[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 5 (Wednesday, January 8, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1089-1092]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-398]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
International Trade Administration
[Docket No. 950329080-5080-01]
Special American Business Internship Training Program (SABIT)
AGENCY: International Trade Administration, Commerce.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: This Notice announces availability of funds for the Special
American Business Internship Training Program (SABIT), for training
business executives and scientists (also referred to as ``interns'')
from the New Independent States (NIS) of the former Soviet Union. The
Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration (ITA)
established the SABIT program in September 1990 to assist the former
Soviet Union's transition to a market economy. Since that time, SABIT
has been matching business executives and scientists from the NIS with
U.S. firms which provide them with three to six months of hands-on
training in a U.S. market economy.
Under the SABIT program, qualified U.S. firms will receive funds
through a cooperative agreement with ITA to help defray the cost of
hosting interns. ITA will interview and recommend eligible interns to
participating companies. Interns may be from any of the following
Independent States: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and
Uzbekistan. The U.S. firms will be expected to provide the interns with
a hands-on, non-academic, executive training program designed to
maximize their exposure to management or commercially-oriented
scientific operations. At the end of the training program, interns must
return to the NIS.
DATES: The closing date for applications is March 31, 1997. An original
and two copies of the application (Standard Form 424 (Rev. 4-92) and
supplemental material) are to be sent to the address designated in the
Application Kit and postmarked by the closing date. Applications will
be considered on a ``rolling'' basis as they are received, subject to
the availability of funds. If available funds are depleted prior to the
closing date, a notice to that effect will be published in the Federal
Register. Processing of complete applications takes approximately two
to three months.
ADDRESSES: Request for Applications: Competitive Application kits will
be available from ITA starting on the day this notice is published. To
obtain a copy of the Application Kit please E- mail:
[email protected] (please signify which format, e.g.
WordPerfect 6.1), telephone (202) 482-0073, facsimile (202)
482-2443 (these are not toll free numbers), or send a written request
with two self-addressed mailing labels to: Application Request, The
SABIT Program, HCHB Room 3319, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th Street
and Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC, 20230.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The SABIT Program, U.S. Department of
Commerce, phone--(202) 482-0073, facsimile--(202) 482-2443. These are
not toll free numbers. Only one copy of the Application Kit will be
provided to each organization requesting it, but it may be reproduced
by the requester.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: SABIT exposes NIS business managers and
scientists to a completely new way of thinking in which demand,
consumer satisfaction, and profits drive production. Senior-level
interns visiting the U.S. for internship programs with public or
private sector companies will be exposed to an environment which will
provide them with practical knowledge for transforming their countries'
enterprises and economies to the free market. The program provides
first-hand, eye-opening experience to managers and scientists which
cannot be duplicated by American managers traveling to their
territories.
Business Executives
SABIT assists economic restructuring in the NIS by providing top-
level business managers with practical training in American methods of
innovation and management in such areas as strategic planning,
financing, production, distribution, marketing, accounting,
wholesaling, and labor relations. This first-hand experience in the
U.S. economy enables interns to become leaders in establishing and
operating a market economy in the NIS, and creates a unique opportunity
for U.S. firms to familiarize key executives from the NIS with their
products and services.
Scientists
SABIT provides opportunities for gifted scientists to apply their
skills to peaceful research and development in the civilian sector, in
areas such as defense conversion, medical research, and the
environment, and exposes them to the role of scientific research in a
market economy where applicability of research relates to business
success. Sponsoring firms in the U.S. scientific
[[Page 1090]]
community also benefit from exchanging information and ideas, and
different approaches to new technologies.
All internships are for three to six months; however, ITA reserves
the right to allow an intern to stay for a shorter period if the U.S.
company agrees and the intern demonstrates a need for a shorter
internship based on his or her management responsibilities.
Funding Availability
Pursuant to section 632(a) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961,
as amended (the ``Act'') funding for the program will be provided by
the United States Agency for International Development (A.I.D). ITA
will award financial assistance and administer the program pursuant to
the authority contained in section 635(b) of the Act. The estimated
amount of financial assistance available for the program is $1 million.
Additional funding may become available at a future date.
Funding Instrument and Project Duration
Federal assistance will be awarded pursuant to a cooperative
agreement between ITA and the recipient firm. ITA will reimburse
companies for the round trip international travel of each intern from
the intern's home city in the NIS to the U.S. internship site, upon
submission to ITA of the paid travel invoice, payment receipt, or other
evidence of payment and the form SF-270, ``Request for Advance or
Reimbursement.'' Travel under the program is subject to the Fly America
Act. Recipient firms provide $30 per day directly to interns; ITA will
reimburse recipient firms for this stipend of $30 per day per intern
for up to six months, upon submission by company of an end-of-
internship report and form SF-270. In general, each award will have a
cap of $7,500 per intern for total cost of airline travel and stipend.
