[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 236 (Friday, December 9, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-30245]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: December 9, 1994]
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UNITED STATES INFORMATION AGENCY
1995 Summer Institute for English Language Educators From South
Africa and Namibia
ACTION: Notice--Request for proposals.
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SUMMARY: The Office of Academic Programs of the United States
Information Agency's Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs announces
an open competition for an assistance award. American institutions of
higher education having an acknowledged reputation in the field of
English-as-a-second language and in curriculum design may apply to
develop and deliver a six-week summer program for approximately twenty-
eight English language teaching professionals from South Africa and
Namibia. The first five weeks of the program will consist of an
academic course specializing in materials development and curriculum
design for the teaching of English at all levels. The sixth week will
consist of an escorted cultural and educational tour of Washington, DC.
Overall grant making authority for this program is contained in the
Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961, Pub. L. 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.'' Programs and projects must
conform with Agency requirements and guidelines outlined in the
Application 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/AEA-95-01.
DATES: Deadline for proposals: All copies must be received at the U.S.
Information Agency by 5 p.m. Washington, DC time on Thursday, January
26, 1995. Faxed documents will not be accepted, nor will documents
postmarked on January 26, 1995, but received at a later date. It is the
responsibility of each applicant to ensure that proposals are received
by the above deadline.
Program dates: The dates of the program are approximately June 23,
1995 through August 6, 1995.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Ellen Berelson, Africa Branch,
Academic Exchange Programs Division, E/AEA, room 232, U.S. Information
Agency, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547, phone: (202) 619-
5355, fax: (202) 619-6137, Internet: eberelso@usia.gov. to request an
Application Package. The package 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 Office Dr. Ellen Berelson on all inquiries
and correspondences. Interested applicants should read the complete
Federal Register announcement before addressing inquiries to the Africa
Branch or submitting their proposals. Once the RFP deadline has passed,
the Africa 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 an original and ten copies of the
completed application, including required forms, to: U.S. Information
Agency, Ref.: E/AEA-95-01, Office of Grants Management, E/XE, room 336,
301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 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 1995 Summer Institute for English Language Educators from South
Africa and Namibia (SETI) will provide participants with intensive
training in the fundamentals of materials development and curriculum
design. Both of the areas are critical in South Africa and Namibia
where educators are attempting to create a new English curriculum at
all levels. Given the need to teach English across the curriculum,
English language educators are key in both curriculum design and
materials development. There is a severe shortage of personnel trained
in these skills. Educators in both the new South Africa and recently
independent Namibia will need to produce culturally appropriate and
pedagogically sound materials and curricula.
The program will also provide a structured exposure to U.S. culture
and the diversity of America. The problems of teaching in a multi-
cultural society should be a component of the program. The program
should maintain a relative balance among discussion sessions, lectures,
workshops, and practical experience. Lengthy lectures should be kept at
a minimum. Participants should be given ample opportunity to work
together and learn from each other as well as from their American
instructors. Participants will receive an educational materials
allowance.
Few participants will have visited the United States previously. In
view of this, an initial orientation to the university community and a
brief introduction to U.S. society and education should be considered
an integral part of the Institute and should be held on the first two
to three days of the program.
Program Guidelines
The Summer Institute should be programmed to encompass about 45
days beginning on or about Friday, June 23, 1995, and ending on or
about Sunday, August 6, 1995. Institutions may propose minor variations
of no more than 10 days in beginning and ending dates to coincide with
local academic calendars. Please explain any proposed variation in
dates and demonstrate improvements in program quality and cost
effectiveness that may be achieved thereby.
The applicant is asked to design a two-part program:
(1) A five-week academic program delivering intensive training in
materials development and curriculum design for ESL and English across
the curriculum at the primary, secondary and tertiary level. Division
into groups, each with a focus on the particular needs of these three
levels would be essential, plus integrated work on transitions between
levels. Training should meet the special needs of participants from
South Africa and Namibia.
(2) A one-week escorted visit to Washington, DC, planned, arranged,
and conducted by the Program Director and principal Institute staff.
The Washington program should be seen as an integral part of the Summer
Institute, complementing and reinforcing the academic material, and
should take place at the end of the Institute. Programming in
Washington will include a half-day briefing session at the U.S.
Information Agency. Additionally, visits to such organizations as
TESOL, a regional university, local school systems and teacher resource
centers, are encouraged. Proposals may include cultural and educational
visits en route to Washington, if such stops contribute to program
quality and are cost effective. The participants will return to their
home countries at the conclusion of the Washington program.
Specific areas to address in the Institute are:
1. Materials development with an emphasis on language across the
curriculum.
2. Curriculum design (especially at the primary and secondary
school levels).
3. Theory of testing and test development appropriate to each
level.
4. Introduction to computer based word processing and appropriate
software for participants who lack these skills. Introduction to
computer networks for ESL professionals.
5. Visits to on-going ESL classes at the host institution, other
universities, and in local educational or community centers, providing
participants with opportunities to observe ESL methodology, materials,
and multi-cultural classrooms featuring sheltered language learning
across the curriculum.
6. Involvement of participants in American culture through
community/cultural activities. This should include interaction with
Americans from a variety of backgrounds.
7. On-going evaluation and adjustment of program components
accordingly, as well as evaluation of the entire Institute.
In accordance with the objectives of the Summer Institute,
participants will concentrate on their studies. However, the academic
program should provide time for interaction with American students,
faculty, and school administrators, and the local community to promote
mutual understanding between the people of the United States and South
Africa and Namibia. In this regard, the Institute should incorporate
cultural features such as community and cultural activities, field
trips to places of local interest, home stays with families in the area
(with other educators if possible), and events which will bring the
participants into contact with Americans from a variety of backgrounds.
