[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 221 (Wednesday, November 17, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62729-62732]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-30047]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 3159]


Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs; Public Policy 
Partnership for the Institute of Public Administration at Moscow State 
University Project (PPP): Request for Proposals

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Office of Global Educational Programs of the United States 
Department of State'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 submit proposals to assist the 
Institute of Public Administration of Moscow State University in 
developing graduate programs in the field of public policy.

Program Information

Overview

    This project is designed to assist the Institute of Public 
Administration (IPA) at Moscow State University in developing its 
capacity to deliver a graduate program in Public Policy that meets high 
international standards for instruction and research in this field. The 
primary goal of this project is to promote development of a curriculum 
of policy-relevant, theoretically sophisticated, empirical approaches 
designed to promote an open, accountable, efficient and responsive 
public sector. The grantee organization will be expected to assist the 
Institute of Public Administration through a comprehensive program of 
exchange and support activities which will foster lasting institutional 
and individual ties. The project will award up to $500,000 for up to a 
two year period to defray the costs of two-way faculty exchange and of 
limited student exchange, with an allowance for educational materials 
(including support for distance learning projects) and with provision 
for some aspects of project administration. There is also the 
possibility of a renewal grant of up to $500,000 for up to a two year 
period pending positive program review and the availability of funding.

Objectives

    The overall objective of this project is to enable the Institute of 
Public Administration at Moscow State University to equip its graduate 
program in Public Policy to support emergent democratic institutions in 
Russia by preparing future leaders to analyze and resolve public policy 
issues within a democratic framework in the context of

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a market-based open economy. This overall objective should be supported 
through the following program components: assistance with curriculum 
and materials development for the graduate curriculum in Public Policy; 
assistance with the development of continuing education and distance 
learning programs; assistance with the development of a sustainable 
graduate student exchange program; development of outreach programs; 
and support for research.

Background

    IPA holds independent status within Moscow State University. IPA 
has approximately 200 junior and senior faculty, approximately half of 
whom speak English. There are currently 11 departments at IPA: Legal 
Bases of Management; Managerial Technologies; Management Sociology; 
Economic Theory and Policy; Political History; Russian State History; 
Philosophy and Methodology of Science; Philosophy for Humanities 
Faculties; Political Economy; Political Sociology; and Personnel 
Management. In addition IPA has two research laboratories for Science 
Organization and Management and for Social-Economic Processes 
Management. Applicants should contact IPA to learn more about their 
program and to consult with them about program priorities necessary for 
developing a graduate program in Public Policy.

Participants

    The project is designed for the following Russian participants: 
faculty, administrators, staff and students at the Institute of Public 
Administration at Moscow State University. In addition, participants 
include U.S. faculty, administrators and staff, and other qualified 
professionals with appropriate Public Policy expertise. Although 
applicant organizations do not need to obtain a letter of commitment 
from the Institute of Public Administration, they are encouraged to 
consult with IPA about options for defining their potential 
collaboration.

Logistics

    The grantee organization will be responsible for most arrangements 
associated with this program. These include providing international and 
domestic travel arrangements for all participants, making lodging and 
local transportation arrangements for visitors, orienting and 
debriefing participants, and preparing any necessary support material.

Visa/Insurance/Tax Requirements

    Programs must comply with J-1 visa regulations including those 
pertaining to insurance. Please refer to Solicitation Package for 
further information. 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.

Budget Guidelines

    Organizations with less than four years of experience in conducting 
international exchange programs are ineligible for this grant 
competition.
    Applicants must submit a comprehensive budget for the entire 
program. Awards may not exceed $500,000. There must be a summary budget 
as well as a break-down reflecting the program and administrative 
budgets, and detailed budgets for each of the two years of the grant. 
The total administrative costs funded by the Bureau may not exceed 20% 
of the total request. Applicants may provide separate sub-budgets for 
each program component, phase, location, or activity to provide 
clarification.
    Please refer to the Solicitation Package for complete budget 
guidelines and formatting instructions.

Announcement Title and Number

    All correspondence with the Bureau of Educational and Cultural 
Affairs concerning this RFP should reference the above title and number 
ECA/A/S/U-00-07.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: The Office of Global Educational 
Programs, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department 
of State, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, D.C. 20547, telephone: (202) 
619-4126, fax: (202) 401-1433, internet [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 Program 
Officer Jonathan Cebra on all 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.

Contact Information for the Institute of Public Administration at 
Moscow State University

    Applicants are strongly encouraged to consult with the Institute of 
Public Administration and Social Science at Moscow State University. 
More detailed information about IPA can be obtained from their web site 
at the Institute web site at: http://www.ipa-ss.msu.ru. The designated 
contact person for IPA is Deputy Director Aleksey Barabashov, who may 
be reached by e-mail at [email protected].

