[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 28 (Wednesday, February 11, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6642-6644]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-2983]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Minority Business Development Agency

[Docket No. 000724217-4040-07]


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

AGENCY: Minority Business Development Agency, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) is soliciting 
competitive applications from organizations to operate Minority 
Business Development Centers (MBDCs) under its Minority Business 
Development Center (MBDC) Program. The MBDC geographic service areas 
being solicited in this Notice are: North Carolina Statewide; Illinois 
Statewide; Michigan Statewide; El Paso, Texas; and Arizona Statewide. 
The prior solicitation for these geographic service areas was 
unsuccessful. The anticipated start date is April 1, 2004. The total 
award period for awards will be two years and nine months. Funding will 
be provided initially for a nine-month period, and provided annually 
thereafter. Future funding will be at the discretion of MBDA and the 
Department of Commerce, and will depend upon satisfactory performance 
by the award recipient, availability of funds, and Agency priorities.
    The MBDC Program requires MBDC staff to provide standardized 
business assistance services to rapid growth potential minority 
businesses directly; to develop a network of strategic partnerships; to 
charge client fees; and to provide strategic business consulting. These 
requirements will be used to generate increased results with respect to 
financing and contracts awarded to minority-owned firms and thus, are a 
key component of this program.

DATES: The closing date for submission of applications is March 12, 
2004. Completed applications must be (1) mailed (USPS Postmark) to the 
address below; or (2) received by MBDA no later than 5:00 p.m. Eastern 
Standard Time.

ADDRESSES: If the application is mailed by the applicant or its 
representative, they must submit one signed original plus two (2) 
copies of the application. Completed application packages must be 
mailed to: Office of Business Development, 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 a copy of the full Notice and/or 
an application package, contact the specified MBDA National Enterprise 
Center (NEC) for the geographic service area in which the project will 
be located (see Geographic Service Areas), or via MBDA's Minority 
Business Internet Portal at http://www.mbda.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The prior solicitation for operators for 
MBDCs in North Carolina, Illinois, Michigan, El Paso, Texas, and 
Arizona published in the Federal Register on August 29, 2003 (68 FR 
51965), as amended on September 30, 2003 (68 FR 56265), was 
unsuccessful. MBDA has elected to re-compete these service areas. The 
evaluation criteria and selection procedures contained in the August 
29, 2003 notice are applicable to this solicitation. For a copy of the 
August 29, 2003 and the September 30, 2003

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notices, please go to: http://www.mbda.gov.
    Electronic Access: The full Notice for the MBDC program is 
available via Web site http://www.mbda.gov or by contacting the program 
official identified above. This announcement will also be available 
through Grants.gov at http://www.Grants.gov.
    Applicants are encouraged to submit their entire proposal 
electronically via the Internet and mail or hand-deliver only the pages 
that require original signatures by the closing date and time stated 
above. Applicants may submit their applications on MBDA's Web site: 
http://www.mbda.gov. All required forms are located at this web 
address. However, the following paper forms must be submitted with 
original signatures in conjunction with any electronic submissions by 
the closing date and time stated above: (1) SF-424, Application for 
Federal Assistance; (2) the SF-424B, Assurances-Non-Construction 
Programs; (3) the SF-LLL (Rev. 7-97) (if applicable), Disclosure of 
Lobbying Activities; (4) Department of Commerce Form CD-346 (if 
applicable), Applicant for Funding Assistance; and (5) the CD-511, 
Certifications Regarding Debarment, Suspension and Other Responsibility 
Matters; Drug-Free Workplace Requirements and Lobbying.
    Pre-Application Conference: A pre-application conference will be 
held for the MBDC project solicitation. Contact the specified MBDA NEC 
for the geographic service area in which the project will be located to 
receive further information (see Geographic Service Areas). Picture 
identification is required for entrance into any Federal building. 
Notice of the pre-application conference will be available on MBDA's 
Internet Portal at http://www.mbda.gov.
    Funding Availability: Approximately $951,000 will be available in 
FY 2004 for Federal assistance under this program.
    Financial assistance awards under this program may range from 
$150,479 to $259,847 in the first nine months of the award and from 
$240,599 to $346,463 in the second and third year of the award in 
Federal funding based upon minority population, the size of the market 
and its need for MBDA resources.
    Geographic Service Areas: An operator must provide services to 
eligible clients within its specified geographic service area. MBDA has 
defined the service area for each award below. To determine its 
geographic service areas, MBDA uses states, counties, Metropolitan 
Areas (MA), which comprise metropolitan statistical areas (MSA), 
consolidated metropolitan statistical areas (CMSA), and primary 
metropolitan statistical areas (PMSA) as defined by the OMB Committee 
on MAs http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/bulletins and other demographic 
boundaries as specified herein. Service to eligible clients outside of 
an operator's specified service area may be requested, on a case-by-
case basis, through the appropriate MBDA Regional Director and granted 
by the Grants Officer.
    The MBDC geographic service areas being solicited in this Notice 
are: North Carolina Statewide, Illinois Statewide; Michigan Statewide; 
El Paso, Texas; and Arizona Statewide.

