[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 17 (Thursday, January 25, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7831-7833]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-2189]
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DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs
[Public Notice 3556]
Business Management Curriculum Development and Faculty Training
in Albania
ACTION: Request for Grant Proposals (RFGP).
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SUMMARY: The Office of Global Educational Programs of the Bureau of
Educational and Cultural Affairs in the Department of State announces
an open competition for an assistance award to develop and strengthen
university-level business management education in Albania. The project
will support the development of instructional materials and faculty
training in business with emphasis on business management, business law
and ethics, corporate governance, accounting, organizational
management, finance, banking, and alternative conflict resolution in
business. Accredited post-secondary institutions meeting the provisions
described in IRS regulation 26 CFR 1.501(c) may submit proposals that
address these objectives. The means for achieving these objectives may
include mentoring, case study development, teaching, consultation,
research, distance education, internship training and professional
outreach to public and private sector managers and entrepreneurs.
Overview and Project Objectives
The project is designed to support business management education at
one or more post-secondary educational institutions in Albania and to
address current issues affecting Albania's transition to a market
economy, including the ethical dimensions of business practices and the
factors that will encourage the development of a more favorable
investment climate. The U.S. applicant should describe how it will work
cooperatively with one or more post-secondary institutions in Albania.
Applicants are encouraged to develop creative strategies to pursue
these objectives.
Bureau policy stipulates that awards to organizations with less
than four years experience in conducting international exchanges are
limited to $60,000. The Bureau anticipates awarding one or two grants
for a total amount not to exceed $188,300. Funds will be awarded for a
period up to three years to assist with the costs of exchanges,
educational materials, and to increase library holdings and improve
Internet connections. Up to 25% of the grant total may be used to
assist with the costs of project administration. Indirect
administrative costs are not eligible for Bureau funding under this
competition, but may be presented as part of the U.S. institution's
contribution.
The project should pursue its objectives through a strategy that
coordinates the participation of junior and senior faculty,
administrators, or graduate students for any appropriate combination of
teaching, research, mentoring, internships, and outreach, for exchange
visits ranging from one week to an academic year. Visits of one
semester or longer for participants from Albania are strongly
encouraged, especially for junior members of the Albanian faculty.
Program activities should be tied to the goals and objectives of the
project. The strategy
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may include short but intensive English language training for selected
participants whose English knowledge skills need to be strengthened or
refreshed.
If the proposed project would occur within the context of a
previous or ongoing project, the proposal should explain how the
request for Bureau funding would build upon the pre-existing
relationship or complement previous and concurrent projects, which must
be listed and described with details about the amounts and sources of
external support. Previous projects should be described in the
proposal, and the results of the evaluation of previous cooperative
efforts should be summarized.
U.S. Institution and Participant Eligibility
In the United States, participation in the program is open to
accredited two and four-year colleges and universities, including
graduate schools. Applications from community colleges, minority-
serving institutions, and consortia or other combinations of U.S.
colleges and universities are eligible. Secondary U.S. partners may
include governmental and non-governmental organizations, as well as
non-profit service and professional organizations. The lead U.S.
university in the consortium or other combination of cooperating
institutions is responsible for submitting the application. Each
application must document the lead organization's authority to
represent all U.S. cooperating partners.
With the exception of outside consultants reporting on the degree
to which project objectives have been achieved, participants
representing a U.S. institution and traveling under the Bureau's grant
funds must be teachers, advanced graduate students who are teaching or
research assistants, or administrators from the participating
institution(s). Participants representing a U.S. institution must be
U.S. citizens. Advanced graduate students who are teaching or research
assistants are eligible for Bureau-funded participation in this program
only if they are working under the direction of an accompanying faculty
participant or project director.
Albanian Institutional and Participant Eligibility
Participation is open to recognized institutions of post-secondary
education. Secondary foreign partners may include relevant governmental
and non-governmental organizations, as well as non-profit service and
professional organizations concerned with issues in business
management, business law, business ethics, and alternative conflict
resolution in business. Foreign participants must be citizens or
permanent residents of Albania who are eligible to receive a J-1 visa.
Budget Guidelines
Applicants may submit a budget proposing up to $188,300. The Bureau
anticipates awarding one or two grants for this project. Requests for
amounts smaller than the maximum are eligible. Budget notes should
carefully justify the amounts needed. There must be a summary budget as
well as a breakdown reflecting the program and administrative budgets
including unit costs. Cost sharing will be considered an important
indicator of institutional commitment.
Please refer to the Solicitation Package for complete guidelines
and formatting instructions.
