[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 193 (Thursday, October 4, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50706-50708]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-24747]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 3793]


Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs Request for Grant 
Proposals in Support of the Regional Educational Advising Coordinator 
Program for the New Independent States (NIS REAC)

SUMMARY: The Office of Global Educational Programs of the Bureau of 
Educational and Cultural Affairs announces an open competition for the 
Regional Educational Advising Coordinator for the Newly Independent 
States (NIS REAC) program grant. Public and private non-profit 
organizations meeting the provisions described in IRS regulation 26 CFR 
1.501(c) may submit proposals for the program of Regional Educational 
Advising Coordinator for the NIS region. The REAC program works to 
support and assist in the professional development of educational 
information centers in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, 
Kazakstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, 
Ukraine, and Uzbekistan. The REAC is a primary source of information 
related to educational advising for advisers in the field. The REAC 
manages a listserv and responds to adviser questions, oversees the 
production of a regional newsletter, and travels to centers to ensure 
that they are operating efficiently and effectively by conducting 
training and assessments. The REAC is responsible for maintaining the 
network of advising centers, coordinating training programs, and 
facilitating communication among advisers, U.S. Embassies, and the 
Bureau.

Program Information

    Overview: The NIS REAC was created to coordinate and oversee the 
establishment of a network of educational information centers 
throughout the region. Advising centers first opened in the NIS in 
1992, and the network has expanded each year. These centers provide 
accurate and unbiased information and advising about higher education 
in the U.S. and U.S. Government-sponsored exchange programs to all 
interested students and scholars. The REAC's mission is to continue to 
develop and strengthen this network of 60 educational information 
centers and to provide leadership and expertise in educational advising 
issues to centers and Public Affairs Sections. The REAC is responsible 
for providing onsite technical assistance and training to all centers 
in the U.S. Department of State-affiliated network.
    The REAC should lend support to any affiliated center in the twelve 
countries comprising the NIS region, and must work impartially with all 
organizations involved in educational advising to help enable centers 
to provide accurate and timely information on U.S. higher educational 
opportunities. The REAC must work closely with the Bureau and Public 
Affairs Sections to help establish priorities for educational advising 
in the region. The REAC must be a U.S. citizen.
    Guidelines: Pending availability of funds, the grant will begin 
January 1, 2002 and end December 31, 2002.
    Responsibilities include:
    1. Making site visits to educational information centers. In a 
grant year, a reasonable number of centers to visit is approximately 
15-20; visits to more than one center may be combined in one trip when 
possible to maximize cost-efficiency. Centers to receive REAC site 
visits are determined by Bureau and U.S. Embassy requests and 
priorities, length of time since last REAC visit, and other special 
factors, such as the hiring of a new adviser or a move to a new 
location. Reports with recommendations should be sent to advisers, U.S. 
Embassies, and the Bureau at the conclusion of each site visit.
    2. Providing information and guidance related to educational 
advising, as requested by centers, U.S. Embassies, and the Bureau.
    3. Supervising production of a regional newsletter and maintaining 
an e-mail listserv for advisers.
    4. Organizing and overseeing an internship training program (ITP) 
for approximately five beginning to mid-

[[Page 50707]]

level advisers in Moscow or another large center with senior-level 
experienced staff, and scheduling other ITPs as necessary.
    5. Organizing in-country or sub-regional workshops, approximately 
2-3 per year, or as determined in consultation with the Bureau and U.S. 
Embassies.
    6. Participating in the NAFSA: Association of International 
Educators National Conference as a presenter and resource.
    7. Evaluating the effectiveness and efficiency of the advising 
centers, making recommendations, and developing a plan for follow-up.
    8. Working with the advising centers to promote the ECA Bureau 
priority of diversity by encouraging centers to conduct outreach 
activities to reach less-represented groups.
    Qualifications required for the ideal candidate and sponsoring 
organization include:
    1. Fluent Russian language and/or other regional language ability.
    2. Knowledge of and experience with educational advising centers 
and activities .
    3. Knowledge of U.S. higher education, including the application 
process, accreditation, financial aid, standardized testing 
requirements, distance education, etc.
    4. Experience living and traveling in the NIS region, and a 
demonstrated willingness to undertake an ambitious travel schedule.
    5. Organizational skills and institutional support needed to 
administer internship training programs and other training events.
    6. Time management skills.
    7. Experience as a trainer.
    8. Excellent oral and written communication skills.
    9. Computer/Internet/listserv skills.
    10. U.S. citizenship.

Budget Guidelines

    The Bureau's grant assistance, up to $150,000, is expected to 
constitute only a portion of the total funding; the Bureau encourages 
applicants to provide maximum levels of cost-sharing and funding from 
private sources in support of its programs. Grants awarded to eligible 
organizations with less than four years of experience in conducting 
international exchange programs will be limited to $60,000.
    Applicants must submit a comprehensive budget for the entire 
program. There must be a summary budget as well as breakdowns 
reflecting both administrative and program budgets, and travel cost 
estimates. Allowable costs for the program include the following:
    (1) REAC salary and benefits.
    (2) Administrative assistant salary.
    (3) Travel and per diem costs for site visits and training within 
the NIS region.
    (4) Travel for REAC to attend NAFSA National Conference in San 
Antonio, TX for one week, and an additional week of REAC meetings in 
Washington, D.C. in May/June 2002.
    (5) Program costs for internship training programs and other 
training workshops. This may include participant travel and per diem, 
supplies, venue costs, and honoraria for speakers.
    (6) Office and administrative costs, including communication and 
equipment.
    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 title, ``Regional Educational Advising Coordinator for 
the Newly Independent States (NIS REAC),'' and reference number ECA/A/
S/A-02-06.

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, phone: 202-619-5434, fax: 202-401-1433, http://exchanges.state.gov/education/educationusa. Please specify Bureau 
Program Officer Sharen Sheehan 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/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, D.C. time on Monday, 
November 5, 2001. Faxed documents will not be accepted at any time. 
Documents postmarked 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 five 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-02-06, 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 a 3.5'' 
diskette, formatted for DOS. Please label diskettes ``Unclassified.'' 
These documents 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 sections at U.S. Embassies 
for review, with the goal of reducing the time it takes to get embassy 
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

[[Page 50708]]

and in the Solicitation Package. All eligible proposals will be 
reviewed by the program office, as well as the Public Diplomacy 
Sections overseas.
    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 Acting 
Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs. Final 
technical authority for grants 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 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.
    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. 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.
    5. Institutional Capacity and Experience: Proposed personnel and 
institutional experience and resources should be adequate and 
appropriate to achieve the program or project's goals.
    6. Project Evaluation: Proposals should include a plan to evaluate 
the activity's success.
    7. Cost-effectiveness: The overhead and administrative components 
of the proposal should be kept as low as possible. All other items 
should be necessary and appropriate.
    8. 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 legislation. Partial funding for 
this grant will be provided by FREEDOM Support Act funds.

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: September 26, 2001.
Helena Kane Finn,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. 
Department of State.
[FR Doc. 01-24747 Filed 10-3-01; 8:45 am]
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