[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 98 (Monday, May 21, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28009-28014]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-12571]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 3673]


Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs Request for Grant 
Proposals (ECA/PE/C/CU-01-64): Creative Arts Exchange Programs for 
Africa, East Asia and the Pacific, and Central Asia

SUMMARY: The Cultural Programs Division of the Bureau of Educational 
and Cultural Affairs (ECA) announces an open competition for assistance 
awards for international Creative Arts Exchanges. Public and private 
U.S. non-profit organizations meeting the provisions described in IRS 
regulation 26 CFR 1.501(c) may submit proposals to conduct programs for 
Cultural Tourism in Africa; Performing Arts Presenters in East Asia and 
the Pacific; or Protecting Cultural Heritage: Film And Documentary 
Archives In Central Asia.

Program Information

    Overview: The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) 
invites applicants to submit proposals that promote the institutional 
capacity, professional expertise and economic viability of arts 
institutions and cultural entities in Africa, East Asia and the 
Pacific, and Central Asia. Programs supported by the Creative Arts 
Exchanges grants should create or expand ongoing institutional 
partnerships, and offer experiential learning activities, and share 
methods and materials that will enhance the development of their 
cultural institutions and management skills. This program is not 
academic in nature; programs should be designed to provide practical, 
hands-on experience.
    Guidelines: The proposal should anticipate a grant period that will 
begin no earlier than September 1, 2001.
    Competitive proposals usually have the following characteristics: 
(1) An active, existing partnership between a U.S. organization and the 
foreign partner institution(s), or strong potential to develop a 
sustainable, productive partnership; (2) a proven successful track 
record for conducting similar program activity; (3) experienced staff 
with knowledge of the region and local language(s) ability; (4) a clear 
and reasonable implementation plan and well-articulated expected 
outcomes; (5) a two-way exchange; and (6) concrete ideas for possible 
follow-on activities to take place after the funded grant period.
    Proposals should reflect a practical understanding of the current 
cultural, political, economic and social environment that is relevant 
to the theme addressed in the proposal.

[[Page 28010]]

Proposals should also indicate a strong knowledge of cultural 
activities and organizations working in the region. Applicants should 
identify the U.S. and foreign partner organizations and individuals 
with whom they are proposing to collaborate and describe in detail 
previous cooperative projects in the section on ``Institutional 
Capacity.'' Proposals should give an indication that the program ideas 
were jointly developed between the American and foreign 
organization(s). Resumes for proposed U.S. and foreign staff, trainers, 
consultants should be included in the proposal.
    Unless otherwise specified below: (1) Program activities may 
include: A cost-effective needs assessment; an open, merit-based 
selection process; short-term training; study tours; consultations; 
site visits; internships; performances or exhibits; a specific group 
project; and extended, intensive workshops; (2) Programming should 
include a U.S. exchange component for foreign participants; (3) In-
country activities should be designed to reach a wide audience and give 
the exchange participants an opportunity to be co-leaders on workshops, 
(4) Orientation sessions are required for both foreign and U.S. 
participants, and (5) The project should include activities that 
promote two-way exchanges and allow the foreign program participants to 
experience American life and culture, and that will provide Americans 
an opportunity to learn about the culture of the partner's country.
    Programs should be designed so that collaboration and information 
sharing that occurs during the grant period will continue long after 
the grant period is over. Proven methods of sustainability include, but 
are not limited to: A commitment to create or support joint or in-
country cultural projects; joint activities recognized by the 
international community; regularly published electronic and/or hard-
copy newsletters; and ongoing mentoring through Internet communication 
or other means.
    To be considered for a grant award in this competition, the 
proposed exchange program must address one of the following themes:
     Cultural Tourism (Single-Country Program with Ghana, Mali 
or Niger)
     Performing Arts Presenters (Single-Country/City Program 
with Indonesia, Korea, Vietnam or Hong Kong)
     Protecting Cultural Heritage: Film And Documentary 
Archives In Central Asia (Single- or Multiple-Country Program with the 
Central Asian countries of the New Independent States: Kazakhstan, 
Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan)

