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[Federal Register: November 15, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 221)]
[Notices]
[Page 69293-69295]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr15no02-109]
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DEPARTMENT OF STATE
[Public Notice 4206]
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs Request for Grant
Proposals (RFGPs): The FREEDOM Support Act/Future Leaders Exchange
(FSA/FLEX) Program: Host Family and School Placement
NOTICE: Request for grant proposals.
SUMMARY: The Youth Programs Division of the Bureau of Educational and
Cultural Affairs announces an open competition for the placement
component of the FREEDOM Support Act/Future Leaders Exchange (FSA/FLEX)
program. Public and private non-profit organizations meeting the
provisions described in Internal Revenue Code section 26 U.S.C.
501(c)(3) may submit proposals to recruit and select host families and
schools for high school students between the ages of 15 and 17 from
countries of the former Soviet Union, thereafter referred to as
Eurasia. In addition to identifying schools and screening, selecting,
and orienting families, organizations will be responsible for:
Orienting students at the local level; providing support services for
students; arranging enhancement activities and leadership opportunities
that reinforce program goals; monitoring students during their stay in
the U.S.; providing re-entry 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 2003.
Program Information
Overview
Background: Academic year 2003/2004 will be the eleventh year of
the FSA/FLEX program, which now includes over 11,000 alumni. This
inbound, academic year component was originally authorized under the
FREEDOM Support Act of 1992 and is funded by annual allocations from
the Foreign Operations and State Department appropriations. The goals
of the program are to promote mutual understanding and foster a
relationship between the people of Eurasia and the U.S.; to assist the
successor generation of Eurasian countries in developing the qualities
it will need to lead in their aspirations for transformation in the
21st century; and to promote democratic values and civic responsibility
by giving Eurasian youth the opportunity to live in American society
and participate in focused activities for an academic year.
Objectives:
[sbull] To place approximately 1,400 pre-selected high school
students from Eurasian countries in qualified, well-motivated host
families.
[sbull] To place students in schools that have been accredited by
the respective state departments of education.
[sbull] 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.
[sbull] To encourage FSA/FLEX program participants to share their
culture, lifestyle and traditions with U.S. citizens.
[sbull] To provide Eurasian students with leadership opportunities
that will foster skills they can take back with them and use in their
home countries.
Through participation in the FLEX program, students should:
1. Acquire an understanding of important elements of a civil
society. This includes concepts such as volunteerism, the idea that
American citizens can and do act at the grassroots level to deal with
societal problems, and an awareness of and respect for the rule of law.
2. Acquire an understanding of a free market economy and private
enterprise. This includes awareness of privatization and an
appreciation of the role of the entrepreneur in economic growth.
3. Develop an appreciation for American culture and an
understanding of the diversity of American society.
4. Interact with Americans and generate enduring ties.
5. Teach Americans about the cultures of their home countries.
6. Gain leadership capacity that will enable them to initiate and
support activities in their home countries that focus on development
and community service in their role as FLEX alumni.
Other Components: One organization has been awarded a grant to
perform the following functions: Recruitment and selection of students;
targeting recruitment for students with disabilities; assistance in
documentation and preparation of DS-2019 visa forms; preparation of
cross-cultural materials; predeparture orientation; international
travel from home to host community and return; facilitation of ongoing
communication between the natural parents and placement organization,
as needed; maintenance of a student database and provision of data to
the U.S. Department of State; and ongoing follow-up with alumni after
their return to the Eurasia. Most of the students with disabilities, as
well as a select number of additional students who are identified as
needing English language enhancement before entering their host
communities, will attend a Language and Cultural Enhancement (LCE)
program in July 2003, which will be conducted under a separate grant
awarded exclusively for that purpose.
Guidelines: Organizations chosen under this competition are
responsible for the following:
(1) Recruitment, screening, selection, and Eurasia/FLEX-specific
orientation of host families;
(2) Enrollment in an accredited school;
(3) Local orientation for participants;
(4) Placement of a small number of students with disabilities;
(5) Ensuring that all students identified for the preacademic-year
LCE program have their permanent year-long placement by the time they
arrive at the LCE program in July;
(6) Specialized training of local staff and volunteers to work with
FLEX students from Eurasia;
(7) Preparation and dissemination of materials to students
pertaining to the respective placement organization;
(8) Dispersal of program-specific information, such as alumni
activity reports and School Administrator handbooks, to respective
persons involved with the program (e.g., host families, school
administrators, local coordinators);
(9) Program-related enhancement and leadership activities;
(10) Troubleshooting;
(11) Communication with the organizations conducting other program
components, when appropriate;
(12) Evaluation of the students' performance;
(13) Quarterly evaluation of the organiation's success in achieving
program goals;
[[Page 69294]]
(14) Eurasia-specific re-entry training to prepare students for
readjustment to their home environments.
Applicants must request a grant for the placement of at least 40
students. There is no ceiling on the number of students who may be
placed by one organization. It is anticipated that approximately 10-15
grants will be awarded for this component of the FLEX program.
Placements may be in any region in the U.S. Strong preference will be
given to organizations that choose to place participants in clusters of
at least three students. Applicants must demonstrate that training of
local staff ensures their competence in providing Eurasia-specific
orientation programs, appropriate enhancement activities, and quality
supervision and counseling of students from Eurasian countries. Please
refer 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.
