Organization of American States Department of<br />Human Development
Spectrum Management in the Civil Sector

NOTE TO ALL APPLICANTS TO OAS SCHOLARSHIPS

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This application must be completed on-line.

OAS Department of Human Development

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

“M9-101 – Spectrum Management in the Civil Sector”OAS/DHD-CIR.009/2009

1. Study venue: United States Telecommunications Training Institute (USTTI, 1150 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20036, United States of America

2. Offered by: Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and Comsearch under the auspices of the United States Telecommunications Training Institute (USTTI), Regional Training Center of the Inter-American Telecommunication Commission (CITEL).

3. Coordinator: James O’Connor, USTTI Curriculum Coordinator, Email: [email protected] Phone: (202) 785-7373, Fax: (202) 785 1930

4. Modality: On site

5. Start and end dates: April 13 – 24, 2009

6. Course duration: Two weeks

7. Language: English

8. Objectives: This course is intended to provide information and material for the national civilian telecommunications spectrum manager that will enable the making of logical spectrum related decisions that are well grounded in basic technical procedures. The training will initially provide an explanation of the dichotomy that exists in the United States with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) responsible for civilian sector spectrum management and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) responsible for federal government sector spectrum management.


The course will provide information on: (1) the development of sound civilian telecommunications policy; (2) public sector telecommunications law; (3) national telecommunications rules and regulations; (4) elements and use of radio, television, wireline or fiber-optic carrier, and satellite carrier licensee data bases; (5) criteria for the assignment of frequency authorizations in both national and international communications services; and (6) the general methodology for approval of transmitting and radiating equipment. It will include discussions with telecommunications industry leaders and will provide exposure to state-of-the-art systems in advanced communications technology from those in industry who are involved on a day to day basis.

9. Participant Learning Objectives: Participants will be able to: (1) understand the appropriate principles of national civilian radio spectrum management systems; (2) understand the automated station and equipment authorization process; (3) learn how to deal with the general public for information dissemination and radio interference complaint purposes; and (4) initiate or review civilian statutory and regulatory policies for new or expanded radio services, and be aware of the latest technology in telecommunications arenas.

10. Methodology: Participants will receive instruction from FCC staff in Washington, DC; Columbia, MD; and Gettysburg, PA; and by Comsearch, the course co-sponsor, in communications engineering. Course time will be divided into classroom work in Washington with both sponsors, a tour of the FCC Laboratory in Columbia, MD, where equipment radiation measurement and authorization work is accomplished, and a visit to the automated FCC license issuance processing line in Gettysburg, PA. The course will be augmented by site visits to operating commercial telecommunications entities. Current issues confronting common carrier, mass media, and private radio terrestrial and satellite-based telecommunications services will be discussed. Regulatory policy options will be examined, the national process for creating telecommunications rules and regulations will be explained, and the spectrum allocation and assignment process will be examined. In addition, market based spectrum philosophies, such as lotteries and auctions, will be discussed. The application of new and modern technologies (personal communications, cellular, paging, both low-Earth and geostationary mobile-satellite service, advanced and high definition television, digital audio radio, multiple access, satellite coordination, switching, ultra-wide band, etc.) will be included in course presentations. Operation of a national, geographically-dispersed telecommunications regulatory agency, incorporating automated licensing processes, provision of public service, standard-setting, and enforcement techniques will also be discussed.

11. Requirements:

a. Citizenship or permanent residence of an OAS Member State, with the exception of the United States since is the host country.

b. Participant profile: Managerial with technical emphasis of the telecommunications sector, such as stakeholder analysis and consensus development, with an emphasis on policymaking processes in the regional and global environment during technology transitions with at least three years of experience in the radio frequency spectrum management area.

c. Submission of completed application form by the deadline set by the National Liaison Organization (ONE).[1] It is the candidate’s responsibility to ascertain the deadline set by the ONE in his or her country of residence

d. In addition to the OAS application, applicants must also submit a formal application through the USTTI. Applications may be filed through USTTI’s web site: http://ustti.org

12. OAS Scholarship Selection Criteria: In accordance with article 4.2. of the Manual of Procedures of the Scholarship and Training Programs of the OAS, OAS scholarships shall be granted based on the following criteria:

1. the objectives and priorities established in the Strategic Plan for Partnership for Development;

2. the training priorities of the member states;

3. the merits and overall credentials of the candidate, including his/her academic and professional background;

4. the financial need of the candidate; and

5. An extensive and equitable geographic distribution for the benefit of all member states and that takes into account the greater needs of the smaller and relatively less developed economies.

