[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 111 (Friday, June 9, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30678-30681]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-14247]



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UNITED STATES INFORMATION AGENCY


Disability Exchanges Clearinghouse

ACTION: Notice--request for proposals.

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SUMMARY: The United States Information Agency's Bureau of Educational 
and Cultural Affairs announces an open competition for an assistance 
award. Public and private non-profit organizations meeting the 
provisions described in IRS regulation 26 CFR 1.501(c)(3)-1 may apply 
for a single award to establish and manage a disability exchanges 
clearinghouse, the overall purpose of which is two-fold: (1) To provide 
information for the disability community about international exchange 
opportunities available to them; and (2) to assist exchange 
organizations in developing skills and understanding about how to 
incorporate people with disabilities into their exchange programs.
    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.'' The funding authority for the 
program cited above is provided through the Fulbright-Hays Act.
    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 TITLE AND NUMBER: All communications with USIA concerning 
this announcement should refer to the Disability Exchanges 
Clearinghouse and reference number E/AE-95-01.

DEADLINE FOR PROPOSALS: All copies must be received at the U.S. 
Information Agency by 5 p.m. Washington, DC time on Thursday, July 27, 
1995. Faxed documents will not be accepted, nor will documents 
postmarked July 27, 1995 but received at a later date. It is the 
responsibility of each applicant to ensure that proposals are received 
by the above deadline.
    Award date: The award should begin on September 30, 1995.
    Duration: September 30, 1995--September 30, 1997.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, Office of Academic 
Programs, Academic Exchanges Divsiion--E/AE, U.S. Information Agency, 
301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547, telephone number; 201/619-
4360, fax number: 202/401-5914, internet address: DLEVIN@USIAGOV to 
request a Solicitation Package, which includes all application forms 
and further guidelines for preparing proposals, including specific 
criteria for preparation of the proposal budget. Please specify USIA 
Program Officer David Levin on all inquiries and correspondence. 
Interested applicants should read the complete Federal Register 
announcement before addressing inquiries to the Academic Exchanges 
Division or submitting their proposals. Once the RFP deadline has 
passed, the Academic Exchange Division may not discuss this competition 
in any way with applicants until the Bureau proposal review process has 
been completed.

SUBMISSIONS: Applicants must follow all instructions given in the 
Solicitation Package. The original and 15 copies of the complete 
application should be sent to: U.S. Information Agency, Ref.: E/AE-95-
01 (Disability Exchanges Clearinghouse), Office of Grants Management, 
E/XE, Room 326, 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.

    Proposals obviously will relate directly to the disability 
community. [[Page 30679]] Proposals should make an effort to 
incorporate other types of diversity into various proposal elements and 
activities, including program staff, consultants and resource people, 
programmatic locations, program participants, materials and resources 
developed, collaborative programming, etc.

Overview

Background

    For several years USIA's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs 
has actively promoted the concept of diversity, making a concerted 
effort to increase the number of people from underrepresented audiences 
participating in its exchanges and other programming. This clearly has 
included outreach to the disability community. Simultaneously, the U.S. 
Congress has encouraged USIA to focus even more on people with 
disabilities and on disability-related matters. In FY 1995 the Congress 
appropriated funds to USIA for the purpose of making an award to a 
private non-profit organization to establish and manage a disability 
exchanges clearinghouse.

Special Note

    In making this award and establishing the disability exchanges 
clearinghouse, funding priority will be given to entities that are 
operated by people with disabilities and knowledgeable about the 
operation and development of exchange programs for those with 
disabilities, and which have been involved for at least ten years in 
integrating persons with disabilities into such programs.

Objectives

    The short term objectives in making an award to establish a 
disability exchanges clearinghouse are to develop a set of programs, 
products, and services that will: (1) provide information for the 
disability community at all levels about the various publicly-sponsored 
and privately-sponsored exchange opportunities available to them; and 
(2) assist exchange organizations, both private and public (including 
relevant USIA Offices, Divisions, and Branches) in developing skills 
and understanding about how to incorporate persons with disabilities 
into their exchange programs through training, technical assistance, 
and information-sharing.
    The long-term objectives in making an award to establish a 
disability exchanges clearinghouse are: (1) To advance mutual 
understanding between the United States and other countries by 
increasing the number of people with disabilities participating in both 
publicly-sponsored and privately-sponsored international educational 
exchange programs; (2) to enable exchange organizations, associations 
and the broader public to understand and appreciate the importance and 
benefits of including people with disabilities in exchange programs; 
and (3) to help advance the civil rights of people with disabilities by 
their participating in exchange programs, thus benefiting personally 
and/or professionally from the exchange experience, while abroad and 
after returning home.

