[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 25 (Thursday, February 6, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6243-6245]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-2925]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 4272]


Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs Request for Grant 
Proposals: Kyrgyz Republic Educational Partnerships Program in Cultural 
and Comparative Religious Studies

SUMMARY: The Office of Global Educational Programs of the Bureau of 
Educational and Cultural Affairs announces an open competition for the 
Kyrgyz Republic Educational Partnerships Program in Cultural and 
Comparative Religious Studies. 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 to support mutually 
beneficial partnerships which contribute to the development of 
instruction in comparative religion, cultural studies/history, computer 
science and English at the Bishkek Islamic Institute in the Kyrgyz 
Republic. The means for achieving these objectives may include the 
exchange of university and college faculty and research scholars, 
administrators, and advanced students between the Kyrgyz Republic and 
appropriate U.S. counterpart colleges and universities.
    In a program announced in a separate RFGP, the Bureau supports 
linkages in higher education with partners in the Eurasian states of 
the former Soviet Union through the FREEDOM Support Educational 
Partnerships Program. Applicants seeking support for educational 
partnerships with partners in the Kyrgyz Republic other than the one 
specified in this RFGP or for fields of study other than those 
specified in this RFGP should consult the RFGP for the FREEDOM Support 
Educational Partnerships Program or contact the Bureau's Humphrey 
Fellowships and Institutional Linkages Branch at (202) 619-5289.

Program Information

    Overview: The Kyrgyz Republic Educational Partnerships Program in 
Cultural and Comparative Religious Studies will fund a three-year 
project to permit one or more U.S. institutions to work with the 
Bishkek Islamic Institute. Pending availability of funds, approximately 
$200,000 is expected to be available under the FREEDOM Support Act for 
the Kyrgyz Republic Educational Partnerships Program in Cultural and 
Comparative Religious Studies in FY 2003.
    Objectives: Proposals that benefit both partner institutions will 
be the most competitive, although the benefits do not need to be 
identical for each partner. The proposal should outline a plan to 
cooperate with the Bishkek Islamic Institute to: (1) Develop courses 
and curricula in eligible fields; (2) improve teaching methods; (3) 
develop educational materials which support new courses and curricula; 
(4) train teachers or other practitioners in the effective use of these 
materials; and (5) foster self-sustaining relationships with U.S. 
academic institutions and educators.
    The program should equip the Bishkek Islamic Institute to provide 
accurate and balanced information about religion, including Islam, and 
cultural history framed within a contemporary understanding of human 
rights and the role of cultural and religious pluralism in a democratic 
society. At the conclusion of the program, teachers at the Bishkek 
Islamic Institute should be capable of teaching the newly introduced or 
revised courses and should be able to participate more fully in 
international dialogue with U.S. and other educators. Students 
graduating from the Bishkek Islamic Institute should have a better 
understanding of the relationships between religion, politics, and 
society in modern democracies and should be better prepared to apply 
this understanding in public service, education, and the private 
sector, and to contribute to building a democratic society.
    The Bureau anticipates that the participating U.S. institution(s) 
and individuals will benefit by developing or strengthening regional 
expertise. Participating U.S. faculty may utilize

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this experience to develop new courses or incorporate comparative 
content into existing courses. Students at participating U.S. 
institutions will gain a better understanding of Central Asia through 
interaction with visiting scholars and U.S. faculty that have 
incorporated international content into their courses.
    Pending availability of funds, the grant should begin on or about 
June 15, 2003.

Participant Eligibility

    All participants traveling to the Kyrgyz Republic funded under the 
grant must be U.S. citizens. Foreign participants must be both 
qualified to receive U.S. J-1 visas and willing to travel to the U.S. 
under the provisions of a J-1 visa during the exchange visits funded by 
this Program.
    Programs must comply with J-1 visa regulations. Please refer to 
Solicitation Package for further information.

