[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 93 (Thursday, May 13, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26634-26637]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-10888]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 4717]


Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs Request for Grant 
Proposals: South Asian Teacher Training Project

SUMMARY: The Teacher Exchange Branch, Office of Global Educational 
Programs of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) 
announces an open competition for the South Asian Teacher Training 
Project. 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 to develop a two-phased training program 
to enhance the skills of Indian and Pakistani secondary school 
administrators and secondary school teachers of English as a Foreign 
Language (EFL). Bureau funding of $500,000 is currently available to 
support one grant.

Program Information

    Overview: The Bureau seeks detailed proposals from U.S. 
institutions of higher education and/or non-profit organizations in 
cooperation with a U.S. institution of higher education, that have 
expertise in the field of teaching English as a Foreign Language (EFL). 
The organization should also show an ability to develop and organize 
training and materials, which address broad issues of tolerance and 
conflict resolution. Proposals should demonstrate an understanding of 
the issues confronting English language education in India and Pakistan 
and demonstrate experience in training teachers and administrators and 
conducting programming in these countries. They should also show a 
familiarity with the overarching geo-political situation in the region. 
Demonstrated familiarity with the challenges of educational cooperation 
and team building between citizens of these two countries is desired. 
The grantee will conduct the following two-phased project: (1) The 
design and implementation of a U.S. based EFL training program; and (2) 
teacher training workshops in both India and Pakistan conducted by the 
teachers who attended the U.S. training program.

Project Elements

    The proposal should reflect four overall elements: First, to 
produce a highly focused training program of about six weeks in 
duration that updates teachers in best practices in EFL at the 
secondary level; second, to provide the participants with ``train-the-
trainer'' skills that will enable them to conduct workshops on program 
topics in their home countries in the future; third, to develop team 
building skills, mutual understanding, tolerance and trust between the 
participants; and fourth, to provide participants with opportunities to 
interact with Americans, thereby allowing them to gain awareness and 
understanding of U.S. culture and society.

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Guidelines--Project Planning and Implementation

Grant Inception and Duration

    The teacher-training program should be planned for breaks in the 
South Asian school year. Most likely this will be in summer 2005. The 
grantee should work closely with the Bureau to assess local conditions 
and determine the most feasible timeline for the various phases of the 
program.

Planning

    In coordination with the Public Affairs Sections (PAS) of the U.S. 
Embassies in Islamabad and New Delhi, participants will be recruited 
and selected by the United States Educational Foundations (USEFs) in 
each country. Special efforts will be made to recruit teacher or 
teacher-trainers working in non-elite institutions with students from 
priority communities identified by the Embassies. Following U.S. 
training activities, PAS and USEFs will work with the local educational 
officials as appropriate to facilitate follow-on training activities.
    The grantee institution will be responsible for conducting an 
initial planning visit to Pakistan, if feasible, and to India, to 
consult with representatives from the USEFs, U.S. Embassies, Ministries 
of Education, and local educators. Based on this trip, the grantee will 
assess the educational and teacher training needs in both countries as 
a basis for project development.
    After the participants have been selected, but prior to their 
departure to the U.S., the USEFs in India and Pakistan will conduct 
pre-departure orientations for their country participants.
    The orientations will provide information about the respective 
program, goals, and expectations of participants, as well as address 
issues about participants' stay in the U.S. The grantee will work 
closely with both USEFs to organize the orientations and will develop 
orientation packets for each participant that cover the aforementioned 
material. These packets will be sent to the USEFs in advance of the 
scheduled pre-departure orientations.

