[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] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 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. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 [[Page 7128]] 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 [[Page 7129]] 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