[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 169 (Thursday, August 31, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45513-45516]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-21291]



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UNITED STATES INFORMATION AGENCY

Winter Institute for the Study of the U.S.: Focus on American 
Literature

ACTION: Notice--Request for proposals.

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SUMMARY: The Branch of the Study of the U.S. of 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 for the Winter Institute for the Study of the 
U.S.: Focus on American Literature. Public and private non-profit 
organizations meeting the provisions described in IRS regulation 26 CFR 
1.501(c)(3)-1 may apply to develop a six-week graduate-level program 
designed for a group of 18 foreign university educators from around the 
world, in order to deepen their understanding of the United States and 
to give them further grounding in the field of American literature so 
that curricula and courses in foreign universities will benefit.
    USIA is seeking detailed proposals from colleges, universities, 
consortia of colleges and universities, and other not-for-profit 
academic organizations that have an established reputation in the 
discipline of American Studies and/or American Literature and the 
related 

[[Page 45514]]
subdiscipline, and can demonstrate expertise in conducting graduate-
level programs for foreign educators. Applicant institutions must have 
a minimum of four years' experience in conducting international 
exchange programs. The project director or one of the key program staff 
responsible for the academic program must have an advanced degree in 
American Studies or American Literature. Staff escorts traveling under 
the USIA cooperative agreement support must be U.S. citizens with 
demonstrated qualifications for this service.
    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 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/AAS-96-01.

DEADLINE FOR PROPOSALS: All copies must be received at the U.S. 
Information Agency by 5 p.m. Washington DC time on Tuesday, October 10, 
1995. Faxed documents will not be accepted, nor will documents 
postmarked October 10, 1995 but received at a later date. It is the 
responsibility of each applicant to ensure that proposal submissions 
arrive by the deadline. The actual program will begin on January 13, 
1996 and last until February 24, 1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
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, applicants should contact: U.S. Information Agency, Office of 
Academic Programs, Branch of the Study of the United States, E/AAS, 
Room 256, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547, Attn: Program 
Officer Ilaya Rome; telephone number (202) 619-4557; fax number (202) 
619-6790; internet address [email protected]. Please specify USIA Program 
Officer on all inquiries and correspondence. Interested applicants 
should read the complete Federal Register announcement before 
addressing inquiries to the office listed above or submitting their 
proposals. Once the RFP deadline has passed, USIA staff may not discuss 
this competition in any way with applicants until after the Bureau 
proposal review process has been completed.

SUBMISSIONS: Applicants must read and follow all instructions given in 
the RFP and the complete Solicitation Package. Proposals must be 
structured in accordance with these instructions. The original and 12 
copies of the complete application should be sent to: U.S. Information 
Agency, Ref.: E/AAS-96-01, Office of Grants Management, E/XE, Room 326, 
301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547.

DIVERSITY GUIDELINES: Pursuant to the Bureau's authorizing legislation, 
programs must maintain a non-political character, and should be 
balanced and representative of the diversity and broad range of 
responsible views present in American political, social, and cultural 
life. ``Diversity'' should be interpreted in the broadest sense and 
encompass differences including, but not limited to ethnicity, race, 
gender, religion, geographic location, socio-economic status, and 
physical challenges. Applicants are strongly encouraged to adhere to 
the advancement of this principle both in program administration and in 
program content. Please refer to the review criteria under the 
``Support for Diversity'' section for specific suggestions on 
incorporating diversity into the total proposal.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Overview

    The Winter Institute for the Study of the U.S.: Focus on American 
Literature is intended to provide foreign university teachers of 
American studies and/or American literature with opportunities to 
deepen their understanding of the U.S., especially its society and 
culture, through an in-depth examination of American literature. This 
will be accomplished through a six-week residency at a college or 
university campus in the United States (and an optional study tour 
segment), where participants are involved in a specially-designed 
program of lectures, presentations, discussions, and research 
opportunities focusing on American studies and American literature. The 
equivalent of one day a week should be available to participants to 
pursue individual research interests in American literature, curriculum 
development projects, or to do assigned readings. The Winter Institute 
should provide access to leading American scholars and research 
resources (libraries, archives, databases, etc.). Participants should 
be paired with faculty mentors. An essential element of the Institute 
is the exposure to and accumulation of scholarly materials, primary 
texts and supplementary works, curricular materials and teaching ideas 
(including Internet and computer resources training). The Winter 
Institute must provide participants with such materials to take back to 
their home countries which will be used to contribute to the 
development of new courses and programs and the modification of 
existing ones that draw from American Studies and American literature.

