10144 Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 36 / Thursday, February 23, 1995 / Notices

8 SO3 (sulfur trioxide) ——>

C18H4O4N2Br8

(ethylenebistetrabromophthalimide)

+ 8 H2O (water) + 4 SO2 (sulfur

dioxide) + 4 H2SO4 (sulfuric acid) +

2 HCl (hydrochloric acid)

According to the petition, taxable

chemicals constitute 54.18 percent by

weight of the materials used to produce

this substance. The rate of tax for this

substance would be $4.51 per ton. This

is based upon a conversion factor for

bromine of 0.672, a conversion factor for

ethylene of 0.029, a conversion factor

for xylene of 0.223, a conversion factor

for ammonia of 0.036, and a conversion

factor for chlorine of 0.075.

Comments and Requests for a Public

Hearing

Before a determination is made,

consideration will be given to any

written comments (a signed original and

eight (8) copies) that are submitted

timely to the IRS. All comments will be

available for public inspection and

copying. A public hearing may be

scheduled if requested in writing by a

person that timely submits written

comments. If a public hearing is

scheduled, notice of the date, time, and

place for the hearing will be published

in the Federal Register.

Dale D. Goode,

Federal Register Liaison Officer, Assistant

Chief Counsel (Corporate).

[FR Doc. 95–4442 Filed 2–22–95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4830–01–U

UNITED STATES INFORMATION

AGENCY

Professional Development of South

African Radio Station Owners and

Managers

ACTION: Notice—Request for Proposals.

SUMMARY: The Office of Citizen

Exchanges of the United States

Information Agency’s Bureau of

Education and Cultural Affairs

announces an open competition for an

assistance award. Public or private nonprofit organizations meeting the

provisions described in IRS regulation

501 (c)(3) may apply to develop a twoway exchange project for South African

radio station owners and managers. The

project should be designed to enhance

participations’ skills in managing their

broadcasting operations and assist them

to develop strategies to operate their

stations as successful business

enterprises. The project should provide

U.S.-based activities for approximately

9–12 South African radio station owners

and managers. The project also should

provide in-country workshops or

consultancies to assist participating

broadcasters implement appropriate

business management strategies. The

program should being in summer/fall

1995. Consultation with the U.S.

Information Service (USIS) posts in

South Africa in the development of the

project proposal is encouraged.

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 interest,

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.’’

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 NAME AND NUMBER: All

communications with USIA concerning

this announcement should refer to the

above title and reference number E/P–

95–49.

DATES: Deadline for proposals: All

copies must be received at the U.S.

Information Agency by 5 p.m.

Washington, DC. time on Friday, April

14, 1995. Faxed documents will not be

accepted, nor will documents

postmarked on April 14, 1995 but

received at a later date. It is the

responsibility of each applicant to

ensure that proposals are received by

the above deadline.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

The Africa/Near East/South Asia

Division of the Office of Citizen

Exchanges, U.S. Information Agency,

301 4th Street, S.W., Room 220,

Washington, D.C. 20547, tel. 202–619–

5319, fax 202–619–4350, Internet

address STAYLOR@USIA.GOV, to

request a Solicitation 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 USIA Program

Officer Stephen Taylor on all inquiries

and correspondences. 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 the Bureau

proposal review process has been

completed.

ADDRESSES: Applicants must follow all

instructions provided in the Solicitation

Package and send fully completed

applications. Send the original and 14

copies to:

U.S. Information Agency, Ref.: E/P–95–

49, Office of Grants Management, E/

EX, Room 336, 301 4th Street, S.W.,

Washington, D.C. 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

Background: The transition to

nonracial democracy in South Africa is

providing greater access to the nation’s

radio and television broadcasting

airways, opening new opportunities for

independent broadcasters. the

government-owned South African

Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) has

been the country’s dominant

broadcaster, with three television

services and 23 radio stations. These

outlets include commercial as well as

public service stations. The SABC and

a small number of other broadcasters

have been the major source of

broadcasting management expertise.

South Africa’s Independent

Broadcasting Authority (IBA), created in

1994 to shield the broadcast media from

direct political controls, is responsible

for regulating the airwaves and granting

commercial, public service and

community broadcasting licenses.

During the next several months, the IBA

will be issuing licenses that will enable

a wide range of independent radio

stations to begin broadcasting for the

first time. While many of these new

licensees may have some on-air

experience, they may lack backgrounds

in radio management. These owners and

other new managers could benefit from

a project focused on fundamental

broadcasting management practices to
Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 36 / Thursday, February 23, 1995 / Notices 10145

help enhance the prospects for the

longer term viability of their stations.

