[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 123 (Monday, June 28, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36152-36155]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-14600]
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DEPARTMENT OF STATE
[Public Notice 4751]
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs Request for Grant
Proposals: Survey of International Educational Exchange Activity in the
United States (Foreign Students and Scholars in the U.S. and U.S.
Students Studying Abroad)
Summary: The Educational Information and Resources Branch, Office
of Global Educational Programs, Bureau of Educational and Cultural
Affairs (the Bureau) announces an open competition for a survey of
International Educational Exchange Activity in the United States.
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 conduct a statistical survey (census) of foreign
nationals affiliated with institutions of higher learning in the United
States. The survey, which should be conducted in the most economical
way possible, should identify the number of foreign students and
scholars studying, conducting research, or teaching at all accredited
universities and colleges in the United States during the 2004/2005
academic year (fall 2004 through spring 2005). It must also provide
detailed individual student profile data, country-specific aggregate
data that enumerate the numbers of foreign students and scholars from a
given country affiliated with individual U.S. institutions. Finally, as
an indicator of U.S. institutional support for international
educational exchange, the report should also include data about the
number of American students studying abroad in credit-bearing programs
of all types (year-long, semester, short-term and summer). Proposals
should describe the methodology that will be used to collect the data,
whether by survey, in collaboration with the Department of Homeland
Security or some combination thereof, and how the material will be
analyzed and presented to the public. The proposal must also include
plans to establish an advisory board to provide assistance in
identifying and framing policy issues that may need to be addressed by
policymakers.
Program Information
Overview: The State Department's Bureau of Educational and Cultural
Affairs, with its mandate under the Fulbright-Hays Act to promote
mutual understanding through international educational exchange, has
supported a survey of foreign students in the United States since 1974
in order to gain an accurate and up-to-date picture of international
educational exchange activity in the United States. Recent reports have
expanded on the original survey's parameters to include foreign
scholars and U.S. students studying overseas.
Proposals to conduct this project should describe plans for a
statistical survey that would offer a detailed and comprehensive
picture of the number and academic characteristics (major fields of
study or program, level of study, etc.) of non-immigrant foreign
nationals (that is, excluding permanent residents and refugees)
affiliated with (i.e., enrolled at, employed by, etc.) American
institutions of higher learning, as well the number of U.S. students
studying abroad. Topics that should be covered in the survey include
the number of foreign students and scholars, their gender and countries
of origin. Information about students' academic level (undergraduate,
graduate, post-doctorate), fields of study, primary source of financial
support, financial contributions they make while in the United States,
and location of study should be included.
Proposals may request Bureau funding of a publication, Web site,
database, newsletter, or another medium that is presented as a viable
vehicle for making this data widely available in a timely manner and in
a clear and concise format. The Bureau reserves the right to reproduce,
publish or otherwise use any work developed under this grant for U.S.
Government purposes.
Pending successful implementation of this program and the
availability of funds in subsequent fiscal years, it is ECA's intent to
renew this grant for two additional fiscal years before the next
competition. Future support will be contingent upon accurate data
collection, quality of presentation of that data, and prompt
publication of the census.
Guidelines: Proposals should include a precise description of the
methodology to be used to obtain the data called for in this
solicitation. Applicants are reminded of the need to find the most
economical approach to gathering the data and are encouraged to explore
electronic data collection. Applicants should also seek ways of making
the information available within the academic year that it is
collected.
Data collected should be published annually for public consumption.
Applicants are also encouraged to include information about their
capacity to carry out electronic surveys and report on findings at the
request of the Bureau that would focus on one or more critical issues
that may arise during the period in which census data is being
gathered.
To provide for a more detailed analysis and cross tabulation of the
characteristics of foreign students studying in the United States,
individual student profile data should also be collected. This
individual student profile data should be provided to the Bureau in a
format that is country-specific and should show the number of students
from a specific country attending selected institutions of higher
education in each state of the U.S.
The Bureau seeks a clear presentation and rigorous analysis of the
data collected that will draw conclusions about trends in foreign
student enrollments, numbers of foreign scholars on U.S. campuses and
American students studying abroad that can be used to guide policy
discussions for both government and academia.
The grantee must establish an advisory board on the annual survey
to provide assistance in identifying and framing policy issues to be
addressed; the board should meet at least once a year. Board members
would likely be drawn from a broad range of educational associations
and organizations such as NAFSA: Association of International
Educators, the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and
Admissions Officers and the Council of Graduate Schools, among others,
and would be expected to provide perspectives on topics that are
related to the internationalization of higher education.
Scholarly analyses of survey data addressing pertinent policy
issues should be included in the final report, which will be read by
policymakers in government, academia, and business, as well as
practitioners in international educational exchange. The report should
also include a narrative on the mechanics and uses of data analysis,
highlighting how conclusions can be drawn from the data collected, some
of the limitations of that analysis, and how the data can benefit the
educational institutions supplying it, for example, as a campus
advocacy or recruiting tool.
[[Page 36153]]
Applicants should include with the proposal a complete list of proposed
chapter headings and sample analyses.
