[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 172 (Wednesday, September 6, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52529-52534]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-14758]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Minority Business Development Agency

[Docket No: 000724218-6233-10]


Solicitation of Applications for the Native American Business 
Enterprise Center (NABEC) (formerly Native American Business 
Development Center (NABDC))

AGENCY: Minority Business Development Agency, DOC.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with Executive Order 11625 and 15 U.S.C. Section 
1512, the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) is soliciting for 
competitive applications from organizations to operate a Native 
American Business Enterprise Center (NABEC) (formerly Native American 
Business Development Center (NABDC)). This is not a grant program to 
help start a business. Applications submitted must be to operate a 
Native American Business Enterprise Center (NABEC) and to provide 
business consultation to eligible clients. Applications that do not 
meet these requirements will be rejected. The NABEC will provide 
services in the outlined geographic areas (refer to SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION section of this Notice).

DATES: The closing date for receipt of applications for the NABEC 
program is October 18, 2006. Completed applications must be received by 
MBDA no later than 5 p.m. Eastern Daylight Savings Time at the address 
below for paper submission or at http://www.grants.gov/ for electronic 
submission. The due date and time is the same for electronic 
submissions as it is for paper submissions. The date that applications 
will be deemed to have been submitted electronically shall be the date 
and time received at Grants.gov. Applicants should save and print the 
proof of submission they receive from Grants.gov. Applications received 
after the closing date and time will not be considered. Anticipated 
time for processing of the NABEC program is approximately ninety days 
(90) days from the date of publication of this Announcement. MBDA 
anticipates that awards for the NABEC program will be made with a start 
date of January 1, 2007.
    Pre-Application Conference: A pre-application teleconference will 
be held for the NABEC program on October 3, 2006, in connection with 
this solicitation Announcement. The pre-application conference 
information will be available on MBDA's Portal (MBDA Portal) at http://www.mbda.gov/. Interested parties to the pre-application conference 
must register at MBDA's Portal at least 24 hours in advance of the 
event.

ADDRESSES:
    1 (a) Paper Submission--If Mailed: If the application is mailed/
shipped overnight by the applicant or its representative, one (1) 
signed original plus two (2) copies of the application must be 
submitted. Completed application packages must be mailed to: Office of 
Business Development--NABEC Program, 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. U.S. Department of Commerce delivery policies for Federal 
Express, UPS, and DHL overnight services require the packages to be 
sent to the address above.
    1 (b) Paper Submission--If Hand-Delivered: If the application is 
hand-delivered by the applicant or his/her representative, one (1) 
signed original plus two (2) copies of the application must be 
delivered to: U.S. Department of Commerce, Minority Business 
Development Agency, Office of Business Development--NABEC Program 
(extension 1940), HCHB, Room 1874, Entrance 10, 15th Street, 
NW., Washington, DC (Between Pennsylvania and Constitution Avenues). 
U.S. Department of Commerce ``hand-delivery'' policies state that 
Federal Express, UPS, and DHL overnight services submitted to the 
address listed above (Entrance 10) cannot be accepted. These 
policies should be taken into consideration when utilizing their 
services. MBDA will not accept applications that are submitted by the 
deadline but rejected due to Departmental hand-delivery policies. The 
applicant must adhere to these policies in order for his/her 
application to receive consideration for award.
    (2) Electronic Submission: Applicants are encouraged to submit 
their proposal electronically at http://www.Grants.gov. Electronic 
submissions should be made

[[Page 52530]]

in accordance with the instructions available at Grants.gov (see http://www.grants.gov/ForApplicants for detailed information). MBDA strongly 
recommends that applicants not wait until the application deadline date 
to begin the application process through Grants.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information, please visit 
MBDA's Minority Business Internet Portal at http://www.mbda.gov. Paper 
applications and Standard Forms may be obtained by contacting the MBDA 
National Enterprise Center (NEC) for the area where the Applicant is 
located (See Agency Contacts section) or visiting MBDA's Portal at 
http://www.mbda.gov. Standard Forms 424, 424A, 424B, and SF-LLL can 
also be obtained at http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants, or http://www.Grants.gov. Forms CD-511 and CD-346 may be obtained at www.doc.gov/forms.
    Responsibility for ensuring that applications are complete and 
received by MBDA on time is the sole responsibility of the Applicant.

