[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 230 (Wednesday, November 27, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60322-60324]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-30261]
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UNITED STATES INFORMATION AGENCY
Office of Citizens Exchange; NIS Secondary School Initiative;
Secondary School Linkage Program
ACTION: Notice--Request for proposals.
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SUMMARY: The Office of Citizen Exchanges, Division of the NIS Secondary
School Initiative, of the United States Information Agency's Bureau of
Educational and Cultural Affairs announces an open competition for an
assistance award to conduct exchanges through the multiple secondary
school linkage program with Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia,
Kazakstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan,
Ukraine, and Uzbekistan. Public or private non-profit organizations
meeting the provisions described in IRS regulation 26 CFR 1.501(c)(3)-1
may apply either to enhance/expand existing linkages or to develop new
school linkage programs. All submissions must contain a Student
exchange component and an Educator (teacher and/or administrator)
exchange component. The maximum grant award will be $400,000.
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 cited above was
originally provided through the FREEDOM Support Act of 1992. 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.
ANNOUNCEMENT TITLE AND NUMBER: All communications with USIA concerning
this announcement should refer to the above title and reference number
E/P-97-13.
DEADLINE FOR PROPOSALS: All copies must be received at the U.S.
Information Agency by 5 p.m., Washington, D.C. time on Friday, January
31, 1997. Faxed documents will not be accepted, nor will documents
postmarked January 31, 1997 but received at a later date. It is the
responsibility of each applicant to ensure that proposals are received
by the above deadline. Subject to the availability of funding, grants
will be awarded by April 1997, for programs to begin after September 1,
1997.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
The NIS Secondary School Initiative E/PY, Room 320, U.S. Information
Agency, 301 4th Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20547, Telephone: (202)
619-6299; fax: (202) 619-5311; E-mail: bbeemer@usia.gov to request a
Solicitation Package containing more detailed award criteria, 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/ or from the Internet Gopher at gopher://gopher.usia.gov.
Under the heading ``International Exchanges/Training,'' select
``Request for Proposals (RFPs).'' Please read ``About the Following
RFPs'' before downloading.
Please specify USIA Program Officer Brent Beemer 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 given in the
Solicitation Package. The original and 10 copies of the application
should be sent to: U.S. Information Agency, Ref.: E/PY-97-13, 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. This material must be provided in ASCII text (DOS)
format with a maximum line length of 65 characters. USIA will transmit
these files electronically to USIS posts overseas for their review,
with the goal of reducing the time it takes to get posts' comments for
the Agency's grants review process.
Diversity 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.
Overview: The short-term goal of the school linkage program is to
provide partial funding for linkages between U.S. and NIS schools
featuring student and educator exchanges for the purpose of
collaborative substantive projects. Grant-funded exchanges must have a
thematic focus and have tangible outcomes (such as development and use
of educational materials). The long term goals are to:
(1) Advance mutual understanding between the U.S. and the NIS;
(2) develop lasting institutional ties between U.S. and NIS schools
and communities;
(3) promote U.S. government/educational and not for profit sector
cooperation by supporting linkages which hold promise for a sustainable
program beyond the grant term and serve the needs and interests of the
schools.
The linked networks of secondary schools in the U.S. and networks
of schools in the NIS must establish ties between the schools in the
network through two sets of exchange programs: 1) the exchange of
secondary school students, from 14 to 18 years of age, between the U.S.
and participating NIS countries; and 2) the exchange of secondary
school educators between the U.S. and NIS countries.
Guidelines: USIA funding may not be used to supplant existing
private sector funding. Applicants must indicate how activities have
been funded in the past and how the activities will be expanded with
assistance from USIA. Proposals that successfully address the following
factors will receive priority consideration:
(1) All school linkages must clearly describe and define
substantive thematically based projects that are the focus of the
exchange for both students
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and educators. This applies to the United States portion of the program
as well as the NIS portion. Specific activities, products, curriculum
materials, and pre-planning are areas that can be addressed. For
example, what will the participants be doing? Where will they be doing
this? Why is it important and relevant to the thematic focus of the
program? Proposals that clearly answer these questions will be more
competitive. In an effort to clarify possible thematic foci, suggested
themes for exchange projects include but are not limited to the
following: civic education, health education (including the issues of
alcohol abuse and other substance abuse), environmental issues, youth
leadership training, volunteerism, computer technology, agriculture,
and business administration/management (including entrepreneurship).
(2) Significant cost-sharing is mandatory in ALL proposals.
Moreover, those proposals that show more generous and creative cost-
sharing will be more favorably viewed. Proposals that contain non-USIA
funded items such as: additional students and/or educators on the
exchange, U.S. participants paying for some of their own costs,
computer software purchases, cultural excursions, state/national
capital civics programs, and other significant items will be more
competitive proposals than those that do not. However, NIS participants
may not be charged to participate in the program, aside from paying for
in-country costs (such as transportation to the point of departure),
the costs of hosting the U.S. students and educators, and miscellaneous
expenses such as pocket money.
(3) Proposals that clearly present independent educator programs
for teachers/administrators will be more competitive than those that do
not. These programs could include curriculum development seminars,
``shadowing'' host peers in the classroom, university-level courses, or
other substantive activities. A program that relies on the educator to
act as just an escort will be viewed much less favorably. Although
educators can certainly travel with student groups, a group of
educators could travel separately if an organization developed such a
program.
The U.S. recipient of the grant is responsible for recruiting/
selecting/organizing a minimum of three U.S. secondary schools to form
the U.S. network, strengthening an existing working relationship with
an organization or agency of government in the NIS responsible for a
network of schools there, and linking the two networks through
substantive exchange activities.
