[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 125 (Wednesday, June 30, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39535-39537]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-14851]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 4753]


Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs Request for Grant 
Proposals: Edmund S. Muskie Graduate Fellowship Program

SUMMARY: The Office of Academic Exchange Programs of the Bureau of 
Educational and Cultural Affairs announces an open competition for the 
FY 2005 Edmund S. Muskie Graduate Fellowship Program (Muskie Program). 
Public and private non-profit organizations meeting the provisions 
described in IRS regulation 26 CFR 1.501(c) (3) may submit proposals to 
administer the selection, placement, monitoring, evaluation, follow-on, 
and alumni activities for the Edmund S. Muskie Graduate Fellowship 
Program (Muskie Program). Organizations with less than four years 
experience in conducting international exchange programs are not 
eligible for this competition.
    Overview: The Bureau will consider awarding one or more grants for 
this program. Should more than one organization be selected to 
administer the Muskie Program, the Bureau will decide on the 
distribution of fellows and funding amounts between applicant 
organizations.
    Should an applicant organization wish to work with other 
organizations in the implementation of this program, the Bureau prefers 
that a sub-grant agreement be developed. However, the Bureau will 
entertain separately submitted proposals from two or more organizations 
for joint program management, as long as the proposals demonstrate a 
value-added relationship and clearly delineate responsibilities. 
Program responsibilities should not be duplicated and the arrangement 
should not produce prohibitive administrative expenses.
    The Muskie Program selects outstanding citizens from the Armenia, 
Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, 
Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan (herein referred to as 
Eurasia) to receive fellowships for Master's level study in the United 
States in the fields of business administration, economics, education, 
environmental management, international affairs, law, library and 
information science, journalism/mass communications, public 
administration, public health, and public policy. Muskie Program 
fellows will be enrolled in graduate degree, certificate, and non-
degree programs lasting one to two academic years. It is estimated that 
approximately 170 fellows will receive Master's level fellowships under 
the FY 2005 program. Additionally, the Muskie Program will sponsor 
approximately four Ph.D. fellows from Ukraine, Georgia, Russia and 
Kazakhstan in the fields of public administration, public policy, 
business administration and economics.
    The Muskie Program is designed to promote mutual understanding, 
build democracy and foster the transition to market economies in 
Eurasia through intensive academic study and professional training. The 
academic component of the program begins in the fall semester of the 
year following the award (academic year 2005-2006). Fellows may 
participate in a nine, twelve, eighteen, or twenty-four month academic 
program leading to a Master's degree or may participate in the Ph.D. 
program. Masters fellows also take part in an eight to twelve week 
internship during the summer following the first academic year, with an 
option for a second internship following the second year of study. At 
the end of their designated academic and/or internship programs, 
Masters and Ph.D. fellows are required to immediately return to their 
home countries.
    Applicant organizations must demonstrate the ability to administer 
all aspects of the Muskie Program--recruitment, selection, university 
placements, orientation, monitoring and support of FY 2005 fellows 
including all logistics, financial management, evaluation, follow-on, 
and alumni. Applicant organizations must demonstrate the ability to 
recruit and select a diverse pool of candidates from various geographic 
regions in Eurasia. Organizations will serve as the principal liaison 
with Muskie Program host institutions for the Bureau. Further details 
on specific program responsibilities can be found in the Project 
Objectives, Goals, and Implementation (POGI) Statement, which is part 
of the formal solicitation package available from the Bureau. 
Interested organizations should read the entire Federal Register 
announcement for all information prior to preparing proposals.
    Guidelines: Pending the availability of funds, the award to the 
applicant organization will begin on or about October 1, 2005 and will 
be approximately five years in duration. The level of funding for FY 
2005 is uncertain, but is anticipated to be approximately $10,450,000. 
Based on this figure, applicant organizations should submit a budget to 
fund approximately 174 fellows, including four Ph.D. fellows. Applicant 
organizations are encouraged, through cost sharing and other methods, 
to provide for as many fellowships as possible above and beyond the 
minimum numbers suggested by the Bureau.
    Pending successful implementation of this program and the 
availability of funds in subsequent fiscal years, it is the Bureau's 
intent to renew this grant for two additional fiscal years. Programs 
must comply with J-1 visa regulations. Please refer to the Solicitation 
Package for further information.
    Budget Guidelines: Grants awards to eligible organizations with 
less than four years of experience in conducting international exchange 
programs will be limited to $60,000. Therefore, organizations with less 
than four years experience per above, are not eligible under this 
competition.
    The Bureau encourages applicant organizations to provide maximum 
levels of cost sharing and funding from private sources in support of 
its programs. Applicant organizations must submit a comprehensive line 
item budget to include a summary budget as well as breakdowns 
reflecting both administrative and program budgets. Applicants may 
provide separate sub-budgets for each program component, phase, 
location, or activity to provide clarification. A comprehensive 
narrative must accompany the budget, clearly explaining all proposed 
costs (staff salaries and time on task must be supported by appropriate

