[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 193 (Thursday, October 3, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51746-51750]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-25041]
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UNITED STATES INFORMATION AGENCY
College and University Affiliations Program
ACTION: Notice--request for proposals.
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SUMMARY: The Office of Academic Programs of the United States
Information Agency's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs
announces an open competition for an assistance award program.
Accredited, post-secondary educational institutions meeting the
provisions described in IRS regulation 26 CFR 1.501(c)(3)-1 may apply
to develop a partnership with (a) foreign institution(s) of higher
education in specified fields and themes within the humanities, arts,
and social sciences.
Proposed projects must be eligible in terms of country(ies)/regions
and themes as described in the section entitled ``Guidelines'' below.
Participating institutions exchange faculty and administrators for a
combination of teaching, lecturing, faculty and curriculum development,
collaborative research, and outreach, for periods ranging from one week
(for planning visits) to an academic year. The FY 97 program will also
support the establishment and maintenance of internet communication
facilities at foreign partner institutions.
The program awards up to $120,000 for a three-year period to defray
the cost of travel and per diem with an allowance for educational
materials and some aspects of project administration. At this writing,
prospects for Congressional appropriations in support of USIA's
exchange programs are very uncertain and may result in reduced funding.
Subject to the availability of funding, awards will be made under each
of the following thematic categories: Democracy and Human
[[Page 51747]]
Rights, International Trade Policy and Economic Security, and the
Environment and Sustainable Development.
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 cited above is provided through the Fulbright-Hays Act.
Projects must conform with Agency requirements and guidelines
outlined in the Solicitation Package. USIA projects and programs are
subject to the availability of funds.
Announcement Title and Number: All communications with USIA
concerning this announcement should refer to the College and University
Affiliations Program and reference number E/ASU-97-01.
Deadline for Proposals: All copies must be received at the U.S.
Information Agency by 5 p.m. Washington, DC time on Friday, January 17,
1997. Faxed documents will not be accepted, nor will documents
postmarked on January 17, 1997, but received on a later date. It is the
responsibility of each applicant to ensure compliance with the
deadline.
Approximate program dates: Grants should begin on or about
September 1, 1997.
Duration: September 1, 1997-August 31, 2000.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Office of Academic Programs; Advising,
Teaching, and Specialized Programs Division; College and University
Affiliations Program (CUAP), (E/ASU), Room 349, U.S. Information
Agency, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547, phone: (202) 619-
5289, fax: (202) 401-1433. Send a message via internet to:
[email protected] to request a Solicitation Package. The Solicitation
Package includes more detailed award criteria; all application forms;
and guidelines for preparing proposals, including specific criteria for
preparation of the proposal budget.
To Download a Solicitation Package via Internet:
The Solicitation Package may be downloaded from USIA's website at
http://www.usia.gov/ or from the Internet Gopher at gopher://
gopher.usia.gov. Under the heading ``International Exchanges/Training
Select ``Education and Cultural Exchanges,'' select ``Request for
Proposals (RFPs).'' Please read ``About the Following RFPs'' before
downloading.
Please specify ``College and University Affiliations Program
Officer'' on all inquires and correspondence. Prospective applicants
should read the complete Federal Register announcement before
addressing inquiries to the College and University Affiliations Program
staff or submitting their proposals. Once the RFP deadline has passed,
the staff may not discuss this competition in any way with applicants
until the Bureau proposal review process has been completed.
Submissions: Applicants must follow all instructions given in the
Solicitation Package. The original and 10 copies of the complete
application should be sent to: U.S. Information Agency, Ref.: E/ASU-97-
01, Office of Grants Management, E/XE, Room 336, 301 4th St., SW.,
Washington, DC 20547.
Applicants must also submit the ``Executive Summary,'' ``Proposal
Narrative,'' and budget sections of the proposal on a 3.5'' diskette,
formatted for DOS. This material must be provided in ASCII text (DOS)
format with a maximum line length of 65 characters. USIA will transmit
these files electronically to U.S. Information Service (USIS) posts
overseas for their review, with the goal of reducing the time it takes
to get posts' comments for the Agency's grants review process.
