[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 98 (Monday, May 23, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-12470]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: May 23, 1994]


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UNITED STATES INFORMATION AGENCY

 

Social Science Curriculum Fellowships for Russian University 
Teachers

ACTION: Notice--request for proposals.

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SUMMARY: Prospective recipient will provide no fewer than ten research 
fellowships for Russian university teachers to pursue individual 
programs in social science fields in U.S. universities and research 
institutions in the academic year 1995-1996 in support of strengthened 
social science curricula in Russian higher education institutions. 
Participants should be teaching at the university level in social 
science fields, including but not limited to, political science, 
sociology, economics, law, and demography. Programs will include 
subject matter exposure, materials acquisition, scholarly networking, 
and orientation to current American approaches in these fields, 
especially empirical methods. Recipient organization is responsible for 
publicizing the program abroad, selecting the participants, placing 
participants in appropriate U.S. institutions, and for assuring 
appropriate supervision. Recipient is also responsible for all 
administrative arrangements, for program evaluation, and for 
establishing procedures for follow-up after participants return to 
their Russian universities.
    Overall grant making authority for this program is contained in the 
Freedom Support Act. The funding authority for the program is 
appropriated under the Foreign Assistance Act 1994.
    Programs and projects must conform with Agency requirements and 
guidelines outlined in the Application Package. It is expected that 
recipient will provide cash and/or in-kind cost sharing.

DATES: Deadline for proposals: All copies must be received at the U.S. 
Information Agency by 5 p.m. Washington, DC time, on Wednesday, June 
29, 1994. Faxed documents will not be accepted, nor will documents 
postmarked on June 29, 1994, but received at a later date. It is the 
responsibility of each assistance award applicant to ensure that the 
proposals are received by the above deadline. Grants should begin in 
the Fall of 1994.

ADDRESSES: The original and 8 copies of the completed application, 
including required forms, should be submitted by the deadline to: U.S. 
Information Agency, Reference: (E/AAS-94-02), Office of Grants 
Management, E/XE, room 336, 301 4th Street SW., Washington, DC 20547.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Interested organizations/institutions should contact Gretchen 
Christison at the U.S. Information Agency, Study of the U.S. Branch, E/
AAS room 256, 301 4th Street SW., Washington, DC 20547 tel: (202) 619-
4557 fax: (202) 619-6790 to request a detailed Application Package, 
which includes award criteria additional to this announcement, all 
necessary forms, and guidelines for preparing proposals, including 
specific criteria for preparation of the proposal budget. Interested 
applicants should read the complete Federal Register announcement 
before addressing inquiries to the Study of the U.S. Branch or 
submitting their proposals. Once the RFP deadline has passed, USIA 
staff may not discuss this competition in any way with applicants until 
after the Bureau proposal review process has been completed.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to the Bureau's authorizing 
legislation, programs must maintain a non-political character, and 
should be balanced and representative of the diversity of American 
political, social, and cultural life. Academic programs under the 
authority of the Bureau must maintain their scholarly integrity and 
should meet the highest standards of academic achievement. 
``Diversity'' should be interpreted in the broadest sense and encompass 
differences including but not limited to ethnicity, gender, religion, 
geographic location, socio-economic status, and physical challenges.
    Applicants are strongly encouraged to adhere to the advancement of 
this principle.

Overview

    The program seeks to increase and improve the quality of social 
science teaching in Russia. The program's immediate goal is to provide 
an opportunity for approximately ten qualified Russian university 
teachers to update and enhance their knowledge of their social science 
fields in support of revised and strengthened curricula.

