbright Program partners worldwide. Ensure that the system facilitates the medical clearance process for grantees while safeguarding personally identifiable information (PII). Contract with a qualified physician for review of medical forms and suggest methods for establishing a pool of qualified medical professionals as future resources. Systematize the method for pre-notification to ECA when there is a conditional medical clearance to ensure that the nominee, Fulbright commission, and/or PAS address concerns prior to arrival in the host country.

2. Program Planning and Management

● Describe a plan to maintain electronically current participant data, including individual grant amounts and fiscal year of funding. Required data fields for the electronic data system include, but are not limited to the following: first name; middle name; last name;

gender; race, ethnicity, date of birth; country of citizenship; country of program, country of residence; participant type; field of study/research topic; degree objective (graduating senior/Master’s/Ph.D.); home/host institution or affiliation; Fulbright Program category/subcategory; fiscal year of funding; award amount; home/host U.S. state; and

U.S. Congressional district.

● Propose a plan to maintain individual grant records for participants.

● Propose a plan to develop protocols for the collection, use, maintenance, and dissemination of personally identifiable information ensuring that the personal information of Fulbright applicants and participants is protected. Protocols should be applied to data submitted for the inclusion in statistical reports, as well as any PII being transmitted between the award recipient and ECA. Additionally, ECA/A/E encourages all award recipients to establish internal protocols ensuring appropriate collection, use, maintenance, and dissemination of PII. Where applicable, ensure these practices fall within parameters required by the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation

(GDPR).

● In accordance with Federal, Department and Fulbright Program policies and principles and in close consultation with ECA/A/E, determine if any Fulbright candidates have disabilities for which they may need or want to request special accommodations in order to more successfully complete their Fulbright assignments. In such cases, consult closely with ECA/A/E in completing, on a case-by-case basis, the necessary procedural steps for assessing, securing, and/or funding “reasonable accommodations.” Train award recipient staff in best practices for addressing disability accommodation requests.

● Respond to renewal/extension inquiries from participants, in consultation and with the approval of the ECA/A/E branches.

● Participate in annual planning meetings with ECA focused on overall improvements in program administration, outreach, enrichment, follow-on, evaluation, etc. Draft meeting notes to outline any agreed-upon actions and share these notes with ECA in a timely manner.

● In collaboration with ECA/A/E, identify appropriate current Fulbright participants or alumni and organize their attendance at meetings, such as FFSB meetings or focus groups, to present their experiences or to discuss possible program improvements.

● Submit required reports. (See section on “Program Reporting” under “Program Specific

Guidelines” for guidance on required statistical and financial reports.)

3. Post-Nomination Services

● Describe your capacity and plans to work closely with ECA/A/E branches in the implementation of post-nomination services. Discuss and resolve any conflicting perceptions, issues, or information gaps regarding responsibility for specific actions with the relevant ECA/A/E branch. Note the differences between services to be provided for

U.S. participants going to countries where a Fulbright commission manages the program and those going to non-commission countries, where the program is administered by

PAS. In general, for non-commission countries, the award recipient will write the grants, disburse stipend payments, and arrange international travel for participants via U.S.

airline carriers following regulations of the “Fly America Act.” For U.S. students going to Fulbright commission countries, the Fulbright commission will be responsible for writing grants, disbursing stipend payments, and funding and/or arranging international travel. The Fulbright U.S. Student Program annually sends approximately 560 participants to non-commission countries and 1,660 participants to commission countries.

● Electronically prepare, distribute and collect individual grant terms for each participant as applicable. In consultation with ECA/A/E, utilize the common award document currently in use for U.S. students going to both non-commission and commission countries.

● Prepare individual grant authorizations and grant documents for U.S. students going to non-commission countries.

● Enroll participants in the Bureau’s Accident and Sickness Program for Exchanges

(ASPE) health benefits program, and/or other health benefits plan as directed by ECA.

Be prepared to implement and support potential new health benefits plans.

● Utilize a system that assigns a unique ID number to each participant enrolled in ASPE for the purposes of health benefits enrollment. This unique ID number must further include a specific number that identifies the U.S. students administered by the award recipient.

