[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 243 (Thursday, December 18, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66405-66408]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-32815]
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UNITED STATES INFORMATION AGENCY
Women's Leadership Training Program for Central and Eastern
Europe; 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 develop training programs
that offer leadership training skills to women in Albania, Bosnia,
Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia,
[[Page 66406]]
Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, and Slovenia.
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 Fulbright-Hays Act.
Progams 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.
Announcement Title and Number: All communications with USIA
concerning this RFP should refer to the announcement's title and
reference number E/P-98-19.
Deadline for Proposals: All copies must be received at the U.S.
Information Agency by 5 p.m. Washington, D.C. time on Friday, February
27, 1998. 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. We anticipate that grants will begin on or about June 1,
1998.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
The Office of Citizen Exchange (E/PE) Room 224, U.S. Information
Agency, 301 4th Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20547, telephone: 202-
619-5319, fax: 202-619-4350, or Internet address: [email protected], to
request a Solicitation Package containing more detailed information.
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: 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/
401-7616. Please request a ``Catalog'' of available documents and order
numbers when first entering the system.
Please specify USIA Program Officer Christina Miner 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 ten copies of the application
should be sent to: U.S. Information Agency, Ref.: E/P-98-19, 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, 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.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Overview
USIA is interested in proposals that encourage the growth of
democratic institutions in Central and Eastern Europe. Exchanges and
training programs supported by the Office of Citizen Exchange's
institutional grants should operate at two levels: they should enhance
institutional relationships; and they should offer practical
information to individuals to assist them with their professional
responsibilities. Strong proposals usually have the following
characteristics: an existing partner relationship between an American
organization and an in-country institution in Central and Eastern
Europe; a proven track record of conducting program activity; cost-
sharing from American or in-country sources, including donations or air
fares, hotel and/or housing costs; experienced staff with language
facility; and a clear, convincing plan showing how permanent results
will be accomplished as a result of the activity funded by the grant.
USIA wants to see tangible forms of time and money contributed to the
project by the prospective grantee institution, as well as funding from
third party sources. We recommend that programs with a U.S. component
include letters of commitment from host institutions, even if
tentative. Letters of commitment from any in-country partners should
also be provided. Applicants are encouraged to consult with USIS
offices regarding program content and partner institutions before
submitting proposals. Award-receiving applicants will be expected to
maintain contact with the USIS post throughout the grant period.
USIA requests proposals for projects that offer leadership training
skills to representatives of women's organizations who are active in
their own communities in Albania, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech
Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Serbia,
Slovakia, and Slovenia. The focus of the training program should be on
how to identify priorities, organize and form coalitions, and influence
decision makers about issues and problems affecting the well-being of
people in local communities. Proposals are not limited to a one-country
focus but may address how to build networks among women's organizations
in several countries. Project activities may include: internships;
study tours; short-term training; consultations; and extended,
intensive workshops taking place in the United States or in Central and
Eastern
[[Page 66407]]
Europe. Prospective grantee institutions should identify the Central
and Eastern European local organizations and individuals with whom they
are proposing to collaborate and describe in detail previous
cooperative programming and contacts. Program activity may take place
in Central and Eastern Europe or in the United States. This activity is
intended to follow-up on issues addressed in the Vital Voices
conference held in Vienna from July 9-11. For more information on the
conference, please see the Vital Voices Homepage at http://
www.usia.gov/vitalvoices.
Selection of Participants
Programs should describe clearly the type of persons who will
participate in the program as well as the process by which participants
will be selected. In the selection of foreign participants, USIA and
USIS posts abroad retain the right to nominate participants and to
approve or reject participants recommended by the grantee institution.
Priority will be given to foreign participants who have not previously
traveled to the United States.
Visa Regulations
Foreign participants on programs sponsored by the Office of Citizen
Exchanges are granted J-1 Exchange Visitor visas by the American
Embassy in the sending country.
Project Funding
Since USIA grant assistance constitutes only a portion of total
project funding, proposals should list and provide evidence of other
sources of financial and in-kind support. Proposals with substantial
private sector support from foundations, corporations, and other
institutions will be considered highly competitive.
