[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 240 (Thursday, December 14, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64249-64251]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-30027]
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UNITED STATES INFORMATION AGENCY
Summer Institute on the U.S. Political System: Focus on
Federalism
AGENCY: United States Information Agency.
ACTION: Notice--Request for Proposals.
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SUMMARY: The Branch for the Study of the U.S. of the Office of Academic
Programs of the United States Information Agency's Bureau of
Educational and Cultural Affairs announces an open competition for an
assistance award program for the Summer Institute on the U.S. Political
System: Focus on Federalism. Public and private non-profit
organizations meeting the provisions described in IRS regulation 26 CFR
1.501(c)(3)-1 may apply to develop a six-week graduate-level program
designed for a group of 18 foreign university educators from around the
world on the subject of the U.S. political system, with a focus on
federalism. The purpose of the Institute is to deepen the participants'
understanding of the foundations, development, and current functioning
of the U.S. political system by concentrating particularly on the topic
of federalism; the ultimate goal of the institute is to improve the
teaching of political science and American government at the
participants' home institutions.
USIA is seeking detailed proposals from colleges, universities,
consortia of colleges and universities, and other not-for-profit
academic organizations that have an established reputation in political
science and related subdisciplines, and that can demonstrate expertise
in conducting graduate-level programs for foreign educators. Applicant
institutions 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 political science or a related discipline. Staff
escorts traveling under the USIA cooperative agreement support must be
U.S. citizens with demonstrated qualifications for this service.
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 to 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.''
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 NAME AND NUMBER: All communications with USIA concerning
this announcement should refer to the above title and reference number
E/AAS-96-05.
DEADLINE FOR PROPOSALS: All copies must be received at the U.S.
Information Agency by 5:00 p.m. Washington D.C. time on Friday,
February 9, 1996. Faxed documents will not be accepted, nor will
documents postmarked February 9, 1996 but received at a later date. It
is the responsibility of each applicant to ensure that proposal
submissions arrive by the deadline. Tentative program dates are June 29
to August 9, 1996. Participants will likely be booked to arrive in the
U.S. on or about June 28, and depart on August 10, 1996.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
To request a Solicitation Package, which includes more detailed award
criteria; all application forms; and guidelines for preparing
proposals, including specific criteria for preparation of the proposal
budget, applicants should contact: U.S. Information Agency, Office of
Academic Programs, Branch of the Study of the United States, E/AAS,
Room 256, 301 4th Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20547, Attn: Program
Officer Susan Zapotoczny; telephone number (202) 619-4557; fax number
(202) 619-6790; internet address szapotoc@usia.gov. Please specify USIA
Program Officer Susan Zapotoczny 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 Bureau proposal review process has been completed.
TO DOWNLOAD A SOLICITATION PACKAGE VIA INTERNET: The Solicitation
Package may be downloaded from USIA's website at http://www.usia.gov or
from the internet Gopher at gopher.usia.gov, under ``New RFPs on
Educational and Cultural Exchanges.''
SUBMISSIONS: Applicants must follow all instructions given in the RFP
and the complete Solicitation Package. The original and 14 copies of
the complete application should be sent to: U.S. Information Agency,
Ref.: E/AAS-96-05, Office of Grants Management, E/XE, Room 326, 301 4th
Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20547.
Applicants are also requested to submit the ``Executive Summary''
and ``Proposal Narrative'' sections of each 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. If a
proposal is selected for funding, USIA will transmit these files
electronically to USIS posts overseas to assist in the program
participant identification 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 and broad range of
responsible views present in American political, social, and cultural
[[Page 64250]]
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.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Overview: The ``Summer Institute on the U.S.
Political System: Focus on Federalism'' is intended to deepen foreign
participants' understanding of the theory and practice of federalism as
a central feature of the U.S. political system. Ultimately, the purpose
of the Institute is to improve the quality of teaching and curricular
materials about the United States at foreign universities.
The program should be six weeks in length, including a residency
segment at a U.S. college or university campus (a minimum of four weeks
in length), and a study tour segment (a maximum of two weeks in length,
including a visit to Washington, D.C. for a program debriefing at
USIA).
The program should offer participants a specially-designed series
of lectures, presentations, discussions, and site visits, each related
to the U.S. political system and/or the topic of federalism.
Objectives
(1) to conduct an intensive, academically stimulating program that
presents an in-depth view of the history, development and current
status of federalism as a central feature of the American political
system.
(2) to offer a multi-dimensional view of federalism that will
enable participants to better understand the larger complexities of the
American political system as well as other institutions of American
society.
(3) to increase participants' understanding of American
civilization, past and present, through an integrated series of
lectures, readings, interactive discussions, research and independent
study opportunities, and site visits.
(4) to enhance teaching about the United States in foreign
universities by making appropriate scholarly resources, pedagogical
materials, and ideas available to participants.
Participants: The 18 participants will be drawn from all areas of
the world and will be experienced in the teaching of courses in the
fields of government and politics; they may include university
lecturers and scholars, administrators, department chairs, curriculum
developers and textbook writers who are currently teaching about the
American political system or who plan to do so.
All participants will be fluent in the English language. They will
be nominated by U.S. Information Service posts abroad, and selected by
the staff of USIA's Branch for the Study of the United States in
Washington, D.C. USIA will cover all international travel costs for
participants directly.
