U.S. Consulate Kolkata Building Pan-Asian Connectivity Conference Grant

The U.S. Consulate Kolkata will host an international conference in Kolkata that will focus on “Building Pan-Asian Connectivity” with regards to security, counterterrorism, trade and environmental and climate change. At the end of the conference, a list of practical recommendations will be presented by the awardees to key policymakers at an event hosted by the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi.
The conference will bring together business, academic, government, civilian and think tank experts from India, the United States, China, Bangladesh and Southeast Asia to examine the opportunities and obstacles as India and China take on greater roles in the region. The U.S. Consulate Kolkata seeks one American think tank to organize and execute this conference. The awardee will work together with a Kolkata-based think tank as a sub-awardee to develop the agenda, invite expert international speakers and relevant local participants, and manage all the logistics for this conference. One significant purpose of this grant/cooperative agreement is to strengthen the connections between American and Indian think tanks.
Proposals should be based on the participation of 12 expert speakers: 5 from the United States; 3 from India; and 4 from Asia. The awardee must receive approval from the U.S. Consulate Kolkata on the final list of invited expert speakers. The awardee will also invite appropriate local participants from Kolkata and the region, approximately 70-80 people, including but not limited to government officials; security officials; academics: scientists; research scholars and students of international relations, political science, business and security studies from institutions including but not limited to IIM-Kolkata, Jadavpur University, Presidency University and Calcutta University; think tank leaders; business associations; and representatives from the Diplomatic Corps. The awardee must receive approval from the U.S. Consulate Kolkata on the final list of invited participants.
Topics for the conference should include, but are not limited to, security issues; counterterrorism, trade issues; and environmental issues.
Proposals must cover the myriad of expenses associated with such a major, international conference, from the development of the conference agenda and securing the participation of expert speakers to organizing and paying for airfare, transportation and hotel logistics. The proposal should include all relevant administrative and logistical costs for organizing this conference. The awardee must develop budgets that include, but are not limited to, the following costs:
• Economy class roundtrip airfare, lodging, and per diem costs of expert speakers and appropriate awardee administrative staff in Kolkata
• Conference venue rentals in Kolkata
• Lunch and coffee/tea break service for two days
• Agenda preparation
• All conference venue related expenses beyond rental (utilities, back-up generator, etc.)
• Conference materials
• Publicity materials, including a conference website
• Audio-visual requirements
• Travel Agency expenses
• Invitations
• Economy class roundtrip airfare, lodging, and per diem costs for four speakers and for two days in New Delhi to present their findings

The conference should be held at either a centrally located hotel or appropriate university in Kolkata. The awardee will organize for airplane transfers for the 12 expert guests to their accommodation and the conference. At the conference, the awardee will develop a short list of practical recommendations that a select team of four conference representatives will present to key policymakers over a working dinner, hosted by the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi. The two main conference organizers will publish a compilation of articles by a select number of conference participants centered on the three major themes of the conference. Any publications must be approved in advance by the U.S. Consulate Kolkata and U.S. Embassy New Delhi.

A panel comprised of Consulate and Embassy staff members will review each complete proposal received before the application deadline. Please note that selected proposals will have to complete additional forms and registration documents within thirty days of notification in order to receive funding.
The awardee is encouraged to seek and find additional funding for this conference, subject to approval by the U.S. Consulate Kolkata and U.S. Embassy New Delhi.