[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 42 (Thursday, March 3, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-4690]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: March 3, 1994]


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UNITED STATES INFORMATION AGENCY
 

College and University Development Program in Business Management 
for Selected Countries in Central and Eastern Europe

AGENCY: United States Information Agency.

ACTION: Notice; request for proposals.

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SUMMARY: Subject to the availability of funds, The Bureau of 
Educational and Cultural Affairs of the United States Information 
Agency invites applications from accredited post-secondary U.S. 
educational institutions to conduct exchange programs with post-
secondary educational institutions in Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech 
Republic, Slovak Republic, Macedonia, Hungary, Poland, Romania and 
Slovenia to develop curricula and teaching methodologies for foreign 
faculties in the field of business management.

DATES: Deadline for proposals: Proposals must be received at the U.S. 
Information Agency by 5 p.m. Washington, DC time on April 29, 1994. 
Proposals received by the Agency after this deadline will not be 
eligible for consideration. Faxed documents will not be accepted, nor 
will documents which are postmarked on April 29, 1994, but received at 
a later date. It is the responsibility of all grant applicants to 
ensure that their proposals are received by the above deadline. Grants 
should begin not later than October 1, 1994 and must be a minimum of 
two years and a maximum of three years in length.

ADDRESSES: The original and 14 complete copies of the proposal should 
be submitted by the deadline to: U.S. Information Agency, Ref.: College 
and University Development Program in Business Management for Eastern 
and Central Europe (UDPBM), Grants Management Division, E/XE, room 336, 
301 4th St., SW., Washington, DC 20547.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
For general information and requests for application packets, which 
include all necessary forms as well as guidelines for preparing 
budgets, those interested should contact Ms. Robin Kline or Ms. Deborah 
Trent at (202) 619-5289, or write to the following address: Specialized 
Programs Unit, Office of Academic Programs, U.S. Information Agency, 
301 4th Street SW., room 349, Washington, DC 20547.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Fiscal Year 1994 support for this program is 
provided under the Support for East European Democracies (SEED) Act. 
Pursuant to the legislation authorizing the Bureau of Educational and 
Cultural Affairs, programs must maintain a non-political character and 
should be balanced and representative of the diversity of American 
political, social and cultural life. Programs shall also maintain their 
scholarly integrity and meet the highest standard of academic 
excellence or artistic achievement.

Overview

    Under the auspices of the SEED Act, USIA is offering this program 
to help foster greater expertise in business management in selected 
countries of the region. The specific purpose of this program is to 
assist Central and East European Countries in their transformation to 
free market economies through the development of business management 
training capabilities in academic institutions. Proposals that are 
extensions or enhancements of past or current relationships with a 
partner institution will be accepted.

Guidelines

Eligibility

    Institutions: In the U.S., participation in the program is open to 
accredited two-year and four-year colleges and universities, including 
graduate schools. Consortia of universities and/or community colleges, 
individually or as systems, are also eligible. U.S. colleges and 
universities or consortia applying under this program may collaborate 
with U.S. scholarly, professional, or international educational 
associations and organizations. Proposals from a consortium may be 
submitted by a single member institution with authority to represent 
the consortium. Overseas, participation is limited to recognized 
degree-granting institutions of higher education and internationally 
recognized and highly regarded independent research institutes.
    Special Note: The Agency encourages proposals from eligible 
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and other 
institutions in the U.S. with significant minority student enrollment. 
Consortia of colleges/universities including such institutions are also 
strongly encouraged to apply.
    Institutional Representatives: Each participant representing a U.S. 
institution, whose travel costs are covered under UDPBM funding, must 
be a U.S. citizen. Each participant representing a foreign institution 
must be a citizen, national, or permanent resident of the eligible 
foreign country in which the foreign partner institution is located.

