[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 129 (Friday, July 6, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36952-36955]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-13130]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Economic Development Administration

[Docket No.: 070627220-7221-01]


Solicitation of Applications for the National Technical 
Assistance, Training, Research and Evaluation Program: Economic 
Development Research Projects

AGENCY: Economic Development Administration, Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Notice and request for applications.

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SUMMARY: The Economic Development Administration (EDA) is soliciting 
applications for FY 2007 National Technical Assistance, Training, 
Research and Evaluation program (NTA Program) funding. Through this 
notice, EDA solicits applications for funding that address one or more 
of the following four research projects: (1) Rural economic development 
policy; (2) business incubators; (3) 21st century regionalism; and (4) 
private sector community investment. 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. Through its NTA Program, EDA works towards 
fulfilling its mission by funding research and technical assistance 
projects to promote competitiveness and innovation in rural and urban 
regions throughout the United States and its territories. By working in 
conjunction with its research partners, EDA will help States, local 
governments and community-based organizations to achieve their highest 
economic potential.

DATES: To be considered timely, a completed application, regardless of 
the format in which it is submitted, must be either: (1) Received by 
the EDA representative listed below under ``Paper Submissions'' no 
later than August 3, 2007 at 5 p.m. EST; or (2) transmitted and time-
stamped at www.grants.gov no later than August 3, 2007 at 5 p.m. EST. 
Any application received or transmitted, as the case may be, after 5 
p.m. EST on August 3, 2007 will be considered non-responsive and will 
not be considered for funding. Please see the instructions below under 
``Submitting Application Packages'' for information regarding format 
options for submitting completed applications. The closing date and 
time are the same for paper submissions as for electronic submissions. 
By September 5, 2007, EDA expects to notify the applicants selected for 
investment assistance under this notice. The selected applicants should 
expect to receive funding for their projects within thirty days of 
EDA's notification of selection. Applicants choosing to submit 
completed applications electronically in whole or in part through 
www.grants.gov should follow the instructions set out below under 
``Electronic Access'' and in section IV. of the complete Federal 
Funding Opportunity (FFO) announcement for this request for 
applications.

ADDRESSES: Paper Submissions: Full or partial paper (hardcopy) 
applications submitted under the NTA program may be hand-delivered or 
mailed to Dr. William P. Kittredge, Senior Program Analyst, Economic 
Development Administration, Room 7009, U.S. Department of Commerce, 
1401

[[Page 36953]]

Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230. Applicants are advised 
that, due to mail security measures, EDA's receipt of mail sent via the 
United States Postal Service may be substantially delayed or suspended 
in delivery. Applicants may wish to use a guaranteed overnight delivery 
service.
    Electronic Submissions: Applicants submitting full or partial paper 
submissions are encouraged to do so by e-mail. Completed applications 
may be e-mailed to William P. Kittredge, Senior Program Analyst, at 
[email protected]. Applicants also may submit applications 
electronically in whole or in part in accordance with the instructions 
provided at www.grants.gov and in section IV.B. of the applicable FFO 
announcement. EDA strongly encourages that applicants not wait until 
the application closing date to begin the application process through 
www.grants.gov. The preferred file format for electronic attachments 
(e.g., the project narrative and additional exhibits to Form ED-900A 
and Form ED-900A's program-specific component) is portable document 
format (PDF); however, EDA will accept electronic files in Microsoft 
Word, WordPerfect, Lotus or Excel formats.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information on the NTA 
Program or to obtain paper application packages for this notice, please 
contact William P. Kittredge, Senior Program Analyst, via e-mail at 
[email protected] (preferred) or by telephone at (202) 482-5442.
    For additional information regarding electronic submissions, please 
access the following link for assistance in navigating www.grants.gov 
and for a list of useful resources: www.grants.gov/applicants/
applicant--help.jsp. If you do not find an answer to your question 
under Frequently Asked Questions, try consulting the Applicant's User 
Guide. If you still cannot find an answer to your question, contact 
www.grants.gov via e-mail at [email protected] or telephone at 1-800-
518-4726. The hours of operation for www.grants.gov are Monday-Friday, 
7 a.m. to 9 p.m. (EST) (except for federal holidays).
    Additional information about EDA and its NTA Program may be 
obtained from EDA's Internet Web site at http://www.eda.gov. The 
complete FFO announcement for this request for applications is 
available at http://www.grants.gov and at http://www.eda.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Background Information: EDA is soliciting applications for FY 2007 
NTA Program funding. Through this notice, EDA solicits applications for 
funding that address one or more of the following four research 
projects: (1) Rural economic development policy; (2) business 
incubators; (3) 21st century regionalism; and (4) private sector 
community investment. EDA's intent is to create practitioner-accessible 
tools that can be used to bring the best current thinking to bear on 
specific problems. As described in the complete FFO announcement, each 
research project has three component deliverables: (1) A practitioner-
accessible report of the findings in the subject area that should be 
presented in a visually-appealing brochure summarizing key elements and 
findings; (2) a presentation to EDA senior management at the close of 
the study that outlines project methods in plain, non-technical 
language and summarizes the report's conclusions in a manner suitable 
for dissemination to the public; and (3) participation with EDA in 
conferences and meetings to discuss the results of the research. With 
respect to the first deliverable noted above, approximately 500 
brochures should be provided to EDA, with each brochure containing a 
compact disk (CD) version of the report in searchable Adobe PDF format. 
The CD should contain a full topical and subject index of the materials 
such that a practitioner seeking specific information can quickly 
locate the desired information and, utilizing intra-report links, 
quickly locate allied or associated information that may be necessary 
or useful for the completion of the task. A method by which 
practitioners may access updated data encapsulated in the final report 
without charge is desirable.
    Any information disseminated to the public under this request for 
applications is subject to the Information Quality Act (Pub. L. 106-
554). Applicants are required to comply with the Information Quality 
Guidelines issued by EDA pursuant to the Information Quality Act, which 
are designed to ensure and maximize the quality, objectivity, utility 
and integrity of information disseminated by EDA. These guidelines are 
available on EDA's Web site at http://www.eda.gov.
    Application Package: The application package consists of the 
following three forms:
    (1) Form ED-900A, Application for Investment Assistance (OMB 
Control No. 0610-0094);
    (2) Form ED-900A's program-specific component, National Technical 
Assistance, Training, and Research and Evaluation Program Requirements 
(OMB Control No. 0610-0094); and
    (3) Form SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance (OMB Control 
No. 4040-0004). Applicants must submit all components of the 
application package in accordance with the instructions provided in 
sections IV. and VII.B. of the FFO announcement.
    Submitting Application Packages: Applications may be submitted in 
one of three formats: (1) Full paper (hardcopy) submission; (2) partial 
paper (hardcopy) submission and partial electronic submission; or (3) 
full electronic submission, each in accordance with the procedures 
provided in section IV.B. of the applicable FFO announcement. The 
content of the application package is the same for paper submissions as 
it is for electronic submissions. Applications completed in accordance 
with the instructions set forth in the FFO announcement, regardless of 
the option chosen for submission, will be considered for EDA funding 
under this notice. Non-compliant or incomplete applications and 
applications submitted by facsimile will not be considered.
    Paper Access: Each of the three forms listed above under 
``Application Package'' are separate attachments available at http://www.eda.gov/InvestmentsGrants/Application.xml. You may print copies of 
each of these forms from http://www.eda.gov/InvestmentsGrants/Application.xml. You also may obtain paper application packages by 
contacting the EDA representative listed above under FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT.
    Electronic Access: Applicants may apply electronically through 
www.grants.gov and may access this grant opportunity synopsis by 
following the instructions provided on http://www.grants.gov/search/basic.do. The synopsis will have an application package, which is an 
electronic file that contains forms pertaining to this specific funding 
opportunity. On http://www.grants.gov/search/basic.do, applicants can 
perform a basic search for this funding opportunity by completing the 
``Keyword Search,'' the ``Search by Funding Opportunity Number,'' or 
the ``Search by CFDA Number'' field, and then clicking the ``Search'' 
button.
    Funding Availability: EDA may use funds appropriated under the 
Revised Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2007, Public Law 110-5 
(February 15, 2007) to make awards under the NTA Program authorized 
under section 207 of the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 
1965 (42 U.S.C. 3147), as amended (PWEDA), and 13 CFR part 306, subpart 
A. Approximately $2,700,000 is available, and shall

[[Page 36954]]

remain available until expended, for funding awards pursuant to this 
notice and request for applications. This notice is the second of three 
Federal Register notices for requests for applications under the NTA 
Program. EDA anticipates spending approximately $1,000,000 of available 
NTA Program funds to fund all four research projects under this notice. 
Based on recent past awards for projects similar to the projects 
solicited under this notice, the range of funding awards has been from 
$150,000 to $350,000 for each project.
    Statutory Authority: The authority for the NTA Program is PWEDA. 
EDA published final regulations (codified at 13 CFR chapter III) in the 
Federal Register on September 27, 2006 (71 FR 56658). The final 
regulations became effective upon publication and reflect changes made 
to PWEDA by the Economic Development Administration Reauthorization Act 
of 2004 (Pub. L. 108-373, 118 Stat. 1756 (2004)). These regulations 
will govern an award made under this notice and request for 
applications. The final regulations and PWEDA are accessible on EDA's 
Internet Web site at http://www.eda.gov/InvestmentsGrants/Lawsreg.xml.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Numbers: 11.303, 
Economic Development--Technical Assistance; 11.312, Economic 
Development-Research and Evaluation

