Request for Applications (RFA):
TIES U.S. - Mexico University Partnerships

Higher Education Support for Legal Reforms in Mexico

(En Español)

Date Reissued: November 24, 2008
New Deadline: January 23, 2009

HED expects to fund up to two additional awards of no more than $450,000 each, incrementally funded over a three-year period, contingent on funding by USAID/Mexico. The partnerships will provide Higher Education Support for Legal Reforms in Mexico. For further information regarding this RFA, please contact Senior Program Associate Josh Henson (202) 243-7680; jhenson@hedprogram.org.

Background
TIES Initiative
Context
Partnership Description
Monitoring and Evaluation
Eligibility
Application Review Guidelines
TIES Scholarships and Mexican Partners
Application Format, Submission, and Review
Terms of the Solicitation
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) (updated on Jan. 9, 2009 with new budget guidance)

Background

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

Higher Education for Development (HED) mobilizes the expertise and resources of the higher education community to address global development challenges. HED administers 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). 

USAID funding through the Bureau for Economic Growth, Agriculture and Trade, Office of Education (EGAT/ED), as well as USAID 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, 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 U.S.-Mexico bilateral to promote economic growth and higher living standards in Mexico. TIES enhances the capacity of higher education institutions in the U.S. 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 U.S.-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-four (64) higher education partnerships have been awarded TIES funding. 

Competition for TIES Rule of Law Partnerships: TIES Phase III, Cycle 2

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. Part of 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 expects to provide at least two awards that focus on 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 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.  Mexico has adopted these changes to its judicial system in part to restore Mexican citizens’ confidence that justice is being achieved. The probability of being found guilty of a crime in Mexico is among the lowest in the world, causing a high degree of insecurity. It is expected that these important reforms will lead to transparency and accountability in the legal process. 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 system involving 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. USAID/Mexico expects to fund at least two awards.

Partnership Description:

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 to include, for example, subjects in pre-trial services, restorative justice, human rights, comparative criminal 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 to teach the criminal procedure law to their students.
• Develop a continuing education program (diplomado) for bar associations, attorneys, judges or other professionals to help practicing lawyers quickly deal with the requirements and operation of the new code of criminal procedure.
• Develop a legal clinic or similar program to give the law students at the Mexican partner institution(s) practical experience in trying actual criminal cases.
• Provide scholarships of two or more semesters for Mexicans in Mexico or the United States (preference for scholarship study in Mexico).

Key Personnel:

Applicants are strongly encouraged to incorporate experienced bilingual (English-Spanish) faculty and staff as a part of the partnership team.The U.S. partnership director should have substantial experience either teaching criminal law and procedure in a U.S. law school, and/ or practicing criminal law in U.S. federal and state courts. In addition the U.S. partnership director should have at least some professional working knowledge of the criminal laws and procedures of Mexico or Latin America.

The Mexican partnership director should have substantial experience either teaching criminal law and procedure in a Mexican law school, or practicing criminal law in Mexican federal and state courts.

Contact Information for Potential Partners:

In addition to the 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 the website www.nita.org. 

For more information on NAAG, please contact:  Nicholas Alexander, Criminal Law Counsel at nalexander@naag.org or through the website www.naag.org. 

Geographic focus: At the Federal level and/or with one or more of following Mexican states: Baja California, Chihuahua, Zacatecas, Morelos, Oaxaca, Hidalgo, Durango.

Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E)

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

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 the budget and 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, U.S. higher education institutions. U.S. colleges and universities may apply individually, or in partnership with other institutions. U.S. higher education institutions should prepare applications in collaboration with the host country partner institution(s), but only U.S. higher education institutions may apply. HED encourages applications from or with the participation of minority-serving institutions.

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 will develop short term programs (certificate or diplomado).
• Adequate plan for collaborative development of curricula in the appropriate academic discipline(s).
• Evidence of plans for the development of a model legal clinic(s). 
• Relevant to the needs of the beneficiaries identified.
• Feasibility of implementation plan and timetable.
• Overall likelihood of achieving significant, demonstrable results.

II. Mutuality and Sustainability of Partnerships    (25 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 U.S.-Mexican efforts.
• Evidence of collaboration among partners in planning, oversight and implementation of activities. 
• Demonstrated qualifications of key personnel (U.S. and Mexican partnership directors), including breadth of experience teaching and or practicing criminal law and working knowledge of the criminal law and procedures of Mexico and/or Latin America.
• Substantive plan to ensure sustainability and institutionalization of partnership activities.

