Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program Washington Seminar; Request for Proposals

[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 14 (Friday, January 22, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3587-3589]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-1466]


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UNITED STATES INFORMATION AGENCY


Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program Washington Seminar; Request 
for Proposals

SUMMARY: The Office of Academic Programs of the United States 
Information Agency's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs 
announces an open competition to administer the Hubert H. Humphrey 
Fellowship Program Washington Seminar. Washington-based public and 
private non-profit organizations meeting the provisions described in 
IRS regulation 26 CFR 1.501(c) may submit proposals to assist USIA with 
the planning and implementation of a seminar lasting up to five days 
for approximately 132 mid-career professionals from developing 
countries and selected Eastern European countries. The seminar will 
take place in the first half of November, 1999 (please see seminar date 
details below).

Program Information

    Overview: The Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program provides a year 
of non-degree, graduate level study and related professional 
experiences to mid-level professionals from developing countries and 
selected Eastern European countries. Fellowships are granted

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competitively to public and private sector candidates with a commitment 
to public service in the fields of natural resources/environmental 
management, public policy analysis/public administration, economic 
development, agricultural development/economics, finance/banking, human 
resource management/personnel, urban and regional planning, public 
health policy/management, technology policy/management, educational 
planning, and communications/journalism. Fellows are placed by 
professional field in groups of seven to 15 at one of 11 participating 
host universities around the country. Fellows are nominated for the 
program by USIA overseas posts or Fulbright commissions based on their 
potential for national leadership, commitment to public service, and 
professional and academic qualifications. By providing these future 
leaders with exposure to U.S. society, and to current U.S. approaches 
to the fields in which they work, the program provides a basis for 
establishing lasting ties among U.S. citizens and their professional 
counterparts in other countries.
    The objectives of the workshop are to:
    •  Enhance fellows' leadership skills through understanding 
of U.S. social, cultural, and political processes and institutions, 
including the unique political environment of Washington, D.C.
    •  Emphasize opportunities for regional and professional 
networking among fellows and with U.S. colleagues.
    Guidelines: Non-profit organizations with key program staff based 
in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area and available for frequent 
meetings with USIA staff are invited to submit proposals. Organizations 
also must have experience in conference management, professional 
exchanges, and international exchanges. Only organizations with at 
least four years of experience in international exchange activities are 
eligible to apply for this award. The grant period should begin on 
August 1, 1999 and conclude on May 31, 2000. The seminar will 
accommodate approximately 132 participants, in addition to USIA and 
other staff.
    There are two options for conference dates: October 31-November 5 
and November 14-19, 1999. Organizations may choose their preferred set 
of dates according to cost effectiveness and project feasibility.
    The recipient organization will be responsible for most 
arrangements associated with this seminar. These include organizing a 
coherent schedule of activities, making lodging and transportation 
arrangements for participants, preparing all necessary support 
materials, working with Humphrey Fellowship Coordinators at host 
universities and IIE staff to achieve maximum workshop effectiveness, 
conducting a final evaluation, and other details which are outlined in 
the solicitation package. Drafts of all printed materials developed for 
the seminar should be submitted to the Agency for review and approval. 
All official documents should highlight the U.S. Government's role as 
program director and funding source. Please refer to program guidelines 
in the solicitation package for further details.
    Budget Guidelines: The award for this seminar may not exceed 
$165,000, and cost sharing is strongly encouraged. Applicants must 
submit a comprehensive, line-item budget for the entire seminar. There 
must be a summary budget, as well as separate sub-budgets for 
administrative and program costs. Applicants may provide additional 
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 USIA 
concerning this RFP should reference the above title and number E/ASU-
99-09.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: The Specialized Programs Branch, E/
ASU, Room 349, U.S. Information Agency, 301 4th Street, SW., 
Washington, DC 20547, telephone: 202-619-5289 and fax number: 202-401-
1433. Applicants may also send a message via Internet to 
lrieder@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 Senior Program Officer Leigh Rieder 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 http://
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 Thursday, 
February 18, 1999. 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 six copies of the application should be sent 
to: U.S. Information Agency, Ref.: E/ASU-99-09, Office of Grants 
Management, E/XE, Room 326, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547.

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,'' 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 fullest 
extent deemed feasible.

Year 2000 Compliance Requirement (Y2K Requirement)

    The Year 2000 (Y2K) issue is a broad operational and accounting 
problem that could potentially prohibit organizations from processing 
information in accordance with Federal management and program specific 
requirements including data exchange

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with USIA. The inability to process information in accordance with 
Federal requirements could result in grantees' being required to return 
funds that have not been accounted for properly.
    USIA therefore requires all organizations use Y2K compliant systems 
including hardware, software, and firmware. Systems must accurately 
process data and dates (calculating, comparing and sequencing) both 
before and after the beginning of the year 2000 and correctly adjust 
for leap years.
    Additional information addressing the Y2K issue may be found at the 
General Services Administration's Office of Information Technology 
website at http://www.itpolicy.gsa.gov.

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 and then forwarded to panels of 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.
    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 Agency's 
mission.
    2. Program planning: Detailed agenda and relevant work plan should 
demonstrate substantive undertakings, as well as showing clearly how 
the seminar's objectives will be met. Agenda and plan should adhere to 
all program guidelines in the Solicitation Package.
    3. Multiplier effect/impact: Proposed program should strengthen 
long-term mutual understanding, including maximum sharing of 
information, and encourage continued institutional and individual 
linkages after the fellowship year.
    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 an program 
content.
    5. Institutional Capacity: Proposed personnel and institutional 
resources should be adequate and appropriate to achieve the seminar's 
goals.
    6. Institution's Record/Ability: Proposals should demonstrate an 
institutional record of successfully administering programs for 
professional-level participants, 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.
    7. Project Evaluation: Proposals should include a plan to evaluate 
the seminar'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 link outcomes to original project 
objectives is recommended. Successful applications will be expected to 
submit intermediate reports during the planning and preparation 
process.
    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.
    9. 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, 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 above is provided through legislation.

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: January 11, 1999.
William B. Bader,
Associate Director for Educational and Cultural Affairs.
[FR Doc. 99-1466 Filed 1-21-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8230-01-M