[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 13 (Friday, January 20, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4227-4230]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-1411]



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UNITED STATES INFORMATION AGENCY


Rule of Law

ACTION: Notice--request for proposals.

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SUMMARY: The Office of Citizen Exchanges (E/P) announces a competitive 
grants program for nonprofit organizations in support of projects on 
the theme of RULE OF LAW for audiences in the following geographical 
areas: American Republics; East Asia (Peoples Republic of China, Hong 
Kong, Indonesia, Regional GATT); Eastern Europe and the NIS (excluding 
Russia); Middle East (Egypt, Jordan, and Morocco); and Western Europe 
(Greece). USIA particularly is seeking projects which link American 
institutions and specialists with partners overseas. New and creative 
approaches to the issue of rule of law will be especially welcome. 
Proposals which request USIA funding of less than $135,000 and which 
include significant cost sharing will be deemed more competitive.
    Interested applicants are urged to read the complete Federal 
Register announcement before addressing inquiries to the Office or 
submitting their proposals.
    After the deadline for submitting proposals, USIA officers may not 
discuss this competition in any way with applicants until final 
decisions are made.

ANNOUNCEMENT NAME AND NUMBER: All communications concerning this 
announcement should refer to the Rule of Law Grant Program, 
announcement number E/P-95-42. Please refer to title and number in all 
correspondence or telephone calls to USIA.

DATES: Deadline for Proposals: All copies must be received at the U.S. 
Information Agency by 5 p.m. Washington, D.C. time on March 3, 1995. 
Faxed documents will not be accepted, nor will documents postmarked on 
March 3, 1995, but received at a later date. It is the responsibility 
of each grant applicant to ensure that proposals are received by the 
above deadline.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Interested organizations/institutions must contact the Office of 
Citizen Exchanges, E/PL, Room 216, United States Information Agency, 
301 Fourth Street SW., Washington, D.C. 20547, telephone (202) 619-
5326, fax (202) 260-0437, to request detailed application packets, 
which include award criteria, all application forms, and guidelines for 
preparing proposals, including specific criteria for preparation of the 
proposal budget. Please direct inquiries on programmatic matters to the 
USIA Officer identified under each geographic heading.

ADDRESSES: Applicants must follow all instructions given in the 
Proposal Submission Instructions and send only complete applications 
to: U.S. Information Agency, REF: E/P-95-42 Rule of Law Grant 
Competition, Grants Management Division (E/XE), 301 Fourth Street SW., 
Room 336, Washington, D.C. 20547.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to the legislation authorizing the 
Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs, 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 Office of Citizen Exchanges works with U.S. private sector non-
profit organizations on cooperative international group projects that 
introduce American and foreign participants to each others' social, 
economic, and political structures; and international interests.

Guidelines

    Applicants should carefully note the following restrictions and 
recommendations for proposals in specific geographical areas:

American Republics

Enhancing Good Governance Through Rule of Law

    USIA seeks to promote the strengthening of the rule of law in the 
American Republics region through engaging American legal institutions, 
particularly law schools and bar associations, in working with their 
hemispheric counterparts to strengthen the legal structures essential 
to an enduring democratic society. The continuance of the region's 
peaceful transition to democratic rule depends upon the continued 
growth of strong legal systems and legal institutions firmly committed 
to the rule of law. Preference will be given to projects in countries 
or logical groups of countries that have recently made significant 
changes in their legal systems, or that are contemplating doing so. 
Inquiries should be directed to Program Specialist Laverne Johnson, 
(202) 619-5326, Internet [email protected]

East Asia

Chinese Private Attorneys Project

    Proposals are invited to conduct a project that would bring 
attorneys from Chinese state and private law firms to the U.S. for 
short-term professional programs to enhance understanding of the 
private practice of law in an open society and to familiarize them with 
the [[Page 4228]] role of arbitration and the court system in resolving 
disputes.

