FY24 Access NOFO.pdf

U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) Funding Opportunity Title: FY 2024 English Access Scholarship Program Announcement Type: New Cooperative Agreement Funding Opportunity Number: SFOP0010323 Assistance Listing (formerly CFDA) Number: 19.421 Deadline for Applications: May 28, 2024

Executive Summary:

The English Access Scholarship Program (formerly the English Access Microscholarship Program), established in 2004, is a multifaceted public diplomacy initiative at the forefront of global English language learning and the enhancement of English teaching capacity. With over 200,000 student alumni and over 10,000 teacher alumni in more than 85 countries, the English Access Scholarship Program (Access) is recognized as a high-profile, strategic program that supports U.S. foreign policy objectives, while providing educational opportunities for future leaders globally. Emphasizing critical thinking and employing student-centered and communicative approaches, the program's teaching methodology targets bright, underserved students, primarily aged 13 to 20. The Access Program focuses on four pillars that are integrated into all components of the program: global citizenship themes, 21st-century skills, U.S. culture and values, and communicative English language instruction. The Office of English Language Programs (ECA/A/L), Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs anticipates approximately 15,000 participants, including teachers, students, and alumni. Programming may be in-person, virtual, or hybrid and occur in-country, in the region, and in the United States.

ECA launched the Access Program in 2004. The program has expanded to become a foundational element in the Bureau’s continuum of exchanges to reach younger and more diverse audiences worldwide. For nearly over a decade, professional development for teachers has also been an integral part of the program. Many Access programs are serving as model classrooms for English teaching in their countries.

Only one proposal will be considered by ECA from each applicant organization. In cases where more than one submission from an applicant appears in grants.gov, ECA will only consider the submission made closest in time to the NOFO deadline; that submission would constitute the one and only proposal ECA would review from that applicant.

A. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

A.1. Authority Overall grant making authority for this program is contained in the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961, Public Law 87-256, as amended, also known as the Fulbright- Hays Act. The purpose of the Act is "to enable the Government of the United States to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries...; to strengthen the ties which unite us with other nations by demonstrating the educational and cultural interests, developments, and achievements of the people of the United States and other nations...and thus to assist in the development of friendly, sympathetic and peaceful relations between the United States and the other countries of the world." The funding authority for the program above is provided through legislation.

A.2. Purpose The Access Program is a high-profile public diplomacy initiative that provides participating U.S. embassies an opportunity to demonstrate our country's dedication to education and mutual understanding.

Access provides young people with English and leadership skills and empowers them to make a difference in their communities. It also enhances their eligibility for future U.S. exchanges or study programs. The program strategically leverages the global demand for English to build relationships with future leaders, influential educational institutions, and other key populations, even in challenging diplomatic contexts. While the Access Program exposes participants to U.S. culture and democratic values through English language scholarships and alumni opportunities, the program is also a professional development opportunity for teachers.

For every Access student in the classroom, their teacher instructs three times as many students in other public or private school classrooms.

Access equips teachers with updated TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) methodology. Training Access teachers on how to teach content on global citizenship themes and U.S. culture through student-centered, communicative pedagogy creates a multiplier effect as teachers implement the skills and knowledge acquired through the Access programs in their local classrooms. The program offers specialized training for teachers, focusing on student-centered learning, critical thinking methodologies, democratic values, and 21st century skills through the lens of contemporary U.S. culture. It also includes local, regional, or U.S.-based professional development opportunities, enabling teachers to act as role models and mentors, thereby enhancing English teaching proficiency and understanding of U.S. culture and values in their respective countries and regions.

U.S. embassies compete for funding annually, through an application process to demonstrate how their programming targets strategic audiences and locations and aligns with U.S. public diplomacy objectives.

A critical component of the Access Program is the creation of an innovative public diplomacy-focused curriculum that will serve as the foundation of the teacher professional development, supported through the Access Teacher Community of Practice (CoP).

A.3. Program Specific Guidelines

Participants will be identified and/or selected by the U.S. embassies and consulates in participating countries, with participant numbers based on funding determined by ECA/A/L.

U.S. embassies and consulates will also recommend the schools or other in-country educational service providers that conduct the classes and training with the final approval of ECA/A/L.

Programming may be in-person, virtual, or hybrid and occur in-country, in the region, and in the United States. (Note: Throughout this NOFO, these schools, NGOs and other partners will be referred to as "in-country educational service providers.”) ECA/A/L will inform the recipient of the participating countries globally and the funding levels for each country.

