[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 57 (Thursday, March 25, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14500-14503]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-7269]


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UNITED STATES INFORMATION AGENCY


English Language Enrichment Program; Notice: Request for 
Proposals

SUMMARY This NIS Secondary School Initiative division, Office of 
Citizen Exchanges of the United States Information Agency's Bureau of 
Educational and Cultural Affairs announces an open competition for an 
English Language Enrichment Program. Public and private non-profit 
organizations meeting the provisions described in IRS regulation 26 CFR 
1.501(c) may submit proposals to conduct a four-week homestay-based, 
English language enrichment and cultural orientation program in July 
1999 for 25 students from the New Independent States (NIS) of the 
former

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Soviet Union selected for the Freedom Support Act Future Leaders 
Exchange (FLEX) program. Approximately 15 of the participants will be 
students with physical disabilities who were specially recruited and 
selected. The other 10 will be students from more isolated regions of 
the NIS. The purpose is to raise the English capability of these 
students to the level where they are able to attend regular classes 
when their academic program starts in the fall. Funds requested for 
this project may not exceed $50,000.

Program Information

OBJECTIVES: To prepare a select group of students with special needs to 
attend school in the fall and perform at a level closer to that of 
these FSA FLEX students that make up the majority of the program 
finalists.

BACKGROUND: Academic year 1999/2000 will be the seventh year of the 
FSA/FLEX program, which now includes over 7000 alumni. This component 
of the NIS Secondary School Initiative was originally authorized under 
the FREEDOM Support Act of 1992 and is funded by annual allocations 
from the Foreign Operations and USIA appropriations. The goals of the 
program are to promote mutual understanding and foster a relationship 
between the people of the NIS and the U.S.; assist the successor 
generation of the NIS to develop the qualities it will need to lead in 
the transformation of those countries in the 21st Century; and to 
promote democratic values and civil responsibility by giving NIS youth 
the opportunity to live in American society for an academic year. 
During the program's early year, there was concern that students from 
the more remote regions of the NIS might be underrepresented because 
the lack of English competence in those regions could prevent 
applicants from meeting the rigorous English language requirements of 
the FLEX recruitment process (including attaining a reasonable score on 
the Secondary Level English Proficiency--or SLEP--examination). To 
address this concern, a pre-academic year English language enrichment 
program was developed so that some students from the remote areas could 
be selected whose SLEP score was slightly lower than average. In 
subsequent years, lack of English competence in the remote regions of 
the NIS has become less of a problem. However, USIA has added a 
component focusing on students with disabilities, who do have a need 
for some special training before initiating their academic year 
program. The enrichment program for which proposals are being solicited 
here are in support of both groups of students. The essential 
components of the enrichment program are:
    1. A four-week course of study in English, approximately 5.5 hours 
per day.
    2. Lodging with volunteer host families.
    3. Orientation programming that addresses the special needs of the 
students with disabilities and their unique adjustment issues.
    4. Programming that builds on adjustment issues that will have been 
introduced at the pre-departure orientation for all FSA FLEX students.
    5. The student's transition to their year-long host family and 
community.

OTHER COMPONENTS: Two organizations have already been awarded grants to 
perform the following functions: Recruitment and selection of students; 
targeted recruitment for students with disabilities; assistance in 
documentation and preparation of IAP-66 forms; preparation of cross-
cultural materials; pre-departure orientation; international travel 
from home to host community and return; facilitation of ongoing 
communication between the natural parents and placement organizations, 
as needed; maintenance of a student database and provision of data to 
USIA; and ongoing follow-up with alumni following their return to the 
NIS. Additionally, 12 organizations have been selected through a grants 
competition to place the 930 1999-2000 FSA FLEX students in schools and 
homestays for the academic year, to monitor their progress, and to 
conduct cultural enrichment activities. The organization selected for 
the English Enrichment Program will be asked to interact with the 
organizations described above to ensure a smooth transition from the 
pre-academic training to their permanent placements.

