[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 236 (Friday, December 9, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-30245]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: December 9, 1994]


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UNITED STATES INFORMATION AGENCY
 

1995 Summer Institute for English Language Educators From South 
Africa and Namibia

ACTION: Notice--Request for proposals.

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SUMMARY: The Office of Academic Programs of the United States 
Information Agency's Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs announces 
an open competition for an assistance award. American institutions of 
higher education having an acknowledged reputation in the field of 
English-as-a-second language and in curriculum design may apply to 
develop and deliver a six-week summer program for approximately twenty-
eight English language teaching professionals from South Africa and 
Namibia. The first five weeks of the program will consist of an 
academic course specializing in materials development and curriculum 
design for the teaching of English at all levels. The sixth week will 
consist of an escorted cultural and educational tour of Washington, DC.
    Overall grant making authority for this program is contained in the 
Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961, Pub. L. 87-256, 
as amended, 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.'' 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/AEA-95-01.

DATES: Deadline for proposals: All copies must be received at the U.S. 
Information Agency by 5 p.m. Washington, DC time on Thursday, January 
26, 1995. Faxed documents will not be accepted, nor will documents 
postmarked on January 26, 1995, but received at a later date. It is the 
responsibility of each applicant to ensure that proposals are received 
by the above deadline.
    Program dates: The dates of the program are approximately June 23, 
1995 through August 6, 1995.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Ellen Berelson, Africa Branch, 
Academic Exchange Programs Division, E/AEA, room 232, U.S. Information 
Agency, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547, phone: (202) 619-
5355, fax: (202) 619-6137, Internet: [email protected]. to request an 
Application Package. The package includes more detailed award criteria; 
all application forms; and guidelines for preparing proposals, 
including specific criteria for preparation of the proposal budget. 
Please specify USIA Program Office Dr. Ellen Berelson on all inquiries 
and correspondences. Interested applicants should read the complete 
Federal Register announcement before addressing inquiries to the Africa 
Branch or submitting their proposals. Once the RFP deadline has passed, 
the Africa Branch 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 an original and ten copies of the 
completed application, including required forms, to: U.S. Information 
Agency, Ref.: E/AEA-95-01, Office of Grants Management, E/XE, room 336, 
301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 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.

Overview

    The 1995 Summer Institute for English Language Educators from South 
Africa and Namibia (SETI) will provide participants with intensive 
training in the fundamentals of materials development and curriculum 
design. Both of the areas are critical in South Africa and Namibia 
where educators are attempting to create a new English curriculum at 
all levels. Given the need to teach English across the curriculum, 
English language educators are key in both curriculum design and 
materials development. There is a severe shortage of personnel trained 
in these skills. Educators in both the new South Africa and recently 
independent Namibia will need to produce culturally appropriate and 
pedagogically sound materials and curricula.
    The program will also provide a structured exposure to U.S. culture 
and the diversity of America. The problems of teaching in a multi-
cultural society should be a component of the program. The program 
should maintain a relative balance among discussion sessions, lectures, 
workshops, and practical experience. Lengthy lectures should be kept at 
a minimum. Participants should be given ample opportunity to work 
together and learn from each other as well as from their American 
instructors. Participants will receive an educational materials 
allowance.
    Few participants will have visited the United States previously. In 
view of this, an initial orientation to the university community and a 
brief introduction to U.S. society and education should be considered 
an integral part of the Institute and should be held on the first two 
to three days of the program.

