[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 16 (Wednesday, January 25, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4117-4118]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-892]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Minority Business Development Agency

[Docket No. 000724217-6008-11]


Amendment of Performance Incentives for Minority Business 
Enterprise Centers To Allow for a Third Bonus Year of Funding

AGENCY: Minority Business Development Agency.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) publishes this 
notice to announce that it will allow for a third year of bonus 
funding, on a non-competitive basis, to the Houston Minority Business 
Enterprise Center (MBEC) (formally known as the Houston Minority 
Business Development Center (MBDC)), as originally funded under the 
Federal Register notice of August 28, 2000 (65 FR 52069). In its August 
28, 2000 notice, MBDA solicited competitive applications from 
organizations to operate MBECs. The MBEC Program provides funding for 
general business assistance to minority business enterprises (MBEs) in 
various markets throughout the United States and stipulated that no 
award to operate a MBEC may be longer than five funding periods. MBDA 
changes this policy to allow for a third year of bonus funding for a 
total of six funding periods. This action is taken in light of the fact 
that the Houston MBEC (Grijalva and Allen) has had an ``excellent'' 
performance rating for five consecutive years. Furthermore, this action 
supports the Agency's efforts in rebuilding minority firms impacted by 
Hurricanes Rita and Katrina. The Houston MBEC non-competitively 
received additional funding in the amount of $300,000, specifically to 
assist the minority firms impacted by Hurricane Katrina, as it was the 
closest proximity to the Gulf Coast and able to immediately respond to 
the need for additional services. This is in addition to the amount of 
$400,375 for the continuation of general business assistance to MBEs in 
program year 2006.

DATES: The third bonus funding period, if approved by the Grants 
Officer, will commence January 1, 2006 and continue through December 
31, 2006.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Efrain Gonzalez at (202) 482-1940.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under Executive order 11625, the MBEC 
Program requires MBEC staff to provide general business assistance to 
minority-owned companies in various markets throughout the United 
States, and standardized business assistance services to ``rapid growth 
potential'' minority businesses (e.g., those generating $500,000 or 
more in annual revenues or capable of generating significant employment 
and long-term economic growth); to develop a network of strategic 
partnerships; to possibly charge client fees; and to provide strategic 
business consulting. These requirements are 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.
    MBDA is announcing the amendment of a prior Federal Register notice 
(65 FR 52069, August 28, 2000) published by MBDA which established that 
no award to operate a Minority Business Enterprise Center (MBEC) 
(formally known as Minority Business Development Centers (MBDC)) may be 
longer than five funding periods without competition, no matter what an 
MBEC's performance happens to be. Under the prior notice, performance 
incentives allowed MBECs to earn two bonus funding periods, in addition 
to the normal three funding periods, without competition based on an 
``excellent'' performance rating, for a total of five funding periods. 
MBDA hereby amends the prior notice to allow for a third year of bonus 
funding on a non-competitive basis to eligible MBECs originally funded 
under the Federal Register notice of August 28, 2000, for a total of 
six funding periods.
    This action is taken in light of the fact that the Houston MBEC 
(Grijalva and Allen) has maintained an ``excellent'' performance rating 
over the five year funding period. This MBEC is the only MBEC to have 
achieved an ``excellent'' performance rating in five consecutive 
program years and thus is the only recipient of the third bonus funding 
period. In addition, this award will allow the Houston MBEC to maintain 
continuity in level of services in light of the adverse economic impact 
and devastation caused by Hurricanes Rita and Katrina.
    Such additional funding will be at the total discretion of MBDA. 
The Houston

[[Page 4118]]

MBEC (Grijalva and Allen) will be eligible for a third bonus funding 
period (January 1, 2006-December 31, 2006) on a non-competitive basis.
    The Houston MBEC will continue to concentrate on serving firms 
located in the Houston, Texas Metropolitan Statistical Area. This 
includes delivering relevant services to minority-owned firms impacted 
by Hurricanes Rita and Katrina and to displaced MBEs currently residing 
in the greater Houston, Texas area. The Houston MBEC program shall 
continue to leverage telecommunications technology, including the 
Internet, and a variety of online computer-based resources to 
dramatically increase the level of service that the MBEC can provide to 
minority-owned firms, including micro-enterprises.
    Entrepreneurs eligible for assistance under the MBEC Program are 
African Americans, Puerto Ricans, Spanish-speaking Americans, Aleuts, 
Asian Pacific Americans, Asian Indians, Native Americans, Eskimos and 
Hasidic Jews.

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 December 30, 2004 (69 FR 78389), are applicable to this 
notice.

Executive Order 12866

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

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

    Dated: January 20, 2006.
Ronald N. Langston,
National Director, Minority Business Development Agency.
[FR Doc. E6-892 Filed 1-24-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-21-P