[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 133 (Thursday, July 11, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46008-46016]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-17454]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 4064]


Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs Request for Grant 
Proposals (RFGPs) in an Open Competition Seeking Cooperative 
International Projects To Introduce American and Foreign Participants 
to Each Other's Social, Economic, and Political Structures

    Important Note: This Request for Grant Proposals contains 
language in certain sections that is new or significantly different 
from that used in the past. Please pay special attention to the 
following sections: General Program Guidelines; Ineligibility; 
Program Data Requirements, and Budget Guidelines and Cost-Sharing 
Requirements.

SUMMARY: The Office of Citizen Exchanges of the Bureau of Educational 
and Cultural Affairs announces an open competition for cooperative 
international projects that introduce American and foreign participants 
to each others' social, economic, and political structures and 
international interests. U.S.-based public and private non-profit 
organizations meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue code 
section 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3) may submit proposals that support 
international projects in the United States and overseas involving 
current or potential leaders.
    Interested applicants should read the complete Federal Register 
announcement before addressing inquiries to the Office of Citizen 
Exchanges or submitting their proposals. Once the RFGP deadline has 
passed, the Office of Citizen Exchanges may not discuss this 
competition in any way with applicants until after the Bureau program 
and project review process has been completed.
    Announcement Name and Number: All correspondence with the Bureau 
concerning this RFGP should reference the ``Open Competition for 
Cooperative International Projects'' and reference number: ECA/PE/C-03-
01. Please refer to title and number in all correspondence or telephone 
calls to the Office of Citizen Exchanges.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Interested organizations/institutions 
may contact the Office of Citizen Exchanges, room 216, SA-44, U.S. 
Department of State, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547, 
telephone number 202/619-5326, fax number 202/260-0440, or 
[email protected] to request a Solicitation Package. The 
Solicitation Package contains detailed award criteria, required 
application forms, specific budget instructions, and standard 
guidelines for proposal preparation. Please specify Bureau Program 
Officer, Raymond H. Harvey, on all other inquiries and correspondence.
    To Download a Solicitation Package Via Internet: The entire 
Solicitation Package also may be downloaded from the Bureau's Web site 
at http://exchanges.state.gov/education/RFGPs. Please read all 
information before downloading.

Program Information

Overview

    We welcome proposals that directly respond to the following themes, 
regions and countries. Given budgetary considerations, projects in 
countries and for themes other than those listed will not be eligible 
for consideration and will be ruled technically ineligible. The themes 
listed below are important to the Office of Citizen Exchanges, but no 
guarantee is made or implied that grants will be made in all 
categories.
    Proposals for single country, sub-regional and regional projects 
will be accepted. In some cases, where noted, multi-country proposals 
will be given priority consideration.
    The Bureau encourages applicants to consider carefully the choice 
of target countries and issues. In order to prevent duplication of 
effort, proposals should reflect an understanding of the work of 
development agencies, where appropriate, on the target themes, and 
focus on countries for which there has been limited investment on the 
selected issue, or for which exchange activities would complement--not 
duplicate--current assistance programs.
    All exchanges must be bilateral, with roughly equal numbers of 
participants from the U.S. and foreign countries or will be declared 
technically ineligible. Applicants should carefully review the 
following recommendations for proposals in specific geographical areas.

Sub-Saharan Africa (AF)

    Contacts for African programs: Curtis Huff, 202/619-5972; e-mail: 
[email protected], and Carol Herrera, 202/619-5405; e-mail: 
[email protected], James Ogul, 202/205-0535; e-mail: 
[email protected].
For all Sub-Saharan African Countries and Two Special Projects Per 
Below for Namibia and Senegal
    1.  Creating awareness and changing behavior to combat HIV/AIDS: 
Proposals should foster awareness of risk and promote behavior changes 
crucial to control and eventual eradication of the disease. Proposals 
should address a selection of the following topics: Education 
strategies to teach prevention to people who don't believe it can 
happen to them or believe that infection is inevitable; stigma 
reduction strategies for people living with HIV/AIDS; engagement of 
political, religious, cultural and other leaders in public education 
efforts; grassroots mobilization and advocacy.
    2. Professionalism & independence in the media: Proposals to build 
professionalism in the media--i.e., gaining an appreciation of and 
skill for objective reporting; developing subject specialization (e.g., 
legal, environmental, health, or financial issues); giving fair 
coverage to positive as well as negative news; separating opinion from 
news coverage; avoiding inflammatory presentations; and maintaining 
independence from special interests. Attention should be given to laws 
that constrain freedom of information and to forces that urge 
journalists to censor themselves. We encourage programs with hands-on 
activities such as professional internships, small group training and 
specially tailored projects, rather than academic seminars. Of special 
interest are projects on political reporting in a multi-party 
democracy.
    Namibia media project: Proposals should develop and implement in 
Namibia a broadcast (radio and television) journalism-training program 
at the university level and for practicing journalists. The emphasis 
should be on practical education aimed at generating professional 
quality broadcasting products, including script writing, text editing, 
management of call-in programs, interviewing skills, location work, and 
application of Internet and other IT resources for program development. 
Applicants must work with one of the following: University of Namibia, 
the Polytechnic University in Windhoek, and/or the Namibia Broadcasting 
Corporation. The project should include development of a curriculum to 
be used by Namibian partners and 3-4 month internships in the U.S. for 
practicing Namibian