Collect data on primary and secondary health benefits for each participant enrolled in

ASPE.

● Provide support to participants regarding health benefits; assist in filing claims to the designated health benefits administrator and provide all participants with information regarding options for supplemental insurance. Consult with ECA on participant health issues that may affect successful completion of individual programs.

● Complete loan deferment forms on behalf of U.S. students in a timely manner.

● Provide pre-departure advice and information to all participants. Prepare and distribute country-specific information that has been cleared by appropriate ECA/A/E staff. Assist

ECA and the administrator of the Fulbright Scholar Program with virtual and in-person pre-departure orientations as requested. Carry out relevant activities such as, but not limited to: disseminating “save the date” notifications to all semi-finalists; promoting orientation dates on relevant program webpages; developing and maintaining a pre-departure orientation web platform to provide orientation information, including country-specific and other information relevant to U.S. student pre-departure. Orientations should be region-specific and include a separate component for the Fulbright U.S. English

Teaching Assistant Program (ETA), for which the award recipient will coordinate at least

10 to 14 hours of training; focusing on English language instruction (i.e. teaching techniques, classroom management, and English resources) as well as identity, diversity, and inclusion issues related to success in the host community.

● In consultation with ECA, establish guidance for the pre-departure orientations including, but not limited to: goals, content, roles and responsibilities of program partners, and timelines for successful completion of all pre-departure orientation activities.

● As directed by ECA, arrange for testing of language skills of U.S. students in ECA-designated, critical languages and/or recipients of the Critical Language Enhancement

Awards (CLEA) before departure and upon return. Share test scores with students and host countries. Liaise with CLEA host countries to ensure program success. In consultation with ECA/A/E, review and analyze the effectiveness of the CLEA Program for Fulbright U.S. students. Approximately 90 U.S. students annually receive enhancement awards to study one of the following languages: Arabic (all dialects), Bahasa Indonesia, Bangla/Bengali, Mandarin Chinese, Gujarati, Hindi, Marathi, Punjabi, Russian, and Urdu. NOTE: The number of U.S. students, eligible countries, and languages supported by the CLEA is subject to change based on budget allocations and

U.S. Department of State priorities, pending the availability of funds.

● Propose a plan to communicate proactively with all U.S. student participants overseas at both predetermined points in time and particularly during periods when participants are known to face greater challenges. Working with participants, troubleshoot and resolve issues that may arise, in consultation with the appropriate ECA/A/E branch, Fulbright commissions, and/or PAS.

● Discuss appropriate monitoring techniques and communication tools that address regional technology challenges and reduce potential gaps in U.S. student monitoring, include the use of electronic and virtual tools (e.g. video call applications) that allow for varied levels of support per host country depending on existing support services and/or number of participants in country.

● As directed by ECA, provide Fulbright U.S. students overseas access to a 24/7 telephone contact and counseling service to provide emergency support on a range of participant issues.

● Assist ECA, Fulbright commissions, and PAS with reassignment of participants when circumstances require.

● Assist ECA in handling medical emergencies, including mental and physical health issues, medical evacuations, and repatriations of remains.

● When necessary, prepare appropriate documentation for the Fulbright Foreign

Scholarship Board requesting termination or revocation of a U.S. student grant. Take appropriate action to recoup funds that may have been previously distributed to a participant whose grant has been terminated or revoked.

● Electronically request, receive, and review mid-term and final participant reports, summarizing key findings by program and world region. U.S. student reports should be accessible to ECA/A/E staff, Fulbright commissions, and PAS electronically and in “real time.” Ensure that U.S. students complete all program reports. Any problems experienced by participants while completing and/or uploading reports must be addressed in a timely manner. The award recipient should notify ECA/A/E staff when reports are completed.

● Discuss an evaluation plan and methodology to collect, analyze, and report on impact data (including multiplier effect) from U.S. Student Program alumni one year from the end date of their Fulbright awards; include recommendations for improvements to current program practices and possible methods for the long-term tracking of U.S. student alumni. Additionally, include methods for summarizing U.S. student alumni data worldwide and/or by program or world region. In consultation with ECA, utilize program alumni or other consultants to assist with impact studies as needed. Place special emphasis on surveys, interactive software, and other data collection methodologies to determine the community impact and multiplier effect of Fulbright

ETAs. Propose ways to use appropriate findings from evaluation to promote the program, including infographics, one-pagers, and other state-of-the-art data visualization techniques.

