[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 203 (Tuesday, October 21, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60134-60141]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-26526]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 4517]


Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs Request for Grant 
Proposals: Eurasia Professional Exchanges and Training Program for 
Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, 
Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan

SUMMARY: The Office of Citizen Exchanges of the Bureau of Educational 
and Cultural Affairs (the Bureau) invites applicants to submit 
proposals that encourage the growth of democratic institutions in 
Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, 
Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan. For this 
competition, single country projects only are eligible for support. 
U.S.-based public and private non-profit organizations meeting the 
provisions described in Internal Revenue code section 26 U.S.C. 
501(c)(3) may submit proposals that support international projects in 
the United States and overseas involving current or potential leaders.

    Important Note: This Request for Grant Proposals contains 
language in the ``Shipment and Deadline for Proposals'' section that 
is significantly different from that used in the past. Please pay 
special attention to procedural changes as outlined.

    Interested applicants should read the complete Federal Register 
announcement before addressing inquiries to the Office of Citizen 
Exchanges or submitting proposals. Once the RFGP deadline has passed, 
Office of Citizen Exchanges staff may not discuss this competition with 
applicants until after the Bureau program and project review process 
has been completed.
    Announcement Title and Number: All correspondence with the Bureau 
concerning this RFGP should reference the ``Eurasia Professional 
Exchanges and Training Program'' (PET) and number ECA/PE/C/EUR-04-33.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Interested organizations/institutions 
may contact the Office of Citizen Exchanges, Room 220, SA-44, U.S. 
Department of State, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547, 
Attention: Eurasia Professional Exchanges and Training Program, 
telephone number (202) 401-6884, fax number (202) 619-4350 to request a 
Solicitation Package. The Solicitation Package, which includes the 
Request for Grant Proposals (RFGP), the Proposal Submission 
Instructions (PSI) and the diversity statement, contains detailed award 
criteria, required application forms, specific budget instructions, and 
standard guidelines for proposal preparation.
    For specific inquiries, please contact Bureau program officers by 
phone or e-mail: Kendra Davis (202) 619-5328 ([email protected]); 
Henry Scott (202) 619-5327 ([email protected]); Michael George (202) 
619-5330 ([email protected]); Brent Beemer (202) 401-6887 
([email protected]). (Note: Please refer to the specific program 
theme under ``Program Information'' to identify which program officer 
you should contact.)
    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.
    General Program Guidelines: This competition is based on the 
premise that people-to-people exchanges encourage and strengthen 
democratic initiatives and nurture the social, political and economic 
development of societies. 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 
and country;
    [sbull] Experienced staff with language facility and a commitment 
by the staff to monitor projects locally to ensure implementation;
    [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 post-grant plan that includes activities that will take 
place after the Bureau-funded grant has concluded. (See Review 
Criterion 5 below for more information on post-grant 
activities.)
    [sbull] A detailed assessment of project needs and feasibility. 
Proposals that include costs or time for a needs assessment may be 
deemed less competitive.
    Applicants should 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 should be included in the section under 
``Institutional Capacity'' (See Review Criterion  2 below). 
Proposals should contain letters of support tailored to the proposed 
project from foreign-country partner organizations. Applicants should 
clearly outline in the narrative the foreign partner's role and 
responsibilities in project management and implementation.
    Proposal narratives must clearly demonstrate an organization's 
commitment to consult closely with the designated program officer at 
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, and with Public Affairs 
Sections at U.S. Embassies. Proposal narratives must confirm that all 
materials developed for the project will acknowledge Bureau 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 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. Proposals that 
include U.S.-based training will receive the highest priority.
    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 with 
committed people within each country; and become active in a practical 
and valuable way.
    3. Site visits by U.S. facilitators/experts to monitor projects in 
the region

[[Page 60135]]

and to provide additional training and consultations as needed.
    Activities ineligible for support: The Office does not support 
proposals limited to conferences or seminars (i.e., one to fourteen-day 
programs with plenary sessions, main speakers, panels, and a passive 
audience). It will support conferences only when they are a small part 
of a larger project in duration that is receiving Bureau funding from 
this competition. No funding is available exclusively to send U.S. 
citizens to conferences or conference-type seminars overseas; nor is 
funding available for bringing foreign nationals to conferences or to 
routine professional association meetings in the United States.