A.4. Recipient Responsibilities The responsibilities of the recipient organization include but are not limited to the following:

1. Program Management:

a. Strategic Planning and Management: Collaborate with ECA/A/L on the overall management of all components of the program, including scholarships, teacher professional development, and alumni programming.

b. Curriculum Development: At the direction of ECA/A/L, develop new Access curriculum, to include lesson plans focused on global citizenship themes, 21st century skills, U.S. culture and values, and communicative TESOL methodology, along with developing professional development resources. As directed by ECA/A/L, the recipient, with the assistance of educational consultants as needed, may identify, create, curate, moderate, and copy-edit learning resources and other training materials to be shared through in-person and virtual training platforms, such as on the CoP. Content should focus on contemporary U.S. culture that incorporates U.S. values, critical thinking, and service learning in addition to teaching methodology.

c. Documentation: Develop official documentation of the entire lifecycle of the program, e.g. proposals, agreements, reports, monitoring documents, etc. The recipient will manage an existing open-source online information management system to track all documentation.

d. Program Systems and Lifecycle: Collaborate with ECA/A/L to design systems to manage the lifecycle of the program at ECA/A/L’s direction. Develop and maintain information management system(s) and CoP platform and ensure systems are customized for the Access program and meet the needs of and are accessible to all stakeholders. The online systems must be on an open-source platform.

e. Review/Oversight: Collect, review, provide feedback, and seek revisions to official program documentation, e.g. proposals, agreements, reports, monitoring documents, etc., from the in-country educational service providers on a schedule agreed to by the U.S. embassies and the providers. Send reminders about when official program documentation is due and overdue. Review all program documentation, e.g., country applications for funding and risk mitigation, proposals, reports, monitoring documents, etc., for compliance with criteria for successful programming based on guidance from ECA/A/L. Raise concerns, highlight successes, and make recommendations to ECA/A/L.

f. Enhanced Monitoring: Provide enhanced monitoring of local scholarship programs in countries with a scholarship funding level of $250,000 or more to ensure proper accountability and compliance with program requirements and achievement of performance goals. ECA/A/L will work with the recipient to identify the appropriate countries and to approve the organizations and/or individuals who will conduct enhanced monitoring activities under this award. At the direction of ECA/A/L, the recipient may hire (a) consultant(s) to develop and conduct in-depth monitoring of Access programs in the field and coordinate all travel itineraries and arrangements.

g. Additional Programming: Support in-country, regional, or U.S. programming for alumni, teachers, directors, administrators, and ministry officials as requested by ECA/A/L. Support programming for other relevant audiences, as designated by

ECA/A/L.

h. Staff Professional Development: At the direction of ECA/A/L, recipient organization staff may use funding to attend trainings, conferences, etc. relevant to their work to ensure staff are up to date on the latest developments.

i. Post-Funded Programs: The recipient will make administrative systems and templates available for post-funded programs to use.

j. In-person meetings: At the direction of ECA/A/L, recipient organization staff will attend at least two in-person meetings with ECA/A/L staff.

2. Professional Development for Teachers and Administrators

a. In coordination with ECA/A/L, assess Access teachers’ needs for teacher training resources and administrative support resources, including curriculum, lesson plans, testing and program materials.

b. In coordination with ECA/A/L, assess Access administrators’ needs for training and develop resources and trainings as needed. This includes, but is not limited to, training and resources for the program lifecycle, financial management, and systems adoption.

c. As requested by ECA/A/L, the recipient may develop and conduct training for English language teaching and learning; coordinate and support the deployment of this training overseas; and design professional development activities to allow educators to use the curriculum most effectively abroad.

d. At the direction of ECA/A/L, fund teacher and administrator training activities developed by Regional English Language Officers (RELOs) in the field for current and potential Access teachers and administrators and provide trainers, curriculum, and training materials as appropriate.

3. Community of Practice (CoP)

a. The recipient, or another entity such as a technology development organization identified through a competition, will develop, maintain, and update as necessary an online CoP for teachers, administrators, and U.S. embassy staff and may be expanded at the request of ECA/A/L to include students and alumni.

b. In collaboration with ECA/A/L, the recipient will create an engaging, dynamic, user-friendly, and visually appealing online CoP where participants are encouraged to further their professional development, share resources and ideas, and cascade knowledge and skills gained during the Access program. The award recipient may also engage U.S. embassies and/or provide opportunities for all stakeholders to participate on the CoP.

c. In collaboration with ECA/A/L, develop strategies for maximum engagement of all Access stakeholders and quality of user interface for the online CoP.

d. Ensure that the online CoP is mobile-friendly and easily accessible in low-bandwidth contexts.

e. At the direction of ECA/A/L, the recipient may develop virtual events that would align with the four pillars: global citizenship themes, 21st century skills, U.S. culture and values, and communicative English language instruction, for current and potential providers and teachers, and potentially for students, and alumni of the Access program. This may include, but is not limited to, purchasing appropriate video conferencing and social media software, recruiting and selecting professional guest speakers, registering participants, emailing certificates or digital badges, and providing sufficient staff to manage the relevant software, interact with participants, and act as moderators.

