[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 128 (Monday, July 6, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36485-36487]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-17769]


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UNITED STATES INFORMATION AGENCY


Vietnam Fulbright: Foreign Student Exchange Program

ACTION: Request 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. Public and 
private non-profit organizations meeting the provisions described in 
IRS regulation 26 CFR 1.501(c) may apply to manage a student exchange 
program. The program would bring 20-25, mid-career Vietnamese each year 
to the U.S. in order to pursue a Master's degree, or in some cases a 
Ph.D., in fields related to economic development to include--but not 
limited to--economics, business, public policy, public administration, 
law, and international relations. The proposal must also include 
renewal costs for approximately 30-35 Vietnamese Fulbright students 
currently studying in the U.S. (mostly second-year, but some third-year 
students).
    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.'' The funding authority for the 
program cited above is provided through the Fulbright-Hays Act.
    The program 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/AEF-99-01.
    Deadline for Proposals: All copies must be received at the U.S. 
Information Agency by 5 p.m. Washington, DC time on Friday, July 31, 
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. The grant should begin on or about October 1, 1998.
    Duration: October 1, 1998-September 30, 2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The Office of Academic Programs, 
Academic Exchange Programs Divisions/East Asia Fulbright Branch, E/AEF, 
Room 208, U.S. Information Agency, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 
20547, phone: (202) 619-6788/5404, fax: (202) 401-1728; email: 
[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 Sue Borja 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/AEF-99-01, Office 
of Grants Management, E/XE, Room 326, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, 
DC 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. USIS 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. Pub. L. 
104-319

[[Page 36486]]

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

    The United States Information Agency has supported a Vietnamese 
student exchange program since 1992 which has enabled over a hundred 
and fifty Vietnamese students to pursue two-year Master's degrees (as 
well as some Ph.Ds) in economics, business, public policy and 
administration, law, and international relations at a wide range of 
U.S. colleges and universities.
    The goals of the program are to foster mutual understanding and 
strengthen ties between the two countries and to support the U.S. 
foreign policy goal of promoting the establishment of a modern market 
economy in Vietnam.

Guidelines

    The program should focus on selection 20-25 mid-career scholars and 
managers each year from throughout the country from those Vietnamese 
institutions critical to the economic transition. The program must 
include the following components: recruitment, selection, pre-academic 
and academic placement, pre-departure support and orientation, grantee 
administration, and evaluation. The grantee must maintain continuous 
liaison with the United States Information Service (USIS) in Vietnam 
and with the USIA Fulbright Office in Washington concerning the 
management of the program. The Vietnam Fulbright program is a component 
of the U.S. government's foreign policy with Vietnam as well as a 
member of the overall Fulbright Program which currently operates in 
over 140 countries worldwide.

Recruitment

    Through continued and regular negotiation and resulting agreement 
with the Vietnamese government (including the Vietnamese Ministry of 
Education and Training), the recruitment and selection process has 
been, and must remain, an open and independent operation. Recruitment 
must include continued efforts to stimulate interest in the Fulbright 
program and careful interviewing, testing, and application counseling 
in order to develop a pool of qualified applicants to submit to a panel 
review for final recommendation to USIA. Recruitment should include in-
country workshops and group meetings with potential candidates who have 
submitted curricula vita and initial essays, including an impromptu 
writing test for English ability. This should be followed by in-depth, 
one-on-one interviews from which a pool of applicants is invited to 
submit full applications for review by a selection panel.
    Recruitment begins in the spring, 18 months prior to the fall 
semester in which the students are to begin their academic program 
(most, if not all, students will need to enroll in a summer English 
and/or pre-academic program). Please note that for the FY99 program, 
the current grantee already began recruiting students in the spring of 
1998 for academic year 1999-2000. Therefore, if a new grantee is 
selected by USIA, then the former grantee and USIA would work out the 
transfer of the student information and files to the successor grantee.