[[Page 46009]]

journalists. Contact Curt Huff at 202/619-5972 to discuss internship 
possibilities. Applicants must also contact the Public Affairs Officer 
at the U.S. Embassy in Windhoek (tel 264-61-229801; fax 264-61-232476; 
e-mail [email protected]) for more detailed guidance on the type of 
program desired and contacts with whom to work. Although not a 
requirement, one or two other Sub-Saharan countries could be included 
in the project, and the best fit would be English-speaking countries 
where elections are anticipated in 2003.
    3. Education for democracy at the grassroots and in government: 
Proposals should be school-based, producing a curriculum and training 
teachers in its use, or community-based, involving citizens in 
awareness and skill-building activities, with emphasis on the role that 
the individual should and can play in a democracy. Issues to be 
addressed might include the meaning of civil society, the separation of 
governmental powers, the role of non-governmental organizations, 
components of democracy and national identity, political tolerance, 
social diversity, rule of law, democratic and team-centered approaches 
to decision-making. Of special interest are projects that focus on 
leadership development for at-risk youth and school-based programs 
aimed at inculcating a culture of lawfulness that counters crime and 
corruption by educating young people on their civil, moral, and legal 
obligations to society. Proposals should include different ethnic and 
religious groups in order to expand the dialogue for coexistence.
    4. U.S.-Africa trade, finding markets, using AGOA: The African 
Growth and Opportunities Act (AGOA), signed into law in May of 2000, 
offers qualifying African countries (there are 35 as of this time) 
preferential access to U.S. markets for their industries. Proposals 
should ``jumpstart'' the AGOA process by providing medium and small 
African business entrepreneurs and members of business associations an 
understanding of AGOA and of the American market place. Projects should 
enhance African understanding of U.S. business norms and actual 
practices, of U.S. customs operations, product distribution and 
retailing, and help them develop business linkages and relationships 
with manufacturers and business in their respective sectors.
    5. Organizational Management: businesses, hospitals, NGOs, 
educational institutions: Proposals should develop training programs in 
management that would be useful in a variety of settings (e.g., 
businesses, NGOs, educational institutions, hospitals, government 
offices), meeting 21st century needs. Topics might include strategic 
planning, budgeting, personnel issues, delegation, leadership, 
negotiation, and presentation skills.
    6. Judicial reform, independence, and development: Proposals should 
address the educational and organizational needs of judges and their 
staffs, streamlining of court procedures, and development of codes of 
conduct. Such projects should be conducted in close cooperation with 
in-country stakeholders who would help to define specific objectives 
and plan activities. The project should build interest and cooperation 
between U.S. and African judges, staffs, and professional 
organizations.
    Senegalese Judicial project: Proposals would focus on training 
Senegalese judges in areas such as contract law, business law, 
transparency/combating corruption, money laundering, and alternative 
sentencing. We encourage linkages between the Center for Judicial 
Training of Senegal and the National Judicial College at the University 
of Nevada-Reno. The exchange should include seminars, courtroom visits, 
trial simulations and professional appointments. Activities in Senegal 
should include seminars and workshops for judicial professionals as 
well as business groups, NGOs and academics.
    7. Cross-cultural, inter-ethnic and inter-religious dialogues: 
Proposals should promote constructive dialogue and the reduction of 
stereotyping, violence, hatred, and incitement among diverse groups. A 
proposal could address a particular conflict or develop a broadly 
applicable educational program. It could work through the media or 
educational institutions or NGOs or other implementation channels. It 
should build a valued working relationship between U.S. and African 
professionals in conflict management and resolution, and it should 
develop, test, and result in a training program that can continue after 
grant support is finished.
    Of particular interest would be a proposal on Post-Conflict 
Recovery (consideration should be given to countries such as Angola, 
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sierra Leone, Rwanda, Ethiopia and 
Eritrea). Issue should include setting priorities and reconciliation 
methodologies after a long war, i.e. family reunification, land tenure, 
encouraging a return to the countryside, permanent resettlement in 
place vs. return to pre-conflict homes, de-mining and major 
infrastructure repair.
    8. Strengthening women's roles in society--business, politics, and 
social leadership: Proposals should promote equal opportunity for women 
in one or more areas of life such as business, politics, social and 
other areas of leadership. Projects might provide leadership training, 
network building, advocacy strategies, analyses of discriminatory 
practices, confidence building activities, and visions of a more 
equitable society. A rationale should be developed on whether to 
include men in the project. Projects should also build a valued working 
relationship between U.S. and African partners.
    9. Environmental education and protection: Proposals should develop 
exchanges which focus public awareness on the threat posed by 
environmental deterioration, facilitate efforts to combat the threat by 
mobilizing governmental and/or non-governmental action, and work at 
multiple levels to educate and to develop solutions. Of special 
interest are proposals that would strengthen national park systems, 
that would clean up major cities, and that would make clean water much 
more widely available. ECA Bureau funds cannot be used for construction 
projects, but should be used for planning and mobilizing forces to 
accomplish these goals. Proposals should build a valued working 
relationship between Americans and Africans that is likely to continue 
after grant support is finished.

