FY 22 CLS POGI.pdf

PROJECT OBJECTIVES, GOALS, AND IMPLEMENTATION (POGI)

FY 2022 Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program

Funding Opportunity Number: SFOP0007818

Office of Global Educational Programs, USA Study Abroad (ECA/A/S/Q)

The POGI guidelines apply specifically to the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) issued by

Office of Global Educational Programs, USA Study Abroad Branch (ECA/A/S/Q) for the FY

2022 Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program. Your proposal must conform to the solicitation, the guidelines stated in this document, and the standard Proposal Submission

Instructions (PSI). Any application 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 solicitation, the solicitation is to be the dominant reference.

I. STATEMENT OF WORK

A. Overview

The FY 2022 award will be executed as a cooperative agreement between the Bureau of

Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) and one or more award recipients to support the participation of a minimum of 575 U.S. undergraduate and graduate students in overseas summer language institutes and virtual language institutes. The CLS Program languages for this award currently include Arabic, Azerbaijani, Bangla, Chinese (Mandarin), Hindi, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Persian, Portuguese, Punjabi, Russian, Swahili, Turkish, and Urdu.

The award will fund a minimum of 500 participants in the CLS overseas language institutes, which will take place during summer 2022 in countries and locations, approved by ECA, where the designated CLS Program languages are widely spoken. The award also supports CLS Virtual

Institutes in one or more of the approximately 15 identified critical languages for an approximate minimum of 75 additional participants. ECA reserves the right to expand or eliminate the virtual institutes and/or adjust overall participant numbers as needed in and across component language institutes. The award supports programming for all CLS alumni since the program’s inception in

2006.

Applicants may submit a proposal to either administer the entire CLS program, including overseas language institutes in and across all language groups (Option One), or to administer overseas language institutes for no more than two regional language groups (Option Two). Applicants submitting proposals under Option One below must also submit a plan for CLS Virtual Institutes for an approximate minimum of 75 additional participants according to guidance provided in this solicitation. Applicants submitting proposals under Option Two below have the option of also submitting a plan for the CLS Virtual Institutes.

Applicants may submit only one proposal for either Option One or Option Two under this competition. If multiple proposals are received from the same applicant, all submissions will be declared ineligible and receive no further consideration in the review process. ECA reserves the right to accept proposals for Option One or Option Two in whole or in part and to make a single award or multiple awards based on the needs of the program and U.S. foreign policy objectives.

Option One: Administrative Components, Implementation of Language Institutes, and

CLS Virtual Institutes. Submit one proposal to implement the following:

a) Administrative Components including overall program administration, pre-program recruitment and selection of participants, guidance and coordination for all summer institutes, annual meetings, and post-program follow-up activities including programs for alumni of all program years, and

b) Implementation of Language Institutes for all of the regional language groups as described in this solicitation, and

c) CLS Virtual Institutes programming for an approximate minimum of 75 additional participants as described in this solicitation.

Option Two: Implementation of Language Institute(s) only. Submit one proposal to implement summer language institutes for no more than two of the regional language groups according to the guidance in this solicitation. Applicants proposing to implement programs for more than two of the language groups must submit a proposal as described under Option One.

Applicants under Option Two may also choose to submit a plan to implement one or more CLS

Virtual Institutes as described in this solicitation.

B. CLS Institute Locations, Language Levels, and Participant Numbers

Applicants for Option One must propose in-person overseas institutes for all designated CLS

Program languages (currently 15). Applicants for Option Two may propose to administer in-person overseas institutes for the languages in no more than two of the regional language groups detailed below. The minimum target distribution of participants by region and language is detailed below. Applicants are encouraged to maximize the number of proposed participants supported under this award. Participants in the CLS Virtual Institutes do not count toward the minimum target numbers outlined below.

ECA will select – and reserves the right to make changes to – eligible countries, locations, languages, number of proposed participants by language, or other elements of the program design or implementation, considering any Department of State Travel Advisories and other relevant safety and security concerns, the availability of funding, or other factors determined by ECA.

ECA reserves the right to transition one or more overseas institutes to virtual programming if needed to ensure the health and safety of the participants, the integrity of the program, or for other reasons. As part of emergency planning, all applicants must present a plan for transitioning some or all of the proposed CLS language institutes to a virtual format, if deemed necessary by

ECA. The final slate of all institute locations is subject to approval by ECA.

1. Near East and North Africa Region – Arabic Institutes

Arabic Language Institutes:

Participants: 94 participants.

Language Levels: Advanced beginning, intermediate, and advanced.

Locations: Programs may be proposed for countries in North Africa, the Middle East, or the Gulf region, with the exception of Iraq, Libya, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and

Yemen. Programs should not be proposed for the West Bank or Gaza.