U.S.-Based Training

    Programs must comply with J-1 visa regulations. Please refer to 
Solicitation Package for further information.
    Participants will spend approximately six weeks in the U.S. in the 
EFL training program organized by the U.S. grantee. The training should 
meet the needs of the Indian and Pakistani participants through 
activities designed by U.S. education specialists with appropriate 
expertise in American EFL instruction, curriculum development, and 
training. During the project, training and materials should include, 
whenever possible, modeling of teaching tolerance, in which 
participants are trained in teaching tolerance, effective cross 
cultural communication, and mutual respect.
    The program should have two components: a five-week intensive 
academic program and a one-week cultural and educational program in 
Washington, DC. The five-week academic program should address 
innovative EFL teaching methodologies and approaches and their 
implementation in their respective countries. Significant time should 
also be allotted for the inclusion of related professional activities 
outside the classroom which will introduce participants to U.S. 
education specialists, such as visits to schools, consultations with 
U.S. teachers, in-school mentoring, and attendance at professional 
meetings. Also, training should integrate experiences and materials 
that help participants to develop an understanding of the culture and 
political system of the United States as well as an appreciation of 
American diversity. At a minimum, a one-week experiential component 
should be included in the five-week academic program in which 
participants observe best practices in EFL instruction and training in 
a U.S. school. Among the topics to be addressed during the program are: 
computer literacy skills for EFL instruction, critical thinking, 
communication, conflict resolution, analytical and evaluation skills, 
and student development and motivation. In consultation with the 
Teacher Exchange Branch, the grantee should also plan and implement a 
three-to-five day site visit to Washington, DC. This visit will allow 
participants to meet representatives from the U.S. Department of State, 
as well as other government and private sector agencies, and visit 
other cultural and educational sites. This visit should be an integral 
part of the program, complementing and reinforcing the academic 
material of the training.

Follow-on Workshops

    Proposals should outline practical and feasible in-country 
workshops, which build on the achievements of the U.S.-based training 
while promoting the continued exchanges of ideas among the participants 
and the U.S. grantee organization. The grantee will facilitate these 
in-country workshops at which participants will present what they have 
learned during the project to other professional colleagues. One 
workshop will take place in each country, each with a mixed group of 
teachers and administrators who attended the U.S. based-training, from 
both India and Pakistan.

Budget Guidelines

    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 
submit separate sub-budgets for each program component, phase, 
location, or activity to provide clarification. The Bureau anticipates 
awarding one grant, not to exceed $500,000, to support program and 
administrative costs required to implement the South Asian Teacher 
Training Project. Bureau 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 from 
private sources in support of its programs.
    Allowable costs for the program include the following:
    (1) Instructional costs, including salaries and benefits of grantee 
organization, honoraria for outside speakers, educational materials;
    (2) Travel, lodging, meals, and incidentals for participants;
    (3) Expenses associated with cultural activities planned for the 
participants (for example, tickets, transportation);
    (4) Follow-on workshops in India and Pakistan; and
    (5) Administrative costs.
    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 South Asian Teacher Training 
Project ECA/A/S/X-04-06.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The Teacher Exchange Branch, Office of 
Global Educational Programs, ECA/A/S/X, Room 349, U.S. Department of 
State, SA-44, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547. Telephone: 
202-619-6589, fax: 202-401-1433, or e-mail: [email protected] to 
request a Solicitation Package. The Solicitation Package contains 
detailed award criteria, required application forms,

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specific budget instructions, and standard guidelines for proposal 
preparation. Please specify Bureau Program Officer Tracy Morrison 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.
    Shipment and Deadline for Proposals: Important Note: The deadline 
for this competition is June 24, 2004. In light of 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 8 copies of the application should be sent 
to: U.S. Department of State, SA-44, Bureau of Educational and Cultural 
Affairs, Ref.: ECA/A/S/X/04-06, 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 
its 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 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. 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 U.S. Educational 
Foundations and Public Diplomacy 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 assistance awards 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. Quality of the program idea: Proposals should exhibit 
originality, substance, precision, and relevance to the Bureau's 
mission.
    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

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be cited in both program administration (selection of participants, 
program venue, and program evaluation) and program content (orientation 
and wrap-up sessions, program meetings, resource materials, and follow-
up activities).
    4. Institution's Record/Ability: Proposals should demonstrate an 
institutional record of successful exchange programs, including 
experience in training teachers and administrators and conducting 
programming in Pakistan and India; programming experience in cross-
cultural communication, mutual understanding, tolerance and conflict 
resolution; and 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.
    5. 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 a 
description of a methodology linking 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.
    6. Cost-sharing: Proposals should maximize cost-sharing through 
other private sector support as well as institutional direct funding 
contributions.

    Authority:  Overall grant making authority for this program is 
contained in the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 
1961, Pub. L. 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: May 6, 2004.
C. Miller Crouch,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Educational and 
Cultural Affairs, Department of State.
[FR Doc. 04-10888 Filed 5-12-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P