TIES US – Mexico University Partnerships

Request for Applications (RFA):
TIES US – Mexico University Partnerships

(En Español)

Date Issued: March 25, 2008
Deadline: June 20, 2008

HED anticipates making up to seven (7) awards of up to $250,000 each, incrementally funded over a three-year period, contingent on USAID funding.

For clarification or questions regarding this RFA, please contact Jennifer Sisane at (202) 243-7692 or jsisane@hedprogram.org.

Background
TIES Initiative
Partnership Descriptions
    I: Strengthening ICT in Higher Education for Rural Development
    II: Rule of Law
    III: Conservation of Biodiversity and Economic Growth
    IV: English Language Education
Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E)
Eligibility
Application Review Guidelines
TIES Scholarships and Mexican Partners
Application Format, Submission and Review
Terms of the Solicitation 
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) UPDATED!

Background

Higher Education for Development and the U.S. Agency for International Development

Higher Education for Development (HED) mobilizes the expertise and resources of the higher education community to address global development challenges. HED accomplishes this by administering a cooperative agreement (AEG-A-00-05-00007-00) funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Under the Leader with Associate Cooperative Agreement, signed in September 2005, HED manages a competitive awards process to access expertise within the higher education community in coordination with the American Council on Education (ACE), the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU), the Association of American Universities (AAU), the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU), and the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges (NASULGC). 

Funding by USAID’s Bureau for Economic Growth, Agriculture and Trade, Office of Education (EGAT/ED), as well as USAID’s functional and regional Bureaus and worldwide Missions, supports higher education partnerships to advance global development through economic growth, good governance, and healthy societies. These partnerships provide training, applied research opportunities, program evaluation, policy analysis, and program implementation, which are critical to promote USAID’s foreign assistance goals. More information on USAID and its role in economic and humanitarian assistance worldwide over the past 40 years is available on our website.

Training, Internships, Exchanges, and Scholarships (TIES) Initiative

The Training, Internships, Exchanges, and Scholarships (TIES) Initiative is an important component of the Partnership for Prosperity, a bilateral public-private alliance to promote economic growth and higher living standards in Mexico.  TIES enhances the capacity of higher education institutions in the US and Mexico to examine mutual development opportunities and challenges, work in strategic alliances to develop appropriate plans and solutions, and assist Mexico in benefiting more broadly from the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) through collaborative higher education partnerships that engage the public and private sector.  

Development of human capital is vital to strengthening Mexico’s competitiveness in the world market. Training from higher education institutions gives Mexican participants the skills and the collaborative links necessary for them to respond more effectively to development challenges and opportunities.

TIES supports the implementation of USAID/Mexico’s current strategy by strengthening the capacity of colleges and universities through the TIES US-Mexico University Partnerships.  The initial goal under the TIES Initiative was to establish thirty-five (35) U.S.-Mexico higher education partnerships. To date, sixty (60) higher education partnerships have been awarded TIES funding. 

Competition for TIES Phase III, Cycle 2 Partnerships

USAID/Mexico is developing a country strategy for the period after 2008. USAID/Mexico will continue to support the Government of Mexico’s National Development Plan as a part of the new strategy. Fundamental priorities cited in the national plan focus on Rule of Law and Security, Competitive Economy and Employment Generation, Environmental Sustainability, and Improved Education. 

TIES University Partnerships have demonstrated significant results through increased capacity of faculty and administration of the Mexican partners and greater involvement and outreach to Mexican communities. USAID/Mexico is therefore supporting additional higher education partnerships to meet high-priority objectives as a part of their next strategy.  In the TIES Phase III, Cycle 2 competition described in this Request for Applications, as in previous partnership competitions, USAID strongly encourages inclusion and buy-in from multiple stakeholders. The strength of TIES University Partnerships has come from the collaboration of U.S. and Mexican higher education institutions with government agencies, non-governmental organizations, the private sector, and communities, all working together to identify and implement solutions to local, regional, and international development issues.  Many partnerships have been replicated beyond the initial focus area and sustained beyond the three years of USAID funding.  USAID/Mexico’s continued support of this program reflects the important contributions of the Higher Education community to international development.

This competition for TIES University Partnerships will provide up to seven awards in four focus areas.  Background, objectives and USAID/Mexico’s priority regions for each focus area are listed below.

Partnership Descriptions

Focus Area I: Strengthening ICT in Higher Education for Rural Development

Context: In rural areas of Mexico, increased use of information and communication technology (ICT) can lead to improved schools, access to prices and market information for farmers and small businesses, and access to financial services where no financial institution has a branch office.

