[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 96 (Thursday, May 18, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26766-26770]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-12174]
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UNITED STATES INFORMATION AGENCY
College and University Affiliations Program (CUAP): Application
Notice for Fiscal Year 1996
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 program.
Accredited, post-secondary educational institutions meeting the
provisions described in IRS regulation 26 CFR 1.501(c)(3)-1 may apply
to develop a partnership with foreign institution(s) of higher
education in the arts, humanities, and social sciences. Proposed
projects must be eligible in terms of country(ies)/regions and academic
disciplines or themes as described in the section entitled
``Guidelines'' below. Participating institutions exchange faculty and
staff for a combination of teaching, lecturing, curriculum development,
faculty development, collaborative research, and outreach for periods
of one month or longer.
The program awards grants up to $120,000 for a three-year period to
defray the cost of travel and per diem with an allowance for
educational materials and project administration. Subject to the
availability of funding, a minimum of two grants will be awarded for
each of the six geographic regions described below (Africa; American
Republics; East Asia and Pacific; East/Central Europe and the New
Independent States; North Africa, Near East, and South Asia; and
Western Europe). The award of grants for North American trilateral
projects (described below) will be subject to the final program budget.
Overall grant making and funding 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 program cited above is provided
through the Fulbright-Hays Act.
Projects must conform with Agency requirements and guidelines
outlined in the Solicitation Package. USIA Projects are subject to the
availability of funds.
ANNOUNCEMENT NAME AND NUMBER: All communications with USIA concerning
this announcement should refer to the College and University
Affiliations Program and reference number E/ASU-96-01.
DEADLINE FOR PROPOSALS: All copies must be received at the U.S.
Information Agency by 5 p.m. Washington, DC time on Thursday, November
9, 1995. Faxed documents will not be accepted, nor will documents
postmarked on November 9, 1995, but received on a later date. It is the
responsibility of each applicant to ensure compliance with the
deadline.
Approximate program dates: Grants should begin on or about July 1,
1996.
Duration: July 1, 1996-June 30, 1999.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Office of Academic Programs; Advising, Teaching, and Specialized
Programs Division; College and University Affiliations Program (CUAP),
(E/ASU), Room 349, U.S. Information Agency, 301 4th Street, SW.,
Washington, DC 20547, phone: (202) 619-5289, fax: (202) 401-1433, e-
mail: [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
Ms. Sue Borja on all inquiries and correspondence. Prospective
applicants should read the complete Federal Register announcement
before addressing inquiries to the College and University Affiliations
Program staff or submitting their proposals. Once the RFP deadline has
passed, the College and University Affiliations Program staff 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. The original and 10 copies of the complete
application should be sent to: U.S. Information Agency, Ref.: E/ASU-96-
01, Office of Grants Management, E/XE, Room 336, 301 4th St., SW.,
Washington, DC 20547.
Applicants must also submit to E/XE the ``Executive Summary'',
``Proposal'', and ``Budget'' sections (in no more than three files) of
each proposal on a 3\1/2\'' diskette, formatted for DOS. This material
should be provided in ASCII text (DOS) format with a maximum line
length of 65 characters. USIA will transmit these files electronically
to USIS posts overseas for their review, with the goal of reducing
processing time for grants to a minimum. Please also ensure that the
disc is free of viruses.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to the Bureau's authorizing
legislation, programs must maintain a nonpolitical 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.
The Agency encourages proposals from eligible Historically Black
Colleges and Universities, the members of the Hispanic Association of
Colleges and Universities, and other institutions in the U.S. with at
least 25% minority (Native American or Native Alaskan; Asian American
or Pacific Islander; African American or Black Non-Hispanic; or
Hispanic) student enrollment.
Overview
Objectives
The CUAP's short-term goal is to provide partial funding of
linkages between U.S. and foreign institutions of higher education
featuring faculty and staff exchanges for the purpose of teaching,
lecturing, faculty development, curriculum development, collaborative
research, and outreach.
The program's long-term goals are to:
(1) Advance mutual understanding between the U.S. and other
countries or regions by supporting linkages which provide true
reciprocity and significant mutual benefit.
(2) Diversify and expand international educational exchanges by:
Ensuring a widespread geographic distribution of grants
throughout the U.S. and abroad;
Targeting academic disciplines and countries/regions which
are not otherwise significantly represented in privately funded
exchanges;
Increasing the participation of two-year/community
colleges, small four-year schools, and schools with significant (over
25%) minority student enrollments; and
Complementing the individual lectureships, research and
graduate study fellowships, and training programs available under
Fulbright and other Agency auspices.
