|
||||
|
||||
 |
| |
Bureau
of Educational and Cultural Affairs
American Documentaries Showcase Announcement Type: New Cooperative Agreement Executive Summary: U.S. public and non-profit organizations meeting the provisions
described in Internal Revenue code section 26 USC 501 (c) (3) may
submit proposals that support the goals of American Documentaries
Showcase: to promote mutual understanding and cross-cultural awareness.
The program accomplishes this by providing an opportunity for international
audiences to view American documentaries; become exposed to American
viewpoints on socially relevant issues; gain an understanding of
the role of filmmaking as a catalyst for dialogue and for exploring
solutions to contemporary problems; and allow American documentary
filmmakers to learn about life and culture in the foreign host countries.
The Bureau is particularly interested in proposals that will facilitate
the organization of programs in countries with significant Muslim
or underserved populations, and youth. No guarantee is made or implied
that programming will be made in any particular region. For this competition, all organizations must demonstrate sufficient
experience successfully exhibiting, distributing, or otherwise promoting
American documentaries. They also should demonstrate extensive knowledge
of the documentary field in general both in the U.S. and overseas.
Proposals from organizations with significant international experience
will be more competitive. Organizations with less than four years
experience in conducting international exchanges are ineligible
to apply. Purpose: Guidelines: Proposals should reflect a practical understanding of global issues,
and demonstrate sensitivity to cultural, political, economic, and
social differences in regions where the documentaries will be shown
and the film experts programmed. Special attention should be given
to describing the applicant organization's experience with documentary
film and with planning and implementing logistical scenarios overseas.
Applicants should outline their project team's capacity for doing
projects of this nature and provide a detailed sample program to
illustrate planning capacity and ability to achieve program objectives.
Applicants must identify all U.S. and foreign partner organizations
and/or venues with whom they are proposing to collaborate, and describe
previous cooperative projects in the section on "Institutional
Capacity." For this competition, applicants must include in
their proposal supporting materials or documentation that demonstrate
a minimum of four years experience in conducting international exchange
programs. Proposals must include references with name and contact
information for other assistance awards the applicant has received,
in the event the Bureau chooses to be in touch directly. ECA intends to give one assistance award to a qualified institution or organization to administer the American Documentary Showcase program globally. Activities funded through this cooperative agreement support the organization and implementation of between 20 to 30 overseas programs. Activities must include, but are not limited to: Applicants must have experience in documentary filmmaking aspects
and in planning and implementation of programs, with particular
emphasis on overseas programs and should address these elements
in the proposal. The grantee must be highly responsive and able
to work in close consultation with ECA and the Public Affairs Sections
of the participating U.S. embassies. Successful applicants will include with their proposal specific
criteria for the selection of American documentaries and documentary
filmmakers. II. Award Information: III.) Eligibility Information: III.1. Eligible applicants: Applications may be submitted by public
and private non-profit organizations meeting the provisions described
in Internal Revenue Code section 26 USC 501(c)(3). III.2. Cost Sharing or Matching Funds: There is no minimum or maximum
percentage required for this competition. However, the Bureau encourages
applicants to provide maximum levels of cost sharing and funding
in support of its programs. In-kind cost-sharing is acceptable for
certain aspects of the budget. For example, a grantee's existing
inherent professional expertise is considered in-kind cost sharing.