East Asia and the Pacific (EAP)

    The contact for East Asian and Pacific programs: Steve Lebens, 202/
260-5485; e-mail: [email protected].
For China
    1. Rule of Law: Proposals should include the development of an 
independent judiciary; the enforcement of commercial laws such as 
intellectual property rights protection, sanctity of contracts, and 
competition policy; labor rights; government accountability; and 
alternative dispute resolution. The objective is to acquaint officials, 
journalists, lawyers and other relevant professionals with the concepts 
and practice of law in the U.S. and China.
    2. World Trade Organization Implementation: Proposals should focus 
on the issues of World Trade Organization implementation, including 
TRIPS compliance, Intellectual Property Rights enforcement, regulatory 
transparency, sector reforms, and measures that government and business 
can take to ease the displacement of workers in the process of economic 
liberalization.
    3. Volunteerism: Proposals should emphasize the role that volunteer 
groups play in giving voice to citizens'

[[Page 46010]]

concerns and how such organizations succeed in developing effective 
volunteer networks.
    4. Women in Society: Proposals should foster a dialogue on 
effectively addressing the common challenges women face in both 
countries, including combating family violence, a rapidly growing 
concern in China.
    Please note that the need to involve individuals and organizations 
in the Western region of China's vast interior should be reflected in 
successful proposals, particularly in the Rule of Law and WTO 
proposals.
For Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines or Thailand
    1. Conflict Resolution: Proposals should focus on the use of 
arbitration and reconciliation techniques to create conditions for the 
peaceful resolution of disputes in a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural, 
multi-religious society. Participants could be leaders from government, 
civil society, and religious institutions as well as from the media. 
Activities promoting cultural and religious tolerance are especially 
welcome, as are projects, which factor in follow-up activities.
    2. Religious Institutions in a Democracy: Proposals should build a 
better understanding of the role religion plays in each country, with 
emphasis on how religious groups and institutions participate in a 
democratic, secular society in which the separation of church and state 
and tolerance are the guiding principles. Participants could be 
religious as well as lay leaders. Activities should illustrate how 
American religious leaders, both lay and ordained, function free of 
state control, contribute to society at large, and provide spiritual 
and ethical guidance. Balanced, two-way exchanges are essential.
    3. Education: Proposals should promote an understanding of the role 
of public and private schools, with and without religious affiliations, 
in ethnically, culturally, and religiously diverse societies. 
Participants could be schoolteachers, administrators, and education 
officials. Activities should illustrate how education can promote 
tolerance and encourage understanding of democratic values. Balanced, 
two-way exchanges are essential.

Near East and North Africa (NEA); South Asia (SA)

    Contacts for NEA and SA programs: Thomas Johnston, 202/619-5325; 
{[email protected]} or Susan Krause, 202/619-5332; 
{[email protected]}.
    The countries/entities comprising the NEA and SA Areas are listed 
below. Currently there is no U.S. mission in Iran, Iraq, or Libya. 
Please consider countries and specific themes listed below as guides to 
potential exchange partnerships. But note that all themes may be 
appropriate for single country, multi-country or regional proposals.
    Countries/Entities of the Near East and North Africa--Algeria; 
Bahrain; Egypt; Iran; Iraq*; Israel; Jordan; Kuwait; Lebanon; Libya; 
Morocco; Oman; Qatar; Saudi Arabia; Syria; Tunisia; the United Arab 
Emirates (UAE); the West Bank and Gaza; Yemen.

    *Note: For Iraq--grant proposals may only be submitted for 
projects that involve Iraqis residing in the areas of northern Iraq 
outside the control of the government of Iraq and/or Iraqi 
expatriates living in other parts of the Middle East. Regarding 
northern Iraq, current restrictions make the authorization of the 
travel of American citizens to any part of Iraq under a USG grant 
unlikely, and the expenditure of USG funds in Iraq requires a 
license from Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC). OFAC can and 
does authorize the provision of a broad range of services and 
materials that conform to the U.S. Oil-for-Food Goods Review List. 
Programming with Iraqis from the North or expatriates living outside 
Iraq that would take place in the United States or in other 
countries is not subject to these restrictions.


    Countries of South Asia--Afghanistan; Bangladesh; Bhutan; India; 
the Maldives; Nepal; Pakistan; Sri Lanka.
For India; Bangladesh; Pakistan; Iraq; Nepal; Egypt; Morocco; Jordan; 
Israel; the West Bank and Gaza; Lebanon; Syria; Saudi Arabia; Kuwait; 
the UAE
    1. Citizen Participation and Advocacy (Building and Strengthening 
Non-governmental Organizations): Proposals should promote an 
understanding of the proper role of NGO's, facilitate Internet 
communication, and develop cooperation between educators and NGO's and 
between government agencies and NGO's for community action. Social and 
political activism, encouraged, focused, and channeled through non-
governmental organizations, is a basic underpinning of democratic 
society. Strengthening NGO advocacy skills, management, grassroots 
support, recruitment and motivation of volunteers, fundraising and 
financial management, media relations, and networking for mutual 
support and reinforcement will strengthen democratic/civil society 
trends in the region. It is essential that organizations submitting 
proposals in this category recognize that democratic activism may be 
viewed with suspicion by some of the governments in the area and that 
foreign involvement with local NGO's must be carefully thought out and 
approached with subtlety and sensitivity. Close consultation with 
American Embassy/Consulate officers is critical.
For India; Israel; Iraq; the West Bank and Gaza; Pakistan; Lebanon; Sri 
Lanka
    2. Conflict Management/Ethnic Tolerance and Cooperation: Proposals 
should focus on redefining inter-communal conflict in specific 
situations and, through facilitating dialogue--among teachers, 
professionals, businesspersons, journalists, community activists--
promote better understanding among parties in conflict. A community 
that expends its time, its energy, and its material resources on 
offensive or defensive combat is unable to develop or maintain a civil 
basis for democratic institutions. Communal and ethnic tolerance is 
difficult to achieve, and the problem has worsened with the rise of 
community-based political groupings. There are numerous community 
groups working to bring about resolution to the challenge posed by 
ethnic nationalism, and the American experience of absorbing, 
integrating, and accommodating diverse communities from various parts 
of the world into a civil, as opposed to an ethnically defined, polity 
would be useful to these groups. Of particular relevance would be the 
experience of programs that teach tolerance in either a formal setting 
or in novel, arts/media-based contexts.
For Israel; the West Bank and Gaza; Egypt; Syria; Lebanon; Tunisia; 
Morocco; Jordan; India; Nepal; Pakistan; and Iraqi
    3. Journalism Training, Professional Skills, and Responsibility/The 
Role of the Press in a Democratic Society: Proposals should promote 
professionalism and provide training and advice to individuals and 
organizations devoted to the protection of press freedoms and to the 
defense of journalists and their right to practice their profession 
with integrity. The development of professionalism in media--gaining an 
appreciation for the importance of objective reporting; the ethics of 
presenting a true and balanced account of events; developing subject 
specialization; applying rational management techniques to newspaper 
publishing; etc.--remains an area in which serious efforts must be 
expended if the fourth estate is to fulfill its potential as a pillar 
of democratic society. Proposals should focus on how professional 
journalists deal with laws