● Notify U.S. students of their U.S. government non-competitive eligibility (NCE) hiring status. Prepare and send NCE certificates to students in advance of the end date of their

Fulbright Programs.

● As directed by ECA, prepare electronic Fulbright certificates for U.S. students, retiring members of Fulbright National Screening Committees, and retiring Fulbright Program

Advisors.

4. Fiscal Management

● Prepare accurate individual award estimates for country, regional and/or program budgets as well as estimates for any program enhancement activities. As directed by ECA/A/E, update budget projections a minimum of three times per fiscal cycle and, for finite activities (such as National Screening Committees or pre-departure orientations), provide a final budget with actual costs at the close of the fiscal year.

● Manage stipend payments for participants going to non-commission countries and ensure payments are made as scheduled.

● Administer memorandums of understanding (MOUs) and/or other agreements with cost-share partners in support of the Fulbright U.S. Student Program. As requested by ECA, provide status updates, financial reports, etc. regarding these funding relationships.

● Audit internal functions, system and controls as necessary.

● Review your accounting system for administrative and program expenditures in connection with U.S. government audits.

● Submit reports as requested. (See section on “Program Reporting” under “Program

Specific Guidelines” for guidance on required statistical and financial reports.)

5. Recruitment

● Propose a comprehensive strategy for recruitment for the Fulbright U.S. Student Program that will generate a strong pool of qualified applicants for study/research and ETA awards. The plan should be developed in coordination with ECA/A/E and the administrator of the Fulbright Scholar Program and will be subject to ongoing approval and coordination by ECA.

● Include specific strategies for recruiting a pool of applicants that represents all aspects of diversity as referenced in ECA’s Diversity Statement, including: race, color, national origin, gender, age, religion, geographic location, socio-economic status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, and institutional diversity. The pool of qualified applicants should include robust numbers of applicants from diverse types of institutions, including but not limited to minority-serving institutions. All recruitment efforts should highlight and emphasize the Fulbright U.S. Student Program’s full spectrum of diversity in the

United States.

● U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs sponsorship, management, and oversight of the Fulbright Program should be emphasized in all recruitment activities and the http://eca.state.gov/fulbright website should be given as the primary source for information. The recruitment plan in the proposal should make clear the primary purpose and audience for key messages, making sure to differentiate between recruitment needs and general program marketing and promotion. (A separate outreach and marketing plan is requested below.)

● The proposed recruitment strategy should include:

o Recruitment materials and activities (which may include, but are not limited to, print and online content, social media, videos, in-person recruitment, such as conferences, campus visits, and other events);

o Plans for implementing a series of high-quality, general-information, and program-specific webinars for potential applicants and proposed methods to track and analyze webinar usage;

o Regional workshops for college and university Fulbright campus advisors that provide information on selection criteria and procedures and encourage participation in the U.S. student program by a large and diverse pool of institutions and U.S. students;

o Targeted workshops reaching Fulbright campus advisors and U.S. students from

MSIs in conjunction with participation in MSI organization/association conferences throughout the United States;

o Proposed staff travel to support recruitment, including college/university visits, conferences, and workshops. Recruitment events and travel should leverage synergies between the U.S, student program and other components of the larger

Fulbright Program.

o A detailed subsection of the strategy must include specific recruitment strategies for the Fulbright-National Geographic Storytelling Fellowship and Fulbright-

Fogarty Fellowship.

o Budget estimates for each component of the strategy.

● Develop and maintain a comprehensive network of Fulbright campus advisors serving the

Fulbright U.S. Student Program at U.S. colleges and universities nationwide, particularly at underserved and underrepresented institutions. Fulbright campus advisers assist with the program by recruiting, guiding, evaluating and interviewing Fulbright U.S. Student

Program applicants from their campuses. Advisers may work in the fellowships, study abroad, or international affairs offices or may be faculty in various departments. A thorough review of the network of Fulbright campus advisers should be undertaken on a regular basis, with a special focus on MSIs and institutions in underrepresented geographic locations, including rural and economically less advantaged communities, to identify and fill vacancies. This review should also include a process of identifying campuses that do not have a Fulbright advisor and encouraging program participation among those campuses, with the ultimate goal of having a Fulbright advisor on all U.S.

http://eca.state.gov/fulbright campuses. Fulbright campus advisors should be empowered to play a large role in local recruitment and general program promotional efforts.