Budget Guidelines

    The Bureau anticipates awarding one grant not to exceed $200,000. 
Applicants may submit a budget not to exceed this amount. Organizations 
with less than four years experience in conducting international 
exchanges are limited to $60,000, and are not encouraged to apply. The 
Bureau encourages applicants to provide maximum levels of cost-sharing 
and funding from private sources in support of its programs.
    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. 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 above title and number ECA/A/
S/U-03-14.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request a solicitation package, 
contact the Humphrey Fellowships and Institutional Linkages Branch; 
Office of Global Educational Programs; Bureau of Educational and 
Cultural Affairs; ECA/A/S/U, Room 349; U.S. Department of State; SA-44, 
301 Fourth Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547; phone: (202) 619-5289, 
fax: (202) 401-1433. The Solicitation Package includes more detailed 
award criteria, all application forms, and guidelines for preparing 
proposals, including specific criteria for preparation of the proposal 
budget. Applicants desiring more information may contact Program 
Officer Jonathan Cebra at 202-205-8379 or [email protected].
    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 
Web site 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, DC time on Tuesday, April 1, 
2003. 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 ten 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/U-03-14, Program Management, ECA/EX/PM, Room 
534, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547.
    No later than one week after the competition deadline, applicants 
must also submit the Proposal Title Sheet, Executive Summary, and 
Proposal Narrative sections of the proposal as e-mail attachments in 
Microsoft Word (preferred), WordPerfect, or as ASCII text files to the 
following e-mail address: [email protected]. In the e-mail 
message subject line, include the following: ECA/A/S/U-03-14. To reduce 
the time needed to obtain advisory comments from the Public Affairs 
Section of the U.S. Embassy in Bishkek, the Bureau will transmit these 
files electronically to this office.

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.

Adherence to All Regulations Governing the J Visa

    The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs is placing renewed 
emphasis on the secure and proper administration of Exchange Visitor (J 
visa) Programs and adherence by grantees and sponsors to all 
regulations governing the J visa. Therefore, proposals should 
demonstrate the applicant's capacity to meet all requirements governing 
the administration of Exchange Visitor Programs as set forth in 22 CFR 
6Z, including the oversight of Responsible Officers and Alternate 
Responsible Officers, screening and selection of program participants, 
provision of pre-arrival information and orientation to participants, 
monitoring of participants, proper maintenance and security of forms, 
record-keeping, reporting and other requirements. The Grantee will be 
responsible for issuing DS-2019 forms to participants in this program.
    A copy of the complete regulations governing the administration of 
Exchange Visitor (J) programs is available at http://exchanges.state.gov or from: United States Department of State, Office 
of Exchange Coordination and Designation, ECA/EC/ECD--SA-44, Room 734, 
301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547, Telephone: (202) 401-9810, 
FAX: (202) 401-9809.

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

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the program office, as well as the Public Diplomacy section overseas, 
where appropriate. 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 elements of the 
Department or the United States Government. 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:
    (1) Broad and Enduring Significance of Institutional Objectives: 
Program objectives should have significant and ongoing benefits for the 
participating institutions and for their surrounding societies or 
communities.
    (2) Creativity and Feasibility of Strategy to Achieve Objectives: 
Strategies to achieve program objectives should be feasible and 
realistic within the budget and timeframe. These strategies should 
utilize and reinforce exchange activities creatively to ensure an 
efficient use of program resources.
    (3) 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.
    (4) Support of Diversity: Proposals should demonstrate substantive 
support of the Bureau's policy on diversity by explaining how issues of 
diversity are included in objectives for all institutional partners. 
Issues resulting from differences of race, ethnicity, gender, religion, 
geography, socio-economic status, or physical challenge should be 
addressed during program implementation. In addition, program 
participants and administrators should reflect the diversity within the 
societies which they represent (see the section of this document on 
``Diversity, Freedom, and Democracy Guidelines''). Proposals should 
also discuss how the various institutional partners approach diversity 
issues in their respective communities or societies.
    (5) Institution's Capacity and Record/Ability: Proposed personnel 
and institutional resources should be adequate and appropriate to 
achieve the program or project's goals. Proposals should demonstrate an 
institutional record of successful 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.
    (6) Evaluation: Proposals should outline a methodology for 
determining the degree to which the project meets its objectives, both 
while it is underway and at its conclusion. The final program 
evaluation should include an external component and should provide 
observations about the program's influence within the participating 
institutions as well as their surrounding communities or societies.
    (7) Cost-effectiveness: Administrative and program costs should be 
reasonable and appropriate with cost-sharing provided by all 
participating institutions within the context of their respective 
capacities. Cost-sharing is viewed as a reflection of institutional 
commitment to the program.
    (8) Value to U.S.-Partner Country Relations: Proposed projects 
should receive positive assessments by the U.S. Department of State's 
geographic area desk and overseas officers of program need, potential 
impact, and significance in the Kyrgyz Republic.

Authority

    Overall grant making authority for this program is contained in the 
Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961, Pub. L. 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 cited above is provided through the Freedom for Russia and 
Emerging Eurasian Democracies and Open Markets Support Act of 1992 
(FREEDOM Support Act).

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: January 28, 2003.
C. Miller Crouch,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Educational and 
Cultural Affairs, Department of State.
[FR Doc. 03-2925 Filed 2-5-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P