[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]
BILLING CODE 8230-01-M