[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 240 (Thursday, December 12, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65429-65431]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-31552]


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UNITED STATES INFORMATION AGENCY


Administration of the 1997 U.S. Based Training Program for 
Overseas Educational Advisers; Request for Proposals

SUMMARY: The Advising and Student Services Branch of 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 to develop two sets of 
training programs for USIA-affiliated overseas educational advisers to 
take place in late spring and fall of 1997, respectively. The basic 
function of an overseas educational adviser is to provide accurate, 
objective information to foreign audiences on U.S. study opportunities 
at accredited academic institutions, and to guide students and 
professionals in selecting a program appropriate to their needs. 
Participants will be drawn from educational advisers working at USIA-
affiliated overseas educational advising centers. The training program 
is intended for two separate groups of ten participants. Each program 
must be at least two weeks in duration and must include workshops on 
advising issues of concern, an internship or other form of substantive 
professional stayover at a U.S. academic institution(s), and attendance 
at either the national NAFSA: Association of International Educators 
Conference or one of its regional fall conferences. USIA anticipates 
awarding up to $150,000 to one organization to administer this program.
    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 above title and reference number 
E/ASA-97-08.

DEADLINE FOR PROPOSALS: All copies must be received at the U.S. 
Information Agency by 5 p.m. Washington, D.C. time on Monday, January 
13, 1997. Faxed documents will not be accepted, nor will documents 
postmarked January 13, 1997 but received at a later date. It is the 
responsibility of each applicant to ensure that proposals are received 
by the above deadline. The grant should begin on or about March 3, 
1997.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: Advising and Student Services, E/ASA, 
Room 349, U.S. Information Agency, 301 4th Street, S.W., Washington, 
D.C. 20547, Tel: (202) 619-5434, Fax: (202) 401-1433. Email: 
pbecskehusia.gov, to request a Solicitation Package which includes 
supplementary information; required application forms; and standard 
guidelines for preparing proposals, including specific criteria for 
preparation of the proposal budget.

TO DOWNLOAD A SOLICITATION PACKAGE VIA INTERNET: The entire 
Solicitation Package may be downloaded from USIA's website at http://
www.usia.gov/ or from the Internet Gopher at gopher://gopher.usia.gov. 
Under the heading ``International Exchanges/Training,'' select 
``Request for Proposals (RFPs).''

[[Page 65430]]

Please read ``About the Following RFPs'' before downloading.
    Please specify USIA Program Officer Peter Becskehazy on all 
inquiries and correspondences. Interested applicants should read the 
complete Federal Register announcement before sending inquiries or 
submitting proposals. Once the RFP deadline has passed, Agency staff 
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 eight copies of the application 
should be sent to: U.S. Information Agency, Ref.: E/ASA-97-08, Office 
of Grants Management, E/XE, Room 326, 301 4th Street, S.W., Washington, 
D.C. 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 of 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 training program's objectives are twofold: To strengthen and 
develop the skills of overseas educational advisers; and to build a 
corps of knowledgeable advisers who are skilled as trainers and can 
advance the field of educational advising in their home countries with 
new and current expertise, techniques and knowledge of applicable 
technology. Each component of the training program should be designed 
to provide detailed, hands-on learning in areas such as facilitating 
access to U.S. higher education, communicating cross-culturally, and 
managing an advising center. Special attention should be given to the 
use of technology, both as a necessary advising skill, and as a 
potential tool to develop new and creative advising approaches. 
Similarly, a significant emphasis should be placed on outreach, 
partnership and cost-sharing strategies and skills development.

Guidelines

1. Participants

    For the purposes of this RFP, eligible advisers are defined as 
those who have demonstrated the skills associated with the four major 
components of overseas educational advising: (1) Basic knowledge of the 
U.S. and home country educational systems; (2) basic knowledge of the 
U.S. higher education application process; (3) demonstrated educational 
advising and cross-cultural communication skills; and (4) demonstrated 
office management skills as they relate to an overseas advising center. 
In addition, each must demonstrate leadership and a commitment to the 
profession.
    Ten participants are expected for each separate training program. 
Participants will be selected by USIA based on nominations from 
overseas posts. The grant recipient will be consulted during the 
selection process and have input into, but not responsibility for, 
final selections. To be eligible, an adviser must have two to five 
years of experience and a demonstrated commitment to the field of 
overseas advising. Based on the nominations received, USIA will assign 
advisers to either the spring or fall session in such a way that each 
group is similar in terms of years of experience and skill level.

