THE CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING COMMUNITY-WIDE EDUCATION AND INFORMATION SERVICES SOLICITATION GUIDELINES The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) is soliciting proposals to develop community-wide education and information services. These publicly accessible interactive services will take full advantage of widely available communications and information technologies, particularly inexpensive computers linked by telephone lines. Public television and radio stations are invited to submit proposals in collaboration with educational and cultural institutions, local government and other communications and community service organizations. CPB expects to fund from six to ten proposals in this Initiative, for a total CPB commitment not to exceed $800,000. The deadline for receipt of proposals is 5:00 p.m., (EST), January 19, 1994. Background America is developing a new kind of infrastructure for the information age which will be as critical to life in the 21st century as the public utility, communication and transportation infrastructures developed in the 20th century. The technology base for this new information infrastructure- -computer networking and data communications--was developed in universities, and corporate and government research labs, initially for military and scientific purposes. Educational and business applications have grown dramatically. As countless newspaper and magazine articles have reported over the past few years, extraordinary new powers of interactive multimedia communication and information exchange are on the horizon. Commercial development is now outpacing public development. The commercial development of computer networking and data communications technologies will create a wide array of entertainment and business services desired by millions of Americans--who can afford to pay. However, many question whether infrastructure and service development driven by market forces alone will meet the needs of all Americans. As is amply demonstrated in the world of broadcasting, non- commercial public telecommunications services complement commercial market forces in achieving equitable and universal access, and greatly enhance the richness and diversity of programming and information available to all of us. The development of commercial networking and telecommunication services is expanding at a phenomenal pace. The emphasis is on high speed "superhighways," and business and mass entertainment services provided by giant multimedia corporations. Who will mobilize the development of high-quality, non-commercial, educational and public services that will provide all Americans with the opportunities for learning, staying healthy, and participating in cultural and civic affairs--services crucial to the well-being of society as a whole? The Goal of the Initiative The goal of this Initiative is to help create publicly accessible community-wide education and information services. These services will address local education and public service needs of communities across America using currently available computer networking and telecommunications technologies. This Initiative is not about building physical networks--it is about building and strengthening existing communities through shared and integrated information services. In our view, the best such services will involve all sectors of the local education and public service community as partners in a common enterprise. Schools and universities, public libraries and museums, local government, health and human service agencies, to name a few, would provide services through a shared communications and information network. The resources to be shared may include those of the existing computer networking and telecommunications resources of local public broadcasters, cable operators, telephone companies, universities, and other public and private organizations. While a wide array of services is the goal, CPB is especially interested in seeing attention paid to educational services. Successful applicants will be expected to develop a wide array of education and public information services. These could include services such as online courses and telementoring, an "electronic card catalogue" and library reference desk, locations and hours of community health and human service organizations, neighborhood crime watch information, assistance for job-seekers, town hall forums for input on local issues, and much more. The specific services offered by each local community network would initially depend on the needs and interests of the local community. CPB is especially interested in local educational services. A national tenet of CPB's education plan is that we utilize all means possible to more effectively meet the critical national need of helping this country respond to the six national education goals. In this context, we have established as a specific educational service goal of this Initiative the creation of a math homework service within each funded project. The development of a math homework service as part of each CWEIS is designed to tie in with the local schools' mathematics curriculum and to stimulate a community-wide network. Moreover, if the program succeeds, this component will help the country meet Goal 4 of our national education goals: "By the year 2000, American students will be first in the world in math and science achievement." This Initiative provides many opportunities for local communities to help achieve all six national education goals, and prospective applicants are encouraged to formulate their plans for educational services in that light. Some educational services would be aimed at providing formal education, others at complementing formal education. Some services would be aimed at formal