Hong Kong Journalists

    Proposals are invited to conduct a project for journalists in Hong 
Kong that would focus on press freedom, the press-government 
relationship, and the role of a free press in society. Projects may 
consist of but are not limited to workshops, site tours, seminars and 
internships.

Judicial Programs for Indonesia

    Proposals are invited to conduct a project for Indonesia that would 
focus on either the development of a responsible judiciary or the 
development of free and independent labor organizations.

Impact of GATT

    Proposals are invited to conduct a regional or subregional project 
on the importance of implementing GATT rules, such as rules protecting 
intellectual property rights, to the continuing stability of the 
multilateral trading system. Inquiries should be directed to Program 
Specialist Elroy Carlson, (202) 619-5326, Internet [email protected]

Eastern Europe and the NIS (Excluding Russia)

Rule of Law in the Emerging Central and Eastern European Democracies

    USIA will accept proposals related to the rule of law in Central 
and Eastern Europe and the NIS excluding Russia. The focus of the 
proposals should be on the development of an independent judiciary. 
Activities may include workshops in-country or in the U.S.; in-country 
consultation by judicial experts; and the development of materials in 
local languages useful in training of legal scholars. Projects must 
focus on a single country. Inquiries should be directed to Program 
Specialist Steve Sutton, (202) 619-5326, Internet [email protected]

Middle East

The Legal Environment for Market Economies in the Middle East

    Proposals are invited for a professional exchange program to 
address issues faced by Middle Eastern countries attempting to move 
from centralized, command economies to more open systems driven by 
private sector initiative and market mechanisms. Crucial to the success 
of these efforts will be the development of a legal environment which 
is conducive to reform and respectful of due process. Issues to be 
addressed might include: the nature and extent of government regulation 
appropriate to a market economy, the constructive role of labor 
movements and business associations, the regulation and monitoring of 
stock trading and financial reporting, the development and 
standardization of rules and procedures for the adjudication of private 
enterprise-public sector conflicts, the development of equitable and 
enforceable taxation codes, codification of property rights, and 
methods of detecting corruption and implementing reform. Proposals 
focussing on Egypt, Jordan, and Morocco are particularly encouraged. 
The proposed program should include at least two phases, one of which 
would bring Middle East specialists to the United States for two or 
more weeks and one of which would send U.S. specialists to the Middle 
East. Participants should include representatives of business and of 
government (executive and legislative). Inquiries should be directed to 
Program Specialist Thomas Johnston, (202) 619-5319, Internet 
[email protected]

Western Europe

Greek Legal Development

    USIA proposes a legal exchange program which would provide for 
American jurists to visit Athens and demonstrate the basic procedures 
in American commercial law (early neutral evaluation, case management, 
mediation, judicial settlement, arbitration) to their Greek 
counterparts. In return, a delegation of Greek judges would visit the 
United States to attend the annual conference of U.S. judges and visit 
the Americans who had participated in the Athens program, in their 
courts and law offices. Inquiries should be directed to Program 
Specialist Christina Miner, (202) 619-5319, Internet [email protected]

Program Parameters

    The Office of Citizen Exchanges strongly encourages the 
coordination of activities with respected universities, professional 
associations, and major cultural institutions in the U.S. and abroad, 
but particularly in the U.S. Projects should be intellectual and 
cultural, not technical. Vocational training (an occupation other than 
one requiring a baccalaureate or higher academic degree; i.e., clerical 
work, auto maintenance, etc. and other occupations requiring less than 
two years of higher education) and technical training (special and 
practical knowledge of a mechanical or a scientific subject which 
enhances mechanical, narrowly scientific, or semi-skilled capabilities) 
are ineligible for support. In addition, scholarship programs are 
ineligible for support.
    The Office does not support proposals limited to conferences or 
seminars (i.e., one to fourteen-day programs with plenary sessions, 
main speakers, panels, and a passive audience). It will support 
conferences only insofar as they are part of a larger project in 
duration and scope which is receiving USIA funding from this 
competition. USIA-supported projects may include internships; study 
tours; short-term, non-technical training; and extended, intensive 
workshops taking place in the United States or overseas. The themes 
addressed in exchange programs must be of long-term importance rather 
than focused exclusively on current events or short-term issues. In 
every case, a substantial rationale must be presented as part of the 
proposal, one that clearly indicates the distinctive and important 
contribution of the overall project, including where applicable the 
expected yield of any associated conference. No funding is available 
exclusively to send U.S. citizens to conferences or conference-type 
seminars overseas; neither is funding available for bringing foreign 
nationals to conferences or to routine professional association meeting 
in the United States. Projects that duplicate what is routinely carried 
out by private sector and/or public sector operations will not be 
considered. The Office of Citizen Exchanges strongly recommends that 
applicants consult with host country USIS posts, prior to submitting 
proposals.

