[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 36 (Thursday, February 23, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9308-9311]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-2545]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Economic Development Administration

[991215339-6042-20]


Solicitation of Proposals for Economic Development Assistance 
Programs

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

ACTION: Notice and request for proposals.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Economic Development Administration (EDA) is soliciting 
proposals for the following programs authorized by the Public Works and 
Economic Development Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3121 et seq.) (PWEDA): (1) 
Public Works and Economic Development Investments Program, (2) Planning 
Program, (3) Local Technical Assistance Program, and (4) Economic 
Adjustment Assistance Program. EDA's mission is to lead the federal 
economic development agenda by promoting innovation and 
competitiveness, preparing American regions for growth and success in 
the worldwide economy. In implementing this mission pursuant to its 
authorizing statute, PWEDA, EDA advances economic growth by assisting 
communities and regions experiencing chronic high unemployment and low 
per capita income to create an environment that fosters innovation, 
promotes entrepreneurship, and attracts increased private capital 
investment. Under the Trade Act of 1974, as

[[Page 9309]]

amended (19 U.S.C. 2341-2391) (Trade Act), EDA also provides technical 
assistance to firms adversely affected by increased import competition.

DATES: Proposals are accepted on a continuing basis and formal 
applications are invited and processed as received. Generally, two 
months are required for EDA to reach a final decision after receipt of 
a completed formal application invited by EDA that meets all 
requirements.

ADDRESSES: For applicants in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, 
Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee, please send 
proposals to:

Economic Development Administration, Atlanta Regional Office, 401 West 
Peachtree Street, NW., Suite 1820, Atlanta, Georgia 30308, Telephone: 
(404) 730-3002, Fax: (404) 730-3025.

    For applicants in Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and 
Texas, please send proposals to:

Economic Development Administration, Austin Regional Office, 504 
Lavaca, Suite 1100, Austin, Texas 78701-2858, Telephone: (512) 381-
8144, Fax: (512) 381-8177.

    For applicants in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and 
Wisconsin, please send proposals to:

Economic Development Administration, Chicago Regional Office, 111 North 
Canal Street, Suite 855, Chicago, Illinois 60606, Telephone: (312) 353-
7706, Fax: (312) 353-8575.

    For applicants in Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, 
Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming, please send 
proposals to:

Economic Development Administration, Denver Regional Office, 1244 Speer 
Boulevard, Room 670, Denver, Colorado 80204, Telephone: (303) 844-4715, 
Fax: (303) 844-3968.

    For applicants in Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, 
Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, 
Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, Vermont, U.S. Virgin Islands 
and West Virginia, please send proposals to:

Economic Development Administration, Philadelphia Regional Office, 
Curtis Center, 601 Walnut Street, Suite 140 South, Philadelphia, 
Pennsylvania 19106, Telephone: (215) 597-4603, Fax: (215) 597-1063.

    For applicants in Alaska, American Samoa, Arizona, California, 
Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nevada, Northern 
Mariana Islands, Oregon, Republic of Palau and Washington, please send 
proposals to:

Economic Development Administration, Seattle Regional Office, Jackson 
Federal Building, Room 1890, 915 Second Avenue, Seattle, Washington 
98174, Telephone: (206) 220-7660, Fax: (206) 220-7669.
    For a copy of the complete federal funding opportunity (FFO) 
announcement for this request for proposals, please see the Internet 
Web site listed below under ``Electronic Access.''

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information or for a 
paper copy of the FFO, contact the appropriate EDA regional office 
listed above. EDA's Internet website at http://www.eda.gov contains 
additional information on EDA and its programs.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Electronic Access

    EDA is currently unable to accept electronic submissions of 
proposal packages. However, paper pre-applications may be downloaded 
from EDA's Internet Web site at http://www.eda.gov or may be obtained 
from the appropriate EDA regional office or Economic Development 
Representative.
    The FFO for the FY 2006 Economic Development Assistance Programs 
competition is available at http://www.grants.gov. Additional 
information also is available on EDA's Internet Web site at http://www.eda.gov.

