[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 37 (Thursday, February 25, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9372-9374]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-4566]
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UNITED STATES INFORMATION AGENCY
Curriculum Development Project: Secondary School Civic Education
for Moldova; Notice: Request for Proposals
summary: The Advising, Teaching, and Specialized Programs Division of
the Office of Academic Programs of the United States Information
Agency's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs announces an open
competition for a Curriculum Development Project: Secondary School
Civic Education for Moldova. Public and private non-profit
organizations meeting the provisions described in IRS regulation 26 CFR
1.501/ may submit proposals to cooperate with USIA in the
administration of a two-year project to support the development and
implementation of new curriculum units for tenth through twelfth grade
civic education courses in Moldova. The grant awards up to $300,000 to
facilitate the project. The grantee will work with the Independent
Society for Education and Human Rights (SIEDO), a Moldovan non-profit
organization concerned with training secondary school teachers in civic
education issues. SIEDO works closely with the Ministry of Education of
Moldova on curriculum and teacher training. The program will comprise
three phases: (1) preliminary consultations in Chisinau with a
curriculum development team of Moldovan educators; (2) a three-month
U.S.-based curriculum development workshop in which the team will
produce draft curriculum units; (3) follow-up consultation in Moldova
to assist with the training of a larger group of Moldovan practitioners
in the review and field-testing of the draft curriculum units. Upon the
successful completion of Phases I-III, additional funds may be
available to the grantee organization for a fourth phase of activity to
cooperate with the Independent Society for Education and Human Rights
and the curriculum development team in further reviewing and revising
the draft materials and to provide broader training for implementation
of the revised curriculum units with the Moldovan teachers and
administrators.
USIA solicits detailed proposals from U.S. educational institutions
and public and private non-profit organizations to develop and
administer this project. Grantee organizations will consult regularly
with USIA and with USIA's office in Moldova (the U.S. Information
Service in Chisinau) with regard to participant selection, program
implementation, direction, and assessment. Proposals should demonstrate
an understanding of the issues confronting education in Moldova as well
as expertise in civic education and curriculum development.
The funding authority for the program cited above is provided
through the Freedom Support Act. 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.
Program Information
Overview: The goal of the project is to assist the Independent
Society for Education and Human Rights (SIEDO) in Chisinau, Moldova, to
develop up-to-date curriculum units to be taught at the tenth through
twelfth grade levels and to assist in training teachers for the
implementation of these units. The rationale for this project is that
improving citizenship education at the secondary school level will
better prepare Moldovan students to participate actively in building a
pluralistic, democratic society, and will promote democratic relations
among members of the school community, including students, teachers,
school administrators, and parents. Applicants may suggest topics to be
developed by the curriculum team in their proposals; however, final
determination of appropriate topics will be made by the curriculum
development team and SIEDO in cooperation with the grantee organization
during the first phase of the project.
Guidelines
Program Planning and Implementation
Grants should begin on or around August 1, 1999, with Phase I of
the project, in which a curriculum development team of six
practitioners (e.g., classroom teachers, curriculum specialists, and
Ministry officials) will be selected by the grantee organization in
consultation with the Independent Society for Education and Human
Rights (SIEDO) and the U.S. Information Service (USIS) Chisinau. In
Phase I, the team will undertake preliminary work in Chisinau over a
period of 3-6 months. Members of the curriculum development team, in
consultation with a specialist from the grantee organization, will
familiarize themselves with civics curricula and teaching materials
used in the U.S. and will select the topics to be explored in the draft
curriculum units.
In Phase II, members of the curriculum development team will spend
approximately three months in a highly structured U.S.-based workshop
sponsored and organized by the U.S. grantee organization, attending
focused curriculum seminars, observing relevant aspects of the U.S.
educational system, and drafting teacher and student materials for the
curriculum units in consultation with U.S. specialists. The grantee
organization will be responsible for introducing the Moldovan team to
leading U.S. civic educators and to a broad range of relevant
resources. The workshop schedule should incorporate time for individual
and group work on materials as well as intensive training on specific
approaches to the teaching of civics topics. In addition, the workshop
should include field experiences which are relevant to the materials
being produced (such as visits to schools and professional association
meetings).
