[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 4 (Thursday, January 7, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1072-1074]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-189]
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UNITED STATES INFORMATION AGENCY
USIA-Bosnia and Herzegovina Undergraduate Development Program
NOTICE: Request for proposals.
SUMMARY: Subject to the availability of funds, the Office of Academic
Programs, Academic Exchanges Division, European Branch, of the United
States Information Agency's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs
announces an open competition for an assistance award. Four-year
colleges and universities meeting the provisions described in IRS
regulation 26 CFR 1.501(c) may apply to host between two and five
Bosnian students in a one-year, non-degree undergraduate program for
the academic year 1999-2000. Organizations with less than four years of
experience in hosting international exchange students are not eligible
for this competition. Recruitment and selection will be conducted by
USIS Sarajevo.
The USIA Bosnia and Herzegovina Undergraduate Development Program
is designed to allow Bosnian students an opportunity to obtain
knowledge, insight and cultural enrichment through their academic
studies at American colleges and universities. The USIA strongly
encourages institutions to guide students to courses in American
studies, or other courses which emphasize democracy, market economy,
and civic society per the intent of the Support for Eastern European
Democracy (SEED) Act funding. The USIA is holding an open competition
for four-year universities and colleges giving preference to those with
the following strengths:
Demonstrated experience in hosting Bosnian students,
partnerships with Bosnian higher education institutions, or expertise
and interest in the region;
Strong international student advising offices with
experience dealing with cultural, educational and adjustment issues for
foreign students;
Accessibility to and opportunities for cultural and social
activities;
Diverse, multi-ethnic student populations.
Increase in program expenses together with reduced overall
government funding for exchange programs make cost-sharing arrangements
with host institutions a critical part of the USIA Bosnia and
Herzegovina Undergraduate Development Program. Preference will be given
to institutions that can provide cost-sharing toward tuition, fees,
room and board expenses and/or other direct participant expenses. Cost-
sharing may also be in the form of direct administrative and program
costs.
The proposed funding will support one academic year of study in the
fields of agriculture, business administration, civic education,
criminal justice, economics, education, environmental resource
management, journalism/mass communications, political science, and
public administration. The academic-year program will be followed by a
four-to-twelve week internship in the students' field of
specialization. The program will also include culturally enriching
activities, including but not limited to community outreach and service
projects, a welcome orientation program at the host institution, a
USIA-sponsored mid-year workshop in Washington, DC and a USIA-sponsored
end-of-year workshop in Washington, DC.
The funding authority for the USIA Bosnia and Herzegovina
Undergraduate Development Program is provided through the Support for
East European Democracy (SEED) Act of 1989. The SEED Act targets
assistance funds to advance the democratic and economic transition of
Central and Eastern Europe. Programs and projects must conform with
Agency requirements and guidelines outlined in the Solicitation
Package. USIA projects and programs are subject to the availability of
funds.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Overview
The Bosnia and Herzegovina Undergraduate Development Program is a
one year education exchange that brings Bosnian students to study at
American universities or colleges in specified disciplines pertaining
to democracy, market economies, and civil society per the SEED funding
initiative.
Guidelines
Programs must comply with J-1 visa regulations and the host
institutions are responsible for ensuring the students' return to
Bosnia. Please refer to program specific guidelines (POGI) in the
Solicitation Package for further details.
Proposed Budget
Institutions desiring to host students from Bosnia must submit a
comprehensive line item budget based on the specific guidelines listed
in the Solicitation Package. Applicants must submit a comprehensive
budget for the entire program. There must be a summary budget as well
as a break-down reflecting both the administrative budget and the
program budget. For further clarification, applicants may provide
separate sub-budgets for each program component, phase, location, or
activity in order to facilitate USIA decisions on funding. Please refer
to the Solicitation Package for complete budget guidelines and
formatting instructions.
Announcement Title And Number: All communications with USIA
concerning the RFP should refer to the announcement's title and
reference number E/AEE-99-06.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: The Office of Academic Programs,
European Branch, E/AEE, Room 246 U.S. Information Agency, 301 4th
Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20547, (202) 205-0525, fax (202) 206-
7985, E-Mail: sgovatsk@usia.gov to request a
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Solicitation Package containing more detailed information. Please
request required application forms, and standard guidelines for
preparing proposals, including specific criteria for preparation of the
proposal budget.
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 copies must be received at the U.S. Information Agency by 5
p.m. Washington, D.C. time on Friday, March 5, 1999. Faxed documents
will not be accepted at any time. Documents postmarked by the due date
but received at a later date will not be accepted. Grants should begin
August 1, 1999.
Please specify USIA Program Officer Ms. Sondra Govatski on all
inquiries and correspondences. Interested applicants should 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 in any way with applicants until the
Bureau proposal review process has been completed.
Submissions: Applicants must follow all instructions in the
Solicitation Package. The original and nine (9) copies of the
application should be sent to: U.S. Information Agency, Ref.
:E/AEE-99-06, Office of Grants Management, E/XE, Room 326, 301 4th
Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20547.
Applicants must also submit the ``Executive Summary'' and
``Proposal Narrative'' sections of the proposal on a 3.5'' diskette,
formatted for DOS. These documents must be provided in ASCII text (DOS)
format with a maximum line length of 65 characters. USIA will transmit
these files electronically to its USIA post in Sarajevo for its review,
with the goal of reducing the time it takes to get post's comments for
the Agency's grants review process.
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 full extent
deemed feasible.
Year 2000 Compliance Requirement (Y2K Requirement)
The 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 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, as well as the USIA Office of East European and NIS
Affairs and its post in Sarajevo. Eligible proposals will be 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. Strength of Academic Program
Proposals should exhibit academic rigor and demonstrated capacity
to meet participant needs.
2. Cost Effectiveness
Plans should indicate a high level of cost-sharing and a
competitive level of cost per individual student for the USIA.
3. Academic Support
Capacity to assign a faculty advisor and/or other specific campus
coordinator to provide academic guidance, logistical support, and
assistance in arranging enrichment activities.
4. International Student Support
Experience working with and providing a full range of support
services for international students.
5. Intership Support
Ability to facilitate professional affiliations and internships
that will strengthen and reinforce what has been learned in the
classroom.
6. Ability To Provide Cultural Enrichment and Community Outreach
Opportunities
Proposals should demonstrate a commitment to planning,
implementing, and supporting the Bosnian students in participating in
cultural, social, and community outreach opportunities.
7. Support of Diversity
Proposals should demonstrate the recipient's commitment to
promoting awareness and understanding of diversity.
8. Institution's Record/Ability
Proposals should demonstrate an institutional record of successful
exchange programs or a potential to meet this standard. This includes
responsible fiscal management and full compliance with all reporting
requirements for past Agency grants as
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determined by USIA's Office of Contracts. The Agency will consider the
past performance of prior recipients and the demonstrated potential of
new applicants.
9. Ability for Institutions To Develop or Enhance Linkages With Bosnian
Institutions
Proposals should demonstrate how hosting Bosnian students will
further strengthen existing programs/activities/linkages of the
applicant institution with Bosnia, and provide a plan for developing or
enhancing a relationship with Bosnian institutions.
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 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: December 27, 1998.
William Bader,
Associate Director for Educational and Cultural Affairs.
Notification
Final awards cannot be made until funds have been appropriated by
Congress, allocated and committed through internal USIA procedures.
Dated: December 23, 1998.
Judith Siegel,
Deputy Associate Director for Educational and Cultural Affairs.
[FR Doc. 99-189 Filed 1-6-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8230-01-M
