[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 120 (Thursday, June 21, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33287-33290]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-15541]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 3702]


Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs Request for Grant 
Proposals: American Studies Institute for East Timorese Diplomats

ACTION: Notice; Request for grant proposals (RFGPs).

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SUMMARY: The Study of the U.S. Branch, Office of AcademicExchange 
Programs, 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 apply to develop and implement a five-week academic 
seminar on American Constitutional Government and U.S. Foreign Policy, 
which will be designed for approximately 10 newly trained East Timorese 
diplomats.
    The program is intended to provide participants with a deeper 
understanding of Constitutional government in the United States and of 
American political, economic and social institutions as they relate to 
the formulation of U.S. foreign policy. The program is five weeks in 
length and will be conducted during November and December of 2001.
    The Bureau is seeking detailed proposals from colleges, 
universities, consortia of colleges and universities, and other not-
for-profit academic organizations that have an established reputation 
in one or more of the following fields: political science, 
international relations, law and diplomacy, and other disciplines 
related to the program theme.
    Applicant institutions must demonstrate expertise in conducting 
post-graduate programs for foreign educators, and must have a minimum 
of four years experience in conducting international exchange programs. 
Bureau guidelines stipulate that grants to organizations with less than 
four years experience in conducting international exchanges are limited 
to $60,000. As it is expected that the budget for these programs will 
exceed $60,000, organizations that cannot demonstrate at least four 
years experience will not be eligible to apply under this competition.
    The project director or one of the key program staff responsible 
for the academic program must have an advanced degree in one of the 
fields listed above. Staff escorts traveling under the cooperative 
agreement must have demonstrated qualifications for this service. 
Programs must conform with Bureau requirements and guidelines outlined 
in the Solicitation Package. Bureau programs are subject to the 
availability of funds.

Program Information

    Overview and Objectives: East Timor will join the ranks of 
independent nations late in 2001 with a small staff of foreign office 
employees. While these individuals will have a basic understanding of 
diplomacy and ways in which a democracy forges a foreign policy, they 
will have little practical experience. Accordingly, the goal of this 
project is to provide a select group of foreign office professionals 
with an intensive examination of the basics of foreign policy 
formulation and foreign relations using the U.S. experience as a model. 
At the end of the institute, participants should better understand the 
nature of American constitutional government, the requirements of a 
successful foreign policy, and the ways

[[Page 33288]]

