[Federal Register: September 26, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 187)]
[Notices]
[Page 60713-60715]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr26se02-114]
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DEPARTMENT OF STATE
[Public Notice 4140]
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs Request for Grant
Proposals: Educational Information Centers in Eurasia
Summary: The Office of Global Educational Programs, Educational
Information and Resources Branch of the Bureau of Educational and
Cultural Affairs announces an open competition for Educational
Information Centers in Eurasia. Public and private non-profit
organizations meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code
section 26 USC 501(c)(3) may submit proposals to operate educational
information centers in the following cities in Eurasia: Yerevan,
Armenia; Baku, Azerbaijan; Minsk, Belarus; Tbilisi, Georgia; Almaty and
Astana, Kazakhstan; Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic; Chisinau, Moldova;
Moscow, Novosibirsk, St. Petersburg, and Vladivostok, Russia; Dushanbe,
Tajikistan; Ashgabat, Turkmenistan; Kiev, Ukraine; and Tashkent,
Uzbekistan. The educational information centers would be a part of the
network of approximately 450 Department of State-affiliated centers
worldwide. These centers provide comprehensive and unbiased information
to interested students, scholars, and other individuals about study
opportunities in the U.S.
Program Information
Overview
The education information centers in Eurasia must provide access to
comprehensive and unbiased information about study opportunities in the
U.S. Services provided by the centers must include group informational
sessions as well as individual advising. The centers should provide
accurate information and advising on the following topics: all
accredited U.S. colleges, universities, and other higher education
institutions; accreditation issues; the application process to a U.S.
university; majors and fields of study; testing requirements; life in
the U.S.; scholarship programs and financial aid; visa requirements,
and pre-departure orientation. Centers should also provide information
on grant opportunities sponsored by the USG and other institutions and
organizations. The Bureau will provide a selection of reference books
and materials to each center. Educational advisers at the centers will
be eligible to apply for Bureau-sponsored professional development
opportunities and training events.
Guidelines
Pending availability of funds, the period of this grant is January
1, 2003 to December 31, 2003. Final awards cannot be made until funds
have been appropriated by Congress, allocated and committed through
internal Bureau procedures. 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. The Bureau encourages applicants to provide maximum
levels of cost-sharing and funding from private sources in support of
its programs. Applicants must submit a comprehensive budget for each
individual educational information center in the proposal. Applicants
may submit a proposal for one, several, or all of the centers listed.
Awards may not exceed the following amounts for each educational
information center:
[[Page 60714]]
Yerevan, Armenia--$30,000;
Baku, Azerbaijan--$20,000;
Minsk, Belarus--$20,000;
Tbilisi, Georgia--$20,000;
Almaty, Kazakhstan--$22,000;
Astana, Kazakhstan--$17,000;
Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic--$17,000;
Chisinau, Moldova--$12,000;
Moscow, Russia--$180,000;
Novosibirsk, Russia--$20,000;
St. Petersburg, Russia--$32,000;
Vladivostok, Russia--$20,000;
Dushanbe, Tajikistan--$15,000;
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan--$15,000;
Kiev, Ukraine--$50,000;
Tashkent, Uzbekistan--$25,000.
All administrative and indirect costs must be included in the
maximum award amount for each center. The budgets must provide a
breakdown of administrative and program costs. Allowable costs for the
program include the following:
(1) Educational advising staff salaries and benefits;
(2) Office supplies and expenses, including rent, communications,
postage and shipping;
(3) Outreach and publicity costs;
(4) Indirect costs.
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/A/S/A-03-07.
For Further Information, Contact: The Educational Information and
Resources Branch, ECA/A/S/A, room 349, U.S. Department of State, 301
4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547, telephone: 202-619-4731, fax:
202-404-1433, http://exchanges.state.gov/education/educationusa 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 Program Officer Sharen Sheehan 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 Thursday, October
31, 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. 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 5 copies of the application should be sent
to: U.S. Department of State, SA-44, Bureau of Educational and Cultural
Affairs, Ref.: ECA/A/S/A-03-07, Program Management, ECA/EX/PM, Room
534, 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. The Bureau will
transmit these files electronically to the Public Affairs sections at
the U.S. Embassies in Eurasia for their review.
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.'' Public Law 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
The Bureau of Educational 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
part 62, including the oversight of Responsible Officers and Alternate
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.
ECA will be responsible for issuing DS-2019 forms to participants
in this program.
A copy of the complete regulations governing the administration of
Exchange Visitor (J) programs is available at http://
exchanges.state.gov or from: United States Department of State, Office
of Exchange Coordination and Designation, ECA/EC/ECD--SA-44, Room 734,
301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547. 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 Public Diplomacy
sections overseas, where appropriate. Eligible proposals will be
subject to compliance with Federal and Bureau regulations and
guidelines and forwarded to Bureau grant panels 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 resides with the Bureau's Grants Officer.
Review Criteria
Technically eligible applications will be competitively reviewed
according to
[[Page 60715]]
the criteria stated below. These criteria are not rank ordered and all
carry equal weight in the proposal evaluation:
1. 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.
2. 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 and program
content.
3. Institutional Capacity: Proposed personnel and institutional
resources should be adequate and appropriate to achieve the program or
project's goals.
4. Institution's Record/Ability: Proposals should demonstrate an
institutional record of successful international education programs,
including responsible fiscal management and full compliance with all
reporting 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.
5. 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.
6. Cost-Effectiveness: The overhead and administrative components
of the proposal should be kept as low as possible. All other items
should be necessary and appropriate. Proposals are encouraged to
include a plan for cost-defrayment and income generation, where
possible.
7. 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 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.'' Partial funding for the program
above is provided through the FREEDOM Support Act.
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: September 18, 2002.
C. Miller Crouch,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Educational and
Cultural Affairs, Department of State.
[FR Doc. 02-24476 Filed 9-25-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P
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