[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 108 (Monday, June 5, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35804-35805]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-13964]



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Part V





Department of Commerce





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Economic Development Administration



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National Technical Assistance, Training, Research, and Evaluation--
Request for Grant Proposals; Notice

  Federal Register / Vol. 65 , No. 108 / Monday, June 5, 2000 / 
Notices  

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Economic Development Administration

[Docket No. 000515144-0144-01]
RIN: 0610-ZA15


National Technical Assistance, Training, Research, and 
Evaluation--Request for Grant Proposals

AGENCY: Economic Development Administration (EDA), Department of 
Commerce (DoC).

ACTION: Request for Grant Proposals (RFP) upon availability of funds.

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SUMMARY: As part of its mission to assist economically distressed 
areas, EDA promotes dissemination of quality, accessible, and timely 
information to economic development practitioners nationally. EDA is 
soliciting proposals for information dissemination projects as 
described herein. EDA issues this Notice to describe the conditions 
under which eligible applications for these projects will be accepted 
and selected for funding. Projects will be funded if acceptable 
proposals are received.

DATES: Prospective applicants are advised that EDA will conduct a pre-
proposal conference on June 16, 2000, at 10 a.m. EDT in the Department 
of Commerce, Herbert C. Hoover Building, 1401 Constitution Avenue, 
N.W., Washington, D.C. 20230, Room 1412, at which time questions on 
these projects can be answered. Potential applicants are encouraged to 
provide written questions by June 14, 2000 (See ADDRESSES section 
below). Prospective applicants unable to attend this pre-proposal 
conference may participate by telephone conference. Teleconference 
information may be obtained by calling (202) 482-4085 between 8:30-4:30 
EDT on June 15, 2000.
    Proposals for funding under this program will be accepted through 
July 6, 2000, at one of the addresses provided below. Proposals 
received after 5 p.m. EDT, on July 6, 2000, will not be considered for 
funding.
    By July 20, 2000, EDA will notify proposers whether or not they 
will be given further funding consideration. Each successful proponent 
will be invited to submit an Application for Federal Assistance, OMB 
Control Number 0610-0094. The completed application must be submitted 
to EDA by August 1, 2000. Projects will be funded no later than 
September 30, 2000.

ADDRESSES: 1. Proposals may be mailed to: John J. McNamee, Director, 
Research and National Technical Assistance Division, Economic 
Development Administration, Room 7019, U.S. Department of Commerce, 
1401 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. 20230, or
    2. Proposals may be hand-delivered to: John J. McNamee, Director, 
Research and National Technical Assistance Division, Economic 
Development Administration, Room 1874, U.S. Department of Commerce, 
1401 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. 20230, or
    3. Proposals may be submitted via e-mail to [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John J. McNamee (202) 482-4085; email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Areas of Special Interest

A. Background

    As part of its ongoing mission to assist economically distressed 
areas, EDA supports projects that disseminate information to economic 
development practitioners serving distressed communities nationally 
(see paragraph IV.C. for EDA's definition of distress).
    Historically, these projects have consisted mainly of newsletters 
targeted to a national audience. At this time, EDA is soliciting 
proposals in order to:

     Continue serving the economic development information 
needs of distressed rural and urban areas;
     Take greater advantage of new technologies for 
information dissemination (including Internet, videoconferencing, e-
mail, etc.); and
     Identify and provide information in new or emerging 
areas of economic development needed by practitioners serving 
distressed areas.

EDA anticipates funding a variety of information dissemination 
projects. These may include one-time projects of a year or less 
duration and/or multi-year projects. These projects may use printed or 
electronic media or a combination of both to disseminate economic 
development information. Current EDA information dissemination grantees 
are encouraged to submit proposals and will be evaluated based on the 
same criteria as all other proposals. Organizations or individuals may 
submit more than one proposal for consideration under this RFP.

B. Scope of Work

    The successful applicants will:
    (1) Undertake information dissemination activities targeted at a 
national audience of economic development practitioners working in 
America's distressed communities.
    (2) Do one or more of the following:

     Identify and cultivate understanding of the causes of 
excessive unemployment, underemployment, low income, outmigration 
and/or other forms of economic distress in areas and regions of the 
Nation;
     Support the development and greater understanding of 
new economic development tools and national, State, and local 
programs designed to relieve economic distress;
     Promote knowledge and understanding of effective 
programs, projects and techniques that alleviate economic distress.

    (3) Influence economic development outcomes by improving the 
quality, accessibility, and timeliness of critical information 
available to economic development practitioners.

C. Additional Requirements

    (1) Proposed projects should not be primarily for the benefit of 
the grantee, narrowly focused organizations, or localized geographic 
areas.
    (2) Grantees shall attend and participate in three EDA conferences 
each year. Locations and dates of the conferences attended are at EDA's 
discretion.

D. Cost

    A total of $550,000 is available for all projects funded under this 
RFP. EDA anticipates funding multiple projects. Ordinarily, the 
applicant is expected to provide a 50% non-federal share of project 
costs. However, EDA may reduce or waive the required 50% matching share 
of the total project costs, provided the applicant can demonstrate: (1) 
the project is not feasible without, and the project merits such a 
reduction or waiver, or (2) the project is addressing major causes of 
distress in the area serviced and requires the unique characteristics 
of the applicant, which will not participate if it must provide all or 
part of a 50% non-federal share, or (3) the project is for the benefit 
of local, state, regional, or national economic development efforts, 
and will be of no or only incidental benefit to the recipient, or (4) 
the requirements of 13 CFR 301.4(b) (table) are satisfied (See 13 CFR 
307.11; 64 FR 69878).

