[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 178 (Thursday, September 15, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-22631]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: September 15, 1994]
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UNITED STATES INFORMATION AGENCY
Edmund S. Muskie Fellowship Program Washington Workshop and the
Freedom Support Act Graduate Fellowship Washington Workshop
ACTION: Notice--Request for Proposals.
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SUMMARY: The Office of Academic Programs, Academic Exchanges, European
Division of the United States Information Agency's Bureau of Education
and Cultural Affairs announces an open competition for an assistance
award program. Public or private non-profit organizations meeting the
provisions described in IRS regulation 501(c)(3) and with key staff
based in the Washington, DC metropolitan area to assist in the
administration of the Edmund S. Muskie Fellowship Program Washington
Workshop and/or the Freedom Support Act Washington Workshop.
The grant recipient(s) in conjunction with other organizations
shall plan and implement a five day conference for approximately 150
Muskie Fellows in February 1995 and/or a similar five day conference
for approximately 240 Freedom Support Act Graduate Fellows in April
1995. The workshops are subject to availability of funds.
The overall goal of each workshop is to provide the Fellows with a
better understanding of democratic institutions in the U.S. Support is
offered for a series of intensive seminars that will enhance Fellows'
understanding of social, cultural, and political institutions and
provide insight on such topics as the U.S. political system, U.S.
economic policy, U.S. foreign policy, international trade and U.S.
domestic policies.
In addition, the workshop is intended to provide the following:
1. Opportunities for interaction among Fellows;
2. Opportunities for professional networking;
3. An introduction to the organizations responsible for
implementing the Muskie and Freedom Support Act (FSA) Graduate
Fellowship Programs;
4. An opportunity to visit the nation's capital;
5. Opportunities to interact with the Members of Congress who made
their U.S. experience possible. Overall grant making authority for
these programs is contained in the Mutual Educational and Cultural
Exchange Act of 1961, as amended, Public Law 87-256, also known as the
Fulbright-Hays Act. The purpose of the Act is ``to enable the
Government of the United States to increase mutual understanding
between the people of the United States and the people of other
countries * * *; to strengthen the ties which unite us with other
nations by demonstrating the educational and cultural interests,
developments, and achievements of the people of the United States and
other nations * * * and thus to assist in the development of friendly,
sympathetic and peaceful relations between the United States and the
other countries of the world.''
The funding authority for the Muskie Program cited above is
provided through the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years
1994 and 1995, Public Law 103-236. The funding authority for the FSA
Graduate Program cited above is provided through the Freedom for
Russian and Emerging Eurasian Democracies and Open Markets Support Act,
Fiscal Year 1992, Public Law 102-511, 22 USC 501 Et Seq.
Programs and projects must conform with Agency requirements and
guidelines outlined in the Application Package. USIA projects and
programs are subject to the availability of funds.
ANNOUNCEMENT NAME AND NUMBER: All communications with USIA concerning
this announcement should refer to the above title and reference number
E/AEE-95-08.
DATES: Deadline for proposals: All copies must be received at the U.S.
Information Agency by 5 p.m. Washington, D.C. time on Wednesday,
October 5, 1994. Faxed documents will not be accepted, nor will
documents postmarked on October 5, 1994 but received at a later date.
It is the responsibility of each applicant to ensure that proposals are
received by the above deadline.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Academic Exchanges Division, European Branch, E/AEE, Room 246, U.S.
Information Agency, 301 4th Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20547, tel:
(202) 619-5341, fax: (202) 260-7985, to request an Application Package,
which includes more detailed award criteria; all application forms; and
guidelines for preparing proposals, including specific criteria for
preparation of the proposal budget. Please specify the USIA Program
Specialist, Catherine Alderton, (caldertoausia.gov), on all inquiries
and correspondences. Interested applicants should read the complete
Federal Register announcement before addressing inquiries to the
Academic Exchanges Division or submitting their proposals. Once the RFP
deadline has passed, the Academic Exchanges Division may not discuss
this competition in any way with applicants until after the Bureau
proposal review process has been completed.
ADDRESSES: Applicants must follow all instructions given in the
Application Package and send only complete applications to: U.S.
Information Agency, Ref.: E/AEE-95-08 (Graduate Workshops), Office of
Grants Management, E/XE, Room 336, 301 4th Street, S.W., Washington,
D.C. 20547.
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. ``Diversity'' should be
interpreted in the broadest sense and encompass differences including
but not limited to race, gender, religion, geographic location, socio-
economic status, and physical challenges. Applicants are strongly
encouraged to adhere to the advancement of this principle.
The Edmund S. Muskie Fellowship Program was established in 1991 to
provide opportunities for qualified citizens of Armenia, Azerbaijan,
Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania,
Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan to
study business administration, economics, law, or public administration
in the United States. The Freedom Support Act Graduate Fellowship
Program was established in 1992 to provide opportunities for qualified
citizens of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and
Uzbekistan to study education administration, library and information
science, public policy, and communications/journalism as well as the
four fields covered by the Muskie Program noted above. The overall goal
of these programs is to encourage economic and democratic development
in these countries. The programs include enrollment in one- or two-year
degree programs at the master's level. Participants on both programs
are eligible to participate in internships relevant to their field of
study. Fellowships are granted through an open basis of academic
excellence, knowledge of the field of specialization, and leadership
potential.