The “digital divide” refers to the gap between those who are linked to the world information market, and those without access to ICT.  ICT is broadly defined to include cell phone networks, portable electronics, radio (digital and otherwise), digital cameras, and the Internet.  There is considerable debate about ICT impact on development: Some feel it exacerbates the divide by rewarding the connected, while others believe it is a force for lessening this gap.  Much work remains to be done to allow ICT to meet its full potential to produce the “digital dividend,” whereby the poor and excluded link into the world market through the use of ICT.

Partnership Description: USAID/Mexico will fund one partnership for Strengthening ICT in Higher Education for Rural Development as described below.

Partnership Objectives:

A partnership between U.S. and Mexican higher education institutions will collaborate to:

  • Strengthen the ICT program in the Mexican higher education institutions so that graduates are better prepared to address the ICT needs of the rural poor.
  • Strengthen the Mexican partner’s capacity to facilitate access to financial services for excluded populations in remote and rural areas.
  • Facilitate ICT solutions as a tool for development of micro and small enterprises and small-scale farmers to integrate them into the larger economy.
  • Develop support for marketing tools for small scale enterprises and farmers to provide improved access to new markets.
  • Identify potential technical and business models to address the digital divide that leverage resources from the private sector, producer or entrepreneur association and NGO partners, as appropriate.
  • Provide a minimum of five or more long term scholarships for Mexicans at the undergraduate and/or graduate level.

Potential Partners for Focus Area 1: In addition to the core higher education partner(s), applicants are encouraged to seek out private sector collaborators in the information technology field.

Geographical Focus: Both central and southern regions of Mexico.

Focus Area II: Rule of Law

Context: Profound changes in the Mexican justice system are occurring as a result of constitutional reform efforts at the federal level and reforms in the criminal codes of procedure at the state level.  USAID/Mexico continues to receive requests from states to provide technical assistance and training in the new system of justice.

On March 4, 2008, Congress passed constitutional reforms making it mandatory for all states, the federal district and the federal government to transform their criminal justice system from a mixed inquisitorial into an oral adversarial criminal justice system.  In a period of eight years, 33 jurisdictions will have to transform their criminal justice system from a written inquisitorial to an oral adversarial system.  These reforms will entail the development of new legal education programs at the university level to help the next generation of lawyers prepare for the practice of law under the new adversarial proceedings.

Since 2002, USAID/Mexico’s Rule of Law Project has been working with 23 jurisdictions to support reforms at various levels.  To date, the Rule of Law Project has provided technical assistance to Chihuahua, Oaxaca, Zacatecas, Baja California and Morelos to draft, adopt, and implement comprehensive oral adversarial criminal justice reforms.  The Rule of Law Project will work with other jurisdictions as they adapt to the new system.

Partnership Description: USAID/Mexico will fund up to three (3) partnerships to address legal education as described below.

I. Partnership in Curriculum Development (2 awards)

Partnership Objectives:

A U.S. and Mexican higher education institution(s) will collaborate to:

  • Update the legal education curriculum of the Mexican partner institution(s) so that it addresses the implementation of comprehensive oral adversarial criminal justice reforms including subjects in alternative dispute resolution, restorative justice, human rights, comparative law, court administration, criminology, ethics, theory of the case, case-study teaching methodologies, and forensic sciences.
  • Provide a training-of-trainers program for professors responsible for the long-term and continued development of the appropriate methodologies and pedagogical approaches that will teach the criminal procedure law of their students.
  • Develop a continuing legal education program (diplomado) for bar associations, attorneys, judges or other professionals to help practicing lawyers quickly come to terms with the requirements and operation of the new Code of Criminal Procedure.
  • Develop specialization courses, offered by Mexican partner institution(s), such as in-court administration clinical programs in trial advocacy techniques, which include a train-the-trainer component.
  • Provide a minimum of five or more long term scholarships for Mexicans at the undergraduate and/or graduate level.

Potential Partners for Focus Area 1: In addition to the core higher education partner(s), applicants are strongly encouraged to collaborate with the National Trial Advocacy Institute (NITA), the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG), or other similar institutions.  For more information on NITA, please contact: Laurence M. Rose, President, at lrose@nita.org or through website http://www.nita.org/.  For more information on NAAG, please contact:  Nicholas Alexander, Criminal Law Counsel at nalexander@naag.org or through website http://www.naag.org/.