[[Page 46011]]

that constrain press freedoms or promote self-censorship.
For Syria
    A proposal is sought to assist the Faculty of Journalism of the 
University of Damascus in developing a journalism certification program 
for journalism graduates that will deal with the issues outlined above. 
The positive role of a free and open press in a democracy cannot be 
overstated; one of the tasks in the development of a free press is 
training and sustaining a corps of professional journalists. One means 
for doing so is working with university journalism faculties to 
strengthen curriculum, train professors, seek international 
accreditation, and develop internship programs.
For Egypt; India; Israel; Iraq; Syria; Lebanon; Saudi Arabia; Kuwait; 
UAE; Bahrain; Oman; Qatar; Yemen. This theme is also appropriate for a 
South Asia regional exchange or a regional project involving the 
countries of the Arabian Gulf
    4. Women's Activism, Political Activism and Leadership, and 
Organizational Skills: Proposals should acquaint elected women leaders 
with skills in budget, human resource management, policy analysis, 
legislative drafting, and fighting corruption. Although the principle 
of equal rights for women and minorities has attained the status of a 
basic value in many legal systems throughout the region, women continue 
to exercise disproportionately little political and social influence. 
While some women's groups have organized themselves and actively 
campaign for equal rights and a greater say in local issues, women need 
to learn how to develop consensus on issues and build a constituency, 
mobilize support--both urban/political and grassroots--raise money at 
the municipal, state, and national levels, and how to win elections. 
Once elected, at either the state or the national level, women need to 
know how to effectively represent the interests of their constituents. 
They also need to know how to advocate for changes in policy as well as 
practice in the areas of health care, education, domestic violence, and 
equal treatment under the law.
For All Countries; Iraq
    5. Good Governance/The Accountability of Government: Proposals 
should assist in the development of mechanisms of control to counteract 
corruption. Although concepts such as good governance and ethics, 
transparency, responsiveness, and the fight against corruption play an 
increasing role in public debates, in the media, and in regional 
conferences, there is little evidence of reform. A populace 
experiencing abuses of power and corruption on a daily basis loses 
confidence in its institutions. The American NGO would work with 
indigenous NGO's, citizens' rights groups, journalists, human rights 
organizations, and government officials to share experiences on how 
best to expose and combat corruption. Success in making government at 
all levels accountable and transparent would contribute greatly toward 
the development of democratic institutions and civic responsibility and 
would encourage increased foreign investment.
For Egypt
    The Egyptian People's Assembly would welcome the opportunity to 
cooperate with one or more American institutions in arranging exchange 
visits, training, and possibly internships/fellowships for young 
Assembly staffers/civil servants. Focus areas would include legislative 
research and drafting, constituent relations, public affairs, media 
relations, etc. American hosts might include both the U.S. Congress and 
state legislatures.
For India; Pakistan; Nepal; Afghanistan; Morocco; Egypt; Iraq; Jordan; 
General
    6. Adult Education/Teacher and Technical Training: Proposals should 
lead to an upgrading of teacher training and development of technical 
education curricula. In countries throughout the Near East, North 
Africa, and South Asia, the workforce is characterized by an abundance 
of underemployed university graduates and an oversupply of unskilled 
day laborers. While universities proliferate, there are very few 
institutions in which one can learn how to be a skilled teacher, how to 
operate a water treatment plant, how to implement environmentally and 
scientifically sound agricultural practices, or how to design and plan 
road safety measures. There is a real need for trained teachers at all 
levels as well as for technically qualified, mid-level workers. In 
order to develop sustainable economies that can produce a reasonable 
standard of living for growing populations in the 21st century, many 
NEA and SA countries must rapidly upgrade their teacher training and 
their technical education curricula.
For Egypt; Israel; Jordan; the West Bank and Gaza; Lebanon; Bahrain; 
India; Nepal
    7. Environmental Protection/Natural Resources Management: Proposals 
should develop exchanges which enhance public awareness of the threat 
posed by environmental deterioration, facilitate efforts to combat the 
threat by mobilizing either governmental or non-governmental 
organizations, engage municipal officials, planners, and service 
providers, and work at multiple levels to educate and to develop 
solutions. Environmental deterioration is closely linked, both directly 
and indirectly, with issues of public health (air and water pollution; 
solid waste management) and economic welfare (preservation of natural 
sites; eco-tourism; agricultural productivity; the rational management 
of natural resources; the balance between industrial growth and 
environmental concerns, especially in urban areas). Since pollutant-
laden air and impure groundwater are trans-boundary issues, faced by 
all countries/entities, multi-country proposals would be welcome. Of 
special concern to India is the need for increased awareness and 
training regarding the treatment and disposal of hazardous, often 
medical/bio-medical waste.
For the Middle East Region
    Proposals should develop exchanges which enhance public awareness 
of natural resources management, largely on the allocation, 
conservation, purification, and re-use of water, potentially with an 
educational component.
For the Middle East Region; Iraq
    8. Public Health/Mental Health: Proposals should address the 
introduction or improvement of mental health programs dealing with 
traumatic experiences or violence. Issues of public health are central 
to the social well-being and to the economic productivity and stability 
of a country. Proposals should include education/training designed to 
address problems resulting from traumatic experiences, or to address 
the behavior of individual citizens living in an environment of 
violence.

