[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 191 (Thursday, October 2, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51723-51726]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-26152]


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UNITED STATES INFORMATION AGENCY


College and University Affiliations Program (CUAP)

ACTION: Notice--requests 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 program. 
Accredited, post-secondary educational institutions meeting the 
provisions described in IRS regulation 26 CFR 1.501(c) may apply to 
develop a partnership with (a) foreign institution(s) of higher 
education in specified fields and themes within the humanities, social 
sciences, business, and environmental studies.
    Subject to the availability of funding, awards will be made to 
support free trade and market economies, and/or the environment and 
sustainable development.
    A second Request for Proposals in this issue of the Federal 
Register solicits proposals in support of democratic institution-
building and/or civic education.
    Grants are subject to the availability of funds for Fiscal Year 
1998.
    Proposed projects must be eligible in terms of country(ies)/
localities and themes as described in the section entitled 
``Eligibility'' below.
    Participating institutions exchange faculty and administrators for 
a combination of teaching, lecturing, faculty and curriculum 
development, collaborative research, and outreach, for periods ranging 
from one week (for planning visits) to an academic year. The FY 98 
program will also support the establishment and maintenance of Internet 
and/or e-mail communication facilities as well as interactive distance 
learning programs at foreign partner institutions. Applicants may 
propose other project activities not listed above that are in keeping 
with the goals and activities of the College and University 
Affiliations Program.
    The program awards up to $120,000 for a three-year period to defray 
the cost of travel and per diem with an allowance for educational 
materials and some aspects of project administration. Grants awarded to 
organizations with less than four years of experience in conducting 
international exchange programs will be limited to $60,000.
    Overall grant-making authority for this program is contained in the 
Mutual Education 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,

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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.
    Projects must conform with Agency requirements and guidelines 
outlined in the Solicitation Package. The POGI, a document describing 
College and University Affiliation Project Objectives, Goals, and 
Implementation, is included in the Solicitation Package.
    Announcement Title and Number: All communications with USIA 
concerning this announcement should refer to the College and University 
Affiliations Program and reference number E/ASU-98-03.
    Deadline for Proposals: All copies must be received at the U.S. 
Information Agency by 5 p.m. Washington, D.C. time on Friday January, 
16, 1998. Faxed documents will not be accepted, nor will documents 
postmarked on January 16, 1998, but received on a later date. It is the 
responsibility of each applicant to ensure compliance with the 
deadline.
    Approximate program dates: Grants should begin on or about 
September 1, 1998.
    Duration: September 1, 1998-August 31, 2001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: Office of Academic Programs; 
Advising, Teaching, and Specialized Programs Division; College and 
University Affiliations Program (CUAP), (E/ASU), Room 349, U.S. 
Information Agency, 301 4th Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20547, 
phone: (202) 619-5289, fax: (202) 401-1433. Send a message via Internet 
to: [email protected] to request a Solicitation Package. The 
Solicitation Package includes more detailed award criteria; all 
application forms; and 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/education/rfps. Please read all information 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/
402-7616. Please request a ``Catalog'' of available documents and order 
numbers when first entering the system.
    Please specify ``College and University Affiliations Program 
Officer'' on all inquiries and correspondence. Prospective applicants 
should read the complete Federal Register announcement before 
addressing inquiries to the College and University Affiliations Program 
staff or submitting their 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 complete 
application, including the documents specified under Tabs A through I 
in the ``Project Objectives, Goals, and Implementation'' (POGI) section 
of the Solicitation Package, should be sent to: U.S. Information 
Agency, Ref: E/ASU-98-03, Office of Grants Management, E/XE, Room 326, 
301 4th St., SW., Washington, DC 20547.
    Applicants must also submit the ``Executive Summary'' and 
``Proposal Narrative'' and budget 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 U.S. Information Service 
(USIS) posts overseas for their review, with the goal of reducing the 
time it takes to get posts' comments for the Agency's grant review 
process.

Diversity, Freedom and Democracy Guidelines

    Pursuant to the Bureau's authorizing legislation, projects 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. 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 account for 
advancement of this goal, in their program contents, to the full extent 
deemed feasible.

Eligibility

U.S. Partner and Participant Eligibility

    In the U.S., participation in the program is open to accredited 
two- and four-year colleges and universities, including graduate 
schools. Applications from consortia of U.S. colleges and universities 
are eligible. Secondary U.S. partners may include relevant non-
governmental organizations, non-profit service or professional 
organizations. The lead U.S. institution in the consortium is 
responsible for submitting the application and each application from a 
consortium must document the lead school's stated authority to 
represent the consortium. Participants representing the U.S. 
institution who are traveling under USIA grant funds must be faculty, 
graduate teaching assistants, or staff from the participating 
institution(s) and must be U.S. citizens. Please note that graduate 
teaching assistants are eligible for USIA-funded participation only if 
working as part of a team directed by a faculty member.

Foreign Partner and Participant Eligibility

    Overseas, participation is open to recognized, degree-granting 
institutions of post-secondary education, which may include 
internationally recognized and established independent research 
institutes. Secondary foreign partners may include relevant 
governmental and non-governmental organizations, non-profit service or 
professional organizations. Participants representing the foreign 
institutions must be faculty, graduate teaching assistants, or staff 
who are citizens nationals, or permanent residents of the country of 
the foreign partner and be qualified to hold a valid passport and U.S. 
J-1 visa. Please note that graduate teaching assistants are eligible 
for USIA-funded participation only if working as part of a team 
directed by a faculty member.

