[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 34 (Thursday, February 20, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7829-7832]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-4104]
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UNITED STATES INFORMATION AGENCY
Fulbright Teacher Exchange Program Orientation
action: Notice--Request for Proposals.
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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. Public and private non-profit
organizations, with a minimum of four years of experience in
successfully administering orientation programs, and meeting the
provisions described in IRS regulation 26 CFR 1.501(c) may apply to
develop and administer August 1997 orientation activities in Washington
DC. for approximately 500 foreign and U.S. teachers and dependents
participating in the Fulbright Teacher Exchange Program. The activities
prepare participants in the program to teach in the educational system
of another country. The programming specifically strives: (a) To
provide the U.S. teachers with opportunities to meet face to face with
their foreign exchange partners to discuss the details of their
individual exchange assignments; (b) to provide participants with an
understanding of the educational systems in which they will be
teaching; and (c) to provide teachers with practical guidance on living
in their countries of destination, with particular references to cross-
cultural differences.
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.'' (The funding authority for the
program cited above is provided through the Fulbright-Hays Act.)
Programs and projects must conform with Agency requirements and
guildlines 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/ASX-97-02.
deadline for proposals: All copies must be received at the U.S.
Information Agency by 5 p.m. Washington, DC time on Thursday, April 3,
1997. Faxed documents will not be accepted, nor will documents
postmarked April 3, 1997, but received at a later date. It is the
responsibility of each applicant to ensure that proposals are received
by the above deadline. Grants should begin on or above May 15, 1997 and
run through April 30, 1998.
for further information contact: Ms. Ilo-Mai Harding, Teacher Exchange
Branch, E/ASX, room 349, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547,
telephone: (202) 619-4556, fax: (202) 401-1433, Internet:
[email protected] 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 Ilo-Mai Harding 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/ASX-02, Office of
Grants Management, E/XE, Room 326, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC,
20547.
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-
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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: August Orientation Workshop
Approximately 500 U.S. and foreign exchange teachers and their
dependents from approximately 25 countries will attend an orientation
workshop in Washington, DC, from August 4 to 8. Names and numbers of
participants will be provided in May/June after completion of the
educator matching process. (There will be approximately 135 U.S.
teachers, 165 foreign teachers and 200 family members.)
Participating countries arrange for non-U.S. teachers to arrive at
the U.S. orientation site. Flights carrying non-U.S. teachers and their
families should arrive on August 4, 1997 in the Washington, DC area.
Arrangements should be made by the recipient institution for the U.S.
teachers and their families to arrive at the orientation on August 5,
which is a rest day by foreign teachers. (The recipient institution
must require U.S. teachers to make their own travel arrangements to the
orientation site, on a reimbursable basis). The workshop itself will
take place August 6-7. Departure will be scheduled for August 8.
Purpose: The purpose of the August orientation workshop is to
provide U.S. and foreign teachers and their spouses and dependents with
a wide range of briefings and discussions to assist them in preparing
to function effectively in host schools and communities here and
abroad. Partners meet face to face and share important information
about their workplace and other particulars concerning their individual
exchanges. The workshop should focus on the teachers' need to
understand education in the host country, the professional and personal
aspects of the exchange, and the many aspects of adjustment to living
abroad, including cross-cultural orientation. The workshop should also
address the anticipated needs and concerns of spouses and children so
that they are able to optimally benefit from the exchange year abroad.
Agenda: An equivalent of one day should be set aside for the U.S.
teachers and their families, as well as exchange partners and their
families, to discuss their individual exchanges one-on-one.
Sessions for foreign teachers and spouses should include:
(1) Overview of the U.S. education system, highlighting
contemporary issues affecting U.S. education;
(2) In-depth briefings on administrative procedures and
instructional practices of the U.S. education system, by subject and
level;
(3) Briefings, with information and materials, on techniques of
teaching modern foreign languages and English as a second language for
the foreign teachers assigned such classes in the United States;
(4) Information and materials on living in different regions of the
United States, including educational practices, local laws, customs and
culture;
(5) Discussion about cultural and ethnic diversity within the U.S.
and cross-cultural issues relative to living and working here;
(6) Presentations by a wide variety of individuals who represent
diverse backgrounds and life experiences;
(7) Administrative matters.
Sessions for U.S. teachers and spouses should include:
(1) In-depth discussions by country, and in some cases by level, on
education in participating countries, as appropriate;
(2) Briefing, with information and materials, on techniques of
teaching English as a foreign language and other relevant subjects for
U.S. teachers assigned such classes abroad;
(3) Tips on living abroad, by country;
(4) Discussion about cross-cultural issues relative to living and
working abroad;
(5) Administrative matters.
Additional Activities
In developing the program agenda, cooperating institution may wish
to provide additional activities designed to strengthen teachers' and
dependents' abilities to function in a foreign setting. Time
constraints should be considered. Sessions must not interfere with the
counterpart (one-on-one) discussions between partners. Possibilities
might include sessions on cross-cultural communication and
understanding, and visits to embassies, consulates, and cultural
gatherings. It may also be possible to schedule sessions on August 6
when all foreign teachers are present and most U.S. teachers will have
arrived by the afternoon.