(Formal medical education and dispensing of medications are outside the 
purview of this theme and will not be accepted activities for funding 
based on exchange guidelines.)
For India
    Proposals should promote exchange programs among governmental or 
non-governmental organizations, municipal officials, planners, and 
service providers to educate and develop solutions for current 
practices having a negative impact on public health. Such practices 
include lack of adequate water treatment, inadequate vehicle exhaust

[[Page 46012]]

standards, food processing facilities, waste collection and disposal 
(including biomedical waste), lack of sterile practices at hospitals, 
the absence of screening at blood banks, the operation of aging 
smokestack industries, etc.
For Israel; the West Bank and Gaza; Lebanon; India: Pakistan; 
Bangladesh
    Proposals should investigate the causes of increased societal and/
or in-school violence, to train individuals such as teachers and youth 
leaders to recognize trauma/stress-related behavior and address it, and 
to develop programs focused on youth and young adults--the most common 
perpetrators and victims of the violence--are needed. Statistics in 
Israel indicate an alarming increase in incidents of violence in 
Israeli society, particularly school violence and domestic violence. 
Similar patterns appear to exist in the West Bank and Gaza. Educators 
posit that the ubiquitous violence and uncertainty that characterize 
the Israeli-Palestinian confrontation has a spillover effect, with 
students acting out in the schools what they witness in the streets and 
at home.
For NEA and SA Region wide; India; Iraq
    9. Rule of Law/Administration of Justice: Proposals should 
introduce judges of both lower and higher courts to the functioning of 
the legal systems in the U.S. and foreign countries, with emphasis on 
introducing the principles and practices of U.S. jurisprudence and such 
fundamental procedures as alternate dispute resolution, early neutral 
evaluation, case management, the acceptance of guilty pleas, continuous 
trial proceedings, and arbitration/mediation. A well-trained, 
independent judiciary is fundamental to a democratic political and 
social system. Public perception of unequal and unfair treatment before 
the bench of women, members of ethnic minority communities and the poor 
is widespread in the region. Even well qualified and well-intentioned 
judges are obstructed in their efforts to deliver justice by case 
backlog, by procedural delay, and by insufficient authority to exercise 
judicial discretion in court management.
For Pakistan or South Asia Regional
    Proposals should address such issues as performance standards 
(efficiency; competence; fairness of administration), ethical standards 
(impropriety; corruption; discrimination against specific groups, such 
as women or minorities), and other related concerns. The goal of these 
exchanges is to enhance the professionalism of the judiciary, the 
quality of the relationship between the judiciary and the bar, and, by 
extrapolation, raise the quality of the administration of justice.
For Israel; Jordan; the West Bank and Gaza; Egypt; Iraq; Pakistan; 
Regionwide
    10. Civic Education: Proposals should focus on integrating civic 
education concepts such as increased citizen awareness, participation, 
volunteerism, and community service into elementary and secondary 
education. The development of ethics and civic responsibility/virtue 
through education is an important step in creating a more civil and 
democratic society. Middle Eastern groups are particularly interested 
in learning how American school systems have incorporated in their 
curricula community service, environmental campaigns, and other 
activities that involve students in the larger society.

Western Hemisphere Affairs (WHA)

    The Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs includes the countries of 
Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean.
    The contact for Western Hemisphere Affairs programs: Laverne 
Johnson, 202/619-5337; e-mail: [email protected].
For Peru, Mexico, Chile, Uruguay, and Paraguay
    1. Civil Society Participation in Government: Proposals should 
focus on the role of NGOs in influencing political processes, lobbying, 
and networking with other organizations. Participants would be 
representatives of politically engaged NGOs with a good government 
focus. Project activities might focus on how municipal teams, including 
government officials, educational leaders, NGOs, business leaders, 
etc., join forces to develop approaches to economic development or 
solutions to major problems (environment, crime, drug use, etc.). 
Ideally, participants will be committed activists who will share ideas, 
successes, and challenges from the two countries.
For Brazil, Argentina, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela, Guatemala, Costa Rica, 
and Honduras
    2. Improving Civil Rights for Afro-Latino Minorities:
    Proposals should focus on Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) 
working for the inclusion of Afro-Latinos and other minorities in 
higher education, modernization of curriculum to counter negative 
images of those groups, and the training and education of young leaders 
from those communities.
For Caribbean and Haiti
    3. HIV/AIDS Awareness: Proposals should focus on creative 
community-based initiatives that will promote better health care and 
prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS. Proposals should focus on educating 
girls and young women on some of the following topics: the need for 
prevention and stigma reduction strategies for people living with HIV/
AIDS, engagement of political, religious, cultural and other leaders in 
public education efforts; grassroots mobilization and advocacy.
For Chile, Guatemala, Peru, and Nicaragua
    4. Protection of Indigenous Cultures in a Shrinking World: 
Proposals would address the protection of indigenous cultures by 
demonstrating ways in which technology can be adapted to local 
conditions, and how these technologies can be used to protect and 
preserve and disseminate information about local cultural heritage. 
Emphasis under this theme is on assisting countries in preserving their 
cultural heritage through programs designed to reduce the threat of 
pillage of sites representing irreplaceable cultural heritage, and to 
create opportunities to develop long-term strategies for preserving 
cultural property through training and conservation, museum 
development, and public education. Projects might include supporting 
the preservation of cultural sites, objects in a site, museum or 
similar institution, or forms of traditional cultural expression.
For Peru, Brazil, Nicaragua, and Chile
    5. Democracy Support/Good Governance: Proposals may address any of 
the following program concepts designed to enhance democracy within 
these countries: Anti-corruption, Administration of Justice (also 
Comparative Legal Systems), Civilian-Military Relations, Civil Society 
Participation in Government, Leadership for Democracy, and Alternative 
Dispute Resolution as a Solution to Inter-ethnic conflict. Proposals 
should focus on how a democratic government functions from the 
community to the national level in addressing these concepts.
For Chile, Mexico, and Brazil
    6. Sustainable Economic Development: Proposals should focus on the 
impact of globalization on the national economy with emphasis on both 
the benefits of globalization and the inherent risks involved in