Funding Availability

    Funding appropriated under the FY 2006 Science, State, Justice, 
Commerce and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (Pub. L. 109-108, 119 
Stat. 2290 (2005)) is available for the economic development assistance 
programs authorized by PWEDA and for the Trade Adjustment Assistance 
For Firms program authorized under the Trade Act. Funds in the amount 
of $250,741,104 have been appropriated for FY 2006 and shall remain 
available until expended.
    This request for proposals covers the following programs under 
PWEDA: (1) Public Works and Economic Development Investments Program, 
(2) Planning Program, (3) Technical Assistance Program, and (4) 
Economic Adjustment Assistance Program. Under the Technical Assistance 
Program, this request for proposals covers Local Technical Assistance 
only. A separate FFO announcement will be posted at http://www.grants.gov and will set forth the specific funding priorities, 
application and selection processes, time frames, and evaluation 
criteria for certain National Technical Assistance projects to be 
funded under the FY 2006 appropriation. Similarly, a separate FFO 
announcement has been posted at http://www.grants.gov that sets forth 
the specific funding priorities, application and selection processes, 
time frames, and evaluation criteria for University Center projects to 
be funded with FY 2006 appropriated program funds.

Statutory Authority

    The authority for the (1) Public Works and Economic Development 
Investments Program, (2) Planning Program, (3) Technical Assistance 
Program, and (4) Economic Adjustment Assistance Program is PWEDA. The 
authority for the Trade Adjustment Assistance for Firms program is 
Chapter 3 of Title II of the Trade Act. On August 11, 2005, EDA 
published an interim final rule (70 FR 47002) to reflect the amendments 
made to PWEDA by the Economic Development Administration 
Reauthorization Act of 2004 (Pub. L. 108-373, 118 Stat. 1756 (2004)). 
With limited exceptions, the interim final rule became effective on 
October 1, 2005. You may access the interim final rule and PWEDA on 
EDA's Internet Web site at http://www.eda.gov.
    On December 15, 2005, EDA published a second interim final rule in 
the Federal Register (70 FR 74193) to change the provisions of the 
August 11, 2005 interim final rule consistent with the direction 
provided in the Conference Report (H.R. Rep. No. 109-272 (2006)) 
accompanying the FY 2006 Science, State, Justice, Commerce and Related 
Agencies Appropriations Act (Pub. L. 109-108, 119 Stat. 2290 (2005)). 
The regulations contained in the August 11, 2005 interim final rule, 
together with subsequent changes made thereto by the December 15, 2005 
interim final rule, will govern all awards made under this solicitation 
for proposals. In publishing a final rule during 2006, EDA will 
consider all comments received during the public comment period (held 
from August 11, 2005 through November 14, 2005) on all aspects of the 
August 11, 2005 interim final rule.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Numbers

    11.300, Grants for Public Works and Economic Development 
Facilities; 11.302, Economic Development--Support for Planning 
Organizations; 11.303, Economic Development--Technical Assistance; 
11.307, Economic Adjustment Assistance; 11.313, Economic Development--
Trade Adjustment Assistance.

Eligibility

    Pursuant to PWEDA, eligible applicants for and eligible recipients 
of EDA investment assistance include a

[[Page 9310]]

District Organization; an Indian Tribe or a consortium of Indian 
Tribes; a State, a city or other political subdivision of a State, 
including a special purpose unit of a State or local government engaged 
in economic or infrastructure development activities, or a consortium 
of political subdivisions; an institution of higher education or a 
consortium of institutions of higher education; or a public or private 
non-profit organization or association acting in cooperation with 
officials of a political subdivision of a State. See section 3 of PWEDA 
(42 U.S.C. 3122) and 13 CFR 300.3. Projects eligible for Public Works 
or Economic Adjustment investment assistance include those projects 
located in regions meeting ``special need'' criteria, as set forth in 
section VIII.B. of the FFO.

