FY25 CBYX Enhancement NOFO.pdf

U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA)

Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)

Funding Opportunity Title: FY 2025 Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange Enhancement Program Announcement Type: New Cooperative Agreement Funding Opportunity Number: DFOP0016959 Deadline for Applications: December 4, 2024 Assistance Listing Number: 19.415

Executive Summary: The Office of Citizen Exchanges of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) announces an open competition for the administration of the FY 2025 Congress- Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX) Enhancement Program.

The CBYX Program was inaugurated in 1983 through a bilateral agreement between the U.S.

Congress and the German Bundestag. The program celebrates German-American friendship based on common values of democracy and conveys lasting personal and institutional relationships through an academic year school and home-stay experience. Annually, up to 300 American and 300 German youth participate in the program’s high school, young professionals and vocational components. There are more than 29,000 U.S. and German alumni of the program.

American participants in Germany are provided with mid-year enhancement activities as well as end-of-year sessions which include meetings with members of the Bundestag. The CBYX Enhancement Program is designed to provide a similar experience to the German participants in the United States.

U.S. public and private non-profit organizations meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code section 26 USC 501(c)(3) may submit a proposal to conduct civic education workshops covering all 300 2026-2027 CBYX participants or may submit a proposal covering the 235 2026-2027 high school participants or covering the 65 2026-2027 young professional participants, respectively.

ECA anticipates awarding approximately $150,000 for workshops for 65 young professionals, pending the availability of funds; $600,000 for workshops for 235 high school participants, pending the availability of funds. These may be combined into one award of $750,000, pending the availability of funds.

It is ECA’s intent to award up to two cooperative agreements of one base year plus one non-competitive continuation (NCC) subject to availability of funds, satisfactory progress of the program, and a determination that continued funding would be in the best interest of the U.S.

Department of State. See sections A, B, and D for additional information about NCCs.

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 goals of the CBYX Enhancement Program are to provide German youth participants in the CBYX High School and Young Professionals components with enhanced opportunities to learn about civil society and political life in the United States through a Washington, DC workshop designed to improve their understanding of civic engagement in the United States both throughout history and currently. Workshops should include substantive engagement with Congress.

A.3. Program Specific Guidelines The CBYX program supports the exchange of American and German young people in order to sustain and strengthen the American-German friendship based on the common value of democracy and to convey lasting personal and institutional relationships to the successor generation. The primary objective of the program is to encourage American and German youth to learn about each other’s society and culture through educational exchange. In addition, the program seeks to promote the participants’ roles as young ambassadors with influence on future American-German relations, and to promote and strengthen the linkages between members of Congress and their Bundestag counterparts. The CBYX program provides a scholarship for an academic year experience of living and studying in the host country. ECA administers the CBYX program in the United States. In Germany, the program is known as the Parlamentarisches-Patenschafts Program (PPP) and is administered by the German Bundestag Administrative Office.

The CBYX Enhancement Program was initiated in 2016 to provide German participants the opportunity to learn more about American civil society and political life. Further information about the three components of the CBYX program may be found at:

http://exchanges.state.gov/cbyx.

A.4. Recipient Responsibilities Americans in Germany are provided with mid-year enhancement activities as well as end of year sessions in which they meet with members of the Bundestag. The FY 2025 CBYX Enhancement Program is designed to provide a similar experience for the German participants in the United States. ECA openly competed the Enhancement Program in FY 2016, FY 2019, and FY 2022. That program has been overwhelmingly successful and ECA seeks to build on that success with this solicitation.

The activities and the roles and responsibilities of the recipient for this program are outlined in the attached Project Objectives, Goals, and Implementation (POGI) document.

For all components, ECA reserves the right to reduce, revise, or increase proposal project configurations, budgets, and participant numbers in accordance with the needs of the program and the availability of funds.

A.5. Substantial Involvement:

In a cooperative agreement, the Department is substantially involved in program activities above and beyond routine monitoring. These activities are outlined in the attached POGI document.