[[Page 46013]]

participating in the global economy. Projects, which include orderly 
market compliance, intellectual property rights (IPR) enforcement, 
regulatory transparency, sector reforms and measures that government 
and business can take to ease the displacement of workers in the 
process of economic liberalization. A sub-theme would include a 
discussion of how the U.S. implements commercial diplomacy including 
how we negotiate and plan our trade/commercial relations.

Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and Eurasia

    Requests for proposals involving the following countries will be 
announced in separate competitions: CEE--Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, 
Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, 
Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Slovak Republic, and Slovenia. Eurasia--
Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, 
Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.
    Proposals involving these regions WILL NOT be accepted under this 
competition and if received, will be deemed technically ineligible.

Western Europe (WEU)

    Proposals involving this region WILL NOT be accepted under this 
competition and if received, will be deemed technically ineligible.

General Program Guidelines

    Applicants must identify the local organizations and individuals in 
the counterpart country with whom they are proposing to collaborate and 
describe in detail previous cooperative programming and/or contacts. 
Specific information about the counterpart organizations' activities 
and accomplishments is required and must be included in the section on 
Institutional Capacity. All proposals must contain letters of support 
tailored to the project being proposed from all foreign-country partner 
organizations. Failure to include the above information and 
documentation will make a proposal technically ineligible.
    Exchanges and training programs supported by institutional grants 
from the Bureau should operate at two levels: they should enhance 
institutional partnerships, and they should offer practical information 
and experience to individuals and groups to assist them with their 
professional responsibilities. Strong proposals usually have the 
following characteristics:
     A proven track record of working in the proposed issue 
area;
 Experienced staff with language facility and a commitment by 
the staff to monitor projects locally to improve accountability;
 A clear, convincing plan showing how permanent results will be 
accomplished as a result of the activity funded by the grant; and
 A follow-on plan beyond the scope of the Bureau grant.
    Proposal narratives must demonstrate an organization's willingness 
to consult closely with the Public Affairs Section and other officers 
at the U.S. Embassy. Proposal narratives must confirm that all 
materials developed for the project will acknowledge USG funding for 
the program as well as a commitment to invite representatives of the 
Embassy and/or Consulate to participate in various program sessions/
site visits. Please note that this will be a formal requirement in all 
final grant awards.

Suggested Program Designs

    Bureau-supported exchanges may include internships; study tours; 
short-term, non-technical experiential learning, extended and intensive 
workshops and seminars taking place in the United States or overseas. 
Examples of possible program activities include.
    1. A U.S.-based program that includes: orientation to program 
purposes and to U.S. society; study tour/site visits; professional 
internships/placements; interaction and dialogue; hands-on training; 
professional development; and action plan development.
    2. Capacity-building/training-of-trainer (TOT) workshops to help 
participants to identify priorities, create work plans, strengthen 
professional and volunteer skills, share their experience to committed 
people within each country, and become active in a practical and 
valuable way.
    3. Seed/small grants to indigenous non-profit organizations to 
support community-based educational projects that build upon exchange 
activities and that address issues of local concern. Proposals may 
include a component for a Seed/Small Grants Competition (often referred 
to as `sub-grants' or `secondary grants'). This requires a detailed 
plan for recruitment and advertising; description of the proposal 
review and award mechanism; a plan for how the grantee would monitor 
and evaluate small grant activity; and a proposed amount for an average 
grant. The small grants should be directly linked to exchange 
activities. Small/seed grants may not be used for micro-credit or re-
loaning purposes. Small/seed grants may not exceed 10% of the total 
value of the grant funds sought from ECA.
    4. Site visits by U.S. facilitators/experts to monitor projects in 
the region and to provide additional training and consultations as 
needed.
    5. Content-based Internet training/ cyber-training to encourage 
citizen participation in workshops, fora, chats, and/or discussions via 
the Internet that will stimulate communication and information sharing 
among key opinion leaders on priority topics as a form of cost sharing. 
Proposals that include Internet utilization must reflect knowledge of 
the opportunities and obstacles that exist for use of information 
technologies in the target country or countries, and, if needed, 
provide hardware, software and servers, preferably as a form of cost 
sharing. Federal standards are under review and their adoption may 
impact on the implementation of these programs.