This can be reflected as a contribution of honoraria fees that might
otherwise have to be spent to hire experts. III.3. Other Eligibility Requirements: b.) Technical Eligibility: All proposals must comply with the following: 1) full adherence to the guidelines stated herein and in the Solicitation Package; 2) proposal submission deadline date; 3) non-profit organization status, and; 4) for purposes of this competition, a demonstrated track record in documentary programming and at least four years experience in international exchanges, or your proposal will be declared technically ineligible and given no further consideration in the review process. Eligible applicants may submit only ONE proposal (TOTAL) in response to this RFGP. If multiple proposals are received, all submissions will be declared technically ineligible and will be given no further consideration in the review process. IV.) Application and Submission Information: IV.1 Contact Information to Request an Application Package: Alternatively, an electronic application package may be obtained from grants.gov. Please see section IV.3f for further information. The Solicitation Package contains the Proposal Submission For questions about this announcement, please contact: Susan Cohen, Cultural Programs Division, ECA/PE/C/CU, 202/203-7509; fax 202/203-7525; CohenSL@state.gov . Please refer to the Funding Opportunity Number ECA/PE/C-CU-08-70 located at the top of this announcement on all other inquiries and correspondence. IV.2. To Download a Solicitation Package Via Internet: Please read all information before downloading. IV.3. Content and Form of Submission: Applicants must follow all
instructions in the Solicitation Package. The original and 14 copies
(15 proposals total) of the application should be sent per the instructions
under IV.3f. "Application Deadline and Methods of Submission"
section below. IV.3a. You are required to have a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number to apply for a grant or cooperative agreement from the U.S. Government. This number is a nine-digit identification number, which uniquely identifies business entities. Obtaining a DUNS number is easy and there is no charge. To obtain a DUNS number, access http://www.dunandbradstreet.com or call 1-866-705-5711. Please ensure that your DUNS number is included in the appropriate box of the SF - 424 which is part of the formal application package. IV.3b. All proposals must contain an executive summary, proposal narrative and budget. Please Refer to the Solicitation Package. It contains the mandatory Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) document for additional formatting and technical requirements. IV.3c. You must have nonprofit status with the IRS at the time of application. Please note: Effective March 14, 2008, all applicants for ECA federal assistance awards must include with their application, a copy of page 5, Part V-A, "Current Officers, Directors, Trustees, and Key Employees" of their most recent Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Form 990, "Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax." If your organization is a private nonprofit which has not received a grant or cooperative agreement from ECA in the past three years, or if your organization received nonprofit status from the IRS within the past four years, you must submit the necessary documentation to verify nonprofit status as directed in the PSI document. Failure to do so will cause your proposal to be declared technically ineligible. IV.3d. Please take into consideration the following information
when preparing your proposal narrative: IV.3d.1 Adherence To All Regulations Governing The J Visa The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs places critically
important emphases on the secure and proper administration of Exchange
Visitor (J visa) Programs and adherence by grantee program organizations
and program participants to all regulations governing the J visa
program status. Therefore, proposals should explicitly state in
writing that the applicant is prepared to assist the Bureau in meeting
all requirements governing the administration of Exchange Visitor
Programs as set forth in 22 CFR 62. If your organization has experience
as a designated Exchange Visitor Program Sponsor, the applicant
should discuss their record of compliance with 22 CFR 62 et. seq.,
including the oversight of their 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 Office of Citizen Exchanges of ECA will be responsible for
issuing DS-2019 forms to participants in this program. United States Department of State IV.3d.2 Diversity, Freedom and Democracy Guidelines Pursuant to the Bureau's authorizing legislation, programs must maintain a non-political character and should be balanced and representative of the diversity of American political, social, and cultural life. "Diversity" should be interpreted in the broadest sense and encompass differences including, but not limited to ethnicity, race, gender, religion, geographic location, socio-economic status, and disabilities. Applicants are strongly encouraged to adhere to the advancement of this principle both in program administration and in program content. Please refer to the review criteria under the 'Support for Diversity' section for specific suggestions on incorporating diversity into your proposal. Public Law 104-319 provides that "in carrying out programs of educational and cultural exchange in countries whose people do not fully enjoy freedom and democracy," the Bureau "shall take appropriate steps to provide opportunities