● Maintain online and regularly update a list of all Fulbright campus advisors. In coordination with the administrator of the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program, regularly provide comprehensive lists of Fulbright U.S. Student Program and Fulbright U.S.

Scholar Program campus contacts for all MSIs to ECA/A/E.

● Working with the administrators of all Fulbright Student Programs, the Fulbright Scholar

Program, and the Fulbright Specialist Program, propose a plan to maintain and develop the Fulbright Program’s digital asset management system (the Fulbright Source), including its public-facing portal, into a robust tool that supports print and electronic activities in outreach, recruitment and reporting. The award recipient should fully integrate the Fulbright Source into all outreach, marketing, and communications initiatives. The award recipient should be prepared to provide the staffing resources necessary to collect, upload, tag, and curate accurate and relevant Fulbright Program digital assets for the Fulbright Source, and coordinate with ECA/A/E regarding system content and protocols. The award recipient should encourage Fulbright commission, PAS, and partner organization staff to utilize the system as a repository for country-, program- and activity-specific impact data as well as up-to-date outreach and recruitment materials and collateral, and reporting. Current participants and alumni should be encouraged to submit photos, videos, etc. via the Fulbright Source’s external uploader feature. In addition, the recipient organization should:

● Streamline the data entry process to simplify the procedure for ECA and Fulbright commission staff, while maintaining excellent data integrity and completeness. Work with Fulbright commission and PAS staff to upload and tag high-quality images and other assets for global use.

● Maintain and update user manuals to help end users troubleshoot data uploads and to help users easily search for useful information.

● The portal should continue to highlight assets that demonstrate the Fulbright Program’s history and legacy as well as its current impact and relevance.

● Develop a plan to curate images and documents so they can be easily searched and accessed. Work with ECA on a plan to provide high-quality images, videos, and other content in the Source to ECA and stakeholders on a regular basis. The award recipient may consult or enter into partnerships with experts in collecting, preserving, and cataloging digital assets.

● Plan and undertake other maintenance of the Fulbright Source to ensure that it meets

Fulbright Program needs as they evolve.

● As directed by ECA, publish the AY 2019-2020 Fulbright U.S. Student Directory online by January 2020. Fulbright U.S. Student Directory entries should include name of participant, home state, country of assignment, field of study, and U.S. college or university. Data on AY 2019-2020 participants who are not confirmed by this deadline should be added by March 2020.

6. Special Fulbright U.S. Student Program Components

FULBRIGHT-NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC STORYTELLING FELLOWSHIP

● Plan and administer the Fulbright-National Geographic Storytelling Fellowships.

● Assist in conducting targeted recruitment in collaboration with ECA/A/E and National

Geographic. Ensure that the promotional materials (including electronic and print materials) are updated prior to the opening of the recruitment cycle. As directed by ECA, assist with direct outreach to specific organizations; plan and design program-specific webinars; and conduct other outreach initiatives as necessary.

● Describe a plan to conduct technical review of applications for eligibility and completeness (biographical data, transcripts, recommendations, study plans), and obtain missing documentation from applicants before forwarding applications for FFSB approval.

● In consultation with ECA/A/E, convene a program-specific national selection committee in Washington, D.C.

● Working with ECA/A/E, Fulbright commissions, PAS, and semi-finalists, and in consultation with National Geographic, coordinate and support in-person interviews with selected semi-finalists in Washington, D.C.

● Provide guidance and consult with ECA/A/E, participants and PAS and Fulbright commissions, as necessary, to create program-specific budgets and terms of appointment, and other pre-award activities to ensure that grantees are able to complete successfully their programs, including those with multi-country programs.