Although no set funding limit exists, proposals for less that
$75,000 will receive preference. Organizations with less that four
years of successful experience in managing international exchange
programs are limited to $60,000. Applicants are invited to provide both
an all-inclusive budget as well as separate sub-budgets for each
program component, phase, location or activity in order to facilitate
USIA decisions on funding. While a comprehensive line item budget based
on the model in the Solicitation Package must be submitted, separate
component budgets are optional.
The following project costs are eligible for consideration for
funding:
1. International and domestic air fares; transit costs; ground
transportation costs.
2. Per Diem. For the U.S. program, organizations have the option of
using a flat $140/day for program participants or the published U.S.
Federal per diem rates for individual American cities. For activities
outside the U.S. the published Federal per diem rates must be used.
Note: U.S. escorting staff must use the published Federal per
diem rates, not the flat rate. Per diem rates may be accessed at
http://www.policyworks.gov/.
3. Interpreters. If needed, interpreters for the U.S. program are
provided by the U.S. State Department Language Services Division.
Typically, a pair of simultaneous interpreters is provided for every
four visitors. USIA grants do not pay for foreign interpreters to
accompany delegations from their home country. Grant proposal budgets
should contain a flat $140/day per diem for each Department of State
interpreters, as well as home-program-home air transportation of $400
per interpreter plus any U.S. travel expenses during the program.
Salary expenses are covered centrally and should not be part of an
applicant's proposed budget.
4. Book and cultural allowance. Participants are entitled to and
escorts are reimbursed a one-time cultural allowance of $150 per
person, plus a participant book allowance of $50. U.S. staff do not get
these benefits.
5. Consultants. May be used to provide specialized expertise or to
make presentations. Daily honoraria generally do not exceed $250 per
day. Subcontracting organizations may also be used, in which case the
written agreement between the prospective grantee and subcontractor
should be included in the proposal.
6. Room rental, which generally should not exceed $250 per day.
7. Materials development. Proposals may contain costs to purchase,
develop, and translate materials for participants.
8. One working meal per project. Per capita costs may not exceed
$5-8 for a lunch and $14-20 for a dinner, excluding room rental. The
number of invited guests may not exceed participants by more than a
factor of two-to-one.
9. A return travel allowance of $70 for each participant which is
to be used for incidental expenditures incurred during international
travel.
10. All USIA-funded delegates will be covered under the terms of a
USIA-sponsored health insurance policy. The premium is paid by USIA
directly to the insurance company.
11. Administrative Costs. Other costs necessary for the effective
administration of the program, including salaries or grant organization
employees, benefits, and other direct and indirect costs per detailed
instructions in the application package.
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 the USIA Office of East
European and NIS Affairs and the USIA post 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 Program Idea: Proposals should respond to the program
requirements of the RFP and exhibit originality, substance, precision,
and relevance to the Agency mission.
2. Program planning and ability to achieve objectives: Program
objectives should be stated clearly and precisely and should reflect
the applicant's expertise in the subject area and the region.
Objectives should respond to the topic in this announcement and should
relate to the current conditions in the target countries. They should
be reasonable and attainable. A detailed work plan should explain step
by step how objectives will be achieved. The substance of seminars,
presentations, consulting, interships, and itineraries should be
spelled out in detail. A timetable indicating when major program tasks
will be undertaken should be provided. Responsibilities of in-country
partners should be clearly described.
3. 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-
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up sessions, program meetings, resource materials and follow-up
activities).
4. Institutional Capacity: Proposed personnel and institutional
resources should be adequate and appropriate to achieve the program or
project's goals. The narrative should demonstrate proven ability to
handle logistics. Proposal should reflect the institution's expertise
in the subject area and knowledge of the country. Proposals should
demonstrate the 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. Project Evaluation: USIA is results-oriented. Proposals should
include a plan to evaluate the activity's success, both as the
activities unfold and at the end of the program. USIA recommends that
the proposal include a draft survey questionnaire and/or plan for use
of another measurement technique (such as focus group) to link outcomes
to original project objectives. Award-receiving organizations/
institutions will be expected to submit intermediate reports after each
project component is concluded or quarterly, whichever is less
frequent.
6. 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.
7. Cost-effectiveness/cost sharing: 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. 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 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: December 11, 1997.
Robert L. Earle,
Deputy Associate Director for Educational and Cultural Affairs.
[FR Doc. 97-32815 Filed 12-17-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8230-01-M