Guidelines
--The Institute should be specifically designed for experienced foreign
university level teachers. While it is important that the topics and
readings of the Institute be clearly organized, the Institute should
not simply replicate a lecture course or a graduate seminar. Through a
combination of lectures, roundtable discussions, guest presentations,
consultations and site visits, the Institute should facilitate the
development of a collegial atmosphere in which foreign participants
become fully engaged in the exchange of ideas.
--In addition to the core faculty from the host institution, and
consistent with the program's design, the Institute should bring in
presenters from outside academic life. Such individuals might come from
non-government organizations, think tanks, lobbying organizations,
media, and all levels of federal, state and local government.
Presenters should be fully briefed about the Institute, its goals,
general themes, readings, and especially the background and needs of
the participants themselves. Information about presenters and how they
will be utilized should be included in the proposal submission.
--While the overall design and structure of the Institute is entirely
the responsibility of the organizers, the Institute should begin by
reviewing the recent history and current status of scholarship in the
discipline of political science, specifically in the area of
federalism, surveying the major schools of interpretation and
approaches, and examining the recent trends and current debates within
the discipline. This part of the program should also explore how the
study of American federalism has both informed and been informed by
other scholarly disciplines, e.g., economics and history, and address
how the study of federalism can be used to gain a greater understanding
of not only the U.S. political system, but more broadly, the history
and character of American life and institutions, past and present. The
latest developments in curriculum design, teaching methods, and
resources available in the fields of political science should also be
addressed.
--Because the possibilities for the design of such an institute, given
the complex nature of the topic, are so great, the best proposals will
express a high level of thematic articulation, clearly identify major
themes and sub-themes, and demonstrate clearly the means by which these
themes will be concretely communicated to participants for discussion
and reflection. In this regard, it is especially important for the
institute organizer to devise ways to integrate all aspects of the
program, from the assigned readings, lectures, and discussions, to any
site visits and field trips.
--The equivalent of one day a week should be available to participants
to pursue individual reading and research. In addition, the Institute
should provide access to leading American scholars and research
resources (libraries, archives, databases). Provision should also be
made to pair participants with faculty mentors. A key element of the
Institute is to expose participants to the full range of scholarly
materials, curricular materials and teaching resources, including
internet and computer training. The summer institute should facilitate
participants' acquisition of such materials to take back to their home
countries to be used in their courses and programs.
--A residential program of a minimum of four weeks on a college or
university campus is mandatory. The program should include an
integrated study tour segment of up to two weeks in length to at least
one other region of the country outside the area of the host
institution, plus a trip to Washington, D.C. to conclude the institute.
During the visit to Washington, D.C., a half-day session at the U.S.
Information Agency should be scheduled. In any case, the study tour
segment must directly support and reinforce the academic program
content. Day trips to various locations (historical sites, classrooms,
community centers) are also encouraged if such trips will further
enhance understanding of the U.S. and the participants' experience.
--Details of the program may be modified in consultation with USIA's
Branch for the Study of the U.S. following the grant award.
--The selected grant organization will be responsible for most
arrangements
[[Page 64251]]
associated with this program. This includes the organization and
implementation of all presentations and program activities,
arrangements for all domestic travel, lodging, orientation and briefing
or participants, preparation of any necessary support materials
including a pre-program mailing and working with program presenters to
achieve maximum program coordination and effectiveness.
Please refer to the Solicitation Package for further details on
program design and implementation.
Additional Information: Confirmation letters from U.S. co-sponsors
noting their intention to participate in the program will enhance a
proposal. Proposals incorporating participant/observer site visits will
be more competitive if letters committing prospective host institutions
to support these efforts are provided.
Visa/Insurance/Tax Requirements: Programs must comply with J-1 visa
regulations. Visas will be issued by USIS posts abroad. USIA insurance
will be provided to all participants, unless otherwise indicated in the
proposal submission. Grantee organization will be responsible for
enrolling participants in the chosen insurance plan. Please indicate in
the proposal if host institutions have any special tax withholding
requirements on participant or staff escort stipends or allowances.
Proposed Budget: Total USIA-funded budget award may not exceed
$157,000. USIA-funded administrative costs should be as low as possible
and should not exceed $47,000. The U.S. recipient should try to
maximize cost-sharing in all facets of the program and to stimulate
U.S. private sector (foundation and corporate) support. 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 better understanding
or 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 ``POGI'' in
the Solicitation Package for complete budget guidelines and formatting
instructions for the Institute program.
REVIEW PROCESS: The 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 also be reviewed by the Agency contracts office, as well as the
USIA Area Offices and the USIA post overseas, where appropriate.
Proposals may also 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.
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 contemporary debates within the discipline.
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. The
travel component should be an integral and substantive part of the
program, reinforcing and complementing its 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 conductive to a collegial atmosphere.
4. Diversity: Proposals should demonstrate the recipient's
commitment to promoting the awareness and understanding of diversity
throughout the program. This can be accomplished through documentation,
such as a written statement, summarizing past and/or ongoing 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.
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 availability of funding. Final awards cannot be made
until funds have been appropriated by Congress, allocated, and
committed through internal USIA procedures.
NOTIFICATION: All applicants will be notified of the results of the
review process on or about April 1, 1996. Awards made will be subject
to periodic reporting and evaluation requirements.
Dated: December 5, 1995.
Dell Pendegrast,
Deputy Associate Director for Educational and Cultural Affairs.
[FR Doc. 95-30027 Filed 12-13-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8230-01-M
