[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 189 (Thursday, September 30, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52824-52826]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-25334]
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UNITED STATES INFORMATION AGENCY
Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs; Performing Arts
Presenters Exchange Program With China
NOTICE: Request for proposals.
SUMMARY: The Office of Citizen Exchanges of the United States
Information Agency's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs
announces an open competition for a Performing Arts Presenters Exchange
Program with China. Public and private non-profit organizations meeting
the provisions described in IRS regulation 26 CFR 1.501(c) may submit
proposals to facilitate international cultural and educational exchange
through a program that will bring performing arts presenters in China
and the United States together to exchange strategies for presenting
artists, discuss arts management techniques and recruit performing
artists from each other's countries for presentation through this
exchange. Interested applicants are invited to read the complete
solicitation package before submitting their proposals. The
solicitation package consists of the RFP; and Project Objectives, Goals
and Implementation (POGI) statement; and Proposal Submission
Instructions (PSI). On October 1, 1999, the U.S. Information Agency,
including the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, will become
part of the United States Department of State without affecting the
content of this announcement or the nature of the program described.
Application Deadline and Reference Number: All proposal materials
must be received at the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs
Grants Office by 5 p.m. Washington, D.C. time on Wednesday, October 27,
1999. Faxed documents will not be accepted, nor will documents
postmarked on October 27, 1999, but received at a later date. All
communications concerning this announcement should refer to the title
and reference number--E/P-00-08. Please see section entitled
``Guidelines''.
Program Information
Overview
Differences in arts management between the U.S. and China may
contribute to impediments in artistic exchange between the two
countries. Cultural perceptions, contractual misunderstandings and
incompatible management styles have, at times, created barriers to the
exchange of performing artists between the two countries. The purpose
of this program is to assist arts presenters in both countries
understand how the other side operates, with the objective of achieving
fruitful artistic exchanges. An ideal program should include the
following three components:
1. Consultation/assessment visit by American arts presenters to
China: A team of arts presenters from the U.S. will visit China to meet
with leading arts presenters, increase their knowledge of performing
arts presentation in China and assess performance venues.
2. Workshops in the U.S.: To be conducted for Chinese participants,
by American experts in performing arts presentation in this country,
focusing on legal, contractual, marketing, commercial and logistical
issues involved with presenting American performing artists. Workshops
should also cover similarities and differences between performing arts
organizations in the U.S. and China, and an overview of the
difficulties that American performing artists tend to encounter when
conducting overseas tours.
3. An opportunity for leading arts presenters in China to attend
one of the regional or national conferences for arts presenters in the
U.S., where participants would have an opportunity to increase their
understanding of trends in the arts presentation field and to view a
wide range of American performing artists. At the conclusion of this
component, the American and Chinese arts presenters will develop
proposals and time lines to present specific artists in each other's
country.
Guidelines
Eligible Applicants
The Office of Citizen Exchanges works with U.S. non-profit
organizations to develop cooperative international group projects that
introduce American and foreign participants to each other's cultural
and artistic life and traditions. For this project, we look forward to
working with an arts organization that has demonstrated expertise in
presenting performing artists in the United States, extensive knowledge
of presenting performing artists abroad, and interest and expertise in
the performing arts of China.
Project Participants
The grantee organization will recruit American arts presenters for
the initial assessment visit and the final phase of the project, which
will result in a work plan for presenting performing artists from China
in the U.S. The grantee organization must work with our colleagues at
the American Embassy in Beijing to recruit appropriate performing arts
presenters in China to participate this project. The U.S. Embassy in
Beijing will also review the Chinese participants' final work plans to
present American artists in China.
Programs must comply with J-1 visa regulations. Please refer to the
Solicitation Package for further information regarding visas.
Grant Dates
We anticipate that the grant will begin on our about February 1,
2000, and end on March 1, 2001. However, a final award cannot be made
until funds have been appropriated by Congress, and allocated and
committed through internal Bureau procedures.
Budget Guidelines
Grants awarded to eligible organizations with less than 4 years of
experience in conducting international exchange programs will be
limited to $60,000.
Applicants must submit a comprehensive budget for the entire
program. The Award may not exceed $100,000, and the Bureau expects to
award one grant under the terms of this
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competition. There must be a summary budget as well as breakdowns
reflecting both administrative and program budgets. Applicants may
provide separate sub-budgets for each program component, phase,
location, or activity to provide clarification. Please note that strong
preference will be given to proposals with a minimum of 30% cost
sharing. Strong preference will also be given to proposals with
administrative costs of no more than 20% of the total amount requested
from the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
Allowable costs for the program include the following:
1. International and domestic air fares; visas; transit costs;
ground transportation costs.