Cultural Tourism

    Overview: For many African countries there are few opportunities on 
a local or regional level to carve out a viable sector of the nation's 
economy. Africa's rich culture and traditions, and historical links to 
the global community, provide an environment unmatched in its potential 
for establishing a strong cultural tourism industry. Cultural tourism 
encourages increased involvement in the historical growth of a region, 
responsible stewardship of local resources, develops the local economy, 
and strengthens educational institutions. An established tourist 
industry will also provide a foundation for grassroots business 
development.
    Museums and other culturally important sites are the gateway to 
tourism development, the focal point from which the tourist industry 
expands. Each African country has its own history, resources and 
professional expertise from which to establish the historical cultural 
tourism industry. The goals of this program are threefold: (1) To 
create and enhance ongoing international partnerships between specific 
sites in the U.S. and the African countries participating in this 
program, (2) to bring African and American visual arts and cultural 
heritage professionals together in a global arena, and (3) to 
comprehensively improve a specific culturally important site that will 
result in increased cultural tourism for the region.
    Program Guidelines: Applicants are invited to submit a proposal for 
a two-way exchange program focusing on cultural tourism in Ghana, Mali 
or Niger. The program may be centered on a specific cultural site (e.g. 
museum, nature preserve, historical landmark, archaeological site, 
etc.). The program plan should indicate a balanced exchange of 
participants, build on an existing foundation, and include joint work 
for the enhancement of interpretive and educational programming and 
other components marketable in the area of international tourism.
    Applicants are strongly encouraged to focus on the following themes 
when developing proposals:
    Ghana: Slave Routes within Ghana. The program should focus on the 
northern region in Ghana, using lessons learned from the existing, 
well-established tourist trade on the coast of the central region.
    Mali: Archaeological Tourism and Cultural Heritage. The proposal 
should focus on conserving and developing for tourism the 
archaeological sites of Jenne-Jenna and/or Mopti. This program will 
build on an assessment conducted by American Cultural Specialists on a 
previous ECA grant.
    Niger: Eco/Cultural Tourism with Rock Art or Dinosaur Fossil Beds. 
The program should analyze the potential to study, conserve and develop 
for tourism Niger's dinosaur fossil beds and 8,000-year-old rock art.
    The program plan should follow the program and budget guidelines 
included in this RFGP. In addition, the proposal should include the 
following components:
     Assessment site visit, if necessary.
     Video Documentation of the cultural site development 
throughout the grant period, conducted jointly with local staff to 
ensure the continuation of documentation after the grant period ends.
     At least one seminar on general museology, the role of 
museums in cultural tourism, and other relevant topics in cultural 
tourism for a wide audience. Target audience may include government 
officials at the local to ministry level, museum professionals, 
cultural specialists, tourist board, land management office, tourist 
agencies, national arts council and museums association. African and 
American participants should jointly plan and co-conduct the in-country 
seminars.
    Additional program elements can include, but are not limited to:
     Creation of work plans to develop and run a cultural site 
or museum for the purpose of tourism development.
     Study tour of U.S. cultural heritage sites.
     Modest purchases of equipment or services.
     Development of educational and interpretive presentations 
and materials.
    Program Participants: The U.S. grantee organization will recruit a 
mix of upper and mid-level professionals (decision makers and hands-on 
professionals) to participate in this program. The partner 
organizations will advertise to a wider target audience for the in-
country seminar(s) on topics in cultural tourism.
    Organizations planning to submit a proposal for Cultural Tourism in 
Africa are encouraged to contact the program office for a consultation 
before the submission deadline: Susie Baker [email protected]; Tel: 
(202) 205-2209. Before calling, organizations should be ready to 
discuss a concrete concept specific to the guidelines supplied in this 
request for grant proposals.

