Program Title The FREEDOM Support Act/Future Leaders Exchange (FSA/FLEX) Program; Inbound, NIS Secondary School Initiative

[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 185 (Thursday, September 24, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51117-51119]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-25155]


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UNITED STATES INFORMATION AGENCY


Program Title The FREEDOM Support Act/Future Leaders Exchange 
(FSA/FLEX) Program; Inbound, NIS Secondary School Initiative

NOTICE: Request for proposals.

SUMMARY: The Youth Programs Division/Office of Citizen Exchanges of the 
United States Information Agency's Bureau of Educational and Cultural 
Affairs announces an open competition for the FREEDOM Support Act 
Future Leaders Exchange Program. Public and private non-profit 
organizations meeting the provisions described in IRS regulation 26 CFR 
1.501 may submit proposals to recruit and select host families of high 
school students between the ages of 15 and 17 from the New Independent 
States (NIS) of the former Soviet Union. In addition to screening, 
selecting, and orienting host families and enrolling students in 
American high schools, organizations will be responsible for: Orienting 
students at the local level; providing support services for students; 
arranging enhancement activities; monitoring students during their stay 
in the U.S.; providing reentry training; and assessing student 
performance and progress. The award of grants and the number of 
students who will participate is subject to the availability of funding 
in fiscal year 1999.

Program Information

Background

    Academic year 1999/00 will be the seventh year of the FSA/FLEX 
program, which now includes over 6000 alumni. This component of the NIS 
Secondary School Initiative was originally authorized under the FREEDOM 
Support Act of 1992 and is funded by annual allocations from the 
Foreign Operations and USIA appropriations. The goals of the program 
are to promote mutual understanding and foster a relationship between 
the people of the NIS and the U.S.; assist the successor generation of 
the NIS to develop the qualities it will need to lead in the 
transformation of those countries in the 21st Century; and to promote 
democratic values and civic responsibility by giving NIS youth the 
opportunity to live in American society for an academic year.

Objectives

    To place approximately 930 pre-selected high school students from 
the NIS in qualified, well-motivated host families and welcoming 
schools. To expose program participants to American culture and 
democracy through homestay experiences and enhancement activities that 
will enable them to attain a broad view of the society and culture of 
the U.S. To encourage FSA/FLEX program participants to share their 
culture, lifestyle, and traditions with U.S. citizens.

Other Components

    Two organizations have been awarded grants to perform the following 
functions: Recruitment and selection of students; targeted recruitment 
for students with disabilities; assistance in documentation and 
preparation of IAP-66 forms; preparation of cross-cultural materials; 
pre-departure orientation; international travel from home to host 
community and return; facilitate ongoing communication between the 
natural parents and placement organizations, as needed; maintenance of 
a student database and provision of data to USIA; and ongoing follow-up 
with alumni following their return to the NIS. Additionally, a separate 
grant may be awarded for a one-week mid-year civic education program in 
Washington, DC, for a select number of students who successfully 
compete for the Washington program. Students who require additional 
English language training before entering their host communities will 
attend an English upgrade and cultural orientation program, which is 
conducted under a grant exclusively for that purpose. The announcements 
of the competitions for these grants are being published separately.

Guidelines

    Organizations chosen under this competition are responsible for the 
following: Recruitment, screening, selection, and orientation of host 
families; school enrollment; local orientation; placement of a small 
number of students with disabilities; specialized training of local 
staff and volunteers to work with NIS students; preparation and 
dissemination of materials to students pertaining to the placement 
organization; program enhancement activities; supervision and 
monitoring of students; trouble shooting and periodic reporting on 
their progress; when appropriate, communication with the organizations 
conducting other program components; evaluation of the students' 
performance; evaluation of the organization's success in achieving 
program goals; and re-entry training to prepare students for 
readjustment to their native culture.
    Applicants may request a grant for the placement of at least 20 
students. There is no ceiling on the number of students who may be 
placed by one organization. It is anticipated that 10 to 15 grants will 
be awarded for this component of the FLEX program. Placements will be 
spread all across the U.S. Students may be clustered in one or more 
regions or dispersed. If dispersed, applicants should demonstrate that 
local staffing and training of local staff is adequate to ensure their 
competence in supervising and counseling students from the NIS. Please 
refers to the Solicitation Package, available on request from the 
address listed below, for details on essential program elements, 
permissible costs, and criteria used to select students.
    Grants should begin at the point that the complete applications on 
selected finalists are delivered to the placement organizations, 
approximately on April 1, 1999. Participants arrive in their host 
communities in the month of August and remain for 10 or 11 months until 
their departure during the period mid-June to early July 2000. Some 
students will depart at the end of May to