Selection of Participants

    All grant proposals should clearly describe the type of persons 
that will participate in the program as well as the participant 
selection process. For programs that include U.S. internships, 
applicants should submit letters of support from host institutions. In 
the selection of foreign participants, the Bureau and U.S. Embassies 
retain the right to review all participant nominations and to accept or 
refuse participants recommended by grantee institutions. When American 
participants are selected, grantee institutions must provide their 
names and brief biographical data to the Office of Citizen Exchanges. 
Priority in two-way exchange proposals will be given to foreign 
participants who have not previously traveled to the United States.
    Programs must comply with J-1 visa regulations. Please refer to 
``Adherence with J-1 Visa Regulations'' below.

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 as 
required. At a minimum, the data must include the following:
    (1) 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.
    (2) Itineraries of international and domestic travel, providing 
dates of travel and cities in which any exchange experiences take 
place.

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 its 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 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.

Evaluation

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

Program Information

Overview

    The Bureau welcomes proposals that respond directly to the themes 
and countries listed below. Given budgetary considerations, projects in 
countries and for themes other than those listed will not be eligible 
for consideration and will be ruled technically ineligible. The themes 
listed below are important to the Office of Citizen Exchanges, but no 
guarantee is made or implied that grants will be awarded in all 
categories.
    For this competition, single country projects only are eligible for 
support. Multi-country projects are not eligible for this competition. 
In order to prevent duplication of effort, proposals should reflect an 
understanding of the work of international and USG agencies so that 
projects complement other exchange or assistance programs.
    Two-way exchanges will be given the highest priority. Applicants 
should carefully review the following information in formulating 
proposals in Eurasian countries.
    To be eligible for a grant award under this competition, the 
proposed professional training and exchange projects must address one 
of the following specific themes for single country projects:

Armenia--Women's Leadership.
Azerbaijan--Women's Leadership.
Belarus--Training and Internships for Media Professionals.
Georgia--Public Health Awareness.
Kazakhstan--Training for Media Professionals in Covering Social Issues.
Kyrgyz Republic--Tolerance.
Moldova--Anti-Corruption.
Russia--Intellectual Property Rights.
Russia--Role of a Free Press in a Modern Market Economy.

[[Page 60136]]

Tajikistan--Diplomatic Training.
Ukraine--Partnerships for Internet-based Media Outlets.
Ukraine--Tolerance.
Uzbekistan--Press Spokespersons Training.

Women's Leadership

Single Country Project for Armenia

    Over the past decade, women's organizations in Armenia have emerged 
as a force for social change and democratic development. However, the 
low number of visible women leaders does not reflect the makeup of 
Armenian society. The Bureau is interested in proposals that will 
enhance women's participation in politics and promote their successful 
engagement in civil society by providing leadership training to 
aspiring women leaders, particularly those outside of Yerevan. 
Participants should include women who are politically active or who 
have leadership potential, including national and municipal officials. 
Programs would focus on developing management skills for organizational 
efficiency, building networks and coalitions, increasing visibility and 
effectiveness in the political sphere, and influencing decisions at all 
levels of government. Training should combine elements such as 
leadership fundamentals, the introduction or improvement of skills 
associated with campaign management, accountability to constituencies, 
voter outreach, networking, message development, working with the 
media, and fundraising. Proposals should emphasize government ethics 
issues and the importance of increasing public confidence in public 
institutions. Continuous communication, mentoring, and consultation 
between overseas participants and trainers/mentors should be described 
in detail and conducted throughout the life of the grant. Proposals 
must indicate a practical and sophisticated knowledge of the political 
and legislative environment in Armenia. Preference will be given to 
projects that do not exceed $150,000.
    The contact for this topic is Michael George, (202) 619-5330, 
[email protected].

Single Country Project for Azerbaijan

    Over the past decade, the number of women in leadership positions 
has increased in Azerbaijan. However, the low number of visible women 
leaders does not reflect the makeup of Azeri society. The Bureau is 
interested in proposals that will enhance women's participation in 
politics and promote their successful engagement in civil society by 
providing leadership training to aspiring women leaders, both inside 
and outside of Baku. Participants should include women who are 
politically active or who have leadership potential, including national 
and municipal officials. Programs would focus on developing management 
skills for organizational efficiency, building networks and coalitions 
particularly at the local and regional levels, increasing visibility 
and effectiveness in the political sphere, and influencing decisions at 
all levels of government. Training should combine elements such as 
leadership fundamentals, the introduction or improvement of skills 
associated with campaign management, accountability to constituencies, 
voter outreach, networking, message development, working with the 
media, and fundraising. Proposals should emphasize government ethics 
issues and the importance of increasing public confidence in public 
institutions. Continuous communication, mentoring, and consultation 
between overseas participants and trainers/mentors should be described 
in detail and conducted throughout the life of the grant. Proposals 
must indicate a practical and sophisticated knowledge of the political 
and legislative environment in Azerbaijan.
    Preference will be given to projects that do not exceed $150,000.
    The contact for this topic is Brent Beemer, (202) 401-6887, 
[email protected].