2. Per Diem. For the activity in the U.S., organizations have the
option of using a flat $160/day for program participants or the
published U.S. federal per diem rates for individual American Cities.
For activities outside the U.S., the published Federal per diem rates
must be used. Per diem rates may be accessed at http.state.gov/www/
perdiems.
3. Interpreters. If needed, interpreters for the U.S. program are
provided by the State Department's Language Services Division.
Typically, a pair of simultaneous interpreters is provided for every
four visitors who need interpretation. Bureau grants do not pay for
foreign interpreters to accompany delegations from their home country.
Grant proposal budgets should contain a flat $160/day per diem for each
Department of State interpreter, as well as home-to-program round trip
air transportation of $400 per interpreter plus any U.S. travel
expenses during the program.
4. Book and cultural allowance. Participants are entitled to a one-
time cultural allowance of $150 per person, plus a book allowance of
$50.
5. Consultants may be used to provide specialized expertise to make
presentations. Daily honoraria generally do not exceed $250 per day.
6. Materials development. Proposals may contain costs to purchase,
develop and translate materials for participants.
7. All Bureau-funded delegates will be covered under the terms of a
Bureau-sponsored health insurance policy.
8. Other costs necessary for the effective administration of the
program, including salaries and benefits for grant organization
employees, as stated in the detailed instructions in the application
package. Please refer to the Solicitation Package for complete budget
guidelines and formatting instructions.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The Office of Citizen Exchanges, ECA/
PE/C/CU, Room 568, United States Department of State, Bureau of
Educational and Cultural Affairs, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC
20547, telephone: (202) 205-2209, fax: (202) 619-6315 or e-mail
jjohanse@exchanges.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 Cultural Programs
Officer Jill Johansen Staggs on all other inquires and correspondence.
Please read the complete Federal Register announcement before
sending inquires or submitting proposals. Once the RFP deadline has
passed, Bureau 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 the Bureau's website at
http://e.usia.gov/education/rfps. Please read all information before
downloading.
Deadline for Proposals: All proposal copies must be received at the
Bureau by 5 p.m. Washington, D.C. time on October 27, 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 8 copies of the application should be sent
to: United States Department of State, The Bureau of Educational and
Cultural Affairs, Ref.: E/P -00-08, Office of Program Management, ECA/
EX/PM, 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. We will transmit
these files electronically to our State Department colleagues at the
embassy in Beijing for review, with the goal of reducing the time it
takes to get posts' comments for the Bureau'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,'' the Bureau ``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 the Bureau. 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.
The Bureau 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
The Office of Citizens Exchanges 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 Department of State
regional authorities and the embassy overseas. Eligible proposals will
be forwarded to panels of Bureau
[[Page 52826]]
officers for advisory review. Proposals may also be reviewed by the
Office of the Legal Adviser or by other Department of State entities.
Final funding decisions are at the discretion of the U.S. Department of
State's Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs. Final
technical authority for assistance awards (grants or cooperative
agreements) resides with the Grants Staff.
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 and Clarity of Program Objectives: Proposals should
exhibit originality, substance, precision, and relevance to the
Bureau's mission. All activities should clearly support the project
objective.
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. Proposals should clearly demonstrate how the institution will
meet the program's objectives and plan.
3. 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.
4. Cross-Cultural Sensitivity: Proposals should reflect an
understanding of the complex nature of U.S. Government foreign policy
with China, strategies to address cross-cultural sensitivities among
participants and relevant knowledge of the performing arts in China.
5. Support of Diversity: Proposals should demonstrate substantive
support of the Bureau's policy on diversity. In this project, diversity
should be especially evident in the selection of American participants
and workshop presenters, and the performing arts presentations both in
China and the U.S. to which participants will be exposed.
6. Institutional Capacity/Record: Proposed personnel and
institutional resources should be adequate and appropriate to achieve
the program or project's goals. Proposals should demonstrate an
institutional record of successful exchange programs, including
responsible fiscal management and full compliance with all reporting
requirements for past Bureau grants as determined by the Bureau's
Grants Staff.
7. Follow-on Activities: Proposals should provide a plan for
continued follow-on activity (without State Department support)
ensuring that Bureau supported programs are not isolated events.
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 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.
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 propose 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.
Notice
The terms and conditions published in this RFP are binding and may
not be modified by any Bureau representative. Explanatory information
provided by the Bureau 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 Bureau 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 Bureau procedures.
Dated: September 23, 1999.
William P. Kiehl,
Acting Deputy Associate Director for Educational and Cultural Affairs.
[FR Doc. 99-25334 Filed 9-29-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8230-01-M