ITA reserves the right to allow an award to exceed this amount in cases
of unusually high costs, such as airfare from remote regions of the
NIS. However, the total payment cannot exceed the award amount. There
are no specific matching requirements for the awards. Host firms,
however, are expected to bear the costs beyond those covered by the
award, including: visa fees, housing, insurance, any food and
incidentals costs beyond $30 per day, any training-related travel
within the U.S., and provision of the hands-on training for the
interns.
U.S. firms wishing to utilize SABIT in order to be matched with an
intern without applying for financial assistance may do so. Such firms
will be responsible for all costs, including travel expenses, related
to sponsoring the intern. However, prior to acceptance as a SABIT
intern, work plans and candidates must be approved by the SABIT
Program. Furthermore, program training will be monitored by SABIT staff
and evaluated upon completion of training.
Eligibility
Eligible applicants for the SABIT program will be any for profit or
non-profit U.S. corporation, association, organization or other public
or private entity. Agencies or divisions of the federal government are
not eligible.
Evaluation Criteria
Consideration for financial assistance will be given to those SABIT
proposals which:
(1). Demonstrate a commitment to the intent and goals of the
program to provide practical, on-the-job, non-academic, non-classroom
training: in the case of manager interns, an appropriate management
training experience, or, in the case of scientist interns, a practical,
commercially-oriented scientific training experience.
(2). Respond to the priority needs of senior business managers and
scientists in the NIS, as determined by ITA.
(3). Host firms must be solidly committed to interns' return to
their own countries upon completion of the internships.
(4). Present a realistic work plan describing in detail the
training program to be provided to the SABIT intern(s). Work plans must
include the following:
(a). whether Applicant is applying to host managers or scientists,
or both (and the number of each); (b). the duration of the internship
(at least three but not more than six months.) As noted above, ITA
reserves the right to allow an intern with very senior management
responsibilities to stay for a shorter period (minimum of one month) if
the U.S. company agrees and the intern demonstrates a compelling need
for a shorter internship based on his or her management
responsibilities; (c). the location(s) of the internship; (d). the
name, address, and telephone number of the designated internship
coordinator; (e). name(s) of division(s) in which the intern(s) will be
placed; (f). the individual(s) in the U.S. company under whose
supervision the intern will train; (g). the proposed internship
training activities. The components of the training activities must be
described in as much detail as possible, preferably on a week-by-week
basis. The description of the training activities should include an
accounting of what the intern's(s') duties and responsibilities will be
during the training; (h). the anticipated housing arrangements to be
provided for the intern(s). Note that housing arrangements should be
suitable for mid- and senior-level professionals, and that each intern
must be provided with a private room.
(5). Include a brief objectives section indicating why the
Applicant wishes to provide an internship to a manager(s) or
scientist(s) from the NIS, and how the proposed internship would
further the purpose of the SABIT program as described above. If
Applicant is nominating a specific individual for training, this
objectives section must describe any existing relationship between the
Applicant and the individual.
(6). Provide a general description of the profile of the intern(s)
the Applicant would like to host, including: educational background;
occupational/professional background (including number of years and
areas of experience); size and nature of organization at which the
intern(s) is/are presently employed; preference for the region of the
NIS where the intern(s) is/are employed; and whether Applicant is open
to sponsoring interns from a variety of NIS countries.
(7). Indicate whether Applicant organization operates in one or
more of the following business sectors: (a). Agribusiness (including
food processing and distribution, and agricultural equipment), (b).
Defense conversion, (c). Energy, (d). Environment (including
environmental clean-up), (e). Financial services (including banking and
accounting), (f). Housing, construction and infrastructure, (g).
Medical equipment, supplies, pharmaceuticals, and health care
management, (h). Product standards and quality control, (i).
Telecommunications, and (j). Transportation. Applicant proposal must
provide an explanation including description and extent of involvement
in the sector(s). While Applicants involved in any industry sector may
apply to the program, priority consideration is given to those
operating in the above sectors.
Evaluation criteria 1-6 will be weighted equally. ITA does not
guarantee that it will match Applicant with the profile provided to
SABIT.
Selection Procedures
Each application will receive an independent, objective review by
one or more three or four-member ITA review panels qualified to
evaluate applications submitted under the program. Applications will be
evaluated on a
[[Page 1091]]
competitive, ``rolling'' basis as they are received in accordance with
the selection evaluation set forth above. Awards will be made to those
applications which successfully meet the selection criteria. If funds
are not available for all those applications which successfully meet
the criteria, awards will be made to the first applications received
which successfully do so. ITA review panel(s) reserve(s) the right to
reject any application; to limit the number of interns per applicant;
to waive informalities and minor irregularities in applications
received; and to consider other than competitive procedures to
distribute assistance under this program and in accordance with the
law. ITA review panel(s) reserve(s) the right to make awards based on
U.S. geographic and organization size diversity among applicants.
