[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 250 (Thursday, December 28, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 82444-82445]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-33204]
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DEPARTMENT OF STATE
[Public Notice 3530]
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs Request for Grant
Proposals: Russian-U.S. Young Leadership Fellows for Public Service
Program
SUMMARY: The Office of Academic Exchange Programs of the Bureau of
Educational and Cultural Affairs announces an open competition for
administration of the Russian-U.S. Young Leadership Fellows for Public
Service Program for the academic year 2002-2003. Public and private
non-profit organizations meeting the provisions described in IRS
regulation 26 CFR 1.501(c) may submit proposals to administer
recruitment, selection, placement, monitoring, evaluation and follow-on
activities. Organizations with less than four years of experience in
conducting international exchange are not eligible for this
competition.
Program Information
The Russian-U.S Young Leadership Fellows for Public Service Program
began in 1999 as an initiative to provide practical experience in
developing personal leadership skills and promoting the importance of
community responsibility for young Russian and American students. Under
the auspices of the FREEDOM Support Act, the program will enrich the
experience and education of young people who show the promise of
contributing to the betterment of their own countries and to the
increased mutual understanding between the two countries.
The educational exchange program combines academic course-work with
complementary community service and an internship, and targets Russian
and American college graduates who have demonstrated leadership skills
and an interest in public service. The program provides full
scholarships for one year of non-degree study in the United States or
Russia at qualified universities and colleges. The Russian and American
students have different but complementary program designs. Russian
students select a concentration in either Community Affairs,
Governmental Affairs, or Corporate Affairs. American students focus on
Russian Studies.
ECA will award one grant for this program. Should an applicant
organization wish to work with other organizations in the
implementation of this program, a subgrant agreement must be arranged.
Programs and projects must conform with Bureau requirements and
guidelines outlined in the Solicitation Package. ECA programs are
subject to the availability of funds. Programs must comply with J-1
visa regulations. Please refer to Solicitation Package for further
information.
Budget Guidelines
Applicants must submit a comprehensive budget for the entire
program. Awards may not exceed $1,700,000. 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.
Announcement Title and Number
All correspondence with the Bureau concerning this RFGP should
reference the above title and number ECA/A/E/EUR-02-01.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The Office of Academic Exchange
Programs, ECA/A/E/EUR, Room 246, U.S. Department of State, 301 4th
Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547, Phone: 202-205-0525; Fax: 202-260-
7985, [email protected] 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
website: 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, March 2,
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 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-02-01, 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 section at
the US Embassy for its review, with the goal of reducing the time it
takes to get embassy 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 content, to the
fullest extent deemed feasible.
[[Page 82445]]
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 forwarded to
panels of Bureau officers 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 or
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. Quality of the program idea: Proposals should exhibit
originality, substance, precision, and relevance to the Bureau's
mission.
2. Program planning and ability to achieve program objectives:
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. Objectives should
be reasonable, feasible, and flexible. Proposals should clearly
demonstrate how the institution will meet the program's objectives and
plan.
3. 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.
4. 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 (selection of
participants, program venue and program evaluation) and program content
(orientation and wrap-up sessions, program meetings, resource materials
and follow-up activities).
5. Institutional Capacity: Proposed personnel and institutional
resources should be adequate and appropriate to achieve the program or
project's goals. 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.
6. Follow-on Activities: Proposals should provide a plan for
continued follow-on activity (without Bureau support) ensuring that
Bureau supported programs are not isolated events.
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 is 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.
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 cited 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: December 21, 2000.
William B. Bader,
Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S.
Department of State.
[FR Doc. 00-33204 Filed 12-27-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P