Training and Internships for Media Professionals From Belarus

Single Country Projects for Belarus Only

    ECA seeks proposals for programs that will provide training in 
Western-style journalism techniques and in effective business 
management for employees of independent media outlets in Belarus. 
Proposals must indicate a practical and sophisticated knowledge of the 
political and media environment in Belarus. Proposed activities should 
not duplicate the work done under recent or existing media training 
programs, but should complement those efforts. Proposals should include 
a U.S.-based training program for up to ten media professionals. (The 
Public Affairs Section in Minsk will select participants for this 
program; applicants should not propose participant recruitment or 
selection.) Participants may be reporters, editors, and/or media 
managers, and may be from broadcast and/or print media outlets. The 
U.S.-based component should begin with group orientation activities and 
meetings, followed by a hands-on internship component at an appropriate 
host U.S. media outlet. Applicants should identify those outlets 
willing to host Belarusian participants. Internships should be 
developed for small groups consisting of not more than three persons. 
In addition to the U.S.-based component, other training activities may 
take place in Poland or Ukraine. If proposed, activities in Poland or 
Ukraine should provide Belarusian participants the opportunity to meet 
with representatives of independent media outlets in those countries 
and to learn about their professional experiences and successes. 
Continuous activities, including mentoring and consultations between 
the Belarusian participants and their U.S.-based trainers/hosts and new 
colleagues in Ukraine or Poland, should be conducted throughout the 
life of the grant and described in detail.
    For this program, ECA will assign State Department interpreters for 
the U.S.-based internship component. Therefore, applicants should 
budget funds in accordance with the guidelines provided in Point 3, 
``Interpreters,'' under the section of this RFGP that identifies 
allowable program costs, including those associated with using State 
Department interpreters.
    Preference will be given to funding requests that do not exceed 
$150,000.
    The contact for this theme is Henry Scott, (202) 619-5327, 
[email protected].

Public Health Awareness

Single Country Projects for Georgia Only

    The Bureau welcomes proposals that will focus on promoting health 
awareness among Georgian youth. The target audience should be 
organizations and individuals that work with young people. Proposals 
should focus on creative initiatives that will promote greater 
awareness of health problems common to Georgians aged 12-25, 
specifically, drug and alcohol abuse, HIV/AIDS and venereal disease, 
and cigarette smoking, and that will promote positive behaviors in a 
way that resonates with, rather than alienates, Georgian youth. 
Proposals should provide practical, hands-on training to media, NGO, 
education, or government professionals on how to promote good health 
habits, overcome social attitudes that contribute to the prevalence of 
unhealthy behaviors, and manage grassroots mobilization and advocacy. 
Formal medical education and the provision of healthcare services or 
medication are outside the purview of

[[Page 60137]]

this theme and will not be accepted activities for funding.
    Preference will be given to projects that do not exceed $150,000.
    The contact for this program is Michael George, (202) 619-5330, 
[email protected].

Training for Media Professionals in Covering Social Issues

Single Country Project for Kazakhstan Only

    ECA seeks proposals for programs that will provide training to 
media professionals from Kazakhstan on reporting on sensitive social 
issues. Proposals should include in-country and U.S.-based training 
activities for journalists and/or media outlet managers. Training 
should not duplicate the work done under recent or existing USG-
sponsored programs, but should complement those efforts. Applicants 
should expect to work closely with the Public Affairs Sections of the 
U.S. Embassy to coordinate all activities, including participant 
selection. U.S-based activities should include an opening group 
orientation, lecture-style presentations from American trainers on 
targeted social issues, and interactive discussions with media 
professionals and experts on reporting on social issues in a civil 
society. Applicants should also propose meetings with advocacy groups 
and assistance organizations that work to address social issues. In-
country activities may include workshops and seminars. These may be led 
by the participants themselves, or by U.S. trainers, or a combination 
of both. In addition to group training events, activities should take 
place throughout the grant period. Applicants should describe in detail 
these activities and how they will create and sustain long-term 
relationships between Kazakh participants and their U.S. colleagues. 
Such activities may include virtual mentoring and e-mail consultations 
between U.S.-based trainers/experts and participants.
    Preference will be given to funding requests that do not exceed 
$150,000.
    The contact for this theme is Kendra Davis, (202) 619-5328, 
[email protected].