(3) Foster post-secondary institutional academic development by
supporting linkages which promise to develop expertise and advance
scholarship and teaching. [[Page 26768]]
(4) Encourage U.S. government/private sector cooperation by
supporting linkages which provide significant cost sharing from both
the U.S. and foreign partner(s).
(5) Encourage long-term impact on all partner institutions by
supporting linkages which promise sustainability beyond the three-year
grant term.
(6) Further U.S. foreign policy objectives by supporting linkages
which correspond to the Agency's geographic and thematic programming
priorities.
Guidelines
The ideal and most competitive proposal is reciprocal with mutual
goals and benefits for all partner institutions. While the goals and
benefits should be mutual, they do not need to be identical for each
partner institution or precisely balanced among partner institutions.
One-way, technical assistance projects are not acceptable.
The ideal and most competitive proposal includes a series of year-
round, faculty and staff exchange visits involving a well-reasoned
combination of teaching, lecturing, faculty development, curriculum
development, collaborative research, and outreach. These activities
must address and support stated project goals, develop expertise, and
advance scholarship and teaching. These activities may vary in emphasis
within the project. For example, collaborative research may play a
lesser role than curriculum development. Library support and
development should be included if deemed critical to the success and
sustainability of the project.
Exchange visits must be for a minimum of one month, with the
exception of planning visits, which may be for a shorter period. A
competitive proposal includes a minimum of one, quarter or semester-
long visit each year from each of the U.S. and the foreign partner(s).
Projects with multiple visits one quarter or semester in length will be
more competitive. Visits by the U.S. and foreign project coordinators
as well as other key exchanges should be identified and justified in
the proposal narrative.
An ideal project builds upon previous contacts and interaction
between the proposed partners, such as individual faculty or student
exchanges, to help ensure a solid foundation for the linkage.
Acceptable proposals must either establish new institutional
affiliations or innovate existing partnerships and must not merely
extend projects previously funded by the College and University
Affiliations Program (formerly the ``University Affiliations
Program''), other USIA or U.S. government linkage programs, or other,
similar linkage programs. Proposals for feasibility studies to plan
affiliations will not be considered.
An ideal and most competitive proposal provides significant
institutional support and cost sharing from both the U.S. and foreign
institution(s) and promises sustainability beyond the grant term.
The U.S. institution(s) should collaborate with the foreign
partner(s) in planning and preparation. When planning the project, U.S.
and foreign institutions are strongly encouraged to consult with the
Cultural Affairs Officer (CAO) or Public Affairs Officer (PAO) at the
appropriate U.S. Information Service (USIS) office at the U.S. Embassy
or U.S. Consulate and with the Fulbright Commission, where one exists,
in the appropriate country.
U.S. Partner and Participant Eligibility
In the U.S., participation in the program is open to accredited
two- and four-year colleges and universities, including graduate
schools. Applications from consortia of U.S. colleges and universities
are eligible. The lead U.S. institution is responsible for submitting
the application and each application from a consortium must be
submitted by a member institution with stated authority to represent
the consortium. Participants representing the U.S. institution who are
traveling under USIA grant funds must be U.S. citizens.
Foreign Partner and Participant Eligibility
Overseas, participation is open to recognized, degree-granting
institutions of post-secondary education and internationally recognized
and highly regarded independent research institutes. Participants
representing the foreign institutions must be citizens, nationals, or
permanent residents of the country of the foreign partner and be
qualified to hold a valid passport. In the case of a partnership with
an institution in one of the New Independent States (NIS), foreign
participants with citizenship in any of the NIS are eligible.
Ineligibility
A proposal will be deemed technically ineligible if:
(1) It does not fully adhere to the guidelines established herein
and in the Solicitation Package;
(2) It is not received by the deadline;
(3) The length of the proposed project is less than three years;
(4) It is not submitted by the U.S. partner;
(5) One of the partner institutions is ineligible;
(6) The foreign geographic location is ineligible;
(7) The project involves a partnership with more than one country
with the exception of trilateral projects under the APEC theme within
East Asia and North America (U.S./Canada/Mexico) trilateral projects;
(8) The academic discipline/theme is ineligible.
(9) The budget exceeds $120,000 for the three-year project.
Eligible Countries/Regions and Academic Disciplines
The competition is limited to selected countries/regions and
certain academic disciplines or themes which represent USIA's
geographic and thematic priorities for the College and University
Affiliations Program.
A proposal may include more than one eligible academic discipline
or theme but should be justified in the proposal narrative. Please
note: American studies includes the fields of American History and
Civilization, Literature, Social Sciences, and Art.