Program Guidelines

    The Summer Institute should be programmed to encompass about 45 
days beginning on or about Friday, June 23, 1995, and ending on or 
about Sunday, August 6, 1995. Institutions may propose minor variations 
of no more than 10 days in beginning and ending dates to coincide with 
local academic calendars. Please explain any proposed variation in 
dates and demonstrate improvements in program quality and cost 
effectiveness that may be achieved thereby.
    The applicant is asked to design a two-part program:
    (1) A five-week academic program delivering intensive training in 
materials development and curriculum design for ESL and English across 
the curriculum at the primary, secondary and tertiary level. Division 
into groups, each with a focus on the particular needs of these three 
levels would be essential, plus integrated work on transitions between 
levels. Training should meet the special needs of participants from 
South Africa and Namibia.
    (2) A one-week escorted visit to Washington, DC, planned, arranged, 
and conducted by the Program Director and principal Institute staff. 
The Washington program should be seen as an integral part of the Summer 
Institute, complementing and reinforcing the academic material, and 
should take place at the end of the Institute. Programming in 
Washington will include a half-day briefing session at the U.S. 
Information Agency. Additionally, visits to such organizations as 
TESOL, a regional university, local school systems and teacher resource 
centers, are encouraged. Proposals may include cultural and educational 
visits en route to Washington, if such stops contribute to program 
quality and are cost effective. The participants will return to their 
home countries at the conclusion of the Washington program.
    Specific areas to address in the Institute are:
    1. Materials development with an emphasis on language across the 
curriculum.
    2. Curriculum design (especially at the primary and secondary 
school levels).
    3. Theory of testing and test development appropriate to each 
level.
    4. Introduction to computer based word processing and appropriate 
software for participants who lack these skills. Introduction to 
computer networks for ESL professionals.
    5. Visits to on-going ESL classes at the host institution, other 
universities, and in local educational or community centers, providing 
participants with opportunities to observe ESL methodology, materials, 
and multi-cultural classrooms featuring sheltered language learning 
across the curriculum.
    6. Involvement of participants in American culture through 
community/cultural activities. This should include interaction with 
Americans from a variety of backgrounds.
    7. On-going evaluation and adjustment of program components 
accordingly, as well as evaluation of the entire Institute.
    In accordance with the objectives of the Summer Institute, 
participants will concentrate on their studies. However, the academic 
program should provide time for interaction with American students, 
faculty, and school administrators, and the local community to promote 
mutual understanding between the people of the United States and South 
Africa and Namibia. In this regard, the Institute should incorporate 
cultural features such as community and cultural activities, field 
trips to places of local interest, home stays with families in the area 
(with other educators if possible), and events which will bring the 
participants into contact with Americans from a variety of backgrounds.
    Participants: Participants, to be selected by USIA, will be 
individuals involved with English teaching. They will be drawn from a 
variety of backgrounds: Employees of national and provincial 
departments of education involved in curricula/materials work; 
educators establishing or running teacher resource centers; non-
governmental organizations involved in materials development at all 
levels; instructors in university departments of education and teacher 
training colleges teaching courses related to curriculum design and 
materials development; instructors in tertiary institutions involved in 
developing materials for publication; materials writers and reviewers 
working for local publishers. Minimum qualification for all 
participants will be a three-year teacher training diploma with 
preference given to candidates with university degrees. Recruitment 
will concentrate on persons who are actively involved in these areas at 
all levels (primary, secondary, tertiary) but who are relatively 
inexperienced. Depending upon availability of funds, approximately 28 
participants from South Africa and Namibia will participate in the 
Institute.
    Orientation: The host institution should plan to conduct either a 
pre-program needs assessment if time allows, or a needs assessment upon 
the arrival of the participants. The Institute Director should be 
prepared to adjust program emphasis as necessary to respond to 
participants' concerns.
    A pre-departure orientation will be held in South Africa for all 
participants. The Institute host institution will be expected to 
provide general orientation materials for this meeting. This material 
might include a tentative program outline with suggested goals and 
objectives, relevant background information about the U.S. institutions 
and individuals involved in the project, and information about the 
local housing, and available services.

Program Administration

    All Institute programming and administrative logistics, management 
of the academic program and the cultural tour, local travel, and on-
site university arrangements, including enrolling participants as 
members of Teachers of English to Speakers of other Languages (TESOL), 
will be the responsibility of the Institute grant recipient. USIA will 
be responsible for all communications to and from the U.S. Information 
Service posts in South Africa and Namibia, which submit participant 
nominations to the Academic Exchange Programs Division and are 
responsible for all international travel. USIA will provide the 
institute director with participants' curricula vitae and itineraries 
and be available to offer any advice or guidance the director may find 
useful.
    The African participants will arrive directly at the campus site 
from their home countries. It is expected that the Institute program 
staff will make arrangements to have participants met upon arrival at 
the airport nearest the university campus. Departures will be from 
Washington, DC. The Institute staff will have to plan for 
transportation to Washington area airports.
    The host institution is responsible for arrangements for lodging, 
food and maintenance for participants while at the host institution and 
in Washington. The host institution should strive to balance cost 
effectiveness in accommodations and meal plans with flexibility for 
differing diets and personal habits among the participants. Single 
rooms or housing in residential suites which offer privacy while at the 
Institute are preferable. Proposals should describe the available 
health care system and the plan to provide health care access to 
Institute participants. USIA will provide limited health insurance 
coverage to all participants.

