[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 57 (Thursday, March 25, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14500-14503]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-7269]
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UNITED STATES INFORMATION AGENCY
English Language Enrichment Program; Notice: Request for
Proposals
SUMMARY This NIS Secondary School Initiative division, Office of
Citizen Exchanges of the United States Information Agency's Bureau of
Educational and Cultural Affairs announces an open competition for an
English Language Enrichment Program. Public and private non-profit
organizations meeting the provisions described in IRS regulation 26 CFR
1.501(c) may submit proposals to conduct a four-week homestay-based,
English language enrichment and cultural orientation program in July
1999 for 25 students from the New Independent States (NIS) of the
former
[[Page 14501]]
Soviet Union selected for the Freedom Support Act Future Leaders
Exchange (FLEX) program. Approximately 15 of the participants will be
students with physical disabilities who were specially recruited and
selected. The other 10 will be students from more isolated regions of
the NIS. The purpose is to raise the English capability of these
students to the level where they are able to attend regular classes
when their academic program starts in the fall. Funds requested for
this project may not exceed $50,000.
Program Information
OBJECTIVES: To prepare a select group of students with special needs to
attend school in the fall and perform at a level closer to that of
these FSA FLEX students that make up the majority of the program
finalists.
BACKGROUND: Academic year 1999/2000 will be the seventh year of the
FSA/FLEX program, which now includes over 7000 alumni. This component
of the NIS Secondary School Initiative was originally authorized under
the FREEDOM Support Act of 1992 and is funded by annual allocations
from the Foreign Operations and USIA appropriations. The goals of the
program are to promote mutual understanding and foster a relationship
between the people of the NIS and the U.S.; assist the successor
generation of the NIS to develop the qualities it will need to lead in
the transformation of those countries in the 21st Century; and to
promote democratic values and civil responsibility by giving NIS youth
the opportunity to live in American society for an academic year.
During the program's early year, there was concern that students from
the more remote regions of the NIS might be underrepresented because
the lack of English competence in those regions could prevent
applicants from meeting the rigorous English language requirements of
the FLEX recruitment process (including attaining a reasonable score on
the Secondary Level English Proficiency--or SLEP--examination). To
address this concern, a pre-academic year English language enrichment
program was developed so that some students from the remote areas could
be selected whose SLEP score was slightly lower than average. In
subsequent years, lack of English competence in the remote regions of
the NIS has become less of a problem. However, USIA has added a
component focusing on students with disabilities, who do have a need
for some special training before initiating their academic year
program. The enrichment program for which proposals are being solicited
here are in support of both groups of students. The essential
components of the enrichment program are:
1. A four-week course of study in English, approximately 5.5 hours
per day.
2. Lodging with volunteer host families.
3. Orientation programming that addresses the special needs of the
students with disabilities and their unique adjustment issues.
4. Programming that builds on adjustment issues that will have been
introduced at the pre-departure orientation for all FSA FLEX students.
5. The student's transition to their year-long host family and
community.
OTHER COMPONENTS: Two organizations have already been awarded grants to
perform the following functions: Recruitment and selection of students;
targeted recruitment for students with disabilities; assistance in
documentation and preparation of IAP-66 forms; preparation of cross-
cultural materials; pre-departure orientation; international travel
from home to host community and return; facilitation of ongoing
communication between the natural parents and placement organizations,
as needed; maintenance of a student database and provision of data to
USIA; and ongoing follow-up with alumni following their return to the
NIS. Additionally, 12 organizations have been selected through a grants
competition to place the 930 1999-2000 FSA FLEX students in schools and
homestays for the academic year, to monitor their progress, and to
conduct cultural enrichment activities. The organization selected for
the English Enrichment Program will be asked to interact with the
organizations described above to ensure a smooth transition from the
pre-academic training to their permanent placements.
GUIDELINES: Applicants should consult the Project Objectives Goals and
Implementation (POGI) guidelines for a detailed statement of work. (See
``For Further Information'' below.) The program must take place from
mid-July to mid-August, 1999. The venue for the program should be one
that enables the students to focus on the coursework, experience life
in a typical American family and community, and is conducive to a
smooth transition into their permanent placement. An optimal site will
have resources that can be drawn upon for cultural enrichment but will
have minimal distractions.
Participants will travel on J-1 visas issued by USIA using a
government program number.
The students will be covered by the health and accident insurance
policies used by their placement organizations. The grantee
organization will acknowledge its responsibility to coordinate with the
appropriate organization(s) any time treatment is needed for the
duration of the students' participation in the Enrichment Program.
Applicants may assume that grant activity may begin by June 1,
1999. Programs must comply with J-1 visa regulations. Please refer to
Solicitation Package for further information.
Budget Guidelines: Applicants must submit a comprehensive budget
for the entire program. There must be a summary budget as well as
breakdowns reflecting both administrative and program costs. Applicants
may provide separate sub-budgets for each program component, phase,
location, or activity to provide clarification. See POGI for allowable
costs for the program. Please refer to the Solicitation Package 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/PY-
99-44.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: The Office of Youth Program, E/PY, Rm
568, U.S. Information Agency, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC
20547, tel. (202) 619-6299, fax (202) 619-5311, e-mail
daronson@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 Diana Aronson 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
[[Page 14502]]
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, DC time on Monday, April 26, 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 six copies of the application should be sent
to:
U.S. Information Agency, Ref.: E/PY-99-44, Office of Grants
Management, E/XE, Room 568, 301 4th Street, SW, Washington, DC 20547.
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.
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 Federal requirements could
result in grantees' being required to return funds that have not been
accounted for properly.
USIA therefore requires all organizations use Y2K compliant 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's Office of East European and NIS
Affairs. 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, and relevance to the Agency's
mission and the stated objective of this project.
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
concrete, feasible, and measurable. Proposals should clearly
demonstrate how the institution will meet the program's objectives and
plan and correlate with USIA's goals.
4. Multiplier effect/impact: Proposed programs should strengthen
long-term mutual understanding, including maximum sharing of
information.
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
speakers, program renue and program evaluation) and program content
(orientation and wrap-up sessions, program meetings, and resource
materials).
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. 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, tests, or other technique
plus description of a methodology to use to link outcomes to original
project objectives is recommended.
9. 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.
10. Cost-sharing: Proposals should maximize cost-sharing through
other private sector support as well as institutional direct funding
contributions.
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 this
project is provided through legislation appropriating funds annually
for USIA's exchange programs.
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
[[Page 14503]]
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; March 18, 1999.
Judith S. Siegel,
Deputy Associate Director for Educational and Cultural Affairs.
[FR Doc. 99-7269 Filed 3-24-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8230-01-M