The program invites proposals for bilateral projects only,
involving the U.S. and one foreign country with the following
exceptions:
Proposals submitted for trilateral projects under the APEC
(Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation) theme described below under the
East Asia and Pacific section.
Proposals submitted for trilateral projects linking U.S.,
Canadian, and Mexican institution(s) described below under the North
American trilateral exchanges section.
Africa (AF)
Eligibility is open to the following sub-Saharan African countries:
Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Senegal, South
Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Uganda. Eligible academic disciplines are
the social sciences and humanities and those disciplines which focus on
the themes of rule of law and democratic institution building: law,
political science/government/public policy/public administration,
economics/business, journalism/communications, and education.
American Republics (AR)
Eligibility is open to the following countries and academic
disciplines: Bolivia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras,
Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Suriname, and Trinidad. Eligible academic
disciplines are American studies, historic/cultural
[[Page 26769]] heritage preservation, public administration,
environmental studies, and sustainable development.
East Asia and Pacific (EA)
Eligibility is open to the following countries and academic
disciplines: Hong Kong (American studies, area studies, humanities, and
social sciences), Mongolia (American studies, political science, and
social sciences); Papua New Guinea (education, environmental studies,
and social sciences); and Thailand (American studies, economics, and
sustainable development).
APEC (Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation) Exchanges
Trilateral projects linking an institution in the U.S. with
institutions in two other APEC member economies in the East Asia and
Pacific region are also eligible. The eligible APEC members are:
Australia, Brunei, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia,
New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, The Philippines, Singapore, Thailand,
and Chinese Taipei.
Trilateral APEC proposals must address issues concerned with
regional economic growth and development that envision a community of
Asia Pacific economies. Proposals must have a regional emphasis that
focuses on one or more of the following academic disciplines: economics
(emphasis on international economics/trade and investment flows),
business administration (emphasis on marketing and international
business), and the environment (emphasis on sustained growth and the
environment).
East/Central Europe and the New Independent States (EEN)
Eligibility is open to the following countries and academic
disciplines: Romania (American studies, environmental studies, urban
planning, civic education); Russia excluding institutions in Moscow and
St. Petersburg (American studies, environmental studies, educational
administration, public administration, library science); Ukraine (law,
American studies, environmental studies, library science); Belarus
(agricultural economics, environmental studies, educational
administration, information sciences); Uzbekistan (public
administration, environmental studies, agricultural economics); and
Moldova (public administration, market economics, law).
North Africa, Near East, and South Asia (NEA)
Eligibility is open to the following countries/regions and academic
disciplines: Jordan (Civic Administration), Syria (Social Sciences),
Pakistan (American/area studies), and the West Bank/Gaza (public
administration).
Western Europe (WEU)
Eligibility is limited to institutions located in the following
geographically or culturally distinct regions in Western Europe:
eastern Germany, Northern Ireland, the Basque region of Spain, northern
Greece (Macedonia), and southwest Turkey (Izmir). Eligible academic
disciplines are American studies and political science.
North America Trilateral Exchanges
Eligibility is open to trilateral projects linking institution(s)
in the U.S. with institution(s) in Canada and Mexico. Eligible academic
disciplines are the arts, humanities, comparative education and
culture, business, trade, economics, and environmental studies.
Visa Requirements
Programs must comply with J-1 exchange visitor visa regulations.
Please refer to program specific guidelines in the Solicitation Package
(POGI) for further details.
Tax Requirements
Administration of the program must be in compliance with reporting
and withholding regulations for federal, state, and local taxes as
applicable. Recipient organizations should demonstrate tax regulation
adherence in the proposal narrative and budget.
Health Insurance Requirements
The grant recipient is responsible for enrolling exchange
participants in a health and accident insurance plan that meets the
basic requirements of the J-1 Visa. Insurance costs for only the
foreign exchange participants are an allowable expense under this
program. Please refer to program specific guidelines in the
Solicitation Package (POGI) for further details.
Travel
The assistance award recipient must arrange all travel through
their own travel agent.
Proposed Budget
No funding award will exceed a total of $120,000 for the three-year
grant term. Support for direct administrative costs associated with
grant activities will not exceed 20% of the total grant amount. All
indirect costs are unallowable.
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 project. There must be a summary budget as well as a breakdown,
by year, reflecting both the administrative budget and the program
budget. Please refer to the Solicitation Package (POGI) for complete
formatting instructions rather than the generic budget format detailed
in the Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI).
