[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 79 (Thursday, April 24, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19990-19992]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-10588]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Minority Business Development Agency


Solicitation of Business Development Center Applications for 
Houston and Dallas/Ft. Worth/Arlington

AGENCY: Minority Business Development Agency, Commerce.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with Executive Order 11625 15 U.S.C. 1512, the 
Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) is soliciting competitive 
applications from organizations to operate the Minority Business 
Development Centers (MBDC) listed in this document.
    The purpose of the MBDC Program is to provide business development 
assistance to persons who are members of groups determined by MBDA to 
be socially or economically disadvantaged, and to business concerns 
owned and controlled by such individuals. 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.
    In accordance with the Interim Final Policy published in the 
Federal Register on May 31, 1996, the cost-share requirement for the 
MBDCs listed in this notice has been increased to 40%. The Department 
of Commerce will fund up to 60% of the total cost of operating an MBDC 
on an annual basis. The MBDC operator is required to contribute at 
least 40% of the total project cost (the ``cost-share requirement''). 
Cost-sharing contributions may be in the form of cash, client fees, 
third party in-kind contributions, non-cash applicant contributions or 
combinations thereof. In addition to the traditional sources of an 
MBDC's cost-share contribution, the 40% may be contributed by local, 
state and private sector organizations. It is anticipated that some 
organizations may apply jointly for an award to operate the center. For 
administrative purposes, one organization must be designated as the 
recipient organization.

DATES: The closing date for applications for each MBDC is May 30, 1997.
PRE-APPLICATION CONFERENCE: Pre-application conferences will be held. 
For the exact date, time and location, contact the Dallas Regional 
Office at (214) 767-8001. 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, MBDA 
Executive Secretariat, 14th and Constitution Avenue, NW., Room 5073, 
Washington, DC 20230.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The following are MBDCs for which 
applications are solicited:
    1. MBDC Application: Houston.
    Metropolitan Area Serviced: Houston, Texas.
    Award Number: 06-10-97005-01.

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    For Further Information and an Application Package, Contact: Bobby 
Jefferson at (214) 767-8001.
    Contingent upon the availability of Federal funds, the cost of 
performance for the first budget period (13 months) from September 1, 
1997 to September 30, 1998, is estimated at $708,105. The total Federal 
amount is $424,863 and is composed of $414,500 plus the Audit Fee 
amount of $10,363. The application must include a minimum cost share of 
40%, $283,242 in non-federal (cost-sharing) contributions for a total 
project cost of $708,105.
    2. MBDC Application: Dallas/Ft. Worth/Arlington.
    Metropolitan Area Serviced: Dallas/Ft. Worth/Arlington, Texas.
    Award Number: 06-10-97004-01.
    For Further Information and an Application Package, Contact: Bobby 
Jefferson at (214) 767-8001.
    Contingent upon the availability of Federal funds, the cost of 
performance for the first budget period (13 months) from September 1, 
1997 to September 30, 1998, is estimated at $628,702. The total Federal 
amount is $377,221 and is composed of $368,020 plus the Audit Fee 
amount of $9,201. The application must include a minimum cost share of 
40%, $251,481 in non-federal (cost-sharing) contributions for a total 
project cost of $628,702.

Standard Paragraphs--The Following Information and Requirements Are 
Applicable to the Listed MBDCs: Houston and Dallas/Ft. Worth/
Arlington

    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 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). In accordance 
with Interim Final Policy published in the Federal Register on May 31, 
1996, the scoring system will be revised to add ten (10) bonus points 
to the application of community-based organizations. Each qualifying 
application will receive the full ten points. Community-based applicant 
organizations are those organizations whose headquarters and/or 
principal place of business within the last five years have been 
located within the geographic service area designated in the 
solicitation for the award. Where an applicant organization has been in 
existence for fewer than five years or has been present in the 
geographic service area for fewer than five years, the individual years 
of experience of the applicant organization's principals may be applied 
toward the requirement of five years of organization experience. The 
individual years of experience must have been acquired in the 
geographic service area which is the subject of the solicitation. 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 40% 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. 
Notwithstanding any other provision of the law, no person is required 
to respond to, nor shall any person be subject to a penalty for failure 
to comply with a collection of information, subject to the requirements 
of the PRA, unless that collection of information displays a currently 
valid OMB Control Number. 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

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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.

11.800 Minority Business Development Center

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance)

    Dated: April 18, 1997.
Frances B. Douglas,
Alternate Federal Register Liaison Officer Minority Business 
Development Agency.
[FR Doc. 97-10588 Filed 4-23-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-21-P