A.6. Non-Competitive Continuations (NCCs) The proposal must describe how the program will be implemented for the base year, with a commitment to implement one additional NCC and with the understanding that the program design, duration, and participant numbers would be similar during any NCC. ECA will perform an annual performance review to determine if a NCC will be exercised, based on the availability of funds, satisfactory progress of the program, and a determination that continued funding would be in the best interest of the U.S. Department of State.

B. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

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

Fiscal Year Funds: FY 2025 – $750,000 (total for up to two awards) (base year); FY 2026 – NCC year one $750,000 (total for up to two awards). The NCC is subject to availability of funds, satisfactory progress of the program, and a determination that continued funding would be in the best interest of the U.S. Department of State.

http://exchanges.state.gov/cbyx

Approximate Total Funding: $1,500,000 – This figure represents base year plus one NCC years.

Approximate Number of Awards: Up to two (2) Approximate Average Award: $375,000, pending the availability of funds.

Minimum “Floor” of Award: $150,000, pending the availability of funds Maximum “Ceiling” of Award: $750,000, pending the availability of funds.

Anticipated Award Date: January 15, 2025 Anticipated Project Completion Date: August 31, 2028 Additional Information: This notice is subject to availability of funding.

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

ECA anticipates issuing a cooperative agreement for a period of 24 months (base year), with one additional 12-month period (NCC year one). ECA will notify the recipient at least 90 days before the end of the current year if an NCC will be exercised or not. The decision to exercise a NCC will be subject to availability of funds, satisfactory progress of the program, and a determination that continued funding would be in the best interest of the U.S. Department of State.

C. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

C.1. Eligible Applicants The following organizations are eligible to apply: 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). 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:

a. 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 up to two

(2) cooperative agreements, with the lowest award at $150,000. Therefore, organizations must demonstrate four years of experience in conducting international exchanges in your proposal to be eligible to apply under this competition.

b. 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.

c. 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.

d. 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 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.17. “Application Deadline and Method of Submission” section below.

http://www.sam.gov/ http://www.sam.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/ https://eca.state.gov/organizational-funding

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

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 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 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/.

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

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 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.

https://mygrants.servicenowservices.com/ https://afsitsm.servicenowservices.com/ilms/

ECA 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 PSI 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 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) A performance monitoring framework is vital to tracking the performance and the direction, pace, and magnitude of change that result from ECA programs. This section pertains to performance monitoring in particular, as this type of monitoring is distinct from grants monitoring or other program monitoring discussed elsewhere in this solicitation. Performance http://j1visa.state.gov/ monitoring is designed to assess program impact against established goals and objectives across the Bureau and as established for each award.

In establishing strong performance management practices, ECA is concerned with collecting indicator data on participant outcomes. Because the CBYX Enhancement program is implemented separately from the core CBYX program, a determination has been made that the primary responsibility for collecting indicator data on participant outcomes will lie with the award recipients implementing the core CBYX through the MODE (Monitoring Data for ECA) framework. Therefore, your proposal should confirm that your organization will support the Bureau’s overall performance monitoring efforts established for the CBYX program if necessary.

Activities may include creation of a CBYX Enhancement program monitoring and evaluation tool, administering data collection tools to participants, sharing any monitoring and evaluation reports, and maintaining all data collected (including survey responses and contact information) for a minimum of three years following completion of each participant’s exchange program.

D.11. Virtual Exchange Component When changing political, health, environmental, or other similar circumstances require a suspension or halt of in-person activities and where ECA determines that a virtual alternative is appropriate and viable, award recipients should demonstrate the ability and capacity to transition from in-person to virtual exchanges. Proposals should demonstrate the organization’s capacity to provide innovative options for virtual activities to substitute for in-person engagement for program participants. Organizations should consider how they will implement virtual exchange activities, given the potential limits to internet access from participants in some locations and while continuing to advance foreign policy objectives and achieve lasting benefits for U.S. citizens and international participants.