    Eligibility Requirement: Pursuant to PWEDA, eligible applicants for 
and eligible recipients of EDA investment assistance include a 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; a public or private non-profit 
organization or association; and, as provided in section 207 of PWEDA 
(42 U.S.C. 3147) for the NTA Program, a private individual or a for-
profit organization. See section 3 of PWEDA (42 U.S.C. 3122) and 13 CFR 
300.3.
    Cost Sharing Requirement: Generally, the amount of the EDA grant 
may not exceed fifty percent of the total cost of the project. However, 
a project may receive an additional amount that shall not exceed thirty 
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). Under this announcement, 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 percent where the project: (1) Merits and is 
not otherwise feasible without an increase to the EDA investment rate; 
or (2) 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). 
While cash cost-sharing contributions are preferred, in-kind 
contributions, consisting of assumptions of debt or contributions of 
space, equipment and services, may provide the non-federal share 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 under the NTA Program are 
not subject to Executive Order 12372, ``Intergovernmental Review of 
Federal Programs.''
    Evaluation and Selection Procedures: To apply for an award under 
this request for applications, an eligible applicant must submit a 
completed application package to EDA before the closing date and time 
specified in the ``Dates'' section of this notice, and in the manner 
provided in section IV. of the applicable FFO announcement. Any 
application received or transmitted, as the case may be, after 5 p.m. 
EST on August 3, 2007 will not be considered for funding. Applications 
that do not include all items required or that exceed the page 
limitations set forth in section IV.C. of the FFO announcement will be 
considered non-responsive and will not be considered by the review 
panel. By September 5, 2007, EDA expects to notify the applicants 
selected for investment assistance under this notice. Unsuccessful 
applicants will be notified by postal mail that their applications were 
not selected for funding. Applications that meet all the requirements 
will be evaluated by a review panel comprised of at least three EDA 
staff members, all of whom will be full-time federal employees.
    Evaluation Criteria: The review panel will evaluate the 
applications and rate and rank them using the following criteria of 
approximate equal weight:
    1. Conformance with EDA's statutory and regulatory requirements, 
including the extent to which the proposed project satisfies the award 
requirements set out below and as provided in 13 CFR 306.2:
    a. Strengthens the capacity of local, State or national 
organizations and institutions to undertake and promote effective 
economic development programs targeted to regions of distress;
    b. Benefits distressed regions; and
    c. Demonstrates innovative approaches to stimulate economic 
development in distressed regions;
    2. The degree to which an EDA investment will have strong 
organizational leadership, relevant project management experience and a 
significant commitment of human resources talent to ensure the 
project's successful execution (see 13 CFR 301.8(b));
    3. The ability of the applicant to implement the proposed project 
successfully (see 13 CFR 301.8);
    4. The feasibility of the budget presented; and
    5. The cost to the Federal government.
    Also, the addition of research and project data to an existing 
website or the design of a companion Web site designed to disseminate 
research results and provide links to data encapsulated in the report 
free of charge is preferred.
    Selection Factors: The Assistant Secretary, as the Selecting 
Official, expects to fund the highest ranking applications, as 
recommended by the review panel, submitted under this request for 
applications. However, if EDA does not receive satisfactory 
applications, the Assistant Secretary may not make any selection. 
Depending on the quality of the applications received, the Assistant 
Secretary may select more than one application for one research project 
and make no selection for another research project. Also, he may select 
an application out of rank order for the following reasons: (1) A 
determination that the selected application better meets the overall 
objectives of sections 2 and 207 of PWEDA (42 U.S.C. 3121 and 3147); 
(2) the applicant's performance under previous awards; or (3) the 
availability of funding.

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

    The Department of Commerce Pre-Award Notification Requirements for

[[Page 36955]]

Grants and Cooperative Agreements, published in the Federal Register on 
December 30, 2004 (69 FR 78389), are applicable to this announcement. 
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://www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/retrieve.html.

Paperwork Reduction Act

    This request for applications contains collections of information 
subject to the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). The 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved the use of Form ED-
900A (Application for Investment Assistance) under control number 0610-
0094. Form ED-900A's program-specific component (National Technical 
Assistance, Training, and Research and Evaluation Program Requirements) 
also is approved under OMB control number 0610-0094, and incorporates 
Forms SF-424A (Budget Information--Non-Construction Programs, OMB 
control number 0348-0044) and SF-424B (Assurances--Non-Construction 
Programs, OMB control number 0348-0040). OMB has approved the use of 
Form SF-424 (Application for Financial Assistance) under control number 
4040-0004. 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 the 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, ``Regulatory Planning and Review.''

Executive Order 13132

    It has been determined that this notice does not contain ``policies 
that have Federalism implications,'' as that phrase is defined in 
Executive Order 13132, ``Federalism.''

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 29, 2007.
Benjamin Erulkar,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development and 
Chief Operating Officer.
[FR Doc. E7-13130 Filed 7-5-07; 8:45 am]
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