Because the ultimate goal of this program is self-sufficiency,
individual schools that have received USIA funding under the NIS
Secondary School Initiative for a total of three years are not eligible
for USIA funding for participant travel costs, per diem, or allowances
under this grant.
Partnerships should have an existence beyond the scope of this
initiative; that is, there should be an inherent reason for their
linkage apart from the availability of grant funds. Competitive
proposals must demonstrate a solid and comprehensive follow-on plan to
continue after the grant has expired.
An ideal project builds upon previous contacts and interaction
between the proposed networks to help ensure a solid foundation for the
linkage. The U.S. schools should collaborate with the NIS schools in
planning and preparation. Proposals should support a working
relationship that will produce something tangible and lasting in
addressing the interests of both sides, beyond the confines of the
exchange. The proposal should specify up front what the measurable
goals and objectives of the program will be. Each school partnership
must also provide a statement of goals and objectives for their
exchange.
In general, new school linkages should target under-served
countries or regions. For programs with Russia, priority will be given
to linkages with schools located outside of the Moscow and St.
Petersburg regions. Programs in Ukraine must have a Ukrainian partner
organization that has its base of operation in Ukraine and not in
another country.
The U.S. recipient of the grant will: design the overall plan that
integrates the two components of the linkage, ensure quality control
for all program elements, manage all travel arrangements, logistics,
passports, visas, etc., provide competent and informed escorts for
student groups, and disburse and account for grant funds. Recipients of
the assistance award are responsible for ensuring the selection of
exchange participants who are most suited for the program. Participants
(both Educators and Students) from the U.S. and NIS countries should
represent a diversity of backgrounds (racial, geographic, economic
status, religious, etc.) to give greater understanding to the culture
and society as a whole. Selection of individual participants from the
U.S. and the NIS in the exchange components of the program must be
merit-based; the proposal should describe the mechanisms used for
participant selection.
Applicants should be familiar with the ``General Provisions'' of J-
1 visa regulations. The Agency will process the IAP-66 forms for travel
to the U.S. Applicant organizations are required to use the USIA
Accident and Sickness Program for Exchanges (ASPE) for participants in
USIA funded exchanges. Applicants who choose not to use the USIA plan
must demonstrate that an alternative plan: (1) provides comparable or
better coverage and (2) costs less. Please refer to the Program
Objectives, Goals, and Implementation section of the Solicitation
Package for greater detail regarding the design of the component parts
as well as other program information.
Proposed budget: Awards may not exceed $400,000. 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. All program costs should
clearly indicate whether they cover U.S. or NIS participants. The cost
per NIS student, NIS educator, U.S. student, U.S. educator should be
listed separately. Grants awarded to eligible organizations with fewer
than four years of experience in conducting international exchange
programs will be limited to $60,000. Be sure to note the statement on
cost-sharing in the Guidelines section. Please refer to the POGI and
Proposal Submission Instructions sections of the Solicitation Package
for complete budget guidelines and format instructions.
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. Eligible proposals will be forwarded to panels of
USIA officers for advisory review. All eligible proposals will be
reviewed by the program office, as well as the USIA Office of East
European Affairs (EEN) and the USIA posts overseas. Proposals may be
reviewed by the Office of the General Counsel or by other Agency
elements. Funding decisions are at the discretion of the USIA Associate
Director for Educational and Cultural Affairs. Final technical
authority for assistance awards (grants or cooperative agreements)
resides with the USIA grants officer.
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Review Criteria
Technically eligible applications will be competitively reviewed
according to the criteria stated below. These criteria are not rank
ordered:
1. Programmatic Planning, Objectives, and Quality
Proposed programs should strengthen long-term mutual understanding,
including maximum sharing of information and establishment of long-term
individual and institutional linkages. A detailed agenda and plan
should adhere to the program overview and guidelines described above.
Proposals must provide a plan for continued follow-on activity (without
USIA support) that ensures that USIA-supported programs are not
isolated events.
2. Organizational Capacity and Track Record
Proposed personnel and institutional resources should be adequate
and appropriate to achieve the Program or project's goals. Proposals
should demonstrate an institutional record of successful exchange
programs, 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. An organization's track record will be evaluated based on
the achievement of stated goals and impact on schools in the U.S. and
NIS.
3. Support of Diversity
Proposals should demonstrate the recipient's commitment to
promoting the awareness and understanding of diversity. Applicants
should review the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs
``diversity flyer.'' Additionally, the geographic diversity of programs
in both the U.S. and the NIS will be a significant factor in USIA's
award decisions.
4. Cost-effectiveness/Sharing
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. Overall costs of
participants will be a major factor in the review of the proposal.
Proposals should maximize cost-sharing through United States
participant contributions and other private sector support as well as
institutional direct funding contributions. Source of funds for cost-
sharing should be indicated.
5. Project Evaluation
Proposals must include a plan to evaluate the program, both as the
activities unfold and at the end. USIA recommends that the proposal
include a draft survey questionnaire or other technique plus
description of a methodology for use in linking outcomes to original
project objectives for each school linkage. Award-receiving
organizations/institutions will be expected to submit reports on each
separate linkage.
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. Organizations will
be expected to cooperate with USIA in evaluating their programs under
the principles of the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993,
which requires federal agencies to measure and report on the results of
their programs and activities.
Notification
Final awards cannot be made until funds have been appropriated by
Congress, allocated and committed through internal USIA procedures.
Dated: November 20, 1996.
John P. Loiello,
Associate Director for Educational and Cultural Affairs.
[FR Doc. 96-30261 Filed 11-26-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8230-01-M
