[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 30 (Friday, February 13, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7278-7280]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-3243]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 4624]


Proposals for U.S. Pavilion at the 2005 World Exhibition in 
Aichi, Japan

SUMMARY: The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) of the 
Department of State requests proposals from private U.S. individuals, 
firms, associations and organizations (for profit and non-profit) for 
the development, organization and management of a U.S. pavilion/
exhibition covering 15,000 square feet at the 2005 World Exposition in 
Aichi, Japan (the Aichi Expo). The Department will provide the 
organization submitting the winning proposal with a letter authorizing 
it to proceed with fundraising until the funds necessary to complete 
the U.S. Pavilion project have been raised. This letter will include 
guidelines on fundraising to be followed by the winning organization. 
At the time at which all funding has been raised, the Department will 
sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the winning organization 
and will appoint a Commissioner General. Proposals from non-U.S. 
citizens or non-U.S. firms or organizations will be deemed ineligible. 
Cost for a representative U.S. pavilion/exhibit is estimated at $20 
million and must be provided completely by the winning organization. 
The Department of State is not authorized and does not now or in the 
future intend to make any commitment, implied or otherwise, to provide 
funding for any aspect of the U.S. pavilion/exhibition at the Aichi 
Expo.

DATES: The deadline for ``submission'' of proposals is 5 p.m., 
Thursday, March 4, 2004 (see below for details).

ADDRESSES: Proposals must be communicated Room 220, 301 Fourth Street, 
SW., Washington, DC, 20547.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: James Ogul, Program Manager, (see 
address), telephone to 202-205-0535, fax to 202-260-0440 or e-mail at 
[email protected].
    In light of recent events and heightened security measures, 
proposal

[[Page 7279]]

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 (i.e., received after 5 p.m. 
March 11) 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.
    Please review carefully the guidelines below for details on the 
format for submission of indications of interest.

Background

    The Government of Japan has invited the United States to 
participate in the 2005 World Exposition in Aichi, Japan, and the U.S. 
government has advised the Japanese government of its intention to 
participate. The Aichi Expo will be held on specially constructed 
exhibition grounds in Seto City and Toyota City, Japan. The Expo opens 
on March 25, 2005 and closes on September 25, 2005.
    Aichi 2005 Expo is a large-scale international exposition or 
``world's fair'' sanctioned or ``registered'' by the Bureau of 
International Expositions, an international treaty organization 
established to sanction and monitor international exhibitions of long 
duration (over three weeks) and significant scale. Invitations to 
world's fairs are extended from the host government to other 
governments.
    With a projected 18 million visitors, the Aichi exposition offers 
an excellent opportunity to educate and inform foreign audiences about 
the United States and its people. The theme of the expo, ``Nature's 
Wisdom,'' is one of considerable interest to the people of the United 
States and other countries. The purpose of the exposition is to 
``promote the understanding of the relationship between human 
activities and nature in order to encourage cooperation in the status 
quo between technology and human lifestyles.''
    The United States intends to participate officially in the Aichi 
Expo, and ECA must ensure that the U.S. exhibit is nonpolitical in 
nature, of the highest possible quality, and balanced and 
representative of the diversity of American political, social and 
cultural life. The pavilion/exhibit must maintain the highest level of 
scholarly integrity and meet the highest standards of artistic 
achievement and academic excellence.
    The U.S. presence at the Aichi Expo will help promote mutual 
understanding and confirm the strength and importance of US-Japan 
bilateral ties. Further information on the Aichi Expo can be found at 
the official expo Web site: http://www.expo2005.com/
    Statutory Authority: Overall authority for Department of State 
support for U.S. participation in international expositions is 
contained in section 102(a)(3) of the Mutual Educational and Cultural 
Exchange Act of 1961, as amended (22 U.S.C. 2452(a)(3); 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.'' Pursuant to this authority, ECA is the 
Department bureau responsible for coordinating U.S. participation in 
the Aichi Expo 2005. Consequently, ECA will represent the U.S. 
Government in dealings with the organizers of the Aichi Expo.
    Funding Limitations: Section 204 of Public Law 106-113 (22 U.S.C. 
2452b) limits the support the Department of State may provide for U.S. 
participation in international expositions registered by the Bureau of 
International Expositions (BIE). This includes the Aichi Expo. This 
Request for Proposals is intended to help identify a private U.S. 
individual, firm or organization interested in and capable of providing 
a complete pavilion/exhibit at the Aichi Expo. The Department of State 
is not authorized, and does not now or in the future intend to make any 
commitment--implied or otherwise--to provide funding for any aspect of 
the U.S. exhibition at the Aichi Expo.
    Costs: As an official national participant, the United States will 
have the right to use five exhibition ``modules'' provided at no cost 
by the Expo organizers. The U.S. pavilion will cover approximately 
15,000 square feet. It is estimated that a representative exhibition in 
that space will cost $20 million. Costs would include, but not be 
limited to:

--Design of the exhibit and drafting of the story line
--Fundraising expenses
--Production of exhibits, audio-visual materials, films, DVDs, videos, 
posters and other promotional materials needed for the exhibit
--Building modifications/enhancements necessary to incorporate the 
exhibit and decorate the building facade and interior and provide 
exterior landscaping and crowd control features such as providing 
necessary equipment and linking into Aichi Expo 2005's IC chip 
technology built into Expo admission tickets
--Promotion and advertising for the U.S. exhibition
--Administrative and staff costs, including salaries, benefits, 
contracting and supplier costs and consulting fees
--Transport, travel, insurance, postage and shipping fees
--Security, development and implementation of a security program for 
the U.S. Pavilion in consultation with the State Department and 
appropriate Japanese authorities
--Tear-down, including removal of exhibits and return of the pavilion 
in the condition required by the Expo organizers, and
--Cultural and informational programs associated with the exhibition, 
including, but not limited to, production of U.S. National Day 
activities

    Expo Guidelines: Interested parties may obtain copies of the 
General Regulations and Expo Guidelines from the Aichi Expo offices in 
Japan at: Director General, Official Participation Group, Lino Bldg., 
7F, 2-1-1 Uchisaiwi-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0011, Japan.
    Proposals should be provided in a narrative of no more than twenty 
(20) pages, single-spaced, plus a detailed budget and attachments and 
exhibits. The narrative and additional documents should outline in as 
much detail as possible plans for providing a U.S. exhibition at the 
Aichi Expo.
    Proposals should address the following:
     Willingness to adhere to the General Regulations 
of the Aichi Expo as stipulated by the Expo organizers;

[[Page 7280]]

     Track record of working with exhibitions and on 
the proposed theme;
     An experienced staff with language facility;
     A clear exhibit plan and storyline;
     A detailed fundraising plan listing intended 
individuals and institutions to be approached, description of donation 
and sample donation agreement; and
     Willingness to consult closely with and follow 
the guidance of ECA and U.S. diplomatic officers in Japan.
    Proposals should state clearly that all materials developed 
specifically for the project will be subject to review and approval by 
ECA.

Review Process

    Proposals will be deemed ineligible if they are not submitted by a 
U.S. citizen, corporation or U.S.-based organization and do not fully 
adhere to the General Regulations of the Aichi Expo and the guidelines 
stated herein.
    A panel of senior U.S. Government employees will review eligible 
proposals. ECA and other elements of the Department in Washington, and 
the Public Diplomacy section and other elements at the U.S. Embassy in 
Tokyo and U.S. Consulate General in Nagoya, will also review all 
eligible proposals. The final decision on a potential U.S. exhibitor 
will be at the discretion of the Department of State's Assistant 
Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs.

Review Criteria

    Technically eligible proposals will be competitively reviewed 
according to the criteria stated below. These criteria are not rank-
ordered and all carry equal weight in the evaluation.
    1. Program planning to achieve exhibit objectives: Proposals should 
clearly demonstrate how the planned exhibit would achieve its 
objectives and how it would comply with the theme and General 
Regulations of the Expo. Exhibit objectives should be reasonable, 
feasible, and flexible. The proposal should contain a detailed timeline 
and budget that demonstrate substantive undertakings and fundraising 
and logistical capacity.
    2. Institutional Capacity/Record/Ability: Proposed personnel and 
institutional resources should be defined and adequate and appropriate 
to achieve the exhibit's goals. Proposals should demonstrate an 
institutional record of successful exhibit activities, including 
responsible fiscal management and full compliance with all BIE-
registered Expo requirements. ECA will give serious weight to past 
performance and demonstrated potential of the staffing proposed for the 
project.
    3. Multiplier effect/impact: Exhibit content and related activities 
should strengthen long-term mutual understanding between the United 
States and Japan.
    4. Support of Diversity: Programs sponsored by ECA must encourage 
the involvement of participants from all traditionally underrepresented 
groups including women, racial and ethnic minorities and people with 
disabilities.
    5. Monitoring and Project Evaluation Plan: Proposals that include a 
plan to measure the impact of the proposed U.S. exhibition are 
encouraged.
    6. Cost-effectiveness: Proposals must present a credible budget and 
fundraising plan to fund all aspects of the U.S. Pavilion project. Note 
that prospective donors will be vetted with the State Department for 
potential conflict of interest.

Notice

    The terms and conditions published in this Request for Proposals 
are binding and may not be modified by any ECA representative. 
Explanatory information provided by ECA that contradicts published 
language will not be binding. Issuance of this RFP does not constitute 
an intention to agree to work with any private sector exhibitor at the 
Aichi Expo. ECA reserves the right to select the final U.S. exhibitor 
for the Aichi Expo and to approve all elements of the exhibition and 
project. Decisions made based on indications of interest submitted in 
response to this RFP will be made solely by ECA and are final.

    Dated: February 6, 2004.
Patricia S. Harrison,
Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs, Department of 
State.
[FR Doc. 04-3243 Filed 2-12-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P