[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 185 (Thursday, September 24, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51117-51119]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-25155]
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UNITED STATES INFORMATION AGENCY
Program Title The FREEDOM Support Act/Future Leaders Exchange
(FSA/FLEX) Program; Inbound, NIS Secondary School Initiative
NOTICE: Request for proposals.
SUMMARY: The Youth Programs Division/Office of Citizen Exchanges of the
United States Information Agency's Bureau of Educational and Cultural
Affairs announces an open competition for the FREEDOM Support Act
Future Leaders Exchange Program. Public and private non-profit
organizations meeting the provisions described in IRS regulation 26 CFR
1.501 may submit proposals to recruit and select host families of high
school students between the ages of 15 and 17 from the New Independent
States (NIS) of the former Soviet Union. In addition to screening,
selecting, and orienting host families and enrolling students in
American high schools, organizations will be responsible for: Orienting
students at the local level; providing support services for students;
arranging enhancement activities; monitoring students during their stay
in the U.S.; providing reentry training; and assessing student
performance and progress. The award of grants and the number of
students who will participate is subject to the availability of funding
in fiscal year 1999.
Program Information
Background
Academic year 1999/00 will be the seventh year of the FSA/FLEX
program, which now includes over 6000 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 civic responsibility by giving NIS youth the
opportunity to live in American society for an academic year.
Objectives
To place approximately 930 pre-selected high school students from
the NIS in qualified, well-motivated host families and welcoming
schools. To expose program participants to American culture and
democracy through homestay experiences and enhancement activities that
will enable them to attain a broad view of the society and culture of
the U.S. To encourage FSA/FLEX program participants to share their
culture, lifestyle, and traditions with U.S. citizens.
Other Components
Two organizations have 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; facilitate 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, a separate
grant may be awarded for a one-week mid-year civic education program in
Washington, DC, for a select number of students who successfully
compete for the Washington program. Students who require additional
English language training before entering their host communities will
attend an English upgrade and cultural orientation program, which is
conducted under a grant exclusively for that purpose. The announcements
of the competitions for these grants are being published separately.
Guidelines
Organizations chosen under this competition are responsible for the
following: Recruitment, screening, selection, and orientation of host
families; school enrollment; local orientation; placement of a small
number of students with disabilities; specialized training of local
staff and volunteers to work with NIS students; preparation and
dissemination of materials to students pertaining to the placement
organization; program enhancement activities; supervision and
monitoring of students; trouble shooting and periodic reporting on
their progress; when appropriate, communication with the organizations
conducting other program components; evaluation of the students'
performance; evaluation of the organization's success in achieving
program goals; and re-entry training to prepare students for
readjustment to their native culture.
Applicants may request a grant for the placement of at least 20
students. There is no ceiling on the number of students who may be
placed by one organization. It is anticipated that 10 to 15 grants will
be awarded for this component of the FLEX program. Placements will be
spread all across the U.S. Students may be clustered in one or more
regions or dispersed. If dispersed, applicants should demonstrate that
local staffing and training of local staff is adequate to ensure their
competence in supervising and counseling students from the NIS. Please
refers to the Solicitation Package, available on request from the
address listed below, for details on essential program elements,
permissible costs, and criteria used to select students.
Grants should begin at the point that the complete applications on
selected finalists are delivered to the placement organizations,
approximately on April 1, 1999. Participants arrive in their host
communities in the month of August and remain for 10 or 11 months until
their departure during the period mid-June to early July 2000. Some
students will depart at the end of May to
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complete university exams in their home countries.
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.
Applicants should submit the health and accident insurance plans
they intend to use for students on this program. USIA will compare the
plan with the Agency plan and make a determination of which will be
applicable.
Participants will travel on J-1 visas issued by USIA using a
government program number. Organizations must comply with J-1 visa
regulations in carrying out their responsibilities under the FLEX
program. Please refer to Solicitation Package for further information
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. 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.
Allowable costs for the program include the following:
(1) Monthly and incidentals allowances for participants, as
established by USIA.
(2) Costs associated with student enhancements and orientations.
(3) Administrative costs associated with host family recruiting,
staff training, monitoring, and other functions.
(4) Health and accident insurance.
Please refer to the Solicitation Package for complete budget
guidelines and formatting instruction.
Announcement Title and Number
All correspondence with USIA concerning this RFP should reference
the above title and number E/P-99-05.
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://www.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 Friday, October 30, 1998. 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 6 copies of the application should be sent
to: U.S. Information Agency, Ref.: E/P-99-05, Office of Grants
Management, E/XE, Room 336, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 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 USIA 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. ``Pub.
L. 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.
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 by USIA's East European and NIS Area Office
and the USIA post(s) overseas, where appropriate. Eligible proposals
will be forwarded to panels the 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.
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.
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 and feasible and should coincide with those for the FLEX
program stated above. 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 both in host community and
family placements and in program content (e.g., orientation,
enhancement activities).
6. Institutional Capacity: Proposed personnel and institutional
resources should be adequate and appropriate to achieve the program
goals and efficiency in carrying out all functions.
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 grant
recipients and the demonstrated potential of new applicants.
8. Project Evaluation: Proposals should include a plan to evaluate
achievements and success in dealing with problems. A draft survey
questionnaire or other technique plus description of a methodology to
use to link outcomes to the stated objectives is recommended.
Successful applicants will be expected to submit quarterly reports.
9. Cost-effectiveness: The overhead and administrative costs,
including salaries and honoraria, should be kept as low as possible.
All other items should be reasonable and appropriate to conducting the
program efficiently.
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, Pub. L. 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 pertaining to the USIA
and Foreign Operations appropriations.
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: September 15, 1998.
John P. Loiello,
Associate Director for Educational and Cultural Affairs.
[FR Doc. 98-25155 Filed 9-23-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8230-01-M
