[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 56 (Thursday, March 23, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15324-15325]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-6780]
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UNITED STATES INFORMATION AGENCY
Burmese Refugee Program
ACTION: Notice--Request for Proposals.
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SUMMARY: The Office of Academic Programs of the United States
Information Agency's Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs announces
an open competition for an assistance award. Public and private non-
profit organizations meeting the provisions described in IRS regulation
501 (c) (3) may apply to develop an educational program for
approximately 5-7 Burmese students and professionals who left Burma
after August 1988 and have since been living outside of Burma as
refugees to receive undergraduate and/or graduate training in a variety
of fields in the humanities and sciences in American colleges and
universities.
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/AEF-95-05.
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 28,
1995. Faxed documents will not be accepted, nor will documents
postmarked on April 28, 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:
Office of Academic Programs; East Asian Programs Branch--E/AEF, Room
208, U.S. Information Agency, 301 4th Street, S.W., Washington, D.C.
20547, (202) 619-5402 (phone), (202) 401-1728 (fax), 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 Wayne Peterson or Carol Elford on all
inquiries and correspondences. Interested applicants should read the
complete Federal Register announcement before addressing inquiries to
the East Asian Programs Branch or submitting their proposals. Once the
RFP deadline has passed, the East Asian Programs Branch officers may
not discuss this competition in any way with applicants until after the
Bureau proposal review process has been completed.
ADDRESSES: Applicants must follow all instructions given in the
Solicitation Package. The original and 10 copies of the complete
application should be sent to: U.S. Information Agency, Ref.: E/AEF-95-
05, Office of Grants Management, E/XE, 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
The goal of the program is to support the economic and democratic
development of Burma by helping to educate potential leaders of Burma
who could assist that country in future transition to a democratic
government. It is USIA's intent to provide grantees with programs of
the highest quality that meet their academic and personal needs and to
further the Agency's mission to promote mutual understanding.
Guidelines
Project Description
A. The applicant shall design a proposal to recruit, nominate,
select, place and monitor the Burmese students in accredited U.S.
academic institutions for academic programs lasting a minimum of one
year.
Note: Funding for the entire period of the student program
should be projected in the proposal.
B. Students should be selected for either an undergraduate program
or a graduate level program as appropriate. Programs shall include such
enhancements as pre-departure and arrival orientations and interim
workshops focusing on assessment of skills development and transition
into the workplace and related adjustments.
C. Given the language difficulties experienced by most of the
previous Burmese Refugee grantees, the programs may include an
intensive English language study component.
D. The organization must work with USIA, INS and the American
Embassy in Bangkok to coordinate public interest parole status for the
grantees since they are not eligible for J-1 visas.
E. Since it is unlikely that the grantees will be able to return to
Burma at the conclusion of the program, the organization must provide
relocation assistance to them at the time their studies are terminated.
F. Program participants must carry the requisite level of health
and accident insurance.
Proposed Budget
USIA anticipates awarding one grant not to exceed $300,000 for this
program.
Organizations must submit a comprehensive line item budget,
including a budget summary page, based on the specific guidance in the
Application Package.
Please note that it is required that requested administrative
funds, including indirect costs and [[Page 15325]] administrative
expenses for orientation, not exceed 20 percent of the total amount
requested from USIA; administrative expenses should be cost-shared.
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 budget for the entire
program. There must be a summary budget as well as a breakdown
reflecting both the administrative budget and the program budget. 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.
Allowable costs for the program include the following:
A. Program costs
(1) One-way economy fare international travel from their overseas
location (on an American flag carrier for as much of the route as
possible);
(2) Domestic travel;
(3) Tuition, room and board, incidental expenses, maintenance for
university vacation periods;
(4) Educational materials;
(5) Costs of standardized test fees;
(6) Per diem for orientation, professional, academic and cultural
enrichment.
B. Administrative costs (not to exceed 20% of the budget)
(1) Staff salaries and benefits;
(2) Staff travel;
(3) Communications (including telephone, fax, postage, etc.);
(4) Office supplies;
(5) Other direct costs.
Please refer to the Solicitation Package for complete budget
guidances 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
East Asian and Pacific 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
Technically eligible applicants 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. Support of Diversity: Proposals should demonstrate the
recipient's commitment to promoting the awareness and understanding of
diversity.
5. Institutional Capacity: Proposed personnel and institutional
resources should be adequate and appropriate to achieve the program or
project's goals.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. Cost-sharing: Proposals should maximize cost-sharing through
other private sector support as well as institutional direct funding
contributions.
10. Value to U.S.-Partner Country Relations: Proposed projects
should receive positive assessments by USIA's geographic area desk and
USIS Bangkok 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
be 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: March 15, 1995.
Dell Pendergrast,
Deputy Associate Director, Educational and Cultural Affairs.
[FR Doc. 95-6780 Filed 3-22-95; 8:45 am]
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