94-22631. Edmund S. Muskie Fellowship Program Washington Workshop and the Freedom Support Act Graduate Fellowship Washington Workshop

[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 178 (Thursday, September 15, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
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From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-22631]


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[Federal Register: September 15, 1994]


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UNITED STATES INFORMATION AGENCY
 

Edmund S. Muskie Fellowship Program Washington Workshop and the 
Freedom Support Act Graduate Fellowship Washington Workshop

ACTION: Notice--Request for Proposals.

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SUMMARY: The Office of Academic Programs, Academic Exchanges, European 
Division of the United States Information Agency's Bureau of Education 
and Cultural Affairs announces an open competition for an assistance 
award program. Public or private non-profit organizations meeting the 
provisions described in IRS regulation 501(c)(3) and with key staff 
based in the Washington, DC metropolitan area to assist in the 
administration of the Edmund S. Muskie Fellowship Program Washington 
Workshop and/or the Freedom Support Act Washington Workshop.
    The grant recipient(s) in conjunction with other organizations 
shall plan and implement a five day conference for approximately 150 
Muskie Fellows in February 1995 and/or a similar five day conference 
for approximately 240 Freedom Support Act Graduate Fellows in April 
1995. The workshops are subject to availability of funds.
    The overall goal of each workshop is to provide the Fellows with a 
better understanding of democratic institutions in the U.S. Support is 
offered for a series of intensive seminars that will enhance Fellows' 
understanding of social, cultural, and political institutions and 
provide insight on such topics as the U.S. political system, U.S. 
economic policy, U.S. foreign policy, international trade and U.S. 
domestic policies.
    In addition, the workshop is intended to provide the following:
    1. Opportunities for interaction among Fellows;
    2. Opportunities for professional networking;
    3. An introduction to the organizations responsible for 
implementing the Muskie and Freedom Support Act (FSA) Graduate 
Fellowship Programs;
    4. An opportunity to visit the nation's capital;
    5. Opportunities to interact with the Members of Congress who made 
their U.S. experience possible. Overall grant making authority for 
these programs is contained in the Mutual Educational and Cultural 
Exchange Act of 1961, as amended, Public Law 87-256, 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 Muskie Program cited above is 
provided through the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 
1994 and 1995, Public Law 103-236. The funding authority for the FSA 
Graduate Program cited above is provided through the Freedom for 
Russian and Emerging Eurasian Democracies and Open Markets Support Act, 
Fiscal Year 1992, Public Law 102-511, 22 USC 501 Et Seq.
    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/AEE-95-08.

DATES: Deadline for proposals: All copies must be received at the U.S. 
Information Agency by 5 p.m. Washington, D.C. time on Wednesday, 
October 5, 1994. Faxed documents will not be accepted, nor will 
documents postmarked on October 5, 1994 but received at a later date. 
It is the responsibility of each applicant to ensure that proposals are 
received by the above deadline.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Academic Exchanges Division, European Branch, E/AEE, Room 246, U.S. 
Information Agency, 301 4th Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20547, tel: 
[phone], fax: [phone], to request an Application Package, 
which includes more detailed award criteria; all application forms; and 
guidelines for preparing proposals, including specific criteria for 
preparation of the proposal budget. Please specify the USIA Program 
Specialist, Catherine Alderton, (caldertoausia.gov), on all inquiries 
and correspondences. Interested applicants should read the complete 
Federal Register announcement before addressing inquiries to the 
Academic Exchanges Division or submitting their proposals. Once the RFP 
deadline has passed, the Academic Exchanges Division 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 only complete applications to: U.S. 
Information Agency, Ref.: E/AEE-95-08 (Graduate Workshops), Office of 
Grants Management, E/XE, Room 336, 301 4th Street, S.W., Washington, 
D.C. 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.
    The Edmund S. Muskie Fellowship Program was established in 1991 to 
provide opportunities for qualified citizens of Armenia, Azerbaijan, 
Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, 
Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan to 
study business administration, economics, law, or public administration 
in the United States. The Freedom Support Act Graduate Fellowship 
Program was established in 1992 to provide opportunities for qualified 
citizens of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, 
Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and 
Uzbekistan to study education administration, library and information 
science, public policy, and communications/journalism as well as the 
four fields covered by the Muskie Program noted above. The overall goal 
of these programs is to encourage economic and democratic development 
in these countries. The programs include enrollment in one- or two-year 
degree programs at the master's level. Participants on both programs 
are eligible to participate in internships relevant to their field of 
study. Fellowships are granted through an open basis of academic 
excellence, knowledge of the field of specialization, and leadership 
potential.

