[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 10 (Friday, January 14, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2451-2453]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-985]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 3203]


Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs Fulbright Teacher 
Exchange Program Orientation

AGENCY: Department of State.
ACTION: Request for Proposals.

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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 program. Public 
and private non-profit organizations, with a minimum of four years of 
experience in successfully administering orientation programs, and 
meeting the provisions described in IRS regulation 26 CFR 1.501(c) may 
apply to develop and administer August 2000 orientation activities in 
Washington DC for approximately 570 foreign and U.S. teachers and 
dependents participating in the Fulbright Teacher Exchange Program. The 
activities prepare participants in the program to teach (elementary, 
secondary, or college level) in the educational system of another 
country. The programming specifically strives: (a) To provide U.S. 
teachers with opportunities to meet face-to-face with their foreign 
exchange partners to discuss the details of their individual exchange 
assignments; (b) To provide participants with an understanding of the 
educational systems in which they will be teaching; and (c) To provide 
teachers with practical guidance on living in their countries of 
destination, with particular references to cross-cultural differences. 
The award in the FY-2000 competition will be approximately $260,000. 
Grants are subject to the availability of committed funds for Fiscal 
Year 2000.

Proposal

    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 Fulbright-Hays Act.
    Programs and projects must conform to Bureau requirements and 
guidelines outlined in the Solicitation Package for this RFP. The 
Project Objectives, Goals, and Implementation (POGI), and the Proposal 
Submission Instructions (PSI), which contain additional guidelines, are 
included in the Solicitation Package. Proposals that do not follow RFP 
requirements and the guidelines appearing in the POGI and PSI may be 
excluded from consideration due to technical ineligibility.
    Announcement Title and Number: All communications with the Bureau 
concerning this RFP should refer to Fulbright Teacher Exchange Program 
Orientation and reference number ECA/A/S/X-00-03.
    Deadline for Proposals: All copies must be received at the Bureau 
of Educational & Cultural Affairs by 5 p.m. Washington, DC time on 
Friday, March 10, 2000. Faxed documents will not be accepted at any 
time, nor will documents postmarked March 10, 2000, but received at a 
later date. It is the responsibility of each applicant to ensure 
compliance with the deadline.
    Program Dates: Grant should begin on or about May 1, 2000 and run 
through April 30, 2001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: United States Department of State, 
Bureau of Educational & Cultural Affairs, Office of Global Educational 
Programs, Fulbright Teacher Exchange Branch, State Annex 44, ECA/A/S/X, 
room 349, 301 4th Street, SW, Washington, DC 20547, telephone: (202) 
619-4556, fax: (202) 401-1433 to request a Solicitation Package 
containing more detailed award criteria, required application forms, 
and standard guidelines for preparing proposals, including specific 
criteria for preparation of the proposal budget. Please specify Bureau 
Program Officer Dehab Ghebreab, (telephone: 202-619-4556; e-mail: 
[email protected]) on all inquiries and correspondence.

To Download a Solicitation Package via Internet

    The entire Solicitation Package may be downloaded from the Bureau's 
web-site at http://e.usia.gov/education/rfps. Please read all 
information before downloading.
    Interested applicants should 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 
in any way with applicants until the Bureau proposal review process has 
been completed.

Submissions

    Applicants must follow all instructions given 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/X-00-03, Program Management Staff, ECA/EX/PM, 
Room 336, 301 4th Street, SW, Washington, DC 20547.

Diversity Guidelines

    Pursuant to the Bureau's authorizing legislation, programs must 
maintain a non-political character and should be balanced and 
representative of the

[[Page 2452]]

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 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 web-
site at http://www.itpolicy.gsa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Overview: August Orientation Workshop

    Approximately 570 U.S. and foreign exchange teachers and their 
dependents from approximately 30 countries will attend an orientation 
workshop in Washington, DC, from Monday, July 31 to Friday, August 4, 
2000. Names and numbers of participants will be provided in May/June 
after completion of the educator matching process. (There will be 
approximately 152 US teachers, 190 foreign teachers and 228 family 
members.)
    Participating countries arrange for non-U.S. teachers to arrive at 
the U.S. orientation site. Flights carrying non-U.S. teachers and their 
families should arrive on Monday, July 31, 2000 in the Washington, DC 
area. Arrangements should be made by the recipient institution for the 
U.S. teachers and their families to arrive at the orientation on 
Tuesday, August 1, which is a rest day for foreign teachers. (The 
recipient institution must require U.S. teachers to make their own 
travel arrangements to the orientation site, on a reimbursable basis). 
The workshop itself will take place August 2-3 for all participants. 
Departure will be scheduled for August 4.
    Purpose: The purpose of the August orientation workshop is to 
provide U.S. and foreign teachers and their spouses and dependents with 
a wide range of briefings, training, and discussions to assist them in 
preparing to function effectively in host schools and communities here 
and abroad in order to promote the mission of the Fulbright Program, 
mutual understanding. Partners meet face-to-face and share important 
information about their workplace and other particulars concerning 
their individual exchanges. The workshop should focus on the teachers' 
need to understand education in the host country, the professional and 
personal aspects of the exchange, and the many aspects of adjustment to 
living abroad, including cross-cultural orientation. The workshop 
should also address the anticipated needs and concerns of spouses and 
children so that they are able to optimally benefit from the exchange 
year abroad.
    Agenda: The agenda should recognize partner relationship building 
as a priority by scheduling joint sessions for U.S. and foreign 
partners in the morning, establishing training objectives for each 
session, and sequencing sessions to reinforce experiential learning. An 
equivalent of one day should be set aside for the US teachers and their 
families, as well as exchange partners and their families, to attend 
joint sessions and discuss their individual exchanges one-on-one.
    Sessions for U.S. and foreign teachers, some with their spouses, 
should include presentations on educational systems and cross-cultural 
matters. The POGI contains more specific information.