4. U.S. Exchange Component: The recipient may conduct virtual, in-person, or hybrid exchanges or may issue a sub-award(s) to another/other organization(s) through an open competition to U.S. public and private non-profit, non-governmental organizations, and accredited colleges and universities. Pending successful implementation of a U.S. exchange and the availability of funds in subsequent fiscal years, the recipient organization may request and fund additional iterations of exchange program(s) with previously selected organization(s) as directed by ECA/A/L. The recipient organization will plan, conduct, and fund at least one U.S.-based exchange for potential participants such as selected ministry officials, administrators, directors, teachers, and alumni, as directed by ECA/A/L. Exchanges may be in-person if health and safety conditions allow for travel to the U.S. The recipient will work with ECA/A/L to define program expectations, including duration and number of participants, and select the most appropriate sub-recipient unless the recipient implements the exchange. The U.S. exchange(s) may focus on providing participants with the most current teaching methods, exposure to relevant educational technology, education policy, educational leadership, service learning, and education administration, in addition to exposure to the United States. The exchange(s) may include an academic component on U.S. history, society, and culture, as well as attendance at conferences related to the English as a Second Language (ESL)/English as a Foreign Language (EFL) field. The recipient will work with sub-recipients to provide all exchange materials to the program office. ECA/A/L will give final approval to make sure they meet Department priorities.

a. In-person exchanges: The recipient will assume overall logistical responsibility for arrangements during participants’ time in the United States, which includes, but is not limited to,

i. complying with J-visa regulations and communicating guidelines;

ii. preparing orientation materials and facilitating orientations;

iii. making international and domestic round-trip travel arrangements in compliance with the Fly America Act;

iv. assuming overall responsibility for compliance with all applicable taxes, withholdings, and reporting;

v. monitoring programs, including qualitative and quantitative results, surveys, questionnaires, and monitoring documents; and

vi. enrolling participants in the State Department’s Accident and Sickness Program for Exchanges (ASPE) or other health benefit plan, as directed by the Bureau. Please refer to the Solicitation Package for further information.

b. Virtual exchanges: The recipient will assume overall logistical responsibility for participants in the virtual U.S. exchanges, which includes but is not limited to:

i. Purchasing appropriate technical platforms, gathering nominations from U.S.

embassies, emailing certificates or digital badges, and providing sufficient staff or consultants to interact with participants and act as moderators during the virtual events.

ii. Working with ECA/A/L, building a ladder of leadership for participants to become mentors, including the development of self-paced modules. Using those mentors to support program participants in U.S. exchanges.

iii. In collaboration with ECA/A/L, managing and engaging all in-person and virtual U.S. exchange alumni through online platforms, creating content, etc. Piloting online professional development opportunities with alumni when appropriate.

5. Administrative responsibilities

a. Disbursement process: Establish processes for disbursing funds to in-country educational service providers worldwide based on compliance with all official documentation such as agreements, in coordination with the U.S. embassy. ECA/A/L will provide written instructions to the recipient organization identifying the in-country educational service providers as well as the amount of funds to be disbursed to each provider. The award recipient will work with ECA/A/L, U.S. embassies, and in-country educational service providers to determine the most efficient means of disbursement.

b. Disburse funds: Upon receipt of confirmation from the relevant U.S. embassy of appropriate monitoring, the recipient organization will disburse funding. The recipient will liaise with ECA/A/L regarding reports requesting disbursements that do not correspond to the approved proposal or that do not have confirmation from the U.S. embassy.

c. Agreements: Enter into agreements with the in-country educational service providers. Terminate or suspend agreements with prior written approval from ECA/A/L and in coordination with ECA/A/L and the U.S. embassy.

d. Training: Develop training guides for all required documentation for all program types: scholarship, training, and alumni, based on guidance from ECA/A/L. Interactive online training may also be developed to guide all stakeholders through the program lifecycle. Provide training to appropriate stakeholders.

e. Track disbursements: Track country funding and disbursements in an existing online program management system throughout the length of the cooperative agreement and provide regular budget updates to ECA/A/L.

f. Streamline program processes and work closely with the program office to identify challenges and solutions; capture trending issues; and help establish local program monitoring and other programmatic analyses as designated by ECA/A/L.

g. Audits: The recipient may procure auditing services to conduct an audit of at least one local Access program, as requested by ECA/A/L.

h. Shipment of books and materials: The recipient may purchase and ship books and materials to the providers in the field as directed by ECA/A/L.

i. Publications: Draft and clear all public advertisements, newsletters, and websites with ECA/A/L before development and dissemination to ensure proper identification with the U.S. Department of State. Subscribe to any necessary tools and resources for production of digital and print resources.

j. Branding: All materials and communications created for this program must be branded as a U.S. Department of State program and should use the Access logo (see D.12. Communications Guidance for ECA Recipients below).

k. Training: Provide technical assistance and periodic trainings (virtual, in-person, or hybrid) for ECA/A/L and U.S. embassy staff on all program aspects.

