[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 140 (Wednesday, July 22, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39270-39272]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-19620]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration
[Docket No. 980716181-8181-01]


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 an American Business 
Center (ABC) in the city of Khabarovsk, Russia for a two (2) year 
multi-year award period. The ABC will encourage the export of U.S. 
goods and services and stimulate trade and investment in the 
Khabarovsk, Russia region. The award resulting from this announcement 
is contingent upon the availability of appropriated funds.
    The ABC will provide, on a user fee basis, a broad range of 
business development and facilitation services to United States 
companies in the Khabarovsk, Russia region. Services provided by the 
ABC will be designed to encourage more U.S. firms to explore 
opportunities for trade and investment in the Khabarovsk, Russia region 
and to help them conduct business there more effectively. The core 
services to be provided by the ABC 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 Center 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, the ABC 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 coordinator. Such support may include office space, computers, 
telecommunications equipment and secretarial and translation services.

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. August 21, 1998. Late applications will not be accepted and will 
not be considered. On July 27, 1998 competitive application kits will 
be 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 The kit 
will include Standard Forms 424, Application for Federal Assistance; 
424A, Budget Information--Non-Construction Programs, and 424B, 
Assurances--Non-Construction Programs, Rev 4-88). 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 Douglas Barry, 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 so long as the 
applicant is and will remain, throughout the award period, controlled 
and managed by citizens and/or entities of the United States.

Funding Guidelines

    Since it is anticipated that ITA will be involved in the 
implementation of the 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 ABC, guidance on eligibility of 
ABC clients, and coordination with other U.S. government assistance 
programs.
    ITA anticipates $320,000 will be available for the first year of 
funding for one (1) multi-year cooperative agreement award during FY 
1999. 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 
$320,000 in Federal funds. Applicants must supply at least twenty-
percent (20%) of total project costs, with the Federal portion of total 
project costs to be no more than eighty-percent (80%). A minimum of one 
half (\1/2\) of the support supplied by the applicant must be in the 
form of cash.

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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.
    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.

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 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. The 
award will be based on the highest total accumulated score.

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.
    (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 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.
    (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.
    (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. 1517 
as implemented by 41 CFR 301-3.6).
    (11) Executive Order 12372 ``Intergovernmental Review of Federal 
Programs'' does not apply to this program.
    (12) The 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

[[Page 39272]]

information displays a current valid OMB control number.
    (13) 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.

The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number is 11.115.

    Dated: July 20, 1998.
E. Vivian Spathopoulos,
Deputy Director, US&FCS/Russia--NIS Program Office.
[FR Doc. 98-19620 Filed 7-21-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-FP-P