[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 111 (Thursday, June 10, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31349-31352]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-14775]
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UNITED STATES INFORMATION AGENCY
Future Leaders Exchange Program Administrative Components
NOTICE: Request for proposals.
SUMMARY: The Division for the NIS Secondary School Initiative, Office
of Citizen Exchanges, of the United States Information Agency's Bureau
of Educational and Cultural Affairs announces an open competition for
the Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) 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 package of
Administrative Components for the recruitment, selection and other
related activities listed below for approximately 930 high school
students from the 12 New Independent States (NIS) of the former Soviet
Union who will come to the U.S. for the 2000/2001 academic year under
the FLEX program. This RFP is only for the package of administrative
components described in this solicitation. Grants for other program
components, including placement and supervision of the students while
they are in the United States, will be competed separately. Final award
of the grant or grant(s) is subject to the availability of funding.
Program Information
Overview
The Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) program has been sponsored by
USIA since 1992, when it was authorized and funded under the Freedom
Support Act. The 2000/2001 FLEX program will be its eighth cycle. The
program provides an opportunity for high school students aged 15-17
from the 12 countries of the New Independent States (NIS) of the former
Soviet Union to live with an American host family for eleven months and
attend a full academic year of high school. The scholarship covers all
aspects of the students' program, including recruitment and selection,
orientation, travel, family and school placement, supervision while in
the U.S., maintenance allowances, health and accident insurance,
cultural and educational enhancements, and alumni activities upon
return to their home countries. Placement, supervision,
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maintenance, and enhancements are not part of the package covered by
this solicitation. For budgeting purposes, applicants should assume
that the number of participants will be 930, with about 33% coming from
Russia, 20% from Ukraine, and the remaining 47% from the other ten NIS
countries. Details can be found in the Project Objectives, Goals and
Implementation guidelines. Applicants must address the complete package
of components outlined below.
The objectives of the FLEX program are:
1. To foster interaction between young people from the United
States and the former Soviet Union and promote a greater understanding
of one another so as to contribute to our common future through our
greatest resource, our youth.
2. To provide high school students from the former Soviet Union
with an opportunity to live with American host families, attend a U.S.
high school, and learn about American society, history, culture, and
the economic and political foundations of the United States.
3. To integrate the people of the former Soviet Union into the
global citizenry by assisting young people of the NIS countries in
building a new and open society and by promoting democratic values and
the development of democratic institutions at the grass roots level.
4. To provide opportunities for a diverse group of youth from the
NIS to acquire values and skills and enhance those personal qualities
that will make them successful citizens and future leaders of their
societies.
Through participation in the FLEX program, students should:
1. Acquire an understanding of important elements of a civil
society. This will include concepts such as volunteerism, the idea that
American citizens can and do act at the grass roots level to deal with
societal problems, and an awareness of and respect for the rule of law.
2. Demonstrate a willingness and a commitment to serve as agents
for change in their countries after they return home.
3. Develop an appreciation for American culture.
4. Interact with Americans and generate enduring ties.
5. Teach Americans about the cultures of their home countries.
Eligibility
Applicants may be public institutions or organizations that are
legally incorporated and recognized by the IRS as not-for-profit.
Applicants may be single organizations or two or more organizations
working in consortium. For consortia, each organization should submit a
separate proposal for its components and indicate clearly how these
dovetail with the other consortium member(s).
Guidelines
The package of components for this solicitation encompasses the
following:
1. Recruitment and selection of student finalists through a merit-
based competition in each country.
2. Documentation--assistance with passports, visas; assistance to
USIA with preparation of IAP66 forms on finalists and alternates.
3. Medical screening and clearance to ensure that the students are
healthy; immunizations as necessary.
4. Orientation--Programming for all participants prior to departure
from the NIS.
5. Travel--Ticketing and all arrangements from the students' homes
to their host communities and return.
6. Communications and liaison with the students' natural families
during the program year.
7. On-program counseling for students and the staff and volunteers
of the placement organizations in dealing with problems.
8. Information management--Tracking and database maintenance on all
applicants through their selection as finalists, their placement, and
travel.
9. Tracking of, support for and follow-up programming with alumni
upon their return home.
The following considerations apply to these responsibilities:
1. The grantee organization(s) must coordinate overall planning
with the USIS staff in each country at the outset and ask USIS to
indicate where the staff would like to have input or play a role.
2. The ongoing communications with natural parents, follow-up
activities with alumni, and relations with foreign government officials
all require that the organization(s) maintain a year-round presence in
the NIS countries. The grantee(s) should seek to conduct these
functions efficiently and cost-effectively. An American staff person
should head each permanent office in the NIS with FLEX program
responsibilities.
3. All on-the-ground operations in the NIS of this administrative
machinery must be staffed by non-U.S. Government personnel in such a
way as to ensure that USIS and American embassy personnel are not
encumbered by the day-to-day functioning of the program.
4. The aim of the program is to select students who have the
personal qualities, motification, and the academic, language and social
skills to be successful on the exchange. Recruitment and selection must
be conducted on the basis of merit and be free of political influence
and corruption; to accomplish this, the process must be under the
overall direct control of Americans at all times. Selection of
finalists will be conducted in the U.S.