III. Scholarships and Training for Mexicans        (10 points)

• Evidence of an equitable and transparent process to select scholarship and training recipients that is clear to all stakeholders. 
• Plans for trainees to return to an established setting within a defined timeframe. 

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     (20 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.
• Plan for external evaluation, including identification of an external evaluator with experience appropriate to assessing the impact of the proposed partnership.
• 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 scholarships with a duration of two or more semesters for Mexicans and be included as part of the partnership application. Scholarships are in addition to other training, internships, and exchanges.  These scholarship expenses may be covered by core award or cost share funds.

The following activities may be counted as a scholarship as part of this partnership:

• Training of two or more academic semesters in Mexico with US institution faculty teaching in-country or via distance education (may include team teaching with Mexican faculty—strongly preferred).
• Specialty training and/or sabbaticals for two or more semesters in the United States for Mexican faculty. 
• Training of two or more academic semesters in the United States.
• Scholarships are defined in units of two academic semesters completed by a single participant; no half scholarships may be counted. (N.B.: An individual who studies three academic semesters is counted as one scholarship; if an individual completes four academic semesters, it is counted as two scholarships, etc.) Internships which are for academic credit may be counted toward scholarships. Summer sessions that are equivalent to a semester at the institution where they are undertaken may also be counted toward scholarships.

Mexican Partners:

USAID/Mexico encourages:

• Alliances with diverse partners, including government, NGOs, and the private sector. 
• Partnerships with Mexican autonomous higher education institutions. 
• 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).
    * 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 Mexican partner institution as well as partnership directors. University leaders from the Mexican partner may include deans, rectors, or university presidents.
    * Signed letters of support from key collaborating partners. This may include NGOs and private sector partners.
    * Signed letter from appropriate official at applicant institution verifying that all costs cited conform to established institutional policies and practices. Include a copy of the U.S. institution's Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate (NICRA).

How to Submit an Application

Applications must be received at HED by 5:00PM, Eastern Time (ET), January 23, 2009. 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, Suite 420
Washington, DC 20036-1110

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 expert panelists, which include representatives from higher education, international development, and USAID.  Awards will be made on the basis of reviewers’ recommendations of merit, and USAID. Peer review of applications is slated for early February 2009.

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 award amount. 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.

Higher education institutions are expected to leverage support from the private sector in addition to the cost sharing provided by their institutions. Applicants should itemize all cost sharing and in-kind contributions.
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; and indirect costs.

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 Aawardee recipient will be expected to submit a marking plan related to USAID branding as part of the sub-agreement that clearly indicates the support provided by USAID 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, 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) sponsored by USAID/Mexico, unless otherwise waived according to the procedure in ADS 252.3. J-2 visa applications for family members are not supported per USAID/Mexico policy. USAID expects that all DS-2019 documents (paperwork needed for J-1 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 sponsored J-1 visa requirements may be found online 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 at least 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 31.
• 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).
• Final financial reports (due no later than 90 days after the sub-agreement closing date).

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: The application title page states that the award amount may not exceed $250,000; however, the RFA provides a different amount. Which one is correct?

A: The total award amount may not exceed $450,000. The title page has been corrected.

Q: Regarding the HED budget forms, is a detailed explanation of budget figures required or are the budget summary pages with major line totals, such as personnel, fringe, etc., sufficient?

A: A detailed explanation of budget figures is required. Please use the 7-tab HED budget form for a 3-year partnership and see the updated Budget Instructions sidebar at the top right for further information. Or click here to see the updated Budget Instructions.

Q: How important to the application is the number of Mexican institutional partners involved in the project?

A: There is no requirement to include more than one Mexican institutional partner. If an application can demonstrate that there are multiple Mexican institutional partners that can increase the impact of the program, it could make for a stronger application.

Q:To what extent will negotiation and advocacy in mediation skills be important to the curriculum?  Should a component be to train mediators?

A:Negotiation and advocacy in mediation skills are required in the implementation of criminal justice reforms; therefore these should be part of the update to the legal education curriculum. Mediation training could be included in the training-of-trainers program (RFA objective # 2). A mediation training component is encouraged.

Q: Can we have further clarification on the role of external reviewers for the proposal?

A: Applications will be reviewed by panels of higher education experts in rule of law who have experience in Mexico and Latin America and representatives from USAID/Mexico. Panelists evaluate the applications based on the criteria listed in the RFA. Awards will be made on the basis of the reviewers’ recommendations of merit and concurrence from USAID/Mexico.

Q: Who is the right partner law school in Mexico for an advanced clinic of DNA evidence? 