for participation in such programs to human rights and democracy leaders of such countries." Public Law 106 - 113 requires that the governments of the countries described above do not have inappropriate influence in the selection process. Proposals should reflect advancement of these goals in their program contents, to the full extent deemed feasible. IV.3d.3. Program Monitoring and Evaluation Proposals must include a plan to monitor and evaluate the project's success, both as the activities unfold and at the end of the program. The Bureau recommends that your proposal include a draft survey questionnaire or other technique plus a description of a methodology to use to link outcomes to original project objectives. The Bureau expects that the grantee will track participants or partners and be able to respond to key evaluation questions, including satisfaction with the program, learning as a result of the program, changes in behavior as a result of the program, and effects of the program on institutions (institutions in which participants work or partner institutions). The evaluation plan should include indicators that measure gains in mutual understanding as well as substantive knowledge. Successful monitoring and evaluation depend heavily on setting clear goals and outcomes at the outset of a program. Your evaluation plan should include a description of your project's objectives, your anticipated project outcomes, and how and when you intend to measure these outcomes (performance indicators). The more that outcomes are "smart" (specific, measurable, attainable, results-oriented, and placed in a reasonable time frame), the easier it will be to conduct the evaluation. You should also show how your project objectives link to the goals of the program described in this RFGP. Your monitoring and evaluation plan should clearly distinguish between program outputs and outcomes. Outputs are products and services delivered, often stated as an amount. Output information is important to show the scope or size of project activities, but it cannot substitute for information about progress towards outcomes or the results achieved. Examples of outputs include the number of people trained or the number of seminars conducted. Outcomes, in contrast, represent specific results a project is intended to achieve and is usually measured as an extent of change. Findings on outputs and outcomes should both be reported, but the focus should be on outcomes. We encourage you to assess the following four levels of outcomes, as they relate to the program goals set out in the RFGP (listed here in increasing order of importance): 1. Participant satisfaction with the program and exchange experience. Please note: Consideration should be given to the appropriate timing of data collection for each level of outcome. For example, satisfaction is usually captured as a short-term outcome, whereas behavior and institutional changes are normally considered longer-term outcomes. Overall, the quality of your monitoring and evaluation plan will be judged on how well it 1) specifies intended outcomes; 2) gives clear descriptions of how each outcome will be measured; 3) identifies when particular outcomes will be measured; and 4) provides a clear description of the data collection strategies for each outcome (i.e., surveys, interviews, or focus groups). (Please note that evaluation plans that deal only with the first level of outcomes [satisfaction] will be deemed less competitive under the present evaluation criteria.) Grantees will be required to provide reports analyzing their evaluation findings to the Bureau in their regular program reports. All data collected, including survey responses and contact information, must be maintained for a minimum of three years and provided to the Bureau upon request. IV.3e. Please take the following information into consideration when preparing your budget: IV.3e.1. Applicants must submit a comprehensive budget for the
entire program. The award may not exceed $400,000. There must be
a summary budget as well as breakdowns reflecting both administrative
and program budgets. Applicants may provide separate sub-budgets
for each program component, phase, location, or activity to provide
clarification. IV.3e.2. For budgeting purposes, applicants should estimate costs
based on selection of approximately 20 to 30 documentaries, packaging
of multiple copies of the collection as well as administration of
travel abroad and programming of documentary filmmakers to 18 to
30 U.S. Embassies overseas. Final determination of participating
regions and countries will be made by ECA in collaboration with
U.S. embassies and the successful applicant after the assistance
award has been given. IV.3e.3. Allowable costs for the program include the following:
2. Administrative Costs. Costs necessary for the effective administration of the program may include salaries for grantee organization employees, benefits, and other direct and indirect costs per detailed instructions in the Solicitation Package. While there is no rigid ratio of administrative to program costs, proposals in which the administrative costs do not exceed 25% of the total requested from ECA grant funds will be more competitive on cost effectiveness. Please refer to the Solicitation Package for complete budget guidelines and formatting instructions. IV.3F. APPLICATION DEADLINE AND METHODS OF SUBMISSION: Application Deadline Date: Thursday, May 27, 2008 1.) In hard-copy, via a nationally recognized overnight delivery
service (i.e., DHL, Federal Express, UPS, Airborne Express, or U.S.
