Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 240 / Monday, December 15, 1997 / Notices 65735

The following paragraph applies to all

of the collections of information covered

by this notice:

An agency may not conduct or

sponsor, and a person is not required to

respond to, a collection of information

unless the collection of information

displays a valid OMB control number.

Books or records relating to a collection

of information must be retained as long

as their contents may become material

in the administration of any internal

revenue law. Generally, tax returns and

tax return information are confidential,

as required by 26 U.S.C. 6103.

REQUEST FOR COMMENTS: Comments

submitted in response to this notice will

be summarized and/or included in the

request for OMB approval. All

comments will become a matter of

public record. Comments are invited on:

(a) whether the collection of information

is necessary for the proper performance

of the functions of the agency, including

whether the information shall have

practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the

agency’s estimate of the burden of the

collection of information; (c) ways to

enhance the quality, utility, and clarity

of the information to be collected; (d)

ways to minimize the burden of the

collection of information on

respondents, including through the use

of automated collection techniques or

other forms of information technology;

and (e) estimates of capital or start-up

costs and costs of operation,

maintenance, and purchase of services

to provide information.

Approved: December 9, 1997.

Garrick R. Shear,

IRS Reports Clearance Officer.

[FR Doc. 97–32675 Filed 12–12–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4830–01–U

ENRICHMENT CORPORATION

Sunshine Act Meeting

AGENCY: United States Enrichment

Corporation, Board of Directors.

TIME AND DATE: 8:00 a.m., Wednesday,

December 17, 1997.

PLACE: USEC Corporate Headquarters,

6903 Rockledge Drive, Bethesda,

Maryland 20817.

STATUS: The Board meeting will be

closed to the public.

MATTERS TO BE CONSIDERED:

• Review of commercial, operational

and financial issues of the Corporation.

CONTACT PERSON FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Joseph Tomkowicz 301–564–3345.

Dated: December 10, 1997.

Robert J. Moore,

Corporate Secretary.

[FR Doc. 97–32728 Filed 12–11–97; 9:32 am]

BILLING CODE 8720–01–M

UNITED STATES INFORMATION

AGENCY

English Teaching Fellow Program

ACTION: Request for proposals.

SUMMARY: the English Teaching Program

Division of the Agency’s Bureau of

Education and Cultural Affairs

announces an open competition for an

assistance award. Public and private

non-profit organizations meeting the

provisions described in IRS regulation

26 CFR 1.501(c) may apply to manage

and administer the English Teaching

Fellow Program, which is designed to

provide universities, binational centers

teacher-training colleges and other

language institutions worldwide with

professionally trained American

expertise in English as a foreign

language (EFL), and to give recent M.A.

graduates in TEFL/TESL additional

teaching experience overseas. The

Program increases the American

academic presence in foreign

institutions, enhances the American

cultural component, and improves

academic standards. An introduction to

American English, methodology and

materials opens the door for advanced

study in the U.S., and establishes an

ongoing relationship that will bear fruit

in trade and commerce as well.

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 FulbrightHays 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 Fulbright-Hayes Act.

Programs and projects must conform

with Agency requirements and

guidelines outlined in the Solicitation

Package. USIA projects and programs

are subject to the availability of funds.

Announcement Title and Number: All

communications with USIA concerning

this RFP should refer to the

announcement’s title and reference

number E/AL–98–01.

Deadline for Proposals: All copies

must be received at the U.S. Information

Agency by 5 p.m. Washington, D.C. time

on Friday, January 30, 1998. Faxed

documents will not be accepted at any

time. Documents postmarked by the due

date but received at a later date will not

be accepted.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The

Office of Academic Programs, English

Language Programs Division, E/AL,

Room 304, U.S. Information Agency,

301 4th Street, S.W., Washington, D.C.

20547, telephone: 202–619–5869; fax:

202–401–1250, e-mail address:

cjwillia@usia.gov to request a

Solicitation Package containing more

details. Please request required

application forms, and standard

guidelines for preparing proposals,

including specific criteria for

preparation of the proposal budget.

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 received via the

Bureau’s ‘‘Grants Information Fax on

Demand System’’, which is accessed by

calling 202/401–7616. Please request a

‘‘Catalog’’ of available documents and

order numbers when first entering the

system.

