[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 34 (Thursday, February 20, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7829-7832]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-4104]


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UNITED STATES INFORMATION AGENCY


Fulbright Teacher Exchange Program Orientation

action: Notice--Request for Proposals.

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    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, with a minimum of four years of experience in 
successfully administering orientation programs, and meeting the 
provisions described in IRS regulation 26 CFR 1.501(c) may apply to 
develop and administer August 1997 orientation activities in Washington 
DC. for approximately 500 foreign and U.S. teachers and dependents 
participating in the Fulbright Teacher Exchange Program. The activities 
prepare participants in the program to teach in the educational system 
of another country. The programming specifically strives: (a) To 
provide the U.S. teachers with opportunities to meet face to face with 
their foreign exchange partners to discuss the details of their 
individual exchange assignments; (b) to provide participants with an 
understanding of the educational systems in which they will be 
teaching; and (c) to provide teachers with practical guidance on living 
in their countries of destination, with particular references to cross-
cultural differences.
    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 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 
guildlines 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/ASX-97-02.

deadline for proposals: All copies must be received at the U.S. 
Information Agency by 5 p.m. Washington, DC time on Thursday, April 3, 
1997. Faxed documents will not be accepted, nor will documents 
postmarked April 3, 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 on or above May 15, 1997 and 
run through April 30, 1998.

for further information contact: Ms. Ilo-Mai Harding, Teacher Exchange 
Branch, E/ASX, room 349, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547, 
telephone: (202) 619-4556, fax: (202) 401-1433, Internet: 
IHARDING@USIA. GOV 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.
    Please specify USIA Program Officer Ilo-Mai Harding 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 10 copies of the application 
should be sent to: U.S. Information Agency, Ref.: E/ASX-02, 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 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-

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 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: August Orientation Workshop

    Approximately 500 U.S. and foreign exchange teachers and their 
dependents from approximately 25 countries will attend an orientation 
workshop in Washington, DC, from August 4 to 8. Names and numbers of 
participants will be provided in May/June after completion of the 
educator matching process. (There will be approximately 135 U.S. 
teachers, 165 foreign teachers and 200 family members.)
    Participating countries arrange for non-U.S. teachers to arrive at 
the U.S. orientation site. Flights carrying non-U.S. teachers and their 
families should arrive on August 4, 1997 in the Washington, DC area. 
Arrangements should be made by the recipient institution for the U.S. 
teachers and their families to arrive at the orientation on August 5, 
which is a rest day by foreign teachers. (The recipient institution 
must require U.S. teachers to make their own travel arrangements to the 
orientation site, on a reimbursable basis). The workshop itself will 
take place August 6-7. Departure will be scheduled for August 8.
    Purpose: The purpose of the August orientation workshop is to 
provide U.S. and foreign teachers and their spouses and dependents with 
a wide range of briefings and discussions to assist them in preparing 
to function effectively in host schools and communities here and 
abroad. Partners meet face to face and share important information 
about their workplace and other particulars concerning their individual 
exchanges. The workshop should focus on the teachers' need to 
understand education in the host country, the professional and personal 
aspects of the exchange, and the many aspects of adjustment to living 
abroad, including cross-cultural orientation. The workshop should also 
address the anticipated needs and concerns of spouses and children so 
that they are able to optimally benefit from the exchange year abroad.
    Agenda: An equivalent of one day should be set aside for the U.S. 
teachers and their families, as well as exchange partners and their 
families, to discuss their individual exchanges one-on-one.
    Sessions for foreign teachers and spouses should include:
    (1) Overview of the U.S. education system, highlighting 
contemporary issues affecting U.S. education;
    (2) In-depth briefings on administrative procedures and 
instructional practices of the U.S. education system, by subject and 
level;
    (3) Briefings, with information and materials, on techniques of 
teaching modern foreign languages and English as a second language for 
the foreign teachers assigned such classes in the United States;
    (4) Information and materials on living in different regions of the 
United States, including educational practices, local laws, customs and 
culture;
    (5) Discussion about cultural and ethnic diversity within the U.S. 
and cross-cultural issues relative to living and working here;
    (6) Presentations by a wide variety of individuals who represent 
diverse backgrounds and life experiences;
    (7) Administrative matters.
    Sessions for U.S. teachers and spouses should include:
    (1) In-depth discussions by country, and in some cases by level, on 
education in participating countries, as appropriate;
    (2) Briefing, with information and materials, on techniques of 
teaching English as a foreign language and other relevant subjects for 
U.S. teachers assigned such classes abroad;
    (3) Tips on living abroad, by country;
    (4) Discussion about cross-cultural issues relative to living and 
working abroad;
    (5) Administrative matters.

Additional Activities

    In developing the program agenda, cooperating institution may wish 
to provide additional activities designed to strengthen teachers' and 
dependents' abilities to function in a foreign setting. Time 
constraints should be considered. Sessions must not interfere with the 
counterpart (one-on-one) discussions between partners. Possibilities 
might include sessions on cross-cultural communication and 
understanding, and visits to embassies, consulates, and cultural 
gatherings. It may also be possible to schedule sessions on August 6 
when all foreign teachers are present and most U.S. teachers will have 
arrived by the afternoon.