A.5. Substantial Involvement:

In a cooperative agreement, there is substantial involvement that goes above routine monitoring. In this award, ECA/A/L provides overall direction and program and policy design with substantial involvement at all levels of the program. U.S. embassies are responsible for substantial involvement with selected in-country educational service providers on the in-country aspects of the program. In-country educational service providers are also substantially involved in the program activities.

ECA/A/L activities and responsibilities for the Access Program include, but are not limited to:

1. Provide overall strategic direction on the goals and priorities for all components of the program and guidance on its implementation, including but not limited to the planning, development, and design of all local Access programs, teacher professional development activities, and U.S. exchanges.

2. Define requirements for applications for funding submitted by U.S. embassies and their proposed distribution of funding among program components. Review and approve applications for funding and determine funding levels.

3. Approve, based on input from U.S. embassies, RELOs, and the State Department's Regional Bureaus, the proposals from RELOs, posts, and in-country educational service providers (schools, NGOs, etc.) that will provide English language instruction, U.S.

cultural content, and leadership development to the Access students, programming for alumni, and professional development opportunities for teachers, directors, administrators, and ministry officials.

4. Determine, based on input from U.S. embassies, the amount and timing of financial disbursements by the recipient to the in-country educational service providers.

5. Serve as the primary point of contact for the recipient and intermediary with the U.S.

embassies.

6. Collaborate with the recipient on the development of program materials, including curricula, lesson plans, assessments, etc. Provide final approval for all materials.

U.S. embassies’ activities and responsibilities for the Access Program include but are not limited to:

1. Develop an application for funding in collaboration with the relevant RELO, including risk mitigation, for the Access program in their country. Submit the application to the RELO for review and ECA/A/L for approval.

2. Select the in-country educational service provider(s) that will provide a) English language instruction, U.S. cultural content, and leadership development to the Access scholarship students; b) programming for alumni; and/or c) professional development opportunities for teachers, directors, administrators, and ministry officials. In countries with multiple providers, U.S. embassies may choose to work with an organization that oversees the work of other providers.

3. Develop the program in collaboration with the in-country educational service provider, RELO, and ECA/A/L.

4. Serve as the primary point of contact between the recipient and the in-country educational service providers.

5. Determine the level of funding for each in-country educational service provider within their ECA-approved country funding levels. Review and provide U.S. embassy approval of proposals, official documentation, and reports submitted by in-country educational service providers for all programming under this cooperative agreement.

6. Collaborate with in-country educational service providers on the participant selection process and approve the selection of all students and teachers. Participate in activities for Access students, when possible. Propose participants for the U.S. exchanges to

ECA/A/L.

7. Collaborate with in-country educational service providers in developing appropriate materials, curricula, U.S. cultural content, and service-learning projects that incorporate Mission goals and local priorities.

8. Monitor and assess the performance of the in-country educational service providers, including conducting a site visit to each in-country educational service provider at least four times during the two-year scholarship program. Submit site visit reports into the recipient’s data management system. Alert the recipient and ECA/A/L of any deficiencies or corrective actions required.

9. Conduct regular review of the in-country educational service providers’ programs and accounts and assess the program’s significance. In those countries where the recipient provides enhanced monitoring, review and approve all reports from the monitoring organization or consultants and respond to and oversee the implementation of any Corrective Action Plans.

In-Country Educational Service Provider Responsibilities

In-country educational service providers’ activities and responsibilities for the Access Program include, but are not limited to:

1. Plan and prepare programming in close consultation with the U.S. embassy and RELO.

2. Draft proposals that meet program requirements and submit to the U.S. embassy, RELO, the recipient, and ECA/A/L.

3. Implement the program according to the written guidelines from the U.S. embassy, approved proposals, and signed official documents.

4. Advertise the programs and recruit participants. Collaborate with the U.S. embassy during the student and teacher selection process.

5. Nominate teachers, directors, administrators, and ministry officials for professional development opportunities and U.S. exchanges in coordination with the U.S. embassy, RELO, ECA/A/L, and the recipient.

6. Regularly monitor the program to ensure that it is implemented in accordance with the relevant official documents such as the agreement, to highlight student and teacher achievements and best practices, and to address challenges quickly.

7. Provide regular updates to the U.S. embassy on the program schedule, send invitations to the U.S. embassy about special events, and provide opportunities for U.S. embassy personnel to visit and speak with Access students, teachers, and other in-country educational service provider staff.

8. Submit timely written and financial reports as well as alumni data according to the schedule outlined in official documentation to the recipient and when requested by the U.S. embassy.

B. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

Type of Award: Cooperative Agreement. ECA’s level of involvement in this program is listed under Substantial Involvement in section A.5.

Fiscal Year Funds: FY 2024 Approximate Total Funding: $26,000,000, pending the availability of funds Approximate Number of Awards: 1 Approximate Average Award: $20,000,000, pending the availability of funds Minimum “Floor” of Award: $16,000,000, pending the availability of funds Maximum “Ceiling” of Award: $26,000,000, pending the availability of funds Anticipated Award Date: September 15, 2024 Anticipated Project Completion Date: September 14, 2029 Additional Information: Pending successful implementation of this program and the availability of funds in subsequent fiscal years, it is ECA's intent to renew this cooperative agreement for two additional, consecutive fiscal years, before openly competing it again.

The Department reserves the right to reduce, revise, or increase proposal budgets in accordance with the needs of the program and the availability of funds.

C. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

C.1. Eligible Applicants U.S. public and private academic and cultural institutions, exchange-of-persons, and other not-for-profit organizations meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code section 26 USC 501(c)(3) may submit applications for this competition. Applicants must have nonprofit status with the IRS at the time of application. Please see the Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) for additional information.

C.2. Other Eligibility Requirements The following additional eligibility requirements apply to this NOFO announcement:

1.) ECA’s grant guidelines require that organizations demonstrate at least four years of experience in conducting international exchanges to be eligible for awards exceeding $130,000 in ECA funding. As noted in section B above, ECA anticipates issuing one cooperative agreement, for approximately $26,000,000. Therefore, organizations that do not demonstrate four years of experience in conducting international exchanges in your proposal are ineligible to apply under this competition.

2.) All proposals must comply with the requirements stated in the NOFO, POGI (if applicable), and the PSI; non-compliance will result in your proposal being declared technically ineligible and given no further consideration in the review process.

3.) In order to be eligible to receive an award, all organizations must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number issued via www.SAM.gov as well as a valid registration on www.SAM.gov. Please see Section D.3 & D.5. for more information.

4.) Only one proposal will be considered by ECA from each applicant organization. In cases where more than one submission from an applicant appears in grants.gov, ECA will only consider the submission made closest in time to the NOFO deadline; that submission would constitute the one and only proposal ECA would review from that applicant.

Please note: Applicant organizations are defined by their legal name, and EIN number as stated on their completed SF-424 and additional supporting documentation outlined in the PSI document.

C.3. Cost Sharing or Matching Funds

There is no minimum or maximum percentage of cost sharing required for this competition.

However, ECA encourages applicants to provide maximum levels of cost sharing and funding in support of its programs. When cost sharing is offered, it is understood and agreed that the applicant must provide the amount of cost sharing as stipulated in its proposal and later included in an approved agreement. Cost sharing may be in the form of allowable direct or indirect costs. For accountability, you must maintain written records to support all costs which are claimed as your contribution, as well as costs to be paid by the Federal government. Such records are subject to audit. The basis for determining the value of cash and in-kind contributions must be in accordance with the Office of Management and Budget’s Guidance 2 CFR Parts 200 and 600, entitled the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards. In the event you do not provide the minimum amount of cost sharing as stipulated in the approved budget, ECA's contribution may be reduced in like proportion.

D. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

Please read the complete announcement before sending inquiries or submitting proposals.

Once the NOFO deadline has passed, ECA staff may not discuss this competition with applicants until the proposal review process has been completed.

D.1. Solicitation Package Location http://www.sam.gov/ http://www.sam.gov/

The entire Solicitation Package may be downloaded from the Grants.gov website at https://www.grants.gov or from ECA website at https://eca.state.gov/organizational-funding.

D.2. Content and Form of Submission Applicants must follow all instructions in the Solicitation Package, including the Proposal Submission Instruction (PSI) document, which consists of required application forms and standard guidelines for proposal preparation. The application should be submitted per the instructions under D.16. “Application Deadline and Method of Submission” section below.

D.3. Unique Entity Identifier Number All organizations are required to have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number to apply for a grant or cooperative agreement from the U.S. Government. A UEI is one of the data elements mandated by Public Law 109-282, the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA), for all Federal awards. Note: As of April 2022, a DUNS number is no longer required for federal assistance applications. A UEI is issued as part of the required SAM.gov registration below in section D.5.

The 2 CFR 200 requires that sub-grantees obtain a UEI number. Please note the UEI for sub-grantees is not required at the time of application but will be required before an award is processed and/or directed to a sub-grantee.

D.4. Required Proposal Elements All proposals must contain a SF-424, executive summary, proposal narrative, budget (SF 424A), detailed budget, and budget narrative.

