[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]
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