[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 16 (Wednesday, January 25, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4890-4891]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-1887]



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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Native American Business Development Center Applications: 
Minnesota

AGENCY: Minority Business Development Agency, Commerce.

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 for its Native American Business Development 
Center (NABDC).
    The purpose of the NABDC is to provide integrated business 
development services to Native American entrepreneurs. The recipient 
will provide service in the Minnesota Metropolitan Area. The award 
number of the NABDC will be 05-10-95006-01.

DATES: The closing date for applications is April 1, 1995. Applications 
must be received on or before April 1, 1995. Anticipated processing 
time of this award is 120 days. A pre-application conference will be 
held on February 3, 1995, at the U.S. General Services Administration, 
Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building, 1 Federal Drive, Room 196, Fort 
Snelling, Minnesota 55111, Attention: Carrie Benhoff.

ADDRESSES: U.S. Department of Commerce, Minority Business Development 
Agency, MBDA Executive Secretariat, 14th and Constitution Avenue, N.W., 
Washington, D.C. 20230, (202) 482-3763.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The funding instrument for this project will 
be a cooperative agreement. Contingent upon the availability of Federal 
funds, the cost of performance for the first budget period (13 months) 
from July 1, 1995 to July 30, 1996, is estimated at $169,125. The total 
Federal amount is $169,125 and is composed of $165,000 plus the Audit 
Fee amount of $4,125.
    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: the experience and capabilities of the firm and its 
staff in addressing the needs of the business community in general and, 
specifically, the special needs of Native American 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.
    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. Federal funds for this 
project include audit funds for non-CPA recipients. In event that a CPA 
firm wins the competition, the funds allocated for audits are not 
applicable. 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 the 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 activities.
    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 
[[Page 4891]] outstanding delinquent Federal debt until either the 
delinquent account is paid in full, 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 NABDC 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% of the total proposed 
direct costs dollar amount in the application, whichever is less.

Buy American-Made Equipment or Products

    Applicants are hereby notified that they are encouraged, to the 
extent feasible, to purchase American-made equipment and products with 
funding provided under this program in accordance with Congressional 
intent as set forth in the resolution contained in Public Law 103-121, 
Sections 606 (a) and (b).

11.801  Native American Program

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance)

    Dated: January 20, 1995.
Melvin A. Jackson,
Alternate Federal Register Liaison Officer, Minority Business 
Development Agency.
[FR Doc. 95-1887 Filed 1-24-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-21-P'