Geographic focus: Mexico City (D.F.), Baja California, and/or Sonora

II. Partnership on Access to Justice for Indigenous Populations and Women (1 award)

Context: To ensure full access to justice for all, court interpreters of indigenous languages must be adequately certified and trained.  Court interpreters need to convey exactly what is being said in court without inferring concepts, interpreting mannerisms or expressing feelings.  At present, court interpretation of indigenous languages in oral proceedings is not standardized and there is no existing certification in Mexico for those who interpret.  The number of indigenous languages makes it difficult to establish one standardized national curriculum.  Certification of interpreters for indigenous languages is an underlying need in providing access to justice for indigenous groups throughout Mexico.

Women in Mexico continue to be the predominant victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking.  Sensitizing justice system personnel to this trend and building capacity for appropriate interviewing techniques is critical for addressing the needs of this population.

Partnership Objectives:

A U.S. and Mexican higher education institution(s) will collaborate to:

  • Establish a interpreter certificate program (diplomado) that meets certification standards, in conjunction with the Instituto Nacional de Lenguas Indígenas (INALI) and the Courts to prepare indigenous and non-indigenous interpreters for proper court interpretation.
  • Provide a minimum of five or more long term scholarships for Mexicans at the undergraduate and/or graduate level in the areas of legal court interpretation and/or gender issues.
  • Develop a gender-issues certificate program (diplomado) for justice system personnel that focuses on mitigating domestic violence, sexual assault and human trafficking and builds capacity in the use of appropriate victim interviewing techniques.
  • Promulgate the certificate programs (diplomados) as potential models for replication in other Mexican states.
  • Draft guidelines and recommend testing tools to certify court interpreters. 

Potential Partners for Focus Area 2: In addition to the core higher education partner(s), applicants are strongly encouraged to collaborate with INALI and the Instituto Nacional de las Mujeres (INMUJERES).  INALI contact: Genaro Serna Lara, Director de Evaluación y Certificación de Interpretes contacto@inali.gob.mx or (52 55) 5004-2107; INMUJERES contact: Jose Luis Tiscareño, Coordinador de Asesores, jltiscareno@inmujeres.gob.mx.

Geographic focus: Chihuahua and/or Oaxaca, with strong preference to include both states.

Focus Area III: Conservation of Biodiversity and Economic Growth

Context: Mexico is one of the most biodiverse countries in the world.  The Mexican National Commission for Protected Areas (CONANP) is currently consolidating its National System of Protected Areas as an important conservation strategy.  CONANP is instituting sustainable development programs to support communities living in Natural Protected Areas (NPAs). 

Because of Mexico’s land tenure structure, NPAs are inhabited by small producers living in local communities which directly depend on natural resources for their livelihoods.  Low levels of education, literacy and poor infrastructure in these communities often limit small producers’ opportunities to compete in higher-value markets.  In addition, the lack of sustainable financial services coupled with decades of Mexican government subsidies for NPA inhabitants do not offer opportunities or incentives for inhabitants to access and participate in wider markets.

CONANP is working to improve access to financial and business development services that will support small scale producers.  These services include non-financial efforts to improve enterprise opportunities such as production assistance, product design, product-specific market information and information and communication technology (ICT) services.

Partnership Description:

USAID/Mexico will fund up to two (2) partnerships to address conservation of biodiversity and economic growth as described below:

I. Linkages Between Small Producers and Financial Services (1 award)

Since 2001, Mexico’s CONANP  has implemented its Conservation for Development Strategy as a tool to promote sustainable economic growth in nature reserves.  Under this strategy, the Regional Programs for Conservation and Sustainable Development (PROCODES) channel financial resources directly in local communities to support small producers and business development.  The PROCODES program has grown significantly in the amount of financial resources distributed, as well as in the number of projects supported to local communities.  Although the number of beneficiaries has increased, there seems to be no indicator on the level of success that small producers are achieving as a result of PROCODES’ support; nor how many of the initiatives are increasing incomes, and access to markets and financial services.

