[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 115 (Wednesday, June 16, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33623-33625]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-13547]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Economic Development Administration

[Docket No. 0405426162-4162-01]


Trade Adjustment Assistance for Firms Program

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

ACTION: Notice and request for proposals.

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SUMMARY: The mission of EDA is to lead the Federal economic development 
agenda by promoting innovation and competitiveness, which will prepare 
American regions for growth and success in the worldwide economy. EDA 
administers the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) for Firms Program 
(the ``Program'') to assist manufacturing and production firms, which 
have lost domestic sales and employment due to increased imports of 
similar or competitive goods (a ``trade-impacted firm''), become more 
competitive in the global economy. EDA administers the Program through 
a national network of Trade Adjustment Assistance Centers (TAACs).
    With funding from EDA, TAACs assist trade-impacted firms by (i) 
preparing and submitting petitions to EDA for certification of 
eligibility necessary to apply for assistance under the Program (a 
``certified firm''), (ii) assisting certified firms in developing and 
submitting for EDA approval adjustment proposals and (iii) sharing in 
the cost of implementing (primarily through private sector consultants) 
the technical assistance tasks as set forth in approved adjustment 
proposals. 13 CFR 315(8)(c). The Program also benefits certain 
organizations assisting or representing trade-impacted manufacturing or 
production firms. Firms (or organizations representing firms) other 
than manufacturing or production firms (e.g., service industries) are 
not eligible for benefits under the Program.
    Through this competitive solicitation, EDA is seeking proposals 
from organizations to administer the Program for the State of New 
Jersey. The applicant selected will operate a TAAC to serve the State 
of New Jersey for a twelve-month period encompassing the remainder of 
FY 2004 and a portion of FY 2005.

DATES: Proposals must be received by the EDA Office of Strategic 
Initiatives at the below address by July 15, 2004 at 4 p.m. (EDT). 
Proposals received after 4 p.m. (EDT) on July 15, 2004 will not be 
considered for funding. By August 15, 2004, EDA will notify applicants 
as to

[[Page 33624]]

whether they will receive funding under this competition solicitation. 
It is anticipated that the successful applicant will be funded no later 
than September 30, 2004; however, there is no guarantee that the 
successful applicant will receive funding. Proposals that were not 
recommended for funding will be retained by EDA for one year, at which 
time such proposals will be destroyed.

