Central and Eastern European Training Program (CEETP-5)

UNITED STATES INFORMATION AGENCY

Central and Eastern European Training Program (CEETP-5)

action: Notice--Request for Proposals.

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summary: The Office of Citizen Exchanges of the United States

Information Agency's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs

announces an open competition for an assistance award. Public or

private non-profit organizations meeting the provisions described in

IRS regulation 501(c)(3) may apply to develop training programs in the

areas of (1) local government/public administration, (2) independent

media development, and (3) business administration. These projects

should link the U.S. organization's international exchange interests

with counterpart institutions and groups in Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia,

Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Poland,

Romania, Slovak Republic and Slovenia.

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 Eastern

European Democracies (SEED) program.

Programs and projects must conform with Agency requirements and

guidelines outlined in the Application Package. USIA projects and

programs are subject to the availability of funds.

Interested applicants should read the complete Federal Register.

Announcement Name and Number: All communications with USIA

concerning this announcement should refer to the above title and

reference number E/P-95-19.

dates: Deadline for proposals: All copies must be received at the U.S.

Information Agency by 5 p.m. Washington, DC time on 5 p.m., December 9,

1994. Faxed documents will not be accepted, nor will documents

postmarked on December 9, 1994 but received at a later date. It is the

responsibility of each applicant to ensure that proposals are received

by the above deadline. CEETP-5 grant project activity should begin

after July 1, 1995.

for further information contact: European Division, Office of Citizen

Exchange (E/P), Room 216, U.S. Information Agency, 301 4th Street SW.,

Washington, DC 20547, telephone 202/619-5319, fax 202/619-4350,

internet ([email protected]) to request an Application Package, which

includes more detailed award criteria; all application forms; and

guidelines for preparing proposals, including specific criteria for

preparation of the proposal budget. Please specify the USIA Program

Officer Chris Miner on all inquiries and correspondence. Interested

applicants should read the complete Federal Register announcement

before addressing inquiries to the Office of Citizen Exchanges or

submitting their proposals. Once the RFP deadline has passed, the

Office of Citizen Exchanges may not discuss this competition in any way

with applicants until after the Bureau proposal review process has been

completed.

addresses: Applicants must follow all instructions given in the

Application Package and send only complete applications to: U.S.

Information Agency, Ref.: E/P-95-19, Office of Grants Management, E/XE,

Room 336, 301 4th Street SW., Washington, DC 20547.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 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 race, gender, religion, geographic location, socio-

economic status, and physical challenges. Applicants are strongly

encouraged to adhere to the advancement of this principle.

Overview: Proposals must be for projects which encourage the growth

of democratic institutions and political and economic pluralism. Listed

in order of priority are the areas in which USIA is interested in

receiving proposals: (1) local government/public administration, (2)

independent media development, and (3) business administration.

Projects should lay the groundwork for new and continuing links between

American and Central/Eastern European professionals organizations.

Projects may include: study tours in the U.S. for small groups;

short-term non-technical workshops conducted in Central/Eastern Europe;

and four- to ten-week internships in the U.S.; consultations in

Central/Eastern Europe.

All proposals should demonstrate:

(1) In-depth, substantive knowledge of the issues of concern to

these countries;

(2) Established connections with the partner institutions;

(3) The capacity to organize and conduct the program, including

appropriate orientation activities for the participants; detailed work

plan for all phases of the project; tentative agendas for study tours,

workshops, and internships; letters of commitment from internship

hosts; and selection procedures. Applicants should consult the USIS

office at the U.S. embassies before submitting proposals.

USIA will give priority to proposals from U.S. organizations with

partner organizations in Central/Eastern Europe, which will assist

logistically and will contribute to the realization of program goals

and objectives and will themselves to enhanced by the program.

Applicants are encouraged to demonstrate partner relationships by

providing copies of correspondence or other materials as appendices to

the proposals.

The CEE partner institutions are encouraged to provide cost-sharing

or significant in-kind contributions such as local housing,

transportation, interpreting, translating, and other local currency

costs and to assist with the organization of projects.

Local Government

USIA is interested in proposals for training programs which will

foster effective administration of local and regional governments.

Programs might examine and seek to improve relationships among local

executive, legislative, and judicial elements, or they might address

the knowledge and skills necessary to administer one or more of these

branches of local government.

Program topics might include one or more of the following: judicial

administration, budget development, financial management, tax policies

and mechanisms, election practices, management of municipal services,

privatization of government property, consumer protection, business

regulation (as opposed to control), licensing, and environmental

protection. Programs might further the development of information and

library systems relevant to local government, improve committee and

staff structures, research capability, legislation drafting capability,

structural and procedural needs of local governments. Training should

be conducted mostly in local centers, preferably situated outside the

capital cities.

