[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 36 (Thursday, February 23, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10144-10147]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-4193]



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UNITED STATES INFORMATION AGENCY


Professional Development of South African Radio Station Owners 
and Managers

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 for South 
African radio station owners and managers. The project should be 
designed to enhance participations' skills in managing their 
broadcasting operations and assist them to develop strategies to 
operate their stations as successful business enterprises. The project 
should provide U.S.-based activities for approximately 9-12 South 
African radio station owners and managers. The project also should 
provide in-country workshops or consultancies to assist participating 
broadcasters implement appropriate business management strategies. The 
program should being in summer/fall 1995. Consultation with the U.S. 
Information Service (USIS) posts in South Africa 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, 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 
interest, 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-95-49.

DATES: Deadline for proposals: All copies must be received at the U.S. 
Information Agency by 5 p.m. Washington, DC. time on Friday, April 14, 
1995. Faxed documents will not be accepted, nor will documents 
postmarked on April 14, 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, S.W., 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 correspondences. 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-95-49, Office of Grants Management, 
E/EX, 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.

Overview

    Background: The transition to nonracial democracy in South Africa 
is providing greater access to the nation's radio and television 
broadcasting airways, opening new opportunities for independent 
broadcasters. the government-owned South African Broadcasting 
Corporation (SABC) has been the country's dominant broadcaster, with 
three television services and 23 radio stations. These outlets include 
commercial as well as public service stations. The SABC and a small 
number of other broadcasters have been the major source of broadcasting 
management expertise. South Africa's Independent Broadcasting Authority 
(IBA), created in 1994 to shield the broadcast media from direct 
political controls, is responsible for regulating the airwaves and 
granting commercial, public service and community broadcasting 
licenses. During the next several months, the IBA will be issuing 
licenses that will enable a wide range of independent radio stations to 
begin broadcasting for the first time. While many of these new 
licensees may have some on-air experience, they may lack backgrounds in 
radio management. These owners and other new managers could benefit 
from a project focused on fundamental broadcasting management practices 
to [[Page 10145]] help enhance the prospects for the longer term 
viability of their stations.
    Program Overview. The Office of Citizen Exchanges (E/P) proposes 
development of a two-way exchange project for South African 
participants designed to promote development of business management 
skills applicable to radio station management. This two-way exchange 
should include activities for 9-12 South African participants in the 
United States and opportunities for American specialists to share their 
expertise in South Africa. While the project should introduce 
participants to a variety of radio broadcasting operations, the program 
should concentrate on activities and site visits appropriate to the 
technology and infrastructure available in South Africa. The project 
should be designed to accommodate participants new to broadcasting 
management. Participants should study station management practices, 
business planning strategies and marketing concepts. They also should 
analyze the standards of professional journalism which managers must 
oversee and identify strategies to promote staff development.
    This two-way exchange also should promote informal ties, opening 
channels of communications between U.S. and South African broadcasters 
to help enhance the viability of independent radio stations in South 
Africa. This might include informal advice on broadcasting management 
issues. The project should begin in summer/fall 1995.

Project Objectives

    The project should be designed to:

--Introduce participants to fundamental business management skills 
applicable to station management including financial planning, cash 
management and staff development;
--Analyze income resources for radio stations including advertisements, 
and examine strategies for surviving the initial stages of launching a 
new broadcasting service;
--Examine marketing strategies aimed at attracting advertisers and, 
where appropriate, study the interrelationship among programming 
content, objective news reporting and maintaining advertisers as 
clients;
--Develop strategies for implementing improved station management 
practices;
--Examine media-government relations and demonstrate how the 
independent reporting of political and economic developments helps 
shape government policy and public opinion;
--Provide an overview of journalistic ethics and the standards of 
professional journalism; and
--Establish informal ties between South African station owners and U.S. 
counterparts, providing a resource for occasional advice on station 
management matters.

Participants

    The project participants will be owners and managers of radio 
stations in South Africa. Many of the participants will be newly 
licensed station owners or recently hired management staff. The U.S. 
phase of the project should be designed for 9-12 participants. All 
participants will have strong English language skills. USIS personnel 
in South Africa will select the participants, although recommendations 
from the grantee institution are welcome.
    For program activities in South Africa, the grantee institution 
will select the American presenters in consultation with USIA.
    USIS offices will facilitate the issuance of visas for the South 
African participants and can help with the distribution of program-
related materials in South Africa.

Programmatic Considerations

    USIA will give careful consideration to proposal which demonstrate:
    (1) In-depth, substantive knowledge of the strategies and practices 
involved in managing a broadcasting operation as a successful business 
enterprise;
    (2) First-hand connections with a variety of American radio 
operations, as well as public and private sector organizations 
responsible for promoting journalistic professionalism and successful 
business management;
    (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 Citizens 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 or exhibits. The Office of 
Citizens Exchanges 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 South 
African participants in the United States and at least one phase for 
American specialists in South Africa. Programming elements might 
include in-country workshops or seminars led by American experts, 
specialized consultancies developed for radio station owners in South 
Africa, a study tour in the United States for selected South African 
participants and U.S.-based professional attachments for South African 
broadcasters. 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 South African participants and the program presenters. 
Participants should observe the full range of business management and 
financial planning activities on the part of radio station owners and 
managers. They might also observe the interaction of station owners 
with public and private sector organizations involved in formulating, 
implementing and evaluating policies that affect U.S. broadcasting, 
such as professional associations, advertising agencies, trade unions, 
government agencies and community groups. Participants also should 
visit university-based radio stations to observe training programs and 
study the role of such stations in the broadcasting industry. 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 
radio broadcasting in South Africa 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 South African participants and the U.S. presenters who 
travel to South Africa; and overseeing the project on a daily basis to 
achieve maximum program [[Page 10146]] effectiveness. The grantee 
institution is responsible for coordinating plans and project 
implementation with E/P, USIS officers in South Africa and South 
African 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 
speech and freedom of the press, the practices of U.S. broadcasters and 
other background information about the project. E/P will ask the South 
African participants to prepare brief outlines describing their own 
particular interests in these areas. The grantee institution should 
brief the American presenters on the South African participants' 
backgrounds, interests and concerns.

Other Program Considerations

    Consultation with USIS officers in South Africa in the development 
of the project proposal is encouraged. Letters of commitment from 
participating U.S. and South African 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 for USIA funding support is keen. Selection of a 
grantee institution is based on the substantive 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 $120,000, 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 participant 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 may be 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 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 
[[Page 10147]] 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. 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 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 July 17, 1995. Awards made will be subject to 
periodic reporting and evaluation requirements.

    Dated: February 14, 1995.

John P. Loiello,

Associate Director, Educational and Cultural Affairs.

[FR Doc. 95-4193 Filed 2-22-95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 8230-01-M