Speakers
Cooperating institution is to identity and invite speakers and
panelists to cover all sessions, but must demonstrate its ability and
willingness to draw on its own resources to identify such individuals,
as will as other resources beyond the organization. This includes
universities in the area, consulting groups, embassy personnel or other
experts. Speakers may include USIA specialists, staff from foreign
counterpart agencies, university faculty, international and
intercultural specialists, foreign consular and embassy officials,
recent former exchange teachers, foreign teachers currently on exchange
in the United States, and others. USIA must approve speaker/panelist
selections. During the sessions set aside for administrative matters,
USIA staff will specifically designate Agency specialists and staff
from foreign counterpart agencies to serve as resource people and
speakers. The cooperating institution may also be asked to call on
these people to assist with other orientation sessions.
Services
In addition to developing the agenda and securing speakers, the
cooperating institution will provide the following services in
consultation with USIA program officers:
(1) Arrange economical on-site housing preferably in University
dormitories for teachers and their dependents; dependents will range
from infants to adults. (USIA program officers will provide specific
information as to the numbers, sex and age of orientation
participants);
(2) Arrange for on-site housing, as needed, for U.S. Government
personnel, selected panelists, speakers, and staff of USIA's foreign
counterpart agencies;
(3) Arrange for three meals per day on-site for participants;
(4) Arrange on-site day care and educational and recreational
activities for spouses and children during time when exchange teachers
are in sessions; arrange supervised care for children six months to
eighteen years to permit teachers and their spouses to attend jointly
scheduled activities; (in order to cut costs, child care should not be
provided during optional activities and all meals);
(5) Reimburse U.S. teachers for one-way transportation, (air/bus/
train/car/airport transfer), on an as-needed basis, from their homes to
the orientation; the Agency estimates these costs will average $250 per
teacher; (if a round trip super saver is less expensive than an economy
one-way fare, the teacher may be reimbursed the former);
(6) Reimburse selected speakers, panelists and others for travel
costs and pay honoraria, where required, up to $300;
[[Page 7831]]
(7) Arrange for transportation for U.S. and foreign teachers,
spouses and dependents to any activities or programming off-site;
(8) Arrange for transportation for:
(a) Foreign teachers (and their baggage) arriving on group or
individual flights to the orientation site on the designated official
arrival day and up to three days before this date;
(b) All U.S. and foreign teachers and resources (and their baggage)
departing from the orientation site to major metro-area plane, bus or
rail departure points on the designated official departure day only;
(9) Prepare name tags for all orientation participants, using a
color-coded badge system designating exchange teachers by country as
well as speakers, university personnel, and USIA staff;
(10) Prepare signs/posters to guide participants to their on-site
destinations.
Reports
The institution will be expected to design and distribute an
evaluation for the August orientation to be completed by the teachers.
Such a form will cover program content, including meeting sessions, as
well as logistical arrangements such as housing, food, and general
meeting facilities. The form will be cleared by USIA prior to its use.
Participants' evaluations should be tabulated and sent to USIA no later
than four weeks after the orientation. The institution should also
provide the Agency with a substantive written analysis of the
orientation, with recommendations for improving future orientations (no
later than ten weeks after the orientation). The Agency reserves the
right to conduct an independent evaluation of the program. The
institution is also required to provide a breakdown of actual cost
figures for the orientation no later than ten weeks after the
completion of the orientation.
Special note: The cooperating institution will survey the
literature of appropriate subject fields to determine materials of
greatest potential value to teachers. If approved by USIA, recipient
institution will purchase materials (up to $30 per teacher). The
institution will also compile other materials as directed by USIA.
These may include materials on U.S. education, including current trends
and initiatives, materials on education in selected foreign countries,
materials on cross-cultural adjustment and understanding, materials
that provide guidance on living abroad, and other materials which the
institution and USIA staff consider useful. The institution will
provide these materials to U.S. and foreign exchange teachers at the
orientation.
Note: USIA may also request that cooperating institution arrange
additional orientation and/or training, or workshop briefings for
program participants and administrators, resource people, and
organizers during the award period. Cooperating institution may also
be asked to provide programming and other services to USIA
including, but not limited to, peer committee chairpersons
workshops, predeparture orientation activities, foreign and U.S.
teacher debriefings, materials purchase and distribution, and the
development of new program information, including materials and
videos.
Proposed Budget: The contracted organization must submit a
comprehensive line-item budget based on the specific guidance in the
Solicitation Package. 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.
Administrative costs should be kept low; this will be an important
factor in grant competition. Also, the ability to achieve cost-
effectiveness within budget guidelines through cost-sharing will
enhance competitive proposals.
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 program office, as well as other USIA Offices, where
appropriate. Proposals may also be reviewed by the Office of the
General Counsel. 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. 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. Support of Diversity: Proposals should demonstrate substantive
support of the Bureau's policy on diversity. Achievable and relevant
features should be cited in both program administration and program
content (orientation sessions, resource materials, and choice of
resources).
5. Institutional Capacity: Proposed personnel and institutional
resources should be adequate and appropriate to achieve the program or
project's goals.
6. 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.
7. 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. A draft survey questionnaire or other technique plus
description of a methodology to use to link outcomes to original
project objectives is recommended.
8. 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.
9. 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 Agency reserves the right to reduce,
revise, or increase proposal budgets in accordance with the
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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, allocated and committed through internal USIA procedures.
Dated: February 13, 1997.
Dell Pendergrast,
Deputy Associate Director for Educational and Cultural Affairs.
[FR Doc. 97-4104 Filed 2-19-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8230-01-M