1. MBDC Application: North Carolina Statewide.
Geographic Service Area: State of North Carolina.
Award Number: 04-10-04002-01.
    The recipient is required to maintain its MBDC in Raleigh/Durham, 
North Carolina.
    Contingent upon the availability of Federal funds, the cost of 
performance for the first funding period from April 1, 2004 to December 
31, 2004 is estimated at $212,293. The total Federal amount is 
$180,449. The application must include a minimum cost share of 15% or 
$31,844 in non-Federal contributions. Contingent upon the availability 
of Federal funds, the cost of performance for each of the two (2) 
remaining 12-month funding periods from January 1, 2005 to December 31, 
2006, is estimated at $283,058. The total Federal amount is $240,599. 
The application must include a minimum cost share of 15% or $42,459 in 
non-Federal contributions.
    Pre-Application Conference: For the exact date, time and place, 
contact the Atlanta National Enterprise Center at (404) 730-3300 or 
visit MBDA's Web site at http://www.mbda.gov.
    For Further Information and a copy of the application kit, contact 
Robert Henderson, Regional Director at the phone number listed above.

2. MBDC Application: Illinois Statewide.
Geographic Service Area: State of Illinois.
Award Number: 05-10-04001-01.
The recipient is required to maintain its MBDC in downtown Chicago, 
Illinois.

    Contingent upon the availability of Federal funds, the cost of 
performance for the first funding period from April 1, 2004 to December 
31, 2004 is estimated at $212,293. The total Federal amount is 
$180,449. The application must include a minimum cost share of 15% or 
$31,844 in non-Federal contributions. Contingent upon the availability 
of Federal funds, the cost of performance for each of two (2) remaining 
12-month funding periods from January 1, 2005 to December 31, 2006, is 
estimated at $283,058. The total Federal amount is $240,599. The 
application must include a minimum cost share of 15% or $42,459 in non-
Federal contributions.
    Pre-Application Conference: For the exact date, time and place, 
contact the Chicago National Enterprise Center at (312) 353-0182 or 
visit MBDA's Web site at http://www.mbda.gov.
    For Further Information and a copy of the application kit, contact 
Eric Dobyne, Regional Director at the phone number listed above.

3. MBDC Application: Michigan Statewide.
Geographic Service Area: State of Michigan.
Award Number: 05-10-04003-01.
The recipient is required to maintain its MBDC in Detroit, Michigan.

    Contingent upon the availability of Federal funds, the cost of 
performance for the first funding period from April 1, 2004 to December 
31, 2004 is estimated at $212,293. The total Federal amount is 
$180,449. The application must include a minimum cost share of 15% or 
$31,844 in non-Federal contributions. Contingent upon the availability 
of Federal funds, the cost of performance for each of two (2) remaining 
12-month funding periods from January 1, 2005 to December 31, 2006, is 
estimated at $283,058. The total Federal amount is $240,599. The 
application must include a minimum cost share of 15% or $42,459 in non-
Federal contributions.
    Pre-Application Conference: For the exact date, time and place, 
contact the Chicago National Enterprise Center at (312) 353-0182 or 
visit MBDA's Web site at http://www.mbda.gov.
    For Further Information and a copy of the application kit, contact 
Eric Dobyne, Regional Director at the phone number listed above.

4. MBDC Application: El Paso.
Geographic Service Area: El Paso, Texas MA.
Award Number: 06-10-04002-01.
The recipient is required to maintain its MBDC in El Paso, Texas.

