[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 15 (Friday, January 23, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3544-3545]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-1519]
[[Page 3544]]
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CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE
Notice of Opportunity To Administer the President's Student
Service Awards
AGENCY: Corporation for National and Community Service.
ACTION: Notice of opportunity to administer the President's Student
Service Awards.
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SUMMARY: The Corporation for National Service (the Corporation) seeks
an organization or collaboration of organizations that is capable of
administering the President's Student Service Awards program. Public or
private nonprofit organizations are eligible to apply. The non-monetary
awards will recognize students and other school-aged youth who serve in
their communities across the country. This recognition program will
help make citizen service a common expectation among elementary,
secondary, and college students throughout America.
Students and other school-aged youth who receive the President's
Student Service Award may render service to their communities through a
service-learning program sponsored by a school, college, or university,
through a program sponsored by a community-based organization, or
through their own initiative as individual community service
volunteers. For students age 12 or older, a criterion will be
performing service of 100 hours or more within a one-year period.
The President's Student Service Awards program does not involve
Federal financial assistance to the organization or organizations
selected to administer the program. The selected organization or
collaboration of organizations is expected to raise or provide any up-
front costs that are required, with future operation of the program
conducted on a self-sustaining basis as described in this Notice.
The selected organization or organizations will furnish the
necessary personnel, materials, services and facilities to administer
the program, including purchase and/or production of all award
materials; distribution of award materials; promotion; self-evaluation,
quarterly and annual budget and demographic reports; and other
administrative duties that will be determined in a Memorandum of
Agreement and subsequent annual plans. The selected organization or
organizations will be expected to provide input regarding program
design, implementation, and promotion, and will also be expected to
coordinate as necessary with other organizations or entities engaged in
the promotion of service.
DATES: All proposals must be received by the Corporation at the address
set out below by 3:30 p.m. (E.S.T.) February 20, 1998.
ADDRESSES: Proposals shall be submitted to the Corporation at the
following address: Corporation for National Service, Attn: Dr. Marilyn
Smith, 1201 New York Avenue NW, Washington, D.C. 20525.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information, contact the
Corporation for National Service, Dr. Marilyn Smith at (202) 606-5000,
ext. 209. This notice may be requested in an alternative format for the
visually impaired. The Corporation's T.D.D. number is (202) 565-2799.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The Corporation is a Federal government corporation that encourages
Americans of all ages and backgrounds to engage in service to the
community. This service is to address the nation's educational, public
safety, environmental and other human needs to achieve direct and
demonstrable results. In doing so, the Corporation fosters civic
responsibility, strengthens the ties that bind us together as a people,
and provides educational opportunity for those who make a substantial
commitment to service. This year, over one million students will
participate in Corporation-supported Learn and Serve America service-
learning programs, in which service projects are integrated into the
curriculum of schools, institutions of higher education, and community
youth programs.
The Corporation has authority, under the National and Community
Service Act of 1990, as amended, 42 U.S.C. 12653(n), 12653b and under
Executive Order 12819 (October 28, 1992), to make Presidential awards
to young individuals who provide significant service to their
communities. Under this authority, the Corporation implemented the
President's Youth Service Awards program from 1992 through 1994. The
President's Youth Service Awards, co-sponsored by the Points of Light
Foundation and carried out by the American Institute for Public
Service, provided non-monetary recognition awards to young people
engaged in voluntary service to the community. Through this notice, the
Corporation seeks an organization or collaboration of organizations to
implement a successor program to the President's Youth Service Awards.
Purpose and Design of the President's Student Service Awards
The purpose of the President's Student Service Awards is to
recognize outstanding service and service-learning performed by
students and other school-aged youth across the country, from
elementary school through higher education, and to assist in making
service a common expectation of all young Americans.
Earlier this year, the conveners of the Presidents' Summit in
Philadelphia, including President Clinton, former Presidents Bush,
Carter, and Ford, and General Colin Powell, declared: ``We have a
special obligation to America's children to see that all young
Americans have:
1. Caring adults in their lives, as parents, mentors, tutors,
coaches;
2. Safe places with structured activities in which to learn and
grow;
3. A healthy start and healthy future;
4. An effective education that equips them with marketable skills;
and
5. An opportunity to give back to their communities through their
own service.''
The fifth goal has been specified to include, among other aims for
the year 2000, two million additional young people engaging in at least
100 hours of service each year. In many instances, such service may be
focused on providing the other four conditions for success to children
and youth lacking them.
Appropriate recognition can be a critical factor in encouraging
students and school-aged youth to render that measure of service. There
are a number of existing programs that recognize outstanding service by
young people, including: National Service Scholarships administered by
the Corporation for National Service; the Yoshiyama Award for Exemplary
Service to the Community administered by the Hitachi Foundation; the
J.C. Penney Golden Rule Award; the Jefferson Awards administered by the
American Institute for Public Service; the Prudential Spirit of
Community Awards; and the Do Something Brick Awards.
