[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 210 (Thursday, October 30, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58770-58774]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-28563]


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UNITED STATES INFORMATION AGENCY


Multi-Regional and Regional Projects for International Visitors

ACTION: Notice; request for proposals.

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SUMMARY: The Office of International Visitors (E/V) of the United 
States Information Agency's (USIA) Bureau of Educational and Cultural 
Affairs announces an open competition for assistance awards. Public and 
private non-profit organizations meeting the provisions described in 
IRS regulation 26 CFR 1.501(c)(3)-1 may apply to develop projects for 
Multi-Regional and Regional Groups of International Visitors nominated 
by U.S. embassies abroad.
    The objective of the International Visitor Program is to increase 
mutual understanding through communication and collaboration with 
professional counterparts in the U.S. Participants are current or 
potential foreign leaders in government, politics, media, education, 
science, labor relations, and other key fields. They are selected by 
American embassies abroad and approved by USIA in Washington, DC. Since 
the program's earliest inception in 1941, more than 120,000 
distinguished visitors have participated in the program, and over 155 
program alumni have subsequently become heads of state or government in 
their home countries.
    Overall grant making authority for this program is contained in the 
Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961, Pub. L. 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.''
    Programs and projects must conform with Agency requirements and 
guidelines outlined in the Solicitation Package. USIA projects and 
assistance awards are subject to the availability of funds.

ANNOUNCEMENT TITLE AND NUMBER: All communications with USIA concerning 
this RFP should refer to the announcement's title and reference number 
E/V-98-02.

DEADLINE FOR PROPOSALS: All copies must be received at the U.S. 
Information Agency by 5 p.m. Washington, DC, time on the due date 
indicated for submission of proposals for each project described below. 
Faxed or e-mailed documents will not be accepted at any time. Documents 
postmarked by the due date but received at a later date will not be 
accepted.

TO REQUEST A SOLICITATION PACKAGE, CONTACT:

    For Multi-Regional Projects (MRPs): The Office of International 
Visitors, Group Projects Division (E/VP), Room 255, U.S. Information 
Agency, 301 4th Street SW., Washington, DC 20547; Tel: (202) 205-3058; 
Fax: (202) 205-0792.
    For Regional Projects (RPs): The Office of International Visitors, 
Grants Division (E/VG), Room 255, U.S. Information Agency, 301 4th 
Street SW., Washington, DC 20547, Tel: (202) 205-9596; Fax: (202) 205-
7974.
    Please request 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: Information about 
USIA's IV Program is available via Internet at website: http://
www.usia.gov. The entire Solicitation Package may be downloaded from 
USIA's website at http://www.usia.gov/education/rfps.

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 request a ``Catalog'' of available documents and order 
numbers when first entering the system.

SUBMISSIONS: Applications 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/V-98-02, Project 
Title: Contact Officer: Office of Grants Management, E/XE, Room 326, 
301 4th Street SW., Washington, DC 20547. Applicants must also submit 
the proposal on a 3.5'' diskette, formatted for WordPerfect.

[[Page 58771]]

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 
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.

    Title: U.S.-European Security Issues.
    Type: European Regional (English-Speaking).
    Proposal Due Date: January 13, 1998.
    Project Dates: April 13-May 2, 1998.
    Contact: Tim Moore.
    Telephone: (202) 205-9596 FAX: (202) 205-2983. The security 
challenges facing the U.S. and Europe today are in many ways more 
complex than those that existed during the Cold War. With the breakup 
of the Soviet Union and the fall of the Berlin Wall, regional conflicts 
have arisen with no effective means of response. No clear consensus has 
emerged on how countries and multilateral organizations will confront 
and resolve turmoil in different parts of the world. De-nuclearization 
agreements, non-proliferation treaties and the role of NATO are being 
hotly debated.
    This three-week project is designed for European government 
officials, politicians and academics in the security and defense field, 
and is intended to provide the participants with American perspectives 
on mutual security issues. The group should meet with a range of key 
experts and players in the defense and security policymaking process, 
including government officials, Congressional staff, military 
personnel, academics and journalists. Topics should include: NATO 
enlargement; nuclear-proliferation and arms-control policies; regional 
and ethnic conflicts; the effect of budget reductions on American 
defense and security policymaking; UN peacekeeping efforts; and 
international terrorism.
    The project will begin in Washington, DC, where the meetings should 
provide the groundwork for subsequent discussions throughout the 
country. The national itinerary will include the Norfolk (Va.) Naval 
Air Station and meetings with the U.S. Atlantic Command, a visit to a 
military base specializing in rapid deployment, and meetings in local 
communities with significant resources in the security/defense field. 
The program should also include a seminar at a major university with a 
prominent foreign-policy/security department.