[[Page 51118]]

complete university exams in their home countries.
    Administration of the program must be in compliance with reporting 
and withholding regulations for federal, state, and local taxes as 
applicable. Recipient organizations should demonstrate tax regulation 
adherence in the proposal narrative and budget.
    Applicants should submit the health and accident insurance plans 
they intend to use for students on this program. USIA will compare the 
plan with the Agency plan and make a determination of which will be 
applicable.
    Participants will travel on J-1 visas issued by USIA using a 
government program number. Organizations must comply with J-1 visa 
regulations in carrying out their responsibilities under the FLEX 
program. Please refer to Solicitation Package for further information

Budget Guidelines

    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 breakdowns 
reflecting both administrative and program costs. 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) Monthly and incidentals allowances for participants, as 
established by USIA.
    (2) Costs associated with student enhancements and orientations.
    (3) Administrative costs associated with host family recruiting, 
staff training, monitoring, and other functions.
    (4) Health and accident insurance.
    Please refer to the Solicitation Package for complete budget 
guidelines and formatting instruction.

Announcement Title and Number

    All correspondence with USIA concerning this RFP should reference 
the above title and number E/P-99-05.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The Office of Youth Program, E/PY, Rm 
568, U.S. Information Agency, 301 4th Street, SW, Washington, DC 20547, 
tel. (202) 619-6299, fax (202) 619-5311, e-mail daronson@usia.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 USIA Program Officer Diana Aronson on all other inquiries and 
correspondence.
    Please read the complete Federal Register announcement before 
sending inquiries or submitting proposals. Once the RFP deadline has 
passed, Agency 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 USIA's 
website at www.usia.gov/education/rfps. Please read all 
information before downloading.

To Receive a Solicitation Package Via Fax on Demand

    The entire Solicitation Package may be requested from the Bureau's 
Grants Information Fax on Demand System, which is accessed by calling 
202/401-7616. The Table of Contents listing available documents and 
order numbers should be the first order when entering the system.

Deadline for Proposals

    All proposal copies must be received at the U.S. Information Agency 
by 5 p.m. Washington, DC time on Friday, October 30, 1998. 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 6 copies of the application should be sent 
to: U.S. Information Agency, Ref.: E/P-99-05, Office of Grants 
Management, E/XE, Room 336, 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. USIA will transmit 
these files electronically to USIA 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, 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. ``Pub. 
L. 104-319 provides that ``in carrying out programs of educational and 
cultural exchange in countries whose people do not fully enjoy freedom 
and democracy,'' USIA ``shall take appropriate steps to provide 
opportunities for participation in such programs to human rights and 
democracy leaders of such countries.'' Proposals should reflect 
advancement of this goal in their program contents, to the full extent 
deemed feasible.

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. All eligible proposals will be reviewed by the 
program office, as well as by USIA's East European and NIS Area Office 
and the USIA post(s) overseas, where appropriate. Eligible proposals 
will be forwarded to panels the USIA officers for advisory review. 
Proposals may also be reviewed by the Office of the General Counsel or 
by other Agency elements. Final funding decisions are at the discretion 
of USIA's Associate Director for Educational and Cultural Affairs. 
Final technical authority for assistance awards (grants or cooperative 
agreements) 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 the Agency'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

[[Page 51119]]

reasonable and feasible and should coincide with those for the FLEX 
program stated above. 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 substantive 
support of the Bureau's policy on diversity both in host community and 
family placements and in program content (e.g., orientation, 
enhancement activities).
    6. Institutional Capacity: Proposed personnel and institutional 
resources should be adequate and appropriate to achieve the program 
goals and efficiency in carrying out all functions.
    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 grant 
recipients and the demonstrated potential of new applicants.
    8. Project Evaluation: Proposals should include a plan to evaluate 
achievements and success in dealing with problems. A draft survey 
questionnaire or other technique plus description of a methodology to 
use to link outcomes to the stated objectives is recommended. 
Successful applicants will be expected to submit quarterly reports.
    9. Cost-effectiveness: The overhead and administrative costs, 
including salaries and honoraria, should be kept as low as possible. 
All other items should be reasonable and appropriate to conducting the 
program efficiently.
    10. 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, Pub. L. 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 pertaining to the USIA 
and Foreign Operations appropriations.

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 15, 1998.
John P. Loiello,
Associate Director for Educational and Cultural Affairs.
[FR Doc. 98-25155 Filed 9-23-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8230-01-M