Mass Media Development

The focus of the proposals should be directed toward the

development of a free and independent media.

Programs in this general topic fall under two training

subcategories: working reporters and media business management.

Preference will be given to mass media training programs which contain

a U.S. internship component. For training programs in CEE, preference

will be given to those of at least two weeks duration; they could focus

on either basic journalism or business management techniques. Training,

especially for journalists outside of the CEE capital cities, should

emphasize skills such as effective writing, investigative reporting,

objectivity, evaluation of sources, clear labelling of editorials and

opinion pieces, conformance to copyright laws, and ethics.

Media management training (both print and broadcast) should focus

on management of media as a profitable business. Topics to be addressed

might include management techniques, desk top publishing, advertising,

marketing, distribution, public relations, staff development,

accountability, and the pitfalls of journalistic advocacy, among

others.

Business Administration

While this topic is broad, proposals should focus primarily on

management training, small business development (including incubators

and Small Business Centers), agri-business, banking, credit practices,

financial management, marketing management, industrial relations, and/

or privatization.

Program design should clearly differentiate CEE target audiences,

such as professors and instructors of economics, senior business

leaders, government officials, or promising practitioners, and

demonstrate how the proposed agenda addresses the selected audience(s).

USIA has a strong interest in programs on the development of

business structures and the creating of jobs in non-urban areas.

Scope

Proposals should limit their focus to one of the CEE countries and

to one of the three major topics: local governance, independent media

development, or business administration. Proposals for programs that

are broader in scope will be eligible, but are less likely to receive

USIA support. USIA will consider geographic distribution in selecting

grantee institutions to ensure a wide distribution of this program.

USIA encourages proposals which feature ``train-the-trainers''

models' the creation of indigenous training centers; schemes to create

professional networks or professional associations to disseminate

information; and other enduring aspects.

Guidelines: Selection of Participants. All grant proposals must

clearly describe the type of persons who will participate in the

program as well as the process by which participants will be selected.

Programs that include internships in the U.S. should provide letters

tentatively committing host institutions to support the internships. In

the selection of all foreign participants, USIA and USIS posts retain

the right to nominate participants and to approve or reject

participants recommended by the program institution. Programs must also

comply with J-1 visa regulations. Please refer to program specific

guidelines in the Application Package for further details.

USIA does not support proposals limited to conferences or seminars

(i.e., one- to fourteen-day programs with plenary sessions, major

speakers, and panels with a passive audience). It will support

conferences only insofar as they are a minor part of a larger project

in duration and scope which is receiving USIA funding from this

competition. Furthermore, USIA will not support research projects or

projects limited to technical issues. Publications intended for

dissemination in the United States, individual student exchanges, film

festivals or exhibits are also not eligible for support. In addition,

this Office will not provide scholarships or other support for long-

term (i.e. a semester or more) academic studies. Proposals that request

support for the development of university curriculums or for degree-

based programs will not be eligible under this RFP.

Proposals to link university departments or to exchange faculty

and/or students are funded by USIA's Office of Academic Programs (E/A)

under the University Affiliation Program and should not be submitted

under this RFP.

Competitions sponsored by other offices of USIA's Bureau of

Educational and Cultural Affairs are also announced in the Federal

Register, and may have different guidelines or restrictions.

Proposed budget: The amount requested from USIA should not exceed

$200,000. However, exchange organizations with less than four years of

successful experience in managing international exchange programs are

limited to $60,000.

Applicants must submit a comprehensive budget for the entire

program. There must be a summary budget as well as a breakdown

reflecting both the administrative budget and the program budget.

Please refer to the Application Package for complete formatting

instructions. For better understanding or further clarification,

applicants may provide separate sub-budgets for each program component,

phase, location, or activity in order to facilitate USIA decisions on

funding.

Please note: All USIA-funded delegates will be covered under the

terms of a USIA-sponsored health insurance policy. The premium is

paid by USIA directly to the insurance company.

Allowable costs for the program include the following:

(1) International and domestic air fares; visas; transit costs; and

ground transportation costs.

(2) Per Diem. For the U.S. program, organizations have the option

of using a flat $140/day for program participants or the published U.S.

Federal per diem rates for individual American cities.

Note: U.S. escorting staff must use the published Federal per

diem rates, not the flat rate. For activities in Central/Eastern

Europe, the Federal per diem rates must be used.

(3) Interpreters. Interpreters for the U.S. program are provided by

the U.S. State Department Language Services Division. Typically, a pair

of simultaneous interpreters is provided for every four visitors who

need interpretation. USIA grants do not pay for foreign interpreters to

accompany delegations from their home country. Grant proposal budgets

should contain a flat $140/day per diem for each DOS interpreter, as

well as home-program-home air transportation of $400 per interpreter

plus any U.S. travel expenses during the program. Salary expenses are

covered centrally and should not be part of an applicant's proposed

budget.