Institute Objectives

--to conduct an intensive, academically stimulating program that 
presents a multi-dimensional view of the United States, using American 
literature as the focus;
--to draw from a variety of academic disciplines to enhance the program 
design in such a way as to deepen participants' understanding of the 
complexity of U.S. society, culture and institutions, in both a 
historical and contemporary sense;
--and, to enhance teaching about the U.S., and of American literature 
in particular, in foreign universities by making appropriate scholarly 
resources, pedagogical materials, and ideas available to participants.
Guidelines

    The institute should be specifically designed for experienced 
foreign university-level teachers and should not duplicate courses 
designed for American graduate-degree candidates. Although it is 
important that the topics and readings of the institute be clearly 
organized, the institute should not simply replicate a lecture course 
or a graduate seminar. Through a combination of lectures, discussions, 
and faculty presentations, it should facilitate the development of a 
collegial atmosphere in which institute faculty and participants 
discuss relevant concepts, issues and texts in American studies and 
American literature. Themes and issues prevalent in the U.S. that have 
relevance to other societies contribute to the mutual understanding 
facilitated through this type of program. Please keep in mind that 
pluralism and issues reflecting the diversity of the 

[[Page 45515]]
United States are important to the Agency, and their incorporation into 
the proposal submission will make it more competitive.
    At the outset, the program should review the recent history and 
current status of American literature as an academic discipline, 
surveying major schools of interpretation and examining the current 
debates within American literature and literary studies generally. The 
program should also explore how American literature has informed and 
been informed by the interdisciplinary and multi-disciplinary 
approaches to the study of the U.S. represented by the field of 
American Studies.
    While the structure of the institute is entirely the responsibility 
of the organizers, a thematic approach would help to focus the main 
body of the program, American Literature, an enormously heterogeneous 
field. The best proposals will express a high level of thematic 
articulation in addition to demonstrating clearly the means by which 
these themes will be concretely communicated to participants for 
discussion and reflection. It is extremely important for the institute 
organizers to devise a way to integrate all aspects of the program, 
from the assigned reading, to lectures, discussions, and field trips. 
Throughout the program there should be exposure to the many facets of 
the United States, such as history, society, demographics, and 
institutions (political, cultural, educational, media). Readings should 
serve as examples to illustrate broader themes in American 
civilization. There should be a balanced mix of traditional and 
contemporary approaches. Please refer to the Solicitation Package for 
further elaboration of the thematic approach.

Other Guidelines to Consider

    The institute program should ideally bring in outside presenters 
(representatives from academia, community organizations, media, 
government) in addition to the core faculty of the host institution. 
Presenters must be fully briefed about the institute, its goals, 
general themes, readings, and especially the background and needs of 
the participants themselves. Information about presenters and how they 
will be utilized should be included in the proposal submission.
    A residential program of a minimum of four weeks on a college/
university campus is mandatory. A minimum of two to three days in 
Washington, D.C. should also be included in the program. This should 
include a half-day session at the United States Information Agency. If 
a study tour is arranged in addition to the residential and Washington, 
DC segment, it must be directly supportive of the academic program 
content. Day trips to various locations (historical sites, classrooms, 
community centers) are also encouraged if such trips will further 
enhance understanding and enrich the participants' experience. The 
selected grantee organization will be asked to consult closely with 
USIA in the planning of the Washington itinerary.
    Details of the academic and tour programs may be modified in 
consultation with USIA's Branch for the Study of the U.S. following the 
grant award.
    The selected grant organization will be responsible for most 
arrangements associated with this program. This includes the 
organization of a coherent progression of activities, arrangement of 
all domestic travel, lodging, subsistence, and ground transportation 
for participants, orientation and briefing of participants, preparation 
of any necessary support materials (including a pre-program mailing to 
participants), and working with program presenters to achieve maximum 
program effectiveness. Participants will be nominated by U.S. 
Information Service posts abroad, and selected by the staff of USIA's 
Branch of the Study of the U.S. in Washington, DC. USIA will cover all 
international travel costs directly.