E. Timing

    Awards made under this RFP are for up to one year. However, some of 
these awards may be eligible for multi-year funding, i.e., renewable 
for two additional years after the initial award is made, at the same 
or lower annual project cost, subject to funding availability, 
satisfactory performance under the initial or subsequent award, and at 
the sole discretion of EDA. The intent of this renewal option is to 
provide grantees somewhat more predictable funding necessary to

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develop, implement, and improve their information dissemination 
projects. EDA, at its sole discretion, will make the final 
determination of whether an award may be renewable for two additional 
years, based on the above-described criteria, at the time of project 
approval.

II. How To Apply

A. Eligible Applicants

    See EDA's interim final rule and final rule at 13 CFR 300.2 (64 FR 
5347, 5352; 64 CFR 69868). Eligible applicants are as follows: 
institutions of higher education, consortiums of institutions of higher 
education; public or private nonprofit organizations or associations 
acting in cooperation with officials of a political subdivision of a 
state, for-profit organizations, and private individuals; areas meeting 
requirements under 13 CFR 301.2; Economic Development Districts; Indian 
tribes; consortiums of Indian Tribes; states, cities or other political 
subdivisions of a state; consortiums of political subdivisions of 
states.

B. Proposal Submission Procedures

    Each proposal submitted must include:
    (1) A description of how the researcher(s) intend(s) to carry out 
the scope of work (not to exceed 10 pages in length). This description 
must address the following issues:
     Identify and describe the target audience, and the 
reason(s) why the proposed information dissemination activity is 
necessary;
     Describe how the organization plans to achieve the 
proposed target audience penetration;
     Describe the types of information that will be 
disseminated;
     Justify why the proposed activity should be federally 
funded;
     Describe the economic development outcomes or activities 
that will be influenced by the information dissemination efforts;
     For activities proposed for multi-year funding (up to 
three years maximum), justify the need for such funding.
    (2) A proposed budget and accompanying explanation;
    (3) Resumes/qualifications of key staff (not to exceed two pages 
per individual, with an additional 2 pages allowed for a single summary 
description of all organizations/consultants named in the proposal), 
and
    (4) A proposed time line for implementation of the project.
    E-mailed proposals should be in WordPerfect for Windows or .pdf 
(Adobe) format. EDA will not accept proposals submitted by FAX. 
Proposals received after 5 p.m. EDT on July 6, 2000, at the street or 
email addresses provided in the ADDRESSES section above, will not be 
considered.

III. Selection Process and Evaluation Criteria

    All proposals must meet EDA's statutory and regulatory 
requirements. Proposals will receive initial review by EDA to assure 
that they meet all requirements of this RFP and 13 CFR Chapter III (64 
FR 5347, 5357; 64 FR 69868, 69874), including eligibility and relevance 
to the specified project as described herein. EDA's general selection 
process and criteria are set out in 13 CFR 304.1, 304.2 (64 FR 
5347,5357; 64 FR 69868, 69874-69875) and current 13 CFR 307.10 
(Sec. 307.8 in the interim rule), (64 FR 5347, 5429; 64 FR 69868, 
69878). Proposals that do not substantially address all items required 
or that exceed the page limitations of Part II.B. of this RFP, will be 
ruled nonresponsive and not considered for funding. Proposals that meet 
these requirements will be evaluated by a review panel comprised of at 
least three members. EDA will carry out its selection process using the 
following criteria:

    (1) The quality of a proposal's response to the Scope of Work 
and Additional Requirements described in Parts I.B. and I.C. above;
    (2) The ability of the prospective applicant to successfully 
carry out the proposed activities; and
    (3) Cost to the Federal government.

    If a proposal is selected, EDA will provide the proponent with an 
Application for Federal Assistance (OMB Control Number 0610-0094). 
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 currently valid OMB Control Number.

IV. Additional Information

A. Authority

    The Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965, as amended 
(P. L. 89-136, 42 U.S.C. 3121 et seq.), including the comprehensive 
amendments by the Economic Development Administration Reform Act of 
1998 (Pub.L. 105-393) (PWEDA) authorizes EDA to make grants for 
training, research, and technical assistance, including grants for 
program evaluation and project impact analyses, that would be useful in 
alleviating or preventing conditions of excessive unemployment or 
underemployment (42 U.S.C. 3147, 207). Public Law 106-113 makes funds 
available for this program.

B. Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

11.303  Economic Development Technical Assistance

C. Program Description

    For a description of this program see PWEDA and 13 CFR Chapter III, 
Sec. 307 (64 FR 5347; 64 FR 69867).
    EDA assistance is focused on areas experiencing significant 
economic distress, defined principally as per capita income of 80 
percent or less of the national average; or an unemployment rate that 
is, for the most recent 24-month period for which data are available, 
at least one percent greater than the national average; or a special 
need, as determined by EDA.

D. Website

    See 64 FR 3763-3769 for additional information and requirements 
(available on the Internet at http://www.doc.gov/eda/html/notice.htm, 
under the heading ``Research, Evaluation, and National Technical 
Assistance: Request for Grant Proposals.'' This notice has been 
determined to be not significant for purposes of Executive Order 12866.

    Dated: May 30, 2000.
David L. McIlwain,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Economic Development.
[FR Doc. 00-13964 Filed 6-2-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-24-U