[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 99 (Tuesday, May 24, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-12654]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: May 24, 1994]


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Part VI





Department of Commerce





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International Trade Administration



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Consortia of American Businesses in the Newly Independent States 
Announcement of Availability of Funds; Notice
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration
[940531-4131]

 
Consortia of American Businesses in the Newly Independent States 
Announcement of Availability of Funds

AGENCY: International Trade Administration, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This is a notice of availability of Federal funds for the 
Consortia of American Businesses in the Newly Independent States 
(CABNIS) program to assist U.S. firms in establishing a commercial 
presence in the former Soviet Union. CABNIS is a program designed to 
assist U.S. firms in establishing a commercial presence in the Newly 
Independent States of the former Soviet Union (NIS). Through CABNIS 
funding, non-profit organizations form business consortia to promote 
the sale of U.S. goods and services in the NIS. The participants in 
such CABNIS consortia are for-profit U.S. firms interested in trade 
with the NIS. CABNIS recipients establish consortia offices and staff 
in the NIS to provide a broad range of services for their for-profit 
member firms, including market research; sales promotion; communication 
of sales, joint venture and investment opportunities; identification of 
and introduction to potential buyers and trade contacts; staging trade 
and technical missions and seminars; provision or arrangement of 
necessary legal services; and other export trade facilitation services. 
Through the CABNIS program, Federal funds are awarded as seed money to 
help pay the start-up costs of establishing and operating U.S. 
consortia offices in the NIS. A CABNIS consortium can be organized 
along a single industry line or represent more than one business 
sector. There is no limitation on the number of for-profit firms that a 
consortium may represent.

DATES: Competitive Application Kits (Application Kit #410-3172) will be 
available from Commerce starting May 24, 1994. Applications are to be 
received at the address designated in the Application Kit no later than 
3PM E.D.T. July 7, 1994.

ADDRESSES: To obtain a copy of the Application Kit #410-3172, please 
send a written request with two self-addressed mailing labels to Ms. W. 
Dawn Busby, Director, Office of Export Trading Company Affairs, room 
1800 HCHB, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th and Constitution Avenue, 
NW., Washington, DC 20230. Only written requests will be honored; 
telephone, fax, or walk-in requests will not be accepted. Only one copy 
of the Application Kit will be mailed promptly to each organization 
requesting it, but it may be reproduced by the requester.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information, contact Ms. 
Heather Moxon, Office of Export Trading Company Affairs at the above 
address or at telephone (202) 482-5004.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

    Program Authority: Section 303(b)(4) of the FREEDOM Support Act, 
22 U.S.C. 5823(b)(4).