Additional Activities

    In developing the program agenda, cooperating institution may wish 
to provide additional activities designed to strengthen teachers' and 
dependents' abilities to function in a foreign setting. Time 
constraints should be considered: sessions must not interfere with the 
partner joint sessions and (one-on-one) discussions. Possibilities 
might include sessions on cross-cultural communication and 
understanding, and visits to embassies, consulates, and cultural 
gatherings. It may also be possible to schedule sessions on August 1 
when all foreign teachers are present and most U.S. teachers will have 
arrived by the afternoon.

Speakers

    Cooperating institution is to identify and invite speakers and 
panelists to cover all sessions, but must demonstrate its ability and 
willingness to draw on its own resources to identify such individuals, 
as well as other resources beyond the organization. This includes 
universities in the area, consulting groups, embassy personnel or other 
experts. Speakers may include State Department's specialists, staff 
from foreign counterpart agencies, university faculty, international 
and intercultural specialists, foreign consular and embassy officials, 
former exchange teachers, foreign teachers, currently on exchange in 
the United States, U.S. administrators associated with the program and 
others. The Bureau must approve speaker/panelist selections. During the 
sessions set aside for administrative matters, Bureau staff will 
specifically designate State Department specialists and staff from 
foreign counterpart agencies to serve as resource people and speakers. 
The cooperating institution may also be asked to call on these people 
to assist with other orientation sessions. As much as possible, 
presenters should incorporate Fulbright specific situations, issues, 
and materials.

Services

    In addition to developing the agenda and securing speakers, the 
cooperating institution will provide specific services in consultation 
with Bureau program officers. The POGI contains more specific 
information.

Web-Site

    The institution will be expected to design a web-site to support 
easy access to information pertaining to the August orientation 
program. The web-site should be linked to the Bureau's and program 
agency's appropriate sites to help grantees access additional resources 
and information.

Reports

    The institution will be expected to design and distribute an 
evaluation for the August orientation to be completed by the teachers. 
Such a form will cover program content, including meeting sessions, as 
well as logistical arrangements such as housing, food, and general 
meeting facilities. The form will be cleared by Bureau prior to its 
use. Participants' evaluations should be tabulated and sent to the 
Bureau no later than four weeks after the orientation.

[[Page 2453]]

The institution should also provide the Bureau with a substantive 
written analysis of the orientation, with recommendations for improving 
future orientations (no later than ten weeks after the orientation). 
The Bureau reserves the right to conduct an independent evaluation of 
the program. The institution is also required to provide a breakdown of 
actual cost figures for the orientation no later than ten weeks after 
the completion of the orientation.
    Special note: The cooperating institution will survey the 
literature of appropriate subject fields to determine materials of 
greatest potential value to teachers. If approved by the Bureau, 
recipient institution will purchase materials (up to $40 per teacher). 
The institution will also compile other materials as directed by the 
Bureau. These may include materials on U.S. education, including 
current trends and initiatives, materials on education in selected 
foreign countries, materials on cross-cultural adjustment and 
understanding, materials that provide guidance on living abroad, and 
other materials which the institution and the Bureau staff consider 
useful. The institution will provide these materials to U.S. and 
foreign exchange teachers at the orientation.

    Note: The Bureau may also request that cooperating institution 
arrange additional orientation and/or training, or workshop 
briefings for program participants and administrators, resource 
people, and organizers during the award period. Cooperating 
institution may also be asked to provide programming and other 
services to the Bureau including, but not limited to, peer committee 
chairpersons workshops, predeparture orientation activities, foreign 
and U.S. teacher debriefings, materials purchase and distribution, 
and the development of new program information, including materials 
and videos.

Proposed Budget

    Organizations must submit a comprehensive line-item budget based on 
the specific guidance in the Solicitation Package. There must be a 
summary budget as well as a break-down reflecting both the 
administrative budget and the program budget. For better understanding 
or further clarification, applicants may provide separate sub-budgets 
for each program component, phase, location, or activity in order to 
facilitate the Bureau decisions on funding. Administrative costs should 
be kept low; this will be an important factor in grant competition. 
Also, the ability to achieve cost-effectiveness within budget 
guidelines through cost-sharing will enhance competitive proposals. 
Please refer to the Solicitation Package for complete budget guidelines 
and formatting instructions.

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 Bureau officers. Proposals may also be reviewed by the 
Office of the Legal Advisor or by other offices of the State 
Department. 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

    State Department officers 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 and Clarity of Program Planning: Proposals should 
exhibit substance, precision, and relevance to Bureau mission. 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. Proposals should 
clearly demonstrate how the institution will meet the program's 
objectives and plan.
    2. Support of Diversity: Proposals should demonstrate substantive 
support of the Bureau's policy on diversity by outlining relevant 
aspects of the institutional profile. Achievable and relevant features 
should be cited in both program administration and program content 
(orientation sessions, resource materials, and choice of resources).
    3. Institutional Capacity and Record/Ability: Proposed personnel 
and institutional resources should be adequate and appropriate to 
achieve the program or project's goals. 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 State 
Department's Contracts office. The Bureau will consider the past 
performance of prior recipients and the demonstrated potential of new 
applicants.
    4. Project Evaluation: Proposals should include a plan to evaluate 
the activities' 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 are recommended.
    5. Cost-effectiveness and Cost-sharing: 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. Proposals should maximize cost-sharing 
through other private sector support as well as institutional direct 
funding contributions.

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 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 the internal Bureau 
procedures.

    Dated: January 7, 2000.
Evelyn S. Lieberman,
Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs.
[FR Doc. 00-985 Filed 1-13-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-11-P