education for adults, and others at informal education for community members of all ages. Immediate Objectives of the Initiative The Initiative has two immediate objectives: (1) help up to ten sustainable community-wide education and information services get successfully launched, and (2) collect information on the experiences of these ten that will help us assist the dozens and then hundreds of public broadcasters and communities that will want to follow suit in the near future. This Initiative will provide seed funding and matching grant funds for up to ten internetworked community-wide education and information service (CWEIS) development projects, with the total CPB commitment not to exceed $800,000. Each grant will include a combination of seed funding (i.e., funds provided at the outset), and 1:1 matching funds (i.e., funds provided in later stages of the contract period, contingent on cash contributions from other sources). The grant period is for two years, with the expectation that the CWEIS will be sustainable over the long term. Applicants are expected to demonstrate commitment to local partnerships and public service that will provide a strong base upon which to build a local public telecommunications and information services infrastructure. CPB is specifically interested in funding local public television and/or radio stations, or consortia of stations, in partnership with (a) educational organizations, libraries and museums, local governments, health and social service providers, other public service organizations, and (b) other local communications providers (e.g. newspapers, telephone companies, cable companies, etc.). Eligibility Requirements To be eligible for a grant from the CPB Community-wide Education and Information Services (CWEIS) Initiative, a community partnership must include: the participation and sponsorship of an existing public radio or television station, or consortia of stations (i.e., any public telecommunications entity or entities eligible to receive a CPB Community Service Grant or other CPB station grant); an appropriately broad representation of established local organizations and institutions (e.g. education, government, public libraries, health and human services, etc.) in the targeted community, including other non- commercial and commercial communications and information service providers; a two-year plan for building a CWEIS that is sustainable over the long term, including organizational, technical and financing specifications, timetable and budget; a commitment to provide free or affordable access to all qualified educational and public service providers and end users for essential educational and information services; a commitment to create services that are as "barrier- free," and as accessible as possible: to novice users (in general ease of use and absence of technical jargon); to persons with disabilities, and to non- English speakers (as appropriate for the local community served); a commitment to full cooperation in capturing and sharing detailed information about project activities -- from deliberations over principles of operation through successes and failures in achieving specific objectives; and a commitment to conduct all essential business of the project, whenever possible, via Internet mail and other forms of electronic communications as appropriate. Selection Criteria To ensure that the lessons learned are as useful as possible in different communities and different circumstances, the selection criteria will include geographic diversity, and both rural and urban communities. To the extent possible with a relatively small number of funded services, we expect to learn the advantages of different community partnerships, different technologies, different information and communication services, and different approaches to integrating education and other public service needs. We expect the funded services to reflect different station roles and degrees of involvement, ranging from a central role in several key areas (e.g., technical, information provider services, user services, publicity, development, etc.) to a more limited and concentrated role in one or two areas. CPB has a special interest in ways that these services can become high-quality educational resources in their communities. While we expect each applicant to respond to local needs and interests differently, there are some needs that are common to most, if not all communities. In line with our specific interest in helping achieve our national education goal for math and science achievement, and in order to have at least one educational service area in which we may study different approaches across all funded services, we will be looking for creative implementations of a "math homework service" in all successful proposals. Applications which seek to demonstrate the value of strong links among the station(s), schools, and community/parent groups will he given the highest consideration. [See Q&A below for an example.] While the primary focus of this Initiative is clearly on creating local community partnerships and local education and information services, we expect all successful applicants to have some relationship with relevant statewide and regional entities and initiatives involved in developing public telecommunications and information infrastructure. Statewide and regional entities may or may not play a direct role as partners in the CWEIS proposal, but in all cases the CWEIS development plan should be "in synch" with, and complement other levels of infrastructure development in the geographic area of the proposed CWEIS. No award is final until the formal execution of CPB's standard contract. CPB reserves the right to withdraw this request for proposals at any time with no financial, legal