Note: Classroom instruction should emphasize Modern Standard Arabic with some class time devoted to colloquial Arabic, particularly in the beginning of the program.

2. East Asia and Pacific Region – Chinese (Mandarin), Indonesian, Japanese, and Korean

Institutes

Chinese (Mandarin) Language Institutes:

Participants: 88 participants.

Language Levels: Intermediate and advanced.

Locations: Programs may be proposed for People’s Republic of China, in cities other than

Beijing and Shanghai in order to maximize language-learning immersion opportunities. At least one institute should be proposed for Taiwan.

Note: Chinese instruction should be in Mandarin only. Teaching materials used in the program should be available in both simplified and traditional character versions. The Hanyu

Pinyin Romanization system should be used.

Indonesian Language Institutes:

Participants: 24 participants.

Language Levels: Beginning, advanced beginning, intermediate, and advanced.

Locations: Programs may be proposed for Indonesia.

Japanese Language Institutes:

Participants: 25 participants.

Language Levels: Intermediate and advanced.

Locations: Programs may be proposed for Japan, in a location other than Tokyo.

Korean Language Institutes:

Participants: 50 participants.

Language Levels: Advanced beginning, intermediate, and advanced.

Locations: Programs may be proposed for South Korea, in locations other than Seoul.

3. Europe Region – Azerbaijani, Russian, and Turkish Institutes

Azerbaijani Language Institute:

Participants: 7 participants.

Locations: Programs may be proposed for Azerbaijan.

Russian Language Institutes:

Participants: 62 participants.

Language Levels: Advanced beginning, intermediate and advanced.

Locations: Programs may be proposed for Russia and countries in the Russian Periphery where Russian is commonly spoken. In Russia, institutes should be proposed for locations other than Moscow or St. Petersburg.

Turkish Language Institute:

Participants: 22 participants.

Locations: Programs may be proposed for Turkey.

4. South Central Asia Region – Indic and Persian Institutes

Indic Language Institutes – Bangla, Hindi, Punjabi, and Urdu:

Participants: 57 participants with the following approximate distribution: Bangla – 8 students; Hindi – 25 students; Punjabi – 8 students; Urdu – 16 students.

Language Levels: Instruction for all Indic languages should be available at beginning, advanced beginning, intermediate, and advanced.

Locations: Programs may be proposed for India, in locations other than New Delhi.

Persian Language Institutes:

Participants: 20 participants.

Language Levels: Beginning, advanced beginning, intermediate, and advanced.

Locations: Programs may be proposed for Tajikistan or other country outside of Iran where Persian is commonly spoken.

Note: Classroom instruction should emphasize Farsi, with some class time devoted to the local Persian dialect, particularly at the beginning of the program.

5. Sub-Saharan Africa Region AND Western Hemisphere Region –

Swahili and Portuguese Institutes

Swahili Language Institute:

Participants: 26 participants.

Locations: Programs may be proposed for countries where Swahili is commonly spoken.

Portuguese Language Institute:

Participants: 25 participants.

Language Levels: Advanced beginning, intermediate, and advanced.

Locations: Programs may be proposed for Brazil.

Note: A bridge course for Spanish-speaking participants may be proposed as part of the

Portuguese institute.

C. CLS Virtual Institutes

CLS Virtual Institutes are intended to reach new or expanded audiences of American students, including those underrepresented in study abroad (according to the most recent Open Doors

Report) and/or those without access to the selected critical languages at their U.S. colleges or universities, as well as to build capacity for virtual programming. Priority languages for the CLS

Virtual Institutes are Arabic, Chinese, Korean, Persian, Portuguese, and Russian.

Applicants under Option One are required to submit plans to conduct CLS Virtual Institutes in one or more of the priority languages for an approximate minimum of 75 participants in total; the budget for this component should not exceed $500,000. Applicants under Option Two may choose to submit a plan to implement CLS Virtual Institutes in one or more of the priority languages for a minimum of 20 participants in total; the budget for this component should not exceed $135,000.

Applicants should propose a creative model to expand access to critical language instruction and facilitate rapid language gain through a virtual format. The applicant may propose individual or group-based language learning activities or models. It is expected that the applicant will partner with an overseas language school or educational institution to provide the majority of the online instruction, authentic cultural experiences, and opportunities for engagement with native speakers.

The proposed model may allow for virtual engagement with the people and cultures of countries and cities that are not included in (or are specifically excluded from) the in-person institute locations outlined above in Section B. CLS Institute Locations, Language Levels, and Participant

Numbers. The proposed model should include plans for assisting program participants in identifying and planning for follow-up language learning opportunities in line with their career goals.