Overview
The Edmund S. Muskie Fellowship Washington Workshop and the Freedom
Support Act Graduate Fellowship Workshop were established to bring
together Fellows on each program from across the Untied States for an
intensive workshop in Washington, DC. The workshops are intended to
serve as important supplements to the Fellows' on-going programs of
academic work and professional development. The workshops are expected
to provide the Fellows with a substantive look at the social, cultural,
economic and political institutions in the U.S., and illustrate how
these institutions functionally relate to the subject disciplines
studied by the Fellows. Activities for the workshops should include
interactive panel discussions with practitioners in the fields on
various economic and democratic issues, an opportunity for the Fellows
to meet the Members of Congress who made the Edmund S. Muskie
Fellowship Program and the Freedom Support Act Graduate Fellowship
Program possible, opportunities for professional networking, an
introduction to the organizations responsible for administering the
Muskie and FSA Fellowships, and other activities that will reflect the
local and national culture and history of the U.S. At the end of each
workshop, it is expected that the Fellows will have an enhanced
understanding of U.S. democratic and economic systems so that they may
better serve as the leaders of economic development and democratic
institution building in their home countries. In addition, it is
anticipated that the Fellows will be able to establish long-lasting
professional and personal contacts to lay the foundation for home
country and regional support networks, professional associations, and
ties to U.S. counterparts.
Guidelines
Eligibility
Non-profit organizations with key staff based in the Washington, DC
metropolitan area and available for frequent meetings with the
Washington, DC based Agency staff are invited to submit proposals for a
cooperative agreement award from the Agency. Organizations should have
experience in conference management, professional exchanges and/or
international exchanges. Organizations should clearly indicate in their
proposals whether they wish to be considered for one or both workshop
awards.
Proposed Budget
Applicants are invited to submit an all-inclusive budget as well as
separate sub-budgets for each program component, phase, location, or
activity in order to facilitate USIA decisions on funding. While
separate component budgets are optional, an all-inclusive, line item
budget and a summary budget, as shown in the Application Package, must
be provided with each proposal.
The Agency anticipates making one or two awards. The award for the
Edmund S. Muskie Fellowship Washington Workshop will not exceed
$80,000, which is to include all program and administrative costs. The
award for the Freedom Support Act Graduate Fellowship Program Workshop
will not exceed $100,000, which is to include all program and
administrative costs. Funding for the Fellows' accommodation, travel to
Washington and per diem expenses have already been allocated. The
Agency reserves the right to reduce, revise or increase proposal
budgets in accordance with the needs of the program. The Agency also
reserves the right to revise programmatic and administrative functions
without additional funding.
Allowable Costs
Grant-funded items of expenditure may include but are not limited
to the following categories:
(1) Administrative Expenses
--Administration (salaries, benefits, communications, staff
transportation), including administration of tax withholding and
reporting as required by federal, state, and local authorities;
--Direct Cost (office supplies, postage and delivery, telephone and
facsimile, equipment rental); and
--Indirect Costs.
(2) Program Expenses
--Local transportation (including taxis, charter buses and charter
vans);
--Opening and closing events;
--Coffee breaks, continental breakfasts, working lunches;
--Keynote event at the Department of State;
--Printing;
--Speakers' expenses and honoraria;
--Photographer; and
--Promotional Materials.
The application should demonstrate cost-sharing (dollar and in-
kind) in both program and administrative expenses.
No grants funded under this program will include profit or fee.
Gifts, gratuities, entertainment, or alcoholic beverages are
unallowable.
Fellows' per diem will be reduced accordingly for any meals
provided during the Workshop.
Please refer to the Application Package for complete budget
guidelines.
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 stated 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 budget and contracts offices, as well as the USIA
Office of Academic Exchanges and the USIA post overseas, where
appropriate. Proposals may also be reviewed by the Office of the
General Counsel or by other Agency elements. Funding decisions are at
the discretion of the USIA Associate Director for Educational and
Cultural Affairs. Final technical authority for grant awards resides
with the USIA grants officer.
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, precision, and relevance to Agency mission.
2. Program planning: Detailed agenda and relevant work plan should
demonstrate substantive undertakings 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. Value to U.S.-Partner Country Relations: Proposed projects,
which will be assessed by USIA's geographic area desk and overseas
officers, should demonstrate program need, potential impact, and
significance in the partner country(ies).
6. Institutional Capacity: Proposed personnel and institutional
resources should be adequate and appropriate to achieve the program or
project's goals. The proposal should clearly demonstrate the
organization will provide sufficient staff coverage on-site and at off-
site workshop events for groups of this size.
7. Institution's Record/Ability: Proposals should demonstrate an
institutional record of successful conferences or similar programs,
including responsible fiscal management and full compliance with all
reporting requirements for past Agency grants as determined by USIA's
Office of Contracts. The Agency will consider the past performance of
prior recipients and the demonstrated potential of new applicants.
8. Project Evaluation: Proposals should include a plan to evaluate
the activity, both as the activities unfold and at the end of the
program. USIA recommends that the proposal include a draft survey
questionnaire or other technique plus description of a methodology to
link outcomes to original project objectives. Award-receiving
organizations/institutions will be expected to submit a final report
after each workshop.
9. Cost-effectiveness: The overhead and administrative components
of the proposal, including salaries and honoraria, should be kept as
low as possible. All other items should be necessary and appropriate.
10. Cost-sharing: Proposals should maximimize 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.
12. Cross Cultural Sensitivity and Experience Working with
Participants from the former Soviet Union and Baltic countries:
Proposals should demonstrate the applicant's ability and/or experience
in working with graduate level students and/or mid-career professionals
from this region of the world.
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 language will not be binding.
Issuance of the RFP does not constitute an award commitment on the part
of the Government. The needs of the program may require the award to be
reduced, revised, or increased. Final awards cannot be made until funds
have been 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 November 16, 1994. Awards made will be subject to
periodic reporting and evaluation requirements.
Dated: September 6, 1994.
John P. Loiello,
Associate Director, Educational and Cultural Affairs.
[FR Doc. 94-22631 Filed 9-14-94; 8:45 am]
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