(NOTE: Applications should demonstrate an understanding of value chains and value chain finance, as outlined in the USAID documents, “Value Chain Approach to Poverty Reduction: Equitable Growth in Today’s Global Economy” and “Value Chain Finance - RAFI Note # 2”)

Partnership Objectives:

A U.S. and Mexican higher education institution(s) will collaborate to:

  • Strengthen curricula of the Mexican partner institution(s) in academic disciplines related to economic growth issues in natural protected areas.
  • Produce case studies to document successful or innovative approaches that engage the university with the private sector, producer or entrepreneur associations, and/or NGO partners.
  • Develop a plan for the engagement of the Mexican partner institution(s) in educational initiatives with producer or entrepreneur associations and/or NGO’s in the Natural Protected Areas.
  • Develop recommendations, in collaboration with CONANP staff, to strengthen CONANP’s sustainable development policies which will lead to increased access to services for local producers.
  • Strengthen the capacity of the Mexican partner faculty and staff to: 1) support CONANP’s Conservation for Development Strategy at a policy level; and, 2) enhance PROCODES effectiveness at the field level.
  • Provide a minimum of five or more long term scholarships for Mexicans at the undergraduate and/or graduate level.
  • Implement experiential learning opportunities for Mexican students with CONANP and related groups such as financial institutions, small producer associations, business service providers, or market development facilitators related to nature reserves.

Potential Partners for Focus Area 3: In addition to the core higher education partner(s), applicants are strongly encouraged to collaborate with CONANP and PROCODES.  To learn more about CONANP, contact, Lic. Carlos Enríquez Arcaraz, Director General de Conservación para el Desarrollo, at cenriquez@conanp.gob.mx  or (55) 5449-7010.

Geographic Focus: Natural Protected Areas in one or more Mexican states.

II. Forestry and Sustainable Economic Opportunities (1 award)

Mexico has approximately 68 million hectares of forests including temperate, humid, sub-humid and mangrove ecosystems. Local communities that depend directly on natural resources for their subsistence and development own approximately 80% of Mexico's forests. As a result of land use change for urban growth and agriculture, fires and low forest productivity, Mexico is among the countries with the highest deforestation rate in the world. In the states of Chiapas and Oaxaca, USAID wants to strengthen the forestry sector and increase sustainable economic opportunities for local communities, as well as mitigate the impacts of deforestation and soil degradation.

Partnership Objectives:

A U.S. and Mexican higher education institution(s) will collaborate to:

  • Strengthen academic curricula of the Mexican higher education institution(s) to incorporate a focus on economic growth and soil restoration in forest areas.
  • Increase economic opportunities of communities for sustainable use of non-timber forestry products and responsible forest management.
  • Promote effective restoration programs in degraded areas with a focus on environmentally sustainable reforestation programs.
  • Develop seed banks and germplasm to accelerate replanting of degraded areas and improve production.
  • Provide a minimum of five or more long term scholarships for Mexicans at the undergraduate and/or graduate level.
  • Develop experiential learning opportunities for Mexican students related to the forestry sector with Mexican state agencies such as the State Forest Commission of Chiapas (COFOSECH) and the Chiapas’ Commission for the Development and Promotion of Coffee (COMCAFE), financial institutions, small producer associations, business service providers, and/or market development facilitators. 

Geographic Focus: Both Chiapas and Oaxaca.

Focus Area IV: English Language Education

English is an indispensable tool to increase Mexico’s competitiveness in today’s world. The Mexican government has highlighted access and quality of education as a priority. Mexico’s Secretariats of Public Education, at both Federal and State levels, are emphasizing the teaching and learning of English at all levels of the education system.  Mexican institutions of higher education, including Pedagogical Universities and Normales (elementary teacher training institutions), are working to meet the demand for better prepared English language teachers and teacher trainers throughout the country.

Partnership Description:

USAID/Mexico will fund one partnership in English language education as described below:

Partnership Objectives:

A U.S. and Mexican higher education institution(s) will collaborate to:

  • Strengthen the academic curricula of the Mexican higher education institution(s) in English as a Second Language (ESL) and/or English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teacher training.
  • Develop a plan to establish a master’s degree program in Teaching English as a Foreign/Second Language (TEFL/TESL).
  • Provide a minimum of five or more long term scholarships for Mexicans at the undergraduate and/or graduate level.
  • Incorporate creative teaching/learning methods, such as distance-learning and train-the-trainer components, into the ESL/EFL program(s) to increase access.
  • Promulgate potential model(s) for replication in other Mexican states.

Potential Partners for Focus Area 4: In addition to the core higher education partner(s), applicants are strongly encouraged to collaborate with Mexican State Secretariat of Education representatives.

Geographical focus: Coahuila, Distrito Federal (DF), Estado de México, Puebla, Sonora, Jalisco, and/or Yucatán.

Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E)

The application must describe a monitoring and reporting plan to address the partnership activities and outcomes as described in the objectives. The monitoring and reporting plan should demonstrate how progress towards objectives will be tracked, and how results of partnership activities will be summarized. The monitoring and reporting plan should include a baseline assessment of the current program needs for the appropriate focus area.

