[Federal Register: March 13, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 49)]
[Notices]
[Page 12146-12149]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr13mr03-144]
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DEPARTMENT OF STATE
[Public Notice 4296]
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs Request for Grant
Proposals: Fulbright Teacher and Administrator Exchange Program
SUMMARY: The Office of Global Educational Programs of the Bureau of
Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) announces an open competition to
administer the Fulbright Teacher and Administrator Exchange Program.
Public and private non-profit organizations meeting the provisions
described in Internal Revenue Code section 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3) may
submit proposals.
Program Information
Overview: The Fulbright Teacher and Administrator Program provides
opportunities for elementary and secondary teachers, administrators,
and other school or community college faculty to participate in direct
exchanges of positions with colleagues from other countries for six
weeks, a semester, or a full academic year.
The program provides a rich professional growth opportunity while
enhancing mutual understanding among foreign and U.S. teachers,
administrators, their students, and host
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communities. The major program components include alumni relations,
recruitment and outreach, participant matching, orientation of U.S. and
foreign participants, administration of training and professional
meeting programs of the Fall and Spring workshops, and monitoring and
evaluation protocols. The cooperating agency must maintain a flexible
approach in response to changing program needs and priorities.
Effective and direct communications between the cooperating agency and
ECA's Teacher Exchange Branch will be necessary at all times.
Consequently, the cooperating agency is required to have a Washington,
D.C.-based office to facilitate communication. A detailed listing of
responsibilities is provided in the Project Objectives, Goals, and
Implementation (POGI) document and should be consulted in preparing the
proposal.
Alumni Development
Alumni program initiatives should emphasize the development of the
program's alumni groups throughout the United States. The cooperating
agency will provide support to individual U.S. alumni and assist them
in developing their respective alumni groups. Alumni groups may develop
small projects funded through this grant to enhance the program, such
as school-to-school partnerships, etc. In addition, data collection and
operation of a database of grantees and alumni, with subject fields
defined by the Branch, will be required, and must be compatible with
the Bureau's Academic Exchange Information System dbase (AEIS).
Recruitment and Outreach
The cooperating agency is responsible for recruitment of U.S.
program participants (teachers and administrators) through a nation-
wide recruitment campaign. Selection is based on teachers' and
administrators' professional background and leadership potential.
Foreign exchange participants are recruited and nominated by U.S.
embassies or overseas Fulbright Commissions. To qualify for the
program, applicants must have a minimum of three years professional
experience, hold an equivalent full-time teaching position and a
Bachelor's degree or higher, and be fluent in English.
The cooperating agency will submit a yearly recruitment and
outreach plan to the Branch and will be responsible for all recruitment
activities including attendance at conferences, mass mailings of
promotional materials, responses to general inquires, web site
development, and creating and updating handbooks.
Matching
The cooperating agency forwards all U.S. candidates who are
interviewed by volunteer peer review committees. After that step the
U.S. applicants are matched with foreign partners whose professional
and personal backgrounds are congruent with the backgrounds of their
American partners. For example, elementary teachers are matched with
elementary teachers and secondary school math teachers with like
professional counterparts in an eligible foreign country. The
cooperating agency simultaneously forwards candidate dossiers to over
30 countries for consideration. The dossiers are evaluated and matched
by overseas counterparts, such as the Fulbright Commission, the public
affairs section of the U.S. Embassy, or an in-country hosting
organization, depending upon the circumstances in country. All final
matches must be mutually agreed upon by all U.S. and overseas
counterparts. The Teacher Exchange Branch will play a coordinating role
in this process and liaise between the U.S. cooperating agency and the
overseas counterpart.
Professional Meeting Program
Regional meetings for foreign teachers participating in the program
are held at seven locations in the United States in the Fall of each
academic year and are designed to stimulate the teachers to discuss and
think through the challenges of adjusting to teaching and living in the
United States In addition, Spring meetings are held in 12 to 15
regional sites in the United States, to debrief the foreign teachers as
well as prepare them for re-entry to their home countries. U.S.
teachers selected for the upcoming program year will also attend the
Spring meetings in preparation for their overseas exchange. The
cooperating agency will be responsible for obtaining local
administrative and program support for both Fall and Spring meetings
and will assist in staffing a portion of the meetings.
Orientation
Approximately 530 U.S. and foreign Fulbright Teacher Exchange
Program participants and their family members attend an orientation
program in Washington, DC in the Summer, prior to their exchange year.
The orientation will provide the participants with opportunities to
meet one-on-one prior to their reciprocal exchanges. The cooperating
agency will organize the orientation; activities include formal
presentations and workshops on educational and cross-cultural issues
that will help prepare participants for their year or semester abroad.