In addition to planning for virtual exchange activities if in-person programming is prohibited, ECA welcomes innovative ideas on how organizations can leverage virtual programming technologies during or in addition to in-person programming. ECA encourages organizations submitting proposals in response to this solicitation to suggest one or more virtual exchange components to complement the in-person exchange. The virtual exchange component(s) could come before, during and/or after the physical exchange. The objective for the virtual exchange component(s) is to augment the impact of the in-person exchange described in this solicitation.

ECA encourages organizations to propose virtual exchange ideas that take advantage of ECA’s existing web and social networking platforms. Virtual exchange components would be coordinated with and approved by the ECA program office and U.S. missions abroad on a project-by-project basis.

D.12. Communications Guidance for ECA Recipients All ECA Recipients must adhere to the requirements in ECA’s Communications Guidance on the creation of program branding and attribution, websites, social media, and press.

https://eca.state.gov/comms-guidance

D. 13. Celebration of America’s Semiquincentennial ECA is excited to play a key role in making the Semiquincentennial – commonly known as “America250” – a truly global celebration. As the period of performance for this award is scheduled to cover part or all of calendar year (CY) 2026, the applicant may wish to consider ways the program can celebrate America250. Any America250 focused activities or plans will be subject to ECA approval and direction, and changes may be requested by ECA. Use of any ECA-provided America250 brand elements will be subject to advance ECA approval and require adherence to Department of State and ECA guidelines for such branding.

D.14. Budget Format Applicants must submit SF-424A (Budget Information – Non-Construction Programs) along with a detailed, line item budget for the entire program and a budget narrative. Applicants may provide separate sub-budgets for each program component, phase, location, or activity to provide clarification.

D.15. Key Personnel ECA recommends that the applicant identify intended key personnel positions via an asterisk (*) or other marking in the proposal budget, budget narrative, or a separate appendix. If not provided in the application, recipients must submit the names, titles, and brief biographical sketches of key personnel to the Grants Officer and GOR within 30 days of an award being issued. Additional information regarding key personnel requirements can be found in the State Department’s Standard Terms and Conditions, VI. Recipient Responsibility and Compliance with Federal Requirements (link to: https://www.state.gov/about-us-office-of-the-procurement-executive/).

D.16. NCCs ECA intends to use NCCs based on the requirements discussed below and subject to availability of funds, satisfactory progress of the program, and a determination that continued funding would be in the best interest of the U.S. Department of State.

D.16.a. For competitions that will include a NCC, applicants must submit the following as a part of your initial proposal:

• A complete SF-424A which includes the budget request for the base year of the program.

• A detailed proposal narrative and budget for the base year of funding. This should include a brief commitment to implement the program for one additional NCC year.

(Please refer to the PSI for budget guidance.)

• An estimated summary budget presenting the total projected costs for the anticipated total duration of programming – the base year plus one NCC year.

D.16.b. To exercise the NCC mechanism, the recipient must submit:

• Performance and financial reports on time.

https://www.state.gov/about-us-office-of-the-procurement-executive/

• A request in writing to ECA within 30 days of receiving the NCC invitation from ECA.

• A summary budget that projects expenses through the current year's end.

• A detailed budget outlining expenses for the requested NCC year.

• A brief narrative to support the continuation of the award.

D.16.c. Program Monitoring For awards using NCCs, in addition to the Substantial Involvement for the Cooperative Agreement, ECA Grants Officer and Program Officer will:

• Monitor the recipient's performance through site visits, desk audits, mandatory performance and financial reports, consultations, and other forms of communication and dialogue before exercising additional NCCs.

• Review and evaluate all quarterly or semi-annual program and financial reports.

