[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 215 (Friday, November 6, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60044-60047]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-29717]
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UNITED STATES INFORMATION AGENCY
Summer Institutes in American Studies for Foreign University
Teachers; Request for Proposals (RFP)
SUMMARY: The Branch for the Study of the United States of the U.S.
Information Agency's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs
announces an open competition for four (4) assistance awards. Public
and private non-profit organizations meeting the provisions described
in IRS regulation 26 CFR 1.501(C) may apply to develop and implement
one of the following four post-graduate level American Studies programs
designed for multinational groups of 18 experienced foreign university
faculty:
1. Summer Institute on Contemporary American Literature
2. Summer Institute on Change and Reform in American History
3. Summer Institute on the Foundations of U.S. Foreign Policy
4. Summer Institute on the U.S. Constitution
These programs are intended to provide participants with a deeper
understanding of American life and institutions, past and present, in
order to promote the development and improvement of courses and
teaching about the United States at universities abroad.
Program are six weeks in length, and will be conducted during the
Summer of 1999.
USIA is seeking detailed proposals from colleges, universities,
consortia of colleges and universities, and other non-for-profit
academic organizations that have an established reputation in one or
more of the following fields: political science, international
relations, law, history, sociology, literature, American studies, and/
or other disciplines or sub-disciplines related to the program theme.
Applicant institutions must demonstrate expertise in conducting post-
graduate programs for foreign educators, and must have a minimum of
four years experience in conducting international exchange programs.
The project director or one of the key program staff responsible for
the academic program must have an advanced degree in one of the fields
listed above. Staff escorts traveling under the USIA cooperative
agreement must have demonstrated qualifications for this service.
Programs must conform with Agency requirements and guidelines
outlined in the Solicitation Package. USIA programs are subject to the
availability of funds.
Program Information
Overview and Objectives: The ``Summer Institutes in American
Studies'' are intended to offer foreign scholars and teachers whose
professional work focuses on the United States the opportunity to
deepen their understanding of American institutions and culture. Their
ultimate goal is to improve curricula and the quality of teaching about
the U.S. in universities abroad.
Program should be six weeks in length, must include an academic
residency segment of at least four weeks at a U.S. college or
university campus (or other appropriate location), and a study tour
segment of not more than two weeks which directly complements the
academic program and includes visits to one or more additional regions
of the United States.
All institutes should be designated as intensive academically
rigorous programs that are organized through an integrated series of
lectures, readings, seminar discussions, research and independent study
opportunities, faculty consultations, site visits and regional travel.
Institutions submitting proposals are encouraged to design
thematically coherent programs in ways that draw upon the particular
strengths and resources of their institutions as well as upon the
nationally recognized expertise of scholars and other experts
throughout the United States. Within the limits of the program's
thematic focus and organizing frameworks, proposals should also be
designed to:
A. Provide participants with a survey of current scholarship and
scholarly trends within the institute's governing academic discipline,
indicating how current academic practice and debate represent both a
continuation of and, where appropriate, a departure from past practices
within that discipline;
B. Bring an interdisciplinary or multi disciplinary approach to
bear on the subject when appropriate;
C. Give participants a multi-dimensional view of U.S. society and
institutions that reflects a board range of perspectives, including the
views of scholars and of experts outside the university, such as
government officials, public intellectuals and cultural critics,
journalists, and other relevant professionals; and,
D. Insure access to extensive bibliographic and materials resources
that will enable grantees to continue their research, study and
curriculum development after returning to their home institutions.
Program Description
1. Summer Institute on Contemporary American Literature (E/AES-99-01)
This institute should survey contemporary American literature and
criticism, examining how major writers, schools and movements have both
continued in the tradition of the American literary canon, and at the
same time established new directions for American literature. Program
may be organized thematically, historically, by
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genre, or by any combination thereof that serves to suggest the
variety, richness and complexity of contemporary American writing.
