[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 79 (Thursday, April 24, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20217-20221]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-10175]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 4340]


Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs Request for Grant 
Proposals (RFGPs): Tibet Development, Professional, Educational and 
Cultural Exchange Projects

SUMMARY: The Office of Citizen Exchanges of the Bureau of Educational 
and Cultural Affairs announces an open competition for the Tibet 
Development, Professional, Educational and Cultural Exchange Projects. 
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 promote understanding between the 
people of the United States and the people of the Tibetan ethnic group 
living in China, through professional, educational and cultural 
projects.
    To be eligible for consideration under this competition, proposals 
must provide a minimum of 30 percent cost sharing of the amount of 
grant funds sought from ECA, although proposals with higher cost 
sharing levels are welcome.
    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 Tibet 
Development, Professional, Educational and Cultural Exchange Projects'' 
and reference number: ECA/PE/C/WHAEAP-03-48. 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 
mmay contact the Office of Citizen Exchanges, room 216, SA-44, U.S. 
Department of State, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547, 
telephone number 202/260-5491, 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: The Office of Citizen Exchanges welcomes proposals that 
directly respond to the thematic areas listed below. Projects for other 
themes will not be eligible for consideration under the FY-2003 Tibet 
Development, Professional, Educational and Cultural Exchange Project 
announcement.
    Approximately $1.7 million is expected to be available to support 
projects under this competition. Approximately $500,000 is being 
provided from the Bureau's FY-2003 Appropriation for a project or 
projects focusing on the themes of Vocational Education and Cultural 
Preservation. It is anticipated that the balance of funding will be 
provided to the Bureau via an Economic Support Fund (ESF) transfer to 
support a project or projects focusing on Public Health Management, 
Sustainable Development and Eco-Tourism and Entrepreneurship 
Development. Please note: The award of ESF funded grants is subject to 
transfer of valid funding authority to the Bureau.

Public Health Management

    Projects submitted in response to this theme would be aimed at 
engaging public health leaders to combat the debilitating health 
problems ethnic Tibetans face in China, from malnutrition to fatal 
pneumonia, tuberculosis and diarrhea. The program would focus on 
developing and implementing appropriate public health policies, through 
seminars, training programs (especially in the areas of inoculations, 
child nutrition, midwifery, cataract surgery, or cleft palate repair) 
and outreach to public and private health planners and practitioners, 
to ensure the optimal welfare and economic viability of ethnic Tibetan 
communities. (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.)

Sustainable Development and Eco-tourism

    Exchanges and development activities funded under this theme would 
help American and ethnic Tibetan conservationists, tourism planners, 
and

[[Page 20218]]

economic development officials share their experience in managing 
tourism resources and development projects, particularly in 
ecologically fragile areas, and would contribute to better 
understanding of conservation and concepts essential to responsible 
economic development. Local community development projects are invited 
in such areas as renewable energy, eco-tourism, micro-credit, or 
poverty alleviation projects, including farm technology, animal 
husbandry, or agricultural marketing. Americans are in a good position 
to convey to their Tibetan counterparts the importance of sustainable 
forestry practices and sustainable harvesting of plant resources to 
short-term and long-term economic prospects.

Vocational Education

    Proposals are sought which emphasize vocational training or 
administration and development of vocational schools targeted towards 
the practical needs of ethnic Tibetan communities. Successful projects 
would help influence thinking among those responsible for economic 
planning in rural and urban areas where Tibetans live. Discussion of 
how to integrate education planning with economic development 
initiatives, how to diversify revenue sources, and how to recruit, 
train and retain strong faculty would all contribute towards dialogue 
on vocational education, an issue important to both ethnic Tibetans and 
Americans in a modern and changing economy.
    Vocational education may include practical training of 
entrepreneurs; development of Tibetan-language educational materials 
(such as Tibetan-English teaching guides or Tibetan-language public 
health education materials; or development of distance-learning 
technology solutions for remote rural schools. English-language 
training projects should focus on in situ training. (Projects seeking 
funding to support the travel of ethnic Tibetans to the U.S. for 
English language instruction are outside the purview of this theme and 
will not be accepted activities for funding under this competition.)