or other obligation to any applicant responding to this solicitation. Questions and Answers Q: What exactly is a "community-wide education and information service?" A: The technical answer is that, in its most elementary form, a community-wide education and information service (CWEIS) includes information and communications services provided on a "host" computer to which several modems and telephone lines have been connected. CWEIS software supports basic functions like electronic mail and conferencing, information file management, and the execution of other special purpose programs, all under a simple menu- driven interface. Individuals in the community can connect to the host computer, using a personal computer or terminal connected to a telephone line through a modem, to access information stored on a host computer, and to send and receive electronic mail and participate in conferences. Host computers of different community-wide education and information services are interconnected through the Internet. The range of possibilities for a community-wide information service continues to grow as new networking and telecommunications technologies become widely available. These possibilities will soon include providing audio and video programming as well as textual information, and providing alternative media access systems for persons with disabilities. The range of technical possibilities continues to grow as new networking and telecommunications technologies become widely available. It is people, communicating, learning, sharing information. It is the local community, "online." The content answer is that a Community-wide Education and Information Service is where a school, the public library, city hall, the hospital, and a host of other community service organizations and services can provide information and a channel of communication to the public and to each other, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It can include forums for public discussion, community resource directories, a place to collaborate on community projects, a library reference desk, knowledge and expertise volunteered by citizens in the community, a path to specialized resources on distant networks, a public information kiosk and a convenient way to conduct an endless variety of transactions with local government. It is people, communicating, learning, sharing information. It is the local community, "online." It is an organization created by volunteers in the local community who act as individuals or representatives of local organizations and institutions. The organizational answer is that, in most cases, a community-wide education and information service is an organization created by volunteers in the local community who act as individuals or representatives of local organizations and institutions. Some form non-profit corporations, others remain informal associations. The key to a CWEIS organization is inclusion. Typically a governance structure is established with a board of directors and/or advisors, a council of representatives from different education and public service sectors, and from different geographic areas served. While a small core of paid staff is essential to coordinate activity, most work gets done by several working committees of volunteers focused on areas like user services and training, recruitment of volunteer information providers and service managers, publicity, funding, administration, policies and procedures, and technical services. Q: Why would a public radio or television station want to participate in this Initiative? Public telecommunications services are changing as new computer networking and telecommunications technologies become widely available, and as radio and tv are transformed from analog to digital technologies. A: Public radio and television stations provide high-quality public telecommunications services of value to particular audiences and to American society as a whole. In the past, public telecommunications services meant, for all practical purposes, one-way broadcasts of radio and television programming. The nature and scope of public telecommunications services is changing as new computer networking and telecommunications technologies become widely available, and as all communications and information technologies--including radio and tv--are transformed from analog to digital technologies. These new technologies permit two-way, or multi-way, interactive communications and information sharing. This Initiative is a door to that future. Most, if not all, stations eventually will embrace and incorporate the new technologies in their operations. For those that are ready to pursue this inevitable integration now, participation in this Initiative will afford a position of leadership in creating the new public telecommunications services of tomorrow. To participate in this Initiative, a station need not be at the "cutting edge," appropriating the latest digital and interactive technologies at every opportunity. High on our list of selection criteria is diversity of models of participation by existing public radio and television stations. In every case, the broadcasting station must be the applicant on behalf of a community partnership, and the fiscal agent for the CPB contract. But the other roles of the station will vary from case to case. A station could be the central agent in virtually every aspect (administrative, technical, financial, administrative, user services, information services, etc.). In another, the station might play a key role only in specific areas, such as technical support and information services. In yet another case, the station might be participating in all areas, but focusing most of its effort on one or two programmatic areas in which a special effort is being