Guidelines

    The program is designed for Russian scholars who are teaching at 
the university level in social science fields including but not limited 
to, political science, sociology, economics, law, and demography. In 
the early stages of the program, the award recipient is responsible for 
publicizing the program, recruiting strong applicants and selecting the 
most qualified candidates. Participants should be chosen through a 
public, open competition which includes U.S. professional peer review 
for the final selection of participants. Selections should be made and 
announced in reasonable time for applicants to make plans for absence 
from their countries and to undertake departure formalities. USIA, the 
Study of U.S. Branch (E/AAS), and USIS Moscow should be informed of the 
final selection. Proposals should demonstrate extensive contacts with 
and knowledge of Russian universities to ensure that the best possible 
candidates are recruited and selected.
    Award recipient will arrange appropriate placement in U.S. 
universities and research institutions for participants. To the extent 
possible, waivers of tuition fees should be procured.
    Fellowships should be six to twelve months in duration. Family 
members may accompany recipients for part of the grant period, but 
grant monies must not be used to support the maintenance of or travel 
for dependents. The fellowships will provide for all the costs of the 
recipients. The dollar amount of the fellowship should be reduced in 
situations where Russian university salaries, transferable into U.S. 
dollars, continue to be received by the fellow while in the United 
States.
    Award recipient will make all administrative arrangements, 
including travel, visa, disbursement of grant funds, insurance and 
related matters. The recipient should maintain contact with the 
participants and liaison with university hosts during the course of the 
grant to offer assistance with participant academic interests and 
administrative concerns such as housing, travel within the U.S., or 
emergency matters. It is expected that recipient organization will have 
substantive contact with university hosts to ensure that participants 
are able to make maximum use of institutional resources and facilities. 
To this end, it may prove useful for the recipient organization to 
encourage host institutions to designate specific faculty members to 
serve as mentors for the Russian participants.
    Recipient will develop evaluation instruments and procedures to 
determine the participants' scholarly activity during the course of the 
grant, the adequacy of the stipend, and the adequacy of recipient and 
university administrative arrangements. Participants should also report 
on their general impressions of the U.S. and how they intend to apply 
the materials or new information gained during the research in their 
professional work in their own countries. The recipient will establish 
procedures for follow-up communication with grantees to ascertain the 
application of their fellowship activity to their professional 
responsibilities, such as new publications, workshop leadership, new 
positions, or new course offerings stemming from their fellowship 
experience.

Proposed Budget

    Applicants must submit a comprehensive line item budget for which 
specific details are available in the Application Package. A USIA-
funded budget will not exceed $250,000. The recipient organization is 
expected to provide significant cash and/or in-kind cost-sharing.
    Grants awarded to eligible organizations with less than four years 
experience in conducting international exchange programs will be 
limited to $60,000.
    The line-item budget is divided into administrative and program 
sections. The line-item budget should include the categories listed in 
the Budget Guidelines found in the Application Package. An addendum 
should provide details about the budget.

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 packet. Eligible proposals will be forwarded to panels of 
USIA officers for advisory review. All eligible proposals will also be 
reviewed by the appropriate geographic area office, and the budget and 
contracts offices. Proposals may also be reviewed by the Agency's 
Office of General Counsel. 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 grants 
officer.

Review Criteria

    Technically eligible applications will be competitively reviewed 
according to the following criteria:
    1. Quality: Proposals should exhibit originality, substance, rigor, 
and relevance to Agency mission and program goals.
    2. Program Planning: Detailed agenda and relevant work plan should 
demonstrate appropriate content and logistical capacity. Agenda and 
plan should adhere to the program overview and guidelines described 
above.
    3. Ability to achieve program objectives: Objectives should be 
reasonable, feasible, and flexible. Proposals should clearly 
demonstrate how the institution will meet the program's objectives and 
plan.
    4. Multiplier effect/impact: Proposed programs should strengthen 
long-term mutual understanding, including maximum sharing of 
information and establishment of long-term institutional and individual 
linkages.
    5. Institutional Capacity: Proposed personnel and institutional 
resources should be adequate and appropriate to achieve the program or 
project's goals.
    6. Institution's Record/Ability: Proposals should demonstrate an 
institutional record of successful exchange programs, including 
responsible fiscal management and full compliance with all reporting 
requirements for past Agency grants as determined by USIA's Office of 
Contracts (M/KG). The Agency will consider past performance of prior 
grantees and the demonstrated potential of new applicants.
    7. Follow-on Activities: Proposals should provide a plan for 
continued cost-effective follow-on activity which insures that USIA-
supported programs are not isolated venues.
    8. Evaluation Plan: Proposals should provide a plan for evaluation 
by the recipient institution.
    9. Cost-Effectiveness: The overhead and administrative components 
of grants, as well as salaries and honoraria, should be kept as low as 
possible. All other items should be necessary and appropriate.
    10. Cost-sharing: Proposals should maximize cost-sharing through 
other private sector support as well as institutional direct funding 
contributions.
    11. Support of Diversity: Proposals should demonstrate the 
recipient's commitment to promoting the awareness and understanding of 
diversity throughout the program. This can be accomplished through 
documentation (such as a written statement or account) summarizing past 
and/or on-going activities and efforts that further the principle of 
diversity within both the organization and the program activities.

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 that contradicts published language will not be 
binding. Issuance of the RFP does not constitute an award commitment on 
the part of the Government. Final award 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 15, 1994. Awarded grants will be subject to 
periodic reporting and evaluation requirements.

    Dated: May 16, 1994.
Barry Fulton,
Deputy Associate Director, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
[FR Doc. 94-12470 Filed 5-20-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8230-01-M