Speakers

    Cooperating institution is to identity and invite speakers and 
panelists to cover all sessions, but must demonstrate its ability and 
willingness to draw on its own resources to identify such individuals, 
as will as other resources beyond the organization. This includes 
universities in the area, consulting groups, embassy personnel or other 
experts. Speakers may include USIA specialists, staff from foreign 
counterpart agencies, university faculty, international and 
intercultural specialists, foreign consular and embassy officials, 
recent former exchange teachers, foreign teachers currently on exchange 
in the United States, and others. USIA must approve speaker/panelist 
selections. During the sessions set aside for administrative matters, 
USIA staff will specifically designate Agency specialists and staff 
from foreign counterpart agencies to serve as resource people and 
speakers. The cooperating institution may also be asked to call on 
these people to assist with other orientation sessions.

Services

    In addition to developing the agenda and securing speakers, the 
cooperating institution will provide the following services in 
consultation with USIA program officers:
    (1) Arrange economical on-site housing preferably in University 
dormitories for teachers and their dependents; dependents will range 
from infants to adults. (USIA program officers will provide specific 
information as to the numbers, sex and age of orientation 
participants);
    (2) Arrange for on-site housing, as needed, for U.S. Government 
personnel, selected panelists, speakers, and staff of USIA's foreign 
counterpart agencies;
    (3) Arrange for three meals per day on-site for participants;
    (4) Arrange on-site day care and educational and recreational 
activities for spouses and children during time when exchange teachers 
are in sessions; arrange supervised care for children six months to 
eighteen years to permit teachers and their spouses to attend jointly 
scheduled activities; (in order to cut costs, child care should not be 
provided during optional activities and all meals);
    (5) Reimburse U.S. teachers for one-way transportation, (air/bus/
train/car/airport transfer), on an as-needed basis, from their homes to 
the orientation; the Agency estimates these costs will average $250 per 
teacher; (if a round trip super saver is less expensive than an economy 
one-way fare, the teacher may be reimbursed the former);
    (6) Reimburse selected speakers, panelists and others for travel 
costs and pay honoraria, where required, up to $300;

[[Page 7831]]

    (7) Arrange for transportation for U.S. and foreign teachers, 
spouses and dependents to any activities or programming off-site;
    (8) Arrange for transportation for:
    (a) Foreign teachers (and their baggage) arriving on group or 
individual flights to the orientation site on the designated official 
arrival day and up to three days before this date;
    (b) All U.S. and foreign teachers and resources (and their baggage) 
departing from the orientation site to major metro-area plane, bus or 
rail departure points on the designated official departure day only;
    (9) Prepare name tags for all orientation participants, using a 
color-coded badge system designating exchange teachers by country as 
well as speakers, university personnel, and USIA staff;
    (10) Prepare signs/posters to guide participants to their on-site 
destinations.

Reports

    The institution will be expected to design and distribute an 
evaluation for the August orientation to be completed by the teachers. 
Such a form will cover program content, including meeting sessions, as 
well as logistical arrangements such as housing, food, and general 
meeting facilities. The form will be cleared by USIA prior to its use. 
Participants' evaluations should be tabulated and sent to USIA no later 
than four weeks after the orientation. The institution should also 
provide the Agency with a substantive written analysis of the 
orientation, with recommendations for improving future orientations (no 
later than ten weeks after the orientation). The Agency reserves the 
right to conduct an independent evaluation of the program. The 
institution is also required to provide a breakdown of actual cost 
figures for the orientation no later than ten weeks after the 
completion of the orientation.
    Special note: The cooperating institution will survey the 
literature of appropriate subject fields to determine materials of 
greatest potential value to teachers. If approved by USIA, recipient 
institution will purchase materials (up to $30 per teacher). The 
institution will also compile other materials as directed by USIA. 
These may include materials on U.S. education, including current trends 
and initiatives, materials on education in selected foreign countries, 
materials on cross-cultural adjustment and understanding, materials 
that provide guidance on living abroad, and other materials which the 
institution and USIA staff consider useful. The institution will 
provide these materials to U.S. and foreign exchange teachers at the 
orientation.

    Note: USIA may also request that cooperating institution arrange 
additional orientation and/or training, or workshop briefings for 
program participants and administrators, resource people, and 
organizers during the award period. Cooperating institution may also 
be asked to provide programming and other services to USIA 
including, but not limited to, peer committee chairpersons 
workshops, predeparture orientation activities, foreign and U.S. 
teacher debriefings, materials purchase and distribution, and the 
development of new program information, including materials and 
videos.

    Proposed Budget: The contracted organization must submit a 
comprehensive line-item budget based on the specific guidance in the 
Solicitation Package. 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. 
Administrative costs should be kept low; this will be an important 
factor in grant competition. Also, the ability to achieve cost-
effectiveness within budget guidelines through cost-sharing will 
enhance competitive proposals.
    Please refer to the Solicitation Package for 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 program office, as well as other USIA Offices, where 
appropriate. Proposals may also be reviewed by the Office of the 
General Counsel. 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. 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. 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 and program 
content (orientation sessions, resource materials, and choice of 
resources).
    5. Institutional Capacity: Proposed personnel and institutional 
resources should be adequate and appropriate to achieve the program or 
project's goals.
    6. 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.
    7. 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.
    8. 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.
    9. 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

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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: February 13, 1997.
Dell Pendergrast,
Deputy Associate Director for Educational and Cultural Affairs.
[FR Doc. 97-4104 Filed 2-19-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8230-01-M