ADDRESSES: Applications submitted under this competition solicitation 
may be mailed to the address below or hand-delivered to Room 1874 at 
the address below:
    Anthony Meyer, U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic Development 
Administration, Office of Strategic Initiatives, Room 7812, 14th Street 
& Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230, Telephone: (202) 482-
2127 (not a toll free call).
    Facsimile or electronic submissions will not be accepted.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The full Federal Funding Opportunity 
announcement for this competitive solicitation is available through 
EDA's Web site, http://www.eda.gov, and at http://www.grants.gov or you 
may contact the EDA Program Officer listed above. Note that EDA intends 
to transfer administrative responsibility for the Program to its 
regional offices during FY 2004. When the transfers occur, 
administrative responsibility for the New Jersey TAAC will be 
transferred to EDA's Philadelphia regional office.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Electronic Access: EDA is not currently able to accept electronic 
submissions of proposal packages. The full FFO announcement for the FY 
2004 Trade Adjustment for Firms Program competition is available 
through EDA's Web site, http://www.eda.gov, and at http://www.grants.gov.
    Funding Availability: For FY 2004, EDA has a total of $11,874,000 
in appropriations available for the Program. EDA expects to allocate 
$738,395 to the TAAC serving the State of New Jersey. EDA typically 
awards funding to a TAAC for a twelve-month period, although EDA may 
extend such awards. See 13 CFR 315.5, .7(a)(i). Due to the close 
relationship between EDA and the New Jersey TAAC, EDA will fund the New 
Jersey TAAC under a cooperative agreement.
    Statutory Authority: Chapters 3 and 5 of Title II of the Trade Act 
of 1974, as amended (Pub. L. 93-618, 19 U.S.C. 2341 et seq.), and as 
further amended by 97-35, 98-120, 98-369, 99-272, 99-514, 100-418, 103-
66, 105-277 and 107-210.
    CFDA: 11.313, Economic Development--Trade Adjustment Assistance.
    Eligibility: A university affiliate, State or local government 
affiliate, or a nonprofit organization is an eligible TAAC applicant 
and may submit a proposal pursuant to this competitive solicitation. 13 
CFR 315.4(a).
    Cost Sharing Requirements: Under the Program, a matching share is 
not required for certification assistance provided by TAACs to 
certified firms or for administrative expenses of the TAAC. Note that 
certain income will likely be generated by the TAAC as a certified firm 
must, to the extent practicable, pay the TAAC at least 25 percent of 
the costs of preparing the certified firm's adjustment proposal. 13 CFR 
315.7(b)(1), (2). The TAAC will retain such funds and use them to 
support its Program activities.
    It is EDA's policy that certified firms pay part of the costs of 
consultants hired to assist in implementing the technical assistance 
tasks set forth in the certified firm's approved adjustment proposals. 
If the total amount of technical assistance requested is $30,000 or 
less, the certified firm is generally required to pay at least 25 
percent of the consultant costs. If the total amount of technical 
assistance requested is above $30,000, the certified form is generally 
required pay at least 50 percent of the consultant costs. The TAAC's 
total share of consultant costs for technical assistance is generally 
limited to $75,000 for any one certified firm.
    Intergovernmental Review: Applications submitted under this program 
are not subject to Executive Order 12372, ``Intergovernmental Review of 
Federal Programs.''
    Evaluation and Selection Procedures: The Office of Strategic 
Initiatives will conduct an initial administrative review of each 
proposal package to determine its completeness and compliance with the 
requirements set forth in this competition solicitation. Incomplete 
proposals or proposals received after July 15, 2004 filing deadline 
will not be considered. The Office of Strategic Initiatives will then 
conduct a technical review of each proposal meeting the requirements of 
this competition solicitation. The technical review will be conducted 
by a minimum of three full-time EDA staff members using the criteria 
provided under the section entitled Evaluation Criteria. The review 
panel will evaluate each proposal and make its recommendation to the 
Selecting Official. The Chief of Staff, Economic Development 
Administration, Department of Commerce, is the Selecting Official. Upon 
receiving the review panel's recommendation, the Selecting Official may 
(i) choose not to make any selection, (ii) follow the recommendation of 
the review panel, or (iii) substitute one of the lower ranking 
proposals. The Selecting Official may select a lower ranking proposal 
for several reasons, including the priorities set forth in the 
``Program Priorities'' section below, the investment policy guidelines 
set forth in the ``Evaluation Criteria'' section below and the 
applicant's performance under previous awards.
    Evaluation Criteria: Applications for the proposed TAAC will be 
competitively evaluated on their ability to meet or exceed the 
following investment policy guidelines (each criterion will be given 
roughly equivalent weight):
    (1) Be market-based and results driven. A successful TAAC proposal 
will capitalize on the organization's strengths and will bolster the 
competitiveness of trade-impacted firms, resulting in tangible and 
quantifiable improvements in the firm's economic health, such as 
retained or increased numbers of jobs, increased sales, or increased 
private sector investment.
    (2) Have strong organizational leadership. A successful TAAC 
proposal will demonstrate strong leadership, relevant project 
management experience, and a significant commitment of human resources 
talent to ensure a high-performing TAAC. EDA will specifically evaluate 
(a) the extent to which the proposed TAAC will maximize coordination 
with other relevant organizations (e.g., the Manufacturing Extension 
Partnerships and private industry groups) to foster collaboration and 
to avoid duplication of services offered by other organizations, and 
(b) the sponsoring organization's degree of support and commitment to 
the proposed TAAC's mission.
    (3) Advance productivity, innovation and entrepreneurship. A 
successful TAAC proposal will embrace the principles of 
entrepreneurship and focus on improving the stability of trade-impacted 
firms through productivity improvements and innovative solutions to the 
challenges facing their industries.
    (4) Look beyond the immediate economic horizon and anticipate 
economic changes. A successful TAAC proposal will describe and set 
forth a comprehensive strategy for assisting trade-impacted firms in 
identifying and addressing both current and probable future problems.

[[Page 33625]]

    Program Priorities: EDA encourages the submission of proposals that 
will significantly benefit trade-impacted manufacturing and production 
firms. EDA expects to proposals to demonstrate familiarity or an 
ability to quickly become familiar with the core TAAC objectives and 
activities outlined in the SUMMARY section above and in the FFO for 
this competitive solicitation.
    Announcement and Award Dates: By August 15, 2004, EDA will notify 
applicants as to whether they will receive funding under this 
competition solicitation. It is anticipated that the successful 
applicant will be funded no later than September 30, 2004; however, 
there is no guarantee that the successful applicant will receive 
funding. Proposals that were not recommended for funding will be 
retained by EDA for one year, at which time such proposals will be 
destroyed.

The Department of Commerce Award Notification Requirements for Grants 
and Cooperative Agreements

    Administrative and national policy requirements for all Department 
of Commerce awards are contained in the Department of Commerce Pre-
Award Notification Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements, 
published in the Federal Register on October 1, 2001 (66 FR 49917), as 
amended by the Federal Register notice published on October 30, 2002 
(67 FR 66109). These notices may be accessed by entering the Federal 
Register volumes and page numbers noted in the previous sentence at the 
following GPO Web site http://www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/retrieve.html.

Paperwork Reduction Act

    This document contains collection-of-information requirements 
subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). The use of Forms ED-900P, 
SF-424A, SF-424-B and CD-346 have been approved by OMB under the 
control numbers 0610-0094, 0348-0044, 0348-0040 and 0605-0001, 
respectively. 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 rules 
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, a regulatory flexibility analysis has not been prepared.

    Dated: June 9, 2004.
Mary Pleffner,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Economic Development.
[FR Doc. 04-13547 Filed 6-15-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-24-M