Agency Contacts

    1. Office of Business Development, 14th and Constitution Avenue, 
NW., Room 5073, Washington DC 20230. Contact: Efrain Gonzalez, Program 
Manager at 202-482-1940.
    2. San Francisco National Enterprise Center (SFNEC) is located at 
221 Main Street, Suite 1280, San Francisco, CA 94105. The designated 
project for the SFNEC is the North-West NABEC. This region, under the 
NABEC program covers the states of Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Utah, 
Nevada, Oregon, Washington, California and Alaska. Contact: Linda 
Marmolejo, Regional Director, SFNEC at 415-744-3001.
    3. Dallas National Enterprise Center (DNEC) is located at 1100 
Commerce Street, Suite 7B-23, Dallas, TX 75242. The designated project 
for the DNEC is the South-West NABEC. This region, under the NABEC 
program, covers the states of Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, 
Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona. Contact John Iglehart, Regional 
Director, Dallas NEC at 214-767-8001.
    4. Atlanta National Enterprise Center (ANEC) is located at 401 W. 
Peachtree Street, NW., Suite 1715, Atlanta, GA 30308-3516. The 
designated project for the ANEC is the Eastern NABEC. This region, 
under the NABEC program, covers the states of Mississippi, Alabama, 
Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, 
West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, 
New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, 
Vermont, Maine and the District of Columbia. Contact John Iglehart, 
Acting Regional Director, ANEC at 404-730-3300.
    5. Chicago National Enterprise Center (CNEC) is located at 55 E. 
Monroe Street Suite 1406, Chicago, IL 60603. The designated project for 
the CNEC is the Mid-West NABEC. This region, under the NABEC program, 
covers the states of Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, 
Wisconsin, Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and 
Ohio. Contact Eric Dobyne, Regional Director, CNEC at 312-353-0182.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Geographic Service Areas

    The NABEC Program will provide services in the following revised 
geographic areas:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                     Geographic service
          NABEC name            Location of NABEC           area
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Eastern NABEC.................  Nashville, TN....  States of
                                                    Mississippi,
                                                    Alabama, Florida,
                                                    Georgia, South
                                                    Carolina, North
                                                    Carolina, Tennessee,
                                                    Kentucky, West
                                                    Virginia, Virginia,
                                                    Maryland, Delaware,
                                                    Pennsylvania, New
                                                    Jersey, New York,
                                                    Connecticut, Rhode
                                                    Island,
                                                    Massachusetts, New
                                                    Hampshire, Vermont,
                                                    Maine and the
                                                    District of
                                                    Columbia.
Mid-West NABEC................  Minneapolis, MN..  States of Minnesota,
                                                    North Dakota, South
                                                    Dakota, Nebraska,
                                                    Wisconsin, Kansas,
                                                    Missouri, Iowa,
                                                    Illinois, Indiana,
                                                    Michigan and Ohio.
South-West NABEC..............  Tulsa, OK........  States of Louisiana,
                                                    Arkansas, Oklahoma,
                                                    Texas, Colorado, New
                                                    Mexico and Arizona.
North-West NABEC..............  Billings, MT.....  States of Wyoming,
                                                    Montana, Idaho,
                                                    Utah, Nevada,
                                                    Oregon, Washington,
                                                    California and
                                                    Alaska.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Electronic Access: A link to the full text of the Federal Funding 
Opportunity (FFO) Announcements for the NABEC Program can be found at 
http://www.Grants.gov or by downloading at http://www.mbda.gov or by 
contacting the appropriate MBDA representative identified above. The 
FFO contains a full and complete description of the NABEC Program 
requirements. In order to receive proper consideration, applicants must 
comply with all information and requirements contained in the FFO. 
Applicants will be able to access, download and submit electronic grant 
applications for the NABEC Program in this announcement at Grants.gov. 
MBDA strongly recommends that applicants not wait until the application 
deadline date to begin the application process through Grants.gov. The 
date that applications will be deemed to have been submitted 
electronically shall be the date and time received at Grants.gov. 
Applicants should save and print the proof of submission they receive 
from Grants.gov. Applications received after the closing date and time 
will not be considered.
    Funding Priorities: Preference may be given to applications during 
the selection process which address the following MBDA funding 
priorities:
    (a) Applicants who submit proposals that include work activities 
that exceed the minimum work requirements in this Announcement.
    (b) Applicants who submit proposals that include performance goals 
that exceed the minimum performance goal requirements in this 
Announcement.
    (c) Applicants who demonstrate an exceptional ability to identify 
and work towards the elimination of barriers which limit the access of 
minority businesses to markets and capital.
    (d) Applicants who demonstrate an exceptional ability to identify 
and work with minority businesses seeking to obtain large-scale 
contracts and/or insertion into supply chains with institutional 
customers.
    (e) Applicants that utilize fee for service models and those that 
demonstrate an exceptional ability to charge and collect fees from 
clients.
    (f) Applicants who submit proposals that take a regional approach 
in providing services to eligible clients.
    Funding Availability: The total award period is three years. The 
Federal funding share in each program year