Participants

    The majority of participants selected will be university teachers, 
administrators, department chairs, curriculum developers and textbook 
writers who are interested in using American literature as a means to 
further the understanding of the U.S. in their countries. Nominees will 
demonstrate a willingness and ability to use American literature and 
other topics of the institute in their teaching and professional work. 
Candidates from the Southern Hemisphere will be given the highest 
priority, in order to accommodate their reverse academic calendar.
Additional Information

    Confirmation letters from U.S. co-sponsors noting their intention 
to participate in the program will enhance a proposal. Proposals 
incorporating participant/observer site visits will be more competitive 
if letters committing prospective host institutions to support these 
efforts are provided.

Visa/Insurance/Tax Requirements

    Programs must comply with J-1 visa regulations. Visas will be 
issued by USIS posts abroad. USIA insurance will be provided to all 
participants, unless otherwise indicated in the proposal submission. 
Grantee organization will be responsible for enrolling Winter Institute 
participants in the chosen insurance plan. Please indicate in the 
proposal if host institutions have any special tax withholding 
requirements on participant or staff escort stipends or allowances.

Proposed Budget

    Budget award may not exceed $160,000. Administrative costs should 
be as low as possible and should not exceed $47,000. The U.S. recipient 
should try to maximize cost-sharing in all facets of the program and to 
stimulate U.S. private sector (foundation and corporate) support. 
Applicants must submit a comprehensive budget for the entire program. 
There must be a summary budget as well as a break-down 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. Please refer to the 
Solicitation Package for complete budget guidelines and formatting 
instructions for the Winter Institute.

Review Process

    The 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 also be 
reviewed by the Agency contracts office, as well as the USIA Area 
Offices 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 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. Overall quality.
    A. The content, significance, definition, organization and academic 
rigor of the proposed program (including the follow-on tour, if 

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selected) and its appropriateness to program objectives.
    B. Evidence of careful planning.
    C. The program should be representative of current expert knowledge 
in the field, and should be consistent with the requirements of the 
Bureau's legislative charter, meeting the highest professional 
qualitative standards of achievement.
    2. Institutional capacity and adequacy of proposed resources.
    Faculty, library and other research and scholarly resources, 
housing, transportation, meal facilities, access to media resources, 
and other institutional support should be adequate, accessible, and 
appropriate, and should promote a collegial setting.
    3. Support of Diversity.
    Proposals should demonstrate substantive support of the Bureau's 
policy on diversity. Achievable and relevant features should be cited 
in both program administration (program venue, program evaluation) and 
program content (orientation and wrap-up sessions, program meetings, 
resource materials and follow-up activities).
    4. Experience.
    Experience of professionals and staff assigned to the program with 
foreign educators; institution's tract record with international 
exchange programs.
    5. Evaluation and follow-up.
    A. Adequacy of plans for evaluation during and after the institute 
by the grantee institution.
    B. Adequacy of provisions made for ``multiplier effect,'' i.e., 
future follow-up and networking between grantees and the host 
institution or other appropriate U.S. scholars or scholarly 
organizations.
    6. Administration and Management. Evidence of strong on-site 
administrative and managerial capabilities (with specific discussion of 
how managerial and logistical arrangements will be undertaken).
    7. Resources. Availability of local and state resources for the 
orientation, academic program segment, and follow-on tour.
    8. Cost effectiveness. The overhead and administrative components 
of grants, as well as salaries and honoraria, should be kept as low as 
possible. All other items should be necessary and appropriate. In-kind 
contributions and cost-sharing should be maximized.

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 December 1, 1995. Awards made will be subject to 
periodic reporting and evaluation requirements.


    Dated: August 22, 1995.
Dell Pendergrast,
Deputy Associate Director, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
[FR Doc. 95-21291 Filed 8-30-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8230-01-M