in which foreign policy in a democratic system is conceived, debated, 
and formulated by various actors.
    The American Studies Institute on American Constitutional 
Government and U.S. Foreign Policy is thus intended to offer a group of 
newly-trained East Timorese diplomats with the opportunity to deepen 
their understanding of Constitutional government in the United States 
and of how American political, economic and social institutions affect 
the formulation of U.S. foreign policy.
    Ideally, the program should provide participants with a brief 
overview of the history of the United States and the critical ideas and 
events that have shaped the development of its democratic institutions; 
it should examine the fundamental principles and provisions of the U.S. 
Constitution with reference to its federal character, and to the 
organization and respective powers of the executive, legislative and 
judicial branches, with particular attention to the role that each 
branch plays in the making of U.S. foreign policy; and it should 
examine the U.S. foreign policy process in light of the interaction of 
government and non-government organizations, including the various 
departments and bureaucracies of government, as well as a range of such 
organizations as think tanks, lobbies, the media, and other NGOs. 
Throughout the program, foreign policy issues relating to security, 
trade and political matters should be discussed with reference to the 
U.S.-Asia relationship generally, and with reference to Indonesia and 
East Timor affairs in particular.
    The program should be approximately five weeks in length and must 
include an academic residency segment of at least three weeks duration 
at a college or university campus (or other appropriate location). A 
study tour segment of not more than two weeks should also be planned 
and should directly complement the academic residency segment; the 
study tour should include visits to one or two additional regions of 
the United States outside the region of the host institution. If the 
host institution is outside the Washington, DC area, the travel portion 
must include at least one week in Washington, DC.
    The institute should be designed as an intensive, academically 
rigorous seminar tailored to the professional needs and interests of 
what is likely to be the first cohort of diplomats from the new nation 
of East Timor. It is therefore imperative that the seminar be organized 
as a coherent and well-integrated series of lectures, seminar 
discussions, and consultations, combined with regional travel and site 
visits.
    It is further expected that within the limits of the program's 
thematic focus and organizing framework, proposals will be designed to 
give participants a multi-dimensional view of U.S. society and 
institutions that includes a broad and balanced range of perspectives. 
The program should therefore include not only the views of scholars, 
teachers and foreign area research specialists, but also those of 
professionals outside the university such as government officials, 
journalists, representatives of NGOs and others who can substantively 
contribute to the topics at issue.
    Program Dates: Ideally, the program should be 35 days in 
length(including participant arrival and departure days) and should 
begin in early November 2001.
    Participants: As specified in the guidelines in the solicitation 
package, the program should be designed for a group of 10 EastTimorese 
diplomats who will have finished their preliminary professional 
training in Indonesia prior to the beginning of this five-week seminar. 
They will be interested in U.S. foreign policy issues, especially as 
those issues relate to the Asian region generally and to Indonesia and 
East Timor specifically.At the conclusion of this program, most will be 
assigned to foreign missions abroad, including the East Timor mission 
in Washington, DC.
    The educational level of the participants will vary. Some will have 
undergraduate degrees, while others will have completed formal 
education through the secondary level only. In general, all 
participants can be expected to have a rudimentary knowledge of 
American institutions, including the workings of the American 
government and its foreign policy apparatus.
    Some of the participants will be fluent in English; most, however, 
will know only Bahasa Malayu (Indonesian) and/orPortuguese. 
Simultaneous translation, which will entail additional program costs 
for escort/interpreters, will therefore be needed throughout all phases 
of the program. While the specific language for simultaneous 
translation will not be known until the final grantee cohort is 
identified, the program's structure, organization, and schedule of 
activities, as well as its general program budget, should be developed 
with this requirement in mind.
    Participants will be identified and selected by the United 
StatesEmbassy in Jakarta.
    Proposal Guidelines: While the conception and structure of the 
institute program is the responsibility of the organizers, it is 
critically important that proposals provide a full, detailed and 
comprehensive narrative that clearly describes the objectives of the 
institute; the title, scope and content of each session; and, how each 
session relates to the overall institute theme. The syllabus must 
therefore indicate the subject matter for each lecture or panel 
discussion, confirm or provisionally identify proposed lecturers and 
discussants, and clearly show how assigned readings will support each 
session. A calendar of all activities for the program must also be 
included. Overall, proposals will be reviewed on the basis of their 
fullness, coherence, clarity, and attention to detail.
    Programs must comply with J-1 visa regulations. Please refer to the 
Solicitation Package for further details on program design and 
implementation, as well as additional information on all other 
requirements.

Budget Guidelines

    Based on groups of 10 participants, the totalBureau-funded budget 
(program and administrative) should be approximately $130,000, and 
Bureau-funded administrative costs as defined in the budget details 
section of the solicitation package should be approximately $40,000. 
Justifications for any costs above these amounts must be clearly 
indicated in the proposal submission. Proposals should try to maximize 
cost sharing in all facets of the program and to stimulate U.S. private 
sector, including foundation and corporate, support. Applicants must 
submit a comprehensive budget for the entire program. The Bureau 
reserves the right to reduce, revise, or increase proposal budgets in 
accordance with the needs of the program, and availability of U.S. 
government funding.

    Special Note: Salary for escort/interpreters will be paid 
directly by the Department of State and therefore should not be part 
of the budget submission. However, escort/interpreter housing costs 
and per diem expenses throughout the program should be included in 
the budget package as part of general program costs. Two escort/
interpreters will be responsible for simultaneous translation 
throughout the entire five-week program; during the two-week study 
tour, a third escort/interpreter will join the group to assist 
organizers in handling additional administrative and logistical 
duties.

    Please refer to the ``POGI'' in the Solicitation Package for 
complete institute budget guidelines and formatting instructions.

[[Page 33289]]

Announcement Name and Number

    All communications with the Bureau concerning this announcement 
should refer to the following title and reference number:
    ``American Constitutional Government and U.S. Foreign Policy''--
ECA/A/E/USS-01-20-Bate

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request a Solicitation Package 
containing more detailed award criteria, required application forms, 
specific budget instructions, and standard guidelines for proposal 
preparation, applicants should contact:U.S. Department of State,Bureau 
of Educational and Cultural Affairs,Office of Academic Exchange 
Programs,Study of the U.S. Branch,State Annex 44,ECA/A/E/USS--Room 
252,301 4th Street, SW.,Washington, DC 20547, Attention: William Bate.