Monitoring
During the academic year, the cooperating agency monitors the
professional and personal well-being of the foreign teachers. Staff
members from the cooperating organization monitor the performance of
participants and counsel foreign participants, if needed, at the Fall
and Spring meetings. The cooperating agency will staff a full-time
position solely for monitoring and supporting program participants. The
cooperating agency consults with Branch staff and provides written
reports on any issue that may adversely affect an exchange or the
program in general.
Other Administrative Support
The cooperating agency is expected to provide extensive support to
the Teacher and Administrator Exchange Program. Bi-monthly meetings,
and other meetings pertaining to the grant's core program components,
will be held between the Branch and the cooperating agency on a regular
basis. The cooperating agency will also be responsible for maintaining
telephone, e-mail, and fax communications with appropriate Branch and
ECA staff. Other administrative services to be provided by the
cooperating agency include: paying stipends to and withholding taxes
for selected foreign grantees; and supporting special projects.
Evaluation
The cooperating agency will be responsible for developing,
collecting, analyzing, and disseminating means of participant
evaluation for workshops and the orientation, and developing a
summative program evaluation at the end of each academic year. The
evaluation of these activities will include, but not be limited to, an
assessment of the effectiveness of each of the program components and
may include suggestions for program improvement and innovation.
Guidelines
Pending availability of funds, the grant will begin on October 1,
2003 and will run through September 30, 2006. The administrative
portion of the grant will only cover October 1, 2003 to September 30,
2004. U.S. program participants will be recruited nationwide and from
the full range of the teaching profession from primary to the community
college level. The cooperating agency will also provide support for
approximately 175 foreign
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teachers and administrators from approximately 30 countries. Contingent
upon satisfactory performance based on annual reviews, the Bureau
intends to renew the award each year for a period of not less than four
additional years.
Programs must comply with J-1 visa regulations. Please refer to the
Solicitation Package for further information.
Budget Guidelines
The Bureau anticipates awarding one grant in the amount of $2.3
million to support program and administrative costs required to
implement this program. Bureau grant guidelines require that
organizations with less than four years experience in conducting
international exchanges be limited to $60,000 in Bureau funding.
Therefore, organizations that cannot demonstrate at least four years
experience in conducting international exchanges are ineligible to
apply under this competition. The Bureau encourages applicants to
provide maximum levels of cost-sharing and funding from private sources
in support of its programs.
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 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/
S/X-04-01.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The Office of Global Educational
Programs, ECA/A/S/X, Room Number 349, U.S. Department of State, SA-44,
301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547, 202 619-4555 or fax 202 401-
1433, mpizarro@pd.state.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 Bureau Senior
Program Officer Mary Lou Johnson-Pizarro 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 Web site at
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 May 2, 2003. 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/S/X-04-01, Program Management, ECA/EX/PM,
Room 534, 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,'' 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.
Adherence to All Regulations Governing the J Visa
The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs is placing renewed
emphasis on the secure and proper administration of Exchange Visitor (J
visa) Programs and adherence by grantees and sponsors to all
regulations governing the J visa. Therefore, proposals should
demonstrate the applicant's capacity to meet all requirements governing
the administration of Exchange Visitor Programs as set forth in 22 CFR
6Z, including the oversight of Responsible Officers and Alternate
Responsible Officers, screening and selection of program participants,
provision of pre-arrival information and orientation to participants,
monitoring of participants, proper maintenance and security of forms,
record-keeping, reporting and other requirements. The Grantee will be
responsible for issuing DS-2019 forms to participants in this program.
A copy of the complete regulations governing the administration of
Exchange Visitor (J) programs is available at http://
exchanges.state.gov
or from: United States Department of State, Office
of Exchange Coordination and Designation, ECA/EC/ECD--SA-44, Room 734,
301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547, Telephone: (202) 401-9810,
FAX: (202) 401-9809.
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 and will be subject to compliance with
Federal and Bureau regulations and guidelines and 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 cooperative agreement 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 and Clarity of the Program planning: Proposals should
exhibit originality, substance, precision, and
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relevance to the Bureau's mission. 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.
2. 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 evaluation) and program content
(orientation, workshops and wrap-up sessions, resource materials and
follow-up activities).
3. Ability to achieve program objectives: Objectives should be
reasonable, feasible, and flexible. Proposals should clearly
demonstrate how the institution will meet the program's objectives and
plan.
4. 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 program planning and implementation, including
responsible fiscal management and full compliance with all reporting
requirements.
5. 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 are recommended. Successful applicants will be
expected to submit intermediate reports after each project component is
concluded or quarterly, whichever is less frequent.
6. Cost-effectiveness and Cost-sharing: 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 above is provided through legislation.
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: March 5, 2003.
C. Miller Crouch,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Educational and
Cultural Affairs, Department of State.
[FR Doc. 03-5762 Filed 3-12-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P