[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 240 (Thursday, December 14, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64249-64251]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-30027]



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UNITED STATES INFORMATION AGENCY

Summer Institute on the U.S. Political System: Focus on 
Federalism

AGENCY: United States Information Agency.

ACTION: Notice--Request for Proposals.

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SUMMARY: The Branch for 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 Summer Institute on the U.S. Political 
System: Focus on Federalism. 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 on the subject of the U.S. political system, with a focus on 
federalism. The purpose of the Institute is to deepen the participants' 
understanding of the foundations, development, and current functioning 
of the U.S. political system by concentrating particularly on the topic 
of federalism; the ultimate goal of the institute is to improve the 
teaching of political science and American government at the 
participants' home institutions.
    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 political 
science and related subdisciplines, and that 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 political science or a related discipline. 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, Public Law 87-
256, as amended, also known as the Fulbright-Hays Act. The purpose of 
the Act is ``to enable to 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-96-05.

DEADLINE FOR PROPOSALS: All copies must be received at the U.S. 
Information Agency by 5:00 p.m. Washington D.C. time on Friday, 
February 9, 1996. Faxed documents will not be accepted, nor will 
documents postmarked February 9, 1996 but received at a later date. It 
is the responsibility of each applicant to ensure that proposal 
submissions arrive by the deadline. Tentative program dates are June 29 
to August 9, 1996. Participants will likely be booked to arrive in the 
U.S. on or about June 28, and depart on August 10, 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, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20547, Attn: Program 
Officer Susan Zapotoczny; telephone number (202) 619-4557; fax number 
(202) 619-6790; internet address [email protected]. Please specify USIA 
Program Officer Susan Zapotoczny 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.

TO DOWNLOAD A SOLICITATION PACKAGE VIA INTERNET: The Solicitation 
Package may be downloaded from USIA's website at http://www.usia.gov or 
from the internet Gopher at gopher.usia.gov, under ``New RFPs on 
Educational and Cultural Exchanges.''

SUBMISSIONS: Applicants must follow all instructions given in the RFP 
and the complete Solicitation Package. The original and 14 copies of 
the complete application should be sent to: U.S. Information Agency, 
Ref.: E/AAS-96-05, Office of Grants Management, E/XE, Room 326, 301 4th 
Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20547.
    Applicants are also requested to submit the ``Executive Summary'' 
and ``Proposal Narrative'' sections of each proposal on a 3.5'' 
diskette, formatted for DOS. This material must be provided in ASCII 
text (DOS) format with a maximum line length of 65 characters. If a 
proposal is selected for funding, USIA will transmit these files 
electronically to USIS posts overseas to assist in the program 
participant identification process.

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 

[[Page 64250]]
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 ``Summer Institute on the U.S. 
Political System: Focus on Federalism'' is intended to deepen foreign 
participants' understanding of the theory and practice of federalism as 
a central feature of the U.S. political system. Ultimately, the purpose 
of the Institute is to improve the quality of teaching and curricular 
materials about the United States at foreign universities.
    The program should be six weeks in length, including a residency 
segment at a U.S. college or university campus (a minimum of four weeks 
in length), and a study tour segment (a maximum of two weeks in length, 
including a visit to Washington, D.C. for a program debriefing at 
USIA).
    The program should offer participants a specially-designed series 
of lectures, presentations, discussions, and site visits, each related 
to the U.S. political system and/or the topic of federalism.

Objectives

    (1) to conduct an intensive, academically stimulating program that 
presents an in-depth view of the history, development and current 
status of federalism as a central feature of the American political 
system.
    (2) to offer a multi-dimensional view of federalism that will 
enable participants to better understand the larger complexities of the 
American political system as well as other institutions of American 
society.
    (3) to increase participants' understanding of American 
civilization, past and present, through an integrated series of 
lectures, readings, interactive discussions, research and independent 
study opportunities, and site visits.
    (4) to enhance teaching about the United States in foreign 
universities by making appropriate scholarly resources, pedagogical 
materials, and ideas available to participants.
    Participants: The 18 participants will be drawn from all areas of 
the world and will be experienced in the teaching of courses in the 
fields of government and politics; they may include university 
lecturers and scholars, administrators, department chairs, curriculum 
developers and textbook writers who are currently teaching about the 
American political system or who plan to do so.
    All participants will be fluent in the English language. They will 
be nominated by U.S. Information Service posts abroad, and selected by 
the staff of USIA's Branch for the Study of the United States in 
Washington, D.C. USIA will cover all international travel costs for 
participants directly.