    Program Objectives: CABNIS consortia are intended to strengthen the 
U.S. business presence in the NIS. They will provide direct trade 
facilitation support for their member firms, stimulating increased U.S. 
exports to the NIS. The consortia will be expected to support host 
country private sector development through assistance with finding 
markets for NIS products, promoting U.S. investment and U.S.-NIS joint 
ventures, providing technical training, and/or identifying and 
assisting with defense plant conversion projects.
    Funding Availability: Funding for the program will be provided by 
the U.S. Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration 
(ITA). The total amount of ITA Federal assistance funds available for 
CABNIS is $1.5 million for FY 1994. Commerce anticipates awarding a 
minimum of three awards prior to the end of FY 1994.
    Funding Instrument and Project Duration: The funding instrument 
will be a grant. The Federal funding contribution will not exceed 50 
percent of proposed allowable project costs with a maximum funding 
amount of $500,000 per grantee. Applicants must commit non-Federal 
resources (cash and/or in-kind contribution) to match the remaining 
share of project costs. The award period will be up to three years.
    Eligibility: Eligible applicants for Federal assistance through the 
CABNIS program are private and public non-profit U.S. organizations 
that will represent the commercial interests of U.S. firms in 
furthering trade and economic relations with the NIS. Applicants should 
be able to show that there exists within the organization proven 
experience in trade and economic relations with the NIS. Only 
applicants proposing to open an office in one or more of the following 
Newly Independent States are eligible for CABNIS assistance: Armenia, 
Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, 
Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.
    Membership in a consortium must be available on a non-
discriminatory basis. For example, membership in a trade association 
cannot be a requirement for membership in a consortium.
    Selection Procedures: Each application will receive an independent, 
objective review by one or more review panels qualified to evaluate the 
applications submitted under the program. The review panel(s) will 
evaluate all applications on a competitive basis, in accordance with 
the evaluation criteria below, and make award recommendations to the 
Selecting Official. A minimum of six weeks will be necessary to 
complete the evaluation process.
    Awards will not necessarily be made to the highest ranked 
applicant. The Selection Official shall recommend awards based on the 
ranking of applications as determined by the review panel(s), 
geographic distribution among those NIS countries identified by CABNIS, 
distribution among industry sectors, and the availability of funds. 
Preference may also be given to private non-profit applicants.
    Evaluation Criteria: Consideration for financial assistance will be 
given to those CABNIS proposals that:
    1. Demonstrate a realistic work plan detailing how the consortium 
will assist proposed U.S. member firms to promote and/or market their 
products and services in the NIS. Examples of the types of services 
that a consortium can provide include advertising and publicity, 
conducting technical and sales seminars, communicating business 
opportunities, identifying potential buyers and distributors, 
conducting market research, etc. Evidence of marketability of the U.S. 
products and/or services to be marketed in the NIS will be taken into 
account in evaluating applications.
    2. Demonstrate a well-reasoned plan as to how the consortium will 
support private sector development in the NIS (e.g., through product 
marketing assistance, technical training, investment promotion, 
identifying and assisting with defense conversion projects, working 
with or helping to form indigenous counterpart trade organizations 
[such as trade associations], etc.). Evidence that the consortia 
activities in the NIS will be related to the proposed U.S. member 
firms' exports will be taken into account in evaluating applications 
(e.g., a consortium representing U.S. suppliers of medical equipment 
and supplies may choose to work with host country industry groups and 
arrange for training in western-style hospital administration and 
health services, bring technical trade missions to the U.S., and/or 
encourage U.S.-NIS business ventures for the joint production of 
medical equipment and supplies).
    3. Are proposed by non-profit organizations with the capacity, 
qualifications and staff necessary to undertake successfully the 
intended activities.
    In addition, priority consideration will be given to applications 
that:
    4. Demonstrate the capability and intent of enlisting small and 
mid-sized U.S. firms as members of the consortium.
    5. Provide a reasonable assurance that the proposed project can be 
continued on a self-sustained basis after expiration of the Federal 
award.
    6. Present a reasonable and realistic, itemized budget for the 
proposed activities and reflect an appropriate balance between program 
support (e.g., establishing a commercial office in the NIS, providing 
export trade services to U.S. firms, conducting on-site conferences, 
seminars, etc.) and operational expenses (e.g., personnel salaries, 
consulting fees, domestic travel, overhead, etc.).
    Evaluation criteria factors 1 through 3 will be weighted equally 
and will take precedence over priority consideration factors 4 through 
6. Priority consideration factors 4 through 6 will be weighted equally.
    The Newly Independent States of the former Soviet Union share a 
demand for U.S. equipment, instrumentation, services, and technology 
(e.g., products, services and technology related to aerospace, 
agriculture, banking systems, defense conversion, distribution systems, 
energy [including mining and oil and gas fields], machine tools, and 