Please specify USIA Program Officer

Catherine Williamson on all inquiries

and correspondences. Interested

applicants should 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 in any way with

applicants until the Bureau proposal

review process has been completed.

Submissions: Applicants must follow

all instructions given in the Solicitation

Package. The original and ten copies of

the application should be sent to: U.S.

Information Agency, Ref.: E/AL–98–01,

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’’
65736 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 240 / Monday, December 15, 1997 / Notices

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 account for

advancement of this goal in their

program contents, to the full extend

deemed feasible.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Overview

The United States Information Agency

(USIA) is soliciting proposals from U.S.

non-profit educational institutions/

organizations to manage and administer

the English Teaching Fellow Exchange

Program. The program provides to

English language teaching professionals

with recent M.A. degrees in TEFL/TESL

the opportunity to teach abroad at

universities, teacher-training colleges,

binational centers, or other host country

institutions. Fellows must be U.S.

citizens. Fellows will serve as full-time

teachers of English as a Foreign

Language in selected countries to be

determined at a later date by USIA. In

addition, they may be asked to work in

materials/test development or teachertraining activities. The program is for

twelve months beginning with academic

year 1998–99. The program occasionally

grants an extension up to one additional

year. In the past three years, the English

Teaching Fellow program has placed

over 125 U.S. teachers worldwide,

promoting English teaching as a

response to the dramatic increase in the

demand for English caused by political

or economic changes.

Guidelines

The grantee organization is

responsible for the management and

administrative aspects of the program

which include the following:

—Recruitment and placement of

approximately 35 English teachers;

—Arrangement of a 4–5 day predeparture orientation program which

will provide the English Teaching

Fellows with tools and skills through

a cross-cultural training segment

designed to facilitate adaptation to the

participant’s host country

environment and their host

institutional context; provide

techniques and approaches to special

areas in the EFL field such as teacher

training and curriculum and materials

development; acquaint the

participants with the parameters,

expectations and administrative

workings of the English Teaching

Fellow program; and make known the

professional resources available to the

participants through USIA and other

NGOs in the English teaching field.

—Fiscal management and logistics;

—Travel management (itinerary

schedules, airline ticket purchases;

drafts of telegrams to USIS overseas

posts with flight information, etc.);

—Enrollment of medical insurance;

—Development of promotional

materials in support of the program;

—Extensive monitoring, review, follow

up and evaluation of English

Teaching Fellows reports. Fellows are

required to submit a mid-year and

final year-end report.

The period of the program is from

March 1, 1998 through September 30,

1999. Recruitment and selection process

will begin at the 1998 TESOL

Convention in Seattle, Washington,

March 17–21, 1998; pre-departure

orientation, first or second week of

August, 1998; and Fellows’ travel to

overseas assignment first and second

week of September, 1998. The grantee

organization is to provide a proposed

time line for the activities. The Fellows

will receive a basic stipend, round trip

ticket, living and housing allowance,

book allowance, miscellaneous expense,

and $50,000 health insurance coverage.

Proposed Budget

Organizations must submit a

comprehensive line item budget based

on the specific guidance in the

Solicitation Package.

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 a breakdown reflecting

both the administrative budget and the

program budget. For further

clarification, applicants may provide

separate sub-budgets for each program

component, phase, location, or activity

in order to facilitate USIA decisions on

funding.

Allowable costs for the program

include the following:

(1) Fellow remuneration—$17,000 per

Fellow

(2) Round trip international travel—

3,500 per Fellow

(3) Pre-departure (per diem)—800 per

Fellow

(4) Pre-departure allowance—500 per

Fellow

(5) Educational materials—100 per

Fellow

(6) Excess Baggage/Shipping

Allowance—400 per Fellow

Please refer to the Solicitation

Package for complete budget guidelines

and formatting instructions.

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. Eligible

proposals will be forwarded to panels of

USIA officers for advisory review. All

eligible proposals will be reviewed by

the program office, as well as the USIA

Office of African Affairs, Office of East

Asian and Pacific Affairs, Office of

Inter-American Affairs, Office of East

European and NIS Affairs, Office of

West European and Canadian Affairs,

Office of North African, Near Eastern,

and South Asian Affairs, and USIS

overseas posts, where appropriate.