Diversity Guidelines
Pursuant to the Bureau's authorizing legislation, projects 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 principal 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.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Overview
Objectives
The CUAP's short-term goal is to provide partial funding of
linkages between U.S. and foreign institutions of higher education
featuring exchanges of faculty and administrators for the purpose of
teaching, lecturing, faculty and curriculum development, collaborative
research, administrative reform and modernization, and outreach.
The program's long-term goals are to:
(1) Advance mutual understanding between the U.S. and other
countries or regions by supporting linkages which provide true
reciprocity and significant mutual benefit.
(2) Diversify and expand international educational exchanges by:
Supporting linkages involving academic institutions in
various locations throughout the U.S. and abroad;
Targeting academic disciplines and countries/regions which
are not otherwise significantly represented in privately funded
exchanges;
Increasing the participation of two-year/community
colleges, small four-year schools, and schools with significant (over
25%) minority student enrollment; and
Complementing the individual lectureships, research and
graduate study fellowships, and training programs available under
Fulbright and other Agency auspices.
(3) Foster post-secondary institutional academic development by
supporting linkages which promise to develop appropriate expertise and
advance scholarship and teaching.
(4) Further U.S. foreign policy objectives by supporting linkages
which correspond to the Agency's geographic and thematic programming
priorities.
(5) Encourage long-term impact on all partner institutions by
supporting linkages which promise sustainability beyond the three-year
grant term.
(6) Expand U.S. government/private sector cooperation by leveraging
significant cost sharing from both the U.S. and foreign partner(s).
Guidelines
The ideal and most competitive proposal is reciprocal, with mutual
goals and benefits for all partner institutions. While the goals and
benefits should be mutual, they do not need to be identical for each
partner institution or precisely balanced among partner institutions.
One-way, technical assistance projects are not acceptable.
[[Page 51748]]
The ideal and most competitive proposal includes a series of year-
round, faculty and administrator exchange visits involving a well-
reasoned combination of teaching, lecturing, faculty and curriculum
development, collaborative research, and outreach. Projects involving
administrative reform or modernization, such as distance learning, are
also invited. These activities must address and support stated project
goals, develop expertise, advance scholarship and teaching, and promote
reliable, long-term communication between partner campuses. They may
vary in emphasis within the project. For example, collaborative
research may play a lesser role than curriculum development. Library
support and development should be included if deemed critical to the
success and sustainability of the project. The proposal should
demonstrate that an internet communication link between partners has
been planned or already established; grant funds may be requested to
initiate or enhance that link.
Exchange visits should be for a minimum of one month with the
exception of planning visits, which may be for a shorter period. The
non-planning visits in a competitive proposal range from one month to
an academic year in length, preferably including one, quarter or
semester-long visit each year from each of the U.S. and the foreign
partner(s). Proposals featuring multiple visits of one quarter or
semester in length will be more competitive. Visits by the U.S. and
foreign project coordinators as well as other key exchanges should be
identified and justified in the proposal narrative. An ideal project
builds upon previous contacts and interaction between the proposed
partners, such as individual faculty or student exchanges, and has the
support and the knowledge and encouragement of the relevant USIS post
and/or Fulbright commission, to help ensure a solid foundation for the
linkage. Acceptable proposals must either establish new institutional
affiliations or innovate existing partnerships and must not merely
extend projects previously funded by the College and University
Affiliations Program (formerly the ``University Affiliations
Program''), other USIA or U.S. government linkage programs.
Proposals of feasibility studies to plan affiliations will not be
considered.
The ideal and most competitive proposal provides significant
institutional support and cost sharing from both the U.S. and foreign
institution(s) and promises sustainability beyond the grant term. The
U.S. institution(s) should collaborate with the foreign partner(s) in
planning and preparation. When planning the project, U.S. and foreign
institutions are strongly encouraged to consult with the Cultural
Affairs Officer (CAO) or Public Affairs Officer (PAO) at the
appropriate U.S. Information Service (USIS) office at the U.S. Embassy
or U.S. Consulate and with the Fulbright Commission, if one exists, in
the relevant country.