Prior Grants Officer approval is required to utilize any remaining unobligated funds from a prior funding period to the subsequent funding period. If the Grants Officer determines that some or all of the unobligated funds are not necessary to perform the program activity, the Grants Officer may decline the recipient's request to use the remainder of the unobligated balance.

The Grants Officer may use the unobligated balance to reduce or offset future funding for a subsequent funding period at their discretion. An unobligated balance at the end of a funding period is not sufficient justification to utilize the remainder of funds. ECA will communicate any final determination and approval to use the remainder of any funds via a cost amendment, including any adjustment to new obligation amounts.

D.17. Application Deadline and Method of Submission Application Deadline Date: Wednesday, December 4, 2024 Method of Submission: Applications may only be submitted electronically through Grants.gov (https://www.grants.gov). Complete solicitation packages are available at Grants.gov in the “Search Grants” portion of the system.

D.18. Grants.gov Registration, Application Submission, and Receipt Procedures Eligible organizations should follow the instructions available in the ‘Get Started’ portion of the site (http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/apply-for-grants.html).

D.18.a. How to Register to Apply through Grants.gov Applicants should read instructions carefully and prepare the information requested before beginning the registration process. Reviewing and assembling the required information before beginning the registration process will alleviate last-minute searches for required information.

The registration process can take up to four weeks to complete. Therefore, registration should be done in sufficient time to ensure it does not impact your ability to meet required application submission deadlines. Applicants should check with appropriate staff within their organizations immediately after reviewing this NOFO to confirm or determine their registration status with https://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/apply-for-grants.html

Grants.gov. Organization applicants can find complete instructions here:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration.html

D.18.b. How to Submit an Application to ECA via Grants.gov For access to complete instruction on how to apply for Notice of Funding Opportunities on Grants.gov, refer to: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/apply-for-grants.html

D.18.c. Grants.gov Support and Submission Issues Direct all questions regarding Grants.gov registration and submission issues to:

Grants.gov Customer Support Contact Center Phone: 800 -518-4726 Business Hours: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week; closed on federal holidays.

Email: support@grants.gov

D.18.d. Timely Receipt Requirements and Proof of Timely Submission Applicants have until 11:59 p.m., Washington, DC time of the closing date to ensure that their entire application has been uploaded to the Grants.gov site. There are no exceptions to the above deadline. Applications uploaded to the site after the application deadline date and time will be automatically rejected by the Grants.gov system and will be found technically ineligible.

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

Proof of timely submission is automatically recorded by Grants.gov. An electronic date/time stamp is generated within the system when the application is successfully received by Grants.gov. The applicant Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) will receive an acknowledgement of receipt and a tracking number (GRANTXXXXXXXX) from Grants.gov with the successful transmission of their application. Applicant AORs will also receive the official date/time stamp and Grants.gov Tracking number in an email serving as proof of their timely submission.

When ECA successfully retrieves the application from Grants.gov, Grants.gov will provide an electronic acknowledgement of receipt of the application to the email address of the applicant with the AOR role. Again, proof of timely submission shall be the official date and time that Grants.gov receives your application. Please also be mindful of any Grants.gov generated error messages that may appear during the application process as they may result in some documents not transmitting correctly.

Applicants using slow internet should be aware that transmission can take some time before Grants.gov receives your application. Grants.gov will provide either an error or a successfully received transmission in the form of an email sent to the applicant with the AOR role. The https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/apply-for-grants.html mailto:support@grants.gov

Grants.gov Support Center reports that some applicants end the transmission because they think that nothing is occurring during the transmission process. Please be patient and give the system time to process the application.

The Grants.gov website includes extensive information on all phases/aspects of the Grants.gov process, including an extensive section on frequently asked questions, located under the "Applicant FAQs" section of the website. ECA strongly recommends that all potential applicants review thoroughly the Grants.gov website, well in advance of submitting a proposal through the Grants.gov system. ECA will not notify you upon receipt of electronic applications.

