[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 84 (Friday, April 30, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23727-23729]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-9811]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Economic Development Administration

[Docket No. 991215339-4132-11]


National Technical Assistance, Training, Research, and Evaluation

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

ACTION: Notice and request for proposals.

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SUMMARY: The Economic Development Administration (EDA) announces 
general policies and application procedures for grant-based research 
and technical assistance investments that aim to increase prosperity by 
advancing comprehensive, entrepreneurial, and innovation-based economic 
development efforts. The research and technical assistance contemplated 
are intended to enhance the competitiveness of regional business 
environments resulting in increased private investment and higher-
skill, higher-wage jobs.

DATES: Proposals for funding under this program will be accepted 
through May 28, 2004. Proposals received after 4 p.m. e.d.t., on May 
28, 2004, will not be considered for funding. By June 16, 2004, EDA 
will notify proposers whether they will be given further funding 
consideration. The projects will be funded as soon as possible, but no 
later than September 30, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Research and Evaluation proposals may be e-mailed to 
[email protected]; National Technical Assistance proposals may be e-
mailed to [email protected]. Alternatively, Research and Evaluation 
proposals may be hand-delivered to: W. Kent Lim, U.S. Department of 
Commerce, Economic Development Administration, Room 1874, 1401 
Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230. National Technical 
Assistance proposals may be hand-delivered to: Dr. John J. McNamee, 
U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration, Room 
1874, 1401 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230; or Research 
and Evaluation proposals may be mailed to: W. Kent Lim, U.S. Department 
of Commerce, Economic Development Administration, Room 7015, 1401 
Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230; National Technical 
Assistance proposals may be mailed to: Dr. John J. McNamee, U.S. 
Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration, Room 7816, 
1401 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For a copy of the full Federal Funding 
Opportunity (FFO) announcement for this request for proposals, contact 
the appropriate EDA officer listed above. The text of the full FFO 
announcement can also be accessed at EDA's Web site, http://www.eda.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Electronic Access: The full FFO announcement for the FY 2004 
Economic Development Assistance Programs competition is available 
through EDA's Web site, http://www.eda.gov, and through Grants.gov at 
http://www.grants.gov.
    Funding Availability: Funds in the amount of $805,000 have been 
appropriated for the National Technical Assistance (NTA) program and 
shall remain available until expended. Funds in the amount of $495,000 
have been appropriated for the Research and Evaluation program for FY 
2004 and shall remain available until expended.



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    Statutory Authority: Pub. L. 89-136, and as further amended by 
Pub. L. 105-393, 42 U.S.C. 3121 et seq.

    CFDA: 11.303 Economic Development--Technical Assistance; 11.312 
Economic Development--Research and Evaluation.
    Eligibility: Eligible recipients of EDA financial assistance are 
defined at 13 CFR 300.2.
    Cost Sharing Requirements: Ordinarily the amount of the EDA grant 
may not exceed 50 percent of the cost of the project. While cash 
contributions are preferred, in-kind contributions, fairly evaluated by 
EDA, may include contributions of space, equipment, and services, may 
provide the non-Federal share of the project cost. In-kind 
contributions must be eligible project costs and meet applicable 
Federal cost principles and uniform administrative requirements.
    EDA may supplement the Federal share of a grant project where the 
applicant is able to demonstrate that the non-Federal share that would 
otherwise be required cannot be provided because of the overall 
economic situation. Potential applicants should contact the appropriate 
EDA office to make this determination.
    Intergovernmental Review: Applications under this program are not 
subject to Executive Order 12372, ``Intergovernmental Review of Federal 
Programs.''
    Evaluation and Selection Procedures and Criteria:

A. Application

    To apply for an award under this request, an eligible recipient 
must submit a proposal to EDA during the specified timeframe, at the 
address specified above. Proposals that do not meet all items required 
or that exceed the page limitations of the FFO will be considered 
nonresponsive, and will not be considered. Proposals that meet all the 
requirements will be evaluated by a review panel comprised of at least 
three members, all of whom will be full-time Federal employees. The 
panel first evaluates the proposals using the general evaluation 
criteria set forth in 13 CFR 304.1 and 304.2 and the supplemental 
evaluation criteria (Investment Policy Guidelines) set forth below. 
Proposals that meet these threshold criteria listed below will then be 
evaluated by the panel using the following criteria of approximate 
equal weight:

    1. The quality of a proposal's response to the Scope of Work;
    2. The ability of the applicant to successfully carry out the 
proposed activities; and
    3. Cost to the Federal Government.

B. Supplemental Evaluation Criteria: Investment Policy Guidelines

    EDA's mission is to increase prosperity by advancing comprehensive, 
entrepreneurial, and innovation-based economic development efforts to 
enhance the competitiveness of regional business environments resulting 
in increased private investment and higher-skill, higher-wage jobs.
    All potential EDA investments will be analyzed using the following 
five Investment Policy Guidelines, which constitute supplemental 
evaluation criteria of approximate equal weight and which further 
define the criteria provided at 13 CFR 304.2.
    1. Be market-based and results driven. An investment will 
capitalize on a region's competitive strengths and will positively move 
a regional economic indicator measured on EDA's Balanced Scorecard, 
such as: an increased number of higher-skill, higher-wage jobs; 
increased tax revenue; or increased private sector investment.
    2. Have strong organizational leadership. An investment will have 
strong leadership, relevant project management experience, and a 
significant commitment of human resources talent to ensure a project's 
successful execution.
    3. Advance productivity, innovation, and entrepreneurship. An 
investment will embrace the principles of entrepreneurship, enhance 
regional clusters, and leverage and link technology innovators and 
local universities to the private sector to create the conditions for 
greater productivity, innovation, and job creation.
    4. Look beyond the immediate economic horizon, anticipate economic 
changes, and diversify the local and regional economy. An investment 
will be part of an overarching, long term comprehensive economic 
development strategy that enhances a region's success in achieving a 
rising standard of living by supporting existing industry clusters, 
developing emerging new clusters, or attracting new regional economic 
drivers.
    5. Demonstrate a high degree of commitment by exhibiting:
     High levels of local government or non-profit 
matching funds and private sector leverage.
     Clear and unified leadership and support by 
local elected officials.
     Strong cooperation between the business sector, 
relevant regional partners and local, state and federal governments.
    Selection Factors: The Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic 
Development is the Selecting Official, and will in the normal course 
follow the recommendation of the review panel. However, the Assistant 
Secretary may not make any selection, or he may substitute one of the 
lower rated proposals, if he determines that it better meets the 
overall objectives of the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 
1965, as amended (Pub. L. 89-136, 42 U.S.C. 3121 et seq.), and as 
further amended by Pub. L. 105-393.

The 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.

Paperwork Reduction Act

    This document contains collection-of-information requirements 
subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). The use of Form ED-900A 
has been approved by OMB under the control number 0610-0094. 
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 requirements of 
the PRA unless that collection of information displays a currently 
valid OMB control number.

Executive Order 12866

    This notice has been determined to be not significant for purposes 
of Executive Order 12866.

Executive Order 13132 (Federalism)

    It has been determined that this notice does not contain policies 
with Federalism implications as that term is defined in Executive Order 
13132.

Administrative Procedure Act/Regulatory Flexibility Act

    Prior notice and an opportunity for public comments are not 
required by the Administrative Procedure Act or any other law for this 
notice concerning 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,

[[Page 23729]]

a regulatory flexibility analysis has not been prepared.

    Dated: April 26, 2004.
David A. Sampson,
Assistant Secretary for Economic Development.
[FR Doc. 04-9811 Filed 4-29-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-24-P