Visa/Insurance/Tax Requirements

    Programs must comply with J-1 visa regulations. Please refer to 
program specific guidelines in the Application Package for further 
details. Administration of the program must be in compliance with 
reporting and withholding regulations for federal, state, and local 
taxes as applicable. Recipient organizations should demonstrate tax 
regulation adherence in the proposal narrative and budget.
    Participants will be covered by USIA Health and Accident Insurance. 
The host institution will be responsible for enrolling the participants 
in the insurance program.

Application Requirements

Proposals

    Proposals must be submitted within deadline and provide a detailed 
plan in response to the objectives and needs outlined above. Applicants 
should draw imaginatively on the full range of resources offered by 
their institutions but may also involve outstanding professionals from 
other universities or organizations.
    The proposal package must include one original and ten copies. Each 
proposal must be presented as follows:
    1. A completed and signed cover sheet for grant applications 
(provided in the application packet).
    2. An abstract of the proposed Summer Institute not to exceed two 
double-spaced pages.
    3. A narrative not to exceed twenty double-spaced pages. The 
detailed narrative should outline the structure and organization of the 
Institute. It should include a day-by-day agenda for classes and 
supplementary activities. Plans for lodging and meals should be 
included. Also list appropriate books and reading to be distributed to 
participants. A plan for evaluating the Institute should be included.
    4. A budget in the prescribed format. Refer to the application 
packet.
    5. Appendices must contain the following information:
    a. Academic/professional resumes of program director(s), 
instructors, consultants, and program staff (not to exceed two double-
spaced pages for each).
    b. Evidence of the institutions's activities in substantive 
academic ESL programs and curriculum design.
    c. Demonstration of the institution's experience with similar 
international educational exchange projects.
    6. Completed forms in support of the proposal. See application 
packet for all necessary forms.

Proposed Budget

    The funds available for this program may not exceed $135,000. The 
maximum number of participants to be funded will be 28.
    Grants awarded to eligible organizations with less than four years 
of experience in conducting international exchange programs will be 
limited to $60,000.
    Applicants must submit a comprehensive budget for the entire 
program. There must be a summary budget as well as a breakdown 
reflecting both the administrative budget and the program budget. For 
better understanding or further clarification, applicants may provide 
separate sub-budgets for each program component, phase, location, or 
activity in order to facilitate USIA decisions on funding. Please refer 
to the Application Package for complete budget guidelines and 
formatting instructions.

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 Agency contracts office, as well as the USIA Office of 
African Affairs 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 criteria stated below. These criteria are not rank 
ordered and all carry equal weight in the proposal evaluation:
    1. Quality of the institute design: Proposals should exhibit 
originality, substance, precision, and relevance to program objectives 
of the institute.
    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. 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 of account) summarizing past 
and/or on-going activities and efforts that further the principle of 
diversity within both the organization and the program activities. 
Program administrators should strive for diversity among Institute 
staff.
    6. Institutional capacity: Proposed personnel and institutional 
resources should be adequate and appropriate to achieve the program or 
project's goals. The TESL/TEFL capability and reputation of the 
institution will be considered. Proposed personnel should show cultural 
sensitivity and some familiarity with Southern Africa.
    7. 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. The Agency will consider the past performance of prior 
recipients and the demonstrated potential of new applicants.
    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. Project evaluation: Proposals should include a plan to evaluate 
the Institute, both during the program 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 use to link 
outcomes to original project objectives. Award-receiving institutions 
will be expected to submit a comprehensive final report at the 
conclusion of the program.
    10. 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.
    11. Cost-sharing: Proposals should maximize cost-sharing through 
other private sector support as well as institutional direct funding 
contributions.

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. 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 April 15, 1995. Awards made will be subject to 
periodic reporting and evaluation requirements.

    Dated: December 2, 1994.
Dell Pendergrast,
Deputy Associate Director, Educational and Cultural Affairs.
[FR Doc. 94-30245 Filed 12-8-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8230-01-M