[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 189 (Tuesday, September 30, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56265-56267]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-24636]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Minority Business Development Agency

[Docket No. 000724217-3238-06]


Solicitation of Applications for the Minority Business 
Development Center (MBDC) Program

AGENCY: Minority Business Development Agency.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Minority Business Development Agency is revising the 
announcement soliciting competitive applications to operate its 
Minority Business Development Center (MBDC) Program published on 
Friday, August 29, 2003 (68 FR 51965). The original solicitation is 
amended to (1) clarify that there are only three basic areas under the 
work requirements, and (2) update the computer requirements under the 
headings Network Design, Desktop Workstations, Maintenance and 
Security, and Time for Compliance.

DATES: The closing date for applications for each MBDC project is 
October 10, 2003. Anticipated time for processing of applications is 
one hundred twenty (120) days from the date of the publication of this 
Notice.
    MBDA anticipates that awards for the MBDC program will be made with 
a start date of January 1, 2004. Completed applications for the MBDC 
program must be (1) mailed (USPS postmark) to the address below; or (2) 
received by MBDA no later than 5 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. 
Applications postmarked later than the closing date or received after 
the closing date and time will not be considered.

ADDRESSES: Applicants must submit one signed original plus two (2) 
copies of the application. Completed application packages must be 
submitted to: Office of Business Development, Minority Business 
Development Center Program Office, Office of Executive Secretariat, 
HCHB, Room 5063, Minority Business Development Agency, U.S. Department 
of Commerce, 14th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 
20230.
    If the application is hand-delivered by the applicant or his/her 
representative, one signed original plus two (2) copies of the 
application must be delivered to Room 1874, which is located at 
Entrance 10, 15th Street, NW., between Pennsylvania and 
Constitution Avenues.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information, contact the 
MBDA National Enterprise Center (NEC) for the geographic service area 
in which the project will be located or visit MBDA's Minority Business 
Internet Portal (MBDA Portal) at http://www.mbda.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Minority Business Development Agency 
revises its announcement soliciting competitive applications to operate 
its Minority Business Development Center (MBDC) Program published on 
Friday, August 29, 2003 (68 FR 51965) to provide clarification 
concerning the number of basic areas under the work requirements, and 
to amend computer requirements for MBDC.
    On page 51968, a typographical error appears under the heading 
``Work Requirements''. The notice incorrectly states that the MBDC is 
required to perform work in four (4) basic areas. This notice clarifies 
that there are only three (3) basic areas where the NABDC must perform 
work: Market Development, Client Services, and Operational Quality.
    Also, on pages 51970 through 51972 of the Federal Register notice, 
the Computer Requirements for the MBDC Program have been amended to 
reflect the following changes:
    1. Under the heading Network Design:
    [sbull] The term ``server-based local area network'' has been 
substituted for ``Client Server'' for clarity;
    [sbull] The requirement for a service pack 3 or greater server has 
been deleted;
    [sbull] The requirement for a Domain Controller server has been 
deleted;
    [sbull] Grant recipients may use a Pentium IV class CPU, instead of 
a Pentium IV CPU; and
    [sbull] The requirement for a trusted relationship between the 
servers of MBDA's and the award recipient's has been deleted.
    2. Under the heading Desktop Workstations:
    [sbull] Grant recipients may use a Pentium IV class CPU, instead of 
a Pentium IV CPU;
    [sbull] The option of XP Professional software has been added to 
Operating systems;
    [sbull] A requirement for a software or hardware-based Firewall has 
been added to the antivirus protection software; and
    [sbull] The requirement that 50% of all employee workstations to be 
fully operational during business hours, has been deleted.
    3. Under the heading Maintenance and Security:
    [sbull] The requirement for a trusted relationship for any security 
component has been deleted.
    4.Under the heading Time for Compliance:
    [sbull] The requirement for the contact information for the ISP 
Technical Contact has been deleted.
    The amended Computer Requirements reads as follows:

Computer Requirements

    MBDA requires that all award recipients meet certain requirements 
related to the acquisition, installation, configuration, maintenance 
and security of information technology (IT) assets in order to ensure 
seamless and productive interface between and among all grant 
recipients, minority-owned businesses, the MBDA Federal IT system and 
the public. These required assets and their configuration are 
hereinafter referred to as the ``enterprise.'' The basic components of 
the enterprise are the desktop workstations, the server, local area 
network (LAN) components and a connection to the Internet.
    At a minimum, each grantee shall provide one (1) desktop computer 
for the exclusive use of each employee delivering minority business 
assistance to the public under an award from MBDA. All desktop 
computers shall be inter-connected with a Server computer using an 
Ethernet protocol enabling

[[Page 56266]]

communication with all workstations on the network. The Server shall 
have a constant, high-speed Internet connection, active during all 
business hours, preferably through a DSL or cable modem connection. The 
recipient shall ensure that each of his/her employees, to include 
management, administrative personnel, contractors, full-time, part-
time, and non-paid (volunteer) staff have a unique electronic mail 
(email) address available to the public. Each grantee shall design, 
develop and maintain, in accordance with the computer requirements, a 
presence on the Internet's World Wide Web and shall maintain 
appropriate computer and network security precautions during all 
periods of funding by MBDA. All IT requirements, as described herein, 
shall be met within thirty (30) calendar days after the award.
    1. Network Design: At all locations where services are delivered to 
the eligible public as defined by Executive Order 11625, the recipient 
shall operate a server-based local area network (LAN) enabling each 
staff person delivering services to the eligible public exclusive 
access to a personal computer workstation during all business hours. 
MBDA shall, from time to time, designate certain configurations of the 
enterprise hardware and software to meet interface requirements.
    Currently, MBDA recommends servers using an operating system that 
is fully compatible with Microsoft Windows 2000. Any server providing 
principal service to the desktops shall contain 18 or more gigabytes 
(GB) of hard drive space using two or more 9 GB+ disks configured 
appropriately to ensure data retention should one disk fail. At least 
one (1) Pentium IV class central processing unit (CPU), shall be used 
in the DC server or any other server providing principal service to the 
desktops. Web servers, mail servers and/or servers maintained by a 
third party such as an Internet Service Provider (ISP) shall meet the 
minimum server specifications as stated herein.
    2. Desktop Workstations: All desktop systems shall not be more than 
two (2) calendar years old at time of award and shall contain a Pentium 
IV class central processing unit (CPU), operating at speeds not less 
than 2+ Gigahertz (GHz). Each desktop system shall contain a hard drive 
with a storage capacity of at least twenty (20) GB and 512 Megabytes of 
RAM. All desktop systems shall have installed an operating system fully 
compatible with Microsoft Windows 2000 or XP Professional, with MS 
Office 2000 Professional or higher, Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.x , 
and a software or hardware-based Firewall. Additionally, at least one 
workstation have installed both a full page scanner, along with 
software fully compatible with Adobe Acrobat software for the 
production of electronic document submissions.
    3. Maintenance and Security: A network map (``as-built'') 
reflecting adherence to the computer and networking requirements set 
forth herein shall be maintained by the recipient for review by MBDA at 
any time. Each recipient shall designate and train one administrative 
person competent in the operation of an operations system fully 
compatible with Windows 2000 network and local area network (LAN) 
technology as described herein. From time to time, MBDA may require 
certain software be loaded on servers and desktops. In any given year, 
the cost of this additional software may be $200.00 per workstation and 
$500.00 per server, such additional cost may be borne by MBDA. Every 
employee of the MBDC shall be assigned a unique username and password 
to access the system. Every employee shall be required to sign a 
written computer security agreement. (A suggested format for the 
computer security agreement will be provided at the time of award.) 
Every manager, employee, and contractor and any other person given 
access to the computer system shall sign the security agreement and an 
original copy of the signed agreement shall be kept in the MBDC's 
files. A photocopy of the agreement shall be sent by fax to MBDA at: 
