[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 94 (Thursday, May 15, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26850-26853]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-12734]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

UNITED STATES INFORMATION AGENCY


Strengthening Social Services: A U.S.-Middle East Exchange 
Program

AGENCY: United States Information Agency.

NOTICE: Request for Proposals.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Office of Citizen Exchanges 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 design and conduct an 
international exchange program entitled ``Strengthening Social 
Services: A U.S.-Middle East Exchange Program,'' for which activities 
will commence in 1997. The proposed program should involve participants 
from Israel, Gaza, West Bank, Jordan, Oman, and Bahrain who have 
interest, expertise, and/or policy authority dealing with persons with 
disabilities, and it should emphasize strengthening civil society 
through the improvement of services for the disabled and the linking of 
professionals dealing with the disabled between and among all the 
participating countries.
    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.''
    Announcement Title and Number: All communications with USIA 
concerning this announcement should refer to the above title and 
reference number E/P-97-43.
    Deadline For Proposals: All copies must be received at the U.S. 
Information Agency by 5 p.m. Washington, D.C. time on Friday, June 27, 
1997. Faxed documents will not be accepted at any time. Documents 
postmarked by the due date but received at a later date will not be 
accepted. It is the responsibility of each applicant to ensure that 
proposals are received by the above deadline.
    Contact for Further Information: Interested organizations/
institutions should contact the Office of Citizen Exchanges, E/PS, Room 
216, U.S. Information Agency, 301 Fourth Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 
20547, 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. Please direct inquiries and correspondence to Dr. 
Curtis Huff, telephone (202) 619-5972, fax (202) 619-4350, e-mail: 
[email protected]. 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.
    To Download a Solicitation Package via Internet: The entire 
Solicitation Package may be downloaded from USIA's website at http://
www.usia.gov/education/rfps. Please read all information before 
downloading.
    To Receive a Solicitation Package via Fax on Demand: The entire 
Solicitation Package may be received from the Bureau's ``Grants 
Information Fax on Demand System,'' which is accessed by calling 202-
401-7616. The ``Table of Contents'' listing available documents and 
order numbers should be your first order when entering the system.
    Please specify Dr. Curtis Huff on all inquiries and correspondence. 
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 ten copies of the application 
should be sent to: U.S. Information Agency, Ref.: E/P-97-43, Office of 
Grants Management, E/XE, Room 326, 301 Fourth 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, Freedom and Democracy 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 promote this 
principle both in program administration and in program content. Please 
refer to the `Support for Diversity' criterion under Review Criteria 
for suggestions on incorporating diversity into the total proposal. 
PUBLIC LAW 104-319 provides that ``in carrying out programs of 
educational and cultural exchange in countries whose people do not 
fully enjoy freedom and democracy,'' USIA ``shall take appropriate 
steps to provide opportunities for participation in such programs to 
human rights and democracy leaders of such countries.'' Proposals 
should also reflect advancement of this goal in their program contents, 
to the fullest extent deemed feasible.
    Programmatic Considerations: The objectives of the anticipated 
program should include the following:

--Strengthen local NGOs and other institutions which provide services 
to the disabled and work to integrate disabled into the broader country 
workforce;
--Enhance the education and career development of Middle Eastern local

[[Page 26851]]

staff, including relevant government and NGO professionals, working 
with the disabled;
--Promote international, regional, and national discussion and 
cooperation on policies and programs to address needs of the disabled;
--Introduce Middle Eastern disability service leaders to counterpart 
organizations and leaders in the United States and elsewhere in the 
Mideast, offering opportunities for the Middle Eastern leaders to learn 
from their U.S. counterparts and each other through job shadowing, 
short-term internships, workshops, and other activities; and
--Provide opportunities for U.S. experts to observe the work of Middle 
Eastern counterparts and consult with them on mutual interests.

