[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 12 (Thursday, January 19, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3938-3942]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-1181]



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UNITED STATES INFORMATION AGENCY

Role of Business Associations in a Democratic Political System

ACTION: Notice--Request for proposals.

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SUMMARY: The Office of Citizen Exchanges of the United States 
Information Agency's Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs announces 
an open competition for an assistance award. Public or private non-
profit organizations meeting the provisions described in IRS regulation 
501(c)(3) may apply to develop a two-way exchange project to assist 
Ghanaian business and professional associations enhance their 
institutional capabilities, 

[[Page 3939]]
enabling them to more effectively promote the interests of private 
enterprise in Ghana. The project should provide U.S.-based activities 
for approximately 8-10 members of Ghanaian associations. The project 
also should provide in-country workshops or consultancies to assist the 
participating organizations implement strategies to enhance their 
organizational structure and advocacy activities. The project should 
establish linkages between Ghanaian and U.S. business associations to 
promote dialogue on issues of common concern. The program should begin 
in summer/fall 1996. Consultation with the U.S. Information Service 
(USIS) post in Accra, Ghana, in the development of the project proposal 
is encouraged.
    Overall grant making authority for this program is contained in the 
Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961, Public Law 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 Solicitation 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/P-95-45.

DATES: Deadline for proposals: All copies must be received at the U.S. 
Information Agency by 5 p.m., Washington, D.C. time on Friday, March 
17, 1995. Faxed documents will not be accepted, nor will documents 
postmarked on March 17, 1995, 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:
The Africa/Near East/South Asia Division of the Office of Citizen 
Exchanges, U.S. Information Agency, 301 4th Street, SW., Room 220, 
Washington, D.C. 20547, tel. 202-619-5319, fax 202-619-4350, Internet 
address [email protected], to request a Solicitation 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 USIA Program Officer 
Stephen Taylor on all inquiries and correspondence. Interested 
applicants should read the complete Federal Register announcement 
before addressing inquiries to the Office of Citizen Exchanges or 
submitting their proposals. Once the RFP deadline has passed, the 
Office of Citizen Exchanges may not discuss this competition in any way 
with applicants until the Bureau proposal review process has been 
completed.

ADDRESSES: Applicants must follow all instructions provided in the 
Solicitation Package and send fully completed applications. Send the 
original and 14 copies to: U.S. Information Agency, Ref.: E/P-95-45, 
Office of Grants Management, E/XE, Room 336, 301 4th Street, SW., 
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, 
socioeconomic status, and physical challenges. Applicants are strongly 
encouraged to adhere to the advancement of this principle.

Overview

    Background: The government of Ghana has initiated policies 
liberalizing its economy and gradually has produced a climate more 
hospitable to the emergence and development of private sector 
associations. Entrepreneurs are free to form virtually any type of 
business association in pursuit of their interests. Historically, there 
have been three dominant associations--the Association of Ghana 
Industries (AGI); the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce (GNCC); and 
the Ghana Employers Association (GEA). These organizations developed 
during a period when Ghana maintained an essentially protected economy. 
AGI represented highly protected manufacturers. GNCC primarily 
represented the trading sector and GEA represented a mix of 
entrepreneurs from various sectors.
    During the mid-1980s, the government of Ghana began to liberalize 
and open up the economy. New policies helped spur the formation of 
several producer associations representing exporters. Among about 
fifteen such organizations, five are particularly active: The Ghana 
Association of Women Entrepreneurs, the Ghana Federation of Business 
and Professional Women, the Horticultural Association of Ghana, the 
Association of Seafood Exporters and the Association of Assorted 
Foodstuffs. In addition to these groups, two important umbrella 
organizations have emerged over the course of the past two years. The 
Federation of Associations of Ghanaian Exporters lobbies Ghana's 
executive and legislative branches of government. The Private 
Enterprise Foundation is an umbrella group representing all private 
sector organizations. It also lobbies government and has organized 
forums for business leaders. Many of these organizations likely will 
gain strength and influence.
    Program Overview: The Office of Citizen Exchanges (E/P) proposes 
development of a two-way exchange project designed to assist Ghanaian 
business associations develop strategies to increase their voice in the 
formulation of public policy affecting business growth and economic 
development. Participants would observe how the American business 
community promotes business interests, contributes to public debates 
and interacts with legislative bodies, federal agencies and community 
groups. This two-way exchange also would make available U.S. 
specialists to conduct in-country activities for Ghanaian business 
associations. The project should be designed to establish linkages 
between U.S. and Ghanaian counterpart organizations. The program should 
begin in summer/fall 1995.