[[Page 52531]]

(2007-2009) (January 1-December 31 respectively) is $1.25 million. MBDA 
funding availability is subject to Fiscal Year appropriations. MBDA 
anticipates funding four (4) NABECs from this competitive Announcement.
    MBDA requires each award recipient to provide a minimum of ten 
percent (10%) non-federal cost share. Applicants must submit project 
plans and budgets for each of the three funding periods. Projects will 
be funded for no more than one year at a time. Project proposals 
accepted for funding will not compete for funding in the subsequent 
second and third budget periods. Second and third year funding will 
depend upon satisfactory performance, availability of funds to support 
continuation of the project, and consistency with Department of 
Commerce and MBDA priorities. Second and third year funding will be 
granted at the sole discretion of MBDA and the Department of Commerce.
    MBDA is soliciting competitive applications from organizations to 
operate a MBEC in the designated geographic areas. The maximum Federal 
Funding Amounts for each year are shown below.
    All funding periods are subject to the availability of funds to 
support the continuation of the project, and the Department of 
Commerce's and MBDA's priorities. Publication of this Notice does not 
obligate MBDA or the Department to award any specific cooperative 
agreement or to obligate all or any part of available funds.
    Contingent upon the availability of Federal funds, the cost of 
performance for each of the program funding years is estimated in the 
chart below. The application must include a minimum cost share of 10% 
in non-Federal contributions.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                               January 1, 2007 through  December   January 1, 2008 through  December   January 1, 2009 through  December
                                                           31, 2007                            31, 2008                            31, 2009
                                             -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                         Non-                                Non-                                Non-
                Project name                                            Federal                             Federal                             Federal
                                              Total cost    Federal   share  ($)  Total cost    Federal   share  ($)  Total cost    Federal   share  ($)
                                                  ($)     share  ($)      (10%        ($)     share  ($)      (10%        ($)     share  ($)      (10%
                                                                         min.)                               min.)                               min.)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Eastern NABEC...............................     347,100     312,500      34,600     347,100     312,500      34,600     347,100     312,500      34,600
Mid-West NABEC..............................     347,100     312,500      34,600     347,100     312,500      34,600     347,100     312,500      34,600
South-West NABEC............................     347,100     312,500      34,600     347,100     312,500      34,600     347,100     312,500      34,600
North-West NABEC............................     347,100     312,500      34,600     347,100     312,500      34,600     347,100     312,500      34,600
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


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

    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA): 11.801 Native 
American Business Enterprise Center Program (NABEC) (formerly Native 
American Business Development Center (NABDC) Program).
    Eligibility: 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 NABECs. Applicants receiving three 
(3) consecutive funding award cycles (beginning 2007 through 2015) will 
not be eligible to receive an award in 2016 (and thereafter).
    Program Description: In accordance with Executive Order 11625 and 
15 U.S.C. Section 1512, the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) 
is soliciting applications from organizations to operate a Native 
American Business Enterprise Center (NABEC) (formerly Native American 
Business Development Center).
    The NABEC Program requires NABEC staff to provide standardized 
business assistance services to eligible Native American, tribal 
entities, Alaska Native Corporations and minority firms with $500,000 
or more in annual revenues and/or ``rapid growth potential'' minority 
businesses (``Strategic Growth Initiative'' or ``SGI'' firms) directly; 
to develop and maintain a network of strategic partnerships; to provide 
collaborative consulting services with other MBDA funded programs and/
or strategic partners; to provide strategic business consulting; to 
work closely with MBDA's Office of Native America Entrepreneurship and 
Trade; and, to provide referrals for client transactions. 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.
    Eligible clients are SGI minority firms including Native American 
business enterprises, tribal entities and Alaska Native Corporations 
capable of generating significant employment and long-term economic 
growth. However, eligible clients do not have to be tribal members. A 
significant emphasis for the NABEC Program is to support Native 
American communities through entrepreneurship.
    The NABEC Program shall leverage all available MBDA resources 
including the (a) Office of Native American Entrepreneurship and Trade, 
(b) Office of Business Development, and (c) National Enterprise 
Centers. In addition the NABEC Program shall leverage available 
telecommunications technology, including the Internet, and a variety of 
online computer-based resources to increase the level of service that 
the NABEC can provide to the targeted markets and communities within 
the defined geographic service area.
    The NABEC will place special emphasis on providing access to 
Federal contracting and procurement opportunities; and, providing 
collaborative support to the existing network of other MBDA funded 
projects and/or strategic partners that result in client outcomes.
    The NABEC program incorporates an entrepreneurial approach to 
building market stability and improving the quality of services 
delivered. This strategy expands the reach of the NABEC by requiring 
project operators to develop and build upon strategic alliances with 
public and private sector partners, and MBDA itself, as a means of 
serving the targeted markets and communities within the Center's 
defined geographic service area.
    MBDA will establish business consulting training programs to 
support the NABEC client assistance services. These NABEC training 
programs are designed specifically to foster growth assistance to its 
clients. The NABEC will also encourage increased collaboration and 
client/non-client referrals among the MBDA-sponsored networks. This 
will provide a comprehensive approach to serving the emerging sector of 
the minority business community.
    The NABEC will operate through the use of trained professional 
business consultants who will assist minority entrepreneurs through 
direct client engagements. Entrepreneurs eligible for assistance under 
the NABEC Program

