[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 176 (Monday, September 13, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49543-49546]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-23661]


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UNITED STATES INFORMATION AGENCY


Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs; Program Title: The 
FREEDOM Support Act/Future Leaders Exchange (FSA/FLEX) Program; 
Inbound, NIS Secondary School Initiative

NOTICE: Request for proposals.

SUMMARY: The Youth Programs Division/Office of Citizen Exchanges of the 
United States Information Agency's Bureau of Educational and Cultural 
Affairs announces an open competition for the FREEDOM Support Act (FSA)

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Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) program. For applicants' Information, on 
October 1, 1999, the Bureau will become part of the U.S. Department of 
State. The integration will not affect the content of this announcement 
or nature of the program described. Public and private non-profit 
organizations meeting the provisions described in IRS regulation 26 CFR 
1.501(c) may submit proposals to recruit and select host families for 
high school students between the ages of 15 and 17 from the New 
Independent States (NIS) of the former Soviet Union. In addition to 
identifying schools and screening, selecting, and orienting host 
families, organizations will be responsible for: orienting students at 
the local level; providing support services for students; arranging 
enhancement activities that reinforce program goals; monitoring 
students during their stay in the U.S.; providing re-entry training; 
and assessing student performance and progress. The award of grants and 
the number of students who will participate is subject to the 
availability of funding in fiscal year 2000.

Program Information

Overview

Background
    Academic year 2000/01 will be the eight year of the FSA/FLEX 
program, which now includes over 7,100 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 the Bureau of Educational and Cultural 
Affairs 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 civic 
responsibility by giving NIS youth the opportunity to live in American 
society and participate in goal-oriented activities for an academic 
year.
Objectives
    To place approximately 1,000 pre-selected high school students from 
the NIS in qualified, well-motivated host families and welcoming 
schools. To expose program participants to American culture and 
democracy through homestay experiences and enhancement activities that 
will enable them to attain a broad view of the society and culture of 
the U.S. To encourage FSA/FLEX program participants to share their 
culture, lifestyle and traditions with U.S. citizens. Through 
participation in the FLEX program, students should:
    1. Acquire an understanding of important elements of a civil 
society. This includes concepts such as volunteerism, the idea that 
American citizens can and do act at the grass roots level to deal with 
societal problems, and an awareness of and respect for the rule of law.
    2. Acquire an understanding of a free market economy and private 
enterprise. This includes an awareness of privatization and an 
appreciation of the role of the entrepreneur in economic growth.
    3. Develop an appreciation for American culture.
    4. Interact with Americans and generate enduring ties.
    5. Teach Americans about the cultures of their home countries.
    6. Gain leadership capacity that will enable the initiation and 
support of development and community activities in their role as 
program alumni.
Other Components
    Two organizations operating as a consortium have 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 the Bureau; and ongoing follow-up with alumni 
after their return to the NIS. Additionally, a separate grant will be 
awarded for a one-week mid-year civic education program in Washington, 
D.C., for a select number of students who successfully compete for the 
Washington program. Most of the students with disabilities, as well as 
a select number of additional students who are identified as needing 
English language enhancement before entering their host communities, 
will attend an English enrichment and cultural orientation program in 
July 2000, conducted under a grant awarded exclusively for that 
purpose. The announcements of the competitions for these grants will be 
published separately.

Guidelines

    Organizations chosen under this competition are responsible for the 
following: recruitment, screening, selection, and cultural-specific 
orientation of host families; school enrollment; local orientation for 
participants; placement of a small number of students with 
disabilities; ensuring that all students identified for the pre-
academic-year English and cultural enrichment program have their 
permanent year-program; specialized training of local staff and 
volunteers to work with NIS students; preparation and dissemination of 
materials to students pertaining to the respective placement 
organization; program-related enhancement activities; supervision and 
monitoring of students; trouble shooting and periodic reporting on 
students' progress; when appropriate, communication with the 
organizations conducting other program components; evaluation of the 
students' performance; quarterly evaluation of the organization's 
success in achieving program goals; and re-entry training to prepare 
students for readjustment to their home environments.
    Applicants may request a grant for the placement of at least 20 
students. There is no ceiling on the number of students who may be 
placed by one organization. It is anticipated that 10 to 15 grants will 
be awarded for this component of the FLEX program. Placements will be 
distributed throughout the U.S. Students may be clustered in one or 
more regions or dispersed. If dispersed, applicants should demonstrate 
that training of local staff ensures their competence in providing NIS-
specific orientation programs, appropriate enhancement activities, and 
quality supervision and counseling of students from the NIS. Please 
refer to the Solicitation Package, available on request from the 
address listed below, for details on essential program elements, 
permissible costs, and criteria used to select students.
    Grants should begin at the point that the complete applications on 
selected finalists are delivered to the placement organizations, no 
later than March 15, 2000. Participants arrive in their host 
communities during the month of August and remain for 10 or 11 months 
until their departure during the period mid-May to late June 2001.
    Administration of the program must be in compliance with reporting 
and withholding regulations for federal, state, and local taxes as 
applicable. Recipient organizations should demonstrate tax regulation 
adherence in the proposal narrative and budget.