● Prepare accurate individual award estimates for program budget as well as estimates for any program enhancement activities. As directed by ECA/A/E, update budget projections a minimum of three times per fiscal cycle and provide a final budget with actual costs at the close of the fiscal year.

● For both non-commission and commission countries, write grants, disburse stipend and program-specific allowance payments, and arrange and fund international travel for participants via American carriers following regulations of the “Fly America Act.”

Distribute special program-specific allowances according to program policies in consultation with ECA/A/E, Fulbright commissions, and PAS.

● Assist ECA and the administrator of the Fulbright Scholar Program with a virtual orientation and an in-person, program-specific pre-departure orientation which may include participants to both non-commission and commission countries. This model may be in addition to the orientation provided by National Geographic and/or the regional pre-departure orientations provided by ECA and may include virtual components.

● Proactively monitor participants for the duration of the program and provide updates to

ECA/A/E on a regular schedule developed in consultation with ECA/A/E. Monitoring should focus on issues such as physical and mental health, personal safety, host country affiliation, and overall program success.

● Develop, implement, and review participant surveys. Surveys should be available to participants and ECA/A/E in an electronic format. The award recipient must review and analyze surveys; highlight successes, address concerns, and offer programmatic recommendations to ECA/A/E based on provided responses.

FULBRIGHT-FOGARTY FELLOWSHIP IN PUBLIC HEALTH

● Plan and administer the Fulbright-Fogarty Fellowships in Public Health.

● Assist in conducting targeted recruitment in collaboration with ECA/A/E and the Fogarty

International Center at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Ensure that the program-specific website and promotional materials (including print materials) are updated prior to the opening of the recruitment cycle. Assist in planning and designing program-specific webinars as well as direct outreach to specific organizations, as directed by

ECA/A/E.

● Describe a plan to review and screen applications, conducting a technical review of applications for eligibility and completeness (biographical data, transcripts, recommendations, study plans), and obtaining missing documentation from applicants before forwarding applications for FFSB approval.

● Propose a plan to convene a program-specific national selection committee in

Washington, D.C., for application review, in consultation with ECA/A/E and the Fogarty

International Center at NIH.

● Provide guidance and consult with ECA/A/E, participants and Fulbright commissions and

PAS, as necessary, to create program-specific budgets and terms of appointment, and other pre-award activities to ensure that participants are able to complete successfully their programs, including those with multi-country programs.

● For both non-commission and commission countries, write grants, disburse stipend and program-specific allowance payments, and arrange and fund international travel for participants via U.S. airline carriers regulations of the “Fly America Act.” Distribute special program-specific allowances according to program policies in consultation with

ECA, Fulbright commissions, and PAS.

● In coordination with ECA/A/E and, as necessary with Fulbright commissions and PAS, coordinate program-specific pre-departure advice, information, and materials for all participants. This may include coordinating communications between applicants, semi-finalists, and/or participants and Fulbright commissions, PAS, or other entities in the host country. Advise ECA of all communications.

● Assist ECA and the administrator of the Fulbright Scholar Program with a virtual orientation and an in-person, program-specific pre-departure orientation which may include participants to both non-commission and commission countries. This model may be in addition to the orientation provided by NIH and/or the regional pre-departure orientations provided by ECA and may include virtual components.

● Proactively monitor participants for the duration of the program and provide updates to

ECA/A/E staff on a regular schedule developed in consultation with ECA/A/E.

Monitoring should focus on issues such as physical and mental health, personal safety, host country affiliation, and overall program success.

● Develop, implement, and review participant surveys. Surveys should be available to grantees and ECA/A/E in an electronic format. The award recipient must review and analyze surveys; highlight successes, address concerns, and offer programmatic recommendations to ECA/A/E based on provided responses.

B. FULBRIGHT FOREIGN STUDENT PROGRAM

In support of the Fulbright Foreign Student Program, the award recipient(s) will be responsible for:

1. Program Planning and Management

● Estimate program enhancement costs for new students including testing (GRE, TOEFL, TSE, IELTS, and GMAT), academic credential transcript evaluation, and university application. Budget for these costs in the proposed programmatic budget.