Guidelines

Successful Project Components

    Proposals to establish and maintain a disability exchanges 
clearinghouse, in striving to meet the objectives described above, 
should include, but are not limited to the following components:
     Developing and disseminating an all-purpose brochure 
describing the Clearinghouse an its purposes, as well as its programs, 
products, and services.
     Developing a portable exhibit for use at conferences and 
meetings describing and promoting the Clearinghouse and its purposes, 
programs, products, and services.
     Developing and maintaining an electronic data base of 
exchange opportunities for individuals with disabilities in the 
principal types of international exchange programming--academic 
exchanges, professional and citizen exchanges, arts exchanges, 
international visitor programming, youth exchanges, etc. Selected 
information should be accessible by means of an internet gopher or web 
page. Selected information also should be available in alternate 
formats, including braille. The data base should also include resource 
information and references for internal use as well as information and 
references/resource material to assist exchange organizations to 
incorporate people with disabilities into their exchange programs.
     Establishing and strengthening relationships with the 
principal international exchange organizations and associations such as 
the Alliance for International Educational and Cultural Exchange, 
NAFSA: Association of International Educators, IIE, CIEE, and others, 
including selected Federal Departments and Agencies, in order to foster 
the possibility of collaborative efforts and to ensure that the 
Clearinghouse maintains comprehensive up-to-date information about 
exchange opportunities and resources.
     Establishing a toll-free telephone line, including TDD 
capability, with staff able to respond to incoming inquiries concerning 
international exchange programs vis-a-vis persons with disabilities.
     Developing and distributing a training/technical 
assistance manual, perhaps in loose-leaf format for easy update, for 
use by practitioners in the international exchanges field on how to 
incorporate persons with disabilities into their programs. Topics 
addressed would include such items as information about disabilities/
disability awareness, publicity/recruitment, travel, affiliation/
placement, accessibility and special needs accommodations, monitoring, 
evaluation, relevant Federal laws and regulations, resources/annotated 
organizational references, etc.
     Developing and conducting training/technical assistance 
workshops for relevant audiences regarding the incorporation of persons 
with disabilities into international exchange programs, perhaps in 
conjunction with regional/national conferences pertaining to 
international education/educational exchange or to the disability 
community.
     Writing, producing and distributing a quarterly or semi-
annual journal devoted to topics pertaining to exchanges and persons 
with disabilities, highlighting success stories, new developments, 
collaborative efforts, special activities, etc. Articles written by 
people in the exchanges and disabilities communities and elsewhere 
should be welcome.
     Developing a brochure for individuals with disabilities 
and exchange practitioners detailing the rights and responsibilities of 
both when people with disabilities participate in international 
exchanges, following guidelines of the ADA and other Federal 
legislation.
     Authoring (or soliciting) and placing articles in selected 
local, regional, national and international newspapers and periodicals 
regarding the importance of including individuals with disabilities in 
international exchange programs, highlighting success stories, 
innovative programs, collaborative efforts, etc.
    Where relevant, the awardee organization will be encouraged to 
conduct needs assessments to determine what information/resources/
technical assistance is already available and what is needed by 
particular audiences, e.g., USIA Offices, Divisions, and Branches and 
related private organizations that manage or administer USIA-funded 
exchanges in addition to exchange associations representing the 
exchanges [[Page 30680]] community. Appropriate USIA elements will 
provide monitoring and oversight functions vis-a-vis Clearinghouse 
efforts. Products and services will be developed in consultation with 
the Agency and reviewed and approved by relevant Agency offices. All 
official documents should highlight the U.S. Government's role as 
sponsor and funding source. USIA requests that it receive the copyright 
use and be allowed to distribute written material as it sees fit.