made to integrate broadcast programming with interactive services on the community network. Whatever the station's present stage of assimilation of new technologies, or its initial role in the community partnership, participation in this Initiative will help solidify and extend the station's base of support in, and perceived usefulness to, its local community. Q: How do you define "local community" for this Initiative? Are proposals for statewide or regional communities eligible, for example? This Initiative is about using new media technologies to improve the general well-being of "communities of place." A: Local communities are geographical communities of people that share common public infrastructures, such as local telephone systems, public transportation systems, utility systems, etc. Proposals that were statewide or regional in reach would qualify so long as the proposed services were addressing needs of local communities in the state or region in question. Statewide, regional, and national organizations might be especially valuable partners in such proposals, but applications must be sponsored by eligible public broadcasting entities as in all other cases. The development of computer networks and other telecommunications systems have often been driven by a need or desire to connect so-called "communities of interest" for whom time and space are obstacles to be overcome. This Initiative is about using these same technologies to improve the general well-being of "communities of place." Geographical communities contain diverse interests but common needs for essential education and public information services. Community-wide education and information services built by and for geographical communities--by and for communities of place--will inform, connect, involve, and engage all citizens. Such communities typically include racially, economically, politically, socially, occupationally, and educationally diverse constituencies, and the CWEIS development must explicitly encourage all the constituencies of a community to participate and contribute. Q: Give me an example incorporating a math homework service in a community-wide education and information service. A: An example would be a service in which the station and community partnership would engage education faculty of a local college or university (to effect curriculum changes, or to encourage student participation as math tutors), local math teachers and district-level math education administrators, and community/parent groups, in a collaborative working relationship designed to assist children as they work on mathematics homework. The station could have several roles in such a service, including but not limited to, providing: on-air publicity and recruitment of volunteer tutors from the community through news and public affairs programming, and public service announcements; relevant educational programming in both broadcast and non-broadcast forms; facilities for students and volunteer tutors to hook into the community network; and overall administrative support and management of the service on the community network. Q: Can you give me an example of a functioning community- wide information service? A: There are several such services beginning to operate around the country. One of the best known is the Cleveland Free-Net. One of many services inspired by the Cleveland Free-Net, the National Capital Area Public Access Network, or CapAccess, was recently begun in Washington, D.C. with funding from the Annenberg/CPB Projects and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Dozens of other services are in operation or in various stages of planning. Of special significance for this Initiative, is that very few of these services include public broadcasters as partners. Q: What does it really cost to create a community-wide information service, "from scratch?" The cash outlay might be $100,000 to $200,000 per year above and beyond volunteer effort and in-kind contributions-- primarily the costs of core paid staff to manage and coordinate volunteer efforts, and communications costs. A: The economic feasibility of these services is predicated on extensive volunteer effort and in-kind contributions of participating organizations. Based on the actual experiences of pioneers in the field, an elementary and customary form of service might cost $100,000 to $200,000 per year above and beyond volunteer effort and in-kind contributions. These figures represent primarily the costs of core paid staff to manage and coordinate volunteer efforts, and communications costs not received as in-kind contributions. These cash requirements might be met through a variety of funding channels: user donations; grants and contracts from state and local government, foundations and businesses; and cash payments from participating service providers. Hardware and software costs are usually obtained as an in-kind contribution of one or more partners. The vast majority of the work needed to create and maintain the services is done by volunteers from the community. Next to personnel expenses, the other major cost item would be communications expenses. In a best case scenario, these expenses, like the required hardware and software, are in- kind contributions of local partners. Should the community partnership have to pay its own communications costs, these costs may range from only a few thousand dollars per year to thirty or forty thousand, depending upon the type of services desired. Q: What is the maximum amount that can be requested from CPB? A: We expect the average CPB grant to be in the neighborhood of $100,000 for the two year contract period. That does not exclude the possibility of making a larger grant to a station that might, for example, be "starting from scratch" or that