[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 144 (Thursday, July 28, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page ]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-18311]


[Federal Register: July 28, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Minority Business Development Agency

MEGA Center Applications: Chicago, Illinois

AGENCY: Minority Business Development Agency.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with Executive Order 11625 and 15 U.S.C. 1512, 
the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) is soliciting 
competitive applications to operate its Chicago Minority Enterprise 
Growth Assistance (MEGA) Center.
    The purpose of the MEGA Center is to provide integrated business 
development services to minority entrepreneurs in geographic areas 
containing high concentrations of minority individuals and businesses. 
In addition to basic business assistance services, the center will 
provide specialized assistance in the areas of Construction Assistance 
and Bonding, Capital Development, Franchise Development, International 
Trade and Tourism Development. Each one of these specialized business 
areas are considered functional components, and serve as integral parts 
of the center. The MEGA Center is, therefore, equipped to meet the more 
complex business needs of the minority business community. This, in 
turn, is expected to create growing and more profitable ventures 
resulting in increased job opportunities.

DATES: The closing date for applications is September 6, 1994. 
Applications must be RECEIVED on or before September 6, 1994. 
Anticipated processing time of this award is 120 days. A pre-
application conference will be held on August 12, 1994 at 9:30 a.m. in 
the Palmer House Hilton, 17 East Monroe Street, Chicago, Illinois.

ADDRESSES: Chicago Regional Office, 55 E. Monroe Street, suite 1406, 
Chicago, Illinois 60603.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: David Vega, Regional Director, (312) 
353-0182.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Contingent upon the availability of Federal 
funds, the cost of performance for the first budget period (15 months) 
from January 1, 1995 through March 31, 1996 is $1,343,158 in Federal 
funds and a minimum of $237,028 (15%) in non-federal (cost-sharing) 
contributions for a total project cost of $1,580,186. Cost-sharing 
contributions may be in the form of cash contributions, client fees, 
third party in-kind contributions, non-cash applicant contributions, or 
combinations thereof. The Chicago MEGA Center will provide service in 
the Chicago Metropolitan Area with selected services throughout the 
States of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, 
Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio and Wisconsin. The award number of this MEGA 
Center will be 05-10-95002-01.
    The funding instrument for this project will be a cooperative 
agreement. Competition is open to individuals, non-profit and for-
profit organizations, state and local governments, American Indian 
tribes and educational institutions.
    Applications will be evaluated on the following criteria: Applicant 
capability in addressing the needs of the business community in general 
and, specifically, the special needs of minority businesses, 
individuals and organizations (45 points), the resources available to 
the firm in providing business development services (10 points); the 
firm's approach (techniques and methodologies) to performing the work 
requirements included in the application (25 points); and the firm's 
estimated cost for providing such assistance (20 points). An 
application must receive at least 70% of the points assigned to each 
evaluation criteria category to be considered programmatically 
acceptable and responsive. Those applications determined to be 
acceptable and responsive will then be evaluated by the Director of 
MBDA. Final award selections shall be based on the number of points 
received, the demonstrated responsibility of the applicant, and the 
determination of those most likely to further the purpose of the MBDA 
program. Negative audit findings and recommendations and unsatisfactory 
performance under prior Federal awards may result in an application not 
being considered for funding. The applicant with the highest point 
score will not necessarily receive the award.
    The MEGA Center shall be required to contribute at least 15% of the 
total project cost through non-Federal contributions. To assist in this 
effort, the MEGA Center may choose to charge client fees for business 
services rendered. Fees for assistance rendered under the Basic Service 
Component of the MEGA Center range from $10.00 to $60.00 per hour based 
on the size of the client's business. Fees for assistance under the 
Market-Specialized Service Components of the MEGA Center may be based 
on a portion of the current market rate for such services.
    If an application is selected for funding, MBDA 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 MBDA.
    Executive order 12372, ``Intergovernmental Review of Federal 
Programs,'' is not applicable to this program. The collection of 
information requirements for this project have been approved by the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and assigned OMB control number 
0640-0006. Questions concerning the preceding information can be 
answered by the contact person indicated above, and copies of 
application kits and applicable regulations can be obtained at the 
above address.
    Pre-Award Activities--Applicants are hereby notified that if they 
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 assurance that an applicant may have 
received, there is no obligation on the part of the Department of 
Commerce to cover pre-award costs.
    Recipients and subrecipients are subject to all Federal laws, and 
Federal and Departmental regulations, policies, and procedures 
applicable to Federal financial assistance awards.
    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.
    Name Check Policy--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.
    Award Termination--The Departmental Grants Officer may terminate 
any cooperative agreement in whole or in part at any time before the 
date of completion whenever it is determined that the award recipient 
has failed to comply with the conditions of the cooperative agreement. 
Examples of some of the conditions which can cause termination are 
failure to meet cost-sharing requirements; unsatisfactory performance 
of the MEGA Center work requirements; and reporting inaccurate or 
inflated claims of client assistance. Such inaccurate or inflated 
claims may be deemed illegal and punishable by law.
    False Statements--A false statement on an application for Federal 
financial assistance 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.
    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.''
    Nonprocurement Debarment and Suspension--Prospective participants 
(as defined at 15 CFR Part 26, Section 105) are subject to 15 CFR Part 
26, ``Nonprocurement Debarment and Suspension'' 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 Part 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.
    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.
    Lower Tier Certifications--Recipients shall require applications/
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 DOC. SF-LLL 
submitted by any tier recipient or subrecipient should be submitted to 
DOC in accordance with the instructions contained in the award 
document.
    Indirect Costs--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.
    Requirement to Buy American Made Equipment or 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).

11.800 Minority Business Development
(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance)

    Dated: July 22, 1994.
Donald L. Powers,
Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 94-18311 Filed 7-27-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-21-P