U.S. Partner and Participant Eligibility
In the U.S., participation in the program is open to accredited
two- and four-year colleges and universities, including graduate
schools. Applications from consortia of U.S. colleges and universities
are eligible. Secondary U.S. partners may include relevant non-
governmental organizations, non-profit service or professional
organizations. The lead U.S. institution in the consortium is
responsible for submitting the application and each application from a
consortium must document the lead school's stated authority to
represent the consortium. Participants representing the U.S.
institution who are traveling under USIA grant funds must be faculty or
staff from the participating institution(s) and must be U.S. citizens.
Foreign Partner and Participant Eligibility
Overseas, participation is open to recognized, degree-granting
institutions of post-secondary education, which may include
internationally recognized and established independent research
institutes. Secondary foreign partners may include relevant
governmental and non-governmental organizations, non-profit service or
professional organizations. Participants representing the foreign
institutions must be citizens, nationals, or permanent residents of the
country of the foreign partner and be qualified to hold a valid
passport and U.S. J-1 visa.
Ineligibility
A proposal will be deemed technically ineligible if:
(1) It does not fully adhere to the guidelines established herein
and in the Solicitation Package;
(2) It is not received by the deadline;
(3) The length of the proposed project is less than three years;
(4) It is not submitted by the U.S. partner;
(5) One of the partner institutions is ineligible;
(6) The foreign geographic location is ineligible;
(7) The project involves a partnership with more than one country
with the exception of trilateral APEC (Asia Pacific Economic
Cooperation) projects under Theme II: International Trade Policy &
Economic Security;
(8) The theme or academic discipline is ineligible;
(9) The amount requested of USIA exceeds $120,000 for the three-
year project.
Eligible Themes, Academic Disciplines, and Countries
The FY 97 competition is limited to the following three themes
which reflect USIA's foreign policy priorities:
(I) Democracy and Human Rights,
(II) International Trade Policy and Economic Security,
(III) The Environment and Sustainable Development.
Eligible academic disciplines and countries are listed under each
theme.
Inclusion of U.S./Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies
U.S./Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies are included as eligible
academic disciplines in order to allow for the development of a broader
cultural understanding and context in which to pursue a linkage project
within one of the stated themes. U.S./Area, Ethnic, and Cultural
Studies may be incorporated into a given project but only in
conjunction with one or more of the eligible academic disciplines
listed under a given theme. U.S./Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies
includes U.S. and partner country history, literature, and social
sciences.
Bilateral Projects Except for APEC and Canada/Mexico Environment and
Sustainable Development Projects
The program invites proposals for bilateral projects only,
involving the U.S. and one foreign country, with the exception of
proposals submitted for trilateral projects under Theme II:
International Trade Policy and Economic Security regarding APEC (Asia
Pacific Economic Cooperation) member economies and under Theme III: The
Environment and Sustainable Development with regard to Mexico and
Canada.
Theme I: Democracy and Human Rights
Projects are solicited which promote democracy building and human
rights and reinforce U.S. interests overseas. U.S. interests are most
secure in a world where accountable governments and rule of law
strengthen stability and project both political rights and free market
economies.
Within this context, Affiliation projects under Theme I should help
[[Page 51749]]
build democratic institutions, promote civic education, and increase
expertise in the rule of law and the administration of justice through
faculty and curriculum development, teaching and lecturing, and
outreach. It is anticipated that college and university faculty,
administrators, and students involved in cross-cultural democracy-
building partnerships will generate ideas and projects which will
contribute to modernization and reform in the university community,
public policy arena, NGO's, and the private sector.
Sub Theme: Civics Education
USIA has a particular interest in reviewing proposals whose goal is
to nurture the culture of democracy by focusing on the role of civics
education in a democratic society.