Recipients may be eligible, pursuant to approval of an amendment of an
active award, to host additional interns under the program.
Additional Information
Applicants must submit: (1). Evidence of adequate financial
resources of Applicant organization to cover the costs involved in
providing an internship(s). As evidence of such resources, Applicant
should submit financial statements audited by an outside organization
or an annual report including such statements. If these are not
available, a letter should be provided from the Applicant's bank or
outside accountant attesting to the financial capability of the firm to
undertake the scope of work involved in training an intern under the
SABIT program. (2). Evidence of a satisfactory record of performance in
grants, contracts and/or cooperative agreements with the Federal
Government, if applicable. (Applicants who are or have been deficient
in current or recent performance in their grants, contracts, and/or
cooperative agreements with the Federal Government shall be presumed to
be unable to meet this requirement). (3). A statement that the
Applicant will provide medical insurance coverage for interns during
their internships. Recipients will be required to submit proof of the
interns' medical insurance coverage to the Federal Program Officer,
before the interns' arrivals. The insurance coverage must include an
accident and comprehensive medical insurance program as well as
coverage for accidental death, emergency medical evacuation, and
repatriation.
Other Requirements
All applicants are advised of the following:
1. 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 (DOC) are made.
2. 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.
3. Recipients and subrecipients are subject to all Federal laws and
Federal and Departmental regulations, policies and procedures
applicable to financial assistance awards.
4. Participating companies will be required to comply with all
relevant U.S. tax and export regulations. Export controls may relate
not only to licensing of products for export, but also to technical
data transfer.
5. Applications under this program are not subject to Executive
Order 12372, ``Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.''
6. If applicants incur any costs prior to an award being made, they
do solely at their own risk of not being reimbursed by the Government.
Notwithstanding any verbal or written assurance that may have been
received, there is no obligation on the part of DoC to cover pre-award
costs.
7. Past performance: Unsatisfactory performance by an applicant
under prior Federal awards may result in an application not being
considered for funding.
8. No obligation for future funding: If an application is selected
for funding, DOC 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 DoC.
9. 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:
(a) 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.
(b) Drug Free Workplace: Grantees (as defined at 15 CFR Part 26,
Section 605) are subject to 15 CFR Part 26, Subpart F, ``Government
wide Requirements for Drug-Free Workplace (Grants)'' and the related
section of the certification form prescribed above applies.
(c) Anti-Lobbying: Funds provided under the SABIT program may not
be used for lobbying activities. 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.
(d) Anti-Lobbying Disclosures: Any applicant that has paid or will
pay for lobbying in connection with this award using any funds must
submit an SF-LLL, ``Disclosure of Lobbying Activities,'' as required
under 15 CFR Part 28, Appendix B.
10. 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 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.
11. Indirect Costs: Indirect costs are not allowed under the SABIT
program.
12. 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.
13. The following statutes apply to this program: Restriction on
Assistance to the Government of Azerbaijan (Section 907 of the FREEDOM
Support Act, Public Law 102-511); Chapter 11 of Part I of the Foreign
Assistance Act of 1961, as amended, including section 498A (b),
regarding ineligibility for assistance; provisions in annual Foreign
Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act,
[[Page 1092]]
including the following provisions contained in Public Law 103-87: Use
of American Resources (Section 559 of the Foreign Operation, Export
Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 1995, Public Law
103-87); Impact on Jobs in the United States (Section 545 of the
Foreign Operation, Export Financing, and Related Programs
Appropriations Act, 1995, Public Law 103-87); Bumpers Amendment
(Section 513(b) of the Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and
Related Programs Appropriations Act, 1994, Public Law 103-87);
Lautenberg Amendment (Section 513(b) of the Foreign Operations, Export
Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 1994, Public Law
103-87); and Section 660(a) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as
amended.
14. Audit Requirements: The Grants Officer has the discretion to
require by the terms and conditions of SABIT awards that recipients
have an audit conducted in accordance with Government Auditing
Standards. In addition, the DoC Office of Inspector General has
authority under the Inspector General Act of 1978, as amended, to
conduct an audit of any DoC award at any time.
15. Payments. As required by the Debt Collections Improvement Act
of 1996, all Federal payments to award recipients pursuant to this
announcement will be made by electronic funds transfer.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Special American Business Internship
Training, International Trade Administration, at (202)482-0073. This is
not a toll free-number.
Dated: January 2, 1997.
Liesel C. Duhon,
Director, SABIT Program.
[FR Doc. 97-398 Filed 1-7-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-HE-P