[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 32 (Thursday, February 15, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10549-10551]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-3878]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 3576]


Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs Project To Develop a 
Master's Degree Program in Business Administration for Croatia; Request 
for Grant Proposals

SUMMARY: The Office of Global Educational Programs of the Bureau of 
Educational and Cultural Affairs in the Department of State announces 
an open competition for an assistance award to support the Consortium 
of Faculties of Economics in Croatia as the Consortium develops a full-
time Master's Degree program in Business Administration to be based in 
the city of Zadar. Core program instruction for the MBA program will 
take place in Zadar during the second year of the program, once a 
curriculum is developed in collaboration with the Consortium of 
Faculties of Economics. Accredited post-secondary educational 
institutions and other organizations meeting the provisions described 
in IRS regulation 26 CFR 1.501(c) may submit proposals that address 
these objectives. The means for achieving these objectives may include 
curriculum development, faculty training, case study development, 
consultation, research, distance education, internship training and 
professional outreach to public and private sector managers and 
entrepreneurs.

Overview and Project Objectives

    The project is designed to support the development of a Master's 
Degree program in Business Administration (MBA) in English to be based 
in Zadar, while also strengthening business education throughout 
Croatia. The Consortium of Faculties of Economics in Croatia (which 
includes the Universities of Zagreb, Split, Rijeka and Osijek) intends 
to develop core subjects and specializations. The project will focus on 
faculty and curriculum development for faculty at institutions 
belonging to the consortium.
    Applicants are encouraged to develop creative strategies to pursue 
these objectives and that reflect an understanding of the status, 
achievements, and current needs of business education in Croatia.
    The project should pursue these objectives through a strategy that 
coordinates the participation of junior and senior level faculty, 
administrators, or graduate students for any appropriate combination of 
teaching, research, mentoring, internships, and outreach, for exchange 
visits ranging from one week to an academic year. Visits of one 
semester or longer for participants from Croatia are strongly 
encouraged and program activities must be tied to the goals and 
objectives of the project.
    If the proposed project would occur within the context of a 
previous or ongoing project, the proposal should explain how the 
request for Bureau funding would build upon the pre-existing 
relationship or complement previous and concurrent projects, which must 
be listed and described with details about the amounts and sources of 
external support. Previous projects should be described in the 
proposal, and the results of the evaluation of previous cooperative 
efforts should be summarized.
    The project should pursue these objectives through a strategy that 
coordinates the participation of junior and senior level faculty, 
administrators, or graduate students for any appropriate combination of 
teaching, research, mentoring, internships, and outreach, for exchange 
visits ranging from one week to an academic year. Visits of one 
semester or longer for participants from Croatia are strongly 
encouraged and program activities must be tied to the goals and 
objectives of the project.
    If the proposed project would occur within the context of a 
previous or ongoing project, the proposal should explain how the 
request for Bureau funding would build upon the pre-existing 
relationship or complement previous and concurrent projects, which must 
be listed and described with details about the amounts and sources of 
external support. Previous projects should be described in the 
proposal, and the results of the evaluation of previous cooperative 
efforts should be summarized.

U.S. Institution and Participant Eligibility

    In the United States, participation in the program is open to 
accredited two and four-year colleges and universities, including 
graduate schools as well as other organizations meeting the provisions 
described in IRS regulation 26 CFR 1.501(c). Applications from 
consortia or other combinations of U.S. colleges and universities are 
eligible. The lead U.S. organization in the consortium or other 
combination of cooperating institutions is responsible for submitting 
the application. Each application must document the lead organization's 
authority to represent all U.S. cooperating partners.
    With the exception of outside consultants reporting on the degree 
to which project objectives have been achieved, participants who are 
traveling under the Bureau's grant funds must be teachers, advanced 
graduate students who are teaching or research assistants, or 
administrators from the participating institution(s). Participants 
representing the U.S. institution(s) must be U.S. citizens. Advanced 
graduate students are eligible for Bureau-funded participation in this 
program only if they are working under the direction of an accompanying 
faculty participant or project director on the achievement of project 
objectives.

Croatian Institutional and Participant Eligibility

    The Croatian partner is the Consortium of Faculties of Economics in 
Croatia. Secondary foreign partners may include relevant governmental 
and non-governmental organizations, as well as non-profit service and 
professional organizations concerned with the development of the MBA 
Program in Croatia. Foreign participants must be instructors at a 
university belonging to

[[Page 10550]]

the Consortium of Faculties of Economics in Croatia and must be 
citizens or permanent residents of Croatia who are eligible to receive 
a J-1 visa.

Budget Guidelines

    The Bureau anticipates awarding one grant not to exceed $320,250. 
Applicants may submit a budget not to exceed this amount. Organizations 
with less than four years experience in conducting international 
exchanges are limited to $60,000, and are not encouraged to apply. 
Budget notes should carefully justify the amounts needed. There must be 
a summary budget as well as a breakdown reflecting the program and 
administrative budgets including unit costs. Cost sharing will be 
considered an important indicator of institutional commitment.
    Funds will be awarded for a period up to two years to defray the 
costs of exchanges, to provide educational materials, to increase 
library holdings and improve Internet connections. Up to 25% of the 
grant total may be used to defray the costs of project administration.
    Please refer to the Solicitation Package for complete guidelines 
and formatting instructions.