[[Page 39536]]

documentation and certified as true and accurate representations of 
actual costs and percentage of task).
    Allowable costs for the program include the following:
    (1) Program Expenses.
    (2) Domestic Administration.
    (3) Overseas Administration.
    Please refer to the Solicitation Package for complete budget 
guidelines and formatting instructions.
    Announcement Title and Number: All correspondence with the Bureau 
concerning this RFGP should reference the above title and number ECA/A/
E/EUR-05-03.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The Office of Academic Exchange 
Programs, ECA/A/E/EUR, Room 246, U.S. Department of State, SA-44, 301 
4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547, telephone: (202) 205-7494, fax: 
(202) 260-7985, e-mail: [email protected] to request a Solicitation 
Package. The Solicitation Package contains detailed award criteria, 
required application forms, specific budget instructions, and standard 
guidelines for proposal preparation. Please specify Bureau Program 
Manager Lucy Jilka on all 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 Bureau's 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 July 30, 
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 the Bureau 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 the Bureau 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 eight copies of the application should be 
sent to: U.S. Department of State, SA-44, Bureau of Educational and 
Cultural Affairs, Ref.: ECA/A/E/EUR 05-03, Program Management, ECA/EX/
PM, Room 534, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547.
    Along with the Project Title, all applicants must also enter the 
above Reference Number in Box 11 on the SF-424 contained in the 
mandatory Proposal Submission Instruction (PSI) document.
    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 
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, to the 
full extent deemed feasible.

Adherence to All Regulations Governing the J Visa

    The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs is placing renewed 
emphasis on the secure and proper administration of Exchange Visitor (J 
visa) Programs and adherence by grantees and sponsors to all 
regulations governing the J visa.
    Therefore, proposals should demonstrate the applicant's capacity to 
meet all requirements governing the administration of Exchange Visitor 
Programs as set forth in 22 CFR part 62, including the oversight of 
Responsible Officers and Alternate Responsible Officers, screening and 
selection of program participants, provision of pre-arrival information 
and orientation to participants, monitoring of participants, proper 
maintenance and security of forms, record-keeping, reporting and other 
requirements. The Grantee will be responsible for issuing DS-2019 forms 
to participants in this program.
    A copy of the complete regulations governing the administration of 
Exchange Visitor (J) programs is available at http://exchanges.state.gov or from: United States Department of State, Office 
of Exchange Coordination and Designation, ECA/EC/ECD--SA-44, Room 734, 
301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547. Telephone: (202) 401-9810. 
FAX: (202) 401-9809.
    Review Process: The Bureau will acknowledge receipt of all 
proposals and will review them for technical eligibility. Proposals 
will be deemed ineligible if they do not fully adhere to the guidelines 
stated herein and in the Solicitation Package. The Program Office, as 
well as the Public Affairs Sections overseas, where appropriate, will 
review all eligible proposals. Eligible proposals will be subject to 
compliance with Federal and Bureau regulations and guidelines and 
forwarded to Bureau grant panels for

[[Page 39537]]

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 a Bureau 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. Program planning: Detailed agenda and relevant work plan should 
demonstrate substantive undertakings and logistical capacity. Agenda 
and plan should adhere to the program overview and guidelines described 
above.
    3. Ability to achieve program objectives: Objectives should be 
reasonable, feasible, and flexible. Proposals should clearly 
demonstrate how the institution will meet the program's objectives and 
plan.
    4. Multiplier effect/impact: Proposed programs should strengthen 
long-term mutual understanding, including maximum sharing of 
information and establishment of long-term institutional and individual 
linkages.
    5. 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 program content 
(orientation and wrap-up sessions, program meetings, resource materials 
and follow-up activities).
    6. Institutional capacity: Proposed personnel and institutional 
resources should be adequate and appropriate to achieve the program or 
project's goals.
    7. 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.
    8. Alumni activities: Proposals should provide a plan that 
integrates alumni activities into the program from start to finish, 
including tracking of alumni.
    9. 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.
    10. 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.
    11. 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, Public Law 87-256, as amended, also known as the Fulbright-
Hays Act. The purpose of the Act is ``to enable the Government of 
the United States to increase mutual understanding between the 
people of the United States and the people of other countries * * *; 
to strengthen the ties which unite us with other nations by 
demonstrating the educational and cultural interests, developments, 
and achievements of the people of the United States and other 
nations * * * and thus to assist in the development of friendly, 
sympathetic and peaceful relations between the United States and the 
other countries of the world.'' The funding authority for the 
program above is provided through Fulbright-Hays 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: June 23, 2004.
C. Miller Crouch,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural 
Affairs, Department of State.
[FR Doc. 04-14851 Filed 6-29-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P