2. Summer Institute on Change and Reform in American History (E/AEA-99-
02)
This institute should examine the history of reform in the United
States from the Colonial period to the present. Attention should be
given to major periods (e.g., 1830s, 1890s, 1930s), themes (e.g.,
abolition, women's rights, civil rights) and leading figures and to the
larger political, social and economic currents that contributed to and
were in turn affected by the various reform movements examined.
Attention should also be given to the literature that posits recurring
patterns of reform in American life as a way of understanding American
institutions generally.
3. Summer Institute on the Foundations of U.S. Foreign Policy (E/AES-
99-03)
This institute should examine the foundations--political, social,
economic and cultural--of U.S. foreign policy in the Post-Cold War era.
Principal themes, critical policy debates and contemporary issues
should be examined within the historical context of U.S. international
relations since World War II and within the larger framework of U.S.
diplomatic history as a whole. The program should be structured to give
attention to U.S. policies both in a global context and in major
geographic areas.
4. Summer Institute on the U.S. Constitution (E/AES-99-04)
This institute should examine the U.S. Constitution in terms of its
origins, its historical evolutions and its significance in contemporary
American life. The program should examine the Constitution in terms of
its fundamental political principles--federalism, republicanism, checks
and balances, separation of powers, individual rights--and also in
terms of how the Constitution has served as a defining text through
which the central values of American society and institutions have been
defined and redefined throughout American history.
Program Dates: Tentative program dates are June 26 to August 6,
1999. Based on these dates, participants would be booked to arrive in
the U.S. on or about June 25, and depart on August 7, 1999. USIA is
willing to consider adjustment of these program dates, based on the
needs of the host institution. However, the institute must be 42
program days in length, and should take place sometime between June 12
and August 28, 1999.
Participants: programs should be designed for a total of 18 highly-
motivated and experienced foreign university faculty who are interested
in participating in an intensive seminar on aspects of U.S.
civilization as a means to develop or improve courses and teaching
about the United States at their home institutions. Most participants
can be expected to come from educational institutions where the study
of the U.S. is relatively well-developed. Thus, while they may not have
in-depth knowledge of the particular institute program theme, most will
have had some experience in teaching about the United States. Many will
have had sustained professional contact with American scholars and
American scholarship, and some may have had substantial prior
experience studying in the U.S. Participants will be drawn from all
regions of the world and will be fluent in English.
Participants will be nominated by U.S. Information Service posts
abroad, and selected by the staff of USIA's Branch of the Study of the
United States in Washington, DC. USIA will cover all international
travel costs directly.
Program Guidelines: The conception, structure and content of the
institute program is entirely the responsibility of the organizers.
However, given the multiple possibilities for the successful design of
such a program, organizers are expected to submit proposals that
articulate in concrete detail how they intend to organize and implement
the institute.
Programs must comply with J-1 visa regulations. Please refer to the
Solicitation Package for further details on program design and
implementation, as well as additional information on all other
requirements.
Budget Guidelines: Unless special circumstances warrant, based on a
group of 18 participants, the total USIA-funded budget (program and
administrative) should not exceed $170,000, and USIA-funded
administrative costs as defined in the budget details section of the
solicitation package should not exceed $51,000. Justifications for any
costs above these amounts must be clearly indicated in the proposal
submission. Any grants awarded to eligible organizations with less than
four years of experience in conducting international exchange programs
will be limited to $60,000. Applicant proposals should try to maximize
cost-sharing in all facets of the program and to stimulate U.S. private
sector, including foundation and corporate, support. Applicants must
submit a comprehensive budget for the entire program. The Agency
reserves the right to reduce, revise, or increase proposal budgets in
accordance with the needs of the program, and availability of U.S.
government funding.
Please refer to the ``POGI'' in the Solicitation Package for
complete budget guidelines and formatting instructions for the
institute program.