    Title: Privatization and Economic Reform.
    Type: African Regional (French-Speaking).
    Propoal Due Date: January 13, 1998.
    Projects Dates: April 20-May 8, 1998.
    Contact: Mary Jeffers.
    Telephone: (202) 205-9596 FAX: (202) 205-7974. Privatization in the 
U.S. context generally involves increasing the efficiency and lowering 
the cost of government by contracting certain services to the private 
sector. This concept differs in important respects from the idea of 
simply selling off state-owned enterprises, which is often understood 
to define privatization in many of the African countries now tackling 
the difficult task of basic structural adjustment. Furthermore, 
privatization may often be viewed in Africa as imposed from outside (by 
the IMF, World Bank, or USAID) rather than as most Americans see it, 
i.e. as a real, necessary condition for economic growth.
    Visitors on this project will have the chance to look at multiple 
aspects of privatization in the U.S., focusing on the central themes of 
government responsiveness, efficiency, and accountability. The project 
will review government privatization at the city/county, state, and 
federal levels, including private-sector contracting to provide basic 
services such as transportation, garbage collection, or prison 
management. Other aspects of privatization will include government and 
NGO efforts to promote private sector development, as well as links 
between business and academia designed to harness private-sector 
support for academic research and development.
    Finally, meetings with key policymakers in both the U.S. government 
and multi-lateral institutions will enable the visitors to make 
comparisons between U.S. privatization practices and the changes and 
developments taking place in their home countries, and perhaps to 
establish models for application in the future.
    Title: Women in Political and Social Activism.
    Type: American Republics Regional (Spanish-Speaking).
    Proposal Due Date: February 3, 1998.
    Project Dates: May 4-22, 1998.
    Contact: Essie Wilkes-Scott.
    Telephone: (202) 205-9596 FAX: (202) 205-7974.
    In the past few decades the role of women in the United States has 
expanded more rapidly and dramatically than ever before in our history. 
From many points on the political and social spectrum, women are more 
visible, powerful, and vocal. These changes have taken place at every 
level of American life: In politics and government, in the workplace, 
in popular culture, in academia, in the home, and in the social service 
and community leadership roles that women play in rural and urban areas 
throughout the United States. This project will introduce Latin 
American women leaders to the United States' women's campaign for equal 
rights and the societal changes that this campaign has effected. It 
will examine the social, economic and educational inequities and issues 
women have championed at the grassroots levels. The program will 
provide a better understanding of U.S. values and experiences in social 
and political change by observing the contributions of women to citizen 
advocacy at the grassroots level; political leadership and the national 
level; equal employment access and workplace equity; available 
affordable quality child care; full access to education and training 
programs; comprehensive health care; and equal access to business 
opportunities. A variety of meetings and seminars with national, state 
and local elected and appointed officials and staff, political 
activists, public and private-sector health and social service program 
operators, women in the military, employment specialists and business 
persons, homemakers, educators, and women in voluntary advocacy and aid 
organizations, will highlight the societal challenges that spur women's 
increased activism. Political diversity will also be emphasized in this 
program to ensure that the wide range of perspectives that women bring 
to their activism are heard.


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    Title: Independent Judiciary and the Rule of Law.
    Type: Near East and South Asian Regional (Arabic-Speaking).
    Proposal Due Date: February 3, 1998.
    Project Dates: May 11-29, 1998.
    Contact: Alice Shifflett.
    Telephone: (202) 205-9596 FAX: (202) 205-7974.
    By focussing on the independent judiciary and the rule of law, this 
21-day project will familiarize Arab jurists with U.S. concepts of 
judicial independence and the federal, state and municipal court 
systems, underlining the judiciary's role in preserving and 
strengthening democratic concepts such as government accountability and 
individual rights.
    It will also illustrate the judiciary's importance for political 
stability, individual rights and harmony between ethnic and other 
communities as well as for business confidence and economic growth. The 
project will provide concrete ideas about improving court management 
and other administrative aspects of the civil and criminal legal 
systems of the participants' countries. It would examine potentially 
useful approaches to legal education and develop linkages between the 
visitors and U.S. judicial scholars and practitioners.