The timeframe for the language learning activities in this model is flexible and need not adhere to the regular CLS program of eight to ten weeks conducted in the summer months. The model may focus on specific student populations at U.S. colleges and universities that are underrepresented in study abroad (as determined by the Open Doors Report), rather than students nationwide. For example, a CLS Virtual Institute may focus on students enrolled at community colleges or at minority-serving institutions. The application and selection process for this model may be integrated with the regular CLS application and selection process (for applicants under Option

One), or may be handled in a separate process.

https://opendoorsdata.org/data/us-study-abroad/ https://opendoorsdata.org/data/us-study-abroad/

The proposed program should maximize language learning within a cultural and historical context and include creative ways to connect American participants with peers from locations where these languages are widely spoken. Applicants may propose to include content related to a particular theme to be integrated with the language instruction. Applicants may also propose a specialized course, designed for appropriate language skill levels, that focuses on a specific content areas such as the environment, public health, or economic development. The model may include a short in-person overseas component for some or all of the participants that builds upon the virtual program. Any plan that includes in-person overseas activities should also include a plan to transition to all virtual activities, if needed.

Proposals should include a clear description of how the model will reach new or expanded audiences for critical language learning, provide a detailed implementation plan, and identify and describe the qualifications of all potential partners. Proposals should specify the total hours of formal classroom language instruction during the program, describe complementary learning activities, both synchronous and asynchronous, and include a plan for pre and post-program oral proficiency testing utilizing a standardized assessment tool.

ECA reserves the right to accept or reject any proposal for the CLS Virtual Institutes in whole or in part, and utilize some or all of the funding to support additional participants in the traditional

CLS summer program.

D. U.S. Department of State Responsibilities

In a Cooperative Agreement, ECA/A/S/Q is substantially involved in program activities above and beyond routine award monitoring. The ECA/A/S/Q program office’s activities and responsibilities for this program are detailed below.

1. Administrative Components:

Provide guidance in the execution of all major program components.

Review and approve all CLS print and online materials prior to publication.

Review and approve the recruitment and outreach strategy.

Work with the award recipient to publicize the program through various media outlets.

Review and approve all publications, feature stories, and interview requests.

Review and approve official CLS website and social media platforms.

Review and approve the CLS application form and all award documentation, including

Terms and Conditions.

Review and approve the selection process; observe selection committee panels.

Approve the selection of finalists and alternate candidates.

Review and approve partner or implementing organizations, including budgets and plans.

Review and approve emergency or contingency operation plans.

Approve any changes in key project staff members.

Approve the scope of work and resumes for consultants hired to perform key program functions.

Facilitate cooperation with other federally-supported programs aimed at critical language learning and/or U.S. study abroad.

Provide input on meeting topics and participate in annual Institute Directors’ meeting.

Participate in the annual planning meeting, sharing U.S. Department of State priorities.

Review and approve all alumni activities and follow-up events.

Review and approve all program evaluation activities, including participant and alumni surveys.

Monitor the progress of the award recipient at each stage of the project’s implementation.

2. Implementation of Language Institutes:

Review and approve all print and online materials regarding the institutes before publication and dissemination.

Review and approve CLS institute plans and schedules including plans for language instruction, cultural enrichment activities, excursions, housing arrangements, language partners, and teacher training.

Review and approve partner or implementing organizations, including budgets and plans.

Review and approve all virtual programming planned as part of the ongoing program or in response to emergency conditions.

Advise on and participate in pre-departure orientations.

Coordinate with U.S. Embassies to provide security briefings at arrival orientations.

Facilitate the inclusion of CLS participants in Embassy/Consulate activities as appropriate.

Assist in liaising with appropriate U.S. Department of State offices, including the regional bureaus and overseas posts.

Consult on participant support issues and approve all participant early returns from the program.

Approve any changes in key project staff members.

Approve the scope of work and resumes for consultants hired to perform key program functions.

Review and approve modifications to program locations, placement numbers, implementing organizations, or program structure.

Facilitate access to ECA’s Accident and Sickness Program for Exchanges (ASPE).

Monitor the progress of the award recipient(s) at each stage of the project’s implementation.

E. Award Recipient Responsibilities

Primary responsibilities under the CLS award(s) are divided between Administrative Components and Implementation of Language Institutes. Award recipients under Option One would be responsible for the Administrative Components, the Implementation of Language Institutes and the CLS Virtual Institutes. Award recipients under Option Two would only be responsible for the

Implementation of Language Institutes and, if proposed and awarded, the implementation of the

CLS Virtual Institutes.

1. Administrative Components

Award recipient responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

Develop and implement plans for outreach and recruit a strong pool of qualified candidates that represent the diversity of the United States.

Develop an online application form, and application and screening process.

Respond to and manage a significant volume of queries and applications.

Conduct a merit-based selection process with clearly identified criteria for the selection.

Recommend final participants and alternates to ECA for approval.