Ineligibility

    All proposals will undergo an initial review to determine their 
technical eligibility. A proposal will be deemed technically ineligible 
for consideration if:
    1. It does not fully adhere to the guidelines established in this 
document and in the Proposal Submission Instructions;
    2. It is not received by the deadline;
    3. It is not submitted by a U.S. based Public Private not for 
profit organization meeting provisions described in Internal Revenue 
code section 26 USC 503 c (3);
    4. The foreign country or geographic location is ineligible.
    5. The proposal does not include an in-country foreign partner 
organization(s) and does not contain letters of support from foreign 
partners, tailored to the proposed project and specific information in 
the narrative about the partner organization's past activities and 
accomplishments;
    6. The proposed exchange activity is not bilateral in scope with 
roughly equal numbers of participants from the U.S. and foreign 
countries;
    7. It does not provide at least 50% cost-sharing of the grant funds 
sought from ECA;
    8. It does not confirm that all materials developed for the project 
will acknowledge USG funding for the program;
    9. It does not include a commitment to invite representatives of 
the Embassy and/or Consulate to participate in various program 
sessions/site visits.

    Activities ineligible for support: Vocational training (an 
occupation other than one requiring a baccalaureate or higher academic 
degree; i.e., clerical work, auto maintenance, etc., and other 
occupations requiring less than two

[[Page 46014]]

years of higher education) and technical training (special and 
practical knowledge of a mechanical or a scientific subject which 
enhances mechanical, narrowly scientific, or semi-skilled capabilities) 
are ineligible for support. In addition, academic scholarship programs 
are ineligible for support.
    The Office does not support proposals limited to conferences or 
seminars (i.e., one to fourteen-day programs with plenary sessions, 
main speakers, panels, and a passive audience). It will support 
conferences only insofar as they are a small part of a larger project 
in duration and scope that is receiving Bureau funding from this 
competition. The Office will only support workshops, seminars and 
training sessions that are an integral part of a larger project. No 
funding is available exclusively to send U.S. citizens to conferences 
or conference-type seminars overseas; nor is funding available for 
bringing foreign nationals to conferences or to routine professional 
association meetings in the United States.

Selection of Participants

    All grant proposals should clearly describe the type of persons who 
will participate in the program as well as the process by which 
participants will be selected. It is recommended that for programs 
including U.S. internships, grant applicants submit letters tentatively 
committing host institutions to support the internships. In the 
selection of foreign participants, the Department and U.S. Embassies 
retain the right to review all participant nominations and to accept or 
refuse participants recommended by grantee institutions. When 
participants are selected, grantee institutions will provide the names 
of American participants and brief (two pages) biographical data on 
each American participant to the Office of Citizen Exchanges for 
information purposes. Priority in two-way exchange proposals will be 
given to foreign participants who have not previously traveled to the 
United States. (See section below on requirements for maintenance of 
and provision to ECA of data on participants and program activities.)
    Programs must comply with J-1 visa regulations. Please refer to 
Solicitation Package for further information.

Evaluation

    In general, evaluation should be ongoing and evolving throughout 
the duration of the project. The evaluation plan will incorporate an 
assessment of the program from a variety of perspectives. Specifically, 
project assessment efforts will focus on: (a) Determining if objectives 
are being met or have been met, (b) identifying any unmet needs, and 
(c) assessing if the project has effectively discovered resources, 
advocates, and financial support for sustainability of future projects. 
Informal evaluation through discussions and other sources of feedback 
will be carried out throughout the duration of the project. Formal 
evaluation will be conducted at the end of each phase, using 
instruments designed specifically to measure the impact of the 
activities and should obtain participants' feedback and comments on the 
program content and administration. A detailed evaluation will be 
conducted at the conclusion of the project and the report will be 
submitted to the Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural 
Affairs. When possible, the evaluation should be done by an independent 
evaluator.

Program Data Requirements

    Organizations awarded grants will be required to maintain specific 
data on program participants and activities in an electronically 
accessible database format that can be shared with the Bureau of 
Educational and Cultural Affairs as required. As a minimum, the data 
must include the following:
     Name, address, contact information and biographic sketch 
of all persons who travel internationally on funds provided by the 
grant or who benefit from the grant funding but do not travel.
     Itineraries of international and domestic travel, 
providing dates of travel and cities in which any exchange experiences 
take place.

Budget Guidelines and Cost-Sharing Requirements

    Grants awarded to eligible organizations with less than four years 
of experience in conducting international development or exchange 
programs will be limited to $60,000. Applicants must submit a 
comprehensive budget for the entire program. Grant awards will range 
from $125,000 to $175,000. There must be 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.
    Since Bureau grant assistance constitutes only a portion of total 
project funding, proposals should list and provide evidence of other 
anticipated sources of financial and in-kind support. To be eligible 
for consideration under this competition, proposals must provide a 
minimum of 50 percent cost sharing of the amount of grant funds sought 
from ECA, although proposals with higher cost-sharing levels are 
welcome.
    Example: A proposal requests $140,000 in grant funds from ECA, for 
a project with a total budget of $500,000. The required minimum 
allowable cost-sharing offered must amount to at least $70,000. In this 
case, the cost-sharing far exceeds the minimum, since actual cost-
sharing is $360,000.
    When cost sharing is offered, it is understood and agreed that the 
applicant must provide the minimum amount of cost sharing as stipulated 
in this RFGP and later included in an approved grant agreement. Cost 
sharing may be in the form of allowable direct or indirect costs. For 
accountability, you must maintain written records to support all 
allowable costs, which are claimed as being your contribution to cost 
participation, as well as costs to be paid by the Federal government. 
Such records are subject to audit. The basis for determining the value 
of cash and in-kind contributions must be in accordance with OMB 
Circular A-110, (Revised), Subpart C.23--Cost Sharing and Matching. In 
the event you do not provide the minimum amount of cost sharing as 
stipulated in the approved budget, ECA's contribution will be reduced 
proportionately to the contribution.
    The following project costs are eligible for consideration for 
funding:
    1. Travel costs. International and domestic airfares; visas; 
transit costs; ground transportation costs. Please note that all air 
travel must be in compliance with the Fly America Act. There is no 
charge for J-1 visas for participants in Bureau sponsored programs.
    2. Per Diem. For the U.S. program, organizations have the option of 
using a flat $160/day for program participants or the published U.S. 
Federal per diem rates for individual American cities. For activities 
outside the U.S., the published Federal per diem rates must be used. 
NOTE: U.S. escorting staff must use the published Federal per diem 
rates, not the flat rate. Per diem rates may be accessed at http://www.policyworks.gov/
    3. Interpreters. If needed, interpreters for the U.S. program are 
available through the U.S. Department of State Language Services 
Division. Typically, a pair of simultaneous interpreters is provided 
for every four visitors who need interpretation. Bureau grants do not 
pay for foreign interpreters to accompany delegations from their home 
country. Grant proposal budgets should