Overview

    The Edmund S. Muskie Fellowship Washington Workshop and the Freedom 
Support Act Graduate Fellowship Workshop were established to bring 
together Fellows on each program from across the Untied States for an 
intensive workshop in Washington, DC. The workshops are intended to 
serve as important supplements to the Fellows' on-going programs of 
academic work and professional development. The workshops are expected 
to provide the Fellows with a substantive look at the social, cultural, 
economic and political institutions in the U.S., and illustrate how 
these institutions functionally relate to the subject disciplines 
studied by the Fellows. Activities for the workshops should include 
interactive panel discussions with practitioners in the fields on 
various economic and democratic issues, an opportunity for the Fellows 
to meet the Members of Congress who made the Edmund S. Muskie 
Fellowship Program and the Freedom Support Act Graduate Fellowship 
Program possible, opportunities for professional networking, an 
introduction to the organizations responsible for administering the 
Muskie and FSA Fellowships, and other activities that will reflect the 
local and national culture and history of the U.S. At the end of each 
workshop, it is expected that the Fellows will have an enhanced 
understanding of U.S. democratic and economic systems so that they may 
better serve as the leaders of economic development and democratic 
institution building in their home countries. In addition, it is 
anticipated that the Fellows will be able to establish long-lasting 
professional and personal contacts to lay the foundation for home 
country and regional support networks, professional associations, and 
ties to U.S. counterparts.

Guidelines

Eligibility

    Non-profit organizations with key staff based in the Washington, DC 
metropolitan area and available for frequent meetings with the 
Washington, DC based Agency staff are invited to submit proposals for a 
cooperative agreement award from the Agency. Organizations should have 
experience in conference management, professional exchanges and/or 
international exchanges. Organizations should clearly indicate in their 
proposals whether they wish to be considered for one or both workshop 
awards.

Proposed Budget

    Applicants are invited to submit an all-inclusive budget as well as 
separate sub-budgets for each program component, phase, location, or 
activity in order to facilitate USIA decisions on funding. While 
separate component budgets are optional, an all-inclusive, line item 
budget and a summary budget, as shown in the Application Package, must 
be provided with each proposal.
    The Agency anticipates making one or two awards. The award for the 
Edmund S. Muskie Fellowship Washington Workshop will not exceed 
$80,000, which is to include all program and administrative costs. The 
award for the Freedom Support Act Graduate Fellowship Program Workshop 
will not exceed $100,000, which is to include all program and 
administrative costs. Funding for the Fellows' accommodation, travel to 
Washington and per diem expenses have already been allocated. The 
Agency reserves the right to reduce, revise or increase proposal 
budgets in accordance with the needs of the program. The Agency also 
reserves the right to revise programmatic and administrative functions 
without additional funding.

Allowable Costs

    Grant-funded items of expenditure may include but are not limited 
to the following categories:

(1) Administrative Expenses

--Administration (salaries, benefits, communications, staff 
transportation), including administration of tax withholding and 
reporting as required by federal, state, and local authorities;
--Direct Cost (office supplies, postage and delivery, telephone and 
facsimile, equipment rental); and
--Indirect Costs.

(2) Program Expenses

--Local transportation (including taxis, charter buses and charter 
vans);
--Opening and closing events;
--Coffee breaks, continental breakfasts, working lunches;
--Keynote event at the Department of State;
--Printing;
--Speakers' expenses and honoraria;
--Photographer; and
--Promotional Materials.

    The application should demonstrate cost-sharing (dollar and in-
kind) in both program and administrative expenses.
    No grants funded under this program will include profit or fee.
    Gifts, gratuities, entertainment, or alcoholic beverages are 
unallowable.
    Fellows' per diem will be reduced accordingly for any meals 
provided during the Workshop.
    Please refer to the Application Package for complete budget 
guidelines.

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 budget and contracts offices, as well as the USIA 
Office of Academic Exchanges 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 following criteria:
    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. 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. Value to U.S.-Partner Country Relations: Proposed projects, 
which will be assessed by USIA's geographic area desk and overseas 
officers, should demonstrate program need, potential impact, and 
significance in the partner country(ies).
    6. Institutional Capacity: Proposed personnel and institutional 
resources should be adequate and appropriate to achieve the program or 
project's goals. The proposal should clearly demonstrate the 
organization will provide sufficient staff coverage on-site and at off-
site workshop events for groups of this size.
    7. Institution's Record/Ability: Proposals should demonstrate an 
institutional record of successful conferences or similar 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, both as the activities unfold 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 
link outcomes to original project objectives. Award-receiving 
organizations/institutions will be expected to submit a final report 
after each workshop.
    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 maximimize cost-sharing through 
other private sector support as well as institutional direct funding 
contributions.
    11. 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 or account) summarizing past 
and/or on-going activities and efforts that further the principle of 
diversity within both the organization and the program activities.
    12. Cross Cultural Sensitivity and Experience Working with 
Participants from the former Soviet Union and Baltic countries: 
Proposals should demonstrate the applicant's ability and/or experience 
in working with graduate level students and/or mid-career professionals 
from this region of the world.

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 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 November 16, 1994. Awards made will be subject to 
periodic reporting and evaluation requirements.

    Dated: September 6, 1994.
John P. Loiello,
Associate Director, Educational and Cultural Affairs.
[FR Doc. 94-22631 Filed 9-14-94; 8:45 am]
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