The Bureau welcomes innovative approaches to the presentation of
material, including possible breakdowns for minority-serving
institutions such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities and
the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities. The Bureau also
encourages applicants to consider including comment on other topics of
current interest in the final report, such as:
(1) How the international exchange population is affected by U.S.
visa policies;
(2) How student flows to the U.S. may have been affected by efforts
of other countries to attract foreign students, by the expansion of the
European Union and its efforts to build an academic market via the
Bologna Agreement, etc.
(3) How political and economic trends in other countries are
reflected in student flows to the U.S.;
(4) How economic trends in the U.S., including the rise in tuition
levels and the cost of living, may have affected student flows to the
U.S.;
(5) As an element of global trade, how international student flows
may have commercial significance for the development of foreign markets
for U.S. education and training;
(6) The impact of international students and scholars on U.S.
academic institutions and departments;
(7) Demonstrated benefits of study abroad; for example, as seen by
employers;
(8) U.S. institutions' activities to educate foreign students in
their home countries, through, for example, overseas campuses or
distance education programs to complement the data now collected on
education of foreign students in the United States.
(9) The numbers of foreign students studying in intensive English
language programs in the United States.
The grant should begin on or about October 1, 2004, and run through
September 30, 2005.
Budget Guidelines: Grants awarded to eligible organizations with
less than four years experience in conducting international exchange
programs will be limited to $60,000. The Bureau anticipates awarding
one grant in the amount of $190,000 to support program and
administrative costs required to implement this program. 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 the entire
program. Awards may not exceed $190,000. There must be a summary budget
as well as breakdown 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) Salaries and fringe benefits; travel and per diem;
(2) Other direct costs, inclusive of rent, utilities, etc.;
(3) Overhead expenses and auditing costs.
Please refer to the Solicitation Package for complete budget
guidelines and formatting instructions.
Announcement Title and Number: All communications with the Bureau
concerning this RFGP should refer to the announcement's title and
reference number ECA/A/S/A 05-01.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The Office of Global Educational
Programs, Educational Information and Resource Branch, U.S. Department
of State, 301 4th Street, SW., (SA-44), Washington, DC 20547, tel:
(202) 619-5549, fax: (202) 401-1433, e-mail: PrinceAL@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 Officer Ann Prince 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.
New OMB Requirement
AN OMB policy directive published in the Federal Register on
Friday, June 27, 2003, requires that all organizations applying for
Federal grants or cooperative agreements must provide a Dun and
Bradstreet (D&B) Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number when
applying for all Federal grants or cooperative agreements on or after
October 1, 2003. The complete OMB policy directive can be referenced at
http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/fedreg/062703_grant_identifier.pdf.
Please also visit the ECA Web site at http://exchanges.state.gov/
education/rfgps/menu.htm for additional information on how to comply
with this new directive.
Shipment and Deadline for Proposals: Important note: The deadline
for this competition is July 30, 2004. In light of recent events and
heightened security measures, proposal submissions must be sent via a
nationally recognized overnight delivery service (i.e., DHL, Federal
Express, UPS, Airborne Express, or U.S. Postal Service Express
Overnight Mail, etc.) and be shipped no later than the above deadline.
The delivery services used by applicants must have in-place,
centralized shipping identification and tracking systems that may be
accessed via the Internet and delivery people who are identifiable by
commonly recognized uniforms and delivery vehicles. Proposals shipped
on or before the above deadline but received at ECA more than seven
days after the deadline will be ineligible for further consideration
under this competition. Proposals shipped after the established
deadlines are ineligible for consideration under this competition. It
is each applicant's responsibility to ensure that each package is
marked with a legible tracking number and to monitor/confirm delivery
to ECA via the Internet. Delivery of proposal packages may not be made
via local courier service or in person for this competition. Faxed
documents will not be accepted at any time. Only proposals submitted as
stated above will be considered.
Applicants must follow all instructions in the Solicitation
Package. The original and 10 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-05-01, Program Management, ECA/EX/PM, Room
534, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547.
Along with the Project Title, all applicants must also enter the
above Reference Number in Box 11 on the SF-424 contained in the
mandatory Proposal Submission Instruction (PSI) document.
Applicants must also submit the ``Executive Summary'' and
``Proposal Narrative'' sections of the proposal in text (.txt) format
on a PC-formatted disk. The Bureau will provide these files
electronically to the Public Affairs Section at the U.S. embassy for
its review.
[[Page 36154]]
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 disabilities. 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.
If applicable, the Grantee 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 section
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
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 institution will meet the program's objectives and
plan.
(4) Support of Diversity: Proposals should demonstrate substantive
support of the Bureau's policy on diversity.
(5) Institutional Capacity: Proposed personnel and institutional
resources should be adequate and appropriate to achieve the program or
project's goals.
(6) Institution's Record/Ability: Proposals should demonstrate an
institutional record of successful data collection and statistical
analysis, as well as 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.
(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. A draft survey questionnaire or other technique plus
description of a methodology to use to link outcomes to original
project objectives are recommended. Successful applicants will be
expected to submit intermediate reports after each project component is
concluded or quarterly, whichever is less frequent.
(8) 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.
(9) 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.'' The funding authority for the program above is provided
through 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.
[[Page 36155]]
Notification
Final awards cannot be made until funds have been appropriated by
Congress, allocated and committed through internal Bureau procedures.
Dated: June 22, 2004.
C. Miller Crouch,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Educational and
Cultural Affairs, Department of State.
[FR Doc. 04-14600 Filed 6-25-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P