[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 111 (Thursday, June 10, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31352-31356]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-14774]


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UNITED STATES INFORMATION AGENCY


South Africa Teacher Training Program; Notice; Request for 
Proposals

SUMMARY: The Advising, Teaching and Specialized Programs Division of 
the Office of Academic Programs of the United States Information 
Agency's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs announces an open 
competition for a training program for primary school teachers of math 
and science in South Africa. The program will target the upper primary 
level which comprises grades seven through nine. Public and private 
non-profit organizations meeting the provisions described in IRS 
regulation 26 CFR 1.501 (C) may submit proposals to design, implement, 
monitor, and evaluate a primary teacher training program for teachers 
of math and science in South Africa. The program will comprise three 
phases: (1) Preliminary consultations in South Africa to discuss a 
detailed implementation strategy; (2) the development and execution of 
South Africa-based teacher training workshops; and (3) the development 
and execution of U.S.-based teacher-training summer institutes. The 
grant award will be up to $300,000 for year one, and may be renewed for 
two additional years pending availability of funds and successful 
implementation.

Program Information

Overview

    In response to President Mandela's efforts to raise the level of 
math and science education, and in support of the United States-South 
Africa Binational Commission, USIA and grantee organization will 
develop, in collaboration with the South Africa Department of Education 
(DOE), a primary school teacher training project for teachers of math 
and science. The grantee will work with the DOE, its respective 
entities, and supporting ministries and organizations that are directly 
responsible for national education and teacher training.
    The project will span a three-year period and will consist of 
yearly two-week in-country skills development workshops for 100 
teachers, followed by

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yearly one-month U.S.-based summer institutes for up to 25 master 
teacher trainers (initial grant for one year only; see ``Summary''). At 
the conclusion of the program approximately three hundred primary 
school teachers will have participated. Participants will be selected 
from all 9 provinces and two provinces will host the training 
workshops.
    USIA solicits detailed proposals from U.S. educational institutions 
and public and private non-profit organizations to develop and 
administer this program. The Grantee organization will consult 
regularly with USIA and the South Africa DOE with regard to program 
development and management. Proposals should demonstrate an 
understanding of the issues confronting teacher training in South 
Africa as well as a broad understanding of teacher training models and 
practices.
    The goal of the program is to assist the South Africa DOE in 
identifying, developing, and implementing a teacher training program 
for primary school teachers of math and science. The program objectives 
are to:
    (1) Increase the professional competence of primary school teachers 
by conducting in-country training workshops and U.S.-based summer 
institutes;
    (2) Develop a corps of South African educators who will serve as 
resource facilitators and teacher trainers;
    (3) Expand and/or establish school to school, teacher to teacher 
partnerships in South Africa at the primary level in order to foster 
school linkages and enhance teacher training, technology linkages where 
applicable, and cross fertilization of ideas.
    Primary teachers throughout South Africa provide basic academic and 
life skills development for the students. As in other countries, the 
development and enhancement of teacher training skills and in-service 
workshops for primary teachers remains critical to their success and 
the success of their students. The rationale for the program is that 
improved math and science instruction at the primary level will 
increase the abilities of South African primary teachers to provide 
quality instruction resulting in the improvement of student's academic 
and life skills.

Guidelines

Program Planning and Implementation

    The program will consist of three phases: a review of primary 
education in South Africa in general, and math and science 
specifically, and the refinement of a project implementation plan, an 
in-country training workshop, and a U.S.-based summer institute. It is 
anticipated that the grantee will begin phase I of the program no later 
than August, 1999 and that the grantee, USIA, and DOE, will define a 
timetable for the remainder of the program as part of discussions in 
phase I.

Phase I

    The grantee organization will work with USIA and the DOE to 
undertake preliminary work in South Africa to refine a comprehensive 
project plan for yearly two-week in-service training workshops for 
approximately 100 teachers of math and science at the primary level. It 
is anticipated that the DOE will provide the following assistance as 
part of the overall program:
    (1) Identify and provide training site(s);
    (2) Assist grantee in developing program strategies;
    (3) Provide lodging, meals, and transportation costs for all in-
service trainees.
    Additional in-kind, or cash contributions, on the part of the DOE 
may be negotiated as part of phase I.
    The project plan should include, but not be limited to:
    (1) Delineation of program responsibility between DOE, USIA, and 
grantee;
    (2) Country needs assessment and project goals and objectives;
    (3) The development of materials and resources that will enhance 
current learning programs and reflect practical, inquiry, and 
experiential learning concepts;
    (4) A mutually agreed upon protocol for selection of participants;
    (5) Monitoring and evaluation components.
    (6) A plan for on-going communications and contact with program 
participants which emphasizes resource and master teacher trainer 
linkages.

Phase II

    The in-country training workshops will be conducted over a two-week 
period at appropriate sites selected in conjunction with the DOE. A 
total of four U.S. and four South African trainers who have 
demonstrated expertise in professional development, training, and/or 
content areas will conduct the training workshops. It is anticipated 
that the trainers will work in pairs sharing their expertise and 
insights.
    The workshop schedule should incorporate time for both individual 
and group work as well as intensive training on specific approaches to 
the teaching of math and science education. The workshop could include 
field experience or a model school component in order to provide 
participants with hands-on experience using new teaching techniques and 
materials. Specific areas that may be addressed in the in-country 
workshops are:
    (1) A review of present attitudes and approaches to teaching math 
and science, and the introduction of new/current math and science 
teaching methodologies and approaches that integrate various content 
areas and continuous assessment techniques;
    (2) The design of appropriate lesson plans and learning programs;
    (3) The development of teaching materials appropriate for primary 
classes in South Africa.
    Appropriate training materials will be developed by the grantee 
organization and will be provided to each participant for use during 
the training and in the classroom after they return to their respective 
schools. A selection component should be built into an on-going 
assessment process to identify up to 25 participants who will attend 
the summer institute to be held in the United States. Those selected 
should possess leadership potential and a full grasp of the content 
areas of the workshop.