2. Program Design

    USIA invites organizations to submit creative and flexible program 
plans which can be tailored, in close consultation with E/ASA, to the 
selected advisers' individual needs. However, the proposal should still 
include an overall project framework which identifies objectives, an 
implementation plan and measurable, expected outcomes. Possible topics 
to incorporate in the program include: Degree equivalency and 
accreditation; international student admissions; financial aid; 
standardized testing; ESL programs; immigration and visa issues; fields 
of study, cultural adjustment/U.S. societal diversity; specialized 
Internet usage; distance learning; proposal writing; fundraising; 
public relations and marketing; determining appropriate fees for 
students and others, given each host country's environment; trends in 
advising center self-sufficiency; and training and management of 
volunteer staff.

3. Training/Program Phases

    The program should include attendance at, and active participation 
in, either the spring national NAFSA conference or a fall regional 
conference where workshops and seminars address various issues of 
current interest to international educators and overseas advisers and 
where the opportunity to brainstorm and to share information plays an 
important part. The USG supports the conference participation of the 10 
advisers, providing their travel and accommodations, and arranges 
presentations and/or participation in panels and workshops. In 1997, 
the national conference is scheduled for May 20-23 in Vancouver, BC. 
The regional conferences typically occur in October or November. In 
addition, each program should include an internship experience at a 
U.S. college or university. Ideally, advisers should be on campus while 
classes are in session to optimize their experience through interaction 
with students.

4. Logistics

    The recipient organization will be responsible for arrangements 
associated with this program. These include organizing a coherent 
progression of activities, providing international and domestic travel 
arrangements for all advisers, making lodging and local transportation 
arrangements, orienting and debriefing advisers, preparing any 
necessary support material, locating host campuses and working with 
host institutions and experts in the field of higher education and 
overseas advising to achieve maximum program effectiveness through 
hands-on applications and training and direct involvement in the 
administration of practices and policies in institutions of higher 
education.

5. Evaluation/Follow-Up

    The proposal must include a detailed evaluation and follow-up plan. 
Special emphasis should be given to designing a program which 
incorporates outcome measurement strategies that assess its ultimate 
effectiveness.

6. Visa/Insurance/Tax Requirements

    The program must comply with J-1 visa regulations. Participant 
health and accident insurance will be provided the overseas advisers by 
USIA; the recipient organization will be responsible for enrolling 
participants in USIA's insurance program and providing any necessary 
assistance should medical care be needed. 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.

[[Page 65431]]

7. Printed Materials

    Drafts of all printed material developed for this program should be 
submitted to E/ASA for review and approval. All official documents 
should highlight the U.S. government's role as program sponsor and 
funding source. USIA requests that it receive the copyright use and be 
allowed to distribute any of this material if it sees fit to do so.

Proposed Budget

    Applicants must submit a comprehensive line item budget based on 
the budget guidelines in the PSI for the entire program. USIA's grant 
assistance, up to $150,000 in total, is expected to constitute only a 
portion of the total project funding. Cost sharing is required and the 
proposal should list other anticipated sources of support. 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 break-down 
reflecting both the administrative budget and the program budget. 
Please refer to the Solicitation Package for complete formatting 
instructions. For clarification, applicants should provide separate 
sub-budgets for each training component.
    Allowable costs for the program include the following:
    (1) Salaries and fringe benefits; travel and per diem;
    (2) Other direct costs, inclusive of rent, utilities, etc.;
    (3) Indirect expenses, auditing costs;
    (4) Participant program costs; i.e. international/domestic travel, 
per diem, conference attendance, resource materials.
    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 panels of 
USIA officers for advisory review. All eligible proposals will be 
reviewed by the program office, as well as the USIA Area Offices. 
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 a thorough 
knowledge and understanding of current issues facing international 
educators and display 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 for the professional development of overseas educational advisers.
    4. Multiplier effect/impact: Proposed programs should strengthen 
long-term mutual understanding, including maximum sharing of 
educational information issues and establishment of long-term 
institutional and individual linkages.
    5. 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 
and program evaluation) and program content (orientation and wrap-up 
sessions, program meetings, resource materials and follow-up 
activities).
    6. Institutional Capacity: Proposed personnel and institutional 
resources should be adequate and appropriate to achieve the program or 
project's goals.
    7. 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.
    8. 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. A draft survey questionnaire or other technique plus 
description of a methodology to use to link outcomes to original 
project objectives is recommended. Successful applicants will be 
expected to submit intermediate reports after each project component is 
concluded or quarterly, whichever is less frequent.
    9. 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.
    10. 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 the 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 the availability of funds. Awards made will be subject 
to periodic reporting and evaluation requirements.

Notification

    Final awards cannot be made until funds have been appropriated by 
Congress, allocated and committed through internal USIA procedures.

    Dated: December 9, 1996.
Dell Pendergrast,
Deputy Associate Director for Educational and Cultural Affairs.
[FR Doc. 96-31552 Filed 12-11-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8230-01-M