A linkage project incorporating a focus on civics education might
include topics and issues such as the philosophy of democratic
institutions; the philosophy and goals of public and private education;
the role of citizen behavior and social responsibility in a democracy;
the role of volunteerism, public interest groups, and major players
such as public and private schools, government, religious institutions,
public libraries, private organizations, and parents. A civics
education linkage might also address political practices such as the
balance of individual rights and group rights; reconciliation and
compromise within the democratic process; and the philosophy of
majority rule and minority rights.
Projects in civic education may combine one or more of the academic
disciplines listed below in order to pursue an affiliation whose
objectives are those of the overall College and University Affiliations
Program, namely teaching, lecturing, faculty development, curriculum
development (e.g. for teacher training), collaborative research, and
outreach (e.g. community outreach).
Eligible Academic Disciplines
Law (including Conflict Resolution, Intellectual Property Rights)
Political Science/Government/Public Policy/Public Administration
Journalism/Communications
Higher Education/Higher Education Administration U.S./Area, Ethnic,
and Cultural Studies (in combination with one or more of the academic
disciplines above)
Eligible Countries
Africa: Botswana, Cote D'Ivoire, Kenya, South Africa, Uganda;
American Republics: Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador,
Peru, Venezuela;
East Asia and Pacific: Cambodia, China (due to limited funding,
China projects are limited to Law and U.S./Area Ethnic, and Cultural
Studies in combination with Law), Vietnam, Mongolia;
East Europe, Central Europe, and the New Independent States:
Belarus (partnerships are encouraged with private, independent
universities there), Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, Romania, Russia (outside
Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Nizhniy Novgorod), Slovakia, Ukraine;
North Africa, Near East, and South Asia: India, Pakistan, Sri
Lanka, Gaza/West Bank;
Western Europe: Turkey.
Theme II: International Trade Policy and Economic Security
Projects are solicited which promote economic reform and the
development of market economies, trade, and investment overseas in
support of U.S. interests in a global economy through faculty and
curriculum development, teaching and lecturing, and outreach.
Affiliation projects under Theme II are anticipated to establish or
expand mutually beneficial academic programs in business and economics
and promote international investment by strengthening institutional
links to the private sector. Similarly, campuses should engage in
international business affiliations which make their training,
personnel, and research available to government and contribute to the
formulation of more open and responsible trade policy.
Eligible Academic Disciplines
Economics
Business/Business Administration/Business Management
Commercial Law (including Intellectual Property Rights)
U. S. Studies/Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies (in combination
with one or more of the academic fields above)
Eligible Countries
Africa: Botswana, Cote D'Ivoire, Kenya, South Africa, Uganda;
American Republics: Venezuela, Uruguay;
(Note: Chile and Mexico are eligible under the East Asia and Pacific
trilateral APEC category (below))
East Asia and Pacific: The following Asia Pacific Economic
Cooperation (APEC) member economies are eligible within a trilateral
affiliation between the U.S. and two APEC member economies: Australia,
Canada, China, Chile, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea,
Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Philippines,
Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam;
Western Europe:
(Note: Canada is eligible under the East Asia and Pacific Trilateral
APEC category above)
Theme III: The Environment and Sustainable Development
Projects are solicited which address environmental issues having an
impact on U.S. and global interests. Academic exchanges which support
responsible management of the Earth's natural resources is a key USIA
priority.
Given this priority, the vision for Affiliation projects under
Theme III is to establish or expand environmental studies programs
through faculty and curriculum development, teaching and lecturing, and
outreach. Faculty, administrators, and students involved in
international environmental studies ventures should make their training
and personnel resources, as well as results of their collaborative
research, available to government, NGOs, and business. These kinds of
environmental linkage activities contribute to sound policy-making and
long-term, global environmental sustainability.
Eligible Academic Disciplines
Environmental Sciences/Natural Resource Sciences
Environmental Policy and Resource Management
Sustainable Development
U.S. Studies/Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies (in combination with
one or more of the academic fields above)
Eligible Countries
Africa: South Africa, Uganda;
American Republics: Chile, Mexico (only as a trilateral with
Canada);
Western Europe: Canada (only as a trilateral with Mexico).
Visa Requirements
Programs must comply with J-1 exchange visitor visa regulations.
Please refer to program specific guidelines in the Solicitation Package
(POGI) for further details.