[[Page 28011]]

Performing Arts Presenters

    Overview: This project is intended to present opportunities for 
performing arts presenters in the U.S. to learn about management styles 
in Vietnam, Korea, Indonesia or Hong Kong and for their presenters to 
gain knowledge about the field in the U.S. The exchange will offer 
opportunities for arts managers to acquaint themselves with the range 
of performing artists in each other's country. Performing arts tours 
can help solve problems and reduce tensions caused by deep-rooted 
differences between the mindsets of Americans and citizens of other 
countries. Carrying out such exchanges is often hampered by the very 
cultural misperceptions that such tours hopefully can address, along, 
of course, with contractual misunderstanding, incompatible management 
styles, country-specific labor idiosyncrasies, intellectual property 
issues, mismatched venue expectations, etc. This program should create 
an arts management infrastructure that increases the access countries 
have to each other's performing arts groups and the cultural insight 
that such access brings. This cultural insight is particularly valuable 
to the U.S. at this time vis-a-vis Vietnam, Korea, Indonesia or Hong 
Kong--countries in which trade can be increased, human rights issues 
resolved, and bilateral tensions decreased more easily within a context 
of greater mutual understanding.
    Program Guidelines: Applicants are invited to submit proposals for 
the Performing Arts Presenters program. The proposed program should 
facilitate the exchange of ideas and joint projects between arts 
presenters in the U.S. and one of the eligible countries listed above. 
Through joint collaboration and program elements designed to remove 
cross-cultural barriers, participants should examine the ideas, 
motivations, and presentation practices of their international 
counterparts, develop work plans, and participate in program activities 
that will help each side better understand how the other side operates.
    Ideally, the program would culminate in an artistic exchange of 
performers from Indonesia, Korea, Vietnam or Hong Kong to the U.S. 
through cost sharing and/or third party funding. The goal of the 
program is to create an environment of mutual understanding and ongoing 
collaboration between performing arts presenters from different 
countries in order to achieve fruitful artistic exchanges.
    Competitive proposals should include, but are not limited to, the 
following four components:
     Consultation/assessment visit by American arts presenters 
to Vietnam, Korea, Indonesia or Hong Kong: A team of seasoned American 
arts presenters will travel overseas to meet with leading arts 
presenters in the region, to increase their knowledge of performing 
arts presentations and assess performance philosophy and venues.
     Workshops in the U.S.: American experts in performing arts 
presentation will conduct workshops in the U.S. for foreign 
participants. Workshop topics should focus on legal, contractual, 
marketing, commercial and logistical issues involved with presenting 
American performing artists. Workshops should also address similarities 
and differences between performing arts organizations in the U.S. and 
overseas region, and an overview of the difficulties that American 
performing artists encounter when conducting overseas tours. 
Experiential workshops could also include case studies and problem 
solving exercises.
     National or regional conference for arts presenters: An 
opportunity for leading performing arts presenters from the overseas 
region to attend one of the national or regional conferences for arts 
presenters in the U.S., where the participants would have an 
opportunity to increase their understanding, with the aid of mentors, 
of trends in the arts presentation field and to view a wide range of 
performing artists. At the conclusion of this component, the American 
and foreign arts presenters will develop proposals and timelines to 
present specific artists in each other's country.
     Seminar or presentation for performing arts presenters in 
the overseas region: The proposed plan should include at least one in-
country seminar or presentation for a group of performing arts 
presenters on an issue related to the grant theme, to maximize cost-
effectiveness and share expertise with a wider audience.
    Program Participants: (1) The grantee organization will recruit 
American performing arts presenters for the initial assessment visit 
and final phase of the project, and (2) The grantee organization will 
recruit qualified foreign performing arts presenters in the overseas 
region.