GUIDELINES: Applicants should consult the Project Objectives Goals and 
Implementation (POGI) guidelines for a detailed statement of work. (See 
``For Further Information'' below.) The program must take place from 
mid-July to mid-August, 1999. The venue for the program should be one 
that enables the students to focus on the coursework, experience life 
in a typical American family and community, and is conducive to a 
smooth transition into their permanent placement. An optimal site will 
have resources that can be drawn upon for cultural enrichment but will 
have minimal distractions.
    Participants will travel on J-1 visas issued by USIA using a 
government program number.
    The students will be covered by the health and accident insurance 
policies used by their placement organizations. The grantee 
organization will acknowledge its responsibility to coordinate with the 
appropriate organization(s) any time treatment is needed for the 
duration of the students' participation in the Enrichment Program.
    Applicants may assume that grant activity may begin by June 1, 
1999. Programs must comply with J-1 visa regulations. Please refer to 
Solicitation Package for further information.
    Budget Guidelines: Applicants must submit a comprehensive budget 
for the entire program. There must be a summary budget as well as 
breakdowns reflecting both administrative and program costs. Applicants 
may provide separate sub-budgets for each program component, phase, 
location, or activity to provide clarification. See POGI for allowable 
costs for the program. Please refer to the Solicitation Package for 
complete budget guidelines and formatting instructions.
    Announcement Title and Number: All correspondence with USIA 
concerning this RFP should reference the above title and number E/PY-
99-44.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: The Office of Youth Program, E/PY, Rm 
568, U.S. Information Agency, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 
20547, tel. (202) 619-6299, fax (202) 619-5311, e-mail 
[email protected] to request a Solicitation Package. The Solicitation 
Package contains detailed award criteria, required application forms, 
specific budget instructions, and standard guidelines for proposal 
preparation. Please specify USIA Program Officer Diana Aronson on all 
other inquiries and correspondence.
    Please 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 with applicants 
until the 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://e.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 requested from the Bureau's 
``Grants Information Fax on Demand System,'' which is accessed by 
calling 202/401-7616. The ``Table of Contents'' listing

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available documents and order numbers should be the first order when 
entering the system.

Deadline for Proposals

    All proposal copies must be received at the U.S. Information Agency 
by 5 p.m. Washington, DC time on Monday, April 26, 1999. Faxed 
documents will not be accepted at any time. Documents postmarked the 
due date but received on a later date will not be accepted. Each 
applicant must ensure that the proposals are received by the above 
deadline.
    Applicants must follow all instructions in the Solicitation 
Package. The original and six copies of the application should be sent 
to:
    U.S. Information Agency, Ref.: E/PY-99-44, Office of Grants 
Management, E/XE, Room 568, 301 4th Street, SW, Washington, DC 20547.

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.

Year 2000 Compliance Requirement (Y2K Requirement)

    The Year 2000 (Y2K) issue is a broad operational and accounting 
problem that could potentially prohibit organizations from processing 
information in accordance with Federal management and program specific 
requirements including data exchange with USIA. The inability to 
process information in accordance with Federal requirements could 
result in grantees' being required to return funds that have not been 
accounted for properly.
    USIA therefore requires all organizations use Y2K compliant systems 
including hardware, software, and firmware. Systems must accurately 
process data and dates (calculating, comparing and sequencing) both 
before and after the beginning of the year 2000 and correctly adjust 
for leap years.
    Additional information addressing the Y2K issue may be found at the 
General Services Administration's Office of Information Technology 
website at http://www.itpolicy.gsa.gov.

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. All eligible proposals will be reviewed by the 
program office, as well as the USIA's Office of East European and NIS 
Affairs. Eligible proposals will be forwarded to panels of USIA 
officers for advisory review. Proposals may also be reviewed by the 
Office of the General Counsel or by other Agency elements. Final 
funding decisions are at the discretion of USIA's 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 the program idea: Proposals should exhibit 
originality, substance, precision, and relevance to the Agency's 
mission and the stated objective of this project.
    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 
concrete, feasible, and measurable. Proposals should clearly 
demonstrate how the institution will meet the program's objectives and 
plan and correlate with USIA's goals.
    4. Multiplier effect/impact: Proposed programs should strengthen 
long-term mutual understanding, including maximum sharing of 
information.
    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 
speakers, program renue and program evaluation) and program content 
(orientation and wrap-up sessions, program meetings, and resource 
materials).
    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. 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, tests, or other technique 
plus description of a methodology to use to link outcomes to original 
project objectives is recommended.
    9. 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.
    10. Cost-sharing: Proposals should maximize cost-sharing through 
other private sector support as well as institutional direct funding 
contributions.

Authority

    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 this 
project is provided through legislation appropriating funds annually 
for USIA's exchange programs.

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

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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; March 18, 1999.
Judith S. Siegel,
Deputy Associate Director for Educational and Cultural Affairs.
[FR Doc. 99-7269 Filed 3-24-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8230-01-M