In Phase III, the curriculum development team will work in Moldova
with Moldovan teacher trainers and U.S. specialists from the grantee
organization to provide introductory training for a larger group of
practitioners in methods for implementing and reviewing the draft
curriculum units in the civics classroom.
Visa/Insurance/Tax Requirements
U.S. lecturers and consultants participating in the project must be
U.S. citizens. Programs must comply with J-1 visa regulations. Please
refer to Program Specific Guidelines (POGI) in the Solicitation Package
for further information. 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.
Budget Guidelines
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. Awards may not exceed $300,000. There must be a summary budget
as well as breakdowns reflecting both administrative and program
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budgets. Applicants may provide separate sub-budgets for each program
component, phase, location, or activity to provide clarification. The
total administrative costs funded by USIA must be limited and
reasonable.
Allowable costs for the program include the following:
(1) Administrative Costs, including salaries and benefits of
grantee organization.
(2) Program Costs, including general program costs and program
costs for each Moldovan participant in the U.S.-based curriculum
development seminar. Also include program costs associated with the
field-testing of materials in Moldova and with the initial training of
Moldovan teachers.
Please refer to the Solicitation Package (POGI) for complete budget
guidelines and formatting instructions.
Announcement Title and Number: All correspondence with USIA
concerning this RFP should reference the above title and number E/ASU-
99-12.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The Office of Academic Programs,
Advising, Teaching and Specialized Programs Division, Specialized
Programs Branch, E/ASU, Room 349, U.S. Information Agency, 301 4th
Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20547, telephone number 202-619-4568 and
fax number 202-401-1433, e-mail address jceriale@usia.gov to request a
Solicitation Package. The Solicitation Package contains detailed award
criteria, required application forms, specific budget instructions, and
standard guidelines for proposal preparation. Please specify USIA
Program Officer Jennifer K. Ceriale on all other inquiries and
correspondence.
Please 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 with applicants
until 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://
e.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 requested 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 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 p.m. Washington, D.C. time on Monday,
April 19, 1999. Faxed documents will not be accepted at any time.
Documents postmarked the due date but received on a later date will not
be accepted. Each applicant must ensure that the proposals are received
by the above deadline.
Applicants must follow all instructions in the Solicitation
Package. The original and 10 copies of the application should be sent
to: U.S. Information Agency, Ref.: E/ASU-99-12, Office of Grants
Management, E/XE, Room 326, 301 4th Street, S.W., Washington, D.C.
20547.
Applicants must also submit the ``Executive Summary'' and
``Proposal Narrative'' sections of the proposal on a 3.5'' diskette,
formatted for DOS. These documents must be provided in ASCII text (DOS)
format with a maximum line length of 65 characters. USIA will transmit
these files electronically to USIS posts overseas for their review,
with the goal of reducing the time it takes to get posts' comments for
the Agency's grants review process.
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 righs 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 Fedeal requirements could result
in grantees' being required to return funds that have not been
accounted for properly.
USIA therefore requires all organizations use Y2K complaint 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 Services 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 Office of East European and NIS
Affairs and the USIA post(s) overseas, where appropriate. Eligible
proposals will be forwarded to panels of 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 USIA's 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. Quality of the program idea: Proposals should exhibit
originality, substance, precision, relevance to the Agency's mission,
and responsiveness to the objectives and guidelines stated in this
solicitation. Proposals should demonstrate substantive expertise in
civic education.
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
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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 substantive
support of the Bureau's policy on diversity. Achievable and relevant
features should be cited in both program administration (selection of
participants, program venue and program evaluation) and program content
(orientation and wrap-up sessions, program meetings, resource materials
and follow-up activities).
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) to ensure ongoing
involvement with Moldovan curriculum development projects.
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. A draft survey questionnaire or other technique plus
description of a methodology to use to link outcomes to original
project objectives is recommended. Successful applicants 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.
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 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.'' The funding authority for the
program above is provided through the Freedom for Russia and Emerging
Eurasian Democracies and Open Markets Support Act of 1993 (Freedom
Support Act). 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.
Notice
The terms and conditions published in the 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, allocated and committed through internal USIA procedures.
Dated: February 16, 1999.
William B. Bader,
Associate Director for Educational and Cultural Affairs.
[FR Doc. 99-4566 Filed 2-24-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8230-01-M