D.5. Required Registration with the System for Award Management (SAM) All organizations must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) database in order to submit a proposal in response to an open competition on Grants.gov. Note: The process of obtaining or renewing a SAM.gov registration may take anywhere from 4-8 weeks. Please begin your registration as early as possible. Failure to register in SAM.gov will render applicants ineligible to receive funding.

All federal award recipients must maintain a current registration in the SAM database.

Recipients must maintain accurate and up-to-date information in www.SAM.gov until all program and financial activity and reporting is completed on any issued award. Recipients must review and update the information at least annually after the initial registration and more frequently if required information changes or another award is granted. There is no cost associated with registering or updating SAM.gov accounts.

For more detailed instructions for registering with SAM, refer to:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-2-register-with-sam.html https://www.grants.gov/ https://eca.state.gov/organizational-funding http://www.sam.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-2-register-with-sam.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-2-register-with-sam.html

Organizations based in the United States or that pay employees within the United States will need an Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and a UEI number prior to registering in SAM.gov.

D.6. Responsibility/Qualification Information in SAM.gov (formerly, FAPIIS)

1.) The Federal awarding agency, prior to making a Federal award with a total amount of Federal share greater than the simplified acquisition threshold, is required to review and consider any information about the applicant that is in the U.S. government designated integrity and performance system accessible through SAM.gov (see 41 U.S.C. 2313);

2.) An applicant, at its option, may review and comment on any information about itself that a Federal awarding agency previously entered. Currently, federal agencies create integrity records in the integrity module of the Contractor Performance Assessment and Reporting System (CPARS) and these records are visible as responsibility/qualification records in SAM.gov;

3.) The Federal awarding agency will consider any comments by the applicant, in addition to the other information in the designated integrity and performance system, in making a judgment about the applicant's integrity, business ethics, and record of performance under Federal awards when completing the review of risk posed by applicants as described in §200.206 Federal awarding agency review of risk posed by applicants.

D.7. Required Registration with MyGrants All ECA award recipient organizations and recipient contacts and signatories must be registered with the U.S. Department of State’s MyGrants by accessing https://mygrants.servicenowservices.com and clicking the “create an account” link. MyGrants is the U.S. Department of State’s grants management system and is supported by the Department’s Integrated Logistics Management System (ILMS). Recipient organizations and recipient contacts and signatories that have previously used MyGrants as a U.S. Department of State award recipient do not need to register again. If the organization is not able to access the system, please contact the ILMS Help Desk for help in gaining access.

Support for Recipient Organizations and recipient contacts and signatories is available 24 hours, 7 days a week (except federal holidays), and can be reached at 1-888-313-ILMS (4567) or through the ILMS Self Service Portal at https://afsitsm.servicenowservices.com/ilms/.

D.8. Adherence To All Regulations Governing the J Visa ECA places critically important emphasis on the security and proper administration of the Exchange Visitor (J visa) Programs and adherence by award recipients and sponsors to all regulations governing the J visa. Therefore, proposals should demonstrate the applicant's capacity to meet all requirements governing the administration of the Exchange Visitor https://mygrants.servicenowservices.com/ https://afsitsm.servicenowservices.com/ilms/

Programs as set forth in 22 CFR 62, including the oversight of Responsible Officers and Alternate Responsible Officers, screening and selection of program participants, provision of pre-arrival information and orientation to participants, monitoring of participants, proper maintenance and security of forms, record-keeping, reporting and other requirements.

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

A copy of the complete regulations governing the administration of Exchange Visitor (J) programs is available at http://j1visa.state.gov or from:

Office of Private Sector Exchange Designation U.S. Department of State SA-5, Floor C2, Room C2L13 2200 C Street, NW Washington, DC 20522

Please refer to Solicitation Package for further information.

D.9. Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) and Freedom and Democracy Guidelines Pursuant to ECA's authorizing legislation, “diversity” should be interpreted in the broadest sense and encompass differences including race, ethnicity, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, religion, geographic location, education, income, socio-economic status, and other diversity dimensions, that may hinder inclusion. Proposals should demonstrate how diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility will enhance the program’s goals and objectives and the participants’ exchange experience.

Proposals should demonstrate how the program will further engage diverse and underserved communities. Programs must maintain a non-political character and should be balanced and representative of the diversity of political, social and cultural life in the United States and abroad. Please refer to the “Support of DEIA” review criterion of this document for more information on how this will be reviewed as a part of any application. Please also refer to the “Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility” section in the “Proposal Submission Instructions” document for specific suggestions on incorporating DEIA into the proposal.

Public Law 104-319 provides that "in carrying out programs of educational and cultural exchange in countries whose people do not fully enjoy freedom and democracy," ECA "shall take appropriate steps to provide opportunities for participation in such programs to human rights and democracy leaders of such countries." Public Law 106 - 113 requires that the governments of the countries described above do not have inappropriate influence in the http://j1visa.state.gov/ selection process. Proposals should reflect advancement of these goals in their program contents, to the full extent deemed feasible.

