[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 37 (Thursday, February 24, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-3984]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: February 24, 1994]


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UNITED STATES INFORMATION AGENCY
 

Exchange Project for the Development of Journalism Education in 
the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia (Public and Private 
Nonprofit Organizations in Support of International Educational and 
Cultural Activities)

AGENCY: United States Information Agency.

ACTION: Notice; request for proposals.

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SUMMARY: The Office of Citizen Exchanges (E/P) of the United States 
Information Agency's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs 
announces a competitive grants program for nonprofit organizations to 
develop multi-phased exchange programs for journalism educators. There 
will be two separate exchange programs, and American organizations are 
invited to submit proposals for one or both. One program will be for 10 
to 12 educators from the Middle East and North Africa; the other 
program will be for 10 to 12 educators from South Asia. The journalism 
educators will come to the United States for an intensive, six-week 
study program in American journalism education, with emphasis on 
curriculum development, the relationship of education to the practice 
of journalism, the development of professionalism in journalism, and an 
introduction to American print media, from student publications at the 
university and secondary school levels to substantive contact with 
newspapers. During the second phase of each exchange program, two teams 
of two American journalism educators will travel to selected countries 
for consultations with phase one participants and their colleagues. 
Each team will visit two or three countries and will focus on 
curriculum development and the establishment of student publications as 
an educational device. These target countries will be selected through 
consultations among USIA, USIS posts and the program organizer after 
completion of the first program component.
    Interested applicants are urged to read the complete Federal 
Register announcement before addressing inquiries to the Office or 
submitting their proposals. After the RFP deadline, the Office of 
Citizen Exchanges may not discuss this competition in any way with 
applicants until the final decisions are made.

ANNOUNCEMENT NAME AND NUMBER: All communications with USIA concerning 
this announcement should refer to the above title and reference number 
E/P-94-20.

DATES: Deadline for proposals: All copies must be received at the U.S. 
Information Agency by 5 p.m. Washington, DC time on April 22, 1994. 
Faxed documents will not be accepted, nor will documents postmarked 
April 22, 1994, but received at a later date. It is the responsibility 
of each grant applicant to ensure that proposals are received by this 
deadline.

ADDRESSES: The original and 14 copies of the completed application and 
required forms should be submitted by the deadline to: U.S. Information 
Agency, Ref: E/P-94-20, Office of Grants Management (E/XE), 301 Fourth 
Street, SW., room 336, Washington, DC 20547.

CONTACT FOR INFORMATION: Interested organizations/institutions should 
contact the Office of Citizen Exchanges (E/P), USIA, 301 Fourth Street, 
SW., room 224, Washington, DC 20547, tel. (202) 619-5319, fax (202 619-
4350, to request detailed application packages which include all 
necessary forms and guidelines for preparing proposals, including 
specific budget preparation information. Please specify the name of 
USIA Program Specialist Thomas Johnston on all inquiries and 
correspondence.

Background/Objectives of This Program

    The end of colonialism and the consequent dramatic rise in the 
number of sovereign states in the developing world have produced an 
equally dramatic rise in the scope and diversity of available news 
media, both print and broadcast. However, much of the reporting 
disseminated through these media is flawed by the absence of 
journalistic skills, appropriate educational background, and 
appreciation for professional standards among those employed as 
journalists. In addition, media throughout the Near East, North Africa, 
and South Asia are often utilized to mold public opinion, rather than 
to provide objective information, and to rally support for the policies 
of parties holding or seeking power, rather than to present an 
independent, credible account or a responsible analysis of social and 
political phenomena.
    The primary objective of this program is to further the development 
of journalism education as an independent academic discipline in North 
Africa, the Near East, and South Asia, and thereby to strengthen 
substantive, responsible, and objective media reporting, reflecting 
international recognized standards of journalistic professionalism.
    Project proposals should focus on the cultivation of a cadre of 
journalism educators--both professors and deans of schools of 
journalism--from the Near East and North Africa, or from South Asia, 
who are persuaded of the need for curricular reform and development in 
order to train well educated, responsible journalists and who are able 
and willing to translate their convictions into efforts to bring about 
such reform and development.