has a particularly compelling plan for services integration. It also does not rule out the possibility of a smaller grant request by a station that may, for example, be joining an established community partnership. Q: Can the service charge user fees to recoup some costs? A: User fees can be employed for a wide variety of special services made available over the community network, but there should be no access fee for basic education and public information services. Different workable approaches to "tiers" of service, and to paying for basic services for which there is no access fee, are among the things we hope to learn from this Initiative. Q: What kinds of costs can the grant money be used for other than staff and communications? Can it be used to buy hardware and software if necessary? A: Hardware and software costs may be included, but special consideration will be given to proposals that have obtained commitments for basic equipment expenses as in-kind contributions of partners. Overhead costs that are directly related to fulfillment of the contract can be included also, but all such expenses must be detailed as line items. It is not permissible to enter one sum for indirect costs as a percentage of total direct costs. Q: Can organizations other than public radio and television stations apply for grants? A: No. A public radio or tv station must apply on behalf of a community partnership. The partnership can and should include a variety of organizations from the local education and public service community. Grants will be awarded only to public radio and tv stations applying on behalf of community partnerships. Q: What if there is already a community-wide information service under development in our community? Can we still apply? A: Yes. There are many areas of the country where community networks are already in development, but without significant involvement from local public broadcasters. This is an opportunity for organizers of new community networks and local public broadcasters to link up and begin to take advantage of the many ways broadcast and interactive technologies can be used together to extend and enhance education and community services. Q: Our station already operates a computer bulletin board service for teachers. Can we apply for funds to broaden our services to the whole community? A: Yes, as long as other educational and service organizations in the community also become partners in the effort, and some new and innovative approaches to merging technologies and services are proposed. Several public television stations, for example, already operate "Learning Link" computer bulletin board services, and PBS is now designing services for PBS ONLINE, a national network that will link all public television stations through a VSAT (very small aperture technology) satellite system. Such services could become integral parts of a broader local community-wide service through the participation of the local public television station. Or a station, in collaboration with its community partners, could expand its local Learning Link/PBS ONLINE service into a broader community-wide service. The station could offer to make the station-based platform the main hub, or the station platform could be one of several nodes of the community network, creating a two-way gateway relationship between the local CWEIS and the Learning Link/PBS ONLINE network and its services. Proposal Format Proposals should be submitted in electronic and paper form. The full proposal should not exceed 35 pages, including any appendices (except letters of support, which are not included in the page limit). Provide 20 copies of the proposal, stapled or in soft binders. The electronic form must be in ASCII text or another format readable by Word for Windows or Word for Macintosh. The electronic version may be sent to cweis@cap.gwu.edu or mailed on a 3.5" DOS or Macintosh formatted diskette. Proposal Outline 1. Fact Sheet (form attached) 2. One-page summary 3. Descriptions of the organizations that are partners in this proposal, what resources (e.g., financial, tangible, human, etc.) each brings to this, and a brief history of the partnership. For a new partnership less than one year old, please include documentation of the meetings held and agreements reached to form the partnership in preparation for submitting this proposal. 4. Brief narrative descriptions or one-page resumes of key leadership (professional staff and/or volunteer), and advisory committee members, emphasizing what in their experience makes them appropriate for leadership in this effort. 5. A brief but precise description of the computer and communications platform and provisions for technical support. The "platform" must include one or more host computers, operating system and communications software, modems, telephone lines, and network environment providing Internet access. The proposal must clearly identify the partner or partners assuming responsibility for providing the core platform and technical support. [If the core platform and technical support are not already in place, but committed contingent upon receipt of a CPB grant, the applicant must be able to point to a working system, identical in all critical respects, to the one committed.] 6. A full description of the specific information services development activities being proposed for the two years of CPB funding. Be sure to include your plan for implementation of a math homework service within your educational service development activities. All service descriptions should include goals, target audiences, and a local evaluation strategy. [Letters of support should be included with the proposal from partners essential to the main development activities described.] 