Prepare and send notifications of selection or non-selection to all applicants.

Notify all institute program administrators of final participants and alternates.

Maintain, and regularly update, a database of applicant and participant information, protecting personally identifiable information.

Arrange standardized pre-program testing of all participants’ language proficiency.

Collaborate with all award recipients to conduct post-program language proficiency testing.

Consult with ECA on a plan for notifying Congressional representatives and state governors of the participation of students from their districts/states and prepare notification letters.

Create and manage an official website and social media accounts for CLS.

Consult with ECA on a plan to create and distribute press release notifications.

Plan and facilitate an annual planning meeting with key staff of all award recipients and

ECA.

Plan and facilitate an annual Institute Directors’ meeting.

Develop a plan for rapid and responsive coordination in the event of an emergency that impacts individuals or groups.

Propose and implement effective ways to communicate the impact of the CLS Program to stakeholders and the public.

Design and implement a virtual re-entry orientation that is available to students shortly after returning from their overseas experience.

Create and maintain a database to track CLS alumni of all program years.

Develop alumni activities to further language learning, promote career development, strengthen alumni networks, and increase outreach to potential applicants.

Work collaboratively with other organizations, if any, receiving awards for the implementation of language institutes.

Implement activities associated with the CLS Virtual Institutes, if included in the award.

Develop and implement a robust evaluation plan as described in this solicitation.

Manage all implementing organizations, both programmatically and financially.

Submit all reports and requested program information to ECA in a timely manner.

2. Implementation of Language Institutes

Primary responsibilities of the award recipient(s) include, but are not limited to, the following:

Provide management and coordination for all language institute activities under the award.

Design, plan, and implement overseas courses of intensive study for U.S. undergraduate and graduate students that focus primarily on the acquisition of language.

Design and implement program activities that build relevant cross-cultural skills.

Manage all implementing organizations, both programmatically and financially.

Coordinate with the award recipient for the Administrative Components on overall administrative activities, including the implementation of institutes, orientations, outreach, publicity, and follow-up activities.

Develop a comprehensive emergency and contingency operations plan, including transition to virtual programs if needed.

Adhere to CLS program policies and operational guidelines.

Collaborate in the planning and participate in the implementation of the annual planning meeting and the annual Institute Directors’ meeting.

Provide participants with program information and pre-departure materials, including virtual webinars, in advance of the pre-departure orientation.

Provide a substantive pre-departure orientation for each institute.

Make international and domestic travel arrangements for the participants.

Enroll participants in ASPE and/or alternative health benefits, and assist with claims as necessary.

Ensure all participants are registered in the U.S. Department of State’s Smart Traveler

Enrollment Program (STEP) in advance of travel abroad.

Design and execute a comprehensive in-country arrival orientation, including a security briefing by the appropriate U.S. Embassy/Consulate whenever possible.

Develop institute-specific handbook(s).

Provide all housing and meals for the participants.

Ensure that all participants receive the required hours of language instruction.

Develop and facilitate educational and cultural enrichment activities that enhance language learning.

Monitor participant safety and well-being, and ensure on-program support for participants.

Provide an in-country closing session and re-entry workshop for each institute.

Implement activities associated with the CLS Virtual Institutes, if included in the award.

Respond fully and promptly to requests from ECA and/or the Administrative Components award recipient for information relating to participants and alumni.

Submit all reports and requested program information to ECA in a timely manner.

F. Scholarship Coverage

The award recipient(s) will ensure that the CLS Program scholarship covers the following program expenses in accordance with guidance in this solicitation:

Travel: Round-trip domestic travel between the participant's city of residence, to the pre-departure orientation (if held in-person), and to the overseas CLS institute location

Orientations: Pre-departure, arrival, and re-entry orientations

Visas: Host country entry/exit and transit visas, as needed

Tuition and related academic expenses: Including support and testing for placement and language acquisition

Educational and cultural programming: Include extra-curricular activities, academic programs, and language-focused excursions within the host country

Meals: Three meals per day, provided through the program, host family, or stipend

Accommodations: With a host family or in a dormitory or other appropriate group housing

Health Benefits: Accident and Sickness Program for Exchanges (ASPE) health benefits, provided by the U.S. Department of State, or equivalent approved health insurance for overseas programs

Stipend: To cover additional living expenses, local transportation, and incidentals. In the event of virtual programming, modest stipends may be included to help defray the cost of access to computer equipment and/or connectivity.