A description of an external evaluation of the partnership impact must be included in the plan, and the qualifications of the designated external evaluator described. The plan must also include a detailed description of how results will be communicated and reported to USAID/Mexico through HED.

Eligibility

HED welcomes applications from the member institutions of ACE, AACC, AASCU, AAU, NAICU, and NASULGC, and from other regionally accredited, degree granting, US higher education institutions.  US colleges and universities may apply individually, or in partnership with other institutions.  US higher institutions should prepare applications in collaboration with the host country partner institution(s), but only US higher education institutions may apply.  HED encourages applications from or with the participation of US  minority-serving institutions.  Please note that TIES does not offer sustainability awards for previous or current TIES partnerships.

Application Review Guidelines

Peer reviewers will use the following criteria to evaluate the applications:

I. Partnership Design and Potential Results (30 points )

  • Evidence that the partnership design and expected outcomes address the objectives in the appropriate focus area.
  • Evidence that the partnership will develop short term programs (certificate or diplomado).
  • Adequate plan for collaborative development of curricula in the appropriate academic discipline(s).
  • Relevant to the needs of the beneficiaries identified in the appropriate focus area.
  • Feasibility of implementation plan and timetable.
  • Overall likelihood of achieving significant, demonstrable results. 

II. Scholarships and Training for Mexicans (20 points)

  • Demonstrated relevance of scholarship training to the objectives stated in the RFA.
  • Plans for trainees to return to Mexico within a defined timeframe and to an established setting.
  • Number of undergraduate or graduate-level scholarships (five or more) for two academic semesters of training (which may or may not lead to a degree) – including Mexican nationals primarily residing in rural, poor areas of Mexico and/or of indigenous descent – with half of the training opportunities and scholarships offered to women.
  • Evidence of a fair and transparent process to select scholarship and training recipients that is clear to all stakeholders.

III. Mutuality and Sustainability of Partnerships (20 points)

  • Demonstrated understanding of the Mexican federal, regional and local authorities and programs with whom the partners are expected to collaborate.  Evidence of appropriate consultation with these authorities in the development of the application and implementation of the partnership.
  • Strength of diverse partners, which may include the private sector, foundations, NGOs, community-based organizations, other higher education institutions, and the public sector, to assure enduring relationships and continued results from joint US-Mexican efforts.
  • Evidence of collaboration among partners in planning, oversight and implementation of activities.
  • Substantive plan to ensure sustainability and institutionalization of partnership activities.

IV.  Cost Effectiveness of Overall Budget (15 points)

  • Demonstrated cost-effectiveness and accuracy of budget with a clear, detailed explanation provided in the budget narrative.
  • Realistic budget in relation to the breadth and scope of the proposed collaboration with equitable distribution of funds among partners.
  • Level and quality of the cost sharing commitment from the US and Mexican institutions and other partners, which may include scholarships.

V. Monitoring, Reporting and Evaluation Plan (15 points)

  • Clear plan for collecting information that describes outcomes to meet partnership objectives, including how progress and results will be reported to USAID/Mexico through HED.
  • Specificity of monitoring and reporting plan, including methodology for collecting baseline data, tracking activities, and reporting outcomes.
  • End-of-partnership plan for assessing impact of activities, including an external evaluation of results. 

Total Points: 100 points

TIES Scholarships and Mexican Partners

TIES Scholarships

Scholarship Criteria: Applicant institutions should propose five (5) or more long-term undergraduate or graduate-level scholarships for Mexicans (which may or may not lead to a degree) to be embedded within a partnership in addition to other training, internships, and exchanges within the application budget.  These scholarship expenses may be covered by core award or cost share funds.

The following activities may be counted as a scholarship:

  • Undergraduate or graduate-level training (two or more semesters that may or may not lead to a degree) in the United States.
  • Undergraduate or graduate-level training (two or more semesters that may or may not lead to a degree) in Mexico with U.S. faculty or via distance education for Mexicans.
  • Dual degree programs for Mexicans with training (two or more semesters that may or may not lead to a degree) in the United States or in Mexico.
  • Specialty training and/or sabbaticals (two or more semesters that may or may not lead to a degree) in the United States for Mexican faculty.
  • Scholarships are tallied in units of two academic semesters completed by a single participant; no half scholarships may be counted. (N.B.: An individual who studies three (3) academic semesters is counted as one (1) scholarship; if an individual completes four (4) academic semesters, it is counted as two (2) scholarships, etc.)