Ineligibility

    A proposal will be deemed technically ineligible if:
    (1) It does not fully adhere to the guidelines established herein 
and in the solicitation Package;
    (2) It is not received by the deadline;
    (3) The length of the proposed project is less than three years;
    (4) It is not submitted by the U.S. partner;

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    (5) One of the partner institutions is ineligible;
    (6) The foreign geographic location is ineligible;
    (7) It involves a request to fund exchanges between the United 
States and more than one country, with the exception of trilateral 
Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and trilateral North Africa, 
Near East, and South Asia (NEA) projects. Please see the section on 
eligible countries/localities for complete details;
    (8) The theme or academic discipline is not listed as eligible in 
the RFP, herein;
    (9) The amount requested of USIA exceeds $120,000 for the three-
year project.

Eligible Theme, Academic Disciplines, and Countries/Localities

    This request for proposals is limited to support for free trade and 
market economies and/or environment and sustainable development.
    Please note the following explanatory details:

A. Eligible Academic Disciplines and Countries/Localities

    Eligible academic disciplines and countries and localities are 
listed under each theme. Only those countries or localities and 
partnership configurations identified under each theme qualify. 
Specifics should be examined carefully before proposal preparation.

B. Inclusion of Area Studies

    Area Studies are included as academic disciplines to engender a 
broader cultural understanding and context in which to pursue a linkage 
project within the stated theme. Area Studies may be incorporated into 
a given project but only in conjunction with one or more of the other 
academic disciplines listed under the theme. Area Studies includes U.S. 
and partner country history, literature, and social sciences.

C. Bilateral Projects--Except for NEA and APEC Trilateral Linkages

    In most instances, the program invites proposals for bilateral 
projects only, involving the U.S. and one foreign country (as 
specified) only. The only exceptions are North Africa, Near East, and 
South Asia (NEA) and Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation member nation 
trilateral linkages.

Eligible Theme

    Support of free trade and market economies and/or the environment 
and sustainable development.
    Under this theme, projects are solicited which promote higher 
education's role in economic development and the development of market 
economies, trade, investment overseas, through faculty and curriculum 
development, teaching and lecturing, and outreach. Projects which also 
focus on the environment should address the public policy aspects of 
sustainable development.
    Affiliation projects in trade and economics are expected to 
establish or expand mutually beneficial academic programs in business 
and economics, and to promote international investment by strengthening 
institutional links to the private sector. Where possible, such 
affiliations should contribute to the formulation of more open and 
responsible trade policy. Where appropriate and relevant, plans and 
anticipated outcomes of these affiliation projects should reflect 
responsible stewardship of the environment. Business/economics/trade 
projects with the potential for having an adverse impact on the 
environment will have a low priority.
    Environment/sustainable development projects should address 
environmental issues having an impact on U.S. and global interests. 
Such affiliation projects should help establish or expand environmental 
policy studies programs through faculty and curriculum development, 
teaching and lecturing, and outreach. For the designated countries 
listed below, projects are encouraged which link the study of free 
trade and market economies with the environment and sustainable 
development.
    Whenever feasible, participants involved in either trade/economics 
policy projects or international environmental policy studies projects 
should make their training and personnel resources, as well as results 
of their collaborative research, available to government, NGOs, and 
business.

Eligible Academic Disciplines

Economics (Comparative and International)
Business/Business Administration/Business Management
International Marketing/International Trade
Commercial Law (including Comparative Law, International Treaties, 
Intellectual Property Rights)
Environmental Law and Regulation
Environmental Policy and Resource Management
Environmental Sciences/Natural Resource Sciences
Area Studies (in combination with one or more of the academic fields 
above)

Eligible Countries/Localities

    Africa: Burkina Faso, Ghana, Namibia, Senegal, South Africa, 
Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia;
    American Republics: Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, 
Paraguay, Uruguay. Priority will be given to proposals that focus on 
economic development and free trade;
    East Asia and Pacific: The following Asia Pacific Economic 
Cooperation (APEC) member economies are eligible within a trilateral, 
NOT bilateral, affiliation between the U.S. and two APEC member 
economies: Australia, Canada (see the section on ``Western Europe'' 
below), China, Chile, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, 
Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, and 
Thailand;
    In addition, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam; are eligible for 
bilateral projects only in the Environment and Sustainable Development 
category;
    East Europe, Central Europe, and the Commonwealth of Independent 
States: Moldova (projects focusing on Free Trade and Market Economies 
only);
    North Africa, Near East, and South Asia (NEA): The following are 
eligible for a bilateral or trilateral affiliation: Bahrain, 
Bangladesh, Gaza, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, 
Qatar, Saudi Arabia, SRI Lanka, Syria (Environment and Sustainable 
Development only), Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, West Bank, Yemen;
    Lebanon: USIA welcomes proposals for bilateral linkages in Lebanon 
which include the use of distance education and Internet to facilitate 
two-way communication since, at this writing, only one-way travel (from 
Lebanon to the United States) is advisable.
    Western Europe: Canada, eligible only in an APEC trilateral 
partnership. Proposals involving Canada and East Asian APEC nations are 
encouraged in recognition of the array of trade interests and 
environment/sustainable development issues that Canada and the United 
States share with Asian nations.

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

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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: September 19, 1977.
John P. Loiello,
Associate Director for Educational and Cultural Affairs.
[FR Doc. 97-26152 Filed 10-1-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8230-01-M