Bid #ED-GRANTS-061526-001. Contact: mece@ed.gov. The U.S. Department of Education is offering grants through the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange (MECE) program to promote foreign language and area studies in U.S. educational institutions. Due Jul 15 (6 days left).
The U.S. Department of Education is offering grants through the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange (MECE) program to promote foreign language and area studies in U.S. educational institutions. The program supports international and domestic teacher exchanges. Eligible applicants include public or private nonprofit foundations, educational institutions, and other organizations. The application deadline is July 15, 2026, with an estimated $10.19 million available for 2-4 awards.
Program Description: In coordination with the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the U.S. Department of State (State), the U.S. Department of Education (ED) is soliciting applications in support of the administration of the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange (MECE) program. The purpose of the program is to promote, improve, and develop the study of modern foreign language training and area studies in U.S. schools, colleges, and universities by supporting visits and study in foreign countries by teachers and prospective teachers. The program provides opportunities for teachers and prospective teachers to improve their skill in languages, their knowledge of the culture of the people of other countries, and finances visits by teachers from those other countries to the United States for the purpose of participating in foreign language training and area studies in U.S. schools, colleges, and universities. Assistance Listing Number: 84.021C Applicants are required to follow the 2025 Common Instructions and Information for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs , published in the Federal Register on August 29, 2025 (90 FR 42234) and available at ED 2025 Common Instructions .
Department of Education issued this public solicitation, referenced as solicitation number ED-GRANTS-061526-001. It was published on June 15, 2026, and responses are due by July 15, 2026. Questions can be directed to MECE@ed.gov.
Department of Education is using this solicitation to acquire the goods, services, or construction work described above. Public agencies typically advertise this kind of work as a Request for Proposals (RFP), evaluating bidders on a combination of qualifications, technical approach, and price. Bidders responding to a public solicitation are generally expected to provide proof of liability insurance and workers' compensation, hold any applicable trade or professional license, and post performance and payment bonds for contracts above the agency's threshold.
Contracts of this type are usually awarded under the issuing agency's published procurement rules, with bid bond, performance bond, and reference requirements set in the solicitation documents. PublicBidSearch indexes this solicitation alongside other open public-sector bids so contractors and vendors can compare active opportunities by category, agency, or location without monitoring each procurement portal individually.
To submit a proposal for this RFP, review the full solicitation documents for Department of Education's exact scope of work, submission format, and any mandatory pre-bid meeting or site visit. Responses must be received before the July 15, 2026 deadline — public agencies routinely reject late submissions regardless of cause. Confirm how the agency accepts responses — through an electronic procurement portal, as a sealed hard-copy bid, or by email — because the required method varies by agency and a non-conforming submission can be disqualified. Direct questions about scope or specifications to MECE@ed.gov before the agency's question cut-off date. Vendors that have not previously contracted with Department of Education should confirm whether registration on the agency's vendor system is required to be eligible for award.
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