Phase III

    The U.S.-based summer institute for up to 25 primary master teacher 
trainers should put emphasis on developing the capacities of teacher 
trainers/educators to assess, train, and mentor teachers of math and 
science. The program should include a variety of formats, such as 
discussion sessions, lectures, workshops, and practical application. 
The emphasis should be on learning math and science through an inquiry 
model and should integrate knowledge of content areas with knowledge of 
learning strategies and students. All instruction and materials should 
include pedagogically and culturally appropriate materials and 
references relevant to South Africa. The workshop could include field 
experience or a model school component in order to provide participants 
with hands-on experience using new teaching techniques and materials. 
The curriculum for the summer institutes should partially build upon 
the successes of the previous in-country workshops held in South Africa 
and promote an understanding of life-long learning. Close communication 
will be needed among the grantee organization, USIA, participants, and 
U.S. host.
    Specific areas that may be addressed in the summer institutes are:

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    (1) New/current math and science teaching methodologies and 
approaches (putting theory into practice);
    (2) Professional teacher development and evaluation;
    (3) The design and implementation of in-service training programs 
and workshops for teachers;
    (4) Leadership training;
    (5) A review of existing South African math and science content 
areas.
    (6) The introduction and/or adaptation of existing math and science 
materials and practices pertinent to local conditions in South Africa.
    Appropriate training materials will be developed by the grantee 
organization and will be provided to each participant for use during 
the training and in the classroom after they return to their respective 
schools.
    Programs must comply with J-1 visa regulations (post will issue 
IAP-66 forms). Please refer to Solicitation Package for further 
information.

Budget Guidelines

    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. Awards may not exceed $300,000. There must be a summary budget 
as well as breakdowns reflecting both administrative and program 
budgets. Applicant may provide separate sub-budgets for each program 
component, phase, location, or activity to provide clarification. The 
total allowable costs for the program include the following:
    (1) Costs necessary for the effective administration of the program 
including salaries for grant organization employees, benefits, and 
other direct and indirect costs are described in the detailed 
instructions in the application package. While this announcement does 
not prescribe a rigid ratio of administrative to program cost, in 
general, priority will be given to proposals whose administrative costs 
are less than twenty-five (25) percent of the total requested from 
USIA. Proposals should show cost-sharing, including both contributions 
from the applicant and from other sources.
    (2) Program costs, including general program costs and program 
costs for each South African participant in the U.S.-based summer 
institutes and South African-based training workshops.
    (3) International and domestic airfare; visas; transit costs; 
ground transportation costs.
    (4) Per Diem. For the U.S. program, organizations have the option 
of using a flat $160/day for program participants or the published U.S. 
Federal per diem rates for individual U.S. cities. For activities 
outside of 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/.
    (5) Walk-around and book allowance. Participants are entitled to a 
walk-around allowance of $10 per day, plus a participant book allowance 
of $150. U.S. staff do not receive these benefits.
    (6) Consultants. 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.
    (7) Room rental. Room rental for group activities should not exceed 
$250 per day.
    (8) Materials development. Proposals may contain costs to purchase 
and develop appropriate materials for participants.
    (9) One working meal for the program is allowed. Per capita costs 
may not exceed $5-$8 for a lunch and $14-$20 per a dinner, excluding 
room rental. The number of invited guests may not exceed participants 
by more than a factor of two-to-one.
    (10) An international travel allowance of $100 may be provided to 
each participant to be used for incidental expenditures during 
international travel.
    (11) All summer institute participants will be covered under the 
terms of USIA-sponsored health insurance policy. The premium is paid by 
USIA directly to the insurance company. Administrative costs. 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/ASX-
99-03.
    For Further Information Contact: The Office of Academic Programs, 
Advising, Teaching, and Specialized Programs Division, Fulbright 
Teacher Exchange Branch, E/ASX, Room 349, U.S. Information Agency, 301 
4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547, Telephone number (202) 619-4556, 
fax number (202) 401-1433, and e-mail address [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 John Cox 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 available documents and 
order numbers should be the first order when entering the system.
    Deadline for Proposals: All proposals copies must be received at 
the U.S. Information Agency by 5 p.m. Washington, DC time on Friday, 
July 9, 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 10 copies of the application should be sent 
to: U.S. Information Agency, Ref.: E/ASX-99-03, Office of Grants 
Management, E/EX, 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. These documents must be provided in ASCII text (DOS) 
format with a maximum line length of 65 characters. USIA will transmit 
these files electronically to USIA 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

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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 reflect advancement of this goal in their program contents, to 
the full extent deemed feasible.

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 Office of African Affairs and the 
USIA post overseas, where appropriate. 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.
    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 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 
participants, 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 program or 
project's goals.
    7. Institution's Record/Ability: Proposals should demonstrate an 
institutional record of successful training 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 ensuring that the 
USIA Teacher Training Program is successfully sustained.
    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 technique plus 
description of a methodology to use 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(ies).

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 the 
program above is provided through legislation.

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: June 4, 1999.
Judith Siegel,
Deputy Associate Director for Educational and Cultural Affairs.
[FR Doc. 99-14774 Filed 6-9-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8230-01-M