Protecting Cultural Heritage: Film and Documentary Archives in 
Central Asia

    Overview: Prior to the collapse of the Soviet Union, the national 
film archive in Moscow was the central and official government 
repository of most of the country's feature films, documentary films, 
and other historical audiovisual materials. With independence, the 
former Soviet Central Asian countries became responsible for preserving 
their own film and documentary heritage for use within their country 
and to share with foreign professionals and public audiences. But their 
archives lack the means to fully achieve this.
    Program Guidelines: ECA invites applicants to submit proposals for 
an exchange program with documentary and film archives in Central Asia 
that will help them become economically viable, self-sustaining 
cultural and scientific institutions with the structure and specialized 
personnel able to maintain, preserve and restore the film and 
documentary records of Central Asia and make them available for 
research, study, public screenings and film exchanges with American 
archives. The proposed program would link a non-profit American 
cultural institution with a partner organization in some or all of the 
following countries: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, 
and Uzbekistan. Through site inspections, film collection assessments, 
workshops, seminars, training sessions and other relevant activities, 
the American and overseas partners would cooperate in identifying and 
resolving priority preservation problems requiring immediate attention. 
Further program components should yield steps toward long-term 
solutions to other problems as identified and prioritized through a 
joint decision making process. These program elements should deal with 
such matters as copyright protection and intellectual property rights, 
archive administration and management, film and documentary exchanges 
with other institutions, technology development, economic growth and 
sustainability as well as cataloguing, conservation, and other film 
preservation practices.
    The goal of the proposed exchange is to upgrade and strengthen 
Central Asian archives so they qualify for membership in the 
International Federation of Film Archives (FIAF), whose members include 
more than 100 institutions in over 63 countries which collect, restore, 
document and exhibit films. FIAF membership would provide the Central 
Asian archives with a number of benefits, including film loans and 
information on congresses, symposia and workshops on film preservation. 
More importantly, the archives would become part of an international 
network of technical advice and information exchange among the world's 
largest association of moving image archives, thus multiplying and 
maximizing the institutional linkage of the proposed exchange described 
here. Priority consideration will be given to the proposal that can 
achieve this goal.

[[Page 28012]]

    In addition to the activities included in this RFGP's general 
program and budget guidelines, proposed funding would support the 
following specific activities.
     Site inspection to assess immediate and long-term 
preservation and archival issues, and to jointly plan an exchange visit 
to the U.S.
     Assessment of archival film holdings, examination of their 
cultural and historical significance, and evaluation of potential for 
film exchanges between the U.S. and the countries of Central Asia.
     Examination of archival relationships to local film 
production and distribution companies.
     In-country presentation(s) and discussions with a larger 
group of Central Asian film professionals on issues related to film 
preservation and archives, to maximize cost-effectiveness and share 
expertise with a wider audience.
    The organization(s) awarded this grant will work closely with the 
program office on all aspects of program implementation and will 
maintain contact with the Public Affairs Section(s) of the U.S. 
embassy/ies regarding in-country phases of the program.
    Organizations planning to submit a proposal for Film and 
Documentary Archives in Central Asia are strongly encouraged to contact 
the program office for a consultation before the submission deadline: 
Susan Cohen [email protected]; Tel: (202) 619-5792. Before calling, 
organizations should be ready to discuss a concrete concept specific to 
the guidelines supplied in this request for grant proposals.

Selection of Participants

    To be competitive, proposals should include a description of an 
open, merit-based participant selection process, including recruitment 
methods, selection criteria and proposed reviewers. A sample 
application should be submitted with the proposal. In some cases, the 
applicant pool may be small due to the level of expertise required or 
nature of the program. An application process should still be carried 
out to (1) ensure fair selection, (2) give applicants a forum in which 
to address their personal and professional needs and program goals, (3) 
provide the ECA program office and U.S. embassy an opportunity to 
participate in the selection process, and (4) collect necessary 
information for travel documents and visas. Applicants should expect to 
carry out the entire selection process, but the ECA Program Office and 
the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy abroad should be 
consulted. ECA and the U.S. Embassies retain the right to nominate 
participants and to approve or reject participants recommended by the 
grantee institution. Priority must be given to foreign participants who 
have not traveled to the United States.

Visa Regulations

    Foreign participants on programs sponsored by The Bureau are 
granted J-1 Exchange Visitor visas by the U.S. Embassy in the sending 
country. All programs must comply with J-1 visa regulations. Please 
refer to the Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) for further 
information.