[[Page 46015]]

contain a flat $160/day per diem for each Department of State 
interpreter, as well as home-program-home air transportation of $400 
per interpreter plus any U.S. travel expenses during the program. 
Salary expenses are covered centrally and should not be part of an 
applicant's proposed budget. Locally arranged interpreters with 
adequate skills and experience may be used by the grantee in lieu of 
State Department interpreters, with the same 1:4 interpreter to 
participant ratio. 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 and escorts are reimbursed a one-time cultural allowance of $150 per 
person, plus a participant book allowance of $50. U.S. program staff 
members are not eligible to receive these benefits.
    5. Consultants. Consultants may be used to provide specialized 
expertise, design or manage development projects or to make 
presentations. Honoraria generally do not 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 should 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.
    8. Equipment. Proposals may contain limited costs to purchase 
equipment crucial to the success of the program, such as computers, fax 
machines and copy machines. However, equipment costs must be kept to a 
minimum, and costs for furniture are not allowed.
    9. Working Meal. The grant budget may provide for only one working 
meal 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. This may be 
used for incidental expenses incurred during international travel.
    11. Health Insurance. Foreign participants will be covered under 
the terms of a U.S. Department of State-sponsored health insurance 
policy. The premium is paid by the U.S. Department of State directly to 
the insurance company. Applicants are permitted to included costs for 
travel insurance for U.S. participants in the budget.
    12. Administrative Costs. Costs necessary for the effective 
administration of the program may include salaries for grant 
organization employees, benefits, and other direct or indirect costs 
per detailed instructions in the Solicitation Package.
    Please refer to the Solicitation Package for complete budget 
guidelines and formatting instructions.

Deadline for Proposals

    All proposal copies must be received at the Bureau of Educational 
and Cultural Affairs by 5 p.m. Washington, DC time on Friday, October 
4, 2002. 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 12 copies of the application should be sent 
to: U.S. Department of State, SA-44, Bureau of Educational and Cultural 
Affairs Ref.: ECA/PE/C/-03-01, 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. 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 section at the US Embassy 
for its 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

    Proposals will be deemed ineligible if they do not fully adhere to 
the guidelines stated herein and in the Solicitation Package. The 
program office, the Public Diplomacy section and other elements at the 
U.S. Embassy will review all eligible proposals. 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 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 after all 
required elements have been met (required cost-sharing, letters of 
support, willingness to work with U.S. embassies, etc.).
    1. Program planning to achieve program objectives: Proposals should 
clearly demonstrate how the institution plans to achieve the program's 
objectives. Objectives should be reasonable, feasible, and flexible. 
The proposal should contain a detailed agenda and relevant work plan 
that demonstrates substantive undertakings and logistical capacity. 
Agenda and plan should adhere to the program overview and guidelines 
described above.
    2. Institutional Capacity: Proposed personnel and institutional 
resources should be adequate and appropriate to achieve the program or 
project's goals. For technical projects, foreign experts and their 
local partners will be required to have the necessary education, 
training and experience for the work to

[[Page 46016]]

be undertaken, in addition to language skills where applicable.
    3. Institutional Record/Ability: Proposals should demonstrate an 
institutional record of successful development or exchange programs, 
including responsible fiscal management and full compliance with all 
reporting requirements for past Bureau grants as determined by Bureau 
Grant Staff. The Bureau will consider the past performance of prior 
recipients and the demonstrated potential of new applicants. Many 
successful applicants will have a multiyear track record of successful 
work in the selected country or within the region.
    4. Multiplier effect/impact: Proposed programs should strengthen 
long-term mutual understanding, including maximum sharing of 
information and establishment of long-term institutional and individual 
linkages.
    5. 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 (selection of 
participants, program venue and program evaluation) and program content 
(orientation and wrap-up sessions, program meetings, resource materials 
and follow-up activities).
    6. Follow-on Activities: Proposals should identify other types of 
exchanges or linkages that might be undertaken after completion of the 
Bureau supported activity.
    7. Monitoring and Project Evaluation Plan: Proposals should provide 
a detailed plan for monitoring and evaluating the program. The 
evaluation plan should identify anticipated outcomes and performance 
requirements clearly related to program objectives and activities and 
include procedures for ongoing monitoring and corrective action when 
necessary. The identification of best practices relating to project 
administration is also encouraged, as is the discussion of unforeseen 
difficulties.
    8. Cost-effectiveness/Cost-sharing: The overhead and administrative 
components of the proposal, including salaries and honoraria, should be 
kept as low as possible. All other items should be necessary and 
appropriate. Proposals must provide 50% cost sharing (of the amount of 
grant funds requested from ECA) 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.''

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: July 2, 2002.
Patricia S. Harrison,
Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs, Department of 
State.
[FR Doc. 02-17454 Filed 7-10-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P