[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 115 (Thursday, June 16, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-14511]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: June 16, 1994]


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UNITED STATES INFORMATION AGENCY
 

Freedom Support Act--Secondary School Initiative for Short Term 
Exchange Projects

ACTION NOTICE: Request for proposals.

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SUMMARY: The United States Information Agency (USIA) invites 
applications from U.S. educational, cultural, and other not-for-profit 
institutions to conduct exchanges of young persons between the ages of 
14 and 17 years of age with the twelve Newly Independent States (NIS) 
of the former Soviet Union; viz., Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, 
Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, 
Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan. These exchanges represent part 
of the activities of the Secondary School Student Exchange Initiative 
as included in the FREEDOM Support Act of 1992 and are subject to the 
availability of funding for the Fiscal Year 1995 program. This is a 
request for proposals for short term thematic exchanges. Requests for 
proposals in support of other programs under the aegis of the FREEDOM 
Support Act are being published separately.

DATES: Deadline for proposals: All copies must be received at the U.S. 
Information Agency in Washington, DC by 5 p.m. on Friday, September 2, 
1994. Faxed documents will not be accepted, nor will documents 
postmarked on or before September 2, but received at a later date. It 
is the responsibility of each grant applicant to ensure that proposals 
are received by the above deadline. Subject to availability of funds, 
notification of awards will be announced on or after February 1, 1995 
for exchanges to begin on or after May 1, 1995.

ANNOUNCEMENT NUMBER: This Announcement number is E/P-95-02. Please 
refer to this number in all correspondence or telephone calls to USIA.

ADDRESSES: The original, plus three fully tabbed copies and 10 partial 
copies (Tabs A-D) of the completed application, including required 
forms, should be submitted in the format described in the Bureau's 
application package and mailed to: U.S. Information Agency, Ref: F.S.A. 
E/P-95-02, Division of Grants Management, E/XE, 301 4th St. SW., room 
336, Washington, DC 20547.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Interested organizations and institutions should contact Steven 
Lauterbach, NIS Youth Exchange, U.S. Information Agency, room 314, 
Washington, DC 20547, (202) 619-6299, FAX (202) 619-5311, to request 
detailed application packages which include award criteria additional 
to this announcement, all necessary forms, and guidelines for preparing 
proposals, including specific budget information.

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. Overall authority for these 
programs is contained in the Mutual Education and Cultural Exchange Act 
of 1961, as amended, Public Law 87-256 (Fulbright-Hays Act).

Overview:

    Grant funding is intended to promote the exchange of secondary 
school students, from 14 to 17 years of age, between the United States 
and the NIS (Newly Independent States) of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, 
Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, 
Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan. Limited funding is also 
available to support leadership development and training for adults in 
NIS non-governmental organizations who work with youth, when such an 
activity is coupled with a youth exchange program. The Agency's main 
objectives are to foster interaction between American and foreign 
youth, to promote democratic values and the development of democratic 
institutions, and to build sustainable partnerships between 
organizations in the United States and organizations in the former 
Soviet Union. It is important that all projects make interaction 
between the American and NIS participants a central focus of their 
activities. Proposals should demonstrate how American and foreign 
participants will interact in a substantive way that encourages the 
exchange of ideas, culture, values, and information.
    Four different program designs will be utilized in the NIS 
Secondary School Initiative: (A) An academic year program, (B) a 
semester exchange program (C) a school-to-school linkage program, and 
(D) a short-term exchange program. This RFP describes the short-term 
program. Other RFPs will be published separately soliciting proposals 
for the other three programs.

Guidelines for Short-Term Exchanges

    Grants will be awarded to support programs of a three to eight week 
duration. Programs should have a thematic focus. Proposals which 
address civics education and the American political system are 
encouraged. Other eligible foci may include, but are not limited to: 
The arts; language and culture; science; computer technology; 
leadership training; conservation and the environment; journalism; 
social and economic issues; agriculture; business administration/
management (including enterprise promotion); and homestay programs 
under the title ``American Community Experience,'' which should include 
local programming in such areas as state and municipal government, 
regional culture, etc. Proposals should provide detailed information on 
activities planned in both the U.S. and the partner country. It is 
important for program activities to be of a substantive nature. These 
may include excursions, cultural activities, and opportunities to 
experience community life. It is very desirable for each group of NIS 
students to have a segment of their program in Washington, DC or a 
state capital. Care should be taken to avoid proposing a program which 
is too heavily weighted toward ``touristic'' activities.
    One-for-one reciprocity is not a requirement, but is encouraged. 
Proposals should also provide written evidence that the U.S. 
organization has the commitment of a reliable counterpart organization 
in the partner country willing and able to engage in the proposed 
activities. Homestays are desirable. The minimum stay in country for 
all programs is three weeks.
    The core of the proposal narrative should articulate the purposes 
of the project, as they relate to the objectives stated above in the 
``Overview,'' and should describe the program elements. Guidelines for 
preparing the narrative are available from USIA (address and telephone 
number provided above).
    Projects requesting support for tours of performing arts groups or 
sports teams are eligible only if the primary purpose of the program is 
mutual education and there is extensive structured interaction and 
cultural exchange between international participants and their hosts. 
Tours of performing arts groups or sports groups for whom the primary 
activity is performance or competition will not be eligible. Outdoor 
camping projects must have a thematic focus. Proposals must include a 
plan for evaluating the program in terms of its value to the 
participants. Unless there are extenuating circumstances, programs 
should maintain a ratio of not more than one adult per every ten young 
people. (If fewer than ten students are being sent on either side of an 
exchange, those students are entitled to one adult escort). Programs 
requesting an exception to the \1/10\ ratio must provide a 
justification. One justifiable exception would be for those projects 
that include leadership development and training for adult leaders. 
Organizations wishing to pay for additional escorts from their own 
funds are free to do so.
    Grantee organizations are responsible for developing a sustainable 
partnership with an organization in the NIS; designing and implementing 
the components of the exchange; managing all travel arrangements, 
logistics, insurance coverage, passports, visas, etc; and disbursing 
and accounting for funds.