D.10. Program Performance Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Distinct from grants or cooperative agreement monitoring and participant monitoring, performance monitoring is designed to assess progress against a program’s goals and objectives. A performance monitoring framework is vital to tracking the direction, pace, and magnitude of change that result from ECA programs.

ECA created the Monitoring Data for ECA (MODE) Framework to measure the performance of ECA programs. The MODE Framework provides standard indicators and corresponding survey questions to ensure consistent measures across all ECA programs. More resources and guidance documents on the MODE Framework are available online at:

https://eca.state.gov/impact/eca-monitoring-evaluation-learning-and-innovation-meli-unit/mode-framework-eca-applicants-and.

For this proposal, ECA requires the applicant include the MODE Framework objectives and indicators listed below (note that, because not all MODE objectives and indicators are relevant for a program, the numbering below will not be sequential). In addition to the ECA-required objectives and indicators, applicants may also select additional MODE Framework indicators (see the Indicator Book on the MODE Framework website), or design custom objectives and indicators that are specific to the proposed program and this proposal.

Demographic Questions as outlined in the Indicator Book on page vi, and Performance Monitoring Plan (PMP) (https://eca.state.gov/impact/eca-monitoring-evaluation-learning-and-innovation-meli-unit/mode-framework-eca-applicants-and)

• Objective 1: Advance participant and beneficiary cross-cultural competence and global perspective o Sub-Objective 1.1: Promote cultural exchanges and enhance understanding between participants and their host communities.

▪ E1.1.01: Percent of participants reporting that their program experience offered opportunities to engage with other cultures (U.S. Exchanges only)

▪ E1.1.04: Percent of participants with more favorable opinions of the United States Government (core indicator) (U.S. Exchanges only)

▪ E1.1.09: Percent of participants who traveled abroad for the first time because of their program (core indicator) (U.S. Exchanges only)

▪ E1.1.10: Percent of foreign participants who traveled to the United States for the first time during their program (core indicator) (U.S.

Exchanges only)

▪ E1.1.17: Percent of foreign participants with more favorable opinions of the American people (core indicator) (U.S. Exchanges only) https://eca.state.gov/impact/eca-monitoring-evaluation-learning-and-innovation-meli-unit/mode-framework-eca-applicants-and https://eca.state.gov/impact/eca-monitoring-evaluation-learning-and-innovation-meli-unit/mode-framework-eca-applicants-and https://eca.state.gov/impact/eca-monitoring-evaluation-learning-and-innovation-meli-unit/mode-framework-eca-applicants-and https://eca.state.gov/impact/eca-monitoring-evaluation-learning-and-innovation-meli-unit/mode-framework-eca-applicants-and

▪ E1.1.18: Percent of foreign participants indicating an increase in understanding of United States culture and values (core indicator) (U.S.

Exchanges only)

▪ E1.1.19: Percent of participants agreeing with statements in support of democratic values (core indicator) (U.S. Exchanges only)

• Objective 2: Increase the impact that participants and alumni have on their communities / countries o Sub-Objective 2.2: Foster participants’ belief that civic engagement benefits communities/countries

▪ E2.2.01: Percent of participants who have more confidence in their ability to have an impact in their home country (core indicator) (U.S.

Exchanges only)

• Objective 3: Strengthen engagement among participants, alumni, beneficiaries, and institutions.

▪ E3.0.02: Percent of foreign participants who report increasing their network of Americans (core indicator) (U.S. Exchanges only)

▪ E3.0.07: Percent of participants who identify as a Department of State program participant (core indicator) (U.S. Exchanges only)

• Objective 4: Strengthen personal, professional, and technical abilities and aptitudes of participants and beneficiaries

▪ E4.0.01: Percent of participants reporting increases in their job skills as a result of their program participation (U.S. Exchanges only)

▪ E4.0.09: Percent of participants reporting an increase in language skills as a result of their program participation (U.S. Exchanges only) o Sub-Objective 4.1: Participants engage in language, academic, professional, and cultural exchange programs.

▪ E4.1.01: Total number of participants (core indicator)

▪ E4.1.02: Total number of program cohorts (core indicator)

▪ E4.1.06: Number of participants in programs with formal, dedicated language learning activities

▪ E4.1.07: Number of instruction methodology trainings implemented

• Objective 6: Increase Capacity of ECA partner institutions to achieve program strategic goals o Sub-Objective 6.1: Increase capacity of implementing partners and educational institutions for the internationalization of programs

▪ E6.1.02: Number of exchange participants from or hosted by Minority- Serving Institutions participating in ECA (both funded and private sector) exchanges (core indicator) (U.S. Exchanges only)

• Objective 8: Enhance the quality and effectiveness of ECA programs by leveraging the Bureau’s resources, policy, and stakeholder relationships

▪ E8.0.03: Response rate for participant surveys (core indicator) (U.S.

