[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 10 (Wednesday, January 15, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 2134]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-1011]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
[Docket No. 970109004-7004-01]
RIN 0625-ZA04


Amend Cooperative Program to Establish and Operate ``American 
Business Centers'' in the Newly Independent State of the Former Soviet 
Union

AGENCY: International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Reference 58 FR 36941, July 9, 1993, the International Trade 
Administration (ITA) announces that it will accept competitive 
proposals from organizations currently managing one, or more, American 
Business Center(s) to continue operations at their respective site(s). 
Each organization currently working with ITA under a cooperative 
agreement may submit competitive proposals for up to $150,000 in 
additional Federal support to continue operations for up to an 
additional twelve months. Successful Applicants will be funded by 
amending existing cooperative agreements. The total amount of award 
funds available is $650,000.

DATES: Applications must be received no later than 4:30 pm, E.S.T., 
February 14, 1997. Applications received after that time will not be 
reviewed by ITA. Applications will not be accepted via e-mail or 
facsimile machine transmission.

ADDRESSES: Applications must be mailed or hand delivered to, and 
Application Kits may be obtained from, the U.S. Department of Commerce, 
Room 1235, HCHB, Washington, D.C. 20230.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Vivian Spathopoulos, Deputy 
Director, Russia/NIS Program Office, U.S. & Foreign Commercial Service, 
U.S. Department of Commerce, telephone: (202) 482-2902.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Proposals will be reviewed competitively 
against the following seven criteria: Quality of Work Plan, 30%; U.S. 
Trade and Investment Opportunities, 30%; Plan for Self-Sustainability, 
10%; Success to Date, 15%; U.S. Small Business Utility, 5%; 
Qualifications of Applicant, 5%; and, Reasonableness of Cost, 5%. The 
application selection process will be the same as those published in 
the July 9, 1993 Federal Register notice referenced above. ITA reserves 
the right to reject any or all of the proposals.
    This announcement extends the period of time during which an 
American Business Center (ABC) operator may receive Federal assistance 
from three (03) to four (04) years and postpones the end date of the 
program from September 30, 1997 to September 30, 1998. All other terms 
and conditions listed in the above referenced Federal Register notice 
remain in effect. All eligible Applicants will be sent an Application 
Kit via overnight mail or other priority mail.
    Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person is required 
to nor shall a person be subject to penalty for failure to comply with 
a collection of information subject to the requirements of the 
Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) unless that collection of information 
displays a currently valid OMB control number.
    This action involves collections of information subject to the PRA 
and have been approved under control numbers 0348-0040, 0348-0043, 
0348-0044, 0348-0046 and 0605-0001.
    ITA will accept only those applications submitted by institutions 
currently administering one, or more, ABC(s) under the terms of this 
program. Incumbent operators may only apply to secure additional 
funding to continue operations at the site(s) where the Applicant 
already operates an ABC. Applicants must submit separate applications 
for each site.

    Dated: January 7, 1997.
Lauri J. Fitz-Pegado,
Assistant Secretary and Director General, The Commercial Service.
[FR Doc. 97-1011 Filed 1-14-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-FP-P