    Title: Immigration, Citizenship and Assimilation in a Democratic 
Society.
    Type: Multi-Regional (English-Speaking).
    Proposal Due Date: February 3, 1998.
    Project Dates: May 14-June 4, 1998.
    Contact: Susan Lockwood.
    Telephone: (202) 205-3058 FAX: (202) 205-0792.
    E-MAIL Address: [email protected].
    The project will examine the fundamental nature of the immigrant 
experience to American political culture. U.S. government officials 
(Congress, State, AID, INS), representatives from non-governmental 
organizations and experts from academia and think-tanks will discuss 
U.S. immigration policies--from historical perspectives to current 
issues. Participants will observe problems which confront long-
established citizens and new immigrants alike, as well as examples of 
assimilation, cultural preservation, and cross-cultural education.

    Title: International Crime Issues.
    Type: Multi-Regional (English-Speaking).
    Proposal Due Date: March 31, 1998.
    Project Dates: July 23-August 13, 1998.
    Contact: Lesley Marcus.
    Telephone: (202) 205-3058 FAX: (202) 205-0792.
    E-Mail Address: [email protected]
    This project will look at international terrorism, drug trafficking 
and other transnational crimes and will examine the structure of the 
U.S. criminal justice system and how it applies to international 
issues. As international cooperation is required to prevent and control 
transnational crime, the participants in this project will have 
numerous occasions to address the most pressing international crime 
issues and the United States' unilateral, bilateral, and multi-lateral 
approaches to dealing with them.

    Title: Accountability and Transparency in Government: Improving 
Results and Increasing Public Access.
    Type: African Regional (English-Speaking).
    Proposal Due Date: June 2, 1998.
    Project Dates: August 31-September 19, 1998.
    Contact: Maggie McFarland.
    Telephone: (202) 205-9596 FAX: (202) 205-7974.
    In an environment of downsizing and streamlining much attention has 
been directed towards making government in the U.S. more responsive, 
more productive and more accessible.
    This project will introduce African visitors to the U.S. experience 
of holding public officials accountable. The project will review the 
complexities of U.S. government at the federal, state, and local 
levels. It will acquaint the visitors with techniques designed by the 
founding fathers to hold government accountable as well as those 
systems and mechanisms in place today. The role of private citizens and 
the media in reporting abuses which undermine public trust will be 
emphasized throughout this project. The project will give visitors an 
idea of the challenges facing state and local governments in improving 
performance and responsiveness. It will review formal and informal 
efforts to educate citizens about their civil rights and civic 
responsibilities. Participants will meet with representatives of local 
government, business, and community institutions to discuss current 
cooperative efforts. Enforcement of laws and the independence of the 
judiciary will be examined in this project. Corruption in American 
public service and measures of redress will also be reviewed. Lastly, 
foreign visitors will have an opportunity to consider which mechanisms 
observed in the U.S. might be applicable in the visitors' countries.

    Title: U.S. Financial System.
    Type: Multi-Regional (English-Speaking).
    Proposal Due Date: June 2, 1998.
    Project Dates: September 10-October 1, 1998.
    Contacts: Janet Beard.
    Telephone: (202) 205-3058 FAX: (202) 205-0792.
    E-Mail Address: [email protected].
    This project reviews the U.S. banking and financial system, 
including industry regulation, trends in domestic and foreign 
investment, and the roles and differences between different players in 
the financial marketplace. Domestic and international finance issues 
studied will include changing global finance flows, small community 
banking, project finance, stock exchanges, and economic trends 
analysis.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Overview

    Programs must maintain a non-partisan character. Programs and 
awards must conform to all Agency requirements and guidelines.

Guidelines

    USIA seeks proposals from non-profit organizations for development 
and implementation of professional programs for USIA-sponsored 
International Visitors to the U.S. who will participate in three Multi-
Regional Group Projects (MRPs) and five Regional projects (RPs). A 
separate proposal is required for each project. Each project will be 
focussed on a substantive theme. More detailed descriptions of the MPRs 
and RPs will be included in the Solicitation Package under 
``Preliminary Project Summaries''.
    Most projects will be 21 to 30 days in length. Most projects begin 
in Washington, DC, with an orientation and overview of the issues and a 
central examination of federal policies regarding these issues. Well-
paced project itineraries include programs in four or five communities. 
Project itineraries will ideally include urban and rural small 
communities in diverse geographical and cultural regions of the U.S., 
as appropriate to the project theme. Projects should provide 
opportunities for participants to experience the diversity of American 
society and culture. Depending on the size and theme of the project, 
the participants in Multi-Regional or Regional group projects can be 
divided into smaller sub-groups for simultaneous visits to different 
communities, with subsequent opportunities for the visitors to share 
their experiences with the full group once it is reunited. Project may 
provide opportunities for the visitors to share a meal or similar 
experience (home