Participants

    Journalism educators from the Middle East and North Africa who will 
participate in the U.S. phase of this program will be provided the 
service of bilingual escort-interpreters in Arabic, with one 
interpreter for each five/six participants and one language-fluent 
escort for the group (to be facilitated by USIA through the U.S. 
Department of State). For American consultants participating in the 
second component of the Near East/North African exchange, fluency in 
Arabic or French, depending on the countries visited and the language 
preference of the anticipated audiences, would be desirable. In the 
absence of language fluency, arrangements should be made by the grantee 
organization, in consultation with USIS posts, for interpretation. 
Participating educators in the South Asian exchange must possess strong 
English language skills. American consultants traveling to South Asia 
during the second component of the program may require the service of 
interpreters, depending upon the language facility of the South Asian 
educators with whom they will work in the region. Again, the grantee 
organization should coordinate arrangements for in-country interpreters 
with the appropriate USIS posts.
    Participants will be nominated through coordination among USIA, 
U.S. Information Service personal in the region, and overseas partner 
institutions. USIA and the participating USIS posts retain the right to 
nominate all participants and to accept or reject participants 
recommended by grantee institutions. The U.S. consultants who will 
travel abroad will be selected by the grantee institution in 
consultation with USIA.
    USIS officers in participating countries will facilitate the 
issuance of visas and other program-related material.

Programmatic Considerations

    Thematically, each program should:

--Analyze the current status of professional journalism and journalism 
education in the participants' countries of origin and determine, in 
conjunction with USIS posts in these countries and with the journalism 
educators selected as participants, the needs to be addressed by the 
exchange;
--Provide the participants both a general and a specific overview of 
journalism education and the practice of journalism in the United 
States, beginning with an historic perspective and a survey of the 
evolution of the public media in the context of a socially diverse and 
politically democratic country;
--Conduct for the participants short, intensive, lecture-seminary-
discussion courses in journalism education, focussing primarily on 
curriculum development, the structuring of apprenticeships or 
internships as an integral component of the journalist's training, and 
the development of student publications as essential to journalism 
education.
--And arrange one-week, intensive, participant/observer placements for 
the journalism educators as a group in the journalism departments of 
three universities, preferably reflecting diversity of size, 
orientation, and geographic location. These placements should include, 
in each case, classroom observation, first-hand experience in producing 
a student publication, visits to at least one medium-to-large newspaper 
which features both national and international reporting, and, if 
possible, observation of high-school level student journalism classes 
and publications.

    Pursuant to the legislation authorizing the Bureau of Educational 
and Cultural Affairs, programs must maintain a nonpolitical character 
and should be balanced and representative of the diversity of American 
political, social and cultural life.
    Beyond the immediate goals of this exchange, USIA is also 
interested in supporting programs which will lay the groundwork for new 
and continuing links between American and Middle Eastern, North 
African, and South Asian educational institutions and professional 
organizations and which will encourage the further growth and 
development of democratic institutions.
    The grantee organization will be responsible for most arrangements 
associated with this program. These include organizing a coherent 
progression of activities, providing international and domestic travel 
arrangements for all participants, making lodging and local 
transportation arrangements for visitors, orienting and debriefing 
participants, preparing any necessary support material, and working 
with host institutions and individuals to achieve maximum program 
effectiveness.
    To prepare foreign journalism educators for this project prior to 
their arrival in the United States, E/P encourages the grantee 
organization to develop material that would be sent to USIS offices 
overseas for distribution to participants. This material might include 
a tentative project outline with suggested goals and objectives, 
relevant background information, and information about American 
institutions and individuals involved in the exchange.
    At the beginning of the program, the grantee organization should 
conduct an orientation session for the visiting participants which 
addresses administrative details of the program and provides general 
information about American society and culture which will facilitate 
the participants' understanding of and adjustment to daily life in the 
United States.
    At the conclusion of the program, the group should meet in a one-
day evaluation and planning session to review what has been presented 
to and experienced by the participants and to consider how that which 
has been learned can most effectively be applied upon the participants' 
return to their home countries.

Additional Guidelines

    Program monitoring and oversight will be provided by appropriate 
USIA elements. The U.S. grantee institution should try to maximize 
cost-sharing in all facets of the program and to stimulate U.S. private 
sector (foundation and corporate) support.
    Proposals incorporating participant/observer site visits will be 
more competitive if letters committing prospective host institutions to 
support these efforts are provided.