    Contingent upon the availability of Federal funds, the cost of 
performance for the first funding period from April 1, 2004 to December 
31, 2004 is estimated at $177,034. The total Federal amount is 
$150,479. The application must include a minimum cost share of 15% or 
$26,555 in non-Federal contributions. Contingent upon the availability 
of Federal funds, the cost of

[[Page 6644]]

performance for each of two (2) remaining 12-month funding periods from 
January 1, 2005 to December 31, 2006, is estimated at $236,046. The 
total Federal amount is $200,639. The application must include a 
minimum cost share of 15% or $35,407 in non-Federal contributions.
    Pre-Application Conference: For the exact date, time and place, 
contact the Dallas National Enterprise Center at (214) 767-8001 or 
visit MBDA's Web site at http://www.mbda.gov.
    For Further Information and a copy of the application kit, contact 
John Iglehart, Regional Director at the phone number listed above.

5. MBDC Application: Arizona Statewide.
Geographic Service Area: State of Arizona.
Award Number: 09-10-04002-01.
The recipient is required to maintain its MBDC in Phoenix, Arizona.

    Contingent upon the availability of Federal funds, the cost of 
performance for the first funding period from April 1, 2004 to December 
31, 2004 is estimated at $305,703. The total Federal amount if 
$259,847. The application must include a minimum cost share of 15% or 
$45,856 in non-Federal contributions. Contingent upon the availability 
of Federal funds, the cost of performance for each of two (2) remaining 
12-month funding periods from January 1, 2005 to December 31, 2006, is 
estimated at $407,604. The total Federal amount is $346,463. The 
application must include a minimum cost share of 15% or $61,141 in non-
Federal contributions.
    Pre-Application Conference: For the exact date, time and place, 
contact the San Francisco National Enterprise Center at (415) 744-3001 
or visit MBDA's Web site at http://www.mbda.gov.
    For Further Information and a copy of the application kit, contact 
Linda Marmolejo, Regional Director at the phone number listed above.

    Authority: Executive Order 11625 and 15 U.S.C. 1512.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA): 11.800 Minority 
Business Development Center (MBDC) Program.

    Eligibility Criteria: For-profit entities (including sole-
proprietorships, partnerships, and corporations), and non-profit 
organizations, state and local government entities, American Indian 
Tribes, and educational institutions are eligible to operate MBDCs.
    Matching Requirements: Cost sharing of at least 15% is required for 
all geographic service areas.

Intergovernmental Review

    Applications under this program are not subject to Executive Order 
12372, ``Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.''

Limitation of Liability

    In no event will MBDA or the Department of Commerce be responsible 
for proposal preparation costs if these programs fail to receive 
funding or are cancelled because of other agency priorities. 
Publication of this announcement does not oblige MBDA or the Department 
of Commerce to award any specific project or to obligate any available 
funds.

Department of Commerce Pre-Award Notification Requirements for Grants 
and Cooperative Agreements

    The Department of Commerce Pre-Award Notification Requirements for 
Grants and Cooperative Agreements contained in the Federal Register 
notice of October 1, 2001 (66 FR 49917), as amended by the Federal 
Register notice published on October 30, 2002 (67 FR 66109), are 
applicable to this solicitation.

Executive Order 12866

    This notice has been determined to be not significant for purposes 
of E.O. 12866.

Administrative Procedure Act/Regulatory Flexibility Act

    Prior notice and an opportunity for public comment are not required 
by the Administrative Procedure Act for rules concerning public 
property, loans, grants, benefits, and contracts (5 U.S.C. 553(a)(2)). 
Because notice and opportunity for comment are not required pursuant to 
5 U.S.C. 553 or any other law, the analytical requirements of the 
Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) are inapplicable. 
Therefore, a regulatory flexibility analysis is not required and has 
not been prepared.

Paperwork Reduction Act

    This document contains collection-of-information requirements 
subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). The use of Standard Forms 
424, 424A, 424B, CD 346, and SF-LLL have been approved by OMB under the 
respective control numbers 0348-0043, 0348-0044, 0348-0040, 0605-0001, 
and 0348-0046. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person is 
required to respond to, nor shall any person be subject to a penalty 
for failure to comply with a collection of information subject to the 
Paperwork Reduction Act unless that collection displays a currently 
valid OMB Control Number.

Ronald N. Langston,
National Director, Minority Business Development Agency.
[FR Doc. 04-2983 Filed 2-10-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-21-P