Deadline: 15-Aug-20
The U.S. Embassy’s Public Affairs Section in Moscow (PAS Moscow) is inviting proposals for the submissions of a cooperative agreement to administer the FY 2020-2021 Exchanges Support program.
The grantee, using the grant funds, will be responsible for providing logistical support for Embassy-selected participants such as purchasing airline tickets, arranging lodging, procuring ground transportation, dispersing M&IE, and paying fees related to visa services, as directed by PAS Moscow.
The grantee will respond to emails in Russian from Russian exchange participants and prospective applicants and arrange international and in-country logistics. The grantee will also arrange virtual exchanges, including: webinars, online talks, ongoing online seminars, and virtual predeparture orientations and virtual reentry debriefings.
At a minimum, over the course of the grant performance period, the grantee (using funds in the grant) will be required to:
- Create a landing page in the Russian language that outlines all USG-funded opportunities for Russians who wish to study in the United States, with links to more information.
- Contract one full-time and one part-time staff member dedicated to logistics and program operations,
- Maintain contact with approximately 200 exchange participants,
- Purchase approximately 200 international airline tickets,
- Purchase approximately 200 in-country airline or train tickets,
- Reserve hotels for approximately 150 participants,
- Download approximately 450 applications for 5 programs,
- Arrange monthly virtual programs
- Upload participant data for 250 participants into a database
Proposals should include:
- Details of the organization’s capacity for handling travel and communication logistics within the United States and Russia.
- Details of the organization’s familiarity with all applicable U.S. and Russian law pertaining to travel, travel for unaccompanied minors, finances, privacy, collection and storage of personal information, and exchange-related logistics.
- Details of the organization’s familiarity working with Russian teachers and students, as well as working with American NGOs and institutions of higher education.
Funding Information
- Total available funding: $450,000, pending the availability of funds
- Length of performance period: October 1, 2020 to December 31, 2021
Eligibility Criteria
The following organizations are eligible to apply: U.S. non-commercial organizations and academic institutions (both Public and Private) are eligible to apply. U.S. public and private nonprofit organizations must meet the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code section 26 USC 501(c)(3).
Evaluation Criteria
- 30% Organizational capacity and record on previous grants: The organization has expertise in its stated field and PAS is confident of its ability to undertake the project. This includes a financial management system and a bank account.
- 30% Budget: The budget justification is detailed, and costs are allowable. Costs are reasonable in relation to the proposed activities and anticipated results. The budget is realistic, accounting for all necessary expenses to achieve proposed activities. Budget demonstrates efficient use of funds, appropriate to achieve project goals. The overhead and administrative components of the proposal, including salaries and honoraria, should be kept as low as possible. The budget and narrative justification are complete and reasonable in relation to the proposed activities and anticipated results. All other items should be consistent with project plans and activities.
- 10% Monitoring and Evaluation plan: The Project Plan should provide sufficient detail on program monitoring and evaluation during the project performance period, as well as demonstrate an understanding of potential risks and challenges associated with the project. The grantee should be prepared to assess the impact on audiences and attendees to evaluate the impact of each event. The project should include output and outcome indicators, and show how and when those will be measured.
- 15% Sustainability Project activities will continue to have positive impact after the end of the project.
- 15% Public Outreach: The program includes live or real-time social media products in Russian, or otherwise promotes the collaborative nature of the projects to the Russian public.
For more information, visit https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=327971