(202) 482-2693 no later than thirty (30) days after receipt of the 
award. All subsequent new hires and associations requiring access to 
the MBDC or MBDA systems shall read, understand and sign the security 
agreement prior to issuance of a password. No employee shall have 
access to the MBDA system without a signed security agreement on file 
at MBDA.
    4. Web site: Each recipient shall create and maintain a public Web 
site using a unique address (e.g., http://www.center-name.com). The 
first page (Index page) of the Web site shall clearly identify the 
recipient as a Minority Business Development Center funded by the U.S. 
Department of Commerce's Minority Business Development Agency.
    The Index page of the Web site shall load on software fully 
compatible with Windows Internet Explorer 6.x browser software using a 
normal home computer with 56Kb/s analog phone line connection in less 
than ten (10) seconds. The Web site shall contain the names of all 
managers and employees, the business and mailing address of the Center, 
business phone and fax numbers and email addresses of the MBDC and 
employees, a statement referencing the services available at the MBDC, 
the hours under which the MBDC operates and a link to the MBDA homepage 
(http://www.mbda.gov). For purpose of electronically directing clients 
to the appropriate MBDC staff, the Web site shall also contain a short 
biographical statement for each employee of the MBDC including 
management, contractors, part-time, full-time, and non-paid (volunteer) 
personnel, providing services directly to the eligible public under an 
award from MBDA. This biographical statement shall contain: the full 
name of the employee, and a brief description of the expertise of the 
employee to include academic degrees, certifications and any other 
pertinent information with respect to that employee's qualifications to 
deliver minority business assistance services to eligible members of 
the public.
    No third party advertising of commercial goods and services shall 
be permitted on the site. All links from the site to other than 
federal, state or local government agencies and non-profit educational 
institutions must be requested, in advance and in writing, through the 
Chief Information Officer, MBDA Office of Information Technology 
Services to the Grants Office for written approval. Such approval shall 
not be unreasonably withheld but approval is subject to withdrawal if 
MBDA determines the linked site unsuitable. No employee of the MBDC, 
nor any other person, shall use the MBDC Web site for any purpose other 
than that approved under the terms of the agreement between the 
recipient and MBDA. Every page of the Web site shall comply with 
Federal standards of the American With Disabilities Act, Section 508, 
and be reviewed by the recipient for accuracy, current, and 
appropriateness every three (3) months. Appropriate privacy notices and 
handicapped accessibility will be predominately featured. From time to 
time, MBDA shall audit the recipient's Web site and recommend changes 
in accordance with the guidelines set forth herein.
    5. Time for Compliance: Within thirty (30) days after receipt of 
the award, the recipient shall report via email to the Chief 
Information Officer, MBDA Office of Information Technology Services and 
the MBDA Office of Business Development that he/she has complied with 
all technical requirements as specified herein. Within thirty (30) days 
after receipt of the award, the recipient shall report the name, 
contact telephone number and email address of the Project

[[Page 56267]]

Director, Network or System Administrator.
    6. Performance System: All required performance reporting to MBDA 
shall be conducted via the Internet using the Performance system to be 
found at a secure Web site (http://www.mbda.gov). Within thirty (30) 
days after the receipt of award, each MBDC business consultant and/or 
anyone providing business assistance to the public under the award 
shall have satisfactorily completed the Performance System Training 
Course (PSTC). This course is available on-line from the Performance 
Web site (http://www.mbda.gov). Only those persons giving direct 
assistance to the eligible public shall be given passwords and access 
to enter Performance data into the system. Only trained staff shall 
enter data into the Performance system. There shall be no ``sharing'' 
of passwords on the Performance system. MBDA encourages input of 
information on a daily basis.
    7. Data Integrity: The recipient shall take the necessary steps to 
ensure that all data entered into MBDA systems, and systems operated by 
the recipient in support of the award, or by any employee of the 
recipient is accurate and timely.

    Dated: September 24, 2003.
Ronald N. Langston,
National Director, Minority Business Development Agency.
[FR Doc. 03-24636 Filed 9-29-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-21-P