[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 36 (Monday, February 24, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8640-8643]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-4305]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 4285]


Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs Request for Grant 
Proposals: ACCESS Program: Indonesia, Philippines, Serbia, and 
Southeast Europe

AGENCY: Department of State.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Office of Citizen Exchanges, Youth Programs Division, of 
the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs announces an open 
competition for four projects under the new ACCESS (Access to Community 
and Civic Enrichment for Students) Program in Indonesia, Philippines, 
Serbia, and Southeast Europe. 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 recruit and select 
youth and adult participants in the specified countries and to provide 
the participants with a U.S.-based exchange project focused on civic 
education, leadership, conflict resolution, tolerance and respect for 
diversity, and community activism.

Program Information

    Overview: The ACCESS (Access to Community and Civic Enrichment for 
Students) Program is an exchange program model that enables teenagers 
(ages 15-17) and adult educators to participate in intensive, thematic, 
month-long projects in the United States that complement a more formal 
education in the principles of a civil society. Participants will be 
engaged in a variety of activities such as workshops, community and/or 
school-based programs, cultural activities, seminars and other 
activities designed to achieve the projects' stated goals and 
objectives. Opportunities for participants to interact with American 
youth and adult educators will be included whenever appropriate.
    The goals of the programs are:
    (1) To develop a sense of civic responsibility and commitment to 
community development among youth;
    (2) To foster relationships among youth from different ethnic, 
religious, and national groups;
    (3) To promote mutual understanding between the United States and 
the people of other countries.
    Applicants should identify their own specific objectives and 
measurable outcomes based on these program goals and the project 
specifications provided in this solicitation.
    Should organizations wish to apply for more than one project, they 
must submit a separate proposal for each. Each of the four projects 
will be judged independently and proposals for a particular country or 
region will be compared only to proposals for the same country or 
region.
    Project A: Indonesia. Total funding: $500,000. 45-70 participants 
total. Applicants should propose a U.S. program in summer 2004. ECA may 
award one or two grants. Therefore, an organization may apply to 
conduct the entire project, or it may apply to work with a fraction of 
the participant numbers specified and request a commensurate grant 
amount using this per capita range: $7,140-$11,100. Requests for less 
than the full amount should not exceed 60% of the total funding 
available. The Bureau reserves the right to adjust grant amounts should 
it choose to fund more than one proposal under each project.
    Project B: Philippines. Total funding: $200,000. 30-40 
participants. Applicants should propose a U.S. program between January 
and June 2004. ECA intends to award only one grant.
    Project C: Serbia. Total funding: $198,000. 30-40 participants. 
Applicants should propose a U.S. program in spring 2004. ECA intends to 
award only one grant.
    Project D: Southeast Europe. Total funding: $595,000. 96-120 
participants. Applicants should propose a U.S. program in summer 2004. 
ECA may award one or two grants. Therefore, an organization may apply 
to conduct the entire project, or it may apply to work with a fraction 
of the participant numbers specified and request a commensurate grant 
amount using this per capita range: $4,960-$6,200. Requests for less 
than the full amount should not exceed 60% of the total funding 
available. The Bureau reserves the right to adjust grant amounts should 
it choose to fund more than one proposal under each project.
    Although all countries or entities in Southeast Europe are 
potentially eligible for this regional project, ECA anticipates the 
following will be included: Macedonia, Romania, Albania, Bulgaria, 
Kosovo, Serbia and Montenegro.

    Note: The Bureau's ability to carry out these programs is 
dependent upon the availability of funds and the fulfillment of 
certification requirements contained in pending legislation.

    For all four projects, applicants must demonstrate their capacity 
for doing projects of this nature, focusing on three areas of 
competency: (1) Provision of

[[Page 8641]]

programs aimed at achieving the goals and themes outlined in this 
document; (2) age-appropriate programming for youth; and (3) work in 
Indonesia, the Philippines, Serbia or Southeast Europe. Applicants need 
to have the necessary capacity in the geographic areas from which 
participants will be recruited or a partnered institution with the 
requisite capacity to recruit and select participants for the program 
and to provide follow-on activities.
    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. The Bureau also reserves the right to renew this 
grant in future years contingent upon the successful performance of the 
grant recipient and the availability of funding.