Exchanges only)

Performance Monitoring Plans (PMPs) ECA recommends the use of a PMP to serve as the primary reference document for performance monitoring for this award. If used, the PMP is an important part of any proposal, as it outlines how the applicant plans to track progress towards the proposed program’s goals and objectives through indicators and corresponding data collection questions. A PMP document that includes all MODE Framework indicators is a part of this solicitation’s attachments. Specific instructions on how to modify the PMP to be responsive to this solicitation are included in that document. While ECA recommends the applicant use the PMP format provided, this is not a requirement. If a PMP is not included in the proposal, applicants should provide similar information to that found in the suggested PMP format, in a presentation of your choice. A training on how to complete a PMP is available here:

https://eca.state.gov/impact/eca-monitoring-evaluation-learning-and-innovation-meli-unit/mode-framework-eca-applicants-and . Successful PMPs (or similar documentation) should include the following:

• Objectives. Programmatic objectives are statements of the condition(s) that state what the program is designed to achieve. Objectives are therefore bound by the resources and timeframe of the program and must be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-bound (SMART; see the ECA Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning, and Innovation (MELI) Unit’s pages on the ECA website for more information:

https://eca.state.gov/impact/eca-evaluation-division/capacity-building). In addition to those outlined above, the applicant may propose other program objectives from the MODE Framework, the Functional Bureau Strategy (https://eca.state.gov/about-bureau), or other applicant-designed program-specific objectives.

• Indicators. Performance indicators are measures used to gauge progress toward programmatic objectives and sub-objectives. Indicators should be as specific as possible (following the SMART principles) and include any proposed disaggregations (meaning, breakdowns of the data by subgroups, such as gender or country; the PMP lists the demographic questions required to obtain the information necessary to report the disaggregations). Each indicator should also include a target number to be achieved. A target is a planned level of result to be achieved within an explicit timeframe.

o If you do not use the PMP format provided, note that any performance monitoring reference document the applicant submits should include the information in the column headers (Indicator Name, Definition, Target, Survey Question, etc.) in the PMP attachment at a minimum.

o In addition to those indicators outlined in above, the applicant may propose additional custom, program-specific indicators in the PMP (ECA recommends the proposed PMPs include a minimum of one indicator for each custom programmatic objective).

o During the period of performance of the award, the ECA program office may further revise, add, or remove indicators. Therefore, the applicant’s PMP and https://eca.state.gov/impact/eca-monitoring-evaluation-learning-and-innovation-meli-unit/mode-framework-eca-applicants-and https://eca.state.gov/impact/eca-monitoring-evaluation-learning-and-innovation-meli-unit/mode-framework-eca-applicants-and https://eca.state.gov/impact/eca-evaluation-division/capacity-building https://eca.state.gov/about-bureau https://eca.state.gov/about-bureau data collection instruments should be flexible enough to incorporate those once established.

Award recipients are responsible for collecting indicator data only on participant outcomes during the period of performance of the award itself (see the PMP for guidelines as to when these data collection efforts should occur). ECA will measure outcomes of ECA participants at one, three, five, and 10 years after the exchange has ended to capture the long-term impact of ECA programming unless otherwise specified in the NOFO and/or POGI. In this instance, the recipient will be responsible for coordinating with ECA on any alumni surveys to de-duplicate questions and minimize potential survey fatigue.

Award recipients will be required to submit an upload of the raw data (in CSV format) along with the MyGrants RPM reporting (see below). Regardless of the survey platform used, all MODE Framework survey questions outlined above are required (i.e., should be forced response); please see the Consent Language in the MODE Framework Indicator Book for more information on how to convey this to participants/survey respondents.

Program Performance M&E Narrative The applicant should include information within the program narrative section(s) of the proposal that outlines how the applicant intends to measure the indicators listed above. This will be separate from the PMP and should include but not be limited to:

• An overview of resources available to the applicant that outline the team structure and responsibilities surrounding performance monitoring.

• The mechanism(s) through which surveys and other data collection tools (if applicable) will be administered, including which platform will be used, and when and how surveys will be advertised to participants – detailing strategies to ensure adequate survey response rates (https://eca.state.gov/files/bureau/eca_eval_division_survey_response_rates.pdf), and to reduce selection and non-response bias.

• A brief explanation of data analysis and reporting procedures.

• An overview of a proposed learning plan and feedback loops to ensure that the Grant Officer (GO)/Grant Officer Representative (GOR) are informed on performance monitoring issues at regular intervals.

MyGrants RPM Reporting Requirements MyGrants is a database solution that serves as the official system of record for all U.S.

Department of State and ECA awards. The Results Performance Monitoring (RPM) module within MyGrants is an extension module that enables users…