[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: 94-14512]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: June 16, 1994]


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UNITED STATES INFORMATION AGENCY
 

Samantha Smith Memorial Exchange Program--Youth Exchanges

ACTION: 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 youth under the age of 21 with 
Central and Eastern Europe: Albania, Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia-
Hercegovina, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, 
Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and The Former Yugoslav Republic 
of Macdeonia, or the Newly Independent States (NIS) of Armenia, 
Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, 
Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan. Proposals may 
address more than one country in each area but cannot combine NIS 
countries with those of Central and Eastern Europe. However, 
organizations may submit two different proposals for these two 
geographic areas. These exchanges represent part of the activities of 
the Samantha Smith Memorial Exchange Program and are subject to the 
availability of funding for the Fiscal Year 1995 program. A request for 
proposals in support of exchanges of college and university 
undergraduate students under the AEGIS of the Samantha Smith program 
will be published separately by the office of Academic Exchanges.

DATES: Deadline for proposals: All copies must be received at the U.S. 
Information Agency in Washington, DC by 5 p.m. EST on Friday, September 
2, 1994. Faxed documents will not be accepted, nor will documents 
postmarked on a September 2 but received at a later date. It is the 
responsibility of each grant applicant to ensure that complete 
proposals are received by the above deadline. Grant funds are unlikely 
to be available before February 1, 1995.

ANNOUNCEMENT NUMBER: This Announcement number is E/P-95-03. Please 
refer to this number in all correspondence or telephone calls to USIA.

ADDRESSES: One complete signed original, three complete, fully tabbed 
copies, and ten partial copies (parts A through D only), not bound, 
must be submitted before the deadline to: U.S. Information Agency, Ref: 
E/P-95-03, Office of Grants Management, E/XE, room 336, 301 4th St. 
SW., Washington, DC, 20547.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Interested organizations and 
institutions should write or fax: U.S. Information Agency, Office of 
Citizen Exchanges, E/PY, room 314, 301 4th St., SW., Washington, DC 
20547, FAX for NIS (202) 619-5311, for Central and Eastern Europe FAX 
(202) 619-4350 to request detailed application packages, which include 
award criteria additional to this announcement, all necessary forms, 
and guidelines for preparing proposals, including specific budget 
preparation information. Questions may be directed to E/PY (202) 619-
6299 (NIS) or E/PN (202) 619-5348 (Central and Eastern Europe).

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 Exchanges 
Act of 1961, as amended, Public Law 87-256 (Fulbright-Hays Act).

Overview

    Grant funding is intended to promote the exchange of young people 
21 years of age or younger between the U.S. and the Newly Independent 
States (NIS) or Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, 
Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and 
Uzbekistan, and the Central and Eastern European countries of Albania, 
Bosnia-Hercegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, 
Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, and 
the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. Proposals may address more 
than one country in each area, for example, a project with Bulgaria, 
Latvia, and Slovenia, or Belarus, Moldova, and Kyrgyzstan. Proposals 
cannot combine NIS countries with those of Central and Eastern Europe. 
The Agency's main objective is to foster interaction between American 
and foreign youth. Consequently, extensive interaction is a 
requirement. Proposals should demonstrate how American and foreign 
youth will interact in a way that encourages the exchange of ideas, 
values, culture, and information.
    This competition will give priority consideration to projects 
taking place in Russia in areas other than Moscow and St. Petersburg, 
and to projects taking place outside of capital cities in all the 
eligible countries.
    Twenty-five percent (25%) of the available funds will be reserved 
for organizations that have not received Samantha Smith grants in the 
past year. Grants are awarded to expand or enhance existing exchange 
programs or to encourage the development of new exchanges. Programs may 
involve the U.S. organization in a partnership with organizations in 
one or more countries. The minimum length of stay in country for a 
project should be three weeks.
    Two categories of grants are being offered.

Category A--School-to-School Exchanges

    A school-to-school exchange is one that involves a direct linkage 
between a U.S. and a Central and Eastern European or NIS elementary, 
middle, or high school, or a two-year college. (4-year colleges and 
universities are not eligible under this competition). An applicant 
must be a school, school district, or two-year college. The maximum 
grant for this category is $15,000. The exchange program activity 
should be reciprocal and permit students to live in each other's 
countries during the academic year when schools are in session. (This 
would include officially-sponsored summer school sessions). The 
proposal should provide detailed information on the classroom and other 
activities in both the U.S. and the partner country. The duration of 
the projects may be one academic year, one semester, or short-term 
(generally understood to mean three to eight weeks). Organizations 
which are receiving funding under other USIA grants for youth exchanges 
must insure that proposals submitted under this solicitation do not 
duplicate or overlap with programs already being funded by USIA.