Guidelines

    Grants should begin on or about July 1, 2003, subject to the 
availability of funds. The grant period will be 12-16 months in 
duration, as appropriate.
    In pursuit of the goals outlined above, the programs will include 
the following:
    [sbull] Recruitment and selection of youth and adult educators from 
the appropriate geographic regions.
    [sbull] A pre-departure orientation program
    [sbull] Designing and planning of activities that provide a 
substantive program on leadership development, civic education, 
community service, and conflict resolution. Some activities should be 
school and/or community-based, as feasible, and the projects will 
involve as much interaction with American peers as possible.
    [sbull] Logistical arrangements, home-stay arrangements (as 
appropriate) and/or other accommodation, provisions for religious 
observance, disbursement of stipends/per diem, local travel, and travel 
between sites.
    [sbull] Follow-on activities in the participants' geographic areas 
designed to reinforce the ideas, values and skills imparted during the 
U.S. program.
    Recruitment and Selection: The grant recipients will manage the 
recruitment and merit-based selection of participants in cooperation 
with the Public Affairs offices at the U.S. Embassies or other USG 
representative offices overseas. Organizers must strive for the 
broadest regional and ethnic diversity. The Department of State and/or 
its overseas representatives reserve final approval of all selected 
delegations.
    Participants: The participants will be teenagers aged 15 to 17, who 
have demonstrated leadership aptitude and an interest in community 
service, and adults who are teachers, school administrators, and/or 
community leaders who work with youth. The ratio of students to adults 
will be approximately 5:1.
    Criteria for selection of participants will be leadership skills, 
an interest in service to the community, strong academic and social 
skills, overall composure, openness and flexibility and English 
proficiency (for Philippines, Serbia, and Southeast Europe only).
    Groups: Applicants should present ideas on dividing the 
participants in each project into smaller groups of about 12-15 
individuals for both logistical and pedagogical reasons. Groups will be 
as mixed as is feasible (adults/youth, geographic, ethnicity, religious 
background, etc.).
    U.S. Program: The projects may take place in one or two communities 
and should offer the participants exposure to the variety of American 
life. The program should focus primarily on interactive activities, 
practical experiences, and other hands-on opportunities to learn about 
the fundamentals of a civil society, community service, conflict 
resolution, tolerance and respect for diversity, and building 
leadership skills. Suggestions include simulations, a volunteer service 
project, and leadership training exercises. All programming should 
include American participants wherever possible. Cultural and 
recreational activities will balance the schedule. Please see the POGI 
for more details.
    Follow-on Activities and In-Country Programming: Follow-on 
programming for U.S. program alumni is essential, and additional in-
country programming is strongly recommended. Applicants may present 
creative and effective ways to address the project themes, for both 
program participants and their peers, as a means to amplify the program 
impact.
    Applicants are invited to submit proposals for one or more of the 
four projects announced here (a separate proposal for each project). 
Each project differs in a number of respects. Attributes specific to 
each project are as follows:

A: Indonesia

    Objective: To introduce students and educators from Indonesian 
pesantren (Islamic boarding schools) to the principles of civic 
education, civil society, and youth leadership as they are practiced in 
the United States.
    Participants: 38-58 students and 7-12 educators who have 
demonstrated an interest in playing a role in their communities. Given 
the religious and cultural conventions of pesantren students, the adult 
participants will also need to serve as chaperones and advisors.

B: Philippines

    Objective: To advance a dialogue and a degree of mutual 
understanding between Muslim and non-Muslim youth from the Autonomous 
Region of Muslim Mindanao and surrounding provinces, leading to a 
strategy to implement cooperatively after re-entry.
    Participants: 25-30 teenagers and 5-10 educators. Educators should 
have demonstrated conflict resolution experience and expect to remain 
in positions where they can continue working with youth on matters 
related to conflict resolution and inter-ethnic understanding. The 
group should be evenly divided between Muslim and non-Muslim 
participants (both youth and adults). It is desirable that 2-3 
participants attend or teach at the same school or live in the same 
community so that they can support each other upon return.

C: Serbia

    Objective: To present opportunities to youth and educators to learn 
about citizen activism and leadership through substantive program 
sessions, school-based activities, and exposure to models of 
leadership.
    Participants: 23-33 students and 5-10 educators selected from seven 
to ten geographically and ethnically diverse cities in the Republic of 
Serbia. (Note: Individuals from the Republic of Montenegro or from 
Kosovo are not eligible, as funding for those entities is handled 
separately.) For this project, the ratio of students to teachers may be 
3:1, 4:1, or 5:1. Between three and five participants, at least one of 
whom is a teacher, should be chosen from each city or town, as those 
who attend/teach at the same school or live in the same community will 
be able to support each other upon their return.