Internships that are for academic credit may be counted toward scholarships, and summer sessions, that are equivalent to a semester at the institution where they are undertaken, may be counted toward scholarships.

Applicants should outline a fair and transparent process for selecting appropriate trainees – including Mexican nationals primarily residing in rural, poor areas of Mexico and/or of indigenous descent – with approximately half of the training opportunities and scholarships offered to women.

Mexican Partners

USAID/Mexico encourages:

  • Alliances with diverse partners, including government, NGOs, and the private sector.
  • Partnerships with Mexican autonomous higher education institutions.
  • Partnerships between US community colleges and Mexico's universidades tecnológicas.
  • Applications from institutions that seek to foster partnerships with Mexican institutions that have not received a previous TIES award. (Previous TIES awardees)

Application Format, Submission and Review

Application Format
How to Submit an Application
Peer Review

Application Format

Please provide the contents of the application in the following order:

1. Title Page (Please complete HED form in full and obtain signatures of authorized officials.)

2. Table of Contents

3. Abstract (not to exceed 3 typed, double-spaced pages, 12-point font, 1-inch margins). The abstract should contain a summary of the narrative, workplan and budget.

4. Narrative (not to exceed 20 typed, double-spaced pages, 12-point font, 1-inch margins) Address the criteria listed in Application Review Guidelines I-V (see above).

5. The 20-page application must describe a monitoring and reporting plan for the partnership, including an initial baseline assessment, that shows how progress and results will be communicated and reported to USAID through HED.

6. Appendices (Attachments beyond the stated appendices will not be read nor taken into consideration):
    * Annual workplan for the funding period (Use HED form).
    * Budget forms (Use HED form. Complete all tabs).
    * Proposed Scholarships chart (Use HED chart).
    * Résumés of the proposed U.S. institution director(s) and host institution personnel, not to exceed 2 one-sided pages per person.
    * Signed letters of support from the presidents, chancellors, or other chief executive officers of the cooperating institution in the United States.
* Signed letters of support from appropriate university leaders of the overseas partner institution as well as partnership directors. University leaders from the overseas partner may include deans, rectors, or university presidents.
    * Signed letter from appropriate official at applicant institution verifying that all costs cited conform to established institutional policies and practices.

How to Submit an Application

Applications must be received at HED by 5:00PM, Eastern Time (ET), June 20, 2008. Faxed or electronically transmitted applications will not be accepted. All elements of the application must be received by the deadline. HED recognizes that original, signed cover letters and letters of support from overseas partners may be subject to delays due to factors beyond the applicant’s control. Only in these exceptional cases, faxed or scanned copies of the application title page and letters that include all necessary signatures may be submitted in the application, provided signed originals are received at HED within seven (7) calendar days of the deadline.

Applicants should submit the original application plus seven (7) hard copies of the complete application package containing title page, table of contents, abstract, narrative, and appendices (all on loose-leaf paper, clipped together — no three-ring binders, staples, or plastic bindings), and a diskette or CD (with files saved as Microsoft Word/Excel for PC) containing the entire application, including all budget forms, budget narrative, and other appendices.

Applications should be sent to: (*NOTE: This is a NEW address.)

TIES US - Mexico Phase III, Cycle 2
Higher Education for Development
1 Dupont Circle NW, Room 1B30
Washington, D.C. 20036-1193

Once an application has been received, there is to be no contact with the HED program office until the completion of the peer review process in order to ensure fairness to all parties concerned. 

Peer Review

Applications will be reviewed by panels comprised of US higher education international development experts who have experience in Mexico and/or Latin America, as well as representatives from USAID/Mexico.  Awards will be made on the basis of reviewers’ recommendations of merit, and USAID. Peer review of applications is slated for early July.

Letters of communication from members of the U.S. Congress in support of an application are discouraged as these may be thought to prejudice the peer-review process. Such letters will not be forwarded to peer reviewers.

Notification about awards is expected following the completion of peer review. Upon final announcement of awards, the person named in the application as partnership director may submit a written request for copies of the peer reviewers’ scores for the application. No personal reviews will be granted, and no comparative score tabulations will be shared.

Terms of the Solicitation

Cost Share
Execution of Awards
Post Award Briefings
TIES Conference
TraiNet Requirements
Health and Accident Insurance
Reporting

Cost  Share

The minimum suggested total cost share from all U.S. partners is 25 percent of the requested award amount. Applicants are encouraged to demonstrate their ability to leverage additional resources from other sources. Reported cost share must be auditable. Non-auditable contributions may not be used to meet the minimum, but can be indicated separately and attached to the budget detail form.