Cost Sharing or Matching Share Requirements

    Generally, the amount of the EDA grant may not exceed fifty (50) 
percent of the total cost of the project. Projects may receive an 
additional amount that shall not exceed thirty (30) percent, based on 
the relative needs of the region in which the project will be located, 
as determined by EDA. See section 204(a) of PWEDA (42 U.S.C. 3144) and 
13 CFR 301.4(b)(1). For projects of a national scope under 13 CFR part 
306 (Training, Research and Technical Assistance), and for all other 
projects under 13 CFR part 306, after the application of the first two 
(2) sentences of this paragraph, the Assistant Secretary of Commerce 
for Economic Development (Assistant Secretary) has the discretion to 
establish a maximum EDA investment rate of up to one-hundred (100) 
percent where the project (i) merits and is not otherwise feasible 
without an increase to the EDA investment rate; or (ii) will be of no 
or only incidental benefit to the recipient. See section 204(c)(3) of 
PWEDA (42 U.S.C. 3144) and 13 CFR 301.4(b)(4). In the case of EDA 
investment assistance to a(n) (i) Indian Tribe, (ii) State (or 
political subdivision of a State) that the Assistant Secretary 
determines has exhausted its effective taxing and borrowing capacity, 
or (iii) non-profit organization that the Assistant Secretary 
determines has exhausted its effective borrowing capacity, the 
Assistant Secretary has the discretion to establish a maximum EDA 
investment rate of up to one hundred (100) percent of the total project 
cost. See sections 204(c)(1) and (2) of PWEDA (42 U.S.C. 3144) and 13 
CFR 301.4(b)(5). Potential applicants should contact the appropriate 
EDA regional office to make these determinations.
    While cash contributions are encouraged, in-kind contributions, 
consisting of contributions of space, equipment, assumptions of debt, 
and services, may provide the non-Federal share requirement of the 
total project cost. See section 204(b) of PWEDA (42 U.S.C. 3144). EDA 
will fairly evaluate all in-kind contributions, which must be eligible 
project costs and meet applicable Federal cost principles and uniform 
administrative requirements. Funds from other Federal financial 
assistance awards are considered matching share funds only if 
authorized by statute that allows such use, which may be determined by 
EDA's reasonable interpretation of the statute. See 13 CFR 300.3. The 
applicant must show that the matching share is committed to the 
project, available as needed and not conditioned or encumbered in any 
way that precludes its use consistent with the requirements of EDA 
investment assistance. See 13 CFR 301.5.

Intergovernmental Review

    Applications for assistance under EDA's programs are subject to the 
requirements of Executive Order 12372, ``Intergovernmental Review of 
Federal Programs.''

Evaluation and Selection Procedures

    Each pre-application proposal is circulated by a project officer 
within the appropriate regional office staff for review and comments. 
When the necessary input and information are obtained, the pre-
application proposal is considered by the regional office's Investment 
Review Committee (IRC), which is comprised of regional office staff. 
The IRC discusses the proposal (and all pertinent documentation) and 
evaluates it on two levels of analysis. The IRC (a) determines if the 
proposal meets the program-specific award and application requirements 
provided in 13 CFR 305.2 for Public Works investments, 13 CFR 303.3 for 
Planning investments, 13 CFR 306.2 for Local and National Technical 
Assistance, and 13 CFR 307.2 and 307.4 for Economic Adjustment 
Assistance, and (b) rates each proposal using the general evaluation 
criteria set forth in 13 CFR 301.8. These general evaluation criteria 
are provided in section V.B. of the FFO. Project proposals for 
University Centers and National Technical Assistance will be evaluated 
pursuant to separate Federal Register Notices published for FY 2006. 
With respect to the Trade Adjustment Assistance for Firms program under 
the Trade Act, continuation grants will not be competed and no new 
Trade Adjustment Assistance Center (TAAC) grants will be awarded this 
year. See 19 U.S.C. 2341-2391 and 13 CFR part 315.
    After completing its evaluation, the IRC recommends to the Regional 
Director whether or not an application should be invited, documenting 
its recommendation in the meeting minutes or in the Investment Proposal 
Summary and Evaluation Form. For quality control assurance, EDA 
Headquarters reviews the IRC's analysis of the project's fulfillment of 
the investment policy guidelines, as set forth in section V.B. of the 
FFO and in 13 CFR 301.8. After receiving quality control clearance, the 
Selecting Official (depending on the program, either the Regional 
Director or the Assistant Secretary) considers the evaluations provided 
by the IRC and the degree to which one or more of the funding 
priorities provided below are included (or packaged together), in 
making his/her decision as to which proponents should be invited to 
submit a formal application for investment assistance. The Selecting 
Official then formally invites the successful proponents to submit 
formal applications. If the Selecting Official declines to invite a 
full application, he/she provides written notice to the proponent. In 
the case of a continuation grant, no pre-application proposal is 
required. Proposals received after the date of this notice will be 
processed in accordance with the requirements set forth herein until 
the next annual FFO is posted on http://www.grants.gov and the related 
notice and request for proposals is published in the Federal Register.
    If a proponent is selected to submit a formal application, the 
appropriate regional office will provide application materials and 
guidance in completing them. The proponent will generally have thirty 
(30) days to submit the completed application materials to the regional 
office. EDA staff will work with the proponent to resolve application 
deficiencies. If a completed formal application is accepted, the 
proponent and Economic Development Representative are notified and it 
is forwarded for final review and processing in accordance with EDA and 
Department of Commerce procedures.