Project Funding

    The funding available for Creative Arts Exchanges will be disbursed 
through grants to several organizations. Priority will be given to 
grant proposals with budgets ranging from $45,000 to $90,000. 
Organizations should not submit a budget that exceeds $90,000 in costs 
to be paid by ECA, however the overall budget may exceed $90,000 
through cost sharing by the U.S. and foreign partner organization(s) 
and/or a third party funder. Approximately $270,000 has been allotted 
for this competition, but may be subject to change. ECA expects to 
announce the assistance awards recipients around late July 2001. 
Organizations with less than four years of experience in managing 
international exchange programs are limited to $60,000. Grants are 
subject to the availability of funds.

Budget Guidelines

    Applicants must submit a comprehensive line item budget for the 
entire program based on the model in the Proposal Submission 
Instructions. There must be a summary budget as well as breakdowns 
reflecting both administrative and program budgets. Applicants should 
provide separate sub-budgets for each program component, phase, 
location, or activity. Applicants should include a budget narrative or 
budget notes for clarification of each line item.
    Cost sharing: Since the Bureau's grant assistance constitutes only 
a portion of total project funding, proposals should list and provide 
evidence of other sources of cost sharing, including financial and in-
kind support. In kind contributions may include, but are not limited 
to, donations of airfares, hotel and/or housing costs, ground 
transportation, interpreters, room rentals and equipment. Proposals 
with substantial private sector support from foundations, corporations, 
and other institutions will be considered highly competitive. Please 
refer to the statement on cost sharing in the Proposal Submission 
Instructions.
    Allowable costs for the program include the following:
    1. Transportation. International and domestic airfares (per the Fly 
America Act), transit costs, ground transportation costs, and visas for 
U.S. participants to travel to the partner organization's country (J-1 
visas for foreign participants to travel to the U.S. for travel funded 
by ECA's grant assistance are issued at no charge).
    2. Per Diem. For U.S.-based programming, organizations should use 
the published Federal per diem rates for individual U.S. cities. For 
activities in the partner organization's country, ECA strongly 
encourages applicants to budget realistic costs that reflect the local 
economy. Domestic per diem rates may be accessed at: http://www.policyworks.gov/ and foreign per diem rates can be accessed at: 
http://www.state.gov/www/perdiems/index.html.
    3. Interpreters. Local interpreters with adequate skills and 
experience should be used for program activities. Typically, one 
interpreter is provided for every four visitors who require 
interpreting, with a minimum of two interpreters. ECA grants do not pay 
for foreign interpreters to accompany delegations from their home 
country. Salary costs for local interpreters must be included in the 
budget under general program costs. Costs associated with using their 
services may not exceed rates for U.S. Department of State 
interpreters.
    4. Book and cultural allowance. Foreign participants are entitled 
to a one-time cultural allowance of $150 per person, plus a book 
allowance of $50. Interpreters should be reimbursed up to $150 for 
expenses only when they escort participants to cultural events. U.S. 
program staff, consultants, trainers and participants are not eligible 
to receive these benefits.
    5. Consultants. Consultants may be used to provide specialized 
expertise or to conduct program components. Daily honoraria cannot 
exceed $250 per day. Subcontracting organizations may also be used, in 
which case the written agreement between the prospective grantee and 
subcontractor should be included in the proposal. Subcontracts must be 
itemized in the budget.
    6. Room rental. Room rental may not exceed $250 per day.
    7. Materials development. Proposals may contain costs to purchase, 
develop and translate materials for participants.

[[Page 28013]]