medical and pharmaceutical industries). Some NIS locations, however, 
demand products and services unique to their region (e.g., mining, oil 
and gas field equipment). Countries eligible for consideration are: 
Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, 
Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.
    Other Requirements: All applicants are advised of the following:
    1. Delinquent Federal Debts: No award of Federal funds shall be 
made to an applicant who has an outstanding delinquent Federal debt 
until either the delinquent account is paid in full, a negotiated 
repayment schedule is established and at least one payment is received, 
or other arrangements satisfactory to the Department of Commerce are 
made.
    2. Primary Applicant Certifications: All primary Applicants must 
submit a completed Form CD-511, ``Certifications Regarding Debarment, 
Suspension and Other Responsibility Matters; Drug-Free Workplace 
Requirements and Lobbying,'' and the following explanations are hereby 
provided: Nonprocurement Debarment and Suspension: Prospective 
participants (as defined at 15 CFR Part 26, Section 105) are subject to 
15 CFR Part 26, ``Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension 
(Nonprocurement)'' and the related section of the certification form 
prescribed above applies.
    Drug-Free Workplace: Grantees (as defined at 15 CFR Part 26, 
Section 605) are subject to 15 CFR Part 26, Subpart F, ``Governmentwide 
Requirements for Drug-Free Workplace (Grants)'' and the related section 
of the certification form prescribed above applies.
    Anti-Lobbying: Persons (as defined at 15 CFR 28, Section 105) are 
subject to the lobbying provisions of 31 U.S.C. 1352, ``Limitation on 
use of appropriated funds to influence certain Federal contracting and 
financial transactions,'' and the lobbying section of the certification 
form prescribed above applies to applications/bids for grants, 
cooperative agreements, and contracts for more than $100,000, and loans 
and loan guarantees for more than $150,000, or the single family 
maximum mortgage limit for affected programs, whichever is greater; and
    Anti-Lobbying Disclosures: Any applicant that has paid or will pay 
for lobbying using any funds must submit an SF-LLL, ``Disclosure of 
Lobbying Activities,'' as required under 15 CFR Part 28, Appendix B.
    3. Lower Tier Certifications: Recipients shall require applicants/
bidders for subgrants, contracts, subcontracts, or other lower tier 
covered transactions at any tier under the award to submit, if 
applicable, a completed Form CD-512, ``Certifications Regarding 
Debarment, Suspension, Ineligibility and Voluntary Exclusion-Lower Tier 
Covered Transactions and Lobbying'' and disclosure form, SF-LLL, 
``Disclosure of Lobbying Activities.'' Form CD-512 is intended for the 
use of recipients and should not be transmitted to the Department of 
Commerce. SF-LLL submitted by any tier recipient or subrecipient should 
be submitted to the Department of Commerce in accordance with the 
instructions contained in the award document.
    4. False Statements: A false statement on the application is 
grounds for denial or termination of funds and grounds for possible 
punishment by a fine or imprisonment as provided in 18 U.S.C. 1001.
    5. Name Check Review: All non-profit and for-profit applicants are 
subject to a name check review process. Name checks are intended to 
reveal if any key individuals associated with the applicant have been 
convicted of or are presently facing criminal charges such as fraud, 
theft, perjury, or other matters which significantly reflect on the 
applicant's management honesty or financial integrity.
    6. Past Performance: Unsatisfactory performance under prior Federal 
awards may result in an application not being considered for funding.
    7. Preaward Activities: If applicants incur any costs prior to an 
award being made, they do so solely at their own risk of not being 
reimbursed by the Government. Notwithstanding any verbal or written 
assurance that they may have received, there is no obligation on the 
part of the Department of Commerce to cover pre-award costs.
    8. No Obligation for Future Funding: If an application is selected 
for funding, the Department of Commerce has no obligation to provide 
any additional future funding in connection with that award. Renewal of 
an award to increase funding or extend the period of performance is at 
the total discretion of the Department of Commerce.
    9. Federal Policies and Procedures: Award Recipients and 
subrecipients are subject to all applicable Federal laws and Federal 
and Department of Commerce policies, regulations, and procedures 
applicable to Federal financial assistance awards.
    10. Indirect Cost Rates: If applicable, the total dollar amount of 
the indirect costs proposed in an application under this program must 
not exceed the indirect cost rate negotiated and approved by a 
cognizant Federal agency prior to the proposed effective date of the 
award or 100 percent of the total proposed direct costs dollar amount 
in the application, whichever is less.
    11. Purchase of American-Made Equipment and Products: Applicants 
are hereby notified that any equipment or products authorized to be 
purchased with funding provided under this program must be American-
made to the maximum extent feasible in accordance with Public Law 103-
121, Sections 606 (a) and (b).
    12. Intergovernmental Review: Applications under this program are 
not subject to Executive Order 12372, ``Intergovernmental Review of 
Federal Programs.''
    13. Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: A Catalog of 
Federal Domestic Assistance number is not available for the Department 
of Commerce's Consortia of American Businesses in the Newly Independent 
States program.

    Dated: May 19, 1994.
W. Dawn Busby,
Director, Office of Export Trading Company Affairs.
[FR Doc. 94-12654 Filed 5-23-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-P