Allowable Costs
(1) International, economy-class airfare for participants. Travel
must be on U.S. flag carriers wherever such routes exist.
(2) Domestic, economy-class travel to other academic institutions,
libraries for research, and conferences while in the host country,
which are directly related to the project.
(3) Per diem for lodging, meals, and incidentals.
(4) Educational materials, excluding computer hardware, not to
exceed $12,000 for three years.
(5) One planning trip for one participant per partner institution.
(6) Health insurance for foreign participants only, while on
project-related travel to the U.S. Please note: Health insurance is
compulsory for all U.S. and foreign participants.
Unallowable Costs
(1) Expenses for student exchanges.
(2) Travel and per diem for dependents.
(3) Any costs for non-U.S. citizens or nationals from U.S.
institutions, or citizens of other than the host country representing
foreign institutions (except for the New Independent States as stated
in the eligibility section above).
(4) Indirect costs.
Please refer to the Solicitation Package for complete budget
guidelines.
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 outside
academic panels and Agency officers for advisory review. All eligible
proposals will be reviewed by the Agency contracts office. proposals
will also be reviewed by the appropriate regional
[[Page 26770]] office, i.e., the USIA Office of African Affairs (AF),
Office of American Republics Affairs (AR), Office of East Asian and
Pacific Affairs (EA), Office of East European and Canadian Affairs
(WEU) and the Office of North African, Near Eastern, and South Asian
Affairs (NEA) and relevant USIA 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 assistance awards (grants or cooperative
agreements) resides with the USIA contracts 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 proposal evaluation:
Academic Review Criteria
Proposals are reviewed by independent academic peer panels, with
geographic and disciplinary expertise, which make comments and
recommendations to the Agency based on the following criteria:
(1) Reasonable and feasible project objectives which are clearly
related to the project plan and activities.
(2) Appropriate and feasible project plans and a detailed schedule
which must include a well-reasoned combination of useful and
appropriate teaching, lecturing, faculty development, curriculum
development, collaborative research, and outreach. Activities should be
clearly related to the project objectives, but not necessarily equally
emphasized within the proposal.
(3) Inclusion of exchange visits of a length which will further the
project goals and activities. Visits of one month or less are kept to a
minimum (except planning visits); visits of one academic quarter or
semester are strongly preferred.
(4) Promise of the development of expertise and the advancement of
scholarship and teaching in the eligible academic disciplines or
themes.
(5) Quality of exchange participants' academic credentials, skills,
and experience relative to the goals and activities of the project plan
(e.g., language skills).
(6) Institutional resources adequate and appropriate to achieve the
project's goals. Relevant factors are: the match between partners; the
financial and political stability of the institutions; and availability
of a critical mass of faculty willing and able to participate.
(7) Evidence of strong institutional commitment by all
participating institutions, including demonstration of relevant and
successful prior interactions between institutions and an indication of
collaborative proposal planning.
(8) Evidence of a strong commitment to internationalization by
participating institutions (i.e., developing other international
projects and/or building upon past international activities).
(9) An effective evaluation plan which defines and articulates a
list of anticipated outcomes clearly related to the project goals and
activities and procedures for on-going monitoring ad mid-term
corrective action.
Agency Review Criteria
(1) Clear indication that the proposal seeks to establish a truly
reciprocal and mutually beneficial institutional affiliation overseas
or to innovate an existing affiliation. The benefits do not have to be
the same for each partner or precisely balanced, but must be
essentially mutual.
(2) Positive assessment of program need, feasibility, and potential
impact by the relevant USIA post overseas.
(3) Academic quality, reflected in the academic review panel's
comments and recommendations.
(4) Institutional and geographic diversity of the U.S. and overseas
institutions (i.e., racial, ethnic, and gender composition of student
enrollments; small underrepresented institutions, two-year/community
colleges, and institutions in underrepresented geographic locations).
(5) The promise of sustainability and long-term impact which should
be reflected in a plan for continued, non-U.S. government support and
follow-on activities.
(6) Cost effectiveness (i.e., competitive cost sharing, sufficient
number of participant exchanges relative to the project goals and
plan).
(7) Institutional track record and ability. The Agency will
consider the past performance of prior recipients and the demonstrated
potential of new applicants.
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 fully appropriated by Congress and allocated and
committed through internal USIA procedures.
Notification
All applicants will be notified of the results of the review
process on or about July 1, 1996. Awards will be subject to periodic
reporting and evaluation requirements.
Dated: May 11, 1995.
Dell Pendergrast,
Deputy Associate Director, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
[FR Doc. 95-12174 Filed 5-17-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8230-01-M