[[Page 52532]]

are Native Americans, Native American tribes, Alaska Natives, Alaska 
Native Corporations, African Americans, Puerto Ricans, Spanish-speaking 
Americans, Aleuts, Asian and Pacific Islander Americans, Asian Indians, 
and Hasidic Jews.
    As part of its strategy for continuous improvement, the NABEC shall 
expand its delivery capacity to all minority firms (as defined above), 
with greater emphasis on Native American SGI firms. MBDA wants to 
ensure that NABEC clients are receiving a consistent level of service 
throughout its funded network. To that end, MBDA will require NABEC 
consultants to attend training courses designed to achieve standardized 
services and quality expectations.
    Further programmatic information can be found in the FFO.
    Match Requirements--Alabama MBEC: Cost sharing of at least 10% is 
required. Cost sharing is the portion of the project cost not borne by 
the Federal Government. Applicants must meet this requirement through 
one or more of the following means or a combination thereof: (1) Client 
fees (if proposed); (2) cash contributions; (3) non-cash applicant 
contributions; and/or (4) third party in-kind contributions. Bonus 
points will be awarded for cost sharing exceeding 10 percent that is 
applied on the following scale: more than 10%-less than 15%--1 point; 
15% or more-less than 20%--2 points; 20% or more-less than 25%--3 
points; 25% or more-less than 30%--4 points; and, 30% or more--5 
points. Applicants must provide a detailed explanation of how the cost-
sharing requirement will be met. The NABEC may charge client fees for 
services rendered. Client fees, if charged, shall be used towards 
meeting cost share requirements. Client fees applied directly to the 
award's cost sharing requirement must be used in furtherance of the 
program objectives.
    Evaluation Criteria: Proposals will be evaluated and applicants 
will be selected based on the following criteria. An application must 
receive at least 70% of the total points available for each evaluation 
criterion, in order for the application to be considered for funding. 
The maximum total of points that can be earned is 105 including bonus 
points for related non-federal cost sharing, except when oral 
presentations are made by applicants. If oral presentations are made 
(see paragraph 5 below), the maximum total of points that can be earned 
is 115.
    1. Applicant Capability (40 points). The applicant's proposal will 
be evaluated with respect to the applicant firm's experience and 
expertise in providing the work requirements listed. Specifically, the 
proposals will be evaluated as follows:
     Community--experience in and knowledge of the Native 
American community, Native American tribal entities and minority 
business sector and strategies for enhancing its growth and expansion; 
particular emphasis shall be on expanding SGI firms and tribal 
entities. This factor will be evaluated on whether or not the applicant 
has a physical presence (2 years minimum) in the geographic service 
area at the time of application (4 points);
     Business Consulting--experience in and knowledge of 
business consulting of SGI firms and tribal entities (5 points);
     Financing--experience in and knowledge of the preparation 
and formulation of successful financial transactions (5 points);
     Procurements and Contracting--experience in and knowledge 
of the public and private sector contracting opportunities for Native 
American entities and minority businesses, as well as demonstrated 
expertise in assisting clients into supply chains (5 points);
     Financing Networks--resources and professional 
relationships within the corporate, banking and investment community 
that may be beneficial to Native American entities and minority-owned 
firms (5 points);
     Establishment of a Self-Sustainable Service Model--summary 
plan to establish a self-sustainable model for continued services to 
the Native American and MBE communities beyond the MBDA funding cycle 
(3 points);
     MBE Advocacy--experience and expertise in advocating on 
behalf of Native American community, Native American tribal entities 
and minority businesses, both as to specific transactions in which a 
minority business seeks to engage, and as to broad market advocacy for 
the benefit of the minority community at large (3 points); and,
     Key Staff--assessment of the qualifications, experience 
and proposed role of staff who will operate the NABEC. In particular, 
an assessment will be made to determine whether proposed key staff 
possesses the expertise in utilizing information systems and the 
ability to successfully deliver services (10 points).
    2. Resources (20 points). The applicant's proposal will be 
evaluated according to the following criteria:
     Resources--discuss those resources (not included as part 
of the cost-sharing arrangement) that will be used, including (but not 
limited to) existing prior and/or current data lists that will serve in 
fostering immediate success for the NABEC (8 points);
     Location--Applicant must indicate if it shall establish a 
location for the Center that is separate and apart from any existing 
offices in the geographic service area (2 points);
     Partners--discuss how you plan to establish and maintain 
the network of five (5) External Strategic Partners and a minimum of 
four (4) Internal Strategic Partners. The applicant should also 
describe how these partners will support the NABEC to meet its 
performance objectives (5 points); and,
     Equipment--discuss how you plan to accomplish the computer 
hardware and software requirements (5 points).
    3. Techniques and Methodologies (20 points). The applicant's 
proposal will be evaluated as follows:
     Performance Measures--relate each performance measure to 
the financial, information and market resources available in the 
geographic service area to the applicant (including existing client 
list) and how the goals will be met (marketing plan). Specific 
attention should be placed on matching performance outcomes (as 
described under ``Geographic Service Areas and Performance Goals'' of 
the FFO) with client service hours. The applicant should consider 
existing market conditions and its strategy to achieve the goal (10 
points);
     Plan of Action--provide specific detail on how the 
applicant will start operations. The NABEC shall have thirty (30) days 
to become fully operational after an award is made. Fully operational 
means that all staff are hired, all signs are up, all items of 
furniture and equipment are in place and operational, all necessary 
forms are developed (e.g., client engagement letters, other standard 
correspondence, etc.), and the Center is ready to open its doors to the 
public (5 points); and,
     Work Requirement Execution Plan--The applicant will be 
evaluated on how effectively and efficiently all staff time will be 
used to achieve the work requirements (5 points).
    4. Proposed Budget and Supporting Budget Narrative (20 points). The 
applicant's proposal will be evaluated on the following sub-criteria:
     Reasonableness, allowability and allocability of costs. 
All of the proposed expenditures must be discussed and the budget line 
item narrative must match the proposed budget. Fringe benefits and 
other percentage item calculations must match the proposed line item on 
the budget. (5 points);
     Proposed cost sharing of 10% is required. The non-federal 
share must be

