[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 197 (Friday, October 10, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58739-58741]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-25783]
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DEPARTMENT OF STATE
[Public Notice 4509]
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs Request for Grant
Proposals: Partnerships for Learning Undergraduate Studies Program
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Office of Academic Exchange Programs of the Bureau of
Educational and Cultural Affairs announces an open competition for
Partnerships for Learning Undergraduate Studies (PLUS) Program. Public
and private non-profit organizations with at least four years of
experience in conducting international exchange programs and meeting
the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code section 26 USC
501(c)(3) may submit proposals to provide administrative and program
support services for the PLUS Scholarship Program.
Program Information
Overview: Under the Partnerships for Learning Initiative, the
Bureau created the Partnerships for Learning Undergraduate Studies
(PLUS) Program in order to reach a broader sector of college-age youth
(generally, 17-22 years of age) from diverse backgrounds and provide
them with a greater understanding of U.S. institutions, society and
culture. The goal of the PLUS Program is to identify and support
undergraduate level study at accredited higher education institutions
in the United States for a select cadre of academically talented
undergraduate students from the Middle East and North Africa who
exhibit leadership potential in contributing to the economic, political
and social development of the region. PLUS scholarships are offered for
the final two years of undergraduate level study in the social sciences
and humanities, with the provision of pre-academic training to develop
participant academic readiness and English-language abilities. (The
pre-academic training program is detailed under a separate Request for
Grant Proposals solicitation.) The program participants should be
placed in clusters. In general five to ten participants may be placed
in a single institution. In negotiation with the host institution, the
cooperating agency needs to develop opportunities for students to
receive a U.S. degree upon successful completion of the course of work
and other requirements.
The Bureau's Office of Academic Exchange Programs administers the
PLUS Program and is responsible for allocation of funding, policy
guidance and administrative oversight. Program participants are
recruited, screened and nominated by America-Mideast Educational and
Training Services (Amideast) and/or Public Affairs Sections of the U.S.
Embassies or Fulbright Commissions in the region. Final selection of
grantees is determined by an independent review panel in Washington,
DC.
The successful applicant will have responsibility for program
administration, which involves performance of services in the following
broad categories: Program Planning and Management; Placement;
Supervision and Support Services; Special Programs Management; Fiscal
Management; and Program Projection, Reporting, Alumni Follow-on and
Evaluation Services.
Guidelines: Program administration activities should cover the time
period January 15, 2004 through August 30, 2006. The expected grantee
caseload is projected to be 75-100 principal candidates for academic
years 2004-2005 and 2005-2006. Programs must comply with J-1 visa
regulations. Please refer to Solicitation Package for further
information.
Budget Guidelines
The Bureau anticipates awarding one grant in the amount up to
$3,650,000 to support program and administrative costs required to
implement this phase of the PLUS Program. Bureau grant guidelines
require that organizations with less than four years experience in
conducting international exchanges be limited to $60,000 in Bureau
funding. Therefore, organizations with less than four years experience
in conducting international exchanges are ineligible to apply under
this competition. The Bureau encourages applicants to provide maximum
levels of cost-sharing and funding in support of its programs.
[[Page 58740]]
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. Applicants may
provide separate sub-budgets for each program component, phase,
location, or activity to provide clarification.
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/
E/NEA-SA-04-PLUS.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The Office of Academic Exchanges, ECA/
A/E/NEA-SA, Room 212, U.S. Department of State, 301 4th Street, SW.,
Washington, DC 20547, telephone (202) 619-6863, fax (202) 205-2466, or
Internet address [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 Alice Armitage 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.
New OMB Requirement
An OMB policy directive published in the Federal Register on
Friday, June 27, 2003, requires that all organizations applying for
Federal grants or cooperative agreements must provide a Dun and
Bradstreet (D&B) Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number when
applying for all Federal grants or cooperative agreements on or after
October 1, 2003. The complete OMB policy directive can be referenced at
http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/fedreg/062703_grant_identifier.pdf.
Please also visit the ECA Web site at http://exchanges.state.gov/education/rfgps/menu.htm for additional information on how to comply
with this new directive.
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, November
14, 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 seven copies of the application should be
sent to: U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural
Affairs, Ref.: ECA/A/E/NEA-SA-04-PLUS, Program Management, ECA/EX/PM,
SA-44, Room 534, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547.
Please note that proposals must be sent by U.S. mail or other
recognized national delivery services that utilize a shipping
identification and tracking process and whose delivery people are
identifiable by commonly recognized uniforms and delivery vehicles. If
applicants wish to send staff to hand-carry proposals, they must
contact the ECA program officer, Alice Armitage at 202-619-6863 to set
up an appointment for delivery prior to 5 p.m. November 14.
Applicants must also submit the ``Executive Summary'' and
``Proposal Narrative'' sections of the proposal in text (.txt) format
on a PC-formatted disk. 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 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
part 62, 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 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
[[Page 58741]]
the discretion of the Department of State's Assistant Secretary for
Educational and Cultural Affairs. Final technical authority for
cooperative agreements 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 Development and Management: Proposals should exhibit
originality, substance, precision, innovation, and relevance to the
Bureau's mission.
2. Program planning: Detailed agenda and relevant work plan should
demonstrate substantive undertakings and logistical capacity. Agenda
and plan should adhere to the program overview and guidelines described
above.
3. Ability to achieve program objectives: Objectives should be
reasonable, feasible, and flexible. Proposals should clearly
demonstrate how the institution will meet the program's objectives and
plan.
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 and program
content.
5. Institutional Capacity: Proposed personnel and institutional
resources should be adequate and appropriate to achieve the program or
project's goals.
6. Institution's Record/Ability: 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.
7. Project Evaluation: Proposals should include a plan to evaluate
the activity's success, both as the activities unfold and at the end of
the program. A draft survey questionnaire or other technique plus
description of a methodology to use to link outcomes to original
project objectives is recommended. Successful applicants will be
expected to submit intermediate reports after each project component is
concluded or quarterly, whichever is less frequent.
8. Cost-effectiveness: 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.
9. Cost-sharing: Proposals should maximize cost-sharing through
other private sector support as well as institutional direct funding
contributions.
10. 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 partner country(ies).
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.
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: October 6, 2003.
C. Miller Crouch,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Educational and
Cultural Affairs, Department of State.
[FR Doc. 03-25783 Filed 10-9-03; 8:45 am]
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