[Federal Register: October 18, 2001 (Volume 66, Number 202)]
[Notices]
[Page 52956-52958]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr18oc01-119]
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DEPARTMENT OF STATE
[Public Notice 3816]
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs Request for Grant
Proposals: FREEDOM Support Act Undergraduate Program
SUMMARY: The Office of Academic Exchange Programs of the Bureau of
Educational and Cultural Affairs announces an open competition for the
FREEDOM Support Act Undergraduate Program. Public and private non-
profit organizations meeting the provisions described in IRS
regulations 26 CFR 1.501(c)(2)-1 through 1.501(c)(21)-2 may submit
proposals to administer the placement, monitoring, evaluation, follow-
on, and alumni activities for the FY 2002 FREEDOM Support Act
Undergraduate Program. Proposals should include provisions for the
recruitment and selection of FY 2003 participants. Organizations with
less than four years of experience in conducting international exchange
programs are not eligible for this competition.
Program Information
The FREEDOM Support Act Undergraduate Program (herein referred to
as the FSAU Program) provides scholarships for one-year, non-degree
study at U.S. institutes of higher education to outstanding students of
the New Independent States (NIS). Scholarships are available in the
fields of agriculture, American studies, business, computer science,
economics, education, environmental management, international
relations, journalism and mass communication, political science, and
sociology. Scholarships are granted to students who have completed at
least one year of study at an accredited university in their home
countries. Students must be citizens of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus,
Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, the Russian Federation,
Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, or Uzbekistan. FSAU participants
will be enrolled in one-year, non-degree programs at both four-year
colleges and universities, and community colleges. Students will
enhance their academic education with participation in community
service and an internship. Interested organizations should read the
entire Federal Register announcement for all information prior to
preparing a proposal. Programs must comply with J-1 Visa regulations.
Please refer to the Solicitation Package for further information.
Awards will begin on or about May 30, 2002.
[[Page 52957]]
Budget Guidelines
Applicants must submit a comprehensive budget for the entire
program. The level of funding for FY 2002 is uncertain, but is
anticipated to be approximately $8,500,000. Based on this figure,
applicant organizations should submit a budget which will fund no fewer
than 335 participants. ECA anticipates awarding one or more grants
under this competition. Applicant organizations are encouraged, through
cost sharing and other methods, to provide for as many scholarships as
possible based on approximated funding. 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 refer to the Solicitation Package for complete budget guidelines
and formatting instructions. ECA grant guidelines state that
organizations with less than four years experience in conducting
international exchange programs are limited to $60,000 in Bureau
funding. It is anticipated that the grant or grants awarded under this
competition will well exceed $60,000. Therefore, organizations with
less than four years experience per above, are not eligible under this
competition.
Announcement Title and Number: All correspondence with the Bureau
concerning this RFGP should reference the above title and number ECA/A/
E/EUR-02-03.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The Office of Academic Exchange
Programs, ECA/A/E/EUR, Room 246, U.S. Department of State, SA-44, 301
4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547, Phone: 202-205-0525; Fax: 202-
260-7985, sgovatsk@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 Program
Manager Sondra Govatski 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 Friday, December 21, 2001. 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 eight (8) copies of the application should be
sent to: U.S. Department of State, SA-44, Bureau of Educational and
Cultural Affairs, Ref.: ECA/A/E/EUR-02-03, 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 Public Affairs Sections at US
Embassies for review, with the goal of reducing the time it takes to
get embassies' 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.'' 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.
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 Affairs 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
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. Program Development and Management
Proposals should exhibit originality, substance, precision,
innovation, and relevance to Bureau mission. Objectives should be
reasonable, feasible, and flexible. Proposals should clearly
demonstrate how the organization will meet the program's objectives. A
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.
2. 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 also include
creative ways to involve students in their U.S. communities.
3. Support of Diversity
Proposals should demonstrate the recipient's commitment to
promoting the awareness and understanding of diversity, and should
include a strategy
[[Page 52958]]
for achieving diverse applicant pools for both students and host
institutions.
4. 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 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. Proposed personnel and institutional resources should be
adequate and appropriate to achieve the program or project's goals.
5. Alumni Tracking and Follow-On
Proposals should provide a plan for effective tracking of
participants after the completion of the program. Proposals should
include a plan for continued follow-on activity which insures that ECA
supported programs are not isolated events.
6. Project Evaluation
Proposals should include a plan to evaluate the program's success,
both during and after the program. ECA recommends that the proposal
include a draft survey questionnaire or other technique, plus a
description of methodologies that can be used to link outcomes to
original project objectives. Award-receiving organizations will be
expected to submit intermediate reports after each project component is
concluded or quarterly, whichever is less frequent.
7. Cost-Effectiveness and 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, 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.'' The funding authority for the
program above is provided through FREEDOM Support Act legislation.
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: October 11, 2001.
Patricia S. Harrison,
Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs, Department of
State.
[FR Doc. 01-26121 Filed 10-17-01; 8:45 am]
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