Project Objectives

    The project should be designed to:

--Examine the potential role of professional business associations in 
the context of a democratic political system. Using the U.S. experience 
as a model, the program would demonstrate how such groups promote their 
interests while operating within established social and legal norms.
--Examine strategies to contribute to public debate over the direction 
of business development.
--Analyze the organizational structure, financing resources and 
planning strategies of U.S. business groups and relevant political 
action committees.
--Examine networking and public relations strategies. Activities would 
help identify those areas of public concern most effectively addressed 
by business groups and develop 

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strategies appropriate to Ghanaian society that would address these 
concerns.
--Demonstrate the role of business associations in promoting ethical 
business practices. The program would analyze the concept of corporate 
responsibility and examine the activities of corporate internal 
consumer affairs units in addressing consumer needs.
--Analyze the role of government in promoting business ethics and 
stimulating business development.
--Establish linkages between Ghanaian and U.S. institutions to open a 
dialogue on key business issues affected by the evolving economic and 
political liberalization underway in Ghana.

Participants

    The project should be designed for 8-10 leading members of Ghanaian 
business and professional organizations. USIS personnel in Ghana will 
select the participants from among the organizations named in the 
Background section above. Recommendations from the grantee institution 
are also welcome. For program activities in Ghana, the grantee 
institution will select the American presenters in consultation with 
USIA.
    USIS offices will facilitate the issuance of visas for the Ghanaian 
participants and can help with the distribution of program-related 
materials in Ghana.

Programmatic Considerations

    USIA will give careful consideration to proposals which 
demonstrate:
    (1) in-depth, substantive knowledge of the structure, functions and 
activities of American business and professional organizations;
    (2) first-hand connections with a variety of American organizations 
that represent business and professional interests in the formulation 
of public policy and the direction of private enterprise development;
    (3) the capacity to organize and manage international exchange 
programs, including the handling of pre-departure arrangements, 
orientation activities, monitoring and problem-solving involved in such 
programs.
    USIA is especially interested in multi-phase programs in which the 
phases build on one another and lay the groundwork for new and long-
term relationships between American and African professionals. 
Proposals which are overly ambitious and those which are very general 
in nature will not be competitive. The Office of Citizen Exchanges does 
not award grants to support projects whose focus is limited to 
technical matters, or to support scholarly research projects, 
development of publications for dissemination in the United States, 
individual student exchanges, film festivals and exhibits. The Office 
of Citizen Exchange does not provide scholarships or support for long-
term (one semester or more) academic studies. Competitions sponsored by 
other Bureau offices also are announced in the Federal Register and may 
have different application requirements as well as different 
objectives.

Program Suggestions

    The proposed project should include at least one phase for Ghanaian 
participants in the United States and at least one phase for American 
specialists in Ghana. Programming elements might include in-country 
workshops or seminars led by American experts, specialized 
consultancies developed for Ghanaian organizations, a study tour in the 
United States for selected Ghanaian participants and U.S.-based 
professional attachments for Ghanaians. A planning visit overseas by 
the American organizer also could be considered if crucial to 
successful development and implementation of the program.
    The project should include formats which maximize interaction 
between the Ghanaian participants and the program presenters. 
Participants should observe the full range of activities on the part of 
business and professional organizations. They should observe the 
interaction of such groups with public and private sector officials 
involved in formulating and implementing policies that affect private 
enterprise, such as business owners, trade unionists, legislators, 
federal regulators, local government officials and educators. The 
program design should provide adequate time for participants to meet 
individually with American professionals who have similar interests and 
specializations. While not required, the presenters' familiarity with 
private enterprise development in Ghana is desirable.