D: Southeast Europe

    Objective: To bring together participants from across the Balkans 
to study youth activism, civic participation, and the rights and 
responsibilities of citizens in a democracy, and to develop leadership 
skills.
    Participants: 80-100 students and 16-20 educators/community leaders 
who have a demonstrated interest in leadership and who represent the 
geographic, ethnic, and religious diversity of the Balkans.
    Proposals must demonstrate how the stated objectives will be met. 
The proposal narrative should provide detailed information on the major

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program activities, and applicants should explain and justify their 
programmatic choices. Programs must comply with J-1 visa regulations. 
Please be sure to refer to the complete Solicitation Package--this 
RFGP, the Project Objectives, Goals, and Implementation (POGI), and the 
Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI)--for further information.

Budget Guidelines

    The funding available for these projects is $500,000 for Indonesia, 
$200,000 for the Philippines, $198,000 for Serbia, and $595,000 for 
Southeast Europe. ECA intends to award between four and six grants for 
the four projects under the ACCESS Program announced in this RFGP. 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.
    The Bureau anticipates awarding four or more grants exceeding 
$60,000 each under this competition. Bureau grant guidelines require 
that organizations with less than four years of experience in 
conducting international exchanges be limited to $60,000 in Bureau 
funding. Therefore, organizations with less than four years of 
experience in conducting international exchange programs are not 
eligible to apply under this competition.
    Applicants must submit a comprehensive budget for the entire 
program. There must be a summary budget as well as breakdowns 
reflecting program, administrative, and cost-sharing budgets. 
Applicants may provide separate sub-budgets for each program component, 
phase, location, or activity to provide clarification.
    Please be sure to refer to the complete Solicitation Package. The 
POGI outlines allowable costs; the PSI offers 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/
PE/C/PY-03-31.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The Youth Programs Division, Office of 
Citizen Exchanges, ECA/PE/C/PY, Room 568, U.S. Department of State, 301 
4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547, (202) 619-6299, fax (202) 619-
5311, E-mail: [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 the Bureau program 
officers on all other inquiries and correspondence.
    Please read the complete Federal Register announcement before 
sending inquiries or submitting proposals. Once the RFGP deadline has 
passed, Bureau staff may not discuss this competition with applicants 
until the proposal review process has been completed.
    To Download a Solicitation Package via Internet: The entire 
Solicitation Package may be downloaded from the Bureau's 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 Friday, April 11, 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 proposal, one fully-tabbed copy, and six copies 
of the application with Tabs A-E should be sent to: U.S. Department of 
State, SA-44, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, Ref.: ECA/PE/
C/PY-03-31, Program Management, ECA/EX/PM, Room 534, 301 4th Street, 
SW., Washington, DC 20547.
    Applicants must also submit the executive summary, proposal 
narrative, budget section, resumes, and any important appendices as e-
mail attachments in Microsoft Word and Excel to the following e-mail 
address: [email protected]. In the e-mail message subject line, 
include the reference number (ECA/PE/C/PY-03-31) and the country/region 
for which you are applying. The Bureau will transmit these files 
electronically to the public affairs sections of the relevant U.S. 
embassies for review, with the goal of reducing the time it takes to 
get embassy comments for the Bureau's grants review process.

Diversity, Freedom and Democracy Guidelines

    Pursuant to the Bureau's authorizing legislation, programs must 
maintain a non-political character and should be balanced and 
representative of the diversity of American political, social, and 
cultural life. ``Diversity'' should be interpreted in the broadest 
sense and encompass differences including, but not limited to 
ethnicity, race, gender, religion, geographic location, socio-economic 
status, and physical challenges. Applicants are strongly encouraged to 
adhere to the advancement of this principle both in program 
administration and in program content. Please refer to the review 
criteria under the `Support for Diversity' section for specific 
suggestions on incorporating diversity into the total proposal. Public 
Law 104-319 provides that ``in carrying out programs of educational and 
cultural exchange in countries whose people do not fully enjoy freedom 
and democracy,'' the Bureau shall take appropriate steps to provide 
opportunities for participation in such programs to human rights and 
democracy leaders of such countries.'' Public Law 106-113 requires that 
the governments of the countries described above do not have 
inappropriate influence in the selection process. Proposals should 
reflect advancement of these goals in their program contents, to the 
full extent deemed feasible.