Proposals may 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

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

Agency 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

reasonable, feasible, and flexible.
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 240 / Monday, December 15, 1997 / Notices 65737

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.

Achievable and relevant features should

be cited in both program administration

(selection of participants, program

venue and program evaluation) and

program content (orientation and wrapup sessions, program meetings, resource

materials and follow-up 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. Follow-on Activities: Proposals

should provide a plan for continued

follow-on activity (without USIA

support) which ensures that USIA

supported programs are not isolated

events.

9. 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 is

recommended. Successful applicants

will be expected to submit intermediate

reports after each project component is

concluded or quarterly, whichever is

less frequent.

10. 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.

11. Cost-sharing: Proposals should

maximize cost-sharing through other

private sector support as well as

institutional direct funding

contributions.

12. 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 Agency reserves the

right to reduce, revise, or increase

proposed 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: December 8, 1997.

John P. Loiello,

Associate Director for Educational and

Cultural Affairs.

[FR Doc. 97–32587 Filed 12–12–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 8230–01–M

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS

AFFAIRS

Advisory Committee on Minority

Veterans, Notice of Meeting

The Department of Veterans Affairs

(VA), in accordance with Public Law

103–446, gives notice that a meeting of

the Advisory Committee on Minority

Veterans will be held from Monday,

January 12 through Wednesday, January

14, 1998, in Washington, DC. The

purpose of the Advisory Committee on

Minority Veterans is to advise the

Secretary of Veterans Affairs on the

administration of VA benefits and

services for minority veterans, to assess

the needs of minority veterans and to

evaluate whether VA compensation,

medical and rehabilitation services,

outreach, and other programs are

meeting those needs. The Committee

will make recommendations to the

Secretary regarding such activities.

The meeting will convene in room

230, VA Central Office (VACO)

Building, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW,

Washington, DC, from 8:30 A.M. to 5:00

P.M. on Monday, January 12, the

Committee will receive an orientation

on its duties and responsibilities. On

Tuesday, January 13, the Committee

will review the implementation plan for

the 63 recommendations contained in

its third Annual Report. The Committee

will also finalize plans for each

subcommittee and set the agenda for the

coming year. On Wednesday, January

14, the Subcommittees will examine

issues germane to their assigned areas of

responsibility. These sessions will be

open to the public. It will be necessary

for those wishing to attend to contact

Mrs. Crystal Lawrence-Greenwell,

Department of Veterans Affairs (phone

(202) 273–6708) prior to January 5,

1998. No time will be allocated for the

purpose of receiving oral presentations

from the public. However, the

Committee will accept appropriate

written comments from interested

parties on issues affecting minority

veterans. Such comments should be

referred to the Committee at the

following address: Advisory Committee

on Minority Veterans, Center for

Minority Veterans (00M), U.S.

Department of Veterans Affairs, 810

Vermont Avenue, NW., Washington, DC

20420.

Dated: December 5, 1997.

By direction of the Acting Secretary.

Heyward Bannister,

Committee Management Officer.

[FR Doc. 97–32603 Filed 12–12–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 8320–01–M

NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS

ADMINISTRATION

Electronic Records Work Group;

Notice of Meeting

AGENCY: National Archives and Records

Administration (NARA).

ACTION: Notice of meeting.

SUMMARY: NARA will hold the initial

meeting of the Electronic Records Work

Group on December 19, 1997, to discuss

issues related to the operation of the

Work Group. The public is invited to

observe the meeting; however, seating is

limited. The Electronic Records Work

Group will focus on identifying

workable alternatives to the disposition

practices currently authorized under

NARA’s General Records Schedule 20

for Electronic Records. Members of the

Work Group are experts drawn from

NARA and other Federal agencies. The

Work Group will solicit technical

assistance on specific issues from

experts with practical experience in the

private sector and the archives of other

governments. Additional information

about the Electronic Records Work

Group is available on NARA’s GRS 20

Internet Web page at <http://

www.nara.gov/records/grs20/>.