[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 22 (Thursday, February 2, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6591-6593]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-2571]



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UNITED STATES INFORMATION AGENCY

Foreign Language and Area Studies--U.S. Students and Scholars; 
Request for Proposals

ACTION: Notice--Request for proposals.

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SUMMARY: The Office of Academic Programs of the United States 
Information Agency's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs 
announces an open competition for an assistance award. Public and 
private non-profit organizations with experience in international 
academic exchange activities, meeting the provisions described in IRS 
regulation 501(c)(3) may apply to develop and 

[[Page 6592]]
administer programs in cooperation with USIA that will assist U.S. 
citizens who are graduate students and postdoctoral scholars in North 
African, Middle Eastern and South Asian Studies. Activities permitted 
under this program include foreign language training, foreign area 
studies and foreign area research for periods ranging from two to 
twenty-four months abroad.
    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.''
    The funding authority for the specific program cited above is 
provided through the Near and Middle East Research and Training Act 
(Pub. L. 102-138 Section 228 as amended by Pub. L. 103-236 Section 
233).
    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.
    For the purpose of this program, the geographic area refers to the 
region consisting of countries and peoples covered by the Bureau of 
Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs of the U.S. Department of State as 
of October 1991, and Turkey.
    Current eligible locales for overseas research are: Mauritania, 
Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Israel, the West Bank, Jordan, Syria, Turkey, 
Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, 
Yemen, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Nepal.
    Funding of proposals for the above places is subject to official 
security and/or travel restrictions.
    NMERTA grantees are not eligible for USIA's health and accident 
insurance coverage. Grantees are required to provide proof of insurance 
to the grant-making organizations before fellowship funds can be 
released. Health and accident, MEDEVAC and repatriation insurance is 
recommended.

ANNOUNCEMENT NAME AND NUMBER: All communications with USIA concerning 
this announcement should refer to the above title and reference number 
E/AEN-95-01.

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, April 7, 
1995. Faxed documents will not be accepted, nor will documents 
postmarked April 7, 1995, but received at a later date. It is the 
responsibility of each applicant to ensure that proposals are received 
by the above deadline. Grants should begin no earlier than September 1, 
1995, and no later than October 1, 1995, and end no later than 24 
months thereafter.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Qualified U.S. organizations should write, call, fax or e-mail John 
Sedlins or Janice Daniel to request a Solicitation Package. The 
following are our various contact points: North Africa, Middle East and 
South Asia Branch, E/AEN, Room 212, U.S. Information Agency, 301 4th 
Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20547, telephone number (202) 619-5368, 
fax number (202) 205-2466, internet address [email protected] or 
[email protected]. The Solicitation Package includes more detailed award 
criteria; all application forms; and guidelines for preparing 
proposals, including specific criteria for preparation of the 
proposal's budget. Please specify USIA Senior Program Officer John 
Sedlins on all inquiries and correspondences. Interested applicants 
should read the complete Federal Register announcement before 
addressing inquiries to the North Africa, Middle East and South Asia 
Branch or submitting their proposals. Once the RFP deadline has passed, 
the Branch may not disclose this competition in any way with applicants 
until the Bureau proposal review process has been completed.

ADDRESSES: Applicants must follow all instructions given in the 
Solicitation Package. The original and nine copies of the complete 
application should be sent to: U.S. Information Agency, Ref.: E/AEN-95-
01, Office of Grants Management, E/XE, Room 336, 301 4th Street, S.W., 
Washington, D.C. 20547.
    Applicants are also encouraged to submit a copy of their proposal 
on a 3\1/2\ inch, ASCII-formatted diskette. A brief cover letter should 
accompany the diskette indicating the software used in preparing the 
proposal.

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 broadcast 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: Pursuant to the Agency's authorizing legislation, (the 
Fulbright-Hays Act, Public Law 87-256), programs must maintain a non-
political character and should be balanced and representative of the 
diversity of American political, social and cultural life.
    Support is offered for two categories. Organizations may address 
one or both categories, but must submit a separate proposal for each 
category. Special emphasis will be given to the social sciences and 
humanities.
    Category A--Pre-doctoral students. Organizations that are awarded 
funding shall solicit and receive applications from U.S.-citizen, 
graduate students nationwide who seek to conduct overseas study and 
research in the eligible locales listed above. Eligible fields of study 
and research shall be open to students of all disciplines with a new or 
established interest in topics requiring study or research in the 
geographic area(s). Eligibility shall be restricted to applicants who 
have a baccalaureate degree and who are already enrolled in graduate-
level academic programs.
    Category B--Postdoctoral scholars. Organizations that are awarded 
funding shall solicit and receive applications from U.S.-citizen, 
postdoctoral scholars nationwide who seek to conduct overseas study and 
research in the eligible locales listed above. Eligible fields of study 
and research shall be open to scholars of all disciplines with a new or 
established interest in topics requiring study or research in the 
geographic area(s). Eligibility shall be restricted to applicants who 
have a Ph.D. and who have postdoctoral college or university teaching 
experience.
    Guidelines: In preparing a proposal, organizations should address 
the subjects of program design and scheduling, as well as program 
administration. At a minimum, a successful proposal should clearly 
cover publicity, selection process, orientation for participants, and 
logistical and scheduling measures. A basic plan for post-program 
follow-up and evaluation should also be included. The proposal must be 
typewritten and double-spaced and may not exceed twenty (20) pages, 
including budget attachments.

[[Page 6593]]

    Proposed budget: Applicants must submit a comprehensive, line-item 
budget for the entire program, the details and format of which are 
contained in the application packet.
    Awards will not exceed $350,000. Grants awarded to eligible 
organizations with less than four years of experience in conducting 
international exchange programs will be limited to $60,000.
    There must be a summary budget as well as a break-down reflecting 
both the administrative budget and the program budget. The budget 
should list all sources of support for the program including both cash 
and in-kind contributions. 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.
    Budget guidelines apply to both categories A and B described above.
    Allowable program costs include, but are not limited to, the 
following:
    (1) Roundtrip international travel via an American flag carrier;
    (2) Domestic travel;
    (3) Maintenance and per diem;
    (4) Academic program costs (e.g. book allowance);
    (5) Orientation costs (speaker honoraria are not to exceed $150 per 
day per speaker);
    (6) Cultural enrichment costs (admissions, tickets, etc.);
    (7) USA-based administration costs (e.g. advertisement, recruitment 
and selection costs).
    Administrative costs are not to exceed 20 percent of the requested 
budget. Cost-sharing is encouraged.
    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 appropriate 
USIA Area Office 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 assistance awards (grants or cooperative 
agreements) 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 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. Support of Diversity: Proposals should demonstrate the 
recipient's commitment to promoting the awareness and understanding of 
diversity.
    6. Institutional Capacity: Proposed personnel and institutional 
resources should be adequate and appropriate to achieve the program or 
project's goals.
    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 the 
USIA-supported programs are not isolated events.
    9. 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. Award-receiving 
organizations/institutions will be expected to submit intermediate 
reports after each project component is concluded or quarterly, 
whichever is less frequent.
    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. 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 country(ies).

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 August 11, 1995. Awards made will be subject to 
periodic reporting and evaluation requirements.

    Dated: January 27, 1995.
Dell Pendergrast,
Deputy Associate Director, Educational and Cultural Affairs.
[FR Doc. 95-2571 Filed 2-1-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8230-01-M