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

Prior to submitting applications through Grants.gov, please ensure you meet all Grants.gov system and software requirements, including Adobe software compatibility. You can verify if your version of Adobe software is compatible with Grants.gov, by visiting https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html.

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

D.19. Intergovernmental Review of Applications Executive Order 12372 does not apply to this program.

E. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

E.1. Review Process ECA will check that all proposals meet the technical requirements in this solicitation. Proposals that do not meet the guidelines, including those under the eligibility section above or in the PSI, will be ineligible for further review.

All eligible proposals will be reviewed by the program office before being reviewed by an ECA grant panel and may be reviewed by Public Diplomacy sections overseas, State Department regional bureaus, or other State Department offices, as appropriate. All reviewers, including the ECA grant panels will review any eligible proposals based on the criteria below.

Recommended proposals will be reviewed for compliance with Federal and Bureau regulations and guidelines, and assessed for risk. Final funding decisions are made by the ECA’s Assistant Secretary. Only an ECA Grant Officer has the final authority to issue assistance awards.

E.2. Review Criteria https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html

An ECA grants panel will competitively evaluate all technically eligible applications according to the criteria stated below. These criteria are not rank ordered and all carry equal weight in the proposal evaluation.

1.) Quality of the program idea: Proposals should be original, well-defined, and relevant to ECA's mission.

2.) Program planning/Ability to achieve program objectives: Proposals should have a detailed agenda and work plan that demonstrates your institution's ability to carry out the program. The plan should follow the program guidelines described in this solicitation. Proposals should demonstrate how your institution will meet the program's objectives and plan. The objectives should be reasonable, feasible, and flexible.

3.) Multiplier effect/impact/Follow-on activities: Proposals should strengthen long-term mutual understanding between countries, including sharing of information and creating long-term institutional and individual linkages. Proposals should provide a plan for continued follow-on activity after the ECA supported program ends, ensuring that programs are not isolated events.

4.) Institutional Capacity/Institution's Record/Ability: Proposals should include the necessary personnel and institutional resources to achieve the program results.

Proposals should demonstrate an institutional record of successful exchange programs and responsible fiscal management. ECA will consider the past performance of prior recipients, including the timely submission of reports, and the demonstrated potential of new applicants.

5.) Support of DEIA: Proposals should show how the program and your institution supports ECA's policy on diversity. Proposals should have a clear DEIA plan that is integrated into all aspects of program administration, design, content, and implementation. Proposals should demonstrate how DEIA will enhance the program’s goals, objectives, and the participants’ exchange experience. Proposals should demonstrate how the program will further engage diverse and underserved communities. It is important that proposals have a clearly articulated DEIA plan and not simply express general support for the concept of DEIA.

6.) Project Monitoring and Evaluation: Proposals should have a fully developed M&E plan that includes goals, objectives, and indicators. The plan should be feasible and aligned with the M&E section of this solicitation. Proposals should include a realistic learning plan that outlines how your organization plans to review, understand, and incorporate M&E data into programmatic decisions and practices. All submitted M&E plans will be reviewed to ensure the applicant has provided at least the required information outlined in the M&E section of this solicitation and demonstrated the applicant’s capacity to carry out the M&E plan.

7.) Cost-effectiveness/Cost-sharing: Proposals should keep the overhead components of the proposal, including salaries and honoraria, as low as possible. All costs should be necessary and appropriate. Proposals should maximize cost share through other private sector support and institutional direct funding contributions.

F. FEDERAL AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

F.1. Award Notices Final awards cannot be made until funds have been appropriated by Congress, allocated and committed through internal ECA procedures. Successful applicants will receive a Federal Assistance Award (FAA) from the ECA’s Grants Division. The FAA and the original proposal with subsequent modifications (if applicable) shall be the only binding authorizing document between the recipient and the U.S. Government. The FAA will be signed by an authorized Grants Officer and transmitted to the recipient’s responsible officer as identified in the application.