The CLS Program does not cover the following:

Passports: Costs associated with obtaining a valid U.S. passport

Medical: Required medical examinations and immunizations; health benefits beyond

ASPE

Additional Funds: The CLS Program may cover incidentals in addition to the stipend, such as passports and/or medical expenses, in cases of unusual hardship, as determined by the award recipient(s) and approved by ECA

II. PROGRAM SPECIFIC GUIDELINES

The primary program responsibilities under the CLS award(s) are divided between Administrative

Components and Implementation of Language Institutes. The program specific guidelines below are detailed accordingly. Guidelines for the CLS Virtual Institutes are described above in Section

I. C. CLS Virtual Institutes. Award recipients under Option One would be responsible for both the Administrative Components and the Implementation of Language Institutes, as well as the

CLS Virtual Institutes, if approved by ECA. Award recipients under Option Two would only be responsible for the Implementation of Language Institutes and, if proposed and approved by

ECA, the CLS Virtual Institutes. Any or all of the activities described below may be held virtually rather than in-person if deemed necessary and appropriate by ECA.

1. ADMINISTRATIVE COMPONENTS

One award recipient will be selected to manage the Administrative Components of the CLS

Program comprising the following key areas of responsibility: Program Planning and

Management; Program Promotion and Outreach; Application and Selection of Participants; and

Post-Program and Alumni Activities.

A. Program Planning and Management

Annual Planning Meeting: Convene an annual planning meeting, either in Washington, DC or online, at the start of the award for key personnel of all CLS award recipients and ECA staff.

Institute Directors’ Meeting: Plan and implement a meeting for all overseas institute directors and relevant ECA staff to ensure that a single worldwide program identity is cultivated and maintained, and to share and discuss policies, procedures, and best practices. This multi-day meeting should be held in January or February of the program year and be planned in close consultation with ECA and other award recipient(s), if any. The meeting may be held either in

Washington, DC, or online, as approved in advance by ECA. Each award recipient and each overseas CLS institute should be represented by at least one participant at the meeting. ECA will present U.S. Department of State foreign policy priorities that are relevant to the CLS Program.

Program Coordination: Provide overall coordination of key program activities with ECA and other award recipient(s). Conduct regular meetings in-person or virtually with the ECA Program

Officer and key personnel, including staff of other award recipients. Provide ECA with minutes of these meetings, including action items and key deadlines. Develop a calendar and timeline of key program activities.

Emergency and Contingency Operating Plans: Develop a comprehensive plan for rapid and responsive coordination to ensure the safety and well-being of participants in the event of an emergency that impacts individuals or groups. Clearly identify lines of responsibility and communication with ECA, other award recipients, sub-recipients, institute staff, participants, and appropriate U.S. Embassies or Consulates.

Database: Develop and maintain a secure database for applicant and participant information. All statistical information collected on ECA-funded program participants should be transferable to databases maintained by ECA. All records and data collected, including survey responses and contact information, must be maintained for a minimum of three years and be provided to ECA upon request. Secure and protect all personally identifiable information. Refer to F.4 Program

Data Requirements in the NOFO for further guidance.

Language Assessment: Identify and use a standardized language assessment tool to evaluate the baseline and post-program oral proficiency language skills of all CLS participants. After the completion of the post-program assessments, provide ECA with the assessment results, including analyses by language and institute.

Congressional and Gubernatorial Notifications: Manage all administrative tasks associated with sending notifications to Members of the U.S. Congress and Governors of U.S. states and territories, as well as the Mayor of Washington DC, about CLS participants in their respective locales.

Operational Guidelines: Work with ECA and other award recipient(s) to gather CLS Program policies and procedures into one comprehensive set of Operational Guidelines to help ensure consistency of policy and procedures across all organizations and institutes. In consultation with

ECA, develop and/or refine additional policies and procedures to be included in the Operational

Guidelines.

Build Relationships: For purposes of program promotion, leveraging resources, and providing alumni opportunities, the award recipient should cultivate relationships with organizations that implement other ECA-sponsored exchange programs including, but not limited to, the National

Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y), Teachers of Critical Languages Program

(TCLP), Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant (FLTA) program, the Benjamin A.

Gilman International Scholarship Program, and the Fulbright U.S. Student Program, as well as other U.S. government-funded critical language programs, such as STARTALK and The

Language Flagship.

B. Program Promotion and Outreach

Outreach Plan: Propose a comprehensive plan to publicize and recruit a strong pool of qualified candidates from U.S. colleges and universities nationwide. Propose ideas to ensure that applicants represent the diversity of the United States. The definition of diversity includes, but is not limited to, ethnicity, race, gender, disabilities, religion, socio-economic status, geographic location, and educational institution. To the fullest extent possible, the proposal should address and encourage the participation of traditionally underserved audiences and those who may not otherwise have the opportunity to study language abroad, as well as those without access to courses in critical languages at their institutions. Special attention should be paid to the recruitment and support through the application process of eligible students from Historically

Black Colleges and Universities, other Minority-Serving Institutions, and community colleges.