5. Selection must reflect the cultural, ethnic, national and
geographic diversity of the NIS. The recruitment process must be open
in allowing and making it possible for any student who meets the
eligibility criteria to apply. A serious effort must be made to include
qualified students with physical disabilities. A pre-academic English
enrichment program will be offered to a small percentage (approximately
3%) to ensure that the weaker language qualifications of students with
disabilities and students from more remote areas is not an excluding
factor in their selection. [The English program is competed
separately.] It is not necessary or even possible, given budget
constraints and areas of civil unrest, to cover every oblast. The
grantee(s) should focus recruitment on major population areas, while
keeping the process open to applicants from all areas.
6. Uniform predeparture orientation programming conducted
regionally for all FLEX students is essential because it reinforces
their identity as participants in a government scholarship program
enables the dissemination of information, policies and procedures
critical to the students' success.
7. What happens to participants once they return home is critically
important to ensuring the program's success in fulfilling its
objectives and to reinforce the transfer of the American experience to
the NIS. The grantee(s) must provide a clear, systematic plan for
alumni tracking. USIA will expect reports on alumni to include dates of
re-entry into the NIS, current places of residence, and current
educational/professional activities. Some follow-on activities will be
centrally funded and managed by USIA. Please refer to program specific
guidelines (POGI) in the Solicitation Package for further details.
Participants travel on J-1 visas. As the sponsor is USIA, IAP66
forms are prepared using the Government program designation number. As
noted above, the grantee is responsible for assisting USIA in the
preparation of these forms.
Timetable
The recruitment and selection process must be concluded by March 1,
2000, so that finalist applications can be
[[Page 31351]]
disseminated to the organizations responsible for placing the students
in host families and schools. Travel to the U.S. is expected to take
place in July/August 2000, in conjunction with the needs of the
placement organizations. Return travel should be similarly undertaken
in May/June 2001. All component should be planned in accordance with
the dates and deadlines set by the needs of the program (e.g., the date
by which students need to apply for passports, the timing of arrival in
the host families, the conclusion of the school year).
Proposed Budget
The per capita cost of this whole package of components excluding
travel and orientation must not exceed $3,000 per finalist. Travel must
be arranged in compliance with laws on the use of American flag
carriers.
Applicants must submit a comprehensive line-item budget for the
entire package of components. There must be a summary budget as well as
a break-down reflecting both the administrative and program costs and
an indication of participant per capita costs. Cost-sharing is
encouraged, cash contributions and in-kind. Please refer to the
Proposal Submission Instructions and POGI for complete budget and
formatting instructions and for allowable costs.
Organizations with less than four years of experience in conducting
international exchange programs will be deemed ineligible.
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 instructions. All eligible proposals will be reviewed by
the program office, as well as the USIA Office of NIS Affairs and the
USIS posts in the NIS countries. Eligible proposals will be forwarded
to panels of USIA officers for advisory review. Proposals also may 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 Agency mission and
design outlined above.
2. Program planning: Detailed agenda and relevant work plan should
demonstrate organizational competency and logistical capacity. Agenda
and plan should adhere to the program overview, timetable and
guidelines described above.
3. Ability to achieve program objectives: Proposals should clearly
demonstrate an understanding of the program's objectives stated above
and how the organization will achieve them.
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 (e.g.,
staffing, program venue) and program content (especially selection of
participants and orientation).
5. Institutional Capacity: Proposed personnel and institutional
resources should be adequate and appropriate to achieve the program or
project's goals. The proposal should clearly explain how the
organization will make use of and coordinate with other related NIS and
U.S. operations it may be conducting. Proposals should reflect
substantial area expertise, a grasp of cross-cultural issues, the needs
of the hosting community (including the American host schools and the
placement organizations), and a thorough understanding of how to work
effectively with NIS authorities and complexities of the environment.
6. Institution's Record/Ability: Proposals should demonstrate an
institutional record of successful activities that are relevant to this
program, as well as 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: The proposal should include a plan to
evaluate the success of the organization in achieving the stated
objectives. The grantee(s) will also be expected to cooperate with USIA
in evaluating the program under the requirements of the Results Act
(GPRA). Proposals should reflect an understanding and grasp of these
responsibilities.
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
and in-kind contributions.
10. Value to U.S.-Partner Country Relations: Proposed projects
should receive positive assessments by USIA's geographic area desk and
overseas officers of potential impact and significance in the partner
countries.
Announcement Title and Number
All correspondence with USIA concerning this RFP should reference
the above title and number E/PY-00-02.
For Further Information, Contact: The NIS Secondary School
Initiative Division, E/PY, Room 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 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, July 12, 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.
[[Page 31352]]
Each applicant must ensure that the proposals are received by the above
deadline.
Applicants must follow all instructions in the Solicitation
Package. The original, one fully-tabbed copy (Tabs A-F) and eight
copies of the application should be sent to: U.S. Information Agency,
Ref.: E/PY-00-02, Office of Grants Management, E/XE, Room 568, 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 rights 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 Federal requirements could
result in grantees' being required to return funds that have not been
accounted for properly.
USIA therefore requires that all organizations use Y2K complaint
systems including hardward, 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.
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 legislation appropriating funds
annually for USIA's exchange programs, including the Freedom Support
Act.
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 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: June 7, 1999.
Brian J. Sexton,
Acting Associate Director for Educational and Cultural Affairs.
[FR Doc. 99-14775 Filed 6-9-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8230-01-M
