[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 29 (Thursday, February 12, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7127-7129]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-3499]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Minority Business Development Agency
[Docket No: 980205029-8029-01]
RIN 0640-ZA01


Minority Business Roundtable

AGENCY: Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: Funds in the amount of $150,000 are available to conduct a 
competitive grant solicitation for the most qualified applicant who 
will plan, organize and coordinate the appropriate resources of the 
public and private sectors for the development of a self-sustaining 
Minority Business Roundtable (MBR). An MBR is hereby defined as 
business owners working together on issues affecting mutual long-term 
growth. The MBR shall be designed to generate and advocate policy 
positions of the minority business community regarding consequential 
issues of economic and social well being. It is essential that concerns 
of minority companies be heard by local, state and Federal decision-
makers. Areas of concern include access to capital, community 
redevelopment, government regulations, international trade and 
investment, taxation, education, tort policies and corporate 
governance. Currently, there is no uniform voice, nor is there a policy 
discussion vehicle for the minority business community. To establish 
the MBR, the applicant shall propose a detailed statement of work in 
response to MBDA's Work Requirements. The statement of work shall 
entail mobilizing the minority business community and the necessary 
resources of the public and private sector for the formation and 
sustainment of the MBR. In the formation of the MBR, the applicant 
shall provide an approach for determining and addressing the issues and 
priorities of the minority business community.
    The MBR will be national in scope and will serve minority firms 
throughout the fifty states. A minority firm is one that is defined by 
Executive Order 11625, effective October 13, 1991, as follows: `` 
`Minority Business Enterprise' means one that is owned or controlled by 
one or more socially or economically disadvantaged persons.'' Such 
persons include, but are not limited to, Negroes, Puerto Ricans, 
Spanish-Speaking Americans, American Indians, Eskimos and Aleuts, Asian 
Pacific Americans, Asian Indians and Hasidic Jews. The MBR will operate 
independently of any Federal, state/local government entity. It may be 
patterned after the existing Business Roundtable, a twenty-four year 
old association comprised of 220 Fortune 500 Chief Executive Officers 
(CEO). The CEOs serve on issue-oriented task forces and collectively 
direct research, supervise preparation of position papers, recommend 
policy positions

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and advocate on specific issues affecting American businesses.
    The primary objective of this project is two-fold: 1. The grantee 
shall plan, develop and implement the activities necessary to realize 
the formation of the MBR Planning Group and the design and operational 
structure of the MBR during the 12 month MBDA funding period, and 2. 
The grantee shall submit specific plans (including a non-Federal 
budget) to spearhead the establishment and sustainment of the MBR 
during the first 12 months after the award period.
    Documentation is required for proposed private and public sector 
support of the non-federal budget in the application. MBDA funding of 
this project is subject to agency priorities and the availability of 
funds.

DATES: A pre-application conference to assist all interested applicants 
will be held on February 17, 1998, at 2:00 p.m., at the U.S. Department 
of Commerce, 14th and Constitution Avenue, NW, Room 5045, Washington, 
D.C. 20230. The closing date for applications is March 16, 1998, 30 
days after the pre-application conference. Applications must be 
received in the MBDA Headquarter's Executive Secretariat no later than 
Monday, March 16, 1998 (5:00 p.m., eastern standard time).
    Proper identification is required for entrance into any federal 
building.

ADDRESSES: Competitive Application Packages for the Minority Business 
Roundtable will be available from MBDA beginning February 12, 1998. To 
obtain a copy of the application package, please call, (202) 482-3261, 
or facsimile (202) 501-6137/(202) 482-5117. Or, you may send a written 
request with two (2) self-addressed mailing labels to Robert B. Hooks, 
Acting Chief of Administration Services, U.S. Department of Commerce, 
Minority Business Development Agency, 14th and Constitution Avenue, NW, 
Room 5087, Washington, D.C. 20230.
    Send applications to the U.S. Department of Commerce, Minority 
Business Development Agency, Executive Secretariat, 14th and 
Constitution Avenue, NW, Room 5073, Washington, D.C. 20230.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert B. Hooks, Acting Chief of 
Administration Services, (202) 482-3261.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Contingent upon the availability of Federal 
funds, the cost of performance for the budget period (12 months) is 
estimated at $150,000 in federal funds. There are no specific matching 
requirements for this award. The applicant shall be aware that funding 
for this award is limited to one 12 month budget period.
    Executive Order 11625 and 15 U.S.C. Sec. 1512 authorize MBDA to 
provide financial assistance to public and private organizations to 
assist in the growth and expansion of the nation's minority business 
sector.
    The funding instrument for this project will be a grant. 
Competition is open to non-profit and for-profit organizations, state 
and local governments, American Indian Tribes and educational 
institutions. Applications will be evaluated on the following criteria: 
1. The Expertise and Capabilities of the firm and its staff or proven 
track record for addressing the economic and social needs of the 
minority business community--50 points, 2. The Resources available to 
the applicant firm for the planning and formation of the MBR--20 
points, 3. The firm's approach, Techniques and Methodologies, for 
performing the work requirements in an efficient, effective and 
creative manner--20 points, and 4. The realism of the firm's Estimated 
Cost of performing the work requirements, including any proposed cost-
sharing--10 points. Applications will be evaluated by a review panel. 
An application must receive 70% of the points assigned to each element 
of the evaluation criteria to be considered programmatically acceptable 
and responsive. Those applications determined to be acceptable and 
responsive will be reviewed by the Director of MBDA. Final award 
selection by the Director of MBDA shall be based on the number of 
points received, the demonstrated responsibility of the applicant, and 
the determination of the firm most likely to further the stated 
purposes of the MBR. 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.
    The anticipated processing time for this award is 90 days from the 
closing date. If an application is selected for funding, DoC 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 DoC. Awards under 
this program shall be subject to all Federal laws, Federal and 
Department regulations, policies and procedures applicable to Federal 
assistance awards.

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 percent of the total 
proposed direct costs dollar amount in the application, whichever is 
less.

Application Forms and Kit

    The Standard Forms 424, Application for Federal Assistance; 424A, 
Budget Information--Non-Construction Programs; and 424B, Assurances--
Non-Construction Programs, (Rev 4-88), shall be used in applying for 
financial assistance under this program

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 or 
written 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 Accounts 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, or a 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 whether any 
key individuals associated with the applicant have been convicted or 
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 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 MBR work 
requirements; and reporting inaccurate

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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 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 Workplace Requirements and Lobbying,'' and 
the following explanations are provided:
    1. Nonprocurement Debarment and Suspension--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.
    2. Drug-Free Workplace--Grantees (as defined at 15 CFR Part 26, 
Section 605) are subject to 15 CFR Part 26, Subpart F, ``Government-
wide Requirements for Drug-Free Workplace (Grants)'' and the related 
section of the certification form prescribed above applies.
    3. 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.
    4. Anti-Lobbying Disclosures--Any applicant that has paid or will 
pay 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 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 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 sub-
recipient 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 in accordance with Congressional 
intent as set forth in the resolution contained in Public Law 105-119, 
Sections 607 (a) and (b).
    Executive Order 12866: It has been determined that this notice is 
not significant for purposes of Executive Order 12866.
    The Recipient shall comply with the provisions of the Fly America 
Act.

    Dated: February 6, 1998.
Courtland Cox,
Acting Director, Minority Business Development Agency.
[FR Doc. 98-3499 Filed 2-11-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-21-P