Grant Activities

    Grant activities must include placement of U.S. faculty at Central 
and East European institutions for in-country training of foreign 
faculty and for development of sustainable programs to educate future 
foreign business management teachers and business people. An important 
goal of the program is to create enduring linkages between the 
designated foreign institutions and U.S. colleges and universities. 
Targeted program activities may include: Faculty development and 
enrichment; curriculum design; modernization of the administrative 
structures within the foreign institution; outreach to the private 
sector; and direct teaching. U.S. and foreign participants may include 
post-graduate students on a ``faculty track'' who are currently 
involved in teaching at participating institutions (not to exceed 25% 
of all participants). Components for the development of college/
university-to-private sector linkages and the development of 
appropriate materials are encouraged. Orientation, seminar, workshop 
and semester-long course formats will be acceptable. Visits to partner 
institutions by staff or consultants to plan joint projects may be 
funded under this grant but should be a relatively small part of the 
overall exchange. Preference will be given to proposals in which a U.S. 
faculty member is placed at the foreign partner institution for at 
least one academic year.
    Courses developed may include, but are not limited to: Marketing, 
production management, economics, industrial relations, finance, 
accounting, and international business and business communications. 
Proposals should provide for a two-way exchange.
    Exchange activities should include establishment of electronic 
communications between partner institutions and other networks.

Ineligibility

    A proposal will be deemed technically ineligible if:
    1. It does not fully adhere to the guidelines established herein 
and in the application packet, including budgetary requirements.
    2. The applicant is not an accredited U.S. two-year or four-year 
college or university;
    3. The project does not constitute a direct partnership with a 
post-secondary business management program in Albania, Bulgaria, 
Croatia, Czech Republic, Slovak Republic, Hungary, Macedonia, Poland, 
Romania or Slovenia;
    4. The project involves partnerships in more than one country;
    5. The project does not seek to address the faculty, curriculum, 
and administrative aspects entailed in developing the business 
management program identified;
    6. The project does not provide for in-country presence of U.S. 
faculty; or
    7. The project includes profits or fee.

Proposed Budget

    Subject to availability of funds, project awards to U.S. 
institutions will range from $50,000 to $300,000; USIA anticipates 
awarding approximately ten grants. The Agency reserves the right to 
reduce, increase or otherwise modify proposal budgets in accordance 
with the needs of the program. For organizations with less than four 
years of experience in international exchange activities, grants will 
be limited to a maximum of $60,000. All organizations must submit a 
comprehensive line item budget, the details and format of which are 
contained in the application packet.

Cost Sharing

    Cost-sharing 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 cost 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 A110, Attachment E. Cost-sharing and matching should be 
described in the proposal. In the event the recipient does not provide 
the minimum amount of cost sharing as stipulated in the recipient's 
budget, the USIA contribution will be reduced in proportion to the 
recipient's contribution. 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 A-133, AICPA SOP 92-9, and the review of 
the supplemental schedule of indirect cost rate computation.

Allowable Costs

Program Costs

    1. International travel (via U.S. flag carriers);
    2. Domestic travel;
    3. Maintenance (including lodging, meals and incidental expenses);
    4. Educational materials (including books, reference materials, 
computers, costs related to workshops, seminars, etc.) not to exceed 
35% of budget request;
    5. Honoraria or compensation for in-country work, not to exceed 
$100 per day per person;
    6. Visa fees for foreign participants;
    7. Medical insurance for foreign participants during U.S. visits 
(U.S. project directors must ensure that all participants are covered 
by a comprehensive health insurance plan);
    8. Salaries and benefits of U.S. participant(s) in residence at 
foreign partner institution for one academic year or longer. Total 
costs for the U.S. participant(s) in residence must not exceed 30 
percent of the total budget.

Administrative Costs

(Not to exceed 20% of requested budget, including administrative 
expenses for orientation. Indirect costs must be cost-shared.)