Tolerance

Single Country Projects for the Kyrgyz Republic Only

    ECA welcomes proposals that will focus on promoting constructive 
dialogue and the prevention or reduction of stereotyping, violence and 
hatred, particularly among youth, in the Nookat region of Osh Oblast in 
Kyrgyzstan. Projects may be designed and implemented through 
educational institutions, NGOs or other partners. Projects should build 
a valued working relationship between U.S. and overseas professionals 
and should develop, test and result in training or outreach programs 
that will continue after grant support concludes. Proposals should 
focus on after-school programs for youth, community activities and 
facilitating dialogue--among parents, teachers, Muslim and other 
religious leaders, professionals, community activists--in order to 
promote better understanding of the issues that contribute to 
intolerance as well as strategies to address them. The program should 
include substantive meetings with NGOs, U.S. experts on religions, 
clerics, faith-based organizations, representatives of local 
government, and others. Programming should also introduce the evolution 
of U.S. laws designed to protect and promote tolerance. Travel in both 
directions, including a hands-on, U.S.-based program with a train the 
trainer component, should be proposed. Continuous communication, 
mentoring, and consultations between overseas participants and 
trainers/mentors, should be described in detail and conducted 
throughout the life of the grant.
    Preference will be given to projects that do not exceed $150,000.
    The contact for this topic is Brent Beemer, (202) 401-6887, 
[email protected].

Anti-Corruption

Single Country Projects for Moldova Only

    In order to address the problem of corruption, the Moldovan 
government created the Center for Fighting Economic Crime and 
Corruption in June 2002. High-level government officials, including the 
President, have made statements against corruption in Moldovan society 
and have promised action. However, citizens have low expectations for 
government service and are generally inclined to view embezzlement, 
conflicts of interest, and bribe-taking at all levels as the norm or as 
something to be tolerated. ECA is looking for proposals that will build 
upon the preliminary efforts of the Moldovan government to fight 
corruption. Proposals should work with the Center for Fighting Economic 
Crime and Corruption and help it to establish itself as a leader in the 
anti-corruption efforts in Moldova. In addition, program proposals 
should take into account the anti-corruption activities of Transparency 
International in Moldova in order to prevent duplication. Programs 
should engage the Center's officials in relevant ethics issues, 
including the role of public ethics in a democratic society and ethics 
responsibilities for government officials. The proposed programs should 
include innovative ways the Center could address corruption at various 
levels through oversight, laws, policies, procedures and programming. 
Proposals should also include programming that will help the Center to 
increase public confidence in the government's efforts to begin 
combating corruption. Travel in both directions, including a hands-on, 
U.S.-based program with a train-the-trainer component, should be 
proposed. Continuous communication, mentoring and consultations between 
the Center and trainers/mentors, should be described in detail and 
conducted throughout the life of the grant. Close coordination with the 
U.S. Embassy in Chisinau will be essential to this project.
    Preference will be given to projects that do not exceed $150,000.
    The contact for this topic is Brent Beemer, (202) 401-6887, 
[email protected].

Intellectual Property Rights

Single Country Projects for Russia Only

    Proposals for this project should focus on intellectual property 
rights (IPR) in Russia, with a special concentration on copyright 
protection for films/videos, music recordings, and other artistic works 
subject to piracy. The sale of illegal copies of CDs, videos, and 
movies is common practice in Russia and is widely accepted by the 
public as routine. Government action has been insufficient and the 
Russian legal system has so far been unable to address the problem 
effectively. Applicants should propose a two-pronged approach that 
targets both the cultural community (artists, performers, producers and 
directors, among others) as well as judicial officials. Proposals 
should include programming that will encourage the participants to 
understand the nature of intellectual property rights and work 
collectively in fighting the piracy of their work in Russia. Trade 
associations, effective lobbying techniques, and legal approaches 
should be among topics that are covered. Programs should emphasize 
hands-on, practical activities, such as case studies and examples of 
court proceedings or litigation regarding copyright protection. 
Competitive proposals will also introduce participants to some new 
business models for artistic work that

[[Page 60138]]

will help create a more legitimate market in Russia. Continuous 
communication, mentoring, and consultations between overseas 
participants and trainers/mentors, should be described in detail and 
conducted throughout the life of the grant. Proposals dealing with law 
enforcement or travel for law enforcement officials are outside the 
purview of this topic and will not be considered. Proposals must 
indicate a practical and sophisticated knowledge of the political and 
legislative environment in Russia.
    Preference will be given to projects that do not exceed $150,000.
    The contact for this topic is Henry Scott, (202) 619-5327, 
[email protected].