Program Responsibilities

    The grantee institution's responsibilities include: selecting 
presenters, themes and topics for discussion; organizing a coherent 
progression of activities; providing any support materials; providing 
all travel arrangements, lodging and other logistical arrangements for 
the visiting Ghanaian participants and the U.S. presenters who travel 
to Ghana; and overseeing the project on a daily basis to achieve 
maximum program effectiveness. The grantee institution is responsible 
for coordinating plans and project implementation with E/P, USIS 
officers in Ghana, and Ghanaian collaborating institutions.
    At the start of each phase, the grantee institution will conduct an 
orientation session and, at the conclusion, conduct participant 
evaluations. The institution will submit a report at the conclusion of 
each program phase, including a final program report summarizing the 
entire project and resulting organizational links. The institution must 
also submit a final financial report. To prepare the participants for 
their U.S. experience, E/P encourages the grantee organization to 
forward a set of preliminary materials which might include an 
introduction to the U.S. system of government, American notions of free 
enterprise, the practices of U.S. business and professional 
organizations and other background information about the project. E/P 
will ask the Ghanaian participants to prepare brief outlines describing 
their own particular interests in these areas. The grantee institution 
should brief the American presenters on the Ghanaian participants' 
backgrounds, interests and concerns.

Other Program Considerations

    Consultation with USIS officers in Ghana in the development of the 
project proposal is encouraged. Letters of commitment from 
participating U.S. and Ghanaian institutions and individuals would 
enhance a proposal.
    USIA also encourages the development of specialized written 
materials to enhance this professional development program. USIA is 
interested in organizations' ideas on how to ``reuse'' specialized 
materials by providing them to universities, libraries or other 
institutions for use by a larger audience. If not already available, 
glossaries of specialized terms might be developed. However, please 
note that, according to current USIA regulations, materials developed 
with USIA funds may not be distributed in the United States.
    The grantee institution should maximize cost-sharing in all 
elements of the project and seek to stimulate U.S. private sector 
support, including from foundations and corporations.
    All participants will be covered under the terms of a USIA-
sponsored health insurance policy. The premium is paid by USIA directly 
to the insurance company.

Funding

    Competition of USIA funding support is keen. Selection of a grantee 
institution is based on the substantive 

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nature of the program proposal; the applicant's professional capability 
to carry the program through to a successful conclusion; and cost 
effectiveness, including in-kind contributions and the ability to keep 
overhead costs at a minimum. USIA will consider funding up to 
approximately $100,000, but 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 line item budget for the 
entire program based on the specific guidance in the Solicitation 
Package. Applicants must provide a summary budget as well as a break-
down reflecting both the administrative budget and the program budget. 
For further clarification, applicants may provide optional, separate 
sub-budgets for each program phase or activity in order to facilitate 
USIA decisions on funding. USIA will consider funding the following 
costs:
    1. International and domestic air fares; visas; transit costs 
(e.g., airport fees); ground transportation costs.
    2. Per diem: For foreign participants during activities in the 
United States, organizations have the option of using a flat rate of 
$140/day or the published Federal Travel Regulations (FTR) per diem 
rates for individual American cities.

    Note: U.S. institutional staff must use the published FTR per 
diem rates, not the flat rate. For activities overseas, standard 
Federal Travel Regulations per diem rates must be used.