Program Overview. The Office of

Citizen Exchanges (E/P) proposes

development of a two-way exchange

project for South African participants

designed to promote development of

business management skills applicable

to radio station management. This twoway exchange should include activities

for 9–12 South African participants in

the United States and opportunities for

American specialists to share their

expertise in South Africa. While the

project should introduce participants to

a variety of radio broadcasting

operations, the program should

concentrate on activities and site visits

appropriate to the technology and

infrastructure available in South Africa.

The project should be designed to

accommodate participants new to

broadcasting management. Participants

should study station management

practices, business planning strategies

and marketing concepts. They also

should analyze the standards of

professional journalism which managers

must oversee and identify strategies to

promote staff development.

This two-way exchange also should

promote informal ties, opening channels

of communications between U.S. and

South African broadcasters to help

enhance the viability of independent

radio stations in South Africa. This

might include informal advice on

broadcasting management issues. The

project should begin in summer/fall

1995.

Project Objectives

The project should be designed to:

—Introduce participants to fundamental

business management skills

applicable to station management

including financial planning, cash

management and staff development;

—Analyze income resources for radio

stations including advertisements,

and examine strategies for surviving

the initial stages of launching a new

broadcasting service;

—Examine marketing strategies aimed at

attracting advertisers and, where

appropriate, study the

interrelationship among programming

content, objective news reporting and

maintaining advertisers as clients;

—Develop strategies for implementing

improved station management

practices;

—Examine media-government relations

and demonstrate how the

independent reporting of political and

economic developments helps shape

government policy and public

opinion;

—Provide an overview of journalistic

ethics and the standards of

professional journalism; and

—Establish informal ties between South

African station owners and U.S.

counterparts, providing a resource for

occasional advice on station

management matters.

Participants

The project participants will be

owners and managers of radio stations

in South Africa. Many of the

participants will be newly licensed

station owners or recently hired

management staff. The U.S. phase of the

project should be designed for 9–12

participants. All participants will have

strong English language skills. USIS

personnel in South Africa will select the

participants, although recommendations

from the grantee institution are

welcome.

For program activities in South

Africa, the grantee institution will select

the American presenters in consultation

with USIA.

USIS offices will facilitate the

issuance of visas for the South African

participants and can help with the

distribution of program-related

materials in South Africa.

Programmatic Considerations

USIA will give careful consideration

to proposal which demonstrate:

(1) In-depth, substantive knowledge of

the strategies and practices involved in

managing a broadcasting operation as a

successful business enterprise;

(2) First-hand connections with a

variety of American radio operations, as

well as public and private sector

organizations responsible for promoting

journalistic professionalism and

successful business management;

(3) The capacity to organize and

manage international exchange

programs, including the handling of predeparture arrangements, orientation

activities, monitoring and problemsolving involved in such programs.

USIA is especially interested in multiphase programs in which the phases

build on one another and lay the

groundwork for new and long-term

relationships between American and

African professionals. Proposals which

are overly ambitious and those which

are very general in nature will not be

competitive. The Office of Citizens

Exchanges does not award grants to

support projects whose focus is limited

to technical matters, or to support

scholarly research projects,

development of publications for

dissemination in the United States,

individual student exchanges, film

festivals or exhibits. The Office of

Citizens Exchanges does not provide

scholarships or support for long-term

(one semester or more) academic

studies. Competitions sponsored by

other Bureau offices also are announced

in the Federal Register and may have

different application requirements as

well as different objectives.

Program Suggestions

The proposed project should include

at least one phase for South African

participants in the United States and at

least one phase for American specialists

in South Africa. Programming elements

might include in-country workshops or

seminars led by American experts,

specialized consultancies developed for

radio station owners in South Africa, a

study tour in the United States for

selected South African participants and

U.S.-based professional attachments for

South African broadcasters. A planning

visit overseas by the American organizer

also could be considered if crucial to

successful development and

implementation of the program.

The project should include formats

which maximize interaction between

the South African participants and the

program presenters. Participants should

observe the full range of business

management and financial planning

activities on the part of radio station

owners and managers. They might also

observe the interaction of station owners

with public and private sector

organizations involved in formulating,

implementing and evaluating policies

that affect U.S. broadcasting, such as

professional associations, advertising

agencies, trade unions, government

agencies and community groups.

Participants also should visit universitybased radio stations to observe training

programs and study the role of such

stations in the broadcasting industry.

The program design should provide

adequate time for participants to meet

individually with American

professionals who have similar interests

and specializations. While not required,

the presenters’ familiarity with radio

broadcasting in South Africa is

desirable.

Program Responsibilities

The grantee institution’s

responsibilities include: Selecting

presenters, themes and topics for

discussion; organizing a coherent

progression of activities; providing any

support materials; providing all travel

arrangements, lodging and other

logistical arrangements for the visiting

South African participants and the U.S.

presenters who travel to South Africa;

and overseeing the project on a daily

basis to achieve maximum program
10146 Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 36 / Thursday, February 23, 1995 / Notices

effectiveness. The grantee institution is

responsible for coordinating plans and

project implementation with E/P, USIS

officers in South Africa and South

African collaborating institutions.