Announcement Title and Number

    All correspondence with the Bureau of Educational and Cultural 
Affairs concerning this RFGP should reference the ``Project to Develop 
a Master's Degree Program in Business Administration for Croatia'' and 
reference number ECA/A/S/U-01-17.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Contact the Humphrey Fellowships and 
Institutional Linkages Branch, Office of Global Educational Programs, 
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs; ECA/A/S/U, Room 349, SA-44; 
U.S. Department of State, 301 4th Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20547, 
phone (202) 619-5289, fax: (202) 401-1433, e-mail: 
[email protected] to request a Solicitation Package.
    The Solicitation Package contains detailed review criteria, 
required application forms, and guidelines for preparing proposals, 
including specific criteria for preparation of the proposal budget. 
Please specify the above reference number on all 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/rfps. Please read all 
information before downloading.

Deadline of Proposals

    All proposal copies must be received at the Bureau of Educational 
and Cultural Affairs by 5 p.m. Washington, D.C. time on Friday, April 
27, 2001. 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. It is the responsibility of each applicant to ensure 
compliance with the deadline.

Approximate Program Dates

    Grants should begin on or about August 1, 2001.
    DURATION: August 1, 2001-August 30, 2003.

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, SA-44, Ref.: ECA/A/S/U-01-17, Program 
Management, ECA/EX/PM, Room 534, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 
20547.
    All copies should include the documents specified under Tabs A 
through E in the ``Project Objectives, Goals, and Implementation'' 
(POGI) section of the Solicitation Package. The documents under Tab F 
of the POGI should be submitted with the original application and with 
one of the ten copies.
    Proposals that do not follow RFGP requirements and the guidelines 
appearing in the POGI and PSI may be excluded from consideration due to 
technical ineligibility.
    Applicants must also submit the ``Executive Summary,'' and 
``Proposal Narrative'' Sections of the proposal on a 3.5" diskette, 
formatted for DOS. This material 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 Zagreb for its advisory review, with the goal of 
reducing time it takes to get the post's 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 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 Affairs Section 
of the U.S. Embassy in Zagreb. Eligible proposals will be subject to 
review for compliance with Federal and Bureau regulations and 
guidelines and will be 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 Acting 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

    State Department officers in Washington, D.C. 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.

[[Page 10551]]

1. Broad Significance and Clarity of Institutional Objectives

    Proposals should outline clearly formulated objectives that relate 
specifically to the needs of the participating institutions. Project 
objectives should also have significant but realistically anticipated 
ongoing results for the participating institutions and demonstrate how 
these results will also contribute to the transition in Croatia to a 
more transparent, market-oriented economy.

2. Creativity and Feasibility of Strategy To Achieve Project Objectives

    Strategies to achieve project objectives should demonstrate the 
feasibility of doing so during the period of award by utilizing and 
reinforcing exchange activities realistically and with creativity.

3. Support of Diversity

    Proposals should demonstrate substantive support of the Bureau's 
policy on diversity by explaining how issues of diversity relate to 
project objectives and how these issues will be addressed during 
project implementation. Proposals should also outline the institutional 
profile of each participating institution with regard to issues of 
diversity.

4. Institutional Commitment

    Proposals should demonstrate significant understanding of the 
institutional needs of the Consortium of Faculties of Economics in 
Croatia and of the U.S. institution's capacity to address these needs 
while also benefiting from its involvement with the Croatian partners. 
Proposals should also demonstrate a strong commitment, during and after 
the period of grant activity, to cooperate in the pursuit of 
institutional objectives.

5. Institutional Record/Ability

    Proposals should demonstrate an institutional record of 
administering 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 officers. The Bureau will consider the past performance of 
prior recipients and the demonstrated potential of new applicants. 
Reviewers will also consider the quality of exchange participants' 
academic credentials, skills, commitment and experience relative to the 
goals and activities of the project plan.

6. Project Evaluation

    The proposal should outline a methodology for determining the 
degree to which the project meets its objectives, both while the 
project is underway and at its conclusion. The final project evaluation 
should include an external component and should provide observations 
about the project's influence within the participating institutions as 
well as their surrounding communities or societies.

7. Cost-Effectiveness

    Administrative and program costs should be reasonable and 
appropriate with cost sharing provided as a reflection of the 
applicant's commitment to the project.

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 Support for East European 
Democracy (SEED) Act of 1989.

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.
    Projects must conform with Bureau requirements and guidelines 
outlined in the solicitation Package. The POGI, a document describing 
this project's objectives, goals, and implementation is included in the 
Solicitation Package.

Notification

    Final awards cannot be made until funds have been appropriated by 
Congress, allocated and committed through internal Bureau procedures.

    Dated: February 9, 2001.
Helena Kane Finn,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. 
Department of State.
[FR Doc. 01-3878 Filed 2-14-01; 8:45 am]
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