Partnerships among higher education institutions with private sector partners are encouraged. Applicants should itemize all cost sharing, including waivers of tuition and other academic costs, faculty release time, stipends, professional development funds, internship value, travel, supplies, equipment, other direct costs, indirect costs, etc.

Cash and in-kind contributions will be accepted as part of the applicant’s cost sharing when such contributions are: (a) verifiable from the applicant’s records; (b) not included as contributions for any other federally-assisted program; (c) reasonable for the accomplishment of partnership objectives; and (d) not paid by the federal government under another grant.

In-kind contributions may include, but are not limited to: waivers of tuition and fees for students participating in academic exchanges; donation of library and classroom materials to the partner; ICT infrastructure and Internet Service Provider subscription subsidy for the partner and exchange students; faculty salaries; travel and/or per diem for faculty and administrators to participate in professional exchange and development programs; provision of internships for students hosted by the U.S. partner(s) and U.S. students hosted by the partner(s); and, indirect costs. Contributions not meeting the terms of “cost share” should be indicated in a separate statement of contributions.

From 2002-2007, approximately $16.8 million in USAID/Mexico funds for TIES partnerships has leveraged over $18.3 million in cost share contributions. USAID/Mexico encourages similar commitments from TIES Phase III partnerships.

Execution of Awards

Awards will be executed as sub-agreements between the designated U.S. university, college, community college, or consortium, and the American Council on Education (ACE), through the Higher Education for Development (HED) office, under USAID Cooperative Agreement AEG-A-00-05-00007-00. The institution recommended for award will receive a draft version of the sub-agreements to review. The award recipient will be expected to submit a marking plan related to USAID/Mexico branding requirements as part of the sub-agreement that clearly indicates the support provided by USAID/Mexico for activities conducted under the award.

Please note that no award nor cost share funds may be expended prior to a fully executed (i.e., signed by both parties) sub-agreement between ACE and the designated U.S. institution unless pre-award expenses have been approved as a part of the negotiation of the sub-award. Activities are expected to commence immediately after the sub-agreement is executed.

Award funds will be disbursed to the designated U.S. university, college, community college, or consortium, based on the applicant’s implementation of the work plan, stated budget, and submission to HED of financial, tax, and narrative progress reports. It is the designated U.S. institution’s responsibility to provide disbursements (reimbursements) for its collaborating partner(s) in accordance with the agreed-upon activity schedule and budget.

Post Award Briefings

Partnership directors, and/or their designees, are required to participate in two post-award briefings. The first briefing, conducted in a virtual format, will review reporting, monitoring and evaluation requirements. The second briefing via a conference call will address general requirements of the award.

TIES Conference

Applicants must budget for partnership representation at the 2009 TIES conference.  This 2.5 day conference will be held in Mexico.  Partnerships are expected to send one representative from the U.S. higher institution(s) and one representative from the Mexican higher education institution(s).  Additional partnership personnel and other partners may attend, subject to approval by HED, if they are funded by other sources.

TraiNet Requirements

To comply with the Department of Homeland Security, U.S Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Department of State, and USAID regulations regarding tracking and monitoring of Exchange Visitors, foreign nationals whose costs are paid, fully or partially, directly or indirectly using USAID program funds for training, non-training, and invitational travel, must enter the U.S. on a J-1 visa (non-immigrant Exchange Visitor visa) processed under one of USAID’s two program numbers, unless otherwise waived according to the procedure in ADS 252.3. J-2 visa applications for family members are not supported per USAID policy. USAID expects that all DS-2019 documents (paperwork needed for J visas) and in-country or third country training be processed through the USAID Training, Results and Information Network (TraiNet) system. Institutions may not directly access the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) to issue DS-2019 documents internally. Information regarding USAID’s J-1 visa requirements may be found on-line at the Participant Training website. Administrators must adhere to the regulations detailed under TraiNet, Visa Compliance System (VCS), the Student Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), and USAID’s Automated Directives System (ADS) 252-Visa Compliance for Exchange Visitors, and 253-Training for Development. U.S. institutions should allow at least 4-6 weeks  for the processing of visas when planning activities in the United States.

TraiNet management requires a significant commitment of staff time and applicants are encouraged to take this into consideration when developing the program budget.