Announcement Name and Number: All communications with USIA
concerning this announcement should refer to the following titles and
reference numbers:
1. Summer Institute on Contemporary American Literature (E/AES-99-01)
2. Summer Institute on Change and Reform in American History (E/AES-99-
02)
3. Summer Institute on the Foundations of U.S. Foreign Policy (E/AES-
99-03)
4. Summer Institute on the U.S. Constitution (E/AES-99-04)
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: To request a Solicitation Package containing
more detailed award criteria, required application forms, specific
budget instructions, and standard guidelines for proposal preparation,
applicants should contact: U.S. Information Agency, Office of Academic
Programs, Branch of the Study of the United States, E/AES--Room 252,
301 4th Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20547, Attention: Richard
Taylor, Telephone number: (202) 619-4557, Fax number: (202) 619-6790,
Internet address: rtaylor@usia.gov.
Please specify USIA Program Officer Richard Taylor on all inquiries
and correspondence. Interested applicants should read the complete
Federal Register announcement before addressing inquiries to the office
listed above or submitting their proposals. Once the RFP deadline has
passed, USIA staff may not discuss this competition in any way with
applicants until after 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 required 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
[[Page 60046]]
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 5:00 p.m. Washington D.C. time on Friday,
January 29, 1999. Faxed documents will not be accepted, nor will
documents postmarked January 29, 1999 but received at a later date. It
is the responsibility of each applicant to ensure that proposal
submissions arrive by the deadline.
Submissions: Applicants must follow all instructions in the
Solicitation Package. The original and 13 copies of the complete
application should be sent to: U.S. Information Agency, Reference:
(insert appropriate reference number from above, e.g. E/AES-99-xx),
Office of Grants Management, E/XE, Room 326, 301 4th Street, S.W.,
Washington, D.C. 20547.
Applicants should 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.
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 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 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 Service 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 Geographic Area
Offices. Eligible proposals will then be forwarded to panels of senior
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 the USIA Associated 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. Overall Quality: Proposals should exhibit originality and
substance, consonant with the highest standards of American teaching
and scholarship. Program design should reflect the main currents as
well as the debates within the subject discipline of each institute.
Program should reflect an overall design whose various elements are
coherently and thoughtfully integrated. Lectures, panels, field visits
and readings, taken as a whole, should offer a balanced presentation of
issues, reflecting both the continuity of the American experience as
well as the diversity and dynamism inherent in it.
2. Program Planning: Proposals should demonstrate careful planning.
The organization and structure of the institute should be clearly
delineated and be fully responsive to all program objectives. A program
syllabus (noting specific sessions and topical readings supporting each
academic unit) should be included, as should a calendar of activities.
The travel component should not simply be a tour, but should be an
integral and substantive part of the program, reinforcing and
complementing the academic segment.
3. Institutional Capacity: Proposed personnel, including faculty
and administrative staff as well as outside presenters, should be fully
qualified to achieve the project's goals. Library and media resources
should be accessible to participants; housing, transportation and other
logistical arrangements should be fully adequate to the needs of
participants and should be conducive to a collegial atmosphere.
4. Support for Diversity: Proposals should demonstrate substantive
support of the Bureau's policy on diversity. This can be accomplished
through documentation, such as a written statement, summarizing past
and/or on-going activities and efforts that further the principle of
diversity within the organization and its activities. Program
activities that address this issue should be highlighted.
5. Experience: The proposal should demonstrate an institutional
record of successful exchange program activity, indicating the
experience that the organization and its professional staff have had in
working with foreign educators.
6. Evaluation and Follow-up: The proposal should include a plan for
evaluating activities during the Institute and at its conclusion.
Proposals should comment on provisions made for follow-up with returned
grantees as a means of establishing longer-term individual and
institutional linkages.
7. Administration and Management: The proposals should indicate
evidence of continuous on-site administrative and managerial capacity
as well as the means by which program activities will be implemented.
8. Cost Effectiveness: The proposals should maximize cost-sharing
through direct institutional contributions, in-kind support, and other
private sector support. Overhead and administrative components of the
proposal, including salaries and honoraria, should be kept as low as
possible.
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
[[Page 60047]]
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, and allocated and committed through internal
USIA procedures.
Dated: October 30, 1998.
John P. Loiello,
Associate Director for Educational and Cultural Affairs.
[FR Doc. 98-29717 Filed 11-5-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8230-01-M