● Describe a plan to develop monthly stipend rates based on U.S. government cost of living statistics and recommend them to ECA/A/E for approval prior to implementation. Share stipend rates with administrators of the Fulbright Scholar and other Fulbright Student

Programs or with other international exchange programs, as directed by ECA/A/E.

● Prepare accurate estimated costs for university tuition, fees, and health benefits as necessary.

● Prepare accurate individual grant estimates by country and/or program; update projections as necessary.

● Describe a plan to maintain current participant data electronically including individual grant amounts and fiscal year of funding. Required data fields for the electronic data system must include, but are not limited to the following: first name; middle name; last name; gender; date of birth; country of citizenship; race, ethnicity, country of program;

country of residence; participant type; field of study/research topic; degree objective

(graduating senior/Master’s/Ph.D.); home/host institution or affiliation; Fulbright

Program category/subcategory; fiscal year of funding; award amount; home/host U.S.

state, and U.S. Congressional district. Ensure data is accurate prior to submitting to ECA for inclusion in U.S. Department of State statistical reports.

● Propose a plan to maintain individual award records for participants.

● Describe ways to implement protocols for the collection, use, maintenance, and dissemination of personally identifiable information (PII) ensuring that the personal information of Fulbright applicants and participants is appropriately protected. Protocols should be applied to data submitted for the inclusion in statistical reports, as well as any

PII being transmitted between the award recipient(s) and ECA. Additionally, ECA/A/E encourages the award recipient(s) to establish internal protocols ensuring appropriate collection, use, maintenance, and dissemination of PII. Where applicable, ensure these practices fall within parameters required by the European Union’s General Data

Protection Regulation (GDPR).

● In accordance with Federal, Department and Fulbright Program policies and principles, in close consultation with ECA/A/E, determine if any Fulbright candidates have disabilities for which they may need or want to request special accommodations in order to more successfully complete their Fulbright assignments. In such cases, consult closely with

ECA/A/E in completing, on a case-by-case basis, the necessary procedural steps for assessing, securing and/or funding “reasonable accommodations.”

● Propose a plan to ensure that DS-2019s for new foreign students are produced accurately and in an efficient and timely manner. In consultation with ECA, Fulbright commissions, and/or PAS develop a timeline for preparing DS-2019s that prioritizes regions, countries, and/or programs that may require longer timeframes for visa issuance.

● Describe an evaluation design to collect, analyze, and report on impact data (including multiplier effect) from Fulbright Foreign Student Program alumni reports; include recommendations for improvements to current program practices and possible methods for the long-term tracking of Fulbright Foreign Student alumni. Additionally, include methods for summarizing foreign student alumni data worldwide, by program and world region. Propose ways to use appropriate data from evaluation findings to promote the program, such as through infographics, one-pagers, and other materials.

● In collaboration with ECA/A/E, identify appropriate current Fulbright students or alumni and organize their attendance at meetings, such as FFSB meetings or focus groups, to present their experiences or to discuss possible program improvements.

● Request, receive, review and draft analytical summaries of mid-term and final participant reports broken down by program and geographical region. Provide access to reports and summaries to ECA/A/E branches. All reports should be in an electronic format and made available to ECA, Fulbright commissions, and PAS.

● Participate in annual planning meetings focused on overall improvements in program administration, outreach, enrichment, follow-on, evaluation, etc. Draft meeting notes, which outline any agreed-upon actions and share these notes with ECA in a timely manner.

2. Selection and Placement

Open a file on each new participant and maintain electronic records.

Provide and maintain a robust and stable online application system for the foreign student program by which applicant data is processed through application, selection, and monitoring phases of the program cycle. The application system must be developed in tandem with all administrators of other Fulbright Student Programs and/or the Fulbright

Scholar Program. All application, selection, and individual award data should be entered and maintained in a sortable, searchable format/system that can be shared with the ECA.

The application system and/or application process must also be accessible to applicants with disabilities.

● Provide online application forms, selection guidelines and related Fulbright materials to

Fulbright commissions and PAS. Applicants who wish to administer the Foreign Student

Program in the Middle East and North Africa should also submit a robust recruitment plan for Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, the Palestinian Territories, Tunisia, and the United Arab

Emirates. ECA reserves the right to request recruitment in additional locales should in-country circumstances and funding permit.