7. Enumerate the specific value of the services described in #6 for (1) teachers and students in school settings, and (2) other adults who would benefit from expanded educational opportunities. 8. A detailed timeline for the activities described above, including quarterly milestones and any external contingencies (e.g., additional funding, availability of personnel, facilities, equipment, etc.) prerequisite to their completion. 9. A description of the rights arrangements for any materials that are to be created. [See Contractual Requirements below.] 10. A detailed budget plus a summary budget of the major cost categories. [The budget should reflect the full costs of the computer and communications platform and the activities proposed, whether from in-kind or monetary sources of support. CPB funds may only be used for direct costs, not for unspecified overhead costs. CPB funds may be used to pay overhead costs that relate directly to this project; all such costs must be itemized as direct costs. Budgets should list all funding expected from sources other than CPB, including in-kind contributions.] Contractual Requirements Data Gathering and Reporting Requirement. For the Initiative to be of maximum benefit as a research and development project, participating partnerships will be required to maintain careful records -- minutes and/or electronically captured transcripts when possible -- of key organizational processes and products, including those dealing with governance, administration. systems development, service development, user services and training, public relations, and funding. Internet Communications Requirement. Our information gathering will be greatly aided by maximizing use of network communications from the very beginning of the Initiative. Partnerships interested in becoming prospective applicants are strongly encouraged to communicate their intent via Internet mail sent to cweis@cap.gwu.edu. Most Initiative- related activities will be conducted via electronic mail to help meet the Initiative's research and development objectives. Rights in Data and Copyright. Participating partnerships and/or the original creators or copyright owners of all information resulting from CPB-funded activity will retain ownership of all rights. CPB requires only non-exclusive distribution rights: the right to use and share the results of its funded activities for the benefit of all. Use of Submitted Materials. By submitting a proposal in response to this solicitation, each applicant warrants that CPB has the right to use and duplicate the proposal for evaluation, review, and research. Contract Provisions. Successful applicants will be required to enter into a binding agreement with CPB. Until an agreement is signed by both parties, CPB makes no express or implied commitment to financially support a project. No oral or written statements other than the signed, written agreement will govern or modify the relationship. The applicant must guarantee that it has secured all rights and clearances necessary to develop and disseminate the project, and that the project is not defamatory and will not violate or infringe upon the privacy, copyright, trademark, patent, trade secret or other proprietary right of an third party by reason of distribution, exhibition, or other uses. Other contract provisions include, but are not limited to: Financial records and reports in a form acceptable to CPB, Compliance with equal opportunity and nondiscrimination laws and policies, A specific schedule of deliverables and payments, A demonstration of adequate financial support to complete and deliver the project deliverables, Maintenance of a complete file of all subcontracts and other agreements, licenses, and clearance forms related to the Contractor's activities under the contract, copies of which shall be available to CPB upon request, Indemnification of CPB against any loss resulting from breach of any of the warranties and/or guarantees contained in the contract, Funding credit to CPB in a manner to be approved by CPB, Prior approval by CPB of the copy, layout, format, and appearance of all advertising and promotional material and elements. The above is not intended to be a comprehensive list of CPB's contract requirements. The specific terms and conditions will be set forth in the CPB standard contract, which will be offered to the successful applicant. For further information, contact Michael J. Strait (202-879- 9649) or Kim Smith (202-879-9657). Fax: 202-783-1036. Electronic mail: cweis@cap.gwu.edu Please address written correspondence to: CWEIS Initiative, c/o Michael J. Strait, The Annenberg/CPB Projects Corporation for Public Broadcasting, 901 E Street, NW, Washington, DC 20004-2037 Corporation for Public Broadcasting Community-wide Education and Information Services Initiative Proposal Summary Fact Sheet Project Title:______________________________________________________ Applicant:__________________________________________________ Project Director:___________________________________________________ Address:____________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________ Telephone:_______________ Fax:_______________ Email:________________________________________ Federal ID #:___________________________________ Project Summary:____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ Amount Requested from CPB: $______________ Amount from Applicant: $______________ In-kind contribution from Applicant: $______________ Amount from Other Sources:$______________ In-kind contribution from Other Sources: $______________ Total Budget: $______________ Chief Executive Officer: ____________________________________________________________ Typed Name Signature Date -- CWEIS Initiative e: cweis@cap.gwu.edu Corporation for Public Broadcasting c/o Michael J. Strait v: 202-879-9649 .