Telephone number: (202) 619-4562
Fax number: (202) 619-6790
Internet address: [email protected].

    Please specify William Bate on all inquiries and correspondence. 
Interested applicants should read the complete Federal Register 
announcement before addressing inquiries to the office listed above or 
submitting their proposals. Once the RFGP deadline has passed, Bureau 
staff may not discuss this competition in any way with applicants until 
after 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 5:00 p.m.Washington DC time on Wednesday, 
August 22, 2001. Faxed documents will NOT be accepted, nor will 
documents postmarked but received at a later date. It is the 
responsibility of each applicant to ensure that proposals arrive by the 
deadline.

Submissions

    Applicants must follow all instructions in the Solicitation 
Package. The original and 13 copies of the complete application should 
be sent to:U.S. Department of State,Bureau of Educational and Cultural 
Affairs,Reference: ECA/A/E/USS-01-20-Bate,Program Management Staff, 
ECA/EX/PM, Room 534,State Annex 44,301 4th Street, SW.,Washington, DC 
20547.
    Applicants should 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.

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 this goal 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. Eligible proposals will then be 
forwarded to panels of senior Bureau officers for advisory review. 
Proposals may also be reviewed by the Office of the Legal Advisor or by 
other Bureau 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.
    Technically eligible applications will be competitively reviewed 
according to the criteria stated below. Particular weight will be given 
to items one and two; all remaining criteria will be evaluated equally.
    1. Overall Quality: Proposals should exhibit originality and 
substance, consonant with the highest standards of American scholarly 
and professional practice. Program design should be tailored to convey 
substantive knowledge regarding the U.S. system of government, 
including its foreign policy processes, to a group whose knowledge of 
American institutions is rudimentary. Program elements should be 
coherently and thoughtfully integrated. Lectures, panels, and 
consultations, taken as a whole, should offer a balanced presentation 
of issues, reflecting both the continuity of the American experience as 
well as the diversity and dynamism inherent in it.
    2. Program Planning and Administration: Proposals should 
demonstrate careful planning. The organization and structure of the 
institute should be clearly delineated and be fully responsive to all 
program objectives. A program syllabus (noting specific sessions 
supporting each thematic or academic unit) should be included, as 
should a calendar of activities. The travel component should not simply 
be a tour, but should be an integral and substantive part of the 
program, reinforcing and complementing the academic segment. Proposals 
should provide evidence of continuous administrative and managerial 
capacity as well as the means by which program activities and 
logistical matters will be implemented.
    3. Institutional Capacity: Proposed personnel, including faculty 
and administrative staff as well as outside presenters, should be fully 
qualified to achieve the project's goals. Library and meeting 
facilities, housing, meals, transportation and other logistical 
arrangements should fully meet the needs of participants.
    4. Support for Diversity: Substantive support of the Bureau's 
policy on diversity should be demonstrated. This can be accomplished 
through documentation, such as a written statement, summarizing past 
and/or on-going activities and efforts that further the principle of 
diversity within the organization and its activities. Program 
activities that address this issue should be highlighted.
    5. Experience: Proposals should demonstrate an institutional record 
of successful exchange program activity,

[[Page 33290]]

indicating the experience that the organization and its professional 
staff have had in working with foreign educators.
    6. Evaluation and Follow-up: A plan for evaluating activities 
during the Institute and at its conclusion should be included. 
Proposals should also discuss provisions made for possible follow-up 
with returned grantees as a means of establishing longer-term 
individual and institutional linkages.
    7. Cost Effectiveness: Proposals should maximize cost sharing 
through direct institutional contributions, in-kind support, and other 
private sector support. Overhead and administrative components of the 
proposal, including salaries and honoraria, should be kept as low as 
possible.

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 
UnitedStates and the other countries of the world.''

    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 this 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, and allocated and committed through internal Bureau 
procedures.

    Dated: June 14, 2001.
Helena K. Finn,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. 
Department of State.
[FR Doc. 01-15541 Filed 6-20-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-U