[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 190 (Wednesday, October 1, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51456-51457]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-26035]



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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Minority Business Development Agency


Native American Business Consultant Applications: Nationwide

AGENCY: Minority Business Development Agency.

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 to operate its Native American Business 
Consultant (NABC) Program.
    The purpose of the NABC is to provide specialized consultant 
services to Native American Business Development Centers (NABDC) in 
areas beyond an NABDC's capacity and/or capability, and provide direct 
business development services to clients outside of the geographic 
service area of the NABDC and any other MBDA client service center. The 
recipient will provide service nationwide. The award number of the NABC 
will be 98-10-98001-01.

DATES: The closing date for applications is October 31, 1997. 
Applications must be received on or before October 31, 1997. 
Anticipated processing time of this award is 120 days. A pre-award 
conference will be held. For the exact date, time and location of the 
conference, call (202) 482-2366.

ADDRESSES: U.S. Department of Commerce, Minority Business Development 
Agency, Office of Strategic Planning, Field Coordination Division, 14th 
and Constitution Avenue, NW., Room 5075, Washington, DC 20230, (202) 
482-6022.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Joe Hardy at (202) 482-2366.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Contingent upon the availability of Federal 
funds, the cost of performance for the first budget period (13 months) 
from February 1, 1998 to February 28, 1999, is estimated at $205,000. 
The total Federal amount is composed of $200,000 plus the Audit Fee 
amount of $5,000. The NABC will provide service nationwide.
    The funding instrument for this project will be a cooperative 
agreement. 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 
experience and capabilities of the firm and its staff in addressing the 
needs of the business community in general and, specifically, the 
special needs of Native American businesses, individuals and 
organizations (50 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 (20 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 funding.
    Periodic reviews culminating in year-to-date evaluations will be 
conducted to determine if funding for the project should continue. If 
an application is selected for funding, MBDA 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 MBDA.
    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 the event that a 
CPA firm wins the competition, the funds allocated for audits are not 
applicable. 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. 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.
    Pre-Award Activities--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.
    Recipients and subrecipients are subject to all Federal laws, and 
Federal and Departmental regulations, policies, and procedures 
applicable to Federal financial assistance awards.
    Delinquent Federal Debts--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 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 
applicants' management honesty or financial integrity.
    Award Tetmination--The Departmental Grants Officer may terminate 
any grant/cooperative agreement in whole or impart 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 cooperative 
agreement. Examples of some of the conditions which can cause 
termination are failure to meet cost-sharing requirements; 
unsatisfactory performance of the NABC 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 105) are subject to 15 CFR Part 
26, ``Nonprocurment Debarment and Suspension''and the related section 
of

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the certification form prescribed above applies.
    Drug-Free Workplace--Grantees (as defined at 15 CFR Part 26, 
Section 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 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 recipient sand 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.
    Indirect Costs--The total dollar amount of the indirect costs 
proposed in an application under this program must not exceed the 
indirect cost rate negotiated and approved by a cognizant Federal 
agency prior to the proposed effective date of the award or 100% of the 
total proposed direct costs dollar amount in the application, whichever 
is less.
    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 in Pub.L. 103-121, Section 606 (a) and (b).

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance: 11.801 Native American 
Program)

    Dated: September 25, 1997.
Donald L. Powers,
Federal Register Liaison Officer, Minority Business Development Agency.
[FR Doc. 97-26035 Filed 9-30-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-21-M