[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 232 (Monday, December 4, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62073-62075]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-29365]



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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Minority Business Development Agency


Business Development Center Applications: West Palm Beach, 
Florida

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 from organizations to operate the West Palm 
Beach Minority Business Development Center (MBDC).
    The purpose of the MBDC Program is to provide business development 
services to the minority business community to help establish and 
maintain viable minority businesses. To this end, MBDA funds 
organizations to identify and coordinate public and private sector 
resources on behalf of minority individuals and firms; to offer a full 
range of client services to minority entrepreneurs; and to serve as a 
conduit of information and assistance regarding minority business. The 
MBDC will provide service in the West Palm Beach, Florida Metropolitan 
Area. The award number of the MBDC will be 04-10-96003-01.

DATES: The closing date for applications is January 3, 1996. 
Applications must be received in the MBDA Headquarters' Executive 
Secretariat on or before January 3, 1996. A pre-application conference 
will be held on December 20, 1995, at 9 a.m., at the Atlanta Regional 
Office, 401 W. Peachtree Street, N.W., Suite 1715, Atlanta, Georgia 
30308-3516, (404) 730-3300. Proper identification is required for 
entrance into any Federal building.

ADDRESSES: Completed application packages should be submitted to the 
U.S. Department of Commerce, Minority Business Development Agency, 
Executive Secretariat, 14th and Constitution Avenue, N.W., Room 5073, 
Washington, D.C. 20230.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION AND AN APPLICATION PACKAGE, CONTACT: Robert 
Henderson at (404) 730-3300.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Contingent upon the availability of Federal 
funds, the cost of performance for the first budget period (13 months) 
from April 1, 1996 to April 30, 1997, is estimated at $198,971. The 
total Federal amount is $169,125 and is composed of $165,000 plus the 
Audit Fee amount of $4,125. The application must include a minimum cost 
share of 15%, $29,846 in non-federal (cost-sharing) contributions for a 
total project cost of $198,971. Cost-sharing contributions may be in 
the form of cash, client fees, third party in-kind contributions, non-
cash applicant contributions or combinations thereof.
    The funding instrument for this project will be a cooperative 
agreement. If the recommended applicant is the current incumbent 
organization, the award will be for 12 months. For those applicants who 
are not incumbent organizations or who are incumbents that have 
experienced closure due to a break in service, a 30-day start-up period 
will be added to their first budget period, making it a 13-month award. 
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 
knowledge, background and/or capabilities of the firm and its staff in 
addressing the needs of the business community in general and, 
specifically, the special needs of 

[[Page 62074]]
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 award. The 
applicant with the highest point score will not necessarily receive the 
award. Periodic reviews culminating in year-to-date evaluations will be 
conducted to determine if funding for the project should continue. 
Continued funding will be at the total discretion of MBDA based on such 
factors as the MBDC's performance, the availability of funds and Agency 
priorities.
    The MBDC shall be required to contribute at least 15% of the total 
project cost through non-Federal contributions. To assist in this 
effort, the MBDC may charge client fees for services rendered. Fees may 
range from $10 to $60 per hour based on the gross receipts of the 
client's business.
    Anticipated processing time of this award is 120 days. 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. 
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. 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.
    Awards under this program shall be subject to all Federal laws, and 
Federal and Departmental regulations, policies, and procedures 
applicable to Federal financial assistance awards.
    Pre-Award Costs--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.
    Outstanding Account Receivable--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, 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 grant/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 grant/
cooperative agreement. Examples of some of the conditions which can 
cause termination are failure to meet cost-sharing requirements; 
unsatisfactory performance of the MBDC 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 26.105) 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 26.605) 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 
28.105) 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.
    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).

11.800  Minority Business Development Center (Catalog of Federal 
Domestic Assistance)


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    Dated: November 27, 1995.
Donald L. Powers,
Federal Register Liaison Officer, Minority Business Development Agency.
[FR Doc. 95-29365 Filed 12-1-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-21-P