Postal Service Express Overnight Mail, etc.), or Along with the Project Title, all applicants must enter the above Reference Number in Box 11 on the SF-424 contained in the mandatory Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) of the solicitation document. IV.3f.1 Submitting Printed Applications Applications must be shipped no later than the above deadline. Delivery services used by applicants must have in-place, centralized shipping identification and tracking systems that may be accessed via the Internet and delivery people who are identifiable by commonly recognized uniforms and delivery vehicles. Proposals shipped on or before the above deadline but received at ECA more than seven days after the deadline will be ineligible for further consideration under this competition. Proposals shipped after the established deadlines are ineligible for consideration under this competition. ECA will not notify you upon receipt of application. It is each applicant's responsibility to ensure that each package is marked with a legible tracking number and to monitor/confirm delivery to ECA via the Internet. Delivery of proposal packages may not be made via local courier service or in person for this competition. Faxed documents will not be accepted at any time. Only proposals submitted as stated above will be considered. Important note: When preparing your submission please make sure to include one extra copy of the completed SF-424 form and place it in an envelope addressed to "ECA/EX/PM". The original and 14 copies of the application should be sent to: U.S. Department of State Applicants submitting hard-copy applications must also submit the "Executive Summary" and "Proposal Narrative" sections of the proposal in text (.txt) or Microsoft Word format on a PC-formatted disk. The Bureau will provide these files electronically to the appropriate Public Affairs Section(s) at the U.S. embassy(ies) for its(their) review. IV.3f.2 - Submitting Electronic Applications Several of the steps in the Grants.gov registration process could
take several weeks. Therefore, applicants should check with appropriate
staff within their organizations immediately after reviewing this
RFGP to confirm or determine their registration status with Grants.gov.
Once registered, the amount of time it can take to upload an application
will vary depending on a variety of factors including the size of
the application and the speed of your internet connection. Therefore,
we strongly recommend that you not wait until the application deadline
to begin the submission process through Grants.gov. Direct all questions regarding Grants.gov registration and submission
to: Applicants have until midnight (12:00 a.m.), Washington, DC time of the closing date to ensure that their entire application has been uploaded to the Grants.gov site. There are no exceptions to the above deadline. Applications uploaded to the site after midnight of the application deadline date will be automatically rejected by the grants.gov system, and will be technically ineligible. Applicants will receive a confirmation e-mail from grants.gov upon the successful submission of an application. ECA will not notify you upon receipt of electronic applications. It is the responsibility of all applicants submitting proposals via the Grants.gov web portal to ensure that proposals have been received by Grants.gov in their entirety, and ECA bears no responsibility for data errors resulting from transmission or conversion processes. IV.3g. Intergovernmental Review of Applications: Executive Order 12372 does not apply to this program. V. Application Review Information REVIEW CRITERIA Technically eligible applications will be competitively reviewed
according to the criteria stated below. These criteria are not rank
ordered and all carry equal weight in the proposal evaluation: 1. Program Planning and Ability to Achieve Objectives: Detailed
agenda and relevant work plan should demonstrate substantive undertakings
and logistical capacity. Agenda and plan should adhere to the program
overview and guidelines described above. Proposals should clearly
demonstrate how the institution will meet the program's objectives
and plan. 2. Multiplier Effect/Impact: Proposed programs should strengthen
long-term mutual understanding, including maximum sharing of information
and establishment of long-term institutional and individual linkages. 3. Support of Diversity: Proposals should demonstrate substantive
support of the Bureau's policy on diversity. Achievable and relevant
features should be cited in both program administration (selection
of participants, program venue and program evaluation) and program
content (orientation and wrap-up sessions, program meetings, resource
materials and follow-up activities). 4. Institutional Capacity: Proposals should include 1) the institution's
mission and date of establishment; 2) an outline of prior awards-
U.S. government and/or private support received for tours abroad;
3) descriptions of experienced staff members who will be part of
the team implementing the program, and; 4) all other documentation
