[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 240 (Thursday, December 15, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-30573]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: December 15, 1994]
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UNITED STATES INFORMATION AGENCY
Central American Program of Undergraduate Scholarships--CAMPUS X
ACTION: Notice--Request for Proposals.
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SUMMARY: The American Republics Programs Branch of the United States
Information Agency's Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs announces
an open competition for an assistance award. Public or private non-
profit organizations meeting the provisions described in IRS regulation
501(c)(3) may apply to host groups of Central American undergraduate
students for English language training and the final two years of their
undergraduate studies. USIA anticipates awarding five or six grants
under this competition in the tenth Central American Program of
Undergraduate Scholarships (CAMPUS).
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 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/AEL-94-01.
DATES: Deadline for proposals: All copies must be received at the U.S.
Information Agency by 5 p.m. Washington, D.C. time on Friday, April 7,
1995. Faxed documents will not be accepted, nor will documents
postmarked on April 7, 1995 but received at a later date. It is the
responsibility of each applicant to ensure that proposals are received
by the above deadline.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
American Republics Programs Branch, E/AEL, Room 314, U.S. Information
Agency, 301 4th Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20547, tel: 202-619-
5365, fax: 202-401-1720, Internet: [email protected] 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. Please
specify USIA Program Officer Debra Shetler on all inquiries and
correspondences. Interested applicants should read the complete Federal
Register announcement before addressing inquiries to the American
Republics Programs Branch or submitting their proposals. Once the RFP
deadline has passed, the American Republics Programs Branch may not
discuss this competition in any way with applicants until after the
Bureau proposal review process has been completed.
ADDRESSES: Applicants must follow all instructions given in the
Application Package and send only complete applications to: U.S.
Information Agency, Ref.: E/AEL-95-01, Office of Grants management, E/
XE, Room 336, 301 4th Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20547.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 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 race, gender, religion, geographic location, socio-
economic status, and physical challenges. Applicants are strongly
encouraged to adhere to the advancement of this principle.
Overview
The objectives of the program are to improve the range and quality
of educational alternatives for talented young Central Americans of
limited financial means, to match educational opportunities with
regional needs, and to build lasting links between the U.S. and Central
America.
Guidelines
Approximately 63 upper division transfer students from Belize,
Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama will
be sponsored for up to 30 months of U.S. study toward a bachelor's
degree, including intensive English language training and undergraduate
academic coursework. In selecting student grantees, the Agency will
seek those who, by prior academic preparation and performance, are
likely to succeed in rigorous U.S. college courses.
USIA will award grants to five or six accredited U.S. colleges and
universities to host nationally diverse groups of 10-14 student
participants.
Applicant institutions should pledge administrative and faculty
commitment, as well as instructional and counseling support, to
implement an extensive range of educational and cultural program
elements and to assist students in achieving academic and personal
success.
Student Selection
A joint private sector-USIA team will review students'
applications, conduct interviews, and consider test scores,
transcripts, transferable credits, prospective class standing,
linguistic aptitude, and all other factors relevant to students'
likelihood of achieving academic success and earning a degree within
the time limits of the program. The team will recommend the selection
and placement of candidates to USIA; final selection is subject to
review by the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board.
Admission and Credit Transfer
Once student participants are identified, the application dossiers
will be sent to the prospective host institution, which will have a
specified time in which to review student qualifications and confirm
admission.
Project Director's Workshop
USIA will hold a two-day conference in Washington, D.C. in October
1995 for university Project Directors or Project Administrators/
Coordinators. Project issues and policies will be discussed with USIA
staff.
Plenary Arrival Orientation Program
USIA will conduct an orientation program for the students in
January 1996 (the actual dates to be determined in accordance with the
selected universities' academic calendars), in Miami, Florida.
II. The Program
Intensive English Language Program
Institutions shall provide intensive English as a Second Language
programs responsive to widely varying levels of individual ability and
rates of progress to enable the students to achieve adequate English
fluency to enter regular academic courses in the fall of 1996.
Nature and Level of Academic Program
CAMPUS students will enroll at each U.S. host institution as
undergraduates seeking (unless otherwise specified) to earn a
bachelor's degree during the scholarship period. As they will have
completed at least two years of college-level study at Central American
institutions, CAMPUS students should in many ways be considered upper
division (third and fourth year) students.