1. Salaries and benefits;
2. Communications (e.g. fax, telephone, postage);
3. Office Supplies;
4. Other Direct Costs.
    Applications must demonstrate substantial cost-sharing (dollar and 
in-kind) in both program and administrative expenses, including 
overseas partner contributions. No grants funded under this program 
will include profit or fee.

Institutional Commitment

    In making award decisions, USIA will focus especially on evidence 
of an ongoing commitment by the U.S. partner to internationalizing its 
educational programs as well as a commitment by both partner 
institutions to the success of the particular exchange program. Each 
proposal must include documentation of institutional support for the 
proposed program in the form of signed letters of endorsement from the 
president, chancellor, or director of the U.S. and foreign 
institution(s) involved. The documentation may also be submitted in the 
form of a signed agreement by the same persons. Each agreement or 
letter of endorsement must describe the institution's commitment to an 
on-going partnership and make specific reference to the proposed 
program and how it will fit into and be supported by the institution's 
current activities in internationalizing its educational programs. 
Proposals must comment on how the partnership might be continued beyond 
the period of the grant award. If not submitted with original proposal, 
documentation of support from foreign institutions must be received by 
5 p.m. Washington, DC time on May 13, 1994, addressed to Robin Kline or 
Deborah Trent, E/ASU, room 349, U.S. Information Agency, 301 4th Street 
SW., Washington, DC 20547. Applicant institutions are expected to make 
their own arrangements with the appropriate foreign institutions 
regarding institutional commitment and visas. All programs and foreign 
participants must be in compliance with J-1 visa regulations and the 
proposal must make reference to this requirement.

Review Process

    Proposals will be deemed technically eligible only if they adhere 
to the guidelines established herein and in the application packet. All 
eligible proposals will be reviewed at USIA by the Office of Academic 
Programs, appropriate geographic area office, and budget and contracts 
offices. Funding decisions are at the discretion of the Associate 
Director for Educational and Cultural Affairs. Final technical 
authority for grant awards resides with USIA's contracting office.

Review Criteria

    Technically eligible applications will be competitively reviewed 
according to the following criteria:
    a. Quality of program plan--including academic rigor, thorough 
conception of project (including a timeline of activities and 
identification of participants), potential to address partner needs, 
understanding of the needs of the partner institution, and proposed 
follow-up.
    b. Feasibility of the program plan and the capacity of the 
organization to conduct the exchange; e.g., qualifications of program 
staff and participants, commitment of the institution's administration 
to internationalize its faculty outlook and curricula. Each proposal 
should clearly demonstrate how the institution will meet the program 
objectives and execute the program plan.
    c. Track record--relevant Agency and outside assessments of the 
organization's experience with international exchanges; for 
organizations that have not worked with USIA, the demonstrated 
potential to achieve program goals will be evaluated.
    d. Multiplier effect/impact--the impact of the exchange activity on 
the wider community and on the establishment of continuing ties, as 
well as the contribution of the proposed activity in promoting mutual 
understanding.
    e. Value to U.S.-partner country relations--the assessment by 
USIA's geographic area office of the potential impact and significance 
of the project with the partner country.
    f. Cost effectiveness--greatest return on each grant dollar; degree 
of cost-sharing exhibited.
    g. Adherence of proposed activities to the criteria and conditions 
described above.
    h. Institutional commitment as demonstrated by financial and in-
kind support of the program.
    i. Follow-on Activities--each proposal must provide a plan for 
follow-on activity (without USIA support) which ensures that the USIA-
supported program is not an isolated event. Each proposal must clearly 
demonstrate long-term commitment from all partners.
    j. Evaluation plan--proposals must provide a plan for evaluation by 
the grantee institution.

Notice

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

Notification

    All applicants will be notified of the results of the review 
process on or about August 31, 1994. Awarded grants will be subject to 
periodic reporting and evaluation requirements.

    Dated: February 24, 1994.
David Michael Wilson,
Acting Associate Director, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
[FR Doc. 94-4690 Filed 3-2-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8230-01-M