ECA strongly discourages the use of automatic translation software for 
the preparation of training materials or any information distributed to 
the group of participants or network of organizations. Costs for high-
quality translation of materials should be anticipated and included in 
the budget. Grantee organizations should expect to submit a copy of all 
program materials to the ECA Program Office with interim and final 
reports.
    8. Equipment. Proposals may contain costs to purchase equipment for 
programming and partner organizations in the target country. Use of 
equipment purchased with grant funds must be significantly incorporated 
into the program plan. Eligible items include: Computers, printers, 
scanners, digital cameras, audio/video equipment, fax machines, copy 
machines, or other computer or office equipment. Costs for furniture 
are not allowed. Equipment costs must be kept to a minimum and are 
subject to approval by ECA.
    9. Working meal. Only one working meal may be provided during the 
program. Per capita costs may not exceed $5-8 for a lunch and $14-20 
for a dinner, excluding room rental. The number of invited guests may 
not exceed participants by more than a factor of two-to-one. 
Interpreters must be included as participants.
    10. Return travel allowance. A return travel allowance of $70 for 
each foreign participant may be included in the budget. The allowance 
may be used for incidental expenses incurred during international 
travel.
    11. Health Insurance. Foreign participants will be covered under 
the terms of the ECA-sponsored ASPE health insurance policy. U.S. 
staff, consultants, trainers and participants will not be covered by 
the ECA-sponsored ASPE health insurance policy. Applicants are 
permitted to include costs in the program budget for U.S. participants' 
international travel insurance, for travel funded under this program.
    12. Administrative Costs. Costs necessary for the effective 
administration of the program may include salaries for grantee 
organization employees, benefits, and other direct and indirect costs 
per detailed instructions in the Application Package. While there is no 
rigid ratio of administrative to program costs, priority will be given 
to proposals whose administrative costs are less than twenty-five (25) 
per cent of the total requested from the Bureau. Proposals should show 
strong administrative cost-sharing contributions from the applicant, 
the partner organization and other sources.
    Review of your budget will benefit from your professional judgment 
of costs for activities in the proposal. The Bureau is committed to 
containment of administrative expenses, consistent with overall program 
objectives and sound management principles. Program activities and line 
items to be cost-shared should be included in the narrative and the 
budget. Please refer to the Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) for 
complete budget guidelines.

Announcement Title and Number

    All communications with ECA concerning this Request for Grant 
Proposals (RFGP) should refer to the announcement title ``Creative Arts 
Exchanges FY01'' and reference number ECA/PE/C/CU-01-64.

Review Criteria

    Technically eligible applications will be competitively reviewed 
according to the criteria stated below. Proposals should adequately 
address each area of review. These criteria are not rank ordered.

1. Program Planning and Ability To Achieve Objectives

    Program objectives should be stated clearly and precisely and 
should reflect the applicant's expertise in the subject area and the 
region. Objectives should respond to the priority topics in this 
announcement and should relate to the current conditions in the 
included countries. Objectives should be reasonable and attainable. A 
detailed work plan should explain step-by-step how objectives will be 
achieved and should include an overall timetable for completion of 
major tasks for the entire grant period, and sample schedules for 
program components wherever possible. The substance of workshops, 
internships, seminars, presentations and/or consulting should be 
described in detail. Responsibilities of foreign partners should be 
clearly described.

2. Institutional Capacity

    The proposal should include: (1) The U.S. institution's mission and 
date of establishment, (2) detailed information about the foreign 
partner institution's capacity and the history of joint projects, (3) 
descriptions of experienced staff members who will implement the 
program, and (4) relevant information that establishes a successful 
track record. Proposed personnel and institutional resources should be 
adequate and appropriate to achieve the program's goals. The narrative 
should demonstrate proven ability to handle logistics. The proposal 
should reflect the institution's expertise in the subject area and 
knowledge of the conditions in the target country/region(s).

3. Cost Effectiveness and Cost Sharing

    Overhead and administrative costs for the proposal, including 
salaries, honoraria and subcontracts for services, should be kept to a 
minimum. Administrative costs should be less than twenty-five (25) per 
cent of the total funds requested from the Bureau. Applicants are 
encouraged to cost share a portion of overhead and administrative 
expenses. Cost-sharing, including contributions from the applicant, the 
foreign partner, and other sources should be included in the budget.

4. Program Evaluation

    Proposals must include a plan and methodology to evaluate the 
program. The evaluation plan should show a clear link between program 
objectives and expected outcomes in the short- and medium-term, and 
provide a well-thought-out description of performance indicators and 
measurement tools. ECA recommends that the proposal include a draft 
survey questionnaire or other evaluation tool.