[[Page 52533]]

adequately documented, including, how client fees (if charged) will be 
used to meet the cost-share (5 points); and,
    Performance Based Budget. Discuss how the budget is related to the 
accomplishment of the work requirements and the performance measures. 
Provide a budget narrative that clearly shows the connections (10 
points).
    Proposals with cost sharing which exceeds 10% will be awarded bonus 
points on the following scale: More than 10%-less than 15%--1 point; 
15% or more-less than 20%--2 points; 20% or more-less than 25%--3 
points; 25% or more-less than 30%--4 points; and 30% or more--5 points.
    5. Oral Presentation--Optional (10 points). Oral presentations are 
held only when determined by MBDA. When the merit review by the panel 
results in applications scoring 70% or more of the available points for 
each criterion, MBDA may request all those applicants to develop and 
provide an oral presentation. This presentation will be used to 
establish a final evaluation and rating.
    The applicant's presentation will be evaluated on the following 
sub-criteria:
    (a) The extent to which the presentation demonstrates how the 
applicant will effectively and efficiently assist MBDA in the 
accomplishment of its mission (2 points);
    (b) The extent to which the presentation demonstrates business 
operating priorities designed to manage a successful NABEC (2 points);
    (c) The extent to which the presentation demonstrates a management 
philosophy that achieves an effective balance between micromanagement 
and complete autonomy for its Project Director (2 points);
    (d) The extent to which the presentation demonstrates robust search 
criteria for the identification of a Project Director (1 point);
    (e) The extent to which the presentation demonstrates effective 
employee recruitment and retention policies and procedures (1 point); 
and,
    (f) The extent to which the presentation demonstrates a competitive 
and innovative approach to exceeding performance requirements (2 
points).