Evaluation Criteria

    EDA will select investment proposals competitively based on the 
investment policy guidelines and funding priority considerations 
identified in this notice. All EDA investment proposals will be 
competitively evaluated primarily on their ability to satisfy one (1) 
or more of the following investment policy guidelines, each of 
equivalent weight and which also are set forth in 13 CFR 301.8:

[[Page 9311]]

    1. Be market-based and results driven. An EDA 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 EDA 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 EDA 
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 EDA 
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 local 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; and
     Strong cooperation between the business sector, relevant 
regional partners and local, State and Federal governments.

Funding Priorities

    Successful applications for EDA's investment programs will be 
regionally-driven initiatives in areas of the Nation that are 
underperforming and eligible for EDA programs that meet one or more of 
the following core criteria (investment proposals that meet more than 
one core criterion will be given more favorable consideration):
    1. Investments in support of long-term, coordinated and 
collaborative regional economic development approaches:
     Establish comprehensive regional economic development 
strategies that identify promising opportunities for long-term economic 
growth.
     Exhibit demonstrable, committed multi-jurisdictional 
support from leaders across all sectors:

    i. Public (e.g., mayors, city councils, county executives, senior 
state leadership);
    ii. Institutional (e.g., institutions of higher learning);
    iii. Non-profit (e.g., chambers of commerce, development 
organizations); and
    iv. Private (e.g., leading regional businesses, significant 
regional industry associations).
     Generate quantifiable positive economic outcomes.
    2. Investments that support innovation and competitiveness:
     Develop and enhance the functioning and competitiveness of 
leading and emerging industry clusters in an economic region.
     Advance technology transfer from research institutions to 
the commercial marketplace.
     Bolster critical infrastructure (e.g., transportation, 
communications, specialized training) to prepare economic regions to 
compete in the world-wide marketplace.
    3. Investments that encourage entrepreneurship:
     Cultivate a favorable entrepreneurial environment 
consistent with regional strategies.
     Enable economic regions to identify innovative 
opportunities among growth-oriented small and medium-size enterprises.
     Promote community and faith-based entrepreneurship 
programs aimed at improving economic performance in an economic region.
    Additional consideration will be given to investment proposals 
which also accomplish the following:
     Respond to sudden and severe economic dislocations (e.g., 
major layoffs and/or plant closures, disasters).
     Enable BRAC-impacted communities to transition from a 
military to civilian economy.
     Advance the goals of linking historic preservation and 
economic development as outlined by Executive Order 13287, ``Preserve 
America.''

The Department of Commerce Pre-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 December 30, 2004 (69 FR 78389). 
This notice may be accessed by entering the Federal Register volume and 
page number provided in the previous sentence at the following Internet 
Web site: http://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 Form ED-900P 
has been approved by OMB under 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 
rule 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.

Sandy K. Baruah,
Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development.
 [FR Doc. E6-2545 Filed 2-22-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-24-P