[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 178 (Monday, September 15, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48219-48221]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-24525]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration
[Docket No. 970910230-7230-01]


Cooperative Agreement Program for American Business Centers in 
Russia and the New Independent States

AGENCY: International Trade Administration, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The International Trade Administration (ITA) is soliciting 
competitive applications to establish and operate American Business 
Centers (ABCs)in five Russian cities for a two (2) year multi-year 
award period. ABCs will encourage the export of U.S. goods and services 
and stimulate trade and investment in Russia's regions. Funds to 
support new ABC Awards are not currently available. All awards 
resulting from this announcement are contingent upon the availability 
of appropriated funds.
    ABCs will provide, on a user fee basis, a broad range of business 
development and facilitation services to United States companies in 
Russia's regions. Services provided by the ABCs will be designed to 
encourage more U.S. firms to explore opportunities for trade and 
investment in Russia's regions and to help them conduct business there 
more effectively. The core services to be provided by the ABCs include: 
International telephone, fax, and data transmission; temporary office 
space; space for meetings, small seminars, and small product 
exhibitions or demonstrations; secretarial support (e.g. word 
processing, typing, message taking); translator/interpreters; 
photocopying; market research; counseling on local business conditions; 
and arranging appointments with Russian business contacts. The Centers 
also will work closely with Russian businesses to help them become more 
attractive trading partners; identify and report obstacles to trade and 
investment; and serve as a link between financial institutions, U.S. 
companies, and Russian enterprises.
    In addition to these core services, ABCs will support U.S. 
Government activities under the Regional Investment Initiative (RII). 
This will include providing, at cost, support for the activities of the 
RII coordinators. Such support may include office space, computers, 
telecommunications equipment and secretarial and translation services.
    Projects supported under the terms of this notice will establish 
and operate an ABC in no less than one of the following Russian cities: 
Khabarovsk, Nizhny

[[Page 48220]]

Novgorod, Novosibirsk, Yekaterinburg, and Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk.

DATES: ITA will accept only those applications which are received at 
the U.S. Department of Commerce, Room 1235, HCHB, no later than 3:00 pm 
E.S.T. October 15, 1997. Late applications will not be accepted and 
will not be considered. On September 19, 1997 competitive application 
kits are available from the Department of Commerce.

ADDRESSES: To obtain a copy of the application kit, please send a 
written request with a self-addressed mail label to: Russia-NIS Program 
Office, U.S. & Foreign Commercial Service, Room 1235, HCHB, U.S. 
Department of Commerce, Washington, D.C. 20230. Requests for 
application kits also may be faxed to 202-482-2456. Only one 
application kit will be provided to each organization requesting it, 
but the kit may be reproduced by the requester. All forms necessary to 
submit an application will be included in the application kit. 
Completed applications should be returned to the same address. 
Applicants must submit a signed original and two copies of the 
application and supporting materials. It is anticipated that it will 
take ten weeks after the deadline for receipt of applications to 
process applications and make awards.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Applicants wishing further information 
should contact Ms. E. Vivian Spathopoulos, Deputy Director, Russia-NIS 
Program Office, U.S. & Foreign Commercial Service, U.S. Department of 
Commerce, room 1235, HCHB, Washington, D.C. 20230, telephone: (202) 
482-2902, or Fax: (202) 482-2456.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Program Authority

    The American Business Center program is authorized by Title III of 
the ``Freedom for Russia and Emerging Eurasian Democracies and Open 
Markets Support Act of 1992'' or the ``FREEDOM Support Act'', Public 
Law 102-511. Funding for the program is provided by the Agency for 
International Development under Section 632(a) of the Foreign 
Assistance Act of 1961, as amended.

Eligible Applicants

    United States for-profit firms, non-profit organizations, non-
Federal government agencies, industry and trade associations, and 
educational institutions are eligible to apply. An enterprise which 
includes or intends to include participation of host country citizens 
or entities will be considered an eligible applicant so long as the 
applicant is and will remain, throughout the award period, controlled 
by citizens or entities of the United States.

Funding Guidelines

    Since it is anticipated that ITA will be involved in the 
implementation of each project for which an award is made, the funding 
instrument for the program will be a cooperative agreement. Examples of 
ITA involvement include but are not limited to the following: 
Supplemental marketing to promote the ABCs, guidance on eligibility of 
ABC clients, and coordination with other U.S. government assistance 
programs.
    ITA anticipates $1 million will be available for the first year of 
funding for up to five (5) multi-year cooperative agreement awards 
during FY 1998. Applicants will be requested to submit a work-plan and 
budget which cover a one (1) year period for a total amount of not more 
than $200,000 in Federal funds. Applicants must supply at least fifty-
percent (50%) of total project costs, with the Federal portion of total 
project costs to be no more than fifty-percent (50%). A minimum of one 
half (\1/2\) of the support supplied by the applicant must be in the 
form of cash. The remaining portion of the applicant's support may 
consist of cash or in-kind contributions (good and services contributed 
by a third-party). Applicants will be requested to submit a work-plan 
and budget for a second year of operation based on the level of funding 
for the first year with the understanding that funding levels may or 
may not be the same as the first year.
    Applicant receipt of future funding is contingent upon the 
availability of appropriated funds, and satisfactory performance, and 
will be at the sole discretion of ITA. Publication of this notice does 
not constitute an obligation by the Department of Commerce to enter 
into a cooperative agreement with any responding applicant.
    Eligible entities may propose the establishment of one or more 
ABCs. Applicants must submit a separate application for each proposed 
ABC. Each ABC will be funded through a separate cooperative agreement. 
More than one cooperative agreement may be awarded to a single entity. 
No more than one ABC will be funded in any given Russian city.

