[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 87 (Wednesday, May 5, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25163-25166]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-10216]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 4711]


Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs Request for Grant 
Proposals: To Organize a Competition To Select the U.S. Commissioner 
and U.S. Representative to the 2005 Venice Biennale of Visual Arts

SUMMARY: The Office of Citizen Exchanges of the Bureau of Educational 
and Cultural Affairs announces an open competition for U.S. public and 
private non-profit organizations meeting the provisions described in 
Internal Revenue Code Section 26 U.S.C. 501 (C) 3 to conduct an open 
competition to identify and recommend an American Curator(s) and 
Artist(s) to organize an exhibition, publications and accompanying 
artist and curatorial exchange program to represent the United States 
at the 2005 Venice Biennale of visual arts.

    Important Note: This Request for Proposals contains language in 
the ``Shipment and Deadline for Proposals'' section that is 
significantly different from that used in the

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past. Please pay special attention to procedural changes as 
outlined.

Program Information

    Overview: The Cultural Programs Division within the Bureau of 
Educational and Cultural Affairs welcomes proposals that directly 
respond to the following requirements:
    1. Applicants will describe a methodology for conducting an Open 
Competition, notification of which reaches the broadest potential pool 
of prospective applicants--curators of Contemporary American art--in 
the United States.
    2. Applicants will present a detailed timeline for the execution of 
the competition, including deadlines for publicizing the competition 
and other outreach to the field in the U.S.; deadlines for receipt of 
proposals; assembling a fair and objective panel of experts in the 
field of Contemporary American art; and managing the panel process. All 
work for this phase is to be completed by August 20, 2004.
    3. Applicants will describe a plan for publicizing the resulting 
selection of a Commissioner and U.S. Representative, working 
cooperatively with the Cultural Programs Division of ECA to do so.
    Guidelines: The grantee will work cooperatively with the designated 
Cultural Programs Division Program Officer to design and produce 
solicitation materials that articulate both the practical requirements 
of organizing and presenting the exhibition and the Bureau of 
Educational and Cultural Affairs mission of conducting educational and 
cultural exchange programs that promote respect and mutual 
understanding.
    Upon receipt and review of proposals from Curators by the Cultural 
Programs Division Program Officer, the grantee will be responsible for 
distributing all Curator's proposals to panel members for their review 
and convening a panel meeting.
    Upon approval of the panel's recommendation, the grantee will issue 
a Sub-grant (or multiple grants if multiple projects are selected) to 
the recipient curator or recipient's sponsoring organization. The Sub-
grant(s) will describe the terms and conditions for organization of the 
official U.S. presentation at the 2005 Venice Biennale.
    Upon acceptance of the terms by the Sub-grant recipient(s), the 
grantee will then work with the Bureau of Educational and Cultural 
Affairs and the Sub-grantee to oversee program planning for the 
exhibition. The grantee will consult with the Bureau and the artist(s) 
and curator(s) in the development of public education programs in which 
the artist, curator and other appropriate scholars from around the 
world can participate. The goal of these programs is to place the 
exhibition in context for foreign audiences and to encourage the unique 
opportunities for the exchange of people and ideas that Venice affords. 
The cost of public education programs, including administrative 
expenses, is not to be included in this proposal.
    Applicants should anticipate a start date for this Cooperative 
Agreement of approximately July 15, 2004.

Ineligible Proposals

    Proposals from organizations that do not meet the minimum 
experience and expertise criteria will be declared technically 
ineligible. The Bureau encourages applicants to provide maximum levels 
of cost sharing and funding in support of its programs. Proposals based 
on achieving other artistic objectives will not be accepted. Museums or 
arts centers that might ordinarily be applicants to the Venice Biennale 
competition that apply do so with the understanding that by entering 
into a Cooperative Agreement with the Department of State to conduct 
this competition they, their employees, or any others with a prior 
relationship in the organization will be ineligible to apply to 
represent the United States at the 2005 Venice Biennale.

Guidelines

    Programs must comply with J-1 visa regulations. Please refer to 
Solicitation Package for further information. Applicant will not be 
required to obtain visas for participants in the Competition or the 
2005 Venice Biennale.

Budget Guidelines

    The Bureau anticipates awarding one grant, in an amount up to 
$170,000 to provide partial support for program and administrative 
costs required to implement the competition and follow on activities. 
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. Of the $170,000 made available by the 
Office of Citizen Exchanges for this Cooperative Agreement, up to 
$50,000 may be allocated to the administration and publicizing of the 
competition and publicizing the selection. The total project budget 
(i.e. ECA's contribution, plus the applicant's matching support) should 
be at least $340,000, with a resulting award to the selected 
Commissioner/Artist of at least $290,000. The applicant's matching 
support may include, but is not limited to, funds raised from private 
and corporate philanthropy, individual donors or in-kind support. A 
complete list of contributors, and a sample agreement with potential 
donors must accompany the proposal. Support received under assistance 
awards from the U.S. Government may not be used for expenses related to 
fundraising.
    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 expenses. Applicants may 
provide separate sub-budgets for each program component, phase, 
location, or activity to provide clarification. Since Bureau assistance 
through this Cooperative Agreement constitutes only a portion of total 
project funding, proposals should list and provide evidence of other 
sources of financial and in-kind support.
    Allowable costs for the program include the following:
    (1) Travel Costs: Domestic airfares; transit costs; ground 
transportation costs. Please note, all air travel must be in compliance 
with the Fly America Act.
    (2) Per Diem: Organizations have the option of using a flat $160/
day for program participants or the published U.S. Federal per diem 
rates for the U.S. city in which activities take place.
    (3) Consultants: Consultants may be used to provide specialized 
expertise. For example to design solicitation and publicity materials, 
or to conduct a publicity campaign.
    (4) Administrative Costs: Costs necessary for the effective 
administration of the program may include salaries for employees of the 
grantee organization, 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.
    Announcement Title and Number: All correspondence with the Bureau 
concerning this RFGP should reference the above title and number ECA/
PE/C/CU-04-17.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The Cultural Programs Division, ECA/
PE/C/CU, Room 664, U.S. Department of State, SA-44, 301 4th Street, 
SW., Washington, D.C. 20547, 202 203-7497, to request a Solicitation 
Package. The Solicitation Package contains detailed

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award criteria, required application forms, specific budget 
instructions, and standard guidelines for proposal preparation. Please 
specify Bureau Program Leanne Mella 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 website 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.

Shipment and Deadline for Proposals

    Important Note: The deadline for this competition is Wednesday, 
June 2, 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 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/CU-04-17, Program Management, ECA/EX/PM, Room 
534, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547.

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 disabilities. 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 
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. ECA or the Grantee 
(program office: please specify which) 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, when 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 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 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.
    2. 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.
    3. 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

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program content (orientation and wrap-up sessions, program meetings, 
resource materials and follow-up activities).
    4. Institutional Capacity: Proposed personnel and institutional 
resources should be adequate and appropriate to achieve the program or 
project's goals.
    5. 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.
    6. 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.
    7. 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.

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 28, 2004.
Patricia S. Harrison,
Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs, Department of 
State.
[FR Doc. 04-10216 Filed 5-4-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P