Category B--General Youth Exchange

    This category includes all other projects, which will be eligible 
for grants of up to $75,000. Semester and year-long high school or two-
year college study programs conducted by exchange organizations may 
fall within this category, as may projects involving the annual 
exchange of groups of students and teachers among several linked 
schools for short-term stays during the academic year. (4-year colleges 
and universities are not eligible under this competition). For short-
term (3-8 weeks) exchanges, preference is given to projects with a 
thematic focus. Eligible foci may include, but are not limited to: The 
arts (theater, dance, music, fine arts, literature, folklore, and film/
video); language and culture; science, technology, and mathematics; 
conservation and the environment; historic preservation; museum 
training; social, political, and economic issues; agriculture; business 
and administration/management (including enterprise promotion). While a 
thematic focus is not an absolute requirement, care should be taken to 
avoid proposing a program which is too heavily weighted toward 
``touristic'' activities and lacking in substance. Projects requesting 
support for tours of performing arts groups or sports teams are 
eligible if the primary purpose of the program is interaction among 
international participants and their hosts. Tours of performing arts 
groups or sports groups where the primary activity is performance or 
competition are not eligible.
    Reciprocity is not a requirement for this category, but in general, 
USIA gives preference to proposals for reciprocal exchanges. The 
proposal should provide detailed information on the activities in both 
the U.S. and the partner country. The number of U.S. and foreign 
participants should be roughly equal. Such proposals must provide 
written evidence of the commitment of a counterpart organization in the 
partner country willing and able to engage in the proposed activities. 
In most cases the counterpart organization should assume a significant 
portion of the cost of hosting the American participants in the 
reciprocal portion of the program.

Guidelines

    All categories of proposals must include: Participant selection 
criteria and a description of the selection process. All participants 
must be under the age of 21 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 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.

Description of Orientation Programs

    There should be ample introduction to the program theme, 
administrative procedures, basic historical, cultural, and social 
information, and substantive issues likely to be raised by their U.S. 
or foreign counterparts. The orientation program should help minimize 
the ``culture shock'' of the participants when they are in the partner 
country.

Information Concerning Stays in the Host Country

    Preference is generally given to longer stays in-country. The 
proposal should describe in detail the selection and orientation 
processes for both U.S. and host families and institutions. 
Consideration will be given to those projects which for reasons or 
requirements of the partner country(ies) are of short duration, but the 
length of stay in country should be a minimum of three weeks.

Information Concerning Language Qualifications

    Speaking ability in the language of the host country for both 
American and foreign participants is preferred, but not required. It is 
recognized that relatively few American young people will speak the 
languages of the host countries, given the fact that relatively few 
American schools teach these languages. Ideally, some participants in 
each incoming delegation should be conversant in English, and some 
participants in each outgoing delegation should be conversant in the 
host country language. However, no participant should be selected 
solely on the basis of his or her language ability.

Details on Planning

    The proposal should show evidence of adequate lead/planning time to 
ensure a successful exchange program. A proposed time frame should also 
be included, as should provisions for monitoring and evaluating the 
program.

Proposed Budget

    Organizations must submit a comprehensive line item budget for 
which specific 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 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, and 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 Agency's contribution will be 
reduced in proportion to the recipient's contribution.

Allowable Costs

    Grant-funded expenditures will generally be limited to the 
following categories:

--In-country travel and per diem; i.e., lodging, meals, clothing, 
maintenance, and incidentals, or stipends.
--Orientation, honoraria, or preparation costs; briefing materials. 
Honoraria is limited to $150/day/speaker.
--Educational and cultural enrichment activities up to a limit of $150 
per program youth participant.
--Tuition, conference/seminar registration fees, and other program 
admission fees.
--International travel, normally limited to partial support for 
Americans traveling to the NIS, Baltic Republics, or Central and East 
Europe, and Central and East Europeans traveling to the U.S. The 
American participants and/or the American organization should be 
encouraged to fund a portion of the Americans' travel costs, although 
full funding of participants from economically disadvantaged 
backgrounds is encouraged. The NIS partner organizations should also be 
encouraged to make a contribution toward international travel, but in 
this regard one should avoid a situation in which participants are 
chosen largely or wholly on the basis of their ability to pay, thus 
creating an unrepresentative group. In some cases 100% of the travel 
costs for NIS participants will be paid from USIA funds.
--Proposals should demonstrate substantial cost sharing in both program 
and administrative expenses.

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 adhere to the guidelines established herein and in the 
application package. 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 the USIA's grants 
officer.

Review Criteria

    Technically eligible applications will be reviewed according to the 
following criteria in addition to what has been outlined already in 
this RFP:

1. Quality of Program Idea

    Quality of the program plan and adherence of proposed activities 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 overseas officers 
of the need, potential, impact, and significance in the partner 
country(ies).

5. Cost Effectiveness

    The overhead and administrative components of grants, as well as 
salaries and honoraria, should be kept as low as possible. Proposals 
which utilize grant funds for program rather than administrative costs 
will, in general, be more favorably reviewed. 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 an advantage.

6. Institutional Capacity

    Proposed personnel and institutional resources should be adequate 
and appropriate to achieve the program or project's goals.

7. Institution's Track Record/Ability

    Proposals should demonstrate potential for program excellence and/
or the 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

    Proposals should provide a plan for continued follow-on activity 
(without USIA support) which insures that USIA supported programs are 
not isolated events.

9. Evaluation Plan

    Proposals should provide a plan for evaluation of the program by 
the grantee institution.

10. Participant Diversity

    Programs should strive for a diversity among 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. 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 by February, 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. 94-14512 Filed 6-15-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8230-01-M