    3. Escort-interpreters: Interpretation for U.S.-based programs is 
provided by the State Department's Language Services Division. 
Typically, delegations ranging from 8-12 participants require two 
simultaneous interpreters and one escort officer. Grant proposal 
budgets should contain a flat $140/day per diem rate for each State 
Department escort/interpreter, as well as home-program-home air fare of 
$400 per interpreter and any U.S. travel expenses during the program 
itself. Salary expenses are covered centrally and are not part of the 
applicant's budget proposal. USIA grants do not pay for foreign 
interpreters to accompany delegations during travel to or from their 
home country. Interpreters are not available for U.S.-based internship 
activities.
    4. Book and cultural allowances: Participants are entitled to a 
one-time book allowance of $50 plus a cultural allowance of $150 per 
person during programs taking place in the United States. U.S. staff do 
not receive these benefits. Escort interpreters are reimbursed for 
actual cultural expenses up to $150.00.
    5. Consultants: Consultants may be used to provide specialized 
expertise or to make presentations. Honoraria generally should not 
exceed $250/day. Subcontracting organizations may also be used, in 
which case the written contract(s) should be included in the proposal.
    6. Materials development: Proposals may contain costs to purchase, 
develop and translate materials for participants. USIA reserves the 
rights to these materials for future use.
    7. Room rentals, which generally should not exceed $250/day.
    8. One working meal per project, for which per capita costs may not 
exceed $5-$8 for a lunch or $14-$20 for a dinner. The number of invited 
guests may not exceed the number of participants by more than a factor 
of two to one.
    9. Return travel allowance: $70 for each participants which is to 
be used for incidental expenditures incurred during international 
travel.
    10. Other costs necessary for the effective administration of the 
program, including salaries for grant organization employees, benefits, 
and other direct and indirect costs per detailed instructions in the 
application package.
    E/P encourages cost-sharing, which maybe in the form of allowable 
direct or indirect costs. E/P would be especially interested in 
proposals which demonstrate a program vision which goes well beyond 
that which can be supported by the requested USIA grant and which would 
try to use a USIA grant to leverage additional funding from other 
sources to support elements of the broader program plan.
    Please refer to the Solicitation 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 
Solicitation Package. Eligible proposals will be forwarded to panels of 
USIA officers for advisory review. All eligible proposals will 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

    Technicially 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. Institutional Reputation and Ability

    Applicant institutions should demonstrate their potential for 
excellence in program design and implementation and/or provide 
documentation of successful programs. If an applicant is a previous 
USIA grant recipient, responsible fiscal management and full compliance 
with all reporting requirements for past Agency grants as determined by 
USIA's Office of Contracts will be considered. Relevant substantive 
evaluations of previous projects may also be considered in this 
assessment.

2. Project Personnel

    The Thematic and logistical expertise of project personnel should 
be relevant to the proposed program. Resumes or C.V.s should be 
summaries which are relevant to the specific proposal and no longer 
than two pages each.

3. Program Planning

    A detailed agenda and relevant work plan should demonstrate 
substantive rigor and logistical capacity.

4. Thematic Expertise

    Proposal should demonstrate the organization's expertise in the 
subject area which promises an effective sharing of information.

5. Support of Diversity

    Proposals should demonstrate the recipient's commitment to 
promoting the awareness and understanding of diversity.

6. Cross-Cultural Sensitivity and Area Expertise

    Evidence should be provided of sensitivity to historical, 
linguistic, religious, and other cross-cultural factors, as well as 
relevant knowledge of the target geographic area/country.

7. Ability To Achieve Program Objectives

    Objectives should be realistic and feasible. The proposal should 
clearly demonstrate how the grantee institution will meet program 
objectives.

8. Multiplier Effect

    Proposed programs should strengthen long-term mutual understanding 
and 

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contribute to maximum sharing of information and establishment of long-
term institutional and individual ties.

9. Cost-Effectiveness

    Overhead and direct administrative costs to USIA should be kept as 
low as possible. All other items proposed for USIA funding should be 
necessary and appropriate to achieve the program's objectives.

10. Cost-Sharing

    Proposals should maximize cost-sharing through other private sector 
support as well as direct funding contributions and/or in-kind support 
from the prospective grantee institution and its partners.

11. Follow-On Activities

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

12. Project Evaluation

    Proposals should include a plan to evaluate the activity's success, 
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 use to link 
outcomes to original project objectives. Grantees will be expected to 
submit intermediate reports after each project component is concluded 
or quarterly, whichever is less frequent.

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 June 16, 1995. Awards made will be subject to 
periodic reporting and evaluation requirements.

    Dated: January 11, 1995.
Dell Pendergrast,
Deputy Associate Director, Educational and Cultural Affairs.
[FR Doc. 95-1181 Filed 1-18-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8230-01-M