Conduct a thorough technical review of applications for eligibility and completeness

(biographical data, transcripts, recommendations, study plans) and obtain missing documentation from applicants before releasing applications to the FFSB for approval.

● Make completed online applications available to ECA, Fulbright commissions, PAS, and the FFSB.

● Distribute test materials and fee waiver vouchers to Fulbright commissions and PAS.

● Prepare and distribute orientation information to Fulbright commissions and PAS.

● Describe resources for foreign student placement, including leveraging of existing institutional relationships, and plans to produce field-of-study directories, and college and university catalogs, as well as convene professional review committees. Explain how you will proactively seek U.S. college and university support for optimal cost-share for participants, noting any special admission requirements, and detailing how tuition awards and/or other university cost-share will be obtained through scholarships, tuition awards or reductions, and/or fee waivers for both fully- and partially-funded participants.

● Make efforts to increase the diversity of foreign student placements, working to place more students, where appropriate, at minority-serving institutions, state colleges and universities and other institutions of higher education located in underserved geographic locations, including rural and economically less advantaged communities.

● Explain procedures for analyzing student English language proficiency and recommending pre-academic training, as necessary, for those nominees whose English may not meet acceptable admission targets and who may be eligible for long-term training. The award recipient(s) should actively coordinate with the ECA/A/E regional branches on the selection and placement of participants in long-term, intensive English language programs.

● Describe procedures for critically evaluating applications for appropriate college or university submission; reviewing academic credentials, participant profile and disciplinary interests, funding, and country requirements; and consult with ECA/A/E regional branches regarding high-cost programs and availability of institutional support.

● Follow up with Fulbright commissions and PAS as necessary.

● Fully describe your organizational approach to university placement for graduate level foreign students, highlighting differential strategies for self-placed and fully placed participants at a broad spectrum of higher education institutions. Ensure that submission plans include a robust number of diverse U.S. institutions after evaluation of placement possibilities and financial aid opportunities; and promptly notify designated ECA, Fulbright commissions, and PAS contacts of universities to which foreign student applications have been submitted.

● Describe your organizational capacity to both fast track applications to academic programs across higher education institutions as well as facilitate the implementation of new ECA initiatives as needed.

● Complete college or university applications as necessary; follow-up in a timely manner to confirm university admission.

● Observe submission deadlines and maintain ongoing communication with all program stakeholders at all stages of the placement process.

● Pay university application fees, obtaining fee waivers if possible.

● Receive offers of admission, financial aid, and rejections; analyze admission data and forward placement recommendations to Fulbright commissions and PAS in consultation with ECA/A/E regional branches.

● Finalize U.S. academic admissions after responses are received from Fulbright commissions, PAS and ECA/A/E branches to ensure foreign students meet any special admission requirements.

● Process medical forms and notify ECA of nominees with medical or other concerns that may need to be addressed by the participant, Fulbright commission, and/or PAS prior to arrival in the United States in order to facilitate successful participation in the program.

● Electronically prepare, distribute, and collect individual grant terms for each participant selected as applicable. In consultation with ECA/A/E, continue to utilize the common award document currently in use for foreign students from both non-commission and commission countries.

● Forward housing information to Fulbright commissions and PAS. Finalize housing reservations for participants as requested.

● Act on late nominations as necessary, in cooperation with ECA/A/E regional branches, Fulbright commissions, and PAS.

● Notify ECA and advise U.S. colleges and universities if a participant resigns or withdraws from the program.

3. Basic Supervision and Support

● Describe plans to proactively monitor Fulbright foreign students’ academic progress, cultural adjustment, physical and mental health, personal safety, and overall success for the duration of Fulbright Program sponsorship.

● Ensure effective networking occurs among foreign student participants at specific universities and within regions across the United States as well as with the U.S. students, faculty, and host communities in which they are placed. Encourage participation in opportunities that allow foreign students to experience the diversity of the United States, including interaction with diverse American populations.

● Develop a plan of study and academic grade report forms for student and/or faculty advisor completion on a quarterly basis; provide ECA/A/E with an “Alert List” which includes information on foreign student participants that require additional monitoring.

● Propose…