Selection

    The final pool of applicants is prepared for panel review complete 
with TOEFL scores and a written evaluation from each applicant. Panels 
are held in the fall one year prior to the academic year in which the 
award is due to begin.
    The independent selection panel must consist of a group of scholars 
experienced in the fields of study and professional education programs 
targeted in this program. The panelists should also have some knowledge 
of, or experience with, U.S.-Vietnam educational exchanges, the 
Vietnamese education system, and other education systems in which the 
Vietnamese might have studied as undergraduates--such as those of 
Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. USIA reserves the right to 
review the panel member selection. The selection panel reviews the 
applicants' files, selects awardees for final approval by the J. 
William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board, and advises on university 
placement for the awardees.

Pre-academic and Academic Placement

    The grantee will place the selected students at English language 
summer programs and pre-academic programs, as necessary, and at 
academic programs at a range of appropriate universities and colleges 
in the U.S. Placement includes negotiating for cost share (tuition 
reduction/waivers, etc.) from the universities and colleges.

Pre-departure Support and Orientation

    The grantee will provide pre-departure orientation counseling 
(academic, social, and cultural adjustment) and logistical support for 
the selected Vietnamese students. The grantee will ensure personal 
contact and follow-up contact with the Vietnamese authorities, maintain 
contact with the U.S. Embassy Consular Office and the Vietnamese 
officials who process the students' visas, make travel arrangements to 
the U.S. for the selected Vietnamese students and provide them with any 
other assistance needed.

Student Administration/Supervision

    During the period of the award, the grantee organization will 
maintain regular contact with the students to provide assistance, 
monitor academic work, and deal with any problems that might arise. The 
grantee will establish a series of mailings to students regarding 
taxes, financial payments, reports, exit travel arrangements, and 
invitations to meetings/orientations. Students are required to submit 
one formal report at mid-point of their award which is to be shared 
with USIA.

Evaluation

    During the period of their award, the students will report on the 
progress of their research and the quality of their reception at their 
institutions of affiliation. The grantee will organize an exit 
interview before the student departures from the U.S.
    Programs must comply with J-1 visa regulations. Please refer to the 
program's specific guidelines (POGI) in the Solicitation Package for 
further details.

Proposed Budget

    Organizations must submit a comprehensive line-item budget based on 
the specific guidance in the Solicitation Package. The award may not 
exceed $1,800,000 for both new and renewal students.
    ``Grants awarded to eligible organizations with less than four 
years of experience in conducting international exchange programs will 
be limited to $60,000''.
    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 
further clarification, applicants may provide separate sub-budgets for 
each program component, phase, location, or activity in order to 
facilitate USIA decisions on funding.
    Allowable costs for the program include the following:

[[Page 36487]]

    (1) Program participant costs: travel, test fees, pre-departure 
expenses, pre-academic/English training, tuition, stipend, tax 
withholding, educational materials, enrichment programs;
    (2) Renewal costs for current Vietnamese Fulbright students 
(estimate 30-35);
    (3) Staff salaries and benefits;
    (4) Domestic/International travel and per diem for recruitment, 
selection, orientation of students;
    (5) Reproduction, communication, supplies; and
    (6) Overhead/Indirect costs.
    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 
Asian and Pacific 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

    Technical 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. Multiplier effect/impact: Proposed programs hold 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 
participants, program venue and program evaluation) and program content 
(orientation and wrap-up sessions, program meetings, resource materials 
and follow-up activities). The Vietnamese Fulbright students should 
come from throughout Vietnam, from a variety of institutions, and 
represent both genders as equally as possible.
    6. Institutional Capacity: Proposed personnel and institutional 
resources should be adequate and appropriate to achieve the program or 
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 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.
    8. 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.
    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 evaluation technique 
plus description of a methodology that will be used 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.
    10. 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.
    11. Cost-sharing: Proposals should maximize cost-sharing through 
other private sector support as well as institutional direct funding 
contributions.
    12. Value to U.S.-Partner Country Relations: Proposed projects 
should receive positive assessments by USIA's geographic area desk and 
overseas officers of program need, potential impact, and significance 
in the partner country.

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 budget 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, then allocated and committed through internal USIA 
procedures.

    Dated: June 26, 1998.
John P. Loiello,
Associate Director for Educational and Cultural Affairs.
[FR Doc. 98-17769 Filed 7-2-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8230-01-M