(4) Book and cultural allowance. Participants and escorts are

entitled to a one-time cultural allowance of $150 per person, plus a

book allowance of $50. U.S. staff do not get these benefits.

(5) Consultants may be used to provide specialized expertise or to

make presentations. Daily honoraria generally do not exceed $250 per

day. Subcontracting organizations may also be used, in which case the

written agreement between the prospective grantee and subcontractor

should be included in the proposal.

(6) Room rental should not exceed $250 per day.

(7) One working meal per project. Per capita costs may not exceed

$5-8 for a lunch and $14-20 for a dinner; this includes room rental if

applicable. The number of invited guests may not exceed participants by

more than a factor of two to one.

(8) A return travel allowance of $70 for each participant which is

to be used for incidental expenditures incurred during international

travel.

(9) Audit Requirements. The proposal shall include the cost of an

audit that:

a. Complies with the requirements of OMB circular No. 1-133, Audits

of Institutions of Higher Education and Other Nonprofit Institutions;

b. Complies with the requirements of American Institute of

Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) statement of Position (SOP) No.

92-9; and

c. Includes review by the recipient's independent auditor of a

recipient-prepared supplemental schedule of indirect cost rate

computation, if such a rate is being proposed.

The audit costs shall be identified separately for:

a. Preparation of basic financial statements, and other accounting

services; and

b. Preparation of the supplemental reports and schedules required

by OMB Circular No. A-133, AICPA SOP 92-9, and the review of the

supplemental schedule of indirect cost rate computation.

11. Cost-sharing is encouraged. Cost-sharing may be in the form of

allowable direct or indirect costs. The Recipient must maintain written

records to support all allowable costs which are claimed as being its

contributions to cost participation, as well as costs to be paid by the

Federal government. Such records are subject to audit. The basis for

determining the value of cash and in-kind contributions must be in

accordance with OMB Circular A-110, Attachment E, ``Cost-sharing and

Matching'' and should be described in the proposal. In the event the

Recipient does not provide the minimum amount of cost-sharing as

stipulated in the Recipient's budget, the Agency's contribution will be

reduced in proportion to the Recipient's, contribution. Please refer to

the Application Package for complete budget guidelines.

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

Application Package. Eligible proposals will be forwarded to panels of

USIA officers for advisory review. All eligible proposals will also be

reviewed by the Agency contracts office, as well as the USIA Office of

East European and NIS Affairs and the USIA post overseas, where

appropriate. Proposals may also be reviewed by the Office of the

General Counsel or by other Agency elements. Funding decisions are at

the discretion of the USIA Associate Director for Educational and

Cultural Affairs. Final technical authority for grant awards 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 Agency mission.

2. Program planning: Detailed agenda and relevant work plan should

demonstrate substantive undertaking 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

reasonable, feasible, and flexible. 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 the

recipient's commitment to promoting the awareness and understanding of

diversity throughout the program. This can be accomplished through

documentation (such as a written statement or account) summarizing past

and/or on-going activities and efforts that further the principle of

diversity within both the organization and the program activities.

6. Institutional Capacity: Proposed personnel and institutional

resources should be adequate and appropriate to achieve the program or

project's goals.

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

recipients and the demonstrated potential of new applicants.

8. Thematic and Area Expertise: Proposals should demonstrate the

organization's expertise in the subject area. Evidence of sensitivity

to historical, linguistic, and other cross-cultural factors, as well as

relevant knowledge of target area/country, should also be shown.

9. Follow-on Activities: Proposals should provide a plan for

continued follow-on activity (without USIA support) which insures that

USIA supported programs are not isolated events.

10. 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. USIA recommends that the proposal include a draft survey

questionnaire or other technique plus description of a methodology to

use to link outcomes to original project objectives. Award-receiving

organizations/institutions will be expected to submit intermediate

reports after each project component is concluded or quarterly,

whichever is less frequent.

11. 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.

12. Cost-sharing: Proposals should maximize cost-sharing through

other private sector support as well as institutional direct funding

contributions.

13. Value to U.S.-Partner Country Relations: Proposed projects

should receive positive assessments by USIA's geographic area desk and

overseas officers of program need, potential impact, and significance

in the partner country(ies).

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 needs of the program may require the

award to be reduced, revised, or increased. Final awards cannot be made

until funds have been appropriated by Congress, allocated and committed

through internal USIA procedures.

Notification

All applicants will be notified of the results of the review

process on or about May 1, 1995. Awards made will be subject to

periodic reporting and evaluation requirements.

Dated: October 5, 1994.

Dell Pendergrast,

Deputy Associate Director, Educational and Cultural Affairs.

[FR Doc. 94-25215 Filed 10-12-94; 8:45 am]

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