    The program should involve two or more phases, one of which would 
bring Mideast participants to the United States for a few weeks of 
workshops, site visits, internships, or other activities in pursuit of 
program objectives. The other phase would send U.S. experts to the 
participating Mideast countries for appropriate follow-on activities. 
Participants would likely include leaders of disability NGOs, 
appropriate government professionals, university faculty with relevant 
expertise, rehabilitation professionals, and people with disabilities. 
Selection of the Mideast participants who would come to the United 
States and timing of activities must be made in consultation with USIS 
posts in the participating countries.
    In order to be competitive, the submitted proposal must demonstrate 
how the stipulated objectives will be addressed and should also provide 
detailed information on how major program activities will be 
undertaken. Beyond the immediate objectives of this exchange, USIA is 
interested in encouraging exchange projects which lay the groundwork 
for new and continuing, mutually beneficial links between American and 
Middle Eastern institutions and professional organizations and which 
will encourage the further growth and development of democratic 
institutions.
    The grantee organization will be responsible for most arrangements 
associated with this program. These include organizing a coherent 
progression of activities, providing international and domestic travel 
arrangements for all participants, making lodging and local 
transportation arrangements for visitors, orienting and debriefing 
participants, preparing any necessary support materials, and working 
with host institutions and individuals to achieve maximum program 
effectiveness.
    To prepare the Middle Eastern participants prior to their arrival 
in the United States, the grantee organization should develop materials 
to be sent to USIS offices overseas for distribution to the travellers 
before departure. These materials should include a tentative project 
outline and information on American individuals and organizations 
involved in the program.
    At the beginning of the U.S.-based program, the grantee should 
conduct an orientation session for the visiting participants which 
addresses administrative details of the program and provides 
information about American society and culture which will facilitate 
the participants' understanding of and adjustment to daily life in the 
United States.
    At the conclusion of the U.S.-based program, USIS recommends that 
the group meet in a symposium to review what has been presented to and 
experienced by the participants and to consider how what has been 
learned can most effectively be applied upon the participants' return 
to their home countries. This symposium should also be used to begin 
discussion of possible collaboration among the countries represented in 
the program.
    Programs must comply with J-1 visa regulations. USIS officers in 
participating countries will facilitate the issuance of visas and other 
program-related material.
    Funding: Competition for USIA funding is keen. The final selection 
of a grantee institution will depend on assessment of proposals 
according to the review criteria delineated below. The amount requested 
from USIA for this exchange program should not exceed $120,000. Grants 
awarded to eligible organizations with less than four years of 
experience in conducting international exchange programs will be 
limited to $60,000. In addition, the overall budget should include cost 
sharing which amounts to at least 33 percent of the total program cost. 
Agency review of the proposed budget will benefit from the applicant's 
professional judgment of costs or activities in the proposal. USIA is 
committed to containment of administrative expenses, consistent with 
overall program objectives and sound management principles. Additional 
budget guidelines are explained in the Solicitation Package.
    Applicants must submit a comprehensive budget for the entire 
program. There must be a summary budget as well as a breakdown 
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.
    Unless the grantee will have an audit conducted for other purposes 
that will include this grant, the applicant's proposal shall include 
the cost of an audit which: (1) complies with the requirements of OMB 
Circular No. A-133, ``Audits of Institutions of Higher Education and 
Other Nonprofit Institutions''; (2) complies with the requirements of 
American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) Statement of 
Position (SOP) No. 92-9; and (3) includes review by the recipient's 
independent auditor of a recipient-prepared supplemental schedule of 
indirect cost rate computation, if such a rate is being proposed.
    The audit costs shall be identified separately for: (1) preparation 
of basic financial statements and other accounting services; and (2) 
preparation of the supplemental reports and schedules required by OMB 
Circular No. A-133, AICPA SOP 92-9, and the review of the supplemental 
schedule of indirect cost rate computation. If an audit conducted for 
other purposes obviates the above, it should be noted in the budget 
submission of the proposal.
    USIA will consider funding the following project costs:
    (1) International and domestic travel; visas; transit costs (e.g., 
airport taxes); ground transportation.
    (2) Per diem: For the U.S. program, organizations have the option 
of using a flat rate of $140/day for international participants or the 
published Federal Travel Regulations per diem rates for individual 
American cities. NOTE: U.S. escorting staff must use the published 
Federal per diem rates, not the flat rate. For activities in the Middle 
East, the Standard Federal Travel Regulations per diem rates must be 
used.
    (3) Escort-Interpreters: Interpretation for U.S.-based programs is 
provided by the State Department's Language Services Division. USIA 
grants do not pay for foreign interpreters to accompany delegations 
during travel to or from their home country. Grant proposal budgets 
should contain a flat $140/day per diem rate for each State Department 
interpreter, as well as home-program-home air transportation cost of 
$400 per interpreter and any U.S. travel expenses during the program 
itself. Salary expenses are covered centrally and are not part of the 
applicant's budget proposal. The cost

