[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 14 (Friday, January 22, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3587-3589]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-1466]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
UNITED STATES INFORMATION AGENCY
Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program Washington Seminar; Request
for Proposals
SUMMARY: The Office of Academic Programs of the United States
Information Agency's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs
announces an open competition to administer the Hubert H. Humphrey
Fellowship Program Washington Seminar. Washington-based public and
private non-profit organizations meeting the provisions described in
IRS regulation 26 CFR 1.501(c) may submit proposals to assist USIA with
the planning and implementation of a seminar lasting up to five days
for approximately 132 mid-career professionals from developing
countries and selected Eastern European countries. The seminar will
take place in the first half of November, 1999 (please see seminar date
details below).
Program Information
Overview: The Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program provides a year
of non-degree, graduate level study and related professional
experiences to mid-level professionals from developing countries and
selected Eastern European countries. Fellowships are granted
[[Page 3588]]
competitively to public and private sector candidates with a commitment
to public service in the fields of natural resources/environmental
management, public policy analysis/public administration, economic
development, agricultural development/economics, finance/banking, human
resource management/personnel, urban and regional planning, public
health policy/management, technology policy/management, educational
planning, and communications/journalism. Fellows are placed by
professional field in groups of seven to 15 at one of 11 participating
host universities around the country. Fellows are nominated for the
program by USIA overseas posts or Fulbright commissions based on their
potential for national leadership, commitment to public service, and
professional and academic qualifications. By providing these future
leaders with exposure to U.S. society, and to current U.S. approaches
to the fields in which they work, the program provides a basis for
establishing lasting ties among U.S. citizens and their professional
counterparts in other countries.
The objectives of the workshop are to:
Enhance fellows' leadership skills through understanding
of U.S. social, cultural, and political processes and institutions,
including the unique political environment of Washington, D.C.
Emphasize opportunities for regional and professional
networking among fellows and with U.S. colleagues.
Guidelines: Non-profit organizations with key program staff based
in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area and available for frequent
meetings with USIA staff are invited to submit proposals. Organizations
also must have experience in conference management, professional
exchanges, and international exchanges. Only organizations with at
least four years of experience in international exchange activities are
eligible to apply for this award. The grant period should begin on
August 1, 1999 and conclude on May 31, 2000. The seminar will
accommodate approximately 132 participants, in addition to USIA and
other staff.
There are two options for conference dates: October 31-November 5
and November 14-19, 1999. Organizations may choose their preferred set
of dates according to cost effectiveness and project feasibility.
The recipient organization will be responsible for most
arrangements associated with this seminar. These include organizing a
coherent schedule of activities, making lodging and transportation
arrangements for participants, preparing all necessary support
materials, working with Humphrey Fellowship Coordinators at host
universities and IIE staff to achieve maximum workshop effectiveness,
conducting a final evaluation, and other details which are outlined in
the solicitation package. Drafts of all printed materials developed for
the seminar should be submitted to the Agency for review and approval.
All official documents should highlight the U.S. Government's role as
program director and funding source. Please refer to program guidelines
in the solicitation package for further details.
Budget Guidelines: The award for this seminar may not exceed
$165,000, and cost sharing is strongly encouraged. Applicants must
submit a comprehensive, line-item budget for the entire seminar. There
must be a summary budget, as well as separate sub-budgets for
administrative and program costs. Applicants may provide additional
sub-budgets for each program component, phase, location, or activity to
provide clarification. Please refer to the solicitation package for
complete budget guidelines and formatting instructions.
Announcement Title and Number: All correspondence with USIA
concerning this RFP should reference the above title and number E/ASU-
99-09.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: The Specialized Programs Branch, E/
ASU, Room 349, U.S. Information Agency, 301 4th Street, SW.,
Washington, DC 20547, telephone: 202-619-5289 and fax number: 202-401-
1433. Applicants may also send a message via Internet to
lrieder@usia.gov 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 USIA Senior Program Officer Leigh Rieder on
all other inquiries and correspondence.