Proposal Preparation

    In developing proposals, particular attention should be paid to the 
objectives and guidelines stated in this RFP as well as to the stated 
proposal review criteria.
    Proposals should include an executive summary (Tab B) not to exceed 
five double-spaced pages, providing the following information:

(1) Name of organization
(2) Beginning and ending date of the program
(3) Nature of activity
(4) Funding level requested from USIA, total cost-sharing from 
applicant and other sources, and total costs
(5) Scope and goals
(6) Brief descriptions of activaties, programs, products and services 
to be undertaken
(7) Nticipated results (short and long-term)

    Proposals should include a narrative (Tab C) not to exceed forty 
double-spaced pages addressing the areas listed below:

(1) Vision (statement of need, objectives, goals, benefits)
(2) Participating organizations
(3) Clearinghouse programs, products and services
(4) Evaluation plan regarding Clearinghouse programs, products, and 
services
(5) Follow-on
(6) Clearinghouse management, including any subgrants
(7) Work plan/time frame

Proposed Budget

    Organizations must submit a comprehensive line-item budget based on 
specific guidance in the Solicitation Package. The award will not 
exceed $500,000. The award will not be made to an organization with 
less than four years of experience in conducting international exchange 
programs, as USIA policy dictates that such organizations will be 
limited to $60,000 per assistance award.
    Applicants must submit a comprehensive budget for the entire 
program. There must be a three-column summary budget as well as a 
break-down of each budget by line-item. For better understanding or 
further clarification, applicants should provide separate sub-budgets 
for each program component, or activity in order to facilitate USIA 
decisions on funding.
    Allowable costs for the Clearinghouse include but are not limited 
to the following:

(1) Staff salaries and benefits
(2) staff travel and per diem
(3) occupancy
(4) telephone, TDD, fax, E-mail
(5) office furniture and equipment, including computer hardware, 
software and telecommunications, as well as equipment to convert 
written text into alternate formats, including braille
(6) office supplies
(7) reference materials
(8) accounting and auditing costs
(9) indirect costs, as appropriate
(10) consultant travel, per diem, and honoraria
(11) duplicating and printing
(12) postage and courier service
(13) participant travel and per diem
(14) conference attendance expenses, including exhibit space
(15) meeting expenses

    Please refer to the Solicitation Package for further guidance 
regarding proposal preparation, 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. 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 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, and 
the short-term and long-term objectives and guidelines stated in this 
RFP.
    2. Program planning: A detailed agenda and relevant work plan 
should demonstrate substantive undertakings and logistical capacity. 
The agenda and plan should adhere to the program overview and 
guidelines described above.
    3. Ability to achieve program objectives: Objective should be 
reasonable, feasible, and flexible. Proposals should clearly 
demonstrate how the organization will meet the program's objectives and 
plan.
    4. Program comprehensiveness: Proposals should demonstrate how the 
various types of exchange programming--academic exchanges, citizen and 
professional exchanges, arts exchanges, youth exchanges, international 
visitor programming, etc. will be included in Clearinghouse planning 
and implementation efforts.
    5. Cultural awareness and sensitivity: Proposals should demonstrate 
an awareness and sensitivity of issues related to people with 
disabilities, particularly in a cross-cultural/international setting.
    6. Multiplier effect/impact: Proposed Clearinghouse activities 
should strengthen long-term mutual understanding, including maximum 
sharing of information and detail potential long-term benefits.
    7. Support of Diversity: Proposals should demonstrate the 
recipient's commitment to promoting the awareness and understanding of 
diversity.
    8. Institutional Capacity: Proposed personnel and institutional 
resources should be adequate and appropriate to achieve the 
Clearinghouse's goals.
    9. Institution's Record/Ability: Proposals should demonstrate an 
institutional record of successful exchange programs, including 
previous interactions with other organizations in the exchanges and 
disability fields, as well as 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.
    10. Follow-on Activities: Proposals should provide a plan for 
continued follow-on activity (without USIA support) which insures that 
USIA supported programs are not isolated events.
    11. Project/Activity Evaluation: Proposals should include a plan to 
evaluate the Clearinghouse's success, at [[Page 30681]] the macro and 
micro levels both as the activities unfold and at the end of the time 
period. USIA recommends that the proposal include draft survey 
questionnaires or other technique plus description of a methodology to 
be used to link outcomes to original project objectives. The award-
receiving organization/institution will be expected to submit 
intermediate reports after each project component is concluded or 
quarterly, whichever is less frequent.
    12. 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.
    13. Cost-sharing: Proposals should maximize cost-sharing through 
other private sector support as well as institutional direct funding 
contributions.

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 Agency reserves the right to reduce, 
revise, or increase proposal budgets in accordance with the needs of 
the program. 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 September 20, 1995. The award made will be subject 
to periodic reporting and evaluation requirements.

    Dated: June 2, 1995.
John P. Loiello,
Associate Director, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
[FR Doc. 95-14247 Filed 6-7-95; 11:36 am]
BILLING CODE 8230-01-M