[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 12 (Tuesday, January 20, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2965-2967]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-1390]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration
[Docket No. 980114015-8015-01]
RIN 0625-ZA07


CFDA No.: 11.115; Cooperative Agreement Program for American 
Business Centers in Russia

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 Volgograd and Chelyabinsk, Russia 
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.


[[Page 2966]]


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. February 19, 1998. Late applications will not be accepted and 
will not be considered. On January 20, 1998 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'', 
Pub. L. 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 only so long as 
the applicant is and will remain, throughout the award period, 
controlled and managed by citizens and 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 $400,000 will be available for the first year of 
funding for up to two (2) 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 (goods 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.
    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 percent of the total 
proposed direct costs dollar amount in the application, whichever is 
less.
    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 Russian 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; 
criterions (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. Notwithstanding any verbal assurance that they may receive, 
there is no obligation on the part of the Department of Commerce to 
cover pre-award costs.

[[Page 2967]]

    (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.
    (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 than 
$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 to the Department. Form LLL submitted by any tier recipient 
or sub-recipient should be submitted to the Department 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.
    (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 48 CFR part 
31.
    (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 U.S.C. 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 0605-0001. 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: January 14, 1998.
E. Vivian Spathopoulos,
Deputy Director, US&FCS/Russia-NIS Program Office.
[FR Doc. 98-1390 Filed 1-16-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-FP-P