Guidelines

--The Institute should be specifically designed for experienced foreign 
university level teachers. While 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, roundtable discussions, guest presentations, 
consultations and site visits, the Institute should facilitate the 
development of a collegial atmosphere in which foreign participants 
become fully engaged in the exchange of ideas.
--In addition to the core faculty from the host institution, and 
consistent with the program's design, the Institute should bring in 
presenters from outside academic life. Such individuals might come from 
non-government organizations, think tanks, lobbying organizations, 
media, and all levels of federal, state and local government. 
Presenters should 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.
--While the overall design and structure of the Institute is entirely 
the responsibility of the organizers, the Institute should begin by 
reviewing the recent history and current status of scholarship in the 
discipline of political science, specifically in the area of 
federalism, surveying the major schools of interpretation and 
approaches, and examining the recent trends and current debates within 
the discipline. This part of the program should also explore how the 
study of American federalism has both informed and been informed by 
other scholarly disciplines, e.g., economics and history, and address 
how the study of federalism can be used to gain a greater understanding 
of not only the U.S. political system, but more broadly, the history 
and character of American life and institutions, past and present. The 
latest developments in curriculum design, teaching methods, and 
resources available in the fields of political science should also be 
addressed.
--Because the possibilities for the design of such an institute, given 
the complex nature of the topic, are so great, the best proposals will 
express a high level of thematic articulation, clearly identify major 
themes and sub-themes, and demonstrate clearly the means by which these 
themes will be concretely communicated to participants for discussion 
and reflection. In this regard, it is especially important for the 
institute organizer to devise ways to integrate all aspects of the 
program, from the assigned readings, lectures, and discussions, to any 
site visits and field trips.
--The equivalent of one day a week should be available to participants 
to pursue individual reading and research. In addition, the Institute 
should provide access to leading American scholars and research 
resources (libraries, archives, databases). Provision should also be 
made to pair participants with faculty mentors. A key element of the 
Institute is to expose participants to the full range of scholarly 
materials, curricular materials and teaching resources, including 
internet and computer training. The summer institute should facilitate 
participants' acquisition of such materials to take back to their home 
countries to be used in their courses and programs.
--A residential program of a minimum of four weeks on a college or 
university campus is mandatory. The program should include an 
integrated study tour segment of up to two weeks in length to at least 
one other region of the country outside the area of the host 
institution, plus a trip to Washington, D.C. to conclude the institute. 
During the visit to Washington, D.C., a half-day session at the U.S. 
Information Agency should be scheduled. In any case, the study tour 
segment must directly support and reinforce the academic program 
content. Day trips to various locations (historical sites, classrooms, 
community centers) are also encouraged if such trips will further 
enhance understanding of the U.S. and the participants' experience.
--Details of the program 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 

[[Page 64251]]
associated with this program. This includes the organization and 
implementation of all presentations and program activities, 
arrangements for all domestic travel, lodging, orientation and briefing 
or participants, preparation of any necessary support materials 
including a pre-program mailing and working with program presenters to 
achieve maximum program coordination and effectiveness.

    Please refer to the Solicitation Package for further details on 
program design and implementation.
    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 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: Total USIA-funded budget award may not exceed 
$157,000. USIA-funded 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 ``POGI'' in 
the Solicitation Package for complete budget guidelines and formatting 
instructions for the Institute program.

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: Proposals should exhibit originality and 
substance, consonant with the highest standards of American teaching 
and scholarship. Program design should reflect the main currents as 
well as the contemporary debates within the discipline.
    2. Program Planning: Proposals should demonstrate careful planning. 
The organization and structure of the Institute should be clearly 
delineated and be fully responsive to all program objectives. The 
travel component should be an integral and substantive part of the 
program, reinforcing and complementing its academic segment.
    3. Institutional Capacity: Proposed personnel, including faculty 
and administrative staff as well as outside presenters, should be fully 
qualified to achieve the project's goals. Library and media resources 
should be accessible to participants; housing, transportation and other 
logistical arrangements should be fully adequate to the needs of 
participants and should be conductive to a collegial atmosphere.
    4. Diversity: Proposals should demonstrate the recipient's 
commitment to promoting the awareness and understanding of diversity 
throughout the program. This can be accomplished through documentation, 
such as a written statement, summarizing past and/or ongoing activities 
and efforts that further the principle of diversity within the 
organization and its activities. Program activities that address this 
issue should be highlighted.
    5. Experience: The proposal should demonstrate an institutional 
record of successful exchange program activity, indicating the 
experience that the organization and its professional staff have had in 
working with foreign educators.
    6. Evaluation and Follow-up: The proposal should include a plan for 
evaluating activities during the Institute and at its conclusion. 
Proposals should comment on provisions made for follow-up with returned 
grantees as a means of establishing longer-term individual and 
institutional linkages.
    7. Administration and Management: The proposals should indicate 
evidence of continuous on-site administrative and managerial capacity 
as well as the means by which program activities will be implemented.
    8. Cost Effectiveness: The proposals should maximize cost-sharing 
through direct institutional contributions, in-kind support, and other 
private sector support. Overhead and administrative components of the 
proposal, including salaries and honoraria, should be kept as low as 
possible.

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 and availability of funding. 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 April 1, 1996. Awards made will be subject 
to periodic reporting and evaluation requirements.

    Dated: December 5, 1995.
Dell Pendegrast,
Deputy Associate Director for Educational and Cultural Affairs.
[FR Doc. 95-30027 Filed 12-13-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8230-01-M