Funding

    Competition for USIA funding support is keen. The final selection 
of a grantee institution will depend on assessment of proposals 
according to a the review criteria delineated below.
    The amount requested from USIA should not exceed $165,000 for each 
of these programs. However, organizations with less than four years of 
successful experience in managing international exchange programs are 
limited to $60,000.
    While applicants must provide an all-inclusive budget with the 
proposal, they are also encouraged to include separate sub-budgets for 
each program component, phase, location or activity.
    The recipient's proposal shall include the cost of an audit that:
    (1) Complies with the requirements of OMB Circular No. A-133, 
Audits of Institutions of Higher Education and Other Nonprofit 
Institutions;
    (2) Complies with the requirements of American Institute of 
Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) Statement of Position (SOP) No. 
92-9; and
    (3) Includes review by the recipient's independent auditor of a 
recipient-prepared supplemental schedule of indirect cost rate 
computation, if such a rate is being proposed.
    The audit costs shall be identified separately for:
    (1) Preparation of basic financial statements and other accounting 
services; and
    (2) Preparation of the supplemental reports and schedules required 
by OMB Circular No. A-133, AICPA SOP 92-9, and the review of the 
supplemental schedule of indirect cost rate computation.
    USIA will consider funding the following project costs:
    1. International and domestic air fares; visas; transit costs 
(e.g., airport taxes); ground transportation costs.
    2. Per diem: For the U.S. program, organizations have the option of 
using a flat rate of $140/day for international participants or the 
published Federal Travel Regulations per diem rates for individual 
American cities.

    Note: U.S. escorting staff must use the published federal per 
diem rates, not the flat rate. For activities in the Middle East, 
North Africa and South Asia, the Standard Federal Travel Regulations 
per diem rates must be used.

    3. Escort-interpreters: Interpretation for U.S.-based programs is 
provided by the State Department's Language Services Division. USIA 
grants do not pay for foreign interpreters to accompany delegations 
during travel to or from their home country. Grant proposal budgets 
should contain a flat $140/day per diem rate for each State Department 
interpreter, as well as home-program-home air transportation of $400 
per interpreter and any U.S. travel expenses during the program itself. 
Salary expenses are covered centrally and are not part of the 
applicant's budget proposal. For the second component of the program, a 
limited amount of grant funds would be available for interpreters, 
should interpretation be required. The grant applicant is encouraged to 
confirm with the appropriate USIS posts the local costs for 
interpreters. Grant proposals should reflect these costs.
    4. Book and cultural allowance: Participants are entitled to a one-
time cultural allowance of $150 per person, plus a book allowance of 
$50. Escorts are reimbursed for actual cultural expenses up to $150. 
U.S. staff do not get these benefits.
    5. Consultants: May be used to provide specialized expertise or to 
make presentations. Honoraria should not exceed $250 per day. 
Subcontracting organizations may also be used, in which case the 
written contract(s) must be included in the proposal.
    6. Room rental: generally should not exceed $250 per day.
    7. Materials: Proposals may contain costs to purchase, develop and 
translate materials for participants. USIA reserves the rights to these 
materials for future use.
    8. One working meal per project: Per capita cost may not exceed $5-
8 per lunch and $14-20 per dinner, excluding room rental. The number of 
invited guests may not exceed the number of participants by a factor of 
more than two to one.
    9. Return travel allowance: $70 for each participant which is to be 
used for incidental expenditures incurred during international travel.
    10. Other costs necessary for the effective administration of the 
program, including salaries for grant organization employees, benefits, 
and other direct and indirect costs per detailed instructions in the 
application package.
    E/P encourages cost-sharing, which may be in the form of allowable 
direct or indirect costs. The Recipient must maintain written records 
to support all allowable costs which are claimed as being its 
contribution to cost participation, 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 OMB Circular A-110, Attachment E, ``Cost-sharing and 
Matching,'' and should be described in the proposal. In the event the 
Recipient does not meet the minimum amount of cost-sharing as 
stipulated in the Recipient's budget, the Agency's contribution.

Please Note

    All participants will be covered under the terms of a USIA-
sponsored health insurance policy. The premium is paid by USIA directly 
to the insurance company.

 Application Requirements

    Proposals must be structured in accordance with the instructions 
contained in the application package. Confirmation letters from U.S. 
and foreign co-sponsors noting their intention to participate in the 
program will enhance a proposal.