Announcement Title and Number
All correspondence with the Bureau of Educational and Cultural
Affairs concerning this RFGP should reference the above title
``Business Management Curriculum Development and Faculty Training in
Albania'' and reference number ECA/A/S/U-01-16.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Contact the Humphrey Fellowships and
Institutional Linkages Branch, Office of Global Educational Programs,
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs; ECA/A/S/U, Room 349, SA-44;
U.S. Department of State, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547,
phone (202) 619-5289, fax: (202) 401-1433, e-mail:
[email protected] to request a Solicitation Package.
The Solicitation Package contains detailed award criteria, required
application forms, and guidelines for preparing proposals, including
specific criteria for preparation of the proposal budget. Please
specify the above reference number on all 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 at http://exchanges.state.gov/education/rfgps. Please read all
information before downloading.
Deadline of Proposals
All proposal copies must be received at the Bureau of Educational
and Cultural Affairs by 5 p.m. Washington D.C. time on Friday, April
20, 2001. Faxed documents will not be accepted at any time. Documents
postmarked by the due date but received on a later date will not be
accepted. It is the responsibility of each applicant to ensure
compliance with the deadline.
Approximate Program Dates
Grants should begin on or about September 1, 2001.
Duration: September 1, 2001-September 30, 2004.
Submissions
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, Ref.: ECA/A/S/U-01-16, Program
Management, ECA/EX/PM, Room 534, 301 4th Street, S.W., Washington, D.C.
20547.
All copies should include the documents specified under Tabs A
through E in the ``Project Objectives, Goals, and Implementation''
(POGI) section of the Solicitation Package. The documents under Tab F
of the POGI should be submitted with the original application and with
one of the ten copies.
Proposals that do not follow RFGP requirements and the guidelines
appearing in the POGI and PSI may be excluded from consideration due to
technical ineligibility.
Applicants must also submit the ``Executive Summary'' and
``Proposal Narrative'' 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. The Bureau will
transmit these files electronically to the Public Affairs Office in
Tirana for its review, with the goal of reducing time it takes to get
the post's 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
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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 Section
of the U.S. Embassy in Tirana. Eligible proposals will be subject to
review for compliance with Federal and Bureau regulations and
guidelines and will be 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 (grants or cooperative agreements) resides with the
Bureau's Grants Officer.
Review Criteria
State Department officers in Washington, DC and overseas will use
the criteria below to reach funding recommendations and decisions.
Technically eligible applications will be competitively reviewed
according to the criteria stated below. These criteria are not rank-
ordered or weighted.
1. Broad Significance and Clarity of Institutional Objectives
Proposals should outline clearly formulated objectives that relate
specifically to the needs of the participating institutions. Project
objectives should also have significant but realistically anticipated
ongoing consequences for the participating institutions and demonstrate
how these consequences will also contribute to the transition in
Albania to a more transparent, market-oriented economy.
2. Creativity and Feasibility of Strategy To Achieve Project Objectives
Strategies to achieve project objectives should demonstrate the
feasibility of doing so during a three-year period by utilizing and
reinforcing exchange activities realistically and with creativity.
3. Support of Diversity
Proposals should demonstrate substantive support of the Bureau's
policy on diversity by explaining how issues of diversity relate to
project objectives and how these issues will be addressed during
project implementation. Proposals should also outline the institutional
profile of each participating institution with regard to issues of
diversity.
4. Institutional Commitment
Proposals should demonstrate significant understanding of the
institutional needs of the Albanian partner institution(s) and of the
U.S. institution's capacity to address these needs while also
benefiting from its involvement with the Albanian partner(s). Proposals
should also demonstrate a strong commitment, during and after the
period of grant activity, to cooperate in the pursuit of institutional
objectives.
5. Institutional Record/Ability
Proposals should demonstrate an institutional record of
administering successful exchange programs, including responsible
fiscal management and full compliance with all reporting requirements
for past Bureau grants as determined by the State Department's
contracts officers. The Bureau will consider the past performance of
prior recipients and the demonstrated potential of new applicants.
Reviewers will also consider the quality of exchange participants'
academic credentials, skills, commitment and experience relative to the
goals and activities of the project plan.
6. Project Evaluation
The proposal should outline a methodology for determining the
degree to which a project meets its objectives, both while the project
is underway and at its conclusion. The final project evaluation should
include an external component and should provide observations about the
project's influence within the participating institutions as well as
their surrounding communities or societies.
7. Cost-Effectiveness
Administrative and program costs should be reasonable and
appropriate with cost sharing provided as a reflection of the
applicant's commitment to the project.
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 Support for East European
Democracy (SEED) Act of 1989.
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: January 17, 2001.
Helena Kane Finn,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Educational and
Cultural Affairs, Department of State.
[FR Doc. 01-2189 Filed 1-24-01; 8:45 am]
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