Evaluation Criteria

    Consideration for financial assistance under the program will be 
based on the following evaluation criteria:
    (1) Quality of Work Plan: core commercial activities, marketing 
strategy, management/staffing, cooperation with ITA and outreach 
programs to NIS firms;
    (2) Qualifications of Applicant: financial history, personnel's 
experience in region and in delivering commercial products/services;
    (3) Market Knowledge of Locations: applicant's demonstrated 
familiarity with the market conditions in the proposed city and/or 
region;
    (4) Project Timetable: ability of applicant to complete major 
stages in the scope of work quickly, particularly bringing an ABC into 
the fully-operational stage;
    (5) U.S. Small Business Utility: accessibility of services to small 
firms and reasonableness of fees;
    (6) Cost-Effectiveness: reasonableness, allowability and 
allocability of costs.
    For purpose of evaluation of the applications, the above criteria 
will be weighted as follows: Criterion (1) will be worth a maximum of 
30 (thirty) percent; criterion (2) will be worth a maximum of 30 
(thirty) percent; criterion (3) will be worth a maximum of 20 (twenty) 
percent; criterion (4) will be worth a maximum of 10 (ten) percent; 
criterion (5) and (6) will be worth a maximum of 5 (five) percent each.

Selection Procedure

    Each application will be evaluated by a panel of at least three 
independent ITA reviewers qualified to evaluate applications submitted 
under the program. Applications will be evaluated on a competitive 
basis in accordance with the evaluation criteria set forth above. 
Awards will be based on highest total accumulated score and geographic 
location.

Notifications

    All applicants are advised of the following:
    (1) Unsatisfactory performance under prior Federal awards may 
result in an application not being considered for funding.
    (2) If applicants incur any cost prior to an award being made, they 
do so solely at their own risk of not being reimbursed by the Federal 
Government. Not withstanding any verbal assurance that they may 
receive, there is no obligation on the part of the Department of 
Commerce to cover pre-award costs.
    (3) If an application is selected for funding, the Department of 
Commerce has no obligation to provide any additional future funding in 
connection with the award. Renewal of an award to increase funding or 
extend the period of performance is at the total discretion of the 
Department of Commerce.

[[Page 48221]]

    (4) No award of Federal funds shall be made to an applicant who has 
an outstanding debt until either:
    a. The delinquent account is paid in full.
    b. A negotiated repayment schedule is established and at least one 
payment is received; or
    c. Other arrangements satisfactory to the Department of Commerce 
are made.
    (5) All primary applicants must submit a completed Form CD-511, 
``Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension and other 
Responsibility Matters; Drug-Free Workplace Requirements and 
Lobbying''. 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. Grantees (as defined at 15 CFR part 26, 
section 605) are subject to 15 CFR part 26, subpart F ``Government wide 
Requirement for Drug-Free Workplace (Grants)'' and the related section 
of the certification form prescribed above applies. Persons (as defined 
at 15 CFR part 28, section 105) are subject to the lobbying provisions 
of 31 U.S.C. 1352, ``Limitation on the 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 that 
$150,000 or the single family maximum mortgage limit for affected 
programs, whichever is greater''. 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.
    (6) 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 Transaction 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 
submitted by any tier recipient or sub-recipient should be submitted to 
the Department of Commerce in accordance with instructions contained in 
the award document.
    (7) A false statement on an 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 and denial or termination of 
Federal funding.
    (8) All recipients and sub-recipients are subject to all applicable 
Federal laws and Federal Department of Commerce policies, regulations, 
and procedures applicable to Federal assistance awards. For-profit 
organizations shall be subject to OMB Circular A-110 and 15 CFR 29a.
    (9) 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.
    (10) Recipients are subject to the Fly America Act (49 USC sec. 
1517 as implemented by 41 CFR sec. 301-3.6).
    (11) Executive Order 12372 ``Intergovernmental Review of Federal 
Programs'' does not apply to this program.
    (12) Paperwork Reduction Act does apply to this program. This 
document involves collections of information subject to the Paperwork 
Reduction Act, which have been approved by the Office of Management and 
Budget under OMB Control Numbers 0348-0043, 0348-0044, 0348-0040, 0348-
0046, and 0651-0001. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no 
person is required to respond to nor shall a person be subject to a 
penalty for failure to comply with a collection of information subject 
to the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act unless that 
collection of information displays a current valid OMB control number.

    Dated: September 11, 1997.
E. Vivian Spathopoulos,
Deputy Director, US&FCS/Russia-NIS Program Office.
[FR Doc. 97-24525 Filed 9-12-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-FP-U