[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 130 (Thursday, July 8, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36971-36973]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-17366]



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UNITED STATES INFORMATION AGENCY


Educational Advising Program for International Students From Hong 
Kong/China; Notice: Request for Proposals

SUMMARY: The Advising and Student Services Branch/Advising, Teaching 
and Specialized Programs Division of the United States Information 
Agency's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs announces an open 
competition to operate an educational advising center in Hong Kong/
China. Public and private non-profit organizations meeting the 
provisions described in IRS regulation 26 CFR 1.501(c) may submit 
proposals to facilitate international educational exchange through 
overseas educational advising, orientation, and information services 
for international students and scholars seeking information on 
opportunities in U.S. higher education. On October 1, 1999, the U.S. 
Information Agency will become part of the United States Department of 
State without affecting the content of this announcement or the nature 
of the program described.

Program Information

    Overview: An ideal program would provide a state-of-the-art 
advising center dedicated to providing information, orientation, and 
advice to international students in Hong Kong interested in studying in 
the U.S. We also expect the Hong Kong center to serve as an information 
resource to the other 48 U.S. affiliated advising centers in the 
People's Republic of China on advising and other educational issues. 
The centers are located at United States Information Service posts, 
universities, language institutes, libraries and at Chinese Service 
Centers for Scholarly Exchange. The proposal should address the 
applicant's ability to do the following:

--Produce and disseminate advising information packets and materials 
both on paper and electronically to advising centers in China.
--Recommend appropriate level of educational advising resource 
materials supplied by the Advising and Student Services Branch (E/ASA) 
to advising centers in China.
--Develop and maintain a database of centers in China.
--Provide feedback to E/ASA on site visits, consultations, training 
activities, and advising needs/concerns after each site visit and upon 
request from E/ASA.
--Encourage communication and networking among EICs within China.

    The center should work with the Regional Educational Advising 
Coordinator (REAC) to provide in-country and regional workshops and 
seminars, site visits, needs assessments and consultations training for 
U.S. affiliated advising center personnel in China as requested. The 
REAC is responsible for conducting training workshops and needs 
assessment visits to U.S. affiliated advising centers in the region.
    Guidelines: We anticipate that the grant will begin October 1, 1999 
and end on September 30, 2000. However a final award cannot be made 
until funds have been appropriated by Congress, and allocated and 
committed through internal Bureau procedures. The proposal should be 
presented in three parts.

I. Applicant's Background and Overview

    The first part should contain an overview of the applicant's 
history and purpose. Evidence of previous experience with advising or 
educational exchange of international students and scholars should be 
included. The overview should indicate the total amount of funding 
requested with a justification as well as a budget presentation 
outlining the total project costs.
    A listing of names, titles, addresses, and telephone numbers of the 
executive officer(s) and of the person(s) ultimately responsible for 
the project, must be included in the proposal. Resumes or vitae of key 
personnel must be provided. USIA also recommends the inclusion of 
brochures and general information concerning the applicant, e.g., 
organizational charts, job descriptions, the names of board members (or 
similar groups), the number of employees, etc.

II. Advising Center Operation and Services

    The second part of the proposal should contain details on the 
advising center's proposed location and hours of operations, proposed 
staffing pattern (including the percentage of time each employee will 
devote to advising activities and a description of their functions and 
responsibilities), budget, and advising services to be provided. A 
resume or brief narrative explaining the qualifications of the person 
or persons who will have primary responsibility for conducting advising 
and/or providing oversight of the advising center staff should be 
included. The proposal should demonstrate the center's ability to 
provide the following educational advising services to international 
students and scholars:
    1. Information and guidance on U.S. educational institutions, 
systems, tuition and related costs, fields of study, specialized 
training, etc.;
    2. Information and research on short-term institutional training in 
technical and professional fields;
    3. Information on English language training programs in the U.S.; 
and
    4. Group and individual advising sessions, pre-departure 
orientation and reentry programs, as appropriate. The applicant should 
be willing to assist USIS Beijing and support educational outreach 
activities by developing a network of contacts with the local offices 
of the Ministry of Education, universities, U.S. government affiliated 
advising centers and other appropriate institutions.

III. Provision of Resource Materials, Equipment and Training

    The third part of the proposal should address the extent to which 
the U.S. headquarters office will support its advising center abroad 
through the provision of educational advising resource materials and 
professional development activities and training.
    Student access to a comprehensive university catalog collection, in 
print and/or computer software programs, and an extensive collection of 
current references on U.S. educational institutions and programs, 
through print or computer networks, is an integral component of an 
educational advising center and the applicant's ability to provide such 
should be made clear in this section.
    Office equipment that facilitates the processing of inquiries, such 
as electronic mail, internet and facsimile machines would be regarded 
as an asset to the advising function and mention of such equipment 
should be made in the proposal. The Agency expects the advising center 
to be equipped with audio visual aids for students' use. Videos/CD-ROMS 
on U.S. study and life should complement the presentation and materials 
offered at group and individual advising sessions.

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 $85,000. There must be a summary budget 
as well as breakdowns reflecting both administrative and program 
budgets. Applicants may provide separate sub-budgets for each program

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component, phase, location, or activity to provide clarification. 
Allowable costs for the program include the following:
    (1) Salary and benefits;
    (2) Budget for travel and per diem;
    (3) Office supplies and expenses;
    (4) Rent and utilities;
    (5) Outreach and publicity; and
    (6) Indirect costs.
    The center must agree to provide accurate, free and objective 
information about all accredited U.S. higher education institutions. 
The center may charge for services beyond the basic level (to be 
determined in consultation with the Advising and Student Services 
Branch) and for the sale/rental of educational advising materials. The 
proposal should provide details of cost-sharing and fundraising 
strategies to supplement cost of advising services. 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/ASA-00-04.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTRACT: The Advising and Student Services 
Branch, E/ASA, Room 349, U.S. Information Agency, 301 4th Street, SW, 
Washington, DC 20547, phone: 202-619-5434, fax: 202-401-1433, 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 Dorothy Mora 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 thins 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 Soliciation 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 proposal copies must be received at the 
U.S. Information Agency by 5:00 p.m. Washington, DC time on August 6, 
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 eight copies of the application should be 
sent to: U.S. Information Agency, Ref.: E/ASA-00-04, Office of Grants 
Management, E/XE, Room 336, 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 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 nonpolitical 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, soci-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 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 East Asian and Pacific 
Affairs and the USIA posts 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. 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.
    3. 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.
    4. Support of diversity: Proposals should demonstrate substantive 
support

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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).
    5. Institutional capacity: Proposed personnel and institutional 
resources should be adequate and appropriate to achieve the program or 
project's goals.
    6. Institution's record ability: Proposals should demonstrate an 
institutional record of successful educational advising programs, 
including demonstrating responsible fiscal management and full 
compliance with all reporting requirements for past Agency grants as 
determined by USIA's Office of Contracts. Proposals should demonstrate 
an ability to maintain effective relationships with USIS posts, 
advising centers, and the Agency's Advising and Student Services 
Branch. The Agency will consider the past performance of prior 
recipients and the demonstrated potential of new applicants.
    7. 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.
    8. 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.
    9. Cost-sharing: Proposals should maximize cost-sharing through 
other private sector support as well as institutional direct funding 
contributions.
    10. 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.

Authority

    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 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 and 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: July 1, 1999.
Judith Siegel,
Deputy Associate Director for Educational and Cultural Affairs.
[FR Doc. 99-17366 Filed 7-7-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8230-01-M