Selection of Participants

    All grant proposals should clearly describe the types of persons 
who will participate in the program as well as the process by which 
participants will be selected. It is recommended that programs in 
support of U.S. internships include letters tentatively committing host 
institutions to support the internships. In the selection of foreign 
participants, USIA and USIS posts retain the right to nominate all 
participants and to accept or deny participants recommended by grantee 
institutions. However, grantee institutions are often asked by USIA to 
suggest names of potential participants. The grantee institution will 
also provide the names of American participants and brief (two pages) 
biographical data on each American participant to the Office of Citizen 
Exchanges for information purposes. Priority will be given to foreign 
participants who have not previously travelled to the United 
States. [[Page 4229]] 

Additional Guidance

    The Office of Citizen Exchanges offers the following additional 
guidance to prospective applicants:
    1. Except where noted in the text, the Office of Citizen Exchanges 
encourages project proposals involving more than one country. Pertinent 
rationale which links countries in multi-country projects should be 
included in the submission. Single-country projects that are clearly 
defined and possess the potential for creating and strengthening 
continuing linkages between foreign and U.S. institutions are also 
welcome.
    2. Proposals for bilateral programs are subject to review and 
comment by the USIS post in the relevant country, and pre-selected 
participants will also be subject to USIS post review.
    3. Bilateral programs should clearly identify the counterpart 
organization and provide evidence of the organization's participation.
    4. The Office of Citizen Exchanges will consider proposals for 
activities which take place exclusively in other countries when USIS 
posts are consulted in the design of the proposed program and in the 
choice of the most suitable venues for such programs.
    5. The Office of Citizen Exchanges grants are not given to support 
projects whose focus is limited to technical or vocational subjects, or 
for research projects, for publications funding, for student and/or 
teacher/faculty exchanges, for sports and/or sports related programs. 
Nor does this office provide scholarships or support for long-term (a 
semester or more) academic studies.

Funding

    Proposals which request USIA funding of less than $135,000 and 
which include significant cost sharing will be deemed more competitive. 
organizations with less than four years of successful experience in 
managing international exchange programs are limited to $60,000. 
Applicants are invited to provide both 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 an 
all-inclusive budget must be provided with each proposal, separate 
component budgets are optional. Since USIA grant assistance constitutes 
only a portion of total project funding, proposals should list and 
provide evidence of other anticipated sources of financial and in-kind 
support. Cost sharing may be in the form of allowable direct or 
indirect costs.
    The 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 A-110, Attachment E-Cost Sharing and Matching and should be 
described in the proposal.

Eligible Costs

    The following project costs are eligible for consideration for 
funding:
    1. International and domestic air fares; visas; transit costs; 
ground transportation costs.
    2. Per diem. For the U.S. program, organizations have the option of 
using a flat $140/day for program participants or the published U.S. 
Federal per diem rates for individual American cities. For activities 
outside the U.S., the published Federal per diem rates must be used.

    Note: U.S. escorting staff must use the published Federal per 
diem rates, not the flat rate.

