[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 40 (Thursday, February 28, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9347-9349]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-4854]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 3928]


Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs Request for Grant 
Proposals (ECA/PE/C-02-27): Intercultural Public-Private Fellows 
Program for Africa, Eurasia, Latin America, the Middle East, and South 
Asia

    Summary: Subject to the availability of funds, the Office of 
Citizen Exchanges of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs 
(ECA) announces an open grant competition to conduct a new initiative 
entitled, ``The Intercultural Public Private Fellows Program'' (ICPP 
Fellows Program). Public and private non-profit organizations meeting 
the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code section 26USC 
501(c)(3) may submit proposals to conduct this exchange program. The 
goal of the ICPP Fellows Program is to foster mutual understanding by 
bringing together American and foreign arts practitioners for an 
intercultural educational dialogue. The program will achieve this by 
introducingAmerica's most talented visual, performing, film and 
literary arts professionals around the world; bringing foreign 
counterparts to various regions of the United States in order to expose 
American audiences to other cultural arts traditions; and building 
linkages between the most prominent foreign and American arts education 
and cultural institutions. The proposal should include an equal number 
of foreign and American fellows in this reciprocal exchange program. 
Each applicant's program design must specify an appropriate theme and a 
proposed geographic region and/or list of countries that will 
participate. Multi-country programs are strongly encouraged. Cross-
regional programs are also eligible where the program theme relates to 
multiple regions. Proposals for countries and regions with significant 
Muslim populations are strongly encouraged. ECA is committed to 
geographic diversity in its programs and invites proposal submissions 
for the ICPP Fellows Program from the many notable and prestigious 
institutions and organizations located throughout the geographic 
regions of the U.S.
    ECA expects to award 2-4 grants of up to $250,000 in ECA funding 
(subject to funding availability), with significant cost sharing 
(approximately 50%) from the applicant institution and/or other 
sources. Organizations with less than four years of experience in 
conducting international exchange programs are not eligible for this 
competition.

Program Information

Overview

    The ``Intercultural Public Private Fellows Program'' is designed to 
foster mutual understanding and encourage an international cultural 
arts and educational dialogue through exchange activities, community 
outreach and joint projects. The ICPP Fellows Program is intended to be 
a reciprocal exchange of highly accomplished individuals or groups that 
builds linkages and promotes joint projects between prominent arts 
education and cultural institutions, during the grant period and 
continuing after the program ends. The eligible regions for FY 2002 are 
Africa, Eurasia, Latin America, the Middle East, and South Asia. ECA 
strongly encourages proposals for countries and regions with 
significant Muslim populations.
    Proposals for the ICPP Fellows Program should provide opportunities 
for American and foreign ICPP Fellows to travel on exchange visits, 
bringing their art and expertise to the most notable halls, galleries, 
museums and institutions in the U.S. and overseas. The fellows would 
also participate in workshops and master classes led by well-known and 
highly regarded artists and cultural arts professionals. To address 
mutual understanding and respect, and as a main component of this 
program, American and foreign fellows would engage in community 
outreach and presentation of educational programs in their host 
communities and at home upon their

[[Page 9348]]

return. The proposal should indicate that an approximately equal number 
of foreign and American fellows will participate in a reciprocal 
exchange program, and that the program design will contribute to 
building and supporting strong linkages between and among American and 
foreign ICPP Fellows, and with their home and host institutions. These 
linkages would continue after the ICPP Fellows Program grant period has 
ended.
    Applicant organizations must demonstrate the ability to administer 
all aspects of the ICPP Fellows Program--recruitment and selection of 
an equal number of American and foreign fellows, orientations, program 
activities, monitoring and support of ICPP Fellows including all 
logistics, financial management and evaluation. Applicant organizations 
must demonstrate the ability to recruit and select a diverse pool of 
candidates from various geographic regions in the U.S. and abroad, and 
will be expected to help ICPP fellows develop follow-on ideas and 
projects to be implemented upon return to their home countries. Further 
detail and clarification of specific program responsibilities can be 
found in the Project Objectives, Goals, and Implementation (POGI) 
Statement, which is part of the formal solicitation package.
    Organizations planning to submit a proposal for the ICPP Fellows 
Program should contact the program office for a consultation before the 
submission deadline. Before contacting ECA, organizations should read 
the entireFederal Register announcement and be ready to discuss a 
concrete concept specific to the guidelines supplied in this request 
for grant proposals. To schedule a consultation, contact Karen Turner 
at (202) 205-3003; Fax: (202) 619-4350; e-mail: [email protected].