We anticipate grants beginning no later than April, 2003, subject
to the availability of funds.
Most participants arrive in their host communities during the month
of August and remain for 10 or 11 months until their departure during
the period mid-May to late June 2004.
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. If use of a private
plan is proposed, the State Department will compare that plan with the
Bureau plan and make a determination of which will be applicable.
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. Per capita costs should not exceed $5,450.
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. Allowable costs for the program
include the following:
(1) A monthly stipend and a one-time incidentals allowance for
participants, as established by the Department of State;
(2) Costs associated with student enhancement activities and
orientations;
(3) Health and accident insurance.
Please refer to the Solicitation Package for complete budget
guidelines and formatting instructions.
Announcement Title and Number: All correspondence with the Bureau
concerning this RFGP should reference the above title and number ECA/
PE/C/PY-03-24.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The Office of Youth Programs, ECA/PE/
C/PY, Room 568, U.S. Department of State, 301 4th Street, SW.,
Washington, DC 20547, tel. (202) 619-6299, and fax (202) 619-5311, e-
mail lbeach@pd.state.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 Bureau of Education
and Cultural Affairs Program Officer Anna Mussman on all other
inquiries and correspondence.
Please read the complete Federal Register announcement before
sending inquiries or submitting proposals. Once the RFGP 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 Web site at
http://exchanges.state.gov/education/RFGPs. Please read all information
before downloading.
Deadline for Proposals: All proposal copies must be received at the
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs by 5 p.m. Washington, DC
time on December 19, 2002. Faxed documents will not be accepted at any
time. Documents postmarked the due date but received on a later date
will not be accepted. It is the responsibility of each applicant to
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: U.S.
Department of State, SA-44, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs,
Ref.: ECA/PE/C/PY-03-24, Program Management, ECA/EX/PM, Room 534, 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. 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,'' the Bureau ``shall take appropriate steps to provide
opportunities for participation in such programs to human rights and
democracy leaders of such countries.'' Pub. L. 106-113 requires that
the governments of the countries described above do not have
inappropriate influence in the selection process. Proposals should
reflect advancement of these goals in their program contents, to the
full extent deemed feasible.
Adherence to All Regulations Governing the J Visa
Participants will travel on J-1 visas issued by the State
Department using a government program number.
The Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs is placing renewed
emphasis on the secure and proper administration of Exchange Visitor (J
visa) Programs and adherence by grantees and sponsors to all
regulations governing the J visa. Therefore, proposals should
demonstrate the applicant's capacity to meet all requirements governing
the administration of Exchange Visitor Programs as set forth in 22 CFR
6Z, including the oversight of Responsible Officers, screening and
selection of program participants, provision of pre-arrival information
and orientation to participants, monitoring of participants, proper
maintenance and security of forms, record-keeping, reporting and other
requirements. A copy of the complete regulations governing the
administration of Exchange Visitor (J) programs is available at:
http://exchanges.state.gov/education/jexchanges.
Or from:
United States Department of State, Department Office of Exchange
Coordination and Designation, ECA/EC/ECD--SA-44, Room 734, 301 4th
Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547.
[[Page 69295]]
Telephone: (202) 401-9810. FAX: (202) 401-9809.
Review Process
The Bureau 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 State Department's
Office for U.S. Assistance to Europe and Eurasia (EUR/ACE) and Public
Diplomacy section at the U.S. embassy overseas, where appropriate.
Eligible proposals will be forwarded to panels of Bureau officers for
advisory review. Proposals may also be reviewed by the Office of the
Legal Adviser or by other Department elements. Final funding decisions
are at the discretion of the Department of State's Assistant Secretary
for Educational and Cultural Affairs. Final technical authority for
assistance awards (grants or cooperative agreements) resides with the
Bureau's 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 Bureau'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
reasonable, feasible, and flexible. Proposals should clearly
demonstrate how the organization will meet the program's objectives and
plan. Strategies should utilize and reinforce exchange activities
creatively to ensure an efficient use of program resources.
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. Proposals should include creative ways to involve students in
their U.S. communities.
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
participants, host families, schools, program venue and program
evaluation) and program content (orientations, program meetings,
resource materials and follow-up activities).
6. Organization's record/institutional capacity: 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
and J-1 Visa requirements for past Bureau grants as determined by
Bureau Grant Staff. The Bureau will consider the past performance of
prior recipients and the demonstrated potential of new applicants.
7. 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. Submission of a sample FLEX-specific draft survey
questionnaire, or other technique, plus description of a methodology to
use to link outcomes to original project objectives are highly
recommended. The final project evaluation should provide qualitative
and quantitative data about the project's influence on the participants
as well as their surrounding communities. Successful applicants will be
expected to submit quarterly reports, which should be included as an
inherent component of the work plan.
8. Cost-effectiveness/cost sharing: 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. 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
Department of State and FREEDOM Support Act appropriations.
Notice
The terms and conditions published in this RFGP 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 RFGP 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: November 7, 2002.
Patricia S. Harrison,
Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs, Department of
State.
[FR Doc. 02-29198 Filed 11-14-02; 8:45 am]
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