Issuance of this NOFO does not constitute an award commitment on the part of the U.S.

government, nor does it commit the U.S. government to pay for costs incurred in the preparation and submission of proposals. Further, the U.S. government reserves the right to reject any or all proposals received.

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

F.2 Administrative and National Policy Requirements:

Before submitting an application, applicants should review all the terms and conditions and required certifications which will apply to this award, to ensure that they will be able to comply.

Terms and Conditions applicable to all ECA agreements include:

• 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.

• U.S. Department of State Standard Terms and Conditions.

For a copy of the OMB Guidance cited, please download from the www.ecfr.gov website.

For a copy of the U.S. Department of State Standard Terms and Conditions, or to review other Department of State assistance information, please download from:

https://www.state.gov/about-us-office-of-the-procurement-executive/

For additional information and guidance, please see the PSI, Section G. Additional Resources and Guidance.

F.3. Reporting Requirements http://www.ecfr.gov/

Recipients will be required to submit financial reports and program reports. The award document will specify how often these reports must be submitted. All reports must be submitted in a timely manner. For planning purposes, applicants can expect to provide ECA with an electronic copy of the following required reports:

1.) Performance Progress Reports (PPRs) shall be required at a minimum annually and no more frequently than quarterly. Annual reports shall be due 120 calendar days after the period of performance of the award ends; quarterly or semi-annual reports shall be due 30 days after the reporting period. Frequency of these reports will be determined by the Grants Officer and Program Officer. The complete report and supporting documentation must be uploaded by the recipient as a Post Award Activity under the corresponding record for this Cooperative Agreement/Grant in the U.S. Department of State’s MyGrants.

2.) The Federal Financial Report (FFR SF-425/SF-425a) must be submitted through the U.S.

Department of Health and Human Services’ Payment Management System (PMS). The electronic version of the FFR can be accessed at: http://www.dpm.psc.gov/. Once a financial report has been approved by the Department, the recipient must upload the approved report to MyGrants, in the same manner specified for the programmatic reports. Failure to comply with these reporting requirements may jeopardize the recipient's eligibility for future Cooperative Agreements/Grants.

3.) A final program and financial report no more than 120 days after the expiration or termination of the award.

4.) Because the competition will allow for the exercise of a NCC, applicants must submit program and financial reports on time. The due dates for these reports will be included in the cooperative agreement. The program and financial reports must demonstrate substantial progress by addressing progress towards the original approved goals and objectives, relative activities and events, and supporting fiscal data. The reports will be reviewed by both the assigned Grant Officer and Program Officer.

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

F.4. Program Data Requirements: Award recipients will be required to maintain specific data on program participants and activities in an electronically accessible database format that can be shared with ECA as required. At a minimum, the data must include the following:

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

http://www.dpm.psc.gov/

2.) Itineraries of international and domestic travel, providing dates of travel and cities in which any exchange experiences take place. Final schedules for in-country and U.S.

activities must be received by the ECA Program Officer at least three workdays prior to the official opening of the activity.

G. AGENCY CONTACTS

For questions about this announcement, contact: Tova Pertman, U.S. Department of State, Office of Citizen Exchanges, ECA/PE/CE/PY, 202-975-5367, PertmanTA@state.gov.

All correspondence with ECA concerning this NOFO should reference the title and funding opportunity number listed at the top of this solicitation.

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.

H. Other Information

Notice The terms and conditions published in this NOFO are binding and may not be modified by any ECA representative. Explanatory information provided by ECA that contradicts published language will not be binding. Issuance of the NOFO does not constitute an award commitment on the part of the Government. ECA reserves the right to reduce, revise, or increase proposal budgets in accordance with the needs of the program and the availability of funds. Awards will be subject to periodic programmatic and financial reporting and evaluation requirements as outlined in the NOFO.

Scott Weinhold October 3, 2024 Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs U.S. Department of State