Review and Selection Process--Alabama MBEC

    1. Initial Screening. Prior to the formal paneling process, each 
application will receive an initial screening to ensure that all 
required forms, signatures and documentation are present.
    2. Panel Review. Each application will receive an independent, 
objective review by a panel qualified to evaluate the applications 
submitted. MBDA anticipates that the review panel will be made up of at 
least three independent reviewers (all Federal employees) who will 
review all applications based on the above evaluation criteria. Each 
reviewer will evaluate and provide a score for each proposal. In order 
for an application to be considered for funding, it shall need to 
achieve 70% of the available points for each criterion. Failure to 
achieve these results will automatically deem the application as 
unsuccessful.
    3. Oral Presentation--Optional. When the merit review by the panel 
results in applications scoring 70% or more of the available points for 
each criterion, MBDA may request all those applicants to develop and 
provide an oral presentation. The applicants may receive up to 10 
additional points based on the presentation and content presented. If a 
formal presentation is requested, the applicants will receive a formal 
communication (via standard mail, e-mail or fax) from MBDA indicating 
the time and date for the presentation. In person presentations are not 
mandatory but are encouraged; telephonic presentations are acceptable. 
Applicants will be asked to submit a power point presentation (or 
equivalent) to MBDA that addresses the oral presentation criteria (see 
above, Evaluation Criteria, item 5. Oral Presentation--Optional). This 
presentation must be submitted at least 24 hours before the scheduled 
date and time of the presentation. The presentation will be made to the 
National Director (or his/her designee) and/or up to three senior MBDA 
staff who did not serve on the merit evaluation panel. The oral panel 
members may ask follow-up questions after the presentation. MBDA will 
provide the teleconference dial-in number and pass code. Each finalist 
will present to MBDA staff only; other applicants are not permitted to 
listen (and/or watch).
    All costs pertaining to this presentation shall be borne by the 
applicant. NABEC award funds may not be used as a reimbursement for 
this presentation. MBDA will not accept any requests or petitions for 
reimbursement. The oral panel members shall score each presentation in 
accordance with the oral presentation criteria. An average score shall 
be compiled and added to the original score of the panel review.
    4. Final Recommendation. The National Director of MBDA makes the 
final recommendation to the Department of Commerce Grants Officer 
regarding the funding of applications, taking into account the 
selection criteria as outlined in this Announcement and the following:
    (a) The evaluations and rankings of the independent review panel 
and the evaluation(s) of the oral presentations, if applicable;
    (b) Funding priorities. The National Director (or his/her designee) 
reserves the right to conduct a site visit (subject to the availability 
of funding) to applicant organizations receiving at least 70% of the 
total points available for each evaluation criterion, in order to make 
a better assessment of the organization's capability to achieve the 
funding priorities; and,
    (c) The availability of funding.
    Intergovernmental Review: Applications under this program are not 
subject to Executive Order 12372, ``Intergovernmental Review of Federal 
Programs.''
    Limitation of Liability: Applicants are hereby given notice that 
funds have yet to be appropriated for this program. In no event will 
MBDA or the Department of Commerce be responsible for proposal 
preparation costs if this program fails to receive funding or is 
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.
    Universal Identifier: Applicants should be aware that they will be 
required to provide a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering 
system (DUNS) number during the application process. See the June 27, 
2003 (68 FR 38402) Federal Register notice for additional information. 
Organizations can receive a DUNS number at no cost by calling the 
dedicated toll-free DUNS Number request line at 1-866-705-5711 or by 
accessing the Grants.gov Web site at http.//www.Grants.gov.
    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 solicitation.
    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, SF-LLL, and CD-346 have been 
approved by Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under the respective

[[Page 52534]]

control numbers 0348-0043, 0348-0044, 0348-0040, 0348-0046, and 0605-
0001.
    Notwithstanding any other provisions 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.
    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 for an opportunity for public comment are not required by the 
Administrative Procedure Act for rules concerning public property, 
loans, grant, benefits and contracts (5 U.S.C. 533(a)(2)). Because 
notice and opportunity for comment are not required pursuant to 5 
U.S.C. 533 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.

    Dated: August 31, 2006.
Ronald N. Langston,
National Director, Minority Business Development Agency.
[FR Doc. E6-14758 Filed 9-5-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-21-P