The proposal must describe how the CLS Program will be publicized to colleges and universities, relevant organizations, and media outlets, including print, online, and broadcast, to reach the widest possible audience of qualified students. The proposed recruitment plan should include print and online promotional materials; mail and email notifications; in-person and/or virtual campus visits and presentations; conference participation (presentations and exhibits); outreach to

CLS advisors; and other in-person or online recruitment activities. The recruitment plan will be subject to ongoing coordination and approval by ECA. ECA may request that the award recipient collaborate with other ECA-sponsored programs on some outreach activities, including but not limited to, conference participation, campus visits, and advisor workshops.

Print and Electronic Materials: Ensure that all print and electronic materials (online application, websites, digital resources, brochures, press releases, announcements, etc.) developed for promotional purposes and related to the program comply with ECA’s Communications

Guidance. The award recipient must ensure that ECA and the U.S. Department of State are prominently identified as the program sponsor in all publicity and other scholarship program materials. All recruitment materials must prioritize the U.S. Department of State and the CLS

Program branding identities, which should predominate in the materials. The award recipient must use the U.S. Department of State seal, the U.S. flag, and the CLS logo on all materials related to the program as delineated in ECA’s Communications Guidance. All CLS-related print and electronic materials must be submitted to ECA for approval in advance of publication and distribution. ECA retains copyright use of materials and will determine how and where to distribute materials related to this program.

Publicity: On a regular and timely basis provide ECA with participant and alumni highlights, photos, videos, press coverage, and the like that may be used to publicize the program. Work closely with ECA to publicize the achievements of CLS participants. Inform ECA of any publicity that highlights the CLS program or CLS participants, or otherwise strengthens outreach efforts, particularly those that involve government officials and the media. When the media interacts with

CLS participants or alumni, the award recipient should make every effort to identify CLS as a

U.S. Department of State-sponsored program, unless otherwise advised by ECA or the Public

Affairs Section of a U.S. Embassy/Consulate.

CLS Digital Presence: Develop and maintain a dedicated and dynamic CLS Program website that is mobile responsive. The CLS website should include comprehensive information about the

CLS institutes; application information and frequently asked questions; lists of past CLS participants by institution; resources for CLS campus advisors; program highlights; impact stories and data; and alumni resources.

Maintain an active and engaging presence on social media accounts for recruitment, program promotion, and sharing program impacts. Provide ECA with analytics for all CLS digital properties and full administrative access to the CLS digital properties, including user names and passwords. Work closely with ECA to highlight and amplify program impacts and outcomes on social media. ECA welcomes innovative ideas for leveraging online technologies to enhance participant and alumni engagement. Refer to D.3i Virtual Exchange Component in the NOFO.

CLS Campus Advisors: Engage with faculty and staff at colleges and universities across the country for the recruitment and advising of CLS applicants. Maintain and further develop a diverse network of CLS campus advisors. Devise an online mechanism for sharing the names of

CLS applicants with the appropriate campus advisor(s) at key points in the application and selection process, including, but not limited to, when an application is started. The list of CLS campus advisors should be made available to ECA staff upon request and posted on the public

CLS Program website to enable students to locate their campus advisors. When registering to serve as a CLS campus advisor, individuals should be permitted to opt out of being listed on the https://eca.state.gov/comms-guidance public website. Provide online resources and toolkits to CLS advisors to support CLS applicants and alumni. Participate in, and engage the CLS advisor network in training activities sponsored by

ECA and contribute ideas for activities (virtual or in-person) that support and develop the CLS campus advisor network. Proposals that describe innovative ideas for campus engagement, particularly in the development of a robust and diverse CLS campus advisor corps, are encouraged.

C. Application and Selection of Participants

Application: Develop a comprehensive online application. Monitor the online system to minimize and promptly address technical problems. The award recipient must be capable of accommodating applicants who cannot apply online. Any paper-based applications must be entered into the online system by the award recipient. All application materials and associated data must be available in a sortable, searchable, database format that can be easily shared with

ECA upon request. Respond to and manage all general inquiries and application questions.

Record and track all inquiries related to problems or issues with any part of the application process. The applicant should describe its capacity to manage a significant volume of queries and applications.

Eligibility Criteria: Ensure that the following minimum criteria are used to recruit CLS applicants: U.S. citizenship; 18 years of age prior to the start of the summer institutes (the award recipient may select a cut-off date for the summer programs in consultation with ECA); enrolled in an accredited U.S. degree-granting program at the undergraduate (associate's, bachelor's) or graduate (master's, doctoral, professional degree) level at the time of application; and completed at least one year academic year of study prior to the start of the summer institutes. ECA will provide additional eligibility requirements, including criteria related to employment with the

Department or award recipient organizations. ECA reserves the right to amend the eligibility requirements.

