[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 20 (Thursday, January 30, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4570-4572]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-2302]
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UNITED STATES INFORMATION AGENCY
Foreign Language and Area Studies--U.S. Students and Scholars;
Request for Proposals
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. Public and
private non-profit organizations meeting the provisions described in
IRS regulation 26 CFR 1.501(c) may apply to develop and administer
programs in cooperation with USIA that will assist U.S. citizens who
are graduate students and postdoctoral scholars in North African,
Middle Eastern and South Asian studies. Activities permitted under this
program include foreign language training, foreign area studies and
foreign area research for periods ranging from two to twenty-four
months abroad.
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 Near and Middle East Research and Training Act (Public Law
102-138, Section 228 as amended by Public Law 103-236, Section 233).
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.
For the purpose of this program, the geographic area refers to the
region
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consisting of countries and peoples covered by the Bureau of Near
Eastern and South Asian Affairs of the U.S. Department of State as of
October, 1991, and Turkey.
Current eligible locales for overseas research are: Mauritania,
Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Israel, the West Bank and Gaza, Jordan, Syria,
Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Oman,
Qatar, Yemen, Pakistan, Indian, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal.
Individual NMERTA grantees are required to provide proof of
insurance to the grant-making organizations before fellowshipo funds
can be released. Health and accident, MEDEVAC and repatriation
insurance is strongly recommended.
ANNOUNCEMENT TITLE AND NUMBER: All communications with USIA concerning
this announcement should refer to the above title and reference number
E/AEN-97-01.
DEADLINE FOR PROPOSALS: All copies must be received at the U.S.
Information Agency by 5 p.m. Washington, D.C. time on Friday, March 28,
1997. Faxed documents will not be accepted, nor will documents
postmarked March 28, 1997 but received at a later date. It is the
responsibility of each applicant to ensure that proposals are received
by the above deadline. Grants should begin no earlier than September 1,
1997 and no later than September 31, 1997 and end no later than 24
months thereafter.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: Patricia Spann or John Sedlins in the
Academic Exchange Program Division, North Africa, Middle East and South
Asia branch, E/AEN, Room 212, U.S. Information Agency, 301 4th Street,
S.W., Washington, D.C. 20547, telephone number (202) 619-5368, fax
number (202) 205-2466, Internet address [email protected] or
[email protected] to request a Solicitation Package containing more
detailed award criteria, 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).'' Please read ``About the Following
RFPs'' before downloading.
TO RECEIVE A SOLICITATION PACKAGE VIA FAX ON DEMAND: The entire
Solicitation Package may be received via the Bureau's Grants
Information Fax on Demand System,'' which is accessed by calling 202/
401-7616. Please reuqest a ``Catalog'' of available documents and order
numbers when first entering the system.
Please specify USIA Program Assistant Patricia Spann 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 7 copies of the application
should be sent to: U.S. Information Agency, Ref.: E/AEN-97-01, Office
of Grants Management, E/XE, Room 326, 301 4th Street, S.W., Washington,
D.C. 20547.
Applicants must also submit the ``Executive Summary'' and
``Proposal Narrative'' sections of the 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. USIA will transmit
these files electronically to USIS posts overseas for their review,
with the goal of reducing the time it takes to get posts' comments for
the Agency's grants review 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 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:
Pursuant to the Agency's authorizing legislation, (the Fulbright-
Hays Act, Public Law 87-256), programs must maintain a non-political
character and should be balanced and representative of the diversity of
American political, social and cultural life.
Support is offered in two categories. Organizations may address one
or both categories, but must submit a separate proposal for each
category. Special emphasis will be given to the social sciences and
humanities.
Category A--Pre-doctoral students. Organizations that are awarded
funding shall solicit and receive applications from U.S.-citizen,
graduate students nationwide who seek to conduct overseas study and
research in the eligible locales listed above. Eligible fields of study
and research shall be open to students of all disciplines with a new or
established interest in topics requiring study or research in the
geographic area(s). Eligibility shall be restricted to applicants who
have a baccalaureate degree and who are already enrolled in graduate-
level academic programs.
Category B--Postdoctoral scholars. Organizations that are awarded
funding shall solicit and receive applications from U.S.-citizen,
postdoctoral scholars nationwide who seek to conduct overseas study and
research in the eligible locales listed above. Eligible fields of study
and research shall be open to scholars of all disciplines with a new or
established interest in topics requiring study or research in the
geographic area(s). Eligibility shall be restricted to applicants who
have a Ph.D. and who have college or university teaching experience.
In preparing a proposal, organizations should address the subjects
of program design and scheduling, as well as program administration. At
a minimum, a successful proposal should clearly cover publicity,
selection process, orientation for participants, and logistical and
scheduling measures. A basic plan for post-program follow-up and
evaluation should also be included. In keeping with the Government
Performance and Results Act of 1993, proposals should emphasize how
grantee organizations will measure the effectiveness, economy and
efficiency of their program responsibilities. Cost-sharing will be used
in the review process as one such measure. The proposal must be
typewritten, double-spaced and may not exceed twenty (20) pages
including budget attachments.
Proposed budget: Awards will not exceed $200,000. Awards 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 based on
the specific guidance in the
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Solicitation Package 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 must provide separate sub-budgets for each
program component, phase, location, or activity in order to facilitate
USIA decisions on funding.
Budget guidelines apply to proposals submitted in both Category A
and B described above.
Allowable costs for the program include the following:
(1) round-trip international travel via an American flag carrier;
(2) domestic travel;
(3) maintenance and per diem;
(4) academic program costs (e.g. book allowance);
(5) orientation costs;
(6) cultural enrichment costs (e.g. admissions, tickets, etc.);
(7) U.S.-based administration costs (e.g. advertisement, recruitment
and selection costs).
Please refer to the Solicitation Package (the Proposal Submission
Instructions or PSI) for complete budget guidelines for formatting
instructions.
Administrative costs are not to exceed 20 percent of the requested
budget. Cost-sharing is strongly encouraged.
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 USIA Office of Academic Programs, as well as by the
USIA Office of North African, Near Eastern, and South Asian Affairs and
the USIA post(s) overseas, where appropriate. Proposals may 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.
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.
4. Multiplier effect/impact: Proposed programs should strengthen
mutual understandings, including maximum sharing of information 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 (selection of
participants, program venue and program evaluation) and program content
(orientation and wrap-up sessions, program meetings, resource materials
and follow-on 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. Follow-on Activities: Proposals should provide a plan for
continued follow-on activity (without USIA support) which ensures that
USIA-supported programs are not isolated events.
9. 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.
10. 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.
11. Cost-sharing: Proposals should maximize cost-sharing through
other private sector support as well as institutional direct funding
contributions.
12. Value to U.S.-Partner Country Relations: Proposed projects
should receive positive assessments by USIA's geographic area desk and
overseas officers of program need, potential impact, and significance
in the partner country(ies).
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 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: January 24, 1997.
Dell Pendergrast,
Deputy Associate Director for Educational and Cultural Affairs.
[FR Doc. 97-2302 Filed 1-29-97; 8:45 am]
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