    3. Interpreters: If needed, interpreters for the U.S. program are 
provided by the U.S. State Department Language Service Division. 
Typically, a pair of simultaneous interpreters is provided for every 
four visitors who need interpretation. USIA grants do not pay for 
foreign interpreters to accompany delegations from their home country. 
Grant proposal budgets should contain a flat $140/day per diem for each 
Department of State interpreter, as well as home-program-home air 
transportation of $400 per interpreter plus any U.S. travel expenses 
during the program. Salary expenses are covered centrally and should 
not be part of an applicant's proposed budget.
    4. Book and cultural allowance: Participants are entitled to and 
escorts are reimbursed a one-time cultural allowance of $150 per 
person, plus a participant book allowance of $50. U.S. staff do not get 
these benefits.
    5. Consultants. May be used to provide specialized expertise or to 
make presentations. Daily honoraria generally do not exceed $250 per 
day. Subcontracting organizations may also be used, in which case the 
written agreement between the prospective grantee and subcontractor 
should be included in the proposal.
    6. Room rental, which generally should not exceed $250 per day.
    7. Materials development. Proposals may contain costs to purchase, 
develop, and translate materials for participants.
    8. One working meal per project. Per capital costs may not exceed 
$5-$8 for a lunch and $14-$20 for a dinner; excluding room rental. The 
number of invited guests may not exceed participants by more than a 
factor of two to one.
    9. A return travel allowance of $70 for each participant which is 
to be used for incidental expenditures incurred during international 
travel.
    10. In most cases, USIA-funded delegates will be covered under the 
terms of a USIA-sponsored health insurance policy with the premium is 
paid by USIA directly to the insurance company. For additional 
information on insurance coverage, contact the E/P program officer.
    11. 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.

    Note: the 20 percent limitation of ``administrative costs'' 
included in previous announcements does not apply to this RFP.

    Please refer to the Proposal Submission Instructions 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 established herein and in the 
Proposal Submission Instructions. Eligible proposals will be forwarded 
to panels of USIA officers for advisory review. All eligible proposals 
will also be reviewed by the budget and contract offices, as well the 
USIA geographic regional office and the USIS post overseas, where 
appropriate. Proposals may also be reviewed by the USIA's Office of 
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 USIA's contracting officer.

Review Criteria

    USIA will consider proposals based on their conformance with the 
objectives and considerations already stated in this RFP, as well as 
the following criteria:
    1. Quality of Program Idea: Proposals should exhibit originality, 
substance, precision, and relevance to the Agency mission.
    2. Program Planning: Detailed agenda and relevant work plan should 
demonstrate substance undertakings and logistical capacity. Agenda and 
plan should adhere to the program overview and guidelines described 
above. [[Page 4230]] 
    3. Ability to Achieve Program Objectives: Objectives should be 
reasonable, feasible, and flexible. Proposal should clearly demonstrate 
how the institution will meet the program objectives and plan.
    4. Multiplier Effect: 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 
should receive positive assessments by USIA's geographic area desk and 
overseas officers of program need, potential impact, and significance 
in the partner.
    6. Institutional Capacity: Proposed personnel and institutional 
resources should be adequate and appropriate to achieve the program or 
project's goal.
    7. Institution Reputation/Ability: Proposal 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 ensures that 
USIA supported programs are not isolated events.
    9. Evaluation Plan: Proposals should provide a plan for a thorough 
and objective evaluation of the program/project by the grantee 
institution.
    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.
    12. Support of Diversity: Proposal should demonstrate the 
recipients' 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 their organization and their activities.

Notice

    The Office of Citizen Exchanges reserves the right to reduce, 
revise, or increase the grant award. The terms and conditions published 
in the Request for Proposal (RFP) are binding and may not be modified 
by any USIA representative. Explanatory information provided by USIA 
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 the 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 28, 1995. Awarded grants will be subject to 
periodic reporting and evaluation requirements.

    Dated: January 12, 1995.
Dell Pendergrast,
Deputy Associate Director, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
[FR Doc. 95-1411 Filed 1-19-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8230-01-M