Review and Selection: Conduct a nationwide merit-based competition for U.S. undergraduate and graduate students with clearly defined criteria and a formal selection process. ECA will approve the overall selection plan and specific selection criteria. A general statement about the selection criteria should be included in the promotional materials for potential applicants.

At a minimum, successful applications should demonstrate the following:

Strong motivation to learn the target language;

Academic excellence;

A plan to continue language study;

A connection to academic and professional career goals;

Evidence of ability to succeed in an intensive group-based language study program;

Personal qualities associated with successful exchange participants, such as maturity, strong social skills, flexibility, adaptability, open-mindedness, and respect for other peoples and cultures; and

Language skills of the appropriate level for the target language, as detailed in this solicitation.

Selected students should represent diversity of institutional type and fields of study, a balance between genders, and a balance between undergraduate and graduate students, to the extent possible. Special attention should be paid to ensure geographic diversity and, to the extent possible, that selected participants represent all U.S. states and territories. All other factors being equal, preference should be given to candidates who have not had extensive recent experience abroad. Duty abroad in the Armed Forces of the United States is not considered experience abroad for the purposes of this program. All other factors being equal, veterans of the U.S.

Armed Forces must be given preference in selection, and this preference takes precedence over all other preferences.

Selection Panels: The award recipient should convene selection panels to review applications and rank the candidates for final approval by ECA. All selection panels should be conducted virtually. Selection panels should include representatives of a variety of types and locations of

U.S. educational institutions. Panelists should include staff and faculty associated with study abroad, fellowships, and regional or language studies, and may be selected from the ranks of CLS campus advisors or may be new to the CLS Program.

Terms and Conditions: In consultation with ECA, develop CLS Program Terms and

Conditions. The key conditions, benefits, and terms of the program should be fully described to candidates before they accept the award. Ensure that all finalists agree to the program Terms and

Conditions, as well as other forms and documents as required by ECA.

Health Information and Accommodations: Propose a process to collect health history information for finalists and alternates to help ensure participants’ health and safety on the program. Work with ECA and institute staff to make reasonable accommodations for participants as needed. Protect all personally identifiable information.

Institute Placement: Work with other award recipients, if any, to assign finalists to particular institutes based on language level, overseas experience, and other relevant criteria to ensure that each candidate is placed into an appropriate program to the extent possible. The proposal should address how the participants’ language skills will be assessed for placement purposes, and on what basis program assignments will be made. Provide applicant information as needed to other award recipients and institutes for the purpose of placing and supporting participants on program.

U.S. Department of State Approval: Provide ECA with lists of finalists and alternates for approval prior to notification. Lists should include educational institute, field of study, level of study (graduate or undergraduate), and should indicate candidates who are alumni of the CLS

Program.

Applicant Notification: Prepare and send notifications to all finalists, alternates, and non-selected applicants. Manage the acceptance process, advancing alternates to replace declinations on a timely basis and with ECA approval.

D. Post-Program and Alumni Activities

Re-entry orientation: Develop and conduct one or more online re-entry orientation sessions for participants from all CLS institutes, including information on the following: connecting the CLS experience to career goals; opportunities for further language learning; building alumni networks;

sharing the CLS experience; non-competitive eligibility for federal employment; and promoting the CLS Program and U.S. study abroad programs. Develop an online re-entry resource document and ensure that all CLS participants receive the document at or before program completion.

Certificates: Provide program alumni who have successfully completed the program and all requirements with appropriate certificates for program completion, language proficiency test results, and non-competitive eligibility for federal employment conferred by Executive Order

13750.

Alumni Programming: Propose innovative ideas for alumni follow-on activities with a dedicated budget. Designate one staff member whose primary responsibilities are to oversee alumni activities in coordination with ECA and any other implementing organizations. Plan and facilitate virtual and/or in-person alumni activities for CLS alumni of all program years.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to propose virtual programming, either synchronous or asynchronous, aimed at supporting alumni in maintaining and further improving their language skills and/or applying their language skills in their studies and/or careers. Language resources may be developed in partnership with domestic or overseas educational institutions or may be purchased from reputable vendors.

Facilitate the involvement of CLS alumni from all program years in supporting the current and future program through recruitment, publicity, outreach, virtual exchanges, mentoring, pre-program preparation, and program planning. Propose and/or develop creative and effective ways to assist alumni in building supportive networks, continuing their foreign language studies, and utilizing their CLS experiences in their careers.

CLS Alumni Ambassadors: Conduct an annual competition among former participants to select

CLS Alumni Ambassadors. Provide training and support for Alumni Ambassadors to assist in program promotion, outreach, networking, career-development, and language-focused activities.