[[Page 26852]]

for phases of the program to be conducted abroad, during which 
interpreters are required to facilitate American participants, is to be 
covered from the grant. The grant applicant is encouraged to confirm 
with the appropriate USIS posts the local costs for interpreters.
    (4) Book and cultural allowances: Participants may receive a one-
time cultural allowance of $150 per person, plus a book allowance of 
$50. Escorts are reimbursed for actual cultural expenses up to $150. 
These benefits are not available to U.S. staff.
    (5) Consultants may be used to provide specialized expertise or to 
make presentations. Honoraria ordinarily should not exceed $275 per 
day. Subcontracting organizations may also be used, in which case the 
written contract(s) must be included in the proposal.
    (6) Room rental: Ordinarily, such cost should not exceed $250 per 
day.
    (7) Materials development: Proposals may contain costs to purchase, 
develop, and translate relevant materials for participants.
    (8) One working meal per project: Per capita cost may not exceed 
$5-8 per lunch and $14-20 per dinner, excluding room rental. The number 
of invited guests may not exceed the number of project participants by 
a factor of more than two to one.
    (9) Return travel allowance of $70 for each participant which is 
intended for incidental and emergency expenditures incurred during 
international travel.
    (10) Other costs necessary for the effective administration of the 
program, including salaries for grant organization employees while 
working on the project, benefits, and other direct and indirect costs 
per detailed instructions in the Solicitation Package.
    Please refer to the Solicitation Package for complete budget 
guidelines and formatting instructions.
    The Office of Citizen Exchanges requests cost sharing, which may be 
in the form of allowable direct or indirect costs. The Grant Recipient 
must maintain written records to support all allowable costs which are 
claimed as being its contribution, as well as costs to be paid by the 
USIA grant. Such records are subject to audit. The basis for 
determining the value of cash and in-kind contributions must be in 
accordance with OMB Circular A-110, Attachment E, ``Cost-Sharing and 
Matching,'' and should be described in the proposal. In the event the 
Recipient does not meet the minimum amount of cost-sharing as 
stipulated in the Recipient's budget and the grant agreement, the 
Agency's contribution will be reduced in proportion to the Recipient's 
contribution.

    Please Note: During project activities, all participants will be 
covered under the terms of the USIA-sponsored health insurance 
policy, the premium for which is paid by USIA directly to the 
insurance company. USIA will provide instructions to the grant 
recipient for enrolling participants in this insurance program.

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, the USIA Office of Near Eastern, North 
African, and South Asian Affairs, and USIA/USIS posts overseas. 
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. The awarding of any 
grant is subject to availability of funds.
    The U.S. Government reserves the right to reject any or all 
applications received. USIA will not pay for design and development 
costs associated with submitting a proposal. Applications are submitted 
at the risk of the applicant; should circumstances prevent the awarding 
of a grant, all preparation and submission costs are borne by the 
applicant. USIA will not fund activities conducted prior to the actual 
grant award.

Review Criteria

    Technically eligible applications will be competitively reviewed 
according to the criteria stated below. These criteria are not rank 
ordered.

1. Quality of the Program Concept

    Proposals should exhibit originality, substance, rigor, and 
relevance to Agency mission. They should demonstrate the matching of 
U.S. resources to a clearly defined need.

2. Program Planning

    Detailed agenda and relevant work plan should demonstrate the 
applicant's ability to plan, organize, conduct, and evaluate a complex 
undertaking which involves international travel and collaboration among 
institutions and individuals to accomplish programs goals and 
objectives.

3. Institutional Capacity

    Proposals should show that the personnel and institutional 
resources to be involved in the program include the thematic and 
logistical expertise relevant and adequate to achieve the program or 
project's purposes.

4. 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.

5. Cross-Cultural Sensitivity

    Proposals should show experience and insight in managing cross-
cultural professional programs.

6. Multiplier Effect/Impact

    Proposed programs should strengthen mutual understanding between 
the United States and other participating countries, should contribute 
to maximum sharing of information, and should promote the establishment 
of long-term institutional and individual linkages.

7. Support of Diversity

    Proposals should demonstrate 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-up 
activities).

8. Follow-on Activities

    Proposals should propose realistic and valuable follow-on 
activities (without USIA support) which ensures that the USIA-supported 
project is not an isolated effort.

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.

[[Page 26853]]

10. Cost-effectiveness

    The overhead and administrative components of the proposed budget, 
including salaries and honoraria, should be kept as low as possible 
consistent with high quality management. 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. A 
minimum of 33 percent cost sharing is required in this program.

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: May 9, 1997.
John P. Loiello,
Associate Director for Educational and Cultural Affairs.
[FR Doc. 97-12734 Filed 5-14-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8230-01-M