Please read the complete Federal Register announcement before
sending inquiries or submitting proposals. Once the RFP deadline has
passed, Agency 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 USIA's website at http://
www.usia.gov/education/rfps. Please read all information before
downloading.
To Receive a Solicitation Package Via Fax on Demand: The entire
Solicitation Package may be requested from the Bureau's ``Grants
Information Fax on Demand System,'' which is accessed by calling 202/
401-7616. The ``Table of Contents'' listing available documents and
order numbers should be the first order when entering the system.
Deadline for Proposals: All proposal copies must be received at the
U.S. Information Agency by 5 p.m., Washington, DC time on Thursday,
February 18, 1999. Faxed documents will not be accepted at any time.
Documents postmarked the due date but received on a later date will not
be accepted. Each applicant must ensure that the proposals are received
by the above deadline.
Applicants must follow all instructions in the Solicitation
Package. The original and six copies of the application should be sent
to: U.S. Information Agency, Ref.: E/ASU-99-09, Office of Grants
Management, E/XE, Room 326, 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 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 that ``in carrying out programs of educational and
cultural exchange in countries whose people do not fully enjoy freedom
and democracy,'' USIA ``shall take appropriate steps to provide
opportunities for participation in such programs to human rights and
democracy leaders of such countries.'' Proposals should reflect
advancement of this goal in their program contents, to the fullest
extent deemed feasible.
Year 2000 Compliance Requirement (Y2K Requirement)
The Year 2000 (Y2K) issue is a broad operational and accounting
problem that could potentially prohibit organizations from processing
information in accordance with Federal management and program specific
requirements including data exchange
[[Page 3589]]
with USIA. The inability to process information in accordance with
Federal requirements could result in grantees' being required to return
funds that have not been accounted for properly.
USIA therefore requires all organizations use Y2K compliant systems
including hardware, software, and firmware. Systems must accurately
process data and dates (calculating, comparing and sequencing) both
before and after the beginning of the year 2000 and correctly adjust
for leap years.
Additional information addressing the Y2K issue may be found at the
General Services Administration's Office of Information Technology
website at http://www.itpolicy.gsa.gov.
Review Process
USIA 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 and then forwarded to panels of USIA officers for
advisory review. Proposals may also be reviewed by the Office of the
General Counsel or by other Agency elements. Final funding decisions
are at the discretion of USIA's Associate Director for Educational and
Cultural Affairs. Final technical authority for assistance awards
(grants or cooperative agreements) resides with the USIA 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 Agency's
mission.
2. Program planning: Detailed agenda and relevant work plan should
demonstrate substantive undertakings, as well as showing clearly how
the seminar's objectives will be met. Agenda and plan should adhere to
all program guidelines in the Solicitation Package.
3. Multiplier effect/impact: Proposed program should strengthen
long-term mutual understanding, including maximum sharing of
information, and encourage continued institutional and individual
linkages after the fellowship year.
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 an program
content.
5. Institutional Capacity: Proposed personnel and institutional
resources should be adequate and appropriate to achieve the seminar's
goals.
6. Institution's Record/Ability: Proposals should demonstrate an
institutional record of successfully administering programs for
professional-level participants, including responsible fiscal
management and full compliance with all reporting requirements for past
Agency grants as determined by USIA's Office of Contracts. The Agency
will consider the past performance of prior recipients and the
demonstrated potential of new applicants.
7. Project Evaluation: Proposals should include a plan to evaluate
the seminar'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 link outcomes to original project
objectives is recommended. Successful applications will be expected to
submit intermediate reports during the planning and preparation
process.
8. 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.
9. 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 legislation.
Notice
The terms and conditions published in this RFP are binding and may
not be modified by any USIA representative. Explanatory information
provided by the Agency that contradicts published language will not be
binding. Issuance of the RFP does not constitute an award commitment on
the part of the Government. The Agency 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 USIA procedures.
Dated: January 11, 1999.
William B. Bader,
Associate Director for Educational and Cultural Affairs.
[FR Doc. 99-1466 Filed 1-21-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8230-01-M