Role of Free Press in a Modern Market Economy

Single Country Projects for Russia Only

    In modern market economies, consumers and investors rely on a free 
press to alert them to opportunities, warn them of potential fraud, and 
inform them of the consequences of their purchases. In Russia, official 
pressure and sponsorship of news reports diminishes the media's value 
as a source of objective information. As a result, consumers and 
investors have difficulty making informed choices about contracts or 
other transactions, particularly in the absence of effective 
regulation. The Bureau is interested in proposals that would increase 
appreciation of a free, objective press among regional government 
officials in Russia. Proposals should target regional government 
leaders, either elected officials or civil servants or a combination of 
both, for participation in the program. Proposals should demonstrate 
the applicant's understanding of the importance that Russian regional 
governments place on economic development, and recruitment and training 
components should appeal to this priority.
    Activities must include both a U.S.-based training program(s) and 
in-country activities. U.S.-based programs should include sessions to 
introduce participants to the role of the independent media in the U.S. 
and its relationship with the government. The U.S. program should 
include a combination of meetings, lectures, interactive sessions, 
visits to relevant institutions and organizations, and individual 
meetings. The Bureau encourages applicants to enlist experienced U.S. 
politicians in the stateside program who can emphasize the benefits of 
a free press to Russian officials in a credible manner. In-country 
activities may include workshops and seminars that complement the 
information and training presented to participants in the United 
States. Applicants must work closely with the Public Affairs Section in 
Moscow to coordinate all activities, including participant selection.
    Preference will be given to projects that do not exceed $150,000.
    The contact for this theme is Michael George, (202) 619-5330, 
[email protected].

Diplomatic Training

Single Country Projects for Tajikistan Only

    The Bureau is seeking proposals that will offer training to 
representatives of Tajikistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA). 
Programs will offer training and assistance to the Tajik MFA to help 
create a professional Tajik foreign service that can effectively 
represent the country abroad.
    Tajik diplomats, including deputy chiefs of mission and other 
senior, mid-level and junior officials, should be trained in the 
essentials of foreign policy formulation and the functions of an 
embassy. Training will be based on courses offered to U.S. diplomats 
and will incorporate such practical and substantive themes as: 
International politics (including international organizations and 
lending institutions); the structure and operation of an embassy; 
professional ethics; management skills; analytical reporting; 
negotiation skills; media relations and public diplomacy; trade 
promotion; communication with the host government (including need for 
local language training); management of VIP visits; and other relevant 
topics.
    The program should include in-country training as well as training 
in the United States. Program activity may incorporate training-of-
trainers, workshops, internships and site visits and should reflect a 
practical understanding of the current political, economic and social 
climate in Tajikistan. Training should balance formal presentations, 
discussions and group exercises and should be targeted at diplomats 
with a wide range of experience, including some who are new to the 
profession. The Tajik MFA will nominate participants. The U.S. Embassy 
in Dushanbe will make final participant selection. Applicants are 
required to work closely with the Public Affairs Section in Dushanbe 
during all program planning and implementation. Language issues must 
also be addressed throughout the proposal.
    The total funding available for Diplomatic Training in Tajikistan 
is $250,000.
    The contact for this theme is Kendra Davis, (202) 619-5328, 
[email protected].

Partnerships for Internet-Based Media Outlets

Single Country Projects for Ukraine Only

    While the importance of the Internet in Ukraine as a source of news 
and information is growing, Internet-based media outlets there still 
face significant challenges in terms of their legal status as 
``legitimate'' media outlets and their level of journalistic and 
management expertise. In order for Internet-based outlets in Ukraine to 
survive, they need to become viable businesses, as well as credible 
sources of news and information. The Bureau is seeking proposals for 
programs that would foster long-term relationships between U.S. 
Internet-based media outlets and independent, Internet-based media 
outlets in Ukraine. Within the framework of these partnerships, 
Ukrainian media professionals would learn how their U.S. partners deal 
with issues such as management of operations, ethical concerns, and how 
to operate under existing U.S. legislation governing Internet 
activities.
    Applicants should propose a minimum of two partnerships to be 
developed. Each Ukrainian media outlet should be matched with an 
appropriate U.S. media outlet for partnership activities. The names of 
potential outlets, both in the U.S. and Ukraine, should be provided. 
Applicants should explain how partnerships will be structured and what 
activities they will include. Applicants should propose a combination 
of trips to the U.S. for Ukrainian participants, trips to Ukraine for 
U.S. participants, and on-going activities and virtual interaction 
throughout the grant period. While U.S. visits for Ukrainian 
participants should include consultations, workshops, and interactive 
meetings, they may also include hands-on internships and/or job 
shadowing experiences that will build professional expertise and 
strengthen links between the two partners. Under program activities, 
applicants should address the following topics: Use of the Internet as 
a news tool; Web design for Internet-based news services; business and 
management practices for Internet-based management; journalistic 
ethics; and licensing and legal issues for Internet-based news outlets. 
The proposal should identify the individuals who will be responsible 
for the