requested herein. Proposed personnel and institutional resources
should be adequate and appropriate to achieve the program or project's
goals. The proposal should reflect the institution's expertise in
documentary exhibition, promotion, and programming. 5) Institution's
Record/Ability: Proposals should demonstrate an institutional record
of at least four years of international exchanges. 6) Project Evaluation:
Proposals should include a plan to evaluate the activity's success,
both as the activities unfold and at the end of the program. A draft
survey questionnaire or other technique plus description of a methodology
to use to link outcomes to original project objectives is recommended. 5. Cost-effectiveness and Cost-sharing: The overhead and administrative components of the proposal, including salaries and honoraria, should be kept as low as possible. All other items should be necessary and appropriate. Proposals should maximize cost-sharing through other private sector support as well as institutional direct funding contributions. VI.) Award Administration Information Unsuccessful applicants will receive notification of the results of the application review from the ECA program office coordinating this competition. Should any proposals include programming for Iranian audiences
or include follow-on activities involving Iranian grantees, the
following additional requirements would apply to this project: A critical component of the Administration's Iran policy is the
support for indigenous Iranian voices. President Bush himself has
pledged this support and the State Department has made the awarding
of grants for this purpose a key component of its Iran policy. As
a condition of licensing these activities, the Office of Foreign
Assets Control (OFAC) has requested the Department of State to follow
certain procedures to effectuate the goals of Sections 481(b), 531(a),
571, 582, and 635(b) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (as amended);
18 U.S.C. §§ 2339A and 2339B; Executive Order 13224; and
Homeland Security Presidential Directive 6. These licensing conditions
mandate that the Department conduct a vetting of potential Iran
grantees and sub-grantees for counter-terrorism purposes. To conduct
this vetting the Department will collect information from grantees
and sub-grantees regarding the identity and background of their
key employees and Boards of Directors. Note: To assure that planning for the inclusion of Iran complies
with requirements, please contact the Office's Iran Policy Coordinator,
Lea Perez, at (202) 453-8156 for additional information. Or in her
absence, please contact Sheila Casey at (202) 453-8150. All awards made under this competition must be executed according to all relevant U.S. laws and policies regarding assistance to the Palestinian Authority, and to the West Bank and Gaza. Organizations must consult with relevant Public Affairs Offices before entering into any formal arrangements or agreements with Palestinian organizations or institutions. Note: To assure that planning for the inclusion of the Palestinian Authority complies with requirements, please contact program officer Susan Cohen (202) 203-7509, e-mail: cohensl@state.gov for additional information. VI.2 Administrative and National Policy Requirements: Office of Management and Budget Circular A 122, "Cost Principles
for Nonprofit Office of Management and Budget Circular A-21, "Cost Principles
for Educational OMB Circular A-87, "Cost Principles for State, Local and Indian Governments". OMB Circular No. A 110 (Revised), Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals, and other Nonprofit Organizations. OMB Circular No. A-102, Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants-in-Aid to State and Local Governments. OMB Circular No. A-133, Audits of States, Local Government, and Non-profit Organizations Please reference the following websites for additional information: http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants. VI.3. Reporting Requirements: You must provide ECA with a hard
copy original plus two copies of the following reports: Grantees will be required to provide reports analyzing their evaluation
findings to the Bureau in their regular program reports. (Please
refer to IV. Application and Submission Instructions (IV.3.d.3)
above for Program Monitoring and Evaluation information. All data collected, including survey responses and contact information,
must be maintained for a minimum of three years and provided to
the Bureau upon request. All reports must be sent to the ECA Grants Officer and ECA Program Officer listed in the final assistance award document. VII. Agency Contacts All correspondence with the Bureau concerning this RFGP should reference the above title and number ECA/PE/C-CU-08-70. Please read the complete announcement before sending inquiries
or submitting proposals. Once the RFGP deadline has passed, Bureau
staff may not discuss this competition with applicants until the
proposal review process has been completed. VIII. Other Information:
|
| |||
|