Adherence to All Regulations Governing the J Visa

    The Office of Citizen Exchanges, Youth Programs Division of the 
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs is the official program 
sponsor of the exchange program covered by this RFGP, and an employee 
of the Bureau will be the ``Responsible Officer'' for the program under 
the terms of 22 CFR part 62, which covers the administration of the 
Exchange Visitor Program (J visa program). Under the terms of 22 CFR 
part 62, organizations receiving grants under this RFGP will be third 
parties ``cooperating with or assisting the sponsor in the conduct of 
the sponsor's program.'' The actions of grantee program organizations 
shall be ``imputed to the sponsor in evaluating the sponsor's 
compliance with'' 22 CFR part 62. Therefore, the Bureau expects that 
any organization receiving a grant under this competition will render 
all assistance necessary to enable the Bureau to fully comply with 22 
CFR part 62 et seq. The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs 
places great emphasis on the secure and proper administration of 
Exchange Visitor (J visa) Programs and adherence by grantee program 
organizations and program participants to all regulations governing the 
J visa program status. Therefore, proposals should explicitly state in 
writing that the applicant is prepared to assist the Bureau in meeting 
all requirements governing the administration of Exchange Visitor 
Programs as set forth in 22 CFR part 62. If the applicant has 
experience as a designated Exchange Visitor Program Sponsor, the 
applicant should discuss their record of compliance with 22 CFR part 62 
et. seq., including the oversight of their Responsible Officers and

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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 Office of Citizen Exchanges, Youth Programs Division of ECA 
will be responsible for issuing DS-2019 forms to participants in this 
program for obtaining J-1 visas.
    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 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 
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 assistance awards 
(grants) resides with the Bureau's Grants Officer.

Review Criteria

    Technically eligible applications will be competitively reviewed 
according to the criteria stated below. These criteria are not rank 
ordered and all carry equal weight in the proposal evaluation:
    1. Quality of the program idea: The proposed program should be well 
developed, respond to design outlined in the solicitation, and 
demonstrate originality. It should be clearly and accurately written, 
substantive, and with sufficient detail. Proposals should exhibit 
originality, substance, precision, and relevance to the Bureau's 
mission.
    2. Program planning: A detailed agenda and work plan should clearly 
demonstrate how project objectives will be achieved. The agenda and 
plan should adhere to the program overview and guidelines described 
above. The substance of workshops, seminars, presentations, school-
based activities, and/or site visits should be described in detail.
    3. Ability to achieve program objectives: Objectives should be 
reasonable, feasible, and flexible. The proposal should clearly 
demonstrate how the institution will meet the program's objectives and 
plan.
    4. Support of diversity: The proposal should demonstrate the 
recipient's commitment to promoting the awareness and understanding of 
diversity in program content. Applicants should demonstrate readiness 
to accommodate participants with physical disabilities.
    5. Institutional capacity and track record: Proposed personnel and 
institutional resources should be adequate and appropriate to achieve 
the program goals. The proposal should demonstrate an institutional 
record, including responsible fiscal management and full compliance 
with all reporting requirements for past Bureau grants as determined by 
the Bureau's Office of Contracts. The Bureau will consider the past 
performance.
    6. Cross-cultural sensitivity and area expertise: Applicants must 
demonstrate their understanding of the area in which they propose to 
work and should demonstrate sensitivity to participants' values, 
customs, and life experiences in the programming.
    7. Follow-on activities: Proposals should provide a plan for a 
Bureau-supported follow-on visit by project staff to the relevant 
country or region, plus a plan for continued follow-on activity, not 
necessarily with Bureau support, that insures that this program is not 
an isolated event.
    8. Project evaluation: The proposal should include a plan to 
evaluate the activity's success, both as the activities unfold and at 
the end of the program. The proposal should include a draft survey 
questionnaire or other technique plus description of a methodology to 
use to link outcomes to original project objectives. The grant 
recipient will be expected to submit intermediate reports after each 
project component is concluded.
    9. Cost-effectiveness and cost sharing: The applicant should 
demonstrate efficient use of Bureau funds. 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. The proposal should maximize cost-sharing 
through other private sector support as well as institutional direct 
funding contributions, which demonstrates institutional and community 
commitment.
    10. Value to U.S.-Partner Country Relations: The proposed project 
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 partner country.

Authority

    Overall grant making authority for this program is contained in the 
Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961, Public Law 87-
256, as amended, also known as the Fulbright-Hays Act. The purpose of 
the Act is ``to enable the Government of the United States to increase 
mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the 
people of other countries * * *; to strengthen the ties which unite us 
with other nations by demonstrating the educational and cultural 
interests, developments, and achievements of the people of the United 
States and other nations * * * and thus to assist in the development of 
friendly, sympathetic and peaceful relations between the United States 
and the other countries of the world.'' The funding authority for the 
program above is provided through legislation. The funding authority 
for the Serbia and Southeast Europe projects is provided through 
Support for East European Democracy (SEED) 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 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: February 14, 2003.
Patricia S. Harrison,
Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs, Department of 
State.
[FR Doc. 03-4305 Filed 2-21-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P