[[Page 60139]]

partnership at each U.S. media outlet, and should, wherever possible, 
identify personnel that will participate from both the U.S. and 
Ukrainian sides. For the visits to Ukraine, activities should focus on 
complementing those activities conducted in the U.S. and increasing the 
professional capacity of the Ukrainian participants and their 
colleagues who may not travel to the U.S. This aspect of the program 
should also strengthen the sustainable relationship between the two 
outlets.
    Preference will be given to projects that do not exceed $150,000.
    The contact for this theme is Kendra Davis, (202) 619-5328, 
[email protected].

Tolerance

Single Country Projects for Ukraine Only

    Proposals should focus on promoting constructive dialogue and 
reduction of stereotyping, violence and hatred among diverse groups. 
Projects should focus on minority communities such as the Tatars in 
Crimea or the Roma in other parts of Ukraine. Projects may be designed 
and implemented through media outlets, educational institutions, NGOs 
or other partners. Projects should build a valued working relationship 
between U.S. and overseas professionals and should develop, test, and 
result in a training program that can continue after grant support 
concludes. Proposals should address specific inter-communal conflicts 
and facilitate dialogue among teachers, professionals, journalists, 
community activists and local government officials in order to promote 
better understanding among parties in conflict. Programming should also 
introduce the evolution of U.S. laws designed to protect minority 
rights and promote tolerance. Projects should design and conduct a 
public awareness campaign to help dispel stereotypes and foster 
acceptance of cultural differences. Travel in both directions, 
including a hands-on, U.S.-based program with a train the trainer 
component, should be proposed. Continuous communication, mentoring, and 
consultations between overseas participants and trainers/mentors should 
be described in detail and conducted throughout the life of the grant.
    Preference will be given to projects that do not exceed $150,000.
    The contact for this theme is Kendra Davis, (202) 619-5328, 
[email protected].

Press Spokespersons Training

Single Country Projects for Uzbekistan Only

    ECA is interested in proposals that provide intensive, hands-on 
training to Uzbek national and government spokespersons as well as 
spokespersons from non-governmental entities. Proposals should focus on 
public affairs and public information as they are handled by government 
and non-governmental institutions. Program activities should cover such 
topics as how public affairs offices function in government; the 
importance of transparency in government; communicating openly with 
citizens and journalists; crisis communication; strategic planning; 
press office management; and the provision of accurate, timely 
information to the public.
    Programs should consist of a Washington, DC, component, including 
meetings with the public affairs offices and spokespersons of federal 
agencies and departments, as well as shadowing experiences with state 
or local governments and non-governmental organizations. A train-the-
trainers component should be included. In-country workshops should also 
be implemented, during which participants from the U.S. program will 
work as co-trainers and will reach out to a larger audience of 
governmental and non-governmental spokespersons from Uzbekistan. Media 
representatives may also participate in the in-country training 
program.
    The Public Affairs Section (PAS) in Tashkent will be responsible 
for selecting participants through an open, merit-based process 
designed jointly by the grantee and PAS.
    Preference will be given to projects that do not exceed $150,000.
    The contact for this theme is Michael George, (202) 619-5330, 
[email protected].

Central and Eastern Europe

    Requests for grant proposals for the following countries will be 
announced in separate competitions: Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, 
Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, 
Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Serbia-Montenegro/Kosovo, Slovak Republic 
and Slovenia. Proposals involving Central and Eastern Europe WILL NOT 
be accepted under this competition, and if received, will be 
technically ineligible.

Western Europe

    Proposals involving Western Europe will not be accepted under this 
competition, and if received, will be technically ineligible.