Tracking Alumni: Create and maintain a database to track alumni from all CLS program years, integrating existing alumni data. Conduct at least one survey of all CLS alumni to help assess long-term program impact during the three-year award period. All records and data collected, including survey responses and contact information, must be maintained for a minimum of three years and be provided to ECA upon request. Secure and protect all personally identifiable information. The FY 2022 award recipient should be prepared to work with ECA and the current award recipient on building an alumni database.

International Exchange Alumni Website and Non-Competitive Eligibility: Encourage participants and alumni to register on the U.S. Department of State’s International Exchange

Alumni website (https://alumni.state.gov/). Ensure that applicants, participants, and alumni are aware of the benefit of non-competitive eligibility for federal employment for alumni who have successfully completed the program.

Alumni Program Linkages: Facilitate interactions and cooperation between CLS alumni and alumni of other U.S. Department of State-sponsored programs. Encourage linkages to other federally-sponsored language programs to share resources, pursue common goals, and inspire

CLS alumni to pursue language mastery.

2. IMPLEMENTATION OF LANGUAGE INSTITUTES

A. Overall Program Management

The CLS Program provides intensive language instruction in a classroom setting, as well as immersion in the cultural, social, and educational life of the host country. All proposals to implement CLS language institutes must adhere to the following guidance.

Staffing: Propose a Project Director to oversee the entire program supported by the award. The

Project Director will serve as the main point of contact for ECA. Provide an overall staffing plan including level of effort for each position. ECA will approve key project staff, as well as any changes in key staff during the program period.

Identify an Institute Director for each overseas language institute. Ensure that all institutes are appropriately staffed to ensure the successful delivery of high-quality language immersion program and provide adequate support and guidance to participants.

Assign and train a Resident Director, preferably a U.S. citizen, who speaks both English and the target language to each institute. The Resident Director serves as the primary on-site resource and support for students regarding academic, social, and/or personal issues on program.

Partner Implementing Organizations: ECA anticipates that award recipient(s) will identify qualified overseas partner organizations to directly implement most or all of the overseas language https://alumni.state.gov/ institutes. The applicant may propose to directly implement some institutes or specific components of one or more language institutes. Work with the overseas implementing organizations to design, plan, and implement CLS institutes focused on language acquisition and cultural immersion. Ensure that all CLS institutes maintain program standards and meet all program requirements.

Annual Meeting: The award recipient for the Administrative Components will be responsible for convening an in-person or virtual planning meeting. Each applicant’s budget proposal should include travel funds for the annual planning meeting (one day; U.S. based staff only) and the annual Institute Directors’ meeting (three days; one representative from each overseas institute) in

Washington, DC, in case the meetings are held in-person.

Publicity: Provide ECA with participant and alumni highlights, success stories, photos, videos, press coverage, and the like that may be used to publicize the program, including any relevant permissions. It is essential that ECA receive program highlights at least weekly during the implementation of the summer institutes, and on a regular basis throughout the year. Collaborate with the award recipient for the Administrative Components to share and amplify program highlights on social media and other publicity materials.

Inform ECA and the award recipient for Administrative Components of any publicity that highlights the CLS Program or CLS participants, or otherwise strengthens outreach efforts, particularly those that involve government officials and the media. When the media interacts with

CLS participants or alumni, the award recipient should make every effort to identify CLS as a

U.S. Department of State-sponsored program, unless otherwise advised by ECA or the Public

Affairs Section of a U.S. Embassy/Consulate.

Print and Electronic Materials: Ensure that all print and electronic materials related to the program comply with ECA’s Communications Guidance. The award recipient must ensure that

ECA and the U.S. Department of State are prominently identified as the program sponsor in all publicity and other scholarship program materials. ECA retains copyright use of, and may distribute, materials related to this program as it sees fit.

U.S. Embassy/Consulate Coordination: Establish a working relationship with the Public

Affairs Section (PAS) of the relevant U.S. Embassy/Consulate for each institute. Invite PAS to participate in the arrival orientation and request a security briefing by the Embassy’s Regional

Security Officer or other U.S. Embassy official. ECA will assist in facilitating initial communication between PAS and CLS institute staff. ECA encourages PAS staff to engage with

CLS participants on program. To that end, institutes should invite PAS participation in CLS events (such as closing ceremonies and project presentations), and respond to requests or invitations from PAS, as appropriate. If the political situation in any country results in the need for the Embassy to assume more responsibility, the award recipient and institute staff should work with the Embassy as appropriate.

Alumni: Work with ECA and the recipient for the Administrative Components to support the planning and implementation of alumni activities. Provide feedback on alumni activities and updates to the alumni database, as appropriate. Costs for follow-on activities may be included in the budget. However, ECA expects that most alumni activities will be conducted by the award recipient for Administrative Components.

Emergency and Contingency Planning: In order to ensure participant safety and well-being, provide a comprehensive plan to address emergencies that may occur before or during the program that may impact individual…