Developing Enterpreneurship

    Projects under this theme may focus on the skills ethnic Tibetans, 
many of whom come from rural backgrounds with rudimentary economies, 
need to function effectively in a modern economy (e.g. finance, 
accounting, and language skills). Projects that explore ways that both 
the government and the private sector can help promote entrepreneurship 
in sustainable ways, including access to credit, ecologically conscious 
tourism policies and investment, or English language training for trade 
or tourism purposes will be favored. Programs that train budding 
entrepreneurs and develop micro finance programs for them are welcome.

Cultural Presevation

    Projects under this theme are aimed to assist ethnic Tibetans in 
preserving their cultural heritage through programs designed to reduce 
the threat of pillage of 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. The proposals may encompass topics 
such as museum needs, historic buildings, collections, archaeological 
sites, rare manuscripts, traditional music and language.

Guidelines

    The Office seeks proposals that provide professional experience and 
exposure to American life and culture through internships, workshops 
and other learning-sharing experiences hosted by local institutions. 
The experiences also will provide Americans the opportunity to learn 
about Tibetan culture and the social and economic challenges Tibetans 
face today. While a portion of this funding will be available for 
travel under these grants to support two-way exchanges, the key aim is 
to train and assist ethnic Tibetans living in China. Proposals only 
seeking funding for one-way travel, either Tibetans to travel to the 
United States or U.S. project personnel to travel to China must provide 
a clear explanation detailing the rationale for a one-way exchange. 
Projects in the U.S. should not simply be academic in nature; they 
should be designed to provide practical, hands-on experience in U.S. 
public/private sector settings that may be adapted to an individual's 
institution upon return home. Proposals may combine elements of 
professional enrichment, job shadowing and internships appropriate to 
the language ability and interests of the participants.

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.
    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:
    [sbull] A proven track record of working in the proposed issue 
area;
    [sbull] An experienced staff with language facility and a 
commitment by the staff to monitor projects locally to improve 
accountability;
    [sbull] A clear, convincing plan showing how permanent results will 
be accomplished as a result of the activity funded by the grant; and
    [sbull] 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 and at the U.S. Consulate in Chengdu. 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.

[[Page 20219]]

    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.

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 Tibetan participants, the Department, the U.S. Embassy in 
Beijing and the U.S. Consulate in Chengdu retain the right to review 
all participant nominations and to accept or refuse participants 
recommended by grantee institutions. The grantee institution will also 
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.

Adherence to All Regulations Governing the J Visa

    The Office of Citizen Exchanges 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 your organization 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 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 of ECA 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.

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.

Budget Guidelines

    Grants awarded to eligible organizations with less than four years 
experience in conducting international exchange programs will be 
limited to $60,000. Applicants must submit a comprehensive budget for 
the entire program. It is anticipated that grant awards will range from 
$175,000 to $250,0000. 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. Pending the availability and the transfer 
of funds to the Bureau, it is anticipated that approximately $1.7 
million will be available to support projects under this competition. 
Approximately $500,000 is being provided from the Bureau's FY-2003 
Appropriation. It is anticipated that the balance of funding will be 
provided to the Bureau via an Economic Support Fund (ESF) transfer. 
Please note: The Bureau cannot guarantee funding for ESF supported 
projects. These grants are subject to the transfer of valid funding 
authority to the Bureau.
    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 30 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 $125,000 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 $37,500. In 
this case, the cost sharing far exceeds the minimum, since actual 
cost sharing is $375,000.

    When cost sharing is offered, it is understood and agreed that the 
applicant must provide the minimum

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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 J1 visas for participants in Bureau sponsored programs. 
Please note that Tibetan participants may not travel to the U.S. 
primarily for English language instruction.
    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 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, May 30, 
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 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/WHAEAP-03-48, 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 U.S. 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

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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 in Beijing, and officials at the U.S. Consulate in 
Chengdu, 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:
    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/Record/Ability: 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 be undertaken, in 
addition to language skills where applicable. 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. Applicants should have a multiyear track record of 
successful work in Tibetan regions of China or other remote parts of 
Asia.
    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. 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).
    5. Follow-on Activities: Proposals should provide a plan for 
continued follow-on activity (without Bureau support) ensuring that 
Bureau supported programs are not isolated events.
    6. 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.
    7. 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 30% 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: April 16, 2003.
Patricia S. Harrison,
Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs, Department of 
State.
[FR Doc. 03-10175 Filed 4-23-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P