The Corporation anticipates that the President's Student Service
Awards will be based on principles and procedures for implementation in
communities as agreed upon in a Memorandum of Agreement between the
Corporation and the selected organization or organizations. Potential
awarding organizations in each community may include: schools, state
and local
[[Page 3545]]
education agencies, colleges and universities, youth-serving
organizations, faith-based organizations, state commissions on national
and community service; public and nonprofit organizations, profit-
making businesses, labor unions, civic or service clubs, or
neighborhood associations. Awarding organizations will certify that an
individual has served at least 100 hours, over a year's period, in
efforts designed to have a significant impact on meeting the needs of
local communities. Individuals under the age of 12 who perform
outstanding service may be eligible for recognition even if they do not
meet the minimum requirement of 100 hours.
The types of service recognized could include: activities connected
with service-learning courses or programs or service requirements in a
school district, school, class, or institution of higher education;
volunteer work with community or youth organizations; service through
churches, synagogues, or other faith-based organizations; involvement
in service-oriented school organizations; individual efforts to help
others and improve a local community; and programs in which older young
people tutor, mentor, coach, or otherwise serve younger people. The
broad-based nature of this program, similar to the President's Physical
Fitness Award program, is intended to include the largest possible
number of students who make a substantial commitment to service.
Each award winner will receive a token of recognition (for example,
a pin and a certificate) from the President. The award will involve no
monetary benefit to the awardee. Any nominal fee set to cover the costs
of production and distribution of awards will be paid by the local
awarding organization or other sources, not by the award winner. Any
fees will be subject to the approval of the Corporation.
The award program may also include additional recognition for some
awardees, such as attendance at recognition events sponsored by the
Corporation, the selected organization or organizations, other
organizations including the Points of Light Foundation and,
potentially, the White House. Other levels of recognition for service
that goes substantially beyond the 100-hour criterion may be developed.
Local communities will also be encouraged to establish their own
recognition events or processes. The Corporation will provide the names
of award winners to Governors, Mayors, the media, and other individuals
interested in recognizing these individuals.
Requirements of the Memorandum of Agreement
The Corporation anticipates entering into a Memorandum of Agreement
with the selected organization or organizations by April 1, 1998, with
an expected project period between April 1, 1998 and September 30,
1999. It is likely that the Memorandum of Agreement will include an
option to renew on an annual basis for up to five years, after which
the Corporation may conduct a new competition for an organization to
administer the program.
The organization or organizations selected under this notice will:
(1) complete a final program design and implementation plan for
approval by the Corporation; (2) publicize the program to local
communities, schools, colleges, universities, and other educational
institutions, and to civic, non-profit, youth-serving, and other
interested organizations throughout the country; (3) distribute the
awards to recipients; (4) respond to inquiries from all parties related
to these awards; (5) manage the program in a manner to assure it is
self-financing and sustainable; (6) collaborate with other service-
promoting organizations to encourage youth service throughout the
country; and (6) comply with reporting and other requirements of the
Memorandum of Agreement.
Finances
The primary intent of the President's Student Service Awards is to
promote and improve citizen service by our Nation's youth. It is not
intended to be a profit-making activity. The selected organization or
collaboration of organizations assumes full financial responsibility
for the program. This includes award inventory, staffing, and
facilities.
The Memorandum of Agreement will specify the fees or charges that
may be set in this program, including a Corporation-approved ``charge
for services'' representing a fixed percentage of the net difference
between the program's total revenue and total expenses. The amount of
the ``charge for services'' approved by the Corporation will be
determined based upon compliance with the terms of the Memorandum of
Agreement and other relevant considerations. Unless otherwise approved
by the Corporation, any annual revenues in excess of costs are to be
used to support the next year's President's Student Service Award
program.
The selected organization will account for all costs and revenues
associated with the operation of the program according to the standards
stated in the Memorandum of Agreement. The selected organization's
performance under the Memorandum of Agreement will also be subject to
oversight review and evaluation, including financial audit, by the
Corporation's Chief Executive Officer, Inspector General, or their
designees. The Corporation and its Inspector General will have access
to any documents and records of the selected organization that are
deemed necessary to carry out these oversight, evaluation, or audit
activities.
Selection Criteria
All eligible interested parties must submit a proposal of no more
than 30 pages, double-spaced. Selection will be based on the following
criteria, in descending order of importance:
1. Experience of the organization or organizations, and
demonstrated capacity, to administer a national awards program of this
size and magnitude, including the ability to disseminate information
widely and quickly. This includes the key individuals who will carry
out the projects, and the facilities and resources, including computer-
based telecommunication devices, available to the organization or
organizations. This also includes the organization or organizations'
capability to develop and administer an annual budget and to collect
and manage funds.
2. Proposed plan for administering the President's Student Service
Award program, including financial aspects such as defraying the costs
of start-up, award materials, promotion, distribution, and program
management.
3. Background concerning the organization or organizations'
nonprofit or public status, history, mission, size in terms of budget
and personnel, and familiarity with national and community service.
Dated: January 16, 1998.
Thomas L. Bryant,
Acting General Counsel, Corporation for National Service.
[FR Doc. 98-1519 Filed 1-22-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6050-28-P
