[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 197 (Thursday, October 13, 1994)] [Unknown Section] [Page 0] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 94-25393] [[Page Unknown]] [Federal Register: October 13, 1994] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- UNITED STATES INFORMATION AGENCY Management of English Teaching Fellow Program ACTION: Notice--Request for proposals. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Office of Academic Programs, English Language Programs Division, Programs Branch of the United States Information Agency's Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs announces an open competition for an assistance award. Public or private non-profit organizations meeting the provisions described in IRS regulation 501(c)(3) may apply to conduct the recruitment, placement and management of 30-40 English teaching Fellows (ETFs). The exact number of ETFs will be contingent upon the amount of cost sharing by overseas posts who wish to host a fellow and by the availability of funds. The fellows will serve as full-time teachers of English as a Foreign Language, as materials or test developers or as teacher trainers in countries around the world. 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-Hayes 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 cited above is provided through the Fulbright-Hayes Act. Programs and projects must conform with Agency requirements and guidelines outlined in the Application Package. USIA projects and programs are subject to the availability of funds. ANNOUNCEMENT NAME AND NUMBER: All communications with USIA concerning this announcement should refer to the above title and reference number E/ALP-95-01. DATES: Deadline for proposals: All copies must be received at the U.S. Information Agency by 5 p.m. Washington, D.C. time on Monday, November 21, 1994. Faxed documents will not be accepted, nor will documents postmarked on November 21, but received at a later date. It is the responsibility of each applicant to ensure that proposals are received by the above deadline. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The Office of Academic Programs, English Language Programs Division, E/ALP-Room 304, U.S. Information Agency, 301 4th Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20547, telephone number 202-619-5869, fax number 202-401-1250, to request an Application Package, which includes more detailed award criteria; all application forms; and guidelines for preparing proposals, including specific criteria for preparation of the proposal budget. Please specify the USIA Program Specialist Cathy Siemonh on all inquiries and correspondences. Interested applicants should read the complete Federal Register announcement before addressing inquiries to the Office of Academic Programs, English Language Programs Division, Programs Branch or submitting their proposals. Once the RFP deadline has passed, the Office of Academic Programs, English Language Programs Division, Programs Branch may not discuss this competition in any way with applicants until after the Bureau proposal review process has been completed. ADDRESSES: Applicants must follow all instructions given in the Application Package and send only complete applications to: U.S. Information Agency, Ref.: E/ALP-95-01, Office of Grants Management, E/ XE, Room 336, 301 4th Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20547. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 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 race, gender, religion, geographic location, socio- economic status, and physical challenges. Applicants are strongly encouraged to adhere to the advancement of this principle. Overview The U.S. Information Agency (USIA) is soliciting proposals from U.S. professional, not-for-profit institutions/organizations to recruit, place and manage 30-40 English Teaching Fellows who will serve as full-time teachers of English as a Foreign Language, as materials or test developers or as teacher trainers in countries around the world. The English Teaching Program is designed to increase the American presence, enhance the American cultural component, and improve academic standards at universities, teacher-training colleges, binational centers, and other post-selected institutions with English teaching programs. The program enables recent recipients of M.A.'s in teaching English as a foreign/second language (TEFL/TESL) to acquire overseas teaching experience, while providing host institutions with up-to-date professional expertise in the methods and theory of English teaching. Programs must comply with J-1 visa regulations. Please refer to program specific guidelines in the Application Package for further details. Proposed Budget The proposal must contain a specific and detailed line-item budget. The budget should be constructed in such a way as to reflect the task of recruiting and placing 30-35-40 fellows, and carrying out follow-up activities. At this time the Agency has not determined the full funding level for FY'95. 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. There must be a summary budget as well as a breakdown reflecting both the administrative budget and the program budget. Please refer to the Application Package for complete formatting instructions. For better understanding or further clarification, applicants may provide separate sub-budgets for each program component, phase, location, or activity in order to facilitate USIA decisions on funding. Allowable costs for the program include the following: The salary and remuneration for the English Teaching Fellows are broken down below. The living allowance is variable and is to be negotiated in relation to the city/country of assignment. Basic Stipend $12,000 Living allowance $6,000 average Travel $3,400 average Excess Baggage/Shipping $400 Pre-departure Allowance $500 Educational Materials $300 Per Diem for Orientation $144 per day average Please refer to the Application Package for complete budget guidelines Review Process USIA 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 Application Package. Eligible proposals will be forwarded to panels of USIA officers for advisory review. All eligible proposals will also be reviewed by the Agency contracts office. Proposals may also be reviewed by the Office of the General Counsel or by other Agency elements. Funding decisions are at the discretion of the USIA Associate Director for Educational and Cultural Affairs. Final technical authority for grant awards resides with the USIA grants officer. 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 Agency 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. 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. 5. Support of Diversity: Proposals should demonstrate the recipient's commitment to promoting the awareness and understanding of diversity throughout the program. This can be accomplished through documentation (such as a written statement or account) summarizing past and/or on-going activities and efforts that further the principle of diversity within both the organization and the program activities. 6. Institutional Capacity: Proposed personnel and institutional resources should be adequate and appropriate to achieve the program or project's goals. 7. 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 Agency grants as determined by USIA's Office of Contracts. The Agency will consider the past performance of prior recipients and the demonstrated potential of new applicants. 8. Follow-on Activities: Proposals should provide a plan for continued follow-on activity (without USIA support) which insures that USIA supported programs are not isolated events. 9. 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. USIA recommends that the proposal include a draft survey questionnaire or other technique plus description of a methodology to use to link outcomes to original project objectives. Award-receiving organizations/institutions will be expected to submit intermediate reports after each project component is concluded or quarterly, whichever is less frequent. 10. 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. 11. Cost-sharing: Proposals should maximize cost-sharing through other private sector support as well as institutional direct funding contributions. 12. Value to U.S.-Partner Country Relations: Proposed projects should receive positive assessments by USIA's geographic area desk and overseas officers of program need, potential impact, and significance in the partner country(ies). 13. TEFL/TESL Background: Must possess a proven ability to network that provides and allows for the greatest dissemination of information to and among the profession of Teachers of English as a Second or Foreign Language; must be able to provide knowledgeable, TEFL- qualified, experienced staff capable of interviewing candidates and evaluating their qualifications for teaching, and/or for developing materials, or for conducting teacher-training in the context of English as a foreign language, in accord with criteria established by USIA. Notice The terms and conditions published in this RFP are binding and may not be modified by any USIA representative. Explanatory information provided by the Agency 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 needs of the program may require the award to be reduced, revised or increased. Final awards cannot be made until funds have been appropriated by Congress, allocated and committed through internal USIA procedures. Notification All applicants will be notified of the results of the review process on or about January 23, 1995. Awards made will be subject to periodic reporting and evaluation requirements. Dated: October 7, 1994. Dell Pendergrast, Deputy Associate Director Educational and Cultural Affairs. [FR Doc. 94-25393 Filed 10-12-94; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 8230-01-M