Travel
The assistance award recipient must arrange all travel through
their own travel agent.
Proposed Budget
No funding award will exceed a total of $120,000 for the three-year
grant term. Support for direct administrative costs associated with
grant activities will not exceed 15% of the total grant
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amount. All indirect costs are unallowable. 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, line-item budget for the
entire project. There must be a summary budget as well as a breakdown,
by year, reflecting both the administrative budget and the program
budget. Please refer to the Solicitation Package (POGI) for complete
budget format instructions.
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
Solicitation Package. Eligible proposals will be forwarded to outside
academicians and Agency officers for advisory review. Proposals will
also be reviewed by the appropriate regional office, i.e., the USIA
Office of African Affairs (AF), Office of American Republics Affairs
(AR), Office of East Asian and Pacific Affairs (EA), Office of East
European and NIS Affairs (EEN), Office of West European and Canadian
Affairs (WEU) and the Office of North African, Near Eastern, and South
Asian Affairs (NEA) and relevant USIA posts overseas, where
appropriate. 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 assistance awards
(grants or cooperative agreements) resides with the USIA contracts
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 proposal evaluation:
Academic Review Criteria
Proposals are reviewed by independent academic peer panels, with
geographic and disciplinary expertise, which make comments and
recommendations to the Agency based on the following criteria:
(1) Reasonable and feasible project objectives which are clearly
related to the project plan and activities.
(2) Appropriate and feasible project plans and a detailed schedule
which must include a well-reasoned combination of useful and
appropriate teaching, lecturing, faculty development, curriculum
development, collaborative research, and outreach. The various
activities should be clearly related to project objectives, but not
need be equally emphasized within the proposal.
(3) Inclusion of exchange visits of a length which will further the
project goals and activities. Except for planning visits, stays of one
month or more should be balanced with visits of an academic quarter,
semester, or year.
(4) Promise of the development of expertise and the advancement of
scholarship and teaching in the eligible academic disciplines or
themes.
(5) Quality of exchange participants' academic credentials, skills,
and experience relative to the goals and activities of the project plan
(e.g., language skills).
(6) Institutional resources adequate and appropriate to achieve the
project's goals. Relevant factors are: The match between partners; the
financial and political stability of the institutions; and availability
of a critical mass of faculty willing and able to participate.
(7) Evidence of strong institutional commitment by all
participating institutions, including demonstration of relevant and
successful prior interactions between institutions and an indication of
collaborative proposal planning.
(8) Evidence of a strong commitment to internationalization by
participating institutions (i.e., developing other international
projects and/or building upon past international activities).
(9) An effective evaluation plan which defines and articulates a
list of anticipated outcomes clearly related to the project goals and
activities and procedures for on-going monitoring and mid-term
corrective action.
Agency Review Criteria
(1) Clear indication that the proposal seeks to establish a truly
reciprocal and mutually beneficial institutional affiliation overseas
or to innovate an existing affiliation. The benefits do not have to be
the same for each partner or precisely balanced, but must be
essentially mutual.
(2) Positive assessment of program need, feasibility, and potential
impact by the relevant USIA post overseas.
(3) Academic quality, reflected in the academic review panel's
comments and recommendations.
(4) Institutional and geographic diversity of the U.S. and overseas
institutions (i.e., racial, ethnic, and gender composition of student
enrollments; small underrepresented institutions, two-year/community
colleges, and institutions in underrepresented geographic locations).
(5) The promise of sustainability and long-term impact which should
be reflected in a plan for continued, non-U.S. government support and
follow-on activities.
(6) Cost-effectiveness (i.e., competitive cost sharing, sufficient
number of participant exchanges relative to the project goals and
plan).
(7) Institutional track record and ability. The Agency will
consider the past performance of prior recipients and the demonstrated
potential of new applicants.
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 Agency 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 USIA procedures.
Dated: September 25, 1996.
Dell Pendergrast,
Deputy Associate Director for Educational and Cultural Affairs.
[FR Doc. 96-25041 Filed 10-2-96; 8:45 am]
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