Academic Program--Guidance and Monitoring
Host institutions are expected to ensure that CAMPUS students are
enrolled in a substantive undergraduate study program throughout the
duration of the scholarship. If careful assessment of a participant's
prior studies suggests that a bachelor's degree can be earned before
the program expiration date, that participant will be expected to
return home immediately after graduation. Conversely, if careful
assessment while the student is pursuing studies in the U.S. suggests
that a bachelor's degree cannot be earned within the scholarship
period, USIA will work with the host institution to determine an
appropriate course of action.
Academic Program--Fields of Study
Institutional grantees must offer academic programs in three or
more of the following fields of study: Business Administration,
Communications, Education, Social Sciences, Natural Sciences, and
Information Sciences.
The proposal should include a list of all the major fields of study
and the specialization offered in which, based on the institution's
previous experience with Central American students and the standards of
the departments involved, the students should have a reasonable
expectation of attaining a degree in the specializations offered.
Special Programs and Services
The special needs of the CAMPUS X participants group should be
addressed in orientation programs focusing on social and cultural
adaptations, introduction to preparation for U.S. scholarly traditions
and classroom methodology, ongoing intercultural counseling,
appropriate undergraduate coursework, and intellectual, cultural, and
social enhancement activities, e.g. attending a play, concert, lecture,
sports event, or other community or cultural activities, are encouraged
and should be offered during the entire length of the program. To the
extent possible, faculty members or local citizens with relevant
expertise should prepare and/or accompany the students for each
activity.
Programs must comply with J-1 visa regulations. Please refer to
program specific guidelines in the Solicitation Package for further
details.
Proposed Budget
Applicants must submit a comprehensive budget for the entire
program. There must be a summary budget as well as a breakdown
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.
Provide a three-column outline showing funds requested from USIA,
contributions by the applicant institution or other sources, and total
expenditures on major line items (tuition, maintenance, cultural
activities, administration, etc.) for a group of ten (10) students.
Provide a separate and comparable cost per additional student budget
outline and explanation for USIA's use in the event your proposal is
funded and your institution is asked to host more than 10 students.
Grants awarded to eligible organizations with less than four years
of experience in conducting international exchange programs will be
limited to $60,000.
Please refer to the Solicitation Package for complete budget
guidelines and formatting 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 Agency contracts office, as well as the USIA Office of
American Republics 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 grant awards 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. Quality of the program idea: Proposals should exhibit
originality, substance, precision, and relevance to Agency mission.
2. Program planning: Detailed agenda and relevant work plan should
demonstrate substantive undertakings and logistical capacity. Agenda
and plan should adhere to the program overview and guidelines described
above.
3. Ability to achieve program objectives: Objectives should be
reasonable, feasible, and flexible. Proposals should clearly
demonstrate how the institution will meet the program's objectives and
plan.
4. Multiplier effect/impact: Proposed programs should strengthen
long-term mutual understanding, including maximum sharing of
information and establishment of long-term institutional and individual
linkages.
5. Support of Diversity: Proposals should demonstrate the
recipient's commitment to promoting the awareness and understanding of
diversity.
6. Institutional Capacity: Proposed personnel and institutional
resources should be adequate and appropriate to achieve the program or
project's goals.
7. Institution's Record/Ability: 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.
8. Follow-on Activities: Proposals should provide a plan for
continued follow-on activity (without USIA support) which insures that
USIA supported programs are not isolated events.
9. Project Evaluation: Proposals should include a plan to evaluate
the activity's success, both as the activities unfold and at the end of
the program. Award-receiving organizations/institutions will be
expected to submit intermediate reports after each project component is
concluded or quarterly, whichever is less frequent.
10. Cost-effectiveness: 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.
11. Cost-sharing: Proposals should maximize cost-sharing through
other private sector support as well as institutional direct funding
contributions.
12. Value to U.S.-Partner Country Relations: Proposed projects
should receive positive assessments by USIA's geographic area desk and
overseas officers of program need, potential impact, and significance
in the partner country(ies).
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 needs of the program may require the
award to be reduced, revised, or increased. 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 July 7, 1995. Awards made will be subject to
periodic reporting and evaluation requirements.
Dated: December 7, 1994.
Dell Pendergrast,
Deputy Associate Director, Educational and Cultural Affairs.
[FR Doc. 94-30573 Filed 12-14-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8230-01-M