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    Applicants should submit the health and accident insurance plans 
they intend to use for students on this program. The Bureau will 
compare any external plans with the Bureau's plan and make a 
determination of which will be applicable.
    Participants will travel on J-1 visas issued by the Bureau using a 
government program number. Organizations must comply with J-1 visa 
regulations in carrying out their responsibilities under the FLEX 
program. 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. Per capita costs should not exceed $4,850. 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 component, phase, location, or activity to provide 
clarification.
    Allowable costs for the program include the following:
    (1) A monthly stipend and incidentals allowance for participants, 
as established by the Bureau.
    (2) Costs associated with student enhancements and orientations.
    (3) Administrative costs associated with host family recruiting, 
staff training, monitoring, and other functions.
    (4) Health and accident insurance. Please refer to the Solicitation 
Package for complete budget guidelines and formatting instructions.
    Announcement Title and Number: All correspondence with the Bureau 
concerning this RFP should reference the above title and number E/P-00-
06.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The Office of Youth Programs, ECA/PE/
C/PY, Room 568, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, 301 4th 
Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 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 Bureau Program 
Officer Anna Mussman 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, Bureau 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 the Bureau's website at 
http://e.usia.gov/education/rfps. Please read all information before 
downloading.
    Deadline for Proposals: All proposal copies must be received at the 
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs by 5 p.m. Washington, D.C. 
time on Monday, October 25, 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 6 copies of the application should be sent 
to: U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural 
Affairs, Ref.: E/P-00-06, Office of Program Management, ECA/EX/PM, Room 
336, 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. 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, the Bureau 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 the Bureau. 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.
    The Bureau 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

    The Bureau 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 Department of State 
regional authorities and embassies overseas, where appropriate. 
Eligible proposals will be forwarded to panels of Bureau officers for 
advisory review. Proposals may also be reviewed by the Office of the 
Legal Adviser or by other Department of State entities. Final funding 
decisions are at the discretion of State's Assistant Secretary for 
Educational and Cultural Affairs. Final technical authority for 
assistance awards (grants or cooperative agreements) resides with the 
Bureau 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 Bureau's 
mission.
    2. Program planning: Detailed agenda and relevant work plan should 
demonstrate substantive undertakings and logistical capacity, including 
assurance that all students will be

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placed in a timely fashion. Agenda and plan should adhere to the 
program overview and guidelines described above.
    3. Ability to achieve program objectives: Objectives should be 
reasonable and feasible and should coincide with those for the FLEX 
program stated above. 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 linkages.
    5. Support of Diversity: Proposals should demonstrate substantive 
support of the Bureau's policy on diversity both in host community and 
family placements and in program content (e.g., orientation, 
enhancement activities, community service).
    6. Institutional Capacity: Proposed personnel and institutional 
resources should be adequate and appropriate to ensure that all 
functions are carried out efficiently to achieve the program 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 Bureau grants as determined by contracting 
authorities. The Bureau 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 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 quarterly reports, which should be included as an 
inherent component of the work plan.
    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 the program 
above is provided through legislation pertaining to the Bureau and 
Foreign Operations appropriations.

Notice

    The terms and conditions published in this RFP are binding and may 
not be modified by any Bureau representative. Explanatory information 
provided by the Bureau 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 Bureau reserves the right to reduce, 
revise, or increase proposals 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 Bureau procedures.

    Dated: September 7, 1999.
William P. Kiehl,
Acting Deputy Associate Director for Educational and Cultural Affairs.
[FR Doc. 99-23661 Filed 9-10-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8230-31-M