[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 206 (Wednesday, October 25, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62420-62421]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-17879]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Minority Business Development Agency

[Docket No. 00724218-6267-11]


Cancellation of the Solicitation of Applications for the Native 
American Business Enterprise Center (NABEC) and Extension of NABEC 
Program Period

AGENCY: Minority Business Development Agency, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) publishes this 
notice to: (1) Announce that it is canceling the Solicitation of 
Applications for the Native American Business Enterprise Center (NABEC) 
(formerly Native American Business Development Center (NABDC)) Program 
as published on September 6, 2006, and (2) Amend the August 29, 2003 
Federal Register notice solicitation to extend the total project award 
period for cooperative agreements under the NABEC program from three 
(3) years to four (4) years. MBDA is taking both actions in order to 
permit MBDA to solicit input from all stakeholders on any proposed 
Program changes. This notice also identifies certain NABECs currently 
funded through December 31, 2006, that will be eligible for an 
additional year of funding beyond the three (3) years normally allowed 
between competitions.

DATES: The additional year of funding, if approved by the Grants 
Officer, will commence January 1, 2007 and continue through December 
31, 2007.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under Executive order 11625, the NABEC 
Program was established to provide standardized business assistance 
services to the Native American business public directly, develop a 
network of strategic partnerships and provide strategic business 
consulting within the geographic services area. These mission goals 
generate increased results with respect to financing and contracts 
awarded to Native American and minority-owned firms and thus, are a key 
component of the Program.
    MBDA is announcing the cancellation of the Solicitation of 
Applications for the NABEC Program, as published on September 6, 2006 
(71 FR 52529), to allow for the solicitation of input from all 
stakeholders on any proposed Program changes. In addition, MBDA is 
extending the total project award period from three years to four years 
for awards under the NABEC Program. MBDA's prior Federal Register 
notice of August 29, 2003 (68 FR 51981), as amended on September 30, 
2003 (68 FR 56267), February 11, 2004 (69 FR 6644), and February 19, 
2004 (69 FR 7726) is hereby amended to allow for the extension of the 
total project award period of cooperative agreements under the NABEC 
Program to four (4) years.
    NABECs that will be completing the third year of operation on 
December 31, 2006 will be eligible for an additional year of funding, 
on a non-competitive basis. Such additional funding will be at the 
total discretion of MBDA, using the evaluation criteria and process 
used to determine the continuation of funding during the original award 
period (Years 1-3).
    In making its determination, MBDA will consider (1) the NABEC's 
performance rating, (2) the availability of funds, and (3) the agency's 
priorities. In determining the NABEC's performance rating, MBDA will 
review the overall project performance as evaluated through the 
standardized performance reports and assessments required by the NABEC 
Program. MBDA will consider only those NABEC's that have achieved a 
performance rating of ``Satisfactory,'' ``Good,'' ``Commendable,'' or 
``Outstanding.''
    The following NABECs are affected by this notice and will be 
eligible for an additional year (January 1, 2007 through December 31, 
2007) of funding on a non-competitive basis: Arizona Statewide NABEC 
(The National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development), 
California Statewide NABEC (The National Center for American Indian 
Enterprise Development), Minnesota/Iowa Statewide NABEC (Minnesota 
Chippewa Tribe), New Mexico Statewide NABEC (The Native American 
Resource Center, Inc.), North Carolina/Cherokee/Ashville NABEC (Eastern 
Band of Cherokee Indians), North/South Dakota Statewide NABEC (United 
Tribes Technical College), Northwest NABEC (The National Center for 
American Indian Enterprise Development), and Oklahoma Statewide NABEC 
(The Native American Resource Center, Inc.).
    The existing NABECs will continue to concentrate on serving Native 
American and minority-owned firms located in their originally 
designated geographic service area. The NABEC 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 NABEC can provide to Native American and 
minority-owned firms, including micro-enterprises.
    Entrepreneurs eligible for assistance under the NABEC Program are 
Native Americans, Eskimos, African Americans, Puerto Ricans, Spanish-
speaking Americans, Aleuts, Asian Pacific Americans, Asian Indians, 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.

[[Page 62421]]

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: October 20, 2006.
Ronald Marin,
Financial Management Officer, Minority Business Development Agency.
 [FR Doc. E6-17879 Filed 10-24-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-21-P