Participants: Participants, to be selected by USIA, will be
individuals involved with English teaching. They will be drawn from a
variety of backgrounds: Employees of national and provincial
departments of education involved in curricula/materials work;
educators establishing or running teacher resource centers; non-
governmental organizations involved in materials development at all
levels; instructors in university departments of education and teacher
training colleges teaching courses related to curriculum design and
materials development; instructors in tertiary institutions involved in
developing materials for publication; materials writers and reviewers
working for local publishers. Minimum qualification for all
participants will be a three-year teacher training diploma with
preference given to candidates with university degrees. Recruitment
will concentrate on persons who are actively involved in these areas at
all levels (primary, secondary, tertiary) but who are relatively
inexperienced. Depending upon availability of funds, approximately 28
participants from South Africa and Namibia will participate in the
Institute.
Orientation: The host institution should plan to conduct either a
pre-program needs assessment if time allows, or a needs assessment upon
the arrival of the participants. The Institute Director should be
prepared to adjust program emphasis as necessary to respond to
participants' concerns.
A pre-departure orientation will be held in South Africa for all
participants. The Institute host institution will be expected to
provide general orientation materials for this meeting. This material
might include a tentative program outline with suggested goals and
objectives, relevant background information about the U.S. institutions
and individuals involved in the project, and information about the
local housing, and available services.
Program Administration
All Institute programming and administrative logistics, management
of the academic program and the cultural tour, local travel, and on-
site university arrangements, including enrolling participants as
members of Teachers of English to Speakers of other Languages (TESOL),
will be the responsibility of the Institute grant recipient. USIA will
be responsible for all communications to and from the U.S. Information
Service posts in South Africa and Namibia, which submit participant
nominations to the Academic Exchange Programs Division and are
responsible for all international travel. USIA will provide the
institute director with participants' curricula vitae and itineraries
and be available to offer any advice or guidance the director may find
useful.
The African participants will arrive directly at the campus site
from their home countries. It is expected that the Institute program
staff will make arrangements to have participants met upon arrival at
the airport nearest the university campus. Departures will be from
Washington, DC. The Institute staff will have to plan for
transportation to Washington area airports.
The host institution is responsible for arrangements for lodging,
food and maintenance for participants while at the host institution and
in Washington. The host institution should strive to balance cost
effectiveness in accommodations and meal plans with flexibility for
differing diets and personal habits among the participants. Single
rooms or housing in residential suites which offer privacy while at the
Institute are preferable. Proposals should describe the available
health care system and the plan to provide health care access to
Institute participants. USIA will provide limited health insurance
coverage to all participants.
Visa/Insurance/Tax Requirements
Programs must comply with J-1 visa regulations. Please refer to
program specific guidelines in the Application Package for further
details. Administration of the program must be in compliance with
reporting and withholding regulations for federal, state, and local
taxes as applicable. Recipient organizations should demonstrate tax
regulation adherence in the proposal narrative and budget.
Participants will be covered by USIA Health and Accident Insurance.
The host institution will be responsible for enrolling the participants
in the insurance program.
Application Requirements
Proposals
Proposals must be submitted within deadline and provide a detailed
plan in response to the objectives and needs outlined above. Applicants
should draw imaginatively on the full range of resources offered by
their institutions but may also involve outstanding professionals from
other universities or organizations.
The proposal package must include one original and ten copies. Each
proposal must be presented as follows:
1. A completed and signed cover sheet for grant applications
(provided in the application packet).
2. An abstract of the proposed Summer Institute not to exceed two
double-spaced pages.
3. A narrative not to exceed twenty double-spaced pages. The
detailed narrative should outline the structure and organization of the
Institute. It should include a day-by-day agenda for classes and
supplementary activities. Plans for lodging and meals should be
included. Also list appropriate books and reading to be distributed to
participants. A plan for evaluating the Institute should be included.
4. A budget in the prescribed format. Refer to the application
packet.
5. Appendices must contain the following information:
a. Academic/professional resumes of program director(s),
instructors, consultants, and program staff (not to exceed two double-
spaced pages for each).
b. Evidence of the institutions's activities in substantive
academic ESL programs and curriculum design.
c. Demonstration of the institution's experience with similar
international educational exchange projects.
6. Completed forms in support of the proposal. See application
packet for all necessary forms.
Proposed Budget
The funds available for this program may not exceed $135,000. The
maximum number of participants to be funded will be 28.
Grants awarded to eligible organizations with less than four years
of experience in conducting international exchange programs will be
limited to $60,000.
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. Please refer
to the Application 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
Application 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 Office of
African Affairs 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 institute design: Proposals should exhibit
originality, substance, precision, and relevance to program objectives
of the institute.
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 throughout the program. This can be accomplished through
documentation (such as a written statement of account) summarizing past
and/or on-going activities and efforts that further the principle of
diversity within both the organization and the program activities.
Program administrators should strive for diversity among Institute
staff.
6. Institutional capacity: Proposed personnel and institutional
resources should be adequate and appropriate to achieve the program or
project's goals. The TESL/TEFL capability and reputation of the
institution will be considered. Proposed personnel should show cultural
sensitivity and some familiarity with Southern Africa.
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 Institute, both during the program and at the end of the program.
USIA recommends that the proposal include a draft survey questionnaire
or other technique plus description of a methodology to use to link
outcomes to original project objectives. Award-receiving institutions
will be expected to submit a comprehensive final report at the
conclusion of the program.
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.
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 April 15, 1995. Awards made will be subject to
periodic reporting and evaluation requirements.
Dated: December 2, 1994.
Dell Pendergrast,
Deputy Associate Director, Educational and Cultural Affairs.
[FR Doc. 94-30245 Filed 12-8-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8230-01-M