Review Process

    USIA will acknowledge receipt of all proposals and will review them 
for technical eligibility. Proposals will be deemed ineligible if they 
do not fully adhere to the guidelines established herein and in the 
application package.
    Eligible proposals will be forwarded to panels of USIA officers for 
advisory review. Proposals will be reviewed by USIS posts and by USIA's 
Office of Near Eastern, North African, and South Asian Affairs. 
Proposals may also be reviewed by the Office of the General Counsel or 
by other Agency elements. Funding decisions are at the discretion of 
the Associate Director for Educational and Cultural Affairs. Final 
technical authority for granting awards resides with USIA's contracting 
officer. The awarding of any grant is subject to availability of funds.
    The U.S. Government reserves the right to reject any or all 
applications received. USIA will not pay for design and development 
costs associated with submitting a proposal. Applications are submitted 
at the risk of the applicant; should circumstances prevent the awarding 
of a grant, all preparation and submission costs are at the applicant's 
expense. USIA will not award funds for activities conducted prior to 
the actual grant award.

Review Criteria

    USIA will consider proposals based on the following criteria:
    1. Quality of Program Idea: Proposals should exhibit substance, 
originality, rigor, and relevance to the Agency mission. They should 
demonstrate the matching of U.S. resources to a clearly defined need.
    2. Institutional Reputation/Ability: Institutions should 
demonstrate their potential for effective program design and 
implementation and provide, if available, evidence of having conducted 
successful programs. If an applicant has previously received a USIA 
grant, responsible fiscal management and full compliance with all 
reporting requirements for past Agency grants, as determined by USIA's 
Office of Contracts (M/KG), will be considered. Evaluations of previous 
projects may also be considered in this assessment.
    3. Project Personnel: Information provided regarding the thematic 
and logistical expertise of project personnel should be relevant to the 
proposal at hand. Resumes or C.V.s should be summaries appropriate to 
the specific proposal and no longer than two pages each.
    4. Program Planning: A detailed agenda and relevant work plan 
should demonstrate substantive rigor and logistical capacity.
    5. Thematic Expertise: Proposal should demonstrate the 
organization's expertise in the subject area and its ability 
effectively to share information.
    6. Cross-Cultural Sensitivity and Area Expertise: Evidence should 
be provided of sensitivity to historical, linguistic, religious, and 
other cross-cultural factors, as well as relevant knowledge of the 
target geographic area/country.
    7. Ability To Achieve Program Objectives: Objectives should be 
realistic and feasible. The proposal should clearly demonstrate how the 
grantee institution will meet program objectives.
    8. Multiplier Effect: Proposed programs should strengthen mutual 
understanding and should contribute to maximum sharing of information 
and establishment of long-term institutional and individual ties.
    9. Cost-Effectiveness: Costs to USIA per exchange participant 
(American and foreign) should be kept to a minimum, and all items 
proposed for USIA funding should be necessary and appropriate to 
achieve the program's objectives.
    10. Cost-Sharing: Proposals should maximize cost-sharing through 
private sector support as well as through direct funding contributions 
and/or in-kind support from the prospective grantee organization and 
its partners.
    11. Follow-on Activities: Proposals should provide a plan for 
continued exchange activity (without USIA support) which ensures that 
USIA-supported programs are not isolated events.
    12. Project Evaluation: Proposals should include a plan to evaluate 
the project. USIA recommends that the applicant discuss the evaluation 
methodology chosen and the techniques which will be employed to assess 
the effectiveness of the project and the correspondence between 
observable outcomes and original project objectives. Grantees will be 
expected to submit intermediate reports after each project component is 
concluded or quarterly, whichever is less frequent.

Notice

    The terms and conditions published in this RFP are binding and may 
not be modified by any USIA representative. Explanatory information 
provided by the Agency which contradicts published language will not be 
binding. Issuance of the RFP does not constitute an award commitment on 
the part of the U.S. Government. Awards cannot be made until funds have 
been fully appropriated by Congress and allocated and committed through 
internal USIA procedures.

Notification

    All applicants will be notified of the results of the review 
process on or about July 1, 1994. Awarded grants will be subject to 
periodic reporting and evaluation requirements.

    Dated: February 14, 1994.
Barry Fulton,
Associate Director, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
[FR Doc. 94-3984 Filed 2-23-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8230-01-M