Guidelines

    Pending availability of funds, all grants will begin on 
approximately September 1, 2002. ECA anticipates awarding up to four 
grants under this competition.
    Proposals should reflect a practical understanding of the 4144ent 
cultural, political, economic and social environment relevant to the 
applicant organization's proposed program theme and the countries or 
regions involved. If applicable, applicants should identify the U.S. 
and foreign partner organizations with whom they are proposing to 
collaborate, and describe previous cooperative projects in the section 
on ``Institutional Capacity.''
    Program activities may include, but are not limited to: An open, 
merit-based recruitment and selection process; orientations; workshops 
and master classes; performances, readings, productions, screenings, 
exhibits and other similar activities; community outreach & educational 
activities; development and implementation of joint projects; 
monitoring & support; and evaluation. Orientations are required for 
both American and foreign fellows, and should include all program 
staff. The program should include activities that specifically promote 
mutual understanding and that allow the foreign program participants to 
experience American life and culture, and that will provide Americans 
an opportunity to learn about the cultures of the foreign host 
countries.
    The ICPP Fellows Program must conform to ECA requirements and 
guidelines outlined in the Solicitation Package. ECA programs are 
subject to the availability of funds and must comply with J-1 Visa 
regulations. Please refer to the Solicitation Package for further 
information.

Budget Guidelines

    ECA grant guidelines limit organizations with less than four years 
experience conducting international exchanges to $60,000 in Bureau 
grant support. Because of the scope and complexity of this program, 
organizations with less than four years experience in conducting 
international exchanges are not eligible to apply under this 
competition.
    ECA encourages applicant organizations to provide maximum levels of 
cost sharing and funding from private sources in support of its 
programs. Applicant organizations must submit a comprehensive line item 
budget to include a summary budget as well as breakdowns reflecting 
both administrative and program budgets. Applicants may provide 
separate sub-budgets for each program component, phase, location, or 
activity to provide clarification. A comprehensive budget narrative 
must accompany the line item budget, clearly explaining all proposed 
costs. Please refer to the Solicitation Package for complete budget 
guidelines and formatting instructions.
    Cost sharing: Organizations should provide approximately fifty (50) 
percent 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, 
consultant fees, 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) General Program Costs.
    (2) Participant Program Costs.
    (3) Administrative Expenses.
    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) in 
the Solicitation Package for complete budget guidelines.

Project Funding

    Proposals may include budgets of up to $250,000 in ECA funding, not 
including cost sharing from the applicant institution and/or other 
sources. All applicants must demonstrate in the proposal narrative a 
minimum of four years experience conducting international exchanges.

Announcement Title and Number

    All communications with ECA concerning this Request for Grant 
Proposals (RFGP) should refer to the announcement title: ``ICPP Fellows 
Program'' and reference number: ECA/PE/C-02-27.

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 
Wednesday, April 24, 2002. Faxed documents will not be accepted at any 
time. The mailroom closes at 5 p.m. sharp; no late submissions will be 
accepted. Documents postmarked or sent by express mail or courier to 
arrive by April 24, 2002, 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, POGI and PSI) may be 
downloaded from the Bureau's website

[[Page 9349]]

at http://exchanges.state.gov/education/rfgps/.
    For Further Information Contact: Mailing address: United States 
Department of State, SA-44, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, 
Office of Citizen Exchanges (ECA/PE/C), Room 220, Washington, DC 20547, 
attn: ICPP Fellows Program ECA/PE/C-02-27. Tel: (202) 205-3003; Fax: 
202-619-4350; E-mail: [email protected].
    Interested applicants may request a copy of the Application
    Package. Please specify: ``ICPP Fellows Program ECA/PE/C-02-27'' on 
all inquiries and correspondence. All potential applicants should read 
the complete announcement before sending inquiries or submitting 
proposals.

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 Sections 
of the U.S. embassies overseas, where appropriate. Eligible proposals 
will be forwarded to panels of ECA 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 ECA's Grants Officer.

Submissions

    Applicants must follow all instructions given in the Solicitation 
Package (RFGP, POGI, PSI). The applicant's original proposal and ten 
(10) copies should be sent to: U.S. Department of State, Ref.: ECA/PE/
C-02-27, Program Management, ECA/EX/PM, Room 534, 301 4th Street, SW, 
Washington, DC 20547.
    Applicants must also submit the ``Executive Summary,'' ``Proposal 
Narrative'' and ``Budget'' sections of the proposal on a 3.5" diskette. 
The Bureau will transmit these files electronically to the Public 
Affairs Sections at the 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. 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.

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 and 
all are given equal weight.

1. Quality of the Program Idea
2. Program Planning and Ability to Achieve Objectives
3. Institutional Capacity
4. Cost Effectiveness and Cost Sharing
5. Program Evaluation
6. Multiplier Effect/Impact
7. Follow-on Activities
8. Support of Diversity

    Applicants should refer to the POGI in the Solicitation Package for 
more detailed information on the review criteria.

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.

Authority

    Overall grant making authority for this program is contained in the 
Mutual Educational and Cultural ExchangeAct 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.

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: February 21, 2002.
Patricia S. Harrison,
Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. 
Department of State.
[FR Doc. 02-4854 Filed 2-27-02; 8:45 am]
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