At the start of each phase, the grantee

institution will conduct an orientation

session and, at the conclusion, conduct

participant evaluations. The institution

will submit a report at the conclusion of

each program phase, including a final

program report summarizing the entire

project and resulting organizational

links. The institution must also submit

a final financial report. To prepare the

participants for their U.S. experience, E/

P encourages the grantee organization to

forward a set of preliminary materials

which might include an introduction to

the U.S. system of government,

American notions of free speech and

freedom of the press, the practices of

U.S. broadcasters and other background

information about the project. E/P will

ask the South African participants to

prepare brief outlines describing their

own particular interests in these areas.

The grantee institution should brief the

American presenters on the South

African participants’ backgrounds,

interests and concerns.

Other Program Considerations

Consultation with USIS officers in

South Africa in the development of the

project proposal is encouraged. Letters

of commitment from participating U.S.

and South African institutions and

individuals would enhance a proposal.

USIA also encourages the

development of specialized written

materials to enhance this professional

development program. USIA is

interested in organizations’ ideas on

how to ‘‘reuse’’ specialized materials by

providing them to universities, libraries

or other institutions for use by a larger

audience. If not already available,

glossaries of specialized terms might be

developed. However, please note that,

according to current USIA regulations,

materials developed with USIA funds

may not be distributed in the United

States.

The grantee institution should

maximize cost-sharing in all elements of

the project and seek to stimulate U.S.

private sector support, including from

foundations and corporations.

All participants will be covered under

the terms of a USIA-sponsored health

insurance policy. The premium is paid

by USIA directly to the insurance

company.

Funding

Competition for USIA funding

support is keen. Selection of a grantee

institution is based on the substantive

nature of the program proposal; the

applicant’s professional capability to

carry the program through to a

successful conclusion; and cost

effectiveness, including in-kind

contributions and the ability to keep

overhead costs at a minimum. USIA will

consider funding up to approximately

$120,000, but 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 line item budget for the

entire program based on the specific

guidance in the Solicitation Package.

Applicants must provide a summary

budget as well as a break-down

reflecting both the administrative

budget and the program budget. For

further clarification, applicants may

provide optional, separate sub-budgets

for each program phase or activity in

order to facilitate USIA decisions on

funding. USIA will consider funding the

following costs:

1. International and domestic air

fares; visas; transit costs (e.g., airport

fees); ground transportation costs.

2. Per diem: For foreign participants

during activities in the United States,

organizations have the option of using a

flat rate of $140/day or the published

Federal Travel Regulations (FTR) per

diem rates for individual American

cities. (Note: U.S. institutional staff

must use the published FTR per diem

rates, not the flat rate.) For activities

overseas, standard Federal Travel

Regulations per diem rates must be

used.

3. Escort-interpreters: Interpretation

for U.S.-based programs is provided by

the State Department’s Language

Services Division. Typically,

delegations ranging from 8–12

participants require two simultaneous

interpreters and one escort officer. Grant

proposal budgets should contain a flat

$140/day per diem rate for each State

Department escort/interpreter, as well as

home-program-home air fare of $400 per

interpreter and any U.S. travel expenses

during the program itself. Salary

expenses are covered centrally and are

not part of the applicant’s budget

proposal. USIA grants do not pay for

foreign interpreters to accompany

delegations during travel to or from

their home country. Interpreters are not

available for U.S.-based internship

activities.

4. Book and cultural allowances:

Participants are entitled to a one-time

book allowance of $50 plus a cultural

allowance of $150 per person during

programs taking place in the United

States. U.S. staff do not receive these

benefits. Escort interpreters are

reimbursed for actual cultural expenses

up to $150.00.

5. Consultants: Consultants may be

used to provide specialized expertise or

to make presentations. Honoraria

generally should not exceed $250/day.

Subcontracting organizations may also

be used, in which case the written

contract(s) should be included in the

proposal.

6. Materials development: Proposals

may contain costs to purchase, develop

and translate materials for participants.

USIA reserves the rights to these

materials for future use.

7. Room rentals, which generally

should not exceed $250/day.

8. One working meal per project, for

which per capita costs may not exceed

$5–$8 for a lunch or $14–$20 for a

dinner. The number of invited guests

may not exceed the number of

participants by more than a factor of two

to one.

9. Return travel allowance: $70 for

each participant which is to be used for

incidental expenditures incurred during

international travel.

10. Other costs necessary for the

effective administration of the program,

including salaries for grant organization

employees, benefits, and other direct

and indirect costs per detailed

instructions in the application package.

E/P encourages cost-sharing, which

may be in the form of allowable direct

or indirect costs. E/P would be

especially interested in proposals which

demonstrate a program vision which

goes well beyond that which can be

supported by the requested USIA grant

to leverage additional funding from

other sources to support elements of the

broader program plan.