13. Benefits:

· For successful candidates, OAS/CITEL will cover round trip economy class air tickets from country of origin or residence to Washington, DC, United States of America. [2]

· USTTI will provide a stipend of $400.00 to offset hotel and living expenses, as well as waiving the $150.00 administrative fee.

14. Responsibilities of selected candidates:

Based on shared accommodations and an arrival date of Sunday, April 12th and departure date of Saturday, April 25th, the additional amount needed for this course is USD$1,120.00.

        Please be advised that:

  1.  The accommodation that is being provided requires participants to share hotel rooms, and
  2.  Each participant will have to pay an additional amount of US$1,120.00 to share in the cost of accommodation.

· The selected candidates must confirm their acceptance to the OAS General Secretariat Office in their respective countries and through the ONE in order for the OAS to proceed with making the necessary travel arrangements to purchase the air travel tickets, economy class, round-trip, between their country of origin or residence and the study location or, if the scholarship is refused, to appoint another candidate.

The selected candidates must confirm their acceptance of the scholarship by signing and returning to DHD their completed “form of acceptance of the scholarship award”; only after this has been done will the OAS proceed with the necessary travel arrangements to purchase the air travel tickets, economy class, round-trip, between the scholarship recipient’s country of origin and the study location. 

· Upon selection, candidates must accept the scholarship by confirming their availability to follow the course during the period indicated and their acceptance of the duly provided conditions of study.

· Selected scholarship recipients are responsible for obtaining the necessary visa(s) to enter the country of study and the corresponding transit(s). The OAS will not be responsible for any costs related to obtaining visas or transfer documentation.

· Each scholarship recipient is responsible for arriving in time for the commencement of activities on the date established by the institution offering the course or program.

· If the scholarship recipient fails to travel on the scheduled dates, or change routes, after the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States (GS/OAS) has purchased his/her travel ticket, he/she will be responsible for paying the difference in ticket costs in order to arrive at the course site in time. The scholarship recipient will furthermore have to reimburse the GS/OAS the total cost of the airfare for his/her travel from his/her country of residence to the site where the Professional Development Course will take place and back if, after the ticket has been purchased, he/she declines the scholarship without written authorization from the Department of Human Development.

· The latter includes any additional costs, if any, incurred by the GS/OAS, such as extra costs for accommodation during the scholarship recipient’s travel to and from the country where the course will be held.

· If the fellow declines, cancel or terminates the Scholarship after the course or program has started without giving enough proof to the OAS/GS, he or she must reimburse OAS/GS the total amount of incurred costs/expenses.

15. Certification: The participants will receive a diploma from the United States Telecommunications Training Institute (USTTI), regional Training Center of the Inter-American Telecommunication Commission.

16. Presentation of candidacies:

Please Notice: If you were awarded an OAS Professional Development Scholarship in the past twelve (12) months or if you currently hold an OAS Scholarship for Academic Studies, you are not eligible to apply for another Professional Development Scholarship.

The online application form must be completed on-line and can be accessed at: http://www.educoas.org/portal/en/oasbecas/onsite.aspx?culture=en&navid=282 here you’ll find the announcements of all the onsite courses, click in the one you are interested in, go though the end of the page, and then you’ll find the Continue button which will direct you to the online application form.

Once the applicant has completed the online application form and submitted it, a copy will be sent automatically to his/her e-mail account. This completed form must be printed, signed and submitted to the National Liaison Office (ONE) with all other forms (http://www.educoas.org/portal/en/oasbecas/formspd.aspx?culture=en&navid=282)

All the additional forms must be completed electronically or in typewritten format.

The following is the list of National Liaison Organizations (ONEs) in the OAS Member states: http://www.educoas.org/portal/en/oasbecas/ones.aspx?culture=en&navid=282

Please note that the official announcement is published in the language of instruction of the course and is available via the Educational Portal of the Americas Web page at: http://www.educoea.org.

Any questions regarding submission of applications for this course should be sent to: [email protected] 

IMPORTANT NOTICE:  THESE SCHOLARSHIPS ARE SUBJECT TO THE AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS CORRESPONDING TO THE 2009 REGULAR BUDGET

 

Department of Human Development

  

LZea-Yonker/ M9-101 – Spectrum Management in the Civil Sector/CITEL-USTTI/USA/2009

 



[1] The deadline for presentation of applications to the (ONE) differs from country to country and should therefore be confirmed with the relevant ONE in the applicant's country of origin or permanent residence.

 

[2] Funds for terminal and in-transit expenses are NOT provided

 

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