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, DC time on Wednesday, March 
15, 2000. Faxed documents will not be accepted at any time. Documents 
postmarked by 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.
    Approximate program dates: Grants should begin on or about June 15, 
2000.
    Duration: June 15, 2000-June 14, 2002.

Submissions

    Applicants must follow all instructions in the Solicitation 
Package. The original and 10 copies of the application should be sent 
to: U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural 
Affairs, Ref.: ECA/A/S/U-00-07, Grants Management Staff, ECA/EX/PM, 
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. The Bureau will 
transmit these files electronically to the public affairs section of 
the U.S. Embassy in Moscow for its review, with the goal of reducing 
the time it takes to get posts' comments for the Bureau'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

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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 
forwarded to independent reviewers and to Bureau and U.S. Embassy 
officers for advisory review.
    An independent review panel of professional, scholarly, or 
educational experts with appropriate regional and thematic knowledge 
will provide recommendations and assessments for consideration by The 
Bureau. The Bureau will consider for funding only those proposals which 
are recommended for further consideration by the independent review 
panel.
    Proposals will also be reviewed by Bureau officers as well as by 
other State Department officers in Washington, D.C. and overseas. 
Proposals may also be reviewed by the Office of the Legal Advisor or by 
other offices of the U.S. Department of State. Funding decisions will 
be made at the discretion of the Assistant Secretary for Educational 
and Cultural Affairs. Final technical authority for assistance awards 
(grants or cooperative agreements) will reside with a contracts officer 
with competency for Bureau programs.

Review Criteria

    Independent reviewers and State Department officers in Washington, 
DC, and overseas will use the criteria below to reach funding 
recommendations and decisions. Technically eligible applications will 
be competitively reviewed according to the criteria stated below. These 
criteria are not rank-ordered or weighted.

1. Quality of the Program Idea

    Proposals should exhibit originality, substance, precision and 
resourcefulness. Proposals should have reasonable and feasible project 
objectives which are clearly relevant to the Public Policy Partnership 
for the Institute of Public Administration at Moscow State University 
Project objectives and to the overall Bureau mission. Proposals should 
describe the projected benefits for all participating institutions as 
well as for wider communities of educators and professionals in Russia 
and the U.S.

2. Program Planning

    Proposals should include appropriate and feasible project plans and 
a detailed schedule which should include a well-reasoned combination of 
useful and appropriate mentoring, teaching, faculty and/or staff 
development, curriculum development (including distance learning), 
graduate student exchange and outreach. The various activities should 
be clearly related to project objectives, but need not be equally 
emphasized within the proposal. Proposals should clearly demonstrate 
how the partnership will meet the project's objectives and plan.

3. Support of Diversity

    Proposals should demonstrate substantive support of the Bureau's 
policy on diversity. The Bureau seeks institutional and geographic 
diversity of U.S. and overseas institutions (applications are 
encouraged from institutions with diverse student enrollments and 
institutions from under-represented areas). The Bureau also encourages 
proposals which address diversity concerns in program content.

4. Institutional Capacity and Commitment

    Proposals should demonstrate institutional resources adequate and 
appropriate to achieve program goals. Relevant factors include: The 
match between partner departments and schools; and availability of 
sufficient numbers of faculty and/or administrators willing and able to 
participate. Proposals should meet or exceed suggested Bureau minimum 
faculty exchange levels. Proposals should provide evidence of strong 
institutional commitment by all participating institutions and an 
indication of collaborative program planning. Proposals should 
demonstrate promise of sustainability and long-term impact which will 
be reflected in a plan for continued, non-U.S. government support and 
follow-on activities.

5. Institutions' 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 the Office of Contracts. The Bureau will consider the 
past performance of prior recipients and all reviewers will consider 
the demonstrated potential of new applicants. Reviewers will also 
consider the quality of exchange participants' academic credentials, 
skills, and experience relative to the goals and activities of the 
project plan.

6. Project Evaluation

    Proposals should include an effective evaluation plan which defines 
and articulates a list of anticipated outcomes related to the project 
goals and activities and procedures for final evaluation as well as for 
on-going monitoring and mid-term corrective action. Proposals should 
describe specific intermediate objectives to be achieved.

7. Cost-Effectiveness

    The overhead and administrative components of the proposal, 
including

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salaries, should be kept as low as possible. All other items should be 
necessary and appropriate. 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 cited above is provided through the Freedom for Russia and 
Emerging Eurasian Democracies and Open Markets Support Act of 1992 
(Freedom Support Act).

Notice

    The terms and conditions published in this RFP are binding and may 
not be modified by any State Department 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 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 State Department 
procedures.

    Dated: November 5, 1999.
Evelyn S. Lieberman,
Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs.
[FR Doc. 99-30047 Filed 11-16-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-11-P