Budget Guidelines and Cost Sharing Requirements

    Grants awarded to eligible organizations with less than four years 
of experience in conducting international exchange programs will be 
limited to $60,000. Applicants must submit a comprehensive budget for 
the entire program and must provide a summary budget as well as 
breakdowns reflecting both administrative and program budgets in the 
proposal. Applicants may provide separate sub-budgets for each program 
component, phase, location, or activity to provide clarification. 
Please refer to the Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) for complete 
budget guidelines and formatting instructions.
    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. Applicants are 
strongly encouraged to provide cost sharing to the fullest extent 
possible. State Department Review Panels will consider cost sharing 
seriously when valuating all proposals.
    The following are deemed allowable program costs:
    1. Travel. International and domestic airfare (per the ``Fly 
America Act''), ground transportation, and visas for U.S. participants. 
(J-1 visas for Bureau-supported participants from Eurasia to travel to 
the U.S. are issued at no charge.)
    2. Per Diem. For U.S.-based programming, organizations should use 
the published Federal per diem rates for individual U.S. cities. For 
activities in Eurasia, the Bureau strongly encourages applicants to 
budget realistic costs that reflect the local economy. Domestic per 
diem rates may be accessed at: http://policyworks.gov/org/main/mt/homepage/mtt/perdiem/perd03d.html. Foreign per diem rates can be 
accessed at: http://www.state.gov/m/a/als/prdm/.
    3. Interpreters. For U.S.-based activities, applicants may hire 
their own locally-based interpreters or may ask the Bureau to assign 
U.S. Department of State interpreters. The Office of Citizen Exchanges 
strongly encourages applicants to use locally-hired interpreters. 
Typically, one interpreter is provided for every four visitors that 
require interpreting. When an applicant proposes to use State 
Department interpreters, the following expenses should be included in 
the budget: Published Federal per diem rates (both ``lodging'' and 
``M&IE''); ``home-

[[Page 60140]]

program-home'' transportation in the amount of $400 per interpreter; 
reimbursement for taxi fares; and cell phone usage at $10 per week. If 
the applicant uses State Department interpreters, salary expenses will 
be covered by the Bureau and should not be part of an applicant's 
proposed budget. Bureau funds can not support interpreters who 
accompany delegations from their home country or travel 
internationally.
    4. Book and cultural allowance. Foreign participants are entitled 
to a one-time cultural allowance of $150 per person, plus a book 
allowance of $50. Interpreters should be reimbursed up to $150 for 
expenses when they escort participants to cultural events. U.S. program 
staff, trainers or participants are not eligible to receive these 
benefits.
    5. Consultants. Consultants may be used to provide specialized 
expertise or to make presentations. Daily honoraria cannot 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. Such subcontracts should detail the 
division of responsibilities and proposed costs. 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. The Bureau strongly 
discourages the use of automatic translation software for the 
preparation of training materials or any information distributed to the 
group of participants or network of organizations. Costs for high-
quality translation of materials should be anticipated and included in 
the budget. Grantee organizations should expect to submit a copy of all 
program materials to the Bureau.
    8. Equipment. Proposals may include limited costs to purchase 
equipment for Eurasia-based programming such as computers, fax machines 
and copy machines. Costs for furniture are not allowed. Equipment costs 
must be kept to a minimum.
    9. Working meal. Only one working meal may be provided 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. The allowance 
may be used for incidental expenses incurred during international 
travel.
    11. Health Insurance. Foreign participants will be covered under 
the terms of a Bureau-sponsored health insurance policy. The premium is 
paid by the Bureau directly to the insurance company. Applicants are 
permitted to include costs for travel insurance for U.S. participants 
in the budget.
    12. Wire transfer fees. When necessary, applicants may include 
costs to transfer funds to partner organizations overseas.
    Grantees are urged to research applicable taxes that may be imposed 
by host governments on these transfers.
    13. In-country travel costs for visa processing purposes. Given the 
new requirements associated with obtaining J-1 visas for Bureau-
supported participants, applicants should include costs for participant 
and/or in-country partner travel and shipping to U.S. embassies or 
consulates for visa processing purposes, such as interviews and 
delivery/pick up of DS-2019 forms.
    14. Administrative Costs. Costs necessary for the effective 
administration of the program may include salaries for grantee 
organization employees, benefits, and other direct and indirect costs 
per detailed instructions in the Application Package. While there is no 
rigid ratio of administrative to program costs, priority will be given 
to proposals whose administrative costs are less than twenty-five (25) 
per cent of the total requested from the Bureau. Proposals should show 
strong administrative cost-sharing contributions from the applicant, 
the in-country partner and other sources.

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.

Shipment and Deadline for Proposals

    Important Note: The deadline for this competition is Friday, 
January 9, 2004. In light of recent events and heightened security 
measures, proposal submissions must be sent via a nationally 
recognized overnight delivery service (i.e., DHL, Federal Express, 
UPS, Airborne Express, or U.S. Postal Service Express Overnight 
Mail, etc.) and be shipped no later than the above deadline. The 
delivery services used by applicants must have in-place, centralized 
shipping identification and tracking systems that may be accessed 
via the Internet and delivery people who are identifiable by 
commonly recognized uniforms and delivery vehicles. Proposals 
shipped on or before the above deadline but received at ECA more 
than seven days after the deadline will be ineligible for further 
consideration under this competition. Proposals shipped after the 
established deadlines are ineligible for consideration under this 
competition. It is each applicant's responsibility to ensure that 
each package is marked with a legible tracking number and to 
monitor/confirm delivery to ECA via the Internet. Delivery of 
proposal packages may not be made via local courier service or in 
person for this competition. Faxed documents will not be accepted at 
any time. Only proposals submitted as stated above will be 
considered.

