[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 46 (Thursday, March 9, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13004-13006]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-5506]



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UNITED STATES INFORMATION AGENCY


Support to Develop and Facilitate Access to Exchange 
Opportunities for Post-Secondary International Students

ACTION: Notice; request for proposals.

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SUMMARY: The Advising and Student Services Branch 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 or consortia meeting the provisions described in 
IRS regulation 501(c)(3) may apply to provide an administrative 
mechanism to develop and facilitate exchanges between post-secondary 
school students enrolled at institutions in the United States and in 
other countries of the world. Preference will be given to the 
organization which maximizes the number of participants from all world 
regions and presents the most flexible mechanism for administering the 
exchanges. The applicants must clearly demonstrate how the proposed 
project differs from traditional ``junior year abroad'' programs and 
how it will create accessibility to international exchange for students 
who otherwise would not able to have an overseas study experience. USIA 
anticipates awarding up to $350,000 to one organization to administer 
this program
    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 project must conform with Agency requirements and 
guidelines outlined in the Solicitation Package. The 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/ASA-95-13.

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 21, 
1995. Faxed documents will not be accepted, nor will documents 
postmarked on April 21 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:
Advising and Student Services, E/ASA, Room 349, U.S. Information 
Agency, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547, Tel: (202) 619-5434, 
Fax: (202) 401-1433, E-mail: [email protected], to request a 
Solicitation Package, which includes all application forms and 
guidelines for preparing proposals, including specific criteria for 
preparation of the proposal budget. Please specify the USIA Program 
Officer, Alexandria Hattemer, on all inquiries and correspondences. 
Interested applicants should read the complete Federal Register 
announcement before addressing inquiries to E/ASA or submitting their 
proposals. Once the RFP deadline has passed, E/ASA 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 given in the 
Solicitation Package and send only complete applications to: U.S. 
Information Agency, Ref.: E/ASA-95-13, 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

    An ideal proposal should describe an administrative mechanism 
capable of developing and facilitating exchanges between post-secondary 
students enrolled at institutions in the United States and their 
counterparts in Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, South Asia, 
Africa and East Asia (including Oceania). Numbers of incoming and 
outgoing students should be approximately equal. A minimum of forty 
percent of the exchanges must take place outside of Western Europe 
within a broad range of non-traditional study abroad countries, 
although preference will be given to applicants who can demonstrate a 
higher number of non-European exchanges. All world regions must be 
represented in this program; the [[Page 13005]] applicant should 
especially target exchanges with Africa, the Near East, South and East 
Asia.
    Exchange students should be drawn from the broadest possible range 
of universities and colleges. These institutions should be diverse--
representing both public and private institutions, offering the 
greatest possible choice of location, academic discipline, size, and 
cost; and allowing the use of financial aid for study abroad when at 
all possible. Recruitment of student populations not usually involved 
in international exchanges should be stressed. A funding level of up to 
$350,000 is available for this program.

Guidelines

    The proposal should describe how colleges and universities in the 
U.S. and abroad will be recruited to participate, the standards 
established for participation, and the means to evaluate compliance 
with those standards. The proposal should describe the criteria for 
student participation, the obligations of the student (including 
financial), and the services which the applicant will provide to the 
student and why this assistance is not available from other sources. 
The proposal should describe methods of evaluating the effectiveness of 
the exchange mechanism (See Review Criteria for further information). 
Programs must comply with J-1 visa regulations.

Proposed Budget

    The applicant is required to submit a comprehensive administrative 
line item budget, based on the specific guidance in the Solicitation 
Package. There must be a summary budget as well as a break-down of the 
administrative budget. USIA's grant assistance, up to $350,000 in 
total, is expected to constitute only a portion of the total project 
funding. Cost sharing is required and the proposal should list other 
anticipated sources of support. Grant applications should demonstrate 
financial and in-kind support.
    Grnats awarded to eligible organizations with fewer than four years 
of experience in conducting international exchange programs will be 
limited to $60,000.
    Allowable costs for the program include the following:

(1) Salaries and fringe benefits; travel, although the Agency reserves 
the right not to fund travel to Western Europe;
(2) Other direct costs, inclusive of rent, utilities, etc.;
(3) Indirect expenses, auditing costs.

    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 Area 
Offices and the USIS posts 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 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, 
specifically the ability to increase exchanges with non-traditional 
regions. Agenda and plan should adhere to the program overview and 
guidelines described above.
    3. Ability to achieve program objectives: Proposal 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 with the maximum number of exchanges and number of countries.
    5, Support of Diversity: Proposals should demonstrate the 
recipient's commitment of promoting the awareness and understanding of 
diversity and should target diverse locations for exchanges as well as 
creating access to international exchange for students from all 
backgrounds and ethnic groups.
    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 of 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 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 projects objectives. USIA requires an 
evaluation survey return rate of at least 70 percent. Award-receiving 
organizations/institutions will be expected to submit biannual reports.
    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 desks and 
overseas officers of program need, potential impact, and significance 
in the partner country(ies).

Notice

    The terms and conditions published in the RFP are binding and may 
not be modified by the USIA representative. Explanatory information 
provided by the Agency that contradicts published language will not be 
binding.

Notification

    All applicants will be notified of the results of the review 
process on or about July 1, 1995. Awards made will be subject to 
periodic reporting and evaluation requirements.

    [[Page 13006]] Dated: February 28, 1995.
Dell Pendergrast,
Deputy Associate Director, Educational and Cultural Affairs.
[FR Doc. 95-5506 Filed 3-8-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8230-01-M