[[Page 58773]]

hospitality) in the home of Americans of diverse occupational, age, 
gender, and ethnic groups. Some projects might include an opportunity 
for an overnight stay (home stay) in an American home. The visitors may 
be provided opportunities to address student, civic, and professional 
groups on relaxed and informal settings. For some projects, 
``shadowing'' experiences with American professional colleagues may be 
proposed. As appropriate, opportunities for site visits and hands-on 
experiences that are relevant to project themes may be included. 
Projects should also allow time for participants to reflect on their 
experiences and to share observations with project colleagues. Visitors 
should have opportunities to visit cultural and tourist sites. 
Arrangements for community visits must be made through affiliates of 
the National Council for International Visitors (NCIV). (The NCIV is a 
national network of private citizen organizations located in more than 
one hundred U.S. communities, which arrange local programs for 
International Visitors). In cities where there is no such council, the 
applicant organization will arrange for coordination of local programs.
    The applicant should demonstrate the potential to develop projects, 
as described above, on a variety of program themes. The applicant is 
expected to have e-mail capability to consult with USIA Program 
Officers, and access to internet resources. USIA will provide close 
coordination and guidance through the duration of the award.

Visa Requirements

    Participants in group projects will travel on J-1 visas arranged by 
USIA. Projects must comply with J-1 visa regulations. Please refer to 
program specific guidelines in the Solicitation Package for further 
details.

Tax Requirements

    Administration of the projects must be in compliance with reporting 
and withholding regulations for federal, state, and local taxes as 
applicable. Applicant organizations should demonstrate tax regulation 
adherence in the proposal narrative and budget.

Budget

    Applicant organizations are required to submit a comprehensive 
line-item administrative budget in accordance with the instructions in 
the Solicitation Package. A summary budget as well as a detailed budget 
showing all administrative costs is required. Proposed staffing and 
costs associated with staffing must be appropriate to the requirements 
outline in the RFP and the remaining portion of the Solicitation 
Package.
    The selected applicant will enter into close consultation on 
budgetary matters with the responsible USIA Program Officer throughout 
the implementation of projects, each one of which will have a separate 
budget. Combined administrative and indirect costs proposed should be 
reasonable. Cost sharing is encouraged.

The Agency Welcomes Proposals From Organizations That Have Not Received 
USIA Grants or Assistance Awards in the Past

    Agency requirements stipulate that ``Grants awarded to eligible 
organizations with less than four years of experience in conducting 
international exchange programs will be limited to $60,000.'' It is not 
expected that any of the projects in this announcement will cost 
$60,000 or less. It is, therefore, incumbent on organizations to 
demonstrate four years of successful experience to be eligible for an 
assistance award.

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 E/V Program Officer, as well as one or more of USIA's 
geographic area offices. 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 program design: Proposals should exhibit originality, 
substance, precision, and be responsive to requirements stated in the 
Request for Proposals (RFP) and the 1998 Solicitation Package.
    2. Program planning: A detailed and relevant work plan should 
demonstrate substantive intent and logistical capacity. Agenda and plan 
should adhere to the program overview and guidelines.
    3. Ability to achieve program objectives: Proposals should clearly 
demonstrate how the institution will meet the goals of the 
International Visitor Program.
    4. Multiplier effect/impact: Proposed projects should strengthen 
long-term mutual understanding, 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 
resources, 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 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 any past Agency grants as determined by USIA's Office 
of Contracts. The Agency will consider the past performance of prior 
recipients and the potential of new applicants for effective program 
administration. All applicants must demonstrate a minimum of four years 
in existence, with proven project management ability and demonstrated 
fiscal soundness and accountability and a potential for programming 
visitors from all geographic regions of the world.
    8. Cost-effectiveness: The administrative and indirect cost 
components of the proposal, including salaries, should be kept as low 
as possible.
    9. Cost-sharing: Consideration will be given to proposed 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 budgets in accordance with the needs of

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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: October 22, 1997.
Robert Earle,
Deputy Associate Director for Educational and Cultural Affairs.
[FR Doc. 97-28563 Filed 10-29-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8230-01-M