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 Agency contracts office, as well as

the USIA Office of African 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
Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 36 / Thursday, February 23, 1995 / Notices 10147

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. Institutional Reputation and

Ability: Applicant institutions should

demonstrate their potential for

excellence in program design and

implementation and/or provide

documentation of successful programs.

If an applicant is a previous USIA grant

recipient, responsible fiscal

management and full compliance with

all reporting requirements for past

Agency grants as determined by USIA’s

Office of Contracts will be considered.

Relevant substantive evaluations of

previous projects may also be

considered in this assessment.

2. Project Personnel: The thematic

and logistical expertise of project

personnel should be relevant to the

proposed program. Resumes or C.V.s

should be summaries which are relevant

to the specific proposal and no longer

than two pages each.

3. Program Planning: A detailed

agenda and relevant work plan should

demonstrate substantive rigor and

logistical capacity.

4. Thematic Expertise: Proposal

should demonstrate the organization’s

expertise in the subject area which

promises an effective sharing of

information.

5. Support of Diversity: Proposals

should demonstrate the recipient’s

commitment to promoting the

awareness and understanding of

diversity.

6. Cross-Cultural Sensitivity and Area

Expertise: Evidence should be provided

of sensitivity to historical, linguistic,

religious, and other cross-cultural

factors, as well as relevant knowledge of

the target geographic area/country.

7. Ability to Achieve Program

Objectives: Objectives should be

realistic and feasible. The proposal

should clearly demonstrate how the

grantee institution will meet program

objectives.

8. Multiplier Effect: Proposed

programs should strengthen long-term

mutual understanding and contribute to

maximum sharing of information and

establishment of long-term institutional

and individual ties.

9. Cost-Effectiveness: Overhead and

direct administrative costs to USIA

should be kept as low as possible. All

other items proposed for USIA funding

should be necessary and appropriate to

achieve the program’s objectives.

10. Cost-Sharing: Proposals should

maximize cost-sharing through other

private sector support as well as direct

funding contributions and/or in-kind

support from the prospective grantee

institution and its partners.

11. Follow-on Activities: Proposals

should provide a plan for continued

exchange activity (without USIA

support) which ensures that USIAsupported programs are not isolated

events.

12. 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. Grantees will

be expected to submit intermediate

reports after each project component is

concluded or quarterly, whichever is

less frequent.

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

July 17, 1995. Awards made will be

subject to periodic reporting and

evaluation requirements.

Dated: February 14, 1995.

John P. Loiello,

Associate Director, Educational and Cultural

Affairs.

[FR Doc. 95–4193 Filed 2–22–95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 8230–01–M

OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES

TRADE REPRESENTATIVE

Generalized System of Preferences

(GSP); Initiation of a Review To

Consider the Designation of the West

Bank and Gaza Strip as a Beneficiary

of the GSP Program; Solicitation of

Public Comments Relating to the

Designation Criteria

AGENCY: Office of the United States

Trade Representative.

ACTION: Notice and solicitation of public

comment with respect to the eligibility

of the West Bank and Gaza Strip for the

GSP program.

SUMMARY: This notice announces the

initiation of a review to consider the

designation of the West Bank and Gaza

Strip as a beneficiary of the GSP

program and solicits public comment

relating to the designation criteria.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

GSP Subcommittee, Office of the United

States Trade Representative, 600 17th

Street, N.W., Room 513, Washington,

D.C. 20506. The telephone number is

(202) 395–6971.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Trade

Policy Staff Committee (TPSC) has

initiated a review to determine if the

West Bank and Gaza Strip meet the

designation criteria of the GSP law and

should be designated as a beneficiary for

purposes of the GSP program, which is

provided for in the Trade Act of 1974,

as amended (19 U.S.C. 2461–2465). The

designation criteria are listed in sections

502(a), 502(b) and 502(c) of the Act.

Interested parties are invited to submit

comments regarding the eligibility of the

West Bank and Gaza Strip for

designation as a GSP beneficiary. The

designation criteria mandate

determinations related to such practices

as: participation in commodity cartels,

preferential treatment provided to other

developed countries, expropriation

without compensation, enforcement of

arbitral awards, support of international

terrorism, and protection of

internationally recognized worker

rights. Other practices taken into

account include: the extent of market

access for goods and services,

investment practices and protection of

intellectual property rights.

Comments must be submitted in 15

copies, in English, to the Chairman of

the GSP Subcommittee, Trade Policy

Staff Committee, 600 17th Street, N.W.,

Room 513, Washington, D.C. 20506.

Comments must be received no later

than 5 p.m. on Wednesday, March 15,

1995. Information and comments

submitted regarding the West Bank and

Gaza Strip will be subject to public