USAID Health and Accident Coverage (HAC) Insurance Program

The U.S. institution is responsible for enrolling each participant traveling to the United States or a third country in the official USAID Health and Accident Coverage (HAC) insurance program. Participants entering the United States on J-1 visas are required to obtain HAC from the official USAID vendor. Institutions may not use award funds to cover their own institutional HAC insurance. More information on the USAID HAC insurance program is available online. The cost of HAC for participants must be included in the budget.

Reporting

Awardees will be required to submit to HED:

· Financial reports are due quarterly to record expenditures for the following periods: Jan. 1-March 31, April 1-June 30, July 1-Sept. 30, and Oct. 1-Dec. 31;

· Semi-annual narrative progress reports for the following reporting periods may be sent via e-mail: April 1-September 30 and Oct. 1-March 30;

· Both financial reports and semi-annual progress reports are due within one-month after the corresponding reporting period closes: Jan. 31, April 30, July 31, and Oct. 31;

· A final narrative report (due 30 days after the conclusion of program activities); and,

· Final financial reports (due no later than 90 days after the sub-agreement closing date).

 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: Is the Mexican state of Jalisco considered to be in the “central” region of Mexico?

A: Yes.  Originally USAID/Mexico stated that higher education institutions from the state of Jalisco would not be eligible to serve as the primary Mexican partner institution.  They have reversed this determination.  Jalisco is now an eligible state for Focus Area 1 - Strengthening ICT in Higher Education for Rural Development.

Q: Which states are considered to be in "central and southern" regions Mexico (Focus Area 1—Strengthening ICT in Higher Education for Rural Development)?

A: USAID/Mexico considers the following states to be in the "central" region of Mexico: Colima, Distrito Federal (Mexico City),  Estado de Mexico Jalisco, Guanajuato, Guerrero Hidalgo, Michoacán, Morelos, Puebla, Queretaro, Tlaxcala, and Veracruz.

USAID/Mexico considers the following states to be in the "southern" region of Mexico: Campeche, Chiapas, Oaxaca, Quintana Roo, Tabasco, and Yucatan.

Q: Should our application address all the partnership objectives in the focus area?

A: Yes.  The most competitive applications address all the partnership objectives for a particular focus area outlined in the Request for Applications.

Q: What are the scholarship criteria for this RFA?

A: Scholarship Criteria: Applicant institutions should propose five (5) or more long-term undergraduate or graduate-level scholarships for Mexicans (which may or may not lead to a degree) to be embedded within a partnership in addition to other training, internships, and exchanges within the application budget. These scholarship expenses may be covered by core award or cost share funds.

The following activities may be counted as a scholarship:

  • Undergraduate or graduate-level training (two or more semesters that may or may not lead to a degree) in the United States.
  • Undergraduate or graduate-level training (two or more semesters that may or may not lead to a degree) in Mexico with U.S. faculty or via distance education for Mexicans.
  • Dual degree programs for Mexicans with training (two or more semesters that may or may not lead to a degree) in the United States or in Mexico.
  • Specialty training and/or sabbaticals (two or more semesters that may or may not lead to a degree) in the United States for Mexican faculty.
  • Scholarships are tallied in units of two academic semesters completed by a single participant; no half scholarships may be counted. (N.B.: An individual who studies three (3) academic semesters is counted as one (1) scholarship; if an individual completes four (4) academic semesters, it is counted as two (2) scholarships, etc.)

Internships that are for academic credit may be counted toward scholarships, and summer sessions, that are equivalent to a semester at the institution where they are undertaken, may be counted toward scholarships.

Applicants should outline a fair and transparent process for selecting appropriate trainees – including Mexican nationals primarily residing in rural, poor areas of Mexico and/or of indigenous descent – with approximately half of the training opportunities and scholarships offered to women.

Q: In the Rule of Law focus area, one of the objectives is to develop a diplomado or certificate program.  If the partnership provides support (with award or cost share funds) for a participant to complete the diplomado, could this “count” as a scholarship?

A: Yes.  In country training at the undergraduate or graduate level may be counted toward the minimum number of scholarships recommended in the RFA.  The diplomado should be the equivalent of two academic semesters of coursework and have substantial US faculty involvement.

Q: The diplomado that our partnership is developing will contain several intensive modules. Although it will not be the calendar equivalent of nine months of training, our institutions view this as the equivalent of two semesters of work.  Could this still “count” as a scholarship for a sponsored participant?

A: Yes.  As long as both institutions view the diplomado as the equivalent of two academic semesters, sponsored participants may be counted toward the recommended number of scholarships.  Please be sure to note your institutions’ policies with regard to calculating semesters in your application for the peer reviewers’ consideration.