5. Multiplier Effect/Impact

    Proposals should show how the program will strengthen long-term 
mutual understanding, institutionalization of program goals, and 
widespread sharing of information. Applicants should describe how 
responsibility and ownership of the program will be transferred to the 
foreign participants to ensure continued activity and impact. Programs 
that include convincing plans for sustainability will be given top 
priority.

6. Follow-On Activities

    Proposals should provide a plan for continued follow-on activity 
(beyond the ECA-funded grant period) ensuring that the ECA-supported 
programs are not isolated events. Concrete examples of potential 
follow-on activities should be clearly described.

7. Support of Diversity

    Proposals should demonstrate substantive support of ECA's policy on 
diversity. Program content (orientation, evaluation, program sessions, 
resource materials, follow-on activities) and program administration 
(selection process, orientation, evaluation) should address diversity 
in a comprehensive and innovative manner. Applicants should refer to 
the ``Diversity, Freedom and Democracy Guidelines'' on page

[[Page 28014]]

four of the Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI).

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 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 
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 
resides with the Bureau's Grants Officer.

Submissions

    Applicants must follow all instructions given in the Application 
Package. The applicant's original proposal and ten (10) copies should 
be sent to: U.S. Department of State, Ref.: ECA/PE/C/CU-01-64, Program 
Management, ECA/EX/PM, Room 336, 301 4th Street, SW, Washington, DC 
20547.
    Applicants must also submit the ``Executive Summary'' and 
``Proposal Narrative'' and ``Budget'' sections of the proposal on a 
3.5" diskette. The Bureau will transmit these files electronically to 
the Public Affairs section at the U.S. Embassy for its review, with the 
goal of reducing the time it takes to get embassy comments for the 
Bureau's grants review process. Once the RFGP deadline has passed, 
Bureau staff may not discuss this competition in any way with 
applicants until the proposal review process has been completed.

Deadline for Proposals

    All copies must be received by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau 
of Educational and Cultural Affairs, by 5 p.m. Washington, DC time on 
Thursday, June 21, 2001. Faxed documents will not be accepted at any 
time. The mailroom closes at 5:00 p.m. sharp; no late submissions will 
be accepted. Documents postmarked or sent by express mail or courier to 
arrive by June 21, 2001, but received at a later date, will not be 
accepted. Each applicant must ensure that the proposals are received by 
the above deadline.

To Download an Application Package Via the Internet

    The entire Application Package (RFGP and PSI) may be downloaded 
from the Bureau's website at http://exchanges.state.gov/education/rfps/.
    For Further Information Contact: By mail: United States Department 
of State, SA-44, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, Office of 
Citizen Exchanges (ECA/PE/C), Room 220, Washington, D.C. 20547 attn: 
Creative Arts Exchanges ECA/PE/C/CU-01-64;
    By phone: Tel: (202) 619-4779; fax: 202-619-6315;
    By e-mail: [email protected].
    Interested applicants may request the Application Package, which 
includes the Request for Grant Proposals (RFGP) and the Proposal 
Submission Instructions (PSI). Please specify Creative Arts Exchanges 
ECA/PE/C/CU-01-64 on all inquiries and correspondence. All potential 
applicants should read the complete announcement before sending 
inquiries or submitting proposals.

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.

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 or program officers that contradicts published 
language will not be binding. Issuance of the RFGP does not constitute 
an award commitment on the part of the U.S. 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. Organizations will be expected to cooperate with the 
Bureau in evaluating their programs under the principles of the 
Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) of 1993, which requires 
federal agencies to measure and report on the results of their programs 
and activities.
    Final awards cannot be made until funds have been appropriated by 
Congress, allocated and committed through internal U.S. Department of 
State procedures.

Notification

    Final awards cannot be made until funds have been appropriated by 
Congress, allocated and committed through internal U.S. Department of 
State procedures.

    Dated: May 7, 2001.
Helena Kane Finn,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. 
Department of State.
[FR Doc. 01-12571 Filed 5-18-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P