A: HED cannot advise which Mexican law school would be the “right” partner for an advanced clinic of DNA evidence.  We can inform that many Mexican higher education institutions on the US-MX border offer Masters-level programs in Forensic Sciences. 

Q: How much budget should be dedicated to skills training (oral advocacy, judicial administration, metodos alternativos, etc.)?

A: Given that four of the five objectives listed in the RFA involve skills training (training-of-trainers, continuing education, legal clinic, and scholarships) a significant portion of the budget should be dedicated to the selection of trainees and the administration of training programs.

Q:  Is there any interest in publishing materials for legal education and if so, who owns the rights to those materials – the US government, the grantee, etc.?

A: The United States Code of Federal Regulations includes the following guidance:
§ 226.36 Intangible property.
(a) The recipient may copyright any work that is subject to copyright and was developed, or for which ownership was purchased, under an award. USAID reserves a royalty-free, nonexclusive and irrevocable right to reproduce, publish, or otherwise use the work for Federal purposes, and to authorize others to do so.

(b) Recipients are subject to applicable regulations governing patents and inventions, including government-wide regulations issued by the Department of Commerce at 37 CFR part 401, ‘‘Rights to Inventions Made by Nonprofit
Organizations and Small Business Firms Under Government Grants, Contracts and Cooperative Agreements.’’

(c) The United States Federal Government has the right to:
(1) Obtain, reproduce, publish or otherwise use the data first produced under an award; and
(2) Authorize others to receive, reproduce, publish, or otherwise use such data for Federal purposes.

Q: Can the grant be solely administered by the U.S. law school?

A: The application must be submitted by a U.S. institution but there must be at least one partnering Mexican institution.  The U.S. institution will act as the lead institution in terms of all financial, tax, and narrative reporting; disseminating information from HED; coordinating with cooperating institutions; and all other program tasks. Other partner institutions will collaborate with the lead institution by individual arrangement.  Note:  That although the US institution acts as lead in terms of administrative and financial functions; these are bilateral projects.

Q: Can the partner in Mexico be a non-profit association (asociación civil)?

A: A non-profit association can be included as an additional partner but there must be at least one U.S. institution of higher education and one Mexican institution of higher education.

Q: Can the higher education support be done only at one particular state?

A: The RFA specifies the following geographic focus - “At the Federal level and/or with one or more of following Mexican states: Baja California, Chihuahua, Zacatecas, Morelos, Oaxaca, Hidalgo, Durango.”  Applications will be evaluated accordingly.

Q: Can Mexican institutions from states other than the ones listed in the RFA participate?

Yes, Mexican institutions of higher education from other states can participate as long as they partner with Mexican institutions located in the states listed in the RFA and a U.S. institution.  Or as long as they have a Federal level focus (see the previous question above).

Q: Would Mexican law professors be enthused about participating in workshops and LLM programs designed to teach how to teach advocacy skills and apply them in clinical settings? 

A: Many Mexican law professors would be encouraged to participate in these workshops and LLM programs, particularly professors in those Mexican states that have advanced further in reforming their criminal justice system.

a. When during the summer might they be available for a workshop? Summer program schedules may vary in each Mexican higher education institution; usually summer programs are held in June-July or July-August. We recommend that you consult calendars with your partnering MX higher education institution to have feasible dates for workshops.

b. Finally, to what extent do they already have the experiential education skills? Experiential education skills would vary depending on the background and skills of the faculty at each Mexican higher education institution.  Applicants are encouraged to explore this with potential Mexican partners.

Q: Who are the partners setting up a clinic (i.e. where will cases come from, who will supervise students) and what kind of relationship/receptivity is there in the local bar associations for continuing education?

A: Applicants are encouraged to collaborate with partners in government, NGOs, and private sector in setting up a clinic or similar programs. These partners, along with U.S. and Mexican law schools, should be able identify appropriate cases and supervise students.

Bar associations are interested in updating and improving continuing education in Mexico. These associations provide seminars, educational programs (diplomados), and seminars under their continuing education portfolio. Below are some organizations that you may consider and/or other similar institutions.

Barra Mexicana de Abogados, http://www.bma.org.mx

U.S.–Mexico Bar Association, http://www.usmexicobar.org

American Bar Association, http://www.abanet.org

Q: Does an application have to address all five objectives state in the RFA?

Applications will be evaluated based on all five objectives listed in the RFA. The peer review committee will recommend applications that best respond to the objectives and criteria listed in the application review guidelines of the RFA. Applications that address fewer than the five objectives will still be forwarded to the peer review committee for consideration.