[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 11 (Wednesday, January 17, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4048-4050]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-1363]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 3540]


Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs Request for Grant 
Proposals: Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program--
International Academic Opportunity Act of 2000

SUMMARY: The Office of Global Educational Programs of the Bureau of 
Educational and Cultural Affairs announces an open competition for the 
Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program. Public and 
private non-profit organizations meeting the provisions described in 
IRS regulation 26 CFR 1.501(c) may submit proposals for the purpose of 
carrying out a scholarship program for academic study outside of the 
United States.

Program Information

    This program establishes grants for U.S. citizen or national 
undergraduate students of limited financial means from the United 
States to enable such students to pursue academic studies abroad. Such 
foreign study is intended to better prepare U.S. students to assume 
significant roles in an increasingly global economy.

Overview

    This program provides an assistance award not to exceed $1,500,000 
for the purpose of issuing grants of up to $5,000 to individuals who 
meet the eligibility requirements listed below, toward the cost of up 
to one academic year of undergraduate study abroad. Subject to the 
availability of funding and to satisfactory performance of the awardee, 
this assistance award may be renewable for two subsequent fiscal years.
    The Presidential Memorandum on International Education of April 19, 
2000 directs the Department of State to support the efforts of schools 
and colleges to improve access to high-quality international 
educational experiences by increasing the number of diversity of 
students who study and intern abroad. In support of this Memorandum and 
pursuant to the authorizing legislation for the Benjamin A. Gilman 
International Scholarship Program, this program is intended to broaden 
the student population that participates in study outside the U.S. by 
focusing on those students who might not otherwise study abroad due to 
financial constraints.
    The Presidential Memorandum also directs the Department to 
encourage students and institutions to choose nontraditional study-
abroad locations and to help underrepresented U.S. institutions offer 
and promote study-abroad opportunities for their students. These 
secondary objectives should also be addressed in grant proposals.

Guidelines

    The administering organization should be prepared to solicit 
applications immediately upon receipt of grant notification and to 
award scholarships to allow study programs to begin in the 2001/2002 
academic year.
    Student Eligibility: To apply for a scholarship, an applicant must;
    (1) Be a student in good standing at an institution of higher 
education in the United States (as defined in section 101(a) of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965);
    (2) Have been accepted for up to one academic year of study on a 
program of study abroad approved for credit by the student's home 
institution;
    (3) Be receiving any need-based student assistance under title IV 
of the Higher Education Act of 1965; and
    (4) Be a citizen or national of the United States.
    Application and Selection: (1) Scholarship application and 
selection shall be carried out through accredited institutions of 
higher education in the United States or a combination of such 
institutions.
    (2) In considering applications for scholarships:
    (A) consideration of financial need shall include the increased 
costs of study abroad; and
    (B) priority consideration shall be given to applicants who are 
receiving Federal Pell Grants under title of the Higher Education Act 
of 1965.
    (C) in ranking eligible applicants, consideration should also be 
given to academic excellence, and diversity of the applicant pool, 
fields of study, destinations, and type and location of home 
institutions of higher education.
    Reporting: The grantee organization will submit quarterly reports 
on the number of applicants, the number of selectees, the names of the 
institutions of higher education in the United States that applicants 
and selectees attended at the time of application, name of institutions 
sponsoring the study program abroad, the names and locations of the 
institutions of higher education outside the United States which 
participants attended during

[[Page 4049]]

their study abroad, the fields of study of participants, and attrition 
rates. Additionally, the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs may 
request other periodic and ad hoc reports.

Budget Guidelines

    Grants awarded to eligible organizations with less than four years 
of experience in conducting international exchange programs are limited 
by Bureau policy to $60,000. The bureau intends to make one award not 
to exceed $1,500,000. Accordingly, institutions with less than five 
years experience are not encouraged to apply. The Bureau encourages 
applicants to provide maximum levels of cost-sharing and funding from 
private sources in support of its programs.
    Applicants must submit a comprehensive budget for the entire 
program. Of the total grant, a maximum of 10% (up to $150,000) may be 
spent on administrative and overhead costs. 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) Administrative: Salaries and benefits and other direct 
administrative expenses such as postage, phone, printing and office 
supplies.
    (2) Program: Participant expenses, which may include institutional 
fees, travel expenses, tuition; expenses related to review panels, 
including travel and perdiem.
    Please refer to the Solicitation Package for complete budget 
guidelines and formatting instructions.

Announcement Title and Number

    All correspondence with the Bureau concerning this RFGP should 
reference the above title and number ECA/A/S/A-01-14.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: The Office of Global Educational 
Programs, Educational Information and Resources Branch (ECA/A/S/A), 
Room 349, U.S. Department of State, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 
20547; telephone 202-619-5434; fax 202-401-1433; 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 Amy Forest on all 
other inquiries and correspondence.
    Please read the complete Federal Register announcement before 
sending inquiries or submitting proposals. Once the RFGP 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://exchanges.state.gov/education/RFGPs. 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 Friday, February 
23, 2001. Faxed documents will not be accepted at any time. Documents 
postmarked on 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 15 copies of the application should be sent 
to: U.S. Department of State, SA-44, Bureau of Educational and Cultural 
Affairs, Ref.: ECA/A/S/A-01-14, Program Management, ECA/EX/PM, Room 
534, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547.
    Applicants must also submit the ``Executive Summary'' and 
``Proposal Narrative'' sections of the proposal on 3.5" diskette, 
formatted for DOS. These documents must be provided in ASCII text (DOS) 
format with a maximum line length of 65 characters.

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.'' Public Law 106-113 requires that 
the governments of the countries described above do not have 
inappropriate influence in the selection process. Proposals should 
reflect advancement of these goals in their program contents, to the 
full extent deemed feasible.

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 Public Diplomacy section 
overseas, where appropriate. Eligible proposals will be subject to 
compliance with Federal and Bureau regulations and guidelines and 
forwarded to Bureau grant panels for advisory review. Proposals may 
also be reviewed by the Office of the Legal Adviser or by other 
Department elements. Final funding decisions are at the discretion of 
the Department of State's Assistant Secretary for Educational and 
Cultural Affairs. Final technical authority for assistance awards 
(grants or cooperative agreements) resides with the Bureau's 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. Agenda 
and plan should adhere to the program overview and guidelines described 
above. The work plan should specify target dates for objectives such as 
application deadlines, notifications, and provision of funds to 
participants.
    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

[[Page 4050]]

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 and program 
content. Proposals should demonstrate the recipient's commitment to 
promoting the awareness and understanding of diversity, including but 
not limited to diversity in applicant pool, type and location of home 
institution, study destinations, and fields of study.
    6. Institutional Capacity: Proposed personnel and institutional 
resources should be adequate and appropriate to achieve the program or 
project's goals. Applicants should demonstrate prior experience or the 
capacity to negotiate with academic institutions to achieve significant 
cost sharing. Electronic databases should be compatible with the 
Bureau's systems.
    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 Bureau Grant 
Staff. The Bureau 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 such as alumni tracking and programming.
    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.

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 the International Academic 
Opportunity Act of 2000.

Notice

    The terms and conditions published in this RFGP 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 RFGP 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 Bureau procedures.

    Dated: January 9, 2001.
William B. Bader,
Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. 
Department of State.
[FR Doc. 01-1363 Filed 1-16-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-U-M