    Applicants must follow all instructions in the Solicitation 
Package. The original and ten copies (total of 11 copies, secured with 
binder clips) of the application should be sent to: U.S. Department of 
State, SA-44, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, Ref.: ECA/PE/
C/EUR-04-33, 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 in text (.txt) format 
on a PC-formatted disk. The Bureau will provide these files 
electronically to the Public Affairs Sections at the U.S. embassies for 
their review.

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

[[Page 60141]]

that ``in carrying out programs of educational and cultural exchange in 
countries whose people do not fully enjoy freedom and democracy,'' the 
Bureau ``shall take appropriate steps to provide opportunities for 
participation in such programs to human rights and democracy leaders of 
such countries.'' Public Law 106-113 requires that the governments of 
the countries described above do not have inappropriate influence in 
the selection process. Proposals should reflect advancement of these 
goals in their program contents, to the full extent deemed feasible.

Review Process

    Proposals will be deemed ineligible if they do not fully adhere to 
the guidelines stated herein and in the Solicitation Package. All 
eligible proposals will be reviewed by the program office, as well as 
the Public Affairs Sections 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 
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 and Ability to Achieve Program Objectives: 
Program objectives should be stated clearly and should reflect the 
applicant's expertise in the subject area and region. Objectives should 
respond to the priority topics in this announcement and should relate 
to the current conditions in the target countries. A detailed agenda 
and relevant work plan should explain how objectives will be achieved 
and should include a timetable for completion of major tasks. The 
substance of workshops, internships, seminars and/or consulting should 
be described in detail. Sample training schedules should be outlined. 
Responsibilities of in-country partners should be clearly described.
    2. Institutional Capacity: The proposal should include (1) the U.S. 
institution's mission and date of establishment; (2) detailed 
information about the in-country partner institution's capacity and the 
history of the U.S. and in-country partnership; (3) an outline of prior 
awards--U.S. government and private support received for the target 
theme/region; and (4) descriptions of experienced staff members who 
will implement the program. Proposed personnel and institutional 
resources should be adequate and appropriate to achieve the program's 
goals. The proposal should reflect the institution's expertise in the 
subject area and knowledge of the conditions in the target country. 
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.
    3. Cost Effectiveness and Cost Sharing: Overhead and administrative 
costs in the proposal budget, including salaries, honoraria and 
subcontracts for services, should be kept to a minimum. Priority will 
be given to proposals whose administrative costs are less than twenty-
five (25) per cent of the total funds requested from the Bureau. 
Applicants are strongly encouraged to cost share a portion of overhead 
and administrative expenses. Cost-sharing, including contributions from 
the applicant, the in-country partner, and other sources should be 
included in the budget request. Proposal budgets that do not provide 
cost-sharing will be deemed not competitive in this category.
    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 venues and program evaluation) and program 
content (orientation and wrap-up sessions, program meetings, resource 
materials and follow-up activities). Applicants should refer to the 
Bureau's Diversity, Freedom and Democracy Guidelines in the Proposal 
Submission Instructions (PSI).
    5. Evaluation: Proposals should include a detailed plan to monitor 
and evaluate the program. A draft survey questionnaire plus a 
description of a methodology that will link outcomes to original 
project objectives should be provided. Successful applicants will be 
expected to submit intermediate reports after each project component 
concludes or on a quarterly basis, whichever is less frequent.
    6. Post-Grant Activities: Applicants should provide a plan to 
conduct activities after the Bureau-funded project has concluded in 
order to ensure that Bureau-supported programs are not isolated events. 
Funds for all post-grant activities must be in the form of 
contributions from the applicant or sources outside of the Bureau. 
Costs for these activities should not appear in the proposal budget, 
but should be outlined in the narrative.

    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.'' It is anticipated that funding for 
this competition will be made available from FY-2003 FREEDOM Support 
Act resources carried over into FY-2004 for obligation and new FY-
2004 resources, pending the availability of funds.

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 15, 2003.
C. Miller Crouch,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Educational and 
Cultural Affairs, Department of State.
[FR Doc. 03-26526 Filed 10-20-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P