Budget

    The organization must submit a comprehensive line item budget. 
Costs for US and NIS students are to be listed separately. Details are 
available in the application packet. Grants awarded to eligible 
organizations with less than four years of experience in conducting 
international exchange programs will be limited to $60,000. 
Organizations should be familiar with grant regulations described in 
OMB circulars A110, A122, and A133.
    Cost sharing is encouraged. Cost sharing may be in the form of 
allowable direct or indirect costs. The grant 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 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 will be reduced in proportion to the recipient's 
contribution.

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 geographical office of the U.S. Information 
Agency, and the Agency's budget and contract offices. Proposals may 
also be reviewed by the Agency's Office of the General Counsel. Funding 
decisions are at the discretion of the Associate Director of Education 
and Cultural Affairs. Final technical authority for grant awards 
resides with the Agency's Office of Contracts.

Review Criteria

    Technically eligible applications will be competitively reviewed 
according to the following criteria:

1. Quality of the Program Idea

    Proposals should exhibit originality, substance, rigor, and 
adherence to the criteria and conditions described above.

2. Reasonable, Feasible, and Flexible Objectives

    Proposals should clearly demonstrate how the institution will meet 
the program's objectives and plan.

3. Multiplier Effect/Impact

    Proposed programs should strengthen long-term mutual understanding, 
to include maximum sharing of information and establishment of long-
term institutional and individual linkages. A program is also 
considered to have a strong ``multiplier effect'' if it affects a 
significant number of persons in addition to the actual program 
participants. For example, a group of high school students may have 
extensive interaction with community groups.

4. Value to U.S.--Partner Country Relations

    Assessments by USIA's geographic area desk, and USIS officers 
overseas of the need, potential, impact, and significance in the 
partner country(ies), as demonstrated by a sustainable partnership with 
an organization in the former Soviet Union.

5. 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. Proposals should to the 
extent possible maximize cost-sharing through other private sector 
support as well as institutional direct funding contributions. Other 
things being equal, a proposal with a low cost per participant and/or a 
low cost per participant program day will have a competitive advantage.

6. Institutional Capacity

    The proposed personnel and institutional resources of both the U.S. 
applicant and the NIS partner organization should be adequate and 
appropriate to achieve the program or project's goals.

7. Proposals Should Demonstrate Potential for Program Excellence and/or 
Track Record of Applicant Institution

    The Agency will consider the past performance of prior grantees and 
the demonstrated potential of new applicants. A documented record of 
successful exchange programs, whether USIA financed or not, is one way 
in which an applicant may demonstrate strength in this area.

8. Follow-On Activities

    In accordance with the stated objective of a sustainable 
partnership with an organization in the former Soviet Union, proposals 
should provide a plan for continued follow-on activity which ensures 
that USIA supported programs are not isolated events.

9. Evaluation Plan

    Proposals should provide a thoughtful and comprehensive description 
of how the project will be evaluated in terms of meeting the objectives 
listed above and how such an evaluation would present quantitative data 
on participants, contacts, interactions, activities, achievements, 
etc., as well as qualitative appraisals of successes and shortcomings 
and suggestions for program improvement.

10. Selection Process

    All participants must be between the ages of 14 and 17 at the time 
they begin the program. In all cases, selection should be merit-based. 
Selection criteria should include actual or potential leadership 
qualities, and may also include some or all of the following: Maturity, 
academic achievement, interest in the program, motivation, 
recommendations of teachers, and language ability, although no 
participant should be chosen solely on the basis of his or her language 
ability. As far as possible, participants should reflect the diversity 
of the communities from which they come. Ability to pay should not be a 
determining factor for either American or foreign participants.

11. Geographic Diversity

    To the extent possible, the Agency will seek to fund programs from 
different geographic areas within the former Soviet Union and within 
the United States.

12. Participant Diversity

    Programs should strive for a diversity of participants and include 
members of underrepresented groups; e.g., racial and ethnic minorities 
and persons with disabilities.

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. A 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 March 1, 1995. Awarded grants will be subject to 
periodic reporting and evaluation requirements.

    Dated: June 8, 1994.
John P. Loiello,
Associate Director, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
[FR Doc. 94-14511 Filed 6-15-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8230-01-M